#OngoingAdventure: The Summon

Summary

The protagonist experiences an inexplicable panic in a store, leading to a series of surreal events culminating in the appearance of a mysterious notification.

Abstract

In the midst of a typical day, the protagonist is suddenly overwhelmed by an intense sense of panic, feeling as though something is terribly wrong. Despite being a normally calm person, they find themselves paralyzed with fear, unable to breathe or move. In a moment of desperation, the protagonist breaks free with a powerful scream, causing chaos in the store as shelves shake and chocolates fall. Amidst the confusion, they notice the chocolates are melting, and so are they, experiencing extreme heat. Just as they fear the world is ending, time seems to freeze, and a digital notification appears, offering them options to interact with an unread message. This unexpected development suggests a twist in the narrative, inviting the protagonist—and readers—to question the reality they are experiencing and hinting at a fantastical or sci-fi element.

Opinions

The narrative conveys a sense of escalating surrealism, starting with a normal day and quickly spiraling into an extraordinary situation.
The protagonist's internal struggle and transformation are highlighted through their uncharacteristic primal scream, indicating a shift in their personality or the story's genre.
The story appears to blend elements of horror (panic, inability to move) with those of fantasy or science fiction (melting reality, digital notifications in a non-digital setting).
The inclusion of interactive elements ("Options" section) suggests this story may be part of an interactive fiction series, engaging readers in decision-making processes that affect the narrative.
The invitation for readers to contribute to the story by submitting the next chapter indicates a collaborative and community-driven approach to storytelling.

Chosen: Scream. Just let out all that primal fear

You suddenly panic. Something’s wrong. You feel it in the hairs of your arms.

You’ve never been someone to panic, but here, the panic was washing over you like never before. You couldn’t breathe. You couldn’t think. You couldn’t move.

With all your might, you try to burst out of this paralysis. You feel stuck but you push against it harder, the panic driving your energy forward. You burst the bubble, letting out a primal scream uncharacteristic of your quiet, introverted self.

As you scream, the shelves start shaking. Your vision blurs. Chocolates slide off the top shelf and then the next in succession, creating a pile of broken chocolates around you.

You step back and crush a bar, but it’s already gooey.

How is it melting?

No, you’re melting too. It’s hot, you’re sweating, but you couldn’t tell if that was the panic or the actual temperature of the store.

Just when you thought the world was about to end, everything freezes. A notification pops up in front of you. Wait, what?

Yes, a notification-looking bubble pops up in front of you, flashing the words: one (1) message unread.

Options

In a small voice, utter “um, open notification?”

Using your finger, touch the notification to see if it opens up the message.

Run. Run out of that darn store and find Gail and her sensei, right away.