The Genetic Code

Chapter 24

I put on an indigo tank with a white hoodie thrown over it, paired with black workout leggings and light blue Nike Flyknits, and leave the house.

I'm passing by a humble one story grey-roofed house made of horizontal lightwood panels with white accenting when I spot Sterling appear from behind the black door in a grey sweatshirt and matching sweatpants.

I slow down and remove one earphone from my ear, looking at him in surprise.

"Oh? You're going for a morning jog too?" His eyes light up when he notices me, and he jumps over the fence gate so he's on the pavement beside me. "Let's run together."

"No it's okay, really. I'll be fine on my own." I begin to jog away.

He easily catches up to me. "Nah, I'll join you just in case. I may have to fend off bad guys again." He punches the air, and smiles at me. I pull a face, but give in.

We've barely made it out of the neighborhood when my lower back starts to hurt. A growing fatigue starts to overcome my body, I'm far more lethargic than I should be for the short distance we've covered. I try to push it down first, but after a while it gets too much for me, when my head begins to spin, and I stop.

"I'm... just... gonna walk back from here," I speak through my laborious breaths.

"Come on, we're not even halfway through."

"I'm tired. My back hurts."

He raises his eyebrows. "I didn't know I was dating a sixty-year-old arthritic woman." When he doesn't get the sarcastic response he was probably expecting, he changes his stance. "Okay, I'll walk back with you."

"Let me go back myself this time? Alone. This was supposed to be my me-time anyway. Before you decided to change the 'me' to 'we'," I quip back lightheartedly.

He sighs. "Fine. I know when I'm not wanted."

I lift an eyebrow with a grin. "Do you really? I mean just now—"

Sterling begins to jog away. "What did you say? I can't hear you!"

I wait for him to get further away before I start to walk, but by this point my whole body is aching. I'm suddenly breaking out in cold sweat, feeling extremely lethargic and out of breath. I start seeing bright lights, and I'm dizzy, bending forward with my hands on my knees to support myself.

In my blurring vision I see a figure running back towards me, before hearing Sterling's voice: "Hey! Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. I'm... fine. I'll walk... back myself." I stagger forward.

He holds onto my arm to steady me, speaking with concern in his voice, "You don't look fine. You look like you might pass out."

I swallow, panting heavily. "I'm just... really tired. Don't worry... about me. Go on and finish your run."

My knees buckle, but Sterling catches me.

"Liar. There's a time and place to be stubborn. This isn't one of them." He squats down and slings my arms around his neck. "Don't say anything. Just let me carry you."

"I..." I can't even fathom words anymore, everything is a blur of white and my head throbs. I lean my face onto his shoulder as I succumb to the whiteness.

***

I slowly open my leaden eyelids and take in my surroundings.

"Where... am I?"

"My house."

From the corner of my eye I spot Sterling walking in through the open door frame with a cup of water.