{= (set: $region to "") (set: $transition_to to (macro: str-type _text, str-type _dest, str-type _region, [ (output:)[(link-reveal: _text)[(set: $region to _region)(set: $dest to _dest)(go-to: "Transition")]] ])) (set: $return_to to (macro: str-type _text, str-type _dest, [ (output:)[(link-reveal: _text)[(set: $region to "")(set: $dest to _dest)(go-to: "Transition")]] ])) (set: $possibilities to (ds:)) (set: $question to "") (set: $possibility to (macro: str-type _text, str-type _short, str-type _dest, [ (output:)[(link: _text)[(set: $possibilities to $possibilities + (ds: _short))(set: $region to "")(set: $dest to _dest)(go-to: "Transition")]] ])) (set: $already to (ds:)) (set: $hasflag to (macro: str-type _flag, [ (output-data: $already contains _flag) ])) (set: $isunmoved to (macro: str-type _item, [ (output-data: $world's (_item)'s location is $initial) ])) (set: $istrashed to (macro: str-type _item, [ (output-data: $world's (_item)'s location is $nowhere) ])) (set: $onceflag to (macro: str-type _link, str-type _msg, str-type _flag, [ (output:)[(if: $already does not contain _flag)[{= (link: _link)[(set: $already to $already + (ds: _flag))($dialog: _msg)] ]] ])) (set: $setflag to (macro: str-type _flag, [ (set: $already to $already + (ds: _flag)) (output-data: "") ])) (set: $unsetflag to (macro: str-type _flag, [ (set: $already to $already - (ds: _flag)) (output-data: "") ])) (set: $oncetake to (macro: str-type _link, str-type _msg, str-type _item, [ (output:)[(if: $already does not contain _link)[{= (link: _link)[($take: _item)(set: $already to $already + (ds: _link))($dialog: _msg)] ]] ])) (set: $allitems to (a:)) (set: $world to (dm:)) (set: $initial to "") (set: $inventory to "inventory") (set: $nowhere to "nowhere") (set: $showinventory to (macro: [ (output:)[{= (if: (find: _item where $world's (_item)'s location is $inventory, ...(datanames: $world))'s length is 0)[] (else:)[You have:<br> (for: each _item where $world's (_item)'s location is $inventory and ($world's (_item)'s region is "" or $world's (_item)'s region is $region), ...$allitems)[ (link-rerun: $world's (_item)'s short, $world's (_item)'s style)[ (show: (hooks-named: (joined: "-", ...(split: " ", $world's (_item)'s name)))) (change: (hooks-named: (joined: "-", ...(split: " ", $world's (_item)'s name)))'s links, $world's (_item)'s style) ]<br> ] ] (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[ <br>//You really need $finalanswer.// ](else-if: $question's length > 0)[ <br>//$question//<br> (for: each _item, ...$possibilities)[//…_item?//<br>] ] ] ])) (set: $update to (macro: [ (rerun: ?inventory) (output-data: "") ])) (set: $take to (macro: str-type _name, [ (set: $world's (_name)'s location to $inventory) ($update:) (output-data: "") ])) (set: $trash to (macro: str-type _name, [ (set: $world's (_name)'s location to $nowhere) ($update:) (output-data: "") ])) (set: $takeable to (macro: str-type _name, str-type _pre, str-type _appear, str-type _post, str-type _msg, [ (output:)[{= (if: $world's (_name)'s location is $initial)[_pre(link-repeat: _appear, $world's (_name)'s style)[(dialog: _msg, "Continue")($take: _name)(go-to: (passage:)'s name)]_post] ] ])) (set: $dialog to (macro: str-type _msg, [ (output:)[{=(dialog: _msg, "Continue")(go-to: (passage:)'s name)] ])) (set: $converse to (macro: str-type _text, str-type _dest, int-type _num, [ (output:)[(link-reveal: "“" + _text + "”")[(set: $choice to _num)(go-to: _dest)]] ])) (set: _define to (macro: str-type _name, str-type _indefinite, color-type _color, str-type _region, [ (set: _obj to (dm: "name", _name, "short", _indefinite + " " + _name, "location", "", "region", _region, "style", (color: _color) + (hover-style:(color: (lch: (min: _color's lch's l + .1, .98), _color's lch's c, _color's lch's h))) )) (set: $world's (_name) to _obj) (set: $allitems to $allitems + (a: _name)) (output-data: "") ])) (set: $has to (macro: str-type _name, [ (output-data: $world's (_name)'s location is $inventory) ])) (set: $suitcasestate to (array:)) (_define: "mug of coffee", "a", #967969, "") (_define: "empty mug", "an", #eddd91, "") (_define: "mug of insight", "a", #f4cf37, "") (_define: "sticks", "", #ab6533, "") (_define: "rocks", "", #84a0bf, "") (_define: "stars", "", #91E8E8, "") (_define: "unlit torch", "a", #ab6533, "moving") (_define: "lit torch", "a", orange, "moving") (_define: "sapling", "a wilted", #6B8E23, "moving") (_define: "violin", "your old", #9c6705, "moving") (_define: "pruning shears", "some", grey, "moving") (_define: "cheese", "a piece of", #ffa600, "proposal") (_define: "peanuts", "a handful of", #9c6808, "proposal") (_define: "fishing rod", "a", #8C001A, "proposal") (_define: "mouse", "a friendly", #C4A484, "proposal") (_define: "hammer and nails", "a", grey, "proposal") (_define: "garlicky rock", "a", #d1e67e, "proposal") (_define: "beach shovel", "a", orange, "proposal") (_define: "wrapping paper", "", #32CD32, "party") (_define: "scissors", "a pair of", grey, "party") (_define: "ladder", "a", #ab6533, "party") (_define: "mask", "a smiling", #32CD32, "party") (_define: "banana", "a", #ffe135, "party") (_define: "crowbar", "a", grey, "party") (_define: "banana peel", "a", #ffe135, "party") (_define: "moving photo", "the", #D2B48C, "") (_define: "proposal photo", "the", #C2B280, "") (_define: "party photo", "the", #DDA0DD, "") (_define: "suitcase", "your", #c93063, "") (set: $yourex to "your ███") (set: $helmets to (array: "knight's helmet", "diving helmet", "hard hat", "football helmet", "fencing mask")){= |mug-of-coffee)[(link: "<br>Drink the coffee.")[(dialog: "It's lukewarm and quite bitter.", "Continue")($take: "empty mug")($trash: "mug of coffee")]] |violin)[(link: "<br>Play your violin.")[(if: (passage:)'s name is "Greenhouse")[(go-to: "Playing Violin")](else:)[($dialog: "You halfheartedly run through some scales, somewhat out of tune. There is no obvious response.")]]] |moving-photo)[(link: "<br>Rip up the moving photo.")[($trash: "moving photo")($dialog: "You tear the moving photo into little pieces.")]] |proposal-photo)[(link: "<br>Rip up the proposal photo.")[($trash: "proposal photo")($dialog: "You tear the proposal photo into little pieces.")]] |party-photo)[(link: "<br>Rip up the party photo.")[($trash: "party photo")($dialog: "You tear the party photo into little pieces.")]] (float-box: "====X", "Y") + (css: "padding: 1em; box-sizing: border-box") + (size: .75)|inventory>[($showinventory:)] (if: (passage:)'s name is not "Start")[(append: ?sidebar)[(link: "Save", (color: #444) + (hover-style:(color: #888)))[(save-game: "slot")Saved.](if: (saved-games: ) contains "slot")[(link: "Load", (color: #444) + (hover-style:(color: #888)))[(load-game: "slot")]]]]The world dissolves around you in a swirl of golden light… (link-goto: "Continue", $dest){= <h1>The Gift of What You Notice More</h1> by Xavid and Zan<br> inspired by “The Blessings” by Dar Williams<br><br> [[Begin|Bedroom]]You're in your bedroom, or what has been your bedroom for the last five years. (if: ($isunmoved: "moving photo"))[There is [[a photo|moving photo]] on the nightstand.](if: not ($has: "suitcase"))[ [[Your suitcase]] is open on the floor, but you're not sure what to pack.] {= An open doorway leads to [[the living room|Living Room]]. (if: false)[<p>(link: "DEBUG EVERYTHING")[(set: $question to "When did things go wrong?")($take: "mug of insight")($take: "sticks")($take: "rocks")($take: "stars")] <br>(link: "DEBUG 3 ANSWERS")[(set: $question to "When did things go wrong?")