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Rose

Rose tumbled out of the sky and he screamed as the trees beneath him got closer. He reached the first layer of trees and braced for impact, but the trees swished around him and he twisted to and fro until he slid down the trunks of the trees to the ground. He picked himself up and dusted off the dust he could. Surprisingly his white outfit was still white.

Rose looked around and found a short trail from where he stood that went into the Woods. He had two options: follow the trail and hope it leads to safety or not follow the trail in fear of a horrible beast.

Rose closed his eyes and focused anger at the Woods for bringing him in here so early. For tearing him away from his friends. For so rudely interrupting the Snow Ball. His finger glowed pink in the darkness and he began to follow the trail to face whatever was there.

Rose walked the short path and came to a clearing which Rose hesitantly entered into. The clearing had a cute little cottage in the center and beautiful flowers surrounded the front in elegant rows perfectly. This had to be a trap, thought Rose. It was too perfect.

Rose knelt down beside the shadows of the columbines near the path. He needed to know what this place was and he was going to put his trust in the plants.

Through feelings Rose asked the precious plant what this place was. He was returned with the impression that the cottage was for Rose, a boy who could feel for the plants. The place was his.

Still cautious that there was a trap somewhere Rose approached the house. He glanced over his shoulder at the mass of flowers and hoped they were on his side. He placed his hand on the door and slowly opened it.

There was no one inside. There was a single bed, a table, a single chair, a fireplace, and a couple of cupboards. On the table was a lit candle. Rose saw a door to the back and slowly opened that. Outside the back was a flourishing vegetable garden.

Talking more to himself, since he was mostly alone, Rose said aloud, "Am I supposed to stay here? Where's Raven?"

A pumpkin plant reached out its vines and gently wrapped around Rose's hands and it seemed to say, yes, stay with us. Help us grow. This place is rightly yours. The Woods left it for you.

Rose gently stroked the vines and the pumpkin plant shuttered with delight, "Then I shall stay. But my friend is in the Woods as well. Do any of you know anything about him? His name is Raven."

The pumpkin withdrew and shook. They knew nothing of Raven. Sadly, Rose returned to the cottage to look around a little bit better. The bed was a little firmer than he was used to, but he wasn't in a castle anymore. He would get used to it. He searched the cupboards and found a single plate, a single cup, a single fork, a single spoon, a single knife, and a single pot. Rose bit his bottom lip. He had no idea how to cook anything. He would manage, somehow.

First he was going to sleep. He tossed his nice clothes off and collapsed into the bed.

In the morning, Rose found a plain tunic hidden under the bed. He gently folded his white outfit and put it under the bed in its place. He put on the plain tunic and headed outside wondering about food.

Rose went back out to the back and asked about him eating. All of the plants got excited, Eat my fruits. Choose me. I would love to help you! He then asked what they knew about cooking.

The plants were silent for a moment before the eggplant thought up. He told Rose to take an eggplant, a tomato, a red pepper, oregano, and olives. Rose did and cooked a dish to the eggplants directions.

Rose found himself thinking how odd it was that these plants knew how to cook themselves. But to Rose's delight, they knew how to cook delicious meals.

Following Rose's meal he sat in the vegetable garden spending time with the plants. They had been suddenly brought here as well as Rose. The chives missed their garden with a sweet elderly woman who sang to them. The tomatoes missed their family with a little girl and a little boy who would play tag around the gardens. The cucumber, on the other hand, was glad to be here. They had been brought up in a tough household where they were neglected most of the time and then the old man would blame the cucumbers for not producing much.

Rose spent time with all of the vegetables and when they showed him where the well was he gave each of them a shower which they all thoroughly enjoyed. When he had spent most of the morning with the vegetables, he ate a quick lunch of a salad and he moved on to the flowers up front who all pined for his attention saying it wasn't fair how much time he had spent in the back.

Rose eased their pleads of unfairity and told them he would try to spend time with all of them. They only started to calm down when he began to shower them.

After watering the flowers the sun was low and Rose was getting tired. But he was incredibly happy being with all of these plants. He went back to the back and asked about a final meal for the day which the pumpkins urged him to make a soup from their fruits. He thanked them, made the soup, and drifted back to sleep wondering where Raven was.