A Choose Your Own Adventure Game - The Hospital

[ec.li.ps.e]

(Hey guys. The way this works, is that I'll write out a scenario, and you choose what you want to do at the end of the scenario, and from there I will continue the story, and so on, and so on. It's like one of those choose your own adventure books; did anyone else love those as a kid? Idk. I'll put trigger warnings when needed! Let's just... Go!!!)

January 6th, 20XX

When you wake up, you have no idea where you are.

Panic siezes you, and you push yourself upright. The mattress creaks beneath you; a thin, papery sheet falls from around you and bunches around your waist. You look around, trying to catch your breath, trying to make sense of your surroundings.

You seem to be in a hospital room, although it's dark as hell. There's another bed in the room to your left, and it seems to be occupied, but they aren't moving. The heart monitor connected to them is beeping, however, so you guess that's a good sign. To your right is a window, which is covered in a gauzy, greenish curtain. At least, you assume it's green. When you lift your hand up from the hospital bed, it's sort of green. You look from your hand to the window and back again.

You're hooked up to an IV, drip-drip-dripping into your left arm. Your head is fuzzy, like you're just coming out of a horrible drug trip. There's a whiteboard on the wall at your feet, but there's nothing on it except one of those pain charts -- "which smiley face is your pain level today?" -- and a line that's labeled "Nurse." There is no name on the line.

You wonder what time it is, but there's nothing in the room to indicate it. No clocks, no televisions, nothing but the window and the curtain covering it. You decide to swing your legs out of the bed and peek out of it. Maybe you'll see the sun, and maybe it'll tell you something. Or maybe you'll see a landmark. Or anything. So you kick your legs around and slip out of the bed. Immediately upon putting your weight on your left ankle, however, pain shoots up your entire leg, and you gasp and drop back on the bed.

The person on the other side of the bed shouts something unintelligble, and you whip around, her heart jumping in your throat. "Who are you?" your roommate - a girl, you think, with long brown hair and a thin face -- squeaks. She's sitting bolt upright and staring right at you, her thin blanket clutched around her throat. "Where did you come from?"

You blink. "I don't... I don't know," you say.

The girl across from you tilts her head. Her hair falls in front of her eyes. "Don't know what?" she asks. "Don't know who you are, or don't know how you got here?" She's eased the blanket down from her neck, but her shoulders are hiked up to her ears. "Because that's not good."

You shrug, look away, curl your fingers into your own sheet. "I don't know anything," you say. "I'm... Sorry."

She settles some more. "Oh. Well, then. I'm sure the nurse will help you. She's a very helpful woman." She smiles a little bit. "My name is Gail. Welcome to the Halo Hospital." She looks over her shoulder. "I guess the nurse will be here soon. It's probably close to morning rounds."

You are suddenly aware of how little you know, so you decide to ask some questions of your new friend, Gail.

 

[pika_chuu]

(Hey guys. The way this works, is that I'll write out a scenario, and you choose what you want to do at the end of the scenario, and from there I will continue the story, and so on, and so on. It's like one of those choose your own adventure books; did anyone else love those as a kid? Idk. I'll put trigger warnings when needed! Let's just... Go!!!)

January 6th, 20XX

When you wake up, you have no idea where you are.

Panic siezes you, and you push yourself upright. The mattress creaks beneath you; a thin, papery sheet falls from around you and bunches around your waist. You look around, trying to catch your breath, trying to make sense of your surroundings.

You seem to be in a hospital room, although it's dark as hell. There's another bed in the room to your left, and it seems to be occupied, but they aren't moving. The heart monitor connected to them is beeping, however, so you guess that's a good sign. To your right is a window, which is covered in a gauzy, greenish curtain. At least, you assume it's green. When you lift your hand up from the hospital bed, it's sort of green. You look from your hand to the window and back again.

You're hooked up to an IV, drip-drip-dripping into your left arm. Your head is fuzzy, like you're just coming out of a horrible drug trip. There's a whiteboard on the wall at your feet, but there's nothing on it except one of those pain charts -- "which smiley face is your pain level today?" -- and a line that's labeled "Nurse." There is no name on the line.

