It was a summer of love at Little Brook, a quiet village full of normal people, a town where nothing bad happens. But it is different tonight for Jack as his boyfriend Michael had just disappeared at the stroke of midnight.
From bad to worse, a zom...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
One month after the Outbreak.
The sound of Jack's steps echoed into nothingness, like a moth who flapped inside a lamp. The ground was muddy and sticky. Droplets fell from the leaves of crooked trees. They had the taste of rancid oil. Among the branches, crows croaked. The birds appeared to lack feathers and skin.
In the middle of the rainforest, towered a willow tree. But instead of wood, it was made of flesh. Its veiny fruits beat and squished blood. Coiled around the willow, was a strangler fig. Its branches snaked around the willow and choked its fruits. They pressed until they blew into red particles. At each explosion, a scream resonated. Jack recognized them. Some belonged to Marian. Others were Ariel's. Rage took over him. He grabbed the strangler fig. Clasped his hands on it and tried to tear it. It would not nudge. Jack strengthened his grip. His sight was blurred by anger. When it got clearer, his hands froze. There was no strangler fig. No birds. No fruits. Just one familiar face between his hands.
Michael.
Jack opened his eyes. Cold hands were on him. The young man looked at who woke him up.
"Jack, are you okay? You were having a nightmare," said Michael with a tremulous voice.
Jack's eyes followed Michael, as the latter sat up on his bed and held himself against the wall.
"Yeah, I guess that all the stuff that has happened made them come back," said Jack.
A slight pout appeared on Michael's face.
"It's hard to explain, but nightmares come from your mind," said Michael. "They're a part of you, that want to talk to you but don't know how to do it. Once you understand this part of you. The nightmares will disappear."
Jack leaned toward Michael. "But, what if I disliked this part of me?"
Michael puts his left hand over Jack's right one. "There's not a single part of you that deserve to be hated," said Michael with a smile.
"I forgot how smart you were." Jack chuckled.
"Smart? I flunked vet school." Michael laughed before he stood up and walked toward the door.
"Michael," Jack paused. "I missed talking with you."
Michael stopped under the doorway, his back turned to Jack.
"You shouldn't," he said with a broken tone.
"Why?" Jack asked.
"David needs me," Michael said as he left.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
