The Garden Always Knows
I push open the garden’s gate and there is the distinct crunch of gravel under my shoes.
“Good morning darlings, can I buy you a drink?” I chuckle at our usual greeting, but the flowers are quiet.
“Not in a joking mood this morning I see.”
I start pumping the well. Squeak, squeak, squeak goes the handle and with a whoosh water starts to flow. Drip, drop, I turn the spigot off once my watering can is filled to begin my duties.
“Look at the tulips growing tall!” I exclaim. But the tulips are frozen in place. I shrug.
“But not to be outdone are the lilies, both in white and a gorgeous speckled pink!” Lilies, usually so boisterous, have fallen silent this morning. I shrug again - after all everyone has bad days.
I continue this ritual row by row: crunch, squeak, whoosh, drip, drop, crunch, squeak, whoosh, drip, drop.
Sweat drips from my brow as I reach the daffodils. I am mesmerized as the sun glints off the streaming water from the can like tiny little diamonds that it takes a few seconds before I feel my shoes getting soaked. I look down and no water is absorbing into the ground.
“Has someone already watered you?” The daffodils are cowering.
I walk along and some have been smashed. I gasp in horror.
“Who could do such a thing to the dazzling daffodils?” I ask as I start to collect the uprooted flowers for a proper burial. I scrunch my nose at the strong smell of metal mixed with soil. I press into the ground and with a squish red liquid oozes outcaking under my fingernails, leaking into the lines on the back of my hand.
“Murderrr, murderrr.” The daffodils, then the lilies, then the tulips all chant in unison. I am shocked that such beautiful beings should know such an ugly word.
“What did you see?”
“Everrrything.”
Author’s Note: This was week 1’s homework in my writing group. Our prompt was the take something mundane and put a twist on it in only 400 words. I wasn’t planning on submitting this for the group but after working on another prompt from the ‘Prompt Me to Write’ book by Woods, I really liked where that story was going so decided to edit it to fit the parameters for the class.
In my brain there is more to this story so stay tuned ;)