Restart Story

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"Alright," says <<print $sibname>>. "What story do you want to hear?"\n\n> <<if $catread is 0>>[["A story about a cat."|The Damned Cat]]<<else>><<replace>>"Something about a cat."<<becomes>>You already heard that whole story about <<print $witchname>> and <<print $damnname>>.<<endreplace>><<endif>>\n> <<if $swarm is 0 and $buggo is not 5>>[["Something about bugs."|Bug Testers Needed]]<<elseif $swarm is 1>><<replace>>"Bug Testers Wanted."<<becomes>>You've had enough of bugs for one night!<<endreplace>><<elseif $swarm is 0 and $buggo is 5>><<replace>>"Bug Testers Wanted."<<becomes>>You've already heard the bug story.<<endreplace>><<endif>>\n> [["The Scream of the Halloween Scarecrow!"|The Scream of the Halloween Scarecrow]]\n> <<replace>>"Slobberheart."<<becomes>>"No way! That's that super scary story about the monster that lives in the toilet..."<<becomes>>"Nuh uh, you don't wanna hear that one! It gives you really bad nightmares..."<<becomes>>"No way! It's just way too scary. Last time <<print $sibname>> told that one, you woke up screaming."<<becomes>>"No way! It's just way too scary. Last time <<print $sibname>> told that one, you wet the bed."<<becomes>>"Not in a gazillion years!"<<endreplace>>
<<set $damnedcat to 1>>“Nobody else liked that cat, <<cyclinglink $damnname "Chubett" "Hisra" "Muffin" "Night-Tooth">>, only <<cyclinglink $witchname "Niza" "Ashley" "Maria" "Niqita" "The Witch Girl">>. It scratched and bit without provocation. Its stiff, matted fur felt unpleasant to pet or even touch. Yet it was her only companion...”\n\n> <<if $housecatted is 0>>[[Think about your cat.|The House Cat]]<<endif>><<if $housecatted is 1>>You are reminded of your cat, <<print $catname>>.<<endif>>\n> [[Cringe.|The Damned Cat, Part 2 of 5]]\n> [[Say you like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 2 of 5]]\n> [[Say you don't like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 2 of 5]]\n> [[Pretend you aren't there.|The Damned Cat, Part 2 of 5]]\n> [[Stay quiet.|The Damned Cat, Part 2 of 5]]
<<set $buggo = 1>>“Could this be <<cyclinglink $bugher "her" "his" "their">> dream job?”\n\n> [[Ask what the job was.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 2 of 5]]
"Okay, this one is called... The Damned Cat."\n\n> [[OK.|The Damned Cat, Part 1 of 5]]\n> [["I changed my mind!"|Scary Stories]]
<<loopsound "UnseenInsects.ogg">><<playsound "owl_chorus.ogg">>You stumble outside the tent, searching, searching for a place to relieve yourself safely.\n\nYou keep <<cyclinglink $uphillthink "thinking about" "worrying about" "fearing" "fretting" "obsessing over" "envisioning">> the scarecrow with its <<cyclinglink $mentalitem "crookèd, leering lean" "outrageously freaky crow upon its left shoulder" "disgusting pattern of rot" "crazily cut eye-holes" "flannel shirt">> while you frantically search for the right tree to hide behind to do your business. You need one far away from the tent, or <<print $sibname>> will <<cyclinglink $orsibwill "come up behind you and try to scare you" "hear you and that's just, ugh" "try to play some trick on you" "jump out and kill you">>. Eventually you find one with branches like <<cyclinglink $branches "giant skeleton fingers" "reaching arachnid legs" "black lightning bolts" "a great cloud of knives and fangs" "the gnarly bodies of giant monsters">>, near the top of a hill, overlooking <<cyclinglink $field "an overgrown, weedy field" "a low, fallow clearing" "a dark, neglected meadow" "a blighted, shorn plot" "a foggy, swampy glade" "a mossy, elder grove">>...\n\n> [[Let it out.|Relief!]]
<<fadeoutsound "forestnightsounds.ogg">>You [[SCREAM|uh oh]].
Your parents ignore you. It doesn't matter if <<if $sibling is "brother">><<cyclinglink $sibname "Adam" "Devante" "Jin" "Abed" "Chang" "Bruno" "Falroth">><<else if $sibling is "sister">><<cyclinglink $sibname "Tina" "Tamisha" "Dolores" "Jazmin" "Afsana" "Jun" "Chen" "Aida" "Zelithna">><<else>><<cyclinglink $sibname "Casey" "Nicky" "Topaz" "Jordan" "V" "Death">><<endif>> <<cyclinglink $tortures "makes fun of you all the time" "scares you all the time" "invents submission holds on you and has like 30" "plays a game with friends where they hit you with sticks" "pretends to be possessed by the spirit of a killer doll and comes after you" "glued feathers onto you that one time" "hides under your bed at night and jumps out just to scare you" "steals from you" "barges into your room all the time" "wrote on your face while you were asleep" "threw you across your bedroom" "puts you through so much torture">>. Your parents either don't believe you about that or they <<cyclinglink $orthey "think you're making it all up" "have empty heads" "just want to think tonight will be fun" "just keep hoping you two can get along" "are truly exhausted and need a night alone" "are too busy thinking about doing adult things" "actually got replaced by alien pod people">>...\n\n> [[They're right, I made it up.|In the Woods]]\n> [[But I'm not making it up!|In the Woods]]
<<replace>>"Maybe it was a cover story and she really just wanted to kill the cat. The story does say, 'and that is why, <<print $witchname>> says...'"<<becomes>>"What if the villagers are right and she really was a witch and she turned her <<print $grandfather>> into a rat?"<<becomes>>"Maybe the butcher just wanted a cat. It doesn't say he chopped it up. A butcher can want a cat, right?"<<becomes>>"Look, I didn't write this story, okay? Ugh, you are so <<cyclinglink $cussvar "fricking" "friggin'" "fucking">> <<cyclinglink $insult1 "annoying" "stupid" "irritating">>..."<<endreplace>>\n\n> [[OK.|Scary Stories]]
<<if $unwitvisit is not 1>><<set $fearnum += 1>><<endif>>(For one may never truly know the nightmares of another, just as one may never wholly remember or predict one's own nightmares.) <<set $unwitvisit to 1>>\n\n> [[So it is.|Fear is older...]]
\n> [[Start HALLOWEEN SCARECROW II: INTERVIEW WITH THE SCARECROW.|Trick or Treating Is Over]]
<<if $bug_found is 0>><<set $crawlyrando to random(1, 3)>><<if $crawlyrando is 1>><<set $crawly to "daddy Long-legs">><<endif>><<if $crawlyrando is 2>><<set $crawly to "moth">><<endif>><<if $crawlyrando is 3>><<set $crawly to "centipede">><<endif>><<endif>>Your flashlight beam flickers and it's like you do call out something, but your voice just isn't there. Like the scarecrow's. It stares right at you, arms stretched out. Some rotten goop drips out its mouth like blood and it smells gross like moldy hay. A fly buzzes around, going in and out its head. Something else-- a <<print $crawly>>-- crawls out its sleeve and falls off.<<playsound "crows2.ogg">>\n\n<i>Why</i> isn't the ember glowing? You infer that maybe probably it's because you aren't having a nightmare. A kid could only see the glow if they were having a nightmare, so it would only glow for you, to your eyes, if you were having a nightmare-- and it's good to know you aren't having a nightmare. Good to know... until the scarecrow tells you, too.\n\n“You are not... having a nightmare...”<<set $scared to "frightened">>\n\nYou freeze and hold your breath, and can't take the flashlight off the scarecrow.\n\n> [["H-h-hello...?"|Choice of Fears]]\n> [["That's not funny, <<print $sibname>>..."|Choice of Fears]]\n> [["Go away!"|Choice of Fears]]\n> [["Leave me alone, please!"|Choice of Fears]]\n> [["Stop it!"|Choice of Fears]]\n> [["Don't hurt me!"|Choice of Fears]]
“In an overgrown, weedy field at the bottom of old, wooded hills where trees grow branches like giant skeleton fingers, surrounded by cawing limbs, the scarecrow screams its inanimate, mute voice into the night. A Jack o' lantern ember glows <<cyclinglink $glowcolor "gory red" "mockingly orange" "lunatic yellow" "putrified green" "ethereal blue" "funereal violet" "otherworldly black">> from inside its rotten pumpkin head, through jagged, dripping teeth and inhuman eyes as if remembering a secret malice, long-festering, that it could not possibly contain. Children's nightmares feed its loathsome, lifeless scare throughout the year until it comes alive on Halloween night, and it lets out its horrible, pent-up scream... just... before... it... EATS YOU!”\n\n> [[Scream.|YOU SCREAMED]]
<<fadeoutsound "UnseenInsects.ogg">><<set $insidetent to 1>>You are huddled into your <<cyclinglink $bagcolor "stained, red" "ripped, pink" "itchy, brown" "tight, orange" "sweaty, green" "broken-zippered, black">> sleeping bag with your <<print $container>>.\n\nYour older <<print $sibling>> <<print $sibname>> is hogging the flashlight, reading some book of scary stories with pictures by <<cyclinglink $illustrator "an unknown, creepy illustrator" "Gustav Doré" "Stephen Gammell" "Edward Gorey" "Tony DiTerlizzi" "Adrienne Adams" "Quentin Blake" "Robert Bogl">> on the cover.\n\nWhat do you want to do...?\n\n> [[Listen.|Listening.]]\n> [[Eat candy.|Eat candy]]\n> [[Talk to <<print $sibling>>.|What to talk about?]]\n> [[Sleep.|sleepfail]]
<<playsound "crows1.ogg">>In <<print $field>> at the bottom of an old, wooded hill where trees grow branches like <<print $branches>>, surrounded by cawing limbs... you find it. The scarecrow!\n\nA Jack o' lantern <<cyclinglink $screamsgrin "grins" "screams">> through jagged, dripping teeth, and it watches you with inhuman eyes as if remembering a secret malice, long-festering, that it could not possibly contain. It even has the same <<print $mentalitem>> that it had in your mind!\n\nBut inside its rotten, empty head, there is no ember glowing <<print $glowcolor>>. One of its straw-stuffed sleeves rustles ever so slightly, as if beckoning.\n\n> [["Hello?"|Not having a nightmare]]\n> [["Is anybody there?"|Not having a nightmare]]\n> [["No!"|Not having a nightmare]]\n> [["Go away!"|Not having a nightmare]]\n> [[Approach, silently calling the scarecrow out on its bluff.|Not having a nightmare]]
<<playsound "cawEffect.ogg">>Just as you're finishing, a crow calls. You <<cyclinglink $startle "startle" "jump" "blench" "fall over">> and drop the flashlight, sending it rolling, beam of light spinning, all the way to the bottom of the other side of the hill.\n\n> <<replace>>“In an overgrown, weedy field at the bottom of old, wooded hills...”<<becomes>>“... where trees grow branches like giant skeleton fingers, surrounded by cawing limbs...”<<becomes>>“... the scarecrow screams its inanimate, mute voice into the night....”<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Go back to the tent like nothing happened.<<becomes>><<replace>>Mom will be pissed if you leave the flashlight down there and it dies.<<becomes>>Dad will be pissed if you leave the flashlight down there and it dies.<<becomes>>Everyone will be pissed if you leave the flashlight down there and it dies.<<endreplace>><<endreplace>>\n> [[Go down the hill.|The Scarecrow]]
<<set $buggo = 5>>“Now nothing remains of <<if $bugher is "his">>him<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>them<<endif>> at all, just swarms of ravenous vermin crawling on a stained bed in an abandoned hospital. Thanks to <<if $bugher is "his">>his<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>their<<endif>> painstaking efforts― and careful study by the company― the next generation of product would hatch even faster.”<<if $crawly is "centipede">><<set $crawlies to "centipedes">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "daddy Long-legs">><<set $crawlies to "daddy Long-legs">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "moth">><<set $crawlies to "moths">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "ant">><<set $crawlies to "ants">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "caterpillar">><<set $crawlies to "caterpillars">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "maggot">><<set $crawlies to "maggots">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "termite">><<set $crawlies to "termites">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "locust">><<set $crawlies to "locusts">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "ground bee">><<set $crawlies to "ground bees">><<endif>><<if $crawly is "fly">><<set $crawlies to "flies">><<endif>>\n\n> [["Ugh!"|Swarm.]]\n> [[Examine sleeping bag for bugs.|Swarm.]]
