Do you remember what happened when you went into the basement to play with Seth? Just the two of you, all alone? [[Yes?|Yes]] [[No?|No]]
They number beyond what we can even comprehend, Nathan. Somewhere amongst them exists Utopia. Somewhere exists what religious sheep would call "Heavan." Oh yes, there is a God, Nathan, but he sits beyond our realm, ruling in another with perfect harmony. In fact, there are infinite numbers of him, or her. Of you. But it is this you that we need. We are the Core realm. Anchored to us are all others. The most Superior of which have a presence here. We will find that presence, we will open the seal between us, and we will do it with your [[help|Life]].
Come on now. The smell of baked ham from upstairs, the taste of strawberry punch, (you always hated it but drank it anyway), the wafting odor of a cigar, recently put out in the study? Two young boys exploring in the dark, and your flashlight panned over to the back of the room? And there [[it|Yes]] was.
You will be the one who sees the Link in it's puret beauty. You wil find the loose seams and open them for us. Once you do, the Superior Realm's beings will pour into the Core Realm, and we will be their welcomers. We will be the ones to gain the insights of their magnificent realm. And with that insight, Nathan, we will shape this world anew. This realm. Each other. We will be as gods among those who drag their knuckles through the streets. The cities. The malls. The blind consumers and ignorers. The passive aggressive bystanders, the fragile would-be heros. We will be the new [[class|Class]] of humans. The new ranks. The Superior Beings. You can be one of us.
Hello, Nathan. You found the [[drive|Drive]] and followed the instructions within. Excellent job. We know you're confused. Hesitant, even, to proceed from here. If you would do us the courtesy of playing along, though, we assure you that great things will come of it. Now. Let's talk about [[you.|Nathan]]
You do not wish to know? Very well, await us, Nathan. We will be visiting you soon. Before we go, though, you may sate your curiosity:\n[[What will happen?|In Store]]\n[[No.|End-1]]\n
The Watchers, Nathan, are those like you. We all can see the links, but only a selected few of us can see the Stalkers. Those horrible creatures that find and pursue those whom have the potential to rend the seams open. You, Nathan, can see the shimmer of a seam. You can find the opening. Enter the Superior Realm. You, and Jacob of course. But he has been dealt with already. Now we only need you.\nWill you help us?\n[[Yes.|Yes-Final]]\n[[No.|Watchers]]
The car that sent Seth to the hospital? We drove it, Nathan. We awaited you long enough to know that we could not await any longer. You cornered us. You refused to venture off to college. You denied exploring outside careers. Time grows rapidly closer to the final Linking. We need your help, Nathan. We need a [[Watcher|Watchers]].
They are the [[Stalkers|Mouth]].
Do you know that feeling, when someone is watching you? You most certainly do, we're sure of that. Let us recover the past, Nathan. We'll see how you've always been the one we needed. The one we were searching for. At the end of this, dear Nathan, you'll know why we're here. . .who we are. . .who you are. There is so much to tell you. I suppose we should begin with your childhood. A small trip to your grandmother's house one holiday evening. [[Proceed|Begining]]
Why would you lie to us, Nathan? That isn't right. We already know, just answer the [[question|Nathan]].
We are the [[Searchers|Mouth]].
And what a horrible thing that was! Gaping open, it's jaw slacked to the side. Hanging upsidedown, it looked as if the jaw would topple and become level with those sightless eyes indented in the head of the thing. Rows of innumerable teeth, dripping with saliva and ooze waited the gnash you and your friends to nothingness. You saw it. You saw the being before, in the basement. You couldn't forget this one, and you can't forget the other now. We know you're dying to ask, Nathan, so we'll answer your questions now.\n[[How do you know what happened to me?|The How]]\n[[What are those things?|The What]]\n<<if visited ("The What")>><<if visited ("The How")>>Would you like to know [[more?|More]]<<endif>><<endif>>
He was a taller boy. Broader shoulders than you. Curly brown hair, glasses. Funny enough, with bravado to spare. Too bad he couldn't muster that bravado into courage and face the cat, huh? You want to know something new about him? Something he'll never admit? He saw [[it|The Thing]] too.
Hello, Nathan
We will be the Illuminated. The Enlightend. We will be shining becons of knowing and wisdom this realm over. All others in the Core will fall before us, and we will decide whether or not they are worhty of continuing in this soon to be Superior Realm.\n\n[[I'm ready.|End-2]]\n[[I won't do this.|End-1]]
1 - Do not alert any authorities of this program. We will intercept you.\n\n2 - Do not alert Anthony. He is aware.\n\n3 - Do visit the same bench you recieved this drive on each day from here on out.\n\n4 - Await further, writen instructions.\n\nNow, do you want to know what is in store for you if you follow our simple rules? \n\n[[Yes.|In Store]]\n[[No.|Very Well]]
The Watchers, Nathan, are those like you. We all can see the links, but only a selected few of us can see the Stalkers. Those horrible creatures that find and pursue those whom have the potential to rend the seams open. You, Nathan, can see the shimmer of a seam. You can find the opening. Enter the Superior Realm. You, and Jacob of course. But he has been dealt with already. Now we only need you.\nWill you help us?\n[[Yes.|Yes-Final]]\n[[No.|Watchers2]]
<<set $seth to "Nathan">>Let's think back, now. \nWhere were you, Nathan, when the cars crashed and your brother was nearly killed? \nWere you at [[home|Lie!]], minding your own business? Were you at [[work|Lie!]], earning a meager living? Or were you sitting right [[there|Truth]], right beside your [[brother|Seth]], daring him to go faster and faster for some sick, cheap thrill?
