BREAKING THE PEACE

By JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com

Alternate Character Challenge response.

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Breaking the peace, one asked, "You guys hungry yet?"

Another said, "I could go for a drink."

The top one said, "I could use some shade. I've been out here in the sun all morning."

The bottom one said, "So have we! Don't be a prima donna."

The top one said, "Well, look at me! How can I not be? I'm beautiful."

All the others said, "Oh please."

One in the back piped up, "That's only because you're at eye level. How about coming back here for a while? This wall is scratchy."

One from the front suggested, "Just hit it."

The back one said, "I've tried. Doesn't seem to faze it."

The top one said, "All right, all right. Enough about the wall. More about me."

The middle one off to the side asked, "What about you?"

"I'm full, I'm luscious, I'm the perfect color, I'm ripe for the picking. I just know I'll be inside in a nice cozy vase by this evening."

One from the other side said, "Don't think so. That would be me. I'm just how he likes us. Not full, not spread open, just taking a peek at what's out there."

The top one fluttered. "Pfst! You're nothing. You've got an unsightly yellow splotch on you."

The one from the other side wavered, "Where? Where?!"

The top one said, "I can see it from here. You won't get chosen. You might as well just shrivel up and die."

The conservative one said, "Well, I never! Such talk. Your thorns are overtaking your brain. Just be quiet. All of you. That human has just come out here with the watering can. Can't you all see?"

The one in the back said, "No. All I see is this stupid wall. It's not fair. I started out alongside Prima Donna up there but she kept pushing me over while we were growing, now look at where I am."

The top one said, "Who'd want to look at you?"

The one in the front asked the one next to him, "Hey, bud. How are you doing?"

The bud whispered, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

The puny one on the side said, "Yeah... don't worry. Pretty soon you're going to be taking my water, my oxygen, my fertilizer... I don't have a chance."

All of the others yelled, "Fertilizer! Life's blood! I want some. I want some. Now!"

The conservative one asked, "How did I get stuck with you bozos? Just be quiet. We'll get what we deserve."

They were all quiet.

For a while.

Then they all said, "I deserve it! Gimme some fertilizer!"

One rose called out, "Human!"

The bush came to attention. Not a rose moved, except for gently swaying in the breeze. The human's hand caressed each bloom that was closest to the height of his chest, then all the others on the bush. The human and that shiny metal thing hovered around the bush, the roses knew one would be the one to get picked.... the Prima Donna maneuvered herself to be in a prominent position to be the chosen one.

The human finally plucked the rose in the back. "Hippee!" the rose squealed as the others booed.

The human held the rose to his nose. The Prima Donna fluttered her head in annoyance at not being the one at that moment. The other roses were going to start chiding the Prima Donna top rose, but the human was too close. It could wait... until they were alone. Suddenly, the human clipped more of the stem off of the rose from the back. The cut was just above the first thorn, just under the head.

The roses gasped, horrified at the indignity shown to one of their own.

One explained, "The human's going for a pocket decoration."

Another said, "Oh, too bad. Poor bloom will be dead before nightfall without water."

Another wondrously asked, "Why not put him in a nice glass of water and set him on the table?"

The Prima Donna asked, "What about me? I'd be the focal point of a nice floral arrangement? Please, take me now while I'm beautiful."

The human pulled off another petal from the bloom that he had chosen as the roses gasped again. "What is he doing?!"

The conservative rose said, "Making sure that it sits well in his pocket, you idiot."

Sure enough, that's what the human did. The human walked away while the roses were silent.

They are all quiet for a long time.

Breaking the peace, one asked, "So, are you guys hungry yet?"

~~~~~