You saw it in the news. It's a deadly virus powder thingy that looks JUST LIKE SUGAR! If you touch it, you DIE...
<<if $ranoff is 1>><<fadeinsound "UnseenInsects.ogg">><<endif>>Years of <<cyclinglink $darktraining "hiding in the toy chest" "lying absolutely silently under the bed until you know the danger is gone" "retreat" "lone wilderness exploration" "embracing the darkness" "reading alone at night" "playing single player while everyone else is asleep">> have trained you in quietude, in reflection, in <<cyclinglink $darkskill "being" "seclusion" "the arts of exile" "a certain meditation" "the mental alchemy of dreaming" "escape from all bounds">>. You share a special kinship with your surroundings this night, and all that lives in it. You, too, are a shadow, and walk unseen.\n\n> [[Imagine things in the dark.|Imagining the Shadows]]\n> [[Give up, return to the tent, and apologize for going off on your own.|Apologies]]\n> <<replace>>Wait.<<becomes>>Your breathing is its breathing...<<endreplace>>\n> [[Sneak back to the tent.|The Stealthy Approach]]\n> [[Sit down and eat candy.|Eat candy]].
<<set $visitshadow to 1>><<cyclinglink $imagineshadow "Shadow" "Evil" "Blood" "Invisible" "Invulnerable" "Imaginary" "Creepy" "Ghostly">> <<cyclinglink $imaginepeople "people" "orcs" "robots" "goblins" "spiders" "bugs" "killer dolls" "Zoogs" "zombies">> <<cyclinglink $areouthere "are out there." "have you surrounded." "await in ambush somewhere in these woods." "live out here." "spy on your from afar." "know what you're thinking because they have telepathy, too.">> You can't see any, of course. Because of <<cyclinglink $thedarkness "the darkness" "the Shadow" "repulsor fields" "the curse" "how they exist outside of human sensory perception" "their visual camouflage" "how good they are at hiding" "their tiny size" "the way that they actually exist in another world" "3rd Edition Monstrosity Manual, page 142, paragraph 8, line 14">>. They are <<cyclinglink $shadowcause "out to get you" "coming for you" "infected and doomed">>, <<cyclinglink $andbut "but" "and">>... <<cyclinglink $shadowbut "soon you will be one of them" "they have already taken over everyone you love" "you will win them over" "they will fight for you in the end">>.\n\n> [[OK.|You are One Who Walks Unseen]]
<<if $crawlies is "centipedes">><<set $crawly to "centipede">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "daddy Long-legs">><<set $crawly to "daddy Long-legs">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "moths">><<set $crawly to "moth">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "ant">><<set $crawly to "dead ant">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "ladybugs">><<set $crawly to "ladybug">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "caterpillars">><<set $crawly to "caterpillar">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "maggots">><<set $crawly to "maggot">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "termites">><<set $crawly to "termite">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "locusts">><<set $crawly to "locust">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "ground bees">><<set $crawly to "bee">><<endif>><<if $crawlies is "flies">><<set $crawly to "fly">><<endif>>Ahhh...\n\n> [[OK.|Oops!]]
You give your <<print $container>> a tight grip with both hands. No-one is taking it from you.\n\nYour <<print $sibling>> gets all the poles out for the tent and starts putting everything together while you just stand there. "You're not gonna help me build the tent?"\n\n<<cyclinglink $reaction1 "You shake your head. Not gonna let 'em get MY candy!" "You say you would rather be in bed at home." "But you know you'll just get made fun of you if you try to help." "You say you don't wanna get in the way." "You tell your true feelings about the situation. And it includes calling someone a Buttface!" "No, you aren't.">>\n\n"You wanna go home?" <<print $sibname>> <<cyclinglink $teaseask "teases" "asks" "accuses" "can't believe it" "mocks you in an overly whiny voice">>. "Then go home. Fine. I'm doing you a favor getting this all set up, you know. <<cyclinglink $sibinsult "Wuss" "Fatty" "Bitch" "Stupid" "Prissy" "Wimp" "Ugly" "Sissy" "Lazy" "Twerp" "Creep" "Idiot" "Chicken" "Queer" "Good for nothing" "Garbage breath" "Fart nozzle" "Scuzz bucket">>."\n\n> <<replace>>Go home.<<becomes>>In the dark, by yourself?<<becomes>>Mom would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>Dad would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>They would be especially mad if they knew you left your <<print $sibling>> out in the woods alone. Who knows what <<print $sibpron>> could get up to alone out here?<<becomes>>If you leave, you'll never hear the end of it.<<becomes>>It's too far back to go alone.<<becomes>>You'd never make it without the flashlight.<<becomes>>You can't fight <<print $sibname>> for the flashlight because you would lose.<<becomes>>You can't just sleep outside. You'll get all dirty.<<becomes>>You'll get eaten alive by bugs.<<becomes>>Moths will walk on your face.<<becomes>>Spiders and centipedes will crawl all over you. They might even lay their eggs on you.<<becomes>>You don't know what you would do if centipedes had only one way to come out of their eggs and it was out your ears. Blegh!<<becomes>><<playsound "rain.ogg">>It's raining. Better get in the tent.<<becomes>>No, you just can't.<<becomes>>Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<endreplace>>\n> [[Annoy your <<print $sibling>>.|Annoying]]\n<<if $tentsetupscene is 0>>> [[Get over it and help your <<print $sibling>> set up the tent.|Setting up the Tent]]\n> [[Whine while you put up the tent.|Setting up the Tent][$whiny = 1]]<<endif>><<if $tentsetupscene is 1>>\n> [[Enter the tent.|In the Tent]]<<endif>>
<<set $buggo = 3>>“Yes, it seemed strange to <<if $bugher is "his">>him<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>them<<endif>> that <<if $bugher is "his">>he<<elseif $bugher is "her">>she<<elseif $bugher is "their">>they<<endif>> never saw a single line of code from <<if $bugher is "him">>his<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>their<<endif>> employers, but they paid well enough and kept <<if $bugher is "his">>his<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>their<<endif>> hours short, cocooned in <<if $bugher is "his">>his<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>their<<endif>> cubicle with mind-numbing, repetitive computer games...”\n\n> [[Say you like videogames.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Say you don't like videogames.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Squirm uncomfortably.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Examine sleeping bag for bugs.|bugcheck]]
They put all different kinds of stuff into food to get people addicted to it. Once, they used to put [[formeldahyde|formeldahyde]] in candy, maybe. Factories are terrible, unsafe places. Workers can fall into machines and vats or lose a hand in a conveyor belt or crushing accident.\n\nCandy factories are the worst. Didn't you ever read <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>? Remember what happened to <i>those</i> kids?
