Once Human: An Interactive Adventure Read online

  An Interactive Adventure

  Once Human

  Anthony Lampe

  I dedicate this book to my wife Kristi,

  whose support, encouragement and love

  truly inspire me in every way.

  A special thank you to Carl and Laura Herrigstad, Sheryl Herrigstad, Michael Lampe, Mary Meares, Reid, Griffin Hough, Riccardo Nauti, Caitlyn Ann McKay, and Kenneth and Teresa Sittenauer.

  Copyright © 2017 by Anthony Lampe

  Ebook edited by Kristi Lampe

  Cover designed by Timothy Lampe

  Cover image by lassedesignen (Shutterstock)

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author, Anthony Lampe.

  [email protected]

  www.anthonymlampe.wix.com/home

  Interactive Adventure

  With an interactive book, you are not just reading a story, you are living an adventure. Imagine waking up in a motel with no recollection of who you are or why you are there. In your quest for knowledge, YOU choose which paths to take and your decisions will change your life forever.

  Journey throughout various situations and discover the possibilities as well as the dangers that you may face in this thrilling and ever-changing interactive adventure. Begin reading this story, and when the first choices appear at the bottom of a page, decide which path you would like to follow. Simply click on that link, or turn to that page, and continue reading and following the paths of your choice.

  When your story comes to an end, you can always reread the book for a different experience.

  Menu

  Once Human Page 1

  Visit Anthony Lampe’s website:

  www.anthonymlampe.wix.com/home

  Page 1

  Your eyes feel heavy, tired from a long sleepless night. Your back is stiff and cold from lying on a metallic table in a chilled room. Your wrists and ankles are sore from attempting to sit up despite the restraints.

  The thin blindfold across your face is barely preventing your curious eyes from discovering your surroundings. You shake your head and loosen the dark cloth, and you repeat this a little at a time to avoid suspicion from your unknown captors. You know you are not alone, and are careful not to make a sound.

  You hear footsteps in the distance, perhaps two sets at the far end of the room. You can faintly hear inaudible voices speaking to each other.

  You shake your head once more, this time the blindfold slips down. Bright lights above you burn your eyes and cloud your vision. You blink several times until your vision clears enough for you to see the radiant ceiling.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 2

  The white texture is cold and emotionless, like the walls of a padded cell. You tilt your head until you can see the edge of a silver wall, which seems to encircle the room, with no beginning and no end. This appears to be an operating room, and you are the unwilling patient.

  Your head hurts as you try to remember how you got there. Fragmented thoughts bombard your mind, and pain strikes like a massive migraine.

  You were driving in a red sports car. The music on your radio went in and out. The lights on your dashboard flickered rapidly. A bright light shone from above. You slammed on the brakes. Your head flew forward and impacted the steering wheel. You blacked out.

  Distant voices cease, as footsteps grow near. Suddenly the lights intensify, and you struggle to see. A gloved hand swoops in and a sharp object pierces your forehead. The immense pain causes you to instantly lose consciousness.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 3

  The moment you regain your senses, you snap open your eyes and stare up at a darkened ceiling. You flip out of bed and land in the center of the dimly lit room. You are breathing heavily and sweating intensely.

  You stand motionless for several minutes as you slow your breathing and try to calm down. As your eyes adjust, you turn back to the full size bed and notice the white sheets tossed about. Your eyes dart around the room, which you realize is not as dark as you first thought.

  The white walls seem to reflect some light, and you notice a faint shadow of yourself. You turn around towards a window, which is backlit, the thick curtains illuminated from outside.

  You slowly approach the curtains, your bare feet stepping lightly on the thin carpet. As you near the curtains, you step to the side of them and lift the edge away from the windowsill. You gaze through and stare at two bright headlights.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 4

  Beyond the light you can make out the shape of a black SUV. In the driver’s seat you notice a dark figure staring directly at you.

  You drop to the ground and lay on the floor, your heart beating rapidly. You may be under surveillance, or maybe paranoia is getting the better of you. Maybe the guy is waiting patiently while his wife checks them into the hotel. And, maybe it is just a coincidence that his headlights are aimed at your room.

  You glance across the room at the nightstand beside the bed. The clock shows that it is past two o’clock in the morning, late enough that the guy outside may be weary and might not have seen you peeking through the curtains.

