There was a dim light pouring in from a tiny window in the corner of the basement. The cement walls surrounded the steel framed toddler bed. A metal door highlighted the other wall that covered access to the upstairs and freedom. There was a powder room beside the steel door, but it was barely visible in the dull light. On the thin mattress of the toddler bed slept a gorgeous young woman in her twenties with one arm handcuffed to the bed. Her long flowing blond hair with a face and body in perfect symmetry hid the sweetness of her disposition.
Many women of such beauty are a bit stuck on themselves, but she was gentle and friendly with a gripping smile. Madison or Maddy as most of her friends called her, was not the type of person who deserved to be in the predicament she was in. She knew she was attractive. She’d lived with it her whole life, but there wasn’t an ounce of pretension or privilege in her soul. She was one of those rare people who was lovely inside and out. As unfair as it was, she was handcuffed to a bed in someone’s basement.
She could only vaguely remember being taken. There was some sort of riot and complete bedlam on the street as she was walking home in a residential neighbourhood on her way back from her friend’s house. The crowd suddenly turned violent and started grabbing at her body when someone grabbed her and pulled her into a small off-yellow bungalow she had passed many times before without trouble. A man in a frumpy blue t-shirt and fading jeans dragged her roughly down some stairs and locked her in the basement tied to the tiny bed which she was just short enough to fit. She was only five foot two without heels. She thought maybe if she had been taller and larger, she would not be in the mess she was in now.
Maddy had no idea what was happening to her. She feared the worst, that she was going to be a sex slave of a serial killer until he tired of her. Then he would cut her up while she is still alive just to hear her scream in agony. She had her future all mapped out. This dank basement would be the last thing she would ever see.
She stared at the door for hours until she heard the feet hitting each wooden step coming down, and a dark figure appeared sliding the metal door that kept Maddy locked inside. She could still hear the sounds of commotion outside the door at the top of the stairs. As the light hit him in the doorway, he was a rumpled man with a bad haircut in his late thirties or early forties, carrying a long stick with a grasping end on it. Maddy couldn’t even imagine what he would do with that, but she decided the best way to stay alive was to try and acquiesce to whatever demand he had.
He stared at her for a minute and then said calmly, “Hi my name is Dan and I guess I will be your captor for the next day or two.”
Surprised by his calm introduction and his seeming gentle demeanour, Maddy was still terrified. “Dan, please let me go,” Maddy pleaded. The one thing she swore to herself that she would never do.
“I will in roughly 40 hours. Meanwhile, do you need anything like food or water?” Dan asked like he was a flight attendant.
“I could use a little water,” Maddy said softly.
“Sure, or if you prefer, I have diet cola. They say you should not drink alcohol during the incubation period as it can make the symptoms worse,” Dan said confusingly.
“Diet coke would be great,” Maddy said, confused by the rest of what Dan said.
Dan went upstairs, leaving the door open, but all Maddy could make out was a few stairs and the faint sounds of yelling and screaming outside. He was back quickly and put the pop bottle on the end of his pole and passed it to Maddy.
“If you need to use the facilities, you are welcome to pull the bed over to the bathroom so you can use the toilet and the sink. It’s just a toddler bed that the previous owner of this place left behind so it’s very light. I know it sucks but it’s the only way I can stay safe until we know if you have it or you don’t,” Dan said trying and failing to be comforting.
“Have what? What are you talking about? What do you mean by incubation?” Maddy asked confused.
“Oh, I thought you knew what was going on. We have a virus going around our corner of the planet that affects human behaviour. It’s not affecting everyone, and some people infected do seem to get better after a few days but roughly twenty percent of those infected become violent. They scratch and bite people, rape and kill without concern or remorse. Like I said, some recover only to be devastated with the memory of what they’ve done.”
“I don’t believe you. A zombie apocalypse? Please!” Maddy said in disbelief.
“Well, it’s kind of like zombies but these people don’t walk slowly and eat brains. They just have no sense of right and wrong and do whatever makes them feel good. Like I said, some people—most people in fact, are immune and will not succumb to the infection but roughly two in ten do. And they become vicious animals,” Dan said hoping it was convincing.
