Choices at once

by W3l1AN

Summary:

Outlet for my frustration against dumb protaginists

Notes:

First chapter, leave a comment to give me your thoughts, enjoy OwO

Chapter 1: first choice

-Sam, get that report done before you leave, will ya?
-Yes sir.
My boss exited the door, not looking back. I reclined my chair and sighed, knowing tonight wasn’t gonna be a good one. It was already 16:36, and the report needed at least 2 more hours of work before I could head home. Overtime wasn’t allowed, and leaving without finishing the report wasn’t a choice.
-Sam!
I looked to my right, where the janitor was waving at me.
-Hook, how are you man?
-I’m good, you’re still here?
-No choice, it’s the boss’s orders.
-Man, fuck him, botch the work with AI and go home.
I laughed at the idea, though I knew the option wasn’t bad. The report wouldn’t be good, but neither was my boss, so I might as well. Although hook might not be the best for ideas, since his last one was to play with fireworks, hence the name.
-I might, can you help me with something?
-Sure
He approached the computer, and I switched the report’s writing between 2 fonts, uncertain which one to choose.
-New policy, all internal documents have to be in Times New Roman.
-Fuck me, for real?
-Sure, and yes.
We chuckled, and I turned to the computer to change the font, frustrated that I couldn’t make a choice. In my frustration, I used AI to finish the report, knowing it wouldn’t be good, but it would be enough. I sent it over, packed my stuff and left. As I made my way to the sidewalk, heading for the parking lot by the building, a young lady holding a clipboard approached me.
-Hi sir, do you have a minute for a survey about transportation?
I raised an eyebrow, surprised she wasn’t here about a charity or a religion, and decided to satiate my curiosity.
-Sure, go ahead.
-What do you use to get to work?
-My car, sometimes I carpool with a friend who works remotely 2 days a week.
-Great, do you use your car by choice or lack of option?
-Lack of option.
-I see, how long is your commute?
-Around 25 minutes.
-Great, if the city had more options, would you consider them?
-Of course.
-Thank you, have a great night!
-You too.
As she walked away, I found myself surprised she hadn’t asked me to sign some form of petition or form, but I ignored that feeling and got in my car. As I drove towards my appartement, I admired the city’s skyline as the sun cast its orange hue below the stringy clouds. As I parked in front of my appartement, my neighbour and friend passed by walking her dog.
-Hey Sam!
-Hey Steph, hi taxi!
Her border collie jumped up and down, spinning around in excitement. Laughing, I opened my coat, grabbed a treat for her, and readied it.
-Any tricks you’ve been practicing with her?
-I taught her stand, but she has trouble with it.
Hearing her mom’s voice say stand, taxi stood on her hindlegs and gently barked at me, seemingly wanting to prove her mom wrong.
-She’s better than you said.
-Of course, she wants to impress, when we’re alone though…
We chuckled as I pet taxi and asked her about her day.
-Only two accidents and a residential fire, no deaths so it rocked, how about you?
-The usual, I finished in time, so I got to leave early.
-That’s sick, could you help me out next week?
-Sure, what’s up?
-I’m going to my sister’s wedding, think you could water my plants?
-For sure, you bringing taxi?
-Yeah, you know how she gets.
-Yeah, there’s still a dip in my couch where she waited a traumatic day without you.
-She is a baby after all, thanks a bunch. By the way, there was a package by your door, so I put it inside.
-Thanks a bunch, I owe you.
As she took another lap around the block, attempting the Sisyphean task of tiring out a border collie, I made my way up to my appartement. The nice 4 and a half appartement on the third floor wasn’t much, but the neighbourhood was peaceful, omitting the occasional package theft, and it was rent stabilised. As I opened the door, a package stood by my shoe rack, about the size of a volleyball. Curious about the unexpected package, I brought it to the dinner table, before opening it. Inside it, a blue flip-phone stood among packing peanuts. Letting my curiosity take over, I opened the phone, which lit up with a monotone jingle. On the screen, a single line stood.
/Press 1 to have the choice.
I turned my eyes to the numbers, perplexed. Was this a prank of some sorts? Perplexed, I clicked 1, because it was the only choice available. As my finger pressed down, it hit the middle of my palm and jumped in surprise. Nothing filled my palm, as the phone’s presence seemed to leave a trace nowhere but within my mind. I looked around, scrutinising the floor and table, looking for a proof of what had just taken place. Before my eyes, a small semi-transparent rectangle stood in a fixed place within the top right corner of my field of view, within which two sentences could be read.
/Obtain status window
/Obtain Spanish proficiency
A chuckle rose within me, as I resigned myself to my fate. I had gone crazy, and there was nothing I could do about it. Luckily, I lived alone, so there was a chance I could stay safe during my strangely fast descent into madness. Looking at my options, the first one seemed safest, as if my degrading mind were to believe I had any proficiency in Spanish, I might attempt to speak it and end up exposing myself. I hesitantly extended an arm towards the top right of my vision, and as my finger passed through the first option, the text changed.
/Choice processed.
In the top left corner of my vision, a square containing a small heart pictogram appeared. Already being in too deep, I clicked the square, which then changed into a larger square.
//Health: 98/100
/Mana: 0/0
/Afflictions: developing cavity, low iron
Furrowing my brow, I reconsidered the window before me, as I was aware I lacked iron. I looked at the clock, which read 17:09, and got my phone from my pocket. I scheduled a dentist appointment in a private clinic tomorrow, wanting to verify my suspicions, and went to bed.

Chapter 2: Second choice

Summary:

Are the choices real?

