It's a cold autumn night and the wind is flowing with seemingly random direction. As you walk the buildings you pass all seem to blend together into a familiar shade of gray. Only a couple more blocks until you're home. Across the road you spot a shop, a single light in a town that's otherwise asleep. You decide to stop by, you don't normally take detours but recently everything feels so uniform, and taking a look couldn't hurt.
The shop says Ashe's Coffee: "an Awakening of Flavour". The name's a bit odd but you decide to take a [[look]]. As you step in the wood creakes beneath you. The place looks fairly standard, some paitings on the walls and a few wooden tables scattered throughout.
Aside from yourself there are only two others here, a barista standing patiently behind the counter, and a woman sitting alone at a table near the back.
As you go to order the barista greets you,
"Good evening Mr. Miller"
"How do you know my name?", you question
"Why, I know everyone's name around here. So what'll you have sir? The fireside coffee or the cold brew mocha?".
[["Fireside coffee, and make it hot"]]
[["Is that it? Or is there some menu I can see?"]]
[["Cold Brew sounds okay, I guess"]]
"Feeling dangerous are we? Alright sir it'll be out momentarily. In the meantime grab a seat."
As you scan the room for a seat your eyes notice the woman from before.
She's gripping a large leather [[book]] under her arm, her nails digging into it. You lock eyes and she stares back at you, coldy focused on your entire being. You quickly avert your gaze and decided it best to choose a seat far away from her.
[[Check to see if the woman is still staring.]]
[[Grab a newspaper sitting on one of the tables to hide.]]
"Unfortunatley sir it's late and our menu is limited. It's the coffee, cold brew, or the highway I'm afraid.", said the barista.
"...well then suprise me. How much do I owe you?", you ask
"Oh don't worry sir, your drink has been paid for in advance. You can thank the woman over there."
[[Thank the woman.]]
[[Wait patiently for your coffee.]]
[[The highway]]"Excellent choice sir, it'll be right out. Sit anywhere you like"
As a walked to my seat I noticed the woman from before. She had long brown hair and seemed an odd fit for such a dusty coffee shop at this time of night. She was drinking a small capuccino and under her arm was a leather bound [[book->ColdBook]]. She seemed nervous and almost anxious as she tapped her feet on the old wooden floor beneath her. She turned her gaze to me and as our eyes met her face seemed oddly familiar.
At this point I noticed my staring might come off worse than I intended and I turned away.
[[Introduce yourself to the woman.]]
[[Wait patiently for your coffee.]]Yep, she's still watching. Almost like she's trying to burn a hole right through you with her [[eyes]].
Have you wronged this stranger? Couldn't have, you just arrived.
Maybe it was something you said? You doubt she could've even heard you so far away.
[[Confront the staring woman.]]
[[Ask the barista about the woman]]You walk over to the woman and she looks timidly at you. She turns towards you as you walk. You smile and she shyly grins back. Her posture is stiff but welcoming enough for you to continue. You introduce yourself and sit.
"Hi, sorry to interrrupt but I can't help but ask. Do I know you?"
"h-hello", she squeaks, "I do beleive I know you, but you may not know me. I learned all about you in this book."
[[How do you know who I am?]]
[[Take the book from her hands]] As you sit waiting for the drink you ordered you stop to contemplate your life. Recently it seems as if your life has been a series of somewhat random and unmotivated choices. You wake and up and go to work wondering day in and day out why everything feels so forced. In fact stumbling into this plave, is the most adventurous thing you've done in years.
Mid contemplation your mind goes blank, and for some reason you have only one thought: the woman. You notice her sitting and watching you, with the book she's holding wide open.
[[Ask about the book.]]
[[Take the book from her hands]]You walk up to the woman at the table near the edge of the shop.
"Hey, have we met? Or do you just make a habit of staring daggers into people the first time you meet?"
The woman grins wickedly, "Apologies, I don't mean any harm. I just thought when we finally met you'd look a lot more devilish."
"No matter", she added, "even now I can sense the flame inside you growing to fruition."
[[When we finally meet?]]
[[Return to your seat.]] "This might sound strange but I know who you are because I've been controlling you, on accident. See for yourself."
You reluctantly take the book from her hands and flip through the pages. It's filled with every thought, wish, and desire you've ever had. But near the end the pages are scribbled over and drowned out by the woman's [[writings]] in the margins. Only, even the scribbles are familiar and bring back even memories of more thoughts and experiences.
[[Ask about the book]]
[["So what do you want with me?"]]You feel an urge from deep inside of you. Your eyes focus on the book in her hands that you once glossed over. The book, the book, THE BOOK it's all you can think about. You race out of your chair and to the woman's horror you snatch the book right out of her hands.
"W-what are you doing?"
You flip through the pages and each one resonates with you, each one is story, a place, a thought you've had. It's almost as if the book contains your essence in physical form.
