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still-a-morosexual-help · 2 months

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Just realised the Wake the Dead crew are literally just human/non-fantasy versions of the BOLAS crew. MC even meets them in the same order...

The class clown who uses humour as a coping mechanism to try to hide and/or ignore how incredibly fucked up his life currently is. A thief with authority issues. Teaches MC to sneak into places to steal things. The first LI introduced. Is the one who connects MC to the outside world by telling them more about it and having interactions with it that they long for. Him and MC have a somewhat similar surface personality, so you get incredible banter, teasing, a back-and-forth relationship between them. Uses jokes to pretend he's too cool & doesn't take things seriously enough to care about them but is probably on the verge of a mental breakdown. Illegally (?) sells items he steals.

The sweet, soft one without much experience of the outside world who was raised in a closed community by a group of adults after being separated from her family. She spent almost her entire life isolated from the outside world raised by people with similar skills/beliefs/interests as her (scientists vs priests). She is also an expert in her field which includes trying to understand how the biology/magic that governs their world works, how to use this biology/magic to help her group, and is the medic/healer of the group. The first time she meets MC is when MC rescues/helps her. Her first ever sexual/romantic relationship is with MC.

The no-nonsense, serious loner who is intially only focused on fighting but is actually very caring and kind underneath it all and eventually gets dragged into the found family. Believes in the mission over opening up, relaxing and having fun. Quiet and brooding. Has deep ties to his biological family but is eventually forced to leave his house. The remnants of his old life is in ruins. The one with the most experience fighting against the threat they're facing, and so lowkey acts as a teacher to MC. Meets MC when he jumps in to save MC & others from an attack.

The tough, fun wildcard who is always up for creating chaos and kicking ass. When she first meets MC she is involved in things with greatly dubious morals. Lowkey an antagonist when she first meets MC & the group, and is willing to to let them die/kill them if needed but ends up teaming up with the group to fight against a common monstrous foe in order to get something they both want. Hides deep-seated trauma behind her personality. Really looks up to MC.

Bonus (spoilers):

Leader of an army of antagonists. Tough, serious, would do anything to protect her people, including killing civillians in other groups. Spends a lot of time trying to kill MC. Kind of just snatches MC up and takes them back to her place. Teaches MC a way to fight right before throwing them to the dogs. Starts working together with MC to protect both their people. Reluctantly starts softening to MC and gets seduced. Ends up getting dragged into the found family and/or polycule.

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wakethedead-group-re-read · 3 months

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Ch. 1 & 2 Discussion Post

Ch. 1: The End of the World & Ch. 2: On the Run

Feel free to discuss whatever you want, not limited to these questions... but keep in mind that some people have not read the whole book yet, so put any future spoilers below a read more/page break.

Be respectful of all! Different opinions aren't only allowed, they're encouraged! But be polite to others.

Remember, if you post any screenshots, etc. be sure to tag @wakethedead-group-re-read so I can reblog here.

You can discuss all week - it's not limited to just today! Any questions, just shoot me an ask!

If you want to be tagged in future posts, please let me know!

Discussion questions:

1. Have you read Wake the Dead before, or is this your first time? If your first time, are you looking forward to (or afraid of) anything in particular? If it's a re-read, do you plan on making the same choices this time?

2. Tell us about your MC. (Please feel free to share photos/art/profiles.) What makes your MC tick? What's their motivation? Are they more serious or playful? Brave or afraid? If it's your second playthrough, are you using the same MC as last time or going a new route?

3. In your opinion, what was the biggest surprise in the first two chapters?

4. Tell us about your MC's relationship with their sister.

5. Any LI catching your eye yet? Are you planning on having an LI or keeping things platonic?

@oh-so-youre-a-nerd @annoyingmillenialnewbie @missameliep @dutifullynuttywitch @tessa-liam @choiceschatter @jerzwriter @aallotarenunelma

#wake the dead #wake the dead choices #eli sipes #troy hassan #shannon fox #angel savage #playchoices #wake the dead reread #chapter 1 #chapter 2

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dist4nt-shores · 5 months

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i think the reason i enjoyed wake the dead so much is because it’s literally just a blades zombie apocalypse au?! i think people have brought this up before but i’m replaying rn and it just.. Slays

like the mc loses their sibling who they care about more than anything. they leave the place they’ve always called their home and befriend a group of ragtag allies along the way. though the wtd mc’s goal isn’t necessarily to save the world, it IS to save the people in the colony & the people they care about in time for the solstice. all of it builds up to the final battle against The Big Bad, with smaller battles and travels throughout.

