A Green Nature

A Green Nature

The solitude of the golden cornfield outskirts was always a place where Lucas could forget about the bullies, homework and discomfort of home, but what mattered most to him was that he could be alone with his thoughts. Lucas was a twelve-year-old boy with hands that couldn't stop moving, even when he tried. Autism wasn't his fault, but it seemed like Greystone Middle School thought otherwise. Lucas's blue eyes began to drop tears as the feeling of choking up came over him. Why am I like this?, he thought to himself. The feeling of getting lost did not seem too horrible as he once thought. Even though the cornfield was only five minutes from the school, not many kids bothered to come here. The serenity of the field soothed him as he listened to the sound of his favorite noise: silence.

The cornfield felt like a cozy blanket to wrap himself around every day after school. The yellow corn stocks would sway in the wind as the sun's rays would cast their shadows onto the young boy. Lucas remembered all of the times his mom would take him here whenever he had a bad day at school. He would tell his mom about the other kids calling him dumb for playing with dolls, or for needing help with a math problem.

His mom would often say, "I'm sure they don't understand who you are, Lucas. You're my beautiful baby boy, and you always will be. After all, I'm pretty sure once second graders grow more, they'll be more understanding. Just let nature take its course."

Lucas would look down at the ground, "Okay, I'll try."

She smiled, "How about you and I bake some chocolate chip cookies after this? I know they're your favorite." When they would get home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies would envelop the entire house, and Lucas's stomach would jump for joy.

Lucas wished he could enjoy a cookie like that again. It wasn't the same without her. It's not fair that she had to die in a fire five years later. Her bakery store and her dreams died then and there. Both Lucas and his dad were watching the evening news when Olivia Morales was one of the names listed under the names of people who perished in the disaster. Lucas was crying his eyes out as his father just stared at the TV. His father's eyes never left the screen that night. There would be nights where his dad would say nothing at all to him, but Lucas could tell he was hurting inside.

Lucas had hoped that middle school would be a smoother process this year. He was now in 7th grade, and had been friends with Freddy, the coolest kid in their grade, for a couple of days. Freddy approached him one day at lunch and began to talk to Lucas like they had known each other their whole lives. Freddy didn't usually respond back with long monologues like Lucas did, but Lucas believed he was interested in what he was talking about. Freddy had even promised him he would share a cookie with him this lunch period.

However, Lucas noticed that, today, Freddy was sitting at a different table away from Lucas. When Lucas asked him why he had left, Freddy told him that Mr. Jones had implemented assigned seats this year.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Jones implemented assigned lunchroom seats this late into the school year?"

Freddy shrugged, "Yeah, buddy. Let's go with that."

Lucas looked at the table of kids sitting with Freddy, "Freddy, I thought you said you didn't have any other friends."

Freddy's eyes darted back and forth, "I never said that. Lucas, you must be imagining things."

"Do you think I'm that dumb?"

Freddy paused as he sighed, "Well, Lucas. To tell you the truth, I only stuck around you as part of a bet I made with Derek. It turns out now he owes me five dollars."

Lucas's heart felt like a slice of rotten swiss cheese, "But Freddy, I thought we were friends? Why did you do it?"

Derek, who was sitting next to Freddy, made a smirk, "Come on, you really think Freddy would hang out willingly with someone like you? You're too dumb to even know when things aren't the same anymore. "

Then, the tears came storming down from Lucas eyes'. His heart kept slicing more holes as his lips quivered. The amount of pain he felt was similar to that of falling into a bed of thorn bushes except those bushes were someone you liked talking to. How could Freddy do this? It didn't make any sense.

Derek rolled his eyes, "Come on, man. Are you really going to be a crybaby over this? Hasn't someone told you that crying is only for sissy little girls?"

Lucas pretended not to hear them in order to try and calm himself down. He quickly covered his ears and tried to go to his own happy place. He just needed to be alone with his thoughts.

He couldn't hear what the other two boys were saying to each other, but his blurred vision did see them pointing at each other before both of them left the table.

Later, after math class had ended, Lucas tried to talk to the math teacher about his concerns. He hoped that a teacher would take him at his word.

"Lucas, listen. Boys will be boys. I'm pretty sure they didn't mean it."

