The demon within

Jack and the Like tree (a fairy story)

Part three:

The Demon Within

There was a land where giant trees grew

In forests stretching far and wide

And on each tree, there was some fruit

With magic properties inside

Each fruit was shaped just like a fist

Tightly clasped and with upraised thumb

Who ate its flesh would be a slave

And to all else, blind, deaf and dumb

A wind was howling through the trees

Each branch was shaking to and fro

And fruit, succumbing to this wind

Fell crashing to the earth below

And in each fruit were many seeds

That now lay scattered on the floor

And at the mercy of the wind

They drifted through an opened door

And then they floated slowly down

Silently, like dust, unseen

Eventually to land upon

A place their like had never been

Except one: found some time ago

In a bag, by a boy called Jack

He planted it and grew a tree

And climbed it and did not come back

This bag was dropped two years before

An imp with wickedness in mind

Placed a Like seed there inside

And left it for the boy to find

Unseen he climbed the tree with Jack

And found the door and through he went

Then from his forest throne he blew

And through the door the seeds were sent

Jack, lying on the other side

Awakened by the demon breeze

Looked up and saw the opened door

And slowly crawling on his knees

He entered into Facebook land

(For that is what this place was called)

And seeing all the trees therein

In shock and awe stood up enthralled

The wind, as if in anger blew

And its ferocity increased

Jack pulled the door and slammed it SHUT!

And all was quiet, the wind had ceased

The demon imp (now grown huge)

Sat down upon his throne and glared

He knew that Jack had stopped the wind

And spoilt the plan that he’d prepared

And rising from his chair in rage

The demon creature borne of hell

Went deep into the forest there

To find the boy that broke the spell

And Jack, still tired and unaware

With thoughts confused and movements slow

Moved forward in a dream like state

Unwittingly, towards his foe

The woods were filled with giant like trees

Just like the one that Jack had grown

And on the ground beneath them lay

The Like fruit from their branches thrown

Jack greedily consumed each one

There found upon the forest floor

And steadily with strength restored

He carried on in search of more

Hour upon hour, amidst the trees

He walked and on occasion, stopped

To gather up, amongst the leaves

The fruit from which the trees had dropped

With confidence achieved once more

Onward he marched and knew not where

His destiny seemed now fulfilled

A boy alone without a care

And in that state of shallow bliss

He walked the woods by day and night

Then stopped, then ate, then carried on

With tunnel vision guided sight

Then came a voice: “Jack turn and run”

It whispered from inside his mind

Or did it come from near the door

That Jack had left so far behind?

Then there came a terrible SCREAM!

That filled his heart and mind with dread

“I know you boy, your name is JACK

And when I find you, you’ll be dead!”

In panic then he turned and ran

With terror frozen on his face

And presently, he found a glade

And - so he hoped - a hiding place

But no, the demon’s voice still raged

“You never will escape me Jack!”

He tripped and fell and now he felt

The monster’s claws upon his back

Jack, petrified, and paralyzed

And fearfully resigned to death

Was twisted round and now could feel

Upon his face the demon’s breath

“Open your eyes Jack look and see

I want you now to understand

How much YOU are responsible

For all these things that I had planned

I am the ruler of this land

And all of it belongs to me

But YOU planted the like tree seed

And spoke the words that grew the tree

If not for you the giant tree

And Facebook land would not exist

Open your eyes and face me Jack

You can’t refuse when I insist”

Jack’s eyes flashed open and he saw

And recognised then with a groan

The face that looked right back at his

Was no one else’s but his own

End part the third