Winner!
Third Place Sci-Fi Winner on The Dream Awards July 2020.
What would happen if one day you were infected with a virus that ate at your brain, your skin, and all your internal organ all while you were self-aware?
Would you still feel? Want to...
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Teal chose a deep purple, Peter Pan collared blouse and loose, black pants. The clothes were faded out, like all the clothes she owned, everything most of them wore- except Marc. She'd noticed the night they met, his clothes looked new.
Glancing in the mirror atop the fireplace, she combed the twisted strands of hair back with her thin fingers, to finish her look. She didn't look her best but why would her mind ever go there? There was no good reason to.
Teal turned to look at the large, antique grandfather clock. A hand pointed at the ten and the other at the twelve. She should have left by now because she needed ample time to talk to Marc without distractions. Taking in a nervous breath through her nose, deeper than any other she ever took before, she left.
Leaving the neighborhood behind, Teal walked through a few desolate, dirty streets admiring the shining stars upon their ebony canvas. They were beautiful and Teal wished she'd paid more attention to them, growing up. She bet anything humans did nothing but admire the nightly sky. Teal stopped walking and for a few seconds, she took them in breathing the cool night air.
Soon the buzzing sound of a few generators polluted her surroundings indicating homes occupied by zombies capable of cooking; like her own, or in need of electricity for some reason or another. Houses filled with a mishmash of families, consisting of individuals who turned and likely knew each other before. In their human life.
She had never given much thought to how lucky she was to have her parents and brother with her. Even if Aunt Rita couldn't live with them, she was part of a complete family. Recently she realized, many weren't as lucky. She'd been too centered in herself and regardless of the secrets, her family kept, that was on her.
Teal approached the chain-link fence, fifteen minutes later. Rocco wasn't at his usual post, so she pushed it open. When she reached the black, metal doors, she tried the knob and it turned in her hand with a creak when she pulled to peer inside.
Although there was music playing it wasn't as loud as when the club was open. She scanned her eyes around the room but Marc was nowhere to be found. She needed to locate him before the usual patrons arrived. That would barely give her thirty to forty minutes for Marc to listen and convince him to help.
At the bar, stood a female with pink ponytails, cowboy boots, and jean short-shorts. The tops of her breasts spilled over a tight, gold, and black bustier. She stared at nothingness while twirling her fingers in her hair.
"Hi! Is-is Marc here?" Teal asked unsure of herself.
The girl turned a brown, hollow gaze at her and blankly stared.
"Nah. Out. Supplies."
"How soon until he's back?"
The girl shrugged. Teal rolled her eyes looking around. Her fingers strummed on the stainless steel countertop. She wasn't sure if she should wait, or leave. Then, she recalled she'd told her brother she would be there that evening, so leaving wasn't an option.
