|
you're whole life has been spent inside a laboratory. your tiny cage, your mouse friends in their own tiny cages around you. every day is another experiment, another trip outside your cage to run a maze, complete a task, feel the touch of human hands. the kind woman has been your friend, the cruel man has not. one day to the next, trying to make it back to your bed to reach sleep where you can finally dream once again. the dreams of the outside, a world beyond you. until today. the kind woman took you, and many of your friends, and placed you within her lab coat. she walked, the blaring sirens echoed through the pocket that she placed you in until you smelled the air, fresh and clean. she placed you in the grass alone and terrified. she whispered into your ear as you she let you down, "the world is yours now, don't let him find you, arkham is no more my child... the world is yours." in the distance an enormous explosion deafens and stuns you. you come to and see a massive plume of smoke and fire in the distance. the heat of the sun warms your fur as you take in your surroundings. behind you fire bellows from the ruins of a large complex of ominous buildings, to your left lies an expanse of field and then water, ahead of you lies a forest and to your right lies what seem to be mountains. all of it seems familiar, from your dreams while you slept in your tiny cage. your heart is torn between the elation of freedom and the terror of being dropped into the outside world.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVD1HRV8NqA |
#
¿
Oct 1, 2020 13:43
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 14, 2024 01:17 |
|
|
you turn towards the flames and destruction of the ominous buildings, a flood of memories running through you as you watch your former home crumble into ash. a dark shadow rises above the chaos and seems to peer deep within your soul. feelings of familiarity, a former friend now twisted and wrong, a feeling of something trying to lure you back into a fate worse than death. your heart stops for a moment and when it starts again it's pounding. you run, faster than you ever thought you could run, twisting through the grass in no particular direction other than "away" from the seething shadow above the ruins. the mountains? you dart away. the water? you scuff the dirt and change direction again. the forest. your tiny feet pound into the ground as you make your way towards the trees. behind you a horrifying shriek echoes across the field, taunting you for fleeing. your heart nears giving out when far ahead by the line of trees you see a mouse, a friend, darting into the cover of the canopy. 1015! you'd run mazes and solved puzzles together, she had always been a faithful companion in your trials.  as she disappears into the woods your heart sinks again, a fox appears from behind an oak and chases close behind her, both fade from view between the roots and trunks and brambles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZcFMwga1A4 |
|
#
¿
Oct 2, 2020 02:43
|
|
|
you slow your frenzied pace as you come to the edge of the woods, following 1015 and the fox. the air cools beneath the canopy and the smells of the forest fill your little nose with more memories of the dreams that took you outside your tiny cage. far ahead you hear a muffled "whelp!" and a sickening sound of something liquid, sizzling, melting and then the sound of something hollow falling to the forest floor. very carefully you approach, doing your best to keep quiet and unseen. you come upon a skeleton, a fox, it's bones picked clean. all around you the woods have gone quiet, not a single bird or insect. no sign of 1015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLbB9S_iwtQ |
|
#
¿
Oct 2, 2020 15:17
|
|
|
you nestle yourself between the roots of an enormous beech tree, taking care to to do so without making a sound. your heart begins to slow and your breathing settles as the strange darkness in the forest slowly recedes, the light filtering once again through the autumn leaves. you catch yourself about to fall into a gentle slumber when the songbirds begin to sing of the setting sun as a far off blue jay signals that it's safe in the woods now. a chickadee alights on a branch above your head and sings to you "little mouse come out and play, eat and drink. dusk is coming and you'd better find your way home before the night falls in the forest." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRDAkgOF_0U |
|
#
¿
Oct 2, 2020 18:58
|
|
|
you cautiously rise from your hiding place and address the chickadee, asking what happens at night in the forest. she sings to you of the old ones who wake when the sun sets, wandering amongst the trees to feed, their terrible forms an abomination to mother nature. she sings of the tiny creatures who hide themselves away until the sun rises, safe from the wrath and terror of those who walk at night. she tells of several safe havens that you may still be able to reach before nightfall, old frog's den to the southwest, the red squirrels oak village to the south and mother rabbit's warren to the southeast. she offers to tell you the way if you choose from the three and if not then she wishes you luck on your way. as she ends her song you catch the scent of 1015 still lingering amongst the forest floor, her trail appears to lead to the east. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doy3-A4Vric |
