Curled up on the couch with a pillow pulled tightly to his chest, Douglas watched the news nervously. The sickness that had been slowly taking over the city was now running rampant. Very few people went out anymore. Those who did usually got sick within the hour.
Douglas tugged lightly at his medium-length charcoal-colored hair, twirling a strand around his finger. His light blue eyes stared at nothing, mind having wandered off.
Kaden had gone out hours earlier to "hang with the guys" which Douglas knew meant "cheat on you with someone who's going to do those freaky things in the bed that you won't do." Kaden had never actually said that, of course, and he had never actually admitted to cheating, but Douglas knew. He'd known since the first time Kaden had come stumbling home with suspicious "bruises" on his neck and smelled of strange cologne.
Why was he so in love with someone so cruel? Was it the short, dusty brown hair that often smelled of coconuts? Those honey-colored eyes that could look so lovingly at him at times? That wonderful smile that Douglas liked to believe was reserved only for him? That tall, muscular, yet gentle stature that was always so protective?
Douglas sighed and pulled the pillow tighter to his chest. A clicking from the door lock alerted him to possible company. Was it Kaden or a sick person?
He was relieved when his boyfriend walked through the opening seconds later. Kaden coughed twice before snuffing out his half-burnt cigarette in an ashtray on the end table. Douglas didn't allow him to smoke in the house.
"Hey babe." Kaden said simply as he took a seat next to the younger and smaller man, placing an arm across his shoulders.
"I was worried sick about you!" Douglas scolded, leaning against his boyfriend. He could easily pick up the scent of smoke and a few different cheap colognes. It hurt knowing that Kaden had gone out to mess around with someone else, but he was glad he was home. "You didn't run into any sick people, did you?"
"'Course not. You know I'm not that stupid."
"I know... But I think we should stay inside until this blows over. It seems to be getting very bad."
"Yeah maybe." Kaden grabbed the remote and began flipping channels. Douglas frowned. He nuzzled Kaden's neck and rubbed his upper leg, "Pleeeeaaase stay home with me tomorrow?" He purred seductively. Kaden grinned and stroked Douglas' cheek, "Well, maybe I could be persuaded..."
Douglas chuckled, "I may have one or two persuasive tactics up my sleeve..." He kissed Kaden before standing and heading into the bedroom. Kaden smirked and followed.
***
Douglas was disappointed the next morning when he woke up to an empty bed. He got up and put on boxers and a tank-top before doing a quick scan of the apartment. Kaden was gone.
He sadly wandered into the bathroom of their quaint little apartment and looked himself over in the mirror. Did he seem paler than usual? He shrugged it off and washed his face and brushed his teeth.
He shivered as he left the bathroom and rubbed his arms, finding that they were covered in goosebumps. The thermostat read 72, but it felt more like 60, so he turned up to 80 and went to sit on the couch.
***
Kaden knew he was going to be in deep shit when he returned home, but he had something that needed to be tended to. Seeing as the spread of the virus was getting worse and people were dying left and right, he wanted to stay with Douglas, and only Douglas, as much as possible. He needed to break things up with Tynan and he couldn't do it via phone for fear of his real boyfriend finding out about his side fuck.
Tynan was a real catch, with his black hair and smoky eyes, but Kaden wasn't connected to him like he was to Douglas, amazing sex or no. So he had to end it with Tynan.
Kaden's cell phone rang in his pocket. He knew from the ringtone that it was Douglas. He didn't answer it. It went to voice mail and he turned it off.
He was right around the corner from Tynan's house. All he needed to do was break up with him, then he could go home and stay there with the man he believed he was falling in love with.
He coughed twice.
Tynan was a real catch, with his black hair and smoky eyes, but Kaden wasn't connected to him like he was to Douglas, amazing sex or no. So he had to end it with Tynan.
Kaden's cell phone rang in his pocket. He knew from the ringtone that it was Douglas. He didn't answer it. It went to voice mail and he turned it off.
He was right around the corner from Tynan's house. All he needed to do was break up with him, then he could go home and stay there with the man he believed he was falling in love with.
He coughed twice.
***
Douglas frowned when Kaden's voice mail picked up. Had Kaden left him to go screw around? Douglas was angry and hurt, but kept his cool as he left a message, "Kaden? Are you coming home soon? I think the thermostat is broken or something. It says it's 80 in here, but I'm freezing! Maybe you could a look at it? Hurry home, okay? Bye." He hung up after that.
