The Story So Far:

In aid of charity, a team of intrepid contestants are trying to get across the Splatter Dome - an elaborate arena full of gooey traps and patrolled by the so-called Gunge Ghouls (basically a bunch of women in silly outfits who are trying to stop them). Of twelve original contestants, five have been eliminated, but those that remain have managed to make it to the arena's second stage: a vast palace complex. Though their stated objective was to rescue the three "scientists" who appeared in the prologue, when the team eventually found one of them she turned out to have switched sides, forcing them to gunge her in order to get out of the gatehouse. Before she departed though, Melissa warned that it wasn't only the ghouls the contestants had to be wary of...

(This is more of a breather episode after the chaos of part 5, and consequently is a bit lighter on gunge than most chapters. I'm hoping that taking some time to build up the remaining characters now will pay off down the line.)

Part 6: Suspicions

All was still. Sarah reclined on a silver bench, hands resting atop her stomach, and quietly gathered her thoughts. Around her the palace soared skyward. The tunnel from the gatehouse had delivered them to a cloistered courtyard, all polished tiles and marble pillars, an oasis of calm after the chaos they had just endured. A fountain in the likeness of a cavorting nymph burbled at the yard's centre, its water turned to rippling quicksilver by the sun's brilliant glare. The nymph's slender form, flowing hair and delicate features were strikingly similar to Sarah's own, making its joyful pose something of a mockery.

This new-found serenity would be short-lived, of that she had no doubt. A multitude of passages, no two alike, branched out from the courtyard. Some were warped and twisted, their floors canted at absurd angles, while others, mottled and dark, burrowed into a network of catacombs. Still more were neat, orderly and well-lit, and Sarah suspected those most of all. It was a place of contradictions, yet it had one thing in its favour - there were none of those preposterous ghouls wandering around.

Who even takes a job like that? How the hell do they sugar-coat it on their resumes?

The bench was firm but surprisingly comfortable, and Sarah could feel the tension ease from her muscles. Allowing herself this moment of respite, she gazed up at the crystalline dome. Faint wisps of cloud traversed a cerulean sky.

Wonder if there's an echo in here....

"Baboon!"

Guess not.

She was, in truth, killing time. The other contestants were showering in a nearby washroom, and had been for a while. She couldn't begrudge them the delay, not after the state they'd been in. Naturally she'd been careful not to laugh too much... not to their faces, at any rate. The fact that she had stayed clean made her enough of a target already, there was no need to call attention to it. Yet still her lips curled into a satisfied smirk at the memory of Jen in that slime tank.

When I get hold of that footage I'm going to freeze-frame that moment and put in on a t-shirt...

It had been Jen, her so-called friend, who'd convinced her to take part in this idiocy, and while Sarah was intent on remaining spotless, she was equally keen to ensure the exact opposite befell Jen. Revenge was going to be so, so sweet.

Twittering voices emerged from the direction of the showers. Swiftly concealing her smile, Sarah rose to greet her companions, who rounded the corner fresh-faced and smelling faintly of shampoo. Once they'd exchanged pleasantries, she got down to business.

"So I take it Jen's told you the news?" The question was met with blank stares. Interesting. "No? Must've slipped her mind, I guess." She shot Jen a quick glance. "The news, ladies, is that there's a cuckoo in the nest."

Nikki looked none the wiser. "A what?"

"A mole in the yard."

"Uh... sorry, I'm not with you."

"A pelican in the refrigerator."

"Now you're just making stuff up."

"What I'm saying," said Sarah, hands clasping behind her back, "is that somebody here has a secret. One of us is a spy."

She studied her companions intently. Who isn't surprised?

"Someone's working with the ghouls?" Nikki's voice was but one among a hubbub of gasps and whispers. "Who?"

"We don't know... yet."

Eyes narrowing, Annabelle gave Sarah an appraising look. "And where'd you hear this?"

Sarah was unfazed. "Melissa told me. Plus she mentioned a place where we can deal with them, a place called the Purification Chamber. Don't look at me like that, I didn't name it."

Another thought struck Annabelle. "Deal with them how?"

Sarah shrugged. "She didn't say. Knowing this place, though, I'm guessing it'll be messy."

