'The door with a placard on it' (Warped-Wrist Branch)

The hallway is... strange. It seems short and yet - it's also impossibly long. It looks like it goes upwards, loops back down onto itself yet is somehow... on the same level as itself. You vaguely recall something called an 'Impossible Object' from class but it was so horribly boring you couldn't bring yourself to pay attention.

Oh well.

You decide to walk down the halls - even the doors seem impossible. Some are screendoors that you cannot see through, while others are rice-paper doors that look straight out of Feudal Japan with silhouettes behind them, and others are generic plain Jane doors. One door catches your eyes though. It's the door with a name placard.

You look at the name plate - but the letters won't stay still. Fuck. "I know I'm bad at reading - but this is ridiculous" you think in irritation. You cannot read the letters on the door. A voice in your head reads it for you - "Carl J."

Thank you inner voice.

The door is not very interesting looking - it's a plain off white color with faded brass hinges. But it's the only door with a nameplate. You decide to open it.

In front of you is a tall fair man, slightly older - glasses. He's hunched over a desk muttering to himself in what sounds like incomprehensible gibberish. He has a small neatly trimmed mustache - a relatively boring find. This was a bit of a letdown.

You turn to go when a whole host of that gibberish voice floods your mind. You look up at the man at the desk - he's staring pensively at you.

"Servus" says a voice in your head - you can't help but believe that the man at the desk said it even though he never opened his mouth.

"Hallo?" the voice repeats. The man raises his eyebrows questioningly.

"Hmm, English speaking apparently. Fine, then." said the voice - then the man opened his mouth to address you. "Hallo, vat can I do for you?"

Your suspicions are confirmed. The voice in your head matches the voice of the man. Weird. Was he talking without using his mouth? Ventriloquism maybe?

"Nein, it iz not throwing mein voice. I am zpeakink vith mein mind."

"You're German?"

"Austrian - huge difference. But apparently your szubconcious has given me zis sztupid accent."

What the fuck are you talking about? Who are you? What the hell is this place? Which door leads to Shelly's room?

"Slow down - I am talking about the Collective ****, I am Dr. **** - you may call me Carl. This is a place where the collective subconscious intersects and every door leads to Shelly's room." He answered. "And thank you for ridding me of that ridiculous accent."

Huh. He seems like he was an important guy you should have learned about. Either way, you decide you like Carl. Even if he was boring.

But you're really more interested in getting some poon right now. Still... Carl Jing or Jang or whatever the hell his name was - seems like he knows a lot about this place. Do we stay and talk to the Doc? Or head off back into the hall?