Cliterature
 

Max Valentonis

Dinner Guest

 

She forgot to go shopping yesterday. But he can't bring himself to be upset about it. She has been working extra hours lately, trying to make ends meet. He's been working hard too, today is his first day off in three weeks. He cleaned the apartment, taken care of the bills, which had been piling up, and was hoping to make a special dinner, but there was too much to do, and he also forgot to go shopping.

 

He laid out her favorite nightgown and robe, rented two romance movies, set a candlelight table, and selected some classical music to accompany diner.

 

He rummaged through the refrigerator and pantry, eventually coming up with a salad, pasta, meat and sauce, and a fruit and cream desert.

 

It's getting late she'll be home soon. Too soon, dinner won't be ready, he'll still be cooking. There was too much to do and hunting for ingredients threw off his schedule.

She comes in, sees him in the kitchen, she looks around the apartment real quick. The candles are lit, the hallway light adds background illumination, her favorite aria is playing on the stereo.

 

"What the Hell are you doing in my house?"

 

"Cooking dinner."

 

"I can see that. I.. You.. It.. That's not what I meant."

 

"I'm sorry. I thought I would be done before you got home."

 

"Yes, that's nice, I see you've put a lot of effort into this. But.. It's.. Who are you. How did you get into my house."

 

"Just some guy who came in through the front door."

 

"Do I know you? Have we met?"

 

"That sounds like a pick up line."

 

"Yes. It does. But it isn't."

"I know. Dinner's done, why don't you sit down and I'll serve you. After dinner you can change and watch the movies I rented."

 

"Thanks. Why have you done this?"

 

"Because I.. To feel needed. Anyway everything's set. You have a good evening. Enjoy."

 

"Wait. Where are you going?"

 

"Like I said everything's set. I can leave. I hope you have a good evening. Relax. Enjoy."

 

He takes off the cooking apron and picks up his jacket.

 

"Wait. Stay."

 

"I don't think that would be right. I'm a complete stranger. You don't know anything about me."

 

"That's fine. I'll find out. For now I know enough."



 

The Best Little Zombie House in Florida



A champagne colored four door sedan, the rental car variety, drives across the Pinellas Bayway. around 4 A.M followed by an equally rented minivan. After missing several turns and passing Eckerd College five times they manage to find the marina.

 

"Jim, wake up," Tom says. Jim pulls a beach towel over his head. Tom yanks the towel from him and Jim falls on to the backseat floorboard .

 

"Come on man, we gotta unload the equipment," Tom snaps. Jim crawls out of the car with expert practice. He stumbles to the trunk, they unload the tripods and bags without saying a word. Jim lights a cigarette and slumps on to the the bench in front of the closed office. He falls asleep, the cigarette hangs from his lips. Tom watches. The cigarette falls on to Jim's belly. Tom watches it burn until Jim jumps up screaming. Tom chuckles.

 

"Come on guys, get a move on, it's late and we are losing the light," commands Craig as he hops out of the driver's seat of the minivan. He zips up his fly. The back passenger sliding door opens and the cast sleepily emerge. Craig opens the front passenger side door and Zandii, the star of the film and her own universe exits the vehicle. She looks around for her adoring fans and paparazzi and does a runway walk to the docks. The rest of the cast follows her, Fifi gets out last. Craig throws her the keys and she goes to the trunk and gets the bags of costumes then locks up the minivan. The procession follows Craig down the docks until he finds the slip with the boat they rented: a 35 foot Rabco custom made cabin boat with dual 400 horsepower motors. Craig searches through his fishing vest, his outback shirt, and his cargo pants until he finally pulls out the boat key and promptly drops it on the dock. He bends over to pick it up and knocks it in the water.

 

"Damn, that was our only key. What are we gonna do now?" Craig shouts. Tom puts down his bag, lays down, reaches in the water and retrieves the key.

 

"The key chain floats for a reason," Tom explains as he hands the keys back to Craig. Everyone boards the boat and Tom, Jim, and Fifi store the gear and get everything prepared.

 

"Where are the drinks? Where is the cooler?" Zandii demands. Craig sends Tom and Fifi back to the minivan to retrieve the cooler. Zandii, Skip, and Craig all get drinks before Tom and Fifi can even get the cooler from the dock to the boat. Ponie and Jim waited until the cooler is on the boat.

