Down for the Count Pt. 03

DIARY OF ABIGAIL VAN HOUTEN

It is at this point that I entered the strange events that have reshaped our lives recently.

After I returned from helping my Grandma I was relieved to see Mark. Let me tell you about him. We have been friends since we were kids. Mark was always there for me and I for him. We used to have sleepovers and stay up late to watch scary movies. I think Mark only wanted to watch them for all the naked girl scenes, but I always went along because I wanted him to be happy. I have been head over heels in love with him for about a year now. I've never told him, even though I'm sure he knows and he never said anything to me. We're both painfully shy and I think that's how we ended up becoming friends in the first place. We have sort of an unspoken relationship that goes beyond friendship we have just never taken the next step. It's complicated, but I guess that's high school romance! Lately, I have wanted us to get closer. I'm sure Mark wants to have sex with me and honestly I want to have sex with him too—I think. I just think we are both simply afraid of ruining what really is a perfect friendship. Plus I'm afraid he'll think I'm a slut-bag-whore if I have sex with him too soon. I'm sure Mark wouldn't actually think that, but I FEEL that way.

Oh, let me back up a bit. Hi, I'm Abby!

After running into Ari and Jane we found out that something was up with our friend Louie West and Mark's teammate Topher Grady. We were concerned they might be doing some kind of drugs, or possibly having a torrid love affair with some UBER-MILF in a sports car.

Things have gotten a little bizarre around here since I left!

The next day at school I saw Mark and he had been talking to the other guys on the team. He said there was something up with all of them, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He had talked to them and they all seemed exactly the same, distant, strange, almost in a stupor. It wasn't really that obvious to the casual observer, but if you were looking close it was a plain as the nose on their faces. Mark said he talked to the coach who told him he hadn't noticed anything and pretty much chalked it up to teenagers being teenagers! Great help from the adults—it looked like we were in this on our own.

"So do you think it's drugs?" I asked him.

"I don't, but something is definitely wrong here, these are not the guys, they aren't like this." Mark told me.

"Okay, well, maybe it's something else. Maybe there is something in the water of the pool, maybe it's mold in the locker room, meningitis, or something that's making you guys sick. Do you feel okay?"

"Yeah, I'm not sleeping well, but otherwise I feel okay." he said.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I asked and then there was something; Mark looked away and shook his head.

"I don't know I'm just not." He said and I knew he was lying.

"What's that?" I asked.

He looked at me incredulously.

"What's what?"

"You just lied to me! You've never done that!"

"What!"

"You made a weird face. What happened? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I didn't make a face. I'm just not sleeping, I don't know why." He said it more believably this time, but there was more to it. I looked at him for a long moment and he smiled back at me like I was crazy.

"Really. I'm not lying, I was having weird dreams that's all."

"What kind of dreams?" I asked.

"I don't remember." He said and I gave him a look. "No, seriously, I don't remember." He reiterated and I had no choice but to believe him, although his face betrayed him with a blush.

He looked at me with a strange expression then leaned in and put his hands on my shoulders rubbing them up and down. He looked like he really wanted to tell me something, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

I saw for only a brief moment a look of tiredness in his eyes and then he turned and walked away without saying anything else.

As I walked to my locker I dissected the moment from a scientific perspective.

Mark wanted to tell me something; that much was clear. He either couldn't say it, or didn't know how to say it, or maybe he didn't know what it even was. All I knew for sure was he needed my help and I was going to give it to him no matter what!

I didn't see him the rest of the day and when I waited for him after school I found out he had already gone home. I sent him a few texts, but they went unanswered. I was becoming concerned for him. That night I couldn't sleep, I just kept thinking about what could be wrong with the boys at school. I did some research online and came up with nothing.

I spent the entire night thinking about this and finally came to the only possible scientific conclusion:

Something about this is fucking weird!

At that point I had no idea how right I was about how wrong things were.

The next day I was in second period, the one class I share with Mark, and when I looked over at him, he looked terrible. His eyes were bloodshot, there were dark rings under them, his hair was a disaster, and he looked tired and weak. After class I caught up to him in the hall.

