Jeannette pushed on the wooden door and it slowly creaked open, revealing her small living space. A couch faced two small chairs, each made of twigs and leaves. The light which filtered through the large window on the side of the tree trunk called to her as she sat on the leftmost chair. Her thin, long leaves folded over its arms as her fragile, purple, petals rested against the back. She absorbed the light, letting the warm sun embrace her as she rested. She thought of Peter and his kindness, recalling their day of fishing at the creek. His gentle voice echoed in her head, telling her how much he cared for her. Jeanette craved nothing more than to lay eyes on her beloved Peter, but she knew she couldn’t. She had been blind since birth. Her blindness wasn’t fair to Peter, he deserved a flower who could look at him with the same loving look in her eyes, but he was so tender-hearted and compassionate, Jeanette couldn’t help but fall for him. She closed her eyes, as the evening sky slowly brought her to sleep.

That night, Jeanette dreamed of her future with Peter. She pictured their beautiful planting ceremony as vivid images of the couple kneeling in the dirt, digging two small holes as Peter held her hand, took hold of her mind. The Council’s officiator stood before them, reciting the official vows as they were joined for life, permanently burrowed in the Planter’s Chamber together. 

She woke the next morning to the sounds of the market below her. She decided that today she would make a trip to The Hub, so she put on her satchel and walked towards the trapdoor in the corner of her treeplace. She carefully made her way down the ladder which lined the thin, vertical passageway, climbing for a moment before hopping onto the dirt ground below her. She heard the rolling of wheels accompanied by countless flowers’ conversations and knew she had arrived.

Her muscle memory guided her as she turned left and walked down the row of shops. She was on the look for a new shovel, and if she remembered properly, Travis’s family crafted and sold them for cheap. She walked through the tunnel, trying to keep her head down. To her right, she heard the sounds of the nursery and young seedlings. She fondly remembered her times as a young and clumsy flower, enjoying the constant supervision of the older women who volunteered themselves to daycare work. It was important that each of the flowers had their own role in keeping their meager society afloat. They relied upon each other, and they needed to keep each other safe. The Council was sure to teach them these values. 

Travis’s voice carried down the tunnel, and Jeanette knew she was almost there. 

“Hey, Jeanie!”

“Hey Travis, how are you?”

“Doin’ good, what can I help you with today?”

 “I was wondering if you had any shovels?”

Travis bent down and picked up a small wooden crate, which he then placed on the counter in front of Jeanette. He laid out a few options for her, and she picked up each shovel to examine them. One by one, she ran her leaves over the woodworking and felt for the size of the blade. Each shovel was uniquely handmade so Jeanette wanted to choose carefully. She finally settled on a shovel with a small, wooden blade and a cherry-red handle engraved with the drawing of a horizon. As Jeanette held the shovel, she could imagine the beauty of the sunset and what it may be like to witness all the warm colors that bring the day to night. 

“Whatcha need the shovel for Jeanie? Is somebody in loooooooove?”

She paid Travis four small wooden chips, each engraved with a tree, as she ignored his comment. Four tree chips was a good price for such a fine piece of woodworking, much less than Jeanette had expected to pay. With the few coins she had left over, perhaps she could buy a present for Peter. 

Making her way back through The Hub, Jeanette listened for the sounds of salesmen. She had no idea what to get Peter, but it had to be just right. She heard Cynthia shouting about her new fabric collection, accompanied by John’s prideful boasting about the chairs he had made, emphasizing their durability and aesthetic value. She continued to listen to advertisements for blankets, books, and various shoes, however nothing seemed appealing. On the verge of giving up, Jeanette was nearing the end of her adventure in The Hub when she heard Alice’s voice. She walked over to Alice’s stand, excited, knowing she had finally found something worthy of Peter. Alice made fishing poles, and it would be the perfect gift. 

Jeanette’s leaves glided over the table as she searched for the fishing pole she would buy. She finally landed on the perfect piece, a strong, masterfully-made pole.

“Hey, Alice, how much for this one?”

“Ha. Ten sun coins.”

“What? TEN sun coins? That’s ridiculous Alice. I could buy fifty shovels with that.”

“Yeah yeah, we know, you don’t have the money. Try making something other than ugly baskets and maybe you’ll be able to afford a fishing pole you blind slug.”

Jeanette stood in shock for a moment before turning towards the main exit and running. She bumped into other flowers as she ran, tears streaming down her face. She ran and ran, desperately trying to escape. The tunnel, the voices, the comments, they were all closing in on her. Finally, she felt the rays of the sun on her back as she escaped The Hub. She sat on the nearest rock and continued to cry, resenting her blindness and her failures. She should’ve listened to the Council. They were right when she was a young flower, and they were right now. She was useless.