Dressed like <<cyclinglink $parentscostume "characters you're too young to recognize" "Frankenstein's monster and its Bride" "gride and broom" "Gomez and Morticia Addams" "Thelma and Louise" "Captain Kirk and Spock" "grown-ups without Halloween costumes" "faceless freaks from Phobos" "zombies" "pirates" "aliens" "robots" "dinosaurs">>.\n\n> [[OK.|Trick or Treating Is Over]]
<<set $buggo = 2>>“'Bug testers needed. Absolutely no computer experience necessary. Free meal plan; all medical costs covered.' <<if $bugher is "his">>He<<elseif $bugher is "her">>She<<elseif $bugher is "their">>They<<endif>> jumped at the chance.”\n\n> [[Say you would.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Say you wouldn't.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Shift uncomfortably in your sleeping bag.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Examine sleeping bag for bugs.|bugcheck]]
You set off into the edges of the campsite, checking under pines for their dead needles and branch bits, peeling bits of bark from birch trees, dutifully bending dry twigs and gathering the ones that break like a fire crackles. You emerge from the foresty wilderness back to the campsite, where <<print $sibname>> has already set the tent up pretty much alone.\n\nYour <<print $sibling>> gives you a dirty look. "We're not building a <<cyclinglink $cussvar "fricking" "friggin'" "fucking">> fire. We have a flashlight. How come you didn't help build the tent?"\n\n"<<cyclinglink $cussvar "I--" "But--" "Wait--" "Well--" "Didn't--" "Ah, shi--">>"\n\n"Get in the tent and put your sleeping bag down." <<print $sibname>> says. "<<cyclinglink $sibinsult "Wuss" "Fatty" "Bitch" "Stupid" "Prissy" "Wimp" "Ugly" "Sissy" "Lazy" "Twerp" "Creep" "Idiot" "Chicken" "Queer" "Good for nothing" "Garbage breath" "Fart nozzle" "Scuzz bucket">>."\n\n> <<replace>>Go home.<<becomes>>In the dark, by yourself?<<becomes>>Mom would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>Dad would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>They would be especially mad if they knew you left your <<print $sibling>> out in the woods alone. Who knows what <<print $sibpron>> could get up to alone out here?<<becomes>>If you leave, you'll never hear the end of it.<<becomes>>It's too far back to go alone.<<becomes>>You'd never make it without the flashlight.<<becomes>>You can't fight <<print $sibname>> for the flashlight because you would lose.<<becomes>>You can't just sleep outside. You'll get all dirty.<<becomes>>You'll get eaten alive by bugs.<<becomes>>Moths will walk on your face.<<becomes>>Spiders and centipedes will crawl all over you. They might even lay their eggs on you.<<becomes>>You don't know what you would do if centipedes had only one way to come out of their eggs and it was out your ears. Blegh!<<becomes>><<playsound "rain.ogg">>It's raining. Better get in the tent.<<becomes>>No, you just can't.<<becomes>>Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<endreplace>>\n> [[Enter the tent.|In the Tent]]\n> [[Run off.|Lost in the Woods]]
<<fadeoutsound "A murder of crows.ogg">><<fadeoutsound "UnseenInsects.ogg">><<loopsound "windbackwards.ogg">>You bolt off and run and run, allowing yourself to slow only to a panicked jog, until you finally reach home with the flashlight all dim <<cyclinglink $nightmiddle "in the middle of the night" "at 1 AM" "at 2 in the AM" "at 3 in the morning" "near dawn">> and wake your parents up. There's no way you can explain that it-- you already went in the woods, it's not possible, but-- no, but they won't believe you about the scarecrow either. They scold you for <<cyclinglink $scolded "not being able to handle yourself like a big kid" "coming back all dirty" "coming back unannounced" "coming back alone" "not sucking it up in here (with a heavy tap on your chest)" "being so skittish" "wetting yourself">> and lecture you on <<cyclinglink $imaginary "the serious" "what they imagine to be the serious" "the imaginary">> crime of <<cyclinglink $imaginedcrime "leaving the tent in the first place" "keeping your costume on" "scaring yourself" "pretending Halloween isn't over" "escapism" "haunting things with your head" "not sucking it up out there">>, then send you to bed (actually, they do all this because they <<print $orthey>>).\n\nWho knows what will happen when, <<cyclinglink $nextmorning "next morning" "at the call of the mourning dove" "tomorrow" "should the time ever come">>, they discover <<print $burpobject>> lying out there in the woods by the old scarecrow? You prefer not to <<cyclinglink $tentthink "think about" "worry about" "fear" "fret in regards to" "obsess over" "cogitate upon" "attempt to predict">> it, but you've already guessed.\n\nThey won't find it. The scarecrow will be gone the next morning, <<cyclinglink $moved "moved on from its haunting to scare other crows and little children." "leaving behind a crater or burnt patch of ground." "and only its ashes remain." "burrowed through the earth in the form of a snake." "because as soon as you got into bed, you saw its face in your window before it disappeared in a thunderclap.">> They will say you had a nightmare. <<print $sibname>> will call it a bad dream, at best, and mock you for your experience and your feelings. They don't understand, they might never be able to understand, but you do. You alone seem to know <<cyclinglink $finale "that nightmares have you, and not the other way around." "there is never an escape, and nothing is safe." "that you are caught in the old, old web of dreaming, that you cannot withdraw, that every thought you have is only another thread in a vast, unseen, and horrific conspiracy." "there is no salvation from the underworld of thinking or having things thought about you or at you." "what it's like to be bullied by straw men." "you have no control in your life, or anyone's." "you have nothing to fear from any one person, but only from the nightmares you share that belong to nobody." "nothing." "the reason for the scream of the Halloween scarecrow." "why your life is a nightmare.">>\n\n[[THE END.]]
<<if $costumedefined is 0>><<set $container = "plastic Jack o' lantern with some candy in it">><<endif>>Trick or treating is over and your life is a nightmare. Having to go out alone with your older <<cyclinglink $sibling "brother" "sister" "cousin">> "because you're a big <<cyclinglink $playergender "boy" "girl" "person">> now" was bad enough, but [[your parents|Your parents]] were so eager to get [[you|your costume]] out of the house on this fateful Halloween night. They always had plans for you, and they thought the idea sounded so great.\n\n"Have fun camping, you two..."\n\n> [["Aww, do I have to?"|Complaint ignored]]\n> [["No way!"|Complaint ignored]]\n> [[Protest.|Complaint ignored]]\n> [[Throw a fit.|Complaint ignored]]
<<if $unwillvisit is not 1>><<set $fearnum += 1>><<endif>>(For you cannot stop the nightmares of others you do not know, the imaginings about you that you are infested with, or the unreal they imagine into the world, and you shall always be stuffed with stories by others without your permission, as I have been stuffed with reeking, moldy hay.) <<set $unwillvisit to 1>>\n\n> [[So it is.|Fear is older...]]
<<if $bug_found is 0>><<set $swarm to 1>>You feel something twitching near your foot in your <<print $bagcolor>> sleeping bag and, the bag being open<<if $bagcolor is "tight, orange">> (otherwise it's intolerably constricting)<<endif>>, you peek. A small horde of shadowy shapes has clustered there-- and before you can react, a swarm of <<cyclinglink $crawlies "centipedes" "daddy Long-legs" "moths" "ants" "caterpillars" "maggots" "termites" "locusts" "ground bees" "flies" "ladybugs">> erupts from out the bottom your sleeping bag! And not just yours, but <<print $sibname>>'s! They've invaded the whole tent!<<endif>><<if $bug_found is not 0>>You feel something twitching near your foot in your <<print $bagcolor>> sleeping bag and, the bag being open<<if $bagcolor is "tight, orange">> (otherwise it's intolerably constricting)<<endif>>, you peek. A small horde of shadowy shapes has clustered there-- and before you can react, a swarm of <<print $crawly>> erupts from out the bottom your sleeping bag! And not just yours, but <<print $sibname>>'s! They've invaded the whole tent!<<endif>>\n\nYou and your <<print $sibling>> flee, yelping and hollering, but don't go more than <<cyclinglink $strides "ten" "four" "two">> paces from the tent. When you recover from your mutual creepy crawlies, the two of you shake your sleeping bags out near a tree with branches like <<cyclinglink $branches "giant skeleton fingers" "reaching arachnid legs" "black lightning bolts" "a great cloud of knives and fangs" "the gnarly bodies of giant monsters">>. It wasn't as bad as you thought (definitely not as bad as [[that one time]]). Eventually, you settle back in, <<cyclinglink $laughing "laughing" "cursing" "giggling" "gibbering" "chuckling" "babbling" "chortling" "muttering" "snickering" "swearing">> <<cyclinglink $laughhow "to yourself" "at each other" "nervously" "for no apparent reason" "at life" "in a certain glee" "and more shaken than ever">>.\n\n"<<cyclinglink $phew "Phew" "Yikes" "Ay carumba" "Sheesh" "Dammit" "Shit" "Motherfucker">>..." says <<print $sibname>>. "Where were we?"\n\n> [[Back to scary stories.|Scary Stories][$bug_found = 1]]
"Fine," says <<print $sibname>>. "<<cyclinglink $sibnightmare "I had one nightmare where I dreamt this face was coming after me, not the whole body or the head, but just the face. And it wouldn't stop staring. I dunno, I can't tell you how creepy it was, you just had to be there." "I had one nightmare where I was lost inside a train that made no sense where this propaganda campaign was going on. Something about cars. They caused a lot of accidents. I got out by stacking cups in the right way." "One night, I had a nightmare I was drowning, but in unbearably hot water and I could see fire when I reached water's the surface. It was so vivid, right down to being able to taste the water and feel the actual heat. I woke up to my friend shaking me, and I asked what was wrong and they told me they had a nightmare, and described it EXACTLY like mine. Then Tobi came downstairs and asked to sleep on the extra bed I had in the basement because of a bad nightmare - the same one. I can't explain it, but I often describe this as 'mutual dreaming'..." "One nightmare had m-- I mean--" "I had this nightmare that somebody was writing my nightmares down, but really they were writing them down before they were in my head." "Well, it was like Terminator and Jen and I were huddled behind a wall, trying to avoid these robospiders. So then Jenny's gone or dead or whatever, and I look up and see 8 red, robot spider eyes on me and then I wake up." "In one nightmare, and I've had it a few times now, this officer tells us about not going to this part of the woods 'cuz there's a killer out here, but at some point I get separated from us and enter an area with an abandoned house. I go inside and I find things like if it were a hospital mixed with a torture place and mental asylum. One room was like a surgery room complete with equipment and decaying brown wallpaper. There was one room where I needed to get a key, but it was in a sink full of blood and body parts like eyeballs, teeth, tongues, and... something else..." "There was this peacock and it would scream at me and the force of the voice would create a torrent of wind and it would blow me against the wall. I dunno, maybe it was about like when our parents fight?" "I had a nightmare where I was in a shoot out and had to jump off the roof of this building to get away, but they followed me. They put me in jail and I spent so much time in there that it felt like a whole other life!" "I had this dream that I was directing this horror movie, and I saw the whole thing happen in my mind just like I was watching it." "In another, there was a cat doll that resembled a rag doll. It had buttons for eyes, but no visible mouth. I got it for free from a black cat-woman that had a shopping cart full of cat dolls she was giving away to a crowd of children. I got a doll and went inside my house where everyone was asleep in the bed. Seeing as it had no mouth I got a pen, but no ink came out and I gave up and put the pen and doll down on the table and ink started coming out of the pen and into the doll and it formed a smiling mouth, the one I wanted to draw on it, and it came alive and out of nowhere pulled out a small knife. I remembered being terrified as it chased me around the room. At the same time I tried to wake you up to save me, but you wouldn't move or wake up. The dream ended when you woke me up from my nightmare in the middle of the night. You probably don't remember." "In another nightmare, I was being chased by this guy in a car with a lion." "The earliest nightmare I ever had where I woke up screaming was this one where I was walking home and our car came by, and Mom got out and tore off her human face because she was an alien and had a machine gun and shot me to death." "This voice called me from another planet and told me how the world would end." "I suddenly remembered I had a math test, but then I realized I hadn't been to a class in ages and I knew I was going to fail, but then I woke up and of course there's no test. Still." "The Lions! 'Nuff said." "This one nightmare, I was in ancient Egypt and couldn't speak the language, but I had to work as a traffic cop." "In one, I don't remember what happened, but it ended when something picked up the sky and dropped it." "I had a nightmare where you threw a fork in my back and I had to beat you down with a rubber knife." "In this one nightmare I keep having, I'm exploring this evil, brick house with a haunted staircase. I've had it so many times. The time the house is in always changes, but the staircase is always the same..." "I had a nightmare I was lost in a crypt without end." "So, I was a wizard. A virus was chasing me, but the virus was embodied as some strange person. I ended up in a warehouse, looking for a place to hide. The virus knew I was there and went in after me, so I turned myself into a dragonfly. I wasn't used to flying, so I was having a hard time maneuvering and flying upward. I was looking for a way out, but going out any of the doors or windows didn't do any good because just outside the building was some sort of thick plasma-like wall all the way around the building. I had to try to get through an opening in the ceiling, but my difficulty flying upward was making it a challenge. I started seeing some other people in the warehouse. The owner knew I was in there (to my knowledge they didn't know I was shaped like a dragonfly) and wanted to help the virus, so they hired a crew of workers to seal all the vents in the roof and prevent me from getting through any other exits. I finally starting figuring out how to fly up, and I saw a huge square hole in the ceiling, but the virus was floating in the opening, completely motionless. I was cautious because I wasn't sure if it would assume the dragonfly was me, or if it would just let me pass. I got a little closer, and the virus seemed to be frozen in place for some reason. My memory of the dream was a bit fuzzy after that, but I remember being in a house afterward, in my normal form. In that house, I was calm so I assume I escaped the virus." "I had a nightmare you wouldn't shut up!" "... I heard from the doll again..." "... it says..." "... kill you..." "... la la la... la la..." "... la la la..." "...">>"\n\n> [[OK.|What to talk about?]]
