CHAPTER 73: The Fleeing Fool and the Blue Roses

I came to behind a garbage receptacle off to the side of the sewage plant. As I recalled the extraordinary events that happened God knows how long ago, I felt someone's presence around me. I looked up, and saw that boy. That boy who had abandoned me so long ago that it was a miracle that I even remembered what he had done. Not that it has that much of a bearing of importance. He has done it. And so he shall now pay the price. So, before my name could even form on his lips, I gave him a good old sucker-punch.

"You left without me, you fool! What have you got to say for yourself?! Because I'd really, really like to know exactly what possessed you to do something like that!" I screamed, angrier than I could ever be.

"Look, Elyssia. I didn't leave you, and neither did my father! Where did you get such a stupid figment of the imagination?" Peater replied hotly.

"I saw both of you running for the hills while Zomboss decided to drag me into the sewage plant!" I protested.

"No we did not! After Zomboss injected that syringe into you, you were in hysterics! For the love of God, we saw you kicking and screaming and crying! Darn it . . . you nearly shattered our hearts into pieces, seeing you in that unbearable pain! Then you went still. I swear to God, I had never been more scared in my life for you, Elyssia, because we thought that you had died! We thought that Zomboss had poisoned you! He then took out a knife, stabbed you in the chest, and told us that you'd be dead by the time we weaseled past him. Before we could even start screaming at him, he had somehow made us sit down and listen to his plan to punish you was to use me. Pretend that I ran away from you. He then went on to monologue about how wonderful his army was, how glad he'd be when you died . . . and on, and on, and on. And then he grabbed a harpoon gun from his belt of weird things and . . ."

Peater trailed off and turned away, which left the truth hanging in mid air, waiting for me to soak it in. And I did, only to discover a secret that broke my heart into a million pieces.

"I'm so sorry if I yelled at you . . ."

And with that, we had pretty much made peace, hugging and crying.

"We must be strong, Elyssia. We've gotten this far, and we shouldn't give up the fight now." Peater whispered as I sobbed uncontrollably.

Finally, we looked up, and gasped as we saw an angel-like cloud pass over, high in the sky. It made an eerie shadow over the lake's shore, and the chill that it sent up our stems made us wonder if this was a sign of some kind. Finally, the cloud was gone, only to be replaced by an air of uncertainty. At the exact same moment, we saw the that the commander of the army had fallen, and the army had no idea what to do. Suddenly, I knew what had to be done.

"Peater, stay here, and no matter what you do, don't get hurt." I jabbered as we dried our tears, before sprinting to the front of the army.

As I looked at the sea of plants fighting for the greater good, I had a flashback to when I would pretend that I was in a battlefield, commanding an army.

This is your chance.

"Guys ― this is our chance! I mean it! Let's go get 'im!" I shouted.

The plants didn't have to be told twice. Soon, I was yelling commands and instructions as we took out the zombies. Ten minutes later, Peater stepped away from the garbage bin only to see me leading the army to victory.

"Awesome! I knew you could do this!" he sent via telepathy.

At long last, the zombies were surrendering, and Zomboss was running out of options. Finally, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around . . . and saw a puppet like spirit floating there, their red eyes probing the innermost recesses of my soul.

"It's me!" the puppet snickered, and with a snap of her fingers, all time stopped.

Then, all hell totally broke loose.

Staring into my eyes, the spirit, who I realized was Mar's spirit, knocked Peater down with a sweep of her black arm, and she began to torture me using the most horrid memories of my past. From suicide attempts to witnessing the deaths of the ones I loved, I began to feel something eating me alive. Though I didn't see a Chomper or something like that swallowing me up, I realized exactly what was eating me.

It was evil.

Breaking away from Mar's eyes, I thought about a tome I read not so long ago.

Evil comes into sentient beings only to stay there . . .

No matter how happy one tries to be, the evil won't go away, but it will slowly consume their soul . . .

And that is why they say, "Only in death is one redeemed."

I shut my eyes and used what remained of my strength to yell at Peater.

"Kill me, and kill me now! It's the only way that anyone can benefit!"

