CYOA Page 214
Sep. 11th, 2013 09:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lumy12You figure you'd better not cause any trouble, since you're trying to convey your innocence regarding whatever this dude seems to think you did. "Okay... here." You lay the gun down and kick it to him; it seems safer than trying to hand it to him.
"Good. Now come with me."
"Come with you where?"
"Upstairs." He motions for you to walk in front of him so he can point the gun at you. You hear the static of the radio... then he says something about canceling -- and a rendezvous point?
"O...kay... and where are we going upstairs?"
"You'll see."
..."You'll see"? Like it's a fun surprise or something?! "The alarm was going off when I came in here, you know. I had nothing to do with it."
"I know. It was your friend. Joel."
"How do you know his name?" Joel isn't the type to introduce himself to people before... well, doing whatever he did to earn the alarm blaring.
"You're Joel and Ellie," he says in a tone that implies he just explained everything. "You're famous."
"We are?!" What the fuck would you be famous for? ...Who even uses that word in real life?
"You... really have no idea, do you. Prob'ly better that way."
"Um, no -- whatever it is, tell me! I really want to know, because I'm sure you've got this all wrong. Joel and I aren't bad people!"
He chuckles to himself, and nudges you into the stairwell. "Just one floor."
"Why are you laughing?" you ask crossly.
"Oh... just seems that you and I have very different definitions of 'bad people.' "
"What do you mean?" ...Joel, what the fuck did you do to this prick?!
"I do believe that you are not bad. At least, not by yourself. In fact, what you're doing... is quite noble. Extremely noble."
You decide Joel must not have actually done anything to him, due to the fact that the guy is still breathing. You're getting tired of asking him to decipher his cryptic or non-specific answers. "What's so noble about obeying an asshole with a gun pointed at you?" You open the door and step out onto the third floor.
"That's right... you don't know. But you did know, at one time. What you didn't know... was that the price would be so high. It's... regrettable, truly. But if progress is to be made, some sacrifice is to be expected... required..."
"Dude, what the fuck are you talking about? You're really starting to piss me off! On top of the whole... gun-pointing thing, I mean!"
You're spared from another non-answer by the rapidly-approaching guard. "Good," says the evasive motherfucker again. "Take her, please."
"Take me where?"
The guard doesn't even bother to toy with you; he just plain doesn't answer. He clenches your arm so hard that you're sure it's going to leave a bruise.
"I didn't do anything, I swear!" you try pleading again... and again, your words fall on deaf ears. "You don't have to drag me -- I'll cooperate. Just tell me what this is about!"
He doesn't unhand you. You briefly consider trying to swing around and knee him in the balls, as he's not holding a gun on you... but the lab coat guy is following you, and you can't see if he's lowered his gun or not. Even if he hasn't, it's not like he dropped it on the floor or something; he could shoot you before you have a chance to escape. I should have killed him when I had the chance! you can't help thinking... because wherever you're going, you're sure it's nowhere good. And where the fuck is Joel?!
"Where's Joel?" you try. Not that they'll actually tell you...
"He won't be a problem this time," says Lab Coat.
" 'This time'? What the fuck does that mean?!"
Neither of them bothers to answer. They march you into an empty hospital room... not like a patient room... an exam room? There's no bed -- and actually, no legit exam table either... it's more like an exam table on wheels.
The guard finally speaks. "Should I undress her?" he asks the other guy.
"What?!" you shriek.
"No, no... we need to do some tests first. Take her backpack, though. Ellie, l need you to lay down please."
Gun or no gun, you really need to get out of here! The guard tugs your backpack off your shoulders, and while he's dropping it somewhere... you bolt for the door!
But the guard is too quick -- and too strong. He catches you and wrangles you back over to the table thing. "Definitely gonna need restraints," he grumbles. "Give me a hand with her."
The two of them force you onto the table, each of them taking an arm. The guard holds you with both hands while the lab guy struggles to get something around your arm. You thrash and kick and scream... but they just calmly go about tying you to the fucking table. First your hands, then your feet. Panicked and frantic, you turn pleading eyes on each of them. "Please! I didn't do anything! Whatever you want from me -- I'll do it, just don't make me -- just let me off this thing! Please--"
Neither one of them is moved by your cries. The lab coat guy slides your right sleeve up and dabs something on your arm. "Don't suppose we need to bother with disinfecting, hmm? Oh well."
You have no idea what he means by that. Both men look at your bite scar, but they have very little reaction to it. Curiosity... maybe a little disgust... but not the freaking out that you would expect. They already know... that's what this is about -- they know about me! Is that why they made that weird disinfecting comment?! "I'm immune -- to the Cordyceps virus, but not everything else! Please -- what are you doing? What are you doing to me?!" You're crying now; you can't help it. After being forced down the way you were, held there like your wishes mean nothing... the terror of not knowing what the fuck their intentions are...
The lab guy is now doing something on the counter... something you can't see. "We're just running some tests," he tells you in that maddeningly casual manner of his.
The guard snickers, and you know it's a lie.
"What tests? Please let me up -- I don't want to do this! Not until you tell me what you're doing to me!" ...Is that such an unreasonable request?!
"I'm so sorry," he replies coolly. "You're restrained for your own safety. And now you'll be--"
You don't hear what he says next because you start screaming when he turns around wielding a needle. Screaming for help, screaming for Joel...
The guard holds your arm completely still, and the other guy jabs you with the fucking needle.
"What is that -- what did you just do to me? Why are you doing this? Fucking tell me!" you scream at them -- your anger overtaking your fear, if only for a moment.
"Well, as I started to tell you," says Needle Dick, "I just administered a sedative... so you won't feel any pain while we run the tests."
