Note: This is another mini-finale marking the end of Act 2. Like before, I'll wait a few weeks before posting the final batch of stories. If you want to read in stages, the best place to pause is after The Event. If you've been following this series, you'll know what I mean when you get to it.

Part 12: Betrayal

Breathing rapidly, Sarah sped through narrow tunnels. It took a conscious effort to rein in her frantic pace. There was no sense in tiring herself fleeing from shadows, she reasoned, not when anything might lurk past the next corner.

She still cursed herself for wasting precious time in that control room. The prospect of taming the arena had snared her more surely than any trap or ambush, leaving her so engrossed in trying to fix the controls that that stupid blob... puppet... thing had very nearly caught them. It had taken Jen - Jen, of all people - to warn her of the danger. It was downright embarrassing.

Keen to make amends, she had taken charge of navigation. By her reckoning they were somewhere near the palace's northwest edge, an area that looked markedly older than the rest of the structure. Passages here were thin and winding, their walls bare stone, sloppily stacked, with water dripping incessantly from ever-lower ceilings. Occasional spears of sunlight pierced the rocky canopy, the slanting shafts bringing flecks of quartz to sparkling life.

The air held a musty ripeness, a scent like withered seaweed in a saltwater cave, alleviated by occasional cool gusts which whistled along twisting paths. As Sarah paused, scanning the way ahead, one such eddy swirled about her, stirring the flowing gold locks at her back. Eyes closing, she exhaled, tension melting out of her, but then forced herself to stop. Serenity was all well and good, but it was her wits that had kept her clean. Peace was a luxury she could ill-afford.

Numerous tunnels collided up ahead, forming a node-like clearing. Sarah moved cautiously forward, keeping to the shadows. The lack of pursuit suggested the Gunge Ghouls were focussing their attentions elsewhere, but it paid to be careful.

It was with a pang of annoyance that she watched Jen stroll on by, making no attempt at stealth. That woman was a liability. Shorter than average but with heavenly proportions, Jen hummed as she walked, long brown hair gleaming in the scattered sunbeams. Despite wearing nothing but a daring string bikini - black with white polka dots - she looked completely at ease.

It doesn't make sense, thought Sarah. By rights, she should be the one feeling pleased with herself. She alone had emerged spotless from every challenge the Splatter Dome had thrown at them. No other contestant could stay the same, Jen least of all, yet while Sarah lived on her nerves, Jen sauntered along without a care in the world. It wasn't right. The idea of taking part in a game, any game, and not doing her utmost to win was entirely alien to Sarah, and yet she'd heard others laughing while they were slimed.

Laughing! Are they even taking this seriously? Is there something here that I'm not understanding?

She thought back to the messy ordeals she'd subjected Jen to. For all the yelps and protests, they'd each known Jen could've run off at any time.

But she didn't. Why?

With a shiver Sarah recalled stepping into the paddling pool beside the purifier, where she'd approached an already-messy Jen to deliver what she'd thought would be the slime equivalent of the coup-de-grace. She'd been expecting to get at least a little messy in the process, but had done it anyway. What was I thinking?

It was this place, she decided, it was getting to her. The pervasive silliness was becoming infectious, blunting her edge. No, it was more than that - something had been nibbling at the back of her mind, a nagging sense that Jen had earned the right to a little payback. Such madness had thankfully soon passed, but Sarah kept coming back to that moment, that strange sensation of tingling excitement and white-knuckle terror when she'd expected the slime to fall. It had been like reaching the pinnacle of a rollercoaster and coming face to face with the descent.

Despite getting away clean, the feeling still stalked her, a tremulous tension that she sensed would only be released if... if...

Shuddering, she banished such treasonous thoughts, and only then noticed her companion's bright brown eyes peering back at her. Jen truly was gorgeous, but it wasn't just the bountiful curves or the exposed swathes of lightly-bronzed skin. It was more than that. There was a vibrancy about her, a carefree innocence that Sarah found endlessly endearing.

Realising she was skulking in shadows, she straightened. "What?"

"I know what you're thinking about," purred Jen. "You know it's gonna happen, sooner or later."

Sarah's arms folded beneath her breasts. "Don't know what you mean."

Jen's tone became gently teasing. "The slime - you know it's coming. Nobody gets out of here clean."

"Hmph, I've done okay so far."

"So far." Jen made the words both a promise and a taunt.

It was with some irritation that Sarah realised she was smiling. Swiftly clearing her head of such foolishness, she stalked past Jen and on through the tunnels. The exit couldn't be far, but it was becoming clear that promise or no, Jen would need to be dealt with.

*****

Now alone in the vault, Liz sighed and shook her head, trying to dislodge a bluebell-shaped blob from her cheek. She was effectively stuck here, arms extended above her head to hold down a handle suspended from the ceiling. The way out wouldn't open unless she kept the handle held down, forcing her to let the recent lashings of green gunge drip lazily down her contours. She peeked downward, but couldn't see much past her chest, where brocades of pea-green gloop marred her once-white bikini top.

I could've worn something sensible, but ooh no, instead I go for the skimpiest thing imaginable. At least my hair didn't get too wet.

She still couldn't quite believe Annabelle's audacity. Using me as a human shield. Me! The nerve of that girl! The fact that she'd have done exactly the same had their positions been reversed was, in Liz's view, irrelevant. Even so, she couldn't quite bring herself to be angry, not after the business in the gatehouse. Perhaps now they were finally even.

Swivelling on the spot, Liz smiled on finding the lights flanking the gateway almost fully lit. Only a little further and the way out would open. She had almost done it.

Then something moved in her peripheral vision.

The smile froze. Slowly, carefully, she tilted her head. On the vault's western side lay a round opening, and there, side by side, stood two awfully familiar ghouls. Kerry and Kerry waved in unison.

"Oh f-"

*****

Annabelle crawled a little further up the slanted tunnel, only to slide back almost as far. Coming down had been easy, getting back up while smeared in oily yellow and purple gloop was proving less so. Gunk drooling from her own body had created a slug-like trail for her legs to slide around on. With a soft grunt she pressed her palms against the rubbery slope, managing to halt her descent. Ahead, a circle of white light blazed at the shaft's summit. The vault was close, but every yard gained was a battle. Worse still, the flooded egg chamber had turned the dip at the ramp's base into something resembling a hot-tub filled with custard. Losing her grip wasn't an option.

It occurred to her that she'd been meant to be protecting Liz. Hope nothing bad's happened to her while I was away, or things might get awkward. Picturing the regal blonde getting splattered, however, Annabelle couldn't help but grin. Nothing too bad, at least.

It was fair to say that she wasn't looking her best. A slimy blue bikini was all that protected her modesty, and her shoulder-length hair, normally chocolate-brown but currently darkened by damp, hung limp beside her face. And yet she counted herself lucky. The ghouls were still gunging Kirsty - punishing her, if that was the right word, for failing to protect the hatching chamber. With luck they'd be busy a while longer. Annabelle didn't know how ghouls were at climbing, and hoped not to find out.

Struggling upward, leaving a smeared trail as she went, she began muttering an imagined conversation with herself. "So Annabelle, what did you get up to at the weekend? Oh really, raised money for charity? That's great. Good for you. So what was it - bake sale, sponsored litter-picking? What's that? Chased around a low budget sci-fi arena? Oh. Wait, did you say 'gunge'? You mean as in...? Head to toe, you say? Well that's... yeah. Still, I imagine you had lots of protective gear and.... Oh, tiny string bikini, you say?"

