The Third Breed

Who is he?

“So, can you tell us where you’re from?” Lance asks once more.

They had finally calm down as Max seems to have lowered his guard a bit. Though he could still sense his caution it was enough for him to continue his questions.

They were now sitting across each other after giving their new found companion a loaf of bread.

Max doesn’t answer but just continues savoring every morsel of the food.

Lance just let out a sigh but continues. “Are there others like you?”

“Don’t know anymore.” Max shrugs.

Lance could feel their companion’s disinterest. Though he felt a bit frustrated, he was not going to let this chance pass by.

“Are you somehow from a nearby town?” Lance leans a bit trying to get the man to look at him. But max remained aloof.

“Nope.”

“Village?”

Looking at their new companion right now, it would be hard to believe that there wasn’t anyone out there anymore. Seeing as how the man had adapted and manage to survive for this long.

“Nope.”

“Maybe a tribe?” Lane winces a bit as Max stopped eating, then gave him a glare.

“So, you mean to tell us you’re alone?” Ariel blurts out, also wanting to make conversation with their hero.

Lance thanks his friend for the sudden interruption, as he felt a jolt of fear from the sharp look on the mans eyes.

“Yup.” Max gets back to finishing the last remaining loaf of bread, after seeing the somewhat weary Lance, he realize that it was the end of the conversation.

“Wow,” Ariel’s eyes was glinting in astonishment, while looking at the man.

Max frown, giving another sharp look at the two. “You’re really not from around here, are you?” he states.

During his past travels around the lands, not once has he encountered anyone as carefree and giving as these two have. Making him more interested and convince that they were not lying. Add the fact that they carried well made weapons, clothes and very flavorful food.

Lance stands up, after patting his back side, he stands firmly and does his introductory pose again.

“Like I said, we come from the Southern Pearl colony, one of the few remaining functioning cities around the globe. Since we’ve recently been able to stabilize and self sustain our colony, our high council has decided to rescue and take in any willing survivors into our beloved home.” He proudly states raising hands in explanation.

“Uhum.” Max just raises a brow. There was something behind his head saying otherwise.

But Lance did not bother with it, he was bent on taking back the man with them. “A capable person such as yourself will truly be welcomed in the city.”

“Yeah, with your skills and strength, you might even get into the Haribon Scouts,” Ariel adds with a wide smile of enthusiasm.

Lance nods in agreement, though he was not yet sure what awaits their new companion, this was also one of the option that he considered. “Possibly, when that happens, you wont have to worry about food, water, shelter or clothing.” A luxury he knew that their people love and cherished.

Though he was still unsure as to how a person like Max would take it, living in the dead lands for years, he was not sure if it even sounds realistic or enticing for an outsider.

“And this too?” Max raises the whitish soft odd shaped food in his hand. He didn’t want to put his hopes up but what the man was saying was beginning to sound good and believable.

“What, the marshmallow?” Lance ended up frowning in disbelief at what the person wanted.

“Yeah, the marshmallow.” Max repeats the odd name of the food with gusto.

“Definitely! you can have as much as you want,” Ariel again joins in, eyes almost shut from the wide smile on his face.

“Plus, you’ll never have to worry about the horde, since you will be under the protection of the colony and within the safety of the confines of our city.” Lance adds up.

If it was one thing that he remembered in reading books, articles and stories, was that no one ever wanted to be around the monstrosity within these land. It was the last thing that he could think of to make his offer more attracting.

“Hmmm,” Max rubs his chin. All of this was just too good to be true, and he learned his lesson a long time ago about things like these.

“So, what do you think?” Lance lets out his widest and sweetest smile.

But Max just frowns again. “Why?”

“Huh?” Lance spouts, suddenly dumbfounded at the question.

“Why would you want to take me?” Max says with a straight face. He knew that there has to be some catch behind this and he was not in the mood to take any kind of risks right now.

Lance ended up scratching his head. “Well, we’re trying to build society again, we definitely wont force you as it is against the human rights law of our colony, but we definitely cant just leave you here, knowing full well that there is a better place for you.” He tries to say in a much more softer tone.

It was a truth that he always carried as a child, and it was also the reason why he joined the Moonlight scouts in the first place.

“Why not come journey with us for awhile it’s hard being alone you know, plus we’d really appreciate it if you join us,” Ariel pleads, folding his hands together in front of the man.

“Don’t want to.” Max,

“Huh, why?”

“What’s in it for me, if I actually agree to come with you?”

“Well, if...if you’ll come with us right now, I’ll give you half my rations everyday.” Ariel says, opening his bag to show the numerous container of food inside of it.

“And mine too. So, what do you say?” Lance adds up, trying to sound more convincing this time.

