An Unexpected Roommate
Chapter 6: Robbie’s Immortal Mind
Robbie's mind is plagued by traumatic nightmares, and is protected by Chase's midnight cuddles.
The next day, Henrik puts the child through a couple...rather abnormal tests.
We getting into some of the real shit now!
{“Robbin! Quick! Go hide in the closet. Mommy’s gonna keep you safe.” She told him. Robbie only cried more.
“NOOO! I wanna stay with you!” Robbie cried, scared of what was happening.
“Just go! I’ll be right there. I promise.” She encouraged Robbie before pushing him into the closet and closing the door.
“I’M SORRY! JUST TAKE ME! LEAVE MY FAMILY OUT OF THIS!” a familiar male voice begged.
There was a loud cry in agony. “You brought this upon yourself.” a low, quiet voice told him, before something big fell onto the ground.
“AUSTIN!” Robbie heard. His eyes widened in horror. Is Dad okay?! What about Mom? “I’m begging you! Think about what you’re doing! PLEASE!” He heard.
“You should’ve thought of that before you called the police on me…” The deep voice warned.
A loud shout could be heard, followed by multiple more shouts of pain. Robbie couldn’t take it anymore. He picked up a broomstick from the corner of the closet and kicked the door open. “GET AWAY FROM THEM!” Robbie shouted before hitting the man on the head with the broomstick.
A shout of pain could be heard from the evil man, before he slowly got up again. “You little SHIT!” He shouted.
Another loud shout of pain could be heard. But this time, it was high-pitched. Then, Robbie looked down and noticed the blood spilling out. It was then that he realized it was himself who was screaming. Then, another cry of pain left his mouth as he was whacked in the back of the head with the very broomstick he was holding.
Robbie attempted to get up, but was pushed down by the man’s foot. “Such a shame your ‘papa’ had to be such a racist.” the deep voice yelled. Robbie began to feel really weak. He tried to reach out, but he could barely move his arms. He tried to kick, but he could barely do that either. He could barely even keep listening to the deep voice that was talking to him. The man’s voice was slowly turning into mumbles.
“H...He...l...he…” Robbie barely spoke. He felt himself take one last breath before everything went black.}
Robbie opened his eyes wide and looked around the room. Where was he?! Robbie quickly sat himself up and looked around at the room. He let out a sigh of relief when he remembered what had happened. He hugged his stuffed dog, Bacon close to him and sobbed to himself. It was that nightmare again. He always used to have it. But the longer he was around, the less the nightmare haunted him. He had grown less and less freaked out by the nightmare, and had grown more saddened whenever the nightmare entered his brain again. At this point, Robbie had gotten more scared of how lost he currently was, more than the nightmare itself. But it still hurt him.
So, Robbie hopped off the couch with Bacon in his hand, walked himself towards Chase’s bedroom door and opened it. He walked himself inside, and walked towards the empty bedside. Chase placed Bacon onto the bed first, and climbed his small, nimble body up onto the bed with a little difficulty. Though he had gotten used to getting into Chase’s bed in the mornings, Robbie still found it a little hard trying to get into the bed at night time without Chase’s help. But, Robbie found a way and laid down onto the pillow on the left side of the bed.
Robbie pulled some of the blankets onto himself and spent a few minutes watching Chase’s body lift and fall. It didn’t take long for Chase to breathe in deeply and for him to toss himself towards Robbie’s direction. Chase opened his eyes and looked at him. “Hi Robbie.” He greeted quietly.
“Hi Chase.” Robbie replied back with a hurtful whine in his voice.
“I heard the door open. Is something wrong?” Chase asked.
“I had a nightmare.” Robbie admitted.
Chase nodded his head in understanding. He was a little surprised it took this long for Robbie to come into his bed in the middle of the night. But, here he was: complaining about a nightmare. “Do you want to talk about it?” Chase asked. He remembered when his kids would sometimes talk out their dreams to him, and he could help him determine what was fake, what was realistic and what made no sense to him.
“No thanks. It’s too sad.” Robbie replied with a frown. Chase softened his expression. A sad nightmare? It’s been a while since he’s dealt with one of those.
Chase opened his arms. “Do you wanna cuddle?” Chase offered.
