Saintsridge Angels Demo

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ (live: 2s)[Hello there.] (live: 4s)[(stop:)I thought I was alone here.] (live: 6s)[(stop:)Do you happen to know where you and I are? (show:?pageClick)] |pageClick)[(click:?Page)[(live: 1s)[Oh,] (live: 2s)[I see.] (live: 3.5s)[Well,] (live: 4s)[let me describe it to you.] (live: 6s)[It's not much more than what you're seeing now, ](live: 7s) [I imagine.] (live: 9.5s)[But there are lights,] (live: 10.75s)[so,] (live: 11.25s)[so far away from you and I.] (live: 12.75s)[So many of them, each with their own...] (live: 14s)[their own 'traits.'] (live: 16s)[It isn't shape I'm thinking of, but-] (live: 17.25s)[but something else.] (live: 19.5s)[Something in them that makes them look different.] (live: 22s)[But that isn't shape?] (live: 25s)[You'll have to excuse me.] (live: 26s)[I'm not quite all here,] (live: 27s)[wherever you and I are.] (live: 28.5s)[I guess I won't be a great translator for you after all.] (live: 30.5s)[But I can tell you that all of this,] (live: 31.5s)[it's beautiful.] (live: 33.5s)[I wish you could see it.] (live: 35.5s)[But everything is so far apart.] (live: 37.5s)[It's remarkable you and I found one another here.] (live: 40s) [How did you get here, anyway?(show:?pageClick2)]]] |pageClick2)[(click:?Page)[(live: 1s)[…I don’t remember where I was before this place. ]|line2)[(live: 3s)[I don’t remember quite why I left, ]]|line3)[(live: 4.5s)[or where I wanted to go. ]] |line4)[(live: 6.5s)[Though I hold on to some ember, ]]|line5)[(live: 8s)[a brilliance of feeling, ]]|line6)[(live: 9s)[resilient enough to drill into my mind ]]|line7)[(live: 10s)[and survive ]]|line11)[{ |delayed>[that which erased everything else.] (enchant: ?delayed's chars, via (t8n-delay: pos * 30) + (t8n: "instant")) }] |line8)[(live: 15s)[It is longing. ]]|line9)[(live: 17s)[I long for something precious to me. ]] |line10)[(live: 19s)[What is it that I long for?(show:?pageClick3)]] (set: $counter to 1)\ (set: $delay to 1)\ (live: 0s)[\ (set: $counter to it + 1)\ (show: (hooks-named: "line" + (str: $counter)))\ (if: $counter is 10)[\ (stop:)\ ]\ ]\ (live: 1.1s)[\ (set: $delay to it + 1)\ (if: $delay is 11)[\ (show: (hooks-named: "line" + (str: $delay)))\ (stop:)\ ]\ ]]] |pageClick3)[(click:?Page)[(live: 1s)[I try to think, ](live: 2s)[but focus ](live: 2.75s)[slips ](live: 3.5s)[and ](live: 4.25s)[swims ](live: 5.25s)[through my mind ](live: 7s)[like a ](live: 8.5s)[thing ](live: 9.75s)[in another ](live: 11.5s)[thing ](live: 12.25s)[full of holes.] (live: 14s)[...That's not right. ](live: 16s)[I was reaching for a metaphor, ](live: 17.5s)[but I have nothing to identify this feeling with. ](live: 19s)[It's just holes. ](live: 21s)[I am made of holes.] (live: 23s)[And I am a feeling. ](live: 24.5s)[Longing. ](live: 25.5s)[That is what defines me. ](live: 27.5s)[That is all that survived the before. ](live: 29.5s)[It is all that was not erased. ](live: 31.5s)[I long for something precious to me.] (live: 33.5s)[Where is it? ](live: 35s)[Did I leave it behind when I left? ](live: 37.5s)[I do not remember where from I left. ](live: 39.5s)[Or where I wanted to go. ](live: 41.5s)[I don't remember anything, ](live: 42.5s)[but a feeling. ](live: 44.5s)[A feeling of longing.] (live: 47.5s)[Longing for what? ](live: 49.5s)[I try to think, ](live: 50.5s)[but focus ](live: 51.25s)[slips ](live: 52s)[and ](live: 52.25s)[swims ](live: 52.75s)[through my mind...] (live: 55.5s)[...And it hits something.] (live: 56s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "...And it hits something.")]] ]]

It's hideous. (live: 1.5s)[It looks tired, ] (live: 2.5s)[and fragile, ] (live: 3.5s)[and small. ]\ (live: 5s)[I'd look away and let myself forget it, ] (live: 6.5s)[If it didn't ](live: 7s)[assault ](live: 7.25s)[me ](live: 7.5s)[with another emotion... ](live: 9s)[familiarity.] (live: 11s)[This ] (live: 11.5s)['it' ] (live: 12s)[is me.] (live: 15s)[At least, it's a part of me. ] (live: 17s)[Looking at this thing’s worn frame, I realize how incomplete I am. ] (live:20s)[That I had been severed like an unwanted anchor from the substance of me that mattered; ](live:23s)[that which defines me.] (live:25s)[Can I mend my own broken parts? ] (live:27s)[Return to the place that was before?] (live:28.5s)[Is there enough space between the holes to fit back the shards ](live:30s)[before I dissolve? ](live:32s)[I can think of only one way to find out.] (live: 35s)["...Seth..."] (live: 36s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "...Seth...")]]

Its voice escapes through my throat, and it opens my eyes. (live:2s)[There's a haze to those eyes; ] (live:5s)[a gloss that tells me they have nothing to tell. ] (live:7s)[I feel shame.] (live: 9s)["...Can you hear me, ](live: 10s)[Seth?"] (live: 10s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "...Can you hear me, Seth?")]]

I stop, (live: 1s)[and wait for it to respond to me. ](live: 2s)[It doesn't. ] (live: 4s)[But its eyes flicker- ] (live:5s)[I am being heard.] (live: 7s)["Open your arms, ](live: 7.5s)[Seth. ](live: 9s)[Let me in. ](live: 10s)[It's lonely here."] (live: 12s)[I say it, ](live: 12.5s)[but I do not mean it. ](live: 14s)[I do not feel lonesome. ](live: 16s)[I do not know where I learned the word. ](live: 18s)[Nonetheless, ](live: 19s)[its eyes light up and banish the gloss, ](live: 21s)[and I know color again.] (live: 24s)[My eyes are blue. ](live: 26s)[I am drifting through black. ](live: 28s)[The black feels...] (live: 31s)[I don't know how it feels. ](live: 34s)[But I will; ](live: 35s)[there are more colors left to see.] (text-colour:blue)[(live: 38s)[“Do you hear it, ](live: 38.5s)[Seth?”]] (text-colour:blue)[(live: 40s)[“The everything below us… ](live: 42s)[it's crying. ](live: 44s)[Crying for you. ](live: 46s)[Do you hear it? ](live: 48s)[I hear it."] (live: 51s)["It's okay, ](live: 51.5s)[Seth. ](live: 53s)[I will listen for you. ](live: 55s)[I will give you whatever you need from me. ](live: 58s)[Please, take me away from this place, ](live: 60s)[and go to it."]] (live: 63s)["..."] (live: 64s)[(click:?Page)[(transition-depart: "dissolve")[(go-to: "Waking up")]]]

(set: $location to "Dorm Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Morning")\ \ (live: 5s) [...I feel like death.] (live: 7s) [I feel like death every time I wake up, which I think is my body's way of telling me not to get out of bed. It gets harder not to listen to it every morning, especially now that winter's here in earnest. I shut my eyes back, and almost [[drift back to sleep…]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

But realizing what I'm doing, I throw myself up to a sitting position, just to force myself to move. That's enough to keep me awake, and enough to bring on a splitting headache, the *other* half of my wake-up routine. I press my thumb to my temple, and throw off my sheets with my free hand. I swing my legs out of bed and stand up, but the moment I'm supporting my own weight, my head spins violently enough to steal my sense of balance away from me. As my vision pulses and goes black, I take a deep breath in, and stand as still as possible. Eventually, the lightheadedness goes away, and I'm finally allowed to start walking. I stroll over to my dresser and grab the bottle of iron pills on top of it, unscrewing the lid and looking inside. There’s four pills left… [[I was supposed to buy more of these last sunday.]]

Whatever, I’ll just take care of it this weekend. I pop one pill in my mouth, and go through my drawers. I’m completely out of things to wear- in fact, the only thing in my shirt drawer is the three year old tee my parents bought right before I left for college. It's this grey little short-sleeve with a grainy picture of me on my dad's shoulders. Under the picture, in impact font, the text reads "good luck out there!" Ignoring how corny it is, it has to be the worst picture of me in the twenty-one years I've been alive. I think I'll end up going to school shirtless before I wear this thing in public. I wince as I swallow the giant iron pill, and sift through my laundry bin looking for my least revolting set of matching clothes. I land on a solid blue button-down, some black slacks, and the letterman jacket I wear over everything anyway. [[Boring, but presentable.]]

(set: $location to "Dorm Kitchen")\ \ After washing up, I walk downstairs and go to the kitchen, swinging open the pantry and untwisting the half-empty loaf of bread inside. I take out a slice, and put it in the toaster, pushing it down with a struggling *click.* I twist the loaf’s wrapper back up and toss it on the counter, then I kneel down and open my mini-fridge. Damn it, I’m out of butter. Okay, I guess this works. I sit on the counter, and stare at the wall while I wait for the toast to cook. (live: 15s)[...] (live: 19s)[...] (live: 22s)[...Did I forget to lock the door last night?] {(live: 24s)[ [["DING!"]] ]}

I grab the toast and bite the corner, letting the rest of it hang out of my mouth as I sling my school bag over my shoulder. Reaching for the doorknob and- wow yeah- that’s not even fully closed. I'm lucky I didn't have any bugs come in. Or... people. Hang on, my alarm didn’t wake me up today, what time is it? I look up at the clock hanging at my living room wall; it reads seven forty-five. Shit! [[Psychology starts in fifteen minutes.]]

(set: $location to "Dorms")\ \ I feel the cold air blow over me as I swing open the door and rush outside. Bag weighing at my side, I take three brisk steps into the morning sun, when I stop and realize I didn’t close the door behind me, again. I stop running and look back, and the absurdity of what I’m doing hits me in full. I still have a piece of bread caught in my teeth, about to sprint a mile and a half to a class I don't care about. I take the bread out of my mouth, and turn to look at the silhouette of the school, just barely visible from where I’m standing over the dorms around me. [[I could make it. I’ve made it before.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ “...Meh.” I take another bite of my bread, and turn around to [[finish eating inside.]]

(set: $location to "Dorms")\ \ I take my time on the walk to school, soaking in the atmosphere I've come to take for granted over the last two years. Saintsridge University is one of the most prestigious colleges in the state of California, and the campus definitely reflects it. Student dorms loom over bright pavement, easily mistakable for apartment complexes. The bright green grass never stretches or spills onto the crackless sidewalks, or wide curvy roads. It's unheard of for a campus to be idyllic enough to find students sunbathing on the front yards, but somehow, Saintsridge finds a way. Though, that probably says more about the shamelessness of our students more than anything; I'd never waste my time laying out there, fishing for attention. Come to think of it, despite California's notoriously erratic weather patterns, I struggle to remember this place in anything other than glaring sun. The quiet, chilly breeze is refreshing; I haven’t come here at a leisurely place in at least a semester. But since I'm already late, there’s no reason not to enjoy myself all the way to the door of [[Professor Solia’s classroom.]]

(set: $location to "School Hallway")\ \ I almost open the door and walk right in. But before I do, I have an idea. I take a step back, hunch over, and start breathing as hard and fast as I can. Really getting my heartrate up- I hyperventilate until my head goes light again. Then, I grab the doorknob and [[tackle my way inside.]]

(append: ?SideBar)[\ Location: $location Time: $time [[Save Game]] [[Load Game]]]

(set: $location to "Solia's Classroom")\ \ "Professor! I'm so sorry!" In the middle of a lecture, Professor Solia jumps, and looks at me from the other end of the room. "Hm?" Recognizing me, her shock drops to an unamused frown. "Oh- Seth. Glad you could join us." "Yeah- I know, *haah*" I pant. "There was- I got here as fast as I could, *huff.*" Even if the rush I was in was fake, the heaviness of my chest from pretending wasn't. "There was this bike accident on northside-" "Just have a seat," She interrupts, looking back at her blackboard. "Wednesday's exam is on your desk." "Got it, great." I walk up to my desk, filing through the columns of desks as they slowly squeeze inward toward the front wall, like a mini-colosseum. I always thought Solia structured her class like that on purpose; it gives a sort of cold impersonality to the students, while centering all the attention on herself. I catch a girl's mocking laughter on the way to my seat; I don’t bother looking at her- no good in giving her any attention. [[I sit and take my late exam.]]

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday, Noon")\ \ The test is fine, which surprises me. In all honesty, I’d barely been present for Solia’s classes lately- y’know, mentally. I thought all my daydreaming might put me behind, but it looks like (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Melanie]] puts more filler in her lectures than I gave her credit for. Hey, no judgment, I like hearing myself talk too. Once psychology lets up, I have an hour to kill between classes, so I stop by the cafeteria to buy some real food and take it to the school’s central courtyard. This little spot’s special to me. Whenever I have the time- at least twice a week- I come to the same spot, sit on the same bench, and listen in on people’s conversations while I eat. Some people would listen to music, or watch the news, or catch up with their friends or whatever else. But I think those people are all missing out. Observing the strangers around you, hearing how the small talk and hot topics change from week to week in your community, gives you a sense of the world immediately around you. It gives you insight in a way I haven’t gotten from anywhere else. I’ll hear about the news either way, right? And I’ll close myself off talking to the same people every day- but there’s nothing a fly on the wall can’t hear. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#ffd700)[[There's this pair of cute blondes chatting on the next bench over.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#ffd700)[[But there's also a taller guy talking to himself, loudly.]]</div>

I’ve listened to them a couple of times before- I used to think they were sisters, but I think the shorter one is dyeing her hair that color. “So," Blonde 1 starts, "Does that mean *Old Dogs* is getting canceled, or what?” "Jesus, Beth," scoffs the second. "That is so insensitive." "It's a genuine question. I gotta know if I need to cancel my netlix account because I am *not* paying twelve bucks a month for *Real Housewives.*" *Real Housewives* is on netflix? Wait, aren't these girls like twenty? I always thought the demographic for that show was other housewives. “I mean I think they’re just gonna write him out or recast him or something," the second blonde crosses her legs and shrugs. "As long as those girls want to stay on the show they’ll probably still get views, y’know?” "*If* they want to stay on set," the first blonde chuckles. "That's what they get for hiring another (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Parth]]." “Jackie always rubbed me the wrong way- is it wrong that I kind of saw this coming?” Of course it is. People say they 'felt something was wrong about them' every time a celebrity gets outed as a weirdo. Blonde One finds it hilarious, though. "He's soooo creepy! Have you seen the way he laughs during interviews? Hang on, I gotta show you this clip..." "Haha, oh no, is it bad?" While the blondes giggle to one another, [[a different voice startles me from just behind my head.]] “Hey, stranger.”

I haven't seen him around before, I don't think. Or at least, I haven't had a reason to pay attention to him yet. He's walking around in big, slow circles, speaking just below a yell. "And she said 'I can't believe so many people drive automatic.'" He says, to no one in particular. "But I don't think people getting these new cars really care anymore about being in touch with their machine. And y'know, I don't think *Rage Against the Machine's* stuff from 2000 is very good, but I was listening to music with a really old friend of mine, and he forgot that I knew how to play the bass guitar." What the hell is this guy talking about? I've been listening for three sentences and I think he's changed topics like five times. And does he think that girl by the tree is listening to him? She hasn't looked at him once, from what I've seen. "And- people tell me I have a really suprising strength for my size, which you wouldn't expect just from seeing me," he continues to ramble, having changed subjects again in the time it took me to tune back in. "Ugh, these clothes are so scratchy, one time I tore up a fifty dollar dress shirt because I didn't like the way that the collar was hugging my neck. Haha, I mean, isn't that the craziest thing? I parents never let me have a bank account as a kid, and people are so obsessed with kid's safety nowadays even though I don't think *anyone's* having kids anymore..." While the ranting man continues to entertain himself, [[a different voice startles me from just behind my head.]] “Hey, stranger.”

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/v9ZBwpL.png"> I almost fall out of my seat. Jerking my head around, I find a braided brunette in a frilly top and a blue skirt, leaning uncomfortably close to my face. Cynthia Paluri, my childhood best friend, has an all too suspicious smile on her face. "Hey, Cynth! You scared me." “I sure did. Spying on people?” “People-watching. You make it sound so… creepy.” “That’s no good- can’t have people getting the wrong idea.” “Screw you.” “Yeah. You look plenty creepy, sitting here by yourself. Here, lemme help.” Cynthia sits next to me, and tilts her head onto my shoulder, watching the passersby with me. “Where are you heading?” “Nowhere, classes are done for now. I'm looking for you, actually.” “Really?” [[You haven't done that in a couple years, Cynth.]]

<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Sidebar]]</div> Hello (text-colour:#f9f338)[[thoughts.]] (set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Morning")\ \

The Parths are a celebrity family, big in the entertainment industry, mostly in music. James Parth, the head-of-household, was the first of the name to really make it big. Nowadays he's just about the biggest name in country music, worldwide. That level of fame made his eventual wife and children famous by association, not to mention a few of his siblings. I always felt like, aside from James and the occasional odd talent he's produced, the Parths were a *very* manufactured sensation. There's so damn many of them, and I just don't feel the urge to remember a good three-fourths of the family. A lot of the ones I *do* remember are only in my head because of some scandal or controversy they get in, [[which it sounds like is exactly what these girls are talking about.|There's this pair of cute blondes chatting on the next bench over.]]

"Why?" “I’ve got a favor to ask.” “What is it?” “You live alone, Seth?” “Last I checked.” “Any interest in Greek life?” “No, not really. Why?” “You might like it, if you get to know the crowd. I’ve been living with this sorority since we got here, and I was wondering if you’d like to meet them. We’re doing a sort of interview… mixer thing.” “Yeah, sure, whatever. When is it?” “We start tonight. And great! I’ll take you there after class, when’s your last one end?” “Five thirty, usually. I can, uh…” I lose my train of thought, and look at Cynthia when [[something important clicks a few moments late.]]

“Why do you want me to go to a sorority mixer?” “We’re looking for a roommate.” There’s a pregnant pause, while I wait for her to acknowledge the obvious. But she doesn’t, so I have to. “I’m a man, Cynthia.” “Are you? That’s okay, we’re looking for one of those.” “What do you mean ‘looking?’ Is- is that even allowed? I thought sororities were split up. Isn’t that like the whole point?” “I wouldn’t say that’s the whole point, but yeah, sure. Okay, so we’re not official. The school lets us rent out a sorority home, but we’re technically just a bunch of students living together. So we don’t have to follow any rules like that. Just come over and say hi, we can talk about-” “Have you taken in any men before? Are you living with one now?” “You sound concerned. But no, you’d be the first. That’s actually part of why I’m asking you. We all decided we want a boy to move in, but there are concerns about taking in the right one. It’d make us feel a lot better to know we can trust whoever moves in with us. So… I maybe sorta already brought up your name.” “You volunteered me? Cynth, what the hell?” “What? You said you’re living alone. C’mon, you’re roommate material, aren’t you?” Cynthia rubs her shoulder into mine, and jabs me in the side with her elbow. “It’s a bunch of pretty girls, Seth. Have you kissed anybody since Elsa in eighth grade? Could be what you need to get back in practice.” “You’re disgusting.” I scoot away from Cynthia, and look out to the street. Her shoulders droop, and when it's obvious I'm not going to give her a real response, [[she rolls her eyes.]]

“What. ” "Are you setting me up for something, Cynth?" “What, like, a prank? No, why would I do that?” “I dunno. It- ugh… why is this how we’re catching up?” It’s been three years since Cynthia and I left home and went to college together. Our parents had this notion that we’d be sewn at the hip out here, but that wasn’t at all how things turned out. The first six months were fine, when we were just acclimating to the area and not actually going to school yet. But I haven’t heard a word from her in at least a semester, and even that was such a short ‘nothing’ conversation that I can’t remember any of it. It… hasn’t been fun, to be honest. “I just find it hard to believe you want to live with me all of a sudden. Is that where you think we are? Cause I don’t.” Cynthia’s smile fades. For the first time today, I see the snark fall off of her mask. Maybe now I’ll get her to tell me what she wants. “...I’m sorry. I didn’t realize, uh… you missed me that much?” “I didn’t say that.” “You didn’t have to. Look, I’ve been…” “...I still think you’re… I love you. I trust you a lot more than the other men in my life. I’m not trying to trick you, I want you for this. It’d be nice to… reconnect, y’know? You can meet my new friends.” Cynthia and I look each other in the eyes. A lot goes unspoken in a little time. Then, she smirks, and I feel the mask snap back onto her face. “Are you really gonna make me sit through a bunch of douchebags looking for a harem? Come on, help me out.” “Hah. Alright, fine- I'll check the place out." Cynthia sighs in relief, and claps her hands together. [[She stands up, smiling ear to ear.]]

“The girls are gonna love you! Five thirty, right?” “I’m checking it out, Cynth, no promises.” “I’ll pick you up.” And she’s gone. … (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[…What the hell is wrong with me?]]

(set: $location to "Saintsridge Campus")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Afternoon")\ \ The rest of my classes pass in a usual haze. I show up, let the teachers talk at me for an hour and a half, and then walk away having absorbed nothing of value. As repetitive as the professors at Saintsridge can be, they make for incredible noise machines. I guess I can’t blame them, there’s only so much you can say when you’re no more passionate about your syllabus than your students are. When my last class wraps up, I get my things and leave, heading down my usual route home. I don’t even notice someone sneaking up on me until she grabs me by the shoulder. “Seth! You ready?” “Huh? Hey, Cynth.” “The house is this way, c’mon.” “The house…” Oh, right. The sorority. How could I forget. Cynthia takes my hand and drags me opposite to where I was going. Away from my home, away from my nice, safe bed, and toward a strange house allegedly full of [[strange women.]]

(set: $location to "Campus Streets")\ \ “I’m sure everyone’s excited to meet you, I told Aurora you were coming. Knowing Aurora, that means everybody else knows, too. She was shocked you were so easy to convince.” “We have something in common already.” Cynthia stops us in front of a large wooden house with a wide porch. Hanging along the porch wall is a blue banner with big golden letters painted on it: “AΔA” Alpha Delta Alpha. “ADA. Cute.” “It used to be a fraternity, back in the twenties. It’s incredible nobody jumped on the name.” “This is a really nice place…” “It’s even nicer inside, c’mon.” [[Cynthia opens the door and ushers me inside.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ I get my first look at the interior stumbling through the vestibule, as Cynthia clicks the door shut behind me. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I can’t even imagine how much a place like this must cost, but it doesn’t look gaudy or pretentious, just welcoming. Something about the living room’s design reminds me of some kind of mountainside resort cabin. The living room is split in two parts, the mingling area on the right and the dining area on the left. The kitchen’s visible through an open doorway, just past the dining room half. Immediately right of the kitchen sits a hallway inside a stairway parallel to me. It looks like a second hallway fills out the house above the first. In the living room chatting on a sofa sit three girls, who all stop to look at Cynthia and I when we walk in. There’s a short redhead on the left end, a blonde with pink tips on the right, and a tall woman with purple hair between them. That one stands up as soon as my shoes touch the rug. “Hi there! You must be Seth.” [[I get a look at this woman as I introduce myself.]]

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/OZDmyCN.png"> “Yeah, hi.” The woman shakes my hand and gives me a warm, beaming smile. I catch a whiff of lavender as she tugs me just a bit closer to her chest. “I’m Aurora, sorority leader. Cynthia’s told me so much about you!” “Yeah, I… I’m sorry, you look familiar. Have we met?” Aurora gives me a quick scan, and furrows her brow. “Oh yeah, you look familiar, too. Orientation?” “Maybe.” “Hum. Oh, I’ll figure it out. Charlie, Peppermint, come say hi!” The two other girls get up from the couch and come up to Aurora’s side. I don’t get anything from the redhead, but the blonde brings the potent smell of cannabis up with her, which mixes interestingly with lavender perfume, to speak mildly. The redhead stares blankly at me, and says nothing. [[The blonde flashes me a peace sign.]] (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/vh0OceJ.png"> “Yo, I’m Charlotte. You’ve got a beautiful smile, man.” “Thanks.” Right then, something clicks in my brain, and my eyes widen in shock. Charlotte’s easy smile gives way to unease- she knows what’s coming. “Wait, Charlie? Are- are you Charlie Parth?” “Yep, guilty. You a fan?” “I’ve heard a bit of your work, I think. I’ve got a few of Brandon’s songs saved, and- I mean, I hear James and Rebecca on the radio. Oh my god- I heard you went to school here, I totally forgot!” I shake Charlie’s hand more enthusiastically than I mean to. Her awkward smile tells me everything I need to know about how I look right now, but come on, this is my first time ever getting starstruck. Oh man, I wish I knew more about her, I would have prepared if I knew she was gonna be one of the sorority members! I almost forget about the redhead in my excitement. Composing myself, I look at her, and smile. [[What was her name again?]] “Right, sorry! You said your name was Pepper…?”

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/D7PYBqs.png"> “Peppermint. Don’t call me that, my name is Mabel.” “You can call her Peppermint, it’s cool. She likes it.” “They do it to piss me off.” “We do it because it fits. She's red, white, and tiny.” “Fuck off. You can’t even let me meet someone before spreading that shit? It’s not even a good joke, you're just being a bitch!” Mabel jabs Aurora in the forearm, which Aurora returns with a cold glare. [[Mabel’s eyes dart to the floor, and she crosses her arms, blushing.]] “So, is it just Cynthia and the three of you?”

"Oh, no, not quite. You've still got two people left to meet. Ophilia is upstairs, and Jessica is aaaactually…" Aurora rests her forearms on Mabel’s head and leans over her as she turns toward the kitchen. Mabel grumbles in disapproval, which makes Charlie snicker under her breath. “Jessie, he’s here, come on over!” Out from the kitchen walks a girl in a black leather jacket. She’s about as tall as Aurora, and at a glance, I can tell she has an exceptionally athletic build. Coated in makeup and wearing thick leather boots, she exudes an intimidating confidence despite the wide and friendly smile on her lips. [[She puts down an apple she was eating on the dining room table on her way to me.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ I follow closely behind Aurora up the stairs, the two of us stopping at the first door on the right. The rest of the girls come with us, trailing at different distances. Jessie’s standing right behind me, no further from me than I am from Aurora. Charlie’s a couple feet behind Jessie, one foot lingering on the second highest step. Mabel stops to watch from halfway up the stairs, and Cynthia stays on the bottom floor, watching up through the railing. Aurora knocks gently on the white wooden door. “Ophilia? Are you still in there, love?” There’s a gasp from the other side. “-! Aurora? Y-yeah, I’m here.” “The boy’s here. We’re gonna come in now, alright?” “Oh! One second!” There’s some rustling inside the room, and the drag of a closing dresser drawer. Then a dainty looking white haired girl opens the door for us. [[She’s wearing a wool sweater, and just a little too much blush.]]

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/dEtbx7T.png"> “Hi, I’m Ophilia. I’m sorry I didn’t come down to meet you, I didn’t think you’d get here so quickly.” The girl practically speaks in a whisper. She’s being polite, but I can’t shake the feeling that she’s uncomfortable about something. Did I catch her off guard that badly? That would be Cynthia’s fault. “That’s alright. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Seth.” “I know.” “Oh. Alright.” “Ophilia.” "-Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude! It's just that Aurora already told me your name." “Don’t worry about it, I get it.” “Um... you can come in.” [[I step inside.|“Um… you can come in.”]]

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/ggIgoDJ.png"> “Oh shit, is he? Hey man, welcome! I’m Jessie- you look good!” Jessie holds up her fist. I bump it before I even process the compliment. “-Uh, yeah, you too!” “Y’know, I kinda didn’t think you were gonna show up. Or that you existed, it’s hard to picture that Cynthia has friends outside of ADA.” “It’s hard to believe there’s a man on campus you haven’t met yet, Jessie.” “Hey!” “Don’t ‘hey’ her, you just did the same shit to me, Jess.” “Yeah but it’s funny when I do it.” “It *is* funny when she does it.” “You’re all hilarious. Bicker after our guest goes home, alright?” “The last one’s upstairs, right? Should I just go up and say hi?” The girls go quiet all at once, looking like I’d just stepped on something valuable. A couple of them open their mouths on the verge of saying something, but stay silent. It’s only after Aurora shakes herself off that someone breaks the silence. “Yeah! Yeah, let’s go introduce you. Phili’s in the extra bedroom, just follow me.” [[Aurora turns and heads up the stairs to the top hallway.]]

(set: $location to "Extra Bedroom")\ \ The extra room is empty, save for a couple necessary furniture items. It all looks so unsettlingly sterile, in contrast to how much life I felt from the living room. It feels like whoever ‘decorated’ this place went out of their way to avoid giving it any character. (text-colour:#dec2ea)[Ophilia] backs up and stands against the dresser, while (text-colour:#fceb6a)[Aurora] and I stand on either side of the window. (text-colour:#d05eff)[Jessie] sits on the bed, and lets (text-colour:#9af27d)[Charlie] sit on her lap. Charlie rests her head back on Jessie’s shoulder, and locks her left hand’s fingers into the curls of Jessie’s hair. (text-colour:#ff9684)[Mabel] sits on the floor, between Charlie and Jessie’s legs, leaning against their calves with her own legs sprawled out on the floor. (text-colour:#66eaff)[Cynthia] joins us too, leaning against the door with her arms crossed. “So, how long have you guys all been together?” "Mm, depends on the person. When Aurora founded ADA, Ophilia and I were two of her first. Jessie and Charlie have been with us for two years, and Mabel's our runt." “I've been living here for a year, grandma, I’m not *that* new.” “Wow, a year is new? You guys must be pretty close knit.” The girls all smile, and stare in different directions. “...So, what has you looking for someone new?” "We just have the room, y'know? I mean, this was Cynth's idea, but we're all on board, as long as you're not an asshole." “Which I doubt, If Cynthia likes you.” “What about you? Why do you want to be here?” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[“I'm tired of living alone.”]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["A coed sorority sounds fun!"]]</div>

“Honestly, I've been going crazy stuck in my dorm. I was already thinking about getting a roommate when Cynthia brought you guys up, so I figured I should at least give it a shot.” "Aww, that's sweet! I hate being alone, too. I don't think I'd make it a month on my own." The girls all give me reassuring smiles, save for Cynthia, who stares at me oddly. "No, you weren't. You dragged your feet the whole way here Seth, do you not remember that?" Everyone looks at the two of us, and I feel their confusion on my back like a weighted blanket. I break eye contact with Cynthia, and stiffen up. "-Yeah, I guess this wasn't really my idea…" "It's alright that you're doing this as a favor, Seth, we don't mind." [[Right.|Well, regardless...]] (set: $AffMabel to it+1) (set: $AffOphilia to it+2)

“It's just a new idea to me, y'know? I mean, men and women have lived together before obviously, but ‘sorority’ has an implication, right? I think of it as being segregated. Anyway, moving in with a group of women sounds fun. I could learn a lot, meet new people.” “Hell yeah! I'm glad you said it; these five were all so coy about the idea of a guy moving in. They wanna pretend it's this platonic, meaningless impulse. But like, fuck that, right? I'm curious, too! I'm down to experiment with you, man.” "Nobody's pretending, Jess, you're just a teenager." "Call me a teenager when you hit puberty, Peppermint." "Wait Seth, I remember you calling me disgusting when I joked about us flirting with you. Is that something you care about, or not?" "Uh… well…" The girls look at me curiously. I try not to stumble into saying something stupid. "I-I guess I'm not… really looking at it from a romantic angle. Not yet, anyway. I'm just here because Cynthia wants me to be." "Huh. Then why'd you say it like that? Did you want us to think you were trying to get with us right away?" "No! No, I was just trying to, uh… fit in?" "It's fine, Seth, I'm bringing you here because I know you aren't that kind of guy. I was just teasing you before." [[I can't tell if that's pity I hear in Cynthia's voice, or disappointment.|Well, regardless...]] (set: $AffCharlie to it+1) (set: $AffJessie to it+2)

“Well, regardless, why don't we all get to know Seth one on one? Let's spread out, and you can come visit us at your own pace. We'll take the day, and see how we feel by the end of it. Sounds good?” "That works for me!" "She's talking to the boy, Phili." "Oh, right." "Yeah, I'm fine with that, sounds good." "Great! In that case, we'll be around the house. Jessie, go check on the oven while you wait, okay?" "Mhm." Aurora stands up, and leaves the room. The other girls share looks between one another, and follow behind her. I take a second to stand there and process my situation. Just like that, I'd been roped into this house and left to fend for myself with Cynthia and five strangers. This whole thing feels alien- I've been itchy from the moment I stepped inside. But despite that, I have to admit, I don't hate this yet. Everyone seems really friendly… to an extent. Mabel was kinda standoffish, thinking back. I hear a door close nearby, and look out to the hall. [[I guess I've waited long enough.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ (set: $freetime to 0)\ (set: $aurora1 to false)\ (set: $cynthia1 to false)\ (set: $charlie1 to false)\ (set: $mabel1 to false)\ (set: $ophilia1 to false)\ (set: $jessie1 to false)\ Now, all that's left to do is make a good first impression. What should I do first? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Wander the upstairs hallway.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Head downstairs.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Go out and get some air.]]</div>

(set: $location to "Front Yard")\ (set: $aurora1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it + 1)\ I step outside to get some air. I figure taking a break from that house might help my anxious skin, and make it easier to socialize. God, why can't I seem to relax out here? I'm not in any danger, what is wrong with me? Am I really this bad with women? While I sulk in the driveway, I hear the front door open behind me. Aurora walks out and smiles at me, holding something in her hand. "I thought I saw you come out here. Running away already?" "Ha- no, not at all! I'm just catching my breath." "Uh huh. Hey, I got you something." Aurora holds out her hand and gives me a chocolate chip cookie wrapped in a paper towel. "Aww, thank you, Aurora! Did you make this yourself?" "Yeah, I put them in the oven when I heard you were on the way. Sorry, it's just store-bought dough. Come to think of it, I should have asked Charlie to make something-" "No, thank you! This is so thoughtful." "Well, they say the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach." I almost choke on my cookie, that catches me so off guard. I laugh as soon as my airway clears. "My heart?" "Figure of speech." Aurora winks, and takes out a black sketchbook. She leans against the wall and slides to the floor, letting out a heavy breath as she sits down. I notice how well her hair reflects the sun from this angle. "You made a good call, it feels incredible out here. I haven't come outside to draw in so long. I think I just about missed the good weather for it, too." "You're an artist?" Aurora nods. "Art major, actually. But it's just a hobby for now." "Oh yeah? Do you want to do it professionally?" Aurora scribbles in her book while we talk. Her narrowing eyes and subtle frown showing her immediate focus. Still, she steals quick looks at me when she can. "I guess I wouldn't mind that. But I don't think I'll ever get a studio or anything like that. I don't imagine myself settling down that hard." [[Sounds like she's got a firm idea for her future.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ It looks like everyone's bedrooms are upstairs, judging by the hanging decorations, and in some cases different colored paints, adorning the doors up here. I guess it makes sense to have them all on one floor, it'd be strange for a sorority home to spread out the bedrooms unneccesarily. The extra bedroom is the one closest to the stairs on the right, with two other doors lining the same wall before the hallway turns to the left. It looks like both of my wall-neighbors' doors are shut, but I do see a half open door with the lights on, just after the left turn. (if: $charlie1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Peek inside.]]</div>]\ \ (if: $mabel1 is false)[\ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Leave it alone, finish checking out the hallway.]]</div>]\ \ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Head downstairs.]]</div>

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ The living room is spacious, and cozy. Looks like most of the girls are hanging out here somewhere. Cynthia's lurking in the vestibule, right by the front door. (if: $mabel1 is false or $charlie1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Head back upstairs|Wander the upstairs hallway.]]</div>]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Check out the downstairs hallway.]]</div>]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[See what's in the kitchen.]]</div>]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Cynthia's up to.]]</div>]\ (if: $aurora1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Go out and get some air.]]</div>]

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ (set: $charlie1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it + 1)\ Walking up to the lit-up room and peeking through the crack in the door, I notice someone passing time on their bed. I like the color palette of Charlie's room; the pine walls are a nice touch, and the grey carpet helps everything else pop against it. But my god, this place is a mess. Clothes, cards, dice- there's even a lava lamp just sitting on the floor. That mess doesn't stop at Charlie's bed, where she’s laying back and scrolling on her phone, surrounded by random crap. I knock on the door and peek inside. She doesn't seem to hear me, so I knock again. That gets her attention. "Oh, yo. Come in." "Hey Charlie, mind if I sit with you?" "Nah man, go ahead." I walk up to her bed, half expecting her to clear some space off for me. When she doesn't, I pick up a laptop and a bag of sunflower seeds, put them aside, and sit down. The mattress is so ridiculously soft that I lose my balance and roll onto my back. Charlie laughs, and holds onto my shoulder to help me sit back up. "Shit, sorry, I gotta warn people about that. My mattress almost ate Mabel when she first moved in." "Yeah, no kidding! It looked normal when you were laying on it." "If you can believe it, I spend a lot of time on this bed. Oh, uh, guess I could have cleaned up before you got here." Yeah, or in the six months before that. "Nah, don't bother for my sake. My room's not much better." "Word." Charlie reaches into her shirt pocket, and rummages around for something. "You smoke?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["No, nicotine's bad for you."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Smoke what?"]]</div>

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ (set: $mabel1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it + 1)\ After the hallway pivots left, there are two doors on either wall before it comes to a dead stop. I imagine this left-turn area is right above the kitchen. Quite a few of the bedroom doors are decorated. Good to know ADA evidently doesn't mind some self-expression. But the hallway itself is a sort of greyish-brown; it's drab, even if it fits in with the house's 'mountain cabin' motif. An opening door breaks my train of thought as Mabel stumbles out of the bathroom. She almost walks right into me, holding her forehead in her palm. "-Gah! Mabel!" "Hm? Oh, there you are. Did I keep you waiting?" "Ah, no, I was passing through, I didn't realize you were in the bathroom." "Uh huh. I do that sometimes, believe it or… gh, or not." Mabel gags, and takes a deep breath. "Are you okay?" "Yeah! Fine. Aurora didn't tell me she cleaned the bathroom this morning." "I don't follow." "Cleaning products make me nauseous. Some kinda allergy." "...Alright. Noted." "C'mon, this room's mine." "What?" "We're supposed to talk, aren't we? Unless you're looking for somebody else." "No no, I can talk. Sure, let's go." "Mhm." [[Mabel takes me to the room two doors down from the extra room.]]

Charlie's brow furrows, as she takes out the joint she was looking for, and stares at me, unsure of what to say. "Uh... yeah, man." Charlie picks up a lighter sitting on her pillow and lights up the joint, taking a deep breath in. She blows out a puff of smoke through her teeth, and offers me the joint. I guess it's not a cigarette. But I've never done this before, what if I'm, like. Alleric? I can't have an allergy attack in front of Charlie, she's *famous.* <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Stop being a grade-schooler.|“Sure, why not?”]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[And famous people don't have allergies.|"No thanks, I don't smoke."]]</div>

Charlie pulls out a joint, and chuckles. "Good answer." Charlie picks up a lighter sitting on her pillow and lights up the joint, taking a deep breath in. She blows out a puff of smoke through her teeth, and offers me the joint. On one hand, I'd have to be a total idiot to pass up smoking with a celebrity. On the other hand, I've never done this before, and I'd have to be a total idiot to risk embarrassing myself in front of a celebrity. Uhhh… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[“Sure, why not?”]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["No thanks, I don't smoke."]]</div> (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

(set: $weed to true)\ \ I take the joint from Charlie, and hold it between my knuckles. Putting it up to my lips, I inhale, tasting the smoke just barely on my tongue, but not feeling anything besides air moving in my lungs. Am I doing this right? Are you supposed to hold it a certain way? Damn, I should have paid more attention when she did it. Charlie raises her eyebrows, and gives me an impressed smile. I keep inhaling, hoping at some point I'll actually get any smoke out of this thing. I mean, was I supposed to light it a second time? I'm almost out of lung space, and I still don't feel like- "Wait, stop." Charlie snatches the joint out from my fingers, letting a bit of smoke escape my lips. Realizing I was doing it right, I exhale, and immediately feel my lungs collapse in on themselves. “HH-ACK!” I reel over and clutch my chest, trying desperately to breathe as my lungs seize, and I cough both of them halfway up my throat. "Aw, dude, why?" “I th- //cough-// though it w- //cough-// I thought I could- //cough- HACK-//” “Please don't throw up in my bed.” I take a few moments to steady my breathing. Just from one hit I can feel my head spinning, although that might be on account of the not breathing. After a while I find the air to speak again. “I thought it was broken.” “You thought my joint was broken?” “Or something.” “Haha… aw, you're kinda dumb. That's fun.” “I- I'm not- //cough, cough…// ughhh…” [[My chest burns.|post-joint]] (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

"You sure? This one's pretty weak." "I'm okay, really." "Bragging rights, all I'm saying. Stoners know my name, man." "No." Charlie shrugs, leans back, and (text-colour:#f9f338)[[takes another hit.]] "Are the other girls okay with you smoking inside?" "Oh yeah, they don't mind. Some of 'em join me every now and then. Aurora does all sorts of shit with me." All sorts? [["Huh. Alright."|post-joint]]

Charlie takes another hit, and stares blankly at the ceiling. I sit back and stare at her, using a pillow to keep my back propped up on the mattress. Is she going to say something? …My eyes wander back around the room. There's an acoustic guitar leaning on her closet door. It looks well used, a little worn down, even. I wonder if she's been releasing anything while going to school. "...So, have you been making music lately? I've never really listened to you before, anything you wanna show off?" "Nah." "Oh… alright." "You said you're a fan of Brandon's, right?" "Well, ‘fan’ is a little generous. He makes some good sound every now and then. When he isn't… trying." "Tchahaha! Aww, I gotta tell him you said that." "What have you been up to, if not making music?" "Eh… y'know… school. What, have I been missing in action lately? I can give you my autograph or something, if it'll make it up." "No, I don't- I don't care. I just want to learn about you." That was weirdly dismissive. I'm just trying to be friendly. "No worries, happy to hear it." Charlie takes another hit, and again, there’s a long stretch of silence. Then Charlie grunts. "I just thought of something." "Oh?" "If you move in, do I have to stop saying ‘the girls' when I talk about ADA? I know ‘guys’ is like, the neutral word we use when we're talking… neutrally…" "I don't mind what you call me. I can be, uh, one of the girls." That must have struck some kind of nerve with Charlie, because she breaks into a total laughing fit right as I say it. She hugs her arms over her stomach, putting out her joint on her jacket by accident. "//Haha-// hell- //hah-// hell yeah. You're- //ha-// alright, man." I don't think it was that funny, but I'm glad to finally get a reaction out of her. Unfortunately, it doesn't last; as soon as she calms back down, we’re back to that awkward silence. Man, fuck this. If Charlie doesn't wanna talk then we don't have to talk. I don't think she wants me here. I get out of bed, and put my hands in my pockets. "I'm gonna go hang out with the others, I think." "Alright, peace." Didn't even look me in the eyes when she said that. She just keeps staring at the wall while I walk out. Celebrities, man. I guess she's weird around strangers. I would be too, if I had to deal with so many of them. (if: $freetime < 6)[ (if: $mabel1 is false)[ [[I'm just gonna talk to someone else.|Leave it alone, finish checking out the hallway.]] ] (else:)[[[I think everyone else is downstairs somewhere.|Head downstairs.]] ] ] (else:)[ [[Looks like that's everyone.]] ]

Right, I forgot Charlie Parth was a stoner. I mean, obviously she smokes, but she's ‘the druggie’ of that family. It was a pretty big deal in the tabloids when she started all that stuff- I wonder if they still have fights about it. [[Actually, I wonder what the other girls feel about her smoking.|"No thanks, I don't smoke."]]

(set: $location to "Mabel's Room")\ \ This is Mabel's room? There's nothing here, just a bunch of potted plants on the floor. I think that poster of the school crest is the only thing adding any color to this place. How depressing. There’s a mat on the floor in the corner by her closet. Why is it in the corner? Wait… is that a tatami mat? “Do you sleep on that thing?” "Yup." "Wow, I've never seen someone actually use one before." "Uh huh." "Is it comfortable?" "It's better than smothering myself on a mattress. Better for your posture, too. I don’t know how anyone else sleeps like that." "I just feel like I’d bruise so easy on that thing." "If the way I sleep is that distracting to you, we can take this outside." "Oh no, sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, I’m just intrigued." "Mhm." Mabel glares at me. Her eyes flick briefly down to my chest, then back to my eyes as she hangs one hand on her hip. "What are you doing here, Seth?" "You wanted to talk, didn't you?" "No, I mean here. Why are you in my home?" "Well like I said, Cynthia brought me here. But, I don't know, I think I like you guys so far, and-" "You could have said no. You could have told Cynthia you weren’t interested. But you didn't. Because you are. Why?" "...Is there something you're trying to get me to say?" Mabel gives me a look that confirms more than a verbal ‘yes’ could. Her chin hangs just a touch lower, and her gaze punches through me, making me feel like slime. “It says a lot about you that you're here in the first place. You can play dumb, but I'm not buying that shit.” Mabel takes a step closer. She doesn’t even come up to my chin, but I know she’s sizing me up. “And I'm not letting you anywhere near those girls who are dumb enough to buy it. If you know what's good for you, you're going to get the fuck out of my house *now.*” "-Whoa, hey!" I step back, and hold up my hands in objection. ‘If I know what's good for me?’ Who does this bitch think she is? "Excuse me? I was invited here! Why did you let me get this far if you think I want to hurt any of you?" “It's none of your business what the rest of them are thinking- you're only in here right now because I didn't want to make a scene in front of them. You're leaving because this is *my* house, and *I* say so.” "W-well, what about Cynthia? She trusts me, doesn’t that mean something to you?" "Cynthia can't tell an accountant from a pimp, why should I care what she thinks?" "Fine. What can I do to convince you that I’m not some predator?" "..." Mabel’s tongue catches in her throat. Her eyes aren’t as narrow now. Did I surprise her? Why? "...I'm not interested in paying you for good behavior. You aren't gonna get me to trust you by playing nice for a couple months." “Then let’s let time sort this out. If I betray your sisters’ trust, you can feed me to a dog or whatever. Till then, if you can’t trust me, try to trust that your friends do.” "..." "It was nice to meet you, Peppermint." "Get out." [["Right."]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ I feel Mabel shooting daggers at my head as I walk out. What the fuck is her problem, I’ve been nothing but polite so far! Jesus, I don’t know if there was any way for me to win back there. If she decided I was a pervert just because I showed up… Whatever, she can think whatever she wants. Clearly I can’t stop her. What do I want to do next? (if: $freetime < 6)[ (if: $charlie1 is false)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's see what was up with that door earlier.|Peek inside.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Head downstairs.]]</div> ] (else:)[[[I think everyone else is downstairs somewhere.|Head downstairs.]] ] ] (else:)[ [[Looks like that's everyone.]] ]

(set: $location to "Downstairs Hallway")\ (set: $ophilia1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it + 1)\ Y’know, it occurs to me that I haven’t checked out the downstairs hallway since I came in here. It doesn’t look like anything special, but I’ve seen the rest of the house by now, so I might as well explore. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this place is pretty unremarkable; a couple closets and a bathroom. Although there are some interesting picture frames along the walls here. Pretty much all pictures of the girls, about half of them in different spots around campus. Looks like they took this one out at the beach. There's a curly-haired thirty-something next to Cynthia, don't think I've seen him before. There’s two other hanging frames with someone I don't recognize. They’ve both got this girl with short white hair, looking about my age. One picture has her and Ophilia posing in some fancy theater, and the other’s of her, Aurora, Cynthia, and Ophilia at a restaurant. They’re all so well dressed here… who is this woman? Did she used to live here? [[At the end of the hall is a white door with a rose painted on it.]]

(set: $location to "Kitchen")\ (set: $jessie1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it + 1)\ Oh, there's Jessie. In the kitchen again, is she cooking something? Doesn't look like it, there's a plate of cookies on the counter, but that’s all. And she's still working on that apple from earlier. Or, wait, there's only one bite mark on that thing. Is she that slow of an eater, or… "Are you on your second apple?" Jessie gasps, realizing I'm watching her. She looks at the fruit in her hand, then back at me. "Uhh… yeah. Yes, I am." "I don't think I've seen someone go for two back to back before. Big fan?" "Umm, I dunno. They're alright, I guess. It's more that I see them sitting in the fruit bowl, and I just grab 'em, y'know?" "I guess so. Have you not eaten today or something?" Jessie chuckles. "Ohh, man, it's kind of a problem. I've eaten, yeah, it's just that I performed yesterday. I get a huge appetite after my shows." "You're a performer? What, do you sing?" "Oh god no. Not professionally. I think 'daredevil' is the closest word for what I do. I work for this club downtown called Pandora's Box.” “Oh, I've been there once!” Jessie gives me a knowing smile. What, what did I say? Does she recognize me, or…? Wait. Pandora's Box. Shit, I was thinking of The Apollo. Pandora's Box is a club club. A strip club. I just admitted to- wait, she's a stripper? “What do you, uh… do there?” “They've got this arena in their basement where they put on thrill shows on weekends. I'm technically a freelancer, but I'm there all the fuckin’ time, so I'm basically employee of the month.” "You sound pretty passionate about it." "You kidding? It's what I was made for, man. You get such a high off the crowd's cheering, it's incredible. And I get to give a hell of a show in the meantime.” "That's a hard sell. I'd love to see your show some time." "Hah. Seth, if you live here, I promise you'll be seeing me on stage almost as much as in person." "Looking forward to it!" "Fuck yeah you are! But hey, tell me about you, guy. What do you do for a living?" "Oh, I'm not working right now. I bounce around between jobs, but nothing's stuck." \ (if: $weed is true)[ Oh hey, there’s a plate of cookies on the counter there. I grab one and scarf it down. “Huh. These are great, you had one yet?” “I don’t really do sweets.” I grunt, nod, and take a second cookie. “Anyway, yeah, no job.”]\ \ "Hey, that's alright. What are you studying for once you get out of here?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Game Design]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Medicine]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I'm not sure]]</div>

(set: $cynthia1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it + 1)\ Where's she so eager to get to, loiterting at the exit like that? Her eyes are closed, she looks so deep in thought… I should go bother her. I walk up, and lean in close to her ear. "Having fun?" "Hm? Oh, hey Seth. I'm just… people-watching." "If you say so." "What are you doing over here?" "Looking for you, weirdo." "Oh? Do you need something?" "Well, no. But I'm supposed to talk to everybody, aren't I?" "Ah, yeah, I guess so. I figured I don't count." "Well, given that I didn't know a single one of your housemate's names before now… I feel like we might have some catching up to do." Cynthia frowns. "..." [["So… these girls seem to adore you."]]

"You think? That's nice to hear." "Of course! I mean, you've been here forever, haven't you? I get the feeling I'm only being tolerated on your recommendation. Since you trust me." "I guess that does make you a pretty big deal." There it is again. Why do people keep saying that? "Why is that so special?" “I haven't really shown the girls to anyone in a while. I haven't shown… anything, really, outside the house. So to bring in a friend- to bring in a man, I mean… I get it. It's kind of unprecedented.” “And where'd that come from? You used to drag me around to say hi to every kid whose name you learned. This sounds nothing like you." Cynthia stares at the wall, putting on a blank face. But I know dejection when I see it in those eyes. What's going on with her? "Hey, it's alright. You're still Cynth, I know that. I don't think you've changed." Cynthia looks me in the eye again. That's good, but what's this look she's giving me? This one I can't place at all. “Are you keeping up with your doctor, Seth? Taking everything you need to take?” “Yeah. Obviously. Why?” Cynthia doesn't answer me, she just shrugs. "...Hey, remember when you broke your leg in that metalworking plant?" "What, in middle school? Of course, my damn ankle reminds me about it every week, it feels like." Cynthia laughs with me. "I was so scared I might end up getting blamed for that whole thing." "Really? Our parents knew I was the one dragging you out to do that dumb shit." "Yeah, but the way you were whining, I thought you might've killed yourself. For a second, I considered leaving you there. Just bailing out and living as a hitchhiker." "You fucking traitor." Cynthia giggles through her words. "Just for a second! C'mon, I wouldn't. I wouldn't!" "I know, I know… god, that feels like a different life now." "Speak for yourself. Feels like just a few years ago to me. I guess I think about it a lot." I can't help but smile at that. We stand in silence for a little while longer, and I don't catch myself from staring idly at her. She's really grown into herself since we took a break. She looks… healthy. "...Alright, well, guess I should get back to meeting people." "Yeah, get back out there. I'll be here, keeping an eye on you." "Think I'll get into trouble?" Cynthia winks. "It's not you I'm worried about." I chuckle, and turn to walk away when Cynthia grabs my hand, and pulls me back in. She stares me dead in the eyes, a sudden and jarring sincerity in her voice. "Hey, thank you for this. Having our new member be someone I already know… that makes this a lot easier for me." I haven't agreed to stay yet, Cynthia. I can't make any promises, I don't know if this is right for me. I just want to run back to my dorm… but god, those eyes… "Of course, Cynth." Cynthia smiles, and lets me go. (if: $freetime < 6)[ [[A little shaken, I back away to find someone else to talk to.|Head downstairs.]]] (else:)[ [[Looks like that's everyone.]] ]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ That door leads to the only room of any real interest in this hallway. It's a large room with muted walls, and a litany of decorations around the carpeted floor. The decorations are so varied in shape, size, and form, at a glance I can't tell any theme or pattern between them. There's a bust of a woman's face in the corner there, cutting off at the torso; definitely the most eye-catching thing in the room. But aside from that, there's a punching bag, a karaoke machine, a poker table buried under a bunch of board game boxes… this must be some kind of rec room. Center the back wall, there's a sofa with a trellis hanging above it, which is covered with neatly trimmed vines. The plants spread in all directions, feeling almost desperate to sprawl out and overtake the furniture, but whoever maintains them has kept them firmly in their borders. On that couch, writing in a little leather book, is Ophilia. She doesn't notice my coming in until the door clicks behind me. Then she looks up, closes the book, and rests it on her lap. She smiles at me. She looks tired. "Seth. It's good to see you." "Good to see you, too. What are you writing, if you don't mind me asking?" "Just a diary. I like to come into the den to write, it helps me clear my head. When no one's here, at least." "It's a nice room, but it's a bit… noisy, with all the different things around." "It's half as noisy as the girls when they mingle here. It's a little cramped I think, but I appreciate all the little heirlooms we have laying around. Every item in this room, except for the furniture, was either something one of the girls moved in with, or something they asked to buy and put here. You can get a look at what each girl is like based on what they put in the den." "Huh, what an interesting idea for a room. So, who owns what?" Ophilia's eyes drift to the ceiling. Strands of her hair slither down her face and into the collar of her sweater. Her sweater has a faint purple hue to it, but I wouldn't have noticed it were her hair and skin not both so pale. "I think I'll let you figure that part out yourself." "Ha, fair enough." "I'll tell you one thing I put up myself, though." "What's that?" Ophilia points over my shoulder, towards the back wall. I turn around to find a painting hanging next to the door; ten ballet dancers spin around a wooden stage in luxurious white dresses. I can tell what kinds of dancers they are by their poses, but their clothes almost look more like wedding dresses than anything fit for a dance recital. "It's my favorite piece by that artist. He's made a few famous paintings about dancers, or the art of dance, and this one spoke to me the most. I'm a dancer myself, so I may have been looking for a painting like this in particular." "You're a dancer? What type?" Ophilia giggles, and I notice a light blush burn on her cheeks. Cute, my interest must have embarrassed her. "Ballet. I've been doing it since I was little. You might have heard of me if you were into dance, but you don't seem like the type." Ophilia's eyes widen, and her blush gets brighter as she presses her hand to her chest apologetically. "I'm sorry, was that rude? I didn't mean to be." "No, no, not at all. And you're right, I don't know the first thing about dancing. I saw a picture of you in a theater, was that during one of your recitals?" Ophilia nods. "Mhm! That was one of my bigger shows. The theater was huge, but every seat was filled! I almost fainted backstage before I went out there." Ophilia giggles. Her laugh is just as quiet and polite as her speaking voice- her being a ballet dancer makes more sense every second I spend listening to her. "I'm sure it was nerve wracking. But you're a professional, aren't you?" "Hehe, I try." "Say, who is it you were standing with in that picture?" Ophilia's smile fades, as she thinks for a moment. Her eyes wander around the room, and her shoulders shrink as she stares below my eyeline. "...That would be my sister. Katherine." That's not a good reaction. I recognize I stepped somewhere I don't belong, but my stupid mouth keeps moving before I can stop myself. "...Is she…?" Ophilia nods, and she closes her eyes, turning her head away from me entirely. She's trying to stay composed, but I can see right through it. "I… I'm so sorry, Phili." She tries to say something. All that comes out is a whimper. My heart breaks a little- I feel like I'm staring at a kicked puppy. Saying anything else would just make this worse, I need to get out of the room. "I'll give you some space." "Thank you." I leave the den, and close the door behind me. I slap myself in the forehead as I walk away from that blunder. God, me and my silver tongue. She'll be fine, I just need to give her space. (if: $freetime < 6)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's get back to the living room.|Head downstairs.]]</div> ] (else:)[ [[Looks like that's everyone.]] ]

"I'm getting into computer science. Game development, that sort of thing." "Sweet! Helluva lot of potential there.” “So people keep saying.” “Yeah, I'm just parroting what I've heard. You have any million dollar ideas I should invest in?" "I've got dozens of ten dollar ideas. Hell if I make so much as a screensaver before I graduate, though." "Woof, I know that feeling. Well, if you do make some crap you wanna just throw out there, send it Charlie's way. She'll fall in love with anything on a screen, so she'll be your first fan, I'm sure." [["I'll do that, thanks for the heads up."|Jessie tosses her apple in the trash bin.]]

"I'm actually gonna try to make it in the medical field. Become a doctor. Hematologist, maybe. I want to help people as directly as possible, and I think that's my best shot." "I respect the hell outta that. Need to put a lot of work in to make it up there, and I think it says a lot that you didn't mention the pay rate. We could use more doctors like you." "Well, a good man gives, it'll be worth the effort. Thank you, Jessie. That means a lot to hear." "Even still, good on you for shooting for such a stable profession. That's a really important thing to have, stability." "Oh, just one thing. Are you good with your hands?" "Excuse me?" "Your hands. You need steady hands for when you're at the surgery table. I know that's common knowledge, but that shit matters. I spent one night at the E.R. with my surgeon whose hands were a little too jittery. Ended up with a scar way gnarlier than it needed to be." "I'm sorry to hear that. How bad is the scar?" "It's like a foot long. I'd show you, but it's in the dead center of my chest. I don't think we're quite there yet." Jessie winks. [["Heh, fair enough."|Jessie tosses her apple in the trash bin.]] (set: $AffJessie to it+2)

"I'm a liberal arts major." "Ah. Well hey, no need to know what you're gonna be for the rest of your life. Half of the appeal of college is wasting time and making mistakes, job hunting can wait." "Hah, if you say so." "Y'know, as long as you're figuring something out. Any path is fine, so long as it keeps a roof over your head." "To be honest, I haven't given much breath to my classes lately. Which I guess is normal for a third year. I just don't know what I'd do with myself if I didn't have my crowd, and right now they're not going anywhere." "Have you been performing at Pandora for a while?" “Years. I know every nook and mold growth in that shithole. Wouldn't have it any other way.” [["Wow…"|Jessie tosses her apple in the trash bin.]] (set: $AffJessie to it+1)

Jessie tosses her apple in the trash bin. \ (if: $weed is true)[ I get a third cookie. I don’t know what’s up with me right now- I’m getting weird looks from Jessie, but my stomach doesn’t have a bottom for these things right now. “These are *really* good, what's in 'em?” "Uh... couldn't tell you."]\ \ "So, you liking ADA so far?" "We'll see. I still need to think about it. Speaking of, I should probably get going." "Fair enough. Nice talkin' to ya, dude." "Same to you." I turn around and leave the kitchen, as Jessie's eyes drift back to the fruit bowl. (if: $freetime < 6)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I step back into the living room.|Head downstairs.]]</div> ] (else:)[ [[Looks like that's everyone.]] ]

"What do you imagine?" "Y'know… I don't know. I like where things are going now. I like college. I feel like I'm hitting the beats, you know what I mean?" "Not at all. What do you mean?" "Hey, could you turn to the left a little?" Wait, is she drawing me? Shit, I didn't think she was… I'm a mess! Reluctantly, I shift my stance and fix my hair. Aurora gives me a disappointed look. “Why did you do that?” “You told me to.” “No, your hair, why did you change it?” “What? Uh, did I?” “Yeah, it's different now.” “Oh.” Aurora frowns, and erases something on her page. She gives it another dissatisfied look, erasing a bit more. She lets out a frustrated huff, scratches out all over her paper, and flips over to the next page. She starts drawing again, visibly less happy than the first time around. I make a very conscious effort to stay still… but I want to adjust my shirt. “S- you- uh, you said you like how things are going now? What do you mean?” "I think I mean… this. ADA. Putting all this together has left me feeling a lot more complete than any job, or even art, has. I think after this, I'd want to find a way to do something like this." "Sororities are kind of a college exclusive thing, aren't they?" "It doesn't have to be a sorority. I mean, this is hardly a real one anyway. Just… I want to help people come together and better themselves. I want to make something bigger than myself that can help others figure it all out. Does that make sense?” "Like a therapist?" Aurora scrunches up her face, like she's considering that label, but doesn't find it satisfying. I shrug. "I don't know if I get the whole picture, but it sounds nice." "Hm. Well, maybe it'll click the more time you spend here." “If I stay.” “Right. Well, even if you don't…” Aurora stands up and tears a page out her sketchbook, handing it to me. "I'm glad to have met you." "Um… me too. Thank you, Aurora.” Aurora smiles and walks back inside. When she turns around, I get hit by her perfume again. As the door closes behind her, I feel a weight press down on my shoulders, and realize I'd let myself get lightheaded without noticing. I take my pill bottle out of my pocket, and down another iron before walking back inside. I look at Aurora's drawing. Sure enough, she drew me sitting against the wall, looking longingly out to the distance. She was maybe a little generous with the waves of my hair, especially since I haven't used shampoo in a couple days, but it's a very nice drawing. She makes me look pretty, if lonely. (if: $freetime < 6)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Alright, let's get back in there.|Head downstairs.]]</div> ] (else:)[ [[Looks like that's everyone.]] ]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Night")\ \ By now I'd spent some time with each of the girls, so I grab another cookie and find my way to the sofa. My mind idles between thoughts of them all, replaying bits of our conversations over and over. My head hadn't spun like this in months, it was almost nauseating. I really need to get out more, this is kind of pathetic. Eventually, Aurora walks out of the downstairs hall and stands by the loveseat. It doesn't take long for everyone else to swim in after her. "Hey there, Seth. Did you get a chance to spend time with all of us?" "Uh huh." "Alright! Well, in that case, all that's left to do is ask you officially. Do you want to live with us, as a part of Alpha Delta Alpha?" I guess I've put it off long enough. This still doesn't feel real, somehow. If this is some elaborate joke, I imagine the punchline comes right after I say ‘yes.’ But maybe that would be better than the alternative. Can I really spend the next two years living with these women? With *these* women? I'm not sure I can get along with some of them, and it's not like I can just walk back on a decision like this. Mabel might kill me if I agree, anyway. I think back to my dorm; the simplicity of that little place. The quiet, the stillness, the company of my own thoughts. I try to focus on it, but… the focus slips through my brain and vanishes. When I try to think of my time back home, it's like a blurry hole in my memory. And trying to think about it here just leaves me longing. …I think I have my answer. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Yes]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

"Yes. Yes, I'd love to stay here, if you'll have me." Cynthia sighs in relief. Aurora beams. "Perfect! Well, I hate to keep you waiting, but we still need to talk about it as a group, to make sure we're all on the same page. We'll head to the den, and be back in a minute, alright?" "Sure thing, take your time." Aurora leads the girls down the hall, and disappears into the den, leaving me [[alone in the living room.]]

"No." The word shakes me a little. It feels wrong coming out. But I stick to it. "This is a wonderful place. Really, it is, but I just don't think I... that I'm ready for all of- of whatever this is." (text-color: #f9f338)[[I can see each of the girls processing my rejection differently.]] I don't let myself look Cynthia in the eyes, though. I don't think I'd be able to stand firm if I could see her heartbroken over this, but I just can't commit myself to this place, and these people. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Seth. I kinda felt like we clicked, myself. But that's okay, we don't want to pressure you into something you don't want to do. Thank you for giving us a chance." "Yeah, thank all of you, too. I'm, uh, gonna head home while there's still some light out." "Do you want me to walk you home?" Oh god, please don't draw this out, Cynth. "No, I'm fine, thanks. Goodbye, everyone." "So long, stranger!" I open the front door, and make the long walk back to (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[something familiar.]]

My leg bounces idly while my mind wanders. I wonder what they're talking about in there. Are they telling each other everything we talked about before? That wouldn't be good. What if one or two of them give the others a bad impression of me? Mabel would do that. Charlie might, too. No, they like me. They have to! I was so polite. So what if I made a couple mistakes? That's normal, everybody screws up, they won't dwell on it. Unless that's all that stood out about me? Am I boring? Ugh, why did Aurora make me answer her before they talked about this? This sucks! Why am I even worrying about this? I don't even want to be here- if they reject me, I don't have to deal with letting Cynthia down. I don't know, there's just something energizing about this place, I can't sit still. Even this anxiety is pleasant, in a weird way. It's like a tingle crawling up my body, and there's this warmth at the back of my head… what is that? Is there a radiator on? I turn around, but don't see anything. But the heat is still right at the back of my head. Weird, am I running a fever? What's wrong with me? The den's door opens, and just like that, the fever vanishes from my mind. [[I sit up straight as the girls flood back into the living room.]]

"Alright, Seth. We did some talking, had a couple of arguments, and in the end… we'd be happy to have you join our family." I didn't want to give away any reaction, but I definitely perked up without thinking. I'm glad they said yes, obviously, but man, I think I'm more happy to have any answer at all. I don't have to think about it anymore. "Really? Great! I think I'm really going to like it here." "You'll be moving into the extra room. That's the one where you met Phili. There's nothing in it right now, except for the bed, dresser, and TV Are you gonna want to change any of that stuff out?" "No, I'll bring in my own sheets, but there's no reason to get rid of the things you have now." "I can tell faculty about your move tomorrow, if you want. You're probably gonna want to spend most of the day moving things, right?" "We're gonna be at school anyway, aren't we? I'll tell them." "It's Friday, Seth." "Oh. Oh shit, I totally forgot. Guess I got carried away." "Speaking of carried away…" Jessie jerks her head toward the window. It's pitch black out- I way lost track of time. "I guess you're sleeping here tonight." "I… guess so! Sorry, I should have kept a better eye on that." "Don't worry about it, man. We all lost track. It is pretty late though, do we wanna call it a night?" [[The girls all nod, and make their way upstairs.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ "Goodnight, guys!" "Night y'all." "Night!" "Sleep well, Seth." "Goodnight." Right as I reach to open my door, Aurora stops and leans against the frame, crossing her arms and [[smiling at me.]]

"Hey. Congrats on impressing us tonight. Can I do anything for you before you go to sleep?" "Thanks Aurora, but no, I'm fine. Sleep well." Aurora turns and walks down the hall, giving a finger wave with her back turned to me. "You, too." [[Off to bed, then.]]

(set: $location to "Extra Room")\ \ I open the door, and step into my room. My room, that was just empty space before. The room I'd be stuck in for who knows how long. I take a deep breath in, and toss my jacket on the foot of my bed. Sitting on the mattress, I strip off my shirt and pants, tossing them to the floor. I stand up to head for the lightswitch, but as I do, I notice something I hadn't seen before. I squint, and spot a little sliver of blood, just barely visible on the white of my bedsheets. Why would there be… [[…Hm.|end ch1]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 1. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 2]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (save-game: "Autosave")

Aurora looks the smallest I've seen her so far. Not disappointment as much as it is shame, like she just found out she failed a test she was confident in passing. Her eyes flutter a little in place as she thinks back and wonders where she went wrong. Charlie looks disappointed, but managing it okay. She's clearly not especially moved that I don't want to live with her, but I can see she would've been willing to connect with me, if I wanted that with her. I notice her open her mouth for a moment, as if to try bargaining with me somehow. But at the last moment, she decides against it. Mabel has a satisfied smirk on her face, hanging her hand on her hip and tilting her chin up at me like she just fended me off from the others. I almost want to say 'yes' just to spite her and that stupid look she's giving me, but I guess this is for the best. Clearly I'm not wanted by *everyone* here, so now she can be happy. What confuses me a little though, is that Ophilia has a look not too dissimilar to Mabel right now. She's standing in the back, and I can tell she's trying to keep the smile from cracking on her lips, but it's there. Just barely, it's there. Did she want me gone, too? Jessie is the hardest one to read. Her face is pretty much totally blank; if she's hiding something, she's doing it better than Ophilia. Jessie's just looking at Aurora, studying her expression like I just did. [[Cynthia...|No]]

(set: $location to "Dorm Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Evening")\ Back to my home, back to my nice, safe bed, and my regular life with a comfortable routine. I'm sure Cynthia's friends are nice when you get to know them, but... I already know myself. I know how nice I am, and I know what defines me. And that's enough, for (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[now.]]

(set: $location to "Home")\ \ (set: $time to "Wednesday Morning")\ (live: 5s)[...I feel like death.] (live: 7s) [I feel like death every time I wake up, which I think is my body's way of telling me not to get out of bed. It gets harder not to listen to it every morning, especially now that winter's here in earnest. I shut my eyes back, and almost [[drift back to sleep…|bad end]]]

But realizing what I'm doing, I throw myself up to a sitting position, just to force myself to move, That's enough to keep me awake, and enough to bring on a splitting headache, the *other* half of my wake-up routine. I press my thumb to my temple, and throw off my sheets with my free hand. I swing my legs out of bed and stand up, but the moment I'm supporting my own weight, my head spins, violently enough to steal my sense of balance away from me. As my vision goes pulses black, I take a deep breath in, and stand as still as possible. Eventually, the lightheadedness goes away, and I'm finally allowed to start walking. I pick up my phone, and see that I have a [[text message.]]

It's from my mom. *"Hey sweetie. Excited for graduation?? Your father and I can't wait to see you!" "Do you and Cynthia have any plans after the ceremony? Her father wants to take us all out to eat once things are wrapped up. Obviously we're not going to let him pay, but let us know if you two are busy in case we need to reschedule. Miss you big! <3"* Oh yeah, graduation's in a couple weeks. Man, that really crept up on me. I should check in on Cynth, see what she's up to. We haven't really hung out in forever, but this seems like a good reason to reconnect. At the very least, we need to have a game-plan when our parents ask us about all the memories we made together these last five years. [[Let me give her a text.]]

(align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)["Hey Cynth, what's up? free to chat?"]] Guess I'll go wash up while I wait for a response. (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[Don't want to be late for class this close to the finish line.]]

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ (set: $time to "Wednesday Afternoon")\ ...Huh, still haven't heard back from her. Let me try again. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)["Cynth?"]] (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)["Ur dad wants to take us out to dinner after we graduate, let's hang out"]] (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[Hm...]]

(set: $location to "Home")\ \ (set: $time to "Wednesday Evening")\ Let me call her. (live: 3s)[...] (live: 6s)[A younger recording of her voice chimes in from the other end.] (live: 8s)["Hiii, you've reached the line of Cynthia Paluri. I can't get to the phone right now, but-"] (live: 11s)[My own voice speaks back to me, interrupting hers.] (live: 13s)[//"Leave your message or get lost!"//] (live: 15s)["Haha, stop, shut up! Um, leave your name and your reason for calling, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."] (live: 19s)[//"Try again next year."//] (live: 21s)["Or try again next year."] (live: 23s)[//beeeeep.//] (live: 26s)[...Straight to voicemail. Weird, she's never ghosted me before. At least, not for a full day. (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[Hope she's alright.]]]

(set: $time to "Sunday")\ ...What the hell happened to her? I should check on her, this isn't normal. Is she still living at that sorority house? I should go there first. (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[After a year, I just hope I remember the way...]]

(set: $location to "House Yard")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday")\ I was able to find the place without much issue. Knocking on the door, I realize I didn't prepare anything to say if someone *other* than Cynthia opens the door. I don't have time to, though, as Charlie Parth opens the door just a few seconds later. "Hello?" She doesn't recognize me at first, but it clicks after a moment. "Oh, you're... Cynthia's friend." [["Seth. Is Cynthia home?"]]

Charlie stares at me for a good five seconds before saying something. And it's not a good stare in the slightest. (live: 7s)["Why don't you come inside?" [[Uh, alright.]]]

(set: $location to "House")\ \ (set: $time to "Weekend")\ Charlie ushers me inside and leads me to one of the couches. On the other, the purple-haired girl... Aurora? Is sitting with a man I haven't seen before. He's tall, long-haired, handsome enough, if a little horse-faced. Their arms are wrapped around each other intimately enough for me to connect some dots. Aurora looks at me oddly as I sit down. "Oh, hello. What are you doing back here, Seth?" The horse-man speaks up. "Do you know this guy, Aurora?" "We interviewed him last year for the guest room. He's here to ask about Cynthia." The redhead, uh... Mabel, walks in at this point, overhearing our conversation. When she hears Cynthia's name, she perks up, and promptly takes a seat at the dining table. "Cynthia? Oh... wow, um, okay. What do you want to know?" "I haven't talked to her since I interviewed with all of you. I haven't really had a reason to, but I reached out to her a few days ago to catch up, and she didn't respond. I know it's been about a year, but... Wait, Aurora, weren't you a senior? What are you still doing here?" [[Aurora shifts uncomfortably in her seat.]]

"Well, I live here, Seth. I'm working on getting us a house outside of campus, but we're not there yet. This place is expensive enough as it is, and we still have the room space." (text-color: orange)["Mabel? Where'd you go?"] Someone walks down from the upstairs hallway. Another person I've never seen; this time a girl. Scrawny, with messy dark hair and glasses. (text-color: orange)["Guys? Why are you all downstairs, what's going on?"] "Don't worry about it Paige, we're just dealing with some stuff from last year." (text-color: orange)["Oh. Um, okay... hi there."] Paige waves to me. I wave back, and watch her sit next to Mabel, who whispers something into her ear. "So, okay. Is Cynthia still living with you guys?" "You're looking at the whole sorority right now. Cynthia-" Charlie looks at Aurora for a moment, checking her expression to make sure that she should, in fact, be the one talking instead of her. "Cynthia went missing ten months ago." The word doesn't sink in until play the sentence back in my head a second time. [[Missing.]]

"Missing!? What the hell happened to her!?" "We don't know. She said she was going home for spring break this year, and she just... never came back." "Total radio silence. She hasn't responded to calls, texts, she didn't leave any clues as to where she might have gone." "What do the police think happened to her? Oh god, she's been gone for ten *months!?*" The group watches me start to hyperventilate as panic creeps up my spine. I see the shame in Aurora's eyes as she tries to avoid looking at me. But she can't help herself. "I, um... we really did everything we could to find her. I realize I don't know you well enough to say this, but- um- I- I knew Cynthia-" "Oh my god... oh my god, *ten months?* that can't- that- that isn't right!" I didn't reach out to her once in that whole time. Jesus christ, I didn't let her walk me home! I didn't let her walk me home, I just *left.* "If you need someone to talk to, or just not to be alone, we still have some space in the house..." I stand up and storm out of the house without another word. I slam the door behind me, and am suddenly assaulted by an unbearable lightheadedness. It drops me to my knees, and makes my vision spiral to black. I resist my body's demands to faint, and focus on the one thought of mine I can still hear over my heaving lungs. (transition-depart: "dissolve")[[I need to find her.]]

(set: $location to "Location")\ \ (set: $time to "Time")\ \ (live: 5s) [...I feel like death.] (live: 7s) [I've felt like death every second since I started wandering. Moving from city to city, scrounging up enough to pay for the next motel room inbetween conversations with starving meth addicts and back-alley rapists all across the state of California.] (live: 14s) [At this point, I can't even remember why I'm doing it. It's just become my routine, the way I chose to live.] (live: 16s) [...No,] (live: 17s) [that's not right.] (live: 18s)[I'm looking for something.] (live: 20s) [For-] (live: 20.5s) [for someone. ]{(live: 22s)[ [[What was their name again?]] ]}

I've been losing time recently... I think it was recently. Patches in my memory that exist as fuzzy blurs in my head, where it feels like something important must have happened, but... nothing did? It's like... like I have multiple years worth of the same day playing out inside of my brain, and I can't even say where I was that day. (live: 10s) [All that is to say, in between flashing breaks of consciousness I've somehow found myself here, standing in the middle of all of these... things, under a... a colored sky. With a box in my hands.] (live: 14s) [It's a metal box, with a sliding lid. I had to dig this hole to get it out of the ground. Mounds of piling dirt, surrounding this... this hole...] (live: 19s) [...This hole in the ground.] {(live: 23s)[ [[Open the box.]] ]}

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ The box lid slides open without any resistence. Incredible, given how long it's been under here. (live: 5s)[It's a head. There's a head in the box.] (live: 8s)[There's a ](live: 9s)[head ](live: 9.5s)[in the box. ](live: 11s)[There's a ](live: 12s)[head ](live: 13s)[there ](live: 14s)[in the box. ] (live: 16s)[In the box. ](live: 18s)[In it, ](live: 19s)[there's a... ](live: 21s)[my face is wet.] (live: 24s)[I have a feeling. ](live: 26s)[A feeling ](live: 27s)[I ](live: 27.5s)[don't ](live: 28s)[have the ](live: 28.5s)[word ](live: 29s)[for.] (live: 32s)[My face is wet. Why is my...?] (live: 35s)[I try to think... ](live: 36s)[but focus ]\ (live: 37s)[slips ](live: 38s)[and ](live: 38.5s)[swims ](live: 39s)[and ]\ (live: 40s)[slips ](live: 41s)[and ](live: 41.5s)[swims ](live: 42s)[and ]\ (live: 43s)[slips ](live: 44s)[and ](live: 44.5s)[swims ](live: 45s)[and ]\ (live: 46s)[slips ](live: 47s)[and ](live: 47.5s)[swims ](live: 48s)[and ]\ (live: 49s)[slips ](live: 50s)[and ](live: 50.5s)[swims ](live: 51s)[and ]\ (live: 52s)[slips ](live: 53s)[and ](live: 53.5s)[swims ](live: 54s)[and ]\ (live: 55s)[slips ](live: 56s)[and ](live: 56.5s)[swims ](live: 57s)[and ]\ (live: 58s)[slips ](live: 59s)[and ](live: 59.5s)[swims ](live: 60s)[and ]\ (live: 61s)[slips ](live: 62s)[and ](live: 62.5s)[swims ](live: 63s)[and ]\ (live: 64s)[slips ](live: 65s)[and ](live: 65.5s)[swims ](live: 66s)[and ]\ (live: 67s)[slips ](live: 68s)[and ](live: 68.5s)[swims ](live: 69s)[and ]\ (live: 70s)[slips ](live: 71s)[and ](live: 71.5s)[swims ](live: 72s)[and ] (live: 72.5s)[(go-to: "Deathscreen")]

Cynthia                                                               Aurora                                                               Ophilia [<img src="https://i.imgur.com/v9ZBwpL.png">]<CynthiaBond|\ (click: ?CynthiaBond)[(go-to: "Cynthia Bond")]\ [<img src="https://i.imgur.com/OZDmyCN.png">]<AuroraBond|\ (click: ?AuroraBond)[(go-to: "Aurora Bond")]\ (if: $Bloodless is true)[[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/usWdJIa.png">]<OphiliaBond| (click: ?OphiliaBond)[(go-to: "Ophilia Bond")]                               Charlie                                                   Jessie                                                         Mabel]\ (else:)[[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/dEtbx7T.png">]<OphiliaBond|\ (click: ?OphiliaBond)[(go-to: "Ophilia Bond")]                             Charlie                                                           Jessie                                             Mabel] [<img src="https://i.imgur.com/vh0OceJ.png">]<CharlieBond|\ (click: ?CharlieBond)[(go-to: "Charlie Bond")]\ [<img src="https://i.imgur.com/ggIgoDJ.png">]<JessieBond|\ (click: ?JessieBond)[(go-to: "Jessie Bond")]\ (if: $Cane is true)[[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/g0EcU1v.png">]<MabBond|\ (click: ?MabBond)[(go-to: "Mabel Bond")]]\ (else:)[[<img src="https://i.imgur.com/D7PYBqs.png">]<MabBond|\ (click: ?MabBond)[(go-to: "Mabel Bond")]] (if: $Chapter is 1)[ [[Return|end ch1]]]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2)[ [[Return|end ch2]]]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 3 and $Cane is true)[ [[Return|end ch3]]]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 3 and $Cane is false)[ [[Return|alt end ch3]]]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4)[ [[Return|end ch4]]]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5)[ [[Return|end ch5]]] (else-if: $Chapter is 6)[ [[Return|end ch6]]] (else-if: $Chapter is 7)[ [[Return|end ch7]]] (else-if: $Chapter is 8.5)[ [[Return|end ch8?]]] (else-if: $Chapter is 8)[ [[Return|end ch8]]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ (set: $insurance to false)\ …I couldn’t tell you how long I’d been walking through these woods. (live: 2.25s)[The cold had long since pierced through my clothing, ](live: 4s)[now biting and stinging against my feet as they scraped against the snow and dirt, ](live: 7s)[desperate to do anything but stop moving. ](live: 10s)[How many trees had I passed, ](live: 12s)[how many twigs had I thoughtlessly snapped beneath my boots? ](live: 15s)[The twigs could bury me by now, ](live: 17s)[had I been collecting them.] (live: 20s)[They say the cold leaves your mind over time, ](live: 22s)[if you focus on something else. ](live: 25s)[But I couldn’t focus- ](live: 26.5s)[there was nothing worth focusing on out here. ](live: 29s)[My mind drifted into a haze as cold became the only thing I *could* focus on.] (live: 32s)[That was, until I heard a voice echo between the branches.] (live: 35.5s)[*“Help! Help us! We- we can’t see!”*] (live: 36s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "Help! Help us! We- we can’t see!")]] (set: $Chapter to 2)

The direction of the voice was vague at best, (live: 2s)[I’d almost tricked myself into thinking it was coming from above. ](live: 4.5s)[But nothing comes that way now. ](live: 7s)[I picked the direction I most felt would take me somewhere, ] (live: 10s)[and took off, ](live: 11.5s)[my feet aching from the hurry.] (live: 14s)[“I’m coming! ](live: 15s)[Where are you?”] (live: 17s)[*“I don’t know! We can’t see you! Lord, we- we can’t! We can’t!”*] (live: 20s)[My footsteps echoed against the oak all around me, ](live: 23s)[reverberating like the march of an army giving chase. ](live: 26s)[Such a straightforward threat would be welcome, all things considered. ](live: 29s)[I felt the pull of gravity trying to peel the skin from my bones. ](live: 32s)[Damn you, ](live: 32.5s)[this useless body had to carry me just a little further.] (live: 35s)[My muscles begged for me to stop,](live: 37s)[ but I deafened myself to the begs,](live: 39s)[ so I could listen to the screams.] (live: 40s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "so I could listen to the screams.")]]

*“She’s taken him! She’s murdered him, o God, she’s killed him! Give us the sky! Show us that the sky still breathes!”* (live: 5s)[A weight anchors my heart](live: 6.5s)[ as I find ](live: 8s)[ someone else](live: 9.5s)[ in the woods.] (live: 10s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "someone else")]]

Propped up against the bark of a tree, (live: 2s)[a young woman had been gored and abandoned.](live: 5s)[ Her palms were open, pointed up, her mouth agape and eyes half-shut.](live: 8s)[ Her flesh was opened from stomach to pelvis,] (live: 10s)[ her innards spilling out into her lap,](live: 12s)[ flecks of gore drying into the snowy dirt.] (live: 15s)[This was not the voice I heard,](live: 17s)[ but abject hopelessness welled up within me all the same, ](live: 19s)[as I gazed upon this barely recognizable,](live: 21s)[ butchered mess of a human being.] (live: 24s)[Hand in hand with that hopelessness, ](live: 26s)[I was overcome with an intense warmth. ](live: 28s)[Not coming from her,] (live: 29.5s)[ but from me.] (live: 30s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "but from me.")]]

I felt that my body would finally fail me,(live: 2s)[ and I would collapse and die next to this poor girl.](live: 4s)[ But as my strength began to dissolve,](live: 5.5s)[ I noticed something in her right hand:](live: 7s)[ a small pile of berries rested in her palm.](live: 9s)[ Some urge in me took over,](live: 11s)[ and I lunged myself onto the corpse,](live: 13s)[ grabbing the berries with one hand,](live: 15s)[ and supporting myself on the other against her stomach.] (live: 10s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "her stomach.")]]

(after: 1s)[I devoured the berries, (stop:)](after: 2s)[|pray>[praying](stop:)](after: 2s)[ it would give me what energy I needed to keep chasing the voice. (stop:)](after: 5s)[|pray2>[Praying?(stop:)]]\ \ (after: 8s)[\ (replace: ?pray)[hoping]\ (stop:)\ ]\ \ (after: 8s)[\ (replace: ?pray2)[]\ (stop:)\ ]\ \ (after: 10s)[They were blissfully sweet,](after: 12s)[ but the moment I swallowed,](after: 14s)[ I felt my throat close up,](after: 16s)[ as the warmth in my chest grew blisteringly hot.](after: 18.5s)[ I’d been poisoned.] (after: 20s)[Hrk-... h-help… help me-...] (after: 20s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "Hrk-... h-help… help me-...")]]

*“No! No, don’t let her take you too! Please, stand up! Let me see you, that she may not hide in your skin! Stand, Jean, I plea!”* (live: 4s)[My head throbbed…](live: 6s)[ I stared into the eyes of the corpse,](live: 8s)[ and I realized…](live: 10.5s)[ this is who I came here for.](live: 13s)[ This body. It’s who I came to find again.](live: 15s)[ And it was destroyed…] (live: 18s)[I was lost.](live: 20s)[ I was everything,](live: 22s)[ and I was…](live: 24s)[ [[I am lost.]]]

I feel myself separate, (live: 2s)[shredding at the spirit like parchment in riptide.](live: 4s)[ All of my eternities lose their meaning as they fill and fill with holes and nothing.] (live: 7s)[I am afraid.](live: 9s)[ For myself?](live: 11s)[ No, for someone else…](live: 13s)[ who am I fearing for?] (live: 15s)[As my consciousness melts into purgatorio,](live: 17s)[ two wretched boots plant into the snow behind me,](live: 19s)[ their crunch more solid than I could hope to be now.] (live: 23s)[I ](live: 23.25s)[would ](live: 23.5s)[know ](live: 23.75s)[your ](live: 24s)[name, ](live: 25s)[S](live: 25.25s)[e](live: 25.5s)[r](live: 25.75s)[a] (live: 26s)[(go-to: "day2")]

(set: $location to "Extra Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Morning")\ \ It took me a long time to fall asleep last night. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. Thankfully, once I was asleep, the feeling went away completely, and I feel great waking up. The sun beaming into my room’s nice cream walls welcome me awake in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. My little euphoria spell ends though, when I realize that since I’m not in my dorm, I don’t have anything to wear. Ugh… alright, well, guess there’s no way around it. [[I’ll be gross today.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ After washing up, I wander into the kitchen, and pick up the first piece of food I come across. Which ends up being another piece of white bread, lucky me. I sit next to Jessie, who’s drinking coffee and scrolling through her phone. She takes a quick glance at me, and chuckles. "Oh yeah, guess we didn't think about what you were gonna wear. You could've just come out in your underwear, y'know." "Yeah, sure." "That's what we usually do on laundry days." Jessie sneaks a look at my face to see if she's flustering me. I hold firm, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Flirt]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Talk down to her]]</div>

"I already said I'm moving in Jess, you don't need to sell it to me." "I'm not selling anything, I'm just saying you don't need to wear yesterday's clothes." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Back off]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Double down]]</div> (set: $AffJessie to it+1)

"Well I'm a man, Jessica. There-" "Even better." "...There are different implications for me being half-dressed around you guys. I don't want to make anyone feel unsafe." Jessie squints and smiles at me. It's a look like she knows something, but what she knows, I haven't the slightest idea. "I don't think you're gonna have to worry about that, guy." [["Why's that?"|While we talk, Mabel walks past us into the kitchen.]]

"Yeah, sure, I'll think about it." Jessie's smile fades for a moment, and I get the feeling I took the wind out of her sails a little. But she shrugs it off and [[looks back at her phone.|While we talk, Mabel walks past us into the kitchen.]]

"Should I take these off, then? "Sure. I think I'm wearing yesterday's shirt too, actually." Jessie lifts up one arm and lifts her shirt up with the other, pulling it up to her bra without any hesitation. I choke on the bread I was eating and break into a coughing fit. "*Kaff-* kh- hh-... fuck you." Jessie lets her shirt drop back down, satisfied that [[she put me in my place.|While we talk, Mabel walks past us into the kitchen.]] (set: $AffJessie to it+1)

While we talk, Mabel walks past us into the kitchen. "Speaking of. Hey Mabel, you're dressed early. Going somewhere?" Mabel grabs a bagel, and sits down on the other side of Jessie. "Uh… no. I just got dressed when I woke up." "You don't usually do that." The table shakes, and Jessie yelps as Mabel kicks her in the shin. Mabel was probably trying to be discreet, but it wasn’t even close. "No, Jessie. I guess I don't." Jessie glares at Mabel, rolls her eyes, and goes back to scrolling. "Whatever, Peppermint." "So, Seth. Are you gonna move your stuff in today?" "Yeah, I'll probably start once I'm done eating." Aurora and Cynthia both leave their rooms. Cynthia goes to the bathroom, while Aurora joins us, [[leaning against the back of the couch.]]

"Do you have a lot to move in?" "Meh. It’s mostly school property, I could probably get my junk over in two or three trips." "What part of campus are you living at?" "Southwest corner." "That's a long walk if you're carrying things." "I'll manage, I don't mind making the trip a couple times." "I'll come with you, then we can get it done in one go." "You don't have to do that, Aurora. I don't mind." “Could just take the car-” "I insist. Come on, you're gonna spend like two hours just walking back and forth." "Well, if you insist. Thanks, Aurora." Aurora smiles, and [[pushes off the couch.]]

"Great! Let me put some perfume on, then we can go." Wait, what? She already smells like candy. "You're not already wearing perfume?" "What, this? No, this doesn't count. I put this on to sleep." "*Instead* of sleeping, you mean." "Wow, that's a… very nice scent to sleep in." "Yeah, god forbid her bed smells like a human being." "Ha-ha. Okay, I'll be right back." Aurora jogs up the stairs, and down the hall. "Well, I'm pretty much ready, so I guess I'll go talk to the office about your move." I jump as Cynthia stands up from the couch, I didn’t even notice her leave the bathroom. "You really don't have to do that, Cynth." "No worries, I got it covered. You go carry stuff." "You guys are so helpful." Cynthia smirks, and walks out the door. A little while later, Aurora comes back down the stairs. "Alright, you ready?" [[Let's go.]]

(set: $location to "Campus Streets")\ \ Aurora and I leave the house, headed toward my dorm. It’s chillier out than it was yesterday- I guess that’s gonna be a pattern. We’re getting into winter proper, so we’re not gonna have too many clear, sunny days like this left. If last year’s something to go off of, we’ve probably got another week or three before snow starts fucking everything up. I know some people like it, but man, spend a few years in Detroit where it’s a regular thing, and you’ll appreciate sunny-cold like I do. Snow’s just hail with a superiority complex; a cold, wet annoyance. My eyes drift from the sky down to Aurora, who’s walking just in front of me. Well, in front and skewed to the left- I can tell she’s sneaking looks back at me every few seconds. It’s kinda cute, I’ve noticed she always has her eyes on whoever she’s in the room with. I mean, it’s cute when there’s like four of us; I thought it was a little intense when I was chatting with her on my own. She must be the protective type, [[makes sense for the sorority leader I guess.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

God, her posture is so uptight, too. I notice my own slouching just watching the way her back stays arched with every step. Surely that can’t be comfortable for her, right? Is she doing this on purpose? Does she want to impress me, or…? No, she’s been like that this whole time. There’s something about Aurora: every little thing she does looks so intentional. That sounds like nothing, but I mean there’s something to the way her eyes move, every twitch of her face, every little breath she takes. I hope I’m not making her uncomfortable. Actually, maybe she is trying to look different around me. I haven’t really asked any of the others about her. It’s not like she needs to impress me, I like her just fine so far. I know I make her sound robotic, but she might be the most approachable one in the sorority, except for maybe Jessie. I almost feel… lighter around her. It’s nice, she feels safe. "You look distracted, Seth. Is everything alright?" [[-Shit, I’m staring.]]

Oh god, have I been staring at her ass this whole time? I stiffen my neck and look her directly in the eyes. She giggles, and walks back a couple steps so she’s beside me. "Better?" "Hah. Yeah, sorry. I was spacing out." "I'm sure you were." [[Aurora slows to a gradual halt as we pass by the student union’s front door.]] (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

(set: $location to "Saintsridge Campus")\ \ She stares at the building, and her smile fades, clearly lost in thought. "...Is something the matter?" “Beautiful place, isn’t it?” “Saintsridge? Yeah, it’s… it looks expensive.” “Does it ever feel too big for you?” “Sure, I’ve gotten lost before. Freshman year was awful for that, I-” “Not physically. I mean, I- I feel like I’m out of my element sometimes.” “Some majors are harder than others. If you’re having trouble with any classes, I’d be happy to help you out.” “We’re not having the same conversation right now.” “Well what are you talking about, then?” "I mean, this place… it has so many little worlds inside of it. So many lives you could be living, so many people you could be meeting. Sometimes it bothers me that I'm not doing it all." Huh. Who’d have guessed that would come out of *her* mouth. “Seems to me you’re doing more than the rest of us. You built a sorority all by yourself, that’s impressive.” “A fake sorority of seven people.” “Hey, you’re only human.” “...Sorry, that was out of nowhere. I just wanted to know what you thought about the school. We can keep moving.” [[She turns and keeps walking.]]

Aurora and I keep walking. The chilly wind blows through her hair and into mine. Her new scent, is that citrus? No, no not even close. We’re getting around to the part of campus I know my way through now. As students watch us from either side of the street, I gradually start to take the lead from Aurora. Cinnamon, that’s it. She smells like cinnamon. Once we reach my dorm, I stop and point at the front door. “This one’s mine.” “Great. Can I come in, or do you need to clean up first?” “Come in, we should start right away.” [[I unlock the door and walk inside.]]

(set: $location to "Dorm Living Room")\ \ Wow, this place is a dump. I didn’t mind it somehow for two years, but one night in the ADA house makes me ill just looking at this cheap piece of crap. Shaking my head and avoiding looking directly at the anything, I open the closet and grab some empty boxes, handing half of them to Aurora. “Bedroom’s upstairs.” “Got it.” [[The two of us head upstairs.]]

(set: $location to "Dorm Bedroom")\ \ I start packing by stripping the sheets off my mattress, while Aurora takes it upon herself to look through my dresser. It’s as empty as it was yesterday, so of course she finds my parents’ t-shirt in record time. She unfolds it and shows it off to me, giggling. “What’s the story with this thing?” I’m gonna leap out the window, I think. Why the hell did I start with the bed? “It was, uh, a parting gift from my parents. Something to remember home by, I guess. I wear it around the dorm sometimes.” “Aww, you do? That’s adorable.” “Shut up.” “No- haha- it really is! Do you feel close to home?” Jesus, who is the stringy fucking loser in that picture? I might as well have worn my patient gown- look at me! Aw, the impact font! I just told her I *wear* that fucking thing? “...Do you?” [[“What? No. What? Give me that.”]]

I snatch the shirt out of Aurora’s hands, surprising her. I think about tossing it in a trash bag, I really do, but I begrudgingly throw it in a box. That makes Aurora smile. “...Hey, I get it. Home’s weird for me, too. Home’s *real* weird.” “Where’s home? And why’s it weird?” Aurora waves me off. “It’d bore you to get into it. I’m just saying that I relate.” Relate to what? What did I say? “I don’t think too much about it, I’m plenty occupied with my new family. A shirt would have been nice, though.” I turn my head down and away from Aurora. I’ve got to be beet red by now. Shit, she sees it, doesn’t she? Is she doing this on purpose? What’s her problem, I didn’t- ugh, I’m getting light. I take out my iron pills, and pop one. Aurora watches me with interest. I return eye contact, realizing what she looks so curious about. “Anemia.” Aurora nods, and I put the bottle away. Once all my clothes are packed, we move onto the posters on the wall. Partway through that, I get too into my own rhythm and bump into Aurora. She stumbles a step, but smiles, and bumps me back with her hip. “Hey, what do you think of the girls so far?” [["They're cool."]]

"It’s interesting seeing all their little differences. I like them a lot.” “That’s good. They like you too, I think.” “You do?” “Yep. I mean, I like you.” “It wasn’t perfect getting you in, but we figured it out. Don’t tell anyone I said that.” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What was there to figure out?]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[...I guess asking would defeat the purpose.]]</div>

(set: $insecure to true)\ \ "People didn't want me in?" "I wouldn't go that far. Some of the girls just had their worries, you know?" "You mean Mabel?" "I really can't give names. It's not worth stressing over, you're in now, aren't you?" "I guess I just figured it had to be, like, a unanimous thing." "It did. Everybody gave their permission in the end." "Mabel voted to let me in?" "You're really hung up on Mabel, huh? She's just a little cagey, Seth. You'll learn to see through it pretty quickly." "I just don't want anybody to be uncomfortable. Is there something people were worried I would do? So I can keep it in mind if, uh..." "Hey." Aurora rests her hands on my shoulders and gently shakes up my jacket. "You really shouldn't think about it so much. We're a bunch of grown girls, everybody knows what we're doing here. Just be yourself, Seth. Let yourself have fun." Aurora gives me a warm smile, and tilts her head a little, waiting for me to respond. I nod gently, looking up a little to maintain eye contact with her. [["You're really tall up close."]]

“Yeah, I figured.” “About half the girls were on board right away, we just had to sway the others a little. Y’know, they have their little anxieties, questions, all that.” Questions? I didn’t get any questions. Did I? Mabel just yelled at me, I don’t remember half of what she actually said. I mean, I’m already in, why don’t they just ask me now if they have questions? Hang on, did she say half? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Who had anxieties?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No- stop. They can think what they want.]]</div>

(set: $insecure to false)\ \ You are not this fragile. Don’t push the issue. “Uh huh.” “Does that bother you?” “Not really. Who cares? I’ll win them over, we’ve got time.” “Huh. Fair enough.” By the time we finish packing everything, the four boxes we used are filled to the brim. I’ve got more garbage in here than I thought I did. [[Thank god Aurora came with me, despite my first judgment.]]

(set: $insecure to true)\ \ "I really can't give names. It's not worth stressing over, you're in now, aren't you?" "I guess I just figured it had to be, like, a unanimous thing." "It did. Everybody gave their permission in the end." "I just don't want anybody to be uncomfortable. Is there something people were worried I would do? So I can keep it in mind if, uh..." "Hey." Aurora rests her hands on my shoulders and gently shakes up my jacket. "You really shouldn't think about it so much. We're a bunch of grown girls, everybody knows what we're doing here. Just be yourself, Seth. Let yourself have fun." Aurora gives me a warm smile, and tilts her head a little, waiting for me to respond. I nod gently, looking up a little to maintain eye contact with her. [["You're really tall up close."]]

“Anything else?” “Nope, think that’s all of it. We can take this and go.” Aurora nods, and picks up two boxes. “Hey, thanks for your help. Really.” “Not at all, it was the least I could do. Good chance to get to know you better, I think.” “I guess so.” [[Now for the walk back.]]

Aurora huffs, and brushes me away, giving me another hit of cinnamon before she gets back to work. By the time we finish packing everything, the four boxes we used are filled to the brim. I’ve got more garbage in here than I thought I did. [[Thank god Aurora came with me, despite my first judgment.]] (set: $AffAurora to it+2)

Who’d have thought carrying half your room in your arms would make a walk around campus less enjoyable? My arms feel like they’re gonna snap, am I this out of shape? At least the breeze is being nice, since it’s around noon. Still, this is miserable. How’s Aurora holding up? “Maybe… maybe we should have, haah, brought over a third.” "N-no, hnng… we got this. C'mon, I could d-do this… all day!" Oh yeah? Your legs are shaking. Her eyes are practically both shut, but she pries one open, and gives me a weary smile. “Yeah? Cuz I’m dying over here. You sure this is no big deal?” "Not at all! I- gh-... -I wanted a workout anyway." This bitch. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What a showoff.|back to the house.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder if I can make this worse for her.]]</div>

"R-really? Well, if you're looking f-for a challenge… it'd be- ha- really cool of you to take one of my boxes, too." “-Uh-” “Y-yeah! That’s right, you’re anemic! I’ll help you out.” “Alright, if you’re sure.” I put both my boxes down, and pick up the top one. I get one last look at Aurora before I drop the box atop her stack. Her knees buckle just a little under the weight of it, but the woman keeps walking. "How are you doing?" "S-so good! So good." "Yeah? Me too. I mean, no worries if the extra box is too much." "N-no! Of course n-not! I know what I'm doing. I'm not ev- ha- even sweating." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think that's enough.|back to the house.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Okay, I'm gonna kill her.]]</div>

“Really? Not *sweating?* You’re incredible!” “It’s… huff, nothing.” “Well my arms are still wearing out with just this one guy. I’m not even close to your level.” “...Say, no pressure, but what’s one more?” Aurora gasps, and chokes back a little squeak. I think that was a whimper. “More?” “It’s just- the sun’s got me kind of dizzy, so it’s hard for me to exert myself too much. Y’know, with my anemia.” “Y-yeah, I can take one more!” “Are you sure? Hey, don’t bite off more than you can chew for my sake-” “JUST GIVE ME THE BOX!” Oh my god, she actually wants it. There’s no god damn way I’m missing this chance; I put the last box on top of her stack, completely towering over her head at this point. "Gh-... F-f… haah…" No way. There’s no way she pulls this off. “Wowww… man, maybe I just like tough girls, but you look great, Aurora.” "I g-... I g-... I get th- ha-... I- I-" [[“Aurora? You okay?”]]

Her arms are really shaking now, I think the boxes are starting to sway. “I’m fine.” “Aurora, put the boxes down.” “No, I got it!” “No you don’t, put them down!” She doesn’t realize she’s leaning forward- her hands are almost at the floor. Shit, the boxes are sliding! “Aurora, the boxes!” "I got it!" "Put them down!" "I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!" "AURORA!" "KYA-!" Aurora’s knees finally give, and she drops the boxes [[right on top of me.]]

I’m bludgeoned by cardboard and the weight of about three fourths of my personal belongings. I collapse onto my back, crushed by the consequences of my actions, and Aurora’s stupid, stupid hubris. “Oh my god, Seth!” Aurora frantically rolls the boxes off of my chest and limbs. Aw, this is gonna bruise for like three weeks. I look up at my guardian angel with half-open eyes, the glare of the sun reducing her to a concerned silhouette. “...Aurora…” Aurora holds my head up, and supports my back with the other hand. When my eyes adjust to sunlight, I see just a hint of fear in hers. “Yes, Seth?” “Is there something you want to admit to me?” “...I…” “I tripped.” Motherfucker. “I’m dying, Aurora.” “No.” “Yes.” “Stand up.” "Remember me forever. Build a statue in my likeness. Rent a moving van." “You’re the worst.” “Tell the girls I love them. No- no don’t do that. Just tell Cynthia, that’s weird.” “I think I’m gonna leave you here.” I gently lift my shaking hand, and rest it on Aurora's chin. “Just one more thing…” “Yes?” I lightly slap Aurora on the cheek. “Don’t drop my shit.” Aurora frowns and drops my head on the cement. “-Ack!” "Get up, you're taking your share of the boxes back." "Oh yeah, you're *mad* at me. *That's* why I'm taking them back." We gather my things back up, and walk the rest of the way [[back to the house.]] (set: $AffAurora to it+2)

(set: $time to "Saturday Afternoon")\ \ (set: $location to "Front Yard")\ \ Finally, we're home. I'm ahead of Aurora when we reach the house, so I try to gently put my boxes down to open the door for us. Instead, I slam them on the driveway and shakily grab the doorknob. “I spent like six trips from the car moving into that dorm- what was I thinking?” "You weren't- you weren't thinking. Uh huh." Aurora peeks at me from behind her stack of boxes. "Could'ja open the door, please?" [[Gladly.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ I open the door, and step aside so Aurora can struggle into the hallway and reach the living room, where she drops the boxes on the couch, and collapses right on top of them. "Oh my god. Hoo… my *god.*" I don't bother picking my two boxes back up, I just drag them into the dining room and sit down right next to Aurora. "We should…hah… work out together." Aurora lets out an exasperated laugh. Mabel leans out of the kitchen, scanning the boxes with raised eyebrows. "Damn, you two carried that all the way over here? Why?" "We may… have underestimated it a little. Not that you were any help." Mabel shrugs. "You didn't ask." Mabel disappears back into the kitchen. A few minutes later, Charlie opens her bedroom door and walks down the stairs. She yawns, stretches, and scratches her head. "Morning." "It's twelve-thirty. Are you just waking up?" "Yeah. It's Saturday dude, gimme a break." I close my eyes, too exhausted to do anything but rest. I only stay idle for another minute though, I need to get up. "Alright, guess I'd better take these up to my room." Aurora doesn't respond. She just rolls off the boxes, finally laying on the actual couch cushion. Taking this as my ‘go ahead,’ I pick up a box, and take them all up the stairs, [[one by one.]]

(set: $location to "Extra Room")\ \ Here comes the easy part. I open the boxes up, and spend the next hour decorating my room as closely to my dorm as I can remember to. Everything's got its proper place, if I just have the eye to [[find it.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ Look at that, it looks just like my old room. I've got an elephant's brain. I stand tall and take in my accomplishment, when there's a knock at the door behind me. "Yo, you done setting up? We wanna see it!" "Oh yeah, come on in. I just finished, actually." The door opens, and in steps Jessie and Ophilia. Ophilia stays put by the doorframe, but Jessie wastes no time jumping onto my bed. "Ooh, I like it. It feels like you… I think. Where did you say you were from?" "Michigan." "It feels like Michigan.” “Have you ever been to Michigan?” “I have never been to Michigan.” Why isn't Ophilia coming in? [[She's got a weird look on her face.]]

"Are you alright, Phili?" "Hm? Yes, I'm okay, sorry." "Don't mind her, she spaces out." "That's not… Well, yes, but that's not all." Ophilia points at one of the posters on the wall; the only poster that was here before I moved everything in. It's of the school's emblem, seems like there's one in every bedroom. "You moved that one. Why?" "No reason, I just liked it better over here. Helps make room for my other posters." Ophilia squints. Did I… do something wrong? "No reason? You didn't move it on purpose?" "Yeah… is there a problem?" Does she not believe me? I don't have a clue what I'd even be lying about. "It's just a poster, Phili. You're being weird." "I'm sorry. No, there's no problem." Ophilia shakes out her arms, and forces a smile. I'm gonna decide not to dwell on whatever that was. "Your room looks nice! I like it." "Thank you, Phili." "...Oh hey, I forgot. Do you know what you want to put in the den? That's part of why I came here." "Oh yeah, the den. I get to leave a piece of furniture, right?" "Or anything else. You get to put a few things in there, but that all happens over time. For now we're gonna start with one. So, what do you want? Anything come to mind?" I'm not big on memorabilia, to be honest. This place isn't exactly full of things that would fit in a room like that. But taking a look around, I guess I'll go with… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[A chess board]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[An old shirt]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[A baseball bat]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

"I think I'm gonna put my old chess set in there. Oh, you guys don't already have one on that board game table, do you? Is this too similar?" "Not at all. That sounds perfect." “Lame, chess sucks. It's so slow.” "I like it. Every little piece and decision makes a difference for the whole game. It can get a little overstimulating, but it helps me focus somehow. Aurora's pretty good at chess, you know." "Pssh, pretty good. I think she plays against herself in her free time to practice." "Not that she needs any practice to beat us." "Not at all. Are you any good at chess, Seth?" "As far as I can tell. I won a couple tournaments in high school, so I know a thing or two." "Maybe Aurora's finally met her match." "We'll see about that. C'mon, let's find a place for this thing." Jessie and Ophilia lead me down the stairs and into the den. I look around the room, before settling on a coffee table [[right in front of the couch.|I take a step back]] (set: $AffOphilia to it+1) (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

Oh, I have the worst idea. "So, when Aurora helped me move my stuff out…" Do I really want to do this? It's a perfect opportunity to get rid of this thing, without ‘getting rid’ of it. But everyone's gonna see it. Aw, whatever, Aurora's probably gonna tell everybody about this thing either way. "She took a liking to this old shirt my parents gave me. She said it was ‘cute’ that I hold onto a reminder of home." "She told you what you hold onto it for? That sounds like her." "Jessie!" "What, it does. Anyway, that's a cute pick, Seth. I'm sure Aurora’ll get a kick out of it." "I bet Cynthia's going to like seeing you as a kid again, too." "Oh yeah, I didn't even think about that. Honestly, I just know that I'm not gonna wear this thing now that I'm living with people, so I might as well use it for something." "Aw, you should still wear it!" "Yeah, what's wrong with it? Afraid we're gonna see you as a mama's boy?" "Mortified. C'mon, let's go." I grab a couple of push pins I didn't end up using for posters, and carry the shirt down to the den. I look around the room for a while, before settling on a spot on the left wall, [[just out of the way enough for it not to call attention to itself.|I take a step back]] (set: $AffCynthia to it+1) (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

I reach into my closet and pick up an old wooden bat, swinging it up and resting it on my shoulder. Damn, this thing's lighter than I remember. "You're kinda scrawny for a baseball player." "I don't play anymore. I was in the little leagues, and I wore this thing down to shit up until high school started. But you're right, I'm not built for it. I wear out easy." "Hell yeah. I used to box as a teenager, but I fell outta love with it pretty fast. The thrill was there, but it felt sterile, fighting in an empty gym." "Do you do anything that doesn't put your body at risk?" "Can I get back to you on that?" "I don't think she'd know how." "Ha-ha. Anyway, this is a good idea." "A relic from the past, in celebration of change." Ophilia frowns, then smiles. "Here's to new things. Are you ready?" Ophilia and Jessie lead me down the stairs and into the Den. I look around the room for a while, settling on a spot against a cabinet, beneath a TV on the right wall. It looks a little messy, but hey, [[so does the rest of the room.|I take a step back]] (set: $AffJessie to it+1) (set: $AffMabel to it+1)

I take a step back, re-examining the room with my new addition. I feel the other two feeling it out with me. "It… fits." "Yeah. Your taste is pretty alright." "Thanks guys. This feels right." "The room?" "All of it. The house. Being with you all. I feel like this is gonna work out." Jessie locks her arm around my neck and pulls me closer to her chest. “You dork, you're gonna fit right in." "I think so, too." I wrestle my way out of Jessie's headlock; she gives just enough resistance to show that she could keep me there if she wanted to. We stand there for a little bit longer, then [[leave for the living room.]]

Aurora and Mabel are eating together at the dining table. Charlie, finally freshened up, is clicking through TV channels on the couch. She tilts her head back to acknowledge us, but keeps her eyes on the screen. "Yo. Finish decorating?" "Yep. Put something up in the den, too." "Remind me look at that when I'm done eating." The front door opens with a click, and in walks Cynthia. She’s shivering, her arms wrapped around her chest and her chin tilted down at her neck. Her flat bangs cast a light shadow over her eyes as she marches inside. "Whoa, you look like shit." "Thanks." "Is everything okay, Cynthia? You were out pretty late just to talk to the school staff." "I went on a walk, ran some errands." "Take a coat next time. It’s getting cold, if you didn’t notice." "Thank you, Charlie Parth." Cynthia walks past us and takes the first step up the stairs, but Aurora catches her by the forearm. She leans in and whispers something into Cynthia’s ear, to which Cynthia just shakes her head. Aurora lets go, an unamused frown on her face as Cynthia continues up to her room. [["What was that about?"]]

(set: $freetime to 0)\ (set: $aurora1 to false)\ (set: $cynthia1 to false)\ (set: $charlie1 to false)\ (set: $mabel1 to false)\ (set: $ophilia1 to false)\ (set: $jessie1 to false)\ Aurora rolls her eyes. “She’s never in a good mood when she first gets home. Just give her some time to unwind.” "Is something wrong?" "Nothing I can’t handle, don’t worry about it." "If you say so." "Hey, we should do board games later. Bet that'd get Cynth out’ve her funk." "That's a great idea, Charlie. We need to give her some time to herself, though." "So we wanna go in like, half an hour?" "Works for me." "That's perfect actually, I wanna eat first." Mabel and Aurora finish their meals, and retreat to their respective bedrooms. Jessie strolls into the kitchen, and Ophilia sits by the windowsill, idly watching the road outside. Half an hour, huh? Guess I don’t have anything I have to do with that time. I wonder if any of the girls want to talk? I’ve got time to spend with three of them, I’d bet. Who’s up first? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $aurora1 to true)\ (set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ I walk up the stairs and into the hallway, mindlessly dragging my finger along the wall until I reach the last door on the right: Aurora’s room. Funny that I’m already seeking her out again, I just can’t help but wonder what she’s up to. I knock on the door. "Aurora? You busy?" A few seconds of silence, then: "Seth? No, come in." I open the door and [[walk inside.]] (set: $AffAurora to it+3)

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $jessie1 to true)\ (set: $insurance to true)\ (set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ I’m getting kinda hungry. Jessie’s still in the dining room, so I’ll use it as an excuse to talk to her. I grab a bowl from the cabinet, and fill it up with soup, resting in a big pot on the stove. It smells like mushrooms, but I don’t see any in the tanish-brown water. Sitting down next to Jessie, I notice that she has yet another apple in her hand. "For fuck's sake Jessie, they made real food." Jessie talks back with her mouth half-full. "Lay off man, I'll eat what I want." "Is this gonna be a regular thing with you?" "Depends how much it pisses you off. Might keep it up out of spite." "Classy." "Yeah I'm the best." "...So, tell me more about this nightclub. What attracted you to it?" “It actually wasn’t my idea at first. But it started out more for the money than anything. Don’t get me wrong, the pay’s still great, but it’s for the fun of it now. I don’t worry about money living here.” “Why’s that?” “Insurance opt-in.” “What do you mean?” “My salary goes to the sorority, and in return it takes care of my expenses. We can buy whatever we want without worrying about it that way, within reason. I think Mabel, Phili, and Cynthia are in the pool too.” “Not Charlie?” “Charlie uses her daddy’s bank account, there’d be no way to make that work. You should sign up though, since we’re all living together.” “I don’t have a job, remember? I’ve got a couple scholarships, but not a lot in the way of income.” “Well yeah, that’s why the pool exists. Mabel doesn't have a job either, we’ll take care of you. Then when you do get a job, you can choose something you like doing.” "Like you and being a daredevil." “Like me and performing. I used to sing, y’know.” “Really?” “Still do sometimes, but I don’t get paid for it. Charlie and I put on shows for the girls from time to time. I’m pretty good, but I quit. The music industry’s too ‘said and done’ for my taste.” "How do you mean?" “I mean, everybody knows who the next big thing’s gonna be before they’re even born. Look at Charlie. It takes a miracle for a nobody to make it out there. And if they don’t, well, no point in singing to an empty room.” "And here I thought you’d say music was boring. But it’s cool that you still sing for ADA." "Sure. Feels good to make them feel good." "Man, you should see Phili, though. She's ten times the performer I'll ever be. Kinda makes me jealous seeing her in action." "Are you two competitive at all?" “Oh god, no. Phili couldn’t handle that, I think she’d break down if she thought she made me feel inferior. Not that I’d hate a little competition with her, if she was down for it. Hard to find folks on my level, y’know?” "You're a prick." "You like it." I finish my bowl and rinse it off in the kitchen. Then, I walk back out past the dining table, headed for the living room, when Jessie speaks up again. "Don't tell her I said this, but I do worry about her. Ophilia. She’s been in a shell for a while now, I don’t know how to break her out of it. Feels like she might stop thinking about me altogether soon, if we keep having trouble talking.” "She certainly is quiet." “A new friend could be what she needs. Try to spend some time with her, alright? Call it a favor.” “I can do that. It’s sweet of you to look out for her.” Jessie grunts in acknowledgment. “I’ll pay you back.” I nod, and leave Jessie behind. She seems earnest, when you get past that ego. I hope I get to see more of that side of her. (if: $freetime < 3)[ Well, we still have a little time before the game starts. Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>] (set: $AffJessie to it+3)

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $ophilia1 to true)\ (set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill. I wonder what she’s thinking about. I take a seat on the chair nearest her. "What are you looking at?" "-Eep! Seth! Hi! You scared me." “Sorry, didn’t mean to sneak up on you.” “It’s okay, I have really bad spatial awareness. What did you say?” "I asked what you're watching out there." “Out there? Oh. I was just enjoying the weather. I think you caught me drifting off, actually.” She fell asleep like that? One knee’s tucked at her chest, the other leg’s hanging off the windowsill. Her head isn’t even resting on anything. "Can’t say that looks comfortable." “Cold air gets me all drowsy… yawn, I can fall asleep anywhere.” "I guess the sweater helps keep you up, then?" Ophilia giggles, and smiles at me. I… wasn’t telling a joke. "...So, you're a dancer. How did you start doing that?" “My dad signed me up for a dance class when I was three, and everybody was really nice, and helpful, and pretty. I never wanted to stop since then.” "That's really cool. You must be really good at it, if you're doing it professionally so young." Ophilia giggles again. Guess I'm hilarious today. “Well, I'm not that young anymore. But sure, I was pretty young when I first started travelling. I wouldn't say I'm all that special, but I'm glad so many people like when I perform. It makes me feel really special.” "It's a special thing, getting to share your art with others. I can't wait to get to see you myself." “Teehee, well, I've got a little recital in town coming up not too long from now. You'll probably get dragged into attending it, now that you're living here.” "Looking forward to it." My eyes wander to the coffee table, where Ophilia’s diary is sitting. Getting a closer look at its cover, I notice two large white letters sewn into the leather. Positioned diagonally from the top left, the letter ‘K’ stood above the letter ‘O.’ Knock-out? "Hey, Ophilia? What do those letters mean?" "Hm?" Ophilia looks down at the coffee table, and gasps. “What’s that doing here? Did- did you steal my diary?” "What? No, I thought you brought it down here-" “You didn’t read it, did you?” “Ophilia, I’ve never even touched it.” Ophilia stands up, and grabs the diary, looking at it with a mixture of frustration and confusion. She marches up the stairs and into the hall, mumbling something to herself with each step. The fuck was that about? Did she forget that she brought it down here? I mean, I get being protective of your diary, but then why wouldn’t you know where it is? Weird. (if: $freetime < 3)[Whatever. Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>] (set: $AffOphilia to it+3)

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $charlie1 to true)\ (set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Charlie’s still sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the TV. We haven’t even started talking, but I can tell she’s only half paying attention at a glance. I sit down next to her. "Hey Charlie, what are you watching?" "Has anyone ever said that you look like if a Hot Topic employee got stuck in a cologne ad?" "...What are you watching?" "Uh… tiger documentary? It’s just on for noise." She’s being so still. I can barely see her breathing. "Oh… are you okay?" “Been better. I’m high, if that’s what you mean. Didn’t realize we’d have plans today, so I wanna sober up real quick.” I think playing a board game was your idea, dumbass. "You should drink something. Hang on, I'll be right back." I go to the kitchen, fill up a glass of water, and put it on the coffee table in front of Charlie. "Haha… lifesaver." …Still not moving. I don’t… think she’s gonna pick up the glass. She’s not even looking at it. After a few seconds, her fingers start rapping against her knee. I can’t tell if that’s a good or bad sign. "Are you sure you're okay?" "Oh yeah- haha- I'm fine. Think Mark sold me some cheap shit. Been through worse." "If you say so…" "Talk to me. Where are you coming from?" "Uh, up north. Michigan. You're from Texas, right? Must be weird being around snow this often." "Louisiana. But yeah, it is. Better than sludge, that’s the most we get down there." "Do you ever get homesick?" "I guess. I mean, there’s things I miss about home, but, y'know." "I'm sure being James Parth's daughter makes things eventful." "Yeah. Yeah, that's most of it. All of that shit gets to be a bit-" Charlie interrupts herself by letting out what I can only describe as a mixture of a laugh and a gasp. “...Much. I don’t miss sharing a room with a tripod camera. And it’s kinda nice getting away from my family, too.” "Oh yeah?" “Yeah. You ever watch ‘Up Close with the Parths?’” What’s the right answer to that question, coming from the subject of that show? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Nah."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Once or twice."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["I kept up for like three seasons through high school."]]</div> (set: $AffCharlie to it+3)

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $mabel1 to true)\ (set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Sitting here, waiting for the time to pass me by, I can’t help but think about Mabel. It’s obvious I got off on the worst foot with her out of everyone in the sorority. Well, no- I had nothing to do with it. Mabel chose not to like me. But still, I feel bad having this gut instinct to just avoid her at all costs. If we’re gonna be living with each other, we’re gonna have to get past this shit eventually, right? [[I should go talk to her.]]

(set: $location to "Aurora's Room")\ \ Jesus, this is her room? And I thought the living room was fancy- this place is pristine. Sitting by the left wall, Aurora’s looking in the mirror, padding her cheeks with a makeup brush. She turns around and smiles at me. There’s that lightness again. "Hi there. Did you need something?" "No, I was just wondering if you wanted to talk. Um, sorry, I can come back later if you-" "No no! I'm just gonna be fixing my hair while we talk, if that's okay. Sit down." I sit on the foot of her bed. It’s softer than the firm shape of it made me think it’d be. There wasn’t even a crease on this comforter before I came and ruined it. "You just can't get enough of me today, can you?" Aurora giggles to herself. I knew this was a stupid idea- I could have talked to anyone else, but I had to single her out and make myself look like a creep. Gah, is she laughing to put me at ease, or just to rub it in? I wish you’d just kick me out, at least I’d know what to make of that! "I’m sorry, I know I already saw you- It's just that we have time before the game and-" "Hey, don't worry about it. I like how much of you I'm seeing." "Jesus." "Hah! Sorry, I’ll back off." (if: $insecure is false)["Actually, I’m glad you came, I wanted to ask you something before you took off earlier." "What's that?" "Remember when I told you some of us weren’t on board with you at first?" "Yep." "It surprised me how quickly you brushed it off. Aren't you curious to know what we said?" "It isn't my business, and I think I know some of who needed convincing." "Don't tell me, I don't want to give it away." "But you wanted me to ask?" Aurora’s keeping an eye on me through her mirror’s reflection, but as soon as we make eye contact, she looks back at her hair. "I didn't want you to ask, I just assumed you would. I wanted to know why that was, what I got wrong about you." "Well, that sort of thing doesn't bother me." Aurora spins her chair around, and finally looks me right in the eyes. "What does?" [["What?"|non-insecure]]] (else:)[\ Aurora is definitely coming off strong. I wonder if it's coming from somewhere genuine, or if it's just for fun, like I suspect it is with Jessie. She seems self aware, to a degree. (if: $AffAurora is > 4)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Oh, I don't mind."]]</div>] <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Has anyone told you you can be intimidating?"]]</div> ]

"If not rejection or uncertainty, what bothers you?" "...Why do you want to know?" Aurora's eyes shift down for a moment, and she leans back in her chair. Her posture loosens, and I hear a bit of embarrassment in her voice. “I like to know that sort of thing about my friends. But it’s really important if you’re going to live here- as the sorority leader, it’s kind of my job to know.” “How come?” “Well… hm. Think of it like a phobia. If someone was deathly afraid of spiders, whose job should it be to make sure no one comes dressed up for a halloween party dressed up as one? The host, obviously. I need to know I’m doing everything I can to keep you comfortable, and not hurting you by doing something I shouldn’t.” “Well I don’t have any phobias. And we can learn about whatever else over time, can’t we? Accidents happen, I’m not made of glass.” "Good for you, but I still want to be careful. Knowing that I hurt someone, intentionally or not… that’s what gets through my skin. Straight through. I get kind of manic about it. I’d rather be a little overbearing if it means knowing what I have to avoid with you.” Wow. I never would have guessed that Aurora struggles with anxiety. I don’t… know why that surprises me so much. Maybe I’m buying a little too hard into her leader face. “I… guess I can think on it, and get back to you. It’s not really something I think about, but if it means that much to you…” “Thank you. That would take a big weight off my back. Your first few weeks here are the most important, right? Besides, the more I know, the more I can look after my girls. You are one of my girls, aren't you?" I bury my face in my hands, blushing again- but this time I can’t stop myself from laughing. "Oh god, did Charlie tell you I said that?" "It was the very next thing she said to me. Knowing her, I'm surprised she remembered you said anything at all." "If only she forgot." Aurora spins her seat back around, and resumes pampering her hair. "Alright, I gotta ask you to run, I'm thinking I should change clothes for the game." "You're getting dressed up for a board game?" "I'll be dressing down, if anything. This outfit isn't going to be comfortable to sit in for an hour." "Alright, I'll leave you to it. Nice talking to you." "Bye, Seth." I stand up and walk out, closing the door behind me. I’m so glad that conversation’s over. Why am I such an idiot whenever I’m around that woman? I can’t pick up on any of her cues, it feels like everything she does is either to tease or intimidate me. That said, I’m feeling heavier already being away from her. I hope I wasn’t spacing out while we talked. (if: $freetime < 3)[ There’s still some time left before the game. Who’s next? (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div>] (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div>] (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div>] (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>]

"It's helping my nerves a little, actually. I've been worried about how I'm supposed to carry myself, living in a house full of women. So it's assuring that the queen of the house is alright being playful." "Careful boy, you've only just moved in. Maybe those nerves are a good thing." "They'll make me harder to get close to. Or do you want me to let my guard down around you, specifically?" "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." "Hah, sure you don't. Ever had a boyfriend before, Aurora?" "Let a girl keep a couple secrets." "Fair enough." "That said, I don't think you need to worry about watching yourself so much around us. Obviously act within reason, but we *did* discuss wanting a man specifically to move in with us. Whatever ends up coming of that, I imagine it'll be part of what they wanted." "And what did *you* want?" Aurora winks at me over her shoulder. "Let a girl keep a couple more secrets." Aurora turns her head back around, and resumes pampering her hair. "Alright, I gotta ask you to run, I'm thinking I should change clothes for the game." "You're getting dressed up for a board game?" "I'll be dressing down, if anything. This outfit isn't going to be comfortable to sit in for an hour." "Alright, I'll leave you to it. Nice talking to you." "Bye, Seth." I stand up and walk out, closing the door behind me. I’m so glad that conversation’s over. Why am I such an idiot whenever I’m around that woman? I can’t pick up on any of her cues, it feels like everything she does is either to tease or intimidate me. That said, I’m feeling heavier already being away from her. I hope I wasn’t spacing out while we talked. (if: $freetime < 3)[ There’s still some time left before the game. Who’s next? (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div>] (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div>] (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div>] (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>] (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

"Once or twice. I'm sorry, am I being too much? I just want to leave a strong first impression." Aurora actually deflates a little. I feel a little bad, shutting her down after I came into her room, but I just wanted to be honest. "It's not a big deal. I'm just getting settled still, I don't really know how I'm supposed to interact with everybody yet." "Worried about fitting in?" "I guess that's a way to put it." "I'll keep that in mind. I don't think it's something you really need to be worried about, but I'm glad you let me know. I try to keep an eye on the girls' anxieties or worries, so I can do my best to make this place feel safe for everybody. You *are* one of the girls, aren't you?" I bury my face in my hands, but can’t stop myself from laughing. "Oh god, did Charlie tell you I said that?" "It was the very next thing she said to me. Knowing her, I'm surprised she remembered you said anything at all." "If only she forgot." Aurora looks back at her mirror, and resumes pampering her hair. "Alright, I gotta ask you to run, I'm thinking I should change clothes for the game." "You're getting dressed up for a board game?" "I'll be dressing down, if anything. This outfit isn't going to be comfortable to sit in for an hour." "Alright, I'll leave you to it. Nice talking to you." "Bye, Seth." I stand up and walk out, closing the door behind me. I’m so glad that conversation’s over. Why am I such an idiot whenever I’m around that woman? I can’t pick up on any of her cues, it feels like everything she does is either to tease or intimidate me. That said, I’m feeling heavier already being away from her. I hope I wasn’t spacing out while we talked. (if: $freetime < 3)[ There’s still some time left before the game. Who’s next? (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ I spend a couple minutes waiting for someone to tell us the game’s starting. Thankfully, Aurora doesn’t leave me waiting long. "Alright, it's about that time, are we all ready?" "Yeah, think I'm good to go." "Did someone tell Cynthia?" "I did. She should be right…" Cynthia opens her door from down the hall, and hurries to Aurora’s side. "Here! I'm here, sorry." "No worries, glad you're ready." [[We make our way into the den, Mabel and Ophilia joining us after not too long.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"Oh. Fair enough. Well, we had to set aside a few rooms of that house so parts of the film crew could stay overnight. I *really* don't miss sharing a bathroom with a camera dolly." "Gross." Charlie nods. "Not that it’s perfect here. I think the girls know better than to fan-out around me by now. But we go to school with some aspiring paparazzi.” “Wow… I didn’t upset you when we first met, did I? That wasn’t my intention.” "It never is. *Haha,* I didn’t go and make you pity me, did I? I’m just bitching, man. Y- *ha-* you’ll learn to drown it out eventually." Her fingers are still rapping against her knee. I don’t really know what to say to that, so I don’t respond. Eventually, Charlie makes her first major movement since I sat down, and sinks into the couch, letting out a deep sigh. "Thanks, Seth. Think I’m sobering up a little." "Good." "...A little. If you don't mind, I want to ride the rest of this off myself. I could use the quiet, y'know?" "Oh, sure. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" "You're the best." Look at that. A compliment from Charlie Parth. I get up, and leave her to herself. (if: $freetime < 3)[ On my own again, who should I talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>] (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

“Then you’ll get why I- *heh-* I appreciate getting out of that house. Not that it’s perfect here. I think the girls know better than to fan-out around me by now. But we go to school with some aspiring paparazzi.” “Wow… I didn’t upset you when we first met, did I? That wasn’t my intention.” "It never is. *Haha,* I didn’t go and make you pity me, did I? I’m just bitching, man. Y- *ha-* you’ll learn to drown it out eventually." Her fingers are still rapping against her knee. I don’t really know what to say to that, so I don’t respond. Eventually, Charlie makes her first major movement since I sat down, and sinks into the couch, letting out a deep sigh. "Thanks, Seth. Think I’m sobering up a little." "Good." "...A little. If you don't mind, I want to ride the rest of this off myself. I could use the quiet, y'know?" "Oh, sure. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" "You're the best." Look at that. A compliment from Charlie Parth. I get up, and leave her to herself. (if: $freetime < 3)[ On my own again, who should I talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>] (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

"Wait, seriously? Gross." "If it helps, I don't remember much of your segments. I m- mostly watched for... (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Rebecca]]." That last part came out on its own. By the time I realized I was making myself look worse, I was already halfway through the sentence and had to commit. I avoid making eye contact with Charlie while I wait for her to respond. Which is pretty easy, given how little she's moving. "...That would be roughly after the 'Sugar Stick' music video came out." Well, no point in being modest now. "Right after. It was kind of an awakening for me." "..." ... "...Alright, I'm a lot soberer now. Thanks for that." "Don't mention it." "I won't." "Uh, if you don't mind, I'd like to ride the rest of this off myself. I could use the quiet, y'know?" "Oh, sure. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" "You're the best." Look at that. A compliment from Charlie Parth. I get up, and leave her to herself. (if: $freetime < 3)[ On my own again, who should I talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel...]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>] (set: $AffCharlie to it-1)

Rebecca Parth, Charlie's older sister. Bigger in the pop music industry than she is, for two major reasons. Firstly, Charlie panders to a nicher subgenre of music; something closer to "soft girl indie" with a corporate undertone. High school girl with a ukulele kind of vibe. Whereas Rebecca is a capital-P Pop Star. High energy, four-chord club party tracks. The second reason is that Rebecca had a very particular and very sudden pivot in her celebrity and musical persona about seven years ago. After spending most of her childhood and young-adult life making songs and music videos with the theme of "mischevious but marketably modest young girl throwing a crazy party in her mansion," she seemed to become very aware of her physical maturity all of a sudden. The turning point of her career, at a fresh eighteen years old, was the release of a music video for her single 'Sugar Stick.' The video went beyond viral, to the point of news stations covering the reaction and contraversy people were stirring up over how immediately aware they were made of the curves of this previously unassuming musician. It was porn, the music video was just... I hesitate to call it softcore porography, it was kind of fucking graphic. And at age fourteen, I must have watched it no less than three dozen times. Rebecca's chilled out recently, five albums later... but the world remembers. [[I remember.|"I kept up for like three seasons through high school."]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ I walk up the stairs, and knock on her door. "Mabel?" "Yeah? Who's there?" "It's Seth, mind if I come in?" Instead of answering from inside her room, Mabel opens the door herself, leaning against the doorframe. "Hi, Seth. Do you need something?" "No, I don't. I just- I wanted to talk. I know you don’t want anything to do with me, but I want to try to clear the air. Is that okay?" There’s that squint again. Anyone ever told her your face can get stuck like that? "...You came here just to talk to me again?" "Yes. I did." Mabel sighs, and rests her head against the doorframe, thinking it over. Then, she steps back and shrugs. "Alright, come in." [[I do.]]

