Switcheroo
Chapter 1- Follow your nose
It was mid-autumn; Flora was sat on a bench. Its back was bent and legs were weak. Its skin rotted from tears of the surrounding trees. Her inky hair billowed in the wind, like the seeds of a dandelion blown by a hopeful child.
A cool, abrupt torrent of air swarmed the park, collected the falling leaves, then dropped them onto the floor, before it disappeared. The leaves became patches of red, yellow, and orange that cloaked the earth beneath like a warm blanket.
Flora gazed upwards and looked as the burst of frigid air reappeared and danced through the autumn trees. The trees’ fiery bushes released flames as their winding branches functioned as claws grasping onto the remains of the rainfall from the morning before. Their scowling faces and rough bark scared away the wind which once again disappeared.
Everything was alighted because of the roaring fire which sat high in the sky. However, it would soon be gone and replaced by its opposite twin.
Flora was sitting, absorbing her surroundings as if they were a nice warm cup of hot chocolate. She loved Autumn: the sounds of leaves rustling, the smell of freshly baked goods, the array of reds and oranges, the feel of the soft sun mixed with the chilly wind resting on her skin. She loved everything. She took a deep breath and instantly relaxed. Autumn was the best time of the year for Flora but not just because she loved everything about it but because it was her birthday month. Flora loved her birthday as it was the only day her parents were in the same room. Her dad was always busy with work, and her mother was always fussing about with her brother, Alfred. Not that she didn’t understand why Alfie needed so much help, but it meant she was often left alone. Except on her birthday. Her birthday was her day.
Flora jumped up from the old, dreary bench and decided to follow her nose to the nearest cafe. She wandered between the tall trees with her nose held high and walked through the stupendously large gates at the exit of the park.
She took a deep breath then started to cough as the scent of scrumptious bread and delicious cakes was replaced by the smell of oil. The road to her right was overfilled with rattletrap cars all running on low fuel, tails of gas trailed behind them and filled the dark blue sky with grey clouds of smoke. Flora squeezed her left hand -a habit she had grown to do when she felt uncomfortable- and stormed onwards.
The sky above was becoming darker by the second and she really needed to get inside before it began to rain for the hundredth time this month.
She stopped in front of a magical looking shop that had a string of flower shaped fairy lights flung across the top of a white stone wall. In the centre of the wall there was a large wooden door beckoning Flora to walk in and discover all its secrets. The door was surrounded by pots shaped like mushrooms filled with muscaris, hydrangeas and many other flowers Flora couldn’t name.
Flora took her eyes away from the plants and tried to peek through the pink and blue stained-glass windows that blocked the outside world from whatever mystical thing inside.
She took a step back from the window realising she’d been pressing her face against the glass and wiped away the bit of drool that had dripped down her chin. Cheeks tinted a pale red she fixed her curly hair, straightened her purple coat, cleaned her pink glasses, and made sure no one was looking before pulling her stripy black and white tights up. She squeezed her left hand slightly before she straightened her shoulders and pushed the mahogany brown door open.
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