:Sandy collapsed against the wall, as far from the shuddering door as she could scoot. She sunk down to the floor, crying with fear and confusion:

What are they?! Why are they chasing us?!

:her hands clung to Darwin's sleeve in a death grip, not wanting to lose the little comfort her first acquaintance offered. She blushed slightly, but didn't let go, no longer caring that it was a boy, only that Darwin was human, else why would whatever was at the door want him to?:

"We're fine... Thanks for the help I guess... We're fine though."

she answered simply still in that masculine voice as she'd look to her friend whom seemed to be holding on for dear life & slightly stretching out her favorite shirt. not that it bothered her too much, she liked her friends showing their trust, or care or comfort no matter how they did it, well almost no matter.

"But, really Sandra don't you know the answer to that already? They're trying to catch us you for a sex toy me... I'm probably just going to be held as a bargaining chip to stop you from fighting... it'll probably hurt too."

she used the most plausible explanation that wouldn't give away her gender not that she was lying, she avoided ever saying she was a he or a she when she spoke.

*The professor slowly straightened from the door, listening to the two, head turning to orient on them both. He sighed, his knees creaking as he hobbled toward them, cane tap-tapping in front if him as he approached, still ignoring the sounds of the door being assaulted by tiny bodies.*

"Good, good. This way, this way. Staying here will only draw more through the vents."

*He pointed his cane up at a roughly foot wide air vent in the ceiling as it blew his fringe of white hair akimbo. He tottered past them down the hall, hand feeling the doors as he counted aloud.*

" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5....yes, 5. And.....6. Quickly, inside. This room leads to a hallway, and from there to a fire exit. They won't follow you outside, and they know better than to harm one of the faculty. Hurry now!"

*The air vent began to resound with the sound of scuttling hands and feet, the same wooden sound as before, the hellish laughs echoing ominously.*

"Cannot run! Cannot hide! We will find you! Break you! Ke ke ke ke!"

:Sandy looked up at the vent in utter horror, scrambling away, dragging Darwin with her in the process. She hovered just behind the professor, nervously watching the vent as the man counted out his doors. Her fingers were white from how hard she was squeezing Darwin's hand, but she didn't seem capable of letting go at this point:

Thank you!

:she nearly yelped her thanks as the voices echoed through the hall. She darted blindly into the room, like a rabbit from a hunting dog:

Darwin listened to the inhuman voices holding her eyes closed as she was dragged behind Sandy still not trusting this teacher even if he seemed perfectly worthy of it thus far,

She was more than durable enough to withstand the pressure on her hand without so much as a mention of it. It greatly assisted her mood actually and may have helped raise sandy in darwin's mind.

"they'll break sandra over my dead body..."

she thought aloud though very quietly but, then again it wasn't to be taken lightly, she'd do that for all her friends, her real friends at least. they deserved that much.

*The two stumbled into the room, lightless save the illumination entering from the hall. A few seconds frantic scrambling would find the lightswitch, turning on the halogen bulbs overhead. The room seemed to be a work shop for repairing damaged books, the smells of old paper and glue mixing with the stale aroma of dust and sweat. Across the large room, another door was set into the wall, a red EXIT sign hanging above it. From behind them they heard a clang as the vent cover fell to the hallway floor, followed by numerous wooden thuds as their pursuers emerged from the tube.*

"Go! Run! I'll block the door, they don't dare try to harm me, but you won't be so lucky if they catch you! Go!"

*Having said this, the blind professor slammed the door shut, the loud click of a lock engaging coming soon after. Not seconds later the door began to shake and shiver from repeated heavy thuds, unholy screeches and yowls reaching their ears through the crack at the bottom, numerous small shadows mingling in the light coming through.*

:Sandy didn't want to leave the old man behind, but he seemed to know what he was doing. She, on the other hand, was terrified nearly senseless. What was wrong with this school?! Her hand gripped down tighter on Darwin's as she rapidly backed away from the door, turning and running for the other door:

We have to run, like he said! Come on, come on!

Something about all this just didn't seem to add up in her mind but, either way she decided it would be best to not say anything not seem like a paranoid fool at the moment to her newest friend... whom sooner or later she'd get around to telling her real gender. now of course not the time to do that.

"Alright..."

She said simply moving as fast as she could manage down the hall trying to let sandy keep up as best as the poor girl could. Darwin was hating herself right now for not being able to predict this better.