(set: $possibilities to (ds: "when I put conditions on the move", "when I didn't commit with confidence", "when I stopped being happy with what I had"))($take: "mug of insight")($take: "sticks")] <br>(link: "DEBUG 3 ANSWERS 2")[(set: $question to "What could you have done differently?")(set: $possibilities to (ds: "stayed in the home I knew", "addressed our problems before getting engaged", "not let him sweep things under the rug"))($take: "mug of insight")($take: "sticks")($take: "rocks")] <br>(link: "DEBUG 3 ANSWERS 3")[(set: $question to "What is it that you really need?")(set: $possibilities to (ds: "for everyone to be open and honest about what they want", "to address issues that come up rather than burying them", "to be able to share in vulnerability"))($take: "mug of insight")($take: "sticks")($take: "rocks")($take: "stars")] <br>(link: "DEBUG ENDGAME")[($setflag: "endgame")(goto: "Cafe")]](if: ($hasflag: "yourexphoto"))[The photo shows you and $yourex standing by the moving truck, right before you moved out here.](else:)[($setflag: "yourexphoto")The photo shows you and your… what should you even be calling him now? It shows you and $yourex standing by the moving truck, right before you moved out here.](if: ($hasflag: "movingdone"))[ You think you’ve gotten everything you're going to out of this memory for now.] {= (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[ (link: "Take the photo.<br>", $world's ("moving photo")'s style)[($take: "moving photo")(dialog: "You grab the photo off the nightstand.", "Continue")(go-to: "Bedroom")] (link: "Rip up the photo.<br>")[($trash: "moving photo")(dialog: "You remove the photo from its frame and tear it into little pieces.", "Continue")(go-to: "Bedroom")] ] [[Look elsewhere.|Bedroom]] |mug-of-insight)[(if: not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[($transition_to: "<br>Pour insight on the photo.", "Moving Day", "moving")]]{= It's a small suitcase with wheels and a handle. Right now, (if: $suitcasestate's length is 0)[ it's empty. ](else-if: $suitcasestate's length is 1)[ it contains (str: $suitcasestate's 1st). ](else-if: $suitcasestate's length is 2)[ it contains (str: $suitcasestate's 1st) and (str: $suitcasestate's 2nd). ](else:)[ it contains (joined: ", ", ...($suitcasestate - (a: $suitcasestate's last))), and (str: $suitcasestate's last). ]<p> (set: _suitcaseshuffle to (macro: str-type _name, [ (output:)[{= (if: $suitcasestate contains _name)[ (link-repeat: (str: "Take ", _name, " out of the suitcase."))[(set: $suitcasestate to $suitcasestate - (a: _name))(go-to: "Your suitcase")]<br> ](else:)[ (link-repeat: (str: "Put ", _name, " in the suitcase."))[(if: $suitcasestate's length >= 3 and not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[($dialog: (str: "The suitcase is too full; try as you might, you can't fit ", _name, " in."))](else:)[(set: $suitcasestate to $suitcasestate + (a: _name))(go-to: "Your suitcase")]]<br> ] ] ])) (_suitcaseshuffle: "your nice clothes") (_suitcaseshuffle: "your casual clothes") (_suitcaseshuffle: "your toiletries") (_suitcaseshuffle: "your library books") (_suitcaseshuffle: "your laptop") (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[ |sticks)[(link-repeat: "Put the sticks in the suitcase.")[($trash: "sticks")(set: $suitcasestate to $suitcasestate + (a: "sticks"))(go-to: "Your suitcase")]<br>] |rocks)[(link-repeat: "Put the rocks in the suitcase.")[($trash: "rocks")(set: $suitcasestate to $suitcasestate + (a: "rocks"))(go-to: "Your suitcase")]<br>] |stars)[(link-repeat: "Put the stars in the suitcase.")[($trash: "stars")(set: $suitcasestate to $suitcasestate + (a: "stars"))(go-to: "Your suitcase")]<br>] (link: "Take your suitcase.<br>", $world's suitcase's style)[($take: "suitcase")(dialog: "You zip up your suitcase and take it with you.", "Continue")(go-to: "Bedroom")] ](else:)[ (link: "Take your suitcase.<br>")[($dialog: "Whatever you pack, it feels wrong. You can't take your suitcase yet.")] ] [[Back.|Bedroom]](if:($hasflag: "endgame") and (history:) does not contain "Phone Call")[It's late, but you could [[call a friend|Phone Call]].] (else-if:(history:) contains "Phone Call")[You don't need to wake anyone else up, not tonight.](else:)[You stare at the phone for a moment, but you don't know who to call, or what you'd say. You're not ready to get into it, and it's too late to be calling, anyway. You wouldn't want to wake anyone up.] [[Back.|the kitchen]]She sounds a little groggy, but she answers the phone quickly and assures you it's fine, you didn't wake her up. You're grateful when she doesn't ask any questions, just offers to come get you. "I'll meet you out front, okay? Be there soon." [["Okay."|the kitchen]]The living room is dominated by a comfortable couch(if: ($isunmoved: "proposal photo"))[ with [[a framed picture|proposal photo outside]] hanging above it]. (if: ($hasflag: "clocksmashed"))[The remains of the grandfather clock lie against the opposite wall, next to the TV.](else:)[[[A grandfather clock|Clock]] stands against the opposite wall, next to an old television.(if: $possibilities's length >= 3)[ The clock shines oddly in the dim light, almost beckoning to you.]] On the other side of the TV is a window, looking out on a dark, rainy night. Doorways lead to [[the bedroom|Bedroom]] and [[the kitchen]], and [[the front door]] leads out.A solid oak door, all that stands between you and the rainy night. {= (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[ (link-repeat: "Leave.")[(if: (confirm: "Are you ready to leave?", "Maybe not.", "Yes."))[ (go-to: "End") ](else:)[ (go-to: "Living Room") ]] ](else:)[ (link-repeat: "Leave.")[ (dialog: "You can't leave yet. You need to figure out what to pack.", "Continue")(go-to: "Living Room") ] ]<br> [[Not yet.|Living Room]]You open the door and walk out into the night. (if: ($has: "suitcase"))[Just you and your suitcase.] The rain isn't so bad; something about the cool droplets on your skin makes it all feel real. (if:(history:) contains "Phone Call")[You pause outside the building and watch headlights approach. Your friend will be here soon.] Out past the city streets, you can see the first hints of dawn beginning to lighten the clouds. You don't look back. {= [[The End|Credits]]Thanks to the Pretzings, Sarah, and Thomas Mack for playtesting and feedback! Cover art by Elanor Pam. (link-repeat: "“The Blessings”")[(open-url: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzHnrQ9PBG0")] by Dar Williams appears on her 1996 album Mortal City. We wouldn't have written this game without it. And thanks for playing!It's an old grandfather clock, ornate but faded. It seems to have stopped, frozen at 3 a.m. A glass door on the front shows the pendulum, unmoving. {= (if: not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[[[Open the glass door.|To Cafe]]<br>] (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[(link: "Smash the clock.")[($setflag: "clocksmashed")(dialog: "You impulsively grab a chair and swing it into the clock, shattering the glass door and splintering the wood.", "Continue")(go-to: "Living Room")]<br>] [[Look at something else.|Living Room]]Through the door, there seems to be, somehow, not gears and mechanisms, but a larger space… {= [[Continue|Cafe]]You are in a cafe, awash in fluorescent light that seems to flicker just for a moment as soon as you look away. In the center of the room, three poets are engaged in a boisterous conversation about the nature of identity. {= (if: (history:) does not contain "Poets")[[[Approach the poets.|Poets]]<br>] (if: (history:) contains "Poets" and ($isunmoved: "mug of insight"))[[[Revisit the poets.