Undergrowth

This sci-fi/horror short story first appeared on Horror Addicts.Torsten is a xenobotanist whose specialization in dangerous plants has already meant death for someone he loved.The Lumentera is a beautiful plant specimen whose hallucinogenic and luminescent qualities make it an invaluable commodity. But when the Lumentera blooms, the bait is set in a mind game whose outcome is as uncertain as Torsten’s sanity.In the planet of Scillia’s uncultivated forests, amputation, lost love, and unrequited desire play out. But is Torsten strong enough to grab hold of the new happiness offered to him? Or will guilt own him forever?