Writers debate

Copious amounts of stitches would be needed to mend the damage the monster had done to their bodies. They were ready to leave this place and all of the horrors that encompassed its existence, but they had to save the helpless woman in the old man's basement. They couldn't hesitate. "I don't know how long he's going to be down..." Dennis choked, his nerves jolting his knees. Victoria took his arm, the other hand holding the now dented shovel as she pulled him toward the basement's entrance. Previously, the thought of watching that woman die seemed to be a mental scar on Victoria for the rest of her life, but now Victoria had a chance to cleanse that from her mind... by saving the woman and getting her and Dennis to a hospital, quickly. Victoria, tugging at Dennis' hand, lead the way down the basement steps, and Dennis fumbled with the phone in his pocket. 911! 911! He dialed the number, but his hood was ripped backwards, having him relinquish the phone to tumble down the staircase. Victoria screamed. "Oh my god, Dennis!" Dennis flailed his elbows, but the old man's body was solid as a rock. He didn't budge. "Think you can kill me? Charlies couldn't kill me in miles of jungle, how could you?!" Dennis didn't have time to think. He had to act. "Victoria, get the girl!" He shouted before grabbing at the old man's waist and charging towards a wall. He slammed the man's body against it, leaving him out of breath for a second. As he caught it, Dennis made a dash for the basement door, locking it behind him. Victoria had the girl on her feet, propped up against her shoulder. There was relief in that image, at least, but Dennis continued to look wildly around for an exist. "Are there any windows down here?" he questioned, the unconscious girl looking at him curiously. "Yea...yeah, there's a small window you can craw-wl out of behind the tool shed." Dennis snatched the shovel from the table where Victoria had set it. Slipping it behind the giant tool shed in front of the tiny window they were to crawl out of, Dennis used it as a wedge. SLAM! Dennis whimpered slightly as the basement door rattled. The old man was going to break it down. "I need your help!" he shouted to Victoria as he attempted to push the tool shed aside. Victoria let the woman hold onto the metal table as she ran to his side. SLAM! She grasped the edge of the tool shed. "On three.... one.... two.... three!" SLAM! They put their bodies into it, and the shed finally started to move. Inch by inch, they bore the mental distress that the slamming against the thick basement door gave. Each slam sent a distinct vibration through the ground and up their feet. The vibrations were menacing. SLAM! Finally! The tool shed was far enough for them to slip up through the window. "Ok, I'll boost you up, then I'll boost her and you grab her, because she's not going to be able to pull herself up," Dennis instructed Victoria. She quickly nodded. Their time was running out. Dennis held his hands out in a web to let Victoria take a step, when she did, he boosted her toward the window. With a quick unlatching, she opened it up and grasped the outer wall. Within a minute, Victoria was outside. Dennis helped the woman across the room. She quickly followed his directions, willing to get out of here as fast as humanly possible. Dennis grabbed her and pushed her up, having Victoria's aid from above as a pully. The woman's feet finally vanished through the window. The ringing of police sirens sent a flash flood of relief through the woman and Victoria. Victoria quickly whirled around to allow Dennis a chance to escape, but before she could act, the window was slammed aggressively in her face. Her heart beat skipped. The old man had threatened Dennis to the ground, closed the window, and had him at his mercy in seconds. He was now holding the policeman's gun. Dennis couldn't help but sob. In seconds, a bullet hole would be placed clear through his head. The blaring lights and undetectable storm of police cars seemed gave him a feeling of free falling down that dark tunnel, straight into the white light that shone through the window. This was the end of the line for the old man. He had nothing else to do but negotiate his life for Dennis. Or possibly... he could give them all a final show. The old man smiled, his teeth rotted and mutilated. He held the phone that Dennis had dropped down the stairs to his ear. --------------------- Former Problem: Man is temporarily unconscious. Before leaving, they heard the girl they previously thought was dead, moan from the basement. They must save her before it is too late. New Problem: Dennis is being held at gun point inside the house. The old man is calling the police for negotiations. Dennis must be saved. Almost done! Last showdown, Phil!