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Days have gone by. She doesn't bother that much that others are living with her. Yes, she is getting a lot of noise complaints, but the little critters are great company for once. She was walking outside the apartment with Pipsqueak inside her pouch. The air was filled with smog. She had to wear a mask outside, and the people gave her weird looks.
˚┊❛ Kristel's POV❜┊˚
"Smog is just the worst, isn't it, Pipsqueak" I chuckled softly. Pipsqueak sneezed in response. I continued walking on the sidewalk. I noticed the people giving me bad looks. It's odd, they all have some pink accessories. It looks soft. Pipsqueak looked like it had seen a ghost. "Pip? Are you okay?" Pipsqueak pointed at the pink scarf, "Huh? You want one?" Pipsqueak shakes its head. I couldn't understand it, so I assumed it wanted one. "Yeah, maybe we could get one."
I continued walking on the sidewalk. I stumbled upon a poster about the pink scarf I just talked about. The man on the poster looks familiar. I grabbed the poster. "They're called Thneeds, huh..." Pipsqueak looks sad. "Don't worry, Pip, I'll buy one for you" I gave it a little pat.
I followed along the sidewalk, looking for a Thneed Store. Then I came across one. I entered the store, feeling the cold air in my skin. There were a lot of people buying Thneeds. But not just one or two thneeds, but multiple. Is there that much hype around it?
I looked around for an employee, so I could ask what the Thneed was all about. "Hello, Ma'am!" A stranger said. I quickly turned around. How convenient, it's an employee. I looked at his name tag. "Oh, hello Sir... Anthony, is it?" Anthony nodded once, "Yes, Ma'am. So, do you need help with anything Ma'am?" He tilted his head. "I.. yes I do... could you perhaps tell me about what's the hype all about these" I pointed at a Thneed.
Anthony looks confused. There was a short awkward silence. "Sorry, I just moved to Thneedville. So this is a bit of a cultural shock for me" She chuckled awkwardly. Anthony's face lights up. "Well then, I could gladly introduce it to you."
Anthony grabs a Thneed on the shelf and starts to fold it in various ways. He folds it like an umbrella, a handbag, a shirt, a skirt... And so I thought to myself, "So that's why there's hype around it. It's a miracle product!" I was impressed. "Huh. So, that's why" I chuckled. I looked at the price. It was 3.98. It was pretty cheap for this kind of product. "Well, Sir. Anthony, I would gladly purchase one of these Thneeds, thank you" I smiled. "But why buy one when you could buy two or maybe more?" I looked at my pocket and saw that I only had 5 dollars at hand. "No, just one for now" I chuckled awkwardly, "But you'd be sure I'd be coming back for more" I gave my money to the salesman.
I exited the store and walked back to my apartment. I was humming a tune until I reached my home. I opened the door and was greeted by the Lorax. "Hey, Kris-berry, the" He looks at the Thneed. "Where did you get that?" "Mhm? This thing?" I grabbed the Thneed, "Do you want it?" "Indeed I do" The Lorax grabbed the Thneed and threw it out of the window. "What- hey! I bought that with my own hard-earned money!" "Well, you shouldn't have bought it in the first place!" The Lorax exclaimed. "Well, in your information, Pipsqueak wanted me to buy it. Speaking of which" I looked at my bag, to see Pip gone. "Oh no." I sweat "Oh no, what?"
"Pipsqueak's gone!" I shouted, and the animals behind us gasped. "Everyone don't panic!" The Lorax reassured the critters. "I'm sure we can find him in no time!" The Lorax was trying to act optimistically, but you could tell he was very worried. "We?" I stand up "No, it's my fault he is lost and I don't want any of you getting hurt." I went to the exit of my apartment and grabbed the door handle "You're thinking irrationally!" The Lorax sighed "If we work as a team we'll find that goofball in no time! The more the merrier, eh?" I looked at him and then back at the door. I sighed and ran. "Hey!" The Lorax shouted
I ran back to the street. "Pipsqueak!" I shouted, "Where are you, boy?" The people looked at me weirdly, but I did not mind. "Pipsqueak!?" I shouted once more. I came back to the berry I tripped on. "Berries! His favorite. Maybe I'll get a clue where he is!" I thought to myself.
"Pip!" I found him eating a berry on the outside walls of Thneedville, the deforested forest. I looked at the busy street. I continuously tapped on the pedestrian call button. I grew impatient and looked for another way. As I was looking I found the Lorax on the other side. "Hey! What are you doing here?!" I shouted with anger and worry. "Helping you find Pipsqueak!" The Lorax was about to cross the road when a car almost hit him. I gasped, "Look, I found Pipsqueak. He's on your side" I pointed at the Truffula forest "I'll try to find a way to get you two" The Lorax nodded and we went our separate ways.
I ran around the city and found a particular alleyway. It seems to be a shortcut. I ran to the alleyway while mapping the place. I found a hallway that led to the other side, though it was filled with caution tape. I removed the tape and went inside.
The place was filled with moss and dirty water. It smells like a sewer. I looked around, the abandoned building was filled with old rusty machines. There was also a poster that looked like the poster I picked up earlier. I covered my mouth and pursued to find the exit. "I should've brought a flashlight," I sighed.
Finally, after minutes of searching, I found the exit. I was on the other side, where I needed to be. I looked at the building, filled with graffiti. Then I ran, trying to find both the Lorax and Pipsqueak. I ran to Thneedville's exit, but it was blocked by a train, filled with Truffula leaves. I looked at my side and it was the Lorax. "God damn train! I almost got Pipsqueak too" The Lorax sighed. "I have an idea" The Lorax looked surprised to see me here but moved on. "Yeah, what is it?"
"I have to throw you to the other side" "Wait, wha-?!" He didn't manage to finish his sentence as I threw him at the train
˚┊❛ Third Person POV❜┊˚
The Lorax fell at the fluffy Truffula tuffs. She shouted "Go! Get Pipsqueak!" The Lorax nodded and fell to the other side. "Ow..." He groaned. Pipsqueak was eating a berry. "Pipsqueak! We came to save you!" He shouted, Pipsqueak tilted his head. The Lorax sighed and ran to Pipsqueak. "There ya are, lil guy." They both hadn't noticed, but there was a big chopping machine behind them. The Lorax looked behind the big shadow and...
Kris came in clutch and pushed all of them to the side, saving the two from their impending doom. "Oh my Lord! I'm so sorry" She brought them both into a tight hug. The Lorax gasped in surprise, while Pipsqueak hugged her back. After a while, she finally let go. "C'mon, let's go back..." She looked around the deforested woodland, devoid of life. She looked at the machines. Then finally, she looked at them. "So that's why you guys needed somewhere else to stay..." She said with remorse.
"How could anyone do this? How could anyone let this slip up?" She couldn't understand. Isn't progress, progress? People loved the Thneeds as she could see, but it seems that the product is hurting the critters living in peace. She looked at the train, bringing the Truffula trees into a factory. Then the factory produced more Thneeds. "So that's why you hated the Thneed." The Lorax nodded.
"You could stay in my apartment as long as you like." She chuckled nervously. "Wait really?" The Lorax sounds profound. "Hear that Pipsqueak! We got a temporary home with good conditioning!" "That's a bit hypocritical for a furry meatball who speaks trees." She chuckled at the irony. "Hey, if you live in a hot city. It's either you die by heat stroke or use what you have to keep yourself cool." The Lorax defended.
She sighed as well. She stretched her back. "C'mon, let's go. Before the cops arrest me for trespassing" She carried Pipsqueak on her shoulder, while the Lorax followed next to her.
She thought to herself, "Maybe progress can't always be good progress."
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