The Battle of Rabid Earth

11

'Let love and compassion

reign over

the modern human civilization

and hatred be a matter

of ancient

history.'

~ Abhijit Naskar

••••••••••

Hard tree bark is pressed against my hand as my body leans into the oak tree next to me. I can hear the conversation between Rosie and Dad falling deeper into seriousness. My mind trails off, not giving a second thought to listen.

Then I hear a scream.

My attention snaps to the nearby men, training by the water.

My eyes twitch, as my head pulls them away from the scene.

Blood.

I can't bring myself to look back, not wanting to relive something I never should've lived in the first place.

"James wait!" I hear Rosie's voice call for dad. This makes me instinctively look up, watching as he runs towards the man who's cradling his bloody leg into his torso.

That's when I remember.

Yes, he is my father,

But he has a duty as a doctor, to always understand the priorities in a time of emergency.

I place my hand on Rosie's shoulder, nodding to give her a sense of reassurance. "This is what he was made to do."

Her face falls as realization hits her. "You're right." She looks to me, a smile now plastered on her face. "He's a natural really."

So we stand there, watching as he wraps a nearby towel around the man's leg, which was dripping a red substance I never wanted to see so much of again.

"You know, it might be good to have a doctor at the end of the world." I hear a  familiar voice behind me, this time, sending chills throughout my body.

I turn to meet eye to eye with Syrus.

My mouth forms a small indifferent smile. "Yeah, and he's kind of a vet too." I laugh, trying to ease the tension between myself and no one.

I think I trust him.

I hope I can.

But Echo's words continue bouncing through my mind.

"There is a camp ground about an hour away that could use some help with both, humans and animals." I look to Syrus, studying his face as he stares beyond me, to my dad. "They got hit by a stampede, wounding a lot of humans and their dogs as well."

My eyes widened, taking in the visuals from his words.

I find myself worrying, about just how bad it must be there, or how terrifying it must've been for them to hear the pounding hooves drumming against the ground, just before they-