Confrontation with a Saving Grace

Xzeyko exhaled loudly as he set the empty bowl down on the table. He still wasn’t sure how much he could trust this man, but he certainly enjoyed the soup.

“How long have you been in the woods?” the man asked.

Should I tell him? Xzeyko asked himself. I don’t even know how long it’s been. Maybe I should ask for the year.

“I don’t know… it’s, like, 2023, right?”

“2025. Jeez, you’ve been out there a while, huh?”

Xzeyko’s jaw dropped. “Five years?!”

“Holy– I didn’t think you were one of the first ones…”

“I’m sixteen?!” Xzeyko was having something of a panic attack. This revelation was a shock.

“Hey, hey, calm down. I have to ask some more questions.”

“W-why?!”

“So I can tell Dr. Johnson. She needs information on you so she can help you.”

He was starting to get nervous. Is this Dr. Johnson a government official trying to hunt me down, or is she really trying to help? “Uh… what are the questions?”

“Are you stasised?”

“Y-yeah.”

“When did you get the stasis? And from what source?”

I have to lie. “Back in September 2021, when it came out. I got it from a family member.”

“Where is said family member?”

“D-d-dead…”

“Oh.” The man sat in silence for a little while. “Do you have any living relatives to take you in?”

“N-no.”

“I’m sorry… Was it the virus?”

“No. I don’t wanna talk about it.” Xzeyko shuddered.

“Got it. I have a couple more questions, but they’re not hard, okay?”

“Mmhmm.”

“What’s your name? First and last.”

“Uh… Xzeyko Falkner.”

“Do you accept the responsibility of hiding yourself if the government finds out about this?”

“Y-yes.”

“Great. That’s all the questions Dr. Johnson sent me. I’ll call her back and give her the answers, then we’ll try to meet up, got it?”

“M-meet up?”

“She’ll come here. I’m not risking taking you out in public.”

Xzeyko scooted his chair back and stretched. He felt the matted fur on his arms pull back as he reached up. I’m really a mess, huh?

He stood up and looked at the pictures on the wall. “Who are they?” he asked.

The man chuckled. “That’s my… well, family’s a strong word. I don’t know anyone who’s related to me. I was adopted, I adopted my kid, and the closest thing I have to a brother is a kid I grew up with. But that’s okay.”

Xzeyko’s eyes lit up. “You have a kid?”

“Yeah. He’s fifteen. He’s at school right now.”

“What’s his name?“

“Kaiyu. I adopted him from Japan. Boy, is he gonna be confused when he gets home and sees you.”

“What’s your name, sir?”

He smiled and scratched the back of his head. “I’m Mr. Shine. I don’t really go by my first name. It’s weird.”

“Not as weird as Xzeyko.”

“I guess you’re right. I’m Black Shine. Nice to meet you, Xzeyko.”

“Wow, you’re right, that is a weird name.”

“Hey!”

Knock knock! Someone tapped at the door. Xzeyko instinctively hid behind the couch as Black went to open it. He almost sneezed— it was really dusty back there.

“Hey, what can I do for you?” Black answered.

A voice Xzeyko didn’t know responded. “You know what this is about.”

“You’re Dr. Johnson?”

“Yes. Everyone gives me the same response. Believe it or not, yes, I am her.”

“Sorry, I just didn’t expect…”

“I understand.”

“Come on in.”

He heard the door close, along with the sound of boots stepping across the wooden floor. “So where is the survivor?”

“Xzeyko, come out, it’s Dr. Johnson.”

Xzeyko poked his head up above the couch and climbed over it. “H-hello, ma’am…?”

He looked her up and down. She looked really young for a doctor. Her olive skin and curly black hair were well-kept, in contrast to his own state of disarray. He noticed strange marks on her cheeks and neck.

“For how long you were in those woods, you seem very well off,” she stated. “Mr. Shine, may I be seated?”

“Sure thing,” Black replied. She took her seat on the couch adjacent.

“Alright, Xzeyko. You said you’ve had the stasis for four years?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Hm. This may be a complicated fix,” she said to herself. “Physically, despite your… animalistic features, you look quite healthy. A bit scrawny, I would say, but not dangerously so.”

“What do you mean, fix?”

“I mean my goal here is to undo the stasis so that I can give you the vaccine.”

