R.A.T.

You are a rat. You live in a small apartment next to many other rats. Your apartment has clear walls that you can see through and not much furniture. The food comes very regularly, though the water sometimes tastes strange and makes you feel funny. You do not know why. There are many things you do not know; you are a rat. Here is what you do know: You know that you are a rat. You know that you have a job: to run in mazes. You know what a maze is. It's a long and difficult room full of surprises and traps. At the end of the maze is a prize. You know what a prize is. It's a treat of food or something nicer. You dream of prizes every night when you close your eyes. You do not know what will happen if you do not find the prize. [[Continue]]

You are removed from your apartment by a strong hand. It is a human hand covered by a glove. You know what a human is. It is a large creature with dextrous hands and heavy feet which has control over all the world. You know what a glove is. It is a second skin that protects you from harm. The hand takes you to the maze and releases you. It is Time. [[Running Around Time.]]

You step into the maze. (if:(history: where its name contains "Death takes you.")'s length >= 1)[It looks exactly the same as you remember it. Nothing feels different at all. You barely remember dying.] (if:(history: where its name contains "Death takes you.")'s length >= 3)[You are starting to get tired of dying. You want to escape.] Three paths are before you. [[Go Right.]] [[Go Straight.]] [[Go Left.]]

You go down the right corridor. So far, everything looks normal. You have a sense of deja vu. You hear the sound of squeaking down one of the halls--the right one. [[Avoid the sound & go left]] [[Follow the squeaking right.]]

You go straight ahead, almost ignoring the other two pathways. The corridor feels long and hollow and safe under your claws. You hear strange noises through some of the walls, but you cannot identify what they are or where they might be coming from. They remind you of some of the tasks you were required to do before the maze-- running, treading water, avoiding electrical shocks. You feel much more capable, now. It's a long walk, but you come to another crossroads. [[Right way]] [[Left way]]

You go down the left corridor. So far nothing looks or smells interesting. Clean, bare walls greet you. [[Proceed Right.]] [[Proceed Left.]]

Going down the right path, you find yourself in a wide corridor covered in wires and sensors which seem to beep and light up whenever you step on them. You are not sure what kind of data they are gathering, but it doesn't hurt you to step on them. Three paths wait for you. [[Right path]] [[Center path]] [[Left path]]

You turn down the left pathway right away. Something about twisting and turning your way through the mazes gets your heart pumping. It makes you enjoy what you do. When you are next afforded a chance to decide where to go, you notice a slightly different smell down one corridor. It could be nothing-- after all, this place is full of strange smells-- but it's worth noting. (if:(history: where its name contains "Stay put.")'s length >= 1)[You seem to remember that this smell is dangerous] [[Follow the smell.]] [[Avoid the smell and continue.]]

You decide to take the path on the right. Instead of leading to another winding hallway, this one takes you to a room. There is a door on the far side of the room, but it's closed. There is another rat in the room. He is trapped in a cage. When you enter, he becomes excited. "Oh boy," he says. "A new player!" You notice that there are two buttons in front of you. One is red and one is blue. [[Ask him who he is.]] [[Ask him to explain the rules of the game.]]

You take the center path. It's long and dark, and you feel eyes watching you around every bend. You know what eyes feel like. It is like being touched by the ghost of a claw. You feel it every second you are in this place. It grows stronger and stronger by the second. You hear strange noises ahead. You are not sure which way they come from. [[Keep going straight.]] [[Turn Left.]]

You scurry down the corridor and are greeted with two doors. Both of them are marked with heiroglyphics-- a fire symbol, and a water drop symbol. Which will you choose? [[The fire door.]] [[The water door.]]

Your paws are starting to feel cold, padding along the plasticky surface of the maze beneath you. It occurs to you that you do not know where you are. You are in the maze, but you cannot see out of it. You do not know if you are indoors or outdoors; you do not know if it is day or night. You do not know how many days it has been since you began running through the maze. (if:(history: where its name contains "Death takes you.")'s length >= 1)[You do not remember the transition--or transitions?--between life and death that you have passed through like the membranes of so many bubbles. You feel strange. You feel different.] In your musings, you've come to another crossroads. [[Left]] [[Straight]] [[Right]]

You head to the left. Something drips onto your snout. You look up and see a large, dark stain on the ceiling; it doesn't look like a water stain. Your snout is vaguely brown-colored now. Or is it dark red? Unsettled, you continue. [[Another left]] [[The right]]

You keep going straight ahead. Your paws are all but numb now. The passage around you grows dark. A light blinks ahead of you. [[Walk towards the light.]] [[Ignore the light.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Death takes you.")'s length >= 1)+(if:(history: where its name contains "Straight.")'s length >= 2)[[Try to figure out what's happening.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "UP")'s length >= 1)[Hurry up and go [[DOWN]].] (if:(history: where its name contains "DOWN")'s length >= 1)[Hurry up and go [[UP]].]

You turn to the corridor on the right. You hear the sounds of another rat. They sound like they're in pain. As you get closer, you realize that this rat has been caught in one of the maze's traps. Its paw is caught in a nasty-looking trap with sharp edges. Blood has spilled onto the floor. "Please, please help me!" sobs the rat. [[Try to pry the trap open.]] [[Cut off the rat's paw to free him.]] [[Just leave the trapped rat.]]

As you're walking down the corridor, you pass by another rat. He is dripping wet from head to toe; his fur is soaked, and he is shivering. Still, when you see him, he smiles at you, showing you his mouth-- (text-colour:#e03131)[bloody] and devoid of teeth. You cannot smile back at him. You are relieved when you find another crossroads. [[Go right]] [[Go straight ahead]] [[Go left]]

You go to the right. It feels lonely and empty. You sometimes think you can hear other rats running around in the maze, but other times you cannot be sure if it is your imagination. Your current path is not treacherous, but you do begin to tire. You wonder when the last time you ate was. [[Go left]] [[Go straight ahead]] The pathway to the right is blocked.

You trot down the right corridor of the maze, sniffing the air dilligently as you work towards your goal-- to find the exit and gain your prize. You have heard that rats who do well are rewarded with riches beyond comprehension. Unlimited food, unlimited leisure. No running mazes ever again. You do not know how long it will take. You only know that the only thing you can do is continue to try your best. What else is a rat like you to do? [[Head Right]] [[Head Center]] [[Head Left]]

You go through the path straight in front of you. The corridor closes behind you, sealing you into the new room. You find yourself in front of a large computer monitor. There is a tiny keyboard made for your paws so that you can respond. The text on the screen appears in block letters: (text-colour:#2b8a3e)[WHAT IS YOUR NAME?] (input-box:2bind $ratname,"=XX=",1,"R.A.T.") [[Enter Your Name.]]

The corridor to the left looks inviting enough, and so you dart through it, full of determination to complete your goal. The walkway is full of music. It is unlike anything you have heard in your life, but you enjoy the way it fills your ears. It could provide you with a much-needed respite. [[Follow the music.]] [[Focus on your goal.]]