You wonder what time it is, but there's nothing in the room to indicate it. No clocks, no televisions, nothing but the window and the curtain covering it. You decide to swing your legs out of the bed and peek out of it. Maybe you'll see the sun, and maybe it'll tell you something. Or maybe you'll see a landmark. Or anything. So you kick your legs around and slip out of the bed. Immediately upon putting your weight on your left ankle, however, pain shoots up your entire leg, and you gasp and drop back on the bed.

The person on the other side of the bed shouts something unintelligble, and you whip around, her heart jumping in your throat. "Who are you?" your roommate - a girl, you think, with long brown hair and a thin face -- squeaks. She's sitting bolt upright and staring right at you, her thin blanket clutched around her throat. "Where did you come from?"

You blink. "I don't... I don't know," you say.

The girl across from you tilts her head. Her hair falls in front of her eyes. "Don't know what?" she asks. "Don't know who you are, or don't know how you got here?" She's eased the blanket down from her neck, but her shoulders are hiked up to her ears. "Because that's not good."

You shrug, look away, curl your fingers into your own sheet. "I don't know anything," you say. "I'm... Sorry."

She settles some more. "Oh. Well, then. I'm sure the nurse will help you. She's a very helpful woman." She smiles a little bit. "My name is Gail. Welcome to the Halo Hospital." She looks over her shoulder. "I guess the nurse will be here soon. It's probably close to morning rounds."

You are suddenly aware of how little you know, so you decide to ask some questions of your new friend, Gail.

Ask her where we are ^^

 

[pika_chuu]

@ec.li.ps.e when is the next part ^^

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Ask her where we are ^^

(Sorry! I was reading a book haha)

Gail lifts her eyebrows; at least, you think she does, you can't really tell through her bangs. "Halo Hospital, room 375," she says. Her thumb runs over the blanket nervously. "I don't know anything else beyond that. I guess we're near Buffalo, because that's where my car crashed, but truth be told, I've never heard of this place before." She shakes her head. "I think it's some religious hospital or something. Once every seven days, there's this... Ringing, and it sounds kind of like the organ at my church." When she says that, her face softens, and she almost smiles. "I want to meet whoever's playing it so I can get lessons, maybe. It would give me something to do at least, while I wait. Are you sure you don't remember anything?"

You shake your head, but there's something coming back to you. Snow, so much snow that it's white, and you can't see anything but snow, and it's cold and it's windy and your face is wet, and you can't feel your feet and you can't feel your ears and you can't feel your nose. You shiver, press your hand to your face. But everything's there. You run your fingers down your cheeks. The feeling is muted, but it's there, at least.

"I remember snow," you say. "A blizzard. There was a blizzard. And I was trapped in it."

Gail studies you. "And then?"

"And then..." You gesture around the hospital room. "And then I ended up here."

Gail nods. "There was snow when I crashed, too. I don't know how long ago that was. But I do know I've been on the waitlist since then."

 

[pika_chuu]

(Sorry! I was reading a book haha)

Gail lifts her eyebrows; at least, you think she does, you can't really tell through her bangs. "Halo Hospital, room 375," she says. Her thumb runs over the blanket nervously. "I don't know anything else beyond that. I guess we're near Buffalo, because that's where my car crashed, but truth be told, I've never heard of this place before." She shakes her head. "I think it's some religious hospital or something. Once every seven days, there's this... Ringing, and it sounds kind of like the organ at my church." When she says that, her face softens, and she almost smiles. "I want to meet whoever's playing it so I can get lessons, maybe. It would give me something to do at least, while I wait. Are you sure you don't remember anything?"

You shake your head, but there's something coming back to you. Snow, so much snow that it's white, and you can't see anything but snow, and it's cold and it's windy and your face is wet, and you can't feel your feet and you can't feel your ears and you can't feel your nose. You shiver, press your hand to your face. But everything's there. You run your fingers down your cheeks. The feeling is muted, but it's there, at least.

"I remember snow," you say. "A blizzard. There was a blizzard. And I was trapped in it."

Gail studies you. "And then?"

"And then..." You gesture around the hospital room. "And then I ended up here."

Gail nods. "There was snow when I crashed, too. I don't know how long ago that was. But I do know I've been on the waitlist since then."

Ask her why we’re here, and not in a normal hospital.

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Ask her why we’re here, and not in a normal hospital.

Gail looks away; her hands curl around the blanket. "This is a normal hospital. At least, that's what the nurses tell me." She doesn't say anything else.

At this moment, the door to the room creaks open, a screeching noise that pierces your eardrums and is far louder than it should be. In walks a woman -- she's tall, round, stony faced. Her hair is pulled back into a puffy black bun; her thick lips are pursed. She drags a digital blood pressure monitor behind her. "Who are you talking to, Gail?" she asks. She seems to have not noticed you.

Gail says nothing. She does nothing. The woman picks up her arm and wraps a blood pressure cuff around it. In her hands, Gail's arm looks like a twig. "Numbers are going down," she is saying, and she sounds like she doesn't approve. "We may have to move you down the list. Have you been taking your meds?"

No response. The woman clips a blood oxygen monitor on her finger. She has yet to notice you are there.

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

If anyone else would like to join, just reply to the first message -- or the message you'd like to respond to

 

[pika_chuu]

Gail looks away; her hands curl around the blanket. "This is a normal hospital. At least, that's what the nurses tell me." She doesn't say anything else.

At this moment, the door to the room creaks open, a screeching noise that pierces your eardrums and is far louder than it should be. In walks a woman -- she's tall, round, stony faced. Her hair is pulled back into a puffy black bun; her thick lips are pursed. She drags a digital blood pressure monitor behind her. "Who are you talking to, Gail?" she asks. She seems to have not noticed you.

Gail says nothing. She does nothing. The woman picks up her arm and wraps a blood pressure cuff around it. In her hands, Gail's arm looks like a twig. "Numbers are going down," she is saying, and she sounds like she doesn't approve. "We may have to move you down the list. Have you been taking your meds?"

No response. The woman clips a blood oxygen monitor on her finger. She has yet to notice you are there.

Stay silent and observe her.

 

[BiasWreck]

(Sorry! I was reading a book haha)

Gail lifts her eyebrows; at least, you think she does, you can't really tell through her bangs. "Halo Hospital, room 375," she says. Her thumb runs over the blanket nervously. "I don't know anything else beyond that. I guess we're near Buffalo, because that's where my car crashed, but truth be told, I've never heard of this place before." She shakes her head. "I think it's some religious hospital or something. Once every seven days, there's this... Ringing, and it sounds kind of like the organ at my church." When she says that, her face softens, and she almost smiles. "I want to meet whoever's playing it so I can get lessons, maybe. It would give me something to do at least, while I wait. Are you sure you don't remember anything?"

You shake your head, but there's something coming back to you. Snow, so much snow that it's white, and you can't see anything but snow, and it's cold and it's windy and your face is wet, and you can't feel your feet and you can't feel your ears and you can't feel your nose. You shiver, press your hand to your face. But everything's there. You run your fingers down your cheeks. The feeling is muted, but it's there, at least.

"I remember snow," you say. "A blizzard. There was a blizzard. And I was trapped in it."

Gail studies you. "And then?"

"And then..." You gesture around the hospital room. "And then I ended up here."

Gail nods. "There was snow when I crashed, too. I don't know how long ago that was. But I do know I've been on the waitlist since then."

Istg we're dead. We're both dead-

Ask her if she actually remembers coming here. An ambulance ride, anything?

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Stay silent and observe her.

"There's oatmeal for breakfast today," the woman says.

The velcro of the blood pressure cuff tears off. Your ears feel like they're being put through a cheese greater.

"Don't be late."

She turns around and walks out of the room, tugging the blood pressure monitor behind her. Gail sits for a moment. When she speaks again, she's curled back into herself. "What's your name?" she asks, without looking at you. "I need a name. I need your name."

"I told you, I don't know," you say.

She snaps her head towards you; for the first time, you can see her eyes, and they're brown, coffee-colored, and intense. You flinch away from her. "I need your name," she repeats. Her voice is hollow. "I need to know you're real."

But you just sit there, blinking at her. "What?" you ask. The room is so quiet. "Of course I'm real. I'm talking to you, right?"

"That means nothing," Gail says, snaps, spits. She looks at her knees. "I'm going to call you... Kiyoshi." She nods twice. "That was my sibling's name. You remind me of them."

At this point, her speech is interrupted by the ringing of a bell. It's sort of like a school buzzer. Gail slips off the bed, still clutching her blanket to her chest. "Come on, Kiyoshi. We have to go to breakfast."

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Istg we're dead. We're both dead-

Ask her if she actually remembers coming here. An ambulance ride, anything?

Gail looks up at the ceiling. "I remember... Snow. I was walking, but I don't remember from where. And then the snow came on all at once--" she lifts her hand so the blanket drapes over the side of the bed-- "and then I was lost. There was a woman in the snow, I think, and she was calling my name. So I followed her." She glances over at you, her eyes still hidden by her bangs. "But I don't think I ever reached her. I don't know who she was, but I think she brought me here. She must have. Or maybe she wasn't real. Maybe I'm not real."

She sinks down into her bed. "I don't know how I got here other than that. I guess I just woke up like you, in this bed right here." Her lips curl into a smile, but it fades quickly. "Come to think of it, I don't know if anyone remembers how they got here." Her arms slump off the bed. "I don't think I've ever had to ask. Maybe we can ask around at breakfast. After the nurse gets here, we can go to breakfast. We have to, or else we get in trouble."

At this moment, the door to the hospital creaks open, and a tall, round woman with puffy black hair walks into the room, trailing a blood pressure monitor behind her. "Who are you talking to, Gail?" she asks, as she walks around the bed.

Gail glances over at you, through the curtain of her bangs. You can see her eyes sparkle. Blue, like the sky on a clear day. "A friend," she says.

The woman turns to look at you. One of her hands is holding Gail's; the patient's is dwarfed in comparison.

 

[BiasWreck]

Gail looks up at the ceiling. "I remember... Snow. I was walking, but I don't remember from where. And then the snow came on all at once--" she lifts her hand so the blanket drapes over the side of the bed-- "and then I was lost. There was a woman in the snow, I think, and she was calling my name. So I followed her." She glances over at you, her eyes still hidden by her bangs. "But I don't think I ever reached her. I don't know who she was, but I think she brought me here. She must have. Or maybe she wasn't real. Maybe I'm not real."

She sinks down into her bed. "I don't know how I got here other than that. I guess I just woke up like you, in this bed right here." Her lips curl into a smile, but it fades quickly. "Come to think of it, I don't know if anyone remembers how they got here." Her arms slump off the bed. "I don't think I've ever had to ask. Maybe we can ask around at breakfast. After the nurse gets here, we can go to breakfast. We have to, or else we get in trouble."

At this moment, the door to the hospital creaks open, and a tall, round woman with puffy black hair walks into the room, trailing a blood pressure monitor behind her. "Who are you talking to, Gail?" she asks, as she walks around the bed.

Gail glances over at you, through the curtain of her bangs. You can see her eyes sparkle. Blue, like the sky on a clear day. "A friend," she says.

The woman turns to look at you. One of her hands is holding Gail's; the patient's is dwarfed in comparison.

(Hahaha she’s small like me-)

Look back at the nurse and ask where specifically this hospital is

 

[pika_chuu]

"There's oatmeal for breakfast today," the woman says.

The velcro of the blood pressure cuff tears off. Your ears feel like they're being put through a cheese greater.

"Don't be late."

She turns around and walks out of the room, tugging the blood pressure monitor behind her. Gail sits for a moment. When she speaks again, she's curled back into herself. "What's your name?" she asks, without looking at you. "I need a name. I need your name."

"I told you, I don't know," you say.

She snaps her head towards you; for the first time, you can see her eyes, and they're brown, coffee-colored, and intense. You flinch away from her. "I need your name," she repeats. Her voice is hollow. "I need to know you're real."

But you just sit there, blinking at her. "What?" you ask. The room is so quiet. "Of course I'm real. I'm talking to you, right?"

"That means nothing," Gail says, snaps, spits. She looks at her knees. "I'm going to call you... Kiyoshi." She nods twice. "That was my sibling's name. You remind me of them."

At this point, her speech is interrupted by the ringing of a bell. It's sort of like a school buzzer. Gail slips off the bed, still clutching her blanket to her chest. "Come on, Kiyoshi. We have to go to breakfast."

Follow her.

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

(Hahaha she’s small like me-)

Look back at the nurse and ask where specifically this hospital is

The nurse lifts her thick eyebrows. "When did you get here?"

"Good question," you say. "I don't know."

Gail hums. "They must have arrived last night," she says. "While I was asleep."

The nurse nods. "What's your name, child?" she says. It's patronizing. It makes your head hurt.

"I don't know," you say. You jut your chin out. "Don't you?"

The nurse says nothing, just looks you up and down. "I'll ask Dr. Lee. He'll probably want to see you later, anyway. He always meets personally with the new patients." She doesn't look like she trusts you; she turns back to Gail and resumes taking her vitals. You stare at her, your stomach turning. You don't trust her either.

"There's oatmeal for breakfast today," she says as she turns to go. She doesn't come to you. "Don't be late."

"I love oatmeal," Gail says quietly.

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

i have rehearsal bbl

 

[BiasWreck]

The nurse lifts her thick eyebrows. "When did you get here?"

"Good question," you say. "I don't know."

Gail hums. "They must have arrived last night," she says. "While I was asleep."

The nurse nods. "What's your name, child?" she says. It's patronizing. It makes your head hurt.

"I don't know," you say. You jut your chin out. "Don't you?"

The nurse says nothing, just looks you up and down. "I'll ask Dr. Lee. He'll probably want to see you later, anyway. He always meets personally with the new patients." She doesn't look like she trusts you; she turns back to Gail and resumes taking her vitals. You stare at her, your stomach turning. You don't trust her either.

"There's oatmeal for breakfast today," she says as she turns to go. She doesn't come to you. "Don't be late."

"I love oatmeal," Gail says quietly.

Ask who Dr. Lee is

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Follow her.

Gail pauses by the door. She's wearing a simple hospital gown, light purple with a tie around the waist, and she has wrapped her blanket around her almost like some kind of shawl. Her brown hair falls in front of her eyes again, and you can't see what lies beneath. But you get the feeling she's waiting for you, so you swing your foot around and try to slide from the bed. You put your foot on the ground, try to stand --

And then you're on the floor, clutching your left ankle and hissing through your teeth. The pain that radiates from your ankle is like nothing you've ever felt before. You've sprained it before, but this is white hot and pulsing. The sprain was like hitting your funny bone in comparison.

Gail rushes over to you, her gown swishing around her thin legs. "Can't you walk?" she asks. She crouches by you, puts a hand on your shoulder.

You blink up at her. "No," you say, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Why isn't this in a cast?" Your fingers clutch at the bone. You aren't a doctor, or even anything close to it, but you can tell that something's out of place. "It's broken, I think."

Suddenly, Gail sounds excited. "Oh, you're just like the last one!" she squeals, and she claps her hands. "They're prepping you. You're lucky. I'm still on the waitlist." She snaps her head to the door. "But if you can't get to breakfast, then that's a problem..."

You look around the room, searching for something that could help you. Gail's straghtened up, and she keeps looking back and forth. Propped against the far wall is some kind of office chair, the kind that's got wheels. You sigh and lean back on the bed, and it rolls away. You fall a bit, smack your ankle on the floor, wince as a spear of pain crawls its way up your left leg. It seems like you've got options.

You prop yourself up on the bed. "I have an idea."

 

[pika_chuu]

Gail pauses by the door. She's wearing a simple hospital gown, light purple with a tie around the waist, and she has wrapped her blanket around her almost like some kind of shawl. Her brown hair falls in front of her eyes again, and you can't see what lies beneath. But you get the feeling she's waiting for you, so you swing your foot around and try to slide from the bed. You put your foot on the ground, try to stand --

And then you're on the floor, clutching your left ankle and hissing through your teeth. The pain that radiates from your ankle is like nothing you've ever felt before. You've sprained it before, but this is white hot and pulsing. The sprain was like hitting your funny bone in comparison.

