Writing for Fun
May 2019
Don’t Pick The Flowers – Lynn Gale
The heady aroma of the strange but beautiful flowers filled the air as they swayed and danced in the breeze. Mesmerised she walked amongst the towering blooms, breathing in the unusual sweet smell. Removing a small knife from her bag she grabbed a stem and began to cut.
The scream was deafening, a high pitched squeal of rage and pain.
Mavis Jackson had lived in the small village of Tolhampton, all of her life. Head of the village Council, busybody, gossip and winner in every flower competition she ever entered apart from one, the prestigious and popular Tolhampton New Bloom.
Runner up to the mysterious Eduardo Fillino again, his exotic flowers were the talk of the village. Mavis was determined that it will be her next time.
Mavis spent hours in her greenhouse obsessively cutting, and splicing but despite all her endeavours she could not match Fillino’s winning creations. Wrapping another unsuccessful effort in a newspaper the headline stating ‘Another mysterious disappearance’ Mavis threw it into the bin.
Eduardo Fillino had moved into the old Marquis house three years ago. The large house was in disrepair, the rambling garden overgrown and secluded. Mavis knew the secret to his success was somewhere in that garden, she just had to find out.
Fillino was invited to judge a flower competition in a neighbouring village. Despite being incensed as she would normally have that honour Mavis saw an opportunity.
Waiting until his car was out of sight she checked no one was around and approached the fence surrounding his garden. Surprised how secure it was, she almost gave up but finally found a loose board and squeezed through.
The secluded garden was very overgrown with sharp prickly shrubs. Mavis pushed her way through and finally torn and bloody found herself in a small clearing. That was when she saw them.
‘At last,’ she smiled heading towards the flowers.
Eduardo Fillino won the New Bloom competition again that year.
The disappearance of Mavis Jackson was the talk of the village.