Borgupine/floyd · Datasets at Hugging Face

prompt stringlengths 1 124	response stringlengths 1 5.19k
You look in the window	The guards are sitting around, drinking the dregs of the keg. One guard spots you and says to another, "Hey, it's your turn to pay for the round." The guard rises slowly and hands you some coins through the window. "Another one, just like that."
You go to the south-west	The path follows the south edge of a deep ravine and heads northeast. A tunnel heads southwest, narrowing to a rather tight crawl. A faint whirring sound can be heard in that direction. On the east is a ruined archway choked with vegetation.
Ornate	It's not exactly easy to get a good look. The cuckoo clock ticks sullenly.
You eat the udder	Ah, now she starts to stream: a subtle spurt at first, but stronger as you squeeze her teats and pull white jets from her nipples. Not pure white, no, but tinged with mild luscious yellowness. That's fat for you, rich, creamy fat to thicken every squirting line whose liquid sprinkles on your lips.
You talk to the policeman	He contemptuously disregards anything I say. Finally, the policeman turns back to me. "I'm letting you out. It seems this is a case of mistaken identity. Your brother just told me all about it." Confused? You probably don't really understand how things are between me and my twin. The thing you have to understand is that we're brothers. Even if we've never been seen in the same room, even if I don't actually know his name, we're really very close. In a way, we complement each other. He does the things that I'd never do, like crimes and atrocities. I thwart him when he goes too far. Well, sometimes. The point is that we need each other. We're bound into a cycle of eternal warfare, and innocents are caught in the crossfire. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The story you are about to play uses a keyword interface. Whenever you see a word in upper case you can type it on the command prompt to advance the story. Whenever you wish to see the list of currently available keywords, type LIST or L. It's quiet, as always. I've turned the MUSIC off so that it doesn't bother my COUSIN's sleep. A long day of travel and WEIGHTLESSNESS has exhausted him. The door leads out to the HALLWAY.
You hit the brick with the stone	(first taking the stone block) From here you cannot reach the stone block.
You examine the autokey	An electronic lockpick. It incorporates a small scanner and a force field generator. Using highly precise force field manipulation, it can be used as a universal key for almost any lock.
You eat a the berry	(Taking the handful of white berries first.) Lornedei eats one of the white berries. "These are actually not too awful Master! They remind me of something but I cannot recall what." She shrugs. Lornedei's magic just went up by three.
You wait	Time passes. The ground trembles slightly with the thing's thunderous footsteps as it tromps up the path. It's right outside the slaughterhouse! The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
You go to the east	You are on a quiet street corner in the little town of Fairhaven. Maple Drive runs north from here to your house, while Oak Street runs west. A rusty old manhole (closed) is set squarely in the middle of the road.
You knock on the door	Your knock is answered after a moment by a short, stocky woman whose black hair and broad, flat features suggest that her ancestry is Central American. She looks down at you impassively. "Oh, it's you," she says. "You're the girl, the one they brought. Mr. Beauregard he said he didn't want you in the house, but I think he gone off somewhere, so I don't care. You can come in if you want to. I'm Luisa. I work here, keep the house clean. Just don't make a mess I got to clean up, you can go where you want." She has a heavy Hispanic accent, but her words are not hard to understand. She turns and goes back inside, leaving the door open.
You touch the floor	And you're back in that place, where he sent you the first time. Groping hand and foot in a stifling blackness, no light anywhere. ("I can't promise you help, but remember: rely on your wits. And whatever you do, keep looking.") Whispering it to yourself in the close corridors, hearing the corridors whisper it back again. Keep looking. And so you crawl on, sometimes falling unexpectedly, sometimes getting stuck; sometimes finding yourself far down a passage without outlet, having to crawl backwards again, start over. Even when you find what you seek -- a deep pool of matter in its rawness, chaos without shape -- you must make your way back again. There's no time here, no orientation, no measure. Only blind persistence can ever bring you home.
Hello	There are tons of things you would like to ask rocket man about, like the universe, the war, his rocketship. You could also tell him about something. on the seal of his helmet.
You ring bell	You ring the bell... You hear the note of a horn answering in the distance...
Leap	You jump, like they taught you: every part of you poised, just like before. Without your wing, though, you don't get far.
Wait	Time passes. The cat purrs. There is a constant yowling coming from inside the giant backpack.
You go east	That would be a long drop down into the canyon.
You unlock the trunk with the hoop	You try several times to insert the end of the hoop into the lock, but the hoop is bent in a U shape, which makes it hard to manipulate.
Go east	With only a little effort, you're able to shimmy through the window feet-first and thump down on the floor of the bathroom. The tiny, cramped bathroom features a narrow shower stall, a minuscule, rust-stained sink above which is a cracked, flyspecked mirror, and a commode. The towels stacked on the rack are thin, frayed at the edges, and probably none too clean. The small square window is open, but it provides no view and not much light either, as a tree has grown up quite close to the outside wall. The door to the cabin is in the east wall.
You think about the arm	[To respond in dialogue, enter a number, or enter "repeat" to reacquaint yourself with the options.]
You take the pink card	That seems to belong to the female scientist.
You examine the screen	A Native American tribe is singing and dancing around a totem. The totem depicts animals, but mostly fishes or crustaceans, a strange thing considering this place is nowhere near the sea. The machine's humming is still quite low.
You put Vanemine in the pipette	Using Dr. Yehuda's notes for reference, you carefully measure some of the vial of Vanemine into the pipette and then decant it into the test tube.
You enter the Machine	You awkwardly clamber inside the time machine. Inside Time Machine (Area 51, Nevada) The time machine is clearly meant for someone a lot shorter than you. You feel like a pen in a matchbox. From the outside the machine looked complicated, but from the inside the task of understanding what's going on is positively herculean. You can see a large number of lights and dials, none of which you can understand. It doesn't help that any instructions written in the machine are in some kind of alien dialect. The things that you think might be significant are a digital readout which says '2007', the buttons next to this readout, an open panel revealing a mix of wires and a pile of paper which is chained to the inside of the machine, clearly to avoid theft. Exits: Exit
