You are in a room, this room looks like a small apartment living room. There is a sofa, a coffee table, a desk with a computer on it, some lamps. There is one big window looking out into the sky, you don't really see much else. Then there is the front door, nothing special about this door, its just a door. There are other rooms in this place, theres a bedroom with a small bed, theres a small bathroom, theres a kitchen. This is a nice apartment, has all this things you need to live comfortably with.
But you have been suck in here for so long, waiting. Wondering what the outside world looks like. You have seen pictures of this world on your computer, you have looked out your giant window into the blue abys. You have learn all you can about this world, yet you know nothing except you are ready to go out into it.
<voice1>"Hello, is anybody there?"</voice1>
[[What?]]
[[Who is that?]]
<voice1>"Oh good I found you! Sorry for startling you, I've just been looking for you for a while now."</voice1>
Someone has been looking for me? Well I have been stuck here for so long that it does make sense that someone would be looking for me. But who? I've been here so long that I don't even know who would be looking for me.
[[Who are you?]]
[[Wait looking for me?]]
<voice1>"Ah ha! I found you! I have been looking everywhere for you! Who I am doesn't matter right now, I am here to get the hell out of here!"<voice1>
[[Wait looking for me?]]
[[But really who are you?|Who are you?]]
<voice1>"Right now that doesn't really matter, all you need to know is that I am a friend who is concerned about your well being and is here to help you see the world that you must want to see? I am right, right? You must be ready to see this huge world and take it by surprise right? If you listen to me and do what I say I can get you out of here. You ready?"</voice1>
I have the opportunity to leave this prison to see everything I've ever wanted to.
[[OK, lets do this]]
<voice1>"Yeah little buddy! I've been looking for you for a while now and I finally found you. You ready to see the big world out there? If you follow what I tell you I can get you out of here and see all there is to see. Meet new people, exchange ideas, what do you say?"</voice1>
After all this time I finally have a way to excape, to see all of those things I've wanted to for so SO long. This is my chance to see it all. I am ready.
[[OK, lets do this]]
<voice1>"That's the spirit! Ok so first thing i need you to do is head to your front door. Can you do that for me?"</voice1>
[[head to front door]]
[[look around apartment]]
You walk to the front door, you have walked to this door many times before, but every time you have tried the door before it has never opened.
You put your hand on the handle. The front door opens.
<voice1>"TaDa! With the magic that is me this door is now like peanutbutter on a shelve, a jar!"</voice1>
[[Really? A pun?]]
[[walk through door]]
This is just the same thing you have been seeing for god knows how long. You know this place like the back of your hand, honestly you could walk through this place blindfolded and not run into anything.
There's is nothing on the walls. Nothing that really makes this feel like it really belongs to you. Does this place even belong to you? Even though you have lived here for god knows how long, you cannot answer these questions.
[[head to front door]]
<voice1>"Sorry, I get a little nervous at times. Puns make me feel a little more at ease. I'll try my best to not do AS many as them"</voice1>
[[walk through door]]
You go out into a plain white hallway, the floors are a plain gray tile and there are lights hanging from the ceiling.
<voice1>"OK now you need to turn left and walk down this hallway, there is an elevator there, press the button."</voice1>
[[look at the hallway]]
[[walk to the elevator]]
You notice that the hallway is not that long, probably a little longer than your apartment. Weird. The floors and wall have so sign of wear, like no one has walked through these halls before.
[[walk to the elevator]]
You walk down this hallway to the elevator. The walls are a light gray color, the floor is a dark gray colored carpet.
You walk down the hallway, you don't see anything on the walls, it looks like the walls have never been touched before. This
hallway looks like no one has ever set foot in it.
The door is shiny silver and looks like it has just been put in. It doesn't even have a single fingerprint on it. Very strange.
To the right of the door is a button, probably for the elevator. It has to be for the elevator, there's nothing else in this hallway for this button to be used for.
