This level, in my wife and I's opinion, is a little slice of paradise, especially for two old grandmas like ourselves. It has a beautiful field that seems to stretch out to the horizon and has a normal day-to-night cycle, as we keep seeing these beautiful sunsets around what we decided would be 6 pm, and breathtaking sunrises around 5 am. We don't see much of the night since we mostly sleep, but my weak bladder does do me dirty sometimes, though it makes me see the stars for the time it takes me to pee.
A distant voice giggles.
To my wife
Honey,
I know you must be far away right now, but I do need you to come back to strain the wax out of the honey into the multiple bottles we have sitting around in the lobby.
I watered the flowers in the backyard today; I hope the little one makes it alive. It seems a bit sad and tired.
Here is the picture of the field I took this afternoon. Look at how many sunflowers there are, this view never gets old.
I love you,
Mary.
"What? It's true, isn't it?
- Yes, dear, but it does feel a bit unprofessional said like this. After all, aren't we supposed to leave this draft to, um… the… these scientific guys, you know…
- Oh, I'm sure they won't mind. Let it be unprofessional; we all need a good chuckle once in a while. Especially those really serious guys that seem to work all day without rest."
After a pause.
"I can't believe you're going with them.
- It's just for a while, honey."
A sigh floats to the surface.
"I know.
- It'll be over faster than you know it."
A hug is shared. Everything is going to be alright. As long as the buzzing continues. And the wind blows.
To my wife
Honey,
Today, I finished putting the last comb into a jar and sealed it. I named it after the queen.
I am still waiting for your return; it has been 20 sunsets today.
Wish you were here to see them.
I love you, knuckle kisses,
Mary.
In this very pleasing level, Georgia and I discovered a beehive not too far from the first sunflower field. It looks like this level is fully functional in its ecosystem, if that makes sense to say. All I am really interested about really is the fact that we can cultivate honey now. I like how linked it makes us feel to this place. Honey is my favorite word, after all. She's my everything.
To my wife
Honey,
I was taking a stroll into the second field of weeds to the left of the sunflower field and found a tiny tree in front of a weird flower. At first I thought it was a hydrangea, but it kept emitting a buzz for some reason. Not the familiar one we know from the bees, but another one that feels human-made.
I hope we are not being monitored; they would be very bored of me constantly doing the same actions every day. At the same time, maybe someone planted it and wanted to protect it from harm's way. If so, I hope they receive my visual message of a smile, and a wave.
Are you coming home soon? I know you said around a month, but here it does feel a little less warm without you. Sending lots of kisses and hugs your way.
I love you,
Mary.
Should I rename this level as "Mary and Georgia's"? It feels as if it should be, since we set camp first after all. I saw some of the bees investigate this weird flower and happily buzz into its pollen. Maybe they will make some honey out of it?
I also observed how sunflower honey kind of tastes like sunflower oil but still keeps its normal sugary taste. To whomever is reading this, if you like honey and like your parents, gift them one of our honeys; it's the best you can find around!
Quick ad finished, I need to resume this paper. But first, my glasses…
To my wife
Honey,
Today marks the 28th afternoon without you. I miss you, Gina.
Remember when we met a little while back in this one coffee shop? I remember your face frowning while taking a sip from a very badly made black coffee. This was my first impression of you, and at the time, I felt like I was suddenly in a musical. Everything quieted down around you, and suddenly, it felt like we were the only ones left. It has been 5 months now since we met and have been asked to investigate this level.
The sun has been very comfortable today. The warmth reminded me of you.
I love you, warm hugs,
Mary.
This morning was chilly, so, for the first time in a while, I grabbed a jacket from the closet. I remembered today perfectly. You were gone for 30 days, and I was starting to dim, my energy dimming more and more every day. I even cried when looking at a flower for too long. That day, I also went to visit this peculiar blue flower. I took a petal off, and it immediately turned into a sparkly dust, slipping through my fingers. A few hours later, where the powder flew to, I noticed more flowers blooming impressively fast, forming a sort of path.
I then decided to follow it.
What could happen?
Glowing into the golden afternoon, it guided me a bit more south towards what looked like an infinite wheat field, then stopped abruptly.
Then,
I saw you.
Standing there, in the middle of this field. Looking rough and exhausted, but still smiling.
I knew you would come back.
"I knew you would come back!"
Mary runs and jumps in the tired arms of Gina. They both burst into tears. The wind feels warmer than ever.
"Honey… My honey pie… I missed you so much… Where have you been? What have you been doing all these days?
- Not much, you know, mostly walking in endless terrain and writing nonsense in a book."
The two women take a moment. One breathes in when the other breathes out. They focus on where they touch. Their hands, their cheeks. Everything is okay. It's going to be alright.
"What would I have been without you?"
Their eyes lock. A kiss erupts, like fireworks on a hot summer night. Their hearts feel like they are going to escape from their confinements. Their souls unite once again.
"Please tell me you're never going to do that again…", she breathes.
"I won't."
Dot resonating like a final strike. Closure, the end of a sentence sealed in a letter.
The truth is, not everyone is as lucky as us to have seen and felt love in those cold surroundings. I will be forever grateful for what I have. My wife is my reason to water the flowers. She is why the sun shines warmer every day. Her love is an infinite source of freedom. With her, I am free. With her… I will forever live.