|Poets Again]]<br>] (if: ($has: "mug of insight") and ($isunmoved: "sticks"))[[[One of the poets beckons.|Poets Give Sticks]]<br>] (if: (not ($isunmoved: "sticks")) and (not ($hasflag: "endgame")) and ($possibilities's length < 3))[[[Consult the poets.|Poets Consult]]<br>] (if: (not ($isunmoved: "sticks")) and (not ($hasflag: "endgame")) and ($possibilities's length >= 3))[[[Consult the poets.|Poets Consult Answers]]<br>] [[Go outside the cafe.|Outside the Cafe]]<br> [[Head back through the strange door you came through.|Living Room]]The poets seem almost pleased to be interrupted, and they greet you warmly. “We have questions,” one says, “but first, we drink!” He offers you (link-reveal: "a mug of coffee", $world's ("mug of coffee")'s style)[($take: "mug of coffee")(go-to: "Got Coffee")].You take the mug of coffee. It's lukewarm to the touch. //`[You can click on an item in your inventory to try using it in your current location.]`// [[Move on.|Cafe]]The poets are cheerful. “Always good to have a new face to share our bounty with!” says one. “But I bet you didn't come here just for something to wake you up,” says another. “I bet you're looking for a little enlightenment.” “Well, then, don't let us keep you,” says the third, motioning you towards the door. “We'll still be here when you've gotten it.” [[Move along.|Cafe]]One of the poets claps you on the shoulder as you draw near. “How is our loiterer?” she asks. “Did you find them enlightening?” Another poet laughs a bit too loud. “I'm sure you've got a lot to untangle, but I find it helps to put what you're looking for into words.” He pauses. “This might not be quite it, but I'd guess you're probably asking yourself, ‘When did things go wrong?’ It’s a place to start, at least.”(set: $question to "When did things go wrong?") The third poet shakes their head. “That's all well enough, but you won't be able to figure anything out with light alone.” They mutter to themself a bit and rummage below the table. “Here, take these.” And before you have time to process the situation or to find words to politely decline, you find yourself with an armload of (link-reveal: "sticks", $world's sticks's style)[($take: "sticks")(go-to: "Cafe")].“How goes your search?” says one of the poets. She takes another sip of her coffee, black as the night sky. “Take your time. Truth can't be rushed.” “Most certainly,” says another poet, his gaze serious. “You don't want to jump to any conclusions. You really should consider at least three options before you make any decision, that's what I always say.” {= [["What should I be looking for?"|Poets Hint]]<br> [["I guess I need to do some more soul searching."|Poets Leaving]]“How goes your search?” says one of the poets. She takes another sip of her coffee, black as the night sky. “Have you found any truths?” {= (if: not ($has: "rocks"))[[[“I think I have some answers for you.”|Poets Rocks Answers]]<br>] (if: ($has: "rocks") and not ($has: "stars"))[[[“I think I have some answers for you.”|Poets Stars Answers]]<br>] (if: ($has: "stars") and not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[[[“I think I have some answers for you.”|Poets End Answers]]<br>]The third poet gives you a kind look. “If you're not sure where to look, try revisiting pivotal moments from your past. That's where I always get my best poetry.” The first poet says, “I bet back where you came from there are objects that remind you of how things came to this. Maybe now you'll be able to shed some light on those moments.” [["Thanks. I guess I need to do some more soul searching."|Poets Leaving]]“We'll be here when you've found your answers,” the third poet says. The second gives a wave as you turn away. [[Continue|Cafe]]“Oh?” says the third poet. “It’s quite a thorny question.” The first poet smiles kindly. “What did you decide? $question” All three poets look at you intently. {= (for: each _pos, ...$possibilities)[[[“(upperfirst: _pos).”|Poets Rocks Are You Sure]]<br>]The second poet ponders your response. “I see. Are you confident in that?” (link-reveal: "“Yes, I am.”")[(set: $response to "Don't let yourself off too easy. If you let yourself off with simple, surface answers, you'll never get to the heart of the matter.")(go-to: "Poets Rocks Get")] (link-reveal: "“Maybe not.”")[(set: $response to "It's good to question yourself, but you'll need to find your confidence, too, to get through this.")(go-to: "Poets Rocks Get")]The first poet gives you a serious look. “$response” The third poet shakes their head. “Don't be too hard on the seeker. It's a hard journey if you're ill-equipped. And I think maybe we got you off on the wrong track to begin with. Maybe what you're really trying to untangle is, what could you have done differently?”(set: $question to "What could you have done differently?")(set: $possibilities to (ds:))($unsetflag: "movingdone")($unsetflag: "proposaldone")($unsetflag: "partydone") The second poet nods. “Yes, I think you need a little more assistance. Here.” And before you know what's happening, you find yourself with an armload of (link-reveal: "rocks", $world's rocks's style)[($take: "rocks")(go-to: "Cafe")].“Is that so?” says the third poet. “It's quite a hard puzzle.” The first poet smiles warmly. “And what do you choose? $question” All three poets look at you eagerly. {= (for: each _pos, ...$possibilities)[[[“(upperfirst: _pos).”|Poets Stars Are You Sure]]<br>]The second poet tilts his head from side to side. “Indeed? Are you sure about that?” (link-reveal: "“Yes, I am.”")[(set: $response to "You're getting closer, but I don't think you're quite at the heart of the matter yet. I know it's been a hard night, but you need to keep on.")(go-to: "Poets Stars Get")] (link-reveal: "“Maybe not.”")[(set: $response to "It's valuable not to be easily satisfied, but in the end it's you who needs to believe in your answer, not us.")(go-to: "Poets Stars Get")]The first poet looks at you intently. "$response" The third poet reaches out and puts their hand on your shoulder. “You're almost there. And while it's natural to focus on the past at a time like this, maybe that's not the best framing for you right now. I bet what you really need to think about is, what is it that you really need?”(set: $question to "What is it that you really need?")(set: $possibilities to (ds:))($unsetflag: "movingdone")($unsetflag: "proposaldone")($unsetflag: "partydone") The second poet nods. “And I think you need a bit more guidance as you look deeper within. Here.” And before you know what's happening, you find yourself with an armload of... (link-reveal: "stars", $world's stars's style)[($take: "stars")(go-to: "Cafe")].“What is your answer, then?” says the third poet. The first poet takes a deep breath. “$question” There is a feeling of solemn stillness as the poets await your answer. {= (for: each _pos, ...$possibilities)[(link-reveal: "“(upperfirst: _pos).”")[(set: $finalanswer to _pos)(go-to: "Poets End Are You Sure")]<br>]The second poet looks serious. “Is that what you've chosen? (upperfirst: $finalanswer)?” [[“Yes.”|Poets End Get]] [[“Maybe not.”|Poets End Answers]]The first poet nods, satisfied. “Then may that answer serve you well.” The three poets all rush in for a group hug. The third poet says, “You have no more need of us. But, best of luck.”($setflag: "endgame")($unsetflag: "movingdone")($unsetflag: "proposaldone")($unsetflag: "partydone") As the poets pull away, the second poet gives a wave. “Take care of yourself. Don't forget.” And as you walk away, everything looks the same. And yet, somehow, things feel different. [[Move on.