The Lab

(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:yellow)[(text-size:2)[DRUG TRIAL - REWARD of $4,000 OFFERED 1447 N Terrace Street Call to make appointment - (687) 557-9932 Come alone.]] "Hmmm" Charlotte thinks to herself. "I wonder if it'll be worth it... The affects can't be that bad right?" [[Call->Call]] [[Walk Home->Home]]

The voice answers, "Have any past experience with trails?" "Not much..." Charlotte replies. "Good. Meet at the address tomorrow morning 8:00 sharp. If you're late, you're out. Got it?" "Uhh yeah got it, I'll be there." The call [[The call drops->Morning]].

She enters the key into the lock and twists. The door is jammed, but this is normal. She plants her feet shoulder-lenghth apart, and jars her shoulder against it. It makes a loud CREAK as she makes her way [[through->Inside]].

Charlotte moves toward the dumpster. Mia is there — bruised, eyes wide. “It’s not just him,” she says. “There’s something else.” Behind her, a ripple in the alley wall pulses like a heartbeat. The world glitches. Charlotte swallows hard. [[Help Mia up and leave|Escape the Alley]] [[Touch the ripple|Touch the Glitch]]

Charlotte races down the street to 1447 N Terrace Street. Luckily it is only a 7 minute walk. After jogging she arrives at the destination, making it at 7:53 a.m. [[Enter Building->Drug Trial Entrance]] [[Wait outside to catch your breath->Arrive Late]]

Charlotte enters the building at 8:04 a.m. She walks up to the small front desk. An older woman with grey hair that's obviously dyed (text-colour:(hsl:0,1,0.351,0.9))[red], sits behind it. Her face is covered in wrinkes and her lips are thin. She looks like she could be a grandmother, but one that would live in a trailer park. "Hi, I am here for the drug trial..." Charlotte says timidly. The woman behind the desk looks up slowly. "You're late." she says angrily. "You cannot participate. Don't let the door hit you on the way [[out->Plead]]."

The room through the glass looks dim. Metal racks line the walls and the middle of the room. Just then, she sees an abnormily tall woman in a white coat walk to a small table in the center of the dark area. She has a singular pill grapsed in her fingers. Half of it (text-colour:red)[red], and half of it (text-colour:navy)[blue]. It glistens in the small amount of light being produced by another flimsy light above her head. She places the pill into a small petri dish, and looks up towards Charlotte. Charlotte immediatly races back to the [[chair->Nurse arrives]] and tries to steady her breath.

Charlotte is [[walking->Streets]] down the streets of New York City. The (text-colour:yellow)+(bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#ffffff,0.5778,(hsl:60,0.8039,0.5,0.45),1,#ffffff))[lights] are vibrant, noise is loud, and the crisp (text-colour:#c7dcff)[winter] air nips at her nose. Her day has been filled with long hours of her boring office job, any yet her pockets are empty. Her eyes fill with disappointment. "What has my life come to?" she thinks.

As Charlotte enters the doors she sees a singular chair in the center of the room. "Limited amount of seats huh..." she thinks to herself. She sits, and flinches a little as the piercing cold metal hits her legs. [[Look around the room->Testing room]]

Charlotte is now breathing faster than normal. Her heart rate is sky-rocketing and sweat starts to bead on her forehead. The nurse looks in Charolette's eyes reassuringly. "To start, you will take the pill with a sip of water. Then, I will attach some monitors to you so we can track your body's response to the medication. We will also be able to see what occurs on the monitor." "What goes on?" Charlotte asks concerningly. "Yes, we will be able to physically see what you see in your brain. We will be able to record your memory for study purposes." An uneasy look spreads across Charlotte's face. [[Stay and complete trial for the money->Take pill]] [[It's not worth it->Leave]]

(text-colour:red)[Ringggggg.... Ringgggg... Ringgg.....] "Hello?" a woman's graspy voice answers. [["Uhhhh yeah, hi. I'm calling about the advertisiment about the trial..."->Answer]] [[Hang up->Hang up]]

Charlotte’s fingers fumble as she presses the call button. It rings. Once. Then again. > "Charlotte?!" Mia’s voice cracks through the static. "Oh thank God. I didn’t think you'd answer." Charlotte looks up. The rain feels colder now, sharper. Her heart pounds like the club's bass behind her. Something about this night is shifting. > "He's still here," Mia whispers. "I think he's following me." Charlotte freezes. That wasn’t in the memory. At least, not the way she remembers it. * [[Charlotte tells Mia to hide and stay on the phone|Tell Her to Hide]] * [[Charlotte runs to find Mia immediately|Run to Mia]] * [[Charlotte hangs up and calls the police|Call the Police]]

Charlotte dials 911. “911, what’s your emergency?” She explains — fast, panicked. A man following her friend. Mia is hiding behind a dumpster. “Officers are being disp— The voice distorts. Static swallows the signal. The screen goes black. Charlotte stares at the blank phone as everything around her warps again — and she's back in the lab. The nurse asks, "Are you okay?" [[Respond->Leave]]

