*The animated dummy collapsed to the floor, a puppet with cut strings. From over the fallen girl, the waiting minions began to drool, a clear thick fluid dropping in spatters among the water, a few drops landing on the girl, leaving sticky smears. Resusci Anne jerked and jumped like an electrified fish, before her arms bent backwards, and she scampered across the slick tiles toward the lockers like an obscene humanoid crab, face twisted to keep red glowing eyes on the girl in the corner, mouth open in a keening cry, like a deflating balloon with the mouth held shut.*

The mists swirl about me, everywhere the hot hissing water pours from the overhead nozzles to splatter upon the floor. The hideous doll lost in the swirling mists of steam. Gathering me self up I head for the shower exit…an me towel aiming to get out of this madhouse as soon as possible. Stepping along the edge of spray I wince as the super heated water scalds me foot and calf. Now, the lesson learned, I move cautiously round one circle of water after another. Still I see no crazy doll, wondering if me eyes an mind have been playing tricks ‘gain. Wondering if I sleep while yet another nightmare begins.

The water pounds the tiles behind me as I grab the fluffy white towel an wrap it round me dripping wet body. I begin to inch me way to the doorframe, the one that leads to the lockers an me stuff. Water pools ‘bout me feet as it runs from me body in rivulets. Another substance seems to cling to me…sticky, unclean….something to be dealt with at another time. For now the path is clear, to gain freedom from this place, an run…run like the wind to the dorm an leave it all behind.

*With a spine chilling shriek, the three manikins on the ceiling dropped to the floor, tongues lashing out like whips, trying to snag the fleeing girl by her ankles. As the monstrosities behind her revealed themselves, Resusci Anne appeared again, standing in her path. The red eyed doll gently held a towel wrapped package, as if cradling a child. Caught between the three fanged horrors, and the strange CPR dummy, the girl was rapidly running out of options.*

"Such a beautiful girl.....hair like fire....breasts like ripe melons....with such beautiful ornaments....rings for pulling....a collar for leading....hmm?....yes Master....soon....soon..."

*The whispering doll seemed to be speaking almost tenderly to the bundle in its arms, even as it moved with inhuman grace to keep her from escaping.*

I stood…losing precious time as I gazed in horror at the creatures that blocked me paths. The gentle voice with its sing song play as it almost sang the words to me….the rhymes, the strangeness all so crazy I could do naught for those few seconds.

I screamed…the words echoing over the falling water. “Leave me alone…I ain’t like that as god is me witness…Jus…Jus go away an let me be…..!” I didn’t want no pulling on me rings…an the collar…no, I lead…not others. If they wanted fire, then I will give them fire. Hopefully I had not wasted too much time. Banishing the fear, the terror an uttering a prayer I struck out, aiming to get by the doll that should not now be a walking an a talking.

*As the girl moved to the strike the CPR dummy, Resusci Anne threw the bundle up in the air, her arms stretching into sucker covered tentacles as she stepped forward to meet the nude girl. The three manikins behind her scuttled forward, whining pitifully as they lashed their long prehensile tongues at her legs and waist, the lengths just reaching her as the CPR dummy sent its tentacles whipping toward her with a hiss of displaced air.*

"No escape....nowhere to run...this time I'm the one who's going to push you down....touch your chest....turnaround is fairplay...don't you think?"

*The bundle flew up into the steamy air, vanishing in the roiling clouds. In the heat of the moment the strangest things seem to register...such as the lack of a bundle coming down.*

A shifting of the thing in front of me, changing the way she looks right before me eyes. The long whip like arms his in the air an I know…know from personal experience this is gonna hurt…but there is no going back, the sick twisted things closing from behind me. I throw up me arms to ward off the blows as best I can…the whip like tentacles hitting me forearms an wrapping round to strike as the towel round me body.

“ARRHHH” the pain jumps up me arms, shoulders tensing with it as it slams into the base of me skull an sends me jumping. I can feel the towel rip as the tips of her appendages cut an then grip it. The fabric rips an flows downwards tangling in me legs as I move.

Momentum drives me forwards as the towel keeps me foot from the nessary step. Falling … Tucking, right shoulder first…air drivin from me lungs as I roll. A bruise tomorrow, as time slows an I react to the multiple problems, on me front….legs twisted in the fabric round me ankles…One arm lashes out, finds the ankle of the thing an sweeps it form the floor….another twisting roll, lashing out to get the towel away from round me ankles.

“take that” a small wrap of cloth fluttering to the floor beside me...

*Resusci Anne fell to the floor, sucker lined tentacles still wrapped around the girl's arms. The moments it took her to knock the dummy down, are seconds she didn't have to spare, as the long tongued monstrosities catch up to her, tongues wrapping around both ankles, and a third her waist, pulling her back toward the showers. From the steam shrouded ceiling comes the faint sound of cloth tearing and ripping.*

A low, rough voice emanates from one of the long tongued manikins,

"When children play, the toys obey. Given with love, their parents say. The toys you love, cuddle, and hold, with time they too may grow bold. Hold them dear and love them true, for the time will come when they play with you."

