I stood in front of a large entrance with pure white doors looming over me like mountains.  There were no handles and I wondered how I was going to open it.

I turned around to face the wide hallway, bright lights vanquished any shadows and everything was pure white that stretched on forever. If I saw any colour it was black or blue between the crevices. I focused my attention back to the door. I took a few steps closer and stretched out my hand, feeling the cold steal against my fingertips just as I began hearing a large rumble. I flinched, pulling my hand away as the doors began to open. 

Once they were completely open I dared a glance behind me but just as I expected it was completely empty, there was no one rushing to stop me, there was no one at all. The strangest thing about this place is that during the time I’ve been trapped I never came across another person. I sighed with disappointment and turned back towards the door.

Inside was a large, almost empty room. I took a few steps forward, hearing the doors close behind me with a loud rumble. I swallowed my nerves and began taking in my surroundings. After being stuck in those hallways for hours my eyes soaked in every detail of this place; down to the strange black lines that followed around the rim of the floor,  the huge long window taking up the entire back wall and how the floor was separated by colour; the entrance area being a solid black and down the steps being the usual white. There were two pillars separating the two sides and was where the windows ended. Everything was still in a blinding white but it was all new to me. The floors were divided into large squares and the same electric blue detailed the walls. 

My eyes finally landed on what was filling this room; row upon row were hovering potted plants. I walked closer to the nearest one, its green leaves felt mesmerising and beautiful flowers of several colours laid on its branches. 

It had blue petals fading to a yellow centre, purple into green and my favourite, pink fading to a green. 

Each plant was the same, they were spaciously placed but they filled almost the entire room. Only the entrance was completely cleared of them. 

The plants were beautiful and plenty but I couldn’t help but wonder why they were here, I had never seen a single plant in this place and almost forgot what they felt like. 

I began walking down the paths taking in each plant in its strange floating pot. I grew more curious the more I looked at them.

I was pulled out of my own thoughts when I heard a _whoosh_, I whirled around to see where the noise came from. I saw a small white droid then another and another until there were many beginning to line up in front of the plants.

The droids were bigger than I was and I didn’t want to know what would happen if I was caught. 

I crept closer using the pots as cover until I was just three rows down and could see clearly. 

What I thought were pillars were actually shoots. A way out!

As if they were all on a timer they all moved towards the first flower, held the pot with a claw I could’ve sworn wasn’t there a moment ago, cut off a singular flower with another tool and put it in a small compartment in their chest. When they had finished they all moved towards the second row where they would repeat the cycle. 

I crept out of my hiding spot and began towards the shoot. I could’ve sworn one of the droids saw me run but they didn’t do anything. Maybe I imagined it?

I didn’t know where it would take me and if this was even a good idea. The doors opened on command showing a small circular platform, I glanced behind me. They were still working.

I took a few steps into the elevator, the doors shutting behind me, there was no turning back now. There was nowhere to go in this small room except up; it was a long tube that faded into darkness. I gulped as it made another noise indicating it was starting and the floor shot up. 

I crouched down into my knees, hearing the gears and wires whistle as I was thrown into darkness. I clamped my eyes shut, feeling my heart beat fast and the speed pulling at my entire body. 

The shoot began to slow down and I heard a screech come from the gears. I stiffened as the doors opened.

The room was small but decorated. The first decorations I’ve seen; a large window, a grand oak desk scattered with papers and books. A rug that felt like bliss on my bare feet.

In front of the desk stood a man with  a large white coat hanging down to his knees. 

I stepped into the office, taking in all the plants he had decorating it. 

There were two other tables surrounding the man, one held several plants and glass bottles, the other had flowers sprawled on the surface beside some tools.

I took a few steps closer to the table curious to see what they were doing with the flowers and heard a slight chuckle. I turned around towards the man, he still had his back to me but I could see a smile appearing on his face. Curly chocolate hair framed his face.

“What are you doing, little flower?” I startled, I expected him to ignore me or call someone, to tell someone that there was an intruder in his lab and that I was trespassing.

When I said nothing the man put his papers down and looked at me. 

Now that he was no longer crouching I could see that the man was a lot taller.  

I stared, looking for the question I wanted.

“What are you doing with them?” I asked, looking over towards the flowers.

His gaze followed mine, “I’m trying to repopulate them.” His voice sounded sweet and familiar. I gave him a confused look, he didn’t elaborate, just asked a question of his own. “How long have you been awake?” 

I pondered the question, I hadn’t really kept track. I just roamed through the halls trying to find a way out, “a day or two?” 

“And you got to see the plants?” I nodded. “All the plants inside this building are the last of their kind.” 

“I don’t understand, how is that possible? There’s barely four of each.” He looked down, a painful expression painted on his face. He took his round glasses off, holding them gently in his hands.

“We  became so concerned with technology and evolving, people no longer cared for them. When it was revealed we could live without them, people saw no reason to keep plant life, it was a hobby.” He paused, looked over at the plants on the wall. “One that quickly died out. We built this place in hopes of bringing them back but the other members dwindled one by one. I am all that’s left.”

“Do you ever want to leave? Is it… a hobby?” He shook his head.

“Plants are my life. _You_ are my life.”

“Me?” He nods again. He crouch in front of the bin of flowers.

I peered over at them, they were the same colourful flowers I saw downstairs. He reached inside, pulling out one of them. It was pink fading into green with a yellow centre.

“It suits you.” He said as he handed it to me. I smiled because it _was _my favourite out of all of them. “May I show you what else I’ve been working on?” 

I nodded. 

He began walking over towards a side door I hadn’t noticed. He punched in a few keys in a nearby screen and the door slid open.

The first thing I noticed was the scent, I smelt pine needles and spring water. The second thing I noticed was that the room was entirely made to look like a forest floor; with streams running past, moss covered rocks, grass, vines and even a small waterfall. It had more plants than I could ever name, some looking almost identical and others unique and strange. I was so taken aback by the sheer size of it that I barely noticed the little droids zooming around, taking care of all the plants and finishing their assigned task.

In a moment I noticed something I never did before, all around the room were… people? No. They were much smaller than people no taller than me. They had vibrant outfits of greens, browns, pastels. I had the urge to go meet them. 

“What do you think?” The professor asked.

“What are they?” I ask, unable to look away.

“The solution.” I opened my mouth to ask him something else but was cut off, “Since you have so many questions, little flower. Why don’t you go see them for yourself?”  

I didn’t hesitate to step into the room, I felt the soft grass under my feet. It felt like home. 

I hurried down the small slant down towards the forest floor, taking in all the sights, smells and sounds in the room. Once I got closer the others stood mouths open or took off and hid. My shoulders sank, I look back toward the man. “They’ll get used to you, give it time.” I wandered around the clearing and hesitated over the stream. I looked down at my own reflection.  

The first thing I noticed was how much my hair stood out on my dark skin, my eyes gleamed a bright yellow followed by pointed ears. My arms and legs faded into a green as if I was wearing gloves and boots.

I straightened, taking in the dress I had on, it was green around the top but faded into the same pink; the skirt curled out into six petal-like sections.

I never knew what I looked like but grew excited with the realisation. I really was the same as the rest. I was one of them. 

I twirled around in it, happy with my new discovery. I always loved plants, they felt like home. This feels like home.

“Welcome home, little flower.”