The Reunion

It's been a long time since high school, and this isn't your first reunion. You are only going because it's the first time you'll get to see your best friend in years since they moved away. You, on the other hand, never got out of the city you grew up in. You never finished your college degree, wrote that book, married, or bought a house. In short, you could only describe yourself as a "loser" and have no desire to be reminded of that by the success of all your classmates. [[Bail out]] [[Get Ready]]

You decide against going to the reunion, despite the opportunity to see your best friend, it's simply not worth the hit to your self-esteem. Without even sending a heads-up text to your best friend you crumple your questionable pants into a ball and throw them into the corner of the room. Defeated, you don't even have the energy to watch tv. Curling up in the fetal position in your bed, you lay awake for hours. The End

Resigned to the worst, you grimace and pull on your most flattering pants, which isn't saying much. They haven't been washed in a while. [[Sniff the pants]] [[Ignorance is bliss]]

The pants are musty and rancid. They emanate an odor noticeable from a full foot away. [[Bail out]] [[Pick another pair]]

You decide you can't be judged anymore for your unclean pants than for any other facet of your life and get going. [[Get in the car]]

Disgusted, you grab a new pair from the closet. Though also musty, and much less flattering, they are at least an improvement on your old pair. [[Bail out]] [[Get in the car]]

You walk out of your dingy studio apartment and across the street. You can't afford a parking space in your complex and must resort to street parking which is, at times, quite far away. You lucked out last night however and scored a pretty close spot, you get in the car and sigh. [[Bail out]] [[Start the car]]

The car struggles to start, it's an oldie but man are you emotionally invested in it. Dubbed your "noble steed", it has seen you through a lot, and will hopefully see you through the night. [[Bail out]] [[Drive to the High School]]

It's too late to bail out now, you're in the high school parking lot and your noble steed is letting out enough concerning sounds to alert the entire party to your arrival. [[Sit in car]] [[Go in]]

Not ready to face your classmates alone, you call your best friend. They were always more popular, and though they always there for you, many people were often vying for their attention. They pick up the phone after the second ring, you can tell they're at another party. They assure you they'll be on their way soon and encourage you to go in without them. [[Go in]] [[Wait]]

Feeling braver than usual, you stop your car, confidently but awkwardly clamber out of the vehicle and stand up facing the building. You plan to go in but stop as you see the school building. [[Approach the school]]

Facing the building you take it all in, the size, the flagpole. It looks like a prison. In fact, it used to be a prison. They stripped it down and built it back up a while back. While you stand there, a group of the old "populars" struts by. They give you a grimace. Perhaps your pants are more fragrant than you realized. [[Call friend again]]

Starting to panic about your decision to come, you call your friend again, desperate for some reassurance. This time they pick up immediately, the sounds of the party are gone and there is the faint cacophony of traffic in the background. They assure you they're close, and again encourage you to go in without them. [[Wait]]

Finally, after another 20 minutes (where WERE they coming from!?) your best friend arrives and runs up to meet you. It's time. [[Go in the building]]

Linking arms with your best friend, you two head inside. You think you're going to sink into everything you've missed about each other when the popular bunch return. They're making a point of circling your best friend, shunting you to the side. Though your best friend makes apologetic eyes over their shoulders, they don't tell them to leave and you're left awkwardly standing next to them. [[Get some punch]] [[Get passive agressive]]

Hoping that someone has already spiked the punch you head over to the refreshments table. Unfortunately for you, it was always you that spiked that punch in the past and you forgot your flask at home. Disappointed, virgin drink in hand, you turn away. In the corner you see another social reject looking uncomfortable. [[Approach the loner]] [[Leave]]

Glaring back at your friend you cross your arms. They shrug but still don't make a move to return to you. [[Get some punch]] [[Leave]]

Done with the event, done with your friend, and done with everyone and everything you walk straight out of the building. You throw your drink at the trash and miss. You pause and sigh. [[Keep Walking]] [[Pick up the trash]]

You approach your fellow social outcast and greet them. They look confused. You can tell they are thinking the same thing you are, "Why did they come?". After some polite small talk your best friend reappears and attempts to apologize for leaving you. [[Accept Apology]] [[Leave]]

After a deep sigh, you walk towards the trash and stoop to pick up the spilled drink. You freeze. There's something in the shadows. [[Investigate]] [[Run like Hell]]

Steeling yourself, you take a step closer. With a shriek you jump back as an injured, potentially rabid, squirrel comes tearing out from the bushes behind the trash can. As if it didn't see you it keeps running. From what, you don't know. [[Investigate further]] [[Run like Hell]]

