Love

by: Krystalyn

She rests just under the Earth's surface, waiting for her meal. She's patient. She'll wait ninety seven years, sleeping through it all until someone is brave enough to crawl into her mouth.

The people find the cavern hidden deep in the forest, an exciting mystery to uncover. They venture in, usually in groups of two or three, looking for a place to do things they aren't allowed to do at home. Occasionally, every century or so, a lone explorer or a curious child will wander in. She isn't picky. They all taste the same – crunchy and sweet.

On this day in particular, a sunny, scorching afternoon, a boy and a girl squeeze between the stalagmites, not realizing how closely the formations resemble teeth. They find themselves a dark corner to snuggle in. He nuzzles her ear. She giggles. They whisper things the creature hears, but doesn’t understand.

Love. Promises.

What are those things?

Forever.

She knows what that is. Forever is how long she has held tight to her place in the Earth.

Every so often, the ground will shudder, trying to spit her out, because the Earth knows that she doesn’t belong there. She doesn’t care. She lost her home long ago, so she digs in her claws and holds tight for as long as she needs to. She's not going anywhere.

The couple continues to whisper. They don't see that the cavern is growing darker. They don't realize she is closing her mouth. They don't understand how she longs to consume them. They only know they want to consume each other.

Their words grow more passionate. Their movements more frantic.

Love.

There is that word again.

She stops and listens. She uses what they say to pick out the meaning.

The boy and girl need each other, but it's more than that. They are willing to … to … to sacrifice. They are willing to give up everything to make each other happy.

She wonders, does she have anything to love?

She has the rodents that scamper about in her belly. She has the birds that nest in her crevices. She provides them protection, but only because they are too small to eat. Symbiosis. Not love.

She also has the Earth. She wants to stay there. It's comfortable. Warm. But again, she doesn't love it.

Where could she find love? Would anyone love her back?

The couple fascinates her. She wants them to fulfill their promises to each other. She wants them to have their forever. She wants them to be happy.

And there it is. The feeling hits like an earthquake. She is willing to sacrifice for this couple's happiness. She is willing to love them.

Will they love her back? It doesn’t matter.

She will give them their stolen moment, then allow them to leave. She will wait for another day, wait for another unsuspecting victim to walk into her mouth. And if she decides to love them as well? Then, she will wait some more. She will wait forever.

 

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Author's note: This started as a longer piece with a human POV and a bloody ending. I like this one better.

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Photo by: Amy