The plant friend

You're still sitting in the same cave, leaning against some huge tree.
You've been here for a few days already.
Once in a while, you drink some water from the brook flowing through this grass landscape, but you're getting really hungry.

As you're just sitting there, waiting for your end, you notice a rope appearing not far away from you.
You look up to the huge hole in the ceiling and see a man sliding down that rope, and he lands where the rope ends.
Then he looks around and quickly notices you. Then he comes closer.

He has long, dark hair and a huge beard.
His clothes are dirty and torn, and he has many bags.

He comes closer.

Hey, young boy, rescue is near!
I'm an adventurer, and I'm exploring this cave for weeks.
Looks like you need help. What do you need?

Eat...

Oh, that's good. I guess I have something delicious for you.

The puts his hand in one of his backs and soon takes out a hand full of small, dead creatures.

Have a look!

I wouldn't eat these. They might be...

You are too weak to talk already.

One time I want to be nice and give away some of the precious food I've worked so hard to catch myself, but not even a child, almost dead, appreciates it.
Well, I'll just eat it myself then.

No...
I...

He stuffs his food into his mouth and devours it. Then he sits down next to you.

You already closed your eyes.
This will probably be it. Maybe you still have a few hours, then you will fall asleep peacefully.
And that's just it. No pain. No suffering anymore. Everything will just be fine.

It's really nice here. You chose a good place.

He waits a little.

I still have a little left. Tell me if you change your mind. I can't just let you die here.

You listen to him as he's munching down the rest. Then you don't hear him anymore. He must just relax next to you.
You almost fall asleep, but then you're suddenly awake again.
Maybe your body is trying to give you the last remaining energy reserves.
But you just want to sleep, so you keep your eyes closed.

But your mind doesn't calm down and you start to think about random things.
You wonder if the man is still sitting next to you.
So you open your eyes and quickly look at him.
He's also leaning against the tree, so he's probably sleeping.
But soon you look again and then it's obvious. He's completely motionless, his eyes wide open. He must be dead.

You start to panic. If he got the same disease as your family and the forest animals, he might have suffered a lot.
You immediately get up. You still have enough power.
And then you start to run away.

But you're pretty weak. Soon you feel something soft below the high grass and trip over it.
It even seems to make a voice.

Ouch!

Whatever, now you're lying there. You won't move again. You like it here. As long as you won't get infected, you'll be fine.
So you close your eyes.

But then you feel something at your face. You open your eyes again and see something green directly in front of your face.
It's obviously an ass. And the asshole is directly in front of your mouth.
And below you even notice some balls, too.

Don't worry. Just open your mouth. I can save you!

Definitely the voice of a boy.
Whatever, you are too weak to defend yourself.
But you'd really like to.

The person just pushes his ass against your face.

Just relax. This will make it easier.

Is this for real? A green boy is going to shit on your face, just before you die? He can't be serious...

He presses his asshole directly on top of your mouth. And then something comes out, flowing directly into your mouth despite your resistance.
And so your mouth is now filled with his... shit?

It actually doesn't taste bad.
It's pretty sweet. You would almost call it delicious.
It reminds you of fermented fruits, which you sometimes tried when they were making wine. If it wasn't his shit you would eat it voluntarily.

Just swallow it. This will help you.
I'm a planthuman.

You don't know what kind of prank this is, but it's enough of an excuse to actually gulp it down.
But you basically don't have another option anyway. He's still sitting on your mouth, almost preventing you to breathe.
And this way it won't stay in your mouth any longer at least.
And you really start to like the taste. He keeps shitting and you can't get enough of it. You must be crazy. It can't be just the hunger that makes you like eating shit, can it?
After he's done you're really full.
And so you finally fall asleep, probably for the last time.

Then you open your eyes. Are you in paradise now? Everything looks so nice.
No, you're still in your nice cave. You feel like you're back to strength.

Where did that green guy go? Was he just a halucination? Something like that wouldn't happen in real life, right?

You look around and see nobody. Yeah, pretty sure you were hallucinating.
Suddenly you see something moving behind some grass. You recognize him. It really is the green boy from before.

You get after him. He doesn't try to escape and you can easily catch him.

No need to be mad at me! I saved you!
Don't you realize? You were starving.

You loosen your grip.

But you shit in my mouth.

I'm a planthuman. Most of my feces are very nutritious to you.

So you're like a living plant? You only need sun and water and then food grows on you?

Mostly inside me! But sounds about right.
And when nobody reaps the fruits, they start fermenting and turn into this mush.

Hmm..., to be honest your shit was really delicious.

The boy is happy.

So do you also need... dung... to grow?

Yeah. I mostly need the same nutrients as plants. But I don't have roots so I get them in a similar way as humans.

By eating?

Yeah.

And what kind of dung do you eat?

To be honest I prefer to eat normal human food. It still tastes the best to me.
But often I also eat dirt if I don't want to look for food.
Normal food also risks my sugar level to increase to an unhealthy level when there's a lot of sunlight.

So if you want to produce more of this, you need dirt and sunlight?

Yeah, that's best. Fresh dirt and remainders of plants should work. I guess I could get enough for you to survive only on my mush.

Wow, that sounds nice.
And what do you mean by fresh dirt?

Just newly produced dirt with a lot of minerals.

So shit?

Yeah, shit also counts.

So I'll have to shit in your mouth, too?

You don't have to. But that's actually a good idea.
But my needs in minerals are satisfied right now. So maybe later.

Then we should really do it like that.
I guess most creatures are infected and will turn me into some kind of zombie.
So the only proper way to get food would be you.

So you want us to stay together?
That sounds nice. I'm living here on my own for a long time.

Sure. But I'd also like to go to different places.
I want to see if there are survivors at other places.

Sure. But then we can't stay in this cave.
We need light almost all the time, else I won't be able to feed you properly.

Are you good at climbing?
We could use that rope over there.

I guess this should work.
But you're first.

Sounds good. Let me just get ready first.

You feel pretty good again, but you're still a little exhausted, so you need to get warm first.
You move around for a while and then start to relax.

I'm glad that we'll be together from now on.
Does this mean, we're friends?

I guess. I'd be happy to be your friend.
You saved me after all.

The boy seems happy, and you also have new hope because of him.

Then let's get up there. I'll show you how to do it, and you try to follow me.

Sure, I'll be like a climbing vine.

And so they climb up, ready to explore this new world together.