As much as a mistake as this might be, you turn on your flashlight and point it at the spot from which the squirrel emerged. There's nothing there. You take a step closer, your bravery building. Then you freeze. Something is there. Slowly crawling into the light is a... well you don't know what it is but it's clear to you it is not of this earth. Jet black with several slender protrusions, you initially mistake it for a comb. Until it moves that is. All it takes is a small twitch but that's enough for you. [[Poke it]] [[Run like Hell]]

"What is life without risk?", you think to yourself and reach out to poke it. A more rational human deciding to poke a foreign object might use their foot, or a stick, but not you. No, you decide to risk life and limb and poke it with your bare hand. This was not smart. The small, jet-black, comb-like creature flies at you with a speed that defies gravity. Deciding that you are no longer a fan of Wicked you flail backwards as the being gets a tight grip on your leg. [[Flight]] [[Fight]] [[Freeze]]

You try to run but the harder you try the tighter the grip this... "thing"... seems to grasp on you. Starting to really panic now you fall to the ground, sobbing. No one is around. Inexplicably your vision starts to fade and with your last sight you notice a swarm of the comb-like creatures surrounding you. This is the last thing you will see. The End

You try to pry the comb-alien off your leg with no luck. The harder you pry the tighter it gasps you until its tendrils puncture your skin. Starting to really panic now you fall to the ground, sobbing. No one is around. Inexplicably your vision starts to fade and with your last sight you notice a swarm of the comb-like creatures surrounding you. This is the last thing you will see. The End

Unsure of what exactly is happening you begin to wonder if some had spiked the punch after all. You remain upright, knees slightly bent, staring at the comb-like alien get a greater purchase on your leg. In a silent stand-off the two of you take each other in. Suddenly you hear someone approaching. Instinctively you look up to find the noise and feel a small twinge on your leg. You look back down in time to see a slight disturbance in the shadows. The creature has released you and is gone. Just then your best friend reaches you. Staring at them in horror they register that something is wrong. [[Describe the alien]] [[Announce you're Leaving]]

A normal human might be hysterical at this point, but you are far beyond that. You have reached an eerie calm. You slowly look up at your best friend and decide that this is the final test of your friendship. Will they believe you? Describing the attack briefly, you friend narrows their eyes. You can see in that moment that they don't believe you. They calmly ask if you spiked the punch. [[Push your story]] [[Announce you're Leaving]]

Desperate for someone to believe you, you present your leg to your friend. At first glance nothing appears wrong, but as they touch your leg to try and understand you cry out. The spot where the alien mounted you is beyond tender, it's like an exposed nerve. Jumping back in alarm your best friend asks what's wrong. [[Roll up your pant leg]] [[Announce you're Leaving]]

You're as curious as your friend is to see what's under your pant leg, though far more trepidatious than them. They seem to still be under the impression this is a cry for attention or the ramifications of some spiked punch. Grateful that your pants are flexible enough to lift from the bottom and not so tight as to force you to disrobe in the parking lot, you gently pull them up past your thigh. Both you and your best friend let out a gasp. Bruising has developed on your thigh in the shape of the alien you encountered. Ever skeptical your friend asks if you've fallen lately. [[Lose your temper]] [[Be calm]]

You've had it. You let your "best" friend know just how they've failed you. You burst into tears as they stare blankly at you. [[Announce you're Leaving]]

You take a deep breath. You look your best friend in the eye, and you repeat what happened. You do your best to impress up on them the gravity of what you've experienced. They are starting to look less exasperated and more concerned, but you can't tell if their concern is about the fate of humanity or your mental health. Just as you're about to give up and leave your best friend freezes. You whip around in time to see more movement in the shadows. "What... was that", your best friend whispers. "I've never... seen anything like that" Attuned to the shapes and the darkness now you realize there's a lot more movement than they are noticing as they've looked back at you. Quickly you grab them by the wrist and run. [[Run into the building]] [[Run to your noble steed]]

The two of you burst back into the building and stop to catch your breath. Everyone's noticed your dramatic entry. [[Warn the gathering]] [[Run to your noble steed]]

There's no time to warn the others and quite frankly you know they wouldn't believe you. Would your "best friend" even back you up? It's not a question you want answered right now. Reaching the vehicle, you both clamber inside and slam the doors. The click of your locks sound out loudly in the vacuum of your fear. [[Drive to your best friend's Airbnb]] [[Go to your Apartment]]

You may not have liked high school, but the majority of your classmates don't deserve potential death by alien. Your best friend stands quietly by you as you shout about aliens. You turn to them for back up, but they quietly shake their head. In the midst of an unaffected crowd they have lost touch with what they just saw. The gathering bursts into laughter and jeer at you. [[Announce you're Leaving]]

