She looks at you curiously. "Well, this is a first," she says, and then shakes her head when you make to call the guard. "I've asked them. This is the right cell. Apparently this county is so stock full of criminals that their prisons are running out of space to house men and women seperately."\n\n"Really?" You ask.\n\n"In case you get any funny ideas in the future, the last man they put in here was a rapist. He tried to touch me. I finished the job for them." She shrugs.\n\nYou look at her, and wonder how she might have done it. You...\n\n\n[[Whistle in amazement]]\n[[Say nothing]]\n"[[Looks like we'll be each other's company for awhile.]]"

"Sure it was."\n\nThe door swings open, and the guard advances towards you with his baton drawn. You hold up both arms as a shield, and a moment later you feel a searing pain streak across your arms. You gasp, and another hit finds the side of your face.\n\nYou are thrown to the ground, and the guard smacks you a few more times while you curl up, trying to protect the softer parts of your body.\n\nThe beating finally ends, and the cell door is drawn open and shut. In your haze of pain, you hear the guard say, "I don't like to do this, but if you people don't give me a choice."\n\nThe footsteps fade away. You take a moment to catch your breath, and you push yourself up.\n\n"You think I didn't ask? Don't take me as an idiot," the young woman says from across the cell.\n\n\n[[Lunge at her]]\nCrawl into sitting position and say,"[[There was no need to do that.]]"

It takes a long time, but finally you think you hear her breathing slow and regulate. You stand up quietly, trying to minimise the clanking of the metal chains, and walk across the cell.\n\nIt is no good. Even before your body can reach across the centre of the room the chain is already taut and rigid. \n\nYou...\n\n[[Return to your bunk|Stand up and go to the bunk]]

Your punch goes wide off its mark and you stagger. A hard shove throws you back and you slam against the cold wall of the prison cell.\n\n"You... You stay away from me." The young woman gasps, glaring at you. Her hair is disreveled from the fight, and you see a swelling bruise on her cheek, but her eyes seem to tell you that she means it.\n\nShe makes a disgusted noise, before she heads back to her bunk and lies down, facing away from you.\n\nYou gradually regain use of your senses, and the buzzing noise in your ears fade away as you breathe easier. Perhaps the woman is not all she seems she is.\n\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]

"You'll be in here for a long, long time criminal."\n\nYou are thrown onto the ground. You try to get up, but a vicious kick throws you across the ground. You breathe in the wet musty smell of the floor, and try to remember why you are here.\n\nThen you pass out.\n\n[[Some time later]]

<<set $Playerchoice_2=1>>\n\n"Well, I thought I was doing a pretty good job at remaining unnoticed too."\n\n"Oh did I scare you? I didn't think I was getting that good at keeping myself noticed."\n\nA shape unfolds itself from the dark recesses in the corner of the room. You squint, but you cannot see clearly enough in the faint light. The figure crawls over to the other side by the cell door, and finally the flickering light falls on her face.\n\nA young woman sits across you in the cell. Her face is open and curious. She is dressed differently from you, in a style you faintly recognise. You try to remember where you've seen that style, while at the same time wondering how come such a comely thing would have ended in the same cell as yourself.\n\n"I think the guards must have taken you to the wrong cell," she says.\n\n\n"[[No. This is the right cell.]]"\n"[[Yes, I think you might be right.]]"

"Good," she says, and she settles down on the bunk. She is about to lie down, then seems to remember something. "Thank you," she says, before she lies down on the bed, facing away from you.\n\nHaving nothing else to do, you [[return to your bunk.|Stand up and go to the bunk]]

\nYou twist around, and manage to catch hold of her hand. With a forceful tug, you throw her off with a surprised yelp.\n\nYou gasp for air, and a kick from your sprawled opponent sends your world spinning. Another well-aimed kick to your stomach causes you to lose the air you just gained.\n\nYou snatch blindly for the leg, and another kick causes you to lose your grip.\n\n"[[Enough!]]"\n[[Swing a wild punch]]\n\n

