What's up, guys. Welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. My name is Jaime Camil, and today I'm going to read for you, "Zombies Don't Eat Veggies!" created by Megan Lacera and Jorge Lacera. Mo was a zombie with a deep, dark craving. It was dreadful. Devious. Absolutely despicable. Mo loved to eat vegetables. He grew all kinds of veggies in his hidden garden. And then in his secret kitchen, he crafted celery, tomatoes, and carrots into delicioso meals that he devoured with delight. Mo's mom and dad did not love vegatables. Not. One. Bit. Veggies were yucky! Disgusting! ¡Que asco! They were not allowed at the Romero's dinner table. Ready to chase some humans in the marathon next week, mijo? Zombies were supposed to eat zombie cuisine like brain cakes, brain stew, and brain-and-bean tortillas. Mo's parents insisted that their niño eat only zombie food. Finger foods, mi amor? Uh, gracias. I'm not hungry. Mo tried to convince his mom and dad to give peas a chance. He sneaked in vegetables whenever he could. But Mo's attempts were fruitless. His parents wanted him to accept who he was— a zombie. And zombies don't eat veggies. Mo knew he did not like zombie cuisine. And he couldn't imagine letting go of spinach or cucumbers or kale forever. If zombies are only supposed to eat zombie cuisine, Mo started to wonder if maybe he wasn't a zombie after all. Day after day, Mo wondered how he could make his parents understand his love of veggies. His tomatoes were tantalizing, His cucumbers crispy. The peppers, perfection. Add onions, some garlic, a touch of cilantro, and... Gazpacho! Holy aioli! Mo had an idea. His best one yet. Mo grabbed his book of recipes. His fingers flew across the pages... ...until he found it. The recipe for a tomato-and-veggie filled soup. He was sure the tomatoes would make it look bloody and gloopy, just like a zombie dish. His parents were going to devour it! Mo chopped and diced, blended and pureed, perfected and poured. Finally, the soup was finished. Mo carefully shuffled it over to the house for dinner... ...where he found a feast fit for a zombie. Mo! You're just in time. Try some arm-panadas, mi amor. Prime cuts! Mira, I made spicy man-naise. I made something for you to try too. It's called blood bile bisque. Bone Appétit gave it five brains. Smells strange. Looks delightful! Cinco brains! Must be delicioso! They dug in. Mo closed his eyes and sucked in his breath. This was it. They'd savor the soup. They'd ask for más. Mo imagined breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks. All VEGETABLES! Raw, cooked, steamed, and fried. Forever and ever. He saw all his dreams coming true. Until... Mo's parents did not like the soup. Not. One. Bit. ¡Dios mío! This soup tastes like... like... vegetables! Yuck! Mo's heart sank to his toes. His plan was a bust. How many times do we have to tell you that zombies don't eat veggies?! Maybe other zombies don't eat vegetables, but I do. Mom and dad, I'm different. But I'm still me. Mauricio Romero. Your niño. Your Mo. Mo reminded his parents that he liked chasing humans as they ran in marathons. And he promised he'd always cheer for Dad during championship brain-eating competitions. He also loved doing the zombie shuffle under the moonlight with Mom. He was a zombie. A Romero. He just liked to eat vegetables. Mo's parents loved their son and finally accepted that it was okay to be different. They even promised Mo they would eat more veggies— for him. But only a teeny, tiny bit. The Romeros knew that most zombies don't eat veggies. But they were more than zombies. They were a family. The end. I love this story for many reasons. First of all, it is perfectly fine to be different, because in a loving family, you'll be accepted. And it's okay to express yourself. And as Mo showed us, he was very respectful of his parents, and they were able to come together and compromise and share respect for each other. So don't ever forget kids, be true to yourself, be honest, express yourself, and don't be afraid to be authentic. Thank you for watching Storyline Online. Make sure to check out all of our stories. And please, keep watching and keep reading!
