#''(align: "=><=")+(text-style: "smear") + (color: gray)[ƸӜƷ GRAYLING ƸӜƷ]''<h1>
##*(align: "=><=")+(text-style: "outline") + (color: purple)[CHAPTER 0: PROLOGUE: "MESSENGER"]*<h2>
^^Visit [[Guide]] here or in the footer for instructions.^^
The sun is beginning to set above the trees of the Catskill mountains.
Somewhat ominous, yet unimposing music begins to play. A car parks at a cabin. Two brides go in, laughing and barely able to make it to the door with their frantic, overexcited makeout session. We see brief montage clips of the day passing to night and back into the next day, and Constance brings Jenny breakfast in bed. They watch a romcom and go about their daily routines, doting on each other and figuring out their honeymoon plans. We cut to them walking along a trail, mid evening, the sun is going to set soon. The pair are in workout gear, hiking along a Catskill trail.
CONNIE: How much further?
Constance trails behind her. Exhausted, panting, sweating, with her hair tied back and wearing a hooded jacket in the middle of the summer.
###''(align: "=><=")+(color: red + white)[“CONSTANCE “CONNIE” GREEN. ANXIOUS. INSIGHTFUL. STUBBORN.”]''<h3>
CONNIE: I’m exhausted.
JENNY: Come on, you can do it, Connie.
CONNIE: Jenny, my legs feel like jello.
JENNY turns and laughs.
JENNY: 20 more minutes, I promise.
Jenny also has her hair tied back. She’s wearing a crop top and leggings and big, round glasses.
###''(align: "=><=")+(color: blue + green)[“GENEVIEVE “JENNY” WALSH. SNARKY. DOTING. FIERCE.”]''<h3>
CONNIE: Oh my god. 20 minutes?
JENNY: Hey, not my fault you skimped out on our SoulCycle membership.
CONNIE: I thought I’d get to it eventually.
CONNIE: Sure, hon.
CONNIE: But I didn’t have to fit into a corseted dress like you. I value my snack time.
JENNY: You looked hot in your suit, babe.
CONNIE: Thanks.
[[TRAIL]]
(set: $inv to (a:))(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "smartphone")) (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "keys")) (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "wallet")) (set: $clu to (a:))(set: $char to (a:))(set: $char to $char + (a: "Jenny")) (set: $stat to (a:))(set: $con to (a:))(set: $choice1 to (a:))(set: $choice2 to (a:))(set: $trophy to (a:))(set: $plot to (a:))(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny walks along the trail, CONNIE close behind her. The sun begins to set the further along she goes.
CONNIE: I can’t believe your parents agreed to let us go to the Catskills for our honeymoon.
JENNY: Mom and dad will come around, I promise.
CONNIE: I guess so.
JENNY: They just need time to adjust.
A crow caws in the distance. It’s getting a little darker out.
CONNIE: They’ve had four years to adjust. And now we’re married.
JENNY: Trust me, they’ll come around. Phoebe too.
CONNIE: I just want them to like me.
JENNY: They will. Patience, Connie, patience.
Eventually, they come upon a split in the road.
Jenny and Connie glance around.
JENNY: Uhmmmm.
CONNIE: Don’t tell me you forgot which way.
JENNY: Wasn’t that way the way we came up when we parked the car?
CONNIE: I don’t know. I was too busy with other things.
JENNY: Other things?
CONNIE: You know what other things.
JENNY: It’s getting dark and I want some things tonight.
CONNIE: Oh, so you agree with me then?
JENNY: Okay, smartass. Which way should we go?
[[DO NOTHING]]
[[GO LEFT]]
[[GO RIGHT]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))
Connie's indecision prompts JENNY to roll her eyes.
JENNY: Connie.
CONNIE: I don’t know!
The choices are repeated.
[[DO NOTHING AGAIN]]
[[GO LEFT]]
[[GO RIGHT]]
(set: $stat to $stat + (a: "Connie hesitated to make a choice in the path to go home, which was annoying"))
(set: $con to $con + (a: "somewhat positive"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))
JENNY: Alright. Let’s go left, then.
JENNY and CONNIE walk down a winding path as it continues to creep darker.
CONNIE: You sure this is the right way?
JENNY dips in a slight path to the right and notices a clue. It’s a (color: red)[red rubber boot], a little worn but still in good quality, all by itself in the bushes.
CONNIE: What is that?
JENNY: Huh. Someone must have left this out here.
CONNIE: Your parents said that no one else lives out here.
JENNY: Could be theirs.
CONNIE: Your dad would never leave a perfectly good boot lying around. I’ve seen his Versace shoe collection.
JENNY: Well then... “There’s a snake in my boot!”
CONNIE: Very funny, Sheriff Woody.
JENNY: You love my Tom Hanks impression.
CONNIE: Well, I won’t deny that. Am I your Bo Peep?
JENNY: In the bedroom you are.
CONNIE: Jenny!
Suddenly a snake springs out of the boot! Connie and Jenny jump back!
CONNIE: WHAT THE FUCK!
JENNY: Ew! Kill it, kill it!
The snake slithers away. Jenny begins to laugh, uncomfortably.
JENNY: Oh my god. That really just happened.
CONNIE: I think I saw Goody Jenny with the devil.
JENNY: Haha, good one.
(align: "=><=")[''TROPHY UNLOCKED: Bullseye.'']
They continue walking down the main path. They hit a dead end that overlooks the highway, probably a few miles beneath them. A car whirrs past, headlights bright, but traffic isn’t busy. In fact, it’s unusually quiet at this time of the evening.
JENNY: Aw shit.
CONNIE: I knew we should’ve gone right.
JENNY: You chose left, sweetie.
CONNIE: Alright, alright, don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying.
JENNY: Come on, let’s just get to the cabin already.
Jenny walks all the way back to the split end.
[[GO RIGHT]]
(set: $clu to $clu + (a: "red rubber boot"))
(set: $stat to $stat + (a: "Connie took the long way home but you found an interesting clue along the way"))
(set: $con to $con + (a: "overwhelmingly positive"))
(set: $con to $con - (a: "somewhat positive"))
(set: $trophy to $trophy + (a: "Bullseye")) (enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))JENNY: This seems about right.
CONNIE: Hey Jenny.
JENNY: Yeah?
CONNIE: God. I. I have something I want to tell you.
JENNY: Oh no. Are you breaking up with me?
CONNIE: What? No. We just got married.
JENNY: Kidding. What is it?
CONNIE: Uhh. I um.
JENNY: It’s okay. Tell me.
CONNIE: I got into Columbia for their Master’s program.
JENNY: WHAT?
CONNIE: I know. I should have told you.
JENNY: You should have, what the fuck.
CONNIE: Are you mad at me?
JENNY: No! I’m really proud of you, but damn, Connie.
CONNIE: I was going to tell you. I swear. I just… we were graduating, and getting married, and I didn’t want to distract from the moment.
JENNY: You’re not distracting to me.
CONNIE: I just-- hope it doesn’t ruin our plans.
JENNY: We’re only going to Ireland for 3 months, we’ll be back in time to apartment hunt. If I had it my way we’d have gotten married on the Cliffs of Moher. Maybe we can get a photoshoot done? Ooh wait, that’d be awesome. Can we do that?
CONNIE: Your parents aren’t coming with us, right?
JENNY: No, just us again.
CONNIE: I don’t know how I feel about all of this.
JENNY: All of what?
CONNIE: The uh, lavishness. I can’t ever afford this stuff on my own.
JENNY: You don’t have to. It’s all on my dad’s credit.
CONNIE: I know, but they already aren’t in love with me, so--
JENNY: Stop worrying about it, Con. You’re the one that I want. Hoo hoo hoo, HONEY! The one that I want!
CONNIE: Oh, stop. You’re so corny.
JENNY: You have to stop worrying about what my parents think. Fuck ‘em.
CONNIE: Okay, I will.
JENNY: Promise?
CONNIE: Promise.
They continue up the path. The sun continues to grow dimmer, and dimmer. In the distance, the shutters of the roof of the cabin poke through some of the trees.
JENNY: I’m really excited for you to see my childhood home in two weeks.
CONNIE: Your parents are really just giving it to you.
JENNY: I was born there. Phoebe is hella jealous.
CONNIE: Phoebe is a lot of things.
JENNY: Like my baby sister.
CONNIE: You know that I mean--
JENNY: She’ll grow on you eventually. She’s like a beauty mark. She’s just there, no one asked for her to be there. And yet she’s inexplicably a part of me.
CONNIE: Well that’s a much more beautiful way of putting it. Kinda?
JENNY: Did you bring the strap on or is it in the car?
CONNIE: Oh, so it’s that kind of night? I’m all sweaty and gross.
JENNY: Well we can take it to the shower.
CONNIE: You’re getting me hot and bothered here, missy.
JENNY: Nothing we haven’t done before.
CONNIE: I just can’t believe you’re my wife.
JENNY: Miss Genevieve Walsh-Green has a beautiful ring to it.
CONNIE: This is Camelot level royal name realness.
JENNY: Category is: Shakespeare names!
CONNIE: No shit.
They come upon a short rock wall in the path.
CONNIE: Ugh, damn it. I am not fit enough for this shit.
JENNY: I’ll scale it and pull you up.
CONNIE: You sure?
JENNY: Easy as pie.
Jenny scales it first, and then turns to hoist Connie up.
JENNY: Ready?
CONNIE: Okay, now pull me up.
This prompts a choice.
[[PULL CONNIE UP QUICKLY]]
[[CAREFULLY PULL CONNIE UP]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))This automatically prompts Jenny to [[GO RIGHT]] .
(set: $stat to $stat + (a: "Connie irritated you by refusing to make a choice on which path to take home"))
(set: $con to $con + (a: "neutral"))
(set: $con to $con - (a: "somewhat positive"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))JENNY: Okay, take my hand.
Jenny misses Connie's attempt to grab her hand, which causes Connie to slip and scrape her knee on the rocks, causing it to bleed.
CONNIE: Ow! Fuck!
JENNY: Shit, sorry! Are you okay?
CONNIE: I scraped my knee pretty good.
JENNY: Still want me to pull you up?
CONNIE: Yeah, it’s getting dark.
This will automatically prompt this action:
[[CAREFULLY PULL CONNIE UP]] (enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))JENNY: Okay. We can do this. On the count of three.
CONNIE: One.
JENNY: Two.
Connie is pulled up by Jenny. There are two simple QTEs, and then Connie is over the wall.
CONNIE: Thanks. I’m such a wimp.
JENNY: Are not.
Jenny navigates down the path further, reaching into her bag for her flashlight as the sky continues to grow dark and crickets begin to chirp.
