10 Minute Tales

June 1 - The Garden of the Alraune

She couldn't take much more of this job. The way every day ticked on made her forget what day of the week it was. Even the weekend offered nothing new, her Saturdays spent shopping and her Sundays in solitude. She sighed at her monitor, fingers dancing a reluctant dance across the keyboard to fill in yet another spreadsheet. It was only a few minutes until her shift ended, at least...

"Hey, Felicia?" a voice asked. She looked over, dreading the sound of her boss' voice already.

"Yes, sir?"

"Got something I need you to have a look at." a thud announced the arrival of a fresh batch of hell, a large pile of papers. They seemed handwritten, too - no way to scan them into the computer quickly.

"Sir, I..." she wanted to object, scream, throw those papers back at him, anything. She took them and started looking through them.

"I know you'll do great." the boss winked at her, walking away. She sighed as she turned a page. She could barely read his handwriting at the best of times; now it was as good as pointless to even attempt. She looked at the door, wondering if she could just leave... but she didn't dare risk her job. She sighed as she got to work, drooping a little as she started clicking away at the keys. This was going to take hours.

-----

She wasn't able to escape the building until the sun had hidden away, leaving only the bleak, empty sky. She had read books on the stars, she knew that they would be beautiful beyond words, but the street lights stole all view of them. She held back another sigh as she walked through the town; she was too poor to afford a car and her bike had been stolen months ago. She held her bag close out of instinct. Glance down any of the side streets, and you'd see any number of pickpockets, all of them armed. She didn't want to be there. She glanced back at the building she came from. She didn't want to be there, either. She rounded a corner into the darkness of another alley, shuffling her bag further into her grip. She wandered for a while, focused on her own safety; when she looked up, she realised she didn't know where she was. She gasped quietly, panicking. Where was she? A figure wearing a coat rushed past her, bumping into her. She grunted a little from the impact, quickly checking for her bag. Nothing there, but somebody else bumped her from the other way. She stumbled a little and found herself moving with the crowd. Now she could look around properly, she seemed to be in some sort of marketplace, the area heaving with people despite the time - or maybe due to it. The crowd guided her to a gap near a shop, nearly knocking her off her feet as she pushed into it. She stopped for a moment, catching her breath, before looking up. She seemed to have arrived at a florist's of some description, judging by the buckets of brilliant, exotic flowers. The sight of them calmed her. She couldn't help but pick one out, gently holding its stem in her slender fingers as she admired the gentle bud. It was tightly closed, the potential of nature patiently waiting for finer times. She felt a pang of sorrow as she realised that the flower had more potential than she did. She wouldn't be the one to deny it its chance. She had to buy it. She walked over to the door and gently pulled it open with her free hand. A wave of cooled air drifted over her as the door quietly swung shut behind her.

-----

"Um... hello?" she asked, looking around. The area was lit by a cool blue light, highlighting row upon row of buckets of flowers, their brilliance subdued by the illumination. The clicking of her heels upon the tiles echoed in the room, giving her the sensation she was alone. "I'd, um..." she hesitated. "I'd like to buy this flower, please..." she found what looked like the till, but nobody was there either. A single bell stood on the counter, slightly dusty but with a single button on top. She pressed it, and a pleasant ring echoed. Eventually, the door opened, revealing another odd, cloaked figure.

"Good evening." he greeted, nodding his head. She didn't recognise the accent, but it was thick. "How can I help you?"

"I, um, I'd like to buy this flower, please." she held it up. She couldn't see most of the clerk's face, but she could see the eyes squint as the clerk frowned.

"I see... do you know the name of the flower?"

"No, I didn't see that, it was in the bucket outside."

"It is a Cinniúi flower. It is said to be given to the desperate in time of need. I do not usually stock them for this connection, but this time... I suppose the fates are at work once more. You may keep the flower?"

"Keep it?" she raised her eyebrows, surprised. "But I thought I'd have to..."

"I insist. I do not believe in much, but I do believe in fate. If this flower was meant to be yours, you may take it." he bowed slightly, spreading his arms in a gesture she didn't realise. "Simply keep it alive, and your fate shall be yours."

"I... if you're sure." she smiled awkwardly, holding the flower closely with both hands. "Um, I'm not sure how I got here, can you tell me how...?"

"You are closer than you realise. Simply head to the east." the clerk pointed to a wall.

"Oh, um... how do you know what I was going to ask...?"

"The question is not as important as the answer to some. I believe you are wise enough to know which you require."

"... I..." this whole experience was starting to creep her out, but the Cinniúi was hers. She took a hesitant step towards the door, then a second. The clerk didn't stop her from turning and leaving.

"Good luck with the flower." he commented, as the door swung shut behind her. He sighed and closed his eyes, turning back to the door he had come from. "You will need it."