Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Mechanical Affection ❯ Chapter 20 ( Chapter 20 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: HeavenlyHorror 
All things must come to an end... Maybe two ends.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Post-apocalyptic / Horror / Comedy | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 07.24.2013 | Pages: 1 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 157 | Status: Work In Progress
All things must come to an end... Maybe two ends.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Post-apocalyptic / Horror / Comedy | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 07.24.2013 | Pages: 1 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 157 | Status: Work In Progress
Mechanical Affection- Chapter 20
I feel like… I’d forgotten something very important… But no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t remember what it was. I’d… Blanked out… Now I was here. What was the world coming too when legions of the undead were being hulled up like prisoners? They could have just shot us, you know, and saved everyone the trouble of housekeeping.
I turned to the wall and stared at it unhappily, expecting it to do something for me. It wasn’t very accommodating, was it? I shuffled in a little closer and it stood fast. I wanted it to do something… Anything. But it simply refused. I leaned forward and hit my head against it. When I turned my head and did it again, there was a metallic clink and I could feel the noise under my skin… That was nice. Clinkity clank. That’s the sound my head makes… Huh? I pulled away from the concrete and looked towards the metal bars. I could feel a breather nearby, but couldn’t see him (or her).
I turned a bit closer and opened my mouth, my chest sagged a little and I gave some kind of a sigh. I was so hungry. I didn’t even remember what eating felt like anymore, but I ached for it. Stingy god damn bastards. Feed me!
I jerked a little as light shot off the metal in front of my face. My erratic hearing caught the beginning of a sharp crack before the sound cut. I hissed as ferociously as possible. Fuck you! What the hell had I done to deserve that… Whatever that was. I didn’t like it! Asshole. A light flicked on and shined in my eyes, the breather spoke but it was utter nonsense as far as I could tell. So I did my best impression of ‘say that to my face’ which, surprisingly, resulted in the door opening up. On second thought… He could not say it to my face and we’d call it even… You know considering the menacing looking device in his hand that he had aimed directly at me. It wasn’t a gun, but it didn’t look very friendly either.
You stay the hell away from me.
I tried my best to look dangerous and growled. And, wow, my growl must have been something fierce because the ground trembled under my feet and the guy darted back out the cage. Oh yeah, you better run! I rushed the door and slammed into the fence, but the breather was long gone. Sure scared the piss out of him… Probably.
I looked down the hall, but there were only really a few slivers of light to see by. I think the windows were boarded up. Somewhere far away, there was the muffled sounds of yelling. No screams, unfortunately. Sounded angry. A few breathers came through the hall and rushed by without so much as slowing down for a look at me. I wondered where they were off to in such a hurry that they couldn’t stick around for a bit. Even if they were assholes… It was pretty lonely… Er, boring in here.
The yelling died down and I lost hope of anything of interest happening. I was just about to back off to reacquaint myself with the wall when something small, warm, and decidedly invisible began to bark at me from the other side of the fencing. I didn’t know rats barked… If it got close enough maybe I could eat it. I tried to stoop down and grab it but it ran away… Damn. So much for a last meal. Wait! It came back and barked some more. I grabbed again… Nothing. It was gone again. Hold still for fuck’s sake! I tried a third time when it came back and only realized after it left that it was odd for it to keep coming back. I shuffled around the small cage. Nothing of interest here… Then why?
I went to the front and looked out again, but couldn’t see anything.
I’d returned to a corner, my face in the wall, when I heard something creaking. Dumbly, I looked down as if I could be making the noise even though I was standing still. Then I turned in place until a glow in the hallway drew me forward. The sun! I pressed up against the metal and I swear I could almost feel the heat of it. I groaned and tried to get closer and was surprised when the heat blocked the light away. That didn’t seem right. I stared. Someone was there, in front of me, more than one somebody actually, but one of them was cool skinned. I looked at his face and felt elated, like I really had just stepped into the sun… Matt. That was his name. I didn’t know who he was, but his name was Matt and he knew me!
