Of Bugs and Men

I concluded the story to a bewildered Alice.

“I guess I’m a child of prophecy or something,” I said, trying to keep things lighthearted.

“Earth… Isn’t real?” Alice mumbled. Her face was pale, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She was the picture of horrified.

I inhaled sharply. I was also mortified by this revelation, but someone needed to be rational. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter that much. According to this document, Earth was created centuries ago, so it’s essentially confirmed that we truly exist and experienced what we did. That’s more than any philosopher can say,” I reasoned.

I glanced over at Alice. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

Oh, God, I hope she doesn’t start crying. I hate it when people cry to me.

Thankfully, Alice kept her composure… for the most part.

I didn't know whether I was less bothered by the contents of the scroll than you’d think, or if I was so bothered, that I couldn’t properly process it. Either way, I mentally forged on.

I wonder what would happen if we countered the contract Phocles, Allister and the Fruit signed? Would we be back on track to the Prophecy? But that means I'd die! I don't want to die. And I wonder: If things go back to normal, does that mean that Earth disappears? If Earth disappears, do I? Does Alice? Even if I survived, I wouldn’t have anything to return to. That’s unacceptable. I don’t want to be in this horrible fantasy world.

I surprised myself with my calmness. “Alice,” I said, a newfound determination lighting up inside me. “I’m going to kill Allister and then return to Earth.”

***

“Kill me,” I groaned, lying face down on the grass. We had been searching for a way back inside the tree for what felt like hours. Nothing. The compass wasn’t much help, either. I most wanted to enter the tree, and that’s exactly where it pointed to.

“That damn king! Sending us here with no safety rope,” Alice scowled.

“I’m going to do it,” I said as I stood up.

Alice shot me a worried glance. “Don’t. How?” she asked, her confusion overcoming her angst.

“I’m the hero of prophecy. I’ll get it done,” I smiled.

I ran up to the tree, leapt into the air, pressed my foot down against it and fell back down. “So much for that,” I said, wiping my hands.

***

“Truth or dare?” Alice lazily asked. We were lying in the grass, looking up at the sky. Honestly, we’d just about given up.

“You know which one I’m going to pick,” I replied.

“Okay, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done?”

“Played truth or dare outside of time and space.” I sat up, suddenly overcome with sadness. “I wonder what happened to Erin,” I said. “If Allister took her place, did he kill her first? Did she sign a contract?”

“Why don’t you read the tree?” Alice asked.

“Oh, does it have a search engine I wasn’t aware of?” I retorted. I stood up. “I’m going to venture out into the field. Right now, I want to find something that’ll bring us home more than I want to go home.” I glanced down at the compass. It still pointed at the tree.

We’ve already ran around the entire tree multiple times. Does this mean that there’s no way to return?

“There’s always a way.”

It wasn’t Allister’s voice, this time. I jumped in fright at the stranger’s sudden intrusion into my mind. I searched looked all around me.

“What is it?” Alice asked, curiously. Then, with a hint of worry, she added: “Have you finally lost your mind?”

Who are you? I thought, ignoring her.

“I’m the gardener the tree speaks of. Who are you?”

The gardener?! Then, where are you?

“Tell me who you are, first.”

What are you, a hermit? I’m the man you brought to life to satisfy your boredom. Show yourself!

“Don’t get mad at me. Isn’t that what every parent does? So, are you Allister or Phocles?”

I’m Sato Kugo, I stubbornly retorted.

Silence.

…

*THUD!*

Alice and I leapt in fright, as a figure landed in front of us. Had it just jumped down from the top of the tree?

Getting over my initial shock, I took in the stranger’s appearance.

What the hell is this thing?

“Hey, I can hear you!”

It was a short humanoid insect in various shades of green. It had large, orange eyes, with no pupils. Two antennae protruded below its straw hat. It wore brown and green overalls, held together by a brown belt. The creature held a pitchfork in its right hand. It was hunched over, like an old man used to backbreaking labour.

It looks like a farmer. Could it be…?

“That’s right, I am the gardener the tree speaks of,” it buzzed.

What a freak…

“Shut up!”

Alice hid behind me. Did she expect me to protect her in case what was basically God unleashed its fury upon us.

“So, God is an insect?” I asked, flabbergasted.

“Humans… always having to contextualise things. I’m no god, my friend,” it hummed.

My friend?

“Okubo Alice and Phocles Yates. Look at the state of you two. Why, this is the greatest day of my life! My own creations have come to see me.”

“You created me, too?” Alice asked.

“Anyone who serves Phocles is a creation of mine, be they his friend or foe,” it replied.

“A-are you saying that I only exist to orbit around this guy?” Alice demanded, horrified.

The insect made a whirring sound, which I interpreted as a chuckle. “In a way,” it said.

Alice put her head in her hands. “First, I learn that Earth’s history isn’t real, and now you tell me I only exist as a background character for some guy I just met… my whole life is a lie.”

Yikes…

“Your life is what you make of it, my friend,” the bug chirped. “Now, it seems you have a question for me, Phocles.”

“Would countering the prophecy’s fallout cause Earth to disappear?” I asked.

“It will indeed.”

My eyes widened in surprise; not due to the confirmation, but because I hadn’t expected the creature’s honesty. I frowned. Part of my didn’t want to know the answer to my next question. “What happened to Erin?”

“She’s out there, somewhere. Allister didn’t kill her, but he did make her disappear. You’ll have to rescue her if you want to see her again.”

“Do I have the time?”

“That all depends on what you value.” There it was, the crypticness I’d come to expect from seeing wise old men and wizards in movies.

I sighed, partly in relief, partly in frustration. “I guess I’ll save the world, first.”

“That’s the spirit, my friend!” the gardener joyously exclaimed. “Now, let’s get you back inside the tree, shall we?”

What a weird statement.

“Is there any way to return to this place?” I asked.

The bug looked up, pensively. “I think you’ll find your way back here, someday,” it reassured me. Was that reassuring?

“Good, because next time, I’ll come prepared with a very long list of questions, buddy,” I warned it. I stretched out my arms. “Before we go— Alice, do you have any questions?” I asked my traumatised companion.

“Any more answers and I’ll need to admit myself into a psychiatric hospital,” she groaned. “Ignorance is truly bliss.”

“Well, then. Shall I send you back?”

I nodded. Alice moaned in misery. We were ready.

The gardener nodded in satisfaction. It raised his arm up, with his middle finger and thumb pressed together.

“I’m still mad at you for selling me out to those human traffickers,” I said.

The gardener froze in pleasant surprise. It stared at me in the sunlight, with the light breeze passing through. I couldn’t make out its expression, and yet somehow, I could tell it was going to miss me. “Goodbye, Sato Kugo.”

The gardener snapped its fingers.