Authors: Jonathan J. Drake
“Well, you look dead.”
Olligh gazed at his hands before returning his stare
to the boy. “It’s merely a skin condition – I’m not dead. Perhaps diseased,
but definitely not dead.”
The boy grinned. “You’re in denial. You just don’t
want to admit you’re dead, do you?”
“Boy, if I was dead then I wouldn’t be talking to you
now, would I?”
“How do you know? Have you died before?”
Olligh sighed. “Very well, enlighten me. Why do you
think we’re both dead?”
“That’s easy. A bear got me. It was a big, smelly
bear and it ripped me apart, it did. My father didn’t see it coming, either. I
think he survived though, I haven’t seen him here.”
“So, you’re telling me a bear killed you and now
you’re here?”
The boy nodded. “I’m here most of the time although,
some days I end up in a dark room with a batty old woman for company.”
A sudden realisation hit Olligh. He gripped the shelf
tightly. “Lara.”
“What? Nay, I’m Michael. I’m a boy, not a stinky
girl. You should eat more carrots. My mother says they help improve your
eyesight in dark places.”
“No, Fool, is the old woman called Lara?”
“Erm, I don’t know. I’m never there for long. She
just talks and talks about nothing important. She’s never even asked about
what happened to me.”
“Does the room have statues in it?”
“Aye... two of them. Hey, it made me laugh. Did you
know she’s even given them names? She probably thinks they’re real and talks
to them when I’ve gone.”
Olligh released the shelf and returned to the door,
deep in thought. He remembered the barber in Ekelton village and what he’d
said.
Olligh died two year ago.
Lara died tragically a few months before him.
“Boy!" Olligh said. “The old woman you mentioned.
She’s not batty. She’s my wife.”
“Oh, I’m sorry about that.”
“Hmm. If it’s true we’re both dead then something’s
gone terribly wrong. Have you seen anyone else like us?”
“Erm, only one person, probably a day or two ago. He
came in here like you've just done but he didn’t speak. He just stared at me
and drooled a lot. He was definitely battier than your wife and the main
reason why I’m hiding up here.”
Olligh frowned. “I’ve already told you, my wife’s not batty.
She's a loving, caring person and my only grip on sanity and reality at
present.”
"If you say so. She does speak some tripe
though.”
"Nonsense. She’s merely in a state of depression
and desperation which, quite frankly, is an acceptable state to be in
considering these traumatic circumstances."
“Aye, well, this isn't exactly how I expected death to
be, either. I wish my father was here.”
“So, did he say anything to you?”
"My father?"
"No, the drooling man."
“The crazy man? Nay, he just stood there for a while
then barged past me and ran out through the door. Not sure what’s out there
but I remember hearing lots of screaming and shouting. I’ve been up here
since, hiding from the meat men.”
“Meat men?”
“Aye, now and again they come here and take some meat
out or bring more in. I reckon the crazy man’s probably been chopped up and
stored somewhere in here.”
Olligh turned his attention to the shelves of meat,
all neatly packed together and tied tightly with string. He wondered if
Michael was right. Perhaps he was trapped by the meat men and they hunted dead
people for their flesh.
“The funny thing is,” Michael continued, “there's all
this meat in here and I’m not the slightest bit hungry. It’s been a long time
since I last ate anything.”
“Indeed...” Olligh pondered the situation. “I’ve never
really given it much thought but, to tell you the truth, I can’t remember when
I last ate something either."
Michael smirked. “There you go then. Dead people
don’t need to eat so, you must be dead.”
“Boy, I can’t stay here. I've got to get out and see
where I am and why I’ve appeared here. There is always a reason for everything
in life. It’s just not always apparent at first.”
Michael scratched his nose. “Well, I’m not coming with
you. I’m staying up here, waiting for my father.”
“That’s probably for the best. It might be dangerous
out there. Tell me, how often do the meat men come in here?”
“They haven’t been here for a while so I reckon they
should be back sometime soon. You might as well wait here and chat to me. It
does get a bit boring without company.”
Olligh sat on the floor and propped his back up
against the shelves. “Very well. I’ve got plenty of time to wait. I just
hope they’re more understanding than the others I’ve met in my travels.”
“Do what you want, but don’t expect me to come down to
help you. They’ll slice you into little pieces and eat you up like they did the
crazy man.”
Olligh closed his eyes and smirked. “How wonderfully
put.”
* * * *
The door rattled and Olligh’s eyes flicked open. Looking up, he
couldn’t see Michael. Perhaps he was hiding or had been whisked away back to
the dark chamber. The handle moved upwards and there was a heavy clunk.
Olligh stood and waited for the door to be flung open but it remained closed.
He waited a while longer before hesitantly trying the handle, surprised to find
the door was now unlocked. Opening it slightly, he peered into a huge room; it
was brightly lit and full of stalls filled with shelves of food and other
items. People dressed in colourful clothes walked around the stalls, filling
their baskets with goods. Oddly, faint violin music played in the background
but he couldn’t see any musicians. Directly to his right, a skinny man wearing
a red hat and apron was busily chopping meat with a cleaver. He muttered to
himself and threw some fat into a bucket under the counter. Olligh opened the
door wider and stepped out. Since sleeping, his right leg now felt limp which
impaired his ability to walk. He held the counter, trying to balance himself.
“Oi!” said the man. “What you been doing in my
fridge?”
Much to the man’s horror, Olligh turned to face him.
Noticing his vile features, he dropped his cleaver to the floor; panic was
evident in his eyes.
“A zombie! We’ve got another zombie! Everybody run for
your lives!”
