I had been working at the body farm for close to twelve months. It was a job I initially took out of necessity, rather than desire. The job was as a data administrator. Basically, scientists gave me test results mostly consisting of dates, times and rate of decomposition, and I keyed them into a system.
For those who don't know, a body farm is basically a research and testing facility. It is where human decomposition can be examined in great detail and in different environments.
Essentially, you wait and watch how people decompose in a variety of settings, and the scientists record how long they've been dead, and how quickly they decay, of course, for the better of science.
Before working here, I hadn't heard of such a facility. I couldn't believe something like this would be required. I have since learned, however, that it can be used to support the authorities in the event of a criminal investigation and assist the police or coroner in determining a more accurate time of death.
I mean how sort after can these kinds of things be?
One of the first things I was curious about was where they got the bodies from. Surely, they get them from somewhere. And one can't be picky. Of course, we accepted bodies of all types, sizes, races and gender. It is important to know the decomposition rate of a skinny person or someone who is overweight.
Later I learned that people who have a donor card, at the time of their death, offer themselves to science by donating their organs to those who need them. They can also sign their bodies over to help towards a greater good. If that hasn't been satisfied, then sometimes the families submit their bodies provided by local authorities to us, if a body wasn't claimed.
We also found bodies in all sorts of places. In the middle of a field, in the forest surrounding the facility, some were even found in the water at various depths. The water was man made streams or even ponds that were dotted around the field.
I will never forget the first time I saw one of the bodies out in the field behind my block. It was that of a young woman lying face down in the dewy grass. Based on what I had learned up to that point, she would have had to have been dead for around two months. The smell, which I would compare to rotting garbage, invaded my nostrils with blunt violence, hitting the back of my throat simultaneously.
Being new to the job, I didn't want to show any weaknesses to my colleagues, but I couldn't help it, I retched in response. The scent hit the back of my throat like a bug on a wind shield and burning bile climbed up my gullet, reaching my mouth. The sensation stung my nose as I tried to not breathe...Turning to face away from it, I released the bile from my mouth spitting on the ground.
"You better get used to that if you're going to last mate." I remember one of my co-workers saying.
Then, came the vision of what I perceived. Her skin shining an electric blue in the dim moonlight, the moisture reflecting the moons glow. Thick veins snaking across her back as if lightning had struck. The open sores across her body proof she had attracted the local wildlife, with maggots in their thousands taking refuge in her crumbling corpse. The squawk of crows above pointed to what certainly made the wounds in her skin.
Recalling what my colleague had said earlier that night, you never get used to it. I don't think you ever can. So, you deal with it differently. As for me, I kept to the path around the building from the car park to avoid glancing over into any of the main fields. If they do catch your eye, you can spot where a body was because a bodies decomposition kills the grass beneath it. When you see a bald patch amongst the tall, green grass, chances are a body laid there.
Bear that in mind the next time you walk in the woods...
The road leading to the facility takes you to the mountain range behind it, so there's not much passing traffic. To the front of the site, is the administration building. This is where I worked. The containment sites, or fields, are to the rear of the building. The facility is in a large fenced off area in the middle of a remote woodland just outside of town. A forested area frames the perimeter fence to the side, and a boggy, swampy area is set over the back. This is where you tend to find, what I call, Bloaters. Those who have been left in the water to decompose.
The site sits in at least a couple of acres. At the time I was there, I couldn't explore all of it because I was an administrator, some of it was out of bounds to me. That was certainly the case for the military base that is set just beyond the wooded area, to the right of the main containment areas. A larger, more imposing fence runs parallel to ours through the woods and it disappears into the depths before you lose sight of it. Barbed wire runs along the top of it preventing any would-be climbers. Aside from the signs warning potential trespassers, a single building is visible, similar to the admin building. It is set far into the grounds and commanding searchlights adorn the top of its roof; motion sensors operate just underneath. Darkness descends upon the site from the trees overhead, creating a natural canopy over most of it. There are two heavy metal doors at the front of the building, an armed patrol guard it 24/7.