Lena seemed strangely relaxed. She leaned against a pillar, hair gleaming like obsidian beneath the streaming sunlight. Heedless of her own bewitching beauty, she clicked her fingers as though trying to jog some memory. "But what about that... er... that research place we were meant to find? Isn't that through here somewhere?"

Sarah nodded. "It is. Only - and I don't know if you guys feel the same - but personally, I want to know who I can trust before I get there."

"She's right," added Lucy, "we should find this purifier place first. I mean, look what happened in the intro...."

Those words struck a chord, and amidst the murmurs of assent Sarah very nearly shuddered. One of the 'scientists' had deliberately opened the doors to the research station and let the ghouls swarm inside. She couldn't risk someone doing that to her.

All the while Liz had been waiting quietly at the back, motionless save for an occasional tilt of the head in Annabelle's direction. Coiling a finger through the strap of her white bikini, she finally spoke. "So how do we decide who we, ahem, purify?"

Already the air hummed with the sweet thrill of conspiracy. Seeds of suspicion had begun to take root. Suddenly Sarah wondered if this wasn't precisely what the organisers had intended. Slowly the girls fell silent, each no-doubt picturing what the procedure might involve, and who they'd like to see it happen to.

Ever direct, Jen pointed to Sarah. "If it's suspects we're after, how about the one who's, like, magically stayed clean?"

Sarah had been expecting this, and didn't miss a beat. "Not so fast. Remember what happened to Kirsty once she'd opened the doors? The ghouls slime everyone - they might not even know who's on their side. Staying clean doesn't make me guilty, getting slimed doesn't make you innocent. It could be anyone."

Still studying the others, Sarah noted their reluctant nods with quiet satisfaction. She was about to continue when Jen interrupted. "Wait, while we're stood around talking, aren't we forgetting something?"

"Such as?"

The brunette gestured back the way they'd come. "The ghouls are shut outside, right?"

"Yeah, and?"

"But is that the only way in?"

The mocking retort evaporated on Sarah's tongue. A frown furrowed her brow.

*****

Liz knew she had a lot of ground to make up. In light of recent developments, that little episode where she'd 'accidentally' gunged Annabelle five times could perhaps have aroused a teensy bit of suspicion.

At Jen's suggestion the team had divided. They were to scout the palace, identify and seal any other entrances, and then reconvene in the courtyard. That, at least, was the plan. Liz, together with Lucy, Jen and Annabelle, had been assigned the palace's eastern half. It had been the latter who'd chosen their route, supposedly at random, though Liz had her doubts.

The tranquillity of the courtyard was long gone. Winding corridors linked dingy halls cluttered with ancient machinery. The light grew fainter the further they ventured, until at length they found themselves stalking through dank passageways threaded with rattling pipes and hissing hydrants. It felt like being below deck on a decrepit steamship.

I'd say a little damage control is in order...

A few long-legged strides brought her abreast of Lucy, where she slowed to fall in step beside her. "Does anyone know where we're going?" she asked in her politest tone.

There was an uncertain pause before Lucy replied, "I think Annabelle does. She looks pretty confident, at least."

Hearing this, Annabelle looked back from the head of the column. "Don't worry," she called, "I'm almost positive we're going north."

Liz raised an eyebrow. "Almost positive?"

There was that innocent smile again. "Relax. I mean, you can trust me, right?" The ties of Annabelle's baby-blue bikini swished as she swung round and sauntered onward.

Whenever Liz pictured the purifier it was as a vast, hugely elaborate gunge tank, and in her mind's eye it was always Annabelle sat beneath the goo while Liz herself stood in judgement, a lever clasped in her hands... She allowed herself a quick smirk, but for now it was nothing but a daydream. For there to be any chance of it actually occurring, she would need allies.

Leaning closer to Lucy, she said in a casual tone, "Sorry about getting you messy back there. I hope you know it wasn't anything personal? Just, you know, playing the game and all."

Lucy tittered quietly. "Don't worry about it, it was fun."

This seemed promising. Lucy seemed the laidback sort, perhaps she'd be amenable to a little gentle persuasion? Voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper, Liz continued. "Listen, about this double-agent business, if I were the gambling type I know who I'd be betting on." Azure eyes darted briefly to Annabelle before shifting back to gauge Lucy's response. Her companion smiled but said nothing.

