Pretty Dead Girl Page #4

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both the body of a host,

As well as its mind.

As the fungus

begins to take control,

The ants exhibit

periods of intense aggression.

And disorientation

until finally,

The cordyceps wins control

of its victim's mind.

And compels it upwards

towards the light of the sun.

Once the ant has expended

the last of its energies.

Moving to

the highest possible point,

The fungus directs the ant.

To anchor itself

with its powerful jaws.

If the infected host cannot

be isolated from the colony.

Or the other workers,

The consequences

will be catastrophic.

This is the reason why,

over the next few weeks,

The fruiting body

of the cordyceps fungus.

Will emerge from the host

and spore.

The millions of spores erupting

from a single contaminated ant.

Can infect an entire colony

in a matter of days.

Strangely, while there are

thousands of species.

Of cordyceps fungi,

Each one

is genetically specific.

And can only infect and control

a single species of insect.

As devastating

as these attacks may be.

To the population

of the colony,

They are of vital importance

to the overall ecosystem,

As they prevent any one species

from becoming too successful.

And upsetting

the fragile natural balance.

The greater the population

of a particular species,

The greater the chance

a cordyceps fungus will evolve.

And keep it in check.

No, 'cause you know,

it's possible, though,

That you were abducted

when we were asleep,

And aliens

from another universe.

Came down and put a little

alien embryo inside you,

And that's what's making you

want to eat all this stuff.

It's a possibility.

Mm-Hmm.

I mean,

you know, like...

that's why i'm a doctor

and you're just an emt.

You know, like,

symbiotic relationships,

And that's...

weren't you talking about that?

No... yes.

All i was saying

was that cordyceps.

Don't normally have

symbiotic relationships.

With their hosts.

Yeah, but...

so, it would be weird

if, in this case...

but up until now,

weren't you saying.

That their hosts

have been ants and beetles,

And so... and we haven't

even conformed...

confirmed...

[ chuckling ]

conformed.

Confirmed that it's

a cordyshlap or whatever it is.

Yeah, but it's making me

want to eat people.

Exactly.

That's how you know

it's not a parasite.

'Cause if it was just using you

to incubate the spore,

Then we'd be fighting

to keep you off of rooftops.

Instead of spending

a romantic evening...

no, but rooftops

wouldn't be so bad right now.

Don't.

Come on.

Don't talk

like that.

[ Chuckles ]

You know, i'm not...

i'm not gonna let anything bad

happen to you.

You promise?

I promise.

[ Chuckles ]

you hesitated.

[ Both laugh ]

I promise.

I cross my heart.

I hope to die.

But don't eat me

if i die.

[ Sighs ]

Ryan, i think

we should get a gun.

What are you

talking about?

I think,

just in case,

I think it would be smart

for us to get...

just in case

of what?

We don't need a gun

for anything.

That's...

that's just stupid.

Ryan, seriously,

we need to have a failsafe.

We don't need

a failsafe.

I'm not

getting a gun.

No guns.

End of discussion.

I don't know why you're being

so final about this.

We're getting a gun.

Because we don't need a gun

and we're not getting a gun!

We're getting a gun.

When my mom died, um...

i, um,

i just kept everything in.

And eventually,

i, uh, felt...

so cold and alone...

that i just

kind of went numb...

to everything.

Until i... until i met...

[ voice breaking ]

until i met ryan.

Um, but then, you know,

he started pulling away,

And... i knew it was just...

things had gotten

too far out of hand.

I knew it was too late

to get help.

[ Gun clicks ]

It's tripped.

Ha.

Quint:
jesus.

I got it.

That's why

we do not need a gun.

We just don't need one

that... that's big.

That the...

[ sighs ]

We just don't need one

that big.

We can get

a smaller one.

Come on.

Regina:
this is

for your protection.

I don't need protection

because i'm not gonna do it.

Ryan, we need to have

a failsafe, honey, okay?

If i get out of control,

then we're gonna be...

if we need a failsafe,

honey,

Then it's already

out of control.

Just let me

take you to the hospital.

You have friends there,

they'll look after you,

They're not gonna do anything

you don't want them to do.

The new diet, uh,

doesn't seem to be as effective,

And it's not really

satiating the cravings,

So in the event that...

in the event

that she loses control,

She wants me to shoot her

in the f***ing face.

Do i have that right?

Yeah, so,

that's not gonna happen.

We're gonna go

to the hospital.

Where she can be

looked at professionally.

Ryan, i don't need

to go to the hospital.

I'm fine.

I just need

a little bit of time.

To figure out a combination

of things that'll...

[ sighs ]

...that'll stop

the cravings.

Do you?

You sound like a crazy person,

you know that?

Funny.

No,

it's not funny.

I don't want to talk

about this anymore.

Fine, but then will you at least

come in and buy it with me?

Ladies and gentlemen

of the jury,

If ryan shoots me

with this gun,

Know that it's because

i asked him to,

And, um,

he's not a killer.

He's great,

actually.

Let's go

to the hospital.

We can go right now.

Ryan,

i need this to feel safe.

Okay, i need to know

that somebody has my back, or...

[ sighs ]

Fine, i'll...

i'll go in with you.

But the only thing

i'm using that gun for.

Is to knock your dumb ass out

and drag you to the hospital.

You wouldn't do that

to me.

You don't think

i would?

Really?

You don't think i would?

Just tell me.

Tell me, how is that

not different?

How is...

how is that not better?

You're already experimenting

on yourself,

So how is it not better

just going to the hospital.

Than me shooting you

in the face?

Tell me.

Just tell me.

[ Sighs ]

That's what i thought.

[ Chatter ]

Man:
all right,

this one's good.

Don't. Don't.

Got it?

Yeah.

All right.

I can go?

Yeah.

Oh, there you go.

Yeah.

I think

that's the one i want.

That's the one you want?

Yeah.

Okay.

[ Gun clicks ]

That's it.

All right.

We can do that.

Ryan:
uh, hey, um, i'm...

in this seminar in san diego

Cooper told me about.

I'm gonna go.

Um, i know you're having

a tough time right now.

And that you probably

wanted to kill me.

For not being there for you,

but, um,

I can only be where i'm at,

and i...

i mean, you asked me

to shoot you, regina.

What... what am i supposed to do

with that?

[ Sighs ]

Whatever signals the fungus

in my brain is triggering.

Are getting stronger,

And... i'm starting

to get a little scared.

Ryan is freaking out.

I mean, he's my partner

in all of this.

I've tried to use

anti-Fungals to counteract,

But they only make it worse,

And they make me hungrier

almost instantly,

Which is a problem.

Tomorrow

is virg's birthday party,

And... i mean, i probably

shouldn't go, but if i don't,

She's gonna f***ing kill me.

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