“Mitch!” The door rattled before suddenly I was free! Something small brushed against my legs and, instead of a warm body, I felt the cool one lean into me. I groaned, happy to have company no matter the temperature.
What the hell took you so long?
Something warm touched my face and I turned instinctively to bite onto it. My teeth glided over something hard and smooth, but I could feel the warmth radiating under it and continued to mouth eagerly at it. I was so goddamn hungry! I chewed until my head was grabbed and I was forced to look at Matt, “You’re okay…” I remember you… Not memories, but I remember. Like déjà vu, “We’ve got to get you out of here.” Wasn’t that the truth?
The zombie with us a push and grunted, “They’re coming!” Who was they again? I looked past them and Matt looked back. Then he was gone from my side and down the hall. Gate by gate, he threw pulled the doors open. Was he fuckin’ nuts?! Christ on a cracker, they aren’t that important, leave them! But he just kept letting them out, more and more and running so fast I couldn’t keep up with my eyes… The world exploded with noise.
I backed up until my wrist was grabbed and I was dragged around. I staggered after Matt as fast as I could, watching behind us as the one he’d come with… The half-faced, ran into all sorts of things like he was blind and the growing hoard fell over the obstacles in the droves. I let out a strangled grunt as Matt yanked me down a hall sharply and then again and again until I ran face first into his back and we nearly toppled over. Could have at least warned me…
What was the hold up? I looked over his shoulder. Was that the ‘they’ he was talking about?
Matt yelled at them and I looked back. Uh… We had company. I pushed up against him. We should really be going. Didn’t look like half-face could hold them off too long, there were… I dunno, fuck, like a million of them. I wasn’t particularly afraid of them, but I’m pretty sure they’d make short work of my personal body heater over here.
A crack blindsided me, vision going black and instant as I turned towards Matt. When had he gotten a gun? And when had he learned to use it? I stared at the body on the ground. Nice shot! The pistol cracked again and the second guy went down. The path was clear and, while I was sorely tempted to stop for a snack, I was dragged on by. When I looked back… The hallway was empty… Hadn’t there been a third member to this party? And I didn’t mean the ratty looking thing that was keeping close at our feet.
“Almost there.” He stopped, “Where’s New York?” The city? Fuck if I know. We can ask for directions later.
Matt pushed me back and looked where we’d come from. I turned to where we were headed. We’d stopped in an intersection of sorts and I felt uneasy... Which was odd, considering I generally love an extra heat source or two, but Matt seemed oblivious. I started a bit down towards the… Uh… Whatever, one of the hallways to investigate when a guy with a gun pointed my direction stepped into view. I was far enough away that I might be able to get away with not having my brains splattered, but I’d come pretty close if I wasn’t careful.
I heard shouting from behind and stumbled back as I tipped my head back to look. Matt had his gun drawn too… The world seemed slow… Their yelling was muddled as I bumped into the wall, just staring at Matt. It seemed too long a time for what happened, then time skipped past the important parts and my head spun. There was a terrible wailing in my ears and more gunfire than I could count. I looked down at myself in confusion. I was being shot! Son of a-!
Matt? I looked at where he’d been standing. He wasn’t standing there anymore. He was on the ground, heat radiating from his crumpled form. Matt?
My shoulder jerked as I was hit again and I turned. The growl in my throat gurgled as I stared the fucker down. He’d just fucked around with the wrong zombie.
Faster than I could see it go by, I was at the end of the hallway and my mouth on his arm. Shots rang off near my head, but the bullets zipped through the air uselessly some other direction than the owner intended. I shook my head, teeth sheering messily through the flesh and grazing off the solid bone. I didn’t stop to consume it though, the bits of meat falling from my mouth before I latched back on to tear out another chunk. After taking a few fingers off, the arm moved out of the way at last and I went for the jugular, literally. My blunt teeth clamped down on his throat and I chewed the pulsing warmth in front of my face. Then I pulled back for his face… Except he didn’t have one… The body dropped to the floor. Wait… What?
