slipping of the ways.

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,,,,

you are standing in your childhood bedroom. it's [[dark]]. you get the feeling you aren't supposed to be here. a familiar sound rings out in the distance, too quiet to consciously identify. [[leave]] [[remember]] <<if hasVisited("abyss2")>>you have achieved ending: ONE WITH //THEM//.<</if >> <<if hasVisited("surface")>>you have achieved ending: HORIZON.<</if>> <<if hasVisited("surface1")>>you have achieved ending: PREY.<</if>> <<if hasVisited("shore")>>you have achived ending: THE NAVIGATOR.<</if>> <<if hasVisited("astral")>>you have achieved ending: DIMENSIONAL PILOT.<</if>>

there are no windows here. only screens casting dull cathode ray light. you feel a sensation bubbling up in your mind. [[fear]] [[anger]] [[melancholy]] [[deja vu->awakening]] [[excitement]]

you walk out the door into a cramped passageway. pipes run along the walls. a dim sodium bulb illuminates the hallway in shades of orange. it reminds you of a submarine. the familiar noise fades away. [[forward]]

you focus in on the familiar stimuli of your room and the sound. upon concentration, you recognize the sound as the distant clacking of an old clothes dryer. you remember falling asleep in another time, another place. you may have been intoxicated. the more you try to focus on the past, the harder it gets, the more it becomes glassy, refracted, unclear. [[back->awakening]]

fear presses into your chest. everything here feels //wrong//. this wasn't supposed to happen. or perhaps the fact that it was is what scares you more. [[wail->befear]] [[collapse->befear]] [[keep it together|awakening]] [[implode->befear]] [[tear apart->befear]]

being deprived of meaning causes irritation to boil in your throat. //[[THEY]]// had no right to take you away from your life. you aren't sure who "//THEY//" are. the room shifts behind you, revealing a light that temporarily blinds you as your eyes adjust. you turn to see a chamber the size of a dumbwaiter has opened in the wall, luminous with pink light. it would be just large enough to [[crawl]] into.

a sense of loneliness washes over you. you feel utterly alone with no context for this place. [[a song begins to play->song]], coming from outside the room.

you feel a perverse sense of pleasure. the wrongness completes you. you were born to be here. keep this in mind. [[return|awakening]]

a small chamber, barely the size of a closet with a ladder ascending into darkness. it smells of ozone and gasoline. from the left wall you hear a deep, regular clicking sound, like massive gears turning. [[ascend]] [[examine the sound|examine]]

it ends as soon as it began. a fleeting phrase, a familiar melody. the instrumentation is unclear. a hummed voice? a tinny recording? the gentle flutes of a transistor organ? before you can identify it, a great crack eminates from outside the door. [[hold the song in your mind and open the door|songdoor]] [[forget you ever heard the song|awakening]]

//THEY// are small. //THEY// move silently. //THEY// know who you are. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the night. //THEY// took you away in the [[night->anger]].

you squeeze your body into the chamber, bathing yourself in pink light. your knees are pressed against your chest. the walls begin to vibrate gently. the opening through which you entered begins to seal itself, melting together. [[attempt to force your way out|force]] [[wait and see what happens|wait]]

the sweet taste of fear chokes you from within. you never stood a chance. [[BAD END.|befear]] [[awaken|awakening]]

you begin to climb feeling the slightly oily metal rungs of the ladder beneath your hands and feet. the ladder extends quite high up, culminating at a metal hatch. you push on the hatch, and it opens after some resistance. after pulling yourself up, you are now in a similar hallway to the one below. the thrum and clicks of machinery gently vibrates the entire corridor. the pipes drip with condensation. you hear heavy, clanking footsteps and metallic scraping approach from behind you. [[look|diver1]] [[run|diverchase]]

upon examination, the oily grime covering the walls of the chamber obfuscates a small latched door, about the size of a fusebox. you dig your fingers into the oily residue, staining your flesh with a yellow tinge. when the small door opens, a burst of hot, metallic air hits you in the face. the meeting of two massive iron cogs is revealed, suspended in a great dark chamber. out of view, the clicks and groans of great machinery indicates a larger system. taped to the back of the door with oil stained masking tape is an antique looking padlock, cast in brass. [[take the lock|forward2]]

