the dog dies at the end

(set: $count to (count:(history:), "beginning")) (if: $count is 0)[ you find yourself in a dark space. maybe a room, though you don’t remember going through a door. the ground is cool beneath your feet. you cannot see even an inch in front of you and the air is very still. what do you do? ](else-if: $count is 1)[ you find yourself in a dark space. maybe a room. you remember going through a door. the ground is cool beneath your feet. you cannot see even an inch in front of you and the air is very still. what do you do? ](else-if: $count is 2)[ you find yourself in a dark space. maybe a room. you remember going through a door. the ground is warm beneath your feet. you cannot see even an inch in front of you and the air is very still. what do you do? ](else-if: $count is 3)[ you find yourself in a dark space. maybe a room. you remember going through a door. the ground is warm beneath your feet. you cannot see even an inch in front of you and the air seems to be stirring. what do you do? ](else-if: $count is 4)[ you find yourself in a room. you remember going through a door. the ground is warm beneath your feet. you can see something. it stinks in here. what do you do? ](else:)[ something is in the room with you. you can see it trying for the door. the ground is damp beneath your feet. you’re starting to drool. what do you do? ] [[reach out]] [[step forward]] [[step backward]] [[sit down]] [["anyone there?"]] [[pace]] (show:?dog) (if: $count > 4)[[dog<-"hello?"]]

you stretch your arms in front of you. to the side. reaching behind as far as you can. some sort of dust or mold is kicked up by your flailing and you sneeze. still, wherever you are, there’s nothing you can touch from where you’re standing. [[beginning<-back]]

you take a cautious step forward, feeling for any change below you. your first foot finds nothing. your second foot scrapes the edge of a wet spot. something has dampened the floor. your sense of touch has been reinvigorated by the new sensation and you now realize that you have been standing on carpet. you must be inside. [[examine the wet spot]] [[beginning<-back]]

it’s not like you can see anything, so there’s no difference what direction you go, right? a couple short lunges back puts your ankle against a hard surface. a wall! you press your back against it, now confident in the architecture of your location. what feels like a doorknob hits the centre of your spine. [[turn the knob]] [[beginning<-go back]]

you decide to take a moment to collect yourself and sit down. you lower yourself slowly with your arms at your side. once you’re certain the ground around you is solid you plop down with a soft thud. carpet. the ground is a short tufted carpet. you close your eyes and try to piece together the space you’re in. a carpet, like one your wealthy suburban friends and relatives might have had in their basement suites. or maybe a doctor’s office. you’re starting to notice a damp smell. it must be a basement. [[go towards the smell]] [[beginning<-stand up]]

the voice is soft and sweet. "hello? i'm right here." you feel like crying. your legs are wobbly as you go towards it. there's a wet spot on the carpet in front of you. to your back, a door. to your left, a dog. the voice came from your left. you hear it whimper. man voiced dog. dog faced man. "it's okay. i know you're frightened. i know you're frustrated. come closer" you're as close as you want to get. "let me see your face." there's nothing there to see. you kneel next to the corpse. "i'm here with you, remember? remember when you came in? i was right here. i've been here, always. listen. there's a way out. but only one of us can make it. you have to trust me. can you trust me?" you nod. it's mouth doesn't move. neither do it's eyes. there's...movement to it, though. in some layer deeper than the eyeballs or the skin. maybe something in it's bones. "can you touch me?" the rot of it all comes back to you. the stink. visions of insects diving through flesh, infections leading to lost limbs, someone braindead and foaming at the mouth. it feels your hesitation. "you think you can survive here? i didn't." slow death everywhere you look. meaningless and uncontrollable. "i told you to do it." who put you here? "fucking do it." did you have a choice? "FUCK." you scream as it's teeth dig into your palm. it's grip is weak enough for you to pull back, but the depth of the wound leaves you writhing. you collapse on the ground. body convulsing and curling in on your marred limb. it's still talking. "...i had to do it i had to do it i did it i i did it, you have to understand, you'll understand, you'll fucking understand...that finally. finally, someone is here who can take me away. i've waited my whole life for this moment..." "i'm sorry, but i was so hungry..." [[and i can't let you leave]]

