Discord
01-23-2024, 12:08 PM
You think over the proposal.
"...I guess it beats sitting scared and bored in a hotel room.
So... sure?"
You give her a slow, tired thumbs-up.
"Plus... tableto- Horror movie logic says
don't split the party."
"That's th' spirit.
Let's get goin'."
You follow her out the door, making your way around your block of motel rooms,
heading for the center.
"So:
Plan is:
We get to th' middle, in between all th' motel rooms,
get a better look at where that light's comin' down to,
then go search th' rooms around in that spot.
That work?" "Yeah.
...Guess we can go get the keys from the office?"
The bat grins, holding up an oddly-shaped key and swinging it on her claw.
"Got a skeleton key from there already."
"...Those are still a thing? I thought they were just... old. Mostly in movies."
"Nahh.
Places like this - older motels that still use proper lock n' key - usually have 'em f'r th' cleanin' staff."
"...oh. That's good."
You look down at the pavement, thinking.
"...Does this feel weirdly artificial to you?
Like it's, scripted?" Aubrey stops in her tracks, putting a paw to her chin.
"Hm."
"Square bit of land where we're shut in, the way forward- what we Hope is the way forward,
is signposted by a big tendril in the sky, and those lights and symbols on the bus...
...worried there's someone or something pulling strings."
The bat scratches her chin.
"Eh.
Doesn't matter yet, if it's that or not.
Not like we've got much choice."
She continues walking.
"...I guess." You follow along.
You both reach the approximate center, heading over by the pool to get a better look at the sky.
The bat puts her paw at her eyebrows, squinting into the dark sky.
The tendril's color fades quickly as you follow it downward.
"...dammit..." The bat gives up.
"C'n you make it out?
Eyesight's shit these days, can't see it much."
You're able to follow it without too much trouble,
pointing your finger to the area you think it's going down to;
a few motel rooms at the opposite end.
"...can't tell if it's the 2nd or 1st floor, but probably the 2nd, since they're higher up."
"Guess we'll see,
good goin'." The bat gives your shoulder a pat;
with more force than she probably realizes, nearly making you stumble.
Soon enough, the two of you are making your way up the stairs.
You give the sky another glance,
pretty sure it's leading to a specific motel room, which you point out.
"Think it's... thiiiis one?"
"On it."
She whips out the skeleton key, giving it a little twirl before sticking it in the lock.
She unlocks it.
Or, tries to.
With multiple attempts with varying strength and angle,
she finally manages to unlock it with great effort.
She turns the knob and pulls.
It doesn't budge.
Even pulling as hard as she can,
nothing happens.
The bat scratches her head.
"Huh...
Could kick it in or break th' window,
but don't wanna make Too much noise, case there's more heart attack bastards around."
She looks skyward, thinking.
As you stand and brainstorm solutions,
Aubrey's ears twitch.
Suddenly, she's listening intently.
You do the same.
Music, coming from the adjacent room.
"I hear--" "Yep."
She unlocks that door,
the song pouring out as you both enter and shut the door behind you.
Another alarm clock radio.
"Fuck's sake, again?"
She grumbles,
making her way over and swiftly unplugging the alarm clock.
Otherwise, the room is fairly standard,
other than the door connecting this motel room to the next one.
Aubrey notices it at the same time you do.
"...huh.
Lucky, I guess."
You look at the door, then the radio.
"...remember what I said about things feeling scripted...?"
" . . .
...Fuckin' better not be someone screwin' with us."
Aubrey approaches the door.
The skeleton key slides into the lock.
It turns and unlocks.
Before she opens it, she motions to something on the floor.
You lean down to look.
There's a green-brown vine that's snaked its way under the door at some point,
having curled up against this side of it.
Aubrey steps back from the door.
"...You open it."
"You're trying to use me as Bait--?!" "Nope.
When y' pull it open, pull yourself back behind th' door, on This side of it.
That way if somethin' comes through, it won't see you, you'll have the door t' protect you,
and I can take it down right away."
She raises her revolver to the side.
"Oh.
...Okay." "Sound like a plan?"
You nod, getting in position.
"Ready?" "Hit it."
She raises the revolver.
You pull on the door.
It doesn't budge.
Again, as hard as you can.
It doesn't budge.
You step back, rubbing your still-sore shoulder.
The bat shakes her head, stepping over.
"...fuck this."
She turns the knob, and RAMS her shoulder into the door.
Once.
Twice.
It busts open with a CRUNCH.
Inside, the room is absolutely covered in vines, buds, and various flowers.
Sunken into the bedsheets and mattresses,
weaving itself through the ceiling and lights,
coating a huge percentage of the surface area in the room.
