The Collectors - VI

Chris carried on on his search for some groceries, but found that all the shops were shut. The colourful buildings were now all polluted by silver shutters covered in graffiti. Auburn leaves fell all around from the promenade trees, littering the floor. Chris tried to look for at least one open shop. It had only been a week since he had visited Pattersby, it couldn't have all shut down in that time.

He followed the promenade as far as the town went, and then spotted something. A figure sat on a small brick wall in front of an abandoned-looking pub. Chris decided maybe he should ask if there were any shops open.

As he approached, he saw that the man's eyes were sunken and red, and that his skin had become stretched and yellowy. His clothes were old and tattered. He looked homeless.

"What... What happened to all the shops?" Asked Chris, gently.

The man coughed. A great, painful chest-heaving cough. When he stopped he looked up at Chris with his watery, red eyes, and said "I don't remember."