Maizen: Return of the Zombies

Chapter 6

If there was one thing JJ had learned, it's that this place had lots of vents. It was so complex that if Mary wasn't with him, he'd lose his mind wandering for hours on end. Thankfully, Mary claimed she knew every ventilation here like the back of her hand, and that they wouldn't get lost without a doubt.

Being half straved and carrying an unconscious body on your shoulder was bound to drain energy, and JJ was suprised he had made it this long. All the exhaustion was finally starting to catch up to him. Mary noticed, and offered to leave the vents early; but the cost would be making it through the rest of the village undetected.

Before JJ could contemplate the pros and cons of that plan, Mary was already executing it. In a matter of seconds, she'd already found an exit and was outside. She really wasn't lying when she said this was her specialty.

Thankfully, they'd gotten out in a place where houses were clustered really close together, so it would be easy to travel to Mary's house without anyone spotting them. It was particularly shaded here too; probably because the sea lanterns used as lights were aimed more towards the middle of the village, leaving most of the houses in a nice shade. Perfecr for sneaking.

"How can you even tell which house is yours?" JJ asked. "They all look exactly the same."

"Each house has a number," Mary explained. "But I accidentally burned mine with a lighter one time, and ever since then, my house is recognized for not having a number. Numbers are for dopes anyways."

"Uh huh." JJ said, not really believing the "accidentally" part. Considering that she did stuff like that all the time for fun.

"Here it is!" Mary said, after JJ was about to collapse from exhaustion. "Wait out here. I'll be right back."

JJ couldn't help it. He fell over. But he instantly regretted it when he heard Mikey's unconscious body hit the ground with a rather painful thump. Just then, JJ got the urge to check his pulse, and thankfully found one.

"Now that we're here, you'll be safe. You'll wake up, and you'll get better." JJ thought, feeling warm inside at the idea of Mikey waking up and acting like his joyful, happy self. Finally, he'd have his friend back.

Suddenly, Mary came back outside.

"Well he's still alive, he just looks dead." She said, talking to someone inside the house. "Maybe I should check anyway, he could've died on the way-"

Then, she noticed JJ staring at her.

"He's fine. He still has a pulse." JJ reported.

"M'kay," Mary said, and disappeared back inside the house. JJ wondered what was so important that she had to leave them out in the open, but a couple seconds later, she reappeared.

"Are you coming inside, or what?" She asked. JJ wanted to face palm so bad, but he honestly didn't have the energy to, and used what he had left inside of him to get Mikey inside the house.

"Are you guys hauling a dead body or somethin'?" Someone asked.

"He's not dead," JJ pointed out again, getting kinda freaked out at how people were assuming Mikey had died. JJ didn't even want to think about that. "He's just unconscious."

"Are you sure?" The person asked, getting close and observing Mikey. "Cause your friend here lowkey looks like a skeleton."

"Actually Will, that's his boyfriend." Mary corrected. "They're totally dati-"

JJ kicked her hard in the shin, and that made her learn her lesson. She let out a pained noise, but didn't say anything else related to dating after that. At least, for now. This girl never stops.

"...does Mikey need somewhere to sleep? Cause he can use my bed if he needs it." Will offered.

JJ instantly accepted, and he made sure he got Mikey in the bed, and that he was tucked in. Meanwhile, he could Mary whispering to Will, but he didn't care right now. Mikey needed to start recovering, and that was the only thing JJ really cared about.

"You look like you need some food too," Will commented to JJ. "I've got some bread. Why don't you take some?"

Will tossed some bread to him, and he instantly devoured it. He was so sick of having to listen to his stomach grumble for days on end; thank god it was finally over. Once the crew was back together, JJ could leave this place with Mikey, and they wouldn't have to come back. Ever.

"Listen, guys..." JJ began. He was already feeling better, so he might as well explain his plan to them. But before he could, Mary interuppted him.

"Not now bud, you need to get some rest, just like Mikey." She said. "You've been dragging yourself around for a long time, and you deserve some sleep."

JJ stared at Mikey sleeping, that nagging feeling that he might not wake up was still churning deep inside him.

There was no way in hell that JJ would go to sleep while Mikey possibly lay on the verge of death. He needed to wake him up, and he needed to do it now. He couldn't stand staring at him motionless and barely breathing for another second.

"Hold on a second, I have an idea!" JJ exclaimed. "Guys, do you have any cake?"

"Cake?" Will repeated, weirded out at the random request.

"I made a couple a handful of days ago." Mary said. "What do you need one for?"

"You'll see," JJ briefly answered, and raced to their kitchen. He found about four inside of a chest, but he only took one. That was all he needed, after all.

He raced back to Mikey, and placed the cake on the nightstand next to the bed.

"What are you doing?" Mary asked.

"Just wait, this won't take long." JJ kept stalling, waiting in anticipation to see if his idea would work.

There was a few long moments of nothing. But suddenly, Mikey started making subtle movements, before jerking awake. The moment he saw the cake, he pounced right on it and started devouring it.

"Uh- what's going on?" Will asked.

"I should have thought of this sooner! Mikey wakes up when he smells cake! I didn't think it would work when he was unconscious, but I guess-" JJ continued to watch his friend wolf down the cake. "I was wrong."

When Mikey was done, he instantly fell back down, his energy completely drained with that bulk action. He murmurmed something and went back to sleep.

"...at least you know he's alive now.-" Mary said, suprised by what had just happened as well. "With that being said, JJ, now will you go to sleep? I'm sure you'll want to now that you're boyf-" She immediately stopped herself before she put herself in danger again. "Friend is too..."

Just then, JJ realized how genuinely tired he was.

"Sure thing." He said. "Do I just sleep on the floor?"

"I mean, su-" Will started, but Mary interuppted him. "Oh no, you can totally have the bed. I'll just sleep on Will again."

"Oh god no-" Will said, but his tone was good-natured. They started messing around after that, but JJ didn't bother to tune in. He got into bed, and for the first time in days, he truly felt comfortable. Especially with Mikey here next to him.