CYOA Page 215

[lumy12]

Page Two Hundred Fifteen

You really want to know what Joel's not telling you! You thought you'd made peace with not knowing. Convinced yourself that you'd be happier not knowing. But now that your curiosity's been revived... you think perhaps it's childish to stick your head in the sand and be all 'ignorance is bliss' about it. Obviously, it was something awful, or Joel would have fucking told you.

You haven't even thought about the Fireflies in a long time. Did Tripp leave them, or did they all move here? He did say the move was recent, which would explain why Tommy didn't warn you about the scanning... maybe those guards were Fireflies too and they brought the scanner? Maybe that wasn't part of the entry protocol before.

Joel's probably looking for me by now... that worries you, too. You wonder how soundproof the walls are here... would you hear if there was a commotion on another floor?

You're being silly, you scold yourself. These people are friends.

And yet your heart races when you hear footsteps approaching. You resist the urge to draw your gun. It's just gonna be Tripp, doofus! They might have to confiscate the gun if they know you have one. But you do stand up from your chair, and take a few steps back from the curtain, just in case...

Of course, it's just Tripp. He tugs the curtain aside and motions for you to come out. "Hey. I know a better place we can talk."

"Okay..." Your uneasy feeling returns as you walk by him, and-- "What the fuck?!"

Tripp moves behind you and grabs you -- and there's a soldier -- and a doctor, with a scary-looking syringe! -- you need to get the fuck away from these people! You struggle -- and if you weren't so freaked out right now, you might think Joel would be so proud! when you manage to escape Tripp's grip by positioning yourself to deliver a perfectly-executed back-kick to his crotch (Joel taught you how to do that).

You try to run, but the soldier was practically on top of you the second Tripp let go -- and his fist explodes across your face before he whips you around and hugs you against his chest. (...'hugs'? Surely there's another word for it that doesn't sound so fucking nice!) You can't lean him forward to do your little kick maneuver, and his arm across your chest has completely immobilized both of yours -- and you can't wriggle yourself low enough to bite it. Oh -- not to mention, your head is fucking spinning with pain now!

"Sorry it has to be this way," says the doctor... in that tone people use when they don't actually give a fuck.

You feel a prick in your arm... he stuck you right through your shirt. "What is that? What are you doing?!" you cry angrily, outrage and fear battling inside you.

"You're going to sleep now, that's all," the doctor assures you. "Just relax... you won't be in any pain."

"I'm already in pain, motherfucker! Why the fuck are you putting me to sleep?!"

"Where do you want her?" asks the soldier.

"Put her in four. We can't operate just yet but we can get--"

"Operate?!" you shriek. "What the fuck, dude--"

But it's like you're not even there, for all the attention they pay you now (...so you might as well shut up and listen).

"The sooner it's done, the better, don't you think?" says the soldier. "What's the holdup?"

"Several things. We need to assess her condition... we also need Dr. Gainor's expertise... we need to prep the O.R...."

You hear walkie talkie static behind you (like from the soldier's hip?), followed by "Confirmed: a man fitting the smuggler's description entered the building and was escorted to patient level... but we're not sure where he is now. Over."

"...and we need to wait for that to be resolved," the doctor concludes grimly. "In fact, I don't feel comfortable even being near her until he's apprehended."

The soldier loosens his grip on you a little when he reaches for his radio -- but as soon as you try to take advantage of that, he tightens it again; you're not going anywhere. And you're starting to feel very tired... The soldier holds the walkie talkie next to your head and speaks into it. "What do you mean you're not sure where he is? Visitors shouldn't be allowed to go anywhere unescorted! Over."

"Just let me go," you plead. "If you let me go, you can run! I won't send him after you, I promise! You can--"

"I'm not afraid of that son of a bitch!" the soldier sneers. "He'll be un-- ...shit. He should be unarmed, but maybe we're not following that policy now either?" You realize then that your gun is no longer in your pants (not that it was doing you much good there, anyway...). The guard probably grabbed it after he hit you.

"You really ought to be afraid of him," the doctor warns him; it's the first thing he's said that makes sense to you. "With all due respect, you weren't there."

"Neither were you! If you were, you'd be dead. ...Why the hell isn't Evans answering me?"

"I was there for the aftermath," the doctor says... pretty condescendingly, you think. Or maybe defensively. "I was there to pick up the pieces. I was there when--"

The voice on the radio interrupts him. "No one's been hurt, that we know of. Can you come down so we can come up with a plan? I'll fill you in then. Over."

"Someone fucked up," the soldier grumbles before pressing the 'talk' button and saying, "Be right down. Over and out."

The doctor's eyes go wide with fear. "You can't leave! What if he finds us?!"

"I'm not your personal bodyguard. And I can't just wait here like a sitting duck while he... does who the fuck knows what. Just hope that he doesn't know what's going down yet. Can you two pussies handle a sleeping little girl by yourselves?"

Tripp comes into your view for the first time since you kicked him. "She caught me off-guard, dude. I'll take her. Just don't let that guy find out where we are."

Being passed from one person to another might be a good opportunity for you to break free and run... ...if you weren't so fucked up now from whatever they injected you with. You do struggle, but the movement makes you so dizzy! If Tripp hadn't caught you, you would've fallen to the floor. "What are you guys doing to me," you ask him groggily, not really expecting an answer.

He starts walking you down the hall. Or walk-dragging you, rather. "I'm sorry. I really am. I wish it could be different."

He does sound kind of sorry... "Wish what could be different? Please tell me..."

"She's about to pass out," the doctor butts in. "Can you lift her? Do you need help?"

"Pfft -- I've got it." He hoists you over his shoulder. You can't remember the last time you've been carried like this. When you were a little kid, maybe? It's not very... dignified? Or comfortable. You're too fuzzy and foggy to struggle now... ...and it's hard to focus on Tripp's words as he continues: "Just think, Ellie... you're going to go down in history as the girl who saved the world. That's pretty cool, isn't it? Most of us... when we die, our deaths won't mean anything. No good will come out of it. But yours? It's about as heroic as you can get."

You're too wiped to even form a reply... or to fully process what you're hearing... but he did say DEATH! Joel... you're my only hope... PLEASE find me! I think they're going to kill me... I think I'm never going to wake up!

Those are the last thoughts you have before you pass out.


If you never wake up (awww), turn to page 267.

If you DO wake up (yay!), turn to page 270.

Comments

Carlos

[(Anonymous)]

Hmmm... I want to see what this two option take me... look like the first one Ellie is going to die.... so maybe I will check that first.