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//You can't remember much of anything beyond the cave's walls. Everything you've ever needed—food, drink, medicine, new clothes—all of it she brought from...somewhere. You were always too young to think to ask where it all came from.//\n\n[[Forget the past.|cave]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
"<<if $food eq "crunchy">>A refined texture is perhaps the defining property of any good food.<<elseif $food eq "soft">>There's something inviting about a food which is easy to bite into.<<elseif $food eq "spicy">>Ah, adventurous with our culinary choices, are we?<<elseif $food eq "summer">>Eating a food which reminds us of and often may even elaborate upon times past can be a powerful experience.<<elseif $food eq "painting">>Good or bad, the taste of a simple bite of cuisine modest or otherwise can indeed conjure powerful, distinctive images.<<elseif $food eq "no taste">>Pardon the personal interjection, but I can't help but feel that a food which lacks taste isn't worthy of one's valuable time!<<elseif $food eq "">>That's just fine, then.<</if>>"\n\n"It would seem that we've made it to the end of the first round of questioning! Now, before I open these doors, would you by chance have any questions for me?"\n\n[[Yes, I do.|Ask some questions.]]\n\n[[No, no questions.|door 1 enter]]
//She replies, still facing forward. You don't need to see the expression on her face to feel her mutual disappointment.//\n\n"<<if $womananswer3 eq "you saw it">>Yeah, I definitely did. I saw the water, I saw the well.<<elseif $womananswer3 eq "what">>I don't know. That was my only plan.<<elseif $womananswer3 eq "plan">>Why? There's no use. We came this far. We'll die before we can make it back.<</if>>"\n\n//She looks back to you. It catches you off-guard. You notice the jolting pain in your arm again from when she dislocated it.//\n\n"Why did you willingly take a ride from a total stranger like that?"\n\n//You're a bit taken aback by the question, mostly because she hasn't spoken to you in what feels like hours. //\n\n[['"I don\s't...I guess I don\s't know."'|desert exit][$womananswer4 to "don't know"]]\n\n[['"Does it matter?"'|desert exit][$womananswer4 to "does it"]]\n\n[['"I just needed a ride."'|desert exit][$womananswer4 to "ride"]]\n\n[[Leave and exit to the hallway.|desert leave]]
//<<if previous() eq "river" or previous() eq "Wave him down to talk." or previous() eq "upstream" or previous() eq "Continue walking upstream.">>The wind blows everstill. The water continues to drift along the river. <<if $riverleave is false>><<set $riverleave to true>>As you begin to float upward back to the hallway, you notice something: the water which makes up the river is the clearest water you've ever seen.<</if>><<elseif previous() eq "cave" or previous() eq "Think back to the past.">>You begin to feel tired. The cot looks unusually welcoming today. You lay down in it without needing to look or think. You just drift away. <<if $caveleave is false>><<set $caveleave to true>>But first, you spot a small caterpillar crawling along the limestone above you. You're not sure what it's doing or where it's going, but it's here and now, and that's what matters most.<</if>><<else>><<if $basinleave is false>><<set $basinleave to true>>The water within the basin starts to drain. To where you don't know, but you didn't know where it was coming from in the first place. All you know is it's time to go now.<</if>><</if>>//\n<<if visited() is 1>><<set $numdoors += 1>><</if>>\n<<timed 12s>><<goto "center hallway 1">><</timed>>//
"THERE'S GOLD EVERYWHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//A strange, short woman stands in the center of a room of gold. It's true; there is, in fact, gold everywhere. You're almost a little bit nervous about stepping on any of the gold-plated floor tiles in fear of destroying any of it. Neither of you can remember what exactly it is that brought you here, but there are certainly worse places to wake up to with minor cases of amnesia. A speaker from an unknown point in (?) the room plays a recording of a German woman singing a traditional hymn over a chamber string quartet. Your friend meanwhile is losing her shit in a fantastical manner.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"WELP, DOWN THE HATCHES!" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//You're not sure if that expression fits this scenario, but whatever. She dives headfirst into a pile of gold coins, Scrooge McDuck-style. You lose her in the enormous fortune. You feel like there's some metaphor here for capitalism's tendency to purge people of their humanity, but who's that clever?//\n\n<<replacelink "Call out to the strange woman.">>//No response, as to be expected. The woman is likely knee deep in doubloontang (I'm sorry).//<</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Examine one of the coins.">>//They're all doubloons. Maybe the conquistadors visited this place at some point?//<</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Inhale the room's scent.">>//The room smells like aged death. You also pick up a trace of paint thinner...//\n\n[[Wait a minute.|gold 2]]<</replacelink>>\n\n<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]
"My job is to ensure that everything's running smoothly for clients; I ask questions and for feedback, I provide some small, idle chat for clients, I do some cleaning, some maintenance work...I've always been quite handy, used to do electrical work for a few warehouses a few blocks away but I messed up my back. This job's easier, so was just a natural fit for me. A no-brainer, if you will."\n\n"Anyway, do you have any more questions for me?"\n\n<<if not visited("who are you")>>[[Right...who are you, exactly?|who are you]]<</if>>\n\n<<if not visited("have you")>>[[You wouldn't by chance have tried using this place yourself, would you?|have you]]<</if>>\n\n[[No, no more questions.|door 1 enter]]
//The walls around you start to spin. Sure. Of course they do. That's probably the least ridiculous part of this whole ordeal.//\n<<if visited() is 1>><<set $numdoors += 1>><</if>>\n<<timed 8s>><<goto "center hallway 1">><</timed>>
//The boy rips and tears at the basin, splashing water every which way. You try to keep your phone covered from the torrential downpour by hiding it under your shirt and glancing at it every few seconds. Meanwhile, you watch as tourists and townsfolk go about their days, holding hands, sharing stories and laughs. Many of the other vendors have already begun packing up, but here you are, with a determined apple-bobbing straggler. It's not so bad, but it's been a long day. You're ready to get something of actual nutritional value in your stomach. For a moment, you lose yourself inside yourself, picturing the small good things waiting for you back home, on the other side of the country. It's not long now. You almost forget to glance down at your phone. Oops.\n\nFifty-two, fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five. You add the five seconds that weren't recorded and decide to call it.//\n\n"That's time!" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//You let the app run for a few more seconds until it hits one minute to cover your tracks. The boy lashes his head back, his face soaking wet. He's not gotten any apples.//\n\n"Not fair, this game must be rigged! I had at least three more seconds, I was counting!" \n\n"Technology doesn't lie, young man! And with that, I think it's about time for you to head home." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The boy doesn't move, arms crossed and pouting. This boy is...unusual, even by county fair standards.//\n\n"Where are your parents, anyway?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The boy doesn't acknowledge the question.// "I don't have any money, sir."\n\n//You're confused.// "What's that supposed to mean? My apples aren't for sale. You have to win them."\n\n//He's not budging. Sigh. You don't really have time for this, but you humor the boy still.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"I used up all my change on fair games, sir. I've got none left for the bus."\n\n"Well then, you can use my cell phone to call your parents and have them pick you up. It's no big deal, I've got unlimited minutes anyway."\n\n//The boy looks down.//\n\n"I don't think they can come get me." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//He tenses up and gets quiet. Perhaps it's best not to belabor the point. The song finishes and changes to 'One' by Metallica and the boy pipes up.//\n\n"Oh, awesome!" //he says. You can't remember if this one has curse words in it but let the moment ride out.//\n\n[['"So, you like metal, huh?"'|apples 5][$apples2 to "metal"]]\n\n[['"I have this saved because my sister loves it."'|apples 5][$apples2 to "sister"]]\n\n[['"I grew up practicing Kirk Hammett solos."'|apples 5][$apples2 to "solo"]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|apples leave]]
"<<if $growup eq "nobody">>Ah, well perhaps your experience here will be a familiar one. There's certainly nothing wrong with that.<<elseif $growup eq "hard">>Sometimes we just lack the words. I can't know much of that personally, but it's an experience which has been relayed to me by other visitors.<<elseif $growup eq "belong">>Does one ever truly belong?<<elseif $growup eq "unknown">>Your reticence intrigues me!<<elseif $growup eq "thoughts">>Maybe we might learn more of these inner workings at a later time.<<elseif $growup eq "don't remember">>I can relate to that, myself.<<elseif $growup eq "">>That's just fine.<</if>>"\n\n"Here is our last question, for now: what kind of food is your favorite to eat?"\n\n[[Something crunchy.|food answer][$food to "crunchy"]]\n\n[[Preferably something soft.|food answer][$food to "soft"]]\n\n[[I like spicy food.|food answer][$food to "spicy"]]\n\n[[Something that reminds me of a summer's day at the park.|food answer][$food to "summer"]]\n\n[[Something with a flavor like a painting.|food answer][$food to "painting"]]\n\n[[I don't really eat food for the taste.|food answer][$food to "no taste"]]\n\n[[I don't wish to answer this question.|food answer]]
//You feel at one with the stars, how they shine so brightly. As you sink into the sands beneath your feet, you can't help but stare at them with warmth.//\n<<if visited() is 1>><<set $numdoors += 1>><</if>>\n<<timed 12s>><<goto "center hallway 1">><</timed>>
//The mysterious woman hoists you up onto the rear end of the black horse's back. Your underside is hunched uncomfortably between the back of the saddle and the horse's rear end. The woman lets out a resounding //"hyah!"// and it's off to the races. \n\nLuckily, the both of you are headed in the same direction. You wonder what it is this woman herself may be after, but think it unwise to ask at this moment. She doesn't speak as the two of you (and Harold) glide past faraway settlements and outposts, with nature's detritus of sand and dust flowing directly at your exposed face as if it were a target. The early morning quarter moon is still. A pack of vultures soar above, patrolling the barren sands for a loose wolf, coyote or goat to snack on. You can see the stars tonight. Each twinkles individually in some sort of recognizable pattern. They communicate a message but you can't make it out, especially at these mach speeds. Harold crushes a sizable leopard-print iguana—itself in the midst of a vicious duel with a venemous diamondback—with his back hooves in his frenzied and frenetic stupor. His rider doesn't seem to notice or much care. You think to ask about where she's from, but small talk never interested you; you'd much rather wait out the ride in silence.//\n\n[[Sit and wait.|oasis arrival]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
<<nobr>><<set $trigger to "false">>\n<<script>>\n\tif(Save.autosave.has())\n\t{\n\t\tstate.active.variables.trigger = "true";\n }\n<</script>><</nobr>><<if $trigger eq "true">>Click below to either pick up where you left off or start a new playthrough. \n\nWarning! You can only have one save, so starting over will overwrite your save.\n\n<<click "Continue.">><<script>>Save.autosave.load();<</script>><</click>>\n\n[[Start over.|reset warning]]<<else>>To play this game, simply click the text which is highlighted relative to other text on-screen to advance to a different passage.\n\nThis game will automatically save your progress.\n\n[[Click here to begin.|Beginning]]<</if>>\n\n[[Credits.|End]]