As my alarm’s ringing filled my room, I awoke, rubbing my eye in a vain attempt to clean off what I thought was a bit of booger in my eye. As my consciousness caught up to my body, the rectangular nature of the shape obstructing my vision stood out to me and brought me back to yesterday’s events. Sighing, I picked up a drawing from my nightstand, comparing it to the pictogram in my vision’s corner. The lack of differences between the drawing I had made yesterday and what obscured my vision led me to believe that either this was real, either my lost of sanity was consistent. I picked up the phone, coughing whilst I dialed in an attempt to rasp my voice.
-Shovel accounting, prices so low we had to dig them up, how can I help you?
-Hello Muhammad, its Samuel.
-Sam, how are ya?
-Fine, but I’m sick like a dog, I won’t come in today.
-No problem, take care!
-You too.
As I hung up, I picked up an apple and filled my thermos with coffee. I grabbed my keys and headed downstairs to the parking lot. In front of the appartement, a truck was parked whilst its driver unloaded a microwave from the back. Once in my car, I started my music and started heading towards the dental clinic. The air was warm, but without that oppressive humidity that kept people inside. A light breeze and the occasional cloud provided for a pleasant experience, and I found myself wishing I could’ve gone by bike. As I pulled into the clinic’s parking lot, a middle-aged man, looking worst for wear, approached me.
-Excuse me sir, do you have a dollar?
-Sure, here.
I didn’t usually carry change, so I got a fiver from my wallet and handed it to him. If I was gonna go crazy, at least my last days of lucidity would be spent without regrets.
-Thank you, sir, god bless.
Once I crossed the door, the sterile smell of the clinic mixed with the sweet smell of blue daisies filled my nostrils.
-Mister Samuel?
I turned my head away from the décor, towards a middle-aged woman standing behind a beautiful wooden desk.
-Hi, I have an appointment at 8:00.
-Of course, the doctor is in room 3.
-Thank you!
I followed the corridor towards room 3, admiring the landscape paintings adorning the walls. As I entered room 3, a graying lady with thick eyebrows contrasted by thin, gentle eyes welcomed me.
-Hello, I’ll be your dentist today, please take a seat for me
As I sat on the chair, letting myself sink into the long chair, she spoke up again.
-Last minute appointments are rare, is there anything in particular you’re worried about?
-I’ve been having some pain in my gum, and my dentist’s wait list is backed up by a few months, since I’m heading for a trip, I wanted to insure I’m in good health before departing.
-How nice to see a young man be health conscious, where are you heading?
My mind raced, as I had made up a reason, not wanting to tell her my magic health square had sent me here. In my panic, I recalled my conversation with Steph from the previous day.
-I’m heading to my sister’s wedding, I wanna be at my best.
-Good choice. If you’re ready, we can get started.
I laid back on the table, trying to relax as she started scratching the base of my teeth, looking for anything unusual.
-Your gums look good, and your teeth look healthy so far.
I allowed myself to relax and think, reassured by the good news, although perplexed by its implications. Was I to be healthy, would that make me crazy? I looked to the square that was relentlessly occupying the corner of my vision. If I were to reach out to it now, I would definitely be institutionalised. By curiosity, I mentally attempted to beckon it open. To my surprise, it opened without resistance.
-Sorry, was that too rough?
-Nauo, duont waury.
In my surprise, I must have flinched, leading the dentist to believe she’s nicked me. I turned my attention back to the status window, which was now showing the following:
/Health: 99/100
/Mana: 0/0
/Afflictions: developing cavity, low iron
My health seemed to have recovered, which could be associated with a lot of things, like the fact that I’ve slept since yesterday. As I made a mental note to check my window as soon as I woke up tomorrow, I noticed the dentist’s brow furrowed, as she seemed to home in on a specific spot.
-havraching arait?
-It seems you don’t floss as often as you should, a cavity is developing between your back left molars on your right. It’s nothing serious, improving the frequency and intensity of your brushing and flossing should get rid of it on its own.
I’m crazy. That’s the only explanation. Part of my delusional brain felt a toothache and used some crazy video game shit to tell me. What’s next, I’ll get a notification when I get hard? The only possibilities are that I’m magical or crazy, and in both cases, getting found out means getting institutionalised.
-Besides that small cavity, everything is good. Floss and enjoy your wedding!
-Thank you so much, take care.
I paid at the reception, so lost in my thought I almost didn’t get shocked by the exorbitant price. As I exited the clinic, a rectangle obscured my vision, with words that I dreaded seeing.
/Find 100$ on the ground (con)
/A homeless person gets a free meal
The options stood before me, unmoving, creating more questions than they answered. Why were they coming now? What did con mean? One thing was for certain, the first option would help rule out the mental illness on my part, and I could just give it to homeless people, negating the immorality of not choosing the second option. Hesitantly, I reach out my finger, selecting the first option.
/Choice processed.
I look around nervously, scouring the ground for any bill that might indicate a shred of my sanity has subsisted.
-You good dude?
Startled, I turned around, only to see the homeless man I had given five dollars to looking at me with a worried look.
-Yes, I’m fine, thanks.
-Hey, stop harassing that man!
As the scream came from behind me, the homeless man looked over my shoulder before running away. I turned around, only to see police officers running towards him. As they passed me by, one of them bumped into me, scrapping my hand against the pavement. I tried to get up, only for my hand to find a cup. The same cup which the homeless man asked me money with now lied besides me on the pavement, containing an amount of money I was too scarred to count. My stomach sent my breakfast barrelling upwards as I realised what the con stood for, and who had paid the consequence of that choice.

Notes:

I'll be updating every wednsday, hope you enjoyed OwO

Chapter 3: consequences

Summary:

consequences of the choice

I walked towards my car, wiping the puke off my chin. I sat in my seat, the blood from my scraped hand dripping onto my pant leg as tears flowed from my face. I had gotten a poor arrested for harassment only for money I wouldn’t allow myself to grab. My throat seemed to choke itself, the guild of causing pain without reason manifested itself, guilt choking my mind and body as the tears mixed with the vomit on my shirt. I turned my car on and started heading home, understanding that this wasn’t the place to have such a strong reaction to what would appear to others as a random homeless man’s arrest. Once home, I hurried inside by taking advantage of the fact that most people were at work at this hour. Once inside, I showered without taking off my clothes, attempting to wash the mental and physical effects of what had happened. I mentally opened the status window, deciding never to use my fingers again to avoid being spotted.
/Health: 96/100
/Mana: 0/0
/Afflictions: developing cavity, low iron, light open wound
The facts stared at me with deadly accuracy, unyielding in their precision, convincing in their realism. I exited the shower, throwing my cloths in the washer in hopes of removing their smell of puke. I dressed my hand wound, disinfecting and bandaging it, before putting on sweatpants and sitting at the kitchen table. I needed to summarise what I knew, what I didn’t, and what I should find out. I knew about the number of options, which seemed to stick to 2, I theorised that con meant consequence, and that someone was gonna have to pay it, although I couldn’t establish any process for the selection of that individual with a single occurrence. I knew that my health could lightly fluctuate without grave consequences, although it registered injuries and afflictions for me. The presence of a mana bar before it becomes useful indicates that it’s use and management must be pretty integral to certain choices later on. So far, the choices have occurred at a pace of one per day since the opening of the mysterious package. I stared at the box the phone came in, perplexed by its blankness. No address on the box indicated my home, so it couldn’t have been dropped off by official means. The building’s camera system may have caught the drop off, but I couldn’t access those without permission from the building manager, and I couldn’t ask for that without people worrying for me, which was the last thing I needed. Resolute to test at least one of my theories, I opened my laptop, logged on to my work account, and asked for a one-week unpaid leave for health reasons. It would make a dent in my savings for sure, but that was the last of my worries at the moment. I picked up the phone and dialed my local pizza joint, and the same guy I recognised as the teenager who did deliveries in the evening answered.
-Pizza Paul, how can I help you?
-Hi, I’d like a large all dress pizza.
-Perfect, anything else?
-Yeah, I’ll get a medium fry and a large coke.
-Great, address of delivery?
As I gave him my address, I powered up my desktop computer, opening a show and preparing for the night ahead. So far, I’d only received one choice per day, but by spending the night awake, I’ll be able to verify whether the days were based on my biology or on the clock. As I transferred a few energy drinks from the fridge to my desk, a ring of my doorbell startled me. I approached the door on the ball of my feet, fearing the police who arrested the homeless man earlier was now here to question me. As I peeked through the peephole, my neighbour Stephanie’s face startled me, and I opened the door.
-What’s up, am I bothering you?
-Not at all, need anything?
-Depends, watchu offering cutie?
-I’ll come in through the front and make everything wetter, how about that?
She smiled, handing me the spare key to her appartement.
-Perfect, I’ve got a cactus, so use protection.
-Enjoy the wedding, give them my wishes.
-Of course, the ring bell camera is hooked to the tablet by the door if you need it.
-Perfect, see you!
-Ciao!
As she left, I closed the door, taking deep breaths. I had acted normally, so nothing should be alarming for her. As I turned back towards my couch, placing her spare key next to mine, my phone rang with my father’s number. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my breathing before answering.
-Hey dad, how are you?
-I’m great, do you have a minute?
-Sure, what’s up?
-Your mom was trying to watch her show, but she got booted off the account, could you help us?
I remembered the bi-yearly password change had happened, so I gave him the new password.
-It works, thanks a lot, how have you been?
-I’m good, I have a small cavity but otherwise I’m great.
-That’s good to hear, do you need anything?
-Not really, how’s mom?
-Great, she’s been gardening a lot, you’ll have to try her salad when you visit.
-I’d love to, say hi to her for me!
-Of course, I love you.
-I love you too.
As he hung up, a feeling of peace came over me. I could deal with these choices whilst maintaining a normal life. I just had to lay low, pick good options and stay myself. As I reached the couch, I turned on the television and picked up my controller, browsing amongst my games, finally settling on Minecraft. As the night began to slip away, I made myself comfortable and started enjoying my small vacation.

