The Story So Far: After the events in the purifier and the ensuing ambush, the remaining contestants became split up and are now trying to escape the palace. Meanwhile, despite having their identity revealed, the traitor remains at large....

Part 9: Just Desserts

Belle had returned from grabbing a drink not a moment too soon. Nobody knew the Splatter Dome's targeting systems better than her - she'd designed them, after all - and it had taken every ounce of her considerable skill to translate Nikki's directions from the purifier into downpours of slime. She sometimes referred to the procedure as 'playing battleship'. A few clicks on her workstation would bring up an overhead plan of the specified room, which the cameras populated with coloured dots to designate contestants and ghouls. Triggering the gunge was then simply a matter of entering the appropriate grid reference. Belle was rather proud of her ability to gunge a moving target, and the arena's network of pipes ensured that anyone who set foot in the Splatter Dome was at her mercy. Just the way she liked it.

If only she'd been in time to get Sarah! To finally have an excuse to slime her and then miss... it was unbelievable. In fairness to her co-workers, nobody had expected Sarah to climb into the paddling pool like that, but that didn't make it any less galling. Even worse, Sarah had gone on to gain entry to one of the dome's backup control points, which she'd used to release her cornered teammates. Why do we even include places like that? She glanced to her colleagues. They're getting soft, always giving people a way out. Those girls knew the risks. Before today they'd assumed they'd have to go easy on a bunch of charity ambassadors or none of them would even make it to the palace. Things weren't quite turning out that way. In Belle's view it was time to get tough. Even once Sarah had reached safety, Belle had been all for gunging her regardless, and had been on the point of doing so when the man in black countermanded her. He could be infuriatingly chivalrous at times.

Massaging her neck, Belle leaned back in her chair and surveyed her surroundings. As workplaces went this place was... unconventional. The operations room resembled the lair of a bargain-basement Bond villain, the stark efficiency of the screens and terminals muted by all the drinks, magazines and beanbags scattered about. Near the doorway, the silver haired matron who no-one could remember hiring had taken a break from mending damaged ghoul costumes and now stood grumbling at Ellie, one of the eliminated contestants, about how ridiculous this event was. Seeing Ellie nodding politely along made Belle want to smirk. She wondered what the older woman would say if she'd seen Ellie in the bakery, gleefully hurling pies and getting so splattered that by the end she was virtually plastered to the wall. Further off, Joanna was holding an impromptu council of war with some of her fellow Gunge Ghouls, while the man in black explained his latest notion to another bunch of former contestants, who looked to be in eager agreement. Nodding inwardly, Belle looked back to the screens. Things were getting back on track.

*****

The cluttered lab in which Sarah had sought refuge was scarcely bigger than a garage. Adjoining the purification chamber, it presumably formed part of the 'neck' between it and the rest of the palace. The window beside the entrance was smeared with soupy muck, but the occasional blurred outline told her the ghouls were still out there. Fortunately they'd made no attempt to get in. Not yet, at least. There was another way out on the northern wall, but for now she'd locked that also.

All was calm... relatively speaking. Soft light cast dimpled shadows on the white walls, which Sarah noticed were covered in thick padding. It's like being in an asylum... which is fitting, I guess.

She had really hit the jackpot here. Not only had she found a safe haven, but one which offered remote control of much of the facility. A wide terminal, studded with buttons and dials, extended along the eastern wall, upon which a grid of monitors displayed live feeds from around the palace. Though something of a technophobe, Sarah had soon deciphered the basic functions, and had been able to release her stranded comrades without much problem. Truth be told, she'd quite enjoyed watching them struggle, and had been this close to leaving them to their fates. It was self-preservation that had swayed her in the end. After all, the more targets the ghouls had to distract them, the better her own chances. It wasn't that she thought of her teammates only as cannon-fodder, but she was in this game to win, and if they needed to get messy so she could stay clean, then so be it.

Brushing a stray lock of hair from her cheek, she pored over the monitors, trying to fathom the building's layout. Noticing movement, she found her companions scrambling along a corridor as though still being pursued. Gloop glistened in their wake.

Tapping a few keys, Sarah leaned toward an antiquated, fifties-style microphone and announced, "Hi, me again. You'll be pleased to know you're about twenty feet from a bunch of showers. Just take the next right, you can't miss them. You can relax, by the way. Nobody's chasing you."

The figures on screen paused. Looking up, Annabelle spotted the camera and waved. "Thanks. Can you tell where we are from there?" Glancing to Lucy, she added, "Think she can hear me?"

With screens laid out before her and controls at her fingertips, a satisfying sense of omnipotence stole through Sarah. Nothing felt better than being in control. "Yes, I can hear you. You're at ground level, and I think you're going the right way. I've found us a way out. It doesn't even look that far, just keep heading north and you'll get there. You can't miss it, it's this big black gate."

Wiping custard from her cheek, Annabelle nodded. "Got it. But what about you? Where are you, even?"

"Don't worry about me. I can't follow you, but I've found another way. Wait for me at the gate."

Liz raised her hand. "And what's after that?"

Sarah shook her head, only to realise somewhat sheepishly that the others couldn't actually see her. She leaned closer to the microphone. "Sorry, that's as far as I can see. I'm guessing it'll be the research place we saw in the video, but my guess is as good as yours."

Annabelle seemed satisfied with this. "Cool. See you soon."

"Bye." Sarah managed to stop herself waving.

"Oh yeah," Lena chipped in, "Sarah, before you go, did you see what happened to Jen?"

Sarah paused. Somehow the fate of her self-appointed nemesis had completely slipped her mind. Scanning the remaining monitors, she noticed motion at the top left of the grid. "I'll have to get back to you on that."

She rose slowly, her gaze locked on the monitor. Subconsciously her fingers wandered to the back of her neck, to the neat little knot of the bathing suit beneath her tank top. The woman on screen was covered in slime, but that figure was unmistakeably Jen's. Somehow she'd escaped the purifier and into a network of honeycombed tunnels. She must've got out the same way the ghouls got in. How the hell did she do that? Jen moved out of shot, and it was a few seconds before Sarah found her again on a different screen. The messy brunette was peering around as though lost, her normally lustrous hair hanging sodden at her back.