"Hey, what's up with you, you look terrible!" I said.

"Yeah, I don't know, I guess I didn't sleep well again last night." Mark said, even his voice was shaky. For the first time I became really concerned.

"Mark, what's happening. What's wrong? Tell me, you can tell me anything!"

He struggled to smile, but instead he just looked at me and as if in a trance he said, "It's okay, really. I'm just not sleeping. I'm fine."

Then he shrugged and walked away. This was wrong. Mark doesn't act like that, ever. I spent the rest of the day worrying about him. When I got home I called his house and talked to his Mom. She told me he came in and went right to bed and that she would check on him. I spent another restless night worrying.

The next day Mark wasn't at school until after lunch and he looked half-dead. He was so tired he could barely speak. He managed to tell me he went to the doctor and they couldn't find anything wrong with him. I asked when he slept last and he said he didn't know. He told me he had been having strange dreams and weird thoughts, but couldn't explain them, he said it was like they were behind a foggy glass. When I pushed him to try he clamed up again. And I know I saw a flash of embarrassment in his eyes, which meant he knew what the problem was, at least on a subconscious level, but he couldn't tell me.

This was the first time in our lives that Mark seemed unwilling to tell me everything (except that he loved me of course) and I was scared, I couldn't imagine what kind of problem he was having or what trouble he might be in.

He decided to go to the nurse's office and lay down for the rest of the day. I had to do something, but what? I skipped my next class and went to a different study hall than I was supposed to because I knew a lot of other guys from the swim team were there. What I saw scared the hell out of me. All of them looked like Mark! All of them! Only worse, they looked even more tired, bloodshot eyes, dark rings, crumpled clothes, sweaty, pale.

They all had it—whatever IT was.

I marched right down to the nurse's office and reported my findings. She told me a "bug" was going through the school and to make sure to keep my hands away from my face!

Adults run the planet, no wonder it's so fucked!

Anyway, when school let out I went to the pool. I walked around knowing that practice had been cancelled since so many on the team left school early. I really started to believe it was something in the water, it had to be. What else could it be?

Then I noticed something strange.

The new kid was here. The new kid, Brad Drake, was a weird one to say the least. He was tall, thin, super attractive in a sort of dangerous way, he had dark hair, light skin, and eyes that went right through you. I have to admit, he was weird, but he had a strange sexiness; an animalistic quality. If he weren't such an oddball he would be at the top of everyone's list of sexiest guy in school!

Instead he was almost lurking in the corner of the swimming center, near the door and I swear he looked like he was stalking. But then, on the other side of the pool a door opened and in walked the mysterious, sexy lady in the sports car! The second Brad saw her he bolted.

Fuck's going on? I wondered. By the way, I usually don't swear this much, but my guy was in trouble and I was in no mood for polite shit.

The Mystery Woman looked around and saw that there was no practice then left. Now I may be shy but I am also brave, especially when my boy needs me!

I followed the woman out into the parking lot. She got into her little car and peeled down Main Street before turning down Borgo Street. Thankfully that's a dead-end so I had a pretty good idea where to find her. I walked a half-mile down Main Street then turned onto Borgo.

I looked at each house seeing no signs of the woman, until I reached the end. Her car was in the driveway of an old dark mansion-looking place; you know the one house in town that all of the young kids are sure is haunted.

'She lives there! Very appropriate!' I thought.

Why was she snooping around? Why did that Brad kid bolt when he saw her, what has she done to him? What was wrong with all the boys on the team? What did this strange woman know? Why did none of the guys seem to want to talk? Why were no adults interested even though there was clearly something wrong? It was like everyone was under a spell.

These were all questions I needed answers to and I was going to get them!

I marched over to Mark's house. I knocked on the door but his Mom told me he was upstairs sleeping again. She told me she hopes he just has some kind of flu and it will pass soon. Mark's Mom is really cool, but I didn't want to tell her everything else that was going on. I considered talking to his Sister Carla, I know Mark tells her everything anyway, but I decided to keep it quiet for now.

Mark's Mom said she wanted him to rest, so I thanked her and walked away.