You choose the corridor on the right. Almost as soon as you reach the room, you're faced with another choice. (color:red)[[Red door]] (color:blue)[[Blue door]]

You hurry down the left corridor. It closes behind you, but you keep running. Always, always, you keep running. You see another rat running towards you. [[Call out to the rat.]] [[Stop running.]] [[Keep running towards the rat.]]

You run for a while uneventfully. After a few minutes you stop, thinking that you hear a voice in the distance. After tuning your ears towards the source, you realize it's just the recording of a rat squeaking. The rat is mid-sentence when the recording ends; you wonder if the humans recording had any inkling of it. The rat is saying, //"...and then you stack a wheel inside of a wheel, and put an eye inside of that wheel, and six eyes surrounding that. Then, six wings for each eye, and a ring inside each--"// The recording cuts off and restarts. You don't know why. The pathways ahead are each marked with a + mark. [[+Right]] [[+Straight]] [[+Left]]

You follow the path on the right, hearing a strange crackling sound within. When you walk inside, you see rats staring at a massive TV screen. There is nothing but static on the screen. They do not look away. Two pathways are available to you. [[To the left]] [[To the right]] [[To the TV screens]]

Straight ahead you trot, putting your unease aside as you proceed through the maze. Are you getting closer? Further way? Going in circles? You imagine yourself from above, imagining the strange patterns you weave as you pass in and out of pathways and corridors. You wonder what kind of picture you paint. The pathway grows slightly narrower and dimmer. Your whiskers begin to brush the walls at your sides. (if:(history: where its name contains "Devour the snake.")'s length >= 1)[A rotting, half snake carcass greets you, its stench so thick as to fill the air.] (if:(history: where its name contains "Devour the snake.")'s length <= 1)[You hear a strange sound that chills you to your bones.] (after:4s)+(transition:"fade")+(text-colour:#495057)[A low, predatory hisssssss.] (after:6s)+(transition:"fade")[ [[Come face to face with a snake.]]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Devour the snake.")'s length >= 1)[[Way ahead]]

You go down the left corridor. As soon as you step over the threshold, the door closes behind you. In front of you is a large monitor with a keyboard attached. The screen is black when you enter, but after a few seconds, some text appears: (text-style:"fade-in-out")+(text-colour:#2b8a3e)[YOU MAY NOT PROCEED UNTIL YOU ARE TESTED.] [[Prepare to be tested.]]

You go down the left corridor. (if:(history: where its name contains "+Right")'s length >= 1)[The strange, eerie sound of static and blue TV glow disappear behind you.] You're hurrying so much that you almost bump into another rat on your way. The other rat doesn't notice you either. At first, you think that it must be because of the strain of the maze, but as you glance at their face, you see their eyes are just empty sockets. You don't think about much else until you're forced to make another choice. [[Left again]] [[Right this time]]

You go down the path to the right and find yourself in a winding corridor. At first, it just seems like a corner, but after a while, you realize you've been walking in a circle. Or... is it a spiral? [[It never seems to end.]]

You choose the hallway to the right. You're relieved when nothing happens when you cross the threshhold; no door closes, no electricity shocks you, no animal jumps out to prey on you. You've experienced so many trials in the maze so far that you find yourself terribly on edge. You squeak softly to yourself under your breath as you walk. It helps to distract you and keep you focused on your goal. The next forked path has 3 prongs. [[Continue Right]] [[Continue Straight]] [[Continue Left]]

You proceed down the corridor to the right and arrive at a room that is, at its core, one big slide. Your paws and claws are too slippery. You have no choice but to slip down the slide. Fortunately, it's not too fast or uncomfortable. Under some circumstances, you'd be having fun. But when you finally come to the end of the chute, you feel a sinking sense that you've been here before, and that you've just made a lot more work for yourself. [[Right path]] [[Center path]] [[Left path]] [[Just give up...]]

You enter a rounded room with 3 doors in it. There is nothing else of note. The air is buzzing with a sense of finality. The doors are each white in color and have no other distinguishing features. [[Take the right door.]] [[Take the center door.]] [[Take the left door.]]

You head down the left path. The ground under your paws feels normal at first; then, you step on a specific tile on the ground, and everything changes. (text-style:"sway")[(text-colour:#ffd43b)[You] (text-colour:#f783ac)[feel] (text-colour:#748ffc)[a] (text-colour:#a9e34b)[little] (text-colour:#da77f2)[silly].] Having said that, you're not hurt. You just... lost your sense of direction a little bit. [[Turn Left.]] [[Right way]] [[Head Center]] [[+Right]] ? [[Go Straight.]] ??

As you pass through the door on the right, a trap door slides out from under you. You are unable to get your bearings or even waste a moment reaching for the ledge of the corridor you were just in. Instead, you tumble down, down, down onto a metal chute. It carries you along a frightening and quickly-twisting track, finally dumping you back onto the ground. Relieved to be alive, you look around you-- only to realize you are back at the very beginning of the maze. How fast you are able to try for your freedom again depends on how good your memory is. [[Running Around Time.]]

You step through the door in the middle, excited to recieve your prize and finally be freed from the maze. However, the instant your foot touches the floor on the other side, a violent electrical shock shoots through your body. You are killed instantly. [[Death takes you.]]

You squint in the light as you step through the door. (after:2s)+(transition:"fade")[Behind you, the maze, a massive blue plastic mass in shapes and sizes that don't make sense stands illuminated by stale, fluorescent white light. ] (after:4s)+(transition:"fade")[In front of you, a host of humans in white coats, blue rubber gloves, and face-obscuring goggles jots down excited notes. They are saying something to each other in the grunts and groans known to their kind. ] (after:6s)+(transition:"fade")[You realize that you are free. There is no more maze; you do not need to run through it any longer, turning this way and that. You are free! You are free! ] (after:8s)+(transition:"fade")[As soon as you are finished having this thought, a human grabs you with a gloved hand and begins to carry you. [[You fly through the air like an angel.]]]

You decide it's best not to trouble yourself with phantom noises when you have a job to do. You know what a job is. It's a task you cannot leave until you have completed it. You wouldn't want to anyway-- then, you would not get your prize. You must make another decision: [[Left path]] [[Right path]]

You go down the right corridor to follow the sound of squeaking, hoping that it is a glimpse of the outside of the maze-- so close to your prize already! The squeaking grows louder as you approach. As you notice shadows cast on the wall, you realize the sounds come from another rat on a metal wheel. He looks focused on his task, however, and might not notice you. [[Pass by the running rat.]] [[Squeak to him.]]