Only then did Sarah spot the hunters. Svelte figures shadowed Jen, drawing a little closer each time their quarry paused to pick a route. These ghouls were the cat-suited kind, nimble and fast, like the one Sarah had faced in the gatehouse. Working as a pack, they spread through the tunnels, trying to surround their prey. Instinctively Sarah grabbed the microphone... but then drew back. Why should I warn her? Colour flashed like lightning across the screen. Strafed by purple slime, Jen arched her back, eyes wide with shock. Recovering quickly, the brunette dashed onward, frantic yet directionless. Every passage was near enough identical; there seemed no way out.

This is it. This time she's finished. Smiling wickedly, Sarah pulled up a chair and settled in to watch.

Jen halted at a junction and turned side-on to the camera. She didn't spot the flying gunk until the last moment, but managed to dip her head and close her eyes just before it slapped against her hip. The orange spray rose, spattering her arm and flank before befouling her hair still further. Thick and viscous, its texture resembled runny porridge where it streamed down her curves. Jen's eyes reopened just as a blob fell from the tip of her nose. Grinning, she seemed to shiver, but then almost instantly she was darting away, a determined look on her face.

Sarah chuckled. It's too late, Jen. You're toast.

Yet Jen refused to give up. She rushed on, only to disappear between liquid sheets of green and orange. It took a moment for Sarah to realise what had just happened; two of the bulkier, almost spherical ghouls had been waiting in ambush, one on each side of a junction, and had lunged in to hug Jen as she moved past. Muffled squeaks emerged from the ensuing slime storm. Sitting back, Sarah sniggered and clapped her hands together. Boy, when those big ones get you, they really get you good! She was waiting for the elimination announcement when, impossibly, Jen reappeared. Utterly drenched, she slithered between her ambushers and staggered off down the passage.

What the hell? How does she keep getting away? Sarah groaned upon realising the irony of it all; Jen was now so slippery that nobody could grab hold of her. Unbelievable. If I hadn't slimed her so badly they'd have got her already.

Now barely able to walk without slipping, Jen finally made it to a door. Quickly she jabbed the release button, only to gasp in horror when nothing happened. It was sealed. Helpless, she hammered on the portal in desperation.

Sarah almost jumped out of her skin. Someone was pounding on the small door to her left. Incredibly, the scene she'd just witnessed had been taking place right outside. Jen's voice sounded from beyond the door. "Help! Is anyone there? Please, let me in!"

Oh this is too perfect. Licking her lips, Sarah considered her next move.

*****

Nikki lay on her back in the purifier, slimy bilge lapping at her sides. Occasional globs fell from above, some falling into the puddle with a series of thick squelches, the rest turning her bikini-clad body into a shifting mosaic of colours and textures. She considered getting up, but decided it was actually quite relaxing in here. This would probably cost a small fortune at a spa, but here she was, getting it for free.

The commotion outside her messy oasis had calmed now. Idly she stretched out her arms, trying to make a slime-angel but without much success. Gazing wistfully upwards, toes wiggling in the glutinous ooze, she saw a pretty face appear above her. Hair the colour of dark chocolate framed a bronzed visage with a button nose and mischievous brown eyes.

Nikki gave the newcomer a congenial smile. "Hey. It's Kirsty, right?"

The Australian grinned. "Got it in one. And you must be Nikki the mole. Good to meet you properly."

"Nikki the Mole, I like that." Propping herself on her elbows, threads of slime drooling from her back, Nikki tried to peek over the barrier to where her teammates had been making their final stand. "So where is everyone? Did we get 'em all?"

Kirsty raised an eyebrow. "Not as such, no."

"So how many did we get?"

"At last count, as a rough estimate... around about none of them."

Nikki sat bolt upright, blobs jolting from her curves. "You're kidding me? After all that..."

"I know." Rocking back on her heels, Kirsty surveyed the slimy carnage. "Apparently this has never happened before. Unprecedented, they said."

Carefully Nikki clambered to her feet and stepped out of the purifier. Most of the ghouls were gathered at the room's northern side, though a few still lingered nearby, leaning against the walls and getting their breath back. Kirsty waved one over. "Hey Gwen, what were you saying about teams that make it here?"

Gwen wiped a patina of sweat from her brow, smearing her war paint and leaving a strand of pale blonde hair stuck across her forehead, before saying in a lyrical Welsh accent, "It's true, like. Most teams don't get much further than this, and those who do have, like, two or three people left, tops."

"You okay?" asked Nikki. "You look tired."

Gwen's response was emphatic. "You dunno the half of it, love. You know how much muck we're carting in these suits? Crossing the room takes it out of you, it does. Then when we get there, they go and escape. Typical, that is."

"You'll get them in the end," chirped Kirsty. "You always do." Turning to Nikki, she looked her up and down. "Call it intuition, but I'm guessing you could do with a wash? Thought so. There's a shower just through that door there. Make it quick, though."

"Why? What happens next?"

"New orders. I think it's time we gave your friends a little surprise."

*****

Jen tried the keypad one more time, somehow hoping that the twenty previous attempts were just glitches. Surprisingly enough, nothing happened. At bay, she faced the ghouls, whose awkward waddles brought them ever closer. With her back pressed against the door, it occurred to her that the damn thing would probably blow down in a mild breeze. All it would take was one little shove... She dispelled such thoughts. I mustn't just push my way through, it'd be cheating.

Wiping a handful of ooze from her forehead, she studied her pursuers, noting their eager expressions, their playful smiles, and the sound of gallons of gunk sloshing around with every step they took. The ones in cat-suits jostled at the back, impeded by two sumo-ghouls who blocked the passage entirely. The good news was that this gave her a little more time, the bad news was that it would be the big ones who got her first, and Jen knew from recent experience how messy that would be.

Elimination, here I come. I just hope Sarah gets it before this is over.

"Everything okay out there?" said a mocking voice which, Jen realised with a start, had come from the other side of the door.

No way. Don't tell me I've gone in a circle. "Sarah? That you?"

"Sure is. So... how're things? Having any problems out there?"

A smile crept to Jen's lips. It was clear from Sarah's tone that she knew all about her predicament. "One or two," she replied. "Don't suppose you could open this door?"

The ghouls inched closer. Sarah took her time in answering. "Hmm, interesting question. Thing is, I can't help but recall something you said before. Something about what you'd do next time we met?"

