2gether

Childhood poverty and I were, and still are, mortal enemies.          

I stretched out my hand to rake up a piece of wood, ugly and disjointedly odd-looking. After having raking one pile after another in my neighborhood, I discovered this piece of wood. Poor thing, just sitting there, all beaten up, like some gust of wind just wanted to erode it of life. Anyhow, I had scooped it up. Let the wind howl in rage now! I had to be this piece of wood’s savior! Plopping onto my tree stump of a seat, I grabbed the nearby whittling knife staring up into the sky, and started skinning this little guy. Shreds of wood fell to the grass like cut hair in the hair stylist’s. I admired the beautiful squirrel —              

“No!”  It wasn’t so wooden after all. “No more whittling! Please—you already carved me up. I’m fine.”   

I gaped.  Finally, I said, “You’re not such a little wooden creature after all, huh?”  

But the squirrel dashed away to a nearby tree.  As if it had its own family, it burst into a hole. It was definitely alive!  Ignoring the cars going back and forth, in and out and honking at me, I pulled my worn-out wool coat closer around me, the wooly collar I flipped up and wrapped around me a blanket. Shivering, I told the squirrel under my breath I’d be back and ran into the leaky, very small shack of a house to snatch a hat and gloves.  Outside, I looked for the squirrel. But it hadn’t come out of the hole. I  grunted  and strained  my way  up  it (some kids gawked at me as I was doing so, but I sighed and shook my head). Finally, I fell down into the hole almost by accident. But I didn’t land anywhere, specifically.  

I just landed onto cold, black nothingness. Suddenly, a fire blazed in front of me. Squinting, I could make out the stones of a hearth. I patiently took some moments to calm myself down, because my heart was beating very hard. Calm down, Francis. Just…breathe…

A growl and a snarl, and I was paralyzed. Seconds later, I got up, not letting this beast of a huge black wolf dine on me. Defending myself with my hands, I said, “Who are you?”     

The wolf walked more into the daylight. I saw that it was made of fire. Black fire. It warned, “I’m—”  

“A wolf made of black fire.”   

 It tossed its big head towards the fire. “Come out, Fox!”

The fire whirled, and then a vixen. The vixen was made of fire, as her “fur” flickered. The wolf and fox talked amongst themselves, and the vixen finally turned towards me. Her scared, begging eyes told another story, but she said, “Well, we need to do something with him. Should we talk to the smoke wolves? ”   

“No, Fox.”   

 “Back off!” I didn’t dare whap at this black wolf, but when the fox stopped, her cheery face and excitable eyes dimming to sadness, I couldn’t help but shake my head empathetically.

 “Hey.” The fox’s beautiful but intimidating tail wrapped around her. “Look, we’re not here to hurt you—”

 “You sure?”

 “Yeah.”

 “Where’s that squirrel—”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s led you here, and you’re here.”

 “I have my wool coat on. Why am I so…?” I trotted over to the empty fireplace. Huddling, I said, “Now, Fox, you can come over. Just don’t burn me.”   

The fox resisted, and spat she didn’t want to be fire anymore. I wanted to pet her. “What do you mean?” I responded.  Sparks flew—literally! I leaped up, crying out. “Ouch—”

She slowly slid her eyes towards me, sharp teeth bared. “This black wolf has kept me bound here. I need to leave, or I’ll be a crackling fire in that fireplace forever!”     

I jumped up. “Well, I’ve never really had any friends—”

“Fox, be quiet! As for you, you’ll do well to slave under me.”

I turned to her. “Here—stay here!”   

“Why?” Her eyes looked sad, and I wanted to scoop her up in my arms. I said something to Fox, escaped the hole (noticing I could make land perfectly and jump up so as to not fall at all) and bounded inside my leaky, smelly house.  With the water sloshing inside the bucket, I returned to the hole.

“What are you doing?”  Fox screamed. “He’ll fight you to the death—and win! You’ll be burned.”

I chucked the water at him, but only a hissing and then a cackling awakened anger within me. “I don’t care what he thinks, Fox. I need to douse him—for good!”

“No!”

 My frantic yell was lost on deaf ears as Fox bounded out of the hole! My bellows got nowhere, as her fire was going to kiss the bark—

“Monster, you can’t attack me now. Let us go.”

I climbed out of the hole with my bucket and then landed perfectly on my feet. I yelled for the wolf to show himself and then readied the bucket. The black flames caused me to clutch the bucket harder. Fox was trying to protect me—but, I panicked, what if she burnt the whole tree down?

Beads of sweat, having formed on my forehead, trickled down my face and then neck. What if she got angry? I didn’t dare excite her. I merely circled around the wolf as he growled that the fox would never be let out of his sight. “Why?” The wolf sniggered, heightening my rage. Rage over a fox of fire. But still—she was my only friend.  

I ran to the wolf, chucking the rest of the water. His body hissed, smoke rising. This smoke transformed into other wolves, big as he, vicious, razor-sharp teeth snapping threateningly and eyes ghost-silver. They crept towards me, their heads lowered. I braced myself.  No more water. I hugged the bucket. Once they’re done with me, they’ll go after Fox! And then what? I circled the wolves, them circling me. You take one step towards Fox, and I’ll vaporize you! I laughed. They’re made of smoke!

