Choose To Live - The Paths

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Choose To Live
The Paths


Writing Challenge 4 is here and already we have some thrilling options for you to choose from in this adventure.
This journal will be a tad different to the usual, in that it will be updated at each round with ALL the entries for your viewing pleasure.


Round 1 - The Ruins



Your struggle to survive starts in the Ruins beneath the Expanse.  Separated from your team after a cave-in, you're forced to make a harsh decision to rejoin Urqhart and make it to 2 West

Writing Challenge 4 - Option AA)    Use the hatchet on Race to release his grip on you and the pack – then run through the tunnel behind you to attempt to find Urqhart, or find your way to 2 West alone.
You reach forward, slowly, and unzip the pack as silently as possible, withdrawing the hatchet. With an expression on your face that mixes sorrow with determination and sheer force of will, like a bad cocktail, you raise the hatchet as high above your head as you can before bringing it down on Race's neck. There is a 'thock' and a 'slosh' and a quick burst of blood that splatters across your face, but you haven't cut deep enough and he is still alive; still screaming, although now his screams carry the hint of pain as well as the deep seated core of fear. You raise the hatchet and bring it down again; a third time you do this and finally he is still and silent.  Peeling his fingers from your wrist, you carefully wipe the hatchet on his shirt but resist packing it away…the Tappers ar Choose To Live, Choice AA.) Use the hatchet on Race to release his grip on you and the pack – then run through the tunnel behind you to attempt to find Urqhart, or find your way to 2 West alone.
There’s nothing you can do.
Race is clawing at you, yelling, begging, whimpering. You try to tell him to be quiet, but it’s no good. He’s too blinded by his panic to listen.
Between his cries, the tapping comes faster. Faster than before, with fewer intervals between each beat. You won’t have much time left if you try to stay here, and if Race keeps clinging to the pack, neither of you will make it out alive.
Reaching into the pack, you grasp the handle of the hatchet. With the hatchet in your free hand, you swing at Race’s wrist. A slash of blood appears, and he howls in alarm and pain. The scream reverberates around the collapsed chamber, drowning out the Tappers for just a moment.
You say a soft “sorry” to Race and swing once more, with more force. This time th Choose to Live - Round 1“Shut up” you whisper-beg him for the trillionth time. “Shut up, shut up, shut up or I'll kill you!”
He throws a bitter hateful laugh at you, nothing more than one resentful “Ha!”, but it stops you dead-cold in your tracks. It stops everything except for the tapping, so loud, so near, almost there and you feel the panic rise in your throat. Because you can't do that. None of that. Kill him, outrun these creatures, on their territory, with your injuries and no sense of direction, in the darkness with nothing more than five light sticks to see where …
“Light.”
Light can protect you. They told you that!
“Give me the light sticks!”
You use your free hand to grab the pack, but he yanks it away and starts pulling your arm again, insulting you, cursing you and telling you what a terrible person you are. He is louder than the tapping and somehow that helps. You start shouting back at him because what difference doe


The Characters So Far

As you progress through the story, you'll encounter (or remember) many characters, not all of which are still alive.  Some may be useful, others, hindering.

    :bulletpink:

    You

    - Born in 8 North, you have never left the compound until now.  With a small group of others, you are destined to make a new life in 2 West, where, if you are lucky enough to make the journey, you will join a Coalition and start a family in the future.
    :bulletpink:

    Urqhart

    - The man in charge of leading you and your companions to 2 West.
    :bulletpink:

    Race

    - A fellow traveller with you.  The both of you were trapped after the cave-in which separated you from Urqhart and the others.


Dangers Encountered

In this world you've come to the understanding that not everyone survives, and those who do are lucky, or have made the right (not necessarily moral) choices to get there.  The world is a dangerous place unfortunately, and you're bottom of the food chain.

    :bulletpink:

    Tappers

    - Identified by their distinct tapping in the dark, you have never seen a live Tapper before.  The only thing They showed you was a disembodied hand.  Long and bony, you assume this is what is used to produce the eerie tapping.
    :bulletpink:

    Whistlers

    - Identified by their shrill whistling vocalisation, you have yet to see one, but from Urqhart's musings, you gather they are worse than Tappers
    :bulletpink:

    Screamers

    - You haven't encountered this yet, but know that it's the worst thing (that you know of) anyone could encounter in the darkness of the Tunnels.


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