Started: 03-31-03 Completed: 05-02-03JUST A HUG
Osmosis Jones sighed and dumped his badge and gun on his office table. He threw off his jacket onto his armchair and slouched on his couch instead. If white blood cells can experience a case of chronic depression, OJ is the perfect candidate.
“Jones? Jones, are you alright?” Drixenol came in, his bubble-jet feet hovering above floor level. OJ didn’t respond. He just looked sideways at his partner and went back to his thoughts.
“Jones, this is not right. You can’t go on mooning over your loss and wallowing in self-pity forever. You got a job to do.”
“I am doing my job. What do you think I’m doing?” OJ replied weakly, not looking at his cold pill partner.
“You thrashed 3 germs and 5 bacterias almost beyond recognition, that’s what you’ve been doing. I think you’re trying to vent your anger and frustration over the loss of Leah on…”
“Hey, shut up, OK?!” OJ snapped, banging his fist on the couch. “I didn’t ask for your advice and I certainly did not let you in here to interrogate me and question about my life! So you better save your cherry-flavoured breath to yourself and back off!!”
Drix wasn’t going to let himself leave without giving his white blood cell partner a piece of his mind. “Listen to yourself, Jones, you’re cracking up. You beat up germs and bacteria, you almost disintegrated a prime witness into oblivion, and you mouthed off your superior. And now you’re telling me to back off?”
OJ didn’t reply. He knew that Drix had a point. He did try to burst a few molecules today. He never burst his bubble at the Chief before, no matter how pissed he was in the past. He realized that he had been cranky ever since Leah died. He stared at the picture he and Leah took at the eye peak and sighed.
“It’s…It’s just not fair…Why she had to leave me? All of a sudden…?” OJ was in the verge of breaking down, just like he did a year ago.
“It’s not your fault, Jones,” Drix laid his hand on OJ’s shoulder, “it just happened. It is common that a number of brain cells die when Frank holds his breath. We can never stop Frank from going swimming anyway.”
“He shouldn’t be going in the first place!” OJ flicked Drix’s hand away harshly. “That Shane of his is really working on getting him into shape, but look how much sacrifice she made him make!”
“Be reasonable, Jones. It is for the well-being of the city of Frank if you want things running smoothly.”
OJ fingered his badge both on his wallet and on his jacket sleeve. “Immunity force…What’s the point of me being in the immunity force when I can’t even save the brain cell I love?”
Drix tapped his lip. He’s not the type to give sweet talk or comfort people. His upbringing has been a pretty down-to-earth, strict and serious matter. When he studied for his degree, friends were limited, grades were everything and competition was lethal. Although he did let light, humour and happiness into his life once in a while, only after entering the city of Frank and meeting OJ, then he knew what fun and action really meant.
Finally, as his last resort, he brought his arms around OJ from behind, giving him a warm hug, saying softly, “A friend of mine said this cures depression.”
OJ was quite taken aback at first, but later he sighed, relaxed and said, “Drix, thanks a lot. I know you’re trying hard but…just give me more time to adjust, OK?”
“No problem, Jones,” Drix smiled as he let go of his partner, “but make it snappy. The force needs you.”
OJ strolled along the liver lane. The liver domain seemed much better now, although there were still chicken-pox fights going on with the Mr. Influenza Virus putting the bets and reaping the dough. OJ ignored them—he wasn’t in a mood to arrest them or bug the virus who was almost at the good side. He remembered betting chicken-pox fights when he was a kid anyway.
His mind also took a stroll down memory lane where he and Drix were promoted into the immunity force. The kiss Leah gave him was her pledge to be his one and only sweetheart. It was double joy for him. Nothing can be compared to this joyous occasion.
Things went bitter a year later. Tom Colonick was, of course, elected as the new Mayor of the city of Frank and Bill Phlegmming went down to the drains. Leah shifted her assistantship from Phlegmming to Colonick almost immediately and she was working around the clock. OJ was impressed because Leah was showing much enthusiasm in improving Frank into a better shape, but was also jealous because she was more tied to the job than to him.
That was when he decided that he and Leah should tie the knot together before she starts forgetting about him. He saved himself enough cash to buy a considerably high-classed ring from a shop in Ring Finger Street. He drove as fast as he could (and as reckless as usual) to the brain stem and rushed to the lift to get to Tom Colonick’s office. There was a small turbulence when he was going up, but he ignored it. To him, a little shake in the lift meant nothing. He just wanted to go down on his knees in front of Leah and give her a surprise proposal she could never refuse.
