• Under the night sky, the living went to sleep while some entertained themselves with the nightlife. This was not recommended. Many months ago when i were amongst the living the government gave us a curfew that we couldn't surpass without the ultimate cost : our lives. Of course as teens fun was our thing. And rules were a thing of the past. We headed out one late night to enjoy what it had to offer us. Thrills and such. Since the city was naturally silent, we came to believe that we were alone. But we were wrong. That night, we were the hunted. Jess and i lost our friends. They were literally ripped apart. Leaving nothing but their entrails and juices. We listened to them scream while we hid for our lives under a booth's table. I was scared, very scared. Jess too , no doubt. I can remember his hands trembling as he held it upon my mouth. A failed attempt to keep me from squealing. Those creatures found us. We ran as much as we could. I got bitten on the leg. I could see the ivory of my fibula as they ripped off a piece of my tendon.

    I pushed the memory to the back of my head, I couldn't think of that. Not now, I laid awake, staring at the ceiling. Jess rolled around in his sleep, it’s funny how he sometimes spoke my name. But I never thought of jess as a lover ...Never! Even though my heart pounded hard, the only thing i heard in the apartment room was Jess snoring quiet loudly. I tasted some blood in my teeth my snack this afternoon was a drunk....


    I went to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water. A little something to wash it down, to removed the taste and get rid of the smell. If i were to sleep with it. surely i would wake up with my lover's head in my hand. Hunger. So cruel. The water helped, barely. It wasn't strong enough! Jess walked into the kitchen to see me sitting in a corner. He sat next to me, he didn't say a word. He knew what was wrong, ''It's okay.'' I leaned my head against his hard chest, he had no t-shirt on. ''No.'' ''Yes, don't worry, they’re gone. We aren’t we can be happy together,'' ''No.'' I said again...

    The most unexpected thing happened, well not really. He had tried in summer school. But at this exact moment. Well. Jess's lips met mine, he wasn’t too soft nor too hard, it was a sweet, electric kiss. My body felt the same way and leaned against Jess. almost on top of him. ''Not in the kitchen!'' He whispered, well tried since I'd been kissing him, back, hard. ''Don't be silly, Jess.'' He laughed and placed his hand on my stomach while drawing small cycles around my belly button. It felt good, ''Come on. Lets go to the bedroom.'' Jess Tried again. 'No.'' Jess turned away...

    At that moment, the hyper palpitations of my heart became stable. My ears were still burning from the intensity but i still couldn't get over the taste of his lips. It lingered where he had left. I got up to follow but froze on the way there. It felt cold. Or was it just me? Something wasn't right. The stillness in the air, the animalistic noises coming from the room. It shattered my resilience. I walked slowly. Ever more cautiously as I approached the door. The noise was coming from Jess' room. I knocked on the door lightly. Nothing. that made everything go loud. First my heart then my voice, ''Jess! Are you okay,’ I grabbed the door knob and noticed it was locked. Something bad was in there, I could smell decaying flesh. I turned the knob a couple more times hoping it'll open but failed. Was he hiding a corpse from me? No, he couldn't have. I would have known since we sleep in the same bed. I banged on the door yelling at him to open it. When the latch finally gave away, i pushed the door open to find him fending off himself...
    He was battling the monster he was becoming. Tearing off his own flesh and gnawing at his own arm. He was murmuring and growling words that were incoherent one from the other. I stood there. My soul shattering to pieces as i watched the love of my life writhe in pain. He was partially conscious of his actions. But at that moment, i couldn't help but feel like Jess was no more.
    He stopped. So suddenly. Then he sat on the now crimson coloured carpet near our bed. He looked at me with his beautiful eyes now curtained by hunger and animosity. He stood up then started walking towards me. I backed away, always with caution. Then he placed the hand that once had our class ring on my shoulder. It was colder than usual. Rough to the touch. This inspired fear into my heart. The very heart that stopped beating months ago. His eyes remained as cold as it was a few seconds ago as he glared at me like i was his prey. Just as i was about to evade him, his trembling voice reached me. he said:

    ''..........Please, don't be afraid.'' Tears sprang in my eyes, I moved back. Before I could slip through the door Jess slammed it. ''Jess, what have you done to yourself?'' His eyes dropped to my neck, ''No!'' ''........I was hungry, and oh, good grief I want to eat you!'' Kicking into fighting mode I circled Jess, since he was the one to teach me to through some punches he knows my weak spots. I threw a punch, it hit Jess in the stomach but wasn't a big enough blow. This time he got me, he wasn't being himself. Something was controlling him....Not me? Of course not me, I can never control Jess. Without knowing I threw myself on him. He fell to the floor with a loud thump. I wrestled him, ''Stop it!'' I screamed at him, it was his turn to wrestle me. He shoved his bloody, boney YUMMY arm in my mouth. Oh, the hunger grew inside of me, just a little bite.....


    Just as i was about to dig into his sluggishly rotting flesh, he bored his nails into my side. I turned over. Onto his arm then placed myself on top of him. Surely he couldn't tame himself. Surely i couldn't “tame” him. Given that he was undead. But i can stop him. Even though the solution would aid me only for but an instant, it was still my only choice. As he attempted to grasp my head, i reached for his and twisted it to the right with all my might. A human would be dead but he would only be disoriented. Given that he couldn't see me, i used this opportunity to run. Leaving everything behind.
    Although i cried and cried at what had just occurred i came to realise that it could have easily been me...


    Almost having my head torn off. What had gotten into Jess, was it me or hunger?
    Had I pushed him to far? Bossed him around to much? No. I told myself eagerly, Never, and even if I had Jess wouldn't turn on me, nor himself. Why had he attacked me? Questions took over, Jess stirred.

    TO BE CONTINUED