Dr. Victor slowly marched into the bedroom, dripping with a sheen of light sweat on his brow. The mask and gloves were tossed long at the bottom steps. He saw Micah's form, wrapped in sheets, on the bed. He saw Mimi, writhing about.
The good doctor clicked his mouth a little, bringing the wagging monstrosity through the sheet and to his outstretched hand.
Micah blinked at the doctor through his half-asleep daze. He looked over.
"How'd it go?”
Dr. Victor absently scratched the small beagle, turning his gaze down.
"He's still dead, if that's what you meant. I don't know what caused his heart to stop but, Abdul died quickly... and got up quickly."
He let out a sigh, shrugging his shoulders.
"I think, Micah, that it's going to be messy. Very messy for everyone... especially since it is all come here again, for these guys. I wonder what I can do to affect it somehow, but..."
Dr. Victor picked up Mimi and sat on the corner of the bed. His lips pursed out out a little, he added,
"I don't think it will change people's opinions much."
Micah frowned, he had been referring to the live ones but okay. Micah sat up in the bed, placing a pillow behind him. He looked at the worn out doctor, wondering exactly what he had been doing with the corpse. The puppy seemed happy and blissfully ignorant of everything, Micah was almost jealous of it's state.
"People's opinions can always be changed. I think less people think I'm just an 'raging arsehole', now I'm a 'raging arsehole' who brought alcohol to the party and lit up a ghost. This is messy, life is always messy. There isn't much you can do really. You have to do what needs to be done. like Seth. He just blew his mate's fucking head off in close range infront of the people he is meant to be leading. That's pretty fucked."
Dr. Victor shook his head slowly.
"I always do what needs to be done, Micah. I don't mean to put it through such simple terms."
He leaned back, his spine seeming to break under the pressure of the room.
"Micah, I think there is something that's going to irrevocably change in the coming months."
He stopped petting Mimi, the pet still crawling and clawing for attention.
"I..."
The good doctor swallowed hard.
"I think I'm losing what little humanity I have, Micah. I know it sounds dramatic, but... it's something I expected to happen... just not so soon. I thought the party would be like a last hurrah, or... or whatever. I'm fighting against myself now."
He trembled a little under the words.
"What is humanity, we use that word but what does it really fucking mean? You haven't massmurdered any people, you haven't tortured anything and you aren't responsible for this apocalypse. Humanity has and is, loads of times. The only thing to hold onto is your sense of self and your own morals. I don't know what is going on in your head but if there is anything I can do, let me know. Also a sense of humour helps."
He grinned.
"Everything and everyone is changing, what makes it worse for you?"
He looked at the doctor and the puppy, trying to discern what the guy was actually trying to say. The night's events were wearing down on him also and he felt truly afraid. He didn't want to ever be in Abdul's shoes, he'd rather die first. He wondered what it was like, if whatever Abdul had been was still in there with the ghost.
Dr. Victor turned his head to Micah, eyes like daggers.
"I am planning on capturing a victim off the street."
He let the words hang in the air, swallowing hard.
"Humanity is what you feel for people around you, Micah. It's what makes us sociable creatures; I'm not exactly normal and I'm not someone who makes attachments easily to begin with. I tell you this not to scare you or even ellicit a response from you. I just see it happening, and, while I despise it, I have little in way of changing it."
Rubbing his head with a hand, he shivered.
"When I cut him open, Micah, I was searching for what happened. And, I know there will be no answers in the dead. But there will be something in the living..."
He coughed sinking back down.
"I will need more than just a zombie. I know I will need to see what happens, what causes the death to spread and get up. Micah, I see this happening. I FEEL it."
He frowned deeply.
"Does this even matter? What- I'm asking you what I should do."
The doctor let the beagle onto the floor, hunching himself into a small fold.
"I am not so different, perhaps slightly less obvious though. I do form attachments but very few, I don't trust easily. I care more about if that will happen to me than about the man who died. I didn't know him so why care, it's terrible I know. It's terrible that I actually think you're doing the right thing, as long as it doesn't get me or
you or Alex killed. Many more people are going to die and if you can find a way to stop whatever it is, then you're a hero not a villain. You can do both, be human and do this. Separate it from your self. Sorry I'm talking too much. I can't tell you what to do though."
He leaned over, taking the bedclothes with him and gave the doctor a pat on the shoulder for whatever it was worth and smiled at him.
"Speaking of doing, I probably should go and greet the fucking day. What have you got on your plate? You should have told everyone you were a florist..."
He grinned.
"You can't stop the change sure but it's always changing, what you fucking lose can always be found again. That was lame, sorry but true."
Dr. Victor laughed, shaking his head a bit.
"You are making me sound like I'm human or something. I'm no florist, I'm a Doctor!"
He rose, rolling his head around in a circular motion.
"So.. yeah... thanks. I, uh..."
The doctor akwardly turned towards the man, sighing. His foot bobbed absently.
"Yeah... trying to.. get that done... on little sleep."
Micah laughed,
"Sleep is a catty bitch, never there where you need it and always ready to lull you into a false sense of security before fucking off yet again. I better let you get to it and I guess I'd better get up and put on my wonderful new yuppie outfit. Plaid and polos doctor, how lucky am I?"
Dr. Victor took the scrub top off, stretching his torso out.
"Oh, you are lucky to be given so much luxury. I think my keen sense of style is rubbing off on you."
He reached over, gently poking Micah in the rib.
"So... was the bed worth it? Or do you need to try it again?"
He coyly smiled, stretching out his back even more before standing uncomfortably close to the younger man.
Micah looked up at him,
"It was okay."
He grinned.
"But you should try that couch with a beagle on your neck, sheer luxury."
Micah got up on from the covers and moved close past the doctor to the lounge. He grabbed the brown shorts and short black sleeved polo before proceeding to the bathroom. On his way he shot the doctor a grin before shutting the door on him.