"Why?" Janus asked the beta, gesturing around at the crowd of liberated men. He knew that their lives would be forever changed the moment they received his kiss, his gift. Not only would they understand the true nature within themselves, but they would understand the nature of others. This gift also allowed them to heal quickly. The gift meant having wounds and not bleeding out instantly. Janus's gift saved lives over and over again. So why did Janus feel so conflicted about this one particular alpha?
A bizarre, reckless idea struck his mind. Maybe he shouldn't just kill this other alpha. Perhaps he should use words to discover about this alpha. He knew that sounded weak the moment it went through his brain. He knew that it felt wrong to ask another alpha such a primitive and sensitive question. However, Janus needed to know it. Janus needed to discover this difference. Janus needed to understand why intellect was so important to these creatures. Perhaps by understanding that he could further control them. Perhaps he could further liberate them in a way that they never understood by just using intellect alone.
Janus continued stomping away in the mud. He would challenge the beta later. He heard howling from his back as he walked away from the beta. Perhaps in the future he would go ahead and fight this beta. Perhaps he would show the beta the full error of his ways. Perhaps he would even light the beta on fire to show a great example. However, for now, Janus did not fully feel like the alpha. Instead he felt conflicted. He felt hunger for something beyond filling the pit of his stomach. The thought made him feel unease. The other alpha had chosen a different path and had ridden a dinosaur in an odd way. Something about this unpredictability is why the other pack followed this alpha. Something about acting both with and without instinct caused the other pack to choose their alpha. If Janus could predict the unpredictable, perhaps Janus could be an alpha worthy of both packs. That was something that made him smile as he left. He enjoyed the idea of being the leader of one giant pack, roaming in the night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE:
The Hut
Paul laid on the ground of the hut. He knew that he had been throughly defeated. He knew that his injuries were not going to heal quickly. It was troubling looking at all the eyes quickly darting away from him. He was the strongest among them. He was supposed to be their savior and their method to survive. Paul had shown them how survive desperate situations. However, here he was, on his back and bleeding. The only Paul could think out of this particular predicament was death. Paul didn't like that option. Paul did not like the option of death at all. Paul decided that he would try something different next time. Perhaps he wouldn't get on the infected dinosaur. Perhaps he would try and enrage the infected beast. Perhaps throw rocks at it. Janus may be quick enough to move out of the way of a thrown rock, but the infected dinosaur wouldn't be. The dinosaur might overcome its calmness that the zombie had created. Perhaps the franken-creature would become uncontrollable and unstoppable. That would give Paul an advantage. Paul would be able to simple run in the opposite direction of the dinosaur. Paul was unsure what do to about the other zombies. If Paul ran away, they would try to chase him down and eat him. After all, that what they did; they chased down their prey and ate it. Knowing Paul's luck it would be in a gruesome slow manner. He needed to figure out another plan. He needed to find some way of escaping all the broken stares in this room. He needed to find a way to lead his people back into the light.
He thought of one thing that would require some difficulty. It was not that it was a very complicate move. Some of the best strategies are very simple. The difficulty came from that it would take a lot of courage. Specifically, the courage of others, not his own. He thought that perhaps if everyone bolted from the door once it was open, the zombies would spread out. Then perhaps he could slip away after that. It was a cowardly thought, but it was the best he could think of. Perhaps he could bring some help or grab a dinosaur. He would then move that beast to knock down part of the wall of this building. Anyone who wasn't brave enough to run at first would have an opportunity to leave. However, he knew that those with him would just see the plan as an act of cowardice. They would probably think it was just him trying to save his own skin. He knew that the zombies would come back. He knew it through every fiber of his being. However, they might believe that the zombies would simply disappear. Never underestimate the power of delusional thinking. Maybe his plan to scatter would be simply seen as a plan to save himself. Paul wished that they didn't cast their looks in other directions when he looked at them. It was as if they didn't trust him anymore. He was supposed to be the one to save him, and instead he would be giving them a plan that was foolhardy at best.
How could lead a man that didn't want to follow anymore? They would just be as likely to just push him out and let the zombies eat him. They didn't look to need him in there enclosure anymore. Some of the men even started whispering in the corner, occasionally glancing at Paul They chatted and made hand gestures, sometimes pointing at Paul. There was a chance they were trying to recall the events to others, but Paul had deep suspicions about that. He knew that they didn't bare ill will towards him. They simply wanted to survive. They probably didn't have many options, so Paul didn't feel hurt or that they were unjustified. When a man runs out of options, even the silliest of things (normally ineffectual) will seem like a good idea.
