Challenge #00794-B063: The Arboretum of Death

Bunya Pines. That is all.

[AN: SO very tempted to add a distant relative to Gravity Falls…]

People came from all over to see the deadly plants. They did not come to experience personal encounters with them. Just to see, and goggle in amazement that they existed at all.

Of course, it was no shock to many that the majority of these deadly plants came from Earth

Most of the protected walkways were surrounded on all sides by the best of meteor-proof re-enforced glass, except for five Distance Units in the middle of the track. As far away from the plants that poisoned the air as they could get. And in the Units preceding this patch of track, warning signs told the visitors what to expect. Especially frail Havenworlders would turn around and go back the way they had come. Some would take the underground path to avoid being literally scared to death. A rare few would illuminate the disturbing information about the Bunya Pine.

Emergency medtechs were always standing by for those who did.

Humans, of course, would deliberately stand under the military-grade Springwire and wait for the natural missiles to descend. Often with eager grins of anticipation. Then they would all shriek and scream and holler as a ten Weight Unit pine cone fell at Standard gravity to either ricochet off the Springwire and shatter against a robust tree, or shatter against the special cage.

And then they would laugh.

And buy the souvenir necklaces with a varnished pinecone shard dangling from a chain or a thong, much like surfers would wear a shark tooth.

This is the thing that I survived, the necklaces said. I wear part of it to show my strength.

Even those who scurried through the Springwire section of the track purchased a shard necklace. To show that they had been there. To show that it existed.

And every year… more unbelievers came to see.

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