Animalistic

by Nunn, Alexis

  After a few hours, I came to a conclusion. Feliks came trotting up the hill, occasionally misplacing a step and losing balance, with a few twigs in his mouth. He dropped them in the middle of our cleared fireplace. The red mushy snow was covered by fresh snow by now. We were careful not to disturb it since blood was still underneath. When Feliks neared me, I smiled.

  “I got it. I figured it out!”

  His head cocked over to the side, interests peaked, “You got what?”

  “Your transformation!” I grinned brightly, confident in my answer, “You bled to death.”

  He groaned, “Thanks for reminding me. That-”

  “No, listen to what I have to say. You bled to death, before the infected blood spread too much. I mean you already changed into a dog but all of the bad stuff - the virus - was in the blood! It’s all gone, there wasn’t anything left to continue. You couldn’t die from blood loss because, well werebies are ‘undead’ and you already started to change. That’s why you aren’t changing anymore, you bled to death. Perhaps the virus has an almost resurrecting ability to it.”

  He straightened out his posture, “That’s interesting. Either that’s the strangest toss in the dark of an idea or you just found out the answer to our mystery! I'm pretty sure your science is off, there must be more to it than that,” He gave me his odd smile. He gazed over at where his blood was hidden underneath white, “Does that mean we need to be careful of the blood? It might still be toxic. You might get changed from it, or I might continue changing if I come in contact. We need to move.”

  I pursed my lips, “But this place is perfect! Where else would we go?”

  Snow started to fall from the clouds. I sighed, looking over to the side. Feliks got up, shaking frost of out of his fur. He walked over and laid next to me, “Tomorrow, we are back on the move.”

  We were both quiet. “Why don’t we ever have a real home?” I commented softly.

  “Because,” He let his body go limp in defeat, “there is no such thing as home anymore.”

  I reached over and stroked over his coarse fur, “I wish there was a home.”

  A puff of condensation left his nose, “As do I. As does everyone who is still alive.”

  I looked down, “Do you think we’ll ever find anyone? I mean out here? It’d sure make this less lonely. It’d be a better survival technique.”

  His ears twitched, his head tilting towards me. He shook it, “No. They’d kill me. No hesitation. I’m a monster. They wouldn’t give a second thought to it. It’s better like this.”

  Annoyance itched under my skin, “And what do we do if we, no, when we run out of canned food? Neither of us can hunt! We’ll starve to death!”

  “And if we are in a group we’ll all starve together! Is that all you think about? Death?” He growled, the fur along his spine and neck pricked up and stuck out. He snarled at me, baring muddy yellow teeth. The leftover smell of rot choked me, “Be optimistic for once!”

  I shook, starting to shy away, “Okay…” I replied in a terrified voice. He stomped his paw onto the tree root.

  “In the morning we leave here. We travel north. No complaining. Everything is packed into the remaining canvas,” He ordered. I’d never seen him like this before, “We will find a new food source. You should sleep as soon as the sun touches the top of the trees,” I blinked.

  “What about you?” I asked.

  “What?” He snapped, ears standing alert. They flattened suddenly and his demeanor shifted to a quiet and soft state, “I don’t sleep anymore…”

  I took this opportunity to change topics. I remembered him staying up later than I when we slept, but I assumed he slept at some point, “You really don’t?”

  He shook his head, happy and carefree seeming again. It was like he had not noticed his sudden outburst of rage towards me. It must have been the urge for a dog to show dominance, I hoped. I hoped for many things these days. I couldn’t deny it was likely. The virus may have corrupted him slightly, just enough for animalistic behavior to become ingrained into his personality. Or, it was a red flag. Let’s not dwell on minute possibilities.

  Everything was going to be just fine.

  FOUR

  It was quiet and tranquil the next month. The soundtrack of our new journey was only the sound of my breathing, my heavy boots crunching, and Feliks's claws digging into the fallen snow. As raucous as that may sounds, it was awfully silent most of the time. The silence was almost deafening and etched away at my sanity. I was not safe alone with my thoughts. I watched the snow build up on the top of my black Docs before it rolled off with another step.