Smiling grimly, she soldiered on. Her compact yet curvy physique might not have been built for climbing, but what she lacked in reach she made up for in tenacity. Kirsty had given her a message, one her teammates needed to hear to have any chance of victory. Annabelle intended to deliver it. She was finding a rhythm now - three quick shuffles forward, hand over hand, then a steadying pause before the next ascent. With the vault tantalisingly close, she allowed herself a grin.

I can do this.

Then it happened. Pencil-thin sprays jetted from the walls, painting pink tiger stripes along her sides and making her squeak in shock. It took some frantic scrabbling for her to just about hang on.

"Really?" she called to whoever might be listening. "Come on, this is tough enough as it is!"

If anyone heard, they certainly didn't listen. There was a brisk click from above, followed by a glug, and then a glutinous downpour landed between her shoulders. Its weight made her hunch over, moaning, as a torrent washed down her back, smooth and heavy, soaking her bikini bottoms even as thinner streams spilled sideways to form rows of dripping green tassels along her flanks.

Annabelle dug her knees in, trying to keep position, but serpentine flows had begun winding down her arms. She watched in horror as they neared her hands. Frantically she tried wiping her forearms with her hair, but it was no good - muck was already squirming between her fingers. Soon her grip began to falter, palms skating on patinas of goo. There was only one thing for it. Nose crinkling in anticipation, she flopped flat on her front. Gunge slurped around her, but the tactic worked - the extra surface area was enough to bring her to a juddering halt.

Phew.

Propping herself on her elbows, she resumed climbing. She'd lost a few feet of progress, but it could've been far worse. One drawback, however, was that she now had to crawl through her own slimy trail. Gunk squelched around her cleavage where she pressed into the slide, yet Annabelle persevered. She knew she must look absolutely ridiculous, moving as she was in a kind of wiggling crawl, but she had a job to do, and no amount of gunge was going to stop her.

"Hah," she cried, "you'll have to do better than that!"

The voice of Belle, one of the arena's technicians, whispered from a concealed speaker. "Challenge accepted."

Clicks sounded all around her. Scanning the way ahead, Annabelle's mouth dropped open. Nozzles lined the tunnel's roof. More lurked to the sides. She shook her head plaintively, but knew it would do no good. Thick dollops of gunge began dripping onto the ramp and flowing down towards her.

Me and my mouth.

*****

Fidgeting nervously, Jen peered up at the slime-filled cylinder suspended above her. Taking hold of the cord that dangled down beside the nozzle, she took a moment to check her bikini top and then glanced back at Sarah, who watched from a safe distance while grinning eagerly.

"Hey Sarah, you sure you don't want to give one of these a try?"

"Thanks, but I'm okay back here. You go ahead," came Sarah's wry response.

This section of corridor comprised a four-by-two grid of squares, all bordered by ankle-high inflatable barriers, and each with a slime cannister suspended above it. Transparent plastic barriers separated each row, and they'd soon worked out that in order to progress they would need to pull the correct cord to make each barrier retract. One cord would open the barrier, the other would bring down the slime. Sarah had spotted this place when she'd mapped out their route from the mini-control room, and was using Jen as the guinea pig to clear the way. Statistics weren't Jen's forte, but the chances of her making four correct fifty-fifty guesses in a row seemed low. This was likely to get very messy. So far she'd guessed correctly on the first two rows, but she sensed that her luck wouldn't hold for long.

"Come on!" Sarah chided. "Do it. Sarah says pull the cord."

Jen smiled. She'd made a promise to do whatever her friend commanded, and 'Sarah says' had become the signifier whenever an order was issued. Clasping the cord, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pulled.

An electronic buzz sounded, and then the screen in front of her slid back against the walls. "Hey, I did it! Three wins in a row!"

While Sarah muttered in annoyance, Jen surveyed the final two squares. There seemed to be no pattern in the colour of slime or any other visual clues, it was all just random chance. Sweeping her hair behind her shoulders, she chuckled nervously and stepped diagonally forward.

"No, not that one," called Sarah. "Do the other one."

"You're sure?"

The blonde nodded. "Sarah says."

"Well okay then." Putting her fate in her friend's hands, she stepped sideways into the other square, yanked the cord... and cheered as a celebratory chime rang out. The final screens retracted. "Yay, flawless victory!"

Sarah stamped a foot on the ground in frustration. "Oh come on!"

"No need to thank me," Jen called jokily.

"Pull the other cord."

"Huh?"

Sarah placed her hands on her hips. "You heard. Sarah says."

"Wow. I... you really enjoy sliming me, don't you?" Shaking her head and tittering quietly, Jen complied, stepping back to the original square. Not quite believing what she was doing, she took hold of the cord. "You owe me for this."

"No I don't. You promised, remember?"

She had to admit that she quite liked it when Sarah went into villain mode. Accepting her fate, she angled herself so that Sarah could get a good view of her, stuck her tongue out at her companion, and pulled.

There was an echoing thunk sound, but no slime fell. Confused, Jen remained on the spot, wondering whether there might be a delayed reaction. Slowly she relaxed. "Guess it all deactivated when we beat the puzzle," she said at last.

Sarah had her hands up in her hair. "What the hell!"

"Sorry, Sarah. Must be frustrating to bring your bestie to a messy game and watch them stay clean all the time."

Catching Jen's meaning, Sarah pouted, though for a moment a smile flickered at the corners of her mouth. She moved to join Jen, scuttling comically as she passed beneath the looming cylinders, and sighed with relief on making it to the other side.

As Jen draped an arm around her, she looked up. "Don't think you're safe just yet, Jen. There's two more obstacle things on our route. You won't be clean much longer."

"Then let's get going," Jen announced. Humming cheerfully, she sauntered on down the passageway, which took a sharp turn to the left.

Aghast, Sarah watched her go. "How are you so calm about all this? It's ridiculous."

Having just turned the corner, Jen leaned back to grin at her teammate. "Ridiculous? I'm not the one treating the messy charity event like the invasion of Normandy." With a wink, she resumed walking.

Sarah hurried to catch up. "You know what I mean. What are we even doing here? The whole thing's stupid."

"Exactly," replied Jen. "This whole thing is stupid, that's the whole point, and I get to just relax and goof around for a day. I'm wandering around in a bathing suit, playing silly games. You should try it. Don't know about you, but I'm having a great time."

"But if we think this through we could win this. Think of it - us, the first ever winners."

Jen sighed and looked back over her shoulder. "I keep trying to tell you, we're not meant to win. People sponsored us to make idiots of ourselves. Hell, if anyone makes it to the end, they'll probably just flick a switch and eliminate them anyway. Anyway, even if we did win, we sure as hell wouldn't stay clean in the process. Did you hear what Lucy and Annabelle said about the bakery?" She saw Sarah shiver. "Exactly. Everyone got splattered. Same with Lena and that gargoyle thing - there are games where we get messy whatever happens."

"Doesn't mean we can't try," Sarah protested.

"Okay, how about I put it in acting terms? Say you're doing a fight scene: It doesn't matter if you're a better fighter than the other actor, if the script says you lose, you lose."

"Maybe I write my own script," replied Sarah, still defiant.

Seeing she was getting nowhere, Jen fumbled for another analogy. "Or say, uh, if you're playing, like, a character who fails, or gets killed off, or whatever - doesn't mean you've failed, so long as you play your part well. That's what this is."

"Look, Jen, I see where you're coming from, and I know you mean well, but this is all based on assuming the game is unwinnable. I don't accept that."

Jen stopped and looked back. "Is it the slime that's the problem?"

"Huh?"

"If the ghouls and the traps only shot water, would you be playing along like the rest of us?"

Sarah paused, thinking. "I... well... yeah, I suppose I would."

Straightaway Jen lifted her head to address the unseen watchers. "Hey there, can anyone hear me?"

