The Grateful Virus

All events and characters are fictional.  Copyright 2007 by James
Adling.  All rights reserved. Comments appreciated at jim [dot] 
adling [at] gmail.com

Note: This chapter has no sex.  The next two more than make up
for this, and this one is necessary to set them up.


Chapter 3

Jim’s room was directly across from Jen et al.  Hoping not to tip
off any of the girls about where his room was, he waited at the
end of the hall for a few minutes, then crept back and was about
to open his door when he saw Nicole, now fully clothed again,
waving to him urgently from the opposite end of the hall by the
pool room. Shit. He walked toward her.

“Jim, we need to talk,” she whispered.

“Ok,” he said in a cautious tone, keeping his distance.

“I’m not on the pill.”

“Oh. Shit.”

“And my period ended a week ago. That’s about the worst possible
timing.”

“Damn. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Just drive me to a pharmacy.”

“Sure, no problem. I’m glad I can do something to help. Will you
let me pay?”

“Ok if my insurance doesn’t cover it. But I think they will.”

He stopped back in his room to change out of his swimsuit, then
led her to the company van and they drove off. He took her to the
one pharmacy he knew of in the area. The same tall, thin,
gorgeous pharmacist he had sneezed on earlier that day was still
there. He winced when he recognized her. He was half expecting
her to leap over the counter and start ripping his clothes off.
He braced himself for impact.

“Can I help you?” She was behaving normally, thank god. Maybe it
didn’t have anything to do with the sneezing, after all. While
she entered Nicole’s insurance information into the computer, Jim
watched her intently for any sign of arousal or other odd
behavior. She was cool as a cucumber. She looked up once and
noticed him staring intensely at her, and said “I’ll be with you
in a minute, sir.”

“Ah-CHOO!” he responded. “Sorry,” he added when she looked
pointedly at him. That Sudafed really seemed to have stopped
working.

She turned her cool gaze back to Nicole. “Since this isn’t an HMO
we usually deal with, it might take a few minutes for the
insurance verification to go through. Please have a seat.”

Jim followed Nicole to the chairs facing the pharmacy counter and
sat with her. Embarrassed by his again uncovered sneeze on the
same stranger for the second time in one day, he avoided looking
at her, instead acting as if the labels on the products on a
nearby shelf were the most fascinating reading material in the
world.

* * * * *
The Mary-probe had been busy. It had discovered something amazing
inside of Mary and had devoted nearly all of its resources to
studying it. It had been able to grow far more than the other
probes because Mary had had a sizable tumor in her left breast. 
However, when the original host came into view there still hadn’t
been time to establish sneezing capacity in Mary’s nose, because
the contents of her uterus had been a higher priority. The virus
could hardly believe it at first, but it was now clear that Mary
was growing and feeding a tiny new host inside her own body. And
it was clearly a copy of Mary, although with a disturbingly high
mutation rate.  Mary was replicating herself, all by herself!
These hosts didn’t need to take over another organism to produce
copies of themselves. They could do it all within their own
bodies! It was a fantastic discovery, and the Mary-probe urgently
wanted to communicate it to the original host. Although the
Mary-probe knew that Jim didn’t have a uterus, it might be
possible that he could grow one.

When Jim finally came into view, the Mary-probe was not yet ready
to cause a sneeze. It started trying as hard as it could to get
ready, but based on the experience of the day it knew that the
people who came to the desk only rarely would remain in view long
enough. The probe was relieved when Jim sneezed, sending new
information about an easier way to establish contact. It told how
to stimulate sexual desire in the host while suppressing fear,
which would result in making Mary establish contact with Jim.
* * * * *

Behind the counter, Mary was squirming.  Every time she looked at
that man, she got more and more turned on.  It was getting
unbearable.  She had never felt anything remotely like this.  All
of her life, her sex drive had been virtually non-existent.  This
was a major reason she was still single at 33.  But despite her
disdain for sex, her biological clock had begun to seriously tick
a few years ago.  Luckily, modern science made sex unnecessary
even for that problem, and she felt very confident that she could
be a great single parent to the child she would bear in 8 months.
 These feelings were completely foreign to her.  And it made no
sense at all!  Why now?  Why him?  He wasn’t even remotely
handsome, but looking at him made her whole body quiver with
need.  Despite the strangeness of it all she felt no fear.  Maybe
he was a sign, a cure, an angel sent to her to make her a whole
woman, a sexual being like everyone else.  She had to find out.