He'd grabbed his dark blue hoodie from his room along with a pair of dark pants and put them on. They didn't help and he didn't have anything warmer in the apartment, so he'd got a brilliant idea to use duct tape and wrap it around sections of his arms and legs to prevent heat from escaping.
It wasn't helping. He was just as cold as when he was in his boxers.
He coughed a few times and shuddered. 'Great,' He thought bitterly, 'Now I'm getting a cold.' He unfolded a blanket that was on the end of the couch and wrapped it around himself.
The TV wasn't on. He'd tried earlier to watch the news, but a message about technical problems was displayed. He'd tried other channels, but they were either static or the same message.
He was scared.
He pulled out his cell to try Kaden again when there was a knock at the door. Excited, he jumped up and ran to open it. "You're ho-!" He cut himself short when he realized that the man at the door wasn't Kaden, but instead seemed to be sick. The man let out a strange growling noise and displayed a mouthful of disgusting and rotting teeth. Douglas yelled and ran. It took a few seconds for the man to comprehend this and follow.
Douglas rounded a corner and locked himself in the bathroom. Keeping the lights off and staying as quiet as possible, he climbed into the bathtub and shut the sliding door. He dialed Kaden's number again and felt his heart drop when it went straight to voice mail. He shakily whispered, "Kaden? Someone got into the apartment. He's sick. I've locked myself in the bathroom and I don't think he's figured it out yet. I'm scared. Please be careful when you come home. Bye." He hung up and sat the cell phone next to him.
He pulled his hood over his head and waited.
He'd grabbed his dark blue hoodie from his room along with a pair of dark pants and put them on. They didn't help and he didn't have anything warmer in the apartment, so he'd got a brilliant idea to use duct tape and wrap it around sections of his arms and legs to prevent heat from escaping.
It wasn't helping. He was just as cold as when he was in his boxers.
He coughed a few times and shuddered. 'Great,' He thought bitterly, 'Now I'm getting a cold.' He unfolded a blanket that was on the end of the couch and wrapped it around himself.
The TV wasn't on. He'd tried earlier to watch the news, but a message about technical problems was displayed. He'd tried other channels, but they were either static or the same message.
He was scared.
He pulled out his cell to try Kaden again when there was a knock at the door. Excited, he jumped up and ran to open it. "You're ho-!" He cut himself short when he realized that the man at the door wasn't Kaden, but instead seemed to be sick. The man let out a strange growling noise and displayed a mouthful of disgusting and rotting teeth. Douglas yelled and ran. It took a few seconds for the man to comprehend this and follow.
Douglas rounded a corner and locked himself in the bathroom. Keeping the lights off and staying as quiet as possible, he climbed into the bathtub and shut the sliding door. He dialed Kaden's number again and felt his heart drop when it went straight to voice mail. He shakily whispered, "Kaden? Someone got into the apartment. He's sick. I've locked myself in the bathroom and I don't think he's figured it out yet. I'm scared. Please be careful when you come home. Bye." He hung up and sat the cell phone next to him.
He pulled his hood over his head and waited.
***
The door was wide open when Kaden entered. "Tynan?" He called into the dark and seemingly empty house. He heard a low groan coming from the bedroom and headed toward it.
A large pile of blankets was in the middle of the bed. "Tynan?" Kaden tried again. The pile moved slightly and groaned again. Kaden went to the bed and moved some of them enough to find a gray hand. It twitched and curled. "Doooon't." Someone groaned from underneath. "Tynan?"
"I'm so cold Kaden... And my skin... I don't want you to see... I think I'm sick... I'm sorry..." Came a muffled reply in Tynan's voice. Kaden his lip, panic stricken. What if he'd gotten it from Tynan? He could have given it to Douglas. "How long?"
"I don't know, but-" His sentence was cut short by a long and low growl. The hand curled and tore the sheets. "Shit." Kaden cursed as the growls got louder and higher-pitched. He ran from the room and shut the door, placing a chair in front to hopefully keep the sick man inside.
A large pile of blankets was in the middle of the bed. "Tynan?" Kaden tried again. The pile moved slightly and groaned again. Kaden went to the bed and moved some of them enough to find a gray hand. It twitched and curled. "Doooon't." Someone groaned from underneath. "Tynan?"
