Chapter Text
Getting out after 36 months to do my own thing now. The hospital visit made me basically immobilized for 3 weeks, and then my parents had me grounded for the rest of the time. I had finally put my focus to my academics, not really allowed to go out to see any of my friends anymore, albeit I'm not sure if anyone stayed friends after the comic shop burned down.
I continued to pack my stuff into boxes, working tirelessly, waiting for my parents to come in and reluctantly wish me goodbye, though I didn't expect much out of them these days. The doorbell rings, I hear the familiar clicks of a key coming into place and the door creaking open. Damn, does an intruder not care to knock anymore?
I hear a sickeningly high-pitched voice I haven't heard since last year whenever she moved out. It was Jane, her overly shiny and clean shoes stepping onto the dirty "welcome" mat out front. She calls out, awaiting an answer.
"Hello? Mom, Dad? Is like... anyone still around here? It's too cold to stay outside." She says, as I yell back. I didn't dare to look up whenever she entered my room. It's shameful, you know? Someone who saw you grow up seeing you pack up.
“Hye, I didn't think you were moving out. I thought you were just going to go to the community college. What's a loser like you doing packing up? Where'd you even get those boxes; they look infested with roaches!" She nags. I finally looked at her in the eyes, adjusting my glasses and collar. I sighed before briefly answering her, not wanting to have her around any longer than intended.
“Don’t tell Mom or Dad, I finally got enough money to move out of here. Things have gotten different since you moved out.” I mumble, looking shameful. Her face seemed to drop in something akin to understanding.
“Well, where are you moving? I only came here to pick up something I forgot to last time.” She says, though I could tell her attitude was faltering.
“I’m moving to the apartment complex down the street. They’re the only ones who couldn’t care less for a background check on me and will let me crash there for $600 a month.” I sighed, going back to packing. “Mom and Dad will be out in two hours. I’ll have to be gone and out of here in like, an hour. Can you help? I can’t carry some of this stuff to the car.” I tried carrying two boxes downstairs.
Reluctantly, Jane decided to help me, carrying things out to the shitty car someone sold to me on the side of the road.
I had finally gotten things fully packed up now, ready to move out and never come back. I waved over to Jane, starting up the car. The engine purred a little and I was out, the road could be easily felt under my tires. It was only a 15-minute drive from where I used to live, though I wish it was farther.
The building was only three stories high, chipped white paint with that wood roof. I take a deep breath before opening the door.
I had no way to talk to anyone from the club. No matter how many times over I wished to have small bickering moments with Josh again, all of us back at the comic shop, which I also miss.
I think Jerry moved away from this godforsaken town anyways. He always had it easy, didn’t he? Living from mommy and daddy’s money, being able to pursue a 6-figure job... we all expected it. To be left behind while Jerry would be the next CEO of some company that has a billion-dollar revenue.
Yeah, right. While I’m stuck here barely getting into community college with a criminal record now.
Maybe it’s 6 hours of binding, or maybe it's the smoke from the people puffing and passing in the alleyway, but I was never more relieved to be inside and allow myself to breathe.
The air conditioning was blasting in my ears as I opened the creaky door to my shitty run-down apartment, but it was more of a home than I ever had back at the old house.
My flimsy arms shook a little as I dragged in the parts of my furniture. My phone buzzed. As normal, I hoped and prayed in some universe, it’d be Jerry, or Pete, or even that fat bastard Josh messaging me back, wishing to see me again.
They should miss me, right? Any sensible person would! None of us had friends besides each other, it really was tight knit back in the club, even when Jane or one of Pete’s siblings walked in, depending on where we hosted the meetings, we only really knew each other.
What if I’m wrong, and they’re doing better than ever. What if they’re doing better than ever, and I’m back being some deadbeat here in Eltingville.
I ran a hand over my face to calm myself down, making me painfully remember I haven’t shaved. I was so caught up in moving and packing... eugh. The world was going by too fast, and there was nobody coming by to help me up anymore.
Opening up my phone, it seemed to be some news about another lab explosion. Those were common nowadays, people trying to not become conspiracy theorists over it all. Myself included, it was agonizing day after day fearing for whatever bio-contaminants would suddenly invade us and NOT have us expect it’s some government scheme?!
It’s bullshit, seriously!
The post was decently long, but it seemed to not be too far from us, either. Mainland New York? Maybe it’s rural.
Of course it wasn’t. I’m having a stressful enough time trying to weave around living on my own and new payments I’m suddenly gonna have to pay, and now there’s a warning for a nearby lab explosion.
Rushing into the house with my new stuff, I locked up for the day.
As it comes to nobody’s surprise, it didn't take longer than 20 minutes for the media to start freaking out about haze coating the counties nearby, advising them to lock up.