JENNY: It’s nice to have the woods all to ourselves.
CONNIE: Yeah, I guess. It’s fucking creepy at night though.
JENNY: What’re you afraid of? Bears?
CONNIE: We’ve watched enough horror movies to know bears are never the problem, Jenny.
JENNY: Whatever you say, Con. You always think someone is watching us.
CONNIE: The government could be spying on us right this minute.
JENNY: Please stop watching Youtube at 3 in the morning.
CONNIE: It’s for research purposes.
JENNY: Russia won’t have any interest in us.
Eventually they come upon Jenny’s parents’ log cabin. It’s massive-- two full stories and a basement floor underneath. The porch light is out.
CONNIE: Hey, didn’t I leave a light on?
JENNY: Maybe the lightbulb burned out. Some of them are real old.
CONNIE: No, I left the bedroom light on upstairs. I could see it in the window when we left.
JENNY: What are you trying to say?
CONNIE: I’m just saying--
JENNY: Look, no one is following us. No one else lives here for miles and miles. Trust me. It’s all in your head.
CONNIE: But why isn’t the bedroom light on?
JENNY: Again, old bulbs, maybe you flicked it off and didn’t remember--
CONNIE: No, when I walked away I looked back and the light was on and the ceiling fan was running. Smokey was sitting up in the window, which is how I could see him.
JENNY: Okay, okay, fine. Hold my bag.
JENNY hands CONNIE her bookbag before she rummages through it for the keys. She opens the front door and hits a light switch. None of the lights turn on.
JENNY: Huh. Maybe a generator issue.
CONNIE: Doesn’t that kind of shit happen in storms?
JENNY: Where’s the cat?
CONNIE: Jenny. What if someone took the cat.
JENNY: Oh my god. Connie, seriously?
CONNIE: What.
JENNY: You’re being super overdramatic today.
[[CONFRONT]]
[[BRUSH OFF]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))JENNY: And you worry way too much. Overactive imagination, much?
CONNIE: Well I'm sorry that I'm concerned about our cat and the fact that the power is shut off.
JENNY: Okay. I'll drop it, Con.
CONNIE: You don't have to-- look, I'm just--
JENNY: I get it. Let's just go check on Smokey, okay?
[[HOUSE]]
(set: $stat to $stat + (a: "Connie didn't like it when you confronted her outside the house"))
(if: $con contains "neutral")[(set: $con to $con + (a: "somewhat negative"))]
(if: $con contains "neutral")[(set: $con to $con - (a: "neutral"))]
(if: $con contains "overwhelmingly positive")[(set: $con to $con + (a: "positive"))]
(if: $con contains "overwhelmingly positive")[(set: $con to $con - (a: "overwhelmingly positive"))](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))JENNY: ...This is stupid.
CONNIE: You're... right. Sorry.
JENNY: It's... okay. Should we go inside?
CONNIE: Yeah. Hold my hand?
JENNY: Okay.
Jenny grabs onto Connie's hand.
[[HOUSE]]
(set: $stat to $stat + (a: "Connie's anxieties were kept at bay outside the house when you remained calm for her"))
(if: $con contains "neutral")[(set: $con to $con + (a: "positive"))]
(if: $con contains "neutral")[(set: $con to $con - (a: "neutral"))](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "HOUSE")[Jenny walks back into the main hall. [[KITCHEN]]
[[LIVING ROOM]]
[[BATHROOM]]
[[HALL CLOSET]]
[[GO UPSTAIRS]]
[[BACKYARD]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]]](else:)[Holding Connie's hand, Jenny unlocks the door and pushes it in. Everything is pitch black- no lights are on. Peeking out a nearby window, Connie sees the clouds of an incoming storm approaching just before the evening sun can completely blanket them in darkness.
Jenny tries a switch. Nothing happens.
JENNY: Shit.
CONNIE: What'd I tell you?
Jenny can now explore various parts of the house. (alert:"Beyond this point, exploration is encouraged. Be careful what you choose, and don't forget to look twice and frequently check your inventory. Things may change each time you return to an area.")
[[KITCHEN]]
[[LIVING ROOM]]
[[BATHROOM]]
[[HALL CLOSET]]
[[GO UPSTAIRS]]
[[BACKYARD]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(align: "=><=")+(color: purple + white)+(font: "Copperplate")[I know what you're thinking.
Two blushing brides, happily newlywed and so marred with tragedy only days after their wedding.
Is it fair? Is it cruel? Or is it kind?
Were they happy?
You cannot change the past. You cannot dictate the value of life, or the value of tragedy, on fairness. You cannot hinge your life on "ifs".
You can only think of now.
You must move forward.]
In broad daylight, the cabin stands, abandoned. The car with slashed tires remains parked at the base. The distant sound of cars on the highway rumbles on.
A grayling butterfly floats lazily, its wings outstretched. It flutters closer, and closer, and closer.
**<strong>(align: "=><=")+(color: grey)[“ƸӜƷ GRAYLING ƸӜƷ ”]</strong>**
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))
''Made it to the end and wondering how to get different outcomes? Consider the following HINTS:''
ƸӜƷ Explore the entire house and talk to Connie before going upstairs. You might learn more about her, or not.
ƸӜƷ The knife and the flashlight play large roles in the story. Consider leaving or taking them next time.
ƸӜƷ Frequently check your inventory, stats, etc. They change every single interaction. You might not even know you've picked something up. Important clues are hidden in some items.
//Want to play again?//
(click:"Restart")[(reload:)]''Restart.''(if: $inv contains "knife")[The kitchen is practically destroyed. Connie sits in the ruins, sniffling and rummaging through the wreckage.
CONNIE: Smokey? Smokey...
JENNY: We'll find him, honey.
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
](else:)[Jenny enters the kitchen, which triggers a cutscene.
The kitchen has been ripped open, pots and pants thrown out of the cabinets. Shelving units shoved over. Jenny walks along the kitchen, eyes widened with fear. Even worse, she finds a trail of blood, leaving up and around to the upstairs loft.
Jenny: Connie, come in here.
Connie: Find something?
Connie walks in and then gasps.
Connie: Oh my god.
Jenny: There's blood. It's leading up the stairs.
Connie: Do you think...?
Jenny: I don't know.
Connie: I told you we were being--
Jenny: SHHH! What if someone hears us?
Connie grabs a kitchen knife off of the floor. It's smeared with blood. She whimpers, suspecting the worst for their cat. She lets it drop to the floor.
Jenny picks it up, examining it in both morbid curiousity and absolute horror.
Connie: Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god...
Jenny: Think... postive. Think positive. It's not Smokey, Smokey is fine.
Connie: You don't know that--
Jenny: SHHHH.
Connie: Sorry. Any running theories?
Jenny: I don't know.
Jenny has the option to [[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
...or she can follow the trail of blood and [[GO UPSTAIRS]]
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "knife")) ]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))The living room is cascaded in the trickling through of an eerie evening sun's glow, coupled with shadows and billowing curtains. It's got this ominousness to it that's doubly uncomfortable.
(set: $event to (random: 1, 3))
(if: $event is 1)[To the right, Jenny can pick up a postcard from her parents. The front has in bright, bold green lettering: (font:"Brush Script MT")["GREETINGS FROM IRELAND!"]
She flips it over, and it reads:
(font:"Papyrus")[*"Our dearest Jenny,
We know that you, our star and prize, are all grown up now, and you are an adult who is capable of making her own decisions. We are proud of you in that regard, but you must understand we cannot support this decision. We will support you personally however that may be, but Connie... I don't know, my darling, are you sure she is your choice? We will try our best to give her a chance when you visit us in two weeks time, but... if we cannot get along, we cannot approve the match.
Love, mother and father."*]
Jenny snorts, setting it down.
JENNY: So much for that.]
(elseif: $event is 2)[On the fireplace mantle, there is a picture of Jenny, Phoebe, and their parents. Jenny is in her high school cap and gown. Phoebe is kind of pushed off to the side, looking happy and sad at once-- is that possible? On the back, an inscription reads: (font:"Papyrus")["Our baby's big day! Finally done with high school!"]]
(elseif: $event is 3)[Another picture on the fireplace mantle is of Jenny's grandmother. She is very old and very frail. An inscription on the back reads, "MOIRA WALSH, 1940-2017"]
(set: $event to (random: 4, 5)) (if: $event is 4)[The walls are decorated in many pictures of Jenny exclusively. It's almost suffocating. Jenny comments;
JENNY: I could've sworn Phoebe had a portrait here somewhere.]
(elseif: $event is 5)[Jenny can observe a grandfather clock on the top right of the room.
JENNY: This was grandma's. I miss her so much.
There's scratches on the sides of the doorway into the kitchen. They're marked in sharpie with various heights and ages. This had to be Jenny and Phoebe. Phoebe was considerably shorter than Jenny her entire life.]
(if: $inv contains "locket")[[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
]
(else:)[Jenny can find a (color: #FFE000)[locket] with an image of Connie and Phoebe in either side on it on the living room table.
JENNY: I miss you, Pheebs. Wish you were here. Two weeks, Jenny, two weeks.
Jenny has the option to [[TAKE LOCKET]] or [[LEAVE LOCKET]].[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $clu contains "Connie's medication")[The bathroom is empty. Rain is pouring outside the window, like a steady drumming.
Jenny stares at herself in the mirror. She remembers something in a [[note|A Note to Jenny]] someone wrote her once.
(font: "Papyrus")+(color: white + blue)[you're mine. remember the truth and don't lie to me anymore. i'm warning you.]
She closes her eyes, turns on the faucet, and splashes some water in her face. After drying her face, she turns to leave the bathroom.
Explore [[LIVING ROOM]], [[KITCHEN]], [[HALL CLOSET]], [[TALK TO CONNIE]], [[BACKYARD]] or [[GO UPSTAIRS]] ](else:)[Jenny opens the door to the bathroom and peeks in. No one is in there. The shower curtain is pushed off to the side, revealing an empty bathtub. She steps in.
She can peek out a tiny window above the toilet seat and close to the ceiling. If she does so, she sees the first few drops of rain begin to plink. She steps away from the window.
Looking at the window twice just shows the steady droppings of rain just beginning at the start of the storm. Jenny steps away from the window again.
Jenny looks in the mirror. Jenny touches her cheeks with her hands in this weirdly sallow way. There's something unreadable about her face. Something off.
She can open the medicine cabinet and pick up a bottle of medication. It's Connie's, labelled "Risperdal", and it's mostly filled up. Almost untouched.
JENNY: Huh. Didn't realized she switched from Geodon.
She sets it back and can leave the bathroom to enter [[KITCHEN]], [[HALL CLOSET]], [[LIVING ROOM]], [[BACKYARD]], [[TALK TO CONNIE]], or [[GO UPSTAIRS]].
