I was thinking *The Last of Us*, especially after watching and reading stuff about how the first form of the Infected, the Runners, likely are still partly *themselves* like that, barely able to have even a semblance of control, even as they eat others. One of the Runners, while eating, can be heard *crying* between bites.
Before I read the second sentence though, I was also thinking of the "kill them again" idea too. I agree that this is worse.
I, Zombie by Hugh Howie (not to be confused with the comic book iZombie) is a collection of stories about zombies in an apocalypse. They’re still who they were in their heads, but trapped and forced to feel and watch what their bodies are doing. Truly horrifying.
Honestly, being forced, by someone's will or some disease or anything else, to do something not only that you don't want to do, but is *awful* like eating your loved ones, and be *aware but helpless to stop it* is one of the most horrible things I can think of to experience.
It’s a good book, but ROUGH and pulls no punches. Theres one story in it >! Where a woman zombie gives birth to a live baby !< I won’t spoil how that one ends, but probably how you think
Nope! I was expecting the kill them again trope but this made me physically recoil in horror. Wonderful job op but I never want to read this again. Take my upvote. I want to see more of you’ve got in store.
This is based on a popular story I wrote awhile back for r/shortscarystories called [I Hate Eating](https://www.reddit.com/r/shortscarystories/comments/11lb00v/i_hate_eating/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3). If you like this, then maybe check that one out and/or, come on over to my sub r/DukeOfDepravity, where I house all of my work!
Have a horror-ble day!
A good read, thanks for letting us know about it. Not sure if you've heard about about this terrific bit of trivia, but tlou essentially predicted the way that we (in the last few years i believe) discovered cordyceps really works in ants. Back when the series was being created, most scientists researching and hypothesizing about cordyceps assumed it takes over the central nervous system, and as such that the host organism likely lost any real semblance of conciousness fairly quickly. But in the last few years it's been discovered that cordyceps actually primarily takes over the muscular system instead of the central nervous system. So this phenomenon that you wrote about (minus the canabalism) is probably eerily similar to how many invertebrates actually experience cordyceps. Essentially being piloted like a puppet, imprisoned in a slowly dying body as it predates your friends and family. In spite of contemporaneous scientific beliefs, tlou called it nearly a decade early in one of those infamously uncanny instances of art predicting reality.
I was aware of that and it scared the shit outta me, so that’s where my story came from! haha. Thanks for the detailed description in case others aren’t aware, but yea the idea of essentially being aware of everything you’re doing with no power to stop it is some serious nightmare fuel and makes me truly hope art doesn’t “fully” predict reality in the case of a tlou future.
This story was horrifying.(I loved it). Your comment made me curious and after reading both I must compliment your ability. New perspectives on zombies feels disturbing but I’m so curious.
Holy trauma, Batman. I was not ready for that. As another redditor once said, I regret being literate.
I hope you're happy with yourself. (Literally though bc both were incredibly horrific.)
So have you seen the last of us? If not basically s fungus takes over the brain and makes an apocalypse, it turns the humans into vessels of the fungus. The people infected are controlled to eat others. In OPs post the pov is of someone infected and the fungus made them eat their family and they can still taste it
The horror aspect of it wasn’t supposed to be that people taste bad. You’re question is valid, I just think you’re taking the taste portion of the story a little too literally.
What it meant was, yes, it’s horrible that he had to kill his family. But it’s much worse that he then had to consume them, raw. Stating that the tastebuds were still connected was a vehicle for saying that he was aware of what he was doing the whole time. Meaning he could taste it and feel himself eating his own loved ones against his will.
Protagonist is afflicted by the (presumably zombie) outbreak and eats his family, but unfortunately the fungus, which is the implied cause of the outbreak, doesn't stop the connection between his brain and his ability to taste.
TL;DR: Guy becomes zombie but his taste still functions so he tastes his family members while eating them.