*The two could see the red glow of a fire exit sign from around a corner at the end of the dimly lit hall, the sight offering salvation from the horrors behind them. As they rounded the corner, they were forced to come to an abrupt halt, as the fire door was thickly covered in what looked like thin cobwebs, with small shapes moving about on them, eight legs moving in slow grace as they crossed the bone white strands. A chittering sound drew their eyes upward, to the ceiling above the door. There sat a black, glistening spider the size of a large dog, clinging to the wall and regarding them with glittering red eyes, drops of white falling from wicked mandibles onto the stone at their feet. The spider chittered again, slowly lowering itself along the door, alighting on the bar to open the way out, head turning to orient all of its eyes on them slowly.*

"I would not anger Arachne, if I were you. She has been less than pleased with her assigned duty these days. It seems weaving a tapestry to cover the door is too limited for her tastes."

*The source of the voice was unknown as of yet, the tone calm and pedantic, almost that of a teacher imparting wisdom. However, the faint hiss to the words, the undertone of condescension, made the voice more sinister than wholesome.*

:Have to get out, have to get out! Her mind spinning frantically, Sandy barely registered the web across the door before she skidded to a halt, eyes widening in fresh terror. She screamed as she saw the large spider, backpedaling until her shoulders hit the wall, transfixed by the sight of the dripping mandibles. She yelped and cast about for the source of the sudden voice speaking in the hallway, casting nervous glances between the watching spider and the door they had just used to enter the hallway:

Darwin...what do we do now?

:she spoke in a hushed whisper, afraid of provoking the arachnid with loud noises:

Darwin just stared at the large spider gritting her teeth. She should have guessed this would happen, it always did around here, the school seemed designed for this sort of irony.

"This is either irony or was a trap all along... doesn't matter though, one way out is through the spider, the other way out was locked and there isn't a window in this hall hate to say this but..."

she paused leaning in to whisper this so the voice wouldn't hear.

"We're Fucked..."
and unfortunately I think i mean that literally and figuratively.

She shook her head shifting into a lazy fighting stance by Sandy's side.

"Well I'll be dead before I let it touch you sandra got that?!"

*The unseen voice chuckled, sending shivers down their spines. The spider scuttled across the bar on the door, climbing up the wall rapidly, until it sat nearly above them, looking down with glowing red eyes. The heavily webbed door seemed to writhe, smaller spiders scurrying out in a wave, their feet making soft clicks on the stone walls.*

"Such chivalry. And what, my dear "boy", makes you think you can stop us? But, as you are so gallant, I will make you an offer. Face me, mano a mano, and if you manage to defeat me, you both go free. If this is appealing to you, just go through the door. Or, you could stay and entertain Arachne and her children. The choice is yours."

*A hidden door swung open to their right, just a few steps back up the hallway. Flickering light shone through the crack, the warm glow of candles apparently.*

"Alright... Though she's coming into the room with me... I don't trust things I can't see with not touching my friends when I'm not around them as far as I know this is just a ploy to get her away from me."

Darwin reasoned looking into the room that had opened to the side and began walking slowly into it with Sandra's arm held tight pulling her along. Though she'd do this for any of her 'friends'. In her word those she called friends she loved more than any pair of lovers ever would

"Don't worry Sandy You'll be fine."

:she cringed at the swarm of spiders emerging from the web cloaked door, sliding further and further away down the wall. When the large spider, Arachne apparently, crawled nearly over head, she squeeked in abject terror, huddling behind Darwin, her hand gripping the back of his shirt. She didn't even register that the voice had spoken again until Darwin replied to it, she nodded mutely as Darwin pulled her into the secret room, eyes very wide and panicked:

*The door opened into a large, square room, made entirely of stone. The ceiling was fairly high, allowing the smoke from the numerous candles to pool before it vented through a small grate. The room was unfurnished, save for numerous chains swinging over head, some linked, some free hanging. They all swayed and bobbed, as if something was on each chain, hidden within the smoke. In the center of the room, stood a small teddy bear, ragged and care worn. It regarded them with poise and dignity entirely unbefitting an old toy such as itself, stitched smile seeming condescending in the flickering light.*

"So good of our guests to join me. I do hope you have enjoyed our reception for you so far."

*When they were both fully in the room, the bear gestured with one paw, the door slamming shut behind them, no sign of a bar, or handle, or any other way of opening it apparent.*

"There we are, all nice and cozy together. Well, my dear young "man", how do you wish to do this? A battle of wits? Cunning? Dexterity, speed? Artistry perhaps? Or shall we fall back on the time honored tradition of a physical confrontation? Since I have chosen the field, I give you the priviledge of choosing the type of challenge."

*The single black button eye regarded them coldly, glowing a faint red as it moved to stare at Sandy. The smile on the bears face grew wider, the fabric tearing to reveal glittering black fangs within the bears maw. A slimy black forked tongue ran across the teeth as it regarded the pale girl, as if imagining what she would taste like.*