Notes:

double release, enjoy OwO

Chapter 4: third choice

Summary:

more mecanics

I’m in the zone. I’ve been playing for 5 hours, and I’m about to beat the wither. As his health bar dwindles, the choice screen fills my field of view. Disoriented and panicked, I lose, swearing as I sink back into the couch. Before my eyes, 2 options are available.
/Get an inventory (1/5)
/Get a servant (1/3)
I furrowed my brow, confused by the options. The numbers, though they seemed simple, perplexed me. Did they imply that there were multiple levels to the ability, or that it could be unlocked through choosing the same option a certain number of times? Whilst a servant could be observed by others, giving me proof of the choices’ existence, were the servant to reveal its origins, it could jeopardise my anonymity. Hesitant, I chose the first option, making sure to avoid movement to practice my control over this new ability.
/Choice processed.
In the top left corner of my vision, next to the box with a heart, a new box appeared, containing a pictogram resembling a leather pouch. I sighed, realising that at this rhythm, my vision would be pretty cluttered next week. Mentally selecting the box, four slots appeared.
/S1: empty
/S2: empty
/S3: empty
/S4: empty
/1 free item available
Understanding what was implied, I selected the free item, and the first slot changed in an instant.
/S1: Affliction cure (1)
A cure? If the item was what it claimed to be, this could be invaluable to me. By curing my hand in front of a trusted person, I could make sure they believed me. On the other hand, I could cure my low iron level, as the two other afflictions should go away on their own. The one which followed the cure seemed to indicate that items of the same nature could be bundled into a single slot. I walked to my kitchen, turning towards my fruit bowl and picking up a banana. I struggled for an instant, trying to send said banana in my inventory, but nothing happened. Still holding on to the banana, I reached out to the pouch icon, opening the window, and tried to shove the banana into the second slot. Without resistance, the fruit disappeared from my hand, changing the interface.
/S2: banana (1)
I grabbed a second banana, attempting to shove it in the second spot, where the number went up as the fruit left my hand. Fascinated, I attempted to summon the banana into my hand mentally, to no avail. Disappointed, I reached out to the second slot, putting one of the bananas back into the bowl and letting the other sit there. By leaving one in, I could observe if it ripened over time, allowing me to determine whether or not time passed within this inventory. Additionally, I sharpened one of my kitchen knifes and stuck it into the third spot. Before doing so, I experimented with a butter knife, insuring I was able to select which end of the knife would appear in my closed fist. With one last available spot, I chose to experiment. I successfully attempted to insert a broom into the last spot, as well as a microwave. I couldn’t insert my couch, though that may be because I wasn’t able to effectively lift it. It seemed I could only store items I could lift, but there seemed to be no other constraints. I turned to a lamp in the corner, unplugging it before attempting to shove the cord into the inventory. To my surprise, the cord disappeared from my hand, filling the fourth slot.
/S4: severed cord (1)
I looked at the lamp’s base, where the cord used to be, only to find a clean incision separating the lamp from what used to be its cord. Trembling, I attempted to summon the cord in my hand whilst holding said hand to the incision, but the cord which reappeared was still separated from its lamp. The realisation that I could take things apart merely by lifting a portion of them stunned me. If I were to grab someone’s arm and shove it into the window, would it find itself severed? Could I shove an entire person in the space? I opened my balcony’s light, before making my way onto it, determined. As the fluorescent light flickered, moths started making their way over, filling the space with potential subjects. I held out my hand near the light, apprehensive, as a moth gently took rest within my palm. Moving my hand at a snail’s pace as to not frighten the bug, I held it out to the fourth slot. The absence of any change reassured me, as it seemed the living weren’t meant to be stored. Stepping back inside and closing the light, I pondered what to use the fourth slot for. Obviously, I could keep it open in case I wanted to acquire something outside without being seen, but since my inventory couldn’t be accessed without me reaching out into the air like a lunatic, I considered it unwise. Exploring my possibilities, my eyes fell onto my bag from work, and an idea struck me. I picked up the bag, threw a banana in it and placed it in the fourth slot. The slot simply displayed the bag, so I took it out and inspected its content only to find the same intact banana. The possibility of using containers changed everything! I grabbed a different bag from my closet, a smaller one, and stuffed it with water bottles, nonperishable foods, and the 500$ hidden under my mattress. If things went south and my powers were discovered, this could allow me to hide out until things settled down. I looked at my inventory, puzzled as to how I could improve the layout.
/S1: Affliction cure (1)
/S2: banana (1)
/S3: knife (1)
/S4: Bag (1)
The knife needed its own slot to allow me to grab it in a pinch, I didn’t wanna find out whether the banana could rot or not by having it ruin my bag, and I didn’t know whether the potion’s container could be broken, so I wouldn’t summon it until I intended to use it. Lost in thoughts, a glare caught the corner of my eye, and I noticed the sun rising. Deciding I had done enough for the day, I started getting ready for bed, hoping tomorrow would bring me the same luck today had.

Notes:

thank u for reading, see you next week

Chapter 5: opposition?

Summary:

