Kody Boye - Sunrise

“No, my wife, she—”

“Are either of you bit?”

“No, we’re not. Do you gentlemen want to come inside?”

“We’d appreciate it,” Dakota said, waiting to see if Steve would make any further comment. When he didn’t, Dakota stepped forward and held his hand out for the man. “Hi. I’m Dakota Travis.”

“My name’s Gerald,” the man said, taking Dakota’s hand. “Please, come inside. This is no place to be out in the cold.”

“Where did you come from?” Gerald asked, setting a pot of warm coffee in front of them.

“The Domino Apartments,” Steve said, nodding his approval as he poured both himself and Dakota a cup of coffee. “We’d still be there if it weren’t for that gang.”

“Gang?”

“You know, the guys in the red truck.”

“Oh,” Gerald nodded. “Them.”

“You’ve seen them?” Dakota asked.

“Yes. They’ve been tearing through the streets here the past couple of nights. I can’t say I hate them, seeing as how they’ve been killing the corpses, but I can’t say I like them either.”

“How come?”

“They took someone hostage. I heard the guy yelling something about not having any food or money right before they pulled him out of the house. Used to be a neighbor. Not anymore.”

Steve sipped his coffee, brown eyes watching the older, greying man across from them. Dakota watched them for a brief moment, but was distracted by the sight of a woman ducking back into what appeared to be a bedroom. “Sir?” Dakota said. “Was that your wife?”

“That’s Elise all right.”

“Is something the matter?” Steve asked.

“She’s a bit…troubled, to be honest.”

“How so?”

“It’s not my place to say, Mr. Earnest, especially since it’s my wife’s business, but I’ll be honest, she’s a bit wrecked over the current circumstances. I’m surprised she’s out of her room, let alone taking the time to see whom I’ve let into the house.”

“We’re ok to stay here, though,” Dakota asked. “Right?”

“You’re both fine. I have no intentions of kicking either of you out, but you’re forewarned, she’s of the opinion that God’s taken it upon himself to punish us for what we’ve done.”

Judgment Day.

Dakota shivered. He picked up his coffee and sipped it, but knew his gesture was not unseen. Steve’s wandering eyes made that more than clear.

“Is there something I should be aware of?” Gerald frowned, leaning back in his seat.

“Nothing of particular worry,” Steve said, once again glancing at Dakota. “At least, I don’t think there is.”

“It’s nothing that would be mentioned for any reason whatsoever, at least not intentionally.”

“Neither of you are bit,” Gerald said. “Right?”

“No,” Steve said. “It’s nothing like that at all. I think Dakota’s more so referring to the fact that he’s—”

“Gay,” Dakota finished. As he’d expected, Gerald said nothing. However, unlike what he’d initially anticipated, the man didn’t show any overt shock either. “That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

“Not unless you say something, no, I don’t believe so. Elise is fundamentalist, yes, but I don’t think she’d go out of her way to start something.”

“Can never trust that,” Steve mumbled. Dakota merely shrugged.

“Anyhow,” Gerald said, rising. “I trust you gentlemen must be hungry, given your circumstances. Would you like something to eat? I’ve just made Elise and I some popcorn, though I can’t guarantee it’ll taste very good.”

“Popcorn’s good,” Dakota said. “Right, Steve?”

“Definitely,” Steve agreed.

Smiling, Gerald nodded and left the room, disappearing into what Dakota assumed was the kitchen. When he was sure Gerald wouldn’t return within a short amount of time, Dakota leaned forward and offered Steve the worst glare he could muster. “What?” Steve asked.

“What the hell was that all about?”

“If the woman’s a nutter, it’s better he knows you’re gay than if he doesn’t. I was testing him out.”

“You know how people are in these parts,” Dakota growled. “Goddammit, Steve, if there was one stupid thing you could’ve done, it would be this.”

“Don’t start ratting on me. At least I got us somewhere safe.”

“ You?”

“I was the one who decided to go down this street.”

“That doesn’t matter! And it doesn’t mean we’re safe eith—”

“Sorry for taking so long,” Gerald said, stepping into the room with the bowl of popcorn. “Here you go, gentlemen.”

“Thanks,” Dakota said. He took a handful of popcorn, stuck it into his mouth, then sighed. He chewed what was in his mouth before looking back at Steve.

Steve reached over to slap Dakota’s arm. “Hey, bud, it’s cool.”

Shrugging, Gerald set the bowl of popcorn before them and reseated himself. After leaning forward and taking a handful of popcorn for himself, he set his hands between his knees and watched both Dakota and Steve with unsure eyes. “Where do you plan on heading now that your apartment’s been taken over?”

“No idea,” Steve said. “We’ve been holed up there since the beginning. Now that we don’t have it…”

“It’s like we’re lost,” Dakota finished. When Steve nodded, Dakota leaned back and closed his eyes. He sat there a moment, waiting to see if someone would reply. When no one did, he opened his eyes. “I guess the only thing we can do is wait and see what happens,” he said.

“All anyone can do nowadays,” Gerald agreed.

All anyone can do, Dakota thought, closing his eyes. All anyone can do.

Later, after the night began to wane and Dakota and Steve were just ready to go to bed, Elise joined them. Garbed in a nightgown and with her hair pulled back into a knot, she seated herself beside Gerald and set her hands in her lap, watching them with calm, almost-calculating eyes. At first, Dakota merely thought that she was interested in what they were doing, as they’d both gotten down to arrange their bedding. After a while though, he soon began to realize that her attention to them wasn’t purely casual and nonchalant.

“Hello,” Dakota said, hoping to break her unnerving gaze. He smoothed out the corner of a blanket and smiled, praying the added gesture would help.

“Hello,” the woman replied.

“Thank you for letting us stay in your house, ma’am,” Steve said. “It’s much appreciated.”

“There’s no need to thank me. I’m not the one who let you in.”

I’m not the one who let you in? Dakota thought. What the hell is that supposed to mean?

The thought racing in his mind, he shuddered, brushing his arms to fake what most would consider a chill. “Anyone else feel that?” he laughed. When no one replied, he bowed his head and looked at Steve, who offered him an ‘I know what you mean’ look.

“Would you like extra blankets?” Gerald asked, rising. “I can get you another if you like.”

“That’s all right,” Dakota said.

“Thank you, though,” Steve added. “We’ll be fine. It’s not like we’ll need more than one blanket.”

“That wouldn’t be expected,” Elise smiled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Dakota grimaced. He would have bit his lip were he not afraid of drawing blood.

“It means exactly what it means,” the woman continued, a smile cresting her lips. “Sinners such as yourself have no need for modesty, not when you flaunt it so openly.”

“ Sinning?” Steve asked. “What the hell are you talking about lady?”

“And the lord said, ‘Do unto others what would be done unto you,’” she laughed, raising her hands as she rose from her seat. “Do unto others? Do unto others? What shall be done unto us, you godforsaken heathen, when the world is wrought with queers such as you? What will happen when you have tainted all there is to taint and there are no men left to populate the world with the sons of Adam?”