<<replace>>"I dunno. It doesn't matter."<<becomes>>"Prob'ly somethin' bad."<<becomes>>"Prob'ly hospital code for somethin' really bad."<<becomes>>"It means 'not threatening.'"<<becomes>>"Actually, it's when a tumor is not cancerous. So there."<<becomes>>"It means quit asking me questions."<<endreplace>>\n\n> [[OK, but go back to that part.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[OK, keep reading.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 5 of 5]]
This one is called, "Bug Testers Needed."\n\n> [[OK.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 1 of 5]]\n> [["I changed my mind!"|Scary Stories]]
<<set $tentsetupscene to 1>>You try to help pitch the tent<<if $whiny is 0>>.<<endif>><<if $whiny is 1>>, but complain as often as possible. <<cyclinglink $complain1 "You can't help it." "You don't mean to." "You know better, but do it anyway." "You just wish you could get some help.">><<endif>> Things <<cyclinglink $tentsetup "start out good, but your wrists start itching really bad, like something bit you" "are just confusing, though, with all these weird joints and intricate fittings shaped like they came from an alien spaceship" "are basically hopeless, since you've never even slept in a tent before" "are just really frustrating, though, and you can't get any help because the other half of the tent setup crew is too busy setting up the tent">>. Then <<cyclinglink $tentcomplaint "the poles are all stuck, and you can't get them apart." "you can't get the poles to stick in the ground." "the tarp just doesn't stretch the right way when you do it." "you put a hole in something." "you're not sure which end of the stake goes in." "you just take too long with the hammer." "everything is muddy-- gross!" "you can tell you're not really helping." "you sit out as much of the tent construction as you can.">>\n\n<<print $sibname>> berates you, calling you "<<cyclinglink $sibinsult "Wuss" "Fatty" "Bitch" "Stupid" "Prissy" "Wimp" "Ugly" "Sissy" "Lazy" "Twerp" "Creep" "Idiot" "Chicken" "Queer" "Good for nothing" "Garbage breath" "Fart nozzle" "Scuzz bucket">>." Eventually, despite everything, your <<print $sibling>> finally has the tent all set up and ready for you to unroll your sleeping bag inside.\n\n> <<replace>>Go home.<<becomes>>In the dark, by yourself?<<becomes>>Mom would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>Dad would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>They would be especially mad if they knew you left your <<print $sibling>> out in the woods alone. Who knows what <<print $sibpron>> could get up to alone out here?<<becomes>>If you leave, you'll never hear the end of it.<<becomes>>It's too far back to go alone.<<becomes>>You'd never make it without the flashlight.<<becomes>>You can't fight <<print $sibname>> for the flashlight because you would lose.<<becomes>>You can't just sleep outside. You'll get all dirty.<<becomes>>You'll get eaten alive by bugs.<<becomes>>Moths will walk on your face.<<becomes>>Spiders and centipedes will crawl all over you. They might even lay their eggs on you.<<becomes>>You don't know what you would do if centipedes had only one way to come out of their eggs and it was out your ears. Blegh!<<becomes>><<playsound "rain.ogg">>It's raining. Better get in the tent.<<becomes>>No, you just can't.<<becomes>>Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<endreplace>>\n> [[Annoy your <<print $sibling>>.|Annoying]]\n> [[Enter the tent.|In the Tent]]\n> [[Just run off somewhere.|Lost in the Woods]]
<<set $damnedcat to 2>>“Sometimes it did make noises that nobody had ever heard from a cat before. Some claimed it spoke to <<print $witchname>>. They called the flower girl a witch― even though nobody else ever heard it speaking and <<print $witchname>> had no control over it like a familiar. Mostly the damned cat remained aloof, staring with hypnotizing, ethereal eyes, each slit like evil moons, a stare that saw another world and silently promised a secret wickedness no human alive should ever know.\n\n“She regretted having such little time to spend with the thing. 'The poor thing,' she used to call it. Everyone else said, 'That damned cat.'”\n\n> <<if $housecatted is 0>>[[Think about your cat.|The House Cat]]<<endif>><<if $housecatted is 1>>You are reminded of your cat, <<print $catname>>.<<endif>>\n> [[Cringe.|The Damned Cat, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Say you like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Say you don't like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Pretend you aren't there.|The Damned Cat, Part 3 of 5]]\n> [[Stay quiet.|The Damned Cat, Part 3 of 5]]
Thanks for playing. I really appreciate it. No matter what your <<print $sibling>> called you.\n\n~ ~ ~\nCREDITS\n *Original story by me, Duncan Bowsman.\n *"The Damned Cat" and "Bug Testers Needed" from <i>Eek!</i> (2013), by Duncan Bowsman.\n\nThanks for code: Leon Arnott and Squinky.\n\nThanks for nightmares:\nSara Valdez, David Cornelson, Eric Gallegos, Jeremiah Daniels, Melissa Raven, Dennis Werthman, Christopher Bowsman, J.H. Sponberg, Geneva Hobson\n\nSounds taken from or based on...\n *Great horned owl & American crow sounds from <i>Western Birding By Ear</i>, by Richard K Walton and Robert W Lawson.\n *"Howling Wind" from <i>Scary Sound Effects</i>.\n *Rain & insect sounds from <i>Living Sound Effects, Vol. 4</i>.\n *"A Crows Sound ~ Call of an Angry Murder of Crows - Calls or Koww ~ Bird Sounds" from Randalls Relaxation channel @ Youtube.\n *"Crow cawing sound effect" via Jojikiba @ Youtube.\n *"Forest Night Time Sounds" by SweetCosmosMusic @ Youtube.
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<<fadeoutsound "UnseenInsects.ogg">>With a practiced <<cyclinglink $gait "tiptoe" "heel-to-toe" "toe-to-heel">> gait<<cyclinglink $ninja " that you learned in gymnastics" " that you learned in dance class" " that you learned in gym class" ", graceful like the shadow dancer" ", silent as the ninja" ", swift as an assassin" ", ready as a ranger" ", sneaking like a thief in the night">>, you creep up on the camp site. <<print $sibname>> has the flashlight on inside the tent, so <<if $sibling is "brother">>his<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>her<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>their<<endif>> silhouette looms monstrously against its fabric. But <<print $sibname>> is clearly <<cyclinglink $clearly "still upset" "just trying to scare you" "just like 'Whatever' right now" "doing something illegal" "being controlled by a killer doll right now" "alone" "not paying attention">>. \n\n> [[Try to scare <<print $sibname>>.|How scary]]\n> [[Enter the tent and apologize for running off.|Apologies]]\n> [[Settle in and say nothing.|In the Tent]]
“Upon her return, flowers spilled from <<print $witchname>>'s arms in a gasp. There, on the floor, sat <<print $damnname>>, still as death and staring at what seemed to be a rat, twitching in torment― but it was not yet entirely a rat. In that single moment, as her flowers fell, <<print $witchname>> saw that rodent wearing an elderly face, its <<print $nose>> nose turned upward with whiskers, mouth of gums contorted in fear, transforming under the demand of the damned cat's unblinking gaze. Amidst the tiny, shrill, terrified screams of the <<if $grandfather is "grandmother">>wo<<endif>>man-rodent, the cat made such unearthly noises...\n\n“She could not save the rat that had been her <<print $grandfather>>, and nobody would believe her tale, but <<print $witchname>> could still get rid of the cat. She could not bear any more killing― rat, <<print $grandfather>>, or otherwise. Still against all reason, she felt pity for <<print $damnname>>. That is why, <<print $witchname>> says, the next morning a tear came to her eye when she took the poor thing to market and sold it... to the butcher!”\n\n> <<if $housecatted is 0>>[[Think about your cat.|The House Cat]]<<endif>><<if $housecatted is 1>>You are reminded of your cat, <<print $catname>>.<<endif>>\n> [[Cringe.|Scary Stories]]\n> [[Say you still like cats.|Scary Stories]]\n> [[Say you really don't like cats.|Scary Stories]]\n> [[Keep pretending.|Scary Stories]]\n> [["..."|Scary Stories]]\n> "[[Why the butcher?|Why the butcher]]" <<set $catread to 1>>
You can't fall asleep, <<cyclinglink $sleepreasons "because">>. You lay awake and <<cyclinglink $tentthink "think about" "worry about" "fear" "fret in regards to" "obsess over" "cogitate upon" "attempt to predict">> <<cyclinglink $cantsleep "whether you'll ever wake up again if you go to sleep now" "whether the killer doll has control right now or not" "whether there are bears out here" "a pack of wolves closing in" "noises in the woods" "stories of people killing trespassers and where all the boundaries of people's property is around here because you can't see any of them and they could be anywhere" "shadows moving outside the tent" "everyone else's plans for you" "how many bugs are in the tent" "the appearance of scarecrows">>.\n\n> [[Enough.|In the Tent]]
<<if $irreversvisit is not 1>><<set $fearnum += 1>><<endif>>(For none may escape the web of dreams woven from the heads of others and all the dead before them.) <<set $irreversvisit to 1>>\n\n> [[So it is.|Fear is older...]]
<<replace>>Gummy bears.<<becomes>>Oh, no. These might be those ones that will make you [[poop for hours|http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Sugar-Free-Gummy-Bears/dp/B008JELLCA]]. You forgot to have Mom check! No way you're eating them out here in the woods.<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>Fun-sized candy bars.<<becomes>>The wrapper was [[ALREADY TORN|tornwrapper]] on one!<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>Suckers.<<becomes>>Mystery flavor: that means experimental ones from the candy factory that could be [[TOXIC|factories]].<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>A wrapped, old fashioned candy apple.<<becomes>>Almost certainly [[POISON|apples]].<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>Swirly saltwater taffy.<<becomes>>No way. The swirl means this one is [[MIND CONTROL|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1FI8FE3DnQ]].<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>Candy peach rings.<<becomes>>But you can see [[ANTHRAX|anthrax]] on them!<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>King-sized chocolate candy bar.<<becomes>>Mmm... yes, this... this you could sink your teeth into. Imagine the crunch. The rich, milk chocolate slowly melting against the roof of your mouth...<<becomes>>Blugh! It's got... ALMONDS!<<becomes>>No. No, you can't. It. Has. ALMONDS.<<becomes>>(Years later, you will develop a taste for almonds and think your previous attitude about the whole thing was silly)<<endreplace>>\n<<replace>>Candy circus peanuts.<<becomes>><<replace>>You chew one. It is stale and styrofoamy, but sort of promisingly/mockingly sugary/marshmallowy. Its final, gritty sediment catches halfway down your throat, but you reflexively swallow it anyway. You burp. You don't think you want another.<<becomes>>Despite a certain morbid curiosity, you cannot bring yourself to eat another CIRCUS PEANUT.<<endreplace>><<endreplace>>\n\n> <<if $insidetent is not 1>>[[Back.|You are One Who Walks Unseen]]<<endif>><<if $insidetent is 1>>[[Back.|In the Tent]]<<endif>>
"Have you ever had any nightmares?" you blurt.\n\n"<<cyclinglink $yesno "No" "Yes">>," <<print $sibname>> says.\n\n> [["Tell me one."|Nightmares]]\n> [["Never mind."|What to talk about?]]