"I'm so cold Kaden... And my skin... I don't want you to see... I think I'm sick... I'm sorry..." Came a muffled reply in Tynan's voice. Kaden his lip, panic stricken. What if he'd gotten it from Tynan? He could have given it to Douglas. "How long?"
"I don't know, but-" His sentence was cut short by a long and low growl. The hand curled and tore the sheets. "Shit." Kaden cursed as the growls got louder and higher-pitched. He ran from the room and shut the door, placing a chair in front to hopefully keep the sick man inside.
He stumbled out the front door and into the street. The familiar sound of distant sirens and smell of decay assaulted his senses. He coughed violently and doubled over from a sudden pain in his stomach.
He knew what was happening.
He knew what was happening.
***
Douglas gritted his teeth in pain as electric shock waves ran up his back and into his hands. "makeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop." He chanted until his teeth began to hurt and seemed to be changing so that they no longer fit together properly. He gasped as he felt his stomach twist.
He shakily picked up the phone and dialed Kaden. As expected, it went straight to voice mail. He fought to keep his voice even, "H-hey, listen. I-I can hear several sick people outside and... I think I'm sick too. If you get this and you're still okay... Don't come home. There's nothing left for you here." He gasped at a sudden sharp pain in his back and swallowed roughly before continuing, "I know that you were cheating on me. I've known the whole time, and it's okay. I forgive you... I love you. Goodbye." He hung up and dropped the phone.
They had never exchanged I love you's before, both believing that such strong words were not meant to be thrown around, but Douglas felt that he was indeed in love. He wished he could have told Kaden under different circumstances, or at least knew whether or not Kaden would get the message.
He felt his insides twisting and changing and doubled over from the incredible pain.
This was the end, and he knew it.
Douglas gritted his teeth in pain as electric shock waves ran up his back and into his hands. "makeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop." He chanted until his teeth began to hurt and seemed to be changing so that they no longer fit together properly. He gasped as he felt his stomach twist.
He shakily picked up the phone and dialed Kaden. As expected, it went straight to voice mail. He fought to keep his voice even, "H-hey, listen. I-I can hear several sick people outside and... I think I'm sick too. If you get this and you're still okay... Don't come home. There's nothing left for you here." He gasped at a sudden sharp pain in his back and swallowed roughly before continuing, "I know that you were cheating on me. I've known the whole time, and it's okay. I forgive you... I love you. Goodbye." He hung up and dropped the phone.
They had never exchanged I love you's before, both believing that such strong words were not meant to be thrown around, but Douglas felt that he was indeed in love. He wished he could have told Kaden under different circumstances, or at least knew whether or not Kaden would get the message.
He felt his insides twisting and changing and doubled over from the incredible pain.
This was the end, and he knew it.
***
Kaden stumbled into a nearby alleyway. Several large bumps had come up on one side of his face, his shoulder and his arms. He coughed often and smoke came out when he did. His tongue seemed to be getting longer every second. He leaned against a brick building and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He turned it on, planning on calling Douglas back and telling him goodbye before his mind left him. Once it started up he saw that he had three messages from his boyfriend. ignoring them, he dialed the familiar number.
It rang six times before voice mail picked up. Kaden growled in frustration and hung up. He decided to listen to the messages while he stumbled toward home.
The first message left him worried. Tynan had talked about being cold and it had been warm in the house.
The second message made him quicken his pace. His tongue was much longer now. He could feel it going down the back of his throat and rolling up where his stomach should have been. his skin was gray and more and larger bumps had appeared. Smoke seemed to seep out of some of them. He coughed often. He noticed that other infected seemed to pay him little mind, instead focusing on those who were healthy.
"Pleasepleaseplease be okay." He panted as he ran.
The third message made him stop and fall to his knees. He sobbed between coughs and threw the phone in anger. Why hadn't he stayed home? Why didn't he do as Douglas had asked him? He hated himself for cheating, leaving and not picking up the phone the first time.
He forced himself to stand and continue. He felt very hungry and found himself wanting to grab at the healthy people running by, but ignored it. He was two blocks from their apartment and he had to get there, no matter what.
As he stumbled along he was rarely bothered. Sometimes infected would bump into him on accident, but he was never attacked. He could feel his body continue to change and knew that soon enough he'd be just as dumb as the rest of them. Still, he continued toward his destination.