His ignorance was paid with a high price. When he reached Tom Colonick’s headquarters, he saw a few brain cells lying on the floor, lifeless and immobile. As he advanced to Tom’s office, he saw him holding a very pale-looking Leah. There was no sign of reaction on her. Tom looked at OJ sadly and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Jones. We tried. We really tried…”
OJ dropped the ring and walked towards his lifeless girlfriend. He held her close to his chest, his eyes blank, his face expressionless. Slowly she evaporated in his arms and he found himself hugging his own body. That’s when he finally broke down and cried like never before.
OJ shook the memory away hastily. He didn’t want to become a soppy old cell again. He still had the ring in his pocket though. He couldn’t find the heart to throw it away. As he took it out, he noticed that the ring he bought was a shape-shifting ring. It can expand or shrink at will to fit the person’s finger. He slipped it into his and it actually fits. ‘Leah would’ve fit too’, he thought, ‘and so will Drix…’
OJ snapped back to his senses. Why did Drix come into view? All of a sudden, the sight of the ring reminded him of Drix. Was it because of Drix hugging him this morning? Surprisingly, instead of feeling disgusted, he actually felt relaxed and comforted when Drix hugged him. Outrageously weird but true.
He slipped the ring back into his pocket before he starts jumping into weird conclusions.
Drix was cleaning out his locker. He couldn’t believe that he had kept so much rubbish in it. After being introduced into the force, times have been pretty busy. Anything he got his hands on was immediately dumped into his locker. Even his unfinished breakfast was in there! Gross! He never felt so unorganized before, ever since he left college and entered Frank. He had to get back on track.
Unknowingly, he shifted his gaze to the pictures he took with OJ. Their first picture was a newspaper clipping of the mucus dam in the nose during their days of battling Thrax. There were a few more news clippings stuck on the locker door and the rest were decent pictures. There was a picture of only OJ alone, which made him smile unconsciously whenever he looked at it.
He remembered the hug he gave OJ. Somehow he felt hurt when he had him in his arms. OJ felt almost like a thin piece of film. It seemed that OJ has been losing weight since the death of Leah. Slowly he realized that the absence of Leah has given him a little bit of advantage. He did feel a pang of jealousy when OJ scooted after work or during break time to see Leah instead of hanging out with him.
He used to think he was jealous because OJ was neglecting him as a friend, but when there were times that OJ brought Leah to hang out with him and they both had a little bit of romances in front of him, he also felt jealous. He realized that his jealousy was more than just OJ’s negligence.
He was actually jealous because OJ was in love with Leah instead of himself.
But he also realized that he and OJ are impossible. Cells go with cells, not with cold pills. They are partners in work, not partners in life. He felt comforted enough to know that OJ will still pick him up for work, treat him to fast food meals and be there whenever there’s a case.
Soon he realized that he was supposed to do and got back to work.
Drix was brushing himself up when OJ reached his apartment to fetch him. He didn’t exactly hear his car horn honking, and OJ was not the type who stays still for long, so OJ decided to go upstairs to Drix’s apartment instead.
Come to think of it, this was the first time OJ ever actually went into Drix’s apartment. Usually he waited for him downstairs at the entrance. OJ was quite surprised to find himself taking the lift to Drix’s floor.
“Room 501…” OJ searched for Drix’s room number. He found it and noticed that the door was not closed. He shook his head, “And he said he’s an immunity cop. Just look at this! Dumb!”
OJ knocked as he went in. There was no answer. He closed the door behind him and looked around. The whole place was very well-groomed. Each and every household appliance was strategically and beautifully placed, and it was spotless. It was so clean, it made OJ’s apartment look like a squatter’s area.
“Now that’s what I call a college boy home!” OJ exclaimed to himself, feeling impressed with Drix’s ‘home sweet home’. He never knew that Drix had a neat side.
“Jones? What are you doing here?”
OJ swung round in surprise. Drix was all set and ready to go, his bubble-jet feet hovering as usual. OJ was stunned. Somehow he saw a different type of Drix. The usual Drix was momentarily gone. The Drix standing in front of him was all shined up, standing out like the hero of the century. His red and yellow complexion suddenly seemed attractive to him. He somehow looked…handsome. OJ was quite lost staring at him in wonder.