You cough, the earthy smell coming on strong.
Aubrey steps inside after a pause, careful not to trip over the vines and roots along the carpet.
You follow along, doing so less successfully.
"...why the hell'd I take on another U.M.I.R.A. job...?" she mutters to herself.
"...maybe we shouldn't, uh...
...maybe it's... the wrong room...?"
Aubrey's shoulders droop as she spots something.
"...it's the right room."
She nudges your side, pointing.
Partially-covered by the destroyed bed, on the wall opposite the front door,
a rusted, metal gate stands - inside the wall.
White mist is visible through the vine-covered slats,
and there's an occasional, dim pulse of a light on the inside, further in that you can see.
You both stare at it,
your jaw going slack.
Realizing the gate must lead into the bathroom on the other side,
you cautiously step around the corner to look into the bathroom,
figuring it must just be filled with mist on the inside.
The bathroom is mostly-intact and clear of any sort of fog,
save for more plant-life growing inside, having cracked tiles.
It looks completely different from the area you could see through the gate.
Aubrey comes to the same conclusion as the both of you stare inside.
She shakes her head, rubbing her muzzle.
"...Don't think f'r a second--"
The radio in the room suddenly crackles to life, startling you both.
Another song.
"God's sake--"
She stomps over, leaning around all the plants to get at the cord.
"Like th' damn thing's following..."
She trails off.
Your eyes widen.
The bat slowly lets go of the cord.
"It... has to be a warning..." " . . . "
"Someone's... trying to help us-" "No-"
"The one, at the gas station drew you over-" "No way in hell-"
"That's how you knew to Save me, and it distracted-" "Kid-"
"What else could it be?" "Anything!
I've seen plenty of weird shit, it--"
She glances around,
worried,
as if something were watching her.
"...Look, I don't know, kid.
It... Could be that.
Maybe.
But it's not somethin' we c'n just trust automatically.
Maybe it's someone screwin' with us.
Maybe it's someone tryin' t' scare us away, so they c'n pick us off.
Maybe it's a ghost!
Maybe they drew me over so I'd get killed by that thing, too,
or maybe among all th' Other crazy shit goin' on,
th' radio just plays stuff that's relevant t' what's happenin'.
Doesn't mean it's Definitely a person.
And if it is,
doesn't mean they wanna Help."
The radio changes tracks.
Both of you stare.
"...can't just
sit here n' play with th' radio,
no matter What's actually happenin'.
Just.
Doesn't change anythin' right now."
"We still gotta Go In There; it's th' Only lead we've got.
If... if it's a warnin' then... just..."
She rubs her face.
"...then we just gotta be quick, quiet, careful;
in, out, done."
The radio shorts out, coming to a stop.
One of the roots had apparently grown through the cord, when you give it a look.
" . . .
...In.
Out.
Done.
...you stayin' here?"
"I'm not staying here Alone."
"...Alright then."
She puts a gentle paw on your shoulder.
You hadn't realized you'd been shaking.
"...s'gonna be okay, kid.
You got this. We got this."
Aubrey makes her way up to the gate.
She puts her paw on it.
"I go first, no matter what,
unless I say otherwise.
If we talk, we keep our voices Low.
Quiet.
Same with y'r footsteps, best y' can.
As we go along,
keep the Layout in mind - t' make sure y' c'n find th' Exit again -
and so y' can find Safe Spots, n' Places t' Hide,
if y' need 'em.
Don't fight unless I tell y' to, or unless y' have to.
Got all that?" "...Think so."
"Good enough."
She takes a deep breath.
You try.
You're too scared.
It's shallow.
Aubrey pushes the gate open.
The both of you walk through, into the mist.
The gate creaks as it swings, clinking shut behind you.
Your stomach drops.
You follow along.
Every step, every noise,
makes you want to run back to relative safety.
It's difficult to see well into the mist.
As best you can tell, you're in a corridor.
Following Aubrey.
You can't stop thinking
about how the bathroom should've been there.
Or one of the other apartments.
How you'd be currently stepping off the balcony of the motel room on the other side, right now,
how you were likely now walking Above where the pool should be,
down below you.
The mist gradually seems to change in color, the further down the tunnel you go.
From white-grey
to the sickly,
green-yellow you'd seen on the tendril.
It's getting darker, too.
You can't stop thinking through it.
The logistics.
The
Reality of it all.
The lack thereoff.
You feel sick.
The noises are getting to you.
You can't stop thinking about waking up from all this.
Just when you can't stand it any longer.
Just when you're ready to tap her shoulder, to tell her you want to go back.