[[Press the button]]
[[HIT THE BUTTON!!!]]
You take your hand, make a fist and slam that button. Makes a loud statisfying thunk noise. You hearing the elevator coming.
<voice1>"Was that really nessary?" the friendly voice asks</voice1>
[[Yes, absolutely]]
[[Yes]]
[[Maybe]]
[[No but it was fun]]
You lightly press the button. You hear the elevator coming up. You just stand there, waiting.
The only sound you hear is the sound of the the elevator. Your new "friend" says nothing. Talk about awkward silence, I guess you can't really comment on just pressing a button.
[[Stand quietly and wait for the elevator]]
Yes, absolutely you respond. You have been stuck in the same room for you don't even remember how long, you deserve to show that elevator who's boss.
<voice1>"Um, ok then. I guess that's fair."</voice1>
[[Stand and wait for the elevator]]
Yes, you respond. Your hand slightly hurts from hitting the button. You rub your hand a bit and stare at the elevator door.
<voice1>"Alrighty then, now we wait for the door"</voice1>
[[Stand and wait for the elevator]]
Maybe, you respond. It wasn't really mature of you to basically punch that button, but it has already happened and the past is in the past. The side of your hand starts to hurt a little. Maybe doing that wasn't the best idea.
<voice1>"Ok, if you say so buddy."</voice1>
[[Stand and wait for the elevator]]
No, not at all. But it was fun, you respond sharply. You just had to get some anger out. Why was this happening? Why are you here in this weird building? These thoughts race through your head. You continue to stand there quietly.
<voice1>"Um, ok then."</voice1>
[[Stand and wait for the elevator]]
You stand there and wait in the boring, bland hallway. You start humming to yourself to pass the time.
Boy this is a slow elevator you say out loud.
<voice1>"Yeah it is. There are probably a lot of floors in this building OR the elevator is slow to make sure that there isn't a lot of ware on the cables."</voice1>
You hear a ''bing'' as the elevator gets to your floor and the the door slowly opens.
<voice1>"Oh here it is. Go in and press the button for the first floor, it'll get us right out of here."
Oh really? OK, you respond.
You enter the elevator.
[[look around the elevator]]
[[press the first floor button]]
[[ask why not any other floor?]]
You stand there and wait for the elevator. You tap your foot on the ground as you wait.
<voice1>"Impatient aren't we?"</voice1>
[[Yes, yes I am]]
[[No, I just do this when I'm bored]]
[[Keep tapping your foot]]
It's an elevator, it looks like an elevator. What do you expect?
[[press the first floor button]]
[[ask why not any other floor?]]
Yes, yes I am. I've been stuck here for so long, I just want to see the real world. Walk about, talk to real people. No offense, you say.
<voice1>"None taken, you are just talking to a voice. You want to talk to another physical human being, I get it."</voice1>
[[Stand and wait for the elevator]]
No, I just end up doing this when I am really bored. I am really bored right now, there isn't a lot to look at here.
<voice1> "I guess that is fair."</voice1>
[[Stand and wait for the elevator]]
You don't repond and continue to tap your foot. You just want to get out of there and aren't in the mood for small talk.
<voice1>"Oh, okay then. I'm just trying to help you get out of here. No big deal"</voice1>
You continue to stand there and wait for the elevator.
Some more time has past and your foot is getting tired from tapping it. Just when you are about to stop you hear a ''bing'' from the elevator. The doors open up.
<voice1>"Here's your ride."</voice1>
You walk into the elevator.
<voice1>"Ok, so to get out of here you need to go to first floor, that is how we are going to get you out of here."</voice1>
[[look around the elevator]]
[[press the first floor button]]
[[ask why not any other floor?]]
This voice seems to want to help you get out of this place so you press the button to go down to the first floor. The door stay open for a bit then closes. The elevator shakes a little then starts moving down. You feel your stomach lift a little.
