Sam Williams - Tales from the Swollen Corpse

After five more swings, the hole was the size of a normal window. But I still only saw blackness, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Dropping the hammer, I walked to the hole. Reaching in, I expected to feel wood or drywall but felt nothing. I leaned in, nothing but blackness and I heard no sounds. When I yelled, “hey,” there was no echo returned. Leaning in further, I lost my balance. I tried to reach down and brace against the wall I was leaning against but it wasn’t there.

Falling twenty or so feet down through the blackness, I landed in a shallow pool. Something squirmed and brushed against my skin. Panicked, I waded out of it as fast as I could. Out of the pool, the floor felt like damp concrete. The only light I could see was coming from where I had fallen from, a single window of light floating in the air. It illuminated nothing and was well out of my reach.

It’s been weeks now since I lost sight of that light. I spend my days looking for a way out, walking in blindness for miles. I have found no structures, just a vast flat landscape dotted with puddles. The puddle water is potable and most puddles contain leeches. It’s these critters that I sustain myself on. Not being able to see them, I presume they must resemble a fist size caterpillar. I often wonder if I will suffer any ill effects from eating them or from their constant nips. I don’t sleep much but when I do, I sometimes find them on me. One will have crawled up a pants leg or be on my arm, feeding.

The leeches and cold hard ground are not the only reason I don’t sleep much. There’s something else in here with me. Besides the sound of my footsteps, I have heard breathing that wasn’t mine. It sounds like a large animal sniffing out food. My only hiding places are in the larger pools with the leeches. I need to find a way out soon. It’s been getting close lately: I have come to believe that it’s looking for me.

Victor was headed home for a short, but well deserved break. Two Marines dressed in their blues stood in front of him on the escalator. Victor didn’t wear a uniform; among other things, anonymity was part of his job.

A crowd was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, holding up welcome home signs. They broke into applause when the two men came into view. At the bottom of the escalator, Victor side stepped out from behind the men, making his way around the soldier’s welcoming committee. A hum caught his ear when he was far enough away from the crowd. He pulled his phone out while stepping over to a window to answer it.

“Hey cuz.” It was Angie. Victor smiled, her voice sounded more like home than his own Mom’s.

“Hey Angel, I just stepped off the plane, chica. I should be home in an hour. Are you going to come by? I’d love to see ya.”

“Of course, you’re like my big brother. I’ll be there.” They exchanged pleasantries then Angie awkwardly cut Victor off, “Listen Victor, I need to talk to you about Ricky.”

“What’s up with Ricky, is he ok?” Victor’s voice lost some of its enthusiasm.

“I knew it; I knew your Mom hadn’t said anything to you. Your Mom has been acting like there’s nothing wrong.”

“Angie. What’s going on with my brother?” Victor barked, stopping his cousin’s rambling.

“He’s been hanging out with a real bad crowd, going out all night and sleeping all day. He hasn’t been home in a few days.”

“Who’s he hanging out with, do I know them?”

“Vic I know that tone, I don’t think you can fix this. He doesn’t look like himself anymore, he’s sick.”

“Is it drugs? You think after Dad he would have more sense.”

“Your Mom won’t admit it but I think…” Angie’s voice drifted then became confident, “Victor, I think he’s a vampire.”

“What, Ricky? Listen we’ll talk about this when I get home.”

“Ok Vic.”

The only SUV the car rental had was an Escalade, which didn’t fit with keeping a low profile. So he took the sedan. It was an hour and a half ride back home. The trip should have been passed thinking about seeing everyone or making plans to go to Tony’s place for a chili dog. But instead, Victor’s thoughts were on his brother. If someone had told him his brother was a vampire five years ago he would have laughed. But that was before the epidemic started.

Three years prior, the US government had acknowledged the outbreak. All he knew was what he saw on the news. Vampires were real; the government was treating it like a disease. Except, instead of hospital quarantine, if they thought you were a vampire a special unit of the CDC would show up and take you away and no one would see you again. Looking out at the dust and warehouses he passed on the freeway, Victor thought to himself, this wasn’t the blue-skied beach laden California people dreamt about, but it was his home. “Damn it Ricky, what did you get yourself into?” He whispered to himself.

Pulling down his Mom’s street he thought about how he used to believe it was a tough area to grow up. That was before he got out into the world; before he saw where nightmares existed. Now he knew how good he had it and was grateful.

Victor parked on the street and grabbed his bag. A little waist high fence ran in front of his Mom’s yard. It was locked so he jumped it. No one looked home in the little blue stucco house. After knocking on the door, there was a long silence, and then he heard the chain and deadbolt being unlatched. A hesitant little woman opened the door. His Mom looked worried, making her face seem older than he remembered. Her eyes got big and the grimace turned into a smile when she made out who it was.

“Mijo!” she yelled, wrapping her arms around Victor.

“Hey Mom.”

“Oh it’s so good to have you here. Come on inside, baby.”

He dropped his bag in the entrance and followed her to the kitchen. He wasn’t surprised the house hadn’t changed in the slightest. They got caught up as she sat him at the kitchen table and dug into the fridge. Before he could refuse, he had a veritable feast laid out before him. Victor was at the peak of strength and fitness for a man his height but that didn’t stop his Mom from jokingly asking if the military fed him.

“I’m not good at cooking for one and Ricky hasn’t been around much lately.” His Mom said noticing Victor’s facial reaction to the intimidating mound of food before him.

It had been obvious since he walked through the door something was wrong. She was acting more than worried, almost afraid of something and that wasn’t like her.

“Where is Ricky, Mom?”

“He’s staying with his friend Hector.” She replied without elaboration. Obviously uncomfortable, she turned and started working on the dishes.

“Does Hector still stay over on 5th?”

“As far as I know,” she stopped with the dishes, resting her arms on the counter but still didn’t turn around.

“I would love to see my little bro. After I eat I think I am going to go check in on him.”

“It’s late Victor and getting dark. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Victor thought the last comment was odd but could see his Mom was legitimately worried so he stood up and put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.

“Listen, I am not sure what’s going on, but I know you’re worried about him. I’m here now and we’re going to straighten this out, it’s going to be ok.”

Victor let go of her shoulders and walked back to the table to pick up his keys.

“Be careful Vic.” She said, not turning around. She didn’t want him to see the tears streaming down her check.

“I will.” He tapped the keys on the table and headed back out to the front door, grabbing his bag on the way.

Just outside, fumbling with the gate was Angie. She was tall and Victor thought too skinny. Her raven hair and horned rimmed glasses hid a beautiful face, making her look studious, which she was. The first one on her side of the family to go to college, she now worked as a loan officer. When Victor saw the silver import behind her he thought, She must be doing well.