“Jones. Jones! We’re going to be late! Let’s go now before the Chief starts yelling!” Drix’s call brought him back to reality. The usual Drix was back. OJ then realized that he had his hand in his pocket, his fingers reaching for the ring. He pulled his hand out immediately, muttered something about going downstairs and rushed out of Drix’s apartment, leaving a surprised Drix behind.
“What were you doing up in my apartment anyway?” Drix tagged along behind OJ, his curiosity building. “You never come up here before.”
“I was restless, alright?” OJ replied hastily. “You took your time coming down, so I thought I’d check you out.”
“Why? You’re worried about me?”
“Let’s get some blood mocha and hot fingers on the way,” OJ changed the subject.
He didn’t want Drix to see him blush.
Today was a long day. Before the duo could finish their breakfast, the Chief called through the car radio about a robbery and told them to get their backs into it. There were also other cases like gang fights, hostage-holding, a germ jail-break and even an attempt by a bacterium to demolish the nervous system. After all those cases, both the rowdy white blood cell and the ‘college boy’ cold pill were beat.
“I have never been so busy before in my whole microscopic life!” OJ groaned as he drove his car to Shoulder Blade Avenue, where Drix’s apartment was.
“Me too! This is more tiring than freezing Frank’s sore throat!” Drix groned too, checking to see whether he had enough ammo left in his chest box.
“As soon as I get home, I’m gonna take a nice long bath and sit on my couch watching TV and sipping lymph coke.”
“I got a better idea,” Drix said with a sheepish grin, his eyes not meeting OJ.
“What?”
Moments later, OJ found himself gorging on pasta lips, fried plasma, nucleus salad, anti-pathogen soup and chocolate toe chips for dessert.
“This is the bomb, man!” OJ exclaimed happily, enjoying a tall glass of ice cold lymph juice. “I didn’t know you could cook!”
“One of my many talents,” Drix replied proudly, carrying the dirty dishes into his kitchen. OJ stood up.
“You’ve cooked me up a storm. Let me do the dishes, please.”
“If you insist,” Drix replied. OJ carried the rest of the dishes and rolled up his sleeves. He saw Drix removing his hand cannon and putting it on the couch.
“Woah! I thought your hand is built in with that baby,” OJ commented.
“Of course not. I’m no robot,” Drix snorted, putting both his hands into the filled-up sink and started washing. Both of them worked in silence, with only Drix’s radio on.
“Today’s busy day is a good thing for you, though,” Drix finally broke the ice.
“Why?” OJ asked, curious.
“For starters, it kept you occupied. You’re not grieving your whole day over Leah anymore.”
OJ stopped abruptly. Drix noticed and immediately felt guilty he ever said that. OJ looked at Drix’s guilty face and put on a wry smile, saying, “It’s OK, Drix. You got a point. For once, I’m not thinking too much about Leah.”
Drix smiled, looking relieved, “I thought so.”
After the dishes were done, they moved to the living room and sat on the sofa watching TV and drinking the remaining lymph juice. They kicked back and relaxed while enjoying a few sitcoms and a movie.
Slowly Drix felt the weight on his shoulder increasing. He turned and saw OJ falling asleep on his right shoulder. He was obviously tired after all the hectic goings-on for the whole day. He looked so peaceful, so serene, like he had no care for the world at all. Drix’s blush would’ve been obvious if it weren’t for his already red and yellow complexion.
Hesitantly, Drix brought his arm round OJ and held him close to his chest. He was tempted to lay his lips on OJ’s, but finally decided against it. He didn’t want to wake OJ and he certainly didn’t want to create trouble if OJ noticed him in the midst of his doing. He aimed for OJ’s forehead instead.
Unknown to Drix, OJ half-opened his eyes, his face showing a little bit of disappointment.
“Jones! Drix! My office, now!”
The next day started with a command from the Chief. The duo entered. Both of them were pretending that the sleep-on-the-shoulder incident didn’t happen at all and were trying to hide from each other how they felt about last night. Both were denying the fact that their feelings towards each other were mutual and were pretty stubborn.
“Jones, Drix, I’ve got a tough assignment for you two,” the Chief said, sliding a photo for them to see. OJ took the photo. In it was a sinister-looking virus with haunting yellow eyes and very black complexion. He has silver hair and was wearing white robes, a white turtleneck vest and white trousers. His shoes were gray and jutting out of his left hand was an all too familiar claw. Both OJ and Drix gasped.
