I heard the lock click. Desperately, I glanced around and opened the door. Wind howled out of the door, pulling me into it. I closed my eyes and tried to battle down the fear that rose inside of me. The wind continued to howl. I opened my eyes, trying to calm my heartbeat. I was standing in another metal room, with hoses blowing the air at me. I struggled toward one and examined the end of the hose. It was a nozzle. I turned it shut, stopping the wind from bowling me over. It took a few minutes, but I finally shut off all the hoses, so I could move around. 

I sighed and sat down on the floor. I didn't know what else to do. After a moment, I started shivering. I shook out my shirt and put it back on. My clothes were crusted with salt and uncomfortable. But that was all I had. 

Suddenly I felt very weak. My muscles stopped working and I lay down on the floor. My head swam and I blacked out. Dehydration had finally taken its toll.

I awoke, I don't know how or when, but I felt the air around me pressing in. I couldn't breathe! My lung seemed to have stopped working, wait, no, it was the air. Frantically, with blackness rimming my vision, I grappled with one of the hoses and opened the nozzle. Instantly I was rewarded with a breath of fresh air. Gasping hungrily, I refilled my lungs and sat back down. I knew I needed to move on, but how? There was no door, I seemed to have just appeared in here. 

Gingerly I stood up and felt along the walls. Solid. The ceiling. Solid. The floor. Solid too. There was no way out. Then I had an idea. I pulled the hose from where it hung on the wall. It seemed to be on a reel, and it rolled out, longer and longer. I slid my hand through the hole, feeling around. There seemed to be a button on the other side. I grated my teeth and pushed it. No matter what happened, I had to find water. 

The floor opened underneath me. I screamed as I hurtled down a chute, very much like a slide. It curved and twisted. Somehow I knew to lie flat and keep my head down. I was right. A few seconds later, a metal ball on a chain swung through the air right at head level. And suddenly, the ride was over. I was standing on a stone floor. I forced myself to walk to where I could dimly see a door. Turning the handle, I was flooded by bright light.

Momentarily blinded, I saw nothing, but heard a male voice, the same one that called out the hours in the riddle room. "Nara 4819, your test is over."

I was safe. My knees gave out and I fell forward, hitting my head on the concrete floor, knocking myself senseless.