*The slimy tongues squeeze her ankles tightly, before the manikins reverse direction, trying to pull her off her feet.*

The soft thump is a welcome relief, one down…time to run…scampering to me feet an kicking the towel free. Slick an wet, sum thing wraps its way round an ankle…I pull, screaming now as I try to move away.

The words haunt me, chilling in thar manner…their potential meaning….an yet another slimy thing wraps round me waist. Me arms held as I try to overpower the creatures. Yet their strength gets greater. The wraps growing tighter…coiling about me. Me tummy is pulled flatter, smaller…as the malice of evil grips me very heart in its own cold embrace.

“Nooooo” falling…nothing to breack the fall but a hip…shoulder blades….an finally head. I lay upon the cold tiles, naked, an wrapped up in living cords of flesh like appendages. Squirming….panic starting to settle upon me as I feel the tiles move below me body…back towards the scalding water of the showers. “stoppppp, hottttt, hurrtttsss” I fear for me life, certain they intend to roast me in the pulsing water. RIght then I wish to hold nothing dear but the crucifix round me throat.

*The demented dolls drag the writhing girl through the hot streams of water quickly, giving her a scalding spray before slinging her into the wall, safely underneath the steaming nozzles. The tongues release the girl, to trail through the steaming pool of water on the floor. As her attention is drawn to the three manikins, Resusci Anne rises from the floor, tentacles bursting from her waist, leaving her a mockery of some creature half mermaid, half demonic octopus. Tentacles flicker out from the writhing mass, spinning the unused shower taps rapidly, adding more scalding water to the growing pool on the floor, the steam thickening to a nigh opaque mass.*

"One, two, I see you. Three, four, on the floor. Five, six, brought down by sticks. Seven, eight, to meet your fate. Nine, ten, let the game begin."

*The low, rough voice seems to come from the steam clouded ceiling, as the sound of ripping and tearing fabric continues. The three manikins and Resusci Anne fade into the thickening cloud, the sound of the tongue dolls whine echoing faintly in the tiled chamber.*

Pain lances through the pores of me back….me bum…me legs as the scalding water hits soft sensitive skin. They drag me ‘gainst me wishes through the valley of geysers…me fingers trying to gouge into the slick tiles of the floor to no avail. Like a puppet I am tossed through the air smacking the far wall with a deafening thud only to slide down its surface an onto the floor. Me world tilts an spins…more pain….why….why….

With pulse racing beneath the black leather collar about me throat I pick me self up slowly of the floor…knees under me…up on wobbly arms…slowly…slowly rising back up with joints to protest an ache. Yet me only chance is to run…to find a way out of this prison of water.

A voice the same as all the other times sings its demented song. I can feel the eyes upon me flesh, feel them as I cross me arm o’er me naked breasts. There are things that are jus wrong…an I ain’t no floozy that flaunts her wares like a common street hawker….I don’t flaunt them at all. With the other hand I reach out an with a screeching protest ‘gin to close the first of the shower nozzles off….

With me back ‘gainst the wall an me hand an arm covering me bosom I scoot along the tiled surface…careful to stay out of the scalding circle of heat. Another jet of water ceases its life. The swirling mists still hiding anything that may be out there. The hideous voice jibbers on in the manner it does.

“Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil….” The horrible fear that grips me heart lessons as its hold is swayed by the prayer. I ‘member now that me lord walks beside me…that I need not face life alone. Standing straighter I work me way to the next shutoff…faster this time….hand back…protecting me from the unseen eyes careful to keep them averted from me charms of gold. Breathing slower I move further down the wall…the steam clouds lesson as the water jets are turned off one by one…..

The prayer continues. “thy rod an thy staff comfort me……”

"Oh, my rod will do more than comfort you..."

*The unseen speaker cackled as she moved slowly to each shower head, turning them off one by one. From the thick clouds of steam she spotted an impression of movement, a swirl in the mists. Suddenly on either side of her dropped two of the tongued manikins, screeching in unholy fury as they lashed their tongues at her wrists, trying to twine around them. From in front of her, the mutated CPR doll slithered forward, a writhing mass of tentacles surmounted by the plastic head of Resusci Anne, red eyes glowing fiercely in the cloaking steam.*

"The master said the game has begun....you cannot leave....you must stay and play with us...."

From somewhere beyond the swirling mists a voice grates upon me sensibilities, making a mockery of me prayer an me faith. Something moves at the corner of me vision, swiftly swinging me head I stare into the mists….nothing…imagination or perhaps the thing that sings trying to test me fear. I vow to not succumb, not now…not ever.

Another flicker of movement, a gray shape in the distant, looming from within the white vastness…covering me self form their eyes I watch. Movement both sides of me…forcing me back hard gainst the wall as I feel the slimy appendage lash out an cross the arm that covers me full orbs. The end of it flicks down the valley tween them…wrapping round me forearm like a coil of wet rope. The tip plays across the under swell of one breast as the beast begins a new song…a song of masters an play.