|Cafe]]This time of night, the intersection outside the cafe is only lit by what little comes through the cafe's windows and a sole streetlamp on the corner. The light catches on rain droplets that hang motionless in the air. An angel stands under the streetlamp, stretching their wings in the light. {= (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[[[Approach the angel.|Angel Endgame]]<br>] (if: not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[[[Approach the angel.|Angel in the Streetlamp]]<br>] [[Go back inside.|Cafe]](if: (history:) does not contain "Fill With Light")[The angel turns to you with a half-smile, not quite reaching their bright eyes. “Ah,” they say, knowingly, breath hanging visible amidst suspended raindrops in the cold night air. “Coming up empty?” Their fingertips glow faintly as they fidget, watching you. For a moment, the streetlamp above flickers. “There's light enough for the next mile, at least. If you have a way to carry it.”](else:)[The angel nods toward you, half-smile still on their lips. They drum their fingertips on one thigh as they look out over the crossroads in silence.] {= [[Go back.|Outside the Cafe]] |empty-mug)[(link-reveal: "<br>Hand the empty mug to the angel.")[($take: "mug of insight")($trash: "empty mug")(go-to: "Fill With Light")]]The angel's smile seems genuine, yet a bit sad. They give you a small wave. “The night’s almost over. But I don't think you need any more answers. Best of luck.” {= [[Go back.|Outside the Cafe]]As the angel grasps the mug with both hands, light flows through their fingers and into the mug. It pools inside, and you instinctively look away from the sudden brightness. Then just as suddenly, you feel the mug pressed back into your grip, slightly warmer than before. When you turn to look, the angel is back where they were before, and you're not sure if you're imagining it, but the streetlamp seems a little dimmer. [[Continue|Outside the Cafe]]You're standing outside your old place, with a packed moving van. You look so young, frozen there with an awkward smile beside $yourex. [[Examine the figures more closely.|Moving Day Figures]] [[Walk behind the moving van.|Behind Van]] [[Go over to the house.|Front of House]] ($return_to: "Return to the present.", "Bedroom")On this side, previously hidden, dozens of strings are tightly tied to the moving van. (if: ($hasflag: "stringsburned"))[The strings have been thoroughly burned.](else:)[The strings stretch back from the van and off to the horizon.] Under the van, you notice a small but growing pool of gasoline. {= (if: not ($hasflag: "stringsburned"))[[[Follow the strings.|Follow Strings]]<br>] [[Walk back around the van.|Moving Day]] |sticks)[($oncetake: "<br>Dip a stick in the pool of gasoline.", "You dip the end of a stick in the pool of gasoline.", "unlit torch")] |lit-torch)[(link: "<br>Burn the strings.")[($trash: "lit torch")(go-to: "Moving First Answer")]]The strings seem to stretch off into the infinite distance of the horizon. You follow them for a bit as they rise higher into the sky, but you still can't see what they're connected to. You pause by a telephone pole. A downed power line sits on the bare ground, sparking. {= [[Return to the van.|Behind Van]] |sticks)[(link: "<br>Extend a stick at the sparks.")[($dialog: "The stick is insufficiently flammable to light so easily.")]] |unlit-torch)[(link: "<br>Extend the torch at the sparks.")[(dialog: "You extend the torch to the sparks and light it on fire.", "Continue")($take: "lit torch")($trash: "unlit torch")]]The strings flare brightly as they catch alight, burning quickly as the fire spreads in both directions. A moment later, there is nothing but a line of ash on the asphalt next to the van. And as you see the strings crumble away, you think about how you had it all worked out, that you'd move across the country so $yourex could get his degree and then he'd follow you to whatever school you went to. It was this whole elaborate plan. And a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "movingdone")($setflag: "stringsburned") ($possibility: "Things went wrong when I put conditions on the move.", "when I put conditions on the move", "Bedroom")Your house of three years, pristine in its freshly-painted white and ready for the new owners. The front door stands solidly closed. The windows are dark, except for a faint glimmer that catches your eye from a second-story window. {= (if: not ($hasflag: "doorunlocked"))[(link-repeat: "Go through the front door.")[(dialog: "It’s locked.", "Continue")]<br>] (if: ($hasflag: "doorunlocked"))[[[Go through the front door.|Greenhouse]]<br>] [[Return to the van.|Moving Day]] |rocks)[($onceflag: "<br>Throw a rock at the upstairs window.", "The rock bounces off the window with a clatter. There’s sounds of motion from the house, and then a click from the door.", "doorunlocked")]Through the front door is not the house you once knew, but something different. A massive greenhouse, muted light shining down through panes of glass, with rows and rows of flowerpots on tables, all empty. Gardening tools and supplies sit on wire shelves nearby. For a moment, you think you hear sounds of movement at the other end of the greenhouse, but when you turn to look, there’s no one there. One larger flowerpot stands in an open area near the entrance. ($takeable: "sapling", "", "An uprooted sapling with wilted leaves", " lies on the ground next to it.", "You carefully pick up the sapling.")(if: not ($isunmoved: "pruning shears"))[In it, a sapling stands, covered in pink blossoms.](elseif: ($hasflag: "saplingstick"))[In it, a sapling stands, supported by a sturdy stick.](elseif: ($istrashed: "sapling"))[In it, a wilted sapling leans heavily, pulled down by its own weight, as if it’s about to fall out of the pot.] {= [[Go back outside.|Front of House]] |sapling)[(link: "<br>Plant the sapling in the flowerpot.")[($trash: "sapling")($dialog: "You dig a hole in the soil in the large flowerpot with a trowel and do your best to plant the sapling, but it's still bent over by its own weight.")]] |sticks)[(if: ($istrashed: "sapling") and not ($hasflag: "saplingstick"))[(link: "<br>Use a stick to support the sapling.")[(go-to: "Moving Second Answer")]]]You place a sturdy stick in the soil of the flowerpot and tie the sapling to it with some twine. It stands straight now, at least. You rummage around for a watering can and give it a nice soak, and after a moment, its leaves are lush and green and full of life. It makes you think of when you lived in this house, how safe and familiar it was to be near your friends and family. And as you gaze at the flourishing leaves, a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "saplingstick")($setflag: "movingdone") ($possibility: "If we'd just stayed in the home I knew, things would've been okay.", "stayed in the home I knew", "Bedroom")You halfheartedly run through some scales, somewhat out of tune. But then something about the scene, with the sapling and the light through the greenhouse, catches you, and you keep playing bits of half-remembered songs. It’s been so long since you played, and it makes you think about what things were like back then, before you moved across the country and left your old life behind. You get caught up in the music for a bit, and when you open your eyes the sapling has sprouted blossoms of a soft pink where none were before. And behind the sapling is someone else, dressed like a gardener, looking at you curiously. The figure from before? They look a bit like a