"Where ya going?", Ellie asked as you kicked off your shoes to feel the fresh grass below your feet.

It was soft, like a natural carpet, mixed with the cold feeling of soil that peaked through a few patches every now and then.

It was kind of surprising that this place bloomed all on its own, just dedicated by the moods of Mother Nature. No insects or vermin had found their way inside the greenhouse and the river seemed just big enough to water the area.

It wasn't even all that small but surprisingly walkable, with the lime tree being the center of it. As you rounded the giant tree trunk you found another path that was hidden below greenery.

"The river isn't natural.", you said over your shoulder as she followed your steps, shoes in hand as well. "But it flows."

"So?", Ellie shrugged as she caught up to you.

With a soft huff you made space so that the two of you could walk the small walkway. Small stones neatened against the soles of your feet, making it feel like a natural massage.

"If it flows there has to be a cycle. And I don't think the people back then would just... create a ring of water. Seems too plain for a place like this."

Rows of huge, puffy hydrangeas stretched their blue, pink and violett blossoms towards the sun. Their heads booped with the wind as another breeze found its way inside the dome.

You took a deep breath. The air was sweet but also flowery. Almost like a gentle women's fragrance. Clover grew from patches of thick moss.

This was a dream, you were sure. Otherwise there was no way in hell that a place could be this beautiful, this calm.

This soothing to your body and soul.

"You think there's a pond?", Ellie asked as she stopped in front of a bunch of smaller flowers that grew between the hydrangeas.

She eyed the opened buds for a long moment before reaching out, gently grabbing a few and plugging them. You watched as she tied a few stems together to create a small bracelet of flowers.

Amused, you curled your nose as you suppressed another snort. You weren't trying to make fun of her. It was just really fucking adorable to see a young, rough around the edges woman like her braid flowers into a bracelet.

Eyebrows drawn together but a shy smile on her lips Ellie tilted her head, strands of her chopped brown hair falling over her shoulder.

"What?", she asked with a shrug.

The buds of the flowers dangled between her fingers.

You shook your head.

"Didn't think you'd be the braiding flowers kinda girl.", you admitted and turned to pluck a long strand out of the grass. "You look like someone who can make grass whistle."

The thick strand of grass pressed against your lips you tried to make the green sing a sound. But you failed miserably and instead made it sound like you were desperately trying to breathe out.

Snorting, Ellie grabbed your wrist and let the bracelet of flowers fall around it before grabbing a strand of grass herself.

"I know how to make grass whistle.", she said and did a perfect demonstration, causing a sound that set you right back to your childhood. "But Joel thought he'd teach me how to braid flowers instead. Cause I'm a girl and all that? He thought that would be... a girly thing to teach me. Besides murder."

"Obviously.", you rolled your eyes in a sarcastic manner and looked at the bracelet she had passed you.

The small blossoms had a nice, subtle shade of violett. You weren't quite sure what they were called but a sweet scent filled your nose as you took a deep breath.

It seemed odd that a man had taught her something like that. Your own dad hadn't. Yet again, you had someone else to teach you the softer things in life.

If she only mentioned one name, Joel, who was most likely a man, he must have been someone quite close to her. Usually kids didn't let just anyone teach them. The devil knew you wouldn't have.

"Is Joel... your dad?", you asked as the two of you walked down the small path, side by side.

Her shoulder stiffened at the question. Hands clenched into fists and you immediately regretted asking that question.

"Kinda...", Ellie's voice trembled as she averted her gaze to look at the old line tree. "He... I was an orphan. Never knew my mom or dad."

Humming, you took your eyes off her. It was painful to talk about it, her body told all the things that her tongue refused to.

You had no desire to push her somewhere she didn't want to return to. So instead you swallowed the next question, let your eyes wander and found what you had been looking for.

"Pond.", you said with a satisfied expression and pointed towards the edge of the greenhouse.

Not far from a barricaded exit door sat a paved spot that was just big enough for a round table and four chairs. Left alone for the past decades the metal had started to rust. Pain chipped off the curved legs of the chairs and the glass of the tabletop was stained.

Right to the foot of the platform that this tea round sat on was a pond, man made. Clear water gushed in it while quick movements chased around sand stones.

"Fish.", Ellie muttered and leaned forward to look over the edge.

"You know what that means.", you stuck a finger into the water.

It was bearable warm, not hot like bath water but just enough to spent a few minutes to get clean in it. The light of the sun had warmed the surface levels but you were sure it would be cold around the feet.

Ellie's stomach growled as her eyes fell onto the huge koi that swam around.

"Food...", she curled her lips, gifting you a glance from the side.

Utterly speechless, you frowned.

"No?", you pulled a face. "It means the waters safe."