<<set $buggo = 4>>“The cafeteria food tasted stranger still (almost always served with eggs of some kind), but how could <<if $bugher is "his">>he<<elseif $bugher is "her">>she<<elseif $bugher is "their">>they<<endif>> complain about eating for free? Strangest to <<if $bugher is "his">>him<<elseif $bugher is "her">>her<<elseif $bugher is "their">>them<<endif>>, though, had been how a year later all one hundred nineteen tiny tumors came up benign.”\n\n> [["What's a tumor?"|tumor]]\n> [["What's B9?"|benign]]\n> [[Squirm uncomfortably.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 5 of 5]]\n> [[Examine sleeping bag for bugs.|bugcheck]]
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<<if $intermvisit is not 1>><<set $fearnum += 1>><<endif>>(For one life will end, as all lives go on to their ends. Only their nightmares survive them. In this way the fear of all life is neverending.)<<set $intermvisit to 1>>\n\n> [[So it is.|Fear is older...]]
<<if $scared is "spooked">><<set $scared to "spooked">><<endif>><<if $fearchoice is 0>>You frantically search the crow-haunted periphery, but there is no sight of <<print $sibname>>. Or your tent. Or anybody.\n\nThe scarecrow continues to glare, and speaks to you again in its mute voice which is the voice in which you read these words.\n\n<<endif>><<if $scarednum is 0>>"Poor child. What has <<print $scared>> you so?"<<endif>><<if $scarednum is 1>>"So, what <<print $scared>> you?"<<endif>><<if $scarednum is 2>>"... so, what <<print $scared>> you?"<<endif>><<if $scarednum is 3>>"What <<print $scared>> you?"<<endif>>\n\n<<set $fearchoice to 1>>> <<if $sibscared is 0>>[[Your <<print $sibling>>.|No.]]<<endif>><<if $sibscared is 1>><<playsound "cawEffect.ogg">>You're not scared of your <<print $sibling>>.<<endif>>\n> <<if $storyscared is 0>>[[The story.|a story itself is...]]<<endif>><<if $storyscared is 1>>You're not scared of the story.<<endif>>\n> <<if $crowscared is 0>>[[The scarecrow.|touch it]]<<endif>><<if $crowscared is 1>>You're not scared of the scarecrow.<<endif>>\n<<if $scarednum is 2>><<playsound "crows1.ogg">><<endif>><<if $scarednum >= 3>>> [[Then what's really so scary?|No escape]]<<endif>>
<<set $beatup to 1>><<set $submitnum to random(1,3)>><<if $ranoff is 0 and $scaredysib is 0>>Now you've done it.<<endif>><<if $ranoff is 0 and $scaredysib is 1>>Now you've done it.<<endif>><<if $ranoff is 1 and $scaredysib is 1>>Now you've done it.<<endif>><<if $ranoff is 1 and $scaredysib is 0>>You weave your way through the black night back to the tent, but unfortunately your <<print $sibling>> is still up waiting for you. Even as you approach the edge of the camp, <<endif>> <<print $sibname>><<if $ranoff is 1 and $scaredysib is 0>> bursts out of the dim tent into your little corner of darkness,<<endif>> tackles you to the ground<<if $ranoff is 1 and $scaredysib is 0>>,<<endif>> and puts you in <<cyclinglink $holdname "a world of pain" "an ankle lock, sitting full weight on your lower back" "a wrist lock, with a knee on your chest" "a full nelson, with your face pressed into the ground" "a hammer lock, with a knee in your back" "a Boston Crab" "The Sharpshooter" "The Scorpion Deathlock" "The Lion Tamer" "a Bow and Arrow hold" "The Mangler" "The Carpet Burner" "The Punching Bag" "a small joint lock you swear is going to break your fingers, one by one" "the mud, steps on your back, and pulls on your hair" "an inescapable hold, sits on your chest and drops bugs on your face" "some kind of excruciating hold where your leg doesn't bend that way" "some kind of excruciating hold where your arms don't bend that way" "your sleeping bag and beats you with a stick" "a painful headlock" "a pressure point hold" "a seriously excruciating toe lock" "a demeaning position for continual slapping" "a noogie headlock" "some as-yet nameless and terrible submission hold" "THE PAIN" "this thing sitting with knees on your shoulders and wrenching your nose one way, then the other" "a new hold, just now made up, based on your squealing and protestations" "The Ultimate, which your remorseful narrator won't even describe" "'your place'">>. <<cyclinglink $powerless "Right, maybe if you can just hold out this one time, your oppressor will get tired and you can finally win for once and all" "Maybe if you can just hold out this one time, your oppressor will get tired of it" "You try to swat your oppressor a good one with whatever limb or part you have free, but hitting does nothing to faze your assailant" "Enemy ignores critical hits. Your THAC0 is not high enough to strike or deal damage to this creature" "You laugh. It is your only defense" "You are powerless to fight back">>.\n\n<<if $submitnum is 3>>> <<cyclinglink $pain1 "Ow!" "Owww!" "OWWWWW...!" "Stop, please..." "(whimper)" "I give up!" "STOP!">>\n> <<cyclinglink $pain3 "Ow!" "Owww!" "OWWWWW...!" "Stop, please..." "(whimper)" "I give up!" "STOP!">>\n> <<replace>>Ow!<<becomes>>Owww!<<becomes>>OWWWWW...!<<becomes>>Stop, please...<<becomes>>(whimper)<<becomes>>(sob)<<becomes>>I give up!<<becomes>>STOP!<<becomes>>"[[UNCLE!|You submit]]"<<endreplace>><<endif>><<if $submitnum is 2>>> <<cyclinglink $pain1 "Ow!" "Owww!" "OWWWWW...!" "Stop, please..." "(whimper)" "I give up!" "STOP!">>\n> <<replace>>Ow!<<becomes>>Owww!<<becomes>>OWWWWW...!<<becomes>>Stop, please...<<becomes>>(whimper)<<becomes>>(sob)<<becomes>>I give up!<<becomes>>STOP!<<becomes>>"[[UNCLE!|You submit]]"<<endreplace>>\n> <<cyclinglink $pain3 "Ow!" "Owww!" "OWWWWW...!" "Stop, please..." "(whimper)" "I give up!" "STOP!">>\n<<endif>><<if $submitnum is 1>>> <<replace>>Ow!<<becomes>>Owww!<<becomes>>OWWWWW...!<<becomes>>Stop, please...<<becomes>>(whimper)<<becomes>>(sob)<<becomes>>I give up!<<becomes>>STOP!<<becomes>>"[[UNCLE!|You submit]]"<<endreplace>>\n> <<cyclinglink $pain1 "Ow!" "Owww!" "OWWWWW...!" "Stop, please..." "(whimper)" "I give up!" "STOP!">>\n> <<cyclinglink $pain3 "Ow!" "Owww!" "OWWWWW...!" "Stop, please..." "(whimper)" "I give up!" "STOP!">>\n<<endif>>
Your house was built against a hill and there was this spot near the fireplace just behind it where there was this motherlode of <<print $crawlies>> in the earth or something and they all came burrowing through the wall and cracks in the floor and out the fireplace into your house and you had to bail them from the house out the nearest open door with a spatula for almost an hour.