the love interests all have their blades counterparts (other than sledge):

troy = mal (witty, comedic & nonchalant but caring beneath the cocky demeanour. also both criminals lol)

shannon = nia (more sheltered, not super physically strong but still surprises herself, one of her skills involves healing, optimistic)

eli = tyril (stoic, family-oriented, tries not to get attached and is reluctant to join the group at first, lethal in combat & has his signature weapon)

angel = imtura (more of a wildcard, impulsive, ruthless when it comes to whatever you’re fighting, the token Badass)

even the order you befriend them all in is the same: we befriend shannon first (just like we first work with nia), then troy (mal), eli (tyril), and finally angel (imtura).

obviously certain personality traits are unique and different tropes and backstories are included but ?!!?! it’s so them!

the mc collects armour and weapons along the way, reading letters and recipe books like the blades mc read lore tablets. you have specific skills(???) that you can choose to upgrade or get along the way (fortifications, research, etc) and you get benefits and specific scenes based on your skills/resources.

dirk is also kind of like an aerin parallel — always overlooked, feels under appreciated in the colony, left behind and resentful about someone else being the leader & getting all the credit.

ALSO the marcus blackstock/high priest parallels with them being supposedly good but sacrificing the innocent…

even the slowmo-action-shot character art is like the art in blades (when mal throws the dagger, tyril has his flaming sword, imtura on the ship, etc).

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nmvord · 1 year

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Troy has a plan.

#playchoices #choices stories you play #wake the dead #choices fanart #wake the dead fanart #wake the dead choices #troy hassan #eli sipes #angel savage #shannon fox #jed rezon #WtD has amazing worldbuilding #the gang is okay though

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choices-binglebonkus · 1 year

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Wake the Dead: Endings We Should Have Gotten

By now, I’ve made it very, very clear that I found Wake the Dead’s ending supremely disappointing. All those chapters of build-up and hard work for…this? A saccharine, uncharacteristic ending where none of our choices ended up mattering?

Wake the Dead, as I’ve said probably a hundred times now, had a lot of squandered potential. Like, the potential was there. The book itself wasn’t anything to write home about, but the ending really could’ve turned things around. Sadly, it did not, and it actually lowered the quality of the book as a whole in my opinion.

But what if we got a different ending?

More specifically, what if we got several different endings?

As I was eating dinner before class, my mind wandered and out of nowhere, I started brainstorming ideas for different endings we could have gotten in Wake the Dead. Granted, not all of them are practical, as PB has time and budget constraints. It’s a miracle they were even able to make three Endless Summer endings, so I know my ideas would absolutely be out of the question. However, I thought I'd let myself dream a bit. Just for funsies, you know?

I would have implemented four different endings for the book: the best ending, the good ending, the bad ending, and the worst ending. In addition to these four different endings, the five love interests would also be determinant, their fates factoring into the ending the player would get alongside the colony’s stats.

The LI Deaths

As I mentioned, the love interests’ determinant deaths also have impact on the ending you get. There are two conditions unique to a specific love interest that must be met for them to die.

Angel: Angel will die if you let her bring her zombie parents to the colony in chapter 4 (eventually causing them to break out and kill Mack) and have a low fortifications stat.

She is killed by the scout zombie that attacks her and the main character in chapter 19 because Mack isn’t there to intervene and draw it away.

Eli: Eli will die if you choose not to shoot him in chapter 12 (causing him to feel immensely guilty for attacking you) and have a low food supply stat.

He is fatigued from both a lack of food and his bite, which he’s still recovering from, and knows that he probably isn’t going to make it through the Solstice. To absolve some of his guilt from attacking the main character, he opts to accompany Walt in drawing some of the zombies away and taking as many down as he could before the two die together.

Shannon: Shannon will die if you save Minna over her in chapter 8 (causing her to be traumatized) and have a low research stat.

She is surrounded by zombies and has a heavy anxiety attack before she is overwhelmed and quickly devoured by the horde.

Sledge: Sledge will die if you choose not to save Boots and the other survivors in chapter 19 and have a low fighters stat.