He knew he was telling the truth, but he was sure no amount of convincing would work on the girl.
“Which brings us to the million-dollar question, why am I handcuffed to the bed?” Maddy asked really wanting a better explanation than this guy is a pervert.
“I’m a pervert. It’s what we do,” Dan joked and under different circumstances Maddy would have laughed but she was too scared for that.
“Yesterday during the craziness outside some of the infected grabbed you to do God knows what and tried taking you away. I, and a few other non-infected, was able to grab you and pull you away but not before one of them bit you,” Dan explained.
“What are you talking about? I don’t have any bites or wounds,” Maddy said defensively.
Dan pointed to his left rear upper leg. As Maddy checked herself in the same spot, she realized there was a large hole in her yoga pants and as she reached in the hole, she could feel a small wound and she started to cry again.
“Look eighty percent of people are immune so it’s probably nothing to worry about. I handcuffed you just in case you got infected and came after me. You will probably be fine,” he reassured her. “One of the features of the bite is that the area around it becomes numb so you don’t feel it…until it’s too late and you’ve infected others. We don’t know if you got infected or if you’re immune and we won’t know for sure for about 30 more hours. Try and keep up your strength and let me know how you are feeling. All is not lost even if you do get it since many people recover physically. The emotional toll remembering what they’ve done is another matter. How are you feeling now?” Dan asked.
“I am feeling fine so far. I’m still not sure if you are telling the truth but assuming you are, what will you do if I am infected and do not recover?” Maddy asked not really wanting the answer.
“I actually have no idea. So far, according to TV, there is no cure for the infected who do not recover. I guess I’ll try to keep you here until they come up with a cure,” Dan said uncertainly.
“That sounds risky and dangerous for you,” Maddy said kindly.
“Yes, but I could never hurt anyone on purpose. I just hope the handcuffs will be enough to restrain you.”
“I am not sure I believe any of this,” Maddy said angrily.
“I’ll see if I can find something to prove it to you.” Dan went upstairs to get something to eat for him and the girl and to bring down a portable tv figuring that if she saw the news reports Maddy might believe them.
It was dark now and there was no light in the room after Dan went upstairs. Maddy could hear the commotion of the virus fueled riots still going on outside. At one point she heard a crash of breaking glass and a bunch of footsteps on the wooden stairs and then pounding on the steel doors. Then gunshots rang out and the infected seemed to leave. About an hour later Dan came in the door. He was carrying a small handheld tv and a plate of nuggets and fries. Not exactly Maddy’s favourite meal but she was starving. She ate it quickly. Perhaps too quickly and ended up hauling the toddler bed to the bathroom while she threw it all up. After she saw the news on the tiny tv and realised Dan wasn’t lying and she was likely infected, she went back to the bathroom and threw up again.
She was so hot that she removed all her clothes except for her bra and thong. She was sweating profusely. She was pretty sure that meant she had it. She was infected and she started to cry.
After a few minutes Dan had come back downstairs and without thinking he ran to the washroom and got Maddy a cool damp washcloth and started mopping her brow, her face and as much of her as he could without violating her trust.
Then it occurred to her what he was doing and where he was doing it from (sitting on the side of the bed)
“What are you crazy?” Maddy yelled at him. “Get back before I hurt you, you fool!” Maddy warned him.
“This is only the first stage so while I might be taking a bit of a chance that the virus won’t take you over and you will bite me, I am told that if you are sweating a lot, your body is fighting it and there is a chance you will be ok,” Dan reassured her. Without thinking Maddy hugged him tightly. Dan allowed it but Maddy pulled away once she realized what she was doing.
“It figures, I finally have a beautiful half naked woman in my arms, and I can’t do anything about it,” Dan Joked. They both chuckled nervously but Dan knew this is the only way a girl who looked like Maddy would be within five miles of him.
“Well for both of our sakes you should stand back a bit,” Maddy scolded. “What was all the commotion before?” she asked.
“A bunch of them broke through the outside door and since they couldn’t go any other way, they headed down here and couldn’t get past the steel door. When I threatened them with the shot gun, they left. I don’t know why they didn’t come after me, but I guess they knew they could find an easier target,” Dan surmised.
