For End Master's Manifest Destiny Contest. Expanding horizons and all that.

You grew up here. All you've ever known is sitting in your little box of metal. Daddy takes care of you. He says the world is dangerous, that there are monsters looking to take you away. He protects you. At least, that's what he tells you. You know better...

(You are Tess, an 11-year-old girl who was abducted as an infant and grew up inside a cage that 'Daddy' built for you in the basement.)

WARNING     WARNING      WARNING

This story contains graphic depictions of violence, nonconsensual sex, and other sensitive topics. If any of these are triggers for you, I IMPLORE you not to read this. This does not reflect my personal views in any way. So in other words: This shit WILL be downright disturbing. Don't bitch if you get uncomfortable because that is the point. Thank you and have a wonderful read!

There are 26 endings. Play to see them all.

You can hear it ringing again. The endless droll of mechanical laughter that mocks you. Without fail, it rings at precisely 3:02 in the morning, never a good nights sleep allowed. Some days you yearn to smash it, others you let it ring until you think you may go deaf. And even still others lead you to answering...

the phone call.

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Just an extremely, bare minimum game (though this says nothing of quality) to test the waters on this site before I finish up the game I've been chipping away at for almost two years. Don't expect too much from it, I just wanted to tell a simple and short story!

You met on a local hiking trail, both looking for an abandoned town rumored to be out there. It was clearly meant to be.

For all those down and out who are going NOWHERE in life, this is the show for you! Don't worry, you don't apply! Your loved ones sign you up for this because you weren't doing jack shit anyway. So who will be the loser of all losers? Find out in... Reality Check!

No, that about sums it up

Welcome to CYS, CP. At least the forum part. 

Seconded

Addendum to this: I also want to be productive enough for a mention in a season of CYS. Probably won't happen but that doesn't mean I won't try. Being consistent and productive goes hand in hand with this goal, I suppose, but definitely worth noting due to the nature of this site. (And hopefully I won't be a loser and fade away like last time)

Makes me wonder how many of the remaining 41 will end up there as well (though it's probably going to be at least one more KAE Interloper) 

Straight White Male -> Straight Black Male

With how scholarships work this probably would've made paying for college easier...

Know what, that's fair. I haven't delved too deep when it comes to fantasy and most of my exposure has come from what my family has shown me. Excalibur was not a part of that, but after having been forced to sit through Merlin (the show) and read numerous adaptations may have given me a tad bit of a skewed view of the genre. Now you've peaked my curiosity though and I may have to check out Excalibur. Maybe. 

I think the best grimdark Arthurian mythos creation I've seen is King Arthur: Knight's Tale on steam, but it's an overused story in general. I mean, it feels like every other fantasy/medieval story has roots stemming from the roundtable on some level. That's even outside of interactive fiction. Honestly, it's what has turned me away from the fantasy genre in general (with a few exceptions). I guess people just like to use what 'works' and not take any risks.

Yeah, it's actually kinda nice. Gives me somethign to do at work when it's slow, at least.

The night is still on the water, boat silently bobbing in the waves, as I gaze upwards at the clear sky. Stars fill my vision and I get lost as if I'm soaring through time and space, endlessly listing to and fro without a care in the world. I close my eyes but still I am soaring, the water lapping rhythmically against the bow and providing a grounding point. Meditation is easier for me when there's some sort of grounding point but everything moving in synch like this allows my mind to explore the vastness of my inner depths with great ease. 

Peace can be found anywhere, I think as I begin to drift off, In the largest of cities to the quaintest of farms. Everyone achieves it differently. It could be from death or how I am doing it now but eventually everyone will know it.

My eyes open once more and I see the endless sky, We're all just floating I suppose. Never fully in control and never helpless either. That's both comforting and terrifying in a lot of ways. Being equally helpless and powerful is such an interesting position to be in. We either lie to ourselves and say we're entirely unable to alter our fates or take total responsibility for our actions and never admit that there can be something out there affecting our decisions.

I snap out of my head as a cloud passes over my gaze and jolt upright.

"Maybe it's time for you to take a break, miss," My captain calls over to me after watching my extremely brief start.

"Where do you feel most at peace, Captain?" I turn towards him and he just shrugs but I press more, "Everyone has somewhere, sir."

"I find it right here, where I feel most at home," He shrugs and I turn away from him. Peace is where home is, but home is where the heart is.