A premonition of the Happening

Another short story which I wrote for a competition along with "Was it a sheer coincidence". The previous one and this one won a top votes prize.

A premonition of the Happening

After a few hectic weeks at the office, James was happy that the product got released and he could get some vacation. He packed all his bags the next day morning and started driving to his hometown four hundred miles away. On his way, his car got stuck in the midst of the forest and it started raining. He left his car and went to wait under a tree.
He heard strange whispers suddenly, “Enough is enough. Now ask him to get out.”
He was bewildered and looked around and could not find anyone in his vicinity. Then he heard it again, this time a bit loudly with a tone of resentment this time.
“Don’t worry Mr. Human. It’s no ghost. It’s me the tree under which you are taking rest.”
James said to himself a bit loudly, “What the hell? How can a tree talk?”
Then he got back an answer rather rudely this time, “Just because we don’t speak your language doesn’t mean we don’t talk. We communicate very quickly among each other.”
This time he heard a voice rather serene and soothing, “Dear, don’t be so rude. Otherwise, they may think we are human too. Sorry Mr. Human. Er, what’s your name?”
James answered feeling a bit weird talking to a tree, “My name is James.”
The calm tree said, “Don’t mind him James. He is just angry that he lost one of his friends yesterday and that he thinks you were one of the murderers too”
James wondered, “Me. How can it be?”
At this, the second tree snapped at James, “Did you do anything to stop when a tree was being cut yesterday? You were too busy working with your computers. Did you ever wonder how many trees are being cut for the furniture and buildings you use daily?”
James got angry and said, “How can I be responsible for something I didn’t even know? Do you expect me to go around the world to stop all trees being cut?”
The second tree cracked at him again, “You don’t change. Do you? You and your callous attitude towards fellow living beings will never change. “
The first tree said in its usual calming tone as if nothing is happening around, “Be patient brother.”
The second tree said in its heated tone, “We have had enough of patience already. These humans not only are destroying us but destroying the Mother Nature with all their idiotic greed to capture the world.”
James retorted back saying, “What can we do? With progress, certain changes are bound to happen and we can’t do anything to stop them.”
He said in a rather mocking tone, “Why don’t you do something about it rather than shouting at me? Oh! I forgot that you can’t do anything but accept what comes by. Isn’t it?” and walked towards the road as the rain stopped.
He suddenly could not breathe for a few minutes and started suffocating when he heard the rude voice of the tree, “This is what we are capable of doing. We are capable of doing a lot more but just like my mother tree which had been patient with you all the while and even now, we have remained patient for generations and generations together. But, we won’t be calm any longer. We have had enough. Do keep this in mind and try to behave like a true human who is supposed to compassionate and kind to all living beings.”
James suddenly woke up from bed trying very hard to breathe and drenched in sweat. His heart was pounding faster than the alarm clock on the table.
“Huh, what a horrible dream it was? Was it a premonition to what is going to happen? What if all the trees stop being patient to all our deeds? I should do something about if from tomorrow onwards.” He said to himself and slept.
The next day morning, he forgot his dream and went back to his digital routine and being indifferent to the Mother Nature.
Do you want to leave it as a dream or do you foresee a warning? What are we going to do if it is real?