Being Steel, an interactive story/game pt. 3

This is the third part in an interactive story/game based on my paintings.

Want to play along? This is how you do it: read the story, choose an option on how you should think the story should continue in a comment. Add three words that come to your mind in the comment - I will include them in the next chapter. Feel free to upvote and/or resteem, much appreciated! Stay tuned for the next episode!

Read Episode 1 here.
Read Episode 2 here.

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A big thank you to @niko3d, @fraenk, @veryspider, @deemarshall and @chetnaag for playing the second episode!
Option 1 (answer, this could be a friend) got three votes,
Option 2 (scurry away through the mud) got two votes
I received these words by the players: panic, dead, shaken, rainy, reflection, dwarf, heavy, soft, bubbles, hiding, escape, hungry, help, stormy. Let's get crackin'!

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Part three

You can call me Steel. I'm broke, homeless and running from the cops for a crime I probably did commit. But I ain't sorry I did it. I managed to outrun them and get my ass to the harbor and beyond: I found myself plowing through the muddy marshes when I heard a voice: "Oi, watchit!". I fell into the mud headlong.

Tryin' to be a tough guy is pointless if you're face down in the swamps. So after I wiped the stinkin' mud off of my face and spit out a few dead bugs, I turned around to see who called on me.

Now I'm not easily shaken, or stirred, but I felt a slight panic attack growing, looking at these weirdo's with their top hats looming over me. Still in the mud, I didn't see an escape, nowhere I could run to for some hiding, so I waited as these figures approached.

In complete silence.

They came ever closer, undisturbed by the mud or the water. As if they were floating above it. Hell, I didn't even see their reflection in the water - they were so otherworldly.

The biggest of the lot spoke in a soft yet heavy voice, stormy and rainy all at the same time: "What are you doing here, exactly?"

-"I'm on the run. From the cops. I have nowhere to go." I figured it was better to be honest with these guys.

-"Aaaah," the tone of his voice went up as he nodded to his companions, "we can help you, stranger. Do you feel hungry? Can we feed on y... Can we feed you?"

-"Sure," I said, "I haven't eaten since yesterday."

He seemed to be slightly disappointed and muttered something about blood sugar levels, when one of his minions shouted: "Bubbles, schnell, you do realize we're in HIS territory?"

-"HIS territory?" I asked.

-"The Dwarf's territory," Bubbles responded ice cold.

-"The dwarf?" I asked again.

-"Yes, the Dwarf!" Bubbles shouted, revealing his immaculate and sharp, pointy teeth.
I swear I could hear an organ playing dramatically somewhere in the distance.

Now choose how you will respond...

Option 1: "Please, Bubbles, tell me more about this Dwarf you're seemingly so afraid of."
Option 2: "Eh, never mind the Dwarf, let's go to your place and grab something to eat already!"

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Choose your option in a comment! The option with the most votes is how the story continues (alongside one of my paintings). Add three words that come to mind and I'll include those in the next episode, which should/could come in 48 hours of this post. It may be sooner or later, depending on how much time I can find. Have fun!