Maddy’s fever was getting worse, she was grateful that she had no determined interest in biting someone, but she was travelling in and out of consciousness now. The last she heard for several minutes was Dan asking her name. She was fighting to stay lucid now. The words came out frustratingly slowly, “my name is Maddison Foster,” and she passed out for a second. She regained some strength. “I am a procurement manager for a company of tech nerds who have no idea what they need or even want,” Maddy said normally before passing out again. When she woke, she was very groggy but just carried on talking like thirty minutes had not gone by. “You know you are kind of ok looking for an old guy,” Maddy said deliriously.
“Um thanks?” Dan asked confused.
“Well, you’re frumpy and obviously need a haircut but beneath that bum-like exterior, you might even be sexy,” Maddy rambled.
“Ok now I know you’re delirious,” Dan said chuckling to himself.
“Actually, I am starting to feel a better.
The fever had broken and Maddy was feeling a bit chilly.
“Can you get me a blanket and some water?” Maddy asked Dan who looked relieved.
“It looks like you might be one of the immune ones, but it will take ten more hours until we know for sure. I’ll get you a bottle of water and a blanket,” Dan said happily. He went upstairs and returned quickly with both.
Maddy drank the water in seconds and then laid down on the toddler bed on her stomach and Dan threw the soft pink blanket over her mostly naked body. Despite the chance of Maddy still being infected, he gently massaged her back until she fell asleep. She was so tired from fighting the infection that she didn’t even notice he was there.
A few hours later Dan came running down the stairs. He immediately used the small key to release Maddy’s handcuffs and then put them on himself. He then pushed the key into her hand and turned to her and said, “you have to go! I'm pretty sure you'll be OK now.”
Matty turned to him and said, “Is it time? is the incubation period over?”
He just looked at her and said, “Maddy you have to go.”
“I don't get it. I don't understand! Why do I have to go?” Maddy asked confused.
Dan stood up and pulled the lip of the back of his pants down just enough to show Matty he had been bitten. “Now I know why they didn't come after me,” he said. “I've been infected, and I can feel it. You have to go! Save yourself. Be careful of the crowds outside, but I'm sure you'll be fine. They didn't go after me after I had been bitten so they probably won't go after you either. Just calmly walk through them and get to your home.” Maddie was busy putting her yoga pants and shirt on when she turned back toward Dan who is now sitting on the toddler bed handcuffed. “I can't leave you like this,” she said.
“Maddie, you have to. Go! I'm infected and I don't know how bad it's gonna be, but I know it's gonna be bad. I can feel myself losing my common sense, my compassion… all I have that makes me who I am is gone. The virus is taking all my ability to keep myself from going crazy for these last few minutes!” Dan was sweating profusely.
He removed his blue jersey shirt and was kicking off his faded blue jeans and all he had on was his blue boxer shorts. Then he laid down on the little toddler bed which he was now glad the previous owner of his house had left behind although it was too short for him to be comfortable. And even though he was hot he still pulled the pink blanket over him. “Don’t wanna drive you nuts with lust,” Dan joked but was obviously struggling to keep his sanity.
Maddie cried, “I have to help you…”
“I'm sorry Maddy, there's nothing you can do for me! I'm dying and I'm in pain and I can feel myself getting lost,” Dan said using all his self control.
Maddy started walking up the stairs slowly, but she knew she couldn't just leave Dan the way he was. As bad as it was for her, she knew it was going to be worse for Dan. She'd only met him a few days ago and he trapped her and handcuffed her to a bed in his basement. And yet somehow, she felt compassion for him. She felt sad for him, and suddenly felt lonely for herself in a way she couldn't explain. She felt love of sorts!
Dan had looked after her and did so at great risk to himself, so she couldn't just leave him now…not now. She went up the staircase up to the kitchen which is at the top of the stairs to the left. The door to outside was right in front of her, but she wasn't leaving. She got Dan a drink and something to eat. It was just a hotdog, but it was something. She found a piece of bologna for herself and ate that. She was feeling much better now. Then she slowly walked down the stairs where she found Dan sitting at the side of the bed panting and sweating. He turned to her and screamed, “get out! Get out before it's too late! She walked right over to him somewhat trepidatious but still confident enough, and she handed him a drink and lifted it to his lips.