You give the report to Jenny	The Jenny of Tomorrow pores over the annual Canyonville Pine Nut Harvest report. "Finances: Acquired! Pine-nuts: I did not spurn what you asked me to learn! Weather: I did not spurn what you asked me to learn! That's cooler than a fish." The Jenny of Tomorrow crosses her metal legs, the opposite way from before.
Go west	There are small piles of sawdust in the corners. You see a door to the East. A hardened steel chain has one end built into the concrete wall. There is an iron crowbar ( chained to the wall ) A gouged and battered woodworking table is against the Wall.
You examine the library folder	The Backwater Public Library folder is empty except for an index-card-sized note reading "Contents of this folder have been reclaimed as the rightful property of B.U.S.H. Any queries, complaints, and suggestions can be directed to [email protected]. Have a good rest of your SUCK IT LOSERS!!!".
You go east	Phelps turns away from you, scratches himself, and goes back to gazing out across the lawn. As you put your weight on the steps, several of the boards creak loudly. This lumpy, patchy stretch of lawn is the most pleasant outdoor spot at Eternal Springs, though that isn't saying much. A rusted, sagging chaise longue is provided for the comfort of anyone who would like to bask in the scorching heat of the afternoon sun. (There's precious little shade here, other than the low oblong of obscurity wedged beneath the chaise.) To the east, the lawn is bordered by a high hedge of a virulent and sickly green, whose foliage is laden with a bounty of pulpy red flowers. The arid stretch of dirt between the cabins stretches out to the south. The main house stands, crooked and bleak but stubbornly attempting a faded grandeur, to the west, a short, broad flight of board steps leading up to the long porch, which is roofed over but nonetheless gapes open on the afternoon. A tiny, weed-infested flower-bed crouches to the right of the steps. A cracked and buckled concrete walk leads away through some tall bushes to the north, and another walk, whose slabs are tossed as if by some prehistoric geological upheaval, curves out of sight to the southwest around the corner of the house. Honey Hartwell is reclining on the chaise longue, leafing through a magazine.
You unlock the back door	Unlocked.
You stand	Okay, you're now standing. The large chemical tank behind Fiona begins to tremble and groan. She takes hold of the controls again and grins. And then the tank starts spurting a huge stream of coolant out of its side, up into the air and very far from the red hot gun barrels. Fiona spins round to watch this with wide-eyes, and then turns back to face you with a terrified, placating smile. "Let's talk about this like reasonable human beings," she says, standing up from the turret's control seat and holding up her empty hands. And then she jumps off of the turret, hitting the ground running. She's disappeared before you're even sure how to react.
You examine Becca	Becca is Jemison's mom, she is as loud as Jemison is quiet and that is very loud. Or very quiet. Anyway, that is Becca. "It's no different than canned baby food," the mom tells Becca. Meanwhile, Cassie is trying to climb out of her chair so she can fall to the floor and Lisa is restraining her.
You examine paper	Poor-quality paper from a fax machine. It reads: 'Dear candidate 28436, please go upstairs to the Observation Gallery where you will find further instructions.'
Mouth	It's quite artistic, and quite disturbing.
Go southwest	The ground descends here to the muddy edge of the swamp. A small window is set high in the plank wall of the shed, which stands to your east. A path to the north leads back to the front of the shed. You see a wooden bucket here.
Go northeast	Inn, Back Room The back room of the inn is bare of furnishings; not even a simple bucket is to be found. The floor creaks underfoot, and the innkeeper is nowhere to be seen. The only exit is southwest, back to the main room of the inn.
Go west	You arrive at a small cranny (or is it a nook? I never know) at the West side of the pit. You see, "Our Secret Place" inscribed above a small lens. Looking into it, you see nothing and decide it must be some sort of electric eye.
You get the life form	You dispatch a servobot, and after a brief but impressive struggle, you install the spiky silicate life form in your cargo bays. A quantity of drifting yellow mist comes with it. The spiky silicate life form screams at the cargo bay walls. A subroutine reassures you that no lasting harm has been done.
Examine bracelet	The bracelet is made of irregular chunks of gray-white stone about the size of marbles. Each stone is incised with a symbol of some sort. The symbols look vaguely like the letters on the carving on the stone slab in Beauregard Phelps's bedroom.
You examine the hammock	Although it is fairly crude, it looks comfortable. You wonder why more people don't use them. On the hammock there is nothing.
You throw Tome northeast	You fling the Tome of Psychological Incantations as hard as you can. It sails northeastward and disappears into the Library Antechamber.
You get the menorah	I take it. There's a flash of pain right where the mummy first struck me.
You wear the dress	You slip the rough cloth back over your head.
You open the book	You open the book at random, revealing a full colour picture of a head cleaner on page 274.
You open the door	You open the door and the wind almost knocks you back. The plane appears as if it's on the verge of going into a nose dive. You don't have much time left.
You get the gauntlet	t12/61uishy-Makin You are unable to reach the gauntlet, as it is too high above your head. Which is partly fortunate. You wouldn't want that spiked ceiling getting much closer, would you?
You ask Waldo, to look at your surroundings	FC: Cryolink established to Waldo. WALDO: Internal map reference -- Main Supply Room Moving about here is difficult due to the debris scattered about but I can detect a medium-sized object distinct from the jumble. Sonar detects two small depressions beside a raised spot in the object. A smooth object sits in the first depression, but the second depression is empty. In the room with me is Iris. Iris is carrying a bubbly device, a disfigured device.
You go south	The brick road turns west before entering the village proper. As you approach the village, you decide to sing: "Ohhhhh, the fish was long and the fish was wide But you will never ever guess what I found inside..." Memories, that fuzzy affair. You're never certain enough how true they are to reality. I can't clearly remember, just as an example, what rumours said about the McDaniel Mansion... There was something about a stranger who came to visit on a cold Autumn day many years ago, just before the house got abandoned for decades. And then there was the wild speculation about monsters in the basement... But the thing I really remember from those summer holidays is our improbable and not quite balanced trio of friends. There was Doc. Brown-haired, thin, handsome, annoyingly arrogant every now and then, always the charismatic. Then there was Rose, shy, with the soft, delicate look under her golden hair. The three of us united by the bare fact that we were the only people of our age in that too quiet, too boring, village, wasting the best of our late teens during the early eighties. "Now, Mike, I hereby declare you as our official Torch-bearer" solemnly joked Rose when giving me the switched off torch that dry, hot late summer evening when, just out of having nothing else to do, we decided to play kids and go to explore the ruined McDaniel site, as isolated from the rest of the village as the village was from the rest of the world... So there we stood, at the entrance of the old mansion, just the three of us and a former elegant door which was as rusty as firmly closed. I could see Rose and Doc there.
