The alarm buzzes.
You don't remember setting it, but you always wake up at 6:42. Not 6:41. Not 6:43. Always 6:42.
Your eyes sting, your head aches, and for a second, you consider just—staying still. No one would notice if you were a few minutes late.
Then again... maybe they would.
(link: "Get up")[
(set: $intent to "active")
(goto: "Bathroom")
]
(link: "Hit snooze")[
(set: $intent to "passive")
(goto: "Snooze")
]
:: Bathroom
The floor is colder than you remember.
You shuffle to the mirror, rubbing sleep from your eyes. For a second, your reflection doesn’t look quite right—like it’s waiting for you to say something.
The toothpaste tastes faintly metallic. The same as always.
(if: $intent is "active")[
You tell yourself this is progress. You got up. You’re doing better today.
]
(else:)[
You tell yourself this is fine. It’s just routine. Nothing to prove.
]
[[Go to kitchen->Kitchen]]:: Kitchen
The house hums quietly. You can hear the refrigerator breathing.
Someone’s already up — a faint clatter of dishes, the smell of burnt toast.
It’s familiar, in that way habits are familiar: ordinary, comforting, dull.
(if: $intent is "active")[
You walk in with a strange kind of momentum, like you’ve already decided this day will mean something.
Your parent glances up from their phone, surprised to see you early.
“You’re up already?” they ask.
You shrug. “Yeah. Thought I’d actually try being on time.”
They smile — small, but real.
]
(else:)[
You drift into the kitchen like a ghost that forgot where it died.
Your parent doesn’t look up right away. “You’re late,” they say, half-tired, half-worried.
The toast burns. You don’t move to stop it.
]
[[Leave for school->BusStop]]
:: Snooze
You hit snooze. Once. Twice. The alarm stops arguing.
By the time you finally move, the sunlight is sharper, louder somehow. You feel like you’ve missed something—but you don’t know what.
(if: $intent is "passive")[
You tell yourself it’s okay. You deserve to rest. Everyone says that.
]
(else:)[
You tell yourself you should’ve known better. This isn’t the first time.
]
[[Finally get up and go to the bathroom->Bathroom]]:: BusStop
The air outside tastes like rain that changed its mind.
The street is still damp, quiet except for the low hum of tires in the distance.
You spot someone sitting on the bench — a kid from your class, maybe a year younger. Hoodie up, eyes glued to their shoes.
They look… off. You can’t tell if they’re crying, or just cold.
What do you do?
(link: "Sit beside them")[
(set: $choiceBus to "kind")
(goto: "BusTalk")
]
(link: "Ignore them")[
(set: $choiceBus to "cold")
(goto: "BusRide")
]
:: BusTalk
You sit beside them. The bench groans quietly beneath the weight of silence.
After a while, you say, “Rough morning?”
They hesitate — then laugh a little through their nose. “Yeah. You could say that.”
(if: $intent is "active")[
You listen, even though it makes you late. The bus passes, and you wait for the next one.
The air feels lighter. Like you might have done something small, but good.
]
(else:)[
You nod, half there, half gone. But when they finally look up, they’re smiling anyway.
You wonder why that feels like forgiveness.
]
[[Catch the next bus->SchoolArrival]]
:: BusRide
You keep walking, eyes on the pavement. The sound of the bus pulling up behind you covers the sound of someone softly saying your name.
You pretend you didn’t hear it.
(if: $intent is "passive")[
The bus ride is quiet, but not peaceful. You stare out the window and think about everything you could’ve done differently.
]
(else:)[
You tell yourself it’s fine — you can’t fix everyone. Still, you glance back once before sitting down.
]
[[Arrive at school->SchoolArrival]]
:: SchoolArrival
The bus hisses to a stop in front of the school.
The building looks exactly the same as always — gray brick, flickering lights, the faint smell of wet paper and disinfectant. But something in the air feels heavier today. Or maybe it’s just you.
You pass the same people you always do: clusters of noise, laughter, invisible rules you somehow keep breaking.
(if: $choiceBus is "kind")[
You catch a glimpse of the kid from the bus across the courtyard. They look up when they see you, give the smallest wave.
It shouldn’t matter this much, but it does.
(set: $karma to "up")
]
(else:)[
You see an empty spot on the bench where someone usually sits. No one seems to notice. You wonder if they ever got to class.
