Stage 1 – Fresh

This phase begins as soon as your pulse quits. Blood is no longer pumped so it settles wherever gravity pulls it, giving the body an overall bluish-purple tinge called lividity. After 3-6 hours rigor mortis kicks in due to the muscular tissue becoming unable to relax. There are also chemical shenanigans which result in a change in the acidity of your body. This change causes cell structure to steadily break down and release enzymes from within the cells which then breakdown more cells in turn – autolysis.

Aerobic bacteria need oxygen to work, when this is all used up the anaerobic, hardcore microbes move in. They start in your guts and lungs, turning carbohydrates, fats and protein into acids and fragrant gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia (remember that tarp kids, you need to shift the body before those gases started filling your nostrils, your flat, the stair well and the streets below).

During this stage there isn’t much change to see in the body as a whole.

Stage 2 – Bloat

Those gases produced in stage 1 accumulate in your guts and cause your stomach to expand. Tissue that’s been partially liquefied may start to froth.  As pressure builds fluid will flow from all of the natural orifices. Yes, all of the orifices. And skin may rupture under the strain. Above is a picture of a dead whale that’s floated to the surface during the bloat phase.

Bacteria turns parts of your blood into sulfhemoglobin which gives your skin a kind of cool marble effect. During this stage maggots hatch and from the meat they are eating, which may cause the skin to slip and hair to fall out.

Stage 3 – Active Decay

During this phase is when you’ll lose most of your body mass. The maggots are having a whale of a time and fluid is oozing out all over. The end of this destructive scene is signalled by the mass exodus of the maggots who go off to pupate (see above for some beautifully pupated maggots).

☛ More Death: Dumb And Disturbing Deaths