waited and worried. If the snakes had not been their own worst enemies, every member of their dinner party would have been dying by now. Yet there was still time. Several of the snakes had decided that the recording studio was no place to be and were exiting through the door in search of more peaceful territory. They would be all over the house.
Bert was back in a minute with a thick metal prong. He went to hack at Angie's handcuff, but she stopped him.
"Do Sol before me," she said.
"That's a brave girl," Sol said.
"I just don't want him to break my wrist," Angie explained.
Sol eyed Bert's upraised poker, then glanced at the rattlers, probably trying to decide which was more dangerous. "You hit my hand, buddy, and I'll kill you."
"Okay," Bert said. That sounded fair to him. Employing all of his considerable strength, he slashed down with the bar. The ring interlocking the handcuff cracked. Sol stood and took the poker from Bert, shoving him towards the door. But the way was blocked as more snakes slithered into the hall.
"Do me!" Kerry pleaded.
"Just a second." Sol dug at Angie's bolt, prying it loose.
"You're hurting me," Angie complained.
"Do me!" Kerry whined. Angie's handcuff broke off the wall. Sol leapt to Kerry's aid. A moment later she also was free. The two girls huddled together. Due to the passing snakes, they were unable to leave.
There were seven reptiles left in the room. Four of them were converging on Lena.
Sol took care of Park next. But his path to Flynn, Lena and Shani was barred. "Throw me the poker,"
Flynn said. Sol did so, Flynn catching it expertly in his free hand. Using his foot as a fulcrum - which must have hurt - he transformed the poker from axe to lever, and pulled his ring out of the wall. Now he was faced with a hard choice. Lena's situation was critical, but she was next to impossible to get to.
"Do her," Shani said.
"You'll get bitten," Lena told Flynn. "Get Shani loose. Any snake that bites me is going to poison himself."
Flynn wasted no time in indecision. "Pull away from the wall, Shani!" She leaned towards the shattered Plexiglas. Flynn wound up. His blow wrenched her wrist. He struck a second time, tearing into the panelling. She fell on her side, free. The last of the exiting snakes disappeared into the basement hallway.
He pulled her up, hurrying to where the others had gathered, not far from the door. "Find an unoccupied room!" Flynn ordered. "Shut yourselves in."
"What about Lena?" Sol asked.
"I'll get her," Flynn said.
Sol surveyed the situation. There was a snake on Lena's right, another on her left, and two inching towards her feet. He was no coward but he was also no fool. He nodded. "You get her."
However, none of them left. Where they were was relatively safe, and to leave would be like abandoning their friend. Even Kerry was sweating over Lena's fate. Moving swiftly, Flynn seized one end of the door Bert had knocked down and toppled it through a hundred and eighty degrees. Two crushed snakes flew off the back. Two others were pinned beneath the descending board. Like a cat, he sprang onto his self-made moat and in a single, perfectly aimed swing, broke the ring pinning Lena to the wall.
Taking her outstretched hand, he helped her to her feet. But because one of her feet was asleep as a result of the cold, or simply because she was in too great a hurry, Lena stumbled. Flynn lost his hold. She fell back, directly on top of two snakes. She was wearing shorts. The serpents sank their fangs deep into her left calf.
"Lena!" they screamed, as she threw her head back in pain. A third snake, half dead beneath the door under Flynn's feet, reached forth and fastened onto her left arm. Blood spurted over her skin.
"Lena!" Sol cried, rushing forward. But Flynn purposely blocked his path, frantically hewing at the snakes with the poker. Two rolled over with fatal injuries, but the third had a hard hide and liked the taste of Lena. Dropping the bar, Flynn leaned over and grabbed the snake by its rattle, hurtling it against the opposing wall, its implanted teeth ripping a gruesome gash in her leg on the way out. Sol took her in his arms, carrying her towards the door. But Flynn remained crouched, studying the spot where Lena had fallen.
"Come on!" Shani cried. "What are you waiting for?"
"Coming,"