JANUARY: A new year is here, what horrors await us?

UNDYING LOVE

This morning I awoke in a terrible mood, an absolutely horrible mood, and did not want to go to work. I felt a bit sick too, a fever or something was coming, I thought at the time. Usually I catch whatever is going around after Christmas. I was so tired and could not be bothered to do a thing, so I just lay there in bed watching the clock changing numbers, till it got to 06:45. Lazily with bleary eyes squinting at the green digits turn to 06:51…06:59…07:02…07:16…07:31…07:40…09:03…

The next second it was 12:17.

Oh bloody, bloody, bloody.

I was so late for work that morning. I rushed up, threw the bed clothes off me, darted into the bathroom and had a super quick wash, especially between my legs and under my boobs. Then, with one final out of breath huff, I stopped: ‘I won’t go in,’ I said to myself, staring at the girl in the mirror. The face in the reflection did not look very well, very pale and the hair was in a terrible state, knots all over the place. My mouth was very dry and I was hungry, really hungry.

I went downstairs to find some breakfast, or lunch, or whatever.

I knew Devan and dad were at work so there wasn’t anyone in the house. I didn’t look out of the window either because I presumed there was still snow everywhere; it had snowed all over Christmas. I was fed up with the stuff.

I got myself bowl of Coco Pops and switched the TV on. The people on the screen were strange, their faces twisted and very ugly. They seemed less than human, kind of like animals, yet edible… The strangest thing was I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, they were just mumbling. At this moment, I dipped my spoon down into my cereals. I peered down at the stuff, so disgusting like sawdust; I asked myself; why the hell would I eat that? I dropped the bowl on the floor and searched for something tastier and more satisfying to eat, I was really starving now.

As I began to walk about in pursuit of nourishment I noticed that my left leg was dragging by my side. Couldn’t remember hurting myself and there was no pain. That was of no interest to me now, hunger grew fiercely inside me and growing more so with every second. The fridge was the first place to go for meat. There was nothing, no meat anyway. There were some tomatoes and lettuce, and other vegetables, milk and fizzy water; this food was not interesting me at all, despite the fact I am a vegetarian… at least I used to be…

I slammed the fridge door in frustration. The block of white goods wobbled and tipped over onto its side. The door fell open and the watery food poured out onto the floor. That nasty plain crap would not satisfy, tasteless muck; I just trampled all over the green red stuff. My body had no interest in such bland crud.

The urge for meat continued madly as I rummaged about, making more mess in the kitchen when a terrible screeching noise came my way from the direction of the garden. I went to the back door where some creature jumped up at the glass. It was Raza our dog. He looked delicious. On placing a hand on the handle to go out there I heard a rattle at the front. I stared at the back door, then at the dog, then away again, before reluctantly deciding to answer the front door.

Dad stood there under the porch. He seemed different somehow; couldn’t put my finger on it, older or something. He didn’t look directly at me, but stood with a stoop and repeating the word hungry. He walked past me without the slightest acknowledgement, sat and gazed at the TV. Now I noticed his complexion was fair; no longer did he have the appearance of a swarthy Indian.

I tried to speak to him, only he responded with the occasional mumbling of the word hungry. Told him the people on TV were weird. He replied with a what, a food, and another hungry. Now I was hungry again. The dog that I’d completely forgotten about screamed and my dad’s head turned, causing his hollow eyes to expand and gaze in the direction of the garden. He rose awkwardly from the sofa and staggered to the kitchen and towards the back door and the attractive scream. He turned the handle violently and went outside. I limped behind him. Raza was still making that horrid deafening noise desperately in anger or fear at dad, leaping up at the man I barely recognised now. Raza was a massive Alsatian, but at this moment he appeared so small and feeble.

What happened next surprised me and yet gave me some relief when dad took Raza in both hands as if he was a hamster and tore the animal in two, then without a pause began to devour the body of our beloved pet where he stood. My first inkling was to yell at dad, to stop him from committing this horrible act, only this did not happen because against my inner objections my clawing hands grabbed one half of the dog, who was just a slab of meat and began to feast with my eating partner. This meal was delicious, like chicken with some aromatic sauce. After finishing I simply dropped what was left, mainly bones, in the snow-covered ground. Yet, despite filling myself with my delicious pet my stomach was still aching with hunger. Dad had striped the head clean and threw the remains away angrily. No sooner had the head hit the snow he began to search around with those fierce, red and lovely protruding eyes for more meat.

