Chapter 6 - Black Slime

Lynn stirred cereal around her bowl listlessly, eyes fixe don Matt, who was across the table plowing through his sixth bowl of cereal. She thought of telling him to slow down or stop eating altogether, but it had been hard enough getting him to eat in the first place. He had obstinately refused even water at first, but the sight of Lynn tauntingly munching cereal had convinced him otherwise. His eyes were heavily lidded, and Lynn thought he was just happy to be eating. Then he abruptly dropped his spoon and ran out of the room. Lynn dashed after him and called his name once before getting to his location. 

He hadn’t been able to shut the bathroom door, so she lingered in the doorway. He was bent painfully over the toilet bowl, and Lynn prayed that it was just because he ate too much too fast. His head hung limply, and she could see a line of spit stuck to the toilet bowl rim. She stayed where she was until he rose his head and she saw the color of the substance, It was black, a fine line running from the corner of his mouth as if drawn with a fine-tipped marker. Lynn ran to him and slid into the counter, one hand grabbing at his shoulder. The muscles underneath were thrumming with heat and energy.

“What the f**k is that?!” Lynn screamed, instantly recoiling back as soon as she reached him. The smell was of some diseased animal decaying while it was still alive, a plagued nightmare stench. Gagging, she released Matt as his body convulsed, rippling like a snake, boneless.

“My body…” he choked out, one hand slipping into Lynn’s and crushing it in his grip. “Trying to… purge itself…” the stench rose again, and Lynn had to cover her mouth and nose with her free hand to keep from throwing up as well. Matt’s breath was coming in short, harsh gasps that rattled in his throat.

“No….” he moaned, launching into another spasm. “No more, plea-“ he cut off sharply and Lynn opened her eyes in time to see a spray of black decorate the underside of the toilet seat. Lynn made a retching sound, but fought her stomach back down. Matt groaned again and fell into her. His eyelids were fluttering, and something at the top of his head was rustling in his hair. Two furred ears suddenly peeped through his hair like newborn chicks. Lynn cried out again wordlessly, for the black splatters and for the ears. Barely breathing, Matt lay motionless in her lap.

After much panicking and many trips to her parents’ bathroom to vomit herself, Lynn managed to get Matt back into the room near the front door and onto the couch there, where they originally planned he would stay. Both of them were pale and shaking, though Matt was only semi-conscious. Lynn prayed that Jared was going to be gone for another few days; regardless of whether or not he was after Matt, she didn’t know how she was going to explain the dying body in their house. Matt’s breath caught in his chest twice in the night. The first time, Lynn shook him until he half-woke and began breathing again, if labored. The second time, Lynn had to shout and slap him before he coughed and started up again. 

She sat next to his head on the floor, arms and chin on the couch near his face, despite the smell, and cried. True, she barely knew Matt, but this would be the second person she lost in such a short time. She didn’t think she could handle it if Matt died here.

“You can’t die on me, you b*****d!” Lynn sobbed, gently punching Matt’s shoulder in her frustration.

Lynn fell into a half-sleep at one point and was awakened by a harsh gurgling sound. She leapt up and almost fell on top of him in her panic. His eyes were opene and rolling, a tiny stream of black slime oozing down one ashen cheek.

“Not him, please!” Matt babbled, hacking and coughing.

“Matt!” Lynn cried, seizing his arms. “Matt, please, get up, get better, just don’t die on me here, okay?!” he moaned unintelligibly in reply and seemed to go back to sleep. Lynn whined and slumped to the ground next to the couch. She covered her face and wept quietly. 

Author's Note

eheh... im sorry, everyone TTvTT