#YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL SAYS SORRY
(1) New Voicemail
2:22 PM: //“Hey, uh, sorry I missed you last night. I heard that you almost—yeah. Uh. Sorry I wasn’t there for you. I know that’s, like… my job. But I got caught up with—actually, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re alive, right? So I’ll see you soon. Okay? Bye.”//
Your guardian angel fucks up. Navigate the aftermath.
I do not claim this game to be accurate to religious texts of any kind.
Warnings for injury and manipulation
[[Begin.|begin]]
Your head is aching. The bright lights above you sear into your eyes, reminding you of... something. You shut them tight, but that hurts, too.
Last night, you were (cyclinglink:"driving home(set:$injury to 'neck')","going for a walk(set:$injury to 'arm')","sleeping(set:$injury to 'burn')") when[[...]]
(set:$forgiveness to 1)(if:$injury is "neck")[You lost control of your car when it began sliding on the ice. It stopped abruptly when it crashed into a telephone pole and you flew through the windshield. The last thing you remember was the crushing sound far too loud in your ears… And now you are here, with a broken neck, in the [[hospital]].](if:$injury is "burn")[The fire alarm went off. You quickly got out of bed and tried to get out of your apartment, but the doorknob burnt your hand. The last thing you remember, it was so hard to breathe… And now you are here, with 3rd degree burns, in the [[hospital]].](if:$injury is "arm")[You tried to cross the road, but didn’t see the truck whipping around the corner at just that moment. The last thing you remember, you were laying on the road, staring at the sky… And now you are here, with a broken arm and leg, in the [[hospital]].]You’ve been here for a few days already, and you’ve started to come back into yourself. You can greet the nurses by name, now. You’re also allowed to use your phone again, for better or for worse.
[[Call a nurse]]
[[Check your phone]]
(set:$try to "no")(if:$try is "no")[Your throat is really scratchy, so you call for a nurse to get you some water. Her name is Hannah, and through pretending to be asleep a few times over the past couple days, you've learned she's going through a divorce. Whatever good snooping on nurses is doing for you, you're not sure. But it's something to pass the time.
"Here you are, hun," she says, lifting the cup to your mouth. After you've taken a few drinks, she follows up, "How is your $injury feeling?"](if:$try is "yes")[You call for a nurse to help you reach your phone. Her name is Hannah, and through pretending to be asleep a few times over the past couple days, you've learned she's going through a divorce. Whatever good snooping on nurses is doing for you, you're not sure. But it's something to pass the time.
"Here you are, hun," she says, guiding the phone into your hand. You have a little trouble holding it, but fare well enough. Hannah continues, "How is your $injury feeling?"]
[["About as good as you think it is."]]
[["I'm okay, thank you."]](if:$injury is "neck" or "arm")[When you reach for your phone, there's a sharp pain in your $injury. There's no way you're grabbing that on your own.
[[Call a nurse]]
[[Watch whatever shitty daytime drama is playing on the TV]](set:$try to "yes")](if:$injury is "burn")[Although the bandages that wrap what you assume to be melted skin hinder you, you manage to snatch your phone from the stand beside your cot.
A nurse comes in just then, and you recognize her as Hannah. She's been the one around the most. She checks some things and asks a few questions before you're left alone again, sighing at the notifications that light up your phone screen.
<span id="blue">(4) New Messages</span>(click-replace:"(4) New Messages")[(4) New Messages
4:44 PM: i’ll be there next time. ok?
5:23 PM: will u pls answer? i said i was sorry
7:05 PM: listen. i try my best. but you aren’t exactly the easiest to deal with!!!
7:10 PM: sorry. i shouldn’t have said that]
[[(1) New Voicemail]]]Hannah raises an eyebrow at you. "Well, you're doing much better than you were." She scurries around you, checking various machines or numbers or things you don't care to understand right now. "Is there anything else I can get you for now?"
(if:$try is "yes")[ [["Not now, thanks."]]](if:$try is "no")[ [["Um... could you give me my phone?"]]] "Good, good," Hannah replies, scurrying around you and checking various machines or numbers or things you don't care to understand right now. "Is there anything else you need from me?"
