It's been roughly three days since Fourth was dragged underneath the lake.
Fourth wakes up. "What is this place? Where am I at?"
Some girl: "Shh, quiet over there. Do you want them to come back?"
Fourth: "Who to come back? Where am I?"
Some girl: "You are down under Dusty Lake."
Fourth: "Under? As in under."
Some girl: "Didn't you just answer your own question?"
Fourth: "How we would have been turned to dust, and first off, where's the water? How is this even a thing?!"
Some girl: "Again, please shut up. I don't have time to explain every little detail to you."
Fourth "But.."
Some girl: "I said shut up!"
Fourth: "Do you hear that?"
Some girl: "Shit, they're coming. Do as I say. Pretend you're asleep."
Fourth "Why?"
Some girl: "Just God damn do it. Now;"
Dead fish: "I thought I heard something down here."
Dead fish Two: "How could you have? They're dead, you see, they're not moving."
Dead fish: "But I swear I heard this vile human we caught was talking."
Dead fish Two: "I told you they're dead. The dead can't talk."
Dead fish: "Okay, well, when are we going to eat them?"
Fourth's head is turned away from the dead fish. He can feel his hands and legs starting to tremble, and his eyes are bulging open in terror. He's looking right at the girl who seems to have this blank expression on her face.
Dead fish two: "Master says at the end of the blood feast, we shall carve open these insolent low lives with the symbol of our freedom, and then we shall drink the blood from their veins."
Dead fish: "What about eating their organs? Are we still going to get to do that ?"
Dead fish: "Yes, but as you know, we save the hearts for our master. One day, his plan will come full force. Now, come, we must get ready."
Fourth: "Fuck! Fucking Christ, what was that!?"
Some girl: "We are their dinner. In two weeks' time, we will be fish food."
Fourth: "How can you seem so calm about this?! We are going to get eaten! By fucking fish. This is supposed to be the other way around!"
Some girl: "I have been here for three months, counting down the days till it happens. I was in shock, and for the past month, I tried to escape, but nothing. I pretend to be dead because it gives me a little bit of hope for what awaits me. Well, us now."
Fourth grabs at the bars and starts kicking. "We have to try something, anything at all! I can't wait here for two whole fucking weeks. Waiting to die!"
Some girl: "I've told you there's no escape, no one is coming for you. Whatever friends you had, they're long gone. If they didn't see you get pulled in, they probably assume you fell over and the water turned you to dust. Or maybe just maybe they witnessed you get pulled down and they tried to save you, but as time went on. They and you faced the reality that they're never coming to rescue you."
Fourth: "I still need to try."
She sits and watches as Fourth tries to find some way of escaping.
A few hours later
Some girl: "Have you given up yet?"
Fourth: "No, not until my hands ache, I can no longer stand, and I'm on the ground puking my guts out. It will be when I give up. Till then, I'm still trying."
Some girl: "I think I hear something. I suggest you play dead."
Fourth "Play dead? Why haven't I thought of this before! If they already think we are dead, then why are we in these cells? Do they think the dead can rise?"
Some girl: "I haven't thought of it like that."
Fourth: "What would they do if they found me alive?"
Some girl: "I'm not sure."
Fourth: "Then let's find out now, shall we?"
Some girl: "Don't do this!"
Fourth: "Play dead, my friend, we have company coming."
Dead fish walks around to the holding cells and looks in shock at what he's witnessing. "This can't be how you're still alive?"
Fourth: "The better question is what are you afraid of? Why keep the dead locked up inside these cages if you know we're already dead?"
Dead fish: "The dead will rise when he rises. We must keep you in check."
Fourth: "He who is he?" turns to look over at the girl. She gives him a look to say she's just as confused as he is.
Dead fish unlock the cell door. "Come now," he firmly grabs hold of the fourth with his wet and slippery fish hands and pulls him out of the cell. "You, there girl! Don't try anything, I've got my eye on you.
At the moment, Fourth thought to himself, "He actually does just have his eye on him, I'm thinking of stuff like this when I'm probably going to be fish food for these fucking hybrids."
Dead fish: "Let's go follow me."
Some girl: "You're not going to make it back here! I just know it. I'll be left here to die alone!"
Fourth started back at the girl and could see that she was terrified of what would happen to Fourth.
Fourth: I could see the fear in her eyes. All that talk of nothing matters suddenly came flooding back to her. She didn't want to be left alone again. She was terrified.
The dead fish hit the back of Fourth's head, nearly knocking him forward. "Did we tell you to stop moving?"
Fourth: "Actually, no, you didn't."
Dead fish: "Don't get smart with us!"
Fourth: "I was merely just answering the question you asked."
Dead fish two: "We never asked you a question!"
Dead fish: "I just asked him one."
Dead fish two: "You did when?"
Dead fish: "Just a few minutes ago!"
Dead fish two: "That wasn't a question!"
Dead fish: "It was so!!!"
Dead fish two: "Why don't we ask him?"
Dead fish. "Fine, but I know I'm right."
Fourth stared dumbfounded at these two arguing over what a question was. I can't believe these are the things that will potentially kill me.
Fourth snaps back into reality and begins to think. "I must say that what he asked was a question, and I answered his question. So, therefore, he is correct in all of this, and you there (points to dead fish two) have the brain the size of a goldfish."
Dead fish two: "Why, thanks, that truly means a lot to me."
Fourth: Well, I rest my case. "Ah, you're welcome…" A puzzled look forms onto Fourths face. These two are idiots.
Dead fish: "Enough of this fucking around. Let's get going, we can't keep the boss waiting."