Escape to Safety

You wake up in a dark bedroom. Dust has built up for what seems like years. The boarded-up windows rotting. If you poke them, they may as well just fall out. You remember nothing except one blurry memory, surrounded by people as you lay on that bed. But you still have questions. Who were those people? Where are they? Who are you? First, you need to find out where you are and find some sense of civilization. [[Poke the window]] [[Walk downstairs]] [[Explore the bedroom]] [[References]]

You go to touch the moldy window. With no effort, the window falls on the ground outside. All you see are destroyed houses, the road filled with scorch marks. Why haven't the plants started to grow back? <audio autoplay> <source src="Assets/Window.mp3"></audio> <img src="Assets/Destroyed.jpeg"> [[Explore the bedroom ->Explore the bedroom 2]]

There is nothing here. It's deserted. While the outside looked destroyed, the people here surely didn't leave in a hurry. There is nothing of value here. You look outside and see two things walking down the road. They look human but wear very dark clothing. [[Don't make a noise]] [[See if they are friendly]]

After looking around, you find nothing of value. There are no pictures, books, or any semblance of life. Something is different from this room and the room from your memory. [[Poke the Window ->Poke the window 2]]

There is nothing here. It's deserted. While the outside looked destroyed, the people here surely didn't leave in a hurry. There is nothing of value here. As you make your way into the kitchen, the front door bursts open. [[Run Out the Back Door]] [[Hide Quickly]] [[Investigate]]

After looking around, you find nothing of value. There are no pictures, books, or any semblance of life. Something is different from this room and the room from your memory. [[Walk downstairs ->Walk Downstairs 2]]

You climb into a cabinet, and they quickly go upstairs. On their way back down, you overhear a conversation. (text-colour:orange)["This town is falling apart."] (text-colour:green)["The window isn't just going to fall out on its own. Something pushed it in."] (text-colour:orange)["Maybe it ran outside. Let's go check the yard."] [[Stay hidden]] [[Reveal yourself slowly]]

You sprint out the back door and the crash alerts whatever was inside to your position. Shadows bolt to the window. As you turn to look, you see a glint of what seems to be a weapon. They take aim, but you make it to the deserted tree line just before the fire. Take cover behind a tree to catch your breath. What do you do next? <img src="Assets/Forest.jpeg"> [[Peek back at the House]] [[Continue Deeper into the Woods]]

You look back at the house to see the things that were chasing you are gone. The door is still wide open but hanging off the bottom hinges. Something moves behind you. The only thing you felt was the wind it left behind. There was no sound. [[Run to the Street]] [[Run Back Inside]]

You break into the street, hoping to find anyone to help. The light paws on the grass behind you get closer and closer. This is it, nothing you can do. Your short lift has come to an end. [[Keep Running]]

You run to the house, hoping the things inside have already left. You get inside, but the door can't close. The monster gets inside and attacks you. You try to pull away but fail to do so. [[Try Again ->Untitled Passage]]

(text-colour:orange)["Get Down!"] The glint of a sniper stares you down. [[Dive]]

The sound of the gun bounces off the trees right back at you. The squeal of the creature behind you pales in comparison. You look up and see those same shadows that chased you before. They get closer and closer. <audio autoplay> <source src="Assets/Rifle.wav"></audio> [[Play Dead]] [[Try to Run]]

You lay there lifeless. (text-colour:green)["I told you to be careful. You killed them."] (text-colour:orange)["I didn't kill anyone, I made sure they were on the ground before I shot."] (text-colour:green)["Then why aren't they moving?"] (text-colour:orange)["Cause you're terrifying. Why don't we kick them?"] [[Get Up]] [[Don't Move]]

You start to get up, but the Shadow grabs your shoulder. (text-colour:orange)["Woah, we are friends here. It's not safe out there."] Another Shadow runs out of the house. (text-colour:green)["Did you find them?"] (text-colour:orange)["Yeah, they tried to runaway again."] Without a reason, you bend in pain. A sense of melancholy rushes over you. Two blurred faces disappear from the bedroom. You collapse to the ground again, feeling a punch in the gut. (text-colour:green)["We were too late."] (text-colour:orange)["For what?"] (text-colour:green)["It's too late to sedate them. Let's take them back to the station. Can you stand?"] [[Stand up]]

You take a kick to the chest but remain lifeless. (text-colour:green)["I told you they were dead. We can't keep losing people. What do you think happens if people die this time?"] (text-colour:orange)["We go to another dimension?"] "(text-colour:green)[Are you sure? I guess that's your excuse when you report to the general."] (text-colour:orange)["Don't do that. I didn't hit them. I can kick them again?"] [["No no no, don't do that."]] [["Why is kicking your first go to?"]] [[Run]]

(text-colour:orange)["See I told you."] (text-colour:green)["Why did you try to run away?"] [["I don't --" ->"You guys seem familiar to me?]]