Out of frustration for his current predicament, Paul got up and punched the wall. The wall crumbled near Paul's fist. Not wanting to stop because of his swelling frustration, Paul continued to punch the same spot. He punched again and again. Soon, a small hole appeared in the wall. Paul changed from punching to ripping. He ripped the hole larger and larger. It was as if he didn't want the building to be there anymore. The building shouldn't exist. He would tear down this illusion brick by brick if needed. He wanted to be in the sunshine. He wanted all of them to feel the sunshine. Everyone started staring at him in amazement. It wasn't an extremely amazing feat. Anyone can throw their fists against a wall. In truth, the feat was rather mundane. It was just brute force against plaster and bricks. However, it was a feat that showed why Paul was the leader of this group. For that purpose, the light that started to stream in cause quiet in the enclosure. Those light beams appeared holy and ready to grasp them out of this dark pit. The brute force symbol was simplistic. His spirit would not be captured. Paul would lead his people to freedom. He would lead them away from being bit by zombies. He would not leave them to simple be a cache of food for these creatures. He didn't know why the blue brains were so interested in him. It was bizarre to think of zombies wanting more than eating flesh or hunting. He knew that all they did was eat, eat, and eat. They didn't care who filled their stomachs. All that zombies cared about was the food. They would devour a baby just like they would devour an old woman. That's how zombies worked. They were mindless killing machines. So why did they corral a group of people here? It was also weird that they decided to hunt Paul and bring him back alive. Why had they not tried to eat him the moment they caught him?
Paul sat near the new hole in the wall and let the light shine in. He would have continued making it bigger, but his strength was running low. He knew that people would start gathering near that hole. He sat nearby and thought about the zombies. Something felt very wrong about these particular ones. It was something in the way that calm zombie moved or acted. It didn't have the same rabid hunger that the others did. Paul had mistaken that for confidence at first. Paul had mistaken that for a way of leadership. Instead, he was worried it was something else. It was as if it was some kind of hesitation. Paul shook his head as he tried to understand the thoughts in his brain. Zombies that didn't act like zombies. They were able to convert dinosaurs and coordinate an attack. They still ripped and mangled men like zombies. However, these creatures had something more to them. Something else had been done to them; something unnatural. Perhaps there was something else going on with Janus's kiss? Had that really been THE Janus? Why had he not died like the articles said long ago? So many questions to po
nder on and think about.
"What are you thinking about Pale Rider?" a man nearby asked.
"How to survive" Paul said to the man.
The man looked like that answer satisfied him. It was an easy answer for Paul to give. Everyone wanted to survive. Everyone wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Everyone wanted to get back to their lives as normal. They wanted safe and regular lives. They knew that the town was gone. Perhaps though, they could build again out in the lands. They could build an oasis away from the destruction they had found here. Paul looked out the hole he had made and thought about that place. Perhaps it was somewhere out in the mountains. Perhaps it was inside one of the mountains. Where that potential home was, he wondered if he was looking at it now through the hole in the wall. It was his responsibility to lead them out of here. It was Paul's burden to have. They were his family now. Paul needed to carry this burden. He needed space to think, so he left and sat down near a quiet corner of the building.
After a number of hours, Paul had decided on a plan. He knew it was wild as he planned it. That's why he thought it was such a good idea. It wasn't as if they had a lot of options. The likelihood was that they were all going to die. But the hole he had made had given them strength. The group, after tasting light from outside, had a new strength. The infectious hope was that at least one of them would survive. The unsaid thought was that each of them hoped they would be that one. That perhaps they could find a life far outside this building. Perhaps they could make a new home. Perhaps they could live out the rest of their days in fullness for those who lost their lives during this day. The plan was very simple. It was also a very wrong plan.
When the building door opened, the calm zombie was standing in the threshold. Janus stood there watching. The plan was to simply flood the entrance with everyone running out. The plan plan went horribly wrong nearly immediately. It wasn't as if they lost their nerve. Many of them pushed forward the moment the door opened. The problem came from the rush of zombies flooding into the building. Everyone around Paul was bit and scratched nearly instantly. A rush forward quickly became running away and hiding. The walls soon got a fresh coat of red paint. Zombies had given up all pretense of capturing victims. They didn't care anymore about waiting. The only one that the zombies didn't attack was Paul. He didn't know why they flowed around him. He then caught the gaze of the calm zombie, staring at him. There was something deep within those eye. Paul wasn't sure what the creature was looking for. Paul didn't know what the zombie was looking for within him.
Squishy mud and guts quickly lined the floor of the building. Paul's feet squished with the entrails of others. His face was white against the contrast of blood splattered on him. Still the most disturbing fact was not the screams coming from those that were dying or dead. It was the eyes of the calm zombie. Those eyes did not have compassion. They contained some reckless hunger that mixed with malevolent curiosity. It was as if the calm zombie wasn't ready to destroy Paul yet. It was as if Paul's destruction was already guaranteed, but the blue brain was still trying to decide the best route for it. Perhaps Janus was eying Paul to decide the best way to torture him. Maybe Paul was a science experiment in torture to this thing. He then understood why he was kept alive. The zombie didn't need anything special from him. Maybe there wasn't a particular reason. Maybe Janus was just playing with its food.
