A Tragic Creation 3: At Pepperland's End

Chapter 24: Past the Limit

"John, I'm just trying to-"

"I don't care! Just leave me alone!"

Ringo and Randel continued to walk down the hill, seeing that John was sitting next to Paul's puddle, yelling at Ringo's alter ego.

"But you're-"

"Please just be quiet!"

Once the pair had come to the bottom of the hill, Ringo sighed loudly.

"Okay, calm down you two."

John turned his head around, surprised.

"Oh... I didn't hear you two... approaching..."

Randel shivered slightly upon hearing John's emotionless voice.

"U-um... what were... you arguing about?" He asked quietly.

Ringo's alter ego shook his head and sighed, getting frustrated.

"I don't know. John just hasn't been wanting to talk to me..."

He paused.

"Or anyone for that matter."

Ringo looked at John again, only to see that the guitarist was staring down at Paul's puddle again.

"Well... he has been like this since..."

"Please Ringo..." John started, his voice cold and emotionless. He slowly stood up on his feet, still facing the puddle.

The two remaining blue meanies, who were standing a few feet away, both stepped forward.

"W-what are you doing?" One of them asked, pointing a blue finger at John.

John sighed heavily and turned around, now facing away from Paul's puddle as he focused on nothing but the endless expanse of the slime in the distance, watching how it moved like water.

"I... T-there's nothing we can do..."

Randel shivered once again.

"Um... This is p-probably not the best time to t-tell you all this but..."

He glanced over at Ringo, who only nodded.

"The creature just v-visited us... in the bandstand."

John was the only one who didn't gasp.

"W-what did it do!?" One of the two blue meanies asked, sounding scared.

Ringo bit his lip.

"Nothing..."

Randel caught on, and he nodded in agreement.

"He... he didn't try to do anything, but he said that... there were only two ways that that liquid can recede on itself and bring everyone and everything back."

"...Two... ways?" John asked, still keeping his gaze on the slime in the distance.

"Yes... either I... g-go with it... or we somehow destroy its soul."

John shook his head slowly.

"There's no way we can do that..."

Ringo stepped forward.

"John... what are you..."

He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

John, tears starting to form in his eyes, opened his mouth to speak.

"I-it's over... for me anyway..."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"I... I t-thought I'd be able to last... but... l-losing all of those friends is... s-something that I cannot deal with any longer..."

John's lips quivered.

"Especially since Paul's gone too."

Ringo's face went white, realizing what John was implying.

"Y-you're not going t-to-"

"What's the point in not doing it, Ringo?" John said, still keeping his focus fixed on the liquid far in the distance.

As tears began to slide down his cheeks, a smile slowly formed on his face.

"It... It was right all along..."

He let out a light chuckle.

"We don't have a chance this time... and even if Randel agrees to go with him again... we'll all still live a sad life afterwards..."

Randel's face went white as well.

"I-I'll never-"

"I know you won't," John interrupted, "but... now I don't really care about that anymore."

Randel was silent, confused.

John continued to stare right in front of him, not paying attention to anything now.

"W-why... That stuff is almost beautiful if you stare at it l-long enoufh... I wonder what it feels like to have your whole body go numb..."

John's voice was calm, and he closed his eyes, clasping his hands together on his chest, trying to mentally prepare himself.

Everyone knew what he was about to do, but no one could break free of the awe and morbid amazement that the sight gave them.

John took in a small breath as he started to lean back.

"I-I'm coming for you... Paul."

He fell back into the black puddle, immediately feeling his back going numb.

Smiling as more tears rolled down his face, John closed his eyes, felling the liquid staring to clinb up onto the rop of his head.

All was silent as the liquid slowly engulfed John, covering his head completely as it made its way down his grey body.

In a moment, John was nothing more than a vague shape under the liquid.

Ringo watched with dry eyes as the liquid mass collapsed, adding to the puddle that was underneath it.

The last remaining Beatle, Ringo's alter ego, Randel, and the two remaining blue meanies stood still, all too shocked to move.

Eventually, Ringo opened his mouth and spoke coldly.

"It... M-my bandmates... I'm the o-only Beatle l-left..."