“Fox! Let’s go home. They’re nothing but smokescreens.”

Fox ignored me.

“Fox!” I yelled, and ditched the bucket in a mad attempt to grab Fox. My hands instantly came away, scorched. Screaming in pain, I tried finding something.

“Here!” Fox was right before me, and she held her tongue out. “This’ll heal it. Please—I’m made of fire. Don’t touch me.” Once my hands were healed, I returned to the smoky wolves. They didn’t want to wait any longer. I ran for the bucket. “Here!” I waved the bucket at them, them chuckling evilly. “Vaporize, you stupid animals!” They did. I sighed in relief, and turned to Fox.

“Watch out!” She leapt out of the way, and I turned just as one of them sprang upon me. It disappeared into lingering smoke.

“Where’d it go?”

“They’re tricking you. They want you to be distracted.” Fox said.

The black wolf showed up. “If only you’d listen!”

“Listen to what!”

“Don’t—” Fox started, but the bully of a wolf glowered at her, and she shrank. I looked, appalled, at her.

“See your coat and house? There’s a hole in the roof, your clothes are stained and smelly and holed. You’re poor. I was meant to rule, but I can’t if you don’t help me. You can—”

“You’ll be his slave! You can’t listen to him. I’ll be his fireplace forever, crackling in that tiny square. And you’ll see all your precious palace and gold and kingship go up in smoke—literally!” Fox’s eyes, I saw, shone with Please, don’t!

The black wolf ignored her. “She can say whatever she wants. But it’s true—you’ll have palace, status as king and riches. Aren’t you poor?”

I stood there. Yeah, I did want to be rich. Could this wolf be good? I ignored Fox.

“So, you going to reign with me?”

“No!” Fox’s cute voice pleaded. I followed the black wolf into the black hole. Outside, Fox begged me, but, I saw, the smoke wolves threatened her. I listened very carefully. “Stop. Sleep. You’re tired.”  

Their calm, peaceful voices were like a mother soothing her child to sleep. Yes…go to sleep. That’s it. If you do, our master will reward you with partnership with that man, Fox. And you’ll live happily ever after in his new, real home, the black hole. You’ll be together, serving such a great king. Our master wishes you all the best. He didn’t mean to ignore you. It was a mistake—it’s just that that man is the stupid one, running away from all he could enjoy: a kingdom, a friendship with you, a real life. He can come back to the so-called stupidly boring place he calls a black home. But if you go to sleep, you’ll awake to you two reigning, our new master—the man—bestowing the best life for you. So—just go to sleep—

I fell asleep, too. The next thing I knew—for I didn’t understand quite—I awoke to a palace. I was told I could shapeshift into a fox, roll around in something—ashes, dirt—something as my bodily makeup. “Rule with us, human. Rule and don’t worry about anything but comfort and company. Just be with us—you’ll love stealing and lying with us—”

“Why would I want to be like you?”

Then I saw Fox, back in her fireplace. I guess she was sleeping. The smoke wolves continued their suave talk.

“Didn’t you say you wanted someone to mean something to you? After all, I sense something. You’re lonely.”

“Yeah…so I can just go out and make friends—”

“But you’ll be friends with us.” Suddenly, the smoke wolves turned into people with white tuxedos, white top hats and white shoes. Starched white buttoned-down shirts distracted me. I furrowed my brows. “Come!” One guy held out a hand to me. Flesh. Like mine. I took it, hopeful.

“So can you make that black wolf like me?” I considered Fox, too, against my better judgement. “And Fox, too?”

Everyone laughed, them all dressed the same. “Of course!” They lead me into a white palace, all columns, designs, gargoyles, stone angels, fountains and snow complete white, whiter than I’d seen. I gazed in awe, so much whiteness I blinked a few times. Then I thought. Fox was so kind to me—maybe she could be my best friend! Yeah. I told these people.  They bowed respectfully, as if they said absolutely to me, and then was going to do as I had told them. “Hey!” I requested a white throne. “Please—make one for Fox. She’s going to reign beside me!”   

“Sure. Besides, the black wolf has been trapped in this dark hole forever. He needs friendship, too, and that’s Fox. She’s his friend, being his fireplace. Now, she’ll be your fireplace. Isn’t that great? Besides, he’s king. What king doesn’t side with another to fight off enemies?”

I snapped my fingers as I sat on my pearl-white throne in a majestic white palace. “Go! Get me something to drink.” I also ordered him to acknowledge Fox as my pet.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The person bowed and hurried off, ordering every other person to serve me, to which they responded by appearing before me and fulfilling my whims. I looked over at Fox—she became a fox. Her eyes shimmered with hopelessness, and she shook her head, as if to say No…Why? Why would you betray me? I turned away, ignoring my eyes watering. Then, I got a quick tour of the palace, its gardens, gazeebos, zoos, markets and other fascinating places. When we returned, all the women and men—dressed to the nines in white—nodded at every request, every demand and every wish. They did things obediently, but more importantly, quickly. I  thanked them as they poured wine, fed me grapes and bread and cheese like the Romans and eventually showed me my throne alongside Fox’s and the black wolf’s throne—  

“No!”   

