Chapter 1 - The Arrival

It was a hazy summer afternoon when the empty moving van drove out of the entrance gate of 415 Juniper Hill. Sophia, Nina, Lily, and Rose, four best friends who just graduated college, had secured a dream home.
Sold for a surprisingly low cost, it was an untouched yet upkept house that looked right out of a Victorian novel. Elegant in nature yet warm and welcoming, it sat on top of a hill that overlooked the suburban area and had an overlook view of the nearby city. The hill the house sat on was covered with thick, lush trees that covered the winding front drive, almost creating a barrier between the rest of the world. A beautiful rose garden took residence in the backyard, with hedges, a gazebo, and a rustic greenhouse.
The exterior features only served part of the charm of this fantastic home. Only a mere three stories high, 415 Juniper Hill was fully furnished with comfortable and welcoming furniture, modest yet efficient home appliances, and tons of natural light. It was everything a young home owner would want.
"So you SURE nothing's wrong with this place? It seems a little too good to be true." Lily asked cautiously, looking around the living room and up the staircase.
"I'm absolutely sure of it! My grandmother goes WAAYY back with Gladys. She'd never upsell crap to someone she claims is a long lost sister!" Nina called down, "Have you seen my hairbrushes by the way?"
"Yeah, they're right here in this box from the bathroom. Hang on, I'm coming up."
As the two got to work on the upstairs rooms, Sophia and Rose had taken a break to explore the grounds. The lovely weather and full bloom of flowers brought them to the greenhouse, where Rose was making notes in a journal to plan how to use the space for her garden.
"So the way I see it, we make room right over here for vegetables and we can put a nice orange tree in the back corner..." Rose said to Sophia as she pointed in her preferred spots.
"But what about that?" Sophia interrupted, directing attention to the back corner of the greenhouse where the supposed tree would go. In that corner sat a large, shimmering vase of melted stain glass, crested with gemstones around the edge. It was full of dirt and only a singular green bud sprouted in the middle of it.
"Oh! Well, uh, we could bring that in the house. Empty it out and put something in it. Come on, give me a hand!"
....
"So it was just sitting there in the back?" Nina asked
"Yeah! No dust, no bugs, no cracks, nothing! It's probably worth a good amount of money... or also could be a family heirloom too I guess. Should we ask Gladys about it?" Sophia chimed in. Lily stared deep at the vase, fixated on its intricate yet mysterious detailing.
"I mean, she did say everything in this house was ours." Rose added "Still, I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask."
"I'll text her in the morning. See what she wants to do."
Everyone's attention turned towards the bud.
"Wonder what's planted in the middle there.." Nina pondered. It was a particularly interesting shade of green; somewhat natural but a shade you could see on an artificial piece of candy.
"Let me get some water! Maybe it can help balance the musty scent if we're lucky!"
Nina came back with a cup of water from the kitchen and gingerly poured it around the plant. As the water absorbed into the soil and down to the roots, the plant miraculously began to grow. All four of them looked on with shock at the speed and size. As it reached eye level, the bud erupted into a pink bloom of an unknown species with its golden pollen covering Nina's face. She began to sneeze as it trailed up her nostrils. As she ran to get a tissue, the others looked on in amazement at such a beautiful flower. There was a special kind of feeling it gave them. The scent was familiar yet new and fresh, with a powerful energy that came with it. It was an infectious type that really made them all more happy and calm. The longer they looked at it, the more they sank into its entrancement.
"It's so beautiful..." Lily said
"I've never seen anything like it!" Rose added
"We're definitely keeping it, right?" Sophia asked Nina
"I mean, I'm sure if Gladys really wanted it, she'd come back for it, so there's no harm in keeping it here, right?"
"Right."
With the agreement to keep the plant, they all settled in for the night.
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