[[Ask about the book]]
[[Destroy the book]]"What... is this?! Why does this have all my thoughts and choices? Who are you?!" you urge desperately
"Wait, listen I- I know this looks bad but I am here to save you! I found this book buried under the rubble of an old house. I started reading it and it described the life of a man in great detail. I thought it was a story but the details seemed so real that it couldn't just be. So I used the [[book->b]] for us to meet tonight."
[["So what do you want with me?"]]
[[This woman is insane. I need to leave.->Run from her]]This must be some kind of sick joke, you think to yourself. Furious, you begin to rip out the pages as the woman looks in horror. The more you tear them out the more the anger grows. As each page falls your emotion swells and you remember less and less.
Panting and breathing heavily you stand over a pile of torn paper and ripped leather. The woman begins to sob. As you look around at the carnage a page catches your eye. 'The Life of George Miller'
"Who is George Miller?", you ask
"Y-you are..." she strained
You tried to think, only there was nothing there. Not a thought, not a memory, only torn pages and ripped leather."In the pages of this book I read about a man lost in life. That man is George Miller, that's you right?" said the woman
"yeah, that's me...", you mumble, unsure of the whole situation
"With this book you can change your own destiny, you can be the master of your own will again. I was never meant to stumble upon this, never meant to rob you of your will, but I can rest knowing it made its way back to you."
As you stare shocked at the book in front of you, you feel awake for the first time in what feels like forever. You open the book and turn to the first fresh page. Taking a pen from your jacket pocket you begin to shake as you write "The past cannot be changed, but the future is in my hands."
You begin to walk towards the woman in the back. You wonder to yourself, "how could she have paid for me in advance? I stumbled in here on a whim."
As you get to her table you notice her finish jotting down a note in the large leather book she has in her hand. Her lips curl into a devilish smile. She takes little notice of you as you sit down next to her.
[[Ask about the book.]]
[["Why did you pay for my drink?"]]
"So, are you an author?", you ask
"Oh my, no. You can think of me as an Editor. I only make the changes I deem necessary to... *exisiting* works.", she answered, tightly gripping the pen in her hand
"So what is it you're *editing*?" you question cautiously
"Well, you should know Mr. Miller. Don't you feel a change?"
The woman begins writing in the book despite her eyes staying dreadfully fixed on you. Frightened, you start to leave but as the ink of her last word dries your mind stops.
You turn back towards the woman, and slowly walk her [[way->Hear her out]].
"Why did you pay for my drink ma'am?" you ask
"This is going to sound odd, but I found this fantastic book in the rubbish of house fire and it's taught me a lot about you. I read about a character named George Miller. That's you, isn't it?" she asks as if she already knows who you are.
"Yes?" you answer unsteadily
"I know, I know. It's really strange, but it explains everything about your life in detail. It allowed us to meet tonight." she explains
[[Sit down and discuss the book with her]]
[[Have her explain more->How do you know who I am?]]
You grab a stray newspaper and fan it out to avoid making eye contact with the woman across the way. You spend an awkward 5 minutes or so reading the local [[news]] before the barista brings you your drink.
As you lower the newspaper to accept your drink you notice the woman is gone. Only the book she was so tighly clutching to remains.
[[Go over to inspect the book]]
You watch the barista walk away to the back of the shop and spot your opportunity. You slowly walk over to the table with the now abandoned leather book.
You open the book and to your horror in contains plans for several heinous crimes including arson, torture, and even murder. As you flip through the pages you notice a paper clip attaching a photo of... you? Your mind begins to race and beads of sweat form on your forehead.
[[Read More]]
[[Run away horrified->Run from her]] As you read through the page you notice the details from tonight are all present. The streets you walk to get home, the shop you happened to notice, all factors in this woman's plan.
As you stare terrified a red splash appears on the page. Astounded you look up and see it. The woman with a devilish smile drops from the ceiling and ends your life.
Sealing your fate.You return to your seat, and you begin to feel as if your body is dragging you away from the table you were walking toward and back to the woman. There you are, standing right in front of her all over again. You can't stop yourself as your hands reach out to grab the book. This doesn't feel like yourself doing this; it's as if you're being controlled by somethning vengeful.
[[Take the book]]
[[Destroy the book]] "What do you mean by that?" you ask, bewildered by her comment. You'd just met, and somehow she is speaking as if you two know each other.
"You've done some terrible [[things]]," she tells you. "And somehow, you look as if none of matters."
"What is that supposed to mean?" you ask in disbelief. Who does this woman think she is? Who does she think YOU are?
"Don't take my word, see for yourself" she says as she tries to hand you the book in her hand.
You reach out and [[take the book.->Take the book]] You open the book to evidence of the most heinous crimes imaginable. Houses burned, people butchered and tossed away, whole cities crumbled to the ground. And the common element of every gruesome account is you. Your hands begin to shake and your stomach turns as you read. The stories differ but the man described as the source of every one is unmistakably you, George Miller.
"Is this some kind of sick joke? I've never done any of this!" you yell at the woman.
