Quick flashback to that time a bunch of liquid latex leaked into the river that supplied drinking water to where I live. Wow! It's just like my favorite niche fetish game! How fun!

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October 13th, Sometime After All The Other Nonsense

Nightfall, and Sam and Lyna stood just inside the unlocked gate of the abandoned factory. The very same factory just a short walk from the tourism center. The very same factory that'd been lingering in the back of Lyna's mind for well over a week, now. A small duffel bag over Sam's shoulder, he snaked a new lock and chain through the links of the gate, leaving it dangling without closing the padlock.

“Okay, that's one thing...”, Sam sighed, stepping back and joining his other half, who hadn't stopped staring at the warehouse since they entered the gate, “Ready?”

“Oh yeah.”, she growled, voice full of purpose, “I'd do it myself, but I want you here with me too. Also, because you're a little taller...”

“Fair enough.”, he agreed, looking out at the derelict ruin with her, “Let's do it.”

The pair set off towards the entrance, lanterns in hand as the sun slowly sank below the horizon. An eerie calm emanated from the factory, the rabbit and the ferret disappearing into the shadows of the front door. They left the entrance ajar behind them, not expecting to be long, or to receive any more unwelcome visitors.

One of a number of abandoned manufacturing plants in the area, this one in particular had been stripped clean of anything valuable long ago. All the same, Lyna had recently used it as a honeypot for an out-of-towner that held her up at gunpoint. She'd gave him the key on a silver platter, tempting him with a stockpile of scrappable stuff scummy guys like him might want. She knew he'd take the bait, it'd only be a matter of time. He'd have found soon enough that not only had the factory been plundered, but the eldritch forces that be in The Woods had done something unnatural to the latex left untouched in the confines of the complex.

As Sam and Lyna pushed further into the building, they kept completely silent, ears erect and on alert for any sounds in the darkness. They scanned and searched each empty room, each empty corridor as they ventured further into the depths of the warehouse, the natural light becoming dimmer as less and less sunlight poured through the shattered windows and weather-worn holes of the structure. Then, Sam stopped Lyna, placing a hand against her shoulder as his ear twitched in one direction. They froze as he strained his hearing. Down a secluded, pitch black corridor, Sam detected a distinct, subtle sloshing noise.

Sam pointed down the hall, directing Lyna to the sound. She took point, striding slowly, deliberately down the hall, savoring the anticipation as she approached what she knew she'd find as she turned that ultimate corner. Sam followed closely behind her, casting a glance back every few seconds, just for safety's sake.

As they neared the open doorway, the gentle churning and sloshing grew louder, clearer, now accentuated by muffled, exhausted whimpering. Lyna stopped behind the edge of the door, shutting her eyes and listening to the soft chorus that awaited her. She took a deep breath, and stepped into the room.

The principle goal of Lyna's visit to the factory lay conveniently in front of her. The key to the factory, along with the nine dollars that had been stolen, sat safely on the floor just a few feet from where she stood. In the far corner of the room, however, lie a shuddering, twitching shape. The factory's new prisoner.

Amidst an inky-black puddle of thick, viscous liquid latex, a coyote-shaped mass knelt down, head hung in defeat and depletion. The coyote's entire body tightly encased in a shining, ebon coating, Lyna's former captor, now captive, breathed slow. A low, guttural whimper punctuating every breath that escaped the latex that molded perfectly to his head. She took a step closer to the puddle, sneering as she looked down at the robber, now held captive at her feet instead.

“Ooo, geez, this is a little grim, babe.”, Sam finally cut in, breaking the silence, “How long has he been here again? Have you been feeding him or something?”

She didn't answer. He didn't necessarily expect her to. But the sound of Sam's voice had stirred the encased coyote. Somehow, after all this time, some fight still existed in him. He huffed and strained against the latex, but it held tight. She hoped that he thought someone had miraculously stumbled upon him. Not that anyone would have been able to do anything anyway, but the thought still tickled her.

“You done?”, Sam floated out, “Got my slightly taller reach ready to push the button whenever you are.”

“...Yep!”, she proclaimed after a pregnant pause, finally turning away from her former assailant and stepping next to Sam. She tapped him on the arm as a signal, and grabbed his hand.

He reached up, pressing the big red button that stood just out of Lyna's reach towards the edge of the door frame. With a mechanical buzz, the drain in the center of the room began to withdraw, tucking back in to the concrete floor.

The coyote let out muffled screams and pleas as the puddle shimmered and shuddered with his struggling. As the drain opened fully, his encased figure began to slide gradually towards the hole in the floor, not at all of his volition. His breathing quickened, his desperate, muffled cries becoming more frequent as he felt himself being shifted somewhere. He began to tilt, the latex sending his knees over the precipice of the drain. All too late, he screamed into his latex encasement as the puddle shrank around him, pulling him quicker towards the bowels of the building. One last desperate howl, and he tipped into the drain, vanishing from sight and sound as the last of the latex puddle followed him down.

Lyna rested her head on Sam's shoulder, exhaling as Sam took his hand off the button and closed the drain once more.

“You feel better now?”, he asked, “I could tell this was sticking on your mind for a little bit.”

“You know...”, Lyna pondered, “This did make me feel better. I deserved this.”

“Well you know what else will make you feel better?”, Sam raised an eyebrow knowingly, glancing at her.

“...What?”, she gasped, knowing exactly what the answer would be.

“How 'bout some cheese?”, he smiled, “Got some of that good Halloween-only cheese just came in! Let's go eat some cheese!”

“Yeah! Hell yeah! Cheese!”, she cheered as she stepped out of the now-empty room. She punched the air as she departed, Sam following right behind, “Let's go eat some fuckin' cheese!”

For the first time in two weeks, someone who lived in The Woods had had a good day, indeed.