Two nights later, Ricky's neighbor, sweet old Mrs. Sweeney, known for her legendary apple pies, collapsed after swatting at a particularly large fly.
By morning, she was hospitalized, vomiting like a water fountain, covered in strange boils and starting at every sudden movement.
After work, Ricky went to visit her, and Tim followed along with his camera after he heard the reason for her hospitalization.
Mrs. Sweeney was weak, hardly able to talk, but she smiled sweetly when Ricky came in.
Tim filmed the scene, narrating dramatically:
"Tragedy strikes in San Alvera City! Flies are attacking and old women are falling prey to their dastardly moves! The hero's heart is tested! Will he rise, or will the flies feast?"
"Stop narrating, Tim."
Ricky glared at him; a look of annoyance plastered across his features.
"Sorry, bro. Gotta set the tone."
Mrs. Sweeney laughed weakly.
Cough!
"Who is this young man, Ricky? Hurp! – "
Tim jumped away from her bedside in horror as Mrs. Sweeney gagged and Ricky shot him another glare.
"Don't push yourself Mrs. Sweeney, you can ignore this guy. He's just a nuisance from my office," Ricky remarked.
"Hey!" Tim exclaimed. "I'm no nuisance, I'm a vlogger, ok!"
Ricky scoffed and waved Tim away, then reached for Mrs. Sweeney's weathered hand.
"Besides, I'm filming all your heroic fly swatting feats and adventures for free, you should be thanking me since you're not paying…." Tim muttered.
Ricky directly ignored him and proceeded to catch up with Mrs. Sweeney.
She had to pause and throw up in a pail kept by her bed a few times, but Ricky was patient.
With his signature stone-faced expression, Ricky heard her narrate the story of being dive-bombed by a fly as big as a baby bird after she tried to pick up the apple pie she left cooling on her kitchen counter.
His face showed no disgust, and his eyes were soft with kindness.
Tim caught the whole thing on camera and was practically rubbing his hands together gleefully as he thought about how he would edit the video, while sensational thumbnail ideas and clickbait descriptions danced through his mind!
After they left her hospital room, Ricky stopped to stare out the hospital window at the city skyline.
It was the perfect scenic moment and Tim, who was hovering with his camera, almost wet himself; he was that excited.
"Hey Bro, you want to tell the viewers what's on your mind right now?"
Tim held his breath as Ricky looked directly into the camera and raised the electric fly swatter he was carrying.
"They dared to mess with Mrs. Sweeney's and her pies. They're gonna pay!"
He clicked the swatter.
ZZZZAP!
The sound echoed a bit, and Tim's maniacal laughter followed, filling the empty hospital corridor.
"This is content GOLD!" Tim hollered.
"What on earth…?"
A nurse looked out of a nearby room and gave them both a stern look.
Tim sheepishly turned his laughter into a coughing fit then dragged Ricky's arm muttering under his breath, "Sorry, so sorry… haha!"
Cough! Ahem!
"Hahahaha…. Let's go Bro."
Cough!"
News Broadcast – Channel 9:
"BREAKING NEWS: MUTANT SUPER-FLIES CONFIRMED!
Scientists are baffled by their resistance to pesticides. The public is advised to wear full-body nets!
The mayor promises: quote, 'to swat this problem away' – before tripping over a flytrap during the press conference."