Cannibal: Chapter One

Chapter One: Enlist

         Meat, we've all eaten it at least once. It's delicious. But have we ever wondered where our meat comes from? Sure, the government tells us that the meat comes from a cow, pig, chicken, you get the picture, but have you ever wondered if what you're eating is meat from another species? Would you be able to the difference between another species meat and your own? Most people wouldn't. The big difference between between another species and ours is that ours is fresher and tastes phenomenally better. Cannibalism is what it's called which is mostly frowned upon in most cultures. Besides the deterioration of one's own mind, the other consequence is death. So where am I going with this you ask? Well meat is the star of this story, because one piece of this meat can kill the whole world.

           “Hey Cam, we found one,” said a woman with a sweet, sultry voice. “Can you watch him?”

         “Oh yeah, sure. You guys going out again?” Cam asked.

         “Yeah, we're going to go look for more Light. Maybe there's some holed up somewhere,” she said with a grin.

         “Be safe,” Cam said.

         “Thanks,” she said as she left.

         Cam walked out of his tent and walked into the infirmary tent. He walked over to one of the four beds and noticed a man unconscious. He was wearing a white t-shirt that was tattered and covered in dirt with regular bootcut blue jeans. His shoes seemed to be missing as only socks covered his feet. A elongated blueish purple bruise laid on top of his forehead while short dark brown hair covered the top of his head.

         “Male Caucasian, possibly around his late twenties. No visible deformation ruling out new government issued meat. Visible scratch marks around his forearms maybe sign of a struggle or hunger,” Cam said to himself. “Among further inspection, there is rapid eye movement--.”

         Suddenly, the man's right hand shot up and latched onto Cam's neck choking him. The man opened his eyes and glared at Cam. Cam reached around his own waist and pulled out his handgun pointing it at the man. After a few seconds, the man let go and Cam fell to the ground rubbing his neck.

         “Where am I? Where's Beth?” the man yelled.

         “I don't know who you're talking about. I'm just watching you,” Cam said still rubbing his neck.

         “Beth, my wife! She was with me before I blacked out.”

         Cam got up and put his handgun back into it's holster. He walked over to a nearby bed and sat down.

         “She's probably a Shadow. It's better if you forgot about her.”

         “A Shadow? What are you talking about? I can't just forget about my wife!”

         “Look, do you remember anything, anything at all before blacking out?” Cam asked.

         “I don't have time for this, I have to look for her!” he said getting up.

         “You won't be allowed to leave without a pass.”

         “Screw that!”

         “Do you want to get shot? If you don't have a pass, you can't leave. If you try to leave by force, you'll get shot down. If you want to find your wife, you're best bet is to stay here.”

         The man looked at Cam flustered then sat back down. He was shaking uncontrollably and he was looking left to right.

         “What's your last name?” Cam asked.          

         “Why does it matter?”

         “If your wife was shot down as a Shadow and she had some sort of identification on her, she should be on the database.”

         “It's Walker.”

         Cam walked over to the infirmary's computer and typed in Beth Walker. Multiple Beth Walkers popped up on the screen.

         “What's her age?”

         “She's twenty-five.”

         Cam typed in her age. Cam walked back to the bed and sat down across from the man.

         “Well?” he asked.

         “She's not in the database.”

         “That means she's alive?!” he asked happily.

         “There's a slim chance she's still alive. She's most likely a Shadow and she hasn't been shot down yet.”

         “She's alive, I know she is!”

         “Believe what you want, I'm telling you she's most likely dead.”

         “Well screw you.”

         “I'll pass. Ask me again when I don't feel threatened,” Cam joked.

         “Wait what?” the man asked confused.

         “Don't worry about it. Well now that you know she's alive, what are you going to do?”

         “I want to go and find her, but I won't find her if she's dead. So i'll stay here till I get a pass.”

         “That means you'll have to enlist.”

         “I was already in the military.”

         “Doesn't matter. This isn't the military. This is an independent group set out to clear the world of Shadows.”

         “Okay speaking of Shadows, what are they?”

         “Shadows are what we call the walking dead. Since there's no more 'light' in them, we call them Shadows. Light are living human beings. You and I are considered Light.”

         “Why not just calling them the walking dead? Why do you have to go and use complicated terms?”

         “Too many references to Zombie flicks.”

         “Okay so how do people become Shadows?”          

         “Bitten by a Meathead.”

         “A Meathead?”

         “A Meathead is what we call ignoramuses consuming the government's newly issued grade A meat.”

         “You mean beef.”

         “No, I mean meat. The government never called it beef, they just called it meat. After the first Mad Cow Disease in 2003 in the United States, the government tried to find new ways to prevent that from ever happening again. Well the bright men and women up in those government buildings thought of a great way of avoiding that is issuing a new type of meat.”

         “So what's meat?”

         “Us. We're meat.”

         “Excuse me?”

         “The government took human beings, killed them, and served them on a platter.”

         “That's disgusting!”

