FSE

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Written by fugi88, commissions open

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Part 9 of Alexander's accounts, continuing from the flat being found to be dangerous

"Wait a minute, let me check!", Artemis said.

And i took in the oxygen-rich air. It was ok. Artemis took the time to run through documents, the setting sun bright in his face.

"Turns out this was built under the direction of Derrick-avston, one of the first members of the true vigilantes.'", he said. “Fuck."

I turned to face him. He was a little shook. "You should really read the documents when you're doing something as serious as buying a house.*

He let out a tight smile. "Yeah, i thought this house was too well-defended"

I felt a sudden burning, as if on cue. Not near the top of my back but everywhere below my head. I tried to think of what could have caused this. What was covering my back? My entire skin below my head?

And then i remembered. "Artemis, check the water supply."

He went off to check. He'd come to the same conclusion as i.

And then i heard a scream after several minutes. One of fury.

"They put in a dehumaniser here!"

I blinked several times. Confusion remained. “What's that?"

"Well, let's just say you're going to develop a bleeding rash and an increasingly dizzy life as you are lobotomised through the virus... That is, without medicine. You have a week before it moves through your nervous system and destroys you."

Shit. I was under that water for god knows how long. "And do we have medicine?"

A small pause. “We have home remedies you can try", said Artemis.

I looked at the salmon. It was becoming cold. "Do you have medicine, the real shit?"

"It's expensive, and it arouses suspicion. You'll be fine for the first three days, anyways... Well, save for the itching."

No. I could feel the tempting pseudoneedles of itching erupting across my body, begging to be scratched. It's not going to be fine.

"Go buy a house", i said. "I've got enough money for another down payment. I hate it here."

"Really, your savings?", asked Artemis.

"Yes, go spend them. I'm determined to start this business", i said.

I ate the food for the calcium. A bit ew, by the way. And we retired to the bedroom, sat on the bed.

I looked up, since I'd heard it's the place most humans ignored. Maybe werewolves'd ignore it, too. "What are those weird lines?"

"Fuck.", says Artemis. “Not another anti-human measure…!"

I didn't care. I'd die in a week, anyways. “Let's just sleep together anyways, here, i'm so tired."

Artemis made contact with me and pushed me away. “No, we, onto the sofa, i'm sealing this room."

He pulled me out. I stood there. It felt like my mind was sinking. Things became lighter, less consequential.

He closed the door and used a roll of duct-tape to seal the door shot. “I'll call some exterminators when we get our rent payments."

We went onto the sofa and fought for space on the cramped place. “It'd be better if we'd've'd slept in the bedroom."

"You'd die quickly", said Artemis. “Just a few hours and the fungus-paint'll release enough toxins to destroy all the nasal and oral structures as applied to a human."

So, i gave in, Artemis eventually finding a comfortable position… lying atop of me.

It was actually genuinely comfortable to have this kind of weight resting, in some part, on me, warm and gentle,

And i let him stay there, his rhythmic breathing shifting weight, his body in its own harmony separate from me.

Why had we gone to sleep so early? It was the stress, probably, likely.

Eh.

---

And my back hurt even as my heart struck its little beat, trying to keep a dying body alive.

The rash hurt. Artemis's weight had drawn tired my body.

So, i woke him up with a gentle push.

I saw his face. His eyes were a bit wide, his mouth slightly agape. Eyebrows furrowing “Alexander?"

“Hmm?", i asked.

He gasped a little for air, retched a little. "You stink… of blood."

He stood, gingerly. “I'll remove the dehumaniser and prepare the shower, i guess."

I looked at my arms. Red rashes, bleeding a little. I felt very tired, but in a more physical way, not a sleep-deprived way.

I thought about the direction i was going. This is not right. I must not die. I have survived too long for that to be a possibility. “Alexander?"

“Hmm?"

I looked at him with eyes that wouldn't remain focused. A blurry silhouette of my good friend. “Get the medicine, take my money, use the rest for a house."

"You said that yesterday", he said. “Need breakfast?"

“Probably", i said. “Something to replace the blood."

He glanced at the sofa, then the fridge, then paused to connect the concepts. “I have black sausage."

The concept of a blood-sausage had grossed me out, but when i tried it in a hotel, it wasn't that bad. “Yes please."

