Chapter 3
His face turned red and his eyes opened wider than Marcus thought possible. Liz lowered him to the ground and simply watched him fall to the earth. No one spoke; they were trying not to laugh. Marcus failed at hiding his amusement when he smelled the blood and realized where it was coming from. A small cloud of smoke formed in front of his maw, but that was it. Isaac was doing an equally bad job at hiding his amusement. He lightly chuckled when he said, “Mitch, give me a hand with him.”
Mitch walked to Zack and helped Isaac carry him to the infirmary. Liz and Marcus could still hear his wailing as they walked away. Marcus said, “Twice did you send someone away in pain. I think it’s time to give you ‘the talk’.”
“Mom gave me the talk when I turned thirteen.”
“That is not what I mean. I mean to say that you do not fully understand what it is to be immortal. You already know about some of the benefits, but you cannot comprehend the shortcomings you will face in the future. If you are not made aware of them soon, then they will drive you insane. Suicide is not an option for you, so you will remain in a deranged state for the rest of your existence. Life will become hell for you.”
“So what do I need to know?”
“I wish it was as simple as me telling you this, but you need to experience it yourself. No lesson is as significant as your own teachings. However, I will tell you what to be expecting.”
“Well, say it already.”
“Patience is your first problem; you lack it. Little one, you will live forever and die only when the earth itself ends. You can never truly love a mortal after the ones we currently know die due to age, war, disease, or carelessness. After that time has come and gone, you will understand how all mortals will one day perish.”
“I can never love another human?”
“Another human; why do you still refer to yourself as one of them? You are a titanicus, and you would do well to remember that. Love is a way to describe your connection to another. After they die, you will keep as few such connections with the humans as possible. This is the only way you will live to be satisfied.”
“What about if I want to have children one day?”
“I’m sorry, but it is no longer possible as far as I know. Now, as for those who are currently living, you already know what you are capable of doing to them should you fall to carelessness.”
“That’s one of the things I hoped to learn about today.”
“I know. I am very eager to teach you, but perhaps we should start out slow; a hug.”
Marcus pointed at a tree and instructed Liz to approach it. When she was close enough, he said, “Lightly press your hands against the sides.”
She did as instructed, and the bark of the tree cracked along the edges. Marcus said, “A tree is a much sturdier object than a human, instead of pressing your hands to it, find a crevice and rest your hands upon the bark; let friction hold your hands in place.”
The tree did not crack in half this time, but Liz felt awkward in such a strange position. She made vocal her concern. Marcus gave her another method he cooked up on the fly and on the thirteenth try, Marcus was comfortable enough to let her try to hug Mitch when he returned from the med station. They waited and spoke of other things. Liz asked, “So what were you and dad talking about?”
“He told me about their new leader’s plans for the island now that our little General is under a million tons of water and earth.”
“And what would those be?”
“His main priority is defending the island from other people and the undead. Survival and rebuilding comes next, and his last priority is to contact any other survivors.”
“Did you tell him about the east coast?”
“What, the army of a hundred million undead? I neglected to tell our father, but everyone will learn once I tell him. I haven’t even met the man yet.”
“Isn’t it Colson?”
“No, he turned down the seat to take care of the new leader’s first priority. You and I will be helping her with the second.”
“Don’t tell me you’re letting a human boss you around.”
“She wanted to turn down the seat for me, and everyone apparently looks to me as a leader figure. No, I am not letting her control me; if she showed signs of faltering toward the greed that plagues human’s hearts, I would ensure she never rose to such a position again.”
“So, what; you’re going to be her advisor?”
“That is the current plan. Unless I say otherwise, do as she asks. If you do not agree with her course of action, first consult her and then come to me. Enough talk of politics and enough waiting for someone who is not likely to return. Jump to my back; I have another lesson to give you.”
Mitch walked to Zack and helped Isaac carry him to the infirmary. Liz and Marcus could still hear his wailing as they walked away. Marcus said, “Twice did you send someone away in pain. I think it’s time to give you ‘the talk’.”
“Mom gave me the talk when I turned thirteen.”
“That is not what I mean. I mean to say that you do not fully understand what it is to be immortal. You already know about some of the benefits, but you cannot comprehend the shortcomings you will face in the future. If you are not made aware of them soon, then they will drive you insane. Suicide is not an option for you, so you will remain in a deranged state for the rest of your existence. Life will become hell for you.”
“So what do I need to know?”
“I wish it was as simple as me telling you this, but you need to experience it yourself. No lesson is as significant as your own teachings. However, I will tell you what to be expecting.”
“Well, say it already.”
“Patience is your first problem; you lack it. Little one, you will live forever and die only when the earth itself ends. You can never truly love a mortal after the ones we currently know die due to age, war, disease, or carelessness. After that time has come and gone, you will understand how all mortals will one day perish.”
“I can never love another human?”
“Another human; why do you still refer to yourself as one of them? You are a titanicus, and you would do well to remember that. Love is a way to describe your connection to another. After they die, you will keep as few such connections with the humans as possible. This is the only way you will live to be satisfied.”
“What about if I want to have children one day?”
“I’m sorry, but it is no longer possible as far as I know. Now, as for those who are currently living, you already know what you are capable of doing to them should you fall to carelessness.”
“That’s one of the things I hoped to learn about today.”
“I know. I am very eager to teach you, but perhaps we should start out slow; a hug.”
Marcus pointed at a tree and instructed Liz to approach it. When she was close enough, he said, “Lightly press your hands against the sides.”
She did as instructed, and the bark of the tree cracked along the edges. Marcus said, “A tree is a much sturdier object than a human, instead of pressing your hands to it, find a crevice and rest your hands upon the bark; let friction hold your hands in place.”
The tree did not crack in half this time, but Liz felt awkward in such a strange position. She made vocal her concern. Marcus gave her another method he cooked up on the fly and on the thirteenth try, Marcus was comfortable enough to let her try to hug Mitch when he returned from the med station. They waited and spoke of other things. Liz asked, “So what were you and dad talking about?”
“He told me about their new leader’s plans for the island now that our little General is under a million tons of water and earth.”
“And what would those be?”
“His main priority is defending the island from other people and the undead. Survival and rebuilding comes next, and his last priority is to contact any other survivors.”
“Did you tell him about the east coast?”
“What, the army of a hundred million undead? I neglected to tell our father, but everyone will learn once I tell him. I haven’t even met the man yet.”
“Isn’t it Colson?”
“No, he turned down the seat to take care of the new leader’s first priority. You and I will be helping her with the second.”
“Don’t tell me you’re letting a human boss you around.”
“She wanted to turn down the seat for me, and everyone apparently looks to me as a leader figure. No, I am not letting her control me; if she showed signs of faltering toward the greed that plagues human’s hearts, I would ensure she never rose to such a position again.”
“So, what; you’re going to be her advisor?”
“That is the current plan. Unless I say otherwise, do as she asks. If you do not agree with her course of action, first consult her and then come to me. Enough talk of politics and enough waiting for someone who is not likely to return. Jump to my back; I have another lesson to give you.”