you press up against the walls as they close in, feeling an almost fleshy resistance. the opening resists your force, and you rip your hands away before they can be crushed into a fine paste. [[surrender to the pink light|wait]]

the chamber seals completely. you are surrounded by vibrant pink. the vibration intensifies. the tingling rush of acceleration bubbles up in your gut. the chamber is descending. ... ... the movement ceases. [[the pink glow dims to a dull grey.|dull]]

the chamber begins to unfold, growing with fractal, geometric folds into a room the size of a closet. the wall directly in front of you begins to crease, folding and tearing itself into a loose, clothlike doorway. [[emerge]]

you open the door and emerge into a hallway covered in mirrors. a purple glow eminates from the panels of the cieling. the hallway's trajectory is confusing. it appears to spiral and twist away until only the mirrored walls are visible, extending the space out into an infinite, hazy void of mirrorspace. [[forward|hallomirrors]]

the hall of mirrors twists before you as you tread forward. you never feel the angles of the floor change, though it seems as if at any moment you might slip and fall into the infinite tunnel of mirrors. motion catches in the corners of your vision, but every time you whip your head around, all you see is your own reflection, looking back at you with a bewildered expression. you look tired. there's a haziness to your expression that indicates sedation or exhaustion. [[stare into the reflection|reflection]] [[continue forward|hom2]]

you begin to climb feeling the slightly oily metal rungs of the ladder beneath your hands and feet. the ladder extends quite high up, culminating at a metal hatch. you push on the hatch, and it opens after some resistance. after pulling yourself up, you are now in a similar hallway to the one below. the thrum and clicks of machinery gently vibrates the entire corridor. the pipes drip with condensation. you hear heavy, clanking footsteps approach from behind you. before you can turn to see the source, they halt. a muffled voice grunts. [[look|diverfriend]]

the air is cold. the new room is bright, with strangely warped and soft walls. a set of baroque furniture, cast in a perfectly clear resin or glass are nestled about the place. on the crystalline desk in the middle of the room, a piece of delicate parchment is carefully folded. [[unfold]]

on the parchment are printed only a few miniscule [[words]].

WELCOME TO //OUR// HOME. YOU DON'T BELONG. FIND PLEASURE IN THAT FACT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. YOU CANNOT SEE IT. //WE// ARE ALL AROUND YOU. [[YOU CANNOT SEE IT|stop]].

you pull yourself away from the letter. the words are posion. you have a headache now. you don't know if the letter was a [[trap]] or a [[gift]].

your headache worsens, blurring and splitting your vision into distinct yet unfamiliar colors. you clutch your fragile skull and moan. the pain culminates in a final stab, right between the eyes, before quickly reducing, making itself less obvious. the pain is bearable. you open your eyes. [[the room has changed|abyssroom]]

the formerly dull grey walls of the room are now a vibrant, glossy pink, like gums. a split opens in the wall in front of you, lined with teeth. hot, wet breath washes over you. [[proceed|mouthroom]]

across from you on the opposite wall, there is now a hole. it is large enough to step through while ducking. the edges of the hole are tattered, almost resembling bitemarks in the fleshy walls of the room. the hole leads only to [[darkness|abyss]]

you feel a stony floor beneath your feet, but the darkness is deep. you are standing in a cramped hallway. the spongy walls and cieling leave little room to maneuver, nearly brushing your shoulders and head with every step. deeper still within the darkness, you hear a gentle click-clacking, like fingernails on glass, or teeth clacking against each other. it sounds inviting, like a distraction from your pounding headache. [[continue|abyss2]]

the chattering surrounds you. you can't see the source in the pure blackness, but you somehow know that you wouldn't be able to see //THEM// even if there was light. you continue. the tunnel expands. the echoes of chattering mingle to form a constant hiss like television static. suddenly, your foot plunges into cold water. you walk forward, now wading knee deep. a lake in the darkness. your footsteps cause invisible ripples in the water. they intensify, forming crashing waves. as the waves grow, the glinting of light begins to play over the surface. a bright imitation of the moon ripples and dances across the surface. //THEIR// chattering grows louder. you are now wading in an endless shallow ocean. //THEIR// noises, //THEIR// voices, burrow into your brain. the ocean grows deeper, yet your feet do not leave the bottom. your body is completely submerged. pressure grows. it is //THEIR// embrace. you feel at peace in the abyss. hundreds of miles below the surface. there is no light. there never will be. the abyss presses in on you for the final time. you feel at home. [[all things are connected by the ocean|awakening]]

