Page 43 of Rebirth

I turn away to compose myself, pretending I’m only searching for another field test kit in my bag, and even when my fingers close around the smooth plastic, I take a moment before turning around again.

With legs that feel like jelly, I close the distance between me and the creature dead on the ground, my mind circling all the information it’s received in this short time. Even before I close the distance and shine the light on the creature, I know everything’s connected.

Those veins, how they’ve networked in the cave, how they were pulsing in the forest…and now this.

A slight gust of cold air circles around us as I point my flashlight at the deer at our feet.

“Deer can get this thing,” I swallow hard as I crouch over the carcass, “um, this thing called chronic wasting disease.”

He’rox is silent. I don’t expect him to respond. I don’t even know why I’m talking, saying this out loud. Maybe because my thoughts are too loud, the potential implication of what’s before my eyes too great to ignore.

“It’s…degenerative. Always fatal.” I gulp again as I get gloves from the test kit and slip them over my hands. Easing forward slightly, I grab a stick off the ground and push the carcass. It flips to the side, the extent of the horror is revealed even more.

Dark, thick veins run along every inch of the carcass before us. The creature’s eyes remain open even in death, bloodshot and bulging, its mouth dripping saliva that’s drained unto the cut at its throat, thickening and hardening it.

“This…isn’t CWD.”

I knew it wasn’t. From the way the creature reacted when it came upon us, became aware of our presence and decided to attack, I knew this was something different. But seeing it up close…

Forcing a steady breath through my nose, I use the scalpel to remove part of the infected flesh, stomach turning as I bag it and remove some other samples from the carcass. Fur, bits of the antler, blood samples, the lot.

“This isn’t CWD,” I whisper to myself again, rising on unsteady feet as I look out into the darkness beyond. “It wanted to kill me.”

“Incorrect.” He’rox’s deep voice makes me turn to face him. He’s been silent at my back the entire time. Watching me take the samples, his constant presence at the edges of my awareness. “It did not want to kill you.”

I swallow hard, forcing another breath through my lungs as I wait for him to continue.

“What did it want then?”

“It wanted…to control you.”

I stare at him, only the breath swelling and releasing from my chest. “Control me.” I push down the lump forming in my throat. “The deer?”

It’s a deliberate question. One I know isn’t the right one, because the implications are already clear. It isn’t the fucking deer. Of course, it isn’t the deer.

He’rox’s head tilts slightly as he studies me and my throat and lips go dry.

“The veins,” I whisper. “You know what they’re doing.”

No answer. Instead, those too-intelligent eyes bore into mine. Waiting for me to put the puzzle together. Except, I don’t have all the pieces.

Taking a step away from the carcass, I shine my light on it, watching in horror as the veins still embedded under the deer’s skin writhe as if with new life.

“You know what it’s doing,” I whisper again. “Some kind of neurodegenerative disease?”

“I must return to my lab,” he says. “I cannot know for sure otherwise.”

Swallowing hard, I give him a sharp nod. “Let me get my pack. But first…” I take a few steps before turning back to face him, “I don’t think we should return yet. We need to know more.” He’rox watches me, not saying a word and I can’t believe I’m about to say this. “We need to go further.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

SOPHIE

He’rox stands unmoving, still by the carcass where I left him, like a silent guard in the cold night. He doesn’t budge, doesn’t come closer, and even as I get my pack ready, rolling and stuffing my sleeping bag inside it and carefully stashing away the sample I just took, he remains in the same spot.

More than once, I glance over my shoulder to see him still standing there. He doesn’t move. Doesn’t even look like he’s breathing.

Far across the sky, the sun is starting its journey once again and dim light chases away some of the darkness. The early morning dew settles over the ground and the freshness of the morning fills my lungs as I zip up my pack and hoist it onto my shoulders.

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