Finally finished!
You have just had your dissertation bound and you're all prepared to hand it in tomorrow. You really left everything til the very last minute.
oh..you almost forgot, [[tonight is your birthday -> The invitation]]
Your friends have asked you to go out with them tonight to celebrate the end of the acedemic year.
It also being your birthday, you suspect they may have something planed for you and you would really like to go with them..but you're also already really tired. Perhaps a night in instead?
[[Go out tonight -> Going out]]
[[Stay in -> Stay in]]
You're really glad you decided to stay in tonight; It's kinda damp out and you've secretly been so stressed out recently. You just need to unwind with a good book and some warm tomato soup. Yes.
That's all you really need to do. You had no obligation to go out with your friends. The same ones who have probably gone to alot of effort for you, and you care very much about, [[did you? -> End]]
In your decision to go out, you quickly get ready, throw the only bound copy of your dissertation and a jacket into your backpack and follow the people eagerly waiting for you as they lead the way [[to the pub -> The night out]]
You think you've made the right decision. You'll enjoy yourself.
you are determined to enjoy yourself. uh, you're already starting to feel kind of anxious, what if you make a fool of yourself? Are you standing up straight? Is that person staring at you in a good way? Do you have something stuck in your teeth? Do any of the people here really like you at all? Are these people really your friends? what if reall.."We're doing rounds, I'm getting the first one." your friend interupts your racing thoughts, "What are you having?"
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]
All is well.
You successfully managed to hand in your dissertation.
The End.
(set: $SHOTS += 1)You down a shot.
(if: $SHOTS > 1)[You've had $SHOTS shots ](if: $SHOTS > 1)[(if: $BEERCOUNT > 1)[and $BEERCOUNT pints of beer ](if: $WATERWEIGHT > 1)[and $WATERWEIGHT glasses of water.]]
(if: $SHOTS is 1)[(if: $BEERCOUNT is 1 or > 1)[[[Back -> The night out them]] ]]
(if:$them is true)[(if: $SHOTS > 2)[[[Back -> The night out alive]]]]
(if: $SHOTS is 2)[[[Back -> The night out non-sense]]]
(if: $SHOTS is 3)[(if: $BEERCOUNT is 1 or < 1)[[[Back -> The night out slurring]]]]
(if: $SHOTS is 3 or > 3)[(if:$BEERCOUNT > 1)[The world spins a bit. [[You pass out -> The morning]]]]
(elseif:$SHOTS is 1 or > 3)[[[Back -> The night out2]]]
(set: $BEERCOUNT += 1)You drink a beer.
(if: $BEERCOUNT > 1)[You've downed $BEERCOUNT pints of beer ]
(if: $BEERCOUNT > 1)[(if: $SHOTS > 1)[and $SHOTS shots ](if: $WATERWEIGHT > 1)[and $WATERWEIGHT glasses of water.]]
(if: $BEERCOUNT is 5)[The world spins a bit. [[You don't remember anything after that. -> The morning]]]
(if: $BEERCOUNT is 2)[[[Back -> The night out dance]]]
(if: $BEERCOUNT > 2)[(if:$them is true)[[[Back -> The night out alive]]]]
(if:$BEERCOUNT is 3)[(if:$them != true)[[[Back -> The night out non-sense]]]]
(if:$BEERCOUNT is 4)[(if:$them != true)[[[Back -> The night out slurring]] ]]
(elseif: $BEERCOUNT is 1)[[[Back -> The night out2]] ]
(set:$WATERWEIGHT += 1)
You play it safe and have some water; Besides, you actually felt thirsty.
(if: $WATERWEIGHT > 1)[You've had $WATERWEIGHT glasses of water ](if: $WATERWEIGHT > 1)[(if: $SHOTS > 1)[and $SHOTS shots ](if: $BEERCOUNT > 1)[and $BEERCOUNT pints of beer ]]
(if: $WATERWEIGHT is 4 )[Seems you've stayed fairly sober. Might be time to [[leave-> End]], and now you really have to use a bathroom.](else:)[[[Back -> The night out2]]]
There's another round coming...
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]
You cradle your head in your hands, "uh, what even happend last night?" is the first thing that crosses your mind, the other is the smell of vomit, you hope it's yours. You try desperately to not hate yourself and remind yourself to be kinder to your future self (Something you do often, yet always forget). The room is fairly dark, you can't see much, but you know it's in a state.