I fight to keep me arm where it is…another whip like appendage sliding across me other forearm, then forcing its slimy way tween me arm an tummy. I want to vomit at its touch…to run to get away…but as I struggle it seems to take delight, its simpering murmurs growing stronger.

The final hideous abomination comes before me, parting the swirling mists like an ancient sea monster. Demon…it must be. They all must be.

“The lord is my protector demon…he will not let you touch me if it is not his will….so bow to him who is your monster an go yur way….I reckon there will be no play tonight.” Even as they pull me arms away form me body I take solace in the glittering gold that is me mark of faith…the golden crucifix that hangs upon me chest, thrice blessed by the holy see.

*Harsh laughter fills the confines of the steamy room. The echoes of the unholy mirth reverberate, giving the impression of a chorus of fiends, taking delight in her predicament. The glistening tongues of the dolls holding the girl squirmed along her flesh like questing worms, the tips running along the insides of her arms to flick at the sensitive skin of her elbow as they spread her arms wide apart. Soap bubbles slid down her breasts, gathering at the beringed nipples before falling to the tiled floor. The source of the lather remained hidden above her, the sound of wings flapping in the air over her head.*

"Not let me touch you if it is not His will? What a novel idea...shall we test that theory? If I can, does that not mean He desires me to do as I will with you?"

*The harsh laughter again echoed through the chamber, the manikins opening their mouths to join in their master's mirth. The tongue dolls' laugh, a screech of tearing metal. The hideous mass of Resusci Anne, a burbling croak of dark humor.*

*The sound of flapping wings grew louder and louder from above the pinned girl. A small shadow cloaked shape slowly lowers itself in front of her, the steam swirling to hide its features.*

"Your God must not care if I touch you...see?"

*As the voice emanated from the small figure, the steam parts, revealing, of all things, a bat winged teddy bear, one black button eye cloudy with condensation. On its chest are four x's, stitched in coarse black thread. Three of them seem to have burst, the frayed edges like open wounds. It reached forward with one terry cloth paw to stroke one sud covered breast, the soft fabric acting almost as a wash cloth as it caressed the heaving mound.*

Struggling only makes me breasts jiggle as the long tongues creep up me arms like some unholy creature with a life all its own. Golden rings bounce pulling on me tender nipples, reminding me of better times.

Suds drip upon me from overhead like sum thing intends on giving me my interrupted shower…I shudder as the laugh grows closer…the wings beating a steady rhythm as each down thrust sends a pulse of air across me, the mist swirling away from me feet. Breathing in quick bursts…me heart feeling ready to explode under me skin. Each moment worse than the other. I can feel the touch of evil in the room, an I swear the stench of fire a brimstone rides the heavy air. He comes….a dark spot hidden like evil always hides.

Gasping at the sight…a teddy bear…a teddy bear. How? How could evil use this visage of innocence to deliver its hell spawn torments into the world. An ole beatin’ up teddy, one eye missing, his poor lil ole body with a series of poorly done stitches. Still they show care, love in the doing. Will he be as loving…as caring, I have me doubts as evil does as evil will.

The hand rising to touch me…to prove he can an I wonder why I even said a thing. Trying to squirm away from the teddy’s attentions. Its paw stroking me skin, a soft slow circle round one heaving breast. Heaving as I try an move me breast from under his ministrations, squirming with me back ‘gainst the wall, unable to get away. With trembling lips I answer the only way I know I can…

“Even me lord an master wuz tested by the devil in the desert. If I wuz not worthy of holding me own I would not be here now. Me lord trusts me to stay strong…to keep me word to him.”

*Another peal of malicious laughter issues from the hovering doll, its tiny paw pinching the golden ring and tugging on it slightly.*

"Well spoken....however...your words do not seem to ring true for your body...I can feel you trembling under my touch...I can taste the fear rushing through your veins."

*A sense of vertigo washed over the girl, a sensation of contraction, all of her senses pulled toward the point at which the bear touches her skin. She felt the terror in her spike, then wane as if draining out through the furry doll's paw. With a gunshot loud POP, the final black x on the flying doll's chest broke open, the threads of all four x's waving like reeds in a high wind before being sucked into the fabric of the demented doll.*

"Ahhh.....the final seal is broken...now my gilded duckling...the....testing...begins in earnest.

*With a strong flap of its wings, the doll pushed away from the girl. The steam seemed to swirl around the room faster and faster, a hurricane of which the doll became the eye. A tear ripped across the face of the bear, creating a hole where the missing button eye should be. Before the trapped girl's eyes, the gash opened into a light stealing void, like the space between the stars. A series of pops burst staccato through the room as the seams of the bear's arms burst, brief glimpses of red steaming muscle appearing as the demon doll twitched in midair.*

*The third tongue manikin dropped to it's knees, groveling before the gyrating doll. The tentacled horror of Resusci Anne bowed to the ground, plastic forehead touching the steaming floor as a keening cry emitted from both of their unliving mouths.*