The Desert of the Fish by Matthew Vaughn (Random Title #11)

I call it my reverse fish tank. That’s probably not an accurate description of what it is, but whatever. It’s basically like a spacesuit, but instead of keeping oxygen inside it holds water. I built a pump out of an old leaf blower, it’s not like there’s ever going to be leaves around here again!

So, I fastened this pump I made to the back of this suit, it works surprisingly well. The one downfall is no filtration system. It’s pretty much just pumping the same water around, over and over. I like that it’s warm, though. The fact that there’s nothing to block the sun keeps everything warm. It’s like being in the shower, having that warm water covering your body, all day, every day, twenty-four seven. But it gets old, stale. Piss filled. I haven’t eaten in forever so there’s that to be thankful for. Since I started wearing this suit filled with water everybody started calling me Fish. I mean, I haven’t seen a single person in longer than I can remember. So of course I’m saying the only person calling me by the name of Fish is me!

I keep on walking. What the hell else is there for me to do!? Everything is a wasteland. Literally there isn’t much of anything anymore. I saw some dirt the other day. Then I saw it again the next day. Then I saw it again today. Seeing as how my suit is filled with water my vision is slightly distorted, but I’m pretty sure I would recognize something other than dirt if I seen it.

I would say by far the worst thing is there isn’t a night anymore. Total fucking sun all the fucking time. You get tired of that shit, a human body needs a good solid sleep. I’ve pretty much just given up trying to get any sleep. I mean, sleep is for the weak, right? You can sleep when your dead and shit, right?

Fuck this water is getting nasty. I lost track of how long ago it was I changed it last. Here’s to hoping I can find some water soon. I mean, this freaking place is a desert so I’m not gonna bold my breath, but still, here’s to hoping I find some soon.

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Matthew Vaughn fixes machines in an Injection Molding facility. He is a father and a husband, a reader and writer of various genres.  When he is not working with robots and building equipment he enjoys writing bizarre stories and reviewing Bizarro and Horror books .  Matthew’s stories can be found online at Linguistic Erosion and The Mustache Factor, also in a couple upcoming anthologies.  You can follow his ramblings on twitter @ https://twitter.com/edkemper or at his site http://mcvaughn.wordpress.com/