I woke up to sunlight stabbing my eyes through the cheap curtains.
"Nggh..."
My whole body ached. My ribs screamed when I sat up. My knuckles were crusted with dried blood, and there was a bruise the size of a fist on my forearm.
But I was grinning.
[Ding!]
[Parasite (Gen 0) Status Update]
[Host: David Collins]
[Drained: 10% / 10% — MAXIMUM CAPACITY]
[Lifespan: 8:47:12 remaining]
[Natural Litter: 3 × Gen 1 parasites]
[Gen 1 Parasite #1 — Drained: 2.33% / 3%]
[Gen 1 Parasite #2 — Drained: 2.33% / 3%]
[Gen 1 Parasite #3 — Drained: 2.33% / 3%]
[Traits: Inherited - Enhanced Speed (Passive)]
[Note: Gen 1 parasites will reach maximum drain of 3% each in approximately 2 hours. They will reach the end of their lifespan in 21 hours.]
I read that twice, and my grin widened.
Ten fucking percent. Maximum capacity. The little worm had done its job perfectly.
...Wait, so they bred?
I sat up straighter, ignoring the pain in my ribs. Three new parasites. Gen 1. All of them carrying copies of Sonic's speed ability.
And they were all sitting inside Sonic, waiting for me to do something.
I checked the map, and a blue screen popped up in front of my eyes.
[Map active.]
A glowing red dot was pulsing on the other side of the city, near the edge of the Gate District. It looked like it was in some kind of... building. With a pink glowing sign.
I tried to zoom in, but the map just glitched and showed me [?].
[Not enough information.]
"...The hell is that supposed to mean?"
I squinted at the map, but it refused to give me anything more. Just a red dot and a pink sign in some sketchy part of town.
I'd have to go there. Which meant figuring out where the hell "there" was.
"Nine hours," I muttered. "Nine hours to get across the city and touch him again."
But first...
Grrrrr!
My stomach let out a sound like a dying whale.
Right... Food.
I haven't eaten since yesterday morning.
I swung my legs out of bed and winced as my bare feet hit the cold floor. I was still wearing the same clothes from last night—they were dirty, torn, and smelled like alleyway. I probably looked like a homeless guy who'd been sleeping in a dumpster.
Huh... That was pretty much on brand for me.
◇◇◇
The apartment was quiet when I crept downstairs.
Well, quiet isn't the right word. There was arguing. High-pitched, whiny, bitchy arguing.
"He's got a micropenis, Sylvie. I've seen it. I've tasted it. Do not start this argument with me."
"HUH!!? You lying bitch!"
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and peeked around the corner.
Bethany and Sylvie were standing in the kitchen, both wearing nothing but their underwear. They were arguing about something, and from the looks of it, they'd been at it for a while.
Bethany was wearing a pink silk camisole that was so thin I could see the outline of her nipples through the fabric. It ended right at her hips, leaving her soft tummy and the top of her matching lacy panties exposed. Her huge tits were almost falling out of the top, and her ass was barely contained in those tiny, lacy panties. And her long blonde hair was a mess, like she'd just rolled out of bed.
Sylvie was wearing a black lace bra and matching thong, and she looked even more pissed than usual. Her golden blonde hair was messy, like she'd just rolled out of bed and hadn't had her morning coffee yet. Her massive DDD chest was straining against the lace, her nipples visible through the fabric. Her long legs were bare, and the thong was so thin it barely covered anything. I caught myself wondering if she'd shaved down there recently. Not that I cared. It was just... instinct.
"...I'm literally telling you, it's not that big of a deal," Sylvie snapped, her voice dripping with annoyance. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"And I'm telling you, he's been cheating on you for weeks!" Bethany snapped, her blue eyes blazing. "I saw the texts, Sylvie! The 'hey babe, you up?' texts. From a number that isn't yours!"
"You're such a lying bitch!" Sylvie shot back, her voice dripping with venom. "John would never cheat on me! He knows what happens if he does!"
"Oh, please! You're so blind it's pathetic! He's literally been posting pics with some skank from Kappa Delta, and you're just sitting there like a good little doormat." Bethany flipped her hair. "But I guess that's what happens when you're dating a brainless jock. You turn into a brainless bitch too."
"Fuck you! At least I have a boyfriend! You're so desperate for attention you'd fuck a toaster if it had a pulse!"
"At least a toaster could actually make me cum, unlike your loser boyfriend!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
"I SAID YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A FOUR-INCH WONDER WHO CAN'T EVEN LAST TWO MINUTES!"
"YOU LYING ASSHOLE!"
Creak!
Both of them froze, whipping their heads around to look at me.
Fucking goddammit. These stairs again...
I stood in the doorway, trying very hard not to look at their underwear. Or their bodies.
"What are you looking at, freak?" Bethany crossed her arms, which made her tits press together even more. "Never seen a pretty girl in her underwear before?"
