25 Marks Standpoin (1/2)

”If you are sure that the TechZone is now filled with zombies, then what happened to those people who weren't bitten? If you told them what you knew then… Then…”

”Joseph, stop it.”

Bernard patted his son's shoulder.

Still, no one blamed him for asking such a question as everyone here understood his point. From what Paula said, Mark instructed the two employees to save a few people without telling why. It just meant that he had no plan of helping them. He abandoned them to die.

Everyone looked at Mark though it's not like that he would actually answer it.

But to their surprise, Mark answered frankly and nonchalantly.

”Why should I?”

”You! Don't you even care about the lives of other people?”

Joseph was agitated, especially with how Mark behaved when he answered. They are talking about lives of people here and not just one but many. Joseph was so agitated that he almost stood up but he was held down by his father.

”Could you say you're reasons? I don't question what you did or your decisions but I want to know why.”

Surprisingly, it was the silent Calvin who asked that. It seemed that Marks attitude and stance here made him curious.

”Fine.”

Mark sighed.

”First things first…” Mark seriously looked at Joseph.

”You are mistaking who is the victim here... It is not them who are abandoned but we are.”

Joseph was shaken and Mark continued.

”Those people, no, idiots was helped by those employees. They were directed to a safer place. They, who only knew how to run, scream like crazies and ask for help even though they never even tried to help themselves. They even had the guts to turn on the people who helped them. Because of them, we were locked out, we needed to fight, we were constantly in danger and we made it here alive with great difficulty.

Though, I don't mean it a bad way, think about it. What would have happened to these people if I wasn't there with them?”

Mark looked to his left and right, the group people he helped and saved.

He pushed everyone into thinking. What would have happened if he was not there?

Fernan and his cousins might have been able to escape but they would need to leave the precious food they found. Then, they might have been able to enter the TechZone before it closed but with what happened inside, their ending would be unknown.

Paula and Ange might have been able to save Sariya but Reyah, her mother, would become the sacrifice for their escape. And even if the two managed to run away, they wouldn't be able to enter the TechZone at all and that is a hundred percent sure to happen. Then, their future is bleak from that point. During their escape, they relied on Mark and his weapons. If he was not there, it is likely that they would not be able to reach the cinema on their own.

Everything was because he was there. If he wasn't there then…

They shivered as they thought of the possibilities left for them.

Looking at their bitter reactions, Mark continued.

”Those people inside abandoned those who were outside for dead. So tell me. Why should I save them? Are they worth it? Actually, if not for those two who waited for us despite the threat they are facing, I won't really bother giving them those instructions at all.”

”After all… I'm not a Saint.

And I'm not a hero either. Though you guys can say I had a screw loose, I'm an average person for the most part.

One of the things I am good at is remembering and repaying favors. The way I treated them would just be my repayment the favor they gave us. They pushed us to danger that can potentially kill us so paying with their lives for their unreasonable actions, is a good trade-off don't you think?”

Joseph already grew silent.

”Also… What if they did not locked us out? Do you think I won't tell them the potential danger? Of course I will tell them because we would also be in danger but that isn't what happened. They just paid for their own actions.

It's that simple.”

Everyone is silent and Joseph can't counter any of what he said. Everyone is contemplating about what Mark said.

Though what he did is morally wrong in a human standpoint, what those people did isn't morally right either. No one can be blamed rightfully. The first person to blame would be the wrong one.

They looked at Joseph who now hung his head down.

”Though, frankly, we should thank those people.”

Mark patted Mei's head who is now hatefully glaring at Joseph, making her calm down. Joseph even felt her piercing stare. Though her fear of them is still visible as she hid behind Mark, her anger can't be concealed either.

At first, they were confused why they should thank those people but they immediately realized what he meant as Mark patted Mei's head.

If those people did not lock them out, what would have happened to Mei then?

Thought the three cleaners don't totally know what exactly happened to Mei but they knew that she was saved after their group was locked out so they also understood what Mark meant.

Joseph felt down. He knew he wasn't thinking carefully when he blurted those all out. He also wasn't in the position to question him in the first place. While Mark was fighting for survival below, he was here shivering in fear not even wanting to step and face those scary creatures.

On the contrary, Calvin now had a refreshing smirk as he looked at Mark. He found Mark's reasoning interesting.

Bernard patted his son's back comforting him before he looked back at Mark and spoke.