smol lore chapter

As I awoke, I stretched, somewhat groggy. My room was dark, the sun’s ray rendered impotent by my black out curtains. I slowly rose, stretching as I reached out to my bedside table, drinking with disdain the room-temperature water. As the warm water kissed my skin, flowing along my body as my thought flowed along the past week, my muscles let themselves relax. I shaved, my eyes within the mirror starring back with the same apprehension I granted them. As the blade teased my skin, I opened the status window, trying to notice any change in an attempt to document the progression of my wellbeing.
/Health: 97/100
/Mana: 0/0
/Afflictions: developing cavity, low iron, light closing wound
The status of the wound on my hand had changed, indicating a move in the right direction. Unsure whether the window would inform me or not in case of infection, I rubbed the wound with warm water and soap. As I ate breakfast, I looked at the clock which indicated almost noon and turned on the television to watch the news.
-…but do you condemn Hamas?...Two cups of flour…catches its prey with…22 dead…
I froze, going back to the channel I had just skipped.
-…before?
-No, this is the first event of its kind. Prison riots happen, but they’re never this deadly.
-What was unique about this one?
-The prisoners seemed more organised, as if they were planning this for a while. They rushed a specific block, taking a guard hostage and claiming if firearms were used, they would execute their hostage. Normally, they try to trade a hostage for something, but by keeping the hostage, they prevented us from going in with any guns, even the rubber bullets. It almost seems like they want physical confrontation, and they’re merely trying to even the playing field.
-What options are left to law enforcement?
-Gas, sleeping or tears, would affect the hostage. The prison is heavily reinforced, minimising our options for a direct assault. Police officers went in with tasers and batons, but the entrances had been blocked off. Water and human waste were thrown onto the attacking officers as they tried to pass the barricade, and two Molotov cocktails were thrown at them.
-It seems like you’re describing a war zone!
-I am. Without being able to use firearm, they’re holding a highly reinforced position, and are armed as much as us. The national guard is being requested, so the population has nothing to worry about, but whichever prisoner is at the head of this group is gonna be dead next month.
-I see, thank you for your time, good luck with this battle.
-Thank you, have a good day!
I closed the tv, disgusted. How come they were fighting off a whole police force? 22 dead was strange, although Molotov cocktails were pretty effective, and they opened a lot of small wounds, which could easily cause infection if combined with human waste. I opened my door, and crossed over to my neighbour’s place, intending to water her plants. As I unlocked her door, her doorbell camera stared at me, aiming at my door and making me feel like an idiot. Of course! As soon as I entered, I picked up her tablet, unlocked it, and started going back through the camera’s memory. Whoever had delivered those strange choices to me must have been caught on camera, and I could finally ask them questions! As I reached the faithful day, I started watching the footage in accelerated and slowing it down whenever any movement was caught. An hour before I arrived home, a strange figure entered the frame. The figure was tall, about an inch more than me, and it held in its left hand a strange pouch from which he pulled a box to place in front of my door. As soon as the box was in place, it left the same way it came, seemingly having completed its task. The pouch seemed to contain more boxes, sending a chill down my spine as I realised I may not be the only one with this power. The longer I looked at the footage, the more discomfort I felt as I tried to locate the figure’s face. The figure’s face should have been caught by the camera, yet when I looked at where the face should be, my eyes drifted away to a nearby point at random. Like two incompatible poles of magnets, whenever I tried to bring my gaze closer to where one would expect a face, it found itself redirected in an unconscious way. Scared, I closed the tablet, watered the plants and exited my neighbour’s home.
-Hi Sam.
My head swirled around, alert, as I spotted my elderly neighbour Suzane.
-Suzane! How are you?
-I’m great, but I’m terribly sorry, I seem to have startled you.
-It’s no issue, I was lost in thought, what are you doing?
-I was actually here to ask for your help, I got a new microwave delivered, but I have trouble getting the old one out, do you think you could help me?
-Of course! Lead the way, I’ll bring it to my car and throw it away for you, let me get my keys.
-Thank you so much, it means the world to me.
I grabbed my car keys and followed Suzane into her appartement. As I passed by her bathroom, I noticed the growing pile of various medications on her counter, one of which was morphine.
-How have you been doing lately?
-I’ve been worse, but I won’t be better.
Silence filled the space between us, as the implications of her statement had no need to be voiced. When her third cancer was diagnosed three years ago, she decided to fight, but a couple months ago, she had learned that victory wasn’t on the table anymore. Having lost her husband to her very executioner, she took the news well and entered palliative care.
-Here it is.
I picked up her microwave, and interjected as she followed me into the corridor:
-No need to accompany me, I’m heading to the store.
-Very well then, take care!
-You too!
I put the microwave into my car’s trunk and headed out into the city, wanting to finish my day by eating out and doing some grocery shopping.

Chapter 6: Fourth choice

Notes:

sorry for late update, I had a rough day O_O

I woke up around 9 am today, trying to come back from my night of gaming slowly. I hopped in the shower and started washing my hair, when the dreaded window appeared. I opened my eyes reflexively, spilling shampoo in my eyes. As I swore and rinsed out my eyes, I too k the time to look at the options available to me.
/Obtain a free item
/Compete for 5 free items
I looked at the options with disdain, having always been opposed to gambling. The safe option was attractive, as it aligned with my goal of flying under the radar, but with my recent discovery that I’m not the only one receiving these choices, 5 items might give me an edge. Perhaps emboldened by my recent successes, I pressed the second option, eager to learn more.
/Choice processed.
Next to the other two icons in the top left of my field of view, a third one appeared, containing a pictogram of a trophy. When I clicked on it, a box containing a short message appeared.
/Once the clock runs out, an object within the space will be designated. Whichever participant keeps their hand on the object for 30 seconds will be rewarded. All methods are allowed to ensure victory. No penalty will be incurred from loosing.
/08:58:36
Under the text, a small representation of the space was accessible. I easily recognised the space as a metro station, and a sign next to the exit informed me this was the metro station closest to my appartement. I now had a choice to make, and it wasn’t an easy one. I could stay home, suffer no consequences, relax and let the other person get rewarded. I could go, observe, spot whoever touched the object to gain info, and maybe take it myself if the other person stayed home. I could go for it, prepare for a fight, grab the items, and see what happened. If the person didn’t show, I’d get free item, and if they did, I could offer to share the items or fight. However, in the third case, if they came to observe, they would then have information about me and could even track me. The safest option seemed to be disguising myself somehow, going to observe the situation and deciding what to do based on the circumstances. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my car keys and started heading into town. Unsure about where to begin, I drove to a nearby pharmacy, hoping to get some temporary hair dye. Once inside the store, I flagged down an employe to make sure I’d get the right product.
-Hi, could you help me with something?
-Of course, what do you need?
-I’m looking for temporary hair dye for a cosplay, do you have anything for that?
-Of course! Follow me.
She took me into the hair section, only to point to a sub-section which seemed meant for cosplay.
-Do you want something for a weekend or a day?
-It’s for a shoot, it only needs to last a few hours.
-Then I would recommend these, do you already have colored lenses?
-Camera lenses?
-Contact lenses, to get the character’s eye color.
-No, but I’d like some please.
-Of course, here’s our selection.
I selected a darker hair color and bright blue lenses, asking a last question before heading to checkout.
-I broke one of my props, do you know if any place in town sells props?
-I believe the medieval shop by the church sells cosplay stuff on the second floor, that might be your best chance.
-Perfect, thank you!
I drove down to the medieval shop, picking up a prop revolver on the second floor, along with some silver paint at the hardware store and a few pieces of oversized clothing from the thrift store. I headed home, trying to mentally prepare myself for what was to come, and once home I installed a protective sheet in my bath. Once everything was secured, I spray-painted the prop silver, in an attempt to make it look real. I couldn’t use it, but I hoped the threat of it would be sufficient to let me get away if it came down to it. With the bath secured, I dyed my hair, staring in the mirror at a seemingly different person. I put the revolver in my thrifted coat’s inner pocket, I practiced getting the knife in and out of my inventory a few times, I put the contacts in and headed off to the metro station. The clock showed 2 and a half hours, so I would probably arrive before the other person. If I managed to identify them, I could deal with them before the item even appeared. I bought a ticket with cash to avoid leaving a mark, descended down to the platform and put my plan into action. I pulled a brown paper bag from my coat, sat in a spot where I could see a lot of the platform, and feigned going to sleep. Hopefully, I wouldn’t be kicked out, and no one would approach me.
-Incoming from green line.
-Leaving for red line.
The hours slipped away, punctuated by the waves of people going in and out the trams as the electronic voice announced their movements. The people took one another’s place, moving as a unit through the tunnels like ants within a nest, their eyes wandering anywhere I wasn’t, as if I carried a disease. I mentally opened the window, watching the clock tick down the last remaining minutes. As the last minute began, a message appeared.
/The object you must touch will be outlined in green for both competitors in 60 seconds. Good luck.
I looked around, ignoring the text and looking for the other competitor instead. On a bench a dozen meters away from me, a middle-aged lady seemed to be reading through the air, her eyes going from left to right frantically, without any writing in sight. She looked to be wearing medical scrubs, so I approached her, ready to take action.