You emerge from the tunnel.
It's clearer, on the other side.
But the same discolored mist is still there, albeit in much less concentrated quantities,
even if the particles of it seem... concerningly-larger; as if it may not be mist at all.
You almost miss the obscuring fog.
You do your best to comprehend what you're seeing.
As best as you can understand it:
You're likely atop some plateau.
To your left, not far up ahead, there's a drop-off.
You can't see the bottom of it.
You can see occasional glimpses of
things, in that distance.
Some are plants.
You think.
Swaying.
Taller than any tree you've ever witnessed.
You think, anyway.
You don't know.
You swear you spot one twitching, every once in a while.
Some of the things you see
that are definitely Not plants
are immeasurably large, given your best estimate of the distance.
You think you might be able to feel the very Slight vibrations of their leviathan footsteps.
You don't know if you're imagining it.
Others are. Smaller.
In comparison, anyway.
Hardly spotted at all.
Only the occasional spots between plants that flash with quick movement.
You don't want to look that way anymore.
Before you.
Out in front.
Is a short path leading to an elevator, on the underside of a cliff.
There's a sign nearby there, which reads:
OLIVAN NATURAL AREA & BIODOME
The letters on it are nearly too withered to read.
Up above it, on top of the cliff,
is a giant dome structure of metal and glass.
You think you see some kind of light from the inside.
Pulsing faintly.
It's difficult to make out from where you're at.
To your right,
you spot dark woods, with a path running through it.
Non-illuminated, but the vague ambient light makes it not Entirely pitch-black.
As if it's moonlit.
Still, it's darker than anything else you can see.
You don't even like looking inside.
Beside the woods, also on your right,
is a series of shaky rope bridges, hung to pass over what looks like a swamp.
The bridges don't make up an entire path, even from what little you can see from where you're at;
sketchy-looking rocks that look difficult to traverse but technically doable mark the spots where the bridges aren't.
On the other side of the woods and swamp lies a stone bridge and staircase,
which leads up to the top of the cliff, to the giant glass structure.
"...should check up there, might be it," Aubrey whispers to you.
"...but don't like the look of... either path over there.
Elevator's probably worth a look, too."
Thoughts:
"...I guess it beats sitting scared and bored in a hotel room.
So... sure?"
You give her a slow, tired thumbs-up.
"Plus... tableto- Horror movie logic says
don't split the party."
"That's th' spirit.
Let's get goin'."
You follow her out the door, making your way around your block of motel rooms,
heading for the center.
"So:
Plan is:
We get to th' middle, in between all th' motel rooms,
get a better look at where that light's comin' down to,
then go search th' rooms around in that spot.
That work?" "Yeah.
...Guess we can go get the keys from the office?"
The bat grins, holding up an oddly-shaped key and swinging it on her claw.
"Got a skeleton key from there already."
"...Those are still a thing? I thought they were just... old. Mostly in movies."
"Nahh.
Places like this - older motels that still use proper lock n' key - usually have 'em f'r th' cleanin' staff."
"...oh. That's good."
You look down at the pavement, thinking.
"...Does this feel weirdly artificial to you?
Like it's, scripted?" Aubrey stops in her tracks, putting a paw to her chin.
"Hm."
"Square bit of land where we're shut in, the way forward- what we Hope is the way forward,
is signposted by a big tendril in the sky, and those lights and symbols on the bus...
...worried there's someone or something pulling strings."
The bat scratches her chin.
"Eh.
Doesn't matter yet, if it's that or not.
Not like we've got much choice."
She continues walking.
"...I guess." You follow along.
You both reach the approximate center, heading over by the pool to get a better look at the sky.
The bat puts her paw at her eyebrows, squinting into the dark sky.
The tendril's color fades quickly as you follow it downward.
"...dammit..." The bat gives up.
"C'n you make it out?
Eyesight's shit these days, can't see it much."
You're able to follow it without too much trouble,
pointing your finger to the area you think it's going down to;
a few motel rooms at the opposite end.
"...can't tell if it's the 2nd or 1st floor, but probably the 2nd, since they're higher up."
"Guess we'll see,
good goin'." The bat gives your shoulder a pat;
with more force than she probably realizes, nearly making you stumble.
Soon enough, the two of you are making your way up the stairs.
You give the sky another glance,
pretty sure it's leading to a specific motel room, which you point out.
"Think it's... thiiiis one?"
"On it."
She whips out the skeleton key, giving it a little twirl before sticking it in the lock.
She unlocks it.
Or, tries to.
With multiple attempts with varying strength and angle,
she finally manages to unlock it with great effort.