younger version of yourself, but not the pretty, pristine, smilling figure from the photograph. No, they're covered in dirt with scratched-up arms and torn clothing. “So you came back for me after all,” they say. “A bit late now, don't you think?” {= ($trash: "violin") ($converse: "What do you mean?", "Playing A", 1)<br> ($converse: "I never should've left you behind.", "Playing A", 2)<br> ($converse: "That’s hardly fair.", "Playing A", 3)(if: $choice is 1)[“What do you mean?” you ask. “Surely you've figured it out by now,” the gardener replies. “I'm what you left behind, what you no longer needed.”](elseif: $choice is 2)[“I never should've left you behind,” you say. “Fat lot of good that does me now,” the gardnerer replies. “The real question is, what you're going to do with the parts you have left.”](else:)[“That’s hardly fair,” you object. “Fair, unfair, it’s all in the past, I suppose,” the gardener replies. “I guess you'll have to decide what to make of it.”] They then take a pair of pruning shears out of a pocket. “And I guess what you need to figure out is what to cut and what to keep now. But I think you'll need these to get where you need to go.” (link-reveal: "Take the pruning shears.", $world's ("pruning shears")'s style)[(go-to: "Playing B")]After you take the pruning shears, the gardener pauses for a minute, then sighs. “Good luck,” they say, looking a bit sad. “I'm sorry.” And then you blink, and they're nowhere to be seen. But you still have the sense that they're around here, somewhere. {= ($take: "pruning shears") [[Continue->Greenhouse]]The two of you were so young back then, dressed in practical jeans and t-shirts, ready for the move. Has it really only been five years? It feels like a different lifetime. The two of you are smiling obligingly for the camera. It looks creepier, somehow, in three dimensions, in stopped time. Is there some tension in your expression showing your worry, even this far back? Or is it just your imagination, knowing what you know now? [[Consider yourself from a different angle.|Behind Figures]] [[Step away.|Moving Day]]Walking around the past versions of yourself and $yourex, you don't find the backs of your shirts and your arms around each others' shoulders. Instead, somehow, you find a tangled mass of bushes and brambles. It extends between the two of you, impossibly large for the space there should be, with the van so close by. A trellis archway leads inward, with (if: ($hasflag: "mazelit"))[a path lit by starlight](else:)[many twisting pathways behind]. [[Enter the archway.|Maze Entrance]] [[Go back around the figures.|Moving Day Figures]]The hedge maze entrance feels more like a branching tunnel, the bushes so overgrown they block out the sky. (if: ($hasflag: "mazelit"))[Stars glimmer here and there among the branches, leading a path through the maze.](else:)[Countless branching paths lead in various directions.] {= (if: not ($hasflag: "mazelit"))[(link-repeat: "Go left.")[(dialog: "You wander through the maze aimlessly for a bit, ending up back at the entrance with no better idea how to find the center.", "Continue")]<br>] (if: not ($hasflag: "mazelit"))[(link-repeat: "Go right.")[(dialog: "You wander through the maze aimlessly for a bit, ending up back at the entrance with no better idea how to find the center.", "Continue")]<br>] (if: ($hasflag: "mazelit"))[[[Follow the stars.|Maze Deep]]<br>] [[Leave the maze.|Behind Figures]] |mug-of-insight)[(link-repeat: "<br>Pour out some light.")[($dialog: "The light from your mug runs along the ground like water and soon fades away.")]] |stars)[($onceflag: "<br>Scatter some stars.", "You toss stars all about, and they dance around to highlight a particular path through the maze.", "mazelit")]You travel through the maze. The glimmering stars make it pretty, but you seem to have come to a dead end right when you feel like you're almost at the center of the maze.(if: ($isunmoved: "violin"))[ (link-reveal-goto: "Your old violin", "Taking Violin", $world's violin's style)[($take: "violin")] sits incongruously here, partially under a bush.] {= [[Go back.|Maze Entrance]] |pruning-shears)[<br>[[Cut a passage deeper into the maze.->Moving Third Answer]]]In the real world, you sold your violin before moving. You weren't going to have anyone to play it with anymore, anyways. Just one more thing you had to leave behind. You pick it up now, carefully, by the neck. It feels both strange and familiar at the same time. You spot the bow on the ground and take it as well. [[Continue|Maze Deep]]You cut your way into the center of the maze and find yourself in an open clearing. Looking up at the sky, you can see the glimmering stars and the shining moon, and you pause a moment, beholding the peace of the night sky. It fills you with a sense of perspective, of openness and honesty. It’s not really about one agreement or one move, however big they might loom in your memory. The need is bigger. And as your eyes trace patterns in the stars, a possibility echoes in your mind:($trash: "pruning shears")($setflag: "movingdone") ($possibility: "I need us to be able to be open and honest about what we want.", "for everyone to be open and honest about what they want", "Bedroom")The photo shows you and $yourex standing on a boardwalk above where he'd written “Marry me?” in the sand.(if: ($hasflag: "proposaldone"))[ You think you’ve gotten everything you're going to out of this memory for now.] {= (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[ (link: "Take the photo.<br>", $world's ("proposal photo")'s style)[($take: "proposal photo")(dialog: "You grab the photo off the wall.", "Continue")(go-to: "Living Room")] (link: "Rip up the photo.<br>")[($trash: "proposal photo")(dialog: "You remove the photo from its frame and tear it into little pieces.", "Continue")(go-to: "Living Room")] ] [[Look elsewhere.|Living Room]] |mug-of-insight)[(if: not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[($transition_to: "<br>Pour insight on the photo.", "Proposal Photo", "proposal")]]It’s a beautiful spot, where the restaurant opens onto the boardwalk and your table stands apart. Past versions of you and $yourex are standing on the boardwalk, looking out at the ocean, with the words still visible in the sand off to the side. (if: not ($hasflag: "dug"))[His scrawled “Marry me?” and your simple “yes,” not yet touched by the waves.] Steps lead down from here to that area of the beach, and behind you is your table. A small bronze sculpture of a conch shell sits near the edge of the boardwalk. (if: ($hasflag:"jugsmash") and not ($hasflag: "outshell"))[You can see the trunk of a tiny, trembling elephant sticking out of the metal shell.] {= ($takeable: "fishing rod", "", "A fishing rod", " leans against the boardwalk railing.<p>", "You take the fishing rod.") (if: ($hasflag:"outtrap") and not ($hasflag: "elephant"))[The [[elephant|Elephant]], now the size of a small dog, stands before you and $yourex.<p>] [[Walk down the steps.|Beach]]<br> [[Head to your table.|Restaurant Table]]<br> ($return_to: "Return to the present.", "Living Room") |peanuts)[(if:($hasflag:"jugsmash"))[(link:"<br>Bribe the elephant.")[($trash: "peanuts")($setflag:"outshell")($dialog:"You lay out peanuts next to the bronze conch shell, just out of reach of the dangling trunk. The trunk twitches, sniffing, and then the elephant, which appears somehow slightly larger than before, rushes out of the shell. As soon as it’s grabbed the peanuts, it runs off towards the beach and out of sight.")]]] |mouse)[(link: "<br>Put the mouse by the shell.")