You walked a long way with Seth and Jacob. The three of you sprinting back from the woods. Thought you could camp out overnight? That didn't go so well. Jacob brought the [[gun,|Gun]] but he didn't think to fire it when the cougar's eyes gleamed at you from the foggy distance. So you ran. Ran as far as you could, as fast as you could. Never mind you weren't being pursued. You had to stop, though, under a lone bridge. And when your eyes turned back into the trees behind you, you know what you [[saw|The Thing]]. Niether [[Jacob|Jacob]] or Seth ever did admit it, though.
Not yet, Nathan. We must talk about [[you|Nathan]] first.\n
We know about Seth, too, Nathan. I imagine you could have gathered that alone. We know his condition. We heard the same respirations as you did. We saw the swollen throat. We witnessed the accident that shattered those ribs. Amazing how you came out completely unscaved from such a horrific event, hm? I wonder, Nathan, what happened to the people in the other [[car|Car]]? Perhaps we'll discuss that later, for now, we need to talk about <<if $seth is "Nathan">>[[you|Nathan]].<<elseif $seth is "Truth">>[[us.|Us]]<<endif>>
We'll come clean for you, Nathan. We've been following you. We know where you go every day. We know what bench you sit on, watching the others drift by. We know you, and we gifted you with this. We have dropped transcendence into your lap. Please, Nathan, [[proceed.|Nathan]]
We are the [[Searchers|Searchers]]. \n
Remington, wasn't it? You brought along 3" shells. It was his dads. Not that you lot had permission to take it, but it was better than nothing. You thought a spread would protect you. From what? Didn't anticipate a cougar. Too far, too fast, too strong. We know you got away though. We know what was really [[following|The Thing]] you.
In the trees, just behind you. It hung from the branches. A long, black tail wrapped around one, and it dangled upside down. A contorted body, limp and long limbs, a barren head, sunken eyes covered in a viel of flesh, just like before! This one though, this one had a [[mouth|Mouth]].
As if you had a choice, Nathan.\nYou have a firm set of instructions you must now follow.\n[[The Instructions|Instructions]]
<<set $seth to "Truth">>Of course you were. It's your fault [[he's|Seth]] in the hospital, and if you don't work with us, we'll make sure he stays there much longer. Now. It's time to introduce [[ourselves|Us]].
Your reluctance will be the first thing we exterminate, Nathan.
Then we look forward to having you amongst us, Nathan! Render the Core with us! Become Superior!\nThe mark of the Seekers is with you. We will reveal ourselves to you in time. Be aware, Nathan.
This is not our only world, Nathan. The Superior Realms lie just beyond our vision. People see them, sometimes. Delusional fools who report transparent spirits wandering the earth. Misguided children who believe a monster lurks beneath their beds. They have encounted another [[Realm|Realm]], they have seen a link!
The Links, Nathan! They exist in and around us. They can arrive when humans shatter the very basic meaning of our lives: To live. War rends the seams open, links the world. Grief, anger, death, decay: they all tear through this realm into another. A [[doll|http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2013/10/annabelle-the-true-story-of-a-demonic-doll/]] becomes possed by a "demon," an [[asylum| http://www.ghostresearch.org/Investigations/trans.html]]spends years tortuning occupents and people are awed by tales of "ghosts," a war ends the lives of countless citizens, and we flock to the [[fields|http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/civil-war/2013/oct/30/civil-war-ghosts-still-haunt-gettysburg-and-antiet/]] to see their spectres. Those who claim to see them don't lie, Nathan. They just misinterpret what their eyes beheld. Greater beings than us, crashing into our world through the tears. Those worlds most closly linked to broken seams will enter, and they will shit with events. Our core realm doesn't stay still, nor does it maintain it's earthly shape in the nether. You don't beleive us, though. Perhaps another [[event|The Bridge]] will convince you?
T.S.R.
A bloated, grotesque creature. Body mangled and hunched. Those thin legs couldn't possibly carry it over to you, could they? Those long, tendril-like arms. And worse of all, the blank, sightless, senseless, mouthless face. As if someone draped a white skin tight over a skull? You ran upstairs, abandoning Seth. Mom and dad never would beleive you. Such an imgination. Too bad they didn't know about the [[Links.|Links]]\n