Falling

It took two days for Bill to locate Hosea, who had been looking for Arthur at his most common hunting grounds. John sat by Arthur's side, gently cooling his brother's head when Hosea staggered through the entrance. He took one glance at Arthur and nearly dropped to his knees. Bill stepped into the room behind Hosea and placed a firm hand on the older man's back.

"Steady, Hosea. Sit down before you fall down."

John stood, allowing Hosea to assume his position by Arthur's bedside. Hosea picked up the cool cloth and gently brushed his son's brow. John felt like his throat was closing, a sob close to breaking free. He had to clear his throat before speaking.

"The doctor. . . the doctor says there ain't much he can do, that it's up to God now. He said. . . he said its best if we take Arthur home."

Hosea shook his head in denial but didn't whisper an utterance. He understood what it meant. They all knew what it meant.

Take Arthur home to die in his own bed.

"Mr. Callahan?"

The doctor walked in, extending his hand to shake. Hosea shook the man's hand.

"John has told me you think we should take Arthur home."

"Yes. I'm sorry Mr. Callahan, but there's nothing additional I can do for your son. Every treatment I've given him does nothing. He fluctuates between burning up to near hypothermia. I believe it best if you take him home, make him comfortable."

The doctor looks down sadly at Arthur, whose rattling breaths were the only disturbance in the room.

"I'm sorry."

Hosea just nodded his head and held Arthur's lifeless hand. Bill turned to the physician.

"May we borrow a wagon to get him home? I'll return it tomorrow."

The doctor consented and took Bill out back to help hitch the horses to the cart. John stood in silence as he gazed at his adoptive father holding vigil over his adoptive brother.

"Arthur's strong. He can beat this. Forget what the doc says, Hosea. Arthur will survive this."

John wasn't sure who he was trying to convince; Hosea or himself.

The first thing Venom achieved was rebuilding the bone marrow they had consumed. Oddly enough, once the marrow began producing defense cells, Venom was not attacked. Possibly it was because they had been the one to create it. 

Arthur's immune system got to work, Venom directing the charge. All the while Arthur did not stir. Venom gently examined their host's mind and found the barricades were gone. They connected themselves together and Venom and Arthur became one.

'What are you?'

Finally, Arthur was speaking to them.

' I have selected the designation Venom'

'That does not tell me what you are.'

'My species and planet are hailed Klyntar. The closest you would comprehend me to be would be a symbiote.'

'Why are you here?'

'Crashed.'

'Why are you in me?'

'We are unable to survive here without a host. My brethren boiled when we wrecked, only I endured. You were the first existence to arrive upon me. I did what I had to do to survive.'

'Can you leave me?'

The query caused a tide of discomfort and anxiety to wash through Venom. Arthur must have felt it as well as something almost like remorse followed the emotion.

'I brought about an error. I have harmed you, but I am remedying it.'

'Why can't I wake up? Where are we?'

'I am keeping you under while we recover. It is more manageable this way. We are at camp. The man you call Hosea arrived and brought us back.'

Sudden suspicion and outrage surged from Arthur.

'Yer not to touch them, do you hear me! No one!'

Venom saw the memory of Rachel, the first meal they had had.

'I will not mistreat them, but once we are restored we must hunt. We must eat.'

Arthur felt hunger and was able to watch the symbiote imagine hunting. The main quarry appeared to be people.

What kind of demon was this?