A speaker crackled. "I can hear you," the man in black intoned from the control room. "What do you need?"

"Any chance you could set up the next obstacle thing to have water instead of slime?"

There was a pause. Sarah stood rooted to the spot, green eyes darting about, seeming unsure how to react. Sounds of muffled conversation carried over the speaker before the man's voice returned. "Apologies, but you're too close to it for us to change things around in time."

"Awww. Okay, thanks for checking." Glancing back, she noticed Sarah's expression change the instant she realised Jen was looking at her. "Was that disappointment I saw?" she teased. "Admit it, you want to play, don't you?"

"Nope," declared Sarah, who promptly strode on past her.

"Hee-hee, if you say so."

Side by side, the two friends marched on.

*****

In the control room, Belle gave her colleague a sharp look. "What was that about? Why even check?"

From a nearby desk, the man in black gave a languid shrug. "It was worth considering. It might have helped."

Belle scoffed. "Since when are we in the business of keeping Sarah clean? She's good enough at that as it is." Her eyes narrowed. "What about the last obstacle? Don't tell me you'll go easy on them?"

"Not at all. Here, in case you don't believe me." With that he tapped a few keys, bringing up a pair of radial buttons on his display. Idly he clicked one of them. "There, you see? It's out of my hands. If they go with that option they'll be fine, if they don't then, well... they won't."

*****

Everything was going more or less to plan... aside from Jen's newfound knack for staying clean. The brunette had beaten the second challenge without getting a drop of mess on her, to Sarah's mounting annoyance. It had been a good one, too - there had been a set of four terminals, each activated via two indents for the player to place their hands, with a spout between them that would've spurted up foamy mess if they activated the wrong one. Jen had grinned playfully at her as she'd stepped up to the first machine, fully expecting to get doused in slime, yet once again she'd guessed correctly at the first attempt, leaving Sarah to mutter, deflated, as the barrier across the passage slid smoothly aside.

Even worse, booths had opened left and right of Sarah the moment the barrier withdrew. They'd looked like the cubbyholes that ghouls used to spring ambushes, and had seemingly been placed to punish anyone who'd stood back from the game. Luckily for her though, the alcoves had been empty. Presumably the two ghouls had found a more tempting target. Still, Sarah was rattled. That was twice now when it had been only dumb luck that had saved her from a sliming. She was left with a horrible feeling that a net was closing around her.

Now the winding tunnels had delivered them to a shadowy chute, forcing them to take a one-way slide into the unknown. It was a calculated risk, she told herself, though naturally she'd insisted Jen go first. Hearing her friend laughingly call out the all-clear, Sarah set herself atop the slide and peered down into darkness.

It occurred to her that she was staking everything on Jen's honesty. For all she knew Jen had landed in a pool of gloop or a colossal custard pie. How far can I trust her? Bunching her hair in her hands, Sarah peered into the void. For all her nerves, facing such a gamble left her feeling oddly elated. Gritting her teeth, she let go.

Her luck continued to hold. The slide deposited her in bouncy inflatable depression within an uneven grotto at what she believed was the palace's northwest corner. Feeling oddly giddy, adrenaline pulsing through her system, she clambered onto all fours and peered around. Beside her, Jen giggled and fussed her hair, but Sarah forced herself to concentrate. From here they need only turn right and they'd be sure to link up with the others in the vault. There was, however, one slight problem: an ornate door barred the way. It was shut fast, and there was no keypad.

Suspicious, Sarah scanned her surroundings. The mottled walls looked like calcified coral, but a simple tap revealed them to be nothing but artfully disguised polystyrene, like so much of the scenery in this ridiculous place. Parallel ridges of the stuff extended ahead of them, forming a rudimentary aisle ending in a shrine-like recess on the opposite wall. Within this alcove jutted a pair of silver levers.

Her eyes narrowed as she made her way stealthily down the aisle. "I don't like this. Why two levers?"

"One to open, one to close?" Jen replied hopefully. "I don't see any sprayers. You?"

Sarah padded cautiously forward. "No. I still don't like it though."

Looking up, Jen turned a full circle. "This room... do you feel it? It feels... weird, like we're inside an insect nest or something. You sure there's no spouts near the levers?"

Sarah checked. "I'm sure."

Jen nodded. "Sarah, I hate to say it, but if there's nothing by the machine and nothing by the door, what if the whole room's the trap?"

Immediately Sarah tensed. She glanced urgently about. There was no obvious danger, but swathes of the grotto were coated in that strange purplish resin they'd seen before. Something about this wasn't right. Even worse, the slide had been too steep for them to climb back up. If Jen was right then there was no safe place to stand. Her eyes drifted to the chamber's western side, where the incongruous shape of an emergency exit punctuated the wall. They must be at the arena's edge.

Sarah's mouth felt dry. Using the exit would mean conceding defeat, not to mention the shame of fleeing - and possibly setting off an alarm, but staying....

"What are you going to do?" asked Jen.

One glance at Jen and Sarah's mind was made up. The brunette looked almost heartbroken at the thought of Sarah abandoning the game. "I... no, I'll chance it. I can win this, I know I can. We just need our luck to hold a little longer."

Genuinely grateful, Jen beamed at her. "Want me to do the honours?"

Breathing rapidly, Sarah weighed the situation. Though tempted to let Jen make the choice, what with her recent run of good fortune, she never liked placing her fate in the hands of anyone but herself. "No... No, I'll do it."

Trying not to acknowledge the pleased look Jen gave her, she approached the shrine. The levers were totally identical. On the alert for any tricks, she checked the machine a third time. No hidden chutes. Everything seemed clear. It occurred to Sarah that pulling both levers at once would certainly open the door... but would also be sure to activate any waiting traps. She couldn't risk it.

So which one, left or right?

Hands against her shoulder blades took Sarah by surprise. Her first thought was that Jen was about to betray her, so it came as a relief when she felt her back being massaged. "Wow you're tense," Jen murmured. The brunette stood close, the fabric of her bathing suit brushing against Sarah's top. "I hate to keep on, Sarah, but please try to have fun. For me? Besides, aren't you hot in all that?"

The muscles in Sarah's jaw tightened. Of all the contestants, she alone had entered the arena dressed even remotely sensibly. 'All that' consisted of a white top and navy shorts - hardly overdressed. True it was getting a little muggy in here, but that-

Jen flicked the knot behind Sarah's neck, delicately reminding her of the bikini she wore underneath. For an instant Sarah was tempted, but her resolve soon stiffened. She had to stay sensible. Jen meant well, but if she started giving in on little things, where would it end?

"Please, I'm trying to concentrate."

Resting one hand atop her shoulder, Jen relented. "Okay," she whispered. "Good luck."

With that dealt with, Sarah got back to business. Right, okay, the right one's nearest the door... but is that too obvious? What if it's a double bluff? Or maybe it isn't a trick at all?

It was useless. Whichever way she looked at it, it came down to a fifty-fifty guess. Still, her instincts hadn't let her down yet. Stomach tightening, she clasped the left-hand lever. Is this it? Am I about to be slimed?

Again she pictured herself atop that rollercoaster. Eyes squeezing shut, she yanked the shaft. Creaks and clanks sounded behind the shrine, making her flinch, but no deluge came. Instead what sounded like an elaborate clockwork mechanism began. Sarah's heart sang - the sound was moving toward the door.

Pride welled up within her. "Hah! Did you see that? Did you? I did it!"

The hand on Sarah's shoulder tensed almost imperceptibly. "You sure did."

"Damn, I'm good." Basking in glory, Sarah didn't immediately notice the slight change in her friend's tone. A look at the exit, however, prompted a frown. The clanking continued, but the door hadn't budged. Just then she became aware of a draft against the back of her legs. Glancing down, she saw wisps of dry ice coil about her shins.

