Curses for cures
March 1, 2011
Short Story
Curses for Cures
By Xavier RedStag
Howard stepped out of his front door and turned to lock it. He put his ear to the door for a second to see if his wife Silvia was still asleep and heard the faint snore in her breathing coming from the couch. He turned and walked down the stairs of their suburban duplex past the door too their down stairs renter James. Howards lip curled, if not for the fact that they needed a renter to maintain the house and James was protected by rent control Howard would have thrown the filthy animal out a long time ago. Howard pulled his scarf and coat tighter, he was a tall thin man with a short scruffy beard in his late twenties. He opened the main door letting in a blast of cold December air. Howard walked out onto the front steps taking a firm grip on the rail to guard against the ice, but he found the steps had already been salted. At the bottom of the steps he saw James with his back turned to him. James was wearing a long black coat and hood, poking out from beneath the coat was a fluffy gray K-9 tail. Aside from this his lower legs were oddly shaped with an angle where the calf should be, and small round feet wrapped in leather. Howard his disgust rising for the creature in front of him. "James!" he said in sharp tone, Howards voice was deep and strong and was always good at catching attention. James turned and under the hood Howard saw the face of a gray wolf looking back at him. "Your rent is due".
James nodded "that's why I'm here" as always Howard wondered how it was possible to talk with a muzzle. James started rummaging in his pocket, in his other hand was a canister of salt. Howard walked down the steps. Though Howard wouldn't admit it this was one of the things that he hated so much about James. He looked like an animal but was always polite; He's just a nasty pretender Howard told himself an animal freak trying to be human. James held out a roll of money. Howard took it gingerly trying to avoid touching the furry hands with claws for nails and pads on the palm and fingers. "How's Silvia?" James asked.
"Bad" Howard said simply and turned away from James giving him a clear cold shoulder.
"if there's any way I can help" James said
Howard snapped "You can't help, and stay out of my apartment!" without another word Howard strode to his blue and white ford Volkswagen got in slammed the door and drove away leaving James standing in the cold
Howard gave one look in his rear view and saw James standing on the side walk watching him drive away. For that moment Howard felt his anger ebb away seeing the wolf standing alone on the side walk. Howard shook himself He's an animal, a disease robbing people of their humanity, and he forced himself not to look in the mirror again until he turned the corner. Tolerance of furs had grown over the past decade and Howard was finding it harder and harder to hate James. He was that way because he had caught a virus, one that unlike other left its victims as a grotesque half animal half human. Howard hit the steering wheel, It doesn't matter how he got that way he's not human he doesn't belong. If he accepted James or any other fur for that matter he would lose his friends, his job, and eventually his home. On the flip side if he kicked James out he would not be able to afford payments on the house and doctor bills for Silvia. He drove though the neat suburban homes of New York as he saw another fur this one with the characteristics of a yellow house cat. She was shoveling the snow off the side walk in a thick winter coat a long yellow tail trailing out behind her, Howard averted his eyes.
* * *
James stood in the cold and watched Howard drive away. He let out a sigh and walked back up the steps. Back inside his apartment he sat down on a chair by the door and untied the leather from around his feet it had stiff underside shaped to his foot paw and a flexible top with laces threaded through the edges. He pulled off the sock underneath with relief revealing a large wolf paw and flexed his toes, he hated winter the rest of the year he could go bare foot and no one made shoes to fit a paw. Once both paws were free he stretched the toes now that they were liberated from the cramped leather. James looked up as he heard a familiar three thumps from the floor above. He got up from his seat and made his way from his own apartment up to Howards, and disregarding his instructions not to enter, let himself in.
"You knocked" James said as he closed the door behind him
"good morning, James " Silvia's voice issued from the flowering couch in the living room. "it gets so lonely when Howard leaves"
"Your husband hates me" James replied walking into the living room. "if he knew I was up here".
"He just listens to those jerks at work too much" Silvia said before bursting into a fit of coughing,
When it subsided she continued "he doesn't hate you as much as he thinks he does".
"I'd like to see you say that again after watching him ask me for the rent" James said walking around the couch. Silvia was laying on it Wrapped in blankets. She had the appearance of someone who had once been pretty. Long blond hair, a kind face, and blue eyes, but she was thin and pale and there were bags under her eyes
Silvia smiled "he's a good guy" she said with conviction. "I remember when we first got married he didn't care about any of that stuff. It was just him and me happy." The smile faded from her face "then I got sick and he started working for those asses at the factory, he grew up in a very intolerant family and listening to those fools where he works reinforces it. But when we first met he left all that behind."
