August 02, 2020 - New mask, who dis? - Flash Fiction: 2

Flash Fiction: 2

The dried up sewer stench rises through the grates and into your nasal passages. It sticks to the mucous membrane. You can’t shake it. It even gets in your throat. This is why I hate breathing when downtown. I’m lucky that my body does it on its own or I would probably die. If I could only hold my breath for the few moments that I’m here but I can at best do like 15 seconds. Wearing a surgical mask helps with the lurking odors.

She’s supposed to meet me here at 7pm and it’s 6:58. She’s usually five minutes early for the pick up. I hate holding so many doses on my person at one time. But I know she’s good for it.

At least there’s not many people around here. The last decade of outbreaks wiped out huge numbers. Double digit millions. Just a few looters and scavengers left looking for anything that might have been missed from the 7 years of unrest and uprising we’ve been through.

As long as I don’t see any orange tinted eyes I’m ok. That’s the tell tale sign of, “the infected.”

There she comes. I can see her swagger from two blocks away.
Black boots, black jeans, black coat. Classic. 

She’s been the closest thing to “normal” that I still have in my life. I can remember having drinks at the rooftop bar just a few blocks from here years ago. I wish there was at least one bar left or liquor store.

Damn she’s good. Black hat, blond hair, red lips. Beautiful.

If there was a god I would thank it for keeping her in my life. Even if it’s just for these quick pick ups, a quick exchange of product and a bit of conversation every three days.

Here. Beautiful face and - orange eyes.

Fuck.
Slit.

I didn’t know that I could do that so quickly, draw my sword and slice off her noggin.  Her blood pooled as I stepped back and watched the scavengers rummage through her pockets and remove her boots.

No one has feelings anymore. I wonder if I do.

As I strolled back to my lair I recounted all of the many occasions her and I had laughing and drinking. I made a mental list.

I buried the doses that were meant to be hers in the ground. We’ll let the earth get high in her name tonight.