(if:$try is "yes")[ [["Not now, thanks."]]](if:$try is "no")[ [["Um... could you give me my phone?"]]] (1) New Voicemail
1:11 AM: //“I came to check on you in the hospital. You were asleep, and all those machines attached to you kept making noises that hurt my insides. You’re gonna be okay, so trust me on that one. …You know, the big guy’s on my back right now. So if you could, like—well, I know you’re not happy with me right now. But if you could put in a good word for me next time you pray, that would be—that would be grand. I mean, all of our late-night bonding sessions can't have been for nothing. So, please, and thanks.”//
[[That prick.]]You glance at your phone, and sigh at the notifications that light the screen.
<span id="blue">(4) New Messages</span>(click-replace:"(4) New Messages")[(4) New Messages
4:44 PM: i’ll be there next time. ok?
5:23 PM: will u pls answer? i said i was sorry
7:05 PM: listen. i try my best. but you aren’t exactly the easiest to deal with!!!
7:10 PM: sorry. i shouldn’t have said that]
[[(1) New Voicemail]]Hannah gives a playful grin as she says, "Kids and their phones these days. Here you are."
She leaves shortly after, and you're left looking at your phone, sighing at the notifications that light the screen.
<span id="blue">(4) New Messages</span>(click-replace:"(4) New Messages")[(4) New Messages
4:44 PM: i’ll be there next time. ok?
5:23 PM: will u pls answer? i said i was sorry
7:05 PM: listen. i try my best. but you aren’t exactly the easiest to deal with!!!
7:10 PM: sorry. i shouldn’t have said that]
[[(1) New Voicemail]]As far as you can gather from never having seen an episode of this show in your life, it seems that someone's long lost brother has come back to town and is now trying to seduce a married and rich old woman. There's also a side-plot about... pet chimpanzees?
Before your entire brain has turned to slush and poured out your ears, a nurse comes in. You recognize her as Hannah, and she begins to check your vitals or whatever it is that nurses check.
"Everything's looking good. You're doing a lot better," she comments with a smile. "Need anything from me?"
[["Um... could you give me my phone?"]]Before this, you actually kinda liked your angel. They would come around every now and then to check up on you, take a nap on your couch, eat some of your leftover pizza without asking... You know. Friendly stuff. You've never had a better conversational partner, though you lend that to their thousand-year lifespan.
But you've never been worse for wear than you are now, and they were nowhere to be seen that night. You're not dead, yeah...
[[But surely, you're allowed to be angry.]]
[[Maybe you're overreacting.]]Really, your angel's entire //job// is to save you from harm. And they //weren't there//. What could have been more important?
You didn't really expect much from them, but somehow you're still surprised.
(live:6s)[Suddenly, your phone vibrates in your hand. Speak of the [[devil]]...]Your angel never was very eloquent, or... considerate... but maybe, just maybe, they actually had something important going on. And you're not dead, maybe they knew you wouldn't die. Yeah. Maybe that's just it.
(live:5s)[Suddenly, your phone vibrates in your hand. Figures, they'd message you [[now|devil]].]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[hey .(live:1s)[ . ](live:2s)[.]
(live:4s)[are you there?]
(live:6s)[ [[yes, i'm here.]]
[[i'm not buying you pizza, if that's what you're here to ask.|pizza]]
(if:$forgiveness is 1)[ [[fuck off.]]]]](font:"courier")[oh, good.
(live:3s)[i thought you would ignore me forever.]
(live:5s)[ [[i'm tempted.]]
[[do i have a choice?]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[ok, i should have expected that.
(live:3s)[but i’m glad you answered.]
(live:5s)[ [[you weren't there.]]
[[seriously, fuck off|no]]]](font:"courier")[you know what?
(live:2s)[that’s fair.]
(live:4s)[that’s totally fair.]
(live:6s)[but you are aware that we're stuck with each other, right?]
(live:9s)[ [[painfully aware, yes.]]
[[i could just ignore you forever.|no]]]](font:"courier")[as much as any of us have a choice in anything.