She will take the risk to save Boots herself, but since she does it without your help, she gets surprised and killed by the zombie lurking on the ground (the one that wounds your leg if you do opt to try and save Boots) en route to save the survivors. Unfortunately, the survivors then die anyway because Sledge was unable to save them.

Troy: Troy will die if you have a low morale stat. Yes, I’m aware this makes it easier for him to die, but unlike all the other characters, he’s not really a strong, smart, or crafty fighter. He’s just…some guy. I mean, his weapon of choice is literally a pipe. Plus, none of the hard choices connect to him in any way.

He is incredibly stressed over the Solstice due to the lack of morale, and this makes his already lackluster fighting skills sloppy. After the zombies break through the gate, Troy is one of the first casualties and is crushed by a soldier zombie because he just couldn’t manage.

The Endings

The Best Ending: Upper-moderate to high levels in three or more stats, achieving at least 55 kills, and all five love interests surviving will earn players the best ending.

The colony survives and thrives and is able to repair the damage from the Solstice as well as begin preparing ahead of time for the next one in seven years. Shannon continues her zombie research, and it’s hinted that if things keep going the way they are, she may find a way to make bites nonfatal: the closest thing the survivors will get to a cure for zombiism.

The Good Ending: Moderate to upper-moderate levels in three or more stats, achieving at least 50 kills, and at least three love interests surviving will earn players the good ending.

The colony, though it’s been damaged by the hordes of zombies from the Solstice, is still in good shape. There were minimal casualties, but it’s going to take a while to fix all the damage sustained. Shannon, if she is still alive, continues her zombie research, but doesn’t foresee any groundbreaking discoveries on the horizon, but is able to make advancements here and there.

The Bad Ending: Lower moderate to moderate levels in three or more stats, achieving at least 45 kills, and at least three love interests dying will earn players the bad ending.

The colony is in really, really rough shape. It’s still standing, but barely. Damages are extensive, casualties from the Solstice were numerous, and supplies are stretched thin. The survivors speculate that they may have to abandon the stronghold and start anew elsewhere within a few months, as there is little that can be done to repair the facilities and barricades, and the zombies are still at large. Shannon, if she is still alive, can no longer continue her research due to dwindling resources and more prominent dangers.

The Worst Ending: Low to lower-moderate levels in three or more stats, achieving 39 kills or less, and all five love interests dying will earn players the worst ending.

The colony has fallen. In the wake of the Solstice, the few who survived decided it was every person for themself and fled, taking whatever remained of the supplies with them. The main character, completely alone, vulnerable, and wracked with survivor’s guilt, exhaustion, and hunger, is bitten and grievously wounded. Though they manage to kill the zombie that attacked them, they have no supplies and no one to help treat the bite and they die alone in the woods with the terrible knowledge that they’re going to turn shortly after their death.

Again, I thought these were some of the potential outcomes we should have gotten had Pixelberry deigned to put the effort in. As I said, maybe they aren’t the best, and maybe they aren’t the most practical. But I thought the ending we got for Wake the Dead was truly awful and definitely one of the worst book endings we’ve ever gotten. I said it a year ago, and I’m saying it again.

WtD deserved better.

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judeschoices · 1 year

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I’ve come to realize I have probably 3 types when it comes to LIs from Choices who never fail to steal my heart every time:

Menaces to Society who are Shameless when with MC (but soft teddy bears in certain moments) i.e.:

-Cas Harlow (Immortal Desires)

-Blaine Hayes (Foreign Affairs)

-Logan (Ride or Die)

-Trystan Throne (Crime of Passion)

Sweethearts that Dote on MC i.e.:

-Adrain Raines (BloodBound)

-Griffin Langley (The Elementalists)

-Grant Emerson (Veil of Secrets)

-Tyler Woods (Murder at Homecoming)

-Liam Rys (for me, Christian Rys; The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir)

-Luke Harper (Desires of Decorum)

-King Arthur (Guinevere)

Hardasses with a Soft Spot for MC/Trying to do Their Jobs but Fall for MC i.e.:

-Kayden Vescovi (The Royal Masquerade)

-Elijah Sipes (Wake the Dead)

-Everett Flynt (Slow Burn)

-Marco di Vincenzo (Hot Couture)

-Prince Kieran (The Cursed Heart)

-Bastien (Wolf Bride)

-Synphax (The Courtesan of Rome)

