The research facility had seen better days. Liz cast wary eyes about the domed living quarters, once pristine white, now tarnished by swathes of lilac mulch. The farcical squid-like abomination clamped to the hull was slowly infesting the interior, leaving the once-smooth carapace looking like melted candle wax. Here and there the tip of a grasping tentacle had broken through, studding the ceiling with rubbery barnacles from which strange purplish tendrils webbed together, forming a haphazard network. Sliding gunk had thickened low on the walls, hardening into a curious kind of resinous honeycomb that bore a striking similarity to parts of the palace catacombs. The place was being colonised.

Liz had seen this place before, the pre-game briefing having included a video of the three make-believe scientists under siege in this very building. Six automatic doors punctuated the hub, though the three leading outside had quickly been sealed. Their recent ambush had exacted a heavy toll on the ghouls, but their foes were nothing if not persistent. Liz had initially thought herself safe from them - they were sort of on the same side, after all - making it a rude shock when, after 'accidentally' letting them into the gatehouse, they'd gunged her as gleefully as they did everyone else.

The skylight, at least, was unchanged. Crowning the hub like the lens of an eye, it filled the chamber with a heavenly glow. This was a place of opposites, calm purity besieged by gooey corruption. Summoning her courage, Liz ventured forward, shedding blobs of custard as she did so. Lena had plastered her entire front with the stuff, and no amount of wiping had been able to fully shift it. Maintaining a ladylike air while scooping slime out of one's cleavage was no easy task, but Liz had done her best. Most of what remained had become almost translucent, gravity having pulled it down to tumble in cool splodges from her hair, hands and chest, or else slip down her sides before snaking down her long legs.

Liz still couldn't quite believe Lena's temerity in hosing her like that. The fact that she'd been about to do the exact same to Lena was besides the point. I'm the traitor, not her!

It took all of Liz's considerable reserve to keep her feelings hidden. It wouldn't do to reveal herself now, not when she was so close. It was three against one, but she still had the element of surprise. What was more, a little cunning could make this facility's layout work in her favour. The four interconnected domes, arranged in a Y-formation with the living quarters at the centre, offered ample opportunity for the group to divide. If I can just get one of them alone...

Her plotting was interrupted by Lena popping up in front of her. Clearly still buzzing from the recent encounter, Lena rolled on her heels and then gestured down at herself. "Nice going, Liz, you really got me."

Despite not quite understanding how Lena could be so laid back about all this, Liz couldn't help but smirk at her handiwork; Lena's front was awash with lurid pink ooze, with her legs and lower stomach overlaid by ragged multi-hued splashes from the ghouls' sprayers. She looked to have taken a few pies to the face, too, though that hadn't been Liz's doing. Creamy gunk lay smeared through Lena's lustrous black hair, while a deepening 'V' of the stuff had slid from her face and flowed on downward, her contours channelling it into a slow river that oozed down the centre of her stomach.

Lifting onto tiptoes, Lena delicately tucked a stray strand of Liz's hair back into place. "So we're even?" she enquired, a roguish glint in her dark eyes.

Liz thought a moment. "I suppose so," she said slowly.

Teeth shone white as Lena smiled, head tilting a fraction. "So there'll be no horribly messy payback coming up?"

"Of course not."

Despite Liz's attempts at sounding convincing, Lena plainly wasn't fooled. If anything, though, it seemed to please her. Liz was about to comment further when she noticed movement from the corner of her eye.

Sarah was approaching the westernmost doorway. This one was different from the others, a hulking black-metal slab instead of a mere slat of clear plastic. Through that door lay the way out, to hot showers and proper clothes, but Liz's heart was in her mouth as she watched Sarah approach it. Part of the appeal of being a designated traitor was that she'd escape elimination - provided she was the last contestant standing. She shuddered to think what her fate might be if the team actually won.

After checking for any traps, Sarah tried the keypad. Nothing happened. Phew. After brushing fingertips across the hatch, Sarah gave it a quick tap and, on hearing a muffled thunk, turned up her nose in disdain. "Polystyrene and shiny paint. Tsk, it almost looked convincing from back there. We could probably push it in."

Liz suspected that last part had been spoken only half in jest. Though far more relaxed than earlier, Sarah's desire to win remained undimmed. Lena, meanwhile, had taken a few pensive steps forward. "Does anyone remember what we're supposed to do here?"

Jen's shrug sent gelatinous blobs drooling from the front of her pink bikini top. Liz smirked at the sight - Jen had emerged from that last encounter looking like she'd wrestled a rainbow. The question, however, made her pause. Why had they come all this way?

At last it came to her. "Well, we were told to rescue those Australian girls, but haven't two of them switched sides?"

Sarah raised a gunk-smeared hand to interject. "There was another way. It was either rescue the scientists or bring back their work."

Lena clicked her fingers. "Yeah, that was it. So... umm... any idea what that involves?"

Sarah turned statue-still. "You hear that?"

The others exchanged blank looks. "Hear what?" asked Jen.

"A crackle. Wait, shush! There it is again."

At last Liz heard it. A noise like a can of cola being perpetually opened was hailing from the eastern chamber. Jen began tiptoeing over, but Liz made sure to get there first. A brief cylindrical tunnel brought them to another domed room, smaller than the first and made smaller still by the clutter everywhere. A control room of sorts, its shelves and workstations brimmed with oddly-shaped gadgets, all of which looked vaguely scientific while serving no apparent purpose. A closer look revealed most to be just cereal cartons, tin foil and sticky tape. Ranks of mostly-cardboard monitors studded the opposite wall, surmounting a curved terminal covered in random flashing lights.

Sarah shook her head. "Well they clearly spared no expense here."

Identifying the source of the noise, Liz strutted to an antiquated two-way radio jutting from the terminal. Adjusting a dial intensified the crackling, but now there was a voice amidst the static, distorted but growing steadily clearer.

Liz's cut-glass tones were quiet but precise. "Almost got it... damn. Does anyone have a spanner or something?"

Sarah stared at her a moment, then made a point of patting herself down. "Sorry, Liz, must've left my tool-belt on my other bikini."

Deciding it was best to pretend she hadn't just asked that, Liz persevered with the controls. The hissing soon coalesced into a friendly, Australian-accented voice. "Took you long enough," it said, "I've been stuck here going 'testing, testing' over and over."

