The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

My Name Is Not Alice
by Leigh M. Lane

This is not my garden.

Lucy moved slowly, searching for something—anything at all—that felt familiar, but nothing was where it was supposed to be. A briar patch crept, thorns the size of swords, where the roses should have been; the flowering figs had been overtaken by obelisks covered in anemone-like flowers with writhing tentacles for petals; the pansies had become petunias, and they swayed in waves as they hummed a catchy Beatle’s tune.

She felt a tap on her left shoulder, and she turned with a start, only to find John standing in front of her. She put her hand to her chest and let out an exasperated breath, lunging forward to hug him. Every ounce of anger melted away, past mishaps falling to the wayside. “Oh, thank god!”

“What’s wrong?”

She took another…