Virus
01.22.10
I have not seen a single living human for eight days now, in a city that used to house ten million. I wish I could say the same about dead ones, but one cannot escape the sight of the pyres piled high with plague victims. I will be joining them soon – this morning I felt in my legs the ache that presages the onset of the virus. In a matter of days I will implode. My bone marrow will mutate into an acid-like substance that will melt the rest of my organs, and I will join the amorphous corpses on the pyres.
I do not hide from the new inhabitants of Planet Earth. At first I did, believing they would kill me – the survival instinct is hard to ignore, even when one has no reason to live anymore – but I soon realised that they had no intention of going out of their way to do so. After all, I was already dead; they knew the virus would catch up with me eventually. One of them waved at me yesterday. I returned the salute – why shouldn’t I? The annihilation of the human race is nothing personal, it seems.
They have finished clearing the south side of the city and have razed the buildings to the ground. They are efficient: most of the resulting rubble has already been cleared. Amid some leftovers, a sheaf of pages from a newspaper survive. I pick them up and note the front page headline: “NEW NEIGHBOURS”. It is a broadsheet paper, of course; the tabloids at the time were publishing headlines like “MARTIANS!” and “FREDDY STARR ATE MY ALIEN” with glee. This was a few days after their fleet had arrived in the vicinity of Mars, and a few days before they had sent ambassadors to every major city on Earth. They had come bearing beautiful gifts and concealing deadly ones.
There had not been many more newspapers published after that. The virus worked fast and humans dropped like flies. Of course this is the wrong expression to use – the flies are thriving; so are dogs, cats, rats, insects and farmyard animals as far as I have seen. I have no doubt wild animals have also fared well. The virus was designed with humans in mind, and only humans.
It had been beyond foolish of us to believe that they would have travelled all this way and been content with a settlement in the arid lanscape of Mars – not when there was a luscious blue and green planet a mere stone’s throw away. Not when all they had to do was get rid of the vermin.
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Tags: Aliens, Flash Fiction, fridayflash, Horror, Science Fiction, virus, Writing
Aliens using virus as a weapon of mass destruction brings to mind the conquistadors coming over to the New World bringing disease and decimating local Indian population.
Excellent writing here.
Lol, great ending
I like the journal-style for this theme. I’m surprised the aliens allowed anyone to read it. Must have slipped through with the other rubbish.
Yep. That’s why we should kill the aliens first, long before they land. Even if they SAY they’re friendly… they aren’t. They never are.
Great – especially like that the new inhabitants wave to the last human, not worried at all. Then again, I suppose I’ve uttered a few comforting words to bugs I’ve killed.
Very cool!
wicked! viva la alien!
Perfect. Humans are so vulnerable. Classic but in an original way. I agree with CJ, the wave grabbed me too. Loved the story and enjoyed the writing.
“annihilation of the human race is nothing personal, it seems” (shudders)
We reap what we sow and you Mazzz sow apocalypse and carnage so well. How are your dreams at night? Pleasant or persecutory?
marc
I do like a good post-apocalypse story! Although I guess it’s only an apocalypse from the humans’ perspective.
I really liked the tone of resigned bitterness.
Being a journalist, I like your use of newspapers and the detail you used describing the difference between tabloids and broadsheets. I understand what you’re going for, but I feel like the narrator is too passive. The wave (which I like) could be the beginning of a relationship between this survivor and the “aliens”.
Loved your last line! I wonder sometimes if something like this isn’t prophetic.
Aliens. Virus. WOW!
Great story here. I’m not a big fan of alien stuff so much but I like this – the virus concept is really cool – let’s hope it’s not happening. . . damn, why does my legs hurt?
😉
Jim
There was a line in Fringe last night that I thought was so spot on “viruses are actually the ones at the top of the food chain”. I have to believe that aliens who have harnessed the virus would be at the top of the universal food chain. So, this made me shiver, way too plausible. Loved it!
So, don’t accept blankets from strangers…
I like the tone of this, he human resigned to his fate, the understanding of why it is happening. Another great write.
I like it, I like it a lot. The journal entry style works extremely well here – I had visions of one of the aliens, many years into the future finding the journal, reading it and trying to explain to their offspring what the “human race” was, or wondering even if their ancestors had done the right thing. Prophetic on so many levels, and such a great ending.
Aliens! Lovely! I do enjoy the evil E.T. stories. & I love that they’re so amiable about it…deadly virus, nothing personal! 🙂
Nice take on the post-apocalypse here. Aliens and viruses working together? Man, we’re screwed!
Virus, of course, they may be on the attack now for all we know.
