The Mutatio Disease

Sector Five

- - - - Sector Five - - - -
- - - - Part One - - - -
Don't Be So Cliché

     Felix had been absolutely thrilled that I'd agreed. I practically had to force him to calm down to keep Lyra asleep and to make sure he didn't start a forest fire. Sparks had actually flown from his fingers in his excitement. I shoved him on the couch and told him to go to bed and we'd talk details in the morning.

    Praying I wasn't going to regret my decision, I went to bed and crashed down to sleep. Lyra was in one room, and I the other on the opposite wall.  When I woke up the next morning, Felix was already making breakfast. My stomach rumbled in joy at the sight of the eggs he had procured from the chicken hutch outside. It was a self-sustaining hutch, so I rarely had to worry about feeding the pesky birds.

    I pulled the silver gloves from the abandoned store onto my hands as I sat down. Lyra was wearing a thin tank top and shorts as she watched her TV, and I felt my jaw clench slightly. Well, she definitely had guts. She was exposing a crap-ton of skin to two people who would both be sorely tempted to touch it. Something in me whispered to just reach out and brush my skin to hers, to let the virus run its course, but I spun on my heel and marched to the kitchen. Felix was humming as he cooked happily. I climbed onto a stool at the counter.

     "Does it ever get easier?" I grumbled. He glanced at me and the gloves on my hands, seeming to understand.

     "Sort of. I just got used to the urges after a while and don't really hear them anymore. It's like when you get used to it so that you tune it out."

     "How long did it take?" I groaned, putting my head in my hands. "And do we stay infectious forever?" Having to worry about touching someone forever sounded awful.

     "Well, it took me a while to adjust," Felix admitted. "And so far, we do stay infectious. I think we carry the virus for life."

     So what are we going to do after all of this ends? I muttered in my head. If we still can't touch anyone?

     It was a question that I knew even Felix didn't have the answer to.

    "Lyra, breakfast's ready!" Felix called, and with a grumble, she paused her show before heading over. To me, the silence that fell was thick and tense. It hung over my head, reminding me of the large decision I'd made last night. Lyra was oblivious to my mental torture as she ate as fast as she could, eager to get back to the TV. It was fair to say she was addicted to Pink Panther at this point. Felix and I shared a look. When he still didn't do anything, I kicked his shin.

    "So, Lyra," began Felix with a wince.

    "Yeah?" She took another bite of eggs.

    "Don't yell at me, but," he hesitated and I bit my lip to keep from snickering at his expression. He looked like a puppy that had gotten into the trash. "I'm leaving."

    "Figured as much," said Lyra with a deadpan look at him. Felix blinked, and I glanced between them, surprised. "Don't look so shocked," she snickered. "I heard your entire conversation on the porch last night. My window was open."

    My fork paused, halfway to my mouth as I looked at her in shock. Felix seemed stunned as well. "And you're not mad?"

     "Nah." She shook her head. "You had some good points. As much as I hate you two throwing yourselves into the mix, it's a good idea. Might actually work, too."

    "That's high praise," I muttered. "Coming from you, at least."

    Felix leaned back, having finished his eggs in record time. "You do know that you'd be staying here, right? You couldn't come with us, it'd be too dangerous."