The Plague Logs

[Marburg]

"The Festival of Blights" (Part XV)


Colin 'Caulobacter' Murphy sat quietly among the dull roar around him as the Blighters enjoy the 'dusk' round of free drinks given to every patron of the Green Hell complex.

The origin of this tradition stems from a concept offered by a longtime former resident of Islay named Riley Mackenzie...His thought was, since the fog rolls in so thick, & so quick...if you can't see your hand in front of your face for 15 minutes...how the hell are the employees during such a busy time, going to know who to collect money from?

"So," says Riley, "Since your gonna loose money anyway, turn it into a tradition, & you can loose money for years to come."

Colin implemented the tradition, & has made a very nice fortune off of the repeat business.

Caul sniffs the air & downs a very fine Gaian tequilla with a smile.

"Could'ja do me a favor lad, & be so kind as ta f*** off?" he nicely asks the man seated next to him, while he was minding his own business.

Offended, but obeying the well known 'Manager of Hell' ...he simply disapears into the fog-enveloped crowd.

"Have a seat & drink with me Marburg." Colin says without turning.

"I hate it when yew do that."

"You sound like Dengue." Colin says with a chukle as Marburg takes his seat.

Colin Murphy nods to the Bartender, & the keeper places a top-shelf bottle of Gaian Stout in front of the Duster-clad Plague Dog, that bears the name 'Marburg's' on the label.

Gracefully turning & filling Colin's glass with another shot of that fine tequilla, the night-shift bartender named Joey Romack proposes a tost to the two local celebrities.

"GO AWAY!!" says Caul, as Joey ceaces mid-word, & disapears into the thick fog without protest.

"I've been keeping tabs on you boy...I know why your here." Caul says as he swivels his barstool to face the brooding Dimi as he lifts his shot glass in the air. "SO!...A toast huh?...ok, (ahem)...If all of your wishes were granted, many of your dreams would be destroyed, yeah?"

Marburg turns to face his father-figure, & raises his beer in the air to meet his supirior's shot glass with a 'clink' as he replies:

"Yeah, Here's ta not learnin' the hard lessons the first time."

The two Plague Dogs share a their drinks in quiet silence.

Damien McEwan eventually slams his empty bottle on the bar, & quickly turns & heads towards the Ampitheatre's command console.

"MIC!!!" he growls over the dull roar of the crowd, as one of the staph members tosses one down from the square elevated area, without missing a beat.

Marburg snatches the mic from the air as he turns towards the fight-pit...his duster flowing in the currents of air in his wake.

"LADIES & GENTELMEN...MAY I DIRRRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PIIITT!!!" He addresses to the crowd, while entering the fighting ring, shedding his coat & removing his shirt, revealing a very large tattoo of the Marburg Virus across his chest.

Damien scans the faces in the cavern for a moment before he raises the mic back up to his lips, & quietly says:

"i quit."

OOOOoooooo!!!! replies the gathering crowd, as Caulobacter Phage stands, downs his drink, and approches the pit himself.

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