Robbie looked at him with a small smile and nodded. He scooted himself closer to Chase and snuggled himself into Chase like a little burrito. Chase wrapped his arms around the child and kept him as close to his chest as he possibly could.
“You don’t need to fret about a nightmare. It wasn’t real, so you don’t need to worry. I’m right here.” Chase said to calm him down.
Robbie immediately felt an ache in his chest. He felt like he wanted to cry, and it had come on strong the moment those words left Chase’s mouth. Robbie began to sob and hung his head while lots of tears fell from his eyes.
“Juuuust let it out. Cry it all out. You’re allowed to cry.” Chase told him. Robbie thankfully took his advice and continued to cry. He mourned the loss of his parents and began to question just why they had to die. If that evil man had not come in and killed them with his knife, they would all still be alive.
Then again...he never would’ve met Chase…
[The Next Morning]
Jamie walked himself into Chase’s room to wake him up with some pancakes. He knocked on the door and walked himself in, and smiled at the adorable sight:
Chase and Robbie were sleeping together, completely snuggled into each other. Jamie, growing a little playful, walked up to the two and looked around. Funnily enough, Chase’s foot was sticking out from under the blanket. Sensing an idea, Jamie snuck himself up to the foot and knelt down. With the man still sleeping soundly, Jamie decided to disrupt it by tickling his bare foot with his fingers.
Chase squeezed his eyes slightly and kicked his foot, believing some bug might be walking on his foot. So, Chase twitched it slightly to get the thing off. When the foot stopped moving again, Jamie started tickling it again.
Slowly, some sleepy giggles left Chase’s mouth. “Mmm...mmhehe...hehehehe…” Chase giggled semi-quietly.
Almost immediately, Robbie opened his eyes and looked at Chase with confusion on his face. Jamie quickly hid. “Chase? What are you laughing at?” Robbie asked.
Chase seemed to have fallen right back asleep again, because all Jamie could hear from him were mumbles back. When Chase fell back asleep, Jamie moved onto Robbie’s feet and started tickling them. A wide grin immediately grew onto Robbie’s face. “Hehehehey! Stahahap tihihihicklihing my feheheheet!” Robbie giggled.
Chase let a smile grow onto his face. “Hehe...Is someone tickling you?” Chase asked.
“Ihihihi thohohought yohohou wehehehehere!” Robbie giggled.
Chase lifted his head up and smirked. “How does that make sense?! My arms are up here!” Chase reacted.
“Thehehen whoho’s tihihicklihing mehehe?” Robbie asked.
Chase looked up and snickered when he saw Jamie at the end of bed. “Why don’t you look up and fi-hihind ohOHOHOUT- HEHEHEHEY!” Chase asked, before bursting into a fit of laughter.
“Hahaha! Na, na, na na, na! Your feet are tick-a-lish more!” Robbie sing-songed teasily. Suddenly, Robbie began feeling tickles on his toes! “EEEEHEHEHEHEHE! STAHAHAHAP IHIHIHIHIT!” Robbie laughed.
“OHOHOKAHAHAY, OHOKAHAHAHAHAHAY! YOHOHOHOU GOHOHOT UHUHUHUS, NOHOHOHOW LEHET MEHEHE GOHOHOHOHOHOHO!” Chase laughed, falling onto his back and kicking his other leg helplessly.
“HIHIHI MIHISTEHEHER JAHAHACKSOHOHON!” Robbie greeted, pulling his feet away before crawling on his knees up to Jamie.
Jamie paused his tickling to give Robbie a wave. Then, his fingers started tickling under the toes.
“NAHAHAHAHAHAHA! JAHAHAHAMIHIHIHIE! NAHAHAHAT THEHEHEHEHEHEHERE!” Chase shouted at him.
Robbie gasped and grabbed onto Jamie’s wrists. “He’s too ticklish there!” Robbie warned. Surprised that the little kid would grab his wrists, Jamie smirked, leaned into Robbie’s belly and blew a raspberry. “HEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA! NOHOHOHOHO!” Robbie yelled, laughing hysterically high-pitched and letting go of Jamie before falling backwards onto the bed. Jamie chuckled and practically melted at how adorable the child was. “Yohour muhuhustache tihihicklehehes!’ Robbie told him, clenching his bare belly. Jamie narrowed his eyes suspiciously, and wiggled his mustache back and forth. This made Robbie fall into another fit of giggles!