She turns the knob and pulls.
It doesn't budge.
Even pulling as hard as she can,
nothing happens.
The bat scratches her head.
"Huh...
Could kick it in or break th' window,
but don't wanna make Too much noise, case there's more heart attack bastards around."
She looks skyward, thinking.
As you stand and brainstorm solutions,
Aubrey's ears twitch.
Suddenly, she's listening intently.
You do the same.
Music, coming from the adjacent room.
"I hear--" "Yep."
She unlocks that door,
the song pouring out as you both enter and shut the door behind you.
▶ Listen Up
Ginger Root
Ginger Root
Another alarm clock radio.
"Fuck's sake, again?"
She grumbles,
making her way over and swiftly unplugging the alarm clock.
Otherwise, the room is fairly standard,
other than the door connecting this motel room to the next one.
Aubrey notices it at the same time you do.
"...huh.
Lucky, I guess."
You look at the door, then the radio.
"...remember what I said about things feeling scripted...?"
" . . .
...Fuckin' better not be someone screwin' with us."
Aubrey approaches the door.
The skeleton key slides into the lock.
It turns and unlocks.
Before she opens it, she motions to something on the floor.
You lean down to look.
There's a green-brown vine that's snaked its way under the door at some point,
having curled up against this side of it.
Aubrey steps back from the door.
"...You open it."
"You're trying to use me as Bait--?!" "Nope.
When y' pull it open, pull yourself back behind th' door, on This side of it.
That way if somethin' comes through, it won't see you, you'll have the door t' protect you,
and I can take it down right away."
She raises her revolver to the side.
"Oh.
...Okay." "Sound like a plan?"
You nod, getting in position.
"Ready?" "Hit it."
She raises the revolver.
You pull on the door.
It doesn't budge.
Again, as hard as you can.
It doesn't budge.
You step back, rubbing your still-sore shoulder.
The bat shakes her head, stepping over.
"...fuck this."
She turns the knob, and RAMS her shoulder into the door.
Once.
Twice.
It busts open with a CRUNCH.
Inside, the room is absolutely covered in vines, buds, and various flowers.
Sunken into the bedsheets and mattresses,
weaving itself through the ceiling and lights,
coating a huge percentage of the surface area in the room.
You cough, the earthy smell coming on strong.
Aubrey steps inside after a pause, careful not to trip over the vines and roots along the carpet.
You follow along, doing so less successfully.
"...why the hell'd I take on another U.M.I.R.A. job...?" she mutters to herself.
"...maybe we shouldn't, uh...
...maybe it's... the wrong room...?"
Aubrey's shoulders droop as she spots something.
"...it's the right room."
She nudges your side, pointing.
Partially-covered by the destroyed bed, on the wall opposite the front door,
a rusted, metal gate stands - inside the wall.
White mist is visible through the vine-covered slats,
and there's an occasional, dim pulse of a light on the inside, further in that you can see.
You both stare at it,
your jaw going slack.
Realizing the gate must lead into the bathroom on the other side,
you cautiously step around the corner to look into the bathroom,
figuring it must just be filled with mist on the inside.
The bathroom is mostly-intact and clear of any sort of fog,
save for more plant-life growing inside, having cracked tiles.
It looks completely different from the area you could see through the gate.
Aubrey comes to the same conclusion as the both of you stare inside.
She shakes her head, rubbing her muzzle.
"...Don't think f'r a second--"
The radio in the room suddenly crackles to life, startling you both.
Another song.
▶ Jungle
Parrot Dream
Parrot Dream
"God's sake--"
She stomps over, leaning around all the plants to get at the cord.
"Like th' damn thing's following..."
She trails off.
Your eyes widen.
The bat slowly lets go of the cord.
"It... has to be a warning..." " . . . "
"Someone's... trying to help us-" "No-"
"The one, at the gas station drew you over-" "No way in hell-"
"That's how you knew to Save me, and it distracted-" "Kid-"
"What else could it be?" "Anything!
I've seen plenty of weird shit, it--"
She glances around,
worried,
as if something were watching her.
"...Look, I don't know, kid.
It... Could be that.
Maybe.
But it's not somethin' we c'n just trust automatically.
Maybe it's someone screwin' with us.
Maybe it's someone tryin' t' scare us away, so they c'n pick us off.
Maybe it's a ghost!
Maybe they drew me over so I'd get killed by that thing, too,
or maybe among all th' Other crazy shit goin' on,
th' radio just plays stuff that's relevant t' what's happenin'.
Doesn't mean it's Definitely a person.
And if it is,
doesn't mean they wanna Help."