You sit down on your bunk. It is merely a wooden platform affixed to the wall, and it creeks under your weight. There are additional bunks around the cell, but you two are the only occupants. The cell itself is a circular one with one door and no ventilation. The smell, which you only notice now, is musty with the smell of wet rot and dank soil. The only illumination that falls into the room is a dim bulb in the corridor outside.\n\nYou cough as you lie down, and stare at the wall scribbled with scratches of those who had lain here before you. The messages aren't very encouraging, or readable.\n\nYour eyelids begin to droop, and you blink once, and another, and then you fall asleep.\n\n[[As you dream...]]\n\n

You hold up your arms, and back away. The young woman gets up too, and moves away from you warily, breathing heavily.\n\nYou both remain staring at each other for a long time. Finally, she seems to tire of the exercise and goes to her bunk. She lies down without another word, facing away from you.\n\nWith nothing else to do, you look at the flickering orange lightbulb that illuminates the room and think about what just happened. You glance at the back of the woman, and wonder if perhaps she is not what she seems to be. \n\nAfter awhile, you feel a heavy sense of weariness settle upon you. You get up, and [[head towards your bunk.|Stand up and go to the bunk]]

<<set $Playerchoice_1=0>>\nOnly when you hear groaning you realise the brutality you just heard. Your heart pounds as you hear the guard stride back. Would he pick prisoners at random? You think he slows for the briefest of moments before your cell, but then he moves on, and disappears from view.\n\nFor a while the corridor outside is silent, then the quiet talking starts up again.\n\n"Looks like they're running out of space," a voice says from the corner of the cell.\n\n\n[[You jerk in surprise, having not anticipated someone else in the room with you.]]\n[[You glance about, of course, you already noticed someone else here.]]

She studies you for some time. "It is nothing to be proud of. I took no pleasure in killing him, but it was necessary."\n\n"How did you do it?" you ask.\n\n"I don't want to talk about it. You seem the decent enough sort. Maybe if you stay out of my way and vice versa, both of us might face north again someday."\n\n"Face north?"\n\n"Get out of here. The gates of the prison opens up north. The river runs to the south of the prison. Some go out facing south, and into the river."\n\nShe gets up, signalling that this conversation is at an end, and returns to her bunk. \n\nWith nothing else to do you [[return to your bunk|Stand up and go to the bunk]]

You come to, your vision swimming and your head throbbing. You hold your head and groan. A cold weight tugs on your wrist, and you follow the wrist-clamp's chains right to what looks like a solid slab of stone against the wall.\n\nSomeone hollers outside, and you hear the clanging of bars. You see a man stride past - he must be a guard, armed like that - tapping his baton thoughtfully and muttering to himself. Moments later you hear another voice, slightly raised, asking questions, and then the...\n\n[[Unfamiliar sound of something hard hitting what sounds like a wet sack.]]\n[[Familiar sound of baton on flesh.]]

<<set $Playerchoice_3=1>>\n<<set $lunge=1>>\nYou leap forward, but then the chain on your arm jerks you back. You lean forward, reaching out with your other hand, but the chain is too short. She sits there the whole time, watching you with a look of absolute disgust on her face. "Not only a rapist, but a murderer too. I guess I got you figured out."\n\n\n[[Lunge at her again]]\n[[Go back to your side of the cell.]]\n\n

She looks at you for a long while. "I'm sorry. That's not the way it works around here. You seem the decent enough sort, but I don't want to know. If you're looking for understanding, save it for the priests."\n\nShe gets up, and goes towards her bunk. With nothing left to do, you...\n\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]

<<set $Playerchoice_1=1>>\nYou've heard that sound enough times before. You wince in sympathy as the man's cries gets louder and louder until it finally tampers off to a whimper. You hear footsteps in the corridor lit by a single orange light before the silhouette of the guard strides past the cell again without as much as a glance at you.\n\nFor a while the corridor outside is silent, then the quiet talking amongst the prisoners starts up again.\n\n"Looks like they're running out of space," a voice says from the corner of the cell.\n\n\n[[You jerk in surprise, having not anticipated someone else in the room with you.]]\n[[You glance about, of course, you already noticed someone else here.]]

