You wake up in a dimly lit room. The air feels heavy, and the faint hum of something mechanical echoes around you. A table sits in front of you with a key, a notebook, and a cup of water. A door is to your left.
What will you do?
[[Take the key|TakeKey]]
[[Read the notebook|ReadNotebook]]
[[Drink the water|DrinkWater]]
[[Inspect the door|InspectDoor]]
(if: $loopCount >= 3)[[[Knock on the walls|KnockWalls]]]
(if: $narratorLevel >= 3)[[[Examine the floor|ExamineFloor]]]
(if: $loopCount >= 4)[[[Search the room|SearchRoom]]]
(if: $narratorLevel >= 4)[[[Confront the narrator|ConfrontNarrator]]]
(if: $loopCount >= 6)[[[Listen to the hum|ListenHum]]]
(if: $narratorLevel >= 4)[[[Look around the room|LookAround]]]
(set: $keyCount to $keyCount + 1)
(if: $keyCount < 2)[
You pick up the key. It feels warm, as if held moments ago. The door creaks slightly, inviting you into another identical room.
]
(else-if: $keyCount >= 2 and $keyCount < 3)[
The key feels colder now, heavier in your hand. The door creaks, but the sound is sharper, almost painful.
]
(else:)[
The key crumbles to dust in your hand, only to reappear on the table.
]
(display: "IncrementLoop")
[[Return to the table|Start]]
(set: $notebookReads to $notebookReads + 1)
(if: $notebookReads is 1)[
The notebook’s pages are blank—at first. Then, faint writing appears: *"Why bother? You know where this leads."*
]
(else-if: $notebookReads is 2)[
The writing is clearer now: *"You’ve been here before. Over and over."*
]
(else:)[
The pages are torn, the words scrambled: *"Do you even remember why you’re here?"*
]
(display: "IncrementLoop")
[[Return to the table|Start]]
(set: $waterDrinks to $waterDrinks + 1)
(if: $waterDrinks is 1)[
You take a sip of water. It tastes metallic, like something faintly familiar.
]
(else-if: $waterDrinks is 3)[
The water tastes bitter now, and your throat burns slightly. The cup feels heavier in your hand.
]
(else:)[
The water is gone. Or was it never there to begin with?
]
(display: "IncrementLoop")
[[Return to the table|Start]]
You scan the room. The walls are smooth except for a faint crack in the corner. A faint glow seeps through.
(if: $foundCrack is false)[
You kneel to inspect it. A soft whisper escapes: *"You don’t have to play their game."*
(set: $foundCrack to true)
]
[[Investigate the crack|InvestigateCrack]]
[[Return to the table|Start]]
(set: $loopCount to $loopCount + 1)
(if: $loopCount is 4 and $narratorLevel < 1)[
(set: $narratorLevel to 1)
(display: "NarratorWarning1")
]
(else-if: $loopCount is 6 and $narratorLevel < 2)[
(set: $narratorLevel to 2)
(display: "NarratorWarning2")
]
(else-if: $loopCount is 8 and $narratorLevel < 3)[
(set: $narratorLevel to 3)
(display: "NarratorWarning3")
]
(else-if: $loopCount is 12 and $narratorLevel < 4)[
(set: $narratorLevel to 4)
(display: "NarratorFinalWarning")
]
The narrator’s voice cuts through the hum. It’s faint, almost a whisper.
*"This is familiar, isn’t it? The same choices, the same outcomes. Why do you keep trying? Is it hope? Or just stubbornness?"*
The voice fades as quickly as it appeared.
The narrator speaks again, louder this time, with a hint of exasperation.
*"Do you think anything will change? Or are you just here to entertain me? Each time you ‘decide,’ it only brings you back."*
There’s a pause, then a mocking laugh. *"Go on, keep pretending you have control."*
The narrator’s voice booms, almost shaking the room.
*"What is wrong with you? You KNOW this is a loop. You KNOW nothing changes. And yet, you keep going. Why?"*
The hum returns, but the voice is still there, lingering. *"Maybe you’re not trapped. Maybe you just don’t want to leave."*
*"Ah, still here? Fine. I’ll admit it—I’m impressed. Or maybe I pity you. Either way, you’ve seen everything there is. Or have you?"*
*"Perhaps it’s time you looked beyond what’s right in front of you."*
The crack is small but seems to widen as you approach. You feel it calling to you.