Before Olligh could reply, he ran off. The people
holding their baskets stopped and stared. Some pointed and others screamed in
terror.
“Not again,” Olligh said, furious that people
instantly presumed he was an evil creature bent on destruction.
Olligh lurched forward, searching for a way out,
trying not to stumble on his bad leg. More people screamed and cleared the
way, allowing him to wander through the aisles without confrontation. Turning
a corner, he bumped into a young girl kneeling next to a sweet stall, rummaging
through the candies. The girl noticed him and squealed loudly.
“Quiet,” Olligh said, grabbing her arm. “I’m not going
to harm you. I just need your help.”
“Please Sir, let me go – you’re hurting my arm.”
“I’ll let you go if you promise to show me the way
out.”
The girl nodded, her eyes wide with terror. “Uh huh,
I can do that. Please don’t eat me though.”
“Why would I eat you? What makes you think I want to
eat children?”
The girl stood frozen, her eyes watching Olligh
intently. “Do you prefer eating adults?”
Olligh shook his head. “Don’t be silly, girl, I’ve no
desire to-”
“Let go of her!” someone shouted from behind.
Olligh spun round and noticed two burly men, dressed
in brown uniforms, standing at the end of the aisle. The larger of the two
stepped forward, his arms outstretched. “You there! Can you understand me?”
“Of course I can, I’m not stupid!”
The men glanced at each other curiously.
“I’m a security guard here. Let go of the girl
immediately. The police are on their way so don’t make any more trouble for
yourself.”
“Look, I don’t want the girl. I just want to get out
of here.”
A woman appeared at the opposite end of the aisle.
Spotting the girl with Olligh she covered her mouth in shock, watching and
willing for him to let her go.
“Lucy! Lucy, darling - are you okay?”
Noticing her mother, the girl smiled brightly. “Mammy!
Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“H-has he hurt you?”
“No, mammy. Don’t worry about me. He’s not going to
eat me. I think he’s a vegetarian.”
Olligh sighed. “Look, everyone! I’m not an animal.
I’m not a vegetarian. I haven’t hurt anyone. All I want to do is get out of
here!”
“Let go of the girl and we’ll help you outside,”
continued the security guard, a look of desperation on his face.
Olligh pondered the situation then decided to release
the girl. “Go on then – go back to your mother.”
“Thank you, Sir,” replied the girl, running to her
mother. “I hope you find your way out.”
Once the girl reached the safety of her mother, the
security guards rushed forward and grabbed Olligh’s arms tightly.
“Unhand me at once!” Olligh yelled.
“I don’t think so,” said the larger guard. “You’re
coming with us to our office while we wait for the police.”
“He stinks like a sewer,” muttered the second guard,
turning his head away in disgust. “We ought to pass by the deodorant section
on our way back.”
Olligh was half dragged through the aisle by the
security team. He felt helpless. People stood and stared, talking amongst
themselves. Some jeered and others followed behind, waiting to see where they
were taking him.
“You’re disgusting,” said the larger guard.
“Definitely more putrid than the last one we dealt with.”
“Yeah,” agreed the second guard. “You're a bit
scrawnier as well. The only saving grace is you can talk. They might not kill
you straight away. The other one had no chance.”
Olligh shook his head. “Kill me? What do you mean kill
me? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You’re an abomination, that’s what you are,” replied
the larger guard. “I blame the food industry, tampering with genetics.”
They dragged him through some swing doors into a huge
storage area. A few people stood on ladders, removing boxes from shelves
stacked up to the ceiling.
“I will not tolerate this!” Olligh yelled.
Heads turned and people gazed over, disturbed by the
outburst.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Unhand me immediately!”
The guards grinned and continued to drag him towards
the back of the storage area. As he became more angry and frustrated, another
word appeared in his mind’s eye. It spread out, long and threatening, goading
his attention; it was a piercing revelation of a life he once had.
Therintk!
Olligh spoke the word of power, manifesting and
manipulating the raw energies that weaved through the air craving his
attention. Immediately a force of power struck him, coursing through his
muscles with a throbbing intensity. He effortlessly yanked free and swung his
arms back, releasing the energy. A magical force slammed into the guards. The
larger of the two was flung into a nearby wall, instantly smashing his skull
open and leaving a bloody mess behind. As he sunk to the floor, the wall began
to crack with the force of the blow. The remaining guard hurtled through the
swing doors and landed somewhere with a loud thud. People screamed and
shouted. Those remaining in the storage area quickly climbed down or leapt
from their ladders and ran, trying to escape Olligh’s wrath.
“I’m not a beast!” Olligh yelled. “Why do you all
presume the worst?”
He glanced around the room, realising the devastation
he'd caused. The large guard was slumped against the wall, unmoving. The
intensity of the damage caused was quickly apparent. Olligh sighed and shook
his head. He hadn’t meant to kill anyone. He was certainly no murderer. Or was
he? Nothing made sense any more.
“Why did you make me do this?” he yelled.
Nobody answered. Nothing stirred behind the swing
doors. The only sound was the violin music that continued to play, despite the
turmoil.
Olligh continued to walk through the storage area,
searching for a way out, when a familiar feeling struck him. The dizziness was
returning. This time he knew what was coming. Hiding behind some stacked
boxes, he sat on the floor and shut his eyes. He wondered where he would be
taken to next. He held his hands to his head, hoping that the new land would
be more hospitable. Even with his eyes closed, his vision was flooded with
bright colours. They were almost hypnotic, twisting vigorously and entwining
together faster and faster. Then all went dark.