  Feliks obviously showed signs of boredom too. He’d quickly go from treading determinedly to leaping about, pouncing on snow mounds. His feet were almost blocks of ice. I suppose it didn’t bother him. Werebies must lack the same pain or cold receptors as us. His ears bounced back and forth on his fuzzy head as he made his way across the ground. I grinned as I strode next to him.

  “Is any of that necessary?” I mumbled, raising an inquisitive brow at my brother.

  “Are you necessary?” He replied with a flick of his tail. There was not a hint of hesitance.

  “Did you really just pull that trick?” I sighed, rubbing my hand over my stiff face.

  He rolled his head around towards me, grinning a doggy smile, “Yes.”

  I rolled my eyes, looking back at my boots. The fronts of them were beginning to get scratched up and pierced. So much for taking great care of a hundred something dollar pair of boots. They were water and acid resistant, so in the long run it didn’t matter. They were perfect for our situation.

  “Sister!” Feliks piped up.

  I brought my gaze forward immediately, “Yes, Brother?”

  He paused, tilting his head to the side in thought, “That was weird. Let’s not ever do that again.”

  I agreed. He proceeded on with his exclamation, “So Lene, how about we tell stories to pass the time?”

  I ran over the idea. There were no foreseeable downsides, so I went along with a smile.

  “What stories did you have in mind?” I started to ponder over a few incidents worth reliving.

  Feliks sighed, “Oh I don’t know. Really anything. Any quieter it gets out here, the sooner I bite my paws off.”

  He saw my quizzical stare, “You know, to pass the time. Spice it up a bit,” He lowered closer to the ground and waggled his tail as he stated the last sentence.

  Only my brother could turn the topic of chewing off limbs into a mood lightener. Oh Feliks, you strange, strange beast. To be honest, his voice comforted the rioting thoughts in my head. He was my safety blanket. Always have and always will.

  “I don’t know any stories.”

  “Fine, I shall begin,” He thrust his nose into the air and trotted forward sassily, “You were five and I was seven. So like twelve years ago. Mother wanted to get a family photo taken. The last one we had was when Dad was still alive, but you wouldn’t remember that… You just had your last hospital visit and we were all happy and the photo was her celebration. Anyway, so Mother had outfits picked out for us. I got a dark blue turtleneck, horrendous thing I’ll tell ya’. They went with tan corduroys. You got that gaudy pink dress. Mother tried to put this matching bow in your hair. You got so mad over that, you ripped it right out, chunk of hair and all. Mother had to chop off a bunch of your hair to even it out. She was so mad at you. You never have been the girly type, huh?”

  I shrugged to myself as I listened. Mother made me grow out my hair again after that incident, too, but I'd tuck it behind my shirt collar. Feliks stopped talking, looking at me expectantly. I jogged forward to meet up with him.

  “Alright. First day of kindergarten. I was so lonely. My only friend was you so I tagged along with you at recess. You kept introducing me to your friends. They thought you were so incredibly weird for hanging out with a girl, let alone your very own sister.”

  Feliks nodded, “I was young, and I didn’t think i
t mattered. It still doesn’t.”

  “It really doesn’t.”

  He agreed and we went back to the stories. He told me about what he remembered of Dad again. I didn’t know him. He was killed in a car accident when I was only a little older than four years old. I just happened to be in the car with him. We had taken a tumble off a bridge because an oncoming car hit us at an awkward angle. Our car veered over the guardrail and rolled off into the river. Dad was knocked unconscious and drowned. They claimed the windshield the broke to get to me had splintered and stabbed through my lower abdomen. It made a clean cut through me. My head was struck badly. Nearby drivers called 911 and I was pulled out first. Doctors had to do emergency surgery to remove the objects in my stomach to save my life. They removed a few organs damaged beyond repair (I could live without them anyway) and had to take out half a foot of intestine. I was a cut up mess for a while. Afterwards we had many checkups and minor surgeries. I had amnesia after the wreck. I never recovered those memories and I viewed it as a secret blessing.