yep, that's definitely wet. and it smells like urine. it must be fresh. you're not the only living thing down here. [[beginning<-step away]]

you grab the knob and twist to the right. to the left. you touch for a keyhole. nothing. it must be latched on the other side. [[beginning<-give up]] [[try harder]]

you follow your nose to your left. when the smell starts getting strong you bend down and use your hands to feel in front of you. the smell gets worse. your eyes are starting to adapt to the dark. it's not total -- there's something in front of you. it looks small and furry. an animal? [[beginning<-i don't want to go near that]] [[look closer]]

you call out. your voice hangs in the air but there is no echo in this space. this room -- it must be a room -- doesn't feel like it's had something speak in it in a long time. it feels unsettled. the dust in the air is thick enough to sound like a whisper. still, no response. [["hey! can anyone hear me?]] [[beginning<-what now?]]

something is in the room with you. you can see it trying for the door. the ground is damp beneath your feet. you’re starting to drool. what do you do? [[you made it this far]]

it is talking to you but you can’t understand it. it slams itself against it but the door won’t open. your hair bristles. you move closer. what do you do? [[and there was only so much you could do]]

your body is hot and wet and aching. you are hungry. you keep moving forward but the carpet slips beneath you. you collapse on all fours. still, it’s getting closer. a snarl forms in the back of your throat. [[but you persisted]]

it’s retching from your smell. you can smell it too. rotting. metallic. an ache turns to a stab and something wet falls next to you. you feel lighter. [[you should be proud]]

"can anyone hear me?" it’s rancid meat fills your mouth. you are dead. but i’m still hungry. [[end<-you were so good]]

i am a dog. but you are //my // dog. (force-input: bind $text, "i am your dog") {(live: 7s)[ (if: $text is "i am your dog")+(click:?start)[(restart:)] [[start<-woof]] ]}

you grip the knob with both hands and pull, then push, then pull again, leveraging your body weight against what should just be a wooden door. a moldy odor has been growing as you've struggled. you must be kicking up spores. [[shouldercheck the door]] [[beginning<-give up]]

you inch towards the animal. you don't know what this will help you with. you just need some, any, information. you bend over it on your hands and knees. the odor is disgusting. it's definitely been down here for a while. looks kind of like a lapdog. a dark something is dried on it's stomach and has stained the ground surrounding it's body. maybe whatever killed it is still in here. [[beginning<-step away]]

the shout travels through the air and back into your face with a snap. the hairs on your arm feel damp. you're shaking. [[beginning<-i think i'm alone]]

two steps back. you saw this in a movie once. you got into your old place with it a couple times. you turn and line your shoulder up with what you think is the middle of the door. //SLAM// the moldy scent has now grown to a full-on rot. whatever's on the other side of this thing is way past it's best before date. //SLAM// nothing yet. one more try before you take a break. your stomach is gurgling, and you feel salty saliva starting to fill your mouth. //SLAM// you keel over, banging your shoulder on the doorknob. your whole torso contracts as you dry heave. you let the drool fall out of your mouth for fear of what swallowing it might bring up. you need to get away from this smell. [[beginning<-go back]]

<img src="dog/dogtitle.png"/> [[beginning<-enter]]

you start walking loose circles around the area you came to in. shockingly, the pacing works to calm you down. you don't feel nearly as worried as you should be when you're moving in this pre-planned form. you start waving your arms with your steps. it really feels just like you're alone in your room. you hear soft sounds coming out of your mouth, little chirps and barks and songs. you feel happy. why do you feel happy? you stop. it isn't right to feel like that now. you need to focus. [[beginning<-back]]