Chapter 7: confrontation

Summary:

new caracter UwU

Notes:

Double release, enjoy OwO

-Hi, I’m sorry miss, could I ask for your help?
She turned around in an instant, clearly apprehensive.
-Yes?
I turned my injured hand towards her, having scratched it whilst walking over to draw blood.
-Because of my situation, the hospital won’t help me, could you take a look at it?
She looked at my hand, and I saw her gaze soften with empathy, making me feel guilty about abusing a medical professional’s instinct to help others.
-Sit down, I’ll disinfect it for you.
She turned towards her purse, and pulled out a small first aid kit, under which I caught a glimpse of a pocketknife. She seemed ready to defend herself, so I had to be careful.
-Can you check my rib too?
I opened my coat, flashing my revolver before closing my coat back up.
-I’m the other competitor, I won’t kill you, keep disinfecting or I’ll shoot a civilian.
She froze for a second, her eyes staring at the gun, seemingly evaluating the situation, before resuming the disinfection with slow movements. I mentally thanked my luck, having an opponent who knew how to deal with pressure and wouldn’t panic and scream.
-You’re willing to kill to win?
I smiled, knowing she was weighting my resolve to measure her chances of calling my bluff. I knew what I had to win, but not what she was hoping to get, meaning the opposite was highly likely to be true.
-What’s on the line is worth more than my life, at least for me.
Her brow furrowed, as she seemed perplexed by my words. If what she was offered was of equivalent value to what I was offered, she probably didn’t think it was worth dying over, so my bluff should make her think I had more to gain from this than her. As she seemed to weigh my words, a garbage can by the wall opposite to the tram seemed outlined in a faint glow, perceivable through the by passers making their way to and from the platform. Sensing her hesitation, I looked around and found a target before addressing her again.
-Look at those parents.
She turned to look where I gestured, her eyes landing on a couple in their early twenties, the young woman’s head laying on her partner’s shoulder as he laid his hand onto her large belly. The doctor turned to me, panic in her eyes.
-What about them?
-You’re going to step into the next tram, or I’m gonna shoot her in the abdomen.
-You wouldn’t kill a baby.
-I won’t let mine die, 15 seconds until the tram leaves.
As my words left my mouth, my eyes, already irritated by the contacts, mustered a few tears, selling the whole desperate father act. Hesitation crossed her gaze, and in a silent concession, she slowly rose up and headed to the end of the platform. I followed her, until the tram’s door closed between us. Her cart was empty, the late hour and distance from the stairs leaving the last cart a husk, filled only by my opponent. Once the tram began moving, it couldn’t be stopped, so I opened my coat towards her, snapping the plastic toy’s barrel off. In her eyes, worry was replaced by a storm of relief mixed with anger, as the safety of the innocents around us was cemented in the same certainty as her defeat. As the tram made its way outside my field of view, my knees buckled under the stress and pressure, as I hurriedly made my way towards the trash can, leaning against it until a notification entered my field of view.
/You won, 5 free items were added to your inventory.
Relieved, I walked towards the exit, knowing the challenge wasn’t over yet, even though the game may say it was. Once outside, I walked half a mile to the park nearby, entered a stall and began my transformation. The park didn’t have any security cameras nearby, so it was the perfect place to disappear. I took off the contacts, the coat, and changed into a tie-dye shirt. As a final piece, I pulled a joint out of my pocket, hesitating. I had never smoked before, but it would hide my smell, rasp my voice and the smoke might obscure my face. I lit it and headed back to the metro station. Once there, I entered my car in plain view of the cameras, hoping that if she got her hands on the footage, she’d rule out my car, as it clearly belonged to some hippy. Once home, I hurried to my appartement to take a shower, in which I broke down in tears. I had threatened a baby! A fucking baby! Not even a baby, a foetus! I resorted to threatening a pregnant woman, just to win a few fucking items. Is this who I am now, or have I always been this cold? I opened the inventory window, hoping the reward might give meaning to my actions.
/S1: Affliction cure (1)
/S2: banana (1)
/S3: knife (1)
/S4: Bag (1)
/5 free items available
I frowned, the hesitation pulling me out of my spiraling self-doubt. It didn’t look like I had to claim those items now, and the limited inventory space made it seem like keeping those items unclaimed might allow me to carry more, though at the cost of those items remaining mysteries. Claiming them would allow me to plan around their abilities but leaving them as mysteries would allow me to access more items in a though spot, though they may not be suited to the situation. Pondering, I dried myself off as I exited the shower. The stench of my cloths reached my nose, as I realised the effectiveness of my olfactive disguise. Disgusted, I threw the cloths into a trash bag, determined to wash them thoroughly later. I sat at the dinner table, staring at the free item option. I pulled the banana out of the inventory, inspecting it. No brown spots had appeared, although it was well ripened when it entered my inventory. With the experiment over, I clicked the free item option, knowing that the one free item I had received last time was insufficient for me to estimate what the average free item looked like.
/S2: unhealing knife (?)
Curious, I clicked the interrogation point and a short description appeared.
/Wounds inflicted by the unhealing knife will not heal naturally, requiring an item or ability to be closed.
I shivered at the implications, quickly understanding that this meant a death sentence to anyone not possessing powers. I pulled the knife out of my inventory, admiring it as it’s many uses flooded my mind.

Chapter 8: fifth choice

Summary:

