In the lighted area, the padded tunnel's walls are replaced by steel walls and ceiling (though the floor is still padded rubber). There are sprinklers in the ceiling and what looks like large scrubbing implements installed in the walls.
"It looks like a car wash," says Josh.
Marie nods. "There's a sign, too. It says all... visitors... Can't read that, the lighting sucks."
It must be the poor lighting, since Josh has some trouble reading the sign too. "All visitors... must... something, and then shower, for hy.. for hi... for some reasons."
"Hi-gee-ennic reasons. And I think it says some stuff like dispose before the showering bit."
Josh looks at the clothes for awhile, then it hits him. "Disrobe! That why the clothes," he says, not caring at all about grammar in his excitement.
"So we get naked and shower," she says.
"Uh-huh," he nods.
"Like it's a swimmy-place or something", she elaborates.
"Without the, you know, swim-panties and stuff," he says, still nodding.
She grips at her shirt with one hand and literally tears it off. "At last! Stupid shirt's been bugging me forever!"
As he unbuckles his pants and half-pushes them, half-kicks them off, he watches Marie shaking off her panties and snapping off her bra, looking in curiosity at the large, dark nipples on her smallish breasts. Shrugging off the same odd sensation he had felt before, he proceeds to remove his shirt - and finds that most of the buttons have already popped off. Having some difficulties in reaching behind his neck (which for some reason feels broader and stronger than he remembers it), he arches his back with a quick jerk and lets the fabric rip at the seams. "Ready!", he announces after peeling off the ragged tatters.
As they step in the shower area, water and soap foam spray out of the sprinklers and nozzles, then the brushes start rolling and scrubbing them over and over on both sides. Josh finds the sensation oddly pleasant, and much less discomforting than he had thought. At each pass, the brushes feel softer and less stinging on his skin.
Finally, strong jets of water wash the last of the foam off them and an air blower quickly dries them off - almost: Josh can still feel the cold damp touch of his hair all along his neck (his long and thick neck) and shoulders, down to his mid-back. Of course his hair is nowhere that long... it's probably just water trickling down from his hair. Either that, or I've grown a mane, he thinks - a possibility that suddenly sounds quite likely.
Shrugging off the thought, he steps out of the shower after Marie, who's looking ahead, puzzled. "What's this now?", she asks.