"But Mr. Jones, you don't get it. They really said those things to me." Lucas pleaded.

"But I'm sure they really didn't mean any harm. Besides, I think you will be fine. There are some things in life we cannot control. I would love to control how much I'm paid, but I gotta face the facts." Mr. Jones scribbled something down on his lesson plans while looking at his laptop.

Lucas looked down at the floor, "So, You'll help me, right?"

Mr. Jones took a sip of his coffee mug and adjusted his glasses, "Yeah, sure. I just gotta do some errands next week." He took his pen and started to take notes that Lucas thought were about him. Lucas thought he was getting somewhere until he saw it was only a grocery shopping list.

"I hope you have a good day Lucas. Remember, You have to complete Algebra Exercise Twelve this weekend."

Lucas was already out the door by then to hear the rest.

After school, Lucas wasted no time heading home where his father would usually be working at his desk. His father, George Morales, worked from home, and often made dinner as soon as Lucas came home. Lucas entered his house, and found his father making grilled cheese sandwiches for the both of them.

"Hey dad." Lucas sat down at the kitchen table.

"Oh, Hi Lucas. How was your day?"

"It was fine." Lucas looked down at the floor.

"I see."

Soon, the both of them sat down at the table and started eating. Lucas was occasionally picking at his food.

"Lucas, are you sure everything is okay?"

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"I lost a friend today." Lucas looked down at his food.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"I miss mom."

Lucas's dad cleared his throat, "I know."

The two of them sat in silence after that for a few more moments before Lucas's dad broke it.

"Would you like to make chocolate chip cookies with me this weekend? I finally have some time off."

Lucas looked down at the floor, "No thank you, I'm good."

His father cleared his throat again before asking, "Can I give you a hug?"

Lucas titled his head, "I'm not feeling like it right now. Can I be alone for a bit?" Lucas' dad nodded as he washed the dishes. Lucas put them away afterwards.

. Soon, his dad had to return to his desk to continue working while Lucas sat at the empty table. Lucas wanted to just be alone with his own thoughts, and he knew exactly where to go. Soon enough, Lucas grabbed his shoes and started to walk out the door.

Lucas stared out into the cornfield and glanced at the hills in the distance. He had never seen what the other side of the cornfield was like. He had always enjoyed walking on the paved sidewalks but the curiosity inside of Lucas started growing. His footsteps edged closer and closer towards the cornfield, leaving the familiarity of the sidewalk behind. Suddenly, Lucas's eyes widened as he smelt something, something too familiar to him. The smell of those cookies brought back the memories of his mom and that moment outside the cornfield. The smell got stronger as he traversed along the yellow ocean of corn stocks, parting it like his own red sea. With every step Lucas took, he felt more like a torn paper. A part of him wished to return home and forget the day that had transpired. However, there was another part calling him to continue following the nostalgic smell. His thoughts were interrupted when he reached the other side and saw a completely different world.

The trees were entirely green, even the tree bark. The grass felt as soft as a mattress. Even the sky, which was once a sullied orange, was a cheerful bright pink. The mysterious smell led him further and further into the unknown. That's when he saw her, a girl sitting down on a wooden bench with a book in her hand.

Lucas couldn't see what the book said, but he did see the girl gesture to him to join her. Lucas could feel heat in his cheeks, but still was curious about how he had never seen this girl before. He knew for a fact she wasn't in any of his classes. Then again, it is not like he knew anyone from his class too well either.

"Oh Hello there!" the girl raised her hand as she smiled. "What brings you here?"

"I'm Lucas", his hands started to fidget. Lucas's curiosity began to grow again. "May I ask what you are reading?"

"Oh, it's part of something important I must do." She pointed to the book.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, "Like homework?"

The girl giggled, "No, since I do enjoy reading."

Lucas gave a perplexed look, "What are you doing here? I haven't seen this place before?".

"I've always been here. It's my world to take care of." She took his hand and led him towards her small bench.

Lucas noticed that the girl wore a beautiful green dress with a flower crown, like the type he saw in fantasy stories his mom used to read to him. She also had no shoes at all, instead simply walking with her bare feet. Her eyes looked brown, like the color of a milk chocolate chip cookie.

