You hesitate for a while, unsure what to eat. You go over your options, listing to yourself why you should or should not eat them, but you can't decide.
You keep staring at the food on the ground, almost as if you’re waiting for a sign. One that never comes.
Letting out a sigh, you gather up the spilt berries and mushrooms, stacking them in two separate piles, before grabbing the squirrel as well and placing it next to them.
If you want to eat the squirrel, you would definitely need to cook it. You think you could probably get a fire started but you’re already starving and you have no idea how long it would take too long to get one going.
Deciding that you can cook it once you've satiated your immediate hunger, you pick up a handful of berries and tentatively pop one into your mouth. You shut your eyes and bite into it expecting the worst.
As the berry bursts your eyes open wide in surprise. It tastes great! Much better than you were expecting. Kind of like a raspberry, but sweeter.
You slowly begin eating the rest of the berries, savoring every bite. Too soon you’ve popped the last of the berries in your mouth and you can’t help but feel remorseful that you weren't able to take more as your stomach growls hungrily.
Reluctantly you forget about the berries and pick up one of the mushrooms. It’s spongey and looks unappetizing in comparison to the berries, but maybe its looks are deceiving. You brace yourself before taking a small bite out of it, only to grimace at the bitterness that coats your tongue.
You force yourself to chew the spongy mushroom and swallow. You don’t want to continue, but the growling of your stomach urges you on.
Somehow you force yourself to pick up another one. And another, and another, until you’ve finally, at last, finished. You really should have picked up more of those berries.
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To your relief, your stomach has finally seemed to settle.
You stare down at the squirrel as its dead eyes meet yours. Now that you’re not as hungry, you think you could probably spend the time to try to cook it. Although you don’t have any modern means to start a fire with you, you have some general knowledge about using friction to produce a fire. All you need are some sticks and basic kindling.
You get up and head into the forest to get some for the fire.
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You spin the wood between your fingers quickly as you squat in the middle of the clearing, grimacing as you accidently press too hard and drive the thorn deeper into your hand.
You stop for a second and stare at it in confusion
A thorn? How did that get there? And where did you get the sticks from?
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The small fire flickers as you slowly turn the squirrel. You want to make sure it's cooked right.
You stop and look around.
What’s going on? What’s happening?
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A moan of pleasure escapes you as you bite into the meat, the squirrel only slightly burnt but nonetheless delicious.
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You lie down contentedly, your stomach full. You just need a small nap after that meal.
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You pant as you stumble through the dark forest, your hands clutching your stomach as a severe pain racks your body.
Something is wrong.
You retch the remaining contents of your stomach which unfortunately land on your shirt.
Why is it dark out?
You heave again, however this time the bile is flecked with dark specks of blood.
You feel a burning pain in your throat and you fall to your knees.
Something is very wrong.
You heave again, your stomach empty as you spit out more and more blood.
You don’t know what’s happening but you want it to stop. You need it to stop.
The pain is too much, you can’t handle it. It needs to end.
You fall face first to the ground, landing in a pool of you own vomit.
You twitch helplessly as the pain wracks your body, unable to move.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the pain begins to fade, replaced by a cold numbness.
Finally, it’s over.
You have died. Please choose again.
1) The red berries?
2) The bizarre looking mushrooms?
3) The Gicko Squirrel?