Milo is a Kaw-Sekhmu who has been dormant for over 150 years, waking up to a world that has changed beyond recognition. When he awakens in a morgue, he realizes that he can no longer stomach blood and has nowhere to turn for support. Milo's decis...
Torn between his lack of knowledge and uncertainty about what information he wanted to disclose to Justin, Milo found the process of figuring out what had happened to him nearly impossible. This wouldn't have normally been a problem. On a good day, he was quite clever. He was sure he could have found them any other time. But as things stood, he was finding it hard to make it a day today.
His stomach, or where he assumed one's stomach reassigned, was in constant pain. He couldn't think clearly. And he grew to hate Justin more and more by the day. From his experience, one would grow more attached to the one they turned to. At last for a year. After that, the bond would subside and the two involved could see each other for who they were.
He had only experienced this a few times, but each time gave him an overwhelming amount of love for the person. Want to protect them, to be close to them. It was some of the few times he felt the need for that physical contusion. Not to say it was the only time, but that need much strength in the growing year.
But when it came to Justin. He could hardly stand to be in the same room as him. He wanted to both protect and kill the boy. Perhaps he was too harsh on the boy. On that particular day, when the bedroom was too hot and reeked of sweety old clothes, Milo took his reading to the living room.
This had become a harder task than he originally thought. Justin would mess with his phone, leap up, and make a few passes around the room before sitting down once more. Repeating the process over and over.
"Why don't you just call her?" Milo finally asked. He was not quite at the point of giving up on his paper. But if this kept up, he would probably end up hurting the kid.
"She's at work," Justin said as he slammed himself into the back of the sofa.
"I'm taking it you too are no longer fighting?" Milo, of course, already knew the answer to this. But It would be a good way to keep the kid's mind on the positive.
"No, we resolved that a long time ago." He folded his arms like a child being told they could only have one ice cream cone, and it would only be after they eat their veggies. "She's at work. But she will not answer my text."
"So wouldn't it be reasonable that she simply doesn't have the time to answer your text?" Milo asked, still not looking up from the paper. "Perhaps if she has a break, you can see her then?"
Justin jumped up once more, and as he did, Milo followed suit. Leaving him to go to the bedroom.
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Amy knocked on Justin's door, as she always did. She no longer used her key, fearing that Milo would be there without Justin. She didn't know what would happen if she confronted him alone. Did he know what she had seen? What she had dreamt? Would he kill her for this information?
When Justin called, the door was open. She let herself in. "Is Milo here?" She asked in a mocking voice.
Justin nodded to the bedroom door. "Sick... again."
Amy took a seat on the opposite side of the sofa as him. Why did he have to be here? She needed to talk to Justin. Needed to tell him what she saw. It wasn't something you can just say over text. She needed to see his face. Needed him to tell her she wasn't crazy.
Things would not get better until she could. This tension wouldn't leave until Milo was gone. That had been the lie, she told herself. But it was more than that. Justin had not been the same. She knew it had to do with Milo. Perhaps he was feeling the same thing.
The two of them sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. When Amy couldn't take it anymore. Bursting out of her seat to make it to the bathroom. She didn't have to go, but she couldn't take the tension anymore. Sitting on the toilet, she cried. Reaching for her phone, trying to take her mind off of anything but what she was feeling, it slipped from her fingers. As she reached for it, she noticed a bag stuffed behind the toilet.
Curiosity getting the better of her, she opened it. Found crust clothes that had faint bloodstains on them. Inspecting, she found a crusty business card. On it, there were a few Egyptian hieroglyphs, a name that read Ritchard Williams and the words hotel manager of Motel Dam Sanctum and ranks 8 Kaw-Sekhmu. What did that mean? The dream was real, or at least parts of it?
This was odd, and it felt important. Like this had been the answers she was looking for. Justin stood at the door when she got out. "You ok?"
She nodded, and for the first time, it wasn't a lie. Grabbing his hand. "There are things we need to talk about." Justin's head jerked to the bedroom door. In a whisper, Amy moved closer. "I know. I mean, I don't, but I know something isn't right. Let me sort this out."
Justin said nothing, but any illusion he was ok dropped from his face. Amy pulled away. She wanted to start as soon as possible. But Justin wouldn't let go of her arm. "No, I don't want you getting hurt."
She moved closer to him, so close that their heads almost touched. "Then tell me what you know. Tell me what I'm looking for. What can I do to help you?"
He hesitated to answer. "I can't tell you." His eyes shot to the door once more. "He can hear us. And I think he can do more."
"Then let me go," Amy whispered as softly as she could to the point she wasn't sure if Justin could hear what she was saying. "Let me find out on my own. Then it will not be your fault when I know. And I know what's really going on. I can help you."
She spoke so quietly it was hard to miss the creaking from the next room. Milo slowly opened the door. Much paler than normal, with a brow raised. "Am I interrupting anything?"
Amy did her best to fake a smile. "Nop, I was just leaving." Keeping her eyes on Milo the whole time she did. She slowly backed to the door. "Hope you feel better soon. See you around."
She didn't feel as if she could breathe until she made it to the entrance of the building. Did he know? Could he hear them? Justin's warning that he may do more scared her. Was he aware of what she was doing now, what she was doing at her dorm? She wasn't sure of much, but she couldn't shake the feeling he wasn't human.