Placing a hand on the chair's backrest, Sarah craned forward, her golden tresses gathering a few smears where they trailed across Liz's shoulder. "Lisa, that you?"

"Sure is."

"And are you evil?"

"You bet I am! But don't worry, you're not getting messy... yet. Right now I'm on exposition duty. Ahem, you're probably wondering how you're meant to get our data out. Well, today's your lucky day. It's all on the network - you can transmit it. Just press that big button on the desk there."

The four contestants exchanged befuddled glances. There was indeed a large green button set into the workstation beside Liz, but surely it couldn't be that easy?

Jen played along. "And once we've pressed it? What then?"

Lisa's reply was somewhat too casual. "Nothing. The data gets sent, the hatch opens. You've won, cross my heart."

Now all eyes were on the green button. Lena giggled. "Come on, what's the catch?"

"No catches, promise."

With a finger poised over the terminal, Liz studied her teammates. "Should we?"

Sarah's big green eyes darted this way and that, analysing the situation. "I don't think we have much choice," she conceded.

Keeping her hand over the button, Liz stood and moved as far back as she could, ready to spring away should something untoward occur. "Alright, get ready."

The button sank into the desk. There was a communal gulp, hope and trepidation combined, followed by a loud click... and then nothing. Liz, realising she was holding her breath, let out a slow sigh before peeking toward the living quarters. The hatch hadn't budged.

Lisa's voice returned, clearer now and tinged with mischief. "Oh yeah, one other thing: It'll only work if the power's on. Bad luck. But no worries, you'll just have to get the backup going. Starting the pump should do it."

A smile blossomed on Lena's lips. "Wait a sec, I remember the intro. Bad things happen when the pump comes on."

The static added a menacing quality to Lisa's chuckling. "Well remembered. And I'm sure you noticed the thing outside? That's what happens when you annoy the local wildlife. Starting heavy machinery might make it a bit... cranky." She paused for effect. "But what if there was another way? Why not go back and take a look? I mean, how bad could it be? And, just because we're feeling generous..."

A choir of hissing whispers sprang from the tunnel behind them. Water was issuing from rows of rivet-like nozzles along the walls, turning it into one big shower. With a final crackle, the radio fell silent. Rising quickly, Liz made sure she was first into the tunnel. An idea was forming.

*****

Almost directly beneath the contestants' feet, in the arena's labyrinthine substructure, lay a hidden waypoint. Here, ensconced at a cramped control point, Lisa lowered her microphone and folded slender arms beneath her breasts, pulling tight the fabric of her t-shirt. Swivelling on her oversized leather chair, she surveyed her minions and shook her head.

"This is it? This is all of you?"

The bedraggled ghouls stood fidgeting. One managed a sheepish nod. Lisa sighed. She didn't have much to work with here. With the egg chamber destroyed - thanks for that, Kirsty - any defeated ghoul was out of the game for good, and after the debacle with the gunge cannons only this ragtag bunch remained.

"Five? We're down to five? And Joanna and Emily are both out?"

The ghoul nodded again. Pale and petite, with amber hair tied in a ponytail, Lisa recognised her as Kate, one of those who'd helped gunge her when she'd filmed the event's introduction. Now command of what remained of the ghoulish horde had passed to Lisa. Why, she had no idea.

This wasn't what she'd signed-up for. Hers was meant to be a quick cameo to finish-off the one or two contestants who might make it through the palace. A bunch of pampered celebrities and wide-eyed volunteers, it should've been a cakewalk. Instead she had four undefeated and shockingly resourceful contestants to deal with. Lisa was at a loss; she'd tried to sound cocky when addressing the team, but in reality they simply didn't have the numbers for any more massed attacks.

"I don't know how we're supposed to do this," she admitted. "Any ideas? Anyone?"

An all-too-familiar voice sounded behind her. "Nothing to worry about, I reckon. That is, if you want my advice."

Turning, she found Kirsty at the doorway, wrapped in a white bathrobe and with her dark hair bound in a towel. Lisa gave her friend an exasperated smile. "Okay, let's hear it."

"Do nothing."

"Inspired."

"I'm serious! The Poms'll be flinging gunk at each other in five minutes, tops, and everyone knows Jen's only here to muck-up Sarah. They'll do half the job for you if you let 'em."

Loathe though she was to admit it, Kirsty had a point. "But we can't be sure-"

"Course we can. Plus there's our secret weapon...."

Secret weapon? Lisa shuddered. "Oh, that. But it still might not be enough."

Kirsty dismissed Lisa's doubts with a wave. "No worries, I've asked around. There's a plan all worked out."

"Plan? What plan?" Lisa's eyes narrowed. Something was up. A telltale glint shone in Kirsty's dark eyes; lately that look tended to herald vast quantities of mess ahead, most of it aimed at her.

"Y'know, that reminds me." Kirsty's tone was alarmingly innocent. "I'm meant to deliver a message. Turns out your part's been... expanded."

"Expanded? Expanded how?"

Mouth tightening, Kirsty shrugged. "Couldn't say, though word is you're going to make a hell of an entrance." With that she began strolling away.

"You know, don't you? Come on, spit it out!"

Just before leaving, Kirsty peeked over her shoulder and grinned wickedly. "Best go get your cossie on, Lisa. You're on!"

*****

Lena was last into the sprays. Arms aloft, she watched the cacophony of colours obscuring her form fade and vanish, revealing dusky skin and skimpy swimwear. Cool and refreshing, gentle yet invigorating, the water caressed every inch of her. Bowing her head, she swept forward her long black hair and allowed her mind to wander. Beyond that hatch lay triumph and glory, tantalisingly close yet still a fraction out of reach. Could they do it? Was it really possible? Until recently she'd thought elimination was inevitable, that the game's whole point was simply for them to make fools of themselves in aid of charity. Now it looked worryingly likely that they'd actually manage to beat this place. Such a prospect left her conflicted. Naturally she wanted the team to do well... just not too well. Getting eliminated looked like tremendous fun, but giving up would go against the whole spirit of the game.

Maybe I should've gone for rock instead of scissors.

Lost in pleasant daydreams, she at last stepped back into the station's hub. Behind her the showers dwindled to nothing. Tossing back her hair, the motion accompanied by an arc of sparkling droplets, she found herself face to face with Liz. Tall and exquisitely proportioned, with shimmering blue eyes and neat, chin-length blonde hair, Liz was a proud woman with much to be proud about, and now she was looking particularly pleased with herself.