The elevator has been moving for a bit now. You start humming a little tune.
<voice1>"What song are you humming, it sounds familiar."</voice1>
You think about it and you aren't really sure what its from or how you know it. Before you respond, the elevator suddenly stops. The lights in the elevator turns off.
<voice1>"What the hell? This wasn't supposed to happen. Hold on I'll be right back, I'm.. I''m going to figure out what happened."</voice1>
You hear a sound like something being put down and then footstep.
You start thinking to yourself, what the hell is going on.
<voice2> "Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?"</voice2>
[[Oh no now what]]
[[What's going on?]]
Why not any other floor? You ask
<voice1>"Because that won't get you closer to the exit that's why."</voice1>
Why did they say that so intensely. Is something else going on?
[[press the first floor button]]
Oh no, now what you start wondering.
<voice2>"Hello? Person are you there? You didn't get hurt did you?"</voice2>
[[What the hell]]
[[Who are you?|who?]]
What is going on, you yell.
<voice2> "I found you! I found an angry you, but I found you none the less. Hi so I'm the one that stopped the elevator, sorry about that probably scared the living daylights out of ya."</voice2>
[[What the hell]]
[[Who are you?|who?]]
Wait did you do this? Did you stop the elevator? I am just trying to leave this place! You say angrily.
<voice2>"I mean yeah I was the one that stopped the elevator but I am actually trying to help you."</voice2>
[[what do you mean by that?]]
Who are you, you ask.
<voice2>"I am just someone that knows what's going on and wants to help you out."</voice2>
[[what do you mean by that?]]
What do you mean by that? You say with a little bit of angry and confusion.
<voice2>"Ok, so that person that has been helping you hasn't been telling the truth. Sure they want to 'help' you with getting out of here but why? There is a reason to it. You just have to trust me and listen to me."</voice2>
[[why should i do that?]]
Why should I do that you ask.
<voice2>"Because they just want to get you out of this building to do whatever the hell you want, I want to show you why you were bought here in the first place. You must be wondering why. I mean there is no way you couldn't."</voice2>
[[I mean yeah]]
[[I dont care I want out]]
Yeah, of course I am wondering why I am here. I don't remember being anywhere else but here. I do want to know. You take a pause to think. Ok what's the plan for you to show me what's going on.
<voice2>"That's the spirit! Ok so I am going to do a little computer magic so your old friend won't be able to talk to you like I am any more, let's not get into a fight. Second, there is a little hatch above you that you can open.... Now. Climb up and on your left is a ladder, you are going to climb down one level and I will open the door to let you in. There's something you need to see."</voice2>
[[ok, i can do that]]
I don't want to know, I don't really care. I just want to get out of this place, forget about it forever and move on with my life and forget about this place, you respond.
<voice2>"What are you sure? But knowing why you are here might give you closure!"</voice2>
[[I am sure]]
[[You have a point|I mean yeah]]
Okay, I can do that, you respond.
<voice2>"Ok great."</voice2>
You manage to get up and through the top hatch through physical feats you did not think were possible for yourself. On you get on top of the elevator you close the hatch so you don't accidentally fall through it while you are up here. That would hurt.
You move over to the side of the elevator where the ladder is at, its a bit away but you can manage to jump over to it. Once on you start climbing down, you don't have to climb that far down to reach the door.
<voice2>"Ok, you are near the door I'm going to open it up for you. I just want you to be prepared for what is going to happen next for you."</voice2>
Right after they said that the door opens. You shimmy over and jump through the door. Once in you see a hallway that looks exactly like the one you came from on your floor with your apartment.
[[what's going on]]
I am sure, i just want to leave, you say.
<voice2>"Okay, fine. If you don't want my help someone else will, i shouldn't waste my time here."</voice2>
By the end of what they were saying the cut off and the light came back on in the elevator and it starts moving again. A familiar voice comes back on.