(set: $location to "Mabel's Room")\ \ Not much has changed about this room since last time. Still as barren as ever. Where to start… I guess I’ll mention the potted plants. That’s something. "So, these plants are nice. You grew them yourself?" “God no. I couldn’t keep a pet rock alive if it never left my sight. The plants are Charlie’s, she just keeps them here.” "Oh?" “Yeah, her room’s a mess, they’d suffocate or get lost in there. My room’s nothing but space, so we made a deal. I’m like their babysitter.” "That’s nice of you." "She did me a favor, honestly. I'd never fill the space in my room up on my own, but… it helps. It does bother me that Charlie *needed* my help to keep the plants, though." "What do you mean?" “Charlie’s not like me. She knows how to take care of things, she’s just too much of a bum to do anything about it. That’s what you get from never having to work for a living, I guess.” "Sounds like there's some tension there. Do you two not get along?" "Oh no, she's one of my favorites." "Oh." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["...So, is there a reason you don't decorate on your own?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["...So are you just mean to everyone, then?"]]</div>

“Umm… I guess not. Well, I don’t know. I’m not interested in ‘stuff.’ I grew up making do with what’s around me, so I never saw the point in decorating.” "Is your family poor?" “The fuck kinda question is that?” “You’re right, sorry. That just came out.” "...No. We're just smart with our money." [["There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself a little."]]

"Kids especially need something to look at, right?" “They need to learn how to restrain themselves, so they don’t waste money on stupid shit. How much money did you blow to ‘express’ yourself with that jacket? Maybe I have my priorities straight.” She’s getting snappy again. What am I doing to put her so on edge? There’s gotta be something I can do to get her guard down… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I have an idea.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's not force it.]]</div>

"You haven't seen me mean yet. You know why I don't like you. Do you always act this entitled, or did I specifically hurt your pride?" "I'm just a little surprised Charlie trusts you to do this for her, if this is how you talk about her behind her back." Mabel frowns, and pauses a little before speaking. "I like Charlie. I think she's really funny. She's nice to me, she doesn't really get mad at me ever. I like that she helped decorate my room with her plants." Mabel's eyes drift a little, and she nods, having assured herself of something. "Yeah. You don't know me." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You should tell her that."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Have you done something nice for her in return?"]]</div>

"I guess. Don't tell me what to do." "Yeah, whatever. I'm just trying to help." "Fine." "Fine." "..." "...Can you get out of my room?" "Sure, yeah, bye." Fuck me, I guess. (if: $freetime < 3)[ There’s still a little while left before the game starts, who do I want to see next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div>] (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div>] (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div>] (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>]

"Huh?" "y'know, since she's decorating your room and all. She's the one taking care of the plants. Ever given her something back?" "Uh... no. I guess not. I give her room to keep the plants in, I kinda figured that was the deal." "It's just nice to give people things. It'd probably help Charlie know you like her." "But I don't- have, uh, I don't know... what would Charlie even want? She's rich." "I don't think the money of it matters that much. It can some useless thing she could've gotten for herself, it's getting it from you that makes it special. Or, y'know, make her something. Do something for her, whatever else." Mabel's brow furrows, I watch her try to think of something she could hypothetically give to Charlie. After a couple seconds, she shrugs. "I don't know man, I don't make a habit of buying useless shit. Maybe Charlie and I's friendship isn't transactional. That cross your mind, you fucking weirdo?" She’s getting snappy again. What am I doing to put her so on edge? There’s gotta be something I can do to get her guard down… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I have an idea.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's not force it.]]</div>

"Hey, come with me." "What?" I offer my hand to Mabel. "C'mon, I just had an idea." Mabel stares at me, clearly not jumping at the opportunity to touch me. But I keep my arm still, and eventually, she takes my hand. Honestly, that’s a huge relief- I’m glad she’s making an effort here, too. I lead Mabel into the hall, taking a short trip two doors toward the stairs. I grab the doorknob to my bedroom, which is when Mabel retracts her hand and stumbles [[back to the other wall.]] (set: $AffMabel to it+3)

"Yeah, whatever. I'm just trying to help." "Fine." "Fine." "..." "...Can you get out of my room?" "Sure, yeah, bye." Fuck me, I guess. (if: $freetime < 3)[ There’s still a little while left before the game starts, who do I want to see next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ "What are you doing?" "Get in here, I want you to take a look around." "Absolutely the fuck not!" "It's okay, I promise. I just want you to see the place. I'll stand away from the door if it helps, alright?" "Tell me why you’re bringing me here." "I’ve already seen your room twice now. I want to show you how I express myself. Just look around for a couple minutes." “That is the weirdest shit anyone’s ever said to me, you want to show me your room? Are you twelve?” “This is the easiest way I can think to win the argument.” “I’m going back to my room, you’re a creep.” “Mabel.” “What?” “Please. I promise I’m not trying to hurt you.” That’s all I’ve got left to say. Thankfully, it earns me a second look. It’s not a happy second look, but… she’s gotta be able to tell I’m being sincere, right? "O-... Okay. Fine." [[Mabel steps inside, and glosses her eyes around the room.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ I pick a corner to stand in, away from the door. I’ve never seen someone so confused and on edge look so bored before. "What do you think?" "I'm supposed to think something? It's, uh, fine." “I’ve got a lot of junk taking up space here. A lot of it comes from home, or around campus, but all of it represents me. At least, it represents me while I choose to own it.” “I’m familiar with ownership, Seth.” “Yeah. Some of this stuff is important to me, but looking around, I think you’re right. A lot of it goes to waste, I don’t appreciate everything I’ve got. Maybe it’d do more good in someone else’s hands.” "So donate it." "Hence, you. I want you to pick something. Any one thing in this room. Name it, and it's yours." Mabel looks at me, somehow yet *more* apprehensive than she’s looked so far. "What?" "I'm serious. You can have anything you see in here, right now. Do whatever you want with it, sell it for all I care." "No. I’m not taking your trash, thanks." “I insist. I want you to take something.” Mabel’s eyes dart to mine, but she looks away as soon as she catches herself. She’s interested. “I can’t. It’s a nice offer, but I can’t-” "Peppermint, you aren’t leaving without taking something." Mabel’s eyes widen. The way I said that made it sound like a threat, but I don’t mind. It shook her in just the right way. After a moment of stunned silence, Mabel nervously nods her head, and her posture eases up. She studies the room once over again, paying leagues more attention this time. [[She peeks over every corner, and studies every shiny object.]]

She stumbles across a dusty novelty plaque with my name etched at the bottom. Above that, the words “Theoretical Physics, Phd.” She holds it up to her face and cocks her head to the side. "Are you a physicist?" "Of course not, I'm a college student." Mabel deflates. "Oh. Duh." "…Why do you have this?" "Could come in handy if I need someone to think I'm a genius in a few years. But I designed the plaque myself. That's worth something, right?" "I guess?" She puts the plaque down, and moves over to a framed picture of me standing next to Robert Meison, a famous engineer. Again, she peps up. "Whoa- wait, you know Dr. Meison?" "No. I was in the same room as Dr. Meison in high school. But it was at an academic party for excelling youth." "Straight-A student?" "Sure, why not?" "Uh… huh." Sitting nearby, she picks up a plastic trophy, and reads the engraving, a stupor in her voice. "Is-... is this a *participation award* for a science fair?" "I was at the top of my participation game that year." I get a dirty look for that one; Mabel doesn’t like my jokes. After a few more minutes of searching, Mabel looks at me and points at a poster pinned to my wall; [[an illustration of a lavender flower sprouting up from a dense, lush meadow.]]

"I want that one." "Consider it done." "Seriously?" I nod. Mabel stares in disbelief at my general direction. Then, for the first time since I met her, I see an awkward, giddy smile creep halfway across her lips. On a dime, she rushes to the poster and pulls it off the wall. She admires it up close, studying it while she walks to the door. I stay put in my corner and watch her until she’s out in the hall. Once she passes my door, she turns back around to look at me. "Hey. I owe you-" "Nope. Not how this works. You get the poster, that's the end of it." Mabel chuckles. "I don't get you." I give her a wink. "Go." Mabel nods, and excitedly jogs down the hall. Well shit, that could have gone worse. I wonder how long that good mood’s gonna last. It’s a little early to tell if she likes me now, but at least she’s happy. (if: $freetime < 3)[ There’s still a little while left before the game starts, who do I want to see next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I wonder what Aurora's up to.]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[What'd Jessie find in the kitchen?]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia’s still sitting at the windowsill.]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Let's hang out with Charlie.]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I think the game's gonna start soon.]]</div>]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ This room confused me a little in the past, if I’m being honest. I thought it was a novel idea, sure, but I guess it didn’t click until now, seeing everybody mingle inside it. All the random junk and decorations, each with their own color and themes complimenting its owner… the happy faces and overlapping chatter of their voices while they talk about nothing… getting to see it like this makes it make sense. "Alright, are you all ready? I was thinking we should do Osterrian Conquest tonight." "Fuck yeah! You guys are screwed." "What's Osterrian Conquest?" “It’s this strategy game Cynthia found at a pawn shop. It’s really complicated, but basically you want to control the board so your opponents can’t call in any more soldiers to fight with. Mabel is some kinda prodigy at this one.” “It’s a critical thinking game, that’s all. I’m just better than you.” "Alright, let's set it up." We all work together to [[set up the game,]] but Cynthia seems to know most what she’s doing.

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ The board is a map of this huge, war-torn continent, with a few different terrains from place to place. We each got a bunch of colored pieces and figures assigned to us, each color representing one player. (text-color: blue)[I’m] blue, (text-color: yellow)[Aurora] is gold, (text-color: cyan)[Cynthia] is cyan, (text-color: red)[Mabel] is red, (text-color: green)[Charlie] is green, (text-color: purple)[Jessie] is purple, and Ophilia is white. Once all the pieces are in place, we’re each handed a little booklet that explains who we’re playing as, and how we should generally play. I’m playing as the head general of the army of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Dreyga,]] a holy kingdom that’s come to claim Osterria for king and country. The other players all have their own respective nations, Charlie in particular seems pleased with her assigned role. “Heheheh…” “Oh god damnit, is Charlie playing (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Faerin]] again? Whatever.” I take a closer look at my pieces. There’s a few different types, but most of them look like little toy soldiers with shields. There’s also a little boat that Cynthia tells me to keep on one spot of the board for the whole game. This is my port, and it’s the only place I can send in new pieces to help conquer the map. The game starts, and everyone begins spreading their units through the edges of Osterria. Following everyone else’s lead, things start out pretty peacefully. Charlie’s starting territory looks different than the rest of ours; her units all have little hats on, and leave behind these tall walls everywhere they move. I have about three of these units myself: they’re called ‘merchants,’ and I wasn’t allowed to play any this early. “What’s going on with Charlie’s board?” “Faerin starts out with all merchants, and they build a trail of barriers whenever you move around. If you want to get through them, you either have to break them or negotiate with her. Unless you're Charlie, she can use them like shortcuts.” “Faerin’s a total gimmick, I love it.” The rest of us mostly focus on developing our smaller home bases before moving further inland. But the first signs of conflict arise about [[twelve turns in.]]

Ophilia marches her army close to Jessie’s territory of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Brickton,]] her aggressive motives clear as day. "You're making a mistake, Ophilia." "We'll count our mistakes among the dead." Ophilia can still turn back to (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Disle's]] port, and delay combat further. But instead, she charges straight into the heart of Jessie’s encampment, who strikes back without hesitation. "For Brickton!" It’s utter chaos immediately. Within two turns, one of Jessie’s villages is razed, and soldiers on both sides drop in droves. Ophilia fights with some human soldiers, those who marched with her from the Dislan colony, but I also see her placing down these circular white tokens around the board as she travels. These circles, which she calls 'summoning gates,' intermittently spawn extra forces, taking the form of white, ethereal beasts. Not animals, at least not quite. The beasts wreak havoc on Brickton's forces, but neither commander shows any signs of backing down early. "Brickton's home is in the footnotes of history." "Taste cold steel, you heartless witch!" The fight isn't happening far from my territory. It seems like everyone else is focusing on themselves still, but if I wanted to, I might be able to insert myself into this... <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[March in to aid Ophilia.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Rush in and rescue Jessie.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Stay put and watch.]]</div>

The commander I'm playing looks like a total badass. Glimmering azure blue armor from chest to boots, accented with these golden highlights adorning him, their glassy texture making him look opulent despite the obvious battle-readiness of his outfit. Without a doubt, this man is a holy crusader, a paragon of divine righteousness. The artwork's focus is on the commander's lance, but his helmet is particularly interesting to me. It covers the back of his neck and head and then swoops over his forehead, shielding his eyes, but leaving his lower face uncovered, not unlike a hoodie. The helmet sticks forward at the nose, giving an angular look reminiscent of a dragon. The helmet has glistening blue jewels covering the eyeholes, but his earnest smile is out for everyone to see. He's imposing, but doesn't look the slightest bit malicious. Alright, enough gawking at myself, [[back to the game.|set up the game,]]

Jessie's commander art looks about right for her. It's very 'woman in high fantasy,' which is to say that she's wearing practically nothing at all. She's got heavy pauldrons protecting both of her shoulders, and a large violet headdress that stretches a good two feet above her head. Aside from that, there's the purple, rough-leather bra and skirt set keeping the game PG-13, and the fuzzy wool boots on her feet, which somehow look the most out of place of her whole getup. I scan the background to see if this bare-bodied commander shares her ridiculous outfit with her soldiers, but I find that this commander is actually standing alone in her artwork. Weird, all the other commanders have at least some soldiers behind them in their art, and it's not like Brickton doesn't use soldier units. In place of allies, the Brickton commander has not one, but four weapons in her arsenal: a staff hanging at her back, a halberd planted in the ground in front of her, a katana satcheled at her hip, and a dagger clenched between her teeth. The commander has a maniacal grin as she bites down on the metal blade, and I can't help but notice that she isn't actually using any of the weapons she's shown with. Instead, she has both arms pumped up at her sides, implying she's going to simply beat down whoever gets in her way before resorting to armed combat. Given the chisled biceps and frankly envy-mongering abs on this berseker's caramel skin, I don't doubt someone like this very well *might* win a war with fists alone. (link-goto: "Yeah, I can see why Jessie picked her.", (history:)'s last)

Ironically, Faerin's commander evokes images of Robin Hood or Peter Pan more than the economy-focused tycoon he's apparently supposed to be. Dressed head to toe in green, complete with the Bycocket- the 'Robin Hood Hat', this commander is shown dancing merrily around a campfire with a pan flute to his lips, looking right at the player, entertaining a rowdy crowd of merchants and vagabonds doing business and passing time in the background. His only weapon that I can see is a small dagger satcheled at his hip. The way the artist captured the commander's legs; one knee kicked higher than the other, both at least slightly off the ground, makes him and his leotard seem almost magical, like he's floating with the music's melody. The commander is adorned with a few trinkets and bobs- mostly medals and pins, but a few colorful items that are harder to place, which gives the impression that this is, in fact, a decorated and experienced leader. Which I imagine must be to make up for the rest of the outfit, because otherwise he really does just look like your typical mischevious bard. My eyes linger a little on those eyes, and the playful grin curled up his lips as (link-goto: "as he plays his flute.", (history:)'s last)

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Charlie, I want to cross your wall." Charlie grins, and leans back in her chair, her hands locked around the back of her head. "Do you? Hmm…sure, I'll let you cross for fifty gold." “Fifty gold? To cross over one wall? That's insane!" "That's my price. I will go no lower." "You cheap bitch." “I’m a cheap bitch? I can be a pricier bitch if you want me to be. Or you can pay me while I’m feeling cheap.” Mabel grumbles and forks her money to Charlie. A satisfied smirk on her face, she welcomes Mabel’s small infantry [[with open arms.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Further east, the battle between Brickton and Disle's rages on. Ophilia's beasts crawl out of her summoning gates, thrust into the battle as soon as they're called up, giving her a strong battle presence despite her distance from her port. But while it might win her some ties when her opponent is evenly distanced, Jessie is able to sail in more troops much more effectively than she is. Brickton's mighty barbarians cleave through the beasts and wizards trampling on their territory, their incredible might refusing to waver to Disle's magic. Jessie sends a kick into the ground so powerful that it erupts the ground beneath one of Ophilia's gates, shattering it into useless dust. Ophilia trembles at the devestating show of power, and assesses the situation for what it is. "I have to retreat." Ophilia gives up on the port she’s so close to destroying, and instead puts all her effort toward killing the newly arrived soldiers trapping her in Brickton territory. They fight fiercely, but Ophilia’s able to kill enough men to create an opening big enough to slip through. Tail between her legs, Ophilia runs back home Jessie and her loyal soldiers raise their hammers in celebration. "Hoo-rah!" Shamed and defeated, Ophilia makes the long trek back home. But unfortunately for her, she won’t get there alone. As she nears her port, her blood freezes as she spots the (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Strixan]] army, led by General Mabel, waiting for her. She’d beaten her to her own port, and was destroying it as we speak. "No! Take back the port, at all costs." But it was for naught. Mabel’s resolve does not waver, and with a brilliant and deafening crash, the huge ships of Disle’s port fall one by one, as their general watches in horror. "Damn good job, Strix. Now finish her." "N-no… it can't be." Like a pack of rabid dogs, Mabel and her small militia of heroes pounce on the injured and demoralized members of Disle's army. Ophilia does what she can to wane Mabel's numbers, but as her soldiers fall by the dozens, Ophilia has to accept that her fate was inevitable. Not allowing time for final words, Mabel raises her blade to the sky, and swings it cleanly through Ophilia's neck, executing the [[last hope for Disle's victory.]]

Disle's commander is a wizard, navy blue robes and giant brimmed hat and all. She has a staff pointed high in her left hand, while the right is slinging some sort of wispy-looking spell just out of sight. All about her in the background are these big white circles of light on the ground, from which a slew of monstrous animal spirits are climbing out and charging through the battlefield. It makes sense given this commander's playstyle; I've seen Ophilia place a few tokens down where she was able to summon monsters for free. A few of these rampaging ghosts are right up there next to the commander, reaching for the 'camera.' In fact, one of them, some sort of skeletal wolf-man, has his arm going straight through the commander's stomach as it reaches out for us. The commander doesn't pay it any mind, or maybe she doesn't even notice. The look on her face, somewhere between determined rage and panic, is so singularly focused on whatever it is she's casting that spell towards. Those ghosts she's summoned don't seem to be charging in any one particular direction, come to think of it. I can barely tell if she's supposed to be commanding them, or if they're just part of (link-goto: "the chaos.", (history:)'s last)

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Aww. Oh well, I guess Disle won't be winning this one." "You did good, Ophilia! I know this game isn't your favorite." "I tried." Jessie's army, more hurt by the attack than they care to admit, take a break from further advancement, and repair the damages done to her territory. Mabel, in much better condition, marches her small batch of heroes back towards their home frontier. Nothing would stop them, it seems, from their glorious return! …Or so they thought. Mabel and her soldiers let out a collective groan as they realize the roadblock they had to clear next. "Charlie, let me back over the wall." "Fifty-two gold." "I hate you." Mabel doesn’t argue, and hands over another large chunk of her military budget to this madwoman. Once they’re over the barrier, however, there really is nothing [[between them and their homefront.]]

Standing proud atop a craggly hill, Mabel's commander stares down the battlefield with fire in her eyes, made all the more blazing by the disorienting and offputting makeup applied heavily to her face. Sharp blacks, whites, and reds give her the impression of a demon, or bleeding apex predator. The rest of her, by comparison, is more noble, following the motif of the samurai. Heavy, bulky, flat red armor covers as much of her body as reasonably possible, while brown leather covers every inch the armor couldn't, leaving nothing but her face unprotected. Her helmet, slim but layered, has a hole at the top from which a comedically tall ponytail extends into the air, and falls back down to her head like a narrow waterfall. For all the aggression in her face, clothes and posture, I almost don't notice that she's hiding her weapon at her side. A close look reveals why; her katana's snapped halfway down the blade, the tip is laying there behind her feet. (link-goto: "Why would the game's designers make a commander with a broken weapon?", (history:)'s last)

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ The general comes home to a grateful community, working hard to expand and fortify their great Strixian territory, though their efficiency had been stunted by the absence of their general and her resources. Down south however, Aurora had been facing no such setbacks. Having steered clear of any and all conflict, her country of Nïhilm had conquered almost all of the area within the boundaries put in place by Charlie and her merchant walls. Cynthia watches from a short distance, nervous of their rapid development. Dreyga and I are doing fairly well for ourselves, though I’m not sure how much of that is the girls being nice to a new player. Regardless, my country is happy and healthy, which means it’s safe for me to start pushing my influence inward. Though Cynthia seems intent on beating me there. It takes about three turns for Cynthia to make it to her destination, just south of the center of the continent, where all eyes are on her. That's when she and all the others notice something that shakes us to our cores. "Wait, when did Charlie get so close to the center of the map?" Three groups of merchant vessels, all hailing from Faerin, march towards each other, set to meet in the dead center of the continent. In their wake, leaving magnificent and terrifying walls that seem to scrape the heavens. It won’t take much time at all for those walls to connect to each other. "Cynthia, stop her!" Panicked, Cynthia makes a beeline for the middle of the continent, desperate to interrupt these merchants from completing their mission. She’s just a few spaces away from the center when a mercenary jumps out from the bushes, and ambushes Cynthia’s forces. It’s an unexpected and totally effective attack. Her army loses their composure, stopping their advance just long enough for the merchant vessels to meet at the center of the world, [[completing their massive stone labyrinth.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ We turn our heads to Charlie, terrified of what she’d just accomplished. I see a maniacal smile sat comfortably on her lips, her fingers locked together just under her chin as she leans into the table. As she silently stirs, mad with power and satisfaction, I finally have to ask the others: "...What does this mean?" "Merchant walls act like highways when they're connected. Units can enter the walls, and come out anywhere else on them immediately. That means that all she has to do now is…" “I spend the rest of my gold on mercenaries.” "Oh shit." In just a few turns, waves upon waves of soldiers flood out of Charlie's port, immediately joining the Faerin superhighway that spans half the continent. In a matter of minutes, every country is being invaded by Faerin-bought forces, and forced to fend for themselves. "Defend the port with your lives!" The entire continent is engulfed in war. Towns are burnt, crops drowned in blood, and leagues of men are slaughtered in the name of High Merchant Charlotte of Faerin, [[the richest woman on earth.]] (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "Everyone hold out, and break the walls dividing us! If even one of us loses here and now, it's over!" Taking her advice, I mobilize any troops not protecting the port to the walls, trying to tear them down in both directions at once. One wall could let me join forces with Jessie, and the other with Aurora. The thing is, merchant walls are a headache to demolish on their own, and they’re nearly impenetrable while you’re getting attacked from all angles. The first wall to fall was one of Mabel’s, reuniting her with Aurora. Together, they’re able to match the might of Charlie’s hired arms; at least, the ones that are assigned to them. "Seth, we need you over here!" I catch a glimpse of the land over the other wall. Jessie’s already hurt from Ophilia's past invasion, and she’s in no shape to face the onslaught she’s got on her hands now. I want to force that barrier down and come to her rescue, but… "She's a lost cause, Seth! Don't try it!" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Don't try it.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Try it.]]</div>

I've got no choice, Jessie's gonna have to hope Cynthia gets to her in time. I give up on the east wall and focus all my forces on uniting with Mabel and Aurora in the west. It's a bloody struggle, but somehow I'm able to put enough pressure to crack and crush the wall. Flooding in to reinforce my allies, they welcome me with open arms. Together, we're able to wipe Aurora's home of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Nïhilm]] clean of Faerin oppression. Jessie isn't so lucky back in Brickton, however. Cynthia tries her best to break their wall down and help her, but she traveled too far getting to the map's center in the first place, and isn't able to reach her before Charlie and Jessie square off on their own. “Jessie, I’ve gotta say I respect your perseverance. A lesser woman would have laid down and died weeks ago. A smarter woman would have done so seconds ago.” “Your words are as hollow as your chest. Brickton won’t keel over for tyrants like you. Attack!” Jessie’s forces meet Charlie’s silver tongue with steel blades, a glorious show of undying pride and relentless spirit. If this were a fairy tale, Jessie’s honor on the battlefield would guarantee her victory in the bloodiest conflict the continent had ever seen. But this is no fairy tale. Brickton fights with everything it has, but they’re overwhelmed by the sheer numbers Faerin has at its disposal. The front line draws closer and closer to Brickton’s port, until the ships finally crumble and sink into the ocean below. Charlie stands triumphantly as she stares Jessie in the eyes. The beaten warrior barely has the strength to stand. "I guess that's that then." "I wouldn't… be so sure." "What?" Caught in her eagerness to crush Jessie before Cynthia could help her, Charlie had sent an underwhelming force to Aurora, Mabel and I, who posed a much bigger threat. In no time at all, we cleanse our homes of Faerin scum, and turn our swords to the northern wall, which separates Aurora from Charlie. With our combined might, we tear down the wall with ease. On the other side, we find an underprotected field with a glorious port in the distance. Without her precious walls to protect her, Charlie had given us [[a clear shot to victory.]]

No, Mabel and Aurora are both better off- Mabel barely had to exert herself to beat Ophilia, and Aurora hasn't been in any major battles yet. They can handle themselves, but if Cynthia can't get to her, Jessie's alone *and* debilitated. I give up on the west wall and focus all my forces on uniting with Jessie in the east. "Damnit, Seth! I warned you." It's a bloody struggle, but somehow I'm able to put enough pressure to crack and crush the wall. Flooding in to reinforce my ally, she welcomes me with open arms. "Seth! I owe you man, when this is over-" "We'll talk about it *when* this is over. Put pressure to the shores, we have to keep your port alive!" Jessie nods, and the two of us rush to Jessie's port, giving everything we've got to keep Charlie's mercenaries out of this one stretch of land. Whatever else she razes, we can rebuild, we just need the port. Charlie knows this, however, so she keeps the boiler on. Wave after wave of mercenaries beeline for us, ramming into our forces with the crashing might of a tidal wave. After the fourth attack, I can feel my reinfocements filling in at a slower rate than Charlie's swords-for-hire. "How can she afford to send *this* much at us? Is she sending anything to Aurora and Mabel!?" "Oh yeah, she is! All we can hope for now is to spread her thin." "There is no man or woman on earth stronger than a golden coin!" Just as I reach the end of my rope, a merchant wall to my north bursts with a deafening *crash,* and comes down crumbling. Charging through the rubble comes Cynthia, Warmaster of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Cordel.]] A small but desperately needed army at her back, Cynthia sends blade after shard after needle into the necks of Faerin-hired mercenaries on her way to Jessie and I's side. The three of us put out backs to each other in a reverse huddle as [[we fend off the storm.]]

Charlie snarls, and slits General Jessica's throat. As her body drops to the grass, Charlie turns back and sprints for her homeland. "Stop them!" But she comes too late. Dreyga, Nïhilm, and Strix make quick work of Faerin’s port and the modest defenses around it. When Charlie makes it back home, she finds nothing but the ruined squalor of a fallen empire. She falls to her knees in despair as we surround her. "I… I had you. I could have had the world, if not for her." “Your hubris took the world from you. It led you to build an empire with no foundation. And now…” Mabel cleaves her sword straight into Charlie’s miserable skull, granting her a swift demise. With that, [[the Faerin regime has fallen.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Damnit!" "Good game, Charlie. I've never seen you get that into it." "Yeah, guess I went a little overboard." Realizing that our three nations held equal claim to Charlie’s land, we agree to go back home and conquer the territory as we came to it naturally. We didn’t realize that this left the door open for a vulture: [[Cynthia.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Cynthia grinds the wall keeping her from Jessie to dust. She examines Brickton’s fallen kingdom, and wastes no time colonizing it in the name of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Cordel.]] While we focus on recovering our own homes from the conflict, Cynthia goes unopposed in her efforts to conquer what is essentially the entire northeast. Once Dreyga had returned to its former prosperity, I set my sights east, only to find Cordelian flags on the horizon. The other generals and I were shocked; surely she was attacked as fiercely as the rest of us. How can she be expanding so soon, [[if she gave her all trying to save Jessie?]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ We turn to Cynthia confusedly, but our questions are all but answered when we catch Ophilia whispering something in her ear. "Cynthia! You've had a second set of eyes this whole time?" Cynthia and Ophilia both snap to attention, realizing they’d been caught cheating. "N-no! I wasn't-" "You misunderstand, she was just-" "Cynthia had nothing to lose and everything to gain from Jessie's death. She wasn't trying to save her at all, was she? But that’s such a bold move to make in the heat of the moment.” “Too bold. That kind of foresight could only come from a spectator. Isn’t that right, Ophilia?” Ophilia says nothing, not sure how to defend herself. Aurora, Mabel, and I share a look, and set our sights solely on Cynthia. "Get her!" [[Cynthia grimaces, dreading the next rounds to come.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Cynthia clearly hoped we wouldn’t catch onto her scheme so soon. She expanded her walls first, and fortified them second. That means tearing down her defenses is a cake walk, especially from three allied armies. Cynthia retreats to her port before we even see her, but all that does is leave her cornered. There’s no running away, not in this game. "Any chance we can leave this at 'I'm sorry?'" "We'll forgive and forget. As long as you can forgive us for this." We decimate Cordel’s port with fire and steel. As her last boat drowns, Cynthia drowns with it, cursing the heavens for her grim fate. We cheer for our easy victory, celebrating our glorious nations, and the feats we’d accomplished together! That celebration is short lived though, as we soon realize that with Cynthia gone, there are no more enemies left to vanquish. [[None but each other.]]

"Well, I see no reason to delay this. It was always going to end this way." "Now hang on, there's no need for blood just yet. There's so much land left now with no master." "I agree with Aurora. The sensible thing would be to return home, like last time." "Hmph. If you insist, I will grant you your lives 'till next we meet." Aurora and Mabel turn and go their separate ways. But I stand my ground, a wicked grin crawling up my lips. They bought it. [[They turned their backs to me.]]

I charge at Aurora from behind, aiming to slice her in half with one blow. But Aurora, quick on her feet, spins around and catches my blade with hers. She glares at me with hellfire in her eyes. "Villain!" Aurora knocks me back, and we clash blades again, neither of us quite able to land a decisive cut on the other. Metal sings, sparks fly, but blood refuses to spill. "You're a traitor, and a spineless coward!" "And you are a gullible fool! War is no place for honor, your naivete will be your undoing.” But I was wrong. My cold-hearted betrayal only puts me in an early grave. My breath catches short from an unbearable pain, as a brilliant steel blade pierces through my backside, gleaming red in the sunlight. As my lungs fill with blood, I say nothing, and get one last look at Mabel, wielding the sword that would take my life. [[I close my eyes and let death take me.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Shit! Aw, come on, I was so close!" "Dude, that was dumb." "I mean, it almost worked. But you deserved that." “Whatever.” Mabel flings my body from her blade and faces Aurora, the woman whose life she'd just saved. [[She grips her weapon's hilt tighter.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "All the land in the world… couldn't stop me from ending this bloodshed here and now." Aurora plants her feet, and holds her weapon out in front of her. "...So that's how it is. And here I was, ready to sing your praises." "I'll have all of Osterria singing them soon enough." "Tch. Fine then. Have at you!" Our two finalists charge each other. Aurora, Champion General of Nïhilm, and Mabel, High Warrior of Strix. Each touch of their swords are fueled with enough spirit to set a forest ablaze. Their respective armies flood in, trampling the fields by the hundreds. They know this is their last battle, their greatest opportunity to lay their lives down for the glory of their homeland. These titans continue their dance of steel, barking commands at their forces with every swing. Cuts and bruises tear across their bodies like paper, and at times the chaos of battle proves a distraction enough to throw either off guard. When Aurora and Mabel's energy and wits had reached their end, the two were both struggling to stay conscious. It looks like Aurora's in the lead, by a razor thin margin. She's standing just an inch straighter, speaking just a touch louder, and holding her sword just a hair higher. Mabel focuses on steadying her spinning head, given no choice but to leave herself open. Aurora looks around the table, planning her next turn. This is it- the game's over. If Mabel dies here, the war's as good as won, with no one around to defend Strix's port. [[But Aurora doesn't kill Mabel.]]

Instead, she jumps past her, and drives her sword straight into the skull of a Strixian soldier. Mabel takes the opportunity without hesitation, and cleaves her blade across Aurora's back, tearing off her backplate with a spritz of red gore. Aurora goes quiet. She stares off into the horizon, and the world stands still. She doesn't fall, doesn't collapse to her knees, and she doesn't scream. Her eyes just haze over, and she dies like a statue, her body [[never touching the dirt.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Yes! I did it!" "Hell yeah, Mabel! You kicked her ass!" "Not that anyone's surprised." "Haha, that was fun." "Well played, Mabel. Congratulations." Aurora holds her arm out, and the two shake hands. I see the way Aurora smiles at Mabel, and it solidifies my doubts over how those last few turns went down. "Man, I forgot how much fun this game is, it's been weeks since we played it last." "Yeah, that was incredible." Cynthia giggles. "I'm glad you liked it." “Whooping ass is tiring, what time is it?” I check the clock, it's well into the night. We completely lost track of time again. "Whoops, guess we should have started a little earlier." "No big deal, tomorrow's sunday, no rush. We should probably call it, though." [[Everyone agrees, so we leave the den and head to bed.]] (set: $AffMabel to it+1)

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ Walking out of the bathroom, I catch a glimpse of Cynthia and Aurora laughing about something down the hall. I smile, and open my bedroom door. "Goodnight, guys." "Oh, night Seth!" "Goodnight." "Good game, dude." "Hey Jess, you wanna smoke a little before we turn in?" “Eh, I'm good, thanks.” “Cmon, shit's better than last week, I promise. Thirty minutes, then you can pass out.” “...Alright, what the hell.” [[I leave them in the hall and close my door.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

Aurora is playing a knight of knights, heavy plate armor glimmers in the sun with a golden hue, glassy blue adornments lining the metal in sharp, thin shapes like swipes of a painter's brush on canvas. This commander carries the confidence of divine creation, a creature hand-crafted for warfare, and the distribution of justice. Her smile isn't cocky or condescending, but playful, maybe even childish. This commander wields a halberd, which she has resting on its side against the back of her neck, with both arms hanging off the shaft. The sun's beams rest gently on her shoulders and her hemlet, which connects to her breastplate like a hood and covers the top half of her face, angling to a fine point like a dragon's head. On that helmet, two golden gems cover her eye-sockets, making it impossible to tell just where she's looking. (link-goto: "It gives me the feeling that she can see everywhere.", (history:)'s last)

Cynthia's commander is a clothball, she's covered almost entirely in strips of various fabrics, piled on top of one another and hastily sewn together into one, or five shawls. It's hard to parse out which pieces of cloth are connected to each other, and which ones aren't. The strips of fabric don't look related to one another either, she's sporting multiple colors and textures that couldn't be more different. The top half of her head is the only part of her that isn't covered. Her eyes are slim and angry, piercing red irises look down at a dead soldier, whose collar she's holding with her right hand. Her face, what little of it I can see, is grotesquely wrinkled. Not in a way that implies age, she looks more like a burn victim than an old woman. And her skin has this sickly paleness to it. In her left hand, she holds a kunai, with which she's cutting a large strip off the outer-shirt of the soldier she's killed. Looks like she's planning on stitching his uniform to her shawl. (link-goto: "I wonder what she's collecting all of that for.", (history:)'s last)

"Glad I made it in time. How are you two holding up?" "It's overwhelming, I can't keep up with these numbers!" "If I could just get a little footing, I know my guys are stronger than hers!" "Well I've got some footing to spare. C'mon, let's cut them off!" Cynthia rallies her troops and moves them in a wide arc, creating a defensive wall of her own. I notice some of the ghostly, monstrous creatures that Ophilia was commanding, now fighting for Cynthia's army. This bolstered defense is effective enough for us to manage a pincer attack, and slaughter the mercenaries caught inbetween Cynthia and us. In just a few turns, a respectable portion of Jessie's territory is hers again, and she's able to summon more troops to her barracks. Not daring to rest on our feet, we rush to Cynthia's side and push the assault westward, returning to Dreyga territory and rescuing my port, just in time. Seeing in action what Jessie's troops can do when they get going, I'm baffled at the sheer strength she can muster compared to my army. "Alright, we've got it!" "Charlie's fighting hard, but her money's bound to run dry soon. If all three of us charge her at once-" "What about Mabel and Aurora? We can break down the west wall, they're right there." "There's no time, every second we spend worrying about each other is a second Charlie has to rest and regenerate. If she does that, this was all for nothing." "But one player can't beat five! Jessie's got her troops ready now, she can break right through-" "You made your choice Seth. Come on, let's kick Charlie's ass." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Alright, fine.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No, I'm going after them.]]</div>

The three of us charge northward, and begin another grueling charge to tear down the wall separating us from Faerin's territory. Meanwhile, Charlie lays an unrelenting assault on the combined forces of Strix and (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Nïhilm]]. Mabel and Aurora put their full faith in one another, acting as one to stand any chance of withstanding the Faerin storm. "Antler formation! Keep them surrounded on the sides!" "Keep moving forward! So help me god if even one of you retreat I'll hunt you down myself!" But Charlie's mercenaries fracture their formations like a sledgehammer to bone. Strixan and Nïhilm soldiers scatter and die as these two commanders find themselves back to back, surrounded. Charlie throws a dagger at Aurora, clinking it off of her armor and grazing it against her chin. "I'll cut you a deal. Kill one another, and the winner comes with me to the final two." "Kill yourself, Charlie." "Yeah, take yourself to the final two." "Alright, have it your way." Charlie claps her hands, and her merenaries brutally tear Aurora and Charlie limb from limb. Charlie watches the carnage to its conclusion, clicks her heels, and rushes off back to [[her home colony.]]

Jessie and Cynthia huff, both clearly frustrated with me. Jessie shrugs and turns to leave me behind, but Cynthia does some calculations on her fingers, and speaks up. "Jessie, go with him." "What? Why?" "Charlie might have killed Mabel and Aurora by now. But if- and I mean *if* they took down some of her walls on the way out, she shouldn't have had time to fortify that territory. Seth's gonna get killed on his own, but if both of you get lucky-" "Got it. What are you gonna do?" "I'm going straight to Faerin, I'll keep Charlie's attention. Be quick, don't let me die." Jessie and I both salute Cynthia. She points at me as she walks away. "This is still a bad idea." Cynthia and her army rush off to confront Charlie head on. Jessie slaps me on the back and turns in the other direction. "Come on King Arthur, let's go save our friends." The two of us rally our troops and quickly tear down the wall [[separating me from Aurora.]]

Aurora's territory of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Nïhilm]] was probably something to awe at, not so many turns ago. But now it's little more than a fresco of post-war hedonism painted on earth. Villages and settlements burn, sending wobbly pillars of smog into the windy air. How many of them needed to burn against how many were destroyed for the sake of wanton destruction, I can't tell. Merchants and mercenaries drink and make merry at every armored corner, fencing and frolicking and fucking as they're so sure they've been made kings of these ghettos and guerilla graveyards. Some pelt Nïhilm's defenseless citizens with coins and baubles, either trying to get them to dance, or just because they have such excess wealth that they've come to spraying it like water. We take satisfaction in shutting down these self-fallating amusements. Brickton and Dreyga bring harsh withdrawls to Faerin's abundance, with extreme prejudice, all the way to the battlefield. It's only there that our merciless march comes to a halt. A wide, empty expanse makes itself known as the stage for Faerin's invasion through the presence of three particular individuals, though there are many more. On their back and side respectively, level with the dozens of like-minded soldiers whom they lead to fruitless defeat, lie Strix's High Warrior Mabel, and Nïhilm's Champion General Aurora. Still standing amidst the carnage are a small group of mercenaries, merchants, and hautily-dressed noblemen, all dancing in wide loops and circles around the Strix and Nïhilm corpses. With childish and drunken glee, they kick and spin and dance and dance and circle one another with their eyes half shut. They don't even notice our arrival. Only one of them isn't spinning, only one dances in place, and only one stops dancing when Jessie and I make ourselves known. High Merchant Charlotte plays her pan flute for a few notes more as she slowly turns around to greet us, staring me in the eyes while she flutters her fingers about the last few notes, [[in no particular hurry to finish her song.]]

Finally, she lowers her instrument. "Jessie, Seth. Care to dance with us?" "I don't dance." Charlotte chuckles, and closes her eyes. "Now that's not true. Everyone dances. It's a part of being human. Maybe you just didn't like my song? I hear you Brickton like are particular about your rhythm." Charlotte takes a few steps closer to us, and reaches into her pocket, taking out a leather pouch. She tosses it at Jessie's feet, the metallic *clink* it gives identifying it as a coinpurse. "How's that for a change of tune?" The merchants and mercenaries behind her laugh. Jessie's hands clench into fists as she stares down Charlotte's smug grin. Having had enough of this, I take my spear and thrust it at this pompous ass' ribcage. But Charlotte takes a quick step back and whips out her dagger, colliding just in time to divert my attack. The dissonant clash of metal send sparks into the grass and makes my ears ring. "Good man, I wasn't talking to you yet." "I'm not here to talk. Die, Faerin!" Jessie growls, and joins me in my assault against the High Merchant. Mercenaries flood in to do battle with our soldiers as we danced our trio with Charlotte. With two against one, it should have been easy to take her out, but she always managed to stay just out of reach, keeping just enough mecenaries at our backs to keep us from fully focusing on our goal. "You know, it's not too late for the three of us to work together. Go clear out the sickness in the east." "Ha! You don't know a damn thing, merchant. You've already lost to that sickness, you just don't know it yet." Charlotte's smile wanes as Jessie lands a solid hit against her. Charlie jumps back, on the defensive. "That's right. Cynthia's making a playground out of your port right now, I'd bet." "Is that a fact. Well, let me have my fun, then. I'll send you two to Cynthia in eighteen pieces!" [[Charlotte plays a high note on her flute, and rallies her troops.]]

Everyone on that field gives it their absolute all. Charlotte's ability to invigorate her troops is formidable, but my resilience and Jessie's raw strength are enough to keep the tide turning in our favor. We go through three or so more rounds of combat, I can feel Charlotte getting more desperate with each one. Eager to put this scuffle to a satisfying end, I call for reinforcements... and no one comes. My blood goes cold. I send my current troops to the front, and next round I look over to see Jessie grappling with the same panic. Her troops aren't coming in anymore either. Charlotte claps her hands together and bends her knees, cooing at us like she's looking at a pair of puppies. "Awww, what's the matter, you two? Feeling ill?" "That can't be. There's no way..." "Looks like you don't really know who your friends are. Well, allow me to enlighten you!" Charlotte quickly surrounds us, and sweeps away our remaining units with ease. The next round is a merciless beatdown, where Jessie and I are battered and disarmed by a slew of hired swords. In the end, we're forced down onto our stomachs, just a few short feet away from Aurora and Mabel. "Any last words?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Go to hell."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["My weapon's still bigger than yours."]]</div>

"Hey Robin Hood, how many of your merry men signed on when they saw that outfit? Faggot." Charlotte frowns, and [[caves both of our heads in.]]

"Well it's not about size, it's how you use it." "I think you mostly paid other guys to use it for you, though." "Who am I to say no to good service?" "I'll show you how to service a-" "Just crack our heads open, faggot." Charlotte frowns, and [[caves both of our heads in.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "And that makes four. I don't think I've ever done this well before!" "Faerin is such bullshit, dude." "It's our fault for not paying enough attention to those walls." "I can think of someone else whose fault it is." "Hey, this is my first ever game, don't blame me because you couldn't plan ahead." Mabel rolls her eyes, as [[Charlie heads west.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Charlotte and her mercenaries enjoy a pleasant, uncontested march straight into Cordel territory, where Warmaster Cynthia is hard at work pillaging and colonizing the territory that once belonged to Jessie and myself. When Cynthia notices Charlotte's arrival, she lets out a disappointed sigh. "I told them to be quick." "Not quick enough. I had a feeling there was a reason Cynthia was the odd girl out on your little mission." "Damn." Cynthia and Charlotte stand face to face, sizeable armies at each of their backs. ruined land stretches out for miles in all direction, most of it conquered by one or the other. "Level with me. What do you call the betting odds between you and I?" "Come on Cynthia. Do you think I got as wealthy as I am by looking at *betting odds?* I'm the house. I always win." "Then I guess we'll have to see where the dance takes us." Charlotte raises her hand up, signaling her troops to prepare to strike. "I don't dance." Faerin and Cordel sound their war drums, and [[the final battle begins.]]

Our two finalists charge each other. Each clash of their blades sent a flurry of sparks igniting the trampled grass beneath them, a testament to the bridges they both burned to make it this far. Their armies flood in, trampling the fields by the hundreds. They know this is their last battle, their greatest opportunity, either to claim glory and fortune, or conquer all in the name of their homeland. These cunning rogues continue stepping through opponents and each other like ghosts, shifting themselves every round as the battlefield shifts about them. Cuts and bruises tear across their bodies like paper, and at times the chaos of battle proves a distraction enough to throw either off guard. When Charlotte and Cynthia's energy and wits had reached their end, the two were both struggling to stay conscious. But Cynthia's gambit proves to be a mistake. Her preparations didn't cover the cost of losing two allies at once, and Charlotte didn't waste any resources fortifying her port against a threat that wasn't coming. Charlotte just knew better. And in the end, it wins her the world. With a mile-wide grin, Charlotte grasps the hilt of her knife and thrusts it like a lance, straight into Cynthia's heart. Cynthia gasps, and drops her weapons, her arms going limp at her sides. Charlotte laughs, and wrests the dagger out of her enemy's chest, letting her drop to the floor, dead in an instant. Charlotte loses herself in laughter, nearly falling to the floor herself as she revels in her victory. She thrusts her open arm out, charging her mercenaries forward to wipe out the last of Cordel's soldiers and their port. And that was it- charisma and commerce had proven themselves the [[infallible leader of the Osterrian Continent.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Yeah! Way to go, capitalism!" "Well done Charlie, you became the fascist I always knew you could be." "Damn right. Shit's gonna get weeeird now, people. What do y'all think if I make everyone get bowl cuts?" "I think I need to get in touch with my ancestors if you're gonna commit to this dictator bit." "Well played, Charlie, the best woman won." Charlie and Cynthia fist-bump. Cynthia laughs, and puts the pieces away. "Man, I forgot how much fun this game is, it's been weeks since we played it last." "Yeah, that was incredible." Cynthia giggles. "I'm glad you liked it." “Yeah whatever, what time is it?” I check the clock, it's well into the night. We completely lost track of time again. "Whoops, guess we should have started a little earlier." "No big deal, tomorrow's sunday, no rush. We should probably call it, though." [[Everyone agrees, so we leave the den and head to bed.]] (set: $AffCharlie to it+1)

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Well that sucked. Why'd you have to ditch us Seth, now Charlie's gonna win." "Don't be so sure, Mabel, he's got Jessie and I now." "Yeah, the game's not over yet! There's a lot of things they could still do to pull through." "I'm honestly still trying to get a hang of the mechanics. For a first game, fourth place wouldn't be so bad." "Are you seriously resigning yourself to fourth place already? Don't be such a pussy, we're gonna kick Charlie's teeth in." "Game on." [[Game on.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Jessie, Cynthia and I finally break down the wall to Charlie's port. To our delighted surprise, the defenses past the wall are sparse at best. There's a meager band of mercenaries surrounding the port, but pushing through closer to them is nothing for the combined might of all three of us. We think we've claimed easy victory against Faerin, but that's when the miserable truth of the merchant walls restate themselves. Flooding out at the crater we'd just created, High Merchant Charlie and her hired army come flooding through the battlefield behind us, immediately pincering us between her main force and her port defense. "Damnit, how are you supposed to outrun Faerin's merchant walls?" "You don't. You're supposed to keep them from getting connected like they did in the first place. We're trapped." "Hold her off! Ophilia's old summoning gates aren't far from here, I can overwhelm her port and take her down." "You can use Ophilia's summoning gates?" "One or two. Now go, I'll see you on the other side!" Jessie and I nod, and form a barrier between Cynthia and Charlie. Charlie readies her mecenaries up against ours, and holds out her arms to greet us. "Hey you two. I'll make you a deal. Kill one another, and I'll take the winner with me to the final two." "Fuck off." I fire an arrow at Charlie to [[get the fight started.]]

Mercenaries flood in to do battle with our soldiers as we danced our trio with Charlotte. With two against one, it should have been easy to take her out, but she always managed to stay just out of reach, keeping just enough mecenaries at our backs to keep us from fully focusing on our goal. "You know, it's not too late for the three of us to work together. Go clear out the sickness in the east." "Ha! You don't know a damn thing, merchant. You've already lost to that sickness, you just don't know it yet." Charlotte's smile wanes as Jessie lands a solid hit against her. Charlie jumps back, on the defensive. "That's right. Cynthia's making a playground out of your port right now, I'd bet." Charlie growls, quickly growing impatient. "So be it. I'll send you two to Cynthia in eighteen pieces!" Everyone on that field gives it their absolute all. Charlotte's ability to invigorate her troops is formidable, but my resilience and Jessie's raw strength are enough to keep the tide turning in our favor. We go through three or so more rounds of combat, I can feel Charlotte getting more desperate with each one. Eager to end the fight and chase after Cynthia, she calls for reinforcements... and no one comes. "Shit." "Looks like your transaction couldn't be processed, High Merchant." "But allow us to thank you for your continued patronage!" Jessie raises her sword high, and cleaves it straight through Charlie's skull. She collapses, dead in an instant. Jessie and I celebrate, wrestling each other like [[a pair of rowdy barbarians.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Alright! That's what I'm talking about!" "Damn, I really thought that was the one." "You've got to give up on Faerin man, that win isn't coming. It's a gimmick build." "Yeah but it's *so* funny though." "I think you're kinda scary when you're winning, Charlie." "Yeah, no kidding. Why eighteen pieces specificially?" "Eighteen's the *scariest* number." Charlie waves her hands around and widens her eyes like she's telling a ghost story, not noticing the strange looks everyone at the table is now giving her. "What?" "What do you mean by that, Charlie?" "Huh?" Charlie suddenly realizes her faux-pas, and stiffens up, stuttering. "Ah- I, uh, I just picked eighteen at random, it doesn't have- uh. I shouldn't be talking, I'm dead." "You go ahead and stay dead, Charlie." [[The remaining players get back in the game.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "I didn't think we were gonna make it for a second there. Great work Cynthia, how do we want to..." I turn to face Charlie's port. Sure enough, it's destroyed, but I don't see Cynthia standing in front of it. "Cynthia?" "Where'd she... oh shit. Shit shit shit, we need to start breaking down the merchant walls now. "What? Why do-" "Now, motherfucker!" Jessie frantically charged off, decimating the already fractured merchant walls that served as Charlie's highway. Beginning to put things together, I commanded my troops to do the same. For a few turns, that's all we did. We put as much energy as we could into destroying any potential mobility these walls could provide. We only stopped when the rumblings of a stampede came in from the west, telling us that our efforts were pointless. Up from the horizon, Warmaster Cynthia of Cordel came riding on horseback, bringing with her an unfathomably wide conglomerate of soldiers, primed and ready to kill. Some Cordelians, some merchants, some spectral beasts, some samurai, and some holy knights. Any of these groups individually would be negligable, easy for Jessie and I to wipe away. But together, the variety and numbers Cynthia had amassed was [[nothing short of unfair.]]

"I think that's checkmate." Jessie sighs. "Always take Cordel out early." "Has it really been that long since we've played?" "Jessie, what do we do?" Jessie gives me a sympathetic look. I nod, and reluctantly accept the circumstances. Cynthia laughs, and rolls her eyes. "Kill each other, and I'll take the winner with me to the final two." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Die with honor.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Deal."]]</div>

I turn to Jessie, and give her a reassuring nod. She returns it, and the two of us raise our weapons against Cynthia. Our uneasy alliance will hold true to the bitter end. "For Osterria!" "Kill the traitor!" We charge with our exhausted soldiers into the jaws of the many-toothed beast. We give Cynthia our all, assured to go down swinging and swinging hard. But the best we can manage is a few rounds of resistance before Cynthia locates our every weakness, and surgically targets it. With nearly every type of unit at her disposal, it's no task for her. All too quickly, Jessie and I are disarmed and left on our knees. Cynthia stands in front of us, one hand on her hip, the other twirling a kunai. "I hope you two enjoyed yourselves." Not bothering to let us respond, she flings two thick needles in-between our eyes, puncturing our brains and [[spelling our end.|She probably did.]]

Jessie and I say it at the same time, and turn on each other like animals. Both exhausted from our bout with Charlie, we expend the very last of our resources in a desperate scramble for second place. Cynthia's troops form a wide circle around us, acting both as our audience, and the teeth of the trap we'd been lured into. In the end, Jessie proves herself my superior. It's not surprising; Brickton's niche was in easily-accessed brute strength, so when you take strategy out of the equation, I stood no chance. Also, she's played this game before and I still don't know what Dreyga's niche is. Having beaten my face to a satisfying pulp, Jessie holds me by the collar, resting the tip of my own weapon against my throat. "It was fun while it lasted. You play like a boy." "Is that good?" "It's a solid third place." Jessie punches the spear through my neck, snuffing me out. Not a moment later, Cynthia walks up to Jessie and stomps on her back, pushing her against the other end of the spear. The weapon pierces Jessie's skin, and she slides the rest of the way down until she's right on top of me. With a gasp and a shuddering breath, Jessie joins me in death. "Did you want to celebrate that a little longer? Oh well." [[She probably did.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ Cynthia dusts off her sleeves, standing up and smiling. "Game, set, match." "You already said checkmate." "Losers don't get to tell winners how to celebrate." "Eat a dick." "That's one way to celebrate-" "That's one way- damnit!" "It's okay Mabel, that game was stacked against you." “Yeah whatever, what time is it?” I check the clock, it's well into the night. We completely lost track of time again. "Whoops, guess we should have started a little earlier." "No big deal, tomorrow's sunday, no rush. We should probably call it, though." [[Everyone agrees, so we leave the den and head to bed.]]

Swords clash, arrows fly, bodies drop, while the rest of us watch intently. Save for one: Mabel, leading the army of Strix, pays closer attention to the fact that Ophilia, choosing to attack so soon, has left her port unprotected. She makes her move into the territory of Disle, but one of Charlie’s merchant walls separate her port from Ophilia’s. Mabel moves her units up to the wall, and negotiates with the high merchant of Faerin. [[Let's see how negotiations go.]]

It's way too early to start a large-scale attack, even I can tell. Ophilia's making a mistake, and I'm not going pass on the opportunity to capitalize on a mistake. I rally what few of my troops are ready to mobilize, and make the trek east towards the Brickton Colony. The two of them fight as aggressively as they can, neither giving much mind to long-term preservation. I'm almost afraid I won't make it there before a victor is declared, but assuredly my men and I arrive in time. Ophilia's beasts crawl out of her summoning gates, thrust into the battle as soon as they're called up, giving her a strong battle presence despite her distance from her port. But while it might win her some ties when her opponent is evenly distanced, Jessie is able to sail in more troops much more effectively than she is. Brickton's mighty barbarians cleave through the beasts and wizards trampling on their territory, their incredible might refusing to waver to Disle's magic. Jessie sends a kick into the ground so powerful that it erupts the ground beneath one of Ophilia's gates, shattering it into useless dust. Ophilia trembles at the devestating show of power, and assesses the situation for what it is. "I have to retreat." Ophilia gives up on the port she’s so close to destroying, but far from the safe flight home she's expecting, she finds a brand new threat at her back. My knights under Dreyga circle Ophilia in, giving her no choice but to commit to what she started. "What!? When did you get here?" "Believe me, I had ample time. Were you planning to leave a threat half-fulfilled, Ophilia?" "Help me, Seth. Jessie's really strong, together we can-" "I'm not here to save you, Ophilia. You're the aggressor, now reap what you sew!" "No!" I charge on Ophilia's troops, forcing her back into Brickton's territory, where she'll surely be sliced apart from all angles. Jessie and I make quick work of Disle's commander, shattering the last of her gates and decimating her forces. In the end, it's Jessie who puts her down like so many of those beasts before her. With a swift but precise punch in the chest, Ophilia's chest *snaps,* and she falls to her knees, [[crumbling from the inside out.]] (set: $AffJessie to it+1)

It's way too early to start a large-scale attack, even I can tell. Ophilia's making a mistake, and I'm not going pass on the opportunity to capitalize on a mistake. I rally what few of my troops are ready to mobilize, and make the trek east towards the Brickton Colony. The two of them fight as aggressively as they can, neither giving much mind to long-term preservation. I'm almost afraid I won't make it there before a victor is declared, but assuredly my men and I arrive in time. Ophilia's beasts crawl out of her summoning gates, thrust into the battle as soon as they're called up, giving her a strong battle presence despite her distance from her port. But while it might win her some ties when her opponent is evenly distanced, Jessie is able to sail in more troops much more effectively than she is. Brickton's mighty barbarians cleave through the beasts and wizards trampling on their territory, their incredible might refusing to waver to Disle's magic. Jessie sends a kick into the ground so powerful that it erupts the ground beneath one of Ophilia's gates, shattering it into useless dust. Ophilia trembles at the devestating show of power, and assesses the situation for what it is. And that's when I come in. "Seth!? When did you get here?" "In time, I hope. You're not running yet, are you?" "I don't think I have a choice." "You always have a choice. Come on, let's finish the job, I've got your back." Ophilia's eyes light up with excitement. "Really? Alright, let's show her what we're made of!" The two of us double back on Jessie, catching her off guard. Ophilia sets up another summoning gate, and [[I clear a line for her beasts to charge through.]] (set: $AffOphilia to it+1)

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ Today was fun. Exhausting at times, but fun. I didn't think a board game of all things would get so intense with those people. I take off my clothes, and climb into bed, waiting for my eyes to get heavy. (live: 6s)[...] (live: 8s)[…But they don't. That eerie feeling is still bothering me, I still get the sense I'm being watched in here. Did I pick a bad room? [[Why do I only feel this way at night?]]]

(set: $threesome to false)\ \ Minutes pass in relative silence. Then they pass not in silence. Through the walls, muffled by the insulation, I hear a noise I haven't heard in person in years. I wonder if I'm imagining it at first but- no, the voice- the pair of voices- get louder and more excited; I'm very much awake. I say the moans are muffled, but that isn't nearly true enough. It's obviously Jessie and Charlie I'm listening to. Good for them. But I shouldn't be listening to this, and I don't have a great way of blocking them out. I shut my eyes and try to ignore them, but… but jesus, they are really going at it. (text-colour:#f9f338)[[What the hell are they doing in there?]] It's so loud. [[I need to get up and leave before this gets worse.]]

Nope! Stop that! I don't want to imagine what they're doing in there, actually! And I am not going to think on this any more than is necessary. Necessary. [[Absolutely necessary.|Thought once]]

(set: $location to "Kitchen")\ \ I throw on a robe and sneak down the stairs, showing courtesy enough to try not to wake anyone up. I spend a few minutes in the kitchen, just observing the dark and quiet room. But while I'm here, I am kinda parched. I grab a glass and fill it up in the sink. …So, Charlie and Jessie? Guess it's good to know they're a thing. Not that I'm… I don't care, but it's good to know so I won't give either of them the wrong idea by mistake. If that… happens. God, I don't know where I stand on that whole front, to be honest. Does being ‘trustworthy’ mean I should act like a nun around these people? I guess I could live with that, but… I feel like I've gotten mixed signals from the girls so far. Am I looking too far into it? I don't have any expectations, but I dunno, things happen, right? Things are allowed to happen. I think. It's not like I can just up and ask if I'm allowed to sleep with anyone while I live here. I mean, clearly it's not off the table, if tonight's anything to go by. It'd be rich of them to get mad at me for it after keeping me up with that shit. [[Fuck, Seth, get their voices out of your head.]]

Like I was saying... Minutes pass in relative silence. Then they pass not in silence. Through the walls, muffled by the insulation, I hear a noise I haven't heard in person in years. I wonder if I'm imagining it at first but- no, the voice- the pair of voices- get louder and more excited; I'm very much awake. I say the moans are muffled, but that isn't nearly true enough. It's obviously Jessie and Charlie I'm listening to. Good for them. But I shouldn't be listening to this, and I don't have a great way of blocking them out. I shut my eyes and try to ignore them, but… but jesus, they are really going at it. (text-colour:#f9f338)[[What the hell are they doing in there?|second think]] It's so loud. [[I need to get up and leave before this gets worse.]]

Charlie has such a raspy voice when she moans. And Jessie is surprisingly shrill... if I had to take a guess between the two, I obviously imagine Jessie as the top, but- but shut up, it doesn't matter, it's none of your business. [[I think I was in the middle of telling myself to leave.|thought twice]]

My mind has a tendency to wander, but I will have no trouble maintaining my train of thought to the end, *distractions aside.* Minutes pass in relative silence. Then they pass not in silence. Through the walls, muffled by the insulation, I hear a noise I haven't heard in person in years. I wonder if I'm imagining it at first but- no, the voice- the pair of voices- get louder and more excited; I'm very much awake. I say the moans are muffled, but that isn't nearly true enough. It's obviously Jessie and Charlie I'm listening to. Good for them. But I shouldn't be listening to this, and I don't have a great way of blocking them out. I shut my eyes and try to ignore them, but… but jesus, they are really going at it. (text-colour:#f9f338)[[What the hell are they doing in there?|third think]] It's so loud. [[I need to get up and leave before this gets worse.]]

Maybe I should bang on their door to get them to quiet down. That's assuming they aren't *already* banging on the door- I mean fuck, they're clearly ramming into some kind of furniture item. Charlie left her door open last time I went to see her in her room. I wonder if I went over there now... Except that wouldn't happen, because I'm not living in a porno. I'm... living in a sorority home. With a bunch of college girls. And my childhood best friend... I wonder if it's too late for me to move out. [[Can I stop thinking about this yet?]]

Charlie and Jessie are fucking in the other room. It's very loud, and bothering me in a couple of different ways. And now I'm walking downstairs to get away from it. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Downstairs with you, Seth.|I need to get up and leave before this gets worse.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I should tell them to keep it down in person.]]</div>

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ I leave my cup on the counter, and rub my eyes, walking back up to my room. But before I reach the stairs, I catch Jessie sitting in the living room, just out the corner of my eye. When did she get here? Sitting with her knees to her chest, she was staring out the window until I walked out. Then she looked me in the eyes, clearly as surprised to see me as I was to see her. We stare at each other without moving or saying anything for an uncomfortably long stretch. Knowing Jessie, if she knows why I'm here, she's probably thinking up some dumb joke to make about it. "..." “I don't want to b- bother you.” What does that mean? “...Thin walls, Jess.” She closes up, hugging her legs tighter to her chest. I embarrassed her. [[Good, I'm embarrassed too.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ I get back in bed, and give sleep another try. With things being quieter now, I'm actually able to drift off, feeling optimistic about the future. But if I knew what tomorrow had in store for me, [[I might not have woken up.|end ch2]]

(set: $time to "Sunday Morning")\ \ (if: $threesome is true)[ (set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ That morning, I wake up alone on Charlie's bed, completely naked with no sheets covering me. At first, I don't recognize where I am, and the delirious panic of waking up somewhere unfamiliar sends a chill up my spine. But once I come to, I remember where I am, and what I did last night. Jesus. All I had to do was bang on her door and leave. Am I that easy? Not that I hated the experience. I'd never have initated it, but that was... overwhelming. And incredible. Sitting up and looking at myself, I notice a yellow sticky note on my crotch. I pull it off; it reads "Charlie was here." I sigh, get my clothes on, and head [[to the living room.]]]\ (else-if:$threesome is false)[\ (set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ I wake up feeling refreshed, grateful that I slept well despite how late it was when I did. My good mood makes a bit more sense when I check the clock and realize it's almost noon. I guess I slept *too* well. Not wanting to waste more time, I get dressed and walk down the stairs [[to the living room.]]] (set: $Chapter to 3)

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ That would be the assertive thing to do. But I'm still not feeling confident about my place in this house, and intruding on the two of them just a day after meeting them feels like overstepping and look at that I'm already in the hallway. I walk a few couple doors down and take the left turn, the light peeking through the door confirming that the noise is coming from Charlie's room. I take a tempered breath in, and knock on the door a few times, making sure it's loud enough for them to hear over themselves. There's a gasp, and the moaning stops in an instant. A second passes, but Charlie doesn't leave me waiting for a response. "Too loud?" "Yeah, it's pretty distracting, the rest of us are trying to sleep." "Seth? Is that you? One sec." One sec? What does that mean, what do you mean one sec? I stand there and wait, because there's a clear request in 'one sec' for me to wait for something, and I'm not so socially inept as to walk away when someone tells me to wait for them, even if every nerve in my body is telling me to get away from the door *except* for the ones directly responsible for my dick and really I don't know if I need to be following orders from Charlie right now when I only came here to- Charlie opens the door, and thank god, she's wearing a giant T-shirt. She clearly just threw it on while I was waiting, it is the *only* thing she's wearing, but it's something. It exists. "Hey man. Sorry about that." Charlie's room is still a mess. At least the bed is mostly cleared off now. Except for Jessie. Jessie's on her bed, in her underwear. It also looks hastily thrown on, to be honest. "Huh?" Charlie chuckles, and gives me a sympathetic smile. "It's cool man, we're chill. You wanna smoke with us?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Yes.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No.]]</div>

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ \ (set: $threesome to true)\ \ "Uh, yeah, sure." Charlie steps back to let me in. I take a seat on her bed, and lean back on my hands. The bed's still a little hard to sit in. Jessie's lying on her back, one hand under her pillow, and the other on her stomach. There's a huge scar on her chest, starting at the clavicle and stretching all the way to her belly button. She's full of little battle scars, but this one is immense, the healed skin's a visibly lighter shade of brown than the rest of her. Wondering about that scar is the only thing I can do to keep from ogling her, not that I get the impression she minds. She flashes me a peace sign. Charlie picks up a joint and a lighter, and sits down next to me. "Sorry to interrupt you guys." "Don't be, it's our fault. Here." Charlie lights the joint and hands it to me. I take a deep breath in... \ (if: $weed is true)[ "Pace yourself, this one isn't broken. "Mhm." Asshole. ] ...and out. I'm not crazy about the smell, but something about it actually does help me calm down. I don't think I'm 'feeling it,' but the way it makes me control my breathing is... nice. "Thanks." [[After a couple hits, I pass it to Jessie.]] (set: $AffCharlie to it+2) (set: $AffJessie to it+1)

"Nope. Just keep it down, please." "Huh?" I grab the doorknob, and shut Charlie's door on her. Then I walk right back to my room, roll under my covers, and [[go to sleep.|end ch2]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 2. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 3]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (save-game: "Autosave")

"It's really not my wheelhouse. Uh, smoking. I thought I'd have done more shit by my third year of college, but I guess I never went... looking." Charlie shrugs. "Count your blessings. You'd probably get introduced by the wrong people if you 'went looking.'" "Speaking from experience?" "Nicole Richie doesn't line her margheritas with sugar." Charlie nods to herself, and takes the joint from Jessie. "So what, was your college experience this far just a total waste of time?" "Well I might have spent a couple weeks getting an education, Jess." Jessie scoffs. "You get an education in high school. You get high in college." "You're high." "I hope so. You lied, this shit's just as weak as last time. You poor now or somethin'? "No Jessie, I'm still rich." [[Charlie rolls her eyes and smiles at me, taking another hit.]]

The room has sort of a gentle, swaying motion to it tonight. Last time it was stagnant, but now the atmosphere's changed. Maybe it's me. But there are some candles on the dresser, and the fan is on, those probably both help. Now that I'm relaxing and taking in the environment, I finally notice the little speaker playing by the foot of the bed. A charming little acoustic guitar is strumming underneath us, while a familiar voice melodizes with a gentle, pouty cadence. Charlie notices me listening to the music, and shrugs. "That's right, you wanted to hear my stuff, right? This one's 'Another Called Tammy.' It's alright. I've written better." "It's nice, I like it. I like how you swim in and out of falsetto. You... haha..." "I... what?" "Why'd you let me in here?" "I dunno. Why'd you come over?" "You two were fucking too loudly." "Funny how we're not doing that right now." Charlie and Jessie's eyes both rest on me. And it feels like I'm getting poked with an ice pick. I become incredibly, immediately aware how immediately between these two half-naked women I am. "I just feel kinda stupid, sitting here with all my clothes on." "Take something off then, join the club." "Is that cool? I don't want to-" Jessie groans, and pops her bra off, sitting up. "Oh my *god,* we picked a virgin. Come here." [[Jessie and Charlie grab me by each arm and eagerly pull up my shirt.]]

I can barely process what they're doing to me before my shirt is off, and Charlie's hand is in my pants. Jessie throws my shirt on the ground along with her bra, pressing her chest against my face. I only get to feel her against my cheek for a second, as Charlie grabs me by the chin and forces eye contact with me. She speaks in a low, rumbly tone while she stimulates me with her other hand. "Settle a bet. Ever kissed Cynthia before?" "Y- Yeah." "Damn. I guess I'll take second place." Charlie plants her lips on mine, wasting no time to stick her tongue down my throat when we embrace. The barrage of immediate stimulation is disorienting, dizzying, even. Charlie's tongue, violently wrestling with mine, a taste between lemon and marijuana coating itself about my tastebuds from a tongue that almost seems intent to choke me. Her hand, wrapped around me and stroking, only building its vigor with each twitch it illicits in response. She isn't moving fast, but she's holding me so *tight,* like she's scared she's gonna lose me. Like I could even think of going anywhere else right now. Jesus Charlie, we just started. The warmth of Jessie's body against the back of my head. I feel her rolling her stomach, pressing her skin to mine and nuzzling her breasts around my head, certain not to let Charlie steal all of my attention. There's a gentle purring I assume is coming from her; the whole gesture is surprisingly affectionate for her. I wonder if that's just because Charlie stole the chance to get rough with me first. [[Finally, Charlie pulls back and lets me breathe.]]

I gasp for air as soon as Charlie gives me my freedom, opening my eyes and trying my best to regain my center of gravity. I don't make much progress, since Charlie's hand still hasn't stopped moving. "Haah... holy shit." "Yeah?" Charlie is a lanky, unassumingly built woman, not used to excitement or regular exertion. Her arms are slim and smooth, you can make out the definition of her radius at the right angles. Her midriff is regularly on display but never flaunted, her thighs shown to the world but never in stockings or slim-fitting pants. She carries the kind of mundane confidence of someone comfortable in their body, for the sole reason that she thinks so little of it. Not shame, but total physical indifference. That's what makes it all the more alarming to see her *get* this excited, and pounce on me like she has. I saw a hint of it this evening, but nothing like this switch she's flipped. Her body takes on a whole new context, a different creature's taken over to satisfy itself through me. It's feral, and aggressive, and clingy, and terrifying and exhilerating. She isn't taking off the large shirt she's in, covering most of her features. I don't even really want her to; my mind's going wild, occupied by guesses of what she might do to me next. I think that the end of the kiss might lead to us resetting back to zero, but she does not let me go. She notices my arms stiffen, my hands grasp the bedsheet, and she speeds up, giggling. "I think I could make this a *real* waste of time. Finish him just like this." "Easy girl, we can have a little more fun than that." Jessie gently wraps her arms around my shoulders, hugging me and pressing my cheek back against her breast. She looks down at me with fluttering eyes. "Can't we?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Please."|stop talking.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Save me from her, Jessie."|stop talking.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You two are going to fucking kill me."|stop talking.]]</div>

"Hh... how did we-" Jessie holds my head between her wrists and shoves my face completely into her bosom. "Stop talking." I'm sure Jessie would take what I'm about to say as an elating compliment; compared to Charlie, there is *nothing* alternative or subtle about what makes her attractive. She's a confident, toned, outgoing and *curvy* athlete with no pretense about the way she comes off. She was the first one to flirt with me- in fact, I think the first words she said to me were complimenting my looks. I don't know if that forwardness has served to make me more or less nervous about mingling with these women. Was she signaling to me that my body and my feelings were welcome here? Or was she flaunting the comfort she had earned for herself that she knew I didn't have yet? That flirtatious testing of the waters has no place in this room now, though. Jessie's decided that she's taking me, and the only thing I have to worry about is whether or not I can really keep up with her. If I'm worth indulging in her pleasure. But now that I *am* indulging... Jessie has a chest I've only been this close to in farcical dreams. The soft, demanding embrace of her tits around my face are enveloping enough to darken my vision, and dampen my hearing to everything except her heartbeat. Her heart is slow and intentful; a bass drum under miles of water that, at least for now, only I can swim to. If I thought Charlie was suffocating, Jessie means to drown me. I mean to be drowned. Jessie rolls her shoulders, moving my head around with her and pressing my face to each of her breasts, just long enough to sink the skin through my lips before rolling me back to the other. Meanwhile, Charlie finally lets go of my shaft to pull my pants down and drop them to the floor [[with the rest of our clothes.]]

Keeping me anchored firmly between her chest, Jessie swings one leg over mine and begins leaning her weight on me, steadily forcing my back to the mattress, and my arms out to the side. It's only once I'm laid fully down that she unlocks my head and lifts herself up, sitting on my chest and giving me a full view of her from below. Imposing is a word. Jessie gives me a knowing smile, understanding my helplessness in an intimate moment. The smile implies no sympathy; she's relishing in it. Jessie lifts up one leg to remove her panties, and I feel Charlie push my legs up a touch, enough to keep my knees on the edge of the bed, before she too climbs atop me, resting her hips a short distance from mine. "I'm so full of questions tonight, but Jessie said the word, and I *have* to know. Are you a virgin, Seth?" Oh, how quickly I've come to miss 'stop talking.' <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Yes."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["No."]]</div>

Jessie rests her legs back, nestling herself higher so that she's hovering just over my head. "You poor bastard." [[My fate is sealed as Jessie and Charlie let down their hips at once.]]

Jessie rests her legs back, nestling herself higher so that she's hovering just over my head. "That's too bad. I wanted another one." [[My fate is sealed as Jessie and Charlie let down their hips at once.]]

My head sinks into the unbearably soft mattress as Jessie puts her full weight on my head, blocking out my vision with her thighs and redirecting my airway right into her, demanding that I taste her. She's heavy. I knew she would be; she's taller than I am and twice as muscular, but I don't come to really appreciate it until she's straddling my face, locking my head between her thighs. She could crush my head with a strong enough squeeze, right here. I have half a mind to think that she will. At the same time, my entire lower body is accosted with an intense, euphoric tingling starting at my groin when Charlie rams me inside of her. There was no gradual work, no prodding or teasing, just immediate, full satisfaction. She's feverishly warm inside, and so distractingly tight. It's almost tighter than how she was with her hand just moments before, I don't know where all of this possessive intensity is coming from. God knows I could have used a longer break from it before she swallowed me whole. The swiftness of it all startled me, forcing a moan up from my throat when she took me down to the base in one motion. Because Jessie and Charlie coordinated that they'd start using me at the same time, Jessie already had her other lips to mine when it happened. The vibration of my voice must have caught her by surprise, because she trembled a little on top of me, letting out something between a laugh and a moan herself. Charlie doesn't bother lingering on the first moment like I do. Or, like I would have, if given the choice. She keeps moving as soon as her hips let her, keeping the storm of pleasure and electricity inside me stirred and active for every possible moment. With Charlie steering the pace of our debauchery, Jessie only takes a couple moments herself to catch up, grinding her hips against my face, beckoning me to [[do my job in all of this.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Jessie and I make a weary trek towards the center of the map, expecting any number of ambushes or traps. But we find nothing of the sort; on the contrary, once we start following the trail of Charlie's merchant walls, we keep passing by little parties of peaceful travelers and traders. Men and women passing goods and drinking and dancing together; all outrageous behavior for what should be the most contested property on the continent. "This bodes ill, somehow." "She's been building the walls faster than I thought she could. We need to catch up to them." Thankfully, that's about as easily said as done. Soon enough, the mighty wall comes to a sudden stop, where a merchant stands above a small group of brick layers preparing to continue their work. Jessie and I stand in the way of the wall's development and address the merchant. "Hey there." [[The merchant looks down at us, and gives a cheery smile.]]

*"Oh, hey there to you too! My, you two look foreign. That's great. Is that on purpose, or do you just have a stellar fashion sense?"* "Nope, definitely foreign." "Yeah, something about me says foreign to me. Is it my nose?" "You have a very foreign nose." "Thank you." The merchant claps his hands together, and widens his smile. *"Wonderful! Foreigners. Here! That makes you lovely little things enemies of our nation, doesn't it?"* "I'm afraid so. We're the commanders of Brickton and Dreyga, in fact." The merchant's voice squeaks as he struggles to sound more enthusiastic with each word. *"Are you!? That's... incredible! What an honor it is to run into you here! Standing in front of my wall."* "Where's the wall going, penny-pusher?" *"Oh, not far. I'm following orders to develop to the continent's center, where I'll meet with two other merchants and build a highway. It's gonna be so fun!"* "Yeah, sounds fun. Say, merchant, we're all friends here." *"Undoubtedly!"* "And- gosh, I have such a hard time wrapping my head around this warfare stuff sometimes..." *"I'm sure your job is very demanding!"* "It is! So, as our friend, maybe you can help me and my *other* commander friend out with something?" The merchant sounds like he's about to asphyxiate himself with how tense his throat's getting. *"Anything."* "What exactly is stopping us from killing you all *right now,* and stopping your little highway thing from turning out?" The merchant stands still for a good six seconds, that stupid smile still plastered on his face, blood vessels bulging about his temples. *"I reckon there's nothing stopping you at all, strangers."* [[The two of us agree, so we slaughter the merchant and his men.]]

With the merchant wall dismantled, Jessie and I decide it's time to head back to our territories. "Thanks again for the help, Dreyga. I don't intend on leaving a favor unreturned." "I'll hold you to that. Stay alive until I need your help." "As if you even need to ask." [[Travelling through friendly territory on my way back home, the next few turns pass without major incident.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Lame, I really wanted that highway." "Sucks to suck Parth, looks like you're gonna have to play the game now." "Aw man, I hate having fun." I spend the next dozen turns developing and expanding my territory. I keep to myself until that expansion puts me at odds with [[my other neighbor: Aurora.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "I think you've reached the end of your share of land, neighbor." "I don't think my share *has* an end, neighbor. This continent would be so much prettier painted blue." "Hum. If that's all you want, let me introduce you to the palette of the ocean floor!" Aurora and I do battle, commanding our soldiers into two wide lines to charge into one another. Once again steel meets steel, and the unassuming grasslands are brought alive through breaths of fire, and rivers of blood seeped into the soil. Aurora is a formiddable opponent, more than Ophilia was. She maneuvers (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Nïhilm's|Nïhilm]] army with absolute autonomy, aware of all boots on the ground at all distances. If I knew this game better, I'd have the sense not to boorishly challenge my obvious superior. But a master of warfare does not fear the second greatest warrior in the world. They fear the untrained swordsman, for he cannot be predicted. I push my troops forward, closing what little distance Aurora has between her and I. The advance into enemy arms costs me some lives, but it throws Aurora off of her balance. She pulls her army back to regain that footing, and I know I can win this. [[But it's at that time that I hear a plea from across the map.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Everyone else is here before me; Jessie and Mabel are talking over a stack of papers in the dining room, while everybody else is watching some kind of soap opera on TV. "Hey girls, what are you watching?" Charlie looks at me, fingers digging into her temples. "It's called *Day of Departed Love.* And oh my god, it sucks so hard." "This is the worst thing I've ever watched, I think I'm in love." "You have to watch this with us, we're all hooked on this garbage." I laugh and grab some cereal from the kitchen, [[sitting opposite of Mabel and Jessie at the table.]]

"And what are you two doing?" "Helping Jess study for psychology. Apparently she was planning on skipping Solia's test tomorrow." "Solia's testing us tomorrow? -Wait, you guys have Solia?" "It's a makeup test for Friday's exam, which Jessie also missed." "Yeah, she's our eight o'clock. When do you have her?" "Eight o'clock. I'll be damned." “Wow, I'm surprised we didn't recognize each other. I'm not surprised you don't know Jessie though, she never shows up.” “Yeah, well, it's psychology. Who needs to study about thinking?” "You do. You're failing her class, moron." "Hey." "How's she doing so far?" "Honestly, it's rough. I'm trying to be patient, but girl, you really need to take this seriously." "Hey, you can stop helping me if you want to. I'll take an F over a lecture, Peppermint." "Seriously? Alright fine, I'll get off your case I guess." That soap opera’s still making noise across the room. Out of curiosity, I tune in for a little bit, but I can’t tell what’s more painful to listen to, between that and these two’s bickering. Mabel ends up giving Jessie some work to do on her own, so I [[take the chance to talk to her.]]

"What are you in psychology for?" “It’s just one of those weird prereqs I’m getting out of the way. I’m majoring in mechanical engineering.” “Really? That’s badass.” “Oh yeah, didn’t know Mabel’s a genius? She’s on par to be valedictorian this year.” "That's not… Jess, I do well because I try. You don’t get anything done thinking about who’s smart or not." “It’s true, though. Not like you could make it here just with your money, right?” Jessie gives Mabel a smile, warmer than I’m used to seeing on her face. But Mabel doesn’t return it; the compliment didn’t land right. I think we should change the topic. "Hey Mabel, do you know anything about the show they're watching?" "They just started it this morning. I've been listening in, it sounds hilarious." Mabel raises her voice to address the others. "Eleanor had the damn kid yet?" "No, he's three weeks overdue!" "This is absurd. Can you even still have a kid at three weeks?" "Oh yeah, it's possible, just uncommon." "She's getting to that point though, if she doesn't have him soon it could get dangerous." The actress on TV is overacting so loudly I can [[make out her lines from across the room.]]

*"This is a punishment from the heavens above! Until I know that the child is yours and not your brothers, I will be stuck waiting for him 'till the end of time!"* "She's so tortured..." "Oh my god, Phili, do you actually like this garbage?" "Maybe..." "I wish I could say I'm surprised." Back at the table, Jessie brushes the small stack of papers away from her chest, leaning back in her chair. "Man, screw this." "Come on Jessie, this isn’t hard." "Stop- stop saying that. This shit comes so much easier for you." “Bullshit Jessie, there isn’t shit that comes easy to me. If I can do this, so can you. Now stop being a hard-ass, and keep going.” [[Jessie rolls her eyes and picks up her pencil.]]

"Everything ok over there?" "Yeah, we're fine! Don't let us bother you." "I could try to help out, if you want." "No Phili, I got this." Once I’m done eating, I walk to the couch and sit with everyone else. [["Ok, fill me in. What's this show about?"]]

"So, there's this family in the Philippines. Super rich." "Like, ridiculously rich. For-profit prisons type of rich." "Right. And, the youngest son of this family falls in love with this woman-" "Who's from a family of notorious thieves." "Yeah. The son brings this girl home with him, and she meets his whole family. Everybody likes her, except for the father." "Who, obviously, is in charge of his will, and by extension, the family fortune." "Yep. So, a couple months go by, and we find out the girl is pregnant. Thing is, the older son starts getting real nervous." "Turns out they had an affair, and they aren't sure who the baby belongs to." "The dad looks into this girl's family, and when he finds out about her past, he accuses her of sleeping with the older son, so she'll get a better share of the will." "Of course, the woman claims she doesn't care about the money, and is just torn between two equally passionate loves, unable to choose between them." "She's leaving behind her past of thievery in the name of love! It's so romantic…" "Obviously, she's full of it." "What?" "Dad's right, she's trying to wring these dudes dry and make bank. I mean, she's a thief, they hate the rich. Hell, maybe this whole thing was her family's idea." "I don't know, she seems pretty genuine to me. I don’t know if this show is capable of that kind of twist." "Yeah!" "Phili, I sincerely hope you never fall in love. Men would snap you like a twig if they knew your wallet was so easy to get into." "Hey! Excuse me for believing in love." "Sure, she just happened to fall in love with two rich brothers in the span of two months. Yeah, right." "Exactly." Behind us, the shrill sound of wood scraping on wood. Jessie gets up and stomps away from the table, only stopping when [[Mabel grabs her wrist, and pulls her back.]]

"You're staying here until you finish this." “I can’t do it, alright? You’re a b- better student than me, whatever. Stop yelling at me!” "This isn't about me, for fuck's sake! Would you grow the fuck up and stop pitying yourself? You are more than capable of-" "You don't know that! You don't know what I'm c- what I’m capable of!" "Guys?" “I know damn well what you’re capable of! You could be so much smarter than you are, but you choose to be stupid! Why do you want that? You want to be an idiot, big girl?” Jessie pulls her hand back, and sizes Mabel up. Despite being half her size, Mabel returns the gesture. “I can’t believe the shit that comes out of your mouth sometimes. I should have known you’d belittle me for ask- f- for asking for your help. What is wrong with you?” “What’s wrong with me? I’m helping you, that’s what’s wrong with me. I’m doing this for your sake. I mean- ha- I’m making something of myself! I’m not blowing off one of the best educations in the country so I can go whore myself out at a nightclub.” "It's none of your b- b- business what I do with myself!" Mabel throws her arms out, barely even looking at Jessie at this point. “No, it’s not! You’re not my problem. Do whatever you want, as long as you try. You never fucking try! That’s why you can’t do anything, you dumb bitch. You can’t keep a roof over your head if you’re too cool to be anything but a fucking lowlife failure!” "Mabel, calm down." [[Jessie shoves Mabel, knocking her hip into the dining table.]]

"Get the (live: 0.5s)[fuck ](live: 0.75s)[off my ](live: 1s)[c- ](live: 1.25s)[c- ](live: 1.5s)[case! ](live: 2s)[You sound like my](live: 2.25s)[ damn](live: 2.5s)[ mother,](live: 3s)[ you pestering ](live: 3.25s)[little ](live: 3.5s)[brat-"] (live: 4s)["SHUT UP!"] (live: 5s)[(go-to: "it happens so fast.")]

Jessie tastes sweet and bitter, there's a kind of red-wine subtleness to the palatte of her sex; the irony doesn't escape me. Her hips rock in tandem with, and in response to, the motion of my tongue, picking up on my patterns and shifting to give me easy access to her at all times. That she's able to focus her body like that in the heat of the moment is impressive to me, she must have a lot of experience recieving. That, or this is all second nature to her, which I'm sure is what she'd go with. Despite that, she's surprisingly sensitive to my touch. Each lap gets a twitch or shiver, her voice is active and audible, I can hear the smile on her face while she works me into her. I have a hard time believing it, but I must be doing enough to keep up with her. She likes me. Further down my body, Charlie is entertaining herself all on her own. Like a marathon runner, she's keeping a constant and rigorous pace for uninterrupted minutes, but for me it feels more like a sprint. At some point she wraps her arms under my back, digging her claws into me just a touch to help her get a better grip, and pound me even more ferociously. Part of me wonders if she's still intent on making this 'a waste of time' and finish me as quickly as possible. But those fears are dissuaded by a sudden buck of her hips, and spasm of her insides around me. Charlie yelps and drops her head back, a loud and uncontrolled moan slowly drifting and swimming into a satisfied hum. She *does* have a nice singing voice. Of course, that only earns me a short ten seconds of stillness before she picks back up to speed. Getting lost in the pleasure myself, I grab Jessie's ass and squeeze, sinking my fingers into the padded weight pinning me to this mattress. Jessie puts her hand over mine, encouraging the attention, helping me knead the flesh like bread. "Hn... I know, baby. I've- hah- I've got the fattest ass in the house. You noticed? Feel all y- *anh!* Feel all- all- *fffuck!*" Jessie's legs clamp down against my head and squeeze, doubling the pressure on my skull as she arcs her back and cums on my face. My tongue bathes in that rich taste, but I can barely focus on it in favor of the feeling that my head is about to split in two. I try to pull my head back and relieve some of that pressure, but Jessie takes her hand off of mine, grabs me by the scalp, and pushes me back into her hips. Once I'm back in place, she tightens her thighs *further,* making my ears ring and bringing the sensation from intense to outright painful. Her legs are shaking from the strain, she has to be doing this on purpose. Is crushing her partner part of the pleasure for her? My head gets light, and I wonder how costly of a mistake this will prove to be for me. But thankfully, after a *long* orgasm that brings me three-quarters to unconsciousness, she unclamps her thighs and lowers her hips [[back onto my chest, letting me breathe.]]

We keep going for another two minutes or so, Jessie putting my mouth back to work once she feels I can handle it again. I don't think Charlie even noticed what happened with Jessie and I, too lost in herself to remember that we're in the room. Eventually, Jessie's enveloping, smothering domination of my senses, and Charlie's clingy, feral mating become too much for my body to endure, and I feel anticipation well up in my groin. As that tingling euphoria creeps up my stomach and makes itself known, I force my lips free out from Jessie's hips and let out a strained pant. "Fuck, Ch- charlie. Charlie, I'm close!" Charlie trills, and plants both palms on my stomach. But when Jessie hears my warning, she gets off of me and hops to her feet. She grabs Charlie by the arms and pulls her off of me. The sudden withdrawl leaves my body in a sort of stasis, uncomfortably waiting for the stimulation to continue, now that I've gotten this far. It feels like a bucket of ice was thrown on me out of nowhere, paralyzing. But after Jessie throws Charlie aside, letting her sprawl out on the bed, she gets on her knees and undoes that stasis, grabbing each of her breasts and wrapping them around me. The sensation isn't as warm, and not *nearly* as tight, but the soft, enveloping pressure of it is nearly enough to melt me right there. Jessie kneads her chest around me, pressing her breasts together at the base of my groin, and steadily moving the pressure up, lingering at the tip for a beat before sliding her hands back down. I barely have the wherewithal to keep my eyes open, but for what little glimpses I got I could tell she was looking me dead in the eyes while she wrung my climax out of me. It only takes her twelve seconds to get me there. To be honest, I wanted to make it last longer, but she didn't give me any opportunity to resist her; she was deadly focused on her goal, and I was no object to her, not allowed to be an obsticle toward that goal. My head rocks back, and my chest archs as I break and finally burst inbetween her. She keeps the motion going throughout the entire orgasm, milking the moment for every millisecond of satisfaction that it's worth. She leaves me nestled there and grins up at me while I recover. Charlie stays sprawled on her bedspread, giggling to herself like an idiot. "Welcome to ADA, Michigan." The fatigue of it slowly fills in for the pleasure and adrenaline, and I feel myself falling asleep. At some point, Jessie stands up and cleans herself off, but I don't notice when she does. [[The three of us share the bed that night.|end ch2]]

It happens so fast, I feel like I hear the impact before I see it. Mabel leaps at Jessie and slams her fist into her cheek, striking her with a loud thud. Caught off guard, Jessie falls back on her hands and knees. "..." Mabel freezes the moment her arms pulls back from the punch. Her eyes widen, and she puts both hands over her mouth. I can’t see Jessie’s expression from where I’m standing, but I recognize the shock and regret in Mabel’s eyes. She had no idea what she was doing until it was done. Jessie lets out a deep breath, and stays low for a stretch. Then, she gets back on her feet. Everyone’s eyes are on her. What is she going to do? What do *I* do? "...I- I-" Jessie balls her hands into fists, and takes one strong step toward Mabel. I only have a moment to process that she’s really going to hit her back, and even though I rush in to stop her, I’m too far away to stop it. [[Thankfully, Aurora beats me there.]]

Jessie reels her arm up and back, and Mabel flinches, shrinking and closing her eyes. She isn’t getting out of the way, she’s just cowering, and tensing up to get hit. But Aurora wraps her arm up around Jessie’s elbow, and holds her back by her chest with the other. There’s a visible jerk as Jessie tries to swing, but Aurora holds firm. “Put your hands down.” Jessie doesn’t listen. In fact, she actively tries to wrestle out of Aurora’s grip. She lets out a grunt as Aurora takes her free arm off of Jessie’s chest, and locks it around her neck. “Lay a hand on her and every fingerprint comes out of your allowance.” The only thing I can think to do is get between Jessie and Mabel. Jessie looks right through me, straight to Mabel. Aurora doesn't seem to notice I'm here, either. “I will make you sleep on the driveway. I swear to god, I will.” Jessie winces, and Aurora tightens her headlock just a touch. Jessie takes another beat, and forces herself to breathe. Eventually, her arms go limp, and Aurora lets her go. Jessie slouches, closing her eyes and letting her hair hang over her face. [[Aurora watches her, and takes a short step back.]]

“Good. Sit down.” Jessie turns around, and takes a seat on the couch. When she does, Ophilia and Charlie sit next to her, snuggling up on either side. Jessie cracks a little smile, hanging an arm around Ophilia’s shoulders, and playing with Charlie’s hair. I make eye contact with Aurora. She jerks her head to the side, motioning me to step aside. I do, leaving the floor to her and Mabel. Aurora takes three calm, slow steps toward Mabel. Mabel's eyes are open now, but she doesn’t look any calmer than before. A suffocating pause, then Aurora huffs. She slaps Mabel across the cheek, [[making me jump with the sharp smack.]]

"What is *wrong* with you?" "I'm sorry, I didn't think-" “No, you didn’t. You don’t ever think ahead, do you? You stupid brat.” Aurora grabs Mabel’s wrist, and forces her to look at her own hand. “Is this how we talk to each other when we’re upset? Is this what we use? This is how animals communicate- this is what dogs use! Is that how you want to be seen?” (live: 12s)["Answer me!"] (live: 14s)[ [[Mabel looks below Aurora's eyes and lets out a dejected "No."]]]

“Good, because my home isn’t open to rodents. You need to remember that, Mabel- I opened my home to you, you don’t get to hurt my family!” "You're hurting me…" “Good! I hope I am! I hope that gets this through to your thick skull. I’m hurting you now? They will tear you to pieces outside of this room. You know what they’ll do to you.” Aurora leans down and gets to Mabel’s eye level to hammer in her point. I’m trying to stay focused, but this is so sudden and distressing I’m barely keeping up with what’s actually being said. "Aurora, let me go." “You put my family in danger again, and you’re gone. Do you understand me?” "Let me go!" Mabel yelps, and yanks herself out of Aurora’s grip. She bumps her back against the kitchen wall. Aurora crosses her arms. "Get out of my sight. I don't want to see you ‘till morning." Tears well in Mabel’s eyes, but she keeps a familiar scowl on her face. She scans the room, looking at Jessie and myself before scoffing, and stomping up the stairs. [[She slams her bedroom door shut, leaving the rest of us alone.]]

What… the hell was that? I look at Aurora for some kind of confirmation of what happened. She looks back at me, a sad complacency in her eyes. I get the feeling that wasn’t easy for her, either. She sighs, then walks back to her spot in the living room. Before sitting down, she looks at Jessie. “Are you okay?” “...” “...What? Worried she broke something? Takes more than that to dent me, Aurora.” "That's my girl." Aurora sits on the loveseat, and leans on one arm, looking tired. Cynthia holds her hand and gives a pitying smile. "Alright… so what's this about an inheritance?" Cynthia giggles, and hits play on the TV remote. "Oh jesus, how well have you been listening so far?" The girls fill Jessie in on the story of the show. In not much time at all, they're able to unwind all that tension and get back to enjoying themselves. Just with one less person here. Is this really all we're leaving that with? Shouldn't we talk about what just went down? Do they not want to? Aurora looks at me, and scoots over on the loveseat, patting the half of the chair she isn't sitting on. Still visibly on edge, I step over and sit with Aurora. She kicks her legs over mine, resting her thighs on my lap. The girls get quiet as the show picks back up. Aurora wraps her arm around my shoulder, pulling herself a bit closer to my chest. She's wearing lavender again. [[Jessie takes a quick look at the two of us, and rolls her eyes.]]

"The boy playing Jason is so cute." "Oh yeah? Is that why you think Eleanor's in love with him? You relate?" “No, I just *happen* to think he's cute. It has nothing to do with Eleanor, I know a scam when I see one.” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["He's not ugly, I guess."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel looked so scared when she hit Jessie...]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

"What, not into the Taylor Lautner type?" "I just don't get the appeal of the jawline. He looks like he's trying to hide a brick in his mouth." "That's surprising to hear. You look like the type of guy to cater the way you look for bigger, stronger men." "What the fuck do you mean by that?" "You know what I mean by that, twink." \ (if: $threesome is true)[ "Oh, he definitely likes them bigger than him." I cough, and clear my throat.] \ "Yeah, whatever. You can do better, Phili." "Yeah, you could totally score Robert Pattinson." "Hehe, maybe one day." We finish the rest of the movie together, everyone either talking trash or making fun of Ophilia the entire time. Aurora keeps me close, resting her head on my shoulder fifteen minutes in. Her hair sneaks into my collar, which irritates my neck, but the feeling of her breath on my shoulder is pleasant, and intimate. She must be getting tired, but I won't bother her. [[Eventually, the movie wraps up and we do our own things.]]

Even before she stood back up. Has this… happened before? "Have you been in a relationship before, Phili?" "That's complicated and not important." "Oh my god. You're adorable." "Stop that!" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You *are* fawning over a soap opera like a high schooler, Phili."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I can't get the way she looked at me out of my head.]]</div>

"So what?" "It's pretty cute, I mean." "Humph. You're just as bad as them!" "You're the bad one, Phili. Would you like to take the TV out on a date?" "We can give the two of you some time alone." "Guyyys, I'm gonna leave." "Alright, alright, we'll leave you alone." Ophilia gives a satisfied grunt and a nod. "Thank you." "...Eleanor's hotter." "Yeah, she's really pretty." We finish the rest of the movie together, everyone either talking trash or making fun of Ophilia the entire time, despite Aurora's promise. Aurora keeps me close, resting her head on my shoulder fifteen minutes in. Her hair sneaks into my collar, which irritates my neck, but the feeling of her breath on my shoulder is pleasant, and intimate. She must be getting tired, but I won't bother her. [[Eventually, the movie wraps up and we do our own things.]]

Why did she look at *me?* I tried to help her, but what could I do? What should I do? I don't feel established enough to, y'know, argue. "Give that poor girl a break, guys." "Yeah, well, we're right. You and Phili can't see a gold digger, but everybody else can." "We'll see." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["These love stories usually work out, I bet it's true love."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["It definitely does seem like she's after the money to me."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I had no right to step in...]]</div>

"Yeah, it's probably the safer option to have her really like them both. And this movie doesn't strike me as especially adventurous." "Polyamory isn't adventurous to you?" "Maybe one of the brothers ends up being evil or something. That way the heroine gets to be innocent and monogamous." "Oh yeah, good point. I bet Jason killed his dad." "No! He wouldn't!" Charlie raises her eyebrows at Ophilia's immediate protest. She looks over at me, and pantomimes the cracking of a whip. I try not to laugh. We finish the rest of the movie together, everyone either talking trash or making fun of Ophilia the entire time. Aurora keeps me close, resting her head on my shoulder fifteen minutes in. Her hair sneaks into my collar, which irritates my neck, but the feeling of her breath on my shoulder is pleasant, and intimate. She must be getting tired, but I won't bother her. [[Eventually, the movie wraps up and we do our own things.]]

"Aww, what? I thought you'd be more of a romantic than that, Seth." "Oh no, Seth's always been cutthroat. He's about that money game, all the way." "What?" "Yeah, what?" "Totally. Like this one time, he had a crush on this girl scout in middle school. Persephone Pryce. He kept wanting to flirt with her at her stand, but she didn't want to talk to him unless he bought a box of cookies. He blew two hundred dollars in a month as an excuse to keep talking to her." Cynthia's story gets all eyes in the room on me. I shrink away, trying to hide behind Aurora to escape the attention, but she's staring just as hard. My face goes flush, and I make a mental note to push Cynthia down the stairs sometime. "Are you serious? You did that? You whored out a girl scout?" "Uh, I mean, I remember Persephone-" "Two hundred dollars!?" "...I was saving up for a laptop, too." The room bursts into laughter. Cynthia rubs her temples, trying to talk through her own giddiness. "Ughhh, she was such an enabler, too. I had no idea what you saw in that little bitch. You kept me well fed, though." "You were there?" "I sat through every. Fucking. Transaction. I wanted to kill him." The group stirs in my stupidity for a beat. Then, still bewildered, Charlie blurts out: "Did she blow you?" "Charlie!" Cynthia stands up and slaps Charlie for the inappropriate joke. Charlie crawls back on the sofa to protect herself. "It was two hundred dollars!" "Sit the fuck down, Parth." She reluctantly gets back in her seat as Cynthia crosses her arms and leaves her be. "Haha, yeah, anyway, isn't this movie dumb? Ophilia's *so naive...*" Jessie leans in Cynthia's direction and tilts her chin at her. "I see why you picked this one." "Oh hush." We finish the rest of the movie together, everyone either talking trash or making fun of Ophilia the entire time, and occasionally me. Aurora keeps me close, resting her head on my shoulder fifteen minutes in. Her hair sneaks into my collar, which irritates my neck, but the feeling of her breath on my shoulder is pleasant, and intimate. She must be getting tired, but I won't bother her. [[Eventually, the movie wraps up and we do our own things.]]

But, no, things got violent- what am I saying? Of course I should have done more. I should have stopped it from getting that far. Is that what Mabel wanted? Did she want *me* to defend her? "Seth, help me. Tell them she's not just stealing from that family." “-Uh, what?" Why is Ophilia looking at me? "He hasn't been watching, Phili, he wouldn't know." "Well we've explained it like twice, I think he gets the picture." "Yeah, let's hear it. Do you think you can trust someone like Eleanor?" "..." "Uh, I…" "You alright, man? You look kinda pale." I brush Aurora's legs off of me, and stand up. "I'm sorry, I think I have to go." "Go? Go where, are you leaving?" "No! No, it's just… I want to check on Mabel." “Oh no, you're better off not. She prefers to be alone after her tantrums.” “I'm sorry, we should have said something before this had a chance to happen. I guess I hoped she'd behave herself a little longer for you. I'll, uh- I'll talk to her when she leaves her room, it's gonna be fine.” [[“I… okay. That's good. That's… that's good.”]]

(live: 0.5s)[Don't ](live: 0.75s)[sit ](live: 1s)[back ](live: 1.25s)[down. ](live: 2s)[Don't ](live: 2.25s)[you ](live: 2.75s)[dare ](live: 3.25s)[sit ](live: 3.5s)[back ](live: 3.75s)[down.] (live: 5s)[ <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Insist.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Sit back down.]]</div>]

“...” “I just want to see if she's okay.” "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure she'll appreciate if you check on her, just don't expect her to act like it. Be safe, okay? You know what she's like now." “Mhm.” [[I walk up the stairs, into the hall.]]

I get back in my seat. Aurora has no trouble swinging her legs back over my lap. She strokes my shoulder, trying to reassure me or calm me down. It doesn't do much at first, so she starts the conversation back up. "Anyway, if we're betting on it, it looks like Ophilia and I are pretty outnumbered. Do you have any predictions, Seth?" "Uh... what's the situation, again?" "Eleanor's a thief who was raised to take advantage of the naive and wealthy, sleeping with two brothers who are both very naive and very wealthy. So she's going to take advantage, obviously, right?" "Orrrr, is she going to put her past of thievery aside and help the family mend their broken bonds, because this is a love story and *people are more than what they're raised to be."* Ophilia points some venom at Charlie with that last part. She shrugs her off. "News to me, I'm exactly what I was raised to be." "A celebrity?" "A drug addict." Aurora rolls her eyes. "So, what do you think?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["These love stories usually work out, I bet it's true love."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["It definitely does seem like she's after the money to me."]]</div>

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ My hands start to sweat when I reach Mabel’s door. To be honest, I don’t want to do this. I don’t see it going anywhere good, but I know I’ll regret it if I don’t try to talk to her. I knock on the door. (live: 5s)[No response.] (live: 7s)["Mabel? It's Seth."] (live: 9s)[Nothing.] (live: 11s)["Are you okay?"] (live: 14s)[Still nothing.](live: 15s)[ [[She's not gonna respond.]]]

"I'm coming in now, okay?" "..." I try to open the door. It’s locked. "Mabel, please let me in." "Go away." "I just want to talk, I'm not here to hurt you." "Juss ffuckin’ leave me alone." “I really don’t think you should be alone right now. I’m worried about you.” "..." "If you really want me to go, I will." "..." Please say something, Mabel. I’m really trying here. You have to [[give something back.]]

…I turn around and walk away. I only get one step in before she speaks up. "Wait." I turn back around. "S’anyone else with you?" "No. It's just me." More silence. [[Then, a soft click from the door. I open it and walk inside.]]

(set: $location to "Mabel's Room")\ \ "Hey, Peppermint. How are you holding up?" Mabel’s sitting by the far wall, knees tucked in her arms. There’s a bottle of liquor by her feet, about halfway full. She must have been hiding it in her closet, there’s nowhere else it could have been waiting. "How do you think? Close the door." I do. “You wanna tell me what happened?” “You were there, weren’t you? Jess n’ I got in a fight, n’ I… I hit her.” “Because she pushed you?” “No. It was the whole… it’s her.” I’m not sure what to do with my body right now. I feel strange standing over her like this, but I don’t think she wants me to sit next to her. I guess I’ll sit in front of her. That’s inoffensive. “What about her?” “She’s a stupid complacent slut, n’ she thinks she’s helpless. Can *you* stand her?” “I don’t mind the way she acts. I guess I don’t know her that well, but she seems nice, at least.” “Tch. Sure, she’s *great* at first impressions.” [[Mabel cups her hands in front of her chest, alluding to Jessie’s breasts.]]

“...What made you blow up at her today? You said some really mean things back there.” “I told you, she doesn’t want to do anything.” “...I dunno! She asked me to help her study, and I got excited about it. I guess it pissed me off when she kept doing her regular shit.” “You wanted to help her pass Solia’s class.” “I wanted her to try at something worth doing. She never asks for help, so I thought ‘this is my chance to get her out of that habit.’ I thought she wanted to change.” “You can’t fix people, Mabel. That’s just what Jessie’s like.” “So I let my friend throw her life away, ‘cuz ‘that’s what she’s like?’ She’s dysfunctional Seth, she just doesn’t see it.” “You consider Jessie your friend?” “Can’t live with someone you don’t want to be friends with, dumbass.” We make eye contact for a second, but both quickly dart our eyes away from one another. “Y’know her mom’s a whore.” “Mabel.” “No, seriously. She’s a prostitute, and she’s still homeless. Jessie grew up with that, and she’ll go right back to it if she doesn’t get her act together now.” “She’s better than that. She’s smart, she’s just lazy, and Charlie enables her. Jessie needs a lot of pushing.” “That’s not a healthy way to look at people. No one’s ever gonna be perfect. It’s good to challenge her to improve, but you also have to accept where her priorities are.” “That doesn’t work.” [[Mabel drags her fingers through her hair, staring at the wall as she rants.]]

“You’ll drive yourself crazy looking at cracks and just- just accepting them. When you have a family, it’s your responsibility to look out for them. If you let them hurt themselves- like Jessie is hurting herself- you aren’t doing your job. That woman is broken, and she refuses to fix herself. So *we* fix her.” “Do you think Jessie would listen to a word you say if she knew you talk about her like that? Do you think she’s gonna listen to you now, after you punched her?” “That was an accident.” What the fuck is she talking about? “If she doesn’t want tough love, then she needs to start doing shit right on her own.” “I’ve only ever heard you talk about what she does wrong. People need reassurance as much as they need deterrence.” Mabel takes a swig of her liquor, and mocks me. “Hey Jess, good job on the truancy! I bet your pimps at Pandora’s Box’ll be so proud of you for it. Say, is that a new push-up bra, or did you finally go and get that implant? Be sure to get tested this weekend, champ, I hear every tenth herpes shot's free!” “You’re drunk.” “Suck my dick.” “Where is all of this animosity coming from? It made some kind of sense when it was just me, cause you thought I was a predator or whatever, but I'm hearing that you do this a lot? Why?” “Don’t call me an animal.” “That’s not what I said. Are you listening to me?” “I’ll listen t’you when you let me pick my fucking ear back up.” “Whatever, if you said your piece, can you leave me alone? Y’can tell everybody we kissed, or whatever you came here for.” “I came here to check on you, asshole. And to tell you to make up with Jessie while you have the chance. If there’s anything I can wager about you, I *think* you care about her.” “I’m grounded, remember? Aurora doesn’t want to see me tonight.” [[Did she say that? I barely remember at this point.]]

“Aurora won’t care if you come down to apologize. Would you rather Jessie remember you like this forever?” “...” Mabel lets out a bitter chuckle. “She called me a genius.” “Yeah, she’s got a lot to learn.” She laughs again, a little louder. “Piss off man, I could buy your parents’ house with the scholarships I got.” “You really wanna be a mechanical engineer? Or did you pick that major to impress people?” Mabel leans back on her hands, and looks at the ceiling. “I wanna be free, man. I’m already doing that, as far as I’m concerned. I wanna get a place and not have to worry about needing anybody else to get by. I picked mechanics because I like it. It’s like the easiest math field, you know.” “Oh jesus, you’re one of those.” “One of what? It *is,* it’s super easy stuff, people just don’t like doing physics.” “I am not having this conversation with a freshman, you’re out of your mind.” “Burger-flipper.” I roll my eyes. Mabel smiles at me. [[After a moment, I shake my head and stand up.]]

“Alright, c’mon. Maybe we can catch the end of that awful show they’re watching.” I grab the doorknob, but stop and turn around to see that Mabel hasn’t moved, and her smile’s gone. …She really is afraid of something. I wish she’d let me know what of. “Hey.” She doesn’t want to look me in the eye. But she does. “It’s gonna be okay. They’re going to forgive you.” “...” Mabel nods, and pushes herself up to her feet. [[Once she’s by my side, I open the door and step into the hall.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Halway")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Mrning")\ \ …That's weird. It's dark in here, isn't it? We weren't in that room that long. I take a look at Mabel, her furrowed brow telling me she's confused, too. Come to think of it, it's quiet, too. When did their show stop playing? [[We walk down the stairs and check the living room.]]

(set: $location to "Lviig Rom")\ \ (set: $time to "Sundy Mrnig")\ \ It's empty. The TV is off, and the room is empty. “Did they leave?” “I… I guess so?” The window catches my eye. It's pitch black outside- there's a streetlamp out there, so even if we somehow stayed there all day I should still be able to see outside. But it's just *nothing.* “Seth, I don't like this. I feel weird.” “Yeah, I'm with you. We only talked for a couple of minutes, didn't we?” “No, I mean I don't feel well.” “You're sick? You probably had too much-” My voice catches in my throat when I turn to look at Mabel, and see [[something else with us.]]

(set: $location to "L R")\ \ (set: $time to "S M")\ \ Mabel is facing me, her back turned to the downstairs hall. Behind her, a massive, hideous monster crawls through that hallway towards us. It's body is grotesque and inconsistent, in both shape and texture; it's skin smooth in some areas, moist and off-pink like raw chicken meat. In other places, that skin is scabbed or bruised; bright, messy handprints litter those rougher sections, including its neck, eyes, mouth, and chest. It's left arm is repulsively bloated, a gross exaggeration of muscle, while the right arm appears starved and withering, dragging dead along the floor. My skin goes cold, and I gasp, almost too shocked to remember that Mabel can't see this hideous thing coming from behind her. I take a step back and scream. “Mabel!” "Huh?" [[Mabel turns around, seeing the monster for herself.]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ She screams and lurches toward me, trying to rush back away from it. But before she can catch her footing, the monster grabs her with the larger of its two hands. This grotesque thing's proportions are so unnatural, its palm is almost the size of Mabel's body. I see its skin up close as it squeezes down on her, like raw meat scabbed over, the smell of sulfur staining my lungs as I watch it take Mabel, petrified. It closes its lumpy, mutated hand into a fist, its forearm trembling from the pressure. Mabel, whose head and shoulders stick out from the top, groans and then screams as its crushing grip tightens. The thing's face is unlike anything I've seen before, real or imagined; but the closest thing I can compare it to is a rabies victim. Its eyes are swollen shut, if it has eyes at all beneath those mounds of pus-seeping flesh. Its mouth, which bends and curves at slim, random angles, foams lightly at the folds where the lips peel back and expose its mouth. The monster's hand shakes, and it pulls Mabel closer to its face, getting a better look at her. For a second I think it's going to eat her, but it just shrieks and throws Mabel away at the living room wall. (text-size: 1.25)[''KK-CRRNCH''] Mabel flies across the room and crashes into the TV, cracking its screen against the wall and tumbling to the floor on her stomach. She goes limp, dropping like a ragdoll. I grab a chair from the dining room and [[hold it out between me and the monster.]]

My eyes race around the room. (live: 1s)[It's dark. ](live: 2s)[The stairs are blocked. ](live: 3s)[Mabel is out cold. ](live: 4s)[The front door- ] (live: 5s)[The door! ](live: 6s)[There's nothing in my way, I can get out! ](live: 8s)[I put the chair down and turn into the vestibule.] (live: 10s)[ [[The creature lets out a horrible screech as I reach for the doorknob.]]]

(text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“KKKCHREEEEEEE”''] Its voice is like a million stones scraping on sheet metal. It's a uniquely infuriating noise that sends me reeling the moment it claws its way into my ears. [[Slouching and covering one ear, I grab the doorknob.]]

No. (live: 1s)[Fight ](live: 1.5s)[it.] (live: 4s)[I freeze in my tracks, thinking better of my decision at the last possible second. As afraid as I am, the thought of running away now makes my skin crawl. I can't leave yet, I can't leave this thing with her. I turn back around, and stare this animal in the face. I sprint forward, grabbing the chair in my way and swinging it into its oversized hand. It takes so much force, but I manage to knock its hand away enough to get another swing in. I lift the chair over my head, and slam it down over the other half of its body, smaller and more mangled than its leading half. [[The chair's legs snap off as the monster wails in agony.]]]

(text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“WAAAAAIIIIII”''] The sound is even louder and more antagonizing than the last. It isn't a roar like the last one, this is a pathetic, dramatic whimper. Somehow, it wants me to pity it. But all this revolting thing can manage is making my blood boil. I grab the snapped off chair leg and stab it into the monster's chest. It falls back, too weak to push against me, and collapses against the corner of the wall and floor. The thing curls into a ball, and whines. Seeing it crumple like that is cathartic in a way I can't describe; all that aggression it showed us, and it can't even defend itself? I just might be able to kill this thing before it hurts anyone else. But that thought reminds me that we aren't alone. I rush into the living room and drop to my knees, turning Mabel onto her back while brushing specks of debris off of her jacket and hair. Propping her back up, I support her head in one hand and try to shake her awake. “Mabel! Talk to me, are you okay? Get up, we need to get out of here!” She's not moving. Oh god, please don't be hurt. Don't be dead- you can't be dead, not already! Fuck, is she breathing? I can't tell- where is her pulse- where do I go to find her pulse? Mabel groans and stirs. Thank god, she's still here. I instinctively pull her closer as she coughs and strains. “Ghh… what…?” Mabel opens her eyes, her arms twitching a little against my stomach. I hear the monster stirring in the hall behind me, but I can't let Mabel go just yet. [[I have to know she can stand on her own.]]

“What are you doing… what's…” Mabel finally looks me in the eyes, and gasps, tensing up completely. “N-no! No! Off!” Mabel thrashes in my arms, flailing her limbs and trying to force her way out of my grip. I give her space, but I keep my hand under her head so she doesn't hit the floor again. What's wrong? Is she concussed- is- is this a seizure? “Mabel, what's wrong? What are you doing-” Mabel swings her fist up, straight into my jaw. I reel back and drop her head, slamming onto my back and smacking against the rug. The monster’s getting up, I need to move. I scramble to my hands and knees, but- (text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“KKKCHREEEEEEE”''] The monster’s cry rattles my head and sends me back to the ground. It’s a bitter and wholly unnatural voice; a strained and desperate bleat that stings my body nerve by nerve. This demon’s voice is an affront to every noise of the natural world. Whatever this repugnant thing is, it does not belong here and it knows it. Its viscera-laden body could only have thrashed its way out from nowhere, through a spiteful disdain of non-existence. [[Not far from me, I can hear Mabel still spasming on the floor.]]

“Shut up! Please, stop! Stop it! D-dont say that- I’m s- I- I’m s- so-” (live: 4s)[Get up, ](live: 4.5s)[Seth. ](live: 5.5s)[Stand up ](live: 5.75s)[and-] (live: 6s)[(go-to: "Abuse Attacks")]

The monster stomps its larger hand over my back, crushing me and smashing the coffee table beside me. Splints of wood batter my face and litter my hair, and with what little resistance I have to give I turn myself around inside its grasp. The demon looks down on me like a mouse, a prize at the end of the hunt. That I can make out any emotion in this mistake’s face makes me hate myself. I so violently want not to relate to it, to even the smallest degree. “Ghk- hh… let me… gh…” The pressure on my chest is unbearable. I grab its wrist with both hands and push up, trying to get its weight off of me, but I manage nothing. Then, I hear the monster wretch, and its face and neck twitch in tandem. Again it wretches, and again twice more, its face inching closer to mine each time, and its lips peeling back further and further. I wince as I get a closer look into the bleeding gums and jagged mangles of random bone squatting in its mouth. Then its throat opens, and out from it comes a stream of foam that pours out over my face. “Mmf- ph- h- //gasp-// hn- n-!” I need to scream, but my lungs have no air left to give me. And if I did, the burning foam would flood its way into my chest and boil me from the inside out. It *burns.* The smell of sulfur gives way to a wholly different kind of sensory torture. A sterile, artificial scalding that seasons the terrible feeling of my skin dissolving around me. It’s bleach; I’m being drowned in bleach. My chest feels wet. Whether that’s the bleach dripping in or my skin melting down my torso, I can’t tell. The pain dulls all too quickly as my nerves die, and my vision goes black as my eyes melt into puddles. I hear my ribs snap as the monster pushes the rest of its weight on me, and I [[die.]]

(live: 1s)[...] (live: 3s)[I do not remember where I was before this place. ](live: 5s)[I do not remember quite why I left, ](live: 6.5s)[or where I wanted to go.] (live: 8.5s)[Though I hold on to some ember, ](live: 10s)[a burning shackle ](live: 11s)[that reminds me of the rut I’m in ](live: 13s)[despite all I do not to let it define me.] (live: 15s)[It’s helplessness. ](live: 17s)[I am helpless... ](live: 19s)[but against what?] (live: 21s)[I try to think, ](live: 22s)[but focus slips through my mind](live: 22s)[ [[and lands in another’s.]]]

(set: $location to "My House")\ \ (set: $time to "Early")\ \ I am not myself, this feeling is not my own, but I feel it so intensely that it washes out my identity. I am standing in my living room, staring out the window of my front door. The door is closed, but I think about the chilly air of freedom that I don’t feel on my skin. I want it- why haven’t I left? The droning of a child’s voice fades in from behind me. I have a sister; a persistent annoyance trying to get my attention. My back is turned to her, I might have tried to just walk out and ignore her, but I should know better than that by now. I can’t just leave her without saying goodbye. “Lydia, take me with you. You have to!” “No Mabel, they don’t let kids go to the park alone.” “You’re a kid, why do you get to go?” “Well I’m a big kid, they trust me to take care of myself. But I can’t watch you. You wouldn’t have fun anyway, my friends don’t like you.” “I don’t care. Don’t leave me home, Dad and Rachael like when you’re here. C’mon, I’ll be good, I promise!” Ugh, this again. One day without her using our parents to guilt trip me, that’s all I want. “Stop. It’s not my call to make.” “Then stay with me!” “No! You’re not my problem, Mabel! And keep your voice down. I don’t want to be here either, don’t be selfish.” “Mmm…” Oh… don’t give me that look. I hate that look. [[It always works.]]

(set: $time to "Still Early")\ \ “Mom and Dad won’t get mad if you behave yourself. You know that, just don’t make them mad.” “No, that’s you! That’s just you. They don’t care if I behave, they’re just mad.” “Have you tried to behave before?” “...” “Just… stay in your room if you’re that worried about it. But don’t tell them I told you that.” “Will you go with me?” “No, I’m going out. Bye Mabel, I love you.” “Wait, no! No, Lydia, please! Don’t go!” I open the door and step outside, shutting it before Mabel can wedge herself in the doorframe. She broke a finger once that way, so I learned to be quick about it. I look ahead of me, toward the horizon, toward a rare gift: a fleeting day of freedom. Then, the world shifts around me. The ground shivers, the walls mold behind me, and my mind is swept up and lost in a blizzard that shuffles and [[redefines my identity.]]

(set: $location to "Outside")\ \ (set: $time to "Too Late")\ \ Suddenly, my back is pressed to the wall, arms stretched out on either side, my chest seizing in panic and dread at once. My skin is stinging- not enough to hurt, but enough to warn me that I shouldn’t stay here as long as I might be forced to. I turn back around, and knock on the door another five times, banging it this time on the off chance they really just didn’t hear me before. “Open the door! Let me in! Please, guys, I’m home!” They hear me. I know they fucking hear me- they’re doing this on purpose. I told her- I told Rachael that I might be late tonight, what is wrong with her!? What the fuck did I do? What did I do this time? It’s freezing out here, she has to know how cold it is. She has to know I can’t stay out- fuck, is she really gonna make me stay out here all night? I can’t- I can’t- I have to get in, I’m gonna freeze out here! “Dad? Lydia? OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!” I grab the handle with both hands and shake as hard as I can. The cold metal stings my fingers, and I scream in frustration just to keep myself from crying. It doesn’t work, and in no time I’m sliding to my knees, bawling my eyes out in the driveway. The snow keeps falling, every snowflake teasing me for my stupid mistake. She could have told me no. I would have stayed home if I knew she’d do this first. Fuck, I can’t tell Ray, he’ll hate himself if he knows this happened because of him. It’s so cold. It’s so fucking cold. What do I do…? Maybe my window’s unlocked. Maybe any window’s unlocked. I get on my shaky feet, and walk down the steps. I almost slip on the last one, but I grab the railing, stinging my hand again. I drag my feet through the grass and snow, trying to ignore the crunch of my own footsteps. When I get to the window, I can barely reach it without pulling myself up by my arms; another favor from my stupid short legs. There’s a fog on the glass, so I can’t see inside. [[I wipe my hand against it, and take another look.]]

I look inside and find a room that isn’t my own. Some kind of living room, it looks like it belongs in a ski resort. There's a girl there, laying in the lap of someone else I can't quite see. And there's this red... this light behind them both. Whatever this place is, it got completely wrecked. I don’t think anything in there is still intact. [[Who is that girl…?]]

I try to get a closer look. I try to think, but focus slips through my mind… (live: 4s)[ [[...and it hits something|back to yourself]]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ Mabel! She’s still in there- shit, what am I doing outside? I have to get in, I have to protect her! I ball my hand into a fist and punch the window. It shakes, but doesn’t crack. I hiss as my knuckles sting in protest. Mabel picks her head up from the lap of the woman cradling her, startled by the noise. Who is that, in there with her? I can’t make her out because of her… It’s an angel. She’s being held by an angel- but why? What does it mean? “Mabel! Let me in!” Mabel looks frantically around the room. The angel tenses up, and holds Mabel closer to her chest. Can she not see me either? I punch the window again. A sizable crack forms on the outer pane. “No, stop! Stop that!” Mabel cowers in the angel’s arms. I can’t stop; I can’t stop until I get inside. If that thing is still in there… I punch the window again. The cracks grow longer and more numerous, until the glass is chipped and opaque. “Leave me alone! Just leave me here, please!” My hand is bleeding. I pull back my arm, and slam my elbow into the window pane, throwing all my weight [[into the building.]]

I jump through the window, dropping to the floor inside. I rush to my feet. Mabel is still sitting there, on her own now. The angel’s let her go, standing up to face me directly. But I don’t care about her- not right now. “Mabel. Are you okay?” Mabel gives me a confused frown. “Who are you?” “What? I- it’s Seth. I made it back-” I take a step forward, and Mabel pulls away from me. “Stay right there! Why are you in my house?” “Huh?” Wh-... what? Does she not remember me? Did something happen to her while I was… where was I? “Mabel, I’m here to get you out. It’s not safe here- don’t you remember what just happened to you? To me?” “Safe? I-” Mabel’s eyes dart briefly to the angel, who still hasn’t moved. “I’m safe.” I take another step toward Mabel, but the angel steps out in front of me. We stare at each other in silence. The glare of her halo is so bright, I can’t see her, but I know… I know she can see me. The angel holds her right arm out, her palm open in front of my left shoulder. I try to look past her to Mabel, but I can’t take my focus off of the person in front of me. I hesitate, then lift my right arm up, mirroring the angel’s gesture. We stand there, hand at hand. The angel’s light grows brighter, slowly and steadily, and I feel anticipation well up in my chest. As the halo gets brighter, I have to close my eyes to protect myself from its brilliance. When I do, I feel something press against my palm. A wet, rough surface, like meat scabbed and scarred over. [[I grit my teeth and brace myself as the monster shows itself again.]]

(text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“KKKCHREEEEEEE”''] I open my eyes and dig my feet into the floor, pushing both hands against the monster’s chest and trying to topple it over. It still towers me, but I feel stronger now. Somehow, I know I can beat this thing. I can kill it. The monster tries to grab me, struggling to bend its swollen arm the right way, but the force of it makes my legs shake regardless. I wince, pushing my strength as far as it can go, barely able to manage a stalemate. It’s not stopping. My legs are giving… Suddenly, out from behind comes Mabel with a stake of fractured wood. She stabs it into the monster’s weak half, just like I’d done before, and just like that it folds. I push the monster back and kick it away into the hall. Dozens of red sparks fly off in every direction where I kick it; I take it that means the monster’s bleeding. When I do, Mabel groans, and holds her forehead with both hands, swaying and struggling to stay standing. I step back and hold her arms still to support her. “It’s okay, we got it! Breathe.” Mabel opens her eyes, gasps, and sneers. “Stop! Get out, you fucking creep!” Mabel pushes my arms off of her, and punches me in the gut. She catches me by surprise, and takes the wind out of me. “Gh-! Haah…” “Mabel, I’m not-” “Shut up!” Mabel kicks me in the side. I stumble back, catching myself on the kitchen wall. “I know what you’re doing. I know what you are. I am *not* falling for your shit again.” “What…?” Mabel wipes the blood off of her chin, and sends a right hook straight to my jaw. I bite my tongue, and [[barely block another swing with my arm.]]

“Look at you. So helpful. So *sweet.* Ha- I know your game. I- I know you. I know you!” Mabel keeps punching while she rants. I don’t have a clue what she’s trying to tell me. Does she still not remember who I am? Is this even really Mabel? I catch her fist when she tries a left jab, and return with a clean hit to her sternum. She trips backwards over what used to be the couch, and as she hits the ground, more red sparks spread out around her. What the hell is going on with her? “There we go! Enough games, let’s get to the point!” Mabel stands back up, wobbling in place as she tastes the blood coming off her lip. She picks up her fists and smiles. “You want this? Come and fucking take it.” “Mabel, do you-” “Shut up! Stop talking, I’m done listening. I’m done!” Mabel isn’t thinking straight. Obviously that thing is doing something to her, but how do I break her out of it? Maybe if I kill it, if I can focus on the monster… But she’s going to try to stop me. Or at least, she’ll try to kill us both. I might have to calm her down, or get her off my back somehow if I want a chance to beat this thing. But the monster won’t stay down for long. I don’t want to risk hurting her, but if it’s that or getting us both killed… Shit, what do I do? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Attack the Monster.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Focus on Mabel.]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

I grab a sharp shard of debris, and get ready to take the beast on again. But Mabel grabs my arm and pulls me away from it, trying to sweep my shin out in one motion. Her foot *thumps* against my leg. Weak. "Look at me, you piece of shit." “Let go. Get off me!” I push Mabel away, knocking her back down over the splinters of the coffee table. She yelps when jagged bits of wood poke at her skin. Maybe that’ll keep her down a minute. I march back to the demon, shard still in my hand. I’m stronger than it. I can do this. I lunge at the beast, getting one good swing in and cutting its rotten meat open at the stomach. (text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“WAAAAAIIIIII”''] I reel my arm back, but that stubborn girl grabs my arm again, and punches me in the side. I don’t see her coming. I flinch, and see red. Without thinking, I swing my arm back and strike Mabel across the face, cutting her with the shard of wood. I hear her skin tear before I turn and see the blood spray. Mabel doesn’t fall, but her head hangs at an awkward angle, a stream of blood staining her whole lower face. I cover my mouth in shock. I can’t believe she- I- I can’t believe I did that. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to hurt her. "H-ha, there we go! That's better!" Mabel stomps and punches me in the gut. "Gh- stop!" "I- I'll fucking kill you." I kick Mabel in the chest, and [[watch her drop like a brick.]]

“Mabel, listen to me. It’s Seth, you know me.” “Shut up. Stop talking!” Mabel punches me in the mouth. I stumble back, refusing to let my eyes close. Focus, Seth. Just put up with the pain. “We go to school together. You’re a freshman, we live in a sorority home together, I just moved in.” “I don’t care!” Mabel kicks me in the shin, dropping me to one knee. She grabs my collar and pulls my face up to hers. “Please-” “Just fucking fight!” “No! I’m not hurting you.” Mabel glares, and tosses me over her shoulder. I groan when I hit the floor, and she kicks me in the side. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you if you don’t defend yourself, pussy.” “Tch.” Mabel growls in frustration, and picks up a shard of debris from the ground. With a messy thrust, she stabs me in the thigh. “Aagh!” “That’s enough! Drop the act, you asshole! This is so mean!” “There’s no- haah- there’s no act!” Mabel takes the shard out of my leg, and holds it up to my neck. But before she can do anything else, the monster makes itself known again. [[With a furious shriek, it lifts its fist in the air and fills the room with a crimson glow.]]

That felt good. (live: 2s)[-No. No it didn't.] (live: 4s)[More sparks fly with every hit I land on her. I’m not even paying attention to where they’re going anymore, I think some of them are just floating. I throw the stake away, and [[kneel over Mabel before she has a chance to stand up again.]]]

"Stay down, or I’ll hurt you so much worse than that." I didn't say that. Did I say that? Why would I… I punch Mabel again, and feel her knee dig into my stomach. She tries to push me off of her, but I hold her down by the chest with one hand, and pop her in the jaw with the other. I hear her yelp and swear and cry every time I touch her. But as long as she fights back, I have to keep going. “Does that hurt? Does that fucking hurt, you stupid brat!?” “Kill you.. Kill- f- fuck- I’ll kill you!” Mabel’s hand wanders and grabs a smaller splint of wood. She stabs it into my ribcage, digging almost deep enough to force me off of her, but I clench my jaw and ignore the throbbing in my head. She wants me to die? After everything I did for her? I growl just to numb the pain, and take my hand off of her chest, planting it around her neck instead. "Useless, violent little waste of space! You ruined my life! Y-you aren't worth your fucking air!" I feel her little hands gripping my forearm. I hit her again. I see a bright red fury in her eyes. [[I don’t stop.]]

“Ack-... St- *ffk-*” (live: 2.5s)[I can’t stop. ](live: 4s)[When she gets like this… ](live: 6s)[when she gets like this, she can’t handle herself if I don’t hold her down. ](live: 8s)[I know that.] (live: 10s)[“Hrk! Haah- *MMPH-!*”] (live: 12.5s)[This is for her.] (live: 15.5s)[“S… d- *haak-*... da…”] (live: 19s)[I didn’t want to hurt her.] (live: 23.5s)[“...H-hh-...”] (live: 27s)[I just… ](live: 30s)[wanted her ](live: 32s)[to ](live: 32.5s)[stop...] (live: 35s)[ [[Moving.]]]

I stand up when her breathing stops. I wrap both arms around myself, and take a deep breath in, letting a wave of catharsis wash over me. It’s over… she’s gone. Now we’ll finally be okay. She can’t insult me or my family anymore. She can’t hurt us with her outbursts anymore. I don’t have to worry about her making them mad any more. Our problem’s gone. She’s… gone. With my eyes still closed, I slowly walk backward, feeling the room’s warm glow inch closer and closer with each step. I lean back, and bask in it entirely; my tension melting away as two warm arms embrace me from behind. I linger and let my heart calm. It wants to race, but there’s no reason for that anymore. I only open my eyes when I feel something sharp and cold brush under my chin. The chill startles me, and opens my eyes. I look to my left to find an angel standing beside me. Her halo blinds me to her features, but I feel that she looks… The warmth in my chest fades. I look ahead of me, and [[freeze when I see what’s waiting at my feet.]]