“Why can’t you just give me the vaccine now?”

“Han Hito is a complicated virus. I was the one who developed the vaccine, I should know. The stasis works by telling your body to produce a type of protein which kills off Han Hito. This stops the virus from progressing, but any afflicted cells will not revert.

“The vaccine, however, was actually constructed using Han Hito as a basis. It goes into your body and effectively does exactly what Han Hito does, just with your DNA instead of any animal’s. If I were to give you the vaccine now, your proteins would kill it off and it would be of no use. Besides, a vaccine has to be specifically constructed for the person that needs it. It will take at least a month for me to create a vaccine for you, and I need your DNA for it.”

Xzeyko was bewildered. “But how do you undo the stasis?”

“I have no clue, which is why your scenario is baffling. Usually, if the stasis has only been in your body for a few months, I can just use a protein-resistant version of the vaccine. For your case, though, the stasis has been in you for years. The proteins are all over your body, and just being resistant to them doesn’t mean my vaccine is immune.”

Black crossed his arms. “That’s a lot of scienctific jargon. How long did it take you scientists to figure this out?”

“Well, I’m very glad you asked,” Dr. Johnson replied. “I only managed my doctorate after the prototype stasis was out. The irony of the situation is that the scientists were baffled by the virus. The stasis was developed by–”

“I know who made the stasis!” Xzeyko blurted. “I met him in the woods.”

“So you’ve met him. Excellent,” Dr. Johnson said. “As I was saying, the stasis was created by a group of survivors in the forest. I have actually maintained contact with one of them through the years— he sent me plans for a vaccine, which I expanded upon to create the one we have today.”

Black raised an eyebrow. “Someone living in the woods figured it out before scientists?”

“He sends his regards.”

“What a strange world, huh?”

“Indeed. Now, for other questions. You said you have no legal guardian to return to. Did you have one before the pandemic?”

“Yeah, my mom and dad.”

“What happened to them?”

“So, uh, the guy who made the stasis had a group of survivors, and–”

“Dammit. I was hoping it wouldn’t have to do with her.”

“What?”

“I know what happened. You don’t have to go on further.”

“How do you know what happened? I didn’t tell you anything.”

Dr. Johnson groaned. “You wouldn’t have met me, but I lived in the forest for some time, too. Niko is actually my cousin.”

“Wait, I thought–”

“Chloe was my sister. I won’t elaborate further.”

Hearing the name of his parents’ killer sent a shudder down Xzeyko’s spine. “O-oh.” His hand instinctively reached for the scar of a spider’s bite on his forearm.

“Who’s Chloe?” Black asked, confused. “And who’s Niko?”

Dr. Johnson looked up. “Niko is the one who made the stasis and sent me the vaccine plans. Chloe… Well, I’ll explain later. Not while Xzeyko is here.”

Black shrugged. “Alright, then. Do you have any more questions?”

“I’m going to take a sample of your cells, Xzeyko. I’ll start working on a vaccine for you, and I’ll provide updates to Mr. Shine here. Understood?” Dr. Johnson asked.

“How do you take the DNA?”

“What part of you would you say is the least fox-like?”

“…Uh… my brain…?”

“Well, we’re not taking cells from your brain, so try again.”

“Um… my upper thighs aren’t fully covered with fur yet. Does that work?”

“Yes, that should suffice. Pull your pant leg up to your thigh. This may hurt.”

Xzeyko did as she asked, rolling up his pant leg. “Should I look away?“

“Please do, yes.”

He closed his eyes and turned his head away as Dr. Johnson approached. He sat there, waiting… Ow! Holy crap!

“You can look back.”

Xzeyko winced. His leg stung, and he bent over to check what Dr. Johnson had done. He was a bit grossed out— she’d sliced off a small bit of skin with a scalpel. “Can I ask you a question?”

“I don’t mind.”

“How old are you? You look really young.”

“Ah. You should never ask a woman her age, but you could say I’m something of a child prodigy.” She packed her case with the sample. “That’s all I need from you today. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Black nodded. “Make sure to update us on anything you need, okay?”

“Don’t worry yourself over it. Just make sure you take good care of him.” She walked to the door. “I’ll be seeing you two. Sooner rather than later, hopefully.” She closed the door behind her on her way out.