That stopped Kari. And the voice came back, saying you're all as good as dead, you can't possibly win, as the snake advanced and Kari groped for words or music or anything. It darted at her and she barely moved enough that it only hit her microphone. The pearl-encrusted karaoke accessory skipped like a rock down the dusty tunnel, the case making a cracking noise.

And with that a good ways away, Kari's eyes went dull. She dropped to her knees and then face down on the ground.