(if: $narratorLevel < 4)[
A soft whisper escapes: *"Not yet. You’re not ready."*
[[Return to the room|Start]]
]
(else:)[
The glow pulses brightly, beckoning you. It feels different this time, as if the loop itself is faltering.
[[Place the notebook in the crack|NotebookInCrack]]
[[Drop the key into the crack|KeyInCrack]]
[[Pour the water into the crack|WaterInCrack]]
]
You place the notebook into the crack. Nothing happens. The glow flickers slightly, then fades. The notebook reappears on the table.
*"Not that. Try again."*
[[Return to the room|Start]]You drop the key into the crack. The glow intensifies, then fades into darkness. You feel the room shift around you.
(display: "IncrementLoop")
You are back in the same room.
[[Continue|Start]]
(if: $narratorLevel < 4)[
The crack doesn’t react. Perhaps you’re missing something.
[[Return to the room|Start]]
]
(else-if: $waterPoured is false)[
You pour the water into the crack. The glow brightens, and the hum fades into silence. The room begins to dissolve around you.
(set: $waterPoured to true)
(display: "EscapeSequence")
]
(else:)[
The crack doesn’t react. Perhaps you’ve already tried this.
[[Return to the room|Start]]
]
The walls begin to crumble into light. A doorway appears, leading into an expanse of stars.
The narrator’s voice echoes: *"You’ve found it. But do you truly understand what this means?"*
You step through the doorway. The glow envelops you, the hum fades, and for a moment, there is silence.
[[Continue|Setup]]
(set: $loopCount to 0)
(set: $narratorLevel to 0)
(set: $foundCrack to false)
(set: $waterPoured to false)
(set: $doorAttempts to 0)
(set: $waterDrinks to 0)
(set: $keyCount to 0)
(set: $notebookReads to 0)
(set: $wallsKnocked to 0)
(set: $humListened to 0)
(go-to: "Start")
(set: $doorAttempts to $doorAttempts + 1)
(if: $doorAttempts is 1)[
You try the door, but it doesn’t budge. The handle feels cold and unyielding.
]
(else-if: $doorAttempts is 3)[
The door rattles slightly this time, but it remains locked. *"Still trying?"* the narrator mocks.
]
(else-if: $doorAttempts is 5)[
The door bursts open—only to reveal the same room you’re already in.
]
(else:)[
The door feels like stone, solid and unmovable. The hum is louder now.
]
(display: "IncrementLoop")
[[Return to the table|Start]]
(set: $wallsKnocked to $wallsKnocked + 1)
You walk to the nearest wall and knock gently. The sound echoes strangely, as though the walls are hollow.
(if: $wallsKnocked <= 3)[
One of the knocks feels different—a section of the wall vibrates slightly, almost as if it’s alive.
]
The narrator’s voice hums faintly: *"Keep trying. Maybe you’ll find something."*
[[Return to the table|Start]]
You crouch to examine the floor. The cold surface is cracked in places, but something catches your eye—a faint glow seeping through a thin line near the corner.
The narrator whispers: *"You’re getting closer. But you’re not ready."*
[[Return to the table|Start]]You rummage through the dimly lit corners of the room, looking for anything out of place. In one corner, you find a small scrap of paper. The writing is faint but legible:
*"The way out is not what it seems. Look closer."*
As you hold the paper, the hum grows louder. It almost feels like the room is watching you.
[[Return to the table|Start]]*"Why are you doing this?"* you shout into the void. The room falls silent, and for a moment, you think nothing will happen.
Then the narrator speaks, their voice colder than before: *"Doing this? You think I’m in control? Oh, no, my friend. I’m just here to keep you company. Or maybe to keep you in line."*
*"But go on, keep trying. Perhaps you’ll surprise me."*
[[Return to the table|Start]](set: $humListened to $humListened + 1)
You close your eyes and focus on the mechanical hum that fills the room. At first, it seems random, but as you listen closely, you hear a pattern—an uneven rhythm, like a heartbeat.
*"Do you hear it too?"* the narrator whispers. *"It’s the sound of your choices. Or maybe it’s just the sound of nothing."*
[[Return to the table|Start]]