When the vine gives the fine

By Bambi-eyes

Danny always had a green thumb since he was small and even at 81 years old this still hasn't changed. His wife, Hannah, didn't have the same passion for gardening that he had - and that was putting it politely. She hated him for year after year spending endless hours with the flowers, plants and vines in his huge greenhouse.

Once she joined him inside the greenhouse, but the plants seemed hostile to her. Whenever she entered the greenhouse, an almost panic attack siezed her and she had to go outside for fresh air after a short while. She almost felt like the plants are actually ALIVE and seeing her - feeling her presence and hatred towards them and they were sending the same signals back to her.

She entered the place to call Danny to dinner.
"I'll be right there, honey." he calls with his back turned to her.
"Okay." she answers and turns around. She gives a quick scream when a potted plant falls and shatters behind her. Danny turns around and gasps before he runs towards the plant.
"Honey! Be carefull! That's one of my rarest plants!"
"But... I didn't even touch it, Danny!" she yells in protest as he scoops up the plant.
"Plants don't just fall by themselves." Hannah looks at one of the vine's stray branches near the place where the pot stood and shook her head in disbelief - she didn't touch it and Danny don't believe her. She turns around and run towards the house with tears streaking down her face feeling the satisfaction coming from the greenhouse's plants.

"You take better care of those plants than you do of me!" she once yelled inside the greenhouse when he spent most of his morning in there. "You're never with me! I'm 75 years old and NEVER have you even ONCE chose me above those lifeless shit of yours!" she started crying.
"Hannah, don't you dare say that. I do this for relaxation, but YOU are the love of my life." a sudden shudder went through the plants that both Hannah and Danny heard and felt - but there was no breeze. Danny didn't really take much notice of it, but Hannah felt like a trapped animal.
"Please, just please, come inside and spend the morning with me in the sunroom? Please?" Danny took his gloves off and stood up with an old man's groan.
"Alright, dear. I'm coming." he gave her the warm smile she fell inlove with and she answered his back with an equally warm smile. Hannah quickly steps outside with Danny following her. He locks the greenhouse door and hand-in-hand they walk back to the house. Hannah can't stop the shudder ripping through her body - she had the awfull feeling that she was being watched by scorned and vengefull eyes...

Hannah wakes up the next morning hearing her husband rampaging inside his greenhouse with a ladder - it's the once a month grooming time for the vines. Calmly she walks to the door and opens it.
"Morning, love." she greets him. Danny gives a quick glance over his shoulder.
"Morning, dear. Sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you." she smiles - maybe he really did make a choice - finally!
"I'll join you in the house after trimming. Promise."
Hannah walks back smiling happily to herself. He really had made a choice! She takes a seat in the sun en lays her head back with a sigh of relief and joy...

One hour...

Two hours...

Three hours....

Still Danny doesn't show up. Hannah quickly moves to greenhouse. She is really furious. He was already busy with the last plant when she called him - what could take him so long? When she entered she was scorching - he was busy talking to the plants in his chair. He forgot about her!
"Danny!" She called in pain. He quickly straightens up.
"Hannah... Oh dear. I'm so sorry, love. I lost track of time and..."
"That's IT!" she cries out with tears. "I have had it with these things. They threaten me and you love them more! I'm sick of this!" she runs past him and the ladder straight to the vines. "I'm ripping them to bits!"
"No, wait, Hannah please! I spent all this time on them. Please!" she stops when she hears him pleading. She hates it when he does that - she always feels awfull.
"Let me just get the trimmers at the top shelf. It's not good for the plants leaving them here." he already climbs the ladder. Hannah shakes her head in dissbelief.
"You still choose them? They are lifeless beings, Danny!" she storms for the house but accidentely bumps into the ladder causing it to tumble while he is at the top step. Danny drops at least nine steps high and hits the ground a few seconds before the ladder lands on him as well.
"NOOOOO! Danny!"

That night Hannah drives home in tears from the hospital. Danny had various injuries to his scull and had just passed away. At home she hears the silence of the house. She's glad she called her son to come and visit - she wouldn't survive tonight on her own. She told the police what happened and after a short investigation they found enough evidence to believe her and they had already left.

She turns to the greenhouse and switches on the lights - something Danny would not have approved of, but she needed something that reminded her of him. She takes a seat in his favourite chair and feels the burning hatred of the plants around her.
"I'm sorry!" she cries out loud, sobbing hard. "You know how much I loved him. I would never hurt him on purpose! It's all YOUR fault!" she starts crying frantically and brushes a stray vine that touched her face and neck...

"Mom! Mom, where are you?" David calls when he enters the house alongside one of his friends, a doctor, who he rang to just come and check if his mom is okay after today. They drove three whole hours to get here. They stop walking to listen for her answer but only silence greets them. Throught a window David sees the lights of the greenhouse switched on and he only now realize in how much pain his mother must be for actually entering that room. He knows how much she hates that place. He rushes to the door and calls again, but no answer.
"You sure she is home yet?" the doctor asks.
"Yes, I am." he pushes the door open and gasps at the sight before him. On the floor lies his mother with a vine wrapped tightly around her neck. His friend quickly jumps to her and quickly cuts it from her neck, but when he feels for a pulse she is already long, long gone...

The autopsy stated she died of strangulation. Weapon used - The chord of a vine.
How did victom die? - accidental strangulation when a vine wrapped around her neck and she didn't have enough strenth to free herself, the investigation of suicide still under process...

But we know different...now don't we?

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