The Lone Zeno

Chapter 1

I stare at the humans calmly, they were the couple I just saved. I sense the irony kicking in. I was ready for him to pull the trigger but instead he lowered the revolver enough if I did anything stupid he would pull it up without me having any time to react.

"What do you want human?" I asked curiously, seeing that they followed me home I have expected them to give me an answer.

"We came to say thank you for saving us." The female human said nervously, the man shot her a look and stared back at me in disbelief, "I wanted to ask you questions if you don't mind answering them."

I gave him a glance of confusion, at first I don't know whether to laugh or scare them off but seeing these two decided to follow me endangering themselves more rather than scurrying back to their settlement. I had some respect for them. "Fine ask away." I said.

"Why did you save us?" He asks, holstering his revolver and leans on the wall. His wife sticking close to him.

I smiled at the human as I said, "I don't hesitate to assist humans who are in trouble." The human nodded before crossing his arms, "How come no one reported a Zeno in these parts?"

"You were the first humans to look at me before running off, they probably thought I was just another alien. That wasn't a Zeno." I replied as I stared at the female human when I said the last part, she was really nervous about coming here. The male human cleared his throat signalling me to stop looking at her which I did. He continued with his questions.

"Where is your family?" He asks.

"Dead. . .humanity wiped them out with the rest of my race when I was a child. I'm the last of the Zeno." I responded calmly. I wished I showed some emotion but it was too late.

"It must have been difficult, living on your own after all these years." said the female human breaking her silence. I simply nodded to her and responded, "It has been on the first year but I adapted quickly to my surroundings and moved from place to place. Its good to see some life that isn't a radiated rat or another alien walking around now."

The door blows open by the harsh wind, I stand up and look out before closing it. Lights are in the horizon, human or another species. Either way I closed the door and covered the windows. When I faced the humans they gave me concerned looks, "Search lights out in the horizon, best not let them know we are here." I assured them. They were as surprised as I am, who in the right mind would be out in this storm? I pondered for a moment before walking over to the fire. "Want something to eat? I have some rat meat ready to be cooked." I offered.

The humans stared at each other momentarily before nodding. I set up the spit with the rat meats and we waited for them to finish cooking. An hour passes and no one said a word, I stared at the rat meat. They were almost done so I looked back at the humans and broke the silence, "What are your names?" The humans stared at me surprised about this question.

"I'm Gerald and this is my sister Lena." He said.

So they are siblings, and not a couple. Thankfully I didn't ask any questions regarding that.

"What is your name?" Lena asks me breaking my train of thought. I stared at her and smiled weakly.

"Its hard to take in for human tongue but the closest name in your language that can match my name is. . . Bartholomew." I responded.

Bartholomew. What a name for the last Zeno in the universe, I can't go back now. I was worried they were going to ask me about my name in my native tongue but luckily they didn't press on that matter and changed the subject.

"Are the rats ready?" Gerald asks. I looked back at the rats and nodded, "Ready as they can be." I grabbed some wooden stakes and put them in both rat meats. "Sorry I don't have any silver wear here, so this will have to do." I can tell they don't care when they dug into the rat meat. I waited patiently for them to finish eating. I can hear the storm weakening but its still strong enough that it won't be safe for the two humans to leave. "So how did you learn to speak English Bartholomew?" Lena asks.

I told her that when I was little I learned English when we were observing humanity throughout the years and figured out how the human language worked. This given them discomfort that all along my race was watching them before our invasion, but Lena and Gerald didn't want to continue on that subject so we fell silent once again. Its weird talking to humans, I wasn't always a talkative person to begin with but at least I talked to my friends during initiation. I stood up and headed over to the door, the storm died down a lot but a dense fog took its place.

"We better go." Lena said peeking under my arm, I never realized I was a good two feet taller than them. Gerald squeezes past me with revolver at hand. "Yes we better go. Wouldn't want to worry our settlement any longer than it is." He said.

I went over grabbed my rifle and put up my hood, "Then I'm coming with you, you two won't last through the fog. Many creatures thrive in the fog, all of them lethal." Gerald was about to protest but I continued, "You have no say in this human, your revolver isn't enough to take on these creatures. I'll protect you to the other side of the fog and then we will part ways." Gerald sighs at my response but doesn't say anything. I was the last to exit my house, shutting the door behind me.

The fog is very dense this time, not a problem for me because of my enhanced eyes but I worry for the humans that are sticking close to me. I fear they can only see as far as their arm span. My ears twitched as I start hearing the sounds of the creatures that lurk in this fog, passive but I can't help it if I heard sounds of a warning call, a sound I'm all familiar with. "Brutes. . ." I muttered.

"Brutes?" Lena asked. I simply nodded as I looked up at the sky.

"To you they were called Buffalo, after your missile strike, the Buffalo mutated into what we called Brutes due to their hardened skin and thick horns. The sun is their main enemy seconding with humans. The constant storms here are their umbrellas and the fog is their hunting grounds." I said bitterly.

And with that, Lena remained silent most likely afraid now. As if she wasn't already. Gerald was pretty quiet so I looked over to see him staring at a Brute head on. His face was paler than the fog, but the Brute didn't do anything at first. Then it knocked Gerald down with a charge, I raised my rifle and fired at the Brute. It went down in seconds but not after letting out a call for help. I got Gerald up on his feet giving him a worried look but he raised his hand to tell me he is fine. I don't have anytime to argue as I see a herd of Brutes rushing at our location.

"Run!" I yelled, the two humans were already bolting away. I followed suit firing a couple more shots at the Brutes to keep their distance. I caught up with Gerald and Lena and picked them up and started using all of my remaining energy to get out of the fog. I heard the snarling and the roars of the Brutes behind me, even with my enhanced strength I can't outrun these beasts. I break through the fog holding Gerald and Lena tightly, I stop after five steps out of the fog and turned around. One of the Brutes couldn't stop in time and went out of the fog and almost instantly the sun incinerated the Brute. I put the humans down and sat down exhausted, I expended all of my energy running out of the fog.

"Thank you so much Bartholomew, for your help." Lena said, I looked up at her. She still showed signs of fear but she couldn't help smile for all of the help I did for them. Then she said the unthinkable.

"You should come with us." 

I stared at her in awe, come with them back to their settlement. At first I was excited and all but when I think about it, this could put these two humans in danger of their own people. I shook my head, "No thank you, I rather not turn your own people against you with my appearance." Lena stared at me disappointed but I'm sure she understands the position she will be putting herself in. Gerald was a good yard away from us patiently waiting for Lena. I turned around and walked away without another word.