Before Liz could press further, they arrived at a crossroads. Brimming with enthusiasm, Jen turned on her heel and addressed the group. "Okay, here's where we should split up."

At first Liz wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. "Um, excuse me? Why?"

"This place is huge and we don't have much time," Jen replied. "If we want to check it out properly we'll need to go in pairs."

Annabelle looked askance at Jen. "Pairs? But what if one of us is the traitor? It'd be one on one."

Jen swished back her hair and grinned. "That'd be perfect! Then we'd know who the traitor was."

"Yeah, but one of us would be eliminated!"

In a few slinky steps Jen was face to face with Annabelle, who received an amiable pat on the shoulder. "What's the problem? We're all gonna get got sooner or later, it's just a question of how."

Liz shivered. The words had been delivered jokily, but they contained an uncomfortable truth. No team had ever beaten the Splatter Dome... which meant that every last contestant who'd ever entered this place had been eliminated.

Annabelle began to protest, but the words came out as a resigned chuckle. Her gaze flitted over her companions one by one, finishing on Jen. "Alright," she said, "just don't say I didn't warn you." Suddenly her tone became worryingly calm. "So who's going with who?"

Liz felt her skin prickle. In all likelihood the next few moments would seal someone's fate.

*****

The scenery veered from one extreme to the next in the merest twinkling. Vaulted halls gave way to dismal corridors lined with pipes and hissing valves. This room, however, was the strangest yet. Lena found herself in what appeared to be a grotto, though she was sure they were still above ground. The oblong chamber was formed of a warm, resinous material the colour of fired clay, and was riven with tangled vines which had clumped into stout pillars. Skeins of vapour swirled around them, and already she could feel miniscule beads of condensation collecting on her bare skin. Closing her eyes, she breathed deep of the sultry air and exhaled slowly.

The mayhem in the gatehouse had left her buzzing, and only now was the rush of adrenaline beginning to abate. The gunge had washed off with surprising ease, leaving her pure, unsullied, and raring to get mucky again. Lena was under no illusions, everyone who'd donated to send her here had done so expecting her to get good and messy. She had no intention of disappointing them.

Up ahead, Sarah moved with a level of caution that bordered on obsessive. Golden hair streamed silkily in her wake as she crept from cover to cover, a beautiful phantom in the flickering half-light. The American's face was a mask of concentration as she studied the path ahead, which ironically enough left her oblivious to the antics of Lena and Nikki, who simply ambled along behind, making no attempt at stealth.

While Lena daydreamed, a tanned brunette in a cherry-pink bikini stepped up beside her. Nikki flashed her prom-queen smile and motioned toward Sarah, who'd stalked into the adjoining hallway. "She seems... tense," she whispered, having apparently attained the rank of Captain Obvious.

"I think she might be taking things a bit seriously," agreed Lena, making a bid for colonel.

Nikki's eyes lit with inspiration. "You know what we should do? The three of us should get into, like, a slime fight - only we'll let Sarah win. That'll loosen her up."

Sucking on her lower lip, Lena mulled the idea over. It was certainly tempting, but there was no guarantee Sarah would react well. "No, best not," she replied wistfully. "I don't think she's ready yet."

Just then Sarah's voice carried from the next passage. "Hey, over here. I've found something."

Exchanging a guilty look, the pair followed into a wide concourse. At first glance all seemed somewhat unremarkable. To their left a broad window gave a panoramic view of the arena's south-west, the pyramid rising like a blunt arrowhead in the middle distance. At first it was unclear what Sarah was making such a fuss about, but then Lena spotted the gelatinous streak that trailed from one wall to the next. It seemed to emerge from a sunken, bay-shaped alcove on the passage's south side, where a shallow pool of lilac gunk had collected.

Sarah pointed to the glistening marks. "And what do you suppose made that?"

While Nikki stared whimsically at the pyramid, no doubt reminiscing over her exploits there, Lena approached the muck. "It sort of looks like a trail," she ventured. "Like something's been dragged across the floor."

"Something huge," Sarah added.

"The world's chubbiest slug?" Lena's quip earned one of Sarah's looks. "Ahem, no." She looked again. Something, she realised, wasn't quite right. "Hmmm, but it can't be - a trail, that is. Look, it springs out of nowhere and just ends right there at the wall."

