Beatles Horror Stories

Randel and the Potion

Before we start off, if you haven't read a trilogy of yellow submarine fanfictions of mine that share the title "A Tragic Creation", I suggest you do so.

Though, this will still be scary even if you don't do that, but you will be able to understand the implications a lot better if you do so.

~

"In Pepperland, everyone wanted to always be happy, did they not?"

Ringo shuddered as he stared at the white desk in front of him, knowing all too well who was in the chair behind it.

The chair was turned away from him, facing towards the windows that provided a view of buildings and roads that were nothing but grassy fields and bushes just a few years ago.

"After everything that had happened between us... I realized that, with the way things used to be, no one could always be that, or even safe."

Randel sighed, shaking his head.

"Do you know how broken I felt on that bandstand? After I thought I had lost everything important to me and that the only way I could get it all back was to die?"

Ringo gulped.

"Yes..."

"Once all had gone back to normal, I came to the realization that the only way to make life absolutely safe and perfect for everyone was too... make sure they could never not be happy themselves."

The chair spun around, and Randel stared at Ringo, who could do nothing but take a step back.

"It was just too bad that Jeremy taught me some potions because he thought that I would be interested in that subject. He was right though. I became so obsessed that I eventually learned how to make some myself, and Jeremy approved of it just as long as I didn't do it for evil purposes."

Randel chuckled.

"I guess that forever locking people's minds in a state of happiness wasn't one of them. I had them build those buildings and roads just to make this spread. Not just in Pepperland, but to all those seas that we had come across on those trips where you and the others showed me all the other places that one had to cross in order to get here. Those trips and occasionally returning back to Liverpool were more than enough to know where I was going. Now, just like here, they are all inhabited by happy beings who will never do a single bad thing or have to worry about something awful happening. No..."

Randel smiled, leaning forward as Ringo gulped once again.

"No one will ever have to cry. No one will ever have to scream or pound things in anger. No one will have to shiver in fright."

"R-Randel-"

"No one will have a painful death. No one can be murdered. All is perfect..."

Randel's lips fell into a frown.

"So why is it that you never wanted to drink the potion since day one, Ritchie?"

Ringo looked around the bare room for a moment, making sure that they were alone.

"This... T-this isn't natural..."

"It isn't, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It had to be done."

"B-but... Randel, you're robbing them of... of their lives!"

Randel leaned back, shaking his head.

"How is perfecting their lives like robbing them?"

"You... You saw what that potion does! They can't think or speak! All t-they can do is walk around, smiling and laughing!"

Ringo stepped forward and placed his hands down on the desk.

"You know that that potion has side effects! You knew that each living thing that consumes it has a chance of their brain slowly shutting itself down! Randel, I saw so many blue meanies just drop dead in the streets!"

Randel stared at him for a moment, squinting his eyes.

"Yes, I admit that there is a risk in doing this, but that potion is the most advanced one that can be made for this purpose. Besides, most people and meanies who have drank it are still alive, and even then, those who were unlucky enough to have negative side effects died peacefully and in happiness. It was painless, and they didn't suffer."

Randel leaned forward again, placing his hands on top of Ringo's and staring into his eyes.

"But, just for you, I am patient. You were the one who inspired this idea to form in my mind in the first place. But a few years is a long time to wait."

Ringo stepped back, no longer being able to recognize Randel as anything but a monster.

Tears slowly formed in the corners of his eyes.

"I... I d-don't..."

"I won't take the potion until you have, Ritchie. That way, we can both be happy together."

"This... Y-you..."

Ringo backed up against the wall, next to the open door that lead to the hallway.

"I... I c-can't let t-this... g-go on f-forever..."

Randel raised an eyebrow.

"You're challenging me now? Ritchie, you know I don't want to hurt you. You're still my husband after all. Why don't you want this?"

Ringo stared at him, shaking as tears ran down his cheeks.

"I... I-I'm not..."

He paused, taking in a breath.

"Y-you're not the m-man I proposed to. Jeremy's still out there, and we're t-the only two... or t-three who haven't consumed your incurable disease! I'm s-sorry but... y-you gave me no c-choice..."

Randel stood up, slamming his fists down on the desk.

"FINE! GO OUT THERE AND TRY TO FIND HIM! I GUARANTEE THAT YOU WON'T!"

Randel glared at Ringo with such anger that Ringo feels as though the room was closing in on him.

"Those out there are too happy to even take orders from anyone at this point, or to even recognize anyone, but that's just how it has to be! You and Jeremy can't do anything to stop my efforts! There is no cure to my potion!"

Ringo slowly moved so that he was in the door way, only stopping when he heard Randel laugh.

"You know, I will chase you two down and do the deed myself. With the submarine long gone, you two can't go anywhere. I had to have it destroyed after I found out that some people were trying to use it to escape!"

Randel sat back down.

"You know... How long has it been since you called me 'Randy'? Heck, how long has it been since you kissed me?"

Randel smiled.

"Once it's all over, the both of us can finally have that life again. Kisses all day and night and nothing but happy thoughts in our minds..."

Randel chuckled.

"I can't wait to experience that... I won't be chasing you now Ritchie... but watch your back."

Ringo took a hold of the door knob.

"You never know when I might go outside and... finish the job."

Quickly, Ringo slammed the door shut and ran down the hall, proceeding to run down the stairs without a second though.

As Randel listened to his faint footsteps, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the glass bottle he had sitting on the windowsill, a glass bottle that held a sparkling pink liquid inside.

He smiled.

"One day Ritchie... You will see things my way."