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Honestly, being a zombie wasn’t that bad. Granted, the peanut butter sandwich had left you more conscious than your counterparts. But the worst part was the anticipation toward your transformation. Mark helped ease it. Accepting the fate of the world along your side, knowing he might die or be turned into this viscous thing alongside you.
But that’s not what happened. When you turned, speech didn’t come easy to you. So when you growled at Mark after your mind felt strangely lax but buzzy with decay, he flinched. Pulling into himself with a shout while he just kind of…accepted his fate?
“Grrruuughhh…” You grunted. Taking a discolored finger and poking him despite the way he shook. Eyes slammed shut, he trembled. You assumed if your appetite hadn’t been mutated by the sandwich. You’d want to reach out and bite him. Sink your teeth into his flesh until he cried out. Feeling the tremble in your rotting teeth while everything fell blank and you were overcome with a desire to consume.
But you didn’t.
So you poked him again.
“Oh God-“ He mumbled into himself. You poked another finger at him. Growling under your breath as he took a look at you.
“Urrrnghhhh…” You grumbled. Giving a thumbs up. Watching the slow realization on his face. He gave little gasps of speechlessness before a smile bloomed across his face and he raised a hand to high five you. Your brain, still sluggish from the change, didn’t respond in time.
So he just grasped a hand around your partial fist. It felt unreasonably warm against your cooling skin.
“You’re? Okay?” He gave you a sideways glance. Something tentative as he took his hand back. “Well…not okay okay.” He shook his hand in a side to side motion. Palm facing the grass. “But you’re not gonna eat me?” He raised an eyebrow.
You hummed in response, it came out more like a raspy gurgle in your throat. He grimaced, before turning it into an awkward smile. Slowly you rescinded your hand from its position in the air. Pointing down at the sandwich wrapper and promptly feeling your face twist in disgust. Making a gnashing motion with your teeth as you crinkled your nose.
“Yeah, it did seem pretty disgusting.” He chuckled. And you remembered him holding back vomit in his mouth after taking a sniff. Yet, he still offered them to you. It struck you that you didn’t really think to deny him at the time.
Ignoring that though. Your brain was focused on something else. Your senses felt dull and slow compared to before, which is probably why you just noticed the taste lingering in your mouth. Bringing fingers into your mouth you hissed. Trying to scrape away the residue. Once thoroughly scraped, you pulled your hand away. Grimacing further at the spit-soaked hand as you shoved it away from you. You already stunk of decay, the spit smelling like rotten food did not help either.
As if sensing your distress he gave you a sympathetic glance. In that over exaggerated way he did everything. He took a finger and pointed it at you.
“Need help?” You nodded slowly. Sighing. He took your hand from you. Grimacing at the spit before reaching behind him and miraculously pulling out some napkins. Wiping you down while muttering something under his breath. You felt a deep rumbling in your chest at the sensation.
You tried to stop the thrumming. Unsure where it came from. Mark glanced over to you and raised an eyebrow. Slightly opening his mouth to speak before shutting it and shaking his head. Continuing to wipe you down like something precious instead of something rotting.
It had to just be because of hygiene. It was pretty gross and pathetic to stick your whole hand in your mouth. You knew that. But what you knew and what you felt seemed a bit out of sync right now.
“There you go!” He exclaimed. Returning your hand to you.
“Rrrgghhh.” You gurgled. He shoved the tissue into his pocket and patted your shoulder. Watching you slowly detract your hand back down. It felt unfair, how quickly he could move in comparison to you. But he seemed patient with you. Even as you groaned in frustration, trying to move quicker. It just made you tired.
“What if I just-“ Mark started, frowning lightly. Taking a hand to slowly bring your shaking hand down. You let your arm limp as he did. Guided by his movements didn’t make you feel stuck in molasses anymore. Thick, syrupy movements returning to being quick and fluid under his direction. “Ah, there you go.” He flashed a smile.
“Graghh.” You tried to thank Mark. He got the gist of it.
“Don’t mention it.” He flapped his hand. Mark turned his attention back to the uneaten tuna sandwich and grimaced. Pushing his face into himself as he recoiled. He glanced at it then you again. “Let’s find something better to eat.”
You growled. Mark squinted at you.
“I’m a snack but now’s not the time.” He started to stand. Pressing one hand over his clothed stomach while you tried to mimic the action of standing. If it were anyone else the line would’ve made you snort. Give you a mild ick. But per usual, his charms assuaged you. In a corny way for sure, but it was still endearing.
Putting your energy into it, you continued to stand. Feeling your bones creak deep in your body while you did so. Feeling uniquely sore and fatigued. Once fully upright, you hunched over. Tilting your head you could see Mark starting to walk off. Shuffling your feet you tried to follow after.
But you were just so agonizingly slow.
“Rrrruuuoougghhh..!” You growled out.” Watching him turn back to you and speed walk to you. You shuffled closer, trying to meet him in the middle. But realistically he went more of the distance.
“Yeah…that’s an issue.” He noted, oh so helpfully. You felt a little annoyed at him for pointing out the obvious. But it was sort of a subdued annoyment. Something brief and fickle. He walked over to you, stepping closer in your space.
You watched as he began to undo his tie. Grumbling softly with curiosity you watched him wrap part of it around your wrist. Creating a knot and makeshift leash for your hand. He gave it an experimental tug. You hissed slightly at the sensation.