new items OwO

I turned the knife between my hands, unsure of what to do. The blade, an opaque piece of what looked to be obsidian, had a jagged edge. On the thin back of the blade, a narrow scar could be seen, seemingly made of a slightly less opaque material. The opening seemed crafted onto the blade, and imperceptible movements seemed to occur below the semi-transparent layer. I ran my thumb against the back of the handle, admiring the unknown material as its temperature seemed to remain steady even against my warm hands. As my thumb ran across the handle, a small indent received my thumb, as if fitted to it. I pressed down, hoping to scan it through touch. As I applied mild pressure, the indent revealed itself to be a button, as once resistance became stiff, the blade stopped shining. I disposed of it in my inventory, hoping the state would be indicated.
/S2: closed unhealing knife (?)
I smiled, understanding the purpose of the “button”. I pulled the knife back out, rubbing the edge against my skin, as it glides against my flesh impotently. I put the knife back in my inventory, taking out the regular one, and opening another item to fill the empty slot.
/S3: water creator (?)
I clicked on the interrogation point, chuckling internally at how quickly this had become normal to me.
/Converts 2 mana to 1 liter of water.
Furrowing my brow, I opened my status window, hoping that a need for mana created that very mana.
/Health: 98/100
/Mana: 10/10 rate: 1/h
/Afflictions: low iron, light closed wound
The new information, though it was all positive, surprised me. I expected the cavity to go away, I had been religiously flossing since the dentist’s appointment, so it was bound to be removed eventuality. The wound had closed, but I was surprised a wound that wasn’t a threat was still indicated. As for mana, 10 was a round number, so it may be the default, but I had no way of knowing without talking to another like me. I paced around the room, trying to figure out how to get a hold of her, when the answer came to me. I got my phone, dialed my company’s number, and waited.
-Shovel accounting, prices so low we had to dig them up, how can I help you?
-Hey Mo, it’s Sam.
-Sam! You’ve been away for a while, everything good with you?
-Yeah, it’s a wedding, so I’m great, but I need your help.
-For sure, what can I do?
-This is embarrassing, but my uncle drank too much at the wedding, so I took him to the hospital. He’s good, but I talked to a cute member of staff, and I think I’m in love.
-You didn’t get her number?
-I forgot, I know.
-I’ll see what I can do, I was bored anyways.
-Thanks, you’re the best!
-Don’t worry about it, I owe you one anyways.
Before I could refute his claim, he hung up the phone. Scoffing, I pulled out the water creator, and a bowl appeared in my hand. It looked normal, it’s appearance and weight resembling ceramic. On the inside, a small pen-sized hole appeared deeper than the thickness of the bowl, although it didn’t appear on the exterior. I focused, trying to mentally trigger the item as I would to open my inventory. Slowly, water started to flow out the hole from the middle of the bowl, filling it to about halfway before stopping. I headed to my kitchen, pouring the water out into a measuring cup, verifying the quantity. Since it had no use to me for the moment, I pulled the bag out of my inventory and put the bowl inside. With the third slot empty again, I hesitated before pulling one last item.
/S3: complete mana refill potion.
Satisfied with the item, I closed the menu and got dressed. I pulled a pot out, deciding to make dinner. I’d been eating out for the past days, so I had to get some nutrients in. As I salted the water in the pot to make some pasta, a choice box appeared.
/Cure all your ailments
/Cure all of a random child’s ailments (con)
I frowned, surprised. The choice would normally be obvious, as I could cure my ailments myself, but the consequence worried me. Deciding I could deal with consequences with more ease than a sick child, I selected the second option.
/Choice processed.
Once the option selected, the hearth icon in my vision’s corner shook, making me open it. Under the afflictions, a new line had appeared.
/M: +1
I wasn’t sure what it meant, and seeing as it didn’t seem to affect anything else, I chose to ignore it for now. As I finished cooking, I received a text from Muhammad with a file. Once I opened it, I found a spreadsheet including the names, photos, jobs and social media of everyone working at the five closest hospitals. Smiling, I started to comb trough them as I ate.

Chapter 9: sixth choice

Notes:

sorry, this chapter is one day late, I fucked up. It is also shorter, but the next one will be longer

The faces took one another’s places, as the names melted into lines, the lines replacing each other at a dizzying pace. I scrolled through five hospital’s worth of staff, looking for a face as if it held the answers itself. Suddenly, a familiar face flashed in front of me, as I hurriedly scrolled back up. Her hair color was different, but her traits were the same, as if made from the same mold. Apparently, she was named Sierra Abbott, and she worked as an emergency care nurse. I looked at her socials, trying to find any information I could use against her. I couldn’t find any relatives, as she had probably removed them from her socials, trying to protect them. I looked through the pictures, finding the make and model of her car, and headed to the hospital. I parked two blocks from the hospital, walking over so my car couldn’t be identified and to take in the city’s fresh air. As I walked through the town, the buzzing of the simian hive filled my ears, the people’s innumerable voices molding into a singular chant of emotions and pleasantries. As I entered the hospital, all my senses found themselves overwhelmed. I walked towards the waiting room, the intercom’s crackling barely being heard over the cries of a baby. The room was filled, from injured athletes, whose skintight cycling suit failed to protect from what I estimated to be a car, to the homeless, laying about as to about the biting October air, to children, whose hands held their parent’s with seeming desperation. Despair seeped into my body from every pore as I sat down next to a lady in her 40’s, who seemed to be frozen in shock.
-Are you ok?
She turned to me, starring into the distance as if I wasn’t there.
-Sorry, I’m waiting for my husband.
-I’m sorry to hear that, how is he?
Tears started flowing along her nose, as she struggled to breath.
-We came for chest pains, and they took him for scans, I don’t know where he is.
I looked around, looking for a nurse to help. One passed by, running as she yelled for help for a reanimation. Triage had grinded to a halt, as a loud siren’s wailing came closer.
-Burn victims incoming!
The shouting came from a nurse, who, accompanied by others, rushed outside. I moved towards the window, curious as to the severity of the situation. I saw people being welled out of the ambulances, screaming as the sun’s harsh rays traversed with ease their swelling, detaching flesh. A woman had to be taken off the bed she came on, her flesh having stuck to it, as they pulled her off, hurrying to get her into surgery, bits of her skin fell off, her blood dripping onto her flaked skin. A baby was wheeled out, as a paramedic stood onto the stretcher, desperately giving CPR as blood was squeezed out with every beat. As they entered, a horrible smell filled the room, like burned pig, fresh blood and feces. Nurses rushed out, injecting fluids into the victims, to rehydrate and sedate them. Some people in the waiting room started puking, unable to handle the smell and images of the misery. As blood, burned skin and puke started building up on the floor, janitors and security personnel started pouring in, cleaning every surface, isolating the victims for their protections and assisting every person they could. As more personnel poured in, a familiar face met my eyes, upon seeing me, she froze, and a block of text appeared before me.
/Give your opponent a hearth attack.
/Cure half of the hospital’s patients.
/Notice: your opponent is offered the same two choices.
I turned towards her in a panic and noticed her eyes slowly trudging g across the text. Was she dyslexic? Realising I had a chance to act first, I sprung forward, protecting myself.
/Choice processed.

Chapter 10: empty hospital

As I sprung forward, her eyes locked onto me, drawn to the sudden movement. She saw me select something in a hurry and closed her eyes, seemingly surrendering to the loss. As she did, the noise seemed to fade, as if mourning her. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, looking down onto her patient, who had stopped bleeding.
-It stopped hurting, am I dead?
A bunch of voices started to arise from the victims, questioning why their situation had improved. Sierra’s eyes sprung back to the air, as she seemingly read the second option. A relieved look came over her, as she calmly selected an option. I braced myself, worried, as the baby’s crying came to an end, indicating her choice. I exhaled, a large weight being taken off my shoulders as she seemed to indicate something to her colleague before heading towards me.
-Hi sir, can I help you?
Before I could answer, the lady next to me sheepishly asked Where her husband was.
-Honey!
From a corridor, a man came running, nurses pursuing him as he did.
-Sir, you had a heart attack, please stay down!
As the nurses caught up to him and a chaos ensued, Sierra signaled to me to follow her, as we entered a consultation room.
-Thank you.
-Of course, sorry for showing up at your workplace.
She shrugged, seemingly unbothered, probably high on adrenaline.
-They’d be dead without, why are you here?
-I have questions, about our power?
She raised an eyebrow, looking mildly amused.
-Our power?
-Gift, power, miracle, call it whatever you want, I have questions.
-Go ahead.
-Do you have mana?
She chuckled, nothing indicating to me she was lying.
-Nope, I have endurance though.
-Endurance?
-It’s what allows me to use my healing, I have 10 and I gain 2 per hour, but it used to be 1.
-You chose to increase it, or it increases on its own?
-I chose, do you have the same thing or no?
-Somewhat, mine’s called something different. Here.
I handed her the mana potion, hoping to see both her ability to analyse my items, and to see if someone other than me could use them. As her eyes fell onto the potion, her arm airs stood tall, she lowered her center of gravity and her eyes started scouring the room at light-speed, the fear in her eyes evoking that of a trapped prey. Realising one of my behaviors had probably triggered the change, I slowly put the potion on the ground, keeping both my hands visible as her breathing slowed, her eyes still onto me, unwavering.
-For me, it’s a mana potion, I wanna know what it’s called for you.
-You want me to drink that?
-You don’t have to, it’s yours now.
I slowly turned around, opened the door and left. I understood I may have seemed cryptic, but it was better than coming off as hostile. As I walked back to my car, along with the miraculously cured patients, I noticed a commercial gym and got an idea. Once I made it back to my appartement, I got my weights from my room and sat on the couch. With my third slot available, I put the weights in it and swung my hand whilst releasing them, hoping to be able to throw heavy objects at great speed. As I released the weights, I felt a sharp pain, as the weight broke my toe.

