“Where did you get that jacket?” To that question, he always replied, “Abroad,” while the more fashion savvy would ask, “Who are you wearing?”. He preferred not to say.
He walked through the throngs of civilised people, a manikin of normality. Dark jeans, plain blue cotton shirt, short sleeves. Nobody saw his eyes that darted behind dark lenses. In the city park people passed him by. Parents, dogs on leashes, children on leashes. Those, he despised. Teenagers roamed in gangs drunk on the delirium of sunshine. Old ones perched on benches, always one layer too many for the conditions. The worst skin.
He walked slowly, rhythmically, shiny alligators devouring the pavement at leisure, searching for the weak, the way a leopard picks off the stray, the unfortunate which limps or runs slower than the rest. Only with humans they don’t try to hide their physical imperfections, plastic surgery didn’t count as it was generally to hide insecurity. But insecurity doesn’t make someone slow, or even necessarily vulnerable. As people criss-crossed paths on the glorious day, perhaps searching for nothing more than a tan who was wondering if someone might eat them? Chances are not one.
Nobody looked scared. They were too busy babbling, smiling innocuously, simply glad to bare some skin.
And what beautiful skin. Not all, but some. Most were not the right size. The selection process became easier that way. And even those who looked six foot five, their bodies were not necessarily the correct proportion, or sex.
He would spot them and trail them. No need to be downwind, to hide at all, brazen never failed. He followed his target, and stood beside them if possible. If not he would walk as close as possible for as long as necessary, to judge the dimensions.
Very rarely was a skin perfect. Usually there were flaws. Tattoos were the devils work. It was a lot of effort only to find a wrist, a sleeve, a bicep, chest or back were inked. Some of the artwork was breathtaking, but recognisable. Naturally occurring tattoos, birth marks were equally boring to discover. Sometimes dying the pelt would be sufficient to cover them, but not always. And moles. A skin could look ideal with only wrists and neck to go on, but once it was too late, it all just felt rather pointless for both parties.
Sitting down briefly, he sighed, alone on the bench dedicated to someone nobody cared about whose relatives hadn’t even sat on it since the day it was installed.
Eyes alert he searched for the tall, for the ideal. He had a customer in France who was more than willing to pay top euro. Six foot five with a bit of flesh on them was perfect. Once the hide shrunk during the tanning process, it would be suitable for the client of slim build, about six foot tall.
Eating the flesh was something that evolved with the business, and in today’s climate of recycling and zero-waste, it was a natural thing to do. He chuckled, thinking of all the friends he had entertained who would sometimes ask how he managed to make his steaks so juicy and flavoursome.
Human skin traded on black market… Wow! This is dark. What a sick and creepy world you are depicting here. The final lines come as a final blow. Nothing goes to waste.
You manage to place your settings far enough from our own societal references that we can read it without puking, but you place timely, subtle hints that ground it closer and make it all the more terrifying.
All in all, this was a very entertaining and definitely unique read!
Thank you for the detailed feedback, much appreciated ☺
I hoped that the darkness of it was offset by the ordinary setting, glad you picked up on that.
You are very welcome. You are a fantastic writer! It was my pleasure reading you 🙂
Love it. I don’t usually gravitate towards horror and the like, but this has just enough hyperbole that it’s fascinating. A longer story – err, more fleshed out – would be super!! I really like the bench reference as well – it seems to ground the story and make it relatable to everyday life. Well done!
Thank you for your feedback, much appreciated roots 🙂 And a longer version might be in the pipeline.
Excellent! 🙂
I liked the dose of reality in these lines below…
“Nobody looked scared. They were too busy babbling, smiling innocuously, simply glad to bare some skin.
And what beautiful skin. Not all, but some. Most were not the right size. The selection process became easier that way. And even those who looked six foot five, their bodies were not necessarily the correct proportion, or sex.”
Many thanks OM, I appreciate you highlighting the part you liked best.
It was well done.
So wonderfully twisted! I love these types of stories. Thank you for sharing.
Many thanks for reading and your kind words 🙂
Ugh. Bro this is sick. I mean truly sick. Great write.
Ah thanks a lot, truly appreciated from one writer to another.
Ick. It’s well written though. I’m glad you’re not ‘hiding’ your talent. Muhahaha!
I call that subtle horror – seems you have a flair for it.
Thank you bookheathen, its definitely a genre I gravitate towards.
I knew what kind of story I was getting into as soon as I saw the title, but I still wasn’t prepared for the horror. And you, my friend, do gruesome very well. Those descriptions!
Thank you Jade, appreciated. I thought about putting a more convoluted title up, but figured even if it was obvious it wouldnt lessen the impact.
I will remember to be visibly tattooed, just as a precaution..
Very wise 😉
It reminded me a bit of that weirdo in Silence of the lambs, making lady suits. This was far more grotesque and elaborate with a market out there and the hunter ironically dressed in animal skins of sorts. Freaky but it might catch on if the euro bombs lol. Very imaginative.
Thanks anita.
And yes business could boom depending on currency markets lol
Reminiscent of Soylent Green
Thanks for the read. I’ll have to watch that, I’ve heard it referenced alot.
A good write, nicely gruesome. I actually liked too the little reference to the bench and how the people who paid for it never sat on it.
Thanks J, your feedback is appreciated.
This is horrifying-scary!! 😨😨😨
How do get these dreadful thoughts!? 😰😰
Well syeda, all based on my life story 😂😮😔😉😃
Eh??? 😨😨😨
Now don’t you scare me like that!!😌😮
I joke i joke ☺
Phew!! You sure it’s a joke? 😲😮
P.S. somehow I enjoy these talks with you!😂😂😅
🙂
😋😘😂
Brilliantly horrifying!
Muchos gracias magarisa!
De nada, Fionn!
Wow! Fionn, this is sick! In a good way. As much as this character freaks me out, I’d like to read about more of his, eh hm, adventures!
Thanks a lot malakhai, for this feedback and the others.
You never know there might be more to it, i like the character and the potential – more adventures to come…definitelymaybe.
A good zipper is priceless lol
It is lol? Thanks for reading.
Ummmmmm!!! 😳 This is kind of awesome in a horrific kind of way. 😄
Lol thanks ViP. Its no picnic 😂
Except for him it is! 😆
Haha, no hamper required.