That’s what it is. He’s jealous. He can’t stand that they want me now… not him. Well I won’t let him stop me.
Kip’s flesh got to vibrating again, and he caught himself making himself angrier and angrier as he glared at the side of Zak’s face. Kip unclenched his fists, relaxed his jaw. His skin stopped thrashing, slowed to a standstill.
No. No, not Zak. Zak’s my only friend. My best friend. He wouldn’t do that.
“You all right?” Zak used the butt of his first cigarette to light another. He offered another to Kip but Kip waved it off. “You look deep in thought.”
“I am. Still trying to figure out why this is happening and what it all means.”
“Well, whatever it is, I think you need to be careful. Whatever is inside of your acne… it’s potent. Works faster than any drug I’ve ever seen, man. Those kids were jonesing for it. I’ve seen that look before. And there’s something else too…”
“What?”
“I felt it too. Like I wanted to pop your pimples and suck the juice right out. I swear that’s how I felt, for a little bit anyway. I was just as bad as the rest, but I sort of snapped out of it. Probably because I was so worried about you, cousin. Didn’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Really? But you didn’t, right? How could you crave it if you didn’t try it?”
“I don’t know. It was something in the air, like your body was releasing some kind of chemical. Just being in that room almost made me crazy. And I’m no homo, but cousin, I wanted to lick your skin.”
Kip sort of chuckled. “You don’t… I mean. You don’t still want to, do you? Because if you want to try it, I can—”
“No! Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“Of course I am… I was, I was just fucking with you.” He wasn’t. He wanted Zak to try it, wanted his cousin to feel what the others felt.
“I hope so. You saw what it did to those other kids, Kip. Don’t mess around. This is no fucking joke, okay? Promise me.”
“Promise you what?”
“Promise me that you won’t let them have anymore. It’s too dangerous… we don’t know what we’re dealing with here. Okay?”
Kip snorted, shook his head. He stared out the window but could see Zak’s refection staring at the back of his head.
“It’s not even a big deal. I don’t understand why you’re—”
“Fucking promise me, Kip. I’m not kidding around here. Don’t do that shit anymore, no matter what, okay? All right?”
“Okay! Okay! Happy now? What, do you think I’m an idiot?”
“You don’t remember. You didn’t see what I saw. This is bad. This is so fucking bad.”
They didn’t say another word the rest of the drive. Zak pulled into the first hotel they saw, parked around back so his car couldn’t be seen from the street. Kip offered to pay for his own room, but Zak insisted that they share a room.
He doesn’t trust me.
And for good reason too. As soon as he got the chance, Kip had planned on running right back to the party, back to his people. But now that plan was ruined. Kip even thought about popping one of his zits into Zak’s mouth once he had fallen asleep, turn him into one of his followers like the others, but ultimately decided against it. Zak was only trying to help, Kip knew.
As Kip lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, he could feel the emptied pockets of flesh filling back up. The wounds tingled, felt electrified as the pus bubbled in and swelled the red skin back up to bulging. He wondered if his chemicals could be sensed from this distance, if the kids would be able to sniff him out. He hoped so.
He missed the feel of Jade’s body. Her tongue. Her roaming hands. He missed all the groping fingers and mouths of the others too, boy or girl. Kip was no homo either, but even when the males had their mouths on him, drinking in his fluid, it felt so fucking good. Not in a sexual way really, but in some other way. Maybe like a mother feels when she’s breast feeding her child. Kip didn’t know for sure. He only knew that he wanted to feel it again. And again and again and again.
For the first time in his entire life, he couldn’t wait for school in the morning.
—9—
Kip stood over Zak, nudging him in the ribs.
“What? W-what is it?”
“It’s time for school. I want to stop by the house before we go in, change clothes, get my books.”
Zak sat up, sanded his face with both palms as he yawned. “Shit, I completely forgot about that.”
“Yeah, well…” Kip rocked from heel to toe. “We don’t have much time. Let’s get moving. I don’t want to be late. For class.”
Zak eyed him, brow lowered. “I think maybe we should stay home today, don’t you?”
“Skip again? No. One day was bad enough. We’re not skipping again, Zak. You promised me that—”
“I know, I know. But after last night… do you think it’s smart to show up there? What if the other kids… you know…?”
“What? Suck my pus out? It’s school, Zak. Nothing like that’s going to happen, all right?” Kip flung the door open, letting in a tsunami of light.
Zak threw the sheet over his head and groaned. “Jesus. Okay, I’m up. Close the fucking door.”
“Hurry up. I just know Mrs. Snodgrass is going to pop a quiz on us today. I want to cram before class.”
Kip hoped there was a quiz that day. Anytime Mrs. Snodgrass surprised them with a pop quiz, that’s when Gwendolyn usually spoke to him the most.
God, if she was only there last night. She could have seen the new me. She could have seen me be a real man.
She could have tasted me.
But she would know soon enough. Kip didn’t know how he’d bring it up to her yet, but all he had to do was get her to try some of his pus. Just a small sample, and she’d be hooked. Just like Jade. As much as Kip enjoyed Jade, as much as he ached to feel her again, he would toss her aside in a heartbeat if Gwendolyn showed any interest.
I can have anyone I want. But I only want her.
Zak lazily slid into his clothes, already had a lit cigarette dangling from his lips.
“Do you think any of them will remember last night? Everything that happened?” Kip said.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s like Rohypnol or something. They might not remember shit, just all woke up naked on the floor in the middle of the night, confused and lost. I hope that’s what happens.”
They were walking down the cement steps toward the parking lot, and Kip stopped midway, spun so he was facing Zak.
“Why would you say that?”
“Why? Because that shit was insane. You telling me you want all of them trying to drink the pus right out of your skin like that?”
Kip squinted. “It’s better than being called Toad all the time. Better than feeling like my only friend is my mom, that I’m so fucking disgusting that nobody even wants to hang out with me. I’ve never felt wanted before, like I belonged, until last night. Why is that such a bad thing?”
Zak flicked his cigarette. “Thought you said you don’t remember.”
“I remember enough to know it might not be such an awful thing. I’m just saying.”
Zak checked them out of their room, and when he walked back outside, Kip was already sitting in the passenger seat. Zak slid in, started driving home.
“Kip… think about this, okay? Having every kid in school addicted to… you know. Addicted to your acne I guess… fuck that sounds so crazy. It won’t be good, man. You’re just one guy. What happens when they suck it all up, when there’s nothing left? What then?”