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Devil's Food

The end began with chocolate cake.

By Amanda WalterPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 6 min read
4

The end began with chocolate cake. Devil's Food, to be exact. Death by chocolate. Internet influencers and FOMO (fear-of-missing-out) also played a role. You could say that social media was the gun, and the bullet was consisted of gluttony and jealousy.

The attack started on a Sunday in July. It was one of those summer days when the air was so thick with moisture that everything was sticky. And you felt like you could barely move. All you could do was lay around in the air conditioning, hoping for a break.

My brother Wes and I lounged on the living room sofas. Our parents were gone for a week on vacation to Aruba. I was in charge. Apparently, I was responsible enough at 18. But, when I was 17, we still had to stay at Gran's. Weird that one year made such a difference. Anyway, if we had a pool, we might have thrown a party. But, it was too hot, and there was no pool. So, we just laid around staring at our phones.

Wes broke our silence, "Dude, did you see that Dia Devil opened a bakery in our town?"

"I told you not to call me dude," I said, rolling my eyes. " And, somehow, I doubt that."

"No, seriously, look!" He held out his phone.

On the screen was an Uber Eats page. Devil's Food by Dia Devil. It was the shortest Uber Eats menu I had ever seen. Only one item. Devil's Food Cake. The photo of the decadent chocolate cake made my stomach turn. It was too hot to eat.

"Well, that's weird," I said, "Why would the most popular YouTuber and internet influencer open a bakery here? And with only one menu item?"

"Maybe it's one of those virtual restaurants like Beast Burger."

"Huh?" I asked, confused.

"Oh, come on, Nat. Get with the times."

It was Wes's turn to roll his eyes. We were four years apart, and sometimes he made me feel like I was as old as Gran.

I turned back to my laptop and typed "virtual restaurants" into Google.

"So, the restaurant doesn't even exist as a free-standing business? It just operates out of other restaurants? Ghost kitchens? That's crazy."

"No, Natalie, it's not crazy. It's brilliant. These influencers and celebrity chefs are making bank," Wes said. "Anyway, wanna try it?"

"Ugh, no, it is way too hot for cake. Besides, I can't stand Dia Devil; no way am I supporting her."

"Well, suit yourself, sis, I'm ordering."

Thirty minutes later, I was in the kitchen making myself a salad when I heard a noise on the porch.

"Wes, I think your food is here!"

"Can you get it for me, pleaaaase," He whined from his spot on the couch where he was playing Xbox.

I opened the door, and sitting on the doorstep was the cutest package. The box was wrapped in brown paper and stamped with a logo that matched Dia Devil's famous tattoo-- a heart with devil horns, a tail, and a pitchfork. The only difference between the logo on the package, and the tattoo were the words Devil's Food. The package was tied up with a twine bow.

"Hey Wes, I think this might be too cute to eat," I called as I grabbed him a fork and napkin from the kitchen.

"No way," He said. " You're just trying to steal my cake."

I placed everything on the coffee table in front of him.

"Woah," he said, "That is pretty cute. So extra."

"I know, I'm impressed. But, I still wouldn't support her. She's a terrible person."

"More for me," He said.

I winced as he tore apart the beautiful packaging. Shaking my head, I went back to the kitchen to grab my salad.

"Oh. My. God. This is the best thing I have ever had in my mouth."

"That's what she said," I replied as I came back into the living room with my food.

He didn't respond. I looked over at him, and he was shoving the cake into his mouth like a caveman.

"Um, Wes. Why don't you slow down, buddy." I suggested.

It was as if I wasn't there; he didn't register me at all.

"Ok, then," I muttered. "I guess I'll let you guys be alone."

Wes could be such a weirdo, sometimes.

I popped in my earbuds and put on an episode of "The Office". The rest of the night was uneventful.

By the following morning, Devil's Food was trending all over the internet. It was completely viral. I found myself watching Dia's most recent video.

"Hey my little devil dogs, welcome back to the channel!" She crooned at the camera, and tossed her Ariel-red hair over her shoulder. "If you haven't already heard, I launched my virtual bakery Devil's Food, yesterday. It is a HUGE success already. Thank you all SOOOO much for the support. I just want to let you all know, that I only plan to operate Devil's Food for ONE week! So, you better get that tasty cake while you can. It's to DIE for!"

I couldn't stand her. She was like a Lady Gaga wannabe, but without any actual talent or heart. The fakest of fake. But, I couldn't deny that she was a marketing genius.

"Damn, this bitch is going to make a fortune." I muttered and turned off my laptop.

FOMO is a real thing and it is ugly. Everyone wanted that cake. At least, everyone under 30. But, then most of them shared with their older relatives. The more people talked or tweeted about it, the more people ordered it. My Insta feed was full of pictures of those cute little boxes.

The poison must have had some sort of delayed release. Don't ask me how, I have no clue. I don't even know where it came from. Somehow, I doubt that Dia Devil was the mastermind behind the whole thing.

On Monday and Tuesday Wes was completely fine. But, on Wednesday, I came home from my summer job and found him curled up on the bathroom floor. He was barely breathing. His skin was cold and clammy to the touch and his body trembled violently. The sour scent of vomit clung to the air.

I called 911 and was put on hold. On hold. By 911. Apparently, they were experiencing an unexpectedly high volume of calls, and many of their own operators had fallen ill.

I shook his shoulders, trying to revive him. "Wes, please. Wessss." But, he didn't respond.

His eyes were open, but there was a vacant look in them. Like, he wasn't looking at me, but through me. I remembered seeing the same look in my grandpa's eyes when I was at his deathbed the year before. I smacked his face. Nothing. I tried to warm his chilly body with blankets. Nothing worked.

I stood there, incompetent, as he faded away.

The ambulance arrived three hours after my 911 call. Wes was long gone. His body stiff and cool. They asked which funeral home. I didn't know. I tried to call my parents, but I couldn't get through to their hotel. I'm not sure where they decided to take him, but they took him.

Late Wednesday night, CNN reported that a mysterious illness had killed at least 100,000 Americans that day. By Thursday morning the number was in the millions.

On Thursday evening an internet post pointing the blame on Dia Devil's cakes went viral. Friday morning Devil's Food could no longer be found on Uber Eats and Dia Devil's YouTube channel was gone.

By then it was too late. I mean, the cake itself didn't wipe out humanity. Of course not. However, it did enough damage to leave the rest of us vulnerable to the next attack. But, that's a story for a different day.

Sci Fi
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About the Creator

Amanda Walter

I was born, raised, and still live north of Boston, MA. When I'm not at my day job, I spend my time playing board games with my family, tending my garden, listening to audiobooks, bingeing too much television, and writing.

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