You look at the bear	It is old and threadbare, its fur worn through to the stuffing in some places. Stitched onto its behind is the name "Jeffrey".
You go north	A gentle breeze ripples the sparse grasses here, under a blood-red sun. There are many paths. You see mountains to the distant east. You feel a manly twitching in your thews, enlivened by the freedom of the open country. GUNWAR totters along beside you.
You open the oven	You open the oven. Inside you see: a delicious hot loaf of sourdough bread The Narvish Raider arrives from the north. [3:05 pm:11\|493516] Bri'anne Wayverlyn the CrystalSinger : Name? Heat blasts from the open oven into the bakery.
You go south	Gillesipie, your aunt, and the armed men are still standing in front of the shack. They still haven't noticed you lurking here, but it wouldn't be safe to go any further north.
Meow	You watch the boy through the fence. He runs crazy circles in the snow, tugging the red balloon behind him. With a cry of joy the boy runs toward you. You hear a familiar "Thuck!" as he cracks open the shiny egg. Clambering halfway up, the boy is barely able to reach over the fence. Your eyes never leave the open shell of soft food as it falls and lands upright in the snow beside you. Your nostrils detect that improbable scent again.
You examine package	You picked it up from the engravers earlier. The package is about six inches wide, and eight inches long, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. The label on it reads "E Scrooge Esq, to await collection". It's rather heavy. Whisps of frosty mist nuzzle into the corners of the yard.
You take the statuette	Not a good idea with Filipo watching. Filipo mumbles something about needing more mandrake for the boss.
Go north	Willy Street, west end The west end of Williamson street is where the east side of Madison ends and the downtown area begins. A tangle of memories from different decades of your life is woven into the landscape of the city here. Lady Wisdom's coffeeshop is on the south side of the street, radiating bohemian charm acquired from decades of service to local culture. John Nolen drive curves around the lake to the west. As you are stepping outside, you hear your name called behind you. You turn, and your old friend Clark greets you from behind the wheel of a large utility truck. 'Long time no see! Hey, its Elgin's birthday next week, he's having his party at Rossini's Pizza. It's on the west side of Monona drive as you head south, hope we see you there!' Elgin is your godson, and you haven't seen him for years. You have guilty memories of many ignored phone calls from Clark and Staci during 2010 and 2011 as you were sinking into depression and solitude. Maybe they split up or something? You can't remember. Everything feels different now, and you are excited to bring old friends back into your life. (The door to Afterlife has opened) (20 April 2013) You will need to ride a bicycle to get all the way to Rossini's. You should check Turning Wheel cycles.
You check what you're carrying	You are carrying: some slippers (being worn) a ball of yarn a needle a magnifying glass a tube (enlarged and made of metal) a delicate key (enlarged and made of metal) (which opens the silvered door) a workbox a ring (being worn)
You examine the scroll	The scroll is a rolled-up piece of rather thick paper. To your amazement, you notice that there's something written on it, and in uncle Zebulon's handwriting (what a surprise!).
Place	"You must get a lot of practice," I say, "spying on young women." He just ignores me. I'll take that to mean he can't think of a good comeback. "Well," Nate says, "it was fun while it lasted, but it looks like I'm off Unfathomable Crimes and back at the Old Warren desk." "Because of her?" Forthright asks. Okay, I feel pretty rotten right now. Should I be SYMPATHETIC towards Walker, or HARSH towards Forthright?
You get the iron ring with the umbrella	(first taking the umbrella) (slipping the flashlight into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand free) The iron ring is high out of your reach.
Dig	Your arms are too tired, and you're out of breath. You need to take a break before you dig any more. Well, now your arms are starting to feel like they could handle some more digging.
You look at the sandals	This pair of exhaustion sandals is the embodiment of Eudoxus's principle of exhaustion.
You look at the picture	(the jewelry box) It's hardly larger than your hand, made of wood and charmingly decorated with a picture of children dancing around a Maypole. Most likely a plaything of one of the later Verlac children. The lid is open to reveal a silver locket.
You eat guard	Now you can take your time with him, as one must take one's time to chew durkha. Oh yes, it's still slow-going, even after he's been soaked, with every bite a contest between your teeth and his cheese, but your teeth win. He calls you "Wastrel!" and "Blackguard!" until the end. Even his insults are scrumptious. You have served well, noble durkha.
You pull the stripe	What do you want to pull: brown stripe or green stripe?
You put the pot on the skateboard	(first taking the heavy pot) Done.
1	"So, there's this gigantic snake guy?" "Yeah, Ahigu! So friggin' cool." "Well, he won't let me get to the equipment shed. If I try to get past him he'll venom me to death." "Huh." Nega-Hina strokes her chin. "You know, Princess Hebryn of Cealdhame��mistress of the fortress Cynebrand��she wears a magic bracelet called Hlutorbeg. The stone-elves made it for her. It's supposed to grant its wearer immunity to poison." "How do you remember all this?" She shakes her head wearily. "Last January, you and Jonathan were in the Honors Center, and he was telling you all about his novel while you were trying to study for an exam. You tried so hard to ignore him, but unfortunately your subconscious mind absorbed every friggin' detail." "Did I retain anything for the exam?" Nega-Hina shrugs. "I dunno. I don't pay attention to that stuff. But if you go back to Cealdhame and get that bracelet, it might let you get past Ahigu." "Well, last time I was there, I couldn't really observe or touch anything." "Yeah, because you lacked perspective! You didn't have the context necessary to interpret what you were seeing. That's the value of conversations like these." 1: Ask about the Coils of Ahigu. 2: Ask about Rachel's artwork. 3: Ask about the Kingdom of Cealdhame. 4: Ask about Halloween Town. 5: Ask about Curling Flower Space. 6: Never mind.
