She would like to say that it was because she liked the peacefulness of her alone time, but it wasnt just that. The plants she grew in there were dangerous. If the wrong person followed her in there, they might not make it out, and that was too much paperwork.

Perhaps when they were more mature, they could be viewed by the public. Today was not that day.

With Bellamy on her hip, she stepped through the door of the locked greenhouse and set him aside. An enormous white lily took hold of the child and cooed and giggled as he was swept away. The plants were grown to watch over him and protect him from all harm. Today Isla was there to create a new one for the house, as promised to her husband. She watched as the petals of the flower wrapped around her son protectively and moved him around to entertain him and keep him busy. A few times the petals would unroll and Bellamy would roll or slide to the floor before getting back up and going back for more.

Once the door was closed behind her and her security set in place, she began to strip down. Her shoes, her jeans and top all came off, each one carefully plucked from her grasp from a vine. Leaves and vines worked to cover her carefully, growing up her legs and arms, hair becoming full of leaves and pulled away from her face as vines wrapped themselves around it.

Isla Wilson wasnt just a mother to Bellamy, but to a whole colony of living plants. She had nannies in the form of giant lilies to watch over her human son, and comically large flytraps to capture and ward off any intruders, vines that worked as extra sets of hands for her. Her greenhouse was alive and working hard.

Music was always playing overhead, keeping them all company when she couldnt be there. Most of them preferred the classical piano genre, but a few seemed to wilt if they had to listen too long. She switched the music when she got there, a tray of sunflower seedlings perking up as the music changed from classical to Fleetwood mac.

Her fingers brushed over the leaves and petals of all her children, saying good morning to them as she made her rounds, a spray bottle in hand to mist them as she inspected every living being in the greenhouse. She was taking out all the necessary tools required to grow a new plant nanny for Bellamy when her security system went off and the plants immediately fell on high alert. The petals of the large white lily wrapped around her son protectively and tucked itself away in the corner for safe keeping as a wall of vines grew over it.

“Who’s there?” She hissed, marching straight toward the front of the greenhouse. Many of her experiments straightened out and stopped moving, but to the untrained eye, they looked large and unnatural anyway. Isla stomped to the entrance, heart beating in her throat afraid of what she found there and who might become a meal if they weren’t careful.

“Miss isla, it’s Denise!” An assistant at ivy farms hung upside down, completely entwined in vines that tightened around her by the second. “Uhm...can I get down?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You are trespassing, Denise. You know better. You have one rule to follow and its to stay away from this particular greenhouse.” Isla came up next to the trapped woman and pushed her so she swung back. “You do remember that, correct?”

“Yes, but—“

“And you still came.”

“Yes, but—“

“And now you want me to let you go?”

“Yes, but I can explain! Wait, what is this place anyway?”

The lack of worry in her assistants voice made isla cock her head to the side curiously.

“And what are you wearing? Wait, this isn’t like a sex thing is it? If it is, I promise I wont tell.”

Isla snorted and waved her hand, signaling the vines could release Denise. Her body immediately dropped to the floor. “Not a sex thing. This is my work.” She walked up to a flower that was the size of her head and stuck her face into it. The petals wrapped themselves around her as if to give her a hug and say hello. “These are my babies.”

The other woman fell quiet as she looked around. The plants shied away from her when she got too close and they seemed scared of another person being near.

“Tell me again why you’re here, Denise.” She made no threats, but moved to a freezer that housed two raw steaks. The fly traps all snapped and she tossed one over to them, watching them fight like starved dogs.

There was a long pause and the other woman began to step away slowly, a clear intention to run and never look back. She was immediately seized by the wrist, but not hard. Isla wouldn’t hurt her, this girl was valuable. She was one of Islas first rescue attempt and isla was very fond of her.

“Wanna try that again?” The girl whimpered and isla rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you. My son is here.” The living wall separated and revealed the white lily holding Bellamy inside. “Why did you follow me?”

“I need your help. One of my friends is missing.”

“Say no more.”