“Chief, no, chief, say it isn’t so!” OJ exclaimed.
“Yes, unfortunately. It’s Thrax. He’s back,” the Chief nodded his head regretfully.
“It can’t be! He’s dead! I saw him melt like a popsicle when he fell into that jar of alcohol!”
“Sources reported that he might’ve mutated into something lethal after his dunk into the alcohol,” the Chief said, “He’s now deadlier than ever.”
“Now that’s a tough assignment!” Drix commented, scrutinizing the photo again.
“I’m counting on you two, Jones, Drix. His aim might not be only the hypothalamus anymore. He could be aiming for the heart, the lungs; anywhere Frank would be vulnerable without. Can you handle it?”
OJ and Drix glanced at each other. They’ve been through hell fighting Thrax the last time he infected Frank. Thrax was a tough one, and both of them were almost close to death trying to eliminate him. Yet they didn’t go through this alone. They had help from each other. They smiled as the same thought came through their minds.
“We’re ready, Chief,” Drix replied.
“Anytime!” OJ agreed.
“Good, men! I wish you luck!” The Chief gave them his blessing. “It is said that his hideout might be in the abandoned scab construction site. It was still under demolition period as our Frank has just recovered from a fall off the treadmill. He might be hiding there.”
“But, Chief, if you guys already got this information, why not just storm in and nab him?” OJ was surprised. Even Drix was quite suspicious.
“We got it from your gambling friend Mr. Influenza. You might trust him but we don’t. We don’t want to risk our men falling into a trap unguarded. You know Thrax better than two of me put together. I trust you can fill in the job.”
“OK,” OJ shrugged. “If you say so, Chief. We’re on the case.”
OJ saluted the Chief before leaving his office. Drix hurried behind his partner and whispered, “This is too easy. That flu virus wouldn’t just pop out of nowhere in front of the Chief and expose such information. It could be a trap.”
“You think I don’t know that?” OJ hissed, much to Drix’s surprise. “I think something fishy is going on here. We might as well check the scab site and keep our heads together. It’s up to us now. Either Thrax or I will be the element of surprise.”
“I’m right behind you, Jones,” Drix gave his support as they reached the car.
“Same here, Drix,” OJ squeezed Drix’s arm before rushing to the driver’s seat. Drix almost blushed as he stepped into the car.
All was quiet at the site. OJ and Drix loaded themselves before entering the gate. The building of the scab site was almost coming down. The scab they worked on a few weeks ago was pretty much not needed anymore; there was a thin line were the scab used to be. Quickly but carefully, they crept into the building. The door of the building creaked slightly but not too loud to be heard. They stepped inside and closed the door behind them. They searched almost everywhere, but no sign of Thrax or his henchmen. Everything looked abnormally peaceful.
“Now that’s something you don’t see everyday,” OJ said, confused after meeting Drix back at the entrance of the site.
“You’re right. I couldn’t find anything,” Drix agreed. “It’s as if they knew we’re coming and have disappeared into thin air.”
“This could be a diversion. We’ve fallen into one of Thrax’s smart traps again.”
“If this is a diversion, where could Thrax be?”
OJ rubbed his chin. Thrax was getting better at this—so good, he actually stumped him. He recalled what the Chief said to him back at the office:
‘His aim might not be only the hypothalamus…could be aiming at the heart, the lungs, anywhere Frank would be vulnerable without…’
“Drix, what happens when a virus, germ or bacteria breeches into Down Town Frank?” OJ asked Drix as they drove down the highway.
“The FPD steps in,” Drix replied, “or the immunity force. Why?”
“That means without the force, Frank would most likely unable to survive if the invaders come, right?”
“Right.”
“So all in all, we are one of the most essential parts of Frank, right?”
“You don’t mean…?” Drix was getting the picture.
“Yup, it was a diversion, alright, to take us away so that Thrax could wipe the entire force!” OJ picked up speed. A few other cars honked and the drivers cursed as his car swerved left and right, in and out to reach FPD.
“That coward!” Drix punched his hand cannon. “I should’ve known he’ll do such a thing! When I get that flu virus, I’ll make sure he’ll never get a parole!”
“No time for blaming people now. He could be threatened or bribed to do such things. One thing’s for sure, we gotta get to the FPD before Thrax starts disintegrating each and everyone of the crew!”
