Chapter 11
Marcus remembered one of the meetings Isaac had about what the titanicus could do when in full operation. He remembered how Dem would always need to explain why he was late in front of the others who were there early. Marcus’s memories then jumped forward to where Isaac started to explain some of the theoretical properties of the super-cells. He said that if the user’s need was great enough, the user could use the cell’s fission reactors to make small changes to the form.
The change made to Marcus’s body was anything but small. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Marcus had grown to twice his old size, and it seemed that Liz’s danger was the key to his power. He stared at Liz for a long minute, and Liz stared back. Time seemed to slow down. Or had it sped up? Marcus could not tell.
He lowered his head to her, and Liz fell back in fear; the maw before her was large enough to swallow her and a small car whole. Marcus placed his head on the ground so he could be eye-level with her, but even pressing his head to the ground, she still needed to look up. He said in as calm a voice as he could muster, “Little one, do not be afraid. I may be intimidating, but you are still my sister. It hasn’t changed before, and it will not change now. Let us be off to the west. We still have friends, and they still need our help.”
“No, they need your help. I’m just tagging along for the trip. You should just leave me here; I’ll only slow you down.”
“You are very brave to say that, knowing your fate if I do leave.”
Liz looked away from him, and Marcus could smell her tears. She believed that he really was going to leave her there.
Five minutes later, she was collected enough to turn to him again. She said, “So this is it then. I guess this is goodbye. Just kill me, please! Do anything to keep me away from the undead.”
“Really? You would give up on yourself that easily? Do you know why I grew so rapidly? It was because I needed to save you, little one. Until our parents are found, I am your father. Until the life is taken from you, I am your mother. Until time has come to an end and Jesus Christ walks upon the earth, I am your brother. And I will not let you stay here to die for nothing. You will come with me and we will fly together until the end of time.”
Liz was still shaking from the shock of seeing the beast before her. She said, “I’m yours. Ask me anything, and I’ll do my best to get it done.”
“That isn’t necessary. You are my sister, not my pet. Still, I may ask you to do something soon that you may not enjoy.”
Liz’s heart dropped at the thought of whatever he might ask her and she said, “What would you have me do?”
Marcus picked his head up and placed it in front of her. He opened his jaw and said, “Get into my mouth.”
Liz was frozen in place. She was too afraid of the beast before her to do anything. He said to her, “Trust me; if I planned on eating you, I would have done so as soon as we landed.”
It took all of Liz’s courage to do as he asked. Liz sat in his mouth and he closed his jaws around her. She was afraid for her life. She clung to his teeth as his head tilted upward. It was her end; of that, she was sure.
Marcus, however, was not so cruel, as he only lifted his head so he would not break any of the trees around him. He opened his jaws above his back so her climb would be easier. She climbed out and started to cry. She nearly slipped off his back and only lived because Marcus pressed his head to his side so she could stand. When she was in place, Marcus spread out his wings and pushed himself upward. He flew off to the west, where the sun was preparing to set. Marcus meant every word of what he said, and he truly considered her not only his companion, but his child. Marcus would be her guardian through every trial the world threw at them.
And so, they flew to the west, to lands uninfected by the cure that he created. They flew not only for themselves, but for each other. For their friends, their family, and every single human that remained alive, they flew into the wild blue yonder.
The change made to Marcus’s body was anything but small. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Marcus had grown to twice his old size, and it seemed that Liz’s danger was the key to his power. He stared at Liz for a long minute, and Liz stared back. Time seemed to slow down. Or had it sped up? Marcus could not tell.
He lowered his head to her, and Liz fell back in fear; the maw before her was large enough to swallow her and a small car whole. Marcus placed his head on the ground so he could be eye-level with her, but even pressing his head to the ground, she still needed to look up. He said in as calm a voice as he could muster, “Little one, do not be afraid. I may be intimidating, but you are still my sister. It hasn’t changed before, and it will not change now. Let us be off to the west. We still have friends, and they still need our help.”
“No, they need your help. I’m just tagging along for the trip. You should just leave me here; I’ll only slow you down.”
“You are very brave to say that, knowing your fate if I do leave.”
Liz looked away from him, and Marcus could smell her tears. She believed that he really was going to leave her there.
Five minutes later, she was collected enough to turn to him again. She said, “So this is it then. I guess this is goodbye. Just kill me, please! Do anything to keep me away from the undead.”
“Really? You would give up on yourself that easily? Do you know why I grew so rapidly? It was because I needed to save you, little one. Until our parents are found, I am your father. Until the life is taken from you, I am your mother. Until time has come to an end and Jesus Christ walks upon the earth, I am your brother. And I will not let you stay here to die for nothing. You will come with me and we will fly together until the end of time.”
Liz was still shaking from the shock of seeing the beast before her. She said, “I’m yours. Ask me anything, and I’ll do my best to get it done.”
“That isn’t necessary. You are my sister, not my pet. Still, I may ask you to do something soon that you may not enjoy.”
Liz’s heart dropped at the thought of whatever he might ask her and she said, “What would you have me do?”
Marcus picked his head up and placed it in front of her. He opened his jaw and said, “Get into my mouth.”
Liz was frozen in place. She was too afraid of the beast before her to do anything. He said to her, “Trust me; if I planned on eating you, I would have done so as soon as we landed.”
It took all of Liz’s courage to do as he asked. Liz sat in his mouth and he closed his jaws around her. She was afraid for her life. She clung to his teeth as his head tilted upward. It was her end; of that, she was sure.
Marcus, however, was not so cruel, as he only lifted his head so he would not break any of the trees around him. He opened his jaws above his back so her climb would be easier. She climbed out and started to cry. She nearly slipped off his back and only lived because Marcus pressed his head to his side so she could stand. When she was in place, Marcus spread out his wings and pushed himself upward. He flew off to the west, where the sun was preparing to set. Marcus meant every word of what he said, and he truly considered her not only his companion, but his child. Marcus would be her guardian through every trial the world threw at them.
And so, they flew to the west, to lands uninfected by the cure that he created. They flew not only for themselves, but for each other. For their friends, their family, and every single human that remained alive, they flew into the wild blue yonder.