 

"I don't drink. It ages the skin and weakens the mind. My body deserves to remain perfect," Bud boasts.

 

Craig fumbles with the boat controls, alternating between too much power, unexpected neutral, haphazard reverse, drifting, lurching forward, scraping the boat along the sock, and bumping the boat across from them in order to leave the marina. He powers the boat through the channel leaving an impressive wake causing everyone's boats to bounce against their moorings as he passes. He obliviously smiles and waves at all the other boaters who call out to him. He heads out into the open water of the gulf.

 

"I don't feel so hot," Zandii complains and goes into the head. The heat and lack of circulating air adds to her queasiness and she vomits. Craig pilots the boat out for forty-five minutes before cutting the engine. He surveys the group: Zandii is still in the head, Skip is passed out on the bow, Ponie doing shots, Jim is asleep in the cabin, Tom and Fifi are staring at the water, and Bud is sunbathing on the deck.

 

"O.K., everyone, we are here. It is time for us to shoot the main climax of this film," Craig announces. Tom pours a beer on Jim to wake him and then helps Zandii out of the head. She makes it to the deck and lurches over the edge to vomit some more. The cast removes their swimsuits and listen for directions from Craig.

 

"This is the big climax scene," Craig directs.

 

Ponie helps Zandii get to the front of the boat and in position. Fifi goes to get Bud ready for his action scene. Zandii falls off the railing onto the deck, rolls over and starts vomiting over the edge again. Fifi tries everything she can think of as a fluffer to get Bud ready, but nothing works. Jim and Tom set up the cameras and microphones. Fifi still has no results with Bud.

 

"Come on! Is he ready yet? We have to get this shoot in the can!" Craig shouts.

 

"He just won't stay hard! I've tried everything," Fifi laments.

 

"Damn it! Do I have to do everything myself?" Craig complains. "You are the star of this movie, Bud. I need you to get your head in the game!" Fifi gets back to work on Bud, then Ponie tries, then even Skip tries, but Bud is unwavering.

 

"I'm trying my best. This has never happened before," Bud laments.

 

"Except all those other times," Tom corrects.

 

"That's it Bud, just go into the cabin by yourself until you are ready to perform. Skip, you get to do the climax scene. Congratulations, you are a star," directs Craig. Skip smiles as Bud goes below deck. Zandii gets in position and Skip starts his scene. Zandii reaches around and holds on to Skip's back for leverage and balance. Skip screams out in pain from his sunburn. Craig directs to keep it 'good and real'. The final orgasm is shot and Zandii vomits all over Skip and they both fall on the deck.

 

"Perfect! We'll keep it just like that. I am sure some pervert will love it!" Craig announces. Tom shakes his head as he and Jim wrap up the equipment. Fifi cleans the deck again. Skip and Zandii jump in the water to clean off.

 

The next scene is in the cabin, where they find Bud on the bed watching videos of children's puppet shows. Bud is sent up on deck to keep an eye on Zandii, who is still too nauseous to perform. Skip cries and screams as Ponie manhandles his sunburn during their scene. When the filming is all done, Craig heads the boat back to shore, Bud goes back to the cabin to finish watching his show, Skip has Fifi belatedly apply sunscreen on his peeling back, Ponie, Jim and Tom drink and make fun of everyone else. They get back to the coastline and Craig spends the next three and a half hours looking for the channel back to the marina because he didn't take in to account that the boat was drifting the entire time they were filming. He pulls the boat back into its slip and hits the seawall so hard it knocks a hole in the stern. They unload the boat and drive off, as they leave, the unsecured boat starts drifting away from the dock.

 

As they are driving along Gulf Boulevard a man staggers across the street in front of the van. Craig slams on the brakes to avoid hitting him. The man runs up to the window and starts beating on it with his fists. Craig slams open the door into the man, pulls out his taser and zaps him. The man convulses and walks away to the beach. Craig gets back in the van and drives off.

 

"Stupid drunks really mess up the serenity of the beach," Craig complains.

 

They return to the hotel, change, and meet back at the tiki bar. Skip stays in his room nursing his sunburn. Zandii takes a bunch of random pills she gathered from everyone and goes to sleep. Craig is on the phone trying to get a putt-putt golf course to allow them to film there. They order appetizers and drinks. Everyone else in the bar is fixated on the news broadcast on the televisions around the bar.