Of course, I have tried to determine why it is where it is, especially when there is no trace of it online. No one knows it is here and they don't want it to be found. There must be a reason why a secret military facility is situated within close proximity of a body farm. When I confronted my colleagues, I was told was to forget about it.
"Don't ask too many questions!" Is what I was told by several of them.
"Just clock in, input your data, and clock out," they would offer up.
One day whilst on break, curiosity got the better of me and I had to take a look. I went for an uncharacteristic wander around the grounds and took a path trodden into the landscape around the back of my block. I made sure to keep my distance from where I had first seen that body. Walking across the side field, after I checked it wasn't electrified, I placed my hands on it. Somehow, I thought it would improve my vision. Staring intently dead ahead, I couldn't make anything new out. The building, lights and guards were there, as expected. To the left of the other building, on the far side, I caught an area that is fenced. It looked disturbed so I thought maybe, it was a way in. As I begin to get carried away with myself, a voice shouted at me from behind,
"Hey, Peterson. You've been told to keep away from the fence. They don't like it if you snoop." It was very matter of fact and left nothing to interpretation. Taking one last glance over the site I turn around and walked back to the block to continue my shift.
I remember the rest of that shift pretty well. It was long and laboured and nothing could shake my curiosity. Since I had seen it, that possible way in had occupied my mind, I would surely have to investigate later. Also, who was they that he referred to and what didn't they want me to see. What could they be doing out in the middle of the woods that is stranger than a body farm?
It was at about the mid-point of my afternoon, after my venture to the edge of the fence. I was propped up at my computer in my cubicle, typing away in the monotonous fashion that had become second nature. Being thrust out of my daze in an instant, I picked up on the fact that my desk phone was ringing. In the eleven and a half months I had been working there at the farm, my desk phone never rang. Picking up the receiver I hear a click, followed by a stern but unrecognisable voice.
"Mr. Peterson, I am calling with your first verbal warning," the voice said. "Do not approach the perimeter fences again. Whatever is the on the other side does not concern you." There was no further conversation, it was a forewarning message.
"What is...?" I didn't get to finish before I was abruptly cut off.
"Do you understand Mr. Peterson?" The voice doesn't break in its sternness.
"Er...yes of course." I simply replied with what I knew they wanted to hear.
The next thing to follow, was a click as the line goes dead. Slowly I placed the receiver back down and stared out of the window. The very window I couldn't bring myself to look out of not that long ago. If I wasn't intrigued by what was on the other side of the fence, then I certainly was now. I didn't even think the guards saw me; they must have picked me up on the cameras.
Well now the intrigue had me by the scruff of the neck, there was no way I could let it be. So, I had planned to investigate later that day, after my shift would be easier.
Clock watching is always the wrong idea. I observed the big hand slowly tick round the face, following the small hand. It was a couple of hours but easily could have been days. Like at the end of every shift I clocked out and made a line for the door. Walked the short distance from the building to my car and drove it out of the carpark. Remembering where the possible frailty in the fence was, I knew I had to drive towards the mountains. I turned right out of the car park and to the back of the block. At this point the road stops and becomes a track, man made through the mountain pass, presumably for hunters and stuff. Just before you head onto the main track there is a fork, veering off to the right I continued along. Our perimeter fence over the back runs along the road and I followed it for about one hundred yards or so. I pulled over to the side of the road opposite the fence, as I didn't want to be too close to the military perimeter. Abandoning my car, I covered the rest of the journey by foot, having to navigate through marsh land and undergrowth. Conveniently I had worn almost an entirely black outfit, wanting to blend in with the surroundings and not get caught, again.
Having made it the length of our perimeter fence, it comes to a junction of sorts where our fence meets there's. You will then see the extension of their fence continue on to the left, it was a little further up, I saw the way in. The night was dark, like a black blanket had been pulled over the sky. The high vegetation and thick undergrowth made the remainder of the walk interesting. Reaching where I thought the entrance was, I scrambled through some bushes to get closer to the fence. Feeling my way across the metal I feel for the frailty to allow me to gain entry. Unexpectedly, a sharp inhale of breath filled the silence of the still night. In looking for the way in, I managed to cut my hand on a loose bit of metal. Not being able to see the injury I brought my finger to my mouth, in sucking on the wound my mouth filled with a coppery tasting liquid. Pushing on the fence around where I cut my finger, I felt it give way. Forcing it in on itself I created a small doorway, collapsing to my knees I crawled through the hole. Remarkably, I snagged no clothing on the harsh entry way and made it to the other side unscathed.
