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Chapter 10 by theia theia

Choose a door--or don't

Try the door on the left

No time to think, just act. You dive for the door on the left, figure out how to unlock it, and slip inside.

The light from the hallway disappears as the door slides shut. You hear a decisive click, and you realize it has locked behind you. Whatever misgivings you might have about your choice, there is only one way to go now.

You're clearly in another habitat. Much like your own, its lighting is artificially dampened to simulate nighttime. The air, thankfully, is breathable, if a bit musky and humid. You feel your hair going limp against your body already. It reminds you a bit of the rainforest you visited one summer, although the floor is rough and rockier than underbrush would be, and there are no trees in sight.

It doesn't take long to spot the inhabitants of the habitat. Pairs of bright, yellow eyes are all turned in your direction, and dark nostrils flare to take in your scent. They look a bit like a cross between a jaguar and a coyote: long, tapered muzzles and pointed ears, but lanky and muscular bodies made for jumping and climbing trees as well as chasing down prey.

You swallow reflexively. Look around for cover. There is none. A thousand questions bubble up in your mind. Are these creatures sentient? Are they carnivorous, like the Earth animals they resemble? Are they planning to eat you? Is there any cover nearby? Any other escape route?

One of the creatures, presumably the pack leader, seems to arrive at a decision. It lets out a short, guttural noise—not quite a bark, not quite a howl. Then it springs towards you. It closes the distance with remarkable alacrity, giving you barely enough time to scream before it's pouncing, pinning you to the ground. The others follow in short order, and soon you are surrounded by a circle of the creatures, their leader breathing heavily over you.

The leader backs off slightly, eyeing you warily, as if wondering what to do with you now that it has caught you. For the moment it appears to be reconsidering the notion that you're simply prey. You realize you have a simple choice: you can submit, and hope that it does not harm you; or, you can attempt to act dominant and hope that despite your physical weakness it will instinctively yield.

Which strategy do you try?

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