Chapter 2
Summary:
Some trans-ness and flashbacks from Bill :,) ,, more genuine plot starts next chapter guys
Notes:
A/N - 2 chapters in one night,, woah!! @solacepilled on tiktok is me btw i dont post there but I love it here
Chapter Text
The more I read into the fearmongering, my own panic started to rise. Maybe these people are right this time. What if suddenly this is the one that does it for humankind, blowing us all off?
I started to wish it would happen, ending my sobriety with non-intrusively thinking. Before I knew it, tears were flowing down my skin, my cheeks turning rosy once more as I get all gross, snotty and sniffily. I needed someone with me again, even if I can’t afford my therapist anymore.
It almost happened to make me angry at the idea of doing so well, broken by something that I wish would just take us out already.
Think about it! Becoming mindless zombies like in the comics... no responsibility, no worries about who’s with or against you, all the things most dream for in a utopia.
I didn’t go through extensive help for nothing here. I needed to man up already, dammit! I would be ashamed of who I am now if me from... 2 years ago, maybe, saw me. It all flashed across my mind, making me wonder if I had forgotten my medication last night.
But to my shock and utter surprise, the orange bottle was still filled about how much it should be.
I tried to get my mind off of things, driving down to the local coffee shop that stood next to where the comic store was finally being rebuilt. Joe decided to finally rebuild after all of this time, making me compensate for my damages.
Knowingly with unopened boxes and half-built furniture back home, I walk in.
I didn’t even know how I liked my coffee; how did I expect it to make it? I try to seem a little bit tougher in front of the crowd, waiting to go up and tell the underpaid worker about my issues in life so they go home and laugh about it with their friends.
I finally got up to the worker, after about 15 minutes of people giggling and gagging amongst themselves, stepping away from me. My eyes didn’t separate from the beige tile flooring, focusing on the smell of the shop itself being comforting to me.
“I’ll just do a black coffee, please.” I say, mumbling amongst myself, to ashamed to show my face around here, to even look up in the shop that is decorated with more care than I usually wake up with to dress myself with.
“I’m sorry sir, what was that?” He says, his voice gentler than I believed it would be.
I looked up to meet his gaze, but something alike Deja vu instead passes across my features, all the faces around me turning to zombified mush, their limbs barely moving in an articulated way.
Not aware of my hallucinatory condition, I yelp when my gaze falls upon his, forcing me to rush out, throwing myself through the glass doors and to my car.
It wasn’t real!
I didn’t dare start the car, knowing that would just end me in a wreck and dying. As much as I would wish for that these past few days, I’ve forced myself to care for something I wouldn’t dare when I was younger, which is what would happen to the other driver.
Instead, I lay my head on the wheel, eventually falling asleep in the parking lot without my keys in the ignition. The only thing that happened to wake me up later was when my head likely shifted onto the car horn and beeped, jumping me into a cold sweat.
I went back in and shamefully ordered a coffee, this time about 2 hours have passed. Thankfully, nobody here had known what happened, so the worker didn’t think much of it.
I sat down onto the nice black velvet couch, the flowers next to me hiding the fact I haven’t showered in days, making me want to huddle up with my knees to my chest.
“Order 217” One of the ladies calls out, to which I thank her, picking up my coffee and leaving.
I still went with the black coffee, the gritty and bitter taste in my mouth the same that was there whenever my mind decided to play the trick on me of seeing everyone as mutilated brain-eating zombies.
I shivered and forced the whole coffee down, throwing the cup to where it just misses the garbage.
I started the car, letting it do the usual purring before heading home. As much as I wished for this to be over and it all happened to be a dream, it was not. The news was in fact real, and it plastered itself into my brain, making me hope for the next post to come by that nothing toxic or nuclear escaped from the godforsaken place.
As I entered my apartment once more, even though I really wished for my bed to just be rebuilt already, it wouldn’t put itself together.
With a begrudging exhale, I decided to suck it up and build my furniture, letting the sweat build up past my armpits before I decided to shower.
I finally got the whole thing built, using the last of my strength to get my mattress onto the frame.
By now, I didn’t want to shower for a multitude of reasons, though I knew I’d have to.
Limping over to the bathroom, I threw my flannel onto the rug-less tile, using it as a bathmat. Then came off my shirt, glasses, and pants, leaving me with just my boxers and binder, my body forcing itself to close its eyes for the rest so I wouldn’t have to look at anything.
Not the burn marks, not the scarring, and not the horrid reminder that I’m still someone I believe could be better.
I didn’t look down at myself as I turned on the metal faucet, the water pressure from the leaky shower head more than anything I could ask for right now, making me sigh and sit down, decompressing for a moment in time.
It’s something we all won't admit we needed.
Chapter Text
Waking up in a cold sweat, the room started spinning as my ears rang with people scurrying. I don’t remember my alarm being people rushing outside of my front door. In fact, it never has been that.
