Nick was surprised to find the door was heavier duty than he recalled
entering. He adjusts his collar as he's starting to sweat.
"Man it's hot in here," Nick comments fanning away the white clouds of
steam. "What the hey?"
From the pale light streaming through the tiny glass window of the
locked door, notices a sign posted on the tile wall near the door,
"Steam Room Etiquette".
"I'm in a steam room? No wonder it's so hot!" he shouts as he pounds
on the door, "Hey, guys, get me out of here."
The shadow figure is concealed by the dense steam. It closes the
grating, and sits on the high tiled bench in the corner to watch the
show.
It doesn't take Nick long to realize no one's coming right away, so
he'd best cool off as best he can. He removes his jacket, sweater and
shirt. Then as he fusses with his belt, he doesn't notice his stack of
clothes on the bench slowly sliding away into the steam. His hair is
plastered to his face and forehead, as he sets his shoes, socks and
jeans on the bench. It's only after he sits down, and peels off his
undershirt to wipe the sweat from his face that he notices his jeans
and shoes are gone, and so are his jacket, sweater and shirt.
"Hey, is there somebody in here with me?" he asks into the dense
steam. It seems to be getting even hotter.
There's a noise in the corner. He wads up his t-shirt and hurls it
into the steam. Then he works his way toward that corner. Nothing but
empty tile is what he finds. Even his t-shirt is gone. He frowns. A
noise from another corner. He pauses then races to the opposite
corner, he slides on the tile floor, but catches himself on the bench
to avoid falling.
"Aw, I'd thought you'd throw your boxers!" says a mocking voice
echoing within the steam room.
Nick can't tell where it's coming from.
"Well, sooner or later those undies will come off - sooner if you want
to leave here, Nicky."
The voice laughs ominously as it gets softer as though the speaker was
exiting, but there was no way out or was there?
Nick spent the next 30 minutes hunting for a way out. His body was
drenched and he was exhausted. Finally, he peeled off his boxers and
shouted.
"Okay, you want them come and get them!" Nick shouted waving the
boxers over his head, and under his breath he whispered, "Danny, I bet
you're responsible for this, you're going to pay-"
He felt the boxers pulled out of his hand from behind.
"Not Danny. Boo!" said the shadow receding into the heavy steam with
Nick's boxers.
"I've got you!" Nick leapt and ended up grabbing wet tile. He didn't
see the figure disappear through the trapdoor just 2 feet to his
right.
He did hear the door to the steam room swing open from the outside
about a minute later. He dashed for the exit.
"Wait, this isn't right. I came in off a carpeted hallway with wood
paneled walls. This hallway is all tiled floor and walls. There was
only one way to go, and soon Nick was naked in a large illuminated
shower room. Signs on the walls proclaimed: "Cleanliness is next to
godliness." "A clean mind and body - use soap." "Statue Models Wanted-
Apply At Desk".
Giant glass liquid soap dispensers are in the middle of the room. One
dispenser is labeled "CLASSICAL", another "FRENCH BRONZER", another
"INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH." Nick steps under the spigot of the giant
Classical dispenser and pulls the cord. White goop plops on his head
and spills over his shoulders. He lets go of the cord, but more goop
keeps pouring.
"Yuck, why won't this stop." The heavy white liquid clings to him. He
fumbles along the wall for a valve and turns on the shower. He
struggles to wash the soap off him. Heavy lather bubbles up enveloping
him in a sea of bubbles. He hears the creak of a squeaky dolly being
wheeled down the tile hallway.
A familiar voice says, "Classical is always a good choice. I do like a
good marble statue, and I think you'll look lovely in the Spa lounge,
Nick. No need to speak, as you've probably already discovered you can
neither move nor speak. Hahaha!"
Nick can't turn to see who is behind him. He sees a gloved hand turn
off the shower valve. Then he's tilted backwards, and loaded naked and
dripping wet backwards on to a dolly. He is wheeled out of the shower
room toward a door marked "LOCKER ROOM". Nick hopes there will be a
mirror there, so he can see what's happened to him, and who has done
this. He doesn't care if the guy said he wasn't Danny, he's still
certain Danny's behind his current predicament.