The Apocalypse of Plants

Laina

I scream as the Venus Flytrap doppelganger shoots what looks like a green ball at Preston.

It hits him squarely in his head and knocks him down to the ground. Instead of ricocheting off of him, it just sticks to his forehead. I rush over to him, but the ball grows what looks like slimy brown tentacles and they latch onto his head and pulse so it looks like they're draining something out of his head. I gasp with horror. "Preston!" I yell. No answer.

I gingerly reach out and poke his shoulder, yanking back my hand as soon as I touch his navy jacket. I'm afraid the thing will attack me.

He stirs and I breathe a sigh of relief. "Preston?" I ask cautiously.

He turns toward me, completely oblivious to the octopus-like thing that's currently made a residence on his head. I say his name again.

"Who's Preston?" he asks. I choke on air.

"You're joking, right?" I wait for him to smile his crooked grin. But his brow furrows and he frowns. He shakes his head. "This isn't funny, Preston!"

"Why do you keep calling me Preston?" he asks in a monotone. Fear spreads through my body.

"Okay, then. What do you want me to call you?" I say, struggling to keep my voice level. This has to be a joke.

His forehead crinkles and he looks like he's deep in thought. "I...I don't know," he says. "I can't remember. But Preston doesn't seem right."

Panic flutters in my stomach. The thing that's wrapped around his head took his memories. He doesn't know anything. "Well, you need a name for me to call you," I reason. "And Preston's your real name."

He scowls. "I don't like that name. How about....James? I like that name."

I bite back a laugh. "Okay...James," I say, trying out the name. He smiles up at me, his eyes shining, like a child at Christmas. "James, hold still. I'm going to try something."

"Okay!" he agrees. I pull the sleeves of my long-sleeve shirt over my hands and attempt to pry off the octopus...quadropus? There's only four legs. But that sounds weird. I think I'll just stick to octopus.

"OW!" he yells and tears flood his eyes. I immediately let go and hunch over him concerned.

"Are you okay?" I ask desperately. He shakes his head and begins to cry. "James, what's wrong?" I shake his shoulders. "JAMES!"

When he doesn't answer to any of my pleads, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and pull him toward me and let him cry.

"That hurt," he says quietly when he's run out of tears.

"I'm so sorry, Pres-James. I didn't think it would hurt," I apologize. He nods and wipes his nose with his hand.

"I believe you," he whispers. I smile softly against his brown hair.

"Are you sure you're okay now?" I ask. He nods. I let go of him, trying to ignore the four brown, slimy tentacles wrapped around his head. Where the tentacles meetup in the middle, there's a green circular plant with purple fuzz growing all over it. It's disgusting.

"What's your name?" he asks, and I feel a pang of sadness. But I push it down, because why would he remember me?

"I'm Laina."

"That's a pretty name. Have we met before? You said my name was Preston."

I smile fondly. "Yes. We've been.....traveling together." I opt to not tell him about the circumstances about why we're traveling together.