…That’s impossible. That body, that- that can’t… who is that? I’m not seeing… that doesn’t make sense! That can’t be me lying there! What’s going on? Where am I? W- who am I? Who is that!? I feel a pressure built around my waist. I look up and realize that I’m in the grasp of a demon, staring down at me with its swollen, terrible eyes. I scream and thrash, trying to break free. When did I get here, what’s going on? Someone help me! The face, that demon’s face- I’ve seen it before. Why? Why is it so familiar? The monster’s grip gets tighter. I can’t- I can’t breathe! "Stop, let me go! Please, I- I'm scared!" It just gets worse. I feel my chest about to cave in. It’s going to kill me. I can’t move, and this thing is going to kill me! “No! No, please- I don’t wanna die! I d-don’t! I d- AGH!” My ribs snap and puncture both of my lungs. I feel the air escape me as my airway fills with blood. Tears streaming down my face, I try to scream, [[but only blood comes up from my throat.]]

Who am I? (live: 1s)[What is my name? ](live: 2s)[Why am I here? ](live: 3s)[Please, ](live: 3.5s)[someone- ](live: 4s)[anyone- ](live: 5s)[get me out of this place! ](live: 6s)[I'll do anything, ](live: 6.5s)[don't let me die here! ](live: 7.5s)[Don't let me go! ](live: 9s)[Please, ](live: 9.5s)[don't ](live: 9.75s)[let ](live: 10s)[me-] (live: 10.25s)[(go-to: "Deathscreen")]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ (after: 5s)[You have been erased. ](after: 7s)[But this is not the end for you. ](after: 9s)[I am still your eyes and your ears, ](after: 11s)[and I will not let things end here.] (after: 13s)[ (link:"Retrace your steps,")[(load-game: "Autosave")](after: 14s)[ and try again.]]

(text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“CHREEEEEEE”''] “Wh-” The monster sweeps its fist through us, sending us both flying into the corner of the room. My ears ring when my head smacks against the floor, and Mabel tumbles over my already aching body. It hurts… everything hurts… but I don’t feel weak. Not yet. If I can get through Mabel, I can still fight this thing back! But no, that’s not an option. I need her on my side, this isn’t ending any other way. I try to stand up, but Mabel digs her knee into my gut and keeps me grounded. Bleeding from her forehead, she *still* keeps her focus on me. “Say it! Say why you’re here, or I’ll cut your fucking throat open!” Mabel presses the shard against my neck, and I have nothing left to say. I see it now. All the rage in this room, it kept me from seeing, but I see it now. It’s not anger I’m fighting here. That look in her eyes… I’ve seen that look. She’s terrified. You’re fighting two monsters, aren’t you Mabel? I can’t make you see me. I can’t fight this with you. …That’s okay. If it means you get out of here, then… then you can have my strength. I’ll [[give myself to you.]]

Slowly, I raise my shaking palms up for her to see. Her eyes fix on them, and I see that scowl tremble just once. Steadily, and slowly, I move those palms under her arms, and hug them around her back. And I know it scares her. But she doesn’t stop me. She’s trying. I tilt my head forward and rest it on her chest, tightening my embrace just a little. I feel her breath shake against my head. My body gets so light, I can barely manage a whisper. “It’s okay. You’re safe… Pep… hh…” Tears drop from her cheeks and wet my hair. She sits up, letting me drop to the floor half asleep, and drops the shard. While her shaking eyes are fixed on the wall ahead of her, she feels the threat looming not so far behind her back. Mabel turns around, and stares down the monster in the eyes. Standing firm, she balls her hands into fists, and turns her chin up to face the beast. “You need to leave.” (text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“WAAAAAIIIIII”''] The monster lets out another bellowing wail. I try to ignore the flint of anger it sparks inside me, and let it wash away. I couldn’t do anything with it, anyway. “I- I left you. I left, and you don’t get to follow me. You’re not welcome here, you understand? Leave me alone!” The demon roars again, and swings its fist down at Mabel. Mabel dodges out of the way, barely keeping her footing as the crash shakes the floor below her. “Shut up! I’m not here anymore! This isn’t real. You aren’t real!” I can't imagine what she's seeing in this thing. I wonder what it’s like in her head right now. “You don’t get to hurt me here- not anymore! I left you alone, so just- just get out of my life!” (text-color: red)+(text-size:2)[''“KKC- CHHHK-”''] Mabel’s posture weakens, and her confidence fades. She takes a step back, as [[the creature drags closer.]]

“S-stop that. Don’t say that.” The beast wails, and swings its fist again. Mabel catches it, and to her credit, holds it back for a second. But she loses the fight, and is sent stumbling back across the living room, shredding her legs against debris on her way to me. The monster’s mouth foams wildly as it screams into the ceiling. “I- I don’t… I can’t-” The monster locks eyes on Mabel again. She gasps, and frantically pulls me up to my feet. I’m so lightheaded I almost don’t realize I’m standing up. “Help me! Don’t let it hurt me, Seth!” Before I can process what’s happening, Mabel covers her ears and cowers behind me. I look behind her, to find the monster with its fist above its head. I hold my hands over my face just in time to (transition-depart: "shudder")[[feel it slam over Mabel and I.]]

The impact knocks me off my feet, and if Mabel didn’t catch me, I would have ended up right back on the floor. But we’re both still standing; that punch was nothing compared to how it hit me before. Mabel’s holding me for dear life, eyes shut, her whole body trembling. “Don’t let them- don’t let them hurt me! Don’t let them, p- please, Seth!” I look down at Mabel, and feel the monster reeling to strike us again. I’ve never seen her like this… somehow, I could care less about the thing trying to kill the two of us. The demon doesn’t matter, I just want to keep Mabel safe. I… I think that’s why this thing isn’t hurting me. I wrap my arms around Mabel, and cradle her head to my chest. (transition-depart: "shudder")[[“It’s okay.”]]

The monster hits us again. I see dozens of red sparks bounce across the ground, and disappear. I have to regain my footing, but it just feels like I was tackled. Mabel yelps when its fist strikes my back. “I don’t li- like it. I want it away. Make it go away!” (transition-depart: "shudder")[[“There’s nothing to be scared of, Mabel.”]]

Again, it strikes my back. It doesn’t even hurt now. (transition-depart: "shudder")[[“Nothing is going to hurt you. I promise.”]]

“I’m scared, Seth.” (transition-depart: "shudder")[[“I know. But I’m here for you.”]]

(transition-depart: "shudder")[[“I’m here, Mabel.”]]

“...” ... There are no more sparks. No more voices. For once, the room is still. I take the chance and let Mabel go, turning to look behind me. [[…And there’s no more monster.]]

(set: $MabelSaved to true)\ I stop, and stare at the empty room for a moment. When I turn back around to look at Mabel, she’s gone back to that corner we were in, sitting with her knees at her chest. And I notice… her body is scarred. That should be obvious, after everything she and I went through. But what I see now goes further than blood and fresh bruises. There are marks on her pale skin, cuts and scars and… and stains that she didn’t collect tonight. She’s had these for a long time. I just couldn’t [[see them.]]

"..." “...I did so much to get out. Out of that house, away from them. Away from everything. I thought a few scholarships could buy my freedom, but…” I kneel next to Mabel, and listen to her mumble. “Things don’t really change out here. I guess misery really does follow me anywhere. Does… does this happen because I make everyone else miserable?” Mabel looks me in the eyes and speaks with sobering sincerity. “Do I make this happen?” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Yes.|Mabelyes]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No.|Mabelno]]</div>

My instinct is obviously to tell her she doesn’t. That whatever this was just happened to her. But I remember what I saw, and I remember Jessie, and I… I can’t lie to her. She deserves better than that. “...You’re carrying a lot of pain, Mabel. I think you want to share that burden, and even if you don’t realize it, you give that pain to other people sometimes. And people are… gonna react how they will to that habit.” Mabel breaks eye contact, and I can tell I broke her heart. But if there’s any time where she might listen to those words… “I think I deserve what happens to me.” “Mabel, no-” “I know, I know how that sounds. But I’m an exception. I’m not stupid, or naive, or sheltered- I know what happened to me. And I’m smart enough to confront that. But… I’m dysfunctional. I- I choose to be on the giving end when I know better. That’s when you stop being a victim, right? When you hurt someone else?” “...” [[Mabel sniffles, and wipes a tear from her eye.]] (set: $AffMabel to it+1)

How the hell do I… what do you even say to that? Fuck, just say *something.* “No! No, of course not. You don’t deserve any of this, or any of what happened before. You’re incredible Mabel, and the people around you aren’t miserable. They love you. In what little time I’ve been here, I know that they do.” Mabel’s eyes drift away from me, and she stares at the wall. There’s an lingering silence… I feel like she might have heard those words before. [[Mabel sniffles, and wipes a tear from her eye.]]

“It still feels like a trick. Like you’re lying to me. I still think you’re gonna use this to hurt me someday…” “...” “...I don’t know how I can change your mind. I really don’t. But I promise I’m never going to hurt you, Peppermint. Not you, and not anyone else in this house. I want you happy. I want you safe. And I’ll spend every day you let me stay here proving that to you. I promise.” “...I’m so…” “...I’m so tired.” So am I. In all honesty, it’s taken strength I don’t have to stay conscious this long. When Mabel doesn’t say anything else to me, I slowly lean forward, and without realizing it, collapse on my stomach and pass out. Realizing my weakness, Mabel makes sure I’m breathing, before letting herself [[drift off next to me.]]

The last things I remember feeling were fear, sadness, and exhaustion. But I found comfort in knowing that I could share those burdens with Mabel. [[end ch3]] (set: $AffMabel to it+5)

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 3. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 4]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (set: $Cane to True) (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Mabel's Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Night")\ \ When I wake up, I’m on the floor of Mabel’s room. Which is to say, I’m in Mabel’s room; the whole thing is just floor. I wish I could have at least woken up on the tatami mat. Mabel’s curled up a foot or two away from me. She groans and stretches while I come to. When her eyes open, she sits up and looks around the room anxiously. "...Is that it? Are we okay?" “I hope so. Did you carry me up here?” Mabel shakes her head. I [[shake off my weariness and stand up.]]

(set: $time to "Sunday Afternoon")\ \ (set: $MabelSaved to false)\ The rest of sunday isn't especially eventful. The girls spend most of it lounging around the house; Charlie makes lunch in the kitchen, Cynthia goes on an errand run, and Ophilia starts telling us goodbye a little ways into the afternoon, saying she's heading to rehearsal. "Oh cool, rehearsal for what?" "Oh yeah, you don't know. Phili's got a dance recital this tuesday." "Oh, no way! Are there still tickets open?" "I think Aurora's already bought everybody's tickets, she usually considers it part of the insurance fund." "Are you on Sorority Insurance, Seth?" (if: $insurance is true)[“No, I ought to sign up for that.” "Get on it."]\ (else-if: $insurance is false)[“This place has insurance?” "It's not really insurance, more like a fund pool. You put your salary into the pool, and it pays for things like groceries or group events instead of it coming out of pocket." “I don’t have a job right now.” "Neither do half of us, that's what it's there for. You should sign up." “I’ll do that, thanks.”] "So where's the show?" "The Monde, it's just a little local thing, nothing too exciting." “*I’m* excited. I’ve never seen you dance before.” "Sure sure. Alright, I gotta go!" "Knock 'em dead, babe!" [[Ophilia leaves, and I wander off not long after.]] (set: $AffMabel to it-5)

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Evening")\ \ When the sun sets, I'm laying on my bed, wasting time on my phone when there's a knock at my door. "Come in." Aurora opens the door and walks in, looking a little tired. "Hey you." "Hey yourself. Got a second?" "Totally." I lift my legs up so Aurora can sit at the foot of my bed. She does, and sighs. "I just got done having a long conversation with Mabel." "Oh?" "Yeah. We're fine. We didn't... we didn't start out fine, but we got there. We always do." "Always..." "This has happened before. I don't need to tell you Mabel has a temper." "I might've gleamed something like that." "Tch. Yeah, well, some of the girls react to it better than others. Not that it's any of their responsibilities to 'react right' with her. I have a hard enough time with it myself." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Do you consider it your responsibility?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You were kind of mean to her today."]]</div>

"I don't know. I feel like it should be? It's my house, I'm the one that lets her stay here. I think I've got a responsibility to understand her." "She's a grown woman, Aurora. If she's gonna live with other people, she's gotta be able to control herself." "That's true. But, I mean, that's easier for some people than others. Some folks are just built short-fused, y'know?" "Do you think someone like that should be living here?" "It's... actually kind of why I want her here." "What?" "I mean, where else is she gonna go if she can't live with people? Is she supposed to be alone forever because she's got anger issues? Her home life isn't great, and..." Aurora sighs again, and stares at my door, embarrased by what she's saying. "...And I guess I feel like I can do something, y'know? To help. I want to help people. What good would I be doing if I just lived in a dorm with easy, already well-adjusted people?" "Are the others not well-adjusted either, then?" "Everybody's got their demons. But sometimes, like today, I wonder if it's fair to make everybody put up with each other at their worst. If that's worth helping them get better." "..." Aurora blushes, and pushes some hair out of her face. "I'm sorry, I'm completely oversharing. I guess it's just on my mind with you. I want you to have a good time living here." "I'm having a good time. This morning was scary, but I'm okay." "That's good. I guess I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to worry about it. I'm gonna do what I can to stay on top of it all, so... you just keep yourself in line. Deal?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Do you want me to help?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Deal."|deal]]</div> (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

Aurora frowns. "You think so? I don't want to be hard on her, but... well, it's complicated. Mabel can kind of walk over you when you let her. And I can't let her hurt the rest of us, no matter how much I sympathize. But I'd never really want to hurt her." "Of course not." "Everyone's got their problems, y'know? Some of these girls' lives are hard enough, and if we can't do the bare minimum of not making each other worse..." Aurora huffs. "But no. Mabel's gonna be fine. Bad days happen, right? That doesn't mean we just... just give up on each other. That doesn't mean I give up on her." Aurora's voice drifts off, and she sits in silence for an uncomfortable pause. I say something just to fill the air. "...No, there's no need to give up on her. You just gotta... keep chipping." Aurora blushes, and pushes some hair out of her face. "I'm sorry, I'm completely oversharing. I guess it's just on my mind with you. I want you to have a good time living here." "I'm having a good time. This morning was scary, but I'm okay." "That's good. I guess I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to worry about it. I'm gonna do what I can to stay on top of it all, so... you just keep yourself in line. Deal?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Do you want me to help?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Deal."|deal]]</div>

Aurora smiles, but subtly shakes her head. "I don't think I want you taking on that stress. Maybe when you get to know us a little better." "If you say so. I mean, I know Cynthia at least, I wouldn't mind giving you advice every now and then." "You're sweet, but no. This is what I want to do." Aurora stands up and leans on the wall next to me. "Hey, Aurora?" "Yes?" "You said everbody's here because they've got problems. Where do I fall into that?" Aurora laughs, leans down, and kisses me on the forehead. "You're here to keep us company. That's how you can help us, Seth." "I, uh, I can do that." "Goodnight, Seth." "Goodnight, Aurora." Aurora smiles, and leaves, closing the door behind me. Sitting to process that for a while, I eventually turn the lights off, lie on my back, and [[fall asleep.|alt end ch3]]

"Good boy." Aurora stands up and leans on the wall next to me. "Really, thank you. You can come to me about anything, you know." "I'll remember that." Aurora leans down and kisses me on the forehead. "Goodnight, Seth." "Uh, yeah, night." Aurora smiles, and leaves, closing the door behind me. Sitting to process that for a while, I eventually turn the lights off, lie on my back, and [[fall asleep.|alt end ch3]] (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

Mabel, High Warrior of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Strix,|Strixan]] hasn't spent that last few turns on her hands. Following Ophilia's death, she began the long trek from her colony into the territory of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Cordel,|Cordel.]] where Warmaster Cynthia was making slow preparations for the coming future. Her arrival came as a surprise to Cynthia. The outer defenses were understocked, and easily trampled. "Mabel? Already? What are you doing here?" "I'm preventing the long-game, Cordel. You need to be one of the first ones gone." Cynthia grits her teeth, and sends what forces she has to meet Mabel's. Her home-field advantage is almost enough to match Mabel's superior might, but Strix just barely pushes the front lines closer to Cordel's port. Backed into a corner, Cynthia goes for a hail mary. "Seth! I need you over here, now!" "What? You and I aren't allies, Cynthia." "Well make us allies, I'm about to get wiped out!" I'm more than a little busy myself, though. I've got Aurora vulnerable, just a few more turns and I think I can wipe her out. And it's not like I don't need Cynthia gone eventually, anyway... but maybe pulling in more favors wouldn't be a bad idea. What do I do? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ignore Cynthia, eliminate Aurora.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Disengage from Aurora, rescue Cynthia.]]</div>

"Sorry, you're on your own!" "What? Seriously!?" I block out Cynthia's cries for help, and drive into the heart of Nïhilm territory. surfing over knights and paladins, I follow my sword arm straight to the enemy commander. Aurora meets my attack with a swing every bit as might as my own. "How cold. Does my head mean so much to you that you'd pay your friend's to attain it?" "There's no such thing as a friend in war. I'd have only done to her what I'll do to you now!" I swing my spear low, slashing at Aurora's ankles, one of her more weakly defended body parts. She jumps back, managing to avoid the cut, but adding more sudden motion to her already tilted composure, set askew by my unprecedented aggression. Finally, it's enough to make her stumble; a split second I had been waiting and wagering everything to capitalize on. With a mighty leap forward, I arch my weapon over my head and plunge it straight into the crevice just beneath Aurora's breastplate. It proves a staggering and immediately fatal blow, resolving this particular conflict before it could properly develop. Good for me; I doubt I could have beat her in a real-scale fight. My men raze the ground around us, and return home in glory and honor. The only thing to sour my mood as I retreat from Nïhilm are the returning flags of Strix on the horizon, indicating that someone else indeed paid the price for my victory. [[But we move forward.]] (set: $AffAurora to it+1)

Damnit. This is gonna cost me some land, but I can't pass up this chance. You got lucky, Aurora. I pull my men back from the front lines, and take a small battalion with me on an immediate expedition northeast. Aurora watches me retreat, surprised at my decision but abstaining from comment. The trek back through the center of the continent is more treacherous than it was before. The game's developed enough to where fringe sections of multiple armies have started fighting for the right to inhabit it. Not looking to join that struggle myself, I push my way through the path of least resistence, fending off foreign factions only as long as I have to to escape. I lose a few men in the process, but eventually I reach Cordel. And not a moment too soon, Mabel has pushed Cynthia all the way back to her port, the two commanders facing off against one another directly. Mabel is burning through Cynthia's troops like tinder, while Cynthia does everything she can to make each soldier last. All the while, Cynthia herself ducks and weaves through swings of Mabel's blade. "You can struggle all you want Cynthia, but I've decided you're the next to die. There's nothing you can do to change that." "Oh I know that all too well. I'm just trying to make this as miserable as possible for you, my way of saying thanks." Approaching the heat of the battle, I ready my spear and sprint into the fray, lifting my weapon high to send it plunging into Mabel's back. But just as I thrust it down, Mabel spins around and strikes my weapon with hers, sending a deafening *clang* through our bones, perfectly deflecting my strike. She glares, and snarls at me. "You're dumber than I gave you credit for." "Call it beginner's intuition." We pull back our weapons and enter a duel, Cynthia providing pincer fire, promising to keep Mabel on her toes. She's clearly fought like this before, but I can see the stress weighing on Mabel's head as she struggles to fend off two opponents at once. She keeps most of the focus on me, swinging her sword like a whip, [[hoping for an easy kill.]] (set: $AffCynthia to it+1)

"Are you ready for a learning experience? This was a mistake on three levels, Seth." I punch my spear ahead, grazing her leg but planting my steel in the dirt. "Enlighten me." "First, Cynthia isn't someone you want surviving to the end of the game. The longer Cordel lasts, the worse things become for the rest of us." Mabel kicks me in the chest, and slices me in the chest, staining my torso red. "Second, I'm no one to make an enemy of." "We'll see about that." I twirl my spear in my hands and slash it upwards, catching Mabel off guard and sending her flying back. She lands on one knee, and holds onto the hilt of her sword for support, dazed. "Kh-..." Not interested in hearing about my third 'mistake.' I hold my arm out and command my units to charge once more at Mabel, finishing her off. But when my command is met with silence, I look behind me and realize my troops have run dry. Mabel looks up at me, and smiles, despite the wound I'd just laid on her. "Third. Never challenge your neighbor and flee." My port. My defenses weren't enough to protect it. When I fled, Aurora must have chosen to invade with everything she had... damnit, I thought I had enough time! Mabel leaps forward from her one knee, and slices through me like blistering wind. She lands on her feet behind me, and my upper body drops to the floor, separated from my lower half. Victorious, but still bleeding, Mabel takes a quick look at Cynthia before fleeing, [[sparing her life to recover back home.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Damn. Guess that's it for me." "Told you. Bad idea." "You'll do better next time, I'm sure." "At least you kept me alive." "Hah, yeah, at least. You'd better win this thing now." "I'll see what I can do." Mabel's able to make it out of Cordellian territory without much trouble. It's at the halfway point between that and home that [[she runs into trouble.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Mabel's advance is halted by an arrow soaring at a high arc from the trees. It soars over the sun and lands right at her feet. Mabel gasps, and readies her weapon. She squints to make out the figure before her. Sitting on a branch, one leg hanging lazily off the edge, High Merchant Charlie gives her a playful wave. "Headed home so soon, darling?" "Ugh, can we not do this right this second?" "But we'll never get another second like this. What's that I heard about never leaving a fight unfinished?" Mabel holds her head down, and commands her soldiers to charge forward. In response, Charlie sends a torrent of arrows at them, puncturing skulls and waning Strix's numbers. Mabel moves between Faerin mercenaries, carving a path through for her troops. Her formidiable might and unmatchable grit almost get her through Charlie's ambush. Almost. But the terrain advantage of the surprise attack proves too much to handle, and Mabel is halted in her tracks. Charlie whistles, and closes one eye to get a good shot lined up at Mabel's head. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Strix." Charlie lifts up her bow and reaches to her quiver for an arrow... [[but finds it empty.]]

(set: $AffMabel to 0) (set: $AffOphilia to 0) (set: $AffCharlie to 0) (set: $AffJessie to 0) (set: $AffCynthia to 0) (set: $AffAurora to 0) (set: $Chapter to 1) (set: $Cane to false) (set: $Blood to false) (go-to: "Chapter 1")

(if: $Chapter is 1)[I haven't spent any real time with Cynthia in nearly three years. Why, after all this time, she decides she suddenly wants us to move in together is beyond me. With so much time spent apart, you'd think she'd have moved on, found new friends, changed enough as a person that she wouldn't just default back to me when she's looking for a roommate. But... I guess I haven't done any of that either. We've always had a lot in common, so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. Her new friends seem nice, and to be honest, I'm relieved Cynthia doesn't hate me for some reason I never realized all this time. But that does make this mysterious distance sting that much more. Why for three years? Why take it all back now?]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 or 3)[I haven't gotten to spend much time with Cynthia yet. She stuck around for my whole initiation, and I had fun playing a board game with her this evening, but aside from that she seemed to be occupied with her own things for most of the day. Whether she was running errands or just wanted to be alone... I was really hoping we'd get to air things out some, now that I'm settling down in this house with her. I guess that's all I have to say about her.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 and $AffCynthia is > 2) [It's hard not to get the feeling I'm being avoided. Cynthia's dodged just about every opportunity the two of us have had to be alone since I decided to live here with her. I enjoy the time we spend together with the rest of the group, but why does Cynthia even want me here if she clearly doesn't want to be around me? Is she regretting asking me to move in already? I haven't had a chance to give her anything to regret yet. Maybe I just bring up bad memories for her. Maybe that's why we haven't seen each other for so long to begin with. But... she asked me here for a reason. Even if she wants to act cold, I know her better than that. Cynthia matters to me, and I matter to her. I think we both know that that's never, ever going to change. So we'll fix this, somehow.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 and $AffCynthia is < 3) [It's hard not to get the feeling I'm being avoided. Cynthia's dodged just about every opportunity the two of us have had to be alone since I decided to live here with her. I enjoy the time we spend together with the rest of the group, but why does Cynthia even want me here if she clearly doesn't want to be around me? Is she regretting asking me to move in already? I haven't had a chance to give her anything to regret yet. Maybe I just bring up bad memories for her. Maybe that's why we haven't seen each other for so long to begin with. But that's not fair. It's not fair to me. I miss her.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5 and $AffCynthia is > 4) [It's hard not to get the feeling I'm being avoided. Cynthia's dodged just about every opportunity the two of us have had to be alone since I decided to live here with her. I enjoy the time we spend together with the rest of the group, but why does Cynthia even want me here if she clearly doesn't want to be around me? Is she regretting asking me to move in already? I haven't had a chance to give her anything to regret yet. Maybe I just bring up bad memories for her. Maybe that's why we haven't seen each other for so long to begin with. But... she asked me here for a reason. Even if she wants to act cold, I know her better than that. Cynthia matters to me, and I matter to her. I think we both know that that's never, ever going to change. So we'll fix this, somehow.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5 and $AffCynthia is < 5) [It's hard not to get the feeling I'm being avoided. Cynthia's dodged just about every opportunity the two of us have had to be alone since I decided to live here with her. I enjoy the time we spend together with the rest of the group, but why does Cynthia even want me here if she clearly doesn't want to be around me? Is she regretting asking me to move in already? I haven't had a chance to give her anything to regret yet. Maybe I just bring up bad memories for her. Maybe that's why we haven't seen each other for so long to begin with. But that's not fair. It's not fair to me. I miss her.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 and $AffCynthia is > 8) [I'm finally starting to see a little more of Cynthia's face. Which isn't saying much- she's still usually out running some errand or locking herself in her room to study, but comparatively, it's getting better. It just bothers me that as our closeness starts to increase, so too does her micromanagement of my health. With everything that's been happening, my condition's been worsening, and Cynthia's by far been the most to notice. She can get very protective when I get sick, and it's humiliating to watch her get like that in front of the other girls. I need to get a hang of myself, so I can finally attain some sense of normalcy with her.] (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 and $AffCynthia is < 9) [Cynthia's been showing up around the house more, which is nice. I'm glad she's talking, I'm glad I get to catch her every now and then and force her to catch up with me. But those moments are few and far between. Whatever time she's not spending studying in her room or out running errands, she seems to be finding something to occupy herself with. If nothing else, I like seeing her relationship with the other girls. She seems to dote on Aurora and Charlie a good bit, which is cute. I don't know, there's just this feeling I get, a special kind of lonliness I feel when she specifically refuses to give me her attention. It's a holdover from childhood, I think. I'll get over it I guess.] (else-if: $Chapter is 8) [In the middle of an argument between Charlie Parth and an invasive news-crew, Cynthia Paluri, my closest childhood friend, pulls a loaded pistol out of her bag and fires a bullet straight through a stranger's camera. And just like that, any notion I might have had that I was starting to get to know her again shatters like the glass of that camera's lens. I couldn't even begin to fathom why that woman would choose to arm herself. There couldn't be anything less in character for the woman I spent my entire fucking life growing up locked at the elbow with. I know better than to throw a fit about it, but honestly, it fucking infuriates me. I've had enough of this weird game she's been playing with me. Some day soon, she and I are having a long, tedious conversation about how exactly she got to the place she's at.] Cynthia's bond with Seth is at $BondCynthia (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(if: $Chapter is 1)[Aurora has been a refreshingly easy person to introduce myself to, in comparison to the rest of the sorority. She's welcoming, she isn't imposing, but she also has an easy time holding a conversation. She treats me like I've already been here for weeks, and that makes it easy to imagine myself staying here long-term. Clearly, she's done this sort of thing before. The other girls all clearly look to her as a leader; she does a really good job organizing everyone. At least, it seems that way at a glance. That said, there is this sort of pressure in the room whenever I'm around her. Not necessarily coming *from* her, but I feel like I have to push this weight off of my chest whenever she walks away from me. Maybe that's just nerves. As friendly and unimposing as she is, she's still a new person. And she's really pretty. I don't want her to dislike me.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2)[It seems like Aurora has completely accepted me as the new member of her family. Now, she's moved onto the phase where she tries to learn everything she can about me. It seems like Aurora spends a lot of time thinking about group dynamics; what worries people, and how to avoid conflict. I can relate to that, I've spent most of my time here so far worrying about causing conflict myself. This side of Aurora is admittedly a good bit more intense than she was yesterday. I feel a little like I'm being opened up, but at the same time, she isn't prying or cornering me at all. I think she wants to be on the same page as me, so we can work together to make my transition into this place as seamless as possible. That'd be really nice. It's good to have allies in unfamiliar territory.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 3)[In the few days that I've known her, Aurora has been gentle, intelligent, inquisitive, and considerate. It took no effort to understand why the sorority respects her in times of peace. Today though, I came to understand how she controls this place in times of unrest. Following Mabel's outburst, she wasted no time disarming Jessie, and then repremanding Mabel for her actions. It worked, she de-escalated the situation in just a few seconds, but I couldn't help but be a little unsettled by her shift in demeanor. She had such an unpleasant rage in her eyes. How she scowled at the two of them, the way she threatened both of them. The way she slapped Mabel... It was scary. That whole situation was scary, but she specifically was scary. I guess that's a big part of being respected; holding the power to be feared.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 and $AffAurora is > 5) [I'm coming to appreciate the pressure of Aurora's position as sorority leader. Needing to maintain the balance between all of these people, keeping a leash on them if that balance comes undone. Aurora has to understand everyone in this group, so she can know how to handle us at our best and worst. I imagine it's not that unlike raising six children at once. I can't say that I liked how she handled things with Mabel, but I don't envy her position in the slightest. It seems like it weighs on her a little too, try as she does to look perfect and composed. I guess all I can do is try to keep myself straight, and not cause her any more problems. If possible, I'd like to be someone she can let her guard down around.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 and $AffAurora is < 6) [Aurora has been the least difficult person for me to adjust to in my time living here. Which is nice, because some of these girls have been real challenges. She's clearly interested in getting to know me, and I feel the same way. I feel nice around her, it's easy to get lost in conversation with her and pass the time. That said, I can't get the image of her chastising Mabel out of my head. She was so intense, it's a little unsettling to know someone so calm and mature has that much anger ready to go. I guess you need it to be doing this job, but still... I'd hate to be on the recieving end of it.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 and $Bloodless is true) [Aurora has thoroughly asserted herself to me. I directly disobeyed her wishes regarding Ophilia, and in return, she put me mercilessly in my place. I'd be a fool not to recognize that there's a darkness inside of Aurora, beyond the intimidation factor necessary to rule over a house like this one. That woman has teeth, and I very well may need to bare my own if I intend to keep challenging her authority. But after meeting the real Katherine, and promising her I would cleanse this house of it's demons, I don't think I'll have a choice but to keep butting heads with Aurora. I'll probably have to face Aurora's as well, somewhere down the line. I just hope I have what it takes to get through to her, whatever it is that's haunting her.] (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 or 8 and $Bloodless is false) [In the midst of all sorts of chaos and stress from all directions at all times, Aurora Miller has remained a pleasant constant. Time and time again, she has made an effort to check on me, to empathize with my position, and to assure me that I have a place in this house and this community. That's not to say everything has been perfect with her; there is a sort of distance that has to be there between her and I, by virtue of her being in charge of this house and its people. but that doesn't make me *feel* distant from her. On the contrary, it's surprisingly comforting to know that she's comfortable being more than just a friend or a roommate to me. That she sees this place, and she understands us, and she does what she does for the good of us all, even if I won't always understand it. She's our leader. And I believe that she's doing a good job at being a leader, so far. I'm glad that we have her.] (else-if: $Chapter is 8 and $Bloodless is true) [Aurora made a direct, and intense, point to tell me that I should not step outside of my bounds when it comes to the other women here and their emotional struggles. She put me beneath her body and smothered the point into my brain. I could not have understood its implications any more clearly. And yet, just a few short days later, I directly disobeyed her. With Charlie's help, I put myself somewhere I didn't belong, and changed Charlie from the inside out. I know there's going to be a reckoning for my decision. But I'm just going to have to deal with it. Aurora(if: $Catch is true)[ doesn't understand the scope of what's happening here, she]'s just as lost as the rest of them. I can't let her stop me, no matter what she chooses to do. Because in the end, I'm doing this for her, too.] Aurora's bond with Seth is at $BondAurora (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(if: $Chapter is 1)[Ophilia's an odd character, that's immediate at a glance. She's bubbly, but quiet, and a little awkward. I feel this instinct to tread lightly and speak softly around her, which I think I share with the other girls in the sorority, if their behavior is anything to go by. I wish I felt that instinct a little more strongly today, because in one stupid motion I learned about her deceased sister, Katherine, and gave the poor girl a breakdown. I just hope she doesn't hold it against me.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 or 3 and $AffOphilia is > 2)[Ophila gets stranger to me every conversation I have with her, it seems. You can have a perfectly nice conversation with her, only for her to do a complete shift in her mood when something sets her into a panic. I can't even tell what's bothering her half of the time, and it seems like the other girls can't tell either. Spacey is definitely a word I'd use for her, but that aside... she's a really sweet girl. I can see why everyone coddles her, she reminds me of a baby bird. As long as I can avoid any more stupid mistakes around her, I've got high hopes that she and I can get along alright.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 or 3 and $AffOphilia is < 3) [Ophilia feels kinda distant to me. Not unfriendly, but not welcoming, either. She seems to exist in her own little world a lot of the time, it's hard to keep her attention. I understand that she's probably still adjusting to my being here, but... I mean, she's a founding member of this place. You'd think she'd be better around new roommates at this point. I don't know, she seems pretty harmless, I just haven't really figured her out yet. Everyone seems to adore her, so I'm sure I will too, eventually.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 and $AffOphilia is > 5) [At first, Ophilia struck me as a sort of baby bird, which is to say I found her gentle and fragile and didn't think much else about her. Now, I think she's more like a sort of dog, albeit a low-energy one. She likes to cling onto people, I don't tend to see her alone all that much. And whatever time she isn't spending holding someone's hand, she's half asleep. She's a happy-go-lucky girl, and I think she's really pleasant to be around, but it's also hard to stay on the same page as her. Conversations with Ophilia take a turn to the confusing without much warning. I'm not sure if I'm just getting unlucky with her, or if reading her language is just a skill I have to develop over time. Either way, I'm learning not to get so shaken by the awkward tension that accompanies Ophilia and I. She doesn't even seem to notice it's there, so she must not hate me or anything.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 and $AffOphilia is < 6) [Ophilia is difficult to build a relationship with, in my experience. She seems to really value the relationships she's already built; most of the time I see her, she's clung to the arm of one of the other girls. Which I guess is nice, it's good that she likes her friends, but I can't help but feel a little shut out by her. It's not like I haven't tried to mend our awkward first impressions of one another, I just don't feel a similar effort coming from her. The girls are clearly very protective of Ophilia, so if she and I are going to have any sort of heart-to-heart, I think I need to force us to spend some time alone together. Which should be fine, as long as her polite smile and whispery voice aren't just there to mask that fact that she can't stand being around me.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5 and $Bloodless is true) [Ophilia has been hiding things. From me, from the other girls, from everyone. She's been haunted by some figment of her sister's ghost, convincing her that she needs to spend body and soul to repay for the accident that took Katherine from her. It makes sense to me now why she and I have had such a hard time connecting- she didn't see any point in trying. To her, I was a problem to get rid of, and she'd spent that last two weeks or so planning to do exactly that. How seamlessly she managed to manipulate us, manipulate *me*, is kind of astonishing. But I don't hate her for it, Not even a little bit. Ophilia's been stuck in hell for a year, and somehow, no one has noticed enough to pull her out of it. If anything, it's hard not to resent the others for not doing something sooner... no, that's not fair. Something demonic is happening, and these people, this place, are caught in the middle of it. I just need to be glad we didn't lose Ophilia to whatever that puppet really was.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5 and $Bloodless is false) [Ophilia is difficult to build a relationship with, in my experience. She seems to really value the relationships she's already built; most of the time I see her, she's clung to the arm of one of the other girls. Which I guess is nice, it's good that she likes her friends, but I can't help but feel a little shut out by her. It's not like I haven't tried to mend our awkward first impressions of one another, I just don't feel a similar effort coming from her. The girls are clearly very protective of Ophilia, so if she and I are going to have any sort of heart-to-heart, I think I need to force us to spend some time alone together. Which should be fine, as long as her polite smile and whispery voice aren't just there to mask that fact that she can't stand being around me.]\ (if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 or 8 and $Bloodless is true) [Severed from the puppeted phantom of her sister, Ophilia is noticeably having some trouble adjusting to the quietness in her head. She's been spending a lot of time with me, which is sweet. I'm glad I have the opportunity to provide her some sort of comfort after all the hell she's been put through. I was told she could be clingy once she takes a liking to you, and I'd seen it to some degree with Mabel. I just hope that, once the trauma wears off, she'll want to be around me because she genuinely likes me, and not just because she has some compulsion to.] (if: $Chapter is 6 and $Bloodless is false) [Ophilia and I went on a walk downtown. We're closer now.] (if: $Chapter is 7 or 8 and $Bloodless is false) [I think I've been a little unfair to Ophilia. She's a very nice girl, and it's clear that she really likes her sisters, and she shows that the best way that she can. She and I just funciton very differently, in the way we think. She's very, very, very spacey, and it makes it hard to follow her train of thought, and *that* makes it hard to understand some of the things she does. It's not that she ever tries to be inconsiderate, or rude, or unsettling. We're all going through our own stuff. We're all different, that doesn't mean we can't be friends.] Ophilia's bond with Seth is at $BondOphilia (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(if: $Chapter is 1)[So, I'm moving in with a celebrity. That's exciting, and only the fourth most terrifying thing about moving in here. I put my foot in my mouth letting slip that I'm even a passing fan of hers, but I guess she was gonna find that out eventually, so hiding my familiarity would've just been worse. She seems chill at least, if not much of a talker.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 or 3 and $threesome is false)[Charlie's pretty fun. A couple days with her has given me the impression that she's mostly content to just smoke and hang out with her friends. She's the funniest person in the sorority, which I think she only manages *because* she doesn't really care about much. The downside to that is that I don't feel like I've really learned much about her, even compared to the others. Seems like I'm gonna find her in a semi-comatose state a lot while I'm living with her. Which, as far as roommates go, could be a lot worse. As long as she's not hurting anybody, I guess I don't care what she does any more than she does.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 or 3 and $threesome is true) [Most of the time, Charlie is so detached and low-energy that I wonder if she's even aware of what's going on around her. As it turns out, I was only seeing one side of her personality, and all she needs to wake up is to feel powerful. Whether it be during a board game, or mounting a disoriented boy in her bed, Charlie holds a demeanor like a rabid animal. It's honestly a little scary seeing just how much she changes when she gets a little adrenaline in her system. I wasn't even remotely expecting to sleep with anyone in this house, and absolutely not on my second night here. I guess I should thank Charlie and Jessie for 'breaking me in' together... I mean, I definitely enjoyed the experience. I'm not really sure why I feel sorta anxious thinking about it still. I guess it just doesn't feel like it really happened yet.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 or 6 and $AffCharlie is > 5) [Charlie seems to be having an easier time talking to me lately. Which is nice, I find I like her more the more I get her to bother opening up to me. She's clearly very disinterested, just as a personality trait. She might even be a little depressed, not that I know her well enough to be saying that. She just has this sort of complacancy in regards to her living situation that I chalked up to her being high all the time, but the more I listen to her, the more it sounds like I might be mixing up cause and effect. It seems like she likes to get high to turn her brain off, and not have to worry about worrying about anything. And that's kind of a shame, I hope she's not sad all the time. She's got a really nice smile.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 or 6 and $AffCharlie is < 6) [Charlie's pretty fun. A couple days with her has given me the impression that she's mostly content to just smoke and hang out with her friends. She's the funniest person in the sorority, which I think she only manages *because* she doesn't really care about much. The downside to that is that I don't feel like I've really learned much about her, even compared to the others. Seems like I'm gonna find her in a semi-comatose state a lot while I'm living with her. Which, as far as roommates go, could be a lot worse. As long as she's not hurting anybody, I guess I don't care what she does any more than she does.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 7 and $Breakup is true) [Charlie's been on edge lately, it seems. She's had this weird, manic energy about her recently, and I'm not quite sure where it came from. It's made some of her behavior feel more concerning to me, mostly in regards to her relationship with Jessie. Learning more about Jessie's life and her job at Pandora, I can't help but squirm at the way Charlie treats her sometimes. Maybe that's why I convinced Jessie to put some space between the two of them. It seems like Charlie took that pretty hard. Can't imagine she and I will be too affectionate with each other any time soon.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 7 and $Breakup is false) [Charlie's been on edge lately, it seems. She's had this weird, manic energy about her recently, and I'm not quite sure where it came from. It's made some of her behavior feel more concerning to me, mostly in regards to her relationship with Jessie. Learning more about Jessie's life and her job at Pandora, I can't help but squirm at the way Charlie treats her sometimes. But it's clear that Charlie really, really likes Jessie. If Jessie chose to take on that kind of attention, who am I to get in their way? It's not like I dislike Charlie at all, I'm just concerned. She's clearly got a lot going on behind those hazy eyes.] (else-if: $Chapter is 8) [Charlie hides her inner feelings through an easy smile and a quiet voice. While she's usually content to be seen as a shallow, stony jester, today I finally broke through and saw her for how she really is. Charlie is suffering, she has been for as long as she's been at Saintsridge. Mourning took a toll on her mind, and the pressures of the fame she was born into only exasperated things. When she lashed out and hurt an innocent girl, rather than receiving any understanding or care, she was cast away and forgotten about. She uses drugs, sex, and humor to distance herself from those painful feelings. I know it took a world of bravery for her to let me in the way she has, especially since it seems she did so more willingly than most. I'm going to do everything I can to show her that trusting me wasn't a mistake, and she doesn't have to fear the truth anymore.] Charlie's bond with Seth is at $BondCharlie (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(if: $Chapter is 1)[Jessie has been the most immediately enthusiastic about my moving in here, as far as the people I'm just meeting go. She's a good bit taller and more muscular than most of the others, so I imagine she'd be pretty frightening if I got the sense she was uneasy with me being here. Which might be the reason she's making a point to be so friendly. I mean, she's even a little scary *because* of how easy it is for her to get up in my space. That said, my first impressions with the group have been rocky to say the least, so I absolutely appreciate Jessie trying to make things easy on me.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 and $threesome is false)[I think I might have been giving Jessie too much credit, thinking she was going out of her way to make me feel comfortable. I think she just has a sort of performative personality, the type to cling to attention and get along easily with those who give it to her. That isn't to say I think she's fake or anything. She's got an ego on her, for sure, but she seems really earnest once she puts that away for a second. I get the impression that she's a lot more in sync with the other girls than she lets on, the group is lucky to have her.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 and $threesome is true) [I think I might have been giving Jessie too much credit, thinking she was going out of her way to make me feel comfortable. I think she just has a sort of performative personality, the type to cling to attention and get along easily with those who give it to her. I say this, because a good portion of my experience with Jessie so far has been friendly banter leading into semi-aggressive sexual innuendo. From some people, that could be a way to ease somebody's nerves, let them know that everyone feels safe here by being the first to flirt. However, when Jessie got me in a room alone with her and Charlie, she had no problem throwing me straight into the deep end, discarding all notions of caution, and planting my head between her thighs. Jessie isn't looking out for me, she just *is* the way she appears to be. Now I know not to underestimate her.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 3)[Jessie and Mabel got into a pretty serious fight today. Seems that Jessie came to Mabel for help with schoolwork, and it gradually devolved to a screaming match where the two hurled insults at each other until Mabel snapped, and punched Jessie. I've never really seen Jessie angry before that moment. In the back of my mind, I'd been wondering how much of that muscle is for show, or how willing she'd be to use any of it if she needed to. As it turns out, she wouldn't even *need* to. I'm glad Aurora saw what was coming, and stopped Jessie before she could really hurt Mabel back. I mean, it's fair to defend yourself, Mabel did swing first. It just kind of surprises me that Jessie either has that bad of a grip on her own anger, or that she has that little of a problem punching down.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 and $AffJessie is > 5) [I've come to a revelation in regards to ADA's resident showgirl: Jessie is kind of a sadist. I've been overcomplicating her, thinking about the different ways she may or may not be navigating her social web and considering her effects on others. I think Jessie just really, really likes getting under other people's skin. Which, honestly, makes it a lot easier to not take it seriously. She can make as many sexual advances as she wants, and as long as I know she's just trying to establish some sort of dominance, I've got no problem fighting back. The only problem is that I don't really know what it takes to get her to back off yet; I sincerely doubt she'd have any problem literally asserting her dominance over me. At the very least, Jessie is the one person that I absolutely never have to worry about making uncomfortable.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 and $AffJessie is < 6) [I think I might have been giving Jessie too much credit, thinking she was going out of her way to make me feel comfortable. I think she just has a sort of performative personality, the type to cling to attention and get along easily with those who give it to her. That isn't to say I think she's fake or anything. She's got an ego on her, for sure, but she seems really earnest once she puts that away for a second. I get the impression that she's a lot more in sync with the other girls than she lets on, the group is lucky to have her. It's just a shame that Mabel seems to be such an immediate exception.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5 or 6 and $AffJessie is > 5) [I've come to a revelation in regards to ADA's resident showgirl: Jessie is kind of a sadist. I've been overcomplicating her, thinking about the different ways she may or may not be navigating her social web and considering her effects on others. I think Jessie just really, really likes getting under other people's skin. Which, honestly, makes it a lot easier to not take it seriously. She can make as many sexual advances as she wants, and as long as I know she's just trying to establish some sort of dominance, I've got no problem fighting back. The only problem is that I don't really know what it takes to get her to back off yet; I sincerely doubt she'd have any problem literally asserting her dominance over me. At the very least, Jessie is the one person that I absolutely never have to worry about making uncomfortable.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 5 or 6 and $AffJessie is < 6) [I think I might have been giving Jessie too much credit, thinking she was going out of her way to make me feel comfortable. I think she just has a sort of performative personality, the type to cling to attention and get along easily with those who give it to her. That isn't to say I think she's fake or anything. She's got an ego on her, for sure, but she seems really earnest once she puts that away for a second. I get the impression that she's a lot more in sync with the other girls than she lets on, the group is lucky to have her. It's just a shame that Mabel seems to be such an immediate exception.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 7 or 8 and $Breakup is true) [My perception of Jessie becomes less secure every second I spend with her. What once struck me as a confident, sexually-positive amazon has gradually faded into the image of a confused, anxious, and surprisingly cold ruffian. I don't say this to insult her. On the contrary, I'm elated to get to know Jessica more as a human, past the admittedly fun persona she introduced herself with. Jessie knows something about this house, and she's getting around to trusting me enough to share that knowledge with me. In exchange for that trust, I convinced her to destroy her relationship with Charlie. I'm not sure if I consider that a mistake yet. I guess that's going to be for her to decide.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 7 or 8) [My perception of Jessie becomes less secure every second I spend with her. What once struck me as a confident, sexually-positive amazon has gradually faded into the image of a confused, anxious, and surprisingly cold ruffian. I don't say this to insult her. On the contrary, I'm elated to get to know Jessica more as a human, past the admittedly fun persona she introduced herself with. That said, she remains frustratingly aloof. I can't shake the feeling that she's holding back from me, though what she's holding back for I'm not sure. Is she as apprehensive of me as I am of her? Does she think there are parts of me I'm keeping hidden like she does? I'd be happy to show myself to her, I just have to know she wants what I want out of it.]\ Jessie's bond with Seth is at $BondJessie (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(if: $Chapter is 1)[Mabel is clearly uncomfortable with the thought of me living here. While she puts on an almost polite mask for me when the other girls are around, she took the first private opportunity she could to tell me I was far from welcome here. Why she's convinced I'm some sort of creep trying to sneak into her bedroom is beyond me. I hope I can find a way to help her warm up.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 and $AffMabel is > 2)[I did the unthinkable, and managed to get Mabel to accept a gift from me. I got her to willingly step foot in my room, in fact. Just yesterday I'd have considered that a fever dream. Mabel is still very clearly uneasy around me, and I wouldn't go as far as to say that we're friends. But after getting to see her enjoy herself, getting to see her happy around her friends... I feel like it might not be so impossible for us to get along. If we're both willing to try.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 2 and $AffMabel is < 3) [I haven't made much progress on the Mabel front. Her hostility towards me is palpable, and what efforts I've made to smooth the jagged ground have proven ineffective. Still, it was nice seeing her ease up and enjoy playing a game with the rest of us. She's kind of cute when she gets all competitive like that. I haven't given up yet. But Mabel remains my firmest obstacle to feeling like I fit in this house.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 3 and $Cane is true) [In an event that will haunt me until the day I die, Mabel and I found ourselves hunted by a supernatural entity in this very house. It hurt us, both of us, in ways I'd never been hurt before, and threw me into a flurry of distress and rage that felt too vast, too horrible for my one limited mind. It was petrifying, and I'd give anything never to have to experience it again. And yet... I feel like I understand Mabel better now. She's nothing like I thought she was. How could I not see these scars?]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 3 and $Cane is false) [Mabel had a fight with Jessie, and in a fit of rage, she struck Jessie across the jaw. After that, she was more afraid than I'd ever seen her before; if that was because of Aurora confronting her, or fear over her own actions, I can't tell. I didn't see her after she got sent up to her room. I hope she's doing alright.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 and $Cane is true and $AffMabel is > 7) [Mabel and I seem to really be coming around to each other. She doesn't trust me; not because she has a real reason not to trust me, but because she just can't seem to manage to. I understand it, I don't resent her for it. I can tell she's trying, and I want to do everything I can to help her. She's a good person, and a good sister to the rest of us. I'm glad I can finally call her a friend.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 and $Cane is true and $AffMabel is < 8) [Mabel is working through a lot. That horrible monster showed me that much through the hell it inflicted on us. She and I are at an understanding; she knows I'm not going to hurt her or her friends, and I know she doesn't hate me, even if it feels like it sometimes. I can't blame her for being cold to me, it isn't her fault. I just hope that I can help her break out of this shell she's spent so long cramped up inside.]\ (else-if: $Chapter is 4 or 5 and $Cane is false) [So, Mabel decided she wanted to apologize to me for being so antagonistic. I guess that's nice, but I have no idea why she did that. I guess she just regrets blowing up so badly at Jessie. I can't blame her for wanting to clean up her act, especially around someone new. I'm not sure I buy that the two of us are actually okay now, but if Mabel can accept me living here, then good.] (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 or 8 and $Cane is true and $AffMabel > 12) [Mabel, the resident sorority brat, is comfortably and decisively over her misgivings of a man moving into her home with her. What remains now of her prickly, indignant disposition is entirely part of her nature. She's a good person, and she really tries to make things right with the people she hurts. But she just can't seem to stop hurting people in little ways. I know a lot of that comes from her home life, so I don't hold it against her in the slightest. But I can see in her eyes how much it eats her, that she keeps sabotaging her own relationships over so many petty things. I don't expect her to change completely, I just hope I'm doing enough to show her that I love her and accept her as she is. That said, I do wish she'd be a little more gentle with me and my cane. I swear, she forgets how weak I am any time she wants to get a little rough.] (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 or 8 and $Cane is true and $AffMabel < 13) [Mabel, the resident sorority brat, is comfortably and decisively over her misgivings of a man moving into her home with her. What remains now of her prickly, indignant disposition is entirely part of her nature. She remains a snarky, well-meaning, occasionally violent kid with a beautiful heart. Her relationship with Jessie doesn't seem to have developed much, which is disappointing to see. Honestly, that goes for the others, too. Mabel is an un-weathered shore; her relationship with everyone save for Ophilia, and maybe Charlie, is either distant or rocky. I have faith in her, though. I can tell she wants to change, and I believe she's going to improve. I'll do whatever I can to help her heal.] (else-if: $Chapter is 6 or 7 or 8 and $Cane is false) [Since she apologized to me that night, Mabel seems to have mostly calmed down. She's still a little edgy, to be sure, but it's nothing like the first few days I spent with her. I guess I really did just scare her that much, and something about it set her off. She must be really embarrased about the fight she started. I'm not holding a grudge against her about it; if this is what she's really like, then she and I are gonna get along just fine.] Mabel's bond with Seth is at $BondMabel (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

"Huh?" Charlie grabs for an arrow again, sure she still has ammunition left, but again she pulls nothing out. Below her, all of her archers are having the same problem. "What the hell? Where did all of our..." One of Charlie's mercenaries screams in pain, and drops dead. Coming up the hill is Aurora, Champion General of Nïhilm, and the army she commands. Aurora herself is radiating a holy golden glow, evidently having some efffect on her enemies. Charlie stands up, on high alert. "Shit. Range has been disabled, everyone change formation and push for-" But Aurora throws her mighty halberd like a javelin, striking Charlie in the chest and knocking her out of the tree. She lands unceremoniously on her back, where Mabel wastes no time rushing up to her and putting her down. The combined armies of Nïhilm and Strix clean up the now leaderless Faerin mercenaries, while Mabel pulls the halberd out of Charlie's body and hands it to Aurora. "I didn't call for backup." "It helps to have friends in low places sometimes." "I'm glad you decided we were friends, General." [[Aurora welcomes Mabel the rest of the way back home.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "*I'm* not!" "Yeah what the hell, Mabel was totally finished!" "That's too bad, Charlie. Accounting for the unpredictability of war is tantamount to good strategy." Mabel flips both of us off at once. "Tch. Unpredictable, my ass. I'm unpredictable. I'll show you unpredictable." "You're not gonna show us anything, you're dead." "Yeah? And did that stop the guy from Braveheart?" "Kinda, yeah." [[Charlie crosses her arms and huffs.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ The next few turns go over relatively peacefully. Aurora and Mabel recuperate their strength together, building their barracks and villages along one anothers' borders without any fear of neighboring conflict. Some dozen turns later, the two generals decide it's safe to take to the battlefield again. With Mabel's business left unfinished, they set their sights back on Cordel, and Cynthia. Cynthia stands ready at her port, having gathered her own strength with this time by scavenging from the corpses the war has left behind. This late in the game, she knows she stands a solid chance, even against two allied commanders. But there is one more challenger from the south, who's been lying in wait for this conflict to come through. As Mabel and Aurora arrive in Cordel territory, Jessie and the army of Brickton make themselves known. Eager for bloodshed, they raise their weapons high above their head and chant rowdy and discordant war songs. [[The final four commanders sound the drums of war.]]

“Then maybe we’re done w- *oh*…” As soon as I’m back on my feet, I feel my legs buckle under my own weight, and the world starts tilting around me. Mabel gasps and tries to catch me, but isn’t close enough to keep me from dropping back to the ground. “*Unf-*” “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” “I’m alright, just- got up too fast. Hang on.” I plant my palms to the ground, and steadily push myself up again. Mabel gets close and supports me the whole way up. I feel relatively fine most of the way to my feet, but as soon as I’m really standing- My legs buckle again, and I drop all of my weight on Mabel. She expects it this time, so she manages to hold me up, but I can’t even keep enough balance to help her out. …Shit. I remember this feeling. “Seth, you’re still hurt. Are you seeing okay?” “Mhm. I, uh… look, you should put me down for a second.” Hesitantly, she does. I lean against the wall, and sigh. “Can you go to my room for me, Mabel?” “Why?” “There’s a cane under my bed. I think it’s in a clear container with some other junk. Go grab it for me, please.” I’m sure Mabel’s giving me a hell of a look for that, but I don’t want to see it. I stare at the wall while she opens the door and enters the hall. Mabel leaves the door open. I hear the other girls talking downstairs. [[Thank god, a silver lining.]]

After a few minutes, Mabel comes back holding the cane I used up until the latter half of high school. Mabel helps me stand up again, and with its help I’m able to keep myself upright. It’s a little short for me now; I guess I stopped growing a little later than my parents said I would. I stand and stare at it for what I’m sure is an awkwardly long time for Mabel… I really thought I’d never have to use this thing again. “Thanks.” “Can you walk?” I take a few steps with it. It takes a few moments to get the hang of using it again, but unfortunately that muscle memory hasn’t gone anywhere. I take a trip around the room, and nod. “Do you want to talk about what happened before we see everyone else?” “I don’t know what we can even say about it. Do you have any idea what all that was?” “I was hoping you’d know more than I did. I guess monsters are real.” “That felt like a demon more than anything.” “Whatever you want to call it.” “I’m not even sure you and I saw the same thing.” “I’m pretty sure we didn’t.” “...” “We’ll figure it out. I want to see the girls.” [[“Me, too.”]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ It’s dark. Not as dark as last time, but still. Dark. Mabel and I walk to the staircase, and look down to the living room. Sure enough, Charlie, Ophilia, and Cynthia are sitting and chatting together. It doesn’t take long for them to notice us watching them. They go quiet and look back at us expectantly. "Hey you. Look who’s still alive." "What do you mean?" "It's seven p.m., you two have been up there all day. What happened?" "Actually, do we want to know what you two were doing up there?" "What does *that* mean?" Charlie raises her eyebrows at me and stares. Then it clicks what she’s implying. "-Oh! Jesus, no, nothing happened. We're fine." "Are you okay, Mabel? I was really worried, you're not still mad, are you?" Mabel gives a warm smile and heads down the stairs. She sits next to Ophilia, hugging her tightly. "No Phili, I'm not mad anymore. There's nothing to worry about, I promise." "Oh, good… h- hey, you're crushing me!" Mabel lets her go, and laughs. "Ha, sorry. It's just nice to hear your voice again." "'Nice to hear your voice?' She was two rooms away, weirdo." “Shut up, junkie. I didn't miss your half-baked hick drawl.” “Hey, this hick’s voice makes more money in a week than you’ll see ‘till your ass is six feet down, Peppermint. Well, four feet two.” Mabel gives a sheepish smile, and tackles Charlie as roughly as she did Ophilia. "There's that smile. I missed it." “Shut up and hug me, Charlie.” Charlie looks down at Mabel, then at me. “What did you do to her, dude?” I shrug, and make my way carefully down the stairs. [[The girls gasp when they see the state I’m in.]]

“Whoa…” “Seth, what happened to you?” “Oh, um, I just feel a little under the weather. It’s kind of a long story.” The girls all look concerned, but Cynthia’s eyes in particular are burning a hole straight through me. “...” “I’m fine, I promise. I, uh…” Please stop looking at me like that. (set: $AffCynthia to it+2) “...I’ll go visit the doctor after school tomorrow.” “Have you been taking your iron?” “I’m out.” “You’re *out?*” “I just ran out. It’s not a big deal, I’ll get more.” “Yes, you will.” "So… where are Jessie and Aurora?" "Aurora's room. They wanted a little time to themselves, they'll be back soon." "Great…" I sit at the loveseat, letting the cane rest between my legs. "What about you three? Have you been here the whole time we were gone?" [[Ophilia shakes her head.]]

"Actually, I had my last dress rehearsal today." "Rehearsal? What for?" "Oh shit, did we forget to tell you? Phili has a recital this tuesday." "Oh, no way! Are there still tickets open?" "That's sweet, but you don't have to worry about that. Aurora buys tickets for us beforehand, so I'm sure she covered you, too." “Oh hang on, are you signed up for ADA’s insurance, Seth?” (if: $insurance is true)[“No, I ought to sign up for that.” “Yeah, get on that.”]\ (else-if: $insurance is false)[“This place has insurance?” “That’s just what it’s called, it’s a money pool. You put your salary into the sorority, and it pays for stuff like this for you.” “I don’t have a job right now.” “That’s why we have it. You don’t have to miss out because you’re worried about food or whatever else. You should sign up.” “I’ll do that, thanks.”]\ "So where's the show?" "*The Monde*, it's just a little local thing, nothing too exciting." “*I’m* excited. I’ve never seen you dance before.” Ophilia blushes and looks away from me. Charlie takes the chance to embarrass her further. "She's fantastic, you know. I first saw her before I even joined ADA, and I was blown away. I think I got a little faint seeing her up there." "Charlie, stooop!" "It's true, Phili, no need to be modest." "Thanks, guys…" A door creaks open upstairs, then [[Aurora and Jessie join us in the living room.]]

Jessie and Mabel share a quick look before both darting their eyes away. Aurora sits on the arm of the couch directly above Mabel, who moved to sit on the floor a minute ago. "You're back. Good. Had enough time alone?" "Mhm." "What are we talking about?" "We're talking about Phili's concert. Are you buying Seth's ticket, Aurora?" "Of course. I'm more than happy to pay for the whole sorority." Aurora looks down at Mabel, who’s staring at her feet. "Assuming we'll all be going?" "Yes, Aurora." “Yeah? Are you gonna control yourself out there? Not going to make a scene out in public?” "No, Aurora." "Hey, Mabel's gonna be fine. She has a right to come with us if she wants to." Aurora looks at me, and while she doesn’t look angry, I still feel like I stepped somewhere I shouldn't've. “I know that. I just want to make sure we’re in the right headspace to be in public together.” Aurora hangs her arm off the couch and strokes Mabel’s hair. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Peppermint." [[Mabel smiles and brushes herself against the couch, clearly enjoying the embrace quite a bit.]]

"Hey, Mabel, guess what?" "Hm?" “Remember that puzzle cube you showed me last week? I saw one at the bookstore the other day, so I went out and bought it. Do you wanna try to knock it out tonight?” "Wait, really? I forgot all about that, totally!" Mabel stands up, surprising everyone with her enthusiasm. "Oh, right now? I guess I don't have anything else to do tonight." "It's getting late anyway, I'm gonna head to bed." "Yeah, we might as well call it. Phili's gotta stay well rested for her magnum opus." "Haha, I guess I should." [[We head upstairs to do our nightly routines.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ She tries to be subtle about it, but I can feel Cynthia breathing down my neck, making sure I don’t fall climbing the stairs. Wonderful, I’m glad that’s the kind of attention I’m getting the moment I'm back on this stupid stick. As we say our goodnights, Aurora takes Mabel’s hand and leads her to her bedroom. "Night, guys." "Goodnight!" "Night, girls." Mabel stops halfway down the hall and looks at me. She lets go of Aurora's hand and walks up. "..." …Does she want me to do something? I know we can't just outright talk about what's on both of our minds, but she's just… staring at me. For a second I think she's about to hug me, but she pulls back and squeezes my hand instead. "Thank you, Seth." "Goodnight, Mabel." Mabel trots back to Aurora and takes her hand, breaking Aurora out of her thousand-yard-stare. She hugs Mabel to her side and [[takes her the rest of the way to her room.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ I spent most of the day asleep, by all accounts I shouldn't be this tired. But I think I could pass out again if I let myself. But I won't let that happen, not yet. There has to be someone out there that's seen what I've seen. I've never given a second look to any paranormal threads or groups online before, but now that I have some idea of what's real and what isn't, [[I'll just look up…]]

…What do I look up? I take out my laptop and stare like a dumbass; I don’t know the first thing on how to describe what happened to me. I start with ‘encounters with the paranormal.’ That brings me to an IMDB page and a Buzzfeed article, which is about what I should've expected. Being vague is just gonna get me movie garbage. I take a shot in the dark and search ‘malformed monster that brings you to pocket dimension.’ That gives me something more specific; a bunch of people talk about this gangly thing that looks kind of like a starving old man. But no, this is fictional too, it's some kind of cryptid mascot. …I type the words ‘big red demon’ into the search bar, but I delete it without even trying it out. Not worth the effort. This goes on for a few more minutes, I get at least a dozen web pages of nothing. What am I expecting the internet to show me, exactly? If it weren't for Mabel, I'd doubt if that whole mess was even real. I think I'm going about this the wrong way. I'm not gonna find anything real looking for articles or pictures or whatever else. I need to talk to someone who's seen what I've seen. If the internet's good for anything it's bringing people together, so I need to look for a chatroom. I search ‘forum for people who have seen demons.’ The first few page results are more of the same. An essay on the general history of demonic possession, an article linking supposed possession to epilepsy, and other unreliable trash. But five pages in, I [[find something that catches my eye.]]

“The Truesight Support Forum. A place for those who see what others won't.” The website leaves something to be desired in presentation; I almost want to leave out of fear I'll pick up a virus. But I stay and read around; looks like this is a forum where people come to share and discuss paranormal happenings in their lives. The people running it are pushing it as a support group, for when people stop listening to what you say you've seen or experienced. That's sweet, if a little naive. I'm sure there are all kinds of characters in a place like this. But I guess I'm in no place to look down on these people anymore, I'm about to join them. There's a couple links and articles on supposedly ‘confirmed’ cases and other notable theories, but I'm not gonna check those out until I'm more awake. For now, I just need to get in touch with someone. I open the forum page, and introduce myself as South. Not the most convincing fake name, but as long as I don't give my literal name to these guys I figure I'm fine. I give a short description of myself and my experience moving in with the sorority, neglecting to mention that I'm a man to avoid having to explain all of that nonsense, and then I mention the fight between Jessie and Mabel. I don't go into too much detail about what was said, just what they fought over, and that they had to be broken up after what Mabel did. I think mentioning Mabel's personality and attitude in the time I've known her is important, too. This creature was clearly tied to her in one way or another. After that, I go through the whole monster encounter in as much detail as I can recall, again using a moniker for Mabel and her alleged sister, Lydia. I finish it off asking if anything about this sounds familiar to anyone, and if they can identify what exactly it was that might have attacked us. When it's all written, I let my mouse hover over the ‘post’ button. Is it really a good idea to put this information out there? Am I looking for answers in the right places? I have no idea where else to go, but this all seems like I'm looking for trouble. …But I have to know. I hit post, shut my laptop down, and put it away. I'll see where that gets me in the morning. [[Sick of thinking, I finally let myself sleep.]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ ... (live: 2s)[...] (live: 5s)[(text-color: blue)["...El..."]] (live: 7s)[…Hm?] (live: 9s)[It's so dark in here…](live: 11s)[ where am I?] (live: 14s)[(text-color: blue)["...ist...]](live: 16s)[(text-color: blue)[...mm..."]] (live: 19s)[I hear a voice. ](live: 21s)[It's so quiet… ](live: 23s)[what is it saying?] (live: 25s)[Wait,](live: 26s)[ [[what is this?]]] (set: $Chapter to 4)

This chain is sticking out of the ground. (live: 2s)[Has this always been here?] (live: 4s)[That voice is still trying to say something, ](live: 6s)[but ](live: 6.25s)[I ](live: 6.5s)[can't...] (live: 9s)[Wait... ](live: 11s)[there's something else. ](live: 13s)[A humming, ](live: 14s)[coming in from…](live: 16s)[ [[my left?]]]

The humming's getting louder. (live: 2s)[I know that sound. ](live: 4s)[It's a car.] (live: 6s)[(text-color: blue)["She… ]](live: 7.5s)[(text-color: blue)[tk... ]](live: 9s)[(text-color: blue)[can y... ]](live: 10s)[(text-color: blue)[rr me!?"]] (live: 13s)[It's getting closer.](live: 14s)[ [[I think I can see the headlights.]]]

(text-color: blue)+(text-size:2)["Seraphim!"] (live: 1s)[(go-to: "Wake up Monday")]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Monday Morning")\ \ I wake up with a racing heart and quivering lungs. As soon as I open my eyes I'm clutching my chest and gasping for air. Something's wrong, my throat's closing up, I'm in danger of- of something! (live: 6s)[…But I'm not. My room is the same way I left it last night. There's nothing and no one in here with me. I'm not in danger, I just need to breathe. [[Breathe… and stand up.]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(if: $Cane is true)[I sit up at the side of my bed, and once my chest has calmed down, get on my feet. Feeling ambitious, I try to stand on my own, hoping my weakness was a passing symptom of trauma. But it wasn’t. I don’t even manage a full step before my legs give out, and I tumble forward into my dresser. My head bangs against the wood wall, and I slide unceremoniously down to the carpet with ringing ears and clenched teeth. I lay on the floor and writhe for a spell with my eyes closed, refusing to let myself cry over this. This isn’t new; I’ve been on the ground before, this shouldn’t… this shouldn’t hurt like it does. You haven’t lost anything Seth, you haven’t… you’ve lived through this before, and you got better. This is just a setback, and it’s worth it for what it bought you. Remember that, this is worth it. [[This is a gift.]]] (else:)[I sit up at the side of my bed, and once my chest has calmed down, get on my feet. …Morning's here, and with it comes the mundane dread of knowing the school week's starting up again. Five more days of sluggishly walking with- or now that it's winter- before the sun. [[I get to the dresser, mindlessly throw on some clothes, and walk downstairs.|For now, I need to get ready to leave.]]]

I let out a deep breath, and open my eyes. Pushing myself up by my hands, I slowly drag my lame body in a circle, so I’m facing the bedframe my cane is leaning against. I hear the drag of my calves against the floor, the static collecting in my dead legs. No one’s watching, but it’s humiliating. I have to watch. I look up at my cane. It’s taller than I am now. My face sours, and I let my head hang, preferring to watch the floor as I climb my way back up the bed like a small mountain. When I’m finally sitting again, I accept my helplessness and reluctantly take my old ‘new leg.’ Now, I can stand. Now it’s a part of me. Now, I’m taller than it. [[Looks like we’re stuck together again.]]

…Morning's here, and with it comes the mundane dread of knowing the school week's starting up again. Five more days of sluggishly walking with- or now that it's winter- before the sun. I get to the dresser, mindlessly throw on some clothes, and walk downstairs. Or, wait- I should check that forum first, shouldn't I? Maybe somebody saw my post. I open my laptop, get back to the forum, and- oh shit, somebody's said something! Somebody called ‘MorningStar’ responded to me last night. That's a stupid name. [[Let's see what they said.]]

“Hello there South, and welcome to Truesight. thank you for sharing your experience here, im sure that was difficult for you and Miriam. The monster you saw sounds distinctly like a demonic presence of some kind, but i cant say for sure what kind it was. Based on how you say it looked, it could be one of Spina's daemons, but its behavior reminds me more of James or Binsfeld, which is weird because we're pretty sure James’ demons dont really exist. Both of you seeing the demon at the same time is really strange. Maybe Jeannic? Could be a yokai come to think of it. The demon never followed you outside the house, did it? That and a longer explanation of how Miriam behaved would help me identify the demon alot. Do you think Miriam would tell us her half of the story? In the meantime, id reccomend reading the lantern of light, the trimillenial gospel, and the testament of solomon to see if anything in there reminds you of what you saw.” …There's no way this isn't a waste of time. At least he's being cooperative. I'll keep an eye out for those books, and get back with him after school. [[For now, I need to get ready to leave.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ (if: $Cane is true)[Ever the early risers, Aurora, Mabel, and Cynthia have been getting ready longer than I've been awake. Once I'm downstairs, Ophilia's door opens too. "Morning, Seth." "Hey guys. Do you remember what we're covering in psych today?" "I don't think she said. It's probably gonna be a slow day for makeup tests." "Do you think Jessie's gonna show up?" "I don't know." “I bet she will.” "Why's that?" “Call it a hunch.” Ophilia and I eat together after washing up. Aurora and Cynthia are gone by the time we're done, and while Mabel's ready to leave a little after them, I stop her before she goes. "Hey, are you going somewhere beforehand, or just straight to Solia?" "Straight there, why?" "Let's walk together. Do you mind?" "Oh. Uh, sure! Yeah, I'll wait for you." Ophilia and I finish our morning routines at about the same pace, so the three of us end up leaving together just as Jessie leaves her room. Unsurprisingly, [[I don't see Charlie at all this morning.]]] (else:)[Ever the early risers, Aurora and Cynthia have been getting ready longer than I've been awake. Once I'm downstairs, Ophilia's door opens too. But the last person to beat me here takes all of my attention. After washing up and getting some food from the kitchen, I awkwardly sit on the dining room seat adjacent to Mabel. She's staring into her cereal bowl, a blank, almost bored look in her half-open eyes. She's idly stirring the spoon in slow circles with her wrist. She doesn't acknowledge my sitting next to her. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Try to talk to her.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Leave her be.]]</div> ]

(set: $location to "Campus Streets")\ \ (if: $Cane is true)[The wind's getting stronger and colder, a sure sign of things to come. Ophilia's heavy sweater leaves her armored, but Mabel and I shiver at every gust. "So Phili, are you gonna take today to practice, too?" "Oh, no, I don't need to do that. This is just a little show really, I've got it all down by now." “I can't wait to watch you kill it up there, girl.” “Hehe, don't get your hopes up. I'd hate to disappoint you.” “Like you could ever. Hey, do you wanna get ice cream after the recital? My treat.” "Aww, that's sweet. We should bring everyone, though." “Hmph, fine, but they're paying for themselves. I don't open my wallet for just anyone.” "Hehe!" So the redhead knows how to play nice. How quaint. “Aren't you two cute? In a good mood, Peppermint?” “Pssh, what's mood got to do with it? I hope you don't expect me to suck up to you all of a sudden, creep. And I feel the same way about the girls.” "But not Ophilia?" "No, not my Phili!" Mabel hugs Ophilia, who giggles and nuzzles her head against Mabel's. "I'm her faaaavorite." "You're everyone's favorite, Ophilia, I'm just the only one who says anything." "I am? I didn't know that.” When we get to campus, Ophilia waves us goodbye and heads her own way. When she's out of sight I [[give Mabel a questioning stare.]]] (else:)[ Ophilia ends up walking to school with me. The wind's getting stronger and colder, a sure sign of things to come. Ophilia's heavy sweater leaves her armored, but I shiver at every gust. Ophilia looks back in the direction of the house, a good bit after it's out of sight, and frowns. "Mabel's gonna be late if she doesn't get going soon. I hope she catches up with us.” "Yeah, me too. I guess I don't blame her for wanting to stay home, she had a pretty rough night last night." "Yeah, that was really scary. I hate when she gets mad like that.” "Does she get like that often?" Ophilia nods. "Sometimes it's over really little things. If somebody says something she doesn't like, or if something doesn't go the way she planned. She just gets really mean to everyone, especially Jessie.” "It must be pretty hard to live with her, then." "Oh no, I love living with Mabel. She's always really nice to me, and even when she gets angry, she never means the hurtful things she says. That's part of why it makes me so sad, I like Mabel and Jessie so much, but they just never manage to get along.” "She never gets mad at you? Really?" Ophilia giggles. "Nope! She's always protecting me from the other girls. She's like a little guard dog. I think you'll really like her once you two get to know each other.” "Hm. I hope so. She's worried I'm, like, a predator, I think." "I bet she wasn't happy to see us leave together, then.” My neck stiffens up a little when she says that. We don't say anything to each other for the rest of the walk, save for the goodbyes when I break away to [[go to Solia's class.|I follow her the rest of the way.]] ]

She punches me in the arm and rolls her eyes. "Don't give me that. She's a giant teddy bear, how am I supposed to treat her?" "I don't get you." "Shut up, go to class." [[I follow her the rest of the way.]]

(set: $location to "Solia's Classroom")\ \ (set: $freetime to 0)\ (set: $aurora1 to false)\ (set: $cynthia1 to false)\ (set: $charlie1 to false)\ (set: $mabel1 to false)\ (set: $ophilia1 to false)\ (set: $jessie1 to false)\ (if: $Cane is true)[Solia's class is as sterile as always, no small thanks to the professor herself, filing her nails and (text-colour:#f9f338)[[pretending her students don't exist.]] A couple desks have test papers on them, while the rest of us have a chapter to read written on the board. It's a fine passage, just a boring walkthrough of the functions of dopamine. Halfway through the period the door creaks open, and Jessie walks down the corridor. "Ms. Valentine," Solia drones. "I'm glad you could join us." "Yep. Wouldn't miss this for the world." "I'm glad the world doesn't depend on your attendance," she says without a hint of humor. "Test is on your desk." Jessie sits down. Mabel and I share a look, trying not to let Jessie notice either of us smiling. She'll snap our heads off if she sees us, I think. When the bell rings to dismiss class, everyone turns their tests in and leaves the classroom. [[Jessie, Mabel and I make a point to stop and talk in the hall.]]] (else:)[ Solia's class is as sterile as always, no small thanks to the professor herself, filing her nails and pretending her students don't exist. A couple desks have test papers on them, while the rest of us have a chapter to read written on the board. It's a fine passage, just a boring walkthrough of the functions of dopamine. My next few classes aren’t anything worth mentioning, a lot of daydreaming and empty space. Though there is this one history lesson on the great migration with some interesting characters. My schedule really clears up around lunch time, so I figure I might find somebody to talk to while I don’t have anything to do. Anything’s better than getting caught people-watching again. I’ve got a couple hours before my next class. Who do I wanna text first? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> (set: $mediate to false)]

(set: $location to "School Hallway")\ \ (set: $time to "Monday Afternoon")\ \ Mabel and Jessie stand next to each other, but both refuse to make eye contact. Mabel stares at me, while Jessie stares at the floor. Cool, I'm gonna have to get this talk moving, then. "So how did you do?" “How do you think? It went how I thought it’d go.” "Sorry to hear that. Thanks for trying." “...” “...” I nudge Mabel’s shoulder, jerking a response out of her. "Yeah, thank you. For coming." “Right. I’m gonna go.” We nod, and awkwardly go our separate ways. My next few classes aren’t anything worth mentioning, a lot of daydreaming and empty space. Though there is this one history lesson on the great migration with some interesting characters. My schedule really clears up around lunch time, so I figure I might find somebody to talk to while I don’t have anything to do. Anything’s better than getting caught people-watching again. I’ve got a couple hours before my next class. Who do I wanna text first? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> (set: $mediate to false) (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $mabel1 to true)\ (if: $Cane is true)[ (set: $freetime to it+1)\ Actually, I already have a text from Mabel. Weird, my phone didn’t buzz for it. Can u talk to Jessie for me? I dont know what to say to her Talk to her? She wants me to apologize on her behalf? That’s a terrible idea. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[You can start with im sorry.]] Smartass Idk how to bring it up (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[She doesnt want to hear it from me, mabel.]] Can u be there then (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Wdym]] Be there when we talk i mean Mediate I’m a guard dog now? It’s an apology, redhead, don’t you live with this woman? It’s really not my place to step in, but if this tension isn’t going away unless I’m standing there… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Yes|mediate]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No|dontmediate]]</div>] (else:)[ It's definitely awkward trying to reach out now. Feels a little late, but I guess late is better than never. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Mabel, r u still home?]] I don't get a response for about seven minutes. and when I do, it's only two words: Sorry. Busy. And I guess that's that. I'll have to try someone else. (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div>] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>]]

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (if: $mediate is true)[ I don't know if Jessie will want to talk to me, in the mood she's in. But I'd still like to talk to her if she's open to it, maybe she'll be more open when she's alone. I'll give her a text. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Jessie, sorry abt that. Do u wanna talk just me n u?]] A minute or two passes, while I wait for a response. Then, my phone rings- jesus, she's calling me? Why? “Hello?” “Hey man, yeah I'm down to talk. You wanna hang out in person? I'm at Tholomew right now, but I'm free.” “Uh, yeah, sure. I'm on my way.” “Cool, see you then.” The call ends with a *beep*. [[...There was no reason that had to be a phone call.]]] (else-if: $mediate is false)[ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Jessie, r u free? Got some dead space between classes.]] A minute or two passes, while I wait for a response. Then, my phone rings- jesus, she's calling me? Why? “Hello?” “Hey man, yeah I'm down to talk. You wanna hang out in person? I'm at Tholomew right now, but I'm free.” “Uh, yeah, sure. I'm on my way.” “Cool, see you then.” The call ends with a *beep*. [[...There was no reason that had to be a phone call.]]]

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $charlie1 to true)\ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Charlie, u busy?]] no (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Wanna hang out? Free for a bit.]] ok im stting bythe studen unoni What? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[The student union?]] ye (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Meet u there.]] [[Jesus Charlie, the backspace exists for a reason.]]

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $cynthia1 to true)\ (if: $Cane is true)[ (if: $charlie1 is true)[ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Cynth, lmk when your lab ends, need to talk to you.]] If there’s anyone I want to tell about what happened between Mabel and I, it’s Cynthia, and this might be our only way to really be alone. I don’t expect a response since she’s in class, but I decide to wander around the science building anyway. [[Might as well be nearby when she gets free.]] ] (else:)[ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Cynth, you busy? We need to talk.]] If there’s anyone I want to tell about what happened between Mabel and I, it’s Cynthia, and this might be our only way to really be alone. …But I don’t get a response. A few minutes pass, I give her time in case she’s busy, but she never gets back to me. Rather than waste my energy wandering and looking for her, I [[find a bench to sit on and wait for her to get back to me.]] ]] (else:)[ (if: $charlie1 is true)[ My mind's still on Mabel, for the life of me I can't figure out how I'm supposed to get along with her. If anyone can help me out, I imagine it has to be Cynthia, since she knows both of us pretty well. Maybe she can give me some advice. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Cynth, lmk when your lab ends, need to talk to you.]] I don’t expect a response since she’s in class, but I decide to wander around the science building anyway. [[Might as well be nearby when she gets free.]]] (else:)[ My mind's still on Mabel, for the life of me I can't figure out how I'm supposed to get along with her. If anyone can help me out, I imagine it has to be Cynthia, since she knows both of us pretty well. Maybe she can give me some advice. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Cynth, you busy? We need to talk.]] …But I don’t get a response. A few minutes pass, I give her time in case she’s busy, but she never gets back to me. Rather than waste my energy wandering and looking for her, I [[find a bench to sit on and wait for her to get back to me.]] ]]

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $aurora1 to true)\ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Aurora, doin anything rn?]] (if: $Cane is true)[I just sat down for lunch, what’s going on? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Nothing, mind if I sit with u?]] Not at all! I’m in Commons 1, come and stop by. [[I close my phone and head to the Commons.]]] (else:)[Yeah, I'm a little occupied, but I can call if you want to. Are you free? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Sure, I can call.]] A moment passes, and my phone rings. [[I pick up Aurora's call]]]

(set: $freetime to it+1)\ (set: $ophilia1 to true)\ (if: $aurora1 is true)[ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Phili, found something to eat yet? Might grab smthn myself if there’s anything good left.]] mhm ^w^ Auroro n i ate together before she left u should get a flatbread, but there expensive Ew, the cafeteria’s flatbreads are just cheese on cardboard. Horrible taste. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Think I’ll pass. Doing anything rn? Wanna talk?]] kk im in common 2 (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Cool, I’ll be there soon.]] o7 [[The fuck is ‘o7’?]] ] (else-if: $aurora1 is false)[ (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Hey Phili, doing anything rn?]] no. why? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Me neither, wanna hang out?]] ok ^^ im in common 2 (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Cool, be there soon.]] =) [[Gross, she used an equal sign for the eyes.|The fuck is ‘o7’?]] ]

(align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Where r u?]] Jessies outside stockdale hall. Meet us there? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Fine.]] When I get there, [[Mabel and Jessie are already sitting next to each other.]] (set: $mediate to true)

(align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[You gotta face her yourself, Mabel. I won’t be any help.]] What if she gets mad? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Don’t make her mad. She’s not violent, ur gonna be fine if u apologize.] Ok [[There’s a long pause between messages, then my phone buzzes again.]]

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ I walk up and stand in front of them, already feeling like a third wheel. “Hey.” “Hey, thanks.” “So what is he doing here?” “I’m just coming to mediate, make sure nobody blows up this time.” “Fair. So, what do you wanna tell me, Mabel?” “I, uh, I want to talk about yesterday.” “I assumed.” Mabel frowns, and tries to gather her thoughts. “Um… I was harsher than I meant to be, and I said some unfair things. I’m sorry.” “Okay.” Jessie’s face is stone cold, she’s not giving Mabel anything to feed back from. It’s making me antsy, and I’m not even the one she’s mad at. “And… and I freaked out, and I shouldn’t have freaked out when you wanted my help. It’s a habit, I know, and I know you weren’t trying to piss me off, it just-” “I just hate seeing you hurt yourself, Jess. I care about you, and I don’t like watching you fail when I know you know how to do better.” “...” “I mean, you came from a really bad place, you weren’t given a spot at Saintsridge, y’know? I know you had to work really hard to get here, and I relate to that. It’s just- when you come from nothing you don’t get a lot of opportunities like this, and I know how easy it is to end up going back to nothing. I really think this is your chance to make something of yourself, and everyone else might get more chances for that in the future, but you and me don’t-” [[Mabel lets out a frustrated huff.]]

“Would you please stop staring at me like that? What? What are you thinking?” “You’re not like me, Mabel.” “What?” “We’re not the same people, and it’s weird that you’re pretending we are. First of all, you were never homeless.” “Well that’s not-” “Second, you don’t appreciate where you come from. I didn’t come from nothing, Mabel. I’m a twenty-one year old single-parent black woman from Merced. Everything I did and saw as a kid made me what I am now, and is still a part of what I am now. Even the shit that isn’t pretty.” “You’re a nineteen year old jewish kid from… where?” “Missouri.” “News to me. I bet you’ll go the rest of your life without seeing home again if you can get away with it, right?” “Hold on Jessie, Mabel has a good reason not to appreciate her past.” “Good for her. Tell her not to put it on me.” “That’s what I mean when I say you’re not like me. You see where you came from, and decided the opposite of that was success. Every test you pass, every degree you earn, anything so you don’t have to look at another broke kid ‘till you die, right?” “Wait, are you saying you *want* to be homeless again?” “God no- I want a choice. I want stability where I’m at. But you see where I’m at and you call me a failure because I’m okay showing my skin?” [[Mabel scoffs.]]

“Oh- what, Pandora’s Box is stable? Jessie, listen to yourself, that place is gonna kill you. And if it doesn’t, you’ll have the ‘choice’ to throw yourself at men in the hopes they treat you how you want them to. There’s no safety net for a stripper, Jessie.” “I am not a stripper.” Mabel rolls her eyes. “Showgirl.” “Mabel- and I mean this with all sincerity- I want you to kill yourself if you think the way I choose to live is me throwing my life away.” “Jessie-” “Shut up.” Jessie holds up a finger and keeps her eyes locked on Mabel. “This isn't about safety for you, you're just bitter. You’re sexless because you’re ashamed of your body and too immature to connect with another human being like that. Not because it makes you safer.” Mabel scoffs again, visibly stung. “Like I’d be any different if my tits could fill in for my personality. I’d only choose to be a bimbo if I had nothing better to offer myself!” “I *offer myself* respect, which I’ve repeatedly sacrificed babysitting you!” Jessie stands up, casting a shadow over Mabel, who tenses up and freezes. Not missing my chance this time, I step between the two, putting my hand on Jessie’s chest. She ignores me. “Let me be clear. I’m letting yesterday slide because everyone can tell you come from a fucked up home. But if you ever put your hands on me again, I will take them from you.” “...” “See you guys at home.” Jessie backs off and walks away. [[Mabel and I stir in the quiet for a bit.]]

“That went better than I thought it would.” “How did…” No, I don’t want to know. “Thanks for being here, I guess. I don’t blame you for not getting involved.” “I wanted to, that conversation just moved so fast. And Jessie blocked me out pretty quickly.” “Yeah. I’m gonna go.” “I’m sorry, Mabel.” “Mhm.” Mabel gets her stuff and leaves me alone. I honestly don’t know if those two’s relationship is salvageable. But if it is, I don’t think I know how to get it there. (if: $freetime < 3)[At least, I can’t figure them out right now. Might as well find someone else to talk to. (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffMabel to it+3)

What did u see yesterday? When the demon came Uh… what do you mean by that? I think that thing looked about the same for both of us. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Big red bastard. Looked kinda beaten up, swollen even. That what it looked like for u?]] Yeah But I dont mean the demon. I saw more than that Did you see my house? Hm… honestly, I hoped we wouldn’t have to talk about this part. What I remember from that piece of that night feels like an invasion of privacy. But it’s not like I can make myself unsee it. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Briefly. Think I met your sister. That was it.]] Lydia? (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[Yeah.]] I don’t know how to begin explaining that I ‘was’ her, more than I saw her. Guess that’s better than my parents. But she’s awful too, if u couldnt tell. I’ll take your word for it. Can u not tell anyone abt that part? Abt me. I really wish you didnt know. (align:"==>")+(box:"X=")[(text-color:blue)[I wont.]] I still feel like I know so little. Thanks. I gotta go And she stops texting. I get why she doesn’t want to open up about that stuff, but I hope she doesn’t hope this is all gonna disappear. I understand wanting to forget it, but we don’t know what we dealt with back there. If we don’t acknowledge it, it very well might happen again. I guess I can’t force it. If she’s done talking, then I’m done. (if: $freetime < 3)[Who do I want to message next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>]

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ (if: $mediate is true)[“Fancy seeing you here. Coming to make sure I'm not ripping anyone's arms off?” “Something like that. Are you doing okay?” “Yeah, I'm fine, just needed to get away from all that. Sorry I stepped on your toes.” “Eh. I didn't want to be there, to be honest.” “Sure… but you want to be here. Are you gonna try to convince me to forgive her?” “No.” “Oh.” “...Well good. Figured you were on her side, now that you two are buddy-buddy all of a sudden. What happened there?” Involuntary trauma bonding. “I think she's kinda sweet when you get to know her.” “Agree to disagree. But I know she's just lashing out because she's a teenager. She doesn't… bother me, y'know? I'm just not gonna let myself get bullied by a kid.” “That's fair. You could be a little less hostile about it though, if it doesn't bother you.” “Agree to disagree.” “...I mean, I get the point she's trying to make. Kind of. There was a point in time where my relationship with Pandora wasn't safe, or healthy. Back when it wasn't a choice.” “I figure she thinks that's still how it is, but it isn't. I just like being there. I like being the way that I am. Putting on a show for others is something I always want the chance to do. I think I'd call an office job more of a failure than dropping out of college.” “An office job would make sure your lifestyle stays a choice though, wouldn't it?” “That's one way to get there.” [[Jessie puts a hand on her hip, and scans me with her eyes.]]] (else-if: $mediate is false)[ "Hey big guy, how can I help you?" "I don't have anything in mind, just wanted to talk some." “Just came here to stare at me? I'd have worn something more fun if I knew.” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You clearly don't mind staring."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["I thought you'd want to stare at me."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["I'm not staring at you."]]</div> ]

“Alright, your turn, I gotta ask you something.” "What's that?" “Do you have any hobbies? Or just, special interests in general.” "Uh… that's a weird question. I guess… I, uh…" "...Huh." "I guess I don't really do anything, come to think of it." "Ugh, alright, then what do you like to watch for fun?" "..." "Jessie, am I in trouble for something?" “What? No man, I’m just trying to figure out your interests.” “Okay, so all the girls are into the shows at Pandora, that’s easy. I’m sure you’ll like them too, but we’ll see. More individually, Ophilia likes singing, Cynthia likes to hike, Charlie’s just into me, and Mabel likes competing with folks. So, what about you? What do you find entertaining?” "I don't know, why?" Jessie groans. “Because we’re gonna live together, man. You can’t seriously tell me you’re just gonna spend your whole life sitting and doing nothing.” [[Jessie notices something behind my shoulder, and lets out an awkward chuckle.]]

“How selfish do you think I am? I came to give you something to stare at.” (if: $threesome is true)[ “Hah! Watch your tongue Seth, I might make you use it again.” ] (else-if: $threesome is false)[ “Hah! Watch your tongue Seth, I might make you use it.” ] “Uh- wow, fuck.” I've got nothing. She one-upped me so hard my brain shut down. That's what I get for flirting with a showgirl. “Haha, sorry. I thought you were bringing heat, that was a good snap-back.” “Still getting the hang of it, but I'll get you next time.” “Looking forward to it.” My eyes do drift Jessie over a couple times since we're talking about it, and I notice a chain hanging from her neck, with a little gold cross at the end of it. [[How long has she had that?]] (set: $AffJessie to it+2)

“I might have had a little staring in mind, figure it doesn't bother you.” “Bother me? You know where I work. Throw something my way and you can stare all you want.” “I'll keep that in mind. No special treatment between friends?” (if: $threesome is true)[ “My special treatment almost killed you last time, short stuff.” ] (else-if: $threesome is false)[ “You're not ready for my special treatment, short stuff.” ] You are the only woman I know who can get away with calling me ‘short stuff.’ My eyes do drift Jessie over a couple times since we're talking about it, and I notice a chain hanging from her neck, with a little gold cross at the end of it. [[How long has she had that?]] (set: $AffJessie to it+1)

“What? No, that's not- I just came to talk, Jess.” “Relax, dude. You're so tense, it's bad for your health. What did you actually come here for?” Yeah, what was I gonna talk to her about? "...Uh…" “Oh my god.” “I didn't come here to stare at you! I just- I don't remember what I came here for. You distracted me.” “Uh huh.” “Shut up.” My eyes do drift Jessie over a couple times since we're talking about it, and I notice a chain hanging from her neck, with a little gold cross at the end of it. [[How long has she had that?]]

"Are you religious?" “Hm? Oh, this. Yeah, I got into it a few years ago, kind of a new development.” "Oh yeah? Any reason why?" “Um… I dunno. Lot of uncertainty as a kid, but things started making sense since… since living here, really. I’m getting used to being around good people, and that feels like a miracle to me. Guess it helps to know who to thank for that; helps me to not take things for granted.” “Huh, good for you. You don’t strike me as the type.” “I wonder why.” [[Jessie puts a hand on her hip, and scans me with her eyes.]]

"Actually, maybe you can. Hey, Charlie!" "Hey you two. I'm not interrupting, am I?" "No, not at all. Are you still between classes?" "Mhm, I've got a while, so I've just been loitering around campus. I signed a girl's stomach earlier, that was fun." “Oh good, she can sell her stomach for twice as much now.” “Seth was just looking for an excuse to talk to me, Charlie. Think he’s got a crush.” (if: $threesome is true)[ "Really? Lame, I did all the work saturday night." "Haha, yeah... that night was kinda weird, huh?" “Guess I worked smarter, not harder. I keep telling you Charlie, you gotta loosen up in the bedroom if you want anybody to come back. You can't keep turning the dial up on the first night.” "Aw whatever, we all got off, didn't we? By the way Seth, you'd better get your legs fixed up soon. I was nice and let you take the middle last time, but next time you and I are switching spots." "Next time?" “Yeah, next time. You don't think we're all done with you already, do you?”] (else-if: $threesome is false)[ “That didn’t take long. But man, that means I’ve gotta kick your ass now.” “Huh? I don’t, uh-” “I can’t let Jessie have two creepy roomates, I’d lose my novelty.” Charlie swings a fake punch to my shoulder, which makes Jessie laugh. “Y’know you both missed your chance to be my first stalker, right? By a few years, at least. You aren’t even the first girl to try to tie me down, Charlie.” “But I’m the one with the most money, right?” “I think so?” Charlie keeps her fists raised until Jessie slaps them back down. “Stop that, do you even know how to fight?” “I think that much cardio would give me a heart attack.” “Guess you’ll have to watch me break as many hearts as I want.” ] [[“I think it’s worth saying that I’m not trying to get in-between you two…”]]

“Heh, nice-” “Shut up- I mean I’m not trying to get with Jessie.” (if: $threesome is true)[ “Uh, dude, you already 'got with' Jessie.” "You know what I mean. I'm not, like, trying to steal her from you. Charlie and Jessie both give me a long look, confused by something I said. Charlie darts her eyes to meet Jessie's for a quick moment, then comes back to me. “I think you might be misunderstanding some things. A lot of some things.” "Are you two not... together?" They both break out into wide grins. Jessie laughs, and puts a hand on my shoulder. "No, man. I mean, not really. Not in any way you need to care about." "Yeah, we don't really do labels like that here. You're part of the sorority now, so whatever's fair game." "Oh... huh." "Just try to have fun with it Seth, it's easier that way." ] (else-if: $threesome is false)[“I know, she does this with everybody.” “You can’t blame me for trying, somebody’s gonna jump on that eventually, and I don’t wanna share houses with a couple.” Is she talking about me? I don’t think it's said and done that I’m gonna get ‘jumped on.’ Charlie shrugs, and smirks at me. ]“I get her on weekends.” “Take her, I don’t want her.” “Ouch!” “Guess that’s settled, then. Milady?” “I've got a thing soon Charlie, go hallucinate me hanging out with you.” “If you insist. Peace out, guys.” “Bye.” “See ya.” We both watch Charlie walk away and turn a corner. When she’s out of sight, [[Jessie scoffs, and mocks my voice.]]

“Take her, I don’t want her.” “I’m sorry, I thought that was better than telling Charlie I wanted to fight over you.” “You think I’m gross.” “I didn’t say that.” “You think I’m hot?” “You didn’t hear me think anything. You've got a fixation, you know that?” “We’re in college, dude, I think I’m the only one acting how I’m supposed to. But I’ll admit I’ve been ramping it up because it gets to you so easy.” “It does not.” “You’re cute when you’re flustered.” “I’m not flustered!” “Mhm. So what’s this about you getting between me and Charlie?” “I’m going away.” “Aww. Bye, Seth!” Jessie raises her voice as I walk away. “I leave my door unlocked back at the house, if you wanna look through my dresser or something!” “Shut up, shut up, shut up.” I have to remind myself that she’s doing this to mess with me. There isn’t a human being on earth who acts like this, she just wants to laugh at you. Where did Cynthia get friends like this? Talking to half of them leaves my damn head spinning. (if: $freetime < 3)[On that note, I still have time to talk to somebody else. Who do I want to subject myself to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffJessie to it+3)

(set: $location to "Saintsridge Campus")\ \ (if: $Cane is true)[Feeling refreshed, I’m able to brute force my way through nature documentaries and essays on essay formats. When the last of our classes finish up, we all meet at the student union to walk home together. "Well, that's Monday. Haven’t had a Monday this eventful since last Monday." “Truly, we are living history.” "I saw a kid get knocked out on my way to math." "Wow, what for?" "I dunno, dick-measuring contest, I think. Kid god knocked *out,* though, I think his head was bleeding." "You didn't help him?" “I probably should have, shouldn't I?" "Jesus christ, Jessie." The long walk home is made shorter by each other’s company. It was kind of a drag waiting the last forty-five minutes for Mabel’s last class to wrap up, but I get why the sorority makes it a rule for us to leave together. This is nice, in a really simple way. [[The sun’s setting earlier every day, the moon’s almost overhead by the time we get home.]]] (else:)[Feeling refreshed, I’m able to brute force my way through nature documentaries and essays on essay formats. When the last of our classes finish up, we all meet at the student union to walk home together. "Well, that's Monday. Haven’t had a Monday this eventful since last Monday." “Truly, we are living history.” "I saw a kid get knocked out on my way to math." "Was it Tony Hawk? I hear he visits campus to pick up chicks." "No, these two jocky guys got in a fight. Dick-measuring contest, I think. Kid god knocked *out,* though, I think his head was bleeding." "You didn't help him?" “I probably should have, shouldn't I?" "Jesus christ, Jessie." "Hey, where's Aurora?" "She stayed home, she's gonna pick us up." And not long after, she does just that. We all pile into Aurora's car and enjoy a peaceful drive back to the sorority home. I see the moon peaking out over the horizon when we pull into the driveway. [[The air outside is alarmingly cold when we open the car doors and step out of the comfort of Aurora's heater.|The sun’s setting earlier every day, the moon’s almost overhead by the time we get home.]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "School Campus")\ \ Charlie’s sitting on the road’s curb when I arrive. It’s a little too close to the cars for my comfort, but she doesn’t seem to mind the breeze. She’s humming a song to herself when I get close. "Yo." "Hey Charlie. You look lonely out here." "You're welcome to fix that, if you'd like." I sit down next to Charlie, both of us watching cars and passersby ahead. "So, what are you doing out here? Riding off another high?" "Nah, I'm sober." "Oh." Charlie chuckles, and shakes her head. “You sound shocked. I have other hobbies, y’know.” "I know that." "..." [["So, what else do you do?"]]

"Calling my bluff? Fair, I mostly just tag into whatever the girls do. You already know I’m a musician, but I’m a plant keeper too.” “That all sounds right. What are you gonna do when you’re out of college? Gonna get back into music?” "Eh… I hope not." "Oh?" "I want to be a botanist." What, like plants? Funny, you can't study what you've already smoked, Charlie. "Botany?" “The study of plant life. I know, ‘weed joke,’ ha-ha.” “Didn't cross my mind. How long have you been into plants?” “I dunno. Not long, I think. It’s a passing pipe dream, I think.” “I think, I think.” “And I try so hard not to.” “What’s your major?” “Music.” “Oh.” “...You’re hard to talk to.” “Really? I think you’re easy to talk to.” “I guess because I’ve been doing most of the talking. Still, that’s surprising.” [[Charlie shrugs.]]

“I’ve only told two other people I wanna be a botanist. Means I must like talking to you.” “Why don’t you tell anyone else?” “Cuz it doesn’t matter.” “You think they won’t take it seriously?” “Take what seriously? I’ll forget it by the end of the semester, pick up some new hobby.” “I thought you wanted this as a career. If your friends know that, they can encourage you.” “Oh, they wouldn’t do that.” “No?” “No. The girls are nice, but they’re presumptuous. I’m a scrawny, blonde white girl who likes getting fucked up; it’s easy to fill in the gaps, y’know? And like, they’re right, that’s what I am. Aurora does stuff too, but she’s got her shit together.” “I don’t think I’m following. What’s the problem?” “Problem? I like it. It’s impossible not to be popular when being around me gives you a contact high.” “But you said you don’t share things about yourself because of it. You said it like it bothers you.” Charlie pauses, I think I might have caught her off guard. “Huh, I guess I did. Good catch, sleuth, you should be a detective. Heh, hey that’d be a fun fashion project, huh? We could get you a trenchcoat, and put you in one of those big dumb hats…” “...” [[“...So?”]]

“...Alright, fine. I just get little glimpses into their perception of me when they make jokes, like calling me an herbalist. Or when they point out every time I say something clever, or-” Charlie gives me a playful smile. “Assume I’m high every time I’m alone.” “Oh. God, I’m sorry Charlie, I didn’t mean to-” “Don’t worry about it man, I’m cool with it. And we’re still learning about each other, feel free to make assumptions, no skin off my back. Just good to keep in mind that when you look through my eyes, I’m looking back at yours.” “Anyway, I don’t get high at school anymore. Used to, but one too many close calls made me call it off. Can’t help if I’m a little lopsided when I get here though, haha.” “Ha, yeah, I guess not.” “I *thought* I saw you two out here.” Charlie and I both jump as Cynthia speaks up behind us. “Jesus, stop doing that!” “Hey girl. What’re you doing here?” “I’m on my way to class actually, just wanted to stop and say hi.” “Thought your classes end at three on mondays.” “You memorized Cynthia’s schedule?” “This thing’s a steel trap.” Charlie knocks on her forehead, and Cynthia crosses her arms. “She hasn’t got too much else to remember, I guess. But I’ve got a lab today. It’s an every other week thing.” “Those exist?” “Yep, but they’re not common, it’s a class of like eight people.” “Wild. What kinda lab? Test tube and chemicals kinda thing?” “Chuck, if I was getting in a mile’s radius of any kind of chemical, why would I tell you about it?” “Because you love me.” “That’s why I’m keeping my mouth shut. Alright, bye guys.” “Hey Cynth, do you think-” [[But when I turn, she’s already gone. ]]

“Must be in a hurry.” “...Did she call me Chuck?” “I think so. Do people call you that?” “No. Charlie’s already a nickname. Chuck is… Chuck is double dipping.” “Huh.” “...” “...” “...This is the part where you excuse yourself to leave, right?” "Huh?" “You jump around conversations when you hang out with us, I’ve noticed. Trying to give everybody equal attention?” “Something like that. And yeah, I was about to get up and go.” You could keep me here longer by saying something, Charlie. “Alright, peace out.” Or not. Guess I’m dismissed again. “See you.” I get up, and leave Charlie to her curb. She says she likes talking to me, but I really don’t think that’s the case. I wish I could ‘look inside her head,’ or however she put it. (if: $freetime < 3)[Maybe one day. Who do I want to spend time with next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffCharlie to it+3)

(set: $location to "School Hallway")\ \ But when I get inside, it doesn’t take me long to find Cynthia standing by a locker and staring at her phone. I decide to take my chance to sneak up on her for once. “You look chipper.” “-Oh! Seth. Hi.” “How was class?” “It got canceled, the professor didn’t show.” “Oh, that sucks. Are you busy now? I sent you a text earlier-” “Yeah, I got it, but I’m busy.” “Busy with what?” “I’m helping out a friend in a minute, only reason I’m still on campus.” “Oh, alright.” Her tone is off. She’s mad about something; I know by now what it sounds like to get the silent treatment from her. “What’s on your mind? You seem lost in thought.” “Weird day, it’s nothing special.” “You wanna talk about it?” “No.” “Ah… well, uh… are you excited for the recital tomorrow?” “Yeah, Ophilia’s a great dancer. You’re really gonna like her, I think.” “Oh, sure. How many shows have you been to so far?” “Dozens, at this point. It’s really inspiring to see someone so young already be a professional at something they’re passionate about.” “Ophilia’s older than both of us, isn’t she?” “By a year, you know what I mean.” This isn’t really what I wanted to talk about, but how do I broach a subject like this? [[Better to ease into it.]]

“Hey, speaking of, how’s swimming going? I know it’s winter now, but are you still practicing somewhere?” “There’s an indoor pool at this fitness club the girls and I were subscribed to.” “Were? What happened?” “I canceled our subscription a few months ago.” “What? Why?” “It was getting expensive, and only about half the sorority actually liked going. I figured it wasn’t worth the trip.” “But- Cynthia, you’re an athlete! I’ll take the trip with you, you need to keep your shape up if you want to stay competitive.” (if: $Cane is true)[ “You’re gonna go swimming with *that?*” Cynthia taps my cane with her foot. Good point. ] “How much is the subscription?” “What?” “How much money? I know I’m supposed to sign up for insurance or whatever, but I’ll find a job and get some cash flowing in if it means you can-” (if: $Cane is true)[ “Stop, you’re not finding a job in the condition you’re in.” “I can get a job without needing my legs, I’m not comatose.” ] “I don’t need your money, Seth.” “This is important to you, isn’t it? It’s just money-” “It’s not money. I can afford it, I’m sorry I said that.” “Then what is it?” “I just stopped going. I lost interest.” “Twelve years in, and you just lost interest?” Cynthia opens her locker and starts putting things away, trying to ignore me while I stare her down. [[“Just like that? What changed, Cynth?”]]

“Are you calling me a liar?” “You are a liar. I know damn well you’re a liar, so what are you lying about?” “Go to hell.” “Wait-” Cynthia shuts her locker and storms off down the hall. (if: $Cane is true)[I chase after her, but can only manage half her speed while leaning on my cane. After not too long, Cynthia’s gone and I’m standing alone like a crippled idiot. My fist tightens around the top of my ‘leg,’ I want to snap the thing in half, but I know better than to make myself crawl back home. I take a deep breath in, and wait for my hand to stop shaking before walking away.] (else:)[I grab her wrist, but she shoves me off of her and keeps walking, When she turns a corner and slams a door in my face, I elect not to open it just to keep chasing her, if she clearly doesn't want to talk. I shrug at nothing and lean my back against the door, rubbing my temple in frustration.] (if: $freetime < 3)[She can run if she wants to run, I’ve got better things to do with my time. Who do I want to see next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div>] (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div>] (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div>] (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div>] (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffCynthia to it+3)

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ It’s Monday afternoon. The air is still, soft clouds laze in patches threatening rough weather, but never committing. The pleasant yet dull ambience of a sheltered high-end college campus remains circular and uninterrupted; for all the change we take on as individuals in our daily or hourly lives, the campus never changes. The flowers grow, the students fraternize, and the walls stand firm and opaque. And I’m people-watching again. Only, this time I find the chittering and ramblings about nothing so horribly uninteresting. I can’t spend six seconds focused on any stranger’s conversation before my mind wanders somewhere else entirely. For once, I find my own mind is filled with thoughts worth thinking, or at least worries worth lingering on. (if: $Cane is true)[My eyes linger down to the cane between my legs, and never come back up, even as my vision hazes over.] The day Cynthia roped me into this, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much attention she was throwing at me all of a sudden. When we were kids, we could hardly spend a week apart from one another, for better or worse. For a while I thought it was college that broke up that closeness between us, but thinking back, that isn’t the case at all. Cynthia started avoiding me around junior year of high school. About the same time that I stopped walking around on (if: $Cane is true)[this thing.](else:)[a cane all the time.] [[When I stopped needing blood transfusions to keep on living.]]

I was so happy to have her talking to me the way she used to, even if I didn’t trust why it was happening. (if: $Cane is true)[Now that I’ve changed my whole lifestyle for her, the only time she really looked at me was when she saw me standing on my cane again. I feel tricked. Is she worried about me? That isn’t how it feels. I’m somewhere between the annoyance of putting up with a nagging mother, and guilt for letting her see me this way. I want this to go away, I want to make her stop looking at me like that, but if I do… does she just disappear from my life again? I pick up my cane, and feel its weight around with one hand, studying it from every angle.] …She said that she loves me. She said it so casually, after so much time… does she? I open my phone again. No messages. I sigh, and stand back up. (if: $freetime < 3)[No point in dwelling on this. Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|textaurora]]</div>] (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div>] (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div>] (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div>] (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffCynthia to it+3)

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ Aurora doesn’t take long to find at all: she’s sitting on top of a table, leaning her hands out behind her. I walk up and sit down, catching her attention. She tilts her head down to me and smiles. "Hey you." "Hey yourself. Tanning?" “I just like the way it feels.” Aurora sits up straight and turns her body, planting her legs on the seat next to me and leaving my head level with her knees. "Did you need something?" "Not really, no. I was just thinking about you." (if: $AffAurora >= 3)[ “A girl might get the wrong idea, knowing she’s on someone’s mind this often.” “Who says it’s the wrong idea?” Aurora blushes, and honestly, so do I. I didn’t expect that to come out of my mouth. “Come out and say it, why don’t you?” “I figure we can only make so many platonic excuses to see each other. Unless there are more boxes that need to be moved?” “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re implying.” ]\ (else-if: $AffAurora < 3)[ Aurora giggles. "I'm flattered." "My attention is flattering?" "Sure, it makes me feel special." ] Aurora does an ‘aha’ motion, thinking of something important. “Oh hey, I meant to ask, what did you talk to Mabel about yesterday?” "Nothing, why?" “Nothing? Are you sure? She was pretty avoidant when I brought you up last night.” "I'm sure she was just excited about her puzzles." "Okay, yeah she was very excited." "It's just… y'know, if something happened back there, I wanna know what I can do to help her. I noticed how nervous she was around you, and if she doesn’t want to talk about it after you two spent so much time together…” …Is she implying I might have hurt Mabel? I’m almost offended, but when I think about it, I really can’t blame her for suspecting that. I’m sure it does look crazy from the outside. “Mabel and I just talked about some heavy things. She opened up to me about some stuff I’d rather not repeat, I think that’s why she didn’t want to talk about it.” [[Aurora nods, satisfied with my answer.]]

“Oh. That must have been hard to listen to. I'd hate for her to dump too much on the new guy too soon." "That's thoughtful, but I'm fine, thank you. She’s just got a lot weighing her down after her fight with Jessie. It helps having someone who can listen." "She just talked about Jessie?" “Mhm.” Aurora squints, and says nothing for a few seconds. "Did she mention her home life?" "..." "Thought so." "You know about that?" Aurora nods. “Everyone has some idea, but I think I’m the only one with details. It’s… kinda my job to know.” “Thank you for giving your ear, whatever you heard. I’m sure you know she doesn’t have many of those.” "Thanks." "How much did she tell you?" "Uh… I had to piece together a lot of it myself, honestly. It seems like there’s a lot of resentment with her parents, and… something about her sister." "Was that all?" "I think so." "Gotcha. Yeah, her parents are… her parents are the worst. I haven't heard her say a single good thing about them. And what she has told me…" [[Aurora clenches her hands into fists, bunching up her coat.]]

"It's disgusting. That people can be like that to their own family. And to someone as good as *her,* too. I don’t blame Mabel for how she is, you know? When the people who raise you are so much less than human. They’re pigs, both of them, and if I ever get to meet those two…” "..." My mind keeps flashing back to yesterday. I get what she’s saying, but it doesn’t… feel right coming from her. Aurora catches the way I’m looking at her, and reads what I can’t put into words. “I’m sorry about last night, I know it was intense. I don’t want you to think that was me… losing my cool, or whatever. I don’t want to be like that, I hate making Mabel cry, but-” Aurora lets out a sharp sigh, and breaks eye contact. “It’s a delicate process, dealing with victims of abuse.” "You weren't *being* very delicate." “...Yes, I was. Look, Seth, I wish I could be endlessly patient and gentle with her. If that’s how you dealt with it last night, then thank you for that. But it isn’t just the three of us living in that house, you saw what she did. If you drag your feet with her, especially when she gets mad, people get hurt. Boundaries need to be set; and unfortunately, not every boundary can be just for her benefit. We have to protect our whole family, and that sometimes means speaking in a language she understands.” After everything Mabel and I went through, and after everything I experienced *through* her, I really want to fight Aurora on that. Last night, I just might have, but right now I really can’t argue with what she’s saying. "...That makes sense. It wouldn't be any better to let her hit someone else." “You don’t have to be comfortable with it. I’m not. But this doesn’t all fall on your shoulders, remember? Her big sister knows her, I’ve got this covered.” "If you say so." “Honestly, I’m just glad she’s around anyone with their head on right, y’know? She’s made so much progress in so little time. All the girls have, really.” “Here’s to progress. Thanks again for letting me into your family, Aurora.” “Thanks for being patient with us. I think you’re gonna do a lot of good here.” "And even if you don’t, I’ll have a hard time turning away somebody as good looking as you." I hear a familiar, soft voice sing out behind me. [[Ophilia trots up to the table and beams.]]

"Hiiii guys. Am I interrupting?" "Well-" "Of course not Phili, you can sit." "What are you two talking about?" "I was just telling Seth how different everyone was when they first joined ADA. Phili's seen it all." “Mhm, sure have. Everybody’s like a whole new person when they live here for a few months. Remember how moody Charlie was when she moved in, Aurora? She barely wanted to talk to me.” "Charlie was moody? That Charlie?" “Oh yeah. I mean, this was right after the fiasco that brought her to Saintsridge in the first place. I had to talk her out of getting her own apartment so she’d move in with us.” "Fiasco?" "Mhm. Hey Phili, were you just coming to visit, or did you need something?" “Actually, yeah! Aurora, could you please drive me to the mall the day after my show? I think my outfit’s getting a little worn down, I’d hate to stand out because of old clothes.” "Of course, Phili. I had something planned that afternoon, but I'm sure Robbie won't mind if I cancel." "Really? I don't wanna be a bother." "No, Phili, never! We need to celebrate after your big show, right?" "Your troupe doesn't provide outfits?" "Well, they do, but soloists can usually bring their own costume, depending on the piece." [[Ophilia’s eyes drift down to the plate beside Aurora’s lap.]]

"Oh, the cafeteria has macaroni today? That's my favorite." "Have you not eaten yet?" Ophilia gives another bashful smile. "I forgot my wallet at home." "Oh, that's not good. C'mon, I'll buy you lunch today." "You will? You don't have to do that." "Sure, we’ve got the funds for an extra lunch plate. We can't let you go without eating, you're already so spacey." "And small." "True, I can barely see you! Let's go take care of you before you disappear." "Heehee~" Aurora stands up and takes Ophilia by the hand. She winks at me from behind her shoulder, and waves with her free hand. I wave back, and stay put while they head off. I sit there for another minute before looking down and realizing that Aurora’s plate is still sitting on the table. Are they coming back together? It looks like she hasn’t even touched it. Man, if I realized she was just starting to eat, I’d have volunteered to take Ophilia to lunch. Or- wait, that’s dumb, Ophilia can walk there herself, she’s a senior. Still, it’s admirable how quickly Aurora’s willing to put things aside and give us her attention. She’s a good leader, there’s something motherly about how she treats the girls. Cynthia was far from motherly when she and I were kids, but she could definitely be a little helicopter parent. No wonder those two are friends. (if: $freetime < 3)[I still have some time left in the lunch period. Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffAurora to it+3)

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ It takes me a while to find Ophilia, mostly because she isn’t at a table, but sitting on a bench in the back. When I finally see her, she’s fast asleep, slowly leaning to the side. I grab her by the shoulder and shake her awake so she doesn’t fall off the bench. "Ophilia." "-Hm?" Ophilia jumps and opens her eyes. Face to face, she gives me a look that fits somewhere between confusion and fear, but she doesn’t sit up to stop leaning on my free hand. "What are you doing?" “You fell asleep. You almost fell on your face.” "You were watching me sleep?" “No. Well, yeah but I wasn’t- I just happened to- uh…” Even stumbling over my words, I feel like Ophilia should be able to realize what I’m trying to say. But she isn’t putting it together, she’s still looking at me like a startled dog. I sigh, and collect my thoughts, taking my hand back. She almost falls over again before finally correcting her posture. "I was passing by when I noticed you were about to fall. I wasn't watching you." "..." "..." "You don't believe me." "No." "Well, sorry. I'll leave you alone next time. Bye, Ophilia." "W-wait." [[Ophilia grabs me by the wrist, stopping me from leaving.]]

"What?" "Don't go, I believe you." "No you don't." "Okay, well, what if I fall asleep again?" "Just… don't?" "Mm, it's haaard. Especially if I don't have anyone to talk to." "..." I choke back a laugh. This girl is so weird. I sit down beside her, letting my cane rest on my knee. "Well, I don't think that giant sweater is doing you any favors. Do you always have trouble staying up?" "Mhm. I can't focus on anything, really. My head is all…" Ophilia makes a wavy, circle motion with her hands around either side of her head. "Foggy. Jessie tells me to stay moving, but then I get lightheaded, and that makes me want to sleep too, and… blegh!" “Why’s that? Seems like you’ve got it pretty bad.” “Oh, it’s because I’m anemic.” Whoa, what? And I’m just now hearing about this? “Wait, seriously? Me too!” “Really?” (if: $Cane is true)[ “Yeah, that’s why I’ve got this.” I briefly pick up my cane, and drop it back down.]\ (else:)[ "Yeah, I take iron and get transfusions every few months for it."]\ “What do you have? Mine’s Pediatric Hemophilia. Well, mostly. It’s a whole story.” “Anemia.” “...Yeah, what kind?” “The blood kind?” We stare at one another for a moment. [[Why is she looking at me like *I'm* stupid?]]

"Y’know, it doesn’t really matter. Still, hard to believe you're a ballet dancer if it’s affecting you this much." Ophilia shrugs. “Dance is different, I’ve always been doing it. It’s not even movement for me, it’s just dance.” “Huh. I wish I was talented enough to do something like that, without having to think about it.” "Haha, I still think about it. I get plenty nervous before recitals." "Really? Do you think that's part of what makes you so tired?" She shrugs again. "Sure, why not?" "Hah, okay. Well, I have a couple things I like to do to take care of nerves." "Oh yeah? Like what?" "Well, first, I try to look at the situation with a level head. I think 'why am I nervous about this thing? Are the stakes high? Am I underprepared? Do I need to be nervous at all?'" "Mhm." "If that doesn't work, I move on to more… unconventional things. Sometimes I close my eyes, and picture myself in that situation I'm nervous about, and live through it over and over, until it becomes normal to me." "Oh, I do that one all the time. It's like rehearsing." "Yeah! And if neither of those work, and I'm *really* desperate, I'll just shake my arms and legs out ‘till I force the nerves away." Ophilia laughs, which is a huge relief. That sounded so corny coming out of my mouth, but she doesn’t seem to mind. “Not that I can move my legs too well anymore.” "I'll keep those in mind. Thank you, Seth." "Of course, Phili. Anytime." "Say, what do you have to be nervous about?" "All sorts of things. Presentations, meetings, dates-" "Ooh, dates? Tell me more." “There’s nothing to tell, I had like three in high school, but none of them worked out. I’d bore you talking about it.” "Hey, I'm interested. I've got no idea what kind of girl would want to date you." "Whoa, ouch." [[Ophilia tilts her head, then gasps when she realizes how she sounds.]]

“Ah, not that you’re undesirable at all! I’m sorry, I have trouble thinking before I speak.” "Yeah, I feel you, nobody thinks clearly when they're exhausted." "Yeah…" "I can’t say my dating life has been much better. Well, better in number maybe." “You’ve been on a date before?” “Mhm, why wouldn’t I?” “...No reason, I guess. Did any of them stick around?” “One of them did, junior year. His name was Mike, he had theater with me. He was really pretty, and I knew I wasn’t the only girl after him, so I was really flattered when he asked me to dinner. We almost made it to the end of the year before we broke up.” “What made you break up?” “He broke up with me. He said he the closer he got to me, the less he felt like he was with me. And then I found out he was cheating.” “Gross. I’m sorry he did that to you.” “It’s okay, we got back at him pretty quickly. Everyone in my grade got to see him and his new girlfriend from a nice angle during graduation.” Ophilia giggles to herself, and I make the conscious decision not to ask what she means by that. “Well, I’m sure we’re just late bloomers. We’ll find the right people someday.” Ophilia laughs louder, and shakes her head. "Haha, you are such a broken record. You've been saying that all day!" "...What?" "Hm?" "What are you talking about?" "I don't… did I say something?" (if: $Cane is true)[ "Yeah, we haven't… uh…" From the corner of my eye, I spot a familiar redhead coming our way. [[By the time we make eye contact she’s already leaning over the back of our bench to mingle.]]]\ (else:)[ "Yeah, we've barely talked today, when did we talk about dating?" Ophilia stares at me, the muscles around her eyes twitching, making her squint and re-focus on me, while her mouth curls into a slight frown. She's clearly having trouble processing something, and it takes her an uncomfortably long time to respond to me. "I guess I was thinking about Mabel. Do you think she's still at home?" "Maybe." "I kinda want to go visit her. I bet she's all lonely in her room. I don't have many classes left anyway." "Uh, yeah, that'd be nice of you." "Do you wanna come walk with me?" "I can't miss my last few classes, sorry." Ophilia pouts. "Oh... okay. Maybe Aurora can take me. I'm gonna go see her." "Alright. Bye, Phili." "Bye-bye." Ophilia smiles sweetly, and gets up to leave. I sit back on the bench, and feel a strong breeze blow through me, while I stare idly at the sky. I... do feel a little dozier than when I sat down, to Ophilia's credit. (if: $freetime < 3)[There’s still time in the lunch period. Maybe someone else can give me a real conversation today. (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> ]\ (if: $Aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffOphilia to it+3) ] (set: $Mike to true)

"Sup, dorks? What are you two chatting about?" "Hi, Mabel. Seth was just telling me about his love life." Mabel's face sours immediately. "The fuck are you bothering her with that for?" "She brought it up, actually." "Like hell she did, creep. Can you not go one week keeping your hands to yourself?" Mabel jabs her forearm into my head, leaving my head stinging. I wince, and pull away from her. "I wasn't hitting on her! Why are you so defensive all of a sudden?" “I’m defensive because I’m defending her from your defective chromosome, weirdo!” “I’m sorry Mabel, I thought he was just being friendly…” “What the hell, Ophilia? I was just being friendly, Mabel, lay off!” Mabel glares at me, and holds that sour frown for a couple moments, before her eyes shift to the floor. “Whatever. Do what you want, just keep Ophilia out of it, okay? She said she wasn't interested.” "Hm…?" "Uh… thank you? I still don't think we're on the same page." “We’re not on the same book. I don’t read at a third grade level.” "Phili, do you have somewhere else to go today?" "What time is it?" "Twelve forty-five." "I have math soon." "Want me to walk you there? I'll grab you a coffee on the way." "Hehe, okay." Ophilia stands up and looks at me. I glare back at her. What did she throw me under the bus for? I didn’t do anything wrong. In response, she closes her eyes and smiles at me. If it were Mabel, or Cynthia, or anyone else giving me that smile, I’d be sure they were rubbing it in. [[But from Ophilia, I’ve got no idea what to think.]]

"I'll, uh… see you later, Seth." "Yeah." I rub the side of my head that Mabel struck. She looks embarrassed, which is deserved. "..." "Sorry." "It's okay." "Creep." Mabel and Ophilia walk away, leaving me alone and perplexed. (if: $freetime < 3)[There’s still time in the lunch period. Maybe someone else can give me a real conversation today. (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> ]\ (if: $Aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textaurora]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffOphilia to it+3)

(if: $Cane is true)[(set: $location to "Front Yard")\ \ But arrive we do, and we’re all practically frozen when we get here. It hurts to walk. "Oh my god, we n-need to start driving to and from school." "D-don't be s-s-such a pansy. We're f-fine!" “You guys are gonna freeze before the snow comes in, at this rate.” "Sh-shut up Phili, you've got that damn sweater on." "I don't need it, I like the cold." “Well you aren’t helping us like it, girl.” "Someone just open the door." Ophilia opens the door for us, and we flood in like a pack of hungry wolves, dogpiling on the couch and warming each other up, while [[Ophilia watches us in genuine awe and disappointment.]]] (else:)[(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ We rush into the living room and seal the cold air out behind us. Mabel is sitting on the couch when we arrive, a fuzzy blanket already wrapped around her. "That was an unusually terrible cold front. Are we gonna be getting more of those?" "God, I hope not. Let's pray it was a fluke." "I wouldn't hold my breath." I walk over to the couch, and sit on its arm, looking over at Mabel. She's clearly been lazing on the sofa for a while, we might have woken her up from a nap, in fact. But she doesn't look unhappy. "Hey Mabel." Mabel looks over at me, and smiles. "Hey, Seth. Was class okay?" "Uh, yeah, it was fine. You didn't miss much from Solia. Make-up tests for some of us, the others went through a textbook passage." "What passage?" "Somewhere in chapter twelve, I think it starts." "Solia's easy to fall behind on. Would you mind showing me later?" "Oh. Uh... yeah, I guess I could..." I'm in the middle of processing Mabel's request when I notice something striking in my peripheral vision. Looking out the window, is that what I think it is? Holy shit, it is! [[“Guys, there’s a deer in the road right now.”]]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ "That was an unusually terrible cold front. Are we gonna be getting more of those?" "God, I hope not. Let's pray it was a fluke." "M-maybe we should buy some heavier coats, just in case." "You buying?" "Nope." Ophilia walks past our miserable lump and opens a closet nearby. She comes back with a giant blanket, which she lays over us. "The forecast this morning said it would be colder than usual. You should all be fine after tonight." "Thanks, Phili…" As nice as this feels, I have to stand back up before someone lays on my hand and makes me drop my cane. Getting out of the dogpile, I remember that I still have an errand to run. “Hey Aurora, is it okay if I borrow your car? As much as I don’t want to get back out there, I need to refill my iron.” “You go to the pharmacy downtown?” “Mhm.” “That’s like a five minute drive, I’ll take you.” “Thanks.” [[Aurora gets up, and the two of us get in the car.]]

(set: $location to "Aurora's Car")\ \ The engine hums, and the sound of wheels on pavement fill in empty space as Aurora and I sit in relative silence on the way to the pharmacy. I find it peculiar that Aurora doesn’t turn on the radio, even for a short drive like this. It’s possible she just doesn’t want to play something I won’t like, but that seems strange for a car she’s been sharing with six people for four years. Either way, here we are, alone together and listening to the road. “...It’s nice of you to drive me out here, but you know I can still drive like this.” “The thought hadn’t crossed my mind.” “Worried I’m gonna wreck your car?” “I just thought I’d take you.”\ (if: $AffAurora >= 8)[ “Thought you’d get me alone for a few more minutes, then.” “Maybe… would you like that to be why I’m driving?” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Yes."|bait]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["No."|justdrive]]</div> ] (else-if: $AffAurora < 8)[ [[I let my mind wander the rest of the short ride there.|pharmacy]] ] (set: $Bait to false)

“It’s your car, it only makes sense you’d be protective of it. You haven’t seen how I drive yet.” “Hm. I’m sure I’ll have to soon, anyway. But yes, I’d rather be here when that happens. I don’t need you wrecking my car.” [[Fair enough.|pharmacy]]

(set: $Bait to true) “I think I would like that.” Aurora smiles, and I can tell she has to try to keep her eyes on the road. “...Then so be it.” Things get quiet again. Aurora stays focused on driving, and I feel like I’m supposed to say something, but nothing comes. I notice the way the moonlight bounces off of her hair. The faint purple dye is just bright enough to shine in the night, and just dark enough to fit in during the day. I’m sure that’s intentional. [[I’m sure that’s one of the hundreds of things she gets just right every waking moment she has control over…|pharmacy]]

We park at the pharmacy, I walk in and buy my pills. Honestly, I should schedule an appointment with my doctor to see if I need to get an early transfusion, but I can’t bring myself to have that conversation yet. I couldn’t even tell him what changed to make me weaker. And it’s not even just because of the supernatural part of it. That monster didn’t just break my legs… if anything, most of the actual damage it did to me hasn’t carried over to the real world. I vaguely remember it covering me in this acidic… no, I don’t need to remember the details. Maybe I’m going on about nothing. I just wish I had someone to talk to about this. Someone more equipped to handle it than Mabel is. (if: $Bait is true)[ [[…And that’s when I remember who I’m sitting next to.]] ] (else:)[ [[But I don't think there's anyone qualified for this.|backhome]] ]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Monday Evening")\ \ We weren’t gone long, so when we get back home everyone is still mingling around the living room, except for Charlie and Ophilia in the kitchen. Mabel and Jessie are still on the couch, buried underneath the blanket Ophilia threw on us before. “Did you get your pills?” “Yes Cynthia, we didn’t get lost on my way to buy iron.” “Well… good. Don’t run out again.” “I won’t. I’m not dying Cynth, I know the cane scares you, but you don’t have to treat me like a cancer patient because I… uh…” Looking out the window, is that what I think it is? Holy shit, it is! [[“Guys, there’s a deer in the road right now.”]] (save-game: "Autosave")

Aurora’s already gotten Mabel to open up in ways I haven’t. She seems to know how to handle terrifying things, how would she respond to this? Should… should I tell Aurora what happened to me? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Tell her.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Don't.]]</div>

(set: $Catch to true)\ “Aurora?” “Yes?” “You asked me before what happened last night, between Mabel and I. There’s something I didn’t mention then.” “Oh?” “A lot, actually. Most of it. But it, um, it’s not easy to explain. It- it sounds kind of impossible when put into words…” “I’m listening, what happened?” “Well, I uh… and I don’t know if this was some sort of hallucination, but whatever it was, it felt real to me. And Mabel saw it too, it just-” “Seth. Stop making excuses. Whatever you tell me, I’ll believe you. Now tell me what you saw.” “...” “...Do you believe in demons, Aurora?” An involuntary smile curls up the edge of Aurora’s lips. I knew this would sound stupid to her. “That’s hard to say. Why?” “Mabel and I think we saw one last night. We were attacked by one.” Aurora turns her blinker on, and pulls into an empty parking lot. The car jerks to a stop when we get somewhere dark, and out of sight of the road. [[She looks me in the eyes, looking colder than I’m used to seeing her.]]

No, this isn’t the time. I need to figure this out myself, or talk to someone who knows what they’re doing before I throw this on a relative stranger. Maybe one day, but just not yet. [[I keep my mouth shut, and let Aurora drive me home.|backhome]]

“What did it look like?” “It was red. It had skin, but nothing about it was consistent. Some parts were smooth, others were swollen, others jagged and scarred. Its eyes were both swollen shut, and it had this horrible, infuriating voice…” I shiver a little remembering it. Aurora puts her hand on mine, not breaking her chilling eye contact. “And this demon attacked you?” “It did. It was more focused on Mabel, I had to get between the two of them. And when I did it… it used Mabel against me. It had this kind of control over her anger, and mine to a degree.” “Did you kill it?” “I don’t know. I managed to calm Mabel down, and protected her. It attacked me, but it… it got weaker because of it. Eventually, it just disappeared, and Mabel and I both passed out. We woke up back home, and that was last night.” Aurora’s eyes drift around the car as she takes in what I’m telling her. Eventually, she nods. “I believe you. But Seth… are you sure you told me this?” “What?” “Did I hear you tell me about this demon? You can say no, and this conversation never happened.” “I…” A warning. Unmistakable, but why? “I told you. This is happening.” Again, Aurora smiles, and lets out a satisfied breath. “This is happening…” “Seth, what you saw was real, I've seen it myself. It’s incredible that you can see it, I… I need to think about what that means.” “You knew about that thing?” “I'm so glad I'm not alone anymore. But I need to think before we get into it. We have to go home, but for now…” Aurora leans in, and rests her hand on my cheek. Before I’m able to react, she grabs my face and kisses me, bombarding me with the taste of her strawberry lipstick. She lets the moment last, closing her eyes and savoring the feeling of my lips against hers. I feel the gentle but demanding grip of her hand, the warmth of her face beaming against mine. My chest… Finally, she lets my lips free and allows me to breathe. [[Softly, she whispers in my ear.]]