I could have sworn he’d had a head when I grabbed onto him.
ENDING: VERSION #1 (warning: anticlimactic happy ending)
I turned in a circle and stopped when my eyes found Matt. He coughed as he stuffed his gun back in his pants, the black dog running circle around him like a maniac. That seemed like a dangerous place to put that gun considering the damage it had done to that breather’s head. But I didn’t say as much as he groaned and got to his feet. I moved in close and he used my shirt to help pull himself to his feet. He swayed on his feet and grimaced as he leaned in, “Fuckin’ hurt.” What did? I’d forgotten what we were doing.
Giving me a pull and a shove, I staggered back into motion, nearly tripping over the dog. Moving at a pace just fast enough not to get caught by the hoard shoving its way through the halls behind us, Matt navigated the maze of hallways. Seriously, why were there so many halls? And why was it every door we tried was locked? Damned inconvenient, but Matt seemed to be recovery from whatever was slowing him down because each step seemed faster than the last.
Finally, one of the doors he tried opened. Sunlight blared down on us and I sighed at the heat of it. Freedom! I closed my eyes and tipped my head towards the sun. I would have been happy to stay there forever, but Matt had other plans. Hissing something, probably nothing endearing, he gave me another push as he rushed me across the street.
Despite being uplifted by joining up with Matt, I wasn’t too keen on meeting his friends... And for good reason. Jerking to a stop, I found something being slapped on my face and a strap being secured around my head… Muzzled. I glared at Matt. I can’t believe he didn’t trust me…
I groaned unhappily as we approached a group of breathers. They seemed pretty glad to see me though. A little one thrust himself on me and attached to my leg like an overgrown parasite. Uh… Hi? I looked down at him but when he spoke, I still didn’t understand. Then someone touched my shoulder. I looked up at the smiling face of a girl, “Glad you’re safe.” I was pretty happy about that myself.
“Let’s get you home.” That was Matt… And home sounded… Nice.
Ducking around a corner, yes the leech still attached at my hip, I spotted a bright yellow hummer. Damn it I missed cars! I started for the engine as it roared and then settled to a humble purr, but something pulled at my chest and I was redirected into the vehicle instead. Not exactly the best part of the car… But nestled between two warm bodies, a third on my lap, and another at my feet… It certainly wasn’t a terrible place to be.
Breathers weren’t so bad… I guess.
The drive was mind-numbingly delightful, the jarring bumps putting me into a daze surrounded by the warmth of the other passengers. I was sorry it ended, especially when everyone filed out of the car and I was left alone with Matt. He was great and all, but I’d have liked him to be hotter… Physically. Err… Literally.
Scooting off my lap, he sat in the seat next to me quietly. He leaned against the door a bit, staring at nothing, so I did the same. The woods were getting darker, the sun’s rays a darker orange. Hopefully the night wouldn’t be cold.
His hand found mine between us and he held onto it, “I… Thought I’d lost you… Again.” Again? He needed to keep better tabs, I can’t be that hard to look after, “This time… I promise, I’ll never leave your side.” He looked at me and smiled. It was a really nice smile. Like… Awesome, “No matter what… I love you, we’re in this together.” He squeezed my hand before he let me go to hold my face in both hands. Leaning in, he placed a warm kissing on my forehead.
It’s a promise then… No matter what.
End…
ENDING: VERSION #2 (warning: sad(?) ending)
I glanced down the hall just in time to see half-face take down a breather a little ways off. I might’ve helped but… “Mitch…” Matt was hurt and- Oh fuck! I hurried down the hall as fast as my stiff legs could take me. I’d conveniently forgotten the masses of hungry mouths after us, or rather the breather who was painting the wall with his blood. Pretty as it was, we didn’t have time for that!
Come on, get up! I stood over him and he shook as he slid back down the wall. Get up! The animal that had been following, a little black dog, barked at him. I think we wanted the same thing, to get out of here with this breather still breathing.