Then, Jamie realized what he was coming in for:
Jamie cleared his throat before starting to sign.‘I have pancakes ready for you and Chase! Then after that, the Doctor wants to see you to do a test.’ He signed to them.
Chase sat up. “A test? What kind of test?” Chase asked.
Jamie shrugged his shoulders. ‘He has a mouse. That’s all I know.’ Jamie replied.
“Oh…” Chase reacted, unsure of what to do with that information.
It took a bit, but the dramatic duo did make it to the Doctor’s office. Henrik was sitting in his desk chair and looking after a dark brown house mouse. “Zhe mouse has yust been vashed vizh zhe soap and vater.” Henrik told them.
“Okay. But...why?” Chase asked.
Henrik looked at Robbie. “Have you heard of zhe rule of no biting?” Henrik asked.
Robbie nodded. “I can’t bite someone as a zombie because my mouth juice might be contagious.” Robbie said, remembering the conversation he had with Chase over biting people, a couple days after he moved in upstairs.
“Zhat’s right.” Henrik replied. “But I vant to confirm zhat zheory, so ve can take zhe extra steps if you do have contagious saliva.” Henrik told him.
Robbie nodded. “Okay. I don’t wanna make people sick.” Robbie told him.
“And I want to know what we’re in for if he does accidentally bite someone.” Chase replied.
“Vell...Zhe only vay to know vhat is in your saliva, is by eizher spitting into a cup, or by spit taking vater.” Henrik explained.
Robbie nodded. “Okay.” Robbie replied.
Henrik handed Robbie a cup, and got Robbie to spit into it. Robbie did just as he said, and handed the cup back. “Perfect.” Henrik reacted before putting a lid on the cup and placing it beside the microscope.
Then, Henrik headed for the mouse cage. “Zhere is still somezhing I need you to do for me, and...it might be a leetle gross…” Henrik admitted, pulling out the little white mouse.
Robbie gasped and widened his eyes in excitement. Chase yelped and backed up, slightly afraid of the mouse. Robbie giggled. “Are you scared of mice?” Robbie asked.
“I mean...yeah! They used to spread disease, and they still do!” Chase replied.
Robbie held out his hands towards the mouse, and watched as it crawled on Robbie’s hands and twitched its nose.
“I...I vant you to bite zhe mouse.” Henrik told him. Robbie looked up in horror.
“BITE HIM?!” Robbie reacted.
Chase visibly gagged. “Oh god…” Chase muttered.
“Yes...It’s zhe only safe vay for us to determine if your bite is contagious.” Henrik explained.
“But...it’s furry! It squeaks! It’s alive!” Robbie protested.
“I know it sounds gross, but...you can do zhis.” Henrik told him.
“I...I don’t wanna. Mm mm...I don’t wanna.” Robbie told him, holding the mouse a little tighter in his hands.
“Please?” Henrik asked.
“Why can’t I bite a person?” Robbie asked.
“Because...No vone will offer to be a test subject if zhey are risking becoming a zombie.” Henrik replied.
“Oh...Well, why can’t you bite him too?” Robbie asked.
“Because I might mix up zhe 2 saliva’s.” Henrik replied.
“Is this really the only way?” Robbie asked. “Why can’t I bite...a cam-ee-lion?” Robbie asked.
“You mean a chameleon? No. It’s...not zhe same. A mouse is zhe primary science testing animal ve can use. Vhe don’t have to vorry about ezhics for a mouse, and ve don’t have to sacrifice somezhing huge.” Henrik told him. “It vill only take a second.” He reassured.
Robbie bit his lip and looked at the mouse. It was still running around in his cupped hands. Robbie fixed his grip on the mouse, and took a deep breath.
“You can do zhis. It should not cause you any harm.” Henrik told him.
Robbie took in another quick deep breath and bit the side of the mouse very quickly and deeply. Chase widened and just about yipped at the sight, but covered his mouth. Henrik smiled upon the child’s bravery. “Good job Robbie.” Henrik encouraged.