"Ah, Lena, there you are. Did you hear the last lot of instructions from back there? No? Thought not. Good news! We know how you much you love volunteering for things, so we picked a job for you."

"Umm... thanks? What kind of job?"

"You'll see."

Before Lena knew it, Liz had taken hold of her wrist and taken off at a regal stride. Swept along, she tilted her head to try and see where they were going. What she saw made her mouth drop open. A rectangular section of wall had folded inward beside the western hatch, revealing a low plastic seat in an alcove the size of a shower cubicle. Four lurid pipes corkscrewed together above it, their ends merging into a single flared spout.

Wicked, I think I see where this is going.

On reaching the gunge tank, Liz released her wrist and draped an arm around her. "Lena, Lena, you should be honoured. Yours is the most important job."

Before Lena could reply, a flourish of Liz's arm twirled her round. The room spun, and when it settled she found Liz's fingertips pressed between her collarbones. The tiniest of shoves sent her flopping backwards onto the seat. The instant she landed, creepers swung down from each of the bulbous nodes on the ceiling, creating an upside-down forest of limply-swaying vines dangling around the others' heads.

Dry-washing her hands, Lena managed a plaintive, "What's going on?"

Jen and Sarah had the grace to look embarrassed. "Sorry," Jen mumbled, "it's just... Lisa made us pick someone, and you were still in the showers, so..."

It began to dawn on Lena just what awaited her. Taking a deep breath, she tucked her feet beneath the seat and rested her palms on her thighs. "And I wonder who could've suggested it?"

Trying and failing to conceal a smirk, Liz met Lena's gaze as though nothing were amiss. "As I was saying, according to Lisa this 'data' takes a while to transmit, but gunk starts bubbling through the building the moment we start the pump. The more gunge goes through, the angrier the thing outside gets, the more unstable everything becomes."

Lena looked again at the half-melted carapace. "That doesn't sound good."

"Well quite," Liz went on. "We don't really want the place dissolving around us. But as luck would have it, there's a way to give ourselves more time. We can't stop the gunge, but we can siphon it off before it does any damage. I'm sure you noticed those things on the ceiling?"

"They caught my eye, yes."

"Thought as much. Pulling the ropes will make the blobby-things light up in one of four colours. See how they're all connected? If we can find three in a row, all the same colour, it'll link up the tubes and channel gunge away from the pump. Problem solved." Liz paused, eyes glimmering. "It's basically just a memory game, but it only works if someone's sat where you are now. Those are the rules."

"I just have to sit here?"

"Exactly. See, aren't we nice? It's like that business with the gargoyle. We do all the hard work while you just wait around." Liz's lips twisted into a knowing half-smile. "Though of course, the gunge we divert might end up somewhere else instead. Couldn't say where."

Lena peeked up at the overhead spout. "Hmm, quite the mystery."

"Isn't it just? Right, places everyone!"

Jen scampered dutifully to the pumping room, while Sarah, unused to being ordered about, made a point of strolling to the comms lab as though she'd been heading there anyway. "Remember," Liz continued, "the timer starts the moment the pump comes on, but we won't know how long we've got. We need to be quick about this. Alright, go!"

By leaning forward and peering left, Lena was able to watch Jen flick open a mirrored panel in the pumping room. The brunette stood in profile, glossy hair falling almost to the lateral strap of her pink bikini top, as she stared blankly at what she'd found.

"What the... There's, like, fifty switches in here."

It occurred to Lena that she'd essentially been set up for a quadruple sliming, yet had offered not one word of complaint. In a way it seemed only fair after what she'd done to Liz, but then she'd only done that because Liz had acted so suspiciously. Come to think of it, what exactly had gone on between Liz and Annabelle back in the palace? Something didn't quite add up. She told itself it was nothing; getting each other gunged was all part of the fun. Besides, Liz had been tested in the purifier and come out clean - figuratively speaking. She couldn't be a traitor... could she?

Jen, meanwhile, had taken to flicking controls at random. "Just so you know," she called, "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing." Suddenly a rumbling groan sounded, followed by a few metallic rasps and reverberating glugs. "Huh? Hey, it's on! I did it! Don't ask me how."

Sarah reacted with lightning speed, pressing the 'transmit' button before Jen had even finished speaking. Already the two Americans were racing back to the living quarters, where the pods on the ceiling now flickered with an eerie iridescence.

Despite being against the clock, Liz - for all her talk of haste - appeared remarkably unhurried. Sauntering to one of the hanging vines, she turned to Lena for a final gloat. "Oh Lena, I do like that little bikini of yours. White is such a nice colour on you. Too bad it's about to be trashed."

What happened next spanned only a few heartbeats, yet Lena remembered each instant with pinpoint clarity. Liz was facing her, tall and proud, dew-like droplets sparkling on her stunning physique, when the gunge came. Brief but intense, the pea-green splurge burst over Liz, soaking the right side of her hair before careening off her shoulder, oily fronds sliding through her cleavage. Liz's smugness gave way to open-mouthed shock as more rained down, slower now, to freckle her cheek and chart languorous streams over her contours.

The speakers crackled again. "By the way," drawled Lisa, "try not to pull the vines when the pods are lit up, or there might be a tiny little slime overload. I probably should've mentioned that before."

Liz was too shocked to respond. Stray dollops still pattered into her hair, oozing down her forehead before slanting along her cheekbones. Nearby, Jen had hunched over, a hand clamped to her mouth in an effort not to laugh. Sarah, by contrast, had recoiled as though someone had slid ice down her back. There were at least a dozen vines dangling from that knotted mass of tubes, and the pods attached to them were flashing like fairy lights, each at a different speed. This wouldn't be easy.

Relaxing into her seat, Lena grinned from ear to ear. The karmic justice was delicious. In seeking to slime her, Liz had given her what was probably the cleanest job.

Sarah peered desperately about. Slender, graceful, and imbued with a fragile beauty, she flitted effortlessly about the room. Whenever she paused, searching for some defect in the network, a few burnished locks would slip over her shoulder to brush against her bikini top, which was white like Lena's but decorated with silvery-pink dots. Trying to keep her body out of the splash zone, Sarah grasped a vine with outstretched fingertips. A look at the ground near Liz, however, made her curse under her breath. The gunge had fallen as though through a colander, leaving no safe place to stand.