         “You're telling me.”

         “How in the hell did they get passed the FDA?”

         “The FDA don't mean shit. They gave them the meat. They tried it and fell in love with the meat and immediately sent it to every supermarket in the United States. Consumers bought the new meat, brought it home, and people started getting sick which later resulted in death. But no one ever thought it could be the meat.”

         “Wow, I'm glad I never ate any. I just ate chicken and fish. Wait, then how does that relate to zombies?”

         “A month after death, the body reanimates and becomes a Shadow or a Meathead. Whichever sounds better to you.”

         “I'll stick with Shadows.”

         Cam and the man sat there for a good few minutes in silence until Cam broke the silence.

         “So what's your name?”

         “Oh, it's Matthew. You can me Matt, Cam.”

         “No thanks. If I were you, I'd come up with a different name.”

         “Why? What's wrong with my name?”

         “Nothing. It's just everyone uses code names. Cam isn't my real name, it's just what they gave me when they found me.”

         “Why Cam?”

         “I had a camera with me. I was a photojournalist before this tragedy.”

         “Oh, well you can call me Cross.”

         “Religious?”

         “Yeah. You?”

         “Not one bit. I don't know how anyone can stay religious after what's been going on.”

         “You just need faith.”

         “I'll pass. I just need to get laid.”

         “All you can think about is sex?”

         “Not all the time, I'd say about seventy-five percent of the time.”

         Cam gets up and leaves the tent while Cross follows closely behind.

         “So where are we going?”

         “I'm dropping you off to the General's office. You'll go through all the enlisting processing with him.”

         They both walk around the camp for half an hour and then end up at the edge of camp.

         “Well here we are. Good luck,” Cam said tapping Cross on the ass.

         Cross looks at Cam and he just shrugs then walks away. Cross takes a deep breath and slowly walks into the General's tent. The inside of the tent was brightly lit by several candles located atop the General's desk. The General sat at his desk with a coffee mug in his left hand.

         “Who are you?” the General asked without looking up.

         “My name's Matt—my name is Cross. I'm here to enlist sir.”

         The General looked up at him and scratched his head. He took a sip of his coffee then with a quick flick of his wrist he threw the coffee mug directly at Cross' head and it shattered instantly pouring hot coffee onto Cross' face.          

         “Did that burn?” the General asked.

         “Yes sir,” Cross said.

         “But you didn't flinch or say anything. You're a Trooper.”

         “Thank you sir.”

         “No, I mean you really are a Trooper.”

         “I don't understand, sir.”

         “Cam! Get in here!” the General yelled.

         In a matter of seconds, Cam bursted into the tent standing next to Cross.

         “Yes sir!”

         “I want you to give this new Trooper a tour around the camp.”

         “Yes sir!”

         “Oh and Cam.”

         “Yes sir?”

         “He's you're partner from now on.”

         “My partner? But sir, wouldn't it be more efficient if he were partnered with another Trooper?”

         “Yes, but all Troopers are already partnered up. You however are not. Is that a problem, Cam?”

         “No sir.”

         Cam bowed and left the tent with Cross following by his side. They walked a few minutes and reached the barracks. The barracks was generally empty except for the weapons tech cleaning some rifles at his desk.

         “Yo Cam, long time no see! What are you doing here? I don't think I got a new shipment for your class.”

         “I'm not here for me, meet Cross the new Trooper and my partner,” Cam said.

         “Ah, so this is the Light Siren found found earlier. Nice to meet you, the name's Bones!” the old man said.

         “I'm guessing Bones is because you're an old man?” Cross asked.

         Cam shakes his head and sighs.

         “His name is Bones because he's a serial killer.”

         “Haha very funny. What's the real reason?” Cross asked.

         “He's right! I used to kidnap people and skin the alive till only their bones are left,” Bones grinned.

         Cross' eyes widened and looked at Cam. He jumped behind Cam and grabbed him.

         “I'm not your human shield. Bones' is harmless. Think of him like a retired serial killer.”

         “Serial killers don't go on retirement, they just lie so they can kill some more!”

         “Believe what you want. He's the best when it comes to weapons.”

         “Why thank you, Cam. I'll have to make you a new case for your gun sometime.”

         “Make sure to wipe the flesh off of it first, not like the last time,” Cam joked.

         “What?” Cross yelled.

         “Look Bones, I just need a MAG, a Flamer, and a few grenades.”

         Bones gets up and goes to his office.

         “Will you quit being a baby Cross? You're embarrassing.”

         Bones walked out of his office with the Trooper kit and handed them to Cam. Cam nodded and walked out with Cross clinging onto him. Cam and Cross walk into Cam's tent and Cross walks to the bed with newly folded sheets and blankets. Cam tosses Cross his “Guide to Becoming a Trooper” and lays the Trooper kit down next to Cross' bed.

         “Read that then we'll start training tomorrow,” Cam said sitting on his bed.

         The book was about two inches thick.

         “All of it?”

         “Well of course.”