I stood to reach the table. My mind went white with lightness. A dizzy spell. I could feel my legs giving away underneath me to reduce me to a stagger

And i staggered to the table, barely, used my hands to catch my falling body as it fell into a chair.

“Wow, you really need it", said Artemis.

“Yep, i, i, i, pro-ba- a- a- ly,,, d-do", i said. I had a stutter. The loose concept in my head hadn't translated well into language and speech. Then, everything fell in my head. My eyes shut. I fell black.

And i was on the floor when i came to be, Not quite on the floor, my head being protected by Artemis's extended foot.It was a very hairy version of a human foot. Almost a pillow.

“I'll go forge a prescription", said Artemis. “And heck, an insurance company, so we don't have to pay."

And he left in a slight rush, abandoning me. He did it so much now, It felt like neglect sometimes. But it was ok. We had stuff to do, a society to reform. Little things like my health could wait.

So i sat there and turned to the TV. Would it emit radiation against me? Would it send my face to the government and open a trapdoor to drop a true vigilante from the ceiling?

Was i just being silly? Was i depriving myself of knowledge of the world?

My brain isn't enough for even these questions.

Back to the anti-human book, to laughing at hilariously extreme opinions.

---

“I got the pills", said a voice behind the door, in the unlit corner of the house, lacking both natural and electric light. The only light i'd bothered to turn on was for reading.

I wasn't fooled by a familiar voice. “Non futuis que?"

“lyncahtroporii, concordatum est", said the voice.

So, i opened the door. A box was pushed into my hand. “Take twice daily, swallow in entirety", said Artemis. “Eh, for later."

Alongside him were two humans. Mid-twenties, one a man, one a woman.

“Who are these?", i asked.

“Guys who were hiding in a closet in the new property", said Artemis. “They're terrified."

I heard noises from the stairs. It could be an anti-human werewolf. I warned the humans here with a “Quick, inside."

The door closed and i looked at the three entrants. “Man, introduce yourself."

“Cubit, former hairdresser. Ugh, sometimes they have so much loose hair i just want to…", he mimed an electric razor, cutting off all hair. “Raahrgh, just make them skin: Maybe that'll make them realise humans actually matter."

“And woman?", asked Artemis with a wry smile.

“Biblia, former librarian. Ugh, sometimes they're so Prejudiced i just want to…", she said, knocking her forehead. “Just to educate them…!"

“They're sold on our little idea", said Artemis, with a silly smile.

I put my head in my hands. “It was supposed to be confidential! …ish."

“Eh, no harm in having new employees."

“Yes harm", i said. “Now they'll need food and sleeping spaces and places to work and oh god there's so much logistics we have to account for."

“It's fine", said Artemis. “Rent out each bed for ¤200 a week, 5 beds, we're making ¤1,000 a week for some student accommodation."

“And according to my calculations", said the woman, Biblia, i think, “we can weasel out around ¤2,300 after the ¤1,000 monthly mortgage payments assuming 4.3 weeks per month"

I sighed. And i nodded, quietly said “Ok then, keep the guys."

A sudden kick of lightheadedness. I was going to die without the pills. I was glad i had them. I'd take one, after dinner.

It was foolish, i knew, but it felt good being physically sick, to have a reason to be stressed and tired. I felt a little validated in a way. It was ok.

This is not ok, actually. This is unhealthy. Good, though. I like that. I'm already unhealthy enough that a little unhealth wouldn't hurt that much more. A sick brain makes a sick body, i guess, even if there's a little work in the way.

Had i done this to myself? Stress was never a good idea. A viscous cycle, maybe. Maybe i should distract myself.

I mentally mapped out how the people could be put to use. Biblia could go into accounting, maybe. Cubit… he, i don't know, maybe housekeeping.

Artemis was obvious. He was the only one allowed outside, after all. “Just don't bring in any more humans", i said to him.

He nodded. “Fine."

And Cubit turned to turn on the TV. I shouted “Don't, it could be a booby trap!"

“Ooh, boobs", he said. And he turned it on.

I glared at Artemis. You brought dumb straight people in here?!

He shrugged. Annoying. Are we going to have to break up? I could be prepared to do that.

Cubit shot his arms up in celebration. “Hey, this TV does analogue!"

