MeatScape

Jack Copping

Rolling hills of flesh as far as the eye can see, undulating and writhing underfoot. We call it the meatscape, other groups might have different names for it. Were not really sure how it came to be but it started 4 years ago, a wall of muscle, bone, skin everything youd find out there on animals crawled its way across the planet covering the surface completely. It drank the oceans and smothered the plants. The only green Ive seen since is what I assume is algae growing in great lakes of piss and saliva. Its a horrible but apart from throw myself into one of the gibbering gnashing mouths that dot the surface my only option is to try to survive. My name is Joseph, I live with a tribe of 4 men. We havent seen anyone else in what we think is months. Austin our sort of de facto leader on account of him being the only person with a take charge attitude claims to have kept count of the time using some pens and paper hes managed to keep on him since the time before flesh smothered the globe. Ben is the tools maker of our group, though all he has to work with these days is leather from the surface and bone. That leaves me and Ray who tend fill in as the manual labourers whenever we can. Our routine has been the same for so long I couldnt tell you when it started. We wake up and eat, cooking what meat we have on fires made from long tufts of fur sticking out from the flesh which you can cut down if you have something sharp. Then we pick a direction and walk, for hours sometimes, looking giant teats bursting forth from the ground to fill our satchels with milk or perhaps some flesh trees on which hang the suspended foetus of the horrible abominations which wander the meatscape but provide easy meat that doesnt require digging beneath the scapes skin to get at. But more than anything the real reason we wander is to try and find other people, or the occasional building that somehow wasnt completely smothered by the meatscape which sometimes has useful things like clothes not made of leather inside. The walk today was not much different from any other, we saw the occasional giant eye gazing up from the meat as us as we passed, fields containing horribly deformed limbs from various species sprouting out from the meat pawing around looking for something to grab but never snatching at each other. A little after midday me and Ben had to grab Austin by the arms and yank him back as a gaping mouth opened up in front of him while he was busy looking at the horizon. The huge fat tongue slapped against the sides of the mouth as it gurgled angrily at being deprived a meal.

What the hell I said angrily You of all people should know that you keep your eyes on the ground while walking somewhere unfamiliar Sorry He replied turning to look at the same horizon again I just thought I saw some smoke from over the hill there All of us turned to look towards the horizon, shielding our eyes from the strong midday sun we could see a few straggles of smoke working their way up towards freedom in the sky. Well Ill be damned exclaimed Ben People at last Ray looked towards the mouth tongue still waggling with the gurgling getting louder and louder. Guys, we should probably get out of here before that mouth attracts any unwanted attention Ray turned towards Austin awaiting confirmation. Good idea Said Austin already starting to walk forward, paying extra attention to the meat in front of him lets get out of here before any critters come to see what the mouths yelling about. The walk towards the smoke was largely uneventful until we got to the hill in front of where we saw the smoke coming from. Austin crouched low just below the ridge gripping onto the light fluffy hair to stabilize himself against the slowly rippling motion of the flesh near the surface and gestured for the rest of us to join him. Ok I say we pop our heads just above the ridge and have a look at what where dealing with here, we dont want to end up handing ourselves over to a load of head cases He whispered. Slowly poking our heads above the ridge we saw the source of the smoke. A small dwindling fire of fur surrounded by some rudimentary tents made of leather and bone. We waited for what felt like hours but which in reality was probably only several minutes and didnt see a single person walking around the settlement. I dont think anyones there I said allowed Still they must have left fairly recently the fires still burning Ray pointed out Ok said Austin standing up lets get down there and see whats going on As we made our way closer to the small settlement the rancid sent of rotting meat filled our noses. Once we reached the centre of the settlement we split up and each took a few tents to search. As I approached my first tent I noticed that the meatscape had already started to grow back over the bone spikes that had been rammed into the fleshy ground in order to support the