''(align: "=><=")[CLUE UNLOCKED: Connie's medication.]''
(set: $clu to $clu + (a: "Connie's medication"))
(set: $stat to $stat + (a: "Connie switched medications without telling you, which is a little unusual"))
(if: $con contains "neutral")[(set: $con to $con + (a: "somewhat negative"))]
(if: $con contains "somewhat positive")[(set: $con to $con + (a: "positive"))]
(if: $con contains "positive")[(set: $con to $con + (a: "somewhat positive"))]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny opens the hall closet and shines her phone flashlight in there. Nothing is out of place. The boots are all in place, the coats are all aligned. If the player lingers too long on the boots...
A rat scrambles out! Jenny squeaks and slams the door.
CONNIE (calling out, off-screen): What's wrong?
JENNY (calling back): God, a fucking rat was in our closet.
CONNIE: Ew!
[[KITCHEN]]
[[LIVING ROOM]]
[[BATHROOM]]
[[GO UPSTAIRS]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]]
[[BACKYARD]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $inv contains "knife")[CUTSCENE: Jenny and Connie follow the trail of blood up the stairs. Jenny is carrying the bloody knife with her.
CONNIE: Oh god, oh god, oh god.
JENNY: We have to keep our voices down.
Overcome with fear, Connie bolts down the hall towards their bedroom.
CONNIE: Smokey!
JENNY: Connie! Come back!
Gameplay resumes.]
(else:)[CUTSCENE: Jenny and Connie stand at the base of the stairs, taking in the trail of blood with horror.
JENNY: Oh my god.
CONNIE: What the fuck.
Jenny turns to Connie, confused and frightened.
JENNY: You weren't kidding that someone is in the house.
CONNIE: I told you! Oh god, is this Smokey's blood?
JENNY: I don't know.
Connie dashes up the stairs, calling out for the cat.
CONNIE: Smokey!
JENNY: Connie! Come back!
Gameplay resumes.]
Enter [[BEDROOM]].
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny takes the locket and loops it around her neck.
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "locket"))
[[KITCHEN]]
[[HALL CLOSET]]
[[GO UPSTAIRS]]
[[BATHROOM]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny sets the locket back down, fondly.
[[KITCHEN]]
[[HALL CLOSET]]
[[GO UPSTAIRS]]
[[BATHROOM]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny walks down the hallway towards the bedroom, which is all the way down to the left. A trail of blood leads in there and the door is ajar, meaning Connie... or someone else, has run in there. Jenny can try any door along the hallway and none will open. There is a huge window at the end of the hall overlooking the Catskills.
Halfway down the hall, a bolt of lightning flashes above the trees outside the window and a subsequent loud, booming crash of thunder follows. Jenny jumps.
JENNY: Fuck. Connie!
CUTSCENE: Jenny pushes the door open to the bedroom. She hears Connie sniffling and whimpering. Connie is bent over something at the foot of the bed.
JENNY: Connie?
(if: $inv contains "knife")[Jenny tosses the knife aside. It clatters to the floor.]
Jenny takes cautious steps forward.
JENNY: Connie, what's wrong?
Connie shakes her head and lets out a low, painful moan. Jenny rests a hand on her shoulder and peers over.
Their cat, Smokey, is lying dead, with multiple gash wounds from a knife. He's in a puddle of blood. Jenny lets out a mournful wail.
JENNY: Oh fuck. Smokey...
CONNIE: He-- he-- I found him like... this, I-- I--
JENNY: Oh, fuck, oh fuck...
Jenny wraps her arms around CONNIE and hugs her tight.
JENNY: Baby, we have to get out of here and get help. I'll call 911.
Jenny checks her phone. There's no signal. Then, her phone dies.
JENNY: Fuck!
CONNIE: Oh god, what now?
Jenny shows her the dead phone.
JENNY: So... no calling.
CONNIE: What do we do?
JENNY: Well, then we drive somewhere with reception.
CONNIE: And leave everything here? Do we pack, do we--
JENNY: Connie. Breathe. We'll come back for the rest of our stuff, just get your backpack and let's go.
JENNY can then search the bedroom for her backpack.
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK CLOSET]]
[[CHECK DRESSER]]
[[CHECK DESK]]
(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "smartphone"))
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "dead phone"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny pushes aside a box to find her and Connie's backpack's underneath. She pulls them out and unzips her.
Inside is a water bottle, a copy of *Homer's The Odyssey*, and a protein bar.
(if: $inv contains "knife")[She tosses her anxious wife her bookbag and steps on the knife by accident. Jenny looks at it, both curiously and disgusted. As she does so, she hears a loud noise down the hall. She and Connie jump.
Connie: What was that?
[[TAKE KNIFE]]
[[LEAVE KNIFE]](set: $inv to $inv - (a: "knife"))]
(else:)[A loud noise-- a THUMP!-- is heard down the hall. She and Connie jump.
CONNIE: What was that?
[[PEEK OUT DOOR]]
[[LOCK DOOR]]
[[HIDE]]]
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "backpack"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $plot contains "windoww")[Jenny opens the closet. No necessities.
[[CHECK DRESSER]]
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK DESK]]]
(else:)[Jenny opens the closet. After observing nothing but their clothes, there is no rat this time to jump out at her. She sighs, and closes the door.
She notices the window to their bedroom is open. Rain is starting to leak inside as the storm winds pick up.
[[LEAVE WINDOW OPEN]]
[[SHUT THE WINDOW]]
(set: $plot to $plot + (a: "windoww"))](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(If: $inv contains "flashlight")[Jenny opens her dresser. There's some sweaters and socks, but not much else. She closes the drawer.
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK CLOSET]]
[[CHECK DESK]]]
(else:)[Jenny opens her dresser and finds two flashlights. She tosses one to Connie.
JENNY: Here.
CONNIE: Thanks.
She keeps the other one to herself.
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK CLOSET]]
[[CHECK DESK]]
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "flashlight"))](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny walks over to the desk.
Amongst the clutter, there is a picture of her parents at their wedding sitting in the top right corner. Examining it shows that they had a very traditional Irish Catholic wedding.
There's a drawer below, untouched.
[[OPEN DRAWER]]
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK CLOSET]]
[[CHECK DRESSER]] (enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))
🦋(if: (passage:)'s name is "inventory")[<!--Do nothing-->](else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowinventory")[<!--Do nothing-->](else:)[Check [[inventory]].]
🦋 (if: (passage:)'s name is "character stats")[<!--Do nothing-->](else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowcharacter stats")[<!--Do nothing-->](else:)[Check [[Character Stats]].]
🦋 (if: (passage:)'s name is "Clues")[<!--Do nothing-->](else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowclues")[<!--Do nothing-->](else:)[Check [[Clues]].]
🦋 (if: (passage:)'s name is "Guide")[<!--Do nothing-->](else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowguide")[<!--Do nothing-->](else:)[Check [[Guide]].]
🦋(if: (passage:)'s name is "Choices")[<!--Do nothing-->](else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowchoices")[<!--Do nothing-->](else:)[Check [[Choices]].]
🦋(if: (passage:)'s name is "Trophies")[<!--Do nothing-->](else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowtrophies")[<!--Do nothing-->](else:)[Check [[Trophies]].]
🦋[Save]<save| 🦋[Load]<restore|
(click: ?save)[Done!(savegame: "A")] (click: ?restore)[Done!(loadgame: "A")]
©Riley McCarthy 2020
To read more of Riley's work and stay updated on the future of GRAYLING, (link: "click here")[(goto-url: 'https://www.rileymmccarthy.com/grayling')]. ^^//note: clicking link will take you out of the game.//^^Your inventory contains a (print: $inv.join(", ")).
(click: "smartphone")[(display: "smartphone")]
(click: "keys")[(display: "keys")]
(click: "wallet")[(display: "wallet")]
(click: "knife")[(display: "knife")]
(click: "locket")[(display: "locket")]
(click: "dead phone")[(display: "dead phone")]
(click: "flashlight")[(display: "flashlight")]
(click: "backpack")[(display: "backpack")]
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)
Jenny's iPhone 11. 128GB. Her parents absolutely bought this for her. There's a crack on the side from when she dropped it while hiking. Oops.
You have 2 missed calls and 3 saved messages in your [[voicemail]].These are the keys to Jenny's Jeep. Conveniently named JJ for the pun-action, if you will. Jenny's coach wallet. This contains she and Connie's [[Wedding Photo]], and [[A Note to Jenny]]. Connie and Jenny in their bridal attire.
Jenny is wearing a very modest, traditional white gown with sleeves and a high neckline. The train is enormous, the dress must've cost a fortune. Her veil is lifted and she looks positively vibrant.
Connie is in a traditional black tuxedo, her hair braided back. Jenny might say they're both wearing the opposites of what they wanted, but Jenny is a traditionalist and Connie is not... following what Jenny's parents wants more than anything else, and if compromising on a wedding that her parents didn't approve of meant getting to marry the love of her life, Jenny was gonna do it. 2 Missed calls from:
07/01/18 - (color: red + white)[PHOEBE] - 2:35PM.
06/29/18 - (color: grey)[MOM] - 4:44PM.
07/01/18 - (color: red + white)[PHOEBE] - [[Voicemail 1]]
06/29/18 - (color: grey)[MOM] - [[Voicemail 2]]
05/28/17 - (color: green + black)[GRANDMA] - [[Voicemail 3]]One missed voice call from (color: red + white)[Phoebe], dated 07/01/18.
(color: red + white)[PHOEBE]:
(font: "Courier New")[*Hey big sis. Uhm. I'm not sure what to say. Uh. Well. God, this is really hard for me. I don't know why you did it but... I just want you to know I love you anyways? It's just... why her? Why a woman? I... I'm trying to wrap my head all around this and support you, it's just really hard. It's not God's will, you know that Jenny. I'm really sorry. Can you please call me back?*]One missed call from (color: grey)[Mom], dated 06/29/18.
(color: grey)[MOM]:
(font: "Courier New")[*How's the Catskills my love? Listen, I was just talking to your sister. She and I both agree that maybe some fresh celtic air will do some wonders for you and... your partner's anxieties. Do you want to leave the Catskills early and just come along with us a few days sooner? We can upgrade your plane tickets. Don't even worry about the little thing we talked about. We can fix it, honey. You just get back to me, okay?*]One missed call from (color: green+black)[Grandma], dated 05/28/17.