A small portion of You Just Might Feel Something, by Devin Raposo.\n\nAll game assets, except where noted below, by Devin Raposo.\n\nThis game uses the [[Rokkitt-Regular|https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Rokkitt?selection.family=Rokkitt]] font which is Copyright (c) 2016, [[Vernon Adams|http://sansoxygen.com/]] and Kalapi Gajjar. Rokkitt is used and distributed under version 1.1 of the [[SIL Open Font License|http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=OFL_web]]. An offline text version of this license is available within the Licenses folder in the directory this game was extracted from.\n\nBuilt in [[Twine 1.4.2|http://twinery.org/]] with the [[SugarCube 2.12.1|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]] story format for Twine 1.4.2. SugarCube is Copyright (c) 2013-2017 Thomas Michael Edwards <tmedwards@motoslave.net>. Uses the replacelink and insertlink macros by Thomas Michael Edwards (variations on the originals by [[Leon Arnott|http://l.j-factor.com/]]).\n\nSpecial thanks to [[furkle|https://furkleindustries.com/]] for technical assistance.\n\nCopyright © Devin Raposo, 2017. All rights reserved. \n\n[[http://devinraposo.com/]]\n\n[[@dtraposo|https://twitter.com/dtraposo]]\n\nThank you for playing.\n\n<<if previous() eq "exit 2">><<timed 30s>><<goto "secret">><<script>>Save.autosave.delete();<</script>><</timed>><<click "Return to the beginning.">><<script>>Save.autosave.delete(); Engine.restart();<</script>><</click>><<elseif previous() eq "leave">><<click "Reenter refreshed.">><<script>>Save.autosave.delete(); Engine.restart();<</script>><</click>><<else>>[[Return to launch screen.|Start]]<</if>>
//The moment passes. It's hard to tell now what it means, but you figure it meant something. The parking garages close in on you, but you feel free somehow.//\n<<if visited() is 1>><<set $numdoors += 1>><</if>>\n<<timed 12s>><<goto "center hallway 1">><</timed>>
@font-face {\n\tfont-family: 'Rokkitt';\n\tsrc: url('Rokkitt-Regular.ttf');\n}\nbody, tw-story {\n\tfont-family: 'Rokkitt', serif;\n\tfont-size: 18px;\n}\n#story {\n\tmargin-left: 6.3em;\n}\n.passage {\n\t/* This only affects passages */\n\t\n\t\n}\n.passage a {\n\t/* This affects passage links */\n\t\n\t\n}\n.passage a:hover {\n\t/* This affects links while the cursor is over them */\n}\n/*! <<replacelink>> macro set for SugarCube 2.x */\n.revision-span-in {\n\topacity: 0;\n}\n.revision-span:not(.revision-span-out) {\n\t-webkit-transition: 1s;\n\ttransition: 1s;\n}\n.revision-span-out {\n\tposition: absolute;\n\topacity: 0;\n}\n\n\n/* Tags */\nbody.secret {\n\tbackground-image: [img[aoipsduopfijasdof]];\n\tbackground-size: cover;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.white {\n\tbackground-color: white;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.black {\n\tbackground-color: black;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.forest {\n\tbackground-color: #b76b3c;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.forest a {\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.forest a:hover {\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.cave {\n\tbackground-color: #512306;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.basin {\n\tbackground-color: #a5aad3;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.basin a {\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.basin a:hover {\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.underwater {\n\tbackground-color: #4250b5;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.darkgold {\n\tbackground-color: #D4AF37;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.darkgold a {\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.darkgold a:hover {\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.gold {\n\tbackground-color: #ffe114;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.pit {\n\tbackground-color: #63580a;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.romance {\n\tbackground-color: #7877c6;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.romance a {\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.romance a:hover {\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.romance2 {\n\tbackground-color: #5453a0;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.apples {\n\tbackground-color: #adedc9;\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.night {\n\tbackground-color: #423944;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.murder {\n\tbackground-color: #7f3214;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.desert {\n\tbackground-color: #0e2963;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.oasis {\n\tbackground-color: #4368b7;\n\tcolor: white;\n}\nbody.oasis a {\n\tcolor: black;\n}\nbody.oasis a:hover {\n\tcolor: black;\n}\n#ui-bar\n{\n display: none;\n}
"Splendid! Let's get back to it then, shall we?"\n\n[[Return to the hallway.|hallway 1]]
//She smiles. It warms your heart, and you forget about the rain for a moment.//\n\n"That's so great! Time does its thing. You deserve that."\n\n"Yeah, haha, I guess so..." //you say.\n\nShe pulls out her smartphone to check the time, and looks a bit alarmed.//\n\n"Oh, shit! I've only got a couple minutes to get back. Well, hey, this was really nice and unexpected."\n\n//She opens her car door and grabs something out of the glove box, stuffing it away in her right jean pocket.//\n\n"Yeah, what a small world!"\n\n//She smiles and starts walking toward one of the parking garages. So, this is it then. Your last bit together, at least for now.//\n\n[['"Do you wanna grab dinner or lunch sometime?"'|romance 7][$romance7 to "eat"]]\n\n[['"Are you free sometime next week?"'|romance 7][$romance7 to "free"]]\n\n[['"What are you up to tonight?"'|romance 7][$romance7 to "tonight"]]\n\n[['"Well, hey, you\s've got my number."'|romance 7][$romance7 to "number"]]\n\n[['"I\s'm sure we\s'll bump into each other again."'|romance 7][$romance7 to "bump"]]\n\n[['"See you later."'|romance 7][$romance7 to "later"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]
//She pockets her phone in her right coat pocket and takes her hands out of the pockets.//\n\n"<<if $romance2 eq "work shit">>Fuckin' right? Work's a bitch, lately. Nobody in the office has any idea what's going on, management isn't in control of anything, the smell...you know, bureaucracy bullshit.<<elseif $romance2 eq "quiet">>I'm glad someone else noticed it. Sometimes it feels like I'm the last person alive here! Haha, of course it's not true, but sometimes...I don't know. It's kinda eerie. Like Silent Hill, or something.<<else>>That's your 30's, for ya. People just kinda hang around, really. Doesn't matter if you're married, single, or whatever. Shit gets harder.<</if>>"\n\n//She pulls out a box of Marlboro Special Blend 100's and a lighter and points the open side of the box in your direction.//\n\n"Hmm?"\n\n[['"No thanks, I don\s't smoke."'|romance 4][$romance3 to "don't smoke"]]\n\n[['"Nah, I quit a couple years ago."'|romance 4][$romance3 to "quit"]]\n\n[['"Yeah, sure."'|romance 4][$romance3 to "sure"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]\n\n
"<<if $name eq "not fancy">>No need for modesty, there's something unique about everyone!<<elseif $name eq "simple">>Simplicity is often key.<<elseif $name eq "hard">>Often what is most difficult is the most rewarding.<<elseif $name eq "long">>We've got all the time in the world to facilitate each and every individual who stays with us.<<elseif $name eq "dad">>Hopefully mother agreed with him!<<elseif $name eq "mom">>Hopefully father agreed with her!<<elseif name eq "">>Right, then.<</if>>"\n\n"In any case, were you to change it, what kind of name would you prefer to have instead?"\n\n[[One that makes me sound strong.|books question][$preferredname to "strong"]]\n\n[[One that makes people wonder about me, in a good way.|books question][$preferredname to "wonder"]]\n\n[[Something both cute and original.|books question][$preferredname to "cute"]]\n\n[[I'd change it to something creepy so that people will leave me alone.|books question][$preferredname to "creepy"]]\n\n[[One that sounds mysterious in an ambiguous sense.|books question][$preferredname to "mysterious"]]\n\n[[I like my name how it is.|books question][$preferredname to "wouldn't"]]\n\n[[I don't wish to answer this question.|books question][$preferredname eq ""]]
//A black door stands in the way of...something. You're not sure what yet, but you can't help but wonder what could be on the other side. After all, you're paying for it.//\n\n<<if $triedexit1 eq false and $exit1locked eq true>><<set $triedexit1 to true>><<replacelink "Try to open it.">>//It doesn't budge. It's locked from the other side.//\n\n<<replacelink "Try opening it again.">>//It still will not open. The voice says nothing of your attempts to open the door.//\n\n<<replacelink "Third time's the charm.">>//Unsurprisingly, the door remains locked. The voice says nothing but you can't help but feel judged.//<</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</replacelink>><<elseif $triedexit1 eq true and $exit1locked eq true>>//The last time you tried opening this door, it was locked. You have no reason to think it might now be open.//<<elseif $exit1locked eq false>>//You heard the sound of a door unlocking before. The knob of the black door in front you pulsates a warm blue.//\n\n[[Try to open it.|exit 1]]<</if>>\n\n[[Return to the middle of the hallway.|center hallway 1]]\n\n[[Return to the beginning of the hallway.|hallway 1]]\n
//You wait around for a bit longer. The arachnotid continues to try struggling its way through the entryway, moving inch-by-inch every five minutes or so. What an oaf. This is like watching paint dry.\n\nI am just so tired.//\n\n[[Take the plunge.|gold 6]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]
//You turn the knob, pull and the door opens. You walk through the newly opened entryway and close the door behind you.\n\nYou stand now on a white rectangular platform with ornate guardrails blocking your fall in the middle of what seems to be an infinite black void, devoid of any and all human life. Not far down the path you see a white staircase spiraling upward.\n\nYou almost forget that your actions are being monitored until the voice reveals itself to you again.//\n\n"So, what'd you think?"\n\n//You look around for an audio source but are unable to find anything in the intense black. You walk forward a bit without saying anything and begin to proceed up along the staircase.//\n\n"That bad, huh?"\n\n[['"I\s'm not really sure yet what I think."'|exit 2][$exit to "not sure"]]\n\n[['"It was fine."'|exit 2][$exit to "fine"]]\n\n[['"I think I enjoyed all that."'|exit 2][$exit to "enjoyed"]]\n\n[['"This is an unusual place, you know."'|exit 2][$exit to "unusual"]]\n\n[['"I didn\s't really care for it all that much."'|exit 2][$exit to "not care"]]
<<if $desertpunch eq true>>//You quickly about-face, fist raised gallantly in the air like you were born for this. But it's almost as if the woman were ready for your frankly unnecessary attempt at violence, as she swiftly dislocates your arm with a quick jab of her left boot.//\n\n"Sorry, that sounded like it hurt." //Though it's you who should be apologizing.//<<else>>//You turn around to face the incoming threat on your life, to accept your destiny you've just now realized you're doomed to face. But the woman and her horse gradually slow to a full stop.//\n\n"Woah, there! It's time to make a new friend, Harold." //Luckily, she seems harmless.//<</if>>\n\n"I'm Alma. And you are?"\n\n[["Steven."|desert woman answer][$womananswer to "Steven"]]\n\n[["Martha."|desert woman answer][$womananswer to "Martha"]]\n\n[["I prefer not to answer."|desert woman answer][$womananswer to "none"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