[[Open the curtains -> Curtains]]
[[Turn on the light -> Switch]]
[[Go to the bathroom -> Bathroom]]
(set:$poster = false)
(set:$light = true)
You stumble over to where the curtains should be, you see a sliver of light severing the darkness, flecks of dust drifting through the beam and reach forward to let in the light. You do, and immediatly regret it. Too bright! It seems to burn into your retinas. At least you can [[see -> See]] the room now.
You stumble through the the darkness, clambering over you-have-no-idea-what. You trip over something. It's your [[Backpack -> backpack]]!
The room illuminated, it's actually not as bad as you expected.
You are in the living room/kitchen. A few piles of [[bottles -> bottles]] lie in the corners, on the window sills and every table and counter top (presumably empty). (if:$backpack != true)[You can see your [[backpack -> backpack]] on the floor opposite you.] (if:$friend != true)[The [[bathroom -> Who's there?]] is down the hall.](else:)[ [[Marcie-> The Friend Cont.]] is helping you look for clues.] Your [[room -> YourRoom]] lies adjecent. There is a [[computer -> Computer]] sitting open on a nearby table.
(if:$garden is true)[[[Go to 'The Gardens' -> Park]]]
(if:$pub is true)[[[Go to 'The triangular Moon' -> TriangularMoon]]]
(if:$club is true)[[[Go to 'Green spark' -> The club]]]
(set:$light = true)
You claw your way along the walls of the room, feeling your way through the darkness, the smells of the night before seeming stronger now. After awkwardly caressing the wall for a few seconds, You eventually find the lightswitch. [[*click* -> See]]
People must have come back here after (or at some point during) the night. "How many were there?", you think you said this out loud, but your throat is so dry, it's hard to tell. (if:$poster != true)[You find a bottle with [[a piece of paper -> Poster]]wedged in the neck.] (else:)[What else do you [[see-> See]]?] (if: $bottle != true)[One of the bottles is half-full, [[Take it?-> Take bottle]].]
It seems lighter than last night. You look inside, but...it's empty.
That physical copy was the only copy you had of your dissertation."$£*t". You pick it up anyway, might come in handy.
(set:$backpack = true)
(if:$light != true)[Maybe you should turn on a [[light -> Switch]]before you hurt yourself.]
(else:)[[[What now? -> See]]]
(if:$backpack != true)[As you walk to your room, you stumble and trip over something, It's your[[ backpack]]!]
(else:)["Phew"
Your roommate isn't around. You just can't deal with them right now. You've come to loathe their scent, which they seem to leave on [[everything -> YourRoomDes]].]
(if:$backpack != true)[As you walk to the bathroom, you stumble and trip over something, It's your[[ backpack]]!]
(else:)[As you approach the bathroom door, you hear a faint noise coming from inside. You thought you were alone.
(link:"Push the door open?")[(set:$courage = true)(goto:" Oh, it's you")]
[[Turn around and continue to search the room? -> Oh, it's you]]]
(if:$courage != true)[You turn around in apprehension, but the door creaks open behind you. Something grabs your arm!]
(else:)[You carefully push the door open. A low groan echoes from within. You pull the cord to turn on the light.]
"Oh, hi." a familier voice utters, "last nigt was a blast..I think..if I could remember it." (set:$mint = false)(set:$friend = true)
It seems your friend has been asleep on the bathroom floor.
[["Marcie? waht are you doing here?" -> The Friend]]
[["Dude, Where's my dissertation?" -> The Friend]]
[["What happened last night? How much do you remember?" -> The Friend]]
There is an obvious divide in the room. It's like they're just buying new clothes instead of doing laundry, and it all just piles up, they may even just be trying to irritate you. Your wardrobe is quite sparce by comparason, but you have many neatly stacked books. There's a strange pile of dirt in the corner.
[[Look at yourself in the mirror -> Mirror]]
[[Look at Books -> Books]]
[[Investigate dirt pile -> leavesAndTwigs]]
[[Leave room -> See]]
Not looking too bad..considering.
Your hair is dishevelled and your jacket is gone. You have a scrape on your left knee (picked a good time to wear pre-torn jeans?). There's despairation and worry etched in your face. You still look half-fabulous, you tell yourself anyway.
[[Look at Books -> Books]]
[[Investigate dirt pile -> leavesAndTwigs]]
[[Leave room -> See]]
You sigh. Admiring your books is surprisingly calming.
