B: Evolution - Part Two

"You know these rats they live in tribes." Peter said.

"What makes you say that?" Graham asked.

"Well I've spent many hours watching them. See that one over there: the
big one with evil looking eyes?"

Peter pointed to an old gnarled tree, underneath was the rat he was
referring to. It was about the size of a rugby ball, a fat ugly
malevalent looking thing. It rummaged through a Macdonalds paper bag
someone had discarded, pulling out a half eaten hamburger with it's
teeth.

"Yeah I see it."

"Watch what happens in a minute. You see he's a member of a tribe, I
call the twisters. But he's alone, the rest of his tribe are
elsewhere."

Graham watched as the rat munched on the discarded hamburger. It
seemed to know it was an abnormally big rat; and in this knowledge held
itself proudly, rather arrogantly, perhaps too arrogantly..

Graham saw something scurrying to the rat's left, then its right,
disappearing into the bushes. The big rat paused for a moment, and
sniffed the air about it. Sensing something..

"He's huge that rat, maybe that's why he's brave enough to wander off
alone. But he don't seem to have much intelligence." Peter
commented.

Suddenly - coming from different directions ten rats emerged from
their cover and ambushed the big rat. Graham had never seen rats fight
before; and it wasn't a particularly pleasant thing to watch.

The big rat fought well, fighting off about four of his attackers. But
he didn't have a chance against so many. He was outnumbered and quickly
overwhwelmed by the rest.

Graham watched in horror as they ripped him apart. So savage and cold,
no mercy, no pity, just total brutality.

The rats dissapeared as quickly as they'd arrived leaving behind them
an ugly ripped up corpse. Graham felt goosepimples on the back of his
neck.

"See, he was in their territory, and he had no business being there.
They left his corpse as a warning to the rest of the twisters. There is
a war going on right here in this park. These two tribes of rats have
been fighting each other for this park since I can remember. Crazy
huh?"

"Its fucked up, is what it is." Graham said.

"No more fucked up than our silly wars for land. A flaw within natures
instinct for survival I guess."

"But what about peace and love, divinity, surely nature isn't just
about survival?"

"Nowhere in my study of nature have I seen an expression of peace and
love. Only biological entities that have evolved for the strict purpose
of survival. Earth is a place where things devour one another and live
in fear of one another. Species constantly adapting in order to become
the ultimate survival machine. It's called evolution."

Graham stared bleakly at the mutilated body of the dead rat.

"Come on I will buy you a coffee." Pete said.

-End of Part Two-