Chapter Text
A boy of gold was caged by a skin of bark
It was a gift from the forest
To protect his gold
A curse he never asked for.
Because every night it demands payment
For the boys bark skin
It started small
Just a smile
But soon It wanted more
It wanted its skin back
So every night the boy pays the price
And rips from him a piece of bark
An offering for the forest
A way to keep his protective cage
But every night the forest wants more
It’s greed growing by the day
So too the price of his protection
Forcing the boy to peel away more bark
his gold escaping through the gaps.
Until one day
The forest consumed him
Dragged him in by its roots
And no one could save him.
The forest ripped the bark from him
Every last bit.
Finally taking what it too willingly gave
The boys silent cry’s faded into the dark
But as the last piece of bark was taken
His cry came to a stop.
The boy was finally free
No longer trapped in his cage of bark
He could finally shine.
But with no skin
His gold floated back
Up to the heavens from where he came
And he was gone.