cycles upon cycles

<center>cycle 52</center> you wake up. the shelter gate hasn't opened yet. <center>it's still raining.</center> <center>[[try to sleep.]] | [[wait.]]</center> <center></center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you close your eyes and try to sleep. <center>...</center> ..it doesn't work. you can sense the rain lessening. <center>[[a light rain can't hurt.->death]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wait. something feels off. you wait for what feels like almost an entire lifetime. <center>...</center> you can sense the rain lessening. <center>[[i've waited long enough.->death]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you drag yourself into the shelter and out. <center>but not before it flashes |red>[red].</center><center>something snaps. you go numb.</center> <center>[[wake up->wake up]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wake up with a gasp. the shelter gate hasn't opened yet. <center>it's still raining..</center> <center>...</center> <center>[[try to sleep.->try to sleep.2]] | [[wait.->wait.2]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you close your eyes and try to sleep. <center>...</center> it doesn't work. you can sense the rain lessening. <center>[[..a light rain can't hurt.->death2]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> ..something feels off. you wait regardless. you wait for what feels like a lifetime. <center>...</center> you can sense the rain lessening. <center>[[i've waited enough.->death2]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you take a deep breath. your lower body still hurts from last cycle. |t>[...your neck hurts too, for some reason.] you drag yourself out of the shelter. <center>it flashes |red>[red].</center> <center>a part of you snaps.</center> <center>[[wake up.]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wake up with a shaky breath. the shelter gate hasn't opened yet. <center>..it's still raining.</center> <center>...</center> |t>[still? what do you..] <center>[[drop the thoughts. try to sleep.->try to sleep3]] | [[just wait.]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you close your eyes. you feel.. <center>...</center> |t>[weightless.] you twitch and turn as you try to rest. it doesn't work. the rain is lighter now, though. <center>[[..the rain won't kill me, but...->hesitation]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> ....you wait. you wait what feels like an entire lifetime, but it feels.. shorter this time. <center>...</center> |t>[what?] you sense the rain lessening. <center>[[..i've waited a while now...->hesitation]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> the rain has lessened. you can sense this. it won't lighten more for another cloudshade, though. <center>...</center> <center>...something feels wrong.</center> <center>[[wait longer.]] | [[just go.]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you hesitate before you crawl out. you know the rain won't kill you, it's light enough. but.... |t>[something tells you] <center>...</center> <center>[[wait more.->death3]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you hesitate a little before you go out, but you manage to drag yourself out, despite the aching pain in your body. |t>[something tells you] <center>...</center> <center>[[and out you go.->death3]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you take a deep breath. |t>[you're about to die.]<center>the entrance flashes |red>[red]. your neck snaps.</center> <center>[[wake. up.]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wake up with a quiet hiss. the shelter gate hasn't opened yet. you can hear the rain hitting the overhang outside. |t>[your neck hurts.] <center>...</center> <center>[[try to sleep->try to sleep4]] | [[wait again?]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you curl up and close your eyes. <center>...</center> |t>[it's futile.] you don't get a single moment of peace. <center>[[the rain isn't gonna kill me.....->hesitation2]]<center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wait. you wait again. you don't like the feeling of waiting anymore. <center>...</center> |t>[anymore? what do you mean] you sense the rain lessening. <center>[[it's.. been long enough.->hesitation2]]<center>

<center>cycle 52</center> has it been long enough? you feel weird about this. you feel like something is gonna happen if you try to leave your shelter. <center>[[wait again.]] | [[no, go outside.]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wait again. you have a feeling this will keep you safe. |t>[will it really?] but... <center>[[...go outside.->death4]] | [[stay inside.]]

<center>cycle 52</center> you can feel the clear hesitation in your movement, even if you're slowed down by the aching of your lower body. <center>[[you crawl out of the shelter.->death4]]

<center>cycle 52</center> you crawl into the pipe and you.. go outside. you almost don't believe it, you..! <center>something |red>[red] flashes by yo u —</center> <center>your neck snaps and your spine cracks. [[Wake up]]

<center>cycle 52</center> you stay inside. |t>[are you sure this will help?] you think .. why are you worried? what do you fear? you stay. maybe you could wait out the rain completely.. [[try resting.]]

<center>cycle 52</center> you lay down again, and yawn. <center>...</center> <center> before you get a chance at peace</center> <center>the entrances flashes |red>[red]</center> |t>[a color you have come to know all too well] <center> and your entire body snaps [[Wake up]]

<center>cycle 52</center> you wake up with a loud hiss, tightly grabbing at your neck with your talons and curl up. your neck hurts. you don't remember anything happening last cycle that would cause this. it hurts so much more than your lower body. [[you continue to lay there.]]

<center>cycle 52</center> only after a little bit of focusing on the neck pain does the pain in your lower body from last cycle reappear. |t>[everything ... hurts] <center>...</center> <center>[[you just want a break.]] | [[..you're hungry. go outside.]]</centr>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wait. something feels off. you wait for what feels like almost an entire lifetime.. <center>...</center> you can sense the rain lessening. <center>[[i've waited long enough.->death1.5]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> you wake up with loud a gasp. the shelter gate hasn't opened yet. <center>it's still raining...</center> <center>...</center> <center>[[try to sleep.->try to sleep2]] | [[wait.->wait]]</center>

<center>cycle 52</center> your stomach growls. something about that feels unusual but you can't tell... why.

<center>cycle 52</center> it hurts so much. you don't know why. it just... hurts. something about it feels so.... off. you don't know what's going on. [[you just keep laying there.]]

<center>cycle 52</center> you take a deep breath. one, two, three. a memory flashes through your mind. something... <center>|red>[red]. red, red.... red? something.... red.... your neck.</center> |t>[it hurts so badly.]...try as you might, you don't know why you recall that. you can't recall more. you haven't encountered anything as bright red as that before. you...|t>[worse than your injury from the cycle before.]lost in your thought, you hadn't even realized you'd gotten up. you slump back over again onto the ground. it relieves some of the pain, albeit temporarily.