Her eyes flicker towards you, and she studies you carefully. You have this uncomfortable feeling of having your pockets being turned out, except that it is your innermost thoughts are being tumbled out of your mind an being examined closely. It is most uncomfortable.\n\n"You should be," she says.\n\n"Why should I?" you ask.\n\n"If I told you, you //would// fear me, and that defeats the purpose of warning you doesn't it?" \n\n"[[Go on. Tell me.]]"\n"[[All right. I won't ask.]]"\n\n

The end of day one of part one.\n\nDay two coming soon!\n

"Got it?" she asks, and the pressure on your throat gradually lessens.\n\nYou fall forwards on your hands, gasping in chest-shuddering gulps of air. The spinning in your head fades away, and you hear footsteps walking away. You look up, and she sits down on her bunk. She seems about to say something, but then her gaze falls on you and a look of disgust crosses her face before she lies down, facing away from you.\n\nYou gradually recover, and settle down against the wall. With nothing else to do, you look at the flickering orange lightbulb that illuminates the room and think about what just happened. You glance at the back of the woman, and wonder if perhaps she is not what she seems to be. \n\nAfter awhile, you feel a heavy sense of weariness settle upon you. You get up, and [[head towards your bunk.|Stand up and go to the bunk]]

Enlaya\nChapter 1: The Prison\n\n\n

"Yeah," she says. "And before you ask, don't. I don't care what you did, and neither should you."\n\n"[[I care about what I did]]"\n"[[I know.|I will.]]"

She stares at you. "I'm afraid that isn't the way it works around here. If you don't believe me, fine. I don't care what you think."\n\nShe stands up and goes to her bunk.\n\n\n"[[You expect me to believe you on some empty threat?]]"\n"[[All right I believe you.|All right. I won't ask.]]"

"Maybe. Then again, maybe not. The last man they put in here was a rapist. He left through the south. Face down. Into the river. Lay one finger on me and I'll make sure you go the same way too. That little incident saves me the effort of convincing you myself."\n\nYou narrow your eyes at her. Perhaps she isn't that innocent young woman you thought she was. She stands up, and crosses over to her bunk. For a moment she looks like she is going to say something else, but she doesn't and lies down, facing away from you.\n\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]

<<set $lunge+=1>>\n<<if $lunge<3>>\nYou lunge at her again, and she watches you calmly as you reach for the air in front of her. Her infurating calmness is getting on your nerves, and you jerk against the wrist-clamp, trying to get just a few more inches to wipe that look off her face.\n\n\n[[Lunge at her again]]\n[[Go back to your side of the cell.]]\n<<else>>\n"Not only a murderer and a rapist, but an idiot too," she says quietly, with a look of amusement.\n\n\n"[[I'll rip that smile off your pretty face.]]"\n[[Go back to your side of the cell.]]\n<<endif>>\n

"Oh did I scare you? I didn't think I was getting that good at keeping myself noticed."\n\nA shape unfolds itself from the dark recesses in the corner of the room. You squint, but you cannot see clearly enough in the faint light. The figure crawls over to the other side by the cell door, and finally the flickering light falls on her face.\n\nA young woman sits across you in the cell. Her face is open and curious. She is dressed differently from you, in a style you faintly recognise. You try to remember where you've seen that style. She is scruffled and dirty from her time in the cell, but you imagine if she were cleaned up, she could have been quite comely.\n\n"I think the guards must have taken you to the wrong cell," she says.\n\n\n"[[No. This is the right cell.]]"\n"[[Yes, I think you might be right.]]"

