And the wind smells slow and sour when it blows

[whichwayyoulean]

Who: The Once-ler and YOU!
What: Nightmares
When: Friday
Where: HIS MIND
Rating: Uh PG/PG13.


[You'd be forgiven for thinking you've entered a pleasant dream, rather than a horrific nightmare here. You've arrived in Truffula Valley, a peaceful, wonderful place that almost puts Paradisa's created beauty to shame. Forest creatures are scurrying about, singing and playing and generally going about their business.

The sky is bright blue, the sun is shining and the waters of the nearby river and pond are crystal clear. And most importantly there are miles upon miles upon miles of Truffula trees. For anyone the Once-ler described these trees to, he wasn't kidding. The touch of their tufts really is softer than silk and that comforting, wonderful smell? Fresh butterfly milk baby.

Nothing good lasts forever, and there's a general unease about the place. A disjointed sort of feel, like someone's putting on a play and you've already been told everyone dies at the end]

[[ooc: Sections: Pretty Valley | Dying Valley | Dead Valley ]]

Comments

[whichwayyoulean]

[He shakes his head] The Valley extends for miles and miles, and beyond that there's grasslands, and beyond that a desert. Assuming they're even still standing.

[courageous_wit]

[she ponders this] But standing here won't do any good. Hmm... If I had my bag I could at least get the tent out for temporary shelter... I really need to start packing an extra bag just in case.

[whichwayyoulean]

The Lerkim is about as good as shelter you can get out here. Usually, anyway.

[courageous_wit]

Can we use it? I worry about breathing in all this toxic air.

[whichwayyoulean]

Yeah. The fan system isn't working, but it's...better than nothing.

[Unfortunately it's where everyone ends up vanishing, but he'll repeat this nightmare regardless, the way a dream always does. He's start to head towards that lonely tower-like building overlooking the cliffs]

[courageous_wit]

[she follows after him, not sure if she should walk too close or keep her distance. She almost feels like an intruder now that she knows this is his world. The tower they're going toward looks a little creepy but if it's the only building around, she will follow him there]

[whichwayyoulean]

[His name sure is over the door, no denying who it belongs to. He carefully opens the door, stepping aside to let her walk in]

[courageous_wit]

[she walks in, a bit nervously] Your home...

[whichwayyoulean]

[He glances at the walls, much like his Paradisa room, the Lerkim is largely bare and dismal. The windows are boarded up, not that any light comes in anyway. There are a few photos scattered around of his family, however]

If you could call it that, yeah.

[courageous_wit]

[Hermione walks over to one of the boarded up windows. She doesn't know what to say, or what she should do. She feels a little lost without her books, and she's guessing her magic doesn't work either. But they're away from the toxins so that's a start]

[whichwayyoulean]

[It certainly won't. As the Lorax said, it doesn't WORK that way. The Once-ler sets to trying to block the door, to keep the smog out]

If it makes you feel any better, people vanish out of this place pretty soon after getting here.

[courageous_wit]

I'm going to vanish? [that does not make her feel better, Once-ler]

[whichwayyoulean]

Uh huh. I think it's the end of...whatever this is for you. It's happened to everyone who's shown up here. [It makes HIM feel better. It means she won't end up with poisoned, ruined lungs]

[courageous_wit]

... I suppose now I'll find out where Vanished objects go.

[she smiles a little sadly, and just like that she's gone]

[whichwayyoulean]

[He sighs once she's gone, leaving him alone again]

Guess you will.