tent, if this wasnt regularly hacked away eventually the meat would completely grow over the tent and pull it down. Looking inside the first tent I didnt see of interest just a few leather blankets on the floor, the second tent. Oh boy in the second tent I found a treasure trove of old world trinkets, amongst the handful of t-shirts and jeans none off which would fit a grown man I saw the greatest prize of all. Mostly hidden the edge of a fun sized chocolate bar wrapper stuck out from under the pile of childrens clothing. I greedily grabbed at it not wanting to have to share it with the others, whoever this belonged too they were obviously saving it for a special occasion. As quietly as I could I peeled back the wrapper and crammed the whole bar into my mouth. My knees went weak with the intense pleasure of tasting something that wasnt meat, experiencing the sublime pleasure of feeling a food melt against the warmth of my tongue. I wont lie and say I didnt cry a little, I wont lie and say I wasnt a little turned on. Afterwards while I was half dumb in ecstasy letting the molten mess that had mixed with my saliva coat the inside of my mouth Ray called out. Guys I found something interesting! Reluctantly I rubbed my tongue around the outside of my mouth and swallowed, in meatscape you learn all pleasures are fleeting. I left the tent after a quick look around making sure it didnt contain any other treasures and walked towards the larger tent fro m which Rays voice had come from. I went inside to be greeted by the others standing around a large gaping hole in the meat. The smell of rot was strongest in here; chunks of meat had been chucked aside and left to rot. Looking down the hole we could already see the meat starting to heal up pushing against the restraints set up to prevent that from happening, it would be too dangerous to even risk going down there. There was definitely a fair few people living here for them to even be able to mine for meat Ben said staring deep into the hole. They hadnt dug to deep, probably 6 feet at most. Which was probably smart, the meat had a nasty tendency to just close up and heal over whoever was in the wound. It would be difficult enough to organise digging a hole this size, but for any group willing to pull it off it would be well worth the effort as theyd be rewarded with meat in line with a good steak far better than the tough skin on the surface or the chewy placenta from the trees. Makes me wonder what happened to them, you wouldnt want to leave a place with this kinda set up unless you had too Austin thought allowed Did any of you guys find anything else interesting? I found a pile of childrens clothing I said telling only half the truth. I might be able to make something out of them for us to wear if I can Ben said still staring into the pit in the meat

Well I think I found the jackpot, theres a couple of scars in the flesh near one of the tents I was looking at Austin said already walking out the tent expecting us to follow a smile starting to play out across his face. Between two of the tents there where 2 big grooves in the ground leading away from the settlement. The scar tissue Austin had talked about was obvious hinting that these tracks had often been used before this place had ended up deserted. So what do you guys think? Austin asked Well I began I think if where going to pick a direction to go in when we leave this place it should definitely be this one, and I feel like we should leave quickly I dont like it here Yeah Im not a big fan of a whole heap of people disappearing with no reason, Ben go get the childrens clothing and bring them with us. Hopefully you can use them to make us something, itd be nice to having something to wear thats not leather The rest of our day was largely uneventful. The following morning we were greeted with new shirts crudely stitched together crudely from yesterdays children clothing. Ben had stayed up most of the night working by the dull glow of our fire. I felt a little bad that I hadnt shared any of the chocolate bar with him. After a brief meal of yesterdays left over foetus we set out. As the sun started to rise higher in the sky the giant eyes dotted across the meatscape started to squint and close and we started to drink milk from our satchels. Crap Im starting to run dry Ray called out shaking his satchel above his mouth. Have whats left of mine its not much but itll do Austin said as he handed his satchel to Ray We need to find another teat soon to stock up, its been to long since we last found one so everyone keep your eyes open for one We walked for hours slowly getting thirstier and thirstier; I could feel the roughness of my own throat making it difficult to swallow the spit that kept collecting in my mouth. After a while we heard a low gargled snarl from over a small hill, we stopped and listened the snarl came again sounding as if whatever was making it had a mouth full of water. Oh shit that doesnt sound good I whispered If thats a creature it might be near some teats or something else useful Ben said staring over towards the noise of the snarl Ok Austin was already pulling out his bone knife Ill go have a look, you guys stay quiet Austin slowly sneaked around the hill. We stood there holding our breath counting the seconds, the gurgled snarl suddenly got a lot louder and angrier before completely stopping.

