Falling

Arthur stumbled through the woods, his saddlebags tossed over one shoulder. Sweat stung his eyes and a wave of dizziness nearly sent him to his knees. Arthur wasn't sure where he was going. Horseshoe Overlook was a day of hard riding from Valentine, but he wasn't at Valentine and was short a horse. He left Rachel where he'd killed her, body cooling in the night air. Before he left, Arthur had sliced off a long section of her mane. It was now wrapped around his right wrist and braided. A shiver of fear and disgust ran up his spine at the thought of eating her and Arthur could feel as the thing in him followed the feeling and forced it to repeat. It quickly grew tired of the new sensation and went back to whatever it was doing. Arthur wasn't sure, but it felt like his body was being explored.

Arthur growled and stumbled as his kidneys were prodded.

"Fuckin' stop it. Hitchhiking parasite, get lost!"

Panic started to set in at the acknowledgment of the creature and his heart rate started to pick up. It brushed against his heart and Arthur roared in anger. He tossed the saddlebags to the ground and started to scratch at his chest.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Arthur ripped his shirt open, nails digging into skin. Blood started to well up from the shallow lacerations. Before more damage could be done, the muscle in his arm and legs tensed and locked. Arthur clenched his jaw and tried to move his arms, but they were frozen in place. The skin on his chest started to tingle and he watched in sickening awe as the flesh knitted back together and healed, leaving not even a scar. It was only then that Arthur regained control of his limbs and fell to his knees. Gasping and fighting against waves of panic, Arthur shook on his hands and knees. This was wrong. His own body was being used against him by some being from space. Already he could feel a fever rising, dizziness and chills shook him. He needed a doctor- fast. Surely a doctor could help get rid of this. . . this thing.

Arthur lurched to his feet, picking up his saddlebags and set off again. It was hours of stumbling and staggering through the dark woods. The fever started to overtake him and bone-deep weariness settled in. Every time he tripped and fell, it took everything to just stand back up again. His unwanted passenger seemed content in watching him. Finally, as the sky started to lighten in the east and Arthur spotted smoke rising through the trees.

Arthur walked into the camp on shaking legs. There were two horses and a carriage, horses already hitched and ready to go. Two men were in the process of tearing down the camp.

"Whoa there stranger!"

The two older men around Hosea's age surged to their feet as he approached, but didn't pull guns. Arthur raised his hands but the motion caused him to sway.

"I ain't lookin' for trouble mister, just need some help."

The two men glanced at each other, a look passed between them before one of the men approached.

"Come on kid, sit down before you fall down."

Arthur dropped his hands and sagged in relief.

"Thank you."

He sat down heavily on a log as the other man handed him a canteen. Arthur grunted in thanks and took a deep drink.

The first man sat down as well before speaking.

"My name is Marvin Hughes, and this is my brother Seth."

Seth nodded and Arthur tipped his hat.

"Arthur Callahan"

"Well met, Mr. Callahan."

"Arthur, please."

"Well Arthur, I must say you look like you've been through an ordeal. Where is your horse?"

Arthur winced and Marvin shared another look with his silent brother.

"A bear killed her."

"Ah, our condolences. Where are you headed?"

"Valentine."

Marvin smiled.

"What luck. My brother and I are traveling to Annesburg. We can drop you off on our way."

Arthur sighed in relief.

"Thank you, mister. This is mighty kind of you."

Arthur tipped his hat forward to cover his eyes.

"I ain't got much, but I have about 45 dollars. . . "

"Hush now boy, I don't want your money. It ain't no trouble to us."

Seth nodded along with his brother.

"Now climb on in the back, and we'll be off. We should make Valentine by late evening."

Marvin looked Arthur over with a critical eye.

"You oughta see a doctor first thing next mornin'."

Arthur climbed into the carriage and settled down. Seth sat next to him and handed him his canteen again. Chugging the cool water, Arthur hoped a doctor could help him.

The host left the meal, wandering off into the wilderness. They let them go, they were weak and needed to rest. However, that didn't stop them from exploring their new host.

It was mammalian, and definitely of high intelligence. They circled the brain but did not dive in. This was a complex host and they did not want to kill it, best to just connect minimally. Enough to have a vague sense of the host's actions. Odd sensations would occasionally pique their interest, one was a weird sorta spasm down the vertebrae. They forcefully recreated the motion before growing bored and moved on. There was a digestive tract, blood, bones, even filtration organs. The host spoke, but since they were not deep in its mind, they could not understand it's language. One organ gave constant convulsions, and it was loud. They gently explored it and their host must have felt it because the organ picked up in speed and blood moved faster.

Ah, this was a heart. Awfully loud and violent. And only one! How primitive!

Their host, however, extremely disliked them near its heart. The host. . . the host was attacking itself, it's language spewing from its mouth. They quickly seized control of the muscles in all four extremities. There was minimal damage, but they would fix it. Then maybe their host would understand; they could be good for it.

 Still tired and weak, they spread out and fell into a stasis, allowing their host to do as it pleased. Only, the host's temperature was rising. Not too far, but enough that they noticed. And tiny cells in the host's blood were starting to attack them.

Hmm, for only having one heart, the defense systems were not too shabby. They set upon the cells and started to consume. Their host would accept them, they would make it accept them.

Arthur remembered falling asleep in the carriage, only to awaken to a cool cloth being placed on his head. He moaned and tried to turn away, but the motion caused the world to swim. He closed his eyes again and fell back into unconsciousness. He surfaced next to jumbled words, his ears felt like they were full of cotton.

". . . not make. . . valentine. . . fever. . ."

He slipped back under, groaning as he suddenly felt the carriage rock violently.

". . . hold. . . fast. . . doctor. . ."

Arthur cracked his eyes open, it was night again. The stars blurred past as the carriage sped down a road. Buildings occasionally caught his eye.

". . . HELP. . . DOCTOR. . ."

Arthur felt as he was lifted out of the carriage and sighed in relief when he sank into a soft cushion. A man was above him, trying to get him to drink something.

Guess he made it to a doctor.