Ivy's Origins

Chapter 2

        I walked up the steps to the greenhouse with excitement, my black heels clicking with every step. I stopped at the glass door and fixed my wavy hair, looking at my reflection. I examined my outfit, making sure I looked presentable. I wore a mint green button down blouse with a collar and denim blue skinny jeans. My red hair brushed to the side. I held my dark green notebook in my right hand that contained my notes from research I'd do as a hobby along with my resume in case I would need to refer back to it. I took a breath and pushed open the door to reveal the most beautiful garden you could imagine. Vines surrounded the door frames and crawled up the wall. There were rows and rows of flower beds, like aisles at a grocery store. All along the sides were tall glass windows that let in natural sunlight. Various species of trees filled the spaces in between them. There were potted plants hanging from the ceiling and in the middle, a sunroof. The entire place had me completely awe-struck. A moment or two passed and a tall man approached me, which snapped me out of my trance.

        "Hello! Ms. Isley, I presume?" Dr. Woodrue, himself, greeted me as some of his brown, curly hair fell in his face. I shook his hand. He looked exactly like the pictures!

        "Yes! It's an honor to meet you! I'm a huge fan of your work!" He let go of my hand and nodded with a small smile. 

        "Thank you, Ms. Isley. Here, let me give you a tour." He lead me through the greenhouse and showed me all of the beautiful plants they had. I was able to name nearly every species and answer every question Dr. Woodrue gave me and I could tell he was impressed. With an arrogant smile across my face, he lead me into his lab. It was rather large and still full of plants. There were a few lab stations with various chemicals on them that I examined from afar.

        "What do these all do?" I inquired. Dr. Woodrue motioned for one of his assistants to give him his lab coat and goggles.

        "You're about to find out," He grinned and quickly put on the safety equipment he had asked for. An assistant brought me some as well and I put them on. I walked closer to the lab station and watched my idol work. He took a clear vial out of a rack on the table that held a pink liquid inside. He showed it to me.

        "Watch carefully," he instructed as he used a pipette to take the liquid out of the vial. There was a small potted flower on the table. A carnation, withering away. He brought the liquid towards the soil in the pot and squeezed the pipette once, and only once. For a moment nothing happened, and I watched the flower in anticipation. Finally, the carnation started to bloom again as if by magic. I couldn’t take my wide eyes off of it. Not only was it blooming, but it was growing quite rapidly. Once it stopped growing, I looked up to Dr. Woodrue in disbelief.

        "Magical, isn't it?" He exclaimed with a smile. I nodded and questioned it but he refused to tell me his secrets so soon. He showed me other parts of the lab and explained that not all of the chemicals do what I just witnessed. Some heal ill plants, some make the plants' stems and bark indestructible, and some, he claimed, gave the plants almost a mind of its own. The chemical Dr. Woodrue said he was most proud of, can even make plants immune to parasites, pesticides, or any other poison. It was all quite fascinating! We completed the tour and walked back to the front of the greenhouse. I thanked him again for choosing me and he simply waved a hand in the air.

        "You are overqualified for the job, Ms. Isley. I can tell when someone belongs here." I nodded my head and returned home, eager for the next day just so I could go back to that marvelous greenhouse.