"Good," she says. There is silence for a long time - there is no way to tell how long has passed in this static environment, but finally the young woman stands up and crosses the room to her bunk. She lies down, turned away from you.\n\nYou...\n\n[[Wait until she is asleep and test if you can reach her]]\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]

You sit down, and glower at her. The young woman returns your gaze with the same intensity, almost as if she is silently challenging you. You rub your throbbing cheek and check for any broken bones with your hand, shifting your jaw with your hand. Thankfully nothing seems to be broken, only that it is painful to move your jaw. You wonder how you're going to eat for the next few days.\n\n"[[There was no need to do that.]]"\n[[Remain silent. Her actions have spoken clearly enough|I will.]]

The guard advances, his baton drawn. "What are you looking at prisoner?"\n\nBefore you have a chance to respond, the baton finds the side of your face.\n\nYou are thrown to the ground, a searing and throbbing pain in your cheek. The guard smacks you a few more times driving down the baton with vicious strength while you curl up, trying to protect the softer parts of your body.\n\nThe beating finally ends, and the cell door is drawn open and shut. In your haze of pain, you hear the guard say, "I don't like to do this, but if you people don't give me a choice."\n\nThe footsteps fade away. You take a moment to catch your breath, and you push yourself up.\n\n"You think I didn't ask? Don't take me as an idiot," the young woman says from across the cell.\n\n[[Lunge at her]]\n\n[[Crawl into sitting position|Go back to your side of the cell.]]

"Yeah. I get that sometimes." She curls up, drawing her legs close to her chest and stares at the cell door. "Just try to stay away from me."\n\n\n"[[I'm not afraid of you]]"\n"[[I will.]]"\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]

<<set $Playerchoice_4=1>>\n<<set $Air=0>>\nYou fail to notice that she is holding her length of of chain in her left hand. You reach across the cell, but your tightened chain restricts your movement. She however, is free to move, and promptly knees you in the stomach.\n\n//Oof//\n\nYou stagger, your wind knocked out of you. A kick forces you to knees forces you down, and a length of cold chain is drawn and tightened around your neck.\n\nYou struggle, trying to stop the choking, but it is futile. Your breathing gets shallower and shallower, and your vision begins to blur.\n\n"You want to know why they put you into the cell with me and not the other ladies?" she whispers into your ear.\n\nThe only sounds you make are gagging.\n\n"I can handle myself. The last man that was in here was a murderer, and they thanked me for doing their job for them. So the next time you think about taking advantage of someone you think is weaker than you, I urge you to think again."\n\n[[Try to throw her off]]\n[[Nod your head rapidly]]\n\n

"Go on then. Try it. I would just like to see you try." She stands up, and challenges you, all sembelence of calmness gone now. "Take one step forward if you dare."\n\n\n[[Take a step forwards]]\n[[Go back to your side of the cell.]]

\n"Really now? Why don't we ask the guard?" the young woman says, and before you can stop her she runs a cup across the bars. "Guard!" she yells\n\nYou hear running footsteps, and the guard's shadow falls across the cell. "Well?" he growls, and looks at the both of you. "What is it?"\n\nThe woman just shakes her head mutely. \n\nThe guard turns towards you. "Really. You've barely been here for a day and you do this kind of thing?"\n\n\n"[[It was her!]]"\n[[Stare back at the guard]]

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"It is not empty, and I can't be bothered to demostrate it to you. But if you touch me, I'll rip your eyes out," she says. The young woman stands, and goes to her bunk. She stops, seeming to be thinking about saying something, but she thinks better of it, and lies down, facing away from you.\n\n\n[[Wait until she is asleep and test if you can reach her]]\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]

Yanlins\n\n*A choice you didn't like? More description? An alternative choice? Comments can be dropped at twitter @yanlins. Thank you!

"Well aren't you the funny one," she says sarcastically, but the her look softens. "You should get some rest. You were hurt pretty bad when they tossed you in."\n\n"[[Don't you want to hear about my story?]]"\n[[Stand up and go to the bunk]]