Heavy flakes of snow were falling again as dad opened his mouth to speak. However, the sounds were just grumbles and growls, no language at all. I too tried to speak, to communicate with this unusual little person who was once my father, and was left disappointed when he expressed no articulation, only gibberish and utter nonsense that meant just one thing: food.

My father searched and groaned in the falling snow. As for me, my body could not feel the cold or care. The man limped to the bottom of the garden and as his face glowed with recognition, he disappeared into the open shed. The expression on his face was something like a smile, but it was not. He reappeared into view pulling out a body. I knew straight away who it was, though it did not look like him. The corpse was that of my brother Devan. The carcass was frozen stiff from the cold days we had over the last few nights. Without much delay, my dad began to devour the meat. Somewhere inside me felt nauseous which fell away almost immediately to the burning hunger that lived inside, again following this man in our freezing snowy garden and eating raw flesh that at times was savoury; other times sweat like sugar or biscuits, a new bite ice-cream or cake.

After this latest feast [my brother] we returned to the house and straight out the front door into the deserted and white street. It was getting dark now and I felt happy at this, the sun had become an annoyance to me. We continued to limp along and groan- the hunger made me groan. I was not human any longer, just forever hungry. The next thing was the sound of grumblings from others. The man and I stopped when, from an obscure corner a crowd of creatures like us appeared together with moans, hums and staggered gaits. They did not turn their heads our way or acknowledge us, but allowed my father and me to join their group, and we followed the disorganised assembly with automatic obedience.

We continued like this for some time in a constant drone of limping lost souls. Along the wintry streets there were no lights at all now, not anywhere. We pushed on, forced to rely on our senses, inherent instincts, and sense of smell. But as we followed the nearby scents we were drawn to a row of houses and could hear food inside. The aroma was gorgeous. By turning in their direction, the cattle screamed all the louder. One came out with a weapon and hit a member of our company on the head, splitting it in two. The beautiful animal fell to the ground and didn’t get up again. What the food had not realised was one of us had grabbed a piece of clothing the meat was wearing and we all began to feast once more, even the deep screams sounded delicious.

We went again in the snow that persisted in falling. The freezing weather had no effect on our strong bodies. Along the road we were walking, I remembered in my vanishing mind that a large building was not too far away. When that building, a tall old fashioned ancient house where food met one morning a week to talk to an invisible being, burst into view with its long high neck pointing to the sky above, the sight and small of food entered inside. I know not if the others in my group were aware of the meat but as this body invariably set off in that direction they went that way too, and we continued together, limping and moaning towards new nourishment. On reaching the door that was attached to the great ancient building, we found it locked. So, in our natural manner and limited intelligence we groaned loader to let them know that we were there, banging at the heavy wooden door. Their smell rose as they grew in fear, squeals and screams flew through the air and into our delicate nostrils. What a fragrance, how delicious. We lifted our heads and sniffed, filling our lungs with the sweat odours. This body continued to drag itself on, which by now was exposing bone and sinew, and drew near to the side of the stone building. I spied that the door was ajar, and limped toward it; this nose could smell the food, full, warm and moist. The group with this did not follow; they were quite content in bashing at the front of the building.

As this body approached with a gait that was becoming even more slow and difficult, some food appeared from the doorway of the unusual building. The animal tried to close the entrance, but a body was there and grabbed the tasty morsel, female me thinks, though this body cared not. The cattle looked and smelled delicious. One hand had hold of an [her] arm and the female screamed. This caused the others to join this with groans and crooked bodies around the corner. In this commotion, the food escaped a grip, leaving a spare hand that had grown claw-like to tear a hole in the tasty arm. The creature screamed as sweat blood poured onto the ground. But this was not altogether good news. The blood soon grew plain and tepid; the food was no longer food, but just a normal being as the rest of us. This ex- food was converted and instigated into our assembly, walking rather straight and still a little ugly. We turned and continued in the eternal pursuit of sweat, sweat food. The new recruit sounded strange. It had not quite perfected our melodic groan, but was uttering different sounds. The only sound these ears could understand was the sound hungry.

The snow had stopped and the pure, lovely darkness had set in. The lights shining loudly from the abodes of the food startled our group. The brightness hurts still. We did not know where to search for our nourishment. Their exotic aroma filled our nostrils, but the crafty animals kept inside their brick havens. This group just continued to walk, and stagger, walk and limp, limp and moan, dragging weary, yet mighty bodies that desired only one little thing…

Food sweat food.