You recite the formula	It's better not: if the spirit of the skeleton came from the netherworld, he could want to take revenge upon he who reduced him so.
You talk to Janet	Really, you couldn't get a word in edgewise even if you had the mental fortitude to try. You can tell that some tension is hanging in the air, just for a moment.
You climb the small crate	(getting off the larger crate) You climb up on the smaller crate.
Burn book	(the huge, black tome) The match isn't lit.
You go to the east	This dark room is lined with many, many skulls. Plastic, you presume. There is an informational sign here. The rest of the menagerie is to the west. A vicous sharp-toothed skull scraper hops around this exhibit. Crust arrives from the west.
You examine disk	It's a large gold disk with complex etchings. The pattern of etchings resembles a starburst: a central circle with lines radiating. The disk is attached to a gold chain, for wearing the amulet around the neck.
SIGN	Don't know how to sign here...
You examine the mirror	It is, or should be, a mirror, but it is surrounded by odd markings. A spot at the bottom of the frame seems worn by touch. At one point there is what would seem to be a maker's mark, an ornate letter C. Marie pokes at her hair hopelessly, perhaps trying to restore it to some semblance of order.
You drop all	rope: Dropped. matchbook: Dropped. sword: Dropped. glass bottle: Dropped. brown sack: Dropped. painting: Dropped. brass lantern: Dropped.
About yourself	Harold Banks, auteur manqu?.
Smell phone	Smells like insects. Like ants.
You wait awhile	Time passes. The Provider is bent over the alcove.
You eat human	Exerting your powerful jaws, you crack the human's skull and nuzzle away at the cavity within. Somewhere beneath it all, he was always fourteen. He was always at the top of the stairs in his skeleton costume for Halloween, and the teachers were always walking past below, with the conversation always drifting up the stairs like an evil spirit. He was always listening, even though he didn't want to hear. He was always just learning that they couldn't tell him apart from anyone else in the same costume. That he was just another kid, here one year and gone the next. That he was not special. He was always just realizing that he would never be special. The dream fades, and you are once more aware of the depths and the currents. You nose your way across the bones one last time, but there's nothing left to eat.
Metal	That is unlikely to get a response.
You kill the rat with the sword	You're closer this time, you can feel it -- the rat is out, exposed, and unprotected. You strike--
You examine the chain	It runs all the way up past the catwalk to the ceiling. Its links look somewhat greasy. The block of equipment sways and tilts slightly under your feet.
You enter it	It doesn't matter how filled with Christmas spirit you are; you're not going up that chimney.
Go downward	You're in a dim, stuffy chamber, deep within the bowels of the tower. The walls gleam with obscure medical instruments, and a diabolical torture machine occupies most of the opposite corner. A ladder rises to meet an open hatch in the middle of the ceiling. You can see a leaflet and a violet note here.
You go to the south-west	A cramped and not altogether pleasant booth, though you guess in this kind of establishment you're not paying for quality so much as cheap coffee. The booth has been defaced more times than you care to count, though some of the graffiti is quite amusing. You can leave the booth to the northeast.
You open the trap door	The door reluctantly opens to reveal a rickety staircase descending into darkness.
You go to the north	You make your way into an expansive library lit by a large window. On the southern wall beside the sole entrance hangs a great tapestry. The remaining walls are lined with shelves upon shelves of books. A bare reading table occupies the centre of the room.
Inventory	You are carrying: an ivory key a little gold dinner bell a silver bell a cow bell a stool a candle (providing light) a poison vial a pair of cloven shoes (being worn) a sceptre an iron key (which opens the iron cage) some iron windchimes a great contract book a small key (which opens the iron windchimes and the small door) a shackle some discarded embroidery materials a helmet
2	"I'm on an errand for Doctor Cavala," you explain. "I'm on my way to deliver some documents to the basilica." "No wonder you looked like you were in a hurry," Horatio muses. "Well, I shan't hold you up. You do know the way, don't you?" "Even if I didn't, I'd know better than to ask you." He hangs his head. "Fair enough." 1) "How is life in the Vigiles?" 2) "See you soon, Horatio."
You enter the sink	You squinch up your eyes. You could fit in there, but there's a silver thing going over the top that you just don't trust.
Drink juice	You take a small sip. It's very tasty...
You wait a while	Time passes. Slowly. The knife flies in and out of the mound. One jab brings the blade within an inch of your ear.
Push horse east	You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse along the hall? George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this." Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter. Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety. Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it along the hall.
You examine the trees	As you look more closely at the trees, you suddenly realize what's wrong with them: they're not alive. The trunks and branches of the trees are solid stone: petrified wood, the organic material replaced with silica from the groundwater over the course of millions of years. ("Silica" is silicon dioxide, which makes up sand, quartz, and all kinds of things.) But these are not mere stone pillars: they're still trees, complete with leaves made of malachite, a green marbled stone derived from copper and as arresting in its own way as emerald. ("Arresting" means it makes you stop and look.) You don't have much time to ponder this mystery, however: suddenly you hear a growling in the distance, and turn to see a wolf charging right at you!
1	"Didn't we establish that the deaths were murders, not a result of infection?" She fixes you with a hard look. "Hypotheses can change, Marid. Hundreds have turned up dead. Whether this is an epidemic or a slaughter, measures have to be taken." 1) "So what do we do now?"
You turn on Refresher	The light flashes, signalling that the sack of lead coins within has aged, despite the uncontained dial setting, only three days. Looking inside, you see a sack of gold coins.
Flip calendar	You flip the calendar back to January, revealing one Tiffany.
You leave	(first opening the street door) The north side of the street is occupied by a large wooden hall. On the south side is a neat single-storey white building (directly south) next to a two-storey green house (to the southeast). The street continues eastwards but quickly peters out into a narrow farmtrack as it leaves the town, while to the west it runs back towards the town centre. Obvious exits: North, South, East, West, Southeast
You turn on the tv	The TV requires four C batteries, so you're three short.
You jump on the floor	Wait, what was that? I only got the part about wanting to jump.

