Chapter 26 - Light

Mat was in a haze. It was the closest he had come to sleep in years and it felt good. He knew that he had had some humongous troubles, but he could not remember what. Voices came through the haze though. He could hear them and sometime understand them too.
- How did he survive?
- No one knows. By all accounts, he should be dead.
- Still, it’s amazing what he did to protect that kid.
- Yeah…
The kid. That triggered something. A subtle reaction that caused his mind to jolt a bit. There had been a baby all right. But…what was it again???
- I heard a rumor today; they would have started the “Ark” Project.
- Nah, that’s just bullshit. There is no such thing as a “Ark”.
- Quiet guy’s, you disturbed him.
A warm towel was passed on his for head and Mat relaxed again. The Ark. He remembered something about this. When had he heard that name? He tried to figure it out: Add the amount of munitions of one clip to the taxes in Minnesota, multiply it by 2 and you got infinity plus 1. It was laughable; still, the memory was there: a project that was supposed to be a secret. If the infection threat ever reached over 5% of earth’s population, some people would be placed in a special facility where they would be kept safe until the menace was over. They would then set out to repopulate the earth. They would be selected for their worth in a new world as well as their ability to cooperate with other people. Was there such a threat?
Then, among the haze and the fog, he felt a presence. It was warm and felt like a blanket had been placed all around him. Cozy and warm. A voice came from it:
- Hello Mat, how are you felling?
Well, he was feeling not so bad actually. Now that the presence was there, he was kind of happy. He felt lonely.
- You know that you caused me a lot of grief?
Mat was sad. He did not want to cause grief to the voice. He only wanted to serve and protect. As if reading his mind, the voice answered.
- Well, yes, serve and protect. That is so ingrained in you that I don’t believe that even God, should you believe in such a thing, could make you change your mind on that. Still, it as it’s charms… I suppose.
Mat was glad the voice was not mad.
- Me? Mad? Oh no my dear, not at all. Why would I be mad? You only forced me to go through my plans in a new fashion and thus helped me…in your way. No, I would like for us to be friends. Would you like that?
Like that? Of course he would like that!!! What a silly question, who would not?
The voice laughed: What a nice boy. I think we …
Another presence was felt. This one felt more like a cool breeze.
- Hello Nadia, mind if I join your little party?
There was a sigh then, the first voice answered:
- No George, feel free to join us.
- You know, you should at least give him the freedom of truly liking you and choosing his side. Coercion is so not becoming you.
- I knew you would say that… you fun spoiler.
Mat did not understand but suddenly, he felt like a light rain had passed through his soul and felt more awake than he had in a long time.
- Now Mat, we shall do the presentation over again. The lady is Nadia Marcello, half French, half Russian.
- Now now Peter, you know that my real name is Nadia Romanov.
- As you wish.
- And this gentleman is George. He is from an older time.
- That’s an understatement; I’m from Syria, before and “Died” in Nicomedia. I’m famous for my encounter with a dragon…
- A..dragon? asked Mat.
- Yup. Though it really was a dinosaur from what I learned a lot later.
- Now, George, can we get to the business at hand? Came the gentle reprimand from Nadia.
- Please go one.
- As I was saying, we are all friends, even if you don’t know it yet Matthiew. I am the one you saw on the train station. I lead the Bringers of Light. A group of undead, like us, who want to free Mother Earth from the infestation that is humanity. We wish to rid it of the vermin that gouge it’s flesh for ore, drink it’s blood so their cars can move, smoke it’s trees so they can eat their cheese burgers, drink it’s water away and destroy all living creatures. When our goal is accomplished, mankind will be a “souvenir” and nothing will ever pollute our sacred nature ever again.
There was a pause. Mat was so shocked that he could not even think. George spoke again:
- To do so, Nadia and her friends are turning as many people as they can in zombies. Then, they pitch them against you and your forces. As you are the Dark Blood Hunters, they are the Bringers of Light. They set themselves in direct opposition to all that you represent. We on the other hand are in neither group. We are a bunch of old friends who prefer to look at the younger generation go at it. But, we still prefer to let you youngster make your choices with open eyes. And from time to time, one of us will interfere with humanity destiny to bring it around what he or she think is best after an agreement of all of us, elders. Now, from time to time, comes an individual so unique that all parties take interest in him. And that “him” is you Mat. Do you know why?
Mat could only wait for the answer. It came from Nadia.
- Because, you Mat are the next step in our evolution as a species. Even though you are undead, you feel pain, love, hatred and even sexual excitement. We all have sex. It helps to pass time and we feel more human from it.
- You said so first, not I.
- Oh ush George. Stop interrupting me. As I was saying, you FEEL. That’s why you are so important. There is also the strength of your powers and the fact that you sustained your metamorphed state longer than anyone in recorded history and are still alive. You have passed beyond our basic state so fast that you can now communicate with the most powerful of us with your mind. When you or they don’t block it, of course. Now Mat, how about it? Do you wish to join us and rid Mother Earth of the human scum?