The group moves further on our journey, still searching and sniffing, dragging these decaying bodies, not dead, not alive. This nose can smell them, but cannot see them. This mouth must have more food, more sweat food. This appetite is a burning flame that does not go out. This pursuit is interrupted when an orange creature with a long bushy tail approaches, an angry animal, cute. It reminds this hidden mind of Raza, not quite as big as the German Shepard. This body stops and looks down at this strange yet familiar being. He [or she] jumps at this body and a claw snatches out, clasping hold tightly by the neck. The creature is not making a sound. It stares up at these eyes with fear, with black, watery eyes. The others are way ahead of this body, obsessed with their own pursuit for food. These eyes gaze at them and then back at this pathetic beast in this strong grip. A rare sensation possesses the body: this hinger does not want to eat this beast. For a moment hunger does not have full domination within this body’s inclination. This being wants to make the orange Raza one of the congregation of beautiful creatures. These teeth bite a chunk of flesh from the back of the wriggling beast. The orange animal screeches loudly and drops in the snow. It lays silent for some moments before rising from the ground. The animal jumps up and licks at this face. After this the new creation runs around the others in the group, its tongue sticking out and tail wagging. The company ignore new member completely; they just drag their bodies on in the eternal snow. This body simply follows and joins them once more and we continue with moans and limps and an orange Raza for company in the undying pursuit of food, this undying love.

The night had moved along and as the heavy hunger in all members of the group began to increase, they barged and roared at each other in fierce frustration. The beautiful creature that this being once identified as father bit this arm. The body did not react, no pain. A new mood had taken hold as the team began to separate from the awkward cluster they had formed and roamed as individuals along the wintry road.

Now there came a commotion for our two newest recruits were banging and screaming at the abode of cattle. They entered easily and the rest of us moved in that direction as a new single unit with growls and cries of hungry.

This body too dragged itself into the place. This did not see it, but smelled the delightful food. As these eyes peered around they noticed both the ex-female and the orange Raza feasting on the floor. The body squeezed between them and went in for the ample red and gooey belly. It was sweet and savoury, soft and meaty. We finished when the rest of the group came ambling in the place, groaning loudly in desperation for a meal. Amidst this rare commotion a figure showed itself to us. A small version of food stood silently on the stairs. The little morsel screeched when it knew all the congregation was facing that direction. However, the horrible noise was not for fear, but anger. Two other food beings appeared with large objects in their hands and still shouting jumped upon several members of the group and struck them on the heads, splitting them open. This included the ex-father of this being. They fell and did not move. Without understanding fully what was happening, the two converts, the female and the orange Raza along with the cattle fled the place. With the impulse that pumped so hard within, this body went in the same direction, behind the body the other two and another that did not fall from the attack of the fighting food.

We were now out in the snow again and ahead a red sun was rising. Food had been an obsession; now all of a sudden the body was very tired. I dropped to the ground into the soft snow- I could not feel its cold yet the body lived still.

The sun was up now, full, alive and bright, and to our relief was hiding behind a blue cloud. Dark grey clouds hung over, floating and taunting the group. I opened my eyes. Next to me lay the orange Raza and my first convert. Next to them the other one who remained in our company, was very thin; almost no skin at all stuck to the bones. It groaned still. Now I stood and the other three did as I did- could I now be the leader? I knew not who led us before.

It was light now, though still dim and snow began to fall yet again. Ahead of us there were loud noises and bangs and shouts. From within no place a figure approached. A food. The whole group were no longer possessed by hunger, so we did not attack. The thing ahead screeched at me, holding me, shaking me. Orange, the female and the thin one did not attack. More bangs and loud hissing, a compendium of sounds continued to pass our way.

Tired I am so tired.

The three fell to the ground and did not get up again. The food was still shouting at me. The creature was ugly, yet pleasant to see, red like the orange Raza on the head. He or she was using words I did not understand. Tired so tired. I looked at the face… kind. I knew what kind meant…kind. Smooth face, red hair, delicious, no. I did not want to eat him. It’s not right.

‘Jnmjdnomcon,’ it said. ‘Junomee. Isntemee. Junomay. Not understanding. Dassachen, Josh.’

Now the sounds were words, sounds that had meaning, real meaning.

‘Do you know me? You are Parvati Bhakta.’ I was understanding him now. ‘My name is Josh Hartson. I live near you.’

I groaned in an attempt to speak.

‘You look better,’ he went on, ‘nearly human again.’

‘I can understand you,’ I said with genuine relief. ‘What happened to me?’

‘There was a virus,’ he told me. ‘It was only in our town, I think, I hope. Now follow me, you’ll be all right now…this way. Well done.’

Here the memories returned: that strange woman, a scientist. She offered me and dad money to take part in an experiment.

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.08.2017
ISBN: 978-3-7438-2790-5

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