The Shut-In 03

The neighborhood was charming. Though it sat close to downtown, its streets were still lined with family-owned shops that seemed frozen in time.

Dean picked up bread, vegetables, and a few things Macie had asked him for. He felt anxious—but also happy—about living with her, even if he knew he’d have to adjust to his friend’s unconventional lifestyle.

While he waited for his change, an elderly woman behind the counter smiled at him. “Haven’t seen you around before, young man. Are you new to the neighborhood?”

“Very new,” Dean said.

“Well, I haven’t noticed any moving trucks these last few days.”

“It wasn’t really a move. I came here for school, and I’m staying with a friend.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. She’s a mutant girl—kind of unusual. Pretty eye-catching.”

The woman blinked. “Hmm, I don’t remember any mutant girl like that. At least not for the past three years or so.”

“Her name is Macie,” Dean offered.

Another woman, who’d been arranging goods on a shelf, looked up. “Macie still lives here? We haven’t seen her in years. We assumed she’d left after… well, after what happened.”

“What happened to her?” Dean asked, his concern spiking.

“Sounds like something happened at the university. She mutated right there on campus.”

“We saw her a couple of times after that, in her new form,” the first woman added. “But then she just stopped appearing. We thought she’d moved away.”

Dean thanked them for the information, picked up his bag of groceries, and walked back to the apartment. A heavy ache of worry settled in his chest.

When he got in, Macie was at her desk, working intently. She sat twisted into an almost impossible position in her chair, typing with four hands at once.

“How’s your day going?” Dean asked.

“I defeated thirty-seven bugs… and forty more showed up. Typical dev work.”

“I’m not sure if that counts as productive or not,” Dean said, laughing.

Without looking away from her monitor, Macie replied, “You’re going to Golden Valley—a liberal-arts hippie university. I don’t think you’ll be in any danger.”

“No, probably not. By the way… what was your university like?”

“I went to classes, passed my courses, and got my degree,” Macie said, eyes still on the screen. “That’s usually how it works.”

“Okay, but what was it like? Did you enjoy it?”

“…I guess so.”

“And your classmates? Was there anyone important?”

Macie stopped typing and turned her head slowly until she was looking Dean in the eye. “What is this, an interrogation?”

“It’s not an interrogation. I’m just curious. We missed four years, and I wanted to catch up…”

Macie swiveled her chair around, her expression turning serious. “Did someone say something to you?”

“Why do you ask?” Dean felt his stomach tighten.

“Because even though I haven’t seen you in four years, I still know you,” she said, frowning.

Dean sighed and told her about the conversation with the women at the shop.

“Those old hags should mind their own business,” Macie snapped.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“No, of course I don’t. But I think you should know. If I don’t tell you, you’ll just circle around it with questions forever.”

“Macie, seriously, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable…”

“I only attended classes in person for one month,” she said, cutting him off. “After that, I finished university online.”

“What happened?” Dean asked.

Macie clenched her jaw and looked away. She abandoned her usual relaxed, shameless posture, her many limbs curling in around her body.

“My mutation happened all at once. I was walking to class when it hit—in front of a crowd. My clothes were torn to shreds.”

“Shit, that must have been…”

“I asked for help, but everyone was too stunned. A few guys came over—they were in my class. They grabbed me and took me to the bathroom. But they weren’t really trying to help…”

“Wait—what did they do?”

“They explored more than they should have. Luckily, the campus nurse got there before anything worse could happen.”

Dean fell silent. An enormous pressure crushed his chest and stomach.

“I stayed away for a week while my mutation settled. When I was well enough to go back, I didn’t feel safe. It felt like everyone was staring at me.”

“So you stopped going?”

“I reported the guys who took advantage of me, but the university never took responsibility. They only offered to let me finish my degree remotely. I went out a couple of times—doctor’s appointments, shopping—but I could feel people staring. Maybe with disgust. I started shutting myself in. Staying locked up and protected here.”

“Now I understand why you don’t want to go outside,” Dean said, lowering his gaze.

“I didn’t want to go outside because I was scared, and I was furious at everything. At that stupid university, at those perverts, at the people judging me… and I was angry at you, too.”

“What? Why me?” Dean asked, shocked.

“Because we were best friends. We always talked about studying computer science together, making games. Then you changed your mind. You wanted literature and all that. We drifted apart, and I came here to study alone. If you’d been with me…”

“Macie, I’m sorry. I had no way of knowing this would happen.”

“I know. It isn’t fair for me to be angry with you. You had every right to choose your own path. But I couldn’t stop thinking that you weren’t here.” Her eyes filled with tears.

“I’m so sorry,” Dean said, covering his face.

For the first time since he’d arrived, Macie’s carefree, lustful façade crumbled completely.

“When you called me, I still had that little bit of resentment. That’s why I’ve been acting kind of off—so proud of my body. I wanted to see how you’d react. Maybe you’d feel disgusted.”

“I admit I felt a little overwhelmed,” Dean said.

“But you acted like you always have, like the same sweet, kind Dino. You hadn’t changed. It didn’t matter that I’m some kind of hermaphroditic gecko living in a filthy apartment. To you, I was still the same Macie.”

“To me, you are. And truly, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Dino, seriously, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“But I forced this conversation.”

“And I think it was necessary. I feel… lighter. At least my anger at you is gone.”

Dean rose and walked over to her. To her surprise, he wrapped her in a tight hug. Macie clung back with all six limbs and her tail. They stayed tangled together in silence for nearly a minute.

“Macie… I won’t leave you alone again.”

“I hope not,” she said softly. “Well, I think baring my soul made me hungry. What do you say we cook something?”

“Of course! I bought a bunch of stuff. Let me throw something together.”

“Wow. This living arrangement just keeps getting better.”

Dean started making dinner while Macie rummaged through her bedroom closet, which she hadn’t opened in a long while. She found a loose, comfortable dress she’d bought during those first days after her mutation. She shook it out and slipped it on.

Dean was already plating the food when Macie appeared in the doorway. “Hey, that looks great on you. I honestly thought you didn’t own any clothes.”

“I don’t have much, honestly. I bought a couple of things right after I mutated, but then I stopped caring when I stopped going outside. Do you like it?”

“You look lovely. Really.”

“It’s weird,” Macie said, sticking out her tongue playfully. “Now that I’ve been honest with you… I feel more self-conscious.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re not trying to make me squirm anymore,” Dean said. “Though I was starting to get used to you being naked.”

“That’s because you’re a pervert deep down,” Macie said with a mischievous smile.

Dean blushed a little. “W-we should eat,” he stammered. “It’s nothing fancy, but I think it turned out okay. When I was out, I spotted a really nice restaurant a few blocks north. One day I’ll swing by and grab takeout.”

“Sounds good!” Macie said. “Although… maybe it’d be nice if we went to the restaurant.”