I opened my half-broken curtains, seeing people fighting, police lined shoulder-to-shoulder to calm people down. Nothing stopped others from pulling guns on each other, making the crowd scram when they hear the BANG!
I would be lying if I said it didn't make me duck under the window for a moment.
What could be causing this?! New coffee flavor, celebrity, what could it be?!
My phone rang. I never had anyone who just messaged me for the fun of it, so I opened it up.
“New cases spread quickly of unnamed disease; advisories put up to stay inside for the time being as the cause is still unknown.” The header read, which made everything feel so real.
It would be stupid not to take the precautions, getting one last trip to the store in to grab any last can of food and bottle of water they have, go home, and start to board up from the inside.
I hid the stash, trying not to panic. My medication had worn off by now, and it wasn’t doing me any good!
Canned fruits all next to each other, and all soups and waters can be rationed out if I played my cards right.
Considering a water bottle can last about a day at a time, these packs won’t have me leaving until the end of the next month.
Even better, a can of soup can last 3 days, which will keep me tied over for a whole 3 months with how my rations are looking.
Now was the only time I had to look over the symptoms. Coughing, vomiting, heightened sense of smell, foaming at the mouth, and the worst cases have shown... plants growing from the inside out. That can’t be right, that had to have just been a coincidence with the patients.
My moment of reflection was quickly put out by people trying to break in, carrying fake strollers and using makeup to already look starved and helpless... like I couldn’t see the guns they carried behind their backs.
I could’ve sworn these people were already infected zombies by the way they slammed and pounded at people’s doors, pleading with a fake sob story about why they should be let in.
The fools who were sympathetic enough to let them in didn’t live a second further as these... monsters, for a lack of better words, looted their entire place and just left!
I boarded up the place again, using multiple sets of nails and bulletproof shudders the tenants gave to everyone to lock up. Eventually, the remaining police force got them, which gave me time to sit on my bed once more.
All I could think back to was the coffee shop. There was no hope. There was no hope, and these people are going to become brainwashed idiots who have plants growing out of their decaying bodies! Who knows, maybe they’ll gain some sixth sense where they use echolocation, then anyone with loud footsteps or a tendency to make noise is done for.
Snapping out of it all, the roads grew eerily quiet that night. Eating what I want to while fridges and microwaves still work, I laid on my bed with some reheated leftovers and some tap water.
Like everyone else, my face was only illuminated by the screen of refreshing news pages, waiting for any new information to release.
I stalked the live news with shaky hands, eating alone as they finally had a new report – the disease seemed to be more airborne than caused by physical contact. No existing cases had been reported with a cause of physical contact, not even sexual transmission.
People started to theorize in the comments, and I could hear their aluminum hats crinkling further with each comment I read.
I thought over about how long we have. 2 months, 2 years, maybe this whole thing will be solved.
Closing my phone to take a deep breath, I got another call. Unknown caller this time. I let it ring, knowing this is the best time for scammers to take their last try at people’s money before the world went to shit.
They spent an uneasy amount of time on the voicemail, which made me wonder how far people are going to get a last few pennies out of each other right now?!
I rolled over, tears stained my cheeks as I got in an hour or so of sleep, being woken up by the same noises as before. The night rush of rampants has come to life. I fell asleep once more, before being woken up a final time. 5:31AM, I had received another call. It had No Caller ID.
Purposefully trying to make yourself seem anonymous in these times is the last thing to get people to listen.
I answered, my throat closing up when the person on the other end started to speak up.
“Hey, is this Bill? Bill Dickey?” It was hard not to recognize the accent, or lack of it, but I pushed it aside.
“Y-yes, who is this?” I answered, trying not to sound soft-spoken out of shock.
“Josh. It’s Josh. Y’know, Eltingville club, 2 years ago?” They confirmed, trying not to sound too much of anything on the phone. I on the other hand, had too much shock in my voice, making me accidentally stutter and stumble.
“O-oh! Josh, I uh... I remember you, yeah! What’s... what’s the occasion?” I asked.
“I need you a little bit more than ever right now. Both of my parents already fell ill and there’s nobody else who will let me in. Can I come stay with you? I won’t be a bother or anything, I'll even pay you when this whole thing is over, I swear!” He lightly pleaded, sounding awkward through the whole thing.
If there was anyone who was alright with voicing his feelings, it was Josh. I knew he didn’t like it, especially around me... for obvious reasons. He sounded like he’s asked a few people before me.
I gave in. Josh wasn’t ever the type to say all of that just to betray someone.
“Be over here in 15 minutes, okay? Don’t be later than that.” I say, hanging up after.