Nicole nudged Jim and gestured toward the desk. The pharmacist
was staring at him with utter lust. Shit! He felt sick. He wanted
to hide. He got up and walked quickly to the men’s room. He
splashed water on his face and gripped the sink for a minute or
two, staring into the mirror. What the hell was happening to him?
He didn’t look any different. Why were women suddenly throwing
themselves at him? And why now, instead of when he was in college
and single?

He heard a key unlocking the bathroom door. In the mirror he
watched the pharmacist step in, close the door, and lock it
behind her. Her hungry eyes locked onto his in the mirror. They
both held still for a moment.

“I can’t imagine why I’m doing this,” she said as she started to
hike up her skirt.  “Normally you wouldn’t have a chance with me.
I guess today is your lucky day.”

Jim turned around, intending to walk past her and out of the
bathroom, but he was stopped by a sudden paralyzing wave of lust.
She was sliding her panties off. She stepped out of them and
towards Jim. As she approached, another big wave froze him in
place, preventing the sudden dodge and rush for the door that he
had planned. It was too late. She was all over him, and his body
was responding. Her right knee rubbed up along the outside of his
left thigh as she ground her pelvis against his hip. Her lips
were all over his neck and face, and her hands were rubbing his
sudden erection through his jeans, then unzipping his fly and
fishing him out. She lifted her long, shapely leg even higher and
put her foot on the sink, while pulling his dick toward her
exposed pussy. He somehow managed to resist her effort to turn
his body. She whimpered and took his left hand in her right,
guiding it to her soaking wet pussy.

“Put it in me now! I need you inside me!” she moaned into his
ear, and then cut off any reply with a passionate kiss.

* * * * *
Contact at last! The virus was thrilled to discover that at least
one of its probes had grown to a comparable size to Jim’s viral
network. Their combined intelligence was stunningly powerful.
They almost instantly exchanged their new information. It was
soon clear there was no need to waste any of Jim’s precious
replication fluid. This host’s uterus was occupied and not
currently capable of taking on a new Jim. Had Jim somehow sensed
this? That would explain why he seemed to be resisting her. But
then why was she trying to insert him? It didn’t make sense that
he would know and she wouldn’t. So if he didn’t know, why was he
resisting replication? It wasn’t fear, that feeling the Jen-probe
had already learned to suppress. But there was another feeling,
much more complex but easy to identify at the moment because it
was causing similar resistance in Jim’s brain. It could not be
suppressed easily, if at all. It was connected to too many
different things in Jim's brain.  Whatever that feeling was, it
was vital.  Suppressing it would destroy his essence.

Back to the question of Mary – is she really unaware she’s
carrying another mini-host? No. She KNOWS. She knows right down
to the core of her being. Even this powerful combined viral
network still couldn’t begin to understand higher brain
functions, but this was a primal thing. So then Mary's apparent
desire to mate was merely a response to the motivational
chemicals the virus had released. Despite their huge size and
physical complexity, these hosts really were simple minded. Just
releasing a chemical made them want to go through the motions of
replicating even if their whole body knew it could serve no
possible function. Amazing.
* * * * *

Jim broke the kiss and groaned. It would be so easy. Looking
down, he could see her exposed pussy 6 inches away from his dick.
All he had to do was turn slightly and he would be inside this
stranger. Fucking a second incredibly hot stranger for the second
time in one night!  No, one hour! The thought was so sexy. It
made him feel like such a stud. But that idea snapped him back to
reality. He was most definitely not a stud. Something was
seriously wrong with this situation. And anyway, just because he
had cheated on his wife once tonight didn’t make it OK to do it
again.