<<set $rando to random(4)>>\n<<if $redirect eq "door1" and $door1 eq "">>\n\n<<if $default eq true>><<set $door1 to "river">><<goto "river">><</if>>\n\n<<if (($hair eq "long" or $hair eq "some") and $rando eq 0) or (($name eq "simple" or $name eq "not fancy") and $rando eq 1) or (($preferredname eq "wonder" or $preferredname eq "wouldn't") and $rando eq 2) or (($growup eq "thoughts" or $growup eq "nobody") and $rando eq 3) or (($food eq "soft" or $food eq "summer" or name eq "") and $rando eq 4)>><<set $door1 to "river">><<goto "river">>\n\n<<elseif (($hair eq "short" or $hair eq "plain") and $rando eq 0) or (($name eq "mom" or $name eq "long") and $rando eq 1) or (($preferredname eq "mysterious" or $preferredname eq "strong") and $rando eq 2) or (($growup eq "unknown" or $growup eq "don't remember") and $rando eq 3) or (($food eq "spicy" or $food eq "painting" or $preferredname eq "" or $food eq "") and $rando eq 4)>>\n<<set $door1 to "desert">><<goto "desert">>\n\n<<elseif (($hair eq "untidy" or $hair eq "none") and $rando eq 0) or (($name eq "hard" or $name eq "dad") and $rando eq 1) or (($preferredname eq "cute" or $preferredname eq "creepy") and $rando eq 2) or (($growup eq "hard" or $growup eq "not belong") and $rando eq 3) or (($food eq "crunchy" or $food eq "no taste" or $hair eq "" or $growup eq "") and $rando eq 4)>>\n<<set $door1 to "whatever">><<goto "whatever">>\n<<else>><<set $door1 to "river">><<goto "river">>\n<</if>><<else>><<goto $door1>><</if>>\n\n<!-- <<if $redirect eq "door2" and $door2 eq "">>\n\n<<if $default eq true>><<set $door2 to "">><<goto "">><</if>>\n\n<<else>><<goto $door2>><</if>>\n\n<<if $redirect eq "door3" and $door3 eq "">>\n\n<<if $default eq true>><<set $door3 to "">><<goto "">><</if>>\n\n<<else>><<goto $door3>><</if>>\n\n<<if $redirect eq "door4" and $door4 eq "">>\n\n<<if $default eq true>><<set $door4 to "">><<goto "">><</if>>\n\n<<else>><<goto $door4>><</if>>\n\n<<if $redirect eq "door5" and $door5 eq "">>\n\n<<if $default eq true>><<set $door5 to "">><<goto "">><</if>>\n\n<<else>><<goto $door5>><</if>>\n\n<<if $redirect eq "door6" and $door6 eq "">>\n\n<<if $default eq true>><<set $door6 to "">><<goto "">><</if>>\n\n<<else>><<goto $door6>><</if>> -->
<<set $default to true>>"If that is what you choose, so it shall be."\n\n"Do remember you can deactivate a room whenever you choose to. You'll be returned to the door by whence you came." \n\n"Since all is settled, please proceed onward through the door in front of you when you're ready."\n\n[[Enter.|door 1 open]]
//Your wounds heal. You wish she were here to join you in this precious moment in time. The butterflies flap their wings gently, while the moths buzz about. You notice their sounds more clearly than before.//\n\n[[Think about the past.]]\n\n<<if not visited("Take a dive.")>>[[Take a dive.]]<<else>>//The waters below are really hot on your face, but in a strange way it soothes.//<</if>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//The chief starts the ignition and the car starts to move forward on the rocky incline. Yet you do not move with it. You stay floating in place at that particularly awkward and uncomfortable angle. Worry not, dear friend, as this venture will be over soon. Just close your eyes and wait out the experience...//\n<<if visited() is 1>><<set $numdoors += 1>><</if>>\n<<timed 16s>><<goto "center hallway 1">><</timed>>
"Are you sure you wish to go with the default experience? Our systems can provide the user with a wonderful and unique experience based on a simple questionnaire."\n\n[[Answer the questions.|hair question]]\n\n[[Go with the default experience.]]
//At a muted distance, you hear the quotidian rhythm of sand being kicked up behind something...fast. A cheetah, perhaps? Or maybe a bear? A dog with a higher-than-mild case of rabies?\n\nYou are paralyzed by a fear of the unknown. All your life, you've trained to be a better, stronger person, all in pursuit of one day making this fabled trek. All those early morning exercises and light lunch breaks, all subsidized by your barely higher than minimum wage construction job working on the local sheriff's new veranda, it being built essentially for free by your contractor boss who killed his wife, was found out by the sheriff, and bargained out of it by pimping out his 'guys'. You know at the rate the operation is moving the business will be going under sooner rather than later; the writing's on the wall. So you woke up one day recently and decided, fuck it, this isn't what I'm supposed to do with my life, my life as it is has no purpose, I can't do this anymore, I want out, I want out and I need an out. And that's when you remembered the family triptych which lead you here.\n\nThe sound gets louder and louder as whatever that's decided to stalk you, to put you out of your misery, brings itself nearer and nearer. You clench a fist, grit your teeth and prepare for the worst.\n\n[[Turn around to attack whatever it is.|desert woman][$desertpunch to true]]\n\n[[Accept your fate.|desert woman][$desertpunch to false]]//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
"Oh, really? What are they, then?"\n\n[[Who are you, exactly?|who are you]]\n\n[[Remind me what I'll be doing here, exactly.|what you do]]\n\n[[Have you ever tried this?|have you]]\n\n[[Skip the questions.|door 1 enter]]
//Okay, so let's take stock. You woke up in a room, except in reality, it's probably just regular cobblestone, brick-and-mortar type stuff which somebody painted gold (mostly gold; some of it's just a sickly dark yellow). A person you don't remember meeting is way into it, but you're not because in some kind of a dissociative fugue state you seemingly killed a person who was also in the room and was painted gold (dark yellow, whatever). You don't know who this person is, only that they're now dead and slowly melding with the room you were just in in some kind of gold muck sludge orgy. Mondays, am I right?\n\nNow you stand in a dark hallway, with seemingly nowhere to go but forward.//\n\n<<replacelink "Walk forward unto the darkness.">>//It's more darkness. You can't see a thing unless you get close to the stone walls enclosing you. Unlike the previous room, these aren't painted gold. Yet.//\n\n<<replacelink "Keep walking forward.">>//Still more darkness abound. Something tells you in a ghastly whisper to turn back and just join that strange person in her gold indulgence, but that would be giving up, and you ain't no quitter. \n\nIn the distance, you spot a light. It's dim, but it's there.//\n\n<<replacelink "Just a little further to go.">>//Nope, fuck this, you're a quitter. A giant golden spider missing a leg emerges from a hole in the ceiling. It doesn't seem actively hostile to you but look at how big that fucker is!!! Seven legs!!! Who does that!?//\n\n"Do you know the answer to the riddle of legend's past? Or have you simply come here to rid me of my wares?" //says the spider creature. It looks pensive and bored at your appearance. It doesn't seem to much appreciate the exasperated look you're currently giving it. To be fair, it is a giant fucking spider and you're super not, so.//\n\n[['"I don\s't know any riddles."'|gold 4][$goldanswer to "riddles"]]\n\n[['"Why is everything gold?"'|gold 4][$goldanswer to "gold"]]\n\n[['"Why are you missing a leg?"'|gold 4][$goldanswer to "leg"]]\n\n[['"How do I get out of here?"'|gold 4][$goldanswer to "out"]]\n\n[['"Are you my mommy?"'|gold 4][$goldanswer to "mommy"]]<</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</replacelink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]
Are you sure you want to restart? All your progress will be lost.\n\n<<click "Restart.">><<script>>Save.autosave.delete(); Engine.restart();<</script>><</click>>\n\n[[Return to launch screen.|Start]]
//You walk through the gateway of dead palm fronds into the tiny, dank cave you grew up in, making sure not to hit your head on the stalactite formations growing from the ceiling. All of your old furnishings are right where you left them: the worn-out, tattered cot still stands up with a slight lean, lining the back wall of this cavernous room. Your lantern rests on a makeshift table made from old trim held together by a primitive adhesive of cedar sap, the whole thing adorned with pine cones, twigs, leaves and pine needles resting in pockets created by tears in the decaying stand's form. The lantern has long been out of fuel and is mostly for show. Old clothes are strewn about the ground, yours and hers.\n\nYou can practically navigate the place with your eyes closed, you know it so well. No light is needed to pinpoint the exact location on the leftmost wall where she pressed her print in blood as a final goodbye.//\n\n<<if not visited("Think back to the past.")>>[[Think back to the past.]]<<else>>//You tried to think back to what caused all of this to happen, but you never really knew in the first place.//<</if>>\n\n[[Exit through the fronds.|river]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
"<<if $preferredname eq "strong">>Strength comes in many forms; a name is just one of them.<<elseif $preferredname eq "wonder">>First impressions are often the most important; a strong choice, indeed.<<elseif $preferredname eq "cute">>Cute is always fashionable.<<elseif $preferredname eq "creepy">>A bold decision, but wise: there will never not be an abundance of strange folk about.<<elseif $preferredname eq "mysterious">>Everyone loves a good mystery!<<elseif $preferredname eq "wouldn't">>Sticking to your convictions; such confidence!<<else>>There is no need to respond if you do not wish to.<</if>>"\n\n"Just a couple more questions left, and we'll open the door."\n\n"On an unrelated note: have you read any good books lately?"\n\n[[Yes, several.|book style question][$numbooks to "several"]]\n\n[[Just one.|book style question][$numbooks to "one"]]\n\n[[No, I don't read much these days.|growup question][$numbooks to "none"]]
<<audio "rueiojfomioimroeqipwoerimqpowei" loop play>>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNyfbhfrfnarqvgrqirefvbabs4OnpxFrng4olPuelfgnOryy3Qnivq Ylapu\n\nnaqnavzntrsebzguvfivqrbolQePnffrggrGuggcfG<<jjj;lbhghor;pbz<jngpuLiJ04vSarrGa5p\n
//Dark storm clouds lingering above do their best to block your vision of the sky. But perhaps they do you a favor: standing alone with that special person in the empty faculty parking lot–flanked by desolate monolith parking garages and dead landmasses in every direction–it seems as if the universe and all the cosmos have specifically engineered this encounter for you. It is, namely, a moment, or so it would seem. \n\nShe's smiling, but at this slight distance it's hard to tell if it's out of nervousness or not. Still, the way her back leans against the trunk of her Chrysler...she seems relaxed. Hands in coat pockets, legs twisted up like a pretzel. Maybe this is your moment.//\n\n[['"Hey, Tamara! How are you doing?"'|romance 2][$romance1 to "how are you"]]\n\n[['"Fancy seeing you here, Tamara."'|romance 2][$romance1 to "fancy"]]\n\n[['"Sup, Tamara?"'|romance 2][$omance1 to "sup"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]\n\n
<<if $romance7 eq "eat">>//She stops and turns around.//\n\n"Oh, uh, sure! That'd be great. Text me sometime tomorrow!"<<elseif $romance7 eq "free">>//She stops and turns around.//\n\n"Yeah, I've got a couple days off. Text me sometime tomorrow!"<<elseif $romance7 eq "tonight">>//She stops and turns around.//\n\n"Well, actually I have to work pretty early tomorrow morning. But I'm free tomorrow, text me then!"<<elseif $romance7 eq "number">>//She looks back at you while continuing to walk forward.//\n\n"Yeah, let's for sure do something together soon!"<<elseif $romance7 eq "bump">>//She looks back at you while continuing to walk forward.//\n\n"For sure, you'll know where and when to find me!"<<else>>//She keeps walking forward while facing the same direction and holds up her right hand in a peace symbol.//\n\n"Yep, peace!"<</if>>\n\n<<if $romance7 eq "eat" or $romance7 eq "free" or $romance7 eq "tonight">>//She walks off and you feel elated! //<<elseif $romance7 eq "number" or $romance7 eq "bump">>//You couldn't bring yourself to flat out ask her out, but then again maybe you didn't really want to. There's something to be said for platonic friendship, and who knows? These kinds of things are modular and change all the time.//<<else>>//Maybe you just weren't feeling that certain spark. Something just didn't feel quite right about it.//<</if>>\n\n//You walk over to your car and just sit in the driver's seat for a bit to decompress. You certainly weren't expecting that particular topic getting brought up. Attempts at repressing the many memories you shared with Katie are futile. Feelings like that, they don't just flutter away like that and they never stop meaning something.\n\nYou wince and blink. The rain has subsided, and you are sitting in a car in an empty parking lot between four empty parking garages in the middle of nowhere. You can see clearly.//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]
