Choose or Die 2022

As Hal (character not provided) immerses himself in the retro video game CURS>R, a collector of vintage gaming treasures, his perceptions of reality begin to blur. Initially, he’s enthralled by the 1980s-style text-based adventure game, but soon discovers that its interactive elements are seeping into his mundane life. The line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly tenuous as objects around him start reacting to the game’s prompts, with devastating consequences for his dysfunctional family.

Meanwhile, college student Kayla (character not provided) is struggling to make ends meet by working multiple jobs. Her mother, Thea, still reeling from the loss of her son Ricky, has succumbed to addiction and is preyed upon by the ruthless rent collector, Lance. As Kayla navigates this treacherous landscape, she stumbles upon Isaac’s (character not provided) apartment, where she finds an old computer game and a mysterious phone number offering a life-changing prize of $125,000.

Intrigued, Kayla takes the bait and receives a cryptic message from the enigmatic Terror Director. With Isaac’s help, she decides to take on the challenge, convinced that it will be a straightforward path to financial security. As she delves into the game at a local cafe, however, she begins to uncover its darker aspects - the unsettling ability to manipulate reality and the gruesome consequences that follow. Horrified by what she’s experienced, Kayla attempts to destroy the game, only to find her friend Isaac skeptical of her tale.

In this eerie tale of interactive fiction gone awry, the boundaries between the digital world and reality are pushed to the limit, as two individuals from different walks of life are drawn into a vortex of terror and manipulation.

As the clock struck the witching hour, Kayla’s world was disrupted by a frantic call from her mother, beseeching her help in a desperate bid for survival. The revelation that CURS>R had managed to break free from its digital shackles and was now stalking her online forced Kayla to make a choice: risk everything to save her mother from the clutches of a monstrous rodent or succumb to the game’s cruel whims. Tragedy struck when Thea fell from her bedroom window, leaving her severely injured and fighting for her life in the hospital.

As night gave way to darkness, Kayla sought out Isaac’s apartment, hoping to find answers to the mystery that had consumed them both. Together, they pored over the cryptic code hidden within CURS>R’s audio files, a puzzle that would ultimately unlock the game’s secrets and reveal its sinister intent. The duo’s investigation was further complicated by the game’s manipulation of Kayla’s deepest fears, exploiting her trauma over the loss of her brother, whose untimely drowning in a public pool had left an indelible mark on her psyche.

As they delved deeper into the game’s mysteries, Isaac and Kayla hacked their way into the prize number, leading them to a storage facility where CURS>R was born. There, they uncovered disturbing recordings of the game’s creator, Beck, who had embedded ancient curses into the code to harness the suffering of gamers for his own gain. When they finally unearthed the key to unlocking the curse, the game trapped Isaac and forced Kayla to make a heart-wrenching choice: sacrifice her friend or risk everything to save him.

In the aftermath of Isaac’s tragic demise, CURS>R ordered Kayla to “beat the boss,” leading her on a perilous journey to Hal’s house, where she found herself face-to-face with a monster. The once-kind-hearted Hal had been consumed by the game’s dark allure, using its power to torment his wife Laura and son Gabe. As Kayla fought for survival against this monstrous version of Hal, the game reversed their pain, forcing her to endure every blow he suffered.

In a brutal climax, Kayla emerged victorious but scarred, claiming the prize that would grant her dominion over the curse. She used this newfound power to exact revenge on Lance, healing both herself and her mother in the process. As she stood victorious, Beck appeared, his eyes gleaming with malevolent intent as he asked who would be next to suffer at CURS>R’s hands. Kayla’s response was resolute: only those who deserved it would fall prey to the curse’s wrath.