Sick of pitying herself, Jeanette began to walk home. She heard the birds as they flew from tree to tree, far above her small world. The welcoming smell of dirt and worms filled her nose as she walked through the forest, still thinking about Peter and The Hub. She had her new shovel and a small leather pouch of coins, but still felt like she was going home empty-handed. Jeanette opened her door and dropped her things on a small table before a startling voice came from a nearby chair. It was Peter. Jeanette immediately began to tear up again as Peter rushed to her side. 

“What’s wrong, Jeanie?”

“I’m sorry, Peter.”

“For what?”

“You deserve someone better than me.”

Peter wrapped his arms around Jeanie and laid his head on her shoulder. His red petals folded around her as he told her how much he loved her.

“That’s not true and you know that. Don’t be ridiculous. And besides, your outlook on romance wasn’t so meager earlier today, was it? I saw that shovel, Jeanie.”

“Uh, no you didn’t.”

“Yes I did, and you’ll never guess what I also bought at the marketplace today.”

Peter pulled out a shovel from the small satchel he wore. 

Jeanie’s heart stopped as Peter kneeled down.

“Jeanette, I really do love you. I want to be with you forever. Will you please burrow with me?”

“Of course, Peter!”

Jeanette hugged her new fiance as they began to discuss their plans. Now that they were officially engaged, Peter could move in with Jeanie. She was excited knowing that there would be a 90-day period of engagement before they were allowed to request their permanent burrowing ceremony, but eventually, they needed the Council’s approval. The Council has always taken care to provide a thorough examination before approving or denying a Planting Ceremony. They would use information from this waiting period, the flowers’ childhoods, and the genetics of each spouse’s parents before reaching a decision. It was a stressful list of questions that both Jeanette and Peter decided to not worry about, so they instead simply enjoyed their engagement period. However, Jeanette couldn’t help but feel concerned. She knew how the Council felt about her and her blindness. What if they didn’t think she should be with Peter? Would their relationship be acceptable?

Three moons passed, and the day came. The couple needed to approach the Council and request a Planting Ceremony. They left their tree place, holding hands, as Peter comforted Jeannette. 

“I promise, it’ll be okay. There’s no reason for them to say no. We’re good people, we’re clearly in love, and your blindness hasn’t stopped you before.”

Jeanette squeezed his hand, and the two began their journey to the Council’s building. 

The Council had claimed a grand tree in the center of town to be their headquarters, and of course, the home of the Planters Chamber. Legend had it that the extraordinary tree held a Council’s Judgement Hall, a great, open, space crafted from the finest of timber with a singular, curved bench lining the back wall, where the Council members could sit as they heard their citizens. However, the back wall was not made from wood like the rest of the room. Instead, it was solid glass, providing a full view of the Planters Chamber. Rows of flowers, each one’s leaves intertwined with their partner, would appear statuesque as they stood, without life, absorbing the sun and devoting their lives to bettering the colony. When a flower reaches the end of their life cycle, their duty is to burrow with a partner so that they may produce seedlings for many generations. Once burrowed, the sacred soil of the chamber saps the sentience from the flowers, prolonging an age-old tradition of preserving their natural state of life. It is the Council’s job to monitor and regulate this process, to ensure that future generations of flowers are safe and protected.

The lovers continued to mull over the Council’s potential decision as they approached the central tree. Jeanette had already planned her responses word-for-word, reciting them over and over under her breath as Peter quietly knocked on the imposing gateway which guarded the Council. 

They stood for just a moment before one of the large doors swung open, revealing a small, elderly flower on the other side. Berdie introduced himself as the Council’s assistant and asked why they came to visit the central tree.

Peter confidently spoke up, “We were hoping to receive a Planting Ceremony.”

“Well, come on in then!”

Jeanette turned towards Peter as Berdie began to ask basic questions regarding their ceremony eligibility.

“Did you bring your shovels?”

Peter patted the brown satchel that he wore around his left shoulder.

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright, and have either of you ever applied for a Planting Ceremony before?”

“No.”

“No.”

“Okay, and can I have your full name and season of birth?”

The questions continued as Jeanette finally began to feel at peace. Peter was right, they were meant to be burrowed together, and she had earned it.

When the interrogation was over, Berdie said he needed to relay the information to the Council and soon disappeared, leaving the couple alone in the near-empty tree. 

“Peter, what does the room look like? Can you see the Planters Chamber? Does the sacred soil glow like they said it did?”

“Well Jeanie, it’s a little different than we thought. There are no bench or Council members, but yes I can see the Planters Chamber. The soil looks so fluffy, and it's radiating a soft, pink glow onto all the gorgeous flowers. They’re beautiful, just like you.”