Her expression froze. The clanking ceased. Silence flooded the small chamber.

Jen released her shoulder, tittered nervously, and then tapped Sarah's arm. "Might want to take a look behind you."

Mind racing, Sarah stood frozen to the spot. They can't... not after all this. Slowly she turned. A horrified whimper escaped her lips. A portal had opened on the opposite wall, and now a glistening hulk dominated the chamber.

As tall as a man and as wide as a couch, the blob loomed before them in all its absurd glory, an eldritch horror built to the production values of an end-of-pier pantomime. Tentacles twitched feebly, fringing it like a centurion's crest, while crudely painted paper plates glared out in place of eyes. The thing's blubbery hide exuded slime in a constant drool, its upper mandible raining ponderous gobbets into a toad-like mouth that comprised its entire lower half. Within that gaping maw lay an undulating pool of lilac gunk.

It was close, so very close. The clockwork had masked its approach, and already it pressed against the ends of the barriers, leaving them penned in an artificial gully. Sarah cowered against the wall beside the levers. Running wasn't an option; she'd be drenched by the time she vaulted the barrier. No, she'd have to talk her way out of this.

Making a placating gesture, she said in as calm a voice as she could manage, "Right, before anything dumb happens, I want to speak to someone in charge."

The look Jen gave her was somehow both teasing and sympathetic. "Y'know, somehow I don't see that working."

Gurgles emanated from inside the blob, accompanied by a whine of building pressure. Sarah's voice lifted an octave. "Look, we can come to some arrangement here. We can-"

A tentacle's shudder ended the diplomacy. Sarah squealed as bright pink slop burst forth, but it wasn't aimed at her. The pressure hadn't built up sufficiently, yet Jen still danced back, globs pattering about her ankles.

"Jen, remember your promise!" Sarah squealed. "You have to protect me!"

The brunette was trying not to laugh. "How?"

Speechless, Sarah watched another pink flurry shoot out, this time speckling Jen's leg. Think, Sarah. There's a way out. There's always a way out. Then her eyes widened. A solitary sprayer had twitched sideways to point at her. Instantly she sidestepped behind Jen, intending to use her as a human shield, but at the same moment Jen stepped the other way, presumably to try and protect her. They'd switched places.

Oh no. She looked down at herself, at her smooth skin and spotless clothes. All was pristine purity, yet in that instant she knew all her efforts had been in vain. She was about to be slimed.

Time flowed like a glacier. Custard splurged from the blob, an expanding sunburst that sailed inexorably towards her. Transfixed, Sarah watched with a kind of horrified fascination, and then closed her eyes tightly. Slime landed just above her left hip. Upwards it flared, trailing glistening splodges up her front, until the last blobs left coloured flecks hanging in her hair. Cool wetness expanded where her slimed top clung to her skin, making her cringe. "Ewww."

Jen let out an exultant, "Yes!"

Don't panic! It's only a few drops. You can still talk your way out of this. Sparing Jen a momentary glare, she tried again to speak. "Look, wait, I need to-"

More custard shot out, strafing Jen's hip before sweeping laterally. Sarah flinched, arms held at her sides, as yellow gloop streaked her shorts. This can't be happening. Jen looked set to comment when green ribbons surged forth, bathing the brunette's entire left side. Slanting fronds coursed over Jen's skimpy bikini, sliding into her cleavage and pouring down her midriff. It was enough to make Sarah smirk despite everything.

She began another entreaty, but squealed as pink slime burst across her chest, soaking through her flimsy top and sending stray blobs somersaulting onto her arms. Once the squeal ended, Sarah was shocked to notice her lips curling. Then her brain kicked into gear. Stop grinning like an idiot! Think!

More gunge was coming her way. She needed to do something fast. Reverting to plan-A, she ducked behind her teammate. Thick gunge splattered Jen's curves, creating flickering auroras that played about her sides. It was almost beautiful. Tearing herself away, Sarah yanked the second lever. She grimaced as another spout glanced along the side of her arm, having somehow bypassed Jen's cavorting figure. Another squirt sent locks of hair skittering, but much to her annoyance the resulting groan morphed into a sputtered laugh.

A click sounded above the door, followed by a grinding of gears, and with a tortured creak the door swung open.

She spared a glance for Jen, who had slipped into the growing puddle around the blob. One leg plastered in green sludge, Jen grabbed hold of a barrier, turned her back to the wobbling puppet, and clambered back up. A tentacle, however, picked that moment to discharge. Pink gunge deluged the back of Jen's head, lashing her hair into windswept pennants. The force sent her sliding onto her knees, gooey streams spilling over her shoulders and down her chest, but Jen simply laughed. How does she do it?

Despite the state she was in, Jen beamed brightly. "Looking great, Sarah!"

A pea green geyser came next, but this one only clipped Jen's shoulder before flying past. Sarah recoiled, yelping, her stomach doused in gel-like gloop. How had she not seen that coming in time? With a curse she realised she'd been doing nothing but watch Jen.

Right, I'm out of here.

The door was open, but Sarah knew she'd be soaked by the time she reached it. A wicked smile came to her lips. Unless....

Jen had barely regained her footing when Sarah appeared behind her. "Hey Jen, guess what?" she cried. "Sarah says get in the slime!"

With a laughing yell she shoved Jen face-first toward the blob. Flapping and murmuring, the brunette collided with it in a blast of lilac gunk. Slithering tendrils wrapped around Jen's waist as she slid into a sitting position, legs vanishing into the puppet's mouth.

That should do it. With the blob suitably distracted, Sarah lifted one shapely leg over the barrier, tried desperately not to titter as purple splodges tickled her thigh, and stepped across. Custard dappled the back of her shorts, prompting a squeak, but within seconds she had reached the doorway. Risking a glance back, she smirked at the sight of Jen gamely trying to fight back against the blob. She must've known she stood no chance, yet played along anyway, hurling pathetic handfuls of muck and getting slathered in return.

Now with half her face painted pink, Jen angled her head, caught sight of Sarah, and waved. For a second Sarah felt guilty. Only a second, though. Sheepishly she returned the wave, and then turned to make her escape.

A shadowy grey passage stretched ahead. Safe at last, Sarah leaned against the wall and sank slowly to the ground. Had that really just happened?

A glance down made her shudder. Bands of muck crisscrossed her top, the sodden material clammy against her skin. Barely thinking, she peeled off her vest and hurled it at the opposite wall, where it hit with a squelching sound before oozing slowly downward. A quick shimmy and her shorts joined it.

Now down to her bikini, Sarah tried desperately to regain her composure. Most of the slime had struck her now-discarded clothes, leaving her virtually clean save for a few smears and spatters, but it wasn't enough. Again she realised she was smirking. She tried to stop herself, but ended up giggling at her own attempts to be serious. A strange sense of euphoria washed over her. It was as though a great weight had been lifted. So much pressure, so much expectation, all now evaporated.

Jen's mirthful cries intruded on her thoughts, followed by more splashes and a girlish squeal. Sarah's smile grew broader. Jen would try to get her back for this, of that there was no doubt. What was more, she'd looked on the verge of pulling her legs free.

The grey passage stretched ahead, safe and featureless, but Sarah lingered. This was her chance to finish Jen once and for all. Second by second her reservations crumbled. She reached a decision.

*****

Jen tilted forward, blue sludge crashing in waves across her shoulders. With a nervous chuckle she reached for her top and was relieved to find it still there. The blob was a moving slime-storm. Gunk fell by the gallon, raging torrents and gentle miasmas spraying all over her. Jen revelled in the insanity of it all. Her body had become a living canvas, a patchwork of vibrant hues and warring textures, and the blob had barely begun.

