Note: Inspired by Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
- Pockets of sweat developed ponds across Rebecca’s arms, the dark hairs at times sitting on the droplets like a buoy asking for reprieve from the water. The factory’s air conditioning was running, but like a horrible ASMR broadcast without the cooling relief. The work called for not only human strength but human concentration and detachment, even employees who’ve worked at Humanity Finest Factory for over 10 years cannot turn on the detachment when the job rolled out on the conveyor belt. The factory cleaned, sliced and packaged human meat for the public’s convenience. After the 2020 plaque, bodies were left weak to consume animal product but human product became easy on the digestive system. Sciententis still don’t understand why the virus damaged the need for animal meat, but people gotta eat. On conveyor belt 12 Rebecca and Brooke sneak small laughs,smiles and gossip with each other to pass the time.
Rebecca: “She was one day…”
Brooke: “She didn’t want to work. She wanted to work—but didn’t want to work. She only wanted to hang out with her ex-boyfriend.”
Rebecca: “…broken jaw on this human product”
Brooke: “They got back together…she knows all the family drama.”
Brooke: “I was livid…He’s not ok…things heard about him—coming to work…walking in the door, I said no I didn’t want to know.”
Rebecca: “Excuse me? He wasn’t going to be placing me up,” in the factory system, placing up is essentially replacing the whole section with automated machines.
Brooke: “Give me a sorry—not a hahaaha.”
Rebecca gave a sign as a woman’s body rolled up next, eerily looking like her sister who went missing ten days ago.
- In the year 2090, in the dry heat of Los Angles, two scientists in white robes, were walking along the deserted streets of Hollywood Boulevard. They were still in the fraction that still believed logic and reason above faith, even with years beforehand dedicated research upheld by people— something along the way corrupted people’s trust after the 2020 plague. The two scientists, one named Arabella and Charles, walked side by side down the road, acknowledging the peace and destruction of Los Angeles. The two were seeking answers which they couldn’t readily obtain such information with left over podcast audios, until they made the decision to cross the lands for the GOOGLE PLEX, an AI piece of technology that now comes considered a deity. In the middle of nowhere—the last piece of functional technology from years ago. Arabella knows this technology could calculate and help them develop plans for survival around their fraction. While on the road, Charles reminisced about a person they knew once…
Charles: “She was one day…”
Arabella: “She didn’t want to work. She wanted to work—but didn’t want to work. She only wanted to hang out with her ex-boyfriend.”
Arabella: “…broken jaw,” as Arabella stepped across a skeleton body on the ground.
Charles: “They got back together…she knows all the family drama.”
Arabella: “I was livid…He’s not ok…things heard about him—coming to work…walking in the door, I said no I didn’t want to know.”
Charles: “Excuse me? He wasn’t going to be placing me up with the clergy.”
Arabella: “Give me a sorry—not a hahaaha.”
- A father walks along the secluded area of his property, cooling breezes lifting his body, rather than the dampening control of September’s heat. His daughter caught between the battles of innocence and independence, an adult in her own right that the father can only walk to ease his worries. His daughter is caught in a relationship where she wants to inspire the goodness of her partner, but she hasn’t understood the lines of fate and freewill with people. A father can only walk in the woods to ask for help and guidance, he thinks to himself. The watercolored leaves animate in the wind as he takes the trail down to his favorite spot by the creek. A two year exhale of anxiety eased out of him talked to the trees:
Trees: “She was one day…”
Father: “She didn’t want to work. She wanted to work—but didn’t want to work. She only wanted to hang out with her ex-boyfriend.”
Father: “…broken jaw,” watery eyes hide his shame..
Father: “They got back together…she knows all the family drama.”
Father: “I was livid…He’s not ok…things heard about him—coming to work…walking in the door…I said no I didn’t want to know.”
Trees: “You can only do your best and take each day to love her.”
Trees: “Never let go…”
Father: “I don’t deserve to be sorry for….”
As the body of a man whose daughter is crumbling before his eyes, walks more into the woods for relief of any kind.
- A date is what they needed the most, both fit physically and financially young couple Brittanie and Krisofer. Students in their final year, with internships, volunteer activities, and exclusive club activities—they couldn’t see each other too often. The couple, while driving a 2025 vehicle of sorts, was coming up to a new sign that advertised a cafe shop near campus. The Broken Jaw, in pastel colors enough to cause cavities at first intake down the street. Brittanie thought why not try, it could be a great conversation starter by the watercooler at one of her internships. Krisofer wouldn’t mind the new experience, as long as he didn’t have to think about his obligations this early in life. The interior painted in soft yellows, blues, greens and highlighted with pinks and unicorn silver animated the surroundings. The atmosphere was a dream to behold, the inner linings of their eyes felt the Addrell effect of the room. Both sat down at a table resembling a French style decor one would assume with cafes.
Kristofer: “She was one day…”
Brittanie: “She didn’t want to work. She wanted to work—but didn’t want to work. She only wanted to hang out with her ex-boyfriend.”
A waitress swung by to take orders, wearing a medical mask for …protection.
Kristofer: “I’ll have the Broken Jaw extra foam latte please…uh, make that two!”
Kristofer: “They got back together…she knows all the family drama.”
Brittanie: “I was livid…He’s not ok…things heard about him—coming to work…walking in the door, I said no I didn’t want to know.”
Kristofer: “Excuse me? He wasn’t going to be around much longer. I hear he’s moving to New Mexico.”
Brittanie: “I won’t be sorry! Hahaha”
As both enjoy their coffee something in the shadows is about to stir up this innocent college town.
Kieran Krug 
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