Getting through to the other side I stood upright, brushing myself down of any mud and foliage. In front of me was the secret building, the double metal doors directly in front. The lights were running along the top of the building with a metal staircase coming around the side. I remember the only shocking thing at the time was the lack of security, there wasn't a single guard on patrol. The security light was shining on the area right in front of the doors, so I had a route around it. Without wasting time and avoiding the security lights, I made my way over to the building. I just made it the staircase to the side when I heard the big metal doors open, a guard was walking out under the light. Dropping flat on my stomach I hid amongst the long grass, my clothes sucking up the moisture like a sponge. A noise came from behind me which sounded like a groan, it sounded like it came from a human. The guard walks out of the light and stands no more than a few feet from me, looks behind me and shouts in that direction,
"Shut up will ya? Don't make me come over."
His aggressive command was followed by silence, he threw his cigarette end on the floor and walked back into the building. I didn't move until I heard the metal door swing open and shut again, I crawled forward onto my knees until I cleared the staircase. Knowing I was okay, I stood up and moved around to the side of the building.
What I saw next scared me. A line of cages running parallel to the building, they were tucked around the side under the cover of night. I could see shadows inside them but at first couldn't make out what they were. Edging closer, I started to make out a shape in the first one. It looked almost human. Standing against the metal bars I remember looking in it intently, trying to make out the figure. It wasn't long before it dawned on me, the shadow that I saw was human. Knowing that it could communicate as it did earlier, I moved along the cage and tried to talk to it.
"Hey, you OK" I asked them.
At first, I got nothing back, not even the groan I heard earlier. Maybe it had come from one of the other cages, so I started to walk away to the second cage. Then it spoke to me in a pained whisper.
"Help me," it said.
I stopped dead in my tracks and looked back around at the shadow. Some shuffling noises and a strained moan came from inside it; then two hands grabbed hold of the bars. It made me jump and I remember almost leaving my shoes.
"What did you say?" I asked.
"Help me," it repeated.
The desperation and pain in its voice left me with goosebumps even now. I moved to where its hands gripped the metal bars of the cage, I looked forward hoping I would see its face. As it stepped forward into the moonlight, I could see what it was. A frail man. Nothing more than skin and bones. His hair, dark and matted matched the bags under his sunken eyes. The look of defeat on his gaunt face sent a chill racing through me. Shaking the bars, he must have used the last of his energy to shout at me again,
"You must help me, please!"
"Why..." I hesitated. Clearing my throat, I attempted to shake the nervousness off my vocal cords.
"Why are you in a cage?" I managed to ask.
"They are keeping us out here, I don't know how long I have been here. They aren't feeding us properly," he told me. The fear and desperation carried in his hushed voice. The words shaking in the air as they leave his lips.
The next words out of his mouth terrified me and I still don't believe it now.
"They are turning us into zombies..."
My mouth dropped, and my eyes glazed. I tripped over myself and stumbled backward, the creaking sound of the opening metal doors filled the stillness in the air.
"Huh?!" the man gasped, and I stepped back further from the cage.
"Don't leave me," he pleaded, stretching his arms out towards me.
Glancing in the direction of the doors and back at his cell, my mind raced, and I questioned what I should do.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, shaking my head.
I had to escape. Turning, I ran down the row of enclosures towards the back of the building. With no idea where I was going, I knew it was better than being caught. It was pitch black, and the moon was my guide. I crept around the building until I reached the clearing on the other side. I was as far away from the front of the building as I could be. The jagged entrance I created further than I wanted. I had no other options but to make a run for it.
Moving into the shadows, I slid down the length of the fence until I reached the makeshift door I'd carved out.
Falling to my knees, I crawled to safety away from the horror I encountered.