Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25907694-20150129194914

''first of all, this is out of 4 or one more part, still not sure. ''



 Part 1



The video was on the TV. It played throughout the day, the night, and everyday. There was no one there to turn off the TV. It was a black, sleek, plasma screen TV. The TV was in the middle of a large, empty, living room. Thick, red, draperies blocked the sunlight from bathing the room. There was no sound coming from the TV, it was just endlessly playing a video, of people, talking, walking, and other everyday activities. There had been no one in that house for years, until yesterday.



Yesterday



The man mysteriously looked at the door, he was never one to be curious, after all, his mother was very protective and some of that carefulness rubbed off on him, even years later. The man decided against entering the door, not wanting to get into unnecessary mishap. After more hesitation, he stood his ground and left the neighborhood, only to come back hours later.

---

All right, it’s not a huge deal, it’s just a door, where there are probably normal things inside. What else could there be? Ghosts? Monsters? Other things from my imagination? Why does this house still taunt me?

Ever since I was younger, this house has been around here, and nobody talks about it. But no one makes rumors about, not even a word. It’s obviously strange. Especially for some of the older folks around here who have been longer than Mr. Arthur’s terrible accident. That accident was ages ago. I vaguely remember the day. We are sort of a strange town, no one ever marries here, now that I think about it.

The point is, I feel something unique about this house. It’s not fear. It’s…something.

I’m not one to be scurrying around, investigating. But this house is long overdue. After I eat dinner.

*

The apartment is medium sized, judging by the complex. I open the knob, and inside, I find a TV.

I look at the TV, there were people projected in the screen. However, there was nothing perverse, or profane, it was just… people. I look over at the house and it’s pretty damn old. No furniture, just a TV in the middle. I almost laugh at the situation before me. I expected something sinister, or at least, more than this old, no, new, TV. I go to turn the TV off, when I see a familiar video on the screen. It was me. In fact, I only recognized myself, because I saw my friends.

<p class="MsoNormal">It was a video of me getting married.

<p class="MsoNormal">I frown, and think that this must be some ‘realistic’ joke. Someone must’ve made this in their spare time to scare someone. Well, mission accomplished mysterious prankster, because the footage looked very real. I look at myself, and over at my wife.

<p class="MsoNormal">They were so happy.

<p class="MsoNormal">The video fades into another, this time it’s my wife having a baby. I almost smile. Strangely, somehow, I find this… calming. Oddly, a recurring name popped in my head.

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel.

<p class="MsoNormal">The video zooms in, documenting the birth of my son. It felt somewhat nice. Following the footage were even more moments of happiness. My promotion to a better job (I like money), success at my favorite hobbies, my son secretly uncovering his genius talent for Piano. It was perfect.

<p class="MsoNormal">The TV shuts off, and starts humming a very low hum, almost from a sci-fi movie.

<p class="MsoNormal">The video came back, however, this time, it did not show the birth of my son, rather, his death.

<p class="MsoNormal">It must’ve been a birth defect, he was deformed. The TV started showing me images of death, around my family, around me. My wife, gone. I saw my life go to chaos. My parents suffering terrible accidents. My economic status going awry. I try to look away, but the images are so alluring. After hours of watching, I stumble back.

<p class="MsoNormal">The TV shows plain words, reading:

<p class="MsoNormal">You can choose your fate. Decide which version you would like to have. Would you like the first option, or the second option? There is a remote by the floor, pick it up, and choose.

<p class="MsoNormal">What?

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Was this not an obvious choice? Were they trying to trick me?

Part 2

<p class="MsoNormal">This is weird. If this mysterious entity has left for me, two choices, one correct, and the other very wrong, then, it must be trying to trick me.

<p class="MsoNormal">Right?

<p class="MsoNormal">Or, it knows that I am going to think this, and instead, the right version is indeed the right and the wrong is still the wrong option. Or it knows I know this and has planned already and-no, I just don’t know. It’s trying to mess with my thoughts, make me feel hopeless. But this still leaves me without answers. If I choose the right option, my life will be infinitely better. I will have someone to love, and then a son. A son! If I choose the wrong option... It could 50-50, or a no-brainer.

<p class="MsoNormal">But the images of death were so terrible.

<p class="MsoNormal">The TV showed more of tragedy than anyone should see. I know they will die eventually, but if it’s like this, I’d rather die.

<p class="MsoNormal">I grab the remote from the floor. The room was quite dark, so I tilted the remote towards the TV, which was now doing its own thing. The light shined the black remote, revealing the buttons. I inspect the remote, not noticing anything special about it. I place my fingers over the red buttons, outlining the options.

<p class="MsoNormal">My life was meaningless.

<p class="MsoNormal">What do I have to lose? I can barely remember the state of my current life.

