Tropical Death
Steve Hatherley

	       MYSTERY DISEASE KILLS GARDENER
	Gardener Martin Smale, 57, died last night in Kew 
	Gardens of a tropical disease. He was found by 
	senior gardener Harry Dean, 64, when he opened the 
	gardens this morning to the public.

	Smale was found in the tropical ferns greenhouse 
	which has since been closed by the police. It will 
	remain closed until they are sure how Smale 
	contracted the disease.

	The gardens have suffered several cases of vandalism 
	over the last few nights - plants have been kicked 
	over and disturbed but there have been no signs of a 
	break in. Smale was keeping watch all night to see 
	if he could catch the vandal in the act.

	Similar signs of vandalism were found in the 
	greenhouse along with Smale's corpse. Harry Dean had 
	to be taken to hospital in shock after finding the 
	body of his colleague.

	Once recovered he described the body: "It was 
	terrible, all covered with sores and dripping with 
	black pus. It was horrible. His face was worse - he 
	was screaming when he died."
	
	Professor Ron White of the Hospital of Tropical 
	Diseases, was unable to identify the disease 
	immediately but hopes to do so soon.

Possibilities
1       One of the plants in the greenhouse is a form of nocturnal 
triffid and has just reached maturity. Until now it has been crawling 
around the greenhouse looking for prey before returning to its place.

2       One of the plants in the greenhouse is a four feet tall Very 
Young Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath. Like the triffid above, it has 
only just reached the mobile stage and has been looking for prey. It 
was given to Kew after explorer Horatio Barnett returned from an 
expedition to darkest Africa. He died shortly afterwards and the 
strange plant was donated by a member of the family.

3       Smale died from contracting an exotic tropical disease. The 
source of the fast acting disease is the pollen of a particularly 
beautiful orchid which has just come into bloom. The disease requires 
a large quantity of pollen to be inhaled before it can overcome the 
body's defences. Smale had been breathing it for several hours before 
the swift acting disease took hold. Smale's corpse is a wonderful 
supply of nutrients and soon it will sprout small green tendrils - new 
orchids.

Copyright (c) 1990 Steve Hatherley
steve@flar.demon.co.uk