17:50 - GERALD SILVERMAN - THE ENGINE ROOM

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Tim was weeping quietly as you hefted the door. Damn, why didn't

someone prop it open? Or at least come out to lend a hand? It was

narrow too, one of you would have to go in first.

((You have a couple options-- do you go in first and then pull in Tim

after you, or hold it open and make him shuffle in first?

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

I went through first, half backwards to keep Mills in sight. Now seemed like he'd run off soon as I looked away. Not that he'd go far, but still. To dissuade him from freezing up I firmly reached around his back to pull him along.

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Mills looked pretty uncomfortable with the whole affair, but you got him inside safe enough. The big vault door slammed with a wet suction. You were in a dark corridor, and would have to descend three steps into ankle deep water.

Timothy-
"It's sinking... Maybe it would be better if it did..."

There weren't any doors immediately around you, and the hall disappeared into darkness. Shouldn't you see signs of the rest of the expedition?

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

I shine my flashlight into the darkness and walk down.

Gerald -
"Detectives? I thought they said there was only room for five or six people down here."

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Timothy-
"Sometimes rooms are bigger than you think.
The fake walls are confusing."

No sign of light or sound up ahead, just this strange metallic hum like a giant coin spinning endlessly.

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

Gerald -
"Fake walls? What kind of ship is this?"

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Timothy-
"There are fake walls everywhere.
Fake walls covering real doors."

Speaking of doors; you didn't see any. Wasn't it just supposed to be go

straight down and there you were? Maybe there was something at the

end of this hall.

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

Gerald -
"That doesn't sound very practical. So, which way?"

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Timothy-
"I could lead if you take these things off."

He shook his wrist cuffs gently. He seemed to be kidding. But those ankle cuffs

in this water were probably going to be a bad idea. Hopefully it wasn't too far

through this stuff.

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

Gerald -
"Why don't we give it a try with them and see how that goes?"

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

He shrugged and nodded for you to help him along. Down the steps and

splash splash into the frozen water. God it stank. Something about those

black flakes swirling around reminded you of that junk in the bathtub.

Timothy-
"Too late to just confess now and get out of here.
I wish I had. I feel like it's too late."

His voice was shockingly earnest after this night of strange theatrics.

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

Gerald -
"It's never too late to confess. Once we meet up with the detectives you'll have another opportunity."

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Timothy-
"I guess this was bound to fail. You can't trick something
 like her. But I sacrificed so much. You saw what I did.
I thought it would be enough..."

[Kristi is prescribed skeletons]

How much further did we have to go?

Gerald -
"You can help give closure to the families involved if you tell all this to the police."

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Timothy-
"I don't know that I'll ever get out of here.
I'm sorry if she takes you with me."

Your beam hit the end of the hall-- a T stop that went left and right.

Before you could make it all the way there, the floor began shaking

violently, the metal denting upward in random spots, like a

super-powered fist was trying to punch through.

Timothy-
"NOnonononono--"