CYOA Page 1
Sep. 15th, 2013 07:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lumy12[Click here to return to the cover page]
Page One: Introduction
You sometimes wonder what the fuck you were thinking when you agreed to this. And not only AGREED to it... but VOLUNTEERED for it, and convinced JOEL to do it! Not that it took much convincing. The Joel you met in Boston might have only been looking out for number one, but the man he'd become in the two years since? Just a big old softie. He's still loath to admit it (which is kind of adorable, really), but when Tommy asked for volunteers, you saw the look in his eye. It's not like he was completely indifferent to the tearful entreaties of that Layla woman -- plus, he knew she had two young kids who were missing their daddy. He didn't protest (much) when you raised your hand to volunteer the two of you.
When you two were chosen out of the six or eight or however many that volunteered, he did say it would be better if it was just the two of you... if there were only three horses to spare currently, best leave one of those behind in case something else comes up. Which makes sense, you suppose, but you know the real reason: Joel works better alone. Except 'alone' does tend to include you, most of the time... you're like an appendage or something by now -- you don't count as a separate person. You probably could have gotten away with only taking one horse, too... but, as Joel pointed out, if Danny had run into trouble out there and either lost his horse or was in too sad of shape to ride -- or, worst case scenario, it was his corpse that you found -- you couldn't fit three people on one horse, especially when at least two of you were armed to the teeth. He'd been gone for about a month now. Any number of things could have happened to him... Joel said Danny might have simply opted to stay at the hospital longer than usual. Maybe his mother had taken a turn for the worse. You wondered if it could be the opposite -- that maybe she was just about well enough to come home and Danny just had to wait a little longer to take her, so he figured he'd save a trip by waiting it out. Joel had scoffed a little and called you the eternal optimist, but before you could even start defending yourself, he assured you he didn't mean it in a bad way, and that yes, it was indeed a possibility.
And now... you've suddenly remembered the gripping fear and anxiety that the Outside can generate. Along with fatigue... hunger... thirst... aches and pains... filth... except not really most of that stuff YET because we've been out here less than two days. Ha! And you're much better-provisioned than you were on that cross-country journey. A week from now, you'll be back within the relative safety of Jackson's walls, with cold milk in your belly and a too-soft mattress under your back.
"You sure you're all right, kiddo?"
"Of course!" you chirp, the automatic response sounding as fake to your own ears as it must have to Joel's. Idly, you wonder if he'll ever stop calling you 'kiddo.' You're sixteen now, for fuck's sake! But, to be honest, you don't mind, because you know it's said with love.
Joel doesn't look convinced. "You jus' seem a little..."
"I'm fine. Not like we haven't killed more than this before." If you pretend to be annoyed, he'll probably drop it. Maybe.
"That was a long time ago, though. Snipin' off the wall's a little different."
Maybe so, but you still see these motherfuckers in your nightmares from that 'long time ago'; you wonder if those will ever stop. "Can we just go?" you say with a loud sigh. "This place is giving me the creeps." As buildings that house dead bodies tend to do.
"Sure. Think we've just about picked 'em clean anyhow." Joel obligingly starts heading back to where the horses are tethered.
You're just rusty, you tell yourself. That's the word Joel favors when talking about something he hasn't done in a while. Like... it's been so long that rust has grown on you. Honestly, though? Fighting infected is scary as fuck, even once you've become accustomed to it. And you're not really accustomed anymore. You've been Outside maybe a total of seven or eight times in the year-plus you've lived in Jackson, and never gone far. Joel has been Out more than that -- and he's sneaky about it, too. He knows he can only go without you if you don't know he's going, and he knows you'll be pissed when you eventually find out (which you will, always). But even those times were usually in a group, for hunting or something, and sticking fairly close to town; you may have the occasional band of bandits to flush out, but for the most part, the patrols keep the surrounding areas clear. Infected are rarely a problem. In fact, they're a welcome sight when you're sitting on your ass for hours with nothing to do, safe in a high tower behind the wall. They don't have guns or brains... which makes them less dangerous than humans, really.
