Rot (1003 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: Untruth
Rating: 1.8 on 37 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Snark << snarkk.at.gmail.com (View user info) at 2006-03-16 16:43:09 EST
ROT
It started as a small innocuous bit of mold in the back of Jack's fridge.
It was brown, about the size of a dime and slightly furry, and he didn't even notice it at first. In fact, he'd almost brushed his hand against it as he fought to remove a jar of mustard from between a carton of sour milk and a saran wrapped Tupperware container full of something that had once been considerable less colorful and infinitely more edible, without knocking them over.
Jack sat on the side of the runway tarmac and shuddered at the thought of how close he'd come to it, then chided himself mentally for being foolish. It was probably still harmless at that point after all. It wasn't until he'd let Jess do her thing that it had begun to grow. It wasn't until she'd sprayed it with her new toy that it had begun to eat, and even then, it took hours.
He shuddered again and brought his knees up to his chest. He didn't like the way his mind kept imposing her face into his thoughts. As far as he was concerned, she was probably dead or wishing she were, and there was nothing he could do about it but sit, and wait, and pray that the plane coming in low over the darkening horizon was an unblemished military green and not a disintegrating rust brown. All he could do was ignore the hard stares of the military personnel around him, and hope that the slowly growing dot in the sky didn't suddenly turn into a puff of reddish brown dust.
"You're a writer huh?"
Jack turned to the pale faced officer and nodded.
"Well, I guess you got yourself a story."
The statement had just enough disdain laced into it to be condescending without crossing the line to accusation, so he turned his attention back to the approaching aircraft and unconsciously crossed the ghost fingers protruding from the bandaged stump where his left hand used to be.
"I guess."
The plane in the sky ahead had finally drawn close enough for him to make out its wings. They were long and thin, each one connected too two large propeller blurred engines. He couldn't make out the color yet but its familiar drone drifted too him across the desert sand and filled him with hope.
'Not long now.' He told himself. 'She's flying true. She's coming fast. She's in one piece and if she's got this far she's probably ok, unless it's in her somewhere and getting ready to surge.'
Jack struggled one handed to stiff feet then turned to the control tower behind him as hollow commands began issuing from the loudspeakers mounted on its sides.
"Now hear this. Now hear this. Bulldog is five miles out. I say again: Bulldog is 5 miles out and confirmed. Alpha - begin Decon prep. Bravo - stand by."
He turned back towards the aircraft and brought one hand to his head to shield his eyes from the sinking sun as the space behind him filled with shouts, running feet, and starting engines.
He glanced from Plane to tower, then back again. He didn't like that there wasn't more warning. He'd been watching the dot in the sky grow for close to 10 minutes already. It didn't make sense that the pilot would wait so long to call in. It didn't make sense unless there had been something preventing him from doing so, something electrical maybe.
He squinted then jumped as a rough hand closed over his left shoulder.
"Your presence is requested in the control room."
The soldier with the words MP painted on his helmet in bright white letters was two inches shorter and twice as thick. His square jaw was set in a scowl and his dull green eyes invited Jack to argue with him.
"Yeah, kay."
He glanced back at their last chance glinting in the sky then stood suddenly stiff.
"You see that?"
"What?"
"That flash."
The MP removed his hand, rubbed his jaw, and squinted in the same direction as Jack."
"Didn't see nothing. C'mon I got orders."
"It looked like metal catching sunlight... like something coming off the fuselage."
"You shitting me?"
"God, I hope so."
The MP took a step forward to stand beside Jack and then shaded his eyes in like manner.
"What have you done to us?"
Above them, in the twilight sky, the planes wings tilted from one side to another as the sound of sputtering engines washed over them.
"We gotta go."
The MP turned wide eyed from Jack to the plane then brought his radio to his mouth. He keyed the button and made to speak but the words caught in his throat as the aircraft suddenly erupted into a ball of reddish brown dust, pieces of it falling through to land with a crash at the far end of the runway.
"We gotta go!" repeated Jack.
"No. We gotta..."
"It's going to surge!"
The dust cloud followed the debris to the ground then moved away slowly, pushed by a tepid evening breeze.
"It's going the other way."
Jack didn't bother arguing. He was out of time. They were all out of time. It was on the ground now and he could already make out the far end of the runway begin to sink. The Rot had a new home. It had a new breeding place. It didn't matter what direction the wind took it. It would surge, and when it did, they would all turn from flesh, to puss, to bone flecked dust in the matter of seconds.
He turned and ran to an idling Humvee as the MP stood in shock and the wail of a siren sounded from the tower speakers.
He got behind the wheel, threw it into gear, and hit the gas with the single-minded fluidity that sits on the edge of panic, and then yelped despite himself as the roaring engine shot him forward and away from the growing turmoil behind him.
A familiar popping-crackling sound made itself heard over the vehicles engine and his yelp turned into a scream. The roar of the Rot grew in intensity. It sounded strangely wet, like the constant bursting of a giant zit, as the ground behind him gave way and swallowed the world, filling his rearview mirror with a cloud that looked more scab than dirt.
He screamed, drove, and shook like a kitten before the lion's maw until the back tires burst and the front half of the Humvee tore away completely, before flipping end over end on the hardpan desert floor.