Gail rushes over to you, her gown swishing around her thin legs. "Can't you walk?" she asks. She crouches by you, puts a hand on your shoulder.

You blink up at her. "No," you say, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Why isn't this in a cast?" Your fingers clutch at the bone. You aren't a doctor, or even anything close to it, but you can tell that something's out of place. "It's broken, I think."

Suddenly, Gail sounds excited. "Oh, you're just like the last one!" she squeals, and she claps her hands. "They're prepping you. You're lucky. I'm still on the waitlist." She snaps her head to the door. "But if you can't get to breakfast, then that's a problem..."

You look around the room, searching for something that could help you. Gail's straghtened up, and she keeps looking back and forth. Propped against the far wall is some kind of office chair, the kind that's got wheels. You sigh and lean back on the bed, and it rolls away. You fall a bit, smack your ankle on the floor, wince as a spear of pain crawls its way up your left leg. It seems like you've got options.

You prop yourself up on the bed. "I have an idea."

Ask her what she means by "prepping".

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Ask who Dr. Lee is

"Especially the oatmeal they make here," Gail continues, as if she hasn't heard you. "It's the perfect consistency, and it tastes so good-"

"I'm not an oatmeal person," you say. "You've met Dr. Lee, though, haven't you?"

Gail nods. "A couple of times. He's very interesting. He runs Halo Hospital." She smooths her blanket with her fingers; you realize it's a sort of nervous tic of hers. "He's a genius when it comes to operations. Apparently, he used to be at the top of his field, before he quit to start Halo. At least, that's what Josh has told me. And he's been here longer than me, so I guess he knows what he's talking about. When we go to breakfast, I'll introduce you to him." She hums a little bit. "He's sme kind of trauma surgeon, I think, but I don't know what that means."

Trauma surgeon. You glance down at your leg. "That's like, facial reconstruction after surgery. But my face is fine, right? It's..." You run your fingers all over your face, but can't seem to catch anything out of the ordinary. "I wonder what a trauma surgeon would want with me."

Gail titters. "I thought it had something to do with brains. Because trauma is stored in the brain, right?"

You get the feeling that Gail isn't the brightest. You open your mouth to say something, but before anything snide can slip from your lips, a bell rings. It vaguely reminds you of the buzzer in a school, but harsher, somehow. You snap your mouth shut and wrinkle your nose. Sound didn't used to hurt this much, did it? You can't remember. "What does that mean?" you ask.

"It's time for breakfast," Gail says. She's already pushing herself from the bed. Deftly, her fingers tie her thin blanket around her neck like some kind of cape. "Come on. We don't want to be late."

 

[ec.li.ps.e]

Ask her what she means by "prepping".

Your idea slips from your head. "Hang on. Prepping." You swing your good leg against the bed. "What does that mean?"

Gail shrugs. "Honestly, I don't know. I think it has something to do with Dr. Lee. Joshua says Dr. Lee is very particular about which patients he takes when, so he when he chooses one, he's gotta prep them for... Something. I don't quite know." Her shoulders sag. "He hasn't chosen me yet. But I'm sure it'll be soon. Once you're prepped, it's not long before you're whisked away, and then whatever's wrong with you is fixed and you go home. I've seen a couple patients like that. Prepped and ready and boom--" she punctuates each word with the swish of her blanket-- "gone the next day, before I've even learned their names. So maybe this will be different." She smiles. Snap. It's gone from her face. "Or maybe you aren't even real and none of this is happening. But... No, he'd only prep patients who actually existed, right, Kiyoshi?"

She blinks at you, as if she expects you to know the answer, and you kind of just nod awkwardly. Before things get too strange. "I guess not," you say. "Now, about breakfast..."

"Oh! Right." Gail nods. "Breakfast. We have to get you to breakfast. And you have to try the oatmeal." She stretches her arms out. "I guess I could carry you."

You can't say for sure that's the best idea. You look around the room again. Office chair, bed, Gail. And some threat of consequences if you don't go down to breakfast, whatever they might be.