However, the infected are far more dangerous to Joel than to you -- you're already infected, after all. Unexpectedly, you feel a surge of affection for this man who's been your near-constant companion for the past two years. If he were ever to get bitten...
"Joel! Wait!"
He turns and watches as you bound over to him.
If you plant a big wet one on him, cuz you guys kiss and stuff all the time (even if you DO have to keep it a secret at home), turn to page 2.
If you would never do such a thing in a million years (cuz ewwwww he's like your DAD, for fuck's sake!), turn to page 3.
You sometimes wonder what the fuck you were thinking when you agreed to this. And not only AGREED to it... but VOLUNTEERED for it, and convinced JOEL to do it! Not that it took much convincing. The Joel you met in Boston might have only been looking out for number one, but the man he'd become in the two years since? Just a big old softie. He's still loath to admit it (which is kind of adorable, really), but when Tommy asked for volunteers, you saw the look in his eye. It's not like he was completely indifferent to the tearful entreaties of that Layla woman -- plus, he knew she had two young kids who were missing their daddy. He didn't protest (much) when you raised your hand to volunteer the two of you.
When you two were chosen out of the six or eight or however many that volunteered, he did say it would be better if it was just the two of you... if there were only three horses to spare currently, best leave one of those behind in case something else comes up. Which makes sense, you suppose, but you know the real reason: Joel works better alone. Except 'alone' does tend to include you, most of the time... you're like an appendage or something by now -- you don't count as a separate person. You probably could have gotten away with only taking one horse, too... but, as Joel pointed out, if Danny had run into trouble out there and either lost his horse or was in too sad of shape to ride -- or, worst case scenario, it was his corpse that you found -- you couldn't fit three people on one horse, especially when at least two of you were armed to the teeth. He'd been gone for about a month now. Any number of things could have happened to him... Joel said Danny might have simply opted to stay at the hospital longer than usual. Maybe his mother had taken a turn for the worse. You wondered if it could be the opposite -- that maybe she was just about well enough to come home and Danny just had to wait a little longer to take her, so he figured he'd save a trip by waiting it out. Joel had scoffed a little and called you the eternal optimist, but before you could even start defending yourself, he assured you he didn't mean it in a bad way, and that yes, it was indeed a possibility.
And now... you've suddenly remembered the gripping fear and anxiety that the Outside can generate. Along with fatigue... hunger... thirst... aches and pains... filth... except not really most of that stuff YET because we've been out here less than two days. Ha! And you're much better-provisioned than you were on that cross-country journey. A week from now, you'll be back within the relative safety of Jackson's walls, with cold milk in your belly and a too-soft mattress under your back.
"You sure you're all right, kiddo?"
"Of course!" you chirp, the automatic response sounding as fake to your own ears as it must have to Joel's. Idly, you wonder if he'll ever stop calling you 'kiddo.' You're sixteen now, for fuck's sake! But, to be honest, you don't mind, because you know it's said with love.
Joel doesn't look convinced. "You jus' seem a little..."
"I'm fine. Not like we haven't killed more than this before." If you pretend to be annoyed, he'll probably drop it. Maybe.
"That was a long time ago, though. Snipin' off the wall's a little different."
Maybe so, but you still see these motherfuckers in your nightmares from that 'long time ago'; you wonder if those will ever stop. "Can we just go?" you say with a loud sigh. "This place is giving me the creeps." As buildings that house dead bodies tend to do.
"Sure. Think we've just about picked 'em clean anyhow." Joel obligingly starts heading back to where the horses are tethered.