(set: $karma to "down")
]
(if: $intent is "active")[
You tell yourself to focus — to actually *try* today. One good day can’t fix everything, but maybe it can start something.
]
(else:)[
You keep your head down. There’s something comforting about invisibility. Something safe.
]
[[Go to first period->Classroom]]:: Classroom
The bell rings before you even sit down.
You take your usual seat — second row, middle desk, the one with a carved heart in the corner that doesn’t belong to you. The hum of fluorescent lights feels louder today.
Your teacher greets the class with a tired smile. “Morning, everyone.”
The same voice. The same tone. But somehow, it sounds… practiced. Like you’ve heard it too many times before.
(if: $choiceBus is "kind")[
The kid from the bus slips into the room a minute late, hair still damp from the rain.
They glance at you as they sit, mouth a quiet *“thanks.”*
The teacher doesn’t scold them this time.
]
(else:)[
The kid’s seat stays empty.
Your teacher hesitates mid-roll call — eyes flicking to that name, lips tightening for just a second. Then they move on.
]
(if: $intent is "active")[
You take notes. You raise your hand once. The day feels almost normal — but every word the teacher writes on the board looks… familiar.
Like you’ve copied it before.
]
(else:)[
You zone out. The room feels too still. You blink and realize your notebook already has the day’s notes written out, in your own handwriting.
]
The bell rings again.
Too soon.
It’s only been ten minutes.
You look around. No one else seems to notice.
What do you do?
(link: "Ask the teacher what’s going on")[
(set: $choiceClass to "question")
(goto: "TeacherTalk")
]
(link: "Keep quiet and leave for lunch")[
(set: $choiceClass to "avoid")
(goto: "Lunch")
]
(link: "Ask the kid from the bus if they noticed")[
(set: $choiceClass to "connect")
(goto: "BusFriendTalk")
]
:: TeacherTalk
You stay behind after everyone starts leaving.
“Can I ask you something?” you say.
The teacher looks up from their desk, pen hovering mid-air. “Of course.”
You hesitate. “What day is it?”
They blink, smile faintly. “Thursday, why?”
You check the date written on the whiteboard.
It’s the same one you saw yesterday. And the day before.
(if: $choiceBus is "kind")[
The kid from the bus lingers at the door, watching. Their face pales when they see the board too.
]
(else:)[
The kid’s seat is still empty. The air where they *should* be feels colder.
]
You ask again. Louder this time.
The teacher doesn’t answer — they just stare.
Then, slowly, they say your name. But it doesn’t sound right.
> “You’ve already asked me this.”
Your throat tightens.
(link: "Keep pressing")[
(set: $choiceTeacher to "push")
(goto: "RealityCrack")
]
(link: "Leave quietly")[
(set: $choiceTeacher to "retreat")
(goto: "Lunch")
]
:: Lunch
The cafeteria smells like salt and steam.
Everyone’s voices blend into static. You sit down at a table that doesn’t feel like yours. Maybe it never was.
(if: $choiceBus is "kind")[
Someone waves at you from across the room — the kid from the bus. You start to wave back, but freeze halfway. They don’t seem to see you anymore.
The moment folds in on itself.
]
(else:)[
There’s an empty tray across from you. You’re sure someone was sitting there a second ago. You can still feel the warmth on the plastic.
]
The clock on the wall hasn’t moved since you sat down.
The second hand twitches, but doesn’t advance.
You press your palms together.
You’re not sure if you’re praying, or just holding yourself in place.
(link: "Stand up and walk out")[
(set: $choiceLunch to "resist")
(goto: "Hallway")
]
:: BusFriendTalk
You catch up with the kid from the bus. They look uneasy too, fingers twisting the strap of their backpack.
“You noticed it too, didn’t you?” you ask.
They hesitate, then nod. “Yeah… it’s like the day’s stuck. Same lessons. Same words. Even the rain.”
They glance toward the window. “It’s like someone hit rewind.”
(if: $intent is "active")[
You tell them you’re going to figure it out. They look at you — relief in their eyes — like you might actually mean it.
]
(else:)[
You admit you don’t know what’s happening. They laugh quietly. “That makes two of us.” Somehow, it feels good not to lie.
