Round 270

Abby's breath caught in her throat as she watched Hera being pulled inexorably toward the pulsating wall. The blue-green light intensified around them both, casting grotesque shadows that seemed to writhe and twist across the stone floor. She could hear her friend's muffled screams even through the thick air, but they were drowned out by the walls' incessant humming—a sound that seemed to vibrate not just in her ears but deep within her bones.

She knew she should run. Every instinct screamed at her to turn and flee back up the tunnel, to put as much distance between herself and this nightmare as possible. But her feet remained rooted to the ground, paralyzed by fear and an unexpected surge of loyalty. She couldn't just abandon Hera down here alone—couldn't leave her to whatever fate awaited those pulled into the walls' embrace.

The vibrator in her hand felt suddenly heavy, its usual comforting buzz now seeming menacing. She clutched it tighter, as if it could somehow protect her from the encroaching horror. The air around her grew thicker still, each breath feeling like she was inhaling some otherworldly energy that made her skin prickle and her head swim.

She took a hesitant step forward, then another, maintaining the precious twelve meters of distance between herself and Hera's struggling form. The walls seemed to pulse in rhythm with her heartbeats now, each expansion drawing her closer while each contraction pushed her back. She could feel the corruption spreading through her own body—just a faint tingling at first, but growing stronger with each passing second.

Please don't let me die down here, she thought, her eyes fixed on Hera's terrified face as the stone tendrils began to wrap around more of her friend's body. Not like this. Not alone.