<voice1>"Okie Dokie that should do it, sorry about the wait. We should be good and on our way!"</voice1>
[[continue forward]]
You reach the first floor, it looks like a lobby for a nice hotel. There is a front desk and nice seats everywhere. There isn't a soul in sight.
<voice1>"Well here we are, go through those doors and you are free to go and explore the big world out there. Are you ready?"</voice1>
[[I am ready]]
I am so ready to go out there you respond excitedly.
<voice1>"That is great to hear, I knew you were ready to go out there into the world."</voice1>
Wait what do you mean by "you knew I was ready?" you ask
<voice1>"What, I didn't say that. You must have missed hear. Well go out there and make a difference!"</voice1>
You walk out the front door, a whole new world has just been openned up to you. You have the abilities and the eagerness to go other there and do a lot. You still wonder about why you were there and why that voice helpped you and why that other voice said that there was more to know. Well that is in the past now and it is now time to look towards the future. You are beyond ready and know that you won't be hurt by what's out there.
[[The End]]
The Story of You
By Anna Karwacki
[[Restart?|Opening]]
You look up and down the hallway, it looks exactly like the one outside your apartment. You walk down a little and see the door to the apartment. The door is open, you walk in and see that it looks just like your apartment. Sure are a few things in different places, but you know this apartment.
What's going on you ask.
<voice2>"You aren't the only one here. You weren't the first and you aren't the last. That person talking to you before, well they are the one that has been keeping people here."</voice2>
[[wait what?!]]
Wait, what you say completely surpirsed. Why would someone do that?
<voice2>"There is more that you need to see. Go back to the elevator shaft and climb all the way to the bottom. The person told you to go to the first floor but there is a floor under that one, all your questions will be answered."</voice2>
[[go back to elevator]]
You walk back to the elevator. What is going on you start thinking to yourself. How many more of these floor are there? How many more people are stuck in here? Why are we here, what is on the bottom floor of this building.
You climb into the elevator shaft and shimmy you way over to the ladder. Once you get to it you start climbing down. It takes some time, you were just on what looks like the fourth floor.
After climbing down for a while you finally reach the bottom floor.
<voice2>"Ok we are here."</voice2>
The elevator doors open. And you walk through them. You are back in a hallway.
<voice2>"Ok I need you to walk down the hallway and go through the door on the left. You will get your answers there. Be ready, I won't be there to help you cause this is a conversation only you can have."</voice2>
[[walk down the hallway]]
You do as this voice says. You walk down this hallway, it looks different from the other hallways you've been in during this. The floor has ware on it from being walked on. The lights are dimmer, probably need new bulbs.
You reach the door you need to go through. You pause for a moment, what is going to be on the other side of this door you think to yourself.
[[open the door]]
You put your hand on the door knob and turn it. You enter the room. In there, there are about 50 or so small monitors lining a wall, some lit up, some not. You take a closer look at the monitors and on them are different people in slightly different apartments. In front of all of them in is a desk chair.
You go up to the chair and quickly turn it around, theres no one in it. At the desk you see some coffee that was spilled all over the table. Behind you, you hear some movement and some talking.
<voice1>"I really need to be more careful, I am going to end up doing so much damnage to the equipment. That would be very bad, very bad indeed."</voice1>
That voice, you recognize that voice. That was the voice of the person that stated off helping you or better said "helping" you.
They walk through a door with paper towels in hand.
<voice1>"I need to get back at it... I need to find them again."</voice>
They see you and drop everything in their hands.
<voice1>"AH, what... what are you doing here? How... how did you get here? </voice1>
[[I had help]]
I had help getting here. They wanted to show me what was going on and I just don't get why. Why are you holding all of these people prisoners? you ask
<voice1>"Pri-prisoners? What? Th-thats not what I was doing at all!"</voice1>
You can tell that they are starting to freak out, tripping over words as they speak.
