A Tragic Creation 3: At Pepperland's End

Chapter 5: Black Ooze

"Ay John, " Ringo said as he walked towards the guitarist, Randel still looking around him nervously.

John looked back at Paul and George for a moment before answering.

"Uh... Hey Ringo..."

The tone of John's voice, unusually shaky and quiet, was enough for Randel to snap his head forward, and it was only then that both he and Ringo noticed the large crowd that was slowly gathering in the distance.

"Um... W-what's going on?" Ringo asked apprehensively.

George stepped forward.

"R-Randel.... I d-don't think it w-was just a nightmare now..."

Randel took in a sharp breath, eyes going wide.

"H-h... How d-do you know?"

Paul cleared his throat.

"Well, this... Puddle of... Some black substance just.... I don't know, sprouted from the ground over there. No one knows what it is?"

"Is Jeremy over there?" Ringo asked.

"He is, " George replied, "but, it doesn't even seem that he knows what it is..."

"C-can we go over to just... See it?" Randel asked, shaking as he stepped closer to Ringo.

John, Paul, and George all looked at each other for a moment, then nodded.

Silently, the five all made their way over to the large crowd, all of the people and blue meanies stepping aside to allow them through.

Jeremy was standing merely inches away from the black puddle, staring down at it with bewilderment.

"I've n-never seen anything like this... There must be something I missed..."

Randel stared down at the puddle, which seemed to just rest on top of the green grass beneath it instead of sinking down beneath it.

Ringo put an arm around him, equally as shocked.

"Well... What is it?" John asked after a moment, shaking.

"I don't exactly know, I can't identify it, no."

The Chief, along with Max, separated themselves from the crowd, stepping forward.

Max was shaking uncontrollably, holding onto the larger blue meanie.

"Can you just get rid of it or something? It's freaking Max out."

"It... I s-saw it... D-dissolve a... A..."

Everyone turned toward Max after he paused.

The Chief stared down at him.

"What?"

Tears of pure fear formed in Max's eyes as he looked up at him.

"It... A b-bird landed on it, and... It just... T-turned grey, and... It sunk I-into... Into..."

Max started to hyperventilate, and the Chief knelt down to his level, trying to comfort him.

Randel's gaze fell on the black substance again, only to find that it was beginning to grow. Acting quickly, he grabbed Jeremy and pulled him back.

Jeremy grunted in surprise, but before he could turn around....

A series of loud demonic laughing echoed through the area, causing everyone to take a step back.

The liquid was beginning to bubble and expand outward even more, and something was beginning to emerge from it.

If it weren't for Ringo grabbing him at the last moment, Randel would have fallen back in shock.

Lord Mayor and Old Fred, both starting to shake, stepped next to the Chief, observing the shape that was slowly rising from the puddle.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band made their way to the front of the crowd, trying to usher them back.

Louds gasps and screams echoed through the area as the creature's head came into view, its eyes now back to the same black color that they had been a month before.

Randel's blood turned to ice.

"Now, " the figure started, its body now rising from the liquid that still rested on the ground, "I heavily suggest that no one moves."

Once it's dark grey legs were above the liquid, it floated a few feet into the air, and that caused panic to arise among the crowd.

Blue meanies started to hold onto each other, small children were hiding behind their parents, and the rest of them just stared up at the creature, paralyzed and speechless.

"You see Randel?" The creature spoke, motioning to him, "I told you that that wasn't just a nightmare."

Randel took Jeremy in his arms and stepped back even further, Ringo doing so as well.

John gripped Paul's shoulder, for the bassist's face was starting to turn white.

George's hands shook as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing.

The figure smiled widely, revealing its sharp teeth to all who could muster to look at it.

It chuckled.

"Well then, seems like my audience is too glad to see me, huh?"