(text-colour:orange)["I don't know? It's our first day on the job, and you already ran from us once, so if I make it so you can't run again, then it helps us in the long run."] (text-colour:green)["You should still be able to walk, he isn't very strong."] (text-colour:orange)["I am, too. Look, they can't get up at all."] You get up without any hesitation. (text-colour:green)["You were saying?"] (text-colour:orange)["Shut up."] [["You guys seem familiar to me?]]

You start to get up but the Shadow grabs your shoulder. (text-colour:orange)["Woah, we are friends here. It's not safe out there."] Another Shadow runs out of the house. (text-colour:green)["Did you find them?"] (text-colour:orange)["Yeah, they tried to runaway again."] [["You guys seem familiar to me?]]

You try to go deeper in the woods. Something moves behind you, the only thing you felt was the wind it left behind. There was no sound. [[Run to the Street]] [[Run Back Inside]]

You sneak closer to the door. Two figures dressed in black emerge. (text-colour:orange)["You heard that, right?"] (text-colour:green)["PSHSHSH"] The one on the right points at you. (text-colour:orange)["Ah, damn my bad." ]The one that was pointing at you punches the guy in the back of the head. What comes next, you don't remember. You hear one of them apologize, then nothing. [[Wake Up]]

A sense of melancholy rushes over you. Two blurred faces disappear from the bedroom. You collapse to the ground again, feeling another punch in the gut. (text-colour:green)["Why did you hit them?"] (text-colour:orange)["I didn't hit anyone!"] They rush over to you to see if you're okay. But try as you might, you can't get those faces back. Something changed in your memory, or something replaced them. (text-colour:orange)["What was our training again? What are we supposed to do?"] (text-colour:green)["We already broke our training. We shouldn't have been talking to them to begin with."] (text-colour:orange)["Why did you let me do it?" ] (text-colour:green)["I forgot okay?"] (text-colour:orange)["You forgot... Sure... Now we get fired. What do we do?"] (text-colour:green)["Let's get them back to the station. Can you stand?"] (text-colour:orange)["Why yes I can."] (text-colour:green)["Not you." ] [[Stand up]]

(text-colour:green)["What you experienced is normal. You are starting to forget your old life, but to keep your personality, you replace it with a new ones. I'm guessing those people were your kids? Siblings, maybe?" ] (text-colour:orange)["How could you guess that?"] (text-colour:green)["Have you seen how you act?"] (text-colour:orange)["How I act? This isn't just on me."] [[Stare]] [["I don't know"]]

(text-colour:green)["I'm guessing you wouldn't. Sorry. We can't explain more here. We are all still in danger. Let's get going."] (text-colour:orange)["How did you know that?"] (text-colour:green)["It was part of my training. You wouldn't know because you were in monster classes. What was that one you just killed?"] (text-colour:orange)["Giant Cat."] (text-colour:green)["What..."] (text-colour:orange)["All you need to know is that they are fast, but not the most dangerous things we can find around here." ] They turn to look at you.(text-colour:orange)[ "Do we sedate them?"] (text-colour:green)["Can't, their memories changed, Let's break them."] (text-colour:orange)["You are all for breaking the rules today. I like it". They take out four needles with pink liquid and smash them on the ground. "Let's get going, shall we?"] [[Get going]]

You set off on a journey to some station. Your mind quickly off of what you forgot. The town is worse off than you thought. The further you went, the more people you saw. They were all dressed like the people in front of you, giving you strange looks. [["Why is everyone looking at us like that?"]]

(text-colour:green)["Usually, you are supposed to be unconscious. It's to keep you from freaking out and causing issues on the battlefield. After the guy upstairs died, things just kept getting worse."] (text-colour:orange)["You can't forget that they were destroying this society just like the last one. We are better off without one person commanding everything." ] (text-colour:green)["I can't argue with that. They were one manipulative person. How they got millions of people to follow them is insane."] [["Who are you talking about?"]]