Sarah was staring at the point where the tracks ended. "That's not a wall." Following her gaze, Lena squinted at the featureless flagstones. I really should've brought my glasses. As usual, Sarah was right - a hairline crack ran vertically from floor to ceiling. Lena took a sharp intake of breath, pleasantly surprised. "A secret door? Wicked."

Suddenly bashful, Nikki cleared her throat. "Umm, now may not be the best time to mention this, but I might've seen something weird back in the pyramid. Something big. It was there when Louise got slimed. It think maybe it was that thing from the video."

Sarah rounded on her. "Great. Wonderful. And you didn't think that was worth mentioning?"

"There was a lot going on, it kinda slipped my mind."

It all seemed too absurd. Lena realised she was covering her mouth with one hand as she gawked at the smeared trail, trying to picture the dimensions of the thing that made it. Slowly her regard drifted to the shaded alcove on the southern wall. An idea was forming. "There's one way to be sure. If the blob-thing moved all the way from the pyramid, then there'd have to be another door behind that pool."

All eyes turned to the semi-circular alcove and the puddle extending around it. The slime was lilac on the side nearest them, but became a progressively darker shade of purple the closer it went to the wall. The far side was lost in gloom. "But there's no way of getting at it," said Sarah.

"No clean way," Lena corrected. "But as luck would have it, I think we just found ourselves a volunteer."

It took Nikki a few seconds to notice their stares.

*****

The catacombs were vast, intricate, and seemingly ancient. To Jen, walking them felt like pacing the halls of a necropolis. Water dripped lazily from the ceiling, creating miniature lochs on the rippled floor. The entire substructure looked to have been gnawed rather than excavated.

Coming down here had been Annabelle's idea, and Jen had the nagging suspicion that their teaming together had been similarly arranged. Annabelle was frank and feisty, but there seemed always to be a roguish intelligence behind those bright brown eyes. They had made a game of seeing who could act the most suspicious. Both were treating it as a joke, of course, but all the same Jen could sense the frisson of tension. No-one was quite sure who was leading whom.

This place was somehow familiar. The early part of the briefing video had featured tunnels a lot like these, but that segment had been little more than whirling camerawork and startled shrieks. Something strange had happened down here, but what?

"Seen many horror films?" enquired Annabelle, seemingly from nowhere.

"Uh... yeah, some," Jen replied, wondering if this was an attempt to distract her.

"So you know we're basically doomed, right?"

Jen giggled nervously. "Why do you say that?"

"Two girls - not wearing much - go wandering down dark tunnels looking for monsters?" Annabelle grinned. "No, you're right, this is sure to end well."

The passage narrowed to a brief bottleneck. With neither contestant wanting to turn their back on the other, they instead shuffled sideways through the cramped space, a somewhat awkward manoeuvre for two voluptuous young women.

"Remember what you were saying before," Annabelle continued, her tone calculated, "about how we're all going to be eliminated eventually? What do you suppose yours will be like?"

Where's this going? "I, ha-ha, I'm not sure. I mean, who knows what they've got planned for us?"

Annabelle fluttered her eyelashes. "Certainly not me."

"Nor me."

Casting stealthy glances in the other's direction, the pair ventured deeper into the shadowy maze.

*****

"It's Annabelle, I'm sure it is."

After much subtle and some not-so-subtle hinting, Liz was confident she had Lucy safely on-side. She might not be convinced of Annabelle's guilt - nor, in truth, was Liz - but she would at least want to see her go in the purifier, just to be safe.

Who else might come over to her way of thinking? Lena, who'd been remarkably blasé about Annabelle's earlier gunging, seemed a likely candidate. Come to think of it, Jen or Nikki would probably go along with the idea if they thought it'd be funny, though they'd be just as likely to betray her for precisely the same reason. Liz got the distinct impression that such an approach would cut no ice with Sarah, who wouldn't risk taking sides unless she saw some tactical advantage.

So I give it to her. I'll offer to speak on her behalf if anyone makes any accusations, maybe get her to do the same for me, just so long as she agrees to Annabelle's nomination. I should go into politics.