(live:3s)[ [[as much as you had a choice in leaving me to die?]]
[[that's easy for you to say, all-knowing one.]]]]
(font:"courier")[i know. i know that.
(live:2s)[but will you give me a chance to explain?]
(live:4s)[i may not deserve it, but. . .]
(live:6s)[can we talk?]
(live:8s)[ [[ok, let's talk.|then let's talk.]]
[[do i have a choice?]]]](font:"courier")[ok, ok, alright.
(live:2s)[. . .]
(live:4s)[. . .]
(live:6s)[. . .]
(live:8s)[can we talk now?]
(live:10s)[ [[fine.|then let's talk.]]
[[nope.]]]]
(set:$forgiveness -= 1)(font:"courier")[hah. good one.
(live:3s)[glad to see you in good spirits.]
(live:5s)[though i suppose i have some explaining to do. . .]
(live:8s)[ [[do i have a choice to not listen?|do i have a choice?]]
[[let's hear it.|then let's talk.]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[listen, i get that you're mad at me.
(live:2s)[you have every right to be.]
(live:4s)[but we have to talk about it, sooner or later.]
(live:6s)[ [[then let's talk.]]
[[i'd really rather not.|no]]]](font:"courier")[listen, it wasn't like that. really-
(live:3s)[i can't exactly just *tell* you what happened, but. . .]
(live:5s)[you have to believe me when i say i would've been there if i could have been.]
(live:8s)[ [[ok, fine. i believe you.]]
[[i don't think i can believe anything you say.]]]]
(font:"courier")[thank you.
(live:2s)[really, thanks. i. . . suppose i have some explaining to do.]
(live:4s)[ [[yeah, you do.|then let's talk.]]
[[i don't really want to hear it.|no]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[you can't be like this forever.
(live:2s)[ [[watch me.|no]]
[[fine. explain yourself, then.|then let's talk.]]]](font:"courier")[ok. right. so.
(live:2s)[i don't think i've ever really mentioned this before]
(live:4s)[but, it's not like you're the only person i watch over.]
(live:6s)[ [[what, like that makes it okay that you weren't there?]]
[[how many others?]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[ok then.
(live:2s)[. . .]
(live:4s)[. . .]
(live:6s)[. . .]
(live:8s)[ready now?]
(live:10s)[ [[fine.|then let's talk.]]
[[nope.]]]]
(set:$forgiveness -= 1)(font:"courier")[no, of course it doesn't.
(live:2s)[i'm not trying to say what happened to you. . .]
(live:4s)[what happened to you *because* i wasn't there. . .]
(live:6s)[i'm not trying to say what happened was okay.]
(live:8s)[of course it wasn't.]
(live:10s)[but. . .]
(live:12s)[ [[but?]]]](font:"courier")[lots. i mean, i don't have an exact number.
(live:2s)[you humans. . . ]
(live:4s)[tend to be born and pass away rather quickly, from my perspective.]
(live:8s)[but hey!]
(live:10s)[your nurse! hannah! she's one of mine, too.]
(live:12s)[ [[lucky her.]]
[[that seems improbable.]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[ok, fine. be that way.
(live:2s)[it's not like i *chose* to leave you (if:$injury is "arm" or "neck")[bleeding out](else:)[burning up] like that.]
(live:4s)[ [[wow, you have such a way with words.]]
[[like i could believe that.]]]](font:"courier")[well, you know, i never really got into poetry.
(live:2s)[but that's off topic.]
(live:4s)[will you give me a chance to explain myself?]
(live:6s)[ [[go on, then.|then let's talk.]]
[[i'd rather not.|no]]]](font:"courier")[wow, you really think so lowly of me?
(live:2s)[wait. don't answer that.]
(live:4s)[anyway. . .]
(live:6s)[can we talk?]
(live:8s)[ [[sure.|then let's talk.]]
[[not really in the mood, thanks.|no]]]](font:"courier")[look, someone else needed me, that night you were hurt.
(live:2s)[i don't want to say it was some kind of test from the guy in the chair up there]
(live:4s)[but i'm pretty sure that's what it was.]
(live:6s)[what *this* is.]