Charlotte sighs and puts the phone back in her coat pocket. The rain keeps falling. The music from Club Andromeda pulses behind her, trying to pull her back into the night — into the version of the evening she chose to believe. “She always did this,” Charlotte mutters, trying to make it true. She walks away. Never looks back. But the memory does. Later, when the trial ends, Charlotte wakes in the lab. The doctor is gone. The lights are off. One final message is still burned into her vision. "You still couldn’t face it." [[Play again->Begin]]

"This trial is for a new drug devlepoed by an underground, yet esteemed scientist. The pill is designed to help you relive ONE memory. Now, you can't make and chages in the real world, that would be dangerous to the current timeline..." "What is this woman even talking about... she might be delusional for real." Charolette thinks to herself. "HOWEVER, you are able to visualize what WOULD have happend if choices were made differently. The side effects have not been analyzed yet, due to you being the very first subject. Would you still like to participate?" [[Yes->Response to first]] [[No->Leave]]

Charlotte enters the building at 7:59 a.m. She walks up to the small front desk. An older woman with grey hair that's obviously dyed (text-colour:(hsl:0,1,0.351,0.9))[red], sits behind it. Her face is covered in wrinkes and her lips are thin. She looks like she could be a grandmother, but one that would live in a trailer park. "Hi, I am here for the drug trial..." Charlotte says timidly. The woman behind the desk looks up slowly. "Name?" she says bluntly. "Charlotte McKinney." "Go through the doors on your left. There is a chair, sit in it." she responds agressivley. "They will get you when they areready." "Thank you so much," Charlotte says. And turns to her left. [[Go through doors->Begin Trial]]

Will she regret this decision, or be thankful she decided to open that side of her memories again? She may never know. [[Play again->Begin]]

Charlotte grabs Mia and pulls her to her feet. They run. No time to look back. Down the street. Around the corner. Past the flickering world. When they stop, both are gasping for air — soaked, shaken, alive. The memory holds for a moment. Then fades. Charlotte wakes in the lab — heart pounding. The doctor looks shocked and says, "You stabilized the loop. Most participants don’t make it that far." "I thought i was the only participant?" Charolette asks. "We only say that to ween the weak people out. Thank you for your time." Charolette stands up, and [[leaves->End]] the building.

Charlotte glances down at her watch. It reads 8:27 a.m. She rolls her eyes, "What is talking so long..." she mumbles to herself. Charlotte stands up and paces slowly around the room. She drags her hand across the flat cool wall as she walks. After circling for a minute, her eyes land on another set of doors she didn't notice before. There are small windows attached, and she decides to take a [[peek->Back Room]] through to see if she can see anyone.

Fear takes over. Charlotte backs away from the alley and starts running. She doesn’t stop. Rain smashes into her skin. The club disappears behind her. No one follows. She stops near a bus stop, breath ragged. Her phone buzzes. One message. "You left me again." Charolette jerks awake, and she's back in the [[lab->Leave]].

" This is just too creepy..." she thinks to herself. [[Walk Home->Home]]

Charlotte makes it to the stairs of her apartment. The building is dim. The (text-colour:#a7362a)[brick] is faded, (text-colour:(hsl:217,0.625,0.749,0.9))[windows] are cracked, and (text-colour:(hsl:24,0.5155,0.3804,0.9))[dogs] bark in the distance. [[Unlock Door->Apartment]]

Charlotte sighs and locks her phone. > “She’s probably just drunk,” she mutters. “She always does this.” Lightning flashes across the sky — but for a split second, it’s not light she sees. It’s static. Like a skipping VHS tape. The world flickers. A scream cuts through the rain. Charlotte flinches. Was that real? Part of the memory? Or a side effect of the drug? Her phone buzzes again. Another message appears. > "Please, Charlotte. Please don't leave me." Something tightens in her chest. * [[Charlotte reopens the message|Call Mia]] * [[Charlotte puts the phone away again|Continue Ignoring]]

The apartment is dim, the only light illuminating from a single lamp in the corner. The living room is connected to the kitchen, only seperated by a small island. Charlotte makes her way to the bedroom which is only about 10 steps away. She drops her bag on the ground and lays on her bed. She instantly falls [[asleep->Morning]].

