Chapter 9

Henry had gotten a chair from outside my cell and dragged it over to my bed while I was laying down.

I honestly thought it would be safer for him to sit farther away, outside my reach but knew I couldn't convince him.

He had always been my way or the highway type of man.

I knew I liked that about him but it could get smothering sometimes.

Everything felt disorienting.

I hadn't remembered this man until just a few hours ago and suddenly I was recalling so many things about him.

Hell I hadn't even known my own name until a bit ago yet I could remember more about him than my own self.

I needed to calm down but my nerves were fried.

I felt a bit queasy also, probably from stress and I was afraid to move around because of the raging headache from remembering so many things at once.

I did NOT need to make a fool of myself more than I had.

Henry was staring down at me and I was still having issues making eye contact, but at least he didn't seem afraid of me.

I didn't think I could take that.

Eventually I started to drift a bit, not fully asleep but on the edge.

I was sure I was on the verge of sleep when Henry started to talk.

“...I didn't believe…. Her… when Sarah said you were alive and….. Human-like… but it's kind of hard to ignore when you're acting like when we first started dating again….. So shy and afraid… of looking bad you could barely look at me at all….”

Did I act like that before?

I couldn't remember.

“I…. I don't know how badly you were...gone… and I don't know if… you will fully come back to me but….I can see..I-”

Henry's voice was shaking and I could hear him get up from the chair, leaving the cell.

I slowly opened my eyes, turning my head to look at the cell door.

Dear God I really had caused him so much pain… he had seemed ok today when he saw me but I think he was trying to not freak me out more than I was….

I wished I could apologize, say anything, do anything to go and make him feel better.

But I was mute and literally chained to a bed, my hands tied up for safety purposes.

Ok….step one is becoming as not zombie as possible so I could at least pat my boyfriend's back when he cried.

Here I was still thinking of him as my boyfriend…..

The thing was… what did he think of me?

He obviously cared or else he wouldn't be crying or still here.

But… I had no idea where we stood and I did not have the ability to ask.

It was frustrating.

And I was still exhausted.

I tried to wait for Henry to come back but I ended up passing out after a bit longer.

The pain in my stomach woke me up later on however.

I stared up at the ceiling in annoyance.

Henry was slumped in the chair next to the bed having fallen asleep, his hands over my mitted ones.

I did not know how to take the gesture.

He might not romantically love me anymore….I mean I was a mess...kinda hard to be attracted to the undead.

But he at least still cared I could tell, and I think I would have to be ok with that for now until I was physically better.

But there was a bigger problem at hand.

I was hungry.

No, I was not looking at Henry like he was a snack…..although he was.

But I was a bit scared that if I was hungry for TO long I would look at him like a full course meal.

So I was trying to keep myself from panicking and getting more hungry.

It was about a half an hour later that the cell door opened, and I could smell hot food.

I nearly cried in relief when Sarah and crew walked into the cell.

Henry hadn't woken up, he had always been a heavy sleeper unlike me.

But boy did I wish he would cause I literally wanted to throw myself at the food behind him.

Maybe I could convince Sarah to start letting me keep snacks here as a *just incase* thing.

Problem was how do you ask for a granola bar when you are mute?

You don't.

Plans of a secret snack stash below the bed crashed and burned.

I could imagine a burning tire rolling out of the cell door while the men stood awkwardly next to the table.

It seemed I got my imagination back.

“How do we pull him out so he can eat?” One of the men said hesitantly.

I tried to remember how I used to always wake him up whenever he was out cold.

It had something to do with some food that always woke him up in the morning.

I think I would make it on days after he had to do missions outside the walls.

I had no clue, I was drawing a blank, I knew it was something I would cook no…..bake?

I think it was something I baked that he loved.

Other than that he would be out cold the whole day.

Jay came over and looked down at Henry for a minute and then smacked him hard on the back of his head.

I flinched and stared wide eyed at Jay.

Did….did he just slap my boyfriend!? I thought and was amazed as Henry let out a groan, sitting up.

I covered my eyes with my mittens.

He probably didn't need to see me all zombified next to him first thing in the morning.

I stilled when I felt his arms wrap around me, dragging me across the bed and into his lap.

I opened my eyes in surprise.

“Holy shit it wasn't a dream.” Henry said hoarsely.

I could see a tray of food behind Henry on the table and as much as I loved him holding me my instincts were kicking into high gear and it was a struggle to not make noises now.

“Uhm Henry we should probably let Max get some food into him and his medicine… he's on a schedule and he ate less than yesterday…. Not exactly good for a patient recovering from…. This…” Sarah said slowly.

Yes yes yes let me eat please before I start drooling! I mentally cried.

I could not tell what was on the tray but it was yellow and lumpy shaped, next to it was some slightly red and greyish? No brown? Strips of something and a tall glass of something orange.

I could feel Henry sigh but he slowly let me go.

I wanted to stay in his hug but my instincts screamed to feed.

It appeared that while I didnt view people as food anymore my zombie instincts were still stronger than me.

Pushing me to eat rather than think about other things.

My head was getting a bit cloudy already from the scent of food in the air.

I stood in front of the tray, waiting to be unbound impatiently.

“Henry come over here while we let him eat.” Sarah said, gesturing to Henry behind me.

Instead of doing so I could hear him walk behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder, letting out a yawn.

“Why?”

JUST PLEASE DO AS SHE SAID I'M STARVING! I wanted to scream.

“....Safety reasons…”

Yes yes, safety reasons now please and thank you MOVE.

“I'm fine over here, he hasn't made a single move that signals he is dangerous at all towards me, he's perfectly fine.”

I was probably about 5 seconds from trying to make such a move towards him when Sarah sighed but nodded.

It shocked me that she would agree.

“If he attacks you and you get bit it's your own fault.” She warned.

I just stared at her in shock.

Henry went to sit down on the bed as my muzzle was removed and my mittens.

Well at least he wasn't close….

I took the fork and decided to try the yellow things.

They were fluffy and moist….I kept trying to recall the name as I ate.

It was frustrating as I drew a blank.

“Can't remember the name?” Sarah asked, noticing my annoyance.

I shook my head.

“Scrambled eggs.” She laughed.

It was honestly unfamiliar.

“We will probably be upping the meals from now on since you're starting to recover at a faster rate.” Sarah said as I crunched on the strips.

“How much has he been eating?”

“In the beginning we had to do….light feedings…. But lately he's been getting one regular meal a day just to switch him over to…” She gave me a hesitant look and I gave her a glare.

Do NOT tell him I ate raw meat for several months.

“Eating regularly.”

“Why so little?” Henry said, sounding a bit angry behind me.

“He was in very bad shape Henry...when we found him, he wouldn't be able to eat too much and not get sick..plus there was already danger in giving him food. Now that he's up and eating like this we can start on a better diet and get him in better shape.”

“...He's still skinny….” Henry sounded mad.

I took a sip of the orange drink.

It was tangy, I kinda liked it.

“Again he hasn't been acting this way until recently Henry. We had to take things slowly to remain safe and get him in better shape before trying the cure.”

“What do you mean?”

“He only recently started being treated with the cure, maybe about 2 months ago?”

“If he's been here for so long why not sooner?”