Work Text:
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE HORROR STORY
a poem
YOU AWAKE IN A DARK ROOM. DO YOU:
A) STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
B) FOLLOW THE LENGTH OF THE WALL TO TRY TO FIND THE LIGHT.
YOU CHOSE B. YOU FOLLOW THE LENGTH OF THE WALL. THERE IS A WHISPERED LAUGH SOMEWHERE BEYOND IT. YOU BEGIN TO SENSE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASLEEP FOR A VERY LONG TIME. DO YOU:
A) TRY TO FORGET.
B) TRY TO REMEMBER.
YOU CHOSE B. YOU TRY TO REMEMBER. IT COMES IN FLICKERS. LIGHT, ONCE. AND A VOICE YOU KNEW. YOU COME TO A SPLIT PASSAGE. TO YOUR LEFT, YOU SEE A SLIVER OF LIGHT, AND HEAR CARS HUFFING, BIRDS CHIRPING, PEDESTRIAN FOOTFALLS. TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU SEE DARKNESS, AND HEAR A FAINT VOICE. DO YOU GO:
A) LEFT.
B) RIGHT.
YOU CHOSE B. YOU GO RIGHT. YOU FOLLOW THE VOICE. YOU KNOW THE VOICE. SOMEWHERE, THE WHISPERED LAUGH. EVERYWHERE, DARKNESS. IT’S SO DARK, AND YOU REMEMBER SO MUCH. DO YOU WANT TO TURN BACK?
A) YES.
B) NO.
YOU CHOSE B. YOU CONTINUE ON. THE LAUGH. THE DARKNESS. BUT ONCE, LIGHT. VOICE. LOVE. YOU WERE ASLEEP FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT’S SO DARK, AND THE REMEMBERING IS TOO MUCH. DO YOU WANT TO TURN BACK?
A) YES.
B) YES. NO. I DON’T KNOW.
YOU’RE STILL DECIDING WHEN, SUDDENLY — A SLICK BLOW AND A CRY. YOU FEEL FOR A HANDLE AND TURN IT. YOU WERE ASLEEP TOO LONG, AND YOU TOOK TOO LONG TO DECIDE, AND YOU ARRIVED TOO LATE. YOU ARE IN A DARK ROOM, AND HE IS BLEEDING OUT. DO YOU:
A) HOLD HIM AND CRY.
B) HOLD HIM AND DO NOT CRY.
...
NO, THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS. THOSE ARE YOUR OPTIONS. CHOOSE NOW.
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I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU’RE UPSET. YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE GETTING INTO.
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YES, IT’S VERY SAD. I’M SORRY. THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO.
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WELL, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? YOU ARE IN A HORROR STORY. IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP. THIS IS A HORROR STORY. THIS IS HOW THE HORROR STORY ENDS.
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OKAY, FINE. THERE IS ONE THING WE CAN TRY.
LET’S GO BACK.
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…
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YOU ARE VERY YOUNG. YOU DO NOT KNOW YET THAT THINGS CAN DIE. YOU KNOW THAT FIGHTERS IN VIDEO GAMES CAN DIE, AND THAT WORMS DRY UP ON THE SIDEWALK AFTER IT RAINS. YOU KNOW THAT SPRING LEADS TO SUMMER, AN INFINITE LOVEBREATH, ALL TECHNICOLOR SUNRISE AND CUT-GRASS HUM. YOU KNOW THAT HE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL. BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW YET THAT THINGS — REAL, BEAUTIFUL THINGS — CAN DIE. HE IS BESIDE YOU LAUGHING WITH THAT VOICE YOU KNOW, AND HE SEEMS INFINITE.
YOU ASK HIM TO RUN AWAY WITH YOU.
HE SAYS YES.
YOU DRIVE FOR WEEKS.
YOU STOP AT THE MOTELS OFF THE INTERSTATE.
YOU TAKE TURNS PAYING FOR GAS.
HE SMOKES YOU AT POOL.
HE READS YOU THE OBITS.
YOU READ HIM THE MISSED CONNECTIONS.
YOU DRINK LOTS OF BAD COFFEE.
YOU TAKE SMILING PICTURES AT LANDMARKS ON A DISPOSABLE KODAK.
YOU MAKE HIM STRAWBERRY PANCAKES ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
YOU SET OFF CHEAP FIREWORKS IN A GRAVEL LOT, AND YOU GUIDE HIS FINGERS ON THE ZIPPO.
YOU LAY A FOOT APART IN THE TRUCK BED AT DRIVE-INS, THEN INCHES, THEN NOTHING.
ONE NIGHT, YOU GET SOAKED IN THE RAIN AT A 7-ELEVEN, AND YOU STRIP OFF YOUR WET HOODIES IN FRONT OF THE SPACE HEATER, AND HE KISSES YOU IN THE LIGHT OF THE TV.
YOU GET MARRIED. YOU LIVE LONG LIVES. YOU SAVE THE WORMS ON THE SIDEWALK. YOU BUY A HOUSE WITH NO DARK ROOMS. YOU HOLD EACH OTHER, AND NO ONE BLEEDS OUT.
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IT’S A BEAUTIFUL STORY, BUT IT ISN’T TRUE.
I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE TRUE SOMEWHERE, BUT IT ISN’T TRUE HERE.
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ISN’T THAT ENOUGH? THAT IT MIGHT BE TRUE SOMEWHERE?
DOESN’T THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER?
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I KNOW. YOU’D LIKE TO BE IN THE OTHER STORY.
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WELL, IT’S NOT ABOUT FAIR. YOU CAN’T HAVE EVERY STORY, YOU KNOW. SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO BE IN THE HORROR STORIES. SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO BE THE ONES BLEEDING OUT, AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO BE THE ONES HOLDING THEM.
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I’LL ASK AGAIN.
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YOU ARE IN A DARK ROOM, AND HE IS BLEEDING OUT. DO YOU:
A) HOLD HIM AND CRY.
B) HOLD HIM AND DO NOT CRY.
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YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE.
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FINE.
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I’LL GIVE YOU ONE MORE OPTION.
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C) HOLD HIM FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN. FORGET THE OTHER STORY. FORGET YOU WERE EVER HERE. GO BACK TO SLEEP.
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...
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THANK YOU.
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I’M SORRY AGAIN.
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YOU CHOSE C. YOU WAKE UP IN YOUR BED. THE SUN IS UP. YOU SLEPT ALRIGHT. YOU TURN ON THE TV. YOU MIGHT HAVE A NAP LATER.