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It had been some time since the last truffula tree had been cut down, and the Lorax had lifted himself away, leaving the Once-ler behind. Since that day, the Once-ler had lived in the remnants of his former factory, which he called the Lerkim. Here, the Once-ler spent his days in solitude, filled with misery and guilt over what he had done to the Truffula Forest.
On one particular dreary December evening, just as the sun was beginning to set, the Once-ler was sitting in his chamber by the fireplace. He had hoped to rid himself of the memories of the beautiful forest that had once resided here, the one he had destroyed himself in the name of greed, by occupying himself with some knitting. The Once-ler had just begun to doze off when he heard a loud tapping that appeared to have come from the front door below the stairs.
The Once-ler trembled in his chair, started by the mysterious sounds. It couldn't have possibly been a visitor. Could it? The wall that separated the town of Thnnedville from the rest of the world had gone up some time ago, and nobody was supposed to come out here. The Once-ler had assumed that he would remain alone for evermore.
The curtains inside the Lerkim began to rustle in the cold breeze, causing the Once-ler to become even more frightened. Yet despite his fear, he still wished to know the source of the mysterious tapping. So the Once-ler emboldened himself, adjusted the thneed he wore around his neck, opened the chamber door that led to the stairway, and then made his way down to the front door below.
The Once-ler, still slightly fearful, but overcome with curiosity, opened the door, only to see nothing. Nothing but the remains of the decimated Truffula Forest against the setting sun. The Once-ler became full of despair as he stared at the scene in front of him. He then turned his attention towards the mysterious stone that lay among the remains. The stone had been left behind by the Lorax, and etched in the stone was only a single, mysterious word.
“Unless.” the Once-ler whispered to himself. His voice echoed the word back to him, but there was nothing else that could be seen or heard. The Once-ler, his heart now filled with regret and sorrow, turned away, closed the door, and made his way back up to his chamber.
Then, suddenly, the Once-ler heard more tapping, even louder than before. He turned and made his way over to his chamber window, where the noises had now come from. He was still frighted, but also determined to solve the mystery of the strange sounds and finally calm himself. After the Once-ler had reassured himself that the noises were likely just the wind and nothing more, he opened the shutters.
Much to the Once-ler's surprise, a crow suddenly swooped inside the Lerkim and perched itself above the chamber doorway that led to the stairs. The Once-ler stared at the bird in awe. Although he knew that old crows still resided in the remains of the Truffula Forest, none of them had ever come so close to the Lerkim before.
The Once-ler continued to gaze at the crow, who remained still above the doorway. It had been some time since the Once-ler had encountered another living creature, and he smiled as he sat back down in his chair. the Once-ler temporarily forgot his sorrows for a moment as he took in the crow's stern expression.
“Hello there, what's your name?” he asked the bird. The Once-ler knew from his days spent in the previously vibrant Truffula Forest that several of the animals did indeed have names, and that they could communicate with him to some degree. Desperate for company, The Once-ler waited earnestly for the crow to give him any sort of answer.
The Once-ler was greatly surprised when the crow answered plainly “Nevermore.” for no other creature aside from the Lorax had ever been able to speak to him directly.
The Once-ler sighed as he remembered that fateful day when the last tree fell and everyone-his family, the animals, and the Lorax, all left him. The Once-ler looked back up at the crow, and sadly realized that before long the bird would leave him as well, just as everyone else had done before.
The crow broke the silence when he once again repeated the mysterious word “Nevermore.”
The Once-ler's mood lifted slightly as he pondered how it could be possible for the bird to be able to speak such a phrase, and why. Perhaps the bird had been someone's pet at one point and had been taught to say its own name? He wondered why a crow would be named “Nevermore”. Its owner must have been someone who had experienced a great deal of misfortune and sorrow in order to think of such a name for a bird.
The crow continued to stare at the Once-ler, as the latter sat in his chair, next to his lamp. The Once-ler continued to ponder over the possible meaning of the word “Nevermore”. As such pondering provided a distraction from his misery and a temporary respite from his failed efforts to uncover the meaning of another word-Unless.
Then, suddenly, the air began to grow thick, filled with traces of smogulous smoke. As the familiar smell reached the Once-ler, he jumped up in horror, as his mind was once again flooded with old memories. Confused and frightened, The Once-ler looked back up at the crow, who continued to stare back at him with fiery eyes.
“Did the Lorax send you here?” the Once-ler shouted “Did he send you here to mock me? To punish me? Will I be forced to remember my mistakes forever? Will I ever be able to forget what I have done?”
The crow answered “Nevermore.”
The Once-ler's eyes widened in horror, at the bird's answer. Growing fearful, he asked the crow more questions “Will I ever be redeemed? Will I ever discover the meaning of Unless?”
The crow once again simply answered “Nevermore.”
The Once-ler's eyes became filled with tears, and in desperation, he asked one last question. “Will the trees and the Lorax ever come back? I beg of you, answer me!”
“Nevermore.” remained the bird's only reply.
“Get out!” The Once-ler shouted “Leave me alone to suffer in peace! Get off my door! Get away from me!”
The crow refused to move. It continued to stare at the Once-ler with burning eyes, and gave one final reply of “Nevermore”, as the light from the lamp cast a large shadow of the ominous bird upon the floor.
The Once-ler cried out as he sank down into the crow's shadow. Full of despair, the Once-ler lay down on the floor and sobbed as the darkness enveloped him. For he knew that his spirit shall be lifted-nevermore.