Chapter 17
They made it to Yerba Buena Island ten minutes later. Marcus and Liz walked to the medical station, where his mother was waiting outside. Liz ran up and hugged her. Thankfully, she remembered how to properly hug a human without crushing it. Their mother said, “They told me he was fine, but they won’t let me visit him because I can’t prove that I’m his wife and he’s still unconscious.”
Marcus said, “I think you have learned by now that no matter what, my word is law.”
“And what would you make the law.”
Marcus did not answer her. He simply leaned his head past her and speaking with the medical station guard. Marcus said, “This woman is the wife of one your wounded and she wishes to see him.”
“Sorry, but I can’t let her pass without proof of their relation.”
Marcus barred his two-foot-long fangs and said, “I’ll stand as that proof.”
The man looked terrified. He quickly unbolted the gate and ushered her and Liz through. After he gave them directions, he walked back outside and reluctantly rebolted the door behind him. Marcus approached the man and he cowered in fear. Marcus said, “Do you know why I bared my teeth at you? It is because she is my mother and the wounded is my father, who my carelessness caused great pain upon. Unless you prove unworthy of life, you need not fear my fangs.”
Marcus pulled away from the man and said, “When they exit, tell them that I am at my usual place. They will understand.”
Marcus took flight and glided back to his sleeping area. He set his head down and waited to hear his mother and Liz to arrive. He heard footsteps, but they were many and silent. He kept his eyes shut and focused all of his attention on the voices. They were simply a bunch of random whispers to him, but still he listened. As they approached, Marcus could discern three facts: firstly, they were afraid that Marcus would wake. Secondly, they wanted to do something to him while he slept. Thirdly, they were not supposed to be out this late.
Still, Marcus was curious about the reason for this gathering of theirs. He remembered his younger years, when the moronic and immoral choices seemed like the best opportunities a human could engage in. Marcus learned much during those years about what was right and wrong. He understood that the only way a young human could learn was to do the dumbest thing possible until they learned that what they were doing was the dumbest thing possible.
As the thoughts passed through his head, he could feel and hear the humans climbing on his back and neck. The wing to his left was unfurled enough to reach the water and Marcus felt cooler along a single membrane. He heard water rush by his side and realized that the young adults were using him as a waterslide.
Everyone assembled at the tip of his wing and stood motionless; none of them had the mettle to take the first dive. By the time one of them built up the courage to go first, Marcus had planned how he wished to play his own little game.
The first teen made the dive, and as soon as he reached the halfway point, Marcus jerked his wing upward, throwing his victim twenty feet into the air. He landed with a splash and everyone else was silent. Another boy went and Marcus did the same for him. They must have assumed that it was a reflex and dropped two by two down Marcus’s wing. The water stopped flowing after two or three rounds and the boys and girls started to separate to different parts of Marcus’s massive hide.
Never waking a sleeping dragon was a harsh lesson to learn on such a fine night, but they had to learn some time. It was not Marcus to teach them the lesson, but Liz. She jumped over to the knoll and yelled out, “What are you assholes doing? You know he’s awake, right?”
The kids went silent and Marcus heard three of them say, “Marcus, are you awake?”
He opened an eye to see the three Steve brothers look into his eye. Marcus lifted his head and said to the group, “I do not wish to hear the cries of your parents when they find your beds empty tomorrow, so you are going home now. I will tell you this though; your ride back will be enough of a story for you to tell.”
Marcus leaned toward the group that was now clustered together and opened his mouth. Liz was the first to jump in, followed by the tree Steven brothers. The others were still until Liz was able to coax them in by saying, “You know, I’ve got a sword back here that could cut off Marcus’s head.”
Three others walked into Marcus’s mouth and as soon as Liz pulled out the blade from twenty feet inward, the rest of the group was inside his maw. Marcus lifted his lower jaw and twenty pairs of legs became lodged between his teeth. They enjoyed the ride well enough, especially when he took flight and landed directly inside the gate.
He lowered his head and opened his mouth to let the ones inside exit. Marcus noticed a crowd to his far left where the gate was standing. They all turned to him and Liz said, “I noticed how many humans were missing and decided to call their parents.”
All of the young adults were standing with worried looks at their parents and the parents were giving worried looks at Marcus. One of them built up the bravery to say, “W-what were our kids doing in your mouth?”
Marcus saw Mitch in the crowd. He did not look angry, more-so curious. Marcus found the perfect thing to say to keep the blame off him. He said, “I’m simply returning your lost children who so blatantly chose me as their shield from the strange human obsession to alcohol.”
It was an absolute lie, but it worked. The children were giving worried looks to Marcus and the parents changed views from Marcus to their children. Marcus said, “Liz, Stevens, come with me. Let us leave the judgment to the parents.”
Liz grabbed all three of the Stevens and jumped to Marcus’s back. When they were out of earshot, Liz said, “Was that wise?”
“We will find out in the morrow. Until then, let us sleep. Is mother still at the clinic?”
“Yeah, she'll be with us shortly, but not until late.”