(color: green+black)[GRANDMA]:
(font: "Courier New")[*Sweet Jenny, my golden star, my a stóirín, I know you are in a class and I am so proud of you for chasing your dreams. I am calling to say my goodbyes, and I knew if I spoke with you rather than left a message it would be too hard on my heart to hear you cry. I do not think I will make it through this procedure, my bones are too brittle and it is my time, my love. I don't want you to feel sad when I go. I love you. Please carry on my promise. Remember what you promised me. All my love, dear Jenny. Love, grandma.*]You are currently playing as... (print: $char.join(". ")).
(click: "Jenny")[(display: "Jenny")]
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)
(if: $clu's length > 0)[Your current clues are: (print: $clu.join(", ")).]
(else:)[You have not discovered any clues.](click: "red rubber boot")[(display: "red rubber boot")](click: "Connie's medication")[(display: "Connie's medication")]
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)
A bloody knife found in the broken down kitchen. *Eek!*###(align: "=><=")+(color: "grey")+(text-style: "smear")[*GENEVIEVE "JENNY" WALSH*]<h3>
####(align: "=><=")+(color: blue + green)[SNARKY. DOTING. FIERCE.]<h4>
εїз Age 22.
εїз Recently graduated from undergrad.
εїз Married to (color: red + black)[Connie].
εїз Sister to (color: red + blue) [Phoebe].
Jenny was raised Irish Catholic in a strictly devout irish immigrant family. Her parents, both from Ireland, valued her as the golden child over her younger sister Phoebe. Then, Jenny met Connie freshman year of college and everything changed. All she desires is peace between her family and her new wife.
(align: "=><==")[RELATIONSHIP UPDATES]
(if: $stat's length > 0)[(print: $stat.join("; ")).]
(else:)[You do not have any relationship updates.]
(align: "=><==")[RELATIONSHIP STATUS]
(if: $con's length > 0)[Your relationship with Connie is (print: $con.join(", ")).]
(else:)[Your relationship with Connie is overwhelmingly positive.]
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last) A golden locket that opens up to reveal pictures of Connie and Phoebe in either side. Jenny's two loves, her sister and her wife. unknown date, unknown writer.
(font: "Papyrus")+(color: blue + white)[*jenny, remember springtime? all those marigolds and poppies woven into your hair. the warm summer glow on your cheeks. how you painted yourself up with blush and primrose lipstick. how pretty you looked for me and me alone. you're mine. remember the truth and don't lie to me anymore. i'm warning you. i'll be here waiting for your decision.*
*-me.*]
''(color:gray)[ƸӜƷ]''A red rubber boot was found outside the Catskills cabin. It doesn't belong to anyone Jenny or Connie knows. Well then. The phone's dead and there's no signal, so that $800 iPhone is pretty much useless.Hey! This beam of light actually works! Might come in handy for something. Welcome to the barebones first draft of the prologue of *GRAYLING*, an interactive, butterfly effect based horror game.
This is a guide on how to play.
At the footer (which you have already found) there are seven options:
GUIDE - Which brings you to this page!
INVENTORY - All important items are stored here.
CHARACTER STATS - Keep track of your character and their relationships to other characters.
CLUES - Check clues you have found along the journey.
CHOICES - This section keeps track of the pivotal, unchangeable major choices you make throughout the game. What story you end up with relies on these major choices.
TROPHIES - These are secret achievements. No, I won't tell you how to unlock them. Think of it like an easter egg. Happy hunting.
SAVE GAME - Saves the game at the page in which you are at!
LOAD GAME - Will load you back to the saved page.
Choices will affect what items and clues you find, as well as your relationships to other characters so make sure to check in periodically to take a peek. The game changes dramatically based on choices you've made.
Enjoy playing.
-Riley McCarthy
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)
[Jenny chose to take the (color:grey)[knife.]
JENNY: Stay here. I'm going to take a look.
CONNIE: Jenny...
JENNY: Shhhh.
She creeps towards the door, Connie shaking with fear in the background. The sounds of the floorboards creeking on the stairs. Slow, but intense. She stops outside the door, hearing the footsteps grow louder. Or is it thunder? Lightning crashes outside the door. Just past a sliver of perspective provided to the player, we can see a shadowy figure approaching from the stairs.
[[LOCK DOOR]]
[[PEEK OUT DOOR]]
[[HIDE]]
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "knife"))
(set: $choice2 to $choice2 + (a: "Jenny chose to take the knife"))]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny chose to leave the knife.
JENNY: Stay here. I'm going to take a look.
CONNIE: Jenny...
JENNY: Shhhh.
She creeps towards the door, Connie shaking with fear in the background. The sounds of the floorboards creeking on the stairs. Slow, but intense. She stops outside the door, hearing the footsteps grow louder. Or is it thunder? Lightning crashes outside the door. Just past a sliver of perspective provided to the player, we can see a shadowy figure approaching from the stairs.
[[LOCK DOOR]]
[[PEEK OUT DOOR]]
[[HIDE]]
(set: $choice2 to $choice2 + (a: "Jenny chose to leave the knife"))
(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "knife"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))These are the pivotal choices you've made along the journey that are unchangeable and consequential.
(if: $choice1's length > 0)[(print: $choice1.join(", ")).](else:)[You have not made any important decisions yet.]
(if: $choice2's length > 0)[(print: $choice2.join(", ")).](else:)[]
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)
Jenny locks the door and sighs in relief. She rests her back against the door.
CONNIE: I-is it gone?
JENNY: I don't know.
Someone, or something bangs on the door. Jenny jumps back from the door.
JENNY: Shit! Is there anything that can hold this?
CONNIE: What do we do?
Jenny looks around wildly. A screw comes loose from the door with each bang. There is something breathing heavily on the other side.
CONNIE: I don't want to die!
JENNY: We're not gonna die! Not today! Help me out here!
[[SEARCH ROOM FOR DOOR WEDGE]]
[[RUN TO WINDOW]]
[[HIDE]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny grabs Connie's arm and tugs her towards the closet. She pushes aside a sliding door and shoves her in, gesturing for her to be quiet as the footsteps grow louder and louder. She joins Connie in the closet, pulling the door shut just moments before the bedroom door swings open.
Jenny holds a hand over Connie's mouth, willing her silently to remain quiet. The mysterious stranger paces the room, a low grumbling in its throat as it paces through the room. She hears it go down to the floor, checking under the bed. Her pulse races. She has to get out of here.
She looks to Connie, who is frozen in fear. She determines she must get them both to safety.
Through a crack in the door, she sees the stranger step away from the window and head towards the dresser to rummage through it. Is he looking for something? Them or otherwise?
The bedroom door is right past the stranger.
Jenny gulps, thinking through her options. Then, Connie lets out a gasp. The stranger looks up, having heard it.
''Oh fuck.''
He starts approaching the closet door. Jenny grabs Connie's arm again, preparing to make a run for it.
[[RUN TO WINDOW]]
[[RUN TO DOOR]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny left the window open.
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK DRESSER]]
[[CHECK DESK]]
(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "Jenny left the window open"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny grunts as she closes the window, wiping her brow from the effort.
[[CHECK UNDER THE BED]]
[[CHECK DRESSER]]
[[CHECK DESK]]
(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "Jenny chose to shut the window"))
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny slowly opens the door. It squeaks. The thumping stops. She peers out into the hallway...
She pokes her head out the door. A smile greets her, something shadowy, sinister, just feet away from her. Fingertips, dripping with (text-style: "shudder")[blood], extend out towards her like long dark shadows in a corridor. Its face mostly invisible, it rasps out:
FIGURE: (text-style: "smear")[Hello.]
She (text-style: "shadow")[screams!] [[The figure advances towards her]].(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Connie used to take "Geodon", but just changed her medication to "Risperdal". The bottle is nearly full, as if she hadn't taken any at all. Why didn't she tell Jenny about this?(if: $choice1's length < 1)[The shadowy stranger starts walking towards her, leaving a dripping trail of blood in its wake.
Jenny feels like the world is slowing down. Her heart is thumping. Is this the end? Is she about to die? What about her wife? Did this person kill their beloved cat?
[[RUN TO WINDOW|RUN TO WINDOW 2]]
[[LOCK DOOR]]
[[HIDE]]]
(else:)[The shadowy stranger starts walking towards her, leaving a dripping trail of blood in its wake.
Jenny feels like the world is slowing down. Her heart is thumping. Is this the end? Is she about to die? What about her wife? Did this person kill their beloved cat?
[[RUN TO WINDOW]]
[[LOCK DOOR]]
[[HIDE]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny's backpack. It's one of those hipster Fjallraven ones. That's how you know she graduated from college. And has the money to afford overpriced tiny backpacks. Inside is some protein bars, a hydroflask, and a copy of [[Homer's The Odyssey]]It's a copy of Homer's The Odyssey. The inside of it has an old library log on it, last checked out to Genevieve Walsh... five years ago. Whoopsie.
A page is bookmarked. Flipping to it, the following selection is highlighted in purple highlighter ink:
(font: "Papyrus")+(color: purple + white)["'O friends, oh ever partners of my woes,
Attend while I what Heaven foredooms disclose.
Hear all! Fate hangs o'er all; on you it lies
To live or perish! to be safe, be wise!
"'In flowery meads the sportive Sirens play,
Touch the soft lyre, and tine the vocal lay;
Me, me alone, with fetters firmly bound,
The gods allow to hear the dangerous sound.
Hear and obey; if freedom I demand,
Be every fetter strain'd, be added band to band.
"While yet I speak the winged galley flies,
And lo! the Siren shores like mists arise.
Sunk were at once the winds; the air above,
And waves below, at once forgot to move;
Some demon calm'd the air and smooth'd the deep,
Hush'd the loud winds, and charm'd the waves to sleep.
Now every sail we furl, each oar we ply;
Lash'd by the stroke, the frothy waters fly.
The ductile wax with busy hands I mould,
And cleft in fragments, and the fragments roll'd;
The aerial region now grew warm with day,
The wax dissolved beneath the burning ray;
Then every ear I barr'd against the strain,
And from access of frenzy lock'd the brain.
Now round the masts my mates the fetters roll'd,
And bound me limb by limb with fold on fold.
Then bending to the stroke, the active train
Plunge all at once their oars, and cleave the main
"While to the shore the rapid vessel flies,
Our swift approach the Siren choir descries;
Celestial music warbles from their tongue,
And thus the sweet deluders tune the song:
"'Oh stay, O pride of Greece! Ulysses, stay!
Oh cease thy course, and listen to our lay!
Blest is the man ordain'd our voice to hear,
The song instructs the soul, and charms the ear.
Approach! thy soul shall into raptures rise!
Approach! and learn new wisdom from the wise!
We know whate'er the kings of mighty name
Achieved at Ilion in the field of fame;
Whate'er beneath the sun's bright journey lies.