You do not have time to squeak to this stranger. You do not recognize him and he would not recognize you. You leave him behind you as you pass down the corridor. Predictably, it branches again. [[Right way]] [[Left way]]

You approach the metal running wheel cautiously. "Hello," you say. "I do not mean to bother you, but what are you doing?" The other rat doesn't answer right away. As he is running, you see a water bottle positioned in front of the wheel, its mouthpiece just slightly out of reach of the wheel. It glistens, almost completely full. The rat finally says through huffing breaths: "If I run fast enough I will reach the water bottle. Yes, it is meant to be unreachable, but I know that if I stretch just a //bit// farther, I can cheat their game and win." You are left pondering. [["You could stop running."]] [["But you'll never reach the water."]] [[Say nothing.]]

You go down the right corridor, finding it to be quite dark once you've gotten past the entrance. It doesn't bother you much, but it does give you a sense of unease. [[Continue onwards]] [[Go back]]

The corridor is bright, as if lit by the sun itself. You squint as you walk into it. It is so bright that you aren't leaving a shadow. Still, you carry on, having nowhere to go but forward. The blinding light makes every step painful and unpleasant. You eventually come to a small reservoir of water. It looks clean and still. [[Drink.]] [[Don't drink.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Squeak to him.")'s length >= 1)[[Try to get some for the running rat.]]

The rat spares a second to glance at you, but does not stop. "No. I must not stop. If I fail I will not get the prize." [["How long have you been running?"]] [["I have to go."]]

"I will," insists the rat. He stretches his neck out, then his tongue, letting the very tip barely come within a whisker's breadth of the gleaming droplet of water waiting at the mouthpiece. Both of us hold our breaths, but he does not touch the water. "I will reach it," he pants, "if I go faster." He doesn't seem to be open to more conversation. [[Leave him.]]

You decide not to dampen the other rat's spirits, not knowing how long he has been there or how long it will be until a human hand rescues him. [[Leave him.]]

The other rat's dark eyes remain fixed on the bottle of water as his pink hands and feet scramble over each other in a dogged, mechanical roll of the bars. "My entire life." You have nothing left to say to the running rat. [[Leave him.]]

The rat nods and focuses on his task once more, giving it a little extra oomph in an attempt to reach the water in your presence. But he gets no closer than before. [[Leave him.]]

You leave the rat to his job, proceeding through the maze until you reach another crossroads. [[Right way]] [[Left way]]

You proceed down the strange-smelling path. The farther you walk, the stronger the smell becomes. The air feels thick and sweet. [[Keep walking.]] [[Turn back.]]

Deciding not to risk it, you go the other way, leaving the strange-smelling corridor behind you as you trot through the maze. You come to another fork in the path; there are two options. [[Left path]] [[Right path]]

After a bit of walking you realize there's no exit. The corridor ends in a solid wall. And the room is filling up with that strange smell... [[Turn back.]] [[Stay put.]]

You decide this is not worth the risk and turn tail, heading back the way you came. However, when you reach the mouth of the corridor, you are surprised to see that it is sealed shut. There is no way out. [[Stay put.]] [[Keep walking.]]

You decide to stay near the door in case it opens again; perhaps it's timed. Perhaps it has a sensor. However, no matter how many times you pace in front of it, the door does not open. And the air is only getting thicker and sweeter and more difficult to breathe. Your limbs begin to feel heavy. (text-style:"blur")[ You feel woozy... ] (text-colour:grey)[Your vision darkens. You lose all the feeling in your body. You feel the life slip away from you.] [[Death takes you.]]

...And yet, with it comes no release. You do not feel peaceful. You do not reunite with your long-forgotten loved ones or enjoy the delights of Rat Heaven. Instead, you find your aching, beady eyes opening once again in the bright light of day. You hear a voice in your tiny ears booming like thunder: (text-colour:yellow)[(text-style:"bold","smear")["RISE AGAIN, TESTER. RUN AGAIN TODAY."]] Your limbs begin to warm with feeling. The bright, encompassing light begins to fade... [[Running Around Time.]]

You proceed down the dark tunnel, steeling yourself for whatever lies ahead of you. After what feels like hours trekking in the dark (but what is, to be honest with yourself, likely only a pawful of minutes), prickles of light begin to touch your eyes again. You cautiously feel forward in the dark until the warm light surrounds you, pouring in from some unknown crack in the closed-in ceiling. What it illuminates is far more comforting: a mountain of food! A pile of food pellets equal to you in size waits just ahead. No one else is around; you see or smell no traps. You come to realize that you are hungry. (if:(history: where its name contains "Death takes you.")'s length >= 1)[You wonder if dying has made you hungry.] [[Eat the food.]] [[Do not partake.]]

You turn tail and hurry back up the path towards the squeaking, running rat. As unsettled as you are by him, he is less frightening than the dark. You soon find yourself standing near the eternally-spinning wheel and the forever-running rat. Having come from the right way, you go the [[Left way]].

Hungry and relieved, you dive into the food pellets with gusto, chomping down several before even consciously tasting them. Actually, once you do taste them... they taste a bit strange, don't they? Then again, you are under a lot of stress and could be overthinking this. [[Stop eating.]] [[Eat more.]]

You decide that it is certainly a trap and choose to avoid it, despite your rumbling belly. You choose to move on. [[Way ahead]] [[Left way]]

Reluctantly, you stop eating the food. You tell yourself that at least you got something in your stomach before proceeding, but decide to listen to the nagging, fearful part of you that distrusts deviation from the norm. With nothing left to do, you choose another path. [[Way ahead]] [[Left way]]

You are starving and do not know when you will get food again. You cannot afford not to eat as much as your stomach can take. After demolishing half of the pile, you start to feel ill. Beyond overindulgence, you feel strange. Your body is heavy; your heart beats faster but gets you nowhere. Your claws and tail feel numb. (text-style:"blur")[You realize that you have been poisoned.] (text-colour:grey)[Everything fades to black. You soon lose feeling and then consciousness. ] [[Death takes you.]]

You proceed through the next corridor. It's becoming very, very cold. [[Keep going]]

Thirsty and tired, you drink the water. It tastes cool, crisp, and refreshing. You feel much better; despite the harrowing trip here, you feel renewed. You realize the only way to go is the [[Way ahead]].

Fearful of poison or disease (or even something much worse), you avoid the still water and instead ponder your choices. From here, you may choose: [[Way ahead]] [[Right way]]

Thinking of the rat on the wheel, you wonder if you can take any of this water to him. However, you have nothing to carry it in, and it's difficult to tell how you would get back to him from here. [[Drink.]] [[Don't drink.]]

The other rat seems annoyed by your question. "That doesn't matter. It's time to play now. You want to play, don't you?" [[Tell him no.]] [[Ask him to explain the rules of the game.]]

The rat seems to calm down. "The rules are simple. You have two buttons to press..." "The red button will open the door. There are no tricks." "The blue button will free me from my cage and put you in my place. I will be free, and you will wait for the next player." [[Explain again?]] [[I am ready to play.]] [[I don't want to play.]]