|
#
¿
Oct 2, 2020 20:03
|
|
|
you ask for directions to old frog's den and mother rabbit's warren and as the chickadee sings you scan the ground for a suitable leaf. twisting the fibers of it's stem into a tiny strap to tie under you neck, you drape the leaf over you back. a comforting memory of the kind woman washes over you and gives you a brief moment of peace. you say your goodbyes and scramble further into the forest following 1015's scent, her trail twisting back and forth amongst the roots and moss. after about an hour you pause to rest, the light in the woods now signaling that the sun has set. you're unsure of how far off mother rabbit's warren would be to the south and 1015's trail now leads to the northeast. far off through the trees you hear a bluejay call, alerting the woodland creatures that the old ones are about to awaken to stalk the forest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cJ_Yh1bNuM |
|
#
¿
Oct 2, 2020 21:27
|
|
|
you make your mind up to find mother rabbit's warren while you still have a chance, but before you do you gather small pebbles and make a marker where you leave 1015's trail. you scan the trees around you and remember your time in the mazes, drawing strength from your days running them. as you set out the chickadee's song echoes in your head, guiding you as you dart through the forest from one landmark to another. within an hour you see a faint glow ahead, the bioluminescent moss of the interior of warren shining through the black of the night. as you draw near a terrifying shriek cuts through the silence, stopping in you in your tacks, your tiny heart beating furiously inside your chest. a rabbit head pokes it's way into the glow, looking out into the forest, it's ears twitching as it tries to survey the woods. the last 100 feet to the entrance seem like miles to you as you can sense something oppressive and malevolent drawing nearer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHToIiNBMdI |
|
#
¿
Oct 3, 2020 00:47
|
|
|
you gather all of your courage and the little strength left after this harrowing day and sprint towards the entrance to the warren. the rabbit's ears twitch again, hearing your tiny feet skim the leaves of the forest floor and the monstrosity that pursues close behind. for a moment you think you won't make it, an unfathomable darkness seemingly only millimeters away from you. and then you're inside. the warm glow of the bioluminescent moss soothing your soul. a large rabbit looks down to you and assures you you're safe inside. she introduces herself as mother rabbit, and after briefly investigating you she says you smell of arkham, reassuring you that she too escaped from the labs many years ago. deeper within the warren you hear more rabbits, eating and drinking, preparing to wait out the night together. she beckons you to join them, to enjoy the safe haven you've found. that night as you sleep amongst the rabbits you dream of the nighttime forest, running throughout in terror, the old ones stalking you. hiding beneath a log, scurrying beneath the leaves. you come upon the small pile of pebbles and sniff at them, your tiny paw touches them and a faint glow emanates from the stones and then fades. you bend down to drink some water gathered in a leaf and the face reflected back is not yours but that of 1015. you awake to the distant sound of birdsong, the rabbits are beginning to stir around you. it's morning now, the woods are "safe" again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_11CVfRLbA |
|
#
¿
Oct 3, 2020 12:43
|
|
|
you ask mother rabbit what she knows of arkham and the forest. while you eat a quick breakfast of a blackberry and some seeds she sits with you an talks as the other rabbits gather round to listen, enrapt by her words. she says she was raised in the labs as you were, the subject of innumerable tests and experiments, the things done to all the animals where at times unspeakable. she says the animals were treated as vessels, places where the scientists of arkham could put pieces of the old ones they captured from the forest. each successive generation got them closer to what they sought, and to that end she does not know but can only speculate at the horror of which they wanted to unleash on the world. you can feel her inside your head, searching through your thoughts. she nods and addresses you again "you are known as 1031, those before you will one by one either succumb to their darkness or learn to live in the world peacefully. not all of those from your group are still your friends, some may have turned and others may have already been caught by the cruel man. you must travel as far away from arkham as you can, and try to find yourself before your own darkness overtakes you. you must leave now for i cannot protect you from the cruel man and he is already looking for you and the others. i wish there was more i could do to help but i fear may have already put my warren at risk by harboring you for the night." she bows her head solemnly as the rabbits part and give you an open path to the exit of the warren. "good luck little one...be brave and move quickly"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cstSdN8d1yo |
|
#
¿
Oct 3, 2020 19:35