Oh stay, and learn new wisdom from the wise!'
"Thus the sweet charmers warbled o'er the main;
My soul takes wing to meet the heavenly strain;
I give the sign, and struggle to be free;
Swift row my mates, and shoot along the sea;
New chains they add, and rapid urge the way,
Till, dying off, the distant sounds decay;
hen scudding swiftly from the dangerous ground,
The deafen'd ear unlock'd, the chains unbound."](if: $clu's length > 0)[You've collected the following trophies:(print: $trophy.join(", "))](else:)[You have not found any trophies yet. Keep searching.]
(click: "Bullseye")[(display: "Bullseye")]
(click: "Waving Through...")[(display: "Waving Through...")]
You found the snake in the boot. Ride like the wind, Bullseye!(if: $choice1 contains "Jenny left the window open")[Jenny barrels towards the window, Connie in tow. She shoves her wife through the open window, ignoring the rain on the roof. Connie slips slightly but manages to gain her footing.
The stranger lunges towards them, but Jenny turns and gets her feet over the ledge. As he reaches out towards her, she slams the window shut on his fingers. He screams as she slides down near Connie, getting soaked by the rain.
CONNIE: Oh, god. Oh god, we're a whole two stories up.
JENNY: See anything we can get down with?
[[CLIMB THE TRELLIS]]
[[CLIMB THE DRAIN PIPE]]
(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "and it helped them escape the stalker"))](if: $choice1 contains "Jenny chose to shut the window")[Jenny barrels towards the window, Connie in tow. However, the window is shut. She starts to open it, but it seems jammed.
JENNY: Connie, help me!
Connie grabs on, and they start to inch away at it slowly, struggling to lift the window open. As they do so, the stranger advances, and grabs Jenny by the hair, yanking her from the window. Connie screams as he attempts to muffle her. She struggles, choking and gasping for breath.
Connie shoves the window open and turns to help Jenny, but the stranger shoves her off.
(if: $inv contains "knife")[Jenny pulls out the knife and stabs the stranger in the shoulder. He screams in pain and lets her go. Gagging and coughing, Jenny leans on Connie for support as they exit through the window, shutting it behind them.
CONNIE: Jesus, we have to get out of here.
JENNY: Where's the car?
CONNIE: We parked it downhill.
JENNY: Damnit. Okay. See anything we can get down with?
[[CLIMB THE TRELLIS]]
[[CLIMB THE DRAIN PIPE]]
(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "knife"))(set: $choice2 to $choice2 + (a: "and Jenny lost the knife after stabbing the stalker with it"))(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "and Jenny got injured while escaping the stalker"))]
(else:)[Connie manages to open the window with a grunt. She whirls around, and in terror watches the life begin to drain from Jenny's eyes. This emboldens her to grab a heavy book off the shelf and hit the man in the head. He screams in pain and lets Jenny go, stunned by the concussive blunt trauma.
Gagging and coughing, Jenny leans on Connie for support as they exit through the window, shutting it behind them.
CONNIE: Jesus, we have to get out of here.
JENNY: Where's the car?
CONNIE: We parked it downhill.
JENNY: Damnit. Okay. See anything we can get down with?
[[CLIMB THE TRELLIS]]
[[CLIMB THE DRAIN PIPE]](set: $choice2 to $choice2 + (a: "and Jenny got hurt"))(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "Because Jenny did not recognize the window as an escape route sooner, she was injured while trying to escape with nothing to defend herself"))]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $choice1's length < 1)[Jenny looks around for something to wedge the door shut.
JENNY: Connie, help me!
Connie thinks hard as she can, her breathing staggered. Then, she rushes over to the desk, pulling out the measly little wooden chair out from underneath.
CONNIE: Hurry, try this!
Jenny and Connie wedge the chair under the door. The stranger bangs on the door again, causing the other bolt to fall out... then the handle. They back away, their hearts pounding.
JENNY: That isn't gonna hold!
CONNIE: Wait. The window.
JENNY: Fuck! Let's get it open.
[[RUN TO WINDOW|RUN TO WINDOW 2]]]
(else:)[Jenny looks around for something to wedge the door shut.
JENNY: Connie, help me!
Connie thinks hard as she can, her breathing staggered. Then, she rushes over to the desk, pulling out the measly little wooden chair out from underneath.
CONNIE: Hurry, try this!
Jenny and Connie wedge the chair under the door. The stranger bangs on the door again, causing the other bolt to fall out... then the handle. They back away, their hearts pounding.
JENNY: That isn't gonna hold!
CONNIE: Wait. The window.
JENNY: Fuck! Let's get it open.
[[RUN TO WINDOW]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $choice1's length < 1)[JENNY: I'm gonna run for it.
CONNIE: Jenny, no!
Jenny bolts for the door! The stranger turns, growling as he beats her to it and slams it shut. She backs away, eyes wide, as the huffing and puffing stalker cloaked in shadow and darkness smiles at her, preparing to get whatever it is that he's looking for.
CONNIE: Jenny! The window!
Connie runs to the window.
[[RUN TO WINDOW|RUN TO WINDOW 2]]]
(else:)[JENNY: I'm gonna run for it.
CONNIE: Jenny, no!
Jenny bolts for the door! The stranger turns, growling as he beats her to it and slams it shut. She backs away, eyes wide, as the huffing and puffing stalker cloaked in shadow and darkness smiles at her, preparing to get whatever it is that he's looking for.
CONNIE: Jenny! The window!
Connie runs to the window.
[[RUN TO WINDOW]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $choice1 contains "and Jenny got injured while escaping the stalker" or "Because Jenny did not recognize the window as an escape route sooner, she was injured while trying to escape without anything to defend herself")[JENNY: What about the trellis?
Jenny points to the garden trellis in the backyard. Connie shakes her head.
CONNIE: We'd have to climb down into the backyard, and then over the fence.
JENNY: There's a gate.
CONNIE: On the other side of the yard!
JENNY: He got my shoulder real bad, Con.
CONNIE: Baby, I'm sorry.
The window creaks. In a flash, Jenny and Connie make their way over to the trellis, for better or for worse.
They climb down it, Connie first, then Jenny. And hop off into the garden.
JENNY: Now what? Should we go through the house?
CONNIE: Are you crazy?
[[GO TO GATE]]
[[HOP FENCE]]
[[ENTER THE HOUSE]]]
(else:)
[JENNY: What about the trellis?
Jenny points to the garden trellis in the backyard. Connie shakes her head.
CONNIE: We'd have to climb down into the backyard, and then over the fence.
JENNY: There's a gate.
CONNIE: On the other side of the yard!
JENNY: Well, either way works.
The window creaks. In a flash, Jenny and Connie make their way over to the trellis, for better or for worse.
They climb down it, Connie first, then Jenny. And hop off into the garden.
JENNY: Now what?
[[GO TO GATE]]
[[HOP FENCE]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $choice1 contains "and Jenny got injured while escaping the stalker" or "Because Jenny did not recognize the window as an escape route sooner, she was injured while trying to escape without anything to defend herself")[JENNY: What about that drain pipe?
They turn and look at the drain pipe, dripping with rain, probably dangerous. Behind them, the window creaks.
CONNIE: It's gonna have to work. Come on!
Connie begins scaling down the drain pipe, trying her darndest not to slip. Jenny winces as she slides down after her, in a great deal of pain. She scrunches her eyes shut, groaning at her wounds.
JENNY: Fuck me...
Connie makes it to the ground.
CONNIE: You can do it, Jenny!
JENNY: I don't know if I--
And then... she slips.
JENNY: SHIT!
She tumbles to the ground, crunching her already damaged shoulder into the sopping wet earth below. That had to hurt. She groans, rolling over on her side.
CONNIE: Jenny, I'm so sorry!
JENNY: Not y'fault... fuck...
Jenny tries to move her arm but cries out in pain.
JENNY: I think I broke it.
The shadowy figure appears in the window. Connie gasps, wrapping Jenny's good arm over her shoulders.
CONNIE: Lean on me, we have to go. We can get in the car, okay?
JENNY: Okay.
[[HEAD DOWN THE TRAIL]]
(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "and due to the injuries she sustained, Jenny injured herself further climbing down the drain pipe"))]
(else:)[JENNY: What about that drain pipe?
They turn and look at the drain pipe, dripping with rain, probably dangerous. Behind them, the window creaks.
CONNIE: It's gonna have to work. Come on!
Connie begins scaling down the drain pipe, trying her darndest not to slip. Jenny follows after her, but the vertigo is intense.
JENNY: Fuck me...
Connie makes it to the ground.
CONNIE: You can do it, Jenny!
Jenny makes it down safely. Connie grabs her hand, now fully in protective wife mode.
The shadowy figure appears in the window. Connie gasps, wrapping Jenny's good arm over her shoulders.
CONNIE: Alright, we have to go. Let's get to the car, okay?
JENNY: Okay.
[[HEAD DOWN THE TRAIL]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny opens the drawer.
There's broken doll heads, glassy eyed and dead looking, that roll to the bottom of the drawer.
There's nail polish, markers, sticky notes with hearts littering them all. Maybe this was from her childhood?
Jenny pushes them aside to pick up a folded piece of paper.
There's a note.
(font: "Papyrus")+(color: green + white)[Remember me, Jenny? It's] (font: "Papyrus")+(color: red)+(text-style: "rumble")[me.]
She puts it back and [[slams the drawer shut.|BEDROOM]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny barrels towards the window, Connie in tow. However, the window is shut. She starts to open it, but it seems jammed.
JENNY: Connie, help me!
Connie grabs on, and they start to inch away at it slowly, struggling to lift the window open. As they do so, the stranger advances, and grabs Jenny by the hair, yanking her from the window. Connie screams as he attempts to muffle her. She struggles, choking and gasping for breath.
Connie shoves the window open and turns to help Jenny, but the stranger shoves her off.](if: $inv contains "knife")[Jenny pulls out the knife and stabs the stranger in the shoulder. He screams in pain and lets her go. Gagging and coughing, Jenny leans on Connie for support as they exit through the window, shutting it behind them.
CONNIE: Jesus, we have to get out of here.
JENNY: Where's the car?
CONNIE: We parked it downhill.
JENNY: Damnit. Okay. See anything we can get down with?
[[CLIMB THE TRELLIS]]
[[CLIMB THE DRAIN PIPE]]
(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "knife"))(set: $choice2 to $choice2 + (a: "and Jenny lost the knife after stabbing the stalker with it"))(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "Because Jenny did not recognize the window as an escape route sooner, she was injured while trying to escape but managed to fend off her attacker"))](else:)[She whirls around, and in terror watches the life begin to drain from Jenny's eyes. This emboldens her to grab a heavy book off the shelf and hit the man in the head. He screams in pain and lets Jenny go, stunned by the concussive blunt trauma.