They continued to look at each other. He saw the other zombies conclude their destruction and watch him with hunger. He could feel a heavy stench of death around him. The taint of coppery blood, sacrament, and wrongness. The only reason they didn't consume him was that their leader didn't want it yet. At the flick of a hand or eye he was sure their leader could order his death. It was not a position Paul liked to be in.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR:
A Knock
At first Hesh was unsure of that this was the right course of action. Hesh was always the one who would take a logical path. She liked to know the exact outcome from the exact variables given. However, if everyone was dead it meant that this knowledge wouldn't serve anyone. She would simply be doing this for the sake of knowledge. There was a certain nobility within that. However, she didn't know if this nobility meant anything if no one else was around to see it. IT was a rough conundrum that struck like a spur in her brain. She needed to find a way to use her invention to save others. Thats what the little voice had told her. Her visitor was beat up, but still with a strong will. She had to find some way to take these flying bird dinosaur things and make them into a battle unit. She had worked hard to turn tainted flesh into a powder inside their stomachs. She had to inject a unique micro-organism to complete that job.
Hesh was unsure of what to do with her visitor. She knew that this person needed to be kept safe. However, they didn't want to leave Hesh's side. The visitor wanted to join in the fight in the worst possible way. Hesh had no doubt that if left alone, the visitor would simply go ahead and steal one of her creations. She knew that this person wasn't a thief. They simply wanted to do everything in their power to save people. Hesh knew that instinct before. She had seen it many times before. They decided to go together to see what they could do. Hopefully it would not be too late.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:
Broken
With everyone dead and gone, Paul broke. Something in his mind no longer whole. Something within him had taken on a new shape. The smile on his face swept away. He no longer cared if he lived or died. With everyone else dead, especially his daughter, he didn't care. He walked up to the calm zombie and pushed him away. He simply walked out of the building. He knew that it was probably the wrong behavior to show a predator your back. He also knew that predators respond to strength. That's what this defiant action was. Paul didn't care that it was an act of strength though. All Paul cared about was that he wanted to leave. He didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he lived. He didn't care if he died. All he wanted, was to leave that bloody building.
"Where are you going?" said Janus.
Paul looked at this calm zombie. They looked at each other for a long time. Neither were sure what the next move would be. Perhaps Paul would be dismembered at any moment. Perhaps Paul would find a way to escape. Both scenarios were equally likely. Paul bent down and grabbed a rock. He then thew the rock at the zombie. The zombie quickly moved his arm up and caught the rock. Paul then threw another rock. The zombie caught that rock as well. Paul picked up the pace and continued throwing rocks towards the zombie. This was a childish effort. Paul didn't care though. He just didn't want to see this zombies eyes anymore. He hoped that the zombie would eventually flinch away from all the rocks flying in his direction.
The zombie instead darted forward and grabbed Paul's arm. Twisting quickly the flesh causing instant bruising. Paul yelled in pain. The blue brain looked at him in curiosity. He probably thought Paul was in some kind of fight or flight response. However, Paul was a vicious man with a reputation. Paul, the pale rider, knew how to kill. The idea of Paul doing something so childish as throwing rocks was bizarre to the zombie. Paul saw the curiosity written on the zombies face and stare. Paul decided that the curiosity made the creature look like it wasn't full in control. Paul head butted him. He was sure why he head butted the zombie. He didn't think that the zombie would take any real effect from the motion. Indeed, Janus had barely moved against Paul's skull. Paul tilted his head back again and struck. He continued to strike with his head like he was head banging to a song. Soon stars and fuzz sparkled in Paul's vision. It was a defiant act of nature. That was just part of who Paul was. Something continued to move within Paul's fabric of being. It was just that he needed destructive events. That's one of the main reasons why he started becoming a farmer. He enjoyed venting that destruction over and over again. Farming had given that to Paul. Now this other zombie had given him a destructive outlet in spades.
Paul continued to head butt the zombie. Eventually, Janus pushed him away. Paul then lashed out with fists and legs. Paul kicked and punched and
scratched as much as he could. He no longer cared what it took. He would destroy this one single being. There were no other zombies in his mind. There were no other people. All of that quickly was swept aside. The parts of him that were unfocused quickly came into a brand new clarity. He would destroy this calm zombie. If this were truly Janus, perhaps he could bring an end to humanity's frustration. Perhaps he could cleanse the world of this plague with his fists. All Paul needed to do was destroy this one zombie.
He then did something that the zombie never expected. He knew that the zombie had probably encountered people that had shot at it. He knew that the zombie had probably encountered people that cut it. Janus had probably even encountered people that tried to halt it's progress physically. For all the peace, he knew that people had probably tried to even explode Janus. However, the zombie had never encountered someone even half as crazy as Paul, the pale rider.
Paul ran up and bit the zombie. It was the the single bizzarest thing Paul had ever done. Paul knew he would probably become infected from the zombie's blood the moment his saliva entered. Paul knew that his destruction was guaranteed the moment he sunk his teeth into that flesh. He didn't care. Paul simply decided it didn't matter if he was a zombie or not. He continued to bite the zombie over and over again. Janus was confused and stunned. For the moment, it allowed Paul to gnash at him. It wasn't that the zombie was fully nullified. It wasn't as if the zombie was standing still. It was just that Janus was in a lot of shock over someone trying to bite him.
Janus (Zombies versus Dinosaurs Book 2) Page 14