You look in the window

The guards are sitting around, drinking the dregs of the keg. One guard spots you and says to another, "Hey, it's your turn to pay for the round." The guard rises slowly and hands you some coins through the window. "Another one, just like that."

You go to the south-west

The path follows the south edge of a deep ravine and heads northeast. A tunnel heads southwest, narrowing to a rather tight crawl. A faint whirring sound can be heard in that direction. On the east is a ruined archway choked with vegetation.

Ornate

It's not exactly easy to get a good look. The cuckoo clock ticks sullenly.

You eat the udder

Ah, now she starts to stream: a subtle spurt at first, but stronger as you squeeze her teats and pull white jets from her nipples. Not pure white, no, but tinged with mild luscious yellowness. That's fat for you, rich, creamy fat to thicken every squirting line whose liquid sprinkles on your lips.

You talk to the policeman

He contemptuously disregards anything I say. Finally, the policeman turns back to me. "I'm letting you out. It seems this is a case of mistaken identity. Your brother just told me all about it." Confused? You probably don't really understand how things are between me and my twin. The thing you have to understand is that we're brothers. Even if we've never been seen in the same room, even if I don't actually know his name, we're really very close. In a way, we complement each other. He does the things that I'd never do, like crimes and atrocities. I thwart him when he goes too far. Well, sometimes. The point is that we need each other. We're bound into a cycle of eternal warfare, and innocents are caught in the crossfire. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The story you are about to play uses a keyword interface. Whenever you see a word in upper case you can type it on the command prompt to advance the story. Whenever you wish to see the list of currently available keywords, type LIST or L. It's quiet, as always. I've turned the MUSIC off so that it doesn't bother my COUSIN's sleep. A long day of travel and WEIGHTLESSNESS has exhausted him. The door leads out to the HALLWAY.

You hit the brick with the stone

(first taking the stone block) From here you cannot reach the stone block.

You examine the autokey

An electronic lockpick. It incorporates a small scanner and a force field generator. Using highly precise force field manipulation, it can be used as a universal key for almost any lock.

You eat a the berry

(Taking the handful of white berries first.) Lornedei eats one of the white berries. "These are actually not too awful Master! They remind me of something but I cannot recall what." She shrugs. Lornedei's magic just went up by three.

You wait

Time passes. The ground trembles slightly with the thing's thunderous footsteps as it tromps up the path. It's right outside the slaughterhouse! The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.

You go to the east

You are on a quiet street corner in the little town of Fairhaven. Maple Drive runs north from here to your house, while Oak Street runs west. A rusty old manhole (closed) is set squarely in the middle of the road.

You knock on the door

Your knock is answered after a moment by a short, stocky woman whose black hair and broad, flat features suggest that her ancestry is Central American. She looks down at you impassively. "Oh, it's you," she says. "You're the girl, the one they brought. Mr. Beauregard he said he didn't want you in the house, but I think he gone off somewhere, so I don't care. You can come in if you want to. I'm Luisa. I work here, keep the house clean. Just don't make a mess I got to clean up, you can go where you want." She has a heavy Hispanic accent, but her words are not hard to understand. She turns and goes back inside, leaving the door open.

You touch the floor

And you're back in that place, where he sent you the first time. Groping hand and foot in a stifling blackness, no light anywhere. ("I can't promise you help, but remember: rely on your wits. And whatever you do, keep looking.") Whispering it to yourself in the close corridors, hearing the corridors whisper it back again. Keep looking. And so you crawl on, sometimes falling unexpectedly, sometimes getting stuck; sometimes finding yourself far down a passage without outlet, having to crawl backwards again, start over. Even when you find what you seek -- a deep pool of matter in its rawness, chaos without shape -- you must make your way back again. There's no time here, no orientation, no measure. Only blind persistence can ever bring you home.

Hello

There are tons of things you would like to ask rocket man about, like the universe, the war, his rocketship. You could also tell him about something. on the seal of his helmet.

You ring bell

You ring the bell... You hear the note of a horn answering in the distance...

Leap

You jump, like they taught you: every part of you poised, just like before. Without your wing, though, you don't get far.

Wait

Time passes. The cat purrs. There is a constant yowling coming from inside the giant backpack.

You go east

That would be a long drop down into the canyon.

You unlock the trunk with the hoop

You try several times to insert the end of the hoop into the lock, but the hoop is bent in a U shape, which makes it hard to manipulate.

Go east

With only a little effort, you're able to shimmy through the window feet-first and thump down on the floor of the bathroom. The tiny, cramped bathroom features a narrow shower stall, a minuscule, rust-stained sink above which is a cracked, flyspecked mirror, and a commode. The towels stacked on the rack are thin, frayed at the edges, and probably none too clean. The small square window is open, but it provides no view and not much light either, as a tree has grown up quite close to the outside wall. The door to the cabin is in the east wall.

You think about the arm

[To respond in dialogue, enter a number, or enter "repeat" to reacquaint yourself with the options.]

You take the pink card

That seems to belong to the female scientist.

You examine the screen

A Native American tribe is singing and dancing around a totem. The totem depicts animals, but mostly fishes or crustaceans, a strange thing considering this place is nowhere near the sea. The machine's humming is still quite low.

You put Vanemine in the pipette

Using Dr. Yehuda's notes for reference, you carefully measure some of the vial of Vanemine into the pipette and then decant it into the test tube.

You enter the Machine

You awkwardly clamber inside the time machine. Inside Time Machine (Area 51, Nevada) The time machine is clearly meant for someone a lot shorter than you. You feel like a pen in a matchbox. From the outside the machine looked complicated, but from the inside the task of understanding what's going on is positively herculean. You can see a large number of lights and dials, none of which you can understand. It doesn't help that any instructions written in the machine are in some kind of alien dialect. The things that you think might be significant are a digital readout which says '2007', the buttons next to this readout, an open panel revealing a mix of wires and a pile of paper which is chained to the inside of the machine, clearly to avoid theft. Exits: Exit

You give the report to Jenny

The Jenny of Tomorrow pores over the annual Canyonville Pine Nut Harvest report. "Finances: Acquired! Pine-nuts: I did not spurn what you asked me to learn! Weather: I did not spurn what you asked me to learn! That's cooler than a fish." The Jenny of Tomorrow crosses her metal legs, the opposite way from before.