Matt… Get your scrawny ass up! I shuffled in closer as he collapsed again. Come on, man! It’s a gunshot wound, I’ve got like… Twenty of them or somethin’! You’re not trying hard enough!
I grumbled anxiously as the hallway started to crowd. We were running out of options real fast.
Grab onto me! I kicked him a bit. In a few seconds, a bullet would be the least of his worries.
Finally, he pulled himself up, using my clothes to climb on and leaned up against me. He threw his arm out and grunted. Now he was speaking my language. I shambled towards the end of the hall awkwardly, turned when he pushed me, and a few moments later, we were outside and the door slammed behind us.
I feel like we made it a whopping two feet before he was on the ground again. Seriously, wasn’t he overplaying this a little much? Though… He was leaving a nice little trail behind us. Lucky for us, that door had a handle, it would take ages for anyone to figure out one of those damn things.
A couple breathers made a run at us but a short growl their way had them stopped in their tracks. They’d better back off… I growled a little more, ignoring the indecipherable noise from Matt until they moved on. Then I stood by, waiting for Matt to get up again. I waited until the sun was low… Then he started moving again and I followed as he crawled to the nearest building and opened up the door. He collapsed on the stairs… For the best, I suppose. I don’t think I remembered how to get up them without falling all over myself.
“Toto… Hey girl…” The dog rested its head on his chest and he pet it, her, “You’re… A good girl…” What about me? I moved in a little closer. Matt sounded tired and I could feel his body chilling. It wasn’t so cold out, but… There was a lot of blood that I’m pretty sure was supposed to be inside him.
“Mitch…” Yeah? “I think… I’m dying.” I think you are too. But that’s not so bad. Living is highly overrated… It was probably a good think he couldn’t understand me. I kinda suck at being comforting. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the ground. I tried to catch myself but ended up lying flat on top of him anyway. When he touched my face, his fingers felt cool but- A turn of my head and my teeth clamped down on his arm. I didn’t think they’d actually sink in! “Ow, fuck!” He shoved me back with more vigor than I thought someone dying would have, “What the fuck, Mitch?!” I stared at him as he cradled his arm… Uh… I didn’t think you’d be needing it anymore?
He touched his gut and groaned as he remembered he had been shot. Then he lay back on the stairs. I crept in and he didn’t push me as I settled in next to him to rub my face against his bloody torso. Instead, he placed a hand and pet me. Wasn’t that nice?
“I’m… Scared.” Don’t sweat it, it won’t hurt… Probably. My teeth found him again and he smacked me pretty hard. Goddamn, sorry. I recoiled, “Stop biting me!” I can’t help it! What did he want me to do? Leave him to just rot? I didn’t intend on eating him all the way… I’d be lonely… I wanted him to stay.
I got up and paced the stairwell with the dog, Toto wasn’t it? Matt was in a pretty sorry state and I figured it best I just leave him alone considering his current condition was partially my fault… Okay, it was all my fault. The vomiting and chills wouldn’t last too long… And by the time the sun began to heat the walls of the building, he’d grown still… But not cold. That was weird… Right? Don’t dead people grow cold? I shuffled in close to him. He was curled up on the ground… Not moving as far as I could see but he was definitely not cold, well, not the kind that I knew. What was going on here? The dog licked his face and he wiggled and then groaned.
Come on, Matt, time to get up. I nudged him with my foot and he rolled over. His skin was pale, that seemed normal and I don’t think he could look any scrawnier.
His eyes slowly opened. I don’t remember them looking quite so bloodshot and red but… Who was I to judge?
Morning sunshine. I smiled, sort of.
…
“Mitch?” Oh… That was a new trick.
End…
Yes, there will be an epilogue(s).
And, no, I didn’t forget about New York. He’s just not with them.
