milliways_bar | (no subject)

*Anthy is watering the roses. Humming. It's such a lovely day! The sun is shining, the flowers are growing . . .*

*Anthy adjusts the petal and looks around, wondering what to do with the doll.*

There's a soft scrabbling sound from under the peach rosebush.

The buzzing intensifies.

*Anthy looks around uneasily.*

Elaine?

Muhammad?

Bob?

While her head is turned, Hubert moves.

Maybe he doesn't.

Who can tell?

A rose falls, and lands inches from Anthy's feet. It has been shredded.

Marjory Stewart-Baxter likes it when the golden nectar comes out.

Um . . .

*She spots the fallen rose, and bends to pick it up.*

Something pricks her finger.

*Anthy gasps and drops the finger puppet. She stares at her finger, and then at the ground, huddling into herself.*

Marjory Stewart-Baxter is not on the ground, anymore.

The ground is deserted.

But something scuttles in the shadows.

*Suddenly a monkey appears in the doorway of the greenhouse. He is wielding a fork with deadly intent.*

*Don't mess with the monkey.*

Black eyes glint.

*Chuchu tries to look menacing.* Chu?

*The fork glints rustily. In part because the paws holding it are shaking.*

Marjory Stewart-Baxter wonders what monkeys taste like.

Marjory Stewart-Baxter is right behind Chuchu.

*Anthy is still peering nervously at the rosebush.*

The rosebush rustles.

*high-pitched* Meg?

There's no monkey by the greenhouse door anymore.

Just some dust settling quietly to the floor.

And a rusty fork.

With a jaunty puppet perched atop.

*At that point Iris enters the greenhouse, looking around. She almost steps on the fork but stops just in time.*

Hm? What's this?

*Anthy stares at her with big scared eyes.*

*Iris looks at Anthy, concerned.*

Are you okay?

*She looks down at the puppet again, then looks around the greenhouse. Something isn't right.*