Her spirits soared. Annabelle was as good as gunged. Her companion, meanwhile, had ambled ahead. Having arrived appallingly dressed and almost mute with shyness, Lucy had emerged as friendly, effervescent, and completely unaware of just how gorgeous she was. To Liz, who'd encountered more than her share of divas, and truth be told come close to becoming one on occasion, such humility was refreshing. Though disappointed to learn of Kelly's elimination - it had been Kelly, after all, who'd got her chatting, not to mention talking her into that tiny gold bikini - the spring in Lucy's step appeared undiminished. Turning sideways, the light catching faint hints of auburn in her long brown hair, she stopped to admire the works of art lining the walls and then smiled back at Liz. "This place is amazing," she cooed.

Unlike before, the scenery had morphed so gradually that Liz hadn't noticed right away. Finally the palace was living up to its name. Stately chambers and mosaic-lined halls filled this wing of the building, and just recently they had discovered a lofty throne room, its walls swathed with velvet tapestries of scarlet and gold. An ivory throne had stood upon a raised dais, but Liz, despite Lucy's pleas, had refused point blank to go anywhere near it. As traps went, it was almost insultingly obvious. Now they strolled through a network of airy galleries that extended behind the royal hall. The paths here curled together in a series of interconnected hoops, their layout resembling a rounded honeycomb. The bas-reliefs adorning the walls were indeed beautiful, though Liz tried not to stare at them too closely. Each panel was broken into rows, rather like hieroglyphs, and each depicted hapless figures surrounded by hordes of rampaging ghouls. Even worse, every so often another shape would appear in the pattern, one that sent a tingle down Liz's spine. Its outline looked like an upside-down raspberry, but if the scale was correct it must be seven or eight feet high.

The blob. How Liz regretted mocking it during the pre-game briefing. She would need to tread carefully; the organisers didn't seem the sort to overlook things like that.

Lucy skipped through the twisting passages. Abruptly she stopped, head tilting sideways as she brushed fingertips along the wall. "This is the middle circle," she murmured. "All the paths loop out from here. I reckon there'll be something in the middle, a room or something, if we can find a way in."

The ties of her bikini fluttered, and then Lucy was scampering out of sight. Liz made no attempt to call her back. As far as she was concerned, Lucy was free to explore to her heart's content... that way if there were any ambushes lying in wait, it'd be her that set them off. In any case, her teammate couldn't be far - her footfalls were still clearly audible. This, Liz decided, was as good a time as any to try and cement the alliance. "You know what?" she called, "I'd say the others are being far too pessimistic. All this talk about everyone being eliminated... I mean, says who? Maybe Sarah's got the right idea. If we stick together, watch each other's backs, I don't see why we can't-"

"Erm... Liz, who're you talking to?"

Behind her stood a confused-looking Lucy, who must have gone in a full circle. A horrible thought struck Liz. "But... if you're there, then who...?"

Both women turned toward the approaching footsteps. Before they could react, a figure burst out in front of them. Instinctively Liz squealed in fright. Though smaller than her, the newcomer was blessed with similar proportions, being alternately buxom and slender precisely where it mattered. Dark hair billowed dramatically as the figure turned. Patches of citrus yellow partially obscured a black bikini, which was itself bedecked by little white polka dots.

A familiar voice spoke. "Hey, don't run, it's me! Have you seen Annabelle?"

It was Jen, and she was spattered with custard.

*****

Despite a few feeble protests that the colour didn't match her outfit, it had taken only a gentle shove to send Nikki sliding out onto the slime-covered floor. Now the brunette was gingerly making her way across the puddle, legs tensed and arms held out in an effort to keep from slipping. Nodding in satisfaction, Lena stepped back and glanced to Sarah, who stood with arms folded across her chest, her expression closed and watchful.

Nikki emitted a wavering murmur as she shuffled through the quagmire, the volume rising and falling depending on how close she was to slipping over. Gelatinous strings trailed from her feet whenever they lifted free of the ankle-deep sludge. Nikki screwed up her nose and shook her head, though she was grinning as she did so. "Eww. This stuff's gooey. Lena, you owe me for this."

Lena gave an ironic cheer. "You're doing good, Nikki," she called. "We believe in you. Try not to think about all that slime squelching between your toes."

Nikki's chuckle turned into a yelp as her feet started fishtailing in the muck. Arms flailing for balance, she wiggled her hips in an effort to regain her footing. Hearing Lena wolf-whistle, Nikki pivoted back, pointed at Lena and screwed her face into a jokey scowl before continuing.

