by J.R. Torina
Chapter 1: Necrosis Inversion
The fog hung over the city in a pall, a cloying mass of dark gray filth, suspended as if by wires or invisible supports. The inhabitants of this little mountain town knew full well that snow and winter weather meant their economy got a strong boost, as their mountains were readily traversed and were elevated high enough to get some of the world’s best snow, at least according to the hundreds of visiting skiers and snowboarders that flocked each year to the area. It also meant that the town was in a valley, being surrounded by mountains on all sides, and would have this blanket of doom hanging over it until a strong enough wind came to push it all out.
Most of the town looked forward to winter. William Maxwell much preferred the Fall each year, with its rustic colors, refreshingly cool but not yet that cold weather, and the dark gray skies looming above somehow comforted him. He loved the smell of the rain, the sight of the bright yellow, brown, orange and red leaves, and breathing in their different smells.
William walked into Lanzo’s, the locally owned grocery store frequented by everyone who lived in the small gathering of homes at the base of the mountain, above the city proper. Picking out his usual assortment of green bananas and clear soft drinks, he wandered over to the granola bar aisle, picking out some of the oats and honey variety. As he stood in the checkout line, he noticed his friends Alice and Burton in front of him.
“Will! What’s going on, man?”
“Just getting ready for work. What are you guys up to?”
“We're prepping for our vacation! We just stopped by the store, on our way up the canyon, going to camp out this weekend. Wanna come along?” Burton laughed, knowing full well that Will was doomed as usual to a solid, forty hour work week.
“Yeah, sure, I’ll jump in the back. You got a girl back there for me too, right?”
“Of course, two of ‘em, they’re naked and waiting for you, bro!”
Friendly laughter ensued, and just as Will was about to ask Alice how she was doing, the intercom system in the store crackled to life, and a panicked-sounding human voice bellowed out an urgent message:
“Attention shoppers, the Emergency Broadcasting System has issued an alert in this region for residents of the greater town area to head to the nearest shelter immediately or straight back to their homes! A highly contagious viral infection has been detected in this area. Again, we repeat—”
A murmur of concerned discontent spread throughout the store, people began scurrying about in a last ditch effort to procure food and supplies.
A cacophony of beeps and chirps erupted in unison, a gallery of glowing screens and flashing lights as everyone activated their cell phones and other electronic devices, in an effort to contact those close to them or find out more information about this outbreak.
A young girl burst into the store through its front doors, directly by the check stands. She looked clearly distraught, her black and white striped sweater filthy as if she’d spent several nights in the woods with it or been through some type of hellish ordeal. Her matted blonde hair was plastered to the side of her head, and from the looks of her smudged makeup and nice clothing it was obvious this girl usually looked very attractive.
“I don’t wanna die!” she shrieked. She was in a state of hysterics, crying and whimpering, lamenting about what she perceived to be her imminent demise at the behest of this mysterious plague that had just been announced.
“I just came from downtown, everyone there is collapsing, getting sick!” she said. “Everyone is getting infected!”
At this, most of the customers fled from the store, some not even bothering to pay for their goods. A small group of people remained, including Will and his friends, to get more information from the television set behind the customer service counter, still broadcasting the startling news flash. Squealing tires, car horns, and collisions between car fenders could be heard from outside along with people shouting amid the chaos.
According to the news reporter, the cause of The Phage (as it came to be known) was the toxic inversion hanging over the city.
As of late, over-industrialization and automobile pollution in general had contributed to the presence of harmful and toxic vapors and smog in the air. With the cold fall currently in full effect, the haze becomes trapped in the valley with no wind to push it out.
“I don’t know how this smog would cause people to die on the spot,” Burton remarked to no one in particular.
“Something in the air is causing it to happen,” suggested another customer. “Could be downwind effects from the desert nearby, what with all the nuclear waste and testing they do out there. They just dumped some toxic waste out there and buried it about what, four or five years ago?”
“You guys just don’t get it,” offered up another customer. “It’s a government experiment. They’re testing us, to see how far they can push us.”
More outlandish theories burst forth from the remaining people. Some arguments broke out.
Some of the remaining customers along with Burton and Alice started debating rather fearfully the various causes and effects of this unprecedented storm of death outside.
During this commotion Will remembered the girl who had burst into the store, and went looking for her. He didn’t have far to go. Over by the cold drink area next to the restrooms he noticed a dropped water bottle with its contents spilled all over the floor. Thinking it was just the after-effect of the hysteria of everyone looting and fleeing, he approached it with a growing sense of caution. That feeling was met with a grim confirmation of his worst fears.
There, just around the corner of the aisle, the spilled water began to mingle with some vile, dark and viscous substance which emanated from a dead rotting body. The dripping cadaver wore a white and black striped sweater.
It seemed impossible—she was only just standing in front of him and speaking a short time ago—there was no way anyone could decompose that fast.
The slowly frothing corpse steamed in the cool air drifting in from the open drink cooler. The stench wafted up into Will’s nostrils. He doubled over in disgust, grimacing with disbelief.
It was happening—right now. They had to leave. Immediately.
“Oh my God,” a voice groaned, startling him. It was Alice, her hand over her mouth, eyes staring wide in disbelief. “Is that... Was that...?”
“Yes, the girl who ran into the store a few minutes ago. I can’t believe it either!”
Burton appeared behind Alice, staring, incredulous. Echoing Will’s thoughts, he muttered “We have to get the Hell out of here.”
