I rummage near the counter through the spilled products. There has to be a lighter here somewhere. Or matches. I remember this place kept the cigarettes behind the employee, so the matches and lighters should be there too. A few minutes later, I find a torch lighter. A stack of papers will do for kindling. There are plywood shelves I can use to fuel the fire. I have no idea how hard it will be to light them up, but I can’t sit in the cold. I need to stay warm.
I clear a spot at the back of the room and place an empty trash bin I found, the plywood pieces I broke, and the papers close to me. Then I light the lighter.
Something stirs inside me. I feel as if something escapes from inside me, like a part of me has fled the confines of my body. Emptiness envelopes me.
My instincts tell me there’s someone behind me. Whoever or whatever it is, it lets a guttural growl, and then it howls so loud it makes my ears ache.
Something sharp tears at my back. I scream and try to scamper away, but strong and clawed hands grab me.
Oh my God! I’m—
Unfortunately, your character died. You made the wrong choice. The Darkening claimed you, like it claimed more than ninety per cent of the Earth’s population. By now you probably have figured out what is the number one way to die in this world. I urge you to play again, but this time make a different choice. Like before, only one answer will have the potential to lead your character to surviving a little longer.
Copyright © 2018 Chris Sarantopoulos.
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