Blood and Stars - Episode 6 - The Needle

Piggy wasn't being very cooperative, but the thick leather straps kept the worst of his thrashing around in check. It was this jerking about which forced my hand when it came to designs, anything delicate or complicated had to be reserved for the back and torso because they could be immobilised more effectively. The limbs I usually leave until last, the subject has passed out or died from shock by the time I get round to them. A pity really, tattooing the top of the foot was exquisitely painful, the screams a symphony of agony.

I slapped the piggy again and returned to pricking out my design on his torso, the colours were building up well, firework flowers were exploding across piggy's chest and abdomen. They were rather large but then piggy provided a considerable canvas so it seemed wasteful not to use as much of it as possible. I would add the trails later, piggy has a weak heart, he would not last much longer.

I stopped briefly, ever the critical artist. I would have to use the mechanical needle to fill in the night sky, a pity really, I didn't like to use it for my subjects unless it was essential, one step removed. That was part of the pleasure, being so close to the unwilling canvas. With piggy being so large though, and my schedule being out of sync thanks to Sherri's interference, it would have to be that way. There was the advantage of consistency when covering large areas when using the electric needle. I sighed. And piggy was such a large area to cover.

Piggy had been silent for a while now, I looked up and his lips had begun turning blue. He was dead, how very annoying, He would have particularly enjoyed piggy's screams as I decorated his feet, especially the soles. A low rumble came from piggy and then a foul odour, yup piggy was dead alright.

“Oh you are a dirty piggy.”

I sighed again.

“Piggy's going to have another shower, pity piggy is silent for this one.”

I blasted him with the hose again, blood, skin and small crusts of ink swirled into the central drainage hole. Piggy's bodily fluids were also washed away, and the smell also reduced in intensity. I left piggy to drip dry for a while, I turned on the extractor and whatever stench remained vented outside.

I would leave finishing piggy for a while, I wanted a swim and something to eat.

Blood and Stars - Episode 5 - The Tape

His muffled scream rang round the room as I ripped off the duct tape which had been covering his eyes, the sedation had worn of then...

I smiled and leant in close, his eyes were opened so wide they looked like pool balls, pupils darting side to side, blood already pricking forward where the skin had been torn off when the tape was removed.

“Now piggy, you're a good squealer aren't you, hmm? Well piggy, He likes it when they squeal, He'll be real pleased with me for this cos you're gonna be a noisy sucker huh?”

Beads of sweat were forming along his hairline, saline streams dripping onto the table. I bought the table from a buddy of mine in the trade, it was the actual table Arthur Gary Bishop was strapped to and the trinity administered, what a thrill!

I ripped the tape from his mouth, his screams of pain filled the room, I closed my eyes and allowed the euphoria to wash over me, I never tired of the screaming.

“Wha..what are you do-doing?!”

Bubbles of blood burst on his torn lips. I raised a finger to my own lips.

“Shh, piggy mustn't speak, only squeal. Piggy thought he was going to have some nasty sex didn't he? Piggy was wrong, piggy is going to die.”

“No, no, stop please, I'll give you money, whatever you want!”

I slapped him across the face with the back of my hand.

“If piggy doesn't keep quiet, piggy's mouth will be taped up again.”

He made as if to speak again but, seemingly having thought the course of action through, remained silent. I waited to ensure the silence then began the task of removing the cocoon of duct tape from the piggy, such a hairy piggy, He would think that nasty. I was impressed with the efficiency of the duct tape as a hair removal system, neat strips of naked skin were revealed, ever growing screams the sound track to my work and ignited fire in my loins.

Time to slice, piggy had passed out, weak piggy. Blood removal before making him a work of art, another serious challenge, at least with Sherri there was no epic body hair removal and, even better, she was already dead.

I turned the hose on him, an icy jet blasted his freshly plucked pink body, piggy yowled, music to my ears.

“Time for your cut and colour piggy.”

Blood and Stars - Episode 4 - The Message

Headlights off. The familiar rattle, rumble and shake of the dirt track to my condo soothed me almost to the point of sleep. Now that I had delivered Sherri to Him I hoped I would return to his good graces; although the repair of my floor suggested I already had. I stopped outside my condo and switched off the engine, I listened to the ticking for a few moments, loud against the dull roar of the ocean.

Tiredness was pulling at my eyelids but before I could sleep I had to know, He would have left me details of my next commission and I liked to sleep with the dossier under my pillow to help me formulate my design.

On the kitchen counter lay a manila folder, the thin crimson string around it tied in a neat bow. I snapped the string with the outer edge of my hand and spread out the contents on the counter; photos, phone and credit card bills, diary pages, the inner workings of someone's life. Man, this guy was dull! Seriously, this guy would have a sloth reaching for the 12 bore to end the pain! As ever He had a reason for referring this guy to me but I didn't know what the reason was, not that I really needed to know the why, just the who, where and when. Actually I'd just shoot this guy and have done with it then work on him later but He didn't like that method for any subject, Sherri had only confirmed this.

I made myself a chicken mayo sandwich while reading the guy's bio, so far so dull. I moved to the couch and carried on reading, referring to the photos when indicated. Oh here we go; he likes a bit of bondage, yeah alright! Nothing wrong with kinky sex of course, good to mix it up from time to time but it did give me a way in and he wouldn't know what trouble he was in until it was far, far too late. Now I'm strictly speaking a ladies' man but when the commission necessitate, or my overactive libido demands it, I'll flip to being a bi dude. I like to be pretty dom with a guy and this man seemed to be into that, although I'd need a lot of body waxing strips - yuck, maybe that stuff comes in rolls like duct tape...hmm duct tape would be much cheaper and boy would it make piggy squeal. I made a note to pack the omnidirectional microphones, would make the captured sound much more atmospheric, He'd like that. Normally I didn't need them but switching it up a gear would be fun and He'd appreciate the extra effort.

