Kiss My Assimilation

Chapter 5 - Bad Aftertaste

"Guys! Are you alright?" Annie asked the members of Second Chance Band. They were retching what was left of the dying parasite that had lodged themselves inside their bodies; effectively taking control over them. That was Annie's theory. The guys had acted strangely in the last few days. Peter had been exposed to the alien parasite longer than the others. She hoped there was no permanent damage.

David lifted his hand and gestured to her to wait and keep her distance. They had finished expelling the expiring monster and were spitting what was left of the bad taste from their mouths.

She ran to the fridge and took four bottles of spring water. They rinsed their mouths and drank greedily.

"You guys know what's happening? I seem to have forgotten the last few days." Peter said in an almost calm tone only betrayed by his trembling hands.

"Err... You wouldn't believe us man." Said Mathew heading for the shower.

"I'm next!" Called David, who kept spitting and wiping his mouth. "Ugh, this is so... disgusting." He finished.

Annie went to the fridge and took out a beer. She looked for an opener when John came over and twisted the cap opening the bottle.

"American beer. The caps twist off. No need for..."

As soon as she heard the hiss of escaping gas from the bottle, she put the bottle to her mouth and gulped what came out. At least she tried. She wasn't a drinker. The gas pushed too much liquid in her mouth and she choked. As soon as the escaping gas calmed down she put the bottle and drank again.

"I'm guessing not a closet drinker but actually someone who rarely drinks," John said laughing.

She finished the bottle and put it on the counter with a trembling hand.

"God. I needed that." Her face changed realizing something. "You guys might not be the only ones infected. Oh God. No. The nightmare is not over." She finished with a whisper.

John put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll call the authorities. They'll take care of this. You'll see. I'm just glad we're safe. God. If you hadn't come and sprayed that monster with... What was that spray you used?"

Annie's face went blank. "Actually, I don't know. I just grabbed the first thing in my purse. I didn't think." She looked at her hands. The bottle wasn't there. She looked around and found it near one of the chairs. She bent down and read the little bottle's label with a puzzled look on her face.

"My mouth freshener spray bottle? What the bloody hell?" She said handing the bottle to John.

He sprayed some in his mouth. "Ahh. Minty."

"Be serious." Annie admonished him.

"Must be one of the ingredients in this. Maybe the mint?" He volunteered.

"We need to tell the authorities. It may be our only defense against these... alien zombies?" Annie said.

"Bodysnatchers?" John added.

"Well, both option are scary as hell." She went to the phone and lifted the receiver. No tone. "I have no tone."

John fished in his pocket and came up with a smartphone. He unlocked it and frowned. "No reception."

"I got none, how about you David?" Said Peter. He had his phone in his hand and was trying to find a signal by moving the phone around.

"Shower now, end of the word later," David said as Mathew came out of the steaming room.

"We need to get out of here and contact the authorities about this," Mathew said heading to his jacket to take his phone out. He had dressed in the shower room.

"What are we going to say to them?" Annie said. "Ah, sir, sorry but there seems to be a slight alien invasion problem going on."

"I see your point. Also, if we leave without doing the show. It'll be suspicious. There might be more of those things here. We might be surrounded." John made a face. "I need to use the bathroom." He ran to the toilet and slammed the door closed.

Fear. Best laxative ever.

Annie crinkled her nose and faced Peter. "We need a plan."

"I agree. Hum. Let me see. Do the show like nothing is wrong."

"That should be fun." Mathew interrupted.

"Indeed. Then, instead of going back to the hotel, we go straight to the airport, contact the authorities from there and fly to some paradise island to wait it out." Peter said.

"How do you know this is not worldwide?" Annie asked.

"Easy. They used a cat." Peter answered her.

"I don't get it."

"A cat. As in a small, easily concealable, host. The invasion is still in its starting phase. If they were to run in the streets like rabid zombies. They would get shot and it would be the shortest alien invasion in history." Peter explained.

"In history? You mean there were other alien invasions in the past?" Mathew said.

"No, I don't think so. It was just a figure of speech." Peter said laughing.

"So you mean to say that this... invasion might still be in its beginning?" Annie said.

"So we might not be totally surrounded? There might still be uninfected people here?" John said, coming out of the toilets. His face was as white as a sheet.

"You okay there buddy?" Mathew asked him worried.

"Fine mate. I felt sick, but I'm okay now. It's passed." John said, not looking okay at all.

"As John pointed out, we might not be surrounded by the infected. That's why we have to behave and do the show as if nothing has happened. Then instead of going back to our rooms we get the hell out of here and let the proper authorities take care of this." Peter said.

"Ahem..."

They all turned to the open door frame with the broken door lying on the floor. They had forgotten it. Someone was standing there waiting for them to acknowledge his presence.

Nathan Caulfield in all his distinguished presence, entered the dressing room, avoiding the fallen door. "Sorry to intrude, I just passed by to see your how things were. Why is your poor door lying broken on the floor?"

"Overzealous fans sir. Security took care of it." Mathew said with a straight face.

He eyed them all minutely. "So everything is alright? No problems? Well then, I wish you good luck for tonight. You are sure I can't help you with anything?" He asked them.

"We're fine, sir. Everything is going very well." Peter said.

"Yeah, we got this mate," Mathew said.

The hairs on the back of Annie's neck was standing up on their roots by now.

Caulfield laughed and said. "Good, I'll leave you to it." At that, he turned around and walked majestically out of the dressing room.