Actually I didn't walk away as much as I walked to the side of the house and climbed the trellis to Mark's bedroom window. His window was closed, but I knew how to pry it open from the outside. Okay, you caught me, this wasn't the first time I sneaked into Mark's bedroom—always with his permission of course, and not in a long time, usually just so we could play video games after bedtime when we were younger, or if I needed some advice from my trusted pal.

I found Mark lying on his bed, still fully dressed and staring lifelessly at the ceiling. He looked dead, but then his eyes shifted to me. As soon as he saw me he pulled the blanket over his lower half. I didn't even realize why at the time, I think my concern was overpowering the obvious.

"All right, spill it. I want to know what's up!" I said.

"I don't know. I can't sleep, that's all." He said exhausted.

"But you said you were having dreams and weird thoughts, tell me about those."

"I can't remember, I just know they're . . . not what I usually think about." He said.

"Mark, look me in the eyes."

He realized how concerned I was.

"What is it?" I said almost in tears. If there's one thing Mark can't stand it's seeing me cry. Then he said something in such a way that sent shivers down my spine.

"It happens at night."

"What does, tell me, no matter what." I said taking his hand.

"I doze off and have these feelings, weird feelings like I've never had before. I feel like it's something I want, but also not. When I wake up I'm so tired, even more than before I fell asleep."

I took a deep breath and said, "It happens at night? Then that's where we start!" I was filled with resolve, "I'm coming back here tonight it's Friday no school tomorrow and I'm going to stay up and watch you. I'm figuring this out and I'm going to help you no matter what it takes!" I said before climbing halfway out of his window.

"Why?" He asked.

I turned to face him and said with absolute conviction, "Because you're my guy!" I smiled and climbed away.

LATER

That night I silently made my way back up the trellis and into his room. I was startled to see him standing by his bed. When he saw me he seemed very nervous.

"Abby, no, please I don't need a nurse, I just want to sleep!" He said and he seemed very awake, very agitated.

"What's with you? Why are you so worked up? This isn't like you!"

Mark paced around the room talking in circles, "I don't know, I think I just need, I don't know, I need to figure this out—alone!"

I grabbed him, "Mark, you're not alone and you never will be, not if I have anything to say about it. Now, here's what's going to happen, you're going to get ready for bed, you're going to get in and try to sleep and I'm going to watch you and see what's happening to you! We are going to get to the bottom of this thing. Now shut up and get in your pajamas!" I said definitively.

Mark knew he was beat, he gave me the most loving look and smiled a very tired smile. My heart melted at that smile. Then he laughed at me.

"You realize I don't wear pajamas anymore, right? Not since we were kids!"

I blushed, "Well, what do you wear? You don't go commando, do you?"

Now he blushed, "No, I just wear my underwear."

I made a pfft sound, "Big deal, I see that at every swim meet. Now strip, Bitch!" I said trying to be lighthearted.

Mark smiled and went into his bathroom. I was always envious that he got to have his own bathroom and I had to share one with my brother!

I heard Mark brush his teeth and then pee. It felt strange hearing him pee on the other side of the door (that didn't sound right, but you know what I mean!) His urine hitting the toilet water sounded like a fire hose blasting into a lake and I imagined what might be powering that sound! It was such a personal thing, a little gross, but also manly and intimate.

Then I heard Mark flush, wash his hands (thankfully) and then he opened the door.

He quickly clicked off the light and jumped into bed before I could really enjoy the view. I only caught a glimpse of white boxers before he pulled the sheet over him.

The night was hot, it was too hot for a sheet, but I guess his modesty overrode his comfort.

"So what, you're just going to sit there and wait for Freddy Krueger to jump out?" Mark asked as I sat in a chair next to his bed.

"If that's what happens I'm ready for it. Nobody messes you!" I said and he looked over at me and smiled.

I watched as he closed his eyes. I expected him to start giggling like he used to do when we had a sleepover, but he simply dozed off. For a guy who said he couldn't sleep he actually conked out in seconds!

Hours passed. Mark merely slept. He barely moved. At one point he shifted to his side, then after a few minutes he returned to lying on his back.

When he shifted back his leg kicked the sheet off of him and revealed his body in the moonlight.