[Name: Bethany Blackwell]
[Age: 20]
[Rank: Blank]
[Occupation: Unemployed]
"Morning," I said flatly. "I'm gonna grab breakfast. You two enjoy your... whatever this is."
Sylvie's face twisted in disgust. "Ew. What are you doing up? It's like, eight AM."
[Name: Sylvie Blackwell]
[Age: 21]
[Rank: Blank]
[Occupation: College student/Influencer]
"Trying to eat, actually. Before I starve to death."
"Yeah, whatever." She then turned back to Bethany. "This isn't over."
"It never is with you, you entitled brat."
"Bitch."
"Whore."
"Narcissist."
"Gold-digging bimbo."
I kept my head down and tried to slide past them toward the fridge.
"Nuh uh. Where do you think you're going?" Sylvie stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "We're in the middle of a conversation here. Learn some manners."
"What conversation?" Bethany snapped. "You mean the one where you're trying to convince me that your boyfriend is actually good in bed when we both know he's got a baby dick?"
Oh no.
"Oh my god, Bethany, shut UP!" Sylvie's face went red. "John is FINE. He's got a great—"
"I'm just saying what I saw." Bethany shrugged, a smug little smile on her face. "And what I saw was pretty... unimpressive."
"You're such a liar!"
"Am I? I mean, he came on to me last weekend at that party. Called me 'sexy' and offered to buy me a drink. I didn't do anything, obviously." She flipped her hair. "But I gotta say, for a 'star athlete'? He's not packing much."
"Oh my GOD!" Sylvie threw her hands up. "That was months ago, and I literally told you to stay away from him! He's my boyfriend! And you—wait. Wait." Her eyes narrowed. "Did you say he hit on you again? When?"
"Probably around when I gave him that sloppy blow job in the backroom—"
Sylvie's jaw dropped. "You WHAT?"
"—I'm joking. Jesus, relax." Bethany rolled her eyes. "Well... I gave him a blowjob at that party last month. He was so small I thought I was sucking on a grape. Honestly, I felt bad for him. It must be so hard having a dick that small." Bethany inspected her nails with fake nonchalance. "But hey, if you're happy, I'm happy."
"You SLUT! He's my BOYFRIEND!"
"Ex-boyfriend, if you have any self-respect. But we both know you're too desperate to dump him." Bethany smirked. "It's pretty obvious why you stay with him, though. What else would a washed-up cheerleader do?"
"I'M NOT WASHED UP! I'm the captain of the squad!"
"Of a community college. That doesn't even have a football team."
"IT HAS A TEAM!"
"Yeah, a team that loses every game. Maybe if you sucked the coach's dick, he'd give you some more playing time—"
"People can literally hear you guys through the walls."
I didn't say that. I was trying to become one with the wallpaper.
Steph appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a silk robe that was tied loosely around her waist. It didn't hide much. She looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes and her messy hair piled up in a bun.
Wait, she actually looked... tired.
[Name: Stephanie Blackwell]
[Age: 39]
[Rank: Blank]
[Occupation: Escort]
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" She yelled, her voice hoarse. "I did NOT get any sleep last night, and I am NOT in the mood for your bullshit."
Bethany and Sylvie both rolled their eyes in perfect synchronization.
"Ugh, whatever, Mom."
"Don't 'whatever' me, you little—"
"Can we get back to the point?" Sylvie cut her off. "Bethany just admitted to sucking my boyfriend's dick!"
"I gave him a HANDJOB at most, okay? God. You're so dramatic. Actually I didn't. I just looked at it. That's it."
"YOU JUST ADMITTED TO GIVING HIM A BLOWJOB!"
"I said I DIDN'T!"
"YOU LITERALLY JUST SAID—"
"Stop yelling at each other and ask John directly. I'm too tired for this shit!..." Steph sighed. "Sylvie, where's your boyfriend? Weren't you two supposed to go out this morning?"
"He's not coming." Sylvie pouted. "Something came up. His 'cousin' needed help with something." She made air quotes with her fingers.
"Cousin, huh?" Bethany snorted. "Is that what we're calling it now? I heard he was hanging out with that Gravity Queen girl—"
"SHUT. UP."
While they argued, I was in the kitchen.
My main focus was the fridge. I pulled it open and found a box of leftover pizza from two days ago. It was cold and slightly congealed, but I didn't care.
I grabbed a slice and shoved it into my mouth like a starving animal.
"Seriously? He's eating like a fucking animal."
"Yeah, so we are finally gonna talk about it... WTF happened to you?"
I turned around. All three of them were staring at me now. Bethany was looking at me like I was a piece of garbage, Sylvie had her arms crossed and was examining me like I was a bug she'd found in her salad, and Steph just looked annoyed.
Damn.
"Fuckin' hell, Noel." Steph sighed. "You look like you got hit by a truck. What happened?"
"... Didn't I tell you yesterday?"