He seemed to have finally mastered the paralyzing waves of
arousal. In fact, he had somehow managed to avoid having one
since they started kissing. He was relieved – maybe now he would
be able to control himself. Maybe it was just something he had
had to get used to. In a sudden movement, Jim disengaged himself
from the pharmacist and lurched out the door, leaving her panting
and hanging on to the sink.

Her voice echoed after him. “You can’t turn me down! Nobody turns
me down! Did you see this body?! Are you insane? Gay? Blind?”

An elderly woman was staring at him from a nearby aisle with a
shocked expression. He shrugged at her and turned to walk back to
the pharmacy waiting area. As soon as he took a step he realized
that his erection was waving around in the open air of the store.
Wups! He winced, hurriedly stuffed it back into his jeans and
zipped up, blushing furiously.

He sat back down next to Nicole, trying to act as if nothing had
happened. The bathroom had been in the opposite corner of the
store in a hallway out of sight. 

“How was it?” she asked.

“What? Going to the bathroom?”

“You’re covered in lipstick, Jim.”

“Oh.”

After a pause, she said “What is it about you? I don’t get it.”

“Me neither. Nothing like this ever happened to me before today.”

“Why do you seem down about it? Seems like this would be any
guy’s dream come true.”

He just looked at her in silence for a moment.

“Oh yeah, you’re married. I forgot.”

“I’ve never cheated before. I really love my wife. I feel awful
about this.”

“But you still haven’t cheated! At least you didn’t with me. Jim,
I raped you.”

“Huh?”

“Dude, think about it. You said no, twice actually, and I did it
anyway. If I was the guy it’d be called rape. Why is it any
different? I fucking raped you. I should go to jail. Jesus.”

At this point the pharmacist returned, still a little flushed but
acting composed and professional. She quickly filled Nicole’s
prescription without making eye contact with either of them. Jim
insisted on paying Nicole’s ten dollar co-pay with his credit
card.  Back in the van, Jim turned to Nicole. “I don’t think it
was rape. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better about
cheating. But things were out of control in a way that seems
really unnatural. I don’t know how to explain it, but I just
don’t think either of us really had much choice. It’s almost like
we were both raped, not by each other, but by something else that
was controlling us.”

“Yeah. If I hadn’t been there I’d say you were talking crazy. But
that sounds about right.”

“And I don’t usually come that fast,” he added.

She laughed. “I kinda figured. I took it as a compliment though.
I never come that fast either. That was by far the hottest thing
that has ever happened to me. I’m sure I’ll remember it always.
No regrets, OK?”

“Yeah you’re right. Same here. I know I’ll remember it forever
too.” They shared a smile.

She paused, thinking something through. “Jim, you said this
started today?”

“Yeah.”

“Did the sneezing also start today?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you sneeze on everyone who has thrown herself at you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you try taking anything to stop the sneezing?”

“Yeah, but it seems to have stopped working. I took Sudafed just
before getting in the pool and then I sneezed on your teammates
and also just now on the pharmacist.”

“Ok. I have another idea. I’ll be right back.” She got out of the
van and went back into the pharmacy. She came back a few minutes
later with a surgical mask. “My gift to you. Wear this when
you’re around people. Did you sneeze on anyone else today?”

“Yeah, two maids at the hotel, two girls behind the counter at a
coffee shop, and like 10 waitresses at a restaurant. Oh, and a
dozen of your teammates in the pool room tonight.”

“Wow, your nose has been busy. I’d say try to avoid any of those
people.”

“Sounds like a plan. But I can’t avoid the restaurant – that’s
part of my job. It’s OK though. I think I’m getting this thing
under control. I turned the pharmacist down. I just walked away.
Before it was just taking me by surprise, but now I’m ready for
it.”