  I felt like Mother was partially jealous of one consequence of it for me. No periods, though no children either. No loss in my opinion.

  I racked my brain trying to think of more stories. Finally I remembered one, “I ate that butterfly once.”

  Feliks sighed, “I remember. I forget why you did that. You weren’t even little.”

  “I know, it was last year,” I chuckled to myself, “It landed on my shoulder. I was so excited I turned to look at it, but I crushed its poor wing under my chin. It rolled into my lap. When I picked it up-”

  “Mother caught you with it.”

  “And I panicked and shoved it in my mouth. I swallowed that little guy… Oh God he was still alive.”

  I felt a little sick thinking about it. I didn’t really taste him. That’s probably a good thing. Mother never found out about that butterfly. She never will now.

  The snow under my boots slowly became frosty grass. Feliks noticed it too. He picked up his head and glanced back from where we came from. Forward there was no snow.

  “What month is it?” Feliks wondered aloud. I had lost track. It had to be February at the latest. It was warmer here. In front of us the forest gradually spaced out. It looked like a path wound out of the trees. The rest of the space was a clearing.

  I stopped, rubbing my nose, “Feliks… Is there a town over there?”

  “A town?” He perked.

  He hopped forward, his strides turning into long leaps. Ears standing erect, he gazed as far as he could. He walked almost out of my line of vision before coming back over the small hill.

  “You wouldn’t believe it. There is a little town down there!”

  My hopes flared like a beacon, “Anyone there?”

  He shook his head, assuming, “But I smell something. I don’t know what, but I do.”

  “Then let’s go!”

  The town had a few houses. In the center there stood a convenience store. Feliks and I went there first. The door was unlocked and many of the shelves were barren. The counter with the register stood along the back bare wall. All together there may have been six shelves, not counting the ones on the wall. It was stocked with necessities. I was glad there happened to be food and matches in bulk. Bottled water could be found on one of the walls. Good, no more drinking melted snow. The chill in the air made my hair stand on end.

  “Feliks, do you spot any jackets? This sweater is thick but doesn’t work too great. And it’s itchy.”

  His canine nose peeked around the corner of the shelf, “No I don’t. Might be one in those houses we saw. There’s only five but I’m sure there’s stuff inside.”

  I nodded, “Yeah, you’re right! There might even be people!”

  Our conversation was interrupted by a quick hiss. I turned to see what it was. A cat with clouded grey eyes met me. The fur was missing along its spine and one of the paws rolled around with each step, until it fell off. Feliks's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he jumped back. The cat jumped at me, but I kicked it off. The claws embedded in my boot, so it swung right back. I panicked and crushed it between my foot and the linoleum floor. It squalled and snapped at me, the attached paws clawing madly at my pants leg. I put as much pressure as I could on it. The skin peeled back along the jaw as it tried tearing through the leather. Feliks leaped down at it, closing his teeth around the temples and pulling as hard as he could before it bit him. The skull came off with an almost satisfying squelch. The jaw moved continuously after having been severed. Feliks tossed it away, the flesh falling away when it hit the wall. The cat werebie, underneath me crumpled inward and became a squishy still-attached mess. I took my other boot and knocked the paws away, shaking the rest off. Feliks spit out all that was in his mouth, digging at the bit of hair between his teeth with his claws. After he was sure all possible remains were out of his mouth, he ran to my side.

  I pulled at the bottom of my jeans, noticing the sick blood staining the bottom and the sole of my boots. There was three scratches close to the top of my boot, a slice in the lace, but no scratches on my body. I unbuttoned my pants and dropped them, only in my loose fitting black boxers. Feliks watched me with worried eyes, “Lene are you okay. Are you harmed? Did it get you?”

  I shook my head, pulling the jeans off, then unlacing my boot. Everything with blood on it came off. Once I could examine it, I laid them out. My pants had blood and bits of flesh only about three centimeters up. My boots were covered, but I could wash it off in the snow outside the town.

  “Darylene!” Feliks barked.

