The Overgrowth

Chapter 15: Rune

It took a few weeks for my hands to heal up. It hurt bad enough that I felt sick to my stomach for the majority of the time I was awake, which wasn't much. I thought about how this exact tribe may have been the cause of Brian's death and whether or not we'd all let it go or not. Chelsea and Jason seldom came to see me. I wasn't even sure if they were allowed to be in the room while I was like that.

I was escorted out on my still aching feet. Martin led me to an old room and told me it was for our group. I wasn't aware he was apart of it now. Anyways, after about two months, I was able to walk again. The surgery which, apparently, initiated me into the tribe, actually worked. The pawish features were completely gone and my hands and feet were just furry human type hands and feet.

Jason met Chelsea and I in the home.

"You know Chelsea, you're going to have to do something," Jason started. She sighed.

"I haven't been so pressured since mom left," she replied.

"Pressure, you call it? It's not pressure, it's recommendation. Tell your father whenever you're ready, but if you don't, you know what'll happen," he told her.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"Nothing," she replied.

"Chelsea..."

"OK, fine. I'm...well, I'm pregnant," she said. My jaw dropped from the rest of my snout.

"What? How could you...that's just...wow. With a wolf..." Was my reaction.

"Well, he wasn't always like that," she replied.

"But he is now."

"He went looking for me after I was kicked out of the zone and got caught in a building that was still filled with the chemical. You should be happy that I actually found him. It's a one in a million chance that I'd find him here."

"So, did you mate before or after we got here?" I asked. She laughed at the mate part, but almost instantly got serious again and looked down.

"After." I looked down. There was a long silence until a fox walked in.

"Hey, you must be Jason and Chelsea. Come with me," he said. He was the same one that had the knife in his stomach. Jason and Chelsea followed him outside. I got up from the floor and walked to my room.

Skinny jeans and the same black t-shirt I left the zone in. I left the house, following my companions, wearing that. I didn't even care about shoes and socks anymore. It felt great to walk barefoot with nothing restraining me. When I finally caught up with them, they were just about to walk outside the gates.

"Where are we going?" Jason asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you three. I probably should've told your brother to come too, but he did anyway, so...yeah," he said.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"I never had a name. Hell, honestly I don't even know where I'm from. Most of the Anthropomorphics just take to calling me Rune." He had the same blue eyes that I did. He wore a green jacket with a loose grey tank-top underneath and just plain blue jeans. "Lucy tells me Martin is going to be a father soon. To you." He pointed to Chelsea. "You take care of him. He's a good guy." Chelsea laughed.

"I've been married to him for years," she chuckled. Rune smiled.

"Oh. Well, OK then. Well, I have to ask you, Jason and Chelsea, to become Anthropomorphic." Chelsea and Jason looked at each other.

"What would we become?" Chelsea asked.

"That, we couldn't tell you until you had actually consumed the chems. You'd most likely become a fox, seeing as your father is one, but we wouldn't know exactly. Of course, we can't put you through it until the child is born." Chelsea smiled a bit and tried to hide it. Why would they just volunteer to become an Anthropomorphic?

Rune scratched his face and leaned against the wall.

"So...uh, I saw you with a knife wound. What was that about?" I asked.

"That was...in Arizona...I lost a battle I wasn't supposed to take part in. The Butcher. He causes a lot of problems for the Anthropomorphics," he replied. I nodded. He pulled out a note and gave it to me.

Lucy,

I'm not sure you can keep your hell spawns in control anymore. I hear my old pal Rune is coming for me...without your permission. Tell him I'm ready for the bastard.

Signed, The Butcher

"He never gave the note to a courier. He wanted me to have it after he threw his knife into my flesh, Rune sighed.

*****

I sat alone in the house that night. This quarantine zone's tavern was a thousand times better than the previous. Jason and Chelsea were drinking there. I decided I would check it out.

*****

It was a large building. I ordered a glass of water, but turned it down when I found out it was from a nearby river. Chelsea was playing poker with Rune.

"Go get some chips and take a seat," Chelsea said. I did.

A queen of spades and a two of hearts.

"I call," Chelsea said. Two hundred-fifty chips.

"I guess I'll raise ya'," Rune placed five hundred down.

"Fold," I put my cards down in front of me. Rune won a thousand chips and Chelsea busted out...and so did I a while later.

*****

"Ok, we get it. You won. Jeeze," Chelsea yelled after about five minutes of Rune rubbing it in her face. I laughed.

"Next time, I'll kick your ass in Blackjack."