Gagging and coughing, Jenny leans on Connie for support as they exit through the window, shutting it behind them.
CONNIE: Jesus, we have to get out of here.
JENNY: Where's the car?
CONNIE: We parked it downhill.
JENNY: Damnit. Okay. See anything we can get down with?
[[CLIMB THE TRELLIS]]
[[CLIMB THE DRAIN PIPE]]
(set: $choice2 to $choice2 + (a: "Jenny never discovered the knife in the kitchen, and without it Jenny got hurt"))(set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: "Because Jenny did not recognize the window as an escape route sooner, she was injured while trying to escape without anything to defend herself"))](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))The outdoors are dark now, the rain pouring.
CONNIE: Do you have your flashlight by any chance?
(if: $inv contains "flashlight")[Jenny turns on her flashlight.](else:)[JENNY: No, unfortunately not. And my phone's dead. Got yours?
Connie tries her pockets. She doesn't have her phone on her. She sighs.
CONNIE: Motherfucker. I think I dropped it in the bedroom.]
The wind howls. Connie wraps her arm into Jenny's, keeping her close as they wander almost blindly. They're stumbling against the powerful wind and rain, blinded by the sheer force of nature.
CONNIE: Can you see the path?
JENNY: I'm trying!
They make their ways down the muddy path, trying to keep their balance in the sludge. Eventually, they come upon their car.
CONNIE: Yes! Yes, yes! Let's get out of here!
They race towards it, Connie hurrying ahead of Jenny. Suddenly, feet away, she stops. Jenny almost runs straight into her, steadying herself with a huff as she catches her breath.
JENNY: What--
The car's tires are all slashed. There's a note, completely soaked, taped to the car. Connie peels it off, it's tearing apart. and sopping at the edges.
(font:"Papyrus")+(color: blue + white)[Need a lift? Gonna have to ask nicely.]
JENNY: No, no, no, no, no.
CONNIE: Fuck, what should we do?
JENNY: I don't know!
CONNIE: Wait. I think I see my phone?
JENNY: You're kidding. In the car?
CONNIE: Something's reflecting in there!
JENNY: We need to go, he could be following us.
CONNIE: We could call for help!
JENNY: Let's get to the road and get help!
CONNIE: But...
[[TRY TO ENTER CAR]]
[[LEAVE THE CAR BEHIND]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny and Connie run up to the seven foot tall fence, breathless. Thunder crackles above their heads.
Jenny reaches for the lock, hoping it's loose. It's not. She gives it a tug or two. The gate won't open.
JENNY: Well, fuck me.
CONNIE: What should we do?
In a distant window in the lodge above their heads, something is watching them. They don't seem to notice.
Jenny cracks her knuckles and then pinches the bridge of her nose.
JENNY: We could go check the doormat for the key, or we can try to hop it.
CONNIE: Shit.
JENNY: I know.
[[SEARCH DOORMAT|ENTER THE HOUSE]]
[[HOP FENCE]] (enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: $choice1 contains "and Jenny got injured while escaping the stalker" or "Because Jenny did not recognize the window as an escape route sooner, she was injured while trying to escape without anything to defend herself")[Jenny starts to scale the fence, Connie following.
Suddenly, Jenny feels her shoulder POP! Her hands slip on the wet fence. She cries out, sliding off the fence and hitting the ground with a THUMP.
CONNIE: Jenny!?
JENNY: Fuck. I'm okay.
CONNIE: What should I do?
Jenny slowly rolls up to stand, clutching her injured shoulder with a grimace.
JENNY: I can't scale that.
Connie hops down to Jenny's side.
CONNIE: I stick with you, no matter what.
JENNY: I'm just trying to think of what to do.
Jenny turns as thunder in the sky growls. A bolt of lightning flashes above the house. Jenny's face falls. set: $choice1 to $choice1 + (a: ". Jenny was unable to climb the fence and had to enter the house.")
JENNY: We're going to have to [[go back in there|ENTER THE HOUSE]].]
(else:)[Jenny starts to scale the fence, Connie following.
Jenny's hands grab onto the wet fencing, her footing slippery in the rain, but she makes it up. She sits on the top and helps hoist Connie over, where they both plop down on the other side.
[[HEAD DOWN THE TRAIL]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny tries the door handle. It's locked. She sighs in frustration.
JENNY: Where do we keep the key again?
CONNIE: Can't we just hop the gate?
JENNY: You want us to jump a fence taller than both of us?
(if: $inv contains "flashlight")[Jenny flicks on her flashlight as thunder crashes above their heads.](else:)[Jenny bends down onto her hands and knees, searches for the key.]
CONNIE: This is fucking crazy. This is insane. You want to go back in there? Nuh-uh.
JENNY: I'm looking for the key. Hold your horses.
CONNIE: Someone is trying to ''kill'' us, Jenny.
JENNY: I know that! Hold still for a minute and be quiet!
Jenny flips over the doormat and finds a (color: yellow + orange)[back door key]. She smiles exhaustedly and shows it to Connie.
JENNY: We can run straight to the door and then down the road.
Connie shakes like a wet leaf. They're both soaked.
CONNIE: We're going to die.
JENNY: Stop saying that! We're gonna be okay.
CONNIE: You're not shaken in the least.
JENNY: You're arguing with me and he could slip around the back right now and stab us.
Jenny opens the door.
CONNIE: I'm not going in there. You're out of your mind.
Jenny slips in. Connie calls after her.
CONNIE: Jenny!
Jenny disappears into the living room. After a moment of hesitation, with the rain pouring on her, Connie decides what to do. Connie runs in after her, crashing into her in the dark.
JENNY: SHH!
CONNIE: You've officially lost your marbles. I swear to god if we die in here...
A floorboard creaks above their heads. Jenny slaps her hand over Connie's mouth, dragging her into the bathroom and closing the door but leaving a crack open. She peers out the side, eyes narrow as she listens to the floorboards creak again.
She looks at Connie.
JENNY: I think we should [[SNEAK AROUND THE BACK]]/[[RUN TO THE DOOR]].
(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "Back Door Key"))(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "BATHROOM")[Jenny closes her eyes, bracing herself to sneak around the backside of the house.
She inhales sharply as the floorboards creak again.
They creak.
And creak.
Sounding louder.
Closer.
Her heart pounds in her chest. Connie is shaking.
JENNY: We're going to be okay.
The creaking stops.
After a long moment of silence...
She opens the door a crack.
The figure is standing in the hallway. Calculating, watching.
Jenny screams.
JENNY: LEAVE US ALONE!
She slams the door and locks it. The floorboards creak as the figure starts walking towards the door. Jenny frantically looks around for an escape.
She spies the window, and runs to it to force it open. It thankfully complies. She grabs Connie's hand and pushes her towards the window.
[[CLIMB OUT BATHROOM WINDOW]]]
(else:)[Jenny closes her eyes, bracing herself to sneak around the backside of the house.
She inhales sharply as the floorboards creak again.
They creak.
And creak.
Sounding louder.
Closer.
Her heart pounds in her chest. Connie is shaking.
JENNY: We're going to be okay.
The creaking stops.
After a long moment of silence...
She opens the door a crack.
The coast is clear. She sighs, and grabs Connie's hand.
JENNY: Let's go.
[[RUN TO THE DOOR]]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny hurtles towards the front door, Connie behind her.
The foosteps above them ''crash'' and thunder, as though someone is racing down the stairs.
CONNIE: OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR! OPEN IT!
Jenny swings the door open. She turns to check that Connie is behind her, and then they both race away, breathless and terrified.
[[HEAD DOWN THE TRAIL]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny succesfully gets Connie out of the window and follows her. She slams the window shut behind her.
JENNY: Let's get out of here, yeah?
CONNIE: Yes.
[[HEAD DOWN THE TRAIL]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(set: $trophy to $trophy + (a: "Waving Through..."))Jenny unlocks the car with her keys. Connie climbs into the back seat. After a moment, Jenny climbs into the front and locks the door.
(if: $inv contains "flashlight")[Jenny shines her light in the back.
JENNY: See anything?
CONNIE: Not yet!
Jenny moves the light. Connie's phone is wedged under the seat. Connie gets it.
CONNIE: Thanks, babe.
JENNY: No prob.
Connie turns it on. It works. She dials 911.
CONNIE: Hello? HELLO? Oh.
She lowers the phone, her eyes wide with relief.
CONNIE: I reached someone.
JENNY: Tell them where we are!
Connie presses the phone back to her ear.
CONNIE: Please help us. We're trapped at the Walsh Lodge in the Catskills-- a crazy man is up here trying to kill us. We're--
Suddenly, a FIST bangs against the glass.
FIGURE: I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!
CONNIE and JENNY scream in terror.
CONNIE: HE'S HERE! FUCK! PLEASE SEND HELP, PLEASE!
He starts pounding on the window. His fists make the glass crack. Jenny begins to sob.
JENNY: LEAVE US ALONE!
(if: $inv contains "knife")[Jenny can [[STAB ATTACKER]] or [[EXIT THE OTHER DOOR]]](else:)[Jenny looks to the lock and notices they could try and [[EXIT THE OTHER DOOR]]] ](else:)[JENNY: See anything?
CONNIE: Not yet!
Connie fumbles in the dark.
JENNY: Hurry, honey. We can't stay here.
CONNIE: I'm hurrying!
Jenny takes a shaky breath. All around them is darkness. Rain patters against the windshield. She starts the car with her keys, at least for warmth. The lights turn on in the dashboard.
Jenny slumps back in her seat and flips on her seat warmer.
JENNY: This fucking sucks. See anything in the back?
CONNIE: No. God, what should we do?
JENNY: We have one option. We could go down to the highway and flag someone down.
CONNIE: We could be picked up by another murderer.
JENNY: Wow, you're such an optimist.
CONNIE: It's not my fucking fault we're stuck at //your// parents' shitty lodge and some fucking crazy person is after us.
Silence. Jenny looks over her shoulder.
JENNY: What do you mean by that?
CONNIE: This is the worst honeymoon ever. Ireland isn't going to be any better.
JENNY: ...and what is that supposed to mean?
CONNIE: Look, just let me find my phone.
JENNY: No. What is that supposed to mean?
Jenny hits an overhead light. Right over Connie's shoulder in the window is the shadowy figure, engulfed in rain and smiling eerily in the window.
FIGURE: Hello.
Jenny and Connie stiffen, stricken with fear.
CONNIE: Jenny. Jenny. Jenny.
Suddenly, his FIST bangs against the glass.
FIGURE: I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!
CONNIE and JENNY scream in terror.