-Noah Harris (My Two First Loves)

-Manu Nakeli (Shipwrecked)

-Gabriel (Gabe) Ricci (Laws of Attraction)

-Tyril Starfury (Blades of Light and Shadow)

If I play any more books, this list will only get longer. Someone, please send help 😭😅

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gaiuskamilah · 8 months

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wtd mc kissing eli's scars and ending with the bite on his neck a reminder of mc saving him and how they put everything on the line for him and how they couldnt let him go into the dark and

#AND ITS CANON. GOD #wake the dead #eli sipes #playchoices

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mamacat1409 · 2 years

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☆ My Art Commission ☆

Painted by IG @/montagerian

Shannon Fox, Troy Hassan, Eli Sipes, Angel Savage, Micah Kei & Scouts

Book: Wake the Dead

Original characters belong to @playchoices

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jerzwriter · 3 months

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Wake the Dead - Eli, Zoe, Troy

My dear, dear friend @icecoffee90 surprised me with an early birthday gift. Z!!! Did you hear me scream when I opened this? 😱 Thank you so, so much! I stand by what I said... you didn't have to do this, but if your intention was to make me smile, oh my gosh, did you did! I simply love this!!!

Thank you also to the lovely @bayleedraws-sometimesx, the only thing more beautiful than her art is Baylee themselves! It's always such a pleasure working with you!

Now... this has done nothing to dissuade me from an Eli x Zoe x Troy AU, people... NOTHING. lol I LOVE THEM YOUR HONOR! Thank you so, so much!

(Tagging my WTD peeps: @cariantha @kyra75 @storyofmychoices @lilyoffandoms @dutifullynuttywitch @annoyingmillenialnewbie @tessa-liam @inlocusmads @wakethedead-group-re-read

#playcoices fanart #choices fanart #wake the dead #eli sipes #troy hassan #wake the dead choices #playchoices #choices stories you play

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storyofmychoices · 9 months

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SpreadJoy #794: spreading positivity with quotes and @playchoices characters.

Quote in edit by happybeebopp (IG)

#choices #choices game #playchoices #spreadjoy #choices spreadjoy #eli sipes #wake the dead #happybeebopp

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dutifullynuttywitch · 3 months

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Okay this here was everything!!!!! They gave Eli his rollercoaster ride!!! That cute moment, Eli holding Eva close. And the Eli-Troy banter... Your honor I love them ❤️

#playchoices #wake the dead reread #choices wake the dead #troy hassan #eli sipes #screenshots #chapter 10 #eva archer

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wakethedead-group-re-read · 2 months

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Feel free to discuss whatever you want, not limited to these questions... but keep in mind that some people have not read the whole book yet, so put any future spoilers below a read more/page break.

Be respectful of all! Different opinions aren't only allowed, they're encouraged! But be polite to others.

Remember, if you post any screenshots, etc., be sure to tag @wakethedead-group-re-read so I can reblog here.

You can discuss all week - it's not limited to just today! Any questions, just shoot me an ask!

If you want to be removed from the tag list, or tagged in future posts, please let me know!

You can find all chapter discussion posts here.

Discussion questions:

1. Well, shit just got real! How did your past choices stack up? Did they work to help keep Olympus safe? 2. Did anyone surprise you during this chapter... by either doing more than you thought they could in the face of such danger, or by not doing as much as you imagined they would. 3. Your thoughts on May during this chapter? (I'm leaving that very general on purpose.) 4. What does your fortification card look like? What level have you attained? Are you ready for the solstice?

@oh-so-youre-a-nerd @annoyingmillenialnewbie @missameliep @dutifullynuttywitch @tessa-liam @jerzwriter @aallotarenunelma

#wake the dead #wake the dead reread #angel savage #eli sipes #shanon fox #troy hassan #playchoices #choices stories you play #chapter 14 #group discussion

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choicesmonthlychallenge · 9 months

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Week One: August 1 — 6

[August Prompt List] || [August Masterlists]

⟢Blades of Light & Shadow:⟢

Beyond Riverbend: A Kit's Call to Adventure [Mal Volari x F!MC] by @storyofmychoices