I love that last line – humans as vermin – a case could very easily be made by aliens, and others!
Great story!
“One of them waved at me yesterday. I returned the salute – why shouldn’t I?” That’s classic. I loved the ambiance. Great job!
Wonderful, wonderful idea and great writing as usual. I like how the style captures the resignation of the narrator and how even in a few words (once again), an entire world is created.
Great opening, and whew! Just love post-apocalyptic stories, and yours so satisfies. Humans as vermin… hmmm… Peace, Linda
My cat is sitting on my desk purring as I read this. She hopes the new overlords will restore the felines to their rightful places. 🙂
That virus sounds scary but mercifully quick. Another freaky but great story!
CD
I love reading your work. Do you do longer pieces, as well?
This was right up my alley. Absolute human destruction, the narrator realizes his/her end is coming soon. Very good.
I don’t usually like alien themes myself, but your first sentences are just riveting enough to set a scene that isn’t so alien, even though it is, (hope that makes sense). In other words, great job with this story, and, as always, you build an incrdibly vivid world!
Refreshingly amoral genocide you’ve served up here, Mazzz! I like that there was nothing personal in it. Like when Gaia decides she’s had enough and smothers us. Reads like a parable, just without the irritating god bits. Fab.
~Simon.
Pretty scary, that’s for sure. Love that humans are the vermin, while what we consider vermin are thriving. Excellent story!
I second Marissa’s thoughts on the similarity to the arrival of the conquistadores, pilgrims, etc. I would have liked to be “inside” the head of the dying main character at least a little more before the story ended. Otherwise, a great take on an apocalypse.
Like 28 Days with a twist.
“this morning I felt in my legs the ache that presages the onset of the virus.” That is not what I wanted to read while nursing a knee injury!
Have you ever seen Vincent Price’s Last Man on Earth? It’s derivative of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, but sort of took on its own atmosphere. Yours doesn’t feel badly derivative either, but particularly the first paragraph of this reminded me of Last Man.
Eeeuuuuuwwwwwww!
I like this mash-up (should I use that term?) between post-apocalyptic mass death and alien invasion. Usually I read / watch one or the other, nice to see them mixed up. The bleak acceptance of the protagonist’s fate comes across well, methinks. x
I like how one of the aliens waves at him. “Hiyaaaaaaa!” The alien’s not even bothered he’s killing the human race – no remorse, just a cheerful wave. I doff my cap to you, madam!
Great story! Funny little aliens!
A whole new take on ‘human nature’. Spooky, and enjoyable. 😉
thanks everyone!
@ Olivia: I hope to one day write a longer piece, based on a previous #fridayflash Late Bloomer
I just need to clarify some thoughts in my head about it before starting though, too many questions at the moment
@ Wiswell: My apologies to your injured knee! I haven’t seen the Last Man, but this is the second time a story of mine has reminded folk of a classic Sci-Fi tale. I’m accidentally derivative prone, it seems. High Feast is the other tale in question. I guess I should blame a temporally displaced variety of quantum entanglement, or something
Oh that’s a nasty way to go. Very good. Well paced, and spot on ending…
Loved the description of the viral collapse of the body! Cool story and I enjoyed the writing.
Your dead-pan delivery makes it sound so plausible. But then, nature is like that isn’t it?
The subject and journalistic style remind me of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds so it was a fitting twist that this time they use a virus against us rather than succumbing to a native bacteria.
I really like what I’ve read from you so far – it’s engaging and kind of twisted, in a really fresh sort of way. I had the same reaction as Marisa and was also thinking about how Europeans brought smallpox to the “New World.” I don’t know if that was intentional or not, but it works as a parallel.
Wow – great ending! LOVED IT
Hey nice tease in the first par – I thought you’d gone all ‘Laura’ on me and we were in for a zombie romp. But no, it was those gift-bearing aliens smiting down the humrats! Well done.
Yeah, I was expecting zombies too. Then I thought that the virus was unintentional, just a result of contact between worlds like in ‘War of the Worlds.’ I love your word choices throughout. Great work.
I just finished reading Scot Westenfeld’s Peeps last night, and the comparison between parasites and viruses is way too close. Your somber tone in this piece is compelling, but I missed your wicked sense of humor.
Barb Relyea
Brilliant ending, and a great idea for a story.
My one question was: what was the narrator’s purpose in writing this, and to whom was it addressed?
Thanks again for your comments, all.
@ David Masters – hmm, not sure I can answer that question really. I wasn’t seeing the narrator addressing this to anyone in particular – perhaps not even writing it down anywhere, maybe more talking to himself