The Greenhouse Chronicles

Chapter 2 - Safe Haven

        My heart gets no rest as the words reverberate across the glass walls. I stand quickly, panicked, and dizzy, stumbling backwards until I hit the wall with my shoulders. What my eyes are seeing is unexpected. A perfectly carpeted, furnished and clean room; It looks almost Victorian. A man, 20 or so, sits in front of a desk with a laptop before him. Bookshelves stand tall behind him reaching from ceiling to floor, plants also sit in most corners.

“I’m sleeping,” I mutter to myself.

            “If you’re questioning whether you’re dreaming or not, I can tell you.” His voice was calming, not too deep and menacing but welcoming. I immediately put up my emotional barriers. I’ve learned.

            “That answer would be?”

            “No, you are very much awake, you seem to have stumbled upon our humble abode. But I suppose you were meant to, else you wouldn’t be here,” He smiled kindly which put me on edge.

            I step forward, my temper growing short, I cross my arms as I stand at the edge of the stairs that lead down to a sunken room.

            “What do you mean I wouldn’t have made it in?”

            “You pressed the button didn’t you?” I stood waiting for him to explain what he meant by that, I soon realized he was also waiting.

            “Was that rhetorical?” I look at him extremely irked.

            “No?” he looks back genuinely confused and benign.

            “Yes. I pressed a button. I didn’t realized it was a button. Who the he-“ He cut me off though.

            “Then you’re meant to be here. That button only appears for certain people.”

            My thoughts process, ‘This guy is crazy. He’s some hobo living in a random greenhouse in the woods.’ I nod to myself, ‘That must be it.’ But as I scanned the room my impression changed. I blinked slowly.

            “So, Charlotte, right?”

            “Wh- who the fuck do you think you are? How do you know my name!? I’ll call the cops.” I started feeling in my pockets for my phone, but didn’t find it. Hysteria sets in as I realized I locked myself in an old green house with a hobo with no phone.

            “I heard someone scream a name angrily, then a redhead stumbled into my greenhouse in a huff. So would it be illogical of me to guess her name was indeed Charlotte?” He grins, proud of himself; Asshole.

            “Oh, and let me guess, you’re Sherlock Holmes?” I say, my emotions very obvious.

            He chuckles probably finding it amusing, “I wish, but no, I’m the Keeper.”

            Now it’s my turn to laugh and I do; Hard, “What are you, twelve? What are you the keeper of, your Facebook page?”

           

"Of Greenhouse Haven, the very place you just checked into."

This person, I'm unsure if I should call him a man or a boy, (I also don't know where he got the money to furnish this dusty old greenhouse), or a dress shirt, a tie, slacks, accompanied by a black vest. His hair was styled in an orderly undercut.

"How old are you anyway? Shouldn't you be in school or something?"

He smirks “No, I've long graduated. How old are you?"

"Don't ignore my question.”

Right then a door opened and a small girl who had to be seven stepped forth.

"Oh," she exclaimed, "I thought you were talking to yourself. Who's this? A new resident?"

He turns to her and smiles lovingly " Lilac, dear! This is Charlotte, I don't know if she's staying; but let’s hope. Did you sleep ok?" his face had turned from cocky and curious to caring and fatherly.

"I slept alright, I just woke up randomly.” She looked up at him and rubbed her eyes. She hopped up the stairs towards me and reached her hand out; I paused out of habit but shook her hand.

"Hi, I'm Charlotte." I smile at her.

"Lilac," She smiles, her eyes skirt over me, “Who did this to you?"

The Keeper jumps in quickly, "I'm sorry she's very blunt."

My eyebrows furrow and then I realize I was probably covered in bruises, "I fell out in the woods when I was headed here."

“You don't have to lie here we've all been through it." She smiles reassuringly.

I fake obliviousness, "No, I fell down a hill. That's why I have these. What makes you not believe me?"

"Well, I study a lot about the human body, and bruises that are fresh are usually red or swollen, while yours are bluish-purple, meaning they take up to five days to form. But they could also form twelve hours after the physical trauma due to sensitive skin your bruises vary from blue/purple to green and even brown. So if I were to guess I'd say you are inflicted trauma often and have been for some time."  Lilac breathes in deep and looks up at me once again reassuringly.

I look over at The Keeper, he shrugs sheepishly.

"How old are you?"

"Ten." She smiles, her two front teeth missing. Memories start flooding into my head and I become faint. The last thing that comes to mind, is my impact with the ground.