Chapter 5
Cole turned down a path, Effie following behind, still grabbing handfuls as she could of foods she saw along the way, feeling the soft texture of a fuzzy sage plant she smiled at the softest thing she’d felt in a long while.
“Rose will help, she is like a grandmother to everyone, so she’ll know what you’ll need.” Cole said as he turned the corner, and as the trees parted, Effie could see an arch over the path, covered in large, purple, trumpet shaped flowers that grew like ivy.
The arch led to a fenced off area, lined in potted plants of many kinds, all at the entrance of a greenhouse. Effie had not seen a greenhouse before. It was odd to her, to see a structure intact, let alone a house like building with poles arching like a big cave. Yet it was bright with all the light coming through the opaque glass walls. To her it was like being in a beehive made of glass.
Up each wall were trellised tomatoes, trained to go up the walls, across the trellis, in a big arch to match the roof. Effie’s mouth watered at the variety of colors and sizes of tomato. The dishes she could make, or more so have Jerrico make because she wasn’t the amazing cook he was. Jerrico could make anything taste good, even when they had very little of it, and it would still feed everyone. Effie wished Jerrico was here now. Or that she at least knew where to find him.
Effie picked a cherry tomato, and popped it in her mouth as they walked, hoping no one would notice. But as the cherry sized tomato seemed to magically appear again on the vine, Effie remembered no one would be able to tell. She chuckled to herself as she ate along the way, each one a different color and flavor.
At the back of the greenhouse, sat in a rocking chair, was an old woman, her eyes down at her hands as she trimmed a small potted plant in her lap.
“Hi Rose, this is Effie, she came over the barrier…” Cole paused for effect, looking at the woman with a look like he would know what her response would be already. He smiled and continued, “...and.” But she cut him off. Holding her hand up to look Effie up and down, her face seemed kind, but her expression gave nothing away to Effie on what to expect.
Rose stood up, looking her in the eyes now as she sat the plant down on the table.
“You have come a long way dear!” Rose finally said as she placed her hands on each of Effie’s arms, then down to her hands, Rose took both Effie’s hands in hers, “We must learn all about it as I make you some lunch, but first you need clothes! Where are your things dear girl?”
Effie looked down at her tattered old under dress, the river had torn her clothes up and she had used much of the bottom of her slip to protect her hands climbing that horrible wall. How would she explain anything to this woman without getting in trouble or thrown out?
“Um… the river…” Effie struggled to explain as tears filled her eyes, she was so embarrassed to be around such nice people, looking like a barely clothed rag doll. Her skin is dirty from the journey and from life before this all even happened. It’s not like a bath was an option back home. She tried to cover herself with her arms, but Rose stopped her hands.
“Don’t you even worry about it, we’ll find you something to wear after a nice hot bath!”
---
Sitting in the bath Effie thought to herself, I know I am not dreaming, but this water feels better than anything! How could this be real?! I wish I could just tell them I belong here! I have never felt better! I just wish I could bring everyone back home, here. Jerrico could make so much food, with everything growing here he wouldn’t know what to make first! I bet he would make those amazing potatoes he makes, but this time with potatoes from paradise, she laughed to herself, picturing him, Haha he’d be running around like a mad man trying to get all the best ingredients only to find out they are all the best and he could feed a village…several villages…wait he could feed…everyone! Why not? The food just grows right back, right away! Why not! Why… not. Wait, why haven’t they fed everyone?? Who would keep this to themselves?? Panic set in for Effie as she realized only cruel entitled people would keep this bounty, this gift from the earth, all to themselves.
She started to fear her own fate for discovering it existed. What will they do with me?!?! Am I in danger after I leave this amazing bath? Should I literally soak in the minutes before my demise?? So that is what she did, she enjoyed every minute of that hot clean water before it was all taken away. She soaked in the minutes; and soaked in the amazing floral scent of the soap, the bubbles that escaped her fingers, and the heat that filled her soul. They honestly could throw in some of the veggies and stew me and I think I would still thank them, this is amazing. Its a decent way to die I suppose.
After the water was long cold, Effie climbed out of the bath, and as she dried off, finally got a good look at her self in the mirror. Scrapes from the river and the journey had started to heal but she generally looked slightly battered around, she could never pass as rich or noble or anything close to it. Her pale skin looked dirty even after her bath from the sun tanning the grim on to her.
Putting her wet hair up in a towel, Effie stood naked in the mirror for a long time, wondering if there was anything she could do to pass as an acceptable person in this place. She probably stood for too long when she finally heard a knock at the door.
In came 2 young women with clothes and brushes, and they went right to work before Effie had a chance to say hold on to cover herself. They brushed her hair, her teeth, her feet. Literally scrubbing her head to toe, all the while Effie confusedly tried to tell them no thank you, but her objections were not noted. She caught the occasional reflection in the mirror amongst the chaos but she could not tell if she was even looking at herself.
By the time they stopped, Effie had her hair done, her nails trimmed, and if she had known what a poodle was would be feeling very much like a show dog at the moment. She felt as though she had been spun on her head when she appeared in the mirror. She could see herself finally. Her shoulder length hair seemed longer somehow, now flowing over her shoulders with a light curl and entirely tamed. Her skin seemed to glow, their scrubbing and lotions seem to be worth the effort now as she shined brightly back at herself.
The ladies had put her in a dress that reached the ground, the material was softer than anything Effie came across before, it couldn’t be silk, she thought, it is like cotton but nothing cotton has ever been this soft.
“Ms. Rose and Mr. Cole will be waiting for you in the garden.” One of the ladies said as they quickly exited, barely speaking the entire ordeal, Effie wasn’t sure they understood her objections, but it was probably more they understood their orders weren’t from her.
Effie worked at gaining her courage to face the nice people who have helped her so much today, but who could be kicking her out…or worse. From the bag she had gathered earlier she found a sprig of lavender, holding it to her nose, hands tight around it as if it would steady her, she breathed it in, hoping to trigger the memory that lavender brings her. She wasn’t sure what the memory was from, it was so long ago, when she was a small child. But lavender always calmed her mind, and reminded her of a tall oak tree that seemed to go up past the clouds, overlooking a grassy hill. The wind would carry this smell to her, and she would roll down the hill laughing. She remembered her dad with her, but she was pretty sure she had added that part to the memory. She didn’t have many memories of him.
Effie set out the room, ready to face her judgement, or whatever was next.
Comments (0)
See all