Black Plague

Chapter 43: Do I Wanna Know

"One thing I've always wondered is if you chop off a limb does the limb come back as a new Jessie or does it disappear?" Kazimir said as he scratched the top of his head.

"I think the worst part of tonight has been this conversation." Lily said as she massaged the bridge of her nose.

"I disagree." Toby said solemnly.

Jessie turned to Lily to see her wincing at her words. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze feeling the tension in the group grow.

"We could test it using that sword of yours." Kazimir said pointing down at Jessie's side.

"We are not cutting off one of my arms, now could you shut up and just show us the damn way." Jessie said resting his uneasy hand on the blade's hilt.

"Easy there kid I was just joking, sort of. Plague won't let me test it on him so I just thought I'd ask you." Kazimir said almost pouting.

A heavy silence fell over the group only broken by the soft footsteps of Jessie and the others. Standing so close to Kazimir made it hard for Jessie to relax. He could feel his muscles tense at every one of his movements, the smile on his leaving him uneasy as they walked through the dark halls.

"Does anyone else smell that?" Lily said as she pinched her nose.

As if on cue an invasive horrid smell violated Jessie's senses and he was overcome with an intense wave of nausea. He held his breath desperate to keep the smell from assaulting him.

This smell is familiar, proceed with caution. At the risk of infection do not breathe in this air.

"L says to be careful, this air can make us sick." Jessie said as he struggled in the haze.

"What is that smell!" Lily cried out as her eyes began to water.

"It's bodies, dead bodies, and by how strong it is I'd guess a lot." Toby said covering his face with his shirt.

In between teary-eyed blinks Jessie could see the end of the hallway, a grey metal door loomed. The closer the group became the more intense the smell grew. Jessie could hear Lily gagging as they reached the door feeling his own gag reflex struggling. Kazimir laid a large clothed hand on the doorknob before turning to face the others.

"This is one of Plague's private play rooms, sorry about the mess we haven't really had time to clean up after him lately." He said with a smile.

He turned the knob bathing the group in a smell so intensely putrid it left Jessie reeling. The sudden assault made the previous smell seem like roses in comparison. He held back from vomiting as he doubled over trying his best not to show weakness.

Jessie raised his eyes to see an absolute bloodbath. A mess of viscera and carnage left bodies hung around the room almost as if on display. A mix of fresh and decayed corpses laid bare across the room all in different states of mutilation.

This is an abomination, the absolute gore is inhuman. Jessie, you must not become another body on the pile ahead.

"This is-so many-God you're all monsters." Jessie said under his breath.

"The smell isn't that bad guys, stop overreacting." Kazimir said mockingly.

Jessie could hear someone behind him vomiting and turned to see Lily keeled over. As she heaved her insides out her eyes were wide with fear as she struggled to comprehend the room ahead.

"What kind of sick game are you playing clown!" Toby said as he suddenly slammed Kazimir into the wall adjacent to him. "Why take us here? Why show us this damn room!"