Jen chuckled. There's no way she's letting me off the hook this time. Even so, she played along. "Uh... nope, you must've heard wrong. If you could just open up, that'd be great. They're getting awful close."

"Really? So you didn't say something like 'I am so going to get you for that'? That doesn't ring any bells?"

The lead ghouls took aim. Jen braced her arms against the walls and squeaked as a band of oily green goo doused her from right hip to left armpit. The second blast was less accurate, thudding against the door before jerking sideways to spill over her shoulder and speckle her cheek. The sludge charting her contours was aided a heartbeat later by jets of pastel blue, one of which swished across her thighs while the other landed between her navel and bikini bottoms, spreading slime across her midriff before gliding between her breasts and splurging over her face.

Sarah went on as though nothing had happened. "How about 'Next time I see you, you're getting messy'? Still nothing?"

What must I look like? Squirming on the spot, Jen tried in vain to wipe the muck from her face. "Yeah, about that, I might've been a little... hasty."

"Promise you won't slime me," Sarah demanded, suddenly serious. "And that you'll do what I say."

Jen spun toward the door. "What?"

"You heard. Promise."

Hesitating earned Jen another gooey salvo. "Eww! Okay, okay, I promise."

"Now say it like you mean it."

She won't let me in. She just wants to hear me beg. Well, I guess it can't hurt... "I really and truly promise not to slime you. Even though you totally, totally deserve it. And, like, obey your orders. Now let me in, pretty please with sugar on top?"

Sarah snorted. "Yeah, no need to overdo it. Hurry up then."

The glare of countless monitors dazzled her. The door was open. Scarcely able to believe it, she staggered across the threshold. The ghouls at the rear of the pack tried desperately to squeeze past their bulkier comrades, but were too late. The closing door cut off their disappointed sighs. Once she'd sealed the door, Jen tottered toward the room's centre, slime streaming from her body.

"Now remember your promise!" cried Sarah, sounding almost hysterical. She had retreated to the room's far side, knuckles showing white where they clasped the back of a chair. Green eyes widened as Jen advanced a few paces. "No, you promised!"

Jen made a placating gesture. "Relax. I'm a woman of my word." Although it's not like this is life or death. Would it really matter if I slimed her? Just a little hug would do it... She sighed inwardly. It was so, so tempting, but a promise was a promise.

Sarah's anxiety eased somewhat. Releasing the chair, she edged closer. What was that pattering sound? Jen glanced down to find she'd already created a slimy puddle on the floor. "Is there anywhere round here I can get cleaned up?" she asked, beginning to feel a little self-conscious. Sarah nodded to a shower cubicle set into the opposite wall. "Cool. I may be some time."

"Don't be too long... bodyguard."

Jen looked back over her shoulder. "Umm, what?"

*****

The showers had been exactly where Sarah said they'd be. While Liz and Lena took the first turn, Annabelle loitered outside, peering at her besmirched body in amused fascination. Lucy paced back and forth nearby, lips pursed into a thoughtful frown. "What's up with you?" asked Annabelle.

"I don't get it," replied Lucy, sounding almost apologetic, "why am I so clean?"

Annabelle grinned. "Hah, I'd been meaning to ask the same thing." Save for a few lurid splashes, which had been more accidental than anything, Lucy's gorgeous figure was remarkably unblemished. With a body like that, she couldn't quite understand why Lucy had been so terrified about wearing a bikini.

"It's not like I was hiding," Lucy went on. "I even tried shielding you and Liz. It was like they just didn't want to splash me. What did it look like to you?"

"I didn't really see. I was busy having gunge thrown over me." For emphasis Annabelle swept a hand down her arm, skimming off a handful of multicoloured ooze which, with a flick of the wrist, she sent skittering across the floor.

Lucy shook her head, at a loss. "I can't work it out. They seemed eager enough before. I mean, what changed?"

"Lucky you. Looks like you've got a free pass."

"Lucky?" Lucy seemed confused. "It's not lucky. I mean, yeah, we try not to get messy, but where's the fun if you know you're safe? There's no surpr- "

With a sound like tearing wrapping paper, arms shot out from the wall and wrapped around Annabelle's bare midriff. Both girls screamed in shock. There was more tearing, and then excited breaths brushed the back of her neck.

Annabelle's mouth hung open. The ghoul had taken her completely off-guard. Tensing her shoulders, she resigned herself to a gunging... but nothing came. Instead the ghoul began to mutter and fidget. Feeling the grip loosen around her waist, Annabelle seized the chance to squirm away. A look back revealed a young woman, perhaps a couple of years her junior, half emerged from the wall. The ghoul tried to struggle free, her blonde ponytail bobbing jauntily, until at last she peeked up at Annabelle and smiled bashfully. "Um, little help?"

"Help? You want my help?"

"Come on, please? I'm stuck."

The wall around the intruder was torn, revealing it as nothing but a wax screen over a cubbyhole. After exchanging a look with Lucy, who seemed equally taken aback, Annabelle turned to the ghoul. "What's your name?"

Catching the undercurrent of mischief in the contestant's voice, the woman grimaced. "Kate," she mumbled. "I'm kind of new at this."

"Are all the walls like that?"

"Not all. Only in places."

"So you've been waiting there all this time, just hoping someone passes by?"

"Uh, not exactly. We get given an idea of where you're all heading." Kate beamed with pride. "That was how I got Tasha."

Annabelle grinned. "That was you, was it? I'm impressed."

The ghoul took a mock bow, not easy given her circumstances. "Thanks. In fairness she got me too, so it was kind of even."

"Hang on," queried Lucy. "If Tasha got you, how come you're still here?"

"Oh, we aren't eliminated the same way you are. Once we're out we go backstage, get cleaned up, have a cup of tea, then get suited up again and come back for more."

The contestants exchanged another look. "So it doesn't matter how many times we beat you," Annabelle surmised, "you'll just keep coming back?"

Kate nodded. "Afraid so. Unless of course you manage to..."

"Manage to what?"

"Oops, sorry, I'm not supposed to say. Now please could you get me out of here?"

"Hold on," said Lucy. "Just tell me one thing. Before, why was nobody trying to gunge me?"

Examining her fingernails, the ghoul chuckled. "Oh, that. I guess it can't hurt to say. You've got a fan. Jo - our leader - she really likes you. In fact, she wants to get you herself, and none of us are allowed to touch you before then."

