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    The Seeds of Equilibrium
    The Seeds of Equilibrium
    The Seeds of Equilibrium
    Ebook96 pages1 hour

    The Seeds of Equilibrium

    By Emily Natsu

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    "The Seeds of Equilibrium" is a story of botanical bedlam that will make readers rethink their backyard gardens. In this chronicle of plant-based pandemonium, young Hazel Thornberry accidentally awakens a force of nature that transforms her quiet town. Her journey pits her against sentient shadows and the wily Umbra Vorax, as she battles to keep her town from being swallowed by magic.

    This story of plant-powered peril will attract readers who savor the surreal and witty. Be warned, dear reader, for once you read "The Seeds of Equilibrium," your houseplants may seem suspiciously sentient. Should you continue, brace for a tale that challenges your view of nature and may inspire you to get a tougher pair of gardening gloves.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEmily Natsu
    Release dateNov 17, 2024
    ISBN9798230913795
    The Seeds of Equilibrium

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      Book preview

      The Seeds of Equilibrium - Emily Natsu

      CHAPTER ONE

      I regret to inform you, dear reader, that the story you are about to embark upon is not one of joy, merriment, or pleasant garden parties. No, this is a story of an insidious invasion, a creeping darkness that began with something as seemingly innocuous as a seed. If you prefer stories of sunshine and lollipops, I strongly advise you to close this book immediately and seek out more cheerful literature. Perhaps a nice story about butterflies or puppies would suit you better. You have been warned.

      Our story begins in the unremarkable town of Shadybrook, Ohio, a place where nothing extraordinary ever happened - until it did. Shadybrook was the kind of town where the most exciting event of the year was the annual turnip festival, a celebration so dull that even the turnips seemed bored. The residents of Shadybrook took great pride in their perfectly manicured lawns, their identical white picket fences, and their ability to gossip about absolutely nothing for hours on end.

      It was on a particularly dreary Tuesday (as most Tuesdays in Shadybrook were) that young Hazel Thornberry received a peculiar package in the mail. Hazel, a precocious girl of twelve with a penchant for obscure facts and a habit of correcting adults' grammar, was not accustomed to receiving mail. In fact, the last time she had received anything was a belated birthday card from her great-aunt Gertrude, who had, unfortunately, passed away two years prior to sending it.

      The package was small, no larger than a matchbox, and wrapped in brown paper that seemed to shimmer slightly in the weak afternoon sun. A spidery script on the front simply read: For Hazel Thornberry, The Girl Who Sees What Others Miss.

      Now, dear reader, I must pause here to explain that receiving mysterious packages is rarely a good thing. In fact, in my extensive research, I have found that mysterious packages often lead to unfortunate events, calamitous circumstances, and, in at least one documented case, an infestation of unusually intelligent moths with a taste for rare books. But Hazel, being both curious and somewhat naive (a dangerous combination, I assure you), did not hesitate to open the package.

      Inside, nestled in a bed of what appeared to be shimmering black velvet, was a single seed. It was unlike any seed Hazel had ever seen, and she had seen many, being an avid collector of botanical oddities. This seed was the color of a moonless night, with swirling patterns that seemed to move when she wasn't looking directly at them. A small note accompanied the seed, written in the same spidery handwriting as the address:

      Plant me where shadows grow, and watch as darkness blooms.

      Hazel, being a logical child (most of the time), knew that seeds didn't typically come with ominous instructions. She also knew that accepting gifts from unknown senders was generally frowned upon. However, her curiosity, which had often led her into troublesome situations in the past, got the better of her. With a shrug that would later prove to be one of the most consequential shrugs in the history of Shadybrook, Hazel decided to plant the seed.

      She chose a spot in the far corner of her family's garden, where the fence cast a permanent shadow and nothing else seemed to grow. As she pressed the seed into the cool, damp earth, a shiver ran down her spine. It was probably just a breeze, she told herself, ignoring the fact that it was an unusually still day.

      What Hazel didn't know (and couldn't have known, unless she had access to an obscure botanical text written by a possibly mad scientist in 1823) was that she had just planted an Umbra Vorax, or Devouring Shadow Tree. This rare and potentially catastrophic species was thought to be extinct, and for good reason. The last recorded planting of an Umbra Vorax had resulted in an entire village in the remote forests of Finland being engulfed in darkness for a century. The villagers had emerged pale, confused, and with an inexplicable craving for extremely rare reindeer steak.

      As Hazel patted the soil over the seed, she felt a strange tingling in her fingers. She dismissed it as excitement, unaware that it was actually the first sign of the seed's influence. From that moment on, things in Shadybrook would never be the same.

      Over the next few days, Hazel checked on her planting spot obsessively. By Friday (which was marginally less dreary than Tuesday), she noticed a small, dark sprout pushing its way through the soil. It was unlike any sprout she had ever seen, with leaves that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.

      As the Umbra Vorax grew at an alarming rate, strange occurrences began to plague Shadybrook. Mrs. Penberton's prized roses wilted overnight, despite being in full bloom just hours before. Mr. Gribble's cat, Whiskers, usually the color of orange marmalade, was found in the morning with fur as black as coal. And old Mr. Fitzsimmons swore he saw his garden gnomes moving of their own accord, though everyone chalked that up to his fondness for homemade dandelion wine.

      Hazel, being the observant girl she was, noticed these changes. She couldn't help but wonder if they were somehow connected to her mysterious seed. But surely, she thought, a simple plant couldn't cause such strange events. Could it?

      Little did Hazel know, dear reader, that her simple act of planting a seed would set in motion a chain of events that would transform Shadybrook from a boring Midwestern town into the epicenter of a botanical nightmare. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

      As the Umbra Vorax continued to grow, its influence spread like tendrils of darkness throughout the town. The once-pristine lawns of Shadybrook began to sprout strange, shadowy flowers that seemed to whisper when the wind blew. Children reported seeing shapes moving in the shadows, and adults found themselves inexplicably drawn to the darkest corners of their homes.

      By the end of the week, the Umbra Vorax had grown to an impossible height, its branches reaching far beyond the confines of the Thornberry's garden. Its leaves, dark as night, seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. And as the sun set on that fateful Friday, casting long shadows across Shadybrook, the true nature of the Umbra Vorax began to reveal itself.

      But what exactly was the true nature of this sinister plant? What dark forces had Hazel unwittingly unleashed upon her unsuspecting town? And more importantly, could anything be done to stop the spreading shadows before it was too late?

      I'm afraid, dear reader,

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