Your best friend nervously gives you directions to where they've been staying in town - a luxury Airbnb in a quiet suburb just outside of the city life. They warn you they've brought their dog with them for the trip. Big, but friendly, they might jump on you. Slightly worried about a dog jumping on your injured leg, you both cautiously exit the car and quickly head towards the house. As you approach the house you notice movement in your peripheral. Grabbing your friend by the wrist once more you drag them to the front door where they fumble with the keys. The door opens as the first alien launches itself at you. You try to quiet a shriek of alarm as you fall to the ground, just then the door opens, and the dog comes barreling out. [[Shoo the Dog]] [[Beckon the Dog]]

Desperate for any kind of help, not even knowing what commands the dog knows, you gesture wildly to sick the dog on the alien. It works. The dog launches itself at the alien on your leg and with excruciating pain to you, tears it away. Shaking it violently, the dog throws it down where it lays completely still. Trembling, you get on your elbows. This might be the answer. The shadows are still. Your friend helps you up and you head towards the house. [[Grab the alien body]] [[Leave the alien body]]

By now you have realized that running is futile, and you will need to develop a strategy to fight back against the aliens. For research purposes you grab the alien's body before heading into the house. [[Enter the house]]

Desperate to get away you abandon the alien body as you stumble towards the house. As you get to the doorway you pause and look over your shoulder and see that the body is gone. [[Limp into the house]]

Slamming the door behind you all, the three of you (you, your best friend, and the dog) stand in the entry way frozen. Realizing you are still holding the alien body you realize you must make a decision. What do you do with the body? [[Throw it back outside]] [[Contain it]]

Whatever is behind that trash is not your problem. You sprint to your noble steed and tear out of the parking lot, leaving whatever was back there behind. Was that enough? As you pull towards your apartment complex you realize your prime parking spot is gone and you must walk 3 blocks to get to your apartment. In the time that it takes you to get to the complex the shadows have come alive. Walking faster you try to beat the movement to your home. You fail. The last thing you see is a comb-like creature lunging towards your face. The End

With what a failure of a person you are, how could you be any worse for abandoning your trash. Slowly you walk to your noble steed and drive home. Your prime parking spot is gone, and you have to walk 3 blocks to get to your apartment. You unlock your door and walk inside. With a heavy sigh you crumple your questionable pants into a ball and throw them in the corner of the room. Defeated, you don't even have the energy to watch tv. Curling up in the fetal position in your bed, you lay awake for hours. The End

You're done. Done with your crappy friendship. Done with your even crappier ex-classmates. Done with this night. Over it all you leave in your yet crappier noble steed. As you pull towards your apartment complex you realize your prime parking spot is gone and you must walk 3 blocks to get to your apartment. In the time that it takes you to get to the complex the shadows have come alive. Walking faster you try to beat the movement to your home. You fail. The last thing you see is the comb-like creature lunging towards your face. The End

As you pull towards your apartment complex you realize your prime parking spot is gone and you and your best friend will have to walk 3 blocks to get to your apartment. In the time that it takes you to get to the complex the shadows have come alive. Walking faster you both try to beat the movement to your home. You fail. The last thing you see is the comb-like creature lunging towards your face and the last thing you hear are the screams. The End

Knowing that this is the end and hoping that your best friend’s dog will at least be able to save themselves you violently shoo them away from the scene unfolding. It is not enough. The shadows have come alive and the last thing you see is one lunging for your face, the last thing you hear are the screams. The End

Deciding to accept your "best friend's" lame apology you sigh and follow them around for the rest of the night as they socialize with literally everyone. Realizing this isn't the friend you thought they were you end the night by heading home alone in your clunky noble steed. Your prime parking spot is gone, and you must walk 3 blocks to get to your apartment. You unlock your door and walk inside. With a heavy sigh you crumple your questionable pants into a ball and throw them into the corner of the room. Defeated, you don't even have the energy to watch tv. Curling up in the fetal position in your bed, you lay awake for hours. The End

Terrified, your best friend, you, and the dog all make your way into the sitting room. Suddenly there is a scratching sound at the front door and you all freeze. Turning slowly, you make it in time to see the creatures sliding in through the mail slot and the cracks along the door frame. There are too many for the dog to be of any help. The creatures attach themselves all over you, your best friend, and their dog. You vision cuts out and the last thing you hear are the screams. The End

You decide you are no scientist and won't be able to gain any ground from studying the body. In one quick, fluid movement you throw the alien out the door and slam it again. [[Limp into the house]]