Dan said, “Maddy I don't know how much longer I can stay like this. You've got to save yourself. I don't know what I'll be capable of once I turn.”
Maddy looked at him intensely and said, “you're not going to turn! You're gonna fight it like I did. You gotta fight it hard and it's going to hurt and it's going to sap all your strength, but you're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through this!” Matty knew where she'd been bitten already, she was safe if he tried to bite her… at least from getting further infected anyway. Although the damage from a bite could be severe. She wasn't that worried. She knew that even if Dan was a full-fledged zombie or whatever the infected were called, he wouldn't hurt her. She knew down deep that Dan kind of loved her a little just like she did him. What kind of love nobody would ever really know. “I guess maybe like family?” She thought out loud. Maybe just a really intense friendship. They were at different stages of life. Dan is in his late 30s, and she is in her early 20s. But there is a bond there – family, friendship, love? Whatever label you want to put on it, it was there. So Maddy couldn't leave.
Dan laid down again this time on his back panting like an animal. He had succumbed to the virus. He no longer looked like himself. He was just pure rage and lust and hatred, and he screamed terrible things. Matty was terrified but she didn't walk away. She just picked up the hot dog and said, “here you should eat something.” Whether it was the virus or just self preservation he grabbed the hotdog and ate it in seconds. Then he took what's left of the drink and drank the rest of that. He still didn't feel like himself, but he did feel better. A few moments ago, Maddy had been nothing more than a piece of meat. Now he was starting to see her as a person again. But no one knows for how long. Maddy walked over and closed the steel door and went upstairs. She had the presence of mind to lock it now.
On the other side of the kitchen there was a fairly pleasant living room where she sat and cried and waited. Hours and hours went by with Dan screaming obscenities and then turning around a few minutes later and saying, “Maddy I'm sorry!”
She just sat there and wept and eventually screwed up her courage and got him another drink and a hot dog. She went downstairs. He had pulled the bed over to the door and he was waiting for her as she walked through. He grabbed her and pulled her to the bed. He was enormously strong. He held her down and started ripping at her clothes and then something inside of him took over and he stopped. He was crying and he said, “Maddy I'm so sorry!” Maddy bravely hugged him. At first, he felt an overwhelming need to bite her on the shoulder but instead he put his head down and, just for a moment, enjoyed the warmth of her embrace. He wasn't hungry for food, but he ate the hotdog anyway and then he drank the diet coke. He then hurled his arm and pulled the toddler bed by the handcuff towards the bathroom. Maddy got up off the bed to let him go. He went to the bathroom and washed his face. After, he came out of the bathroom and looked at her and said, “I think I'm gonna be OK! But don't unhook the handcuffs just yet. I still don't know for sure.” He lay down on the bed and Maddy sat beside him.
The world had changed so much in the last 60 hours but somehow these two had beaten the virus. They were going to be fine, and they were both immune now.
Another day went by, and Maddie took the tiny key Dan had pressed into her hand and undid the handcuffs. Dan then grabbed her hard. At first, she was afraid but then she realized what he was doing. He gave her a hug and pulled back her blonde hair and it looked like he was going to bite her neck and she was uncertain what he was up to.
Instead, he nibbled on her earlobe and said, “gotcha.” Then she punched him right in the groin and said, “no I got you.” Dan doubled over in pain but laughed a little and so did Maddy.
Now the two of them had to go out of the house to see if they could score some food and some more Diet Coke. You can only live so long on hotdogs.
Epilogue
At first the outside world looked like a war zone but eventually the world became normal again. Most of the infected did recover in time. Those that didn't were eventually put into hospitals or asylums.
Maddy and Dan would still see each other from time to time. she would go over to his place, or he would go over to hers and, they never spoke of or tried to define their relationship except every now and then Maddy would say, “Dan, I love you.” And he would always say something like, “Oh shut up and pass the hotdogs.”
When it was time to leave, one of them would walk away without saying a word. So, it would always be the last time…until the next time.
-30-