“And a part of you wished it would just end, said the monster, even if it meant losing her.”

“You were merely wishing for the end of pain, the monster said. Your own pain. An end to how it isolated you. It is the most human wish of all.”

“Even though it walked and talked, even though it was bigger than his house and could swallow him in one bite, the monster was still, at the end of the day, just a yew tree.”

“I did not come to heal her, the monster said. I came to heal you.”

“This was a kingdom.(“What?” Conor said, looking around his backyard. “Here?”)(The monster cocked its head at him curiously. You have not heard of it?)(“Not a kingdom around here, no,” Conor said. “We don’t even have a McDonald’s.”)”

“This is all sounding pretty fairy tale-ish,” Conor said, suspiciously.You would not say that if you heard the screams of a man killed by a spear, said the monster. Or his cries of terror as he was torn to pieces by wolves. Now be quiet.”

“Who cares even if I didn't?!" Conor shouted back. "They're just stupid berries. Woo-hoo, so scary. Oh, please, please, save me from the berries!"The monster looked at him quizzically. How strange, it said. The words you say tell me you are scared of the berries, but your actions seems to suggest otherwise.”