They were a step too late. The FPD was beginning to burn like mad. Drix had to use his hand cannon to ice a way for them to go into the FPD. They were in for a shock. Most of the cops were pretty much scorched to death by Thrax’s deadly claw. Those surviving were very badly damaged. The Chief was also in a bad shape. OJ rushed to the phone to call for medical help before going to check on the Chief. Drix followed suite while he tried to bring down the rest of the fire.
“Chief! Chief! You OK?” OJ tried to shake him awake. The Chief blinked his eyes open and broke into tears.
“I’m sorry, Jones…I didn’t mean to…”
“What? What happened here?” OJ asked, panic.
“I made up the…whole story about…Thrax being at the…scab site…” the Chief coughed fluids terribly. He was really hurt bad. “He threatened me…”
“Stay with me, man! Stay with me! Don’t lose yourself!”
“He threatened to kill…my wife…and kids…if I didn’t cooperate…He wanted me to distract you guys…so that he can destroy Frank…he was here when I gave you the orders…”
“He was here?! He was under our noses all along?! Why didn’t we see him?” Drix exclaimed at upon hearing the news.
“I told you…he is more lethal than before…He can shape-shift himself and blend in…with his surroundings…He could be anywhere now, but…not…here…”
The Chief was going down fast. Luckily the medical crew was there in time. OJ and Drix helped him to the medi-truck before leaping into their own car to drive off.
“Man! This virus really is good! Where could he be now?” OJ groaned, frustrated and exasperated.
“His main goal is still the hypothalamus, maybe we should check it out,” Drix suggested. “We can warn the Mayor too.”
OJ gave it a thought. It’s been a while since he stepped into the brain after Leah’s death. But that’s not the case now. He had to stop Thrax. That’s his main agenda in his mind. Besides, he actually found out that he missed Drix every night more than he missed Leah. He had accepted the fact that Leah is gone.
“I guess you’re right. Down Town Frank needs to be alerted. Let’s go,” OJ said as he swerved to the direction of the brain. Later, after a momentary silence, OJ looked straight ahead, blushing as he said, “Drix, I got something for ya.”
“What is it?” Drix asked, curious.
“…You’ll get it after we’ve brought down Thrax.”
“OK. No hurry.”
“What? Thrax is back?”
“Yes, Mayor. You have to sound the alarm and announce it to the citizens of Frank. This is really urgent.”
OJ and Drix were in Mayor Colonick’s office, telling him about the invasion of Thrax. He had a new assistant, and surprisingly it’s a he-cell and not a she-cell.
“You’re right. The city of Frank needs to be alerted. We cannot risk another disaster like last time, due to the ex-Mayor’s ignorance.” Obviously, this new mayor was much more responsible than the old one. “Trent, arrange for a press conference. I need to make an announcement A.S.A.P, before this Thrax can do further damage. We need more recruits to keep on a lookout for…”
“That won’t be necessary, my dear Mayor of the Year.”
OJ and Drix swung round. To their horror, there stood the ever familiar Thrax, standing tall and proud and more evil than ever. His silver hair shone and his black skin gleamed menacingly, as if just been polished. His white attire highlighted his malevolence even more.
“Thrax…?” OJ was too shock and horrified to speak.
“In the flesh, Jones, in the flesh,” Thrax said silkily. “You thought you’ve finished me off now, didn’t you, Jones? Look who’s laughing last now?”
So saying, Thrax took out his bracelet of collected hypothalamus DNA. This time, the bracelet was much longer than before. As he let one end of the bracelet go, it actually hit the ground. OJ and Drix gasped.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Thrax admired his collection. “It was surprisingly easy though, with my new found ability. Took me less than 24 hours to get all 201 of these people. Maybe I should thank you, ‘coz if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have got this power and gone this far in killing people and breaking my record.”
“How did you get…?” Drix was about to ask but OJ cut in.
“Shape-shifting. He blended into our car.”
“Glad you understood me so well and so fast,” Thrax said, impressed. “Now if you’ll excuse me…”
In a flash, he disappeared right in front of them, or to be more precise, blended into the surroundings, leaving him invisible. OJ and Drix got into action, searching high and low, sounding the alarm about the intruder. Soon, the temperature began to rise. OJ was shocked.
“The hypothalamus! He made it to the site! Holy spit!”