<<if $romance3 eq "don't smoke">>//She removes a cigarette and closes the box, shoving it and the lighter into her left jean pocket.//\n\n"You're better off. It really is a nasty habit, can't kick it."<<elseif $romance3 eq "quit">>//She puts the cigarette box and lighter back into her coat pocket without taking one out for herself.//\n\n"Oh, sorry. I won't, then."<<else>>//She holds the box of cigarettes out for you to grab one. You shove it into your mouth and she lights it for you.//\n\n"They're cheap, but what are you gonna do, I guess."<</if>>\n\n//She stares off into the distance for a couple minutes. The two of you say nothing. It's good.\n\nShe inhales the cigarette and rips a pretty sick cloud. Impressive.//\n\n"So, how are things with you and Katie?"\n\n//A quick pause. You're not really sure what to say.//\n\n[['"We broke up a couple months ago, actually."'|romance 5][$romance4 to "broke up"]]\n\n[['"Things...didn\s't really work out."'|romance 5][$romance4 to "didn't"]]\n\n[['"...I wish I knew myself. She just up and stopped talking to me one day."'|romance 5][$romance4 to "knew"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]
//She pauses, holding her breath. Then she takes another puff from her cigarette and stamps it out in the pavement. You wish she didn't bring this up, but it's fine.//\n\n"<<if $romance4 eq "broke up">>Oh, fuck. That's...you guys were together for so long.<<elseif $romance4 eq "didn't">>Oh, wow...I'm sorry to hear that.<<else>>Wait, you mean just out of the blue like that?<</if>> That's...that's rough, Ignacio. I'm sorry I brought it up."\n\n"It's fine," //you say. That's all you can say, really.\n\nAnother pause, this one longer than the last. Awkward.\n\nThis time, you decide to speak up.//\n\n[['"It\s's, you know...some time\s's passed. It\s's over, you know. Done."'|romance 6]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]
//She looks up from her phone and casually waves at you.//\n\n"<<if $romance1 eq "how are you">>Oh, hey! I'm alright, I guess.<<elseif $romance1 eq "fancy">>Oh, hey! Heh, this is where I go for my lunch break.<<else>>Oh, hey! Hangin' out, I guess.<</if>> What's up with you?"\n\n//She stops leaning and walks toward you, still holding the smartphone in her right hand.//\n\n[['"Oh, not a whole lot, I guess. Work shit, the usual."'|romance 3][$romance2 to "work shit"]]\n\n[['"I\s'm just hanging around, I guess. Stuff\s's been pretty quiet around town, lately."'|romance 3][$romance3 to "quiet"]]\n\n[['"I...don\s't really know, actually. Feels like I\s'm just burning time, lately."'|romance 3][$romance3 to "don't know"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|romance leave]]
//You try to remember anything that doesn't in some way involve living in that strange cave, but have trouble. Some vague images conjure in your head: the inside of a car; poking your head out of the cave at night to see the stars while she slept; two large slices of bread with some meat, cheese and vegetables in the middle, all lathered with some strange, tangy yellow substance. None of it makes much sense when viewed apart, and especially not when woven together in an attempt to create some sort of narrative gestalt. It's all just meaningless imagery.\n\nYou shake it off and try to live for the moment again.//\n\n<<if not visited("Take a dive.")>>[[Take a dive.]]<<else>>//The waters below are really hot on your face, but in a strange way it soothes.//<</if>>\n\n[[Sit and think some more.]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//You walk, stumble, trip, fall, repeat for what seems like miles. As you walk, the waters seem determined to prematurely put an end to your journey.\n\nYou yearn for the luxuries of automated travel. How easily you could zoom up and over the stones and boulders which stifle your progress with a roaringly loud and decadently posche motorboat of some kind, or more stylishly, a jetski. So fast would you effortlessly speed up this hellish current, this River Styx, you wouldn't even need to lift a finger at those who who might balk at such ludicrous showboating! Pun not intended.// <<replacelink "->">>\n\n//Several hours and dozens more bruises later, the sun has almost completely let up, yet the waters seem warmer than ever before. A thick and misty steam permeates all around you. Losing light can be a big problem for drifters like yourself, but in combination with this tense fog, you start to justify your worry.//\n\n[[Push onward.|The Murky Hole]]<</replacelink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//You open your mouth to speak. You at once recognize yet can't place the sound that comes out of it.//\n\n<<insertlink "\s"Excuse me! Which way is it to the Murky Hole?\s"">>\n\n//Notoriously maligned, in any case the name stuck with the locals, or so you think you heard. <<if $preferredname eq "creepy" or $preferredname eq "">>The man looks over in your general direction, and spends a couple seconds trying to make eye contact with who it is that's shouting at him before he replies. Neck-deep in the rushing water, you look like just another spiky rock jutting out from the riverbed.//\n\n"Eh? What's that? Speak up, I can't hear ye'."\n\n//You pipe up a bit to elaborate.//\n\n<<insertlink "\s"I've heard about a place called the Murky Hole which can put you at ease. Do you know which way I should be going?\s"">>\n\n//At this, the curious man gets a serious case of the yelps, the hoots and the hollers.//\n\n"Why, I've seen my share of them in my time, but I'm old now! Listen, kid, take it from me, gettin' old sucks! Don't let it happen to you!"\n\n//The old man resumes walking along the riverbank. You figure you must be headed the right direction anyway and keep going about your way.//<</insertlink>><<elseif $preferredname eq "mysterious" or $preferredname eq "strong">>//The man stops to acknowledge the voice he just heard. He turns his head to look at you with an almost mechanical precision. His jet-black aviators pierce your gaze, his unflinching countenance like a Victorian-era sculpture, brutal and unrelenting. A few seconds of this pass, and the man continues walking as if nothing had happened.\n\nYou decide to try to flag the man down again.//\n\n<<insertlink "\s"Excuse me, sir, did you hear me? I'm looking for the basin where they say wounds heal quicker. Do you know where that is?\s"">>\n\n//The old man continues his stroll, intentionally ignoring your inquiries. You decide it best to leave him be.//\n\n[[Continue walking upstream.]]<</insertlink>><<else>>//The old woman's puppy starts to yelp, having heard you yelling her down for directions. It's plain to see that you already know how to get to the Murky Hole, but perhaps some companionship from a friendly-looking senior citizen might be welcome.\n\nThe woman looks over, her bifocals drooping a bit as she turns her head.//\n\n"Have you seen my cat, dear? She's all black with dark orange eyes and a white stripe going up her chest. Dougie here misses his best friend very much!"\n\n//You definitely have not seen a cat walking around lately, but strays visiting the area isn't unheard of.//\n\n<<insertlink "\s"No ma'am, I don't think I've seen your cat around. But could you tell me where the Murky Hole might be? I just want to be sure I'm going the right way, is all.\s"">>\n\n//The old woman stops to think for a second. Leaning her head back, her bifocals have now completely fallen off and just grazed her red stilettos. She doesn't seem to notice.//\n\n"I met him once at an old dive bar, just down the street there. He had two pennies to his name and the most beautiful golden watch you've ever seen. I could show you the place if you'd like."\n\n//As pleasant as that sounds, the Musky Hole seems to call your name. The woman seems misplaced, to put it lightly. You consider walking her home, but instead raise your left hand in goodbye. She walks on uncomfortably in those red stilettos all staccato-like, as if the exchange had never happened.//\n\n[[Continue walking upstream.]]<</insertlink>><</if>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
You Just Might Feel Something
"And please, do enjoy your stay..."\n\n\n<<timed 5s>><<goto "hallway 1">><</timed>>
"<<if $womananswer4 eq "don't know">>Hmm. Well, I'm sorry it came down to this regardless.<<elseif $womananswer4 eq "does it">>I suppose it doesn't. In any case, we've ended up here and must make the best of it.<<else>>How pragmatic. Lucky I showed up then!<</if>>"\n\n//You don't say anything in reply. The time for talk has passed.//\n\n"You know, I was after the oasis myself. Maybe for a different reason, but still. We had the same endgoal, and that's all that really matters."\n\n//You can barely catch your breath. How did she know you too were after the oasis' oracular powers? And what was she talking about in regards to a different reason for making the hike?\n\nYou still say nothing. The particulars of your mutual voyage didn't matter much. What did matter was you were here, that you could be close to someone who maybe saw the world a bit as you did. The stars continue to speak, and you can tell she hears them too.//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
"Excellent! Let's get started then, shall we?"\n\n//The door in front of you opens.//\n\n[[Enter.|door 1 open]]
<<if $goldanswer eq "riddles">>"Hah! No riddles, you say? How then do you expect to pass I, the Guardian Arachnotid, to reach the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos? Your attitude certainly won't be opening any doors for you."<<elseif $goldanswer eq "gold">>"Why? What does thou mean, why? It is as they say: there is no 'y' in gold. There is only 'g', as well as 'o', and 'l', and also 'd'. So say I, the great Guardian Arachnotid of the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos."<<elseif $goldanswer eq "leg">>"I am not missing any appendages. We arachnotids have four legs and three hands. It is simply a matter of practicality for us. Bah! I, the great and mighty Guardian Arachnotid of the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos might ask of you the same thing, feeble human!"<<elseif $goldanswer eq "out">>"Where is out, asks I, the Guardian Arachnotid of the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos? And what, then, is in? Does a dogeth barketh in the woodseth if not a souleth is thereeth to heareth itth? So goes my dearest mother's favorite soliloquy."<<else>>"Nay, silly human made of squash and tomato juice, I am the excellent Guardian Arachnotid and I guard this entryway into the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos, that most sacred of havens. Bestowed this hallowed role by the gods of all time, I was."<</if>>\n\n//<<if $goldanswer eq "riddles">>You're not sure what this altar business is about but it doesn't much interest you at this point in time.<<elseif $goldanswer eq "gold">>While indeed spelling was never your forte, you've no time for this condescending spider fellow and his tricks.<<elseif $goldanswer eq "leg">>Silly arachnotid! Everyone knows arachnotids have eleven legs and six hands. Tsk tsk. What a sheltered soul.<<elseif $goldanswer eq "out">>You were never much for freshmen philosophizing—mostly because you flunked out of your freshman philosophy class after rightly refusing to sleep with your seventy-year-old bags of skin and bones of a professor to get rid of your third 'F' on an exam in a row—so you certainly aren't interested in whatever this monster is on about.<<else>>If he's not your mommy, then he must be your sworn enemy. Shame you're lacking in the appropriate battle armor and weaponry necessary to do battle with a creature such as this—you were never much one for fisticuffs.<</if>> You simply amble your way around the creature. It does nothing to stop you.//\n\n"Wait, where are you going? I—stop—please—I can't lose this job!"\n\n//You're empathetic to the plight of the working class but you have no interest in graverobbing or pillaging his wares; you really just want to make your way out of here. Inside this room it's really as advertised by the arachnotid, a golden altar where sits a large gold-encrusted (???) duck thing. The arachnotid tries to enter the room behind you to rid the room of your presence but it's much too large to make it through the entryway. \n\nYou scour this circular holy place in search of an exit but find nothing of the sort. Great.//\n\n<<replacelink "Examine the room.">>//A large circular room, golden and empty, save for the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos. A fitting name; that thing really is just a large duck. Not sure about the 'aroos' part, though.//<</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Check your pockets.">>//The pockets of your black slacks are empty. You won't be shooting your way out of here anytime soon.//<</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Taste the potato chip on the ground.">>//You pick up a chip off the old block. I'll be here all night, folks. It's mesquite barbecue, kettle-cooked to perfection. A personal favorite of yours.//\n\n<<replacelink "Try another.">>//Sour cream and onion, with a hint of...chicken broth? And apple cider? You're not so much opposed to this combination as you are perplexed by it.//\n\n<<replacelink "Okay, just one more.">>//Basic cheddar. Can't go wrong with that. You're not sure how this will help you escape the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos but you're not complaining much either.//<</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</replacelink>>\n\n[[Walk around the room.|gold 5]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]
