"I swear to god I heard it."

I know he heard it, because I heard it too. My heart. Every few hours, it would beat. It was a weird feeling, having blood rush up your arms and legs again. It was a warm and pleasant feeling.

"What do you think it means?" He whispered as he traced a finger down my chest.

I shrugged. I don't know what it means. Maybe it was because of all the running I've been doing. Maybe my body was trying to function again.

It's sort of failing miserably.

"Well I think it means you're curing yourself."
I laughed a raspy and dry laugh. Curing myself? There is no cure. I'm sure someone would've figured it out by now.

"Don't laugh at me! Why else would your heart be doing this?"

"False...alarm?"

He sighed. "Whatever...I just love the sound of it. How does it feel to have blood running through you again?"

"Feels...weird. W-Warm."

He took my hand and pressed it against his face. I watched a smile form on his face as he closed his eyes and sighed blissfully. "You have soft skin Tom..." His stubble was tickling my hand and I laughed a little. He tried to take my other hand, but I pulled it away. I still have the huge chunk taken out of it from when I bit myself. I don't want him to see that. It's not healing, but nothing ever does on my body. If blood doesn't pump regularly, then I guess it doesn't heal my skin.

"What's wrong?" he asked worried.

"Bad...hand."

"It's okay. Just let me see." He took it again, and I let him look at it.

He made a sad face when he saw it. "This is from a few days ago isn't it? At the mall? You know you didn't have to do that. I'm sure I would've been fine."

"Keep...you safe."

"Cheese ball..." he muttered with a smile. He put my bad hand on his other cheek and closed his eyes again. He looks so peaceful and vulnerable right now. So sleepy and tired.
I can't help my instincts. And once again, I ended up with my lips pressed against his neck, smelling his scent in like it was a fine chocolate. He didn't move, just like before. I could hear his breath hitching and getting shorter.

I'm sorry. I just can't help myself. He's so intoxicating. So innocent and addicting.

"Tom..." he breathed.

I let my teeth ever so slightly skim across his skin. I could bite him and kill him right now. Every past memory of the living that I've eaten screams at me to do it.

But something much more powerful than that begs me not to. Protect him, they tell me. Keep him safe. Be there for him when no one else is. He loves you and you love him too. Don't slaughter him like you have so many others. He's different. Don't do this.

And I didn't. I gave a gentle kiss right under his jawline instead.

"Tom you seriously need to stop doing that...my heart is racing." He breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Can't...help...it. You smell...good." You smell amazing.

"What do I smell like? Vanilla? Candy?"

"No...hard to...explain." You're skin smells like memories, and that's why we want it so much. We want to feel alive again. We want to be you. And since we can't ever be that again, we do the next big thing. We eat you, and hope we get your memories and your life.

But that's never what happens.

We get one moment of feeling alive again, and then it's over. We see a field of green and a sky full of sunshine, and then reality comes back. And then the hunger is still there. We crave you even more. It never stops. It never stops growing.

"Tom? Why are you tearing up? What did I say?" His worried brown eyes were focused all on me, and his hands were squeezing mine gently. I can't explain it to him. He won't understand.

"Smell like...memories...sunshine...meadows. Makes...us crave...you. Makes us...want...your l-life. Can't...help."

"So...we don't actually smell tasty? You just smell things that are human and you crave that?"

Yes! He gets it! I nodded furiously.

"Then...that's why you haven't eaten me right? Because you act human around me and it doesn't make you crave that stuff anymore?"

I shrugged. I guess that's a logical reason why.

"Stop shrugging!" He smacked me on the arm and I laughed. "Talk to me. I love when you talk to me."

"Think...that...a good...reason."

"Wow. I always thought it was because we smelled like food or something. If the army knew this stuff, I doubt they'd be so enthusiastic about killing the dead. Maybe they'd actually try and help you guys."

That's doubtful. The other dead don't seem to have thoughts about themselves or anything else. The living couldn't help them. They would get eaten first.

"I wonder if there's still hope for the world. Do you think there is Tom?" He turned over and looked into my eyes.

I don't know if the world can still be saved. But I think there is a chance somewhere. I mean, if I can date one of the living without killing him, I'm sure there's hope for the rest of us.

"Maybe."

It was silent for awhile in the dark room. The only thing lighting up the room was a small oil lamp Jordan lit awhile ago. I've noticed he doesn't like the dark. He doesn't sleep unless we have a light on. I can understand that I guess. You never know when something might sneak up on you in your sleep and slaughter you. A light would make the situation better I guess.

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep."

"Good...night. Want...lamp on?"

"Yeah if you don't mind. Good night Tom."

The bed shifted as he turned over and pulled the blankets further up on himself. I wish I could sleep. It looks like a pretty relaxing thing. Although I dreamt the other night. That dream about James. Did that mean I slept?

knock knock knock

My entire body froze. I heard Jordan stop breathing.

