Hurricane

The day started out like any other for retiree Ava Blenheim. She woke and kissed her husbands pillow, careful not to disturb the imprint left by his head. Henry had passed last fall and she still hadn't cleaned out his side of the closet.

Downstairs Ava made her tea, Earl Grey as always. She toasted a slice of bread, spread cream cheese over the toast and enjoyed her simple breakfast. When she finished she washed the dishes and then dressed for her first task of the day. Gardening.

Ava loved her garden. She spent hours there every morning, rain or shine. She loved the climbing roses clinging delicately to the wrought iron fence surrounding the area. She loved the bleeding hearts and the daffodils. She loved the humming birds and butterflies that came to drink from the beauty. Most of all she loved her gardens protectors. The gnomes.

Ava had gnomes of all kinds and colors. She greeted each one as she passed with a silent nod of her head. She stopped at one in particular, a tall gnome with a blue coat and a rather mischievous curling smile.

"You make quite the addition," She said proudly. Ava had just added this little guy the day before. She'd payed just one dollar for him at a yard sale. "What should we call you, hmm?"

She tapped her chin, thinking. Ollie? Stan? Nothing seemed quite right.

" I'll have to think about this one." She told him.

Ava moved on stopping next at some blue bells that needed a little attention. She'd have to hurry. The clear sky was filling quickly with dark clouds. Now usually a little rain wouldn't stop her from doing her work in garden but this would be more than a light sprinkle. Hurricane Lucy was moving into the area. One of the downfalls of living in southern Florida.

Ava was just about finished with the delicate cobolt flowers when something behind her caught her attention. A sound of scurrying. The occasional rabbit or squirrel would visit bur she saw neither when she looked. She brushed some stray grey hair off her face and brushed off the sound as well.

She collected her gardening tools and started towards the small shed to put them away. Before she reached there destination the scurrying returned. Ava stopped and looked back in the direction she'd come from. There in the middle of the narrow path were two of her gnomes.

"Lissel...Toby... What are you doing there?" The wind had started to blow but she couldn't see where it's be strong enough to displace the heavy ceramic decor of her garden.

"And to place them perfectly... standing upright on the path?" She added thinking out loud. "Not possible."

Low leaves started to rustle all around her. From the right. The left. Behind and in front. Before Ava could even move she was surrounded by her lawn gnomes.

"What the... It's not possible." She said, shaking her head fervently against what she saw.

"All things are possible," a tiny voice said behind her. "You wanted to know my name."

Ava spun around. The blue coated gnome she'd payed a dollar for was standing on top of a tall stone bird bath glaring at her. His curling smile was twisting cruelly on his painted face.

"My name is King Ore, King of all gnomes! Attack!" He swung his arm forward pointing a tiny finger straight at Ava.

Before she could process what was happening all of her lovely gnomes had come to complete life and jumped her.

"Stop!" She cried over and over again as they clawed at her clothes and skin. Chunks of hair were pulled from her head. "You don't want to do this!"

She pleaded but the King remained resolved and the rest of the gnomes continued thier attack. Ava was left with no choice.

Under the now blackened sky Ava let out a mournful howl matched by the increasing winds. Her bones cracked and broke, shifting position and size. She threw the gnomes off her with a supernatural strength. Her skin ripped open and she finished clawing it off herself with talon like nails. Underneath thick dark fur appeared. Her limbs lengthened, her face too.

The gnomes looked on in horror as the little old lady transformed into a dire wolf.

"No!" The gnomes king cried.

"Yes," Ava growled. "All things are possible!" She howled once more as the transformation was completed and for her all things went dark.

Ava woke the next morning in her bed covered with drying mud. It was caked everywhere on here naked body and bedding. Without hesitation she got up and threw on a bathrobe. She had to see her garden.

Outside the wind was still blowing but the skies had cleared. Ava took a deep breath and went round to the back of the house.

Destruction. There was no other word for it. Her beautiful garden lay in shambles. It had all been destroyed. Her flowers. Her bird feeders. All gone.

Ava sighed heavily as she assessed the damage. She leaned down and picked up a broken piece of plaster. It had been a face once. A delicately painted face of a garden gnome picked up at a yard sale.

"Oh, Ava... You're lovely garden!"

Judith Myer a middle-aged blond haired PTA mom that lived nextdoor stepped over a fallen section of fencing and stood next to Ava.

"It seems the storm hit you so much harder than the rest of us," Judith continued saying. "I know how much you loved being out here. And all your gnomes...so awful. Will you rebuild the garden?"

Ava looked down at the piece of plaster in her hand. The tiny face was twisted in absolute horror. She smiled secretively and tossed the broken piece back into the destruction.

"You know, Judith," Ava said in a low tone. "Anything is possible."