Page 9 of Uprising

“I dragged your heavy ass.”

I scuff, “Clearly you need to work out more then.”

He doesn’t bother responding to my attitude; he tosses a bag at the end of the bed. Peering over, I clutch the blanket in my hands and pull it up over my chest like I have a pair of tits to hide.

“And tell me why I’m naked?” My voice comes out weak and timid. Mentally I smack myself; it was supposed to come out strong and controlling, yet that did not happen.

“You had a number of fluids on you.”

“A number of fluids…” I echo back.

“That’s what I said.”

I have no idea what crawled up his ass, but he needs to back off before I throw one of these rocks at his head.

He must realize I’m not going to say anything until he answers my original question because he lets out a sigh and points to the clothes.

“I searched around for clothes that looked like they would fit you. You had vomit, blood, and other bodily fluids on your old ones.”

Tears prick my eyes at the reminder of my panic attack. When I was younger I would get them all the time until I was able to take antidepressants and stop them most of the time. In college, Rue was always there to help me along the way. But now with her being gone, hopefully in Florida by now, and no longer having any antidepressants, I need to figure out the panic attacks before they get me or him killed.

“Thank you,” I finally muttered. Reaching forward, I grab the bag, shuffling through the clothes. Yanking the long sleeve over my head, I go to pull the blanket down when Reed curses under his breath. I glance up just as he swings around, giving me his back.

“What, you afraid of a little dick or something?” I drop my bare legs over the side of the bed, pulling the boxers and pants up.

Reed grunts but doesn’t bother to say anything.

“It’s not like you haven’t seen it before. I mean, I’m assuming you did take my clothes off. Oh god, I really hope I wasn’t hard; you know that would be really embarrassing. If I was, please know that it wasn’t you. It might have been the wind or something. I’ve heard even the tiniest breezes make a guy’s cock hard. It’s never happened to me… well, until now. Definitely now.”

“Are you done?” Reed growls.

“Just about; I just gotta tuck this big boy,” I smile at my own joke. Though my pants are already done and up, I’m just pulling on a pair of boots now.

“It wasn’t that big,” I hear him mumble.

“Well, it’s bigger than yours, I’m sure. Haven’t you heard that big beefy guys usually have the smallest wieners? It’s why they work out so much; they gotta make up for something.” I tell him, lacing up my last boot.

“Thought you said I needed to work out more. So which is it? Am I not big and beefy, or do I have a small cock?” Reed asks, turning around.

“You know,” I stood up. “You might be a special case, and the doctor might need to prescribe something for both. But unfortunately for you there are no more doctors or gyms. So I guess you’re going to lack the big muscles and big cock.”

“You talk about cocks a lot.”

My smile spreads across my lips. He doesn’t even know the half of it, but I don’t tell him that.

“Well, I do love myself a good, girthy meat sausage; let me know if you find one. You know, since you like taking guys' clothes off,” I wink at him. Reed grunts and yanks the door open, clearly telling me this conversation was done.

* * *

I sit on the bed,listening to him pace back and forth by the door. I think back to what I’ve said that would cause him to get so upset, unless those few shots at his ego were really damaging. I should apologize. I don’t know what he’s been through, but I have this gut-retching feeling that it’s bad.

I stand up from the bed, patting my sweaty palms down my leg when the door opens and Reed steps through.

“I’m—”

“You’ve got two choices,” Reed doesn’t bother to acknowledge that I was talking. Not that I mind, because I’m not sure I like him saying I have two choices. I tense up, waiting for him to continue. “You either stay here or do whatever you want. You have a mallet and your precious rocks to fight off the undead.” I’m not liking the way any of this sounds. Me surviving out there alone doesn’t exactly sound like surviving; I’d get eaten in two seconds if I was on my own. “And the second one, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, you come with me. I’m heading south, the mountain in Georgia; there’s some place I need to get to. So, either stay here or come along.”

My ears must not be working. There’s no way Reed would willingly want to travel with me. I’m annoying.

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