|
|
|
as you near the entrance to the warren you hear a murmur among the rabbits and you turn to see a large male rabbit stepping forward. he looks at mother rabbit and she bows her head in agreement. "bramble has chosen to accompany you and guide you through the forest, though he knows he will likely perish on this journey..." bramble nuzzles his forehead into mother rabbit and then approaches you. the other rabbits say their goodbyes, as if already mourning his passing. he beckons you to climb atop his shoulders and then makes sure your grip is true. you tell him of the stack of pebbles and once again thank your gracious hosts. in an instant he speeds into the forest, twisting back and forth between the trees. at times he asks for direction, faithfully following your commands. the feeling of synergy with the mighty rabbit lifts your soul, makes you momentarily transcend and become one with the woods. a dream, traveling the trees as if you were born among them... you come to at the stack of pebbles and see the tiny paw print left by 1015, a barely perceptible glow marking her touch. off to the northeast you catch a faint hint of her trail, a lingering scent. from far off you hear a bluejay cry a warning call, a predator, perhaps more than one, is prowling the morning woods.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbSD5N03Izw |
|
#
¿
Oct 4, 2020 00:06
|
|
|
bramble makes his way cautiously through the forest following 1015's trail. in the distance you hear the faint crashing of large animals giving chase through the underbrush, sticks and dry leaves crushing under paws, songbirds and bluejays crying out in alarm. bramble picks up his pace and within 15 minutes you've drawn close enough to hear the terrified yelps of the last coyote. the large rabbit makes his way through several piles of freshly cleaned bones, creeping his way along now as his ears twitch taking in the surroundings. "your friend did this....?" you hear 1015 faintly sobbing as you make your way through a stand of blueberry bushes. you find her standing in a pool of gathering blood. her form seems to vaporize for a moment and then become whole again. a strange low buzz accompanies her wounds slowly healing themselves. she breaks down into tears and lies down in the pool of blood, curling into the fetal position while gently squeaking.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRqrpfzpTaA |
|
#
¿
Oct 4, 2020 12:54
|
|
|
rear end-penny posted:I assume you're doing them yourself? Is this charcoal? yes charcoal, keeps the sketches quick and easy to produce as i don't have a lot of free time these days |
|
#
¿
Oct 4, 2020 12:55
|
|
|
you climb off of bramble's back and and motion him to stay back before slowly approaching 1015. her squeaks slow as you you near her and her nose quivers as she smells your scent. "you found me... after i came across the pebbles you left i searched all night... " her voice trails off as she pulls herself tighter together, the pool of blood beneath her soaking into her fur. "what did they do to us..." she lets out a few more tiny squeaks and then falls into a deep slumber. bramble whispers from his hiding place, "we need to go, far from here. i know a place to the east. we may be able to make it by nightfall. i can carry both of you but we must leave now." you stand above 1015 for a few moments before bending down and nuzzling your head into hers. it's been weeks since you've been this close to another mouse. carefully you pick her up and tenderly cradle her as bramble steps from the shadows. he lowers himself so you can climb on his back with your old friend. "where do you want me to take you 1031?"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5YOhcAof8I |
|
#
¿
Oct 5, 2020 01:28
|
|
|
you wrap 1015 in your leaf cape and quickly twist a few more straps so you can secure her in front of you on bramble's back. once set the large he lurches forward to the east. the trip is a blur as you frantically try to keep yourself and 1015 from being thrown off the mighty rabbit as he sprints through the trees, punctuated by massive jumps over logs, rocks and streams. as night begins to fall a crack of thunder signals the start of the rain and the songbirds begin to sing their goodbyes to the sun. a blue jay announces your arrival to an ancient estate, it's wrought iron fence now covered with vines, broken in places my gnarled trees. bramble slows his pace once you're through the fence, telling you this place is safe from the old ones. he says that mother rabbit thinks that the old inhabitants had cast some sort of protection over the entirety of the property but she couldn't be sure how. the once rolling lawns and gardens were all now long overtaken by the forest, though here and there there remained crumbling stone fountains and statues, old benches and mouldering tables. he lets you down by the base of an enormous sprawling mansion, now encased in moss and wild growth. in front of you lies a small hole that leads into the basement. he leaves you to find food for the three of you and scout the area while you gently place the still sleeping 1015 under some large oak leaves for cover. you stand alone looking in, smelling the must and decay of the long abandoned home.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irq959oNVww |
|
#
¿
Oct 5, 2020 22:55
|
|
|
you find a tiny pebble and toss it inside. for a moment time seems to slow as you feel your energy traveling into and then with the pebble as it begins to glow like the one 1015 touched in your dream. the pebble clatters on the stone floor and comes to rest in the center of a small pocket between the stone foundation and a wood and plaster wall. you marvel at the newfound ability to make objects illuminate and it's seeming familiarity as you scan the little room. it appears the space has been used before by small animals as it bears the remains of old bedding, filled with sticks and grass that were dragged in within the past few years. you find a small sharpened stick and pick it up, wielding it as a suitable spear. to the left there appears to be a small passageway leading deeper behind the mansion's walls, looking well traveled by perhaps mouse, rat, chipmunk or squirrel. outside a crash of lighting accompanies the growing rain storm and you hear the footfalls of bramble returning from his scouting.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVW7zoVTFm4 |
|
#
¿
Oct 6, 2020 04:26
|
|
|
you gently carry 1015 inside and lie her in the old bedding. bramble's head pokes inside the hole and he explains that he was much smaller when he and the other rabbits stayed here years ago but he's fairly sure he can still fit through the entrance. he pushes in a leaf filled with seeds and dried blueberries he's gathered and then wriggles himself through, curling up with your slumbering friend as you enjoy a quick late supper. he says that the grounds appeared empty though he felt the eyes of the old ones watching him from just past the fence. you both fall quiet for a few moments, the sound of the storm outside muffling the crunch of seeds in your mouths. after eating your fill you leave the others to investigate the passage, finding that it runs for maybe 6 feet before ending at an old wooden beam. to your right lies a small hole in the wood and plaster interior wall that opens into what appears to be a long unused basement laboratory, the flasks and burners covered in cobwebs are antiquated versions of the ones you'd seen in arkham. above lies a well worn "ladder" scuffed into the beam that runs it's course through a chewed out hole. you scramble up and find that it too leads to another chewed hole through a wall into what seems to be a large ornate dining room. something about the place reminds of you of the mazes you'd run in your dreams, your mind taking the tasks you'd performed while awake and turning them outwards to locales you'd never been. your paw touching one of the scratches begins to glow and a feeling washes over you as you connect with the spirit of a long deceased mouse who once lived here, it's wispy ethereal form momentarily materializes before you. your fur raises as you realize that you've connected with one of many spirits with ties to the house and surrounding property, some friendly and some malevolent.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm2oBSCtImg |
|
#
¿
Oct 6, 2020 14:15
|
|
|
you try to connect with the spirit, pressing your paw deeper into the wood. a flood of memories courses through you, a tiny baby born within the walls, scurrying with it's litter mates, growing amongst the opulence of the estate. a life running and playing, eating and sleeping, and then the end... your mind settles upon the mouse's skull, lying somewhere in the attic of the mansion, resting with others of it's kind in some sort of macabre collection. the spirit is friendly but somehow beyond your reach but you feel you could learn more, perhaps even "talk" and or communicate in some way if you found and touched it, connected yourself to it. you remove your paw and breathe, trying to understand what has just happened and how it has remained latent inside you for so long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTQPusOl0eg |
|
#
¿
Oct 7, 2020 04:24
|
|
|
i apologize if updates are taking longer, work is crazy but if i can get at least one or two even on the busy days i'm going to keep this thread going for october/the ik period. happy october everyone 
|
|
#
¿
Oct 7, 2020 04:29
|
|
|
you crawl into the old dining room, it's vaulted ceilings and ornate woodwork giving you pause as you admire the room's beauty. you catch your breath when you realize there are several sets of faintly glowing eyes watching you, all seated around the table as if you've just interrupted a meal. you slowly move towards the exit to the front hall and feel them follow you. swallowing your fears you use the little you saw from the spirit mouse's memories to navigate the mansion, through the front hall, up the grand staircase, down halls whose once sumptuous red carpets now molder beneath your tiny feet. up another set of great stairs, more hallways and finally rounding a corner the hallway ends at a lone window. you look to your right and see a spiral staircase leading up to the attic, an iron door lying at it's top with an ornate silver lock. a wispy ethereal figure materializes in front of you, that of an elderly woman supporting herself with a cane. she points to something shiny dangling under the window sill, a small silver key. thunder crashes outside and the wind pushes torrents of rain against the ancient window pains. somewhere downstairs you hear a crash and clatter of metal and glass and the ethereal woman disappears.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeyHPAdxuy0 |
|
#
¿
Oct 7, 2020 17:19
|
|
|
you use the spear to manipulate the red ribbon tied to the key to lower it to the floor off of it's hook below the window sill. once down you loop it over your shoulder to make a sash and secure it to your back. traveling as quietly as you can you make your way back down the hallways and third floor staircase until you reach the top of the grand staircase. you pause and listen, spear at the ready, and hear the patter of small feet across the old wood floors. something chitters, reminding you of the raccoons you'd seen at times in the labs of arkham, and then a large form briefly comes into view at the landing below you. a raccoon, far bigger than the ones you'd ever seen, pokes it head and looks up, not appearing to see you, and then disappears.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ7puU2yOAw |
|
#
¿
Oct 8, 2020 03:44
|
|
|
you make your way back up to the third floor, pausing for a moment at the bottom of the spiral staircase leading to the attic. outside the winds continue to blow rain against the hallway window and a low rumble of thunder confirms that the storm still rages outside. as you jump and climb up the swirling steps a flash of lightning illuminates your surroundings, letting you see the small mouse scuffs that tell the tale of other mice traveling up and down the stairs over the years. once at the top you manage to climb to the small silver lock and carefully insert the key. using all of your force you manage to pull it down, hearing the satisfying turn of the tumblers inside as the lock clicks open. wedging the spear against the door frame you try several different approaches before finally figuring a way to turn the glass door handle and as you scurry back to the ground a phantom breeze blows the door towards you, opening your way into the attic room. you sling the key onto your back once again and look into the room, finding your view obscured by some sort of murky "barrier", almost like a curtain slowly undulating in front of you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkONssSNiDE |
|
#
¿
Oct 8, 2020 15:39
|
|
|
Chewbecca posted:please please please curate this when it's over into a book or website or something because it's the most precious and perfect thread thanks for the kind words i figure it will just fall into the forums archives at some point but that's fine, i like to think a thread like this is a "had to have been there while it was live to appreciate it" kind of thingManifisto posted:e: this is a lovely track yeah i love pretty much everything this guy does. not sure if people are paying attention but every tune has a hint or a clue about what's happening, going to happen, has happened in the story be it the feeling, the words or the name of the tune |
|
#
¿
Oct 8, 2020 16:22
|
|
|
you take a deep breath and close your eyes before taking a step through the barrier before you. a feeling of safety and welcomeness washes over you as you pass through into the old attic. at the far end a window lets the light of the moon inside, illuminating the various shelves and tables that fill the room. on one lies a collection of spoons, another various ornate dollhouses filled with tiny furniture. under the window lies a large shelf filled with skulls, your eyes drawn to the skull of the spirit mouse. you feel it's energy guide your gaze to a large collection of stuffed mice to it's left, each one carefully crafted to preserve the fur and then outfitted with capes, weapons, armor. one stands out in particular, you instantly know it's the spirit, he stand with a black cape and silver sword, looking regal and dignified in his repose. his fur has been immaculately kept, his skull lying mere feet away amongst a collection of other small animals.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKhH_jUXylU |
|
#
¿
Oct 9, 2020 05:08
|
|
|
Twenty Four posted:Luvcow my friend, I can't express how much I enjoy your prose and art. I don't know how better to put it, other then heartfelt appreciation. thank you. i don't want to take up space with a non funny thread so it's good to know that at least a few people are still reading. |
|
#
¿
Oct 9, 2020 05:11
|
|
|
you carefully approach the skull, your nose taking in the smell of fresh flowers mixed with the musty attic air. the skull sits on a tiny table between others like it: rat, squirrel, chipmunk, skunk, and others. each well polished and preserved. reaching your paw out you touch the snout and feel a rush of emotions course through your body. his name was galahad, the little girl whose playroom you stand in had rescued him from a cat and given him shelter to heal his wounds. she'd let him run loose in the house, live with the other house mice, and he'd returned to the attic everyday to play with her. the family had accepted the little mouse as her pet, a member of the family welcome to roam freely on the grounds. and the father had brought back the array of weapons and clothes from his trips across the sea. he tells you that when he finally passed the girl was heartbroken, she took him to her fathers laboratory in the basement and had his bones cleaned, his fur stuffed so she could remember him, still play the games they'd played, go on the adventures they'd planned. and as she grew older she visited the attic playroom less and less, until one day she came as an old woman and said her goodbyes, kissing the little skull and the stuffed mouse and then locking the iron door with the silver key. galahad tells you to take his sword and cape, saying the spirit of the girl would be happy to know another mouse could carry it with them.