"Are you the spirit of the cornfield?" Lucas's eyes widened as he sat down. Lucas's heart felt heavy as he had no idea if he was actually in the presence of someone special.

"Yes, I am. It seems you and your mother would come to visit the outer crust of my domain. I couldn't see you, but I felt your pain whenever you visited alone."

, "How do you know all this?"

The girl put an arm around his shoulder, "I've always been listening, but could never comfort you directly, it is forbidden within my nature."

Lucas wiped his face, "What do you mean forbidden nature?"

The girl solemnly shook her head sideways, "I was assigned to watch over you, but am not allowed to interfere with the events in your life. You must look inside yourself if you desire answers. However, that doesn't mean I can't root for Team Lucas."

Lucas paused. "Please, tell me your name."

"Please call me Naturea," she clasped her hands together.

"How long have you been in these fields?" Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I've always been here. Even when you think you are all alone."

Lucas's eyes lit up, "Does that mean you can make me happy?"

"You are the author of your own story Lucas." Naturea smiled, "You shouldn't let others write it for you. I can't do that for you."

"But my mom told me to let nature take its course. I'm not sure how long I have to wait until things are better." Lucas looked into Naturea's eyes. "I have to wait."

"Why though?"

"My mom told me to."

"Is there another reason, Lucas?"

"No." Lucas started to fidget more with his hands.

"Lucas, tell me. I will listen. I promise."

Lucas took a deep breath. His eyes were twitching, and his hands dropped to his sides.

"It's what mom would have wanted. She's gone, but I have to keep waiting."

A moment of silence wisped across the cornfield as the two children stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

"I miss her."

"I know Lucas. I'm sure she misses you too."

Lucas embraced her in a hug. He held onto her like cookie batter to a pan. She whispered in his ear, "Let me show you something."

Lucas rubbed his face as he looked down at the ground, his eyes following a tiny, green caterpillar. It crawled upon the ground and started to make its way onto Naturea's dress. Naturea picked it up and smiled at it, "Isn't it beautiful?"

Lucas stared at it, deep in thought. "You mean the caterpillar or what it becomes?"

"I mean all of it."

Lucas closed his eyes and focused on his thoughts. Maybe change isn't all bad. The caterpillar was going to change, and so would he. The thought of changing into a butterfly melted his heart like cookie batter. He felt like a cocoon, but he realized that he wasn't going to stay that way for longer. After all, his nature was always there.

Naturea turned to look at the darkened sky. "Lucas, you should be getting home. Your father must be worried about you."

"Wait, but where are you going?" Lucas jolted.

She smiled, "I'm not going anywhere."

Lucas hugged her, "Will I ever see you again?"

Naturea looked into his eyes, "I'm always going to be here for you even if you feel all alone."

Lucas stood up and began to walk back into the cornfield when he turned around one more time to see that Naturea was waving goodbye. She had enjoyed his company, and she didn't have to say those words for Lucas to feel content. Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw that Naturea's book now had a readable title. It read only one word: Lucas.

"Lucas, I think you're going to be alright."

He blinked and Naturea was gone, and, in her place, was a beautiful green oak tree.

Lucas smiled to himself as he examined the tree. He placed his hand on the tree and felt warm inside. The warmth felt like an oven in preparation for a dessert.

When he looked at the tree again, he saw a cocoon begin to break as it wiggled hanging from the tree. The cocoon hatched and the monarch butterfly stretched its wings for the first time. The butterfly landed on Lucas' head as he took a deep breath. It's going to be alright. It was getting darker by the minute so Lucas traveled back through the cornfield and headed home. After a few minutes, he entered his house with his dad still at work on the couch with paperwork scattered everywhere. "Goodnight Dad." Lucas whispered as he made his way up the stairs and into his bedroom. He opened his main window, and let out a deep sigh as he laid down on his bed. His eyes, now ready for slumber, looked up one last time at the moon and the many stars surrounding the sky. The cornfield would always look green in his eyes, and nothing would discourage him from living his nature.

"Lucas, are you okay?" Lucas' dad barged into the room, "I'm so sorry for not noticing you sooner. I guess I've been working a bit too hard."

Lucas smiled at him, "Yeah, dad, I'm doing okay. I'm just excited."

"For what?"

Lucas gave his dad a hug, "Would you like to make cookies with me tomorrow?"