A Tragic Creation 3: At Pepperland's End

Chapter 10: A Drop

"AAAAHHHH!"

George's scream broke Randel out of his stupor, and he turned his head away from the unglazed window to stare at the bandstand's entrance.

The sounds of gasps from outside caught his attention, and he slowly walked out of the bandstand, not looking behind.

His eyes went wide when he saw the scene at the bottom of the hill.

George was shaking, holding his right hand, and, even from Randel's distance, he could see that there was a small black dot on it.

Taking in a sharp breath, he made his way down the hill, stopping next to Ringo as the drummer stood in front of the frightened guitarist.

"I-it's not coming off!" George exclaimed as he tried to wipe off the slime with his sleeve, but it only smeared across his skin and sweater.

"W-what happened!?" Randel asked, turning over to Ringo, who was just as scared as he was.

"Well... we were just sitting here and... out of nowhere, it... a large w-wave crashed down and... a drop l-landed on his hand."

The Chief, shielding Max from the scene, stared at them with wide eyes.

"And the rest are still out getting food! Oh, I should have warned them!"

George breathed in deeply as he tried to control his panic. 

"I... I mean, I feel okay. I-it's not g-growing or anything... right?"

"Ringo..." Randel paused, "Y-you didn't g-get any on you, did you?"

"No," Ringo answered, "John and Paul checked."

John and Paul stood next to George, the latter holding onto the former tightly.

Jeremy was nowhere to be seen, for he had gone out with the others.

Suddenly, George's overall appearance dulled slightly, and it made all in attendance freeze.

"No... No... T-that can't b-be..." Ringo trailed off.

George felt his emotions drain from him slowly, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop it. Now even more shaky than before, he opened his mouth.

"I-it's just a drop... I c-can't be that q-quick... right?"

Max, who was forced to stand behind the Chief, let out a cry.

"See!? I told you that we're d-done for!"

The Chief didn't bother to yell at him this time, instead deciding to hug the small blue meanie.

"Uh... Oh... I d-don't... feel good..."

George's words sent shivers up Ringo's spine as he turned his attention away from the Chief to look at him, and upon seeing George's grey form, he gasped.

The fluid on George's hand and sleeve then started to grow.

"What the... Oh, no no no!"

Once again, George tried to get the liquid off of his hand, but it only spread more on his sleeve.

"Someone do something!"

Randel pulled Ringo back, eyes wide as he stared at the scene in front of him. John and Paul stepped back as well.

A numb feeling started to spread on George's hand as the goo enveloped his knuckles, and the sensation was beyond frightening.

Within a moment, his entire hand was nothing more than an oozing glob of black liquid.

"I... I c-can't feel m-my hand..."

The liquid on his sleeve grew, and George felt a part of his arm go numb as well.

Starting to hyperventilate, George fell to his knees as he watched the liquid slowly climb onto both of his arms, tears starting to form in his eyes.

Ringo knelt down in front of him and cupped the guitarist's face in his hands.

"E-everything's g-going to be okay, I promise."

Randel easily sensed the shakiness in his voice, and he knelt down next to Ringo, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I..."

He couldn't think about what he should say as he watched the liquid reach George's shoulder blades, and he grabbed Ringo's arms to pull his hands away from George's face.

"Ringo... s-step back..."

"N-no!"

Standing up, Randel pulled Ringo a few feet back from George, whose neck was beginning to be enveloped in blackness.

"J-just listen to him Ringo..." George stated, staring down at his body as the numb feeling spread through it.

The glop had run down his sides, joining at the lower part of his stomach as small drops of it dropped onto his legs.

He felt the numb feeling reach the top of his neck, and he raised his head, slowly feeling his legs going numb as well.

Slowly, Randel helped Ringo up from the ground, seeing that tears were forming in his eyes.

John and Paul stared wide-eyed at their friend.

Suddenly, George began to hack and cough, more of the black liquid coming out of his mouth as as it finished enveloping his stomach.

George's head slumped forward, the ooze now beginning to touch his bottom lip.

"I... I l-love you l-lads..."

He began to cough again, the liquid falling onto the ground.

He could only feel his face and chest now.

Ringo was as still as a statue, breath light as he looked at George.

However, as soon as the liquid finished enveloping George's chest, the Beatle fell forwards onto the ground, coughs dying off as he made a gurgling sound, as if he couldn't breath.

After a short moment, George went still.

John, Paul, Ringo, and Randel watched as the black liquid finished enveloping George, all still being able to see the man's shape under it.

In one short instant, the liquid collapsed, forming one huge puddle.

Max let out a loud scream as he buried his face into the Chief's body.

Ringo fell to his knees as tears began to stream from his eyes.