The complexity that is Teal was about to unravel. She wasn't sure she was ready to share with someone else, Marc, a stranger, and a male who unnerved her senses.

This zombie could forever judge her based on her story. For the most part, these were things she had no control over. However, she was petrified to be so intimate with someone, who wasn't part of her family. Maybe it was her human side speaking, but she believed zombies and people, were more alike than different.

She wasn't the best judge of character because she wasn't a social being. However, she hoped, with all her might, he would feel compassion towards her. Listen, and not throw her out of his club after she was done telling him her story. He already looked pissed off enough by her presence earlier, finding out she was half-human? Mostly human? A little bit human? Who knew how well he would take news like that.

Lifting shifty eyes to his, Teal took a deep, slow breath. "On my birthday; ergo the night before you and I met, I found out my mother and father were scientists in their human life," she began. "They were the people who were assigned to come up with a vaccine when the outbreak first started."

Without hesitation, Marc's eyes rounded in surprise. By the looks of him, Teal understood him to be a zombie who thought he'd seen it all. Heard it all. Knew it all. Obviously, he hadn't.

"My mother was pregnant with me when she and my dad contracted the virus. They'd been working on a serum with much potential. Threatened, the military destroyed everything my parents worked so hard for." Breathless, Teal paused for a gulp of oxygen and in one breath continued. "My mother hid the vial from them and administered it to us ... me, as a fetus."

She watched his eyes. They were big, but less surprise and more understanding reflected in them.

"At the time, Jax was still human. My parents had him in the care of my aunt. He got infected at school a year later. Desperate, Aunt Rita asked him to infect her. That's when she found out she's immune."

"Is she now?" The green in Marc's pupils changed hue as if the lights in the room reflected in them at an angle. His index finger rubbed his lower lip and he hung to every word she'd said. 

Teal nodded, stood, and paced the room wringing her hands. His eyes heeded her every move.

"My parents observed many oddities in me. They hoped they wouldn't develop further, but they did." She looked down at herself, then briefly at him settling down on the couch. "For example, I can breathe a warm breath."

She saw a small smile across his face.

"What?" Embarrassed she turned paler. 

"I noticed ... When we kissed." His voice deepened.

Teal's inspiration caught somewhere in her chest and she lacked oxygen for several seconds. Finally, the air came out as a soft puff.

"I wasn't really thinking about anyone noticing before." She shrugged.

"Clearly not." He chuckled.

His soft laugh relaxed her and she reciprocated his smile before licking her dry lips. Marc followed her tongue and the contours of his face changed and he straightening uncomfortably in his chair.

"I also have saliva, complex thoughts, and extensive vocabulary."

"Yes, I noticed that too." He brought a few fingertips to his chin.

Their kisses had been wet.

"Something was exhilarating about them. I didn't know if it was the saliva itself or part of that serum within you. Either way, it was good."

She blushed. "Oh, and I have sweat glands!"

"You can sweat?" He raised a brow. "I'd love to see that."

By the way, his eyes drifted, Teal knew he meant those words more to himself than her.

"You can get drunk too," he laughed. "And have a brilliance to your eyes that is beautiful."

She gave a puzzled look and wondered what he meant by those words. Maybe that was part of the male zombie brain functions and he just blurted things out. Like Jax. Or maybe he was coming on to her. Unfortunately, Teal was too inexperienced to know for sure.

"Your story answers a lot of questions I had," he continued.

He had questions about her? 

"I'm—glad?" She didn't know what to be. "Anyway, I have no idea what else could be different and there's also the fact that the serum is in me. In my blood. I could be the key to a vaccine. A cure even."

He looked at her impressed. "You are selfless and brave. I had misjudged you."

Warmth flooded to her cheeks and she covered them with her hands. "Uhm, my mom thinks I may be less sensitive to light. I might be able to walk with the living! They never dared to expose me to sunlight when I was younger, you know, with them going up in flames and all..."

He gave her a partial smile. "Were you trying to joke, right now?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I'm feeling a little tense." Teal wouldn't look him in the eyes and he chuckled.

"Was your mom affected by the partial vaccine?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Why?"

"She sounds like she's extremely smart. Most of us can barely say a few words. Or have simple thoughts mainly of food, sex, sleep. Basic instincts much like animals."

The word sex out of his lips did a little number in her stomach. Teal wondered if all zombies could feel that way or if it was just her. 

"I noticed you're very smart and verbal yourself." Teal lifted a questioning brow. 

Marc said nothing and stared straight into her eyes.

"Also your cool breath, it's fairly there, but I noticed." She squinted and studied his face; "I wonder what else might be different, you know? You couldn't have been born a zombie."

She fell silent, unable to get a response from him. Not a peep out of his tight mouth. Teal wondered why she couldn't shut hers. 

"I-if I can, I-I think I should cross," she glazed over her prior words.

"For what purpose? What can your aunt do?"

A childlike smile curved her lips. "I could live with her while I'm there. I want to meet the doctor guy who was on TV." She cocked her head and pointed at him. "You saw him that night. I asked you about him. Remember?"

"Of course I remember. Are you insane?!"

She blinked a few times surprised. "No, I'm not insane! I want to help." 

"No need to get defensive, Teal. I don't think it's a good idea. What if he's a hoax? A liar? Fake. Traps you? Or worse yet, kills you! Fuck, Teal ... I don't think you're thinking this through." 

"Not get defensive?! You called me insane!" she huffed. Getting on her feet, she balled her fists at her side. "Maybe I made a mistake by coming to you for help. I should go."

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's difficult for me not to react." He paused. "Reconsider. Don't be impulsive. Can't we talk about it? Work on a solution together?"

Together? Work something out?  "What do you mean? Or why do you care, for that matter?"

"Let's talk it out. Okay? Pros and cons, Teal."

"Okay..."

"Con, you get captured."

"Pro, I save us and humanity."

"Con, you get probed, pinched, and experimented on." He raised his arm in exasperation. "And no cure."

"Pro, I get to meet my aunt."

He chuckled, "Really?"

"Do I need to go?" She raised an eyebrow and pointed at the door.

Raising his hands in surrender, he continued. "Con, humans find out you're a zombie."

"Pro, I find out who I am."

He lowered his eyes. 

She was stubborn and naive, a lethal combination. 

"Fuck! Fine. I'll help you. You'll probably go out and do all this nonsense without me anyway and get yourself killed." He rolled his eyes. "Rationalizing this, I'm deciding to stay involved in your ridiculous plan. But you have to agree to a plan. One we work on together. And you must listen to me, I've been doing what I do for a while. Agreed?"

She nodded. "I promise. I won't do anything before talking to you first."

"Do you have her number with you?"

She clapped her hands giving a little scream. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Running to him, Teal wrapped her arms around his trim waist and hugged it tightly. The contact of his cool skin burned her. She let him go quickly and thanked him again jumping around oblivious to the chemical reaction in his body. Staring briefly at her, he reached for her body pulling it into his arms. Resting his chin on her head he sighed, taking her by surprise.

"For the record, I don't agree with this."

She nodded under his weight, sighing pensively. "I know."

 His cold breath toyed with a few wisps of frilly hair on her head. Reluctantly, he let go loosening the grip of one of his hands, not ready to stop touching her entirely.

"Hand me her number." He stretched his hand out. "Let's try her now."

Teal let go with one hand as well and reached into her pocket provided him with a torn, white address book.

Music By:

The Sound*I Can't Escape Myself