"left it behind or just stopped showing it?" James asked with a slight edge to his voice.
"I can't prove it" Silvia admitted "it just one of those things you know from spending so long together."
"I'll take your word for it." James replied "so what are the doctors saying now?"
"Well I'm not getting any better" Silvia said dryly. "I've got some rare disorder, I just get sicker and weaker by the day. I go in to see the doctor again tomorrow."
"I'll say prayer for you tonight" James answered smiling.
"I didn't think you were a believer."
"Not really, being what I am makes me question what is behind all of this, but I'll do anything to help you."
"you help me just by being here, while Howard is gone it's so quiet and I can't get stuff for myself" Silvia gave him a look of gratitude
They continued to talk for some time on casual subjects such as the weather and news until James looked at the clock "it's time for me to go, anything I can do for you before I leave? He asked giving Silvia a quizzical look.
"Could you turn on the radio please" she asked nodding to the polished wood radio on a table by the wall. James turned the dial and a soft slow jazz music filled the room, 'than..." she began but was cut off by another fit of coughing, each one seeming to force her head a little further back into the pillow.
* * *
Howard sat in the checkup room holding Silvia's hand, he gave a small jump as he heard the door click and felt Silvia do the same. With a flash of a white coat and glasses a doctor walked in, holding a folder full of papers. he sat down on the stool, shifted himself and straightened his already perfectly aligned folder of papers. He put the folder on the counter without opening it and looked at them folding his hands in his lap. Howard could see the doctor was uncomfortable and his heart began to beat faster. The doctor took a breath and started.
"ok I've matched your symptoms to several others in our records. We still don't know what is and we don't have a treatment for it" The doctor finished biting his lip
With those words everything in Howard seemed to stop.
"there are some options we..."
He was cut short as Silvia started sobbing into Howards shoulder. Tears started forming fast in Howard's eye, he Held Silvia close looking at the doctor with pleading eyes "isn't there anything?"
"There are some things we could try but it's unlikely any of them would succeed, I would say you have a few weeks left." The doctor replied.
As if to emphasize the statement, Silvia sobs turned into a hacking cough causing Howard and herself to sway with each heave as she clutched to him. Howard put his cheek to the top of her head and they cried quietly against each other.
There was a slap on the counter and Howard looked to see the doctor with his hand on the counter and face set. He looked as though he had come to some sort of decision. He got up and left the room leaving them to hold each other in their grief. His absence was short lived soon he returned with a female nurse holding a tray with some pill bottles. "My assistant has some medications which should help, Howard would you please take a walk with me?" Howard looked up at the Doctor, with his tear streaked face, 'what the hell' he thought
The doctor put his hand on Howards shoulder. "please come walk with me" he said forcefully.
As Howard started extricating himself from Silvia's grip the nurse rushed forward to comfort her in his place. This he thought must have been the real purpose for her coming. Reluctantly he followed the doctor out of the room. Torn between grief and confusion he followed the doctor through the halls and through some places he didn't think he'd be normally allowed. Finally the doctor led him into a deserted break room he started pouring a cup of coffee and said casually "I believe your downstairs neighbor is a fur named James"
Howard could only stare totally bewildered, 'My wife is dying and he brings up that animal' "What the fuck about it!" Howard said in a loud and exasperated voice.
The doctor acted as though he had not heard him"his disease is very interesting ." He continued.
Howard seriously began to consider just walking out, his wife was dying and he was here listening to small talk about a nonhuman.
"Quite aside from making an extraordinary change to the human anatomy, it erases all other illnesses giving a fresh start in an animal like body." The doctor gave Howard a meaningful look before taking a drink from his cup of coffee.
Howard felt his annoyance and anger vanish as though they had been blown out like a candle, leaving him with a cold feeling. "are you saying that it could cure ..."
"I'm not saying it would cure her. You would only trade her condition for a virus. Not to mention to purposefully spread that virus is against the law". The doctor gave him a sideways look. "but yes she would survive."
"You're suggesting that I get her infected and turn her into one of those animals."
"I never suggested anything. I would lose my career for a suggestion like that. Not to mention if you followed through with it, James would lose his life and you would be locked up forever". The Doctor paused "there is a heavy prejudice against furs now, alleviated only by using the fact that they have a disease."