CONNIE: JENNY!
He starts pounding on the window. His fists make the glass crack. Jenny begins to sob.
JENNY: LEAVE US ALONE!
(if: $inv contains "knife")[Jenny can [[STAB ATTACKER]] or [[EXIT THE OTHER DOOR]]](else:)[Jenny looks to the lock and notices they could try and [[EXIT THE OTHER DOOR]]] ]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))[[HEAD LEFT]]
[[HEAD RIGHT]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))The glass SHATTERS and the man reaches into the door to grab Connie. He grabs her shoulder.
CONNIE: JENNY!
Without even thinking, Jenny pulls the kitchen knife from her belt loop and starts slashing blindly at the man gripping her wife.
JENNY: GET OFF OF HER!
Jenny stabs the figure in the shoulder. He screams as Connie is released. Jenny quickly unlocks the door.
JENNY: OUT THE OTHER DOOR! NOW!
She and Connie climb over to the other side of the car, open the door and grab each other's hands, racing out into the dark as the man screams behind them.
[[Continue down the path.|EXIT THE OTHER DOOR]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Running blindly against rain cold and piercing as knives, the wind roaring in their ears and their hearts pounding so hard they could keel over then and there, Connie and Jenny come back upon that split in the path.
(if: $inv contains "flashlight")[Jenny fumbles for her flashlight before realizing she has lost it along the way.
JENNY: No. No, no, no. I don't have my flashlight anymore. Fuck.
CONNIE: We have to go. Let's go, Jenny!
JENNY: We can't even see!
CONNIE: We're gonna have to trust the way! Come on!(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "knife"))
](else:)[JENNY: God, it's so fucking dark out.
CONNIE: We have to go. Let's go, Jenny!
JENNY: We can't even see!
CONNIE: We're gonna have to trust the way! Come on!]
[[HEAD LEFT]]
[[HEAD RIGHT]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Connie and Jenny run down the left pathway. As they get closer to the cliffside, they see the roar of cars and the piercing lights of the highway down below.
CONNIE: Okay. We know where we are.
JENNY: He could be behind us.
CONNIE: We have to take that chance. Come on.
Connie grabs Jenny's hand. Jenny looks into her eyes deeply. She hugs Connie tight, only for a brief moment.
JENNY: We're going to live.
CONNIE: We're going to live.
They pull apart.
JENNY: Let's go.
[[Go back down the path|HEAD RIGHT]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny and Connie race down the right side of the path. As they do so, they hear the whirring of distant cars grow louder and louder.
CONNIE: We're gonna make it! We're gonna make it!
The path grows more and more confusing. Trees and mud blur together. They cannot see the signs, nor can they see if they're going the way they're supposed to. It's all awfully confusing.
Their hands tightly clenched, they wade through the darkness, rain and mud together. The cars sound close, but they can't see the lights of the highway yet. The trees are too dense. Their feet slide in the puddles and overflow, sludging and caking their shoes.
Jenny gags on the onslaught of heavy rain, clutching Connie for support.
JENNY: Where are we? Are we close?
CONNIE: I don't know. Hold on just a little longer though! We have to be!
JENNY: Connie. What if we're lost.
CONNIE: We're not lost. We can't be. We're gonna make it.
JENNY: Connie-- look! I think those are lights!
In the distance, there is a dim glow through the trees. They start to head towards it. Slow at first, then desperate from fear.
JENNY: THAT'S THE HIGHWAY!
CONNIE: Jenny, slow down!
Jenny stops at the edge of the cliff, heaving with exhaustion. She gestures wildly to the highway, only maybe 15 feet below.
JENNY: Look! We made it!
CONNIE: How do we get down from here?
JENNY: I don't know. But we're here.
Suddenly, a gunshot goes off. Jenny jumps, turning around.
JENNY: What was that?
Another gunshot, closer. Birds scream and caw, scattering in the darkness like an ominous omen. Jenny takes another shaky step back.
JENNY: Connie!?
CONNIE: I--
Jenny grabs and squeezes Connie's hand.
JENNY: What do we--
Another gunshot.
Jenny loses her footing, slipping in the mud. Connie feels the tug of Jenny going down, and then suddenly is dragged to the ground with her.
Jenny screams, grasping at the mud desperately as the soil loosens in her hands. She's at danger of falling at any moment. Connie stumbles, trying to grab her hand.
Jenny slips again, just fingertips out of reach of grabbing Connie's hand.
CONNIE: JENNY!
Another gunshot. Jenny chokes on her tears and sobs of fear, grabbing at the slipping earth with increasing panic.
The cars roar across the road below.
JENNY: CONNIE! HELP ME!
[[GRAB CONNIE'S HAND]]
[[SAVE YOURSELF]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Connie cries out, reaching desperately for Jenny.
CONNIE: Jenny! Hold on! Hold on!
JENNY: Connie! I've got it, it's okay! It's okay!
Jenny reaches for a branch stiking out of the mud. She's losing her grip, but she's so sure she can get it. Her fingertips brush the branch.
CONNIE: JENNY!
She leans forward to grab Jenny's hand regardless, straining over the side so hard she could topple over herself.
(if: $inv contains "locket")[Connie grasps onto the locket on Jenny's throat.
On impulse, Jenny reaches for her throat, her breath hitching in her throat as she feels a light pressure where her locker is grabbed by Connie.
JENNY: Connie--
The locket breaks. Jenny's eyes widen.
Her ears start ringing. There is no more rain sounds, no car sounds, no Connie's screams.
Her eyes are trained on Connie, clutching the locket in one hand. Her lips are moving. She's crying something. She outreaches her other hand, but Jenny can't reach it. No, she's...
[[falling.|FALL]]](else:)[With a grunt, Jenny grabs the branch. She beams.
JENNY: Oh, fuck. Okay. One step at a time, we're okay.
Connie sighs in relief.
CONNIE: Grab my hand!
Jenny looks up, smiling at her wife. Their fingertips brush. They're gonna make it.
The branch snaps.
Jenny's eyes widen.
Her ears start ringing. There is no more rain sounds, no car sounds, no Connie's screams.
Her eyes are trained on Connie, clutching the locket in one hand. Her lips are moving. She's crying something. She outreaches her other hand, but Jenny can't reach it. No, she's...
[[falling.|FALL]]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Jenny strains to reach for Connie's hand.
CONNIE: Baby! Come on, you're almost there. Come on baby! COME ON!
JENNY: Connie! Connie, help--
Their fingertips brush. Connie grunts, trying to reach further.
CONNIE: REACH!
JENNY: I CAN'T! I--
The mud gives way under Jenny's feet. She screams as she begins to slip. Connie leans forward, almost taking herself down with her, but misses Jenny's fingers by inches as Jenny begins to tumble.
Jenny's eyes widen.
Her ears start ringing. There is no more rain sounds, no car sounds, no Connie's screams.
Her eyes are trained on Connie. Her lips are moving. She's crying something. She outreaches her other hand, but Jenny can't reach it. No, she's...
[[Falling.|FALL]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))Time seems to slow down. Connie is growing smaller. She's screaming, Jenny thinks. She can't hear it. There's rain hitting Jenny's face but it's no longer cold. It's welcome.
Connie slipping into the darkness as Jenny sees bright lights engulfing her vision. She's tumbling, hitting mud and tree and twig. Tumbling, tumbling, tumbling. Her Connie is growing smaller, and smaller, and smaller.
She remembers Connie's smile, standing across to in a tux. Their hands held across an altar. Their friend Jax grinning as he officiates. Their friends cheering.
JENNY: I do.
CONNIE: I do.
She takes a deep breath.
She's floating. Like the wings of a butterfly.
Falling.
Falling.
Falling.
Connie is slipping away. No, Jenny is slipping.
Her back hits the cold pavement.
Jenny groans, the sound rushing back to her ears.
Wait.
She didn't die?
She looks around her in confusion. There's no cars.
CONNIE: Jenny!
Jenny looks up. Connie is on the edge of the cliff still, wide eyed and hanging over the edge.
Jenny grimaces, rolling to sit up slightly. She tries to stand, but her leg is completely shattered at the bone.
JENNY: Fuck. Ow.
She calls out to Connie.
JENNY: I'm okay, my leg is just broken!
CONNIE: Are you sure?
JENNY: Yeah, come on down!
CONNIE: I don't know how!
Suddenly, the FIGURE is standing behind Connie. Jenny opens her mouth to scream out, but Connie, not even seeing the man behind her, beats her by calling out to Jenny.
CONNIE: JENNY! JENNY!
A beam of light. Jenny flinches, raising a hand to her eyes, and turns her head.
A truck horn honks.
CRASH.
[[AFTERMATH]](enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(set: $char to $char - (a: "Jenny")) (set: $inv to $inv + (a: "Connie")) A news reporter, a young woman, sits behind her desk.
REPORTER: Breaking news. Yesterday evening, tragedy struck the infamous Upper East Side mogul family, The Walshes. At their summer home in the Catskills, the body of their eldest daughter Genevieve Walsh was recovered at the intersection of 666 Walsh Lane and Route 9, having been struck by a truck late in the night. The driver has been arrested on an account of vehicular manslaughter.
Connie is shown being loaded, violently shaking, into a police car. She looks around wildly, her eyes empty and dead.
CONNIE: I didn't kill her. There was-- someone was following us-- you have to believe me, I didn't--
The car door is shut, the officers shaking their heads.
(if: $inv contains "locket")[REPORTER: Her young newlywed bride, Constance Green, was found at the site holding a beloved locket of Genevieve's. She is being held for questioning. At this time, we have been made aware by authorities that she is also a suspect of murder and also the murder of their pet cat. Constance insists that a strange man was responsible and followed them, however, no DNA evidence has surfaced at this time of anyone else at the lodge. A knife was recovered with the cat's DNA and human blood at the scene of the crime. More at five.](else:)[Her young newlywed bride, Constance Greene, was found at the site and is being held for questioning. At this time, authorities are unsure of whether or not Constance is a suspect of murder and/or the death of their pet cat, whose body was recovered from the cabin. Constance insists that a strange man was responsible and followed them, however, no DNA evidence has surfaced at this time of anyone else at the lodge. A knife was recovered with the cat's DNA and human blood at the scene of the crime. More at five.]
[[END]]
(enchant: "figure", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'smear'))(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))The key to the back door. It's shaped like a skeleton. (if: (history:) contains "BACKYARD")[Jenny notices the footprints are completely puddled over at this point. It's gross outside.
JENNY: Smokey! Last chance before I shut the door, baby girl.
Jenny sighs, and goes back in the [[HOUSE]].]
