Stranded at Sea

Heavy Metal

With Jess and Blake having the antidote in hand, it's time we rejoin the others.

They've found Donovan, and with him...a whole mess of trouble.

'Alright, so you've brought Erica and I down here... You don't intend to kill us.. So what is going on and what are you doing with my Father?!' Leo roared.

'Leo, you have been concerned for your father's health for awhile. This adventure has taken quite a toll on him. And on top of his bad back and poor heart...' Arthur shrugged.

'How do you know about his heart?' Leo questioned agressively.

'We are making him stronger, better. What if I told you, your father need never feel pain? Never have a shortness of breath, never experience arthritis. Never die.' Arthur smirked.

'I'd wonder which loony bin you'd escaped from.' Leo glared.

'We can do that, Leo. We ARE doing that.' Arthur said slowly.

'I...I can't believe that.' Leo looked down.

'This is crazy! Come on. There was a way in here. There must be a way out.' Erica screeched.

'How do you explain Arthur's pristine condition, Leo? Even after you shot him, he remains standing here before you. Can you explain. that any other way?'

'Where is this voice coming from?? Who ARE you?! Are you listening to this? This is crazy.' Erica shakes her head.

'I dunno. It makes a kind of sense. How else could you explain it?' Leo thought.

'Wait, you actually believe this?! You're actually thinking of leaving your father here! Abandoning him!' Erica yelled.

'How dare you accuse me of abandoning my father?! You, who was ready to abandon all of us at the start of this mess? I'm just saying, if they can actually do what they say they can... Well, I'm willing to give them a chance.' Leo hollered.

'You don't even know what they're going to do!'

'Arthur here looks none the worse for wear. I'm only saying that I'm willing to learn more.'

'A wise decision. Erica? You wouldn't want to abandon your friends again...would you?' Arthur nagged.

'Come on, Erica. If we stick together, we can get through this.' Leo sighed.

'Hey Arthur...whatever happened to your son?' Erica asked.

'My son?' Arthur looked confuzzled.

'You know, the one you couldn't stop talking about when we got here? Did you abandon him to this fantasy?' Erica glared.

'My....my son had a..an unfortunate accident. But his loss progressed science in unthinkable ways. It is a price we should all be willing to pay.' Arthur glared back.

'What sort of...science?' Erica gasped.

'I thought that would catch your interest.' Arthur smiled.

'You are working on your Ph.D in Animal Sciences, are you not?'

'How do you know that?' Erica's jaw dropped.

'I overheard you speaking of your migratory research on the cruise. It was a simple deduction.' Arthur said creepily.

'It is only through science that we can better the human race. Sometimes science takes losses, yes. You know that better then most.'

'...What are you guys trying to do?' Erica asked with curiosity.

'We are only trying to help science along. Evolution finds our best traits and encouraged them, right?' Arthur said.

'Well no, actually. Mutation creates random traits and evolution favors those that are most advantageous to the current generations ecological situation..' Erica said knowledgeably.

'You know what we mean. Imagine if you could....help the process a long.'

'Artificial expedition of natural biological processes? How?'

'Come. Arthur will take you to the lab. I shall show you myself.'

'Come on, Erica. What do we have to lose?' Leo crossed his arms.

'All right. But keep that gun handy, Leo.' Erica said as Arthur started to lead the way.

It's time we leave our friends Erica and Leo to their fate for awhile. Let us see how Jess and Blake are doing with their antidotes...

'I don't like seeing him just lying there. We should have tied him up.' Blake looked down.

'We've been through this. I will not treat him like some animal.' Jess yawned.

'We have to start thinking of him like an animal. We haven't seen much else from him to indicate otherwise.'

'I can't help but feel there's more there! Look at how close he became to my mother...'

'A dog becomes loyal to its owner.'

'Or how he warned us about the ghost walkers!'

'A cats behaviour will warn it's owners about earthquakes.'

'How terrified he has been of this island.'

'Even fish swim from danger.'

All of a sudden H starts moving.

'What the?!'' Blake screamed.

'H! Are you feeling better?' Jess said joyfully.

'Be careful, Jess.' Blake glared.

'I...I don't....H don't....'

'H...you struck out at us. We didn't know what to do. You..you hurt me.' Jess said sadly.

'Hurt? Hurt Root? NO HURT ROOOT!!! NO!!!' H growled.

'See! I told you he was uncontrollable!' Blake covered his mouth.

'WHERE ROOT?!?!?!?' H screamed.

'Blake! What do we do?!' Jess panicked.

'We have to try one of the antidotes, and soon! Who knows when he'll turn again!' Blake hollered.

'But which one?'

'Delta Two? But which vial WAS the Delta Two antidote.?' Blake asked.

'I think it's this one...' Jess hesitated.

'I hope you're right..' Blake said nervously.

'Well...I hope this works!' Jess said.

Jess gives H the antidote....

'AAAARRRGHH!!!!!!' H screamed.

'H...H, are you okay??' Jess said and H didn't respond. 'H!!!' Jess cried.