than Max, and about a foot shorter, with leaves that were narrower.
Max was surprised. Usually the new plants were bigger than the old ones. What made her so special?
Oh. That was it. His new neighbor was a "she."
Max's mood suddenly improved. He twitched his front leaves. Hello, there.
Hi.
I'm Max.
I think I'm Specimen 313.
Glad to meet you. You'll like it here.
I don't think I will.
It's really not that bad. Once you get used to it you'll be fine, I promise.
I don't feel like talking now, if that's okay.
Max stopped twitching his leaves. He didn't blame her. The greenhouse was not as comfortable as the garden where he'd grown up (had she grown up there, too?). There he got to be outside and see the real sun instead of just light through the ceiling, and he got to feel a breeze sometimes, and though he couldn't actually go anyplace else, he felt like he could leave if he wanted.
So if Specimen 313 had been in the garden yesterday and was moved to the greenhouse today, he completely understood if she didn't want to talk. That was fine. He'd just wait for something to happen, like he always did.
About an hour later, Dr. Prethorius walked over with his plastic watering can. The greenhouse had an automated sprinkler system, but the doctor still used the watering can every once in a while. "Hello, Jenny," he said as he watered her. "Are you adjusting to your new home? I have a guest waiting to see you, but I wanted to make sure you hadn't fallen over first!" He giggled. "I'll be right back, so don't go anywhere."
The doctor left.
I don't want to be here, said Jenny.
You'll learn to like it.
No. I won't.
She didn't say anything else. When the doctor returned, he was with an old man who had a thick beard and a dirty jacket. The old man looked around at the other plants, mouth slightly ajar, and almost tripped over a hose.
"Careful, now. Careful," said the doctor. He gestured to Jenny. "And here it is. The prize of my collection. Specimen 313."
The old man wiped his nose on his sleeve. "That's a pretty big plant."
"Indeed it is."
"That one of those fly-eating ones? Those trap ones? You know, that..." He moved his hands together in a trap-closing movement.
"Again you are correct. How does somebody with your level of intellect end up living out of a cardboard box?"
The old man lowered his eyes. "Bad luck, I guess."
"I certainly hope you weren't naughty with the crack cocaine. So do you like my plant?"
"Yeah, it's kind of neat. Did I look at it long enough? Do I get my twenty bucks now?"
Max realized that he was not jealous at all that Jenny was going to get to eat the old man. Normally he was a little bit jealous---not a lot, just a bit---but with Jenny, he only hoped that it would make her feel better. When she had chunks of that old man digesting inside of her, she'd know that this was a welcoming place.
"Almost, almost, not quite yet," said Dr. Prethorius. "Just a couple more minutes. It took a great deal of cross-breeding to create such an impressive specimen, and I want to make sure you take in the details."
"So... why me?" asked the old man. "I ain't got no appreciation for plants. Shouldn't you have those people from that Nobel Prize thing here?"
"They don't appreciate true invention. Those cowards are just as likely to contact the authorities as they are to bestow a prize. That's why I need you. Somebody simpler of mind. Somebody who makes a good... fly."
Jenny suddenly bent forward, leaves wide open. The old man let out a quick shriek that was cut off as her leaves closed over the top half of his body with a loud crunch.
Max had never seen anything like that!
The old man's legs and waist dropped to the ground. Some blood trickled from between Jenny's leaves as she... was she actually chewing ?
Incredible.
Dr. Prethorius squealed with laughter and danced in a merry circle. "It worked! It worked! I never imagined that it could work so well!"
Jenny opened up her leaves, revealing a skull and
Max was surprised. Usually the new plants were bigger than the old ones. What made her so special?
Oh. That was it. His new neighbor was a "she."
Max's mood suddenly improved. He twitched his front leaves. Hello, there.
Hi.
I'm Max.
I think I'm Specimen 313.
Glad to meet you. You'll like it here.
I don't think I will.
It's really not that bad. Once you get used to it you'll be fine, I promise.
I don't feel like talking now, if that's okay.
Max stopped twitching his leaves. He didn't blame her. The greenhouse was not as comfortable as the garden where he'd grown up (had she grown up there, too?). There he got to be outside and see the real sun instead of just light through the ceiling, and he got to feel a breeze sometimes, and though he couldn't actually go anyplace else, he felt like he could leave if he wanted.
So if Specimen 313 had been in the garden yesterday and was moved to the greenhouse today, he completely understood if she didn't want to talk. That was fine. He'd just wait for something to happen, like he always did.
About an hour later, Dr. Prethorius walked over with his plastic watering can. The greenhouse had an automated sprinkler system, but the doctor still used the watering can every once in a while. "Hello, Jenny," he said as he watered her. "Are you adjusting to your new home? I have a guest waiting to see you, but I wanted to make sure you hadn't fallen over first!" He giggled. "I'll be right back, so don't go anywhere."
The doctor left.
I don't want to be here, said Jenny.
You'll learn to like it.
No. I won't.
She didn't say anything else. When the doctor returned, he was with an old man who had a thick beard and a dirty jacket. The old man looked around at the other plants, mouth slightly ajar, and almost tripped over a hose.
"Careful, now. Careful," said the doctor. He gestured to Jenny. "And here it is. The prize of my collection. Specimen 313."
The old man wiped his nose on his sleeve. "That's a pretty big plant."
"Indeed it is."
"That one of those fly-eating ones? Those trap ones? You know, that..." He moved his hands together in a trap-closing movement.
"Again you are correct. How does somebody with your level of intellect end up living out of a cardboard box?"
The old man lowered his eyes. "Bad luck, I guess."
"I certainly hope you weren't naughty with the crack cocaine. So do you like my plant?"
"Yeah, it's kind of neat. Did I look at it long enough? Do I get my twenty bucks now?"
Max realized that he was not jealous at all that Jenny was going to get to eat the old man. Normally he was a little bit jealous---not a lot, just a bit---but with Jenny, he only hoped that it would make her feel better. When she had chunks of that old man digesting inside of her, she'd know that this was a welcoming place.
"Almost, almost, not quite yet," said Dr. Prethorius. "Just a couple more minutes. It took a great deal of cross-breeding to create such an impressive specimen, and I want to make sure you take in the details."
"So... why me?" asked the old man. "I ain't got no appreciation for plants. Shouldn't you have those people from that Nobel Prize thing here?"
"They don't appreciate true invention. Those cowards are just as likely to contact the authorities as they are to bestow a prize. That's why I need you. Somebody simpler of mind. Somebody who makes a good... fly."
Jenny suddenly bent forward, leaves wide open. The old man let out a quick shriek that was cut off as her leaves closed over the top half of his body with a loud crunch.
Max had never seen anything like that!
The old man's legs and waist dropped to the ground. Some blood trickled from between Jenny's leaves as she... was she actually chewing ?
Incredible.
Dr. Prethorius squealed with laughter and danced in a merry circle. "It worked! It worked! I never imagined that it could work so well!"
Jenny opened up her leaves, revealing a skull and
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