The Last Colony

Part 51

Mark stiffly climbed to his feet, seriously saying. "I don't believe that. Zero, you were shot with one of those things in the wild. If it's trying to save us... Why would it hurt you?" Zero lowered his eyes to the ground, his features falling to a saddened look. Mark felt bad dashing his hopes, but he was still recovering from the chaos. He ability to be gentle when breaking bad news hadn't caught up to him yet. From the tent, Nate told him with those same black eyes and distorted voice. "It shot him because he's infected. You all are." Everyone whirled to look at him with scared eyes. Nate staggered from the tent, taking a seat on a rock. Nate wasn't dressed like a woman anymore. He was shirtless with just a pair of black shorts on. He looked sweaty and tired. The plant around his arm looked even worse. The plant looked paler in color than when he'd last seen it. Nate brushed his wet bangs from his eyes, informing them calmly. "The infection is in the plants. The plants create the very air you're breathing. Every breath you take... you absorb it in small doses. Over time, you'll either become immune or you'll turn."

Mari covered her mouth and nose, leaning into Kenny's chest to hide her fear. Kenny wrapped an arm around her, swallowing hard as he let that sink in. Mark looked at Zero, saying a bit grimly. "See...? We had our shot and we blew it." Mark moved shakily toward the tent, when Nate extended a leg out to stop him. As their eyes met, Nate told him softly. "The polluted chemicals of this earth made me... It's my job in nature to fix this... Or the world will die. But I can't do it on my own. I need your help, Mark." Mark shrugged, retorting gruffly. "What could we possibly do? We can't keep running from those things... Eventually, we will all die." Nate put his leg down, telling him with fragile eyes. "Everything eventually dies. As we speak... I am dying. But what I leave behind is all that matters. You may never see the new world... but you can still save it and give the survivors a chance." Mark sank to his knees in front of Nate, beckoning for Nate's arm to look at it. Nate extended his arm out and Mark reached out to touch the plant wrapped around him.

As his fingers drew close to it, he saw a pedal curl up and turn white. When he touched the white pedal with gentle fingers, the pedal crumbled into small white seeds. Nate's other hand saved the seeds from falling to the ground. Mark didn't know what to do to help it. Nate's hand grabbed Mark's wrist to turn his hand palm up. Pouring the little seeds into his hand, Nate leaned forward to whisper to him. "Sean told me you want to have a little farm... plant these around your farm. They'll clean the soil. They'll keep you safe. Help me save my world... So, we can save you." Mark looked at the little seeds, uttering out anxiously. "I don't understand. What's happening to you?" Nate cupped Mark's hands to protect the seeds, answering a bit breathlessly now. "To cure the poison... I have to absorb it. I turn it into a cure as it passes through me... but so much... It kills me. I can't do this on my own... I need help. I need you to look after them... Nurture them. Help them grow. Humans used to care... We need you. Don't forget about us... We haven't forgotten you." Nate's grip on his hands loosened, before falling to his sides.

Nate leaned back on the rock, tilting his head back as the black of his eyes leaked down his cheeks like tears. The more Nate cried the clearer his eyes got, until they were back to normal. Mark watched the plant on Nate's arm turn completely white, before crumbling into more tiny seeds as Nate flexed his arm. Mark quickly rose to collect the seeds, yelling to the others. "Quick! Get a bag!" Mark collected all that he could, until Mari rushed over with a little cloth coin purse from the truck. Opening the little bag, Mark did his best to poor the seeds inside. Some floated away on the gentle breeze but the majority of them, he saved. Taking the purse, he snapped it shut and sat back on his heels. Nate sat forward, clear tears now streaking lines down the black ones along his cheeks. As Nate cried, he held his arm where it had been. Mari moved to Nate's side, asking in a soft motherly voice. "Nate? Are you ok?" Nate nodded, but more tears ran down his cheeks as he took deep breaths. Mark guessed the connection with it had took a strong emotional toll on Nate.