Work Text:
Arthur Lester was lying on the ground. He was inside some old cabin in the woods, snowed in, and, well, long story short, he was a little stuck at the moment.
"John, I'm sort of thirsty. Is there anything to drink?"
Arthur sits up, as to give his Eyes a better view.
"It seems that there is a bucket of water in the corner, and... Oh, a flask on the table." John piped up from wherever he was living inside Arthur's head.
"A flask? I don't usually drink...god knows I need it now, though..."
He goes for the flask on the table, unscrewing it.
"It...it doesn't smell like anything, John."
He takes a swig, thinking what's the worst that could happen?
"Hm. Doesn't really taste like anything either... It's kind of slippery. What is this?? John?" He takes another whiff of the liquid.
"It appears to be metallic, Arthu-"
He cuts him off. "No, I don't mean the flask. The liquid." He smells it again.
"I— it's metallic, Arthur."
"Yes, you said-"
He abruptly starts coughing.
"R-right, sorry...bit hard to breathe...."
"Arthur, are you alright?"
"John. John, I can't feel my fingers."
"What? Arthur, what's going on?" John seemed more than concerned at this turn of events.
"John, something's wrong! What was that liquid??"
"I don't know! It looked like metal!"
"Metal...? The liquid... Fuck, John, why didn't you warn me?!"
"I couldn't see the liquid, Arthur!"
"Thanks a lot, John-"
He abruptly throws up, clearly not having a fun time with his acute mercury poisoning.
"Arthur!!"
"God- John, it's very hard to breathe!"
"Arthur, inhaling elemental mercury can cause severe lung damage and death! Why did you inhale it?!"
"John, what the hell are you talking about??" He keeps coughing, like a little orphan boy that just contracted the plague.
Arthur Lester eventually passes out due to a lack of oxygen, and very quickly dies of lung failure. What fun. Remember, kids, nothing is more hype than quicksilver.