Also, maybe the reason we answer with positive answers is because no one wants to tarnish their pride and honestly say: "Yes, I think I have a concussion, I feel terrible." I'm usually tooo proud to actually say how bad something hurts. And, like Necko said, how are you supposed answer "GOSH I feel awful." ?

"The forest is dead," he said.

The girl looked up, clutching a lock of her brother's hair to her breast.

"How can you tell?" she asked quietly.

"It's life is still there... but it no longer has purpose," he replied, putting his arm around the girl, "It is dead,"

The girl walked forward and touched the tall tree.

"What purpose had it ever had?" she asked.

"The empress grew it long ago to defend her kingdom. Now she attacks us. Her own people. It is dead,"

The girl's face scrunched up.

"If something doesn't have a purpose anymore, that means it's dead...?" she asked, blinking back her tears.

"Essentially..." he whispered.

"I WON'T BELEIVE IT!" The girl screamed, "I WON'T BELEIVE IT! JUST BECAUSE MY BROTHER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE EMPRESS DOESN'T MEAN HE'S DEAD! HE ISN'T DEAD!"

The man shut his eyes and put his arm around her.

"No. This time, with no metaphores... he is dead,"

A tear rolled down the girl's cheek.

"You're lying," she whispered.

"I'm not," he said, "I know he is," 

I really want to use this line in a poem somewhere, but I haven't found an opportunity for it yet.

And when I screamed into the abyss, I knew that the voice that echoed back was mine.

I'm also considering adding something like, instead of yours or something on the end. I haven't really made my rounds to this thread yet, but It seems like a good outlet. I'll probably be posting random deep poetic lines or imagery like this on here, for the most part.

Aaand I remembered something else that I've been meaning to post on this thread.

Thoughts, story excerpts, poems, art, photography, ideas, complaints
and so many other things. They come to our minds daily, shining stars
falling down from the vast skies of imagination. So, we create new
threads to share them. However, while individual threads are good for
sharing a story, or creating a contest it would be good to just place
all these bits and pieces in one place. So, this thread is for you to
share those random things that you've made or thought of. No rules or
limitations for what you can put (other than the basic CB rules of
course), just enjoy!

Laylanie says wpzz. I think she's bored of my long talk. Wake up, Laylanie! 

Right now I’m working on a graphic novel called When Cows Rule the Universe. I haven’t gotten very far, but the basic idea of the story is that there is an organization of cows that are trying to wipe out humans and become the dominant species. Their cause is fueled by the cows’ anger toward humans, many of whom eat burgers. Their leader is a bull named Saigo 061-4 (the numbers in his name are on an ear tag in his right ear). As a child Saigo’s mother was taken away to another farm. Ever since that day he has been bitter and seeks revenge. He changed his name from Kusa to Saigo and adopted the hawk feather kamon (kamon are like Japanese family crests) as a sign that he has changed as a person/cow. The main character of the story is a boy named Toby, who just moved from America to Japan. This is his dream, because he is crazy over all things Japanese (except maybe Sumo wrestling). He rides his bike everywhere, and one day he’s taking a ride when he sees a forest of bamboo. He parks his bike on the side of the road and starts exploring the bamboo. While he’s walking, he sees a kimono-clad girl sitting painting something with a calligraphy brush. Once again, he is a fanatic of Japanese culture, and rushes up to admire the beauty and craftsmanship of the kimono. The girl is stunned and just sits there for a minute before using an aikido move to pin him to the ground. You know, just your typical meeting scene of two main characters who become best friends and have to save the world from a cow apocalypse. After the girl releases Toby, they have a proper introduction (Watashi no namae wa Tobi, anata wa? Watashi no namae wa Okiku) and Toby learns that the girl is named Okiku (a play on kiku, the Japanese word for chrysanthemum). I’m still not exactly sure how I’ll tie them into the whole evil cow organization thing, but right now I have the weak explanation that Okiku’s family has a farm and one of their cows goes missing, so the kids look for it and stumble across the organization and the cows just so happen to speak English/Japanese and the kids find out about their plans. If anyone has a good idea about how the kids should find out about the cow organization, please let me know. But anyway, here is a dialogue excerpt from the second chapter. Daisy is Saigo’s assistant, by the way.

Saigo and Daisy walk by a table with a coffee pot, cups, and sugar packets on it.

Saigo: Daisy. Give me the report on our South America sector.

Daisy looks at clipboard worriedly.

Daisy: We’ve received bad news, sir. Apparently Argentinian scientists have created a “fart backpack” to catch methane. 

Panel change.

Daisy: You don’t think we’ve been discovered, do you, sir?

Saigo: Very unlikely. The humans still underestimate our impact. Still... they’re catching on.

Panel change.

Saigo: Hmmm... perhaps we should deploy an undercover agent to investigate. 

There’s the excerpt! I hope you like the storyline. Please send ideas about how the kids find out about the cow organization.

P.S. I really liked the Freakshow song that someone posted on here! Whoever you are, I like your lyrics. It sort of reminds me of The Greatest Showmen.