Symptoms and Denial

The sun was shining brightly through the hospital windows as Harry and Lloyd lay in their respective beds, hooked up to various machines and IV drips. They had been in the hospital for a few hours now, and the doctors had been running test after test. Lloyd shifted uncomfortably, wincing in pain. "Dude, I've got a major charley horse going on back there," he said, trying to gesture to his rectal area. Harry looked over at him, concerned. "What's going on? Did they give you some kind of crazy meds?" Lloyd shook his head. "I don't think so. I just... have this pain, you know?" Just then, a doctor came in, reviewing their charts. "Ah, good. You're both doing okay. We've run some tests, and... well, it looks like you've both contracted a rather unusual disease." Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "Unusual disease? What are you talking about?" The doctor hesitated before answering. "It appears that you both have contracted a... rabies-like virus. It's likely you got it from that coyote bite a few weeks ago." Harry snorted. "Rabies? Come on, doc. I'm not foaming at the mouth or chasing squirrels around. I'm good." Lloyd chuckled. "Yeah, and I'm not a zombie yet, so... " The doctor frowned. "That's exactly what I'm worried about. This virus seems to have a delayed onset, and the symptoms can be... unusual. Harry, you're experiencing urinary retention, which is a common symptom of this disease." Harry looked down, embarrassed. "Oh, that? Yeah, I've just been having a hard time going, that's all." Lloyd burst out laughing. "Dude, you're not exactly the poster child for good urinary health, are you?" Harry shot him a look. "Shut up, Lloyd." The doctor sighed. "Look, guys, I'm telling you, this is serious. You need to take this seriously and let us treat you." Lloyd grinned. "Treat us? Doc, we're fine. We're just a little... inconvenienced. We're not going to start biting people or anything." The doctor shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. This virus can progress quickly, and... well, let's just say you don't want to end up like some of the other patients I've seen." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Other patients? What do you mean?" The doctor hesitated before answering. "Never mind. Just... just trust me, okay? We need to get you both on some antiviral meds and monitor you closely." As the doctor left, Lloyd turned to Harry and whispered, "Dude, do you really think we've got this... thing?" Harry shrugged. "I don't know, man. I don't feel like a zombie or anything." Lloyd chuckled. "Yeah, and I'm not drooling or foaming at the mouth... yet." Harry grinned. "See? We're fine. Mrs. Jenkins just got it wrong, that's all." But as they continued to joke and banter, a subtle change began to creep into their behavior. Their laughter seemed a little too loud, their smiles a little too wide. And as they looked into each other's eyes, they couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong.