Chapter Text
When Ijin came to, the first thing he felt was the dull, throbbing pain in his left side. He groaned and tried to shift his position to ease it, but it was no use. His wrists and ankles were tightly bound to the wooden chair he was sitting on.
When he opened his eyes, his vision was blurred, partly from the pain, partly from the blow to the head that had knocked him unconscious. Shit...
He knew better than anyone that head injuries were no joke. A blow to the head was what had caused his amnesia in the first place, and another one, ten years later, had brought back part of his memory.
He tried to adjust his position again. His back and legs ached from sitting still for what felt like hours, maybe longer. His head throbbed relentlessly, making it hard to think straight. He closed his eyes. The room spun around him, and another wave of nausea rolled through his stomach.
'Focus. Breathe. If you can't rely on your eyes, use everything else.'
He took a slow, deep breath and concentrated on what his other senses could tell him. Muffled voices drifted in from the other side of the door. Guards. They were walking down the hallway.
He held his breath, hoping they wouldn't come into the room. Not yet. He wasn't ready. His head was pounding, he couldn't open his eyes without fighting the urge to throw up, and the sharp pain in his left side made it difficult just to stay upright.
As the voices drew closer, he stopped breathing altogether. Time seemed to slow. Every footstep echoed through the hallway, and inside his skull. Every word grew louder as they approached. His entire body tensed, pushing the pain aside in an instant. Every muscle tightened, ready for a fight.
Then the voices continued past his door without slowing. Ijin let out a quiet breath of relief. His muscles relaxed, and he subtly twisted his wrists again, testing the ropes that held him. He kept his eyes shut as another wave of nausea washed over him, forcing himself to stay focused.
When he'd opened his eyes earlier, he'd managed to make out two thin beams of light cutting through the darkness. One stretched beneath the door. The other came from somewhere behind him, extending off to his right. Two possible ways out. A door leading to the hallway... and maybe a boarded-up window. The faint light filtering through it, along with the stifling heat inside the room, suggested it was afternoon, perhaps even early evening.
He couldn't hear anything else that might reveal where he was or point him toward something useful. The harder he concentrated, the worse the dizziness became. He could feel himself slipping away. He fought it with everything he had, but no matter how strong his will was, his body won the battle.
Several hours later, a dull thud jolted him awake. His head felt noticeably better. Not completely, not even close, but at least he no longer felt like he was about to throw up every second. That alone was a huge improvement. He opened his eyes and immediately noticed that the only remaining source of light came from beneath the door. Night had fallen. Perfect.
He heard two guards approaching, followed by the unmistakable jingle of a ring of keys. They're coming for him. He had to make a choice, one that, though he didn't know it yet, would determine his fate. Should he break free from his restraints before they arrived and prepare to fight or stay exactly where he was and pretend to still be unconscious?
The choice is yours, reader. At the end of every chapter, you'll be presented with a decision that will lead the story down a different path. There are many ways Ijin's story can end, but only one path will allow him to escape unharmed.
Can you guide him to safety?
If you want Ijin to try freeing himself before the guards arrive, continue to Chapter 2.1.
If you'd rather have him stay put and pretend to be unconscious, continue to Chapter 2.2.
I've already written several chapters that are ready to be published, and the story's branching paths are well underway. But if you have any ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear them !