The radio changes tracks.
▶ Pirate Dial
M. Ward
M. Ward
Both of you stare.
"...can't just
sit here n' play with th' radio,
no matter What's actually happenin'.
Just.
Doesn't change anythin' right now."
▶ Jungle
Parrot Dream
Parrot Dream
"We still gotta Go In There; it's th' Only lead we've got.
If... if it's a warnin' then... just..."
She rubs her face.
"...then we just gotta be quick, quiet, careful;
in, out, done."
The radio shorts out, coming to a stop.
One of the roots had apparently grown through the cord, when you give it a look.
" . . .
...In.
Out.
Done.
...you stayin' here?"
"I'm not staying here Alone."
"...Alright then."
She puts a gentle paw on your shoulder.
You hadn't realized you'd been shaking.
"...s'gonna be okay, kid.
You got this. We got this."
Aubrey makes her way up to the gate.
She puts her paw on it.
"I go first, no matter what,
unless I say otherwise.
If we talk, we keep our voices Low.
Quiet.
Same with y'r footsteps, best y' can.
As we go along,
keep the Layout in mind - t' make sure y' c'n find th' Exit again -
and so y' can find Safe Spots, n' Places t' Hide,
if y' need 'em.
Don't fight unless I tell y' to, or unless y' have to.
Got all that?" "...Think so."
"Good enough."
She takes a deep breath.
You try.
You're too scared.
It's shallow.
Aubrey pushes the gate open.
The both of you walk through, into the mist.
▶ Lantern Marsh
Brian Eno
Brian Eno
The gate creaks as it swings, clinking shut behind you.
Your stomach drops.
You follow along.
Every step, every noise,
makes you want to run back to relative safety.
It's difficult to see well into the mist.
As best you can tell, you're in a corridor.
Following Aubrey.
You can't stop thinking
about how the bathroom should've been there.
Or one of the other apartments.
How you'd be currently stepping off the balcony of the motel room on the other side, right now,
how you were likely now walking Above where the pool should be,
down below you.
The mist gradually seems to change in color, the further down the tunnel you go.
From white-grey
to the sickly,
green-yellow you'd seen on the tendril.
It's getting darker, too.
You can't stop thinking through it.
The logistics.
The
Reality of it all.
The lack thereoff.
You feel sick.
The noises are getting to you.
You can't stop thinking about waking up from all this.
Just when you can't stand it any longer.
Just when you're ready to tap her shoulder, to tell her you want to go back.
You emerge from the tunnel.
It's clearer, on the other side.
But the same discolored mist is still there, albeit in much less concentrated quantities,
even if the particles of it seem... concerningly-larger; as if it may not be mist at all.
You almost miss the obscuring fog.
You do your best to comprehend what you're seeing.
As best as you can understand it:
You're likely atop some plateau.
To your left, not far up ahead, there's a drop-off.
You can't see the bottom of it.
You can see occasional glimpses of
things, in that distance.
Some are plants.
You think.
Swaying.
Taller than any tree you've ever witnessed.
You think, anyway.
You don't know.
You swear you spot one twitching, every once in a while.
Some of the things you see
that are definitely Not plants
are immeasurably large, given your best estimate of the distance.
You think you might be able to feel the very Slight vibrations of their leviathan footsteps.
You don't know if you're imagining it.
Others are. Smaller.
In comparison, anyway.
Hardly spotted at all.
Only the occasional spots between plants that flash with quick movement.
You don't want to look that way anymore.
Before you.
Out in front.
Is a short path leading to an elevator, on the underside of a cliff.
There's a sign nearby there, which reads:
OLIVAN NATURAL AREA & BIODOME
The letters on it are nearly too withered to read.
Up above it, on top of the cliff,
is a giant dome structure of metal and glass.
You think you see some kind of light from the inside.
Pulsing faintly.
It's difficult to make out from where you're at.
To your right,
you spot dark woods, with a path running through it.
Non-illuminated, but the vague ambient light makes it not Entirely pitch-black.
As if it's moonlit.
Still, it's darker than anything else you can see.
You don't even like looking inside.
Beside the woods, also on your right,
is a series of shaky rope bridges, hung to pass over what looks like a swamp.
The bridges don't make up an entire path, even from what little you can see from where you're at;
sketchy-looking rocks that look difficult to traverse but technically doable mark the spots where the bridges aren't.
On the other side of the woods and swamp lies a stone bridge and staircase,
which leads up to the top of the cliff, to the giant glass structure.
"...should check up there, might be it," Aubrey whispers to you.
"...but don't like the look of... either path over there.
Elevator's probably worth a look, too."