When Howards mind finally grasped the idea, his first feeling was relief, there was no question he would do it, he would do anything to keep from losing her. Then he saw James in his mind, and the yellow cat he had seen on the street, followed by the many others he had seen. 'What would she become? Could I stand to have her as one of them?'
The Doctor suddenly had a tight grip on Howards shoulder and his face was set, dead serious, "Don't tell anyone, and don't stick around." Without another word he walked out leaving Howard alone.
* * *
The ride home started quite except for Silvia's coughs. Whenever the car stopped at an intersection Howard would sneak a look at Silvia's face, one way or another he was going to lose that face. To her, life was running out trickling away like grains of sand in an hourglass. But to Howard this was his time to make a decision, let her die in her body or give her more time in a new but controversial form. But then the realization struck him, he couldn't give it to her, he had to ask James. The man to whom who he had been a cruel land lord and a sour neighbor, I just thought of him as a man, he thought. Howard had been finding it harder and harder to hate James and now, under pressure, he didn't have any more room for it. He opened his mouth to tell Silvia but he stopped, he remembered the words "if you followed through, James would lose his life", was the punishment really that harsh, it sounded extreme but the doctor hadn't looked like he was kidding. If that was what was at stake, would James be willing to do it?
* * *
James rummaged through his old white rounded refrigerator, looking for some dinner. Through the clink of glass bottles and the creek of his refrigerator door James herd the door to the duplex slam. James abandoned his pursuit for food and walked to the front door. He slowly opened it and saw a heavy set stern looking man, he wore a suit and tie, over which he had a long black over coat. His name was Darin, and he was Howards boss.
"Where's Howard and Silvia?" he asked, there was contempt in his voice and his expression was that of deepest loathing. By the way he was standing, James had the feeling Darin had slammed the door on purpose and waited there hoping James would come to investigate.
"I think he took her to the doctor" James answered in a bland voice trying to seem oblivious to the obvious show of hatred
"I see they forgot to pen the dog up" Darin said with a sneer.
James dropped his bland expression for a sneer as well showing his K-9 teeth, "Why are you here, did Howard forget to suck your dick at the last antifur meeting."
"You're all filthy turners in my opinion" Darin's eyes narrowed and his voice rose.
James let out a growl "is that an invitation" he finished snapping his jaws.
Darin didn't respond but his hand plunged into his coat. Without waiting James slammed the door shut, locked it, and spun to the side ducking. There was a short silence and then he herd Darin say a muffled curse before walking back out the door. James knew he shouldn't have risen up to Darin, the reason he put up with Howard was partly due to the fact that he was his land lord, but mostly out of respect for Silvia. He got up walked to the front window peering through the curtains, Darin was walking away from the front steps just as Howard's car pulled up.
* * *
Howard turned his car up in front of his house and felt his heart sink. Standing on the sidewalk was his boss, Darin. He sat there frozen for a moment there was no way he could talk to James with Darin around. Normally he would have been happy to see Darin, he was the most prominent antifur member in the area. Howard had met him shortly after buying the house where James had already been renting from the previous owner. He had found Darin inspirational and he was also the one who got him his job. Now Howard wasn't remotely pleased to see him. This man represented every foul thought he had ever had about furs and now he depended on one to save his wife.
Darin started to make his way to the passenger door, seeing this Howard quickly got out of the car and motioned for Darin to come to him, they met in front of the car where Darin asked in a hushed voice "What's the news?"
Howard responded in an equally hushed voice and told Darin the results.
Darin reached up and put a hand on Howards shoulder "Howard I'm so sorry".
He tried to look sad and depressed rather than tense and edgy I need get rid of him, Howard thought. There was still part of him that was against doing it, but the thought of seeing Silvia pass away was too much, if he didn't do it he would always wish that he had. Howard walked to the passenger door to help Silvia out, there were still wet streaks down her face where the tears had run. Her face was blank now and her eyes were unfocused. Howard could feel Darin watching him as he carefully picked Silvia up out of the seat. There was a sad but tense feeling in the air, Darin opened the door to the duplex for Howard as he carried Silvia across the threshold much like he had on their wedding day. He turned to Darin.
"I'm sorry I think Silvia and I need to be alone"
"oh of course, I understand" Darin replied. Howard saw his eyes dart to James's door, he knew a hateful comment was coming and Howard didn't feel like hearing it.