Let me explain why this chapter took so long to get to you… I couldn’t decide how to end it. When I started writing there were six or so possible endings. I thought I’d be able to decide by now, but I only ended up with two more ideas… Let me know which ending you prefer because really… I had such a hard time deciding.
And you might change your mind on which you like once you read the epilogues.
For those of you who are curious Ending #2 was the original ending.
I feel like… I’d forgotten something very important… But no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t remember what it was. I’d… Blanked out… Now I was here. What was the world coming too when legions of the undead were being hulled up like prisoners? They could have just shot us, you know, and saved everyone the trouble of housekeeping.
I turned to the wall and stared at it unhappily, expecting it to do something for me. It wasn’t very accommodating, was it? I shuffled in a little closer and it stood fast. I wanted it to do something… Anything. But it simply refused. I leaned forward and hit my head against it. When I turned my head and did it again, there was a metallic clink and I could feel the noise under my skin… That was nice. Clinkity clank. That’s the sound my head makes… Huh? I pulled away from the concrete and looked towards the metal bars. I could feel a breather nearby, but couldn’t see him (or her).
I turned a bit closer and opened my mouth, my chest sagged a little and I gave some kind of a sigh. I was so hungry. I didn’t even remember what eating felt like anymore, but I ached for it. Stingy god damn bastards. Feed me!
I jerked a little as light shot off the metal in front of my face. My erratic hearing caught the beginning of a sharp crack before the sound cut. I hissed as ferociously as possible. Fuck you! What the hell had I done to deserve that… Whatever that was. I didn’t like it! Asshole. A light flicked on and shined in my eyes, the breather spoke but it was utter nonsense as far as I could tell. So I did my best impression of ‘say that to my face’ which, surprisingly, resulted in the door opening up. On second thought… He could not say it to my face and we’d call it even… You know considering the menacing looking device in his hand that he had aimed directly at me. It wasn’t a gun, but it didn’t look very friendly either.
You stay the hell away from me.
I tried my best to look dangerous and growled. And, wow, my growl must have been something fierce because the ground trembled under my feet and the guy darted back out the cage. Oh yeah, you better run! I rushed the door and slammed into the fence, but the breather was long gone. Sure scared the piss out of him… Probably.
I looked down the hall, but there were only really a few slivers of light to see by. I think the windows were boarded up. Somewhere far away, there was the muffled sounds of yelling. No screams, unfortunately. Sounded angry. A few breathers came through the hall and rushed by without so much as slowing down for a look at me. I wondered where they were off to in such a hurry that they couldn’t stick around for a bit. Even if they were assholes… It was pretty lonely… Er, boring in here.
The yelling died down and I lost hope of anything of interest happening. I was just about to back off to reacquaint myself with the wall when something small, warm, and decidedly invisible began to bark at me from the other side of the fencing. I didn’t know rats barked… If it got close enough maybe I could eat it. I tried to stoop down and grab it but it ran away… Damn. So much for a last meal. Wait! It came back and barked some more. I grabbed again… Nothing. It was gone again. Hold still for fuck’s sake! I tried a third time when it came back and only realized after it left that it was odd for it to keep coming back. I shuffled around the small cage. Nothing of interest here… Then why?
I went to the front and looked out again, but couldn’t see anything.
I’d returned to a corner, my face in the wall, when I heard something creaking. Dumbly, I looked down as if I could be making the noise even though I was standing still. Then I turned in place until a glow in the hallway drew me forward. The sun! I pressed up against the metal and I swear I could almost feel the heat of it. I groaned and tried to get closer and was surprised when the heat blocked the light away. That didn’t seem right. I stared. Someone was there, in front of me, more than one somebody actually, but one of them was cool skinned. I looked at his face and felt elated, like I really had just stepped into the sun… Matt. That was his name. I didn’t know who he was, but his name was Matt and he knew me!
“Mitch!” The door rattled before suddenly I was free! Something small brushed against my legs and, instead of a warm body, I felt the cool one lean into me. I groaned, happy to have company no matter the temperature.
What the hell took you so long?
