It was closed now, of course. And though it gave the appearance of being empty, she somehow guessed that it was never off duty for very long. Sighing from the weight of heavy thoughts, Andi turned the corner and almost ran into a colossal iron gate. From behind it sprang leafy bushes and carefully landscaped walkways. It was too beautiful under the moonlight to pass by. The thought did cross her mind that maybe she would be denied by some power above because, after all, this special oasis was an extension of the church. And Andi had not yet proven or disproved her ability to cross the threshold of a holy place. All she knew, thus far, was that she had never tried. Before thinking about it further -and the pending consequences if she were refused- Andi pushed the gate open, feeling the hefty giant protest against her palms. A tickle enveloped her stomach. She ignored it and continued creeping through the church garden, exploring the tight twists and turns. There were so many different types of foliage, and each had a space etched out just for it.