Just before they can answer, an explosion goes off behind you. A brick smacks into your head, knocking you out. In those fleeting moments, you hear shouting, and shots go off in every direction. Those people try to grab you but are cut off, needing to find cover. They retreat, and you see people starting to chase them. <audio autoplay> <source src="Assets/Explosion.mp3"></audio> (link-goto: "Next", (either: "Pass out", "Fight it out"))

You lost consciousness. After you come to, the fighting ceased. There are no bodies anywhere, but the buildings are decimated. Rubble scattered in the street. You can't decide if you liked people looking at you or just want something to break the silence. You pull yourself up with one thing on your mind. You need to find out if anyone is still alive. [[Continue Forward to Station]]

A bunch of memories flood into you, a thousand lives zapped into your brain. Skills of martial artists, minds of strategic masterminds, for some reason, there are also animals you've never seen. One in particular is blue and very very fast. You don't think you can replicate that. Against all odds, you pull yourself and rush behind cover. [[Get to the officers]]

After a minute of walking, you run into guards with little clothing. They have short shorts and a headband carrying unbranded firearms, similar to the firearm you saw earlier. [[Talk to them]] [[Hide]]

(text-colour:red)["Hey, you're not supposed to be here."] They draw their weapons, but these weapons glow with power. (text-colour:red)["Just come with us, and you won't be harmed."] (text-colour:yellow)["Screw that! Let's kill him now."] [[Run ->Head out 1]]

(text-colour:red)["This was too easy. The general really is amazing."] (text-colour:yellow)["I still don't think we should keep the prisoners alive. If they get free, we are screwed. Half our force left back to camp."] (text-colour:red)["They are trapped in a loading crate near the train station, if they get out, we are going to hear them."] (text-colour:yellow)["Something still doesn't feel right."] Well, now you know where to go. [[Head out]]

You finally make it to the train station. There are guards everywhere, and you need to find out the correct path. To your left, you see a bunch of crates stacked on top of each other. That's where everyone must be, but you don't have any weapons, so if you get caught, you will be in for a fight you may not win. To your right, you see a building with a sattelight dish. There are fewer guards this way, but you don't know if they cut the communication lines yet. [[Create Distraction]] [[Call for help]]

You choose to go left. Saving the others is more important. You can't do this all on your own. Just like the games, these guards will chase anything that makes noise. You throw a stone into an alleyway nearby, and they chase it without a second thought. Now, you search for the crate everyone is trapped in. But without a second to think, you lose consciousness. [[Wake Up]]

You go sneak into the communications sector without a hitch. There is no phone here, just an old radio. After fidgeting with the device, you can connect with people on the other side. (text-colour:magenta)["What's going on? We haven't heard from you in an hour!"] "Hi, I don't know who you are, but the station has been taken over, and we need help quickly. Get here as soon as you can." Guards from outside hear your conversation. (text-colour:red)["Who was that?"] (text-colour:magenta)["Understood, there are people already on the way, we need you to stay safe."] You search the room for a place to hide and see a hatch to the roof. (text-colour:magenta)["Are you still the--"] You cut the line quickly and need to hide. [[Climb through the hatch]]

(text-colour:cyan)["I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances. There were some complications with our troops getting attacked, as you know. We did take a look at you medically on your way here, and we were able to give you the help you needed before you had to be admitted to our military. You are quite exceptional. We can use an extra pair of hands like yours, but I won't force you. In fact, you don't know anything about the city or our circumstances. So, I'll let you off with a choice. Head to the right and join us, or head outside and enjoy a fresh start."] [[Join the cause]] [[Find your footing]]

After seeing what happened at the train station, you realize these people need your help. If it weren't for you, they would've died, and the citizens here would've been in trouble. You will find the answers you seek in time, but first, you need to join the cause. (text-colour:cyan)["Good choice."] [[Try Again ->Untitled Passage]]

You head outside to live your life and ignore the current issues plaguing society. Not because you don't care but because you don't understand what is going on. Who knows, after a year or two, you may reconsider. But this isn't the time to think of the future. It's time to learn what happened to your memories and where you are. <img src="Assets/City.jpg"> [[Try Again ->Untitled Passage]]

After running a few tests on you, their faces change from hopeful to doubt. You want to get answers, but they can't give you anything. Every time you try to push it out of them, they tell you to wait for the city. [[Head to the main city -> Head to the main city ]]

You navigate through a series of alleys until you find where they are stationed. You collapse in the alley. Year hands start to glow like millions of fireflies started to wake up inside your skin. A medical officer rushes from behind you. (text-colour:purple)["You need to listen, and you need to listen well. There is an overload of energy released from your soul. You need to pull it in." ] [[Concentrate]]

