Zander Chronicles: Lost Helith

Chapter 2: Chased

The thing about plants is they never move.

And I don’t mean move like walk. I’m talking about doing what humans do, and these plants are acting like people.

A plant that looked like the beanstalk from Jack and the Giant Beanstalk was carrying a watering cam in its stalk and poured water on itself, a fern was trying o slap away a snail that was trying eat its leaves, a white rose bush was moving in a way that the roses looked like they were looking for something and then one rose picked up a spade and used it to dig a hole on the ground and plant a seedling that was trying to help but the rose just kept pushing it away. The other plants were just staying still.

My head swirled and my mouth was wide open. How can these plants be moving? Does mom know about this? Just then moms voice called out from outside, “Zander, honey? Where are you?” I ran outside and I caught her digging the soil just to the side of the greenhouse. It looked like she was going to transfer a Marigold from a pot. She saw my expression and immediately asked, “Zander, Dear. You look like you just seen a ghost.”

“Mom, your plants are moving!”

“I’m sorry dear,” she looked up at me “what did you say?”

“Mom, I said your plants are moving!”

Her eyes went wide for a minute but they relaxed again. Maybe I was just imagining it. She put down the Marigold and stood up. “Aren’t you a bit old to be imagining those kinds of things?” she said in a tone that you use to tell a child that there’s no such thing as the Tooth Fairy.

“Mom, it’s the truth.” I said “Come with me and see,” I grabbed her hands but she pulled them back. “Wait a minute, dear.” She took off the gloves she was wearing and, strangely, she stretched her fingers like they cramped up. She went first and I followed after her. I didn’t know what her reaction would be. Either she’d be scared out of her wits or jumping for joy knowing that she bred plants that could move, and she could make out a fortune out of them.

When she opened the door, everything was still. The plants didn’t move and the spade and the watering can were on the table. “See,” she said, “nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe you’re just hungry.” She closed the door and led me outside and towards the house and inside the kitchen.

“Mom, I could’ve sworn those plants were moving” I said. Mom just handed me a sandwich and kept avoiding my gaze. “Maybe you’re not hungry. Maybe your just tired,” she said, pouring a glass of lemonade. ”After you finish eating, go upstairs and take a nap”

“Without dinner?”

“Well, are you hungry?” she asked in and incredulous tone.

“Well, not really.”

“Then finish up and go up and sleep, I’ll see you in the morning” She turned to the sink but seemd o remember something and turned around. “By the way, how’d it go with Hayley?”

That’s what you get for telling your parents about your life and what you plan to do. I blushed and turned my attention to the floor. “Well…” I didn’t know what to tell her.

“Let me guess…” she said “she turned you down?”

“Not only that,” I said, “she already has a boyfriend”

“Well, it’s her loss” She patted my cheek and smiled reassuringly “Now eat up”

After I finished my sandwich and drank my glass of lemonade, I headed upstairs to my bedroom. I know by tomorrow, I’m going to get over Hayley because that’s just the way I am. I let go of the past and hope for a better tomorrow. Gosh, that sounded like what you hear on a bank commercial.