“I need you to stay quiet. Last night never happened. This conversation never happened. Can you do that for me?” (live: 5s)[You ](live: 5.5s)[can.] (live: 7s)[“I can.”] (live: 9s)[“Thank you…”] (live: 11s)[Aurora smiles, and moves a strand of my hair out of my face with her finger, letting her nail drag just above my eye. With a light huff, she sits up straight, and gets back on the road.] (live: 14s)[ [[We don’t say another word until we get back home.|backhome]]]

“What?” “What!?” Ophilia rushes to my side to confirm that yes, there’s a reindeer standing in the middle of the street. This huge, majestic creature is just slowly trotting by, stopping to look at every tree and window it comes across. "Do we get wildlife here often?" "Only squirrels, stray dogs, or serpents. Oh, it's beautiful!" Aurora, Jessie, and I all give Ophilia a strange look. She returns it to us, defensively crossing her arms. "You guys see dogs here too, right? They’re everywhere, we have a spaying problem." The girls all move in from the living room, forming a loose huddle around the window, save for Mabel. It is beautiful, I can’t help but stare at those little ice crystals hanging off its antlers. It’s nature’s painting, a living postcard for a part of the earth that we never get to see. "I want to go out there and talk to it." "Don't, you'll just scare it." "Aww." "Yep… there he is." "What do you think it's doing here?" "Well, it's hard to know with animals." "Come on, humor me." [[“Okay, well…"]]

"I imagine it’s here for a change of scenery. Not enough food in the forest, maybe? Or, it might be lonely in the woods, so it’s trying its luck out here. Heh, it wants to be somebody’s pet.” "That's cute, Seth." [["What do you think, Charlie?"]]

“I don’t think you’re totally off. Thing is, I don’t think it’ll go somewhere scary like this because it wants to. There might have been a fire, or a fight with an alpha… do reindeer have alpha males? Anyway, I think it had to leave the woods and go… anywhere else. Campus isn’t special, just one of many stops for the big guy, on to something better.” "That sounds kind of sad. Poor deer…" "Oh, he'll be fine. It’s a big dumb animal." [[Cynthia tilts her head and watches the deer step around, scaring itself a little when it's hoof touches a bottle.]]

“I think you’re right Charlie, it was pushed out. But you think it’s looking for something better? I don’t think it's that simple. Animals are territorial, y’know? If something happened that made it leave, maybe he thinks something we have here can help save his real home. Or… maybe the fact that we’re seeing him here means he’s given up.” "Just wandering, huh?" "Not like this place smells like home to a deer, right?" "Yeah, I guess." "Phili?" [[Ophilia puts her hands on her hips and hums.]]

“Hmm… I think… I think it’s looking for someone. He’s following a trail, and it led him here.” "Think there's another deer out here somewhere?" “Maybe, but I don't think so. Look how clean his fur looks, he must be a zoo animal. That's it, his zookeeper stopped coming to feed him, and he's looking to bring him back home.” "Maybe *he's* lost." "Huh?" [[Aurora leans against the windowsill as she gives her take.]]

“We’re a good ways out from the woods, maybe he’s the one that’s lost. I think he was lured here by some smell, or something else, like shelter from the cold. He hit civilization, so I’m sure he’s confused. At this point, the fog’s caught up with him, and now… I mean, he’s not gonna make it back to the forest. Not without help, at least.” “Reckon we can help it?” “That’s animal control’s question. But either way, maybe we’ll be seeing more of this deer, if it’s traveled as far as it can. Maybe he’ll try to make his new home here. Maybe he’ll move onto something better, like Charlie said. I’m not sure.” "Something better… I like that." I look back at the couch, and talk to the blanket-lump I assume to be Mabel. (if: $Cane is true)[ "Peppermint?" "I think it's a big dumb deer that wants food." "Come on, you don't have anything more creative than that?" "Uuugh…" Mabel forces herself up from the couch, and joins us by the window. [[She gets a good look at the deer, who’s staring right back at us.]]]\ (else:)[ "Mabel?" "I don't really know. It probably got chased out by poachers. Or it's, like, an escaped zoo animal." "Which do you like better?" "I don't really care." "Hm. Okay." "And I think we should go to bed." Admittedly, I’m exhausted, even though it’s not that late. We all wave the deer goodbye, say our goodnights, prepare for bed, and go to our rooms. [[The only exception being Jessie, who stays put by the windowsill the whole time.]]]

"I think… I think Charlie had it right, way at the beginning. It's leaving its home behind, and it was drawn in by the bright lights and general warmth of campus. I think it's scared of all the people, and strange buildings, but prefers it to the danger of the wild. I don't think it's going anywhere." "That's really sweet, Mabel." "And I think we should go to bed." Admittedly, I’m exhausted, even though it’s not that late. We all wave the deer goodbye, say our goodnights, prepare for bed, and go to our rooms. [[The only exception being Jessie, who stays put by the windowsill the whole time.]]

"Coming to bed, Jess?" "In a minute, you guys go to bed." "Everything okay?" "Yeah. I just wanna keep my eye on this guy a little longer." "Oh yeah, we never heard what you think about the deer." "I’ve got no idea, really. Can’t make up stories for shit." "You sure? Nothing at all?" "...Nope." "Alright, if you say so. You should go to bed soon though, alright? All-nighters aren't good for anybody." "Roger, I won't be long." "Goodnight, Phili. Ready for your big day tomorrow?" "Haha, yep, sure thing! Goodnight." (if: $Cane is true)[ [[I close the door behind me, and flick off the lights.]]] (else:)[[[I close the door beind me, and flick off the lights.|Mabel's apology]]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ When I do, there’s a little flicker of light right in the middle of my bed. Just this tiny circle, only there for a second. I blink, and it's gone. Did I imagine that? I've had hallucinations when my anemia was at its worst before, but… at this point, I can’t tell what I should think is real or not. But I’m too tired to give this any special attention. Tomorrow’s a big day, I can’t lose sleep over little lights. Before calling it for the night though, I should check on that website again. I turn on my laptop, type in the web address, and… I'm not connected to the internet. That's weird, I know I was online before. Checking the available networks, I don't see ADA's usual wifi listed. Hm, guess the wifi's down right now, oh well. [[I turn off the computer, lay down, and wait for sleep to take me.]]

But again, I just can’t seem to relax. And this time, I don’t even have Jessie and Charlie’s screwing to blame it on. And I’m so tired, my body just won’t… shut down. I need to get checked for insomnia at some point. After thirty good minutes of restlessness, I give up and open the door. [[I might as well check on Jessie.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Monday Night")\ \ But when I get down the stairs, she isn’t there. "Jessie?" I check the kitchen and the hallway, and nothing. Did I not hear her go to her room? Did she go outside? …This is bothering me for some reason. If I’m not sleeping anyway, I’ll sit here and wait for her. Maybe I’ll fall asleep in the meantime. Thirty more minutes pass, and I hear a door creak open upstairs. I perk up, and look at the railing to see who it is. I expect to see Jessie, but that’s not who I see. It’s Cynthia. [[She gasps when she spots me looking up at her.]]

"Seth. You're, um… up." "So are you." "What are you doing?" "Checking on Jessie. I don't know where she is… what are* you* doing?" "I'm checking on her, too." "Wanna sit with me?" "Um… no." "No?" "She's not downstairs, right? If we're trying to find her, I'll look outside." "I'm not trying to stalk her, I just want to make sure she gets home safe." "That's still a little creepy." "You're doing it, too. C'mon, just sit and wait with me, please?" "Uh… okay." Cynthia sits on the opposite end of the couch. We spend a few minutes without saying a word to each other; [[I listen to the symphonies of the crickets while Cynthia’s eyes haze over.]]

"..." "..." "Hey, Cynthia?" "Hm?" "Do you like me?" “What? What do you mean? If you… inviting you here was a totally platonic-” “That’s not what I mean. Do you still like me? Did I do something to make you stop talking to me? I know you trust me enough to live with you, but do you- do you like me?” There’s surprise in Cynthia’s face. She sweeps it away, and averts her eyes. “You’re a little old to worry about popularity, Seth. I don’t think it matters.” "...That hurts, Cynth. But message received." Cynthia chokes on her words, and closes her eyes. "Don't do that." "Hm?" "You didn't do anything, alright? You're fine. You're perfect." "So why are you avoiding me? Even now, we’re not talking. I’m talking *at* you." "..." "...I really tried, Cynthia. I tried to keep you around. I missed you so much. I haven't… I haven't done anything since you ditched me. I don't have other friends, or hobbies, or… or anything. I stopped thinking about you, and I stopped thinking about anything. [[You know how miserable that was?"]]

(if: $AffCynthia >= 3) [ Cynthia lets out a stifled sob, and wipes her cheek. “That's not fair.” “What?” “You really care about me?” “Of course I do, what kind of question is that?(if: $Cane is true)[ I need you, you dumbass. You think-” I take my cane and lightly shake it in front of her. “You think this kid makes it to college on his own? Or that he grows out of his best friend?] I love you, Cynthia.” Cynthia sighs. “I love you too, jerk.” Cynthia shuffles in closer to me, and lays down, resting her head on my lap. “And I missed you a lot.” “You did?” “...I dunno. I did and I didn’t.” “You just… please don’t get too used to this, okay?” “Used to what?” Cynthia grabs my hand, and puts it on her head. Her wordless way of asking me to stroke her hair, which used to be my job any time she was upset. I hesitate, but let my fingers wander down her scalp. [[As if we never stopped, my hand remembers every touch and stroke she likes best.]]] (else-if: $AffCynthia < 3)[Suddenly, Cynthia stands up and wipes her cheek. "This is stupid. Jessie'll be back." "Where are you going?" "On a walk." "Cynthia-" "Go to bed." Cynthia storms off, and slams the door behind her. Confused, exhausted and miserable, I drag my feet back up to my room, praying I [[forget about tonight when I wake up.|end ch4]]]

“...We’re adults now.” “We are.” “Isn’t that stupid?” “I try not to think about it.” “It’s all I think about. I wake up every morning and reach for an alarm clock that’s sitting in my room in Michigan.” “Do you miss home?” Cynthia’s voice trembles through her answer. “Desperately.” “We should go back soon.” “...Yeah?” “Yeah. I’m sure our parents miss us, god knows neither of us kept in touch. We’ll go and sit through a thousand questions between the three of them.” “Mhm?” “And we’ll spend too much money at that god-awful steakhouse.” “And visit those parks with playgrounds we’re too big for?” “We were too big for those before we left, Cynth.” “Mm.” “...I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “You don’t?” “...” I sit in silence and stroke Cynth’s hair until she finally drifts to sleep. When I know she’s out, I carefully pick her head up and rest it on the sofa cushion, [[taking a step back to look at her.]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 4. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 5]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (save-game: "Autosave")

…You get more beautiful every day, Cynthia. I admire you more every time we meet. I wish it didn’t feel like I see less of you the closer I get. I drag my feet up to my room and get back in bed, [[where I’m finally able to sleep again.|end ch4]]

(set: $time to "Tuesday Morning")\ \ My head's screaming at me the moment I wake up, I feel like there's a drill in my brain. Before I open my eyes I'm grabbing for my pill bottle and popping an iron just to try to quell this migraine. When that subsides and I'm able to stand up, my hair's a mess and my legs ache. [[For a Tuesday, not a bad start.]] (if: $AffJessie >= 5)[(set: $Voicemail to true)] (set: $Chapter to 5)

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ The girls are all awake before me, some getting ready, some eating, other just passing time. Jessie and Ophilia are dancing together; which is to say Ophilia is trying to dance while Jessie jerks around and struggles to follow her lead. There's a suitcase unoccupied on the couch; must be Ophilia's dance equipment. Mabel's the first to notice me walk down the stairs, looking away from Ophilia and Jessie's ‘performance.’ "Look who's finally up. We're all ready to go man, Cynthia's on her way out now." "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize how much I overslept." Cynthia waves me good-morning as she walks out the door. "Don't apologize to us, it's your own ass if you're late." "Guess so. See ya, Cynth." Cynthia closes the door, and I turn to Ophilia, who's just given up on a very dizzy Jessie. "Was Jessie your first choice of a dance partner?" "Jessie's a fantastic dancer. It's just..." "This is *not* the kind of dancing I'm used to." “Alright, let's try it Jessie's way now, I'll get the pole.” “Shut up, man.” "Aurora's a good slow dancer, but she's busy, and Charlie just knows how to square dance." “Excuse you, I'm also excellent at raves. It just so happens my dad is very pretentious about his country ties.” "It all just looks like random movement to me." “Raving?” “Square dancing.” Ophilia and Jessie end up leaving together, Mabel heading out on her own a little after. That leaves Charlie and I to pick up the rear; on account of my waking up late and Charlie's being Charlie, we finish prepping close enough to walk to school together. While I'm going through my bag, [[I see Charlie head to the door without me.]]

"Hey wait up, I'm not ready yet." "I know, I'm not leaving." Charlie opens the door's mail slot and picks up an envelope, opening it up and studying its contents. I watch her eyes scan the page with interest. "Fan mail?" "Yup." "What's it say?" Charlie doesn't respond; instead she closes the envelope, and kisses its front. She stares at it for another second, then plants two more deep, intentful kisses across the letter. "What are you doing?" "I'm putting this up." “That's what you're about to do, I asked what you're-” “I'm doing all sorts of stuff right now. Walking, talking, aging- oh god am I aging. Be right back.” Charlie walks right past me, trotting up the stairs and disappearing into her room. So… was that letter from a boyfriend? Does Charlie have a boyfriend? (if: $threesome is false)[I kinda figured she and Jessie were a thing, but that was a weird way to react to a stranger's letter.] A little time passes, and Charlie comes back down the stairs smiling. "Alright slowpoke, let's try to get to class this year, cool?" “Do I need to do a background check on you before we hang out, or are you gonna tell me what's going on with you?” “You haven't already done a background check on me? That's like a five-minute search, dude. I already looked up all your dirty little secrets, Michigan.” "You what?" Charlie chuckles and slaps me on the chest, heading to the door. “What, did you think we'd talk to get to know each other? What's the internet for?” [[The two of us leave the house.]]

(set: $location to "Campus Streets")\ \ The walk to Saintsridge is painless enough. It's as cold as usual, but nothing as bad as last night. Charlie crosses her arms to keep warm, and starts up a conversation with me, which is a nice surprise from her. “Phili's warming up to you pretty quick. Thanks for being sweet to her.” "Yeah? I don't feel like I've had one good conversation with her since we met. She talks highly when I'm not around?" "Yeah. I mean, she talks highly about everybody, but she's easing up with you, for sure. She was pretty nervous about your whole… your whole thing. We haven't used that room all year, so it takes a lot for her to let in somebody new. But I think she's happy with you.” “A year, huh? Is she nervous around new people? Wait, she's been around for a while, right? Wasn't she a co-founder?” "Well, yeah. That's…" Charlie slows down, and gives me a worried look. “Oh god, did we not tell you? Do you know about Katherine?” "Ophilia's dead sister? What about her?" “She and Ophilia are twins, they both co-founded ADA. Seth, your room belonged to her.” "Oh. Oh my god, I never realized-" "I'm so sorry no one explained that to you! I guess we all thought someone else would." “No wonder she was nervous, knowing how Ophilia is, I'm sure that was hard for her.” "You have no idea." [[Charlie looks like she's seen war.]]

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ (set: $time to "Tuesday Afternoon")\ \ Charlie and I part ways when we get to campus, but for the whole day I can't get what she told me out of my head. I have trouble focusing in class, my train of thought derailed by a woman I've never even met. I end up spending time with Ophilia during lunch, but I don't dare let her catch on to why I'm distracted. Today's too important to get caught up in old wounds. “Have you ever tried to learn to dance?” "Me? No, I've never considered it, why?" “You have a really good build for it; You're tall and skinny, but muscular enough to control yourself. If you took some lessons, I bet you'd be really good.” (if: $Cane is true)[ “I can't dance without working legs, Phili.” “When you get off your cane, then.” ] "Yeah, maybe…" Ophilia giggles. “Well don't think about it too long, there's no point if you start too late. You're already pretty behind, twenty-one is pretty old to start dancing.” Are you calling me old? You're one year older than me, Ophilia. You really can't think before you speak, can you? [[“Whatever."]]

"Hey, Seth?" "Yeah?" "After the show, do you want to go out on the town together? Just me and you?" "I thought we were getting ice cream after the show." “Yeah, after that. We won't have the car so we can't go too far, but I don't mind walking if you're with me. We can show each other our favorite downtown spots. Have you ever been to the old parking tower by the fountain?” "Uh… no. Why do you want to go out with me?" "Why not?" "Because we… I don't know, It doesn't seem like we've gotten on the right foot yet is all. I mean I like you, and I don't think you dislike me, but, y'know… it's been a little awkward, right?" Ophilia frowns. "I know what you mean. That's actually why I want to go." "Oh?" “I don't usually have a hard time clicking with people. I'm not mad about that time in the den or anything, so it bothers me that we aren't friends yet.(if: $Cane is true)[ You even won Mabel over before me.]” "Well that's… nevermind, go on." “I think if we force each other to have some real alone time, you might start to like me. I wanna get to know you, that's all.” Jesus, that pout is heartbreaking. "Yeah, I'd- I'd like that too. I'll go out with you, sure." "Thanks, Seth. We'll have a good time, I promise. Oh, and one more thing?" "What is it?" "If the girls ask, can we pretend this was your idea?" [["...Why?"]]

"No reason, really. It just… feels better that way." "Uh huh." My eyes drill into Ophilia's skull and make it clear that her answer isn't enough. She tries to ignore me, but cracks pretty quick. "Come on, it's embarrassing!" "What's embarrassing? You don't want people to know you wanted to spend time with me?" “Kind of. But that sounds bad, it's not like that. I just- I don't- I don't really do this. Take initiative, especially with new people. I don't want the girls to think I'm picking favorites. Is that stupid?" Kind of. "No, that's alright, we'll say it was my idea.” "Thanks." [[Classes end, and we all congregate to our usual spot.]]

(set: $location to "Saintsridge Campus")\ \ Only Aurora isn't here with us. "Hey, where's Aurora?" "She left early to get the car. She's going to pick us up and take us to the show." "It's starting that soon?" "Nah, but the troupe needs to set everything up. Be easier to just bring us all there in one go, save on gas." "I guess so. How long will we be there?" "Just a couple of hours, it won't be long." Seconds later, Aurora's car rolls in and slows to a halt, as she rolls down the passenger window. "Phili's got shotgun, the rest of you fill in." Ophilia gets in the passenger's seat, and the other girls push over each other to get to the car first, going feral on a dime. Mabel and Charlie wrestle getting the door open, ramming it so hard I thought they might dent the vehicle. Mabel manages to slip in the back seat first, [[leaving Charlie and Cynthia right behind her.]]

“You got lucky the last two times, Parth, back off!” “Man I wish I had a pie on me right now.” “What? Did you say pie-?” While Cynthia questions her, Charlie opens her hand wide and smacks her palm on Cynthia's face, pushing her head back and dazing her. Blinded, Cynthia tries to grab Charlie by the neck, but Jessie bear hugs her from behind and spins her around, tossing her back onto the curb. Triumphant, Charlie crawls into her seat and boasts. “Hat trick!” Jessie climbs in after her and shuts the door. I help Cynthia get to her feet, proud of myself for not participating in that. "Come on, we're stuck in the back.” [[I climb in the trunk of Aurora's car and sit opposite of Cynthia.]]

(set: $location to "Aurora's Car")\ \ The doors close, and we sway a bit as the car starts moving. I watch Cynthia stare out the back windshield with mindless boredom, listening to the tires beneath us while Ophilia sifts through radio stations. (if: $Cane is true)[ At one point Mabel turns around and peeks at us from behind her seat. When I look back at her, she sticks her tongue out and quickly ducks back under cover. I'm embarrassed that such a stupid joke makes me laugh, but she got me. ] "Have you ever been to *The Monde,* Seth?" “Don't think so. I haven't seen much of town since I moved in, honestly.” “Really? Well good thing you found us, we're gonna drag you around everywhere. The Monde's super pretty, long as you've got expensive taste. They really try to look ‘modern,’ which means everything's black and gray. The building itself in kind of a cheap part of town, so they might be compensating?” “You're overselling it. It looks fine, they just try way too hard to be classy, it's so pretentious. Reminds me of the dorms on campus, actually. That ‘un-rich people’ motif.” "Spot on." "Huh. A dance recital in a dorm room. There's an idea." "I like *The Monde.* It feels homey." "Homey? You're insane, that place is better suited to be a museum than a house." "I don't know about homey, but I certainly feel comfortable there." "Well sure, you're there all the time." "Fair enough." "I don't see you trying to spend the night at Pandora's Box, Jess, and that place is your second home." "That's true, but I think a theater is a better place to sleep than a nightclub." “Depends who you're sleeping with.” [["What kind of recital is this going to be, anyway?"]]

The grasslands are shredded and stirred between four forces as all-out bloodshed engulfs Osterria. Cynthia, having the greatest singular force, pushes against Aurora and Mabel at once, her wall of shielded soldiers maintining their form and prodding at the allied forces from within relative safety. Meanwhile, Jessie's barbarians throw their full reckless might at the nearest threat, which just so happens to be Mabel. They fling swords and axes and clubs into the flesh of the overwhelmed Strixan fighters with unbearable ferocity. "Drive a wedge between Strix and Nïhilm, we're stronger than either of them individually!" "The only wedge to drive will be right between your eyes, ruffian!" Supported my Aurora above her, Mabel nonetheless finds the assault from two directions much to bare. Loathe as she is to consider retreating a second time against the same opponent, she is forced to pull back and recover behind Aurora as the pressing walls of Cordel and Brickton push in, threatening to crush her and hers. Cynthia notices this sudden retreat, and opts to use this updraft in her favor, spreading her sails and directing an assault on Jessie's forces as well as Aurora's. Jessie growls, and reluctantly splits her focus to defend herself from Cynthia while she pushes into Aurora's formation. "They're growing tired, keep the boiler up! We can win it all right here!" For the next few turns, the borders remain as such; bodies drop from all three points of conflict in relative equilibrium. But just as the heat of battle threatens to shrink and stagnate, Mabel decides she's recovered enough and sweeps out from within Aurora's protection, swiftly engaging Jessie and the Brickton warriors. She applies a third point of pressure before Jessie could even register that she was back in the fight. "What!? When did you get back here!?" "You took your eye off the ball, Jessica. Or did you really think you could get to her through me? We're far from equals." Strix splits Brickton's formation clean in two, and not two turns later, Mabel sends her blade straight through Jessie's skull; right between the eyes, just like she promised. [[That leaves three.]]

Cynthia notices when Brickton loses its leader, and wastes no time sending a scavenger to recruit the now directionless barbarians to her cause. "Move in, we'll corner them!" The scavenger breaks off from the defensive wall and bolts to the scene of Jessie's demise. He almost makes it, but he's suddenly blinded by a brilliant golden glow. The marching of metal boots disorients the scavenger, and the radiant aura of Aurora, Champion General of Nïhilm, renders him incapable of fulfilling his purpose. "Wither, and become nothing." Aurora makes quick work of the scavenger, and the barbarians scatter, leaving Cynthia alone once again to defend against Strix and Nïhilm. "Damnit, no!" Cynthia pulls back and reinforces her defenses, but after all she's already spent on this fight, it proves half of what she needs to come out on top. With a torrent of cuts and slashes, Cordel's military is decimated and discared, [[its leader swept away and reduced to ash and vicera in the stained grass.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Wow... all that, and it meant nothing." "You should have made more friends, Cynthia. It seems like this game rewards alliances more than anything." "Yeah, cuz you're not supposed to be working together in the first place! The game's built around even competition, you cheating bastards." "There's nothing in the rules that says you *can't* work together..." "I mean, I tried making a friend. But he died." "I did die, you're right." "And now we get to watch what happens to every alliance in a one-winner game." [[Aurora and Mabel give each other uneasy looks.|She grips her weapon's hilt tighter.]]

I spend the next few turns resting, and letting my troops recover. My reckless non-strategy won me an early conquest, but the fatigue and casualties were dire. Rather than expanding, I build villages and cultivate farmland, paving the way for my soldiers to reinvigorate themselves, and be fully prepared for the next expedition. But a sudden attack from the north tells me the world has other plans for me. A volley of arrows wipes out a battallion close to my border, and one of my farms is occupied not a turn later. Learning of this, my mind races through possibilities and ways to retaliate. "What the hell? I was just at that border, who could have gotten to it that quickly? Strix? They weren't coming this way." "Close, but no dice. Come out and play, Dreyga!" Gathering my troops and marching to the source of the commotion, I find High Merchant Charlie and her band of archers waiting to punch me full of holes. She sits on a fencepost, playfully twirling an arrow in her fingers. "What the hell are you doing here?" "I come bearing gifts: food, blankets, and the word of Jesus Christ." "Really." She chuckles to herself, and shakes her head. "No, not really. I came to butcher you for what you and Jessie did to my highway. So hold still... and let me devour you." Charlie closes one eye and draws her bow, aiming right for me. [[I bare my teeth, and charge to subdue her.]]

I hold my head down, and command my soldiers to charge forward. In response, Charlie sends a torrent of arrows at them, puncturing skulls and waning Dreyga's numbers. I move between Faerin mercenaries, carving a path through for my troops. My superior durability and proximity to my port almost get me through the volley. Almost. But the terrain advantage of the surprise attack proves too much to handle, and I'm left stuck in my tracks. Charlie whistles, and stands flat on the fencepost like a cat, nocking an arrow with lethal intent. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Dreyga." Charlie lifts up her bow and reaches to her quiver for an arrow, and... [[*CRAK!*]]

Charlie is struck by a flying warhammer, rattling her brain and flinging her off of the fence right into the dirt. On the other side of the farmhouse, Jessie pounds her chest and whoops victoriously, having successfully flung the hammer like an olympic throwing weight right at her target, ramming her down just in time. As Charlie skids through the grass, I waste no time rushing her, and plunging my spear straight through her back, killing her with a witless bleat. "*Byeeaaahhck...*" The combined armies of Dreyga and Brickton clean up the now leaderless Faerin mercenaries. I pull my weapon out of Charlie's corpse and kneel, finally able to catch my breath. Jessie walks up, her army of barbarians behind her, a giddy smile plastered on her face. "Thanks, Brickton. I think she really might've had me there. It was stupid to try and rush her like that." "Aw, don't think anything of it. I owed you a favor. And now look, we made it to the final three together!" "Yeah. Wow, that fast? Guess that makes us even, you and me." Jessie nods, and idly caresses the mast of her warhammer while her eyes scan the perimiter. "Yeah, we sure are. And that means I don't have to feel bad about this." "Huh?" [[Jessie picks up her hammer and swings it like a rubber mallot into my head.]]

My world spins around me as I'm slammed into the soil, a splatter of blood spritzing the ground beside me. I'm only able to look up in time to see Jessie plant her foot on my chest, digging into my sternum with her heel. I cough, and struggle to put together enough words for a sentence. "Wh... what... why?" "Yeahhh, the final three tends to get pretty cutthroat, and this commander works a little better when you don't have to worry about support. I don't need you weighing me down against Mabel, or picking me off after we're done with her." I try to push myself up, just to do something against her. But she plants her foot down, demanding I stay prone. "*Uff.* This doesn't... feel like you're... returning a favor." "Sorry it's not how you pictured it, Seth. But if it makes you feel better, saving you *was* a favor. If I didn't owe anybody anything, I'd have rather kept Charlie alive than you. Strategically, I mean." Jessie shrugs, and holds the hammer upside down, letting the head hang just above mine. "I'll let you get some last words in, if you want." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You'd better win for me."|hammerhead]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You're a shitty teammate."|hammerhead]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Spit at her.|hammerhead]]</div>

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ Jessie lets the hammer drop, crusing my skull and eliminating me. The group sits in silence around the table, appreciating the moment. "Bad... Ass." "That was cold, Jessie." "I know it. Sorry if I gave you the impression that I fucked around." "Hey, don't act like you were mister honorable that whole time, you left me to die." "That's how the game's played. Seth would've died if he saved your sorry ass." "Do you think Jessie has a chance, Aurora?" "Hm... hard to say. Jessie's right, she's at her strongest when she doesn't have to pick up for others. If that strength's enough to topple Mabel's, it's hard to say." "Sounds like the final two is gonna be a coin flip." "It usually is." [[Jessie and Mabel meet in the center of the continent for the final fight.]]

"Osterria needs better than a tyrant who worships might and might alone. What will your people do with you when you're old and frail, woman?" Jessie laughs proudly, and brandishes her arms for the world to see. "They will adore me for the glory I will bring them, like the glory I'm bringing them now. I will grow old, Mabel, but never frail. What will your people do with you once you're a stain on my boot?" "They will honor me, by skinning you and making your hide my doormat." "Oh ho? Are your backwards little people ready to build a sense of taste? I've got a warehouse of rugs to gift you, Mabel. The prettiest were torn from the skins of your children!" "Die, Barbarian!" Our two finalists charge each other. The Samurai and the Barbarian. Each touch of their swords are fueled with enough spirit to set a forest ablaze. Their respective armies flood in, trampling the fields by the hundreds. They know this is their last battle, their greatest opportunity to lay their lives down for the glory of their homeland. These titans continue their dance of steel, barking commands at their forces with every swing. Cuts and bruises tear across their bodies like paper, and at times the chaos of battle proves a distraction enough to throw either off guard. When Jessie and Mabel's energy and wits had reached their end, the two were both struggling to stay conscious. It looks like Jessie's in the lead, by a razor thin margin. She's standing just an inch straighter, speaking just a touch louder, and holding her sword just a hair higher. Mabel focuses on steadying her spinning head, given no choice but to leave herself open. Jessie looks around the table, planning her next turn. This is it- the game's over. If Mabel dies here, the war's as good as won, with no one around to defend Strix's port. [[And Jessie does it.]]

Jessie sends her sword soaring, the inhumanly powerful swing shredding the air around it with a shrill whistle, and then a disgusting squelch as it cleaves Mabel right in two. Her upper body drops and splatters on the dirt first, and a beat after, her legs buckle and collapse. [[And just like that, Strix is undone by the unmatchable might of Jessie and the Brickton Barbarians.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Ha! Let's fucking goooo!" "Well done, Jessie. You're a better strategist than we give you credit for." "Yeah, being a heartless bitch really pays off sometimes." "And don't you forget it. Man, war *is* fun, I can't believe I gave that army recruiter so much shit. Do you think they're still hiring?" "The army? They're always hiring." "I think you'd have a more fulfilling time with the mob, they tend to appreciate hard muscle a little better." "Please don't talk Jessie into working for the mob, Charlie." "Too late, I'm sold. Anyway, good game, Mabel. You almost had me." Jessie offers Mabel a fist bump. Mabel frowns and hesitates, but rolls her eyes and bumps with her. "Whatever. Like we said, it's a coin flip.." "Man, I forgot how much fun this game is, it's been weeks since we played it last." "Yeah, that was incredible." Cynthia giggles. "I'm glad you liked it." “Whooping ass is tiring, what time is it?” I check the clock, it's well into the night. We completely lost track of time again. "Whoops, guess we should have started a little earlier." "No big deal, tomorrow's sunday, no rush. We should probably call it, though." [[Everyone agrees, so we leave the den and head to bed.]]

Jessie sweats, holding her ground against the early threat of two united commanders headed straight for the heart of her colony. "You're kidding me. I didn't even do anything!" The Barbarians fight like wolves against my knights, flailing their clubs and pikes at the joints, taking any cheap shot they can to force a break in my formation. But it's the actual wolves, charging through the empty hallway I'd created for them, that display true ferocity. With their pale, ghastly fangs, they rip the barbarians to shreds, gore spilling through the air and floating as it mixes with the foamy, ethereal saliva of these feral beasts. Soon enough, Jessie is left to fight all on her own, backed up to her port. I punch a mighty crater into its hull, and watch her drown. [[The first casualty of the game, perhaps the strongest individual warrior out of all of us.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Hey, we did it! I'm not out first!" "Damn. Why'd you have it out for me so quickly, Phili? I thought we were chill." Ophilia shrugs. "You were right next to me, I just started with the closest person to me." "So go kill Charlie then, she's your other neighbor." "Yeah, *or,* y'know who's way closer to you than me right now, Phili? Seth. He's right beside you." "Nice try Charlie, but I just saved her ass." "Yeah! And I'm not gonna pick any fights on my own, this one almost killed me." [[Charlie shrugs, satisfied knowing she's not next on the chopping block.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "Thanks for the help, Seth. I'm not too good at this game on my own, to be honest. Do you want to keep working together?" "I don't see why not. Friends seem like a valuable thing to have in war." "Mhm! And I've played this game before, so even if I can't fight too well, I can point us in the right direction." "Well, what's the right direction now?" Ophilia puts a finger to her chin, and ponders our next move. Then, she points northeast. "Cynthia. We need to take her out before she gets any stronger." "Cynthia? Why Cynthia?" "(text-colour:#f9f338)[[Cordel's|Cordel.]] commander works by taking soldiers and abilities from units that belonged to dead commanders. She's really weak when the game starts, but she gets stronger for every player eliminated." "In other words, picking anyone else to kill would be shooting ourselves in the foot later on. Alright, I'm with you." [[Ophilia nods, and after taking a few turns to rest, we march on to Cordel.]]

Cordel's defenses are sparse and poorly equipped; clearly Ophilia's right about her starting out weak. I notice a few stragglers from Brickton already among her ranks, beating down the grass and annoying Cordel's farmers, but it's not nearly enough to pose any sort of threat to Ophilia and I. We strike down any form of resistance down our path, all the way to Cynthia's port. When we arrive, Cynthia is nervous, hiding behind the coat of rags that make up her armor. There's a decent group standing at the ready; we'd made no effort to hide our advance once we reached Cordel. But either one of us could have supplied better, had it been our colonies under attack. Cynthia puts on a brave face, and tries to negotiate. "Alright. What's it gonna take for you two to leave me alone?" "I don't think you have what it takes. What we need is assurance that we won't have any apex predators to worry about for the last stretch of this war." "And as the queen of the third act, that's assurance you have no reason to follow through on." Ophilia twirls her staff around, and plants a summoning gate behind us. Three magnificent beasts crawl out, ready to throw themselves at the most vulnerable target they can find. Cynthia grits her teeth and widens her stance. "Fine then, no promises. Get out of my home." [[The three of us call our units to charge, and the bloodshed begins.]]

Cynthia is a capable commander, able to keep her few units alive much longer than they should. She even manages to wipe away the spectral beasts Ophilia had summoned, if only in time for two more to crawl out and take their place. Quickly though, despite her best efforts, Cynthia is cornered, the two of us closing in for the kill. Cynthia scoffs, and fires an arrow at us to hold us back. Desperate, she cries out for a savior. "Charlie, help me! I need help, I know you can get over here!" Across the battlefield, Charlie recieves the message, in the middle of a fight of her own. Mabel, High Warrior of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Strix|Strixan]] is standing in the way of her travelling merchants, preventing them from connecting their walls in the center of the continent. "Gah- sorry dollface, Mabel's keeping me occupied right now. You'll have to get out on your own!" Ophilia, standing on the back of a beast, watches as the ferocious animal flings a Cordel soldier up through the air with a fling of its jaw. Cynthia's eyes go wide as she hears the soldier's body *crunch* on the way down. "Shit. Aurora!?" "It's too late. I'm too far, I'll never make it in time. You should have acted sooner, Cynth." I pierce a barbarian in the ribs and slowly lift him above my head with both hands. The blood trickles down the handle of my lance, until I swing it back and dispose of the body, flicking the gore off like rain. "..." Cynthia's eyes dart between Ophilia and I, both of us staring her down as we finally reach the commander herself. She steps back onto her port, the very last place she has to retreat. [[Both are broken to pieces by the end of the next turn.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "Damnit. Really? None of you wanted to help me out there? I'm a powerful ally to have for the mid-game!" "And then you become a terrible ally by the late-game. I was gonna do the same thing if those two didn't beat me to it." Cynthia scoffs. "Cordel is such a liability." "You two are kind of a menace together, Seth. I didn't think you'd be so aggressive on your first game." "Chalk it up to beginner's luck. That, and I've got a good ally." "Aww, thanks! Speaking of aggression, that fight didn't wear me down much at all, what about you?" "I'm good to keep going." "Great! I think we should get Mabel now. She's still fending Charlie off, so she must be tired." I lean back in my chair, and study the board a little. Ophilia's right, Mabel's gotta be tired, but everyone seems to agree that she's a force to be reckoned with in this game. It crosses my mind that it might be better to make her our ally and take Charlie out for her, but... no, Charlie's in a bad spot for us to target her, we'd just be getting in the way. That said, Aurora's a wild card; as far as I know she hasn't left home yet. We could find out what she's up to, maybe stop her plans before they start. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Agree to target Mabel]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Target Aurora instead]]</div>

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "Alright, I'm on board. Let's go get her." Ophilia smiles enthusiastically, and we head out for Strix. We have to pass through the continent's center to get there. For such a valuable stretch of land, we expect any number of ambushes or traps to find us. But we find nothing of the sort; on the contrary, the only thing of interest is one of Charlie's merchant walls, crossing paths with us and curving closer to the continent's direct center. Considering our options, we decide to pay the toll to be let across. The merchant manning the wall greets us with a friendly smile. "Hello there!" *"Oh, hello there to you too! My, you two are adorable. How can I help you?"* Ophilia blushes, and mumbles to me so the merchant can't hear. "Aww, he called us adorable. Do you think he likes my wizard hat?" "That's just Charlie, Phili, don't be too flattered." I look back up and address the merchant. "Uh, yeah, we wanna cross the wall." *"Really? Fantastic! Standard rate, crossing is eighty gold."* "Eighty gold!? That's ridiculous! Do-" I mumble back to Ophilia. "Do we even have that much between us right now?" She shakes her head. "I've been spending all my money on soldiers, it's still kinda early in the game." "Well what do we do?" "Don't worry, I've got an idea." [[Ophilia fastens down the brim of her giant hat, and gets serious.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ "Come with me back to Dreyga. I think we should start moving in on Aurora, she's been too quiet for my liking." Ophilia nods, and the two of us leave Cordel. We spend the next dozen or so turns making sure Ophilia's territory is properly defended before developing mine further west. My expansion continues until it inevitably brings me to odds with [[my neighbor: Aurora.]]

"I think you've reached the end of your share of land, neighbor." "Don't misunderstand Aurora, he's colonizing for two." "I don't think my share *has* an end, neighbor. This continent would be so much prettier painted blue." "Hum. If that's all you want, let me introduce you to the palette of the deep blue sea!" "Let's get her, Seth!" Aurora, Ophilia and I do battle, commanding our soldiers into two wide lines to charge into one another. Once again steel meets steel meets claw, and the unassuming grasslands are brought alive through breaths of fire, and rivers of blood seeped into the soil. Aurora is a formiddable opponent, leagues more than Cynthia was. She maneuvers (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Nïhilm's|Nïhilm]] army with absolute autonomy, aware of all boots on the ground at all distances. If I knew this game better, I'd have the sense not to boorishly challenge my obvious superior. But a master of warfare does not fear the second greatest warrior in the world. They fear the untrained swordsman, for he cannot be predicted. The only knowledge I need is safety in numbers; Ophilia can worry about playing smart. I push my troops forward, closing what little distance Aurora has between her and I. The advance into enemy arms costs me some lives, but it throws Aurora off of her balance. She pulls her army back to regain that footing, and I know I can win this. [[A mighty roar from one of Ophilia's beasts rattles Nïhilm's helmets, and gives us the sadistic vigor to drive forward.]]

I take cover beside the hides of Ophilia's massive beasts, and drive into the heart of Nïhilm territory. surfing over knights and paladins, I follow my sword arm straight to the enemy commander. Aurora meets my attack with a swing every bit as might as my own. "Cowardly, to soar so far by someone else's wings." "A few moments more, Aurora, and I'll drive you to true cowardice." Aurora smirks, and holds her arms out to catch the rays of the sun at her back. My confidence shakes as she begins glowing a radiant golden aura, which seems to spread far beyond the reach of her reflective metal plates. "A few moments more, and you will know there is no chivalry for wingless things." Waves of golden light wash over me, and as I cover my eyes from the glare, I hear what sounds like shredding fabric and shattering glass at once behind me. Ophilia gasps. "My gates!" I turn around to find that the summoning gates Ophilia was relying on have disintegrated, and are now floating away as specks of ash in the wind. The beasts they brought to the front lines have already withered and died with them, their ethereal forms fading and wisping away like smoke. Ophilia shrinks, backing away behind my ranks, huddling in fear among the few human soldiers she still has with her this far out. I have enough soldiers of my own to protect her, but not for long. "I'm stranded, Seth, help me!" I turn back to Aurora and spin my weapon between my arms. "You bastard, have at you!" I swing my spear low, slashing at Aurora's ankles, one of her more weakly defended body parts. She jumps back, managing to avoid the cut, but adding more sudden motion to her already tilted composure, set askew by my unprecedented aggression. Finally, it's enough to make her stumble; a split second I had been waiting and wagering everything to capitalize on. "-!" With a mighty leap forward, I arch my weapon over my head and plunge it straight into the crevice just beneath Aurora's breastplate. It proves a staggering and immediately fatal blow, resolving this particular conflict before it could properly develop. Good for me; I doubt I could have beat her in a real-scale fight. And even if I did, Ophilia wouldn't have made it. My men raze the ground around us, and return home in glory and honor. Ophilia smiles at me, and lets out a sigh of relief. "Sorry I lost my composure. I'm glad you kept cool." "Yeah, thankfully Aurora wasn't ready for us to-" [[I'm cut off by the sling of an arrow, cutting through the air out of nowhere and punching through the temple of one of my soldiers.]]

Ophilia and I go back to back, weapons drawn immediately. "We're under attack!" "How? Mabel and Charlie are the only ones left! Who has enough time to..." A Strixan flag waving above a battallion of samurai signals my answer. Mabel comes charging in, the full fury of a conquerer in her fists. She leaps into the air, bringing her sword down upon us both as she falls. We swing our weapons up to meet her, nonetheless staggering backwards against the might of her assault. As we regain our footing, Mabel closes her eyes and sheathes her sword, resetting herself for another strike. Ophilia and I share a nervous look. We haven't had time to recover Ophilia's gates, does she know how vulnerable we are? "You made awfully quick work of Charlie. Surely you aren't ready to fight us both at once." "Yeah, we're the final three. Let's all let each other go, and finish this when we're ready." "I *am* ready. " Mabel plants her left foot in front of her, unsheathes her sword, and points its blade right between us. The glimmer of the sun makes it look like a laser. "And I'm not gonna give up my chance when I know you two aren't. Die!" [[Mabel leaps for us once more, and our dance begins.]]

I push myself in Mabel's way, my soldiers following suit and attacking the samurai head-on. Ophilia can try her best to hide it, but eventually Mabel's going to figure out that she's the weak link between us now. My hope is to buy Ophilia enough time to change that. Ophilia seems to pick up on this, as she falls back and creates some distance between us. But to my dismay, Mabel disengages and spins right around me, passing me by entirely to hunt Ophilia down. "No!" I slice at Mabel's back, managing to get a good cut in, but it doesn't stop her. I give chase, my mind scrambling for ways to force her attention back onto me. But it's no use; Mabel's leagues faster than I am, and she reaches Ophilia in no time. Overwhelming her with a flurry of blows like slicing winds, Mabel shatters Ophilia's staff and sends her sword cleanly through her abdomen. Without any beasts to hide behind, Ophilia was completely helpless, and I couldn't do anything to save her. By the time I reach Mabel, she's already thrown Ophilia's body to the ground, and turned to face me. [[Fueled by vengeance, I aim to pierce straight through her.]]

"Villain!" Mabel parries and knocks me backward. We clash blades again, neither of us quite able to land a decisive cut on the other. Metal sings, sparks fly, but blood refuses to spill again. "You're weaker than I gave you credit for. How did you and Ophilia make it this far?" "You don't know a damn thing. I'll show you to run from me, you coward!” I strike with every resource and soldier I have at Mabel, High Warrior of Strix. Each touch of both our blades are fueled with enough spirit to set a forest ablaze. Our respective armies flood in, trampling the fields by the hundreds. They know this is their last battle, their greatest opportunity to lay their lives down for the glory of their homeland. "Hold the line, we've got him!" We continue their dance of steel, barking commands at their forces with every swing. Cuts and bruises tear across our bodies like paper, and at times the chaos of battle proves a distraction enough to throw either off guard. I can see the strain in Mabel's eyes; this is too much for her. "Hold! Just a little longer!" I feel I'm in the lead, by a razor thin margin. I'm standing just an inch straighter, speaking just a touch louder, and holding her sword just a hair higher. Mabel focuses on steadying her spinning head, given no choice but to leave herself open. I notice a break in her posture- and so does she. "No!" I take the opportunity without hesitation, and cleaves her blade across Mabel's back, tearing off her backplate with a spritz of red gore. Mabel lets out a strained breath, and drops to her knees, then her stomach, dead. [[I let out a deep breath, and hold my arms out, victorious. Relieved.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "I won." I smile, surprised at myself. I look at everyone else for confirmation, but rather than looks of congratulation, I'm met with those of hesitation. "...Not quite." "Huh?" I look around the table, taking count of everyone that's fallen so far. Ophilia and I killed Jessie, then Cynthia. Their ports are both gone. Then Aurora, she's taken care of too. I lost Ophilia to Mabel's surprise attack, because we didn't have time to... ...Huh. I study the map, and make a mental count of how many turns it takes to get from the center of the continent to where I am now. That doesn't add up. "...Mabel, how did you get to us so quickly?" I look up at Mabel, and find her staring displeasedly over at Charlie. [[And Charlie, staring straight at me, looks all too pleased.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ I call for reinforcements from my port, but none come. My heart stops, and I race to my home territory, only to find that a wide, mighty wall has been built in my way. Cutting me off from my home and my men, Charlie stares down at me, sitting along the edge of that wall, playing a jovial song on her pan flute. standing at her side are no less than two dozen mercenaries, all holding bows nocked with arrows ready to fly. "That's impossible. Mabel spared you?" "In exchange for my services. She wanted to distract you long enough for me to cut you off. I did my part, but I guess she couldn't take the heat." "You left her to die. You knew I was an easier target, didn't you?" Charlie laughs, and shakes her head. "You really think so little of me? You were *both* going to be easy prey. Mabel knew she didn't have the strength to take you on if she spent the effort to kill me." Charlie shrugs, and gives me a sarcastic round of applause. "I don't blame her for taking the risk. Gotta hand it to you, rookie, you and Phili played a strong game. But some late advice? Sometimes it's better to sit and watch." Charlie holds out her arm, signaling her mercenaries to fire at will. Evidently, she's happy to sit and watch her last opponent be snuffed out without bothering to fight herself. Well I don't plan on going out easy. [[I bare my teeth, and charge to tear down her walls.]]

I hold my head down, and command my soldiers to charge forward. In response, Charlie sends a torrent of arrows at them, puncturing skulls and waning Dreyga's numbers. I move between Faerin mercenaries, carving a path through for my troops. My superior durability and proximity to my port almost get me through the volley. Almost. But the terrain advantage of the surprise attack proves too much to handle, and I'm left stuck in my tracks. Charlie whistles, and stands up on the merchant wall, nocking an arrow of her own with lethal intent. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Dreyga." Charlie lifts up her bow and reaches to her quiver for an arrow, and sends it right between my eyes. My every effort spent, I collapse and die, [[naming Charlie as this game's victor.|infallible leader of the Osterrian Continent.]]

"Wowww, that's soooo much money! I don't have that much on me right now, but my friend and I reeeeally need to get across this big wall you've built. You must be *so* strong to have made aaaall this!" The merchant stutters and laughs a little, but keeps his composure. *"Well, I didn't really make most of it myself. I've got carpenters that do all the brick laying, I just carry out the plans that the High Merchant gives me."* "Really? So you're the guy who puts this all together in your head? That's *super* cool!" "Phili, are you trying to seduce the merchant?" "Shh." "It looks like such hard work to plan all this, I wish I had someone as smart and loyal back home with me!" "Wh- haha- mm- fuck- okay-" 'The merchant' clears his throat. *"I'm sure I'd be very happy coming back home with you, but I have to stay and finish the job for my commander. She has big plans for this place, you see."* "Well, surely someone as important as you can take a break and enjoy himself, can't you? After allll the hard work you're doing. If you let my friend and I through this wall, you can come to Disle *any time* you want, and we'll throw you a big, crazy feast. You can dance with me and all my women as many times as you like." "Phili, what the fuck are you doing?" The merchant, trying very hard not to break character, considers Ophilia's offer. *"I want a dance with your knight friend, too."* "Sure. Have us both at once, if you want." "Excuse me?" *"Hmm... oh hell, I can't turn away a pretty girl like yourself. Sure, I'll let you two pass through."* "Oh yay! I knew I could count on you, sir." *"It'll cost ya eighty-two gold, though."* "Oh." [[Ophilia pouts, and we wait a few turns for our farms to generate enough money to pay off the merchant.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Evening")\ \ "That was incredible. But it's also not that kind of game." "That was a disgusting waste of two minutes. Don't ever do that again." "What? We didn't have the money, I thought it was worth a try." "Do I still get to 'dance' with you two, and *all* your women?" "I never agreed to that." [[Eventually, we get the money to cross over.]]

(set: $location to "Osterria")\ \ (set: $time to "For War")\ \ Strix is just a short ways away from the merchant wall, which makes sense if Mabel and Charlie are facing off right now. The territory is secure and well-built, but relatively low on defenses due to the commander's absence. With some trouble, Ophilia and I push through about halfway to the port when we're met with an unexpected presence. Aurora, Champion General of (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Nïhilm]] is standing in our way, a sizable battalion already standing ready at her back. "You're on the wrong half of Osterria, neighbor." "Aurora? What are you doing here?" "Same thing we're doing, I'd imagine. Want to finish Mabel off together?" "I think I'm alright, actually. Why settle for one kill when I can have three?" "What? You can't be serious, you want to fight both of us? This isn't even your territory!" "No. But Nïhilm's right next door. And you'd have to go through all of it to get back to Dreyga. I like where I'm at. Do you?" Ophilia holds out her staff and smiles confidently, preparing to place down a summoning gate. "You forget that he has me, and distance means nothing to a wizard. Let's get her, Seth!" Aurora, Ophilia and I do battle, commanding our soldiers into two wide lines to charge into one another. Once again steel meets steel meets claw, and the unassuming grasslands are brought alive through breaths of fire, and rivers of blood seeped into the soil. Aurora is a formiddable opponent, leagues more than Cynthia was. She maneuvers Nïhilm's army with absolute autonomy, aware of all boots on the ground at all distances. If I knew this game better, I'd have the sense not to boorishly challenge my obvious superior. But a master of warfare does not fear the second greatest warrior in the world. They fear the untrained swordsman, for he cannot be predicted. The only knowledge I need is safety in numbers; Ophilia can worry about playing smart. I push my troops forward, closing what little distance Aurora has between her and I. The advance into enemy arms costs me some lives, but it throws Aurora off of her balance. She pulls her army back to regain that footing, and I know I can win this. [[A mighty roar from one of Ophilia's beasts rattles Nïhilm's troops, and gives us the sadistic vigor to drive forward.]]

I take cover beside the hides of Ophilia's massive beasts, and drive into the heart of Nïhilm territory. surfing over knights and paladins, I follow my sword arm straight to the enemy commander. Aurora meets my attack with a swing every bit as might as my own. "Cowardly, to soar so far by someone else's wings." "A few moments more, Aurora, and I'll drive you to true cowardice." Aurora smirks, and holds her arms out to catch the rays of the sun at her back. My confidence shakes as she begins glowing a radiant golden aura, which seems to spread far beyond the reach of her reflective metal plates. "A few moments more, and you will know there is no glory for wingless things." Waves of golden light wash over me, and as I cover my eyes from the glare, I hear what sounds like shredding fabric and shattering glass at once behind me. Ophilia gasps. "My gates!" I turn around to find that the summoning gates Ophilia was relying on have disintegrated, and are now floating away as specks of ash in the wind. The beasts they brought to the front lines have already withered and died with them, their ethereal forms fading and wisping away like smoke. Ophilia shrinks, backing away behind my ranks, huddling in fear among the few human soldiers she still has with her this far out. I have enough soldiers of my own to protect her, but not for long. "I'm stranded, Seth, help me!" I turn back to Aurora and spin my weapon between my arms. "You bastard, have at you!" I swing my spear low, slashing at Aurora's ankles, one of her more weakly defended body parts. She jumps back, managing to avoid the cut. I rush in after her, but she holds her arms out and blocks my attack with a deafening *clash.* I stumble back, expecting more room around me than I have; to my surprise, two more Nïhilm knights are standing behind me, somehow having cut me off from Ophilia. "Wh-!?" I flail my weapon, caught off guard. The attack misses, and Aurora lands a solid swing into my back, crashing me to my knees. She was right, Aurora's right next to home, and I overestimated my own might. The bright armor of the enemy knights glares the sun into my eyes and whites out my vision, while Aurora prepares my killing blow. "Well fought, stranger. But you have been tested, and found lacking. May god have mercy your soul." "Seth, no!" [[Aurora decapitates me with a mighty thrust of her halberd.]]

Ophilia watches me drop dead, and wastes no time running for the hills. She leaves me and my men behind, fleeing Strix's territory entirely. She's able to squeeze her modest handful of troops through a gap in Aurora's fleet, and sprint to the center of the continent. Aurora gives chase, firing a few arrows to make up for the distance between them, but struggling to make her arrows land. Aurora huffs, and leaves Strix behind to finish Ophilia off, despite the strain the fight has already put upon her. She marches through the borders and treks through lengthy fields, a heavy wind serving to greaten the burden of her heavy armor weighing her down as she hunts for her elusive white beast. Yet, she refuses to give up the chase, sure that she can put this animal down before it can bare its teeth again. Aurora loses track of time, neglecting the turn counter as she slowly and gradually gains on Ophilia, closer and closer to the continent's center. Finally, she sees the ragtag group of Disle soldiers on the horizon, having stopped to catch her breath. Aurora's eyes sizzle; her perseverance has rewarded her again. But it's at that moment of satisfaction that she is ambushed; an arrow from behind flies through the neck of a nearby knight, slicing straight through and planting itself into the bark of a tree. "-!" Aurora gasps, and turns around to find High Merchant Charlie and her hired arms, welcoming her warmly with waving hands and nocked bows. A recently built merchant wall just a few miles out was the lid on her mouse-trap, Charlie's mobility allowing her to put Aurora in a pincer without her noticing. "How? I didn't destroy Mabel's port, she should have been rid of you by now." "Looks like she had bigger fish to fry." Aurora examines the lip of the wall Charlie taunts her from, and registers the mass of archers standing at the ready to fire. "Wait-!" Charlie doesn't wait. Firing the first arrow, it's followed by a volley so dense it casts a shadow over even Aurora's great golden light. In a few, unceremonious moments, [[Aurora is punctured through dozenfold, killed before she has time to bargain or cower.]]

"I don't think there's any special name for it, it's just a showcase of the dances our choreographer put together. There will be a few group pieces, and I have a solo at the end." "Oh, cool. So, you were dancing with Jessie earlier, was that practice for a duet?" "No, not exactly. There are duets, but I just have to dance with others for a few short pieces. I haven't been able to work very well with a partner in a while." "Why's that?" "The chemistry just isn't there, I guess." The car slows to a halt, and I look out the window to see that we've stopped at a small but intricate looking building, with dark gray walls. The look fits, this must be *The Monde.* "Alright, get out, I'm gonna park." [[At Aurora's request, we flood out of the car and made our way into the theater.]]

(set: $location to "The Monde")\ \ Looking around, I think the girls are whining about nothing; the interior's pretty inoffensive, it's just a little sterile. Or, I guess the word I'd use is ‘reserved,’ like this is a waiting room between the outside and the actual theater. Ophilia waves us goodbye and heads down a hallway, out of sight. The rest of us find a bar in the lobby to sit at together. It's a quaint little place, with taller cushioned stools by the bar itself, and uncomfortable looking metal chairs by tables across the floor. Thankfully there are enough stools for all of us, so we don't need to repeat the fight for car seats. "So, Ophilia's had a lot of shows here before?" "All the time. We're regulars here thanks to her." "I'm sure Phili's gonna miss this place once she's off traveling the world again." "Yeah. Honestly… honestly, I was surprised she kept dancing here so soon after Katherine.” The group goes quiet. I feel Jessie tense up in regret, but she holds her ground. "It's fine guys, she isn't here." "It's weird for us to bring up too, Jessie. Phili isn't the only one who lost her." "No, Jessie's right. We needed to talk about this again at some point, Seth's been in the dark about her for too long." "Do you mind talking about Katherine, Seth?" “I don't mind, I'm not uncomfortable with death. I assume you all avoid talking about it around Phili, though?” "Like the plague. It's been a year, but Phili… she’s barely moved on." "I haven't heard Katherine's name come out of her lips in... god, since the funeral, I think." “Like I was saying, I was shocked she had it in her to keep dancing without her. Shame on me for doubting her passion, I guess.” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Did Katherine push Ophilia to be a dancer?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Wait, Mabel, how do you know Katherine?"]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

“Absolutely. Kat was so headstrong, she had a one track mind for anything she thought she wanted. And she wanted a lot of things for her sister.” “I thought it was funny how different they were, being twins. I mean, they're both sweethearts, but Kat was so… hard, in a way that Phili's soft. I think it kind of bothered her, actually.” "Katherine?" “No, Ophilia. We threw this one party where she passed out trying to win a drinking contest, because Kat beat Jessie's ass a couple weeks back.” Mabel shakes her head. “You're talking about Halloween, right? That wasn't her idea, she and Kat were drinking together when *Jessie* stomped in and harassed her for a rematch. Kat challenged Phili to keep up with her, and *that's* when Ophilia passed out.” "Oh yeah, she *was* there. I think that's just the first time I've seen Phili get that drunk.” “Well Phili can be hard-headed too when she wants to be. She blared Beethoven during finals week so she could pull an all-nighter. We begged her to stop, so she locked her door and made us put up with it.” “God, I remember that. Seth, I tried to reason with her, and that woman told me to ‘find a quiet hole in the ground.’” "Wait no, that was Kat too. She was mad at us for keeping her from studying the week before, because we all wanted to go to Vegas, remember?" "Oh…" “But… I mean you have to give Phili some credit. Co-founding ADA with Cynth and I took initiative. You don't help build something like this without-” "Katherine wanted to move in with us." "..." "Ophilia was there." [["So, how *has* the loss changed her?"]]

"Huh? What do you mean?" "You've only been here for a year, right? How long did you know Katherine before she died?" "Oh, no, I knew Kat for a year. I've been hanging out with the girls way before I moved in." "We like to build some kind of rapport before we take people in, so most of our move-ins are sophmores, or people taking a gap year near campus." Cynthia nods. "ADA started during our gap year. I was the only one that wasn't a freshman yet when things started out." "Huh, okay. I guess that makes sense." Why was I an exception? Because Cynthia volunteered me? They must all really trust her judgment. [["So, ballet was Katherine's idea?"|"Did Katherine push Ophilia to be a dancer?"]]

“Well, she's a bit more outgoing now. She doesn't have her sister to look up to anymore, so now she has-” "She has us. Still, even if she never brings her up, I can tell she thinks about Katherine all the time. She still holds onto that old book..." "She's come a long way this year, though." "Yeah. She has." Gradually, the conversation drifts away from Ophilia and towards idle small talk while we wait for the show to start. (if: $Voicemail is true)[I take out my phone to scroll while the girls chat, and I notice a notification; a voicemail from Jessie, delivered at three twenty-five in the morning. "Jessie, did you try to call me last night?" Jessie trails off something she was saying to Aurora, and looks at me confusedly. “No, does it say I did?” "Yeah, you left a voicemail." "Sleep-calling? Spicy." “Weird. No, I don't remember calling, you can delete that.” "Got it." I put my phone away, leaving the voicemail to sate my curiosity later.] [[Finally, once a sizable crowd had gathered in the lobby, the doors open and we're allowed into the stageroom.]]

We're able to sneak in quick enough to all get seats next to each other in the second row. Not long after, the lights dim and a well-dressed man with graying hair walks out on stage. *“Hello everyone, thank you so much for coming out tonight. My name's Julius Hawthorne, you might know me for my work in the Calive Arts Festival, or as one of the theater sponsors whose name you have to listen to any time The Monde puts something on.”* The audience gives a polite chuckle. This guy's a good public speaker, but right away I feel like he's trying too hard to seem casual. It doesn't match his suit and tie. *“Tonight though, I'm your director. The Glowing Lotus Dance Troupe wasn't my creation, but I've had the privilege of working with these girls for a very long time, and it's an honor to get to show off their work to you today. The winter show's always a really great time for us, and I think you're really gonna like what we've got for you this year. There will be six performances in total, with a short intermission in the middle of the show. Our performers and myself will be available to chat and take pictures after the show, but please, no flash photography as it's distracting to the dancers. On that note, we're about ready to start, so please silence your cellphones and enjoy the show.”* [[The lights dim.]]

The curtain slides open, and out walk six dancers, Ophilia among them, dressed in beautiful white dresses. One by one they step up, spinning around the stage until they eventually form two lines on either end. It strikes me how immediately coordinated these dancers are; they all follow the same two paths, repeating the same little motions like robots on a track. Actually, ‘robotic’ probably isn't a good word to describe a ballet performance. Regardless, it's a strong first impression. The first dance is set to a song composed of harps, flutes, and soft choir vocals. When the piece begins, one dancer noticeably takes the role of the leader, moving to center stage and making grand outward gestures, which all of the other dancers respond to like waves in water. The other dancers do their own things, slowly drawing in from the outer stage toward the leader, always stopping to respond to the leader. Until eventually, one of the dancers reaches the leader. Suddenly, she lunges herself in front of the leader, holding their arms out to cover as much of her from the audience as possible. The leader changes her posture, trying to still be seen despite the obstacle without moving from center stage. But not long after, another dancer reaches the center and blocks off more of the leader’s stage. Another, and another until the wall of bodies and limbs has obscured the leader entirely. The choir’s voices build, slowly swelling as the dancers visibly struggle to keep the leader hidden. Then, a harp string snaps, and the dancers scatter back out across the floor, revealing that the leader has vanished in their place. The dancers twirl and stumble in a noticeable daze for a pause, and only one of them breaks out of it, cautiously making her way back to center stage. She stands there, unsure of herself, then sweeps her arm out like the leader did. The other dancers don’t break out of their haze, but they still respond. Validated, the dancer’s posture straightens, and she continues imitating the leader, drawing the responses of the others over and over and over. By the end I can’t even tell if they’re supposed to still be confused, because there aren’t any breaks between calls and responses. Finally, the new leader stretches her arms out and upwards, calling all of the other dancers to hold one arm up towards her. They hold this pose for a moment… [[then two dancers on the side drop to the floor, and the lights go black.]]

When the lights come back on, the dancers are all back on stage, and there’s a prop on the floor: a large green flower in center stage. There’s two dancers, Ophilia and another, I’ll call her the leader, that stand out from the others again. But this time they’re up stage left, sitting and staring off the edge, while the other dancers wander gracefully around the area behind them. One dancer picks up the flower and holds it up to her face, taking a deep breath in then bending backwards, before passing the flower onto someone else. They keep this up, passing the flower around until each of them has a turn with it. Meanwhile, Ophilia and the leader stay put, sitting with her arms close to her stomach and her knees tucked in. The leader has her head resting on Ophilia’s shoulder, and the two both steal quick peeks back at the dancers behind them when they think the other isn’t looking. One dancer from the group seems to notice these two sitting by themselves, so she breaks off from the crowd and offers the flower to both dancers. Both look at the flower with interest, but hesitate to take it. The dancer from the group stands up tall, smells the flower deeply, and then does a large, extravagant spin. Both dancers stand up and back away to avoid getting kicked in the process. The group dancer strikes a flashy pose, then Ophilia tries to copy it. While Ophilia does this, the group dancer gives the leader the flower, and the leader finally breathes it in. Then the group dancer strikes another pose, the leader tries to copy it, and the group dancer gives Ophilia the flower to smell. This goes on a few more times, Ophilia and the leader's motions getting more wobbly and clumsy each time. The group dancer reaches out towards Ophilia and the leader, and backs away to rejoin the group in their swirling, drunken routine. Now swaying themselves, they both follow the group dancer and become parts of the awkward, passionate cluster of bodies and motion. Then, a few moments later, Ophilia trips and falls out of the group’s current, dropping to her side at the edge of the stage. It takes about ten seconds of swirling and flower-passing for the leader to notice Ophilia lying motionless. The leader gasps, and freezes in the center of the stage. The group notices her distress, and stands still in a circle, but only for a moment. After that pause, one of the group dancers joins the circle’s center with her, and offers the leader the flower. The leader hesitates, and shrinks. But after looking around the stage, at the circle of dancers waiting around her, she takes the flower and buries her face in it. Her face not even visible, she sways from side to side like a drunkard as she keeps the plant firmly against her airway. [[The lights slowly fade to black as the leader’s swaying gets more and more intense.]]

The third dance is unusual, in that it involves much less movement than the last two, there’s only a couple things to watch at a time. When the lights come on, three of the six dancers are standing around the stage, frozen in different poses. After a moment, this dance’s leader comes in, waltzing hand in hand with Ophilia. The way the two of them spin almost resembles a classic slow dance, except for the distance these two are keeping from each other. Their hands are joined together, but otherwise they keep their bodies a comfortable few feet apart. Their arms swing in a giddy, almost childlike way as they waltz about the stage; they’re clearly enjoying themselves, despite how juvenile it looks. The way the leader is composing herself is interesting, too. In contrast to the last two dances, the leader is keeping their posture bent, their body lower to the ground as to remain level with Ophilia. Because of that, I get the impression that the other three dancers standing about the stage are meant to feel bigger, grander, even imposing. Ophilia and the leader twirl around center stage a few times, then the leader spins Ophilia away, and hugs her arms to her own chest. She sways and stares off at the audience with a blissful smile on her lips. It’s very ‘Sound of Music.’ As Ophilia twirls away, she bumps into the frozen form of the dancer on stage right. As soon as they make contact, the dancer comes alive, and scoops Ophilia up into her arms, lifting her off of her feet and spinning her around with a much more intense- and frankly, impressive- routine. Ophilia’s legs bend and point, and her arms stretch out in response to the dancer violently spinning her about her body. The leader drifts out of her little dream, and turns around to find this dancer performing with Ophilia. The leader gasps, and holds her hands up to her mouth, trembling as she steps back in horror. The dancer then lets Ophilia go, spinning her out back onto her feet, where she twirls away backstage, not even seeming to notice the leader on her way out. The leader holds her chest and shivers for a moment, and the dancer returns to her frozen state. The leader then cautiously approaches a different frozen dancer, this one further upstage. She tugs at the dancer’s arm, trying to pull her out to center stage with her. The dancer unfreezes and grabs the leader by the wrist, pushing her away and immediately freezing in this new position. The leader stumbles back and trembles, before composing herself and going to approach yet another dancer, this one on stage left. When she tugs at this one’s arm, the dancer unfreezes, and pushes the leader towards the first frozen dancer, who in turn unfreezes and pushes her back. The two dancers harass the leader like this a number of times, the leader struggling to keep her balance and avoid crashing to the floor. Eventually, the leader does tumble, right into the arms of the left dancer. That dancer picks the leader up and begins spinning her around, drifting to center stage as the leader is frantically flung around, just like Ophilia. The right dancer also approaches, and begins to spin as well. Incredibly, the two dancers exchange the leader, swinging her out of one set of arms and into another, keeping the frantic motion up in a sort of figure eight pattern, over and over and over. As the music swells, and the leader is violently tossed around between these two, the song playing hits a climax, and the two dancers suddenly drop the leader right on the floor, and quickly return to their initial spots, freezing. Afraid and miserable, the leader crawls up to her knees and sobs into her hands, the music gradually dying and the lights getting dimmer. For an uncomfortably long time, nothing changes; the room goes silent and the lights are nearly off before the sixth dancer, absent from the rest of this entire number, steps out from backstage and looks at the leader curiously. That’s when the lights shut off completely. [[When the lights come back on, the stage is empty, and Julius walks up to address us.]]

*“We’ll now have a ten minute intermission. If you need to leave the stageroom for any reason, now is the time to go. We just ask that you’re back inside by the time the show picks back up, as we won’t be opening the doors again until it’s over.”* Audience members chatter enthusiastically amongst themselves as people up and leave the stageroom. I look around at the other girls, seeing if any of them were getting up for whatever reason. It doesn’t seem like it, but I catch Aurora’s eyes when I look her way. She smiles, and motions her head toward the door, asking me to follow her out. We both stand up and head back to the lobby, and right away I feel that lightness in my chest again. "Hey you. Are you liking the show so far?" “It’s fantastic, Ophilia’s an incredible dancer. I wish I had a clue what the performances are about.” Aurora giggles at my excitement. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Maybe the troupe will make a connoisseur out of you." “Oh no, I can’t critique something like this, it’s way over my head.” Again Aurora laughs. The ambience of strangers talking around us melds into a formless buzz. I’m usually so good at picking out people’s voices in a crowd, even when I’m not trying to, but right now I can’t focus on anyone but hers. “Well, I guess I can’t blame you. There’s a whole language spoken through dance, it can be hard to follow if you don’t know what you’re looking for.” “I’m having a hard enough time following *this* language.” “Haha… I’m not much better. Honestly, I’m having a hard time focusing on the show this time. I’ve been a little…” Aurora rests one arm on my shoulder, her hand gently pinching my collar. "Distracted." [["Oh."]] (save-game: "Autosave")

“Say, I was thinking. When we get home, we should spend a little alone time together. Get to know one another better, hm?” "I- uh…" Aurora’s smile cracks; it obviously makes her nervous that I didn’t say yes right away. "What, do you have plans? Is Jessie already making ‘commitments’ with you? You can tell me no." "You're making it very hard…" "Don't tell me you *want* to turn me down." "I don't! It's just, I do have plans tonight." "Oh?" "Yeah. I invited Ophilia out on the town… thought she and I could take the time to get acquainted." "...Oh." "...Ophilia?" "Yeah…" Aurora stares blankly through me, processing in her head. I feel the tip of her finger absently tap the back of my neck, and my heart beating through my shirt. I… want to break something. "Good. Great, have fun." "Uh, thank you. I'd- uh, love to reschedule if you-" "No no, we can worry about that some other time. Our big star deserves you tonight." "It's sweet of you to do that for her, really. I'm sure she was over the moon when you asked her. She gets so excited when someone gives her attention." "Oh yeah?" “Yeah, it’s adorable, she’ll sew herself right to your hip if you let her. You might not get another hour alone if things go well. You’ll have a great time, I’m sure.” "Hah, alright." I notice people flooding back into the stageroom. "We should get back in there." "Y- yeah." [[Aurora and I get back in our seats.]]

(set: $time to "Tuesday Evening")\ \ The lights dim back down, the curtain opens, and out step those same six dancers, changed out of their uniform white dresses into unique individual outfits. Ophilia’s new getup looks to be made of a bunch of small, long strips sewn together in loose layers. It looks like a bunch of giant strings had just flown onto her body that way; unusual, but striking. Five of the dancers stand in wait on the sides of the stage, and the dance begins with the leader on her hands and knees, crawling across the floor. As the music swells, she tries to stand or pose, but falls right back on her hands. Then, one of the dancers walks up and looks down on her curiously, like she’d just noticed her. The other dancer holds her hands out to the leader, who weakly takes it. As soon as their hands clasp together, the dancer yanks the leader up to her feet so intensely that the leader jumps off of her feet into the air. She lands confidently on center stage, and the other dancer quickly rushes back to her initial spot. The lights brighten and deepen to a rosy red hue.The leader does a few fast, showy moves toward the audience before bracing herself in a sturdy, confident stance. Two dancers approach the center, dancing together with quick violent sweeps and twirls that almost make the dancers collide with one another. Between them, the dancer bends and twists to avoid being hit, never striking back at the others. After a while, the two dancers retreat back to the edges, and two others take their place. They do the same thing as their predecessors, making the leader mold herself to keep from getting hit, though I swear I see them make contact once or twice. The ones that do claw at the leader’s torso and pull their hands up to their mouths, lurching their backs over like they’re scarfing down a torn off piece of the leader’s body. Those two retreat, and four dancers return. The leader does what she can to stay unscathed, all the while keeping up those big showy gestures to us, but more and more little slips lead to more and more blows from the surrounding dancers. Again, each collision has the other dancers rip away at the leader and consume what they can grab before running off. By the end, all five dancers are assaulting the leader at once, claw after swing landing on her till her energy is completely spent, every inch of her body having been torn apart by the crowd. The leader’s arms and head drop and she goes still, hunched over. The dancers all grab onto the leader’s arms and torso, leaning out and pulling the leader in both directions. The leader’s head strains and lifts up, and while I can see the pain in her expression, she holds a weary smile on her lips. The lights drop. [[I know this is scripted, but I wonder how much of that really hurt her.]]

The second to last dance is the first one that doesn’t have all six dancers present right away. It starts with the leader and her partner, Ophilia, slow dancing together. Only, it’s obvious that Ophilia isn’t trying to dance correctly with the leader; in fact, she’s barely trying to stand by herself, putting all of her weight on the leader like an anchor. The leader keeps the two of them moving, the strain of her partner’s burden showing on her face. The two dance around the room to a peppy and playfully romantic song, but over time the leader starts getting slower and slower, struggling to put in all the work for the both of them while Ophilia’s feet drag across the floor. Eventually, at the swell of the song, the leader pulls Ophilia in and spins her out, letting her go as she twirls away to stage left. Ophilia spins and spins, coming to a stop and realizing that she’s standing on her own two feet. Satisfied, Ophilia starts dancing on her own, waltzing her way off stage as the leader revels in the freedom her arms and legs now have. The leader prances around the floor, and the remaining four dancers make their way on, three of them hanging back upstage while one comes downstage towards the audience. The three dancers in the background remain reserved, changing conservatively between different poses without much movement between them. The other one however, approaches the leader. The two start dancing near one another, flirting for a beat or two before finally joining hands and slow dancing. This new partner is even more confident than the leader, taking charge of the duet and bringing the leader this way and that. As the duet goes on, the leader’s movements grow sluggish, and over time she goes from matching the partner’s energy to dragging along with it. She doesn’t seem miserable, or even aware of what she’s doing, but by now she’s not moving any more than her previous partner was, and her new partner is struggling to support her. Like last time, the new partner pulls the leader in, and spins her out. The leader twirls and twirls, and the new partner slips away offstage before she comes to a stop. The leader stands on her own feet for a moment, and reaches for her partner only to find she isn’t there. She takes a step toward where she used to be, but falls down without getting a second step in. The leader shrinks, curling up and only leaving her one arm outstretched, reaching for her partner as the lights close in around her. Upstage, the three remaining dancers look down on the leader and drop their poses, ominously walking toward her without a hint of the grace or rhythm that every other performance in this recital displayed. [[Just as these three are about to reach the helpless leader, the lights shut off.]]

There’s a longer pause between dances this time. I hear a lone set of footsteps in the dark, and realize Ophilia’s solo must be coming. “Oh, man…” But when the spotlight comes on, it’s not Ophilia I see up there: it’s Julius. *“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to conclude tonight’s show with a solo performance from our own Ophilia Hargrove. But before that, I’d like to say a couple words if you’ll let me. Sorry Ophilia, you’ll have to listen to me ramble back there.”* The audience laughs again. *“We’ve had Ophilia with us for five years now, and she has been an absolute light for all of us here- it was obvious from the first day that her journey as a dancer didn’t start with us. She’s been an inspiration for more reasons than I can count.”* “Aww.” *“One of those reasons comes to mind tonight, and I felt we shouldn’t finish this show, letting it go unsaid. When Ophilia first came to us, she was with her sister, Katherine.”* That name hits me like a rock. My nerves freeze, and I suddenly feel more awkward than I’ve felt all year. I’m so glad I can’t see the other girls’ faces right now. “Oh, no…” [[We sit still and let him talk.]]

*“And Katherine was every bit the inspiration that her sister was, the things we’ve accomplished with her talent and her passion are indescribable- she changed the troupe as a whole, and our lives in the process with her kindness and creativity.” “Unfortunately, we lost Katherine a little under a year ago. The winter recitals were always her favorite shows, and this is the first one we’re doing without her. She’s been on the troupe’s mind putting this together, and she’s been on mine for longer than that.” “It’s difficult to watch an empty stage knowing you’ve lost a star. Katherine would have done great things this year, but I know that she and Ophilia together would have made history. More than that, missing the light of a friend, a sister, an inspiration and motivator in your life is a challenge I don’t think anyone knows quite how to handle. That’s why I am so endlessly impressed that Ophilia has stayed here, and chosen to keep dancing at our sides.” “Katherine stays forever in our minds, but her sister hasn’t missed a beat this year- she’s grown and performed and shined in ways I never could have imagined until I saw it myself. You’ve shown me- shown all of us that with enough strength, you can continue reaching new heights no matter what setback, no matter what is lost.” “So thank you for inspiring me, and inspiring all of us, with your perseverance, your talent, your kindness, and your dedication to this language we call dance. All of us here at your troupe can’t wait to see the heights you’re going to reach one day.”* “Stop it… stop talking…” *“But tonight, this one winter, let’s look back, and give you all one more performance- in honor of the legendary Knock-Out Duo. Ladies and gentlemen, Ophilia Hargrove.”* “...” The spotlight shuts off, and Julius walks off stage as the audience applauds. I hear a whisper from backstage in the dark, and the room goes quiet waiting for Ophilia to come up. She isn’t coming. The lights come on, and she isn’t coming. The audience’s applause dies and they sit in anticipation, and she isn’t coming. [[And Ophilia walks on stage.]]

Ophilia walks only up to center stage, carrying with her a long red ribbon that drags behind her well past the floor. She stands still, waiting for the music to play, and I see the look on her face and my heart breaks. The music starts, and Ophilia takes a step forward, her eyes staying unresponsive like her body is moving all on its own. I’m certain that it is. It’s disturbingly beautiful, watching her perform this number I know she’s practiced a hundred times before. Every movement she makes must look perfect to the rest of this audience, but I notice every twitch, every unusual flow of the ribbon, every invisible misstep, and I know in my heart that it’s not inexperience bringing out these mistakes. That terrible look on her face doesn’t change for the whole dance; I see in her eyes that she’s walking on needles in her head. It baffles me that this girl, this frail animal who broke down at the mention of a name in the den, is performing this fantastic and complicated work of art with such nearly perfect form. As the song concludes, Ophilia tosses the ribbon’s handle straight into the air, and the brightly colored streamer drifts through the air, lingering to the floor like a prick of blood flowing down one’s skin. The crowd bursts into a standing ovation, nearly everyone but the six of us jumping to our feet and showering tonight’s star in praises. Ophilia takes a step back, startled by the noise, and her eyes dart down to us. I see a tear finally fall off her cheek as she turns away and walks off stage. Just around the curtain, I see someone waiting for her; just a glimpse of a woman standing half obscured with a warm smile- probably one of the other troupe members. The dancer hugs Ophilia as the curtain falls back over them, hiding them both. [[I watch with extreme unease as Ophilia disappears, and the lights come back on in earnest.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

I turn to see the other girls’ faces, and confirm they're as much in shock as I am. (if: $Cane is true)[The only exception being Mabel, who's squinting at the stage, perplexed. ]As the audience leaves the room, we all share quiet looks amongst ourselves, until I break the silence. "We need to go see her, don't we?" "Phili isn't going to come out. Not after this. She might stay in there all night." "What do we… What do we do? What do we even say after that?" "...We need to let her recover from this. None of us can help her until she comes out herself." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Has she ever been put on the spot like that before?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["What, so we just leave her be after that?"]]</div>

"A few times, around the funeral. She's always shut down over it, in the past." "Aurora's right, she just needs time to recenter. I guess we can hang out in the lobby again." "That Julius guy's a real dick. Who the hell does he think he is, just springing that on her?" "Who knows." The girls all stand up, and look at the door to the lobby. I stand up with them. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["...How long do we wait for her?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["What if she doesn't come out?"]]</div>

"What, so we just leave her be after that? You said she could stay there all night, she can't sleep here." The girls all look off in different directions, too anxious to acknowledge each other. After a short pause, Jessie speaks up. "She's clearly not in a good place, we can't risk making things worse by crowding her." "Right. This isn't a debate, we need to wait for her." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Screw that."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["...How long do we wait for her?"]]</div>

"It shouldn't be more than a couple hours, at worst. If it gets bad enough, I'll drive y'all home and come back for her." We all nod in agreement, and [[wait for her in the lobby.|Go to the lobby.]]

I stand up. "*Screw* that. You've all seen Phili, she's gonna be a mess on her own. We need to help her, no matter what ‘place’ she's in." "Seth, we can't. We shouldn't." "Then I'll do it." "What?” "You don't want to crowd her? Then fine, we won't. I'll go talk to her myself." Aurora looks at me like she wants to say something, but I don't bother waiting for a response. I walk out of the audience and step on stage while the girls watch from behind me. "Seth, wait." "I'll be back soon, with Ophilia." I cross the curtain, leaving the others behind. Backstage it's surprisingly dark, but I push through, [[leaving the light of the stageroom behind me in due time.]]

(set: $location to "The Mond")\ \ (set: $time to "Tuesdy Evening")\ \ Before I know it, I'm lost in a pitch black hallway. How does Ophilia navigate this place with such little visibility? For minutes I wander in search of light, considering going back and finding another way to reach Ophilia. But just as I consider retracing my steps, there she is: just around a corner, Ophilia peeks her head out and steps in front of me, wearing a t-shirt and an uneasy smile. "Seth? What are you doing here?" "I'm here to check on you. Are you alright? You looked terrified up there." Ophilia nods, and looks to the side, embarrassed with herself. “I'm okay. It, um… it caught me off guard to hear my old duo's name so suddenly. No one cleared that speech with me first.” "That's awful, Ophilia. I'm so sorry they treated you that way." Ophilia shrugs. “It was a nice speech, I know they all really miss Katherine, too. I'm just… me.” "It's so dark in here… you really walk around this place between performances?" "It's not so bad when you get used to it. Besides, you aren't supposed to see this place anyway." "Right. Sorry, I just couldn't leave you alone after seeing you like that. Are you sure you're alright?" Ophilia nods again, and gives a stronger smile. "Sorry to worry you! You should go back to the stage room and tell everyone I'm alright, okay?" "Are you sure? I really don't mind sticking around, no need to put on a brave face." "I'm okay, Seth, really. I need to get a few things, and clear my head. I'm right behind you, alright?" "Alright Phili, if you insist." "Thank you!" Begrudgingly, I turn and walk away. I hear the door click behind me, and let my mind wander while I meander down this claustrophobic tube of a hallway I'm in. I have a hard time believing Ophilia's as okay as she's pretending to be. After all the fear-mongering the other girls have done today, Julius going on that speech about (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Katherine]] right before sending her up to perform should have given her a panic attack. If nothing else, she's better at putting on a brave face than I am, try as I do. ...Well, alright Ophilia. If you want to cry it out by yourself, I'll let you. [[Let's get back to the others.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Th Mnd")\ \ (set: $time to "Tuesdy Evnng")\ \ Wait... what did she say to me just now? "It was a nice speech. I know they all really..." She said Katherine. She didn't even flinch. I might just be looking for red flags. She'll tell me what's going on with her if I give her time… but no. No, she's hiding something from me. From everyone; that wasn't how she behaves. If I leave now, and live to regret it, I couldn't look the others in the eye again. I'm not leaving empty handed, so I turn back around and keep walking. I make sure to check what corners I can see, so Ophilia can't catch me off guard again. For a while I don't see anything of note, but then I see in the distance a door. Walking up, I see that it's labeled ‘dressing room.’ [[I knock.]]

Everyone else is waiting in *The Monde's* lobby when I return, chatting at the bar. They all stop and look at me expectantly as I walk in. I shrug. "Yeah, she seems fine. Shaken, definitely, but she said she just needs a minute." Aurora smiles. "That's good. C'mon, I saved you a seat." I sit down next to Aurora, and [[wait for the time to pass.|Go to the lobby.]]

(set: $location to "Th Mnd")\ \ (set: $time to "Tusdy Evng")\ \ "Hello? Anyone there?" …No response. The door's unlocked, so I take a look inside. [[No one inside… guess I can look around.]]

The dressing room's nothing special at a glance. The costumes we saw during the show are hanging by the left wall; I notice Ophilia's dress among them. On the right, a counter with two lit mirrors, for applying makeup. It's on that counter that something really sticks out to me, for better or much worse. A spray of blood stains the counter; shallow, tall, and thin, as if fired from a gun. In the middle of that line is a familiar leather-bound book, with the initials K and O sewn on its cover. I hesitate to even touch it. Ophilia said it was her diary, and while I feel like there's more to it than that now, some part of me still doesn't want to betray her trust by reading it. But the blood drying on its cover snaps those doubts apart; we're past the time for courtesy. I pick up the book and open it up. Sifting through the pages, the first thing I notice is that a large portion of them have been ripped out at the spine. I can't see any immediate pattern to it either, but no less than a fifth of these pages must be missing. The second thing I notice upon stopping to read a page is that the left page is written in a wholly different handwriting than the right half. Already confused, I read through its contents, dated eight months ago, [[not quite the earliest entry in the book.]]

“Dear sister, The rain shows no signs of stopping, it kept pouring down all night. Jessie thinks it's going to flood, so she's hiding in her room all morning. It's hard to believe California's known for its droughts when we can get weather like this. Mom and Dad both invited to fly me out to them for our birthday again. I really wish they'd talk to each other before making me choose like that. Aurora thinks I should turn them both down and celebrate here. If that's what you want, I think I might do that. It's difficult for me to reparate when I have to go through the airport. Will you come visit me soon? I don't mean to be greedy, but I miss hearing your voice. I've been feeling healthy lately, if you need more from me to come out, I don't mind. Just let me know. -Forever yours, Ophilia.” [[I study the page on the right.]]

(set: $location to "ThMnd")\ \ (set: $time to "TusdyEvng")\ \ What I just read was neat and delicately written, this page is scratchy and juvenile. The style is night and day, save that the two pages cross their t's and dot their i's the same. (text-color: blue)[“My Ophilia, It's funny how someone as macho as Jessie can shiver at the rain. I guess we all have our fears, California is anything but consistent. Aurora's right, you're better off staying home. We don't need Mom or Dad catching you in the act, and if they can't put in the effort to work together even on my birthday, then neither of them deserve your time. I miss you too, Phili. I promise I'll come see you again soon, okay? Give me as much as you feel you can give, it'll be enough when it's enough. Just don't stop writing, and I'll always be here. -Kat.”] Kat…? That can't be. What's with this language? [[I can't tell half of what they're talking about.]]

I flip through page after page, every intact pair is structured the same way; On the left, in neat natural print, letters to a ‘Dear sister’ recited events and thoughts throughout Ophilia's day. On the right, responses to ‘My Ophilia’ react tenderly, both sides making occasional references to ‘reparation.’ This pattern goes on for months. Has Ophilia really been doing this every day, for the better part of a year? How far has she been spiraling, right under everyone's noses? How has no one caught the signs before? [[I turn to one of the most recent passages, written about a week ago.]]

"Dear sister, The sorority did something terrible today. Aurora and the others sat me aside, and told me that they want to invite a new person into our house. Into your room. It made my skin crawl, but worse, they want the new member to be a man! They want to replace you with some boy you haven't even met. I didn't think they'd go this far for their degenerate sexual urges, but to think about what they might try to do on your bed… it's an insult. They have to mean it as an insult. I don't know why, but they started hating you, Kat. I know they do. Maybe I've been bothering them too much, and they associate you with me. I don't know, every day I start to love them less and less. They're bad people. I told them no, obviously. But they didn't let it go. I couldn't tell them how mad it made me, I didn't have the strength to. I'm so sorry, sister. I should have screamed, or made them give up their room and sleep on the couch, but I just didn't have it in me. I've been so lightheaded lately, raising my voice makes me so dizzy. I think my body is running on empty. Not that I'm going to stop, especially now. I promise. -Forever yours, Ophilia.” (text-color: blue)[“My Ophilia, Calm down. You need to remember that they don't see like you do. To them, I've been gone for a year now. It's not like they ever really cared what that room means to us, you know that. Honestly, I'm surprised they lasted this long. But I admit I'm disappointed they'd go so far as to let a man sleep in my bed. Don't worry Phili, I have a plan. Talk to the girls again, and tell them that you're ready to take this step. Let someone move in. Hell, let it be a man. Odds are he'll force himself on someone, and the problem will solve itself. If he doesn't, you'll give him a push. Get him alone with you, long enough for something to happen. Do whatever you need to to get him close, get his hands on you if you can. Then tell everyone else exactly how he hurt you. And one more thing, as a favor? Wait to do it until he's warmed up to everyone, when they trust him a little less than they trust you. I want it to hurt. I want them to regret leaving me behind, Phili. With enough patience, I'm sure you can make that happen. -Kat.”] [[My eyes linger on that last paragraph…]]

(set: $location to "Thnd")\ \ (set: $time to "TsEvng")\ \ Its implications frighten me as much as they hurt. This is how Ophilia saw me, this entire time? As an obstacle? And what she's planning on doing to me… what she wants the others to think about me… I can't believe someone like her could be that evil. What kind of malice have the girls been living with this whole time? I'm pulled out of my head when the door I came through opens, and [[in walks maybe the last person I'd expect to see right now.]]

"Hey, there you are!" "Jessie? What are you doing?" "I decided to come with you. I thought about what you said, and you're right. We can't leave Ophilia to deal with… whatever she's going through right now, on her own." "She, uh… I'm kind of her comfort person. So if you find her breaking down in a bathroom or something, I figure I should be here." "What about everyone else? Where are they?" "They're waiting in the lobby. Let's do this quick, okay?" I smile, and nod. It's such a relief to have her here, just so I don't have to be alone with this book. Or alone with Ophilia. "Thank you, I think she's through here." [[I lead Jessie through the opposite door.]]

(set: $location to "Tnd")\ \ (set: $time to "TsEvg")\ \ The theater's backstage is way bigger than I'd have guessed from the outside. Finally given a little light, we're left to wander through a maze of ornate grey hallways. Our footsteps echo and bounce along the walls and ceiling; it feels like she and I are the only people in the world right now. We meander around for some time, calling out for Ophilia, almost as bored as we are anxious. "Ophiliaaaa!" "Come on out, girl!" "What a weird building. Do you feel like we're walking in circles?" I turn to look at Jessie, but instead catch something from the edge of my sight. I almost miss it, but just around a corner, there's a little ball of light illuminating the stark walls. It's floating there, bobbing gently from side to side, trying not to disappear into the background. "What the hell?" "Hm?" I squint to get a closer look at the light, but when I step closer, it retreats down the hallway to the left, out of sight. [[I stand up straight, and snap in its direction.]]

(set: $location to "Td")\ \ (set: $time to "Tsg")\ \ "Jessie, I see something! There's a light just down-" "-HAH!" (transition-depart: "shudder")[[Before I get the chance to turn back, Jessie takes a knife out of her jacket and swings at my back.]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ Through sheer luck, I turn quick enough that it only slices my shoulder, rather than plunging into my spine. I back away from Jessie, scrambling to process what she just did. "Wh- J- Jessie!? What the fuck?" "Damn it, hold still!" Jessie pursues me, making another underhand stab at my stomach.(if: $Cane is true)[ Now leaning against the wall for support, I jab her with my cane to keep my distance.](else:)[ I sidestep her attack and kick her in the knee.] My jab breaks her posture, so I take the chance to tackle her, grabbing her armed wrist and pinning her on the floor, against the other wall. "What the hell are you doing?" "Let go of me!" Jessie grabs my wrist with her free hand, and tries to wrestle my grip away. I feel her pulling, sure, but it's so… weak. I give Jessie an odd look as she visibly struggles to pry off my hand. "...Daredevil, huh?" "Shut up! Lucky shot." I glare at Jessie, and punch her in the nose. Her head reels back as she gives a dazed yelp. "-Gah!" Not wanting to let her recompose herself, I (if: $Cane is true)[grab my cane up from the floor and swing it into her skull, still sitting on my knees. ](else:)[get on my feet and kick her one more time, swiftly against the skull. ][[She collapses on her side.]]

"What the hell are you trying to pull? Did Ophilia tell you to do this?" "..." "Answer me! What the fuck is wrong with you?" "..." "...?" She’s still lying on her face. Why isn’t she doing anything…? Why isn’t she… is she breathing? "Jessie?" I didn't kill her, did I!? Not with that! Not with two hits! She's supposed to be an athlete! How the hell could I have- [[I force myself to focus, turning Jessie over on her back.]]

What I'm met with is stomach-churning in its simplicity. Jessie's skin is as it should be; the same color and texture it was just moments ago. But it's only her skin that I'm met with. Her face is blank, smooth like a mannequin, nothing but small indents indicating where her eyes and mouth ought to be. The sight of it nearly gives me a heart attack. I scream and quickly toss its limp body back to the floor. What the fuck is that!? What *is* that!? Hyperventilating, I crawl away from it, (if: $Cane is true)[dragging my cane along the floor with me. ]Between breaths, I hear a set of footsteps somewhere in the halls. I force myself to my feet, grabbing Jessie’s knife as my head spins every which way pursuing the sound. [[Charlie and Mabel turn the corner and appear, letting out a sigh of relief as they spot me.]]

“Seth!” “Oh thank god, you’re okay.” I point the knife at them and hold my ground. “Stay back!” “Whoa, hey!” “Where’d you get that?” “Just- shut up! I need to think, I- I don’t know what’s going on yet!” “Seth, put that down, we’re not here to hurt you.(if: $Cane is true)[ I promise, right? We promised each other.]” “What are you doing here? Why are you back here?” “We heard screaming from outside man, everyone’s looking for you!” “Oh my god, is that Jessie?” [[Backing away from them, I almost trip on that thing’s body behind me.]]

I take my eyes off those two for a second to get my footing, and I swear, they’re a step closer when I look back up. They’re waiting for you to drop your guard, Seth. If it’s really them, they can prove it… somehow. “I said stay *back!*” “Seth, what did you do!?” “Did y- oh my god, did you kill her?” “That wasn’t Jessie… it wasn’t Jessie…” “What are you talking about?” “You’re scaring me. I thought we were friends!(if: $Cane is true)[ Y- you said you wouldn’t hurt us. You said! You promised!]” “Shut up! Both of you shut the fuck up! I can figure this out, I just need time to think-” I feel something bump my shoulder. [[Something’s behind me.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"-?" “AH!” Without thinking, I swing my arm and slice Aurora’s neck open. Blood sprays in my eyes and stains my collar… [[the cut’s already made by the time I catch myself.]]

“-!” (live: 2s)[“...”] (live: 4s)[“...”] (live: 6s)[Blood flows down Aurora’s neck and soaks her scarf, spilling over all too much, too quickly. Her eyes wide, Aurora blankly lifts her hand up to her neck, before dropping to the ground. [[Her eyes stay open when her head smacks the tile floor.]]]

"Oh my god… (live: 1.75s)[o-](live: 2.25s)[oh](live: 2.5s)[ m-](live: 2.75s)[m-](live: 3s)[my ](live: 3.25s)[*god!*"] (live: 5s)["Seth… ](live: 6s)[Seth, ](live: 6.75s)[put the ](live: 7s)[fucking ](live: 7.5s)[knife](live: 8s)[ down! ](live: 9s)[Please!"] (live: 11s)[My heart’s scratching its way up my throat. ](live: 13s)[I can’t think- ](live: 14s)[I- ](live: 14.5s)[I can’t see… ](live: 16s)[the blood’s in my eyes. ](live: 17s)[Get it out- ](live: 18s)[get it out of my eyes!] (live: 20s)[Desperately wiping my eyes off with my sleeve, I feel the dampness of my shaking palms, and remember there are two threats still behind me. ](live: 23s)[I have to focus, ](live: 24s)[they're ](live: 24.5s)[*distracting* ](live: 25s)[me.] (live: 27s)[My voice comes out in a crackly [[whisper.]]]

“You’re not real…” “What?” “This isn’t real. It’s a trick, you…” (if: $Cane is true)[ I turn around to look at Mabel and Jessie. Whatever happened with Mabel is happening again. Nothing made sense back then either, these demons get in your head and they… they trick you. Jessie lost her face when you hit her, Seth. Don’t ever stop thinking about that, this demon’s already shown you its cards!] “We can talk this out, okay? Just put the knife down and kick it over to me. Now.” Kick the knife over? “Oh… I get it. I get what you’re doing.” “You’re scaring me…” Nice try, it really was. But I’m not giving in that easily. Ophilia still needs me, I can’t help her if these two disarm me now. “I’m not giving you your weapon back.” “W- why not?” “Because you’re not Charlie. You’re gonna kill me as soon as I give it back, right? Like Jessie did?” “What are you talking about?” “Mabel, stay behind me.” “Shut up. You don’t- h- you don’t get to use their voices. That isn’t fair.” Gripping the knife handle tight, I march toward Charlie, shielding Mabel behind her back. “Seth, stop, you aren’t thinking straight! Seth… SETH!” (transition-depart: "shudder")[[I don't stop.]]

“No!” Charlie tries to swipe me away, but just like before, she’s weaker than she should be. Pushing through her hands, I punch the blade into her chest, digging straight through the pocket of her denim jacket. “You’re not real!” “Help!” “Shut up!” I pull the knife out as Mabel turns to run.(if: $Cane is true)[ Knowing I won’t be able to chase after her, I throw myself off my cane and grab her by the shoulder, weighing her down like I did to Jessie.](else:)[I catch up to her in two steps, catching her in a headlock and yanking her onto her back.] Once she’s on the floor and I’m on top of her, I sink the knife into her stomach as quickly as I can manage. "-Ack!" I hear Charlie crash into the wall behind us, and slide to the floor herself. While she’s weak, I drag Mabel back with me until both of them are side by side. Then, I close my eyes and let my hands do their work. All the while, I remind myself of what I absolutely can’t let myself forget. (transition-depart: "shudder")[[“You aren’t real.”]]

(transition-depart: "shudder")[[“You aren’t human.”]]

“H- h- h- h-” (transition-depart: "shudder")[[“You’re not! You’re not human! You’re not!”]]

“...” “...Haah… haah…” They’ve stopped wriggling. I sit back on my knees and let my arms drop to my sides, feeling the world spin around me as I try desperately not to black out. After the better part of a minute, [[I open my eyes and look at what I’ve done.]]

Thank god. No faces, just like the other one. I’m so happy I could scream. Look- they don’t even bleed, it’s just hollow underneath. The openings where I cut them are fraying with these little grey wires, like metal string. [[I let out a huge sigh of relief, laughing to myself as tears well up in my eyes.]]

“Haha… h- hahaha, ohh, you aren’t real! They’re not gone, I… hahaha!” I was right. I knew I had to be, but jesus, I’m so glad I don’t have to worry that I… I feel incredible! (live: 6s)[…But then, what’s this feeling in my spine? My euphoria wanes, and I get this slow chill slowly crawling up my back, vertebra by vertebra. Something’s wrong…] (live: 10s)[ [[...There's blood on me.]]]

My whole body goes cold. I limbs stiffen, my throat closes up, and every cell of my body screams at me not to turn to my left. But I have to. Ignoring my every instinct, I look back at [[where I left Aurora.]]

"...Oh my god." (live: 2s)[Oh my god.] (live: 3.5s)[Oh my god.] (live: 5s)[What have I done?] (live: 6.5s)[What did I-] (live: 7s)[What do I DO!?] (live: 9s)[I killed her. ](live: 10s)[No, no that can't be. ](live: 11s)[I couldn't have. ](live: 11.5s)[I couldn't have! ](live: 12s)[It was another trick, ](live: 12.5s)[she- ](live: 12.75s)[she came out of nowhere! ](live: 13.5s)[But then why is she bleeding!? ](live: 15s)[No, she's okay! ](live: 16s)[She's okay, and she's waiting for me outside.] (live: 18s)[I hear more footsteps, from multiple directions. [[Get on your feet!]]]

I have to leave. I’m gonna run into more… more ‘puppets’ no matter where I go, so where do I… where do I go? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Forward|puppetswarm]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Left|Interim]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Right|puppetswarm]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Back|puppetswarm]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

I hang my head and book it. It doesn’t matter where I go, as long as I’m not here. This place is a maze, I doubt the direction matters anyway. If I’m getting out of here, I just have to find Ophilia. I race down the hall, coming across Cynthia, another Jessie, and another Aurora from the other direction. As I draw near, they reach for me and cry with stolen tongues. "Seth, where are we? Why are you bleeding?" "Murderer! Give me the knife, you can't have it!" I scoff, and swing the knife through both of their waists. It passes through like paper, and they drop like ragdolls. Aurora stands her ground directly in front me, glaring. "But god forbid you leave her alone." (transition-depart: "shudder")[["Shut up!"]]

That's right, the light! I was going to follow it before I got distracted. I run down the hall to the left, keeping my eyes peeled for what I’d seen before. My throat tightens when I see Cynthia and another Jessie standing in the way. "Seth, there you are!" "We heard screaming, what happened t-" "No!" No distractions, focus on the light. Jessie and Cynthia frown as I push through and ignore them, lunging after me soon after. I punch the knife through Cynthia’s temple, and throw Jessie off my back onto the floor. "Stop making me do this! Just bring me to Ophilia." "Phili's afraid of you, Seth, she doesn't want-" I press a hand to the wall, and kick Jessie’s face in, hearing a *crunch* that turns my stomach. Opting not to look at the damage I did, I scan the room instead. And there it is, around the corner! [[I give chase again, taking another turn deeper into the labyrinth.]]

I stab Aurora’s chest, flinging her out of my way. Before I leave, I stop for just a moment to watch her die. There’s no blood; just an empty hole. [[…Ignore it, keep running.]]

I march through a labyrinth of identical white hallways, racing as quickly as my(if: $Cane is true)[ dead] legs will carry me. All the while, I scream Ophilia’s name in hopes she’ll carry me out of this nightmare. "Ophilia! Where are you!? OPHILIA!" But every time, nothing. Nothing but more pale imitations of my other friends. Every time I turn a corner, every time I stop to catch my breath, more appear. Every one of them tries to take my knife from me, clawing and pleading and screaming at me. "You're hurting us, Seth!" "We're supposed to be your friends!" "Just stop fighting us! You’re a leech!" They just keep coming, and I can’t outrun them. They’re flooding in faster than I can cut them down, it’s too much! They surround me so I can’t even see the walls, dozens of frail hands scratching and dragging me to the floor. (if: $Cane is true)[One of them knocks the cane out of my hand.] "You're not supposed to be here!" "Just lay down and die, Seth! Please!" "No one wants you anymore!" "No… no! G-get off of me! I h-have to… t-to find… grh- Ophilia!" The puppets slowly but gradually scratch the skin from my face, digging their nails into me as I’m crushed beneath more and more coming weight. The pain overwhelms me, and I don’t even notice my hand open when one of them finally takes the knife from me. [[But I feel it moments later when it finds its way into my stomach.]]

"*-KAH!* O-Ophilia! Help me! Hel*-hrk!*" (live: 3s)["No one's coming, Seth."] (live: 6s)["She doesn't want you. She never did."] (live: 9s)["..."] (live: 11s)["If only you'd realized that sooner…"] (live: 14s)[(go-to: "Deathscreen")]

The light flees from me again, racing down a long, darker straight path faster than I can hope to keep up with. Down that way, a copy of Mabel stands firm, with Charlie, Jessie, and Aurora not far behind her. The light speeds away, almost hitting Mabel before sweeping around her at the last second. "Seth!" "We finally found you!" Don't bother. I push Mabel aside, and try to march past the other three. Jessie grabs my shoulder, so I push her away, giving Charlie a chance to grab my knife hand. "Where did you get that- put it down!" "Stop it! Stop talking!" "We're not trying to hurt you, would you *please* calm down?" "I don't know what's going on!" I wrest my hand free, and stab Charlie in the throat, quickly doing the same to Jessie. I lift the knife up to Aurora, hesitating when we lock eyes. "You're making a mistake." "This can't be happening, th-this isn't real!" Focus, Seth. [[I kill Aurora, and turn to face Mabel.|M- I kill Aurora, and turn to face Mabel.]]

The light flees from me again, racing down a long, darker straight path faster than I can hope to keep up with. Down that way, a copy of Charlie stands firm, with Mabel, Jessie, and Cynthia not far behind her. The light speeds away, almost hitting Charlie before sweeping around her at the last second. "Seth!" "We finally found you!" Don't bother. I push Charlie aside, and try to march past the other three. Jessie grabs my shoulder, so I push her away, giving Mabel a chance to grab my knife hand. "Where did you get that- put it down!" "Stop it! Stop talking!" "We're not trying to hurt you, would you *please* calm down?" "Seth, don’t let them get under your skin!" I wrest my hand free, and stab Mabel in the throat, quickly doing the same to Jessie. I lift the knife up to Cynthia, hesitating when we lock eyes. "You don’t want to hurt me, do you?" "Deep breaths, Seth, you got this." Focus, Seth. [[I kill Cynthia, and turn to face Charlie.]]

The light flees from me again, racing down a long, darker straight path faster than I can hope to keep up with. Down that way, a copy of Jessie stands firm, with Mabel, Charlie, and Aurora not far behind her. The light speeds away, almost hitting Jessie before sweeping around her at the last second. "Seth!" "We finally found you!" Don't bother. I push Jessie aside, and try to march past the other three. Charlie grabs my shoulder, so I push her away, giving Mabel a chance to grab my knife hand. "Where did you get that- put it down!" "Stop it! Stop talking!" "We're not trying to hurt you, would you *please* calm down?" “This is like a fever dream…” I wrest my hand free, and stab Mabel in the throat, quickly doing the same to Charlie. I lift the knife up to Aurora, hesitating when we lock eyes. "You’re making a mistake." "(if: $Cane is true)[With a cane? ]You’re an animal!" Focus, Seth. [[I kill Aurora, and turn to face Jessie.]]

The light flees from me again, racing down a long, darker straight path faster than I can hope to keep up with. Down that way, a copy of Cynthia stands firm, with Charlie and Aurora not far behind her. The light speeds away, almost hitting Cynthia before sweeping around her at the last second. "Seth!" Don't bother. I push Cynthia aside, and try to march past the other two. Charlie grabs my shoulder, so I push her away, but she grabs my knife hand instead. "Where did you get that- put it down!" "Stop it! Stop talking!" "We're not trying to hurt you, would you *please* calm down?" “Do you know what you’re doing with that thing?” I wrest my hand free, and stab Charlie. I lift the knife up to Aurora, hesitating when we lock eyes. "You’re making a mistake." "Don’t." Focus, Seth. [[I kill Aurora, and turn to face Cynthia.]]

The light flees from me again, racing down a long, darker straight path faster than I can hope to keep up with. Down that way, a copy of Aurora walks down the center in the other direction. The light speeds away, almost hitting her before sweeping around at the last second. She keeps her eyes locked on me as I approach. "You're going through a lot of trouble for this. What do you think you're accomplishing?" Don't bother. I run past Aurora, ignoring her as I continue chasing down the light. Aurora stops, and watches me run off. A few feet later, the light turns another corner, and I stop to catch my breath. I don’t get the luxury though, because before I realize she’s there, Aurora sucker punches me from behind, sending my head spinning. "Do you really think you're gonna help her? Do you think you know how to?" "Gh- stop talking! You're not real!" I swing the knife, but Aurora leans back, dodging by an inch. "And what are you?" I ram my body into Aurora, stabbing her in the gut and letting her fall to the floor. As soon as she does, another puppet locks my head in its arms, pulling me back from the wall. “Glass houses, Seth. I know you want to help, but you can’t. Because there’s nothing- gh- wrong with her.” "Get your h-hands off me!" I dig my elbow into Aurora’s gut, breaking free of her headlock. (if: $Cane is true)[I turn around, managing to hold onto my cane as we face off.] "There's nothing wrong with her? You really want me to buy that? With all of this keeping me from her?" [[The hairs on my neck stand on end. Something’s wrong.]]

"Wait!" I swing at her, but she steps out of the way, holding her hands out to keep our distance. "Wait wait wait, it's me!" "Shut up!" I swing and miss again. (if: $Cane is true)["W-we're back in that place again, right? From sunday?" That stops me in my tracks. I stare Mabel down, keeping the knife ready. Could the demon know about that…? "What are you talking about?" "T-the monster, demon- thing! Remember? We fought it together, and everything was all… weird? You remember that?" "I…" Wait, no. This can still be another trick. Whatever *this* demon is, it clearly knows the girls enough to imitate them. If I really am back in that void, I could be fighting the exact same monster. I have no idea how much material these puppets have to pull from.](else:)["I said I was sorry! I'm not mad at you anymore, remember!?" Mabel holds one arm out and hides her head in the nook of the other. I pause, keeping the knife ready. Ophilia wasn't there to hear Mabel apologize... "What are you talking about?" "Last night. I told you how bothered I was by you moving in, and- and I gave you my blessing to stay here. Remember? Please... I shouldn't have said those things to you, I'm sorry, I'm s-s- so sorry..." No. This can still be another trick. Whatever's doing this clearly knows the girls well enough to imitate them. Why couldn't it have been in the room with us that night? But she's trembling...] "I'm being followed by these- these fakes, too! I'm real- you gotta believe me!" "..." "...Give me your hand." "What?" "Give me your hand, now!" Mabel nervously sticks her hand out. [[I grab her by the wrist and slice open her palm.|M- I grab her by the wrist and slice open her palm.]]

"-Ah!" Mabel tries to pull back, but I tighten my grip and hold her in place. Blood pools up from her wound, and I feel her heavy breathing as she tries not to cry. I sigh, and let her go. (if: $Cane is true)[She presses that hand against her chest, punching me with the other. “What the fuck, man!? I could have done that myself! I’ll get you back for that, asshole!”](else:)[She presses her hand against her chest, and exhales through her teeth.] "...It's so good to see you, Peppermint." Mabel gives an uneasy smile, and nods. "Why are you here?" "I thought about what you said back on stage. At first, I thought you were being overzealous, but… I mean, we’re talking about Ophilia.(if: $Cane is true)[ And given whatever happened between you and me… I didn't want you to have to risk your life on your own if something *did* happen.](else:)[ you shouldn't have to cheer her up alone.]" “I almost just killed you for it, but… thank you for coming, I’m glad I’m not alone either. And I’m glad it’s you here with me.” (if: $Cane is true)[ I see Mabel blush, shaking it away just as quickly as it comes, getting her game face back on. ] (if: $Cane is true)["Shut up. You dragged me into this, I’ll kill you if I die for it." ]"...You were chasing that light thing, right? I think it went this way." Mabel points down the hallway to the right. "...No, It went straight." "Really? I'm pretty certain it passed down this hall." "Hm." Mabel crosses her arms, and taps her foot. "Well I saw it last, so we’re going my way." "Nope." Confident in my memory, I grab Mabel by her hoodie, and drag her with me down the hall we're already in. She drags her feet and flails around in resistance. "Wh- hey! No! Get your stupid- I'm not a dog, jackass! Let me go!" [[The two of us walk down the hall, slowly getting darker and darker.|M- The two of us walk down the hall, slowly getting darker and darker.]]

Eventually, the air gets colder to match, and I hear something in the distance… cars? "Hey, Seth?" "Hm?" "Aurora left with me, but we got split up a while ago. Have you… y'know, seen her?" I shake my head. "Nope. But she has to be somewhere. Something else to keep our eyes out for." "I hope she's okay, this is so much worse alone." "Hey, does the ground feel softer to you?" Mabel points forward excitedly. "Look, an exit!" I follow her arm, and sure enough the hallway comes to an abrupt stop, opening up to the moonlit outdoors. [[No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.|M- No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.]]

We race to the exit, the tile floor quickly phasing out into dirt. When we leave the hallway, we find ourselves standing at the end of a highway, opposite to a bar. I look out to either side, and find nothing but the never ending road in a field of muted grass. "Whoa. I don't see the rest of the theater behind us. It's like we just walked through a tube to get here." "Hm. Well, not much else to do out here. Want to get a drink?" "I thought you'd never ask." [[Mabel and I cross the highway, and walked through the door of the small building.|M- Mabel and I cross the highway, and walked through the door of the small building.]]

The place is rustic on the inside, put simply. Almost looks like a saloon out of a western movie… or a modern take on one, anyway. Despite the insistence on wood and minimal decoration, this place looks weirdly high-class, which is kind of the opposite of *The Monde.* There’s a couple people sitting at tables, but three folks at the bar catch our eyes the moment we walk in. Right there, in the centermost three seats are Aurora, Ophilia, and a girl with short white hair who I’ve only seen in pictures. Ophilia's not wearing her sweater, instead donning the short-sleeve tee I saw her in last. The wool sweater is sitting around the shoulders of the other white-haired girl. "Katherine!" Mabel steps forward, but I hold my arm out to stop her. "-Huh?" I take another look around. No one, be they at the bar, tables, or otherwise, reacted to Mabel’s outburst. They didn’t even dart an eye. I step to the side, watching things play out from the corner. [[Mabel stands beside me, putting things together.|Mabel stands beside me, putting things together.]]

"Hah! You're out of your mind, Kat. Him?" (text-color: blue)["Why not? He's hot, and for god's sake, you need to do something with your lotto body before you leave your twenties. Tits like yours don’t last six months."] "Kathyyy! Y-you can't- *hic-* say that!" They’re all pretty drunk, but Aurora looks to be more sober than the twins. Not quite ‘designated driver’ sober, but still. (text-color: blue)["Oh c'mon, I'm right, aren't I? You know I'm right, she knows I'm right."] "I guess so. But that's no excuse to rush into anything, you know?" (text-color: blue)[“You’re a twenty-two year old rich college bitch out of a magazine. Fucking rush into *something,* my god. Like you don’t already try to get strangers to stare at your ass, I know your game.”] "Hehe." "Hey! You make me sound so fickle. I don't toy with people, Kat." (text-color: blue)[“Y’don’t have to. Look at you.”] "You flatter me." (text-color: blue)[“What am I flattering you for? I’m not gonna fuck you- c’mon, buy him a drink.”] “You should! Bring him over here, I'll say nice things about you.” "...Fine, if you insist. You have to wingman me though, Phili, I'm out of practice." "Yaaay." (text-color: blue)[“Ugh, christ. Phili, don’t let me order screwdrivers anymore, okay? Th- *hic-* that one hurt…”] "...Oh, I think I left my phone in the car. Kat, could you go grab it for me? I'll talk this guy up if you do." (text-color: blue)["Hah, that your asking price? Sure, I'll be back in a minute."] "Can I come?" "Uh-" (text-color: blue)["Sure thing, Phili."] [[Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.|M- Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.]]

I catch Mabel’s expression as they get out the door. She’s gone pale, her eyes wide with dread. "Are you okay?" "Oh god, I… I think I know what this is." Mabel takes my hand and follows the twins. The hallway we came through’s gone now, replaced with a parking lot and an office building. Again, we hang off to the side and watch the others talk. Katherine starts humming a tune to herself, which Ophilia recognizes. "You're singing our part!" (text-color: blue)[“Not singing, dummy, I’m humming our part. S’catchy.”] “Nuh uh.” (text-color: blue)[“Uh huh! Why not?”] “I dunno, I don’t like it. I don’t like the song.” (text-color: blue)[“Bulllllshit. Bullshit!”] “Hahaha, no! I really don’t.” (text-color: blue)[“Then why’d you pick it?”] “Because you liked it. It made me think of you.” (text-color: blue)[“Doooork.”] [[Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.|M- Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.]]

"You're meeean!" (text-color: blue)[“Hahaha… but that’s your song, y’know? Makes me think of *you.*”] “What? No.” (text-color: blue)[“Yuh huh. You upstaged me, show-off.”] “I did not. I didn’t!” (text-color: blue)[“Come oooon, everybody else thinks so. You heard ‘em clapping, don’t you feel stupid for trying t- hic- pussy out earlier?”] The two of them approach the road, keeping their eyes on one another. "No…" "I want to see it again! Let's dance!" (text-color: blue)["I don't know Phili, w- hahaha- we're pretty drunk…"] "Come ooon! Sing it for me, let’s dance to the car." "*No…*" Katherine looks into Ophilia's eyes, briefly darting down to her stomach. She smiles, and shrugs. (text-color: blue)[“Humming, Phili, I can’t s- sing. Alright, places, girls!”] "…" Katherine claps her hands twice, then takes Ophilia’s in hers. [[The two slow dance as Katherine resumes humming her melody.|M- The two start slow dancing as Katherine resumes humming her melody.]]

Their drunken steps are awkward and silly, but I can tell there’s a professional piece hiding in there somewhere. Each time Katherine takes a wrong step and stumbles, her voice shakes, but she doesn’t stop until Ophilia steps right on her foot. That makes Ophilia lose her balance and fall into Katherine, sending them both tumbling out into the street. (text-color: blue)["Haha! Ha- hic- hahahaha!"] Mabel watches through half-covered eyes. I have to keep from looking away myself, as I start to anticipate what’s about to happen. Ophilia laughs as she gets up, and watches her sister drunkenly squirm on the pavement. They’re so caught up in the moment that [[they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.|M- they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.]]

(text-color: blue)[(live: 0.5s)["Hah, ](live: 1.5s)[heh](live:2s)[eh. ](live: 3s)[Hh... ](live: 5s)[huh- ]] (live: 5.5s)[(go-to: "M- Kat's Dead")]

(live: 4s)["..."] (live: 8s)["..."] (live: 12s)["..."] (live: 16s)[I turn away, and notice that the bar’s windows aren’t showing inside anymore. They’ve gone pitch black(if: $Cane is true)[, just like sunday]. [[I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.|M- I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.]]]

"...Come on. We've seen enough." "It was her fault…" "Come on, Mabel." Mabel nods, and follows me through the door. [[I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.|M- I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.]]

We walk through this empty expanse, our footsteps echoing quietly across the abyss. "...I… I knew she was there when it happened, but…" “I can’t imagine how being there first hand must have felt. No wonder she hates talking about it.” "Yeah. I don't know if I could ever admit to something like that, either. I… I never thought Phili could *do* something like that." "Mabel, she didn't mean to do anything. You know that." "But she *had* to be there, didn’t she?" "...I don't like this conversation. Don't bring this up around Ophilia. Especially not now." "Don't have to tell me twice." (text-color: blue)["I think she knows, sweetheart."] "-Huh?" Mabel and I look around frantically. The voice is coming from somewhere close, but neither of us can seem more than five feet out in this void. [[I ready my knife, and keep Mabel close.|M- I ready my knife, and keep Mabel close.]]

"Katherine!?" "Where are you?" (text-color: blue)["Right here, (if: $Cane is true)[hot legs!](else:)[sugar stick!] Come let me look at you."] That’s right in front of me. I lunge forward and stab, but hit nothing. As I pull back, a pair of hands reach out from the darkness and shove me to the side, into Mabel’s arms. "You almost had her, Seth! Try again!" Aurora’s voice comes from behind me. I spin around, trying to keep my bearings. From the side, Jessie steps out and shoves me again, with more force than the puppets have managed so far. "Just a little more, you're right there!" "They're everywhere!" I have to stay upright… but another Charlie tackles me out of nowhere. Again and again, more puppets appear, pushing and punching faster than I can keep up with. Even copies of Mabel join in the assault. "C'mon big guy, you gotta swing to hit something!" (if: $Cane is true)[I wildly swing the knife around, on my knees and holding onto my cane like a tree trunk. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|M- I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?]]](else:)[I wildly swing the knife around, nearly throwing myself off my own feet in my dazed confustion. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|M- I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"Gotta do better than that!" "Come on, you came all this way!" "Tired already!? Show us what you got!" My head’s spinning again. I’ve gotta keep track of the real Mabel between the… are there five puppets here with us? Fuck, I don’t know where she is! (text-color: blue)["You look stressed, cutie! I think you should give it a little- REST!"] Two fists swing like hammers into my skull from behind, knocking me onto my stomach. The knife flies out of my hands, sliding across the floor. All the puppets laugh and jeer at my misery, while I try to get a word out of my bleeding lips. But to my surprise, [[the words come out before I can say them.|M- the words come out before I can say them.]]

*"The knife! I lost the knife!"* Oh no. Someone grabs me by the collar, and pulls me back up to my knees. When my vision unblurs, sure enough, there’s a perfect copy of myself, my every cut and bruise mirrored perfectly on his stupid face. "No!" *"Oh god! You can copy me, too!? That can't- y-you can't!"* (if: $Cane is true)[My doppelganger grabs my cane, so I punch him in the jaw. He returns with an elbow to my cheek, and t](else:)[My doppleganger punches me in the jaw, so I return with an elbow to his cheek. T]he two of us wrestle on our knees while the chorus of puppets laugh hysterically at us. It all comes to a stop when a desperate voice shrieks among the laughter. "EVERYONE STOP!" *"Huh?"* The puppets shut up and step away, making room for Mabel, [[standing strong and pointing the knife at us both.|M- standing strong and pointing the knife at us both.]]

"Mabel!" *"Wait, you're the real one, right?"* Mabel shows us her open palm, and the dried blood in its center. We both let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, mimic quiz, right? We're doing this?" "I can't believe this is actually happening to me." *"Nothing for it now, we've all seen this before."* (if: $Cane is true)[ My copy and both let go of the cane, letting it clatter on the ground. ] "So, you're gonna ask us some questions, right? Something only I would know?" "Like I know you well enough for that, dumbass." *"Good point."* "I know exactly how we're gonna do this. The same way you made sure I was real." "That's right, puppets don't bleed!" *"..."* "Alright, which one of you wants to go first?(if: $Cane is true)[ Take the cane and stand up, but if you run, I’ll kill you.]" I give my copy a smug grin. "Want to do the honors?" *"...Sure. Yeah, yeah I'll go."* (if: $Cane is true)[[[My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.|M- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]](else:)[[[My copy shakily gets to his feet.|M- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]]

Mabel apprehensively walks up, but I keep my eyes locked on him. Honestly, I thought he’d fold as soon as we brought up cutting ourselves, how is he gonna try to get out of this? I need to be ready in case he just attacks Mabel. My copy smiles and holds out his left hand. Is he hiding a weapon? No, if he did, he wouldn’t bother trying to trick Mabel, they’ve wanted that knife this whole time, Katherine must only have the one. My eyes drift through the crowd of silent puppets, watching us like hawks. Mabel isn’t paying enough attention to them, if they try to sneak up on her now… Mabel presses the knife to my copy’s palm. Hang on- this whole time, I’ve yet to see Katherine herself! Her voice is here, but where’s her body? That must be the trick, she isn’t in the circle, where- “Mabel, wait! Where-” Mabel slashes the knife across my copy’s palm, and [[it bleeds.|M- it bleeds.]]

…My skin goes pale as I watch the blood drip down his wrist. My heart stops when it looks down at me, and smiles. "That- that can't be, you- you can't-" "Stay the hell away from us, demon!" *"You lose. Now tell us where Ophilia is."* "Wait- wait, no! Cut me too! I'll bleed too, I- I promise!" "Seth, stay close to me, we're still surrounded!" "Katherine… Katherine, you coward, show yourself!" (text-color: blue)["Mm… why should I do that?"] "You win! You want to kill me, fine! I'm unarmed. But I want to see you first. I want to look you in the eyes and damn you to hell with me!" *"This is stupid, Katherine, you're still talking to yourself?"* (text-color: blue)["What, you think I'm going to hell for killing an intruder? For defending my sister from a predator?"] "No. You're going to hell for what you did to Ophilia!" "What?" "All of this… all of this insanity. All of this pain, this sadism. You can put me through this all in one day, but I read your journal. I know what you're putting Ophilia through!" *"Ophilia?"* [[My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.|M- My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.]]

(text-color: blue)[“You don’t know the first thing about my sister and I. That book can’t tell you anything her own blood doesn’t already understand. I should know, I wrote the damn thing.” "God, that's all you are, isn’t it? Assumptions and judgment calls, day in and day out. You’d tell a cliff how deep it is without looking down, you pretentious, perverted-”] “I know you want her to blame herself for how you died.” "..." “Appeasement? Reparation? Yeah, you’re right, I only have the cliffnotes; you’re vague enough to cover your tracks, but… but whatever you’re doing- or whatever you’re making her do, it’s hurting her. You’re taking a toll on her body. Have I said anything wrong so far?” (text-color: blue)["..."] “Well that’s enough for me. Enough for me to drag you to hell, where you should have gone a year ago. Because nothing and no one can convince me that sweet, innocent girl has anything to make up for. Ophilia deserves the world; she deserves to be happy, and safe, and far away from ghosts and their tantrums. That’s why I’m invading you, Katherine, that’s how deep this cliff goes!” “Now come down here and kill me yourself. I want to get one good look at the leech hurting my friend.” "..." *"..."* I hang my head low. [[Moments pass in silence, then…|M- Moments pass in silence, then…]]

"...You don't mean that." "Ophilia!?" I shoot my head back up, and see that everyone: the puppets, Mabel, even my own copy are are looking around, surprised by Ophilia’s voice. Taking advantage of the distraction, I (if: $Cane is true)[grab my cane and yank it out from my copy’s grip.](else:)[tackle my copy by the stomach and slam him to the floor.] *"-Ack!"* I pull my copy down to my level and beat him into the floor, taking every swing I can manage while I have the chance. He tries to push my face away, but I have to kill him before Mabel kills me. I grab both sides of his head and quickly break his neck. The snap cracks out across the void, like a collapsing tree. Mabel stands over me, knife ready, and watches my copy’s face disappear, [[revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.|M- revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.]]

"Oh my god…" I let out a sigh of relief, watching the other puppets look down in shock. They almost seem impressed. "Haah… I… I did it. I fffucking win! Hah!" "Barukh HaShem, you're real!" Mabel sits down and hugs me from behind, laughing and joining in my relief. Still keeping my eyes on the puppets, I let out another sigh. "That was… terrifying." "Yeah. Yeah, I almost- haha! I almost…" "I can't believe that worked. I had no idea that Katherine could make the…" "The puppets… bleed…" [[Oh.|M- Oh.]]

There’s a sharp pain in my stomach as Mabel plunges the dagger into my lower back, and stands up, letting me drop to the ground. I gasp when I hit the floor, but the shock keeps the air from reaching my lungs. Mabel, practically rolling over herself in laughter, backs away and [[joins the crowd of jeering puppets.]]

"Hang on there, partner." I swing at her, but she steps out of the way, holding her hands out to keep our distance. "I’m real, Lancelot, it’s really Charlie." "Shut up!" I swing and miss again. "Come on newbie, you aren’t getting out of the Void alone." That stops me in my tracks. I stare Charlie down, keeping the knife ready. (if: $Cane is true)[Why would Charlie know about…?] "What are you talking about?" "This place isn’t normal. You have to have noticed it’s too big for a theater, right? Listen, I understand this place, I can get us out. Eventually." "I…" Wait, no. This can still be another trick. Whatever this demon is, it obviously knows how little I know about it. I have no reason to take Charlie's word here. "Look man, I'm not talking like the rest of them, am I? Keep your knife, I don't want it. Just don't use it on me." "..." "...Give me your hand." "My hand? ...Ah, I getcha. Good thinking, Sleuth." Charlie offers me her left hand without much resistance. [[I grab her by the wrist and slice open her palm.|CH- I grab her by the wrist and slice open her palm.]]

“Ow…” Charlie winces and pulls back, but I tighten my grip and hold her in place. Sure enough, blood starts pooling up from her wound. I sigh, and let her go. She waves her hand around a bit, and licks her wound. “Fuck… natural surgeon, this one.” "...It's so good to see you, Charlie." Charlie smiles, and flashes a peace sign. "Why are you here?" "You've been gone for a little bit. Given how determined you sounded when you left, I figured you'd only take a minute or two. The longer you took, the more I started to worry that something… exactly like this, might be going on." “I almost just killed you for it, but… thank you for coming, I’m glad I’m not alone either. And I’m glad it’s you here with me.” Charlie blushes, and looks away from me, giggling. “Tch, yeah, ‘lucky you’ gets to hear me yap your ear off all night now. Sure you wouldn’t rather die with a prettier girl?” "...Uh, right before you showed up, there was this… this ball. This light- thing." "Yeah, I was following it. It's the only trail I really have right now." "Good call. If you ever see something that sticks out in the void, follow it. Just a general tip, repetition is your enemy out here." Charlie points behind me. "I think I saw it double back during our fight. You ready to move?" "...No, It went straight." "Mm… nnnno, I know what I saw." "Hm." Charlie puts her hands in her pockets, and starts walking in her direction. "Well I’ve got seniority out here, so I’ll man the engine this time." "Nope." Confident in my memory, I grab Charlie by her collar, and drag her with me down the hall we're already in. She awkwardly stomps backwards, letting me drag her around. "Hey! That’s no way to treat a southern belle. At least put the knife away before you start choking me, you barbarian." [[The two of us walk down the hall, which slowly gets darker and darker.|CH- The two of us walk down the hall, which slowly gets darker and darker.]]

Eventually, the air grows colder to match, and I hear something in the distance… cars? "I wonder if Aurora's around somewhere…" "What?" "She went backstage a bit before I did. I don't think she wanted you to deal with Phili yourself." "Well, hopefully she managed to avoid this place. But I'll keep an eye out for her." "Roger." "Hey, does the ground feel softer to you?" Charlie smiles, and points ahead. "Reckon I know why." I follow her arm, and sure enough the hallway comes to an abrupt stop, opening up to the moonlit outdoors. [[No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.|CH- No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.]]

We race to the exit, the tile floor quickly phasing out into dirt. When we leave the hallway, we find ourselves standing at the end of a highway, opposite to a bar. I look out to either side, and find nothing but the never ending road in a field of muted grass. "No sign of that whole maze we went through behind us. Not that I expected much, honestly." "Hm. Well, not much else to do out here. Want to get a drink?" "Sure. Wonder if these guys do coke rims." [[Charlie and I cross the highway, and walk through the door of the small building.|CH- Charlie and I cross the highway, and walk through the door of the small building.]]

The place is rustic on the inside, put simply. Almost looks like a saloon out of a western movie… or a modern take on one, anyway. Despite the insistence on wood and minimal decoration, this place looks weirdly high-class, which is kind of the opposite of *The Monde.* There’s a couple people sitting at tables, but three folks at the bar catch our eyes the moment we walk in. Right there, in the centermost three seats are Aurora, Ophilia, and a girl with short white hair who I’ve only seen in pictures. Ophilia's not wearing her sweater, instead donning the short-sleeve tee I saw her in last. The wool sweater is sitting around the shoulders of the other white-haired girl. "Hey, that’s Kat!" Charlie steps forward, but I hold my arm out to stop her. "-Huh?" I take another look around. No one, be they at the bar, tables, or otherwise, reacted to Charlie’s outburst. They didn’t even dart an eye. I step to the side, watching things play out from the corner. [[Charlie stands beside me, putting things together.]]

"Hah! You're out of your mind, Kat. Him?" (text-color: blue)["Why not? He's hot, and for god's sake, you need to do something with your lotto body before you leave your twenties. Tits like yours don’t last six months."] "Kathyyy! Y-you can't- *hic-* say that!" They’re all pretty drunk, but Aurora looks to be more sober than the twins. Not quite ‘designated driver’ sober, but still. (text-color: blue)["Oh c'mon, I'm right, aren't I? You know I'm right, she knows I'm right."] "I guess so. But that's no excuse to rush into anything, you know?" (text-color: blue)[“You’re a twenty-two year old rich college bitch out of a magazine. Fucking rush into *something,* my god. Like you don’t already try to get strangers to stare at your ass, I know your game.”] "Hehe." "Hey! You make me sound so fickle. I don't toy with people, Kat." (text-color: blue)[“Y’don’t have to. Look at you.”] "You flatter me." (text-color: blue)[“What am I flattering you for? I’m not gonna fuck you- c’mon, buy him a drink.”] “You should! Bring him over here, I'll say nice things about you.” "...Fine, if you insist. You have to wingman me though, Phili, I'm out of practice." "Yaaay." (text-color: blue)[“Ugh, christ. Phili, don’t let me order screwdrivers anymore, okay? Th- *hic-* that one hurt…”] "...Oh, I think I left my phone in the car. Kat, could you go grab it for me? I'll talk this guy up if you do." (text-color: blue)["Hah, that your asking price? Sure, I'll be back in a minute."] "Can I come?" "Uh-" (text-color: blue)["Sure thing, Phili."] [[Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.|CH- Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.]]

I catch Charlie’s expression as they get out the door. She’s gone pale, her eyes wide with dread. "Are you okay?" "I, uh… can I stay in here?" "Why?" "It… nevermind. You'll see." Charlie takes my hand and follows the twins. The hallway we came through’s gone now, replaced with a parking lot and an office building. Again, we hang off to the side and watch the others talk. Katherine starts humming a tune to herself, which Ophilia recognizes. "You're singing our part!" (text-color: blue)[“Not singing, dummy, I’m humming our part. S’catchy.”] “Nuh uh.” (text-color: blue)[“Uh huh! Why not?”] “I dunno, I don’t like it. I don’t like the song.” (text-color: blue)[“Bulllllshit. Bullshit!”] “Hahaha, no! I really don’t.” (text-color: blue)[“Then why’d you pick it?”] “Because you liked it. It made me think of you.” (text-color: blue)[“Doooork.”] [[Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.|CH- Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.]]