(live:8s)[ [[so, i was the less important one.]]
[[how did you choose?]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[look, someone else needed me, that night you were hurt.
(live:2s)[i don't want to say it was some kind of test from the guy in the chair up there]
(live:5s)[but i'm pretty sure that's what it was.]
(live:7s)[what *this* is.]
(live:9s)[ [[so, i was the less important one.]]
[[how did you choose?]]]](font:"courier")[i feel bad that i can't do more for her.
(live:2s)[but divorce isn't exactly an angel's. . . expertise.]
(live:4s)[ [[neither is saving lives, apparently.|get]]
[[what exactly would you consider your *expertise*?]]]](font:"courier")[improbable. . .
(live:2s)[or is it fate?]
(live:4s)[ [[what are you implying?]]
[[hard to believe in fate, now.]]]](font:"courier")[no!
(live:2s)[i. . . i knew you would live.]
(live:4s)[the other person, i didn't know.]
(live:6s)[i know that's hard to hear. . .]
(live:8s)[ [[this is the most sense you've made yet, actually.]]
[[did you really know i would live?]]]](font:"courier")[i. . . i knew you would live.
(live:4s)[the other person, i didn't know.]
(live:6s)[i know that's hard to hear. . .]
(live:8s)[ [[this is the most sense you've made yet, actually.]]
[[did you really know i would live?]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[just that things work out in funny ways, sometimes.
(live:2s)[last time you met someone else under my care, you were twelve.]
(live:4s)[he was your teacher. language arts.]
(live:6s)[ [[you're getting off topic.|get]]
[[did you ever save him?]]]](font:"courier")[may be weird to hear from an angel but. . .
(live:2s)[i get it. really! i do.]
(live:4s)[i do wonder what god has got going on in that head of theirs.]
(live:6s)[but everything has got to be a part of the plan.]
(live:8s)[ [[that's just not true.]]
[[my near-death experience was all just part of the *plan* then?|get]]]](font:"courier")[you can't tell me you don't believe in god while an angel is texting you right now.
(live:3s)[people die every day, you know. and you're still alive, talking to me now.]
(live:5s)[ [[are you really an angel?]]
[[when you put it that way. . .]]]](font:"courier")[thank you.
(live:2s)[just. . .]
(live:4s)[consider what i said, ok?]
(live:6s)[i'll talk to you later.]
(live:8s)[ [[don't bother.]]
[[talk to you later.]]]](set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[you've literally seen me before.
(live:2s)[need i remind you of the wings? multitude of eyes?]
(live:4s)[effervescent glow? smell of vanilla and light itself?]
(live:6s)[ [[stop inflating your own ego.]]
[[near-death experience makes you forget, i guess.]]]](font:"courier")[you're allowed to be upset with me.
(live:2s)[but there are reasons life works out like it does.]
(live:4s)[allow me to explain what happened?]
(live:6s)[ [[i'm listening.|forgive]]
[[i know you're going to anyway.|get]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[that's not-
(live:2s)[well, whatever.]
(live:4s)[rest assured, i am an angel.]
(live:6s)[we're actually. . . not really supposed to talk to humans at all.]
(live:8s)[although, god wanted to try some new things out.]
(live:10s)[so they let us angels go to earth and. . . experiment.]
(live:12s)[that's why i visited you sometimes. why we text.]
(live:14s)[ [[i didn't sign up to have my life be an experiment.|get]]
[[i think you just really like pizza.]]]](font:"courier")[fair enough.
(live:2s)[rest assured that yes, i am an angel.]
(live:4s)[we're actually. . . not really supposed to talk to humans at all.]
(live:6s)[although, god wanted to try some new things out.]
(live:8s)[so they let us angels go to earth and. . . experiment.]
(live:10s)[that's why i visited you sometimes. why we text.]
(live:12s)[ [[i didn't sign up to have my life be an experiment.|get]]
[[i think you just really like pizza.]]]](font:"courier")[as much as i can know anything, yes.
(live:2s)[i get that you don't trust me.]
(live:4s)[but i did what i thought was right.]
(live:6s)[you *and* the other human are both alive today.]