Guys come on over Austin yelled As we walked over we saw Austin standing bone knife in hand breathing heavily, at his feet lay the creature its throat slit cleanly. I looked like someone had cross bread a human and a dog and stretched it out, easily over 7 feet tall and gangly with a long neck its face was that of a dog but it had the mouth of a person. Its limbs seemed to have to many joints all splayed out at odd angles making me question how such a creature could walk; its appearance was such an insult to nature that it almost hurt to look at it. There are some teats over there Austin said as he placed his hands on his knees still out of breath Go fill up Wed all been so distracted that we hadnt noticed the teats located about half way up the hill. A collection of teats from dozens of different species all growing out from the meatscape. Back when all this shit first started the thought of drinking straight from one of the teats that grew from the ground sickened me, now I didnt even give it a second thought as I wrapped my mouth around and suckled savouring the taste of warm milk as it trickled down my throat easing the red rough pain of my thirst. I drank until my stomach ached and I could feel the milk sloshing pack and forth inside it, I filled my milk satchel and lay on the ground holding my stomach willing the ache to stop. The others were still busy suckling drinking there fill, looking like piglets nursing on their mother. Eventually they were all finished and began to join me, lying on the floor looking up at the darkening sky. We should set up camp here for the night Austin said Ray go gather some hair so we can get a fire going We slept well that night. Come morning I awoke first just before the sun rose, watching it slowly creep its way over the horizon I felt the meat beneath me move and squirm as it enjoyed the new warmth. When I first started sleeping on the meat its movements scared me, it felt as if things where crawling just under the surface waiting to grab me and pull me through the skin into the waiting flesh. My nightmares then were still full of people who hadnt been able to escape the
incoming wall of meat when it first grew across the earth, screaming and trying to pull themselves free as it grew around then veins and bone piercing through their body as they became a tiny part of the meatscape. I wondered if they were still alive after theyd been smothered, fed by the veins now part of their body. I hoped not I couldnt think of anything worse than that, unable to breathe the meat pressed up against you painfully close but not being allowed to die. Living out the rest of your natural life trapped down there, unable to move, trapped. The others woke up and was had our fill of milk from the teats before we set out, the shifting meat underfoot. We kept walking in the same direction as yesterday for most of the day expecting to see something. At midday as the eyes of the meatscape started to close to avoid the sun I saw a man running over a hill on the meatscape to our right.

Guys theres someone over there Said stopping to squint at the running figure Chris there is Austin started to wave his arms in the air HEY OVER HERE OVER HERE! The guy stopped and looked at us before altering his course to head towards us. We started to job towards him each of us trying to push aside the thought that this guy might be some sort of crazy. As we started being able to hear the guy. Oh thank god, oh thank god, oh thank god He said it in time with his gasping breaths repeating it like it was a mantra to keep pace, to keep himself going and not end up exhausted. We eventually came to a wide clearing with the man running down a hill about 25 meters away from us. As he was running towards us waving and smiling he looked so happy. We stopped jogging waiting for him to come to us, best not to be tired in case he tried something. When he was about 10 meters away from us it all went to shit, as he went to take another step the ground he didnt notice that he was about to step straight between the two closed eyelids of one of the meatscapes eyes. The eye opened wide straight away the man trying to balance on one leg before losing his balance and placing the other one down. We all watched in horror I dont think any of us had ever seen this happen before. All the mouths nearby in the flesh started to scream out in pain creating a deafening chorus, the man started to panic more trying to walk to the edge of the giant eye but his feet just sunk deeper and deeper into the cornea of the eye. Suddenly all at once his feet broke through the cornea his feet sinking very deep very quickly fluid leaking out from around his feet, giant tears leaked out around the edges of the eye. The screams of the nearby mouths intensified the meatscape was obviously in pain. OH GOD HELP ME, HELP ME the man screamed at us eyes wide with fear crying as much as the eye he was standing on We cant wed just get stuck there with you Austin yelled back, we all tried to not look at him The man kept sinking slowly into the eye, deeper and deeper and deeper swearing at us the whole time. Suddenly the crying eye closed knocking the man over onto his front as the eye lid slid over him, we could see his outline pressing against the skin of the eye lid trying to push himself up out of the eye. When it opened up again he was looking straight ahead at us his face pushed into the eye nose just barely above the surface of the eye. He eyes screamed at us to help him, to not let him die like this, to not let him die at all. To find some magic way to make it all right to help him avoid a now unavoidable fate. The eyelid closed over him for one last time and the screaming of the mouths slowly stopped. What do we do now? Ray said turning to Austin, the rest of us still staring at the now closed eye I dont know, I guess we walk in the direction he came from as good as any Austin had never looked so visibly shocked We walked around the eye making sure to give it a lot of space. As we made our way up the hill the man had so recently run down thinking he would be fine we heard a series of load gargled growls behind us in the distance.