"Thank you Darin, please go, we have a tough time ahead of us"
"Call me if you have problems with the dog, I know a cop who might be a little more help than the rest." With that Darin turned and walked out the door.
Howard closed the door with a kick. "I've never liked him" Silvia said with a hard note in her voice.
"Well after today you'll never have to see him again" Howard said.
"That won't be too hard to accomplish" she answered with a note of depression.
"Silvia if there was a way for you to stay, any way would you take it." Howard asked with bated breath.
* * *
James was still looking out his window observing Darin who was loitering on the sidewalk, what's he up to? He thought. James's thought was interrupted by a loud banging on his door. Abandoning his observation of Darin, James went back to his door and opened it to see an anxious and nervous Howard standing there.
"James we need to talk" Howards voice wasn't the same strong one he usually had when he talked to James it was meeker and more humble.
James was still riled from his confrontation with Darin and could help saying "What, am I spreading fleas." His voice was heavy with sarcasm his ears were back and his teeth were bared.
If anything this just made Howard look even more nervous as he shifted uncomfortably, this unsettled James he'd always kept his anger around Howard no matter how much he was bated, now he let out a little bit and Howard was just taking it without retort.
"James, I need your help!" Howard said this in a rush as though trying to get it over with quickly.
"Well this is a first, spend years treating me like shit! and now you want my help" James felt his years of anger building up. "What could you possibly want from the wolf guy down stairs?"
At this Howard burst in a shout cutting off James's tirade "Silvia's dying!" With that the apartment was silent, James stood stunned looking at Howard, the man's breath was labored and he was sweating. The silence continued for a moment seeming to hold time still, then Howard took advantage of it and continued, "the doctors don't know what she's got and they don't have a treatment. But I hear you do." Howard paused for a moment waiting for James to respond, when he didn't Howard plowed recklessly onward "is it true! that if you infected Silvia it could stop whatever is killing her?"
James took a few steps back and fell into a chair; his ears were drooping now and his eyes were wide from the shock, "Who told you?"
"I can't say" Howard said, his voice had a final note to it.
"Just knowing that could put you under suspicion from the authorities, controlling this disease would be even harder if people had a reason for catching it."
"I know if you did this you could be labeled as a turner" Howard said.
"Labeled! If anyone found out I would be killed" James snapped back "Zero tolerance for anyone who spreads the anthrovirus" he swiped his hand through the air for emphasis.
"James I know I'm asking a lot, but I don't have anyone else to go to." Howard pleaded. "If you don't do this she'll die."
"Are you ready to see her become something else?" James asked
"I'm less prepared to see her die, James" Howard answered
"Have you told her what your planning?"
"No, I didn't want to give her false hope before you said yes."
James got up out of his chair "lets go then.
Howard led the way up to his apartment where they found Silvia asleep on the couch. Howard knelt down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder "Silvia, Wake up" she continued to lay there peacefully, Howard gave her a little shake "Silvia" he said a little louder, but there was no response. "Silvia!" Howard said again but this time there was panic in his voice. He put both hands on either side of her head "Come on baby wake up." When she still did not respond he stood up putting his hands to his head and grabbing fist full's of hair. "no. NO!" he screamed
James knelt down where Howard had been, putting a finger under Silvia's chin and felt the steady beat of a pulse. "She's still alive!" he shouted. Howard released his hair and bent down over Silvia now paying attention to her shallow breathing, James looked up at him "Well this is it, now or never." Howards only response was to nod. "get me a needle, pin, something sharp" Howard franticly rushed to produce a pin from a nearby cabinet and handed it to James. He took it and poked the tip of his padded finger and squeezed until a small drop of blood appeared. Setting the pin aside he opened Silvia's mouth and squeezed his finger over it until a few drops of blood fell between her lips.
"Is that it?" Howard asked. James nodded "so is she going to live?"
"I don't know, it depends on how long it takes for the virus to take hold" He took a deep breath "It's in fates hands now."
* * *
James blearily opened his eyes, he was sitting in an arm chair in Howards apartment. Both he and Howard had fallen asleep in armchairs facing the sofa where Silvia lay. James's eyes flashed to Silvia, her breathing was deep and steady and her color had returned. Almost too much color, James stared puzzled for a moment, before realizing what he was seeing a layer of orange fuzz. He looked over at Howard who was slouched back in his chair still asleep. James got up and gave Howard a tap. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at James who pointed to Silvia. Howard looked and stared for a moment, then he got up and slowly moved closer never taking his eyes off Silvia. James followed for a closer look, she was now covered in short orange fur and her ears were getting longer and more pointed. Also her nose was turning black starting to change shape.
