Leaf me alone

Jenya is a woman who has been on this Earth for a long time. The world has changed so much, and she changes with it. At some forgotten point in the future, humanity dies and she is left with the task of finding her own way in this desolate world.

She no longer remembers what life was like before, but tries to find beauty where she can--even if that's just to watch a new emerging species of flower force it’s way through the fractured dry dirt. What it lacks in nutrients the soil makes up for in the intense heat it absorbs and stores throughout the day and into the night.

The abnormality results in weird hybrid plants. Each one she discovers she hopes will be a good source of either toxic or non toxic nature—either is fine by her. She is exhausted, and Jenya wants out.

In time, she meets another soul who hasn't forgotten what they're made of, and tries to remind Jenya, and together they try to make sense of this new life.

His name is Leff, a heat wave has been building up in what was the northeastern United States for weeks and the long-term forecast isn't giving any relief.

Record highs have been breaking left and right all around, but they somehow manage to escape the blistering sun and subsequent heat exhaustion by staying inside during the day when it's too hot to function.

They often go out at night as there's no air conditioning, without any power, or way to generate it but then they run into the night dwellers and that’s something neither of them want.

Jenya remembers the sights she has witnessed and shivers.

“Leff let’s stay underground tonight I have a bad feeling,”

“Why, I mean OK but we need air. Shall we leave the door open at least,” Leff motions towards the chunk of wood covering the whole in their underground cave.

Staring at his frozen face She reaches an arm towards him, “What on earth is wrong?”

A crack begins to appear from his hairline to jaw. Her hands fly to her face in horror.

Not knowing what to do, and The helplessness across his face making the situation even worse, if that were possible. The crack is spreading wider, but there isn’t any blood! What is that? It looks like—soil, soil! Deep inside the gash, the ever widening gap. A pained expression crosses Leff’s face on witnessing her horror of casting eyes on his true self. The truth he has hidden from her since they met.

“You’re a plant? An f’ing tree? Leff what the actual?”Jenya wails her face awash with tears of sadness to what could have been and fear for what may be yet to come. Is Leff one of a new breed of people who have become plant based. Will she herself need to adapt? Can she, or is she to become obsolete. Will she become extinct?

“I’m sorry, I meant to tell you but, I fell in love each day became harder. Can you love me? Can you accept me? I didn’t ask for this, this is who or rather what I am. Plus, it’s not like there are hordes of humans around. Perhaps I am the future.”

“Perhaps you are, does that mean I am the past?”

“I don’t have any answers, can you learn to love my differences?”

“When autumn comes will your hair start to fall out like leaves falling from a tree?”

Leff can’t hide his smirk his hands reaching for the gash, massaging the two edges towards each other, his face reminds her of putty.

Open mouthed before her eyes skin morphs and merges, vines reaching out to each other, attaching and becoming one.

“I know what you are thinking, you are scared.”

“No," she lied, making her way to her room faking a yawn.

When the breathing gets deeper in the next room, it is clear Leff is asleep. With a heavy heart she slips away in silence. The note she leaves…

“Sorry, I need to find answers. I will come back, wait for me

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