It was a shame Sarah had escaped so soon, but at least she'd gotten a little messy. Jen could easily have followed, but pangs of guilt kept her in place. Having kicked herself for warning Sarah in the control room, this time she'd said nothing when a secret door slid open behind them.

I promised not to slime her and I didn't. I just didn't warn her. But it's not like she could've done anything about it even if she did know. So I kept my promise, right? Right?

It was meaningless in the grand scheme of things, naturally, but Jen's conscience still gnawed at her. Instead of fleeing, she instead wiggled her legs deeper into that ludicrous mouth. It seemed fitting that she be eliminated here. And besides, forfeit though it was, she was rather enjoying this.

Still the splattering raged on - hissing pink jets from the tentacles, soothing drizzles from myriad lesser sprayers, flurries of whipped cream and occasional blasts which curled like howitzer shells from atop the bob, then unfurled into colossal barrages of vanilla pudding. A nearby glug made her tense, and then orange slop landed atop her head, parting like a fishtail to sweep through her hair.

There was no point fighting it - even the slime that deflected onto the blob simply oozed downward and dripped into her lap. This is going to be gooey. Chuckling, Jen tossed her head, wiped gunk from her forehead, and in so doing spotted Sarah watching from the doorway. Huh? Why hasn't she run?

Now with only a sky-blue bikini on her slender yet alluringly feminine form, Sarah's elfin features bore a look of wide-eyed trepidation. Green eyes flashing, she flicked back her hair.

What's she doing? Gripping a barrier, Jen ignored the gunge spattering her right side and turned for a better look. Sarah's nimble hands checked the knots of her bathing suit and then met behind her head. Wait, is she psyching herself up?

Fear almost got the better of her, but then with one final grimace Sarah skipped back into the chamber.

The flow of slime halted. Apparently whoever controlled the blob was equally taken aback. There was a swish of golden hair, and then Sarah vaulted the barrier with dextrous ease, cringed as her toes sank into the ooze on the other side, and turned to Jen.

Jen stared back. "Am I dreaming?"

"No," Sarah replied. "But you'll wish you were. You're not getting away this time." Skidding into a crouch, she snuggled against Jen's back, wrapped knees around Jen's hips, and began pushing her into the blob. Jen's reaction prompted a befuddled frown. "That doesn't bother you?"

Jen's smile widened. "Just so long as you get slimy."

Tentacles danced, giving the puppet a medusa-like appearance. Sarah shivered. "Ugh. Wish granted."

They screamed in unison amid fountains of pink slime. It had begun. Jen pawed uselessly at herself, slimy rivers slithering between her breasts and dripping ceaselessly down her stomach. Plenty more swept past, however, and that meant Sarah was finally getting a proper splattering. She'd have given anything for a better view, but was being held firmly in place. Glances down, however, revealed lurid splashes accumulating on Sarah's legs.

Above them the blob stared sightlessly, its never-changing expression one of mindless hunger.

Jen hadn't thought it possible to be this messy. It was like having her whole body kissed all at once. It was overwhelming. No, it was intoxicating, and Sarah getting messy beside her made the experience ten times as sweet. Reaching back, she touched her friend's side and found it slick with slime.

Elated, Jen leaned back, arms lifting. Her hair felt like pondweed, her meagre attire almost invisible. Neon pink slime splashed across her forehead and gushed down her face, but quick thinking made her lean sideways, letting it surge past. Sarah's high-pitched yelp was ample reward.

Geysers shot from folds in the blob's mouth, catching both women in an emerald crossfire. Hands rising to contain her top, Jen felt tepid sludge wash down her back and smiled, knowing what that meant for the woman behind her. Slime was streaming down Sarah's flanks now, and though her torso still pressed against Jen's back, driving her onward, its touch was growing ever wetter. Goo was pouring over Sarah's breasts, but still she clung on, pressing Jen forward and muttering in gleeful frustration.

The sound she heard next was music to her ears. "Sarah," she said, disbelieving, "did you just laugh?"

"No!" Sarah replied a little too emphatically. "Well, maybe a little - but only at you."

Creamy lilac ooze sloshed around Jen's thighs, slowly claiming them. The waiting pond was shallow, but she had a good idea what would fall on her once she was fully in. Beaming, she let it happen. Soon her hips perched atop the blob's jaw, and behind her Sarah's stance shifted to a crouch. One more push was all it would take.

Now was the moment. In an instant Jen braced her hands against that rubbery mandible. The shove came, but this time Jen held fast. In fact the ground was so slick that Sarah's own knees went sliding backward. She was back again in a flash, chest pressing into Jen's back, but try as she might she couldn't shift her.

Sarah's voice rose above the ceaseless splashing. "Ugh, what? What are you doing, get in!"

It became a battle of wills, Sarah pushing, Jen resisting. All the while flurries of honey-like gloop spread silky webs over them both, linking them with gelatinous strings. Sarah snuggled close, seeking shelter, but the blob was so near that most of the gunk came from overhead. Reduced to delirious giggles, she rested her chin on Jen's shoulder. "My God, what am I doing? I'm in a bikini..."

Jen giggled. She knew she couldn't hold on forever, but every second she delayed got Sarah messier, and that was all that mattered. Then the pressure behind her eased, leaving her at last able to look back. What she saw reduced her to fits of laughter.

Sarah was a mess. Pink spatters adorned her hair like cherry blossoms. Custard oozed down her left arm and zigzagged one of the little blue triangles of her top. Her other side was awash with green ooze, glistening streaks of which slashed across her chest and spilled into her lap. Multicoloured dollops patterned her face and formed overlapping bands along her legs, yet still those beautiful green eyes shone. Sarah's expression was one of playful villainy. She was building up for one last push.

"Bath time, Jenny. Sarah says."

Hah, she remembered to say the words. "If you say so," Jen replied.

With a playful battle cry, Sarah lunged.

Jen timed her move perfectly. She released her grip the very instant Sarah struck, allowing herself to hurtle into the gloop with a fun-filled shriek. The ruse worked; the sudden lack of resistance sent Sarah bellyflopping forward into the quagmire, her battle cry morphing to a scream an instant before she splashed face-first into the slime.

Shaking mess from her face, the shell-shocked blonde rose onto all fours - and stared in horror to find Jen sitting over her. "Oh no - nononooo!" she pleaded, voice thick with giggles.

It took almost no effort to send Sarah sliding to the back of the pool. Jen paused, savouring the sight, and then squirmed away. Rolling over the thing's lip and onto her back, she lay there a moment, a goofy grin plastered to her face, until orange muck doused a sweeping crescent over her prone form, making her squeak in shock. Brought to her senses, she sat up and watched.

The blob had Sarah now. Utterly mystified by what was happening, Sarah stared, mouth agape, as oscillating torrents painted her blue and lurid yellow. Jen laughed rapturously. She knew she ought to be escaping, but couldn't bring herself to miss a second of this.

Turquoise gloop descended as though through a colander, creating a cage of glutinous columns. Within that cage Sarah stared out at her. "Did... did I have this coming?" she murmured.

"You have no idea."

Sarah pouted, but couldn't suppress a resigned chuckle once green slime began trickling into her hair.

Realising what that heralded, it was Jen's turn to hesitate. Synchronised blasts of custard bathed both women simultaneously, leaving them tittering helplessly at each other. That settles it. Plunging back into the goo, Jen grabbed her teammate and hauled her out. The green trickle halted.

Hand in hand they staggered toward the door, volleys from the tentacles chasing them every step of the way. Once in the cool grey corridor Jen stopped, turned to Sarah, and gave her baffled companion a heartfelt hug. "Ha-ha, now tell me that wasn't fun?"

