Nightshade

Chapter IV

Joshua: “Maybe trauma would have made him like this.”

Libra: “Or stress.”

Joshua: “And anxiety.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a flesh-stabbing sound effect occurring in the middle.

Libra: “Uh… what was that?”

Joshua: “Don’t tell me who I think it is.”

Libra: “We might wanna check it out.”

Joshua: “Seriously, Libra? How concerned can you possibly be?”

Libra: “Shut up- just come with me already!”

Joshua: “Jesus- okay! (he follows Libra to the bathroom)”

Libra: “Must be coming from here.”

Joshua: “That’s funny ‘cause no one was in here.”

Libra: “Well it ain’t the same anymore.”

Joshua: “Wait a minute- I saw something in the bathtub.”

Libra: “Same from the pitcher. (as the lads investigated the bowels flooded with skulls, Libra discovered nightshade in the sink as Joshua headed to him)”

Joshua: “Now that solves the case. (he pauses himself to view the plant) This flower is lethal, so do not touch it- it’s dangerous.”

Libra: “I know- I think we should call the police, considering that we’ve discovered a murder case.”

Joshua: “This is considered a murder case?”

Libra: “Yes- the skulls in the bowels belonged to the people who fell into the agonizing abyss to the Nightshade disease. Plus- your father’s gone missing, now’s the right time.”

Joshua: “Libby, did you forget when Father attempted to contact the ambulance, the service didn’t arrive on the phone?”

Libra: “Same with the police- but this contact should work, right?”

Joshua: “I guess so- (he turned to the door in front of them as if he saw a shadowy figure beside it) Libby?”

Libra: “What is it- I’m not falling for your jokes, okay-”

Joshua: “What the fuck is that thing?”

Libra paused to the figure standing in front of them- instead of an ordinary one however. There stood a walking corpse infected by the illness- the mouth is carved open- exposing sharp teeth that resembles an anglerfish, the sockets are hollowed out, and the skin was flayed- revealing bare decaying flesh. The men shivered in mortification as the zombie slithered toward them.

Joshua: “No… no… no…”

Libra: “How the fuck is that thing moving?! (Joshua shook his head twice) How are we supposed to get rid of it without a glock?”

Joshua: “Just use your fists, man!”

Libra: “No- bitch, you do it! I’ll call the cops!”

Norden pulled out this phone to contact the police whilst Rosenheim stripped off his coat to prepare his fists.

Joshua: “Stay back!”

He pinned the corpse to the ground to strangle it as Libra turned to him petrified.

Libra: “Josh! Watch out! (Joshua continued strangling the zombie) Jesus Christ- get the gas mask, quick! It’s the Nightshade zombie that’ll extract the oxygen out of you!”

Joshua: “(backing away) Oh shit!”

As the infected lifted itself from the ground, a bullet flew to the back of the head- then bang! It fell to the floor once again after gore exploded in front of the early vicenarians. There they turned to the blonde man holding a glock, Castiel Valerian Esterbrook.

Castiel: “You did not see that coming, did you?”

Libra: “Castiel? Oh thank god- you saved us!”

Joshua: “Wait a minute- how’d you know the zombie broke into our house?”

Castiel: “I have a detector on my phone.”

Libra: “Thank go- (coughing) Fuck! That corpse could've strangled us!”

Castiel: “Jesus- I heard all the commotion, I’ve also heard that Michael Douglas vanished out of nowhere. Romero is currently hanging flyers around the street and shooting down zombies. He gave me the second glock in case there was one in our house.”

Libra: “Okay- enough talking, we have to bury the corpse.”

Castiel: “I know, but we need to do it at the cemetery so it doesn’t decay here otherwise we’ll…”

Joshua: “(finishing Esterbrook’s sentence) Be taken to an emergency room.”

Castiel: “Yeah- that one. (sighing) Let’s just do it, boys- come on.”

At the cemetery…

Castiel: “There, it’s buried.”

Libra: “Hey, you guys know what I’ve heard?”

Joshua: “What’s that?”

Libra: “(Pointing at the mossy staircase behind them) You see the staircase over there, right? (Everyone turned to it) This is where the gas masks are sold freely- follow me.”

Joshua and Castiel followed Libra to the secret door that led to the collection of gas helmets.
Meanwhile at the lab, a respirated Douglas grabbed the flask, then headed to the backroom behind the bookshelf. First, he poured water into the cauldron before blood- including the blending. Lastly, he pulled out bottled poison to surge with unholy rivers and contain it.
Back to the men walking down the street to their home.

Castiel: “Our task has been completed. Now what?”

Joshua: “I don’t know about you, yet my stomach is growling.”

Castiel: “Mine too, luckily there’s a restaurant around the corner.”