The rat becomes even angrier. "Then we will both rot here! Don't you see--" he points towards the door. "--that won't open until we play! You play or we die here!" You are not sure if he is being dramatic, but he seems to insist. [[Ask him to explain the rules of the game.]]

The red button will free you from the room but leave the other rat in the cage, alone without food or water. The blue button will free the other rat, but will put you in his place. Maybe another rat will come along and free you, and maybe not. [[I am ready to play.]] [[I don't want to play.]]

You choose: (text-colour:red)[[The RED button.]] (text-colour:blue)[[The BLUE button.]]

"Too late," remarks the other rat. "The door has locked behind you. You must choose one option or the other." You realize that the other rat is right. [[I am ready to play.]]

"I'm sorry," you say stutteringly, "I really had no choice." "Just go," says the rat bitterly. "And make your choices somewhere else." [[Continue through the open door.]]

"You shouldn't have told me the rules," you taunt. "You should have lied. Why didn't you lie to me? Why didn't you tell me the blue button would free me instead of you? Surely you've had the time to think about it." "The rat before me was honest," he replies simply. "And so I, too, was honest with you." He doesn't seem to have much else to say. [[Continue through the open door.]]

You don't want to speak to the rat that you've doomed to another eternity of solitude, waiting, starvation, and thirst. You just turn tail and scurry onwards. [[Continue through the open door.]]

And wait you do. You wait and wait and wait. You find it difficult to track exactly how long it's been. You begin to grow hungry and thirsty and bored. So, so bored. [[Time passes.]]

You are once again at a crossroads; you may choose which way to go. [[Left]] [[Straight]] [[Right]]

You press the red button. Just as the other rat promised, the door to the room slides open. There is no fanfare, nor any trap. You are free to leave. The other rat gazes at you with disappointment and resentment, but says nothing. [[Resume your journey.]] [[Apologize to the rat.]] [[Taunt the rat.]]

After some consideration, you press the blue button. The other rat looks surprised. In a moment, gloved human hands reach into the maze seemingly from nowhere (how did they get in? Where are they?) and seize you and the other rat. You do not see the deft movements that allow them to open and close the cage, but in a few short moments, you and the other rat have switched places. The other rat looks overjoyed. "Good luck!" he cries, scurrying through the open door. It slides shut after him, leaving you alone in the cage. [[Nothing to do but wait.]]

And passes. And passes. And passes. Finally, after an amount of time you can't quantify, the doors open again. A new rat enters the room. She looks younger than you, and naive. What will you do? [[Say nothing to her.]] [[Ask her if she wants to play the game.]] [[Beg for her help.]]

You are tired and exhausted. You stay silent as the new rat sniffs around and examines her surroundings. She seems to take it in slowly and carefully. She squeaks, "Hello. Are you trapped?" [["Yes."]] [["No."]] [[(Say nothing)]]

She seems confused, but after realizing there's not much else to do, she slowly says, "...Yes. Tell me how to play your game, stranger." [[Be honest about the buttons.]] [[Lie about the buttons.]]

"Please! Please!" you blurt out. You don't know when you'll get the chance again. "Help, you've got to help me! I've been trapped in here, and I can't get out!" She gasps. "How can I help you get out?" [[Be honest about the buttons.]] [[Lie about the buttons.]]

She gasps. "My word! How can I get you out of there? I'll free you and we'll go on together." [[Be honest about the buttons.]] [[Lie about the buttons.]]

"Oh... then you're in there by choice?" "Yes," you reply. "I chose this. You could also." "Oh?" she says again. [[Be honest about the buttons.]]

She seems frustrated by your lack of response. "Whatever," she mutters. "Perhaps you cannot speak. I'll solve this myself..." You watch her sniff and bump about. She examines the buttons, the floor, the walls, your cage, your body. She investigates like a truffle hog in the leaves. [[Squeak to her.]] [[Maintain your silence.]]

"Those buttons in front of you," you say, pointing. "They're the key. The blue one will free me, but..." "But what?" the other rat asks. You hesitate. "But you will be caged in my place." She seems to consider this. "The red button," you continue, "opens the door and leaves me here. It's ultimately your choice." [[The rat considers her options.]]

You point at the buttons in front of her. "There, those buttons are the key." You consider being honest, but you just can't risk being left behind. "You must press the blue button to free me. The red button will kill us both!" The other rat looks alarmed, pulling her paw quickly away from the panel. "Oh! Are you sure?" [[Confirm.]] [[Recant and tell the truth.]]

After a long and tense silence, the rat says, "I will press the blue button and stay." Your eyes boggle. "You will?!" "Yes... Clearly you had done the same. And I believe I can free myself if I am clever." You do not wish to argue. You are speechless. [[She presses the blue button.]]

"Yes! Yes, I swear it!" you cry frantically. "Press the blue button, quickly!" Resolutely, the other rat brings her paw down on the blue button. A look of relief passes over her face at first when nothing bad happens, but she quickly grows alarmed as the human hands return, repeating the action that had trapped you here in the first place. In seconds, your paws are on the ground in the maze again, and the other rat is trapped in the cage. You are free! [[Apologize to the new rat.]] [[Chide the new rat for being gullible.]] [[Just hurry up and go.]]

You sigh and look away. "....No," you admit. "No, the red button won't kill us." "It won't?!" the other rat squeaks with anger and confusion. "No... and the blue button //will// free me, but in turn..." you hesitate. "...in turn, you would be trapped." "The red button," you continue, "frees you and leaves me." The other rat frowns. She is quiet for a moment. "I see." [[You watch the other rat ponder.]]

"I am sorry!" you cry quickly. "It was the only thing I could do. I had to escape!" "You did what you thought you must," she says coldly. "You betrayed me." [[Continue through the open door.]]

"You really shouldn't believe everything you hear," you tell the other rat. "I suppose I'm sorry for trusting you," she replies stiffly. "Now why don't you go?" [[Continue through the open door.]]

You can't look her in the eye. All you can do is disappear back into the maze. You are free to continue exploring. [[Left]] [[Straight]] [[Right]]

Eventually she says, "I am not sure if I can trust you one way or another. Will I die if I press the red button? Will you die? Will the blue button doom either of us? What if all of it is a lie?" She paces. "I do not know what is true. I will have to make my own decision." [[Beg for her to free you.]] [[Let her choose.]]

"I'm sorry," you say finally. "I was feeling sorry for myself. I will help you." [[Be honest about the buttons.]] [[Lie about the buttons.]]

After some independent investigation, the other rat conlcudes, "If you're not going to help me, I'll just have to choose a button at random. Unless you'd like to speak up now?" [[Let her choose randomly.]] [["Choose red."]] [["Choose blue."]]