  You then wonder why someone would be watching you in the first place, and that is when you realize that you can not remember a thing besides your nightmare. Not why you are here, who you are, or even your name.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 5

  You kneel on the floor, reach into your back pocket and pull out a leather wallet. You unfold it and see one plastic card inside. When you realize that it is a driver’s license, you stand up, dash across the room, and reach for the light switch. Before you flip it, you come to your senses.

  If you would have turned on the light, the stranger outside would know you are awake. If you are indeed being watched, you do not want the person to know you are moving around. This is assuming, of course, that the person did not see you at the window moments ago.

  You then notice a bathroom on the other side of the bed. You cross the room, enter the dark bathroom, and quietly shut the door. You take a deep breath and flip on the light. You first look at the card and notice the picture of a young man with shaggy black hair. You look up at the mirror and see that you have short brown hair, and a different face. You nearly scream in frustration.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 6

  A mixture of feelings stir up inside, and as your anger grows, you begin to gain adrenaline. You know that you can not stay in this motel room any longer, and that it is time to act out.

  Part of you wants to sneak out the front door, escape the parking lot and try to reach the address on the driver’s license. The person might know you, since you have their license. However, what if you stole it from them?

  Another part of you is feeling bold, so tired of not knowing the truth about the nightmare, being here, and having no memories of who you are. This part of you does not fear consequences, it only desires results. You almost feel like marching out of this motel room, straight up to the driver of the SUV and demanding answers.

  You suddenly shudder, for the part of you that wants to escape the stranger would never approach him.

  If you plan to escape the stranger, go to page 26.

  If you wish to confront the man, turn to page 50.

  Page 7

  You lower your hand from the button and glance at the beautiful alien woman before you. “I am—”

  Another vision painfully surfaces.

  Before you were knighted, the king of the silver
-skinned people said, “Indeed you are the chosen one. The general of our army. You shall have your brain-core placed inside a human. Then you shall walk amongst their people and strike them swiftly and without mercy.”

  The queen said, “Upon destroying their only true defense, the Men in Black, you shall lead the invasion of Earth. As a gift of gratitude, you shall have one of my daughters as your wife, your queen. You will be King Kryton, ruler of Earth.”

  As your vision fades, so do your human thoughts and fears. You look at Nikki, then smile and say, “I am General Kryton, and Jonathan is no more.”

  A wave of relief washes away her doubts and she embraces you. “I am so glad to hear that, my future husband and king.”

  Turn to page 54.

  Page 8

  “I choose Nikki Hart,” you say.

  “As you wish,” Dygor replies. He then leads you down the hallway to her room.

  As you enter, Nikki glances at you with a smile. “I’ve been expecting you, Kryton. I knew you couldn’t resist my offer.”

  “Why would I resist my destiny?” you ask.

  “Exactly,” she replies. “As I mentioned, in order to make world domination possible, you need to destroy the Men in Black headquarters.”

  “Can we use this ship and zap it with a laser beam?” you ask.

  “Your memory is still faint I see,” Nikki begins. “In time it shall return, Kryton. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. This vessel is unarmed. It was designed for stealth. That’s how it entered the atmosphere undetected, and that’s why the MIB can’t lock onto it and blow us out of the sky. You must enter MIB headquarters, access their main computer and insert this self-destruct data chip.”

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 9

  “Are you coming with me?” you ask.

  “That is not possible,” she says. “This body I possess can’t survive on Earth. Hence the plan of our race taking on human bodies as hosts for our brain-cores. Fear not, Kryton, you are not alone. Dygor will assist you in your quest.”

  Dygor enters and leads you into the hallway. He says, “Our time is running out. Your body will not last too much longer in its current state. We must penetrate the MIB headquarters quickly and complete this mission with haste.”

  You nod, and then follow Kryton as he leads you towards the transport room. As you pass a door, it opens and Vikki stops you. She stands to the side of the doorway and whispers, “You chose to destroy Earth’s only real line of defense? You still have a choice. After you enter MIB headquarters, instead of inserting the self-destruct chip, insert this one to lock onto this ship. The Men in Black will take care of the rest.”

  Turn to page 72.

  Page 10

  At the university, Julia sneaks you into a room with a large MRI machine. She helps you onto the bed, and then goes to the control room.

  “Are you about to scan my head?” you ask.

  “Yes,” Julia says, “don’t worry. I am an intern here. I’ve done this over a dozen times.”

  The bed slides back. Your head enters into the MRI machine. You lay motionless as you hear many weird sounds. Minutes later, the bed slides out again, and Julia joins you in the room.

