[Audience Choose Your Own Adventure] The Recluse Part III
Well Steemit, I had a really weird semi-vacation, and all I can say is don't be alone in a stranger's house and not go out for 5 days straight. It does things to ya.
Anyway, on with the story!
The audience has chosen 2: Tell her you have to walk her there.
"I can't describe it!" I desperately cry. "I'd have to lead you there."
She peers at me suspiciously. "OK. But your hands are staying tied."
She leads me until we reach a place I recognize, a little copse with a bright red, poisonous plant. My mind is racing to find a way to escape this situation. The last thing I want is for this little girl or her creepy companion to snoop into my personal business. That's the whole point of this place -- to be alone.
Maybe I can lose her. Even with my hands tied, I probably run faster than a little girl. I don't dare attack her: she seems pretty skilled. Or can I somehow talk my way out of this?
"Hey, um...how long have you been here?"
"What do you care? How long have you been here?"
"I don't know anymore," I honestly reply.
"I think I've been here a few weeks."
"A few weeks? How did you learn all this stuff so fast?"
"My friend."
She refuses to tell me anything more. But she starts asking me questions, making it difficult for me to plan my escape. Dammit, my mind is so fuzzy. I haven't had to think fast or clearly in so long.
"How old are you? How far till we get there? What do you eat?"
How long can I lead her away from my home with this pretense that we always have just a little farther to go? I close my eyes for a moment, deeply breathe in the mist, feel the damp leaves brushing my skin, and try to clear my mind. But the brat starts talking yet again.
"Do you--"
A low rumbling interrupts her. She shoves me hard enough to make me lose my balance and slam against a tree. "Stay there," she whispers, holding her spear aloft.
"What is it?" I ask in a low voice.
"Are you stupid? It's a tiger."
"I think I would have noticed if we had tigers here."
"Sh!" She glares at me with disdain, anger, and a hint of fear.
The rumbling sound comes again. To be fair, it does sound a lot like wildcats I've heard in movies or nature shows. But I've never seen any other living creatures here, save the very occasional bird or frog. I never even see insects. How could there be a tiger this close to my home? Unless...
A realization sparks in my mind, catches flame, and burns through me. Of course! This isn't a static place. It's a place of dreams. It started with my dreams. But now, this little girl has come into my place. Imagine someone else dreaming your dream at the same time. She's messing it up. Hell, her "friend" might not even be another person -- might just be her imaginary friend.
Or you're lonely, I think to myself, and you're the one who created her as an imaginary friend. Or maybe I'm lying in a hospital bed in a coma. Or in limbo. The possibilities are overwhelming.
With a violent roar, the shape of a white tiger drops down between us. My contemplation is severed and I scream. The tiger turns to attack me, but Sarah jabs its rump with her spear. It instantly turns and swipes the weapon from her hand.
When you watch a tiger on TV or at the zoo, it seems like a beautiful, familiar animal. There is nothing familiar about the beast in front of me now. It's a monster. The understanding that its powerful jaws and sharp claws could eviscerate me in an instant makes me tremble with fear.
She's staring defiantly into the tiger's eyes, which seems to give it some pause. But that can't last.
I notice her spear near my feet. I might be able to cut the ropes with its tip and come to her aid.
But wait: this is my chance. I could creep away from here, go back home, and leave both of them behind me forever. Both of these beings have threatened to kill me.
Dear Readers,
In this CYOA, I am trying something I mentioned before: readers collectively choosing what will happen. Please comment with the option you'd like to choose, and I will continue the story. You can also feel free to make suggestions of any kind.
She may not need my help, but it seems like an asshole move to slink away. So even though I really don't want to mess with a tiger, my choice is to help her.
Thank god you do, because apparently 98 other people either don't read or are awash in great apathy.
Through these CYOA I am beginning to wonder if most people on Steemit don't actually read the whole post. T__T
They read until the first picture. Then they make a hard decision of whether to upvote, flag or leave it as is.
XD
REBELMEOW YOU'RE MY ONLY TRUE FAN
But I'm a big fan, so I can do the job of many. ;-)
Seriously, though, I'm guessing there are a lot more who probably didn't bother to comment because they wanted to make the same choice I did. They can't all be consumed with that $2.00 a week curation reward.
I've been starting to think that too. My most popular post was a song I posted, and although the post was upvoted over 200 times, the video of the song only had about a dozen views. I had some fiction that was upvoted a lot too, but no one seemed to notice or care that I didn't bother to finish it. (Yay that I don't have to figure out how it ends!)