 

"... the assailant and victims were brought to Palms of Pasadena Hospital, where they are being treated. There is no apparent motive for his killing spree in Tyrone Mall this afternoon. Witnesses report that the man appeared disoriented before he started his attack. The altercation began when the man began stealing food from the people in the food court and he fondled several women. He then apparently, as described by witnesses, attempted to eat the people he had previously attacked," the newscaster recites.

 

"That is messed up," Tom comments.

 

"Whatever. We have real problems. That damn little putt-putt place won't let us use their site. We need to find someplace to shoot tomorrow. Go get some of those damn tourist brochures from the lobby," Craig directs.

 

In the lobby Tom grabs one of each brochure. Firetrucks, ambulance, and several police cars speed down Gulf Boulevard with full sirens. People gather and watch from in front of restaurants and hotels. Tom walks up to the closest crowd.

 

"I've been out, uhm, fishing all day; what is going on?" Tom asks.

 

"Eh? Apparently some party down the beach went out of control and turned into a riot, eh. They set one of the hotels on fire, eh. And started shooting each other. It has just been getting worse and worse, eh," she explains.

 

Tom goes back to the tiki bar and tells the others his news. Craig sorts through the brochures, pulling out the ones for putt-putt golf and water parks. Bud goes to the bar to order the next round of drinks. Three girls come up to the bar from the beach. They order drinks and start flirting with Bud. Needing to show off for the others, Bud makes a point of flirting back. The girls lean on Bud, pressing their hands all over his body, they lick and kiss him in turn. He invites them back to his room and they leave the bar together.

 

"What? No he doesn't. I own that and he only uses it when I say so! Tom, get your camera, some film permission forms, and tape whatever the hell he thinks he's gonna do!" Craig demands.

 

Tom goes to his room, gets ready and goes to Bud's room. Tom knocks, no answer. He knocks again, then opens the door and goes in. One girl is eating the food from the mini-fridge, as the other two have backed Bud into a corner, where they are hitting him.

 

"What is going on here?" Tom questions. They all look over at Tom. The girl from the mini-fridge snarls and jumps at Tom. He slams the door into her, cutting a huge gash across her temple, she slumps in the corner. The other girls go back to their assault on Bud. They pull his pants down. One jumps on him and bites his shoulder as the other grabs his leg and bites on his thigh. Tom puts his camera bag down and beats the girls off Bud with his tripod. They push the girls into the bathroom. They barricade the bathroom door with the dresser.

 

"We need to get you a band-aid and better choice of women," Tom says. Tom bandages Bud and go back to the tiki bar. Craig looks up at them puzzled, then focuses on his phone call.

 

"Everything on the news is getting worse. Apparently, similar riots started in downtown and Tampa," Fifi explains.

 

"And I can't get anyone on the phone," Craig complains.

 

Bud goes to the bathroom. When he comes out he heads into the kitchen. The dishwasher tries to get him to leave. Bud stares at him, not understanding the Spanglish, the cook tries to assist the dishwasher in evicting Bud from the kitchen but his Greeklish makes no more sense. Bud pushes them out of his way and eats the food from the grill. The busboy joins them and they manage to get Bud out. In the tiki bar, Bud grabs a waitress and bites into her breast. He starts eating her. She screams and tries to get away from him. A group at the bar jump the bartender and begin eating her. All the customers react: screaming, running, and fighting for their lives.

 

Craig pulls Bud from the waitress and ushers everyone up to his room. They tie Bud to the bed with bondage gear. Craig sends Tom and Jim to get Zandii and Skip.

 

Tom and Jim wake Skip and they go to Zandii's room. There is no answer so they break open the door. Zandii is passed out in the bathroom in a pool of vomit. They pick her up and carry her out of the room. The cleaning crew charges after them. Jim gets grabbed and they swarm on him. He screams. He gets back to his feet, pushing them off of him. Tom laughs.

 

"You bastard! Why are you laughing?" Jim asks.

 

"I enjoy watching you suffer, ever since you slept with my wife, my only pleasure has been your pain," Tom answers. One of the cleaning crew lunges for Jim and they both tumble over the railing and die on the pool patio below. Tom sees several bodies floating in the pool. People scurry out and begin eating Jim's remains.

 

"That felt good to get out of my system. I can't believe I have been bottling that up for so many years now," Tom confesses.