[($dialog: "The mouse sniffs the shell but is too large to fit inside.")]]You approach the elephant cautiously, and it doesn't run. You look it straight in the eyes and it looks back. You didn't look hard or thoughtfully at anything that night, caught up in the proposal and the romance of it. As you face the elephant, a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "elephant")($setflag: "proposaldone") ($possibility: "I should have thought through the problems I knew we weren't addressing.", "thought through our unspoken problems before getting engaged", "Living Room")The sand here is still damp from high tide and shows signs of many feet and shovels that have come and gone. (if: not ($hasflag: "dug"))[The words, "Marry me?" and "yes" stand out against the surrounding shore.](if: not ($hasflag: "jugsmash"))[<p>There is also a brown glass jug left nearby. Maybe it's a trick of the light, but it seems like it's rocking back and forth slightly.] [[Steps lead up|Proposal Photo]] to the restaurant's boardwalk above. At this level, you can see the space underneath the boardwalk. You could even [[duck under there|Under the Boardwalk]]. The beach continues on for a ways [[toward a mooring post|Mooring Post]]. {= |rocks)[(link: "<br>Smash the jug.")[($setflag: "jugsmash")(dialog: "You smash the jug with a big stone. A miniscule elephant runs out with a high-pitched trumpet and darts away up the stairs.", "Continue")(go-to: "Beach")]] |beach-shovel)[(link: "<br>Dig.")[($setflag:"dug")($trash: "beach shovel")(go-to: "Proposal Third Answer")]]You dig with the shovel under the words, removing a surprisingly thin layer of sand before you hit something more solid. Underneath the sand, there's a bottle with a note in it— and another — and another — and another! As you unearth the bottles, you notice your own handwriting on the messages inside. So many messages you wrote $yourex, left buried... You think about the discussions you started, but never finished. Even that night, you'd hoped to work through something, but then $yourex proposed and you can't even remember what it was you'd been trying to talk about. As you look over all the messages in their sandy bottles, a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "proposaldig")($setflag: "proposaldone") ($possibility: "I need to address issues as they come up rather than leaving them buried.", "to address issues as they come up rather than leaving them buried", "Living Room")This stretch of beach features a large post at the edge of the water. It's solid wood, sturdy despite signs of use over the years. (if: ($hasflag: "outtrap"))[The remains of a lobster trap lie on the sand nearby.](else:)[There is a [[lobster trap|Lobster Trap]] lying on the sand nearby.] Across the sand, there is a rocky outcropping. (if: ($hasflag: "boatin"))[There is a rowboat beached on the sand next to the post.($takeable: "hammer and nails", " ", "A hammer and nails", " are visible in an open toolbox inside the rowboat.", "You grab the hammer and nails.")](else:)[Out beyond the post, you catch sight of a lonely rowboat, adrift in the ocean. It bobs in the waves, but there doesn't seem to be anyone around.] {= [[Head back up the beach.|Beach]]<br> [[Approach the outcropping.|Outside Cave]] |fishing-rod)[(if: not ($hasflag: "boatin"))[(link: "<br>Hook the rowboat with the fishing rod.")[($setflag: "boatin")($dialog: "You catch the stray rowboat and pull it gently onto the shore.")]]]As you approach the outcropping, you see that there is a small, dark cave worn into the rock. Maybe if you had a light source, you could crawl in. {= [[Go back to the mooring post.|Mooring Post]] |mug-of-insight)[(link: "<br>Pour light from the mug into the cave.") [($dialog: "The light from your mug evaporates too quickly to light your path.")]] |stars)[(link: "<br>Light the way into the cave.") [(go-to: "Inside Cave")]]With your stars to light the way, you crawl into the small opening in the outcropping and emerge into a cave that's larger than it appeared from the outside. Starlight reflects off of amethyst crystals in the cave walls. (if: not ($isunmoved: "beach shovel"))[A deep pit sits off to one side.](else-if: ($hasflag: "batgone"))[A deep pit sits off to one side with a plastic beach shovel at the bottom.](else:)[A large bat with red eyes flits about over a large pit, clutching a beach shovel in its claws.] {= [[Crawl back the way you came.|Outside Cave]] |rocks)[(if: not ($hasflag: "batgone"))[(link:"<br>Throw a rock at the bat.")[($dialog: "The bat easily dodges your throw, screeching wildly as if to mock such an ordinary attack.")]]] |garlicky-rock)[(if: not ($hasflag: "batgone"))[(link:"<br>Throw the garlicky rock at the bat.")[($setflag: "batgone")($trash: "garlicky rock")($dialog: "You hit the bat squarely with the garlicky rock and it shrieks as it reels back from the blow, dropping the shovel and flying off into the shadows. The shovel falls, too quickly for you to react, into the pit.")]]] |fishing-rod)[(if: ($hasflag: "batgone") and ($isunmoved: "beach shovel"))[(link: "<br>Hook the beach shovel with the fishing rod.")[($take:"beach shovel")($dialog: "You manage to catch the shovel with your fishing hook and pull it out of the pit.")]]]A quaint wooden lobster trap is lying on the sand, where it can't do much good catching lobsters. (if: ($hasflag:"outshell") and not ($hasflag: "outtrap"))[The elephant, bigger than a lobster now but still rather small for an elephant, is caught in the lobster trap.] {= [[Back|Mooring Post]] |mouse)[(if: ($hasflag:"outshell") and not ($hasflag: "outtrap"))[(link:"<br>Release the mouse.")[($trash:"mouse")($setflag:"outtrap")(dialog:"When you let the mouse go, it rushes toward the lobster trap. The elephant, watching, panics and struggles against the trap. Is it starting to grow? As the mouse skitters around the trap, the frantic elephant bursts through the lobster trap and runs off toward the boardwalk. It continues to increase in size as it goes.", "Continue")(go-to: "Mooring Post")]]]{= <p>It's a little shadowy down here, but light from the restaurant makes its way between the wood slats. Two large posts hold up the boardwalk above. (if: ($hasflag:"reinforce"))[Though the one closest to you looks old and worn, it stands strong with the help of a large stick nailed to it.](else:)[The one closest to you seems to be disintegrating, worn by the waves and shedding pieces of rotten wood onto the sand around it. When you touch it, the post wobbles slightly.](if: ($isunmoved: "mouse"))[<p>There is a small [[burrow|Burrow]] in the sand between the posts.] <p>[[Head back to the beach.|Beach]] |hammer-and-nails)[(if: ($has: "sticks"))[(link: "<br>Reinforce the post with sticks.")[($trash: "hammer and nails")($setflag:"reinforce")(go-to: "Proposal First Answer")]]] |sticks)[(link: "<br>Reinforce the post with sticks.")[(if: ($has: "hammer and nails"))[($trash: "hammer and nails")($setflag:"reinforce")(go-to: "Proposal First Answer")](else:)[($dialog: "One of your sticks would be perfect to bolster the post, if you had something to attach it with.")]]]This is a mouse-sized entrance to what appears to be a mouse-sized dwelling. {= [[Back|Under the Boardwalk]] |cheese)[(link:"<br>Bribe the mouse.")