"You're meeean!" (text-color: blue)[“Hahaha… but that’s your song, y’know? Makes me think of *you.*”] “What? No.” (text-color: blue)[“Yuh huh. You upstaged me, show-off.”] “I did not. I didn’t!” (text-color: blue)[“Come oooon, everybody else thinks so. You heard ‘em clapping, don’t you feel stupid for trying t- hic- pussy out earlier?”] The two of them approach the road, keeping their eyes on one another. "God, look at that smile. Missed it." "I want to see it again! Let's dance!" (text-color: blue)["I don't know Phili, w- hahaha- we're pretty drunk…"] "Come ooon! Sing it for me, let’s dance to the car." "I’m gonna be sick…" Katherine looks into Ophilia's eyes, briefly darting down to her stomach. She smiles, and shrugs. (text-color: blue)[“Humming, Phili, I can’t s- sing. Alright, places, girls!”] "…" Katherine claps her hands twice, then takes Ophilia’s in hers. [[The two slow dance as Katherine resumes humming her melody.|CH- The two start slow dancing as Katherine resumes humming her melody.]]

Their drunken steps are awkward and silly, but I can tell there’s a professional piece hiding in there somewhere. Each time Katherine takes a wrong step and stumbles, her voice shakes, but she doesn’t stop until Ophilia steps right on her foot. That makes Ophilia lose her balance and fall into Katherine, sending them both tumbling out into the street. (text-color: blue)["Haha! Ha- hic- hahahaha!"] Charlie looks away and covers her ears. I have to keep from looking away myself, as I start to anticipate what’s about to happen. Ophilia laughs as she gets up, and watches her sister drunkenly squirm on the pavement. They’re so caught up in the moment that [[they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.|CH- they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.]]

(text-color: blue)[(live: 0.5s)["Hah, ](live: 1.5s)[heh](live:2s)[eh. ](live: 3s)[Hh... ](live: 5s)[huh- ]] (live: 5.5s)[(go-to: "CH- Kat's Dead")]

(live: 4s)["..."] (live: 8s)["..."] (live: 12s)["..."] (live: 16s)[I turn away, and notice that the bar’s windows aren’t showing inside anymore. They’ve gone pitch black(if: $Cane is true)[, just like sunday]. [[I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.|CH- I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.]]]

"...Come on. We've seen enough." "It was her fault…" "Come on, Charlie." Charlie nods, and follows me through the door. [[I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.|CH- I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.]]

We walk through this empty expanse, our footsteps echoing quietly across the abyss. "...How do you know so much about this place?" "Call it a perk of being a lowlife. I end up here sometimes when I get high." "Then why am I here?" Charlie shrugs. "I know some of the how, next to none of the why." "Oh." "It… gets better over time. Once you learn how to control it, but… during my first few visits, I saw a lot of scenes like that. Replays of you at your worst moments. The void has some kind of kink for reminding you of everything that's wrong with you." "Well, I-... I wouldn't say there was anything *wrong* with Ophilia there. She was just drunk, she didn’t kill Katherine." "Yeah, but she's the reason she's dead. Death by incompetence is still manslaughter." "Charlie!" "What!? You saw it, didn't you? I wasn't even looking, why are you the one acting blind?" "I'm gonna pretend I'm not hearing this. Clearly you're upset, but if Ophilia knew you thought that about her-" (text-color: blue)["I think she knows, sweetheart."] "-Huh?" Charlie and I look around frantically. The voice is coming from somewhere close, but neither of us can seem more than five feet out in this void. [[I ready my knife, and keep Charlie close.]]

"Katherine!?" "Where are you?" (text-color: blue)["Right here, (if: $Cane is true)[hot legs!](else:)[sugar stick!] Come let me look at you."] That’s right in front of me. I lunge forward and stab, but hit nothing. As I pull back, a pair of hands reach out from the darkness and shove me to the side, into Charlie’s arms. "You almost had her, Seth! Try again!" Aurora’s voice comes from behind me. I spin around, trying to keep my bearings. From the side, Jessie steps out and shoves me again, with more force than the puppets have managed so far. "Just a little more, you're right there!" "They're everywhere!" I have to stay upright… but another Mabel tackles me out of nowhere. Again and again, more puppets appear, pushing and punching faster than I can keep up with. Even copies of Charlie join in the assault. "C'mon big guy, you gotta swing to hit something!" (if: $Cane is true)[I wildly swing the knife around, on my knees and holding onto my cane like a tree trunk. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|CH- I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?]]](else:)[I wildly swing the knife around, nearly throwing myself off my own feet in my dazed confustion. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|CH- I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"Gotta do better than that!" "Come on, you came all this way!" "Tired already!? Show us what you got!" My head’s spinning again. I’ve gotta keep track of the real Charlie between the… are there five puppets here with us? Fuck, I don’t know where she is! (text-color: blue)["You look stressed, cutie! I think you should give it a little- REST!"] Two fists swing like hammers into my skull from behind, knocking me onto my stomach. The knife flies out of my hands, sliding across the floor. All the puppets laugh and jeer at my misery, while I try to get a word out of my bleeding lips. But to my surprise, [[the words come out before I can say them.|CH- the words come out before I can say them.]]

*"The knife! I lost the knife!"* Oh no. Someone grabs me by the collar, and pulls me back up to my knees. When my vision unblurs, sure enough, there’s a perfect copy of myself, my every cut and bruise mirrored perfectly on his stupid face. "No!" *"Oh god! You can copy me, too!? That can't- y-you can't!"* (if: $Cane is true)[My doppelganger grabs my cane, so I punch him in the jaw. He returns with an elbow to my cheek, and t](else:)[My doppleganger punches me in the jaw, so I return with an elbow to his cheek. T]he two of us wrestle on our knees while the chorus of puppets laugh hysterically at us. It all comes to a stop when a desperate voice shrieks among the laughter. "EVERYONE STOP!" *"Huh?"* The puppets shut up and step away, making room for Mabel, [[standing and pointing the knife at us both.|CH- standing and pointing the knife at us both.]]

"Charlie!" *"Wait, you're the real one, right?"* Charlie shows us her open palm, and the dried blood in its center. We both let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, mimic quiz, right? We're doing this?" "Of every movie scene I wanted to live through, why this one?" *"Nothing for it now, we've all seen this before."* (if: $Cane is true)[ My copy and both let go of the cane, letting it clatter on the ground. ] "So, you're gonna ask us some questions, right? Something only I would know?" "Even if I could, who's to say the faker doesn't have all the right memories?" *"Good point."* "Good news is, this problem actually solves itself." "That's right, puppets don't bleed!" *"..."* "Alright then, stand on up, either of you. Doesn't matter which, you white boys all look the same." I give my copy a smug grin. "Want to do the honors?" *"...Sure. Yeah, yeah I'll go."* (if: $Cane is true)[[[My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.|CH- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]](else:)[[[My copy shakily gets to his feet.|CH- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]]

Charlie apprehensively walks up, but I keep my eyes locked on him. Honestly, I thought he’d fold as soon as we brought up cutting ourselves, how is he gonna try to get out of this? I need to be ready in case he just attacks Charlie. My copy smiles and holds out his left hand. Is he hiding a weapon? No, if he did, he wouldn’t bother trying to trick Charlie, they’ve wanted that knife this whole time, Katherine must only have the one. My eyes drift through the crowd of silent puppets, watching us like hawks. Charlie isn’t paying enough attention to them, if they try to sneak up on her now… Charlie presses the knife to my copy’s palm. Hang on- this whole time, I’ve yet to see Katherine herself! Her voice is here, but where’s her body! That must be the trick, she isn’t in the circle, where- “Charlie, wait! Where-” Charlie slashes the knife across my copy’s palm, and [[it bleeds.|CH- it bleeds.]]

…My skin goes pale as I watch the blood drip down his wrist. My heart stops when it looks down at me, and smiles. "That- that can't be, you- you can't-" "Jig’s up, demon. You can stay *all the way* down there." *"You lose. Now tell us where Ophilia is."* "Wait- wait, no! Cut me too! I'll bleed too, I- I promise!" "Hey, not to rain on our parade, but we're still kind of surrounded, Seth." "Katherine… Katherine, you coward, show yourself!" (text-color: blue)["Mm… why should I do that?"] "You win! You want to kill me, fine! I'm unarmed. But I want to see you first. I want to look you in the eyes and damn you to hell with me!" *"This is stupid, Katherine, you're still talking to yourself?"* (text-color: blue)["What, you think I'm going to hell for killing an intruder? For defending my sister from a predator?"] "No. You're going to hell for what you did to Ophilia!" "What?" "All of this… all of this insanity. All of this pain, this sadism. You can put me through this all in one day, but I read your journal. I know what you're putting Ophilia through!" *"Ophilia?"* [[My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.|CH- My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.]]

(text-color: blue)[“You don’t know the first thing about my sister and I. That book can’t tell you anything her own blood doesn’t already understand. I should know, I wrote the damn thing.” "God, that's all you are, isn’t it? Assumptions and judgment calls, day in and day out. You’d tell a cliff how deep it is without looking down, you pretentious, perverted-”] “I know you want her to blame herself for how you died.” "..." “Appeasement? Reparation? Yeah, you’re right, I only have the cliffnotes; you’re vague enough to cover your tracks, but… but whatever you’re doing- or whatever you’re making her do, it’s hurting her. You’re taking a toll on her body. Have I said anything wrong so far?” (text-color: blue)["..."] “Well that’s enough for me. Enough for me to drag you to hell, where you should have gone a year ago. Because nothing and no one can convince me that sweet, innocent girl has anything to make up for. Ophilia deserves the world; she deserves to be happy, and safe, and far away from ghosts and their tantrums. That’s why I’m invading you, Katherine, that’s how deep this cliff goes!” “Now come down here and kill me yourself. I want to get one good look at the leech hurting my friend.” "..." *"..."* I hang my head low. [[Moments pass in silence, then…|CH- Moments pass in silence, then…]]

"...You don't mean that." "Ophilia!?" I shoot my head back up, and see that everyone: the puppets, Charlie, even my own copy are looking around, surprised by Ophilia’s voice. Taking advantage of the distraction, I grab my cane and yank it out from my copy’s grip. *"-Ack!"* I pull my copy down to my level and beat him into the dirt, taking every swing I can manage while I have the chance. He tries to push my face away, but I have to kill him before Charlie kills me. I grab both sides of his head and quickly break his neck. The snap cracks out across the void, like a collapsing tree. Charlie stands over me, knife ready, and watches my copy’s face disappear, [[revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.|CH- revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.]]

"No way..." I let out a sigh of relief, watching the other puppets look down in shock. They almost seem impressed. "Haah… I… I did it. I fffucking win! Hah!" "You did! You got him! Y-you fucking got him!" Charlie sits down and hugs me from behind, laughing and joining in my relief. Still keeping my eyes on the puppets, I let out another sigh. "That was… terrifying." "Yeah. Yeah, I almost- haha! I almost…" "I can't believe that worked. I had no idea that Katherine could make the…" "The puppets… bleed…" [[Oh.|CH- Oh.]]

There’s a sharp pain in my stomach as Charlie plunges the dagger into my lower back, and stands up, letting me drop to the floor. I gasp when I hit the floor, but the shock keeps the air out of my lungs. Charlie, practically rolling over herself in laughter, backs away and [[joins the crowd of jeering puppets.]]

"Whoa, wait-" I swing at her, but she steps out of the way, holding her hands out to keep our distance. "I don't wanna hurt you, man, and you definitely don't want to hurt me!" "Shut up!" I swing and miss again. Jessie jabs me in the gut, knocking the wind out of me, and disarming me. "Use your words, Seth. You know better than to pick a fight with me." I stop, and glare at Jessie. "N- hah- nice shot." "Yeah, kind of what I'm known for. Look, I get the feeling you think I'm one of… whatever these things are. But I'm not." "I…" Wait, no. This can still be another trick. What if the other puppets’ weakness is a trick to get my guard down? I have to be careful. "Still on edge? You can take the knife back, if you promise to behave." "..." I pick the knife up off the ground. "...Give me your hand." "Proposing? This is hardly the place-" “Give me your hand, now!” Jessie offers me her left hand. [[I grab her by the wrist and slice open her palm.|J- I grab her by the wrist and slice open her palm.]]

"..." Sure enough, blood starts pooling up from her wound. I sigh, and let her go. She frowns, and wipes the blood off on her hip. “‘Behave’ means don’t use it on me, dumbass. Boys and their swords…” "...It's so good to see you, Jessie." Jessie gives a big, proud grin. "Why are you here?" "Oh. Yeah. Aurora and I had an argument while we were waiting for you. She was, um… she wasn't happy that you just up and left like that. I tried to tell her you meant well, but everybody started to gang up on me after that. I made us come to check on you as a, uh, sort of an act of spite, as childish as that sounds." "Besides, I'm kind of Phili's teddy bear, so I figure I can help out if she really is upset." “I almost just killed you for it, but… thank you for coming, I’m glad I’m not alone either. And I’m glad it’s you here with me.” Jessie blushes, and puffs her chest out. “Cling to me all you want babe, I’ll protect you! Come to think of it, this place is kinda moody when it’s empty. Not a bad place to make out.” "...Hey, did you see, like a… like a wisp, when we bumped into each other?" "Yeah, I was following it. It's the only trail I really have right now." "Works for me. Let's find that little bastard, then." Jessie points down the right hallway. "It spun around me and flew off this way, last I saw it." "...No, It went straight." "Umm… no man, it was pretty vivid up close. Think you might have seen it wrong?" "Hm." Jessie starts walking down the right hall. "Well hey, all roads lead to Rome, right? Let's just stick together, and-" "Nope." Confident in my memory, I grab Jessie’s hand, and drag her with me down the hall we're already in. She stands her ground, stopping me in my tracks with a disappointed glower. "Alright, I can accept you being stubborn about it, but I draw the line at letting you think *you* can pull *me* anywhere. Let's go, you big baby." [[The two of us walk down the hall, which slowly gets darker and darker.|J- The two of us walk down the hall, which slowly gets darker and darker.]]

Eventually, the air gets colder to match, and I hear something in the distance… cars? "Hey, Jessie… earlier, you said you made 'us' check on me? Who else is with you?" "Oh, right. Just Aurora. She still wanted everyone else to wait outside, but said she'd come with me to keep both of us from making things worse. I haven't seen her since all the craziness started." "Huh. Well, let's make sure we find her too, once Ophilia's with us." "I dunno, I think a little alone time could be good for her." "Hey, does the ground feel softer to you?" Jessie smiles, and points ahead. "It’s dirt. And there’s more of it that way!" I follow her arm, and sure enough the hallway comes to an abrupt stop, opening up to the moonlit outdoors. [[No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.|J- No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.]]

We race to the exit, the tile floor quickly phasing out into dirt. When we leave the hallway, we find ourselves standing at the end of a highway, opposite to a bar. I look out to either side, and find nothing but the never ending road in a field of muted grass. "Wait, where's the… the everything we just walked through behind us? It's just more field!" "Hm. Well, not much else to do out here. Want to get a drink?" "Sure, if you’re buying." [[Jessie and I cross the highway, and walk through the door of the small building.]]

The place is rustic on the inside, put simply. Almost looks like a saloon out of a western movie… or a modern take on one, anyway. Despite the insistence on wood and minimal decoration, this place looks weirdly high-class, which is kind of the opposite of *The Monde.* There’s a couple people sitting at tables, but three folks at the bar catch our eyes the moment we walk in. Right there, in the centermost three seats are Aurora, Ophilia, and a girl with short white hair who I’ve only seen in pictures. Ophilia's not wearing her sweater, instead donning the short-sleeve tee I saw her in last. The wool sweater is sitting around the shoulders of the other white-haired girl. "No way, *Katherine!?*" Jessie steps forward, but I hold my arm out to stop her. "-Huh?" I take another look around. No one, be they at the bar, tables, or otherwise, reacted to Jessie’s outburst. They didn’t even dart an eye. I step to the side, watching things play out from the corner. [[Jessie stands beside me, putting things together.]]

"Hah! You're out of your mind, Kat. Him?" (text-color: blue)["Why not? He's hot, and for god's sake, you need to do something with your lotto body before you leave your twenties. Tits like yours don’t last six months."] "Kathyyy! Y-you can't- *hic-* say that!" They’re all pretty drunk, but Aurora looks to be more sober than the twins. Not quite ‘designated driver’ sober, but still. (text-color: blue)["Oh c'mon, I'm right, aren't I? You know I'm right, she knows I'm right."] "I guess so. But that's no excuse to rush into anything, you know?" (text-color: blue)[“You’re a twenty-two year old rich college bitch out of a magazine. Fucking rush into *something,* my god. Like you don’t already try to get strangers to stare at your ass, I know your game.”] "Hehe." "Hey! You make me sound so fickle. I don't toy with people, Kat." (text-color: blue)[“Y’don’t have to. Look at you.”] "You flatter me." (text-color: blue)[“What am I flattering you for? I’m not gonna fuck you- c’mon, buy him a drink.”] “You should! Bring him over here, I'll say nice things about you.” "...Fine, if you insist. You have to wingman me though, Phili, I'm out of practice." "Yaaay." (text-color: blue)[“Ugh, christ. Phili, don’t let me order screwdrivers anymore, okay? Th- *hic-* that one hurt…”] "...Oh, I think I left my phone in the car. Kat, could you go grab it for me? I'll talk this guy up if you do." (text-color: blue)["Hah, that your asking price? Sure, I'll be back in a minute."] "Can I come?" "Uh-" (text-color: blue)["Sure thing, Phili."] [[Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.|J- Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.]]

I catch Jessie’s expression as they get out the door. She’s gone pale, her eyes wide with dread. "Are you okay?" "I *thought* I recognized this bar." Jessie takes my hand and follows the twins. The hallway we came through’s gone now, replaced with a parking lot and an office building. Again, we hang off to the side and watch the others talk. Katherine starts humming a tune to herself, which Ophilia recognizes. "You're singing our part!" (text-color: blue)[“Not singing, dummy, I’m humming our part. S’catchy.”] “Nuh uh.” (text-color: blue)[“Uh huh! Why not?”] “I dunno, I don’t like it. I don’t like the song.” (text-color: blue)[“Bulllllshit. Bullshit!”] “Hahaha, no! I really don’t.” (text-color: blue)[“Then why’d you pick it?”] “Because you liked it. It made me think of you.” (text-color: blue)[“Doooork.”] [[Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.|J- Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.]]

"You're meeean!" (text-color: blue)[“Hahaha… but that’s your song, y’know? Makes me think of *you.*”] “What? No.” (text-color: blue)[“Yuh huh. You upstaged me, show-off.”] “I did not. I didn’t!” (text-color: blue)[“Come oooon, everybody else thinks so. You heard ‘em clapping, don’t you feel stupid for trying t- hic- pussy out earlier?”] The two of them approach the road, keeping their eyes on one another. "This is fucked… why are we seeing this?" "I want to see it again! Let's dance!" (text-color: blue)["I don't know Phili, w- hahaha- we're pretty drunk…"] "Come ooon! Sing it for me, let’s dance to the car." "Stop it. Please, don't." Katherine looks into Ophilia's eyes, briefly darting down to her stomach. She smiles, and shrugs. (text-color: blue)[“Humming, Phili, I can’t s- sing. Alright, places, girls!”] "…" Katherine claps her hands twice, then takes Ophilia’s in hers. [[The two slow dance as Katherine resumes humming her melody.|J- The two start slow dancing as Katherine resumes humming her melody.]]

Their drunken steps are awkward and silly, but I can tell there’s a professional piece hiding in there somewhere. Each time Katherine takes a wrong step and stumbles, her voice shakes, but she doesn’t stop until Ophilia steps right on her foot. That makes Ophilia lose her balance and fall into Katherine, sending them both tumbling out into the street. (text-color: blue)["Haha! Ha- hic- hahahaha!"] Jessie watches, covering her mouth with her wrist. I have to keep from looking away myself, as I start to anticipate what’s about to happen. Ophilia laughs as she gets up, and watches her sister drunkenly squirm on the pavement. They’re so caught up in the moment that [[they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.|J- they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.]]

(text-color: blue)[(live: 0.5s)["Hah, ](live: 1.5s)[heh](live:2s)[eh. ](live: 3s)[Hh... ](live: 5s)[huh- ]] (live: 5.5s)[(go-to: "J- Kat's Dead")]

(live: 4s)["..."] (live: 8s)["..."] (live: 12s)["..."] (live: 16s)[I turn away, and notice that the bar’s windows aren’t showing inside anymore. They’ve gone pitch black(if: $Cane is true)[, just like sunday]. [[I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.|J- I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.]]]

"...Come on. We've seen enough." "It was her fault…" "Come on, Jessie." Jessie nods, and follows me through the door. [[I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.|J- I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.]]

We walk through this empty expanse, our footsteps echoing quietly across the abyss. "Accidents happen all the time, especially on the road. Usually your family is one of the few comforts you can take when you mourn, but…" "...Did she get to be with her parents after the accident?" "Her parents are divorced, and… the twins pretty much cut off communication when they got their first apartment. Even if that weren't the case, I doubt she'd want to talk to them about it." "Why not?" "How could she? I mean, how do you tell mom and dad 'Hey, I killed your daughter, can you help me feel better about it?' The blame has to go somewhere, and it wouldn't go to the driver." "Jessie, that's awful. I don't know her home life, but to think they would blame her for something like that… don't ever let Phili know you think that, okay? You don't need to put that thought in her head." (text-color: blue)["I think she knows, sweetheart."] "-Huh?" Jessie and I look around frantically. The voice is coming from somewhere close, but neither of us can seem more than five feet out in this void. [[I ready my knife, and keep Jessie close.]]

"Katherine!?" "Where are you?" (text-color: blue)["Right here, (if: $Cane is true)[hot legs!](else:)[sugar stick!] Come let me look at you."] That’s right in front of me. I lunge forward and stab, but hit nothing. As I pull back, a pair of hands reach out from the darkness and shove me to the side, into Jessie’s arms. "You almost had her, Seth! Try again!" Aurora’s voice comes from behind me. I spin around, trying to keep my bearings. From the side, Charlie steps out and shoves me again, with more force than the puppets have managed so far. "Just a little more, you're right there!" "They're everywhere!" I have to stay upright… but another Mabel tackles me out of nowhere. Again and again, more puppets appear, pushing and punching faster than I can keep up with. Even copies of Jessie join in the assault. "C'mon big guy, you gotta swing to hit something!" (if: $Cane is true)[I wildly swing the knife around, on my knees and holding onto my cane like a tree trunk. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|J- I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?]]](else:)[I wildly swing the knife around, nearly throwing myself off my own feet in my dazed confustion. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|J- I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"Gotta do better than that!" "Come on, you came all this way!" "Tired already!? Show us what you got!" My head’s spinning again. I’ve gotta keep track of the real Jessie between the… are there five puppets here with us? Fuck, I don’t know where she is! (text-color: blue)["You look stressed, cutie! I think you should give it a little- REST!"] Two fists swing like hammers into my skull from behind, knocking me onto my stomach. The knife flies out of my hands, sliding across the floor. All the puppets laugh and jeer at my misery, while I try to get a word out of my bleeding lips. But to my surprise, [[the words come out before I can say them.|J- the words come out before I can say them.]]

*"The knife! I lost the knife!"* Oh no. Someone grabs me by the collar, and pulls me back up to my knees. When my vision unblurs, sure enough, there’s a perfect copy of myself, my every cut and bruise mirrored perfectly on his stupid face. "No!" *"Oh god! You can copy me, too!? That can't- y-you can't!"* (if: $Cane is true)[My doppelganger grabs my cane, so I punch him in the jaw. He returns with an elbow to my cheek, and t](else:)[My doppleganger punches me in the jaw, so I return with an elbow to his cheek. T]he two of us wrestle on our knees while the chorus of puppets laugh hysterically at us. It all comes to a stop when a desperate voice shrieks among the laughter. "EVERYONE STOP!" *"Huh?"* The puppets shut up and step away, making room for Jessie, [[standing strong and pointing the knife at us both.|-J standing strong and pointing the knife at us both.]]

"Jessie!" *"Wait, you're the real one, right?"* Jessie shows us her open palm, and the dried blood in its center. We both let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, mimic quiz, right? We're doing this?" "We’re doing this." *"Nothing for it now, we've all seen this before."* (if: $Cane is true)[ My copy and both let go of the cane, letting it clatter on the ground. ] "So, you're gonna ask us some questions, right? Something only I would know?" "Ah, I'd love to, but I didn’t become a Seth historian in the week I’ve known you." *"Good point."* "Why don't we just do it the same way you did it to me?" "That's right, puppets don't bleed!" *"..."* "Ok boys, let's see them hands! Don't be shy!" I give my copy a smug grin. "Want to do the honors?" *"...Sure. Yeah, yeah I'll go."* (if: $Cane is true)[[[My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.|J- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]](else:)[[[My copy shakily gets to his feet.|J- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]]

My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet. Jessie apprehensively walks up, but I keep my eyes locked on him. Honestly, I thought he’d fold as soon as we brought up cutting ourselves, how is he gonna try to get out of this? I need to be ready in case he just attacks Jessie. My copy smiles and holds out his left hand. Is he hiding a weapon? No, if he did, he wouldn’t bother trying to trick Jessie, they’ve wanted that knife this whole time, Katherine must only have the one. My eyes drift through the crowd of silent puppets, watching us like hawks. Jessie isn’t paying enough attention to them, if they try to sneak up on her now… Jessie presses the knife to my copy’s palm. Hang on- this whole time, I’ve yet to see Katherine herself! Her voice is here, but where’s her body! That must be the trick, she isn’t in the circle, where- “Jessie, wait! Where-” Jessie slashes the knife across my copy’s palm, and [[it bleeds.|J- it bleeds.]]

…My skin goes pale as I watch the blood drip down his wrist. My heart stops when it looks down at me, and smiles. "That- that can't be, you- you can't-" "Hey, jackpot! Look, we match." *"You lose. Now tell us where Ophilia is."* "Wait- wait, no! Cut me too! I'll bleed too, I- I promise!" "Alright, now that I know I've got the right guy, we still gotta fight our way out of here. You ready?" "Katherine… Katherine, you coward, show yourself!" (text-color: blue)["Mm… why should I do that?"] "You win! You want to kill me, fine! I'm unarmed. But I want to see you first. I want to look you in the eyes and damn you to hell with me!" *"This is stupid, Katherine, you're still talking to yourself?"* (text-color: blue)["What, you think I'm going to hell for killing an intruder? For defending my sister from a predator?"] "No. You're going to hell for what you did to Ophilia!" "What?" "All of this… all of this insanity. All of this pain, this sadism. You can put me through this all in one day, but I read your journal. I know what you're putting Ophilia through!" *"Ophilia?"* [[My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.|J- My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.]]

(text-color: blue)[“You don’t know the first thing about my sister and I. That book can’t tell you anything her own blood doesn’t already understand. I should know, I wrote the damn thing.” "God, that's all you are, isn’t it? Assumptions and judgment calls, day in and day out. You’d tell a cliff how deep it is without looking down, you pretentious, perverted-”] “I know you want her to blame herself for how you died.” "..." “Appeasement? Reparation? Yeah, you’re right, I only have the cliffnotes; you’re vague enough to cover your tracks, but… but whatever you’re doing- or whatever you’re making her do, it’s hurting her. You’re taking a toll on her body. Have I said anything wrong so far?” (text-color: blue)["..."] “Well that’s enough for me. Enough for me to drag you to hell, where you should have gone a year ago. Because nothing and no one can convince me that sweet, innocent girl has anything to make up for. Ophilia deserves the world; she deserves to be happy, and safe, and far away from ghosts and their tantrums. That’s why I’m invading you, Katherine, that’s how deep this cliff goes!” “Now come down here and kill me yourself. I want to get one good look at the leech hurting my friend.” "..." *"..."* I hang my head low. [[Moments pass in silence, then…|J- Moments pass in silence, then…]]

"...You don't mean that." "Ophilia!?" I shoot my head back up, and see that everyone: the puppets, Jessie, even my own copy are are looking around, surprised by Ophilia’s voice. Taking advantage of the distraction, I (if: $Cane is true)[grab my cane and yank it out from my copy’s grip.](else:)[tackle my copy by the stomach and slam him to the floor.] *"-Ack!"* I pull my copy down to my level and beat him into the dirt, taking every swing I can manage while I have the chance. He tries to push my face away, but I have to kill him before Jessie kills me. I grab both sides of his head and quickly break his neck. The snap cracks out across the void, like a collapsing tree. Jessie stands over me, knife ready, and watches my copy’s face disappear, [[revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.|-J revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.]]

"Shit..." I let out a sigh of relief, watching the other puppets look down in shock. They almost seem impressed. "Haah… I… I did it. I fffucking win! Hah!" "Oh my god, I almost killed someone. Like- actually killed someone!" Jessie sits down and hugs me from behind, laughing and joining in my relief. Still keeping my eyes on the puppets, I let out another sigh. "That was… terrifying." "Yeah. Yeah, I almost- haha! I almost…" "I can't believe that worked. I had no idea that Katherine could make the…" "The puppets… bleed…" [[Oh.|J- Oh.]]

There’s a sharp pain in my stomach as Jessie plunges the dagger into my lower back, and stands up, letting me drop to the floor. I gasp when I hit the floor, but the shock keeps the air out of my lungs. Jessie, practically rolling over herself in laughter, backs away and [[joins the crowd of jeering puppets.]]

"Having fun?" I swing at her, but she steps out of the way, holding her hands out to keep our distance. "So, what are you? Are you the real thing, or did you just learn how to grow a set of balls?" "Shut up!" I swing and miss again. Cynthia twists my arm, forcing me to drop the knife. She catches it before the blade hits the ground, pushing me back and pointing the weapon at me. "I asked you a question, Katherine. Speak." I stop, and glare at Cynthia. "Katherine? Oh, don’t give me that shit, I’m not falling for it. And I’m not talking." "Then it seems we're at an impasse. And I have a knife." "And you aren’t using it…" Wait, no. This can still be another trick. What if the other puppets’ weakness is a trick to get my guard down? I have to be careful. "No, I'm not using it. Are you telling me to?" "..." "...Alright. Cynthia. I know how that knife can prove we are who we say we are. Do you?" "Mhm. Puppets don't bleed." "Exactly." "Alright, give me your hand." I plant my feet, not wanting to get within arm's reach if I don't have to. "You first." "Alright, give me your hand." "Give me your fucking hand." Begrudgingly, I hold out my hand to Cynthia. She cuts open my palm, holding my arm in place as blood pools in my wound. "Gh…" "Hm." Cynthia lets go of my hand, and without hesitation, [[cuts her own palm, showing it to me as blood drips down her wrist.]]

"This has gotta be the first time we’re happy to see each other bleeding, huh?" I give a sarcastic chuckle, and snatch the knife out of her other hand. "Give me that." "Hey! We just established that I can have it." "We established that you're human. It's still mine." "...It's so good to see you, Cynthia." Cynthia rolls her eyes, nods, and smiles. "Why are you here?" "I followed you to make sure you don't do something stupid. Say the wrong thing, and Ophilia can get ten times worse in a heartbeat. Which is what Aurora was trying to warn you about, if you'd listen to her." "I got lost pretty quickly, and I… I don't have any idea what's been going on here, but I must have killed at least a dozen of my friends at this point. I've never been superstitious, but… I guess that's out the window now." “I almost just killed you for it, but… thank you for coming, I’m glad I’m not alone either. And I’m glad it’s you here with me.” Cynthia blushes, and scoffs. "Right. Me, too. I'm glad the others don't have to go through this, at least." "So, I saw you were chasing a light earlier. What is it?" "Dunno, I was just following it. It's the only trail I really have right now." "Alright. It's better than nothing, I guess. I've been going off nothing for the last half hour, so…" Cynthia points down the left hallway. "It went this way when you got swarmed. Let's move." "...No, It went straight." "No, you weren't paying attention. It switched while you were busy carving up our roommates." "Hm." Cynthia starts walking down the right hall. "So, tell me what you've seen so far. If we compare our stories, we might have a better idea of how Katherine's doing this…" "Nope." Confident in my memory, I grab Cynthia by the back of the collar, and walk forward. She crosses her arms and begrudgingly lets her heels drag against the floor like a dog. "Fine, but at least put the knife in your pocket first. You’re gonna cut my shoulder." Cynthia doesn't take long to start walking on her own, and [[the two of us continue down the hall, which slowly gets darker and darker.]]

Eventually, the air gets colder to match, and I hear something in the distance… cars? "Y'know, call me crazy, but maybe we should split up." "What? Why?" "We know how to check each other now. I assume you want to find Ophilia, but Aurora's somewhere in here, too." "...Is that so?" "Mhm. We both left to try to talk you out of harassing Phili, but we got split up. Obviously I'm not trying to stop you anymore, but I want to make sure she's safe." I shake my head. "We have the best odds of helping her if we stick together and stop whatever is causing all this. We're following the only trail we have, there's no point in two out of three of us getting lost." "...Good point. Sorry, I just can't stop thinking about her." "She's here somewhere. We'll find her." "...Hey, is the ground getting… softer, to you?" Cynthia points forward, and smiles. "That's not the only thing that’s changing!" I follow her arm, and sure enough the hallway comes to an abrupt stop, opening up to the moonlit outdoors. [[No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.|CY- No wall, no door, nothing but a giant square hole.]]

We race to the exit, the tile floor quickly phasing out into dirt. When we leave the hallway, we find ourselves standing at the end of a highway, opposite to a bar. I look out to either side, and find nothing but the never ending road in a field of muted grass. "What…? I- where's the rest of *The Monde?* It was more than just one hall… god, I hate this!" "Hm. Well, not much else to do out here. Want to get a drink?" "I think that's exactly what I need right now." [[Cynthia and I cross the highway, and walk through the door of the small building.]]

The place is rustic on the inside, put simply. Almost looks like a saloon out of a western movie… or a modern take on one, anyway. Despite the insistence on wood and minimal decoration, this place looks weirdly high-class, which is kind of the opposite of The Monde. There’s a couple people sitting at tables, but three folks at the bar catch our eyes the moment we walk in. Right there, in the centermost three seats are Aurora, Ophilia, and a girl with short white hair who I’ve only seen in pictures. Ophilia's not wearing her sweater, instead donning the short-sleeve tee I saw her in last. The wool sweater is sitting around the shoulders of the other white-haired girl. "There you are! Seth, that's Kat!" Cynthia steps forward, but I hold my arm out to stop her. "-Huh?" I take another look around. No one, be they at the bar, tables, or otherwise, reacted to Cynthia’s outburst. They didn’t even dart an eye. I step to the side, watching things play out from the corner. [[Cynthia stands beside me, putting things together.]]

"Hah! You're out of your mind, Kat. Him?" (text-color: blue)["Why not? He's hot, and for god's sake, you need to do something with your lotto body before you leave your twenties. Tits like yours don’t last six months."] "Kathyyy! Y-you can't- *hic-* say that!" They’re all pretty drunk, but Aurora looks to be more sober than the twins. Not quite ‘designated driver’ sober, but still. (text-color: blue)["Oh c'mon, I'm right, aren't I? You know I'm right, she knows I'm right."] "I guess so. But that's no excuse to rush into anything, you know?" (text-color: blue)[“You’re a twenty-two year old rich college bitch out of a magazine. Fucking rush into *something,* my god. Like you don’t already try to get strangers to stare at your ass, I know your game.”] "Hehe." "Hey! You make me sound so fickle. I don't toy with people, Kat." (text-color: blue)[“Y’don’t have to. Look at you.”] "You flatter me." (text-color: blue)[“What am I flattering you for? I’m not gonna fuck you- c’mon, buy him a drink.”] “You should! Bring him over here, I'll say nice things about you.” "...Fine, if you insist. You have to wingman me though, Phili, I'm out of practice." "Yaaay." (text-color: blue)[“Ugh, christ. Phili, don’t let me order screwdrivers anymore, okay? Th- *hic-* that one hurt…”] "...Oh, I think I left my phone in the car. Kat, could you go grab it for me? I'll talk this guy up if you do." (text-color: blue)["Hah, that your asking price? Sure, I'll be back in a minute."] "Can I come?" "Uh-" (text-color: blue)["Sure thing, Phili."] [[Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.|CY- Katherine stands up and take’s Ophilia’s hand. Together, the twins walk past us out the door.]]

I catch Cynthia’s expression as they get out the door. She’s gone pale, her eyes wide with dread. "Are you okay?" "I'm… I'm starting to realize where we are." Cynthia takes my hand and follows the twins. The hallway we came through’s gone now, replaced with a parking lot and an office building. Again, we hang off to the side and watch the others talk. Katherine starts humming a tune to herself, which Ophilia recognizes. "You're singing our part!" (text-color: blue)[“Not singing, dummy, I’m humming our part. S’catchy.”] “Nuh uh.” (text-color: blue)[“Uh huh! Why not?”] “I dunno, I don’t like it. I don’t like the song.” (text-color: blue)[“Bulllllshit. Bullshit!”] “Hahaha, no! I really don’t.” (text-color: blue)[“Then why’d you pick it?”] “Because you liked it. It made me think of you.” (text-color: blue)[“Doooork.”] [[Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.|CY- Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.]]

"You're meeean!" (text-color: blue)[“Hahaha… but that’s your song, y’know? Makes me think of *you.*”] “What? No.” (text-color: blue)[“Yuh huh. You upstaged me, show-off.”] “I did not. I didn’t!” (text-color: blue)[“Come oooon, everybody else thinks so. You heard ‘em clapping, don’t you feel stupid for trying t- hic- pussy out earlier?”] The two of them approach the road, keeping their eyes on one another. "God, no. It's bad enough just hearing about it. Don't make me watch this." "I want to see it again! Let's dance!" (text-color: blue)["I don't know Phili, w- hahaha- we're pretty drunk…"] "Come ooon! Sing it for me, let’s dance to the car." "Katherine! Phili! Listen to me, I'm right here! Come back!" Katherine looks into Ophilia's eyes, briefly darting down to her stomach. She smiles, and shrugs. (text-color: blue)[“Humming, Phili, I can’t s- sing. Alright, places, girls!”] "…" Katherine claps her hands twice, then takes Ophilia’s in hers. [[The two slow dance as Katherine resumes humming her melody.|CY- The two start slow dancing as Katherine resumes humming her melody.]]

Their drunken steps are awkward and silly, but I can tell there’s a professional piece hiding in there somewhere. Each time Katherine takes a wrong step and stumbles, her voice shakes, but she doesn’t stop until Ophilia steps right on her foot. That makes Ophilia lose her balance and fall into Katherine, sending them both tumbling out into the street. (text-color: blue)["Haha! Ha- hic- hahahaha!"] Cynthia freezes, hugging her arms to her chest. I have to keep from looking away myself, as I start to anticipate what’s about to happen. Ophilia laughs as she gets up, and watches her sister drunkenly squirm on the pavement. They’re so caught up in the moment that [[they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.|CY- they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.]]

(text-color: blue)[(live: 0.5s)["Hah, ](live: 1.5s)[heh](live:2s)[eh. ](live: 3s)[Hh... ](live: 5s)[huh- ]] (live: 5.5s)[(go-to: "CY- Kat's Dead")]

(live: 4s)["..."] (live: 8s)["..."] (live: 12s)["..."] (live: 16s)[I turn away, and notice that the bar’s windows aren’t showing inside anymore. They’ve gone pitch black(if: $Cane is true)[, just like sunday]. [[I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.|CY- I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.]]]

"...Come on. We've seen enough." "It was her fault…" "Come on, Cynthia." Cynthia nods, and follows me through the door. [[I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.|CY- I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I close the door behind me.]]

We walk through this empty expanse, our footsteps echoing quietly across the abyss. "It was so fast… it was- it happened *too* fast." "I know what you mean. To think that one misstep like that can mean so much… I don't know if I'd ever get rid of the paranoia…" "It was such a stupid mistake. If that- if that klutz wasn't clinging onto her all the time, she- she'd still-" "Cynthia! I don't like where you're going with this. Ophilia had no idea she'd get Katherine hurt." "Oh, yeah- she didn't know. Isn't that convenient. Why don't we just go and tell Kat she can come right back, Phili didn't *know* she was about to kill her sister!" "Stop it! Just- shut up! What's wrong with you? We need to talk about this later, when everyone's safe. But don't you dare let Phili know you said that about her." (text-color: blue)["I think she knows, sweetheart."] "-Huh?" Cynthia and I look around frantically. The voice is coming from somewhere close, but neither of us can seem more than five feet out in this void. [[I ready my knife, and keep Cynthia close.]]

"Katherine!?" "Where are you?" (text-color: blue)["Right here, (if: $Cane is true)[hot legs!](else:)[sugar stick!] Come let me look at you."] That’s right in front of me. I lunge forward and stab, but hit nothing. As I pull back, a pair of hands reach out from the darkness and shove me to the side, into Cynthia’s arms. "You almost had her, Seth! Try again!" Aurora’s voice comes from behind me. I spin around, trying to keep my bearings. From the side, Charlie steps out and shoves me again, with more force than the puppets have managed so far. "Just a little more, you're right there!" "They're everywhere!" I have to stay upright… but another Mabel tackles me out of nowhere. Again and again, more puppets appear, pushing and punching faster than I can keep up with. Even copies of Cynthia join in the assault. "C'mon big guy, you gotta swing to hit something!" (if: $Cane is true)[I wildly swing the knife around, on my knees and holding onto my cane like a tree trunk. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|CY- I can't see- there's so many of them, why can't I see anything!?]]](else:)[I wildly swing the knife around, nearly throwing myself off my own feet in my dazed confustion. [[I can’t see- there’s so many of them, why can’t I see anything!?|CY- I can't see- there's so many of them, why can't I see anything!?]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"Gotta do better than that!" "Come on, you came all this way!" "Tired already!? Show us what you got!" My head’s spinning again. I’ve gotta keep track of the real Cynthia between the… are there five puppets here with us? Fuck, I don’t know where she is! (text-color: blue)["You look stressed, cutie! I think you should give it a little- REST!"] Two fists swing like hammers into my skull from behind, knocking me onto my stomach. The knife flies out of my hands, sliding across the floor. All the puppets laugh and jeer at my misery, while I try to get a word out of my bleeding lips. But to my surprise, [[the words come out before I can say them.|CY- the words come out before I can say them.]]

*"The knife! I lost the knife!"* Oh no. Someone grabs me by the collar, and pulls me back up to my knees. When my vision unblurs, sure enough, there’s a perfect copy of myself, my every cut and bruise mirrored perfectly on his stupid face. "No!" *"Oh god! You can copy me, too!? That can't- y-you can't!"* (if: $Cane is true)[My doppelganger grabs my cane, so I punch him in the jaw. He returns with an elbow to my cheek, and t](else:)[My doppleganger punches me in the jaw, so I return with an elbow to his cheek. T]he two of us wrestle on our knees while the chorus of puppets laugh hysterically at us. It all comes to a stop when a desperate voice shrieks among the laughter. "EVERYONE STOP!" *"Huh?"* The puppets shut up and step away, making room for Cynthia, [[standing strong and pointing the knife at us both.|CY- standing strong and pointing the knife at us both.]]

"Cynthia!" *"Wait, you're the real one, right?"* Cynthia shows us her open palm, and the dried blood in its center. We both let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, mimic quiz, right? We're doing this?" "Looks like it." *"Nothing for it now, we've all seen this before."* (if: $Cane is true)[ My copy and both let go of the cane, letting it clatter on the ground. ] "So, you're gonna ask us some questions, right? Something only I would know?" "What if the puppet knows the right answers?" *"Good point."* "The good news is, you've both got two palms." "That's right, puppets don't bleed!" *"..."* "Who's going first?" I give my copy a smug grin. "Want to do the honors?" *"...Sure. Yeah, yeah I'll go."* (if: $Cane is true)[[[My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.|CY- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]](else:)[[[My copy shakily gets to his feet.|CY- My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]]

Cynthia apprehensively walks up, but I keep my eyes locked on him. Honestly, I thought he’d fold as soon as we brought up cutting ourselves, how is he gonna try to get out of this? I need to be ready in case he just attacks Cynthia. My copy smiles and holds out his left hand. Is he hiding a weapon? No, if he did, he wouldn’t bother trying to trick Jessie, they’ve wanted that knife this whole time, Katherine must only have the one. My eyes drift through the crowd of silent puppets, watching us like hawks. Cynthia isn’t paying enough attention to them, if they try to sneak up on her now… Cynthia presses the knife to my copy’s palm. Hang on- this whole time, I’ve yet to see Katherine herself! Her voice is here, but where’s her body! That must be the trick, she isn’t in the circle, where- “Cynthia, wait! Where-” Cynthia slashes the knife across my copy’s palm, and [[it bleeds.|CY- it bleeds.]]

…My skin goes pale as I watch the blood drip down his wrist. My heart stops when it looks down at me, and smiles. "That- that can't be, you- you can't-" "Good. I wasn't looking forward to doing that a third time." *"You lose. Now tell us where Ophilia is."* "Wait- wait, no! Cut me too! I'll bleed too, I- I promise!" "So, Seth, if you have any ideas on how we're actually getting out of here, I'm all ears." "Katherine… Katherine, you coward, show yourself!" (text-color: blue)["Mm… why should I do that?"] "You win! You want to kill me, fine! I'm unarmed. But I want to see you first. I want to look you in the eyes and damn you to hell with me!" *"This is stupid, Katherine, you're still talking to yourself?"* (text-color: blue)["What, you think I'm going to hell for killing an intruder? For defending my sister from a predator?"] "No. You're going to hell for what you did to Ophilia!" "What?" "All of this… all of this insanity. All of this pain, this sadism. You can put me through this all in one day, but I read your journal. I know what you're putting Ophilia through!" *"Ophilia?"* [[My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.|CY- My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.]]

(text-color: blue)[“You don’t know the first thing about my sister and I. That book can’t tell you anything her own blood doesn’t already understand. I should know, I wrote the damn thing.” "God, that's all you are, isn’t it? Assumptions and judgment calls, day in and day out. You’d tell a cliff how deep it is without looking down, you pretentious, perverted-”] “I know you want her to blame herself for how you died.” "..." “Appeasement? Reparation? Yeah, you’re right, I only have the cliffnotes; you’re vague enough to cover your tracks, but… but whatever you’re doing- or whatever you’re making her do, it’s hurting her. You’re taking a toll on her body. Have I said anything wrong so far?” (text-color: blue)["..."] “Well that’s enough for me. Enough for me to drag you to hell, where you should have gone a year ago. Because nothing and no one can convince me that sweet, innocent girl has anything to make up for. Ophilia deserves the world; she deserves to be happy, and safe, and far away from ghosts and their tantrums. That’s why I’m invading you, Katherine, that’s how deep this cliff goes!” “Now come down here and kill me yourself. I want to get one good look at the leech hurting my friend.” "..." *"..."* I hang my head low. [[Moments pass in silence, then…|CY- Moments pass in silence, then…]]

"...You don't mean that." "Ophilia!?" I shoot my head back up, and see that everyone: the puppets, Cynthia, even my own copy are are looking around, surprised by Ophilia’s voice. Taking advantage of the distraction, I (if: $Cane is true)[grab my cane and yank it out from my copy’s grip.](else:)[tackle my copy by the stomach and slam him to the floor.] *"-Ack!"* I pull my copy down to my level and beat him into the dirt, taking every swing I can manage while I have the chance. He tries to push my face away, but I have to kill him before Cynthia kills me. I grab both sides of his head and quickly break his neck. The snap cracks out across the void, like a collapsing tree. Cynthia stands over me, knife ready, and watches my copy’s face disappear, [[revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.|CY- revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.]]

"What…?" I let out a sigh of relief, watching the other puppets look down in shock. They almost seem impressed. "Haah… I… I did it. I fffucking win! Hah!" "I… yeah! I guess you did! I… I think?" Cynthia sits down and hugs me from behind, laughing and joining in my relief. Still keeping my eyes on the puppets, I let out another sigh. "That was… terrifying." "Yeah. Yeah, I almost- haha! I almost…" "I can't believe that worked. I had no idea that Katherine could make the…" "The puppets… bleed…" [[Oh.|CY- Oh.]]

There’s a sharp pain in my stomach as Cynthia plunges the dagger into my lower back, and stands up, letting me drop to the floor. I gasp when I hit the floor, but the shock keeps the air out of my lungs. Cynthia, practically rolling over herself in laughter, backs away and [[joins the crowd of jeering puppets.]]

“It’s keeping you away. She told you to leave, didn’t she? *Didn’t* she? But here you are, ready to sweep her up and save her. Why? Why are you really here?” "Stop! Stop it! I'm done listening to you! You're a demon. A monster!" I hear footsteps behind me. Then, a voice to match. "You know nothing." "-!" I spin around and cut down the other copy of Aurora, the one I’d already killed. She’d stood up again, even after her face vanished. Double-tapping her, I just as quickly kill her twin. "..." Just as I think I’m starting to understand their rules. Remember Seth, they’ll do anything to get the better of you. [[I resume following the light.]]

From there, it’s a few minutes of walking in relative silence, as the hallway slowly gets dimmer. Eventually, the air around me gets colder to match, and I hear what sounds like passing cars in the distance. But the cars leave my mind entirely when I hear a heavy breath just inches above me. "Kh-... h-haaahh…" I look up, but see nothing. The breathing is noticeably short and sharp, like someone sucking in air through their teeth. "Who's there? Show yourself!" "-Hm?" "Ophilia!? Is that you?" "Does he s-see me…?" "..." "Seth? Can you hear me?" "Yes, I can! Where are you?" "I… I'm in the dance studio. You can't see me, can you?" "No, I can't. Are you okay? Are you safe?" "M- mhm. I'm o- kh… okay! Is everyone still waiting for me?" "I think so. I haven't seen them since I started looking for you." "...Why are you looking f- *hah!*" "Phili!? What's wrong!?" A drop of something wet hits my neck. I’m staring right at the ceiling, but… [[are those wires?]]

"Nothing! I'm ok- kay, really!" "Would you please come out and leave with me? I'm worried about you, Phili, we all are." "...Really? I…" "...But he's worried about me! Can't I just…" "Ophilia? Who are you talking to?" "Right… I'm sorry. I- I'm s- *ah!*" Another drop hits my head, this one big enough to dampen my hair. I run my hand across my scalp to feel what it is. "You're lying to me, Seth. Kh- *haah-* I'm not gonna let you hurt me! J- just go away!""Right… I'm sorry. I- I'm s- *aah!*" Suddenly, that liquid seeps and sprays from the walls, covering me from the chest down and staining my clothes. It’s shooting out like a water jet, all the way down the hall. Finally seeing enough to notice the red stain, I realize I’m being covered in blood. "Ophilia! Please, listen to me, you're in danger!" "Stop! J- just stop and let her get rid of you! You're a p- hh- parasite!" I move as fast as my legs let me, overcome by the feeling that I’m on a timer. To my relief, it doesn’t take long for the hallway to come to an abrupt stop, leading outdoors to moonlight. [[No closing wall, no door, just a giant square hole.]]

I race to the exit, the tile floor phasing out and becoming dirt. When I reach the exit hole, I find myself standing at the end of a highway, opposite a bar. I look out to either, and find nothing but a never ending road in a field of muted grass. "Seth? Where are you? Where are you going?" Not seeing anywhere else to go, I [[cross the highway and enter the bar.]]

The place is rustic on the inside, put simply. Almost looks like a saloon out of a western movie… or a modern take on one, anyway. Despite the insistence on wood and minimal decoration, this place looks weirdly high-class, which is kind of the opposite of The Monde. There’s a couple people sitting at tables, but three folks at the bar catch my eyes the moment I walk in. Right there, in the centermost three seats are Aurora, Ophilia, and a girl with short white hair who I’ve only seen in pictures. Ophilia's not wearing her sweater, instead donning the short-sleeve tee I saw her in last. The wool sweater is sitting around the shoulders of the other white-haired girl. "Ophilia? Is that you!?" "What? Y-you can see me!?" I hear Ophilia's response, but her voice wasn't coming from the girl sitting at the bar. It still feels like she’s above me. On top of that, no one inside the bar seems to react to my outburst. Curious, I take a step to the side, and [[listen to their conversation.]]

The hallway I came in from’s gone, replaced by a parking lot and an office building. Again, I step aside and let the twins talk. Katherine starts humming a tune to herself, which Ophilia recognizes. "You're singing our part!" (text-color: blue)[“Not singing, dummy, I’m humming our part. S’catchy.”] “Nuh uh.” (text-color: blue)[“Uh huh! Why not?”] “I dunno, I don’t like it. I don’t like the song.” (text-color: blue)[“Bulllllshit. Bullshit!”] “Hahaha, no! I really don’t.” (text-color: blue)[“Then why’d you pick it?”] “Because you liked it. It made me think of you.” (text-color: blue)[“Doooork.”] [[Katherine pokes Ophilia in the forehead, making her stumble a step or two.]]

"You're meeean!" (text-color: blue)[“Hahaha… but that’s your song, y’know? Makes me think of *you.*”] “What? No.” (text-color: blue)[“Yuh huh. You upstaged me, show-off.”] “I did not. I didn’t!” (text-color: blue)[“Come oooon, everybody else thinks so. You heard ‘em clapping, don’t you feel stupid for trying t- hic- pussy out earlier?”] The two of them approach the road, keeping their eyes on one another. "I want to see it again! Let's dance!" (text-color: blue)["I don't know Phili, w- hahaha- we're pretty drunk…"] "Come ooon! Sing it for me, let’s dance to the car." Katherine looks into Ophilia's eyes, briefly darting down to her stomach. She smiles, and shrugs. (text-color: blue)[“Humming, Phili, I can’t s- sing. Alright, places, girls!”] "…" Katherine claps her hands twice, then takes Ophilia’s in hers. [[The two slow dance as Katherine resumes humming her melody.]]

Their drunken steps are awkward and silly, but I can tell there’s a professional piece hiding in there somewhere. Each time Katherine takes a wrong step and stumbles, her voice shakes, but she doesn’t stop until Ophilia steps right on her foot. That makes Ophilia lose her balance and fall into Katherine, sending them both tumbling out into the street. (text-color: blue)["Haha! Ha- hic- hahahaha!"] I… think I know where this is going. It almost feels disrespectful to watch, but I’m being shown this for a reason. Ophilia laughs as she gets up, and watches her sister drunkenly squirm on the pavement. They’re so caught up in the moment that [[they don’t notice the shine of headlights speeding toward the bar.]]

(text-color: blue)[(live: 0.5s)["Hah, ](live: 1.5s)[heh](live:2s)[eh. ](live: 3s)[Hh... ](live: 5s)[huh- ]] (live: 5.5s)[(go-to: "Kat's Dead")]

(live: 4s)["..."] (live: 8s)["..."] (live: 12s)[I turn away, and notice that the bar’s windows aren’t showing inside anymore. They’ve gone pitch black(if: $Cane is true)[, just like sunday]. [[I open the door, and sure enough, it leads to more darkness.]]]

I see Ophilia drop to her knees just before I [[close the door behind me.]]

I walk through this empty expanse, my footsteps echoing quietly across the abyss. "...Ophilia?" I hear her breathing again, but she doesn’t respond. "...Ophilia, please. Talk to me. That's all I want." "...What is it?" "I… I'm sorry about your sister. What you had to go through in losing her." "No, you aren't. You're just saying that. You talk too much." "Why are you so convinced that I'm lying to you?" "B-because you- *kh-* want to hurt me! Y-you want to get rid of me. That's why you're here, that's why you're living in my house! I-in her room! And I let you." "But it's okay… it's gonna be okay. I'm making up for it. We're gonna get rid of you first." "You're wrong. All I've wanted since I met you was to make you happy. Whatever's going on with you… I'll help you fix it. Even if it kills me." (text-color: blue)["Aren't you romantic."] "-Huh?" Where’s that voice coming from? It sounded close, but I can’t see more than five feet in this void. [[I take out my knife.]]

"Katherine! Where are you?" (text-color: blue)["Right here, (if: $Cane is true)[hot legs!](else:)[sugar stick!] Come let me look at you."] She’s right in front of me. I lunge ahead and stab, but hit nothing. When I pull back, a pair of hands reach from the darkness and shove me to the side. (if: $Cane is true)[I almost fall, but manage to plant my cane in just the right way.] "You almost had her, Seth! Try again!" Aurora's voice came from behind me. I spin around, trying to keep my bearings. From the side, Charlie steps out and shoves me again, with more force than the puppets have managed so far. "Just a little more, you're right there!" I try to steady my legs, but another copy of Mabel runs up and tackles me out of nowhere, knocking me to my side. As I curl into a ball(if: $Cane is true)[ around my cane], more and more puppets appear, kicking and stomping me faster than I can keep up with. "C'mon big guy, you gotta swing to hit something!" “Stop- agh!” I wildly swing the knife around, barely able to see, but content to [[slash at the puppets legs if they want to kick.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"Gotta do better than that!" "Come on, you came all this way!" "Tired already!? Show us what you got!" My head’s spinning- god, it hurts. I feel the cold ground below me, but my sense of direction is slipping… don’t black out, *please* don’t black out! (text-color: blue)["You look stressed, cutie! I think you should give it a little- REST!"] Two fists swing like hammers into my skull from behind, knocking me onto my stomach. The knife flies out of my hands, sliding across the floor. All the puppets laugh and jeer at my misery, while I try to get a word out of my bleeding lips. But to my surprise, [[the words come out before I can say them.]]

*"The knife! I lost the knife!"* Oh no. Someone grabs me by the collar, and pulls me back up to my knees. When my vision unblurs, sure enough, there’s a perfect copy of myself, my every cut and bruise mirrored perfectly on his stupid face. "No!" *"Oh god! You can copy me, too!? That can't- y-you can't!"* (if: $Cane is true)[My doppelganger grabs my cane, so I punch him in the jaw. He returns with an elbow to my cheek, and t](else:)[My doppleganger punches me in the jaw, so I return with an elbow to his cheek. T]he two of us wrestle on our knees while the chorus of puppets laugh hysterically at us. It all comes to a stop when a desperate voice shrieks among the laughter. (text-size:2)[“AAAAAAAGH!”] The puppets shut up and step away, making room for Aurora, who’s just finished carving out the stomach of one of her own puppets. Bathed in light, she drops the puppet to her feet. Her neck- the real Aurora's neck- is sliced clean open, blood stained down to her stomach. She’s leaning like she’s about to collapse, but [[she looks as determined as she always does.]]

"Aurora!?" *"You’re alive!?"* Aurora grins and shivers, letting out a quiet, gravelly mumble. "This is impossible. You were dead, you- you should be dead!" *"I don't care anymore. I'm done trying to understand this place. If you're alive, I need your help!"* "Mm." "Aurora, that one's the puppet!" *"Are we really doing this? There has to be a way to… to figure this out."* "Nngh…" “I… normally we’d have her ask us questions, but…” "…" Aurora points at her throat, then at both of us. That’s when it clicks. "That's right, the puppets don't bleed!" *"..."* I give my copy a smug grin. "Want to do the honors?" *"...Sure. Yeah, yeah I'll go."* (if: $Cane is true)[[[My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.|My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]](else:)[[[My copy shakily gets to his feet.|My copy picks up my cane, and shakily gets to his feet.]]]

Aurora apprehensively walks up, but I keep my eyes locked on him. Honestly, I thought he’d fold as soon as we brought up cutting ourselves, how is he gonna try to get out of this? I need to be ready in case he just attacks Aurora. My copy smiles and holds out his left hand. Is he hiding a weapon? No, if he did, he wouldn’t bother trying to trick Aurora, they’ve wanted that knife this whole time, Katherine must only have the one. My eyes drift through the crowd of silent puppets, watching us like hawks. Aurora isn’t paying enough attention to them, if they try to sneak up on her now… Aurora presses the knife to my copy’s palm. Hang on- this whole time, I’ve yet to see Katherine herself! Her voice is here, but where’s her body! That must be the trick, she isn’t in the circle, where- “Aurora, wait! Where-” Aurora slashes the knife across my copy’s palm, and [[it bleeds.]]

…My skin goes pale as I watch the blood drip down his wrist. My heart stops when it looks down at me, and smiles. "That- that can't be, you- you can't-" “Hmph.” *"You lose. Now tell us where Ophilia is."* "Wait- wait, no! Cut me too! I'll bleed too, I- I promise!" Aurora looks down at me, her chin tilted up, and her expression blank. She stares with wide, intentful eyes, and when she takes a step toward me, I know she means to do more than cut me. I desperately scramble away, terrified of what she might be capable of. "Katherine… Katherine, you coward, show yourself!" (text-color: blue)["Mm… why should I do that?"] "You win! You want to kill me, fine! I'm unarmed. But I want to see you first. I want to look you in the eyes and damn you to hell with me!" *"This is stupid, Katherine, you're still talking to yourself?"* (text-color: blue)["What, you think I'm going to hell for killing an intruder? For defending my sister from a predator?"] "No. You're going to hell for what you did to Ophilia!" "-?" "All of this… all of this insanity. All of this pain, this sadism. You can put me through this all in one day, but I read your journal. I know what you're putting Ophilia through!" *"Ophilia?"* [[My copy looks confused. Katherine's voice takes on an agitated growl.]]

(text-color: blue)[“You don’t know the first thing about my sister and I. That book can’t tell you anything her own blood doesn’t already understand. I should know, I wrote the damn thing.” "God, that's all you are, isn’t it? Assumptions and judgment calls, day in and day out. You’d tell a cliff how deep it is without looking down, you pretentious, perverted-”] “I know you want her to blame herself for how you died.” "..." “Appeasement? Reparation? Yeah, you’re right, I only have the cliffnotes; you’re vague enough to cover your tracks, but… but whatever you’re doing- or whatever you’re making her do, it’s hurting her. You’re taking a toll on her body. Have I said anything wrong so far?” (text-color: blue)["..."] “Well that’s enough for me. Enough for me to drag you to hell, where you should have gone a year ago. Because nothing and no one can convince me that sweet, innocent girl has anything to make up for. Ophilia deserves the world; she deserves to be happy, and safe, and far away from ghosts and their tantrums. That’s why I’m invading you, Katherine, that’s how deep this cliff goes!” “Now come down here and kill me yourself. I want to get one good look at the leech hurting my friend.” "..." *"..."* I hang my head low. [[Moments pass in silence, then…]]

"...You don't mean that." "-!" I shoot my head back up, and see that everyone: the puppets, Aurora, even my own copy are are looking around, surprised by Ophilia’s voice. Taking advantage of the distraction, I (if: $Cane is true)[grab my cane and yank it out from my copy’s grip.](else:)[tackle my copy by the stomach and slam him to the floor.] *"-Ack!"* I pull my copy down to my level and beat him into the dirt, taking every swing I can manage while I have the chance. He tries to push my face away, but I have to kill him before Aurora kills me. I grab both sides of his head and quickly break his neck. The snap cracks out across the void, like a collapsing tree. Aurora stands over me, knife ready, and watches my copy’s face disappear, [[revealing the features of an empty wooden doll.]]

"…" I let out a sigh of relief, watching the other puppets look down in shock. They almost seem impressed. "Haah… I… I did it. I fffucking win! Hah!" Aurora sits down and hugs me from behind, joining in my relief. Still keeping my eyes on the puppets, I let out another sigh. "That was… terrifying." "Mhm." "I can't believe that worked. I had no idea that Katherine could make the…" "The puppets… bleed…" [[Oh.]]

There’s a sharp pain in my stomach as Aurora plunges the dagger into my lower back, and stands up, letting me drop to the floor. I gasp when I hit the floor, but the shock keeps the air out of my lungs. Aurora, practically rolling over herself in laughter, backs away and [[joins the crowd of jeering puppets.]]

I writhe on the floor, trying to reach for the knife in my back. The mocking laughter of the puppets flood my head with a miserable concoction of shame, rage, and betrayal. Around us, the pitch blackness of the void illuminates, with pillars of white light gently fading in. Lining the walls of this impossibly massive room stand these giant statues of dancers with their bodies in wild, erratic poses. Each one of them, chiseled to a fine point, is more distracting than the last; the contortions their bodies take are so impossible, I’m sure anyone would mangle themselves just trying to replicate them. Arms bent three ways, legs twisted over heads, hands sunk fully under the ribcage... I lift my shaking head off of the ground, and look up as the laughing puppets quiet to an ambient snicker, and break their huddle to make way for two short, white-haired women to enter the scene. Katherine has this sort of excited, untempered energy in her eyes and smile. She’s standing just a bit taller than at the bar; her features are longer, she almost looks malnourished. Ophilia, standing shyly behind her sister’s shoulder, stares at the ground and lets her bangs hang over her eyes. She holds loosely onto Katherine’s arm, and hangs an uneasy frown on her lips. (text-color: blue)["That's the game! Hahaha, I *knew* I could get you to crack somehow. *Tch- haha-* god, how anticlimactic."] "Y-you… you could have killed me whenever you wanted." Katherine waves her hand and rolls her eyes. (text-color: blue)["Sure, maybe. Maybe I could have just overwhelmed you, but… gosh, where's the fun in that? For all the fight you had in you, I wanted to see you use some of it."] "You're a monster." (text-color: blue)[“And you’re a self-righteous moron. That’s the thing, that’s why you irk me so much in particular: you think you know everything! You assume you know how the puppets work, what they can or can’t do, because you’re hopelessly certain you’ve got all the right answers. You know what you’re doing, so of course it’s okay for you to rush in and save us all.” “It’s all for the better if you barge your way into our lives. It’s for the best if you move into my room. We’ll all be happier if you steal *my* sister from me!”] Katherine kicks me in the ribs, sparking an uproarious laughter from the puppets. I try to pick myself up off the ground, but Katherine [[pushes the knife deeper into my back with her heel.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

"I’m n- *aaaahh!* Hh- I'm not stealing anyone! I'm n-not trying to replace you, Katherine." (text-color: blue)[“No, of course you aren’t. Salt of the earth…” “I know what you are, Seth. Unlike you, I know exactly what I’m talking about.”] "I didn't plan on getting you hurt, Seth. But you… you ruined everything I was planning. You couldn't sit still long enough for me to get you out of our lives!" (text-color: blue)["Oh, and you were so close to avoiding all this headache. You really were. My Ophilia had it *allll* figured out, didn't you?"] "Oph… Ophilia?" [[Ophilia steps out beside her sister, wrapping her arms tightly around her own chest.]]

"It all h-happened so f-fast. The day before the show, h-he asked me to go out with him afterward. He s-s-said it would help us get to know each other… that we could get on the right foot." "..." "He took me to an old parking tower… where no one would find us. Once we were on the top floor, he- he grabbed me by the waist, a-and didn't let me walk away…" Jesus… she’s really selling it, too. She is a natural performer. "H-he said a... a small thing like me made him f-feel things.. That he wanted to… d-do things with me. He said he would really start to l-like me if I did that for him." Ophilia shivers as tears stream down her face. I almost believe her myself. "I told him I didn't w-want to! T-that I was afraid to! When I tried to get away, he… h-h-he…" Ophilia breaks down and sobs into Katherine’s arms. Katherine frowns at me, and shakes her head. (text-color: blue)["What a monster. Just like that, you'd be gone, out of our lives. Free to find some other brothel to poison with your filth. But you just had to come in and spoil the finale." "Now that little monologue will have to be our explanation as to why your body is staining the studio floor!"] Katherine stomps toward me, sending a loud boom throughout the room. Bottling up the pain, I force myself up to my knees(if: $Cane is true)[, and hold my cane in front of me for defense.] Ophilia watches, and the puppets’ laughter grows ever louder. My heart is racing, I feel the blood pouring down my back… I need to think of something- anything to say that can get myself out of the trap I fell in. I look Ophilia in the eye, and tell her… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You don't want this."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["She wouldn't want this."]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

"Ophilia, stop this! It's not too late, you don't need to do this for her. You- you don't want this!" "But I do. I’ll do anything for her, Seth. I have to." Ophilia hugs Katherine, burying her head in her shoulder as Katherine strokes her hair. "I'm a horrible sister… a worthless human being! She gave me everything, and I- I killed her! But she's still here, Seth. And she's still taking care of me, giving me everything I need to keep moving. She- she loves me, Seth. She's the only one who really loves me." (text-color: blue)["Oh, Ophilia… of course I love you."] Katherine cradles Ophilia’s head in her arms. (text-color: blue)[“My Ophilia… my love… my life… I couldn’t let death leave you alone. Alone, in a world that’s always hated you for what you are. I know how much you need me.” “And I’ll never leave you. As long as you keep me here… so long as you make amends for your mistake… so long as you show me your love, I’ll always protect you from this awful world. And from awful people like him.”] One of the puppets grabs the knife by the handle, and pulls it out of my back in one swift motion. I fall back on my stomach, screaming. The puppet gives the knife to Katherine, who holds Ophilia’s hand up and puts it in her palm. Katherine kisses Ophilia’s cheek, and mumbles in a soothing tone. (text-color: blue)["Now, Ophilia… you know what I need you to do, right?"] "...I… I don't…" (text-color: blue)["Shhh…"] Katherine closes her hand over Ophilia's, [[making her grip the knife.]]

"Ophilia, Katherine wouldn't want this." "What?" "Your sister, she- she loved you. She wouldn't ask you to do this, she- she couldn't stand the idea of you being this afraid!" (text-color: blue)["What the hell are you talking about? You think she's doing all of this on a whim?"] "You, demon. You aren't Katherine. You're just another fake. A puppet!" (text-color: blue)["Excuse me?"] "You're wrong. Katherine treats me as well as she always has… she- she knows everything about me." "No, Ophilia, she doesn't. *You* do!" "What are you saying?" "You were *right there* when you lost Katherine. You were drunk, and made the wrong move at the wrong time, but you didn't kill your sister! She died from a freak accident, and Katherine knows that. The things I've heard about her, how much she cared for you, and loved you, *really* loved you… she would never blame you for what happened that night. No one would, except for you!" "This demon, this… this mockery of your sister… it's all you!" (text-color: blue)["Haha… you… *hahaha…* you presumptuous, manipulative dog!"] Katherine reels back and kicks me in the jaw, then grabs the knife handle and [[pulls it out of my back.]]

(text-color: blue)["I need this from you, Phili. I need it to be you that does it."] "…" (text-color: blue)["Show me you love me. Show me you know how to hurt the people who hurt you."] "I- I'm scared, Katherine…" (text-color: blue)["You killed me, Ophilia. Get it over with."] "..." Nervously, Ophilia slowly walks forward, her eyes locked on mine. [[I try to crawl away, but the puppets hold me in place.]]

(live: 1s)["Phili… ](live: 2s)[Phili, ](live: 2.5s)[please…"] (live: 5s)[Ophilia leans down to get at eye level with me.] (live: 8s)["Seth ](live: 8.25s)[I’m… ](live: 10s)[really ](live: 10.5s)[sorry ](live: 11s)[about this."] (live: 15s)["I'm your friend… ](live: 17s)[please, ](live: 18s)[don't-"] (live: 18.5s)[(go-to: "Ophilia Kills")]

Ophilia points the tip of the knife at my neck, and slowly but steadily slides it in. I feel the warm metal enter my throat, as old blood mixes with new and my head goes light. "-Kh…" As blood spurts from my neck, all over Ophilia’s face and torso, I see her solemn frown change to a panicked grimace. "Oh god… oh god! Oh god, god, no! No no no!" Her hands soaking red, Ophilia scrambles away from me, and clutches her head as she hyperventilates. “Bad- bad- it- it’s in my hair, mmmy haaiiir-” Ophilia frantically scratches her skin, only serving to spread the blood further across her face and scalp. She only stops when Katherine sits down and hugs her, forcing her hands to be still. (text-color: blue)["Shh… it's okay, Ophilia! You did beautifully."] "H- h- he- he- I k- I k- k- m-m-m-" (text-color: blue)["My Ophilia… my beautiful, perfect Ophilia… it's all gonna be okay."] A steady humming drowns out the puppets’ laughter… everything’s going dark… [[It sounds like I’m underwater.]]

(text-color: blue)["He can't hurt you anymore…"] (live: 6s)[(go-to: "Deathscreen")]

"GAAAH!" (text-color: blue)["You don't know me. You don't know how I lived, and you don't have the slightest fucking clue what kind of love I show *my* sister!"] Katherine steps back to Ophilia’s side, and brandishes the knife. (text-color: blue)["I love Ophilia. With every rotting fiber of my being, I love her. That's never going to change. But she murdered me. And if I'm going to stay here with her… no, if my soul is ever going to find rest, she has to repay what she took from me." "Her big sister will be there for her, like she always has, but she knows that after what she did, that comes at a cost. She knows that… doesn't she?"] Katherine rests her head atop Ophilia’s, and whispers soothingly into her ear. (text-color: blue)["Go on, Phili… show him your reparations."] "W- what? Show him?" (text-color: blue)["Yes. Let him see what he's been missing. Show him how far you're willing to go to keep our bond alive…"] "I-... I- I don't want to." (text-color: blue)["...Why not?"] "It's… embarrassing." (text-color: blue)["Embarrassing?"] Katherine tenses up and raises her voice (text-color: blue)["I embarrass you?"] "N-no! Not at all-!" (text-color: blue)[“Then take off my fucking sweater and *show him your canvas!*”] Katherine pokes the knife through the threads of her wool sweater, and begins [[shredding it to pieces.]]

"-Ah! S-stop!" Cut after cut, I watch in confused horror as Ophilia trembles and yelps each time the knife grazes her skin. Katherine doesn’t stop until that knife has visited every stretch of her arms and torso, stripping her of her top. "..." What remains of her sweater when she’s done are strings hanging loose from a collar, serving no purpose. Everything I’m supposed to see is on full display. Ophilia falls to her knees, and holds her arms in desperate fear. Those arms; which I’ve never seen uncovered before. They don’t have an inch of skin that isn’t covered in scars and red marks. All the way down to her stomach, every bit of her is littered with cuts of varying size and depth. Ophilia… my god, her body’s more dead than alive. Ophilia shivers, and says nothing. [[Katherine is more than happy to talk for her.]]

(text-color: blue)["Every day. Every day for a year, sweet Ophilia cuts her skin open, spilling blood as a means to pay for mine. It's become a bigger part of her life than anything else. Hiding her canvas from the world, waiting for an opportunity where we can be alone, so we can connect in a way only sister and sister can. In the way only spirit and medium can." "Do you think she would do this on her own, Seth? Do you honestly think she'd go this far just to lie to herself?"] "...Phili…" "...S-s-she… she needs me to do this. I c-can't let her down." (text-color: blue)["My sister… my Ophilia… is the most loyal, innocent soul on earth. And I will always be here to protect her from selfish, evil strangers like you. Because I love her. *That* is love. Real love."] "Ph- phili…" I crawl my way up to the scared, shivering girl in front of me. I reach out, and rest my hand on hers. She looks me in the eyes, enough fear and confusion swirling in hers to stir up a hurricane. "I'm sorry, Seth…" "...I forgive you." [[Ophilia's eyes widen, then close as she violently shakes her head.]]

"Don't do that. Don't lie to me. Please, no more!" "I forgive you, Ophilia." Ophilia stares at me with an expression I can’t quite place; but it’s the same look she has when she spaces out. Katherine leans down beside us, and gently plants the knife in her palm. (text-color: blue)["Now, Ophilia. You know what I need you to do, right?"] "...I… I don't…" (text-color: blue)["Shhh…"] Katherine closes her hand over Ophilia's, making her grip the knife. (text-color: blue)["I need this from you, Phili. I need it to be you that does it."] "..." (text-color: blue)["Show me you love me. Show me you know how to hurt the people that hurt you."] "I- I'm scared, Katherine…" (text-color: blue)["You killed me, Ophilia. Get it over with!"] "..." Ophilia tightens her grip with both hands, squeezing mine as well as Katherine’s knife. [[Her eyes dart briefly to her sister, then back to me.]]

"..." "...Katherine hurt me, once. When she was alive." (text-color: blue)["...?"] "It wasn't long before the night I lost her. We’d just gotten home from rehearsal, and I… I told her I didn't want to perform in that show." "I said I was tired, a-and scared, and she… she didn't understand. She said that we were dancers, and we had already made the commitment. She wouldn't let me back out…" "It turned into a fight. I- I hit her, and her… her hand was already resting on s-something sharp." Ophilia lets go of my hand and rests it on her stomach. Again, tears stream down her face. "When I woke up, she was already dressing the wound, on the hotel bed." "I t-told her I was sorry. For m-m-making her so mad, and she…" "She said she forgave me. She… she said she never wanted to h-hurt me like that. That nothing I did would ever make her want to hurt me." Ophilia turns to look Katherine in the eye. "That s-she… loved me…" "..." [[Katherine twirls a lock of Ophilia’s hair around her finger.]]

(text-color: blue)["Oh, Phili… I love you. Of course I love you, but-"] "But?" (text-color: blue)["But you have to kill him. You have to."] "Or you'll stop loving me?" (text-color: blue)["Or I won't get to love you anymore. He'll tell everyone about me, Ophilia. They'll try to take me away from you."] "We'll explain it to them! We'll tell them that I'm doing what I have to to let you rest." (text-color: blue)["They won't understand, Ophilia, no one understands you like I do."] Katherine holds Ophilia by the wrist. (text-color: blue)["You'll have to choose, Phili. You'll have to choose between them and me."] Ophilia stares into her sister's eyes, her bare, lacerated chest taking slow, deep, gentle breaths. [[I can see oceans of thought drowning her in her pupils.]]

"...And what if I chose to let you go?" Katherine's eyes widen. (text-color: blue)[“You’d do that? Phili, they aren’t your friends. You’ve seen what they do, they hate you.”] “But I don’t hate them. I’m happy when they’re around me. Even when Seth’s around me.” (text-color: blue)[“No Phili, you aren’t! You’re happy when you’re with me.”] Katherine pushes Ophilia’s knife hand closer to my chest. (text-color: blue)["Now *kill* him, if you love-!"] Ophilia shoves Katherine off of her, and scrambles away screaming. "Get away from me!" "Y-you… you are *not* my sister!" Katherine and the puppets all gasp. [[Katherine stares at Ophilia, seething.]]

(text-color: blue)[“Did you forget what you did to me? Do you not remember exactly what we were before you ruined me? Everything I did to keep us that way? What I’m *still* doing to protect you?” “You have a debt, you stupid bitch! You owe me!”] "She didn't do anything to you! None of this was her fault, she doesn’t owe you anything!" Katherine looks at me, seemingly having forgotten I’m here. She glares, but doesn’t respond. (text-color: blue)["Give me the knife, Ophilia."] "S-stay away from me!" The puppets walk in their own directions, spreading out and making strange, jerky movements.(if: $Cane is true)[ [[Body still screaming at me, I plant down my cane and force myself to my feet.]]](else:)[ [[Body still screaming at me, I grab my shaking knees and force myself to my feet.|Body still screaming at me, I plant down my cane and force myself to my feet.]]]

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" The puppet shouts back at Ophilia, mocking her with a louder voice. Cynthia’s arm juts out, and a series of strings- no, razor wires- shoot out of her hands, fraying from the skin of her wrist and connecting from floor to ceiling. (text-color: blue)[“Give me the knife so I can clean up after you again! You useless, ungrateful baby!”] "S-stop it! I'm not useless, it's not my fault!" "I'M NOT USELESS!" "GET AWAY FROM ME!" More and more puppets break their bodies open, shooting out sharp wires that gradually weave a barely visible web. I look around the room; the pillars of light around us are brightening and dimming at random, all individually. It’s impossible to focus, I feel like I’m going to have a seizure. [[Are the statues on the walls yelling at us too?]]

(text-color: blue)["Where are you, Phili!? What are you holding? I don't think you're seeing things quite right!"] "N-no! Don't say that, please!" "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" "DON'T SAY THAT!" "STOP TALKING!" "O- ophilia! Hang on, I'm coming!" I shield my eyes with one arm and march to Ophilia’s aid, but a puppet pushes me three steps in. Bending their bodies in painful, erratic shapes, their laughter and mocking screams just keep getting louder. I stumble into a wire, and just the touch of it is enough to split my finger open. "OPHILIA, HANG ON!" "I'M NOT USELESS!" (text-color: blue)["You're spacing out again, Ophilia. Do you feel it? C'mon, wake up!"] "-Ah! L-Leave him alone! W-where am I- WH- WHERE-" "DON'T SAY THAT!" "WHERE AM I!?" "GET AWAY FROM ME!" I have to get over there, but the puppets won’t let me get my bearings! [[Desperate, I cry out to the one person they might let me near.]]

"Katherine!" (text-color: blue)["-Hm?"] Katherine turns and looks at me, it startles me to see her face. I thought it might be the strobe lights, but no; her features have changed. She’s too tall, her face sunken in too far, everything about her is just a little too sharp. She looks like the model of a girl recreated from memory; a woven doll, sewn from metal wire, taken the form of a young woman. "Ophilia's on her own! Her sister can't protect her, so I will!" (text-color: blue)["-Oh?"] "OPHILIA'S ON HER OWN!" "I'M NOT USELESS!" The blood on my back still wet, I walk up to the demon, and hold out my (if: $Cane is true)[free ]hand. "May I have this dance?" (text-color: blue)["..."] "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"" (text-color: blue)["...Haha..."] "This isn't r-real! Is this real!? H-help me! Where am I?" "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" (text-color: blue)["Hahahaha! I'm all yours!"] The demon takes my hand, and the two of us dance, her leading me across the room in a [[cacophony of rhythmless noise.]]

"M-my head! T-there's so many!" "THERE'S SO MANY!" "I'M NOT USELESS!" "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" The demon and I weave our way through the puppets, the violent pulsing lights disorienting me almost as much as the demon itself. (if: $Cane is true)[With only one free hand, ]I have no choice but to let her lead me. She swings me from side to side, taking cheap kicks at my (if: $Cane is true)[cane](else:)[shins] whenever she gets the chance. It’s not a winning fight, but I can’t let her control the terrain. If we keep playing her game she’ll kill us both, I have to take her out of it. I have to change the void… somehow. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Katherine (if: $Cane is true)[finally kicks the cane out of my hand, and sends it flying into the darkness. Then, she ]spins me straight into a wire, letting it cut a gash into my ribs before twirling me back into her arms. (if: $Cane is true)[Without my cane,](else:)[With all the blood I've lost,] all I can do is lean into her and try my best to focus. [[But it’s so…]]

"THERE'S SO MANY!" "HANG ON, I'M COMING!" "DON'T SAY THAT!" Katherine slices my shoulder with another wire. I can’t do it, I don’t know how to use this place- not like her. Another wire slices my stomach, and I feel it wrap around my body. Not missing a beat, Katherine slides me into another one, which coils around my arm. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" "WHERE AM I!?" I can’t move. The wires are cutting into me, they get tighter the more I struggle. I see her, in the distance. Ophilia’s crying to herself, her hair frayed while puppets dance in a circle around her. “Get up, Phili!” (text-color: blue)[“So long, soldier. The things you could have done…”] The demon steps back and waves to me, and as if on cue, the wires fling me up and carry me away, toward the ceiling at dizzying speed. [[My body whiplashes as I come to a sudden stop.]] “Ghk-!”

…Everyone looks so small from way up here. Katherine, the puppets, even the statues feel almost human looking down at them from above. There’s a sort of catharsis as the wires get comfortable, and I finally stop struggling. When the sting wears off, the feel of the wires is almost a pleasant burn… Among the specks down below, I spot Ophilia again, still cowering as the puppets harass her. Why…? Why doesn’t she fight back? If she knows this isn’t her sister, why doesn’t she fight, or scream, or run away? What do I have that she doesn’t…? I remember the sight of her body, now too far away to study the details of. I didn’t have time to process it before now, but looking back, just about everything about her makes sense. All the spaciness, the falling asleep, even the whispery way she speaks… that’s all she has left to give, isn’t it? …Is that it? She’s just too drained to keep going? God, you poor thing… I can’t believe what you’ve been doing for so long, unnoticed. Your sickness stole everything, stole your own [[blood]] from you…

…A ball of white light glows around my wrist, and I feel the wires tug at my arms, squeezing a few more drops of blood from me. That blood falls from my arm, down through the air, before it catches on another tight wire. When that red drop spreads across the metal line, I see it bend and wobble in a way that it shouldn’t. And that tells me enough of what I need to know, just in time for the light to vanish yet again. Blood. Ophilia’s missing her blood. [[I strain against the wires holding me up, making them dig deeper through my skin.]]

My chest and waist bleed, pooling near my core and dripping from me like meat on a hanger. Again, the wires beneath me wobble when the blood drops hit them, letting out a little metallic hum as the web drinks away my life. Down below, I see Katherine walking toward Ophilia again. I don’t want to find out what happens if she gets to her before me. I pull forward with all of my might, stretching every limb of my body to strain the wires as much as possible. The blender I’m in slices clean through my skin, wriggling into my flesh and mangling my muscles and nerves. I start to see glimpses of sights that aren't mine; visions of this room from different angles. The pain is overwhelming, it feels like I’m going to burst into chunks of bloody meat. The wires respond to my struggles by tightening, speeding up the process and splitting my body up into segments around them. My skin sinks and swallows the wires whole, my lip splits down the middle, and I feel metal scraping my bones. Blood is pouring from me faster than it can pull, the pressure is unbearable. [[My sight is shifting from my own body to anywhere, *everywhere* else at random.]]

The web below me is singing my name. (live: 3s)[The wires are going to cut through me.] (live: 6s)[I can’t see anything anymore, my teeth crack as the wire flings blood into my throat.] (live: 10s)[All I can do to distract from the pain,] (live: 12s)[I scream until my lungs give out, ](live: 14s)[and my body finally gives up on me.] (live: 19s)[ [[…And I’m allowed into the web.]]]

Made of the same wires as the puppets that hunted me down, the web spreads around the room and grants me sight and presence across all of it. Moving my fingers and toes, I see strings that I bled on loosen and slither through space. Even those I didn’t give myself to, I feel their hum, particles of air bouncing against them, and the sound of screams vibrating through them. Is this how a spider feels, nestled in the center of its own web? It’s… immaculate. I remember who I’m here for, and focus on Ophilia. It’s her I gave myself to, not this web. And sure enough, I find myself hovering above, behind, all around her. I see the faces of my friends as they dance and revel and disorient her… I see her sister twirl a knife in her hands, contemplating what to do with her disobedient object. [[I reach out my hand… I want to touch her.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

And the web listens. Its wires snake across the ground and pause at Ophilia’s feet. She doesn’t notice me; I don’t think she’s stable enough to notice anything right now. She’s still alone, still… still drained. So I reach further. More wires, five in total, slither their way up Ophilia’s legs, and explore their way onto different parts of her body. That sensation wakes her up enough for her to look at herself, and see my hands resting on her, assuring her that she’ll be okay. Do you hear me, Ophilia? Do you know what this means? What I’m about to give you? The wires wrap themselves around her wrists and ankles, one circling gently around her neck. She tenses up- I can tell she’s afraid. [[But it’s okay, I’ll scare her now if it means she understands this later…]]

All at once, the wires puncture Ophilia’s skin and force their way into her bloodstream. She gasps and throws out her limbs as I pull her up to her feet, standing her upright as the blood I’ve lost travels across the bridges I’ve built. Like dozens of tributary rivers, the blood flows from wire to wire, joining together in streams as it gets lower and lower… until it all eventually finds its place with Ophilia. I feel her shiver as my blood enters her body and mingles with her own, returning that which she’s sold to a loveless partner. Drop after drop, a million injections restore what purity this demon stole from Ophilia so many times over. [[And then, we are one.]]

Ophilia’s vision is wholly her own, but through her, like the wires, I can see. Through the wires in her skin, hanging up to the ceiling where I hang, I can move as freely as I could in my own body. Every twitch and every breath, they are hers, but they are ours. Ophilia looks at Katherine, who returns her stare with one of anger and suspicion. We take one step out, and hold our hand out, to offer it to our sister. “May I have this dance?” (text-color: blue)[“...You are insufferable.”] The demon tosses the knife off to the side, and [[takes Ophilia’s hand.]]

Somehow, the cacophony of noise makes sense to me now. Hearing it from all angles, it becomes its own sort of music; I appreciate just how limited we are as people to perceive everything from just one point in space. The strobing lights threaten to disorient us both, but neither of us let our focus break. We step, and sweep, and swing, and though she and I have practiced no choreography together, the next step always feels natural- even rehearsed. All thanks to you, Ophilia. (text-color: blue)[“How does this feel, Seth? Is it natural to you? You took right to it.”] “I don’t talk to snakes, Katherine. Just dance with me.” We step back, and the demon steps to match us. Her grip pierces my shoulder, but I don't let go of her hand or waist. [[Not yet.]]

"SOMEONE HELP ME!" "I'M NOT USELESS!" (text-color: blue)[“There are bugs in your skin, sister. I think you ought to scratch them out.”] “...” We take a step to the side, and she follows. We stare into each other's eyes, both of us waiting for the other to make a single false move. Before, it was clear she was the better dancer, but here, now… we can start taking the lead, just after this dip. “Eyes on the spotlight, Katherine.” (text-color: blue)[“Always.”] We take a step back, which she meets with perfect timing. Far off in the distance, a faint light drifts its way into the room, bringing with it [[the hum of an engine.]]

We turn to the side, and let go of the demon’s hips. She lets go of our shoulder, and we spin her out to the side. She spins with heavenly grace, only speeding up when we let her hand go, setting her free. She twirls away from us, and plants herself down three feet or so away from us. But that’s when she makes her first mistake; (if: $Cane is true)[she steps on my cane without noticing, and stumbles to catch herself from falling.](else:)[she stumbles ever so slightly on the landing.] We see her wobble to keep balance for a second, before looking up from the floor to us. [[Then she looks dead at the spotlight, and finally, I see her afraid.]]

A pair of headlights speed past us, and in an instant Katherine is gone. (live: 6s)[...] (live: 10s)[Silence.] (live: 13s)[Total... ](live: 17s)[silence.] (live: 22s)[I see the lights dim and slowly fade, the puppets unravel into bundles of string. The statues disappear into the darkness, [[leaving Ophilia and I alone with the web.]]]

Then, I feel a tug, as Ophilia shrinks back down to her knees. Not wanting to hurt her, I let her down gently, where she sits and starts shivering. She holds both of her hands up near her head, not looking at them or using them for much of anything. Gently, she stutters to herself through shaky breaths. "It isn't… n-n-n-none of it? No, I- I'm dream- ming… but I- I- I c-c-" As everything the demon made disappears, so too does the web start to wither and die. The wires in Ophilia’s skin retract and recede upward. When I feel them slide out of her all on their own, it… it feels like I’m dying. I stretch myself out, trying desperately to keep the web up, but there’s nothing I can do. [[As the wires flick out of Ophilia’s wounds, she gasps, and looks forward at nothing.]]

“-!” "...D-don't hurt me." She barely gets that request out as a whisper. My body’s long since lost its function, but I can feel that I’m crying. No one’s hurting you, Phili. I promise. "..." "...Are you… real?" What I’d give to hold your hand right now. What I’d give to still be part of you, so I could show you what I see. Yes. Yes Ophilia, I'm real. "..." "...Am… Am I real?" The wires are disappearing. I can’t embrace her. I can’t wrap my arms around her, and show her that I see her. Her, alongside everything else in this wonderful place. Yes, Phili, you are so beautifully real. "..." The hurricane in Ophilia’s eyes begins to vanish, and she looks at herself, noticing the puncture wounds on both of her wrists. "...I’m bleeding." It’s then that the wires holding my body up wither and flake away. My half-intact sack of meat drops from dozens of feet above, and smacks on the ground with a wet and messy splatter. [[Ophilia screams, and everything goes black.|end ch5]] (set: $AffOphilia to it + 5) (set: $Bloodless to true)

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 5. [[View Relationships]] (if: $Bloodless is true)[ [[Chapter 6]]](else:)[ [[Chapter 6|Alt Chapter 6]]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ Aurora leans back in her chair, baffled by how quickly she'd been disabled. She looks over at Mabel, searching for confirmation of something in her eyes. Mabel avoids making eye contact, opting to keep her gaze on the battle map, but she can't keep a mischievous grin from pinching the edge of her lips. I lean over to Ophilia, who's frantically looking over her pieces and tallying her resources. Her hair's all frizzy, she's gotten really into this. "Where are you gonna go next?" "The only place I can afford to go. Home." [[I look over the rest of the board, and watch the pieces representing Charlie and Mabel quickly making their way there with her.]]

Ophilia spends what precious few turns she has setting up defenses in preparation for Charlie and Mabel's arrival. Though she's been spread thin, the homefield advantage will provide her faster access to resources and reinforcements; it'll have to be enough to overcome Charlie's cunning, and Mabel's superior might. As Mabel and Charlie arrive in Disle territory, Charlie sends a quick volley to the side in Mabel's direction. Caught off guard, Mabel manages to avoid getting punctured herself, though some of her forces aren't so lucky. Mabel huffs, and glowers at Charlie. "What the hell!?" "Oops, sorry. Itchy trigger finger." Charlie winks, and makes a little heart with her fingers. "I know how this alliance ends up if we're the last two standing. It's not my first time playing, I'll take my odds in a three-for-three." Mabel, Charlie, and Ophilia all plant their boots down, and move their soldiers into battle formations. "Tch, fine then. I'll just cut you both down!" [[The final three commanders sound the drums of war.]]

The grasslands are shredded and stirred between three forces as all-out bloodshed engulfs Osterria. Charlie, eager to remain behind secure defenses, makes a protective line of armored soldiers and fires a few arrows from behind them. Meanwhile Mabel, having the greatest singular force, pushes against Charlie and Ophilia at once, Ophilia focuses all her energy into summoning more spectral beasts from the summoning gates she'd set up in her preparation time. They don't last long, but each one manages to fell a dozen Strixan soldiers before being felled themselves. "Keep pushing! Their cowardly commanders can't hide forever!" "You wanna bet?" Mabel's forces are struck by a flurry of arrows from the north, and shredded by monstrous fangs from the east. Two devastating hits at once proves enough to shake her confidence, and she commands her assaulting force to fall back and regroup. Ophilia notices her pulling back, and jumps at the opportunity. "She's retreating! Flood in!" Disle's soldiers and beasts give chase and push through into Strix's ranks, but it's not enough. Keeping their composure, Mabel's forces reform their defensive wall, cutting Ophilia's troops off from her, then turning their offenses inward. In just a few turns, Ophilia's troops are torn apart and discarded, leaving Ophilia defenseless. Not three turns later, Ophilia finds herself joining them as she's overwhelmed and skewered by Mabel's mighty blade. "Shit! Why'd she do that?" [[Charlie has her mecenaries nock every arrow they have, as she prepares for Mabel's undivided attention.]]

Mabel holds her head down, and commands her soldiers to charge forward. In response, Charlie sends a torrent of arrows at them, puncturing skulls and waning Strix's numbers. Mabel cuts through Faerin mercenaries like blades of grass, carving a path through for her troops. Her superior durability and strategic acumen almost through the volley. Almost. But Mabel finds her momentum running dry as the ceaseless arrows scrape at her ankles, just a few feet short of her target. Charlie whistles, and stands tall atop her mighty wall, nocking an arrow with lethal intent. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Strix." Mabel closes her eyes, grits her teeth, and winds her weapon-arm back, preparing for a hail mary. Charlie lifts up her bow and reaches to her quiver for an arrow, and... [[*CRAK!*|Mabel spears Charlie]]

Mabel throws her blade forward like a javelin, managing a perfect arc straight to Charlie's head, striking her clean between the eyes. An absolutely unbelievable feat to accomplish with a sword, but somehow it landed perfectly. Involuntarily, Charlie's fingers loosen and her arrow fires, sending a nonlethal, albeit painful shot into Mabel's thigh. Charlie stumbles backwards, and falls off the backside of her wall, falling tens of feet and collapsing unceremoniously in the dirt. Mabel looks up at her accomplishment in amazement. The forces of both sides stop their fighting as they realized the small miracle that took place here, deciding the entire war with one freak incident. Strix's loyal soldiers raise their weapons and cheer, praising Mabel, and praising god for carrying them to victory. The few soldiers loyal to Faerin turn tail and retreat for their soon-to-be-sunken port. [[The rest, mercenaries loyal only to coin, celebrate alongside the Strixan soldiers in hopes they can find a new employer rather than the wrong end of a spear.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ "Yes! I did it!" "Hell yeah, Mabel! You kicked her ass!" "Not that anyone's surprised." "Haha, that was fun." "Guess my good luck had to run out sometime. Good game, Mabel, that was rad." Charlie offers Mabel a fistbump, which she aggressively returns. Charlie laughs, shaking off her aching knuckles. "Man, I forgot how much fun this game is, it's been weeks since we played it last." "Yeah, that was incredible." Cynthia giggles. "I'm glad you liked it." “Whooping ass is tiring, what time is it?” I check the clock, it's well into the night. We completely lost track of time again. "Whoops, guess we should have started a little earlier." "No big deal, tomorrow's sunday, no rush. We should probably call it, though." [[Everyone agrees, so we leave the den and head to bed.]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 3. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 4|Sick of thinking, I finally let myself sleep.]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (set: $Cane to False) (save-game: "Autosave")

"Hey, Mabel." She tilts her head a little in my direction and opens her eyes a bit more, but that's all I get in terms of acknowledgment. She goes right back to staring. "Are you, uh... are you feeling alright?" "Yeah." She says it in a whisper. Not like she's trying to keep her voice down, but like she doesn't have the energy to project. I lean my chair onto its back two legs, eager to do something other than sitting in this awkward silence. "I'm sorry about last night." This time, Mabel turns her head to look at me directly. She lingers on eye contact for a few seconds, then hangs her head back down. "You didn't do anything." "I know. I just..." "...?" "Did you sleep okay?" "Yeah." "...Okay." I don't think she wants to talk anymore, so I finish eating and [[head to school.|I don't see Charlie at all this morning.]]

She doesn't look at me once until I finish eating, so I just put my bowl up and [[head to school.|I don't see Charlie at all this morning.]]

"Hello?" "Hey, Seth. What's going on?" "Nothing, really. I was just thinking about you." (if: $AffAurora >= 3)[ “A girl might get the wrong idea, knowing she’s on someone’s mind this often.” “Who says it’s the wrong idea?” Aurora blushes, and honestly, so do I. I didn’t expect that to come out of my mouth. “Come out and say it, why don’t you?” “I figure we can only make so many platonic excuses to see each other. Unless there are more boxes that need to be moved?” “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re implying.”]\ (else-if: $AffAurora < 3)[ Aurora giggles. "I'm flattered." "My attention is flattering?" "Sure, it makes me feel special." ] "What are you occupied with? I'm not calling you in the middle of a class, am I?" "Oh no, I'm actually at home. My classes are mostly all going through remedial stuff, and I've got some housework that needs taking care of." "*All* of your classes are taking remedial days today?" "Well, no. Haha, there's admittedly a chemistry class that I'm actually missing, but I've been looking for an excuse to skip out on it anyway." "You don't strike me as the type to play hookie." "I'm not, but this teacher just rubs me the wrong way." [["How so?"]]

"I dunno. He's kinda petty about little things. Have you met Dr. Reich?" "Nope." "Well, he has a habit of getting really personal about academia. And I think he has some kind of crush on me." "That's concerning, why do you think so?" "He just keeps such a close eye on my performance. I do really well in his class usually, but if I ever underperform on a test or something, it's always 'why did you have trouble here?' or 'are you getting enough sleep' or 'you can always ask me for help if you're feeling unconfident.'" "That... doesn't sound terrible, but I guess I'm not there. Does he feel creepy?" "No, that word's too harsh. But he makes me uncomfortable. Personally." "Yeah, I guess I can get why it's offputting. Professor Solia's the same way, sometimes. She's ice cold ninety percent of the time, but if anyone catches her attention for whatever reason, she just sorta locks onto them." "I really hate when people force their way into helping someone they think needs it." "You and Jessie both, apparently." Aurora pauses for a moment before responding. "Yeah, I guess so. But Mabel's different. It's coming from a different place." "Is it?" "Yeah. I mean, your family would know better than your teacher if there's something personal getting in the way of your studying. Mabel really wants to help Jessie, she just hasn't... figured it out yet. She's still learning, herself." "I guess so. It's hard for me to tell." "We should be there next time there's a study session going on. I think a study group in the sorority might help us sort a lot of stuff out. And it'll get possessive teachers off of our backs." "True that. I'd be down to study with some of y'all." "Yeah? I'd like that... hey, I think I gotta get going." "Oh, alright. It's nice hearing from you." "Absolutely. Call me again sometime." "Bye, Aurora." The call ends with a beep. Aurora clearly thinks about this stuff a lot. If yesterday indicates anything, this sorority's gotta be a lot to keep a handle on. I hope she's not over-exerting herself. (if: $freetime < 3)[I still have some time left in the lunch period. Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|textcynthia]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|textmabel]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|textophilia]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|textjessie]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|textcharlie]]</div>]] (else:)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[I guess it’s about time to head back to class.]]</div>] (set: $AffAurora to it+3)

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ But before I can hit the lightswitch, there's a knock at my door. "Come in." The door opens, and in comes Mabel. "Hey, can we talk for a second?" "Sure, what's going on?" "I just want to say sorry for how I've been acting. I think all the change going on in my life lately has been kind of stressing me out. But it's not fair to take that out on you, or Jessie, or whoever. So I'm sorry. I'm trying to keep a lid on myself." "Uh... wow. I, um... yeah, that- apology accepted, I guess." "Caught you off guard? I guess I did kind of corner you here." "No, it's just... yeah, it's exactly that, yeah. Kind of a one-eighty from 'get out of my home.' It's alright if you're not quite cool with me yet." Mabel crosses her arms and shrugs, leaning against my doorframe. "We're cool. I was just the only 'new kid' for like two years, and all of a sudden someone new comes in, and it's a man, and I could, like, *feel* the hormone balance change from the moment you walked in. It freaked me out." "Hah. Okay." "But it's not a bad thing. I think you're a good fit for this place. So, you've got my blessing or whatever. My vote." "I hear I already had your vote, technically. But thanks, I appreciate it. We should hang out sometime." "Oh, give it time, you'll get sick of me." Mabel turns and opens the door, and takes a step out. [[But before she leaves, she pauses, and looks at me over her shoulder.]]

"And about that predator stuff... I didn't mean that. It's cool if you're here for sex." "I'm... really not." "Well yeah, but you know what I mean. You should have fun while you're here, let loose. It's good for the soul." (if: $threesome is true)[Way ahead of you, somehow. ]\ "...Okay. Goodnight, Mabel." "Goodnight, Seth." Mabel closes the door behind her. [[Now, I turn the lights off and get in bed.|I turn off the computer, lay down, and wait for sleep to take me.]]

(set: _puppet to (max: $AffCynthia, $AffAurora, $AffCharlie, $AffJessie, $AffMabel, $AffOphilia)) (set: _list to (a:)) (if: $AffCynthia is _puppet)[(set: _list to it + (a: "Interim Cynthia"))] (if: $AffAurora is _puppet)[(set: _list to it + (a: "Interim Aurora"))] (if: $AffCharlie is _puppet)[(set: _list to it + (a: "Interim Charlie"))] (if: $AffJessie is _puppet)[(set: _list to it + (a: "Interim Jessie"))] (if: $AffMabel is _puppet)[(set: _list to it + (a: "Interim Mabel"))] (if: $AffOphilia is _puppet)[(set: _list to it + (a: "Interim Aurora"))] (set: _going to (either: ..._list)) (go-to: _going) (save-game: "Autosave")

"What if she doesn't come out? You said she could stay there all night, she can't sleep here." The girls all look off in different directions, too anxious to acknowledge each other. After a short pause, Jessie speaks up. "She's gonna come out, she always does. Let's just chill until she's ready." <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Go to the lobby.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Screw that."]]</div>

We don't talk about much of anything in the time we spend waiting for Ophilia to come out. We discuss the dances we saw, mostly, everyone seemed to have their own favorite among them. Charlie stole a bottle of gin from behind the unmanned bar, leaving a twenty dollar bill in its place, and sharing drinks with Jessie, Mabel, and I. (if: $Cane is true)[Mostly Mabel.] Eventually, Aurora leaves to go to the bathroom, and when she does, there's someone else with her. Cuddled up beneath Aurora's left arm, [[Ophilia gives us a sheepish, embarrased smile.]] (set: $Bloodless to false)

"Hey guys. I'm sorry, have you all been waiting for me this whole time?" "Yeah, it's fine, we're good. How are you, Phili?" "I'm okay. Julius really caught me off guard, and then I had to perform that solo... I felt like I was gonna die up there." "Oh, Mabel, I'm so sorry. Fuck that guy." "No, Julius is really nice! And we're all really close knit, so I kn- know he's been wanting to talk about it for a long time. But I just make everybody walk on eggshells around me." Ophilia starts to shrink her head into Aurora's scarf. Aurora hugs Ophilia, and caresses her hair pitifully. "No, Phili, no, no one's walking on eggshells. This was... this is your loss. No one gets to tell you how to handle it." "I'm sorry, guys. You all do so much nice stuff for me, a- and I don't do anything, and I left you all waiting and we were gonna get ice cream and-" Ophilia's voice gradually gets tremblier and whinier as she struggles to maintain her composure. Heartbroken, the girls all crowd around Ophilia to join in the hug. I stand nearby, but keep a comfortable distance; it's what feels appropriate. "No one's mad, Phili, not even a little bit. We love you so, so much." "I love you too..." "Do you still wanna go get ice cream? The night's young enough, I know a spot that's still open." "Can we just go home for tonight?" "Absolutely, Phili. Let's go to the car." "You guys are the best..." The group leaves the theatre, staying in a close huddle around Cynthia like a queen bee in a swarm. [[Once we get to the car, we head straight home.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ (set: $time to "Tuesday Night")\ \ The girls all break into their separate routines once we get to the house. I have to wait behind three people to get a shower in, but I manage to secure my spot in line before Charlie slips in past me. When I get out, wrapped up in nothing but a towel and my underwear, I hope to get up the stairs before any of the girls see me. So far, I've been mostly successful in that endeavor, having earned only one wolf whistle from Jessie since moving in. (if:$Cane is true)[Now that I have to hobble up the stairs with my cane, sneaking away undetected feels like a further prospect than ever.] This time, right as I'm about to open my door, I catch sight of Aurora and Ophilia. Ophilia doesn't pay me much mind, but Aurora notices me in her peripheral vision. Stopping to give me a fairly generous scan up-and-down with her eyes. She tilts her head a little and smiles at me, and I remember the offer Aurora made at the theatre- the one I had to decline because of my date with Ophilia. I can tell the thought crosses her mind too, by the way her eyes flutter, and her gaze deepens, for just a moment. But then, Aurora looks back over at Ophilia, who's happily holding her hand and staring at a picture on the wall. Aurora's smile goes from mischevious to almost motherly, and she turns back to look at me. She gives me an apologetic shrug, and I roll my eyes in response. I open the door to my room, as the two of them walk away toward Aurora's. Now in the safety of my own room, [[I drop the towel and lay on my back in bed.]]

I stare at the dark ceiling, and let my mind wander aimlessly through the house. There's so much about this place that I don't know. About these people. Up to this point, that uncertainty's frightened me, made me wonder if every decision I made was the wrong one. I felt like if I ever made a bad assumption, or did one weird thing, it might permanently shatter this little ecosystem I'd been introduced to. And I guess that fear hasn't totally gone away.(if: $Cane is true)[ That horrible, demonic thing that attacked Mabel and I still looms just behind my conscious train of thought. I've got an immovable itch, anticipating the next time the the craters to hell might send something equally wicked at us.] But I feel a little more secure in the not knowing. In feeling like I can trust these people I'm living with to welcome me, and learn to understand me, and let me make mistakes, and enjoy us having one another in our lives. I feel my head growing heavy, my vision beginning to blur. This place has been good for me. I belong here. In this house, in this school, in this world. I'm young, and uncertain. One man living under one roof with six strange, beautiful young women. And I belong here. [[I let my eyelids close, let go of my consciousness, and let tommorrow in.|end ch5]]

(link:"Save Slot A")[ (if: (save-game:"Slot A"))[(if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot A")[Game Saved in Slot A]]] (link:"Save Slot B")[ (if: (save-game:"Slot B"))[(if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot B")[Game Saved in Slot B]]] (link:"Save Slot C")[ (if: (save-game:"Slot C"))[(if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot C")[Game Saved in Slot C]]] (link:"Save Slot D")[ (if: (save-game:"Slot D"))[(if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot D")[Game Saved in Slot D]]] (link:"Save Slot E")[ (if: (save-game:"Slot E"))[(if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot E")[Game Saved in Slot E]]] (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

(link:"Autosave")[(load-game: "Autosave")] (link:"Load Slot A")[(load-game: "Slot A")] (link:"Load Slot B")[(load-game: "Slot B")] (link:"Load Slot C")[(load-game: "Slot C")] (link:"Load Slot D")[(load-game: "Slot D")] (link:"Load Slot E")[(load-game: "Slot E")]

(goto-url: "https://discord.gg/xzHerEzSAy")

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ (text-style:"shadow")[(text-size: 5)+(text-color: blue)[//''S''//](text-size: 3)[//aintsridge// ](text-size: 5)+(text-color: #fceb6a)[//''A''//](text-size: 3)[//ngels//]] Thank you for Playing the Saintsridge Angels Demo. This game is intended for mature audiences only, as it handles a variety of topics some may find uncomfortable or disturbing. A list of content warnings may be found [[Here.|Content Warning]] If you'd like a brief tutorial on this game and its mechanics, please click [[Here.|Tutorial]] This is recommended even if you're familiar with typical twine/CYOA mechanics, as it also explains some technical issues/inconveniences of this demo. With that, I hope you enjoy! [[Begin.|SetValues]]

In no particular order, this demo contains explicit depictions of: Child Abuse Emotional Abuse Domestic Abuse Drug Use/Abuse Graphic Violence Murder Self-Harm Sexual Abuse Suicide It also deals with, or makes allusions to, topics of: Cannibalism Rape Religious Trauma Players should be aware that, while this story is not pornographic in nature, it does contain multiple scenes with explicit sexual content and encounters. Some of these scenes are optional, others are not. This demo may be considered disturbing to some audiences. If any of these topics are sensitive to you, please play at your own discretion. (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

*The Basics* This game exists as an interactive story, where making decisions when prompted will change the content in certain sections of, or in some cases, the entirety of the remaining story. The story is told to you in small chunks, rather than one wall of text leading into the next prompt. Text that is both blue and bold indicates a clickable link, usually this is what will lead you to the next block of text. [[Like so.]]

On the left side of the screen, you may have noticed an arrow that, if clicked, will take you backwards, essentially undoing one of these clickable links. While it will be availible for the entirety of this demo, it is not intended as a permanent feature of this game, so its use is discouraged. On rare occasions, you may be prompted to click anywhere on the screen, rather than a specific link. The edge of the screen should highlight in blue to indicate this. If you see blue and bold text like the link you just clicked, that implies that there are no choices involved with this block of text. Instances where the player gets to make a choice will be presented through a set of blue boxes with gold text. So, for example, if you're met with a set of two doors, one on the left and one on the right, you could... <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Open the Left Door.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Open the Right Door.]]</div>

The last major kind of link you may find are bold and gold text link. These represent the protagonist's (text-colour:#f9f338)[[thoughts.]] Clicking on them will have the protagonist think more deeply about a certain topic, providing more context for the world, or just providing their opinion on something. These kinds of links are largely non-manditory, and you can [[continue to the next passage]] without clicking them if you so choose.

You know, like the things that you think. The little voices in your brain that tell you about things. Once you're done reading a thought, you can click a blue and bold link to (link-goto: "return to the previous page.", (history:)'s last)

The next topic we need to cover is the save system, as it is a little unwieldy in its current state. Clicking on the "Save Game" link on the left sidebar will take you to the save page. You are given three save slots, clicking on one of them will save the game on the page you entered the save page from. From there, just hit return to resume the game. At any point, you can hit the "Load Game" link to go to a similarly structured load page. clicking on one of the load slots will return your game to the state that the corresponding save slot left it in. The only hitch is that you will be taken to the save page when you select a load slot, not the page you saved from directly. So just hit the return button immediately after this to avoid accidentally saving over any of your slots. In the future I plan to fix this small defect in the load system, I just haven't found a solution for it yet. Choices that permanently alter the course of the story can come at any time, and as of now, no autosave system exists. So it is recommended that you take advantage of all three save slots, and save any time you feel a choice may be important. The last thing we need to talk about is [[dialogue.]]

Outside of links, text in this game exists either as narration or dialogue. Narration is in plain white text, like this. When the protagonist speaks, they will speak in plain white text, only in quotations. So this is the protagonist narrating, "And this is him talking." Sometimes the protagonist will speak to himself in his head in a way that feels like dialogue, which is why I bother to make this distinction. When another major character speaks, their text will be colored a certain way, corresponding to who they are. "Like so." "Some text may be gold or blue, so make sure you don't mistake links for dialogue. It's boldness and color that you're looking for." In this demo's current state, there are often scenes where the only way to tell who is talking is through text color. If you have trouble keeping track of who is speaking, or if you are colorblind, you can hover your mouse over the colored text, and a pop-up window will appear in the corner to tell you who is speaking. And that's everything! [[Thank you for reading.|Beginning]]

I guess I'm buying into her cold, robot-instructor persona more than I should. To be honest, I've always found Solia, and women like her, unsettling. I couldn't say why, but the less I know she thinks of me, the more comfortable I feel around her. That's part of why I'm fine pulling this little tardiness stunt on her; sure, she probably sees right through it, but if she thinks I'm a slacker, that's fine by me. (link-goto: "I picked a seat near the back for a reason.", (history:)'s last)

(set: $time to "...?")\ \ (set: $location to "...?")\ \ The next stretch of time is a confusing mesh; I don’t know exactly how long I was out, or how gradually I came back to my senses. I think the first thing I noticed in my sleep was the smell of vanilla, then the feeling of something smooth on my arms. But those might have both come after the emptiness I still feel spread out from my chest, I can’t remember right. At some point, I hear wheels dragging on tile, and a rhythmic beeping that doesn’t last very long. There’s more stimuli, all too vague for me to describe, before I finally [[see something.]] (set: $Chapter to 6)

The first time I open my eyes, all I see is white. I close them back immediately, thinking someone’s shining a flashlight in my face. But opening them again, my vision unblurs, and I can make out the light blues of furniture, sunlight pouring through a window somewhere, and the shadows of crumpled sheets on my body. I think I’m in a hospital bed. The moment of clarity doesn’t last long, [[I’m back under before I realize it.]]

(set: $location to "Hospital Room?")\ \ …The next thing I remember is a conversation somewhere in the room around me. I know the voices, but I can’t… place them. The words come in and out, like I’m bobbing my head out of water. “...Talk to me about it?” “I didn’t want you to… scares me.” “What did you accomplish, doing this to yourself? What…” “...mad at me.” Both voices fade out and disappear. Later on, I manage to open my eyes again, [[getting a better look around.]]

(set: $location to "Hospital Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Daytime")\ \ I’m woken up by a noise, some kind of yelp. I’m definitely in a hospital… can’t tell for how long, but the sun’s out. My eyes laze over to the right, where I see Charlie lying on top of Jessie, on a couch by the window. They’re making out, and by the looks of how Charlie’s groping her, I reckon it was Jessie’s voice that woke me up. “Mh…” “Nh-...” “You’re s- haha- you’re so tense, babe.” “Somebody’s gonna walk in, Charlie, c- ah- c’mon.” “Let ‘em watch… they all know already, don’t they?” “Mm…” Charlie kisses Jessie, and slides her hand up her shirt, trying to nestle her leg between Jessie’s thighs. It looks like Jessie’s having trouble getting comfortable lying the way she is. I try to say something, but don’t find the strength. “Kh- h- hands.” “What about them?” “They’re cold.” “Heh, sorry… think I know how to warm them up.” “Haah… j- Charlie, c’mon, not here.” “Whaaat? He’s not getting up… let him be, Jess. I’m sure he won’t mind if we show up in his dreams.” “Nnngh… fuck!” Jessie yelps again, and clutches onto Charlie’s back. I can’t tell where Charlie’s hand is from this angle. I think I’m getting lightheaded again… “Shhh. You want to get caught, don’t you?” “Nn-nn!” I let my head drop back into my pillow, and [[pass out again…]]

…And some time later, I wake up. Completely wake up. “Chh…” “-!” Cynthia, sitting on a seat beside my bed, is holding my hand. She jumps when I sit up, and puts her other hand on my chest. “Stop, hey- don’t move so fast.” “Ughh…” I lean back, but scoot up a little to make myself more comfortable. “Cynthia?” “Mhm. Hi, Seth.” “What… I don’t… remember being here.” “You’re in a hospital. Ophilia carried you out of the dressing room.” “Oph…” I grab the frame of my bed and [[throw myself back up,]] startling Cynthia again.

“Ophilia! Is she okay?” “Yes! She’s fine, calm down.” “Where is she, what- oh…” Vertigo hits me like a semi-truck; Cynthia was right, I shouldn’t have done that. “Ophilia’s okay, she’s back home with everyone else. She came to visit you this morning, actually.” “This morning… how long have I…” “It’s been a day and a half, about. The doctors said you were missing a lot of blood, and you needed a transfusion.” “Oh… but you… you didn’t-” “They had enough O-Negative, they took care of it.” “Ah… good. That’s… that’s good.” (set: $AffCynthia to it+2) “...” “...Seth, do you remember what happened back there? How did you get hurt?” My eyes drift away from Cynthia’s as I recall my encounter with Katherine. I remember it all too well… every detail feels recent, and I still feel where her knife went in my shoulder, leaving an unbearable soreness weighing down my arm. (if: $Catch is true)[ I guess what happened with Ophilia really couldn’t be that different from what happened with Mabel. I’ve already let Aurora in on what’s happened to me, so… maybe I can tell Cynthia too. Somehow, I have even less of a clue how she might take it.] (else:)[ I wish I had a chance to talk to Ophilia before someone threw that question on me. It feels like it should be her story to tell, and if she hasn’t already told everyone what happened… but what lie could I possibly tell her that would explain everything? Do I even want to hide this from her? Would she believe me if I tried to explain?] <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Tell Cynthia the truth.]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Protect Ophilia.]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

(if: $Cane is true)[“There’s something going on in that house, Cynth. Phili and Mabel, they’re both being haunted by… I don’t even really know what they are. But there are monsters in our walls. Mabel and I got away from hers, but I had to…”]\ (else:)["It was something out of a horror movie. Ophilia, she thought that she... I mean, she was... it was some kind of ghost, or- or monster, or demon. I don't really understand it, even now, but I had to..."] “...?” “I had to save Ophilia from something pretending to be Katherine.” “What?” “That’s where I got this stab wound, it was in a fight with… Ophilia thought Katherine wanted her to kill me. I- I don’t know how to make this make sense.” “No, it’s okay. I didn’t expect your answer to make sense, I just… Ophilia’s been cutting herself.” “I know.” “And now that we know, she’s been bringing her sister up on her own. It all really scared us, we knew something massive had to have happened between you two…” “Do you believe me?” “...” “Ophilia did this to you?” “It wasn’t her fault-” “Ophilia did this to you.” “...” I nod. She sighs, and rests her head in her palm. “You know how it sounds.” “Yeah.” (if: $Cane is true)[“So, the last monster… is that what put you in a cane?” “Mhm.” “...Do you think they’re gone now?”]\ (else:)[“So, did you beat it? The... the fake Katherine?” "Mhm." “So we're okay now? We don't have to worry about it anymore?”] “I don't know. I hope so.” [[Somehow, I doubt it.]] (set: $Cynthiaknows to true)

“I don’t really know. I’d found Ophilia… we were talking, and someone… someone stabbed me. I didn’t get a look at them before I was on the floor.” “Mhm…” Cynthia closes her eyes, and glowers. “She’s been really vague about the whole thing. We tried to get a story out of her, but everyone else was so occupied by all the cuts on her body. She was a lot more open to talking about that; I think she actually enjoyed the attention. Or, she didn’t want to talk about what happened to you…” “Aurora made up a story about us getting mugged to the police, to keep them from getting on Ophilia’s back.” “...Good.” “Yeah.” Cynthia’s gaze pulses through me, and makes me feel less than secure in my lie. [[I think she and I are both hiding from each other now.|Somehow, I doubt it.]]

“How long have you been sitting here with me?” “Not long. Four hours, maybe? They don’t let visitors come in at night, but if you didn’t wake up I was gonna stay here with you. I wasn’t getting any sleep back home anyway.” “Did I give you nightmares?” “Not even, I didn’t fall asleep. And I’ve been having nightmares since I was eight… not that I’m thrilled to see what they’re gonna look like now that you’re back in the hospital.” “You’ve been awake all night? Cynthia-” “Don’t. Don’t spin this on me like I'm the one in a patient gown.” “...” I look down at myself, and finally notice the IV sticking out of my arm. The cool fluid coursing through my bloodstream leaves me feeling helplessly compromised; the stimulating chill of ice fighting the numbness of healing venom. The sterile hospital air smells like late fall, and feels like Marseilles Street filling my lungs. “I’m gonna go get a drink.” “Alright.” Cynthia gets up and leaves, in a mood. I adjust my pillow, and [[stare out the window for a while.]]

I spend the rest of the day in the hospital as a precaution, but I’m basically okay now that I’m up. Still can’t walk without that cane, but the transfusion mostly did the trick. I’d be lying if I said I felt as good as I used to… there’s this emptiness in my chest that doesn’t seem to want to leave. I feel like someone carved out my insides and left them somewhere, but it doesn’t exactly hurt. [[By tomorrow, I’m cleared to go back home.]]

(set: $time to "Friday Morning")\ \ (if: $Cane is true)[Cynthia drives me back home when we check out. Walking inside, Mabel's reading something on the couch; she looks up and gasps when she recognizes me. “You're home!” Mabel tosses her paper to the side and rushes at me, tackle-hugging me before I can respond. Cynthia has to catch me to keep my frail body from dropping us both. “-Hey! Yes, but still fragile.” “Sorry.” Mabel pulls back and steps aside. I reset my footing and walk the rest of the way in. Cynthia gives an amused smile at Mabel's excitement, who's staring at me like a begging puppy.]\ (else:)[Cynthia drives me back home when we check out. Walking inside, Mabel's reading something on the couch; she looks up and smiles when she recognizes me. “You're home.” "Yeah, and in one piece."] “Where is everybody?” “In the den, mostly.” [[I nod, and head there.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ Opening the door, Aurora and Ophilia are playing chess at the game table. They both seem to forget the game the moment I walk in the room. “Oh!” “Seth!” I flinch when my eyes lock on Ophilia. She's wearing short sleeves, everything's on display. It's more than a little sobering; a slap in the face that reminds me that everything that happened- happened. For a moment, I remember how it felt in the web… But the feeling shakes off when Ophilia wraps her arms around me, hugging and hanging off my shoulders. I put my free hand on her back and look in her eyes, an endearing sparkle glistening in them. “I was so worried about you.” “That makes two of us. I'm glad to see you okay, Phili.” “I was starting to give up on you. Did you have a good sleep?” “Ah, y'know… no.” (if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[“Give him some space, Phili.” Ophilia nods, and lets me go. ]I skim everyone's faces, trying to parse how much they all might know about the situation without having to [[say anything.]]

“I'm gonna be alright. Are all of you, y'know…” “I told everyone about my cutting… and that I thought Katherine wanted me to do it.” Everyone winces at Ophilia dropping Katherine's name. It seems they're not used to that yet, but I appreciate Ophilia bailing me out, she must have seen that I was nervous. “I guess I should've assumed that… I, uh, I like your shirt.” “Thanks.” Ophilia blushes, and rubs her arms sheepishly. “Part of me wanted to wear something longer. My sweater's ruined, but…” (if: $Cane is true)[“You still need to cover up when you're outside, Ophilia.” “No- no, she's fine. There's nothing to hide.” Mabel jumps at the short remark. She frowns and shrinks, breaking eye contact with me. Which isn't a problem, because my eyes are still stuck on Ophilia. ] “You look beautiful, Phili.” “...” “...” “That's, uh… her choice, I guess.” Aurora speaking up steals my attention away from Ophilia for just a moment, giving me the urge to examine her neck. There's no scar, she looks fine… [[don't fixate on it.]]

“Anyway… did they… catch the guy who stabbed me?” Everyone tenses up. No one looks me in the eye, each person in the room looking somewhere between awkward and afraid, including myself. “Nope.” Bad touch, change the subject. “...Oh hey, it's friday, isn't it? Mabel, did I miss anything important in Psychology?” (if: $Cane is true)[“No, I went ahead and did your homework for you. Solia asked about you, though.” “Oh. I didn't realize she cared.” “Yeah. She asked *me* about you, specifically.” “She did? I didn't tell her we were roommates.” “Neither did I. Anyway, I guess she wants to know you're okay, so you should tell her.” “I guess I'll do that.” Before leaving the room, I catch a look of myself in a mirror hanging from the wall, and a slight grimace creeps up my lips. I'm at least three shades paler than I used to be. My eyes are baggy, and my neck is wetting my collar with sweat. Disgust involuntarily trembles through me and leaves me shivering, but I bite my tongue to hold firm, and keep the girls from noticing it. [[With a huff, I turn away from the mirror and leave for school.]]](else:)[“No, we went ahead and did your homework for you." “We were going to head that way soon, actually. Do you feel up to attending today?” "Yeah, I'm fine. If I took vacations after every hospital visit, I wouldn't have made it to middle school." Aurora, Mabel, and Ophilia laugh awkwardly, not really getting the joke and clearly uncomfortable with its implications. Cynthia doesn't even pretend to find it funny. [[We go to school.]]]

(set: $location to "Solia's Office")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Afternoon")\ \ I manage to catch Solia during her office hours. I knock on her already-open door to take her attention from the paper she's writing. "-Hm?" She looks up, her eyes shaking just a touch as she recognizes me. "Hi Seth." Her eyes widen a touch when she notices my lower body. I haven't seen her since Mabel's incident, so I imagine the cane surprises her. “Hey Professor. You wanted to see me?” "Um, yeah," she haphazardly files her papers aside, still distracted by the state of me. "Come sit." She puts her paper aside as I sit down, twirling my cane between my legs as we talk. "We missed you wednesday," she begins, re-donning her mask of professionalism with a poker face. "It looks like you've gone through some changes." "Some." "What happened?" She asks, curiosity already cracking that poker face, a twitch in the space of skin between the nose and the left edge of the lips. “Old ailments flaring up again, I've had the cane since I was a kid.” "Really?" Her demeanor shifts, open curiosity changing to a doctor's hunt-play. Immediately I can tell she's resisting the urge to guess my whole medical history based on a cane and two sentences. "Why," she prods. “I was born with Hemolytic Disease.” “I see." That's new, most people don't know the term, I always have to clarify. "But that goes away pretty quickly, doesn't it?” “It does. Which is why everyone was so scared when my anemia just kept going. Turns out I also have Hemophilia.” “That's a bad combination," she frowns, her eyes rolling from side to side as she reminds herself of the specifics of both conditions. "So, you just had an episode this week, out of the blue?” “I've been less than strict about taking my iron supplements lately, that's all. I think this is gonna be the kick in the ass I need to start behaving.” “I see. Well, I can start keeping some iron pills in my classroom, if it helps,” she offers. Such soft consideration is unusual, and looks misplaced on her. I have half a mind to blow it off as a hollow gesture she'd forget about as soon as I left the room, but no, [[Solia's not that reckless.]]

(set: $location to "School Courtyard")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Afternoon")\ \ Between classes, I catch a look of myself in a mirror hanging from the wall, and a slight grimace creeps up my lips. I'm at least three shades paler than I used to be. My eyes are baggy, and my neck is wetting my collar with sweat. Disgust involuntarily trembles through me and leaves me shivering, but I bite my tongue to hold firm, and keep the girls from noticing it. With a huff, I turn away from the mirror and keep walking. Throughout the day, I can tell people are staring, and I can feel the prickly little things these strangers think about me. But it doesn't weigh me down, because one person's eyes, Ophilia's eyes, linger on me longer, and more frequently, than all the others. And hers are a comfort, a wool blanket absorbing the sting of a hundred thorns. [[And I wrap her around me, and carry her all the way home.|I shudder, and keep walking.]]

“I don't think that'll be necessary, thanks. What did you want to talk about, anyway?” “I don't really have anything in mind," she says as she raps her fingers against the desk, clearly meandering her way to the point. "I just thought I'd check in. Missing class right after moving in with Mabel and her friends struck me as odd. How is that going?” So good. “So good.” So good. “That's good," she smiles. "Well, I guess I'm worrying over nothing. But my office is almost always open during lunch hours, so if you ever need help with something, please don't hesitate to stop by.” So good. “Yeah, I'll do that. Bye, Professor.” “Bye, Seth,” as the poker face is sidled back onto kilter. My cane slips just an inch as I'm opening the door, making me trip through the doorway and look like a jackass on the way out. Stepping outside and fully leaving Solia's office behind, a strange shiver trills down my spine, stopping me for a moment in my tracks. [[I shudder, and keep walking.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Now that I'm home, I find myself at kind of a loss for what to do. I don't know if it's this place, or the trauma finally setting in, but I feel like a sitting duck, waiting for the roof to collapse. …But the house is fine. The fireplace is on, flavoring the air and providing a crackling backdrop to the silence, as well as the muted mutterings of some of the girls chatting in the other room. The living room seats were cleaned recently, the loveseat has a small stack of just-washed blankets resting on it. Waiting for the next dogpile, I guess. The dining room table is set with eight plates, one more than there are people living here. I wonder who did that? Yeah. Everything's normal. Everything's okay. I just need to breathe… and accept that nothing bad is happening to us. I don’t imagine standing in the middle of nowhere like a human statue is helping me relax at all. Let's do something to pass the time. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Go to the Den and work out]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Try to solve a puzzle]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Go for a walk]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ I notice a puzzle book in a bookshelf in the downstairs hallway, so I grab it and bring it to the dining room table to sift through. It's titled as a book of riddles for adults, but a lot of these seem really simple at a glance. Two or three paragraph riddles, with a crudely drawn visual aid accompanying half of them. While I'm skimming some of the riddles, Cynthia and Aurora grab some snack food from the kitchen and sit at the table with me. Cynthia picks at a bag of tiny wafer cookies while she talks. “Are we still swapping out dresses? I've got one that's not really my color I think you'd look good in.” “Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I took a second look at the dress, and it's kinda slim at the hip, I don't think it'll work.” “What, why not?” “It's pretty slim at the hip, and if I'm already outgrowing it… y'know.” Cynthia squints at Aurora. I look up from my book to watch her process what was said to her. “We've got, like, the same body.” “Yeah. Mostly. But, you know, you're…” Aurora's eyes flicker to me; a very brief cry for help. [[I shrug and look down at my book, leaving Aurora to her fate.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ (if: $Cane is true)[My doctors back home were always on my ass about keeping up an exercise routine. Add that to the list of things I've been slacking on since moving to California. Maybe if I get my blood flowing a little more, it'll get me off this cane faster. So, I go to the Den and pick up one of the weights sitting in a stack next to the punching bag. I still have to keep one hand on the cane, which makes this look ridiculous, but I'm able to get some reps in with a fifteen-pound without any immediate strain. My biceps aren't exactly the part of my body I need to be working out the most, but it's a good start before I move onto the hard stuff.] (else:)[My doctors back home were always on my ass about keeping up an exercise routine. Add that to the list of things I've been slacking on since moving to California. Maybe if I get my blood flowing a little more, it'll bring my natural beauty back. So, I go to the Den and pick up one of the weights sitting in a stack next to the punching bag. The general nausea I feel has me hesitant to push myself, but I'm able to get some reps in with a fifteen-pound without any immediate strain. My biceps aren't exactly the part of my body I need to be working out the most, but it's a good start before I move onto the hard stuff.] Keeping myself from getting bored, I start wandering around the den while I lift the dumbbell, switching arms every dozen or so reps. I only go a couple minutes before the door opens, and in walk Charlie and Mabel. “But the joke is that they tell you he's insane in the first ten minutes, and the things he sees just get more cartoonishly absurd as you go.” “I really don't think it's a comedy, Charlie.” “Mabel, he spends half the film with *Frank the Rabbit.* A literal giant white hare that- Seth, back me up on this.” “On what?” “Don't, it's stupid. What are you doing?” “Exercising.” “Pfft, what, first time?” “What's that mean?” “What are you even lifting? Fifteen? Pussy, watch this.” Mabel grabs two dumbbells, each twenty-five, and makes a show of outdoing me, trying to lift each weight faster than my one. Charlie laughs, and sits on the couch to watch us both. (if: $Cane is true)[“Wow, yeah Mabel, put that cripple in his place.” "Watch me!" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["So? I'm not even trying."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Grab a heavier weight]]</div>] (else:)["You gonna let her talk to you like that, Seth? She's half your... well, you're probably a similar weight, but she's half your height." [["So? I'm not even trying."]]]

