The Lullabye Tree by Jdald (best books to read fiction .txt) 📖

medical help he needed, he was purely evil.

He never did get the full understanding of how the man had escaped, never got the gist of how the man had known where he lived. It still didn't register, it probably never would, his mind dwelt on the facts, still, there was always the thought of what horror his family must have gone through and how long they had endured it, before the sweet hands of death had grasped theirs and taken them away.

And where had he been? His mouth filled with vomit when he thought of her.
He stopped to catch his breath, his vision was blurred, the pills he'd taken
were starting to work and already he could feel the sedative affect taking over.

The tree was large enough to see through his haze and it was close enough to catch him as he sunk to the earth. He leaned his back against the tree, a
moment of nausea shook him and just as quickly passed.

The tree swayed, the leaves shook, he thought he heard his wife call his name..
he did hear the song..

hush-a-bye
don't you cry
go to sleep my little baby

Everyone knew who he was, his face had been plastered all over the news.. so sad however, his death was much more peaceful than his familys' had been..

The Lullabye Tree

Six figures. That's what he had been making since he was 40, now at 58 he had been pushed out the door.
Taking stock of all things, there was no way, no way he could pay all his debts.

He'd kept her in the dark, there was no reason to worry her and the girls. He watched them screaming with delight as they jumped into the pool.
She had friends over, she bustled around, quite the hostess, everyone loved her luncheons, and her dinners even more.

These were the things he loved even more than money. He had tried to convince himself something would come along but, it had been six months now. He had
managed to pay their bills out of the severance package, it was quite hefty as it should have been after all of these years,

But now, there was nothing left, no one wanted a washed up old man, past his prime.. he couldn't even get a job at Micky Ds. It made him smile, how many
times had he been rude, to the people that worked the drive-thru. How many times had he put down one of the workers cause they were ... too old, he felt to work there? And look at him now, all his MBAs.. all his years at the top, they didn't even want him at the drive-thru window.

He kissed her cheek, telling her he needed to go to the office and get some papers. Actually the papers that would matter most, were upstairs in the drawer
by the bed..

Walking close to the park, he popped the pills into this mouth. He walked a little farther.. there was a tree, a huge, beautiful, majestic old tree. It seemed so out of place there, yet it's canopy invited him, the large root offered a seat to him. A ragged heart with the initials J+M still present, made him wonder, what had happened to them.

He sat there, his mind dancing with images from so many years past, he felt the first double beat, it took his breath away, numbness climbed up his arm, to his lips and he knew they were turning blue.. he prayed for his family, he prayed for forgiveness..

The tree hummed, the leaves shivered, the branches swayed and, he heard the
song..

hush-a-bye
don't you cry
go to sleep my little baby

There he was, a statistic, another one fallen by the wayside, a sign of the times.

She found out about everything after he was gone. They ruled it a heart attack, it was expected since he'd had a heart condition. She gathered up the
papers. Even through her haze she thought about their love for each other, of his love for them. She thought about his most unselfish act, and though it left them taken care of, she would have preferred to be poor with him. Hadn't he known that?

The Lullabye Tree

The papers had been drawn and signed. The men had their orders. The bulldozer and chain saws were at the ready.

"It's a beautiful tree, I don't understand, no rot, still green and strong."
"Well, they call it {The Lullabye Tree}.. I think about five or six people have died, right here, right under those branches, they say before they die, the tree sings to them.."
"Sings to them?"
"That's what they say.. they say it sings the 'lullabye song'."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.. oh well, guess we better get started.."

The two men revved up the chain saws, there was a myriad of branches to bring
down before they could even attempt to cut into the trunk.
The tree vibrated.. The branches swayed.. the leaves shook.. The men looked at each other. There was a song, each one looked to the other for confirmation,
there was a song, they both heard it..

hush-a-bye
don't you cry
go to sleep my little baby

Chainsaws were discarded, the two men just stood and stared, the moment solemn, peaceful and they could not do it, they could not touch the regal tree, they
could not bring themselves to do harm to the tree..

She was a guardian, she was the catalyst, she welcomed them, she took them across, she took away the pain,
the fear, the anger, she absorbed their hurt, their pain, their fears, when they heard her song, they were comforted...she laid them to rest.

hush-a-bye
don't you cry
go to sleep my little baby

Twelve simple words, sweet in their own right, a simple thing.. a lullaby."

The Lullabye Tree

So much research, so many deaths. it was decided, the tree had to go. It was
decided no one should hear that song again.

It was also decided to send a team, between the eight or nine men, it was felt
the job would be done.
The tree stood majestic and beautiful, it swayed and vibrated, it's leaves shook
but, not one of them heard the song..

With a soft hiss, the tree gave up it's spiritual life. It had done the work it
was to do. There had been a couple that had heard the song..
They would never forget it..

hush-a-bye
don't you cry
go to sleep my little baby

One of the workers hummed a song as they brought the tree down, another
listened, and asked what it was.. It was the Lullabye Song, in full."

Hush-a-bye
don't you cry
go to sleep my little baby
when you wake
you'll have cake
and all the pretty little horses

That was the end of the Lullabye Tree, in it's place a plaque dedicated to the
ones that had been taken away."

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Publication Date: 07-04-2011

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