(live:8s)[that must count for something.]
(live:10s)[ [[my injury must count for something, too.|injury]]
[[i understand.]]]](font:"courier")[once.
(live:2s)[he got mugged. i made the aggressor fumble the knife and drop it to the ground. otherwise. . .]
(live:4s)[well, you know what would have happened.]
(live:6s)[ [[and you couldn't do the same for me?|get]]
[[i'm sure he appreciated that.]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[would you rather someone else had died?
(live:2s)[that's harsh, but it's true.]
(live:4s)[ [[you're right. i'm being selfish.]]
[[i don't know what i want.]]]](font:"courier")[thank you.
(live:2s)[just. . .]
(live:4s)[consider what i said, ok?]
(live:6s)[i'll talk to you later.]
(live:8s)[ [[don't bother.]]
[[talk to you later.]]]](set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[well, that's a difficult question.
(live:2s)[i guess. . . divine intervention. . .]
(live:4s)[subtle changes that make big differences.]
(live:6s)[you know, your language arts teacher in 7th grade was under my protection.]
(live:8s)[ [[you're getting off topic.|get]]
[[did you ever save him?]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[maybe there's room for forgiveness.
(live:2s)[you might think i don't deserve it.]
(live:4s)[but there are things i haven't told you yet.]
(live:6s)[ [[i don't want to forgive you.]]
[[well, get on with it already.|forgive]]]](font:"courier")[is there anything i could do to change your mind?
(live:2s)[if you'd just let me explain. . .]
(live:4s)[maybe we could reach an understanding.]
(live:6s)[we were put together for a reason, don't you believe that?]
(live:8s)[everything goes according to god's plan, even this. . .]
(live:10s)[ [[that's just not true.]]
[[my near-death experience was all just part of the *plan* then?|get]]]](font:"courier")[well, it's not like. . .
(live:2s)[you can't *tell* a human when you saved them.]
(live:4s)[we're actually. . . not really supposed to talk to humans at all.]
(live:6s)[although, god wanted to try some new things out.]
(live:8s)[so they let us angels go to earth and. . . experiment.]
(live:10s)[that's why i visited you sometimes. why we text.]
(live:12s)[ [[i didn't sign up to have my life be an experiment.|get]]
[[i think you just really like pizza.]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[you know, as much as i enjoy the inane delicacies that humanity has to offer,
(live:3s)[i do actually like talking to you, too.]
(live:5s)[i'm sorry. . . i couldn't be there for you.]
(live:7s)[i truly am.]
(live:9s)[can i explain?]
(live:11s)[ [[i'm listening.|forgive]]
[[i know you're going to anyway.|get]]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)(font:"courier")[you're just angry.
(live:2s)[which is totally understandable.]
(live:4s)[but. . .]
(live:6s)[consider what i said, ok?]
(live:8s)[i'll talk to you later.]
(live:10s)[ [[don't bother.]]
[[talk to you later.]]]](font:"courier")[i think you just. . .
(live:2s)[want to be mad.]
(live:4s)[which is absolutely understandable!]
(live:6s)[but. . .]
(live:8s)[consider what i said, ok?]
(live:10s)[i'll talk to you later.]
(live:12s)[ [[don't bother.]]
[[talk to you later.]]]]When you look up from your phone, you are suddenly encompassed by a bath of blazing light.
Then, you find yourself standing in an office. Nothing hurts here. (if:$injury is "neck")[You turn your head from left to right, marvelling at the movement and jarring lack of pain.](if:$injury is "arm")[You take a step, move your arm just to see, marvelling at the movement and jarring lack of pain.](if:$injury is "burn")[Your bandages are gone, and the skin beneath is still scarred, but painless.]
Before you, God sits in a tall-backed office chair.
"You are not dead. Come, sit."
[[Sit down]]
[[Defy]]When you look up from your phone, you are suddenly encompassed by a bath of blazing light.
Then, you find yourself standing in an office. Nothing hurts here. (if:$injury is "neck")[You turn your head from left to right, marvelling at the movement and jarring lack of pain.](if:$injury is "arm")[You take a step, move your arm just to see, marvelling at the movement and jarring lack of pain.](if:$injury is "burn")[Your bandages are gone, and the skin beneath is still scarred, but painless.]