He looked at me, and silently begged me to reconsider. "

No! I'll be gone forever, and there'll be no invincible snowflake, and there'll be nobody to save the country! I screamed.

Tears in his eyes, Peater took out a knife and put it to my throat.

"May God forgive me for this . . ." With that, he dug the knife deeper, and I was slowly slipping away.

"Thank you . . ." And with that, I was done for.

I floated out of my old body and looked back. Peater's pendant and mine had shattered, and a black mist was slowly seeping out of it. He then clasped his leaves together and said a silent prayer. I let a few tears fall, before going into the realm where the spirits of those truly at peace roam free. Just as I had floated into what the humans called heaven, I saw a hundred black snakes slithering towards me. I tried to defend myself by using my powers, but the jets of ice only seemed to go through the creatures. They finally had a grip on my stem and leaves, and they turned in to black chains that I couldn't break. Despair and misery were prancing around, and there seemed to be no light . . .

. . . But then I thought those who loved me the most. Adria and Alana . . . Annika . . . Teresa . . . there were too many names to count. I closed my eyes, and let their faces be a source of solace, comfort and joy. And when I reopened my eyes, I saw and felt no chains. I was truly free. Remembering what I had to do, I turned around and started walking ― or rather, floating . . .

. . . And there I was, gazing at my body, which began to dissolve as I sank lower and lower. Peater looked up, and saw me. I was soon smiling, even as he began to cry. I felt paralyzed. I so desperately wanted to just run up to him and tell him that everything would be all right . . .

And next thing I knew, we were hugging tightly.

Finally, I felt myself becoming stronger. My leaves were turning from a hazy cream colour to green, and it felt as if I had a shell coating me. Finally, that shell seemed to break . . . and I was myself once again.

"Elyssia!" Peater cried as we hugged.

"Don't make me do that again, you hear? Never again!"

I smiled, then turned around. Zomboss was fleeing in a hovercraft with what remained of his "army", and that hovercraft was quickly blanketed in a coat of pea stains, Chomper saliva, and burn marks. Finally, there was a brilliant flash of light, and there were bright blue roses scattering the floor, which was accompanied by the body parts of various zombies. The smell of the roses was overwhelming. Sick. And it made me feel as if today was going to be my last day on this world. Finally, I saw a note dancing on the wind and it finally landed in my leaves. I looked up, and saw that Zomboss was gone. I then read the note.

Dear Elyssia Antonia,

I am DONE with your nonsense, and I've actually decided to see if I can tackle Prince Edward Island, considering that it will be quite a fine addition to my empire. I might have left Ontario . . . but that doesn't mean that I won't try to take a fresh stab at garnering your filthy rich province. Vengeance (and lots of brains) shall be mine!

Yours Sincerely,

Edgar George Zomboss

PS: I STILL don't think that my army is a herd of brainless sheep. Where were you raised to get such a stupid idea? Regent Park?

I laughed and tossed the note away. Peater joined in with my laughter, before pointing at the roses. All the plants were picking up the roses, but I stopped them.

"They're for me, and only me! I'm the Coponeva Insuperabilis, and Zomboss left them specially for me! Is that understood? ME!" I screamed.

With that, almost all of the plants in Toronto's enforcement were rounding up the roses and dropping them in my arms. I stuffed them in my pack, and looked up at the sky with a feeling of accomplishment. But up there, I saw Ellen, slowly dissolving into nothingness.

"Ellen! What's happening to you?" I cried.

"There is a special place in hell for those who antagonize the innocent because of jealousy. But please realize that I think you're really special to a lot of plants. This is what I deserved all along." Ellen replied calmly, before she turned into a rapidly spinning black ball that exploded in tiny red sparks. Then I knew one thing.

Ellen had been destroyed.

By divine justice.

I know I've done what everyone's wanted me to do: I've eradicated Zomboss from this province, at long last. But a lingering feeling of self-loathing still existed . . .

Letting out a sob, I was booting my sorry butt out of Lakeshore Blvd, headed towards City Hall.