𝖇𝖚𝖘𝖍;
Suzi gazed absent-mindedly across the moonlit garden. Trimmed, green grass spread into every corner, flowerbeds bursting with blooms aplenty. A neatly manicured hedge ran across the bottom-most edge of the garden, with a collection of bigger, sprawling shrubs making up bookended thickets on either side. Her mother's pride and joy, that garden. A patch of technicolour heaven sandwiched between the slate grey high rises of the city.
At night, the colours faded. Everything awash with greys and blues, the happy garden appeared solemn and quiet in the dark. The sounds of life from around Suzi's home faded to a distant hum, and for a few, scant hours, her patch of home would seem almost eerie in it's nocturnality. She'd swing open the back door, dare a glance up at the stars, before quickly closing the door and locking herself inside. There was no reason for it -- just a feeling. A brush of ice up the back of her neck, goosebumps on her forearms, an instinct that forced her to retreat from the midnight garden.
But tonight was different.
Her sleepy gaze drifting across the silhouetted bushes, Suzi allowed herself a forbidden step into the darkness. Bare toes padded onto the pine decking as she stepped beneath the velvety sky, one hand trailing the steel banister as she moved down the steps and onto the coiffed grass. It was cold under her feet, damp even, and the adolescent girl chortled at the absurdity of it all -- How had she been so frightened!? It was a 𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 garden. Her 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 garden, where she spent afternoons tending to gentle petals with primrose gloves. There was 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 scary about a beautiful garden.
Taking two more steps, soles weaving delicate paces across her verboten lawn, the young girl spiralled beneath a spattering of sparkling stars. Each ankle twisted and turned as she danced under midnight's blanket, nature kissing at her heels, 𝙖𝙨 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨.
Originally written and shared as part of Verbuary 2020: https://tinyurl.com/5v9ed64b