You wield this weapon like an expert, but you can still feel everything overwhelming you. You could almost get a glimpse of those people in your memory, but you were pulled back too soon. Now, you are in a fight for people you don't know. The fight was short-lived. With your help, you are able to push the enemy back, but your strength dissipates, and you fall to the ground. [[Get to the medical ward]]

A sense of melancholy rushes over you. Two blurred faces disappear from the bedroom. You collapse to the ground, falling out of the cabinet. They rush over to you to see if you're okay. But try as you might, you can't get those faces back. Something changed in your memory, or something replaced them. (text-colour:orange)["What was our training again? What are we supposed to do?"] (text-colour:green)["We need to knock them out, but I think we are too late. It looks like they are replacing their memories."] (text-colour:orange)["Already!" ] (text-colour:green)["Let's get them back to the station. Can you stand?"] (text-colour:orange)["Why, yes I can."] (text-colour:green)["Not you."] [[Stand up]]

You continue to look around, but find nothing. [[Go Outside]]

You wake up in a box, surrounded by a bunch of people. There are people dressed in black like the ones from earlier, but there are also a lot of what seem to be service workers, terrified. (text-colour:orange)["I can't believe we got captured. Where were the scouts? They should've said anything. If we didn't get caught off guard, it should've been fine."] (text-colour:green)["Can you shut up? Look. You woke up our only proof that we can do this job." ] (text-colour:orange)["At least he's alive. And I'm sorry that other people are incompetent, but maybe we had a mole. Someone must've turned against us. It was probably Miles."] (text-colour:green)["Miles is sitting over there."] (text-colour:orange)["The perfect disguise." ] A bunch of memories flood into you, a thousand lives zapped into your brain. Skills of martial artists, minds of strategic masterminds, for some reason, there are also animals you've never seen. One in particular is blue and very very fast. You don't think you can replicate that. [[Come up with an escape]]

"I have a couple of ideas! There are two ways we can go about this. Loud and proud, our sneaky and quiet." (text-colour:green)["You need to sit and wait. You exert yourself now, you may not be able to have a normal life."] (text-colour:orange)["If they have a plan we should listen to it."] "No, we can't. We will get in so much trouble." (text-colour:orange)["We are already in trouble."] [[Loud Escape]] [[Quiet Escape]]

"Does anyone have a blunt object I can use?" You get up, and someone hands you a small pipe shaped like a police baton. (text-colour:green)["What are you doing? You can't be walking around? If we wait, someone will help us."] Ignoring her, you knock on the locked door. Coming up with some lame excuse for them to check on you. As they open the door, you use the pipe and crush their skulls. "Someone head to the phone and call for help. I'll start to take care of the intruders." Picking up their weapons, everyone in a 10-mile radius can hear screams of terror as you blast your way through the town you have no memory of. Everyone is now terrified of you, and your chances of a normal life plummet. After reinforcements arrive in full force, they come to find nothing. No bodies or blood, just a bunch of stressed workers huddling in a corner away from you. After getting taken into custody, you will be transported to the main city. [[Head to the main city -> Head to the main city]]

"We just need to make sure that help is coming. Let me get out, and I can get to a phone." (text-colour:orange)["We'll do it. There is a vent over there you can get through."] (text-colour:green)["Why trust them? They could've been a killer in their last life. We could let a criminal go free."] (text-colour:orange)["Any better ideas, cause if you can think of something before they get through, I'll stop."] (text-colour:green)["..."] (text-colour:orange)["I'll take silence as nothing better."] You are able to squeeze through the vent fairly easily. If you don't pay attention, it's very easy to get stuck. After a minute of crawling, you come to another vent, and on the other side is a phone. You quietly open the vent and call for help before crawling back to the container. To follow protocol, they have to knock you out again. Now you can head to the main city. [[Head to the main city -> Head to the main city ]]

You spy on them. Something jumps out into the street. It looks like a cat but 20 times the size. Its canines pierced its lips, and overgrown claws clutched the pavement, tearing the ground with every step. It smurfs the two figures, but they don't seem scared. They reach on their back, and a marksman rifle materializes. It glows green and purple, like millions of fireflies flying inside. With one loud crash, the animal falls over. [[Leave it alone]] [[See if they are friendly]]