Before you, God sits in a tall-backed office chair.
"You are not dead. Come, sit."
[[Sit down]]
[[Defy]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)The chair is plush and you sink into it. The armrests are soft against your fingertips.
"I want to talk to you about your angel. Your angel… They are really quite young. I must test the angels in various ways as they grow. This was a test of forgiveness. Your angel made a tough choice—two of their humans were in peril at the same moment. Neither of you would have died, but they didn’t know that.”
God looks at you, and you feel as if no skin is there to hide your insides.
[["So they left me to die?"|test]]
[["That's quite the test."|test]]You shake your head stubbornly, and God raises an eyebrow at you.
"Fine, I can talk to you from there, if you so insist. Your angel… They are really quite young. I must test the angels in various ways as they grow. This was a test of forgiveness. Your angel made a tough choice—two of their humans were in peril at the same moment. Neither of you would have died, but they didn’t know that.”
God looks at you, and you feel as if no skin is there to hide your insides.
[["So they left me to die?"|test]]
[["That's quite the test."|test]]God almost looks like they want to. . .chuckle at you.
"They were tasked with the split-second decision, expected to deduce who would survive without intervention and who would not. But that— that was not the test."
[[“You said ‘forgiveness’ was the test.”]]“Right. The aftermath of that situation—your injury, your anger—how your angel handled *that* was the test. Of course, your relationship before that point contributes to your likelihood to forgive them. . .”
[[“I liked them before.”]]
[[“We. . . had an interesting relationship.”]]“I am well aware. Their actions— and your reactions, too— have ultimately decided their fate.”
<span id="blue">“That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a human.”</span>(click-replace:"“That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a human.”")[“That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a human.”
“Well, yes and no. Your angel grew to like you. If they could not get a human that they most liked to forgive them, then how could they ever get anyone to find forgiveness in their hearts?”
You bite the inside of your cheek.
[[“Are you going to tell me their fate?”]]]
(set:$forgiveness += 1)“I am well aware. Their actions— and your reactions, too— have ultimately decided their fate.”
<span id="blue">“That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a human.”</span>(click-replace:"“That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a human.”")[“That seems like a lot of pressure to put on a human.”
“Well, yes and no. Your angel grew to like you. If they could not get a human that they most liked to forgive them, then how could they ever get anyone to find forgiveness in their hearts?”
You bite the inside of your cheek.
[[“Are you going to tell me their fate?”]]](if:$forgiveness is >2 and <7)[“Your angel was taken back into heaven, under the wings of their superiors. They will have a few hundred years of re-education courses to complete before I’ll allow them back on earth. Perhaps they will learn a thing or two about genuine care and friendship in that time. . .And perhaps they will earn our forgiveness.”
[[END]](set:$angel to "Your angel was re-educated. You earned $forgiveness forgiveness points through your conversation.")](if:$forgiveness is >6)[“Well, I believe they can tell you themself.”
You hear a door open to your [[right]]. . .](if:$forgiveness is <3)[“I found your angel. . . irredeemable. You did, too, if your actions are anything to go by. I don’t trust them to watch over humans for some time, if ever again. For now, they’ve found themself in purgatory. I could not condemn them to hell, not when they at least tried. Although, not very hard. . .”
[[END]](set:$angel to "Your angel was sent to purgatory. You earned $forgiveness forgiveness points through your conversation.")]There is an unmistakable scent of vanilla and light itself as your angel enters the room.
"I learned a lot from you," your angel says, bowing to you in a showcase of respect. "I know I... didn't handle this whole situation the best that I could have, but you forgave me anyway... Thank you for that. I will do my best to be better in the future."
[["You're an asshole."]]
[["You're an asshole." (affectionate)|END]]
(set:$angel to "Your angel was forgiven. You earned $forgiveness forgiveness points.")$angel
[[Play again?|landing]]Your angel was... forgiven? You earned $forgiveness forgiveness points.
[[Play again?|landing]]