There's a pile of dusty books on the occult, your old copy of the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, a few miscellaneous sci-fi and fantasy books, a convention guidebook, a handfull of gamebooks and one or two books on ludology and theories of game design. Might seem a little strange that you would have so few pieces of acedemic liturature, but the gamebooks kinda count, right? You do design games after all. You really don't have time to be looking at books right now.
[[Look at yourself in the mirror -> Mirror]]
[[Investigate dirt pile -> leavesAndTwigs]]
[[Leave room -> See]]
Upon closer inspection, the pile of dirt, revealed itself to be a pile of leaves and twigs. Arbutus tree leaves to be exact, you only know of one place in the city with an arbutus tree. [[The Gardens -> GardenDes]]. (set:$garden = true)
[[Look at yourself in the mirror -> Mirror]]
[[Look at Books -> Books]]
[[Leave room -> See]]
What do you want to look up?
[[check search history -> SearchHistory]]
(if:$poster is true)[[[Look up 'The triangular moon'-> MoonWeb]]]
(if:$card is true)[[[look up 'Green spark' -> GreenWeb]]]
[[Nothing -> See]]
It seems you've been looking up pictures of cats and song lyrics from the 90's. Other than that, there's nothing of interest.
(if: $backpack is true)[This isn't helping, you're running out of time!]
[[Back -> Computer]]
"I have no idea how I got here. You say you've lost your work? Hang on I'll just check my pockets, maybe we can retrace our steps." From out of her pockets she pulls [[a phone -> Use phone]](if: $mint)[ and](else:)[,] [[a bussiness card -> Card]] (if: $mint != true)[and [[some mints -> mints]]]
[[Leave bathroom -> See]]
[[Try calling Greg -> No answer]]
[[Check photographs -> photo]]
(if: $friend2 != true)[[[Don't use the phone -> The Friend]]]
(if: $rang != true)[(if: $card is true)[[[Call the number on the card -> RingingTheClub]]]]
(else:)[[[Don't use the phone -> See]]]
The card is from a local night club, 'Green spark', You've heard of it a few times, but don't remember ever going there.
There's a number on it. No address though. maybe they have a website?(set:$card = true)
[[Back -> The Friend]]
They smell very famillier, she probably lent you one at some point last night. Might come in handy.(set: $mint = true)
[[Add to backpack -> The Friend]]
Buzzt..Buzzt..Buzzt..
[[There's no answer...-> Use phone]]
You free it from the bottle and unfold it carefully. It's a poster, it reads: "Karaoke night! at 'The triangular moon' bar, free entry with poster!"
(if: $backpack != true)[You have nothing to store it in. Guess you'll just have to [[leave it-> See]] for now.]
(else:)[You [[pick it up -> See]](Added to backpack). (set:$poster = true)]
"Hi, Find anything?" (set: $friend2 = true)
[["Can I borrow your phone for a second?" -> Use phone]]
(if: $card != true)["Can I see that [[ Card]]?"]
(if: $mint != true)["Can I borrow a [[mint-> mints]] ?"]
The event on the poster was definitly last night. You now have the address. Well, could be a place to start. (set:$pub = true)
Anything else?
[[Back -> Computer]]
This seems like a good place to start. At least you're out in the fresh air(you're still surounded by city fumes, it's a little nuaseating). (if: $friend is true)[You're glad you brought Marcie, she can help you [[look-> The Tree]].](else:)[You should [[look-> The Tree]] around.]
Although familier, you really can't remember anything about this place.
"Oh, It's you!"
A middle aged woman, with bright purple hair looks at you through rectangular specticles. You get the impression from her apron and her being the only person in here, that she is the owner.
(if: $friend is true)[She is looking at Marcie.]
"You're the one who won the karaoke contest last night. You never collected your prize."
(if: $friend is true)[She hands Marcie $150, she looks shocked.]
(else:)[You collect $150 in cash(Added to backpack).]
"Ye were are fun bunch, really lightend up the crowd"
(set:$cash = true)
[["You didn't happen to see a hardcopy of a dissertaion did you?" -> The Wallet]]
[["Did you overhear us say where we were before we came in here or where we went after?" -> Answer]]
(if: $bottle is true)[Pulling the half empty bottle from your backpack,[["Do you recognise this drink?"]]]
A nice park in the city centre. A far cry from the what you're used to in the countryside, but nice. You've tested quite a few outdoor games here. It seems likely you were there last night.
[[Back-> leavesAndTwigs]]
Some kind of beer, it has an unusual label. You've never heard of it before.