⟢High School Story:⟢

it's you and me, there's nothing like this [Wes x Ezra] by @peonyblossom

⟢Hollywood U:⟢

Thomas Hunt Art by cronchie-biscuit, submitted by @theartoflovingthomashunt

⟢Open Heart:⟢

Meet the Parents [Sienna x M!OC] by @liaromancewriter

Pages of Emotion [Bryce x F!OC] by @storyofmychoices

Unicorn Wishes and Mermaid Kisses ART [Bryce x F!OC] submitted by @storyofmychoices ; art by ArtbyAinna

War & Peace Leftovers [Roomies/Friends fic] by @jerzwriter

What Could Have Been (5/?) [Ethan x F!MC] by @liaromancewriter

⟢Wake the Dead:⟢

With a care in this world... [Eli x F!MC] by @jerzwriter

*please let me know if I've missed anyone, or if there are any errors

#blades of light and shadow #high school story #hollywood u #open heart #wake the dead #eli sipes #sienna trinh #bryce lahela #ethan ramsey #thomas hunt #wes porter #ezra mitchell #mal volari #choices august challenge #august2023 #august 2023 masterlist #masterlist

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julia-highstorms · 1 year

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Eli - short series (Eli x Kiera (F!MC))

Summary: Eli Sipes reflects on the important people of his life.

Author’s note: this is a three part short series in which Eli reminisces about his childhood and adolescence (represented by the figure of Riya, his best friend), his young adult years until he met Kiera and the others (represented by David, his younger brother) and about the present and his future (Kiera).

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry Studios.

Rating: +18 - mature themes (tw: character death mention, gore)

Pairing: Eli Sipes x Kiera Tomoe (F!MC) - Wake the Dead masterlist

Word count: +2.3K

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Part One: Riya

Eli Sipes was by himself, sitting by the margin of the river, carving from a piece of wood he found nearby.

He heard steps approaching, and glanced up briefly to see Kiera there. She sat down on the soft grass beside him.

"Whatcha making there?" - she asked, a relaxed smile playing on her lips. Not a vision that he would see often, but that was a special occasion.

They had survived the solstice.

"A bird. It's one of the easier shapes. My Dad taught me. "

He heard her chuckling.

"Shooting, fighting, and now whittling. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Can't draw a picture to save my life." - and that was true. He was terrible at it. His drawings were almost offensive, because of how insufferable they were.

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing you met me because I am an excellent artist." - she winked at him, a cocky smirk dancing on her lips.

He cracked a smile and stopped his whittling to look out at the river. They fell into a comfortable silence for a long moment, just enjoying each other's company, hearing the soft sound of the river, birds chirping nearby, and their friends' laughter. Troy was now the one on the mission to teach Angel and Shannon how to swim. Or, at least, how to not drown. Sledge was still resting her back against a tree, protecting herself from the sun, clearly judging Troy's lack of teaching skills.

He turned his gaze back to Kiera, who was now laying next to him with her eyes closed, a serene expression on her face as she sunbathed.

And he felt… peaceful. For the first time in years.

He returned his gaze at the river and Eli let his mind run… memories of a lifetime ago floating back to his mind.

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"You can't get me!" - the childish voice ringed in his ear, followed by laughter.

"Careful, you two! Don't get too close to the river." - Mom shouted from nearby, as he sprinted after David.

It was summer and the sun was up in the sky. Crickets could be heard chirping around, and the weather was nice, perfect for a picnic.

Which was what the Sipes were having. That was a somewhat tradition they had in summer. Just like going to the amusement park whenever the boys were on holiday.

Still laughing after their little run, Eli and David joined their parents, who had just finished laying out all the contents of their basket. Fresh bread, biscuits, fruits, there was everything there. The boys promptly dug in, starved after having so much fun that morning. They loved going to the woods.

While the family of four ate and talked about school, a single ping could be heard. Dad checked his phone and immediately stopped eating.

"What?" - Mom asked as she saw the frown on her husband's face.

It took a while until the man could speak up.

"...Rahul didn't make it. Samir just texted me."

"Oh no…" - their mother covered her mouth in shock.

"The funeral will be tomorrow morning. He's asking if we'll be there. He'll send the address."

"Of course we will."

Eli immediately thought of his best friend. Riya Patel.

Ever since he could remember, Riya has always been around. The Patels were their neighbors, just living down the street. Eli and Riya went to the same kindergarten and were in the same elementary school, even in the same class, when the first news about this unknown virus broke out. They were just seven years old.

