I awoke from my trance staring at the tree that saved my life… or I guess its life. I was still disoriented, reliving moments from another perspective. The memories were strange, even though I knew that I wasn’t in the cage of frozen lightless metal, it was like I was still in my body. Using my own two hands to claw at the seamless prison walls, dragging myself on scraped knees to find anything to fill my empty stomach. It was horrifying, waking up in an unknown world, starving, with barely enough strength to escape. Forced to jump at the first sign of food with reckless abandon or accept the cold certainty of death.

I am glad that you finally know about me.

“I’m sorry; you know, about the pills.”

It is fine you did not know.

“So what does this mean, for you and me? I mean what do we do now?”

I am not sure, I don’t know how long I was in that cage and whatever purpose I am here for is not clear. I am still trying to sort through our thoughts, all I do know is that I need to better understand my own biology. What I am capable of as a species, where I came from, why I am here, and what will become of my species with your eventual death.

“Well, what about the moss on the ash tree?” Turning to look at the original meal of my new strange friend and cranial comrade, I see what little is left of the hypnotizing flower. The teal glow of the mold is gone, replaced by a brown crumbling mess of dead plant matter. While the flower is gone, most likely blown away, there is still a small decaying bulb connected to a root that digs deep into the bark of the tree.

It seems that part of me died when I left in behind in my attempt to bond with you. Although, I question why I was capable of bonding with the tree in the first place. It was difficult but not wrong, bonding with it would also allow me to grow in tandem with the tree. Perhaps that is how my species once propagated their spores.

“Hmm, maybe your species used to have a symbiotic relationship with the forest, wherever your home is.” Questioning the origin of the moss creature was strange, any answers we came up with, there was seemingly no way to verify. Any explanation would most likely lead to more questions, and they would only begin to add up.

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Perhaps, but as you say questions will only lead to more questions.

“Well since it was easier to bond with an animal, how do you think you are capable of propagating now? I mean unless you think you are capable of growing flowers out of my body. Although that sounds pretty painful, and weird.” The thought of a small bulb bursting from my skin, feeding the little thing with my blood. Only to infect another person with this strange and foreign fungus.

Well, without any attempt in the matter I couldn’t say for sure. Although those questions are better left until we are more acclimated with each other and you have fully recovered physically.

“Alright then, I guess we should head home. Perhaps we can experiment more with the less physically straining abilities you may have, and hopefully less morally questionable ones as well.” With a turn towards the trail home, something glinted out of the corner of my eye.

Looking into the pool of red mud, I noticed the culprit of the glimmer to be the little bastard that bit me in the back. So sloshing through my own messy remains I attempted to pull out the offending piece of metal. “Ow, why the hell is that so cold.”

Hmm, it appears to be the prison that held me. You should take it with you, it may have answers to my origin.

“Alright. Let’s see, how to get it back without getting frostbite.” Taking off my sweat jacket, I wrapped the offending piece of metal and pulled. With a simple jerk I freed the metal container, it was shaped like an empty pill barely big enough to hold a water bottle. Although the massive hole in the side that looks like a small bomb exploded from within. It was covered in dirt and blood, although the blood was frozen and starting to crystalize.

So I quickly wrapped the strange metal container in my jacket, I could already feel the cold spreading into the thin layer of fabric. Reluctant to hold it for longer than necessary I started my speed walk back to the trail. Finally, grabbing my car that had been sitting in the park for over a day, fortunately the windows were intact. Started the car and headed home.

Opening the door to my apartment, I was kind of taken back. Whether it was my fungus infested brain or just my expanded worldview, I realized how bland and boring my old apartment was. The walls were a simple light gray, empty of any paintings or pictures with a bare minimum of decorations. It was just depressing, it felt like a strangers’ house that I accidently walked into rather than the place I had been living for nearly three years at this point.

If you believe it to be so depressing then you can change it. A couple coats of brighter paint and a few nice pictures may help.

“Yeah, I guess. Although I just don’t know if that will actually change anything.”

I know, but if you do not try. Then nothing will change.

“Yeah, I know.” The depressing realization only served to darken the room, flopping onto the couch with a huff. I drifted off to sleep, not having truly rested in nearly two days, except for being unconscious or essentially sleepwalking for the last 40 hours was finally starting to catch up with me.

Goodnight John.