Lena watched patiently. Any second now... Sure enough Nikki's next step went a little too far. Feeling her foot sliding away from her, the brunette uttered a shrill squeak before staggering sideways and falling flat on her bottom. The squelching splash was followed by a second of silence, then gusts of poorly-concealed titters from the two spectators. With a ponderous ripple radiating around her, Nikki slumped back, hands sinking into the gunk with a slurping sound, and gave a melodramatic groan.

Even though her teammate was only a few yards away, Lena cupped her hands to her mouth to cheer. "It's going great, Nikki. You're absolutely smashing it in there."

This time Sarah joined in with the friendly teasing. "Yeah, Nikki, you're a natural. This is going so, so well."

Nikki shot a pretend-glare at her teammates. "Y'know, maybe it's me, but am I getting a tiny hint of sarcasm there?"

Hearing the shocked gasps and expressions of "What, us?" and "No way!" from Lena and Sarah, Nikki shook her head and turned back to her task, but winked discreetly at Lena just before doing so.

Wicked, she's got the idea. Nikki had most definitely not been sent into the messy alcove to search for hidden doors. The presence of one was already all but certain.

She watched the brunette crawl in a little further, hips wiggling and gunge sucking at her wrists and shins. Lena, without realising it, had mimicked Sarah's drawn-in stance, and all of a sudden became acutely aware of just how little she was wearing. It was odd, when the group was together she hadn't felt at all self-conscious. The balmy sunshine, coupled with the greenhouse effect of the dome, had created an almost tropical atmosphere, one in which strolling around in a bikini had felt totally natural. Only now that she was beside Sarah, the only contestant who'd covered up, did she feel out of place. With her cheeks beginning to flush, it took a deliberate effort not to fidget.

There was another splash from the alcove. Nikki's attempt at standing had ended in a slapstick sprawl that had had dipped her entire right side into the goo. Was that a flicker of amusement on Sarah's lips? Muttering to herself, Nikki pulled her long hair out of the swamp and gathered her legs beneath her. The puddle was deeper on the southern side, and now gunge churned atop Nikki's thighs as she knelt up. Using the wall to support herself, she managed to stand, hands questing along the weathered sandstone wall, pretending to seek what she already knew was there. The higher she stretched, of course, the more unsteady her stance became. Lena bit her lip; she could see what was coming.

Nikki began to sway. With a keening cry she waved her arms in a windmill motion, trying in vain to regain her balance, but in a flash her legs slid out from under her, sending her toppling backwards into the gunge. The impact sent muck spattering up the alcove's sides. This time Sarah actually giggled.

Was it too much? Lena suspected the slip had been at least partly deliberate, but would Sarah realise that this was all for her benefit? As Nikki had realised almost instantly, she was in there for one reason and one reason alone: to get messy. The idea was to demonstrate to Sarah that this was all just a bit of fun, and so hopefully put her fears to rest. Nobody expected her to suddenly start frolicking around in the stuff, but anything better than wide-eyed horror would be an improvement.

Nikki sat up, the puddle sloshing around her, and flicked sodden rat-tails from her face. After wiping her lips she peered down at her chest, where garish purple blobs had speckled her bikini top. "See, didn't I tell you? Purple and cherry... ugh. Oh, and yep, there's a door back here, a big one. Can I please get out now?"

Sarah tapped a foot upon the ground and pouted. "Great, so the damn... blob, or whatever it's called, is already inside. It could be anywhere!"

Seeing Sarah's concern, Lena fumbled for something reassuring to say. "I wouldn't worry," she chirped, patting Sarah on the shoulder, "if it's that big, that means it can't sneak up on us."

Sarah's look could have boiled oceans. "You're right. At least the enormous slime-spewing puppet isn't also a ninja. Fantastic. So we're just trapped in a building with it - that's just swell. And I travelled five thousand miles for this. When I see my agent..." Sarah's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper before tailing off.

Still on her knees, Nikki shuffled back through the swamp. "Something's bothering you," she observed, earning her field marshal's badge in the process.

