Page 110 of Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal
“I . . . I can’t.”
He turns to look at me and then sighs. “Okay.” He then wraps me up in a blanket and picks me up himself, holding me like a baby.
“Come on.”
“M-my B-B-Buzz.”
“Huh?” he asks.
“B-blankets. P-put blankets.” I gesture to Buzz’s tank, and he glances over at it. He sets me down for a moment, lifts up the blankets, and then nods.
“Okay.” He puts more blankets on the terrariumand then scoops me up again. “It’s going to be rough, okay? Put your hood up, and bury your face in my chest. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
Max
I clutch Betty close to my chest as I follow my tracks back to the house, my flashlight barely dangling from my hand, lighting the way.
The only thing propelling me forward through the snow and my aching back is pure adrenaline, because the moment I saw her under those blankets, I went into protection mode. Why didn’t she call someone? Why didn’t she ask for help? Was she just going to stay there and freeze to fucking death?
Jesus Christ.
And why isn’t fucking Dwight checking up on her?
Why didn’t he give her a backup power option?
Because he’s a dick, that’s why.
I make it back onto my property and thankfully use the light on the back porch to guide me. I move up the stairs, open the door, and then bring her inside the den, where I gently set her down, only for her to crumple to the floor.
“Fuck.” I quickly shed my jacket and boots and then do the same for her, pulling her out of the snow-covered clothes.
She’s practically lifeless as I carry her into the living room, where the fire is still going.
Her body is freezing. Her legs, her arms, even though she’s wearing long sleeves, are freezing. I set her down on the couch and then bring one of the wingback chairs close to the fireplace. I pick her up and put her in the chair and then start covering her with blankets. Then I squat in front of her and run my finger over her cheek.
“Betty, you okay?”
Her eyes lightly open, and it takes her a second, but she nods.
“Okay.” I put another log on the fire to increase the heat and then say, “I’ll be back. Don’t move, understood?”
She just nods and closes her eyes. I wait a moment and watch her breathe, making sure she’s okay, and when I think that she’llbe fine, I go to the back of the house again, suit up, and then trek back out to her place.
Betty
The heat of the fire blazes in front of me, but I feel completely lifeless under the blankets.
My head is fuzzy, and I’m not quite sure how I really got from my house to here other than Atlas. But the in-between, the trek he made, not quite sure how that went.
All I can remember is him breathing hard, muttering curse words, and then reassuring me that we were almost where we needed to be.
And now I’m sitting in front of a fire, covered in blankets that smell like him, wondering where the hell he is.
After what feels like an hour, I hear the back door shut and then a muttered, “Fuck me.”
Where was he?
Zippers are undone, boots are clunked to the floor, and then I hear him approach, only to see him come up beside me and squat down again.