Peeking upward, Sarah shivered but refused to budge. She looked about to take the plunge when, with a hissed apology, she flinched away. "You know what? Really we need someone to... like... stand back and see the big picture. I, uh, I think I should do that."

Being sure to avoid everyone's gaze, Sarah scuttled away, her usual effortless poise forgotten until she was safely out from under the vines. There she halted, fidgeting and running fingers through her hair as though ashamed. Monitoring the colours was probably meant to be Lena's job, but neither she nor the others made a big deal of it. If Sarah didn't feel comfortable doing this, no-one was going to force her. After all, being sprayed by ghouls was one thing, intentionally bringing gunge crashing down on yourself was quite another. It was probably only the prospect of sliming Lena that kept Liz from doing likewise.

Noticing even Jen looking a little jittery, Lena decided a little reassurance was in order. "I don't want to rush anyone," she said, "but the clock is ticking. I'll do it if you're all scared."

That got a reaction. "I'm not scared," Jen insisted, a vine coiled around her hands, "I'm just, like... building up to it."

"Maybe I can help." Sarah was already in mid-pounce. With blinding speed she sprang forward, nudged Jen, and then immediately skipped away. With the cord taut in her grasp, Jen's stagger activated the switch. Green gunk showered down, creating an emerald aurora where it splashed against the back of her head. Mouth agape, gooey streamers sliding past her temples, Jen straightened and turned to Sarah, who was already bent double laughing.

Tension melting from her features, Jen looked accusingly at her teammate. "Why do I even bother getting cleaned up? How many times is that now?"

Sarah shrugged whimsically. "Ooh, who's counting?"

"You owe me." Without hesitation Jen danced to the next vine, peeked upward, and pulled. She'd timed it beautifully, activating the switch the very instant the light blinked out, but her celebrations ended in a yelp when neon-pink splodges peppered her leg. Liz, who'd been stood nearby, had been less fortunate.

Muttering in distaste, Liz swiped at the slime streaming down her face. On noticing Lena's mirth, she shot her a look. "Laugh all you want, Lena. This'll be happening to you soon."

Nibbling her lip, Lena peeked again at the spout waiting to gunge her. For now, though, it was her friends' turn to get messy. Beaming, she settled in to watch the show.

*****

Lisa stared at her reflection in the dressing table mirror, nimble fingers slowly fastening the ties of her bikini top. Originally she'd planned on wearing overalls and a shower cap, but Kirsty, through a combination of flattery, jokes and subtle intimations of cowardice, had worn her down. She applied a few final touches of makeup - extremely waterproof, naturally - and brushed back her lustrous red hair. Stepping away, she glanced back to the mirror and turned a little, examining her profile. Satisfied, she strode to the door, opened it, and found herself facing Kirsty, whose fist was poised to knock.

"Great timing," said Kirsty, "I was sent to fetch you. They're almost ready."

"Joy. How're the contestants doing?"

"Not bad, but it looks like Sarah's got cold feet again."

Concern furrowed Lisa's brow. "I thought she was over that?"

"Same here. Don't worry, she'll be fine - just butterflies, I reckon."

"No, this is bad. We can't do this if Sarah's not okay, it'd be mean."

"Relax. If she's really not up for it, I'm sure they'll work something out."

Realising there was no getting out of this, Lisa nodded grudgingly. Her big entrance was fast approaching. Having finally cajoled a technician into explaining the plan to her, she'd at first thought they were joking. Even by Splatter Dome standards it was absurd.

Noticing Kirsty enjoying this far too much, she fixed her with a stare. "And I suppose you'll be watching when this all kicks off?"

Kirsty's face lit up. "Do you even have to ask? Come on, let's go."

*****

With the ice well and truly broken, Liz and Jen darted around the chamber, yanking vines as fast as they dared. The switches activated whether the pods dumped slime on them or not, so they could either rush the task and end up splattered, or be cautious and risk running out of time. Jen had opted for the former approach, taking plenty of risks and getting showered in return. Already her right arm was painted blue, with thicker stripes branching across her torso and slithering down her side. The amount of goo triggered by each overload wasn't all that great, but the wide-ranging bursts were impossible to avoid. Even as Lena watched, Jen hopped back with a squeak as custard rained down, lemon squiggles dappling her face and hanging in her hair. Smiling in coy embarrassment, Jen wiped at the ooze, inadvertently smearing it across her skin, and then skipped to the next vine.

Liz, for her part, was taking the methodical approach, though much to Lena's delight was proving utterly useless at this game. Time and again Liz would stare at a pod, meticulously calculate the timing of its flashes, finally tug the cord - and promptly get slimed. The resulting look of appalled indignation was priceless; Liz plainly believed the controllers were cheating, when in truth she hadn't yet noticed the lag between pulling the rope and the switch activating. Lena was in no rush to correct her.

From the sidelines, Sarah hopped and pointed like a caffeinated cheerleader, her commands going mostly unnoticed. The reason for her urgency was plain: ghouls had appeared at the outside doors. Calm and silent, they watched the contestants like cats selecting which toy to play with.

Coming to a jiggling halt in front of Lena's booth, Jen tugged the nearest cord, winked at Lena, and then shook with silent laughter when more custard deflected like a sunburst from her shoulder, amber flares arcing across her front. Lena was about to comment when Sarah gave a cry of "There! You've got all the yellows!"

Lena froze on realising what that meant. She'd been so absorbed in watching the chaos that she'd totally forgotten the purpose of it all. Scanning the muck-strewn floor, she saw that Sarah was right; though blurred at the edges and polluted by blobs from passing contestants, three distinct yellow puddles lay upon the ground.

Liz smirked exultantly. "You know what this means, Lena?"

Stomach tightening in anticipation, Lena nodded. "Gunge time."

With one custard-bearing switch having just been activated, Liz and Jen rushed to the other two. Clicks sounded, followed by a shuddering whine from the overhead spout. Here it comes. Hoping desperately that her string bikini would withstand this, Lena curled up in her seat, midnight-hued hair spilling over her shoulders. With the whine growing louder, she grinned ruefully and made herself sit straight. She was under no illusions - she'd been sent here so people could revel in watching her get messy; it was her duty to put on a good show. Head ducking a fraction, she tucked her hands across her lap and waited for the muck to arrive.

