The Diseased

short story about the transformation of a man in the modern world.

THE DISEASED

 

The man awoke to find himself on fire, his skin dripped from his body like bacon fat.
He could feel the blood flowing through his veins but it was reaching boiling point, the bubbling sensation could have been mistaken as relaxing almost like a spa. The man wondered why he was laying in his bed feeling at ease, the woman he had slept with last night had left the apartment without saying goodbye, he decided not to care. There seemed to be no pain just numbness, He wasn’t a mass of fire instead a light blue flame covered his body it reminded him of the flame of a gas cooker.  His finger nails were blackened and cracked, the man touched his hair on his head strangely it wasn’t on fire instead it just felt as dry as straw. 
  The man got out of bed and walked around his bedroom, in a calm manner, he patted himself down trying to extinguish the flames but to no avail, the fire just clung to him like a boiler suit. He didn’t panic instead he just paced back and fourth trying to understand this strange moment in time. The man assumed he was dreaming and as he could do nothing about the situation, he decided to let the nightmare take its course.
  Slowly melting like a human candle he walked through his apartment towards the bathroom, he left footprints on his wooden floor it looked like tarmac on a summer’s day.
The man lifted the toilet seat and relived himself with a steady flow of urine, Steam engulfed the small tiled bathroom; he flushed the toilet and walked out.
  The man walked back to his bedroom and sat back down on his bed, a strong smell of burnt chicken hung in the air, he looked around the apartment nothing was on fire the flames on his body seemed to have no effect on any other surface, whatever the fire was it was only meant to be endured by him.  A steady beeping rang out, the man spun his head around to see his alarm clock flashing, he kicked it off its small table and the beeping stopped. The man sighed he needed to do something with his day even in this situation. He decided to get dressed, go out, and get some breakfast. slowly but surely he placed clothes onto his roasting body, he pulled on a pair of socks, pants and an old pair of jeans and his same white shirt, once he was finished he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, bone could be seen on the sharp points of his face. The man placed his hands onto his face to feel its features; he still felt no pain even now at this stage. he could now see that his nose had melted away, he moved in closer to see this horror but the steam had covered the mirror, the man wiped the cold surface, as he moved his hand away a large smear of skin obstructed his view, sickened with this he left the apartment.
  June was hot in New York the air was heavy, people were not wearing there thick suits but light clothing. The man walked down the street towards the noise of traffic; with each step he felt his feet slide inside his trainers.  He had walked down this road hundreds of times he new each small detail, like the black and white cat that always starred at him through its window, and the old man that stood laughing at the derelict delivery van.
  Turning the corner of his road he was met buy a group of hari Krishna’s they marched past him chanting and ringing there bells, one of the group handed the man a leaflet and
Smiled at him.  Bemused the man stopped walking and watched as the group went on there way.  He new that he was melting, he could smell the stench but people just smiled and said nothing, a dream that seemed to make no sense to the man. He was now walking along a main high street, it was a nice day birds were singing in the morning sun, but the man was feeling worse his stomach was aching he needed something to eat. The man new were he was heading, he went there every morning before work. it was obvious if this was his subconscious then he was being led to his favourite coffee shop.  As he walked, he could hear a creaking sound emerging from his body, like a log on a fire his skeleton was starting to crack and burn.  The man glanced down at a newspaper on the pavement, the front page read: local poll predicts rise in contagious epidemic, disease expected to reach mass scale. The paper blew away into the oncoming cars.
  He carried on towards his destination, the man reached a zebra crossing people crowded around him awaiting the green man to flash, as the man stood the last remains of skin on his left hand dripped onto the pavement, standing next to him an attractive woman was talking on her phone oblivious to her surroundings, she had with her a small dog that was awaiting obediently by her slender ankles. The man gave a slight smile towards the two but received no response. The dog was now licking at the small puddle of skin, the man winced and in reflex bent down and gently pushed the dog away. The woman stopped talking and then suddenly like awoken from a trance she turned and stared at the man.