]
(link: "Stay with them at lunch")[
(set: $choiceFriend to "stay")
(goto: "LunchTogether")
]
(link: "Go separate ways")[
(set: $choiceFriend to "leave")
(goto: "Lunch")
]
:: RealityCrack
The room seems to tilt slightly. You blink—no, the floor *moves.*
The teacher doesn’t blink anymore. Their face glitches at the edges, like light bending through glass.
Behind them, the whiteboard words shift: *Why do you keep asking?*
You stumble backward, knocking over a chair.
(if: $choiceBus is "kind")[
The kid from the bus grabs your arm. “Stop,” they whisper. “You’re not supposed to—”
]
(else:)[
There’s no one left to stop you.
]
The classroom melts into static and outlines. Desks slide through each other like half-remembered thoughts.
> “You wanted to understand,” the voice says.
> “Now you do.”
(if: $intent is "active")[
You reach out toward the distortion—because you *need* to know.
The world folds inward like paper. You fall through it, whispering your own name.
(goto: "BadEnd")
]
(else:)[
You shut your eyes and wait for it to stop.
It never does.
(goto: "BadEnd")
]
:: Hallway
The halls are empty. Lockers hum softly, like the building is breathing.
You walk without knowing why.
Every turn looks the same. Every window shows the same gray sky.
You stop walking. The silence leans closer.
A voice—not the teacher, not the kid, maybe not even yours—says:
> “You keep walking because you think that’s choice.
> But what if choice was never the point?”
You lean against the wall. For the first time today, you don’t move.
(if: $karma is "up")[
Maybe that’s okay. Maybe not every loop needs breaking. Some just need understanding.
The lights dim, but the world doesn’t vanish.
(goto: "NeutralEnd")
]
(else:)[
You wonder how many times you’ve stood here before.
You close your eyes, hoping the next loop forgets you.
(goto: "NeutralEnd")
]
:: LunchTogether
You and the kid sit together in the far corner of the cafeteria.
Everyone else moves like clockwork—same bites, same laughter, same spilled drink.
You both just… watch.
They finally say, “I think we were meant to notice. Maybe that’s how we stop it.”
You look down at your tray. The food’s the same as yesterday. And the day before.
You whisper, “What if stopping it means we disappear?”
They smile. “Then maybe disappearing is the point.”
(if: $intent is "active")[
You take their hand. “Let’s do it anyway.”
The clock on the wall ticks once—just once—and the sound echoes like thunder.
(goto: "GoodEnd")
]
(else:)[
You nod. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
The clock ticks once.
(goto: "GoodEnd")
]
:: BadEnd
The world folds in on itself until there’s only one sound left—the alarm.
It buzzes through the static, louder and louder, until it’s all that exists.
6:42.
6:42.
6:42.
Your hand slams the clock—
—and everything resets.
But this time, no one wakes up.
[[AfterMath]]:: GoodEnd
You wake up at 6:42 again.
But this time, the alarm doesn’t ring.
The air feels new. The silence is gentle.
You don’t know if you escaped, or if you just stopped fighting.
But when you glance at your phone, there’s a new text from the kid.
> *"Thanks for sitting with me."*
You smile.
Maybe meaning isn’t in the choice.
Maybe it’s in the intention.
[[AfterMath]] :: NeutralEnd
The alarm buzzes. You open your eyes.
You don’t feel trapped. You don’t feel free.
You just feel *aware.*
You go through the motions—brush teeth, walk to the bus, sit beside the same kid.
They smile, the same as always.
You don’t say anything this time.
Maybe you don’t need to.
The loop doesn’t end.
But you do, a little less lost.
[[AfterMath]]:: Aftermath
The screen stays black for a long time.
You almost think it’s over.
Then, a single line fades in:
> Every choice mattered.
> Just not the way you thought.
(if: $karma is "up")[
You made the world a little lighter.
Not perfect. Not fixed. But lighter.
]
(else:)[
You left the world a little emptier.
The silence you chose echoed farther than you’ll ever know.
]
(if: $intent is "active")[
You fought to make meaning out of nothing.
Even if you failed, the fight itself *was* the meaning.
]
(else:)[
You let the current carry you. You survived, but you never steered.
That’s a choice too — to drift.
]
(if: $choiceBus is "kind")[
Kindness doesn’t fix the loop. It just reminds you it’s human.
]
(else:)[
Ignoring someone doesn’t end the day faster.
It just makes it quieter.
]
> There are no right choices.
> Only the ones you have to live with.
(link: "Restart the day.")[
(goto: "Morning")
]