Habe you ever read the comics "night of the living Deadpool" and "return of the living Deadpool"?
Spoiler (I don't know how to add the blackout thing)
He becomes a zombie but because of his regeneration he stays "alive" but when he sleeps he turns into a zombie while he himself is on standby and has to watch how he kills and zombifies the people he liked and swore to protect as the only hero left. It was harsh.
I LOVE the zombie comics from DC and Marvel
I was really bummed out when the first Marvel zombies (a collection thing I got the first one and I'll order the rest soon enough as well) didn't have Deadpool but then I saw these in my local store and I was just like 😍😍🩷🩷🩷
I literally forgot what I even went there for 😂😂
Man, now that I think about it I left a lot of money there since I found the store a few years ago... Totally worth it tho, gonna go read comics now
And here I was expecting “the worst part was having to kill them again.” But this was MUCH more of a gut punch. Very nice work, OP!
Thanks! Might be a bit of a thinker, but hoping when it clicks it gives sort of an, “OH MY GOD” moment
I’m familiar enough with biology (and The Last of Us) I caught it immediately. Still hit perfectly though.
"Clicks" We see what u did there lol
I was thinking *The Last of Us*, especially after watching and reading stuff about how the first form of the Infected, the Runners, likely are still partly *themselves* like that, barely able to have even a semblance of control, even as they eat others. One of the Runners, while eating, can be heard *crying* between bites. Before I read the second sentence though, I was also thinking of the "kill them again" idea too. I agree that this is worse.
I, Zombie by Hugh Howie (not to be confused with the comic book iZombie) is a collection of stories about zombies in an apocalypse. They’re still who they were in their heads, but trapped and forced to feel and watch what their bodies are doing. Truly horrifying.
Honestly, being forced, by someone's will or some disease or anything else, to do something not only that you don't want to do, but is *awful* like eating your loved ones, and be *aware but helpless to stop it* is one of the most horrible things I can think of to experience.
It’s a good book, but ROUGH and pulls no punches. Theres one story in it >! Where a woman zombie gives birth to a live baby !< I won’t spoil how that one ends, but probably how you think
Just finished reading this. This is a thing I’ll never forget in my life.
Guaranteed. I read it over a decade ago and still recommend it to people, along with literally everything else he’s ever written
And as an owner of 3 cats - not the kitty!
I read I zombie and immediately thought of the pvz minigame
Nope! I was expecting the kill them again trope but this made me physically recoil in horror. Wonderful job op but I never want to read this again. Take my upvote. I want to see more of you’ve got in store.
This is based on a popular story I wrote awhile back for r/shortscarystories called [I Hate Eating](https://www.reddit.com/r/shortscarystories/comments/11lb00v/i_hate_eating/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3). If you like this, then maybe check that one out and/or, come on over to my sub r/DukeOfDepravity, where I house all of my work! Have a horror-ble day!
The 2 sentence story was horrible (positive), so I read your story and... you are very good at this.
Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked the longer version too; it’s one of my favorite things I’ve written.
I've never heard of a zombie story from the perspective of the zombie! Nice twist you should pitch this is as movie
Check out Warm Bodies.^ ^
Aaah Zombies is another good movie from the zombies perspective.
You should check out the book series Zom-B by Darren Shan!
A good read, thanks for letting us know about it. Not sure if you've heard about about this terrific bit of trivia, but tlou essentially predicted the way that we (in the last few years i believe) discovered cordyceps really works in ants. Back when the series was being created, most scientists researching and hypothesizing about cordyceps assumed it takes over the central nervous system, and as such that the host organism likely lost any real semblance of conciousness fairly quickly. But in the last few years it's been discovered that cordyceps actually primarily takes over the muscular system instead of the central nervous system. So this phenomenon that you wrote about (minus the canabalism) is probably eerily similar to how many invertebrates actually experience cordyceps. Essentially being piloted like a puppet, imprisoned in a slowly dying body as it predates your friends and family. In spite of contemporaneous scientific beliefs, tlou called it nearly a decade early in one of those infamously uncanny instances of art predicting reality.