light shines dimly through the slick pink walls of this hallway. the heat and humidity is uncomfortable. the floor is slick and flexes under your footsteps. you can't help but notice the floor is beginning to slope downwards. the more you walk forward, the harder it is to keep your footing, and eventually, you slip. you land directly on your butt, but the slick, slimy surface of the ground provides little friction, as you slide further and further into the heat and moisture. [[deeper|mouth2]]

you take a step closer to the wall to examine yourself. the purple lights from above cast your face with odd shadows. you hadn't noticed it before now, but you're barefoot, wearing a set of plain white coveralls. your hair is long, longer than it was in your fractured memory, and tangled. the longer you look at the reflection, the more you get the feeling something is off. besides your odd appearance, something seems off, out of sync, between your body and your reflection. your reflection smiles at you. [[look away|hom2]]

you continue down the mirrored corridor for what feels like hours. the warped perception of space forced upon you by the mirrors seems to warp time as well. with no landmarks it's nearly impossible to avoid disorientation. you begin to hear a glassy melody, lilting and playful. it grows louder as you walk forward. it reminds you of something from a long time ago. a state fair? an amusement park? a carnival? you envision a white horse with a rider in colorful robes, but the image fades before you can place it in any context. [[continue|hom3]]

as you come around a gradual curve in the mirrored hallway, you see a distant splash of color. a good distance away, the hallway ends, capped off by a large, ruddy door. you approach the door. it is old, wooden, painted a deep red with chipped remnants of white paint forming the silhouette of a horse. from beyond the door, the muffled sounds of a circus organ, now clearly audible, plays. [[open|carnival]]

you now stand in a large circus tent. dark, worn crimson fabric droops overhead. the stands are empty. a lone figure sits in the midde of the ring playing a calliope organ and lit by spotlight. their back is to you. to the left, a pair of flaps on the tent flutter from some breeze, seeming to lead outside. to the right, a set of adorned curtains indicates where performers would enter. the song continues. [[approach the musician|musician0]] [[sneak left, attempting to avoid the sight of the figure|circusout]] [[sneak right|circusint]]

you approach the musician from behind cautiously. they are clad in crimson and gold, with long, greying hair. they lean forward on their stool, leading the tune into a harmonic crescendo before finishing. they turn to face you, revealing a face painted a chalky white. their expression is neutral, hard to read. a blank stare and a barely perceptible smirk. "hello. i didn't realize i had any visitors. what may i help you with?" [[converse politely|polite]] [[converse hesitantly|hesitate]] [[demand answers|demand]]

you emerge from the tent into the nighttime. you stand among the remains of a circus. dingy booths and tents, rotting wagons and carts. any signs of life are long gone. directly ahead is a forest of dead, spindly trees. it seems like nothing here is alive. even the ground is only bare dirt. [[enter the forest|forest]]

you pass through the curtains into a highly furnished room. it seems part dressing room, part study. the furnishings are rustic, heavily worn in. a fireplace casts a warm glow on the whole room. a silvered tray of cheese, bread, and grapes sits on a table in front of the fire, as well as a decanter of red wine. the room is unoccupied. [[eat|foodsteal]] [[search the room|snoop]]

you speak, "//i'm so sorry to interrupt your performance. i'm afraid i'm quite lost, and i don't know exactly where i am. could you help me?//" the musician's lips part to a thin smile, revealing yellowed teeth. "my, my. you certainly are lost. it's not often one of //THEIRS// passes into my tent." your face contorts into a mask of confusion, "//what do you mean, ''THEIRS''?//" the musician laughs, a creaking, dusty noise. "you really are lost in more ways than one. you smell of //THEIR// stench. the stench of the ones who brought you to this place." the white-faced person takes a step towards you, leaving little space between the two of you. they aren't tall, but their gaunt form carries a presence, an aura of authority. "i hope you will not make any trouble in my home." you step back instinctually. "//i would never do such a thing. i don't know where i am, and i'm just looking to find a way back to my home.//" the musician turns, hiding their expression. "you don't sound like one of //THEM//. i will give you a modicum of trust. what do you need?" [[directions out of here|directions]] [[food and water]]

upon seeing the first person since you arrived in this place, you hesitate, unsure what to think. are they human? are they friendly? the musician speaks with a fragile voice, as if it would shatter if they spoke any louder. "you seem to be quite lost and worn out. please, come with me and we can rest. i have food, drink, comfortable chairs, and a fire to sit beside." they give you a knowing smile before turning to walk towards the ornate curtains. [[follow them|backstage]] [[slip away to the outside|circusout]]

"//what the fuck is going on? i don't know where i am. my memory is gone. you're the first person i've seen in this place, so tell me where the fuck i am and how i can get out.//" the musician smiles. a tinge of sadness flashes in their eyes. "you must be lost if you've wound up in my tent. the ways change and shift so often." they speak with a fragile voice, as if it would shatter if they spoke any louder. "where did you come from?" their calm and reassuring attitude takes you aback. "//i don't remember. i was in a room that looked like my bedroom from when i was a kid. but your song, i think it pulled me out of it. i went down a hallway of mirrors and found myself here.//" "follow me," they say, as they begin walking towards the ornate curtains. [[follow them|backstage]] [[turn and leave the tent|circusout]]

you pass through the curtains into a highly furnished room. it seems part dressing room, part study. the furnishings are rustic, heavily worn in. a fireplace casts a warm glow on the whole room. the musician sits in a cushioned chair in front of the fire. a silvered tray of cheese, bread, and grapes sits on a table beside him, as well as a decanter of red wine. the musician gestures for you to sit. you choose a wooden rocking chair. it creaks when you sit down. [[eat]]

the musician speaks with an air of knowledge in their papery voice. "i do not know where you come from originally, but all things are connected by the ocean." they point towards the exit to the tent. "that direction is south. continue in a straight line and you will reach the coast in an hour or so. so long as you are within my island you will be safe, as i am its only inhabitant. i cannot guarantee anythings outside that." "//how will i cross the ocean? how can i navigate it?//" the musician seems to look through you. "i do not know. but all things are connected by the ocean. your home must be out there." "i must return to my organ. i wish you safety." the musician sits down at the steam organ once again and begins to play. [[leave|circusout]]

the musician turns to you again, smiling. the paint at the corners of their mouth is slightly cracked. "i have those in spades, but not for you. if you ate those, //THEY// might notice. //THEY// tend to have issues with food that isn't //THEIR// own." the dryness of your mouth and emptiness in your stomach seems to intensify at this news. "it pains me that i cannot share my usual hospitality, but i can provide you with [[directions]]."

the slick tunnel becomes more and more steep. you gain momentum in your slide. you are deposited into a similarly fleshy room, landing on your butt. a statue is positioned in the middle of the room, a squat, grotesque gargoyle carved from quartz. the statue opens its eyes and looks at you. it speaks in a deep voice, "''hello, strange one.''" [[converse]] [[question]]

Before you stands a massive figure wearing an antique diving suit, the brass of its helmet lit harshly by the sodium glow. Its proportions are inhuman, more like a gorilla than a person. It drags a clump of torn metal and pipes larger than your own body behind it. [[run|diverchase2]]

you don't even stop to look behind you before you run. whatever it is, the footsteps it made sounded massive, far heavier than a human and coated in metal. the corrugated metal floors of the corridor are rough against your bare feet, but you keep running. the slow pound of heavy footfalls behind you doesn't cease or seem to get farther away. you reach a four way intersection and without taking a moment to think [[swerve]] to the right.

Before you stands a massive figure wearing an antique diving suit, the brass of their helmet lit harshly by the sodium glow. Their proportions are inhuman, more like a gorilla than a person. They stand awkwardly, almost as if they are scared of you. a muffled grunt emminates from their helmet again, and they bow their head to you. though their size and proportions make them look like a monster, their posture is gentle. you are shocked to see them, but not afraid. "//who are you?//" you ask. they put up their hands and gestures to you in some kind of sign language. you do not recognize what they are saying to you. "//i'm sorry i don't understand.//" the diver points to a small red patch on the chest of its suit, labeled "MECHANIC." "//can you help me, mechanic?//" the mechanic turns around and begins to clomp forwards. [[follow|diverfollow]]

you follow the mechanic down the corridors of this strange place, occasionally making a turn at an intersection or climbing up a ladder onto another layer. eventually the two of you reach a quiet section of corridor. the harsh sodium lights are dimmer here. water drips from leaks in the ceiling's pipes. lodged into a crack in the floor is a large brass key, blade side facing upwards. [[use the lock|lock]]

the corrugated metal floors of the corridor are rough against your bare feet, but you keep running. the slow pound of heavy footfalls behind you doesn't cease or seem to get farther away. you reach a four way intersection and without taking a moment to think [[swerve]] to the right.

you swing around the corner, spying a small alcove in the wall. you press your body into it, hoping that whatever was chasing you didn't see. the scraping of metal on metal and the footsteps become slow, approaching your location. the massive figure walks past you, dragging a massive chunk of metal wreckage behind it. you hold your breath, waiting for it to pass. the sounds of its passage gradually get quieter, eventually fading out. you breathe a sigh of relief. [[examine the alcove|alcove]]

you pull the heavy padlock out of your pocket and push it onto the protruding key. the mechanic grunts. you twist the padlock, and it clicks open. the entire structure seems to shudder. the lights flicker before coming to full brightness. a ladder descends from the cieling, resting directly in front of you. the mechanic grunts and signs frantically. [[ascend|surface]]

your climb is a long one. after you grabbed on and began your ascent, so too did the mechanic just below. far above you see a dull white light. the air gets cooler as you ascend. the smell of salt hits your nose. you emerge, crawling onto a great, black iron surface. the domed exterior of the complex protrudes from choppy waves. you are surrounded as far as the eye can see by dark ocean. the sky is grey, clouded but bright. the mechanic emerges onto the great black hull. they point at the horizon. far away, a shape seems to float. a dark pyramid of some kind. from this distance its impossible to estimate a scale. some great structure out in the ocean, much like the one you have emerged from. you stand together with the mechanic. the ocean is beautiful, and it is terrifying. you are no less lost than when you found yourself in this place, but you are comforted by the waves. [[all things are connected by the ocean|awakening]]

within the alcove of this hallway is a small hatch, about the size of a fusebox. you pull on its latch, and it swings open. within the box are a series of metal levers, also much like a fusebox, and a small glass window. behind it you see an intricate series of gears, still and unmoving. all of the levers are in the same position except one. [[flip it]]

the gears begin to turn. you hear a low rumble from behind you as a ladder descends from a newly opened passage in the ceiling. you hear a deep roar echo from the distance as well as the sound of metal scraping. your pursuer knows where you are. [[climb fast|escape]]

your clammy hands and feet find it hard to grip the slick metal ladder, but the adrenaline coursing through your body propels you upwards. your heartbeat drums in your ears. the ladder is long. it shakes as you climb. you can't tell if your pursuer is below you, and you don't dare to look down. far above, you see a dull white light. [[ascend|surface1]]

you desperately pull yourself out into the open air. the smell of salt hits you in the face. as you stumble into a standing position, you see that you are standing on a great, black iron hull. its domed surface emerges from the waves. all around you is ocean. dark water. there is no land in sight. the sky is grey and bright, but on the horizon, dark clouds boil. a flash of lightning strikes. within the storm, a dark silhouette of a dark tower. you attempt to stumble away from hatch you emerged from, slipping on the hull, slick with ocean spray. the beastly figure emerges from the hatch, the antique diving suit lit starkly by the grey sky. it has abandoned its metal scrap. it steps towards you. you look into the glass panel of the diver's helmet, hoping to see something. a look of rage or satisfaction. a monsterous face. but there's nothing behind the glass. only inky darkness. the diver effortlessly grabs you by the front of your shirt and lifts you up, carrying you to the edge of the hull. it hesitates for a moment, seeming to look into your eyes, but you can't seem to comprehend it. it flings your body into the ocean. the waves overtake you, choking you with salty water. as you thrash and bob in the dark water, you feel terror overtake you. but in the back of your mind, a thought gives you solace. [[all things are connected by the ocean|awakening]]

the forest, if it can even be called that, is made of the bones of trees and shrubs, long bleached and dried out by the sun. the road is narrow, only loose gravel and dirt, but despite what looks like decades of abandonment, the road still remains visible. the further you walk, the quieter the musician's calliope performance gets, eventually fading into absolute quiet. the silence of the night is eerie. when the rare gust of wind blows, the clattering of stiff branches is the only sound other than your footsteps. [[trudge on|beach]]

your actions have consequences that cannot be undone. [[BEGIN|awakening]] cw: drowning, clown-like imagery, body horror, claustrophobia

you are submerged in the totality of the cold water/sky. [[all things are connected by the ocean|awakening]]

you retort back, "//i should say the same to you, strange one.//" the statue's toadlike face contorts into a vile grin. "''you lack manners, thing. but you smell of //THEM//. perhaps i will not disassemble you.''" you look at the statue. it is undoubtedly mineral in makeup, yet it moves like flesh. "''i am a daemon. a pilot. //THEIR// influence is strong, and i dare not cross them, despite my power. perhaps i will drop you in the ocean.''" the room shudders, seeming to accelerate. "//what exactly would that accomplish?//" "''you should know. all things are connected by the ocean. taking a swim would do your lost soul some good, hmm?''" [[hold on tight|astral]]

you stare at the grinning statue indignantly. "//what the hell is going on?//" the statue's toadlike face contorts into a smirk. "''you, my human friend, have ended up in the stomach of a great construct.''" it pauses a moment, as if waiting for a knowing gasp. you don't know what it's talking about. it scowls. "''ignorant thing. i am a daemon. i pilot the construct through dreamspace.''" "//what on earth does this have to do with //THEM// or me for that matter?//" the daemon's scowl further evolves, wrinkling it's warped face. "''oh. i see,''" it says with distaste. "''well, if you're one of //THEIRS//, i suppose i am obligated to drop you off somewhere. how dissapointing.''" sensing your confusion, the daemon continues. "''as much as i despise //THEM//, they hold much power in this space. if you hadn't been involved with them, i would have digested you. used your raw elements for fuel. oh well. another lost opportunity.''" you feel the fleshy room shift. it seems to [[accelerate|astral]].

the daemon cackles. the room flexes and slams in on you. you feel your body being carried by a tide of pink flesh. you eject. you are now flying through the air, covered in a thin film of saliva. your body plunges into the ocean. now floating, you see the grey sky above you and the dark ocean around you. no land is visible from the horizon. whatever place you were ejected from is no longer in view. your head is repeatedly forced under water by the chopy waves of the ocean. your paddling keeps you afloat for now, but you worry how long you can keep this up. yet in the back of your mind as you begin to tire out, you have a miniscule glimmer of hope. [[all things are connected by the ocean|awakening]]

you take a small chunk of bread from the platter and smear it with a deep red jam. when you bite into it, the flavor is rich. you feel as if you haven't eaten in a long time. your mouth tingles. the musician't smile creases further. their eyes glitter. "//THEY// brought you here didn't they?" you don't know who the musician refers to, but you know they are right. you try to speak an affirmation, but the words can't come out. "you ate my food." you nod, numbly. your body tingles. "//THEY// can't have you now. you're mine. it's been years since i had a visitor." the musician stands and steps towards you. the paint on their skin cracks. there's nothing underneath. just emptiness. you pull yourself out of the numbness and [[run|circout1]]

the forest opens up before you. you come to a rocky beach. the ocean is great and black in the night. the moon and stars, if they exist, are completely invisible. the ocean and the horizon mingle, becoming an undifferentiated black. the sound of the waves reminds you of tv static. an ancient wooden pier juts out into the ocean. it looks surprisingly intact. [[wade into the ocean|kneedeep]] [[step out onto the pier|pier]]

you take a small chunk of bread from the platter and smear it with a deep red jam. when you bite into it, the flavor is rich. you feel as if you haven't eaten in a long time. the calliope performance stops. you feel a sharp pain in your stomach, not one of hunger. you feel like you shouldn't have done that. the food churns in your stomach. you hear a brittle voice creal out from behind you. "what do we have here?" you turn, seeing a thin figure, clad in crimson and gold. their hair is long and greying. their face is painted a chalky white. "you shouldn't have done that, stranger." you feel sick. your head spins. [[run out|circout1]]

