The dungeon reeked of mold and unwashed bodies. Victor was shoved into a cell and the heavy door slammed shut behind him. The guards led Vincent away to room with a long table that was fitted with restraints, metal cuffs attached to chains. He fought them, knocking two of the guards to the ground, but ultimately they overpowered him, clamping his arms and legs down. A strap was placed across his forehead, preventing him from turning his head. He heard shuffling sound, then a scraping noise as a stool was pushed next to the table. Vincent rolled his eyes as far as they could go to see what was happening. Most of the guards left after he was immobilized. A face like lumpy clay popped up beside the table and stared at him. He felt a slight flicker of fear, but quickly snuffed it out, replacing it with anger. The face ducked back down out of sight and he pulled against the chains that held him down. Suddenly he felt a sting in his right thigh. He tensed against it, but there was nothing he could do. A burning sensation crawled up his leg, then into his torso. The lumpy face appeared above him again, holding up a small snake. The burning went into his arm, and across his body. By the time it was in his other arm and leg, his entire right side had become numb and he could not move. The venom from the snake had him completely paralyzed. He was losing consciousness rapidly. The guards had returned and the last thing he remembered was being dragged, half carried out of the room. Victor was standing against the wall. The cell floor was covered with filthy straw, which appeared to be full of bugs. It was piled up in one of the corners, probably covering the last tenant's remains. At least that's the way it smelled. He stared at the opposite wall, angry at being caught. There hadn't been much they could do when a couple dozen armed natives surrounded them. He could feel the dried crusted blood on his back from being jabbed with the points of their spears. He saw movement in the straw and looked down. The entire floor of the cell seemed to be writhing. He felt something start to crawl up his leg, and jerked it up, trying to shake it off. He felt it bite him on the calf and he reached down with his hand to slap it away. As he bent down, he realized that the writhing on the floor was the bodies of snakes. He felt another sting on the ankle of his other leg, and both his legs were burning. His legs crumpled underneath him as he lost control and feeling in them. His last action before unconsciousness claimed him was screaming in terror as the snakes swarmed over his body.

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