Undead Boyfriend: Nemo 3 (complete)

You’re used to the smell of antiseptic, the thick wafts of chemicals used to clean the clinic’s halls. It’s become the background to your days since you took your position at the clinic with Nemo. It has become your home, your life, and you’re exceedingly grateful for it. Not so long ago you didn’t even have a roof over your head. The scents around you then were gasoline and garbage, your own body odor. They haunted you at night, crushing you into believing that nothing around you was yours. You wake in a cold sweat, terrified that you’ll find yourself huddled in a corner in some abandoned building. Only when that soft perfume reaches your nose do you feel at peace, and you realize you’re home.

Asha lies beside you, her pink hair spilled over the pillow and her sleek rabbit ears resting against the padded headboard. She stirs only slightly to reach out and place her hand on your head. You shiver and lean into the touch. 

Easing back down into bed, you try to memorize everything. The feeling of the sheets, the warmth of Asha’s hand, the distinct, delicate scent of her hair. You smile to yourself, wondering if she will ever understand how important she is to you.

“Can’t you sleep?” Her crackly, sleep-addled voice takes your breath away.

“It was a bad dream,” you admit guiltily. “Don’t wake up because of me.”

Asha grunts softly as she moves closer, wrapping her arms around you so your head rests on her bosom. She strokes your hair, the back of your neck. “You need to sleep. You’ve been working so hard lately.”

Tears prickle in your eyes. You can’t help it. Even after all this time, it still stuns your soul that you have this affection. “So have you.”

“I’ll survive some lost sleep. You, my little mortal, need it more than ever.” Asha kisses the top of your head. “There’s so much sickness right now,” she murmurs with dread. “You and Nemo are working so hard, and I’m just trying to keep up.”

When the virus outbreak began at the start of the year, Nemo immediately began preparing the clinic to take in as many patients as possible. The news seemed to be downplaying it, claiming that it wouldn’t affect day-to-day life. Yet Nemo seemed panicked, like he couldn’t do enough, open enough rooms, find enough supplies. Asha, in her role as director, started helping in his efforts, working to expand the clinic so it could be a fully operational hospital.

Then the looming cloud of dread spreading across the world had a name. It wasn’t just some flu, which was the misinformation being spread. It was so much worse, so unknown and frightening. Once COVID-19 was starting to be taken seriously, it was too late.

You too have been working hard on getting everything prepared. You follow Nemo and Asha’s example, taking everything as seriously as possible. You’re the administrator for the clinic now, and it’s your job to make sure the computer system and databases are running smoothly. You’ve organized patient files and created a system that makes it easier for Nemo to do his job. Now you’re getting the clinic ready for this gathering storm.

Asha has been directing the renovation of the vast, aged but sturdy hospital building, repairing and updating the infrastructure. Part of the work is preparing a space on the top floor, which had previously been used for storage, to make a new apartment for you and Nemo to share, but for a while progress on that was halted in order to hasten the work on the clinic floor. Nemo had been working tirelessly as the outbreak came to your door. He did not require sleep, but you could tell he was going to work himself into a frenzy. He refused to leave his patients.

Asha’s soft skin rubbing against you feels like the only anchor you have right now. “Tell me, what’s wrong?”

Your eyes blur as more tears fill them. You close them and take a deep breath, filling your lungs with the romantic scent of Asha’s hair. “How do you talk to people who are so afraid?” you whisper. “I want to give comfort to the patients, to the people who want to know about their loved ones, but I can’t...” Your voice catches painfully in your throat. “I can’t seem to find a way to get through my own fear.”

“This is new,” Asha murmurs. “And it’s not uncommon for people to be afraid of the unfamiliar. They can’t take this bogeyman and explain it.” Her fingers brush along the nape of your neck. “It’s okay that you’re afraid. You don’t have to force bravery.”

You sit up like a shot and put your forehead on your knees. “But I want to help! I want to be able to talk to these people, to understand and give them some explanation, but I feel worthless! Behind the protective suits and plastic barriers, how are we supposed to reach and comfort people?”

Asha moves behind you and places her hands on your shoulders. “There’s no explanation right now, my love.”

You turn your head to look at her. Her vibrant pink eyes are brimming with tears as well. “All you can do is stand and fight. Your work matters in keeping people safe.” She gives you a gentle smile. “That’s why I moved here to help - to use my resources to make sure this place, these people, get what they need.”

“Aren’t you worried about your home?” you sniffle.

Asha nods. “Of course I am. But as far as we know, my people can only carry the virus, not get sick from it.” She wraps her arms around you again. “So what we can do is help, and provide resources for those who can’t.”

