Ok, so I had tried writing a short story for an anthology, and bummed myself out by not finishing it.
Now I still only have Part 1, but I will put it out on here for your reading pleasure!
Hopefully this one won't turn out like Inga.......unfinished :/
Lena opened her eyes to see the sun streaming through her curtains. Looking at the clock on the wall she saw it was 7:40AM. "Ugh, so early. Brain why are you waking me up on a Saturday?"
She rolled over to her snoozing skunk shielding her tiny eyes from the morning glare. Covering Isis with her blanket, she eased out of bed to go make a cup of coffee. Everything was quiet in her lovely bungalow. Setting the kettle on, she peered into the living the living room and saw that in fact, her husband was not sleeping on the sofa.
"He must be outside." she thought to herself. A blue jay caught her fancy suddenly and had it not been for the piercing whistle filling her kitchen, she would have stayed transfixed on the bird's activity.
"Wake up, will you. Might as well go get a bit of fresh air and find Magnus." Her thoughts prodded at her.
"Oh well, ok. I'll find my shoes and robe. Also, is it off to be answering your own self? Hahaha, please don't answer that..."
Down the steps and across the garden path she stolled enjoying the morning dew and the hazy sunlight. As she neared the edge of the vegtables, she heard the sweet sounds of The Doors wafting from Magnus' workshop. He was up and at it. Knocking softly on the old shed door so as not to startle him, she noticed a plume of pale smoke rising from another home a couple blocks over. It was May, in Florida, not really the time for a proper fire. Magnus opened the door and broke Lena's concentration with a soft kiss hello.
"Come on in love. Do you like this one so far?" He beckoned her towards his current project, the restoration of a late 19th century armoire for a client in Buffalo. The dark wood and pearl inlay was beginning to shine up just as it had centuries ago.
"Magnus it's beautiful! You are a true craftsman my dear."
Lena handed him a mug of coffee. The weather was lovely and bright, perfect for a walk. Magnus continued upon his project, Lena went in to change from her robe to a pair of shorts. The neighborhood the couple had moved to was rich with history from the 1920's. All brick roads and porches filled with fairy lights and flowers. Lena set out past the old church and down a street she hadn't explored yet. It was the oldest part of the block, the homes had been there since 1910 and had once housed workers from the first orange groves. Time had passed and now these bungalows were lined in picket fences and young couples enjoying the paper in rocking chairs. There were always goings-on within the little neighborhood and it really strengthened the community vibe. Lena was thoroughly enjoying her stroll in this part when a waft of sweet incense reached her. She turned and realized that she was standing in front of where the smoke had been trailing this morning. Looking up at the porch she saw beautiful tapestries, all vibrantly dyed. In stark contrast were a multitude of vines and plants all with an odd theme. All there flowers were shaded in dark purples and blacks. Every single one. They were breath-taking against the white washed porch.
"Hello?" Lena called softly.
To whom she was not exactly sure. She was quite a bit shyer than her dear Magnus and tended to have rather reclusive tendencies. Something about this garden, however, made her ask again:
"Hello? Is anyone home? I just had a question about your goth garden..." Lena trailed off. She didn't see a car and figured no one was home. Setting off to further explore, she suddenly heard a velvet voice from above.
"Dear, so sorry. I am up in my attic! Be down in a moment!"
Lena stared at the small attic window where she had there had just been the smallest wisp of a woman. She went back over to the steps of the porch and the door opened softly. Lena was greeted by a very small woman of about 85 with long silver hair and massive eyes like saucers. She had an emerald green pantsuit on and a beautiful crystal around her neck on a gossamer strand of gold. How that chain held such a large stone was beyond belief.
"Darling girl, how are you?? What brings you my way?"
"I-I-I just went for a walk, and then the flowers. I don't know, I was just drawn to them I guess. I, my name is Lena. And I'm alright. Your name is....?"
"Agatha. Darling, I specialize in the darker exotics you see. I can give you a few if you'd like."
Lena loved rare plants, this was a dream come true. "Sure, that would be amazing!"
Agatha smiled and began to procure some clippings and pots for Lena to take home.
"This is a Bat Flower, very hearty. And this is a Primula, which is very close to a Primrose. Finally I shall give you a little Midnight Supreme Rose. So wonderful! They are a deep black-navy edged in a bright dark blue, you will be overjoyed at the sight of there blooms!"
"Agatha these are all too much, how can I thank you?"
"Just come round once a week and help me do a bit of outdoor sprucing, I think this could be a great friendship, darling girl."
Lena waved good bye to her new found friend and walked back home with her new plant babies. Magnus was surely wondering where she had gone off to. Arriving home and unlocking the gate, Magnus popped right out of the kitchen door.
"I was getting antsy, what are all those from?"
Lena told him all about her little adventure and gave him the run down of their new mini garden. He gave her a bit of a skeptical look, but then again he was used to Lena being over excited and jumping head first into things. This was just another crazy idea to him, but then they always make him smile.
To be continued....... :)
Keep on, Keepin' on,
M.