"Wha...?" began Sarah. "Why'd you help me?"

"Who said I was helping you?"

"But I was about to get-"

A gooey puddle had already formed around their feet. Jen's smile widened. "Sarah, do you have any idea how messy I've gotten today? There's no way you're getting away with just one sliming."

Seeing Jen's twisted logic, Sarah groaned. "You're evil."

"So, are you going to admit to having fun yet?"

Sarah was suddenly coy. "I couldn't possibly say."

"Oh come on! I saw you in there."

The corners of Sarah's mouth twitched. "Okay, maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought."

Seeing her companion trying desperately not to grin, Jen nodded. "It's a start. Come on, let's go."

Spotting her discarded tank top and shorts, Sarah leaned down to collect them, then grimaced on seeing the gloop dripping from them. She hesitated a moment, glanced down at her messy bikini, and left the other clothes where they lay. Pretending she hadn't seen, Jen continued on, a new spring in her step. Things were looking up.

*****

The Kerrys circled like jackals around Liz, who emitted a nervous whine and gripped the rope as tight as she could. If she let go for even an instant the timer would reset.

Desperate, she babbled excuses, trying to explain what a dreadful mistake the ghouls were about to make. Unmoved, Kerry and Kerry exchanged knowing grins before slowly closing in. They were so alike in everything from height to the parting of their honey-blonde hair that at their last encounter Liz had nicknamed them Green and Purple. Thankfully - if that was the right word - they wore the same colour costumes as they had when they'd sandwiched her in the gatehouse.

Groaning, she tried to swivel away as Purple appeared right beside her, hazel eyes studying her intently. "Why hello there," the intruder said, before adding to her companion, "Seems we have a guest."

"We'd best make her feel welcome then, hadn't we?" replied Green.

Though her feet were rooted to the spot, Liz's eyes darted frantically about until they found Green lingering over to the left. "There's really no need..." she began, but Purple had already taken position behind her, fingertips brushing through her neat blonde hair.

"Hmmm, now where shall we begin?"

Hands appeared beside Liz's head, wrist-mounted nozzles pointing inward. Shivering, Liz tensed, but her foe was in no rush. The hands descended, tracing the inbound arcs of Liz's sides, yet the sprayers didn't fire. They plainly enjoyed watching her squirm. By the time Purple's hands reached her hips and began rising again, Liz was panting with nervous anticipation, the strings of her bikini top straining with each gulp of air. She almost wanted the gunging to begin, if only to release the tension. Movement distracted her - Green had moved in for a better view.

At last it came. Great purple spouts erupted against her flanks and swept smoothly upward, their consistency like melted ice-cream. Liz writhed on the spot as the sprays lifted higher, spreading coruscating crescents across her torso. Gunge slathered the sides of her breasts, making her gasp, and then it was tickling her armpits and soaking her temples.

Every instinct screamed for Liz to flee, but she forced herself to keep hold of the rope. This had become a matter of principle.

A shake of her head brought pendulums of neck-length hair swinging across her face. The ghouls had barely started with her. A teasing game developed, her tormentors trying to misdirect her before each fresh squirt. Despite knowing what was coming, each splash came from an unexpected angle, leaving Liz twisting and murmuring amidst flurries of goo. On and on it went, creamy layers overlapping across her skin. She watched Green leisurely taking aim, only to squirm when purple gunk burst between her shoulders. Back arching, she let out a giggled gasp just as Green finally fired. Slimy torrents engulfed her top, slopping through her cleavage before sliding deliciously down the middle of her stomach. She very nearly wiped at the glistening mess, but stopped herself just in time.

All seemed hopeless. Kerry and Kerry frolicked around her, splattering her from every angle, and the gates looked barely any closer to opening. Laughing, Green paused to taunt her... but stopped in mid-sentence, a look of profound bafflement appearing on her face. Suddenly beams of gunge sprang from her costume and lanced in every direction. The sprays raked Liz's front, making her turn her face away, strands of hair blowing across her face. Groaning at the indignity of it all, she shook her head in an effort to dislodge some of the goo, looked back at the ghoul - and hooted with joy on seeing her foe double over, screaming in shock. Behind Kerry stood a bedraggled figure, shorter than Liz but just as curvy.

"Jen?"

The messy American nodded. Despite dripping with green slime from the recent explosion, she looked supremely pleased with herself. Just then Liz noticed another woman beside her. Slender, golden-haired and of a similar height to Jen, she wore a blue string bikini... and was covered in multicoloured gunge.

Liz's mouth fell open. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Sure is," replied Jen, wrapping an arm around her companion's shoulder and pulling her close.

"And she's been...?"

Sarah snorted. "Yes, alright, I got a little messy. Can we please move past it?"

"So where are the others?" asked Jen. "Are you all that's left?"

Realising she was still grinning at the state Sarah was in, Liz shook her head to snap out of it. "Oh goodness, no. Annabelle went down that tunnel behind me, and Lena and Lucy are..." She paused. A vast bulkhead had replaced the southern archway, beyond which could be heard the din of shrieks and splashes. "Where on earth did that come from?"

A squeaking sound issued from somewhere above and to the right of the bulkhead, silencing everyone. The sound was joined by a laughing cry that spiralled downward, until suddenly a flap opened at the base of the wall and out slid a slime-covered young woman. Sarah flinched as an accompanying wave lapped around her toes, but the others stood their ground. Panting, the newcomer clambered onto all fours, raised her head, and peered out through wayward locks of dark hair.

Jen leaned in closer. "Lena? That you?"

"Last I checked."

"And Lucy?" Jen asked hopefully.

Lena's smile exposed pearly ranks of teeth. "Being gunged as we speak. You should see it, it's wicked, there's like a whole room of them all gunging her at once."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I hate to break up the little chat," Sarah cut in, "but has everyone forgotten there's still a ghoul in the room?"

Alone and outnumbered, Purple had retreated to the wall and begun circling around in front of Liz. Unsure what to do, she brandished her sprayers defensively, ready to hose anyone who approached. Just then the lights beside the gate flared. A discordant fanfare trumpeted through hidden speakers, and then rows of bolts snapped back with a grating roar. At last Liz released the rope.

"I did it! I actually did it!"

She was punching the air in elation when a plume of tangerine gunk descended. Landing directly atop her head, it splurged out like an unfolding umbrella. Too startled to move, Liz gawked at her amused companions through a barcode of tumbling rivulets. The splashes were closing around her, spilling creamy torrents down her curves, when a sudden helping of purple goo came spurting through to douse her chest. Purple had picked that moment to strike.

Overcome by a peculiar sense of gleeful delirium, Liz twirled, slimy ribbons trailing from her figure, and sprang at the ghoul. The point of feeling self-conscious had long since passed. Grabbing Purple's arm, Liz pulled in close. "Payback time," she whispered.

In a flash she had Kerry pinned against the wall. Goo poured from the woman's costume, coating Liz's cleavage and raining onto her toes, but she just grinned and pressed closer. Soon each had their chin resting on the other's shoulder, breathless giggles whispering through the other's hair. Slime coated her like a second skin now. The flailing embrace grew ever more slippery, but little by little Liz's arms reached behind the ghoul's neck. On seizing the ripcord she paused, allowing Kerry to realise what was about to happen, before tugging it and stepping smartly away.

An ironic wail preceded a purple explosion. Liz made sure to sidestep at the last moment, allowing the blast to spatter the others. Sarah muttered in annoyance and tried to wipe herself down, but Jen and Lena just tittered approvingly. Feigning a moan, Purple slumped into a sitting position.

