第9章 The Test

# Chapter 9: The Test The garden tested Thomas's resolve the next day. He woke to find his room filled with roses — hundreds of them, their petals pressing against the walls and ceiling. The scent was overwhelming, intoxicating. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Mrs. Halloway said from the doorway. "The garden rewards those who serve it well." Thomas fought the urge to breathe deeply. The scent was seductive, pulling at something primal in his mind. "What do you want from me?" he asked. "Commitment," she said simply. "The garden needs a caretaker who understands its nature. Someone who will feed it willingly, who will accept its demands without hesitation. Can you do that, Thomas?" He thought about the journal, the journal's warnings, the organism's hunger. "I can't just let it kill people." "It doesn't kill," Mrs. Halloway corrected. "It sustains. Those it feeds on give something valuable in return — their vitality, their essence. It's a fair exchange." Thomas didn't believe her. But he also didn't have a better option. The garden had chosen him, and he couldn't escape its pull. "I'll serve it," he said reluctantly. "But I won't let it harm innocent people." Mrs. Halloway smiled. "Wise words. The garden respects wisdom."