(set: $location to "Campus Streets")\ \ I head up to my room, put on some lighter clothes, and a pair of jogging shoes. I’m not gonna do any actual running if I can help it, but some sun ought to be good for me right now. When I get out the door, I find Jessie and Ophilia hanging out in the driveway, tossing a rubber ball back and forth; Jessie standing on the pavement and Ophilia sitting on the hood of Aurora’s car. Noticing me walking out, Ophilia gets distracted and misses the throw from Jessie; it fumbles out of her hands and bounces back to Jessie's feet. “Hey man, going somewhere?” “I’m gonna walk around campus for a bit, get some air.” “Ooh, fun. Can we come with you?” “Of course, I’d love the company.” Ophilia hops off the car, Jessie throws the ball up and catches it with a quick swipe, and the three of us go on our way. It’s a windy day at Saintsridge, wispy clouds flitter overhead, solid enough to cast shade over the looming sun, but not nearly dark enough to impose concerns of a coming storm. Jessie and Ophilia trail behind me at my left and right respectively; the former idly stroking her fingers through the curls of her hair, while the latter holds out her arms, enjoying the feeling of the breeze against her bare arms after shielding herself from it for so long. It seems neither of them care which direction our stroll will go, so I have the privilege of leading us. I could take us closer to the school buildings, where I imagine we’ll see more people… but there’s also a forest with a pleasant hiking trail I haven’t visited in a long time. Either sounds nice, but I don’t need to march through every inch of the campus grounds, so I have to pick one or the other. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Explore the woods]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Wader around campus]]</div>

That does get Mabel to raise her eyebrows. “No?” (if: $Cane is true)[“No, I'm just using this to warm up, you weirdo. It's my legs I need to work on, my arms are fine. This is easy.” “Bullshit, I see your arm shaking.” “You're projecting. Look, who needs weights?” I toss the dumbbell to the side, and kneel down. I plant both palms to the ground, getting ready to do some push-ups. My knees stay on the ground, which Mabel notices and laughs at. “Ha, Seth does girl push-ups.” “We *just* discussed that his legs don't work.” “No, she's right. I can do better.” I push back on my toes and lift my knees up to proper form. Getting them up there isn't that hard, but I feel the strain as soon as I hold them there. It's not nearly as bad as trying to stand, but still, I hate when my legs shake like this. I lower down, and push back up. Then three more times, not feeling any major burn in my upper body. I'm a little dizzy, but I've been dizzy since I woke up in the hospital. So far, so good.] (else:)[“No, I'm just using this to warm up, you weirdo. “Bullshit, I see your arm shaking.” “You're projecting. Look, who needs weights?” I toss the dumbbell to the side, and kneel down. I plant both palms to the ground, pushing back on my toes and lift my knees up to proper form. Holding myself there isn't too hard, but the slight diziness I've felt since the stabbing doesn't appreciate being turned sideways. I lower down, and push back up. Then three more times, not feeling any major burn in my upper body. So far, so good.] “Well Mabel, consider your emasculation a failure, Seth can do a push-up.” “You know you two can leave, right? I was here first.” “You can't call dibs on a room, dick.” “And how am I supposed to make fun of your (if: $Cane is true)[illness](else:)[weakness] from the living room?” “Do you need to make fun of my (if: $Cane is true)[illness](else:)[weakness] to live?” “Yeah.” “I have a condition.” “Yeah, I bet.” I shrug off their jeering, and get five more push-ups in(if: $Cane is true)[ before the pain in my legs goes from a mumble to a groan]. The thick, curly carpet of the den is soft and feels nice on my hands, but it doesn't agree with the grips of my shoes, which makes this whole thing significantly harder. [[I should have dressed the part if I was going to gloat.]]

“Alright Mabel, pull the fuck up.” I put down my fifteen and grab a thirty-five, repping at pace with Mabel to make sure I'm not being outdone. I see Mabel's eyes drop a little, likely not as prepared for this pissing match as she thought. “Ooh, thirty-five. Scary.” “Yeah, thirty-five's a scary number.” “It's not that bad. You look like you're having trouble with those twenty-fives, though. You wanna call it quits and let me work out in peace?” “Fuck off, I'm not having trouble. Look!” Immediately taking the bait, Mabel tosses her twenty-fives aside for a pair of forty-fives. Her next rep takes three times as long; she's hit her limit. I'm feeling some burn myself, but I can't stop going until Mabel's completely given up. It wouldn't be humiliating otherwise, and that's what I'm going for. “Wow, that's impressive. I didn't think dwarves could carry that much weight.” “You're a fucking dw- woah- you're a dwarf!” Mabel's arm drops a little in the middle of her sentence, but she keeps from dropping the dumbbell. “I'm carrying more than you, and I've got two of them!” “So?” “So you're my bitch!” “Nope, I'm still stronger than you, Mabel. I just don't need to prove myself to a twelve year-old.” “Ohhhh shit!” “Bullshit! Get a second weight, then!” “I can't, dumbass, my legs don't work.” “Nah, come on pussy, grab another one.” Mabel kicks the base of my cane, making me [[stumble and catch myself back on balance.]]

“Hey!” “Put down the cane, come on! Show me!” “Fuck off.” “You fuck off.” Mabel kicks my cane again. I drop my dumbbell and shove her in the chest, making her drop one of her weights. “Kh-!” “Ha! Knew you couldn't carry that shit.” Mabel drops the other weight and shoves me back with both hands. I keep my footing and shove her again, so she goes low and tackles me, grabbing me by the shoulder and the side. I hear her grunt, trying her best to overpower me as quickly as possible. Not wanting to (really) hurt her, I jab her in the back with my shoulder, to which she responds with a kick to my shin, pushing my left leg out from under me. “Kick him in the balls!” “What?” “Nevermind, sorry. I always yell that when we wrestle.” I try to push Mabel out of the way by her head, but as soon as I try, she takes another cheap shot at my cane. She gets lucky this time, and it slips out of my hand, thumping on the carpeted floor. I immediately fall, and have to grab Mabel for support. “You bitch!” Mabel grabs both of my hands and pushes me down to my knees, getting level with me soon after. The two of us push against one another, both as determined as rhinos to force their way right through the other. Mabel grits her teeth, both of our arms shake from the strain and the fatigue from the dumbbells before. I work with all the leverage I have, but Mabel eventually manages to topple me over, and pin me down. Her ponytail flips over her head and hangs above her face while [[she laughs at me.]]

“Ha! Pussy!” “You are such a middle schooler.” “Then you lost a fight with a middle-schooler, you weak-ass little boy-” Mabel yelps as Charlie swoops in out of nowhere and scoops Mabel up by the torso, lifting her upside down and carrying her away from me. “Alriiight, Mom's stepping in, drawing the line at pinning your paraplegic roommate.” “Aw come on, he started it!” “Not even remotely.” Charlie tosses Mabel onto the couch. She bounces and sprawls out on her back, her head hanging off the edge, and her stupid ponytail touching the floor. Still on the ground myself, I look up at her. She returns the look, and starts giggling, a playful smile dancing on her lips. “I still won.” “Yeah, yeah. I'm pressing charges, by the way.” “Tch, you can't do that.” Mabel looks up at Charlie. “Can he do that?” “I saw her assault him with a dumbbell, officer. She called him a cripple, it was a blatant hate crime.” “Aw, shit.” I grab my cane and work my way back up to my feet. After shaking some dust out of my hair, I head for the door. “Alright, I'm out of here.” “Later, Seth.” “Later.” [[I close the door behind me, and step out into the hall.|Ch6 return home]] (set: $AffCharlie to it + 2) (set: $AffMabel to it + 3)

“Doing good, hot shot?” “Y- h- yeah! I told you I've got strong arms. I should've p- picked one of you up to make a point, you weigh like twenty pounds each.” Charlie smirks, and stands up from the couch. (if: $Cane is true)[“That'd be something. Big, strong man scooping me up when he can't carry his own weight without a stick. You sure you thought that through?” “You only need one arm for a firefighter hold.” “Tch, he's a firefighter now.”] (else:)[“And you think you can handle my twenty pounds? You seem to be having enough trouble with your, what, sixty?” "I don't know if you know this, Charlie, but us common-folk get to eat food with carbs and protiens in them. You wouldn't believe the things you can do when you're not on a diet of parsley and cocaine for TV." “Hahahaha, holy shit Seth, I didn't know you could talk like that.”] Charlie flips her hair. “Bet.” There's a sudden, blunt force on my spine, nearly doubling the pressure on my arms. Charlie puts her hands on her hips and gets her foot comfortable on the small of my back. “Wh-?” “Come on, tough guy. I weigh twenty pounds, right?” I grit my teeth and try to ignore her, but with each lower and push, [[she mockingly guides me along.]]

“Down… up, one. Down… up, two. Down… up, three.” “I’ve already done like twelve.” “Whoops, I kinda blacked out when you called me thin. Down… up, two.” “He lost one?” “I'm also awesome at counting.” “You're a bitch, and this still isn't hard.” Charlie crosses her arms, and leans on her knee, digging her heel into my spine. My whole body trembles and flares up, I think she pinched a nerve. “Ah! Charlie, fuck!” (if: $Cane is true)[“Sorry! My legs don't work.”] (else:)[“Sorry, I've got the shivers. Must be the parsley.”] “Do it again! Drop him!” “You're not gonna drop me.” “I'm gonna drop you.” “Please don't drop me.” But it's too late, Charlie already took up the challenge. She takes back her foot, granting me a moment of respite, which I use to recenter my posture. But as soon as I'm stable again, she turns around and sits on my back, crossing her legs and holding her arms out over her knee. “My, you *are* stronger than I gave you credit for. Charmer, you make me feel so skinny.” “Hk-... Kkh-hh…” My legs. Oh my god, my fucking legs are going to actually break this time. I can't do this. I can't keep this up, but so help me god if I [[let Charlie win this stupid fight…]]

“Alright, ready boy? Down…” I slowly, gruelingly lower my arms, every inch piling on another layer of excruciating strain. I feel the pulsing of my heartbeat inside my ears. Charlie kicks her feet up and leans backwards, curling into a ball and putting that last little bit of her weight onto me. I'm halfway down. I'm halfway down… just a little more, and then up, and it's done. I'm stronger than this. I don't need to be shaking this much, I know I'm stronger than this. Just a little further down… please… My arms give out and drop me like a ton of bricks. My face hits the carpet, and a moment later Charlie catches up and falls after me, pounding my chest into the floor. I hear her yelp, and that momentary loss of composure when she falls is enough to make this worth it. (if: $Cane is true)[Not that my legs agree. I think they're gonna be weaker now than they were three minutes ago.] “Uff-... Up.” “Get off me, Charlie.” Charlie stands up, and I get back on my knees. (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel, already holding my cane, offers it to me. “Need this?” “Thanks.” ] Standing up again, I definitely feel a little weaker than I was before. But I guess that's a normal feeling, immediately after working out. “Alright, so what, pull-ups next? Mabel, you hang off of his left arm, I'll take his right.” “God no. I'm not exercising in the same room as you two again.” “You can hide, but we'll find you.” [[I shake my head, and walk out with whatever dignity I have remaining.|Ch6 return home]] (set: $AffCharlie to it + 3) (set: $AffMabel to it + 2)

“Are you calling me fat?” “No! You're- you're bottom heavy.” Cynthia scoffs. “That's not a bad thing!” “It's not.” “I don't need your input on this, male. I am not that wide.” “It's a tiny dress, I barely fit into the thing when I could. I'm just saying, we can buy you something more form fitting, you look good in your shape.” I have to laugh at that last bit. “*In your shape?* Aurora, come on.” “I'm… I'm a semi-professional swimmer. Did I really let myself go that bad?” “Again, it *really* isn't something people are judging you for. You look good.” “You're not helping.” Cynthia stares at the cookie she has in her fingers, and [[puts the bag down.]]

“Anyway. What are you reading?” “Old riddle book. I found that one about the farmer and the boat.” “The one with the fox, the chicken, and the grain?” “Yeah, I'm trying to remember how it goes.” “Didn't we learn about that one in the fifth grade?” “Yeah, hence ‘remember.’” Cynthia puts her finger to her chin and thinks it through for a couple seconds. Then, she nods. “Got it.” “Already?” “It's a puzzle for kids.” “Well gimme a minute, I'm trying to focus.” “I bet it's not that hard, but that was pretty fast considering you didn't even read how the riddle goes.” “I don't need to.” “Are you sure you even got the rules right? What if you just made a different puzzle in your head?” “I can let you know when I'm done reading-” “A farmer needs to get his fox, his chicken, and his bag of grain across a river on his boat. He can only bring one thing with him at a time. If left alone, the fox will eat the chicken, and the chicken will eat the grain. What order does he need to carry them across to get everything over safely?” “Yes, thank you, I was in the middle of reading that. You actually made it harder for me to process-” “Will the grain eat the fox?” “What?” “If they're left alone, will the grain eat the fox? That way everything eats one thing and gets eaten by another.” “What? Did you hear what you were saying as it came out of your mouth?” “Yeah, that's stupid. The asymmetry of it is what makes it solvable. If it worked like rock-paper-scissors it would be impossible.” “That's the part you have a problem with?” “Have you figured it out yet, Seth?” Holy shit I'm going to hit her. I'm never going to get to the solution if these two don't shut up. Maybe I can just block them out. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Focus on the puzzle]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Make them do it]]</div>

“No. I'm gonna solve it though, so stop talking.” “Really? You gotta meditate on this one? C'mon, you're better than that.” “Go easy on him, you do this stuff all the time on your own.” “I don't need to go easy, this is already easy. Come on, what does the farmer bring over first?” “Shut up, Cynthia.” Cynthia leans up against me and points at the picture of the chicken, obscuring the rules to the riddle that I *still* haven't gotten to read in peace. “The chicken is the only one that can't be left alone with either other item. So he-” “Fuck off, I got it!” I pull the book away from Cynthia and stand up from the table. Cynthia giggles, and stands up with me. “No I don't think you do got it. The farmer only takes one thing at a time, right?” Cynthia grabs at the book again, but I walk away from her and [[lay on the couch to read.]] (set: $Farmer to true)

“Alright, you know what? You do it.” I slide the book out on the table. “But I already figured it out.” “I'll try it, it sounds fun.” Aurora pulls the book over to her seat and reads over the passage. Cynthia and I watch her gears turn with interest. “Okay, so, the fox and the seed are the only things that can be left alone, so the chicken obviously has to go first.” Aurora puts her elbow against the table and rests her chin on her palm. “But if the fox comes next, it eats the chicken, and if the seed comes next, the chicken eats it.” “Are you being serious right now?” “Quiet, I got it.” “So, the chicken has to go across first, and if you can't leave anything alone with it, then… you have to keep the chicken alone the whole time, but...” “Yeah. The eating only happens when the farmer isn't there, so-” “Stop it.” Aurora shoves Cynthia out of her seat. Cynthia stumbles up to her feet, huffs, and [[walks over to sit on my lap instead.]]

Okay, (live: 1s)[a farmer needs to get three things across a river on his boat: ](live: 3s)[a fox, ](live: 3.75s)[a chicken, ](live: 4.5s)[and a bag of grain. ](live: 6.5s)[The fox](live: 7.25s)[- Cynthia leans over the back of the couch and [[snatches the book out of my hand.]]]

“Hey!” “You don't need this. Come on, big sister will walk you through it.” “You're not my sister, don't be weird.” “You're one of the girls now, that makes us all sisters.” “Can you get her off of me, please?” “I don't know, you two are kinda cute.” I steal the book back, hugging it tight to my chest and glaring up at Cynthia. “You're being insufferable on purpose.” “You called me fat.” “I didn't call you fat, Aurora called you fat.” “You didn't call me skinny.” “Is that my job?” “Obviously. Gimme that.” Cynthia tries to take the book back. I roll off of the couch onto the floor, scrambling onto my knees in time to block Cynthia with my back. She tries to reach around me and snatch the riddle away, [[but I hold firm.]]

“You *are* fat. You're fat and you should feel bad about how ugly it makes you.” “Whatever dick, you said you like my ass. You're weird.” “I'm sorry, I can't hear you, the floorboards are creaking under the weight of your neglected, swelling thighs-” “A farmer has to fit three things on his two boats: a chicken, a fox, a rake, a smaller chicken…” “What ever happened to those abs you were so proud of? Anyone told you that you look older lately? Those Italian eyebags are getting deeper every time I- *urk-!*” Cynthia puts me in a headlock and chokes me out of my words. I grab her forearm and try to pull my neck free, but she pulls me back off of my knees, tightening so hard that I see stars. “What did you say to me, motherfucker? You wanna say that again? You wanna die?” “Hkh- nnngh!” I tap out, and Cynthia lets me free. My vision comes back to me while I heave into my shirt. “Yeah, that's what I thought. Who's out of shape now?” “Fatass.” Cynthia huffs, and tilts her chin up proudly. “The farmer takes the chicken across, then goes back and takes the grain. He leaves the grain and takes the chicken back with him. He leaves the chicken, takes the fox, and finally goes back for the chicken.” I cough. “Do you expect me to remember that?” “I think she's just proving a point, whatever it is.” I didn't notice Aurora approaching until she was standing in front of me, offering her hand. [[I take it, and let her help me up to the couch.]]

“You really shouldn't be so rough with him(if: $Cane is true)[ while his legs are out of commission], Cynth.” “Believe me, she's done way worse when I was in worse shape.” “It builds character.” “It builds back pain.” “Aurora, let me see that dress. I'm gonna make it work.” “If you insist.” I roll my eyes as Cynthia and Aurora head upstairs together. [[I'm glad beating the shit out of me made Cynthia feel skinny, I guess.|Ch6 return home]] (set: $AffCynthia to it + 3) (set: $AffAurora to it + 2)

“I told you, you make it impossible to think.” “Isn't this book supposed to be targeted at adults? What's the boat riddle doing in there to begin with?” “The other riddles were even easier than this one, I didn't even bother reading through most of them.” “A lot of books like these have the same sort of content, and just rebrand to whatever audience they're selling to. It's why I stopped buying recreation books for the house like this one.” “Figured out the next step yet, Aurora?” “Huh? Oh, right, no not yet. The fox can't go next, so…” “Maybe there's no such thing as a logic puzzle for adults.” “What? No, why wouldn't there be?” “Stuff like this exercises a really basic function of the brain, I don't think you can make an adult develop skills like this unless they've never tried before.” “You think that, for all of human history, we haven't come up with a book's worth of riddles an adult would have to think over?” “Riddles are different than logic puzzles, technically. Are you done yet?” “No, I'm not.” “Then stop giving input, we're waiting on you.” [[Aurora lets out a little whimper of distress, and goes back to thinking.]]

“But she's right, there have been plenty of puzzles like this that are actually challenging. I can't remember any of them, but-” “The ones you're thinking of aren't marketable. If they're not just cheap wordplay, then they require some fundamental subversion of how the human brain is supposed to think. If they challenge adults, they're completely missable and unintuitive on purpose. The point of books like these is to make people feel smart, you can't sell a book that no one is gonna get past the first page of.” “So an adult puzzle book can't have puzzles made for adults, by design?” “Not if they want to make money. Ego fodder sells, enrichment doesn't.” “That's gotta be the most cynical take on brain teasers I've ever heard.” “Not even, give me like fifteen minutes and I'll find a way to draw them back to Nazi Germany.” “What?” Aurora looks up from her book, her brow furrowed in concern. “What are you talking about?” “Did you solve the damn puzzle yet?” “No! I'm still stuck on the second step! This is stupid, I can't focus!” “The second step?” Cynthia stands up and walks up to Aurora, looking at the book over her shoulder. “So what have you done so far?” “The chicken goes across first, then the farmer goes back, and he picks up one of the other two things. But then what?” “He takes the grain. Then he leaves the grain, but takes the chicken back with him.” “What?” [[Aurora stares at the little diagram, dumbfounded.]]

“...He can take things back to the first side?” “We never said he couldn't.” Aurora is stunned. She looks over the rules, and I watch her skin go pale. “Oh my god.” “That's all you were missing, wasn't it?” “It takes like two seconds to solve after that. A child could…” “I guess it's not intuitive to think you'd want to bring something back over the river after you've already brought it to the goal. I owe the farmer a little more credit.” “Oh my god, I can't believe I couldn't do that.” “Hey, in your defense, Cynthia didn't shut up that entire time. I couldn't finish it either.” “I think I'm gonna be sick.” “Alright calm down, we all have our moments.” “Did you say fifth grade? Did you solve this in the fifth grade?” Aurora stands up and closes the book; part of me is worried the poor thing's going to have a panic attack over this. Cynthia doesn't seem to catch her distress, though. That, or she can't resist rubbing it in. “Hey, who needs to be smart when you’re this pretty. Think about how good you look in your shape.” “I need to take a walk.” Aurora turns around and briskly marches up the stairs. I call out after her. “Front door's the other way, those are the bedrooms!” [[I hear a door slam somewhere upstairs.]]

Cynthia and I look at each other, and giggle at Aurora's little breakdown. “She's kinda cute when she’s embarrassed." “Yeah, good find picking that book up, Seth. I wonder if there are any more books here she hasn't read.” “Be nice to her, Cynth.” [[Cynthia ignores me, and heads to the den to sift through our bookshelves.|Ch6 return home]] (set: $AffCynthia to it + 2) (set: $AffAurora to it + 3)

(set: $location to "Forest")\ \ The woods here are pretty sparse; the guided trail is more of a means of justifying the woods as a proper campus attraction than it is to prevent people from getting lost. That said, it’s nice listening to the leaves sway in the wind, and the pine needles snapping beneath all six of our shoes. (if: $Cane is true)[My cane doesn’t love the lumpy, unreliable soil it has to depend on, but I learned to keep my balance on awkward footing with this thing years ago.] “So, how are you feeling? I’ve never had a blood transfusion before, does it feel different than, like, your own blood?” The impulse to correct her swims past my mental filter and almost escapes right through my lips. ‘Actually, Ophilia, you *have* had a blood transfusion. I just gave you one.’ But remembering that she and I are not alone here, I bite my tongue at the last possible second. “Actually, Oph-...” Well, half a second after. No harm done. “Uh… there’s a lot of nausea, usually. My chest feels kind of empty, and I get dizzy easier than normal. If I don’t keep my body active, it’s easy for me to lose strength and pass out doing little things.” “How’s your strength doing right now?” “Meh. I’ve been worse, I guess.” “You should try to climb a tree while we’re out here. Bet that’d meet your ‘active body’ quota.” (if: $Cane is true)[“I don’t know if my legs are really up for that.”](else:)["I don't know if I'm in climbing condition right now, Jess."] “You just gotta get to a branch to sit down on, right? Follow me this way, there’s this one tree with a bunch of holds you can use on your way up.” “You have the trees here memorized?” “Yeah, I’m here like all the time. C’mon, it’s over here.” Jessie pushes past me and speeds off the guided path. Before I can protest, [[Ophilia grabs my hand and follows her with me in tow.]]

(set: $location to "Campus")\ \ We end up taking the regular path to school, heading to the commons through the streets filled with student dorms and chain restaurants. Saintsridge University is one of the most prestigious colleges in the state of California, and the campus reflects it. Lively, diverse little communities, some only two-people wide, stir through these streets and imbue purpose into otherwise empty halls with ambitions, histories, rivalries, and secrets. I spent three years wisping between these communities like smoke in the air, learning entertaining, insightful nothings as these people unknowingly breathe me in, and allow me glimpses into their worlds. After all this time, I get to put my people watching to use. I nudge Jessie’s arm, and point at a stony-looking blond kid with a beanie on. “Hey, see that guy? He wears dentures.” “Seriously?” “Yeah, full set. Guy doesn’t have any teeth.” “What? Yes he does.” “Seriously, he said so.” “He was fucking with you.” “He told you he doesn’t have teeth?” “No, I heard him talking about getting a new set on the phone last month. That’s how I know he wasn’t lying.” “Whoa. Like, full dentures? How do you even lose your teeth that fast?” “Maybe he has some kind of condition? He doesn’t look like he gets into fights that often.” “You don’t lose your molars getting punched in the mouth, anyway.” “Beats me. And uh-” I quickly scan the area for another target. It takes me half a second to [[hit the jackpot.]]

(if: $Cane is true)[I stumble and nearly drop my cane twelve times trying to keep up with the two of them, but mercifully, the tree Jessie’s after isn’t painfully far away.](else:)[Keeping my balance while Ophilia tugs me along, with her legs half the length of mine, is an ordeal in my alraedy unpleasant state. But mercifully, the tree Jessie's after isn't painfully far away.] Jessie leans against its trunk and slaps the bark with a proud grin, like a father showing off a vintage car. I don’t really get what’s so special about it, but Ophilia has stars in her eyes marveling at Jessie’s prize specimen. “Eighty feet tall with a two foot diameter-at-breast-height, twenty-two feet of which yours truly can traverse with one hand tied behind her back. Even (if: $Cane is true)[a cripple like ]you should have no problem finally getting eye-level to me, with this baby’s help.” “I appreciate your faith in me, but(if: $Cane is true)[ I can barely take two steps without my cane]-” “Aww, c’mon, I bet you can get up, Seth. Give it a try.” “I’m not a rock climber, I can’t get twenty feet up anything if-” “Either you climb the tree yourself, or I find out how high I can get with a midwestern twink hanging from my shoulders.” (if: $Cane is true)[With an affirming nod, I walk up to the tree and let my cane drop so I can [[climb with both hands.]]](else:)[With an affirming nod, I walk up to the tree and [[brace its mast with both hands.|climb with both hands.]]]

Myself included, which I'm thankful for. From my desk all the way in the back, I might not have to explain the cane in front of everybody. Well, really, I don't want to explain it to her. Not yet, at least; I'm tired, and still a little bitter about it. I don't need to see Melanie looking down on me, and [[I don't need to hear what demeaning little comments she'll have for me when she realizes I'm the class cripple.|I follow her the rest of the way.]]

The tree is sharp, and kind of sticky. Even ignoring the fact that I haven't gone tree-climbing since puberty hit, this wouldn't be my personal first pick of a rock-wall. But I guess Jessie wouldn't care about the splinters and sap, as long as it's tall and accessible; she's made of harder stuff than me. (if: $Cane is true)[I grab hold of the first few branches, and to my credit, manage to get a few feet up before I even notice the weakness in my legs. But when it hits, it hits hard, and I become immediately aware of how much I'm not relying on my arms. I grip the branches I'm holding tight as my legs shake in protest. “Yeah okay, bad idea, I was right. I'm done.” “Already? Come on dude, you can do better than that.” “We believe in you!” “Jesus, okay, uhh…”] (else:)[I grab hold of the first few branches, and to my credit, manage to get a few feet up before accruing any fatigue. That isn't to say it doesn't come; the adrenaline you're supposed to feel when you start exerting yourself like this just doesn't reach me, my blood is too thin to flow like that. I consider dropping back down and calling it quits, but, so soon? And... in front of two girls? I'm not that high up anyway, I guess. If I overexert myself and fall, I'm not gonna injure myself or anything. I let go of a branch with my left hand, and reach out to grab a higher one. Finding it just out of my range, I stretch out my legs to afford myself a little extra height… But my foot slips, and I drop a couple frightening inches, supported now only by one arm and one leg. My heart stops at the sudden fall, and my right arm tenses up, ensuring I don't let go, even if it makes the weight of my body a worse burden. I dangle there for a moment, recontemplating just letting go and returning to the soil. But before I get the chance, I feel a pair of hands grab my ankle and push it up, back onto the foothold it just slipped from. I look down to find Ophilia beaming up at me with a wide, cheery grin.] “I gotcha.” Rubber soles scratch against the mast of the tree opposite me as Jessie scales our tree like a squirrel, getting up past my head in just a couple seconds. She wraps around the curve and hangs one arm down in my direction, with an open hand. “Come on hot shot, you're doing this one way or the other.” “Hah. Alright, let's do it.” (if: $Cane is true)[I reach up and grab Jessie's hand, she pulls me the rest of the way up to the branch I couldn't reach before. I pull myself up to chest height with it, and keep my feet as comfortable as possible while still standing on them. Keeping my legs endured means I'm not getting much height at all, but if I treat the branches more like my cane and less like hurdles, I actually find the climb pretty manageable.](else:)[I reach up and grab Jessie's hand, she pulls me the rest of the way up to the branch I couldn't reach before. I pull myself up to chest height with it, keeping a greater focus on supporting myself than hurdling the tree the normal way. Keeping myself endured means I'm not gettingas much height as I could be, but if I trust Jessie to be my crutch and take things at my own pace, I actually find the climb pretty manageable.] Jessie keeps a steady pace, maintaining a medium height above me so she can reach her arm down whenever she's needed. Which, because of how I'm climbing, is often. Opting to stay on the ground, Ophilia jumps and twirls, shaking imaginary palm-palms to cheer me on. “Go, go, go! You're doing so great, you guys!” “There's a good stopping point coming up, got a few more in you?” “I'll do the whole tree if you let me keep cheating like this.” A couple more minutes of this routine, and Jessie breaks off to sit on a long, wide branch. With a bit of strain, I'm able to [[straddle my way up beside her.]]

From this branch, the two of us let our legs dangle, and look down at the woods beneath us. Ophilia, still standing at the base of the tree, gives us an enthusiastic holler. Using her for reference, we can't be more than (if: $Cane is true)[fifteen](else:)[twenty] feet up. “Wow, we really didn't get far at all.” “Many hands make for more complicated work. Nice view though, huh?” “Yeah…” I take a deep breath in, and appreciate the stillness I've earned. Now that my heart isn't working so hard to pump my blood for me, I feel the lightheadedness coming on pretty strong, I have to keep an arm on Jessie just in case I have the poor fortune to black out here. (if: $Cane is true)[And my legs are doing just as poorly as my head. ]But aside from the moaning of my dramatic body, it feels nice being up here with her; not quite above the woods, but not tourists wandering through it, either. In this one, quiet moment, legs swaying in the breeze, I feel like a part of the forest, no less a creature of the woods than any squirrels or deer I might share this place with. “Thanks for helping me up.” “Don't mention it. I love showing people stupid shit like this.” I let my racing heart gradually calm, and enjoy the ambient sounds of nature for a few moments more. “So, how are we gonna get down from here?” Jessie looks me in the eye, a deadly serious shadow looming on her face, now devoid of any amusement. [[She stares, but offers no response.]]

“...” (live:3s)[“...Don’t…”] (live:6s)[But she does.](live:8s)[With one shove, I’m plummeting like a fish dropped by a bird of prey all the way down to the earthy floor waiting to claim me. Ophilia gasps, and jumps back to avoid breaking my fall, not entertaining for a second any delusions that she could catch me. I land first on my feet, but immediately fold and crash onto my chest and arms. Whatever strength supplied me on my way up wholly abandoned me on my way down, because I [[black out before my head even touches the soil.]]]

Thankfully, this fainting spell is nothing like last time, as with Ophilia’s help I’m able to come back to in just a few moments. “Seth! Are you okay? Talk to me.” Rolled onto my back, I cough and nod to imply that I don’t think anything’s broken. Still sitting in the branch I came from, Jessie wolf whistles down at the two of us to get our attention. Then, she stands up, swings both arms out, and dives right off the branch, hurdling all the way down and gracefully breaking her fall with a combat roll. Once her momentum brakes, she splays out onto her hands and feet like a wolf, fangy grin and all. Ophilia and I watch her, though I imagine we don’t look half as impressed as she wants. “Nice landing. Did you pass out?” “Yeah, Jessie. I passed out.” “It’s like a fifteen foot drop.” “He was just stabbed, Jessie.” “Pssh, okay. Join the club, man.” (if: $Cane is true)[“Can you get my cane?” Ophilia nods, and fetches my cane for me. Once I can stand again, I grip it like a baseball bat and give Jessie a swift swing to the skull. My little-league form must still be in me somewhat, because I can tell I make her head spin when I hit her. She stumbles a few steps to the side, and smacks her other temple with an open palm, to fix her dilating eyes like she's an old TV. “Aaaah… a-aaah…” Jessie shakes her head violently to stave off the concussion I probably gave her. Having gotten even, the three of us [[make our way back through the trail, and return home.|Ch6 return home]]] (else:)[I stand up, and retrieve the nearest fallen branch I can hold in one hand. Gripping it like a baseball bat, I give Jessie a quick, un-forcasted swing to the skull. My little-league form must still be in me somewhat, because I can tell I make her head spin when I hit her. She stumbles a few steps to the side, and smacks her other temple with an open palm, to fix her dilating eyes like she's an old TV. “Aaaah… a-aaah…” Jessie shakes her head violently to stave off the concussion I probably gave her. Having gotten even, the three of us [[make our way back through the trail, and return home.|Ch6 return home]]] (set: $AffJessie to it + 3) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 2)

“Oh- see the pig-tailed girl? She has an addiction to holly berries.” “Aren’t those poisonous?” “Yeah, they are. Think she ate them so often as a kid she just can’t stop anymore.” “That’s crazy, how is she not dead?” “Guess they’re not that serious of a poison. She told a friend of hers that she’s got, like, a supplier.” “Hahaha, a holly supplier? Just go to a hobby lobby or something.” “Guess they’re better fresh.” “You learn this stuff just sitting around and listening to people?” “Yeah, it’s crazy what people admit to out in the open if you’re subtle about listening in.” “Hah, creepy. That’s kinda cool though, I should try it.” “I don’t know if you’re cut out for espionage, Jess. You’re an attention magnet.” “Ooh, ooh, look!” Ophilia points at a woman in pale white makeup and bright red overalls, [[who’s interrogating a vending machine.]]

“She's a voice actress for porn videos.” “What?” “Yeah, she gets paid to be in these, like animations people post online. Makes a lot of money from it, too. I hear it's paying her tuition.” “Seriously? Where'd you hear that?” “And is she looking for collaborators?” Ophilia shrugs. “People talk.” “Huh. Alright, well… speaking of tuition, y'know Andy Lillard?” “The criminal justice major?” “He's paying his tuition with money he won in a lawsuit *against* Saintsridge.” “Yeah that makes sense, I almost got sued by that guy like twice.” “What was the lawsuit over?” “Some discrimination case, I don't think he said.” Ophilia and Jessie share an inquisitive look between each other, silently debating the possibilities involving Andy Lillard's sexuality. [[They take turns shifting expressions, eventually both nodding, having come to a consensus.]]

“What a freak. Why even bother going to a school if they're bad enough to sue?” “That guy just wants money wherever he can get it.” “He's a sophomore, right? Maybe he was the victim of the hit-and-run that happened on campus. That was Professor Weitz, y'know.” “What!? Weitz did that?” “Is that why he resigned? How have we not heard about that, I was taking his class that semester.” “Saintsridge covers up all sorts of things, but Ms. Letta left some court papers on her desk one time, she was a witness to the whole thing.” “Wow… wow.” I shake off my unease at this school-wide conspiracy Ophilia so casually uncovered. Tired of walking for now, the three of us linger at a bench in the commons; Ophilia and I sitting, Jessie leaning against the backrest. Not to be one-upped, I try to think of something a bit more fun to share. “Uh, there's a freshman this year… Theo? Theo Lach- something. Anyway, take a wild guess what his legal name is.” “Adolf?” [[My smug smile drops dead.]]

“You did not fucking know his name was Adolf already.” “There's absolutely no way. Why would his parents do that to him?” “I have no idea- how- where did you hear that?” Ophilia shrugs. “He actually finds it funny, once he trusts you enough to admit it.” “Are you and Adolf friends?” “No, but this girl in my Home Ec class is.” “What a bitch.” Ophilia nods, agreeing emphatically. “That's nothing though, there's a boy in that class who makes crochet dolls in the likeness of his friends.” “That's kinda cute.” Ophilia shakes her head, eyes wide. “His female friends.” “Ohh…” “With their knowledge?” Again, she shakes her head. “Why…?” “Why do you think?” “I'm actually not sure it's sexual. He's kind of messed up in a lot of ways. I hear his parents might be related.” “What- wh- where- why do you know that?” “Who is this guy?” “Ted Barrymore.” [[Jessie stiffens up and stumbles away from the bench, stunned.]]

“That's Ted!?” “You know him?” “Yeah, I spent two semesters sitting behind that guy. I never knew any of that stuff, I thought he…” Jessie shrinks, eyes drifting through the grass and into the street as a disturbed frown meets her lips. It's obvious to me why she'd be bothered by this revelation, but strangely, she looks more sad than afraid. “So… you just picked all this up through gossip?” “Pretty much.” Ophilia smiles sweetly. I come to feel uneasy, thinking about Cynthia living in the same house as this mental can-opener of a person. “I didn't know you knew so much about other people though, Seth. You do a lot of people-watching?” “Yeah. I mean, I used to. Haven't in a little while.” “That's so cool! We should try it together sometime, I wanna know how to tune in like you do.” “Ha, yeah, I guess I can take you with me some time.” [[The three of us decide we've had our fill of gossip for the day, and take an easy stroll back home.|Ch6 return home]] (set: $AffJessie to it + 2) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 3)

With a little leisure out of the way and my nerves calmed somewhat, I head up to my room and grab my laptop to get caught up on some of the homework I missed the last two days. Walking back down the stairs, Ophilia sees me from the living room. “Coming to study?” “Yeah, this was kind of a bad week to skip two days of school in a row.” “Mind if I come read with you?” “Not at all.” Mabel's already studying on the dining table, so I sit down on the seat opposite to her while Ophilia sits next to me. (if:$Cane is true)[When I sit down, Mabel looks up from her book to give me a friendly smile, and gestures her head toward the seat next to her. Taking the invitation, I move over to her side of the table. Ophilia watches me stand up to move, and gets up herself, shifting to the spot adjacent to me. Now on my other side, Mabel wastes no time peeking at my computer screen and scoffing. “Is that calculus?” “Yeah, why?”](else:)[ “What are you working on?” "Calculus"] “Aren't you a third-year?” “Uh… yeah.” “Dude, I took Calc two in high school, what's taking you so long?” “Nothing's taking me, I'm at standard pace for my major.” “I took calculus as a later-sophmore, not much earlier than Seth.” “No man, you don't end up four years behind me going ‘standard pace.’” (if:$Cane is true)[Cynthia, listening in from the kitchen, [[walks out to sit against the corner of the table between Ophilia and I.]]](else:)[Cynthia, listening in from the kitchen, [[walks out to sit against the corner of the table next to me.|walks out to sit against the corner of the table between Ophilia and I.]]]

“You do if you're not a math major and not running for valedictorian.” “Don't most majors take calc two by their second year?” “Again, math majors. You're in a bubble.” “Well clearly the bubble's doing good things for me. I'm not stuck taking a high school class as a college junior.” “Maybe Seth just wants to take more electives early on. It's not that crazy to delay Calc two by a semester or two, I think.” “...Calc one.” “Huh?” “It's calc one.” Cynthia sighs, no less disappointed than I am to hand Mabel a moral victory. (if: $Cane is true)[“Oh my god, Seth. Are you for real? Did something happen?” “No, Mabel, nothing-” “Are you on assisted learning? Are you SpEd?” “You're an AP student, Mabel, you literally *are* SpEd.” Again, Mabel scoffs. “Autism doesn't count if it's not holding you back. I don't need a cane to think through basic arithmetic.” “You're not autistic, you're just a mean and a bookworm.” “Books don't talk back when you call them names, I get why she's such a fan.” “Look at that Seth, your caretaker's sticking up for you. Can't even banter without a handicap?” “I was in a special class for most of elementary school. Not really sure why they switched me out, actually.” Mabel opens her mouth, clearly having thought of another ableist insult to throw at me, but deciding against it now that Ophilia involved herself. Did she do that on purpose? [[Either way, it shut Mabel up, so I can keep studying.]]] (else:)[Mabel rolls her eyes, smiles to herself, and [[goes back to her book without further comment|Either way, it shut Mabel up, so I can keep studying.]]]

(set: $location to "Kitchen")\ \ Around noon, Charlie lets us know that she and Cynthia are going to make us lunch for the day. I offer to help prepare, and Ophilia tags along just for company. I'm put on chicken-cutting duty, while Charlie and Cynthia work on a red sauce for enchiladas. Ophilia sits on the counter, swinging her legs and fidgeting with one of the open drawers. “Did you see Rebecca's on The Voice again?” “Ooh, good for her. No one can sit on a chair and spin like my sister.” “Does Rebecca get a lot of work lately? I feel like I haven't seen her anywhere in months.” “Eh, yeah, they all get work. Some of it's just backstage stuff, producing and doing features or whatever.” “Oh, speaking of, Ronnie said Rebecca's doing a show in Cali soon, wants me to show up and sing some.” “Don't talk to me about Ronnie.” “Who's Ronnie?” “He's my family's agent. Manager. He's something.” “I think that's pretty cool! Does that mean you'll start getting more work soon?” “Well, we'll see how the show goes, I guess.” “Don't go ditching us for Hollywood too soon, Parth. We still own you for three more semesters.” “Leave early? And let my girls starve?” Charlie dips her pinkie into the saucepan, and holds her wrist up for Cynthia to taste. Cynthia smirks, pushes her hand aside, and lifts the mixing spoon up to her lips, giving an approving nod. “C'mon, that's unsanitary.” Watching their little display distracts me from the task at hand for a moment, just long enough to[[lose track of my knife and slice my hand clean open.]]

A sharp, burning pain whips my attention back to my station. I wince and drop the knife onto the counter, pulling my wounded hand back. It's not fast enough to keep myself from bleeding all over the shredded chicken. “Fuck-!” “Oh my god, are you okay?” “Ah, yeah, I just- kh, cut myself a little.” More than a little. Most of my palm. There's barely any blood, but the cut itself is massive. God, she wasn't even flirting with me. I'm embarrassingly susceptible to girl-on-girl. “Jesus, uh, okay, Phili, go get some gauze. You need to clean that now, you're way too close to the meat.” “On it.” Ophilia hops off the counter and races to the bathroom. Cynthia walks to my side and gives me her shoulder to lean on(if: $Cane is true)[, so I don't have to bother picking up my cane]. “Thanks.” “What happened, man? I know I had that chicken de-clawed.” “Yeah, sorry, I was watching you flirt with Cynthia and lost focus.” “Whoops.” “Pfft, dumbass. Go wash your hand.” Cynthia bops me on the forehead, and drops me off at the sink. I turn the faucet on and watch the water run over my hand. The stark white stream pools up on my palm, and becomes a pale red drip hanging from my wrist and swirling into the drain. The noise of the rushing water gets louder in my ears, and yet fainter; less focused, like I'm listening to a waterfall through a set of earmuffs. The edges of my vision mute to a dark grey, my head grows heavy, and before I realize what's going on, I'm collapsing. My chest drops to the kitchen counter, [[the last thing I hear before the ringing in my ears takes over is Cynthia and Charlie's collective gasps.]]

I imagine I'm not out long, to me it only feels like six seconds. When my vision returns to me, I'm on the kitchen floor, back propped up against the counter. Ophilia is on her knees, sitting on my calves, wrapping a large white bandage around my hand. There's a set of cotton balls and a bottle of ointment on the floor next to her. When she notices me waking up, she smiles, and waves Cynthia over. “Hey, there you are.” “Ugh… hey Phili. I fell.” “Yeah…” “What happened, Seth? The bleed didn't look that bad.” “Uh… I don't really know. It wasn't that bad, I just felt sss…” Ophilia and I lock eyes for a moment, an uncomfortable look shared on our faces. “I just felt really drained.” (if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[Cynthia holds her arms and stares at the back of Ophilia's head while she dresses my wound. Unfortunately, she's probably on a similar page to the two of us. ] My eye twitches when Ophilia tightens the bandage and latches it in place. “How's that feel?” “Tight. But the pain's gone. Thanks Phili, you're quite the nurse.” “Yeah, it's my specialty.” Charlie, still cooking, *really* tries not to laugh, but can't manage to hold it in. “Right. I'm gonna go sit down.” “You owe me like ten bucks for the chicken, by the way.” “Why, did something happen?” I leave the three of them behind in the kitchen, and take a nap on the couch. [[I am so sick of fainting.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Evening")\ \ A couple hours later, Ophilia and I are chatting in the upstairs hallway when Cynthia comes walking in from downstairs. She's fervently texting on her phone, her brow furrowed, barely paying attention to her surroundings. If I didn't see her coming and say something, she might have walked right through us. “Hey Cynth, you okay?” “Huh? Oh, yeah.” Cynthia puts her phone in her bag and shakes off her troubled look. (if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[It comes right back though, when she notices Ophilia standing at my side.] “What are you two up to?” “Not much, Seth was telling me a little about Michigan. Did you know I had a recital at the Fox Theatre, Cynthia?” “No, I didn't. Here, Seth, let me get a look at you?” Cynthia holds her arm out, so I take a few steps forward, letting her examine me. Ophilia walks forward as well, keeping a close distance to me. (if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[Cynthia squints, sneering at Ophilia, just slightly. “Uh, I'm just checking up on Seth's cut, Phili.”] (else:)[ "I'm just checking up on Seth's cut, Phili.”]\ “I'll help, I dressed it.” “I'm okay, thanks, we just need a second.” “A second pair of hands never hurts, I had a lot of trouble keeping some of my bigger cuts clean on my own.” (if: $Cane is true or $Cynthiaknows is true)[Cynthia holds my arm with both hands, one keeping my wrist by her chest, the other nervously caressing my forearm with her thumb. Ophilia, on the other side of me, is hovering close enough for me to feel her warmth against my ribcage. Cynthia frowns, and gives me a look, quietly asking me to speak up. “Uh…” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Help Cynthia]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Help Ophilia]]</div>]\ (else:)[Cynthia looks at Ophilia, her eyes lingering on the many faded scars lining her arms up to and past the short sleeves at her shoulders. She shakes here head and steps back, as if breaking out of some trance. “Right, yeah. You can have him, Phili. I have some work I need to do anyway.” Ophilia beams. “Okay. Have fun!” [[Cynthia walks off, leaving the two of us alone.|Help Ophilia]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

“Cynth and I did this sort of thing a lot, Phili, I think she's got it covered.” “Oh, um, I'm not bothering you two, am I?” (if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[“Yeah, actually, you are. Go play by yourself please, Ophilia.”]\ (else:)[“A little. My best friend and I just want to spend a little time alone, okay?”] “I'm sorry! I just thought he'd like the company, y'know, he just got out of the hospital and I know how scared we all are, and uh-” “It's okay, Phili, I promise. I appreciate you being here. If something's up with the cut, we'll call you first, alright?” “S- sure! Yeah, I'll talk to you guys later.” Ophilia awkwardly shuffles away from us and heads down the stairs. Cynthia rolls her eyes, and starts unwrapping the bandage.(if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[ “Yeah, we'll let her know next time you sprain your ankle or something, I'm sure she'll be right around the corner.” “She was just trying to help. She clearly does know how to handle this stuff.” “I'm not gonna treat her like an E.M.T. because she cuts herself.” Cynthia ](else:)[she ]presses down on the cut, maintaining eye contact to gauge my reaction. I suck in air through my teeth to hide that the sting does get me a little lightheaded. “Don't try to look tough, that defeats the point.” “That obvious?” “Ophilia knows about cuts, sure. But you're *my* specialty.” [[Cynthia smiles, and re-wraps the wound, satisfied that it shouldn't give me any more immediate major issues.]] (set: $AffCynthia to it +1)

“She's not gonna hurt anything Cynth, let her hang out.” Cynthia huffs, takes a step back, and looks back to Ophilia.(if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[ “Can you just give us some space?” “I'm worried about him too, Cynth, why can't I help him with you? I'll show you what to use when-” “I don't care, Phili. He's my friend, and I have the right to take care of him. You can play when we're done.” “That wasn't the deal.” Cynthia’s face sours. She crosses her arms, and rolls her eyes.] “Y'know what, nevermind. I've got stuff I need to do, you deal with him.” “Is that okay? I really don't want to be a bother-” “Yeah, whatever.” Cynthia takes her phone back out and continues walking to her room. I frown when I hear her door shut. “Did we piss her off?” “It's okay, she just gets like that sometimes. She's been kinda moody for a while, to be honest.” While she talks, Ophilia de-latches the bandage and unwraps it, already having taken a fresh one out of her pocket. The blood on the old bandage is a pale, pastel red, but the cut itself doesn't look too bad. “I think it's sweet that she gets jealous about you.” “Is that what you think that was?” “Why not? She's a girl, she's allowed.” “I guess so.” “Your blood's really light colored, you really *don't* get enough iron.” “I also just don't have much blood to lose.” “Mhm.” [[Ophilia walks me over to the bathroom to apply more alcohol to the cut.]] (set: $AffOphilia to it +1)

(if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[“Speaking of Ophilia, show me your shoulder.”]\ (else:)[“Okay, now show me your shoulder.”] “My shoulder's fine.” “You were stabbed, you're not ‘fine’ with a hole in your back.” “It's not even sore, Cynth, you always do this.” “I always-” Cynthia scoffs, and laughs to herself. “Stop whining and take off your shirt.” “Can we at least go to my room?” “Fine.” Cynthia stops by the bathroom to get a wet rag. [[We're right next to my door, so we slip inside, turn on the lights, and shut the door behind us.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ Cynthia leaves the rag on my dresser and starts pulling my jacket off of my shoulders. I pull back, offended by her clearly going into auto-pilot while handling me. “I can take my own shirt off, thanks.” (if: $Cane is true)[“I'll do it, you need to keep your weight on your cane.” “I can stand, Cynth. You know that.”] “You can usually wash your own hands, too. I'm not taking anything for granted.” She closes the distance between us, and unbuttons the top button of my shirt. She continues down, slipping plastic buttons through tiny cloth holes, exposing my chest to her, inch by inch, with an uncaring, methodical pace. Her fingers feel like the pins of a sewing machine, but the distance her chest is from mine, the sound of our breath being the only noise in the room… god, she is completely oblivious to the intimacy she's demanded. I blush, and turn my face away from hers; anything to create a little distance. “You're still so pale. The transfusion should've fixed that.” “Give me a couple days to get my tan back, I'll be fine.” Her right hand brushes up my clavicle, inspecting the texture of my skin. “And it's too cold for you to be sweating this much. Did they give you a half dose or something?” Cynthia undoes the last button, swipes my shirt off of my arms, letting it drop unceremoniously to the floor, and [[turns me around to get a look at my real injury.]]

“Well, I've had my jacket on most of today.” And I'm currently being stripped. For what it's worth. “You'd have taken it off if you were hot. You look uncomfortable.” “Gee, I wonder why I might be-” Cynthia prods the stab wound under my shoulderblade with the rag, sending an intense, painful tingle through my back. The sensation of it is shockingly cold. “*Fuck me,* please warn me before you do that.” “Sorry. But you- I mean, you notice it too, right?” “...” “How sick you look?” I look over at a standing mirror propped up against the wall, getting another good look at my slim, pasty figure. Looming over my walking stick, my frail white torso hunching over it like a specimen- a human clone not quite built to completion. “...I look so ugly.” “No.” Cynthia hugs me from behind, resting her cheek against my un-stabbed shoulder. Despite the chill she gave me earlier, her hands feel so wonderfully warm against my chest. “You look like you need help.” “...” “Seth… I don't know what I think about you… what happened with you and Ophilia. (if: $Cane is true)[And Mabel, I guess. ]I don't really get it. But if you're gonna stay here…” “...What?” Cynthia turns me back around, now resting both hands on my chest, looking up at me with pleading eyes. [[I let my arms rest on her hips, my free hand finding her waist all on its own.]]

“Please don't do anything that's going to get you hurt. Or- or make you worse.” We look into each other's eyes, both searching for some kind of reassurance from the other. Cynthia's jaw clenches, as she fights with herself to spout out the next few words. “Because I can't do this again.” “You won't have to. I'm not gonna put you through… I don't want to be like this either. I just…” I just… what? I had to? (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel and ]Ophilia needed me? My strength(if: $Cane is true)[and my blood], it- it wasn't a choice? How do I even begin to defend myself to you about this? “I'll be careful. I promise.” Cynthia and I hold each other, in this empty room, time having crawled to a total halt. The warmth of her body, practically squeezed against mine, burns away the few remaining flitters of the cold shock she'd given me before. In her eyes, with those dark, moody circles hanging under them, I find a sad and sweet pool of emotion stirring through her irises. The pain of memory; nostalgia. I feel the scratchy fabric of my hand’s bandage against the seam of her skirt. [[She's so close…]]

It happens sort of on its own, like our bodies came to ignore the mass of every other object on earth and gravitated into one another. I, the sky, falling into her, the earth; my so many distant, burning stars crashing so gently into the earthy meadows of her skin, and the drawing oceans of her lips. We'd kissed before. It didn't mean anything, we were two hormonal teenagers learning how to do it right. I think she'd asked me to help her practice for her boyfriend once. This, in comparison, is a wedding. Her hands pressing to my chest, involuntarily clinging to me as she closes her eyes and lulls into the moment. My hand at her waist, my thumb just barely tucked into her skirt, flirting with the soft and yearning flesh of her hip. It's all so clearly meaningful, but indecipherable at once; I couldn't put a single name to this intense cacophony of emotion that I feel so completely, so thoroughly in both mind and body. It's almost heartbreak. Almost heartbreak. I feel the gentle press of her lips against mine, feel the tremble of her breath as she nudges forward just barely, hoping some instinct will take her agency away and part those lips to greet my tongue with hers. I part mine to invite her in. She comes so close. But she pulls back. Takes her hands off of my chest, and it's over. The room and all its gravity returns to us, the sky and earth are apart again, and we return to our regular melancholy. “...” “...” “You, uh… get your shirt on.” “Right. Yeah.” Cynthia leaves the room. I get redressed, and lay in bed for a while, just staring at the ceiling. The dots on its surface look to me like white stars in a white sky. I feel so far away. But I can't wallow in solitude forever. Before evening, I have to get back out and do something with myself. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play a video game in your room]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play poker in the den]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Bathroom")\ \ She sets me up in front of the mirror and dabs the wound with a rag, aggravating it somewhat, but not hurting nearly as much as the first time around. I stare at myself in the mirror; my pale, sickly complexion makes me look ten years younger. The way my eyes hang, I almost convince myself I'm falling asleep in front of myself. When I got like this before, I always thought my patient gown made me look like a ghost… the other kids in school used to think I was contagious. My little dissociative episode comes to a sudden halt when I feel Ophilia's hands meet my lower back, touching underneath my jacket and shirt. I stiffen up, which makes her jump a little. “-Oh! Sorry. I want to clean your shoulder, too.” “Oh. Uh, yeah. Thanks. Think you can reach?” “Hehehe. You can pick me up to help, if you're up for it.” “Pass.” [[Not that I couldn't.]]

Ophilia takes her time, slowly dragging her hands up each vertebra of my spine, the alcohol rag held in her left, her right just there for fun. I feel like a snake's slithering up my torso, what exactly it’s climbing me for, I can’t tell. But I don't mind its company. “Y'know, I keep thinking back to that night at the theatre.” “There's a lot to think about.” “Yeah. But I'm not lingering so much on the obvious.” “Oh?” Ophilia gently presses the damp rag against the stab wound in my shoulder. I wince, but keep my posture up, leaning against the bathroom sink for support. Ophilia's free hand idly scratches my back for comfort. “When you and I were together, when you were… part of me through the wires… I was surprised with how well you handled yourself inside me.” “Ahem.” “Ah, not like that. I mean, you're quite the dancer, Seth.” “Please, that wasn't me. Katherine walked all over me when I danced with her myself, it was all you.” The cold, sterile alcohol drips from the wound down my back, little flecks dampening my shirt on their way. Ophilia explores the contours of the wound with the rag, ensuring she sterilizes all of it without pushing so far as to hurt me. Thankfully, she really does seem to know what she's doing. “I've never been good with choreography, I can't improvise. You should give yourself some credit.” She's being humble, but I'm not convinced. “Ever tried writing a piece on your own?” “Once or twice. Why?” “I'd love to see what you can make by yourself sometime.” [[Ophilia's hands come to an immediate halt.]]

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ “...You want me to choreograph a dance for you?” “Why not? I mean, if you want to.” “Haha… I've never shown anyone my own work before.” Ophilia slowly pulls her arms out of my shirt, and the two of us step back out into the hallway. “Never?” “Well… Katherine saw some of it. But I don't think she counts.” “I guess not.” I stretch out my fingers on my wounded hand, and feel the soreness in my shoulder with my other. “Wow, that does feel better. Thanks, Phili.” “No problem! It's, uh, it's kinda nice having someone to share this with.” “-Uh, I mean, I'm not at all implying I'm happy I gave you that-” “Shh.” “Oh. Right.” “I mean, it's just… nice. It feels like, with all of the crazy things that happened, you and I were meant to be this way, you know?” Ophilia holds both of my hands, displaying her upturned arms to me. “Like we're supposed to share this… whatever it means.” “Yeah, I… I guess I get what you mean. It's definitely nothing normal.” My eyes linger on her cuts; some faded, some new, hardly any in exactly the same size. It's like she was trying to collect unique scars for herself. How anyone could mangle themselves like this so consistently, with such dedication, it's… She must have noticed my staring, because [[she squeezes my hand and lowers her eyelids a little.]]

“You can touch them, if you want.” “What?” “It's only fair, I just touched both of yours. It's okay. I don't want them to scare you.” Even with her permission, I hesitate. It feels vulgar, or dangerous… they really do scare me, I guess. But that's why she wants to do this, then. I let go of one of her hands, and gently touch her wrist with my fingertips. Some of the deepest cuts, predictably, are waiting for me there. The smooth tissue of old scars isn't itself upsetting, but the implication of the texture is, like dust settled on a sealed love letter. “Tell me if I hurt you.” “You won't.” I travel a little ways up her forearm, immediately past her wrist. There's a puncture hole there, small and round and precisely in the center of her arm. I recognize it. I lay claim to it, and continue upwards. The pale white field of her skin, innocent earth, littered with red reminders of a demon's whims to tear her world apart with steel. The sight of her like this is horrific, and yet, somehow, it does nothing to take away from her natural grace… “A whole year, I hide my body from the world, away from everyone I love. Then one boy comes wandering into my life, and all of a sudden…” Ophilia takes two steps backward, pressing her own back against the wall, and pulling myself forward with her. My head casts a shadow over hers, while she looks up at me with wistful eyes and a satisfied smile. “All of a sudden, I'm free. And he looks just like me. What could that mean?” “That we’re more alike than we think.” “Mm.” Still holding my hand, I feel Ophilia tug me towards her, subtly urging my face a little closer to hers. She rests her head against the wall behind her, positioning us so that I’m the one pinning her, and she’s innocuously [[stuck between my arms…]]

She wants me to be the one to do it. To lean in, lock her down, and hold her in place while I claim her lips for my own. She doesn’t want to make the move, she doesn’t even want to be on even footing, she wants me to take it from her. So I do. I let go of her hand,(if: $Cane is true)[ let my cane lean against the wall,] and grab her by her pretty little waist with both hands. She lets out a soft, curt exhale, and her eyes widen. That’s all I give her time to do before leaning all the way in and kissing her. I feel her long, white hair brush up against my face, some of it finding its way into my jacket as I bend down to get eye-level with Ophilia. She lets out a little gasp when my lips meet hers, acting like I took her by surprise. I know it’s phony. She stands in shock, refusing to kiss me back for a second or two; just enough to keep up the polite act she’s relishing. Then, when the shock wears off, I feel that stiffness all melt away at once; her legs bend in, her tiny hands get back to exploring my torso, her face burns a bright red, and her lips part open to let me right in. We writhe together in that hallway, in earshot of everyone’s bedrooms, not far from the open stairwell, hedonistically clawing at one another like animals. I pull her in, pressing her hips against mine and sliding her body even more directly underneath me. She trembles, and yelps again while our tongues lock. This time, I think I really caught her off guard. I open my eyes just slightly, to see how my little outburst affected her, only to find her eyes open, too. Her eyelids flutter, lashes batted and pupils dilated. Momentarily, she pulls back to whisper something into my neck. “Okay.” “Okay?” “You win. I’ll dance for you.” Ophilia keeps such an innocent, maybe even childlike mask on at almost all times. It’s easy to forget her as a creature; that she’s capable of lust and sin just as inherently as the rest of us, no less a matured woman than Aurora or Jessica. But the mask is littering the floor next to our feet now, she’s drunk on instinct. I feel her refined, delicate hands on my chest, her arms having pushed my shirt up so she can feel me freely. They grasp me so gently, sliding slowly, intently downward to my stomach, and then down further still. [[I wonder just how far she’s going to let this go…]]

And then all of a sudden, she gasps for a third time. She pulls her head away and jolts it to the side, breaking our lips apart and staring down the hallway as if she’d heard a gunshot. I furrow my brow, dazed and confused. “What’s wrong?” “Someone’s coming.” “What? I didn’t hear anything.” Ophilia doesn’t elaborate, she just slips out of my grasp, pats down her frizzled hair, and quickly trots down the stairs, leaving me alone up here. I (if: $Cane is true)[take my cane back and ]stand still, waiting for someone to come walking in, or listening for a shutting door. But I don’t hear anything, and no one passes through. I sigh, and fix my own hair, accepting that whatever overtook Ophilia and I had been trampled and killed by a false alarm. Since I’m now alone, I straighten my legs and adjust my pants; it’ll take a little while for my body to forget what it just went through. …Alright. What now? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play a video game in your room]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play poker in the den]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

I decide to hang out in my room for a bit, booting up my game console and scrolling through my library for a bit. Not finding anything too exciting jumping out at me, I settle on a racing game I bought in high school: Duality. It's an older favorite of mine, I actually used to go to tournaments every month back when the game was still popular. It's really made to be played competitively, but I'll just play a few rounds against the bots to get the hang of things again. At least, that's what I start doing, until Charlie passes by my door, hears the sound effects coming from my TV, and perks her ears up. Not bothering to knock, she opens my door and leans inside. “Dude, is that D-5?” “D-3, actually. You play?” “Pfft, not 3. What, do I look rich?” “Oh yeah, fair. I’ve got this neat spending trick where I buy games while they’re still being produced. You wanna play?” “Oh hell yes. Hang on, lemme grab some more people.” Charlie runs out into the hall, and a few moments later, comes back with Cynthia and Ophilia in tow. I pass out a controller to each of them; Ophilia sits on the bed with me, while Charlie and Cynthia sit on the floor next to each other. “Ugh, Duality? You should’ve said what we were playing Charlie, I’d have stuck to my book.” “You don’t like Duality?” “I don’t like what it does to you.” “How do you play?” “So, it’s kind of a mix between a racing game and a fighting game. We’re trying to get to the end of the fifth lap, but that takes forever, so what we really want to do is destroy each other’s bikes. You get more weapons and stuff the further you get into the race, it’ll make sense as you play.” [[We set up a four-player race, and hit ‘start.’]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ Checking out the Den, Aurora's shuffling a deck of cards at the game table with Jessie and Mabel. “Hey ladies, what's up?” “Oh, hi Seth. We're about to play poker, do you want to join us?” “Let me rephrase: sit down, we're playing poker.” “Oh, well when you put it like that.” [[I sit down.]] Mabel leaves to go get some chips from the closet, and comes back with Ophilia, who also wants to play.

(set: $location to "The DeathTrack")\ \Four cyberpunky-looking bikers rev their engines at the starting line of a massive racetrack. A crowd of rowdy death-sport fans go crazy in the bleachers to our right, while a scantily-clad cyborg waves a checkered flag to get us ready to go. “No, I mean, how do you go forward?” “Oh. B Button, it’s like Mario Kart.” “Okey-Dokey.” Our racers speed down the narrow road, occasionally branching off into elevated bridges, wide lumpy fields, or leaping gaps before eventually converging back onto a single straight path. Ophilia, trailing the rest of us by a significant margin, is safe from any major competition in the first stretch of the race. During a long-straight segment of the first lap, Charlie and Cynthia briefly ride parallel to one another. Charlie, who picked up a shortsword at an earlier bridge, challenges Cynthia to a duel by flicking a switch on her motorcycle. From the left side of her vehicle, a horizontal beam of holographic blue light shoots out and connects to the right side of Cynthia’s hull, creating a bridge and forcing the two vehicles to continue at an equal speed. Charlie steps out onto the bridge and takes a quick swing at Cynthia, but Cynthia, having played this game with me dozens of times before, parries Charlie’s swing and punches her in the leg. She doesn’t do much damage, but she knocks Charlie off balance enough to think better of the duel and return to her bike, severing the bridge and returning distance between the two. “Piss off Charlie, you’re not gonna get a kill on lap one.” “But what if I believe in myself though?” “Maybe if you believed in a better bike than the Mondo.” “What? The Mondo’s got handling out the ass, what other bike am I supposed to go for kills with?” “That may be true in D-5, but in this game you have to know how to play if you want to kill people.” “Oh yeah, forgot I’m playing a game for eighty year-olds.” “How can you guys see anything? My corner of the screen is so small.” (text-colour:#f9f338)[[I linger back a little, taking account of my opponents and their performance.]] There’s a tunnel coming up soon, with a ramp you can use to get on top of it. If I’m gonna make a strategy to win me the rest of the game, I’d better start it now. What’s it gonna be? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play Cooperatively]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play Dirty]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Play Fair]]</div>

Charlie isn’t used to this game, but she clearly has an instinct for the series; I imagine she’s gonna catch on pretty quickly and start really turning up the heat on the rest of us. Might be a good idea to play to her good side early on, and make sure I’m not her first real target. Cynthia’s the biggest threat right now, but I outclass her in every way. Even if it hasn’t been years since she last played, she never had the hand-eye coordination I had to keep up when things speed up. She’s gonna play it safe, I can take advantage of that if I’m willing to play dirty. And then there’s Ophilia. I can probably play like normal and get around to killing her when I lap her. Poor thing. Three players, three ways to win. [[What to do?|We set up a four-player race, and hit ‘start.’]]

The four of us drive into the tunnel, passing up the ramp and entering total darkness, save for the neon lights adorning the frames of our vehicles. Charlie, Cynthia and I are relatively close to each other, so I steadily lean right to position myself directly behind Charlie. Staying behind her for about four seconds activates a ‘draft,’ a quick speed boost I get on account of Charlie eating all of the wind resistance in front of me. That enables me to speed past her, but instead of swiping at her or taking off as far as I can, I slow back down and keep my bike a few feet directly in front of hers, eventually activating a draft for her in turn. At first, Charlie looks confused, but a quick exchange of glances is enough for her to pick up on what I’m trying to do. She curves ahead of me, stalls a few feet forward, and grants me a draft, just like I did for her. The two of us keep up this exchange a good eight or so times, riding the speed boosts forward enough to put Cynthia out of sight behind us. Once the tunnel ends, we part ways and drive on either edge of the road, picking up weapons and slowing down somewhat to allow Cynthia to eventually catch up to us. As soon as she does, we close in on her from either side. “Shit!” Cynthia slams the brakes in an attempt to avoid a duel with either of us, but I link my bike to hers before she gets the chance, locking her speed where it’s at before she can halt. I step onto the light-bridge, sword in hand, and take a swipe for her head. She ducks to avoid my attack, but her vehicle rattles and groans as Charlie violently slams against her with her Mondo. Cynthia tries her best to fight back, but the disorienting flurry from both directions proves too much for her, and I land a killing blow, stabbing her through the clavicle with a spear. “Fucking god damnit Seth you do this every time!” “That’s a kill on lap one, ouch.” “Some said it couldn’t be done.” “Amazing what you can accomplish when you believe in yourself.” “This game sucks and you guys cheat.” “Hey, I didn’t die first!” “Oh yeah, Phili, forgot about you.” [[Charlie drops some spikes on the road behind her.]]

The four of us drive into the tunnel, passing up the ramp and entering total darkness, save for the neon lights adorning the frames of our vehicles. Stepping back on the gas, I slowly creep up to Cynthia, closing enough distance between us to attack her when the opportunity arises. It’s not going to be that easy, though, unless I can get her while she’s distracted. In my room, Cynthia’s sitting under me, right in front of my legs. I give her a little kick with my left leg, and mutter. “Hey, Cynth.” She doesn’t respond. Admittedly, I’ve pulled this trick before. I nudge her again, and speak up a little louder. “Cynth, hey, look at me.” Again, nothing. Getting fed up with being ignored, I swing my legs over her shoulders, and rest my feet on her chest. But before I can really start bothering her, my vehicle slams into the tunnel wall, and I’m sent skidding to a slow, violent stop. Shit, I wasn’t paying close enough attention! “Uhh, damn, wait-” With my bike stalled, I prop it back up and try to get back on. But before I’m able to, Ophilia comes blazing in, striking me in the back and killing me in an instant. “Whoa! What did I do? Did I just hit someone?” “Hahaha, no way, you got Seth!” “This game is so violent.” [[Now, Cynthia briefly looks up from the screen to taunt me.]]

Charlie, Cynthia, and Ophilia all drive straight into the tunnel, but I take the ramp carrying me over it. This route is a little bit slower than the tunnel, but it makes up for it by giving me a height advantage over the other players. Charlie, Cynthia, and Ophilia keep pace underneath me all the way to the end of the tunnel, Cynthia and Charlie butting heads a few times throughout. Once we reach the end of the tunnel, I wait for Charlie and Cynthia to exit, then rev my engine and dive off the tunnel top, landing right next to Ophilia as she makes her exit. My bike gives off a little shockwave when landing that rattles her bike and does some damage to her hull. While she's recovering, I duel Ophilia, flicking the switch and linking our bikes together with a light-bridge. Ophilia groans nervously when she sees my rider standing beside her with my sword drawn. “Ummm, what do I do?” “The controls change when your bike is locked up with someone else's. Hit the right trigger when you see me wind up to swing at you. Right…” I do an intentionally slow, powerful attack with a long windup. Ophilia catches on, and presses the button right on time. Her rider holds up a little shield attached to her forearm and batters me away, taking no damage. “Now! Perfect! Now you can stand up and hit me back.” “Um, okay, yeah!” Ophilia's rider stands on the light-bridge with me, our bikes now stuck driving straight as neither of us are steering. The two of us clash blades for a while, Ophilia managing to land a good few hits in, and me ensuring I get just a couple more in than her. Our duel is cut short when [[Cynthia decides to slow down and ram her bike into the side of Ophilia's, staggering us both]]

I slow way down and wait for Ophilia to drive right through them, totaling her bike and forcing her to eject from it as it crashes and burns into the pavement. Once she’s standing stranded, waiting for her vehicle to respawn, I speed right past her and cut off her head with ease. “What? Aww.” Now left with no competition save for each other, Charlie and I race down the open track, performing tricks and sneaking through shortcuts, happy to make our inferiors sit and watch us have fun. “The best thing about this game is the complete lack of options for anyone unlucky enough to lose early. Very beginner friendly series.” “I might feel bad for you, if you were actually a beginner.” “Oh, excuse me for taking a break for a couple years, I wanted to lose my virginity.” “You’re excused.” Charlie manages to hold out for most of the race, but come lap four, my familiarity with this particular game shows itself, and I’m able to bully her into an unfavorable part of the track and grind down her defenses. Sure enough, I’m able to make her crash and deal the finishing blow, running her over and severing her in half at the waist. A heroic fanfare plays, as my character triumphantly stands atop his motorcycle, pumping his fists up in the air. “Yeah, my bad for taking the owner of the game to the final two, I guess.” “Well that was fun, you guys wanna go another round?” “Nope.” “I’m okay.” Cynthia and Ophilia get up and leave without another word. Charlie leans back against my bed, shrugs, and selects “restart.” [[We go a couple more rounds before getting bored and moving on.|The setting sun heralds the evening’s end.]] (set: $AffCharlie to it + 2) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 1) (set: $AffCynthia to it +1)

“Nice going, McQueen. Eyes on the road next time.” “Hrr…” With nothing left to lose, I lean down and snatch Cynthia's controller, pulling it away from her. “Hey!” Cynthia grabs her controller back, tugging it from me, but not managing to wrest it from my grip. I lean back in the bed, forcing her to get up to her knees just to keep holding on. (if: $Farmer is true)[“Come on Seth, you already lost, give it up.” “A farmer has to fit three things on his two boats: a chicken, a fox, a rake, a smaller chicken…” ]“I'm gonna run you over in real life, you twit.” Cynthia climbs onto the bed on top of me, pinning my wrist to the mattress with one hand and grabbing the controller with the other. Ophilia scoots to the side, trying not to get caught up in our wrestling match. Finally, Cynthia's able to steal her controller back, but not before a loud *crash* sounds from the television. “-!” Cynthia turns around and I lift my head up, to find that Cynthia's vehicle has crashed out and exploded. Her driver's laying lifeless on the racetrack, her head, arms, and chest sitting severed a good three feet from the rest of her body. Not far away, Charlie speeds off, twirling a long, slim rapier like a baton. [[Cynthia huffs, defeated.]]

“And then there was one-and-a-half.” “Good job Seth, you just won Charlie the game.” I shrug, satisfied that I got Cynthia killed, even if it cost me my own life. Charlie, predictably, doesn't take long to hunt down Ophilia and claim victory. “Well that was fun, you guys wanna go another round?” “Nah, that was boring, you two weren't even playing.” “I’m okay, too. Thanks for inviting me, though.” Charlie and Ophilia get up and leave without another word. Cynthia sits down beside me and glares. “You gonna bail on me too?” “Screw that. You owe me a rematch, cheater.” [[Cynth and I go a couple more rounds before eventually getting bored and moving on.|The setting sun heralds the evening’s end.]] (set: $AffCharlie to it + 1) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 1) (set: $AffCynthia to it +2)

“Whoa!” “Watch your left, Phili. I'm gonna getcha.” Cynthia swipes at Ophilia's bike a couple of times from the safety of her own vehicle. “We gotta call it off, we're both screwed if the other players give us too much trouble.” “Uh, yeah okay, got it.” I return to my bike and undo the bridge, clearing some distance from Ophilia so she can get away from Cynthia. She does, only to get herself locked into another duel with Charlie right after. “Ah! Are we fighting again?” “You gotta stay on your toes little lady, these streets are vicious.” “Wait, I don't really know how to fight yet, how did I get on the bridge last time-” Charlie sends a quick stab at Ophilia, catching her off guard and landing a direct hit to her rider's temple. Having taken too much damage from myself and Cynthia, Ophilia falls off of her bike and dies, eliminated from the race. “Oh no! I died?” “Them's the brakes.” Charlie snickers, and hops back on her vehicle, speeding up to catch back up to Cynthia and I. [[I glare at the two of them, disapprovingly.]]

“Real mature, she hasn't played this game before.” “This is a death-sport, Seth. Don't race if you can't handle getting wiped out.” “...Couldn’t have put it better myself.” I pull in to Cynthia's right side and slash at her tire, cutting a significant gash into her wheel. Then I slow down, pull back up to her right side, and ram into her, putting all of her bike's pressure on the weakened half, spinning her out of control. “Whoa- hey, what the hell was that?” “Balance-Damage. They don't really tell you about it, but the mechanic exists in the code. Learned about it in a regional tournament.” “Ooh, cool! Let me write that down. Any other hidden tricks to tell us about, teach?” “Nope, the normal tricks work just fine.” I take out an item I collected earlier in the race, and toss it to my side, directly in Charlie's way. An “angular mine” activates as Charlie runs over it, turning her at an immediate ninety-degree angle, headfirst into a solid cement wall. “Noted.” The race continues a few more laps, but I keep the pressure up on both of my opponents the entire time. When the fourth lap's started, I've already blown up Charlie's vehicle, and whittled Cynthia down to her last few bits of health. Not electing for anything flashy, I steady myself behind her and slam on the gas, ramming my bike directly into hers, snapping her hull into pieces and leaving her tumbling onto the pavement. [[The landing damage is enough to do her driver in, and earn me the win.]]

“There we go!” “Woo! Way to go, Seth!” “Jesus, that was an ass-whooping. You didn't even try that hard in high-school.” “And you deserved every bit of it. Far be it from me to resist putting a bitch in her place.” Charlie leans forward and points herself out. “Two bitches. I picked on Phili, too.” “A little late to ask for a plea deal, but I appreciate your honesty. Y'all wanna go for another round?” “Nope.” “As if, I obviously have some training to do. Lemme steal your copy for a week, then we'll talk about a rematch.” Charlie and Cynthia get up and leave without another word. Ophilia fiddles with the controller and smiles. “I think I got the hang of it, a little. Wanna keep teaching me?” “You're on.” [[Phili and I go a couple more rounds before eventually getting bored and moving on.|The setting sun heralds the evening’s end.]] (set: $AffCharlie to it + 1) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 2) (set: $AffCynthia to it +1)

The first hand isn't anything too exciting; we're not putting any money down yet, so we can all warm up and remember how to play. “Call.” “You don't have to say ‘call,’ you can just knock on the table.” “That's not how I played back home, and it's not as fun.” “Let her talk, Aurora, it lets me hear how excited she is about her hand.” “...” Mabel's face sours, and she knocks on the table. “Do you play a lot of poker, Jessie?” “Working at Pandora, what do you think? There's always a game going on, the girls play to blow off steam after the thrill shows.” Jessie raises the blind by five chips. [[I study her face tentatively, and call.]]

“Sometimes we set up poker tables in the VIP Suite, lay in the middle and let guys compete for a lap dance or something.” “I thought you weren't a stripper.” “I'm not. I mean, I used to be. I do it for fun, when I'm in the mood.” “You strip, Jessie. You're a stripper.” Jessie sighs, trying not to get frustrated. “No, Mabel, I'm not. There's a difference.” “The strippers usually start with more layers on than your uniform allows.” “That doesn't… yeah, okay, sure, that doesn't mean anything. Call. Wait, shit-” Jessie knocks on the table. “She's bluffing.” “Yep.” Everyone calls, and we flip our cards over to reveal that Jessie did, in fact, have nothing. Jessie rolls her eyes, shuffles the deck, and passes out a new set of cards. This time we're betting for real, so I've gotta play smart. Jessie puts three cards down, face-up in the middle of the table: 5 of hearts, 10 of spades, and 7 of hearts. I peek at the two cards I'm given: 8 of spades and Queen of hearts. Not a great hand; a flush is possible if both of the cards Jessie reveals are hearts. But do I want to depend on that possibility? Without it, I don't have much of anything. What's the play? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Fold]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Call]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Raise]]</div>

No, not worth the risk. Better to bow out now before I put down any real spending money. I fold, revealing my cards to the table. Jessie and Mabel both sigh and roll their eyes, bored by my decision. “Of course you don't want to play when there's something to lose. Your hand wasn't even that bad.” “If you want to trickle all your money to me this way, that's fine, but you can speed things up if you bluff a couple times.” The rest of the table calls. Jessie puts down another face-up card: 10 of hearts. “Game's not over yet, no reason to empty my wallet on round one.” “I agree. This is a game of endurance, just as much as charisma. You need to have the restraint to play the long game, and the wisdom to see a losing battle coming.” Aurora pushes a small stack of chips forward, doubling the current bet. Ophilia scrunches up her mouth, thinking it over, before calling. “What do you know about losing battles?” “Not much, what about you?” Jessie and Aurora have a stand-off, staring each other in the eyes, looking for some tell in the other. Eventually, Jessie bucks down, and folds. “Coward.” “Pair's not worth that much.” Mabel calls, so Jessie flips over the last card: [[7 of hearts.]]

It's not a great hand, but a flush is in reach, and it's a lot better than nothing. I'll just ride the current. We go around the table, everyone else also content to call. Jessie flips over the next card: 2 of hearts. I take a peek at everyone else's faces. Aurora and Ophilia look bored, Jessie is cross-referencing her cards with the table’s for any new matches, and Mabel is trying to keep a smirk from breaking up her left lip. Everyone calls again, until we get to Mabel, who raises by six chips. I shrug, and call again. Ophilia and Aurora do the same, but Jessie folds, revealing she only has a pair to work with. “You gave my poker face a lot of shit for someone who doesn't even wanna play.” “I don't wanna play with these three. *You* don't have shit.” “Oh yeah?” Mabel raises again, for a total of ten chips. “You can't be that confident this early.” “Try me. I've been eyeing this cute little ring at the mall lately, and you know synthetic diamonds just don't sparkle the same.” “Pfft, like you'd be caught dead in any kind of jewelry.” “Yeah, since when do you care about high fashion?” “I'm branching out. I think financial superiority will look good on me.” Jessie flips up the last card. [[Ace of hearts; I actually got my flush!]]

It's not a great hand, but a flush is in reach, and it's a lot better than nothing. I bet I can get the others to bow out. It goes to me first, so my immediate raise of six chips is a shock to the table. Ophilia folds nice and early, but the others aren't so easily phased. Jessie flips over the next card: 8 of spades. I take a peek at everyone else's faces. Aurora and Ophilia look bored, Jessie is cross-referencing her cards with the table’s for any new matches, and Mabel is trying to keep a smirk from breaking up her left lip. Everyone calls, until we get to Mabel, who raises us up to ten chips. “Feeling cocky?” “I feel like running you out of money as early as possible.” I shrug, and call again. Aurora does the same, but to my surprise, Jessie raises as well, bringing us up to fourteen chips. Jessie leans on her elbows, smiling warmly and checking to see how much her play shook the two of us. “I've got nothing, by the way.” “Sure you do.” Hesitantly, both of us call. Aurora folds, not having nearly a strong enough hand to butt heads with the three of us. When Jessie raises again, bringing us to twenty chips, Mabel finally backs out and folds. “What happened to making me go broke?" “Dude, I still gotta eat something today, Jessie'll take care of this for me.” I stare Jessie down. She leans back in her chair, spreads her legs, and shrugs, waiting for me to [[make my move.]]

“Damnit.” “See, Seth? Only way to know you're gonna lose money is by paying the entrance fee and bailing.” The table all calls, so it's time for everyone to reveal their cards. “It's alright Seth, you still made the right call. That flush wouldn't have won you the game.” Aurora reveals her hand, proudly showing off her full house; three fives and two sevens. “And what were you talking up so hard, Peppermint?” Mabel's face sours. She turns to look away from us, and reveals her completely useless hand. “And that's where reckless bluffing gets you. If you don't know how to carry yourself and read the room, you're only going to end up biting off more than you can chew.” “Oh hey, I won!” Aurora's eyes dart over to Ophilia, and the two 10's laying in front of her, giving her a four of a kind. Aurora stiffens, gripping the table with her knuckles and watching Ophilia shuffle the chips into her arms in stunned silence. “You… what? You had a four of a kind?” “Yup. Can I shuffle this time?” "No." “No.” “Absolutely not.” We go a few more rounds, money changing hands in random directions, with a slight preference against myself for my cautious play style. Eventually, when everyone's had their fill, we count up the chips and pay everyone out. Aurora's upsetting first round must have thrown her off of her game, [[she ended up with less than I figured she would.|The setting sun heralds the evening’s end.]] (set: $AffJessie to it + 1) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 1) (set: $AffMabel to it + 1) (set: $AffAurora to it + 2)

I call, Ophilia and Aurora both fold, neither of them having anything stronger than a two-pair. Mabel looks me in the eye, and raises again. “Right.” “Yeah.” “Sure.” “Mhm.” I call. Mabel's smile dies. The two of us reveal our cards to each other: I have a flush, and Mabel has nothing. “Respectably bold, but painfully obvious.” “Told ya.” “You didn't ‘tell me’ anything, I knew I didn't have anything.” “And now you don't even have spending money this week. Who's selling that ring you wanted?” “There's no ring. Shuffle up, I'll get you next time.” We go a few more rounds, money changing hands in random directions, with a slight preference against myself for my cautious play style. Eventually, when everyone's had their fill, we count up the chips and pay everyone out. In the end, [[Mabel definitely did not ‘get me next time.'|The setting sun heralds the evening’s end.]] (set: $AffJessie to it + 1) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 1) (set: $AffMabel to it + 2) (set: $AffAurora to it + 1)

I call. Jessie flips over the last card; 9 of diamonds. Then, her smug smile grows to one of elated excitement, and she raises again, to a full thirty chips. The hairs on my neck stand on end. I look back at my two cards, trying desperately not to let any of my anxiety show as I wonder just how real Jessie's enthusiasm is here. Aurora watches us both with interest, Ophilia and Mabel sidle up beside me to peek at my hand. “Call it. She's full of shit.” “I don't know, it'd be pretty easy for her to manage a straight now.” “She just admitted she has nothing, she's doing this to screw with you.” “I *am* doing this to screw with you. Doesn't mean I don't have a winning hand.” I look back at Jessie. Aurora has now sat beside her, and peeked at her deck. I see Aurora study it, and give a satisfied nod. I sigh, and knock on the table, calling. We both reveal our cards, and… [[Jessie got her straight. She wins.]]

“Ooooh, shit. My bad.” “Well I'm completely broke now, so I guess I'm out.” “Them's the brakes, Michigan. We can still have fun though. Wanna sit on my lap and play with me? I basically won you, didn't I?” “I guess I've got more than money I can bet with. Can I toss in my shirt to stay another round?” The rest of the table shuffles at that suggestion; most of them caught off guard, but not necessarily opposed to my suggestion. I don't even mean it in earnest, I'm just flirting with Jessie. “I'll get some wine, let's make this a real game.” “Oh geez, um, do we all have to-” “Nope. No, we're not playing strip poker. Hard veto.” “Oh, that's alright Mabel. I'll run you out of money next, so you can leave while the rest of us play.” “I'm here for the long haul, slut. I'll take out a loan if I have to.” “Oh, you'll have to.” “Don't worry about money, Seth, I'll lend you some of my chips. Let's just keep playing normally for a while.” “Fair enough.” We go a few more rounds, money changing hands in random directions, with a slight preference against myself for my cautious play style. Eventually, when everyone's had their fill, we count up the chips and pay everyone out. [[Despite Jessie's best efforts, the idea of strip poker never seriously comes up again.|The setting sun heralds the evening’s end.]] (set: $AffJessie to it + 2) (set: $AffOphilia to it + 1) (set: $AffMabel to it + 1) (set: $AffAurora to it + 1)

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Evening")\ \The setting sun heralds the evening’s end. After dinner, everyone goes about their nighttime routine and gets ready for bed. As I’m heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth, Ophilia tugs on my arm on her way to her room. “Goodnight Seth. Do you wanna walk to school together monday?” “Monday's a couple days away, isn't it? I wasn't out for that long.” “I like to plan ahead. Do you wanna?” “Sure Phili, I'll wait for you.” “Yay, thanks. Sleep well!” (if: $Cynthiaknows is true)[Cynthia walks past us, locking eyes with me briefly on her way past. She shakes her head dismissively and keeps walking. ]"Yeah, you too." Ophilia beams, and trots off to bed herself. Now all washed up, I cross the hall to my bedroom door, only to find Aurora waiting for me there, leaning against the wall… [[in a different outfit.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

I reach for my doorknob, but stop and look her up and down in confusion; the tacky leather shoes, the grey-green cardigan with the blue and gold school emblem at the heart, the skirt giving up just before reaching knee-height… “Hi, Aurora. Why are you wearing your school uniform?” “I thought I’d try a different look, do you like it?” “Sure, I guess. You look good, wearing your completely optional school uniform, at nine-thirty at night. After school.” “I think it’s kinda cute, but nobody ever seems to wear them around campus. Which is weird, because I think they sell, don’t they?” “I have one somewhere, minus the short skirt.” “Anyway, what are you doing tonight?” “Sleeping, I think.” “Wanna hang out for a little while? I’m not tired at all, I could use a little company.” “Uh, I dunno, maybe. I’m still feeling kinda drained after my transfusion, I probably shouldn’t stay up too late.” “Yeah, I never asked you about that, are you holding up okay? Cynthia tells me you used to go through this sort of thing a lot.” “The transfusions, not the stabbing.” Aurora tilts my chin up with her finger and brushes my neck with her other hand, [[examining my condition.]]

“It was a shame things happened the way they did, we never got to meet up like we wanted to.” “A- ah.” That’s what this is about. Aurora’s hands trickle down my neck, to fix the collar of my shirt. “We did mean to talk in private, didn’t we?” “Or something like that.” My eyes flit back down to her skirt, and the little bit of skin exposed between the end of her skirt and the start of her long socks. “...I guess a couple hours wouldn't be so bad.” “Is your room okay?” “Good as any.” I open the door, and [[let her in.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ Aurora takes a few wandering steps about my room, taking in the atmosphere. “I never got to see what your room looked like decorated until now.” “Yeah, I mean, you saw my dorm room, it's basically the same thing.” “Almost exactly the same thing. Didn't feel the need to rearrange at all?” “Not really, why?” I take a seat on my bed, Aurora leans against the wall and looks out the window at the campus streets below. “I dunno, some people work that way, I guess. I just- when I moved here, I sold just about everything I could, and built my room completely from scratch. I didn't want any of my last room's energy spilling into this one.” “Really?” “Yeah. I mean, it's a new space, I think it deserves the respect it needs to exist on its own. I think that's good for the soul; it helped me break into a new chapter of my life. I wasn't hanging onto an old house.” “I just know where I like my things to be. I wasn't really thinking about a, uh, new chapter.” “But that's what this place is supposed to be, you know.” Aurora crosses her arms and looks away from the window to meet my eyes. Her words alone make it sound like she's chastising me for my choice in decoration, but her attitude conveys more of an enthusiasm; [[she's excited by this little philosophy debate we're having.]]

“This place is somewhere people go to discover things about themselves. Part of the point is leaving behind your old ghosts so you can discover what you're really like when all of that is put behind you. That goes for college in general, let alone ADA.” Putting your old ghosts behind you… that sounds familiar. “Interesting philosophy. You told me before that you wanted ADA to help people. Are the girls living here because they have things to put behind them?” “Absolutely. I mean, everyone has something on their heels, but these people are special. I didn't want to just… I didn't just want a sorority, you know? I had to be picky.” “But I'm not special. I'm just here because I know Cynthia.” “I thought so too, at first. But now I'm not so sure.” [[Aurora sits on the bed next to me, wrapping her left arm around my shoulders, pulling me just a little closer to her head.]]

"So, you got Ophilia to show us her big secret. I imagine that wasn't a very fun conversation.” "You have no idea." "I'd like to. What happened?" "..." What the hell do I even say? "It was… it was terrifying. All of it. She almost killed me." (if: $Catch is true)["You met her demon, like you did with Mabel." ]\ I cut your throat open with a kitchen knife and barely acknowledged it. (if: $Catch is true)["Yeah. I did." ]\ Aurora frowns. "I might have been able to help you, if you'd waited." “I know. I just didn't… think I should wait. I don't know. I don't know, I'm sorry.” “Seth…” Aurora swings her leg over mine, laying her knees down on either side of me and sitting in my lap, [[chest pressed against mine.]]

“I think it's beautiful that you're so eager to help these girls. That my family means enough to you already that you'd put yourself in danger for them. But you…” Aurora's fingers slide up my scalp, playfully curling through strands of my hair. “You know you don't have to. It obviously hasn't been easy on you.” “I know that. But I still feel like I should. They need help, right? You said they need help.” “Yes, I did. But that's not why I brought you here. I didn't mean to throw you to the wolves, not this fast.” Aurora begins slowly rocking her hips, grinding herself against me, holding onto my head to support her movement. She does this without so much as changing her tone of voice, like she isn't even thinking about what she's doing. “I want you to enjoy yourself here, Seth. That's all I want for you.” “I can… hh… I'm enjoying myself… just fine.” My right hand finds her leg, palm embracing the soft warmth of her thigh, my fingers breaching the shade underneath her skirt. Aurora lifts her hips up just a touch, presses them to mine, and slides back down my lap, guiding my hand further up her leg and closer to those rocking hips. “But you're trying too hard. You don't know what you're doing, that's why you're getting hurt.” I don't know how Aurora is holding this conversation so easily. It's so hard to think with her straddling my groin like this. And I know she can feel me too, the way she's blushing. “I can handle getting hurt. I just want to help.” “You're moving too fast.” Aurora leans in, and plants a deep, intentful kiss on my lips. I close my eyes, and feel the earth rotate around me, all the world centered around Aurora's intimate, gyrating hips. She pulls back, and looks me in the eye. “You don't know these girls. I need you to back off, Seth.” “I… okay.” Aurora nods, and sits up on her knees, giving her enough room to find the button and zipper of my pants, [[undoing each with slow, teasing intent.]]

“You know, from the day I met you, I've wondered how long it would take to get you here. If you were the type to take what you so obviously wanted from me.” “I think I made it clear I'm not that type.” Aurora smirks, sliding my pants down my legs. “No. I knew I'd have to be the one to break you in.” “We haven't known each other long… you wanted this from the day we met?” Aurora giggles, and lowers her hips down just a touch, to touch her nethers to mine. She hovers right there, and mumbles through her teeth. “You have no idea.” “I think I have some idea…” My right hand explores the surface of her ass, comfortable in its placement. As I revel in her plush, maternal figure, I come to notice that I can feel *all* of it; all of her skin is bare for my touch. And then I realize that the gentle kiss fluttering at my tip doesn't feel of fabric. She isn't wearing anything under this skirt. She hasn't been this whole time. Aurora's smirk subtly melts into a lewd, gluttonous smile, and she pulls her hands in to gently force my face into her bosom. Then, with a low, smoky tone, she speaks. Not a whisper. [[She speaks plainly, she knows no one will hear her but me.]]

“I'm going to put you inside me, and consume you. I'm going to wring every drop of life out of you, until your precious little soul is staining my thighs.” (live: 5s)[I whimper into her breasts and grab her ass, trying to pull her back down onto my lap out of desperation. But Aurora holds firm, pushing against me to stay right where she is, not even an inch away from connection. She waits for my little force play to end; once I'd stopped misbehaving and gave her control again, she nuzzles herself downward. My head slips inside her effortlessly, caressing me with a warm, sweet wetness that sends a tingle out from my groin and into my stomach. Aurora pulls my head back out from her bosom to lock eyes with me again. I hear a shallow, elated breath escape her lips. She feels my heart rate pick up in anticipation of what's to come. There's an excitement in both of our eyes, apparent to one another; with that one little movement, she and I had crossed a line we can't walk back from. We're embracing each other, tasting one another's bodies and indulging in a dirty euphoria that can only come about through total commitment. No flirtation, no fantasy, no half-measures. I'm sampling an electricity only available inside of her, just a hint at the tip of myself is exhilarating. [[And then she goes deeper.]]]

Her hips slide the rest of the way down my shaft, and that electricity expands and multiplies and my head goes light and I gasp from the shock of it all, and so does she. “Ha!” “Nff-... haah…” Aurora's left eye twitches, and her bangs droop in front of her right. Her perverted smile fights momentarily with a frustrated grimace, and she lets out a small huff, which makes me laugh. She wants to intimidate me, and a part of her plan to pull that off was to appear totally unaffected by my being inside her. Completely in control of both my body and hers. And on the first insertion, she's already fucked it up. Aurora gives me a disapproving glower, while we both take a second to recover from the unexpectedly intense first motion. Then, once she's caught her breath, she curls her stomach in and bucks her hips up, tightening her insides and shocking me with another jolt. My voice trills, then my face is shoved back into her chest. Aurora finds a rhythm, bouncing on my lap with an almost mechanical consistency. The fabric of her skirt brushes my knees with each raise and drop, both of my hands now mindlessly gripping her for dear life. The exterior feeling of her perfect body on my palms mixing with the nectar of the boiling pot that's inside her; it feels so heavenly, so unnaturally euphoric that to let go of either would be akin to letting my own life slip through my fingers. Aurora doesn't moan, per se, but the pleasure she feels comes out in the way she speaks. Her voice is pitched a little higher, and she lingers on the vowels of her words like she's singing. “Mmm, Seeth, you're biiigger than I thought you'd beee. Hah- I haven't felt like thiiiis since- Hhh, Goood… like that. Just like thaaat…” Aurora shivers from shoulders to knees, and I feel the world's rotation lose focus. The space around us swirls and twists, I lose track of my own sense of direction. The bed beneath me, the dressers and posters and bags in the room about me all leave my mind and lose their relevance; I forget everything except for our intertwining bodies, and the electrifying pleasure that doubles itself every time [[Aurora slams her hips back down to my base.]]

I feel the grip of her fingers on my scalp loosen a little, so I pull my head back to say something to her. Another night, I might have wanted to tease her, or talk back to her, or try to assert myself against her somehow, but my head is such a worthless blur, I can't think of anything, anything at all. “I f- feel like I'm losing my mind…” “Mm- fgh…” Aurora bites her lower lip, and takes her hands off of my head, quickly retrieving them to fiddle with her shirt. With frantic desperation, she undoes her buttons, skipping the first and second to open the third, fourth, and fifth. With this she creates a pocket of exposure, maintaining her costume by revealing to me only the skin of her cleavage and the weight of her breasts held up by her cream-colored bra. She doesn't need to put me back in my place after doing this. My body is so overwhelmed by hedonistic stimulation that the instinct to involve myself in her flesh goes wholly uncontested; unconsidered even, I'm back in the crevice of her chest without choosing to return. “Ff- hah, good boy. I knewww you would fit riiiight inn…” Aurora lets out a gravelly, shaky moan, the first she's let loose so far, and changes the angle of her legs, by extension switching the rhythm she fucks me with. Now, she grinds her pelvis into mine, rolling her hips up and then back in quick, violent jerks, shaking the bedframe under her with reckless abandon. She doesn't pull herself up off of me nearly as much, not giving me any more than a couple of inches before stuffing me back in, as if she's trying to get me stuck inside of her. “Right iiin…” I feel her tits bounce against my cheeks, supple and encompassing, I taste the sweat beading off her chest as I lap her up with my tongue. I've never felt anything like this before; her body is taking control away from my mind, activating something lecherous and unruly and primal, something that was apparently dormant in every neuron I inhabit. I can't think; any semblance of a thought forming is bludgeoned and snuffed by mountains of positive reinforcement. Every buck of her hips, I hear “yes.” Every inch of her ass in my hands sends “more” up my nerves into my brain. Every time her breasts steal the air from my lungs, “power.” Every trill of her now unleashed, erratic moans swims through my mind as [[“life.”]]

We keep to this animalistic sprint for some time; how much time, I couldn't even begin to guess, but it feels like we go through an entire life cycle together, from creation to perishment. In that time, I feel her tremble around me again and again and again, each orgasm rushing through her like a crashing wave, waning slowly over time, but never disappearing before the next wave comes to overtake her. Every time she comes to climax on top of me, crushing my pelvis into the bed so she can absorb what fractions of me she isn't already filling herself with, I feel so unexplainably complete. Her pleasure overflows from her and spills into me, and to me it so easily overwhelms that it spills back into her. I am inebriating her, inebriating myself. We are both, together, feeling the melting warmth of woman and the splitting fullness of man. We are both, together, helplessly swept away by each crashing wave assaulting our masochistic shore, and we are both revelling in the steadily building pressure that mercilessly inches us closer to resolution. I feel what's coming, I receive the message my body is giving me, but I've hopelessly lost any chance to interpret it as the warning it ought to be. I don't have the rationale anymore to warn her that I'm as close to it as I am. My body is just screaming to me that everything is perfect, everything I'm doing is exactly right and I have to keep going at any and all costs. So all I manage to do is tighten my grip on her flesh, blind myself in the inviting crevice of her cleavage, and wait for perfect release. Only, Aurora catches us where I fail to. Noticing me tense up like I do, she tenses up as well, and quickly presses her palm to my chest, pushing my back down to the mattress, before lifting her hips up and releasing me. At once, I'm paralyzed. I don't know how, but it's bluntly painful being taken from her so quickly. Aurora laughs, and tries to brush her messy, frizzled hair with her free hand, [[not nearly managing to get it back to its neat, trimmed structure.]]

“Hahahahaha… baaad boyyy… you… you were gonna… haah…” Aurora mumbles under her breath, in disbelief of herself. “What did you do to me…?” “Hh… nnn…” “You need to control yourself, Seth. I can't have you living in this house, bedding all my sisters if you're gonna be so dangerous about it… I can't have you acting like this with me…” One hand still pressed firmly on my chest, Aurora uses the other to grasp me beneath her, squeezing me with a strict and intentful grip. Jesus, even the touch of her hand is… “Especially since we'll be doing this over, and over, and over again. Just think of what could happen.” Aurora loosens her grasp on me, so she can gently stroke me while she speaks. With the same slow, methodical rhythm she began with her hips, her silken hand greets my every individual nerve ending with loving care. I try to say something, but get out nothing more than a long, breathy groan. She still isn't making it easy for me to formulate a thought. She's not done with me yet. Aurora hears my weak, desperate breath, and composes herself. Her debaucherous smile is wiped clean for her typical, smaller professional grin. Her eyes, wide with deranged frenzy and even fear, reset to the elegant, if perhaps condescending, three-quarters-open resting position she always wears. Her hand shifts gears, brushing me with her palm in sweeping, rotating motions, stimulating more surface area and gently moving me in cycles with her. If I had- despite everything I just went through with her- any doubts that she was an experienced woman, this hand trick is proof that she does know what she's doing. It's a unique and foreign stimulation to me, and she performs it methodically, like she's half-bored of the routine of it. “Oh, but you're helpless, aren't you?” “Nnh…” “Mm… you really do things to a girl, you know that? Maybe… I can give you what you want, just this once.” Again, she gets a solid grip on me, and points me directly upwards. Then, she lowers her hips down, just a few inches. Just enough to kiss myself to her, placing my head just inside her, like how we started. Just like before, the warm smother of her hips sends blissful shivers up my torso. [[My heart races. My arms twitch.]]

“Maybe Aurora's feeling generous. Maybe she's feeling reckless, too.” “Haah… hh-” Maintaining her solid grasp on me, Aurora moves her hand again, steadily dragging down, then up, then down, with my member partway inside of her. Just enough to excite us both, and just enough to suffer the consequences. Halfway to having a heart attack, barely able to see Aurora through the black fog that's invading my vision, I manage to spark a thought inside my thoroughly disabled brain: no, is she really going to do it? I can't let her, can I? I can't. “I just… want to hear you say it, Seth. Say that you want it.” “I… aah…” “Hm? You what?” Her hand is so soft. So tight… I'm so warm. “I want it…” “Say you want it.” “I want it.” Aurora's hand speeds up, not all at once, but gradually, with each change in direction, just a little bit faster. “Say you need it.” “I n- I neeed it.” “Say you want me.” “A- ah!” Her arm jerks with more force, now abandoning the gentle-and-firm caressing for dirty, rough pursuit of a result. Her legs shake, sliding me just ever so slightly further inside of her. [[I go mad.]]

“Say you want me!” “I want you! I w- haah!” My hands are grasping the bedsheets so tightly my fingernails might tear through them. “Say you need me!” “I need you! I- fuck- I need you! Ah!” “Say you need me, Seth!” “Auroraaa-” My pelvis spasms, my hips buck up into hers all on their own. Aurora yelps as I penetrate her all over again, and her elegant eyes go back wide with shock. As quickly as she can, she lifts herself up and pushes my hips back to the bed, pulling me out of her just as my own composure breaks. Aurora sits back on the edge of the bed, and clasps my twitching self with both of her thighs with a resonant clap. While I writhe in place, moaning into the bed like a speared animal, Aurora squeezes her thighs together and gyrates them, guiding me along with each shot that my orgasm fires from me. It must last for no less than twenty seconds, each spasm so violent I fear I might buck Aurora off of the mattress and onto the floor by mistake. But she holds firm, rocking her legs in synchronicity with me, still in tune with the oneness of body she and I experienced while embracing each other. With no control left of myself, feeling the most mind-numbingly intense release of my life, I cover her completely; her hair, her face, her neck, her chest, her stomach, all given their own individual assault and then some. But as I finally start to come down from the high, and the violence of the outburst wanes, most of my mark ends up pooling the soft, victorious surface area making up her thighs. Eventually, I go still, and sink into the mattress. Aurora leers down at me, and tenderly scratches my chest with one finger. She stays there a long while after, apparently enjoying the view she earned having ruined me. [[She still has me caught in her thighs when I fall asleep.]]

(live: 5s)[Teeth.] (live: 9s)[That's the first thing that… that's the first thing. Before sight, before sound, before the feeling of what those teeth are doing or whatever tells me that there *are* teeth, I know that there are teeth.] (live: 17s)[Then, location. My skin. My torso, in between two of my right ribs, just underneath my pectoral. The understanding that there are teeth inside my skin invites the words to describe what they are doing: ripping, piercing, mangling. I am being torn apart by a set of fangs. And *that* revelation invites pain.] (live: 28s)[Horrible, sizzling, sobering pain, shrieking from my chest and frying the nerves surrounding it, lurching me into overdriven awareness of my surroundings. [[All of my absent senses come crashing into reality like shards of glass ejected from their window pane by a bullet into my skull.]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

I'm laying on my back, on a miles-wide bed of rose petals, each a unique shade or hue of one of the colors of the rainbow. They smell of cinnamon, and lavender, and sugar. The sky above me is black, starless, and cold. My body is bare, naked to the elements and crispened by that uncaring frigidity. My blood is spilling from my side, mingling with the saliva of a massive, long-haired, husky wolf. Its hot breath washes over me and provides some sick comfort to the shivering surface of my ruined skin. I try to scream, but no breath escapes my lungs; I find there's a vacuum in my chest, holding me stranglingly tight. Emboldened by adrenaline, I swing my left arm over myself and beat the wolf between the eyes, trying to force myself onto my feet in the process, hoping to earn my freedom from its jaws. The first swing does not unlatch the beast from me, so I strike again, and once again. The third swing makes the beast yelp, so I dare to hope I might best it yet. But when I reel my arm back to strike it yet again, I find [[my arm suddenly caught in the windup.]]

(set: $location to "")\ \ (set: $time to "")\ \Teeth. A second wolf bites my wrist and snarls, thrashing its head from side to side, jerking me along with it and enabling the first wolf's teeth to shred me further. Again, I try to scream, to no avail. Pinned, I buck my legs, kicking up rose petals into the air. They dance and twirl carelessly through the frigid air while I helplessly try to find traction beneath my bare soles. That disturbance only draws the attention of another wolf, who leaps out from the darkness and pounces on my calves. Immobilized and bleeding, I fight with my shuddering lungs to draw breath while this pack of wolves feasts on my body. A new wolf finds its way to my eyes, another fights with the second wolf to rip the meat off of my forearm. My face is drenched with pungent slobber, and my sight bleeds red, then blurs, then goes black as the skin is peeled from my face in long, messy strips. I choke and sputter as my own meat and blood and spit avalanches into my throat, coalesced into a revolting sludge by a feral animal's sickly drool. For some excruciating, neverending seconds they gorge on me, swallowing down chunks of flesh and gore and spraying my viscera about the beautiful flower petals with their filthy porcelain teeth. I hear them huff and whimper and pant in pleasure of scarfing me down, and I feel so disgusted that the sounds of it alone might kill me. My suffering is only brought to an end when another wolf, this one the final, leaps over the others to land directly atop me. I cannot look this animal in the face, as my head is already being mauled, but I feel it hesitate, stopping to study me for a moment with calm contemplation. But its personal moment of quiet is of no good to me, and it ends too soon, as the beast rears its head up, and then plunges its fangs into the space just beneath my stomach, just above my pelvis. A deeper puncture than all the others before it, the wolf wedges its head into my torso to fasten itself tighter, then pulls back, pushing up with all four of its legs to combat the resistance my body offers. It struggles, its neck shaking from the tension, and it makes little progress for a few moments more. But soon enough, a putrid noise of ripping meat fires into the empty sky, and my body is unmade. My bowels explode out from me, as if within me they were compressed and waiting to escape. The wolves take no special notice to this, as all continue pulling me apart at the cuts [[most interesting to them personally.]]

With a gasp, I shoot up to my hands and knees, head throbbing and heart racing. My eyes dart around the room… no, there's no room. There's no anything, no rose petals, no wolves. I'm alone. It's quiet, and very dark. The only sound is that of my own breathing, and the only lights I can see look so far away. Vast, dim swaths of color shift and shrink and grow in the endless expanse all about me, in any direction. They look like galaxies, but this place doesn't feel like space. At least, there's a floor. I look down at myself, I'm clothed. Mostly. My jacket (if: $Cane is true)[and shoes are ](else:)[is ]still gone. Concerningly though, I wear something new in (if: $Cane is false)[their ](else:)[it's ]place; (if: $Cane is true)[four ](else:)[two ]blue collars lock around my body, one (if: $Cane is true)[around each ankle, one ]around each wrist. They sit attached to links of chains, the same shade of blue, all of which tether me to the floor. Though I feel the solid surface of a glassy ground beneath me, I see nothing to suggest it is there at all. Below my feet is more endless black, and more distant clouds of color. The chain links don't connect to anything in particular, the last of each link just floats level with my knees, and refuses to move when I tug at them. I think, at first, that these chains are all I have to accompany me, but soon after I notice another light gently pulsing into view a couple of feet ahead of me. It's a little ball of white light, a faint blue hue inside it, barely present enough to mention. It floats and bobs in place just a few inches from the ‘floor.’ I crawl back away from it, retreating as far apart from the light as my shackles will bid me to go. Even if it weren't for them, I doubt I could escape a predator here, my cane is nowhere to be found. The ball of light grows, and glows brighter, and quickly takes the shape of a human silhouette. That bright glow fades into a gentler, halo-esque aura, allowing me to get a better look at the person it became. My heart skips a beat. The hairs on my arms stand on end. I hold my body perfectly still as I [[witness Katherine Hargrove materialize before me.]]

(text-color: blue)["Hello, (live: 1s)[Seth."]] (live: 2.5s)[“Katherine!?”] (live: 4s)[I force myself up to my weary feet, and yank my shackles in hopes they'll snap. Katherine, sitting on her knees with her hands in her lap, reaches one arm out to me and softly waves me down.] (text-color: blue)[(live: 9s)[“Calm down. ](live: 10s)[I'm not who you think I am.”]] (live: 12s)[“What the hell did you do- where- where am I? What did you do to me!?”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 14s)[“I didn't do anything. ](live: 15s)[You aren't in any danger.”]] (live: 17s)[“I- I got rid of you. I killed you! What are you still doing here!? Where is Ophilia!?”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 20s)[“Ophilia is asleep. ](live: 21s)[She's perfectly fine, ](live: 21.5s)[would you please listen to me?”]] (live: 23s)[I pull one more time against my chains, trying to pull my arms and legs free at once. The strain on my legs finally proves enough to overpower my panic, and my knees buckle, forcing me back to the ground.] (live: 29s)[“Unf-”] (live: 30s)[I lock my eyes onto Katherine, who still hasn't gotten up from her sitting position. I know better than to trust her, I'm not falling for her tricks again.] (live: 34s)[“What do you want, demon?”] (live: 36s)[Katherine shakes her head.] (text-color: blue)[(live: 38s)[“I want to thank you, ](live: 39s)[Seth.”]] (live: 41s)[“...”] (live: 43s)[ [[I squint, and wait for her to explain.]]]

(text-color: blue)[“I know what you went through with my sister. (live: 2s)[What that demon did to the both of you, ](live: 4s)[I'm so sorry about all of that. ](live: 6s)[You'll never know how much it means to me that ](live: 7s)[my ](live: 7.25s)[Ophilia ](live: 7.5s)[will finally stop hurting herself for that thing.”]] (live: 10s)[“...You mean you aren't the Katherine I banished. You're… you're really her.”] (live: 13s)[Katherine smiles.] (live: 15s)[“You're a ghost.”] (live: 17s)[Her smile gets a touch sadder, seeing I still don't trust her.] (text-color: blue)[(live: 19s)[“Would that be so hard to believe? ](live: 21s)[What's a ghost after everything you've seen?”]] (live: 23s)[“...”] (live: 25s)[“Why is this the first I'm seeing of you? I could've used a warning, before everything I've seen.”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 28s)[“That's exactly why I couldn't. ](live: 30s)[That puppet did everything she could to keep me away. ](live: 32s)[Keep me suppressed, ](live: 33s)[try as I did to reach out to Ophilia. ](live: 35s)[If you weren't in my room, ](live: 36s)[I don't know if I'd even be able to talk to you now.”]] (live: 39s)[“...That aside, if you *are* the real Katherine, why chain me here in place here?”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 42s)[“I didn't do a thing to you. ](live: 44s)[You did.”]] (live: 47s)[“What do you mean?”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 49s)[“This place… ](live: 51s)[it has a strange connection to the minds ](live: 52s)[and ](live: 52.5s)[souls ](live: 53s)[of the people who find it. ](live: 54s)[I'm sure you've realized that much. ](live: 56s)[You've given a lot to make it this far. ](live: 58s)[Tied yourself down to that house, ](live: 60s)[to those people, ](live: 62s)[so you can save them.”]] (live: 65s)[“I didn't… (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel and ]Ophilia didn't ask me to do anything for (if: $Cane is true)[them](else:)[her].”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 68s)[“No. ](live: 70s)[But you knew (if:$Cane is true)[they](else:)[she] needed it. ](live: 70s)[And you paid a price for (if: $Cane is true)[them](else:)[her].”]] (live: 72s)[“...”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 74s)[“(if: $Cane is true)[They're](else:)[She's] healing, ](live: 76s)[because of you. ](live: 78s)[I've seen how (if: $Cane is true)[they've](else:)[she's] suffered since I died. ](live: 80s)[There's so many things I wish I'd have said to (if: $Cane is true)[them](else:)[her] ](live: 82s)[when I was alive.”]] (live: 85s)[“Well, you're not alive. So what's your point?”] (live: 88s)[ [[Katherine shrinks a little. But she shakes it off, and keeps talking.]]]

(text-color: blue)[“That house is infested. (if:$Cane is true)[(live: 2s)[Those demons you banished, ](live: 3s)[they weren't the only ones.”]](else:)[(live: 2s)[That demon you banished, ](live: 3s)[it wasn't the only one.”]] (live: 4.5s)[“They all have one. ](live: 6.5s)[Every single one of them is suffering, ](live: 8s)[and… ](live: 9.5s)[for the longest, ](live: 10.5s)[I thought I was helpless to help them. ](live: 12s)[But then this. ](live: 13s)[But then you.”]] (live: 15s)[“Yeah… me.”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 17s)[“I need… ](live: 19s)[I need to ask you a favor, ](live: 20s)[Seth. ](live: 22s)[I want you to save the others. ](live: 24s)[The rest of my sisters, ](live: 25s)[they need you just as much as (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel and ]Ophilia did. ](live: 27s)[You can-”]] (live: 27.5s)[“I don't know them.”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 30s)[“...?”]] (live: 33s)[“I don't know these women. I barely know Cynthia anymore. I'm getting myself hurt, and I don't even know if what I'm doing is really helping anyone. Or if there's a way to do it better. I don't want to risk my life chasing ghosts if no one wants me to-”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 42s)[“I want you to. ](live: 42.5s)[(if: $Cane is true)[Mabel and Ophilia love](else:)[Ophilia loves] you for what you did, ](live: 45s)[don't you see that?”]]\ (live: 48s)[ [[I can taste the pandering on her tongue. I break eye contact.]]] (set: $Catch to true) (set: $Cane to true)

(text-color: blue)[“Just keep doing what you do. (live: 2s)[Find your way into my sisters’ hearts. ](live: 4s)[You'll figure out the rest.”]] (live: 6s)[“Okay. I'll find their demons, Katherine. I'll do it.”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 8s)[“Thank you, ](live: 9s)[Seth. ](live: 10.5s)[You've let this damned spirit find some rest…”]] (live: 13s)[Katherine's image blurs into a wavy haze, and I feel my head getting heavy. I lean forward, overcome with dizziness, and [[collapse onto my mattress.]]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Night")\ \ My mattress. I'm in my bed again. I'm… awake. I'm pretty sure. I sit up. It's the middle of the night. Aurora's not with me. My pants are still on the floor. I sigh, lay back down, and [[go to sleep.|end ch6]]

End of Chapter 6. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 7]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Morning")\ \ (if: $Bloodless is true)[The next morning, I wake up feeling refreshed. Not necessarily physically; if anything, I'm still recovering from last night with Aurora. But mentally, I don't feel as reluctant to get out of bed as I'm used to. I'm waking up with a purpose. It's Saturday, I've been a part of this sorority for a week. The house I’m living in is haunted. I have to save the rest of my friends from the monsters haunting this place. Monsters I don't understand the nature of or even how to find. Monsters they don't know exist. But I've done this before, I have hope. A week. I've been here for a week. I can do this.]\ (else:)[The next morning, I wake up feeling refreshed, content, and ready to take on the day. With a little time to wind myself down after a tumultuous start with my new housemates, I'm finally starting to feel like I've settled into this house a little. A week. I've been here a week. I can do this.]\ (if: $Voicemail is true)[I stand up, take an iron pill, and scroll through my phone, checking my notifications. Seeing my phone-call app sitting lonely in the corner of the screen reminds me, I never listened to that voicemail Jessie told me to delete. If Jessica Valentine said something she doesn't want me to hear, then I think I have an ethical obligation to hear it. [[I open the app, scroll to the voicemails tab, and hit ‘play' on my unread messages.]]]\ (else-if: $Voicemail is false and $AffJessie > 9)[I stand up, take an iron pill, and scroll through my phone, checking my notifications. Interestingly, there is one: a missed call, and a voicemail. From... Jessie, left at three twenty-five in the morning. [[I open the app, scroll to the voicemails tab, and hit ‘play' on my unread messages.]]]\ (else:)[But before anything else, [[I leave my room to take a much-needed shower.]]] (set: $Chapter to 7)

Immediately, there's some rushing wind, its loud shrill spiking the microphone and making me jump. When the wind's scream subsides, I hear what sounds like crushing sticks under what I assume are Jessie's boots. Jessie lets out a huff, and speaks. “Hey, S- mm. Hey, Seth! How are you y- you doing, man? I mean, I kn- know you're as- s- sleep, but I guess I uh… I mean, I don't know why I- I- I- *ha-* asked you over voicemail, I just don't u- I don't us- I- I um…” (text-colour:#f9f338)[[She's stuttering like a maniac.]] The continued crunch of sticks and dirt muffled underneath her awkwardly nonchalant tone of voice implies she's walking around while she talks, pacing a bit faster than I know her to walk normally. “Anyway, forget that. I just- um, I wanna say I th- I think it's r- really c- c- cool that you moved in, and I h- ha- I hope you're liking it so far. I know it's scary getting p- getting put into a new place, and I know you're having- like, you're nervous. Because you're a man, and you didn't have a lot of time to think over, like, what that meant for all of th- uh, what that meant f- mm.” The pacing stops, Jessie leans against something, assumed by the sound of her leather jacket dragging against something rough and scratchy. She takes a deep breath in, and huffs again. “I guess I'm just calling to say I know the feeling. There's, uh, a lot of things I wish people would have told me about when I first moved in, a- and um… maybe things'd gone a little better i- i- if, *fuck,* things might ha- have h-...” There's a long pause. The wind picks up, another banshee wail that gets so loud I wonder for a second if Jessie lost her phone to the breeze. But she finds her voice and continues. “And I want you to know you don't have to figure it all out yourself, right? I think you- um, you're- rr- rrrreally nice, and you deserve to get, like, w- what you're getting into, and, um- I'd- I'd l- love to show you the r- the ropes or whatever. We've got a lot in common, so… *khh…*” Jessie groans, and sucks in some air through her teeth. There's another long pause… and then the voicemail ends. …Unsettling. [[I leave my room to take a much-needed shower.]]\ (set: $Voicemail to true)

(set: $location to "Kitchen")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Afternoon")\ \ It's almost noon when I wake up, so by the time I'm out and about, we're a little ways into the afternoon. I find myself scavenging the kitchen for something to peck at, but I can't find anything satisfying. It's a lot of oats, fruits, and bread. I'm so sick of bread. While I'm leaning against and facing the pantry, Mabel wanders into the kitchen(if: $Cane is true)[, and punches me in the back; her idea of a friendly greeting. “Sup, loser? You're up late.”](else:)[. “Hey. You're up late.”] “Long night. We have anything to eat? The pantry's making me sad.” “I dunno. Cooking is Charlie's job, go nag her. That's what I do.” “Hm, okay, sure. Thanks.” “Mhm.” (if: $Cane is true)[I take a step back and snatch my cane from Mabel, who took my distraction as permission to play with it, spinning it around and tossing it between hands. Then, I bail from the kitchen to [[head for Charlie's room.]]](else:)[I give up on the kitchen and [[head for Charlie's room.]]]

It's not the cold getting to her. At least, I don't think it is, it doesn't sound like she's shivering or numb. [[She stuttered like this back when she had that fight with Mabel, too.|I open the app, scroll to the voicemails tab, and hit ‘play' on my unread messages.]]

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ \ Her door's half open again, so I don't bother knocking before walking in. The place is as messy as ever; I can't tell where anything is supposed to be, and I can barely see the carpet under all of her random crap. Charlie herself is sitting at her desk to the left of the door, half dressed and frantically typing away at her laptop. She doesn't notice me walking in, so I have to announce myself. “Charlie.” “-Hm!? Oh, hey.” She turns right back to her computer screen to keep typing. “I'm hungry, you making anything for lunch?” “What? Yeah yeah sure, I've been thinking about throwing around some new stuff actually. Looking up recipes of similar- like- aesthetics to theory-craft and shit. This son of a bitch, you pulled that completely out of your ass, fucking basement-dwelling virgin asshole.” She switches topics without even taking a breath, it takes me a second to realize she isn't talking to me anymore. “What are you doing?” “Y'know in the Middle East they do a lot of fruits and meats. We don't really do that sort of thing in the West, we're not really- like- in the know about sweet and savory, but I read this really neat shit from this Saudi-Arabian cook on, like, facebook or wherever it was…” I walk over to Charlie and look over her shoulder at her laptop screen. She's on an online forum, having some sort of argument with another account. It's hard to put together the details, but it looks like they're fighting about the Parth family. [[I quickly scan a few messages while Charlie spouts out her next message.]]

*28Mysterical-* you really thought you did something there. the parths didnt even know what CAMFED was before nora’s family pressed charges. donation records are public information retard. but yea, keep sucking off the billionaire ghouls, im sure one of them will fuck you someday *IvoryWalls-* you dont know shit dude, who gives a shit about CAMFED? r u trying to say they dont care about disabled people, or are you in a twist because they hadnt donated to that particular charity? james has donated to three diffrent disability funds in the last ten years, and he sponsored the fucking special olympics. thats public infromation retard. the parth family donations are on a different record because its a buisness and minors cant donate anything to charity that would make a differnce. *28Mysterical-* so you admit the whole thing is a corporate scheme. they only do this shit for tax writeoffs and sympathy points, if they could make the choice theyd boil us into yacht fuel. and yet you still feel the need to defend your precious pop star robot billionaires. bootlicking faggot *IvoryWalls-* like you even give a shit about th disabled anymore than they do, ur only in this thread to grandstand and make fans feel bad for enjoying someones art. for someone who hates me so much for sucking parth dick u sure spend a lot of time on it. would you listen to the next album drop if they donate to BCRF next? *28Mysterical-* did you stalk my account to win an argumeny? what the fuck does my mom that have to do with this you fucking loser? i should kick your ass you pathetic fucking slug. no wonder you like that drugged up rodent, i hope you get to meet her so she can beat the shit out of you too. maybe itll fix whatever brain damage u clearly have that got you hooked on her music innthe first place. I look away from the screen, and look down at Charlie with concern. [[Wrapping up her next response, she cracks her neck and keeps talking.]]

“Anyway I've got this cool idea for this steak and papaya dish, it's kind of more of a dinner thing but I think it's gonna be a hit.” “What? We don't have any papaya- are you fighting with this guy about… you?” “Uh, yeah! These losers flood into music threads and start whining for attention when they get bored, I don't think he's even listened to any of my shit. But this guy brings up old-ass charity records like that proves some kind of moral superiority when he came in to drag up shit nobody even cares about anymore. Oh, wait- *haha-* this must look crazy to you. It's a burner account.” Charlie hits *send* on her response to the internet stranger. I don't bother following along anymore. “This is kind of pathetic, Charlie. You've got to be above this.” “Above what, sticking up for my fans? It's one thing to hate me to my face, but don't give shit to people who just want to listen to my shit, they don't care about whatever the fuck you think about my family and who they give their money to- why would anyone care who we give our money to!?” “I don't know man, I'm saying you don't need to go getting into fights over this stuff if you think it's stupid. Looking up your own name is a waste of time.” “Whatever man, I'm a rockstar. And it's not like you're any better, I know about that kid whose nose you broke for mouthing off about you to Cynthia.” “What, Terry Banks? How do you know about that, Cynthia told you?” “No man, I found your Juvie Record. I told you I already aired out your dirty laundry, Michigan.” “Wh- I was like fifteen! That's not the same. Whatever.” “Yeah, okay.” Charlie goes clicking through tabs on her computer. [[I roll my eyes and step away, walking to the other side of the room.]]

If she wants to invade my privacy, I might as well return the favor. She practically leaves her whole life on her floor, anyway. Gotta be something embarrassing in here somewhere. Let's see: instruments, schoolbooks, video game cases, a bong, six different crop-top shirts… Oh wait, here's something. On another table next to her closet, there's a cabinet door left ajar. From it, a large stack of opened envelopes spill out onto the table's surface. I was wondering about that letter she received the other day; a little mail fraud should teach her not to poke around in my private life. I brush through a few of the envelopes, spreading them out further across the table. That's when I notice something peculiar; most of these envelopes have lipstick stamps on their backsides. A bubblegum-pink hue, each kiss was planted firmly, leaving these marks behind with intent. The amount of lipstick prints varies- there's one I see that doesn't have any, but most have at least one. It looks like she leaves enough room to put at least five… I stare at a few of the envelopes sitting in front of me. Which one should I read? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No Kisses]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[One Kiss]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Three Kisses]]</div>

Opening up the envelope, there's a check inside. I pinch its corners with my fingers and pull it out to inspect it. Addressed to Charlotte Parth, from Aurora Miller. What? “Charlie, is this an insurance check on your desk?” “Oh shit, yeah, I gotta deposit that later. Whoops.” “Why are you in the sorority's insurance? I thought you just used your family's money.” “Uh, yeah, that's what I do. Like, officially.” “And unofficially?” “I'm kinda cut off while I'm in school. Tuition's paid for, but otherwise I'm paying for myself. So, insurance helps.” “Your dad cut you off? Why?” “Some shit about teaching me to be independent, making me a stronger woman or whatever. He didn't grow up rich so he's got those sorta southern values. Don't tell the other girls, okay? It's supposed to be Aurora and I's secret.” “Yeah, sure, whatever.” I look over the paper a few times, then look back up at Charlie, sadly. [[She's still typing some rant into her keyboard at that stranger.]]

It's a scratchily-written note on a piece of folded printer paper. *You're a piece of shit. I used to love you, I can't believe you think so little of the people who put you where you are. I hope the drugs and money are worth it, because no one worth a damn is gonna give you any attention anymore. Bella would be fucking ashamed of the woman you are. Do everyone a favor and kill yourself so the tabloids can get you out of their system.* I look over the paper a few times, then look back up at Charlie, sadly. [[She's still typing some rant into her keyboard at that stranger.]]

It's a printed letter, typed in small font. The paper is stained yellow in some spots. *Dear Charlotte, I hope you're happy knowing how badly you're hurting me. I've been nothing but nice to you, I spent so much money buying you gifts, I even asked your brother what kinds of things you like. Do you not want to meet me anymore? Did I do something wrong? If you didn't like any of my gifts, it's Brandon's fault. All I want is to see your face. If you'd just take one day out of your life to spend with me, you'd see that we're made for each other. We have so much in common, we keep having the same thoughts at different times. I even wrote the chorus to Day Lillies before you released it. You're my everything. You're my everything. I'm not gonna stop writing to you until you talk to me again. You said you'd come see me someday. We were made to be together. I think about you every night, I know you think about me too. I paid a girl in my class to dress up like you, so I know how to touch you right. It felt like love. I can come to you if you want me to. I know you go to school in California. Do you want me to show I care enough to find you? I'll do whatever it takes. You're my princess. I'm your prince. Forever yours, Leicester.* I look over the paper a few times, then look back up at Charlie, sadly. [[She's still typing some rant into her keyboard at that stranger.]]

“I think the sorority could use an air fryer, actually. People are going crazy over that shit, I've got some ideas for, like, fried dessert dishes that I think people would get hooked on. People know you can fry, like, oreos and stuff, but it's not really a tapped market, right? Shit, screw plants, I could make a million if I get some high-end restaurant to buy into my ideas. You like fried food, right? We should buy an air fryer.” “Uh, yeah, sure man. Just let me know when you've made lunch, okay?” “Totally. I'm gonna blow your mind, dude, just hold up while I get this guy's address.” [[I leave Charlie's room, and hang out alone for a bit while I wait.]]

(set: $location to "Den")\ \ Eventually, she does get around to making steaks with some sort of fruit-based sauce. She, Aurora, and I eat together in the den. “It's kind of messy, but I like what you did with the drizzle.” “Kind of a lot of work for a lunch dish.” “I'm not gonna take any half measures, man, this stuff's gonna put me on the map, I'm telling you.” “It's inventive.” “Yeah, the drizzle's like an activator for the meat, gives it a certain ménage à trois.” Aurora tilts her head, and corrects her. “Je ne sais quoi.” “Well of course you don't know, Aurora, you're not a chef.” Aurora giggles, and takes another bite off of her plate. While she chews, her phone rings. [[She quickly swallows her food, fishes her phone out of her pocket, and picks up the call.]]

“Hey, what is it?” “...” “...How bad?” “...Okay, I'm on my way.” Aurora hangs up, her smile gone to a serious frown. “What happened?” “It's Jessie, she got hurt at Pandora's Box. I need to bring her to the hospital.” Aurora stands up, but Charlie tosses her plate to the side and jumps to her feet first. “I'll drive!” “What- no, it's my car-” Charlie and Aurora race out to the hall. (if: $Cane is true)[I grab my cane and quickly chase after them, knowing fully well I won't be able to keep up. “Hey, wait, hang on, what do you mean she got hurt!?” They're already out the door by the time I'm done awkwardly hobbling down the stairs, but [[thankfully they chose to wait for me in the driveway after turning the car on.]]]\ (else:)[Caught off guard, I linger a little ways behind them as they race down the stairs and into the driveway, but [[I manage to throw myself into the backseat before the car takes off.|thankfully they chose to wait for me in the driveway after turning the car on.]]]

(set: $location to "Aurora's Car")\ \ I crawl into the back to find that Charlie managed to beat Aurora to the driver's seat. I don't even have time to fasten my seatbelt before Charlie takes off. We make our way out of campus headed towards downtown. Charlie does her best to speed through every inch of pavement she can, but gets herself stuck directly behind a BMW going three miles below the speed limit. She raps her fingers against the steering wheel, and cracks her neck. “They gotta make, like, a fast lane outside of the highway, this is ridiculous.” “What would a fast lane do? This road isn't big enough for two regular lanes.” “It'd help me get across these slow-ass Californian drivers! No one in this city knows how to drive.” “You're not the first person to say that, but you might be the first to say it's because we drive too slow.” “We need a siren or something so I can drive on the sidewalk.” “Ambulances don't drive on the sidewalk, Charlie, that's so they can drive on the wrong side of the road.” “Okay, well- we're having an emergency, so we should get to do that, too.” “Why didn't we just call an ambulance? If Jessie's hurt-” “Ambulances are expensive, we don't bother anymore. Jessie's resilient, and if Scott thought it was necessary he'd have called 911 before calling me.” “So this… happens a lot?” Aurora leans over her seat to give me a concerned look, but before she can open her mouth to explain further, she's jerked by the car suddenly swerving into the opposite lane of traffic. “Fuck it!” “Charlie, no!” Charlie slams on the gas and speeds us all the rest of the way to Pandora's Box. [[It's nothing short of a miracle that we don't get pulled over on our way there.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

When Charlie parks at the curb of the wide, dingy, smoky-grey building, Aurora jumps out of the passenger seat and rushes through the front doors, Charlie following shortly after her. A few seconds later the doors open again, and out step Aurora and Charlie, working together to carry an unconscious Jessica in their arms. She's wearing this deep-purple leather outfit that barely covers any of her skin, and is stranglingly tight on the few inches it does cover. As the two of them hobble Jessie closer to the car, I notice Jessie's head, cradled in Aurora's right elbow, has a roll of sports tape around her forehead, keeping a wet rag pressed against her right temple. The rag is bright red, the blood from her head spreading almost far enough to drip off of the corner. Charlie opens the back door, and I scoot to the other end of the seat so they can maneuver Jessie into the car with me. Aurora awkwardly climbs in with us to flip Jessie around, resting her head in my lap and implicitly asking me to hold her steady. Given her condition, I'm not nearly comfortable with that responsibility, but it's not like I can ask to switch seats. Once Jessie's safely in, they close the back door and reclaim their seats in the front, Aurora securing the wheel this time. “What the hell happened to her!?” “I told you, she got hurt rehearsing for a show. I guess she got hit in the temple.” “Got hurt rehearsing- what- what the hell is she rehearsing for to end up like this?” “Uh, did she not tell you she's a daredevil? She does all sorts of dangerous shit, it's like, uh, evasive parkour, kinda. They've got these machines in the walls that swing stuff at her, and she has to avoid it all, or like, fight somebody in it.” “She's lucky it wasn't anything with an edge, it would've decapitated her.” “Lucky? She-” “Yeah, I know, we're going to the hospital.” [[I huff, and look back down at Jessie.]]