  “Do not touch my dog.”
  “But it was licking my skin.”
  “Excuse me.”
  “Your dog was licking my dripping skin so I pushed him away.”
  “Please leave me alone or I will call the police.”
  The man looked down at the dog its fur was on fire its ears had completely disintegrated horrified the man screamed at the woman.
  “Your dog oh my god I’m so sorry your dog it’s burning alive.”
The woman stunned by the comment lunged down and grabbed the dog it licked at her face happy as ever, the woman shook her head at the man.
  “What are you talking about you sick disgusting man go away.”
The zebra crossing beeped and the woman and her dog walked across the road, frantic with despair the man could now see that the woman was alight the back of her legs were bubbling, the hair on her head was flaming like a Bunsen burner.
  The man rushed across the road and away from the people, confused he carried on running. he needed to find somewhere to compose himself so he ran into the local park,
Found the nearest bush and hid. He sat hunched over he was hyperventilating; he counted his breathing and slowly calmed down. The man needed to awake from this nightmare, he tried to pinch himself but there was no skin left.  The sky had become overcast deep black clouds were accumulating high above, the birds had stopped singing and ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance.  The man looked at his watch he tried to see his reflection in the small round glass, he could just make out his skull. The man stood up pulled his hood over his head and walked off through the park.
  He walked slowly and calmly taking in the peaceful surroundings, he crossed over a small arched bridge he could see ducks bobbing on a small pound, a young boy was throwing bread into the water his mom looked bored, she sat on a bench smoking a cigarette. The man looked at the boy’s mom she was pretty and had a good figure. he thought about what she would look like naked. He could see that she had good legs he liked the way she crossed them letting the left leg sway on it’s on.
  The woman glanced over at him and gave a slight smile, casually the man walked over to her.
  “Hi there I just wanted to ask if it was possible if you could give me one of those?”
The woman lazily looked up at him and waved her hand gesturing towards the cigarette.
  “What you can’t buy your own?”
Shaking her head, she handed the man a cigarette.
  “Thanks.”
  “No skin off my nose, do you need a light?”
  “Yeah thanks.”
Cupping the flame in her hand, she lit his cigarette.
  “Thank you, would it be ok if I sat down for a bit?”
  “Um ok, if you want?”
Looking at the woman the whole time the man sat down on the wooden bench. Both of them looked out onto the pond. The young boy was playing next to the water he was now on his knees happily splashing scarring the ducks away. The mom’s face began to contort with anger.
  “Daniel stop that now do you hear me.”
  “Mum I’m a duck too, look at me.”
  “I said stop, if you don’t I’m going to slap you all the way home, now stop.”
The man chuckled to himself; he took a drag off his cigarette. 
  “The boys alright he’s only having a bit of fun.”
The woman stubbed out her cigarette and turned towards him.
  “Fun do you know how dirty that water is, I don’t see anything fun about my child catching some god forsaken disease.”
  “I hear what you’re saying; it’s just that I wish I could have fun like your son.”
The woman smirked.
  “Oh yeah what type of fun is that?”
The man leaned in closer, confidently he placed his skeletal hand onto the woman’s thigh. Gradually moving under her skirt, his fingers traced the outline of her underwear.
Smiling the man moved in next to the woman’s ear and whispered.
  “You know what fun I’m talking about.”
The woman froze in fear, slowly she stood up and gestured to her son.
  “Daniel come on honey were going home.”
Daniel got up and started to stomp his feet.
  “Why mommy why? I want to play.”
Panic stricken the woman ran towards the boy. The man sat watching the scene he had made. He could now see that the woman was burning, a blue flame was slowly creeping up her legs. Reaching out to her son the woman grabbed his arm pulling him away from the pond, struggling the boy unravelled himself and ran back to the pond.
  “Mommy let me just give the ducks the last bit of bread.”  
The man watched in anger at what he had done, the boy was now alight blond hair fizzing away. Bending down close to the dark water the boy let the ducks eat the remaining bread out of his hands.