(if: $backpack is true)[You take the bottle (Added to backpack), might come in handy later.(set:$bottle = true)]
(else:)[You have nothing to carry it in.]
[[Back -> bottles]]
Buzzt..Buzzt.."Hello?"
"Is this the owner of the Green spark?"
"It is indeed, why do you ask?"
[["I'm looking for something, a hardcopy of a dissertation.. -> Angry]]"
[["I'm just looking for some friends of mine, I'm wondering if you saw a group of students there last night?" -> Angry]]
(if: $club != true)[[["I'm just looking for the address" -> Address]]]
(set:$rang = true)
It's been open for 20 years. You have the address. (set:$club = true)
[[Back -> Computer]]
(if: $calm != true)["I thought I told ye, your all band from here!" Shouts a short balding man with a red face, standing behind the bar, absent mindedly polishing a glass.]
(else:)[A short balding man with a red face, stands behind the bar, absent mindedly polishing a glass.]
[["Excuse me, I'm just looking for a hardcopy of a dissertation. Have you seen it?" -> The barKeep]]
(if: $bottle is true)[Pulling the half empty bottle from your backpack,[["Excuse me, do you recognise this drink?"]]]
Well, you've found your jacket(added to backpack), it's covered in mud. It was lying beneath the only arbutus tree in the city. There is a [[mark on the ground]] nearby. You hear something rustle in the tree [[above]].
It's coming back to you now. You see a sharp rock on the ground in the the disturbed mud. This is where you cut your knee. You definitly came here with a few people. (if: $carton != true)[There's an empty cigarette carton lying, crumpled against the bark of the tree. [[Look at carton-> Carton]]? [[leave it alone -> The Tree]]] (else:)[Back -> The Tree]
You look up.
"Hey! Help me get down!"
Crack.
"Ooph."
The ground below smacks into your back and you hit your head on a nearby root.
Greg has fallen on you.
(set: $Greg = true)
[["Ow"]]
This is the brand that matt smokes(at least, you don't know anyone else that does). He hasn't been acting himself recently. Marcie may have broken his heart and I think he's having some financial issues. You don't have time to worry though, you need to keep looking. You [[pocket it-> The Tree]](Added to backpack).
(set:$carton = true)
"Sorry"
"It's okay", you respond while gently checking the tender bump now forming at the base of your head(It's not really okay, you're already so stressed out and now you have this to deal with this aswell).
"So what were you doing in that tree?"
"Trying to get down! You insisted on climbing up there last night, after convincing a group of us to go to the park. You had no problem getting up there and back down again [['Human v2.0']], but I couldn't and then you all went missing."
"Did you see where we went?"
"I think your place. It must of been close to five in the morning"
"I'm trying to retrace my steps, do you know where we came from?"
"'The triangular moon' I think"
(if: $pub != true)["Where's that?"
"I think I can find it again. Just [[follow me-> TriangularMoon]]]
(if:$pub is true)[[[Go to 'The triangular moon'-> TriangularMoon]]]
(if:$carton is true)[[[Go to the shop that sells matt's cigarette brand-> The Shop]]]
(if: $club is true)[[[Go to 'The Green Spark' instead-> The club]]]
One of your many nicknames. Leaping about the place without needing to catch a breath(combined with a few other strange habits) has earned you a few. Acting like they're almost convinced that you're not entirely human they've also called you: Elf, vampire, fallen angel and science experiment, to name but a few(of the slightly more flattering ones).
[[Back ->"Ow"]]
Maybe the shopKeep has seen Matt.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"Yeah, has matt been in here recently?"
"I saw him yesterday actually, he looked really worried about something, tried borrowing money off me. Best I could was give him is usual vice at a discount."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Now that you mention it, he kept mumbling about some kind of plan. That's all I know."
Seems we're done here. You can feel your stomach knotting, not much time left.
[[Follow Greg to 'The triangular moon' -> TriangularMoon]]
(if: $club is true)[[Go to 'The geen spark'-> The club]]
Yeah, we have students in here all the time. AND YOU'RE NOT WANTED. I'm sick of you coming in here, loud mouthed and acting all superior like "ooh, look at me, I'm getting a degree", leaving the place in a wreck and not paying your tabs! So, maybe I saw you and your friends maybe I didn't, tough luck.
[[Plead]]
[[Hang up]]
"Yeah of course. We have a website you know?"
You have the address.