<p class="MsoNormal">--

<p class="MsoNormal">The man was right. He most definitely could not remember his life. His memory was being blocked by something unforeseeable. The man was a fool.

<p class="MsoNormal">The whole town were curious fools.

<p class="MsoNormal">*

<p class="MsoNormal">I really cannot remember any detail of my life. This is strange. I only remember, me. Suddenly, a picture of my house forms in my head, struggling, I try to imagine the contents and memories my life entailed.

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel

<p class="MsoNormal">I remember Daniel.

<p class="MsoNormal">No. This doesn’t many any sense whatsoever.

<p class="MsoNormal">In my head, I see my house, I see my furniture, my belongings, and a picture. A picture of my wife. The wife in the video. It was her, only younger. She looked beautiful. I remember her. I remember the time we met, our first real time making love. When we fooled around in med school, when we stayed up together and had to drag ourselves to school the next day.

<p class="MsoNormal">When she died.

<p class="MsoNormal">When Danny died.

<p class="MsoNormal">My head flooded with memories, I try to remember my past experience in this room, but I can’t. I hear a sound coming from the TV, and a voice, rather than text, saying:

<p class="MsoNormal">'''I realize you have been given tough choices, subsequently, a third choice has been presented. The choice of leaving here, and choosing nothing at all. It is up to you. '''

<p class="MsoNormal">'''On a side note, if you have been here before, then choosing the wrong option will have you relive your memories. However, you will remember what will happen. '''

<p class="MsoNormal">This is hell.

<p class="MsoNormal">--

<p class="MsoNormal">The man was confused, he was given another choice. But the only thought that echoed through his mind was her face, and the memories. He loved her, after all.

<p class="MsoNormal">More than anything.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> Part 3

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">I cannot go back to my sad life. But, I cannot relive it again. Not again.

<p class="MsoNormal">Oh how I loved her. Her lacy hair, the contours of her lips, her dark eyes. Her silly ways. I chose wrong before, but if I don’t choose at all, then I’d be stupid. Right? But if I chose wrong or right, I could see her again.

<p class="MsoNormal">I could see Amber again.

<p class="MsoNormal">I could see her die, again.

<p class="MsoNormal">I clench my fists and I look at the door, the old, green door, which I could use to leave here, this terrible place.

<p class="MsoNormal">I looked around, looking for something to distract me, when I notice the thick, red draperies were glowing in the middle, as if a strong light was shining it. I walk over to the windows, and look outside.

<p class="MsoNormal">I wasn’t at the old neighborhood anymore.

<p class="MsoNormal">It was another planet. It was something else entirely, I looked at the sky and it was a different hue of blue. I couldn’t see the Sun. The buildings around didn’t seem super advanced or that different. They were older and torn down. It looked like an apocalypse had happened outside. I looked into the distance of this strange earth and saw a large steel building. It was an immense structure that made everything else look small.

<p class="MsoNormal">I have no idea where I am.

<p class="MsoNormal">If the TV knew I had remembered my forgotten memories, then it surely must be trying to trick me to go outside as well. It looked like hell out there, but it wasn’t too far off my current life. In the buildings I kept seeing a light inside. They was a very low light and the windows had torn down, red draperies. The ground was almost pure dirt, no grass to be seen. There were patches of water all around the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">I sit down on the ground, letting the green-blue light shine in the room, illuminating the ground beside me.

<p class="MsoNormal">I look at the TV, thinking. The TV must love to torture me. It probably just wanted to see me break down, depressed. Now I’m also in this new place. I could go outside and explore, find out what these old buildings contain, go into the big steel building. But for what purpose? Do I give up my happiness (or potential despair) for the sake of adventure? There is no point in exploring something mystical when the situation before me is enough to cripple me.

<p class="MsoNormal">The TV started forming words, I look confoundedly. The words read:

<p class="MsoNormal">'''Main infrastructure! Main infrastructure! Alert! Infiltration! '''

<p class="MsoNormal">Alert, infiltration? Probably not a good thing. Main infrastructure… was I sent here accidentally? If I’m being hunted down right now, then I shouldn’t be in this place. This place must of some importance to the TV. Could I be in their center of operations? What was inside that huge steel building?

<p class="MsoNormal">I look out the windows and realize there were humans there, casually walking to my location. I couldn’t see their clothes or anything of the sort as they were still far away. I have to make my decision fast.

<p class="MsoNormal">Suddenly, the green door opens from outside, it’s a person.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">''thanks for reading, i kind of wrote and wrote on this story. I do hope it's enjoyable and i would also like to know what anyone who reads this thinks. This probably still needs work, to be perfect. I do like this plot, and would like this story to improve.'' <ac_metadata title="Video on the TV (part 1,2, and 3) (still needs work)"> </ac_metadata>