The garden is lush with overgrown plants. Trees block Johnny's view of the sky. Vines, and creepers cover the trees and ground. First, Johnny decides to go right. He works his way through the foliage and wishes he had a machete. He half expects a snake or tiger to jump out at him as he fights his way through the private jungle. He at last reaches a creeper covered wall made of cement and glass blocks. The glass blocks let in light, but are arranged so that even if someone smashed the glass the concrete blocks would prevent ingress or egress. He frowned, and looked up at the vines which covered the wall and blotted out the sky. He began to walk along the wall hoping to find a gate or breach. Maybe they'd have to climb the wall, but it appeared to be at least ten feet high. Still the vines looked supportive enough to climb on.
He figured if the whole garden was fenced by following the wall he would eventually end up back at the door he came through, if he didn't find an exit.
Johnny's path was getting tedious and he found the increasingly dense foliage along the wall was forcing him to walk more toward the center of the garden. He stumbled over a root and found himself falling headfirst into a fallen tree. He could see the roots where the tree had toppled, but it had fallen away from the near wall. It was a big tree though and he thought maybe the top of it had breached the far wall. He climbed on top of the rotting log, and grumbled as his foot sank into the worm-eaten wood up to his calf. His leg was covered with beetle larvae and termites fighting for every last piece of cellulose. Something scratched or bit or pinched his leg as he pulled it out hastily, and hopped off the log. He trailed the log toward the center of the garden and found that the great tree hadn't been quite that great. There was a gravel clearing at the center shaped in a circle with a couple rusty benches and a murky pool and silent fountain. The fountain had a pedestal for a statue, but the statue was missing. There had been four benches originally, but the remains of two of them were visible sticking out from under the fallen tree. Walking toward the fountain, Johnny looked up and saw the sky through a break in the canopy of trees. There were glass panes framing the sky, he wasn't in a garden, he was in a greenhouse. On the far side of the fountain from where he was standing, he could see a tall green stalk growing straight up and through the glass roof. It looked sturdy enough to climb. He thought in the dim light it might be bamboo, it was too big to be corn. He saw some big shadowy crescents amongst its leaves, and grinned. They might be bunches of bananas, it could be a tall banana tree. He moved closer, and began to shimmy up the green pole. He was up about 10 feet when he reached the first object. It appeared to be solid instead of a bunch. He grabbed on to it and tugged. It gave way suddenly, and he fell forward landing on it. The full moon moved over the greenhouse and light spilled in from above. He stood, and wiped the dust off. He hadn't been injured. The object had helped break his fall. He stared at it. It looked like a giant bean pod. He looked up at the beanstalk that disappeared into the night sky and wondered thoughtfully rubbing his chin.
Should he climb the beanstalk and go for help?
Should he return to the house and lead his friends out here?
Should he continue his recon of the garden to see if there is a gate?
Should he go back inside for help? His leg is itching terribly now.
Should he climb on the fountain pedestal for a better view of the garden?
Should he sit on a bench? Maybe his leg would feel better if he elevated it?
He licked his lips, and wondered if the water in the fountain was safe to drink? All this exercise was making him thirsty.
Johnny jerked his head suddenly, he thought he heard something in the bushes. Probably a rat or squirrel, or maybe just his imagination.