Chapter 4
Summary:
woah, a new chapter? Just some dialogue on what happened between the two from the end of the first comic to now :3
Chapter Text
Un-boarding my door, there was a knock on the wood. Peeking through the peep hole, I saw a face I had recognized, burned into my head.
Opening the door, Josh’s gaze averted, holding a bag. His hair was in a loose ponytail, his bangs nobody ever knew existed in semi-loose curls.
We were both at a standstill, unsure of what to say to each other. I stepped aside, watching him come in.
The silence shared more words than a conversation ever would right now.
“You can put your bag in my room. I’ll be boarding up the door again, ok?” I decided to break the silence but not look at his in the eyes.
“Got it... I brought extra food and water for the both of us. Stores are wiped and people are still shooting at each other... the disease has already spread to the town next to us.” He alerts; his voice more worried for the both of us than I’d like to imagine.
Nodding, I finished up with the boarding. He stood there at a standstill for a moment, as if wondering why I hadn’t made a snarky remark as I usually would.
“Aren’t you gonna go drop your stuff off?” I questioned, wincing when I accidentally poked myself with a nail.
He left after, his heavy bag dropping onto the floor. I tried reaching up to get the boards at the top of the door, though I couldn’t reach the top nail. Josh came back in, snatching the last two nails to do them for me.
“Don’t strain yourself too much.” He warned as I put my tools away.
“I’ll be fine.” I brush him off, putting my tools back in my room. I go to sit on my bed once more, seeing as Josh decided to sit on the floor.
There was the awkward silence. The same silence that filled both of our lives, at least I’d hope that he missed me too, filling the room.
Hoping that he’d miss me too? No, I didn’t care if he missed me or not.
But I must think about how I waited for a call from any of them, asking if I wanted to go out. One and a half full years of rehabilitation fixed me; it was only the hopes that they knew I could be better now.
“So, what have you been up to since... you know.” He says, light disdain in his voice evident from mentioning the comic shop burning.
Before I knew it, my knuckles were white and my head resting on my knees. I hugged myself harder, seeing myself once more as the man who ruined the future for three others, burned in a hospital.
I didn’t open my mouth, air barely being able to enter my lungs when my throat closed up once more.
Its like I had some sort of allergy to facing my past, what’s wrong with me?! Oh god, I’m spiraling again. There must be something wrong, there’s no way I’m a better person-
“Hey, everything okay up there?” Josh snapped me out of it all, looking at me.
I finally brought my head up.
“Yeah, I’m alright.” I tried to protect myself, which made me sound agitated in the moment. “My mom sent me off to rehab after the hospital. I didn’t go anywhere since I last saw you. I tried moving out completely of that house yesterday, then this all came down on me.”
I looked at the floor, trying to unclench my jaw. I let myself loose, my legs dangling to the floor.
“I can tell you’ve changed.” He reassures, which made me look up and towards him.
“What?” I question, making sure I heard him right.
“I can tell you’ve gotten better. Nobody had faith in you becoming a better person, I won’t lie. What did they do to you in rehab?” He questioned, almost not believing the person in front of him was the same person he grew up next to.
“The usual. They took away everything, kept surveillance on me 24/7, didn’t let me do ANYTHING alone, made me bunk with a random who was in there for homicidal tendencies, and would made sure I took my medication every 6 hours alongside some bland ass meal.” I say, practically reliving it while sitting in my room.
“They forced you into the maximum security, huh?” Josh jokes, to which a smile was cracked out of me. Tension lightly relieved itself in there.
“What have you been up to?” I ask, somewhat wanting to hear if he’s been doing any better than I have.
“Not much. After you and the other guys left, I had to work on my GPA... my dad started to get prissy over a 2.4, so I had to step myself up for a few semesters... now I have some part time job at the coffee shop down the road. I honestly just needed to be over here since my mom was having another heart attack and my dad started coughing and sputtering.” He says, looks of guilt seeming to cross his face.
I didn’t know what to say. Joke to relieve the stress? No, it just happened last night! Comfort? I don’t know how. I go with the first thing on my mind.
“You did what was best for you. I’m happy you decided to come to me.” I chose the only option; alleviate the situation, fixing my old habits.
“Thanks... I was shocked you let me in, honestly.” He says, the realization and relief washing over him.
“I’m not the devil boy you knew, believe me.” I say, joking about myself. I hated bringing myself down, but it’s all I can do to try to make a friend once more.
floralfishes on Chapter 1 Sun 30 Mar 2025 06:20AM UTC
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Blueberry_matt on Chapter 4 Mon 24 Mar 2025 12:28PM UTC
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Clexxi on Chapter 4 Mon 24 Mar 2025 12:34PM UTC
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Franker_Stien on Chapter 4 Thu 21 Aug 2025 05:41AM UTC
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Clexxi on Chapter 4 Wed 27 Aug 2025 03:10AM UTC
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