Fuck, you guys dont think the screaming mouths drew the attention of something? Ben said slowly starting to walk faster I say we dont stay here long enough to find out Ray said steaming ahead The rest of the day was tough walking at an ever increasing pace the snarls ever present in the distance, as the sun started to set we kept on walking. In the retreating light the snarls grew closer, the creatures making them being careful to stay out of our line of sight. By the time the moon had started to rise we were at a full run bone knifes in hand; tears had started to stream down Bens face. I didnt blame him the creatures of the meatscape where scary enough when there dead let alone alive and hidden in the dark. Our running eventually took us through a large patch of tall hair. I could barely see the others; I just kept running in the same direction hoping we wouldnt all get separated. Suddenly I felt something that wasnt hair brushing against my leg. The next thing I knew I was in the air face heading rapidly towards the fleshy ground. Bright flashes of light filled my vision and rapidly started clearing; I managed to turn around to see one of the creatures on 7 legs crawling over me working its way towards my face. Just looking at it burnt my eyes as if I was looking at a bright light, tentacles spewing out its mouth seemed to never end each tentacle ending with 2 more which each ended with 2 more which each ended with 2 more. It was like a never ending living fractal pattern. I managed to snap myself out of my state of frozen terror, squinting my eyes against the pain I leant forward and slashed wildly with my bone knife until the creature slumped down on top of me. I rolled it off me and started to run again hoping I was heading in the right direction. Eventually I burst out of the hair, panicking I looked around for the other my heart pounding harder than I thought it could without bursting. I heard more rustling behind me I slowly started to back away knife raised tears started to run down my face. Austin and Ray appeared from the hair. Oh thank Christ I said lowering my knife Good youre alright we heard you fall and went back in to find you Austin said breathing heavily drenched in sweat Wait wheres ray? As if on cue Ray walked out of the hair, the moment he saw us he smiled and sheathed his knife. Good you guys found Jo. A clawed hand on a long muliti-jointed arm darted out of the grass and burst through his chest before yanking him back into the hair. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST Austin started to move towards the grass when a giant burst of blood splattered into the air HES DEAD LETS JUST FUCKING RUN I said already sprinting away from the hair The others quickly joined me. We could hear the snarls getting closer as we sprinted towards an oncoming hill. As we worked our way up the hill we saw three humanoid figures standing at the top. Austin and Ben looked ready to attack them when the gun shots started. DO NOT MOVE one of the silhouettes shouted at us

Each gun shot was followed by a howl of pain from one of the creatures. After several minutes it all stopped. The guys with the guns kept looking out to see if there were any more creatures. Austin slowly started to walk towards them, the taller of the three guys in the middle suddenly started aiming his gun at him. Move another step and you will be shot Fucking hell, I was just going to say thank you for saving us Get down on your knees know The other two guys started to aim their guns at me and Ray Ok calm down guys were not going to try anything funny on you guys I SAID ON YOUR FUCKING KNEES ASS WIPE We all kneeled down, I hoped to Christ we hadnt just been saved from the creatures only to be shot in the head immediately after. KNOW DROP YOUR KNIVES AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE ON YOU, WE WILL BE CHECKING YOU LATER. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER WEAPONS ON YOU THAT WE LATER FIND YOU WILL EXECUTED Come on guys your acting a bit para Austin was cut short by the taller man casually walk towards him and hit him square in the nose with the butt of his gun ONE MORE WORD, I SWEAR ONE MORE WORD AND YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU WILL BE CHUCKED IN A HOLE ON THE MEAT AND I WILL LET IT HEAL OVER YOU ARSEHOLES We all quickly dropped everything we had in a pile in front of us; one of the three men quickly gathered up all of our stuff and put it in a big leather backpack. The then gestured for us to get up and made us walk in front of them. We walked for hours; occasionally the guys would yell at us and threaten to shoot us. We werent allowed to talk to each other so I spent most of the journey tired aching and worrying about where the hell these guys were taking us. I didnt even have time to worry much about how these guys had guns and bullets to spare, on the meatscape a group with one gun and one clip of bullets could run a small empire. These guys had at least three, probably more. Youd have to be an idiot to send all your guns away from your settlement at once. We walked all night until the sun started to rise. The light eliminated the outline of a large group of tents on the horizon. After a few more hours we had reached the tents