The first chapter of It Lives Within.
The main character (default name: Rowan Burke) has a nightmare about the time their family was killed in the woods five years ago. Their best friend Amalia takes them to a café to get breakfast to cheer them up and they discuss their college plans. Rowan has a sudden urge to go to the library, where they witness a girl get kidnapped by a vine monster, and when Rowan and Amalia chase the monster into the woods, they encounter...a new friend.
Tropes:
- Downer Beginning: The story starts with Rowan having a nightmare about their family being killed in the woods, ending with their little sister Annie being kidnapped and dragged away by monsters.
- Early-Bird Cameo: At the café, Rowan bumps into a handsome, rugged man who tells them to watch where they're going. This man is Lincoln McQuoid, a main character and love interest who will be properly introduced in the next chapter.
- Horrible Housing: If you can even call it "housing", the motel that Rowan and Amalia stay in is described as a rat's nest, the mattress belongs in a junkyard, and the air conditioner sounds like an avalanche.Rowan: I mean, I know You Get What You Pay For, but still.
- Lying to Protect Your Feelings: Rowan has the option of lying to Amalia about wanting to go to college. Her relationship score still improves, however.
- Nightmare Sequence: Rowan has a nightmare about their family's massacre at the hands of monsters five years ago. By the time it's over, their Nerve score has dropped from 100 to 50.
- Unfriendly Fire: If the wrong choice is made during the chase sequence, Rowan will try to shoot the monster, only to miss and hit Jessica (the girl they're trying to save) instead.