And arrive it did. The whine built and built before finally culminating in an almighty whoosh that turned Lena's world yellow. A wet avalanche splurged upon the crown of her head, making her dip her chin lower, but for some reason the rest of her remained dry. For a moment she frowned, confused, but then it dawned on her that the slime was so thick, and was pouring so fast, that it had rebounded from atop her head to surround her like a bell jar. But now, with the flow slackening, those liquid walls were closing in. Yellow gunk began seeping down her forehead in fits and starts, just as the waterfall reached her knees. Still it advanced, slow but relentless, coating her thighs like liquid stockings. Next came a few splashes upon the tips of her breasts, then the sides of her arms, and then it was all over her, kissing her skin. Within moments Lena's face was awash, pulsing tides sweeping onward to gush through her cleavage and roll down her stomach. Her bikini bottoms were engulfed next - lily white yielding to buttercup yellow - and then it was sloshing around the chair before joining the puddle congregating worshipfully at her feet. Slashes of daylight tore through the faltering cascade, but the gunge hadn't finished with her just yet. Still it poured, arriving in great golden globules that spattered her hair and burst upon her top like an arctic sunrise.

Trembling with shame and jubilation, Lena tried pushing her sopping hair back into place. It was slick to the touch, falling in limp strands that oozed slime. It was almost a relief to be gunged. Being clean in this place brought with it a thrill of anticipation, a tremulous tension that built and built until the slime washed it away. With the flow abating, she blinked away streaming gobbets and noticed her companions' watching gleefully. Liz looked particularly amused.

Feeling her cheeks redden, Lena clapped her hands - the action sending blobs scattering over her lap. "Haha, alright - you got me. Now come on, time's running out!"

That got them going. Even better, the amount of gunk triggered by each mistimed pull had ratcheted up - rising from a brief squirt to at least a bucketful. Soon Jen and Liz were stumbling around, barely able to see where they were going, as columns of gunge crashed around them. Colliding near the room's middle, they leaned into a half-embrace, exchanged a few giggled words, and then were off again amid the drizzling gloop.

"Green!" called Sarah, "look, you've got all the green ones."

Oh no, already? Tittering nervously, Lena cowered back in her chair. Already Liz was dashing to the nearest emerald splash. On arriving she grabbed the rope, smirked at Lena, and pulled. Yoghurt-like gunge splurged across her shoulders, but Liz's grimace turned to confusion on seeing ribbons of blue gunk filtering through her top.

Sarah was equally baffled. "Huh? Shouldn't that be green?"

"They must've switched the colours," Jen called.

Sarah's arms folded with obvious disapproval. "Well that's hardly fair."

"Nothing's fair in this place," replied Jen, who strolled casually toward the rope Liz had just pulled. Liz was too busy wiping herself down to notice her teammate's approach, and shrieked as a second bright blue wave poured over her. "See."

Not wanting to know what the next colour would be until it hit her, Lena closed her eyes. Slowly her remaining senses heightened, making her even more aware of the mess seeping over her: the sludge seeping between her toes, the gelid streams slipping down her back, the slight tingle where oozing slime claimed some fresh patch of skin. Even though she couldn't see them, she knew exactly where her teammates were. Liz's steps were longer, more careful, and were frequently punctuated by affronted snorts followed by squelching splashes. Jen, meanwhile, was practically skipping around the room, the splattering around her laced with mirthful squeaks. Sarah's commands were growing ever more urgent. Time was running out.

Goosebumps rose on Lena's arms. She could sense the frisson of expectation in the air. Her companions were darting around, feet slapping on the slimy floor, when suddenly she heard Sarah exclaim, "Yes, now just that one there!"

Footsteps skittered through the muck. There was a click, a rush of liquid, a giggle from Jen, and then it came. Lena realised she must've moved forward in her seat without realising it, for when the gunge landed it swept down her back like a bridal veil. It was colder than before, its texture like unset jelly. Viscous tendrils spilled forward, dripping from her nose and chin as she gasped in astonishment. The icy plume began to wobble, its pressure dissipating until blobs ricocheted from the booth's sides and streamed in syrupy rivers over Lena's shoulders. With the flow fading, her eyes reopened. A peek down was greeted by a seeping mass of blue sludge. Fascinated, she watched it overlay the custard like a rising tide. Her stomach was all cerulean deltas upon yellow plains, while on her chest and across her hips patches of bikini gleamed icily amidst the slime.

Catching Liz's smug expression, an idea formed. "Hey Liz, you look tired. Maybe you need a sit down?"

Suddenly wary, Liz backed away. "N-now Lena, about volunteering you for the tank... you know that was only-"

Jen had already intercepted her. Pressing against Liz's back, she had to stand on tiptoe to whisper, "Go on, in you get."

Liz tried to come up with an excuse, but she was out of options. Lena smiled in thanks and stood, the gunge that had pooled in her lap sloshing down her legs, and hi-fived a reluctant Liz as they switched places. Perching on the gooey seat, Liz turned up her nose and sighed at the indignity of it all. Lena couldn't help but be impressed; even now, with hair riddled by gaudy splashes and trails of colour weaving over her skin, Liz still looked fantastic.

Feeling almost giddy, Lena stepped beneath the swaying vines. She and Jen made eye-contact, polished jet meeting warm chestnut, at which point Jen giggled. She knew what was coming.

Lena gave her no time to react. Springing forward, she tugged the cord above her teammate's head and skipped back to watch the results. Jen's wail was muffled beneath an oily pink downpour. As Lena had hoped, the gunge had been cranked up again. Re-emerging slathered in goo, Jen at first seemed frozen in place, but then like quicksilver her arm shot to a rope.

There was barely time for Lena to gasp before ropes of green gunge slithered over her like a nest of serpents. Lifting her arms, she did a slow pirouette, her body shedding globs like dandelion seeds. Now it was her, Jen, and an apparently inexhaustible supply of gunge. This was going to be fun.