[[Put down phone -> See]]
"Sorry, bussiness hasn't been great lately and the landlord has been on my back. I shouldn't be taking it out on you. Just come down here and I'll see if I can help". (if:$club != true)["Here's the Address..(set: $club = true)]" (set: $calm = true)
[[Put down phone -> See]]
You don't deserve this kind of abuse(Although you don't know how badly you may have messed up). Maybe you should go down there in person. (if:$club != true)[You'll need the address first though.]
[[Put down phone -> See]]
"No sorry, but now that you mention it I did find a wallet."
She hands You the wallet, it's Greg's.
(if: $Greg is true)["Ah, that's where it got to", sighed Greg while examining it's contents. "Everything's still there."]
It has $200 cash(why is he carrying so much?) and a voucher for a free sandwich. (set: $wallet = true)
[["Did you overhear us say where we were before we came in here or where we went after?" -> Answer]]
"Don't remember? Well, I don't know where you came here from, but I overheard you mention going to the 'The green spark', I can give you directions." (if: $club is true)[No, that's ok, I know how to get there.]
[["You didn't happen to see a hardcopy of a dissertaion did you?" -> The Wallet]]
[[Go to 'The green spark' -> The club]]
Most of them are blurry and indestinct. It's difficult to tell where any of them were taken, with the exception of a group picture that was taken at a fountain, it's a bit of a landmark, a popular meeting spot.
[[Back -> Use phone]]
(if:$rang is true)["Your that one from earlier?"]
He sighs with a deep scowl.
"I haven't seen your bunch of paper, but I did find this.."
He hands you something. It's your phone! In your panic, you hadn't even noticed it was missing.
There's several missed calls on it. They're all from Matt.
It's ringing again.
[[Answer it?]]
"Can't say I do, no. sorry."
[["You didn't happen to see a hardcopy of a dissertaion did you?" -> The Wallet]]
[["Did you overhear us say where we were before we came in here or where we went after?" -> Answer]]
"Yes, actually. That's from a craftbeer place and brewery down the road" He snorts in derision.
Might be worth checking.
[[Back -> The club]]
"Took you long enough to answer."
"Hey, where.."
"Listen, I have your dissertation.."
"oh, good. Can.."
"If you want it back, meet me at the fountain with $350..or else I burn it."
He hung up.
(if: $wallet is true and $cash is true)[Between the prize money and the contents of Greg's wallet, there's enough to pay the ransom.
[[Meet Matt and pay the ransom? -> Ransom]]]
(else:)[(link:"Meet Matt and pay the ransom?")[You don't have any money.]]
[[Meet Matt and try to talk to him? -> Ransom Tense]]
[[Try to call him back]]
You give Matt the money.
"I'm sorry, I need it, okay?"
He hands you the dissertation.
You can [[Relax-> End]]
He won't answer.
(if: $wallet is true and $cash is true)[
[[Meet Matt and pay the ransom? -> Ransom]]]
(else:)[(link:"Meet Matt and pay the ransom?")[You don't have any money.]]
[[Meet Matt and try to talk to him? -> Ransom Tense]]
After running to the fountain, you find Matt there. He's holding Your only bound copy over a lighter, already lit.
"Did you bring the money?"
"[[Be reasonable, I don't have that kind of cash.-> Worse]]"
"[[Have you gone insane?-> Worse]]"
"[[I'm sure whatever the problem, this isn't the answer!-> Worse]]"
"[[Can I please have it back? I thought you were my friend.]]"
He relents and throws it at you.
"I'm sorry"
You have it back now anyway. [[Relax-> End]].
He singes the corners. You can see him panic.
"I owe some really bad people money..I'm afraid"
"[[Please. ->Can I please have it back? I thought you were my friend.]]"
You've relaxed a bit, you feel comfortable in your company and you start to move to the sound of the music playing. It evolves into all out dancing, you don't care who can see you throwing your moves.
There's another round coming...
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]
You've been catching the sly glances of another for a while, seats may be scarce, but you both sit a little closer than necessery. (set: $them = true)
There's another round coming...
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]
They lean in. Your lips meet and it seems as though radiant warmth is spreading from beneath your sternum and waves of energy flow through you.(You probably say something stupid at this point)(set:$them = false)
There's another round coming...
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]
Your almost certainly speaking a lot of non-sense. But you're having fun.
There's another round coming...
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]
You're slurring a bit.
There's another round coming...
[[A shot ->Shots]]
[[Beer->Beer]]
[[A pint of water->water]]