| Exploding Courgette | |
|---|---|
| |
|
Origin |
Unnamed German |
|
Type |
Courgette |
|
Effects |
Explodes with the force of a small bomb |
|
Activation |
Cutting into |
|
Collected by |
Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering |
|
Section |
|
|
Aisle |
Section 72-E |
|
Date of Collection |
November 5, 2017 |
| [Source] | |
A surprisingly explosive vegetable.
Origin[]
On November 3, 2017, a elderly German man called the police after he believed he uncovered an old World War II bomb in his garden. Upon a closer look, the "bomb" turned out to be an large courgette (also known as zucchini) 40 cm long (16 inches) and weighing 5 kilograms (11 pounds). Police did agree that at first glance, it did look similar to a bomb.
Many unexploded bombs dropped in Germany during World War II remain buried today. Most are uncovered during construction work, though occasionally are found by other means. Those bombs remain dangerous, as they can still explode if triggered despite the passage of decades. Found bombs trigger an evacuation of the surrounding area until a team comes in to disable the bomb to be removed.
Effects[]
Unexpectedly, the fear that the vegetable was a bomb appears to have contributed to turning the artifact into an actual bomb. The courgette, when cut into, explodes with the force of a small bomb of the same weight, causing large damage to its surroundings.
Collection[]
According to an eyewitness, one day after the police clarified to the elderly man that the vegetable was not a bomb, the man disposed of it into the woods near his house in Bretten, Germany. Another person found the vegetable and, not wanting it to go to waste, took the vegetable home to eat. Unfortunately, the process of cutting into the courgette seemed to be the cause of an explosion in the household. The man died from the blast and his house destroyed, but thankfully no one in the surrounding homes was home at the time.
Agents Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering were sent to retrieve the artifact, which was easily identified as the artifact. They noted the surprise at police not only that the vegetable survived the explosion but that they had just been called to the area not two days prior over one that looked like a bomb, thus confirming the origins for the Agents. The pair were able to collect it without incident; as quoted by the police chief, "It's just a vegetable. By all means, take it."
Storage and Handling[]
Neutralizer gloves are mandatory. Great care is mandatory when handling the artifact to avoid the risk of dropping, which (while unproven) could trigger an explosion.
Currently stored in the Ovoid Quarantine in a special box designed to prevent explosive artifacts from accidentally going off.