Horror D’oeuvre #2
THE FEAST
by Kurt Newton
© 2006 by Kurt Newton.
All Rights Reserved.
It walked along a deserted beach. A beach once sculpted by soft ocean waves, dotted with tall coconut palms, hotel cabanas, open-air bars…and people. But now, in both directions, the beach was littered with debris, a hundred-meter-wide deposit of thick mud, splintered trees and shattered lumber.
And bodies.
Vacationers. Locals. Men, women, and children thrown into the destructive mix to add both color and fragrance.
It walked until it came upon one of these bodies. A young girl.
Her clothes had been stripped by the violence of the disaster. Her small naked form lay entwined amid a clot of wood lattice and plastic chairs. Crabs feasted on her torn and festering corpse. Her eyes stared up at the morning sun, their soft centers hollowed out by insects.
It sat down beside the body and leaned forward. The insects retreated and crabs scuttled out of its shadow. It began to eat.
Its first mouthful contained the sweet flavor of fear…the fear the young girl had experienced when the wave first hit and chaos erupted and the screaming began. It savored the taste for a moment before swallowing. It leaned in for another bite.
This bite was absolutely mouth-watering, a delicacy of pure terror: eyes wide, mouth rictused, body paralyzed as the water engulfed her and swept her along like a paper cup caught in the runoff of an afternoon thunderstorm; buffeted by trees and suitcases, bricks and bicycles, then compacted together in a mighty crush as the wave ground to a halt and began to retreat, taking everything with it.
It grew faint with ecstasy and needed to steady itself by placing a hand upon the violated corpse. Another mouthful and it would be done.
This time: panic, pain, those last tender moments of suffering experienced as a splintered two-by-four tore into her side, puncturing her lung, a lung already half-filled with water, her leg snapping, the bone exposed, her futile grunts and gasps, gulping still more water in a churning bubbly surrender.
It licked its lips, stood, and moved on.
Not far away it found another body. A middle-aged man, bloated, reeking of decay. Gulls pecked at the man’s intestines, dragging them forth like silk scarves pulled from a magician’s sleeve. The gulls hopped away when it approached.
Further down the beach, a group of rescue workers emerged. Their voices carried on the warm, putrid breeze.
It didn’t rush. There was no hurry. It was as invisible to them as the reasons why they were alive and looking while those whom they were looking for were dead. Or why they feasted off the pleasures of life while it found its rewards in the substantive nature of loss and grief and suffering.
It was what it was. And it was hungry.
As the rescue workers neared, it continued to feed, fattening itself in plain view; their sickened faces the mirror opposite of its own. Only when it ran out of bodies did it move on.
To another beach, where the rescue workers had yet to arrive.
And after that, to another shore, to feast upon the riches of victims drowned in waves of war, famine, or disease.
In a world increasingly turning in upon itself there was one thing for certain, it would never have long to wait before its next meal.
All Rights Reserved.
Comment by Chris Hansen on 17 October 2006:
“In a world increasingly turning in upon itself there was one thing for certain, it would never have long to wait before its next meal.”
Sigh, too true.
A horror story that makes one uncomfortable because it’s all too real.
Nice job, Kurt.
chris
Comment by admin on 17 October 2006:
Kurt is amazing at writing short-shorts. He’s one of my top few at the form itself. “The Feast” is another gem!
Comment by Wrogdog on 17 October 2006:
A really amazing and thought provoking short. I really enjoyed it great job. This was enough to make my want to read more of Kurt’s writing.
Shane I am really enjoying these shorts so far I think it is a great idea.
Comment by H Casper on 17 October 2006:
The first 2 shorts have killer last lines. Kurt does it again but h can write a great novel too. Just read The Wishnik and you’ll agree.
kresby
Comment by kurtnewton on 17 October 2006:
Thanks guys! And thanks kresby for the nice words about The Wishnik.
Comment by Shane Ryan Staley on 17 October 2006:
Glad everyone is enjoying Horror D’oeuvres. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Comment by SLIM on 18 October 2006:
Wow, this is great stuff. For anything to grab my attention, hold tight, and stay with me, for such a short read says quite a lot to me. Boy am I glad I got the wishnik coming. I’m definitly enjoying this.
Comment by Mike Arnzen on 18 October 2006:
An amazingly powerful short-short…quite literally a “Horror D’oeuvre”! Scrumptiously fulfilling; spoiled my meal. More, more, more!
Comment by kurt newton on 18 October 2006:
Thanks SLIM! Thanks Mike! Another 40,000 Horror D’oeuvre sales and I’ll be able to retire.
Comment by Shane Ryan Staley on 18 October 2006:
Coming soon from Delirium Books: 40,000 SPOTS ON THE NEWT, a short story collection by Kurt Newton featuring 40,000 original short-shorts. Expected release date: Nov. 5, 2030. Look for it to be going up for preorder in about 22 years. Give or take a few months.
Kurt: You could retire off this, by the way. If the average story pans out to be 1k, your royalties will come out to be $2 million.
Comment by kurtnewton on 18 October 2006:
2030? Hmmm, let’s see…that’s 1666 short-shorts per year (punching numbers excitedly into a calculator)…139 short-shorts per month (more numbers, sweat beginning to form on my upper lip)…about 4.5 short-shorts per day (heart pounding, fingers twitching)…or 1 short-short every 5 hours. Hmmph. Well, no time to talk, gotta go (running downstairs to make a pot of coffee)….
Comment by ruderabbit on 19 October 2006:
Thanks Kurt…That was excellent.
I already dislike seagulls, and the visual you helped me create will not soon change my mind about them.
WTG Shane. Definately liking this series!
Mark
Comment by Angeline Hawkes on 20 November 2006:
Wow. Very moving. Immediately called up images from the Tsunami. Very visually horrifying.
Comment by kurtnewton on 21 November 2006:
Thanks Angeline!
Comment by macker on 22 November 2006:
kurt, stop posting on threads and keep writing… only 39,847 to go.
exceptional story by the way. just one a week would keep me happy
Comment by kurtnewton on 22 November 2006:
Thanks Macker! I’m flashing as fast as I can… You’ll be happy to know Shane just accepted another one of mine, so stay tuned.
Comment by macker on 23 November 2006:
sorry for this poat guys, but i just noticed that if i pop a comment in here i’m in all 5 posts down the side of the page.. and i’m a real bad egomaniac, so there.
Comment by gunkslinger on 26 November 2006:
Another Wow Kurt. First time I’ve read your stuff. I like it!
Comment by kurtnewton on 26 November 2006:
Thanks again gunkslinger!