Chapter 11 Peace Be Unto You

Purple lightning claps and rumbling thunder echoed zarda's mind. Fluffy clouds of light pinks, whites, and baby blues covered every inch of his view. Twinkling orbs flickered and danced between the puffs. Zarda was no longer in pain from the terrible scientist. He sensed the creator close.

"Am I dead, master? Did Hopkins actually break me like she promised?" He asked.

The creator chuckled at the thoughts.

"No. You are resting here from all the torture. I know it seems cruel that I've allowed you to endure those tests, but how else will you become stronger? How will others not see you overcome, and claim it has to be the mighty one who keeps you alive? How else will they see I give you strength? Man will fear when they see you come out unbothered. You are strong, zarda. Don't give up on me. I'm still here." Replied Elohim.

Zarda relaxed everything, his mind, his body, and his heart. His eyes closed shut, his thoughts went silent for the first time ever. Zarda felt the rhythm of his heart beats. They were perfectly in sync, orchestrating its own symphony. He dwelled in the peace that swallowed him. Soon, his time in the float ,as he calls it, was coming to an end. His body was slowly cooling down into an icy chill. He could sense his body slipping back into reality. A bitter cold rush covered him and zarda began to wake. He was shivering and solid stiff. He opened his eyes and looked up at Kendrick holding him firmly, then over to nicholson who had the end of the barrel of his gun aimed at zarda's temple. His first reaction was to attack, but the reminder of the creator's conversation. It prevented him from reacting. Along with a familiar kind, innocent voice. He was deterred from his animalistic instincts.

"Zarda I'm so sorry. Pull him out, please. Hurry. Hold him up, while I towel him down." Instructed delilah.

She had a warm black towel ready for him to wrap up with. The soldiers steadied him under their weight. His feet were touching the ground, but he couldn't feel its hard surface. His legs had gone numb of all feeling. The large warm towel that wrapped around his midsection was comforting. He relaxed his breathing and exhaled deeply. Delilah tucked it in and grabbed for his clothes. She realized the shirt was destroyed from hopkins. It was a bloody-torn rag now. She was able to help slip up zarda's pants and tie them easily. The socks hopkins had given zarda on day one, were also laying nearby. She reached for them to place back on his feet pads, but they were dirty and had holes ripped at the end. Delilah tossed them in the trash, along with his shirt.

Zarda's sense of touch was returning to him. His body ached in pain all over. His feet hurt the worst. When the blood vessels warmed up, it sent the sensation of tiny needles stabbing all at once. It lasted for at least a good ten to fifteen seconds before fading away. He shook out one leg at a time. His face was calm, his thoughts were peaceful. Zarda understood the creator, he embodied the power that was spoken of.

"Righteousness, is the greatest weapon of all. It's favorable to be in control, of one's self while chaos around us is not. That power brings more fear into the minds of enemies and glory to the master, from the praises of those who watch in awe." Thought zarda.

He smiled down at delilah and decided to make those who stood near become puzzled. Soldier nicholson lowered his gun and watched, in wonderment, at a tortured beast respond calmly and joyful. Soldier nicholson knew he was not in danger. The only danger he could ever be in, was in the presence of scientist Hopkins. She was mad and out of control.

"You are truly a remarkable beast. Do you not hurt? Do you not want to take out your vengeance? A beast like you could kill both of us soldiers and then some." Said nicholson.

Zarda was happy his chose to remain serene. He praised his master in his mind and heart.

"I'm okay. I'm alive and that makes me happy." Replied zarda.

Delilah wrapped her slender arms around his neck and mane. Soldier's nicholson and kendrick looked at each other wide-eyed. Feeling awkward and uncomfortable, the two of them left the room. Leaving zarda and delilah alone staring into each other's eyes.

