It was April Fool’s Day. The radio host said that giant slugs had been seen roaming the countryside. Annie switched off the radio. She’d been driving along this stretch for too many hours. The fresh greenery of scattered trees flashed by. What madness to drive so far for a box of bizzie lizzies and brass wire?
At last, there was a sign ahead. She eased the car through the gate posts and slowly negotiated the S-shaped driveway, passing under the low canopy of trees that looked suspiciously like monster lettuces. Box hedge wasn’t in such demand these days, she mused. Surely lettuces hadn’t caught on in topiary classes? It was the slugs that had always put her off as she peeled those outer leaves. Inside, the shop was out of bizzy lizzies, but she bought some wire.
* * *
She wondered which way round to hang it.
The familiar black road, she was used to it now. The chalk stripe ran along its right edge. The long stretches of green blurred into an explosion of chestnuts and copper beeches. She could almost smell the damp fungi in the air, touch the raised splodges of gold and red. ‘November’, read the label. And to its left, ‘Spring’.
It was an acquired taste, she thought. Better that way. Spring comes before Autumn after all. She secured the wire.
But did she like it enough?
With a gentle tap of the hammer she hung it in the bathroom and stood back to reconsider. Checked it was straight.
It was the tiniest movement that caught her by surprise. A sideways glance. The S-shape sliding through the greenery, its glossy body leaving a glistening trail.
Slimey!
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