Robbie attempted to say ‘do I let go now?’, only for the words to come out in all mumbles. Chase let out a disgusted whine and an uncomfortable chuckle at the kid.
“Let go.” Henrik encouraged. Robbie let go of the mouse and moved his tongue around with a disgusted facial expression.
“Excellent.” Henrik replied, before putting the mouse into the cage.
“Will it be okay?” Robbie asked.
“Ve vill have to see.” Henrik replied.
Robbie nodded and left the room. Chase watched the child leave the room before turning to Henrik. “Okay...was that actually the only way to see if the kid’s bite is contagious?” Chase asked.
Henrik started petting the mouse through the cage, and mentally noted how calm the mouse was despite being bitten 2 minutes ago. “Yes. Zhat really vas zhe only vay to find out zhe effects of a zombie bite.” Henrik replied calmly. “And considering Robbie managed to feel bad for a mouse...I zhink zhat could’ve gone much vorse.” Henrik added.
“I’m not disagreeing with you at all. I’m glad it went as well as it did. But...I could not imagine being told to bite a mouse just to determine you’re contagious. Especially a live mouse.” Chase mentioned.
“Chase…” Henrik looked him right in the eyes from a couple feet away. “I zhink you should consider zhe bigger picture in all of zhis. If zhis child is truly contagious, zhen ve have a potential zombie apocalypse on our hands. Yes, zhe zombie are much more alive and empazhetic zhen ve zhought, but it is still a zombie apocalypse nonezheless.” Henrik explained. “If zhe kid is contagious zhrough zhe saliva, ve need to very careful to treat zhe simplest paper cut so zhe child’s saliva doesn’t end up in our blood stream. But if zhere’s a hidden venom in his teezh, I need to make zhe kid a mouzh guard as protection from his bite. I don’t vant to risk anyzhing so long as zhe kid is alive.” Henrik explained further.
Chase’s frown only deepened. He looked down to the floor and sighed silently. “On top of all that, we also have to consider Robbie’s psychological thoughts in all this. I know that if I knew my body was slowly dying because I’m now a zombie, I would quickly become depressed, anxious, or worse: suicidal. But incredibly, Robbie has managed to keep a good level head over the things he’s been through. Considering he lost his Mom, he still seems really happy.” Chase explained. “But...how long can a child keep that up before they just give up on life?” Chase asked rhetorically.
“I don’t know. I zhink ve should consider zherapy or counselling.” Henrik told him.
“That’s a good idea.” Chase replied.
Chase and Henrik walked out of the doctor’s office and into the living room. Robbie and Jamie were sitting at the bar, drinking some sort of chocolate concoction.
“What are you guys having?” Chase asked.
“MILKSHAKE!” Robbie shouted back.
Jamie pointed to the tub of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie tub that was still on the counter. “Oooooh! Sounds delicious! Don’t mind if I do!” Chase replied before grabbing the milk from the fridge. “You want one as well?” Chase asked.
Henrik waved him off. “No zhanks.” Henrik replied, sitting at the bar.
Chase smirked. “I can add some coffee into it.” Chase encouraged, shaking the bottle of instant coffee for Henrik to hear and gaze upon.
Henrik chuckled and looked at him with a ‘really?’ face. “Do I look like a cat?” Henrik shot back.
Robbie giggled and booped his nose with the end of his milkshake straw. The straw left a little dot of chocolate milkshake that ended up falling down Henrik’s nose and into his mustache.
“How dare you.” Henrik teased, before sticking his tongue up to lick the milkshake off his mustache. “Okay. I’ll take a milkshake. No coffee tho. I’ve probably drank enough today.” Henrik replied to Chase.
“Comin’ right up Doctor.” Chase replied before digging deep into the tub of ice cream.
“YAY!” Robbie shouted.
All four adults took the time to enjoy some good ol’ milkshakes and talk together in the kitchen bar. They placed their worries aside and chose to just have a little fun to ease their mind from all the stress of everyday life. Chase took some of this time to mentally reflect. He was truly proud of Robbie’s ability to stay positive through all he had been through. But...there was one thing Chase wanted to know:
What exactly happened to Robbie?