<<set $scarednum += 1>><<set $sibscared to 1>>“Your <<print $sibling>>... did not scare you.”\n\n"Yuh huh, <<if $sibling is "brother">>he<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>she<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>they<<endif>> did!" you say. No dumb scarecrow can tell you how you feel. When your <<print $sibling>> <<print $tortures>> <<cyclinglink $andstuff "and stuff" "and things" "and all that" "and, y'know" "or whatever" "et cetera">>, well, you know how that makes you feel. "My <<print $sibling>>'s a bully. I hate <<print $sibname>>."\n\n“Your <<print $sibling>>,” the scarecrow explains, “merely startled you. <<if $sibling is "brother">>He<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>She<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>They<<endif>> shouted the last words of a story and made you jump, but did not scare you.”\n\nYou don't know what to say. It feels like the scarecrow could stare right through you, into your mind, like it saw in everyone's heads. It made sense 'cuz <<cyclinglink $mindreader "it had to go into minds to eat nightmares from other kids" "the scarecrow comes from another world" "it sees in void, in the pores and gaps of things, into your innermost thoughts" "Shadow works in mysterious ways, and you are under its power" "you're so open about your thoughts all the time" "the world is strange and frightful and out to get you" "you have telepathy in dreams all the time" "you don't know why" "you can't know why" "why would you ask why">>, you <<cyclinglink $think "think" "worry" "fear" "fret" "obsess" "infer">>. Only it sees your thoughts all crookèd and you can't make 'em mean what they mean-- or what you want 'em to mean-- when you try. It only knows its story, and that you were told it.<<set $scared to "frightened">>\n\n> [[Hmph.|Choice of Fears]]\n<<if $beatup is 1>>> [["But <<print $sibname>> beats me up."|On Pain]]<<endif>>
<<print $sibname>> climbs off you and, giving you a look <<cyclinglink $siblook "of victorious satisfaction" "like you are the lowliest thing on Earth" "as if possessed by a killer doll" "that you will only years later remember as exhausted horror, an utter remorsefulness too proud to speak of what had just been committed">>, your older <<print $sibling>> <<if $ranoff is 0 and $scaredysib is 0>>sets up the rest of the tent and settles in.<<endif>><<if $ranoff is 1 and $scaredysib is 0>>lumbers back into the tent.<<endif>><<if $ranoff is 1 and $scaredysib is 1>>lumbers back into the tent.<<endif>><<if $ranoff is 0 and $scaredysib is 1>>goes back to hogging the flashlight while you just lie there aching.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $scaredysib is 0>>> <<replace>>Go home.<<becomes>>In the dark, by yourself?<<becomes>>Mom would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>Dad would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>They would be especially mad if they knew you left your <<print $sibling>> out in the woods alone. Who knows what <<print $sibpron>> could do out here?<<becomes>>If you leave, you'll never hear the end of it.<<becomes>>It's too far back to go alone.<<becomes>>You'd never make it without the flashlight.<<becomes>>You can't fight <<print $sibname>> for the flashlight because you would lose.<<becomes>>You can't just sleep outside. You'll get all dirty.<<becomes>>No, you can't sleep outside. You'll get eaten alive by bugs.<<becomes>>No. Moths will walk on your face.<<becomes>>Spiders and centipedes will crawl all over you. They might even lay their eggs on you.<<becomes>>You don't know what you would do if centipedes had only one way to come out of their eggs and it was out your ears. Blegh!<<becomes>><<playsound "rain.ogg">>It's raining. Better get in the tent.<<becomes>>No, you just can't.<<becomes>>Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<endreplace>>\n> [[Enter the tent|In the Tent]]\n<<if $ranoff is 0>>> [[Make yourself scarce.|Sneaky.]]<<endif>><<endif>><<if $scaredysib is 1>>> [[Crawl into sleeping bag, defeated.|In the Tent]]<<endif>>
<<print $sibname>> <<cyclinglink $laughing "laughs at you" "makes fun of you" "does this demeaning impression of you" "snickers" "scoffs">> like you're <<cyclinglink $laughadj "just a scaredy cat" "too easy" "ridiculous" "pathetic" "an idiot" "some kind of plaything" "some kind of puppet">>.\n\nYou <<cyclinglink $squirmy "try to hide" "hide your head" "worry the bullying will never stop" "cower" "tremble with fear" "squirm" "obsess over the terror of scarecrows">> in your <<print $bagcolor>> sleeping bag. You <<cyclinglink $haveneed "have to" "need to">> get out of the tent. You've gotta go...\n\nNo. I mean... you've gotta GO.\n\n> [[Get the heck out of the tent and answer Nature's call.|gotta go]]
<<playsound "crows3.ogg">>“What frightens you,” says the scarecrow's voice, “is your own inescapable brain. You tried to hide in your sleeping bag from its horrific imaginings, each only half-related to your <<print $sibling>>'s storytelling. But... <<cyclinglink $scaredthought "how would I eat you?" "where would I find you?" "how is your bully in league with me?" "what other forces of the night serve me in your mind?" "was I out there then?" "am I even here now?" "will I come after you when you fall asleep?">> You seem to ask this yourself; the story did not ask, your <<print $sibling>> did not ask, nor did I...\n\n“At every stir outside your tent, every caw, grotesqueries of your own invention spilled out ready-made, against your urging, as they do even now. Always they shall afflict you because your brain is not <i>your</i> brain, and you cannot get out of it or be rid of it when you most want to. That is what terrifies you so, not I, not your <<print $sibling>>, not a story...”\n\n> <<replace>>"I might have nightmares, but-- but I don't tell scary stories!"<<becomes>>"Even if I have scary thoughts in my head, I keep 'em in."<<becomes>>"I don't wanna scare anyone."<<becomes>>[["I... I... I don't know why anyone would do that...!|Fear is older...]]"<<endreplace>>
<<set $bug_found to 1>>You peek around and find... some little <<cyclinglink $crawly "daddy Long-legs" "moth" "ant" "centipede" "caterpillar" "maggot" "termite" "locust" "ground bee" "fly" "ladybug">> or something crawling around the outside of your sleeping bag.\n\n> <<if $buggo is 1>>[[Gross! Flick it away and keep listening to the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 2 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $buggo is 2>>[[Gross! Flick it away and keep listening to the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 3 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $buggo is 3>>[[Gross! Flick it away and keep listening to the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $buggo is 4>>[[Gross! Flick it away and keep listening to the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 5 of 5]]<<endif>>\n> <<if $buggo is 1>>[[Just leave it there. It's alright. Continue the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 2 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $buggo is 2>>[[Just leave it there. It's alright. Continue the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 3 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $buggo is 3>>[[Just leave it there. It's alright. Continue the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $buggo is 4>>[[Just leave it there. It's alright Continue the story.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 5 of 5]]<<endif>>
Halloween Scarecrow II: Interview with a Scarecrow
<<set $scarednum += 1>>So disgusting. Yet, it almost doesn't look real. There's only one way to know. But it looks so menacing.\n\n> [[Touch it.|Not scared]]\n> [[No, really, touch it!|Not scared]]\n> [[OMG, touch it!|Not scared]]
<<cyclinglink $listenquality "Soothing." "Irritating.">>\n\n> [[OK.|In the Tent]]
"Gee, I sure love giving away all this Halloween candy."\n\n"Yeah. Hey, let's tear some open and inject them with DISEASES."
<<set $ranoff to 1>>You break into a sprint and disappear into the woods. Your <<print $sibling>> tries to give chase, but is no match for your <<cyclinglink $nomatch "speed" "grace" "agility" "zigzag" "wilderness lore" "cunning">>. Only a minute into the chase, already the beam of the flashlight following you turns away. Though <<if $sibling is "brother">>he's<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>she's<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>they're<<endif>> far behind you, you hear echoes of <<print $sibname>> breathing heavily.\n\n"<<cyclinglink $sibinsult "Wuss" "Fatty" "Bitch" "Stupid" "Prissy" "Wimp" "Ugly" "Sissy" "Lazy" "Twerp" "Creep" "Idiot" "Chicken" "Queer" "Good for nothing" "Garbage breath" "Fart nozzle" "Scuzz bucket">>!" <<if $sibling is "brother">>he shouts.<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>she shouts.<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>they shout.<<endif>> "<<cyclinglink $sibcampthreat "I'm gonna kick your ass!" "Run back to Mommy, crybaby!" "What the hell?" "Come out NOW or I'll tell everyone your biggest secret!" "*SIGH*... the tent's all set up now. What's your problem? I'll just camp by myself..." "How come you never do anything? Huh?" "Why do you make me worry about you like this all the time?" "Argh, you're SO annoying.">>"\n\n<<print $sibname>>'s trudging footsteps fade off in the distance. Too late you realize that without the flashlight beam coming from camp, you no longer have any idea which direction anything came from. You wait alone in the dark and a chilly wind blows by between the trunks of trees; their walls of wood form your labyrinth.\n\n<<cyclinglink $lostwords "Too bad you don't have any string" "Any number of things might be watching you right now and you would have no way of knowing" "Aren't there killer birds back in these woods? Most of them are nocturnal, you know" "You're pretty sure you just heard a coyote out there somewhere, pretty sure" "Your eyes dance wildly, but have nothing to focus on. Your eyelids look the same. Maybe you'll never get your sight back or you're blind already" "All-encompassing Shadow slowly begins to dissolve the sense that you have a solid body" "You really begin to rethink this whole running off business">>...\n\n> <<replace>>Just pick a direction and go.<<becomes>>What if you fall into a pit?<<becomes>>What if there are bear traps?<<becomes>>What if there are bears?<<becomes>>One time when you were back in the woods, it was hunting season and you didn't know and you were wearing a shirt that kind of camouflaged you and you almost got shot.<<becomes>>You don't know where all the property lines end. You'll end up trespassing somewhere.<<becomes>>Thing is, people don't like trespassers and if it's in the middle of the night they'll think you're a burglar and you could get shot and die.<<becomes>>The Darkness is impenetrable in that direction.<<becomes>>Oof! You run into a tree.<<endreplace>>\n> [[Keep hiding.|You are One Who Walks Unseen]]\n> [[Return, surrender, and apologize.|Apologies]]\n> [[Guess the direction of the tent and sneak back.|In a submission hold]]
<<if $orthey is "just want to think tonight will be fun">><<set $orthey to "just wanted to think what happened tonight could've been fun, and now you've hurt their feelings">><<endif>><<if $orthey is "are truly exhausted and need a night alone">><<set $orthey to "are truly exhausted by all of this and needed just one night to themselves">><<endif>><<if $orthey is "just keep hoping you two can get along">><<set $orthey to "had hoped you would get along out in the woods, and they're sorely disappointed in you">><<endif>><<if $orthey is "think you're making it all up">><<set $orthey to "figure you'll never change">><<endif>><<loopsound "forestnightsounds.ogg">><<playsound "owl_chorus.ogg">><<playsound "latecawing.ogg">><<if $sibling is "brother">><<set $sibpron to "he">><<else if $sibling is "sister">><<set $sibpron to "she">><<else>><<set $sibpron to "they">><<endif>>\nYou go back into the woods, far back into the woods until your feet are killing you. <<print $sibname>> leads the way by flashlight, forcing you to follow. This year, <<print $sibname>> is dressed as <<cyclinglink $sibcostume "a chainsaw murderer" "a serial killer with a knife" "a gory, demented clown" "a zombie" "a skeleton in robes of black with a wickèd scythe">>.\n\nThe reason your <<print $sibling>> is dressed like that? It's because your <<print $sibling>><<cyclinglink $reason " hates you" " knows it scares you" " thinks it's funny" "'s on drugs" "'s possessed by a killer doll" " might try to kill you" " will probably kill you tonight" " plans to murder you" "'s really into that kind of thing">>, you <<cyclinglink $think "think" "worry" "fear" "fret" "obsess" "cogitate" "infer">>. There's no other reason to wear a costume like that.\n\nEventually, you are far enough into the woods that your <<print $sibling>> starts unpacking the tent parts and orders you to help set it up.\n\n> [[Clutch your <<print $container>> defensively while <<print $sibname>> builds the tent.|Clutching candy]]\n> [[Whine while you put up the tent.|Setting up the Tent][$whiny = 1]]\n> [[Stoically gather kindling.|Kindling]]\n> [[Annoy your <<print $sibling>>.|Annoying]]\n> [[Make yourself scarce.|Sneaky.]]\n> [[Help set up the tent as best you can.|Setting up the Tent]]