With her ridiculous getup on, I can see more of her scarred-up skin than even a bikini could've shown. At least a bikini conceals the majority of your breasts, not just strips over the necessities. Hilariously, the only other thing she's wearing aside from her flats is a necklace with a silver cross hanging at her chest. (if: $Bloodless is true)[Her body's about as messed up as Ophilia's is, though a lot of Jessie's scars are faded and healed over. On the other hand, hers are a lot wider than Phili's; she's clearly gone through it with more than a kitchen knife. ](else:)[Her scars are numerous, and severe, though many have faded comfortably with time. They take many shapes and sizes, it's clear these injuries have come from more than just one thing. ]I let my fingers run through Jessie's hair, idly stroking her scalp without irritating the tape holding her rag in place. I feel her breathing into my stomach… that's a good sign, I guess. This comatose state is the most peaceful I've ever seen her. Looking back up at my fellow passengers, Charlie's tucked her knees up to her chest and is staring out of the passenger window. Aurora's got her eyes on the road, arms straight on the wheel, her moody eyes flick over to the rear-view mirror to check on us every few moments. We drive in silence for some minutes. I don't keep track of how many, but I imagine we aren't driving for half as long as it feels we are. The silence makes this all so much worse. I have to talk to them. I'd like to distract myself with something light and easy to discuss, but I don't think I could take my mind off of Jessie if I tried. Let's talk about her. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["What's with the outfit?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["What are the thrill shows about?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Should we have brought the others?"]]</div>

I can't stop staring at this stupid thing. “Okay, I know this isn't the time, but what the hell is she wearing?” Aurora cracks a smile, and rolls her eyes. “Showgirl uniform, couldn't you tell? It's how the people know she's a badass.” “It's how the audience knows she's the person they're supposed to stare at. In her defense, it helps her move more freely.” “Yeah, I bet. She looks like a dominatrix.” “That's Pandora. Wait until you see what her male assistants wear.” “It's so tight. Should we, like, get her out of this thing? I think it's restricting her breathing.” “Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?” “I'm just worried her circulation's not going through right, she's already unconscious…” “She's okay, she's gotten knocked out in uniform before. She's gotten used to it.” [[Aurora glances back at Jessie and chuckles to herself.]]

“What's with the thrill shows? And why are they held in a club? Are they, like, a form of strip-tease? Jessie's said she's not a stripper, but-” “It's a sex thing. It's a crime thing, but it's a sex thing.” “Jessie's not a stripper, technically. Anymore. She doesn't need to get any less dressed than that if she doesn't want to.” Not that there are any layers to getting ‘less dressed’ than this. “People come to the thrill shows to watch people get put in dangerous situations and ‘action hero’ their way out of it. It's kind of like a colosseum.” “You don't really come just to watch, the point is to bet on the performers.” Bet? “Uh, bet on what about them?” “If they survive the show.” “If they *finish* the show. Most of them just yield.” My face goes cold, and my arms flush with a nervous tingle. I look back down at Jessie, who's stirring gently in her sleep. “...So… so do you guys, uh… do you bet?” There's a long pause. A really, very stressfully long pause. Their refusal to answer infuriates me, my chest burns up and I clench my fist around Jessie's hair, letting go again as soon as I realize I'm pulling on her. I speak up again, more assertively. “Do you bet on-” “We bet in her favor.” “...” Charlie looks over her shoulder at me, a reassuring smile trying to distract from her shameful eyes. “She likes it. She never lets us down.” I give her no response other than a furious glare. [[Charlie's eyes dart down to the floor, and she quickly turns back to the window.|Without much else to talk about, Charlie turns the radio on, and we keep driving.]]

“Are the other girls gonna freak out about this? I know this has happened before, but we didn't say anything before heading out. Would they have wanted to come?” “It's fine, they know this sort of thing happens. It's better we left some space in the car for her.” “Mabel might've wanted to come, but I don't think she'd make things any better. Ophilia just gets sad seeing Jessie hurt.” “Jessie's pretty popular, huh?” “How could you not like her? She's cheery, she's funny, she's absurdly attractive…” “Jessie's a social player, for sure. She knows what the people around her like, and how to emulate that. Part of being a performer, I guess. I've always admired that about her.” “Oh yeah, you've known Jessie longer than any of us, haven't you? Has she always been like that?” “Oh, I haven't known her that much longer. We met when I was new to California, so… six years ago? And yeah, she was always kind of a showboat, but she was a kid. We both were. She got in a lot of fights, ran away from her mom a lot. I'd be her hideout spot anytime they weren't on speaking terms.” “She sounds like a real charmer.” “She was just in a bad spot, and took it out on others sometimes. I think she mistook her community for ‘the world,’ and rebelled in some less-than-useful ways. She's mellowed out a lot, if you can call Jessie at twenty-one ‘mellowed out.’” “I'm sure having a regular place to live will do a lot to change a person.” “You don't know the half of it. I'm glad I was able to get her into Saintsridge, it was a big relief for both of us.” “...” So Aurora knew Jessie as a homeless teenager. [[That little anecdote helps me understand Aurora's ‘vision' for ADA a little better.|Without much else to talk about, Charlie turns the radio on, and we keep driving.]]

“I don't know how she does it, though. I tried putting that thing on once, and I couldn't fit in it. And Jessie's bigger than me.” “I think it's hot.” “Of course it's hot, that's the point. But it's not *actually* sexy, it's just sexual. It's gratuitous.” “What's wrong with gratuitous?” “It's cheap, it's just firing at neurons in the most direct way that you can. That outfit isn't gonna pop into my head when I'm thinking of something erotic, you know? Some class and subtlety go a long way.” “Oh, so intentionally sexy can't be sexy? It only counts as ‘erotic’ if you're wearing fall leaves and morning dew, like a forest nymph in a Victorian painting?” Charlie waves her hands up and shudders sarcastically. “Whuh, woman moment.” “Whatever, Chuck. You're too easily pleased.” “Thanks.” “I guess it makes sense why she was so immediately comfortable being sexualized around me. If she knew I was gonna see her in this outfit one day, why bother, right?” “That's Jessie. Can't live like she does and lose sleep over social courtesy.” “I don't think it has much to do with the shows, really. Jessie just knows what she's about.” Even still, it never occurred to me that our relationship was always going to be the way it is. Her job was a choice she made, obviously, but the way I'd see her, and the way we interact, that wasn't a choice; it was just a consequence of the job. That… makes me feel insecure all over again about what Jessie really feels about me. Not that this is any time to worry about myself. [[She's the one dying.|Without much else to talk about, Charlie turns the radio on, and we keep driving.]]

Without much else to talk about, Charlie turns the radio on, and we keep driving. We're about halfway to the hospital when Jessie squirms in my lap and groans, stretching her arms out as much as she can and squeezing her eyes shut. “Guys, I think she's waking up.” Charlie turns around and grabs her headrest with both hands to watch Jessie struggle to regain consciousness. Aurora stares at Jessie from the rear-view, trying her hardest to keep her attention in front of her. I take my fingers out of Jessie's hair, but keep my hand underneath her head to prop it up for support. Jessie groans again, clearly uncomfortable, then slowly opens her eyes. The light from the sun makes her squint; she turns her face into my stomach, not quite sure what I am. Then, she turns her head back upright, looking me in the eyes. “...What…?” “Hey Jessie, how do you feel?” “…” Jessie looks over at Charlie's intent staring and Aurora's driving, and sighs. “Ate shit again?” “Sure did, babe.” “Scott said it was the ‘snake pole’ that got you this time.” Jessie groans for a third time, and loudly smacks her forehead with her right palm, turning her head back upright. “Oh, uh, don't do that, you were bleeding from your temple before. You could still be.” Her hand covering both of her eyes, [[Jessie lays in silence for a few moments, then speaks.]]

“No hospital.” “No, Jessie. This time, hospital.” “Don't want it.” “You're not even speaking in complete sentences, Jessie, you're obviously concussed.” Jessie takes her hand off of her face and sits about halfway up, glaring at Aurora. With a petulant sneer, she expresses herself again, putting slow and deliberate emphasis on every individual word. “I. Don't. Want. To go. To the hospital.” “You're not getting brain damage under my supervision, Jessie, we'll just do a checkup and leave as soon as they say you're okay.” “I don't need a checkup, I want to go home. I've got a headache.” “You're lucky you have a head.” [[Jessie shoots me a dirty look, and sits the rest of the way up.]]

“My brain's fine. Give me the list.” “You're bleeding from your head, Jess.” “Just give me the list.” Aurora and Charlie both pout, and look at each other for approval. Charlie rolls her eyes, and sits back in her seat. “Your full name?” “Jessica Kyrie Valentine.” “Where do you go to school?” “Saintsridge University, I'm a third-year business major.” “Where is your bedroom in your house?” “On the second floor, all the way down to the hall and to the left. It's next to Ophilia's room.” “How long have you been working at your current job?” “Four years.” Aurora tilts her head in Charlie's direction. “Do you want to come up with the last one?” “Sure, yeah. Ummm… what color are my eyes?” “Veto.” “Lame. Okay, well… what was the last thing we did as a group, in the living room? Not like, dinner or anything, but the last big event?” “...We saw a deer. There was a deer outside of our window, and we guessed why it was here.” Jessie crosses her arms. Charlie and Aurora sit in silence for a good ten seconds. Then Aurora sighs, and makes a U-Turn. “What are you doing?” “Going home. She's fine.” “What do you mean she's fine, she was just unconscious!” “If Jessie says she'll live, she'll live. Trust.” I keep trying to fight back all the way home, but not one of them listens to a word I say, so before I know it we're back in our living room, [[helping Jessie onto the couch.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Jessie insists she doesn't need anything besides a blanket and a nap, but when Ophilia inevitably finds her sitting there, Jessie doesn't even try to protest her examining and dressing the wound on her head. “You're horrible, Jessie. I can't believe you keep doing this to all of us, how silly do you have to be to keep-” “Ow! Hey, watch it.” “Sorry. You can't keep scaring us like this, Jessie. What would I do if you got hurt in a way we couldn't fix?” “I'm sorry Phili, you know I don't wanna scare you, but- this- this is what I'm good at, okay? Somebody has to do the dangerous jobs, or we wouldn't have half the entertainment people like to watch.” “Somebody has to do the normal jobs too, what's wrong with working at a grocery store?” “People say my face is intimidating to customers.” “Mm… there. You'll be okay, it didn't poke you as bad as I thought it did. But please don't move around too much today, okay? It can still get worse.” “Thanks, Phili.” “You're not going outside today, miss.” “What, I'm grounded?” “You'd better believe it.” “Don't act like you didn't have that coming, Jess.” “Alright, I'll stay inside today. I'm exhausted anyway. Thanks, Phili.” Ophilia gives Jessie a kiss on the forehead, and trots off upstairs. [[Watching from the loveseat, I see Charlie, leaning against the back of the couch, meander over to sit by Jessie's stomach, stroking her chin with the back of her fingers.]]

“I don't think your face is intimidating.” “Have you been to a grocery store before moving to Cali?” “Touché.” Charlie leans down, letting her bangs hang over her face as she inches closer to Jessie's, giving the two of them a little tent of privacy. Though faintly, I can hear her mumble. “If you wanna sneak out tonight, let me know. I'm pretty awesome at breaking curfew.” “Uh, I think I've upset Dr. Hargrove enough today, but thanks.” “She'll live.” Charlie leans the rest of the way down, kissing Jessie and holding her head in place with the hand she was just stroking her cheek with. I cross my arms and try not to be present in the room, but I can't block out their shaky breathing, muted groans, and mingling tongues. After a slow moment, Charlie sits back upright, then stands up and leaves for the staircase. I glance at Jessie, and catch her staring at the ceiling, her face blank. Her left hand, dropped against the floor, lifts up to gently tap her hurt temple. Then the fingers of that same hand drift down to her lips, touching skin to skin like she's checking for her own pulse. I see her eyes, the look she's giving to no one at all… disappointment? Boredom? [[I can't quite place it.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ (set: $freetime to 0)\ (set: $aurora1 to false)\ (set: $cynthia1 to false)\ (set: $charlie1 to false)\ (set: $mabel1 to false)\ (set: $ophilia1 to false)\ (set: $jessie1 to false)\ \ I get up and leave her be not long after Charlie does. Laying alone in bed in the mid-afternoon, I find myself restless and wanting company. (if: $Voicemail is true)[Sitting back up, I glance at my phone. I know I should probably let her rest, but that voicemail is stuck in my head. I know she wants to pretend it doesn't exist, but… she'll probably just brush me off if I bring it up normally. If I really want her to open up about whatever that was, maybe I should catch her while she's vulnerable. So, now. Or, I could just leave it be. There's a house full of other women here. What do I want to do?]\ (else:)[Jessie might appreciate having someone to keep her entertained. On the other hand, she said she was exhausted, so maybe she's already asleep. There's a whole house full of women here, who do I want to bother?] <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Den")\ (set: $cynthia1 to true)\ \ I find Cynthia in the den, playing some sort of card game with herself on the table. I sit opposite of her, and observe her game. "Solitaire?" Cynthia keeps her eyes on the cards, deep in focus. (if: $Bloodless is false)["Yep." "Looks kinda different, your cards are in a triangle. Is this a different ruleset?" "Mhm." "...Do you play here by yourself often?" "Yeah. Trying to focus, Seth." "Oh. Okay, yeah, sure. Sorry." I stand up, stare at her for a moment, and walk away. ...Alright, I guess she doesn't want to hang out, that's fine. Who else? (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)["No. Well, yes, but probably not the game you're thinking of. I'm playing 'Pyramid'." "Never heard of it." "Me neither, until a few days ago. Figured I'd try it out." "How do you play?" "So, your cards all start out in a pyramid shape, and your goal is to get all the cards discarded, starting at the bottom layer. You do that by taking away pairs that add to thirteen. If you take away both of the cards that are on top of a card on the next layer, you can use that card." "Sounds simple enough." "I suck at it. Which is embarrassing, because I'm pretty sure this is one of the easier solitaire games out there. I just try to go too fast." Cynthia slowly works her way through the cards while we talk. [[I keep my eyes open for pairs to help her out.]] (set: $freetime to it + 1) (set: $AffCynthia to it + 3)]

(set: $mabel1 to true)\ (if: $Cane is true)[(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ (set: $AffMabel to it + 3)\ I knock on the door to Mabel's room, but get no response. I try the doorknob, but it's locked. “Mabel?” Still nothing. I guess she's sleeping? Last I checked, she wasn't giving me the cold shoulder. Oh well. I head back down the hall, and *that's* when I find her, sitting on the top three stairs, peeking through the railing at the living room below. It crosses my mind how strange it is for Mabel to leave her door locked when she's not in it, especially considering it's practically empty all the time. I sit down on the stairs next to her, and peek through the railing to confirm my assumption that she's spying on Jessie from a distance. Jessie looks bored, twiddling her thumbs while laying on her back, listening to something on the TV. Mabel's just about deflated, leaning against the railing like she's half asleep. “I hate how she shrugs this stuff off. She always does this.” “She shrugged you off? I didn't see you talk to her.” “I didn't.” Mabel's got her arms wrapped around her knees, her head sitting between two bars of the railing. She looks lonely. “But it wouldn't make a difference if I did. I've talked to her about it a dozen times. You were there for the last one.” “Yeah, I guess. So, what, are you hiding from her now?” “Is that dumb?” “Well, she's your roommate. It's not smart. She doesn't hate you, y'know.” “Yeah, I know… I guess. But she doesn't like me.” “She gets your concern. It's not gonna ruin your relationship that you hate the thrill shows.” [[Mabel sighs, and closes her eyes.]]] (else:)[(set: $location to "Mabel's Room")\ (set: $AffMabel to it + 2)\ I find Mabel in her room, fiddling with a puzzle box, one of those containers where opening them up requires that you figure out how to unlock each latch. “Hey Seth, need something?” “No, just wondering if you'd like to talk.” “Okay, but I'm gonna keep solving this while we do.” “Sure, that's fine.” Mabel's room has no furniture to sit on, not including the tatami mat, so I find a comfortable looking section of the wall to lean against and watch her play from. She seems to be in a good mood, clearly entertained by her little toy. She also doesn't mind me being alone with her anymore, which I still don't understand. Just a few days ago, she couldn't stand the sight of me, and couldn't help but let me know how much she hated me. Then she has that explosive fight with Jessie, and the next evening, we're suddenly cool? What happened? Why did she feel the need to apologize to me? And… why did she phrase her apology the way that she did? [[All of that being said, how do I express any of these questions to her?]] ]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ (set: $ophilia1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it +1)\ (set: $AffOphilia to it +3)\ I knock on Ophilia's door, but she chimes in from the other side before I get a chance to speak. “Charlie?” “No, Seth. You busy?” A few moments pass, then Ophilia opens the door, a troubled look beneath her furrowed brow. She looks suspicious, for some reason. “Uh, you okay?” “Why did you knock four times?” “What? Did I?” “Uh huh. You usually only knock twice.” “Uh… sorry. Wait, I've never been in your room before, how do you know?” “You knock on the other girls’ doors. This house has thin walls, it's easy to hear that stuff.” “Well, um… what's your point?” Ophilia stands firm, quietly analyzing me for a moment more. Then, she takes a step back, clearly still apprehensive. “Nothing, I guess. You can come in.” [[Ophilia lets me in, stepping aside to make room in the doorway.]]

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ \ (set: $charlie1 to true)\ (if: $Breakup is true)[ I knock on the door to Charlie's room, but recieve only a shout from the other side in response. “Leave me alone!” "I'm just worried, Charlie, can we talk-" “Go away Seth, I don't want to fucking talk to you right now!” I sigh, and back away from the door. I should have expected this much. If Charlie's willing to actually lock her door for once, it's a sign I should take to heart. Let's spend time somewhere else for a bit. (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[Walking into Charlie's room, it's empty. Not surprising on its own, but I could have sworn I heard her rummaging around in here. I look around and call out to her. “Charlie?” “Oh shit!” There's a loud crash from the half-open closet, Charlie trips over no less than twenty different things as she scrambles to keep her startled balance. She kicks a foot into the ground and digs her claws into the back wall, just barely keeping herself from faceplanting. Now that she's halfway out of the closet, I realize that I walked in on her getting dressed; the dress she's putting on only has one strap over her shoulder. I quickly turn around. “Hey, Seth!” “I'm so sorry, I'll go outside-” “No, no, I'm good, I'm dressed, I-” Charlie steps out of the closet, fastening her dress the rest of the way onto her body. “I just got kinda distracted, don't worry about it, man. What's up?” “Uh, nothing really.” I turn back around and look at Charlie, particularly the dress she's in. It's an exceptionally gaudy thing, lined from top to bottom in emerald-green sequins, its skirt hanging all the way down to her feet. It looks like something you'd wear to the Oscars, and it's the very last thing I'd expect Charlie to be wearing in her own home. It's too loud, too tight to her figure, and if I'm being crass, trying too hard to show off the cleavage that Charlie barely has. “What's with the dress?” “Oh, you noticed?” Charlie lifts one elbow up, puts the other hand on her hip and gives a wide smile. [[The pose strikes me as tongue-and-cheek, but I'm not sure what the joke is.]] (set: $freetime to it +1)\ (set: $AffCharlie to it +3)]

(set: $location to "Kitchen")\ \ (set: $aurora1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it +1)\ (set: $AffAurora to it +3)\ Aurora's in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and playing with an apple. Letting her mind wander, she idly rolls the fruit around the counter with the palm of her hand while her eyes haze over. I lean parallel to her, my back against the sink. “You really think she's just gonna walk this off?” That snaps her out of her daydreaming. With a little hesitation, she nods. “Watch her. She'll be back on her feet for dinner, I promise.” “For you to say that with such confidence… this sort of thing takes a toll on the body the first time, let alone the…?” Aurora shrugs, refusing my call for a number. “She's a big girl. And I keep my eye on her health.” “Really? I haven't seen you coddle her much.” “No, not coddle, she'd hate that. But I know the condition she's in, I know when she needs help.” “How do you do that?” Again, she shrugs. “You learn what to look for, knowing someone that well. It's my job to know.” “Hm.” [[Thinking that over, something else crosses my mind.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ (set: $jessie1 to true)\ (set: $freetime to it +1)\ I head back to the living room and sit on the arm of the couch by Jessie's feet. “Hey, soldier.” “Hey, yourself.” “How are you holding up?” Jessie holds up an ‘ok’ sign. “I'll be up again in no time. Already am, actually.” “What? No you're not.” Jessie reaches over to the coffee table and picks up an apple, taking a bite out of it, and placing it back down. “Oh. So you can walk okay?” (if: $Cane is true)[“Hurts a little, but yeah. I can still beat you in a footrace.” “Yeah, I bet.” “Speaking of, that can't be comfortable, come sit down.” Jessie pulls her legs back, making space for me on the couch. I sit down next to her, letting her rest her legs, and the blanket she has over them, on my lap. “That is better, thanks.”]\ (else:)[“Hurts a little, but yeah. You wanna sit?” Jessie pulls her legs back, making space for me on the couch. I sit down next to her, letting her rest her legs, and the blanket she has over them, on my lap. "Thanks."]\ “Sure. So, what's up? Just keeping me company?” (if: $Voicemail is true)[I pinch the fabric of the blanket, fidgeting with it while I consider what to say next. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Leave it be]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Bring up the voicemail]]</div>] (else:)[I guess that's about all I'm doing here. [[I fidget with the fabric of the blanket with my fingers while I talk.|Leave it be]]]

"Play by yourself here often?" "Mhm, it helps me think." "That's surprising, I figure you'd get bored entertaining yourself. Ah, 4 and 9." "Thanks. Why do you think that?" "Oh, just going off fifteen years of being your first distraction when you don't have anything to do." "Well, we aren't kids anymore." "Okay. Some things don't change. 5 and 8.” "Is that so?" The pyramid's about halfway gone at this point. "I don't know. I'm just trying to figure it out. Even now that we're living together, you're quieter than I remember." "I just… got quieter, I guess. Do you mind?" "I'm not gonna whine about it. I just miss your voice sometimes. 2 and Jack." With that pair, the pyramid's discarded; we win. Cynthia sighs. "I'm not gonna get better at this if you keep helping me, Seth." "What?" "The game. Could you give me some space to figure this out on my own?" "Oh. Oh, yeah, alright. Sorry if I'm bothering you." "You aren't… good talk. Nice hearing your voice, too." "...Yeah." I stand up to leave while Cynthia shuffles her cards. Her shuffling technique’s evolved since high school; she used to have to do that stupid thing where you spread the cards around the table face down, because actually shuffling would make her spill the cards all over the place. Now she's spinning and sifting without even watching her hands, like a casino dealer. (if: $freetime < 3)[Cynth's back to being cagey, but I guess I won't learn anything by dwelling on it. Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ] (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ] (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ] (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ] (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

“I don't even hate the shows, is the thing.” “You don't?” “I love them. I love showing up, getting wasted on Aurora's tab, and going fucking crazy in that big-ass arena. It's like a, uh, a rodeo. Probably, I've never actually been to one. But I mean, it's fun. It's exciting, I get the appeal." “But you hate that she does it.” “I hate that she…” Mabel's throat catches between multiple possible endings to that sentence. If I had to guess, I'd say she can't decide between ‘I hate that she likes it,’ ‘I hate that she depends on it,’ and ‘I hate that she pretends it's a real job.’ Eventually, she gives up. “Yeah.” “...” “...Well, fuck her. How are you? We haven't spent much time alone together since everything happened.” “No, we haven't. I've been losing my mind, what about you?” “Likewise. What's killing you?” “Besides Jessie? (if: $Bloodless is true)[I get nauseous looking at my best friend now that she's not wearing her sweater anymore. And ]I haven't slept right once since that demon came after us. I keep waiting for it to come back, or for some other awful thing to come and destroy my world.” “I won't let that happen. I've been on top of it, I… I'm starting to understand what all of that was. I'm not gonna let it hurt you anymore.” “Glad you're getting some clarity. I don't think I want the details. The nightmares are bad enough already.” “Reliving that night?” “Kind of. Reliving a lot of nights. I keep… seeing my family. More than usual. And it makes me wanna kill myself.” “...” “Do you want a hug?” “...Okay.” I lean into Mabel and wrap my arms around hers, [[cradling the little ball she's bunched herself up into.]]

She tolerates it for about six seconds, then starts squirming uncomfortably. I let go and pull back. “You should try talking to Jessie again.” “No.” “...” “Not yet. Maybe later.” “Alright. Well I'll leave you be.” “Bye, Seth.” “Bye.” I stand up, and return to my room to give Mabel some space. It's good to know that she's holding up, that's about all I can expect of her. I should make a point to spend more time with her though, let her know I haven't forgotten about her. (if: $freetime < 3)[For now though, who should I talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

(set: $location to "Ophilia's Room")\ \ (if: $Bloodless is true)[She closes the door behind me, accidentally bumping her elbow into my stab wound, immediately disorienting me with a dizzying pain and lightheadedness. “Fuck!” Ophilia gasps, and shuts the door. “Oh, I'm sorry! Are you okay?” “Yeah, I… haa. Yeah, I'm okay. Just still kinda raw there.” “I've got a couple painkillers in my dresser if it's bothering you, do you want some?” “No, don't bother, it'll, uh, it'll pass.” I sit down on Ophilia's mattress, and roll my neck to distract from the throbbing. “Okay. Well, umm, what's going on? Did you wanna talk about something?” “I don't even remember anymore.”]\ I take a look around Ophilia's room for the first time. It's pretty normal, if a bit on the sparser side. Very easy colors; eggshell white bedsheets, a chestnut-colored dresser, faint lavender carpet matching her curtains. She's got some stuffed animals taking up space around her pillows; purple reindeer and pink bears and rabbits with ears longer than their bodies, but there isn't much else in the way of decoration. It's nothing like Mabel's nothing-room, but I notice that there's not so much as a poster on the wall, and she doesn't have a TV. There's also a little rectangular lock-box sitting next to me on the bed. It's oak-brown, open, and empty. The inside is lined with a sort of grey foil. “What were you up to before I interrupted?” “Talking to my ballet friends. We all wanted to go get dinner to celebrate the recital, but Julius hasn't been responding to any of our texts.” [[Ophilia sits next to me, picks up her phone, and scrolls through it worriedly while we talk.]]

(if: $Bloodless is true)[“No, why would he be mad at you? He's the one who said all of that knowing that you were…” Ophilia gives me a pleading but knowing look, and my jaw drops. “Did he not know?” “No one knew.” “Ophilia, how does your ballet instructor not know that you're cutting yourself?” “It wasn't easy. If I wasn't as famous a dancer as I am, I probably wouldn't have had the leverage to change my wardrobe so I'm always covered. But, um, I guess I'm a little out of Julius and the others’ league, so he lets me do what I want, when I insist. Ha, that makes me sound like a diva.” “That's unbelievable. I mean, the costumes are one thing, but you guys have to change together, don't you?” “I just lock myself in the bathroom. I did that before Katherine died, actually. I always needed all of my things to have their own space, I couldn't leave them alone where other people could get to them. That made hiding my body a lot easier than it would have been otherwise, I guess I'm kinda lucky I'm so weird.” “Not that it wasn't a lot of effort. My whole life this year revolved around hiding myself, not letting anyone know a thing, except for Katherine. I've always had a good sense for my surroundings, so it just kinda… worked out.”]\ (else:)["No, he was the one being insensitive, he should be sorry." “But I don't want him to feel bad about saying something. This last year has been so hard for all of us, I shouldn't get special treatment because I was involved.” "What? Of course you should, Phili, it was your sister. To them, she was just a dancer." “That doesn't mean they weren't close. It's my fault for being such a mess for so long after, if everyone else is ready to move on, then I-” "You don't have to do anything any faster than you're ready to. Please, it's okay to think about yourself." “Yeah? That doesn't make me selfish?” "Not in the slightest." ] Ophilia looks down at her phone, pouts, then puts it in the lock-box, latching it shut. “I hope he's okay.” “I'm sure he's fine.” (if: $Bloodless is true)[“...I wonder if people would still watch me if I start wearing tutus and leotards again.” “I dunno. But you'll always have at least six fans, Phili.” “Oh, yay!” I keep Ophilia company for a while longer before leaving her be. That girl's kind of a mystery; it feels like I'm always finding some new little secret with her. I wonder if she'll ever run out of surprises.]\ (else:)[I keep Ophilia company for a while longer before leaving her be. That girl's kind of a mystery; the more I learn about her, the less I understand the way her head works. Hopefully we'll finally make some connection sometime soon.] (if: $freetime < 3)[Who do I want to talk to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

“I haven't had an excuse to put it on in a couple years, so I wanted to see if I still fit in it. Not that I've- haha- grown at all since then, I guess.” “Do you have an excuse to put it on now?” “Sure do. Ronnie's throwing another new years party in New Orleans, I'm gonna crash that shit.” "Oh yeah?" “Hell yes man, have you heard about Ronnie's house parties? It's exclusive stuff, but I gotta imagine word's broken out to the normies by now.” “No, why's that?” “Oh, dude, cuz they're fucking crazy. He rents out these properties and overflows them with champagne, hookers, and coke. There's an actual, like, mission statement to put an A-List actor into a coma every year, it rules.” (if: $Bloodless is true)[“Sounds awesome. Wait, isn't Ronnie your family's manager?” “Yeah.” ]\ “Why do you have to crash, are you not on the list?” “Not lately, but I've got a plan. You know the cool thing about being a famous white girl?” “No, what?” “Everything. But mostly, you know everybody. I'm gonna try to get Jessie and I in through the security agency. But if that doesn't work, I'm sure we'll find *some* way to get two college chicks into a house party.” “A high society party, huh? That sounds fun, any room for a third?” “Were you listening? There's no room for a first. But sure, if Jessie can't make it, you're totally my plan B. And I guess it's high society. It doesn't feel very civilized when you're in it, but I guess I am wearing this dress instead of a crop-top.” “Yeah, this thing doesn't look anything like your style, why do you own it?” “It was picked out for me during this big family tour we were doing. The whole thing was, like, a roaring twenties aesthetic, so we all had to look classy and jazzy.” “Oh, the Reunions Tour, I remember when that was going on. You were like… fifteen when that happened, weren't you?” Charlie parses her lips, and pinches the fabric of the dress about her hips, swiveling it from side to side. She giggles through her words, talking under her breath in clear embarrassment. “Fits like a glooove…” [[She looks down at herself, and shrugs.]]

“Honestly, I'm not a big fan of the look. It makes me feel kinda shown off… but in, like, a weird way? Like I'm a trophy, or a- a disco ball.” I shrug back, not getting what she's trying to say. She chuckles, and shakes her head. “But I guess that's kinda the point. It does the job, I'm glad I can still wear it.” “I think it looks good, it's just a new look for you. I like it.” “...Well, I'm about to take it off. So, unless this conversation's about to change directions-” “I'll leave you be.” “Later, man.” I close Charlie's door behind her, knowing well she won't bother to do it herself. (if: $freetime < 3)[Alright, who's next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

“When did that guy, uh… the guy who works at Pandora.” “Scott.” “Yeah, when did you two get in touch? For him to call you first, did you, like, arrange for… I don't know, how'd that work out?” “I didn't arrange anything, I know Scott. I got Jessie that job, actually.” “Seriously?” “Yeah, like I said, she and I knew each other a lot longer than she's been at ADA. She needed a job, I knew a couple guys from Pandora… it wasn't the thrill shows at first, she started out as a dancer.” “I guess it's not hard to get hired at a place like that, if you know what you're doing.” Aurora smirks. “Well, that's what I mean. She didn't know what she was doing yet.” “Hm?” “Jessie was always brawny and athletic, but the sex appeal she had to learn. I helped her out with that, got her some dance lessons, taught her a thing or two myself, got her, like… into her stride, y'know?” “So Pandora would take her as a stripper?” “It was the quickest course of action. A couple weeks to train and she's got stable income, I knew she'd be good at it. It was always a stepping stone, the thrill shows were what she really wanted to do.” “So why didn't you just get her hired for that first?” “That wouldn't be possible. The thrill shows don't even exist, officially. They're very exclusive, they weren't gonna let her in until they knew her inside and out. So, after a couple years working the pole, eventually she had the chance to prove herself. And she knocked it out of the park.” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You couldn't have found her a safer job?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["And now she has a home."]]</div>

"It's nice of you to provide for her as much as you do.” Aurora smiles, caught off guard by my sincerity. “Of course. I love Jessie. It's the least I can do for her. I mean, if I did more than I've already done, I think she'd develop some kind of complex.” “What kind of complex?” “Jessie's a pretty transactional person. Worried about debts, always tries to repay favors to even things out. I'd like to get her to stop worrying about it altogether, but I'm satisfied knowing she understands. Sometimes you need to accept help you can't pay back.” Aurora lifts her apple to her lips, and takes a small bite from its surface with a crisp, quiet *snap.* “Have you ever been to a club like Pandora before, Seth?” “Uh…” “That's a yes, then.” (if: $Bloodless is false)[She takes another bite, hiding her smirk behind the red fruit. “Don't worry, after last night I don't have any notions of your chastity.” ] “So what, I've been on the town before.” “I don't ask to judge you. The opposite, actually. I think it's good to spend your time with dancers and escorts. Theirs is a perspective most people spend their whole lives ignorant of. Some of my most enlightening conversations happened in nightclubs.” “Is that so? Some people would call them bad influences.” “I don't see how that can be. Jesus invited escorts to dine with him most every week.” [[I chuckle at the sudden turn to religious talk.]]

“Okay, not to shoot myself in the foot, but I didn't go to those clubs for enlightening conversation. And I don't think Jesus invited them with the same intentions as me.” “I reckon he invited them with intentions for both.” I gawk. Aurora shines the apple against the breast of her jacket. “You can't be serious. That's blatantly blasphemous.” “Jesus was both man and god, wasn't he? To deny him his lust is to deny him his humanity.” Aurora's eyes lift from the apple to my eyes, a small but lecherous smile whispered on her lips. “I don't think there's anything pious about that.” “...I… guess not.” “Alright, I've got some work to do, I didn't mean to stay here this long. Come find me again soon, though.” Aurora puts her hand on my shoulder as she walks by to leave. “Yeah, sure. See you later.” She's gone on that note. I reach for my pill bottle and take another iron, staving off a creeping dizziness I hadn't noticed I was feeling. (if: $freetime < 3)[Who should I go see next? (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

(set: $AffJessie to it +2)\ “Yeah, pretty much. You looked pretty bored laying here alone.” “Ugh, yeah, there's nothing on TV. I'm learning more about the Zhou Dynasty than I'd ever subject myself to willingly.” “Ha, yeah, that sounds thrilling.” “I was considering knocking myself out again before you showed up.” “Speaking of, what happened to you, exactly? What knocked you out?” “Ugh. The snake pole. It's this long, spinning metal stick we have to weave through as part of our… I guess it's like a jungle gym, that's the best way to put it. Three of us get put at the start of this obstacle course, and we have to try to get to the end of it before everybody else, or just stop the other two from getting there at all.” “Anyway, the snake pole is called that because of its shape, it curves from side to side like a snake. I always hit myself on that thing, I must've tripped into it this time. I barely remember it happening.” “Brutal. So, is it the same obstacle course every time? Charlie described it as evasive parkour.” “Nah, they change it up. It's not even an obstacle course every time, that's just one of the formats we run through. We try to make it a different show every time, so the engineering team's always cooking up some new bullshit to put us through.” “But it always involves machines and obstacles.” “Death machines. You gotta keep the flare to keep people coming.” “That sounds expensive, they actually turn a profit on this?” “Oh yeah, it's a big deal. We've got a whole god damned arena in our basement, and it sells out every week.” “Do you perform every week?” “Not every week, no. But I'm one of the regular performers. I'm everybody's favorite.” “Good for you, I guess. Do you see yourself doing this line of work long-term?” “Maybe. Are you trying to talk me out of it, too?” “No, not really, I'm just curious about the next step. I hear stunt drivers get good health benefits.” “Haha. Yeah, Hollywood's not a bad idea. But I dunno, I'm not too worried about the future. I like my present. I like school, I like ADA, I like Pandora, for the shithole it is.” “Well, obviously, I'd like for that shithole not to kill you. But I'm glad you're happy.” “Gee, thanks. You can be kind of bland, but you're sweet, Seth.” “Gee, thanks.” I roll my eyes and get off of the couch, leaving Jessie to her boring TV shows. (if: $Voicemail is true)[Heading back upstairs, I lean against my bedroom door, and stare at my voicemail box. I can't help feeling like an opportunity's passed me by, but… Jessie's happy, that's what matters. I delete her voicemail, and turn off my phone.]\ (if: $freetime < 3)[Who's next? (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.” “Uh… okay. Go for it.” “You left me a voicemail earlier, I listened to it today.” Jessie sighs, and sinks into the couch cushion. “I really hoped I deleted that thing. Sorry man, I was drunk, it's nothing to read into, I- haha- I don't even remember half of what I said.” “It wasn't the most comprehensible thing ever. But you basically said you wanted to look out for me as the new guy. That you wanted to show me the ropes of what living here is gonna be like.” “Oh, did I? How cute of me. It was just a drunk dial, man, I was probably looking to score. Forget about it.” “You also said you wished somebody would have done the same for you. That you wish you were warned about something when you moved in.” Getting irritated, Jessie huffs, and mutters under her breath. “I didn't say ‘warned.’” My eyebrows raise. Jessie bites her tongue, then scoffs and rolls her eyes. “You really wanna get into this?” My throat tightens. I have her attention. What exactly do I want to do with it? <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["What are you people not telling me about this place?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Are you happy being with Charlie?"]]</div>

(set: $AffJessie to it +2)\ Jessie smirks, and holds both hands behind her head. “This place? Depends what you mean. If you mean the house, there's not much to tell. If you mean the sorority, it depends on what you wanna know.” “Everything. You six are all so secretive about everything, I want to know what you called me for.” “Well that shouldn't surprise you, Seth. A secret's a valuable thing to a girl, you didn't think you were gonna know all about us right away, did you?” “No… you're deflecting.” “I'm getting to the point.” Jessie yawns, stretching her arms waaaay up, and arching her back as far as she can. “I called you because it's a lot to take in. A brand new environment, with brand new people, it's impossible to know what they all expect from you.” “I don't think you expect much of anything.” “Sure you do.” While she talks, Jessie slides her index finger underneath one of the leather straps of her outfit, just beneath her chest. Idly playing with it by sliding her finger up and down its surface, she changes the way it imprints on her body. The leather is so tight, she can barely fit her finger between it and her skin. “Everybody's got a place, everybody's got a purpose. For some people, they figure it out as they go along, it just comes to them naturally. Every group of friends has the funny one, the mean one, the smart one…” “Uh… uh huh.” Jessie's eyes, lazily wandering around the living room, find their way up to my eyes. [[She giggles, and grins.]]

(set: $AffJessie to it +3)\ Jessie's eyes widen, she goes just a touch paler. “What the fuck kind of question… I'm not even ‘with’ Charlie. We're not exclusive, we just hang out.” “I know you're not exclusive, that doesn't mean anything. Jessie, you're obviously romantically involved, I'm asking if you enjoy that.” Jessie laughs, and shakes her head in disbelief. “Are you seriously asking me if I like fucking my roommate? Dude, have you met me? How exactly do you think someone gets the title of ‘Sorority Slut?’” “I've seen you with her. I've been with you both, at the same time. I know I'm reading into things, but I've seen the way you act with her when you're alone.” “Yeah? How do I act?” “Nervous. Hesitant. Not at all like you are in public, or around me.” “Maybe I just feel comfortable enough around her to *be* nervous. Maybe ‘how I am around you’ is the mask.” “Is that how it is?” “...” “Why'd you call me, Jessie?” “...” “...Charlie's nice. She's cool. We're cool.” “But?” [[Jessie glares at me, resenting that I'm not taking any of her hints to leave this topic alone.]] (set: $Breakup to true)

“What, like an office job? Do you really think Jessie would be fulfilled doing something like that?” "Well, no, but not every job has to be fulfilling. Especially not at that age." “Well, Jessie wanted fulfillment. And she was willing to take some risks to get that, and I respected that that was the decision she wanted to make. Besides, my connections aren't as strong in other fields, this was how I could help her best.” "So, what? You weren't willing to work a little harder to help her?" Aurora squints, clearly offended by my petulance. “It was more than enough to satisfy her, and I was already sticking my neck out to make it happen. I mean, if I did more than I've already done, I think she'd develop some kind of complex.” “What kind of complex?” “Jessie's a pretty transactional person. Worried about debts, always tries to repay favors to even things out. I'd like to get her to stop worrying about it altogether, but I'm satisfied knowing she understands. Sometimes you need to accept help you can't pay back.” Aurora lifts her apple to her lips, and takes a small bite from its surface with a crisp, quiet *snap.* “Have you ever been to a club like Pandora before, Seth?” “Uh…” “That's a yes, then.” (if: $Bloodless is false)[She takes another bite, hiding her smirk behind the red fruit. “Don't worry, after last night I don't have any notions of your chastity.” ]\ “So what, I've been on the town before.” “I don't ask to judge you. The opposite, actually. I think it's good to spend your time with dancers and escorts. Theirs is a perspective most people spend their whole lives ignorant of. Some of my most enlightening conversations happened in nightclubs.” “Is that so? Some people would call them bad influences.” “I don't see how that can be. Jesus invited escorts to dine with him most every week.” [[I chuckle at the sudden turn to religious talk.]] (set: $AffAurora to it - 1)

“I can't believe you're badgering about this in the middle of an injury.” “You opted out of the hospital, so you're fine enough to talk.” Jessie lets out a deep, long sigh. “Charlie and I are cool… but she makes me uncomfortable.” “Why?” “I don't really know why. I think she… she really likes me. Like, more than I've liked anybody before. And, you know, it's good. She wants me around, she wants my attention, so I'm valuable to her. I'm down to mess around and have fun with anybody, it's just…” Jessie holds her hands above her head, fingers spread out, and shakes her arms lightly. “Sooo much. She doesn't turn off around me, which is- ha- which is crazy, right? Because she's so low energy otherwise.” “Yeah, I could barely hold a conversation with her the first few days.” “And it's not even that, like, I'm the thing that gives her that energy. She's still sluggish and lazy when I'm with her, she's just also so much clingier. And she…” Jessie's eyes cloud over as Jessie sifts through memories of her time with Charlie. “She has these moods. I say that she's low-energy most of the time, but I think that's only true sometimes. Some days, so- some weeks, some *months,* she g- gets this charge…” I don't interrupt her, but I know what she's talking about. [[I think back to this morning.]]

“An- nd I never know when it's coming, or how long it's gon- n- na stay for, and… and I never know which Ch- Charlie I'm g- gonna be entertaining until she's on me. And it's hard to…” She struggles to get the next syllable out of her mouth. Rather than push through it, she huffs and gives up. “It's hard.” “...” “I'm sorry. That must be really stressful for you.” Jessie shrugs. “Would you be happier if she gave you more space?” Again, she shrugs. Slower, and smaller. “Have you told her that?” Jessie shakes her head. “Why not?” “...She's m- my roommate. I c- c- can't- I can't get rid of her, if… if she doesn't w- want m- m- me anymore.” “Do you really think she'd just flip like that? For as obsessed as she is, she'd just throw you away if you set up a boundary with her?” “...” “...If she does?” “She won't. And if she does…” “You've got me.” Jessie looks up at me, uncertain, and vulnerable. She's smaller than I've ever seen her before. [[Her eyes leave mine, and linger to the living room window, and the campus road beyond it.]]

“What do I do?” “Talk to her. Tell her you want some more space, or, to slow things down, or whatever it is that you want with her. She'll understand.” “...” “...You're good at this.” “What do you mean?” “I mean I have every reason not to trust you about this. I have so much to lose, and you don't even know any of us that well, but… I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna listen to you. I wasn't half as good at this when I first started.” Jessie kicks her feet off of my lap, and with a little groan, stands up. “I'm gonna go change. I'm probably gonna have to do this in her room.” “Do you want me to be there?” “No, that'd be weird. I got this.” “Okay, Jessie.” Jessie nods, and walks up the stairs. I give her a little while, then head up there myself. I stop at my door, hold the doorknob, and think about opening it to step inside and lay down. But then I hear Charlie's door click shut. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Listen in]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Go to your room]]</div>

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \With a respectable portion of shame, I find a comfortable corner of the hallway to splay out on, near Charlie's door. The walls in this house are so thin I'd probably have heard some of their conversation from my room, but from here, I can hear most everything. I don't really know why I'm doing this. Yes I do. The conversation starts out as a hum of low mumbles; I can't make out either of their words until things pick up, and voices raise. “I don't want you to think I don't like you or whatever, I'm not even mad at you for anything, it's just kinda been eating at me.” “Can you get to the point? You're freaking me out.” “We need to stop hanging out so much. It's getting a little suffocating for me.” “What? I- where- why? What did I do?” “You didn't do anything, I just- I need a little m- more space for myself. When we started hanging out, I thought…” [[There's a pregnant pause, Jessie running out of steam too fast.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ I shut my bedroom door behind me, and lay back on my matress. As I lie there, waiting for the minutes to pass, or for Jessie to tell me how things went, I find myself daydreaming about the two of them; wondering how they feel about each other, how this conversation might effect them. I can very faintly hear their voices through these thin, thin walls. It's not enough to make out even a single word, just enough to know who's talking. [[My eyes slowly drift shut, and my head goes light.]]

“If you didn't want to do this, why did you keep seeing me? What, are you bored? Are you bored of me?” “It's n- not- not that, I just-” “Oh my god, you only fucked me because I'm famous, didn't you? That's all anyone ever- you are the *fifth* woman I've fallen for who-” “No, I don't- I d- I don't care about that, would you listen to me? I- I- want t- to make you- uu understand, but it's ha- it's h- hard to explain-” “Well fucking spit it out then, what did I do to set you off? Why are you pushing me away?” I open my eyes and jump to alertness, darting my eyes around the room like flashlights in search of the source of those voices. All of a sudden, it's like I was standing right between them, they were so clear, so loud. But I hold my breath, and stay still so I can listen, and... and I hear them through the wall, and it's normal. They're getting louder, sure, but I can't make out what they're saying to each other through here. What was that? Did I fall asleep? I didn't think I... [[I hear the slamming of a door swung open from the hall.]]

“You thought what?” “I, uh…” “What, you thought I was just gonna be a one-night stand? Are- are you breaking up with me?” “No, wh- I-” “If you didn't want to do this, why did you keep seeing me? What, are you bored? Are you bored of me?” “It's n- not- not that, I just-” “Oh my god, you only fucked me because I'm famous, didn't you? That's all anyone ever- you are the *fifth* woman I've fallen for who-” “No, I don't- I d- I don't care about that, would you listen to me? I- I- want t- to make you- uu understand, but it's ha- it's h- hard to explain-” “Well fucking spit it out then, what did I do to set you off? Why are you pushing me away?” “I- I- fuck- I'm on- I'm only- I- I-” “I- I- I- I only- I- I-” “S- shut up!” “What do you need, a fucking script? Stop spazzing out in my bed and talk to me!” “I d- I don't know how, Charlie! I don't know what I'm doing!” “Then what are you doing here!?” “I don't know! I didn't think it was ever gonna get this bad! I was supposed to be able to handle it, I- fuck, I don't kn- kn- know, Charlotte, I don't even really know if I'm gay.” I cover my mouth to avoid gasping. [[There's a dead stillness as Charlie's brain confirms and re-confirms that it heard what it just heard.]]

“...What?” “...That… feels really embarrassing to say out loud.” “Are you twelve?” “I didn't mean that, I-” “What the fuck is wrong with you, Jessie? You're not gay? Then what have you been wasting my time for?” “Wait, p- please-” “No, you shut the fuck up, I'm not going to wait. What the hell have you been talking about for the last two minutes- you're not gay? That's the most ridiculous shit I've ever heard. Do you remember half of the things you've done to me? The things these fucking bedsheets have seen- oh my god, hahaha, you're not gay!? Fuck you!” “I know- j- mm-” “So what then, you don't care that I'm famous, you don't want to fuck me anymore, I guess that's- what- was I an experiment for you? Mess around and get the dyke to fall in love so you can see how it feels on your tongue? Is that what I am to you? A learning experience?” “No- no no no no-” “Then what am I, slut? What the hell have we ever been, that we suddenly aren't anymore because you don't feel like it anymore?” “J-... Mm… mmmm…” [[Jessie writhes, incapable of answering.]]

She gets a few more broken, repeated syllables out, but nothing meaningful. “That is so fucking annoying, that you do that.” “Kk- K- Knn… haah…” “Just get out. You can have your space, whatever. I don't care anymore.” A moment later, Charlie's door opens. I don't have time to scramble away and hide before it does, so I don't even try. Jessie walks out first. I expect to find her in shambles, tears in her eyes, hands quivering. Her arms are crossed, and her back is hunched, but her eyes are dry, and her face looks… unmoved. Bored. She looks my way for just a moment, then turns and leaves for her own room. Charlie, walking out behind her, is more of what I expect; her eyes are puffy, her hair's a mess. Her arms are crossed as well, but she's frantically rapping her fingers against her elbow. When she steps into the hallway, she notices me sitting nearby and freezes. Then she scoffs, and a little, irritated smile cracks on her lips. She whispers under her breath. “Of course.” And then she shuts her door. I think about apologizing to her. I think about a lot of things. I think about following Jessie, but I decide it's better to give them both a little space. (if: $freetime < 3)[I could use some space from all of that myself, honestly. I wonder if anyone else isn't busy. (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]] (set: $AffCharlie to it - 2)

I peek out of my bedroom door to find Jessie walking away from Charlie's bedroom. Her arms are crossed, and her back is hunched, but her eyes are dry, and her face looks… unmoved. Bored. She looks my way for just a moment, then turns and leaves for her own room. I think about following her. About asking her or Charlie how things went, but I decide it's better to give them both a little space. So, I spend the next half hour or so in my room alone. (if: $freetime < 3)[But, after that time passes, it'd be a shame to spend the whole evening like this. Who should I go see next? (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

“But you… I've been watching you squirm. Trying not to do anything rude, or hurt anyone. Like you're scared one of us might figure what you're like.” “What I'm… like? I wasn't squirming, I just- I'm being…” “I'm watching you squirm now.” Beneath the blanket, I feel something press on my lap. I grab the couch's armrest and break eye contact with Jessie, looking dead ahead. I try not to acknowledge her, or the feeling of her heel grinding against my groin. But she lets out a smoky groan of an exhale, telling me she isn't done being heard. “You haven't told me how you like my outfit, Seth. I keep seeing you trying not to stare.” “Ha. I made fun of your outfit in the car. You were asleep.” “Is that how you rationalize it?” “Hhh… Jess…” “Mm?” “Yh… you should stop.” “No.” “No?” Jessie holds out her left arm so I can see it, and curls a finger to direct my attention back to her. [[Then, she lifts the blanket up with that hand, revealing her lower body to me.]]

“Come here.” “Why?” “Because you want to.” I stare at Jessie, and her outstretched arms, and her tense, muscular form. The curls of her hair spilling about her shoulders, providing a pillow for her head, coil down to her clavicle. They do little to conceal her chest, concealed so much less by her costume, which squeezes and flaunts her as if she were wearing a net of garrotes. Beneath her chest, her stomach, chiseled and toned with an abdomen I've yet to see on any athlete, male or female, yet no less inviting than Jessie's softest features. I see the overhead light beaming on her smooth, dark skin, I see beads of sweat resting along the endless surface of her flesh, not quite cast away from her exertion in Pandora… With a second to think it over, I'd have assured myself that to dive into her now would be a horrible mistake, and made some safe distance between us. But before that second comes to save me, I'm already on top of her. Her arms fold gently over my back as our torsos greet, wrapping the blanket around my back. My forearms tucked behind her back, I plant a kiss on her lips and shiver at the taste. I pull away, she pushes me back in. I pull away, she holds me in place. I stop pulling, then, she lets me go. “Mwah.” “This is bad, Jessie. This is a bad idea.” “I know.” [[She says it so plainly, her hands already dragging my pants off of my hips.]]

She says it so plainly, her hands already dragging my pants off of my hips. Holding eye contact, she pinches the leather strap directly between her thighs, and slides it to the side, out of the way and forgotten. I feel the heat of her sex beating against mine, at least twice as hot as our bodies radiating inside the cocoon she’s trapped us both in. It feels like she’s breathing from her hips, letting out a single breath, hot, and slow, and heavy, so I’m painfully aware that her ‘mouth’ is open, and lingering, and waiting. If anyone could have such alien control over her body, it would be Jessie. The succubus. Jessie bats her eyes from beneath me, and gives a phony, doe-eyed stare, as if to ask what I’m going to do next. At this point, the question is a tease; an insult from a sore winner. I push my hips in, I let her swallow me. She bites her lip, and closes her eyes. I let out a breath of my own, and nestle myself the rest of the way inside her. She has no trouble taking me in, curling her stomach in slow rotations to match the flow of my hips. “Mmm… there you go.” “Quiet.” My head hasn’t left me completely; I know how stupid it is to be doing this in the middle of the living room. Every room in the house connects to this one, so anyone could come wandering in from literally anywhere else and walk in on us. And with everyone’s minds being on Jessie for her injury, the chances of someone coming by to check on her are higher than usual. And if someone does, they’ll find me here, pinning her to the sofa, taking advantage of her immobilized state. I’m sure to Jessie, that’s part of the fun. Hell, it’s not like it’s doing nothing for me, loathe as I am to admit that. I take my arms out from under her back, and plant my right hand on her breast. Jessie hums, pleased, and turns her head to her right, writhing in the stimulation of it. Kneading into her chest and propping myself up by my other elbow, I crack a smile, proud at the notion that I seem to be keeping pace with the sorority’s domestic expert. I’ve no way of knowing how Jessie feels about it, but to me, with her, this is a competition. An unorthodox wrestling match with the goal of forcing pleasure on the other faster than they can force it on you. To please your partner without hitting your own limit is a skill you have to hone, and Jessie has leagues on me in experience. [[But like this, in this rare chance I have to pin her underneath me, I stand a chance.]]

And that’s when Jessie winks, bears her fangs, and bites my left forearm. It was right there for her, all my weight pressing against it, holding it in place right by her face. The sudden pinch startles me, and makes my body tense up and lose its rhythm. It’s not a small bite, she’s latched onto me nearly enough to break skin. I yelp, and Jessie’s hands quickly glide down my back, stealing a firm grip at the waist from my staggered state. She pulls me in, meeting our groins back together, then rolling me out. Using me like a toy, she takes full control of the dance we’re doing, down to the motion of my own hips. Even if I had the will to resist, I doubt my legs have the strength needed to force her back into place. Jessie lets go with her teeth, and rolls her head back into the couch cushion, a heavy blush beaming from her cheeks by now. “That’s it… haah! Fuck me. Mmf!” “Not s- nn- not so loud!” (if: $Cane is true)[“Fuck me, cripple boy! Ha, oh god yes!” I cringe a little at the expletive. “That’s not h- hot, Jess.” “It’s better if you get used to it.” ]\ The blanket we’re in is boiling us alive. Sweat’s beading down every inch of Jessie’s leather-bound body, and I still have a shirt on. The discomfort is competing with the euphoria, I’m at the point where I can’t tell how much I’m enjoying myself anymore. But I’m barely a factor in what’s happening here; I’m still upright, so I’m still useful to Jessie, so we keep going. [[That is, until we hear someone walking down the hall upstairs.]]

Jessie freezes. I look up at the stairs, but can’t see who it is just yet. That’s good, that means they can’t see me. Thinking quickly, Jessie shoves me to the side against the sofa’s back, turning us both so I’m behind her, and covered head to toe by the blanket. It’s far from a convincing disguise, but as long as no one pays much attention to us, I’m not immediately visible. Stowed away in relative darkness, I stare at the skin of Jessie’s back through the curls of her hair as the footsteps clop down the staircase, and take a turn at the bottom toward the kitchen. I let out a sigh of relief. I can’t know if it’s safe to get out and redress yet, so I’ll have to wait for Jessie to give me a signal. The person in the kitchen rattles through the cupboards, grabs a glass, and fills it with something from the fridge. I hear the fridge door close back shut, and then… nothing. I wait for a moment for Jessie to do something. To whisper to me, or… to do anything. But she doesn’t, she just waits while this person lingers in the kitchen. I don’t know what it is about her, but the way she’s laying, one hand tucked beneath her head on the armrest, the other draped along her hip, I get this air of annoyance from her; a frustration with whoever it is that was merciful enough to pass us by so quickly. To my horror, Jessie speaks up, projecting far enough to be sure that this person can hear her. “Hey Cynth, what’s up?” Cynthia steps out from the kitchen into the dining room. The couch is facing directly away from that room, so I’m not exposed to her, but even still. I grab Jessie at the side, and dig my nails into her skin. [[She grits her teeth, and ignores me.]]

“Hey Jessie, feeling alright?” “Yeah, I’m doing alright. Aurora thinks I’m brain damaged, but you know how she gets.” “Yeah…” “...” “Yeah, it was just a fluke at practice, think I’ll be on my feet any minute now.” “I’m sure you will, hope you feel better soon.” “Thanks.” … There’s a long silence once the conversation dies. Jessie’s fingers rap against her hip, her legs shift around each other in frustration. Pressed so close against her back, I find the friction of motion to be the last thing I want to be dealing with. Especially when all I can see is her back and hips, in those strangling leather strips. “Didn’t see you at all today. Getting up to anything fun?” “Not really. Taking care of some errands, mostly.” “Yeah? What kind of errands?” “Oh y’know, getting our lease on the house renewed, finalizing Seth into the insurance, boring stuff.” “Oh, yeah, cool. Anything left? I don’t mind helping out with something. I know Aurora leaves you with a lot of the paperwork.” “I got it, thanks.” “Oh, okay. Yeah, I’m not too good at the boring stuff, I guess…” “...” Amazingly, Cynthia’s still in the dining room. Much less amazing is that Jessie seems even more frustrated that the conversation’s come to a dead halt again. [[Jessie takes a moment, lifts the blanket up past her shoulders, and turns her head to peek at me.]]

She gives me the same look I caught on her earlier, when we first laid her down on the couch. That dull, bored nothing-look. A total greyness. Then, she puts the blanket back over my head, and slides her right hand across the cheek of her ass in a slow, intentful circle. She grabs herself, lifting the mass of her impressive backside up a few inches before dropping it right back down. My heart races; she knows I’m watching, and she knows she’s getting the exact reaction she’s fishing for. I’m terrified, not for fear of not knowing her intentions, but fear of knowing exactly how the next few seconds are going to play out. Jessie rocks her hips back, grinding the soft skin of her ass against my lap. She makes a point to raise her hips as far up as they can go before pulling away and lowering to her starting point, like my body is a pole to flaunt herself with. She’s big enough to make me disappear between her every time she laps me up. I’m like ice; this torturous sauna has long since melted away any notion of my composure, and made me a useless puddle for this reckless woman to drink down and inebriate herself with. With just a few shakes of her hips, I’m rock hard again, and I don’t even pretend to resist when she wraps those nimble fingers around me and points me to where I’m going. Jessie pushes back, filling herself up to satisfaction. She slowly rolls her lower body back and forth, keeping herself entertained while she tries to talk to Cynthia one last time. “Have you seen Seth lately?” “Not too long ago, why?” “Just wondering. Mm… it's so easy to lose track of him.” “Well, he's usually with somebody. I'm glad you guys are enjoying him.” “Ah… are you? It kinda feels like you're back and… back and fforth on how you feel about it.” “...I don't care. You guys can do whatever you want with him.” [[At that response, Jessie grabs the back of my hand and presses it deep into her hips, still grinding me to the bone.]]

“I understand if you, haah, if you're uncomfortable with it. He's your friend, anyone- mmf- anyone would be…” “You don't have to pretend to be worried about Seth and I, I'm fine. I've got some work to do.” “Alright, see you.” Cynthia walks off, down the hall towards the Den. Once the door clicks shut, Jessie huffs, and groans in her direction. “By the way, I'm melting your boy-toy's brain, if you care to notice.” “Jessie…” Jessie grins, and flips the blanket over, finally gracing me with chill, fresh air again. “Haha, I bet you're halfway to heatstroke now, huh? Stay with me, I'm the one that's supposed to be passed out.” “No, Jessie-” Even now, she hasn't stopped moving. Desperately, I tap her on the side. “I need to pull out, now.” “Oh! Whoops.” [[Jessie quickly hops off of me and gets on her knees, pulling me closer to the edge of the couch so she can reach me with her mouth.]]

She closes her eyes and quickly puts me in her throat, caring not to savor the action or let the moment linger. She squeezes me with her tongue and bobs her head, bringing me to climax so quickly you'd think she just flipped a switch. “A-ah!” I curl into a ball around Jessie's head, grabbing her by the temples to hold her still on instinct. She let out a little pained whimper, but I didn't realize that I was hurting her. Despite that, she held still and drained me effortlessly, taking each spasm down with a gentle gulp, again, and again, and again… until my body untightened, and went limp. With a satisfied hum, Jessie pulls her head slowly back and releases me, putting a palm up to the side of her head and wincing. “Dude, my temple.” “Huh? Your… oh, shit! I'm so sorry.” “Haha, it's all good. Think you earned that for sticking around this long. And for warning me.” “Yeah… yeah.” “You should get your pants back on.” “Yeah…” Taking another second to catch my panting breath, I redress myself, and let Jessie lay back on the couch. (if: $Cane is true)[My grip on my cane now noticeably shakier, ]I wobble over to the kitchen, and splash my face a few times with cold water. I take a deep breath in… and laugh. I laugh at myself for the absurdity of the situation I went through. Way to go, Seth. If nothing else, you survived a wrestling match with Jessica Valentine. That's got to be worth something. (if: $freetime < 3)[Maybe someone else in this house has something less exhausting to do. Who do I want to hang out with next? (if: $mabel1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Mabel|Mabel Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Saturday Night")\ \ By the time night falls, I'm in my room, enjoying some time to myself. Wasting an hour or so watching videos online reminds me that I haven't checked in on the TrueSight Forum in a while. I tried to check back, but my internet was down, so maybe I'll get through now that it's back up. So, I look it up, but… nothing. The site's down. There's a result for a website called ‘truesight,’ but it's clearly a different link, and it brings me to a dead page. So, just like that, the only people who at least pretended to know what was happening to me are out of my reach. Honestly, that's pretty disheartening. But chances are it was just a bunch of nutjobs anyway, I'm having a hard enough time not becoming one myself. (if: $Catch is true and $Bloodless is false)[Just as I'm thinking of turning my computer off and going to bed, [[there's a knock at my door.|Healing]]]\ (else-if: $Cane is true and $AffMabel > 9)[Just as I'm thinking of turning my computer off and going to bed, [[there's a knock at my door.]]]\ (else:)[Oh well. [[I'm going to sleep|end ch7]]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ End of Chapter 7. [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 8]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) (save-game: "Autosave")

“Come in.” My door swings open, and in comes Mabel, with big, beaming eyes and shaking arms. "Seth! Seth! Come see!" "Huh? What, what is it?" Mabel hops over to my desk and pulls me up by the arm. She yanks me to my feet so quickly that I'm not able to snatch my cane, leaning against the other side of the desk. "Come on, I wanna show you something!" “Hang on, let me just-” But she's too eager to wait; holding on firm to my hand and forearm, Mabel drags me out into the hall towards her room. Rather than put my foot down and fight her while she's so unusually excited, [[I just put my other arm on her shoulder and use her as my leg support.]]

(set: $location to "Mabel's Room")\ \ Arriving in her room, it's as empty as I remember it, with one glaring exception: a giant stuffed teddy bear, about chest height to me while sitting, is sitting against the wall between the window plants and her tatami mat. Mabel lets go of my arm and gestures to it with both hands. "I ordered it yesterday! He's so fucking big, look at him!" This thing is easily bigger than Mabel's entire body, I can't fathom that she got it all the way up here without help. Mabel stomps over to the cushy beast and topples herself over, flopping into the thing's round belly. She snuggles into it, and crosses its arms over her torso. "Do you like him?" "Haha, uh, yeah! You… you like stuffed animals?" "Fuck yeah! Well, I mean, probably, but I know I like Bark." "You named him Bark?" "Yeah!" "That's adorable." "Hey, Bark's not cute." Mabel grabs both of Bark's hands and lifts them up, baring his ‘claws’ to me. "He's a wild animal, and he'll maul your ass if you disrespect him." "I'm sure he will. What made you want a teddy bear?" “I have no idea. I saw him online on this discount site, and I just knew I wanted him. This is my first… my first, uh-” "Toy?" "How dare you." "That's what it is, Peppermint. It's a giant, cuddly toy." "You suck. Bark is my service animal and he demands your respect." "Oh, well I mean no offence to a bear on the job." "He'll consider your apology." I take a look around this sparse, depressing room, basically solely decorated with plants that aren't even Mabel's. [[Then, I look back at Mabel, still nuzzling the chest of a massive woodland creature, and I smile.]]

"I think he brings the room together." "Doesn't he?" Mabel pauses, and her smile fades. "...Is this dumb?" "Of course not, why?" “I dunno. It's, like… I'm in college. I've got better things to be spending my allowance on. And I already have this reputation for being fussy and immature. And I'm…” Mabel rolls her eyes, mostly at herself. "Short." “...Ha. Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha!” Mabel shrinks, clearly embarrassed that I'm laughing at her in a moment of vulnerability, but I just can't help myself. “Come on, man…” “I'm s- haha, I'm sorry. Peppermint, you're way overthinking this. Do you know how many women still buy stuffed animals into their sixties?” “Not really.” “Look, Mabel, when Cynthia was seventeen, she dressed up for halloween as a character from a show about fairies she's liked since she was five years old. I bet if I got her a poster from it, she'd put it up without a second thought. It's not that big of a deal.” [[Mabel pouts, and turns her head away from me.]]

“That's different, she was still a teenager. Last year she wore this slutty vampire getup.” “It's not a vampire getup, she just wears goth sometimes. She did that as a teenager, too.” I try to get Mabel to look at me, but she refuses eye contact. I take a couple steps closer to her before my legs ache, and tell me to kneel and get eye level with her. “Hey… are you that scared of looking childish?” “I don't know… I already look childish. I'm stuck in this stupid, ugly body.” “You're not ugly. And you have a right to like whatever you like. This is your home. Your home.” Mabel finally looks me in the eyes, clearly not quite convinced yet. “We know you're not a child, Mabel. I know… you had to grow up a lot faster than the rest of us. If this thing helps you… I don't know, make up for lost time… you've earned that. I respect that.” Mabel stares at me, doe-eyed. She doesn't quite look afraid, just… fragile. We sit in silence, then Mabel's eyes flicker from side to side. “Do you wanna feel him?” I smile, nod, and scoot the rest of the way up to Mabel and Bark. I reach out, and [[touch Bark on the back of his arm, which is resting over Mabel's arm like a sleeve.]]

I smile, nod, and scoot the rest of the way up to Mabel and Bark. I reach out, and touch Bark on the back of his arm, which is resting over Mabel's arm like a sleeve. It's silky, and soft, but firm. Clearly made of good materials, I imagine it cost Mabel a good bit. I drift my hand slowly up the bear's arm, letting the little strands of fur tickle my palm, all the way up to the bear's shoulder. My arm casts a shadow over Mabel's face, who's huddled between the bear and I with her knees tucked up and her hands squeezing the animal's stuffed paws. Her eyes stay fixed on me, her eyes unfocused and wide, her breath slow and shallow. It crosses my mind that just one week ago, I never could have gotten half this close to her. I let my hand wander further, resting on Bark's cheek, just to the side of his white snout, big black nose, and dumb-looking beady eyes. That snout is resting atop Mabel's head, the hair of her ponytail spilling out about the bear's neck and chest. I drift my hand down, just far enough to brush the bear's neck. My fingers feel a new texture: the much silkier whisper of Mabel's red hair. Mabel closes her eyes, tilts her head back and a little to the side, and lets out a slow, quiet breath. I'm content to leave it here; to let my index finger twirl a lock of Mabel's hair, and just barely refrain from touching her. But while I'm lingering there, enjoying the stillness, Mabel takes her right hand and lifts it up to meet mine. She grabs the back of my hand, locking her fingers gently with mine. Her hands are calloused and cold, but gentle. With her eyes still closed, Mabel pushes our hands inward, and places my open palm on her cheek. I say nothing. I do nothing. My thumb rests on a line; a sort of seam on her face where a splotch of skin is paler than the rest. I don't let myself linger on it, choosing to give my attention to the precious, innocent blush on her cheeks, and the nervous, sheepish smile on her lips. She lets go of my hand after some stretch of time I don't keep count of. Mabel finally realizes that she took me away from my cane, and helps me walk back to my room. We don't talk about what we did, or what it meant. We just wish each other good night, and [[go to sleep.|end ch7]]

(live: 2s)[I ](live: 2.5s)[re](live: 2.75s)[mem](live: 3s)[ber ](live: 4s)[how](live: 4.5s)[ they ](live: 5s)[will ](live: 6s)[re](live: 6.25s)[mem](live: 6.5s)[ber ](live: 7s)[you.] (live: 10s)[In this place, ](live: 11s)[in this pocket of air ](live: 12s)[beneath ](live: 12.5s)[layers ](live: 13s)[of ](live: 13.5s)[ice](live: 13.75s)[-cold ](live: 14s)[stone, ](live: 15s)[left to rot, ](live: 16.5s)[sealed away from your glorious sun. ](live: 18.5s)[Beaten, ](live: 19.25s)[mangled, ](live: 20s)[punished, ](live: 20.75s)[and killed. ](live: 23s)[Just as you wanted. ](live: 25s)[Just as you said it would be.] (live: 28s)[With the heavy seal cast aside, ](live: 30s)[I admired the place you've chosen to die, ](live: 32s)[for how drab and bleak and wet it is. ](live: 34s)[Nothing but moss sleeps with you here. ](live: 36s)[Do you covet its company? ](live: 38s)[Is the moss more trustworthy to you than they all proved themselves to be? ](live: 41s)[The moss would have torn you apart had it the teeth, you know.] (live: 44s)[And there you were, ](live: 46s)[right in the middle. ](live: 48s)[Your arms splayed, ](live: 49s)[your legs bruised, ](live: 50s)[your head resting so gently in the smallest pool of your blood. ](live: 53s)[You looked so peaceful; ](live: 56s)[if only they knew.] (live: 59s)[I saw you there, ](live: 61s)[and such infatuation filled my heart, ](live: 63s)[I was compelled to dance, ](live: 65s)[to dance around you. ](live: 66s)[Around ](live: 66.25s)[and ](live: 66.5s)[around ](live: 66.75s)[and ](live: 67s)[up ](live: 67.25s)[and ](live: 67.5s)[over ](live: 67.75s)[and ](live: 68s)[you ](live: 70s)[were ](live: 70.25s)[so ](live: 70.5s)[beautiful ](live: 72s)[and ](live: 72.25s)[so ](live: 72.5s)[still.] (live: 75s)[And I stopped dancing, ](live: 77s)[and laid atop of you there, ](live: 79s)[and again, ](live: 80s)[you were beautiful. ](live: 82s)[My hand on your still chest, ](live: 83s)[I adored this body that you'd chosen for yourself; ](live: 85s)[so young and sharp and gentle. ](live: 88s)[I knew your vanity, ](live: 90s)[I'd known it for so long, ](live: 92s)[but I'd not imagined this. ](live: 94s)[This poor boy. ](live: 96s)[How precious.] (live: 97s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "Cave Dream")]] (set: $Chapter to 8)

“So, um, Mabel.” “Uh huh.” “I've been thinking about what you said to me a while back. About, y'know, having a place in this house.” “Yep.” “I want you to know that I appreciate it. It, uh, hasn't been the easiest thing for me to adjust to this place, and I still worry I make some of you guys uncomfortable sometimes…” “It's okay Seth, you don't make us uncomfortable.” “Okay… uh, anyway, y'know, I just worry if… um. You don't-... hm.” “Something wrong?” “You don't need to compromise with me out of embarrassment for what happened with you and Jessie. I don't look down on you for the fight you have, so if you're compensating… I don't know. Don't.” Mabel looks up from her puzzle and stares at me. Then, she looks at her door. “Jessie got pretty banged up today, didn't she?” “Yeah.” “It's stupid of her to keep going to that place, when she doesn't even need the money. But it was stupid of me to hit her when I was trying to say I was worried for her safety. We're all stupid.” [[Mabel looks at me again, and smiles innocently.]]

“We've all got flaws, Seth. We're all working through things, and I realized after my fight with Jessie that it's not fair to hold you to a different standard. You deserve a chance to live here and grow, too.” “So, you still do think it's weird that I agreed to live here.” She shrugs. “You were voted in, so it's okay. Clearly we're okay with you doing whatever.” “...Have you checked on Jessie yet?” “Not yet. I might go talk to her, after I'm done with this puzzle.” I nod, and Mabel goes back to full concentration. Not feeling that we've resolved much, but also not knowing where to go next, I begrudgingly stand up, and leave Mabel to her devices. (if: $freetime < 3)[Where to next? (if: $aurora1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Aurora|Aurora Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $ophilia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Ophilia|Ophilia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $charlie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Charlie|Charlie Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $cynthia1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Cynthia|Cynthia Ch7]]</div> ]\ (if: $jessie1 is false)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Jessie|Jessie Ch7]]</div>]]\ (else:)[I think I've done enough, [[it's getting late.]]]

They were so rough with you, (live: 2s)[your hair was matted ](live: 3s)[and stuck to your face with blood. ](live: 5s)[I plucked the strands from your cheeks ](live: 6.5s)[and pulled them aside.] (live: 8.5s)[Had you let anyone care for you like this before? ](live: 12s)[I lowered myself, ](live: 14s)[I pressed my body to yours, ](live: 16s)[I pressed my lips to yours.] (live: 19s)[And you. ](live: 21s)[Wicked thing. ](live: 23s)[Dead thing. ](live: 25s)[You opened your eyes. ](live: 27s)[And I watched those eyes ](live: 28s)[slowly ](live: 28.5s)[come to light ](live: 29s)[from that ](live: 29.5s)[empty ](live: 30s)[stare ](live: 30.5s)[you held. ](live: 32s)[You were foggy, ](live: 33s)[confused, ](live: 34s)[your irises swirled around like hurricanes, ](live: 36s)[shapeless ](live: 36.5s)[and inhuman. ](live: 39s)[Then you focused, ](live: 41s)[you saw me, ](live: 43s)[you knew me. ](live: 47s)[And you were angry.] (live: 49s)[You were ](live: 49.5s)[f](live: 49.6s)[u](live: 49.7s)[r](live: 49.8s)[i](live: 49.9s)[o](live: 50s)[u](live: 50.1s)[s. ](live: 52s)[I was not supposed to be here. ](live: 54s)[You'd taken every precaution to see that I would not find you here. ](live: 56s)[Of course I could not miss this for the world.] (live: 59s)[You tried to lift yourself, ](live: 60s)[but your body betrayed you. ](live: 62s)[You woke just a day too soon. ](live: 64s)[You whimpered into my mouth, ](live: 65s)[and I swallowed your misery, ](live: 66s)[and I loved you, ](live: 67s)[and you thrashed ](live: 67.5s)[and flailed ](live: 68s)[and kicked ](live: 68.5s)[and I finally, ](live: 69.5s)[finally, ](live: 70.5s)[finally ](live: 71s)[saw fear in those hurricane eyes ](live: 73s)[like you'd seen in mine so very long ago.] (live: 74s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "Out of the Cave")]]

(if: $Catch is true)[“Aurora knows about these demons too, why don't you tell her to do it? She knows them better than me.” (text-color: blue)[(live: 3s)[“Because Aurora's not different.”]] (live: 5s)[“-?”] (live: 7s)[Katherine's gentle, pleading frown hardens into something more determined, even judgmental.] (text-color: blue)[(live: 9s)[“It doesn't matter that Aurora can see something's wrong. ](live: 11s)[For as long as she's been here, ](live: 12s)[I'd be amazed if she couldn't. ](live: 14s)[But you figured it out within a week of being here, ](live: 15s)[Seth. ](live: 16s)[Why do you think that is?”]] (live: 18s)[“...”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 20s)[“Because you are different. ](live: 21s)[Because you care. ](live: 23s)[You have the kind of heart that can reach into someone else's chest ](live: 25s)[and beat in sync with theirs. ](live: 27s)[You understand people, ](live: 28s)[you see them, ](live: 29s)[and you care. ](live: 31s)[There's no one like you in this house, ](live: 32s)[Seth, ](live: 33s)[there's no one like you in this city.”]] (live: 35s)[“...You're wrong. I'm not special, Katherine, it's this place. It's these people that are special. I haven't even talked to anyone in years before moving in here, really.”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 40s)[“Seth. ](live: 42s)[Look me in the eyes, ](live: 43s)[and tell me you don't believe (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel and Ophilia are better without their demons.](else:)[Ophilia isn't better off without that demon on her back.]”]] (live: 46s)[“...”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 48s)[“...”]] (live: 50s)[“What do you want me to do?”] (live: 52s)[ [[Katherine smiles, beyond relieved.]]]] (else:)[“...You're wrong. I'm not special, Katherine, it's this place. It's these people that are special. I haven't even talked to anyone in years before moving in here, really.” (text-color: blue)[(live: 5s)[“Seth. ](live: 7s)[Look me in the eyes, ](live: 8s)[and tell me you don't believe (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel and Ophilia are better without their demons.](else:)[Ophilia isn't better off without that demon on her back.]”]] (live: 11s)[“...”] (text-color: blue)[(live: 13s)[“...”]] (live: 15s)[“What do you want me to do?”] (live: 17s)[ [[Katherine smiles, beyond relieved.]]]]

My loving hand pressed its claws into your abdomen, (live: 2s)[just below the stomach, ](live: 3s)[just above the groin. ](live: 5s)[It pressed, ](live: 6s)[and it reached into you, ](live: 7s)[and I felt that your boundless warmth was bounded only today; ](live: 10s)[I felt it on my skin ](live: 11s)[and knew it was all you had to muster ](live: 12s)[until your stars came down to claim you.] (live: 14s)[You were so afraid. ](live: 16s)[So very, ](live: 16.5s)[very angry with me. ](live: 18s)[I ](live: 18.5s)[re](live: 18.75s)[mem](live: 19s)[ber ](live: 19.5s)[how ](live: 20s)[they ](live: 20.5s)[will ](live: 21s)[re](live: 21.25s)[mem](live: 21.5s)[ber ](live: 22s)[you, ](live: 23s)[for those gentle hands ](live: 24s)[and human eyes. ](live: 26s)[Oh, ](live: 27s)[if only they would ever know.] (live: 29s)[You could do nothing now. ](live: 31s)[The boy was alone, ](live: 32s)[and I consumed him. ](live: 34s)[When he went limp again, ](live: 35s)[I carried him on my shoulders, ](live: 37s)[and we left that cold place together. ](live: 39s)[They said that you vanished. ](live: 41s)[You might as well have.] (live: 43s)[As we step out of that pocket of air, ](live: 45s)[I look up at the sky. ](live: 47s)[Up at that sky, ](live: 48s)[falling, ](live: 49s)[its lights closer ](live: 49.5s)[and sparser ](live: 50s)[and streaking ](live: 50.5s)[like slow bolts of holy lightning. ](live: 52s)[Even now, ](live: 53s)[the few that make landing ](live: 54s)[tremble ](live: 54.5s)[the ground beneath us. ](live: 56.5s)[Tomorrow, ](live: 57.5s)[they will breathe on the bones of good men ](live: 60s)[and rise with all of your ancient fury, ](live: 61s)[to flood the world with fire. ](live: 63s)[How long until they realize they cannot go back?] (live: 65s)[I hold your head to mine, ](live: 66s)[and nuzzle your cheek. ](live: 68s)[Which do you think will find their way home first?] (live: 70s)[(click:?Page)[(go-to: "Sunday Morning")]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Morning")\ \ (if: $Cane is true)[The next morning is graciously brought to me by the shrill smack of hands clapping above my ears. The unpleasant sound gets me halfway awake, but leaves me disoriented and foggy. I groan, and struggle to pry open my heavy eyes. A wasted effort; I'm not given more than a few seconds to wake up before I'm accosted by another loud *smack,* and a deep sting to my forehead. I jolt awake to find Mabel standing in my bedroom, looming over me. “Get up, asshole!” “What? What, what's going on? What time is it?” “Early. Get dressed and get downstairs, now.” Without a word of explanation, Mabel stomps off into the hall. Dazed and confused, I [[find my way out of bed, take an iron pill, and get dressed.]]] (else:)[The next morning is graciously brought to me by the rupturous banging of a fist against my bedroom door. The unpleasant sound gets me halfway awake, but leaves me disoriented and foggy. I groan, and struggle to pry open my heavy eyes. Cynthia's voice shouts from the outside my room. “Seth, get up!” “What? What, what's going on? What time is it?” “It's early enough for the morning news. Get dressed and meet me in the living room.” Without a word of explanation, Cynthia stomps off into the hall. Dazed and confused, I [[find my way out of bed, take an iron pill, and get dressed.]]] (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Walking downstairs, I find everyone already in the living room. Jessie, Aurora, and Cynthia are on the couch, Ophilia is pacing up and down the downstairs hallway, Mabel is following Ophilia trying to calm her down, and Charlie is standing in the corner of the dining room, facing the wall while she talks to someone on the phone. (if: $Cane is true)[I hobble my way down the stairs and try to assess the situation. ]There's a small cardboard box on the vestibule door, probably slid in through the mail slot. I turn to the girls on the couch first. “What's going on?” “Charlie's father just confessed to having an affair on live television.” “What? Why did he-” “Charlie's trying to figure that out. She's on the line with her manager.” “Okay, what's wrong with Ophilia?” Mabel chimes in, still following the frantically pacing white-haired girl. “The box on the floor is addressed to Charlie, Phili's convinced it's a bomb.” “It is, I heard it rattling! It's something bad, why do you keep saying that like I'm crazy? I can tell it, it's obviously-” “Baby, okay, I know it's scary, but no one's getting hurt, I need you to take a second…” The two of them circle back to the hallway. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Inspect the Box]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Listen to Charlie]]</div>

I walk into the vestibule to pick the box up and see it for myself, but before I'm able to get to it, Ophilia shrieks. “NO, DON'T TOUCH IT!” Ophilia sprints through the living room and tackles me into the front door, pinning both of my hands to the walls. “What is wrong with you, I've been saying all morning not to touch that thing!” “I just wanted to-” “Phili, let him go, please!” “Why doesn't anyone listen to me? None of you listen to me about anything, I- I'm trying to save all of you! It's radioactive or something! We need to call the police, we can't touch that thing until the police have-” “I've already called the police, Phili, they're on their way.” Ophilia nods, the frenzy not having left her eyes. But she lets my arms go and resumes pacing down the hall. I leave the box alone, and share a quick look with Aurora, silently confirming with her that [[Aurora only said that to calm Ophilia down.|The Affair]]

I step into the dining room, and listen in on Charlie's phone conversation. A smoky, male voice drones from the other end. “No, what I'm not getting is GMA. You got him a spot on fucking GMA for this? They thought this was news? This isn't news!” *“He wanted it to be public, Charlie, I really tried my best to talk him out of it. Look, this is gonna be a good thing for us.”* “What?” *“I mean, not the cheating. But the affair, it's- people have done this before. The affairs, or the drugs, or the rapes or whatever, this sort of thing works out best when the people hear it from them first. You know what an opportunity this is?”* “Opportunity for wh… what the fuck are you talking about, Ronnie?” *“An opportunity for redemption. Look, people were getting tired of your pops lately anyway, this gives us a whole new outlook on his character, right? We're gonna make his whole image about his redemption. He's gonna win us back by being the better man, and Jennie, well, everybody's gonna love her now, obviously. Gimme three months, Jennifer takes your dad back, and this all goes behind us.”* “Are you fucking sick? You have this planned out? How long have you known about this- did- did Dad even actually cheat on Mom?” *“...Yeah, yeah he really cheated.”* “Oh my god, I can't believe you, Ronnie. I cannot believe you didn't tell me anything.” *“Hey, c'mon darling, you know I can't breach your dad's privacy like that, he told me in confidence, and if I break client confidentiality-”* “His confidentiality!?” Charlie takes the phone off of her ear, and holds it up to her face to scream into. “I'm learning about my father's affair from Good Morning America, you heartless ass!” *“Charlie, baby, I'm gonna make this work, okay? This is gonna get people way off your back about the Nora thing, you might be able to come home earlier than we-”* Charlie's whole body twitches, and she flings her arm out to the side, launching the phone into the kitchen wall, where it promptly shatters and hangs up on Charlie's manager. Charlie turns to look me in the eye, noticing my staring. Still clearly fuming, she smiles and shrugs. “I ran out of call hours.” [[I nod, and back away into the living room.|The Affair]]

I come back to the couch, where Jessie and Cynthia are peeking at Aurora's phone, scrolling through an article about James Parth's announcement. “An hour and fifteen minutes after his segment wrapped, Parth posted an elaboration on multiple social media accounts, each reading the same.” “Workplace stress has taken a slow toll on my mental health, and a few particularly hard nights have impeded my judgment. I made an awful mistake, and I can only hope to move forward from this with grace and dignity. I ask that everyone respect my family and I's privacy at this time.” “Sounds pretty H.R. friendly, given the circumstances.” “Think he had this written up before going live, or did someone have to scratch it up for him right there?” “An hour and fifteen minutes is kind of a long time to wait, right? It had to be written up in real time.” “I dunno, did all of his media accounts post it at the same time? You can schedule those sorts of things, maybe he just gave himself a gap for safety.” “I had a feeling James would do something like this someday.” “Seriously? Why? That guy's reputation couldn't be cleaner, given his family. If anyone was gonna cheat, it'd be Brandon.” “Brandon cheats, he doesn't ‘have affairs.’” “James is a dirty old man. I doubt he cares all that much about the mistress, a scheduled statement's proof he's just doing this for attention.” “What are you four doing?” [[Charlie walks up to us, eyes wide and head tilted.]]

“Just trying to help you figure out what's going on.” “I know what's going on, he cheated on- are- are you reading a tabloid?” Charlie leans over the back of the couch and grabs Aurora's phone. Aurora pulls it out of her grip, so Charlie tries to swipe at it again. “Hey, that's mine.” “Turn it off. Don't read that shit, they don't know what they're talking about.” “We're just trying to learn everything we can so we-” “It's not your family, and it's definitely not that blogger's family! Dad'll call me back, just hang on-” “You're freaking out, stop grabbing at my things-” “I'm not freaking out, you're freaking out, you can't believe the shit that you- give me your phone!” Mabel and Ophilia come marching back in from the hallway. [[Ophilia rushes past us to grab the living room window curtains and slide them shut.]]

“You're being paranoid, Phili.” “No I'm not! Why today, why right now? Everybody's watching, we need to- can we put something over the kitchen window? Why don't all of our windows have curtains?” “We don't need curtains because no one's watching us, and there's no bomb! Would you sit down?” “What if it's a camera? I saw this video of this guy who put a little camera on someone's package, and used it to find his bank information and-” “I cannot listen to you right now, no one cares about me enough to try to hurt me, okay?” “You're not helping anyone feel calmer, just stop pacing and-” “How do you know? How do you know there's nothing bad in that box? Everybody hates Charlie, I thought someone already would have-” “Alright, that's enough.” Charlie walks into the vestibule, toward the box. Ophilia goes stiff, and rushes to catch her. “No! No no, please-” Ophilia grabs at Charlie's shoulders, but Charlie just turns around, picks Ophilia up by the arms, and tosses her away. Ophilia stumbles and lands on her knees, [[Mabel quickly dropping down as well to hold her arms and make sure she isn't hurt.]]

While Mabel and Ophilia are occupied, Charlie picks up the box, and rips it open. She stares at its contents, pinches the bridge of her nose, and closes her eyes, chuckling frustratedly. She turns around to show Ophilia the box, and the contents beneath its torn lid. “Spoons. I ordered a set of spoons this week.” “...” Ophilia stays on her knees, wide-eyed, deeply embarrassed. Mabel hugs Ophilia's back and caresses her forearms. Both of them jump when Charlie drops the box at Ophilia's feet. The spoons make a startling, loud discord of metallic snaps that makes (if: $Bloodless is true)[Ophilia's ](else:)[my ]ears ring. “None of you are famous. I know you think you are, Phili, but you're not. You just *are* crazy.” “I thought it was gonna hurt you…” “It's cute that you're all down here, making this your business. Really, I think it's charming. But this is my family, my father and mother, and my crisis to figure out in the privacy of my own life. So if anyone wants a picture or an autograph, I'll be free after dinner, but until then I-” Charlie's rant is interrupted by a knock at the door. “Oh my god, what now?” Charlie stomps over to the door, and opens it. Like roaches, the four of us at the couch skitter over to Mabel and Ophilia so we can get a better view of the door. On the other side we find four people, all carrying some kind of tech equipment. A man with a heavy duty camera, a woman with a headset and a microphone, and two more managing some kind of machines I can't identify. [[The woman starts speaking as the door is swinging open.]]

*“Is this the home of- oh, perfect!”* Charlie leans on her outstretched arm against the open door, and lets out a short, sharp breath. I dread to imagine the face she's making now. *“Do you have a comment to make on your father's affair?”* “Who gave you this address?” *“Did you know James was cheating on Jennifer, or did he keep this a secret from everyone?”* “How did you find my address, did- did Ronnie-” *“Did you know Shaniah Landry at all before news broke out, was she a friend of the family when you lived in Louisiana?”* Charlie's arm bends, her posture softens as the Press Rat's questions disorient her. “Who's Shaniah Landry?” One of the two men in the back jot down Charlie's response in a notebook. “You need to leave, you can't just come onto a college campus-” “Charlie, close the door.” Charlie looks back at the rest of us quickly, like Aurora's words snapped her out of a haze. [[She nods, but the woman keeps going.]]

*“Have you seen your father since you were kicked out of the Parth Manor?”* “What did you say to me?” *“Have you and your father kept in touch since you started school?”* “No, that's not what you asked me.” “Charlie, no. Close the door.” *“Does that mean you haven't been talking? Does that mean the affair was a surprise to you?”* “Surprise? Yeah it was a fucking surprise, I don't know what he-” Aurora marches up to Charlie's side and grabs the door. “Excuse me. I'm the homeowner here, you're all trespassing. I'm gonna need you to leave now or I will call the police.” Aurora pulls Charlie’s back up against her chest, taking Charlie's arm off of the door so she can close it. The woman with the microphone leans to the side to maintain eye contact for every possible second. *“Do you think it's fair for your father to do this while you're still on hiatus?”* “What?” Aurora pushes the door shut, but Charlie wedges herself in the doorway, keeping it open. [[The news crew takes a step back into the driveway.]]

“Charlie-” “What the fuck did you say to me? I don't have anything to do with who my dad sleeps with.” *“But he made you put your career on hold, didn't he? Do you think he's holding a double standard, or will he be stepping off of the stage, as well?”* “Okay-” “Charlie, don't!” Aurora grabs Charlie's wrist, but Charlie slips right out of her grip, and steps out into the driveway with the news crew. Cynthia rubs the back of her neck. “Oh, shit.” “What fan-account did you get that from? Because I'm pretty sure *I'm* the one who said I was on hiatus, ma’am.” *“So it was your decision to step away?”* “As far as you know.” *“Did you receive any pressure from Nora Steele's family when you made that decision? Was it a part of your settlement?”* Cynthia marches outside and touches Charlie on the shoulder. I follow her up until the doorway, standing at Aurora's side, and blocking the camera's view into our home. “Charlie, people are starting to stare.” I peek out across the street. [[Sure enough, there's a cluster of college kids watching the commotion.]]

“My settlem- *haha-* do you have these written down? What the fuck is wrong with you people? No, it wasn't part of my settlement.” *“Then do you have any plans to come back to the public anytime soon?”* “I'm in school, Columbo, I'm occupied.” *“Rebecca and Jackie both continued performing while in college. Bella spent-”* “Shut the fuck up.” “Inside, now.” “You shut your fucking mouth!” Charlie takes another step forward. This time, Cynthia grabs both of her arms and holds firm. The news cast takes another step backwards. *“People are growing concerned that the Parth family is involved with a larger crime syndicate in Hollywood. Between Jackie's alleged trafficking accusations and your substance abuse, do you have any comments on the suspicion around your family name?”* “That's the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard, we're not doing anything wrong.” *“Does that mean you believe Jackie is innocent?”* “No- y- I- sh- shut up!” “Charlie!” Charlie grabs at her scalp with both hands, her breathing growing frantic. [[The news crew look at each other excitedly.]]

*“Is that on the record? You think Jackie is guilty of the charges put on him?”* “Give me your camera. I want the tape, now.” *“Absolutely not. Who else knows about Jackie's habits? Has your father been helping him kidnap these women?”* “Give me the camera!” Charlie lunges for the cameraman, who steps out of the way. The woman with the microphone gets in her way, so Charlie grabs her by the arms and attempts to shove her off to the side. *“Wh- hey, let me go!”* One of the two men in the back raises his voice and looks at the group of passerby across the street. *“Hey, she's got her hands on her!”* “Just let me see it, just let me see the-” “Charlie, get off of her!” Aurora steps outside to try and pry Charlie off of the Press Rat. Cynthia takes a step to the side, and reaches her hand into her bag. *“She's aggressive, I think she's on something!”* While Aurora, Cynthia, and the Press Rat wrestle, Cynthia takes her arm out of her purse, [[revealing a small, dark grey pistol in her fist.]]

She closes one eye, holds both arms out straight, and fires the pistol once, letting off a deafening *CRAK.* With a quick blast of orange light, she sends a bullet straight through the camera lens, knocking the heavy metal brick off of its stand and crashing onto the pavement. *“JESUS!”* “What the hell!?” The girls behind me yelp. The college kids across the street shriek, and scatter away from the house. Charlie lets go of the woman with the microphone, and the whole news crew huddles around the cameraman to make sure he's not hurt. Charlie and Aurora step back, stunned. Cynthia puts her gun back in her bag, takes a deep breath, and calmly walks up to the huddled crew. “Is your mic still on?” The microphone woman shivers and stutters, not directly answering her. The microphone is, now, scratching against the driveway. “Okay. My name is Azura. I live here. You were told that you're tresspassing, and after you harassed a student on our property, I decided to stand my ground in the interest of our safety.” The news crew says nothing. Cynthia doesn't mind, she's barely talking to them. “You do not know me. No one knows me. I will make for a very boring murder case. Please leave.” The crew grabs their equipment off of the ground, and quickly flees the scene. I watch them cram into their dingy little van parked on the curb, and loudly skid out of sight. Still stunned by what Cynthia just did, I stare at her, dumbfounded. [[She briefly makes eye contact with me, but quickly shifts to Charlie, who's staring at her own trembling hands.]]

“I did it again…” Cynthia walks up to Charlie, and holds both of Charlie's hands. “Charlie.” “They got me. They got me on camera, I- I did it again.” “You're okay, Charlie. They left.” “I hit her.” “No you didn't.” “I hit her.” Charlie nods, affirming it to herself. “When you shot, I-” “That doesn't matter.” “I hit her, I hit her- I did it again-” Charlie's voice trembles, she takes her hands out of Cynthia's and holds them up to her cheeks, eyes watering. “I'm never going home…” “Charlie, listen to me.” “What's wrong with me? Why does- fuck- why does this keep h- happening to me!?” “There's nothing wrong with you.” “Everyone haaates me!” Charlie breaks down, and sobs into Cynthia's chest. [[Cynthia hugs Charlie's head, and lets her wail until she's ready to speak again.]]

“I fucked my life up, Cynthia.” “No you didn't. Get up.” Cynthia grabs Charlie's head, and pulls her back up to eye level. “Look at me.” “Okay…” “You're okay.” “No.” “You're safe.” “I'm a stupid druggie.” “Everyone's okay. No one's going to hurt you.” (if: $Breakup is true)[“Why doesn't anyone love me, Cynthia?”]\ (else:)[“Why does everyone hate me, Cynthia?”] “I love you. Shut up.” “...” I watch in awe as Cynthia stares Charlie in the eyes with the resolution of a bullfighter. [[Aurora and I, next to the door, are speechless.]]

“The news doesn't matter. What your classmates do, what your father does, what strangers think about you, none of that matters. You have a home. You have a family. A family that loves you. Okay?” “Okay…” “You're life isn't ruined. The world isn't ending.” “Okay.” “I need you to say it.” “I don't want to.” “Say it, Charlie.” Charlie takes a deep, shaky breath in, and closes her eyes. A line of tears stream down her cheeks, which she wipes off with the back of her palm. She sighs. “The world's not ending.” Cynthia pulls Charlie's head close, and kisses her on the forehead. Charlie smirks. “A little lower.” “Hush. And no more tears, you’re staining that beautiful smile.” Cynthia hugs Charlie close. Charlie wraps her arms up around Cynthia's shoulders, and lets her legs go dead, hanging on her for support. They stay like that for a while, gently swaying from side to side together. Eventually, they break off, and head back inside. First Charlie, then Cynthia. As Cynthia approaches us, she looks at Aurora, shame cast over her eyes. “Sorry.” “It's alright, I'll handle it.” Cynthia and I walk inside and return to the living room. [[Aurora checks the perimeter one more time, and shuts the door behind us.]]

Inside, Mabel points her finger at Cynthia, all of her hairs on end, as if she too is a trespasser. “You! What the hell was that!?” “That was my pistol.” “Why do you have that thing!? Has it been in our house this whole time?” Cynthia doesn't entertain Mabel much, talking as she walks past her into the kitchen. “A girl likes to feel that she's protected. I'm surprised you don't already have one, Peppermint.” Mabel's strong posture breaks. She looks at Jessie and Ophilia, perplexed. “What does *that* mean?” Jessie and Ophilia shrug. “Guns are more trouble than they're worth, but I guess I don't hate that we have one here. You could have told us.” Cynthia speaks up while she raids the pantry in the other room. “Yeah, I could have.” With that, the sorority breaks off to do their own things again. I [[pull Jessie aside and sit with her on the couch.]]

“Hey, so, I'm a little lost.” “I don't think those guys were from any real news station, they just looked like paparazzi. Charlie gets hounded by camera punks like that sometimes.” “No, it's not that, it's just… I keep hearing this name, Nora Steele. Who is that?” “Oh.” “I mean, I understand the irony of asking that right now, that's why I wanted to wait until Charlie wasn't around.” (if: $Breakup is true)[“I don't care. But you can probably find a better story online than from me.”](else:)[“It's okay, but Charlie doesn't like to talk about it much. You can probably find a better story online than from me.”] “Well, Charlie doesn't seem to think so.” Jessie shrugs. “She was a fan of Charlie's. She was on the spectrum, or… no, but it was some kind of disability. Anyway, she went to one of her shows, and Charlie punched her. Put her in the hospital.” “Whoa. Why?” “Charlie was high. Nora got in her face, that's about all I know.” “And I guess that's why she went on hiatus… so Charlie was… seventeen? Eighteen?” (if: $Breakup is true)[Jessie shrugs again. “Look, I'm kinda trying to stay out of this.” “Yeah, sorry. I know you two just had your fight. Thanks.” “Mhm.”]\ (else:)[“Something like that. Look, knowing Charlie, she's probably about to start acting like none of this stuff just happened. It's how she copes, so it's better if you don't break that illusion for her. What she needs is for us to be more like friends, and less like, y'know.” "Press rats. Good point. Well, thanks." “Sure sure.”] [[I get up, and leave Jessie be.]]

A few minutes later, Charlie comes to find me. “Hey Michigan. You busy?” “No, what's up? Feeling okay?” “Yeah man, I feel like ten bucks. Aurora and I are gonna go smoke in my room, you wanna come?” (if: $Breakup is false)[ "Me? You don't wanna bring Jessie up?" “Ehh, she's been complaining about my stash a lot lately, think I wanna mellow out without her this time. What'dya say?”]\ “Oh. Uh, I'd probably slow you guys down.” Charlie squints, finding the comment strange. “We'll go at your pace, it's cool. Come hang out.” I appreciate the offer, but I can't help but feel a little uncomfortable about it, given what just happened. (if: $Breakup is false)[Even with what Jessie said, s](else:)[S]he seems too over it, too quickly. Charlie sees my apprehension, and leans in to mumble to me. “It'll be a good chance to get to know me, y'know. If you've been waiting for a sign of something, this is it.” … (if: $Cane is true or $Bloodless is true)[<div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Yes|SetTheStage]]</div>] <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[No|CharlieKillsAurora]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

“Yeah, alright, I'll hang out.” “Awesome, let's do it.” (if: $Cane is true)[Charlie helps me up the stairs, getting in the way of my cane more than anything, but I appreciate the gesture. ](else:)[Charlie offers me her hand, and leads me up the stairs towards her room. ]We make it to Charlie's door to [[find Aurora already sitting on Charlie's bed.]]

“I'm gonna pass, thanks.” Charlie pouts, but shrugs and stands back upright. “Your loss.” With that, she heads upstairs to her room. It's not that I missed that she was trying to speak between the lines- it was anything but subtle. I just get the feeling that right now, it's better to keep my distance from her. So, while the two of them smoke together, I unwind on the couch. A few minutes into scrolling on my phone, Cynthia shows her face again. I look over at her, she looks back at me. I look away. She crosses her arms. “Oh.” “Oh.” “You're pouting?” “I don't know what you're talking about.” “You're not allowed to pout.” “I'll do what I want, Mom.” “Okay.” [[Cynthia sits on the couch next to me, putting her bag on the floor next to her feet.]]

“You wanna talk about it?” “There's nothing to talk about. You own a gun. Good for you.” “Right. Is it that crazy that I'd want one?” “A girl likes to know she's protected.” “Mhm.” Cynthia leans forward on her knees to force me to look at her. “You're upset, Seth.” “Why do you have a gun?” “I had some bad experiences downtown. It makes me feel safer, that's all.” “What happened downtown?” “Can we not get that deep into it? It's just… some creeps trying to push boundaries.” “I'm really worried about you.” “I'm fine Seth, it hasn't been anything too bad.” “I mean in general. You've been scaring me lately.” “Yeah, okay.” Cynthia sits back, and there's a break of silence. [[I stare out the window, to the sidewalk where those kids were watching Charlie's breakdown.]]

“You did a good job calming Charlie down.” “Thanks. I feel like I get through to her. Which is good, I like her a lot.” “You've never talked to me that way.” Cynthia turns her whole body to face me, smiling like a dumbass. “Aww, that's cute. Are you jealous?” “I just don't get where you learned to do that, is all.” “I talk to you like that all the time, you just don't appreciate it.” “What? No way.” “Yeah way. Charlie's famous, she's used to people either coddling her or degrading her. What she needs is someone who can be blunt with her without being mean. Someone who treats her like a person. But everybody treats you like a regular person anyway, so when I do it with you, it just sounds blunt.” “Huh… I guess that makes sense.” “Yeah. And for the record, I've done more than my share of coddling you.” “What, you wanna go there? Ms. Speedo Sectionals?” “Oh shut up, I was like thirteen.” “I'll shut up, just don't forget that you're the crybaby and I'm your teddy bear.” [[Cynthia rolls her eyes, and leans back into the couch.]]

“...Does Charlie get out much?” “You tell me. Does she get out much?” “I think we should take her out for coffee or something. Just the three of us. Maybe Mabel, if she wants.” “That'd be nice. I don't know if she wants to be outside now though, given what happened.” “Oh yeah, maybe not. Later then, after it's cooled down.” “Sure.” “Do you wanna go out, just us two?” “You wanna get coffee with me?” “Sure.” “And if I say no?” “I'll cry.” “Ohh.” Cynthia crosses her legs, and smirks. “Well if that's how it is, I guess we can.” “Oh gee, thanks. I’ve been itching for a pity-date this year.” “You'll take what you can get, boy. Do you wanna go tonight? I can wait till morning.” “I don't really care. You wanna go tonight? It doesn't have to be coffee.” “Actually, I know this really cute Italian place I wanna show you, let's make it dinner.” “You got it.” [[Cynthia picks up her bag, and starts fishing through it.]]

“I got a coupon from the owner's son. He's this oily little twerp, but he's kinda cute. I think the whole family just knew I was Italian, somehow.” “They've got a radar for that stuff, yeah.” “Well, I just hope free ravioli isn’t paying for an arranged marriage, or…” Cynthia keeps rummaging through her bag, and her smile fades. Her face slowly goes pale. She looks back up at me, and I'm already as pale as she is. “Did I leave my bag somewhere recently?” “Not that I saw.” “Where did I… where would I have… I just had it- I- I just *used* it, what-” (text-size:2)[ //[[BANG!]]//]

Cynthia and I shoot to our feet. Without a word, (if: $Cane is true)[I grab her shoulder, and ]we (if: $Cane is true)[lock arms. Cynthia ]race(if: $Cane is true)[s] up the stairs(if: $Cane is true)[, carrying me along with her while I follow as capably as I can]. With each thumping step we make up each stair, that terrible explosion and its terrible implications echo in my head. In six seconds we reach the hallway, I've come up with twelve answers as to what happened, each hypothetical making my stomach further sour. Four seconds later, we're at Charlie's door. It's closed. I want it to stay that way. Cynthia turns the knob and kicks it wide open. (if: $Cane is true)[My legs are screaming.] Aurora's face down on the floor. Her blood is sopping the carpet about her neck. There's a tripod camera standing near the closet, recording the room. Charlie is standing next to Aurora; she's slouched, her knees are bent inwards, her head is hung low, she's panting. Charlie looks at Cynthia and I. Her eyes are unlike anything I've ever seen before. [[They aren't human.]]

The three of us face each other, all of us too stunned to speak. Then, Charlie smiles, and laughs. “*hahaha…* Okay, this is really funny in context.” “Charlie-” I take a step forward, and reach out to Charlie. Before my foot even touches the ground, Charlie points the gun at me and fires, letting out another ear-shattering *CRAK!* The bullet strikes me in the chest, cutting straight through my skin, and splintering somewhere inside of me. I don't feel the pain immediately, but my body gives out about as soon as the shot hits me. I collapse forward, [[knocking my head against Aurora's shoulder on the way down.]]

The ground is cold. (live: 2s)[Why is it… ](live: 4s)[it's wet. ](live: 5s)[I forgot that. ](live: 7s)[I'm on the floor, ](live: 8s)[and Aurora is… ](live: 10s)[she's here with me. ](live: 12s)[Why are we on the floor?] (live: 15s)[Cynthia screams from the doorway. ](live: 17s)[In the corner of my eye, ](live: 18s)[I see Charlie lift the gun to her chin, ](live: 19s)[and fire through her brain. ](live: 21s)[The noise sounds like an earthquake… ](live: 22s)[gradual, ](live: 23s)[and shaky, ](live: 24s)[and deep, ](live: 25s)[and slow. ](live: 27s)[And then there's a small, ](live: 28s)[muted ](live: 28.5s)[thump ](live: 30s)[as she hits the floor.] (live: 33s)[Aurora got shot. ](live: 35s)[Why did she get shot? ](live: 37s)[She's our leader, ](live: 38s)[she can’t get hurt.] (live: 41s)[My chest hurts. ](live: 43s)[Cynthia's crying. ](live: 45s)[I think I'm crying too, ](live: 46s)[my face is wet. ] (live: 49s)[Cynthia's crying, ](live: 50s)[that's not good. ](live: 52s)[I want to make her happy, ](live: 54s)[but I can't (show:?getup)]|getup)[get up.] (click: ?getup)[(live: 2s)[I can't leave her crying, ](live: 4s)[she's my best friend. ](live: 6s)[What do I do? ](live: 8s)[My body hurts. ](live: 10s)[I think I need help.] (live: 13s)[I'll ask Aurora. ](live: 15s)[She always knows what to do.] (live: 18s)[ (if: $Cane is false and $Bloodless is false)[ (go-to: "Final Deathscreen")] (else:)[ (go-to: "Deathscreen")]]

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ \ “Oh, hey Seth. You're coming to smoke, too?” “Yeah, Charlie asked me to. Is that cool?” “Totally, I just thought you wouldn't want to.” “Eh, I figure I need to start college one of these days.” “I… guess, uh, sure.” Charlie leads me to the bed, sits me down, then disappears into her closet. She comes back with a joint, passing it to Aurora, who already has a lighter. She flicks the lighter on, lights up the joint, and holds it up to my face with a coy smile. I roll my eyes, and let Aurora part my lips with it, holding the instrument for me to play. I inhale, and welcome a wave of sick, stale smelling smoke into my lungs. I try to let it linger inside me to get used to the taste, but after just a few seconds I have to wave Aurora's hand out of the way and break into a coughing fit. Plumes of light grey smoke puff out of my throat like a fire's caught in my chest, surrounding my head in fog. Charlie gives me an amused but pitying look. “You suck at this.” “Yeah.” Aurora takes a hit for herself, then passes it over to Charlie. Charlie breathes in, then pulls the joint away from her face, tilting her head back with her lips shut. [[This time, it's Aurora's eyes that roll.]]

“Again? Are you just doing this to show off?” Charlie doesn't respond, simply tapping the back of her wrist with two fingers in Aurora's direction. Aurora huffs, and counts the seconds Charlie holds in the smoke. “Eight, nine, ten…” “Does this, like, help you get high faster, or…” “Not at all. There's really no reason to.” Charlie whines, so Aurora gets back to counting. “Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen…” A few moments later, Charlie finally breaks down and coughs up her smoke, about doubling the amount I hacked out of my own lungs. Wheezing for air, she laughs uncontrollably through each breath. “Hahahaha- *haaah-* hahaha! Haah… haaa*hahahaha-*” “You okay Charlie?” “Tot- haha- totally! I just ge- *ha-* get like this sometim- *hmhm…*” “I really don't know what's wrong with her. I don't know anyone else who reacts like this to marijuana.” “*Hahaha-* it's not just weed, man, I- *hahaha-* I think I've got like a- ha- like a condition.” “Of sorts.” "Hey Seth, check this out." [[Aurora leans over and lightly taps Charlie on the shoulder with her palm.]]

Charlie lets out a little yelp, and shivers. "*Haha-* fff- *ha-* fuck you! *Hahaha-*" "Look at this, you're ridiculous. I'm not even feeling anything yet." Aurora pokes, prods, and brushes Charlie's body a few more times, eliciting an unusually intense physical reaction with each contact. I can't help but laugh myself when Charlie, still laughing like an idiot, topples onto her side, her whole body trembling so heavily that I can still see her arms shiver while wrapped tight around each other. “C- *hahaha-* come on, I- *haha-* I can't- ha- I can't take- *hahahaaaaah-* I c- *jesus-* hahaha-” “Hanging in there, girl?” “Can you- *ha-* can you get m- haha- can you get me some water? *Hahaha,* I don't think I can go d- *hahaha-* g- go downstairs…” “Sure thing, I guess I owe you.” Aurora gives me a smile and a wink, and gets up to leave the room. As the door clicks shut behind her, [[Charlie does her best to steady her body and capture her breathing.]]

“*Hhhhahaha…* haa… haha… hh…” “All good?” “Aw, yeah, I'm getting there.” “Cool. That's good, you- *koff-*” A sudden tightness takes my lungs, and another small tuft of smoke escapes my lips. I guess I wasn't totally done breaking down myself. “Is this a particularly strong joint, or something?” “Aw, not really, haha. I've got some better shit, uhh… over here. Over here.” Her shivering having mostly stopped, Charlie crawls off of her bed, stretching her arms way down to the floor, slowly sliding off the comforter onto the carpet like a slug. I hold out a hand to her, not really doing much to try to stop her. “I don't know if we need anything stronger than this, Chuck.” “‘Course we do. Weed's boring, we- *ha-* we're gonna party.” All of the trash on Charlie's floor makes traversing it on all fours look like the world's saddest obstacle course. But I can't be bothered to get out of bed, so eventually, Charlie makes it all the way back to her closet, where she reaches into a dark corner and grabs something out of sight. [[By the time she's on her way back, she's able to find her way to her feet.]]

“Check it out.” Charlie opens her palm, and shows me two little green squares. They look a little bit like postage stamps, and I don't think anything about them could scare me more given the situation. “Uhh, hey, I don't know-” “It's cool man, *ha,* this stuff's totally safe. I do it all the time.” “What is it?” “Acid, more or less.” “Look, Charlie, I've barely even smoked, I'm really not ready for-” “I told you man, there's no risk. You clearly don't know how to smoke, this'll work way better for you.” “Shouldn't we wait for Aurora? You, uh, you have one for her too, right?” “Oh, she's not coming back.” … “What? Why not?” [[Charlie shrugs.|the other shoe drops]]

“You're here because you want to see my demon, right? Aurora would just get in the way.” My chest is pounding. What was nervous apprehension just a few seconds ago has quickly festered into mortal dread. She said demon. She said it so casually. She knows? How can she already know? “Besides, this would be wasted on her. Even when she's tripping balls, she's so damn good at pretending not to be high. It's infuriating, that woman's never let her guard down in her life.” “What did you say to me? What demon?” “Oh. Sorry, I thought we were already on the same page. You've been running through the house, hunting down our demons. You already got (if: $Cane is true and $Bloodless is true)[Mabel and Ophilia, ](else-if: $Cane is true and $Bloodless is false)[Mabel, ](else:)[Ophilia, ]so it's my turn, right? With the affair and those newsies and whatever, I'm ripe and ready.” “That… uh… I'm sorry, I-... you know?” Charlie smirks, and shrugs again. “These tabs are gonna make this whole thing way easier. So, you in?” I look down at Charlie's open hand. At the two tabs sitting in wait, ready to do… whatever it is Charlie says they'll do. Charlie brought me in here. She knows what I'm trying to do, and she made the first move. If I take these, then I'm playing her game. I feel her eyes, perpetually half-shut, locked on mine, even while I neglect to return her eye contact. Finally, I give her an answer. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You should give this to Aurora."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Take it]]</div> [(save-game: "Autosave")]

“I think you'll have a better time with her than me. Let her in.” Charlie's eyes widen. She's surprised, and maybe a little hurt. For a moment, her lazy smile breaks, and she reels back just a hair. But then, the smile comes right back on, and she shrugs for a third time. “Alright, man. If you insist, I'll hang out with her instead. You're a weird little man, you know that?” “Yeah, whatever.” I take my cane, stand up, and walk past Charlie. I open the door and look into the hall, but speak up before I step out. “This is just a rain check. I hope you and I can try this again, under different circumstances.” “We won't.” “...” I leave the room and walk down the hall, [[crossing paths with Aurora and her glass of water on her way up the stairs.]] (set: $Blind to false)

My throat's tightening just at the idea of taking one of these things, but Charlie couldn't be more clear about what's happening here. She's right, I am here because I think I can reach through her and find her demon. If a drug trip is what it's gonna take to get there, then I'll suck it up. I pinch the tab closest to me with my index and thumb, and slowly lift it to my mouth. I stop there and look Charlie in the eyes, quietly asking her to show me what to do. She sticks out her tongue, and places it flat, somewhat close to her throat, then she closes her mouth. I do the same. It tastes like glue, at first. And that makes me think ‘what if this actually is a postage stamp?’ I mean, Charlie would absolutely go that far for a practical joke, wouldn't she? Maybe Mabel or Ophilia told her about what happened between us, and she's using my experience against me. [[If she's doing all of this just to laugh at my expense…]] (set: $Blind to true)

(set: $location to "Upstairs Hallway")\ \ “Oh, hi. Everything okay?” “Yeah, I changed my mind. She's all yours.” “Ah, alright. Well, we'll try to hang out again soon, okay? Have a good evening.” Aurora walks past me, but I grab her by the forearm and stop her. I lean in, and speak low. “Something's wrong with her. Keep your guard up.” Aurora says nothing, she doesn't even turn to read my expression. [[She just waits for me to let her go, and keeps walking.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Night")\ \ Not a lot happens the rest of that night. Charlie and Aurora don't hang out for very long, I hear her door open about thirty minutes or so after I left. Aurora spends most of the rest of the night with Cynthia, and Charlie just stays in her room. For a great many reasons, I feel less safe in this house with Charlie. I have no idea how much she knows about what I've been through, but I do know that she's been watching me, and hasn't done anything to help me thus far. Secrecy aside, I don't know if I trust Charlie with the knowledge of whatever the void is, or what Mabel, Ophilia, and I have gone through in it. I just hope Aurora can do what she needs to and keep her in check. When night comes, I cover my face with a pillow and [[drown my hanging dread until I fall asleep.|end ch8]]

(set: $location to "Chrlie's Room")\ \ If she does that, (after: 1s)[I'll... ](after: 3s)[I'll, uh... ] (after: 5s)[No, nevermind, this is acid.] (after: 8s)[It starts out as a tingling feeling in my hands, that kind of swims around the inside of my body; into the chest, up to the head, back down to the stomach, and so on. A couple minutes later, I start feeling dizzy. But not the kind of dizzy where my body can't stay straight; it feels like the bed is shifting around under me, trying to get me to lay down. Charlie's voice comes in from my left side, like the light of a radiator gradually getting hotter. But her voice isn't hot, it isn't red, it's a cool, foresty green. “How are you feeling?” “I feel good. Kind of light, kind of tingly… your voice is really nice.” “Hah, thank you. I like your voice too, Seth.” “Thank you. I feel like I want… I want to listen to you forever. You feel good.” “Well, I am a singer, remember?” “Oh yeah, haha… hahahaha- *koff, ack-*” More smoke clambers out of my lungs, sitting distractingly in front of my face, muddying Charlie's deep green with a chemical, sterile grey. Though it's hard to see her voice through the smoke, [[I can tell she's laughing too, somewhere on the other side of it.]]]

(set: $time to "Sunday Moring")\ \“Hahahaha… hahahahaaah…” “Chaaarlieee… you're so… far away.” “Ohhh? It's okay… here…” I feel her hand press down on mine, her way of telling me she's close. The sudden touch is sobering, or at least anchoring. I'm pulled away from my little pool of colors, and remember that I'm in a room, on a bed, right next to Charlie. I feel her palm against me, and I look at her, and she isn't a color. She's here, with me, and I'm not alone. “You're still here.” “Sure am, Seth. Did you think I was gonna leave you here?” “I don't know. Maybe, a little bit… you're still here?” “Hahaha… yeah, man. We're sticking together, for now. And hey, look.” Charlie points her thumb toward the window. I look out, to find it's pitch black outside. [[No moon, no street lights, nothing.]]

(set: $location to "Chrlie's Rm")\ \ (set: $time to "Sundy Mring")\ \ “We made it.” “That we did. Wanna go explore?” I nod. The two of us stand up together, walk to the door, and open it. Outside of this room, we're met with nothing but an endless, featureless, black expanse. So, we're already in it. That was faster than usual. “Hm…” “Something on your mind?” “(if: $Cane is true and $Bloodless is true)[The last couple times, ](else:)[Last time, ]I didn't even realize I was leaving the real world until I was out of it. This is so much more sudden.” Charlie shrugs. “Welcome to Purgatory. This place kind of does what it wants.” “Purgatory? I've been calling it the Void.” “Oh. That's… really bad. But, I mean, I went with 'the Abyss' up until college, so glass houses and all that.” “Hang on, so, what exactly do you know about this… all of this? You've been here before?” “Let's walk and talk.” The two of us step out of the room, and into the nothingness. Far, far, far, far away, nebulas of colored lights glow and shift and dance, [[indifferent to our infinitely miniscule imprint on the void we share.]]

(set: $location to "Chls Rm")\ \ (set: $time to "Sndy Mng")\ \ Behind us, the door to Charlie's room dissolves and disappears, like a statue of sand swept away by the wind. We walk on. “Yeah, I've been here. Come by here a lot, actually. I step out here when I want to think, or cry, or be alone, or whatever. It's like a… a second bedroom. This one's bigger, though. Maybe it should be my first bedroom.” “How do you get here? How'd you bring us here?” “Call it the perks of being a low-life, I guess. Drugs help. But if I dissociate hard enough, it just kind of finds me.” “I've never made it here on my own. At least, I don't think I have. I guess you girls have always been the ones bringing me here.” This line of conversation reminds me of something. “What did you do to Aurora?” “She's fine, I just kept her out long enough so she couldn't interrupt us. Now that we're here… we're here.” “You prefer to do this alone anyway, right?” “This… what do you think ‘this’ is? I don't know what I'm doing.” “Sure. Hey, do you think we can start hanging out here more often? The dark's good for my hangovers.” “This place is dangerous, Charlie, this isn't a game.” You know that, too. You brought up demons yourself. Why are you being so casual about this? “We shouldn't be wandering around like this, anyway. Stay close to me.” "Why? I'm here all the time, man. This place is special to me, Seth." I turn around, in hopes of finding anything resembling the house we left behind. Sadly, no clear path back to reality shows itself. Seeing no better option, [[I let Charlie lead our pace, and keep up with her.]]

(set: $location to "CRm")\ \ (set: $time to "SndM")\ \ “It's dangerous, I guess, but what place isn't? You can do whatever you want here, go wherever you want to go. We just have to go… where feels right.” Charlie holds her right arm forward, pointing her index finger out. As she walks, a small trail of green light lingers behind that finger, spreading out the further it gets from her hand. As the light grows brighter, splotches of other colors patch into its mass, and that mass expands and curves, and paints the once empty void into something more recognizable. As this ethereal paint washes over me, I find myself in a lush, sunny meadow. Long grass slithers up the bottoms of my shoes, and a short distance away, wide, skeletal trees hang, draped in low-hanging moss. The void is still here, there's nothing just beyond those trees. And while I see the light of the sun reflecting on the grass and the leaves and Charlie and myself, the sky itself is still empty and black. The horizon aside, this place feels so immediately, wonderfully real. [[Charlie sits down against the trunk of the largest tree, standing in the center of this little mirage, and stares out into the blank.]]

(set: $location to "")\ \ (set: $time to "")\ \ "Have you ever been down south, Seth?" "...No, never." "It really is beautiful. I used to spend hours out in fields just like this, trying to get lost in the trees." "I did that, too. All the time, Cynth and I were always trying to find some place we'd never been." Charlie chuckles. "Cute. I could never get too far from home, myself. Eventually, one of my siblings, cousins, or housekeepers would find me, and tell me off for making them wonder where I was." I look out at the trees surrounding us again, and this time, catch someone spying at us from behind a trunk. She's a petite blonde thing, with freckles, delicate eyes, and an even more delicate smile. I recognize her, and it sends a little chill up my spine. Bella Parth, Charlie's little cousin by two years, though she hasn't aged a day past thirteen. I consider warning Charlie of her presence, telling her that she isn’t really here… but when I look at Charlie, [[I see her glance briefly over to Bella, then look down at her feet, seemingly undisturbed by the sight of her.]]

Charlie laughs softly to herself. "A few dozen times, I caught them following me almost an hour before they caught up to me. I never told them anything, though." "I'm sure they just didn't want you to get lost, or kidnapped." "Yeah, that'd be a P.R. disaster, wouldn't it?" "..." "Charlie, you're… you're not here by choice, are you?" “Where's here?” “Saintsridge.” Charlie shakes her head. “So, why are you here?” "I hit a girl." "Nora. Why?” "She has this uncanny resemblance to Abby Lee Miller, and I can't stand Dance Moms." "...Charlie, what happened?" [[Charlie sighs.]]

“I was really high during that concert. Stimulants, really stupid shit given the circumstances. I did it because that made the cheering and the spotlight and all that a whole lot better. Thing is, stimulants don't stop stimulating when you're done enjoying them. So when it was time to leave, and meet all the backstage pass fans, all that chatter and those camera flashes just got so disorienting.” “I assume Nora was backstage?” Charlie shakes her head. “She was outside, people like to try their luck when we're on our way out. Nora was… she looked harmless, so security didn't really care. She kept getting in my face, and I was trying to hear myself think, and she just… she just kept touching me, y'know? I wanted to tell her to back off, but I don't know if I ever actually said anything. I tried pushing her, that didn't stop her, or get her parents to take a hint. So she grabbed my hand, and I just-” Charlie holds up her hands by her head and shakes them, frustratedly. She huffs. “She fell on something, hurt her head pretty bad. And of course, all of those flashing cameras got every frame of it.” "And her family pressed charges.” “College is a convenient excuse to keep me off stage without acknowledging anything.” "...Do you and Nora stay in touch?" “What? No, I don't know that girl. I gave her one of my agent's numbers so they could talk to her for me. Helped the family accept a settlement.” I try to think of a delicate way to say what’s on my mind, but I can’t think of any other way to say it, so I just [[say it.]]

"You should stop doing drugs, Charlie." "Wow, subtle. Let a girl have a little mystery before you state your intentions with her." "I just want to help you, or, to understand at least. Why do you take them to begin with?" “They're just nice, y'know? You were having a nice time with me earlier. I like having my body register when someone touches me.” From the distance, past this little meadow, there's a shrill sort of droning sound, like a jet flying far overhead. The noise quickly grows louder and more violent, and before either of us have time to locate where it's coming from, a massive metal pole falls from the sky at an arch, like a javelin. It crashes through the mast of the tree Charlie's sitting beside, shattering it effortlessly. Charlie and I are both assaulted with dozens of bark splinters and sent tumbling away from the impact. “-Whoa!” Knocked onto our sides, we both break into another coughing fit, yet more smoke pluming around both of our heads with each spasm of our lungs. When the dust settles, we’re able to push back up to our knees, to stare at this huge metal… thing sticking out of the grass. What the hell is that thing? It looks… It looks like a metal pole. It's not a spear, there's no shape to it really, it's just cylindrical. [[Charlie stands up, and dusts herself off.]]

"Huh. That hasn't happened in a while." “Are you okay!?” “Yeah, I'm good.” (if: $Cane is true)[ Charlie finds my cane somewhere in the wreckage and brings it to me. ] “What is it?” “That would be a needle. It's hollow inside, not that we can tell from here.” “So you've gotten shot at by this before?” “Oh yeah, totally. This place is dangerous.” “Hold on to me. This has to be from your demon, it could be anywhere-” “Oh shit, right, the demon!” Charlie swings her leg back and kicks the grass, dislodging a patch of dirt with her heel. Beneath that patch is an empty black spot, which begins to grow and consume the grass just as soon as it appears. The grass shrinks and slithers away beneath our feet, the destroyed tree is swallowed by blackness so completely it becomes indistinguishable from the horizon, and the circle of trees around us soon follows. Even Bella is swept away as part of the scenery. Just like that, we're back in the void, or purgatory, completely. Interestingly, the giant needle is the only thing Charlie wasn't able to get rid of. Now it's just standing at an angle, half-punctured into absolutely nothing. "I forgot that's why we're here. We can go take care of that now." “What, uh, what's it like? What's it going to do?” Charlie points at the needle, to imply ‘it's going to do that.’ [[Then she resumes walking, leading me further away for a few minutes more.]]

I spend most of that time staring at those far away shifting lights, a little mesmerized by their beauty. Interestingly, as I'm walking along and gawking at them, I find that they begin to move with more intention, or direction. Some of the reds and blues and purples are crawling more closely together, as if they might collide. In fact, they do. And when they do, their colors mix and their soft edges mold into something more solid. Before I realize what's happening, those lights have become a tangible thing: a building standing tall, directly in our path. The painted colors fade to a duller ivory color, revealing in whole the roman palace before us. “By now, Seth, I know what you want. But I think I have something better to offer you.” "Offer?" We step inside the open entrance to this palace, and I see plainly the terrible thing waiting in its otherwise plain interior. Against the back wall sits a magnificent beast, tall enough to reach the ceiling, and tower me six times over. Its body is made of cracked glass and bent metal; its iridescent, cylindrical head wedged open at the mouth to hold a cluster of discordant glassy teeth, like the inside of a geode. Its body, rather than a torso and limbs, consists of one long mass that stretches wider out the further you get from the head. But its body sticks solidly to the wall and floor, not one bit left unbound; I'm reminded of a mold growth. At its lowest point and in the center, I guess where its stomach is, the metal of its mass frays and becomes like wires, slithering and crossing over each other like stitching, incompletely covering the demon's insides. Those insides, from what I can see, are just lights. Colorful, shifting, gentle lights, held inside a wiry metal cage. There are more needles in this place, all of which connect from ceiling to floor, most of which stand at an angle rather than straight up, as if they too were tossed here at an arch. The majority of them are near the demon itself, but some lay dormant closer to us. Charlie wanders up to the nearest one, and gently caresses it with her hand. "I… have been waiting to show this to someone, for so long. Seth…" Charlie holds her free hand out for me to take. Stiff and uneasy, I [[apprehensively hold hers.]]

"The world out there is bleak, and painful, and grey. It's full of heartbreak, and ridicule, and impossibly tall hills that everybody can climb except you. Stay in that place, let it weigh you down, and it'll ruin you. But here? This place. This beautiful, perfect place, it can be whatever you want it to be. You can feel however you want to feel. How do you want to feel, Seth?" How do I want to feel? That's a weird question. I don't know what she wants me to say. I look her in the eyes, and then briefly to the lights inside of the demon's stomach. I feel like I can almost make something out behind those wires… Focus. I look back at Charlie, and say the only thing that makes sense to me. "I want to be happy. Right?" "Of course. And what's keeping you from being happy?" “Uh… I don't know.” “Try. Open up a little, let me see you. Even if it sounds stupid, I want to hear it.” “I… guess I… don't fit in with people. Like, I can recognize the things other people feel, but I don't… I don't feel them on my own? I'm always seeing myself from someone else's perspective, and that… that makes it hard to connect.” “That makes it harder? Empathy is necessary for connection, isn't it?” “Not if it's all you have. I don't have anything in common with anybody, because I don't… have a sense of self, you know? When no one's here, there's nothing there. I'm not a person, I'm just… I'm looking at people through a pane of glass.” I hadn't realized it, but while I was speaking, my eyes had drifted away from Charlie's and back to the lights in the demon's cage. I force myself to look at Charlie again, afraid to receive the confusion or condescension she'd express to me. [[But instead, on her face, I'm met with sympathetic eyes and a gentle smile.]]

“Well… that's okay. Maybe you don't belong. Being human is overrated, Seth. You think you're different, but everyone's different. We're all struggling to fit this idea of decency or humanity that no single, real person has ever actually achieved. It doesn't exist, so everyone's left wanting it all the time.” “But we'll never have it, so we'll never be happy. Not that way. Isn't that stupid?” “Ha… yeah, I guess it is.” “We don't have to play that game. We don't have to act like we can climb that hill, if we can just take our happiness at the valley. If you can do that, if you can manage to be really, honestly happy where you're at, maybe you can change the real world one day, too.” Charlie steps to the side, leaving me directly facing the demon, offering no filter between me and those alluring, swirling colors. At once, I'm transfixed. "All you have to do... is walk. Walk with me, Seth." The lights dance, and grow brighter and more playful. The wires obscuring them retract and condense into the demon's sides, creating a large, ovular doorway inside. I can't feel the air around me, I can't feel my own skin, or my breath. But I feel Charlie's hand holding mine, and I can feel the warm lights. I understand that I'm losing control, I have to act now. As my clarity gives way to a pleasant fuzz, I… <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Find Charlie's eyes]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Find the Demon's eyes]]</div> [(save-game: "Autosave")]

I peel my eyes off of the demon, and lock eyes with Charlie. She's entranced; already caught by the demon's hook. She takes a step towards the demon, but I grab her stomach and hold her in place. The force of touch startles her, and she looks at me, confused. "Huh?" "Charlie, you're wrong. You're wrong about this thing. It isn't giving you happiness, that isn't what it wants." I grab her shoulders and turn her whole body to face me. "Charlie, what do you want?" "What?" "What do you want? What are you not getting from the world out there?" "I… I don't know, Seth. It's not that I'm missing anyth-" "Yes, you are! Clearly, you are, that's why we're here! Tell me. Please." "...?" "What would it take? What could the world give you to make you as happy as you are in here?" Charlie pauses. [[She glances at her hands, then looks back to the demon.]]

I take a step forward, and brush Charlie's hand off of mine. I need to regain my own senses, and those lights are taking them from me. I look up to lock ‘eyes’ with this demon, though in truth it has none. The lights in its cage brighten and pulse, hitting me like a coming wave and rattling my composure. But I keep walking. This monster is my obstacle. I have to tear it apart. That's all that matters. That's all that there is. A muffled voice hums from somewhere behind me. Another pulse of light washes past, and I stumble on my right foot, wobbling for a moment to keep from toppling. I can't leave this place until I confront this animal. It is my goal, it's why I'm here. "You… what are you?" Another pulse of light, a deep purple fades into a gentler lilac and sweeps me half off of my feet. My eyes flutter and I nearly faint, but that's when I feel a hand on my shoulder. A skinny, blonde girl stands at my side, and smiles at me. "Keep walking, you're almost there." "You… I know you…" (text-color: green)["Shh… don't look at me."] The person points forward, directing my attention to the thing at the far end of the room. A magnificent structure, tall enough to reach the ceiling, built from beautiful crystals and glimmering steel. At its core, bare and exposed, is a tapestry of brilliant, multicolored lights, dancing playfully just a few feet from where I stand. All around me, mighty, sturdy poles hold up the sky for me. I take another step, enter the crystal-steel thing, and touch the light. This is my destination. What I've been looking for all this time. I'm happy. "It's s-so… warm… ha… hahaha!" (text-color: green)[“I'm so free… so free with you… I- ha- I think I'm in love! I love you!”] Startled, I look to my side, and notice a pale thing with an easy smile lingering next to me. I see it for only a moment before [[I'm drawn back into the light.]]

