[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/apothecia_4667.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: A kid and a monster.]]

''Apothecia'' is a short webcomic written by Creator/TamsynMuir (under the name Taz Muir) and illustrated by Shelby Cragg. An eleven-year-old girl named Jessie finds an intergalactic mass murderer trapped in the woods behind her house. It wants her to free it or kill it, but [[TakeAThirdOption she instead keeps it alive]] until it can be found by the extraterrestrial authorities and punished for its crimes. In the end, she faces the consequences of that choice.

The webcomic can be found [[http://apotheciacomic.tumblr.com/page/90 on Tumblr]] and [[http://tapastic.com/series/APOTHECIA on Tapastic]]. It began on March 27, 2014 and ended November 21 of the same year.

----
!!This comic provides examples of:
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Jessie and the alien are able to communicate through English, though the alien's English is generally broken and sprinkled with strange phrases.
* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: [[spoiler:Jessie is]] possessed/merged/infected by [[spoiler:the alien at the end of the story]].
* BizarreAlienBiology: The alien appears to have innumerable eyes and mouths. It's also made of some kind of fungus.
* BlobMonster: The alien, which is a giant blob of fungus, eyes, and mouths.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Neither Jessie nor the alien can comprehend the other's morality.
* BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: [[spoiler: Jessie unsuccessfully tries to blow up the alien and is used as a host by it for her efforts.]]
* CallAHumanAMeatbag: In just the first few pages, the alien refers to Jessie as a "meat wheel," a "limb treat," and "bone mass".
* CameFromTheSky: The alien is stuck in a crater from where it crash landed onto Earth.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Discussed, when the alien brings up how Jessie promised to kill it.
-->'''Jessie:''' Why do I have to pull the trigger?\\
'''Alien:''' [[IronicEcho Because you don't go back on promises!]]\\
'''Jessie:''' I was just a kid. You were a monster in a hole.\\
'''Alien:''' And now I am a monster in a tank. And you are still so very young.\\
'''Jessie:''' Kids don't know about death. They don't know what it means.
* CosmicHorrorStory: Although the alien's nature is more thoroughly explained that is usual for the genre, it's still a story where [[spoiler:an OmnicidalManiac space monster with BlueAndOrangeMorality [[DownerEnding wins]] at the end, and where the "heroine" is gradually corrupted and driven insane]].
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:The alien is freed and is using a]] now-corrupted Jessie [[spoiler:as a host.]]
* FateWorseThanDeath: What the Interstellar Protectorate will apparently do to the alien when/if they find it.
-->'''Alien:''' For what I am they will keep me ''dying'' when your Sun squashes in on itself. ''And it will not be my torment even half done.'' '''[[LaughingMad HAHAHAHAHAHA]]'''
* FloweryInsults: Every other word out of the alien's mouth is a weird insult towards Jessie.
* ForTheEvulz:
-->'''Alien:''' Murder is a profession. Job. ''Employment,'' you tiny leg dog. There you are, walking along. Walk walk walk. Now you are a walker. Good job. Special child. ''Murder is like this.''
* FriendshipDenial: Jessie corrects the alien whenever it starts to imply that she must've grown fond of it to some extent after all the time they've spent together.
-->'''Jessie:''' Augh, you're not my friend! You're just. You're my duty. I got you. When you're through, I'll be done.
* {{Gorn}}: Pages 39-41 show with no lack of detail [[spoiler:a man being devoured by the alien.]]
* HellishPupils: The alien's many eyes are yellow, some with cross-shaped pupils.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Jessie's explanation for why she [[spoiler: killed the kidnapper and will kill the alien.]]
-->'''Jessie''': But nobody ''stops'' being wrong, they just keep it going so they can watch the news. So I'll do it. I'll stop you, and then I'll turn myself in. After I make right happen as hard as I can.
* ImpliedDeathThreat:
--> '''Jessie''': I'm not afraid of you.\\
'''Alien''': You have much enthusiasm for mistakes.
* LastOfHisKind: Though the alien is this, it claims to be proud of this fact and even offers to make Jessie the last of hers.
* MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: It has teeth everywhere.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: If Jessie had killed the alien while she had the chance, everyone probably would have been happier.
* NoBiochemicalBarriers: Jessie feeds the alien rabbits and dog food. However, it's unable to escape the crater because the environment around it is incompatible with its ability to create spores.
* NoNameGiven: The alien is never named.
* NotSoDifferentRemark: The alien eventually concludes to its joy that Jessie is a kindred spirit to it after she reaffirms that she'll kill it.
-->'''Alien:''' The girl has got ''no pity! This is why you and I are one.''
* NotWorthKilling: The lack of anyone who would mourn for her is why [[spoiler:the alien let Jessie live.]]
-->'''Alien:''' But I had long ago concluded that your death would have been the death of a star. So joyous! Much radiance. So pointless.
* OneWordTitle: ''Apothecia''.
* SerialKiller: The alien claims that killing and causing suffering is in its nature, just as walking is in Jessie's.
* ShoutOut: There are a number of references to ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Jessie can be seen reading ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix The Order of the Phoenix]]'' in several panels, she mentions what she thinks her wand would be made of, and she calls the alien "space Voldemort" at one point.
* StarfishAliens: The alien is not remotely humanlike- if anything, it's a giant sentient fungus with disturbingly random eyes and mouths sprinkled around.
* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: The alien.
* SuperiorSpecies: The alien seems to think so, deriding humans constantly as inferior to it for their weakness and foolishness.
* SurvivorGuilt: When the alien tries to gives her an implied death threat.
--> '''Jessie''': Shut up! [[YouShouldHaveDiedInstead You should've died back in the woods.]] ''I'' should've died back in the woods.
* TakeAThirdOption: Jessie refuses to kill or save the alien, instead opting to leave it where it is.
-->'''Alien:''' To make no choice is not a choice.
* TerroristsWithoutACause: The alien's gang terrorized galaxies just because they wanted to.
* TimeSkip: Partly through the comic, to nineteen years later.
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Jessie, at eleven years old, [[spoiler: kills a child abductor and throws his corpse to the alien.]]
* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: Jessie is visibly angry and discomforted when the alien stops insulting her and starts ''complimenting'' her on her ruthlessness.
* YouWillBeSpared: The alien promises to spare Jessie if she lets it out. [[spoiler:It keeps its word.]]
----