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ywMEBW9rc edit: it looks like this thread has run it's course, thank you bfm for that beautiful last reply post. i'm just going to let this thread slip off the first page and then close it. sorry i didn't make my goal of making this thread good enough to keep people posting and getting this thread to a satisfying conclusion for the 31 days of october, good night everyone and have a happy halloween when we get there Luvcow fucked around with this message at 04:32 on Oct 10, 2020 |
|
#
¿
Oct 9, 2020 16:20
|
|
|
you carefully remove the cape from galahad's stuffed body, marveling at the softness and comfort as you fasten it around your neck. the sword and it's tiny scabbard you fit into the sash with the silver key and you admire yourself for a moment is an old dusty mirror. after investigating the plethora of other tiny weapons and clothing you find that most are just cosmetic and not functional for a mouse. the helmets and armor are uncomfortable and would hinder your movement, the tiny bows and arrows are old and brittle, their feathers worn and strings ready to snap. you scan the rest of the room, smiling as you gaze upon the small spoon village. it's put together with care and vivid imagination as each spoon has a face and personality, spread amongst the various cottages and stores of the small village displayed on the cedar shelves. you scurry up to the window sill and peer outside, the storm still raging and yet the feeling still so peaceful in the old attic playroom. a flash of lightning reveals the overgrown garden below, crumbling statues covered in vines and brush. the wrought iron fence lies far in the distance, several large dark ominous figures standing behind it, for now kept from entering the ground's by the protection of the estate. a rumble of thunder is followed by another flash of lightning and you see a small form sprint towards the fence and then stop. it rises up on its hind legs and seems to waver in front of the amorphous black entities as they coalesce in front of it. your heart drops, even through the rain you are almost certain that what you see is 1015, finally awake.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBrd_3VMC3c |
|
#
¿
Oct 14, 2020 15:26
|
|
|
you race from the old attic playroom, down the great stairs, past the mess of silver and dishes spread across the floor and the now frightened raccoon. bramble awakens and peers around him in panic, apologizing that he didn't notice your friend leaving. the rabbit follows you out into the rain as you scramble through the gardens towards the fence. you find her there, 1015, staring into the abyss of the gathering darkness. you stop, feeling the rain drops course through your fur and you softly call to her, telling her it's ok. the darkness pulses and for a moment she seems not to hear and then she turns her head to look at you. your eyes lock and she speaks, telling you that the old ones call to both of you, beckoning you to come back home, to give yourselves over. it would be so easy, an end to all the pain and suffering you've endured. somewhere in the forest a bluejay calls to signal the rising of the sun. the darkness recedes into the trees and the songbirds begin to sing about the imminent arrival of the morning. 1015 collapses into the grass and lets out a timid squeak. you draw nearer to her and nuzzle into her side until the sun rises and the rains come to an end. as the light of day fills the old forgotten gardens you feel a peace descending upon the both of you. bramble approaches from behind and lies down with you, giving his warmth. finally 1015 opens her eyes and speaks, telling you she's not sure she can last another night of the torment.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=supe-yD0fX4 |
|
#
¿
Oct 15, 2020 04:51
|
|
|
bramble tells you that the only way he knows of out of the forest is a half days journey to the east. you decide there's still time to gather what you can from the house and seek out the raccoon before you set out, leaving the rabbit outside until you and 1015 can find a way for him to enter. the two of you sramble through the tiny passages you'd entered before, through the walls and into the dining room, by the grand staircase and the silverware and dishes the raccoon had scattered about the floor. it's scent has faded and you become unsure as to whether it left before the sun rose. for a few moments in time you lose yourself, running with your friend while following the memories of the ghost mouse to lead you through a study, a spacious library and into the long abandoned kitchen. you and 1015 find yourselves laughing, playing like the little mice you once were, darting amongst the ruins in a game of chase. you come to a stop by an old door, a wooden pane at the bottom broken through and muddy raccoon tracks showing how the larger animal had made his way inside. you turn to 1015, joyfully squeaking about the newfound opening that bramble can use to enter the house. she reaches out for your paw and smiles, nodding her head. you stand in silence for a few seconds before she speaks, asking you what fate you think has befallen the others from your laboratory group. tiny 1001, always so nervous but quick. boisterous 1024, strong and measured and wise. outside you can hear a nuthatch chittering away, talking with bramble about something going on beyond the estate's iron fences.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-SFDJDCKN4 |