//After a few seconds of walking the circumference of the Altar of the Golden Duckaroos, you feel the floor beneath your right foot begin to descend. A click. The room starts to shake. The altar moves autonomously to your left and reveals a dark hole. You spot the remnants of a set of stairs, but gone are most of the steps. It seems risky to take the plunge, but if you stay here you'll surely die of starvation or dehydration, if the crazy-looking spider-arachnotid-thing doesn't get to you first.//\n\n[[Take a leap of faith.|gold 6]]\n\n[[Stay a little while longer.|gold 7]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]\n
//You close your eyes and jump in feet-first. For a brief few seconds you can make out arcane characters and sigils permeating the stone walls making up the hole, with no more traces of gold in sight. But a few more seconds pass, and it's only darkness. You descend at a blistering pace but don't scream. There's no point. Perhaps this is for the best. You'll be labeled a criminal, after all. You wonder if that strange woman will ever find a way to escape and actually put those counterfeit doubloons to good use. Still, if she's happy burying herself alive in it all, you suppose that's good enough for you. Not like your fate's much different.\n\nYour fall continues in perpetuity. You reach terminal velocity, going nowhere at lightspeed.//\n\n"This, I think...is like the government,"// you whisper to yourself. \n\nGreat work, champ.//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]
//Men and women in enormously gaudy trench coats crowd around a bloodied and battered corpse. One sports a giant camera with the flash on, taking shots for his dossier. A small boy sits on a desk, criss-cross applesauce, facing a wall. He says nothing. His mother stares at the scene pensively. She really got him good. Her baseball bat practically glows a crimson hue reflecting the spotlight above. She's indignant but self-assured, relieved. One of the men wolfs down a balogna sandwich.//\n\n"Time of death?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"I don't know." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Address?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"It's on his ID." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Mark it down as 'unknown'. Favorite band?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"He liked hip-hop, some R&B." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Right. 'Pearl Jam' it is." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"What were his last words before he tried to strike you?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"He said 'I got a new baseball bat for Ronny-Ron.'" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"And that's—" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"The one I'm holding, yes." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//There's not enough space in their one-room apartment for dissent, nowhere to hide from arguments, so stuff just gets laid on the table. The boy pulls out his Nintendo and a squiggly spring which hosts a UFO-ish light and starts hammering away at its tiny plastic buttons. Mom's reserved visage shifts to a smirk of enlightened victory.//\n\n"You gettin' all this?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//You look up from your notepad to reply.// \n\n"Aces, cap." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The room collectively grimace. Aces are for cards and pilots, and your lot don't much get on with military and/or other aviation types, what with Michelle from corporate's little, let's call it a "verbal slip-up" or maybe "aberration of the tongue."//\n\n"Who's Ace?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Not me." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Not I, sir." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Aces are for horseshoes and hand gre—" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The woman interjects.//\n\n"Wrong expression. Ronny's missing school, mates." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Right then. Miss, you do understand that the laws of self-defense in this state are a bit...complicated, yeah? I hope you have a smart lawyer on your side." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"His name's Stevey-C. And I done nothin' wrong." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Ma'am it's a bit more—" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"And I ain't goin' to jail today." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"You gettin' all this? She says she's not goin' to jail." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//A cacophony of laughter. The room can't control its insatiable amusement. The cameraman spills the foam coffee cup balanced on his head all over her laminate floor but it mixes in with the blood so it's probably fine. Even little Ronny-Ron joins in, though that might be because Mario just got impaled on a spike.//\n\n"Well, you heard the lady. We're going home, fellas." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//You stop work on your magnum opus, a chicken-scratch portrait of a mustache-toting t-rex wearing a top-hat eating filet mignon with a side portion of foie gras using its own wisdom tooth as a utencil. You think to question why the assailant gets away scot-free but value your position on the payroll too much.//\n\n"Oh, by the way," //he says,// "we're going to need two checks' worth of accommodation, and we're upping you to bi-weekly. Thought you oughta know." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Oh."\n\n//Three of you exit through her front door while you and another exit through her patio to hop the fence. You toss the small notepad over the vinyl lattice perimeter which apparently apartment complexes in this part of town have so it doesn't tear during your climb; there's essential stuff in there, for sure. \n\nYou all feel very cool when the five of you reach the getaway vehicle parked crooked on a dirt embankment in unison. Your group watch as Chief Tony and his assistant Siegfried trip on the loose toilet paper they've tangled themselves up in which was strewn about the front face of the apartment building. Never have you felt more in tune with a group of individuals than in this moment. The getaway driver is nowhere to be found and has likely skipped town at this point. Smart; the Big Mama Husslin' Crew are back in action, baby.//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|murder leave]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>
//Time passes and you're a little bit older. The water feels a bit cooler than it did when you first entered it, but that could just be you. Nothing much happens, though.//\n\n<<if not visited("Take a dive.")>>[[Take a dive.]]<<else>>//The waters below are really hot on your face, yet they sooth.//<</if>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//You turn around and notice both an exit hallway as well as boatloads of empty gold (some dark yellow) paint cans, paint stainer, dirty brushes, rollers, trays, a ten-foot ladder, and a painted-over dead body. There are probably better ways to hide a body but you're in no position to formulate rational questions right now.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"HEY, THERE'S A DEAD FUCKING BODY IN HERE!" //you yell to the gold (?????) pile.// "WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!!!" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The woman emerges from the pile of doubloons as if she were born a part of it. Coins (or maybe they're really bottle caps or miniature hockey pucks) stick to her body like leeches to a foolish camper just trying to enjoy a swim in the lake. Encumbered, her movement is slowed to a near-crawl.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Yeah, so what? We already knew that." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The hell could she be talking about?// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"The hell could you be talking about?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"You're the one who killed her!" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//Dun-dun-dun!!!!!!!!!// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Nice job 'dumping the load', if you know what I mean." //You don't.// "Pretty soon she'll be...swimming with the fishes." //I mean, she's already-// "...and eating her cake and having it too, if you catch my drift." //That's not-\n\nInappropriate non-humor aside, the matter of how and why you killed this person is prescient. The mysterious woman has already returned to her new abode of money. It's as if she's less concerned with the money as an object of currency and more interested in it as a means to stability, steadfast assurance and rest. Try as you do to come up with a pointed and witty metaphor about market collapse as a result of irresponsible economic decision-making on the part of your elected officials and the wider financial burden this places on the lower and middle-classes, you've got nothin'. Third time's the charm.//\n\n<<replacelink "Examine the body.">>//It's painted gold and stiff. You try your best to scratch off the paint which has seemingly become inexorably intertwined with this person's bodily makeup to no avail. There's no blood, just more gold paint splattered about the floor. It's as if this person is made of gold.//\n\n<<replacelink "Weigh the economic benefit of cashing in a person made of gold to some skeevy pawn shop against the potential drawbacks.">>//That will get you fucking arrested, idiot.//<</replacelink>><</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Eat a potato chip.">>//It won't solve your current dilemma, but it is salty and delicious. Also, disgusting.//<</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Sit on the ground criss-cross applesauce and think.">>//Ah, such a relaxing posture to assume. For a moment, you're brought back to halcyon days of childhood, throwing the ball around with your pals, climbing on the monkey bars, swinging super high on the swing set, tripping and falling, not finding yourself in the highly inplausible scenario of having apparently murdered a person painted gold...those were the days. \n\nYou stand back up and resume the murder-fear.//<</replacelink>>\n\n<<replacelink "Call down the exit hallway for help.">>//Nobody replies, which is probably a good thing. You did just murder somebody, after all.//\n\n[[Let sleeping dogs lie and check out what's down the hallway.|gold 3]]<</replacelink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|gold leave]]
