第10章 The Feeding

# Chapter 10: The Feeding Thomas began feeding the garden intentionally. He pricked his finger daily, letting drops of blood fall into the soil. The response was immediate — the roses grew taller, the colors deepened, the scent intensified. But Thomas also noticed changes in himself. He felt weaker, drained, as if the garden was taking more than it gave. "Is this normal?" he asked Mrs. Halloway during their next meeting. "You're adjusting," she said. "The garden takes what it needs. Over time, your body will adapt." But Thomas didn't feel like he was adapting. He felt like he was being consumed. He researched the journal's references to previous caretakers, looking for patterns. Most had lasted less than a year. Some had vanished entirely. "What happened to them?" he asked. "They left," Mrs. Halloway said. "Or the garden released them." "Released how?" "By taking everything they had to give. And then letting them go." Thomas felt a chill. "Letting them go where?" Mrs. Halloway's smile was enigmatic. "Back to the earth. Where everything returns eventually."