“I feel like the world is turning on a different axis,” you whisper. “This virus has taken over and changed everything, but we still do the same work. People with broken bones still walk through the door - injuries and other illnesses still happen. It’s like time has stopped while rushing forward. It’s surreal.”

Asha rests her chin on your shoulder. “Your world has changed so much already. You’ve only just started this job. I’m sorry if we’ve thrust you into something uncomfortable.”

You shake your head. “I’m grateful,” you whisper. “I’m happy I’m here. I just forget how to move sometimes.”

“You put one foot in front of the other.” Asha turns you around to face her. You lean close and your mouths meet in a kiss, warm and wet and lingering, before she pulls back with a smile.   Then she turns to the window and slips her long legs off the side of the bed. “Why don’t I make us some of that lovely tea you gifted me? Maybe some breakfast, too? We’ll enjoy the dawn together.”

“I have to organize schedules today,” you murmur, watching Asha rise. She takes your breath away, just like Nemo does. You feel like a lost soul taken in by Artemis and Thanatos.

“I have an early meeting with my clan as well.” She strides across the room to the tiny kitchen in the living area you’ve been using during renovations, turns on the kettle and reaches for a canister in the cabinet above. “If you’d like, once you’re done with scheduling, I can introduce you to my sisters.”

Your eyes widen and your stomach gives a little flip. You’ve heard her speak of her twin baby sisters before, but you’ve never seen them or met them. “You... don’t have to do that.”

“Yes I do. It’s about time.” She smiles at you from across the room. “I wanted to do it sooner, but...” She sighs heavily and her ears droop. “The universe had other plans.”

You swallow the anxious lump growing in your throat. “What are their names?”

“Tam and Ilse,” she says. Her eyes shine as she looks at you. “It’s only fair that I share my family with my family, right?” 

“Family?” you exclaim, stunned.

“Yes! You and Nemo are my loves.” She presses her hands over her heart. “Of course you’re my family.”

“I have work to do today, and you’re going to make my eyes so red!” you laugh, trying to play off your impending tears.

Asha comes back to you, giving you a squeeze and an answering chuckle.

After a shared early breakfast, you and Asha get to work. Asha makes a video call with several community leaders of the rabbit women in the woods, while you work on schedules for the staff, but you can overhear her conversation. Asha’s voice is even, commanding. There’s talk of a food-distribution project, of transporting endemic plants and mycorrhizae to farms on the outside. You try to focus on your computer, but you can’t help but be a little curious. Asha’s life and her people are so fascinating. There’s something otherworldly, yet so earthy about them.

Working on your own computer is still strange to you. You haven’t had one for years. Before you only used the outdated ones at the library, and an older-model phone. It’s easy for you to believe that you’re living someone else’s life. You have to take moments to step back into yourself and realize you have a future.

Asha steps into the room with a smile on her face. “Can you take a moment?”

“I’m almost done,” you reply. “What is it?”

Her joyful expression broadens. “Just come in when you’re done.” 

You want to hurry through the rest of your work, but you have to be careful with it. Once you send off the schedule, you follow Asha to her computer, and on the screen you see two dark-skinned, fresh-faced rabbit women.

“Tam, Ilse,” Asha drapes her arm lovingly around you. “This is Lydia Wei, my girlfriend.” She introduces you like it’s the most natural thing in the world, but you turn into a blushing mess. Girlfriend, you think. She called me her girlfriend!

“Hi!” The lovely rabbit girls on the screen both wave and greet you emphatically. 

“I’m Tam.” Tam has her hair in a crown braid wrapped around her head, a coating of even darker freckles all over her cheeks, and a confident smirk. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Asha has been promising this for a long time!”

Ilse looks smaller than Tam, and more solemn too. She fiddles with her short, tight curls as she watches the screen from her side. “I’m Ilse, hello.”

“Hi.” Your voice cracks with nerves. “It’s very nice to meet you both.”

Tam instantly launches into a long series of questions. She seems excited to know what you do with the computers and what you’ve learned about medicine, and all but demands a full rundown of your education and interests. You’re happy to answer her, but you’re more curious about the sisters and their lives. You’re used to yours.

“What is it you two do?” you finally manage to pipe up. “Are you working with your sister? Or do you have your own roles in your clan?”

“I’m a botanist and mycologist,” Tam announces proudly, patting her palm against her chest. “I do work with Asha, but only for the moment to make sure we can get enough food to people who need it. My main job is to track and record the growth of our forest. That way I can advise our cultivators and foragers, as well as the builders.” She inches closer to the computer screen. “Here’s something really fascinating. In about two years, our forest and your clinic’s grounds will become one and the same!”

You’re a bit shocked by this news. “That seems so rapid. Is it going to pose any sort of danger?”