Taking this as a compliment, Lucy tittered and glanced around, expecting Joanna at any moment.

"So come on," Kate pleaded, "help me out. Please? No tricks - ghoul's honour."

Pah! How gullible does she think I am? There's no way...

Annabelle's attempt at being resolute lasted all of three seconds.

"I'm so going to regret this." Taking Kate's hand, she helped her tear the screen a little further. They were face to face now. Annabelle was acutely aware that she had only a little blue bikini to protect her from the sprayers set beneath the ghoul's wrists, now only inches away. For the moment, though, Kate was keeping her end of the bargain. Spotting part of the ghoul's costume snagged on a corner, Annabelle leaned around and unhooked it. Tempting though it was, she resisted the urge to look backstage. The snag came free with a twanging noise, and Annabelle backed briskly away as the ghoul stepped free.

Kate stretched her slender frame, arched her back like a cat, and ran fingers through her silky hair. Annabelle waited hesitantly, knowing what was coming. "That was sweet of you," Kate said, "stupid, but sweet." With a villainous laugh she levelled her sprayers... then gasped. A vivid yellow trickle was emanating from the collar of her wetsuit.

Annabelle's smile was all sweetness and light. "You know, it was actually your ripcord that was caught. But don't worry, I sorted it for you."

Kate's eyes widened. Gunk was sluicing from her sleeves now. She made as if to speak, but then moaned. Suddenly her costume bulged, reservoirs of pressurised slime being released inwards. With her outfit preparing to self-destruct, the moan rose to a high-pitched whimper. Annabelle grabbed Lucy's hand and scampered out of range just as Kate turned into a human fountain. Arms waving, she hopped around, gloop flying everywhere.

Once the pulsing muck had subsided, Kate let out a sigh. "I was literally asking for that, wasn't I?"

Seeing the ghoul about to slink away, Lucy skipped forward. "Wait, before you go, I want you to take a message to Joanna." The words she whispered into Kate's ear were too soft for Annabelle to make out.

Once the message was imparted, Kate peered at Lucy with wide-eyed admiration. "You're sure? Wow. Okay, I'll tell her. I can't wait to see the look on her face."

"So what did you say?" asked Annabelle once Kate had left.

Laughing coquettishly, Lucy looked at her feet. "You might want to give me a wide berth," she replied, "because as of now I am so, so doomed."

*****

With Kirsty at her side, Nikki strode confidently along a subterranean passage that appeared to span the dome's entire length. Kirsty had led her here via one of the arena's apparently ubiquitous secret doors. Galleries branched out at regular intervals, interspersed by doors throbbing with the rumble of machinery. Pumping stations, mixing rooms, changing areas, broom closets, all the infrastructure that made the Splatter Dome tick was contained down here.

Nikki was spotless. Her dark mane of hair trailed level with her cherry-pink bikini top, where sequins glimmered under the ceiling's procession of spotlights. It had taken a while for her to stop tittering at her reflection and actually get in the shower, but once under the warm spray the accumulated slime had shifted easily. Getting messy was great fun, but it felt good to be clean again. Still walking, she looked to Kirsty. The mischievous Aussie stood a little shorter than average, with her slender yet athletic form clad only in a white string two-piece, skimpily cut, the colour seeming especially bright in contrast to her bronzed skin.

"Anything happen while I was away?"

Kirsty shook her head. "Not really, we've been getting set up for the next attack."

"Neat. So what's the plan? Oh, and if it's okay, it'd be awesome if I could be the one who gets Lena."

Kirsty snickered. "Not my decision, but I'm pretty sure it can be arranged. But first we've got a job to do." Reaching a crossroads, Kirsty beckoned for Nikki to follow as she veered to the left. The passage soon divided again, but Kirsty knew exactly where she was going. It was no wonder the ghouls had been able to ambush them so easily, these thoroughfares could take someone from one end of the dome to the other in minutes. The path twisted sharply and tilted upward, growing narrower the higher it climbed.

"So," asked Kirsty, "how was it being the evil traitor?"

Straightaway Nikki beamed. "Hah, loved it. Though I guess you'd know, huh?"

"It's so much fun isn't it? I heard what you did to Tasha. 'Forgetting' to tell her how to beat the ghouls? Pure evil. And pulling that last lever in the pyramid - nobody suspected a thing."

"Thanks, just doing my bit. How'd you know about that?"

"Jo filled me in. Oh, and I loved how you led Louise the wrong way. Poor girl never stood a chance."

"Um...yeah, that was kind of an accident."

"Really? Well whatever, it worked. What about the gatehouse? Right at the end, before you all escaped? Jo's convinced it was you that got Holly."

Nikki grinned at the recollection. "Yep, that was me. Once I helped her up I gave her a tiny little push, just enough to keep of her off-balance. The ghouls did the rest."

"Nice work. Y'know, out of five eliminations, you helped with three of them. Not bad going. But there's one thing I don't get, why'd you bring the key back?"

"Honestly? I'd come all this way, I didn't want the game to finish so soon."

"Hah, I'm glad. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to do this. Those girls won't know what hit them." Coming to a dead end, Kirsty called up to the ceiling. "We're ready!"

A door opened as if from nowhere, and together they stepped into a rectangular, low-ceilinged room, lit by clusters of imitation candles set into pockmarked walls of dark grey stone. Nikki guessed they were back in the catacombs. A six-foot burgundy stripe sliced across an otherwise featureless floor, dividing the room into neat halves. Truth be told, she'd expected something a bit grander.

"This is the big surprise you were talking about?"

Kirsty weighed her words carefully. "Sort of. It's a bit complicated. See, the ghouls are a superstitious lot. When things don't go well, like in that last attack, they get kinda nervy. We're here to fix that." Skipping to the far wall, she began tugging open a series of oversized bolt locks bordering a wide alcove, almost like a fireplace but much too big. "Give us a hand, will you?"

Still none the wiser, Nikki dutifully helped with the locks. A faint scent of oil conjured pleasant memories - she'd always had a fondness for motorcycles, and those who rode them. "Superstitious how?"

Kirsty thought for a moment, unsure how to phrase things. "Well, when things don't work out, they think it's because their idol's angry at them." She grinned on seeing the look Nikki gave her. "Come on, play along. So what they do is they give it - their idol - an offering, to make things okay again. That's where we come in."

