The Last Colony

Part 13

Mark watched Zero spit a mouthful of blood across the dirt. The blow was hard enough to stun Zero. He raised his hand again, thinking about punching him for a second time. When Sean grabbed his arm, yelling out. "Mark! Stop it!" Mark's temper was boiling out of control, causing him to whirl around on Sean. Shoving Sean to the ground, he shouted back at him bitterly. "What the fuck, Sean?! You don't know anything about this asshole! How could you kiss him?! You're supposed to be MINE!" Sean sat up on the ground with a disgusted huff. Upon slowly climbing to him feet, Sean growled back at him. "Am I? These are the first people we meet in months and you throw me under the bus! If you can so easily throw me aside... Then I can do the same to YOU!" Mark moved closer to Sean, but Sean pointed a stern finger at him in a warning to stay back. Through clenched teeth, Sean shook his head and sternly stated out. "Don't! I am not your fucking property! I'm tired of being thrown away by you!"

Mark swallowed, trying to calm himself down. His voice was still thick with anger though as he shouted back. "You never let me explain anything! You don't know these people! I didn't want them hurting you to take what we have! Not everyone wants to be your friend!" Mark saw the sharp pain shot across Sean's face. He had cut him deeper then he had intended. Sean lifted his chin, grumbling out darkly. "I don't need you to protect me. I'm not helpless. But you're right... I trust people too easily. Including you..." Mark's shoulders fell. Sean's words cut him just as deeply. At the door to the RV, Mari kept Chica from running outside. While standing there, she uttered out softly. "Oh boy... Guys, let's take a minute to breathe. We are all tired and – ZERO NO!" Mark looked in Mari's direction, seconds before something struck the back of his knees. Mark grunted in pain, falling to all fours, when Zero leapt onto his back! Mark sat up, grabbing Zero's arm and was going to try flipping him over him... Only to stop when a sharp machete slid up against his throat.

Over his shoulder, Zero bitterly growled into his ear. "The last man that laid his hands on me like that lost them! Now give me a reason to let you live, you son of bitch!" Sean raised his hands nice and slow, pleading with Zero in a sudden shaken voice. "Zero, don't. Please. Mark's hot tempered, but he didn't mean it." Zero pulled the blade closer, making Mark wince from the slight burn of the sharp blade biting into his flesh. Zero's voice was as cold as ice as sneered out in a dead voice. "They all say that." Mari stepped carefully out of the trailer, telling Zero coolly. "Alright, everyone just calm down." Mark remained calm, raising his own hands out for Zero to see. Zero leaned over his shoulder just a bit to lock eyes with him, before growling out. "I told you to give me a reason." Mark looked him directly in the eyes, answering casually. "I was jealous, because I love him. I'd never hurt him. And I'm sorry that I hurt you. But you do the unthinkable to protect those you care about." Zero's tense arms began to relax, removing the blade away from his throat very slowly.

Nero staggered to his feet and stepped back. Mark let out a discreet exhale, finally allowing himself to breath normally. Reaching up to touch his neck where it burned, he pulled his hand back to see smeared drops of blood on his fingers. Mari stared at Zero in shock, her voice wispy when she asked him. "Wait a minute... Those hands you used to carry around... Did they belong to..." Zero sheathed his machete back on his hip, muttering out under his breath. "I don't want to talk about it..." Mari moved closer to him; her voice gentle when she said tenderly. "Zero..." Sean inched closer to Mark, asking him in a shaky voice. "Mark? Are you ok?" Mark nodded, lowering his hand as he told him in a gentle voice of his own. "Ya. I'm ok." Sean reached his hand out for his and Mark accepted. Sean helped him to his feet and then mumbled to him hesitantly. "Mark... I only let him kiss me because..." Mark reached up to cup Sean's face, brushing a tear away with his thumb. Even if Sean couldn't finish, Mark could answer it for him. Clearing his throat, he told Sean guiltily. "Because I hurt you..."