|
#
¿
Oct 16, 2020 04:05
|
|
|
you make your way outside and find bramble sitting by the fence talking with a frenzied nuthatch. the little bird crawls back and forth along the top of the old iron fence and upon seeing you it begins to sing of the outside world, the cities burning, the humans fleeing from their houses. explosions during the night and planes falling form the sky. bramble turns to you in disbelief, wondering if you have any idea why this is happening. the bird continues, singing about the potential for a world free of humanity and deep within you something stirs. memories of the kind woman, of the ghost mouse's friendly humans and then that of the cruel man and the experiments he made you and your friend's endure. 1015 seems lost in thought, staring ahead into nothing. she reaches out and grasps your paw, squeezing it tightly as she begins to cry. you close your eyes and concentrate on your lab mates, trying to feel their presence. tears well up in your eyes as you realize at least 10 of them no longer walk the mortal world, yet you feel no presence of them in the afterlife, instead you feel something entirely unnatural, twisted... wrong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaKCMPRkzIQ |
|
#
¿
Oct 16, 2020 20:50
|
|
|
you tighten your grasp on 1015's paw and let your mind go, thinking of all the mice in your group, 31 including you. as you count the numbers you're able to see faint glimpses of them from your memories, some seem farther away, faded, and you guess these may be the ones who are now beyond your reach. the others seem to exist in your mind in a swirling chaotic stream. with time you begin to separate them from one another and concentrate on the one clearest and closest to you. through another mouse's eyes you see a river, marsh and trees, viewed from high above. the wind blows through the autumn leaves and loosens some that float through the air. mimicking the drifting leaves you let go of your grasp and the view pans back to reveal a small mouse sitting on a window sill of a darkened room viewing the landscape from high above, your heart warms as you recognize him to be 1027 and as your ego returns to you the vision is lost. you open your eyes and excitedly tell your friends what you've seen. bramble tells you there is a river perhaps 3/4 of a days travel to the south east and the nuthatch overhearing you sings of an old windmill on the banks of the river that could be where your friend sits. 1015 squeezes your paw and smiles and for a moment there seems to be at least a tiny bit of hope left in the world.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJILRWBKnQ4 |
|
#
¿
Oct 17, 2020 17:07
|
|
|
Manifisto posted:this is a nice track, I really need to check out more songs by them since "the trip" and this one are really good i really like that tune, ty for turning me on to them. i always love finding new music
|
|
#
¿
Oct 17, 2020 17:10
|
|
|
you ask the nuthatch if it will accompany you on your journey to the windmill and act as your eyes from above. he pauses for a moment and preens his feathers before scanning the woods around him. seeming satisfied he jumps form his perch on the old iron fence and lands beside you, saying that he'd be happy to join you. he beckons you to climb aboard his back, 1015 nodding in agreement and taking the silver key and the spear to lighten your load. as you take to the sky you watch as the little mouse climbs atop bramble and looks above to wave. the sensation of flight brings you back to your dreams, to the falling leaves, to the times you felt a part of the world around you. the nuthatch flits through the forest, dodging branches and thorns as your friends sprint along below. by noon you've stopped at a small stream to drink and forage for a quick lunch. the bluejays cry out that all is well in the woods and your small group sets out again, finally settling on the edge of a marsh, a large flowing brackish river running through. in the distance you see an old windmill rising from the grass. the nuthatch sings a song of the birds who flew too close when the blades still turned, all rejoicing when it finally fell from use and was abandoned and left as a relic of a former time.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkiA_oQfs10 |
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 15:43
|
|
|
