Wild Creatures

Chapter 10

On an ordinary day, Lan Zhan would have put his shoes on and walked outside, having already collected his keys and wallet.

Without any hesitation.

But as Wei Ying opened the door, and the muted sunlight spilled in, Lan Zhan was overcome by uncertainty. For all his previous bravado, he was now doubting himself  and his situation.

What if Wei Ying was right?

What if he could never go outside in the daytime ever again?

How tragic was that?

Something he never thought about, something that he had taken for granted all his life, was going to be taken away from him.

And he had no choice in the matter.

That's what hurt the most.

For the first time since he had fully woken up, Lan Zhan felt an irrepressible anger at whoever had done this to him. The rage had slowly been building up unconsciously in the back of his mind, and now suddenly it swooped to the front of his attention.

Lan Zhan vowed then and there, once his body finished this weird transition, he was going to find whoever was responsible and destroy them.

"Did I build it up too much?" Wei Ying was saying. He had kept quiet, watching the uncertainty cross over Lan Zhan’s face and hoped he wasn't the one who put it there.

"Build what up?" Lan Zhan struggled to catch up to what he said.

Wei Ying waved a hand at the sunshine.

"It's just that...you were completely for it a few minutes ago...and now you seem to be having second thoughts. Was it because of something I suggested?" Wei Ying rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, it's totally fine if you've changed your mind about coming. You can stay." He put his warm hand on Lan Zhan’s shoulder.

Wei Ying was disappointed though. He had been looking forward to introducing his friends to Lan Zhan, showing him where he worked, maybe even make him a drink. Coffee he had wondered about, and then realised that Lan Zhan was the type of person who probably preferred tea.

Something about Wei Ying’s words made Lan Zhan stick his arm into the direct sunlight.

For a few seconds, they both admired his hand, reflecting the strong light.

"Does it...does it hurt?" Wei Ying asked him, tentatively.

Lan Zhan closed his eyes to better concentrate.

The sun felt warm but in a comfortable way...not dangerously hot like he had been expecting. There was even something comforting about it.

"No...it does not hurt." Lan Zhan opened his eyes, looking into silver ones watching him back in trepidation. "At least...not yet. But, I have not completed the change yet." Of that last part, Lan Zhan was completely sure.

"So really, what you're saying is that we can't tell for now?" Wei Ying was quick to catch on.

"Mn." Lan Zhan didn't want to elaborate...not yet.

There was another fear that he didn't want to give a voice to, a deep seated one that was slowly festering in the deepest corner of his mind. Perhaps...no, no, he knew. He was going to have to tell Wei Ying, and very soon.

Wei Ying put his arm through Lan Zhan’s and made them link hands.

"Then, what are we wait for?" Wei Ying said brightly, oblivious to the turmoil going on in Lan Zhan’s mind.

So Lan Zhan put all of his doubts aside and stepped out into the dazzling sunshine.

Wei Ying was putting on a false bravado too.