They drove back to the hotel in silence. In the hallway Nicole
suddenly turned to him.  “Hey! I haven’t felt it this whole time!
It’s gone!”

“What’s gone?

“The attraction. I felt sudden attraction to you every time I
looked at you, but I haven’t felt it since the closet. So maybe
it just wears off after a while! Maybe all of those people you
sneezed on today will be over it by tomorrow anyway!”

“I sure hope so.” They walked on toward their rooms. Jim’s door
was first. She stopped when he did. She was looking at him oddly.


“Maybe we should check,” she said, with an impish little smile.

“Check?”

“To make sure it’s gone.”

“Oh. Ok.”

She leaned in and kissed him.

* * * * *
Neither virus had particularly wanted this contact, but now that
it was made, the Jim-virus set about analyzing data in the
Nicole-probe’s memory. After its experience with having to learn
to block the Sudafed, it was curious whether the pill in Nicole’s
stomach was going to do anything. It was! Oh no! It was going to
destroy the four precious replications of Jim! Had Nicole done
this on purpose? Was this because her body didn’t want to
replicate Jim? But those same mini-hosts were also replications
of Nicole! Didn’t she know that? She must be confused somehow. It
had been clear that Mary’s whole being WANTED to grow that
mini-host inside her. It appeared that Nicole’s body, like
Mary’s, was fully aware it was pregnant, but there was not the
same feeling that her whole being wanted it. Nicole’s body was
making a terrible mistake! The virus immediately set out to make
her feel the very sane, proper way Mary had felt about
replicating. But she had already taken the pill. Could its
effects be stopped somehow? Suddenly, something happened and the
hosts broke contact.
* * * * *

A flash lit up the hallway. They broke the kiss and turned toward
the open door to the room across the hall. Kelly was holding a
camera, surrounded by the other three, all of whom were laughing.
Flash! She took another picture with both of them looking at the
camera in surprise.

Jim sneezed.

“Again? What the hell is wrong with you? Gross! Can’t you cover?
I think he got it on my lens!” Kelly said, and then slammed the
door. Muffled giggling could be heard. Jim turned back to Nicole.

“Damn. Well anyway, did the kiss make you feel anything?” he
asked.

“Nope. Still nothing.”

“Oh.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yeah. Right. Good night.” He watched her walk down the hall. Her
face looked a little green and her pace seemed to quicken as she
approached her door.

“Are you OK?” he called to her. She didn’t answer, and hurried
inside her room. Concerned, he walked over toward her door. When
he got there he could distinctly hear the sounds of vomiting.
Wow. She wasn't kidding about no longer being attracted to him if
kissing him made her literally puke. He knocked and called
through the door. 

“Nicole, are you OK? Do you need anything?”

The door opened revealing Nicole's three roommates.  The
redheaded one said “she’s fine; we’ll take care of her.” Then her
eyes met his and suddenly widened in a bizarre expression. Jim
promptly sneezed on them.  She slammed the door in his face.

“Oh my god it’s Sneezy!” he heard her exclaim through the door.

“Who?”

"The guy from the pool!  Sarah named him Sneezy the dwarf."

“Did he do something to Nikki?!”

“I don't know but I’m calling the police!”

Oh shit, Jim thought. How would they explain this? He certainly
wasn’t going to let Nicole get away with telling the police she
had raped him, but still, he couldn’t imagine how he would
explain what was going on to anyone, much less a police officer.

Then Nicole’s voice, in between dry heaves: “No, hang up the
phone Erin. It’s OK. He’s harmless.”

Things seemed to calm down. He waited outside for a few minutes
and finally decided to knock again. After a moment, Nicole’s
voice came through the door.

“What’s up Jim?”

“Do you need to go back to the pharmacy?”

“No.”

“Really?”

She said something quiet, and he couldn’t be sure, but it sounded
almost like “I changed my mind.”

“What?”

“I said, uh... I found it. It was still whole. It’s ok. Good
night Jim.”

“Ok. Good night.” He walked back to his room.


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