Death Game of Venice Part 1: Water wheel

“Come on! The event will be starting soon!” Madoka stammered.

“Mado-chan! You’re the one that demanded we run back to change. I don’t even think they’ll let you perform,” Emeri grumbled.

“But it’s MY birthday party! Momma even said so!”

“*Sigh* Alright I’m almost done. Just let me grab the boots.”

                                                                          …

Yuni and Serika sat with Tetsuka as they waited for Madoka and Emeri to return.

“She really made this sucker durable. I smashed it against a wall, a metal rod, and even some thug’s skull yet not a single crack,” Tetsuka mused as she flicked her smartwatch.

“Talk about an extreme break test,” Serika jibbed.

“So Tetsuka, why are you able to heal so easily?” Yuni asked.

“Oh? Doka spill the beans? Well since I’ve got Ginkawa blood, good ole milk restores me in a flash. Though if you’re talking about the metal and regeneration, that’s from my father,” Tetsuka explained.

“I thought Miss Ginkawa mentioned a laboratory- “

“Well true and not true. See, my father really is a dragon, at least vehemently according to my mom. But the only way to get his seeds into my mom was by doing it in a cup, otherwise it would have been bad for her. And well, it gave her heterochromia, I was born, then she finally had actual sex with a guy and had Doka.”

“I guess I can believe it. It does seem more plausible now that I know more about you,” Yuni smiled.

“So how did you guys meet Doka anyway?”

“It was actually at an escape room…”

                                                                           …

Madoka and Emeri arrived in their magic outfits as Yuni finished her story.

“So that’s how you- Oh, lookin good Doka! You to Meri,” Tetsuka smiled.

“Meri!?”

“Yeah, I like giving everyone nicknames if they’ve got a name three syllables or longer, with some exceptions. Considerin Doka treats you like a sister, I feel I should treat ya like one too.”

“You certainly are a wild one. Though it’s nice to get to know you,” Emeri smiled.

“Oh yeah, I need to catch up on your videos. The last time I saw one was about a week ago when I wandered into a library in Dallas. Heck that’s how I found out about this event.”

Well, you’ll get a live performance soon,” Madoka proudly huffed.

“You look cute girl,” Serika smirked as she poked Emeri’s breast.

“I can have one of these made for you,” Emeri pouted.

“Maybe I’ll give the leotard a go, though I doubt I’d pull it off as well as you.”

“And what about my dress?” Yuni asked.

Since it was Madoka’s birthday, Yuni elected to wear the pink floral dress Emeri had packed her.

“Yeah, mine look’s cuter,” Serika growled.

“I’m glad you decided this was worth dressing up for,” Madoka smiled.

“Haha! Guess I’m the one that’s underdressed,” Tetsuka laughed.

Madoka gazed around as she sat down and ate some of the food.

“Wow, there’s some really cool costumes, though the dark dragon guy with the fixed grin looks really creepy,” Madoka stated as she gobbled down some breadsticks.

“Creepy guy!? Oh yeah, that guy looks creepy. That girl with the multicolored hair looks crazy as well, though who’s the one with the hat. Wait! Could that be- “

Before Yuni could complete the thought, the host began his speech.

“Buongiorno everyone! I am Piazzo Ragu! The host for tonight’s Carnival of Love! Yes, you and your beloved will have to escape death, carnage, and torture in order to save each other!”

The host wore a long black and white zanni mask along with a tricornered hat and a pirate-esque uniform. He seemed very jovial.

“Wait! Did he say escape!? Did Momma really plan a city-wide escape game for my birthday!? Yay! Yay! Hey Pizza man! I’m the birthday girl!” Madoka shouted at the host.

Piazzo turned towards Madoka and smiled.

“Ah, I sense lily flowers blooming. A beautiful aroma, perfect for the dish. We have a solo participant though, oh well there are quite a few of those. Anyway. Let us begin this death game of Venice.”

Piazzo snapped his fingers and everything went dark.

“What’s happening I feel- _.”

Madoka and co immediately fell unconscious along with most of the others around them.

                                                                             …

Madoka awoke with her neck, wrists, and ankles restrained by metal clamps to a water wheel. She also had a cloth gag in her mouth, preventing her from screaming.

“Ah, you are awake Escape Witch Madoka. Happy Birthday! Now heed my words cleerly. Your friend is also captured. Should one of you escape your bonds before the other, the other shall become incapable of escaping on their own. Though I imagine you will easily escape before your friend,” Piazzo’s voice rang out.

Madoka quickly surveyed her surroundings.

“Neck restraint too huh, plus this thing is spinning quickly. Dang, this is actually kind of difficult. The restraints are easy, but I can barely make out my surroundings. I guess I’ll free an arm and my neck,” Madoka thought as she instantly did just that.

“Whoa! Whoa! This water wheel is turning really fast. The dizziness is making it hard to see. It’s really dark, but if I can just get night vision…”

Madoka closed her eyes for a minute before opening them back up.

“There we go. Hmm, Looks like wet parkour. Good thing this outfit’s waterproof.”

Madoka then freed her other arm before removing her gag and tying it around one of her hands. She then took a deep breath and waited for her feet to be facing upward, before bending up, freeing her feet, and grabbing onto the wet wheel for dear life. The gag around her hand helped give her some friction for a brief moment, but that was all she needed in order to kick the wheel with her foot with enough force to put a hole in it. Madoka used her new foothold to balance herself before leaping atop the wheel. She quickly leapt off that and grabbed onto a small wet ledge above and hoisted herself up to the narrow platform. She then stood up and jumped as high as she could and grabbed a wet metal rod above.

She quickly looked around before launching herself towards another bar. She then saw a glimpse of light coming from some bars just above and launched herself towards them. When she peeked up, she saw a large canal.

“This must be an overflow drain for the canal. That means if I just kick it right…”

Madoka used all her upper body strength to hold herself up. She then began kicking the bars at full force, until there was a hole large enough to squeeze through.

She groaned in discomfort as she squeezed her breasts through, but exhaled once they were through to the other side and rapidly scurried onto the ledge outside.

She was back on the surface and had pulled off one of her most intense escapes to date.

“Congratulations! You’re the 24th person to escape,” Piazzo’s voice rang out.

“24th!? What the hell!?” Madoka screamed in frustration.

“Well, the others had a far easier time. Though you did pull off the most difficult escape. However, there’s no time to celebrate. Your friend is still trapped. Plus there is a new rule where you must kill at least one other person- “

“Wait Kill!? Oh, is this part of the act? Do I get a paintball gun?”

“Act? Oh no. Should you fail, Yuni will truly die. Now heed my riddle if you wish to save her in time.

Yuni is trapped between two large men. Should you fail to find her before the next hour, 24 minutes 24 seconds to be precise, the two men shall bang her. You must find where two large men stand and bang and free Yuni before time’s up in order to save her life.”

Madoka froze in shock as she contemplated what she heard.

“Large guys banged… WAHHH! YUNI’S IN TROUBLE! I GOTTA SAVE HER FROM THOSE THUGS!”