Chapter XXVII - Vile Venom

The syringe imminently punctured Electro's flesh: a sudden surge of added pain raced through his body. The tingling around his body made tears gush out his eyes even more. Flopping to the floor and bearing the pain, Electro Von Poison whined.

"Go back to your cell now, Electro." Lord Horror Hill whispered harshly.

"Cell one hundred and two!" He continued to call out cells.

****

Trailing back to his cell, Electro could hardly walk as he limped onto his bed. Sprawled across his bed, he blacked out and fell unconscious. As he came conscious again, he was again greeted by the excruciating pain. Hours passed. And the pain never left.

Climbing into bed, Electro heard the doorknob of the furthermost door at the top of the stairs twist. Electro was reticent to have a look but a glimmer of hope that it was someone letting him out made him go up to the bars. Footsteps clattered on the ground, and a silhouette appeared in the doorframe. Sauntering down the aisle of cells, the figure moved closer to Electro. It scrambled frantically with a key and opened his cell. Appearing in the torchlit light, a familiar face smiled at Electro. Viscount Phantom grinned at Electro as content as ever to see him. Pleased to see the Viscount, too, Electro shone a beaming smile. There was no way of Electro telling the Viscount about the ordeal as his mind was frazzled, but the pain was slowly leaving his body. Viscount Phantom could tell that Electro's time in the dungeons had been purgatory but was unbeknownst to the real details.

"I did steal the key to free thee!" Viscount Phantom was relieved to be rekindling his friendship with Electro and was longing to do so.

As the two walked past the cells and up to the door, the light from the ground floor in sight, the other prisoners were in a begging frenzy for Electro and the Viscount to free them too. Climbing the stairs, Electro Von Poison and Viscount Phantom left the echoes of screeches and shouts behind. Electro couldn't believe his eyes. He was home. It certainly taught him a lesson, and never did he want to be down there again. He was determined to change his ways and hoped it wasn't too late - he could only pray that his fate wasn't inevitable and that the murder of Butler Burns would never come back to reap what he had sown.

"I am free!" Electro tried to keep his voice down while jumping in bliss.

Sat by the stairs, Electro told Viscount Phantom all he could remember. The two of them were now friends again, and the Viscount was overjoyed that he had his friend back no matter what he had done. Engrossed in happiness, the two Horror Hillians didn't notice the figure looming over the banister.

Lord Horror Hill sneered, his face contorted and withered. A knife lay in his hand, pleading to be used... and the delusional Lord had just the victims he wanted.

"Hello, my beloved Horror Hillians... welcome home, Electro," the voice surrounded the manor house.