I sat there in awe watching him sleep. He was majestic! The light shone through the window and lit his body perfectly. My eyes inspected every inch of him. His body hair was light and sparse, but the way the sweat glistened on his skin mixing with the light coming through the window exaggerated every hair, every crevice, every curve, every bulge and vein on him. His pecks protruded slightly from his chest, the rest of him was tight—there wasn't an inch of fat on him. His stomach was convex; there was a hint of abs and a cute little "innie" of a bellybutton. I also now had a clear view of his underwear. White boxers, clean, and full. By full I mean Yowzers! Right there in front of me (but hidden by the thinnest of white fabrics) was a part of Mark that was a total mystery to me, I didn't know what it looked like, cut or uncut, big or little, bulging veins or smooth—I had no idea.

And I WAS curious!

This is the best view of Mark's body I had ever had without having to pretend I wasn't looking, and I was fascinated by it.

I've seen him many times in his Jammers (as I've said) but don't forget those are a compression garment, his boxers on the other hand were letting things flop all over!

Okay, here's where I need to remind you I have never had sex. Nor have I ever seen a man naked—not in real life. Pictures, movies, porn, yes I understand what the penis is and looks like, but I have no real life experience with one, okay? Not that I could see his, but this was as close to almost seeing it as I had ever come. I remember once we were at a pool party and someone yanked Johnny Morris's shorts down and I caught a glimpse of his shiny wet butt, but only for a second and that was a long time ago. That was my only brush with real life male nudity.

I had such an uncontrollable desire in that moment to lift Mark's waistband and take a peek, but I was pretty sure that would be a violation of our friendship, not to mention the nurse patient relationship! So I had to contend myself with simply imagining what lurked beneath those cotton shorts!

I even considered taking a picture of him he was such a vision. I thought 'what could it hurt' I'd show him the picture tomorrow and I'd delete it if he wanted me too. So, I grabbed my phone and turned on the camera. I rested my phone in my lap trying to get a nice low angle when I was suddenly overcome with total exhaustion.

I really started to feel tired so I took a sip of my energy drink, but to no avail. I became afraid I might knock off when I noticed how fast Mark was breathing. His tight, muscular chest began rising up and down quickly. His stomach was moving in and out and his skin began to glisten. I tried to sit up and look at him closer. I noticed something moved under his underwear. Okay, not something, but IT, I noticed IT moved, but only a little.

I switched my phone to video rather than photo deciding this was no longer a sexy photo op, but potentially scientific evidence of the reason I was here.

Whatever had been happening to Mark was beginning to happen again right then and there, I could feel horny about it later. But speaking of feelings, I began feeling very strange myself; like the air was growing heavier. Before I could start recording I fell back in my chair almost passing out, but I managed to will myself to stay awake. I felt like I was actually fighting some strange force that was trying to knock me out. More than anything I felt like something was coming. I could feel a presence coming toward Mark's room and I began to feel very frightened.

I'm happy to report that my conviction and love for my friend won out, and I remained awake. Although, the next thing that happened scared me so much I almost passed out from TERROR.

A fog! A strange green fog or mist floated through the open window and hung at the foot of Mark's bed. I wasn't sure at that point if I was awake or dreaming anymore, but with all my might I managed to hit record on my phone.

Although it was possible that I had fallen asleep and was dreaming, I knew somehow that I wasn't. This was happening. And I was getting it all on video. The camera phone was in my lap and I didn't have the strength to lift it for proper framing, but I was sure I was wide enough to get the full shot of Mark in his bed.

In the next few moments my life changed forever. I grew up, I found out that nothing I believed was true, science was all bullshit and fantasy was real as I saw my very first . . . well, let me tell you what happened in order.

The green mist that hung over Mark turned and almost seemed to "look" at me. It studied me for a moment as if it had never seen anything like me—maybe it hadn't, maybe it had never encountered someone who could fight it's ability to knock people out.

Then it drifted back to the foot of Mark's bed and formed itself into what almost looked like a human form. It was not really human, but it was a mass with what could have been arms and legs. The fog seemed to be burning off of a humanoid shape.