It was the last. The very last tree. Arboriculturists exerted their best efforts. Gardeners mulched. Museum directors curated with a cordon to keep woodpeckers at bay.
I knew it was special, sure. But it seemed so ordinary. The world’s final tree should look amazeballs. Arms hugging the trunk’s girth, I put my ear to the bark and listened to its soul. The creature spoke to me of age and pain. Sculpting with a chainsaw, I revealed that soul, its whorls and hieroglyphs.
“Umm, dude,” Bobby whined, “You didn’t strip the bark all the way round? Right?”
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
Some of the worst deeds in our history were perpetrated with good intentions. The use of ‘amazeballs’ is the key to the main character. Wonderful stuff.
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Thanks, Sandra. Glad you spotted the amazeballs
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Great voice. Another fine mess we won’t get out of.
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Thanks so much Jilly
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Dear Neil,
Amazeballs? Never heard that one. I think that I shall never see…well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle
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Cool story, Neil.
As Joni says:
They took all the trees
And put ’em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half to seem ’em
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I had that exact song running through my head when I saw the pic
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I loved this Neil. For some reason I imagined the “woodpeckers” as people.
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Thanks so much. Yes, the woodpeckers could easily be people
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At least the tree can maintain a bit of modesty by not being stripped bare!
Click to read my FriFic tale!
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The problem was that he DID stip a complete ring of bark. So the tree will die
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Ooops. What’s great “Art” without death, right?
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He might agree with you
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Too late now if he doesn’t…
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Whoops. Typical artist type interfering. I love that you used ‘amazeballs.’
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Thanks so much, Iain
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The stark reality of your title and the repetition of the words in the first two sentences made my blood run cold as I imagined a world with no trees. I was somewhat comforted by the narrator hugging the tree and listening to what it had to tell him but plunged into despair by the inevitable outcome of his actions. Such an emotive piece, Neil. A powerful piece of writing.
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Thanks so much, Edith
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Amazeballs! I hear that all the kids are saying that now. Hella amazeballs.
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You heard it here first
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I actually heard it from my daughter a few years ago, but this is the first time I’ve seen it written!
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Oh well. That will have to do
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Fascinating story – so much depth – poignant too. You left it hanging whether the tree is doomed or not – I have to hope not.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks so much, Susan. In my mind, the tree is doomed, but your mind may make a different story
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Apocalypse revisited. Loved the sad, doomsday voice that you generated. Good writing, Neil.
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Thanks so much, Neel
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Art that destroys is not art in my book. This story should warn humanity of that.
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Thanks, Michael
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There are always those who wish to “improve” on nature… with dire consequences… one day it will be the last “mistake”
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Perhaps the idea of nature is just an idea
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Amazeballs. I have a feeling that one is going to turn up in a Zing and Zang story 🙂
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Feel free. I’m sure I’ve used it for the first and last time in my life
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It would be neat to see the whorls and heiroglyphs of every soul, if they could be laid as plain as on this tree.
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Wouldn’t it though!
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My professor called it “girdling” a tree and it could be doomed
– great story
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If there’s a complete ring of bark removed, it’s doomed
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Or a certain percent (does not have to be 100% and maybe depends on the tree ?)
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Oopsie. What a mistake to make…
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he got carried away
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Poor guy, poor tree. I am sure he will learn from his mistake.
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He will learn, but maybe he won’t learn not to get carried away. It’s his nature
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Yes a tree can feel pain. Glad that this is the last tree.
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You’re glad?
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Glad because this is the last tree. No more will be harmed.
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What a dork! Great story, Neil!
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Thanks, Liz
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A sad tale of an artist who thought he could improve on the natural beauty of the tree by taking a chainsaw to it. I think he added to its pain instead.
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I think it may be worse. In my mind he was trying to save the tree
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Oh, yes, I see. Well-written story either way.
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A chainsaw is one way to reveal a soul. I love the last line about the bark. Obviously, the sound carver didn’t know.
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Nope, he never paid attention in botany class
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And why not, every biological entity has a soul – and the spark of life.
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An entelechy, maybe
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Amazeballs! Haha oh i hope its not truely the last.
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Oh please. Don’t make me use it again
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Oh dear! all the best intentions etc!! Good stuff
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Thanks so much
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great story
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Thanks so much
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A great lesson which may never be learned. Did you make up amazeballs? I love it and just might put it in my repertoire. Few will notice, they expect me to be weird. Great take, Neil. I cringed the minute the chainsaw came out.
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Thanks, Alicia, and no, amazeballs is a thing kids say
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Great story – so vivid – the last tree – what a powerful idea to have as the central ‘character’. Gorgeous description of ‘the whorls and hieroglyphs’, and the tree speaking of its age and pain. Very inventive.
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Thanks so much. I just couldn’t get that Joni Mitchell song out of my head when I saw the prompt
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I was enjoying gardeners mulching and museum directors curating. Then “amazeballs” made me splurt my tea so I’m off to change my shirt!
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Ha. Sorry El
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The last of the tree graffiti artists at work here. “Amazeballs” puts an age on the young fella. Great story.
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Thanls so much
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I love the voice in this piece.
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Thanks so much, Lisa
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They say no good deed goes unpunished.. or in this case good intentions. “Amazeballs” piece, Neil!
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Thanks so much, Fatima
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I liked this Neil, the voice but also the killer last line
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Thanks so much, Michael
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I snickered at “amazeballs” also. It was the perfect word to tell so much in so few.
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Thanks, Dawn
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