Liz peered down at her vanquished foe. Did I really just do that? This wasn't who she was. Liz considered herself a sophisticated person. Her taste was immaculate; she wore the finest clothes, attended the best parties; she was erudite, articulate... and now she was wriggling about in scantily-clad slime fights. The fact that she seemed to be rather good at them once she let herself relax was somewhat unnerving. Straightening her hair, she tried to regain a little decorum, and didn't immediately notice the crackling intercom. She had no idea what 'Egg Chamber Destroyed' had to do with anything, but from the way the two Kerrys flinched she guessed it was good news.

Calm descended. While Jen helped Lena to her feet, Sarah approached the gateway, which had yet to open. Those big green eyes absorbed every minute detail, searching for any hint of a hidden mechanism, but there was nothing. Liz had to stifle a chuckle on seeing the gunged beauty pace back and forth, her sombre yet disdainful expression reminding her of a mechanic sizing up a job.

Sarah halted, one finger tapping against her chin while she made a series of hmm sounds, and looked about to speak when a grinding rumble interrupted her. With a wailing groan the gates began opening. Daylight broke through, illuminating Sarah's face. More flooded in as the gap widened, reflecting from the metallic walls until the vault became a glorious crucible.

Bathed in radiant light, Sarah turned to her companions. "We've done it! We made it out!" With the gap now wide enough to pass through, she strode forward.

Lena looked around, counting off faces. "Wait, where's Annabelle?"

"Down there," said Liz, indicating the ramp, "said she heard something."

"Shouldn't we go after her?"

Sarah didn't even look back. "No time. We don't know how long the gate's gonna stay open. I'm sure she'll catch up if she can." Walking tall, she stepped out into sunlight.

The others exchanged a guilty glance before following, but Liz found herself hesitating at the threshold. Ahead of her lay freedom, yet she looked back. Muffled roars from beyond the southern bulkhead suggested that dozens of ghouls were swarming poor Lucy, but of Annabelle there was no sign. Liz nibbled at her lip. Indecision gnawed at her. What if Sarah was right, what if the gate could close up again at any time?

But what if...

Again she looked at the slanted tunnel Annabelle had disappeared down. Maybe it was hopeless. Maybe Annabelle was already being eliminated. Still Liz waited, unsure what to do. At last her thoughts cleared. If there was one thing she knew for certain about Annabelle, it was that she was stubborn. If anyone could battle their way back out, it was her. Liz made up her mind.

She still has a chance. I can't leave yet.

*****

Globs of cool-whip billowed like falling leaves. Annabelle watched it form a gooey carpet ahead of her. How do I get myself into these situations? Smirking at the silliness of it all, she plunged onward, her body carving a furrow through the slush. She cringed with playful embarrassment as globs of whipped cream gathered in her cleavage - her bosom acting as a kind of snowplough as she pulled her way up the ramp. More was scooped up the higher she went, until a frothing mass tickled her chin and spilled smooth and cool across her arms. Then, suddenly, it detonated in a whirling blizzard. Lurid pink geysers had sprung up beneath her, one tearing through the cream while another erupted beneath her navel, its force very nearly dislodging her. Annabelle's shriek morphed into baffled laughter as she pressed herself back into the goo. Writhing and spluttering, her body fishtailed wildly before she at last steadied herself.

"That's cheating," she called, eyes twinkling. Belle's answering laughter reverberated through the tunnel.

Going up meant running a gauntlet of sprayers, but Annabelle refused to be beaten. On she went, through blizzards of cream and fanfares of pink and blue slop. Gooey streamers trailed from her limbs and dripped in front of her face, but she kept on going, hand over hand. With every upward reach, a nozzle would paint pink squiggles along her exposed flank, trying to tickle her loose, but Annabelle was implacable.

By now she had acquired some hecklers. Having finished with Kirsty, a gaggle of ghouls had assembled in the thigh-deep custard at the ramp's base. All looked eager to welcome her should she slip.

Ignoring the good-natured jeering, Annabelle pressed on. Astonishingly she was actually making progress, through sheer bloody-minded determination more than anything. It was like crawling through a bed of jelly, but the summit was almost in reach.

Then a torrent of honey-like gloop descended. One look at it and Annabelle knew she was in trouble. Instead of dousing her directly, it landed just before the summit and gushed down. Even worse, the downpour kept on coming. A keening murmur escaped Annabelle's lips as the slimy wave rolled serenely toward her. There was no escaping it. Desperately she pressed against the tunnel, hoping to muster enough downward force to ride out the avalanche. A splattering roar, a smell like maple syrup, and then the gunge was all around her, burying her outstretched arms before slapping against her chest and splashing up her face. On it flowed, thick and rich, coating her torso, her stomach, her legs, until she was gliding upon a layer of the stuff, giggled yelps growing shrill as the current tugged at her.

It was like trying to swim uphill. Slime assailed her in pulsing surges, each one eroding her grip that little bit more. The fact that her bikini was still in place was nothing short of a miracle. At last she began to accept the inevitable. Back arching, she was on the verge of blissful resignation when a spark of defiance reignited.

"Think you can beat me? I'll show you."

As the torrent finally abated, Annabelle pushed herself into a kneeling position and sprang forward. Strawberry slime domed off the back her head. She barely noticed. The top was almost in reach, but she couldn't keep up this mad scramble much longer. Behind her the ghouls' cries reached fever pitch.

Neon pink ooze crisscrossed the shaft like laser beams, shattering into tickling splashes where they connected with her skin. Caught in the brief but insanely messy enfilade, Annabelle writhed giddily - and then whimpered on feeling her momentum dissipate. Arms shot out in a final bid for the summit...

And fell short by mere inches.

So close... Again she felt herself start to slide. This time, she knew, there would be no halting it. The ghouls began to cackle.

Suddenly she was in shadow. Fingers clasped around her outstretched wrist, hauling her up. Blinking, she peered upward. A shapely silhouette crouched at the tunnel mouth, brilliant light forming a halo about her head. Squinting past the glare, Annabelle's mouth dropped open. "You?"

Liz shrugged. "Thought you could use a hand."

Elated, Annabelle knelt up. "Oh my God, perfect timing. I can't believe you waited."

Liz blew air between her teeth, feigning insult. "What, you thought I'd abandon you? Honestly, Annabelle - it's not like you've ever gotten me horribly gunged or anything, is it?" With a ladylike grunt she pulled Annabelle higher.

Catching the sarcasm, Annabelle waggled a finger. "Yeah, don't forget you started all that. But for what it's worth, sorry for using you as cover when that ghoul came at us."

For a moment Liz's expression softened, then she continued pretending to be cross. "And?"

Annabelle chuckled. "Okay, and sorry for saying you were the spy. I wasn't lying though, I really thought you were. Anyway, Kirsty told me some stuff. You won't believe what they've got planned."

Liz rolled her shoulders - an eye-popping gesture on a woman with her figure. "Come to think of it, I'd meant to ask about that," she said. Another tug brought Annabelle's ear almost level with her mouth. "You know that business with Nikki? The whole traitor thing?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Why did you all assume there was only one?"

Annabelle froze. No, she couldn't be...

A calculating smile emerged on Liz's regal features... and then those sapphire eyes shifted to their clasped hands. Oh no...

"Oops," Liz intoned flatly. "Your hand's awfully slippery. I worry I may..."

Annabelle gasped as Liz released her. For a few seconds she remained kneeling, flailing for balance, while Liz extended a graceful arm in a mocking wave.

"Goodbye, Annabelle. Enjoy the gunge."

Legs sliding from under her, Annabelle landed on her front with a delicious squelch. Still she stared at Liz, too surprised to even speak. The game was up. Inertia wouldn't keep her in place long, and then...