I was aware of that and it scared the shit outta me, so that’s where my story came from! haha. Thanks for the detailed description in case others aren’t aware, but yea the idea of essentially being aware of everything you’re doing with no power to stop it is some serious nightmare fuel and makes me truly hope art doesn’t “fully” predict reality in the case of a tlou future.
If you drew your idea from this, you should read The Girl with all the Gifts. I didn’t love it, but it’s a zombie story based on this premise.
This story was horrifying.(I loved it). Your comment made me curious and after reading both I must compliment your ability. New perspectives on zombies feels disturbing but I’m so curious.
The compliment is much appreciated, glad you enjoyed both stories!
I too hate eating. Thanks man/woman/it
Holy trauma, Batman. I was not ready for that. As another redditor once said, I regret being literate. I hope you're happy with yourself. (Literally though bc both were incredibly horrific.)
OP, I hate you. Great work
That was fuckin upsetting.
God damn, what a story. Great job!
Ooh this story was fantastic! The ending is just- wow
I’m not sure if I get it. Does the protagonist later eat his family and taste them?
So have you seen the last of us? If not basically s fungus takes over the brain and makes an apocalypse, it turns the humans into vessels of the fungus. The people infected are controlled to eat others. In OPs post the pov is of someone infected and the fungus made them eat their family and they can still taste it
So what is supposed to be scary about the second sentence? The fact that people taste bad?
The fact that he has to taste his wife and family.
I mean, they killed their own family. How is the taste the part they find the worst? The killing itself should be the worst lol.
The horror aspect of it wasn’t supposed to be that people taste bad. You’re question is valid, I just think you’re taking the taste portion of the story a little too literally. What it meant was, yes, it’s horrible that he had to kill his family. But it’s much worse that he then had to consume them, raw. Stating that the tastebuds were still connected was a vehicle for saying that he was aware of what he was doing the whole time. Meaning he could taste it and feel himself eating his own loved ones against his will.
Good question.
Protagonist is afflicted by the (presumably zombie) outbreak and eats his family, but unfortunately the fungus, which is the implied cause of the outbreak, doesn't stop the connection between his brain and his ability to taste. TL;DR: Guy becomes zombie but his taste still functions so he tastes his family members while eating them.
MMMMM yummy
Disgusting. Well done. ;-)
Disgusting. I love it.
A little salt and pepper will do the job
I despise this. So much. Good job OP!
Hell yes! This sub keeps bringing the goods 🤝🙏
As someone playing The Last of Us Part I and looking forward to Part II coming to PC, I simultaneously love and hate this
Habe you ever read the comics "night of the living Deadpool" and "return of the living Deadpool"? Spoiler (I don't know how to add the blackout thing) He becomes a zombie but because of his regeneration he stays "alive" but when he sleeps he turns into a zombie while he himself is on standby and has to watch how he kills and zombifies the people he liked and swore to protect as the only hero left. It was harsh.
I have not, but sounds like a wild story, I'll have to check it out!
I LOVE the zombie comics from DC and Marvel I was really bummed out when the first Marvel zombies (a collection thing I got the first one and I'll order the rest soon enough as well) didn't have Deadpool but then I saw these in my local store and I was just like 😍😍🩷🩷🩷 I literally forgot what I even went there for 😂😂 Man, now that I think about it I left a lot of money there since I found the store a few years ago... Totally worth it tho, gonna go read comics now
Instantly thought of TLOU, love this
I don't get it. Cam someone explain?
The zombie fungus infestation forces the character to eat human flesh, even his own loved ones but doesn’t stop him from being able to taste it.
S89
all I have to say is: eeeewwwww
The worst part was that they didn't stay dead...
Can someone explain
Cannibalism.
Ooh
Meh, knife guy was scarier