Go west

There are small piles of sawdust in the corners. You see a door to the East. A hardened steel chain has one end built into the concrete wall. There is an iron crowbar ( chained to the wall ) A gouged and battered woodworking table is against the Wall.

You examine the library folder

The Backwater Public Library folder is empty except for an index-card-sized note reading "Contents of this folder have been reclaimed as the rightful property of B.U.S.H. Any queries, complaints, and suggestions can be directed to [email protected]. Have a good rest of your SUCK IT LOSERS!!!".

You go east

Phelps turns away from you, scratches himself, and goes back to gazing out across the lawn. As you put your weight on the steps, several of the boards creak loudly. This lumpy, patchy stretch of lawn is the most pleasant outdoor spot at Eternal Springs, though that isn't saying much. A rusted, sagging chaise longue is provided for the comfort of anyone who would like to bask in the scorching heat of the afternoon sun. (There's precious little shade here, other than the low oblong of obscurity wedged beneath the chaise.) To the east, the lawn is bordered by a high hedge of a virulent and sickly green, whose foliage is laden with a bounty of pulpy red flowers. The arid stretch of dirt between the cabins stretches out to the south. The main house stands, crooked and bleak but stubbornly attempting a faded grandeur, to the west, a short, broad flight of board steps leading up to the long porch, which is roofed over but nonetheless gapes open on the afternoon. A tiny, weed-infested flower-bed crouches to the right of the steps. A cracked and buckled concrete walk leads away through some tall bushes to the north, and another walk, whose slabs are tossed as if by some prehistoric geological upheaval, curves out of sight to the southwest around the corner of the house. Honey Hartwell is reclining on the chaise longue, leafing through a magazine.

You unlock the back door

Unlocked.

You stand

Okay, you're now standing. The large chemical tank behind Fiona begins to tremble and groan. She takes hold of the controls again and grins. And then the tank starts spurting a huge stream of coolant out of its side, up into the air and very far from the red hot gun barrels. Fiona spins round to watch this with wide-eyes, and then turns back to face you with a terrified, placating smile. "Let's talk about this like reasonable human beings," she says, standing up from the turret's control seat and holding up her empty hands. And then she jumps off of the turret, hitting the ground running. She's disappeared before you're even sure how to react.

You examine Becca

Becca is Jemison's mom, she is as loud as Jemison is quiet and that is very loud. Or very quiet. Anyway, that is Becca. "It's no different than canned baby food," the mom tells Becca. Meanwhile, Cassie is trying to climb out of her chair so she can fall to the floor and Lisa is restraining her.

You examine paper

Poor-quality paper from a fax machine. It reads: 'Dear candidate 28436, please go upstairs to the Observation Gallery where you will find further instructions.'

Mouth

It's quite artistic, and quite disturbing.

Go southwest

The ground descends here to the muddy edge of the swamp. A small window is set high in the plank wall of the shed, which stands to your east. A path to the north leads back to the front of the shed. You see a wooden bucket here.

Go northeast

Inn, Back Room The back room of the inn is bare of furnishings; not even a simple bucket is to be found. The floor creaks underfoot, and the innkeeper is nowhere to be seen. The only exit is southwest, back to the main room of the inn.

Go west

You arrive at a small cranny (or is it a nook? I never know) at the West side of the pit. You see, "Our Secret Place" inscribed above a small lens. Looking into it, you see nothing and decide it must be some sort of electric eye.

You get the life form

You dispatch a servobot, and after a brief but impressive struggle, you install the spiky silicate life form in your cargo bays. A quantity of drifting yellow mist comes with it. The spiky silicate life form screams at the cargo bay walls. A subroutine reassures you that no lasting harm has been done.

Examine bracelet

The bracelet is made of irregular chunks of gray-white stone about the size of marbles. Each stone is incised with a symbol of some sort. The symbols look vaguely like the letters on the carving on the stone slab in Beauregard Phelps's bedroom.

You examine the hammock

Although it is fairly crude, it looks comfortable. You wonder why more people don't use them. On the hammock there is nothing.

You throw Tome northeast

You fling the Tome of Psychological Incantations as hard as you can. It sails northeastward and disappears into the Library Antechamber.

You get the menorah

I take it. There's a flash of pain right where the mummy first struck me.

You wear the dress

You slip the rough cloth back over your head.

You open the book

You open the book at random, revealing a full colour picture of a head cleaner on page 274.

You open the door

You open the door and the wind almost knocks you back. The plane appears as if it's on the verge of going into a nose dive. You don't have much time left.

You get the gauntlet

t12/61uishy-Makin You are unable to reach the gauntlet, as it is too high above your head. Which is partly fortunate. You wouldn't want that spiked ceiling getting much closer, would you?

You ask Waldo, to look at your surroundings

FC: Cryolink established to Waldo. WALDO: Internal map reference -- Main Supply Room Moving about here is difficult due to the debris scattered about but I can detect a medium-sized object distinct from the jumble. Sonar detects two small depressions beside a raised spot in the object. A smooth object sits in the first depression, but the second depression is empty. In the room with me is Iris. Iris is carrying a bubbly device, a disfigured device.

You go south

The brick road turns west before entering the village proper. As you approach the village, you decide to sing: "Ohhhhh, the fish was long and the fish was wide But you will never ever guess what I found inside..." Memories, that fuzzy affair. You're never certain enough how true they are to reality. I can't clearly remember, just as an example, what rumours said about the McDaniel Mansion... There was something about a stranger who came to visit on a cold Autumn day many years ago, just before the house got abandoned for decades. And then there was the wild speculation about monsters in the basement... But the thing I really remember from those summer holidays is our improbable and not quite balanced trio of friends. There was Doc. Brown-haired, thin, handsome, annoyingly arrogant every now and then, always the charismatic. Then there was Rose, shy, with the soft, delicate look under her golden hair. The three of us united by the bare fact that we were the only people of our age in that too quiet, too boring, village, wasting the best of our late teens during the early eighties. "Now, Mike, I hereby declare you as our official Torch-bearer" solemnly joked Rose when giving me the switched off torch that dry, hot late summer evening when, just out of having nothing else to do, we decided to play kids and go to explore the ruined McDaniel site, as isolated from the rest of the village as the village was from the rest of the world... So there we stood, at the entrance of the old mansion, just the three of us and a former elegant door which was as rusty as firmly closed. I could see Rose and Doc there.

