The Once-ler opened his eyes the moment his hand met empty space. He spun to the left, breaking into a limping run down the new hall. Second door on the left, second door on the left. Soma’s grip on his arm was really starting to hurt, but they were almost there….

He had just passed the first door when a young woman’s voice called out Soma’s name before getting cut off. He barely even had time to wonder if it was another trick before Soma’s hand connected with his jaw. The Once-ler yelped in surprise at the impact, trying not to drop the squirming girl. Then more pain, this time on the arm wrapped around Soma.

She was biting him.

If the door weren’t mere feet away he would have dropped her. He was being pushed to his limits by both Lingormr and Soma. He gave a short growl and practically lunged to the door, grabbing at the handle. It appeared that someone had already smashed the lock that had apparently been keeping the door closed. Small mercies, really.

As he grabbed the handle, the same woman’s voice screamed again, higher-pitched this time, and again it was cut off. Yanking the door open, the Once-ler hoped with his entire being that this cure was worth all the pain they’d been through.

[to here]