  “Daniel lets go, please let’s go home now.”
Daniel ran towards his mom, grabbing her hand the pair walked off.
  “Mommy why are you shaking.”
  “I’m cold honey that’s all.”
The flaming mom and child hurried away, oblivious to what was happening to them.
  The man stared out at the pond distraught with himself, He began to cry but there were no tear ducts left in his face. All the man had left of his body that wasn’t bone were his eyeballs, through them he could now see the ducks floating around on the dirty water like mini fireballs, the pond was illuminated with burning ducks. it reminded the man of his local funfair when he was a boy, but back then the ducks were plastic and not burning to death. In the distance, he could hear the mom and boy screaming, ignoring the chilling noise the man rushed through the park and headed for the café.
  Emerging from the park the man could see the café, it was situated just across the road, he ran across weaving through the traffic. A van hit its brakes hard just stopping in front of the man, the driver shouted from his widow.
  “Get out of the road you freak.”
  The man waved his hand lethargically apologising to the driver, the van screeched away. The man staggered onto the pavement a sharp searing pain came from his stomach, bending over he spat out what looked to be phlegm, coughing he spat again. The man looked down at the chewing gum incrusted pavement what he saw was not phlegm but droplets of fire, he wiped his mouth and entered the café.
  It was busy inside most of the tables were occupied, a group of teenagers sat eating near the entrance, he carefully brushed past them. The man hurried to the counter he waited as patiently as he could, steam evaporated from the coffee machine, the smell of the place brought a moment of excitement to the man.
  “Hi there what can I get you?”
A young petite girl stood smiling at the man.
  “Can I have one of those?”
The man pointed his bony finger at a row of readymade rolls and sandwiches. The young girl pointed at one.
  “Is this bagel ok? It’s my favourite.”
The man nodded, the pain in his stomach was constant he tried to smile.
  “Thank you, can I have a large black coffee as well.”
The girl turned around and poured coffee into a white mug. The man looked her up and down, he wanted to lean across undo her jeans and touch her soft skin. The girl turned
back around placed the bagel and coffee down onto the counter. She punched in the order on the till.
  “That will be four dollars on the head.”
The man reached into his trouser pocket rummaging around he pulled out his keys.                        “Sorry I can’t seem to think straight at the moment.”
He reached back into his pocket found his wallet and handed the young girl the correct money.
  “Thank you sir.”
The man picked up his food but instead of turning away, stopped and stared at the girl, her right hand was glowing with a blue flame, the fire was slowly creeping up her arm.
  “Sir are you ok? You don’t look very well.”
  “No, no I’m not.”
The young girl gave a confused smile and carried on with her work, shaking his head the man walked away. The only seat available was at the window; he made his way through the crowded coffee shop and sat down uncomfortably on the stool. Looking out the window the man saw a flock of birds fly past high above the city, smoke trailed from there burning feathers.
  The man gulped down some coffee it tasted liked tin foil, he lifted the bagel to his teeth and bit into the soft dough, it also tasted strange. Wearily he turned around to look at the shop girl, a queue had gathered the girl was serving as quick as she could, her skin melted like cheese, and with each customer she served the flame passed onto them. The man watched as people left the shop alight, the fire spread from person to person. Pushing the plate to one side the man stood up, it was to late now for food and drink.
 Swaying like a willow tree the man walked out of the café, standing in the street he felt a deep rumbling inside him, the man dropped to his hands and knees, a young couple walked past eyeing the man with an air of disgust.
  “Cant these people pray in there homes?”
  “Oh honey let them do as they please.”
  “I just find it disgusting, don’t you?”
  “Just forget it, come on were going to be late.”
Rain began to patter on top of the man’s skull; the pain inside him was causing his skeletal frame to shake convulsively. Arching his body the man let out an agonising cry, molten lava spewed from his mouth, the liquid fire flowed from the man into the gutter. Across the road, other people were oozing fire, The road was now a river of lava, finally the man stopped. Letting out his last breath he crumbled to the ground, the rain fell heavily as it washed his ashes into the river of disease.

THE END