Tam shakes her head. “Not really, unless you consider trees and vines a threat. The rapid growth is a feature of the plant life here. We’re still trying to understand it ourselves. But don’t tell anyone - family secret.” She gives you a wink.

Ilse has been very quiet this entire time. You’ve noticed her studying you more than anything. Her eyes are steely and focused, her expression unreadable, until your attention suddenly falls on her. Then she quickly averts her gaze.

“What about you, Ilse?” you ask.

Ilse shrugs. “Woodworking. It’s easier to show than tell.” She looks down at her hands thoughtfully. “We’ve actually been busy, our mother and I. With so many people staying home, our furniture business on the outside is doing quite well.” She smiles bashfully. “I’ve been able to work on a lot of carvings.”

“Ilse is very talented,” Asha whispers.

“Asha!” Ilse protests. “I have been working on this leaf design, though. It’s one of my favorite pieces, and it’s something I’m not even sure will sell yet. But the leaves have words worked into their veins, and small animals hiding around them.” She looks up and chuckles. “I’d love to show it to you.”

Asha gets a glint in her eye. “Why not?” She turns and smiles down at you. “Would you like to go and see it?”

Your heart leaps in excitement. “I would love that.”

Asha bids her sisters farewell, and says she’ll see them soon. You both grab masks and don jackets, and you put on sneakers, while Asha’s long, sturdy feet remain bare. Then she leads you out of the sprawling building, towards the wall of vibrant green that is the forest. She keeps hold of your hand as she smiles towards the trees. A breeze blows through them, carrying rustles and chirps.

You’re so used to the scent of the clinic that the sudden olfactory burst of deep, moist earth is foreign to you. A dark, rich aroma creeps gently out from the trees and moss, transporting you to another world before you’ve even left this one. When you reach the treeline, Asha takes the first step, and since you’re holding her hand, you follow close behind. With that simple step, you leave everything else behind. The sounds of the human world fade behind you, becoming almost nonexistent. Winter’s leaf litter crackles beneath your feet. Spring has barely begun, and already the forest floor is overgrown with ferns and fungus, moss and creeping vines. You take a deep breath, and it feels so easy.

“Watch your step,” Asha warns. “Not many outsiders come through here, so there are few trails.” She keeps you close beside her, helping you over moss-covered stones with ease. The small patches of light filtering down through the leaves illuminate the pale rosy hues of her long hair and lithe form, distinct among the omnipresent green, yet blending into it perfectly.

Green, green, the world is green suffused with deep shadow. Then, gradually, the colors of small, early-blooming flowers attract your eyes, focusing your attention on patches of violet, red and white that seem to float along the surface of the forest floor. With each new breath, your awareness seems to expand. The sweet and delicate scent of the flowers mingling with the rich fragrance of the moist earth tells the story of life moving slowly, growing wide and tall, and exhaling itself into a world that dreams on and pays it no mind.

Asha puts her arm around your waist to stop you. “Stand here a moment.”

You look around, seeing more color amongst the lush green and healthy browns of the forest. A flash of electric blue catches your eye, and at first glance you think it’s a flower, but then it moves. You make out eight long, furry legs walking along the fleshy orange mushrooms growing on a tree trunk, and the brightly-hued spider they belong to crawls around before vanishing into a hole. The creature almost seems out of place here, but then again, so do you.

Asha takes a deep breath, purses her lips together and releases a high-pitched whistle that echoes endlessly through the trees. The world seems to fall silent before the noises start again. Tree limbs creak, leaves rustle, and the wind picks up sharply. It blusters around you, whipping through your clothes and tousling your hair, but Asha keeps you firmly by her side as she swivels her ears forward, listening expectantly.

Then you see a hazy white glow through the trees in the distance. It bobs up and down, weaving around the trunks as it comes closer. A deer strides towards you, as large as an elk, but as delicately proportioned as a doe. The white creature comes to a stop before you and Asha, lowering her head to greet you. Stepping forward, Asha greets the doe, speaking low in unfamiliar words, her voice almost husky as she pets the doe’s muzzle. Then she lifts herself onto the doe’s back and extends her hand down to you. 

“Come up, my love.” 

You gaze into the doe’s wide, dark eyes, afraid that both of you riding her will weigh her down. She exudes a sharp, oily fragrance, beguiling and unlike any other you’ve known.

“Take my hand. It’s alright,” Asha reassures you.

You grasp her hand, and as you climb up the doe’s furry side to sit behind Asha, you feel otherworldly yourself. You wrap your arms around Asha’s waist, and she dips down to whisper to the doe. The doe turns back from where she came and springs, and then you’re flying. At first you’re afraid, pressing yourself into Asha’s back. But she doesn’t tense, or even use her hands to hold on. She clings with her legs, bending and swaying if she and the doe are one creature, and now you are joined to them, rising and falling with each graceful leap.