You wriggle with joy as the gloved human hand once again grasps your warm, furry body and carries you out of the cage, placing you on solid ground and her inside your old prison. She begins to size up her chambers immediately. You don't want to waste much time; after thanking her, you flee, free to explore once again. [[Left]] [[Straight]] [[Right]]

"Please, please, release me or I'll die in here! I only lied out of fear for my life!" you plead. "I simply don't know that," says the other rat. "After all, humans have pet rats, don't they?" You realize you cannot convince her. [[She says at last: "I have made my decision."]]

After a long wait, she concludes, "I cannot tell if you are lying, but I cannot risk killing us both. Even if I end up trapped, I know that I am twice the rat that you are and I can escape it." "Besides," she adds coldly, "I am sure you will be killed elsewhere in the maze." [[She presses the blue button.]]

Your eyes watch her paw move towards the panel. Your heart sinks. [[She presses the red button.]]

Your heart drops as she presses the red button, opening the chamber door and leaving you, once again, to rot. She doesn't spare another word to you as she leaves. You are alone again. [[The waiting stretches on...]]

It seems even longer than before. Your hunger and thirst grow by leaps and bounds. You feel your body begin to eat itself. [[You keep waiting...]]

You hear rats passing through other corridors, but no one passes by here. You realize it's possible to avoid this path altogether depending on which way they had originally chosen to go. [[You fall asleep.]]

When your eyes open, you hear scratching and stepping. You smell someone. Another rat! You have no idea how long it's been, but you feel like you are dying of hunger and thirst. This could be your last chance to escape. (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Tell the new rat about the buttons.]] (text-colour:red)[[Lie your way out.]]

"Press the blue button and we can be free," you grit out. "Press the red button and we die." You say nothing more. You have no wit or guile left in you, only desperation. "Thanks for telling me," says the rat. He presses the button without question. [[It all happens so quickly.]]

You try to muster the strength to tell the new rat about the buttons. It's difficult. And you find yourself wondering why... why would you risk it? "The buttons," you rasp. "The... red... and the blue..." The other rat is listening attentively, having turned sharply to you upon hearing your voice. (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[["The red frees you. The blue frees me...."]] (text-colour:red)[[Tell him anything it takes to make him free you. You still have a chance! You are starving!]]

"...but traps you in my stead," you wheeze out. "Heavy," says the other rat. "I mean, wow. Just...wow." You aren't sure what to say to that. "I mean," he continues. "It's not like I //want// to trap you. But it's not like I wanna be trapped either, right?" (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[["I am starving."]] (text-colour:red)[["Let me out! NOW!"]]

"Yes?" says the other rat. "The red and the blue?" [[Lie your way out.]]

A hand around your body and around his. The gravitational force of being flung off the side of a mountain, followed by the most graceful of landings. A switch made. "Hey!" cries the other rat frantically. "You didn't say this would happen!" (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Gather your strength and scurry out of the room.]] (text-colour:red)[[Eat him.]]

You scarcely have the strength to stand, yet you drag yourself out of the room. In fact, you feel very woozy... (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Go ????]] (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Go ????]] (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Go ????]]

You are starving. The rat in the cage looks like a lobster in a pot to you now. It looks like beat and sinew. It looks like raw nutrients and relief for all your suffering. There's not much room in the cage; he doesn't have anywhere to hide when you descend on the bars, tearing and biting at him with your teeth and claws. His tail is the easiest to catch. You bite through it in one horrible, sickening chomp. You don't even hear the rat's screams. (text-colour:red)[[Eat until you are sated.]]

"Yeah, but here's the thing," ponders the rat. "If I let you out, //I //would be starving in there. You feel me?" (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Try to bargain with him.]] (text-colour:red)[[Try to intimidate him.]]

The other rat looks startled. He backs away. "Look dude... don't take this personally... but you seem kinda volatile. So Imma leave." [[You watch helplessly as he presses the red button.]]

You choose one of the paths before you and start walking. You drag yourself a few steps, then collapse. You gather your strength, walk a few steps... and then collapse again. Your progress is slow and painful. (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Keep going...]] (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Give up...]]

You .... drag.... your.... body..... down.... the ..... hall..... every.... step..... (text-colour:grey)[grows.... more ........... difficult ..............] (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[You ................ yearn ..................... for ........................... rest.............................. .....................................................you........................... ....................................................................... ......................................] [[Death takes you.]]

You are too hungry, thirsty, and exhausted to continue. You collapse in the corridor, closing your eyes as complete exhaustion overtakes your body. You begin to fade out of consciousness... [[Death takes you.]]

By the time your stomach stops rumbling and you begin to taste the iron on your teeth, the rat's shrieks have stopped. You realize your paws are wet with blood. (text-colour:red)[You have gained the taste for your own kind.] You leave what remains of the rat in the cage, press the red button, and walk out into the branching corridor. [[Left]] [[Straight]] [[Right]]

"If you press the blue button," you offer, "I promise to try to free you. And if I can't free you, I promise to bring you food and water." "C'mon man," says the other rat. "The doors are sealed. Even if you could free me, no way." "The more I think about it, I better just go." [[You watch helplessly as he presses the red button.]]

"If you don't let me out of here, I promise I'll make you regret it!" you seethe. The other rat looks startled. He backs away. "Look dude... don't take this personally... but you seem kinda volatile. So Imma leave." [[You watch helplessly as he presses the red button.]]

The other rat hurriedly leaves the room, with you locked in the cage. In mere minutes, you're alone again. [[The boredom returns and stretches on.]]

It's hard to tell how much time passes. Hours, days? Your stomach growls and churns on nothing but bile. You feel weak and exhausted. (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[You feel yourself slipping away...] [[Death takes you.]]

Taking your silence as agreement, she says, "Well, my favorite color is red because that's the color of my mother's eyes. So that's what I'll choose." [[She presses the red button.]]

"Oh, you spoke up!" she says, surprised. "Why do you want me to choose red?" [["It'll help you escape."]] [["It'll help me escape."]] [[Don't answer.]]

"Is that true?" [["It's true."]] [["It's not true."]] [[Don't answer.]]

"If you're not going to answer me," she says, "then I'm going to choose randomly, regardless of your opinions." After a moment, she says, "Well, my favorite color is red because that's the color of my mother's eyes. So that's what I'll choose." [[She presses the red button.]]

"I don't know if I believe you..." You wait for her to decide. [[She decides soon enough.]]

Finally, she says, "Well, my favorite color is red because that's the color of my mother's eyes. So that's what I'll choose." [[She presses the red button.]]

The air is now so cold your paws hurt. Ice crystals are forming on the walls and floor. You almost believe you see snow blowing through the air. [[The corridor darkens and widens...]]

Before you know it, you're in a wintry forest, freezing, snow-covered, and dense with strange-smelling trees and frozen wood pellets. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You need to find warmth soon or you will freeze!] [[Look in the forest.]] [[Dig in the pellets.]]