Something about this wasn't quite right. "So what, we have to give the offering?"

The last bolt snapped back. Kirsty peeked back at her. "We are the offering."

"What?"

Nikki backed away a few paces, but Kirsty slinked after her, eyes gleaming. "Or at least, one of us is. There's only room for one extra villain around here... which makes one of us expendable. But don't worry, I don't decide who. We've got some totally impartial helpers to sort things out."

Seeing Kirsty's gaze flick past her shoulder, Nikki turned around... and promptly creased up laughing. Tasha, Louise and Holly stood in a semicircle around her. How they'd entered so quietly was anyone's guess. All wore white shorts and t-shirts bearing the Splatter Dome logo, and their determined grins told Nikki she was in for it, whatever 'it' was.

Kirsty clapped her hands together. "Girls, you know what to do."

Nikki let out a wordless murmur as her former teammates swarmed in. Gleefully they ushered her across the chamber, to where the burgundy strip ran across the floor. While Nikki blushed, unsure what to say, they lifted her feet from the ground and lowered her into a reclining position. As she sat up, Nikki felt the ground move a little, as though on rollers. Realisation dawned: she was perched atop a conveyor belt. Only now did she notice the long pool-noodle barriers that bordered each side of the strip, with another running lengthwise down the middle. There were two separate conveyors set side by side.

Still grinning, Kirsty set herself down in the lane beside Nikki and placed a hand on her shoulder. "So, what do you suppose happens now?"

The women she'd helped eliminate stood over her. Nikki gave them a pensive smile. "Uhh... something tells me it's payback time."

There was no gloating in Kirsty's laugh; she was treating this as though unveiling a surprise party. "Any idea how?"

How? Nikki noticed she'd been set facing the recently-unlocked alcove. Just then a motor's whirr began. It came from beyond the wall, but lower, beneath the level of the floor. Soon it was replaced by a series of slow mechanical groans, the source of which rose until they came from ground level. Something was behind the wall. A rattling trundle began.

"Is this really necessary?" she pleaded, trying not to laugh.

Tasha's replay was emphatic. "Oh I really think it is."

With a hiss of pistons the alcove divided, wall panels folding inward. Blackness wreathed the space beyond, and from it dry ice gusted like winter mist, wisps coiling around Nikki's feet. A shiver of anticipation ran down her back. Something about this was awfully familiar. "Is this what I think it is?"

Kirsty winked. "Sure is. The team's earned a visit from the blob. Thing is, it needs... feeding before it'll go after the others."

"Feeding?" Remembering what had happened to Louise back in the pyramid, Nikki looked to the blonde - who bobbed her eyebrows and nodded. Nikki felt goose bumps rise on her arms. "Why can't we just release it?"

Kirsty gave an exaggerated sigh. "C'mon, don't bring logic into this. Rules are rules." Again she clapped her hands. "Alright, girls, Nikki's looking way too clean over here. Let's do this." At that, Tasha and Holly scampered to the wall to the alcove's left, where they drew back a screen to reveal a set of cogs set above an indent bearing a series of spouts, much like drink dispensers at a fast food restaurant. Beneath each spout was a wide-brimmed bowl, and at each end of the cogs was a crankshaft. As Nikki peered at them, still trying to comprehend what was happening, Kirsty leaned in to explain. "See, once we start this up, my conveyor's gonna go at one steady speed, right? Yours though, yours is a bit slower."

"Won't that mean...?"

"Uh-huh. If nothing changes, I'll be the one going in. Thing is, yours is only going slower 'cos the mechanism's weighed down. If your friends lighten the load, it'll speed up."

Nikki was starting to see where this was going. She pointed toward the cogs. "Let me guess - those guys turn the handles, slime falls into the bowls, I roll faster. Right?"

"Bingo. They'll need to work fast though." Kirsty tapped her chin as though thinking. "Bet they'll need to empty those bowls a few times, too. Wonder where they'll chuck it all?"

Seeing the devilish smirk Tasha was giving her, Nikki gave a laughing groan and lay back on the conveyor, her flowing dark hair soft against her shoulders. "Hah, I'm so screwed, aren't I?" Leaning toward Kirsty, she propped herself on one elbow. "Hey, how'd they get all this set up? I was meant to be eliminated by now. They can't have known I'd be here."

Kirsty rolled onto her side to match Nikki's pose. "Not just a pretty face, are ya? Yeah, back at the purifier I was meant to grab Lucy and bring her here for Jo. That didn't exactly work out."

Nikki nodded ruefully. "And you can't waste good slime, right?"

Kirsty's dark eyes twinkled. "Right."

Meanwhile, Louise had tiptoed gingerly across the conveyors and taken position to the alcove's right, where another panel had flicked open to reveal a small red lever. Tucking her hair behind one ear, the demure blonde took hold of the lever and smiled back at Nikki. "Hope you're ready for this," she called. "Just say when."

The void held Nikki's gaze, its blackness almost hypnotic. Something was in there. Something was waiting. Slowly she sat upright, running her hands through her hair while shaking her head at the insanity of it all. There was movement in the darkness now, the whispering of hidden stagehands preceding a series of clunks, then the squeak of plastic and a grinding of axles. Slowly a hulking silhouette materialised from the gloom, its surface glistening under slanting beams of greenish light.

"Hah, you've got to be kidding me!" With a shiver Nikki remembered the moments before Louise was eliminated, how she'd wanted a better look at the blob monster. It seemed her wish was about to be granted.

Kirsty gave Nikki a teasing smirk. "What do you say? Ready for the gunge?"

Nikki checked her bathing suit, ensuring everything would stay in place on her journey, and took a deep breath. Adrenaline pulsed through her system, but the thought of running never even occurred to her. Seeing the eagerness on her companions' faces helped settle her nerves. Fearlessly she gave Louise the thumbs-up, and with a theatrical flourish the blonde did the honours. Cheers rang out. The conveyors lurched into motion. Tossing her head in laughing embarrassment, Nikki flung up her arms and added an ironic cheer of their own. What have I let myself in for?