It sure did. And we saw the new channels. A pirate one, broadcast from some flat, i guess. “We are the the backbone of the werewolf world yet we are being killed", read some marquee-scrolling text at the top of the screen. “We request the right to live and the right to exist in the world our ancestors built for you". The same two messages, again and again and again.

“Attention humans", said a spoken voice. “You must stand up", it said.

“You must prove to the world you are valuable. Strike action next full moon. Hold until new moon."

And the voice began its loop. It got monotonous. “Change the channel", i said.

Cubit pressed buttons. We scanned the frequencies. All we saw was the same stuff.

“Strange, a full-spectrum broadcast. Those are seriously illegal, even in the mostly-deregulated analogue band", said Biblia. “Seems like a strong signal too, can't see any of the other normal pirates."

A chart flashed on-screen. And i looked. The moon was at waxing gibbous; almost full.

“Should we take part?", asked Artemis.

“No", i said. “A starting business simply cannot afford to have this kind of strike."

“Let's look at the economy", said Biblia.

Cubit switched to digital and we watched the news.

The vigilantes were back at it again, of course, another raid. They went to this place, this newly appropriated student accommodation, the one Artemis had likely made, having heard reports of hiding humans.

They broke doors and ended up inside. A bodycam showed footage of the inside.

Screams of fury as they realised the safe-space was empty. And they spoke. “There were humans here. Whoever did this is a traitor to the werewolf world."

Was Artemis a traitor? Fuck yeah!

“Thanks for being a traitor", Cubit quipped.

“You're welcome", said Artemis.

And we sat there, seeing the True Vigilantes rage over how people were catching on.

Our stronghold was safe. Well, not quite. “Artemis, the bedroom?", i asked.

“Ah, yeah, i have the anti-fungi gas.", he said. “Just leave the canister there for an hour or two and we should be safe."

So, he walked over and put a fire-extinguisher-sized canister inside after having removed the duct-tape, and sealed the door.

And we looked at one another. And we distracted ourselves.

"I wonder if the sofa can be a bed", said Artemis as he got to work unfolding the sofa.

"Why didn't you do it earlier?", i asked him.

"Forgot to think", he said.

I shook my head. "You do that too often... These two, the shower, and now the bed?!"

He, for his part, shut up.

“So… what's your relationship?", asked Artemis to the two new humans. “Just so i can setup the beds."

“We don't sleep together", said Biblia.

Artemis went to setup the beds and i continued watching the TV. The sofa-bed had a guest-bed underneath it, luckily.

So, there we had it, my new life. A flat that wanted to kill us, two strangers Artemis brought in, a gang with the express desire to kill us humans, a government downright sponsoring the gang, and the fact that we were conspiring to undercut the economy with a housing crisis.

It was an ill-formed plan, but one we were still executing. Maybe i could put some form into it as we picked up speed.

So, we watched the TV, had dinner, went to bed. Nothing important. But the brainfog. I'd forgotten something.

Something important. Eh, if i forgot, it didn't matter. No, that scared me, deeply. Not possible to forget such important things. “Artemis, i'm forgetting something."

“Because you need your pills", he said. “Just remembered."

And i looked at him, connected the concepts. I'd forgotten because of some ill. Brainfog. And he got pills, somehow.

So, the box of pills reached my hand. I opened it to reveal two banks of blister packaging. Fairly standard capsule, a bit large. “Oh, i forgot, they're pills for werewolf cases", he said. “Half the dosage and you'll be fine."

I didn't trust him. I took a pill out and threw it to the back of my tongue, to let it swallow. The full pill, the full dose.

And we slept together, in the room, after the hours had passed.

I successfully lobbied for an open window. The cold night air hid some of my brain-fog.

Artemis spooned up to me, holding me tight. “I'm stressed", he admitted. “Too much death, too little stability."

And somehow, i found myself detensing a little. “We should go on a honeymoon."

He squeezed a little harder. “Up north?"

“Yeah", i said, detensing further to melt into him. He was nice. Nice and fluffy. “As soon as we get the rent payment we're going there and you will destress"

It explained a lot, after all. He'd become forgetful, slightly negligent. Should i be angry at him? Should i be angry at him for almost committing manslaughter?

After all, the True Vigilantes were our true enemies. This guy had come quite far in protecting me, which i was so very thankful for. So, here we go.