  “Well, doc,” you say, “What did you see?”

  Julia’s face is pale, and she says, “You have a small mass in your head, attached to your brain.”

  “What?!” you shout.

  “It is alive,” she begins, “you were right.”

  “We need to get it out,” you scream.

  “No,” a loud voice states.

  As you both turn around, you see a man standing in the doorway. He is tall, muscular, wearing all black, and holding a large silver gun.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 11

  “Who are you?” you demand.

  “I am Dygor,” he states. “You are the chosen one, and I am here to protect you.”

  “You have a gun pointed at me,” you say.

  “No,” Dygor corrects, “it is aimed at her.”

  You get off the bed and stand in front of Julia. “She is no threat to you. Tell me, protector, why is this alien entity in my head?”

  Dygor states, “It is a test. Two minds in one body. Which is the true you? The human or the alien? Time will tell. But, unfortunately, the visions are getting worse. Aren’t they? Your brain can’t handle both sets of thoughts, knowledge, and commands. You must rid yourself of your human thoughts, or you will die. I can save you.”

  Julia whispers in your ear, wanting you to lure Dygor closer to the MRI machine. Dygor motions for you to step away from Julia, so that he may eliminate her. Trust Julia or Dygor with your life.

  If you trust Julia and trick Dygor, turn to page 29.

  If you trust Dygor to save you, turn to page 82.

  Page 12

  You take off in a sprint across the parking lot and you hear the SUV screech its tires in hot pursuit. You weave in between the rows of cars, forcing the SUV to drive the long way around.

  You duck down and sneak into a part of the parking lot with low lighting. You glance around looking for a vehicle, and you quickly spot a red sports car. You are tempted to smash in the window, but if you did, it would put glass on the seat inside, and people will know it is stolen. Also, your pursuer would hear the sound, and know exactly where you are.

  You notice that the driver’s side window is barely rolled down, just enough for you to slip your fingers through. You use amazing force to pull the window downward, and it seemed a little too easy. You barely even had to try. The window slides down enough for you to reach in and unlock the door. You climb inside, hotwire the car with little effort, and start up the engine.

  Continue on the next page.

  Page 13

  Just as the engine roars to life, the black SUV rolls right past you at a decent speed. As you pull out of the parking space, the SUV screeches to a halt, and the driver shifts it into reverse.

  You floor the accelerator as the other vehicle attempts to back into your car at full speed. You barely pull away in time, and escape the impact. You make a quick right turn, then another turn, and speed off the parking lot and down the road.

  After several minutes of driving down the darkened country road, you realize that you must have lost the SUV. As you continue forth, you cross an intersection and pass a police car. Moments later, you hear a loud siren and see flashing red and blue lights behind you.

  You are going well over the speed limit. If you stop now, the cop may arrest you for speeding, and for having someone else’s license. You could try to speed away, but that would be dangerous.

  If you obey the law and pull over, go to page 34.

  If you try and out run the cop, go to page 61.

  Page 14

  You walk around the front and climb into the passenger seat of the SUV. Upon shutting the door, Dygor starts up the vehicle and takes off. You are hesitant to put on your seatbelt, for you have no idea what will happen next. However, his driving is apparently aggressive, perhaps reckless, so you quickly buckle up.

  “What do you remember?” he demands.

  You swallow and say, “Not much. Who am I?”

  Dygor continues to stare at the windy country road and says, “You are Kryton.”

  “That isn’t the name on the driver’s license.”

  Dygor slams on the brakes and your head snaps forward. As your forehead nears the dashboard, a hand catches it and protects it. Dygor says, “What driver’s license?”

  He doesn’t know about it? you think. I wonder if I should show him, or try and escape while the car is motionless.

  If you show him the license, turn to page 38.

  If you unbuckle and run for it, turn to page 62.

  Page 15

  “Let’s get this brain-core out of my head,” you say. “I never asked for all this.”

  “I understand,” Agent Zero replies. He pulls out a cell phone and says, “Agency. Prep the operation room, and
bring the assets. 5 minutes.”

  As he drives you away from your burning house, and from the incoming clouds above, you wonder what your life was like before all this. You can only imagine.

  Minutes later you arrive at a warehouse in downtown, in an area that looks long abandoned. Agent Zero leads you out of the vehicle and through the secured front doors. After a few turns down long hallways, you enter a room with several people waiting for you inside.