Matthew and Genessee watched Capri float uncomfortably in the tank, the snake's body coiled around her legs and filled up most of the empty space. There were several wheels left to turn, full of possibilities, good and detrimental. Matthew didn't waste any more time.
"Spin them all!"
Genessee hesitated, looking from the tank to the wall of wheels.
"Just do it!"
Their hands were covered in rust. Sounds of splashing erupted from the tank, but neither of them dared to check what caused it. Only a couple wheels remained, and as soon as Matthew turned the next wheel in his hands he knew he'd hit the mark.
Water flooded the floor, accompanied by tiny leech creatures. The tank was draining! One of the glass doors had flung open allowed the mess to dump out. Capri, still unconscious and soaking wet, rolled onto the floor.
Genessee maneuvered around the snake and started unwrapping its grip from Capri's legs. Luckily, the snake didn't seem too interested in clinging and lazily slithered about the room. When it got close to Matthew he kicked it away, "Egh..."
"She's not breathing," Genessee pushed Capri onto her back and started pressing into her diaphragm. When that didn't seem to be working, Matthew shooed Genessee aside and pressed down, more like a hard punch to the chest. Capri's mouth sprayed, coating Matthew and Genessee in a mist of spit and water. She coughed and gasped for air.
"Splendid..." Matthew wiped his face.
"What happened?" Capri's voice was hoarse, "You ended up saving me after all? Do you know where we are?"
Genessee shook her head, "Not a clue. Whoever put us here said you had a key in there with you. Did you find it?"
Capri's long brown hair almost touched her hips, and she rang it out like a towel. A leech fell out, and for a second, it looked like Capri would pass out again.
"It was a key card I think," Capri said, "But... I lost track of it after I... well, passed out."
Matthew searched the empty tank for anything other than leeches and blood residue, but no luck. The girls followed suit in searching the rest of the room where the water spread. Their shoes were soaking and covered in leech guts from stomping on the little buggers.
"I'm not finding anything," Genessee sighed.
"It has to be in here," Matthew said.
Without warning, all of them heard shouting. A man's screaming somewhere far away sounding like it was getting closer and closer. Matthew approached one of the doors, this one had no way to lock or unlock, but someone was definitely on the other side.
And then, it opened. A dark-haired fellow with a matching beard had somehow opened the door from the other side and slammed right into Matthew. The two of them yelled at each other before scrambling back to their feet.
"Who are you!" the man said. He had a small knife in his hand and a key card!
"Hang on," Matthew put his hands up, "Don't go shanking me, now."
"You," the man pointed the knife at the girls, "You're all trapped here too...?"
They nodded. It didn't take long to realize the room the man had stumbled into was another trap-like setting. He calmed, "What happened to you guys?"
The man was out of breath, and his eyes were wild. Matthew didn't want to know where he just came from.
"Not good stuff," Matthew said, "Is that a key card?"
"Yeah, I got it to open one door, and this one..."
"Let's get out of here!" Capri tried to push the man out of the way, but he grabbed her by the arms.
"No!" he pleaded, "Do NOT go that way. You don't want to, trust me."
"Then try the key card on the other door," Genessee suggested.
Matthew observed the man attempt to open the door, worry filling his gut. The man had blood splattered on his clothing and was twitching like dying animal.
"Who are you?" Matthew asked.
"I'm Ethan. You?"
"Matthew, Genessee, and Capri."
"You all friends?" Ethan asked.
Matthew shook his head, "I didn't know them before... all this."
"I didn't know the girl with me either," Ethan muttered. The key card refused to work and the door stayed sealed tight. Ethan flung the card to the ground and cursed loudly. "We need to keep moving! There's something terrible back there..."
"We were supposed to get our own key card," Genessee explained, "But..."
"We can't find it," Capri finished.
"Damn, damn, damn..." Ethan pressed his forehead against the door.
Hope deflated from the room. Genessee and Capri kept searching every dark corner, just in case. Though, nothing resembling a key card or a key was anywhere in plain sight. Matthew leaned against the wall, keeping a close eye on Ethan when the snake circled back after making a full lap around the room. It's dark and scaly body glided with ease through the layer of water.
"Oh..." Matthew pressed his lips together.
"What is it?" Genessee asked.
"There is one place we haven't looked."
Matthew extended a hand out to Ethan, who eyed his suspiciously.
"Let me borrow the knife."
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