I'm going to swear here and now that the True Vigilantes were our sworn enemies.

---

And yet again the sun burst through the windows, the air around us fresh and cold. It was the morning.

Quite, early too, Artemis holding me close. Was i now his comfort tool? Was i still bleeding, critically?

Was this a disease i'd grow immune to or would it mutate to infect me again?

My eyes felt fresh and sharp, not ready to sleep again. Yet, i couldn't move. Artemis was holding tight to me, having curled up. He wasn't letting go.

Eh, i wonder how i could fill this time.

I could fantasise about the north. It'd be nice there. I could walk on the street, meet real humans, do thi-

And Artemis moved, to wake up. “No blood", he said. “Weak disease, after all."

I realised. I hadn't the brainfog which had covered me like a grippy slime. I felt awake, lucid, for once. I was ready.

“Take the pill twice daily for a few more days and you'll be immune forever", said Artemis. “Possibly less with the overdose you took."

So, i sat up as he unbuckled his once-tight arms, and i stood up to dress and enter the main room.

There slept Cubit and Biblia, facing away from one-another. It was still quite early.

Breakfast was to be cooked eventually. Well, pretty sure Artemis could handle that

And eventually, after Artemis had cooked and we had all aten, the door was knocked on.

And Artemis lit up, and behind the door were two collage-aged werewolves, and “We'd like to buy three weeks", said one of them. “That's about ¤1,200, right, Timothonio?"

“Yeah", replied Artemis.

And it was thrilling when they passed over the banknotes, Artemis passing over the room-keys. and “So, there, we can honeymoon now", i told Artemis.

“But us?" asked Cubit, who had woken up at the knocks.

“We split the money. You two manage our clients, make money, feed yourselves, we'll go up north", said Artemis. “I'm too stressed for this place."

“We can't leave", said Biblia. “And i hate tinned food."

Why, Artemis, why did you let these two little liabilities in?

“Look, it's not that bad", said Cubit. “This two go north and we can spend our time planning our future."

"What future?", asked biblia. "They abandon us here, we run out of food, and we starve. That's most likely."

"Trust me, I'm not going to abandon any human", said Artemis. "I already got this one far enough to prove that."

And that was how the room turned silent. Artemis, after all, was a great guy, having singlehandedly saved me from the acid attack.

"I'll get a bulletproof taxi up north", said Artemis.

And he gave away half the cash, pocketing the rest.

"I'll get a loan if we need money", he said.

And we reached the main door. "Goodbye, you two", i said to our two new humans."

And the door closed, hiding the "Goodbye!" They shouted out at us.

I remember what the term came from. Indeed, God should be with them to handle this crazy world.

And we went down the stairs.

Stay tuned for part 10, in which we can follow our pair going free up north.

---

Some notes:

• Ok wow i've been teaching myself this cool trick and i'd like to teach it to y'all; you can manifest emotions and the feeling of being touched. It's weird but it involves a lot of visualisation, convincing yourself of reality, focus, and practice.

• Like nowadays every night i practice and imagine all sorts of things and once i physically jamp because it felt like someone had actually touched me. There was nobody in the room save for me. I love this, especially because i'm touch-deprived :p.

• I HATE how the word “analogue" is spelt. Why do i have to say it as “analogwe" just to spell it?!

• I'm not very good at long-term plotting. This novel, so far, is being mostly improvised with a “well, here are some key events" plot that is loosely-defined. However, what i have is good problem-solving. Noticed how Artemis is being a bit careless and making bad decisions? I decided just now that that's because he's stressed and tired. And that way, i can get to the “they have a honeymoon in the north and discover a few new things about the north" event quicker.

• It's probably a mistake to edit this story when i've skipped a meal and am going dizzy and woozy and light in the head (i haven't had enough vegtables for days). Eh, i can tap into Alexander's illness here.

• Hey, Alexander's getting a taste of what i call “self-destruction is delicious". I'm sure his words will haunt me in a few years when i solve this little ill inside my psyche.

• (hey, it's me after having written most of chapter 11; yes i have a much more well-defined long term plan involving a lot of corruption now. I love grey morality, expect to see it slowly seep into the informationsphere of our protagonist.)

• (yes, i had a salad, yes, i'm better now).