 

"I am glad you feel better, Tom. But those guys are still coming after us and I can't carry Zandii by myself," Skip reminds Tom. They grab Zandii and rush to Craig's room. They are let in and Fifi and Ponie help Zandii shower clean.

 

"I think she O.D.ed," Tom says.

 

"Horrible timing. Doesn't that bitch ever think of anyone else?" Craig complains.

 

"... an epidemic. People are advised to go to immediately go to evacuation ...”

 

"... symptoms of the infected include a ravenous hunger, violent and aggressive sexual desires ...”

 

"... local governments are unable to contain the outbreak. The military and National Guard have ...”

 

"... sinful heathen sins of lust and gluttony. It is because we have allowed sinners and heathens ...”

 

"... looks kids, it is Wobble-Fobble the clown ...”

 

"Stop changing the channels, Skip. Just pick one, damn it," snaps Craig. The women come out of the bathroom and fill Zandii in on the current situation. They check on Bud.

"Look at the erection on him! He has never been that hard. Or for this long before I get it now. The disease hyper-stimulates their lizard brain! All they want is food and sex. All other thoughts are gone. You see, the disease is transmitted via the saliva into the blood stream. The disease changes the blood chemistry which then gets pumped to the brain. As the affected blood permeates the brain, the neural synapses are blocked, preventing the higher brain functions. The victim slowly loses the ability to reason. The disease works from the frontal lobe back to the cerebellum, where only the basic survival instincts remain the need to eat, seek shelter and procreate! I suspect that given enough time, even the synapses in the lizard brain will cease to function; leaving the victim in a coma until finally death," Craig pontificates.

 

"How do you know all that?" Zandii asks.

 

"I was a Psychology major in junior college," Craig brags.

 

"I thought you dropped out to make porn?" Tom asks.

 

"I never spent so much time with anyone with as much schooling as you, Craig. I started my career while I was still in High School. I was gonna go back for my G.E.D. But I guess that is a pointless dream now," admits Zandii.

 

"Yes, everything has changed now. It is a new world we have. The future is no longer what we envisioned. Wait! I have an idea! Sex! Sex sells! Yeah! This is gonna be a new world with new laws, but people still have the same needs. There's something for everyone and always someone who wants to try something different. We have different! Zombie sex slaves! We will open a zombie brothel! We'll start on a barter system until the economy reestablishes a currency. We will be rich-ass zombie pimps!" Craig expounds.

 

"You're brilliant," Zandii says.

 

"You're nuts, Craig," Tom says.

 

"So, let's catch some zombie whores!" Craig commands.

 

"Let's at least get some weapons first," suggests Tom.

 

"You girls stay here, where you'll be safe," says Craig; he, Skip and Tom leave.

 

Zandii and Ponie share some pills and drink. They check on Bud. They cut his clothes off to get a better view of his wounds and transformation. It is obvious why he picked his career, his endowment was massive. The women drink some more and watch television. Many stations have stopped broadcasting. They play cards for bit, until they have an argument about the rules. They try calling with their cellular phones and the hotel phone but none of the lines work. They play quarters, drinking shots from each others bellybuttons. They start making out. Zandii reaches up and stokes Bud's member. They take turns humping him, assured of Craig's brilliance. They fully enjoy their sex slave and pleasure themselves multiple times.

 

The guys gather large kitchen knives from the hotel kitchen. Several infected people from the bar chase them out the back door. They run through the parking lot, people trapped in cars call out to them. Several of the infected abandon the attack on the vehicles and chase after Craig, Tom and Skip. They hide in a surf shop until the coast appears clear. They find four dead police officers by their cars in the road. They guys take the officers weapons. A group starts to approach them so they run back to the hotel. They go to Bud's room. The one woman is still very dead slumped in the corner. The other two are still locked in the bathroom. They guys each take a taser, open the bathroom door and subdue the naked infected women. They tie them up with the ropes from Bud's luggage.

 

The door to Craig's room opens and the guys come back in. They push the two infected women into the room and put their weapons down on the dresser. Zandii hugs Craig.

 

"Brilliant man," says Zandii.

 

"Craig wouldn't the disease be in all bodily fluids?" asks Skip.

 

Zandii fiercely grabs Craig's crotch. She bites into his neck. Ponie jumps on Tom, biting his face. The bound women bite Skip. The women eat their fill. They shed the ropes, open the door and step out into their new world.