you open a drawer in the mirror vanity. there's a gold handkerchief, stained by what looks like red wine, a set of wire-rimmed spectacles, a tub of some kind of white grease paint, and a small penknife. the calliope music stops. you hear a brittle voice creal out from behind you. "what do we have here?" you turn, seeing a thin figure, clad in crimson and gold. their hair is long and greying. their face is painted a chalky white. "you shouldn't have done that, stranger." [[escape|circout1]]

you run past the gaunt musician, through the circus tent, and outside. you emerge from the tent into the nighttime. you stand among the remains of a circus. dingy booths and tents, rotting wagons and carts. any signs of life are long gone. directly ahead is a forest of dead, spindly trees. the trees seem alive with movement. it seems like nothing here is alive. even the ground is only bare dirt. you hear the quiet footsteps of the musician approaching behind you. [[run into the forest|forest2]]

the forest, if it can even be called that, is made of the bones of trees and shrubs, long bleached and dried out by the sun. the road is narrow, only loose gravel and dirt, but despite what looks like decades of abandonment, the road still remains visible. the silence of the night is eerie. when the rare gust of wind blows, the clattering of stiff branches is the only sound other than your footsteps. it reminds you of the chattering of teeth against teeth. the knots and grain of the bare trees seem to twist in the edges of yout vision. [[keep running|beach2]]

the forest opens up before you. you come to a rocky beach. the ocean is great and black in the night. the stars are bright, but they shift. constellations change form before your eyes the ocean and the horizon mingle, becoming an undifferentiated black, both speckled with dancing stars. the sound of the waves reminds you of tv static. you almost hear voices within. an ancient wooden pier juts out into the ocean. it looks surprisingly intact. [[wade out into the ocean|kneedeep2]] [[walk out onto the pier|pier2]]

you wade into the ocean. the water is cold. it jolts you into a state of hyper awareness. you feel a pull in your mind, bringing you out to sea. the water is up to your waist now. you can't see the shore within your current view. the sensation of the water, and the indistinct horizon muddle together in your mind. the water is up to your chest now. you feel the pull out to sea stronger now. a pull to home. as the water and sky merge into one, you feel your body surrounded by the water/sky. [[further|shore]]

you walk out onto the pier. it creaks under your gentle footsteps. you try to avoid splinters. the ocean is nearly invisible with the dark, but the rush of the waves assures you of its presence. within your field of view, the sky and ocean are a unified inky black. the pier is a strip of light, brittle wood beneath you. the pier shatters under your feet. as you fall you feel the water and air mingle. there is no distinction between the two. you are surrounded by cold, by darkness. you cannot feel whether or not you are wet. the pier above you is gone, if where you look is even what above once was. [[fall|shore]]

you wade into the ocean. the water is cold. it jolts you into a state of hyper awareness. you feel a pull in your mind, bringing you out to sea. the tv static waves fill your head with a fuzzy numbness. the water is up to your waist now. you can't see the shore within your current view. you're floating in space. the sensation of the water, and the indistinct horizon muddle together in your mind. the water is up to your chest now. you feel the pull out to sea stronger now. the voices within the static scream to you. //THEY// want you to stay. it saddens you, but you can't. the compass of your mind is drawn to the horizon. as the water and sky merge into one, you feel your body surrounded by the water/sky. [[dissolve|shore]]

you walk out onto the pier. it creaks under your gentle footsteps. you try to avoid splinters. the ocean is nearly looks like the sky as its shifting stars mirror on its surface, but the rush of the waves assures you of its presence. within your field of view, the pier is a strip of light, brittle wood beneath you. the sky is everywhere. like you're floating in space. the pier shatters under your feet. as you fall you feel the water and air mingle. there is no distinction between the two. you are surrounded by cold, by darkness. you cannot feel whether or not you are wet. the pier above you is gone, if where you look is even what above once was. the tv static waves fill your ears, as do the indistinct voices. it burrows into your brain. but you will not accept //THEM//. you think of home. a compass. [[concentrate|shore]]