"What fucking tests?!"
"Blood tests. We did manage to recover some data from Salt Lake, but we'd like to compare the new to the old. See if anything's changed."
"You're... from that hospital?" Well, duh... how else would they know about my bite?! But how strange for them to just up and move to another state.
"Why don't you just give her the heavy shit now?" the guard suggests. "And, seriously... is it even necessary? Just kill her and get it over with."
... ... Did I just hear that correctly??
"We're not trying to kill her. I disagreed with that decision to cut into her brain. Couldn't we learn a lot more by studying a living specimen? One who can provide us with fresh blood for trial-and-error experiments and transfusions? Ideally, we'd also have an active strain to--"
"I'm right fucking here!" you remind them. But hey -- you're not a human being... you're a specimen. "I'm starting to feel funny... am I gonna die? Is that what you did to me?"
"Yes," says the guard. "Don't listen to this quack. He's not even in charge here. He thinks that just because he found you--"
And then -- holy shit! A gunshot rips through the air, and the guard falls to the ground!
You hardly dare to hope--
"What the hell did you do to her?!"
--It IS him! Joel! He's got the doctor dude by the collar, slammed against the... well, a counter and a cabinet, not a wall.
"Nothing! It's a harmless--"
"Joel, he's lying! The guard said they're gonna kill me! They're putting me to sleep now!" You're starting to feel really fucking woozy... I need to fight it! I can't fall asleep now -- Joel can fix this!
"Whatever you did? You're gonna undo it right now," Joel commands Lab Coat. "If you value your life."
"I assure you, we didn't hurt her! Look -- I'll show you. I'll show you! Let go of me and I'll get the bottle!"
Joel relieves the man of his gun -- and yours! -- before taking a step back to let him fetch the bottle. The guy hands it over.
Joel looks at it for only a second before letting it drop to the counter. "It ain't labeled in plain English. How do I know what that is -- or that it's really what you used?"
"It's an anesthetic -- it's on her chart, too... see? I have no reason to lie."
The motherfucker has a chart on you? When did that happen? It's laying on the counter there. Joel glances at it. "An anesthetic... that's all you gave her?"
"Yes, I promise! I didn't hurt her."
"You call this not hurtin' her?" Joel gestures vaguely in your direction.
"She's unharmed. I will ensure that she remains that way. What happened to her in Salt Lake... was unnecessary."
"...'What happened to her'? I think you mean what you and your friends did to her."
"But I personally--"
"I don't wanna hear it. In fact, I don't wanna hear another goddamn word out of your mouth. If you're not gonna reverse this..."
They disappear from your sight... and you hear a gunshot in the hallway. Joel returns five seconds later and starts undoing the restraints on your hands. "It's all right now, baby girl... we're gettin' outta here."
"Joel... my head is so heavy..."
"You're gonna go to sleep. It's okay."
"No... no, it's not! Whatever they did -- they're gonna kill me -- if I fall asleep, I won't wake up!"
"Yes you will. Don't worry."
"I won't! They said--"
"They gave you a sedative. Not sure how strong it is, but it won't kill you." He moves down to your feet and starts undoing those restraints.
Your arms are free now, but they feel as heavy as your head when you try to lift them! "They said... other stuff... Joel, you never told me... what happened in Salt Lake City...? They thought I knew..."
Joel sighs. "I prob'ly should've told you myself. What did they tell you?"
"Um..." They didn't say much. Joel's probably fishing to see how much you know... and how much he can still keep from you. "...Everything. They told me everything."
"What's 'everything'? Tell me what they said an' I'll tell you what's true an' what ain't."
So you can craft more lies?? "No -- tell me your side... first... when I wake up?" Your head is spinning -- from information overload as much as the drug, you think. You don't have the energy right now to process your emotions on top of all of it. I'm still scared to fall asleep! "You promise I'll wake up?"
"I promise. We'll talk later. Here, let's get you up... can you put your arm around me?" He pulls you up to a sitting position.
"I can still walk." It's impossible to fall asleep while walking, right? You rotate yourself so your legs hang over the side of the table. You're trying to squash the feeling of terror that's still plaguing you, but it's hard. "I don't want to go to sleep... Joel, I'm scared... can you keep me awake? Please?"
He stops you from sliding off the bed to your feet... smooths your hair off your face and looks you in the eye. "Don't be scared... don't fight it. I got you... an' I'll be right here when you wake up. You have to trust me. Okay?"
You nod... and swallow some more stupid tears. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Where else would I be, hmm?"
You let him scoop you up in his arms, and you know you're going to fall asleep really soon, with your body in the 'ready' position and everything... "Joel... my backpack..."
"I've got it."
"...You do?" You didn't notice him getting it.
"It's here on my arm, see?"
"...How are you carrying all this... and now me..."
"I'll manage."
Hey, wait-- "What about Danny?"
"He's fine. I'll tell you about that later."
You close your eyes. "We will talk later... you'll tell me about the Fireflies... right? You're not gonna try to tell me... that this was all just a dream?"
He chuckles. "Who knows. Maybe that's all it was."
Great... now I put the idea in his head... You vow to remember all of this later (you're pretty sure memory doesn't work like that, but you do it anyway). "You have to trust me," he said... even though you know he looked you right in the eye and lied about something important, that day...
But you do trust him. You know he won't let anything bad happen to you, now that you're together. You feel safe... protected... cared for. Loved.
No longer afraid, you fall asleep.
If you'd like to start another adventure, return to page 1.
Carlos
Date: 2020-07-30 02:30 pm (UTC)okay let go with anothe option.
Re: Carlos
Date: 2020-07-31 12:33 pm (UTC)