You are no scientist, but your gut instinct tells you that you need to contain the specimen. As this is not your best friend's actual house, but a mere Airbnb you realize you are going to need to search the place and quick. The two of you make quick work of it and come up with a few different options. [[Colander]] [[Mason Jar]] [[Yarn]]

Desperate to contain it as fast as possible you grab an ancient colander out of the kitchen cupboard, throw the alien underneath, and sit on it. You stare horrified into your best friends’ eyes who are reflecting your terror in their own. The dog whines nervously. Taking heed of the dog you look down in time to see the comb is disjointedly emerging from the holes in the colander. You realize its all over as the front door rattles from the other room. The shadows in the poorly lit kitchen come alive and overtake the three of you. Your vision fades as you hear the screams. The End

Of the three items you found you argue that the mason jar is the best. It has a tight lid and clear sides so you can keep an eye on the beast. The question is whether to poke holes to keep it alive in case it survived the dog attack, or to keep it sealed to make sure it is dead. [[Poke holes]] [[Keep it sealed]]

The owner of the Airbnb must be a knitter of some sort because you inexplicably find some yard tucked in a corner of a cupboard in the living room. Neither of you were any kind of scout but you fashion a sort of harness around the creature and stop to take a breath. Both of you feel that breath catch in your throat as a skittering noise can be heard from where you tied up the alien. You both watch in horror, the dog growling, as the comb-like creature distorts its horrifying body out of the binding. By now you can also hear noises at the front door, it appears as though it may have alerted the others to its freedom. Shadows move into the room and you know you are screwed. Your vision fades as the aliens overtake you and the last thing you hear are the screams. The End

Against your better judgement you decide that you may want the alien alive in order to study it. This was the wrong choice. You stare horrified into your best friends’ eyes who are reflecting your terror in their own. The dog whines nervously. Taking heed of the dog you look down in time to see the comb is disjointedly emerging from the holes in the mason jar. You realize it is all over as the front door rattles from the other room. The shadows in the room come alive and overtake the three of you. Your vision fades as you hear the screams. The End

The only good comb is a dead comb in your opinion. Deciding you need to know if it is dead you seal the airtight mason jar with the creature inside. Watching it closely all three of you jump back as it comes to life in the jar. Struggling violently, it manages to chip the glass in a few places but ultimately succumbs to what appears to be suffocation. Hesitantly and cautiously you both lean in. Limp in the jar, the comb has turned a rust color and stopped moving. In the deafening silence you turn towards each other with hope in your eyes. [[Plot your revenge]]

"Vacuums" You whisper to each other. "Where is the vacuum!", you exclaim. "I have no idea!", they respond. There is a moment of silence before you both begin to tear around the Airbnb searching for a vacuum. [[Search the front closet]] [[Search the garage]]

While your best friend searched the living room you decided to move on to the front closet. Who doesn't have a vacuum in their front closet you assume. You rip open the doors and find a small handheld vacuum. Grateful, yet disappointed. You call out to your best friend. They come running. When they see the size of the vacuum, they look crest-fallen. It may be all you have though. You could go buy one, but with only a small vacuum on hand you might not make it to the store. [[Search the garage]] [[Go to the store]]

You enter the garage and to your glorious surprise there is a high-powered shop vac in there. This will have you tethered to the wall but might be able to handle the onslaught of alien life. Desperate for survival, your best friend and their dog join you in the garage and power up the vacuum. [[Prepare to fight]]

Under the impression that this vacuum is the best you will find in the house, and knowing time is of the essence, you grab the dog and make a mad dash towards your noble steed. As the ignition struggles you curse the fact your best friend Ubers everywhere and didn't think to rent a nice new car. Deep in thought you're startled as you hear the handheld vacuum's weak suction roar into life. You look around wildly to see your surrounded by shadows. The dog is growling again. [[Search the garage]] [[Fight back]]

You have a vacuum now and reckon you might stand a chance. Now started, your noble steed jerks forward as you hit the gas. Your best friend wields the vacuum and the dog can be heard scuffling in the back. As you drive towards the store more and more shadows come to life but you're able to outrun them. Barely. High on adrenaline you peel into the store parking lot, stop the car on the curb, and make a mad leap towards the doors. Forgetting about the other shoppers the three of you sprint towards the back where the vacuums are kept. This was a grave error, and you can hear the screams of the other customers begin to rise. [[Keep running]] [[Stop and help]]

There is no time to stop now, you can't help until you get more power anyways. You keep running and hit the vacuum section only to realize there are no outlets in the public area of the store. The screams of the other customers increase, and you whip around in time to see the shadows overtake you. The last thing you hear are the screams. It's your fault. The End [[Convenience Store Epilogue]]

Knowing it is your fault that the shadows are here, you decide to help in whatever way you can. You turn around, vacuum brandished and dog growling. Just then the handheld vacuum dies. The last thing you see are the shadows and the last thing you hear are the screams. It's your fault. The End [[Convenience Store Epilogue]]

Your deaths were not in vain. After exposing themselves to the public in an attempt to stop you, the aliens are hunted mercilessly by not only the government, but the population. Learning from your demise that vacuums were the secret to eradication of the aliens, they became distributed around the world. While the source of the aliens remains a mystery, their presence was destroyed. Or was it?