you assure the others you'll return, leaving them hidden on the edge of the woods as you fly on the back of the nuthatch to the windmill, flitting above the marsh and the river, soaring above the old structure and it's dormant blades. seeing no threat around you the little bird brings you to the lone window you'd seen in your dream and he gently lands on the sill. there before you lies your littermate 1027, eyes staring longingly at you. he lets out a muffled squeak of hello, as if to question if what he sees is real. as you dismount he addresses you, telling you of the horrors he's seen. the darkness and death, the humans across the river fleeing and the great fires in the distance that still smolder. he speaks of the rest of the mice you knew from the arkham lab, the ones who've passed beyond your reach and the ones who still run. he asks if you remember 1001, the first, and how nervous and scared she had always been. he says he'd dreamed of her last night, still alive and terrified, somewhere deep within the forest. as he shudders you move forward to embrace him, telling him of your journey and what you've learned so far. the two of you grow quiet for a few moments before you hear the cry of a bluejay in the distance calling, something is approaching, a predator who breaks the peace of the quiet evening.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbgD9TyTW6g |
|
#
¿
Oct 22, 2020 05:44
|
|
|
you tell 1027 to stay at his perch on the windowsill as you climb back onto the nuthatch, taking flight once again and setting out towards your friends. from the northern edge of the woods come several men dressed in the strange plastic suits and masks you'd seen in the arkham labs whenever the lights had dimmed and the alarms had begun screaming. they hold long black tubes with flames flickering at their ends, connected by lengths of black hose to large backpacks. you'd seen them throw fire from these once before with terrible efficiency, burning an escaped pig as it scurried down a flashing hallway. the memories flooding back into you replace your fear with anger and you hold tight as the nuthatch turns and dives down towards them. from your left you see something dash from the trees, bramble sprinting through the grass with 1015 on his back holding the lowering the spear in their frenzied charge. time seems to slow as the men turn their heads to towards your them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxjCnsKveGs |
|
#
¿
Oct 23, 2020 14:19
|
|
|
interest has almost ground to a halt, my fault., ty manifisto, bfm and others for posting, i'll wrap up this story in the morning. it's been a rough and strange october here, i assume for everyone else too |
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2020 04:26
|
|
|
blaise rascal posted:Just wanna say that I've read every post, and listened to every song, and I adore this thread. Your art gives me a feeling of peace. It's scary for me to post here because I don't want to screw up a great cyoa! I guess I'm trying to say that just because people aren't posting, it doesn't mean they're not interested thanks quilt square buddy, thread will end in the morning though. it's time. |
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2020 04:42
|
|
|
the other mice sitting around the fire begin to speak, assuring you they have no need for sleep and want to hear the end of the story. even the little yawning mice have perked up their ears and opened their eyes, nuzzling into their parents fur and feeling the warmth of the fire on this cool autumn night. the fire crackles, the crickets chirp and somewhere in the trees above you hear the nuthatch call, singing of his family's interest in hearing the tale out to it's conclusion. you assure the little mice that they already know what happened in the marsh that day, that you've already told them of what 1015 did to the foxes and coyotes who'd tried to kill her. the older mice nod in agreement, wanting to spare the young ones from hearing about the horrors that befell the men in the plastic suits who'd come for the little group of animals. you tell them that the journey back to the old mansion was terrifying, leaving at dusk, threading your way through the forest as the old ones awoke and gave chase. the iron fence finally in sight you'd all collapsed in the overgrown garden and embraced each other for what seemed an eternity, 1015 still sobbing because of what she'd done. 1027 shaking and scared, bramble unable to verbalize what he had seen and the nuthatch no longer reveling in the death of humans but singing a low mournful song asking for forgiveness. once you'd calmed yourselves you'd looked back towards the old iron fence and seen them, the seething darkness of the old ones, more than you could count, all kept at bay but watching, staring into your souls. far off in the trees a bluejay signaled the coming dawn.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VamTQr4kcKA |
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2020 15:18
|
|
|
sorry but that's not the end, there's still 7 days of October left and the mice around the fire wanted to hear the rest of the story before going to bed |
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2020 17:56
|
|
|
really am going to try to add more if I can between work and moving |
|
#
¿
Oct 26, 2020 14:19
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 14, 2024 01:17 |
|
|
bump because i want to continue the story once october comes before the thread drops into obscurity  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElHvKTibprs
|
|
#
¿
Aug 14, 2021 03:01
|
|