Marcus was not surprised. He was surprised, however, to find Isaac sitting on a fresh stump caused by his own anger. His expression was no longer neutral. Marcus said, “I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”
Marcus said, “I think you have learned by now that no matter what, my word is law.”
“And what would you make the law.”
Marcus did not answer her. He simply leaned his head past her and speaking with the medical station guard. Marcus said, “This woman is the wife of one your wounded and she wishes to see him.”
“Sorry, but I can’t let her pass without proof of their relation.”
Marcus barred his two-foot-long fangs and said, “I’ll stand as that proof.”
The man looked terrified. He quickly unbolted the gate and ushered her and Liz through. After he gave them directions, he walked back outside and reluctantly rebolted the door behind him. Marcus approached the man and he cowered in fear. Marcus said, “Do you know why I bared my teeth at you? It is because she is my mother and the wounded is my father, who my carelessness caused great pain upon. Unless you prove unworthy of life, you need not fear my fangs.”
Marcus pulled away from the man and said, “When they exit, tell them that I am at my usual place. They will understand.”
Marcus took flight and glided back to his sleeping area. He set his head down and waited to hear his mother and Liz to arrive. He heard footsteps, but they were many and silent. He kept his eyes shut and focused all of his attention on the voices. They were simply a bunch of random whispers to him, but still he listened. As they approached, Marcus could discern three facts: firstly, they were afraid that Marcus would wake. Secondly, they wanted to do something to him while he slept. Thirdly, they were not supposed to be out this late.
Still, Marcus was curious about the reason for this gathering of theirs. He remembered his younger years, when the moronic and immoral choices seemed like the best opportunities a human could engage in. Marcus learned much during those years about what was right and wrong. He understood that the only way a young human could learn was to do the dumbest thing possible until they learned that what they were doing was the dumbest thing possible.
As the thoughts passed through his head, he could feel and hear the humans climbing on his back and neck. The wing to his left was unfurled enough to reach the water and Marcus felt cooler along a single membrane. He heard water rush by his side and realized that the young adults were using him as a waterslide.
Everyone assembled at the tip of his wing and stood motionless; none of them had the mettle to take the first dive. By the time one of them built up the courage to go first, Marcus had planned how he wished to play his own little game.
The first teen made the dive, and as soon as he reached the halfway point, Marcus jerked his wing upward, throwing his victim twenty feet into the air. He landed with a splash and everyone else was silent. Another boy went and Marcus did the same for him. They must have assumed that it was a reflex and dropped two by two down Marcus’s wing. The water stopped flowing after two or three rounds and the boys and girls started to separate to different parts of Marcus’s massive hide.
Never waking a sleeping dragon was a harsh lesson to learn on such a fine night, but they had to learn some time. It was not Marcus to teach them the lesson, but Liz. She jumped over to the knoll and yelled out, “What are you assholes doing? You know he’s awake, right?”
The kids went silent and Marcus heard three of them say, “Marcus, are you awake?”
He opened an eye to see the three Steve brothers look into his eye. Marcus lifted his head and said to the group, “I do not wish to hear the cries of your parents when they find your beds empty tomorrow, so you are going home now. I will tell you this though; your ride back will be enough of a story for you to tell.”
Marcus leaned toward the group that was now clustered together and opened his mouth. Liz was the first to jump in, followed by the tree Steven brothers. The others were still until Liz was able to coax them in by saying, “You know, I’ve got a sword back here that could cut off Marcus’s head.”
Three others walked into Marcus’s mouth and as soon as Liz pulled out the blade from twenty feet inward, the rest of the group was inside his maw. Marcus lifted his lower jaw and twenty pairs of legs became lodged between his teeth. They enjoyed the ride well enough, especially when he took flight and landed directly inside the gate.
He lowered his head and opened his mouth to let the ones inside exit. Marcus noticed a crowd to his far left where the gate was standing. They all turned to him and Liz said, “I noticed how many humans were missing and decided to call their parents.”
All of the young adults were standing with worried looks at their parents and the parents were giving worried looks at Marcus. One of them built up the bravery to say, “W-what were our kids doing in your mouth?”
Marcus saw Mitch in the crowd. He did not look angry, more-so curious. Marcus found the perfect thing to say to keep the blame off him. He said, “I’m simply returning your lost children who so blatantly chose me as their shield from the strange human obsession to alcohol.”
It was an absolute lie, but it worked. The children were giving worried looks to Marcus and the parents changed views from Marcus to their children. Marcus said, “Liz, Stevens, come with me. Let us leave the judgment to the parents.”
Liz grabbed all three of the Stevens and jumped to Marcus’s back. When they were out of earshot, Liz said, “Was that wise?”
“We will find out in the morrow. Until then, let us sleep. Is mother still at the clinic?”
“Yeah, she'll be with us shortly, but not until late.”
Marcus was not surprised. He was surprised, however, to find Isaac sitting on a fresh stump caused by his own anger. His expression was no longer neutral. Marcus said, “I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”