- Don't Lose Your Head PaiThan V01 01 ORG SIZE LOGO by PinkCloudSlippers Don't Lose Your Head. Near the edge of a dense, foreboding forest stood an old, gloomy abandoned house. Behind it lay an eerie looking pumpkin patch, where pumpkins grew unusually large, with leaves as big as umbrellas and vines thick and thorny, sprawling and twisting across the field like sinister tendrils. Among these pumpkins lived Pumpplumkin, a female pumpkin whose menacing appearance struck fear into all who saw her. Rejected by villagers and even feared by her fellow pumpkins, Pumpplumkin longed for a friend and acceptance hidden beneath her tough exterior. One rainy evening, an old man named Thierry sought shelter within the crumbling walls of the abandoned house. Intrigued by the eerie glow emanating from the pumpkin patch and enticed by the rumbling of his hungry belly, Thierry ventured forth to explore the mysterious surroundings. "What brings you to this forsaken place, fearsome pumpkin?" Thierry inquired with his crackling voice tinged with fascination. Pumpplumkin regarded Thierry with a mix of wariness and longing. "This is my home," she replied, her voice as cold as winter's wind. "But why do you approach me? Do you not fear what I represent?" Thierry shook his head defiantly. "No, I do not fear you. In fact, I find you rather intriguing," he confessed, reaching out to touch Pumpplumkin's rough skin. "Appearances can be deceiving, and I believe there is more to you than meets the eye." After the rain and with a full belly, Thierry went back to the village. But since that day, he kept visiting Pumpplumkin. Both bared their souls as they shared their life stories, struggles and aspirations for the future. Days turned into weeks and together with the vines, a bond grew amidst the wicked-looking pumpkin patch. It should have been a story with the same old happy ending, rooted with rampant morals and preconceptions, but beneath the surface of the patch and human, something was growing. Something that would soon burst and engulf them all. One fateful night, as Pumpplumkin gazed contentedly, without the old feeling of loneliness at the starlit sky, a mob of villagers descended upon the pumpkin patch. All arrived with raised axes and grim faces. Among them stood Thierry, his expression contorted with a strange vigor. Commanding attention, Thierry pointed an accusing finger at his newfound friend. "It is she who is to blame for all our misfortunes!" Thierry cried, his voice echoing through the darkness. "She is the cause of our woes, this vile creature and therefore must be eradicated!" The villagers applauded Thierry for his words and bravery. Encouraged, Thierry went even further, informing the villagers that despite Pumpplumkin's fierce appearance, she was afraid of fire. "I see," Pumpplumkin sadly thought. "You are the kind that asks personal questions not to know someone, but to gather ammunition." "Although I am a plant, thorny and spiky, it is you who are the toxic one." Horrified and betrayed, Pumpplumkin watched helplessly as the villagers came closer and closer. Thierry's mean and false accusations were drumming in Pumpplumkin's ears and pounding relentlessly on her heart. With cries of fervor and blazing torches, the village people descended upon Pumpplumkin and the other pumpkins on the field. As the flames engulfed her, Pumpplumkin made a solemn vow. A vow to never forget the darkness that lurked within the hearts of people. For in her final moments, Pumpplumkin realized that true terror lay not in her fearsome appearance, nor in being alone, despite while being surround by other pumpkins, but in the cruelty of those who were losing their heads in times of difficulty. In crucial moments, it's important to be able rely on past reflections to make the right choices. Thierry had his moment of glory. But less than a week later, he found himself forgotten and hungry once again. The minuscule memory of triumph overshadowed by loneliness and the weight of his betrayal. And Pumpplumkin? In the aftermath of Pumpplumkin's demise, the pumpkin patch lay desolate and barren; a haunting reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded. Yet amidst the ashes and despair, a single pumpkin seed lay nestled in the earth. A strong seed of resilience and wisdom. End. Word count 694