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Crystal didn't react to the woman's words about the other girls and herself, that is until the woman drew a stun gun. Crystal had studied up on non-lethal weapons just before meeting Scooby and the gang. Because of this she knew what the weapon was, and more importantly she knew how to defend against it. Just as the woman fired crystal pressed a button on her left wrist. A transparent shield flickered into existence and the prongs from the stun gun were deflected right back at the woman. Not expecting it the woman dropped to the floor twitching and spasming.
Calmly Crystal walked over to the woman, and pulled Sibella from her unresisting arms. Then Crystal search the lockers again until she found an unconscious Tanis shoved into one. Scooping up both girls she started to walk out of the room. Apparently the woman wasn't going to let the ghouls go without a fight, for she struggled to her feet and after a few seconds to settle her legs ran after Crystal.
Hearing footsteps behind her Crystal glanced over her shoulder. Seeing the woman with the stun gun coming after her and the other ghouls she took off running. If anyone else had been on the same floor they would have heard what sounded like a herd of cattle stampeding through the halls as Crystal ran through twisting hallways with the masked woman on her tale. Whenever they were in a strait hallway the woman would fire her stun gun at crystal, but there was just enough distance between the 2 runners that Crystal was always able to dodge to one side or the other. This continued until Crystal ran into a hallway with several doors. Remembering what Shaggy had told her and the other girls about hiding, Crystal picked a door and slipped behind it.
The door lead to a closet. It was just big enough to fit 1 moving and 2 knocked out girls. The strange thing was the outlines of doors along the back wall. Each door seemed to be just big enough to fit through. Crystal wondered what could cause this phenomenon to occur.
Crystal could hear the woman's footsteps as she searched each door. Just as she could hear the door to the left of where she had entered closed she made a decision, and still carrying Sibella and Tanis she quietly hurried to the left most door outline and pushed. To her grate surprise the wall swung open and Crystal hurried into a different closet. She had just pulled the connecting door shut when she heard the door to the closet she had just been in open and then shut. Crystal smiled as she heard the woman exclaiming expletives as she searched each closet. This continued for about 2 minutes while Crystal dodged the woman's attempts to locate her. Finally she heard the woman give 1 loud expletive, and then footsteps as the woman walked out of the room.
Crystal sighed in relief, and set to untying Tanis. She could see What Shaggy saw in their little, or not so little mummy. Tanis stood only a few inches shorter than Crystal herself. This means that Tanis had grown since the last time Shaggy saw her. Shaggy had talked with Thorn and Crystal while being held captive, and he had told them that Tanis was barely 3 feet tall. Even though this was after Shaggy and Crystal had met, it was still shorter than Crystal's respectable 5 foot 3. The height Crystal had stood at when she and Amber had left Earth.
As Tanis stirred Crystal moved over to examine Sibella. Crystal frowned. She could not see any reason for Sibella to be sleeping. Not to mention all the moving and shaking should have awoken her.
"Crystal?"
Crystal turned and saw Tanis rubbing her eyes.
"Good morning Tanis."\
"What happened? Where am I?"
"Some woman dressed like a witch grabbed you while we were all returning the dining room. As to where we are, Sibella and I ran after her, and discovered you stuffed into a locker. I was able to get you and Sibella out of there, but whoever it was took exception and chased after us. I was able to find a hallway lined with doors, and hid in one. I discovered a series of closets all connected, and used these to hide from the woman. We're still in 1 of those closets, but now I can't seem to wake Sibella."
Tanis peered at Sibella. She took in Sibella's blank face, her shallow breathing, her fading color, and most importantly the fact she was asleep.
"Was Sibella stabbed with a rose?"
"I don't know. I was looking through the lockers I told you about earlier, and I heard what I now know was the sound of Bella hitting the floor."
"Ok. We need to search Bella's body looking for some kind of thorn."
Nodding Crystal started at Sibella's head while Tanis started at her feet. For-head: no. Left foot: no. Right foot: no. Left cheek: no. Right cheek: no. Left and right legs: no. Eyes and Nose: no. Left hip: no. Left breast: no. Right hip: no. Right breast: no. Stomach: no. Chest: "OH! Tanis! I think I've found it."
Tanis walked up to where crystal was standing. Crystal was pointing to a small thorn sticking out of Sibella's chest. The thorn was less than an inch in diameter. Strangely it was black. As Tanis reached for it she was very surprised with how warm the thorn was. It almost felt like it was on fire.
"I don't think I can pull that out."
"Oh why?"
"It feels like the thorn is on fire."
Shrugging Crystal reached out and closed her fingers around the black object sticking out of Sibella's chest. With a slight pull the thorn came free, and dissolved in her hand. Suddenly Crystal and Tanis jumped at the voice they both heard.
"Crystal, Sibella, Tanis, can 1 of you hear me?"
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An: And that finishes this chapter. The count-down is heading toward the end of this story, only 5 chapters left. As always if you have a question or suggestion leave it in a review, or pm. Until next time.