Game: Plants vs. Zombies
Genre: Romance
***
If any of my neighbor will ask me why I am holding a pot of a giant sunflower, I will certainly answer, "I don't know."
I've heard the news, a day ago, or maybe two, so maybe because of that, that's why I'm holding a plant pot. But to be honest, I really am not sure.
But I do know why we, humans, are on top of the food chain. That is because despite of the boulders of adversities blocking our way, we can always think of a solution. We always have an answer.
And in my hands, I hold the solution.
"Papa, the zombies are coming," Max says, standing on the front door, holding his teddy bear on his chest.
"Go to your room, Max. Don't annoy your mom much, she's watching T.V," I say as I wander my eyes around my lawn, plotting great defense in my head. Max gives me a short hesitant look before sighing and turning on his heels.
"David, what in the world are you doing?" Caleb asks in his deep Mexican accent. He puts his final box inside his car before he starts the engine.
"I'm just putting my soldiers in position, Caleb," I say with a triumphant grin on my face. I know this will work, because we always have the answer.
"What the hell? You fucking idiot! Get Max and get inside my car, let's get out of here!" he says, hitting the stirring wheel countless of times.
"I'm sorry, Caleb..." I put the last plot of oversized walnuts on the spare grass patch before closing the gate. "But I can't just leave Samantha." Turning on my heels, I don't get the chance to hear what Caleb says before speeding off his driveway, but I know he's disappointed. He will mutter strings of curses, cursing me because I'm not as smart as him. Because he thinks I'm crazy.
One day, maybe, we can all be bulletproof. So no matter how other people throw knives of insults at us, or pour pails of rejections on our heads, we won't feel any pain. We won't be so damn hurt.
But until then, I just have to do whatever I can to hinder those brain-eating zombies. I have to protect the only person who believes in me. That one person who picked up my broken pieces.
"Brains..." I run to assemble my mowers in place. With a little pinch of faith in my plants, I know they can win against the zombies. With a little trust in myself, I know I can protect my family.
"Papa." Max becomes unnoticeable for me until he I feel him pulling the hem of my shirt. As I watch how the zombies aggressively try to break through my picket fences, I put a casserole on my head before pulling Max into a tight hug and heads inside.
"Do you want to see Mama?" I ask, but Max shakes his head straightaway so I just ask him to go to his room again instead. Letting out a heavy breath of air, I slowly trailed to the living room and let relief washes over me at the sound of the static television. At least Samantha didn't try to break it.
"Brains..."
How can she if I cuffed her hands on the window just beside the sofa, so she can still have a comfy seat.
"Samantha." I sit beside her and don't even flinch when she tries to bite my ear. The handcuffs are enough to shackle her. Our love is enough to bind her.
My blue eyes locked on her now bloodshot ones. They used to be green, the rare ones, the ones I fell in love for, four years ago. I can still see those until now, but unlike before, the fire in her eyes has already died down. Her skin has rotten and her breath became raw, but I knew deep inside, behind that facade is my wife, my life, and I stay because she needs to remember that.
Because that's what you do when you're in love. To love someone is staying to see the magic she has, and never leaving to remind her by the time she forgets.
"Samantha, my dear Samantha." The more my skin gets closer to hers, the more aggressive she becomes and I know there's no more time.
The loud banging on the door and windows tells me that my soldiers have failed, and sooner or later, I will as well.
I let my palm touch Samantha's rotting cheek before a lone tear escape my eyes. "My heart chose you because you have something my mind hasn't comprehended yet."
"Brains..."
"I am here as long as you are there, and I know you are. I will always be sitting by your side as long as you want me to, and I know you do. And I will always love you as long as there is hope to hold on to, and I always know there is."
Inching my face closer to hers, I recall the moments we have shared together. Despite the sound of breaking glasses from our windows and the creaking woods of our almost broken door, I rewind our love as another music track to be played.
Because that's love, I guess. Living, losing, forgetting... one note at a time.
"Papa." My three-year old Max brings me back to reality once again and I nod him to come to me. I let him sit on my lap casually, as if there's nothing happening around us.
"Are you scared?" I ask him.
"Yes."
"Don't be." I buried his head on my chest before I finally let my lips touch Samantha's bleeding ones. The way she bites them forced me to squeeze my eyes shut and scream in pain, but I know after this it will be over.
Another reason why we are on top of the food chain is because we always have back-up solutions. If plan A doesn't work, we are always prepared to execute plan B.
As well as when we are dealing with love. If someone walks away from you, fight and get her back. If she then walks out your life... walk with her.