  My head whipped up, my legs shivering from the chill.

  “Can we do this later? You are half naked. I mean nudity is fine and all but it’s cold and pneumonia isn’t a great thing to get right now.”

  “And what do you suggest we do?”

  “Pants? Get some pants,” He looked up and around. He trotted out of the building to search.

  I continued what I was doing. Inside the back desk I found a pair of scissors. The bottom of my pants leg got chopped off and I put them back on. I couldn’t help it, I was freezing. I kicked my shoe out the door, stepping over the mangled mess of werebie. I kicked the boot out until I got to snow and I could rinse it off. I put the now-clean but ice-cold boot back on and wandered back into the town.

  We’d have to clean the werebie out of the store as soon as we could, the smell was strong. Like a crushed bee, the scent attracts others to it.

  Once back on the path that ran through the town, I took a little walk to explore. I heard the clicking of Feliks's claws on the hard ground and the echoed click of a gun.

  FIVE

  I felt a certain kind of fear spike through me. It wasn’t the kind of scared when you think a raccoon got into your home. This wasn’t the fear of dropping a precious glass plate. Right now I experienced the terror of dreading whether I was about to live or die.

  Behind me stood a man. His hair was trimmed close to his head, showing the grey strands breaking through his black hair. I looked over him, swiftly putting up my hands. Inside his left hand there was the distinctive shine of a gun. His lips curled back in a grimace, his dark brown eyes darted between me and Feliks. His facial features seemed to intensify suddenly, his skin growing paler.

  His finger itched across the trigger as he aimed to fire at my brother’s skull. I waved my hand at him frantically. Feliks stepped farther back, dropping the pair of pants he had found. His ears pinned back. The man gazed into Feliks’s frightened, clear eyes.

  The man grabbed me, jerking me back.

  “Sir, don’t worry, I’ll get him!”

  I choked back a cry, more focused on saving Feliks than worrying about being called sir, “No! Don’t shoot him! He won’t hurt you!” I insisted madly with a high pitch, yanking my arm free from his grasp.

  “It’s one of those beasts!” The man snarled the second I got in front of the gun. I blocked the barrel with my chest, “What the hell are you doing! Let me get him before he
attacks.”

  He made at me like he was about to kick me out of the way. I jumped back. Feliks stepped back a bit further before running off to avoid his demise. I shook my head once again, “No you are not!”

  He frowned, his countenance a mixture of pure hatred and annoyance. I waved my hands, at loss for words. I was unsure of how to explain why not to shoot Feliks, besides the obvious ‘he’s my brother.’ Actually, that might be the worst thing to say. Admitting Feliks was a werebie would seal his fate. Saying he was my pet would raise suspicions. They’d kill him anyway, to ensure a lower risk of infection.

  “You let it escape!” He growled, throwing up his hands and putting the gun away. His voice lowered and octave, “Ya’ goddamn brat.”

  I let out a short breath, throwing about my hands. My heart kicked and suddenly I felt a searing heat in my eyes. My throat hurt, and I knew I was going to cry. I couldn’t. That was ridiculous.

  I took in a slow breath, trying to settle myself, “You really don’t understand. You can’t hurt him. He’s my,” Be honest, there’s no other way to explain this to him. Feliks is going to die. At least claim him as your brother, “brother. I know, he is infected but-”

  The man grabbed the cloth of my shirt and threw me out of the way. I tumbled back. My left foot twisted oddly at the ankle, toppling me over. I crashed into the hard, cold ground. Sandy gravel bit at my exposed hands and the back of my head that met with it. My head felt like I put it in a blender. I tried to stand up quickly, noticing the man dashing off towards the direction Feliks ran off. The gun still cocked, ready to fire, the man was on a mission to find him. I knew Feliks was hiding nearby to come back to me. He hated the thought of abandoning me. He’d never leave me.

  My left foot was aching inside my boot. It was as if the size ten Docs were steadily becoming a size seven. I could stand on that side, but it felt thick, heavy, and sore. I ran forward towards the man. Adrenaline masked my pain for me.