*****

Still on a high after her elimination, Lucy perched at the sofa's edge. She and Annabelle, once they'd showered and changed, had been led back to the manor, to a lounge adjoining the control room, where they'd been reunited with their eliminated teammates. The room was replete with all manner of snacks, drinks and amenities, even a pool table, and here they had regaled the others with tales of their respective send-offs. The others had been hungry for details, and several had approached Belle, the technician they'd gunged before entering the arena, to request certain snippets be screened on one of the huge monitors dominating the wall. Belle had been happy to oblige, and had taken the liberty of replaying Holly's elimination in extreme slow motion. The sight of herself on screen, writhing amid flurries of gunge, had turned Holly's cheeks scarlet.

Lucy had been content to let Annabelle tell most of the story. She told it better, after all. Her treasured gold bikini, that had endured so much gunge, was now in for emergency life-saving cleaning. The man in black had offered her an identical one as a memento instead, but Lucy had been adamant - she wanted that one. It had been little more than a ball of slime and string when she'd deposited it in the wash basket, but the silver-haired matron had taken a long look at it, thoughtfully sucked her teeth, shook her head wearily, and then diagnosed it as treatable. Now Lucy wore a simple Splatter Dome t-shirt and faded denim shorts.

Everyone was buzzing. From the easy banter it was hard to believe most had been total strangers only the day before. Just then Kelly strode through the doorway, having presumably paid a visit on Belle, and fixed Lucy with her dazzling smile. Uh-oh.

"So," said Kelly, addressing the group, "anyone want to see Lucy's big finish?"

There was a chorus of agreement. Lucy cringed and buried her face in her hands, but Kelly flopped down beside her, draped an arm over her shoulder, and nudged her until she faced the screen. Ironic cheers rang out as the clip began. Unable to watch, Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, but couldn't hope to blot out the gusts of laughter that billowed all around her. Before long she risked a peek. At first she couldn't make anything out, it was all just a riot of colour, but gradually the scene came into context. It was a long shot of the ghoul-ridden hallway. There's the hatch where Lena got away, there's Joanna and - oh my God, there's me!

The wriggling figure was scarcely recognisable, but Lucy couldn't help but notice that, in all honesty, her figure looked a lot better than her self-image had suggested. This, if anything, made her scantily-clad slime scene even more embarrassing.

"Great work," purred Kelly, "I'm jealous. I was first out, and you got to do all that..."

Though she wanted to curl up and turn invisible, Lucy found herself unable to look away. The screen now showed a close-up of her with arms aloft, ropes of gunk pouring from her form as the ghouls swarmed in to finish her off. The redness draining from her face, she found herself tittering along with the others as they witnessed her impossibly gooey fate. Afterwards she accepted their accolades and ironic catcalls with a mock-bow.

Feeling strangely confident, she turned to Kelly. "You know what?"

"What?"

"You're right. You should've gotten way messier than you did."

"Hah! Well thanks very much."

"And," Lucy continued, waving a finger like some pontificating politician, "I refuse to let this injustice stand."

Kelly seemed to shrink back a touch, but there was a twinkle to her eyes. "Got something in mind?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure something'll come up."

"What makes you think that?"

"Look who just walked in."

Kelly turned to the door and gulped. Kirsty was striding toward them. The look on her face said it all.

*****

Sarah covered her mouth, trying to conceal the smirk that refused to leave her face. She'd given up calling instructions - the others were too busy sliming each other to listen. Jen and Lena moved like a whirlwind, circling and pouncing, each trying to yank whichever cord lay above the other. It made no sense; both were getting drenched, yet it seemed not to deter them in the slightest.

Poor Lena was utterly coated now, her form a shifting mosaic of colour. Sarah watched her go sliding to her knees in the puddle which now spanned most of the floor. Jen, never one to miss an opportunity, leapt in to pull the nearest switch. Lena looked up only to get a face full of emerald gunge, which rebounded in a bowl-shaped splash before sluicing down her figure. With her bulging bikini top threatening to slip, Lena let out a startled yelp and grabbed at the fabric. Multicoloured slop splurged out, running down her stomach like rain on a window. While Lena hunched, blushing, Jen simply wolf-whistled and gunged her again.

Something gnawed at Sarah. She knew she ought to be full of preening satisfaction. This, after all, was a return to the natural order of things - she was clean, they were messy. This was what she wanted, what she'd planned. So why did she feel ashamed? The more Sarah thought about it, the more she realised it was the nature of the game that rankled her. The whole thing was just a lame excuse to get them slimed... yet everyone else had taken the plunge, while she had lost her nerve. That was the heart of it, she felt like a coward.

Suppressing such thoughts, Sarah huffed in irritation. Time was running out and her teammates weren't even trying to solve the puzzle, in fact they looked perfectly happy to slime each other until the ghouls got in and eliminated them all. How long did this 'data' take to transmit, anyway? There seemed only one solution, and it wasn't one Sarah liked.

I haven't come this far to lose now. Somebody needs to take charge, someone like...

She hesitated. With Jen graciously having helped her up, Lena had wasted in no time in pulling the nearest cord. Now it was Jen flailing about in a coruscating pink waterfall, slimy threads dangling like tassels from her arms. The prospect of that happening to her...

Tepid ooze touched Sarah's feet. Startled, she looked down to find that the puddle had finally reached her. The notion of being slimed had, until recently, seemed a horrific punishment to be avoided at all costs, but now, though her nose still crinkled with instinctive distaste, she had to admit that the stuff squirming between her toes wasn't really that bad. Adrenaline buzzing through her veins, she twirled fingers through her golden tresses and began checking the links of her bathing suit over and over.

Across the room, she noticed a beautiful, auburn-haired ghoul tapping against the plastic door with a manicured fingernail. Half expecting to see the portal flick open, Sarah was gripped by a moment of unfounded terror. Though the lock held fast, the ghoul studied Sarah with calm blue eyes and mouthed two simple words. "You next."

Quite unexpectedly, to herself most of all, Sarah giggled.

*****

A slimy tempest raged. With Liz goading them on, Jen and Lena danced from one gunging to the next. Pillars of goo flickered into existence, lurid strobes that shattered over the leaping contestants. What am I doing? This is insane.

One look at the gunge tank, though, and Lena knew it was all worth it. Liz's Amazonian figure looked as though it'd been dipped upside-down in successive vats of paint. The pattern of her bikini was all but lost, only the sweeping black detail discernible through layers of slop. She was at the edge of the seat, eyes like saucers, long legs folded diagonally while her hands squeaked through the patina of slime on the tank's sides. The chair itself was sheathed in blue and yellow sludge, which spilled like slow-moving lava from around Liz's hips to pool at her feet. She looked unsure who had the better deal - her in the tank, or them battling beneath the switches.