You look at the bear

It is old and threadbare, its fur worn through to the stuffing in some places. Stitched onto its behind is the name "Jeffrey".

You go north

A gentle breeze ripples the sparse grasses here, under a blood-red sun. There are many paths. You see mountains to the distant east. You feel a manly twitching in your thews, enlivened by the freedom of the open country. GUNWAR totters along beside you.

You open the oven

You open the oven. Inside you see: a delicious hot loaf of sourdough bread The Narvish Raider arrives from the north. [3:05 pm:11|493516] Bri'anne Wayverlyn the CrystalSinger : Name? Heat blasts from the open oven into the bakery.

You go south

Gillesipie, your aunt, and the armed men are still standing in front of the shack. They still haven't noticed you lurking here, but it wouldn't be safe to go any further north.

Meow

You watch the boy through the fence. He runs crazy circles in the snow, tugging the red balloon behind him. With a cry of joy the boy runs toward you. You hear a familiar "Thuck!" as he cracks open the shiny egg. Clambering halfway up, the boy is barely able to reach over the fence. Your eyes never leave the open shell of soft food as it falls and lands upright in the snow beside you. Your nostrils detect that improbable scent again.

You examine package

You picked it up from the engravers earlier. The package is about six inches wide, and eight inches long, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. The label on it reads "E Scrooge Esq, to await collection". It's rather heavy. Whisps of frosty mist nuzzle into the corners of the yard.

You take the statuette

Not a good idea with Filipo watching. Filipo mumbles something about needing more mandrake for the boss.

Go north

Willy Street, west end The west end of Williamson street is where the east side of Madison ends and the downtown area begins. A tangle of memories from different decades of your life is woven into the landscape of the city here. Lady Wisdom's coffeeshop is on the south side of the street, radiating bohemian charm acquired from decades of service to local culture. John Nolen drive curves around the lake to the west. As you are stepping outside, you hear your name called behind you. You turn, and your old friend Clark greets you from behind the wheel of a large utility truck. 'Long time no see! Hey, its Elgin's birthday next week, he's having his party at Rossini's Pizza. It's on the west side of Monona drive as you head south, hope we see you there!' Elgin is your godson, and you haven't seen him for years. You have guilty memories of many ignored phone calls from Clark and Staci during 2010 and 2011 as you were sinking into depression and solitude. Maybe they split up or something? You can't remember. Everything feels different now, and you are excited to bring old friends back into your life. (The door to Afterlife has opened) (20 April 2013) You will need to ride a bicycle to get all the way to Rossini's. You should check Turning Wheel cycles.

You check what you're carrying

You are carrying: some slippers (being worn) a ball of yarn a needle a magnifying glass a tube (enlarged and made of metal) a delicate key (enlarged and made of metal) (which opens the silvered door) a workbox a ring (being worn)

You examine the scroll

The scroll is a rolled-up piece of rather thick paper. To your amazement, you notice that there's something written on it, and in uncle Zebulon's handwriting (what a surprise!).

Place

"You must get a lot of practice," I say, "spying on young women." He just ignores me. I'll take that to mean he can't think of a good comeback. "Well," Nate says, "it was fun while it lasted, but it looks like I'm off Unfathomable Crimes and back at the Old Warren desk." "Because of her?" Forthright asks. Okay, I feel pretty rotten right now. Should I be SYMPATHETIC towards Walker, or HARSH towards Forthright?

You get the iron ring with the umbrella

(first taking the umbrella) (slipping the flashlight into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand free) The iron ring is high out of your reach.

Dig

Your arms are too tired, and you're out of breath. You need to take a break before you dig any more. Well, now your arms are starting to feel like they could handle some more digging.

You look at the sandals

This pair of exhaustion sandals is the embodiment of Eudoxus's principle of exhaustion.

You look at the picture

(the jewelry box) It's hardly larger than your hand, made of wood and charmingly decorated with a picture of children dancing around a Maypole. Most likely a plaything of one of the later Verlac children. The lid is open to reveal a silver locket.

You eat guard

Now you can take your time with him, as one must take one's time to chew durkha. Oh yes, it's still slow-going, even after he's been soaked, with every bite a contest between your teeth and his cheese, but your teeth win. He calls you "Wastrel!" and "Blackguard!" until the end. Even his insults are scrumptious. You have served well, noble durkha.

You pull the stripe

What do you want to pull: brown stripe or green stripe?

You put the pot on the skateboard

(first taking the heavy pot) Done.

1

"So, there's this gigantic snake guy?" "Yeah, Ahigu! So friggin' cool." "Well, he won't let me get to the equipment shed. If I try to get past him he'll venom me to death." "Huh." Nega-Hina strokes her chin. "You know, Princess Hebryn of Cealdhame��mistress of the fortress Cynebrand��she wears a magic bracelet called Hlutorbeg. The stone-elves made it for her. It's supposed to grant its wearer immunity to poison." "How do you remember all this?" She shakes her head wearily. "Last January, you and Jonathan were in the Honors Center, and he was telling you all about his novel while you were trying to study for an exam. You tried so hard to ignore him, but unfortunately your subconscious mind absorbed every friggin' detail." "Did I retain anything for the exam?" Nega-Hina shrugs. "I dunno. I don't pay attention to that stuff. But if you go back to Cealdhame and get that bracelet, it might let you get past Ahigu." "Well, last time I was there, I couldn't really observe or touch anything." "Yeah, because you lacked perspective! You didn't have the context necessary to interpret what you were seeing. That's the value of conversations like these." 1: Ask about the Coils of Ahigu. 2: Ask about Rachel's artwork. 3: Ask about the Kingdom of Cealdhame. 4: Ask about Halloween Town. 5: Ask about Curling Flower Space. 6: Never mind.

