Link to part one https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/10s9bfw/that_one_time_me_and_my_friend_found_a_weird_tree/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Okay, so a lot has happened in the past few months.
After I got the call, I rushed to the hospital so Jay can have someone with them in case they don’t make it.
I saw Jay in their bed, looking scared and upset. I couldn’t blame them. Combined with the whole weird tree thing and potentially dying from a tree bone can stress anyone out.
Jay saw me and looked relieved to have a familiar face.
“Tom! Am I glad to see you!”
“Yeah, I’m sure you could use a friend.”
I sat next to them and held their hand.
I attempted to comfort them and take their mind off of it all by talking to them about their favorite flowers.
As we talked, the same government guys came in. One was a thin, dark haired who looked to be about 60. The other was a bit overweight, blonde, and younger.
The dark haired looked at us. “So, I’m sure you all have questions?”
I stood up. “Of fucking course I do, my friend is fucking dying!”
The blond placed his hands on my shoulders. “Calm down. They just need the bone sprout removed and an injection we made for this specific infection.”
I took deep breaths and sat down. “I’m sorry, I am just really stressed.”
The blonde placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “I don’t blame you. Anyone would be stressed in your position.”
Jay started coughing into a napkin, I could see blood staining it like ketchup.
“Jay!” I attempted to go over and comfort them.
The dark haired one stopped me. “Not now. Their blood is not safe. You need an injection before you can go near them in this state.”
The blonde took out a syringe and jabbed it in my arm.
“Ow! What the fuck!?” I yelped.
“Okay, now you’re good.” The blonde said before putting a bandaid on my injection wound.
Jay stopped coughing and threw the napkin away.
I walked over and rubbed their shoulder. “Do you need anything, Jay?”
“I could use some water.”
The blonde left to get Jay some water.
I looked at the dark haired one. “What’s wrong with my friend? How did they end up like this?”
The dark haired one sat me down. “Well, the blood inside the tree can be infectious if it ends up inside you either through open wounds or orally. Did Jay have an open wound or end up with it in their mouth somehow?”
I looked at Jay.
Jay thought about it. “I do remember a metallic taste in my mouth after I licked my lips after you dropped the leaf.”
I felt my blood run cold. “Dude, I am so sorry.”
“Tom, it was an accident. How were you supposed to know the tree was going to do that?”
“Jay, you are sick because of me!”
The blonde came back and gave Jay their water.
Jay sipped their water. “Tom, it’ll be okay. They said that I can be saved.”
I took deep breaths. “Okay.”
I looked at the agents. “What is up with this tree?”
The agents looked at each other and then back at us.
The dark haired one cleared his throat.
“Well, you aren’t the only ones who have dealt with what we call ‘blood trees’. We caught wind of the first few instances months ago after a meteor landed. We didn’t pay it any mind until people in the area went missing and the trees kept popping up.
We discovered pretty much the same things you did. It took some time to figure out how to save people from being assimilated or becoming another blood tree, and that does include a surgery and the aforementioned injection.
As for how to get rid of the trees, you got that part right. Incinerating the trees has been proven to have a 80% success rate, but destroying it from the inside and then burning it has had a 100% success rate.”
I nodded along. A doctor eventually came by to announce that Jay will have surgery the next day.
I went home. I could barely sleep because I was scared for Jay and I didn’t know what to do with the information given.
Sometimes I look out into that area where we burned the blood tree and see the charred grass and dirt where the tree once stood. I kept the beer bottle we shared as a way to commemorate our victory.
I never admitted this, but I always loved Jay. Not just as a friend. I’ve been wanting to ask Jay out for a while, but never had the courage. And I feel guilty because I have no idea if they are going to be okay and never get the chance to tell them how I feel.
I turned on the TV to help myself relax. After hours, I got a call on my phone.
It was from Jay.
“Hey, Tom. I’m about to go into surgery soon. Just calling to let you know. Hope you’re okay.”
“I’m alright, just worried. It’s all a lot.” I sigh.
“Don’t worry, the men in black said I’ll be okay. The only downside is that I might have breathing problems that aren’t lethal but would make my life a bit harder.”
“Yeah. I imagine having a splintery bone in your lung would do that. If you need someone to help you, I have your back.” I said.
“Thanks, Tom. See you later.”
We said our goodbyes and I went back to bed.
I was woken up immediately after I heard screaming next door. I looked outside and gasped.
Another blood tree was in the backyard of my neighbor. I grabbed my gun and ran to her house.
My neighbor, an elderly lady, was about to be dragged inside the tree. I shot at the vine and it released her.
I helped her back inside and on the couch.
“Are you hurt, Ms Crowly?” I asked.
Ms Crowly was taking deep breaths.
“I think so. What the hell is that?”
“We need to destroy it. Do you have a gas tank?”
Ms Crowly nodded and pointed to the garage.
I grabbed it and tossed it into the yard. The vine grabbed it and dragged it back inside. I shot at the tank and the tree exploded with an ungodly screech and it went up in flames.
Ms Crowly thanked me and I went home.
The next morning I went to the hospital and sat in the waiting room. I was nervous, but I hope Jay was okay.
After what felt like days, the nurse let me know that Jay’s surgery was successful.
I was allowed in their room and saw Jay hooked up to a few ivs and machines. I sat next to them.
“How are you feeling, Jay?”
Jay gave a weak thumbs up before letting it drop. I held their hand.
“So, quite an odd few months, eh?”
“Yeah. If I ever write an autobiography, it’s gonna be wild.” Jay laughed.
I smiled. “Jay, can I tell you something?”
Jay nodded.
“Jay, I always liked you. Like, as more than a friend. I was always scared to tell you, and I wasn’t sure if you were gonna be okay. So, I just want to let you know how I feel in case you didn’t make it.”
Jay grinned. “I’ll be honest, I always liked you the same way. The reason I never told you was because, well, I wasn’t sure if we would be, y’know, compatible. I was just scared of telling you because I thought you wouldn’t like me that way.”
“I mean. You’re hot and smart. Of course I do!”
Jay’s green eyes lit up.
“So, after you recover, where do you want to go as my partner?”
Jay thought about it. “I kinda want to avoid botanical gardens for a bit.”
We both chuckled.
After a few months, Jay recovered but like they mentioned, they now have some issues with their breathing. I started to care for them by getting their medicine and some equipment meant to help them breathe better.
We live together now and we started tracking blood trees remotely and alerting the government of their location.
In spite of our bravery and getting out okay, I still sometimes have nightmares of either me or Jay getting hurt.
Sometimes I get scared if I get a cold or a random chest pain.
I’ve been to the hospital more times than I am proud of for something innocuous because I am afraid of finding a bone sprout in my lungs.
We ultimately decided not to have kids, at least not now because we are scared of having a child in a world with these things sprouting up.
We have started up a site to inform everyone of these blood trees and what to do if they see them.
So, if you see a tree that wasn’t there before and it has a completely white trunk and red sac leaves, burn that motherfucker down or blow it up.
And be careful, because you might end up as a weird tree in someone’s backyard if you aren’t taking the proper care to protect yourself.