Seeing her slimy comrade, Sarah's expression softened. Lilac freckles dotted Nikki's face, while slimy tendrils trailed from her arms and dangled like noodles from the front of her top. "Sorry, I'm not angry at you guys, it's just..." Looking Nikki up and down, Sarah smiled. "Hah! You were right, Nikki - that stuff so doesn't go with your bathing suit. Thanks, though. Here, let me help you." No sooner had Sarah offered her hand, though, than it was snatched back. "Oops, sorry, I forgot your hand was covered with... Uh, maybe Lena can help?"

"Sure." Lena saw the twinkle in Nikki's eye even before she leaned over and clasped her wrist. She knew she was about to be pulled into the goo.

Only fair, I suppose.

Nikki's grip was beginning to tighten when an echoing tumult stopped everyone in their tracks. It had come from the catacombs. Nervous glances were exchanged. Something had gone seriously awry.

*****

Annabelle scurried through winding tunnels. It had all happened so fast. Jen had stopped, and had seemed about to whisper something, when suddenly custard had spurted everywhere, thick and startlingly cold. By the time she'd had the presence of mind to flee, she was already streaked in the stuff. Jen had been with her at first, but then, unaccountably, she'd found herself alone.

Taking refuge in a darkened nook, she pressed against the wall and peered back. There was no sign of pursuit. Lingering in the shadows, trying to calm her gulping intakes of breath, questions began to emerge. Where had the gunge come from? The walls had seemed to ripple just before the mess came, yet she had seen no nozzles.

Maybe there was a tank hidden above us? She glanced at her custard-strewn curves. No, that can't be it. It came from the sides, but how?

Something moved in the darkness. Annabelle stood, poised to run, but stopped at the last moment. This was no ghoul - the movements were too light, the outline too slender. The apparition was there only a moment, nothing but a flicker in the murk, and then was gone.

"Jen?" she called, trying to project her voice without making it too loud. There was no reply.

Annabelle padded to the spot where the figure had appeared, and then there it was again, further away this time. The woman - it was definitely a woman - darted across the tunnel, becoming briefly silhouetted in profile by a flickering beacon. Whoever it was, it couldn't be Jen. The height was about right, but the hair was too short and the curves less - ahem - pronounced. Who then could it be?

Once she'd located the tunnel the newcomer had disappeared down, Annabelle followed. Tiny bulbs dotted the ceiling, pinpricks of phosphor on a ribbon of coal. It was so dark she had to run her hands along the walls as a guide. Somebody somewhere was singing. The lilting notes echoed softly down the passage, leading her on like a siren's call. It was like being in a dream, everything imbued with an almost hypnotic calm. Annabelle pressed on.

The singing was replaced by a playful titter as again the mysterious figure darted past. Annabelle caught a glimpse of sun-kissed skin and a white bikini before the woman disappeared. Recovering quickly, she scurried to catch up. White? Who's wearing white? Liz, but it's definitely not her - not tall enough. Who else? Ellie, but she's been eliminated already...

She wasn't far behind now. It was maddening - she knew this person, she was sure of it. Another flash of illumination provided a glimpse of dark, not quite shoulder-length hair, filling in another piece of the puzzle.

Without warning, the walls peeled away from her fingertips. Annabelle halted, blinking, beneath a pillar of focussed light. All around was pitch blackness. From the flow of air against her skin she guessed she'd stepped into a small opening, scarcely larger than an elevator. Above was a distant disc of blue sky - the shaft must extend right the way through the palace. It felt like being at the bottom of a well. She extended an arm, but inky gloom swallowed it almost immediately. Gentle laughter emanated from somewhere close.

"Who's there?" she demanded, her voice reverberating over and over as it bounced up the vent.

The reply, when it came, was shockingly close. "Don't you recognise me?" The voice seemed vaguely familiar, but was masked by the ever-diminishing echoes that raced in pursuit.

Annabelle found herself grinning. She was being toyed with. "Almost, I'll get it in a second."

The pie broke across the side of her face with a comical splat. She spun round, mouth slack with shock and the taste of banana cream on her lips, as movement flashed in the corner of her vision. Mess was dripping languidly onto her bosom when another pie came hurtling from the darkness, this time from the right. This girl was fast. Yoghurt spurted against Annabelle's hip, cold splashes branching across her lower stomach. She whirled blindly.

"I'm going to keep this up until you remember," the stranger took relish in assuring her.