Jeanette heard the doors open as Berdie shuffled over to the couple.

“I’m sorry, but the Council has decided it would be best for you to find another burrowing mate, Peter.”

Jeanie tilted her head down and brought her leaves up to her chest.

“What do you mean, another burrowing mate? I applied with Jeanie, why did they say no? This is ridiculous. Let me talk to them.”

“I’m sorry Peter, that’s not an option.”

“F*ck that.”

Still holding Jeanette’s hand, Peter stormed towards the Council’s door. Engulfed in rage, he slammed the doors open as he finally laid eyes upon the Council’s members. The five flowers each sat around a large conference table, their large golden petals lighting up the small room. The largest flower sat at the head of the table but stood to greet the couple.

“Peter. Leave.”

“Why won’t you let us burrow? Is it because she’s blind? What did we ever do to you?!”

“We are sorry, but you need to go.”

“I’m not leaving until you give us our ceremony!”

All five Council members stood to face Peter, as Jeanette stood silently by his side. Suddenly, Jeanie felt two tight squeezes of her hand. Peter quickly whispered to her one word, “Run.”

With the Council members still staring them down, Peter turned and ran as fast as he could, headed straight towards the Planters Chamber. He pulled a shovel out of his bag and finally reached the glass wall that kept him from his happiness, striking it as hard as he could. 

The glass shattered and Jeanie yelped in response but held on to his hand anyway. She was stuck blindly following him, but she trusted him. She heard the noise of Peter’s shovel tearing up the ground as he dumped scoops of the sacred soil into his satchel. Realizing that the Council would soon catch up to them, the flowers ran back towards the exit. With his stolen ceremonial goods, Peter ran for both his love and his life as Jeanette ran with him. 

“Never return to our village, you worthless thieves!”

Although he heard the Council members screaming, Peter refused to turn back as he burst into the woods. Making sure Jeanette was still safe with him, Peter began to navigate through the maze of trees, running as fast as he could.

“Peter, where are we going?”

He didn’t respond as they continued to flee from the Council, slowly coming closer and closer to the edge of the forest. He couldn’t be sure what they would do to him. He stole their sacred property, broke tradition, and caused a bit of a scene in the process. He knew deep down that they would never be able to return to their home. 

“Peter. Stop. Where are we going?”

He finally slowed his pace, stopping to rest under a large oak tree near the perimeter of the forest’s safety. 

“Jeanette, I don’t really know.”

They sat together, leaning against the bark and embracing each other.

“Did you steal soil from the Chamber?”

“We deserved it, Jeanie. I’m so sorry for everything.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault Peter. All you ever did was love me.”

Exhausted, the flowers could do nothing more than comfort one another as they drifted off into a warm slumber.

The early morning sun shined brightly upon Peter and Jeanette as they both slowly rose to greet the day. Feeling weighed down by the intense emotions and events with the Council, both flowers hesitated to leave the safety of their oak tree. 

“Why’d you steal the soil Peter?”

“I told you. Who cares about the stupid council and their stupid ceremonies? It’s still our right to reach the end of our natural lives, with whoever we please. I love you, Jeanette. I still want to burrow with you.”

Jeanette could feel the tears pressing against her eyes as she fell into Peter’s arms, never feeling so relieved in her life. 

“I love you too, Peter.”

The flowers spent their final day in each other's arms, soaking in the dreamy, sublime feelings of the nature around them and the kindness they shared. They were both at peace as they finally ventured from the forest into the lush, green hills beyond. Jeanette left her coin pouch behind as she followed her one and only love. She imagined what Peter’s face might have looked like at that moment, or if the sight of her leaves strolling through the soft grass matched the sensations she felt. Regardless, she felt bliss deep within her heart as they both kneeled onto the ground below them. Holding Jeanie’s hand, Peter began to dig. 

“I, Peter Autumn, do solemnly swear to forever love and cherish my sweet Jeanette, as we take the ground together for the rest of our lives.”

The holes were dug.

“I, Jeanette Spring, do solemnly swear to always appreciate and treat with kindness my dearest Peter, whom I may thank for all the sweetest memories in my short life. To Mother Nature, we shall return.”

The flowers kneeled in their small dirt holes.

“To Mother Nature, we shall return,” Peter repeated after.

Scooping the soil out of his satchel, Peter buried Jeanette first. He held her hand as she slowly relaxed, becoming one with the hills beneath her. He moved onto creating a small dirt mound around his own leaves, throwing his satchel into the distance before slowly losing feeling in his petals. Soon, their faces began to flatten and their leaves began to intertwine. Peter looked at the sunset, absorbing the warmth of Jeanette and the sun’s rays one final time before giving in to the soil beneath him.