Flaring spotlights revealed the full magnificent preposterousness of the blob's design. It couldn't have been less convincing if it had 'Made in Taiwan' stamped on its forehead. One part Jabba the Hutt, one part raspberry, its entire front was an immense toad-like face, though one of the paper plates that served as eyes looked in danger of falling off. For all its tackiness, and much like the arena itself, Nikki couldn't help but be charmed by its sheer adorable awfulness. Slime drooled over the thing's surface, while the jerking tentacles that fringed it like a centurion's crest stood ready to shoot slop at a moment's notice. Nikki scarcely noticed. It was the mouth that held her attention. Bordered by a thick, rubbery mandible, the cavernous gap spanned much of the creature's lower half. Within lay a churning pool of lilac slime, and the crawling conveyors fed directly into it.

Nikki shook her head in disbelief. "Oh my God, we're gonna get gobbled."

Kirsty gave Nikki's hand a squeeze. "Hope you're ready, 'cos this is going to get mucky."

Gurgling sounds from the blob were punctuated by the hiss of hydraulics. Nikki tensed - this surely heralded the start of the sliming.

She wasn't wrong.

A tentacle twitched, spurting bright pink ooze high into the air. Instinctively Nikki moved her hands in front of her face, but it turned out she was out of range, the slime raining instead onto the conveyor. Meanwhile, Tasha and Holly had begun turning the crankshafts as fast as they could, while Louise skipped warily away, wanting to keep some distance between herself and the blob, and moved to the far wall before daring to cross back over the moving conveyors and join the others.

Nikki found herself staring at where splash-marks on the barriers marked the extent of the blob's reach. Her feet would pass that point within seconds. Feelings of excitement and nervous anticipation warred within her. As in the purifier, things were out of her hands. Either her friends would get their revenge or they wouldn't, but either way she wouldn't get out of this clean.

The right-hand conveyor had begun to pull ahead. Sitting up, Kirsty hunched a little, hands covering her mouth. A shrill squeak rang out when a pressurised lance of green goo shot forth, splattering beneath Kirsty's bikini top and flickering out from her sides, a few gel-like blobs tickling Nikki's feet.

Seeing her opponent wiping her slime-streaked midriff, Nikki wiggled her toes and grinned. "Hey Kirsty, you know one good thing about all this? Win or lose, you're gonna get it way worse than I am."

Just then a buzzer sounded. Kirsty peeked back. "Hah, you sure about that?"

Slurps sounded from the dispensers, where slime now gushed into the waiting bowls. Nikki let out a wordless murmur on feeling her conveyor speed up a fraction - and again on seeing Tasha, Holly and Louise moving toward her, bowls balanced in their hands.

Then the blob paused. The ludicrous puppet seemed to quiver with pent-up pressure, the juddering moving upward until its crest of squat tentacles jerked and roiled, unseen puppeteers desperately trying to make them appear animated. Realising they were both well within range, Nikki and Kirsty exchanged an 'Oh crap' look before cowering back as flurries of foamy, bubblegum-pink ooze surged forth. Kirsty squealed, face turning away; the stuff had coated half her head, leaving wet hair clinging to her cheek. Now came Nikki's turn - she watched, entranced, as melting bands wrapped thick and creamy over her long legs, with gooey gobbets speckling her toned stomach and bikini bottoms. Her head tipped back, mouth forming a startled 'o' shape - and then bowls of slop came pouring over her, buttercup yellow and cerulean blue draping slick sashes across her body.

While Louise and Holly whooped with glee, Tasha's effort was, to put it mildly, less accurate. Swinging her bowl wildly, she splashed orange slop in a broad arc, with a good portion being dumped straight onto Louise's feet. Seeing the look her companion gave her, Tasha mumbled a half-hearted apology.

Nikki was about to comment when, with a wicked laugh, Tasha knelt beside her and drizzled the bowl's remaining contents the length of her body, starting at her feet and ending in her hair. While Nikki chuckled and squirmed, Tasha grinned at her handiwork. "Look at that. Turns out I'm better at this stuff when I know all the rules. Not like - argh!"

Pink spatters blasted the left half of Tasha's body, sullying her white clothes and leaving the voluptuous brunette open-mouthed with shock. In her eagerness she'd put herself in the blob's firing line.

The same barrage had thundered over Nikki's stomach, the furthest spatters reaching her chest this time. While the dwindling jets spilled the last of their payload over her shins, she smirked up at Tasha. "So, about you being good at this...."

Tasha gave a pretend-glare and then hurried back to the cogs. Meanwhile, the conveyor continued its relentless march. That monstrous mouth drew ever nearer.

Assailed by gooey sensation, a strange sense of detachment enveloped Nikki. She pictured how this would look from above - her laying out as though sunbathing even as gunk burst all over her. Hope there's an overhead camera up there. All was chaos and flashes of colour, goo arcing in great flickering crescents or jetting in narrow, focussed beams that swished like lasers. Splashes and splatters sounded all around, mixed with groans from her former teammates. Clearly nobody was being spared.

Up ahead, Kirsty writhed amid the sprays. With pink slime gushing over her slender figure she threw up her arms and whooped, liquid tassels skittering from the little white triangles of her bikini top.

The nearer they got to the blob, the more of its seemingly endless array of sprayers opened fire. Most were little stronger than those on tubes of whipped cream, but their sheer volume was enough to douse Nikki and Kirsty in a shifting kaleidoscope of paint-like gloop, predominantly pink but with flashes of greens, yellows, purples and blues mixed in. It was like laying amid liquid fireworks. By now her vision was restricted to brief glimpses between wiping at the mess pouring down her face. Propping herself on her elbows, Nikki rubbed the top of one goo-spattered foot against the sole of the other. A roll of her shoulders sent cool gunk slipping through her cleavage and on down her stomach.

There was another rush of mess from the dispensers. Again the conveyor sped up. Now she and Kirsty were moving at the same speed. Kirsty was a few feet ahead, with around half the distance still to travel. It was strange to see so much of Kirsty's back still clean, though by now the slime from the tentacles was arriving from overhead, and now pink rivers began to slither down the furrow of her spine. Kirsty laughed as though being tickled. The two exchanged a nervous grin, each trying to work out how many gear changes it would take for Nikki to overtake, and whether there was enough time remaining. It was going to be close.

