“The Plant” was written for Friday Fictioneers. Thank you to Rochelle!
Update: It occurred to me that my use of “plant” might not cross cultures. Please tell me if I’m wrong. The definition of plant from the title refers to “someone who joins a group or organization to act as a spy or informer.” Sorry for any murkiness.
The Plant (74 words)
You are a monster.
You’ve stolen, imprisoned, killed.
I will catch you.
—
You charm. Your words glide around your victims, warm honey, sweetly seductive, silencing disparagers.
I detail your days while you remain oblivious.
Your words can’t taint me.
—
A siren’s song you sing. I am enraptured by your existence, your kisses a balm against the world you’ve made me forget until the moment the knife blade glints in the shrouded morning.
end
Sascha Darlington
The plant is evil, this much we all agree on!
Thanks for reading! 🙂
“shrouded morning” is a great image
Thank you, Neil. Thanks for reading. I updated my post to add a clarification of the meaning of plant for the title because I think everyone is thinking chlorophyll rather than spy. 🙂
We are such frail creatures. Even when we know better we allow ourselves to get pulled in.
So true. Thank you.
Sounds like the plant was more seductive than even your narrator realised!
I was trying to be clever, but I’m positive I’ve failed dreadfully. The narrator was the plant. It’s the despicable despot the plant was trying to depose that was more seductive than she realized. It’s my fault for not making it clear. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Time for the plant to go in for the kill. Nice one.
Thank you! 🙂
Reminded me of the Greek sirens 😀. Not sure why… poetic words?
Wow. It’s funny because I was looking up words for male sirens, of which I could find none despite the fact that Greeks had both male and female sirens until the males stopped being depicted in art (yep, the things you learn when you Google.) Long story short, I am very appreciative that you felt that from my writing. 🙂
Wow I didn’t know there were male sirens. That sparks my interest!
A plant in both senses of the word. Delightfully sinister.
Thank you, Keith! 🙂
I understood where you were going with this, and the context of plant. Have faith. 🙂
Thank you, Sandra. My first mode is worry. 😀 I appreciate your reading!
Dear Sascha,
A lot of emotion in this piece. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you, Rochelle! 🙂
it reads like poetry. great use of metaphor.
Thank you so much for reading, Plaridel! 🙂
Oh my god, this plant!
🙂 Thanks for reading!
Words, are the stock in trade of writers… they can be challenging…The mole dug deep to get what was needed
Thanks, Mike! I appreciate your comment! 🙂
Thanks, Mike! 🙂
A good story, well written, Sascha. I think the word “plant” is one of those with more than one meaning. This story is like a bit of mythology. It has a classical sound. I like it. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thank you so much, Suzanne. 🙂
There are always those who get into your life deceiving… I thought about a parasite just as much as a plant (but sometimes they are the same)
Thank you, Bjorn! 🙂
Oy. Beautiful writing job. Creepy plant.
Thank you, Linda! 🙂