blood bank

It was all a bit depressing really, the church no longer saw any worshippers,it was never filled with sunday singing of how much anyone wanted to serve Jesus, no sermons were preached to sleepy eyed residents of the community, yet its space was filled with chatter. No meaning to much of this chatter, no gathering at important events, this church did not see christmas or christenings any more. The chatter was inane and the activity was just a steady stream of keep fit classes, children's dance classes, and table top sales.

The church was as a valuable part of the community though, mused Lisa to herself, though she still thought it felt depressing. The old walls were needing repairs, showing signs of age as they tried desperately to keep the small church from crumbling. She listened to the roof emitting whistling sounds when it was windy, she liked how the moans and whispers of the wind gave voice to the struggle of the church. She saw its majesty in its valiant efforts in trying to delay the inevitable demise, and yet she shivered as she noticed the damp seeping up the brickwork, it illustrated perfectly the cold and slightly wet atmosphere the church offered on even the hottest summer days. She sighed quietly to herself forgetting she that surrounded by a group of well-meaning neighbours. Luckily none of them noticed.

Not much she could do really, she thought, except just lay there and fill the time with taking in the peeling paint work. She looked toward the ceiling and found it a little unsettling, decorated here and there with fine spatters of blood the ceiling gave an ominous overtone to the situation. Well that's great, she thought, really adds to the atmosphere she continued in her grumpy mood and this thought was soon followed by i hope they don't offer me tea and biscuits after, the tea always tastes awful and the biscuits are so dry they beat the permanent packet of wafers Nanna kept for visitors, the visitors never seemed to want a pale, dry, pink wafer, perhaps that's why Nanna bought them.
Just as the deathly silence began to feel intimidating the sound of foot steps brought her attention to a grey-haired, thin, old woman "Don't forget to keep squeezing!" said the woman in what she hoped was a kindly and encouraging manner. Lisa smiled weakly and she went back to her daydreams. She tried to keep squeezing the small rubber pump in her hand, feels odd she thought, pumping my own blood out into a little bag, still they always seem to need more blood, we live in the safest county on all of England I can't even remember the last accident! Always needing blood though, she thought idly, it must get shipped all over the country to be used in busier places, maybe the cities need it, bet there's always accidents there, she drifted on into her thoughts trying to work out how exactly those blood spatters got on the ceiling.

"You enjoying your tea dear? asked the grey haired woman peering just a little too close to her face. Lisa tried to smile and mutter 'yes thanks' and ended up spitting crumbs on the now scowling grey haired woman.
"Oh gosh I'm so sorry!" she proclaimed and proceeded to spill the disgusting tasting tea, it splashed on her clothes, it splashed on the grey haired woman, somehow the grey haired woman managed to make her scowl appear even stronger, Lisa admired that, must be some kind of talent she thought, and trying to make a quick exit she flustered around saying "I should go anyway, I'm probably late for something, I'm always late for something!" she waved cheerily at everyone and went to escape.
"Oh no! We can't let you go yet love! No you have to stay!" barked the grey haired woman. Her firm announcement was accompanied by a stern, but she hoped still friendly, smile and she carried on in a softer tone "You can't walk for half an hour after giving blood, it's the rules you know and we have to stick to the rules, after all they're for your own good! Now come sit down, have some tea"
Lisa frowned and then resigned she returned to the chair and slumped forlornly. She sighed again, but I feel fine! more than that I feel like I just want to go home, she thought to herself sadly. She felt like crying and realised some of the neighbours were looking at her pointedly, it felt like they were scrutinising her, was she acting oddly? She didn't know she realised sadly and acknowledged that socializing wasnt her strong point.