You're just rusty, you tell yourself. That's the word Joel favors when talking about something he hasn't done in a while. Like... it's been so long that rust has grown on you. Honestly, though? Fighting infected is scary as fuck, even once you've become accustomed to it. And you're not really accustomed anymore. You've been Outside maybe a total of seven or eight times in the year-plus you've lived in Jackson, and never gone far. Joel has been Out more than that -- and he's sneaky about it, too. He knows he can only go without you if you don't know he's going, and he knows you'll be pissed when you eventually find out (which you will, always). But even those times were usually in a group, for hunting or something, and sticking fairly close to town; you may have the occasional band of bandits to flush out, but for the most part, the patrols keep the surrounding areas clear. Infected are rarely a problem. In fact, they're a welcome sight when you're sitting on your ass for hours with nothing to do, safe in a high tower behind the wall. They don't have guns or brains... which makes them less dangerous than humans, really.
However, the infected are far more dangerous to Joel than to you -- you're already infected, after all. Unexpectedly, you feel a surge of affection for this man who's been your near-constant companion for the past two years. If he were ever to get bitten...
"Joel! Wait!"
He turns and watches as you bound over to him.
If you plant a big wet one on him, cuz you guys kiss and stuff all the time (even if you DO have to keep it a secret at home), turn to page 2.
If you would never do such a thing in a million years (cuz ewwwww he's like your DAD, for fuck's sake!), turn to page 3.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-26 05:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-05-26 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-06-09 04:17 am (UTC)Annie
Date: 2020-10-03 06:45 pm (UTC)BTW, this just occurred to me but is there a thread where they actually find Danny? xD
Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-03 10:30 pm (UTC)I still haven't played (or been spoiled on... mostly) TLOU2. No desire right now. Not sure if I told you... I don't think so cuz it's been a while? ... but I'm working on a part 3 to my series -- "Singularity" is the Savage Starlight title I'm going with -- and I don't want to be influenced OR derailed!!! Pretty sure I can't top "first kiss" or "first time" feels from the first 2 parts but there will be plenty of feels anyhow :)
I promise you, there are WAY more good endings than bad. And if you do get a bad one just start over and end on a good one :D Sometimes you can see the bad endings coming and can just get outta there without reading lol
And yes, actually, there are threads in which they find him! As well as various reasons for him not returning home :)
Thank you for reading!
RE: Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-04 10:50 am (UTC)Re: Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-04 02:09 pm (UTC)RE: Re: Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-04 07:03 pm (UTC)Not sure what people will think about where part 3 is going, though. (no worries, still very Joellie-centric. Just... you know. Gots to have some conflict and character development!)
That sounds a bit foreboding, lol.
I THINK I'll have a fair amount of time to work on it in the next 2 months, but this year hasn't been the most predictable one!
That's true xD But I'll be cheering you on so, you know, good luck! Or do your best! :)
Re: Re: Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-04 08:38 pm (UTC)Does it? BWAHAHAHAHA --ahem. I mean... that shouldn't sound foreboding at all. *innocent look* No, seriously, I could give you a major-yet-generic spoiler if it would put your mind at ease.
Thanks! I just finished the rough draft of chapter 15. I have nearly 95k words of story so far. But now the blank page of Chapter 16 is staring me in the face...
RE: Re: Re: Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-05 12:24 pm (UTC)Sure! I don't mind spoilers so go ahead :) I'm really curious what this third part will be about anyway!
Thanks! I just finished the rough draft of chapter 15. I have nearly 95k words of story so far. But now the blank page of Chapter 16 is staring me in the face...
Man, compared to me, you sound like a writing machine or something, LOL. I wish I was like one of those people who seem to be able to write a million stories at the same time. Maybe eventually. Before my death bed. But yeah, I understand the pain of the blank page ^^;
Re: Re: Re: Re: Annie
Date: 2020-10-06 12:24 am (UTC)Oh I've never been able to write more than one at a time! That's tough. I remember having hard enough time doing drabbles while writing a long fic, because the timelines were different. You just get in that headspace and get in the zone... HOW can people work on a bunch at once? Unless they do different fandoms. That's understandable. Still, I'd hate to have to decide which one to work on during my allotted writing time. Or force myself to work on one to get my update posted on time rather than another one which maybe I feel like working on more?
Blank page has 4200 words on it now :D I had to look something up, which turned out to be a bit of a rabbit hole, and I got totally inspired!