Chapter 11: global choice 1

Summary:

things are moving, whether he wants them to or not

Notes:

ik it's been shorter for a few weeks, I'm in exam session, sowwy

I rose up, my toe’s pain radiating through my body as the sun’s gentle embrace radiated through my thin curtains. I had refrained from going to the hospital, as I was supposed to be in another city for a wedding, and since a broken toe was the least of my worries. I pulled out the affliction cure, hesitant, and opened my status window.
/Health: 93/100
/Mana: 10/10 rate: 1/h
/Afflictions: low iron, broken toe
I smirked, happy that my wound didn’t register anymore. Although my health level worried me, it wasn’t dangerous, so I could ignore it for now. I downed the potion, closing my eyes in anticipation. The liquid felt warm, though the flask within my fingers cooled them to the touch, and the taste resembled that iron-like taste one may experience after biting their tongue. My fingers and toes started to tingle as my core heated up, my blood seeming to pool around my esophagus. Suddenly, a window appeared before my eyes, displaying my ailments and asking me which one to cure. I hesitated, torn between the toe which I may need to run away and the low iron which couldn’t be healed in any other manner. Hesitant, I clicked on the toe option, reasoning that with these choices, other opportunities would arise to solve those smaller problems. As I moved towards the kitchen, subconsciously putting weight onto my toe, the distinct lack of pain raised my eyebrow, a part of me still in disbelief at my abilities. I reached the kitchen sink and let warm water run between my hands, relaxed by the warm water and the absence of pain. Curious, I turned one of my hands palm up and opened my first inventory slot. Water started flowing into my open hand, disappearing as fast as the faucet dispensed it. I let it flow, fascinated by the sight of my power, as I reached my second hand out over the sink. In a thought, the water which disappeared into my right hand started flowing out my left hand and into the sink. I stopped the flowing water leaving my inventory, curious as to how much I could accumulate, before my right hand began overflowing with unabsorbed water. I opened my inventory, witnessing the cause.
/S1: warm water (10L)
/S2: empty
/S3: closed unhealing knife (?)
/S4: Bag (1)
/2 free items available
Although the result somewhat pleased me, the use of liters perplexed me, though the water creator also used that unit. It wasn’t american units, so either this power had common sense, either it adapted to the wielder. Without any american to talk to, I would have to tuck that thought away and move on. Before I could conjure another thought, an unusually large window covered my field of view, the top of it adorned with a timer counting down from 24 hours. The text, longer than usual, was towering over the two options.
/This is a global choice offered to all choosers. Should you select anonymity, nothing will change. Should you select tracker, you will be able to identify choosers on sight, but other trackers will be able to identify you. Take your time in making this choice, as it’s effects will only trigger once the time has run out.
/Anonymity
/Tracker
I froze, stunned at the choice. It would affect all of us? I couldn’t know how many of us there were, but since there were two of us in a single medium-sized city, at least, it could be a worrying amount. If we could spot each other, fight might break out, groups might form, and it would attract the government’s attention. If the government got involved, they’ll make us police each other, register with them, and prevent us from running free. All they have to do is get one tracker on their side, and they can hunt us one by one. The obvious choice to remain anonymous was Anonymity, but something felt off. That option wouldn’t change anything for me, it would only allow others to group up, leaving me behind. On the table, my phone rang with the messenger ringtone, as I picked it up only to see Sierra’s name.

Chapter 12: compromise

I picked up the phone, hesitant.
-Hello?
-Hi, is this Sam from the hospital?
-Yes, I’m sending you my address, the line isn’t secure.
I hung up before she could answer and sent her my address. I didn’t want her to know where my home was, but in the current situation, it was the only place I felt safe to discuss stuff like this. Whilst waiting, I filled the kettle and pulled out tea packets. I waited nervously, counting the minutes as I doubted whether she would even show up at all. As I paced the room, a dry, quick knocking shook the door. I opened the door, and Sierra’s worried face replaced the oak slab, as she hurried inside, closing the door behind her.
-I’m armed, so don’t try anything.
I calmly walked over to my room’s door, throwing my phone onto the bed and closing the door, making sure to keep my hands in view. Noticing my behavior, she pulled a large mason jar out of her purse, keeping her eyes on me, and put her phone in it before sticking it back into her purse.
-Smart, I’m gonna take a seat, you’re welcome to sit or stand, there’s hot water and tea, you can serve yourself, I’ll have a sip if you want to make sure it’s not poisoned.
She sat down, hesitant, and put a taser down onto the table.
-I don’t want violence, but we need to talk about this.
She vaguely gestured into the air, not needing to specify what she was referring to.
-Have you chosen?
-Not yet, you?
-Mentally, yes, but I won’t click until we’ve agreed.
I furrowed my brow, surprised by her comment.
-You trust me that much already?
-No, but you seem smart, what were you gonna choose?
-Anonymity, I can’t allow myself to attract attention onto me.
-So, you’ll stay out of it?
-Out of what?
She looked at me with an incredulous look, as if I had lied to her.
-When have you last watched the news?
-A couple days ago, I’ve been busy with this whole situation.
She got up, picked up the TV remote and turned on the news.
-…Throughout south America, as gangs search for what they call choosers. Our correspondent in Chile to give us the pulse of the situation.
-Thank you, Sally, I’m here today in Chile as gang violence reaches a peak of a decade. Multiple armed individuals have been seen running through towns, breaking into home, and causing chaos. Of each village, they ask for one thing: a chooser. Though those seem to be individuals the gangs are set on kidnapping, why certain individuals are worth more to them than others remain a mystery. The term chooser isn’t unique to south America however, as such individuals seem to be hunted throughout the globe. Yesterday, the Belgian prime minister declared himself a chooser without further explanation and called on the UN to act in south America. One thing is certain, this isn’t the last we’ll hear of choosers.
-Thank you. We bring you back to Europe, where in Britain, a strike from the bus driver’s union is paralysing…
I closed the TV, pacing around the room lividly. Why were they revealing themselves, were they morons? I turned to Sierra, only to meet her frigid stare, her eyes filled with fear and aggression. I looked around and noticed I was standing between her and her taser. I silently moved to the other corner of the room, mildly annoyed by her caution.
-Sorry, I’m a bit upset by all this.
I gestured to the TV, letting my hand flail a bit as to designate the whole situation.
-It’s understandable, what are you gonna do?
-I don’t know, I’d like to stay anonymous, but I’m not sure I can afford to stay out of this. You saw with the metro, this power wants us interacting with each-other, it rewards it.
-But it rewards confrontation.
-Maybe, but it always lets us choose which fights to engage in. I’ll install cameras around my house, it says we should be able to identify each other by sight, it might work through screens.
-So, you’ll hide away in your little hole?
-What choice do I have?
-We could team up.
-Have we not.
She chuckled, signaling for me not to speak and pulling out her phone. She turned her screen towards me, showing me a run-down convenience store, before putting her phone back in the jar.
-So…
-Let me explain. This is what my grandfather left me when he passed. It’s on the side of the highway, so he thought the land would gain value. It’s got 3 hectares behind it so we could set you up a home, and you could sell the objects you get, like the potion, in the store.
-What’s the tax rate on fantastical items?
-We make an actual convenience store, I wear a hidden cam in the hospital, you tell me who’s a chooser, I give them our store’s address, and you can then sell them stuff, on the down low of course.
-What makes you think money is gonna maintain it’s value?
-Nothing, but we’ll maintain that reputation we gain, if we play our cards right, we may find groups to join without getting overly involved. Since we won’t directly interact with many people, we shouldn’t draw the authorities’ attention.
I paused, thinking about her idea. It wasn’t bad, and between the confronting choosers in the hospital and trading with them, the risks seemed pretty balanced. The problem was that I had few items, and even fewer I was willing to trade. I could buy items from others and serve as a trading person, since my inventory could secure those items, but I was still hesitant.
-Think about it.
She picked up her taser, putting it in her purse, and started to leave.
-You made your choice?
-Yes, so have you.
With those words, she left, leaving me to ponder her words.