"You did?" Steph raised her eyebrow. "I don't really remember. I was so drunk yesterday... The fuck happened?"
"I—..."
I was about to tell her about what happened to me. But judging by her reaction to that yesterday...
I decided to lie.
"Fell down the stairs."
"You're a terrible liar. It's the bullies again, isn't it? That purple-haired kid?" She shook her head. "God, you're such a punching bag."
... Tsk.
I should've picked a better excuse.
"What a loser," Sylvie muttered. "Can't even fight back. I bet you just let them beat you up like a little bitch."
"Honestly, how embarrassing." Bethany flipped her hair. "You're literally the reason no one wants to come over to this house. It's like having a stray dog living in the basement."
Steph just sighed, poured herself a cup of coffee, and took a long sip. "God, I need a drink." She muttered to herself.
I kept eating.
Cold pizza, day-old, congealed cheese sticking to the roof of my mouth. I chewed mechanically, stared at the fridge, and tried to disappear into the wallpaper like I always did.
"Seriously though, what happened to you?" Bethany leaned against the counter, her arms crossed under her tits in a way that made them bulge even more. "Did the bullies finally decide to put you out of your misery? 'Cause honestly, it'd be a mercy at this point."
"Bethany," Sylvie snickered, "don't be mean. He clearly can't help it. It's not his fault he's a pathetic little loser with no friends and no future."
"Girls," Steph said, but her voice had no heat in it. She was too tired to care, too hungover to be a parent. "Leave him alone."
"Ugh, fine, Mom. But seriously..." Bethany's eyes raked over me with disdain. "You could at least try to look less like a victim. It's embarrassing for the whole family when you walk around looking like you got hit by a bus."
I took another bite of pizza.
Just ignore them. They'll get bored eventually.
"I'm serious, Noel. What happened to you? You look like shit."
"Mhm."
"Are you even listening to me? God, you're so annoying. I swear to god, you're the most useless person I've ever met."
"..."
"She's right, you know." Sylvie flipped her golden hair over her shoulder. "Like, what do you even contribute to this household? You don't pay rent, you don't help around the house, you just... exist. Taking up space. Eating our food."
I took another bite of pizza.
"I mean, you had one job, Noel. Just don't be a burden. And you couldn't even do that right."
"Can you blame him though?" Bethany laughed. "His mom probably dropped him on his head as a baby. That's why he's so brain-dead."
That one stung. Just a little.
"Seriously though." Bethany's voice took on a mocking, sing-song tone. "I bet his real mom knew he was gonna be a loser and just decided to dip early. 'Peace out, kiddo, I'm out of here.' Who does that to their own kid? Even a piece of shit like you, you'd think a mother would stick around for at least a few years."
I stopped chewing.
My jaw tightened.
"...What did you just say?"
My voice was quiet.
Bethany blinked, surprised I'd actually spoken up for once. Then she smirked, her eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
"Oh, what, you gonna cry? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking. Your mom obviously didn't want you. That's why she left. Or died. Whatever happened to her. Honestly, it's probably better that she's gone—you're so pathetic, she'd be ashamed to call you her son."
Silence.
I set the pizza down.
I looked straight at her in silence.
Bethany took a step back.
"W-What the fuck is up with that look, huh?!"
I didn't answer. I just kept staring at her. Unblinking. My jaw tight.
"Jesus, how creepy." Sylvie's voice had lost some of its mocking edge, her arms wrapped around herself like she was suddenly cold. "I swear to god, Mom. This creep is going to end up being a school shooter one day or something..."
'Yeah. Starting with you first.'
The thought crossed my mind before I could stop it. It was dark, violent, and it terrified me to think about.
But it also felt... good?
Like finally scratching an itch that had been bothering me for years.
"...Noel."
Steph's voice cut through the tension. She was looking at me now with something I hadn't seen in a long time. Guarded. Careful. Like she was looking at a stranger.
"Just... go to your room, okay? Leave the girls alone."
"Leave them alone?" I laughed, a hollow, bitter sound. "They're the ones—"
"Go. To. Your. Room."
I stared at her. Then at Bethany, who was still pretending to be brave. Then at Sylvie, who was hiding behind her sister.
"Fine."
I turned around and walked out of the kitchen. I could hear them whispering behind my back, but I didn't care anymore.
I walked up the stairs, my footsteps heavy. The creak of the third step was the only sound in the hallway.
I closed the door to my room, locked it, and sat down on the floor with my back against the wall.
My hands were shaking.
[System notification.]
[Parasite (Gen 0) status update.]
[Host: David Collins]
[Drained: 10% (Maximum)]
[Lifespan: 7:48:12 remaining]
[Gen 1 ×3 active inside host.]
[Total potential drain: 19% (Gen 0 + Gen 1)]
I looked at the numbers. Then I looked at my hands.
"Just a little longer," I whispered. "Just a little longer."