《Choices》14. The Fourteenth Choice
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While getting stronger will help you survive, you’ve had enough of this forest and you decide you need to leave it.
You do wonder how you’re going to get out of here, but even as the question comes to mind, a blue box appears in front of you and answers your question.
Chapter 2: A New Future.
Follow the arrow and leave the Gicko Forest.
The box disappears after you read it and you can see a faint, red arrow hovering in the air in front of you and pointing to your left.
You turn to face the direction the arrow is pointing and watch as the arrow disconcertingly stays in the center of your vision as it slowly rotates until it’s pointing forward.
You feel like you should be more surprised, but after coming to this world a floating arrow is no longer in the top ten of the strangest things you’ve seen.
You begin heading in the direction the arrow indicates, occasionally forced to move around various obstacles as the arrow seems to guide you forward, ignorant of the obstructions in your way.
Several days pass by and, just as you begin to think the forest will never end, the treeline comes to an abrupt halt.
Ahead of you is a large, empty grass field, stretching farther than you can see. You let out a sigh of relief, finally, no more trees!
You head out of the forest with a bounce in your step, eager to not only at leaving the forest, but at the prospect of finding some kind of civilization.
As you step onto the soft grass, another box appears in front of you.
Chapter 2: A New Future.
Find the road and follow it to the next town.
The instructions on the box are simple enough, and you’re more than happy to follow it if will mean you can find civilization.
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In fact, now that you think about it, you have yet to even speak to another person since coming to this world. The only other person you met was Derrick, and he was from Earth, not to mention he was unconscious the entire time. The thought of having been unable to save Derrick causes the joy from escaping the forest to fade somewhat, but you push on.
As you do, you glance down at your appearance and cringe. Your clothes are little more than rags, bits and pieces of tattered animal hide that you’ve barely managed to piece together in some semblance of modesty. Not having taken a proper shower since you were transported to this world, your skin is cover in grime and muck, several scabs from wandering through the foliage running across your exposed skin.
There’s not much you can do about your hygiene at this point but keep moving forward.
It takes you a bit of traveling across the clear plains, but finally you stumble across a dirt road. It’s unkempt with weeds popping up all over the place, but it’s at least signs of civilization.
Looking both ways down the dirt road, you see nothing to indicate which way you should go. Looking up at the sky, you shield your eyes against the glare of the sun as it slowly descends and you decide to walk with it to your back. At the very least you won’t be blinded by it.
You continue walking forward at a relaxed pace, the travel easier than both your time in the forest and your jaunt over the open plains.
The day continues to pass by as the sun continues its descent, the heat comfortable and warm on your back, when you hear a rumbling sound coming from behind you.
You turn and see a shape in the distance that you can vaguely make out as a wagon pulled by a horse heading towards you and you step to the side of the road as it approaches.
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While wagons are outdated in the modern world, perhaps they are more common in this one.
You watch as it gets closer and you raise a hand in greeting. Maybe you’ll be able to get a lift to the next town? It would beat walking.
You finally make out the driver, a middle-aged man in a brown tunic and grey workpants. He looks at you with a frown on his face as the wagon continues down the road and you slowly lower your hand as you see the look of disdain and disgust in his eyes.
The wagon shows no signs of stopping as it finally reaches you and you can only watch helplessly as it barrels down the road.
You let out a sigh and continue walking, the wagon quickly putting distance between you before it eventually disappears.
The rest of the day passes by and the sun begins to sink behind the horizon before you finally see a blurry shape come into view.
Excited, your feet move faster as you walk down the road, your energy momentarily renewed as you get closer.
The fading light makes it hard to see, but you’re sure you see the shape of buildings in the distance.
Suddenly a flickering light appears, followed by several more, and your pace quickens as you become sure of it. You’ve reached the town.
Night truly descends as you finally reach the wooden walls of the town.
“Halt!” Comes a voice from behind the gate, and you stop.
You let out a sigh of relief at the fact that the people here wouldn’t speak the same language and a hidden worry is lifted from your chest.
Eventually the gate opens slightly and out steps a young man with curly black hair, one hand on the sword at his waist as he looks you up and down in an accessing manner.
“What business have you here stranger?” He asks, his voice is rough but still contains a trace of youth. Despite that he speaks with the assuredness of someone that knows what he’s doing.
You stumble a bit over your words as you try to answer him. What can you say? You never really gave any thought as to what you would tell people.
The man eyes you suspiciously as your brain races for something to say.
What do you say?
1) "I’m lost and looking for a place to stay."
2) "None of your business!"
3) "I was brought here from another world and followed these blue boxes that told me to come to this town …"
4) *You can't think of anything to say, stare at him dumbly.*
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