OJ rushed to the hypothalamus site. The cells in charge were already down. Thrax was laughing menacingly as he slipped the DNA into his bracelet. The rest of the hypothalamus chromosome was black as ebony, and the temperature was increasing at an alarming speed. It was faster than the last Thrax infection. OJ was infuriated.
“You son of a pox! You put that DNA back now, or I’ll shoot!” OJ raised his gun at the black virus.
“Shoot if you dare then, Jones. See if it does me any good!” Thrax challenged the white blood cell. OJ didn’t have to be told twice. He fired at Thrax, hitting him right on the chest. Thrax’s body actually absorbed the shot, leaving no scratch on him. Thrax laughed at the bewildered OJ who fired at him over and over again, to no avail.
“What’s the matter, Jones? Is that all you got?” Thrax jeered at OJ. Slowly he gathered himself and propelled the shots back to OJ. The impact was twice the shots OJ gave him. OJ was flung backwards, hitting the wall and causing a dent.
When OJ tried to get up, he felt the wrath of the bracelet around his neck. The whole thing was repeating itself again, but this time, OJ knew Thrax had the upper hand. He choked, trying to free himself before suffocating to death.
“Brings back memories now, doesn’t it, Jones?” Thrax hissed. “You still wear it well, this bracelet. This time, Jones, I win. I really must thank you. You actually gave me a record better than the last time. Just to tell you, I’ve already made it to the books. They now rate me as a virus deadlier than Ebola and even deadlier than AIDS. I’m the most lethal sickness in the whole medical record now, thanks to you! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
OJ was really going down. Thrax was much stronger than before. He knew he couldn’t apprehend the virus, but he had to try, and he couldn’t do it if he were to be dead. He continued struggling for air, all the while thinking about how Drix would feel if he was found dead…
“UNHAND HIM, YOU VIRUS!”
OJ was shocked. There was Drix, aiming his hand cannon at Thrax. Thrax looked up, amused.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t that cherry-flavoured cold pill. You can’t ice me with that thing anymore, you know. It’s not gonna work.”
“I might as well try, if you don’t release Jones.”
“All right, I will. But not without leaving a little token of my gratitude for his wondrous contribution to my success.”
Before Drix could react, Thrax buried his claw deep into OJ’s chest. OJ didn’t even have the chance to split a hole to escape from Thrax’s thrust. He felt the heat encircled him, burning him like fire. His skin membrane was glowing red and it ached to even breathe. Thrax let go of him, pocketed the bracelet and blended into his surroundings again. OJ collapsed heavily on the floor, unable to get up. He gasped for air, the heat wrapping him up tightly, making him unable to breathe. Drix rushed to his aid.
“Jones, hang in there!” Drix wanted to hold him but OJ raised his hand to stop him in his tracks.
“Don’t come close! I might…be…contagious…”
“You need help, Jones! Let me at least ice you to lower down your temperature!”
“It’s no use…leave me…get Thrax…before he gets out killing…more people…!”
“I have to cool you down!” Drix urged.
“No! Go! Leave me alone!”
“I DON’T CARE!” Drix grabbed OJ and held him close. He was shocked at how hot OJ felt. “You’re burning…”
“Go, please…Thrax’ll escape and it’ll be the end of Frank…” OJ pleaded. Drix fell on deaf ears.
“I’m not leaving you here! My life will mean nothing without you by my side…I can never do anything without you. You’re everything to me! Don’t you understand? I cannot lose you! I can’t!!”
OJ finally felt the need to reach for his pocket. He felt for the ring and took it out. Slowly he whispered, “Hey…Drix…”
Drix looked down and saw the ring. Trembling, OJ slipped the ring into Drix’s finger. It expanded and fit just right. Drix was dumbstruck for a second there.
“I was thinking of giving…you this…after we kick Thrax’s butt…Guess it couldn’t wait for that…huh…?”
“No…No! Don’t say that! Don’t you even think about leaving me, Jones! I’m not taking this, you hear me? We’ll destroy Thrax together! We’ll finish this together! Don’t you dare leave me, Jones!!”
“I…I love you, Drix…” OJ’s words were barely clear. He was fading fast.