"<<if $numbooks eq "several">>Ah, that's wonderful.<<else>>That's one more than most these days!<</if>>"\n\n"Do tell me, as I'm quite curious, what style of book<<if $numbooks eq "several">>s<</if>> have you been reading?"\n\n<<if $numbooks eq "several">>[[Murder mystery books.|growup question][$books to "murder mystery"]]<<elseif $numbooks eq "one">>[[A murder mystery book.|growup question][$books to "murder mystery"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if $numbooks eq "several">>[[I like romance novels.|growup question][$books to "romance"]]<<elseif $numbooks eq "one">>[[A romance novel.|growup question][$books to "romance"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if $numbooks eq "several">>[[It might sound weird, but I read a lot of horror manga.|growup question][$books to "horror manga"]]<<elseif $numbooks eq "one">>[[I'm reading the collected volume edition of a strange horror manga.|growup question][$books to "horror manga"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if $numbooks eq "several">>[[Lately, I've been into slice of life type stuff.|growup question][$books to "slice of life"]]<<elseif $numbooks eq "one">>[[I've been picking through a slice of life novella.|growup question][$books to "slice of life"]]<</if>>
data:image/jpg;base64,
//The ancient triptych which adorns one of the few walls in the adobe house you grew up in tells a symbolistic tale of a lost man who travelled from a faraway land to learn of his destiny at the oasis. Never again did his wife see him, and no one dared to echo his footsteps, and so the mysteries of the oasis' regenerative powers were cursed to never be explained by earthly means.\n\nThat man was your great-great-great-great grandfather, so your family keeps the tri-paneled display up on a wall otherwise reserved for family portraits both as an heirloom but mostly for the superb artistry of the thing. \n\nAgainst all the rationalizing, begging and pleading of your friends, family and colleagues, here you are, a soiled bag of skin and bones on the verge of death by a number of poor decisions. You rattle on up the eightieth or ninetieth sandy knoll, look to the distance, see more sand, and [[repeat.]]//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
//The strange woman, still perched on the saddle strapped to her majestic jet-black horse, grins widely. Her teeth are riddled with all sorts of oral diseases, infections and other maladies: gingivitis, oral herpes, mouth ulcers, leukoplakia. You name it, she probably had it in spades.//\n\n"<<if $womananswer2 eq "something">>I've no interest in material things, myself. But Harold here may be able to help you get to where you need to go.<<elseif $womananswer2 eq "somewhere">>We're all headed somewhere, honey. Me and Harold here, too. The question isn't where, though. It's when.<<else>>One of few words. I can appreciate that. Harold and I have a similar philosophy.<</if>>"\n\n//She stretches your way a helping hand, as if to signify you to join her. You figure there's not much left for you here but death and decay, so why not?//\n\n[[Take her hand.|horseback]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
//And yet...\n\nPerhaps it just wasn't meant to be. You seemed so close, but the basin which had at one point seemed as an ocean to you dissipated before your eyes as the two of you approached it. For a brief moment, everything had seemed in its right place, but now look at you: in the midst of a desert with no drink, no food, no shelter, stuck with a mysterious woman and a horse of seemingly magical ability. Maybe the snakes will spare you before dehydration or bodyrot set in.\n\nDamn your silence; now is the time to act.//\n\n[['"You saw it too, right? I\s'm not crazy!?"'|desert stop][$womananswer3 to "you saw it"]]\n\n[['"What do we do now?"'|desert stop][$womananswer3 to "what"]]\n\n[['"I think I have a plan to get us out of here."'|desert stop][$womananswer3 to "plan"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
//You dip your head beneath the water. <<if $hair eq "plain" or $hair eq "untidy" or $hair eq "long" or $hair eq "some">>Your hair is lifted upward by the force of buoyancy.<<elseif $hair eq "short">>Your short hair seems to do a weird dance from the water's buoyancy force.<<else>>Your exposed head is made uncomfortable by the slightly higher than warm temperatures of the basin's water.<</if>> You kick up some dirt and toss around a few pebbles at the bedrock underneath a slab formation protruding from the wall. It's all very pleasant. You come up for air after about forty seconds and return to your post.//\n\n<<if not visited("Think about the past.")>>[[Think about the past.]]<<elseif not visited("Sit and think some more.")>>[[Sit and think some more.]]<<else>>//Down there, your past doesn't exist. It might as well not. It's a doorway leading nowhere.//<</if>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//He lets out a meek and timid smile but doesn't speak at first. He positions his balloon-toting hand under the apples tarp and lets go of it so that it stays in place while he plays.//\n\n"I hope you're hungry today, 'cause we've got plenty of apples left." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"There's only time left for one today, sir."\n\n//True. You hold onto his balloon for him so the draft doesn't catch it.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Do you like this song, young man?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Not so much, sir." //He takes his shoes off for some reason and positions himself in front of the metal basin full of apples and warm water, which if you're being honest probably should be cleaned and refilled before an undercover health inspector notices. The boy doesn't much seem to care. He drops a dollar bill from his pocket into the donation jar as a courtesy.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Me neither." //You pull out your iPhone and set it to shuffle through random tracks off of one of your Spotify playlists appropriately titled 'summer jams'; it plays remotely through a wireless speaker perched on your table. 'Party Monster' by the Weeknd. Too adult. Skip. 'Sing Swan Song' by Can. In any other circumstance a strong choice, but for now maybe something a little more...pedestrian? Next. 'I Float Alone' by Julee Cruise. Trying to stay awake a little while longer here. Next.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//Ah, there we go. Nina Simone's cover of 'To Love Somebody' recorded in Antibes, '69. Nice. The boy winces.//\n\n"I'm master of ceremonies here, son." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"You got any Metallica, sir?"\n\n"Sure do." //You don't change the song. The boy stares at you oddly then assumes the bobbing position.//\n\n"You've got one minute to grab an apple. No hands. Teeth only. Got th—" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"I read the rules already, sir." //He looks up from the apple basin and points at your crudely mocked-up cardboard sign duct-taped to one of the tarp's poles.//\n\n[['"Right, then. Let\s's get a move on."'|apples 3][$apples to "right"]]\n\n[['"It\s's protocol, kid. I gotta say it."'|apples 3][$apples to "protocol"]]\n\n[['"So are you ready or what?"'|apples 3][$apples to "ready"]]\n\n<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|apples leave]]
//The moonlight guides Marlene along the avenues and streets which make up Jonesborough. You're barking directional orders at her as they come from your maps app. Corey sure lives out there. You hear the occasional shifting and sliding of fair equipment coming from the bed of Marlene's F-150. Corey stirs in the backseat, asleep. Otherwise, it's fairly quiet and peaceful.\n\nAfter about twenty minutes or so of navigating through thick brush and tall, spiring oaks which line the dirt road leading up to Corey's house, the two of you come across it and Marlene turns the truck off. She glances over at you and gives a sly smile. She opens her glove compartment, reaches in it and grabs a sealed plastic bag which reads, //"CHARITY FUNDS"// in thick black Sharpie. She pulls a one-hundred dollar bill out from it and shoves it into Corey's shorts pocket before waking him up. You stare at her in disbelief.//\n\n"I think we've found the place, honey," //she tells him. //<<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Oh wow, I must have fallen asleep. Sorry about that." //He opens the rear truck door and exits through it.\n\nHe turns around and sheeply smiles.//\n\n"Thanks, you guys."\n\n//Marlene's grin is magical; it could pierce through a snowstorm.//\n\n"We loved hanging out with you, hon'. You take care now, darlin'." \n\n"See ya, kid," //you say.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//He grabs a pen off the floor of Marlene's truck and writes a phone number on her arm before taking off. Marlene whispers something in his ear and he takes off for the house, shutting the door behind him. You and Marlene sit for a bit in silence.//\n\n"I think we forgot to give him an apple."\n\n"Well he didn't forget to take a few."\n\n//You notice him dragging a large pillow case's worth of apples as he saunters across the dirt and mud to the front porch of his house.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"That money was for charity, Marl."\n\n"I understand that completely, Sergei."\n\n//Marlene starts the ignition and does a three-point turn to exit the field where Corey's small house stays. You look up and see the moon glistening the brighest you've ever seen it. You follow in Corey's footsteps and fall asleep to the hum of the truck's engine. Marlene just keeps truckin' along.//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|apples leave]]
"<<if $apples2 eq "metal">>Metal's the fuckin' best, man!"\n\n"Hey, hey, you're too young to be cursing!"<<elseif $apples2 eq "sister">>Wow, my sister would never listen to heavy metal. Yours must be really cool!"\n\n"Heh, she's okay, I guess. We don't talk much these days."<<elseif $apples2 eq "solo">>Woah, you can play guitar? I've always wanted to learn but could never afford it."\n\n"I've definitely put more money into guitar-playing than I'm all that proud of, without much to show for it."<</if>> <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//Marlene walks up to the tarp from your left and surprises the boy.//\n\n"Boo!" //she shouts with a glowing smile, and he jumps. Marlene's a lot better with the kids than you are.//\n\n"And who might you be, young man?" //she asks. You realize you never got the boy's name.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"I'm Corey. Who are you, miss?" //Spoken like a true southerner.//\n\n"My name's Marlene, I work this thing with Sergei here."\n\n"Oh. Will you let me bob for an apple again, miss?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//Marlene looks over at you. You throw up your hands and smirk, as if to say, look, he didn't win so I had to follow the rules, you know?//\n\n"Well, honey, that would be unfair to everyone else, you know. Rules exist for a reason. Maybe you can try again next year."\n\n//For some reason when she says anything, it sounds far more agreeable than it does coming out of your mouth. Corey shoves his hands in his pockets in reserved defeat. He turns around and starts to walk away. Marlene, chipper as ever, interjects.//\n\n"Where are your parents, Corey?" <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"They're at home." //He looks to the ground.// "They don't like to bring me fun places like this."\n\n//Marlene looks over to you with that look that says, dude, come on, we've got to do something for him. You have to admit, even if he is a bit headstrong, he is kind of growing on you. You decide to make headway with Marlene by asking Corey the inevitable.//\n<<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Can you work, Corey?" //Marlene looks at you like you're a moron, but you're headed somewhere with this, your face assures her.//\n\n"Yes, sir." \n\n"Good. We're going to need help tearing down this tarp. There might be an apple and a ride home in it for you."\n\n//Corey practically lights up and springs immediately to action. He intuitively grabs the small bags of apples resting on the folding table and gently loads them onto one of the moving carts offered by the fair. You and Marlene follow in his initiative and get to work taking down the tarp and moving folding tables to Marlene's pickup.\n\n[[Hours pass.|apples 6]]//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|apples leave]]
