In a Vine's Embrace

The Encounter

“Ah, what pleasant weather… A warm, gentle rain, and the sun’s delicate rays peeking through the clouds…”

I stood somewhat sheltered from the rain, resting my forearms on the balcony, with a good view of my garden, my pride and joy. Looking further off in the distance, I could see the forest that neighboured my home. Twistwood, the forest was referred to as. Why the unusual, fantastical name? Well, the forest itself was unusual and fantastical… I heard many tales of strange things occuring to explorers that dared venture into it. My friends and family tried to dissuade me from moving here precisely because of it.
Their warnings and concerns, while valid and reasonable for the most part, did not prevent me from going through with my decision.

For one, I had my heart set on trying a life closer to nature, perhaps to do a little soul-searching and generally ponder my purpose and direction in life. Who knows, maybe I would find it away from others, brought out from deep within me by the peace and silence such a remote living space provides? Secondly… My curiousity was partially what brought me here. I have a profound interest in the natural sciences, especially botany and ecology. The things I heard about Twistwood… It certainly seems like so many new discoveries could be made here! What especially piqued my interest was tales of plants that moved autonomously and displayed complex animal-like behaviours…

While my house’s surroundings are indeed quite strange, my garden is quite ironically nothing out of the ordinary. It houses mainly plants native to this climate, with a vegetable patch to grow a handful of non-native species commonly eaten around these parts.
Despite its remote location, I often get visitors. Mainly it’s just my friends coming over to check on me, but from time to time strangers headed for a Twistwood expedition come over, too. My abode has become this… last stop before entering the forest, and the place to look for when seeking a way out.

I do not myself have the desire to enter the woods. While yes, there are so many fascinating rumors about it, ones that I would love to confirm for myself… There are also things I hope not to ever experience. I am satisfied with the first-hand accounts I recieve.
That is why I stay here and occupy myself by caring for my garden. While my plants may not be as exotic and stange as the ones I often hear of, they are still dear to me.

The rain was slowly starting to let up, the clouds dissipating and letting the sun shine through properly. The rays hit my eyes, causing me to lose my train of thought.
Hmm… Perhaps it’s time to fix myself something to eat.
While turning my head towards the doorway my eyes glanced over my garden, and in that quick look I instantly noticed something odd. I focused my sight… Yes, there was something… that should not be there.
There was a big, bulbous… thing in one of the hidden corners of the garden. It looked kind of like a big weird plant, but I’d never seen anything like it before. I decided to investigate… even though something told me I’d better not.
I approached it, stepping in the damp dirt off my garden’s main path.

Looking at it up close, the bulb seemed to consist of three big leaves, and at its base there was a fluffy mass of something similar to cotton. I could not see anything beneath that, the plant seemed to be rooted in the soil. Did someone bring it here? Or… Did it… Come here by itself?…

Two of the leaves had a half-circle-ish hole each, which together formed the shape of a heart. I reached out to touch one of them - perhaps not the smartest thing to do with a plant species you know nothing about. The leaves had a nice, smooth texture to them, I felt, as I moved my hand along their height.
I felt… a small shiver go through the leaf. Startled, I pulled my hand away from it.

The bulb started moving, and before I could process what was happening, several vine-like appendages shot out from under the ground aroud me and grabbed my ankles.
Being in shock, I stood there, frozen.

The bulb rose out of the ground, revealing a thick, long stem. The plant’s head now towered over me, some bluish liquid dripping from the tips of the leaves. The three leaves spread apart slowly, revealing the bulb’s contents. There were three tongue-like appendages inside, the source of the liquid.
Was this saliva?… Am I going to be eaten?…
The vines began creeping up my body. Horrified, I tried to wriggle out of the plant’s coils, but to no avail. The vines tightened around me.
I noticed something - it seemed like they were intentionally using only just enough force to hold me in place, seemingly careful not to injure me. The bulb suddenly opened wide, and the vines raised my body slightly, towards the plant’s maw. The tongues shot out towards me and started wrapping around my head and upper body.

They slithered against my feathers like snakes, coating me in the blue substance. My neck, my shoulders, my chest, my back… All becoming slimy and wet. A sensation that sent shivers down every inch of my skin.
And as it was happening, I started hearing a voice…

“Oh, stop wriggling…”

This situation was getting increasingly stranger. I was getting devoured by a giant talking plant. I braced myself for whatever would happen next.

The bulb encased my head and closed, the holes in the leaves creating a space for my neck to poke out of the bulb, my head completely surrounded.
The bulb kept crawling its way further down my body. Once around half of my body was inside the plant, the bulb lifted, and soon enough I was entirely swallowed by the plant, my lower half sliding inside.

It was warm, but not hot inside. The walls wrapped around me, slightly pressing on my body from all sides.
I was starting to get overwhelmed from all the wet textures and the appendages wriggling around me, holding me.
“Please… Let me go…”

Its movement ceased.
I could sense a sort of confusion in my mind… But it wasn’t coming from me.

“This… This is a first.”

I was still being held, but I was no longer being smothered in that blue substance.
I could feel its hold loosen slightly, and I reoriented myself so that I was no longer upside down. To be honest… Now that I was in a more comfortable position… It felt kind of good to be held like this. Like being wrapped in a warm, living blanket.

“You… I… We can understand eachother.”
“This… this usually doesn’t happen.”

All of the plant’s slippery tongue-leaves started slithering back from where they came, removing the plant’s hold on me.
The bulb leaned towards the ground… and spat me out, the vines from around it catching and lowering me gently to the ground.
Completely soaked, my feathers feeling a little sticky, even, and still kind of shocked, I struggled to get back on my feet. I crawled a couple steps back away from the plant.

It seemed it could be reasoned with, but my confusion was too much to express in words. What, why, how, who, what what what?
This is unlike anything I’ve heard of even in the wildest stories.

As I struggled to move or work out something to say or do, the plant lifted itself out of the ground using its appendages.
It turned away from me. Despite it not having eyes, the bulb was oriented towards me in something like a last glance.

“Wait… Where are you going?… Why did you come at all?”

It didn’t even acknowledge the questions, Crawling over and out the fence surprisingly fast for its size and the proportion of its body to its, let’s call it, limbs.

At least the warm rain will wash some of this gooey stuff off me.