Something warm touched my face and I turned instinctively to bite onto it. My teeth glided over something hard and smooth, but I could feel the warmth radiating under it and continued to mouth eagerly at it. I was so goddamn hungry! I chewed until my head was grabbed and I was forced to look at Matt, “You’re okay…” I remember you… Not memories, but I remember. Like déjà vu, “We’ve got to get you out of here.” Wasn’t that the truth?
The zombie with us a push and grunted, “They’re coming!” Who was they again? I looked past them and Matt looked back. Then he was gone from my side and down the hall. Gate by gate, he threw pulled the doors open. Was he fuckin’ nuts?! Christ on a cracker, they aren’t that important, leave them! But he just kept letting them out, more and more and running so fast I couldn’t keep up with my eyes… The world exploded with noise.
I backed up until my wrist was grabbed and I was dragged around. I staggered after Matt as fast as I could, watching behind us as the one he’d come with… The half-faced, ran into all sorts of things like he was blind and the growing hoard fell over the obstacles in the droves. I let out a strangled grunt as Matt yanked me down a hall sharply and then again and again until I ran face first into his back and we nearly toppled over. Could have at least warned me…
What was the hold up? I looked over his shoulder. Was that the ‘they’ he was talking about?
Matt yelled at them and I looked back. Uh… We had company. I pushed up against him. We should really be going. Didn’t look like half-face could hold them off too long, there were… I dunno, fuck, like a million of them. I wasn’t particularly afraid of them, but I’m pretty sure they’d make short work of my personal body heater over here.
A crack blindsided me, vision going black and instant as I turned towards Matt. When had he gotten a gun? And when had he learned to use it? I stared at the body on the ground. Nice shot! The pistol cracked again and the second guy went down. The path was clear and, while I was sorely tempted to stop for a snack, I was dragged on by. When I looked back… The hallway was empty… Hadn’t there been a third member to this party? And I didn’t mean the ratty looking thing that was keeping close at our feet.
“Almost there.” He stopped, “Where’s New York?” The city? Fuck if I know. We can ask for directions later.
Matt pushed me back and looked where we’d come from. I turned to where we were headed. We’d stopped in an intersection of sorts and I felt uneasy... Which was odd, considering I generally love an extra heat source or two, but Matt seemed oblivious. I started a bit down towards the… Uh… Whatever, one of the hallways to investigate when a guy with a gun pointed my direction stepped into view. I was far enough away that I might be able to get away with not having my brains splattered, but I’d come pretty close if I wasn’t careful.
I heard shouting from behind and stumbled back as I tipped my head back to look. Matt had his gun drawn too… The world seemed slow… Their yelling was muddled as I bumped into the wall, just staring at Matt. It seemed too long a time for what happened, then time skipped past the important parts and my head spun. There was a terrible wailing in my ears and more gunfire than I could count. I looked down at myself in confusion. I was being shot! Son of a-!
Matt? I looked at where he’d been standing. He wasn’t standing there anymore. He was on the ground, heat radiating from his crumpled form. Matt?
My shoulder jerked as I was hit again and I turned. The growl in my throat gurgled as I stared the fucker down. He’d just fucked around with the wrong zombie.
Faster than I could see it go by, I was at the end of the hallway and my mouth on his arm. Shots rang off near my head, but the bullets zipped through the air uselessly some other direction than the owner intended. I shook my head, teeth sheering messily through the flesh and grazing off the solid bone. I didn’t stop to consume it though, the bits of meat falling from my mouth before I latched back on to tear out another chunk. After taking a few fingers off, the arm moved out of the way at last and I went for the jugular, literally. My blunt teeth clamped down on his throat and I chewed the pulsing warmth in front of my face. Then I pulled back for his face… Except he didn’t have one… The body dropped to the floor. Wait… What?
I could have sworn he’d had a head when I grabbed onto him.
