Page 46 of Wolves & Watercolors
Perhaps she doesn’t hear me. Her words are garbled and rising in pitch, as if she is panicking. I have no idea what could be in the bathroom with her, but I’m not waiting any longer.
With a deep breath, I ram my shoulder into the door and break the lock. The door shoots open but catches before it can move more than a few inches. Vines crisscross over the space, making the entire bathroom look like a jungle. The steam is scented with Aurora’s floral smell mixed with the scent of leaves and new growth.
“Aurora?”
“Cedar?” Her answer is tentative and shaky.
“Are you okay?” I shove the door forward another inch and the vines push it back.
“I’m okay, but I think I’m trapped.”
“Just the plants?” I confirm.
“What the hell is happening?”
Raising my foot, I stomp on the lowest of the vines restraining the door, but only one breaks. “Hold on, I’m going to get you out of there.” Looking back into the kitchen, I spot a chef’s knife on a magnetic bar along the backsplash. That will do.
Armed with a blade, I begin to saw through the vines keeping the door closed. For every inch I gain, the vines reform and begin to curl around my feet. I’m going to be trapped too.
“Aurora, I need you to calm down. You’re making this worse.”
“Excuse me, but I can’t imagine you would handle it any better if your houseplants suddenly decided to hold you hostage!” A dull thud tells me she’s smacked something, maybe the wall.
“Hey, take slow breaths. I need you to calm down.”
Her ragged breathing slows as she attempts to follow my instructions. The rapid growth around my ankles slows, and I’m able to cut myself free. My progress forward is slow, and every so often, Aurora lets out a low whine.
It’s only a few feet to the shower, and when enough vines are cleared, I can see her huddled with the shower curtain wrapped around her. Wet hair clings to her neck and shoulders.
“Hey there,” I say, giving her my best winning smile.
Her wild eyes fix on me. “What is happening?” she repeats.
“It’s going to be fine. I’m getting you out of here and then we will figure it out.” My words come out confident and steady, which is not even close to how I feel.
The knife is coated in green sap from slicing into the vines. When I’ve made a clear path, I begin tugging away the vines that have wrapped around Aurora. It makes me nervous to have the knife so close to her skin, so I pull the vines away before cutting them off entirely.
Aurora shakes where she’s standing. Her white fingers grip the tan shower curtain, even once she’s free of the vines.
“I can go get you some clothes or a towel,” I offer. We both look at the towels on the hooks that are so wrapped up with leaves and vines that they look like they’ve been in the forest for generations.
When I turn back to find something else for her, she lets out a protesting whine. “Don’t leave me. Just get me out of here.”
“Okay, come here,” I say, reaching for her. It’s impossible to look away. She drops the dripping shower curtain and allows me to scoop her up. Her arms curl over my shoulder blades and her legs straddle my hips as she clings to me. My arm curls under her bare ass. Water runs down her hair and soaks into my shirt.
Slowly, I trudge back across the bathroom. Her fingers dig into my back as she shivers. “It’s okay,” I murmur. “You’re good. Everything is fine.”
I carry her to her bedroom, and then set her on the bed as carefully as I can manage. Her arms cross her chest, her cheeks blazing red. Looking anywhere but that bare expanse of skin, I back out of the room and shut it.
Heart pounding, I rest my back against the door.
“Cedar?” she calls.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t really want to be alone in here.”
Resting my forehead against the door, I exhale slowly. It occurs to me in that moment, I would do anything she asked. With one more breath to steady myself, I turn the handle and slip back into her room.