The world filled with the grinding of metal and the crunch of glass and he prayed as he spun like a rag doll through the air, that he would be lucky enough to hit something harder than him, something unforgiving enough to smash the life out of him before the Rot could have its way.
=============================
I might continue this.
I'm not sure if I like it.
I think I just wanted to see if I could still write something.
User Reviews
Submitted by Alter (user info) at 2007-09-26 22:33:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No, Comment.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-23 13:45:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I made a promise to Beth that the next thing I write will be something I try to market... so I won't be adding to this anytime soon, but thanks.
Submitted by Bigmike (user info) at 2006-03-23 10:25:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This has massive potential Snarky. I like the way it is written and Circe is correct about the backstory. This has a "28 days later" feel to it and to know what is happening in other parts of the world would be interesting.
The tales of survival in the face of life ending threat are always knuckle biting if written well. You have the start of something nice here.
Submitted by extacy_red (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:57:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i like it..
more please.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:52:02 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
That's one lucky finger. Probably.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:47:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:40:49 (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:38:35 (#)
Ranking: 2
You're one of the best writers here, by far.
This reminded me of something and I can't put my finger on it.
Try putting it on your clitoris and tell Dr. Shlongy how that feels.
==============
Oh, it's there right now, doc. You know this.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:40:49 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:38:35 (#)
Ranking: 2
You're one of the best writers here, by far.
This reminded me of something and I can't put my finger on it.
Try putting it on your clitoris and tell Dr. Shlongy how that feels.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:38:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You're one of the best writers here, by far.
This reminded me of something and I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps it was a dream I had.
Please keep writing.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:36:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:33:29 (#)
Ranking: -2
I wasn't joking...I was trying to be serious.
And you're making fun of me.
==================================
Who's making fun? I'm just stating fact... and yawning. Time to go home.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:33:29 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
I wasn't joking...I was trying to be serious.
And you're making fun of me.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:26:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
That all you got? C'mon.
Anytime I might feel remotely self conscious about that pic, I just gotta pull up one of yours, or roll over and look at my girlfriend.
Your not even trying are you?
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:23:27 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
'scuse me...COMPLIMENT. I've had a few drinks.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:23:05 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Monkeys are pretty much ALWAYS funny.
So I accept your copmpliment.
On a side note, in that one camwhore I saw of you, you kinda LOOKED like a monkey. I wonder what it all means?
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:18:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:12:58 (#)
Ranking: -2
THIS one's for me.
buahauahauahauahahahahahah...Fuck I am one funny motherfucker.
======================
It's true, you are, in a kinda 'Hey look, the Monkey is drinking his own pee again.' kinda way.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 20:12:58 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
THIS one's for me.
buahauahauahauahahahahahah...Fuck I am one funny motherfucker.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-03-20 19:27:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
good shit. how'd i miss this?
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-20 17:44:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Yeah... riiiiight.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 17:04:12 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
I retaliated for nitty...I could care less about MY rating, as we all know.
Felt good just the same though.
Submitted by zakalwe (user info) at 2006-03-20 16:49:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I sense the chances of a happy ending are low.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-20 16:34:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Was wondering when the retaliation was coming. Took you longer than I thought.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-03-20 16:22:13 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-20 16:03:47 (#)
Ranking: -2
?
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2006-03-19 01:08:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-03-17 13:35:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
there's almost no need to continue this. it pretty much holds its as a story right how it is.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-17 13:27:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Actually I have read Prey I think... that's about Nanites gone wild right?
Don't think I'll be doing the Nanite thing here.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2006-03-17 09:06:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Reminds me of Michael Crichton's "Prey." Have you read that?
Good stuff.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2006-03-16 23:08:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
My boyfriend's fridge got like that once. I pretty much poured a bnch of bleach in the thing and then threw everything out. It was Seriously Gross.
Not as gross as another fridge that I had to clean, but I'm still hoping to make a post out of that at some point, so I'm not telling you the story.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2006-03-16 20:31:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Of course you can still write something, you silly orgy-tossing slut. Of course we'll read it.
I liked it; I liked how everything spun out of control so fast. I think Circe's right, some backstory would be good for the next post.
Do you have any idea how to end this? I don't see any obvious way to defeat a ravenous evil cloud...that's the problem with big bad evil things, sometimes you make them so big and bad that you're not sure how to stop them.
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2006-03-16 19:53:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Write more and I'll definitely read it.
The next part should be the backstory.
This is good... and creepy.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-03-16 19:34:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2006-03-16 19:30:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked this a lot Snarky. I'm too tired to add anything else. Keep writing.
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-03-16 18:45:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, this was good. For my money, you should continue it.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2006-03-16 17:54:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Sup with you Yes?
How come you don't throw any stories out?
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2006-03-16 17:50:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i liked it.
keep on writing, and I'll keep on reading.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2006-03-16 17:25:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Please continue. I'll read it.
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-03-16 17:18:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
please continue, i love reading your stuff.
Submitted by pantsarestupid (user info) at 2006-03-16 17:18:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2006-03-16 16:54:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Your kung fu is still strong.