You scurry towards the strange forest. The trees smell and feel strange to the touch, and you feel a strong sense of unease here. (if:(history: where its name contains "Suggest moving."or "Look somewhere else together.")'s length >= 1)[The other rat walks pensively alongside you.] [[Go deeper into the woods.]] [[Go back to the clearing.]]

You decide to try digging yourself a hole in the pellets to stay warm in. You dig and dig with your claws; you make progress, but it's slow. Your paws feel numb, and it's hard to tell if there's any warmth to be found down deeper. [[Keep digging.]] [[Stop and rest.]] [[Look in the forest.]]

You walk deeper into the strange forest. It feels considerably warmer. You wonder if the strange trees are insulating the heat in some way. (if:(history: where its name contains "Suggest moving."or "Look somewhere else together.")'s length >= 1)[The other rat mumbles, "This doesn't seem right. It's very creepy."] [[Trek deeper into the woods.]] [[Look around.]]

You return to the clearing, still freezing cold and piled high with icy snow. [[Look in the forest.]] [[Dig in the pellets.]]

You persist, digging deeper and deeper in the pellets until you feel the hard floor. No earth or soil meets you; only metal or plastic or one of those other human materials that you find it frustrating to chew through. And it is still cold. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You will soon freeze to death!] [[Hunker down.]] [[Look in the forest.]]

You pause and catch your breath. The freezing cold air stings your lungs and makes icicles form in your fur. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You will soon freeze to death!] [[Keep digging.]] [[Hunker down.]]

You climb into your hole and surround yourself with pellets, hoping to insulate your body heat and keep warm against the biting cold. Tucking your paws against your body helps, but you still feel very cold. Your ears feel numb. After resting in your hole for a while, you hear another rat entering the chamber. Someone else on the same path as you. (text-color: red)+(if:(history: where its name contains "Eat until you are sated.")'s length >= 1)[Their body and flesh could warm and fill you.] [[Stay where you are..]] [[Call out for help.]] [[Attack!]]

"Excuse me!" you call. "Over here! I'm over here in the pellets!" The other rat hears you and turns to you. She runs over with alarm. "I didn't even see you in the snow like that," she says. "Are you alright?" [["I'm freezing!"]] [["Please, help me!"]]

You poise yourself to strike, coiling your body as you track the movements of the other rat. Once they are close enough, you spring, launching yourself at the stranger's body. Taken by surprise, the other rat doesn't know how to react at first. [[Knock the rat out.]] (text-color:red)[[Kill the rat.]]

You remain silent and stay still in your small hole. The other rat walks right past you. The howling wind makes it hard to hear or smell where they go or what they do. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You are freezing!] (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Try to move.]] (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[[Try to call out.]]

(text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You are too frozen to move.] You feel your extremeties grow numb and even hot. You feel yourself aching for sleep. You slip away... [[Death takes you.]]

Your voice catches in your throat. Still, you try: //(text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")["Help! Help me! Someone!"]// Your voice sounds thin and raspy, even to you. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You are frozen.] [[Death takes you.]]

The rat nods sympathetically. "We could huddle together for warmth," she offers. "Or we could go together to find someplace warmer." [[Cuddle here.]] [[Look somewhere else together.]] [[Refuse her help.]]

"What do you need me to do?" [[Ask for help getting warm.]] [[Ask for help escaping.]]

You strike the rat on the back of the head, causing them to fall into the snow, unconscious but not dead. Now what will you do? [[Search them for anything useful.]] (text-color:red)[[Finish the job.]]

You sink your teeth into the other rat's jugular before they even have a chance to scream. You taste their blood pouring into your mouth and onto the cold ground. (if:(history: where its name contains "Eat until you are sated.")'s length >= 1)[It tastes delicious and makes you hungry for more.] The other rat expires before your eyes. [[Search them for anything useful.]] (text-color:red)+(if:(history: where its name contains "Eat until you are sated.")'s length >= 1)[[Eat her.]] [[Look in the forest.]]

You make some room for her in your hole, and she climbs inside with you. Her fur is pressed directly against yours; her body heat feels nice. She also seems to relax once settled in against you. You hold her paw. Your body heat warms each other. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:cyan)[You feel warmer; you feel at lower risk of freezing.] [[Keep cuddling.]] [[Suggest moving.]]

You and the other rat decide to [[Look in the forest.]]

The rat seems a little annoyed that you are now refusing her help, but she merely shrugs. "Suit yourself. I've got my own prize to win." She scurries away. [[Stay where you are..]]

She frowns. "I don't know how," she admits. "I think the only way out is through, or something, haha." You don't laugh. [[Ask for help getting warm.]] [[Refuse her help.]] (text-color:red)+(if:(history: where its name contains "Eat until you are sated.")'s length >= 1)[[Eat her.]]

Knowing a full stomach will warm and comfort you, you tear into the other rat's flesh, devouring it until you are completely full and content. There is nothing more for you here. [[Look in the forest.]]

Deciding that there's no going back now, you decide to [[Kill the rat.]]

Nothing. Where would they have carried it? [[Look in the forest.]]

Relaxed, you close your eyes, falling asleep against the other rat. You feel snow piling up around you as you protect each other instinctively from the cold, wasting no energy squeaking or moving much. When you wake up, she's gone. Your strength feels renewed, however. [[Look in the forest.]]

"We should move around," you suggest. "Maybe we'll find a way out of this cold wasteland." "Good idea," says the other rat. "Let's go into the woods." [[Look in the forest.]]

It feels much warmer now. Hot, even. The strange, beautiful trees are almost... (text-style:"smear")+(text-color:green)[glowing]. [[Proceed...]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Suggest moving."or "Look somewhere else together.")'s length >= 1)[[Ask your companion what she thinks.]]

You examine some of the trees. They aren't particularly woody. They're hot to the touch and make you feel strange and itchy. Looking around, you realize it's hard to tell where you came from. It all looks the same. There's nowhere to go but forward. [[Trek deeper into the woods.]]

As you walk deeper and deeper into the forest, the (text-style:"smear")+(text-color:green)[glowing] only seems to grow stronger, brighter, and hotter. (if:(history: where its name contains "Suggest moving."or "Look somewhere else together.")'s length >= 1)[The other rat shrieks, crying out in terror. "Look!" she shows you a large boil on her foreleg, surrounded by irritated, sloughing flesh.] You look down. Your fur is falling out; angry red welts have begun to form all over your body. Not only are you not cold anymore, you're hot. Feverish. You open your mouth, but all you can do is vomit onto the sizzling hot ground. (if:(history: where its name contains "Suggest moving."or "Look somewhere else together.")'s length >= 1)[As you do, your companion collapses before your eyes.] Your very brain starts to sizzle. Everything starts to fade to black... [[Death takes you.]]

You go through the door marked with a flame. As you step past the threshold, you at first don't notice anything in particular about the room. There are some strange pipes along the walls and some on the floor, but there is no fire in the room. [[Yet.]]