"What is she turning into?" Howard asked softly his voice carrying a note of curiosity.
"Haven't you figured it out? She's a fox." James chuckled
Then Silvia began to open her eyes, they were the same color but the iris had taken on a more feral shape. She looked from Howards pale human face with a beard to James's with is gray fur and a snout. "What's going on" she asked.
James was now realizing that they now had the sticky situation of informing Silvia that she was turning into a part fox. "I think the best way would be to just start from the beginning."
Howard nodded and forgetting his earlier secrecy began telling her about his encounter with the doctor, and then about asking James.
"So you're here to turn me?" she said questioningly.
"Silvia, when I got back last night you were unconscious, there was no time so we." Howard stopped not knowing how to continue
Silvia took a deep breath as though realizing she was no longer ill, she pulled her hands out from under her covers and looked at the orange fur covering the backs of her hands.
Crash! With our warning the door burst inward the bolt tearing through the frame sending splinters scattering across the floor. In walked Darin holding a revolver pointed toward the three of them. Howard and James were on their feet in an instant but didn't move with the gun pointed at them. "Well Howard I never thought you would betray me, James I knew you were a turner, and Silvia you should have died when you were still human."
"Darin stop" Howard shouted "I only did this to save."
"Shut up!" Darin shouted back "I already heard it all out in the hall, either way that still doesn't explain why you're standing next to him." Howard and James stayed silent, Darin was staring at them with a look of both disgust and sick pleasure, James glanced down as Silvia, who was hidden from Darin's view by the back of the couch, rolled quietly onto the floor. Darin stared walking further into the apartment still keeping his gun trained on Howard and James. He walked right up to James pointing the gun right in the wolfish face. "So should I turn you in as a turner or just kill you right now? Either way you're going to be put down like the dog that you are."
"Wolf" James corrected him and then looked down at Silvia. Darin followed his gaze. Silvia screamed covering her face with the blankets. Startled Darin swung the gun to point at her, James seized his wrist and forced the gun away from Silvia. He and Darin struggled for a moment then there was a thud as Howard threw a nearby vase into the side of Darin's head causing him to scream and turn away dropping his guard. James dug his claws into Darin's wrist and the gun fell to the floor with a clunk. But with out the gun to hold onto Darin slipped his hand out of James's grip and punched James right on the end of the snout. James let go and staggered backward stunned, his nose felt broken and he could taste blood in his mouth. When he reoriented himself he saw Darin and Howard struggling on the floor for the gun, Each one simultaneously trying to grab it and keep the other away from it, Darin then elbowed Howard in the face and taking advantage of Howards recoil kneed him in the gut. Darin lunged for the gun but James saw it coming and kicked it sending it skittering across the floor, with out the gun Darin grabbed James's leg instead and yanked his paw out from under him, he fell to the floor and Darin immediacy tackled him. James seized Darin's arms and rolled them over, he was stronger than Darin and held him down to the ground. Blood still poured from his nose and ran down into his muzzle, He licked it feeling on his teeth. "If I'm going to be a real turner I'm going start with you." He moved his mouth down to Darin's exposited neck.
Seeing what was coming Darin screamed and thrashed, "NO!NOOOOO" he went crazy screaming and thrashing franticly trying to avoid James's blood covered teeth. James darted his head forward, Darin tried to guard his neck with his chin but James forced his jaw around Darin's neck and clamped down feeling both sets of fangs pierce the mans jugular, mixing their blood. Darin stopped struggling his face frozen in and expression of Horror. "Howard get me some rope and a dining room chair." James called.
When Howard retrieved the items they forced Darin into the chair and tied him down. James then forced a rag into his mouth and pushed the chair in front of a mirror, "if we're lucky your transformation will go quick, its more intense that way, and I want you to enjoy the show." He walked back to Howard, "We can't stay here. Its probably better if we split up and get out of the country. "
Howard nodded but before he could say anything Silvia walked up and hugged James "Thank you, thank you for everything" behind her Howard held out a hand and James while holding Silvia in a one armed hug, shook it.