Neither of us dare moved. We were both thinking the same thing: who would know we were here?

Jordan slowly turned over to me with a look of absolute terror on his face. "It's captain," he whispered barely audible. "They're here to get me. They'll kill you. Oh my god..."

I knew it wasn't the guy he was talking about. If it was, the guy would be busting down the door and shooting me in the face. No, this knock was familiar. It wasn't one of the dead. It wasn't one of the living.

The door began to creak open slowly, and Jordan moved closer to me as it did. I wasn't scared. I've seen this scene before.

And finally it swung all the way open.

"Hello. Did I interrupt something?" James smiled almost angelically.

TᕼE ᗪEᗩᗪ ᗪO ᑎOT ᒪOᐯE.

"I missed you...so much." I squeezed him tighter and he laughed.

"Well I missed you as well Syndi. You are looking swell today! Polos look quite nice on you. But aside from all the pleasantries, you still haven't introduced me to your friend. What is your name?" he asked Jordan, who was sitting on the bed with confusion and slight amazement written all over his face.

"Uh, it's Jordan. And you're James right?" His voice sounded extremely high again.

James smiled warmly at him. "Yes I am. It is very nice to meet you. Are you lovers with Syndi?"

Jordan nearly choked on his own air. "U-Uh...I think that's kind of personal."

"Oh I understand. It's just that I assumed since you were sharing the same bed, you shared some sort of special relationship. And I must admit this is a strange sight to see. I have never seen a bond between the dead and the living like this. I'm proud of you Syndi." He ruffled my hair and I grinned. It felt so nice to be in his embrace again. How long has he been gone? Months? Years? It feels like forever ago. He still smells like himself. That odd mixture of dead and alive. I missed it so much.

"Yeah...it's kinda weird. But it works. Um, can I ask why you're here and why you left in the first place? Because I'm really confused right now. Tom never really explained why you left." His voice still sounded pretty high. I studied his facial expressions really closely as I still hugged James. He kept glancing at me nervously and then look back at James with an almost pleading look in his eyes. Weird.

"I left for a number of reasons, but I returned for one. I missed my greatest friend." He looked to me with his dreamy blue eyes.

"Missed...you too. Have...fun?"

"Yes I had lots of fun. But I missed you very much. I didn't have very many friends where I went off to, but I must tell you about the sights! Oh and the sunsets! The sunsets were beautiful Syndi...you would have loved them. I did take some pictures for you. Would you like to see?" he pulled out one of the Polaroids I gave him a long time ago from his hoodie pocket and then he pulled out pictures. They were pictures of sunsets! He knows I love sunsets so much. It's just so beautiful seeing all of those colors all at once. We used to sit in this room and watch the sun go down every night through the huge window. I miss those times. I missed James.

"But I must rest, unfortunately. It was a very long walk home and I can barely stay awake. Shall we continue this conversation in the morning?"

I nodded. He smiled a half smile and ruffled my hair a bit, before heading out of the room. "It was nice meeting you by the way, Jordan. Have a nice night." He winked at Jordan, and Jordan's eyes went straight to mine to see my reaction. I just squinted at him. This is weird. And then James closed the door.

I decided not to dwell on the wink and instead focus on another thing. I looked at the pictures of sunsets. He took these for me. He actually thought about me while he was away. The thought made me feel warm, someone actually missing me in their life.

"Tom?" Jordan asked timidly. I raised my eyebrow to show I was listening. "Is James...is he dead or alive?"

The question left me puzzled. I never asked James that question, so I didn't know. I shrugged and kept looking through the pile of sunsets. He took so many! He had to have used up all the film in the camera. He wasted a whole stack of Polaroids on me. I feel special.

"You love him, don't you?"

I instantly shook my head. No, I love you! I wanted to say. But to be honest, I didn't really know myself. I know I care about James a lot and I'm really happy that he's back, but I don't know if I love him. I really I really like him.

Jordan said nothing. He turned back over on his side and pulled the covers over himself, not saying a word.

Is he upset? Did I say something wrong? No, I couldn't have. I haven't said anything at all. Then what's wrong with him? He usually has a million things to say.

"J-Jordan?"

Silence. I knew he was awake, or else he'd be snoring. He is upset. He thinks I love James. He probably thinks I love James more than him. But I guess it really did look like I loved James, since I practically clung to him until he left. And I stare at him like he's my world. And I worship the ground he walks on.

Yeah I can understand why he thinks that.

I laid down beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Y-You...only one..I l-love. Pinky...promise."

Nothing. He began snoring, but I wasn't sure if it was fake or real. Either way, he isn't gonna talk.

I hope I didn't just blow my chances with Jordan.
~~~

ONE MORE UPDATE :3

- Lee