You choose the water door. As soon as you step through the door, the floor falls out from under you. A trap door releases you into a pool of water, so deep you are unable to feel the bottom. (text-style:"buoy")[You frantically begin to tread water.] [[Look for a way out.]] [[Keep treading water.]]

You paddle around the room for a few minutes, feeling along the walls and looking for another ledge to climb onto, but alas; there is none. There is nothing to do but tread water. [[Keep treading water.]]

You continue paddling, unsure where else to go or what else to do. At first, it isn't such a chore, but after a while, your legs begin to grow tired, and you begin to grow short of breath. [[Don't stop treading water.]] [[Give up.]]

You give up trying to swim any longer; it's pointless, and your muscles are already giving out. You sink below the surface of the water. It envelops you, robbing your breath and stealing your warmth. You open your mouth, and more water floods in. (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[Your lungs burn and your vision fades...] [[Death takes you.]]

You struggle with all your strength to stay above the surface of the freezing water. After a painfully long time, your strength finally slips away. You sink below the surface of the water. It envelops you, robbing your breath and stealing your warmth. You open your mouth, and more water floods in. (text-colour:grey)+(text-style:"blur")[Your lungs burn and your vision fades...] [[Death takes you.]]

After only a few short seconds of standing in the strange room, the strange pipes along the walls and floor begin to slowly change color, going from a neutral white color to orange and then red. You find it impossible to stand too close to one. The air begins to grow hot. [[Look for a way to escape.]]

Even as you feel along the scalding-hot walls, you know in your heart that there is no way out. You made the mistake of walking into a trap, and now you will pay the price. The room continues to heat up, growing hotter and hotter by the minute. Every time you think it can't possibly get hotter, it does; your fur starts to singe. Your stomach feels sick. Your flesh sizzles. (text-style:"smear")+(text-colour:orange)[You are cooking alive.] [[Scream.]] [[Persist in trying to escape.]]

What else can you do? You (text-colour:#f76707)+(text-style:"shudder")[scream] with all the air left in your lungs as the liquid in your body begins to boil. Even your eyes feel like they're about to burst. Fortunately, before any of that can happen, you choke to death on the hot air. [[Death takes you.]]

You scratch and claw at the walls, only burning your paws worse. The searing pain is all throughout your tiny body, as though your veins and guts were filled with lava. You feel like a tea leaf in a pot. You feel like a morsel in a stew. You claw and tug at any seam you can find, frantic. But it's no use. You leave bloody clawmarks on the oven walls as your body goes limp. [[Death takes you.]]

You take the left turn. The eyes are no longer in your imagination. You see them there in front of you. Huge, glowing eyes. They do not belong to a human. [[Sniff.]] [[Approach cautiously.]]

You sniff the air. It smells of stale chemicals and burning plastic. It smells of iron and something foul. You sniff again. You smell a predator. Do the eyes in the dark look a little bigger? [[Try to run.]] [[Try to reason with it.]]

You crawl forward in the darkened chamber. The air is thick and hot with the breath of a larger animal. The smell of it sends shivers up your furry spine. As you steal closer and closer to the menacing, glowing pair of eyes, an unmistakable scent fills your tiny nostrils: Cat. You are upon it before you realize. (if:(history: where its name contains "Accept.")'s length >= 1)[It emerges into the light and gives you an expectant look, as if it were waiting for you. "Where is the paw?"] [[Try to run.]] [[Try to reason with it.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Accept.")'s length >= 1)[[Hand over the paw.]]

You turn tail and try to go back the way you came before you arouse the attention of the frightening animal, but it's too late. The way has closed behind you, and your flight has given the animal, a massive, black cat, the instinct to chase. Before you even reach the dead end before you, it's already over, razor sharp claws tearing through you like hot coals through paper. [[Death takes you.]]

The cat laughs. "They all say that! But you will bother me again, little rat. You will come through over, and over, and over again. And we will do this every time you meet me." [["Unless I die."]] [["Please just let me pass."]]

The cat seems intrigued. "I am curious how you think you are going to bring me anything that I desire, considering your lack of possessions and your very, very short life... However... I will accept your bargain." "The next time you see me, deliver unto me (text-colour:red)[the paw of another rat.] If you do not have it,(text-colour:red)[ I will kill you]." [[Accept.]] [[Decline.]]

Bloodlust fills your veins as the massive creature looks down on you. You know you are stronger than it is. You //know// it. You let out a mighty battle-squeak and leap at the cat, aiming directly for its throat. (if:visits is 1)[[Your teeth sink into its flesh.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Death takes you.")'s length >= 1)+(if:(history: where its name contains "Attack the cat.")'s length >= 2)[[The cat sidesteps you.]]

"Foolish vermin," snarls the cat. "You have been here before. I remember your vicious little teeth on my skin." It bats you roughly against the wall. Its claws shred your sides. "I will not let you get one over on me again. No, not again, little rat." (text-colour:red)[It slashes your guts.] You look away, not wanting to see your own insides. "Cheeky little thing, thought you could fool me. Well I know. //I know.// I know the rats here are all (text-style:"smear")[racing against time]." "Run again another time, snack," growls the cat. It finishes you off with a mighty blow from its paw. [[Death takes you.]]

Surprised, the cat has no time to react. It yowls in pain and panic as you clamp your sharp teeth down on its neck, severing its jugular immediately. The cat thrashes and tries to claw at you, but you are on its back; it takes mere minutes to stop thrashing. [[Nourish yourself with its flesh and blood.]]

You eat of the cat until you're full, but there is still a lot of meat left to rot. You notice a small door in the far corner of the room. Blood still dripping from your whiskers, you trot through it. You are free to proceed. [[Go left]] [[Go straight ahead]] [[Go right]]

The cat's gleaming, squinting smile seems to grow even deeper. "No," it purrs. "Even in death, you will return to me. Sometimes smarter, sometimes more ferocious. Sometimes far more timid." "But you will be back." [["Please just let me pass."]]

"I am afraid I cannot. You rats are my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I must eat you to survive. For I, too, am trapped in this maze. If I let you go, I may starve." It is hard to tell if a cat is lying. A cat is not a rat, after all. You are not sure if you would be sympathetic even if it is telling the truth. [["So I'm to give up my life for yours?"]] [["Can you not skip one meal to spare my life?"]]

"Your life is less valuable than mine," says the cat easily. "To the humans-- who rule this world and created everything in it-- you are vermin, and I am a prince to be spoiled and kept." "If the humans value me higher than you, who am I," says the cat, "to deny it?" [["So you value what the humans say?"]] [["To some humans, you are vermin too."]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Eat until you are sated.")'s length >= 1)+(color:red)[[Attack the cat.]]

"No," replies the cat without hesitation. "In fact... you're quite boring me now, and I become hungry when I am bored." The cat leaps forward, maw open. Its sharp teeth and rough, pink tongue are the last things you see before darkness engulfs you. [[Death takes you.]]

