verdure
greenness, especially of fresh, flourishing vegetation.
green vegetation, especially grass or herbage.
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Ted was crouched behind a large rock. It was not ideal, but it was the only hiding spot around. He needed to keep a close eye on the entry. The door in question was a large, heavy steel door built into a concrete mound that clearly went underground. It was the only thing of note in an otherwise barren landscape. And that meant it was probably dangerous. But nobody had come in or out for over a day, and Ted needed to find shelter soon.
His respirator was clogged after only one night out in the open, so he needed a safe place to clean it out. And this was the only spot that might have clean air. Even if it was occupied, he would need to either beg for shelter, or kill those already there. He made sure his weapons were readily available. His gun only had three bullets in it, so he would save that for emergencies. His main weapon would be his crude axe. Well, calling it an axe was generous. It was just a thick metal pipe with a piece of sharpened scrap tied to it. But it got the job done, and that was all he needed of it.
He slowly approached the door, keeping his head on a swivel with every step. Nobody bothered him. He made it to the door without any trouble. He took his axe and banged on the door. Hopefully the inhabitants would be friendly. Something clanked and turned on the other side of the door, but it made no move to open. Ted took hold of the worn handle and pulled. The door was heavy, and it moved slowly, but it did open.
He rushed in, keeping the door open in case he needed to make a quick retreat. The hall was dimly lit with low powered electric lights. Whoever lived in this place was loaded if he could afford those. He made his way down the sloped hallway. He was halfway down when he realized the door was closing on its own. He did not bother to chase it down though. He wanted to be inside. He would just have to hope he was not walking into a trap.
The hall was long, but oddly clean. No dust or dirt anywhere. It took him several minutes to get to the bottom, and the sight took his breath away. Plants. There were real, growing plants. There were a lot of them, and they were not coming from pots or planters. They were coming from the ground. Ted’s breath caught in his chest. For a moment he could almost forget the state of the world.
That did not last long though. He did take his respirator off though. In a place like this, the air would definitely be clean. And sure enough, it was. There was no hint of the poisons that permeated the atmosphere. He took a few long, deep breaths, feeling the clean air flow through him. Now he really hoped the people here were friendly. This was a place he would love to stay.
“Ah, a guest.” Said a voice. Ted whirled around to see the speaker. It was a slender young woman dressed in a dress that blended in with the surrounding plant life. “How wonderful. It’s been so long since I’ve had company.”
“You own this place?” Ted asked, keeping a firm grip on his axe.
“I do. Well, as much as anyone can own the land and those who live upon it. I am its keeper though.”
“Great. You okay with me crashing here? I just need to clean out my gear and then I’ll be gone.”
Best not to seem too desperate. Better to be a transient presence than a permanent residence.
“Oh I certainly do not mind. But I wonder if you won’t consider staying longer. I have plenty of food and water.”
The woman moved a few steps closer. There was an odd quality to her movement though. She did not walk so much as float. Oh her feet touched the ground, but each step was like she was stepping on the air instead of the well kept grass. She reached out to Ted, but did not touch him.
“And I can always use some help with my work.”
“Your work? The plants?”
“That and so much more. I can teach you all about it, if you chose to stay with me.”
Ted looked around. He might as well. Some of the plants had fruit growing from them, which meant he would have something good to eat. And the air was clean, so he would not have to worry about that. Besides, he did not exactly have anywhere else to go.
“Yeah, sure. I can stay for a few days and help out.”
The woman smiled wide. “Excellent! I can’t wait to get stared. But first, you should rest. I can tell you’ve been traveling for a long time. Rest, for I have much to teach you, and we have much to do.”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks. I’m Ted, by the way. And you are?”
“Hm, don’t be worried about names. But I suppose if you must call me anything, you can call me Gaia. Now come, I’ll show you to your room, and we can begin in the morning.”
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Feels weird to update on a weekend. I don't think I've ever done that before, but oh well. I guess the day doesn't matter as long as it gets done, right?
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