A barrage from her teammates disturbed Nikki's calculations. They'd spread out this time, and with her body at an angle, a helping of custard spurted all along her back before splashing around her hips, leaving slick streaks along her thighs. There was a triumphant cry from Holly, who must've angled around behind her. Shuddering and murmuring, her long hair congealing into sodden ropes, Nikki watched custard trickle forward over her collarbones, then gave a laughing yelp as twin helpings of orange and blue ooze slathered her left side from face to thigh.

Once again Tasha has got a bit over-eager. Some of the arcing orange ooze had overshot, the ensuing splash prompting a startled yelp from Holly. With an apologetic grimace, Tasha made an 'oops' gesture before hurrying back to the crankshafts, trying and failing to conceal a chuckle as she did so.

Louise's bowl was still half full. Grinning, she poised it above Nikki's head. "Tell me something. You could've gunged me loads of times in the pyramid. Why didn't you?"

It was hard for Nikki to think with all that was going on. Her shrug made a host of slimy streams change course. "You, uh, you were so on-edge. I didn't want you getting slimed 'til you'd loosened up."

Louise's expression softened. "Aww... thanks." She looked thoughtfully at the half-full bowl before tossing the remaining slime at Kirsty instead.

While Kirsty peered back in confusion, no doubt wondering where the cobalt-blue gunge that had just slathered her lower back came from, the former contestants regrouped at the dispensers. Louise and Tasha turned the crankshafts while Holly made sure the bowls were aligned beneath each of the spouts.

While cranking the handle, Tasha beamed dreamily. "Hey Nikki, hope you're having fun back there, 'cos we sure are. If I'd known being eliminated meant I'd get to mess you up, I'd have done it sooner."

Nikki smirked. "Let's face it, Tasha, you were never gonna last long."

Tasha thought for a moment, presumably remembering how she'd slept though the pre-game briefing, then nodded. "Yep, can't argue there."

Just then a tortured creak sounded from the mechanism. "Tasha, wait!" cried Louise. "You're turning it the wrong way!"

Cogs and crankshafts juddered violently as the machine behind the wall seized up. The three girls froze in place, staring at each other - then screamed as gouts of gunge blasted from the dispensers. The result was like holding a spoon beneath a kitchen tap, the goo splashing from the bowls in all directions - much of it hurtling up Holly's chest, befouling her once-white t-shirt and streaking tiger-stripes up her face.

Nikki wobbled backwards as her conveyor accelerated. Her heart raced. She was going faster than Kirsty now. If she overtook her she was finished, but which of them would reach the blob first? She still couldn't tell.

While Tasha muttered embarrassed excuses, Louise and Holly fiddled with the machine. Gunge seethed and squirting out from every crack and seam, spattering the fumbling women, but the cogs just sat there limply. No amount of turning the handles seemed able to shift them.

"Oh no, don't tell me we've broken it," Holly muttered.

Meanwhile, Kirsty laughed and clapped her hands together. "One job, guys! You had one job!"

Blinking blobs away from her eyes, Nikki tried to work out who was doomed. She was gaining on Kirsty, but the Aussie's feet were perilously close to the blob. Her gaze flicked back and forth, gauging their speeds, judging how much track remained. Wait... aha! With a carefree whoop she threw up her arms. "Haha! Yes! Too bad, girls - looks like my luck still hasn't run out."

There were groans from the others, along with mirthful whimpers from Kirsty, who by now had come to the same conclusion. It would be Kirsty going into the slime.

Hands on hips, Holly turned toward Tasha. "Okay, Tasha. You know what to do. Plan B."

Eyes widening, Tasha began to object. In the face of her teammates determined grins, however, she sagged, defeated. "Ugh. Okay."

Giggling playfully and wiggling her shoulders, Nikki kept celebrating despite the blob continuing to gunge her. Suddenly there was movement behind her. Tanned legs slid into view beside her own. Her mouth dropped open upon feeling someone - most definitely a woman - press their chest against her back. "Surprise," cooed Tasha.

Nikki's response devolved to a squeal as she went sliding forward. Tasha was perched behind her as though they were riding a toboggan, and was gently pushing Nikki along the slimy conveyor while muttering as the blob's non-stop barrage began to cover her.

Mind whirling, Nikki laughed and flailed her arms. "Haha - no! No fair!"

She was alongside Kirsty now. The messy brunette flashed a smile, and the two hi-fived as Nikki slid past. Tasha drew back, shifted onto her knees, placed her hands behind Nikki's shoulders - and pushed. Feeling herself skid forward on the slippery floor, Nikki squirmed and wiped at her face... but then gaped in shocked delight on feeling gel-like ooze surge between her toes. Her feet had reached the blob's mouth. Translucent green gel sprayed from the upper mandible, peppering her stomach and licking beneath her bikini top.

"Oh my God, this is..."

The sight of her legs slowly feeding into the pool rendered Nikki speechless. With the onslaught of gunge continuing unabated, she flopped flat on her back, fingers interlaced behind her head. Coloured swirls danced over her skin, the concoction slipping down her sides to pool beneath her. The sensation, coupled with the motion of the conveyor, felt like floating on a river of syrup. She'd known from the outset that the traitor's role was always risky, and that they tended to get a spectacularly messy comeuppance - indeed, that was part of the appeal - but she hadn't imagined anything like this.

As her knees slid into the mire, Nikki sat up again. The blob's surface was only inches in front of her face. Gunk flew thick and fast, sloppy tendrils seething over her shoulders. "I-I can't believe this is happening," she moaned, voice thick with mirth even as her thighs began sinking into the goo.

Someone wiped handfuls of mess across her face, and for a few seconds Nikki's world was carved from amethyst. "Believe it, girl," crowed Tasha.

Chest trembling beneath lashings of green gunge, a sense of mild hysteria gripped Nikki. Coloured foam billowed like chimney smoke from high on the blob, descending in feather-light flurries of blissfully cool slush that left Nikki writhing. The conveyors stopped the moment her hips sank into the shallow pool, leaving her top half reclined at a forty-five degree angle.

Crouching around her, her companions began playing with Nikki's hair. She peered up at them as though in a daze. "So are we even now?"

There was exultant glee in Holly's voice. "Not quite."