“I love you too, Jones. I love you too. Please don’t leave me…”
“Call me…Ozzie…”
“Ozzie…I love you…”
OJ started coughing large amounts of fluids. His body began to shiver, going into intense shock. His shivering gradually stop a few seconds later, then slowly, his breathing went shallower and shallower, until it finally stopped. OJ has stopped functioning, the glow of his infected body going down to a slow halt. His eyes were closed, as serene as the last time Drix saw him sleep on his shoulder.
“No…Oh no, please…Don’t do this to me, Ozzie! Please! No! NO~~!!!!”
Drix wailed as he held the lifeless OJ to his chest. He never felt so heartbroken before. The feeling of the ring around his finger ached through his heart. He was sure that the ring used to belong to Leah, the one OJ loved, and that now it was slipped into his finger, it was clear that OJ’s confession of love was true. The heat and fire around them spread anger, hate and contempt all over Drix’s heart. He wished nothing more than to destroy the virus who took away his one true love.
He wiped away the tears in his eyes and laid OJ somewhere shaded, away from the falling ceilings and crumpling walls. He gave OJ a quick kiss on the lips and left the building to pursue Thrax. Down Town Frank was in a riot, just like the last time Thrax infected it and things didn’t look so good. Drix shot at anything moving and creeping through walls, roads or even thin air. After much hard work and determination, he caught Thrax trying to escape through the mucus dam and out of Frank’s nose.
Drix gave chase. His bubble-jet feet gave him the advantage to glide faster. Soon he caught up with the virus and had him cornered. Thrax wasn’t the least bit afraid.
“Hey, cold pill! Are you gonna nuke me or what? I got a whole earth population to infect here,” Thrax said silkily yet coldly.
“The name’s Drixenol,” Drix growled as he aimed his hand cannon at the virus, “and you’re going down, Thrax!”
“Quit the pep talk already! What’s so important about that cell anyway? You should’ve been out of Frank a long time ago. You’re just a cold pill.”
“I chose to stay, because Ozzie means a lot to me. You’ll never understand,” Drix tried to fight back tears as he held the cannon near the unperturbed Thrax’s face.
“Ooh, that kind of relationship, eh?” Thrax gave him an I-read-your-mind look. “Reminds me of my victims number 91 and 92. They’re a couple and they’re both females, sort of like you guys.”
“Shut up! SHUT UP!! What do you know?! You killed Ozzie! It’s not enough for you to pay even a thousand deaths!!”
“Then let’s start with the first,” Thrax replied, making a sudden move. Drix fired a shot. Thrax absorbed the ice and laughed. Drix fired again and again, but like OJ, he failed. Flashes of OJ’s lifeless body and serene face went through his mind as he continued firing at the laughing Thrax. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He yelled out loud in agony and sadness, tears flowing out of his eyes. He lost his strength to shoot. He felt that he failed his love terribly. He slumped to the floor, sobbing. Thrax turned to face Drix.
“Ooh, how sad. Let me help you end your misery,” Thrax said sarcastically as he propelled the ice impact back to Drix, sending him crashing to the dam control building. Drix didn’t attempt to get up.
“And now, I’ll take you to meet him,” Thrax walked stylishly and proudly towards Drix who fell into a stupor. Drix had no intention to fight anymore. He stroked his ring as he waited to receive his fate.
“Wait for me, Ozzie…” He whispered as he closed his eyes, Thrax’s aura closing on him.
“If you dare die on me, I’ll never forgive you for the rest of my microscopic life!”
Drix opened his eyes. He couldn’t believe it but it was true. He was neither dreaming nor hallucinating this. Right in front of his eyes, there stood OJ, his body glowing, his skin membrane burning bright. His clothes were beginning to scorch and disappear due to his intense body heat. He could be going 100 or 200 degrees Celsius, maybe even more. OJ took off his shades (which were beginning to melt with the heat) and revealed an exact pair of haunting yellow eyes like Thrax.
“You think I’ve gone down now, haven’t you?” OJ grinned, stepping in front of Thrax, his back facing the overwhelmed Drix.
“Jones, I’m impressed,” Thrax smirked as he flashed his glowing green claw. “You really are full of surprises.”
Their battle started. Face punching and butt kicking ensured. OJ was beginning to lose his agility as he felt his temperature going up even more. He never should’ve woke up. He knew he was going deep down fast, but somehow he couldn’t let Drix go. He forced himself to assimilate his body with the virus implanted by Thrax into his body. He and Thrax’s DNA has become as one and he felt his body burning as he tried to adjust.