"We're not getting enough!" complained the taller man, he was very handsome, by the standards of the average vacant film star follower, chiselled jaw, wide shoulders, smouldering smile, except when that smouldering smile was warped into a sneer and his voice tainted the air with complaints and cursing, then somehow it seemed his perceived good looks became a caricature, a plasticised example of the perfect human.
"Well we can't have another blood drive! I think they are getting a bit suspicious of the call to donate and save little babies!" sneered his companion, this man was smaller, though his lack of height went unnoticed, he held a quiet power. His short blond hair did not frame the same magazine model good looks of the taller man, however his eyes were wise and his words logical, his face held in place a mask carefully constructed to never show his emotions and his manner was always quietly confident. He turned to the taller man and said "But obviously we will keep that up, no sense in wasting resources, but we need another system, something more," he paused "effective" his smile was unsettling.
A rather earnest fat man who clearly was too eager to impress now found his voice and brightly proffered "Well we could pay for it? I mean nothing real you understand, like not real money, but I understand this bitcoin stuff is quite popular"
At this point the fat man became acutely aware of a number of men staring intently at him, he gulped and continued even more eagerly "Bitcoin, it's a virtual currency, loads of people like it, but the best thing? People who want money that isn't able to be traced back to them, we target poor areas, people who want money, easy money, they can't be taxed on, and all they have to do is give blood, so pay them in virtual money, it's daft money to us, just set up some place like a hospice or something offer them payment in bitcoin and watch them line up! I reckon there is a whole untapped market you know! Loads of people in poor countries well this is a way for them to earn money, we are helping them really" he had started well but finished in a mumble as through his words the men had kept looking at him, listening to every word, and the one with the strange yellow eyes really unnerved him, every time he looked at those eyes for some odd reason he got this image in his head of the guy rapidly licking his lips, with a thin forked tongue. No one spoke for a few minutes and the silence settled over the fat man blanketing his verve and made him feel more nervous, a trickle of sweat dribbled down his neck and dripped uncomfortably down his back, despite the heat he shuddered.
"Ok see if we can set something up, crypto for blood, must be some takers, market it at the poorer countries first see if they bite" came the clipped and efficient orders of short blond-haired man. Why not? he thought, it seemed as good an idea as anything else. He didn't have much confidence in there being many enquiries though, he didn't approve yet of bitcoin, he had briefly looked into it and decided it held no value for them as they had no reason to make money, and they had no reason to hide their own transactions, however if it held a purpose in gaining them more resources though, well then it became more interesting.

"How much did you make?" asked the emaciated looking, denim clad, youth.
"Quite a bit mate, I reckon they should start paying for organs too! I would sell all I have if I could!" he said and laughed as he went off with his money. He staggered a little, giggling to himself as he stumbled, "Probably should have eaten that chocolate bar" he mumbled to himself, "Would have given me something on me stomach, never mind, I shall forge ahead on my mission! " these last words came as he fell into the pub. It was empty and the bar would now be propped up by a very happy though a bit pale looking Bob who had only one mission in mind; get drunk.
The queue of people waiting to enter the small bland looking office building was so long it snaked around the block. Increasing numbers of people, all looking eager, kept joining. "At this rate we need to open a second gathering center!" joked Charlie, he was very happy. The blood poured in and the willing participants kept coming. He loved it, making a fortune he was, and those in charge were never late for a payment, didn't matter how much he collected they wanted more. He wondered if he should raise the price, just a little, he had just made a fortune in Ethereum, sunk it all into paying these blood-losing sheep and boy it was going like a dream! It was like they didn't even know they were simply resource containers. His triumphant thoughts swimming round his brain as he answered the phone."Yes what is it?" he asked.
"You have that building, Sir. Confirmation arrived this afternoon the office in london is yours" answered a slim beautiful woman, every inch of her appeared elegant and graceful.
"Good! Set it up, fill all ten floors with machines and let that red gold flow! Yeehar!" he almost yelled and he grinned with the self-satisfied smile of a man achieving success.

"Does anyone know where it all goes? Surely the hospitals must be overflowing with blood!" said the now gaunt young lad, his skin was covered in boils. He picked at the scab of a nasty looking red sore on his cheek "Reckon I will head there soon, gotta be some left in me" he laughed and tugged on a patch of skin, it was thin, paper like and very pale, and it limply sank back to his bone as he let go.
"Nah, never thought about it. Think it gets sold over seas or something, other countries must need it too" said a vacant looking and equally thin, slightly older youth. His eyes were dead and he showed no real interest, he just wanted the exchange to open as quick as possible.
"Well they seem to need a lot of it. Did you hear about drunk bob?" said the gaunt one and the sore on his face began to bleed a little, he didn't notice and kept on scratching at the sore.
"No, what happen?" came the vaguely interested reply, his eyes still concentrated on the door willing it open.
The wind blew an old pizza box along and over the feet of the gaunt one, he didn't move.
A sound was heard from inside the building and the gaunt one remembered his conversation and said "He sold so often daft twat and he didn't eat anything then he drank himself into a coma" he laughed and had joined the other in staring at the door wishing it would open for business.
"Jeez, honestly he's not right him! Is he in hospital then?" asked the other and was starting to scowl at the decaying building; the noise had not been repeated and the door was still looking definitely closed.
"Nah he died didn't he, was weeks ago now, ah here we go" said the gaunt one as noises began again and the jangling of keys was heard, the men would get their wish.


