Confessions

Sal's POV

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-I'm going to explode from inside-out.-

Sal was screaming inside of his head, his claws restless, going up and down the tree, scratching the bark, leaving scars behind.

Nestling his face in the tree, his body shrinking and pressing into the bark, looking as if his body would meld into the tree at any moment, Sal was traumatized.

-Someone saw me doing the 'business', the 'ritual'!- Sal thought, exasperated, -My dignity, my…my…innocence!-

"Pardon? Can you hear me?"

The sound of the mere gentle voice sent blood rushing up Sal's face. He spun his head as fast as he could muster.

With a little cough, Sal replied regretfully, "Ah-yes. I-I can hear yOU."

A large voice crack struck the dense night air harder than any branch falling to the ground. Even the piece of p-, the product of natural waste being witnessed was a thought pushed back in Sal's mind.

-My...the voice crack!-

But Sal's thought was hidden in his mind, though the expression on his face could do some improvement.

Since being caught to now, the expression on Sal's face has only deteriorated steeper, rotting into sweet, earthy mush.

"Ahem."

The creature, looking like a petite frog but with eyes capable of murder, gave a little cough that jolted Sal back into reality.

"Hello. I just so happened to wander and witness you poo-"

"NO!" Sal shouted.

"..."

"I mean, I was just n…n…needing to do some experiments!"

"Experiments?" The little frog furrowed their brow ridge.

"Y-yeah! I was just disposing of some dead sticks and decomposing leaves."

"But what I saw was…"

"WELL, um, it's dark and all, because- it's, ah, NIGHT! Yeah, it's really dark outside, and with the moonlight being blocked by the leaves and all- it's normal to miss some things."

"Actually, I'm a red-eyed tree frog, so I'm-"

"And you must be really tired, so you can see some things wrong." Sal was already too deep in his excuse-making. His eyes were bugging out.

This wasn't his usual self.

The mental state of Sal could only be described with one word…broken.

While Sal was sputtering, the little frog explained, "Truthfully, I've already slept for some while. I'm completely awake."

"...Huh?"

"Besides," glancing over to the pile with a slight frown forming on the frog's face, "Perhaps maybe I did see incorrectly, however, what about the distinct smell?"

"..."

"Please, listen. I didn't mean to intrude. Now that I've seen it, I'm just curious about you and your body. I am interested in learning, however I dislike blatant lies with no effort or evidence. I-"

"I'm..I'm NOT lying! I'm not…"

A nervous laugh follows.

"It's just, it's…um…simply…or more exactly just some…um…just something I-"

The frog stares dead into Sal's trembling pupils. The scarlet eyes made Sal's parched throat become a drought land. The moist air only served to tickle and tease his throat, but soon evaporated from the bubbling erratic emotions, making Sal feel more unbearable.

"One lie creates another lie. With more and more lies, at some point, those lies will only serve as weapons to dig the truth out instead. Admitting fault isn't failing, it's the point of realization in which you are given a chance. Either you take the chance or continue being a fool."

"..."

The tiny frog's not-so-tiny speech nailed the coffin shut. Sal couldn't refute what the frog said, what could he say?

On the verge of tears, Sal's hoarsely sputtered, "I'll admit- I was wrong. I-I…"

With a large wail, Sal couldn't stop the words. Like a broken faucet, all the words surged out.

"I was wrong for lying!"

"I didn't want to face the truth!"

"I wan't doing 'experiments' or anything else!"

"I really was, was…"

"I REALLY WAS POOPING!"

And with that, Sal confessed.