ZOM-BURGER

The other kids tried to call me weird, or a conspiracy theorist, but I didn’t care I had seen too much. When I was younger, I loved my mom, but I hated that she took “spoiling your kids,” so literal. Ever since the 4th grade she was too busy to make lunch, I would sit in the cafeteria with these boxes of poison calling it fast food. Fast to kill you.

The area we lived in was small, and with not many things to do we hung out at Riley’s place which I liked, because his parents always had the best homecooked meals. I never go anywhere without my chubby pal, Riley, who’d take care of whatever meals I didn’t want with haste. He preferred to be at my house, because my mom would always order a bunch of food for “us” to eat. Tonight, it was our turn at my place, and like usual he chose fast food. I sat at my desk, clicking away endlessly, searching for a job, Riley stood by eating his burger.

“There aren’t any jobs in our area if you aren’t 18,” I said.

“Bro we’re 16, you can’t just wait a little longer, what do you need a job for anyway?” Riley said.

“Dude, close your mouth, and if I get a job, we can do more than just sitting at your parents or my parent’s house. Not to mention I’ll be able to buy some real food,” I said.

“Let me take a look.”

“All right, but don’t get that burger stuff on my computer.”

“Yea whatever, I won’t.”

“Lets’ see if you can find anything,” I said.

“I found a job for you, but you’re not going to like it.” he said, looking at the computer and laughing.

“Just tell me, I’ll take anything at this point. What is it?”

“Well, DcMonald’s is hiring, and you don’t need to be 18,” he said, smirking.

“No way,” I said, rushing over to read in disbelief.

“Now Hiring, starting pay fifteen dollars an hour.”

“Riley, you have to apply with me.”

“No way I'm applying, you’re the one who wanted a job,” he said, biting his burger.

“Look, they say in the description if you’re an employee you get free lunch. You know what that means?” I said, poking at his stomach.

“Free burgers,” he said, eyes growing.

Before I knew it, it was our first day. Then not too long after that I was holding my first check, while Riley was too busy holding his burgers. This became a routinely thing for us as the weeks turned into months, until I noticed things starting to change with Riley.

“What’s up, Riley, you didn’t come over last night. I was going to tell you I saw an event happening this weekend, I think we should go,” I said.

“I can’t, I need that money for food,” he said.

“Listen man, I know we’ve been celebrating getting jobs in our own way, but you’ve been acting different, and I think you need to slow down,” I said.

“Yea whatever Skinny Minnie, you’re not my dad,” he said.

Afterwards, Riley and I slowly started talking less. However, as time went on, I still considered him a friend, I wanted to help, watching him grow more eerie from afar. The bags on his eyes grew heavier, along with his footsteps, and the pit of his stomach grew deeper.

Unfortunately, as well as smell, it seemed he had stopped showering and taking care of himself.

We both arrived for work in anticipation, mine for money, and his for that free lunch, but it wasn’t becoming enough. Blowing his checks on fast food meals, never satisfied.

Tonight was our first night closing the store together, everyone had already left. We usually rode home together, so after I finished my last task for the night, I looked to find Riley.

My calls for him received no answer, as I felt a cold breeze rush over me sending chills over my body. I knew that could only mean the freezer was open, Riley must’ve left it open on accident while restocking. I head to the back, the dim lights paving a way for me.

“Riley, are you back here?” I called.

I finally found him however, I wish I hadn’t. There he was, lurking in the back of the freezer, hunched over, eating away at the frozen burger meat. Gagging and vomiting it back up as if his body didn’t want it, only to mindlessly eat away at it again.

“Riley, stop, what are you doing,” I said.

My voice bringing him to a halt, gazing at me with eyes I couldn’t recognize him in anymore.

“It’s not enough,” he said.

Until he collapsed on the floor, I rushed over quickly to try and resuscitate him, but to no avail. After Riley’s passing, I couldn’t even look at meat the same, I chose to become a vegetarian.

Nicholas Colon is a Puerto Rican, Afro Latino who was born in Hamilton, Ohio. A constantly evolving director. When he’s not writing scripts, he can be found venturing into new skills, expanding on old ones, and networking with new potential partners. Follow him on Instagram @sliksaintnik