With a resigned sigh, Annabelle began to smile. She'd always been able to take a joke. Pointing accusingly at Liz, she slowly began to slide backwards. Luxuriating in her triumph, Liz watched her go, blowing a kiss as she did so. As Liz's outline receded, slowly at first, then growing faster, Annabelle shook her head, giggled, and then rolled onto her back. She wanted a good view of what awaited her.

Sprinkles of translucent gunge created a glistening path for her to slide through. Accelerating all the time, she shot through curtains of shimmering gloop in quick succession, barely having time to wipe her eyes before slithering bands of jade, amber and amethyst coated her body.

Exploding through the last messy screen, she found the way ahead clear. A few more heartbeats and she'd be in the pool of custard. Everything moved so fast, yet every detail etched crystal clear on her memory. Three. Vivid swirls polluted that viscid concoction, colours spiralling like the arms of a hurricane. Two. She was close enough to see the ghouls' eyes sparkling. They were waiting for her, sprayers poised and ready. One. Here goes!

Just before impact, Annabelle tilted back her head and whooped. There was a colossal splash. A bow-wave flew out around her, splattering the ghouls, and then the gooey Jacuzzi enveloped her. Hips shooting forward, she sprawled backward and with a glorious slurp the custard rolled in to claim her. For a second her head bobbed under, tepid ooze lifting her hair, but then she was clear. Sitting up until her head was above the surface, she blinked rapidly while blowing yellow gobbets from her lips. No sooner had her eyes opened properly when they squeezed shut again - the wave had rebounded from the walls and rolled back in, the resulting splashes reaching as far as her forehead.

Pushing through the goo, Annabelle propped herself into a sitting position. Slowly her shoulders and breasts emerged from the pool, painted yellow and with oily streams leaking from her once-blue bikini top.

Then she remembered the smiling ghouls all around her. Gleeful hysteria entered her voice. "No, you wouldn't!" Arms lifted in expectation.

Hissing spurts blossomed all over her. Green, pink and lavender, they streaked her face and tore through the pool, whisking it into a sloppy tempest. Groaning with mirth, Annabelle leaned against the ramp. Syrupy gloop still streamed down the shaft, plastering her hair and gathering like a melting scarf about her shoulders. From above, Liz tittered with delight. Annabelle was trying to think of a suitable riposte when an immense fountain of emerald gunge descended. The world retreated behind a liquid green wall. The sight left her mesmerised. She'd known this game would be messy, but this...

"Annabelle has been eliminated," the intercom intoned.

With the cascade fading, the ghouls collapsed into the pool around her, patting her shoulders and giggling platitudes. Sighing contentedly, Annabelle let herself wallow a little lower. The sensation was actually quite soothing.

A voice carried down the slope. "Encore!"

Annabelle prayed for someone to pop up and push Liz down the slide, but it wasn't to be. Blobs sprayed as she lifted her arm from the custard and pointed up at her tormentor. "Don't laugh too much, Liz! You'll get what's coming to you, you know I'm right!"

Liz made a show of examining her nails. "Is that so? Well, much as I'd love to stay and chat, I have a game to win. Ta-ta for now." After a final wave she stood, hips swaying, and sashayed out of view.

Hearing a nearby splash, she looked over to find Kirsty crawling towards her, the slender Aussie barely recognisable beneath layers of gunge. Looking her up and down, Kirsty grinned. "So they got you too?"

"Completely and utterly." Annabelle gestured to where Liz had been. "She'll get it in the end, won't she?"

"I sure hope so."

A pair of ghouls helped Annabelle to her feet. The pool sucked at her as she lifted clear, making her fret over a possible 'wardrobe malfunction' with her bikini bottoms, which sagged at the back but thankfully stayed on. Chuckling, she tottered to the pool's edge. Liz had to get her comeuppance sooner or later, and she intended to be there when it happened.

But first - showers.

*****

Trying to be discreet, Sarah worked her thumb beneath the string connecting the two triangles of her bikini top and pulled it a fraction away from her skin, releasing little flows of slime that had warmed to room temperature. They stood in a sunlit glade outside the palace gates, which judging by the tilt of the overhead dome lay very near the arena's northern edge. The research facility couldn't be far, and with it the way out... and victory.

To her right, Lena and Jen stood in the shade of a poplar tree. Jen had adopted a more... direct approach to clearing unwanted gunge from her bathing suit, namely cupping hands to her top and squeezing. Lena had giggled as miniature avalanches sluiced down Jen's midriff, only to promptly copy the procedure herself.

Wringing mess from her hair, Sarah tried to look on the bright side. She'd escaped, that was the main thing, and even the dreaded sliming hadn't been all that bad. Not that she would ever admit it. Noticing Jen slinking over, she quickly composed herself.

Jen had barely stopped grinning since their encounter with the blob. "So Sarah," she said brightly, "looking forward to your next slime scene?"

"No comment."

"You know they're not gonna hold back now, don't ya?" Beaming happily, Jen nudged her friend as she spoke. "They're really going to let us have it. From here on out it's gonna be super messy - for all of us."

In the face of Jen's needling, Sarah once again bit back a giggle. "Good thing I still have my bodyguard to protect me then, isn't it? Remember that promise you made? That still stands, just so you know." Tickling Jen's side, she grinned wickedly. "And remember - the nanosecond you're of no more use, you're going into the slime. Sarah says."

"Ha, you seriously still think we can win?"

"Maybe not all of us, but I'm pretty sure I can." A look of mischief crept over her face. "And if I have to feed you to that blob-thing to do it, then all the better."

Jen grinned approvingly, and was about to retort when Lena spoke up. "I wonder what's happening with Lucy?" she pondered aloud. "She couldn't have gotten away, but there's been no announcement. They must be giving her the works."

As if on cue, a tinny whine hissed across the dome. "Annabelle has been eliminated," it announced.

Lena tutted in surprise. "Annabelle?"

"And then there were four," Jen said with a smirk. "Well technically five, but four soon." She turned to Sarah. "Oh and Sarah, about what you said - feeding someone to the blob might not be cleanest of jobs. Ever think about that?"

Looking straight ahead, Sarah kept her expression unreadable. "Maybe."

*****

Liz very nearly skipped her way back to the vault's exit. Punching the air, she mouthed a silent 'Yes!' and spun around. On finishing the spin, however, she saw Lena appear at the gateway. Thinking quickly, her stance morphed from a victory pose to idly smoothing back a loose strand of hair, while her expression settled into a look of carefully-crafted innocence.

"What happened?" asked Lena. "We heard the announcement..."

"Oh... yes..." she gestured back to where the tunnel descended from the eastern wall. "Poor Annabelle. There was nothing I could do."

Turning back to Lena, she paused on seeing the way the dark-haired beauty peered at her. Did she suspect? She kept her expression level, fighting her body's sudden urge to make her eyes flicker or the corner of her mouth twitch.

At last Lena's dark eyes drifted off to the bulkhead. She smiled wistfully, no doubt imagining what was happening to Lucy on the other side. "Shame. Wish I'd seen it. I hope it was epic."

"It... well, you know Annabelle. I'm sure she put up a fight. She must've got absolutely drenched."

Again Lena peered at her, big dark eyes drinking in the blonde's expression. Pretending not to notice the probing stare, Liz began twiddling one of the knots at her hips.

"Guess you're right," Lena said at last. "Still, that's what we all signed up for, isn't it?" Abruptly she turned and skipped back out through the gateway. "So I guess it's on to the research thingummy. Come on, we should catch up with the others. Let's go."

Smiling sweetly, Liz followed. "Yes, let's."

To Be Continued....