“Hey! Don’t sass me.” He pointed a finger at you. You grumbled quietly. Watching him give another tug before deciding it was fine. Walking in front of you, albeit at a slower pace now that you were bound to him. The pulling motion was at a careful enough speed to not make you fall over.
It was a small kindness.
Without realizing it, you made that little rumble sound again. The one you could feel in your sternum. Like it was vibrating your body. Mark turned around to look at you. Giving you another inquisitive look.
And that’s how it started. You both went along this weird journey together. Occasionally encountering zombies. In which you would growl loudly. Rasp out some sounds in order for them to understand not to attack Mark. Then you’d find humans. And Mark would do the same for you. Just less rasping and growls, more effective English words. Sometimes you guys would share food, mainly at Mark’s request. He observed the way you lost a couple pounds after turning. Eating repulsed you. He learned that very quickly, it’s partially why you guys managed so well.
“C’mon. You have to eat.” He stressed. Lifting whatever foul smelling concoction to your face. You hissed, slowly tilting your face away from him. Mark frowned deeper. “Don’t make me Mama-bird you.” He added with finality. Taking his other hand to grab you jaw.
Carefully directing your face back to him while you squirmed. Not strong enough to stop him, but enough to be annoying to him. Least you could do for your troubles. He slowly wedged it open, a firm but not demanding grip. Your bones had become brittle, you assumed he didn’t want to accidentally tear your jaw.
“C’mon! It’s not that bad. See?” Mark took a bite out of it. Exaggerating the chewing motions and sounds of relief. Trying to make it temping to you. Eventually he swallowed, releasing an exaggerated sigh. “Your turn.” He pushed a thumb past your chapped lips. Slowly hooking around your teeth and opening your jaw.
You stiffened a little. Growling loudly at the intrusion but he rolled his eyes. Bringing the food closer to your mouth.
“Stop being a baby, you’ll feel better.” He spoke a bit tersely. You exhaled harshly in response. Observing the little hesitation on him. Like he just realized that he put his fingers in a zombie’s mouth. You had half a mind to bite him out of pettiness.
But that would be bad, your putrefying brain supplied. So instead you just groaned around his fingers as he brought the meat to your mouth. Unhooking his fingers from your mouth as you closed around the mouthful. Chewing around it. He watched you. Watched you turn this meaty thing to mush with your molars. Yellowed teeth far from perfection turning it into tasteless slop in your mouth. But Mark stared with a sense of pride.
You rumbled a little.
Mark smiled. Some smaller thing, then he patted your shoulder, giving it a hearty squeeze. The rumbling only grew louder. You swore you could hear the buzzing in your head. While the warmth of his palm radiated across your shoulder. Once the meat had turned into slurry in your mouth. You held it there. Half tempted to spit it out.
Mark knew you too well though. You watched his face grow stern. Reminding his hand to instead point toward you.
“Hey…” He spoke. Staring directly at you, with your puffed cheeks full of food. “Swallow it.” He commanded. Voice heavy with regulation as you growled in the base of your throat. “Swallow…” He tried again. Your growling only grew louder to combat him. “Swallow.” He issued, voice thick with finality.
You hissed. A small sound pressing against your soft palate. Eventually swallowing. Freeing your mouth to open it, growling at him.
“There you go.” He hummed. Looking smug with satisfaction as you brought a hand across your stomach. You were still bony. Organs still liquifying under your washed-out and blotchy skin. But that pit in your stomach lessened. “Wasn’t so hard was it?”
You hissed at him. Louder.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He waved his hand, grabbing another chunk of meat and handing it toward your face again. You opened up with less reluctance. He smacked the side of your face a little, it was kind of condescending. “If you keep that up maybe this won’t take two hours like the last time!” He chided. A laugh hiding in the last few words while you groaned. Swallowing the second mouthful.
You grunted. Taking a hand and poking him in the chest.
“What?” He tilted his head. You groaned again. Drawing it out in your mouth as you poked him again. Gnashing your teeth while poking. “Ohh…my turn?” He pointed to himself. You grunted in response.
He huffed a small laugh, tearing off a piece for himself as he plopped it into his mouth with ease. Chewing absentmindedly. You rumbled. Hunched over while the both of you sat side by side. Evening air beginning to prick at your skin. It wasn’t as sensitive to temperature, to most things actually, compared to when you were human. But you could tell. The way it numbed around your senses.
“You do that a lot.” He brought a hand to his mouth, covering it while he chewed. “Never heard any of the others do that.” He commented. Slowly you brought a hand up. Covering his lips with one finger.
“Arrrrouuugggggghh.” You replied. Leaning close while he grew an expression of mild confusion. He glanced side to side a little. Slowly, you brought the hand down. Already hunched over you curled closer to him.
Feeling the heat radiate across you as you tucked your head against him. You could only imagine the grime you tracked onto his suit. Things matted in your hair and dirt tracked in your skin smudging across the clean surface. But still he put an arm around you. And that same rumbling sensation sprouted in your chest.
“We should find you a shower.” He hummed. You hissed. Rubbing your grease and debris covered hair onto his chest some more. Ruining the fabric. Mark let out an indignant huff above you, only making the rumble register louder as it mixed with your version of laughter.