Chapter 35

"That’s another problematic area with your human race," muttered Per behind her,

"if they don’t understand you, they are inclined to blow you away."

Sam wondered what to say. Christ, did she have to apologize for her entire race now?

"He thought you were going to hurt me. He was trying to be my hero." she explained inadequately, walking over to his side.

"What about you, Samantha," Per asked as he got to his feet. "Do you think I am going to harm you?"

Sam didn’t need time to think about the correct answer. She knew it instinctively. "No," she said simply.

"Good." said Per as he stood in front of a mirror looking his head over.

"How’d you do that?" Sam, still having a difficult time assimilating everything, couldn’t stand it. She had to ask.

"What can I say? It’s a knack - you either have it or you don’t," joked Per. But when he caught sight of Sam’s solemn expression reflected over his shoulder in the mirror, he became serious.

"Our molecular makeup is different than yours," he explained. "We have always had a moderately limited ability to self - repair some forms of damaged tissues."

"Some knack," mumbled Sam It took a bit of effort, but she finally managed to do a makeshift repair job on the broken parlor window by tacking up a trash bag on the inside. Not very attractive, but it kept the rain out.

er, claiming to have a small headache (no shit, thought Sam), had gone out to the porch for a few minutes to take some fresh air. The elements, such as rain, didn’t seem to bother him at all.

Having done all she could with the damaged window for now, Sam made for the kitchen, deciding she needed a strong cup of tea.

She was just marveling at how steady the full mug was in her hands, when she felt him standing in the doorway. Turning slowly, she looked into his grave face.

"Why do I have the feeling you haven’t told me everything yet?" she asked with dread in her voice.

"Have a seat, Samantha," Per said emphatically, pointing to the kitchen table.

Almost against her will, Sam obeyed. Instinctively, she knew she didn’t want to hear what was coming next.

Minutes later, Sam huddled in the kitchen chair, gripping her drawn up knees for comfort. She was having a difficult time comprehending what Per was saying. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, trying to pay better attention. What was he talking about now? Extermination?

"So you see, Samantha," Per was saying, " in the end, there is nothing any of you can do to alter what will happen. It is inevitable."

It was impossible for her to stay still any longer. She got to her feet and wandered out of the kitchen, down the foyer and back into the parlor. Silently, Per followed close behind. Sam stopped at a low mahogany table picking up a silver framed photograph of her parents. The picture had been taken years ago on one of their holidays to the Caribbean. They were both wearing large, ridiculous straw hats which cast half their faces in shadow. Despite that, though, the happy smiles on both of their faces couldn’t be hidden. They looked so naive.

"I’m sorry ......., " Sam stammered, "I am having a very hard time understanding all of this."

Per sighed heavily. Once again, he regretted Sam having discovered who he was.

If she hadn’t, it would have made everything much more simplistic for him.

Patiently, he tried to find the words that would help her to understand what was about to happen.

"The decision has been made to close the Zoo down," he said bluntly. "The human experiment has been determined a miserable failure. I am to witness the final Event. After it is done, I am to report back to the Assembly."

"Why?" was all that Sam could get out.

"The human race has not turned out as we had wished. It has evolved into a warrior breed who systematically tortures, kills and murders one another." Per paused than continued, "The horror has gone on for far too long, Sam. Human kind is incapable of changing. The decision has been made and there is nothing to be done that will alter that judgment."

Feeling as if she were in a daze, Sam looked down at the photo of her parents still in her hand. How pleased and contented they looked in it. Could they have possibly ever imagined such a day as this happening in the almost perfect world they had created together so filled with family love and happiness? Her parents were good people. Why is it, she thought suddenly angry, that people like my parents are to be punished?

She looked at Per and asked him that very question. "Why do the good people in the world have to suffer for what they are not responsible for? I have to believe that this planet is filled more with caring, humane people than the kind you are talking about." When Per didn’t immediately respond, she finished plaintively, "You average global citizen doesn’t climb onto his roof and snipe at the neighbors, for Christ’s sake."

"No, they don’t," Per willingly agreed. "However Samantha, what they do is just as obscene ....... perhaps even more so."

At Sam’s puzzled expression he continued speaking. "For they do nothing.

Absolutely nothing at all. You’re so called average global citizen, Samantha, stands complacently by while all of this ongoing carnage takes place ..........

and they never try to do anything about it. Throughout your centuries only a bare handful of people have tried to stand in the way of the injustices that have been consistently perpetuated onto the masses ........ by their own kind."

When Per continued speaking, his voice was uncharacteristically laced with sarcasm.

"The one you call your ‘average citizen’ rarely ever raises even so much as a voice in protest."

"What you must understand, Samantha, is that to my race, there is no difference between the perpetrator who actually commits the evil act and the person who does nothing to try to stop it. In our eyes, they are one and the same."

"But surely there must be something we can do to stop this!" cried Sam frantically. "You make it sound as if there is no hope at all."

In the stillness, their eyes locked across the expanse of the room.

"There is no hope," He replied curtly. "The end will come."

"How will it happen?" asked Sam

"It will be merciful and swift. I can promise you that," stated Per as he started to turn away from her.

"You bastard," screeched Sam, suddenly lunging forward and beating Per’s back with her fists doubled in rage. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Slowly, Per turned back to face Sam. He stood in front of her silently, not even attempting to fend off her furious blows. His face was still as a mask as he waited calmly for her frenzy to come to an end. Finally, exhausted, Sam fell sobbing to the floor.

It was only then, after she had quieted, that Per answered her question.

"As you said, Samantha. I am one of your Zoo keepers."