Amanda collected her thoughts while washing her hand; ridding herself of the past. Slowly she scrubbed her nails, lathering skin, seeing in suds how the future gathers.
In vine, bush, and tree; persimmon, walnut, loquat, fig, and grape obscured the upturned soil letting earthworms transform her secrets to soil.
She was ready to leave the house and the garden, free from abuse. Leaving behind her tormentors’ bones.
In the end it was easy: strengthened by chores, the shovel had been the only tool that she needed.
Picking a fig, she wondered if it would taste different in the future once it got its sustenance from the family flesh, from the corpses of brothers, sisters and parents.
The sun was setting and dressed like a boy, she would easily blend with the anonymous herd of farm-hands and day-laborers.
Leaving the garden: her partner in crime.
Vincent van Gogh
Today Sanaa host prosery at dVerse using the line “The future gathers in vine, bush, and tree: Persimmon, walnut, loquat, fig, and grape.” From the poem “Time and the Garden.” by Yvor Winters.
August 18, 2025
Björn Rudbergs writings 
This is deliciously dark and potent, Bjorn! I like how seamlessly the line from Ivor fits in and how she chooses to free herself from her tormentor’s abuse in the end 💙💙
The garden is a great helper in that.
Definitely 🙂
I like how you incorporated the prompt line, Björn, and the thought of earthworms transforming secrets to soil. There’s an intriguing back story in the abuse and the tormentor’s bones. And then you hit me with the fig and the family flesh, the corpses of brothers, sisters and parents!
Either she was really tormented and abused, or it’s her own pitch… but the garden will still hide the secrets.
The question of figs tasting different in the future is very unsettling as your story concludes.
Indeed, and I wonder how many places farms and orchards have been placed on top of burial sites.
I imagine there are many!
Looking at the painting, I can’t help but wonder if VanGogh wanted them to depict the plants as the doctor’s patients — and which one he would be, if so…
The story is rich with metaphor. Of course detectives must always dig under the greenest trees to find evidence.
I hope she makes a clean getaway.
If you believe in the horrible abuse, yes… but if not I hope she get caught
This is dark, even to the point if a setting sun
nice one
much♡love
Well darkness is her cloak
It sounds like a retelling of Eve leaving the garden whether or not she is followed by Adam. In fact, it doesn’t matter if she is. I really like that. Thank you for some thought-provoking reading.
Eve would leave Adam behind 🙂
I think so too.
Very dark – I love it!
I always want to find the darkest way possible,
An interesting story. I like the way you planted (pun intended) the line into this story. Nicely done.
Rich soil to plant in
I feel for Amanda, way too many of those poor souls.
Auvers-sur-Oise, been there, van Gogh is my favorite.
Jim
Or worse, Amanda might be a lying sociopath and you should feel for her victims.
a dark write! Enjoyed it immensely.
Oh, so dark and beautiful! Your amazing write makes a delightful read.
Oh my! A dark tale indeed [expertly envisioned] and as others have proclaimed, clever how you inserted the line! Bravo.
It was a fun one to write
Goodness me, that took a dark turn I wasn’t expecting! Very clever use of the prompt line, Björn.
A nice little story, though the theme is a dark one.
I absolutely love the direction you took this in! So deliciously dark! Here’s mine- although I warn you, it is not nearly as much fun! Re: Time and the Garden | Thru Violet’s Lentz
I like your macabre take3 Bjorn, tastefully done (I’ll say pun intended).
Flexing your dark side muscles!