(else:)[Jenny steps outside and looks around as the first droplets of rain begin to drizzle. The skies are (color: grey)[grey] and murky with splothes of deep, dark clouds marring what had been a previously beautiful sunset.
JENNY: Smokey? Smokey are you out here?
The ground is wet and moist. Disgustingly so. There's some footprints beginning to puddle by the door. Weird. Jenny hasn't been in the backyard for a while. Maybe Connie came through here...?
Jenny wipes her shoes on the doormat that is already smudged with mud. It's bright yellow and says "WELCOME!" It's in the backyard though, so who is it welcoming?
JENNY: I should ask Connie about this.
Jenny looks around.
The trees of the Catskills are dark, tall, and ominous, looming over the lodge as though they're watching the couple.
Then... one of them MOVES. Or something near it. A tiny, black splotch rushes through the treeline and then disappears.
She squints.
Maybe she hallucinated it?
JENNY: Maybe a deer.
[[HOUSE]]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))CONNIE: Hey, what's up?
[[ASK ABOUT MARRIAGE]]
[[ASK ABOUT DAY]]
[[ASK ABOUT FRIENDS]]
[[ASK ABOUT COLLEGE]]
[[ASK ABOUT HONEYMOON]]
[[TALK ABOUT SMOKEY]]
(if: (history:) contains "BATHROOM")[ [[TALK ABOUT MEDICATION]]]
(if: $inv contains "locket")[ [[TALK ABOUT LOCKET]]]
(if: (history:) contains "LIVING ROOM")[ [[TALK ABOUT THE CABIN]]]
(if: (history:) contains "BACKYARD")[ [[TALK ABOUT FOOTPRINTS]]]
(if: (history:) contains "HALL CLOSET")[ [[TALK ABOUT RATS]]]
(if: (history:) contains "KITCHEN")[ [[TALK ABOUT KNIFE]]]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
(enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "ASK ABOUT MARRIAGE")[JENNY: What a weird way to spend our newlywed lives, huh?
CONNIE: Have you found Smokey yet?
JENNY: Working on it.]
(else:)[JENNY: How do you feel about us being married?
CONNIE: What do you mean?
JENNY: Well, this is a crummy way to spend it.
Connie chuckles.
CONNIE: I mean, I've got you.
JENNY: That's true. No backing out now. No prenupt agreement.
Connie twists the band on her finger.
CONNIE: Are your parents okay with us yet?
JENNY: Soon. I'm working on it.
Connie looks away.
JENNY: Hey. They'll come around.
CONNIE: I hope so.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "ASK ABOUT DAY")[JENNY: Hey. Feeling any better?
CONNIE: No. I can't find Smokey.
JENNY: We'll find her. She's gonna be okay, she's a tough cat.]
(else:)[JENNY: Today was going so well. How was your day?
CONNIE: Yeah, it was. I mean it was alright, but... have you seen Smokey?
JENNY: Not yet, babe.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "ASK ABOUT FRIENDS")[JENNY: God, I wish our friends were here. They'd know what to do.
CONNIE: Bella'd be crying that Smokey wouldn't let her pet her.
JENNY: Ha! True. Bella won't go touch a cat without a ten foot pole.
CONNIE: Smokey would attack the pole.
JENNY: Probably.
CONNIE: Can you please find Smokey? I'm feeling anxious.
JENNY: Working on it.]
(else:)[JENNY: Do you miss our friends?
CONNIE: Ugh. More than anything. I wonder what Bella's up to now.
JENNY: Guarantee you she's spending a million fucking dollars on some gucci shoes she doesn't need.
CONNIE: I bet Jax right now is... sitting on their fire escape, with a candle burning in the window, and they're listening to Elton John and drinking whiskey from a bottle of wine.
JENNY: They need to ask Macy out already.
CONNIE: No way. Jax will never.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "ASK ABOUT COLLEGE")[JENNY: How's it feel now that we're done with undergrad?
CONNIE: I can't even think about that with Smokey missing.
JENNY: Don't worry, I'll find her.]
(else:)[JENNY: Going to grad school, huh?
CONNIE: Are you mad at me?
JENNY: No, baby. I told you I wasn't. Why would I be?
Connie scuffs her foot.
CONNIE: I don't know.
JENNY: I'm gonna go find Smokey.
CONNIE: Alright.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "ASK ABOUT HONEYMOON")[JENNY: I just can't wait to get to Ireland. Fresh air, the Cliffs of Moher...
CONNIE: About that. Um.
JENNY: What?
CONNIE: Do you think it's a good idea?
Jenny blinks.
JENNY: Um. Of course. It's my homeland, babe.
CONNIE: I know that, and I know you love it, but uh... it's not you I'm worried about.
JENNY: What are you worried about?
CONNIE: I don't know, your culty Christian family?
JENNY: Relax. It's gonna be fine. You'll have me there.
CONNIE: I get the feeling they want to kill me.
JENNY: With kindness?
CONNIE: Come on, you know what I mean.
JENNY: They'll come around. I'm gonna go find Smokey.
Connie sighs.
CONNIE: We can't keep dancing around this conversation.
JENNY: I can and I will! Gonna find our cat now, babe.]
(else:)[JENNY: Excited for part two of our honeymoon?
CONNIE: I just want part one to end.
JENNY: Didn't like the cabin?
CONNIE: No, just... I'm really worried about Smokey.
Jenny nods.
JENNY: I understand. I'm gonna find her, okay?
She turns to leave. Connie tugs on Jenny's arm.
JENNY: Hm?
CONNIE: Wait. Um...
Connie lets go and looks at her feet.
CONNIE: Does Phoebe hate me?
JENNY: Um... well.
CONNIE: She looks at me with such... animosity. Surely you notice it?
JENNY: She's a pious little shit. She'll come around.
CONNIE: I'm not so sure about that.
Jenny smiles and kisses her wife on the cheek.
JENNY: Hey. She'll come around. She'll have to in Ireland.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "TALK ABOUT SMOKEY")[JENNY: Where's Smokey? ]
(else:)[CONNIE: I'm really worried about Smokey. She's an old girl.
JENNY: Ol' reliable. She'll be fine.
CONNIE: I hope so. Remember when we got her?
JENNY: We couldn't leave the shelter without her.
Connie shifts uncomfortably.
CONNIE: Can you check again downstairs for her? She could have gotten locked somewhere.
JENNY: Wouldn't she be crying for us to let her out?
CONNIE: Mmm.
JENNY: She's probably napping in the cabinets again. Relax, we'll find her.
CONNIE: If you say so.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "TALK ABOUT THE CABIN")[JENNY: This place is so big Smokey could be sleeping anywhere.
CONNIE: Just find her.
JENNY: Alright, don't worry.]
(else:)[JENNY: What a getaway, huh?
CONNIE: With creaky floorboards and missing cats galore. Truly a five star location.
JENNY: I spent every summer here, you know.
CONNIE: Wish my parents had these resources.
JENNY: Hey. I happen to love my wife and don't mind sharing things.
CONNIE: I know, I guess I just feel... awkward, I don't know.
JENNY: Hey, don't.
CONNIE: I'm feeling really uncomfortable right now knowing our cat could be in danger.
JENNY: We'll find her.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "TALK ABOUT FOOTPRINTS")[JENNY: Those footprints are bugging me. Something isn't right.
CONNIE: Maybe, maybe not. Did you find the cat?
JENNY: I'm looking.]
(else:)[JENNY: Hey, did you go through the backyard by any chance?
CONNIE: Not once, no.
JENNY: There's some footprints out there. And there was mud on the doormat.
CONNIE: Huh. You didn't accidentally track them yourself?
JENNY: I didn't leave the patio.
CONNIE: Weird. Maybe you did and don't remember.
JENNY: Maybe. I don't know.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "TALK ABOUT RATS")[JENNY: You'd think Smokey would be a good mouser to get the rats in the closet.
CONNIE: We don't even know where she is right now.
JENNY: Working on that.]
(else:)[JENNY: The fucking rats in the closet.
CONNIE: Do your parents not set traps around here?
JENNY: Evidently not. Jesus christ.
CONNIE: Add that to the to-do list.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "TALK ABOUT KNIFE")[JENNY: Are you okay? That knife really spooked me.
CONNIE: No. I'm really worried about Smokey.
JENNY: We'll find her.]
(else:)[JENNY: Do you think you know where that knife came from?
CONNIE: No. Do you think someone's in the house?
JENNY: I don't know.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "TALK ABOUT MEDICATION")[JENNY: You sure you're okay?
CONNIE: I would be if I knew where our cat was.
JENNY: Right. On it.]
(else:)[JENNY: Hey, I found your meds in the medicine cabinet.
CONNIE: That would be where I put my medicine, yes.
JENNY: Did you change medicine again?
CONNIE: No, why?
JENNY: I just don't remember you taking Risperdal. I thought you were on Geodon.
CONNIE: They switched me a few months ago.
JENNY: I thought I saw you take Geodon last week.
CONNIE: I might have thrown out the old bottle. I didn't finish my last dose before I switched. Is something wrong?
JENNY: No, I was just checking. My mind might be fuzzy.
CONNIE: Could be.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))(if: (history:) contains "[TALK ABOUT LOCKET")[JENNY: I wish you and Phoebe got along. I think you'd like her plenty.
CONNIE: Let's not talk about her when we're looking for our cat, shall we?
JENNY: Fair enough.]
(else:)[JENNY: Look what I found.
Jenny shows her the locket.
CONNIE: I love your locket.
JENNY: And one day, it'll be yours, my love.
CONNIE: How romantic.
They kiss.
CONNIE: Alright, alright. Help me find our cat, lover girl.
JENNY: Aye aye, captain.]
[[GO BACK TO EXPLORING|HOUSE]]
[[TALK TO CONNIE]](enchant: "Connie", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "Jenny", (text-colour: green + blue))(enchant: "CONNIE", (text-colour: red + white))(enchant: "JENNY", (text-colour: green + blue))###(align: "=><=")+(color: "grey")+(text-style: "smear")[*CONSTANCE "CONNIE" GREEN*]<h3>
####(align: "=><=")+(color: blue + green)[ANXIOUS. INSIGHTFUL. STUBBORN.]<h4>
εїз Age 22.
εїз Recently graduated from undergrad. Accepted to Columbia's MA Program for the coming fal.
εїз Married to (color: blue + green)[Jenny].
εїз Sister in law to (color: red + blue) [Phoebe].
(align: "=><==")[RELATIONSHIP STATUS]
(if: $con's length > 0)[Your relationship with Phoebe is (print: $con.join(", ")).]
(else:)[Your relationship with Phoebe is overwhelmingly positive.]
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last) Jenny and Connie escaped through the bathroom window. On the (color: blue)[inside] always looking out...