Why?

I sway in the wind, listening as my auburn, gold, and orange leaves rustle in time to the breeze. The sunlight sparkles on the dew that rests on the blades of grass at my roots. Life has been content for the centuries that I have lived, peace and joy among all the creatures and plants that coexist here.

The temperature suddenly drops a few degrees as a grey cloud passes over the sun. At the same time, a warning resounds from every corner of the forest. "Danger! Danger!"a robin trills. The rabbits hop towards cover, mice scurry into their holes, and the birds take off and soar far away. Yet my fellow trees and I are unable to flee. I am not worried for myself, though. I have withstood centuries of storms, pests, and deer. It is the younger ones I fear for.

Then the first silent scream echoes from a mile away. A distant crash that thunders louder than thunder follows. Instantly, fear and anger spreads through the trees and we swish our branches in mourning for the young sapling that perished.

This goes on for days and days. Time stretches to weeks, then months, until, finally, my little clearing and some of my closest friends are all that are left. All the others have been killed by animals called "humans". I hold only hatred for them.

One approaches me holding a long, whirring piece of material. Although we did not know what it was, we knew it had been used to murder thousands of trees. It shouts at its fellows and they surround me and my friends.

At first, there is only a gentle, tickling sensation as the material saws away at my bark. Then the pain escalates until I am silently screaming in harmony with the others. Showering leaves and twigs on them in fury doesn't help at all, but I try this futile expression of rage anyway.

They reach my heartwood, and I feel my hold on life, sanity slipping. I hear thuds as the rest give up and fall, collapsing to the ground with the last dying echoes of my soul. As they reach the other side of my bark, I look at the unforgiving sun and whisper silently, "Why would they do this?!"