Your Forest

[Meredith]

It is dark out tonight.


You can feel dirt underneath your downturned palms, the throb of the ground beneath you, perhaps instead the drumbeat of your own pulse. Your eyelids are closed, but you know it is dark, for you see no reddish light.


Slowly, you open your eyes.


The stars, or what you can see of them, are flickering softly in the distance. Trees, tall and looming, obscure much of the night sky.  It is dark out tonight, and cold. It must be turning to Winter already - there are no longer leaves on the trees, and the ground beneath you is dry - but you can’t recall the date.


You can feel many tiny scrapes that cover your hands, your shins, your face. Moving your hands off the ground to examine your body, you find out in short order that you seem to be wearing knee-length trousers and a heavy thermal coat.


You don’t know why you chose to wear shorts on a day like today. Maybe it wasn't your choice at all.


Despite being dark, and cold, your assumed forest is far from quiet. As you push yourself to your feet, you look around, still quite confused. You're not sure how you came to be here.


There is shouting to your left, but as you listen, it slowly starts to fade.


In front of you, there seems to be a light - but it is far in the distance, and you have trouble telling quite where it's coming from. The trees are in the way. You will have to stumble around in the dark without shoes.


As you turn, you see a dark building behind you. There is no light that you can see from outside. You think it uninhabited, but it could be a decent place to stay for the night.


What do you do? (Vote here)


                [1.] Follow the shouting. If there are people around, they may be able to help you.


                [2.] Follow the light through the forest. You're bound to find someone eventually.


                [3.] Enter the house. It is cold, and you think you may need shelter for the night.

 

[Meredith]

 [3.] Enter the house. It is cold, and you think you may need shelter for the night.


 

After a moment of consideration, you approach the building.


As you approach the house, its features start appear to you, just as the bark of the trees you pass yields its features and scratches to your eyes for only a moment.


You reach to twist the doorknob, realizing this house is most likely abandoned. The wood of the door is grainy and cracked, the condition of what you can see of the walls not much better. You can imagine it would appear discoloured in daylight.


Opening the door, you see that inside the shack seems darker than outside, standing still in the doorway while your eyes adjust.


You think of empty rooms and standing in doorways, you think of yelling, and you think of your sister.


Your sister?


You strain to remember, after a moment shaking your head. You're not quite sure that you have a sister - maybe a brother instead - but the notion sounds familiar.


You decide to yourself that you've one of both.


As your eyes adjust to the dimness, you can make out a desk, across the room. It's funny, you think - this house only seems to have one room.


You step inside then shut the door behind you, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Your fingers linger a moment too long against the wood.


You bring your arms to your sides.


There seems to be a desk in here. An old chair. Maybe even a crate, a rather large one, next to the desk.


This could be a ranger station, but an abandoned one. Woods rangers don't let their stations decay.


It's not much warmer in here, despite the absence of wind, the wind that you can hear howling outside.


You take a few steps into the room, feeling the carpeted floor beneath your feet, scanning the rest of the room.


There seems to be nothing else of interest in the area.


You think through your options.


You could always sleep. It's slightly warmer in here, and things might be better in the morning.


You could search through the desk and crate beside.


You could stay up till morning, giving you time to think and be alone with your thoughts. You frown at this possibility. You're already tired enough.


What do you do? (Vote here.)


[1.] Sleep. It's slightly warmer in here, and things might be better in the morning.


[2.] Search through the desk and crate beside.


[3.] Stay up till morning.