Caught in a torrent of shockingly cold custard, Lena's feet slid from under her. Glistening trails jolted from her curves as she landed, the rubbery floor absorbing the impact. Catching her breath, she paused to watch the stuff thread through her fingers. It felt like creamy shower gel, and by now she wore it like a second skin.

Nearby, Jen flopped onto her front with a satisfying squelch. She really was the perfect opponent. Where the others were cautious, Jen was happy to just cut loose and get messy. Even now she slid around in the mire, trying to prop herself onto her elbows only to end up face-first in the slop.

Lena gave her a wry look. "Don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel a tiny bit gunged."

Keeping her face straight, Jen made a 'so-so' gesture. "Oh, you look fine. Maybe a few specks here and there... nobody'd ever tell."

"Good to know."

While Lena rose unsteadily to her feet, Jen tried to do likewise, but the floor was just too slippery. Arms spinning, she sank back with legs akimbo. "Uh, little help?"

Lena extended an arm, only to snatch it away a second later. "On second thought, there's no need."

"What do you mean?" Just then someone took Jen's hand. She followed the arm up... to find Sarah standing above her. "You?"

Shrugging matter-of-factly, Sarah helped her teammate up. "You're making a total mess of this, somebody has to take charge. Like so." Without missing a beat, Sarah tugged the nearest cord. Jen caught her breath, hoping to see her friend slimed, but Sarah had timed the manoeuvre to perfection, activating the node a split second after its light went out. "See, it's not so hard. Now, anyone else think Liz is looking way too clean?"

Liz's regal voice spoke up. "Ooh, don't mind me. I could watch Lena get gunged all day."

Lena chuckled. She really was a mess. Sheets of slow-moving ooze crept down her chest, her curves channelling some down the centre of her stomach while the rest slid down her sides or dripped like melting icicles from the front of her bikini.

Sarah looked up, evaluated the network on the ceiling, and then eyed her two companions. "I'm thinking pink, agreed?"

Jen looked questioningly to Lena. A quick nod signalled a temporary truce to their slime-war, and then they set off. Lena noticed Jen keep glancing at Sarah, no-doubt hoping to see her doused in slime, but it wasn't to be. Nimble and precise, Sarah flitted about the room, her astute gaze calculating the precise moment to pull each vine. Save for the soles of her feet, and the odd drip from a previously-activated node, she was staying spotless. That wouldn't do at all. Lena watched from the corner of her eye, not wanting to give the game away, while Jen tried to get within striking-distance. Like leaves in a whirlpool they circled closer and closer, but Sarah was too quick. Each time Jen made to pounce she would suddenly skip away with a capricious grin and a flick of blonde hair.

Sarah's on to her, she must be. Still, she would've gone mad if Jen had tried that earlier, now she's just making a game of it.

It didn't take long to find the three pinks - she and Jen had gunged each other so comprehensively that almost every node had been activated at least once, making it a case of following the gaudy map upon the floor. With each successive click Liz's whimpering grew louder, its undercurrent of mirth slowly building until it overcame the rest, leaving Liz practically quivering with laughter.

Lena arrived at the last node. She had been waiting for this moment. She paused and smiled, letting Liz squirm, before finally pulling the cord. Liz tucked in her chin and crossed arms across her chest as the gunge came down. Splattering smooth and pink, it enveloped her utterly. A high-pitched keening escaped the downpour, a wiggle of Liz's shoulders created a slurping shimmy in the downpour, and then her silhouette was re-emerging from the cascade, a shapely mirage in a neon waterfall. Still the gunge poured, merciless in its conquest, washing over Liz's features like a perfect pink mask. Having realised there was no escaping it, Liz moved her hands from her chest and braced them against the booth's sides, letting the slime wash in tremulous waves over her torso.

With the torrent fading to a scatter of dribbling blobs, Liz tried in vain to regain some dignity. Almost slipping off the seat didn't help her cause. Once she'd steadied herself, she swished wet hair away from her face, the resulting clean patch of forehead only highlighting how messy the rest of her was, and tried to keep her voice level.

"Right, that's quite enough of this. It's someone else's turn."

With Sarah having paused to chuckle at Liz's plight, Jen made her move. Sliding over to her friend, she grasped the cord above her and blew a kiss. "Sarah, you've had this coming a long time."

Sarah's split second of confusion was all the time Jen needed. Beaming, she yanked the switch and stepped back. Sarah's horror morphed into a kittenish smile. She stood rigid, head bowed, fists balled, waiting for slime to engulf her... but nothing happened. The source of the problem was soon apparent. The vines only worked if someone was in the gunge tank, but Liz was tottering away, bandaged by slime.

Sarah soon regained her composure. "Hah, guess it's just not your day, Jen."

Then everything went crazy.

Klaxons blared. The floor shook. Vines danced as though alive. The sensory barrage left Lena stunned, unable to do anything but watch her comrades whirl in alarm. An automated voice replaced the sirens. "Warning: structure compromised. Systems overload imminent. Warning."

Eyes widening, Lena stared upward. Every last node was pulsating, the rubbery mounds straining and creaking with pressure. The creepers were twitching also, snakelike and sinuous, as though about to....

Realising what was about to happen, Lena had time to shout a brief, laughing warning. "It's gonna blow!"

Colossal bursts exploded above them, the gunge landing with a symphony of cacophonous splats. The pods were overloading seemingly at random, the vines connecting them rupturing with hisses of pressurised gloop. Foam billowed amidst it all, white icebergs torn and buffeted by tumbling slop. The stuff bathed Lena, filling her hair and pouring in rivers down her body. A fog of delirium clouded her mind, leaving her awestruck by the spinning constellations raining around her. Even so, she was aware of each and every impact, every slosh and splatter, from the torrents painting her face to the motes of foam landing cool as snowflakes on her upturned palms.

This is it! Elimination at last!

Feeling giddy, she felt an urge to dance amid the falling mulch. The chamber was a raging tempest. All was madness, yet she loved every moment of it.

Where was Liz? She wanted her here for this. Glancing round, though, she saw something even better. Jen was shrieking in a coruscating torrent while Sarah stared, unscathed for now, but mouth agape in the knowledge of what lay in store.