Nikki gave a resigned sigh as she was nudged deeper into the pool. Playing along, she wiggled her hips, letting herself slide into that cavernous mouth until her head nestled on its cushioned lip. Lilac ooze caressing her body like liquid silk. Exhaling, Nikki let herself relax. Slowly the barrage of gloop abated, but she wasn't fooled. They're not done with me yet. There's always green slime before the end. Always the green. An upward glance revealed an array of spouts set into the roof of the blob's mouth. Definitely not done with me yet.

Seeming not to mind that the floor was awash with gunk, everyone else had gathered outside the blob for a better view. "Get ready," Louise sang, "any second now."

Seconds stretched. Why had the blob stopped? Had it broken down? Surely they wouldn't bring her this far only to let her go? Nikki was already picturing watching this scene with her friends back home, she didn't want an anti-climax. Gradually she realised that whoever controlled the blob was waiting for Kirsty's signal.

Understanding the look Nikki gave her, Kirsty smiled. "Nikki," she said, "you've been a fantastic sport, but I think you know what has to happen now." She nodded to some unseen watcher. "Gunge her!"

There was a hiss of releasing pressure. Nikki wriggled excitedly, lifted her hands, and then it was as though a rainbow dissolved above her. Gallon after gallon rained down, rattling the pool into a raging tempest. Amid riots of colour, Nikki thrashed for all she was worth, trying to deflect as much muck as possible over the others. Reduced to bewildered laughter, she slid fully into the slime. For a moment all was creamy darkness. It was like wriggling in a bath of yoghurt. Pushing her head to the surface, she shook slippery tides away from her face and rolled onto her front, mess squelching as her hands moved to prop her chin above the rippling ooze. Seeing the others in hysterics, she rose onto her knees and jokily stuck her tongue out at them, arms waving defiantly, only to disappear beneath a pillar of green slime. Nikki hadn't thought it physically possible to be this messy. Slime splurged over and around her, coating her like a second skin. She re-emerged just as her comrades exacted yet more messy vengeance, their splashes sending Nikki sprawling backwards into the sludge.

Speakers crackled into life. "Nikki has been eliminated."

Holly sat up and dusted her hands. "Now we're even."

Slowly the downpour ended, the dregs pattering into the roiling pool. Sputtering, Nikki clambered onto all fours, wobbling stalactites drooling from her curves, and scanned the gunk-spattered women who'd done this to her.

"Phew. Umm, girls, what can I say? It's been messy."

*****

Liz swept back the shower curtain in a needlessly dramatic fashion and strode out into the corridor. That's it. No more gunge. This time I'm staying clean. Approaching Lucy and Annabelle, she gestured back to the showers. "All yours. Lena's on her way out." Then she spotted the torn wall. "And what happened here?"

Annabelle sauntered past on her way to the washroom. "Oh, not much. Beat off an ambush, questioned a captive, and Lucy's basically signed her own elimination warrant. Same old."

Perplexed, Liz looked to Lucy, who nodded proudly.

"Erm... how long was I in there?"

*****

Once she'd cleaned herself up and put some proper clothes on, Kirsty returned to the operations room, where some sort of meeting was underway between a cluster of ghouls and a few technicians.

Perched on the corner of a desk, Joanna stared aghast. "She said what?"

In front of her, clad in a dressing gown, stood Kate, one of the newest ghouls. Her hair was wet, and traces of yellow gunge lingered behind her ear and above her elbow. Looking rather sheepish, she repeated the message. "Lucy... ahem, Lucy says she'll take whatever you can throw at her, that she's beaten you twice already and that she'll gladly do it again. She says, uh, she says that she'll happily take us all on. She asked me to tell you that exactly."

At the desk behind them, Belle and the man in black were trying their best not to chuckle. Joanna shook her head. "The girl's mad." She shot a glance behind her. "I can hear you, you know." With the pair suddenly engrossed in technical readouts, Joanna stood up and directed her ire on the others. "Right, this has gone on long enough. A team gets this far and still has six members left? Six! And one hasn't even had a drop on her! Are we so off our game, or are they really that good? Don't answer that, it was rhetorical. Whichever it is, it ends now. Now we give them the works. Spread the word. I'm leading the next attack myself. No more picking them off in ones and twos, this time we wipe them out. All of them. And scrap what I said before - I want anyone and everyone gunging Lucy. I want her drenched, you hear? I want her swimming in the stuff! You all know your places? Then get out there and slime someone!"

Their spirits buoyed, the ghouls bounded back toward the arena. Kirsty made to follow, but Joanna tapped her on the shoulder. "Sorry about the theatrics," she said, suddenly calm, "just my way of motivating the team."

"No worries. Looks like it worked."

"Oh, they don't take it all that seriously. Nobody does. But I must say I'm looking forward to catching up with Lucy."

"Nothing like a worthy opponent, right?"

"Hah, something like that. So how'd the 'feeding' go?"

Kirsty grinned. "Like clockwork. The blob thing's already off looking for seconds."

"Good, who's it going for?"

"Who d'ya think?"

"Ha-ha, it's about time. Come to think of it, I've thought of another job for you."

"Awesome. Will I need my cossie again?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Knowing you, probably yes. Still interested?"

"All ears."

A few minutes later and Kirsty was again striding down the underground passage, a dozen Gunge Ghouls at her back. While the contestants above crept through labyrinthine corridors, Kirsty and her minions had already overtaken them. Her heart fluttered with anticipation; her big moment was fast approaching. Just as Melissa had guarded the entry to the palace, so Kirsty would protect the exit. At least that was the plan. Kirsty, however, had an agenda of her own.

Would they have sent me if they knew what I was planning? Maybe. Maybe not.

Ghouls began breaking off from the column, heading back to the arena. Soon Kirsty walked alone. Peeling off her shirt, she tossed it over her shoulder without looking back. On reaching her turnoff she took the right hand passage and began ascending. She left her jeans at the last crossroads before her destination. She'd inadvertently started this trend of wearing swimwear - as a practical joke, at first - and was going to face the arena every bit as scantily dressed as her opponents.

Kirsty was nothing if not sporting. The contestants were all but finished unless they managed to find her and slime her, and she was going to give them the opportunity to do just that. That didn't mean she'd make it easy for them though, quite the opposite. Cresting the ramp, she re-entered the palace and gazed in wonder at her surroundings. The set designers had really gone to town here. A wicked smile appeared on her lips.

I love playing villains.

To Be Continued....