The overbearing, sweating man stopped to gather his thoughts, and attempt breathing without wheezing. He really was too unfit for all this running around, he probably should lose some weight, his inner voice scolded him, and not for the first time did he think he was too old for this, but the views! the followers! the money ! His YouTube channel was massive, he gloated to himself. His twitter was creaking under the weight of retweets, everyone wanted to see what he uncovered next! He permitted himself one more moment of self-satisfaction in among his little jaunt, he was really enjoying this mad adventure into the night. He prided himself on being the best truther in the field, other truthers just didn't get the results that he did, he went where other reporters didn't dare to go.
The night was pitch-black and held distant noises of vans and machinery. The darkness felt sinister, it was almost oppressive, or maybe it was his imagination fired up and his nerves working over-time. The barbed wire fence loomed before him and somehow he had to get over it. He had followed the vans right to this point, though he had used extreme stealth he bragged to himself. He did a thumbs up to the small camera he was holding and dramatically pointed to the fence trying to indicate to an unknown audience of his plan of entering the compound over the fence. His faith in his ability to actually do this would be needed; it was a high fence, it had barbed wire along the top and razor wire looped along the breadth of the metal fence. It had outposts at regular intervals, it had big lights highlighting the main yard and others highlighting the warehouses. It also had guards with dogs at various points and just as a nice finishing touch the fence was electrified, and to be absolutely honest this was a fence that meant business, it would do, to its best abilities a damn good job of stopping people getting over it. It looked like a tough challenge for even a fit healthy young man,should the fence have an artificial intelligence, and it probably did, then at this moment in time it would look scornfully on this old, sweaty man, who was fooling himself into thinking he was the James bond of truthers, and disdainfully refuse to take any notice. The man rubbed the back of his neck, he knew this was going to be a challenge, probably even impossible, and he definitely stood a good chance of failing, he tried anyway.
The video would never show how he got over, and he would never tell anyone, he promised himself. He was on the other side that was all that mattered, his auto-soothing over, he staggered in what he hoped was a stealthy ninja-like way, through coarse scrub grass and withered looking trees. It took him a while, but he saw the concrete buildings ahead and his adrenaline shot up in an almost heart bursting surge. It must be the place, he thought, this is as far as it goes so this must be it. He quickened his supposed stealthy steps. He saw a line of the vans full of the blood boxes, all lined up waiting to enter the huge warehouses. He tried to edge closer, but he could now see the guards and the very mean looking guard dogs. He could also just about make out the guns the guards had, they didn't look friendly either. He cursed internally to himself, he had no idea how to get closer without being noticed. He took his other camera out and hoped it would take good enough close ups of the vans. He started taking pictures but as he looked through the viewer he saw at least two of the guard dogs start to prick their ears up, and a wild panic flooded through his system. He ducked and prayed feverishly, the words 'god help me through this' resounding round his brain, he didn't dare move.They hadn't noticed him, he was keenly aware of every single sound, thankfully none seemed to herald the approach of guards with guns. What if they could smell him? his panicked thoughts had turned to the dogs, he wanted to get just a bit closer, then he would be able to see inside. He slowly, quietly, slipped down along the coarse grass bank and worked his way round the other side of the last small outbuilding. It was quite close to the biggest warehouse and was his goal, for now. He edged round the corner of the brick work and was able to see inside.
The boxes of blood were being loaded onto conveyor belts, there were thousands of them. He looked along to see where the conveyor belts lead to. He could just about make out a large aircraft. Peering into the dark he was having difficulty seeing any detail, it was very dark towards that end of the huge warehouse. He could only see a large, dark, roughly triangular shape. There were no markings, it seemed as if it was just sprayed completely black, a dull matte black that seemed to drink in any available light. He was concentrating on an area where he could see the end of the conveyor belt, he could just about see the boxes disappear into the blackness. He kept staring into where he assumed was the opening and then in utter revulsion he fell back. His brain reeling in shock as he fell, he released a sharp gasp as he did and began to feel the pain as he hit a metal grating on his descent down the bank. He wasn't able to fully register either the pain or his descent, his brain was still grappling with what he had just seen. He knew, deep down, he knew what it was, it didn't make sense though, he thought they were only in films really, fodder for conspiracy nuts, yes he sold the very idea on his channel, that's how he made money, but he never really believed. His mind was stuck, paused on the last image he had seen, he knew that it had blue slimy-looking skin, large bug shaped eyes, and it's mouth... his brain would skim over this detail; it was too repulsive for him to process right now, right now all he could think was; it had looked straight at him.
His screams were a distraction, momentarily, for the workers as they loaded the boxes of blood tirelessly on to the conveyor belts. The dogs made short work of the distraction, they were efficient, hungry and bored, and that meant it was all over in a matter of minutes, one of the guards grunted something unintelligable to his companion, and the workers went back to their business, the line of boxes seemed endless.

all images and writing Velveteen 2018