Thrax was getting the upper hand. OJ was being forced to the edge. The mucus dam down there looked threateningly deep and thick. A normal cell can never swim back to the surface once he dunks himself into that goop.
“Looks like I win again, Jones. See you in the next life!” Thrax sneered as he grabbed OJ’s and forced him down the edge. Drix tried to pry him free of OJ but Thrax was stronger. He pushed the muscular Drix away, sending Drix yet another flight to the control building wall. OJ struggled to free himself from Thrax’s grasp when an idea suddenly popped through his thin membrane head. OJ smiled to himself as he concentrated through his inner body.
“Any last words, Jones, before I send you to your watery grave?” Thrax hissed menacingly at the white blood cell.
“Yeah!” OJ replied, all set and ready for his defense. “You want Osmosis? You got Osmosis!”
So saying, he yanked with all his might at Thrax’s hands, using every ounce of strength he had gathered—all of them were combined between Thrax’s DNA and his own. He finally pried his hands off and, with both hands, forced Thrax’s clawed hand into the virus’ own body.
Thrax snarled and gurgled, vomiting blackish-green fluids as the entity within his claw began to infect his entire body. He began to burn and pop, squirting more gross fluid all over OJ’s clothes. Thrax fell onto his knees as he tried to tug out his clawed hand out of his body, but to no avail; OJ’s combined strength has forced the hand deep into his body until it got thoroughly stuck. Thrax began to melt, his body emitting a dark glow as the clawed hand continued burning through his body. Every inch of his body was scorched, boiled to the bone. Finally, with one last gurgle of defeat, Thrax was gone; his body pieces were more of melted fluids than solid pieces. OJ let out a sigh of relief.
“Ozzie!” Drix glided towards OJ, hugging him close to his chest. “You’re alright! Thank Frank!”
“Hey, I couldn’t leave my sweetie pill all alone to fight Thrax now, could I?” OJ hugged him back. “No one messes with my Drixenol when I’m around!”
Drix smiled sheepishly as he fingered the ring. OJ noticed and took Drix’s face, staring deep into his eyes. Drix knew what he wanted. He closed his eyes and placed his lips onto the white blood cell’s lip that he craved so much. They kissed deep, their tongues playing and fondling each other’s passionately. Time stood still between them as they shared each and every breath of each other, savouring the moment, tasting every corner of each other’s mouths. They never felt a moment more blissful than this.
Finally, they parted to catch their breaths. Drix scratched his head sheepishly, looking away like an embarrassed school boy.
“We better get that bracelet to the hypothalamus before Frank starts burning into a crisp again,” OJ said as he picked up the long bracelet.
“Yes, let’s,” Drix agreed, holding OJ’s hand. OJ’s body still felt heaty but Drix was getting used to it now. Quickly they rushed to the brain.
Frank was safely recovered to his usual health again, much to the amazement of the baffled doctors. A few days ago, he was sent into the hospital with the lethal Black Death illness and had no hope to survive. After OJ and Drix’s battle with the ‘newly improved’ Thrax, Frank got better again, with no side effects.
Inside, OJ, with his newly found powers, restored the hypothalamus DNA back to the chromosome and cleansed the whole thing through. There was no cure for OJ for his infected body, but it showed no harm to him anymore. His body has already adjusted to the heaty virus and was doing well walking around with that certain glow on his body. Of course, certain clothes had to be tailored to fit his high-temperatured body, and he had to wear gloves to protect him from scorching anyone else. This was pretty inconvenient but he didn’t mind at all.
Because back at Drix’s home, where he now stayed with, Drix would not hesitate to hug and hold him tenderly without bothering much about the heat. Somehow, Drix got so accustomed to the heat that holding OJ directly didn’t even give as much as a scald at all. OJ was pretty surprised at the outcome.
“You know, this one of the miracles of love,” OJ commented as they laid down together on Drix’s huge bed. “People need protection to hold me but you, you don’t need it at all, and I didn’t even burn you.”
“Why? You rather like it if you burned me?” Drix asked slyly.
“Quit playing!” OJ slapped playfully at Drix’s broad shoulder. Drix laughed as he held OJ close to his chest. OJ sighed, enjoying the way he was held.
“I love you, Drix.”
“I love you too, Ozzie.”
The city of Frank worked peacefully through the night as the white blood cell and the cold pill couple kissed each other to sleep.
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