Sloth and Babe

Peach fuzz blushes from Babe’s plump legs toward her toes. Uncut, the strands naturally curve toward her extremities. At the base of an aged tree, there she sits. Ground to branch, they meet for the first time.  Jungle jewelry shades their private meeting place for now.

Aliens with no barriers to hold; they stare. Sloth and Babe’s eyes large and ears small. Sloth hangs from a branch above, finding the Babe anew opportunity. The Babe takes a solid post, stamped down in the packed leaves. Sloth is cockeyed with the enticement of a response to this naked creature.  

Creeping slowly, Sloth takes a bite of nearby tender shoots. Thick tongue and horse jaw, they unevenly clash together dismissing manners. Babe imitates Sloth with a neighboring leaf. Gnaw, chomp, lick, slap, smack. Hearing a similar sound from below, Sloth pauses.  Babe shadows. They both quit chewing.

Sloths lazy claws dangle parallel from the supporting branch. She’s still sitting at the base of the tree. Sloth loses interest and continues to chew. Gnaw, chomp, lick, slap, smack. Twin teeth machines strike up once again. Babe watches intently, chewing slowly in a circular motion. Taking notice, Sloth stops chewing. Babe follows. 

Silence fills the private setting with raindrops. Virgin rain dances atop the babes tender skin. Babes blood surges to the surface like an army’s first attack. Lips blue, ocean eyes open, oval and tears a verge. Gnaw, chomp, lick, slap, smack. Sloth returns to his meal. Disturbing cries ricochet off the ground to Sloth chewing above. Annoying attention straddles the Babe from a branch above. The Sloth gives up on the meal and moves. Slowly.

Wales, tears, and shallow breathing echo along the forest floor. Sloth watches her fast forward moments. Babe’s knees curl towards her flat chest while her raw skin lay in the leaves. Blood surges within her like firemen searching for a source. Her body shakes. She quivers and whimpers. The rain becomes relentless against her. Dripping from her side, around her tummy to the leaves underneath. Suddenly the water becomes warm. She doesn’t feel a thing. Numb.

Her head is fond of the warmth below. She begins to fade. The seven deadly sins creep over her unconcerned body. Acedia. Falling asleep, the constant rain cradles her like bananas on a scale. Rock-bye and bye, Babe lays lifeless. Her ears become ostracized to the halting drips. Her path was set, but now, she retreats from Earth. The rainforest becomes humbled by the burden of a dying creature.

Shaking the raindrops from his fur, Sloth reaches out a protective claw. Opposite of the Babes, Sloths bristly hairs grow away from his extremities. Sloth and Babe were made for completely different purposes. Babe’s rusted fingers suckle to the Sloths frenzied arm. Her last efforts cuddle the arm like lovers. Sloth rips away and claws the ground in brute anger. Her movements seem so quick in comparison to Sloth.

One harmless cry and the Babe’s eyes meet the Sloths. They see eye to eye. Reflections burn inside as they fight to keep their eyes open. Sloth see’s a hairy animal. Babe sees a naked character. Survival. Instinct. Wrapped softly, the Sloth cradles the Babe until silence rises again. Sloth feels the light press of her chest underneath his arm. Her chest rises, and falls. Her skin thaws revealing blotchy red marks like fat from meat. Night chills the atmosphere and the stars scissor Earths backdrop.

Quietly, making sure not to wake Babe, Sloth reaches an arm underneath her bottom. Lifting her close to his chest, his arm creates a sling. Up, up, up, Sloth takes Babe into the tree. Crawling past the crook of the tree. They are safe from the origami nation that appears during the night. Sloth takes Babes toes and tries to work them. Her claws look flattened. They are rounded, short and lacking sharpness.  

Hanging Babe from her feet, Sloth holds her arches against a branch. She stiffens and curls toward Sloth. She doesn’t know how to hang from a branch. Sloth stares at Babe like a nutless shell. Sloth places Babe in the crook of the tree. Babe relaxes in the mixture of leaves, pine needles, fur and hair. She falls asleep. One day she will outgrow laziness. She will grow up. The Sloth will pass. It’s a sin to hold onto it. Babe will live a life unbound by Acedia.