Plainly aware that Jen had been waiting for this, Sarah made sure to put on a good show. She squealed in mock horror, arms flailing theatrically as the first splashes reached her. Her head shook, the motion exaggerated for Jen's benefit, as neon-pink tendrils threaded through her hair and oozed like stalactites from her chin. Slimy rivers coursed through her flimsy bikini and cascaded down her sides, gushing over her midriff - one vertical band at first, then another, then a barcode of smaller trickles, until practically her entire torso was a slithering mass of pink. Her bikini bottoms fared no better, the gooey avalanche swiftly engulfing them until only the squirming knots at her hips broke the sliding sheets of liquid. Soon her legs, surprisingly long for her petite frame, bore meandering stripes that widened and multiplied as more and more mess rained down. Arms rising above her head, Sarah wiggled her body left and right, letting the goo splatter enchantingly off her curves. From the navel down, random splotches of blue were appearing, having bounced off Jen only to be buried by the next pink wave, leaving only a faint azure trail like a smudged teardrop. Whispers of pink gloop were likewise gracing Jen, though the brunette scarcely noticed.

The flows were subsiding now, but as Lena knew by extensive experience, the final phase of a gunging often felt the messiest. The smooth plumes devolved into gurgling splurges that twitched and skittered, landing on the two women at unpredictable angles; the last of it arrived in welters of slimy globules, plentiful enough to slather them but interspersed sufficiently for them to feel every last drop. As the downpour ended, Sarah bowed her head and brought her hands to her face, shaking with a mix of surprise, mirth and a hint of outrage - though that seemed to ebb away moment by moment. Bands of gloop pouring down her face, Sarah peered incredulously at her slime-covered form. Fresh dollops continued to spatter atop her head, where a cluster would linger until their combined weight sent them sliding past her temples. She moved a hand in front of her eyes, gaping at the drooling gunk that covered it, before lolling her head and giving Jen a dazed grin.

"Ugh. My luck really has run out, hasn't it?"

Sunflower yellow blossomed overhead before Jen could reply, creating an angelic aurora about Sarah's head before deflecting from her shoulders like unfurling wings. Heedless of the flying globs spattering her front, Jen whooped her approval. With still more gunk crashing around them, she and Sarah clung to each other, sliding to the floor amidst a cavalcade of goo.

It took a cold torrent spilling down Lena's back to jolt her to her senses. Where had Liz got to? Just for the hell of it, she crossed the room by treating it as a gigantic slip'n'slide. Feeling a bit like a rock star, she knelt up and straightaway caught sight of Liz skulking in the pumping room, no doubt to avoid the gunge. Lena grinned blissfully. She's not getting away that easily!

Struggling through the slime-storm, pelted every step of the way, Lena reached the short tunnel linking the two rooms. Now out of the bombardment, she skipped the last few paces. Liz was at the control panel, and didn't notice Lena until she'd taken her wrist and begun leading her back to the living quarters.

"Come on, Liz, you can't miss the big finish."

Liz had time to flick one last switch. As if by magic, the door in front of them slid shut. "Wait," Liz exclaimed, "we can't go back. Look!"

Lena's momentary pause was all the time Liz needed to dart past and seal the portal. Then she saw what had the blonde so excitable - the outside doors had opened, but Sarah and Jen hadn't yet noticed; they remained huddled together, smooth plumes of gunge playing over their figures, oblivious to the ghouls swarming all around them.

Straightaway Lena moved to open the door. "What are you doing?" cried Liz, scrambling to block her way. "Are you mad?"

"We have to get them."

Liz shook her head. "Forget it, they're goners." Lena tried moving past, but again Liz shifted into her path. "Look, wait. I know a way we can win this, but I need your help."

Possibilities swirled through Lena's mind. The idea of rushing out to join Jen and Sarah was awfully tempting, but the alternative...

She gave Liz a knowing smile. "What did you have in mind?"

*****

Holding tight to Jen, Sarah shuddered, gripped by an intoxicating swirl of terror and delight. Warm gloop sloshed everywhere, gushing between their partnered bodies. A kind of fugue descended. Everything seemed unreal, dreamlike, beyond all reckoning. The laughter that had seemed so distant turned out to be hers. She felt Jen's long hair brush against her cheek, cool and wet. She was aware of her companion's prominent curves pressing against her chest - Jen was quivering with mirth.

"So Sarah, how's the plan going? You know, the one about getting out of here spotless?"

"Oh, pretty well, thanks," Sarah replied through gritted teeth.

Jen's arms tightened around her back. "Uh, you really don't want to look behind you."

By the time she saw the ghouls it was already far too late. Nonetheless she tried bolting for the pumping room, but had moved barely two paces before Jen sprang up, grabbed her hand, and pulled, sending her twirling back into Jen's arms. Their bodies collided with a soft splat.

"Relax," said Jen, "I've got an idea. Besides, there's only, like, five of them - what could go wrong?"

Has she gone mad? Sarah span around, intending to make another dash for it, but the ghouls had encircled them. They approached at a measured pace, taking their time, savouring the build-up. Meanwhile, she and Jen stood back to back, a slimy hub in a contracting ring of ghouls. The flurries from the ceiling were dwindling, the hanging vines having been winched into the ruined pods, but that was scant consolation. Jen shook with silent giggles, her back sliding against Sarah's.

She tried desperately to think, to come up with a plan. Until now she'd been able to concoct a scheme virtually from thin air, but this time nothing came. All she could think of was what Jen had said earlier - about wanting them to be eliminated together.

Sarah's voice was a breathless murmur. "Jen, did this plan of yours go any further than us letting ourselves get surrounded?"

A melodious chuckle sounded behind her. "Uh, not as such, no. That was about as far as I got."

"Nice going, Jen."

"I'll grant you, I may not have completely thought this one through."

"You don't say? Right, just follow my lead."

Yet still Sarah was at a loss. The nearest ghoul was levelling her wrists, bringing to bear the nozzles set into the sleeves of her wetsuit. The motion was enough to reignite Sarah's competitive streak. Suddenly her mind was calm. In an instant she absorbed the situation, assessed the options... and reached a conclusion. The calculating glint returned to her watchful green eyes. They haven't beaten me yet.

Almost imperceptibly, Sarah nodded. She had a plan.

All around her, the ghouls fired.

To Be Continued....