A vixen’s order to step away from this “deadly trap,” as she said, turned me around. I squinted. “Fox?”  She leapt towards me. “Come on, master! Let’s be friends.”

“Not with you, Fox!”

The people in white quickly rescued me, but I looked back at Fox. Her eyes were shimmering, pleading, begging me. “They’ll put you to sleep and then when you’re done ruling, the black wolf will burn you!” I saw her standing there, shaking her head. Then she put her head down. “But you know, I’m just a fox on fire. You’re a human.”

“Come on, Fox.” I waved her words of waste away. “Come on—be my friend. We’ll be master and pet, right?”

“You’ll be my pet fox. We’ll be master and pet.” I fell to my knees. I wanted to pet her, but I resisted, my lips being bitten. I shook my head. “You’ll have a throne. You’ll be my favorite animal in the world, albeit on fire. You’ll even warm me in the fireplace.”

 Her head stayed down. Her eyes leaked tiny streams of fire.

“Don’t cry. You’ll be my best friend!”

 Fox said nothing. She was ordered back to the fireplace.

“Fine. I’ll find a new friend in these wolves. If you can’t be loved, I’ll love them.”

“No!” Fox’s tight voice escaped. “No—I can’t take it anymore. You need to leave. Now!”

“Fox—what do you want?”

“Please—don’t make me slave under you. This place—it’ll be pitch-black forever, no one rescuing me. You’re the only one. They’re just smoke. Come on—please free me. I’ve been here enough. I’m a ball of fire—contained in a fireplace!”

The whole time, I let the words sink in.  Fire couldn’t be contained. It needed to be released. But where? Then I grabbed her, the fire   scorching me and then chucked her into my fireplace when I got home. “See? You can be my pet—and fireplace!”

She engulfed the whole thing in flames, me relieved at my servants healing me, as the smoke wolves had appeared, them people still. I looked back, and their lips curled, and they nodded triumphantly. “Good—now you have two homes. You can be two people—Mr. Real with everyone, and a king in the tree hole, too!”

I gave a firm nod and returned to Fox. “You okay? You can come out, now. Any time.”

Years passed. Fox started dimming. When I grew cold, I demanded her to blaze. Her flames only grew shorter. “Fox!” I yelled. “Fox, I’m tired of my loneliness. Please!”

Some people were staring at me.

“Fox!”

Whenever Fox and I weren’t together, I ran away, to the kingship. When I returned to those smoke wolf people, I saw that everything had gone up in smoke, literally. The smoke wolves became their slimy selves. “Master’s waiting for you!”

Growling came from somewhere. I balled my fists.

“Fight me, wolf!”

Evil’s voice slithered towards me, coiling around my brain.

I succumbed but always returned to Fox.

She didn’t burn down my stuff. In fact, she was always with me, no matter what. If I returned to the palace, she showed up each time, telling me to return home. Soon, I saw snow falling. Winter was a hard, cold one. That palace, its fire being made by Fox herself! I also quit my stupid job, escaping that black hole. Applying to another one, I made friends, earned enough to move into a better home without any leaks and bought better clothes.

I told Fox to give me the palace.

 “It’ll just go up in smoke. Besides, what’s more important—selflessness, or contentment?”

I looked at her big round eyes. I fell down and grabbed her into a hug. “You!” But I jerked back immediately. Throwing the Frisbee towards the little ball of fire at the park that weekend, I didn’t mind everyone knowing Fox. I was a pretty cool guy.         

I saw the smoke wolves from afar. As people, they always watched me.

One day, Fox ran away. When I finally found her, she quipped, “Go back to your real life.” She dashed off.

I balled my fists. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I returned to the palace, welcomed graciously by the wolves. The black wolf was the kindest of them all, cordially inviting me to dinner, lunches and parties. I lavished in these affairs, but I called to Fox when I got home. She didn’t show up. Years went by. One day, I saw her. I ran to her, but I yanked away when I touched her.

“What—”

“We’re enemies. You want me?”

“Fox—please! I—”

“No!” She snapped, and I jumped back. “You manipulate me—”     

“I never had anything!”

“You have me. I never had anything. And do I forget about you? No. I’m loyal, patient and gracious. You’re just a traitor.”

I thought. I opened myself up to the world, giving people Christmas gifts at a Secret Santa game at an office party. However, I still wanted Fox. When I was home with her, she still wasn’t happy.   

I said, “Fox, you deserve better than this. Please—let’s just be home.”

I woke up that morning, going to the office, mingling with my coworkers.

A delighted Fox greeted me at the door. I told her I was a Christmas party this weekend.

She said later that she enjoyed everyone's shocked and confused Facial expressions but the best were my answers.

I laughed. Sure, sure. But as I went through life, friendship with everyone was second rate to my friendship with —my loyalty to—Fox.

Fun wasn't just two-player games, anymore.    

The smoke wolves went to my friends (as people), luring them into such a seemingly rich life…