Seeing as how Max was still unconvinced and uneasy around them, he concluded that the man was probably just being cautious. He did remember his answer a while ago, which made him think. Basing on what Max had said there was a big chance that there were other survivors too, but the question was where?

“Why don’t you just tag along for awhile. Since, we’re headed to a recently build refugee camp east of here, within the mountains. You can see for yourself the comforts and safety that we can offer.” Lance says again.

“Knife,” Max points at Lances hip with a grin.

“Huh?” Lance ended up frowning not being able to understand the mans answer.

“Lance, I think he wants your bolo,” Ariel says, whom was now beside him.

“Oh, well these are colony issued weapons. So, we can’t just give it to you,” Lance quickly answers without even thinking.

“Lance!” Ariel ended up slapping himself.

When he looks at Max, he had that ‘I can’t trust you look again.’ making him realize what he has done, he quickly starts searching his bag. He remembered the quote on their scouts manual about first gaining the trust of outsiders in order to convince them.

“Well, how about I give you these instead.” Lance takes out a pick axe that he had gotten himself for the journey.

“I have an extra bowie knife if you like,” Ariel adds showing the said weapon.

Max’s face somewhat lit up from the offers. “Alright.” he says while taking the things from the two.

After unsheathing the knife, he started to feel the grip on each, eyeing the shine and sharpness of the knife and the strength and weight of the axe. He begun doing some practice swings and slashes and stabbing motions.

Though Lance felt a bit uncomfortable, giving such dangerous things to an outsider, he also knew that he needed to gain the mans trust first. He also added the fact that the man did in fact save them from inevitable mauling and decapitation from the zombies.

“So, you’ll come with us then?” Ariel says in anticipation, eyes glinting wih hope.

Max just looks at them with a straight face. “To the camp,” he says as he tucks the knife and axe on the sides of his pants.

“Of course. Then, when we’re there you can decide, okay,” Lance says full of glee. He couldn’t help the throbbing in his heart because of their success.

“Uhum,” Max nods.

“Alright, that’s settled then,” Lance states with contempt, turning to his friend to give him a nod and smile saying we did a good job.

“Great, this is really great! I can’t believe it, my first scouting and its a success,” Ariel excitedly says, breathing heavily while looking back and fort at the two.

It seems the sheer joy of having manage to have their hero travel along, gave the young man a new found energy.

“We haven’t convince him yet,” Lance reminds as he taps his friends shoulder.

Ariel nods. “But still, I think when he sees the camp, he’ll definitely want to stay there.” he says a matter of fact, with full confidence.

His friends enthusiasm was so contagious that he can also feel it in him. “I think so too.” Lance just agrees. Though he was still in a bit of a doubt.

“So, we’re to now?” Ariel says in full enthusiasm.

Lance pulls out his booklet, and unfolds the map that he had attached in it. “First, we need to get to the mountain top so that I can check where we are, once that is done, we can proceed to find a route to pass these mountains, and make a turn here, avoiding the old cities. We should be able to get there in three to four days.” he informs pointing at the parts that he had marked.

“Max, what do you think?” Ariel turns to their new companion.

“Okay,” Max just shrugs, he was somewhat focus on fixing the acquired weapons, trying to find a way to properly attached it on himself.

Seeing as there was no one against his Plan, Lance claps his hands to get everyone's attention. “Alright, we all agree then.” He smiles at the two.

Though they had a hard and horrifying start, Lance was now feeling a bit optimistic about their upcoming journey.

“Max, what are you doing?” Ariel asks as he looks at their companion.

They didn’t notice the satchel that was well hidden on the mans back, but now he was taking out some kind of rusty can attached together, the top one having a square cut on the side that showed a cloth inside of it.

“It’s too dark now,” Max answers, as he starts rubbing two dried sticks.

Lance and Ariel realizes what the man was doing, they questioningly look at each other in disbelief. As if trying to get the other one to talk.

In the end it was Lance that sat down and got Max’s attention. “We’re still quite close to the foot of the mountain you know, the zombies might see us and attack again.” He tries to smile when the man looks at him.

“And?” Max just frowns, then with a skillful and quick move, flings the bowie knife upwards before catching it with a grin.

“Well, if you say so,” Ariel lets out a force cackle. Though his voice was already shaking at the idea.

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous for us?” Lance tries to reason again.

Max just lets out a weary sigh. “If they see us, will know.”

“If that happens .”

“He can go up a tree, while the two of us kill them,” Max finishes the sentence.

Lance ended up mouth open, it took him a while how this man thinks. “That’s not a bad plan, though not that advisable either,” he jokingly says.

But before he can even say another word the makeshift lamp was already lit and Max was already walking towards the summit.