Flesh: Slovakia

Paleo Diet

The sun was setting over the Danube river, casting a red glow over the city of Bratislava. A group of six survivors huddled in an abandoned apartment building, listening to the moans and groans of the undead outside. They had been living there for two weeks, ever since the zombie outbreak swept across Europe, turning millions of people into mindless flesh-eaters.

The group consisted of Martin, a former engineer and the leader of the group; Lucia, a nurse and Martin's girlfriend; Peter, a student and Lucia's brother; Eva, a journalist and Peter's friend; Tomas, a mechanic and Eva's cousin; and Zuzana, a waitress and Tomas' girlfriend. They had met by chance when they were fleeing from the zombies, and decided to stick together for safety.

They had managed to survive by scavenging for food and water, barricading the doors and windows, and avoiding any contact with the zombies. They had a radio, but it only played static. They had no idea what was happening in the rest of the world, or if there was any hope of rescue.

One day, they decided to venture out and look for a better place to stay. They packed their backpacks with some supplies and weapons, and headed towards the outskirts of the city. They hoped to find a car or a bus that still worked, or at least some signs of life.

They walked for hours, avoiding the main roads and the zombies. They saw many corpses, both human and animal, rotting on the streets. They also saw some graffiti, messages of despair, anger, or hope. One of them read: "We are not alone. There is a camp in the forest. Follow the river."

The group decided to follow the river, hoping to find the camp. They thought it might be a trap, but they were desperate for some human contact. They reached the edge of the city, and entered the forest. They followed a dirt path along the river, until they saw a clearing. There, they saw a large campfire, surrounded by tents and huts. They also saw people, dozens of them, dressed in animal skins and furs. They looked like they had stepped out of the Stone Age.

The group approached the camp, waving their hands and shouting. "Hello! We are friendly! We are survivors!"

The people in the camp looked at them with curiosity and suspicion. They did not wave back or shout. They just stared at them, holding spears and axes. One of them, a tall man with a long beard and a feathered headdress, stepped forward. He spoke in a language that the group did not recognize. It sounded ancient and guttural.

The group tried to communicate with him, using gestures and words. They pointed at themselves and said their names. They pointed at the camp and asked if they could stay. They pointed at the zombies and said they were dangerous.

The man nodded, and gestured for them to follow him. He led them to a large hut, where he introduced them to a woman who seemed to be his wife. She smiled and offered them some food and water. The food was roasted meat and berries. The water was in a clay pot.

The group thanked them and ate and drank. They felt relieved and grateful. They thought they had found a safe haven, a new home.

They were wrong.

The next day, they woke up to find themselves tied up and gagged. They saw the man and the woman, and several other people from the camp, standing over them. They looked angry and hungry. They had knives and forks in their hands.

The man spoke again, in his strange language. He pointed at the group and said something. The others nodded and cheered.

The group realized, too late, what he had said.

He had said: "Dinner."