[($trash:"cheese")($take:"mouse")($dialog:"You place the cheese at the burrow entrance, and after a moment, a cute mouse emerges. It eagerly devours the cheese, then pauses to look at you. It inches closer, curious. It seems so friendly! When you hold out a tentative hand, the mouse climbs into your palm.")]]The lights are low, and the table is spread with an elegant tablecloth and the dishes left from your meal. On the center of the table is a fancy (if: ($isunmoved: "cheese"))[($takeable: "cheese", "", "cheese", "", "You grab a piece of cheese from the board.")](else:)[cheese] and (if: ($isunmoved: "peanuts"))[($takeable: "peanuts", "","nut", "", "You gather up a handful of peanuts from the board.")](else:)[nut] board, including a garlic spread, (if: ($isunmoved: "cheese") and ($isunmoved: "peanuts"))[as of yet uneaten](else:)[mostly untouched]. {= [[Head back to the boardwalk.|Proposal Photo]] |rocks)[(link:"<br>Dip a rock in garlic spread.")[($take:"garlicky rock")($dialog: "Your rock now smells distinctly garlicky.")]]You choose the strongest of the sticks and nail it to the post. You try to wiggle it but it stands, sturdy. There. Solid. Just like a foundation should be. As you step back to admire your handiwork, you think about how it felt that night, the doubts you let eat away at the decision you were making. Crouched under the boardwalk, surrounded by the sound of the waves, a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "proposalstick")($setflag: "proposaldone") ($possibility: "Things went wrong when I wasn't confident in the commitment I was making.", "when I didn't commit with confidence", "Living Room")The kitchen is a cramped room(if: ($hasflag: "cleandishes"))[ with](else:)[, with dirty dishes in the sink and] a floor that hasn't been mopped in a while.(if: ($isunmoved: "party photo"))[ [[A photograph|Party Photo]] is stuck to the fridge with a magnet.] There is [[a phone]] hanging on the wall. {= (if: ($hasflag: "endgame") and not ($hasflag: "cleandishes") )[ (link: "Wash the dishes.<br>")[($setflag: "cleandishes")($dialog: "You spend a few minutes washing the dishes one last time.")] ] [[Go back to the living room.|Living Room]]The photo shows you, $yourex, and a couple of your friends at your last birthday party.(if: ($hasflag: "partydone"))[ You think you’ve gotten everything you're going to out of this memory for now.] {= (if: ($hasflag: "endgame"))[ (link: "Take the photo.<br>", $world's ("party photo")'s style)[($take: "party photo")(dialog: "You grab the photo off the fridge.", "Continue")(go-to: "the kitchen")] (link: "Rip up the photo.<br>")[($trash: "party photo")(dialog: "You remove the photo from the fridge and tear it into little pieces.", "Continue")(go-to: "the kitchen")] ] [[Look elsewhere.|the kitchen]] |mug-of-insight)[(if: not ($hasflag: "endgame"))[($transition_to: "<br>Pour insight on the photo.", "Party", "party")]]The party was at the same apartment. You, $yourex, and the two friends squeezed onto the couch with silly paper hats he'd picked out($takeable: "wrapping paper", ", ", "crumpled wrapping paper", " scattered around from your presents earlier", "You gather up the discarded wrapping paper."). The place looks the same, down to the same boardwalk photo above the couch(if: ($hasflag: "spotlight"))[, except for a hazy aura of light around the you at the party]. But when you look in front of the figures, where you remember propping the camera on the TV, there's no TV to be found. Instead, you see row after row of empty velvet chairs, below the edge of some sort of stage. (if: ($hasflag: "rugup"))[[[A turtle]] is nearby, previously covered by the rug.](else:)[(You also notice that [[the rug]], while otherwise indistinguishable from the rug in your living room, has an obvious lump.)] [[Examine the figures.|Party Figures]] [[Walk to the edge of the stage.|Edge of Stage]] [[Explore behind the backdrop representing the living room wall.|Behind Living Room]] ($return_to: "Return to the present.", "the kitchen"){= <p>The four of you are all smiling, posed like you're sharing the funniest joke. Is your smile (if: ($istrashed: "mask"))[a little forced](else:)[rather slight] compared to the others? Not such that you could really know for sure, looking at a photo. (if: ($hasflag:"spotlight") and not ($hasflag: "partydone"))[<p>The light from the spotlight shines down on you in that frozen moment, illuminating an aura around you. As you approach, it looks far less hazy and more like translucent... armor? Yes, you can see a full suit, including a (print: $helmets's 1st) as well as interlocking plates that somehow look both strong and ethereal. When you reach out to touch it, the armor feels cold and inflexible; not just the plates, but the straps and buckles too.] <p> (if:($hasflag:"spotlight") and not ($hasflag: "partydone") and not ($hasflag:"triphazard"))[(link: "Take off the armor.<br>")[($setflag:"jester")(dialog: "You unbuckle the strap at your past self's chin and pull off the translucent (print: $helmets's 1st). Just as you set it down, you hear a jingle of bells and catch a glimpse of a jester, rushing from behind the couch! He slides a (print: $helmets's 2nd) over your past self's head, then vanishes back where he came from, leaving you feeling shaken but not fully surprised.", "Continue")(set: $helmets to (rotated: -1, ...$helmets))(goto: "Party Figures")]] (if: ($hasflag: "triphazard") and not ($hasflag: "partydone") and not ($hasflag: "partythirdanswer"))[(link:"Take off the armor again.<br>")[(go-to: "Party Third Answer")]] [[Move along.|Party]] |mask)[(link: "<br>Put the smiling mask on your past self.")[($trash: "mask")(go-to: "Party First Answer")]] |banana-peel)[(if: ($hasflag: "jester"))[(link: "<br>Drop the banana peel behind the couch.")[($setflag:"triphazard")($trash: "banana peel")($dialog: "You place the banana peel on the floor behind the couch.")]]]You warily reach out and remove the (print: $helmets's 1st) from your past self's head. The jingle of bells comes again, but a moment later, you also hear a squish and a crash! The familiar jester slips on your banana peel and falls to the floor behind the couch. You set about removing the rest of the armor, then stand back to reassess the scene. You see yourself, underneath it all, holding back your sadness, and $yourex, uncertain, but trying to channel enough joy for both of you. As you turn to focus on him, you notice how the edge of the spotlight's beam catches his arm, glinting off his own translucent, interlocking plates. A possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "partythirdanswer")($setflag: "partydone") ($possibility:"I need to be able to share in vulnerability.", "to be able to share in vulnerability", "the kitchen")The mask melds with your past self's face, and you see your smile widen, bigger even than the ones next to you. And as you look at this cheery scene, you think about how much effort $yourex put into your birthday party to try to cheer you up. He'd gone all out with the decorations, and the gifts, and the cake. He'd really tried to make it your perfect party. If you were having trouble feeling it, that's not his fault. And a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "partydone") ($possibility: "Things went wrong when I stopped being happy with everything I had.", "when I stopped being happy with what I had", "the kitchen")It's a faded oriental rug, servicable enough, except for the large and obvious lump in the middle. The edges of the rug are fastened to the floor with large staples. {= (link-repeat: "Smooth out the lump.<br>")[($dialog: "There's definitely something solid under there. It wiggles.")] (link-repeat: "Lift the carpet.<br>")[($dialog: "The staples are in too deeply for you to get them up with your bare hands.")] [[Move on.|Party]] |scissors)[(link-repeat: "<br>Cut the carpet with the scissors.")