You walk outside and introduce yourself. Without any warning, you feel a pain in your neck and pass out. Drifting in and out of consciousness, you see one of them pull a needle out of your neck and place it in their back pocket. But right before passing out, a giant shadow jumps into the street. There is shouting, then a gunshot, and after that, you don't remember. [[Wake Up]]

There isn't anything around for miles. You now wander this world, looking for answers about your past. You eventually find a city after years of being a vagabond. This is the start of a new life. Do with it what you will. Find a new purpose. [[Try Again ->Untitled Passage]]

(text-colour:cyan)["You are one terrifying individual. If my reports are correct you drove out an infiltration force single-handedly and disposed of their being without any help."] You stare with a smile on your face, still on a high from everything you experienced. (text-colour:cyan)["Lucky for you, you aren't the first. In fact, there have been more and more people like you showing up every day. We just need to find out what has changed in recent years. Never mind that, with your exceptional skills, we want to put you in the driving force to make our world liveable again. We look forward to your cooperation. Head to the right to start your training."] [[Play Again ->Untitled Passage]]

(text-colour:cyan)["Welcome to New Life. I'm sorry you had to help us with our little issue, but we appreciate the efforts you made. You showed impressive initiative, and we want you to join our program to help rebuild the world. I won't get into the specifics now, but you are standing in one of the only livible space in the world. We need you to fix that. Head to the right to get started on your training."] [[Play Again ->Untitled Passage]]

Try as you must. You cannot control the power surging inside you. The medical officer yells something you can't understand. All of your senses are failing, and you get closer and closer to death. Time passes like the wind. Unpredictably. What seemed to be hours only took seconds. A dagger was placed in your hands, and all you can hear is (text-colour:purple)["GRAB IT."] You clench your fist, and the power dissipates. You get back to your feet and see the fighting in the street. (text-colour:purple)["You can't let go of this. It's the only thing keeping your power in check. That blunt trauma must've inflicted your destructive response. We need you out there, so get going."] [[Fight the enemy]] [[Run Away]]

After running, you dip into a back alleyway and find some stairs. You are right next to what seems to be a communication tower. You can climb up and attempt to call for help or keep searching for help. [[Call for help]] [[Keep Running -> Keep Running]]

Eventually, you get caught and run into the guards. They knock you out and make sure you can't run away as they transport you. [[Wake Up]]

Sitting on the roof, you hear another firefight break out. In the distance, you see the guards from earlier sprinting out of the city. While others get captured by the people wearing black. You slowly head out of the communications tower and are stopped by multiple guards. (text-colour:magenta)[(text-colour:purple)["I assume you are the one that contact us?"]] "Yeah, that was me." (text-colour:magenta)["Unfortunately, you are not on our registry. We need you to come with us to the main city. This is non-negotiable."] [[Head to the main city]]

Images: 1. Bondarchuk, S. (2022). Destroyed Building near Street. Pexels. Retrieved 2023, from https://www.pexels.com/photo/destroyed-building-near-street-11849387/. 2. Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media. (2019). Foggy Forest. Pexels. Retrieved 2023, from https://www.pexels.com/photo/foggy-forest-1909572/. 3. Sohail, D. (2023). Skyline of Dubai at Sunset, Duabi, United Arab Emirates. Pexels. Retrieved 2023, from https://www.pexels.com/photo/skyline-of-dubai-at-sunset-duabi-united-arab-emirates-19295932/. Sounds: 1. Rifle Shot. MATRIXXX_. Retrieved From: https://freesound.org/people/MATRIXXX_/sounds/484036/. 2. Glass Breaking. P.Jezisek. Retrieved From: https://freesound.org/people/P.Jezisek/sounds/519349/. 3. Explosion. Iwiploppenisse. Retrieved From: https://freesound.org/people/Iwiploppenisse/sounds/156031/.

(text-colour:purple)[Where are you going?! We need your aid!] Her voice gets softer and softer as you go. But there are footsteps following quick behidn you. Everytime you find a place that seems safe, the enemy is already waiting for you. [[Take a stand]] [[Keep running]]

The fighting around you has already ceased. Now, you must face off against what's left. Hopefully, everyone else is safe. As you go in for a swing, you feel another blow to the back of the head. Knocking you out cold. [[Next -->Pass out]]

After running like your head was cut off, you did manage to escape. They don't know where you went, but you realize everyone else is missing. Abandoned again in a world you don't understand and a conflict you don't want to be a part of, you don't know what to do. The people who brought you here were nice, but you don't even know if they are alive anymore. [[Leave Town -->Go Outside]] [[Look for survivors -->Continue Forward to Station]]