<<set $housecatted to 1>>One day, <<cyclinglink $catname "Pauly" "Licky" "Mittens" "Alejandra" "Mister Fluffy" "Whiskers" "Zo-Zo" "Rufus" "Night-Tooth">> caught a <<cyclinglink $rodent "mouse" "mole" "chipmunk" "wild gerbil" "zombie guinea pig, leaking brains" " um, a rat">> and dropped it on the porch. <<cyclinglink $catgender "She" "He">> only ate a little. The rest was for YOU!\n\nThe same day, your neighbors had a death in the family and moved away.\n\n> <<if $damnedcat is 1>>[[Totally happened.|The Damned Cat, Part 2 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $damnedcat is 2>>[[Totally happened.|The Damned Cat, Part 3 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $damnedcat is 3>>[[Totally happened.|The Damned Cat, Part 4 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $damnedcat is 4>>[[Totally happened.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]<<endif>><<if $damnedcat is 5>>[[Totally happened.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]<<endif>>
<<playsound "crowscall.ogg">>“Fear is a web older than humankind, woven of innumerable shapes, a parasite of void conjoined to all dreaming life. Every life is lived alone in the nightmares of others <<if $irreversvisit is not 1>>[[irreversibly]]<<endif>><<if $irreversvisit is not 0>>irreversibly<<endif>>, <<if $intermvisit is not 1>>[[interminably]]<<endif>><<if $intermvisit is not 0>>interminably<<endif>>, <<if $unwitvisit is not 1>>[[unwittingly]]<<endif>><<if $unwitvisit is not 0>>unwittingly<<endif>>, and <<if $unwillvisit is not 1>>[[unwillingly]]<<endif>><<if $unwillvisit is not 0>>unwillingly<<endif>>. This is why you experience living as a nightmare.”\n<<if $fearnum is 4>>\nA dormant ember bursts into flame behind the scarecrow's eyes, glowing <<print $glowcolor>>...<<fadeoutsound "crowscall.ogg">>\n<<endif>>\n> <<if $fearnum is 4>>[[Don't think about it.|Unbidden idols]]<<endif>><<if $fearnum < 4>><<cyclinglink $think2 "think" "worry" "fear" "fret" "obsess" "cogitate" "freeze" "^@%!*&(+">><<endif>>
You go up to your <<print $sibling>> and <<cyclinglink $annoyinghabit "poke, poke, poke" "tug-the-sleeve" "make a face" "chew a piece of gum really loudly" "start laughing at your own jokes" "sigh obnoxiously">>.\n\n"Hey," you <<cyclinglink $annoyverb "say" "whine" "wheedle" "drone" "blather" "insist" "insist, creepily">>. "<<cyclinglink $annoyword "Heeeeeyyy..." "Hey, hey, hey..." "Remember the white rabbit. Hey. Remember the white rabbit? Do you? Hey. Remember the--" "Remember, remember that one time?" "Are we done yet? Are we done yet? How 'bout now? ... how 'bout now? ... now...?" "What's this part? Where does this go? Are you done with that?" "Did you know that most American car horns honk in the key of F?" "Did you know that humans have only existed for like two hundred thousand years?" "Did you know that sodium explodes in water?" "Well, did you know I hate you?" "What's your favorite word in the dictionary? Mine is--" "This is the SONG THAT NEVER ENDS..." "Yes, it goes ON AND ON, MY FRIENDS...!" "(ok, seriously, I can't write that whole thing out)">>"\n\n"Shut up, <<cyclinglink $sibinsult "Wuss" "Fatty" "Bitch" "Stupid" "Prissy" "Wimp" "Ugly" "Sissy" "Lazy" "Twerp" "Creep" "Idiot" "Chicken" "Queer" "Good for nothing" "Garbage breath" "Fart nozzle" "Scuzz bucket">>! I will lay the smack down on you."\n\n<<print $sibname>> sounds pretty serious.\n\n> <<replace>>Go home.<<becomes>>In the dark, by yourself?<<becomes>>Mom would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>Dad would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>They would be especially mad if they knew you left your <<print $sibling>> out in the woods alone. Who knows what <<print $sibpron>> could get up to alone out here?<<becomes>>If you leave, you'll never hear the end of it.<<becomes>>It's too far back to go alone.<<becomes>>You'd never make it without the flashlight.<<becomes>>You can't fight <<print $sibname>> for the flashlight because you would lose.<<becomes>>You can't just sleep outside. You'll get all dirty.<<becomes>>You'll get eaten alive by bugs.<<becomes>>Moths will walk on your face.<<becomes>>Spiders and centipedes will crawl all over you. They might even lay their eggs on you.<<becomes>>You don't know what you would do if centipedes had only one way to come out of their eggs and it was out your ears. Blegh!<<becomes>><<playsound "rain.ogg">>It's raining. Better get in the tent.<<becomes>>No, you just can't.<<becomes>>Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<endreplace>><<if $tentsetupscene is 0>>\n> [[Stop annoying your <<print $sibling>> and help set up the tent.|Setting up the Tent]]\n> [[Whine while you put up the tent.|Setting up the Tent][$whiny = 1]]<<else>><<endif>>\n> [[Keep annoying your <<print $sibling>>.|In a submission hold]]<<if $tentsetupscene is 1>>\n> [[Just wait until the tent is finished, then go in and get in my sleeping bag.|In the Tent]]<<endif>>
"Do you want to hear a story?"\n\n> [[Yes.|Scary Stories]]\n> <<cyclinglink $uhmaybe "I dunno." "Uh..." "Um..." "I'm not sure." "I couldn't tell you." "Well, uh, uh..." "Hmm..." "Huh.">>\n> <<replace>>No.<<becomes>>[[By which I mean yes.|Scary Stories]]<<endreplace>>
<<fadeinsound "UnseenInsects.ogg">>Without a word, you slip out of sight of <<print $sibname>> behind an old oak tree dense with the shadow of night. With ears perked, you sneak away from the trunk, away from the tent, slowly... carefully. Your senses heighten, and you feel closer to the land around you, attuned to the movements of things under your feet that you can't see.\n\nUpon the belated discovery of your disappearance, your <<print $sibling>> calls out for you. "<<cyclinglink $sibinsult "Wuss" "Fatty" "Bitch" "Stupid" "Prissy" "Wimp" "Ugly" "Sissy" "Lazy" "Twerp" "Creep" "Idiot" "Chicken" "Queer" "Good for nothing" "Garbage breath" "Fart nozzle" "Scuzz bucket">>! <<cyclinglink $sibcampthreat "I'm gonna kick your ass!" "Run back to Mommy, crybaby!" "What the hell?" "Come out NOW or I'll tell everyone your biggest secret!" "*SIGH*... the tent's all set up now. What's your problem? I'll just camp by myself..." "How come you never do anything? Huh?" "Why do you make me worry about you like this all the time?" "Argh, you're SO annoying.">>"\n\n> <<replace>>Go home.<<becomes>>In the dark, by yourself?<<becomes>>Mom would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>Dad would be really mad at you if you came in this late.<<becomes>>They would be especially mad if they knew you left your <<print $sibling>> out in the woods alone. Who knows what <<print $sibpron>> could get up to alone out here?<<becomes>>If you leave, you'll never hear the end of it.<<becomes>>It's too far back to go alone.<<becomes>>You'd never make it without the flashlight.<<becomes>>You can't fight <<print $sibname>> for the flashlight because you would lose.<<becomes>>You can't just sleep outside. You'll get all dirty.<<becomes>>You'll get eaten alive by bugs.<<becomes>>Moths will walk on your face.<<becomes>>Spiders and centipedes will crawl all over you. They might even lay their eggs on you.<<becomes>>You don't know what you would do if centipedes had only one way to come out of their eggs and it was out your ears. Blegh!<<becomes>><<playsound "rain.ogg">>It's raining. Better get in the tent.<<becomes>>No, you just can't.<<becomes>>Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<endreplace>>\n> [[Keep hiding.|You are One Who Walks Unseen]]\n> [[Just wait a bit, then go back and apologize.|Apologies]]
<<playsound "murder.ogg">>"No, child," the scarecrow says. "I have already eaten!"\n\nAnd it burps up <<cyclinglink $burpobject "the neighbor kid's shoe" "a writhing swarm of poisonous centipedes" "a massive tangle of dead, giant spiders" "a Shadow not of the night" "a killer doll" "a puddle of pumpkin guts" "actual guts, but from inside a pumpkin" "a still-beating, human heart" "your face">>!\n\n> <<replace>>Scream.<<becomes>>[[RUN AWAY!|Denouement.]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Tear down the scarecrow.<<becomes>>You try to rip its stake out from the ground, but earn only a splinter in the palm for your efforts.<<becomes>>The scarecrow laughs.<<becomes>>At last, you topple the scarecrow. Its pumpkin head smashes on the ground and putrid straw flies all over, but it will not stop laughing at you in your mind.<<endreplace>>
<<set $damnedcat to 4>>“<<if $grandfather is "grandfather">><<set $granpron to "he">><<set $granpronpos to "his">><<else>><<set $granpron to "she">><<set $granpronpos to "her">><<endif>><<print $witchname>>'s <<print $grandfather>> was an elder among elders with a <<cyclinglink $thin "thin" "fat">>, wizened face, a <<cyclinglink $nose "drooping" "pointy" "giant" "button">> nose, and a puckered, toothless mouth. How <<print $granpron>> wheezed and coughed in pitiful, airy bursts! Even sickly, <<print $granpron>> was a <<cyclinglink $likeable "likeable" "cruel" "delirious">>, old <<if $grandfather is "grandmother">>wo<<endif>>man <<cyclinglink $grandid "who spoke softly and gave thanks and always smiled" "always scowling, as if with a mouth full of teeth for biting" "who in her senility kept showing off the insides of their mouth">>, though <<print $granpron>> had no teeth left to show. That night, <<print $witchname>> went to gather flowers for her <<print $grandfather>>'s bedside while <<print $granpron>> should have been resting. Little could <<print $witchname>> have known, but those scant hours she left her <<print $grandfather>> with the cat doomed the old <<if $grandfather is "grandmother">>wo<<endif>>man more than <<print $granpronpos>> age or illness.”\n\n> <<if $housecatted is 0>>[[Think about your cat.|The House Cat]]<<endif>><<if $housecatted is 1>>You are reminded of your cat, <<print $catname>>.<<endif>>\n> [[Cringe.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]\n> [[Say you like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]\n> [[Say you don't like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]\n> [[Pretend you aren't there.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]\n> [[Stay quiet.|The Damned Cat, Part 5 of 5]]
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A tumor is a <<replace>>growth you can't stop that kills people...<<becomes>>thing growing inside you, but not like a baby, it's... see, it's like a...<<becomes>>monster that lives on the shadows inside your body and eats you alive<<endreplace>>... like what <<cyclinglink $relative "grandma" "grandpa" "uncle" "aunt" "our older cousin" "you">> had, remember?\n\n> [[OK, but go back to that part.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[OK, keep reading.|Bug Testers Needed, Part 5 of 5]]