She walks to her bathroom and completes her morning routine. Throws on a little mascara and decided she looks good enough. The time now reads (text-colour:(hsl:60,0.8039,0.5,0.9))+(bg:black)[[[7:58 a.m.->Arrive Late]]]

"I'm sorry, being the first test subject just seems too risky. Not worth it," Charolette says firmly. She stands up and leave through the doors she came through. Once outside the building in the crisp winter air, she heads home to get dressed for work. Will she regret this decision, or be thankful she never opened that side of her memories again? She may never know. [[Play again?->Begin]]

Charlotte awakens abruptly. Suddenly, she’s standing outside '''Club Andromeda''' — neon lights flashing, music thudding from within. Rain pours down in sheets, soaking her hair and clothes. She barely notices. Her phone buzzes in her hand. A message from Mia lights up the screen: (b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[''Mia at 11:42 pm'' "Please come. I don't feel safe. I'm scared."] Charlotte stares at the message. She remembers this night. She was out with Jamie — left her phone in her bag, ignored Mia's texts. But not this time. This time, she sees it. *What does she do?* * [[ Charlotte checks the message and calls Mia immediately|Call Mia]] * [[ Charlotte ignores the message — Mia was always dramatic|Ignore Message]]

Charlotte jerks awake. She has suffered from night terrors since she was a kid, so waking up in a cold sweat isn't unlike her. She gives a good strech and turns over to her night stand. Her alarm reads (text-colour:(hsl:60,0.8039,0.5,0.9))+(bg:black)[[7:47 a.m.->Rush]]

The extra set of doors swig open, and the doctor approaches the table. She is about 5'10, has dirty blonde hair placed carefully in a low bun, and a white coat on. She sets down a petri dish holding a blue and red pill in the center of the table. "Welcome to the trial," she says calmly. "Do you know what it entails?" [["A reward, and that's all that matters."->Details about trial]] [["Not really... should I be concerned?"->Details about trial]]

"No," Charlotte states in a more agressive manner than indended. "Please, I need this money. You don't undertand. I won't be able to make rent this month..." "Why should I care?!" the old woman answers. "Please, you look like you've had a long and good life. Haven't you ever been just a few minutes late?? Have some compassion, please!" Charlotte pleads. The woman glances at her watch, and rolls her eyes. "Fine. But this is the ONLY time I have ever allowed this." Charlotte responds, "Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this will help." But will it... [[help->Begin Trial]]?

"THE FIRST??" Charlotte asks a little louder than she meant to. "Yes, but the doctor has confimed that the side effects should me minimal... we can up your pay if that makes a difference?" "Oh... well that's fine then," Charlotte responds. "Fabulous," the nurse answers. "Let's [[begin->Begin trial]]."

Charlotte bolts through the rain toward the alley. When she turns the corner, she finds only Mia’s phone on the ground — screen cracked, still (text-colour:black)+(bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#ffffff,0.3432,(hsl:60,0.8039,0.5,0.8),1,#ffffff))[glowing]. Something rustles behind the dumpster. * [[Approach the sound|Approach the Shadow]] * [[Run away|Flee the Scene]]

She immediatly jumps up. "CRAP!" she yells. She grabs a sweatshirt from her dresser and throw on some jeans that were left on her floor, cold from the crisp air outside. [[Leave now!->Arrive]] [[Be a little late and get more put together->Late]]

As she walks down a (bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#ffffff,0.5778,(hsl:270,1,0.2196,0.45),1,#ffffff))[(text-colour:black)+(bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#ffffff,0.5778,(hsl:270,1,0.2196,0.6),1,#ffffff))[gloomy]] and empty sidewalk, an [[advertisment->Advertisment]] pinned to a telephone pole catches her attention.

"Dont worry," the nurse says. "It all stays confidential." Charlotte nods nervously. The nurse slides the pill toward Charlotte and places a glass of water next to it. Charlotte picks up the pill, places it on her tongue, and takes a swig of water. The nurse then walks to the bcak and grabs a monitor with a big compuer screen and lots of tiny tubes hanging off of it. She places small sticky pads to both of Charlotte's temples, and switches on the monitor. "Time to relive..." she says quietly. Just then, Charolette's eyes drift [[close->Memory]].

Charlotte tells Mia to hide, to stay on the phone. > “Okay,” Mia whispers. “There’s a space behind the dumpster.” Rustling. Then silence. > “I think he—he’s right here…” Charlotte hears a sharp inhale. Then— > *Click.* The call drops. The screen flashes static. Charlotte dials again. Nothing. Just dead air. She stands there, frozen, as the club’s music pounds behind her — and the memory ends in the same place it always did. [[Restart|Take pill]]

The room is a blinding white. The walls, the ceiling, the floors... as white as snow. A singular light (text-style:"smear","blink")[buzzes] with (text-colour:white)+(bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#ffffff,0.3481,#e5e619,1,#ffffff))[electricity] above her as she sits in silence. As Charlotte waits, she realizes that this room is completley empty apart from her little chair and table infront of her. [[Walk around->Explore shortly]] [[Stay seated->Nurse arrives]]

Charlotte reaches toward the shimmering distortion. The moment her fingers touch it, the world **snaps**. She sees dozens of versions of herself — all standing in the same alley, all making different choices. Some ran. Some fought. Some never took the capsule at all. And then— Nothing. She opens her eyes. She’s in her [[apartment->Inside]]. No trial. No lab. Just the same regret. Was any of it real?