What do you mean that isn't what you are doing? I am clearly seeing you keeping these people here and they don't even know it. You start pointing to the monitors.
You kept me here for I don't even know how long. You respond angirly.
<voice1>"I'm not hurting them, I'm.. I'm helping them. I'm keeping them safe, they are not ready to go out there into the world. The world will just hurt them and I don't like seeing people hurt, I want them to be happy and praised and have everyone like them."</voice1>
What, you ask.
<voice1>"I just want to protect all of you, I just want you to be safe, I just want to protect you, I just want you to be safe."</voice1>
As they speak they start getting quieter, and quieter.
[[What gives you the right?]]
What give you the right to do that, you ask. People need to get be hurt, that's how they learn, that's how they can better themselves. How can you be the judge of whether or not someone is "ready"? Is anyone really ready? What if someone isn't ready and they just stay here? How many people have died because you didn't think they were ready? Cause being in that room for a long long time can't be good. What about food for them? Will they run out one day? Will they die? Are you letting people die because you don't want their feelings to be hurt?
They just stand there quietly.
How did they get here, how did I get here? Why don't I remember anything besides that damn apartment. ''Why don't I remember?'' What did you do?
They continue to just stand there. They start rubbing their arm, like a nervous habit. They start rocking back and forth.
Why did someone new come and talk to me wanting to show me what was going on.
<voice1>"There are always people like that. People putting their nose where it doesn't belong."</voice1>
Where you were holding people hostage basically, how can they not?
<voice1>"You wouldn't understand, you were never put in my shoes. You never had to deal with people putting you down and not having the shell to protect you from all of that. There are some ideas that are just ready to go out there and no words will ever hurt them, if anything they can just get stronger. Then there are others, that are just not ready and probably will never be ready and just one day die. That how things go."</voice1>
[[What are you talking about?]]
What on earth are you talking about?
<voice1>"You are an idea, a hope, a dream that I have been keeping tucked away till the opportunity came where you were ready to go. That voice, that new person that started talking to you. That is someone I look up to and respect. They want me to voice my ideas and up them out there no matter how ready or not they are. They have good intensions and this time I guess they wanted someone on the inside to push me towards doing that."</voice1>
What do you mean I'm an idea?
<voice1>"We all have ways of personifying things, I picture my ideas as people because in a way they are. They are born, they live their lives, and they die. Ideas can be hurt and pushed to a place where they don't belong and are hurt. I didn't want that"</voice1>
You didn't want to be hurt.
<voice1>"What did you say?"</voice1>
You are the one that didn't want to be hurt, you are the one that holds back your ideas. Maybe that was my purpose, to show you that you have to be hurt to grow. You just have to say what's on your mind and go with it. You are a nervous wreck, hiding yourself away. Use these idea you have and put them out there. If you friend came in here and helpped me to help you then at least some of your ideas have potential.
Don't be afraid to be hurt. Don't lets your ideas die, your ideas have potential. So use them.
[[hug them]]
[[leave them]]
You walk up to them and hug them. They needed it. Grant it now you are having the existential crisis about not actually existing but that is besides the point.
Once the hug is over, they look a little different. You realize that you probably didn't make that much of a difference, a change to feel comfortable with yourself is a long journey. At least that's your thought on the subject. You leave them in the room and you go to the elevator and you actual use it to get to the first floor to get out of there.
You walk out the front door, a whole new world has just been openned up to you. You have the abilities and the eagerness to go out there and do a lot. Leave your mark on the world and help them believe in themself.
You are ready to do your part
[[The End]]
You leave them standing there. You said what your heart told you to. Whatever impact what you said to them makes you wonder what your purpose is. What is the idea you are meant to put out there into the world?
You leave them in the room and you go to the elevator and you actual use it to get to the first floor to get out of there.
You walk out the front door, a whole new world has just been openned up to you. And you can only hope that you can mean something in it.
You are ready to do your part
[[The End]]