Suffering is the only way that <<print $sibname>> knows to make <<if $sibling is "brother">>his<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>her<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>their<<endif>> presence undoubtably real to you. In <<if $sibling is "brother">>his<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>her<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>their<<endif>> head, it <<cyclinglink $iswas "is" "was">> necessary. Otherwise, <<cyclinglink $otherwisewish "you would forget." "you would wish too strongly to forget each other's existence." "you would never learn." "you would not discipline yourself." "your campmate feels compelled to deal with their pent-up feelings in some other, worse, way." "you would not have come know such depths of empathy for the misery of others." "you could be friends.">>\n\nPain and fright are not one in the same. This fear that hovers around <<print $sibname>> affects you even when <<if $sibling is "brother">>he's<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>she's<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">><<print $sibname>> is<<endif>> doing no such thing to you as physical harm. And sometimes, when it's supposed to hurt, you <<cyclinglink $feelnothing "feel nothing at all" "can only laugh" "curse helplessly not because it hurts, but because you can't stop it no matter what you think or how bad you want it" "wish yourself somewhere else and it becomes your own torture" "instead feel the pain of a tortured dream, far beyond the actual" "actually like it">>...\n\nSo it is not really pain that activates this fear, nor truly your <<print $sibling>>, but something else.\n\n> [[It's true.|Choice of Fears]]\n<<if $notasked is 0>>> <<replace>>Not true.<<becomes>>You're not listening to me.<<becomes>>That does not match my experience.<<becomes>>But the scarecrow only knows its story.<<becomes>>You are helpless to change its head.<<becomes>>It's hopeless. Never an escape.<<becomes>>Nothing is safe.<<becomes>>...<<endreplace>><<endif>>\n> <<replace>>Explain further.<<becomes>>The point is moot, the scarecrow is mute.<<endreplace>>
<<set $costumedefined = 1>>You are dressed as a <<cyclinglink $costume_scarecrow "really bad scarecrow" "um, scarecrow" "scarecrow, I guess" "scary scarecrow">>, <<cyclinglink $because "I dunno." "because you never want to be anything that's really scary." "because you just needed a Halloween costume fast." "with a bunch of smudgy make-up and hay sticking out of your sleeves.">> You are carrying a <<cyclinglink $container "plastic Jack o' lantern with some candy in it" "pillowcase with some candy in it" "trash bag with some candy in it" "plastic shopping bag with a bit of duct tape on it and some candy in it" "paper shopping bag covered in spooky drawings with some candy in it">>.\n\n> [[Right.|Trick or Treating Is Over]]
<<loopsound "A murder of crows.ogg">><<if $unbiddenfault is 0>>\n"Have fun, you two..."\n[[Everything is my fault.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddenfault = 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddenfault is 1>>[[I am faulty.|Unbidden idols][ $unbidden += 1; $unbiddenfault +=1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddenfault is 2>>[[All my fault.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddenfault = 1]]<<endif>>\n<<if $unbidden > 0>><<print $sibinsult>><<endif>>\n<<if $unbiddencant is 0>>[[I can't do it.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddencant = 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddencant is 1>>[[I can't do what I want.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddencant += 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddencant is 2>>[[I can't do anything.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddencant = 1]]<<endif>>\n...<<if $unbidden >= 1>><<print $sibinsult>>.<<endif>><<if $unbidden >= 2>>..<<print $sibinsult>>...<<endif>><<if $unbidden >= 3>><<print $sibinsult>>!<<endif>>\n<<if $unbiddenhope is 0>>[[Hapless.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddenhope = 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddenhope is 1>>[[Helpless.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddenhope += 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddenhope is 2>>[[Hopeless.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddenhope = 1]]<<endif>>\n<<if $visitshadow is 1>><<if $unbidden >= 3>>... <<print $imagineshadow>>... <<print $imaginepeople>>...<<endif>><<endif>><<if $unbidden >= 4>><<print $sibinsult>>...<<endif>>\n<<if $unbiddennever is 0>>[[Never an escape.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddennever = 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddennever is 1>>[[Nothing is safe.|Unbidden idols][ $unbidden += 1; $unbiddennever += 1]]<<endif>><<if $unbiddennever is 2>>[[Only nightmare survives us.|Unbidden idols][$unbidden += 1; $unbiddennever = 1]]<<endif>>\n\n<<if $unbidden >= 3>>"<<cyclinglink $havenightmares1 "You do not have nightmares">>," the scarecrow tells you. "<<cyclinglink $havenightmares2 "Nightmares have you.">>"<<endif>>\n\n<<if $unbidden >= 5>>> “... a-are you... g-gonna... [[eat me|"Are You Gonna Eat Me?"]]?”<<endif>>
Like in <<cyclinglink $applemyth "Snow White." "this one movie Mom and Dad were watching on TV when you snuck down past bedtime..." "The Iliad, kinda, 'cuz, like, Discord... well, it's not literally poison, but..." "The Bible?" "something else where there's a poison apple, okay?">>
Your <<print $sibling>> <<print $sibname>> is sitting up in <<if $sibling is "brother">>his<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>her<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>their<<endif>> sleeping bag, intent on reading by flashlight, head filled with [[nightmares|Had nightmares?]].\n\nYou ask <<print $sibname>> about...\n\n> <<replace>>Halloween.<<becomes>>[[The book.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Candy.<<becomes>>[[That book.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Forest night sounds.<<becomes>>[[The book of scary stories.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Terrible sleeping bag.<<becomes>>[[The book in <<if $sibling is "brother">>his<<endif>><<if $sibling is "sister">>her<<endif>><<if $sibling is "cousin">>their<<endif>> hands.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Going to different schools.<<becomes>>[[The book you can't stop thinking about.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Being alone.<<becomes>>[[That book, though.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>That feeling like you have no friends.<<becomes>>[[The BOOK.|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>><<print $sibname>>'s constant bullying.<<becomes>>[[The BOOK!|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>\n> <<replace>>Why everyone is out to get you.<<becomes>>[[THE BOOK!|Hear a story?]]<<endreplace>>
You return, unzip the tent slowly, and <<cyclinglink $tentopen "see that sitting there reading a little book is" "still manage to surprise" "embarrass" "see that sitting awake, looking mad at you is">> <<print $sibname>>.\n\n"I knew you'd be back, <<print $sibinsult>>."\n\nYou apologize, <<cyclinglink $sibapologize "saying only the word sorry" "though you're sure it'll go unrequited" "wholeheartedly, for anything" "wanting approval" "citing your wrongs" "hoping something nice might just happen for once">>. It feels <<cyclinglink $sorryfeel "good" "awkward" "empty" "privately meaningful" "sincere" "like a cordiality" "like the right thing" "like you will never get along">>.\n\n"<<cyclinglink $apologyresponse "Whatever" "Fuck you" "Apology accepted">>," your <<print $sibling>> says. "C'mon, get in here and set up your sleeping bag."\n\n> [[Enter the tent.|In the Tent]]
Duncan Bowsman
<<set $scaredysib to 1>>You <<cyclinglink $scareyosib "go 'Boo!'" "do your best ghost impression." "do your best wolf impression." "do your best impression of your parents." "come crashing through the tent flap without warning." "scream bloody murder." "pelt the tent with pebbles and pine cones." "manipulate foliage outside the tent to suggest the approach of something monstrously huge and menacing." "charge in suddenly, waving a stick and shouting." "pretend to be possessed by a killer doll.">>\n\n"<<cyclinglink $booresponse "Quit it," "Whatever," "Fuck you," "AAHHH!" "No! No, please!" "HELP!" "*SIGH*" "Is that supposed to be scary?" "Really?" "Ugh, you are so lame.">>" <<print $sibname>> says, <<cyclinglink $sibscarereact "totally not impressed" "all startled and full of curses" "all hating your guts right now and everything" "entirely unable to stand it" "entirely unable to stand you" "laughing at you" "swatting at you" "blushing deeply" "really barely even noticing you">>. "C'mon, get in here and set up your sleeping bag."\n\n> [[Say something snappy, then climb into your sleeping bag.|In the Tent]]\n> [[Say something apologetic, get into your sleeping bag.|In the Tent]]\n> [[Say nothing, just crawl into your sleeping bag.|In the Tent]]\n> [[Laugh back at <<print $sibname>>, then climb into your sleeping bag.|In the Tent]]\n> <<replace>>Hit <<print $sibname>>, get in sleeping bag.<<becomes>>That's pushing it a little, don't you think?<<becomes>>No you don't wanna do that. You'll just get beat up if you do.<<becomes>>[[I don't care, bring on the consequences.|In a submission hold]]<<endreplace>>
You reach out and touch the scarecrow. <<cyclinglink $material "Rough sackcloth" "Dirty flannel" "Cobweb-covered rags" "Moldy hay" "Rot-softened wood" "Its rotten, pumpkin head" "Bumpy, frayed stitching">> <<cyclinglink $matverb "yields" "scratches" "squishes" "crumples" "rubs away">> under the press of a finger.\n\n<<set $crowscared to 1>>And suddenly, you are not <<cyclinglink $scared "frightened" "scared" "spooked" "horrified" "terrified" "panicked" "startled" "shook" "cowed" "rattled" "disturbed" "dismayed" "distressed" "shocked">> <<cyclinglink $ofby "of" "by" "at" "'cuz of">> the pumpkin-headed, rag doll thing before you. A minute ago, it had seemed invested with all the terror of <<print $sibcostume>>, but now... it is just what it's made of. Had it even been <<cyclinglink $scary "scary" "spooky" "horrifying" "terrifying" "frightening" "eerie" "bloodcurdling" "startling" "alarming" "awesome" "uncanny" "rattling" "horrendous" "spine-chilling" "suspicious" "disturbing" "shocking">> before? Nothing seems certain.\n\n> [[Huh...|Choice of Fears]]
That's what they put on dead bodies to preserve them. It smells terrible. There were these <<cyclinglink $fluffyanimal "cats" "bunnies" "puppies" "lemurs" "guinea pigs" "bats">> that died and got their eyes cut open in a biology class, and they were preserved with formeldahyde. The whole room stank and they all had these disgusted expressions frozen on their faces. Their fur was slickly moist with old chemical gunk.
<<set $damnedcat to 3>>“<<print $witchname>> had every day to go to the market where she sold flowers until evening. In her pity, she hired children to look after the cat during her absence. Yet each visited her only once, and she never heard from them after.\n\n“Curiously, it was after she hired her first cat-sitter that the rat problem started. She returned from the market one evening to find a single dead rat on the floor, the next day another. More curious than their sudden appearance, there seemed to be no holes or anything of the kind that might allow them in. None of the cat-sitters let any in (she felt certain), nor did they bring rats with them (and that was certain).\n\n“<<print $witchname>> remained satisfied, at least, that <<print $damnname>> dealt with them so easily. Every one of them bore the marks of its carnivorous teeth, always hungry for more meat. The poor thing.\n\n“One full moon, <<print $witchname>>'s <<cyclinglink $grandfather "grandfather" "grandmother">> came to visit...”\n\n> <<if $housecatted is 0>>[[Think about your cat.|The House Cat]]<<endif>><<if $housecatted is 1>>You are reminded of your cat, <<print $catname>>.<<endif>>\n> [[Cringe.|The Damned Cat, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Say you like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Say you don't like cats.|The Damned Cat, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Pretend you aren't there.|The Damned Cat, Part 4 of 5]]\n> [[Stay quiet.|The Damned Cat, Part 4 of 5]]
<<set $scarednum += 1>><<set $storyscared to 1>>“A story itself is no terror. It is only made of words, and no word is intrinsically frightful, that it may not be read or heard without horror. Unless you really think words like... <<print $glowcolor>>... are so terrifying on their own...?”\n\n> [[Say you're not scared of stories.|Choice of Fears]]\n> <<replace>>Disagree.<<becomes>>You try, but no words come out.<<becomes>>No words will ever come.<<becomes>>You have stood agape, speechless in horror, for several seconds now.<<becomes>>[[No, not the story. Not the words.|Choice of Fears]]<<endreplace>>