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The Onceler opened his eyes to the bright blue sky above him. To his left was the Lorax, standing over his body.
“You chopped down every single tree, Onceler.” the Lorax stated firmly, with shame behind his eyes.
The Onceler sat up and looked around. It was true, he really had cut down every tree. He started to sob uncontrollably. He reached over to the Lorax and started hugging him, searching for some kind of comfort. The Lorax did not return the feeling. He pushed the Onceler off of him and said,
“The other animals and I have to go now. We have to find somewhere else to live.”
“Please don’t leave me, I’m sorry!” the Onceler pleaded.
He reached out, grasping at the Lorax’s fluffy orange fur as he walked away without so much as a glance back at his ex-lover. The Onceler closed his eyes, utterly hopeless and unable to do anything; his one and only love walking away from him into the sunset.
Behind his eyelids, the memories of the past few weeks came crashing into his heart, the dam of sadness within him cracking until it broke out from his eyes as he thought about what he had done. It’s my fault. All of it. I ruined the world. I ruined the Lorax’s life. I ruined our love.
The Onceler crumpled to the now treeless ground, eyes still closed as he wallowed in his sadness. Suddenly, he saw a flash of light from behind his closed eyelids. He opened his eyes to see Pipsqueak standing menacingly in front of him with his glimmering machete clenched tightly in his hand, at the ready to protect his beloved friend. Pipsqueak, seemingly uncaring at the Onceler's suffering, shot the man his most hate-filled expression that seemed to say, "You will never hurt him like this again."
" I… I didn't mean t- OW," the Onceler exclaimed as he felt Pipsqueak slap him, channeling all of his pent-up rage and disappointment on the Onceler's tear-stained cheek.
He knew he deserved it.
The Onceler seemed to give up, letting the rest of his body weight hit the ground with a soft whump. He couldn't move. He was frozen by his grief with no will to do anything as Pipsqueak ran up to the Lorax's side, his tiny little legs straining to keep up with the Lorax's larger steps. He saw the Lorax look to his side and give Pipsqueak a soft, heartbroken smile. The Onceler remembered being the cause of that smile.
He would give anything to be able to do that again.