You recite the formula

It's better not: if the spirit of the skeleton came from the netherworld, he could want to take revenge upon he who reduced him so.

You talk to Janet

Really, you couldn't get a word in edgewise even if you had the mental fortitude to try. You can tell that some tension is hanging in the air, just for a moment.

You climb the small crate

(getting off the larger crate) You climb up on the smaller crate.

Burn book

(the huge, black tome) The match isn't lit.

You go to the east

This dark room is lined with many, many skulls. Plastic, you presume. There is an informational sign here. The rest of the menagerie is to the west. A vicous sharp-toothed skull scraper hops around this exhibit. Crust arrives from the west.

You examine disk

It's a large gold disk with complex etchings. The pattern of etchings resembles a starburst: a central circle with lines radiating. The disk is attached to a gold chain, for wearing the amulet around the neck.

SIGN

Don't know how to sign here...

You examine the mirror

It is, or should be, a mirror, but it is surrounded by odd markings. A spot at the bottom of the frame seems worn by touch. At one point there is what would seem to be a maker's mark, an ornate letter C. Marie pokes at her hair hopelessly, perhaps trying to restore it to some semblance of order.

You drop all

rope: Dropped. matchbook: Dropped. sword: Dropped. glass bottle: Dropped. brown sack: Dropped. painting: Dropped. brass lantern: Dropped.

About yourself

Harold Banks, auteur manqu?.

Smell phone

Smells like insects. Like ants.

You wait awhile

Time passes. The Provider is bent over the alcove.

You eat human

Exerting your powerful jaws, you crack the human's skull and nuzzle away at the cavity within. Somewhere beneath it all, he was always fourteen. He was always at the top of the stairs in his skeleton costume for Halloween, and the teachers were always walking past below, with the conversation always drifting up the stairs like an evil spirit. He was always listening, even though he didn't want to hear. He was always just learning that they couldn't tell him apart from anyone else in the same costume. That he was just another kid, here one year and gone the next. That he was not special. He was always just realizing that he would never be special. The dream fades, and you are once more aware of the depths and the currents. You nose your way across the bones one last time, but there's nothing left to eat.

Metal

That is unlikely to get a response.

You kill the rat with the sword

You're closer this time, you can feel it -- the rat is out, exposed, and unprotected. You strike--

You examine the chain

It runs all the way up past the catwalk to the ceiling. Its links look somewhat greasy. The block of equipment sways and tilts slightly under your feet.

You enter it

It doesn't matter how filled with Christmas spirit you are; you're not going up that chimney.

Go downward

You're in a dim, stuffy chamber, deep within the bowels of the tower. The walls gleam with obscure medical instruments, and a diabolical torture machine occupies most of the opposite corner. A ladder rises to meet an open hatch in the middle of the ceiling. You can see a leaflet and a violet note here.

You go to the south-west

A cramped and not altogether pleasant booth, though you guess in this kind of establishment you're not paying for quality so much as cheap coffee. The booth has been defaced more times than you care to count, though some of the graffiti is quite amusing. You can leave the booth to the northeast.

You open the trap door

The door reluctantly opens to reveal a rickety staircase descending into darkness.

You go to the north

You make your way into an expansive library lit by a large window. On the southern wall beside the sole entrance hangs a great tapestry. The remaining walls are lined with shelves upon shelves of books. A bare reading table occupies the centre of the room.

Inventory

You are carrying: an ivory key a little gold dinner bell a silver bell a cow bell a stool a candle (providing light) a poison vial a pair of cloven shoes (being worn) a sceptre an iron key (which opens the iron cage) some iron windchimes a great contract book a small key (which opens the iron windchimes and the small door) a shackle some discarded embroidery materials a helmet

2

"I'm on an errand for Doctor Cavala," you explain. "I'm on my way to deliver some documents to the basilica." "No wonder you looked like you were in a hurry," Horatio muses. "Well, I shan't hold you up. You do know the way, don't you?" "Even if I didn't, I'd know better than to ask you." He hangs his head. "Fair enough." 1) "How is life in the Vigiles?" 2) "See you soon, Horatio."

You enter the sink

You squinch up your eyes. You could fit in there, but there's a silver thing going over the top that you just don't trust.

Drink juice

You take a small sip. It's very tasty...

You wait a while

Time passes. Slowly. The knife flies in and out of the mound. One jab brings the blade within an inch of your ear.

Push horse east

You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse along the hall? George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this." Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter. Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety. Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it along the hall.

You examine the trees

As you look more closely at the trees, you suddenly realize what's wrong with them: they're not alive. The trunks and branches of the trees are solid stone: petrified wood, the organic material replaced with silica from the groundwater over the course of millions of years. ("Silica" is silicon dioxide, which makes up sand, quartz, and all kinds of things.) But these are not mere stone pillars: they're still trees, complete with leaves made of malachite, a green marbled stone derived from copper and as arresting in its own way as emerald. ("Arresting" means it makes you stop and look.) You don't have much time to ponder this mystery, however: suddenly you hear a growling in the distance, and turn to see a wolf charging right at you!

1

"Didn't we establish that the deaths were murders, not a result of infection?" She fixes you with a hard look. "Hypotheses can change, Marid. Hundreds have turned up dead. Whether this is an epidemic or a slaughter, measures have to be taken." 1) "So what do we do now?"

You turn on Refresher

The light flashes, signalling that the sack of lead coins within has aged, despite the uncontained dial setting, only three days. Looking inside, you see a sack of gold coins.

Flip calendar

You flip the calendar back to January, revealing one Tiffany.

You leave

(first opening the street door) The north side of the street is occupied by a large wooden hall. On the south side is a neat single-storey white building (directly south) next to a two-storey green house (to the southeast). The street continues eastwards but quickly peters out into a narrow farmtrack as it leaves the town, while to the west it runs back towards the town centre. Obvious exits: North, South, East, West, Southeast

You turn on the tv

The TV requires four C batteries, so you're three short.

You jump on the floor

Wait, what was that? I only got the part about wanting to jump.