At one point, a healthy person stumbled out in front of him and pointed a gun at his face. This angered him. How dare this person try to stop him?! Why did she deserve to live when Douglas had not?!
His tongue seemed to move of its own accord as it wrapped around her arms lightening fast and threw her violently against a building. She let out a surprised yelp before making contact and falling to the ground. She was bleeding and unconscious when he left her.
The doors into the apartment building were busted down. He entered with no resistance and headed toward the stairs. His hands had gotten longer, making it somewhat awkward to grip the hand rail.
As he walked out into the sixth floor hallway, he realized that his heart should have been beating rapidly. Instead, he had no heartbeat. He coughed four times, smoke coming out in puffs each time, and continued down the hallway.
The door to their apartment was wide open. As he entered, he noticed several infected just standing around. He shut and locked the door behind him.
He headed for the bathroom first. His insides twisted when he saw that door had been busted through. Wood on the carpet meant that whatever was inside the bathroom had busted out. He opened the door and stepped inside, finding it empty.
He checked each room and looked at each infected. Douglas was nowhere to be found.
He let out a pain-filled shriek that he knew was inhuman. He grabbed the infected that were wondering around inside their apartment and killed each of them. Six in total. Two men, three women, and a child. He found that he didn't really care. In fact, it made him feel a little bit better. He could pretend it was their fault, not his. He could pretend that he had never met Tynan, had never had sex with him, and had never transmitted the disease to Douglas.
But he knew the truth.
He trashed the apartment in a fit of rage and stormed out, eager to find more undeserving survivors to kill.
It rang six times before voice mail picked up. Kaden growled in frustration and hung up. He decided to listen to the messages while he stumbled toward home.
The first message left him worried. Tynan had talked about being cold and it had been warm in the house.
The second message made him quicken his pace. His tongue was much longer now. He could feel it going down the back of his throat and rolling up where his stomach should have been. his skin was gray and more and larger bumps had appeared. Smoke seemed to seep out of some of them. He coughed often. He noticed that other infected seemed to pay him little mind, instead focusing on those who were healthy.
"Pleasepleaseplease be okay." He panted as he ran.
The third message made him stop and fall to his knees. He sobbed between coughs and threw the phone in anger. Why hadn't he stayed home? Why didn't he do as Douglas had asked him? He hated himself for cheating, leaving and not picking up the phone the first time.
He forced himself to stand and continue. He felt very hungry and found himself wanting to grab at the healthy people running by, but ignored it. He was two blocks from their apartment and he had to get there, no matter what.
As he stumbled along he was rarely bothered. Sometimes infected would bump into him on accident, but he was never attacked. He could feel his body continue to change and knew that soon enough he'd be just as dumb as the rest of them. Still, he continued toward his destination.
At one point, a healthy person stumbled out in front of him and pointed a gun at his face. This angered him. How dare this person try to stop him?! Why did she deserve to live when Douglas had not?!
His tongue seemed to move of its own accord as it wrapped around her arms lightening fast and threw her violently against a building. She let out a surprised yelp before making contact and falling to the ground. She was bleeding and unconscious when he left her.
The doors into the apartment building were busted down. He entered with no resistance and headed toward the stairs. His hands had gotten longer, making it somewhat awkward to grip the hand rail.
As he walked out into the sixth floor hallway, he realized that his heart should have been beating rapidly. Instead, he had no heartbeat. He coughed four times, smoke coming out in puffs each time, and continued down the hallway.
The door to their apartment was wide open. As he entered, he noticed several infected just standing around. He shut and locked the door behind him.
He headed for the bathroom first. His insides twisted when he saw that door had been busted through. Wood on the carpet meant that whatever was inside the bathroom had busted out. He opened the door and stepped inside, finding it empty.
He checked each room and looked at each infected. Douglas was nowhere to be found.
He let out a pain-filled shriek that he knew was inhuman. He grabbed the infected that were wondering around inside their apartment and killed each of them. Six in total. Two men, three women, and a child. He found that he didn't really care. In fact, it made him feel a little bit better. He could pretend it was their fault, not his. He could pretend that he had never met Tynan, had never had sex with him, and had never transmitted the disease to Douglas.
But he knew the truth.
He trashed the apartment in a fit of rage and stormed out, eager to find more undeserving survivors to kill.
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