You lift your head, looking around you as the vibrant colors of the forest fly by, and hold your breath. This must be what heaven is like.

After a long while the doe slows, coming to a stop just outside a stone archway in the opening of a ravine. As you and Asha jump down, the doe nudges your cheek, then presses her side against Asha’s shoulder. Asha strokes the doe’s flank. “Thank you, Starfall,” she says.

As she lifts her hand away, the doe begins to vanish in a haze of white particles, which crumble to the ground. To your amazement, it’s not mist or dust she’s turned into, but a mass of tiny creatures. They look almost like starfish with four prehensile limbs, emitting a white glow. They scatter and burrow into the ground, disappearing in seconds.

“They’ve observed us, and the other animals here, for longer than we have even known about them. They probably learned how to copy the shape and behavior of a deer.” Asha chuckles at your gaping expression and takes your hand. “They’re like the soul of the forest, or at least that’s how we’ve come to comprehend them.”

You put on your masks and Asha leads you to the archway, where already a small crowd of rabbit-eared children have gathered to watch you. The girls run off as you and Asha walk into the village. The houses are built directly into the surrounding hills, with supporting walls of white plaster, doors and frames of reddish wood, and round skylights in the slanting roofs, which are studded with solar panels and antennae. By the time you come to a large home, Ilse and Tam have run out to greet you, wearing surgical masks of their own. You’re tense at first, mindful of the risk of disease, but they reassure you that you’re the first person they’ve met outside their home today. So you allow yourself to be hugged by them, and greet them warmly in turn.

You then see another woman standing in the doorway of the house. She’s tall, lean and imposing, very pale and with black-tipped white ears. “This is our mother,” Asha says, “Frost.” She presents you to the woman, who sends chills down your spine.

Frost looks you over, then gently takes your hand in her long, strong fingers. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, dear one.”

“You too,” you say breathlessly.

Asha dives in to squeeze your shoulders, and you laugh in surprise. Tam and Ilse take you indoors, and Ilse shows you her workshop and the piece she had been describing during the video call. It’s a beautiful desk made of near-black wood. The carvings are fresh and have a coppery hue, and you take note of some of the animal shapes tucked away among the leaves. As you remark on the craftsmanship, you can hear Asha whispering behind you.

You enjoy the afternoon with Asha and her family. You learn that Asha has a different father than her sisters. Frost met the first while traveling down from Canada, and the second while selling her woodwork to humans. Tam continues talking about her research, including how she’s measuring the advance of the forest beyond its previous boundaries - the progression of the treeline and the species on the forest floor, the distribution of life in the soil and groundwater.

When you’re ready to leave, Frost gently embraces you, followed by affection from Tam and Ilse. Ilse gives you a small wooden charm on a cord, which you hang around your neck. It’s so strange to you to be accepting of this much love, but you’re so ready to accept it.

As you leave hand in hand with Asha, you can’t help but ask what’s weighing heavy on your heart. “The forest - is it really growing so fast?”

“I think Tam might be a little over-excited at the notion,” she says thoughtfully. “But it is true that it’s growing rapidly.” She smiles down at you. “But you don’t need to fear it. The forest taking over the grounds of the clinic is not something to be afraid of. From what we know, the life here is able to integrate with the outside, in what can be a useful symbiotic partnership.”

“This place feels different from other forests I’ve seen.” you murmur softly. “It really is another world.”

“It is another world,” Asha confirms. “That’s why I choose to stand between, to be a bridge and a guide. The life and diversity here is growing, and there are more environments like this appearing around the world. Almost like the Earth is showing herself to us in new shapes.”

“Like Starfall?” you ask.

“I’m glad you got to meet her,” Asha says emphatically, “so you can understand that the growth here is not a means to choke out the life outside, but to join with it and make it better.” She inhales deeply, tasting the air. “To heal.”

You’re so awed by her that the ringing of your phone startles you. “It’s Nemo,” you say in confusion. “How is there service…?” You cut off your own thought to answer. “Hello?”

“I got a notification about a desk being delivered here. What is it for?”

You furrow your brow. “A desk?”

Asha takes your phone to answer. “It’s a gift for our new apartment. Our girl loved it so much, I bought it from my sister for her. So it goes in her room.”

“Asha!” You try to protest, but she won’t let you. 

“He wants to speak to you again.” Asha giggles excitedly.

“The apartment will be done this weekend. When you get back, we can start moving in.” Nemo’s deep, gravelly voice sends chills down your spine as he delivers the wonderful news.