[($dialog: "The carpet is too thick to yield to safety scissors.")]] |crowbar)[(link: "<br>Pry up the staples.")[($setflag: "rugup")(dialog: "You use the crowbar to pry up the staples, allowing you to move the rug.")(go-to: "A turtle")]]You've moved your faded oriental rug aside to reveal a large green sea turtle. (if: ($hasflag: "turtleflipped") and ($hasflag: "netcut"))[It still looks rather forlorn and frustrated, despite its freedom. A bit like you remember feeling. Then again, you're not a herpetologist.(if: not ($hasflag: "turtlefed"))[ Maybe it's just hungry.]](else:)[It's (if: not ($hasflag: "turtleflipped"))[on its back](if: not ($hasflag: "netcut") and not ($hasflag: "turtleflipped"))[ and ](if: not ($hasflag: "netcut"))[entangled in a net].] {= (if: not ($hasflag: "turtleflipped"))[(link-repeat: "Flip the turtle over.<br>")[($dialog: "You give the turtle a good shove, but it's too bulky to be easily flipped over.")]] [[Move on.|Party]] |crowbar)[(link: "<br>Lever it over with the crowbar.")[($setflag: "turtleflipped")($trash: "crowbar")($dialog: "With great effort you manage to lever the turtle right-way-up.")]] |scissors)[(if: not ($hasflag: "netcut"))[(link: "<br>Cut up the net.")[($setflag: "netcut")($trash: "scissors")($dialog: "You carefully cut the turtle free of the net.")]]] |banana)[(if: ($hasflag: "turtleflipped") and ($hasflag: "netcut"))[(link: "<br>Feed the turtle the banana.")[($trash: "banana")($take: "banana peel")($setflag:"turtlefed")(go-to: "Party Second Answer")]]]You peel the banana and offer it, piece by piece, to the turtle. The turtle almost looks thoughtful as it accepts each piece, then lies there, content. It's still the same turtle, but it's out in the open now, and you could help it find what it wanted. And as you meet its gaze, you think about how $yourex had this image of what you wanted, what would make you feel better, and paid more attention to that image than to what you were actually saying, what you actually needed. He expected you to just go along with his plans, with a smile on your face, without regard for what you were actually feeling. And a possibility echoes in your mind:($setflag: "partydone") ($possibility: "I shouldn't have let him sweep my feelings under the rug.", "not let him sweep things under the rug", "the kitchen")The theatre you seem to be in is completely empty and silent. The floor below the stage is about eight feet down.($takeable: "scissors", " ", "The scissors", " $yourex must've been using to wrap your presents somehow ended up discarded here.", "You pick up the scissors.") {= (link-repeat: "Hop down from the stage.")[($dialog: "It's too far down to jump safely.")]<br> [[Return to the “living room.”|Party]] |ladder)[<br>[[Climb down using the ladder.|Below Stage]]]Behind the false living room wall is dark and cavernous, with a catwalk high above.(if: ($isunmoved: "ladder"))[ [[A pile of wood scraps]] sits off to one side.] Some sandbags (if: ($hasflag: "sandbagsup"))[hang above](else:)[block] a doorway at the rear of the space. Ropes lead up from them to the catwalk. {= (if: ($hasflag: "sandbagsup"))[[[Proceed backstage through the doorway.|Backstage]]<br>] [[Return to the “living room.”|Party]] |scissors)[(link-repeat: "<br>Cut the ropes with the scissors.")[($dialog: "The ropes are too thick to yield to safety scissors.")]] |ladder)[<br>[[Climb up using the ladder.|Catwalk]]]This platform spans the length of the stage from high above it. From here, the party below looks small and odd, awkward. Along the stageside edge runs a long, sturdy pipe with a [[spotlight|Spotlight]] clamped to it, (if: ($hasflag: "spotlight")) [shining light on the figures below.] (else:) [but no light comes from it.] The ladder is the only way down, or at least the only way that wouldn't risk serious injury. A large basket hangs on a rope from the ceiling, (if: ($hasflag: "sandbagsup"))[weighed down by rocks](else:)[hoisted to about chest height]. {= [[Climb back down.|Behind Living Room]] |rocks)[($onceflag: "<br>Load the basket with rocks.", "You laboriously fill the basket with rocks, and it slowly lowers, lifting the sandbags up.", "sandbagsup")] |scissors)[(link-repeat: "<br>Cut the rope with the scissors.")[($dialog: "The rope is too thick to yield to safety scissors.")]]This large spotlight is pointed toward the stage. As you follow it with your eyes, you see your past self. (if: ($hasflag: "spotlight"))[It shines a gentle radiance down on you.](else:)[No light is coming from the spotlight, even though it appears to be switched on.] {= [[Move on.|Catwalk]] |stars)[($onceflag: "<br>Illuminate the spotlight.", "You place a star against the spotlight and it flickers, then settles to shine a bright beam down on the stage. In this new light, you can see a hazy shape around your past self.", "spotlight")] |mug-of-insight)[(link-repeat: "<br>Pour out some light from your mug.")[($dialog: "The light from your mug runs down from the spotlight, falls down to the stage, and vanishes.")]]Oddly shaped pieces of plywood, boards with nails sticking out, and other odd scraps sit jumpled here.(if: ($isunmoved: "ladder"))[ Digging through the pile, you notice two long, sturdy boards with regularly-spaced holes.] {= [[Move on.|Behind Living Room]] |sticks)[($oncetake: "<br>Connect the boards into a ladder with the sticks.", "You find the sticks fit perfectly into the boards' holes, forming a sturdy ladder.", "ladder")]{= <p>You're in a cluttered and dusty office behind the stage. <p>[[A cell phone]] sits on the desk, blinking in the dim light.($takeable: "banana", " Next to it is ", "a banana", ".", "You pick up the banana.") ($takeable: "crowbar", "<p>", "A crowbar", " leans against the desk.<br>", "You grab the crowbar.") <p>[[Return to the stage.|Behind Living Room]]It's your old cell phone. It has a text conversation between you and $yourex. (font: "monospace")[Happy Birthday! 🥳🥳🥳 ==> Some birthday I really hoped this one would work out <== It'll be okay No rush for a job Take the day off! ❤️❤️ ==> Yeah I guess <== Invited Dave and Clarisse over We'll party! 🎉🎉🎉 Take your mind off things ==> Idk Not great company <== Don't worry ❤️❤️❤️❤️ They're chill It'll be fun 😀😀😀] [[Move on.|Backstage]]You're standing on the floor of the theatre, between a sea of empty seats and the stage. The edge of the stage is richly decorated, with [[a mask]] featured prominently in the middle. [[Climb back up.|Edge of Stage]]Unlike many theatres, which pair a comedy and a tragedy mask, here there is just one mask, a tragedy mask with a huge frown, carved from marble. It's also a bit smaller than you might expect, life-size rather than something that dominates the front of the stage. There's a rough patch of marble next to it, where a matching mask might have been. {= [[Move on.|Below Stage]] |wrapping-paper)[<br>(if: ($has: "scissors"))[(link: "Cut the wrapping paper to make a smiling mask.")[($take: "mask")($trash: "wrapping paper")($dialog: "You cut around the marble mask with the scissors, and cut out eyes and a smile, and before long you have a surprisingly-convincing paper comedy mask.")]](else:)[(link-repeat: "Put the wrapping paper on the mask.")[($dialog: "You put the paper over the mask, but you're not sure what to do next.")]]] |scissors)[<br>(if: ($has: "wrapping paper"))[(link: "Cut the wrapping paper to make a smiling mask.")[($take: "mask")($trash: "wrapping paper")($dialog: "You cut around the marble mask with the scissors, and cut out eyes and a smile, and before long you have a surprisingly-convincing paper comedy mask.")]]]