Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 32

The sky was pale when she woke up. Lainey quickly sat up. The last thing she remembered before everything went dark was Benjamin's sympathetic gray eyes staring longingly at her.

She was in her bedroom, in bed. She leaned forward and rubbed her eyes, wondering if she wanted to remember what had happened the day before. But it wasn't too long before it all hit her like a tidal wave.

"Mom," she whispered to herself as she jumped out of bed only to stagger and fall to the floor. Lainey felt weak. She'd seen much better days. The last week had been mentally and physically exhausting. And the last time she had a good meal was at the Abalone with Mom. But now wasn't the time to be concerned about her own health and mental stability.

Mom had been bitten.

Lainey gritted her teeth as she climbed to her feet, using her bedroom wall for support. And as she reached for her door, Benjamin stepped in.

"Hey," he quietly said. "You . . . passed out last night. How're you feeling?"

"Where's my mom?" Lainey said.

Benjamin's face was painted with affliction. He hesitated.

"Your mom . . . she's been bitten. I was with her all night."

"H-How is she? Is she gonna be alright?"

Benjamin placed a hand on Lainey's shoulder.

"I think you may want to have a seat," he said.

Lainey shook her head.

"If there's something you have to tell me, just say it!"

Benjamin nodded.

"Your mom is . . . carrying the plague of the undead."

Lainey placed a hand to her chest as she dropped onto her bed. Her vision became blurry as her eyes grew warm. She quickly swiped the back of her hand across her eyes. She was sick of crying. Sick of feeling weak. She swallowed, holding back the persistent wave of tears.

"Is she going to be alright?" Lainey asked, her voice thick.

"Lainey . . . there is no known cure for the plague. When your mom . . . passes away, she will come back."

Lainey began trembling. Out of fear. But mostly out of anger. She grasped the sides of her head and screamed. And screamed.

And screamed.

The sound she expelled was unlike anything she'd heard in her life. It was animal-like. And she was sure she'd awakened over half the neighborhood.

Her distress caused her to buckle over and fall off her bed but Benjamin quickly caught her before she hit the floor.

"Why?" Lainey asked through her screaming. "Why is this happening to me, Benjamin? What have I done to deserve it all?"

"You haven't done anything, Lainey. We'll get through this. Together."

Together.

Together?

Lainey immediate pushed away from Benjamin.

"No," she said. "No! All of this is happening to me because of you, isn't it? Please, make it stop, Benjamin." She grabbed a pillow from her bed and threw it at him. "Make it stop!"

"I never wanted any of this to happen to you," Benjamin said, brushing the pillow from his chest.

"Then make it stop!" Lainey shrieked. "I can't take anymore, Benjamin. I can't. I feel like I'm dying."