Story #310 - Where's my phone? part 10

I didn't even know what to think when he said that. I felt my hands trembling and my eyes grow, filling all the whiteness with chestnut brown.
"So, mate?" James spoke as he stood up with blood covering his bearded mouth. 'I'm gonna be sick if he comes closer.'
"I don't have a problem with that, but you should be aware of the stench. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have been here."
"The only way to make it go away is to eat it." My stomach growls. "How's about you join us?"
Yeah, it growled for a different reason. "I don't think I'm ready for this. Not right now. I will come back, though. I need some fresh air."
"Listen, mate," one of the other guys said. "If you blab about it-"
"I know, I know. I don't want to be like the one on the ground, don't worry."
I turned around and walked back in the shop, then out of the shop. The zombies were still wandering aimlessly, touching shoulders and elbows with one another. I was hit, too. I was bounced back and forth, side to side, like a billiards ball on the edge. And I had had enough.
I managed to get out and the ball fell in the hole.

Story #309 - Where's my phone? part 9

"You fuckin' cannibals," is something I never thought I'd say, not even as a joke or to take the mick. "You're eating him up. What's wrong with you?"
In the back of the store, outside, hidden behind a concrete wall with no way to get out other than to jump out.
Doesn't anyone smell this stuff? The half-empty carcass with guts and intestines spilling out? Blood's flowing from everywhere, including their hands and mouths.
These guys, these three guys, armed with two kitchen knives that they probably used to use to carve and clean fish, are gutting up that poor man like they're in the jungle.
"You want to be next, mate? Huh? There's no food in this place. Whatever happened took away everything. We waited an hour for the delivery guy to arrive. We obviously couldn't call him. We had nothing, and we were starving."
"And this bastard? He started swearing at us to bring him the fish. First time I've laid eyes on him and he's this violent. Fuck's sake. So I tells him to...to come in the back with me, you know, because we keep stuff in here, but he attacked me half-way through. James here kicked him in the face and knocked him out. Turns out it killed him. We've been wondering what to do with the body, and since we were pretty hungry, we..."
"Look, mate," says the first guy. "I know it's wrong, but we couldn't do anything about it. What, did you want us to tell the coppers about it? Screw that. We'd be in jail with a lot of guys, and everybody's killin' everybody right now. I don't want none of that."
"There's this one thing, though," James said. The sturdiest of them all. He looks like he could break through the wall. "We told you all this, and you can either keep yer mouth shut, or you can die right now. What'll it be, eh?"

Story #308 - Where's my phone? part 8

Here I was, making my way through the vastness of the people, following an invisible, but distinct trail of foul smell.
I elbowed my way past a small shop called "Fishmongers", and managed to get in unscathed. The lights were out, yet there was a glimmer from the back, hidden behind the closed door.
'I blend in well with the darkness,' I thought, praising my colours as I ninja-ed myself through the unopened metal door.
The stench grew profusely with each step.
'This is unbearable. Can you pass out from such an odor? I hope not.'
I had to clasp my nostrils shut with my fingers and breathe through my mouth, and even that made it unbearable.
But I managed to make it out. And when I saw the light, I wish I hadn't.

Story #307 - Where's my phone? part 7

'Dressed in black, only eyes popping out, I'm sure I won't attract attention. Right? Then again, I've told this myself before and I haven't. Am I an attention-seeking whore? I'll have to think about it later.'
Somehow, I'm the only person inside that smells the stench, or is bothered by it. The shops that once were brimming with people, with mouthy salesmen, coquettish girls, and food as the eye could see, are now empty.
This is not good.
Yet the riot hasn't started. The buzzing disbanded group of zombies aren't doing anything about it. Aren't they hungry? I am famished. I could eat a couple of bowls of anything appealing. Is this how-
"There's a fight broken out outside."
It starts.
And yet, where's that stench coming from?
I'm getting to the bottom of that before I end up in the scuttle.

Story #306 - Where's my phone? part 6

I'm staring at this big pavilion where people roam in and out of.
'It's working, isn't it?' I mutter to myself with a finger on my chin. 'I bloody well hope so.'
Advancing, I look at peoples faces. I wish I didn't. I wish I had headphones and music, too. There's only so much swearing one can take before they would squirm to a cubbyhole for solitude.
I'm not easily swayed by bad language, but when I hear "fuck" and other variations every four words, I want some solace. I wasn't born in the docks or in the stands.
Still, I force myself to carry on.
The doors are wide open, held by rocks. Once in a while, some idiot trips on one. They don't look distressed, but simply careless. I'm surprised they don't want to strike it or yell and blame the bloodless thing.
Regardless, I go through these doors and a stench comes at me full throttle, making me tuck my nose under my black t-shirt.

Story #305 - Where's my phone? part 5

When that guy, who I assume is the Mayor, said that we can travel, almost everybody raised their hands or created murmur.
"Now, now, I know you all want to get out and see what is happening in the country right now, but we don't have that many vehicles. We need strong, young, men that can function without much sleep. We need vigorous people, and most of you are. Therefore, I will pick and choose."
Great. That means I'm out of it. The guy's far away, he doesn't see me, and not like I'm bulky or anything, either. I'm going home.
The commotion is still going on, and I think he chose a few guys since the cheers have started shuffling.
What to do now? I need food. Any shops open?
...nope. Not even pubs. Actually, they're not here anymore. Are we going to starve to death? Crap.
I never considered the dearth of this thing. Cannibalism? I hope not. I'd better check out the markets.

Story #304 - Where's my phone? part 4

I carried on, contemplating the facts of technology, along with a dozens and dozens of quiet zombies.
As we neared town hall, we noticed quite the big crowd.
"Could I have your attention, please?"
I heard it from afar, from a megaphone probably, yet I couldn't see the source.
"Alright, people. Please, calm down, so we can figure out the problems."
Buzzing and pushing were a constant. I don't understand people like that. Why must you be so restless instead of staying calm and hearing what the person has to say? Nothing good ever came from continuous stress, you pillocks.
"Can I talk now?" I still don't see him. "Thank you. Now, as you've probably noticed, all our technological devices, as well as our electricity and transport has disappeared. I don't know why it happened as we cannot communicate with other places to find out. However, our printing press can function through manual labor, whereas our shops can no longer function without power." Oh, dear. I sense a riot ensuing. "What? ... Oh, it appears that we have our old automobiles and phones still present. Therefore we can travel to find out what has happened."

Story #303 - Where's my phone? part 3

After leaving that geezer behind, I walked. Weird saying that. I walked. I always take the bus or some other form of transport, yet now I see myself going on my two feet for longer than 500 metres. Feels like a chore that I don't necessarily want to take, yet I have to.
Come to think of it, I didn't check to see if I still had a fridge in the house. Have the shops evaporated, too?

A lot of people are taking my direction it seems. Nobody looks pleased.
However, I find it strange that most of them are quite calm. Finding your technological stuff missing one morning and not knowing why must come as a shock to everybody. I'm pretty sure some cowered away in their blankets. Those that don't care as much are laughing at us. They ought to be. Humanity has started to walk hunchbacked. Who knew involution would take this route?
But enough about philosophy. Come to think of it, I used to like it before I plugged headphones whenever I left the house.
Why did I change so much?