ENDING: VERSION #1 (warning: anticlimactic happy ending)
I turned in a circle and stopped when my eyes found Matt. He coughed as he stuffed his gun back in his pants, the black dog running circle around him like a maniac. That seemed like a dangerous place to put that gun considering the damage it had done to that breather’s head. But I didn’t say as much as he groaned and got to his feet. I moved in close and he used my shirt to help pull himself to his feet. He swayed on his feet and grimaced as he leaned in, “Fuckin’ hurt.” What did? I’d forgotten what we were doing.
Giving me a pull and a shove, I staggered back into motion, nearly tripping over the dog. Moving at a pace just fast enough not to get caught by the hoard shoving its way through the halls behind us, Matt navigated the maze of hallways. Seriously, why were there so many halls? And why was it every door we tried was locked? Damned inconvenient, but Matt seemed to be recovery from whatever was slowing him down because each step seemed faster than the last.
Finally, one of the doors he tried opened. Sunlight blared down on us and I sighed at the heat of it. Freedom! I closed my eyes and tipped my head towards the sun. I would have been happy to stay there forever, but Matt had other plans. Hissing something, probably nothing endearing, he gave me another push as he rushed me across the street.
Despite being uplifted by joining up with Matt, I wasn’t too keen on meeting his friends... And for good reason. Jerking to a stop, I found something being slapped on my face and a strap being secured around my head… Muzzled. I glared at Matt. I can’t believe he didn’t trust me…
I groaned unhappily as we approached a group of breathers. They seemed pretty glad to see me though. A little one thrust himself on me and attached to my leg like an overgrown parasite. Uh… Hi? I looked down at him but when he spoke, I still didn’t understand. Then someone touched my shoulder. I looked up at the smiling face of a girl, “Glad you’re safe.” I was pretty happy about that myself.
“Let’s get you home.” That was Matt… And home sounded… Nice.
Ducking around a corner, yes the leech still attached at my hip, I spotted a bright yellow hummer. Damn it I missed cars! I started for the engine as it roared and then settled to a humble purr, but something pulled at my chest and I was redirected into the vehicle instead. Not exactly the best part of the car… But nestled between two warm bodies, a third on my lap, and another at my feet… It certainly wasn’t a terrible place to be.
Breathers weren’t so bad… I guess.
The drive was mind-numbingly delightful, the jarring bumps putting me into a daze surrounded by the warmth of the other passengers. I was sorry it ended, especially when everyone filed out of the car and I was left alone with Matt. He was great and all, but I’d have liked him to be hotter… Physically. Err… Literally.
Scooting off my lap, he sat in the seat next to me quietly. He leaned against the door a bit, staring at nothing, so I did the same. The woods were getting darker, the sun’s rays a darker orange. Hopefully the night wouldn’t be cold.
His hand found mine between us and he held onto it, “I… Thought I’d lost you… Again.” Again? He needed to keep better tabs, I can’t be that hard to look after, “This time… I promise, I’ll never leave your side.” He looked at me and smiled. It was a really nice smile. Like… Awesome, “No matter what… I love you, we’re in this together.” He squeezed my hand before he let me go to hold my face in both hands. Leaning in, he placed a warm kissing on my forehead.
It’s a promise then… No matter what.
End…
ENDING: VERSION #2 (warning: sad(?) ending)
I glanced down the hall just in time to see half-face take down a breather a little ways off. I might’ve helped but… “Mitch…” Matt was hurt and- Oh fuck! I hurried down the hall as fast as my stiff legs could take me. I’d conveniently forgotten the masses of hungry mouths after us, or rather the breather who was painting the wall with his blood. Pretty as it was, we didn’t have time for that!
Come on, get up! I stood over him and he shook as he slid back down the wall. Get up! The animal that had been following, a little black dog, barked at him. I think we wanted the same thing, to get out of here with this breather still breathing.
Matt… Get your scrawny ass up! I shuffled in closer as he collapsed again. Come on, man! It’s a gunshot wound, I’ve got like… Twenty of them or somethin’! You’re not trying hard enough!