"I value the thoughts and opinions," replies the cat, "of all beings who hold my life above their own." [["Do you really think that?"]] [["How highly can they value you if they trapped you in here?"]]

The cat squints slowly. It licks its paw. "To some," it replies tersely. "To others," it continues, "I am a deity." "To you, I am a God of Death." [[Beg for your life.]]

"If they did not hold my life above theirs, they would not stoop to feed me and groom me and take care of my waste." The cat looks down its nose at you. "When you use the toilet in their home, it's cause for an exterminator. When I do it, it's in a special sandbox made for me. Yes, I think that, and very much so." The cat licks its maw. "You're boring me, now." [[Beg for your life.]] [[Try to run.]]

"Highly enough to weild me as their primary weapon, rat." "Any last words?" [[Beg for your life.]] [[Try to run.]]

"Let me live. Please, let me live." The cat laughs. "Oh, how I enjoy the pleas of my prey. Again!" "Please, please!" you cry desperately. And then, suddenly, the large black cat is not looking at you from a few feet away. It is right in front of you, and on top of you. In seconds, your neck is broken. It's all over. [[Death takes you.]]

"Wise choice," purrs the cat. "Go on, then." It moves aside, letting you walk through the small passageway behind it. Miraculously, you are free. [[Go left]] [[Go straight ahead]] [[Go right]]

The stakes are too high; you balk. "No, thank you." The cat seems amused. "No, thank you! I give you the chance to be spared and you say no thank you! Well-- I'll make it even easier for you then." The cat catches you by the tail and drops you into its mouth, ending your life with a sickening crunch to your neck. [[Death takes you.]]

Flooded by light and sound and fresh air, you don't even mind being carried by this foreign hand. You can only feel free! Suddenly, it's over. Your feet touch the ground. You are back in your small apartment. You are surrounded on all four sides by clear walls and apartment after apartment of other rats. The test is over. But you know you'll (text-colour:green)+(text-style:"smear")[Run Again Tomorrow.] (text-style:"rumble")[(text-colour:magenta)[Y](text-colour:red)[o](text-colour:yellow)[u] (text-colour:green)[w](text-colour:blue)[o](text-colour:purple)[n!] ] [[Play Again?->Continue]]

"Hold on," you squeak. You grip the trap in two paws and pull with all your might. The other rat screams pitifully at the slightest movement. What's worse, you're not strong enough to budge the trap enough for the rat to wiggle free. "It's no use, it's no use," cries the other rat. [[Just leave the trapped rat.]] [[Cut off the rat's paw to free him.]]

"Hold on," you say quietly. The trap is very strong; you can tell that a little bit of pushing will cause it to completely clamp down on the rat's paw, severing it. "Please, please get me out!" wails the rat. You press on the trap. The rat screams in agony. You try to block out his screams as you apply more and more pressure to the sides of the trap. The spring-loaded mechanism works with you. In moments, a sickening //crunch-snikt //rings through the air, and the rat's severed paw lies in a puddle of blood near the trap. The rat howls, but quickly skitters backwards from the trap, hugging his stumped leg. "You're free," you say shakily. The rat doesn't respond, just rolling around on the floor holding the bleeding stump of his leg. [[Take the paw.]] [[Leave.]]

Not knowing what to do for the rat, you scurry past as fast as you can, trying to forget the sounds of his wails.

You use a bit of wire to tie the bloody severed paw to your tail. (if:(history: where its name contains "Accept.")'s length >= 1)[The black cat will be expecting this.] [[Leave.]]

You keep walking down the corridor, leaving the wailing, bloody rat behind you. [[Right way]] [[Left way]]

"You remembered," purrs the cat. "How delightful." It accepts the tiny bloody rat paw from you. "A deal is a deal, my brutal little rat." The cat lets you pass. [[Go left]] [[Go straight ahead]] [[Go right]]

"E-excuse me," you stammer. "If you would just let me pass, I promise not to trouble you." Finally the enormous predator steps into the light: a muscular barncat with black fur and yellow eyes. Its coat is glossy and well-kept. Its teeth are sharp and white. You smell meat on its breath. "And why," mewls the cat, "should I let you pass?" You are astonished that it is even giving you a chance to speak. [["I mean you no harm and will never bother you again."]] [["I will bring you something in return."]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Eat until you are sated.")'s length >= 1)+(color:red)[[Attack the cat.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Take the paw.")'s length >= 1)[[Give it the rat's paw.]]

The light is red and blinking. Red like your eyes. Blinking like your eyes. So, so close to you like [[Your]] [[Eyes.]]

You walk into the dark, averting your eyes from the strange red light. It's hard to look anywhere else, and there's no illumination to see by, but you make do with your paws and whiskers only. You pass by a number of other rats. They are standing transfixed in the maze corridor, seemingly staring directly at the light. You begin to wonder what the fuss is about. [[Walk towards the light.]] [[Keep averting your eyes.]]

You walk intil your feet are lead. You're still looking into the red light. A speaker somewhere you can't see starts up. You hear the crackle. (You know what a speaker is. It's a voice thrown from Heaven.) "You will choose quickly." Pictures flash on screen. (color:orange)[[FISH]] or (color:blue)[[BIRD]] ?

(text-style:"smear")[[LIGHT]] or (color:grey)[[DARK]] ?

(text-style:"smear")[[HEAVEN]] or (color:red)[[HELL]] ?

(color:red)[[HUNT]] or (color:green)[[GATHER]] ?

(color:red)[[KILL]] or (color:yellow)[[MAIM]] ?

(text-style:"smear")[[ETERNAL]] or (text-style:"smear")+(color:yellow)[[EVERLASTING]] ?

(color:red)[[PAIN]] or (color:purple)[[PANIC]] ?

(text-colour:yellow)[[TEETH]] or (text-colour:red)[[CLAWS]] ?

(text-colour:#0b7285)[[DUST]] or (text-colour:#5c940d)[[MOSS]] ?

(text-colour:#a61e4d)[[YOURSELF]] or (text-colour:#be4bdb)[[OTHERS]] ?

(text-colour:#f06595)[[ARMS]] or (text-colour:#94d82d)[[LEGS]] ?

(text-colour:#ff6b6b)+(text-style:"smear")[[BURNING]] or (text-style:"strike")+(text-colour:#f03e3e)[[STABBING]] ?

(text-colour:#fcc2d7)[[MIND]] or (text-colour:#f06595)[[BODY]] ?

(text-colour:#3bc9db)[[SONG]] or (text-colour:#da77f2)[[DANCE]] ?

(text-colour:#d6336c)+(text-style:"smear")[[SOUL]] or (text-colour:#ffec99)+(text-style:"smear")[[SPIRIT]] ?

(text-colour:#9775fa)+(text-style:"smear")[Who are you?] [[A rat.]] [[A Rat.]]