The warmth caresses us both, now taking up everything and everywhere I can see and feel. The way I came in is gone, sealed shut to keep from wasting any of this wonderful light. My own body is useless to me now, I don't even notice when my legs give out and my back hits the floor. The corners of my mouth are wet with foam. Close by, I can just barely make out that smiling thing from before; it's down here like me, [[choking through its whispered words.]]

(text-color: green)["H…(after: 1s)[h…](after: 2s)[happy… (after: 3s)[I'm ](after: 3.5s)[so… ](after: 5s)[sshhh… ](after: 6s)[hahahaha…"]]] (after: 9s)[The light bounces off of its eyes and back into mine, ](after: 11s)[and I experience color in a whole new way for it. ](after: 13s)[It's so wonderful to share joy with someone else. ](after: 15s)[This feels so intimate, ](after: 16s)[and this thing is so beautiful, ](after: 18s)[in such a simple way. ](after: 20s)[The way it smiles…] (after: 23s)[I can't see it anymore. ](after: 25s)[It's all just lights. ](after: 27s)[It's all just color now. ](after: 29s)[It's all so] (after: 29.5s)[(go-to: "Deathscreen")]

“I want… I… want to be loved. I want my fans to like me for the things I do well, and… for people not to care when I mess up.” "Is that all?” “Iiii want to be accomplished. I want to make people smile, to make people feel motivated, or excited when they're around me. Is that okay?" "Is that all!? Tell me- *koff-* tell me what you want!" "-!?" “I- I want… I don't know man, I want answers! I want you to tell me what you want to hear. I want life advice that doesn't suck, I don't want my whole life to follow an algorithm just so I can keep being popular. I…” Charlie's eyes widen, like she's witnessing her mouth speak for her without her input. "...I think I want out of my family." "No… I want out of my last name. I want the world to stop freaking out when I'm not the woman my agents advertise me to be. I want people to… I want to be loved. Unconditionally. For once.” Charlie lets out a deep, bitter laugh. “But I don't get to have that! Because I'm me! No matter how I act, or what I fuck up, or who I- *haha-* I marry, everyone will think of me in the context of those five letters.” While Charlie rants, the demon's lights have been getting dimmer, and the wires containing them have slithered somewhat back into place. [[Charlie holds her arms, and shivers.]]

"This place… it lets me get away from that. From them. Out here, I don't have to be Parth, I can… I can just be Charlotte. It lets me escape from… everything." "But you have to come back. Eventually, you always come back. Charlie, you said this place gives you the strength to change the real world, so… so what have you changed?" "..." "I… haven't… I haven't changed anything." Charlie turns to face the demon, wincing, visibly uncomfortable in her own skin. “I wanted to run away. I thought Saintsridge would let me do that, but… I'm still getting worse. I… I'm in college. I want to be a botanist.” "And…?" "And I'm a singer's daughter." Charlie stares at the floor for a moment, then glares at the demon, scowling. “That weakness… that deadness when there's no more spotlight, and my body wants to give out… that's what keeps leading me back to you. "You… you don't want me to change." Charlie holds out her arms and clenches her fists. From its glassy maw, it roars into the abyss, with a voice like thunder and tidal waves. The palace walls around us tremble at its utterance, and a new massive needle comes crashing through the ceiling, puncturing straight into the floor. Startled, Charlie and I scan the room. The palace itself has stretched to at least twice its previous length, but the exit is still here. Just beyond it, I see a hint of the light of day. With my free hand, I grab Charlie by the wrist. "We have to go, now!" [[Charlie nods, and we take off.]]

Aiming for the exit, we dodge and weave as more metal beams fire down upon us, accosting us with debris while they try to pin out bodies down here. We make it past seven before one comes too fast and grazes Charlie's side, knocking her out of my grip and sending her skidding across the floor. Her legs leave a thin trail of blood behind her. "AGH!" "Charlie!" I run to her side and pull her to her feet. That moment of stillness is enough for another needle to strike, missing a direct hit, but striking me with a dislodged chunk of ivory. I hold firm and pull Charlie up to her feet, and keep us running for the exit, ignoring my aching back and shrieking legs. Despite the demon's roars, despite the impaling needles, and despite Purgatory itself, finally, we make it to the palace exit. Together, we burst into the light of day. Panting, we breathe in the fresh air, we embrace the sunlight, we gaze at the beautiful horizon awaiting our tired eyes. I look at Charlie, exhausted and exhilarated, and say nothing. I [[hold her hand, and relish the horizon.|end ch8?]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ (text-color: #9af27d)[End of Chapter 8.] [[View Relationships]] [[Chapter 9|fake ch9]] (set: $BondMabel to (floor: $AffMabel/5)) (set: $BondOphilia to (floor: $AffOphilia/5)) (set: $BondCharlie to (floor: $AffCharlie/5)) (set: $BondJessie to (floor: $AffJessie/5)) (set: $BondCynthia to (floor: $AffCynthia/5) +3) (set: $BondAurora to (floor: $AffAurora/5)) [(save-game: "Autosave")] (set: $Chapter to 7.5)

(set: $location to "forest trail")\ \ (set: $time to "sunday afternoon")\ (set: $Clues to 0)\ The two of us wander for hours, down a mountain trail and through meadows and leaf-littered fields. The world around us is so colorful and bright, but it's also abstract, and unfamiliar to us. We understand that wherever we're wandering through probably isn't quite real yet; we're still high, and I haven't seen what it's like to leave purgatory while still awake. This gradual, dream-state of reality is probably just what it's like to walk your way back. Sure enough, the beautiful almost-meadows wane and dull over time, giving way to more familiar streets and sidewalks. We don’t notice it much as it happens; Charlie and I spend the whole hike chatting, enjoying each other's company too much to care for our surroundings. "You're kidding. Three years of ice skating?" “Yep. Well, okay, three seasons is a better way to put it. When my anemia improved enough to let me exercise again, Cynthia and I would hit the ice during the winter, when they weren't holding swimming competitions.” "You must have pictures." "Better actually, I have a uniform that still fits." "Oh my god. Seth. Can I have the honor of watching you ice skate?" “Sorry, pass. My anemia's worse now than it was at fifteen, and I don't even have the skates anymore, just the tights. Maybe one day.” "That is so hot, Michigan." "Shut up, Parth." “No, dude, it is! Come on, it takes a real man to admit to three years of spandex. Ooh, how did Cynthia look?” "Again, she looked fifteen. Did you skate at all as a kid?" "Nah, southerners hate ice. I think I've been one time, and I'm sure I just got bruised up 'till I cried." "Yeah, that's usually how the first few times go… I broke my arm once, actually." "Yikes." “It felt yikes.” Finally, we find the campus dorms, and shortly after, [[the sorority home is in our sights.]]

(set: $location to "campus streets")\ \ (set: $time to "sunday evening")\ \ When we get close enough to see the “AΔA” banner strewn over the balcony, Charlie stops in her tracks, staring at it worriedly. "Is something wrong?" “They're gonna be full of questions when we get back. I don't know if I'm ready to talk about Dad yet.” "You can tell them you don't want to talk about it." "..." Charlie holds her arms, and looks at me, smiling somberly. "This was nice. Nicer than I thought it would be. Did you, uh… get what you wanted out of it?" “Did you?” "Yeah. Definitely. I think I'm ready to stop… coping like I have been. Thanks for that." I smile, and she smiles back. "...We could just keep walking." "We shouldn't keep them waiting any longer." Charlie nods. [[We take each other's hands, and open the front door.]]

(set: $location to "living room")\ \ On the other side, a cluster of concerned eyes light us up like two escaped convicts in a prison yard. (if: $Cane is true)[Aurora, Mabel, and Cynthia are in the living room, all three letting out a heavy sigh on our arrival. "Oh thank god, you're okay." "Where have you been?" "We went on a walk. Why, did something happen?" "You were out for hours! And on today of all days, where the hell did you go?"](else:)[Aurora, Ophilia, and Cynthia are in the living room, all three letting out a heavy sigh on our arrival. "Oh thank god, you're okay." "Where have you been?" "We went on a walk. Why, did something happen?" "You were out for hours! And on today of all days, where did you go?"] Charlie says nothing, and stares at the wall. "We, uh… just lost track of time." Cynthia steps forward, her helpless eyes and quivering frown demanding Charlie's attention. "Don't do that! You can't just vanish on me." The intensity of Cynthia's worry startles me. Mabel said it was only a few hours, right? Regardless, Charlie takes her hand, and speaks clearly. "I'm sorry, Cynth. I swear, we didn't mean to just up and leave. I'm gonna tell you if I go anywhere for long." Aurora's eyes fix on Charlie and Cynthia's clasped hands, then to Charlie and I's. [[Then, she looks me in the eyes.]]

"I'm glad you're home. You two disappeared so suddenly, I don't know how you snuck past me." "Sorry Aurora, we should have said something. I don't think either of us were thinking straight at all." "It's okay. Just please, don't make me worry any more about you than I already do." (if: $Cane is true)["And Seth, what were you doing with her?" "What? I told you, we went on a walk." "We were worried about you too, you know." "Oh?" I try to hide it, but I can't help but smiling. "Yeah man, you can't just bail out on us like that. At least bring your phone with you next time, you idiot." "I called you like four times." "You guys were really worked up over this, huh? I'm sorry we scared you." "Yeah… girls, it's Charlotte we should be worried about, not Seth. How are you, Charlie?" "Fine. I'm totally fine. I'm glad to get some air." "Good. In that case, it's really late. Ophilia and Jessie are already asleep so… we should probably get to it."](else:)["And Seth, what were you doing with her?" "What? I told you, we went on a walk." "We were worried about you too, you know." "Oh?" I try to hide it, but I can't help but smiling. "Of course, you can't just leave us like that! At least bring your phone with you next time." "I called you like four times." "You guys were really worked up over this, huh? I'm sorry we scared you." "Yeah… girls, it's Charlotte we should be worried about, not Seth. How are you, Charlie?" "Fine. I'm totally fine. I'm glad to get some air." "Good. In that case, it's really late. Mabel and Jessie are already asleep so… we should probably get to it."] "Yeah, we should." Charlie finally lets go of my hand, and faces me directly, leaning in to speak only to me. "Goodnight, Seth." "Goodnight, Charlie." "Thanks again." "Of course." We go our separate ways, and I [[quickly fall asleep.]]

(set: $location to "bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "monday morning")\ \ I wake up with a pleasant buzz in my head, and a warm numbness in my limbs. It'd be the nicest morning I've had this week, if it weren't for this scratchiness I feel in my chest. I must have been allergic to something on the walk home yesterday. I'm hungry. I wonder if we have any waffles in the freezer. I [[take my time getting out of bed, getting dressed, and heading to the living room.]] [(save-game: "Autosave")]

(set: $location to "living room")\ \ Down there I find Mabel and Ophilia chatting, both of whom stop and smile up at me as I walk down the stairs. “Seth!” “Hi girls.” "Hey, Seth, I need your help with something." "Sure, what is it?" “There's this guy at school I keep butting heads with lately. He's been getting on my nerves about shit for like two months now, and I am on the brink of knocking his teeth in.” "Aw, maybe he likes you.” "Or maybe you're pissing him off, too." "Fuck off, I don't-...” “Anyway, if I have one more bad day with this twerp, I don't know if I can hold myself still. Can you help me talk to him today?” "Why me? I don't know this kid." "I… I dunno. I feel like I talk better when you're around." "Okay, sure, I'd love to help." "Wait, today? No, you can't." “Huh?” Ophilia wraps her arms around my bicep, [[tugging me a little bit away from Mabel.]]

“I need you today. I'm skipping class so I can go see my dance troupe this afternoon.” "Why do you need him for that? He doesn't know those people." "Well, I want to talk to them about… stuff. About the recital, and I want Seth to help me organize my words. I'd get so choked up and confused on my own." "Well, I don't know if I'd be any less confused, but I-" "Yeah, he can't help you, Phili, just talk to them yourself." "But I can't! C'mon, Seth, please?" <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Promise to go to class with Mabel]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Promise to skip school with Ophilia]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["I'm sure I can find a way to help you both."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You guys are being really clingy."]]</div>

"I think Mabel needs the help more, if she's trying to deal with her anger. I'm gonna help her-" “What? No, no fair! I'm not gonna get to see my troupe again for a whole week, Mabel can see her friend whenever she wants. Can't you just-” Ophilia tugs on my arm, and tries to take me away from Mabel. Mabel grabs my hand in retaliation. "Settle down Phili, your troupe's gonna be fine. You've known them for years, why can't you trust-" "Well, aren't you popular?" "-Oh! Charlie! When did you get here?" "Like three years ago. Girls, you know tearing Seth in half isn't gonna let him leave with both of you, right?" Mabel and Ophilia groan, and begrudgingly set me free. "Sorry to put down your advances, you two, but I'm actually gonna need our man with me today." "No." "'Fraid so. I even got up on time and everything, so you know it's serious." "Alright, what do you need him for?" "Do I get a say in-" "He knows what I need him for. You two have all day before your things come up, take the time to prepare or something."</span [[The two of them roll their eyes, but back off.]]

"A lot happened at that recital, I think it's important Ophilia knows how to handle her feelings the right way. I'm gonna go with her to-" "Come on man, I only need you for like half an hour. We can play hookie too, after." Mabel holds onto my other arm, and tries to get me back from Ophilia. "Let me take him, Mabel! Please, you're so strong on your own. I might get lost on my way to the theater!” "Well, aren't you popular?" "-Oh! Charlie! When did you get here?" "Like three years ago. Girls, you know tearing Seth in half isn't gonna let him leave with both of you, right?" Mabel and Ophilia groan, and begrudgingly set me free. "Sorry to put down your advances, you two, but I'm actually gonna need our man with me today." "No." "'Fraid so. I even got up on time and everything, so you know it's serious." "Alright, what do you need him for?" "Do I get a say in-" "He knows what I need him for. You two have all day before your things come up, take the time to prepare or something."</span [[The two of them roll their eyes, but back off.]]

"Hang on, girls-" "Come on man, I only need you for like half an hour. We can play hookie too, after." Mabel holds onto my other arm, and tries to get me back from Ophilia. "Let me take him, Mabel! Please, you're so strong on your own. I might get lost on my way to the theater!” "Well, aren't you popular?" "-Oh! Charlie! When did you get here?" "Like three years ago. Girls, you know tearing Seth in half isn't gonna let him leave with both of you, right?" Mabel and Ophilia groan, and begrudgingly set me free. "Sorry to put down your advances, you two, but I'm actually gonna need our man with me today." "No." "'Fraid so. I even got up on time and everything, so you know it's serious." "Alright, what do you need him for?" "Do I get a say in-" "He knows what I need him for. You two have all day before your things come up, take the time to prepare or something."</span [[The two of them roll their eyes, but back off.]]

(set: $Clues to it + 1)\ "Hang on, girls-" "Come on man, I only need you for like half an hour. We can play hookie too, after." Mabel holds onto my other arm, and tries to get me back from Ophilia. "Let me take him, Mabel! Please, you're so strong on your own. I might get lost on my way to the theater!” "Well, aren't you popular?" "-Oh! Charlie! When did you get here?" "Like three years ago. Girls, you know tearing Seth in half isn't gonna let him leave with both of you, right?" Mabel and Ophilia groan, and begrudgingly set me free. "Sorry to put down your advances, you two, but I'm actually gonna need our man with me today." "No." "'Fraid so. I even got up on time and everything, so you know it's serious." "Alright, what do you need him for?" "Do I get a say in-" "He knows what I need him for. You two have all day before your things come up, take the time to prepare or something."</span [[The two of them roll their eyes, but back off.]]

Charlie gives me a wink and walks off as well. “I do need to talk to you in a bit, if you're free. Are you okay to skip class?” “Sure, cool if I eat first?” “Totally.” I go to the kitchen and open the freezer door. There's a box of frozen waffles waiting for me, which is a pleasant surprise, because I haven't actually opened this freezer before. I pop one in the toaster and bring it to the dining table. While I'm eating, Cynthia comes downstairs. “Hey, stranger.” “Hey yourself.” “Did you sleep okay?” “Pretty well actually, yeah.” Cynthia sits down next to me, steals my fork, and takes a bit out of my waffle. “Hey.” “What? I bought these. I slept alright, too. Had a dream about you last night.” “Uh oh.” “No, it was a nice one. You and I were flying around over Ireland.” “You remember what Ireland was like? You barely got to see any of it.” “Yeah, but I liked walking around with you as long as I could. I kinda regret not being much of a tourist with you, looking back.” “What had Ireland on your mind, anyway?” “I dunno, I guess it was because I got all worked up over you taking that walk without me. Reminds me of you coming back to the hotel with that lipstick print on your cheek.” Cynthia takes two of her knuckles and pinches my left cheek. I chuckle, and push her hand away. “I really am sorry I worried you.” “Don't be, I overreacted. It's got me feeling nostalgic now.” “Did you have any dreams?” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["No, not that I remember."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You don't have to pretend it didn't bother you."]]</div>

“Eh, they're overrated anyways. But I liked sharing mine with you.” “We could always try Ireland again, y'know. Both be tourists this time around.” “Ha, right, on our college allowances? Talk to me in six years.” “Fair enough.” “But wherever we are, I don't want to sit still and miss out on you anymore. There's no point in being upset at you for going out when you're right here.” Cynthia scoots up beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulder. To hammer in her point, she puckers her lips and kisses me on the cheek, pressing against my face long enough to leave a little bit of a mark when she pulls back, despite barely wearing anything on her lips. A soft laugh breaks out from me from the shock of the sudden embrace. I sit still, and go beet red while Cynthia smiles, stands up, and leaves me be. I take two fingers and touch the spot where she kissed me. [[A bashful smile creeps up my own lips.]]

(set: $Clues to it + 1)\ (“I know we made you upset. I appreciate that you're being sweet, but I can see through it.” “See through it? What do you mean?” “You're not over it, not that fast, you're just course-correcting. But it's okay to be mad.” “Well… maybe I've matured a little. I'm just… scared. I guess I can't hide that from you.” “Not at all.” “But I'm not gonna let it get in our way. More than anything, I'm happy you're back home. There's no point in getting upset at you for going out when you're right here.” Cynthia scoots up beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulder. To hammer in her point, she puckers her lips and kisses me on the cheek, pressing against my face long enough to leave a little bit of a mark when she pulls back, despite barely wearing anything on her lips. A soft laugh breaks out from me from the shock of the sudden embrace. I sit still, and go beet red while Cynthia smiles, stands up, and leaves me be. I take two fingers and touch the spot where she kissed me. A bashful smile creeps up my own lips. Cynthia holds grudges, all the time. I was ready to receive two days of cold-shouldering before I forced her to use her words and resolve what's bothering her. But she just came to me about it the next morning. Maybe she has matured. [[What a terrifying thought.|A bashful smile creeps up my own lips.]]

(set: $location to "public park")\ \ (set: $time to "monday morning")\ \ A little while later, I find Charlie to see what she wants to talk about. Rather than just talk, she gets me into Aurora's car and drives us out to the nearest public park. It's a sunny, chilly day. As we slow into the parking lot, I see a little line of ducks crossing the street to get to a pond. Ducks are my favorite. The two of us get out of the car and have a seat at a picnic table, looking out at the lush green hills, and the people mingling in the grass. “Beautiful day, isn't it?” “Yeah. It's a little cold, but I guess it's just winter.” “We should be getting a warm front tomorrow, bring us up a few degrees.” “Oh, really? Nice.” “So, what do you wanna talk about?” “Well, first thing, I wanna properly thank you for yesterday. I know I said ‘thanks,’ but that's about all I could say in front of the others, y'know?” “I get it. It's better if we don't drag all this into everyone else's lives.” “Right. I know it was scary for you, but I'm really glad you were there for me yesterday. If not for you, I'd probably still be using that place to avoid thinking about all the things going wrong in my life. But now, I think I'm ready to see the world a little differently.” “It's nothing, Charlie, really. I'm glad I could help.” “Did you have any idea things would play out the way they did?” “Yeah, I had some idea. It's happened before, I just don't know the ‘how’ or ‘why’ yet.” “So… why'd you do it? Why'd you come with me?” I stop, and think about that question for a moment. (if: $Bloodless is true)[I think about Katherine, about what she asked me to do for her friends. About Aurora asking me for [[the exact opposite.]]](else:)[I think about Mabel, and how terrified she was, trembling in my arms, listening to me telling her that her demons wouldn't hurt her anymore. I think about Charlie sobbing into Cynthia's arms about her life being over, and myself wishing I could [[do more to comfort her.|the exact opposite.]]]

“It just felt like the right thing to do.” “That's a lot to ask. To put your life on the line for someone else's benefit.” I shrug. “Good men give.” “Hm. I like that.” “...I don't want to keep running from my problems. I feel really good right now, really healthy. But I know if I slack off or go slow, my old habits are gonna come back to bite me. I'm an addict, that's kinda my whole deal.” “So what are you gonna do?” “I'm gonna do everything I can with the energy I have right now. I'm gonna change, forever, today. All the way change.” “...What do you mean by that?” “I'm done with drugs, Seth. I'm done with what they do to me, what they turn me into. Starting today, I'm sober.” “Whoa… just like that?” “Just like that.” “That's really sudden, are you sure?” “I've got my whole stash in a box, in Aurora's trunk. Right now.” “You do?” Charlie plants her palms on the table, electricity crackling in her eyes and smile. “Let's toss it in a river. *Right now.*” “Seriously!?” “Seriously! Let's do it, I'm ready!” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["What if you can't handle the withdrawls?"]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Okay, let's do it!"]]</div>

(set: $Clues to it + 1)\ Charlie's smile wavers, but only for a moment. “Oh come on, don't step on me already. I'll pick up some coping skills, I'll chew on ice or whatever I gotta do when it comes to that.” “I'm just saying, going cold turkey is dangerous, and painful, even I know that much. We could set you up with a rehab program, wane you off of whatever you're hooked on over time, y'know? You don't have to do this alone.” “I'm not doing it alone. That's exactly why I brought you here. You're with me.” “...” I'm touched. But uneasy. “We went inside my head and beat the embodiment of my addiction. If I get weak, we'll just go back and kick its ass again.” “Is it gonna be that easy?” “No, it's gonna suck, like it sucked last time. But…” Charlie sighs, and gives me a straight, serious stare. “I've tried rehab. Not to sound like a defeatist, but I'm a little too far gone for that. You gave me a chance to do this the right way. I need you here, Seth.” “...” “...Okay.” [[Charlie nods, and smiles.]]

“That's incredible, Charlie! I'm with you all the way, let's do this.” “Atta boy! I am going to be a miserable wreck for a lot of this, so, like, keep an ice pack ready. You're my hangover boy now.” “Got it.” [[Charlie nods, and smiles.]]

(if: $Clues < 2)[(go-to: "Seth is Fooled")] (else:)[(go-to: "Seth Realizes")]

(set: $location to "forest")\ \ Charlie takes me down a hike trail, breaking off of the paved route after a few minutes to seclude ourselves in the trees. It doesn't take too terribly long to find the river Charlie was looking for; fast running and shallow, but deep enough for a box. Tired of carrying it all this way, Charlie sets the box down near the bank of the river, and kneels down. "Man…" "What's up?" "I spent so much money on this stuff." "Well, it's not like you were getting the money back either way." "Nah, guess not... hey, Seth?" "Yeah?" "No one's tried this hard… to help me before. I honestly never thought I'd care enough to give all this up, but… you got me to. You're really special, man." "Thank you, Charlie." "Thank *you.* You wanna do the honors?" I look back down at the box, and [[stare at it for a few moments longer.]]

Charlie gets up and walks back to the car. I rap my knuckles against my seat, lingering on the little itch I still have festering in my chest. I watch her skip over to the trunk, pop it open, and lug a large cardboard box back with her. I touch the lipstick stain Cynthia left on my cheek this morning. With a heavy *thunk,* Charlie sets the box down. “I know a spot down the trail that'll be perfect. Ready for a little hike?” “Charlie, wait.” “What's up?” “I, uh… feel a little lightheaded, and I left my pills back home. I really hate to do this right now, but I don't think I should walk that far like this.” Charlie frowns, and then chuckles. “You know what's crazy about that? I read online, like six months ago, that iron supplements can help you come down from coke withdrawals. So I got a bottle for myself, but I never actually used it, and I think… haha, yeah!” Charlie jogs back to the car, opening the back seat, and grabs a bottle of iron supplements from the door's cupholder. She shakes it at me with a beaming smile. “I left them in the car! Guess I won't need them now anyway, right?” “...” “I'm not helping you break your addiction, Charlie.” “What?” [[Confused, Charlie walks back to the table and sits down opposite to me.]] [(save-game: "Autosave")]

“Why not? You don't want to anymore?” “No, I do want to, it's just…” “Look, hey, nobody's expecting it to be easy, but I can handle the challenge. I don't really need you to do all that much, I just-” “You're lying to me.” “...Ha, what? Lying about what? The drugs really are in this box. You wanna see ‘em?” I take a deep breath in, sit up straight, and look Charlie dead in the eyes. I take a moment to assess my feelings, and solidify my suspicion into absolute certainty. “...What is it?” “We're still in Purgatory, aren't we?” “...” [[Charlie smirks.]]

(set: $location to "publc prk")\ \ (set: $time to "mnday morng")\ \ It’s a bright, sunny day. The park is pristinely maintained, people and animals chitter happily around us in the distance. There isn't so much as a chip of wood out of place on our table. I’m in less pain than I’ve been in all week. I’m sitting here, on a date with Charlie Parth, a woman so famous that she shouldn't know I exist. She’s laughing. She’s laughing, laughing hysterically, reeling over the table and holding her stomach, she won’t stop. The chittering has gotten so quiet, it feels like the wind itself has slowed to a crawl, the air condensed to a light liquid. She's laughing. She's wheezing between breaths. I can’t bear to watch her. My chest hurts. “Wow… that is incredible, Sleuth.” “...” Charlie sits back upright, and rests one elbow on the table. She looks so genuinely entertained. My stomach curdles as I watch her tuck her hair behind her ears. “So, what gave it away? The giant heroin needles were too on the nose, weren’t they?” “Needles… that too? None of that was real?” “Aw man, I guess we know why my acting career never took off, huh? Wow, fantastic job, dude!” “Charlie, what have you done?” “Well, honestly, I don’t know why I went through all this effort to begin with, this whole thing’ll be way simpler now that you know about it.” “Charlie.” Charlie snaps back to attention, only now noticing the hurt, and the anger in my voice. She pauses… [[but that sickening, lazy smile just comes right back.]]

(set: $location to "plc prk")\ \ (set: $time to "mdy mrg")\ \ “I had to do a lot of guesswork. I mean, I’m playing with an advantage, I guess, but I haven’t had to do this in so long, so… you did enjoy it, didn’t you?” “Enjoy what? What are you talking about?” “This adventure. Saving me. I guess it wasn’t convincing, but did you like it, at least?” “This was supposed to be for you.” “Right, yeah, did I get what I wanted, all that. I feel great, though. I feel incredible. Is that all it takes to satisfy you? Saying I was hurting without you?” “What are we doing here, Charlie? What are you doing?” [[Charlie stares off to the side, not looking at anything in particular.]]

(set: $location to "pprk")\ \ (set: $time to "d mrg")\ \ “Uh, technically? We're in my bedroom, high on acid.” “And this…” Charlie waves her hand around at the park. “Is something I threw together for you.” “Why?” “Because you… y'know, you like doing this sort of thing. Fighting demons and stuff. I thought it'd make you happy to think you got through and turned my life around.” “Why are you doing this? How do I get out of here?” “That's not really any of your business, unfortunately. But look, check this out!” Charlie twirls her pointer finger in a small circle. A little white sparkle cracks out from her fingertip, and quickly flashbangs the whole of my vision in a blinding white burst. I wince, and when I open my eyes, [[the two of us have gone somewhere else entirely.]]

(set: $location to "")\ \ (set: $time to "")\ \ We're sitting on a bed, together again. Not Charlie's bed; this time we're in my own bedroom, from my house in Michigan. Charlie hasn't even seen this place before. “Now that the curtain's lifted, we can do whatever the hell you want. Go crazy.” “This is sick, Charlie. You're not well, and you- you know this place is dangerous!” “Are we back to this again? Look man, I'm not Mabel or Ophilia, I can handle myself a little better than whatever they put you through before. Don't worry about me, you should focus on what you want this little lucid dream to turn into.” “I'm telling you man, nothing's off the table. I'm your genie.” “Let me out of here, Charlie.” “Ooh, sorry, no can do. That breaks one of my arbitrary genie rules. But hey, if you're out of ideas…” [[My bedroom door opens, the light from the hallway shining into my otherwise dimly lit room.]]

Stepping out of that light, the soles of her flats clacking against my wood panel floor, comes Cynthia. She's shortly followed by Aurora, then Jessie, Ophilia, and Mabel. One by one, they flood into my room, each of them with a pleased, easy smile on their face. Each of them arching their backs and swaying their hips as they find a spot in my room to sit or kneel onto, giving me their full, silent attention. “Wanna get freaky with a girl so famous, she shouldn't know you exist? Party with us all at once if you wanna, I won't tell a soul.” “Charlie, stop this…” Each of them are wearing this cheesy, sultry, bedroom-eyed look. It feels so out of place on them, except Jessie and Aurora, I guess. (if: $Cane is true)[I glance briefly at ‘Mabel’ kneeling beneath my window, but my eyes repel away from hers like equally-charged magnets as soon as they make contact. I'm not supposed to see her like that. Never her.] “I don't want this.” Charlie squints, perplexed by my continued apprehension. She holds one hand up to hide her mouth from the fake sorority girls, and pretends to whisper to me. “Psst, brother, they're not real. That's kinda the point. You had a hard week, dude, relax.” “Relax!? You want me to fucking relax about this? Fuck you!” “Yeesh, guy, it's gonna be alright. We're all friends. No sex, I got it. I kinda figured the timid choir-boy routine was an act, but good for you.” “You can't keep me here, Charlie. I'll fight my way out if I have to, I'll… I'll go through you.” “Haha. Okay, and how do you wanna go about doing that?” [[Charlie puts a knuckle to her chin, and thinks up some solutions for me.]]

“Do you wanna see if you can punch a hole in the universe, like Superman? Or, ooh, maybe if you pinch me, we'll both wake up?” “...” Think, Seth. I don't want to hurt Charlie. And… she's probably not bluffing, either. Trying to fight her almost definitely won't get me out of here. I need to draw out her demon somehow. How did I do that, the last time it really happened…? (if: $Cane is true and $Bloodless is true)[What did Mabel and Ophilia both have in common that lead me to figuring them out?] “Alright, well, you're obviously not gonna tell me how to make you happy here, and for all my creative brilliance, I- *ha-* I don't think I can do better than a one-man orgy, so… maybe you don't like being watched. I'll give you some time alone in your room, big guy.” Charlie winks and stands up, meaning to make for the door. I stand up as well, forcing myself to say something before she disappears. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Nora wasn't your fault."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["You're an addict, Charlie."]]</div> [(save-game: "Autosave")]

“Oh thanks man, that means a lot to hear.” "I'm serious, it- you- you don't have to hide from it. You can move forward, your life isn't over just because-" But it's for nothing. Charlie gives me a quick salute, and shuts my door behind her. I grab the doorknob and try to pull it back open, but of course, it's immediately locked itself. This door shouldn't even have a lock. "Charlie! Let me out!" I punch the door, stinging my knuckles. I grab the doorknob again, trying in vain to twist it open while I ram my body against the wooden frame. "Let me out of here! Charlie! Charlotte!" I growl, and back away from the door. Turning around, I'm startled to find my housemates still standing there, kneeling or sitting in pefect, polite stillness. I shiver. Focus. I walk to my window, and try to pull it up. predictably, it's also latched shut, and the latch won't come undone, no matter how fervently I pull. The pitch black void is all that waits for me outside of it, but at least it's something. "*Koff- Koff-* Come on... come on!" I grab a small figurine sitting on my desk and swing it into the glass pane. Thankfully, the window cracks, and shatters with a second swing. The window's small, but if I squeeze, I know I can get through it. I brush the shattered shards of glass off of the windowsill, and awkwardly prop myself up to it's level. Pushing myself through the little rectangular space, I feel the lingering pieces of window I didn't break scrape and cut my side, but I just [[close my eyes, grit my teeth, and keep pushing.]]

Charlie stops, and leans against my doorframe. “Me? No. Inebriation would violate my holy vows.” “And… and you still haven't gotten any better. You're running from your problems, everything I said to you still applies!” Charlie rests her hand on the doorknob, on the cusp of leaving, but curious enough to humor me a little longer. “Uh… okay. So?” “So… so what? You can't just leave.” “I mean, I'll hang out. You wanna bang after all?” My hands ball into fists, and quiver at my sides. God, you're infuriating, why can't I get you to actually talk to me, just once? “You're not funny. Do you think people like it when you talk like that? Nobody likes it.” “Ha, you sound like Mabel.” “I heard people talk about how annoying you are before I met you, y'know. How condescending you are. Everybody really does hate you.” “...Did you tell me to wait here so I could watch you throw a tantrum, or…” Respond to me, damnit. Acknowledge me. [[I take a step toward Charlie and shove her by the shoulder.]]

It hurts like hell, but I get the widest parts of me through the window and fling myself out the other side. I feel gravity take hold of me, and drop down into the nothingness beneath me... And I collide bluntly with a wood-panel floor just a second later. The jolt of bludgeoning pain catches me off guard and rings my ears. My eyes shoot open, I scramble out onto the floor, and I find that I'm... I'm in my room. I hurry to my feet. I look around a second time, to confirm it to myself; yes, I'm back in my room again, with my closed door and my messy furniture and these harrowing simulacrums of the other girls just sitting and waiting there. I turn around, looking through the window I just came through, to find that it too leads to my room. All I did was crawl through a mirror. My limbs go cold, and my heart picks up in pace. That was it. [[That was the only other way out.]]

I lift a chair up over my head and swing it into the door(if: $Cane is true)[, pain in my legs be damned]. "CHARLIE! YOU GET THE FUCK BACK HERE! DON'T YOU DARE- *KOFF-* LEAVE ME HERE! DON'T L- *HACK- KOFF-...*" Plumes of smoke drift out of my lips as I scream for my friend to return and release me. I lose my sense of balance and come drifting to my knees, overcome with a terrible tightness in my chest. Out of sheer instinctual necessity, I slow down and catch my breath, yearning to get this pain to leave me be. Though my attempts to recenter myself help the itch somewhat, it's clear to me that it's only getting worse over time. I'm on a timer, and... and I can't do anything about it. I'm trapped. Something's wrong with me, something seriously, horribly wrong with my lungs, and I'm trapped in here. I can feel it: I'm going to die. I'm going to die in here. In how long? How much time do I have left, in this room? I slowly turn around, and sit with my back against the door. My eyes linger on the images of my friends, peaceful in stasis. Fabrications in human form, devoid of motivation, of perspective, or of preference. (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Only waiting to be used.]] My eyes shiver. My vision goes blurry and shakes as my irises shudder from side to side, tears welling up and dragging down my cheeks. I tuck my knees up to my chest and wraps my arms around my legs. And the tightness in my chest just gets worse. My coughing fits get worse, my dizziness only gets slowly, gradually worse the longer I make myself sit here in misery. But that's it. That's all there is to say about me, and this little room. [[It's only a matter of time...|Deathscreen]]

They aren't real, right? That's why Charlie brought them here, that's what she said. Would there be any harm in it? There can't be, right? No, no I can't. I can't entertain it, I can't acknowledge them. But what else do I do? I just die here, alone? I just sit here, and be lonely, and afraid, and wait for my lungs to collapse while I take comfort in knowing I refused any sort of company? Jesus, Charlie, why did you do it like this? Why'd you leave me with them? [[Why did you leave me here?|That was the only other way out.]]

“Druggie bitch, you can't do shit right. Fucked up your life at seventeen years old.” “Oh yeah, I fucked up my life. Goes to show why I'm still-” “What, rich? Famous? Adored? Ha- you can't even get your roommates to stand you. You fell in love with a stripper.” “Jessie's not-” “Your own family doesn't even like you, your dad didn't bother to introduce you to whatever hooker he's seeing. I don't even think it's because you punched that poor girl, you just treat the people close to you like garbage. No wonder James kicked you out of the house, I've lived with you a week and I can't stand you.” “Ha- what, and you're any better. You got dragged here out of pity by your best friend, who, by the way, thinks you're a total parasite. You know she brought you to-” “You are such a self absorbed-” “No, quiet, the celebrity's talking. Cynthia brought you here-” “Bella would be ashamed of what you turned into.” “Shut up!” Charlie swings her arm back, hammer-fisting my bedroom door. As soon as her hand makes contact, there's a loud, deep *thump,* followed by a cracking noise. Like a windshield struck by a lucky pebble, the walls of my bedroom, centered at the spot Charlie punched, fracture into segmented parts, dislodging from each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, just about to fling apart. The cracks in the glass-frame of my room start small around the door, but grow exponentially through my walls, floor, and ceiling. I turn my head around to see the opposite end of my room; the fractures are so large that the entire half of this place is a glassy, blurry, indistinguishable mess. The other girls, it seems, are not immune to this fracturing. Just like the walls and the furniture, they too have been cracked, blurred, and skewed at their segments. Made into messy abstractions of their general color schemes, [[it's like I'm looking at them through a TV screen in a thunderstorm.]]

I turn back to a fuming Charlie, her fist still up against my door, her fangs bared. I didn't even think to bring up Bella, really. It just came to me on its own; something in me could tell, could feel that that would pierce right through her composure. I felt it in… not in my head. Not in my heart, either. I… think I felt it *in* Charlie. I don't really know what I mean by that. (after: 15s)[It doesn't matter. ](after: 16s)[You got her. ](after: 17s)[Keep ](after: 17.5s)[going.] (after: 20s)[“You are a parasite. How dare you.” “That wouldn't have hurt if you didn't know it already.” “Like hell it wouldn't! If I didn't know!? What do you know!? What Twitter thread did you read that told you- ha- how I *ffffeel* about Bella!?” Charlie's eyes sweep around the room, assessing the sorry state of her little stage for herself. [[She scoffs.]]]

“Fine. You wanna do this the hard way? I think I'm ready for a change of pace.” Charlie grabs the doorknob, now a clustered fractal of copper-hued glass, and opens the door. The pieces it's been broken off into abandon their frame entirely, flinging off and clattering on the equally-fractaled floor. When the spritz of debris finishes falling apart, we're left with a jagged hole leading into empty pitch darkness. I know she means to leave again. “No!” Before she can abandon me here, I leap forward and tackle Charlie. She snarls, and grabs me by the face and chest as I grab her waist. We wrestle and push each other, I feel her nails digging into my cheek; they're sharper than they look. Charlie kicks me in the shin, I fall forward, putting my weight on her and sending us both out of the doorway, into the empty expanse. As we collapse, Charlie pushes me off of her and begins freefalling. I try my best to swipe at her collar and catch her back, but find myself tumbling uncontrollably and missing her. As my body flails and an airless wind rushes past my ears, Charlie is lost to me and I am consumed by darkness. (if: $Cane is true)[My cane is flung out of my grasp and flies away,](else:)[The great pull of gravity vertigos my bloodless body as I fall,] and my chest burns with a petulant itch. I squint my eyes, and search desperately through the void for any semblance of color, or shape, or matter. Though it's hard to be sure of anything I see here, I think I can make out some faint, distant blue thing far, far away. I reach my arm out, stretching myself into purgatory. I focus on the color, I yearn for it to yearn for me. I forget myself in this pittance of substance, and somehow, I [[connect with it.]]

(if: $AffCynthia > 10)[It has shape. A distinct shape; a chain. I close my fist and grasp the chain, I feel its cold metal links against the surface of my palm. I feel its tautness, and the force with which it means to pull me further into nothing. I give it no resistance; I become but another link in the chain, and let it take me away. Around me, I feel this pastel-blue light grow closer, and envelop the nothing I soar through. Once again, I feel heat on my skin, I hear wind rustling through trees, I taste the air of a familiar space. I open my eyes, and… I'm still in Michigan. Not my bedroom anymore, this is another public park. I used to play here all of the time as a kid, when my parents wouldn't let me explore anywhere further than our neighborhood. I hear the chirping of birds and rodents, and though I can't see them, their voices are exactly as I remember them. “Charlie?” No response. My legs ache, but thankfully, I'm standing next to a swing set, so I take a seat. [[Once I do, I hear a familiar, human voice cry out from around the corner.]]] (else:)[It has shape. A distinct shape; a chain. I close my fist and grasp the chain, I feel its cold metal links against the surface of my palm. I feel its tautness, and the force with which it means to pull me further into nothing. I give it no resistance; [[I become but another link in the chain, and let it take me away.|I'll follow you for lightyears if I have to, Charlie. I'm going to find you.]]] [(save-game: "Autosave")]

“Seth? Hello?” Wandering in from behind a bathroom stall comes a little girl, no older than ten, strolling about with a light-blue bowtie and a frilly skirt. She notices me sitting on the swing, staring at me with her big, round doe-eyes beneath her messy and overly-curled bangs. She looks around this little square of the park, and huffs, pursing her lips to pout. “...” “Sir, have you seen a boy around here? I thought I heard his voice, but I don't see him anymore.” “Um…” Uh… “I haven't been here long, sorry. What does he look like?” The little girl puts a finger up to her chin and cocks her head to the side. “Hm… well, he's really pale. Kind of lanky. He's got pretty black hair, but sometimes he looks kinda scary.” “Scary?” “Yeah, like a ghost!” That's not very nice. “Well, I haven't seen any ghosts here, sorry.” “Aw, man. I'm gonna beat him up so bad when I find him, I swear!” “Hey, that's not necessary. You shouldn't hit your friends. Or, uh, you shouldn't hit kids in general.” “Okay. Can I sit next to you? I'm tired of walking.” “Sure.” The little girl sits on the swing next to mine. The rusty chain-links groan as [[she kicks her legs in the air, unable to reach the ground on this particular seat.]]

“What's your name, kid?” “Cynthia. What's your name?” “My name's, uh…” Just say anything besides your real name. “Charlie.” Bad. “Hello! I'm Cynthia, but I already said that.” “Haha, yeah. So, your friend, he disappears a lot?” “Not really, no. I mean, sometimes we like to hide from each other, but only when we're playing together. He said today he was gonna stay with me all afternoon! He lied to me.” “Maybe he just got lost. How long ago did you two split up?” “Um…” Cynthia furrows her brow and tries to think of an answer, but stalls. I see frustration well up in her while [[she mentally grasps for an answer she knows should be obvious.]]

“Not long.” (text-colour:#f9f338)[[Hm.]] “But what if he gets hurt while we're apart?” “Why would he get hurt?” “I dunno, anything could happen to him. He's kinda fragile, because he's sick. I need to look out for him.” “Oh, I see.” This isn't my favorite direction for this conversation to go in, but… “Do you help him when he gets hurt?” “Oh yeah, I pick him up and carry him to the adults and stuff. I'm a swimmer, so I'm really strong.” “I mean, when he gets sick. You help him when he gets sick?” “Huh?” Cynthia stares at me, totally lost. I'm perplexed myself; [[does she really not know what I'm alluding to?]]

So, she's been playing with my younger self. I wonder if my coming here made the younger me disappear. What kind of place is this, though? (if: $Bloodless is true)[Ophilia's demon had no problem having multiple copies of one person in the same place. ](else:)[Mabel's demon did seem to put me in memories of past events, but I was never my literal, current self when they happened. ][[And how does this illusion help keep me from Charlie, anyway?|she mentally grasps for an answer she knows should be obvious.]]

“No, I'm not a doctor.” “Well, sure, but… you, uh, help the doctors out, right? When they ask you for things your friend needs. I know some friends of mine that have to give things when their friends get sick.” “Hmm… no, Seth doesn't need me to give him things.” What? “But sometimes they hook him up to this machine, and he has to sleep for, like, all day. And I get really bored trying to hang out with him when all he wants to do is sleep a bunch, you know?” Okay, I guess that's as good of a segue I'm going to get. “Do you think your friend is a burden to you?” “Huh? No! I don't mind carrying him around and stuff. He's really nice to me, so I, uh… I kinda like that he needs me sometimes.” “You do?” “Yeah. Being nice is hard sometimes. I don't know how to say the right thing, or how to, like… let people know I like them, and stuff? Most kids think I'm really mean.” “Oh… you don't seem mean to me, Cynthia.” “Thanks. And Seth likes me, too! So if he gets hurt, I get to be nice to him, like he's nice to me.” “I see. That's, uh…” That's… nice? A little sad? “It's good that you two have each other.” “Yeah. I should probably go look for him again.” “Probably so. Bye, Cynthia.” “Bye, Mr. Charlie!” Cynthia hops off the swing, and goes trotting off out of sight. I sigh, and [[stare hazily at the park ahead of me.]]

I can see where the park ends, and Purgatory picks back up. It's not far. A few dozen feet, maybe? Still too much for me to walk comfortably. I'm basically stranded on this swing set. I mean, it's not like that walk is going to kill me. I can't stay here forever. I take a deep breath in, and stand up. I take two steps forward, both legs are accosted by pins and needles. I take two more steps, slower ones now. My knees wobble, and I instinctively reach out for something to catch myself on, but find nothing. I manage a fifth step before collapsing to my hands and knees; the hard, flat dirt pounding against my aching palms. I take a beat, and reluctantly drag myself forward onto the sidewalk. (text-colour:#f9f338)[[My pants drag through the grass and dirt, staining their entire front ends with wet paints of the earth.]] It crosses my mind to call for Cynthia's help, but my chest burns with embarrassment at the thought. Like I'd ever do that; cry for the help of a little girl playing in the park so I can, what, avoid humiliation? I'll take humiliation from myself before taking it from children. My ankles burn some as they scrape against the concrete of the sidewalk, but thankfully the trek doesn't last for too long, eventually I find myself at the precipice. I lean off the edge of the cliff this little block of Michigan teeters on, and stare at the black infinity below. In the great distance, another nebula of shapeless light, a muted gold. I close my eyes, I let my arm dangle off the edge, and I focus on the substance of the distant gold. Like before, my hand finds the end of a chain-link, and like before, I clasp my hand around it. Like a snake, it smoothly drags my body off the surface it lays on, and plunges me into darkness. [[I'll follow you for lightyears if I have to, Charlie. I'm going to find you.]]

That makes me a fresco. What kind of artwork am I? Is my body a display of something? [[A pretty little display of impotence, I guess.|stare hazily at the park ahead of me.]]

(if: $AffCynthia > 10)[Around me, I feel this brilliant golden light grow closer, and envelop the nothing I soar through. Once again, I feel heat on my skin, I hear wind rustling through trees, I taste the air of a familiar space. ](else:)[The golden light grows closer, it surrounds the void around me, and puts me somewhere new. ] I open my eyes, and find myself in another hall, in another house, though this one is wholly unfamiliar to me. Like all of the pockets of places before, there is no sun hanging out of these windows, but the light-brown oak of this hallway is bright and pretty, as if it were reflecting the midday beams. I'm standing right next to an open doorway. I lean in to peek inside, and find a quaint little bedroom waiting for me. It's a little cottagey, with big, cozy furniture items and flowery posters with no real preference for color pallets. There's a big, fluffy bed center the left wall, with a wide ottoman at its foot. On that ottoman are two people I don't recognize, a chessboard between them that they're both studying. On the bed itself, scribbling on a sketchpad and glancing up at the other two every few moments, is Aurora. She's mostly unchanged from how I know her to look, except her outfit is less colorful than anything she's worn around me so far, and her purple hair dye has gone away in favor of her natural brunette look. The other two look to be about our age. There's a tired, plain looking woman, with dark brown waves sitting messily at her shoulders. Her blouse has a faint pink hue to it, and her pants are uncomfortable looking khakis. The other one is a hispanic man with messy, oily hair and some kind of loose-fitting black jacket. I can't get a better look at him from here, as he's facing away from me. I hold my arms against the doorframe for support, and stare. The tired looking woman's eyes dart briefly up to me, before dropping back to the chess board. [[She speaks up.]] [(save-game: "Autosave")]

*“You're back already, Jean? Did you forget your wallet?”* “Uh…” Aurora looks up at me, her eyes staying for more than a quick glance. She takes a second, then frowns, as some panic takes her. “That's not Jean.” The woman looks up at me again, realizes I'm not who she thinks I am, and screams. She and Aurora both get up from their seats, alert. I hold out one arm, struggling to think of what at all I could say to diffuse the situation. “It's me, it's Seth! You know me, Aurora.” The pair seems unconvinced. They keep a safe distance from me, and keep eyes on each other. *“Who's Aurora? How did you get in here!?”* “A-... Aurora. You.” I point at Aurora. She stares at me, concerned. “I… think there's been a misunderstanding.” *“You need to get out of our house.”* “I'm sorry, I don't want to scare you. I- look, I'm unarmed.” I take a step out into the doorway, holding my arms out to show I don't have anything on me. (if: $Cane is true)[My legs don't appreciate the gesture, and I'm back on my knees before I realize it.](else:)[The vertigo of transport catches up with me when I stop leaning against the wall, however, and I'm on my knees before I realize it.] [[Aurora and the other woman gasp.]]

*“Is he okay?”* “Hey, careful!” Aurora steps forward towards me, much to the chagrin of her friend. She holds me by the shoulders, looking down on me with pity. I look up at her and wave her off. “I'm okay, I'm okay. My legs are… uh… what is your name?” “My name is Adeline. You said your name is Seth?” “Yes.” Aurora… Adeline, as she says, takes my arms and helps me up. “Would you like to sit on the bed?” “That'd be nice.” *“Ada, what are you doing? He could still be dangerous.”* “It's okay, look at the poor thing.” [[Adeline sits me down on the bed, and stands in front of me.]]

“You said you know me? Do I look like someone you know?” “Yeah… I, uh… I guess I got confused. Look, I don't… I don't really know how I got here. I'll leave you all alone, just help-” “No, no, it's okay.” *“What? He's not supposed to be here.”* “Well he's here now. And look, the poor thing, he can't even walk.” Adeline gives me a warm smile, one I've seen at least a dozen times before. “Why don't you stay and rest with us for a minute?” “Oh… sure. That would be nice.” The tired woman is clearly very apprehensive of me, but she reluctantly sits back down and returns to her chess board. Adeline picks her sketchpad back up, and continues scribbling in it. Stealing a look, I can see she's getting an outline of her friends. “So, you… you don't even recognize the name I called you?” “What name was that again?” “Aurora. Miller.” Adeline and the tired woman wince. The tired woman mutters under her breath. *“Miller…”* “Must be a distant relative of mine. I guess that's why we look so similar.” “It can't be that distant.” Adeline's eyes shift away from her sketchpad to get level with mine. For a moment she says nothing, and I imagine she's at least half as uncomfortable as I am. [[What is happening?]]

“I was just sketching my friends playing chess. Looks like they're about to wrap up. Do you play?” “Sure, let's do it.” Adeline's friends move from the ottoman to the bed, and the two of us from the bed to the ottoman. Adeline sets up the pieces; I'm black, she's white. She moves a pawn forward. “So, who is this Aurora girl to you?” “She's…” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[A Lover]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[A Friend]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[A Classmate]]</div>

“Oh, that's wonderful. I'm sure the two of you make a lovely couple.” “I like to think so. We haven't been together long, but we understand each other.” “Some people just connect that way. It's a special thing, when you can find it.” “Yeah, it is. Do you think she and I connect that way?” “Well, I don't know her. But I have faith that you do.” “Sure. I'd hope you have faith, otherwise you'd find it concerning that I'm mistaking random women for my lover, wouldn't you?” “Ahm… well, no one's perfect.” “Mm.” [[I cross my legs, and take a pawn from her.|Checkmate Adeline]] (set: $AffAurora to it + 2)

“A friend's a good thing to have. It feels like there are less and less people you can trust out there, you know?” “Trust to do what?” “Hm… you trust a friend… not to trick you. Not to hide from you.” “Fair. If you're really friends with someone, I don't think you could hide from them if you tried.” “That doesn't mean they won't try. But even if they do, friends forgive each other.” “Forgiveness is fine. But I'd want the sort of friends that pull me out of hiding when I try to disappear.” “That might not be for the best. Sometimes you have a good reason to hide.” “Then what is trust for?” “I… guess I don't know.” Adeline moves her knight, heading nowhere in particular. [[I take a pawn from her.|Checkmate Adeline]] (set: $AffAurora to it + 1)

“Oh. Is that all?” “What else ought she be?” “I don't know, it just seemed like you care about her.” “I didn't say I don't care about her.” “But a classmate is all she is to you?” “Sure. Your relationship with someone doesn't decide your feelings toward them.” “But I think they imply how you feel. You're closer to your family than you are to your friends, and you're closer to them than strangers.” “Some people don't feel close to their families at all. I know daughters who hate their parents, but love their friends. And some people are like strangers to their closest friends.” “So you like Aurora after all.” “Again, I never said that I didn't.” “So how do you feel about her?” “You're awfully interested, for two people you don't know.” “I just like gossip. You're cute, obviously she's cute, I want it to work out.” “Ha. Well… yeah, I like her. It's complicated. She's family.” Adeline squints, annoyed by my walking-back of my own argument. [[I wink, and take a pawn from her.|Checkmate Adeline]]

Adeline castles her king, and moves her bishop away from my half of the board. I push my rook further into her ranks. “This is a nice place. You live here with your friends?” “Yeah, we own it together. We all wanted to stay close to home, so I got some help from my family to buy it.” “Close to home. Not going to school, then?” “No, not right now. There are a couple colleges nearby if I'm ever interested, but I'm happy where I'm at. What about you?” Adeline takes my rook. I click my tongue, and shift focus to my knight. “I've been in college a few years. I was pretty bored with it for a while, but lately I've found it's a great place to meet people. I've learned things I never could have back home, and I have my new friends to thank for that.” “You mean Aurora. I'm sure there are girls like her where you're from.” “I don't think there's anyone ‘like her’ anywhere, to be honest.” “Why's that?” Adeline keeps pushing back into her own defenses. [[She's stalling.]]

“Well, because she's special. I know that, because she's changed me in ways no one else has. And she's had to come a long way to get where she is now.” I briefly take a look around the room before taking her bishop. “If she stayed home, I'd be a very different person.” “You'd be somewhere.” “I wouldn't be here.” Adeline's left eye twitches. She looks down at the board. “Maybe she's changed again, herself. She's clearly capable, if she came such a long way before.” “Yeah, maybe she has. I don't know her that well, really. But to me, she seems like the type to always change. The type that's always growing, never willing to look back for long.” I press in with my bishop, rook, and knight, forcing her to give up her queen. [[It's a matter of time now.]]

“...” “It's just easy, you know?” “What is?” “I don't know.” Mercifully, I put her in checkmate and end the game. She's still got her head hung, staring downtroddenly at the chess board. I maintain eye contact with her as best I can. “...You feel familiar to me. I don't really know why, but it's been there since I caught you from falling. I thought I could make the feeling go away, but… no.” “It's an uncomfortable feeling, isn't it?” Aurora nods. She looks out of her bedroom window, then stands up from the ottoman. (if: $Cane is true)[ “Um, I think I have something of yours. You need this, don't you?” She kneels down to reach into her bedframe, and pulls out my cane from underneath it. With a weary smile, she offers it to me. “Thank you. I'm looking for someone, has anyone else come through here?” “No, but…” Aurora ](else:)[She ]leads me over to her bedroom window, and opens it, letting the lack of air from the empty black expanse into the room. [[She and I stare out of it together.]]

“I feel like someone else is out there.” “...How much of this can you really see?” “I don't know what I'm ‘really’ seeing. I'm sure I'll be able to tell you later.” I stare out of the window again. Far, far away, there's another nebula of light and color. A deep, verdant green, this one. I close my eyes, and reach my free hand out of the window, towards the light. I let myself dissociate, and feel the end of another chain in my palms. I grasp it, and feel its tug slither me out of the bedroom window. But just as I'm being dragged ahead, I feel Aurora's hand press against my chest. I open my eyes, and see her staring into mine, intently. She shakes her head. “Don't just hold. Pull.” I nod, and close my eyes again. Feeling the chain pull taut against me, I plant my feet down and violently yank it in the other direction. There's a sort of ‘pop’ and a release of pressure, like I pulled something out of its proper socket. As soon as that pressure relieves, I'm swallowed by a deafening cavalcade of shattering glass, more violent and sudden than Charlie's outburst in my bedroom. Though I can see nothing, [[I feel the entirety of the room I'm in fracture to pieces and fall away as something else is forced into its position in space.]]

The noise fades away, and there's silence… which slowly fills with the murmur of low voices, and the shuffling of shoes against a tile floor. Soft, muted echoes of both of these sounds tell me I'm in an open, mostly empty room. Those echoes are gently drowned out by music; an acoustic guitar and snapping fingers played through multiple crackly speakers. And then, finally, above even that, is one voice projected over all the others, coming from straight ahead. “But doctors don't know what the hell they're talking about either, right?” I open my eyes. I'm in a concert hall, standing within a crowd looking up at the main stage. Above us, not a roof, but the eternity of Purgatory, nebulous lights flirting and flittering in the distance like the borealis. Beside me, these people, from which I was hearing those murmurings, are made of the same cracked glass as my sisters in that fake rendition of my bedroom. Though their voices seem mostly normal, I can't make out the shape of their mouths from the blurry, formless cluster they're made from. Interestingly, the crowd seems to consist entirely of women and children, from what little of their identities I can make out. And then there's Charlie, standing on that black stage with a microphone in her hand, one hip lazily leaned out to support her elbow. Her regular clothes have been changed out for a brilliant green dress, lined from breast to toe in bright sequins, which turn her into a glowing spectacle reflecting light from a sun that still does not exist. [[Charlie rolls her shoulder and tilts her head to the side, exaggerating a sort of casual-conversational pose while she speaks to the audience.]] [(save-game: "Autosave")]

“I mean obviously they know what there is to know from today's standards, but what does that mean, right? Like, we don't know anything about the crap we're putting in each other's bodies.” “Like, you know heroin? It- ha, I'm sorry, I say it like it's my coworker. ‘You guys know heroin, right?’” The audience laughs. It sounds canned and phony, like she's playing their laughter from a soundboard I can't see. “Anyway, so heroin is bad shit, we all know that it's bad shit. But do you know why it exists? What we originally cooked it up to do? It wasn't getting high for the sake of getting high, it was for respiratory treatment. Like, asthma! They used to give us heroin when we got a cough too many times a week.” Again, the audience laughs, almost the same canned track. It sounds like it's coming from the floor. “Aw, hey Robert. What's that buddy, you lost your inhaler? Oh don't worry, ha- have I got a solution for you!” While the audience eats up Charlie's hack-y routine, I look around the stageroom in search of a way to get up to her, without having to just climb up the stage itself. It's hard to make out any stairs here, but there is a walking beam stretching over the audience that you can get on top of from the stage itself. “In fact, they thought it was gonna help people get off of other drugs. They thought it would save people from morphine addiction. Isn't that something.” Heading to the right end of the stage, I push through the audience, keeping my eyes peeled for some kind of ramp or back entrance. The fractured blur-people don't mind when I [[shove them aside.]]

“So I guess what I'm getting at is that I just have a better respect for traditional medicine that the average doctor appreciates.” “No, but it is good to be back, though. The truth is, I hit a pretty rough patch these last few years." The crowd lets out a collective ‘aww.’ It's not an empathetic groan; more like a studio audience's reaction to seeing a child or small animal on set. “Yeah, do some of the shit I've done, and you get it in your head that you're not good for much of anything. Get it in your head that folks are better off when you're not around.” The crowd laughs. I find a door to the backstage… they laugh? Why did she make them laugh? “Sooo, I left! Ran off to dirtbag Cali, made a few friends that I- haha- I did *not* intend on knowing for as long as I did.” The crowd cheers excitedly. The backstage room is even darker than the stage itself, I'm struggling to see my own feet in here. “I spent a few years in school, trying to make something of myself. Now, obviously, I didn't think I'd really get there, god forbid, but why not try, right? My new roommates wouldn't let me sit in my own filth anyway, so… never trust a sorority girl, folks.” Again, they laugh. There's a staircase here, I think… [[I think it leads to the stage.]]

“Anyway, I don't know if it was magic or the meds, but I started feeling better. My grades improved. I started actually liking my friends. I thought I was ready to hear ‘I love you, you belong here’ and believe it. (if: $Breakup is true)[I fell… even my songwriting got better, ](else:)[I fell in love. I didn't know I was capable of doing that anymore. Even my songwriting got better, ]not that you're ever gonna hear my new shit, haha. The point is, the voice in my head stopped saying ‘you're horrible, Charlie, you should blow your brains out,’ and it started saying ‘You are somebody, Charlotte. You're more of a somebody than all of the nobodies that put you down. You're a superstar for a reason!’” The crowd lets out another saccharine 'aww.' I see the spotlight peeking out through the curtain, I'm almost there. “But y'know what? I learned something today. I should have given myself more credit, I'm smarter than I think I am. You know what I realized?” "Haha… hahahaha!” “Both things can be true.” The crowd explodes in laughter. [[I walk through the curtain.]]

“But all's well that ends well, right? Here we are! You all came to see me, to make up for wasted time! And you're in for one hell of a show, folks, let me tell you!” The crowd whoops and hollers, though no one in the audience even moves. "In just a few moments, I'll stop talking your ear off, and-" "Charlie!" Charlie stops, and slovenly leans her body around to face me. “And there he is. It took you long enough, man. Welcome to my concert!” “I'm taking you home, Charlie.” “You're gonna take me home? And rob these people of a show? They paid good money to be here, Seth.” The crowd boos me from down below. Charlie chuckles, and runs her fingers through her hair. “Not good enough, though. I've been gone for four years, I should've charged double. Thousands. Seven thousand dollars to see me strut my stuff again, that'd be a show, haha.” “Enough games! I'm sick of this, we've been doing this for so long! Where's your real demon hiding? Is it them? Is it the audience?” Charlie purses her lips, and turns her head to peek at the audience, pretending to humor the idea. “Mmm… nope. It's not them.” “Then get rid of them, I don't want to fucking do this anymore.” [[Charlie scowls.]]

“No. I don't have to stop my fun because you had to step on that favor I did for you. Besides, we're almost done.” “Done? What do you mean, almost done?” Charlie shrugs, and huffs. “Well, since you came all this way, fine. We're gonna die, you and me.” “...” “...You and I… are in my bedroom. Right now, even during all this. I'm setting up a tripod, and you're writhing on my floor, trying to keep breathing. In about two minutes, I'm gonna put a bullet in my brain, and your body's gonna give out on you.” Charlie looks at the audience over her shoulder and winks. “Well, two minutes in outside time. We can play a little longer.” “...How long… *koff-*" A little speck of smoke scratches up my neck and out my mouth. "How long have we been here?” “I dunno, ten minutes, maybe? I'm basically on auto-pilot too, don't feel too bad about it.” “But you didn't have to think about it at all. You could have just let your friends adore you and-” In the middle of her monologue, motivated more by petty spite than genuine fear or fury, I sucker punch Charlie in the cheek, snapping her head to the side and making her bite her tongue. [[She holds her jaw, and rolls her neck.]]

“Hahaha… there we go. Looks like somebody wants to join the show, folks! What'dya say, have we got room for an eleven o'clock number?” I take another swing at her. She sidesteps me, and chops me in the neck. As I stagger, she swings her downturned palm into my stomach, scooping low and, with remarkable strength, lifting my whole body up over her head with that one arm. I’m balanced on her outstretched hand no faster than I am slammed into the ground, my head and back cracking against the flat floor so suddenly, like I was hit by a car. I bounce against the ground and go tumbling upstage(if: $Cane is true)[, my cane rattling and rolling away, thankfully not far from me]. The floor smells like cigarettes, and from the moment I touch it, I can feel it leaving a slick, oily residue on my skin. I groan, push myself up to sit, and stare at Charlie in awe. There’s a crazed smile on her face now, full teeth, as she holds the wrist that just tossed me like firecracker. “Is this all you wanted? To fight a monster? I’m still taking suggestions man, talk to me.” I look around my sorry self,(if: $Cane is true)[ trying to spot exactly where my cane leapt to,] and I find I’ve left a sort of crater in this platform we’re on. Well, not exactly a crater; there are scratches in the floor that weren’t here before, difficult to distinguish from the black of the stage, but a distinctly different black. They’re wide and jagged, like someone took a shard of charcoal the size of my arm and scraped it across the floor in a loose star pattern. Are they scratches? They almost look solid. I shake myself out of my stupor, and crawl over to my cane so I can stand. “This is crazy, Charlie. You want to kill me? You want to kill us both?” “Ever quick on the uptake, sleuth! Did you not assume your life was on the line here? You’re the one who won’t shut up about how dangerous Purgatory is.” Now on my feet, I (if: $Cane is true)[hobble over to Charlie and lift my cane up to swing it at her. She stands still for my assault, but as my cane collides with her shoulder, it comes to a gradual stop just before the follow-through.](else:)[rush at Charlie to swing at her again. She stands still for my assault, but as my fist collides with her shoulder, it comes to a gradual stop just before the follow-through.] Through her skin, in a slit no longer than six inches, as though something cut her open with a scalpel from the inside, that same charcoal-scratch texture has slithered out and caught itself on the (if: $Cane is true)[mast of my cane. ](else:)[skin of my hand. ]Two twin, jagged teeth hold it on either side, stopping me completely in my tracks. I can barely register what they are before they punch themselves out of Charlie’s shoulder, flinging off into the air like black lightning bolts. (if: $Cane is false)[Both cut my hand open on either side, and o](else:)[O]ne of them cuts my cheek on the way out before sticking somewhere on the wall. [[I stumble backwards and try not to fall over again. ]]

(if: $Bloodless is true)[The cuts on my body from those black bolts feel numb and loose; though I feel my skin flapping where it's been opened, I don't feel the wet warmth of blood dripping down my flesh. The numbness around my wounds is alarmingly wide and intense. ]Charlie walks to the side of the stage, toward the staircase leading to the walking beam that hangs over the crowd. “Why should I stop? I'm good at this. I'm fucking great at this, I create new worlds from my fingertips!” Following her, I see that the hole cut into her shoulder did not seal itself back up, but instead remains to give me a look inside of Charlie's body. Past the initial red layer of her inner-skin, I see nothing but a pool of moving, jagged black lines; a mangle of dark tentacles wrapping themselves around her bones and organs, obscuring them from me. She reaches the staircase. I reach it after her. “You're creating nothing, it's all self indulgence. This isn't real!” “You're not real, man!” Charlie shoves me in the center of my chest. From her palm and fingers, more of these scratches come clawing out, attaching themselves to my torso like snakes. I feel their corners dig into my skin like teeth, feel the surface of them slither and stretch as if they could coil me. I grab one with my free hand and pull, cutting my fingers on their blades. “Ahh! Get it off, get- off of me!” Charlie takes her hand back, her palm now open and black like her shoulder. She lets that arm hang dead as she steps backwards up the staircase, giggling. “The dresses, and the chardonnay, and the pictures, and the producers, and the sex, and the scripts, and you- what, what about that is supposed to be real?” I manage to rip the black things from my body and fling them into the audience. Charlie lures me up the stairs, walking backwards to face me the whole way through. “It is real Charlie, it's the real world.” “Really? All of that? No one's ever made something fake in the real world? W- ha- well how the hell did we come up with the word!? Has everyone been able to come to Purgatory all this time? And I thought I was special!” [[Charlie leaves the staircase for the walking beam, the men of glass standing idly below us.]]

She holds her arms out to the side, one intact, one coming apart at the spool. “But nobody does it like me. (if: $Cane is true and $Bloodless is true)[Mabel and Ophilia, did they ](else-if: $Cane is true and $Bloodless is false)[Mabel, did she ](else-if: $Cane is false and $Bloodless is true)[Ophilia, did she ]fuck with your head like this? No, I'm the genuine article! I'll show you real, Seth. I'll show you something real.” As I reach the beam myself, Charlie takes her intact hand and reaches behind her back. When it comes out again, there's something in her hand. She's lifting a grey, metal object up to her temple. It's a gun; it's Cynthia's pistol. “No!” “BANG!” I reach for the gun and leap before she can pull the trigger. My hand reaches hers as the gun fires, I feel the snapping heat of the barrel when it explodes, my body ramming into Charlie's shortly after. I collapse onto my hands and knees, Charlie onto her back. Looking up at her immediately, I find I managed to keep the bullet from hitting her dead on, but not enough to miss her entirely. There's now a long, diagonal line of missing skin from her face, from which those slithering black lines mix and mingle and lash at the air just past [[the precipice of her flesh.]]

“Hahaha, hahahaha!” “Stop!” Charlie stands back up while I struggle to (if: $Cane is true)[plant my cane on the ground.](else:)[regain my sense of hearing.] “No! This is what everyone wants! The famous druggie outcast merc'ing herself for everyone to see! I'll be the center of the universe, I- I'll make m- ha- millions!” I grab the gun, and try to wrest it from Charlie's grip. While she resists, she takes her dead hand and holds it up to her neck. Black scratches stretch out and hang from the wound on her face, and at once more from her palm wrap themselves around her neck in a tight ring; a choker of sewn thorns. Those thorns keep coming, latching onto each other and hanging down, quickly building a trail that reaches all the way down to the beam we stand on. The lowest jagged line pierces the beam, anchoring it solidly in place. "Charlie, please!" "Not having fun? We're just starting, what the hell are you doing here!?" I successfully steal the pistol from Charlie, who, without any delay, slashes me with her dead palm as if the limb itself were a knife. The sharp things narrowly miss my neck, which they surely would have sliced clean open. I step back in shock, realizing my mistake the instant I do. Now given space to move, [[Charlie leans to the side and teeters off of the beam, her choker set to play the part of a noose.]]

I throw my whole body forward again, hooking Charlie's arm in mine, and leaning the opposite way of her. The counterbalance, and some lucky footwork, keeps us from falling. I pull Charlie close to me, setting us firmly back on the beam, but inviting a terrible piercing pain in my stomach. "AHH!" "Nice catch." I drop the gun. Charlie steps back again, and reaches her fingers into her stomach, from which there is already a hole, and from which I had just been cut again. She pulls her flesh apart further, opening her up from groin to ribcage, letting free a swarm of these black lines. They don't look like tentacles, looking at them this clearly I see that word was misplaced; it's the scratchings of a discarded drawing, black stains and shredded paper erasing the art piece of a dissatisfied creator. Charlie screams, she shrieks in horrible agony. When the screaming stops, between panting breaths, she speaks with something like bliss on her tongue. “I think I'm ready for… for the worst case scenario.” As she pulls herself apart, I see her feet twinkle and twirl. Her body slumps and bends at awkward angles, her half-dead body disturbed into some sort of dance. [[I'd forgotten there was music playing here.]]

“Charlie Parth lives in a big, ivory palace with no doors and no windows. And all the little glass people outside stand and stare and fantasize about me, and the perfect little girl I am. And I tear off my clothes and I dance and I dance for them, because th- haha- that's what Daddy and his best friend want me to do!” “They want me for my pale ivory skin, and my pretty blonde hair, and they want to fuck me and defile me, and I- ha- I have to let them, but Iiiii can never be defiled. I'm here to be dirty and black but incorruptible and pure and white.” The black lines lash and latch at what remains of Charlie's skin, pulling her apart further while she prances and gyrates, her neck letting her head hang dead. “And what am I? Am I that pretty white girl I show people? Or am I the dirty black thing they want to put on me? This perverted, violent mass that takes their drugs and fucks their women like the worst of the little glass men. That thing that's poisoning the earth from the inside.” “The black mass, he likes the glass men the most. But the pretty white girl, she likes to watch them die. The way they hold each other and cry their innocence in those houses of god before they shove their dead into incinerators, it- ha- it makes her laugh. Isn't that fucked!?” My distraction from her spectacle costs me an advantage. On the floor, some of those black scratches have found their way to the gun, and carried it like a line of ants to her feet. It now climbs slowly up the right leg of Charlie's mangled body. I [[approach.]]

“How white can she be, Seth? How much of him can be inside her!? And her drugs, and her sex, and her pretty little corpse!?” I reach for the gun, but Charlie, now with a claw writhing on half of every inch of her body, swipes me away. Charlie grabs the gun, and fires at me. Her aim is crooked, and the bullet flies harmlessly into the stage. “Tell me, Seth! Tell me how pretty I am like this! They'd fuck me if they found me dead on the street one day. Hah, I'd fuck me too!” Charlie fires again. The bullet grazes my side. The sting is unbearable, but there's such little blood. My stomach barely bleeds either, but I feel so lightheaded. “Gh!” “Who wouldn't!? I'm a fucking superstar!” I reach Charlie again, this time managing to grab the gun. She pulls the trigger while we struggle for control, firing a shot straight up and ringing my ears. “Oh, but there's thousands like me, aren't there? Everyone's a poet. Eveyone knows how special they are now, and how sick and hateful everyone else is in comparison. Every little boy and girl's creating a whole new world for themself, while the oceans rise and the plants die. We'll be right home all the way up to the moment we drown together, and by then who gives a shit? The world's already done... But they put me away. Threw me out of my home.” “They put you here for your safety, Charlie. They gave you to us to help you!” “No! They did it because they're idiots, who don't know anything! They think they can save this, that the planet earth still means anything to anybody anymore.” Charlie grabs me, the scratches wrapping around my entire torso and forcing me to my knees. [[Charlie, she's coming undone, but… I think she's growing.]]

“They're scaaaared of me. They think I've lost my vaaaaalue, because mouuuurning made me craaaazy! I'm the best creative mind to ever grace this stupid brothel family! I punch one retard, and suddenly I'm *unmarketable!?*” “I lost my damn cousin!” Through the screaming rage, and occasional laughing fit, I can hear Charlie trying not to sob out her words. The colored lights above us are shuddering, as if the heavens themselves fear what Charlie might do. “Where's my sympathy!? Where's my funeral? Where are all the people crying about how sweet and innocent I used to be!? I was the one that had to find her! The one thing we don't hear in that fucking house, and of course it was her!” Charlie breaks into another fit of hysterical laughter, and puts the mouth of the gun just underneath her chin. (if: $Cane is true)[I grip my cane and get ready to swing it.](else:)[I reach for the weapon once again.] “They said I'd have everything I want. They said I'd want for nothing with this last name! So why not!? My fans have forgotten me, my friends all hate me(if: $Breakup is true)[, Jessie's never gonna love me]! Why shouldn't I have what I want for once!? I'll show everything I am to anyone who'll watch, I'll show them a sky full of stars above a wilted earth. I'll expel the black and white, and paint these ivory walls with all the colors of the rainbow!” I jab my (if: $Cane is true)[cane ](else:)[arm ]into Charlie's neck. The gun goes off, but goes no deeper than the tip of her chin, dropping to the floor and clattering to the ground between my knees. Desperate, knowing she'll overpower me again, I grab the gun and [[do the only thing I can think to do.]]

“Hahaaaa, I… I think I'm ready for the world to end!” Charlie wheezes with laughter, and looks down at me with a melted smile. That smile evaporates when she sees me point the barrel up underneath my own chin. “WAIT!” I pull the trigger, and [[fire.]]

The bullet enters my mouth, drills through my palate, and finds its way steadily into my brain. Charlie reaches out, the lines from her dead hand racing toward my eyes like spears. And then it stops. The bullet stops somewhere, halfway through my skull. I'm paralyzed, immobile, though I can feel every nerve in my body prodding pain signals. There’s a heavy pulsing in my head that makes the world around me impossible to discern; everything seems to pulse in rhythm with my heartbeat, as if I were a powerful drum in the center of a deep, icy ocean. Whatever lights or colors I’d seen before have slushed together into a sort of storm, now making up this pulsing visual noise surrounding Charlie and I. By the time my eyes can focus enough to see Charlie through the storm, she has lost her body completely. Those black scratches have taken her; she is a furious charcoal scraping in the vague shape of a young woman. Somewhere in that scraping, there are two intense, green lights staring back at me. The black marks swirl and shake, keeping Charlie in constant motion, though the whole of her holds still, what I assume are her arms wrapped around what I assume are her sides. And she speaks. Her voice is still hers, but it’s… windy. [[That’s all I have in me to describe it with.]]

“Why would you (after: 1s)[do ](after: 2s)[that?”] (after: 5s)[I say nothing. ](after: 7s)[I can’t. ](after: 8s)[The ocean-storm around us ](after: 9s)[squeezes in ](after: 10s)[with each beat of my exhilarated heart. ](after: 12s)[I see the universe jump at us twice before pulling back to rest; ](after: 15s)[in- ](after: 15.25s)[in, ](after: 15.75s)[out, ](after: 17s)[rest. ](after: 19s)[In- ](after: 19.25s)[in, ](after: 19.75s)[out, ](after: 21s)[rest.] (after: 23s)[“How could you… ](after: 25s)[you, ](after: 26s)[you, ](after: 28s)[you ](after: 28.5s)[little ](after: 29s)[thing. ](after: 31s)[You ruined my fun.”] (after: 33s)[The scratches continue to ](after: 34s)[slither ](after: 34.5s)[and shudder ](after: 35s)[about her body. ](after: 36s)[Her green-light eyes rattle.] (after: 38s)[“It’s not going to stop, ](after: 39s)[is it? ](after: 41s)[You’re not going to stop. ](after: 43s)[I couldn’t ignore you anymore if you did, ](after: 45s)[you… ](after: 47s)[you monster.”] (after: 49s)[“...”] (after: 52s)[“I get it now… ](after: 54s)[I understand what you want. ](after: 56s)[The only thing you really want. ](after: 58s)[That’s why I never could have beaten you.”] (after: 60s)[Everything hurts. ](after: 61s)[I’m being electrified.] (after: 63s)[“There’s something bad inside me. ](after: 65s)[Something no one, ](after: 66s)[no one ](after: 66.5s)[can ever see. ](after: 69s)[And now you’ve seen it. ](after: 71s)[I need you to ](after: 72s)[un-](after: 72.5s)[see ](after: 73s)[it. ](after: 75s)[I can’t let you leave like this. ](after: 77s)[I can’t.”] (after: 79s)[…] (after: 82s)[“To get what you want, ](after: 84s)[you ](after: 85s)[have to ](after: 85.75s)[give ](after: 86.5s)[me ](after: 88s)[something. ](after: 90s)[That’s how this worked before, ](after: 91s)[isn’t it?”] (after: 94s)[“...I know how we can both leave, ](after: 95s)[Seth. ](after: 97s)[I know what I want you to give me.”] (after: 100s)[The scratches making up Charlie’s arms ](after: 102s)[slowly ](after: 104s)[u](after: 104.2s)[n](after: 104.4s)[w](after: 104.6s)[r](after: 104.8s)[a](after: 105s)[p ](after: 106s)[from her torso, ](after: 108s)[and even more slowly, ](after: 110s)[extend ](after: 112.75s)[outward, ](after: 115.75s)[gently ](after: 118.5s)[reaching ](after: 120s)[for my shoulders.](after: 123s)[ They rest gently on my mantle, ](after: 125s)[spreading down my chest ](after: 126s)[and coating me in their [[sharp, inky darkness.]]]

Charlie herself inches closer. (after: 2s)[The storm picks up its pace. ](after: 3s)[In-](after: 3.25s)[in ](after: 3.75s)[out, ](after: 4.5s)[in-](after: 4.75s)[in ](after: 5.25s)[out, ](after: 6s)[in-](after: 6.25s)[in ](after: 6.75s)[out.] (after: 9s)[Charlie’s scribbled out, ](after: 10s)[featureless face approaches mine. ](after: 11.5s)[Some of the scratches consisting it hold themselves out ](after: 13s)[and bare out like teeth; ](after: 14.5s)[like the fangs of a wolf. ](after: 16s)[Slowly, ](after: 17s)[steadily, ](after: 18s)[the wolf’s maw comes ](after: 18.5s)[closer, ](after: 20s)[up, ](after: 21s)[closer, ](after: 22s)[up.] (after: 25s)[In-](after: 25.25s)[in-](after: 25.5s)[out, ](after: 26s)[in-](after: 26.25s)[in-](after: 26.5s)[out, ](after: 27s)[in-](after: 27.25s)[in-](after: 27.5s)[out, ](after: 28s)[in-](after: 28.25s)[in-](after: 28.5s)[out.] (after: 31s)[The fangs gently clasp down, ](after: 33s)[two teeth latching squarely on my left eyesocket. ](after: 35.5s)[I see from my right eye, ](after: 38s)[the storm pulsing so quickly it might as well be a swirling hurricane, ](after: 41s)[and from my left, ](after: 43s)[total ](after: 45s)[darkness.] (after: 48s)[“I ](after: 49s)[think… ](after: 52s)[I’m ](after: 54s)[ready…”] (after: 57s)[There’s a stinging pain in the left half of my head. ](after: 59s)[Charlie pulls her head back, ](after: 61s)[adding a ](after: 62s)[tight ](after: 63s)[tension ](after: 64s)[to the painful sting. ](after: 66s)[Further back she pulls, ](after: 67s)[my head leans forward, ](after: 68.5s)[but the black marks about my shoulders ](after: 70s)[slither ](after: 71s)[up ](after: 72s)[and ](after: 72.5s)[hold it still. ](after: 75s)[Charlie’s head pulls further, ](after: 77s)[her neck ](after: 78s)[shaking ](after: 79s)[from the strain of it all. ](after: 81s)[I feel something wet ](after: 82s)[pooling ](after: 83s)[on my left cheek. ](after: 85s)[From my right eye, ](after: 87s)[I see her head shaking, ](after: 88s)[her maw and fangs ](after: 89s)[shut tight, ](after: 91s)[and strings of my own](after: 92s)[ gore ](after: 93s)[trying ](after: 94s)[desperately ](after: 95s)[to stay attached to my head.] (after: 99s)[And then, ](after: 100s)[they snap. ](after: 102s)[With a small tear ](after: 103s)[and a wet pop, ](after: 105s)[Charlie is flung away from my body,](after: 107s)[ [[and the storm just as quickly goes with her.]]]

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Morning")\ \ It’s hard to describe, especially in this state, but as the pressure is released and Charlie collapses onto her back, Purgatory itself is torn away from me. The storm vanishes, and like a lightswitch was flicked on, Charlie’s bedroom returns to us. Charlie herself, in her human body, drops to the floor and knocks her head against the frame of her bed, unconscious immediately. I can’t make out the state she’s in past that; my vision is tilted, like I’m looking through a slanted lens, and everything, everything is painted red. I almost mistake myself into thinking I’m still in some mockery from the void, but no, this is real. I can move my body again, but- oh my god, the pain. It hurts so bad. My head is already spinning, and I- I reel forward and cough, hacking so violently I think some blood comes out of my lungs. My legs shake, (if: $Cane is true)[I hold to my cane ](else:)[it takes everything ]to [[keep from collapsing on top of Charlie's unconscious body.]]

You (after: 1s)[don’t ](after: 2s)[have much time.] (after: 4s)[Dizzy and disoriented, I turn myself around. The motion of it nearly makes me hurl, it’s like being spun around in a roller-coaster. I make out the general shape of the door, and reach for the doorknob. In the red mess of my vision, I jam my fingers against it before I can get a solid grasp and open the door. I stumble into the hallway. I [[try to scream,]] but a puddle in my throat bubbles and makes my voice a messy gurgle.]

She’s downstairs. (after: 2s)[The stairs are to your right.] (after: 4s)[My legs tremble with each step. I pray I don’t plant my cane at an improper angle and drop myself, as I know I don’t have the strength to get back up again. I reach the railing, and look down at the living room below. It’s so hard to see. No sign of Aurora. On the couch, I think- I think that’s Cynthia? “Sstthh- klr…” I turn to try getting down the stairs, and that’s when I find her. Aurora’s already collapsed, her unconscious body is lying limp at the very bottom of the staircase. Her neck is propped up against the wall, her hands are loosely grabbing the baseboard. Above her head and hands, deep, dark scratches shred the paint; she'd tried to climb the wall with her nails. “Ar- rrn!” I reach out, and take a step forward. But finally, I misstep. My cane drops too quickly onto the first step of the stairs, and I lose my balance. I feel the lack of a floor beneath my feet, but the sight of me careening downwards is barely any different than what I’ve been struggling to see this whole time. Just a red blur, as my chest, arms, and head are accosted by the sharp edge of the stairs I collapse onto. [[I lose consciousness as soon as my head hits the ground.|end ch8]]] (set: $Blind to true) (set: $AffCharlie to it + 5) (set: $Chapter to 8)

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ (after: 4s)[Thank you for playing Saintsridge Angels! (if: $KFaR is true)[ Your current save file is pursuing a special alternate route for this story, which deviates heavily from all other possibilites. This route, 'Kiss From a Rose,' will develop further with more updates, but currently contains much less content than the standard game. To see the rest that this game has to offer, make a point not to align your heart so close to that of Aurora Miller. ] Seth's adventure with the AΔA Sorority is far from over, but I hope you've enjoyed this look at things to come! Any thoughts or feedback you have after playing would be greatly appreciated. If you'd like to talk to the developer or others who've also played the game, feel free to come say hi in the [[Saintsridge University Discord Server.]]]

The more I look at it, the more I feel this creeping sense of unease. Even when she isn't using it, this box, this vice, and the demon it represents, claws at me with this sense of emptiness, or dissatisfaction. Just like it made Charlie feel as if she never did anything right, being near this box makes me feel like I'm making a mistake, like I'm missing something, just by being here. What a ridiculous thought. I know what I'm missing, and I'm better off not opening you up to get it. I take a step forward, reel my leg back, and punt the box through the air. It lands with an uglu splash, and disappears into the rushing water. Charlie throws her hands up in celebration. "Woo! Nice shot, man!" "Still got it." "Hey, let's take a picture together." Charlie takes out her phone and runs up to me, leaning back against my chest as she lifts the camera up above her head. To keep her from tackling us both into the river, I wraap my arm around Charlie's stomach and dig my heel into the dirt. "-Whoa, warn me first, jesus!" "I did warn you, didn't you hear me?" Charlie holds a peace sign up by my face. I smile for the camera, but when I get a good look at the screen, I notice the big red dot indicating that a video is being recorded. "Charlie, you're taking a video." "Huh? Oh, yeah, haha. Well, whatever, that's worth a thousand pictures or whatever." Charlie stops the recording, and pockets her phone. [[The two of us spend a little more time mingling in the forest before going back to the car and heading home.]]

(set: $location to "living room")\ \ (set: $time to "monday afternoon")\ \ When we arrive, the rest of the sorority is hanging out in the living room. "There you are." "Felt like vanishing again?" "Ugh, you two can't keep a promise for one day?" "Hey, we were barely gone two hours this time." "Nah, but we missed you." Mabel hugs me as I approach the group, Ophilia doing the same from my other side. Aurora, Jessie, and Cynthia smile at me as Charlie heads towards the kitchen. "Hey, I'm hungry. You guys wanna eat something?" "Mm, not really, thanks." "Me neither." "Aight, well I'm gonna make some bullshit, so just let me know." Charlie walks away, and I [[sit on the couch between Aurora and Cynthia.]]

Aurora rests her hands on my thigh, and speaks softly. "Charlie seems really happy, Seth. Thanks for being there for her." "Of course, Aurora. I think she's ready to put all this behind her." "You've got a knack for that, I've noticed. We ought to start paying you or something." Cynthia runs her fingers through my hair, and playfully scratches my scalp. I laugh a little at the sensation, but her touch feels warm, and pleasant. "Haha... I'm just, uh, it's nothing. Good men give." "Well you give a lot. You should know that we notice." Aurora leans into me, pressing her chest against my arm and coyly planting a peck on my cheek. The press of her lips sends a little tingle down my neck. "Hahaha, c- come on-" I pull away from Aurora, but Cynthia catches me from the other side, sneaking a kiss of her own on the left cheek. My face goes red, and I get shivers. "Cut it- ha- cut it out, guys, really!" Neither of them pull away, content to stay huddled to me for warmth. Beyond them, I feel a similar tug on both of my legs: Mabel and Ophilia settled down against the couch by my feet, and are leaning their heads on my knees like pillows. Jessie stands directly behind the couch, leaning forward just a touch, I can feel her against the back of my head. "What a lucky little guy, everyone's favorite." "It's alright, boy, you've earned that. We love you, Seth." "I, hah, I love you guys too." The warmth of their bodies, of their affections, is a little disorienting in its pleasantness. My body feels like a pot stirring with honey and sugar. I can't help but writhe a little in-between them all. "Uh, what... nnh... what are you guys home early for, anyway?" "Hm?" "It's Monday, Charlie and I skipped classes. Hahah, what are y- hhh... what are y- *koff, ack-*" The itch in my chest flares up, and I break into a small coughing fit. From within my lungs, out through my lips, [[a small cloud of heavy smoke escapes into the air.]]

"Hh... what...? What is...?" "Thank you for everything that you do. For everything that you are." "I don't understand, that doesn't... *Khh- koff- ghhk!*" Again, my chest convulses, and again, a small cloud develops about my head. I hold my pounding heart, and look at Aurora for confirmation she's seeing what's happening to me. But she doesn't acknowledge it, none of them do. They keep their gentle hands on me, and serenade me with their soft, loving voices. "You are loved. You are valued." "Girls... girls, I feel- I- I need help. I don't know what's happening." "You make us better. We're better people for knowing you." "Stop it!" I yank my arm out of Cynthia's hands, and push myself up to my feet. I'm coughing uncontrollably the moment I'm off of the couch. "*Koffh- Hhhk-* haah- huuurts... it... my ch- chessst..." "We want you here, with us. We notice when you're gone, and we think about you when you're not here." "Charlie..." I turn my head to look at the kitchen. I can't see inside from here. I take a step forward, forcing Mabel and Ophilia off of my legs, but [[another contraction in my chest forces me to my knees.]]

(set: $location to "lvng rmm")\ \ (set: $time to "mnday afnn")\ \ It feels like one of my lungs has imploded. My chest feels so unbearably tight, there's a magnet inside of me. My head shakes, the world revolves around me, and my vision blurs in mere moments. "Chaaarl- *HACK- Khhhcff-...*" I reach my right arm out towards the kitchen, towards the one person who might still be able to help me. But with another violent hack, I spew a puddle of blood onto the floor ahead of me, and that terrible tightness climbs up into my throat. My sense of balance fails me, and I slump onto the ground, rolling onto my back to avoid drowning myself. The living room is a messy, blurry mess of swirling lights and colors. It gets harder to remember where I am every moment that passes, hard to think about anything except the horrible, scratchy infestation inside of my body. God, what is doing this to me? "Hhh... help... help me..." Though the sensation of it is negligable beneath my agony, I can feel the space around me start to change. The swirling lights change colors, the vague shapes they take shift and become something more solid. I feel a heavy, soft carpet against my back. The sound of some kind of music lingering beneath the ringing in my ears. Lastly, and this is only a confident approximation of what I can now see: a slim, blonde-haired young woman standing just a few feet from me, [[at the other end of the bedroom I now find myself in.]]

(set: $location to "Charlie's Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Sunday Morning")\ \ She's facing away from me, towards her closet. In that closet, there's something tall, and dark, and grey. I think it's a camera stand. She's saying something to the camera, but I can't... I can't make it out. There's something in her hand, too. Another grey thing, much smaller than the camera. She waves it around like a toy, flaunting it for whoever's watching on the other end. I try to reach out to her. My arm won't move. I try to scream her name. All I manage is a desperate gasp; one that earns me precious little air, and clears my vision just a little. It does, however, catch Charlie's attention. She turns around, and looks down at me. She looks me in the eyes. Her eyes are taken by some deep madness; a raging hurricane in her irises that strips her of any sort of humanity or warmth. Like the voice of a siren, there's an unbearable depth to the waters of her eyes, something I could get lost inside, should I linger on them too long. She sees me. She knows I can see her again. She stares at me for a moment, a childish smile from cheek to cheek, she says nothing. Then, she points at me with her free hand. Pointing out her index and thumb, she aims a fake gun at me, her arm still and focused despite the violent shivering the rest of her body is enduring. She winks, and closes her thumb. "Bang." Then, with the other hand, she lifts the small grey thing up to her chin, and [[pulls the trigger.|Deathscreen]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ (set: $time to "Wednesday Morning")\ \ I've mentioned in passing the thin walls of this otherwise sturdily-built house, and the annoyances that come with them. For the most part, those annoyances are easy to ignore: a small thud when someone drops something from their bedrooms, having to listen to a half-muted rendition of whatever songs Charlie has playing on her speaker… other things Charlie gets up to, as previously discussed. But there's a silver lining to the failure of privacy our insulation provides us, a little thing I've come to enjoy more each morning. On days where I wake up early and linger in my sheets, I get to listen to the other girls as they wake up, wander around their own rooms, and take to the hallway to pursue their morning routines. I can listen to the patterns of their footsteps, learning to associate each gait with each woman. I make a little map of the house with the sound of each opening door and hum of a voice, and try to keep track of who is where. Cynthia takes firm, direct steps to the stairway, her flats already on the moment she leaves her room. Mabel wanders around in circles in her room for a good fifteen minutes before going anywhere, winding herself up for the coming day. Her steps are clumsy and wobbly, yet soft, as she doesn't bother putting her shoes on until she's ready to leave the house. Ophilia is like a ghost, I can only guess where she is by the cry of a door or the running of a sink that no one should be there to initiate. Through my hearing and my imagination, I become a part of the house outside of my room, with each of my roommates at the earliest stages of their daily lives. It feels so intimate, and it almost all happens on its own. [[It's like a sort of meditation for me.]] (set: $Chapter to 6)

(set: $location to "Bathroom")\ \ When I leave my own room and wash my face, Aurora stops by when she sees me standing in the bathroom. “I thought I heard you come out. Good morning.” “Morning, Aurora.” “Were you able to get much sleep? I know last night was a little stressful for everybody.” “I slept okay. You?” “Yeah, fine. Say, I wanted to thank you for trusting me last night. I know you wanted to run in and help Ophilia after that man made his speech. I think she's in a better headspace to receive that kind of support now.” “Oh. Yeah, sure, she seemed better once we all went home.” “I'm sure you can tell that she's a little delicate, emotionally. I appreciate that you respected that, and respected how we wanted to handle it.” “...I just don't want to end up standing still when I *do* have the chance to help someone, you know? How will I know the difference between helping and overstepping?” “You'll learn.” Aurora grabs my hand and squeezes. “And you won't have to learn as fast as it's felt lately. I know this week has been stressful, between Mabel and Ophilia and whatever else. Honestly, I don't know why things have been so bad, but… I'm on top of it. Things are going to be easier from here on, okay? I promise.” “Okay, Aurora. I'll keep trusting you.” “Thank you. I don't intend on leaving that behavior unrewarded.” Aurora smiles, and leaves me to [[finish washing up.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ Eating breakfast at the dining room table, I have Mabel and Charlie for company. Mabel isn't eating anything herself, but is instead supervising a lethargic Charlie, who is staring at the egg on her plate with half-open eyes. “Feeling okay, Charlie?” “Yeah, fine.” “She passed out on the couch last night, with her garbage still laid out all over the coffee table. I don't even know what that shit was, you look like you charred your upper lip.” “That's exactly what I did. I was smelling matchsticks.” “Bullshit. Just eat, please.” “Why were you getting high in the living room?” “Lower income tax on this side of the staircase.” “She fucks herself up wherever she pleases. But she usually cleans it up, so none of us have to look at it.” “Sorry. The TV remote died, I got stuck on this maternity channel. Had to try harder to keep entertained, and I went overboard.” “You could have just changed the channel on the actual TV.” (if: $Cane is true)[“My roommate stole my cane.” "Mm." ] As the three of us chat, [[Ophilia comes trotting down the stairs, a cheery smile on her pale face.]]

“Here comes tiny sunshine.” “Hi guys!” “Hi Phili! How'd you sleep?” “Really good, hope you all slept well, too. Am I interrupting anything?” “Not at all.” “Just me lamenting my egg.” “Oh, good. I was wondering if Seth will be free after school today.” “I should be, what's up?” “Do you wanna walk around town with me? I asked you before the recital, but obviously that fell through, so I thought I'd reschedule.” “Oh, uh…” In front of everyone? Weird. “Sure, I'm down.” “Yay! Aurora says I can borrow her car, so I'll drive us out after classes wrap up. See you then!” Ophilia skips away and leaves for school. [[Charlie watches her leave, and shrugs.]]

“Didn't know you two were ‘walk around alone’ close.” “We're not. She says that's why she wants to do it, so we can acquaint ourselves with each other.” (if: $Cane is true)[Mabel's face sours, and she gives me a debilitating stare. “Don't be weird to her, Seth.” “I won't.” “She's not like the other sluts that let you-” “I'm not gonna be weird, Mabel! Jesus.” Charlie chuckles. Mabel smacks her on the back of the head. “You're one of the sluts I was talking about. Eat your egg.” “Boo.”](else:)[“How thoughtful of her. Hope you two have fun!” "Thanks. I don't really know what to expect, but it should be fun."] [[I finish up my own food and head to class.]]

(set: $location to "Downtown")\ \ (set: $time to "Wednesday Afternoon")\ \ There's not much to say about school. Jessie doesn't show up to Solia's class again, which I can tell puts Mabel in a glum mood. (if: $Cane is true)[Personally, I'm too occupied with myself to worry about Jessie; specifically, I'm doing everything I can to keep her from noticing my old-new walking stick. Thankfully, she doesn't seem to notice.] After school, we all head back to the house as a group, but instead of heading inside, Aurora hands Ophilia the keys to her car, and the two of us drive off downtown. We take the car to a parking tower, which we unfortunately have to drive nearly to the top of to find a parking spot we can fit into. (if: $Cane is true)[Long slants are far from my cane's favorite terrain, but thankfully this tower has elevators we can use, rather than walking the whole way down.] Ophilia takes me to a fountain, one of those ones with the jets built into the ground, so kids can run through them and get splashed. We make a few slow circles around the mechanical puddle as we chat; Ophilia makes a few slow circles around me as I meander. “...It was never serious, though. Just something my parents put me in to keep me busy. I liked it, but I was never, y'know, major league material.” “I'm surprised you could even play baseball with your cane. You must be really strong.” “Well, I couldn't. I only really played when I didn't need it to walk. That was the idea: it keeps me active, so I have momentum to keep my body healthy, and I wouldn't lose my legs again.” “Did it work?” (if: $Cane is true)[“Nope.” I shake my cane around to hammer in the point.](else:)["I didn't think so in the moment. But I'm walking fine now, so I guess it did.] “Well it's cool that you kept playing, even though you couldn't commit to it.” “Totally. I needed something to drag Cynthia to, since I had to watch all of her swim competitions.” “Why didn't she just play baseball, too?” “It wasn't her sport. Swimming for Cynthia isn't like baseball for me, she's actually passionate about it. That was our routine: I play baseball, Cynthia swims, and in the winters we ice skated. Unless I was bedridden.” “You two ice skate together? That's adorable!” “Yeah, it was. Haven't for years, though, winter has a way of sapping my strength.” [[Ophilia looks up at the stars while she walks in big slow steps, daydreaming.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

“Sometimes I watch figure skaters on TV, it's incredible what they do with themselves on the ice. It's a totally different kind of dance, I could never replicate it.” “Well I was far from a figure skater. We just learned how to get around the rink. But yeah, I guess it's got some similarities with ballet, huh? I wish I was as good at something as you are at dancing. Or as passionate, even.” Ophilia comes to a slow, gradual stop, her eyes fixating on the now active fountain. She stands, swaying just a little, staring hazily at the vertical pillars of water as they reflect the afternoon sun. “...Ophilia?” She snaps back to attention. “Hm? Did you say something?” “I said I'm impressed by your career. You're a wonderful dancer.” “Oh. Thank you, Seth!” [[The two of us do a little more wandering while daylight holds.]]

We talk about a number of meaningless things with the time we have together, but the conversation's found its way back to Ophilia's career by the time we leave the elevator of the parking tower. “It's a lot of travelling, mostly. I did most of my recitals in the summer, because that was most convenient with school. Living in hotels isn't the easiest way to go through your adolescent and teenage years, but it was worth it, for all the beautiful places I got to see.” “Did your parents mind you being away from home so often?” “Oh, they didn't mind. They had split custody, so they were used to us being gone most of the time anyway.” “Oh, okay. What kinds of places did you get to visit?” “Oh, all sorts. I've been to San Francisco, New York, Paris, Venice…” “Wow, you *are* travelled.” “Mhm. Thanks to ballet, I've gotten to live other people's fantasies. I've stood in landmarks people save pictures of on their desktops. I've eaten foods famous around the world, in the towns they were first invented in. And I've spent nights in breathtaking theatre halls, showering in cheers and whistling praise, dancing through streets, getting chased by handsome boys with roses in their teeth for me…” “Is that right?” “Oh, absolutely. Everyone loves a ballerina. I bet a whole lot of people would be awfully jealous to know I'm walking with you right now, Seth.” “Remind me never to visit Venice.” “Teehee. I think I like Michigan boys better, anyway. My other boyfriends never stayed around long.” “Well of course not, it sounds like you never stay in one city.” “Oh, I could have kept in touch if I wanted to. Even the boys back home were little flings. Nobody really got along with the family.” (if: $Mike is true)[ Didn't your longest-term boyfriend cheat on you? ] Ophilia giggles again, and brushes her hair out of her eyes. “Of course, that doesn't matter much now that I'm in college.” At this point, we've found the car. We walk past it, and lean against the railing of the tower, looking out at the wide cement city beneath us, [[blanketed in the easy pinks of the soon-setting sun.]]

“I've had to slow down a lot for college. I've got this local troupe, but knowing a city like this, this intimately… it's new for me.” “Do you miss it?” I look at Ophilia to gauge her response, but she doesn't respond. She stands with her arms folded over the curb of the railing, head upright, eyes wide and a little fuzzy. Her lips aren't frowning, and they aren't smiling, either. I can't really tell what they're doing, but she looks… no, I don't know how she looks. Sorry. I stop staring at her, and enjoy the view at her side. The two of us share a quiet moment, alone at the top of the city, letting the wind blow through our hair. Eventually, she looks at me, and speaks in a soft coo. “Are you ready?” “Sure, we can go. This was nice.” [[I take a step back from the railing, heading for the passenger door of Aurora's car.]]

I expect Ophilia to step away from me, to the driver's side, but instead, she steps with me. Ophilia holds both arms up and sort of hug-tackles me, grabbing both of my biceps and planting herself against my torso, her head turned slightly to the side on my chest. “-Oh, you okay?” Ophilia lets out a heavy breath, and tightens her grip on my arms. Did she faint? I take another step back, but as I do, Ophilia leans her body to the side, redirecting our balance and bumping my back into the car door. “Unf- what, Phili, what's…?” I feel her lean forward again, this time planting her feet and pushing with more direct intent. Her chest presses against mine, her hair slithers into the space beneath my jacket. I feel the warmth of her body and breath against mine, and my heart beats faster. “Ophilia?” She doesn't respond. Still pressing her chest into me, she slowly slides her body downward, dragging her face and breasts steadily down my stomach. Even through her wool sweater, I can tell where she makes contact. She gently drops to her knees. She looks up. For the first time since she ‘fainted,’ she looks me in the eyes. She's pleading to me with those eyes; it's the look that a prey animal gives to a predator, a glassy twinkle in the black of her pupil makes her look so fragile, as if she herself might shatter like glass. Her arms follow her downward, one hand leaving my bicep for my wrist, the other hooking a finger on the belt loop of my pants. “What are you doing?” She stares at me with those twinkling eyes for a second longer. Then, she presses her cheek against my groin, nuzzling it while [[her belt-loop hand fiddles with the button of my pants.]]

Ophilia pulls my pants down to my calves and gently retrieves me with that same hand. My eyes jolt around the lot, aware that I hadn’t cared to check if we were alone until now. “Phili, we’re in public, we shouldn’t.” Ophilia parts her lips, resting the tip of her tongue against me. Then she gently guides my right hand by the wrist, up to her head, back through the scalp. I lock eyes with her. She’s still staring up at me like a small animal. We stay like that for an uncomfortable stretch; her on her knees, me with my back against metal, just one act away from her embrace. Why is she staring? Is this her way of asking me? Of giving me a chance to object? I don’t know what to do, so I do nothing. Eventually, she closes those doe-eyes, and nestles her face forward into me, taking me into her mouth. My voice shudders as I’m accosted by a melting warmth, and the smooth texture of her tongue. She takes her hand off of mine, leaving me to be the only one holding her, while she holds both hands to my legs. My head is pounding with a discordant mixture of pleasure and panic; no one stands with us here as far as I can tell, but all it would take is for one person to drive up to this floor of the tower like we did. We wouldn’t have time to obscure ourselves, or return my own modesty. It makes it difficult to focus on Ophilia, and her sudden impulse to pleasure me. On the parallel, Ophilia’s surprisingly empassioned stimulation makes it difficult to think clearly about what a bad situation this is for both of us; I’m torn into two minds that refuse to acknowledge each other, separated further by each twist of her tongue. In my palm, I feel her head tilt in little circles with each plunge she takes with me: in, her head cocks slightly to the right, just enough for me to feel her hair drag between my fingers. Out, she rests herself back upright. Though the impact of this rhythm on the feeling of her mouth on me isn’t unnoticed, I get the impression this dynamic motion is for my eyes. Done so that I can see her dance, performing for me with beauty and mindful grace, [[done so that neither of us would see this for the shameful thing it is.]]

“S-someone… someone could… haah…” I’ll admit, it serves as an ample distraction. My eyes are as transfixed on her as my body, and in so my cautious mind drifts further away than my debaucherous one. This ballerina, this gentle, pale, white-haired thing, so slim and meticulously crafted, this wooden doll has scraped her knees for me with a pleasant hum in her voice. My eyes drift ever so slightly away from her, and to my hand, sitting uselessly against the back of her head. I wonder what she meant, by putting me there. By not just inviting, but placing me on a spot with such implications, such power over her body. A couple of short minutes ago, I would have been appalled by the idea of using any sort of force on Ophilia. I wouldn’t have even thought to let my hand find this spot, had she not found it for me. But now, feeling her lips so contently fastened to my sex, her tongue restlessly wrestling with me, her neck venturing within inches of me, but never quite making itself known… I wonder if I can spear this animal. When she takes me in again, I push my hand inward, helping her along to my torso and forcing myself into her throat. The feeling of it is tight, and sinful, and blissfully sweet. Ophilia’s eyes go wide, and she lets off a little yelp, the vibrations of which I feel as a buzz into my groin. She looks up at me, and for a moment, I fear I’ve stepped too far… but she then closes her eyes back shut, and responds to my boorishness with a tightening of her throat, a squeeze that elicits a yelp of my own. Ophilia doesn’t move herself past that point. For the rest of our dalliance, I’m left to control the position of her head with my hands, using her like a toy to my own interests. She lets me into her throat without issue now, all yelps or shocked eyes left in favor of quiet obedience. She even puts her hands down between her knees to allow herself to rock more fluidly with my direction, [[relinquishing any notion of control of herself from herself.]]

When my limits come to claim me, I hug Ophilia close and let myself into her unabashedly. At my first spasm, she tilts her chin up just slightly, keeping her eyes closed and drinking me without struggle or protest. There’s no strain on her face, no relief for an ordeal surmounted, but no pride in accomplishment, either. Her shut eyes and her unbothered swallows communicate a mundane sense of duty; a practiced obedience. I, however, am breathless. My hands free her scalp and press against the metal wall behind me, all to keep me from sliding helplessly to the floor beside her. Ophilia pulls away from me, wipes her lip with her sleeve, and looks up at me once again. For a moment, she squints, and I see perplexity on her face. It’s quickly replaced, however, by a sweet and sentimental smile. “Your eyes…” “...?” “I’ve seen those eyes before.” And then [[she stands up, walks around to the driver’s side of the car, and gets in.]]

(set: $location to "ADA House")\ \ (set: $time to "Wednesday Evening")\ \ We spend the drive home in silence. We’d tell the girls of our wanderings downtown, but obviously of nothing else. From the moment that interruption in her demeanor was concluded, Ophilia had returned to her spacey, bubbly, ever-cheerful complexion. I can’t imagine I was half as convincing an actor; though I made no obvious tells of my state of mind, and though I was clearly not miserable, my mind did not leave that parking lot for the rest of the day, even while I lay in my bed to sleep. Why did she want to do that? I didn’t have any clue she was in any sort of mood until it happened. Did she think I went out with her so that would happen? Was it the reason she invited me out in the first place? I’m fixated on the suddenness of it all, my cautious mind won’t leave me alone in retrospect, bitter that I abandoned it so readily. It was such a dangerous thing to do, and it just… it doesn’t make any sense that it happened. I feel anxious. I have this horrible, welling fear in the pit of my chest as my mind continuously flashes through moments of my encounter with Ophilia, shuffled between each other at random. Her hands on my arms, my hand on her head, her pressed face dragging down my stomach… my body’s nearly paralyzed by this feeling of helplessness. Am I helpless? No, that’s ridiculous. I chose to let her continue, I enjoyed it. The view of her head bobbing gently to and from me, I loved it. And I could have stopped her at any time. My hand was on her head. For god’s sake, I pushed her in. She was the one helpless. I did that to her. …I did that. [[Mabel’s going to kill me.]]

(set: $location to "Living Room")\ \ (set: $time to "Friday Night")\ \ The next two days are largely uneventful. Ophilia makes no mention of our trip downtown, and I have no interest in bringing the topic up. The girls keep to their own, we spend some time together playing little games or talking about ourselves between classes and meals. Mabel falls asleep while cuddling with Ophilia on the couch Thursday night, and pouts when Charlie’s teasing about it wakes her up. It’s cute, and it’s simple. Two simple days do wonders to calm my irrational nerves, and by Friday evening, my anxiety’s all but dispelled. Friday night, I find myself restless again, so I head downstairs to let myself unwind. In the living room, I find Aurora sitting by herself in silence, holding a framed photo in her lap. I call her name as I walk down the stairs, not looking to catch her by surprise. “You’re up late, Aurora.” “Hi, Seth. Yeah, I’ve always been sort of a night owl. I do my best thinking at night, for some reason. What are you up for?” “Just restless, thought I’d waste some time until I felt like sleeping.” “Want to waste it with me?” I sit down, and peek at the picture Aurora’s holding. It’s one of the ones hung up in the downstairs hallway: the one of her, Cynthia, Ophilia, and the girl with short-white hair sitting together at a fancy restaurant. [[At this point, the stranger’s identity is clear to me.]] (save-game: "Autosave")

“I wish I’d gotten to know Katherine better, when I knew her. You have someone in your life almost five years, and somehow, they feel like a stranger, for all the things that you learn about them.” “Was Katherine distant to you?” “She could be. Katherine and I were… volatile. We spent half our time together butting heads over this or that, or telling our friends how awful the other one is. But we also… we both tried so hard to make it work with each other. I must have spent six months learning to dance like her, so I could do more than give shallow praise at those recitals.” “What didn’t you like about Katherine?” “She could be possessive. That was the main thing that bothered me with her. The things she had, she needed so completely that no one could ever share anything with her, unless they fought her for it. And she was ambitious, to a fault. Always had to be the best, the most popular, the most accomplished. I think she saw me as a rival; someone to force her to improve so she could prove her superiority over me. I guess I saw her similarly. That’s how we avoided biting each other’s heads off when we really got into it.” “She sounds like a force of nature.” “She was a hurricane.” Aurora wipes a tear from her eye, and takes a breath. “Do you think, if you really need something, it’s okay to put others down to get it?” <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["Yes."|LikeHer]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["It Depends."]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[["No."|NotLikeHer]]</div>

“You're a lot like her, then. She told me, once… she said ‘everyone’s fighting for something, and they’ve been fighting their whole lives. Don’t throw away your chance to win your fight because you think someone else can’t take a hit. They’ll get up. You did.’” You did…? “What was she talking about?” “I don’t even remember anymore… she said that to a different person. There’s a lot of things I’d say differently, if she were here.” Aurora looks away from me, through the window outside. “That man was right about one thing. She was an inspiration. To everyone. I don’t think that’s ever going to change.” I lay my palm on the back of Aurora’s hand, and smile. “I’m sure she’s very happy to hear you say that, Aurora.” Aurora looks back at me, eyes wide in either sentimentality or shock. She stares at me, her breath quivering quietly, try as she does to keep herself composed. “...I think I’m going to go for a walk.” “Okay. Goodnight, Aurora.” “Goodnight.” Aurora stands up, and calmly walks out into the driveway, clicking the door shut behind her. Left to my own in the quiet, I shut off the living room light and [[head back up to my bed.|end ch6]]

“That depends on what it is, I guess. And how badly you have to hurt someone." Aurora nods, and looks back down at the picture. “Katherine wasn’t so caught up in nuance. She told me, once… she said ‘everyone’s fighting for something, and they’ve been fighting their whole lives. Don’t throw away your chance to win your fight because you think someone else can’t take a hit. They’ll get up. You did.’” You did…? “What was she talking about?” “I don’t even remember anymore… she said that to a different person. There’s a lot of things I’d say differently, if she were here.” Aurora looks away from me, through the window outside. “That man was right about one thing. She was an inspiration. To everyone. I don’t think that’s ever going to change.” I lay my palm on the back of Aurora’s hand, and smile. “I’m sure she’s very happy to hear you say that, Aurora.” Aurora looks back at me, eyes wide in either sentimentality or shock. She stares at me, her breath quivering quietly, try as she does to keep herself composed. “...I think I’m going to go for a walk.” “Okay. Goodnight, Aurora.” “Goodnight.” Aurora stands up, and calmly walks out into the driveway, clicking the door shut behind her. Left to my own in the quiet, I shut off the living room light and [[head back up to my bed.|end ch6]]

“Katherine didn't share that attitude. She told me, once… she said ‘everyone’s fighting for something, and they’ve been fighting their whole lives. Don’t throw away your chance to win your fight because you think someone else can’t take a hit. They’ll get up. You did.’” You did…? “What was she talking about?” “I don’t even remember anymore… she said that to a different person. There’s a lot of things I’d say differently, if she were here.” Aurora looks away from me, through the window outside. “That man was right about one thing. She was an inspiration. To everyone. I don’t think that’s ever going to change.” I lay my palm on the back of Aurora’s hand, and smile. “I’m sure she’s very happy to hear you say that, Aurora.” Aurora looks back at me, eyes wide in either sentimentality or shock. She stares at me, her breath quivering quietly, try as she does to keep herself composed. “...I think I’m going to go for a walk.” “Okay. Goodnight, Aurora.” “Goodnight.” Aurora stands up, and calmly walks out into the driveway, clicking the door shut behind her. Left to my own in the quiet, I shut off the living room light and [[head back up to my bed.|end ch6]]

“Come in.” My door gently opens, and in comes Aurora, leaning comfortably against the doorframe. “Hello, Seth.” "Hello, Aurora." “Am I interrupting?” "Not at all, what do you need?" “I was wondering if you would come to my room with me tonight. There's something I want to talk to you about.” I look her in the eyes, searching for some affirmation that she's asking what I think she is: that she finally wants to discuss what we spoke about in her car on Monday. She gives me the slightest nod. I stand up, a little more urgently than I ought've. My cane wobbles against the wood panels and I nearly topple it, and myself behind it. Without another word, I [[follow Aurora down the hall to her bedroom.]]

(set: $location to "Aurora's Room")\ \ Aurora’s room is pristine; furniture and decorations in white and gold, so well-maintained I’d be convinced that this room was kept in an air-tight vacuum from the day it was built. Aurora closes the door behind us, and looks at the floor with resolute seriousness. “Alright. Start by telling me again, what happened between you and Mabel?” “...It started with that fight she had with Jessie. Mabel ran up to her room after everyone ganged up on her, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. She let me into her room, she and I talked for a while, and I convinced her to apologize to Jessie. We left her room together, and…” “And that's when things get fuzzier.” “Yeah. The lights were off, and everyone except the two of us were gone. That was the first weird thing. I think I noticed the living room window didn't lead anywhere too, it was just black. We didn't know what to make of it by the time that demon attacked us.” “What did it look like?” “Big. Big, red, and… it looked like it was in pain. Like someone had peeled the skin off of it, and left half of its body to shrivel up in the sun. It was so angry. Everything we did to it just made it angrier. And what confused me was that Mabel was getting angrier with it. Even as we fought for our lives against that thing, she just got so livid…” “...How did you get away from it?” My vision blurs, and I'm met with a slight burn, a tingle on my cheeks that spreads through my face and drips down my neck. As this strange sensation swims through me, I have flashes of another place; a house that isn't mine, far, far away from here. I shudder, and shake the tingles away. “I don't remember a lot of it, honestly. But it came down to keeping Mabel calm. She couldn't see the world around her through her rage, so I tried to show her that I wasn't her enemy. The more I got through to her, the less that the demon could hurt either of us. Eventually, it was just… gone. She and I fell asleep together, then we woke up, back in her room.” Aurora sits on her bed, crossing her legs and holding her knuckles up to her cheek. [[She listens to my story, and nods, processing.]]

“Okay. I'm glad you found the right way to go about it. That thing would have killed you both had you decided to keep fighting it.” “What was it, Aurora? What was it doing here?” “The simplest explanation is… that was Mabel. The longer explanation is less set in stone.” “I’ll take what I can get.” Aurora pats the bed next to her, so I sit at her side. Aurora stares at the wall ahead of us both as she speaks. “Your biggest mistake is in the word you chose: demon. That word implies something inherently negative; a monster that exists to prey on some sin or flaw of society or the individual.” “Is that not what it was? It seemed so directly tied to her wrath. And knowing that she was abused, it seems obvious that it has something to do with her past.” Aurora shakes her head. “It was tied to her wrath because she was wrathful when you brought it out.” “What you encountered, Seth, was Mabel’s spirit. A manifestation of Mabel’s id, ego, and superego as they are in the present moment. Everything that Mabel is, thinks, and feels is mirrored in that creature, and it changes both shape and function as she changes herself. That’s why your attempts to fight it made Mabel more angry, and it’s why calming her down made it disappear.” “Calming her down? Shouldn’t that have just made it calmer, then?” “No, not exactly, but that’s where you and I come into things. A person’s spirit is with them always, but it isn’t something that’s accessible just through intention or effort. To find it, to draw it out, you need to find it as it exists in Purgatory, the world of spirits. Other people can act as doorways into that world, but only when you make a deep and understanding connection with them, and only when the spirit is at its most fervent.” “You connected with Mabel at her most furious and miserable. Were she equally as elated that day, or equally afraid, or equally anything else, her spirit would have taken on a totally different form. But by telling her she was safe, you took away the fervor of her spirit. You pulled out your anchor to Purgatory, and drifted your way back home.” “How do you know all of this? How could you possibly know any of this?” Aurora rests both elbows on her knees, and slouches. It strikes me that this is the first time I’ve seen her slouch. “I’ve had a long time to learn. I knew I wasn’t the only person with this gift, but you’re the first person who…” [[Her words drift off.]]

“...Who…?” “Spirits aren’t bad things, but they are volatile. If you handle them the wrong way, you get hurt. It can feel easier to see the turmoil someone else is in, and just put your perspective into things like a puzzle piece. But that’s a mistake; it means giving a part of you that you don’t just get back.” We both look briefly at my cane. “And if you treat a spirit like a problem to be solved, or like a demon to be banished, all you’re going to do is leave its harborer feeling empty, and self-loathing.” “Sounds like I made a lot of mistakes.” “You haven’t made a tenth of the mistakes I’ve made. And I don’t think you’ll have to.” I nod, and stare at my feet for a moment, collecting my thoughts. “...So, you’ve seen Mabel’s… spirit before. How long have you, y’know… been doing this?” Aurora raises her eyebrows, and lightly smiles, waiting for some [[realization]] to sink in.

“...This whole time?” “The people who come here, to Saintsridge, I get to know them before they enroll. The spirits of those who harbor deep pain will always show themselves, eventually. Broken people yearn to be understood, to be welcomed, and they bare their souls faster for it, even if they don’t realize it. The people who live in these walls live here for a reason.” “So, what about me? Have you seen my spirit?” Aurora shakes her head. “You were always something different. An experiment, I suppose. I didn’t lie to you about the nature of your moving here. But I wouldn’t be able to see your spirit if I tried. You and I, we work differently than other people. We’re invisible to one another.” “Ha… this is all so much, I- I don’t know what to make of any of this.” “It’s okay. I understand that it’s a lot, and you’ve been thrown into it unexpectedly. But Seth, I’ve thought about you from the moment you told me what you saw. And I realized that this is a wonderful thing. You only saw what you saw because you want what I want. You want to help those who need you, to help others heal through their pain. You’re given an incredible gift you can use to do just that, and I… I want to share my dream with you.” “...” “I want to share all sorts of things with you.” Aurora stands up, and walks over to her makeup table. Sitting on a shelf, she takes a single red rose out of a glass vase, and [[lifts it up to her eyes.]]

“I’ve been learning to heal for my whole life, Seth. From the moment I was born, it’s what I was meant to do. But I can do nothing all on my own.” She returns from the table, and stands directly in front of me, the long, deep-red rose pinched between her middle and index fingers. “You are irreplaceable to me. Let me share the world with you.” Aurora holds out her arm, and offers the rose to me. <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Accept the Rose]]</div> <div class="choice">(text-colour:#feff60)[[Reject the Rose]]</div> (save-game: "Autosave")

(set: $KFaR to true)\ I take the flower from Aurora’s hand, and hold it close. Lifting it to my face, I close my eyes, and breathe it in. The rose is rich, and dignified, and calming. Taking it into my lungs, I feel a deep sense of nostalgia; a well of memory that floods into me and brings love, and sadness, and experience. But that well is washed away as the rose’s floral scent is softly but quickly overtaken by the scent of vanilla. I open my eyes to find Aurora’s face inches from mine; her eyes peering just over the petals of the flower, her hands pressed into the mattress on either side of me. I gasp, and lower the rose. Aurora gently rests her forehead against mine, and lifts her left hand to hold my face. Softly, she whispers. “Do you want to be well?” I… It’s such a simple question, but of me, it asks so much. I lay bare my weakness for her sincerity. “I have none to make me well. My own body and blood betray me. I sap the strength from others but it never makes me well. All I want is to be well.” Aurora leans in, and kisses me. She holds me firmly with her left hand, demanding I embrace her as she embraces me, our hearts coalesce through our lips and tongue and I am swept away in the smallest wave, one kiss, an ecstasy enough to make me vanish. Her right hand glides up my thigh, her lips stay pressed to mine. Her voice trills as we moan into one another, her hand finds my cane. She carries the cane away, and tosses it to the side, and finally, [[she lets me breathe.]]

I stand up, forcing Aurora to take a step back. I lean on my cane for support, Aurora's eyes flicker with fear. "I'm sorry, Aurora. It's just... it's too much. I can't... I don't understand this yet. I need time to think about it." Aurora takes another step back. She lowers the hand with the rose just slightly, her posture weakens. For the second time in my life, I see her slouch. Her eyes lower, and she frowns. I see her vision unfocus as I turn to head for the door. As I reach for the doorknob, she speaks. “You'll think forever.” "Hm?" “You'll think, and you'll wonder, and you'll regret, and you'll never act on anything again.” There's a bitter sting developing in her voice, I can tell she's sneering from where she stands, though she doesn't turn to bare her teeth to me. “Nothing is ever going to be simple for you again. If you want peace of mind, the only way you're ever getting it is if you stop trying to do everything by yourself.” "...I just..." I don't know. I didn't have anything to say to her. "You're in my home for a reason." [[I nod, and leave the room.]]

(set: $location to "Bedroom")\ \ Having left Aurora dry after her confession, I lay in my bed, and stare at the ceiling absently. Despite what I told her, I do everything in my power not to think. I don't want to think about anything right now. Sleep doesn't come for me for hours, but eventually, [[it finds me.|end ch7]]

Aurora stands back up, and walks backwards until her back is against the door. “Then walk.” I stare at Aurora, unsure what to make of her request. I look to my left, at my cane laying on the bed, just out of my reach. I look to my right, at the rose I’d dropped without noticing. Then I look ahead, back at her. I push myself off of her mattress, onto my own two feet. To stand alone is no accomplishment for me, but my heart skips a beat when I feel no familiar tension in my legs from the pressure of my upper body. I look back at Aurora, eyes wide in disbelief. She offers me no words; just a wide smile, and two open arms, inviting me into her embrace. I take one slow, cautious step forward… and I walk. I take four miraculous steps towards one Aurora Miller, until I am inches from her, and she is inches from me. We look each other in the eyes. The universe stands still. For a few silent moments, there is an understanding communicated between us. An understanding of the finality of the decisions we’ve made today, of the dark and unknowable expanse we both now willingly mingle with, and the trajectory that our lives will now be thrust into for our knowing one another. [[I ram her body into the wall, and kiss her again.]]

Our hands climb each other’s bodies like coiling serpents while I have her pinned against the doorway, my hands finding her chest and waist, hers grasping my hair and abdomen. Her body is soft and firm, not an inch of her I can find anything short of modelesque perfection, as if she were sculpted by hand. I feel her similarly groping me, though if she’s searching for physical flaws, points of weakness, or otherwise, I cannot tell. Our faces still pressed and connected, Aurora thrusts my jacket off of my arms, hooks her fingers underneath my shirt, and begins pulling it up my chest. I do the same to her overcoat, and unmake each button of her shirt from the top. My excitement in this endeavor serves to hinder me, as I clumsily struggle to pull apart the buttons before I have a solid grasp on the hole they’re slotted into. Her bra proves a similar hurdle. With our shirts on the floor, Aurora dives her hand off from my chest directly into my pants, grasping me with immediate alacrity. I tremble at the rush of her hand, and loosen the hold I have her cornered in. she takes the opportunity to push against me, walking us away from the wall while she strokes me, refusing to let my face part from hers for even a step. She drags my pants down my legs as we approach the bed, content to trip me by the ankles and lay me prone against the mattress. She takes her own pants off, kicking them to the side and climbing on top of me before I can get back on my feet. Aurora pins both of my arms down with hers as she mounts me, but I writhe them free from underneath to grab her hips with both hands; a gesture she doesn’t move to protest. She wastes no time putting me inside her, planting those hips down and claiming me into an otherworldly warmth; [[a sweetness so alive it electrifies me from my groin to my stomach.]]

She pounds me like an animal, slamming her hips back and forth with reckless hedonistic abandon. That electricity expands and multiplies and my head goes light and I gasp from the shock of it all, and so does she. “Ha!” “Nff-... haah…” Aurora digs her hand behind my head, and pulls my face into her bosom, dampening my vision of anything outside the crevice of her chest. Her breasts bob rhythmically against my cheeks, caressing me with the saccharine greed of her softest skin. Through her light, elated moans, I hear her speak; half to me, and half to herself. “Miiiine… I need you to be all, completely mine- haanh- and miiiine alone! Submit to me, Seth, I want you underneath me forever~!” Aurora shivers from shoulders to knees, and I feel the world's rotation lose focus. The space around us swirls and twists, I lose track of my own sense of direction. The bed beneath me, the dressers and posters and bags in the room about me all leave my mind and lose their relevance; I forget everything except for our intertwining bodies, and the electrifying pleasure that doubles itself every time Aurora slams her hips back down to my base. I feel the grip of her fingers on my scalp loosen a little, so I pull my head back to say something to her. Another night, I might have wanted to tease her, or talk back to her, or try to assert myself against her somehow, but my head is such a worthless blur, [[I can't think of anything, anything at all.]]

“I f- feel like I'm losing my mind…” Aurora lets out a gravelly, shaky moan, the first she's let loose so far, and changes the angle of her legs, by extension switching the rhythm she fucks me with. Now, she grinds her pelvis into mine, rolling her hips up and then back in quick, violent jerks, shaking the bedframe under her with reckless abandon. She doesn't pull herself up off of me nearly as much, not giving me any more than a couple of inches before stuffing me back in, as if she's trying to get me stuck inside of her. “I feel it too. Just let it go. Aah- let it, let your mmind, nnhh…” I feel her tits bounce against my cheeks, supple and encompassing, I taste the sweat beading off her chest as I lap her up with my tongue. I've never felt anything like this before; her body is taking control away from my mind, activating something lecherous and unruly and primal, something that was apparently dormant in every neuron I inhabit. It gets harder to focus on my own thoughts every time she swallows me whole into her core. A few more times, and I might have had no choice but to just let her have her way with me. But I hold an urge I’m not willing to surrender to her here: if we’re going to share our worlds with each other, then I have to assert myself as this woman’s equal. I have to fight back. So, I do. I squeeze her hips with both hands, and buck my own hips up, thrusting so bluntly that it bucks her off balance and shakes her mounted position. Aurora yelps, I take the leverage and throw Aurora off of me, onto her side. Not missing a beat, I crawl on top of her and turn her onto her back. “You don’t tell me who I submit to. You, Aurora, you’re mine. Mine alone.” “Mmmf…” Aurora looks up at me with fluttering eyes, and bites her lower lip. Having seized control, I [[part her legs and continue.]]

The feeling of being with her is different from this angle; it’s gentler, less rigid, but also less directed and messier. Aurora, it seems, has more experience above the men she mates, but I don’t sense disdain or resistance from her while she’s underneath. Now that I’ve taken my place up here, she’s fully willing to give me what I earned. Aurora bends her arms and lays them out above her head, maintaining consistent eye contact with me while she wears that debaucherous pout on her lips. Her tits bounce with each thrust I give her, she lifts her legs so I can watch her thighs jiggle with every meeting of our flesh. Even like this, she’s an expert at keeping stimulated, or overwhelmed, through every method she can manage. “God, Aurora…” “Yes! God, yes! Give it to me!” Her voice is a choir. Her body, a verdant pasture. Every time she comes to climax, squeezing me from with in with as much fervor as the first grasp of her hand, I feel so unexplainably complete. Her pleasure overflows from her and spills into me, and to me it so easily overwhelms that it spills back into her. I am inebriating her, inebriating myself. We are both, together, feeling the melting warmth of woman and the splitting fullness of man. We are both, together, helplessly swept away by each crashing wave assaulting our masochistic shore, and we are both revelling in the steadily building pressure that mercilessly inches us closer to resolution. She finds her dominant spirit again well before we get there. She forces her way back over me, grinding me while she drones nothings about using me like an obedient toy or whatever else. And I force my way back over her, fucking her like my life depends on it and giving similarly meaningless ramblings about conquering her for my own pleasure. We wrestle like that for some time, both of us wildly turned on by this flowery rivalry, both of us obviously [[falling madly for each other every time we hear the other blissfully moan.]]

I’m the one on top when I can finally take no more. I squeeze her thigh and her breast at once, a sudden change in my hips’ rhythm enough to tell her what’s become of me. Aurora hums, and locks her legs behind me, just to see the panic in my eyes. Her little erotic expression drops, and she looks deep into my eyes, and she keeps me locked there for a few thrusts longer than she ought to, but just in time she lets me go to release myself. It’s a violent thing; the longest it’s taken my body to calm down. Aurora’s made me feel a brain-numbing pleasure I’d never even come close to before. It feels beyond what I imagined my body was capable of feeling. The comedown from that incredible sensation, the feeling of the world returning to normalcy, is enough to leave my head spinning. By the end, I lay in Aurora’s bed, panting. Ironically, not only do I feel I’ve lost control of my legs, but I wonder if any of my limbs will obey me again for quite a while. Aurora takes some time to be still herself, before getting up to clean herself off. When she’s done, she looks down at me, still laying in her bed. “...Thank you.” “And you… thank you too.” [[Aurora smiles, and draws her palm down the side of her waist.]]

“Are you going to kick me out of your room now?” She chuckles. “No. You can stay.” “Are you going for another walk?” She takes a moment to think, looking at the door. But, she shakes her head, and comes to lay down beside me, resting her arm atop my chest. “No, not tonight.” She lets out a small, satisfied sigh. “Tonight, I’m yours.” [[And yours alone.|end ch8]]

(set: $location to " ")\ \ (set: $time to " ")\ \ (after: 2s)[You have been erased. ](after: 4s)[Though the opportunity to retrace your steps is open to you, ](after: 6s)[no small corrections will save you from the fate you have suffered. ](after: 9s)[Your mistakes, ](after: 10s)[and the opportunities you let pass you by, ](after: 12s)[have become so ingrained into your journey that no light remains at the end of your tunnel.] (after: 16s)[If you wish to save these people's lives, ](after: 18s)[then be reborn. ](after: 20s)[Wake anew, ](after: 21s)[and love ](after: 22s)[as they need you to love them.]