The Age of Incommunication

The night has fallen. The hands of the clock rotate relentlessly as the silhouettes of the two corpses stalk Iñaki in the darkness of the living room. The alcohol that swam through his bloodstream has also left him.

The entrance door continues open and so many hours pass in the same way. A sound or a thought- Iñaki is not sure- breaks his dream state. Never before had his limbs weighed so heavily on him, nor had he felt his mind so anesthetized. "Survival!" Iñaki does not know where the message comes from or if he should hear it.

Why keep living in a world like this? To end up being another zombie? Are they even aware of being so? To continue to exist, to continue to breathe?

The questions resonate in Iñaki's head when he feels something moving in his leg. His heart races as he reaches for his jeans; It's his cell phone. When he takes it out of his pocket he sees that the screen indicates Mama.

"Iñaki?" Asks his mother's voice.

"Yes."

"You all right, son? What's going on in Buenos Aires? We were evacuated, can you believe it? We are in a sports center half an hour from the city of Rosario surrounded by military and doctors, this is crazy! I think it's all an exaggeration...about that virus and the attacks too. Iñaki?"

"Yes?"

"How are you, how's everything in Buenos Aires? We can't even watch the news here!"

"... it all went to shit."

"What did you say?!"Her tone changes suddenly.

"That everything went to shit."

"What...? Are you okay?"

"I'm alive..."

"How's Valentina?"

Silence.

"Iñaki, how's Valentina?"

"Valentina's dead."

"What...o..ue..parl...ime...igo...hij...Valentina!...you put...ñal..."

The cell phone signal leaves Iñaki along with his mother's voice...It seems that the age of communication has come to an end.

"My mother and father are still alive." Without wasting time, Iñaki walks to the door and when he is about to close it he senses that someone is watching him. The feeling lasts what a blink. Iñaki closes the door and prepares to carry out the horrific task.

Iñaki prepared everything: the window that faces the back of the urbanization is wide open to the night. It's time to get rid of the bodies.

The remains of the infected lie 15 meters from Iñaki; his body is a grotesque mixture of flesh, bones, and fluids. Valentina is still in the living room, lying in a pool of her own blood.

It's time to get rid of her too.

Iñaki bends down, runs one arm under his knees and another down his back. He is about to stand up when he stops to look at her eyes; they are no longer Valentina's eyes.

A thought crosses his head and gently closes the eyes of his beloved. With another equally delicate gesture, he cleanses a trace of blood that stained her forehead. Now she just seems to be sleeping.

Finally, Iñaki stands up with Valentina's body glued to his chest. Tears come back to Iñaki's eyes.

Iñaki moves slowly towards the room. His body does not want to get rid of the corpse, while his mind is not so sure...

"That's because you don't believe in anything!" Valentina's voice bursts into her mind. "I want to be buried like my grandmother." Iñaki is not sure but he thinks he remembers that his answer, between laughs, was "Ok, ok, but I will surely die first."

Carefully, Iñaki rests Valentina's body on the edge of the window but slowly lifts it again; he is going to bury her.

Iñaki walks towards the elevator and when he presses the button the door opens instantly.

As he enters, the elevator light gives a crisp reflection of Iñaki and Valentina in the elevator mirror.

Iñaki fixes his gaze on Valentina's body. Her pants are ripped and her legs are now a purple color. Her shirt is completely stained with blood.

Iñaki's footsteps echo in the garage. Arriving at the door that leads to the urbanization park, Iñaki leaves Valentina on the floor and opens the door.

Once in the park, Iñaki goes to a plastic booth. "Tools" indicates an inscription above the door. When trying to open it, Iñaki notices that it is closed with a padlock.

Iñaki steps back, and with all his might kicks the door. The door of the booth sinks inwards, freed from the lock. Silence...for a few seconds...until the first moan reaches Iñaki's ears...