With creamy slop sliding down her leg, Annabelle straightened. This time she'd caught the woman's accent. Suddenly it seemed so obvious. "Hah! I remember you now, Kirsty."

The slender Australian stepped from the shadows, a custard pie held in each hand. One of the scientists from the briefing video, it had been she who'd betrayed her teammates and released the ghouls.

Dark round eyes gleaming with mischief, Kirsty nodded. "That's better." Her arms swung in broad arcs, as though crashing two cymbals together, and suddenly Annabelle's world turned yellow. Thick gloop slipped down her torso as she staggered back, the slop muffling her giggles. Ignoring the reeling contestant, Kirsty clapped her hands together. "Right, that's enough fun for now. You and I have things to discuss."

Bewildered, Annabelle licked her lips. They tasted of lemon meringue. With splodges dripping from her face and speckling her cleavage, she wiped her eyes, thought for a moment, and then calmly tucked her cream-smeared hair behind her ears. "Alright then, go on."

*****

The cavern had been ransacked. Bits of pathetically unconvincing technical gear lay upended and scattered, while at the cave's centre, rising from a small pool of syrup, stood the mangled remnants of an immense chrysalis. Everything looked as though it had been subjected to a barrage of overripe plums.

"This can't be good," declared Sarah, hands planted on her hips.

"Anyone else getting some serious déja vu?" added Lena.

The commotion that had brought them scurrying to the catacombs had ceased before they could find its source, and it had been pure chance that had brought them to this place. Seeing as she was already smeared in gunk, Nikki had been sent in for a closer look. Sarah and Lena watched from the doorway as the leggy brunette picked her way through the devastation, feet squelching in the congealed mulch.

I don't get it, thought Sarah. How is she so relaxed about all this? Lena too, neither of them seems bothered. How come?

She was still annoyed with herself for having laughed at Nikki's sliming. This was beneath her. It was beneath all of them, for that matter. Time and again she resolved to keep her composure, to banish any hint of weakness, but always the image of Jen in that slime tank popped up to ruin things.

I'm not having fun. I'm not having fun. I'm not having fun...

Much to her chagrin, Sarah realised she was grinning again. She put a stop to it just as Nikki returned.

"Definitely the place from the promo," said Nikki. She pointed to the wrecked chrysalis. "Seems our monster started out in that, uh, thing back there. No point y'all tracking it. Trail's old, and there's way too much slime around."

Lena looked thoughtful. "Right... okay, so the scientists woke up the blob with their experiment. And apparently it lives in a temple, behind an altar, surrounded by ghouls... like they worship it or something." Noticing the amused looks the two Americans were giving her, she paused. "What?"

"Getting a little into it, aren't you?" Sarah teased.

Blushing, Lena averted her eyes. "Just trying to make sense of things," she countered, rubbing a foot against the back of her shin. "That man at the start said there were, you know, secrets to find - ones which might help us win. It might be important later on."

Trying to win? That's not like Lena. "Okay, I guess you're right." Turning to Nikki, Sarah gestured to the multitude of exits. "Any idea which of those leads out of this place?"

Nikki shook her head. "Nope, sorry. But if I had to guess, I'd say it's that one. That one's been blocked up."

Sarah snorted. "Figures. We should probably head back, anyhow. We were supposed to meet up with the others right about now."

"No need," announced an all-too familiar voice. There, on the far side of the cavern, stood Jen. Behind her were Liz and Lucy, who seemed somewhat confused.

It was with some interest that Sarah noted the unexplained blobs of custard on Jen. Somebody's been up to something. Wait a sec, who's missing? "Where'd Annabelle go?"

Jen's shoulders bobbed in an 'I don't know' gesture. "We got separated."

"That's one way of putting it." All eyes turned to the speaker. Annabelle had appeared from one of the southern tunnels, her besmirched appearance prompting a chorus of titters.

Lena gawked. "What happened to you?"

"Good question," was the enigmatic response. Sarah noticed Jen's expression flicker. What's been going on? "But anyway," Annabelle went on, "as we're all here, I've got some good news."

Jen looked doubtful. "Yeah? And what's that?"

Milking the attention, Annabelle paused to realign a stray bit of hair. "The news is: I know where to find the purifier. C'mon, follow me." Seeing their looks, she smiled sweetly. "Relax. After all, what could possibly go wrong?"

To be Continued....