Changed - Awakening

5. The lonely librarian

'...'

"..."

"Oww...my head."

You wake up with a splitting headache, struggling to think straight. What happened? And what is it that you are laying on? Leaning up, you look down to see... green... grass?

'What a strange experience,' you think, running your hand through the blades of grass.

Looking up, you notice bookshelves lining the walls, with a large potted tree behind you. Seems like the tree was not well trimmed. You also notice three doors, but one of them is blocked off with green crystals.

Your muddled thoughts make it hard to try and figure out how you got here. There's a scrap of paper in your left hand...wait...not just any scrap of paper...a message!

Sitting up, you read the note.

Dear Colin

I was able to start the regrowth process of your memories. Some things may immediately become more recognizable to you. But be warned, you may experience vivid flashbacks as your memories fully return.

In the meantime, I recommend keeping an open mind towards the residents of this facility. They have vastly different ways of looking at things and may be hard for you to understand, but I believe giving them a second chance will help far more than it will hurt.

Just know that none hold any true ill-will towards you.

I wish you a safe and fruitful journey.

Sincerely,

Elder

That's right! You asked the elder to help restore your memories! There's a little disappointment at the fact he couldn't fix them all at once, but it's better than not at all. And what does he mean about keeping an open mind towards the residents? Is he referring to the latexes? The vagueness of it all leaves you a little worried.

But with the door behind you sealed, it's not like you can go back and ask him. With no other options, you decide to move forward and take the door to your right. Pushing through the door, you find yourself stumped by the maze of boxes filling this corridor.

'What the heck?'

Shrugging mentally, you move the boxes out of your way with ease and make your way through. Approaching the exit at the end of the corridor, there's a door with a keycard scanner.

'If this keycard doesn't work...I swear...'

To your frustration, the keycard scanner beeps, denying you entry.

'...'

With a frustrated internal scream, you turn around and march back through the box maze to go sulk in your potted tree room. That done, you go through the other door.

The next room seems like a totally normal library with lots of bookshelves, that is until you spot something white drip from the ceiling. You lift your head up and freeze in fear as you finish counting the number of white latex blobs on the ceiling. Thankfully, none of them seems to care about your presence.

You really don't want to be in the same room with these things...but there's no other choice. Starting slowly, you carefully traverse through the library and through the shelves. Any slight movement from the ceiling causes you to flinch. Passing between shelves, you almost don't notice the goo lying on the floor but you manage to jump out of the way just in time.

The goo had lazily stretched out a tendril to get you.

'Nope nope nope nope nope.'

You are staying far away from these clingy things. You don't trust them as you did with the black latex dragons. Getting surrounded by wiggly-reaching blobs is just... too alien. As you reach the end of the room, a sense of relief washes over you. Trying to watch the floor and the ceiling all at once for monsters is stressful don't you know!