Hungry Roots

20251013

Written for Bradley Ramsey's "First Indulgence" event.

Brian was proud of his apple orchard. Four hundred heritage breeds, the culmination of three generations of family labour. Even now, in the midst of winter, gazing across the rows of trees filled his chest with quiet warmth.
But that warmth wasn’t going to keep out the chill for long, and chopping a tree down wasn’t something you wanted to undertake with numb fingers. So he turned his attention from the orchard to the loose copse circling the edge of the property.
These were only lightly managed. He preferred for them to be a wild space as much as possible. Kept the ground cover from getting choking, removed foreign species, trimmed off dead limbs - and, where necessary, removed entire trees.
This one, a slender young oak, was showing clear signs of rot. With how it sagged it had to come down, before it collapsed and caused damage to everything around it. Particularly since a lot of birds liked to roost in these trees come spring.
Brian inspected it from every angle. Decided on the best direction to cut. Ran through his safety list. Started the chainsaw-
And as it bit into the bark, a crimson spray filled the air, the spirt covering Brian’s boots and the bottom of his jeans with a misting of strange liquid.
He hastily stopped the chainsaw and inspected the dripping tree.
What kind of rot made sap turn…
Though cold depressed the smell, when he stooped close the tang crept into his nose. This… wasn’t rot. Or sap.
Blood coated his chainsaw and dripped from the tree.
Shit.
Brian backed away, keeping the chainsaw levelled.
What a rookie mistake! How had he not thought to check??
He waited, breath held, ears straining. Eyes fixed on the dirt.
Watching for any signs of it waking up.
How far would the roots reach? He wasn’t sure. Best to head back to the house and call in a professional. So he kept backing up. His gaze flicking between the trees.
Were there any more? These looked fine, but…
Stay calm. Don’t run. That was the number one guideline. Minimise the vibrations you caused. And remember that roots can reach a long, long way. Especially when seeking nutrients.
The shortest route back to the house was straight through the orchard. Normally Brian wouldn’t hesitate to wander through that cherished space. But right now…
Come on, don’t be silly. I’d have noticed if any of these were peaky. And it doesn’t spread that fast.
Actually, that was a point… Brian looked down at the liquid on his shoes and chainsaw.
How infectious was it?
The answer didn’t matter; any risk was too high.
Better to walk around.
An extra few minutes shouldn’t matter… he hoped.
The clear strip between the orchard and what he fondly called “the wilding” was wide enough to easy drive a picker or truck down. It’d never felt too small before.
But roots stretched far further than branches. What was lurking under his feet? Was the ground frozen hard enough to deter them reaching through?
Sweat chilled on the back of his neck. Don’t rush. Don’t jog.
While the weight of the chainsaw in his hands was comforting, he knew it wasn’t a great option to defend himself. Trying to chop something wrapped around your leg would be… but given what he’d heard, he’d rather risk losing a limb than be dragged under.
Wait.
Was that spot of ground… pulsing? Like there was something underneath probing at the crust?
Brian slowed. Skirting closer to the orchard. Heart thumping in his ears.
Then a slim woody tendril broke through and wavered, tasting the air.
His nerves gave and he bolted for the house, his work boots beating a frantic drumbeat which surely resonated for a distance. Behind him a flurry of sharp creaking and dull snapping heralded the ground breaking open in a wide swath. Searching. Reaching. Rudely woken from its dormancy and hungry.
Get in the house shut the door shut everything Jerry’s number’s in the folder please PLEASE let him pick up quickly if he can’t come deal with a bloodoak infestation he’ll know who can please…

Prompt was “You decide to cut down a tree on your property. You prepare all the necessary equipment, but when you cut into the tree, it starts bleeding…”