2019-06-04 - "Feed Me, Isolde"

Isolde was sitting on the floor of the living room in Alexander's house. A nature documentary was on, because she let Luigi pick the channel. She wasn't paying attention much to the show though. Instead she was folding a sheet of paper meticulously. Folding and unfolding it. Working on making an origami flower. It was one of her ways to relax, try and get out of her head. Every now and then Luigi twittered and Isolde would whistle back.

The credits started rolling for the show and Isolde stopped her project, getting to her feet. "Time for dinner Luigi! You stay here. No kitchen when there's cooking." Spoken seriously to the conure, who just stared back at her from behind his cage. He totally got the message. Definitely. Isolde turned on her heels and headed into the kitchen.

He doesn't have to worry about me. I'll be okay.

Are you sure about that?

Isolde frowned at the darker voice that floated in her ear as she took out the lasagna from the freezer and started to read the box to see how to set it up. You're a pill popping psycho. You can't be trusted.

"That isn't true!" Isolde protested, turning the stove on to preheat and taking the lasagna out of the box. "I'm not a psycho. He can trust me. People can trust me." Though the doubt was creeping in. She hadn’t relied on anyone in a long time and people didn’t rely on her. She was a thief after all, and a vagrant. Not good for anything. Isolde shook her head. Stop. Stop. Stop. You're going to be a good thing here. Not a bad thing. No more bad things.

In a fit of what seemed like a fantastic idea, Isolde recovered her pill bottle, with the single day of pills left in it that she hadn't taken today, and threw it in the trash can. Her eyes widened, and a little bit of panic set in. Immediately starting to reach back in- but the oven went off. It was enough of a distraction for her to pause and move over. "It's okay. It'll be okay. Twenty-five minutes in the oven. And no more worrying." She whispered, popping the lasagna into the oven and taking a step back.

"He's going to be mad at you." Another voice started up, taunting. Isolde furrowed her brow and looked towards the table of plants. "You're messing with his things." No mouth or anything moved but that plant was definitely talking. Not real. not real. not real. Isolde shook her head and blinked again. Except the plants had started to grow and enlongate. Sprouting tendril-like vines. "He doesssssn't want to help you." The voice took on an almost hissing type quality. Vines began to slide out over the table, down to the floor. Heading towards where Isolde was standing.

Isolde stumbled back a little. "Yes he does! We're going to help each other! We are. We are. We are." As if trying to reaffirm it for herself. One hand reaching out to grip the counter.

"But if he really wanted to helppp - he would be getting you your medicine." The vines suddenly shot out, gripping her ankles and pulling her off her feet so she landed on the tile floor with a THUD! "Becausssse the medicine makessss you better. More vines, crawling - wrapping up her harms ,around her middle. The more Isolde struggled, the tighter the hold became.

"No! No no no! I don't need it! Let me go! I don't!" A lie of course. Because Isolde was desperately wanting that bottle in the trash can. Another scream left her as the vines started to lift her up and off the ground. That's when Isolde saw it. The plants had transformed and merged. It was a giant plant now, with a big gaping maw. Like something straight out of Little Shop of Horrors.

"You won't need anything ssssoon." It assured her. Starting to draw her closer, intent on eating her surely. Isolde screamed again, starting to struggle harder. Get away, get away. Cut the vines. Cut them. Get away. Her mind was racing. No knife. Teeth though. She had teeth. She bit hard into one of the vines around her arm, causing the giant plant to cry out in surprise. Again and again. Bite. //Just keep biting.

The plant did not appreciate her teeth. It flung her back to the kitchen floor. Isolde scrambled backward towards the cabinets. "Not real!" She shouted at the plant. Body starting to shake and tremble. "Not real! Not real!" The water works starting as she buried her face in her knees. Little cuts littering her arms . She didn't even notice the smoke that had begun to fill the kitchen, or the sound of Luigi's distressed sqwaking.