"Of course not, not yet. Can't you recognize your own future?" she asked, the devilish grin growing wider
[[I could never do this->Destroy the book]]
or
[[Maybe you could?->Grab the book and read to the End.]]
"I- I don't know what to-" you say
"Don't worry Mr. Miller, I don't expect you to know what to say. In fact I don't expect you to do anything. I've read all about you and I know what miserable and lost man you are", she explains, "that's why I'll be in charge of your destiny from now on."
"What the everloving hell are you on about?"
[[Hear her out]]
[[Ignore her and return to your seat.->Return to your seat.]]You snatch the book from her hands. The woman sits back amused and watches as you furiously flip through.
As you study the book each page stokes the flames of your vengeance. You feel yourself growing stronger and burning brighter at every word. As you reach the final page you see it "GEORGE MILLER: THE INFERNAL DEATH"
With the book in your hands you knew what task laid ahead. You were going to seek out the wicked and rescuplt this city with fire.As the woman's face mutilates into a wicked smile, she speaks, "Now, now, Mr. Miller do behave. Don't spoil what I have in store for you."
You try your hardest to resist but it's as if you're fighting yourself.
The woman writes in the book her first demand.
"Now, for a proper test of your allegiance." she utters
As she writes I stare frozen in horror. I feel my body move and my mind numb. I walk over to the barista from behind and painfully fufill my master's wish. Blood soaked I return to her and the book, ready for my next order.Horrified beyond belief you run out of the shop desperate to leave the woman as a faint memory. You run all the way home and by the time you arrive you are soaked head to toe in sweat.
You hurry to unlock the door and turn on the lights.
There the woman stands in the middle of the room grinning from ear to ear. As you turn to scream she pulls out the book and speaks, "the book said you'd be here too. Run as much as you like Mr. Miller your destiny is already set in paper and ink."
Your screams drowned out by the windy streets on that autumn night.
Astounded at the rudeness of the barista you decide to take your late night buisness elsewhere.
You walk out of the door and as you reach the end of the block you turn to look back.
The woman and the barista are against the glass staring you down.
You can't help but feel like you avoided a [[catastrophe->Run from her]].
You walk over to the counter and the barista stares at you awaiting your next word. You ask about the woman and his face drops.
"Well I'm not one for gossip but I'd steer clear of that woman if I was you," he advised, "she takes a particular interest in late night guests."
[[Wait patiently for your coffee.]]
[[Watch the woman from a distance.]]As you sit by the front counter contemplating the rationale of fearing a fellow coffee drinker you can't help but to notice her book. After breaking her hundred yard stare she has since began to furiously write in her book. Not even stopping for the occasional sip of her drink.
You start to feel uneasy, and at a loss for how to proceed.
[[Grab a newspaper sitting on one of the tables to hide.]] "What *is* that thing?" you think to yourself
Upon further inspection, this book elicits a flicker of something inside you. For some reason your muscles begin to tense and your fists tighten into a ball. Sweat begins to form on your brow as you scan each detail closely. It's almost as if there is a heat emerging from deep inside it.
Whatever it is, you want nothing to do with it or herAs you read the paper you're forced to muddle through the same old stories told over and over. A new public official swearing to do justice for the people, despite abondoning their concerns at any sign of financial gain. A luxury condominium back on production schedule after "relocating" the local homeless. A never ending slew of manufactured news designed to gloss over the atrocities this city never ceases to commit.
Each word on each page adds wood to the fire in your belly, causing your grip to tighten around the paper.
You know this city needs a cleansing but you're not sure what could possibly have the strength needed to alter it.
And what a set of eyes they were. Almost black and yet even at a glance there was a certain depth contained in those eyes.
Two black gateways to something...
...something I'm not sure I want to discover.
"T-there's no way she could know" you wonder
Your mind rewinds to darker nights where your mind raced with vengeance. Thoughts of harming and hurting those you deemed responsible for this cities downfall. Only, the thoughts began to mutilate into actions.
You remembered the times you lashed out against the night, punished and tortured those who wronged your beloved city. You would rather the city burn then allow the parasites to prosper.
But how could she know about any of that?!"What an odd book?" you think to yourself
As your eyes narrow on the book, you notice how worn the book is. It appears as if the book has been beaten around and tossed about many times. Despite this you can't help but to be drawn to it. You even have a strange feeling of... sympathy, for this fellow worn soul.
You wonder if this book is one you've read before. As you scanned every page you couldn't deny that this book contained every tale of your life. But how? Only as you stumbled to the end you began to notice the writings, these scribbles stuffed hastily in the margins of the page.
You knew that these writings did not belong but they resonated the same as the text in the pages. You began to sweat as you consider the truth behind this woman's words. Perhaps it's why you feel as if you've lost control of your life, perhaps, you never had it in the first place.Sure enough, squeezed in a margin of a page buried deep inside this book it read,
"On an Autumn night, the winds will blow George Miller into a shop on the outskirts on town. His time has come."
Your mind races, "Is this real?", "Am I a play thing to this woman?", "Am I a puppet without free will?"