As the shop vac fires up the shadows attack. Your best friend mans the handheld, but it dies fairly quickly, leaving them to shelter behind you. Their dog valiantly attacks anything that comes too close. Meanwhile you are vacuuming with wild abandon, screaming the whole time. As what appears to be the last of the aliens is in the shop vac you hear sirens. Unsure how to proceed you exchange an uneasy glance with your best friend. A cop car parks in front of the house and a lone police officer enters the garage. They order you to shut off the vacuum and remind you it is long past midnight. [[Shut down the shop vac]] [[Refuse]]

Despite your best friend's cry of "No!", you shut down the vacuum. You're a law-abiding citizen after all, and you know this police officer is not going to believe you. Still agitated, the cop walks towards you. Behind them you see movement and gasp. [[Fire up the shop vac]] [[Remain compliant]]

Over your dead body will you, well, die by aliens. The shadows behind the officer come alive and you yell out a warning just in time. The office automatically turns in time to see an alien fly on to him. You call for the dog who pulls the alien off and then you vacuum it up before it can run. The officer scrambles into the garage. Their radio broke when they fell, but they have communication left in the car if they can get there. [[Run to the police cruiser]] [[Use your cell phone]]

Committed to following orders you watch in horror as the shadows overtake the cop, and then the three of you. The last thing you hear is the police officer's radio inquiring about their wellbeing. The End [[Compliant Epilogue]]

Not long after your grisly deaths, more officers arrive on the scene. They assume foul-play. But when they see the shop vac pulled out, they decide to investigate further. Opening it they see what appears to be a collection of rusty combs. The shadows come alive, but they make the connection with the vacuum just in time to fight back. Despite never finding the source of the aliens, the public is made aware of the situation and together with the government they wipe out the infestation thanks to your sacrifice. ... or do they?

You know the shop vac won't reach down the driveway but it's worth the old college try you figure. But there may be another way... [[Make the run]] [[Search for extension cable]]

You realize that running to the police cruiser isn't necessary when everyone has a cell phone these days. You suggest this and all three of you reach into your pockets at once. The officer comes up empty, having left their phone in the cruiser. Your best friend's has a dead battery. You check for yours but find it has fallen out of a larger-than-you-realized hole in your pants. [[Run to the police cruiser]]

It seems like a short distance to the police cruiser and the three of you (plus the dog) decide you can make it and begin to sprint. Your efforts are in vain as the shadows come alive and engulf everyone. This is the end. The End [[Make the run Epilogue]]

The risk of running just isn’t worth it, you need that extension cable. Moving as a unit around the garage with the shop vac at your side you search through the drawers and cupboards until you come across just what you were looking for. For once you're in luck and there's not one, but three 20 ft extension cords. There's an easily reached outlet and you hastily work together to plug in the cords and daisy chain them to aid your get away. [[Proceed to the Police cruiser]]

Not long after your grisly deaths more officers arrive on the scene. They assume foul-play. But when they see the shop vac pulled out, they decide to investigate further. Opening it they see what appears to be a collection of rusty combs. The shadows come alive, but they make the connection with the vacuum just in time to fight back. Despite never finding a source of the aliens, the public is made aware of the situation and together with the government they wipe out the infestation thanks to your sacrifice. ... or do they?

The journey 10 feet to the police cruiser is relatively uneventful as the aliens seem to understand the whine of the shop vac means death. Once at the car the officer radios in for help. Being the most rational one in the department pays off when their colleagues believe them. The head of the department contacts the government and tells you to remain where you are. [[Final Epilogue]]

Little known to the public, the elusive Area 51 had already encountered this alien lifeform and was well equipped to take on the challenge of containment. Everyone involved was brought in to sign heavily secured non-disclosure agreements and paid off for their trouble. Life as you knew it before is non-existent. With your friendship with your best friend rekindled and your self-confidence at an all-time high, you decide it's time to leave this town. You move in with your best friend and finally start working towards a career using the money from the government to cover school and life costs while you progress. The trauma of that night lingers with you, but with a bright future ahead you now know you can make it through just about anything. The End.