I grumbled anxiously as the hallway started to crowd. We were running out of options real fast.
Grab onto me! I kicked him a bit. In a few seconds, a bullet would be the least of his worries.
Finally, he pulled himself up, using my clothes to climb on and leaned up against me. He threw his arm out and grunted. Now he was speaking my language. I shambled towards the end of the hall awkwardly, turned when he pushed me, and a few moments later, we were outside and the door slammed behind us.
I feel like we made it a whopping two feet before he was on the ground again. Seriously, wasn’t he overplaying this a little much? Though… He was leaving a nice little trail behind us. Lucky for us, that door had a handle, it would take ages for anyone to figure out one of those damn things.
A couple breathers made a run at us but a short growl their way had them stopped in their tracks. They’d better back off… I growled a little more, ignoring the indecipherable noise from Matt until they moved on. Then I stood by, waiting for Matt to get up again. I waited until the sun was low… Then he started moving again and I followed as he crawled to the nearest building and opened up the door. He collapsed on the stairs… For the best, I suppose. I don’t think I remembered how to get up them without falling all over myself.
“Toto… Hey girl…” The dog rested its head on his chest and he pet it, her, “You’re… A good girl…” What about me? I moved in a little closer. Matt sounded tired and I could feel his body chilling. It wasn’t so cold out, but… There was a lot of blood that I’m pretty sure was supposed to be inside him.
“Mitch…” Yeah? “I think… I’m dying.” I think you are too. But that’s not so bad. Living is highly overrated… It was probably a good think he couldn’t understand me. I kinda suck at being comforting. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the ground. I tried to catch myself but ended up lying flat on top of him anyway. When he touched my face, his fingers felt cool but- A turn of my head and my teeth clamped down on his arm. I didn’t think they’d actually sink in! “Ow, fuck!” He shoved me back with more vigor than I thought someone dying would have, “What the fuck, Mitch?!” I stared at him as he cradled his arm… Uh… I didn’t think you’d be needing it anymore?
He touched his gut and groaned as he remembered he had been shot. Then he lay back on the stairs. I crept in and he didn’t push me as I settled in next to him to rub my face against his bloody torso. Instead, he placed a hand and pet me. Wasn’t that nice?
“I’m… Scared.” Don’t sweat it, it won’t hurt… Probably. My teeth found him again and he smacked me pretty hard. Goddamn, sorry. I recoiled, “Stop biting me!” I can’t help it! What did he want me to do? Leave him to just rot? I didn’t intend on eating him all the way… I’d be lonely… I wanted him to stay.
I got up and paced the stairwell with the dog, Toto wasn’t it? Matt was in a pretty sorry state and I figured it best I just leave him alone considering his current condition was partially my fault… Okay, it was all my fault. The vomiting and chills wouldn’t last too long… And by the time the sun began to heat the walls of the building, he’d grown still… But not cold. That was weird… Right? Don’t dead people grow cold? I shuffled in close to him. He was curled up on the ground… Not moving as far as I could see but he was definitely not cold, well, not the kind that I knew. What was going on here? The dog licked his face and he wiggled and then groaned.
Come on, Matt, time to get up. I nudged him with my foot and he rolled over. His skin was pale, that seemed normal and I don’t think he could look any scrawnier.
His eyes slowly opened. I don’t remember them looking quite so bloodshot and red but… Who was I to judge?
Morning sunshine. I smiled, sort of.
…
“Mitch?” Oh… That was a new trick.
End…
Yes, there will be an epilogue(s).
And, no, I didn’t forget about New York. He’s just not with them.
Let me explain why this chapter took so long to get to you… I couldn’t decide how to end it. When I started writing there were six or so possible endings. I thought I’d be able to decide by now, but I only ended up with two more ideas… Let me know which ending you prefer because really… I had such a hard time deciding.
And you might change your mind on which you like once you read the epilogues.
For those of you who are curious Ending #2 was the original ending.