I yawned and stretched; sleep, I had time in hand before the deadline. I hadn't had an opportunity to wear my leather harness and chaps for a long time.

Zombie Luv Flash Fic Contest: Marrying the Dead

The fireflies cast a soft warm glow in the dell, the flames of the tall candles flickered in the gentle evening breeze. Sam looked around, everything was just so, he smiled his crooked smile and closed his eyes to drink in the atmosphere. The night had come at last, the waiting was over. John limped into the glade;

“It's perfect Sam, just perfect.”

Sam moved over to John and kissed him, as he moved his head away the candle flames were reflected in his eyes. John pressed Sam's nose back into place and flashed him a toothless grin.

The registrar shuffled in;

“A beautiful setting boys, and a harvest moon to boot!”

The guests started entering from all sides of the glade, a low moaning and groaning permeated the forest. Jason and Spencer had deadly nightshade boutonnières, matching Sam and John's own. Spencer waved Jason's arm and then put it on the seat next to him. Jason could have been crying but it was more probable that his eye socket was infected again and the wound was weeping. The guests took their seats, the registrar beckoned Sam and John to the front, mindful of the weakened tape around what was left of his wrist.

The registrar cleared his throat, four cockroaches crawled out and scuttled off into the dark, one was grabbed by a guest who munched it nonchalantly. The moaning and groaning quieted then stopped.

“We are gathered here today to witness the join in marriage of this zombie and err this other zombie. Instead of the usual set of vows, Sam and John had decided to declare their love for each other through poetry; Sam perhaps you would like to go first?”

Sam and John stood facing each other, Sam took a much folded piece of paper out of his jacket pocket;

“When first we met, I thought my heart would beat again,

I have loved no other as I love you,

I give myself to you, as you give yourself to me,

Together in unending death.”

A pause, the sounds of the night and soft moaning from the guests were all that could be heard.

“Now John,”

John took a deep breath and exhaled through the holes in his torso.

“When first we met, I wanted more than just your brain,

I had no doubt that we were meant to be,

I give myself to you, as you give yourself to me,

Together in inevitable decay.”

The appreciative and emotional moaning from the guest grew a little louder but stopped when the registrar moved forward and placed John's hand in Sam's. John shuffled a little closer to Sam to rejoin his hand.

“We have heard the declarations of love and devotion from John and Sam so I make my declaration that they are now joined together in marriage and wish them a long and peaceful death. You may now kiss your husband.”

Sam and John leaned is and kissed, the guests erupted into applause which was interspersed with the sound of fingers falling from hands to the forest floor.

(c) Lexx Clarke 2010

Guidelines:

• Word count: maximum 1.000

• The story must be a romance between two zombies. Make it as horrific as you like. ;)

• Stories containing animal cruelty, torture, graphic sex or violence, any form of exaltation of violence, racism or other forms of prejudice will be immediately disqualified.

• Post your entry on your own blog, with a title resembling this:

Zombie Luv Flash Fic Contest: Story Title

• Leave your story title and a link to the story entry post as a comment at mari's randomities: http://marisrandomities.blogspot.com

• Copy and paste the contest logo and the guidelines at the end of your entry post.

Blood and Stars - Episode 3 - The Delivery

The moon rose in the sky; illuminating the scene as I closed the trunk of my T-bird on Sherri's now decorated corpse. Almost twenty four hours since I'd accidentally killed her and then had to confess my transgression to Him. My unscheduled extra gift to Him was safe now, hidden from the world again, best thing for her really. I slid into the driver's seat, turned the key in the ignition and rumbled my way toward the main road. I kept my headlights off, no sense in alerting passing planes to my presence, the fewer people aware of my condo's existence the better. The rough road surface rumbled under my wheels, each pothole, bush and turn as familiar to me in darkness as in full sun.

Once on the main road, I turned left and switched on my lights. The soft yellow light played across the road, a roadside bush partially caught in the beam cast a finger like shadow ahead. I turned on the radio, the gentle sound of Peggy Lee's voiced burbled from the speakers. Stretching my right arm along the worn leather of the front bench seat, I settled back and coasted into the deepening dark.

I followed the route to the delivery location with ease, it felt like I had driven it a thousand times, it was probably more like a hundred and fifty but hey, nothing wrong with a little hyperbole between friends right? I had no exact idea where I was, road signs round here aren't what you might call plentiful and I only had turns, distances and landmarks as guides rather than town names. The final turn approached, I hauled the car off the road and into woodland. I parked under the large pine tree and quieted the engine. I drank in the cool night air, the accident was nearly dealt with and I would once more be able to return to fulfilling His desires.

I stepped out of the car, the carpet of pine needles pleasantly prickled the soles of my bare feet. I opened the lid of the trunk, I dragged Sherri's corpse easily over the stoop of the trunk and laid it on the pine needle carpet under the large pine tree for Him to collect when He was ready. I pulled out my phone and called His number.

“She is waiting for you Sir.”

The gravel poured;

“Good, go home, your floor has been cleaned and sanded, such a mess that girl made.”

My heart rose;

“Thank you Sir, I..I...”

Click.

Well, that's the main problem solved, I loved that floor.

(c) Lexx Clarke 2010