Notes:

hiiiiiii, feeling better, gonna try to write more for ya'll OwO

Chapter 13: seventh choice

My alarm, a blaring siren, woke me as the sun came up. I got dressed, took care of food and hygiene and exited my appartement. I watered my neighbour’s plants, trying to catch up before she made it back, then walked to the street. Infront of my appartement, a Subaru stood, with Sierra waving to me.
-Hey! Slept well?
-Somewhat, you ready?
-Yeah, I got what you asked.
I looked into the backseat, where a PVC pipe, an air filter, cleaning supplies and security cameras were laid. I pulled my wallet out, intending to reimburse her, but she chimed in before I could.
-No need, I can afford it.
-Being a nurse pays that well?
-No, but my grandfather left me a lot more than the store.
-I see.
The rest of the ride happened in silence, the discomfort of the time spent with a near stranger taking its toll. She exited the highway, pulling into the parking of the convenience store.
-What now?
I handed her a roll of duct-tape and started taping the broken bits of the windows.
-We want the building as airtight as possible, it’ll facilitate the next step.
She raised a brow but complied. I outlined two holes in windows to be left open and barricaded all the rest throughout the next half-hour. Once it was done, I pulled the pipe and air filter out of the car.
-What now?
I taped the air filter to the window hole, holding one end of the pipe to it and taping my hand into the other end. Using the second, empty slot, I pulled air from the pipe, letting come out of my other hand. As I absorbed the air, the vacuum created pulled the store’s air through the filter, removing dust and letting air circulate.
-Smart, I’m gonna go in and kick up dust.
-Thanks that’d help.
She covered her face and entered the store, sweeping wildly as the airborne dust slowly accumulated in the filter. After a half hour, most of the dust was removed and the air in the building was breathable again. We picked our favored cleaning products, avoiding the unsafe mixes, and got to scrubbing. As the floor’s years of use slowly eroded under the brush and brooms, a choice window appeared in front of my eyes.
/Restore all the windows.
/Upgrade inventory (2/5)
Raising a brow, I looked to Sierra, who’s eyes were stuck onto the empty space where her choices would lay. Would she get another option to restore a part of the store? If we both chose to restore the store, it would go a lot quicker, but…
/Choice processed.

Chapter 14: Piss boy

As she reached out to select an option, she turned towards me, waving her arms for me to stop circulating air. I stopped, placing the pipe down and joining her inside.
-Did you get a choice too?
-Yes! My healing thing is stronger!
-That’s nice, by how much?
-I don’t know, I’ll test at the hospital, it’s the only way to know.
-Fair, want to try it on me?
She looked worried, scanning me up and down looking for any signs of injury.
-I’m not injured, but I’ve been putting something off out of fear, but if you can heal me, I’d like to try it out.
-What is it?
I looked up, the sun’s rays caressed the cloud’s underbelly, stretching its colors of blood and unwashed pillows across the sky.
-It’s late, want to try at my place?
Her knuckles whitened around the broom she was holding, as her eyes locked into my center of gravity, as if to predict my next move. I slowly raised my hands, trying to calm her.
-You don’t have to, but I can’t try it here, I need a kettle.
Her brow furrowed, as she seemed to run through possibilities mentally.
-Why?
-I want to keep boiling water in my inventory, for self defense, but I’d have to start by pouring boiling water into my hand, so, you know…
She loosened her shoulders, seemingly understanding why I’d need to do it alone with her, as anyone else would do the logical thing and prevent me from burning my hands off.
-What if it doesn’t work?
-Then you’ll heal me, hopefully.
She chuckled, seemingly stuck between surprise and amusement.
-You trust me this much?
-I don’t know much about you, but I feel like the trust you show by following me to my home is greater than the trust I’d need to do the same, I don’t need to know why, but if you ever wanna share, I’m here.
She smiled, looking touched, before heading towards her car.
-Let’s go burn those pretty hands off.
I laughed as I entered the car, buckling my seatbelt and entering my address into the GPS. As I did, I caught a glimpse of the clock.
-Shit, hurry!
She turned to the clock, her eyes widening as the tires sent gravel flying.
-Shit shit shit…
-Relax, we have a couple minutes left.
I opened the window, the countdown until the revelation of the seekers ticking closer to zero as my appartement was still far away. The dash lit up in red and blue, as Sierra’s eyes opened wide into the rear-view mirror.
-What do I do?
-Stop, I’ll pay the ticket and lay the seat down once he’s gone to not be spotted.
-Alright.
The car slowly came to a stop, as an officer exited the car and walked towards us. Sierra rolled down the window, and before the officer reached the window, I placed a hand on my crotch.
-Hi there mam, do you know why I stopped you today?
-I was speeding, I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.
-Can I see the vehicle’s insurance?
-Of course.
As she reached for the glovebox, the cop bending down to follow her hand, both pairs of eyes locked onto my crotch.
/S1: warm water (9,5L)
-I… I’m sorry sir, it was a bit of an emergency.
The water, released from my inventory, covered both my pants and the seat. A couple of drops, released from my other hand, adorned my face in an optimally miserable way. Holding back laughter, the officer spoke up.
-Listen, I’ll run your paper, and if they’re clean, it’ll be a warning, next time, stop earlier.
As he chuckled his way to his car, Sierra turned to me.
-You peed in my car?
-It’s water from my inventory, I’m sorry.
Her eyes lit up as she understood the situation, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
-You’d rather be Pissboy than pay a ticket?
-Shut up.
Her laughing died down as she saw me anxiously stare at the window.
-How long?
-46 seconds.
-Once he lets us go, we’ll hide you and get you home, relax.
I grabbed a cover from the backseat, covering my wet crotch as she chuckled. In the side mirror, I saw the cop walking towards us and sunk into my seat, putting on my best ashamed face. He walked slowly, as if on a leisure stroll.
-Alright mam, you’re clean, unlike some, so I’ll let you go.
They chuckled, and the cop walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief, staying silent through the mocking-filled drive home.

Notes:

No chapter next week, it's my exam week, sowwy :(