//With every step you take, you feel the pressure of the opposing waves more and more as you tire out. The sun is hot and the river angry. You wonder if it will ever leave. Does time pass here?//\n\n<<if $preferredname eq "creepy" or $preferredname eq "" or $preferredname eq "mysterious" or $preferredname eq "strong">>//To your right, you spot an older black gentleman hiking along the top of the riverbank by his lonesome. Walking with a limp, he has a tall cowboy hat, a green collared shirt, khaki slacks, casual worker's shoes, and a piece of dunnage as support, which you can't help but wonder if, like its owner, its seen better days. His dark brown aviators conceal whatever look he might be putting on, as they tend to do. He doesn't seem to notice you.//\n\n[[Wave him down to talk.]]\n\n[[Leave him be and continue up the river.|Continue walking upstream.]]<<else>>//To your right, you spot an old woman, white, with ancient, tattered hair like cotton candy, cradling in her right arm a small but excessively fluffy light brown Pomeranian husky. She walks slowly but carefully in a pair of red stilettos which are inappropriate and dangerous to be walking in given the steep incline of the riverbank, at least thirty-five degrees to the normal. Still, the woman seems to be getting along fine. Her pink turtleneck sweater clashes with the weather of the day; while more weather-appropriate, so too do her yellow capris clash with the sweater. Everything about this woman sticks out like a sore thumb, so much so that you managed to catch her in your peripheral vision. She's old and walks with a limp. She looks uncomfortable but never ceases a wide smile.//\n\n[[Wave her down to talk.|Wave him down to talk.]]\n\n[[Leave her be and continue up the river.|Continue walking upstream.]]<</if>>\n\n[[Turn back around and go to the foot of the brook.|river]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
"<<if $exit eq "not sure">>Well, I suppose that is to be expected. It's certainly a lot to take in all at once.<<elseif $exit eq "fine">>Hm. Well, perhaps later we can show you something which may better pique your interest.<<elseif $exit eq "enjoyed">>Splendid! Luckily for you, there's plenty more where that came from.<<elseif $exit eq "unusual">>It certainly is strange. I had a similar feeling when I first tried it out.<<elseif $exit eq "not care">>Hm. Well, you know what they say about opinions! I kid. Hopefully you'll take to some of our other experiences we have prepared for you.<</if>>"\n\n//You say nothing and the voice follows suit. With each step you take ascending up the staircase, you feel a growing, leering sense of trepidation. That piercing sensation in your chest. Something seems...amiss, but you can't quite place it.\n\nFinally, you reach this flight of stairs' apex, which brings you to another platform bookended by protective handrails. The dark void seems all-encompassing, endless. But it can't overshadow the stark crimson door waiting for you at the end of this similarly white walkway. Its glowing salmon door knob beckons for you to open it. Without a moment's consideration, you practically tear the doorknob off ripping the door open and proceed through it.\n\nA wide-open circular room with multiple floors and a treehouse looming above all awaits you. It's artificially decorated in all sorts of tropical-themed floral accoutrements, a welcome respite from the hallway's anemic pale white and the staircase room's oppressive darkness. You spot a number of doors to enter through. A picnic table is lathered with an assortment of miniature sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres and other snack foods. You sit there to rest and get your bearings. There's plenty more for you to see from here. After all, you're paying for it.//\n\n[[End.|End]]
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//Sand flies in your face as you struggle to stay afoot. The roaring winds sound like the Gods of another planet entirely. Each step you take feels like twenty normal ones would up a steep staircase. As you practically crawl up the steep dunes blocking your view, you figure that surely this shall be the final blockade between yourself and the fabled Oasis of Soul and Life. The sun has long set itself behind the faraway coastline separating the beaches of Los Carasinos and the Voslandic Ocean; the heat then is no longer an issue. But the minimal natural light provided by the quarter moon isn't helping much, and there's still those winds.\n\nYou'd heard that this was supposed to be only a few days' walk, but on the three hours of sleep that you last got twenty-nine hours ago, everything becomes magnified exponentially. Stopping to rest isn't an option; it's been even longer since you downed a meagerly-filled thermos of water. You're running on fumes, and you're running out of time. Sleep is death.\n\nAll you can do then, is [[walk.]]//\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
<<if $apples eq "right">>"Okay."<<elseif $apples eq "protocol">>"Uh huh."<<elseif $apples eq "ready">>"Yeah, I guess so."<</if>>\n\n//He's starting to look impatient. You grasp the whistle hanging around your neck in your left hand and a stopwatch app on your iPhone in the other.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"On your mark..." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The boy looks intent on winning an apple. How strange.//\n\n"Get set..." \n\n//You pause. He's antsy, ebbing his head back and forth in eager anticipation.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//After a few seconds, you blow the whistle and simultaneously tap the start button on your iPhone. Your hands, damp and clammy from perspiration, make the button unresponsive, and so the boy's time is immediately off. The boy shoves his face in the basin full of warm water and all sorts of apples like he's trying to win a race or save a drowning loved one. You try and keep an internal clock running as you wipe the sweat on your fingers off onto your t-shirt, which doesn't much help since it's already wet but it gets rid of the offending droplets, at least. You miss the snappy tactile feedback of physical buttons a whole lot. Finally, the stopwatch's play button responds and you [[wait.|apples 4]]//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|apples leave]]
"Well there, <<if $womananswer eq "Steven">>Steven<<elseif $womananswer eq "Martha">>Martha<<else>>stranger<</if>>, what is it that <<if $desertpunch eq true>>compelled you to try and swing at an armed and dangerous woman such as myself?<<else>>brings you to this neck of the proverbial woods?<</if>>"\n\n[["I'm looking for something many miles away."|to horseback][$womananswer2 to "something"]]\n\n[["I'm not quite sure but I felt the need to go somewhere."|to horseback][$womananswer2 to "somewhere"]]\n\n[["I'd rather not say."|to horseback][$womananswer2 to "not say"]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
"Hello."\n\n"Thank you for stopping by. Today, we will be helping you to get acquainted for an ideal personal experience."\n\n"First, shall we ask you some questions to provide a custom experience, or will you be taking the default experience today?"\n\n[[Answer some questions.|hair question]]\n\n[[Take the default experience.]]\n
"Great!"\n\n"Please answer all of the given questions to the best of your ability. If you do not wish to answer a question for privacy or comfortability reasons, you may always choose to simply skip the question."\n\n"Let's begin. In your opinion, what kind of hairstyle do you have?"\n\n[[Somewhat plain.|name question][$hair to "plain"]]\n\n[[A bit untidy.|name question][$hair to "untidy"]]\n\n[[Really short.|name question][$hair to "short"]]\n\n[[Far too long.|name question][$hair to "long"]]\n\n[[I've lost some of it.|name question][$hair to "some"]]\n\n[[I don't have any hair.|name question][$hair to "none"]]\n\n[[I don't wish to answer this question.|name question]]
<<set $default to false>><<set $redirect to "">><<set $hair to "">><<set $name to "">><<set $numdoors to 0>><<set $preferredName to "">><<set $numBooks to "">><<set $growup to "">><<set $food to "">><<set $door1 to "">><<set $door2 to "">><<set $door3 to "">><<set $door4 to "">><<set $door5 to "">><<set $door6 to "">><<set $walltouch1 to false>><<set $ceilingtouch1 to false>><<set $numbooks to "">><<set $typebooks to "">><<set $triedexit1 to false>><<set $exit1locked to true>><<set $riverleave to false>><<set $caveleave to false>><<set $basinleave to false>><<set $desertpunch to false>><<set $waitexit to false>><<set $trigger to false>>\n\n<<cacheaudio "rueiojfomioimroeqipwoerimqpowei" "iuoiuopasdjfo/rueiojfomioimroeqipwoerimqpowei.mp3">>\n\n<<waitforaudio>>\n\n
"<<if $books eq "murder mystery">>Ah, the mystery type, I see. I've personally always really enjoyed classic police procedurals.<<elseif $books eq "romance">>Romance, I see. Hmm, not my cup of tea, personally, but certainly a fine genre.<<elseif $books eq "horror manga">>Ah, a fellow horror fan! I've always appreciated works which emphasize a slow, decadent sense of dread over the more jump-scary stuff. More Bergman, less James Wan, you know? I must admit that manga is a bit of a blind spot for me, though.<<elseif $books eq "slice of life">>I love myself a good small-town, family story. Something about watching someone go about their day-to-day just speaks to the soul.<</if>>"\n\n"Regardless, the real next question: what kind of place did you grow up in?"\n\n[[A place where nobody lived.|food question][$growup to "nobody"]]\n\n[[One that's hard to describe.|food question][$growup to "hard"]]\n\n[[A place I didn't belong in.|food question][$growup to "belong"]]\n\n[[Somewhere you probably haven't heard of.|food question][$growup to "unknown"]]\n\n[[Inside my thoughts and feelings.|food question][$growup to "thoughts"]]\n\n[[I don't remember much about where I grew up.|food question][$growup to "don't remember"]]\n\n[[I don't wish to answer this question.|food question]]
"Me? Oh, no. I mean, certainly I've seen it all for myself, but never for leisure. It's always been just another part of the job, you know, checking for visual errors and the like. I've seen all the backrooms, and it's just...once you've seen how the sausage gets made, it's hard to enjoy it for yourself."\n\n"My apologies, I shouldn't really be saying all of this to a client! And ignore me talking about errors, this place runs smooth like butter these days, you shouldn't have any problems."\n\n"*ahem* Do you have any further questions for me before we get started?"\n\n<<if not visited("who are you")>>[[Yes, who are you?|who are you]]<</if>>\n\n<<if not visited("what you do")>>[[What kinds of things do you here?|what you do]]<</if>>\n\n[[No, no more questions.|door 1 enter]]
//You've become severely dehydrated. There's still a few hours left of darkness, but even on horseback this ride seems to be taking longer than it should.\n\nIn retrospect, you probably should have expected this. These sands are notorious for inviting the confusion of the disgruntled and disenfranchised. Every incline ascended brings with it a fleeting moment of anticipation for what could be on the other side. And yet every time you cross over the myriad dune ridges, you're met with disappointment at the outcome. It's just more sand, rocks, mild duststorms, reptiles, birds, and people resided to questionable living conditions, these out of fear of getting lost and pruned from the labyrinthine maze of the desert. Harold certainly doesn't know where he's going, and neither does the strange woman. You feel like a sucker, to be polite about it.\n\nYet the owner of this horse seems oddly at ease. It's difficult to tell whether or not she's become at peace with the prospect of not making it out of this mess, or if she's somehow intuited an overall sense of latitude and longitude about the place. No longer do you feel concerned, more just confused.\n\nBut perhaps your befuddlement had been misplaced: a crystalline pool of what looks to be water reveals itself to you. Moonbeams act as a sort of guiding waypoint for you, the woman, and Harold the horse. The woman releases another, even louder// "hyah!"// and Harold transitions from a steady gallop to a triumphant trot. You can feel her anticipation flowing through the horse's skin. //\n\n[[It's finally time.|oasis disappearance]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|desert leave]]
