Haven Mayhem

Run-away Flowers

   Walking up to us is who I suspect to be the Towne's mayor, Zen. Standing tall but with a laid-back posture, he looked delighted to see all his friends gathered around on such a lovely day. They strutted towards us and looked at us and all the crumbs and clutter around the picnic area.

His pale face still shone brightly in the sun; They had a small smile and leaned next to Harley. Brushing off some dirt, sat down with us. "We still have some extra pasta and sandwiches Zen!" Harley handed him a plate. "Thank you very much." Zen didn't look at Harley but accepted the food.

However, with Harley's now extroverted attitude, there was a sudden silence. While Harley was chatting Zen up, Windy was just whispering to Evan as she drank some boba. Evan was just nodding as he packed some fresh bottles of milk used for bubble tea in an urban backpack. Monika was also dusting her hands, about to get up. "Hey, Monika, sit back down. We're all still eating here." Zen calmly asked. Monika said nothing then stood up and started walking down the road.

"Hey Evan-!" Evan looked up slowly, they stopped stuffing food in his bag. "So how are you? Have you been doing well?" Evan had a very expressive attitude earlier, yet now they are very softened and startled. "Oh- well... haha yeah-! Very well!" They answered. Zen nodded then proceeded to turn to Harley and ask for any quarries and updates on the Towne. "Nothing much, but we do have a resident!" Harley proclaimed.

"Ohh..., a visitor?" Zen moved his head and turned towards me. "Ahh hello there then. My name is Zen if you haven't heard." I moved closer to shake his hand. "Yeah, I have a question." He stood up and then gestured for me to follow him near a fence just a few steps out of the picnic.

"How's your stay been going?" He asked me. "Pretty good. Which part of Evergreen are we? Are we in New Panbury?" He started brushing back his light white hair. "Uh no we are in Evergreen. Don't you see it?" What a vague answer.

Zen turned his head behind the Towne's Museum, where there was a cobble wall with a small wooden fence gate. He started walking towards the gate then nodded his head to follow. Zen started leading me around the same woods Wynn did. "We are in Evergreen. Can't believe you don't remember where you are." He took a different turn though and stopped for a few minutes. Just a short walk led us to another open wood airy space with a calm stream.

Near the bank of the stream were these cute small flowers, I almost mistook them for huddled-together dandelions. "Isn't it local in Evergreen to have these types of flowers, right?" He pointed to these small stems, batches of flowers green and white in color. "Sorry but I am not so knowledgeable when it comes to Botany." As I was crouching closer to the delicate flowers Zen slapped my hand away from it. "Don't touch it, those are Water Hemlocks if that was the term."

I stepped back from the flowers. "Are they deadly?" I asked. "Very. Even touching it will give you a big rash, imagine eating it." Zen exclaimed. "These flowers are one of the reasons why Evergreen's forests are infamous. Some foolish foragers become nauseous and dizzy. Dying even!" That's right though, in checking some cases I've heard of these plants called Cicuta, these must be the flowers they talk about.

"Well...when can I leave?" I asked sternly. " I don't want to sound ignorant, but if there is a small town here in the middle of the woods, this could be a hazard. As you said, this forest is dangerous, infamous even, yet there is a group of people living in it!" Zen just nodded with nothing to come back with. "Are you guys perhaps... run-aways? I'd hear that teens run away from their parents and lose themselves in places like this?"

Runaways still can't make sense of the fact that there are sturdy concrete buildings and houses, even a museum here. However they get or sneak unlicensed construction materials here and have skills in construction, this is the only plausible reason.

"Well we just live here, not any fond memories from childhood, but I grew up here, as the oldest I was elected mayor here," Zen said looking nostalgic as he looked up at the sky; "We are hoping to have more residents to grow the neighborhood and maybe the commissioner can recognize this place." So sounds like a man's dream to be a respected humble leader, still weird.

"How about we walk back first, the otherswill start packing the picnic. They may get worried for us." We turned aroundand then he started blabbering around the place. So many questions I have but I'll just let them talk until they spill something out.