The girl was the youngest of three. She had two older brothers, Ravi, who was twelve years older, and Rahul, ten years older than her. Unfortunately, Rahul, a senior in high school, was infected around that time and didn't survive the mutation (which they still wasn't aware of the disaster it would cause when people started turning into zombies).

Her parents, Samir and Prisha Patel, were both physicians and they helped their small community be up to date about the new virus as it progressed. Eli and Riya were old enough to be conscious about what was happening, but not old enough to fully understand the impact of it in their lives at first.

…and it would change everything.

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"Dammit, I lost it! Did you see where it went?" - the girl with long raven hair tied in two braids asked, turning to the two boys behind her.

"Is it just my impression or this was faster than the others? I haven't seen one walk so fast!" - David asked, forcing his vision as he looked through the woods.

Eli stared at the sky, dark clouds looming over her.

"We should get back. It will start raining soon."

"At least the rain will keep these ugly bastards away for a while." - Riya smirked as the three of them returned to their community. - "Anyway, I heard that the experimental drug started being tested. Hopefully we'll have a cure in a couple of years."

Her best friend said nothing; he wasn't as optimistic as her.

Riya was the complete opposite of him: outspoken, fierce and a dreamer. So full of life. Even though all the horrors she and her family had witnessed - her parents were on the front of the research and trying to treat people -, she always firmly believed in a better world, where things would be good again.

Or, at least, free of zombies.

The virus was long spread now and the whole world was aware of its disastrous consequences. Things turned worse after Rahul's death: more and more people got infected, whole cities got decimated by that horrendous virus. Kids started getting surviving lessons at school, like archery. Eli remembered listening from the adults that he and the other kids were the "warrior generation".

So, at 16, Eli, Riya and David were not common teenagers: the situation built them to be survivors, as that was the only reality they have ever known.

But they were still teenagers at the end of the day, with some teenage topics.

Like crushes.

Recently, Eli noticed that his younger brother liked his best friend more than just a friend. He wasn't one to pay attention to that kind of stuff, so he wasn't aware for how long David had started acting all nervous around Riya. But he indeed noticed.

Growing up the three of them together, Eli always felt that Riya was the sister they never had, even after reaching puberty. And he thought that David shared his sentiment, but apparently something started to change as his little brother hit adolescence.

Eli noticed that David suddenly started acting a bit nervous whenever he was around Riya, but also excited too, always wanting to share something that he had read in those scientific magazines of his to the girl.

And as much as the boy denied it, it was clear that he liked Riya Patel.

The small dialogue they had the week before was still very fresh in Eli's mind.

They had just returned from a food scavenger and were getting themselves ready to help Mom and Dad with dinner, when the oldest smirked.

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"So, you have a crush on her?"

"Who?"

"Riya. Obviously."

David scoffed, an offended mask on his face, but Eli knew his brother and when he was pretending. Especially because David was terrible at it.

"Of course I don't. Why would I?" - the younger said, but his face showed otherwise. - "Besides, she likes you."

"Nonsense."

"What? Don't tell me you haven't noticed it."

"She's just a friend."

"Maybe to you. But to her…"

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Eli was sure that David only said that to get the attention out of himself. There was no way that Riya would be interested in him. They were best friends.

But then, just a couple of months later, Eli Sipes found out the truth.

It was near the end of spring, when Riya showed up one day at the Sipes residence, looking for Eli. That was something very common, as they used to hunt together, but the boy sensed that it was a different occasion.

They decided to check the perimeter together to get the privacy she wanted. The two teenagers walked in silence, following the town borders, keeping an eye to the woods, their arcs in hand - they would often practice archery together - in case a drone showed up.

Riya suddenly stopped and turned to him.

"I'm leaving. I mean, we're leaving. Me and my parents."

Eli needed a few seconds to process that information.

"What?"

"Ravi texted. When he finally got a signal, he texted my dad. He's somewhere safe up in the mountains. Apparently it used to be a military headquarters with bunkers and now has become a

colony. They call it the Tower." - she shrugged. - "Apparently, it is big and there are safety in numbers."

"Are you sure? Isn't it safer to stay around here, where you know the ground and the people?"

"Eli, it's just a matter of time until drones come tearing down this place and invade our homes. We see this happening every year; our colony gets smaller day by day and the list of missing persons just gets longer. You know how in the summer it seems that they multiply. Mom and Dad think it's worth the shot going up there. And I think so too. Apparently, they have some kind of lab where they're making experiments to find a cure and it's as safe as possible. So…" - she shrugged again. - "Why not? Better than being here, just waiting for our deaths."