"Weird, that's a first. A human in love with a hybrid. Not to mention that lion terrifies me. For several reasons, other than the fact, he's a man eater. What baffles me is you would think his natural reaction, to being tortured like he was, would be to hurt them back, but his demeanor was peaceful. The thought makes me shudder deep down. Someone that calm, is the deadliest individual on earth, if you cross them." Said nicholson.

"How so?" Asked kendrick.

Nicholson looked shocked at his soldier brother for even asking why.

Because of the silent, calm ones, you never see it coming, as they attack. And because they are so relaxed, they have calculated well assessed plans. I wouldn't jack with them." He replied.

Both soldiers nodded their heads in agreement and chuckled softly under their breath. Zarda looked down upon delilah's beautiful face.

"I'm glad you stayed behind. You've become dear to my heart. I have something for you, but it's back at my cage. Do you think we can go together without us getting caught?" Asked zarda.

Delilah smiled back up at him, nodding her head yes.

"The scientists have gone for the day, including hopkins. I think you wore her out. She looked absolutely miserable. So, yes I would love nothing more to remain with you. I don't think we will have any problems with the soldiers outside the door." She replied.

Just then, a squeaky sobbing voice echoed down the hall. Zarda and delilah moved closer to peer out. It was soldier erickson being escorted out of the facility.

"Please, I swear the lion and the bear attacked me. I didn't fall off the ladder. He's got my badge, I didn't lose it, I swear." He cried.

Soldier erickson happened to look over his left shoulder and see zarda watching.

"Wait. Stop! There he is. He has it, I know it. Search the beasts. He stole it from me earlier today." Shouted erickson.

Soldier's Ramses and conrad pivoted towards zarda staring out of the room. They approached cautiously, dragging erickson in hand. They had heard the rumors and wanted no trouble from him. Erickson cowardly shrunk in their grasp as zarda towered over all three. Soldier nicholson and kendrick watched the show nearby on the far wall.

"Okay, lion, do you have soldier erickson's badge?" Questioned ramses.

Zarda didn't speak, he simply shook his head no.

He stepped out of the door frame and spun around for them to look at his body. He had no pockets and no shirt or socks on. The only thing he had on were his pants and the fresh new sets of scars he fashioned on his chest.

"Do you care to check down my pants. I promise the bulge is all me." Zarda said with a soft chuckle.

Soldier nicholson and kendrick laughed at his comment. They knew the lion didn't have what erickson accused him of. So they stepped in to intervene.

"Listen, boys, we just finished pulling him from an ice bath test. Trust us, if he had a badge, we would have confiscated it. Leave him alone. Soldier erickson just shut the hell up already. Man up and realize you're leaving." Said nicholson.

"Bye bye now, it was nice knowing you." Said kendrick.

Zarda had to say it one last time, he couldn't resist the urge.

"Goodbye, piss pants. I'm going to miss our lovely visits together." Zarda said, laughing harder this time.

Everyone else joined in with snickering at the soldier's new nickname.

"I hate you so much. Why are you lying to them. I know you have my badge. You guys don't believe me. He still has it. I'm positive on that. It must be back in the cage." He replied.

"No, it's not soldier. We checked everything, when we found you passed out under the ladder, Which by the way, we had to do your job taking care of the sheets. Anyway, the hyena let us in to search. All that was in the cage was hay bedding and urine, which now we know who that belonged to, Mr piss pants." Replied conrad laughing.

Zarda laughed harder when he realized the soldiers had mistaken, his early morning pee, for the soldier's. All because of his nickname zarda had given originally.

"Well done." Zarda said to himself.

"Enough of this crap, Erickson. You're wasting our time. Let's go!" Said ramses.

Soldier's ramses and conrad drug erickson away, still screaming his innocence. Zarda in a way felt guilty. He had taken the soldier's badge, but he left it in the hay back in his cage. If the soldiers claimed it wasn't there, then where did it go?

Laughter was soon turned into worry about Zarda. If it was lost, all that work to take it was vain. He needed to return to the bunker immediately.