Over 2000 years have passed since the Great Wall was built to keep those deserving (or rich) safe from a zombie hoard. Histories have been rewritten and beliefs have changed. When the wall is torn down, a war erupts, causing the horrific deaths of t...
If only they had known. If only they hadn't forgotten and created their own histories in their arrogance. The fact there was even a world beyond their barrier was difficult to understand. Their secure, flat Earth was a myth. No, a lie! Everyone felt cheated, but they had nobody to blame it on. Stories had become facts over the centuries, so no one living now had any idea. Should they be thankful their President had decided to tear it down? Was the knowledge they had been missing so much worth the death and the monsters and the fear and tears and loss?
No. And now he had to go out into that. Face it. Find... something.
Except, Drew was now telling him it was a dream. No such demand had been made. So, why couldn't he stop his hands from folding clothes and putting them in his bag?
"OK," he said quietly, hoping agreeing would stop the compulsion to pack.
It didn't.
"Baz, stop!"
Drew grabbed Barry's arm and pulled him away from the bed. He brought his face in close and kissed his husband. When he pulled away, Barry was blinking.
"huh? You haven't kissed me like that in a long time."
"No, and I'm sorry for that, but it seemed like the only way to pull you out."
"Of what? I'm just..."
Just what? Barry shook his head. He couldn't finish the sentence.
A loud PING noise sounded from the kitchen.
"What, the fuck?" exclaimed Barry.
He looked around, suddenly afraid. He felt as if he'd just woken up in the dark and had heard breathing close by – and not from Drew's side. But, it was day time and he hadn't been asleep. He'd been...
Shit. He had no idea.
"It's just the microwave, silly. I've made us some lunch."
"Oh. Oh, yeah. Good, because I'm starving."
"Come on, let's eat, then we can put your clothes and stuff back where it belongs."
Barry allowed himself to be led to the door of the room. His mind was foggy, but some food and the great company Drew always provided would clear it soon enough. He really was hungry! The closer he was to the bedroom's exit, the fresher he was.
They reached the door and Drew stopped suddenly enough for Barry to walk into the back of him. Rather than stumble together, however, Drew was unmoving and unmovable. Barry bounced off him and staggered back.
"Drew, what the hell?"
Drew didn't answer. Instead, he gripped the wooden door surround. His back straightened, then arched, bending his body backwards.
"Drew?"
The man in question's fingers were tightening against the wood, digging in, and its pained splintering pricked Barry's ears with each broken fragment.
"Drew? Babe?"
The fingers had embedded themselves so deeply into the wood that when Drew turned around, he pulled sections of the door surround away. They seemed to fall away instead of needing to be forcibly removed and the remnants dissolved, turning to ash that faded from view before it could reach the floor.
"What the...?"
Barry took a step back. It would have been more, but his fear and love were struggling with each other for supremacy. His hand was partially raised. He lowered it nervously.
Drew was panting, and his breath started to ooze from his lips like smoke under a door. His eyes darkened, with his pupils expanding to fill the orbs. The skin on his face flushed a deep red and Barry could see veins pulsing through the flesh.
"Drew? What's going on? Are you OK?"
"Go forth!"
"What?"
"Go... forth!"
"Not this again. I said I was going. I couldn't really stop myself, which was weird. Have you been eating dairy again?"
"Go forth, beyond the ruined Great Wall. Discover..."
"Discover the source of the zombie infection. I know. But, no. I'm not going. You told me to stay here, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm not going anywhere. Stop this nonsense now. You're scaring me!"
Drew laughed. His mouth opened wide to release an air splitting cackle. His always perfect teeth were now black and rotten. Barry covered his ears and fell to his knees – no – was pushed to his knees. He knew tears were brimming his eyes, but couldn't remember starting to cry.
"Drew!" he pleaded.
"GO FORTH! SAVE US!"
Drew's words hit Barry with the force of a tsunami, throwing him against the far wall. Suddenly, his eyes and face and breath cleared and he collapsed, falling forwards, prone. He reached out to his husband, all his energy pushed into the extending of his hand.
"Go..."
Barry stared, trembling. He wanted to reach out. To make contact with his husband. He was unable to. He was too afraid.
But something was happening inside of him. His stomach was beginning to churn, creating a warmth that was radiating throughout his body. It should have been a pleasant sensation, but was far from it. A tingling was chasing the heat, ending sharp jabs to his extremities. It increased to the point he thought he might explode, and then vanished. In its place was a conviction he could not explain.
He looked at the now unconscious Drew and smiled.
"Yes, dear," he said.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
Here's the latest chapter of The Source, thanks to the prompts from LayethTheSmackDown! This time, it was to feature LGBTQIAP+ and paranormal aspects. I hope you're enjoying the evolving story. Barry will be on his way, and he'll soon be meeting Alexis and his Gargoyle. There'll also be The Inscribed and the Toymaster and, of course, zombies.