//You stand at the entrance of a small, cramped hallway. A few paces forward and to the left are three doors. Directly across, another three. At the end of the hallway, a seventh door. Otherwise, it's empty. You seem to be the only one inside.\n\nThe ceiling, floor, walls, everything is white. The doors almost perfectly blend in with their surroundings, save for the doorknobs jutting out at about waste height. Despite being completely illuminated, there seems to be nothing lighting the room.// \n\n<<if $walltouch1 eq false>><<replacelink "Touch the wall.">>//It feels like plexiglass. A welcome change from the tired stucco walls of home. Makes things feel...new age.//<<set $walltouch1 to true>><</replacelink>><<else>>//The pale, cream white glass walls are smooth to the touch.//<</if>>\n\n<<if $ceilingtouch1 eq false>><<replacelink "Leap for the ceiling.">>//The ceiling is completely solid, like a black box, only white. There are no ceiling tiles, no visible seams, no secrets. Makes you wonder how easy it might be to shatter.//<<set $ceilingtouch1 to true>><</replacelink>><<else>>//The ceiling, flat like the walls which flank you, is flat and comforting. Something about its minimalist congruence soothes you. With no aberrations and nothing extruding from it, it's as if you're fully insulated from the outside world.//<</if>>\n\n[[Walk to the center of the hallway.|center hallway 1]]\n\n[[Walk to the door at the end of the hallway.|exit hallway 1]]\n\n[[Leave this place.|request leave]]
//The voice becomes more robotic and sterile.//\n\n"We are truly sorry to see you go, and shall refund you immediately, as is compliant with Section 4.13, subsection B of the BLANK Terms of Service and Code of Conduct Agreement Form."\n\n"Thank you for your stay with us!"\n\n[[Exit.|End]]
//Suddenly, both banks flanking your person have completely receded to a wide circular basin. All varieties of wondrous moths and butterflies hover about it with both a keen interest and a reserved distance. The steam is the thickest you've ever seen, but curious firey sconces adorning a monolithic boulder at the far edge of the basin do much to clear your view. To your left, a deer watches closely, its beady eyes like laser pointers from afar. The speed of the wind has abruptly transitioned from an angry howl to a gentle breeze. The branches of ancient sycamores and Douglas firs lining the receded bank sway with the wind's coming and going, and loose bark samples and dead pine needles occasionally fall from their coniferous homes.\n\nAs you step in, all the injuries you suffered from the journey in seem to heal themselves; so natural and fluid was the transition from turmoil to easement that you didn't even notice at first. Visual scars remain but the pain has receded.\n\nA rock jutting outward from the basin's inner wall provides a makeshift seat for you to rest at.//\n\n[[Sit and rest.]]\n\n[[Take a dive.]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//The wind blows steadily on an evening capping off a hot summer's day. It rustles the canvas of your tarp, gently swaying the steel framework making it up to and fro. Your rear-end is aching from having to keep watch over the thing; Marlene is on her long overdue lunch break, and so it's up to you to idly stare at a line of children accompanied by parents of varying attitudes. They're all here, of course, to partake in that greatest of county fair pastimes: bobbing for apples.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//To your left, huge metal basins are stacked up atop each other on a plastic folding table. There are bags and bags of different apples—red delicious', green Granny Smith's, ambrosias, mutsus, golden delicious', Braeburns'—all of which have been sitting there for the better part of the day, gathering the attention of wayward flies and mosquitos. Another table features containers of caramel dip and an assortment of candy confectionaries, swiftly erasing any pretense of this being a health-focused operation. You can just make out a woman-fronted live rendition of Toby Keith's 'Red Solo Cup' with piano and fiddle accompaniment, muffled by a relieving distance.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Alright, folks, we've only got time for one more daring participant today! Who will be the final challenger?" //you say, in the back of your head dreading how much of a process packing up for the week will be. Today is the last day of the fair, an event which ostensibly was conceived for charitable purposes but inevitably ends up bringing out the worst in rural Jonesborough, Tennessee, amongst others.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//Utter cacophony. //"Laaaaaame!" "Booooooooo!" "My son didn't get any apples!" "Sun's barely gone down at all!" "We paid good money for this!" "Don't worry, Johnny B., we can go to the Cracker Barrel the next town over." <<insertlink "->">>\n\n"Sorry, folks, but rules are rules!" //You put on your best carny voice for show but are pretty indifferent to the milquetoast plight of the conservative south, especially in light of the last few years.// <<insertlink "->">>\n\n//The group of people crowding around your tarp file away. You take a sip of lukewarm coffee and wait to see how the day will end. A short boy stands alone in front of the table separating the outside world from the inside of your tent. He's black, hair short and a bit nappy, blank stare, a bit sweaty from all the commotion. He wears a white t-shirt with a clothing line logo on it you're a bit too old to recognize and blue shorts with Nike sneakers and short white socks. In his right hand he holds a single balloon with the words "Wash. County Fair!" on it and a filled plastic bag in the other.//\n\n[['"Are you to ready to win big today, son?"'|apples 2]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|apples leave]]
"<<if $hair eq "plain">>Plain is perfectly fine!<<elseif $hair eq "untidy">>Nothing a good old-fashioned combover can't fix!<<elseif $hair eq "short">>Short hair is always in style!<<elseif $hair eq "long">>Long hair demonstrates character!<<elseif $hair eq "some">>It happens to everybody at some point; you're only human!<<elseif $hair eq "none">>No bad hair days that way!<<elseif $hair eq "">>Okay, let's move on then!<</if>>"\n\n"Next question: What kind of name do you have?"\n\n[[It's none too fancy.|preferredname question][$name to "not fancy"]]\n\n[[A simple one.|preferredname question][$name to "simple"]]\n\n[[People have trouble pronouncing it.|preferredname question][$name to "hard"]]\n\n[[It's too long to write.|preferredname question][$name to "long"]]\n\n[[I never liked it, but dad was really fond of it.|preferredname question][$name to "dad"]]\n\n[[I never was a fan, but mom insisted they go with it.|preferredname question][$name to "mom"]]\n\n[[I don't wish to answer this question.|preferredname question]]
Devin Raposo
//The sounds which make up a fair never seem to leave you alone. They permeate your headspace like a jackhammer drilling into a concrete slab. It's not a bad feeling but it makes the world feel small. You think of going someplace else.//\n<<if visited() is 1>><<set $numdoors += 1>><</if>>\n<<timed 12s>><<goto "center hallway 1">><</timed>>
//<<if previous() eq "center hallway 1">>You are standing at the foot of a babbling brook, short enough to walk up. You are barefoot and the cool water feels good at your toes. The banks surrounding the river are far too steep to climb, so you must walk upstream against the current. The chilly winds you stroll through <<if $hair eq "plain" or $default is true>>slightly mangle your hair, making a mess out of the unremarkable.<<elseif $hair eq "untidy">>gussy up your hair, smoothing out the loose strands. You remind yourself to buy a comb when you get back home.<<elseif $hair eq "short">>don't do much damage to your meager head of hair. Disappointing. You consider growing it out for the coming fall.<<elseif $hair eq "long">>blow your lengthy locks along with it. Your hair blown back like that makes your head resemble a superhero with their cape flowing freely behind them, gaily posing for a photo-op.<<elseif $hair eq "some">>make the hair that's still left stringing off your head stand up and do cartwheels.<<elseif $hair eq "none">>does much to cool your exposed head, it lathered in sweat from the humid walk to here.<<else>>don't much bother you. You barely notice them at all.<</if>>\n\nWith each step you take, you try to avoid the loose gravel for the soft dirt of the riverbed, but the warm sun in your gaze can make it hard to see. Still, you feel in yourself a sense of urgency, a longing for the stream's end at the basin. Its steamy waters are said to rejuvenate all of one's woes, they of the flesh or otherwise.<<elseif previous() eq "cave">>You walk back out through the fronds and to the foot of the brook. It's still rushing downstream at a similar speed as before.<<else>>You awkwardly descend down the brook back to the foot you started at, turning around to face the flowing waters as they navigate around your ankles.<</if>>//\n\n<<replacelink "Turn around.">>//The mouth of the cave you used to live in. It watches as you leave for other places. //[[Return to the cave.|cave]]<</replacelink>>\n\n[[Walk upstream.|upstream]]\n\n[[Leave and return to the hallway.|river leave]]
//You stand in the middle of the hallway. You wonder how many more there might be in this place, and what might be behind the door at the end.\n\nTo your left, three white doors. To your right, three more. At the end of the hallway, a black door imposes upon the hallway like a monolith.//\n\n<<if visited("river")>>[[Enter the door to the babbling brook and the river basin.|river]]<<else>>[[Enter the first door on the left.|river][$redirect to "door1"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if visited("desert")>>[[Enter the door to the harsh moonlit desert.|desert]]<<else>>[[Enter the second door on the left.|desert][$redirect to "door2"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if visited("murder")>>[[Enter the door to the scene of the strange crime.|murder]]<<else>>[[Enter the third door on the left.|murder][$redirect to "door3"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if visited("romance")>>[[Enter the door to the center of four monolithic parking garages.|romance]]<<else>>[[Enter the first door on the right.|romance][$redirect to "door4"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if visited("gold")>>[[Enter the door to the room painted gold.|gold]]<<else>>[[Enter the second door on the right.|gold][$redirect to "door5"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if visited("apples")>>[[Enter the door to the county fair.|apples]]<<else>>[[Enter the third door on the right.|apples][$redirect to "door6"]]<</if>>\n\n<<if $exit1locked eq true and $numdoors eq 3>><<set $exit1locked to false>>//You hear the sound of a door unlocking itself coming from the end of the empty hallway...//<<elseif $exit1locked eq false>>//You heard the sound of a unlocking itself earlier coming from the end of the empty hallway...<</if>>\n\n[[Return to the front of the hallway.|hallway 1]]\n\n[[Go to the door at the end of the hallway.|exit hallway 1]]
"Me? Well...it's a bit difficult to explain, but broadly speaking I'm the operator of this facility. I'm just like you; I have a job and I go home. Sometimes I take vacations. You'll have to excuse me, as there's really not much else I can say about myself that I'm keen to share. I'd rather not give out my name or any personal information, as it's not required of me."\n\n"You know, now that I think back...you might be the first client to ever ask me that. A natural curiosity, I'm sure. But I'm just now wondering why I've never been asked before."\n\n"Regardless, do you have any further questions for me before we start?"\n\n<<if not visited("what you do")>>[[What is it that you do here?|what you do]]<</if>>\n\n<<if not visited("have you")>>[[Have you ever tried this place yourself?|have you]]<</if>>\n\n[[I have no more questions for you.|door 1 enter]]
"Oh, so you would like to leave, then?"\n\n[[Yes.|leave]]\n\n[[On second thought...|forget leave]]\n