So here is another story from the Beyond Recognition series of shorts I've been working on. I'm gonna warn you though, this one is a little dark and kind of depressing.



It's just you and me now.

The red glow of an LED alarm clock flicked from 3:59am to 4am. It's harsh light illuminated Forty's dull gray fur. The spotted Hyena lay quietly in his large loft bed, Snoring softly and buried under a large pile of blankets and dirty clothes. He sniffled slightly and rolled over onto his back. In his blurry, drunken subconscious, he dreamed of a place called home. Sunny dreams he desperately needed but unfortunately wouldn't remember when he woke up.
"Hey..."
"Hey Forty, wake up sunshine."
Forty slowly opened his bloodshot eyes. Sitting next to him in his bed was none other than Brushfire, wearing nothing but a pair of dirty black jean shorts. Brushfire's black and white spiral eyes glowed with a very eerie faint pale light. Forty stared unhappily into those creepy eyes. The spirals turned slowly inwards, seemingly pulling one inwards to Brushfire's deranged mind
"What do you want Brush? *uurp*"
He belched quietly. It tasted like cheap whiskey and heartburn.
Forty rooted around behind his pillow for a few seconds before finding the half full bottle of Jack Danials he was looking for. He fumbled the cap off, half asleep and took a long swig from the room temperature bottle. He looked back up at Brush who was just sitting there smiling and staring at him.
"You're killing my buzz staring at me like that. What do you want, you fucking nutcase?"
"Can I get some of that, sunshine?" Brush asked, motioning at the bottle.
"No, you'll fucking drink it all. It's all I got until Friday, I'm broke 'til then."
Forty stared at Brush with half open bloodshot eyes.
"What are you doing up here in my bed Brush? I told you, you're not allowed in my room."
Brush's ears sank a little.
"Awww, What's the matter darlin'? Don't feel like sharing some of your rot gut with your bestest friend?"
Brushfire snatched the bottle out of Forty's paw and chugged deeply from it.
"HEY!! Don't you fucking drink all that!" Forty sat up angrily, trying to get the bottle back from the other Hyena.
Brushfire pressed a paw to Forty's chest and pushed him back down onto his back and held the bottle out of Forty's reach.
"Ah ah ah! You want it back? What are you gonna do for me sweety? You gonna let me stay in here?"
Brush asked softly, reaching up and gently caressing Forty's broad black Hyena muzzle. Forty recoiled quickly.
"Don't fuckin' touch me."
The spiral-eyed hyena leaned in quickly, pressing his body against Forty's.
"What's the matter? Why you gotta be like that? You don't like me anymore? Pretty picky considering I'm all you got."
"SHUT UP!" Forty yelled and pushed Brush off of him, slamming the other Hyena into the wall.
Brush's glowing spiral eyes started spinning a little faster as he sat there on the loft bed leaned up against the wall. His muzzle curled into a twisted grin of yellowing broken teeth. He lifted the bottle of Jack Danials, holding it in front of Forty.
"What's the matter babe? You think she's gonna call? Ask you to come home? Everything will be just like it used to be? Happily fucking ever after? You're old news darlin'. An aging, bitter, drunk. Heartbroken and useless. Can't you see that? I'm all you got."
Tears started to well in the corners of Forty's bloodshot eyes as he stared into Brush's seemingly endless spiraling eyes. Forty reached up slowly and took the bottle from Brush who just continued to stare into his eyes. He raised the bottle and took a deep swig from it.
"It's not like that, Brush. Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Brushfire closed his eyes and leaned in close to Forty.
"Because darlin', I need you, and you need me. I love you, and I'm the only person who ever will. Don't ya see Forty? It's just you and me now."
Forty stared off into the ceiling as Brush's words echoed around inside his hazy mind. Brushfire sighed and then reclined next to Forty, wrapping an arm around him. "Besides, I don't want to sleep in the closet anymore." Brush said as he snuggled up against Forty's warm body.
"I love you Mik, and I'll always be here for you." Brush sighed happily, closing his eyes.
"I love you too, Brush." A smile slowly spreading across Forty's muzzle as he lay staring at the ceiling. He hugged Brushfire closer to him as he slowly drifted off to sleep.