They stared at each other for a few minutes, in silence.

Eli wasn't upset or anything. He didn't have the right to feel so. That was Riya's life and her own decision to make. And she had already done it.

He just knew things wouldn't be the same without his best friend around.

He frowned.

"I'll miss you."

She smirked.

"I know." - and then, she fished something from her backpack and threw it at him, Eli catching it midair with one hand.

"What's this?" - he asked, arching a brow. She giggled.

"Why don't you just open it up instead of asking me? It's yours."

He gingerly opened the small gift. There was a thin, smooth fabric in it. A blue scarf.

"Figured I could give you something to protect you when you're hunting. And to make you remember me." - she smirked.

"Thank you, Riya. And of course I'll always remember you." - he smiled back at her, sincerity and warmth in his brown eyes.

Their eyes locked for a moment, neither of them really wanting nor ready to say goodbye. They both knew that it probably was the last time they would see each other.

"Eli… Can I kiss you?"

Riya had to bite a laugh when she saw surprise hitting her best friend's face. It was so rare seeing Eli getting caught off guard.

"I didn't know… you…"

"I know. You're a bit slow on this type of thing." - she chuckled. - "But yeah, I like you. I think I've always liked you. Never thought about telling you, though. It didn't seem necessary, plus, we had more things to worry about. Well, until my family decided to leave." - she shrugged again, not looking even the slightest nervous or embarrassed. That was Riya to him. Always confident. - "So? Are you going to grant me this last wish?" - her cocky smirk showed up again.

Even that confession felt so… Riya. She would always be like herself until the end.

Eli shrugged.

"Okay."

He stepped closer, and the girl's breath hitched, surprised by his sudden closeness, her eyes locking with his.

She gently cupped his chin, her thumb tracing his lips, her black eyes gazing into them. The boy felt his heart leaping in surprise inside his chest by that delicate move. They have always been close, but never that intimate.

And then, she leaned in, their lips brushing. Eli wasn't sure of what he should do, but he pressed back. Riya's lips were soft.

He felt her hands clutching his shoulders just before she deepened the kiss, her tongue exploring the inside of his mouth and he mirrored her movements, his arms enveloping her and pulling her in.

Eli didn't know for how long they stayed there, but it was long enough to make the sensation of kissing his best friend less strange. He also didn't know how she had learned to kiss like that, but Riya Patel was a good kisser.

"Goodbye, Eli." - she whispered when they finally pulled out. Her dark eyes were glossy, emotion taking over her.

"Goodbye, Riya." - he felt his lips tingling.

"Tell your brother I said goodbye. And to your parents too." - he nodded.

"I will. Good luck."

"Good luck to you too."

And then, she disappeared.

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Just a couple of days later, Eli was out with David and Dad hunting for dinner, when they met with McCain, an older man who had a ranch nearby.

"Have you heard of it, Sipes?"

"About what?" - his father asked.

"The Patels." - he shook his head, a somber look on his face. - "Their van was found just last night during our patrol routine." - Eli felt his heart stopping. - "It was a mess. There was blood everywhere." - he sighed. - "They were already long dead when we found them. All of them, including their girl. They couldn't make it to the mountains."

Eli curled his fists into bawls, feeling the air leaving his lungs.

She was gone.

Riya was gone.

She didn't make it.

He heard David gasping beside him, horror in his face, too shocked to say anything.

Riya was gone.

Just like that. Gone.

That night, as they went to sleep, Eli heard his brother crying himself to sleep.

He felt a gaping hole in his chest too.

She was the first person close to him that he had lost.

Riya was gone.

Goodbye, Riya.

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Tagging: @smetje24689 @gipsydanger17 @calliope-luve @euphorichappiness10 @tinfoilhat2719 @banirareiko @jerzwriter @choicesficwriterscreations - if you’d like to be tagged on or off my upcoming Eli x Kiera fanfics, let me know

#eli sipes #wake the dead #wake the dead choices #playchoices #choices stories you play #playchoices fanfic #choices fanfic #eli sipes x mc #eli sipes x fmc #eli sipes x f!mc #eli sipes x kiera tomoe #mc: kiera tomoe

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