<<silently>>
<<set $fear to 0>>
<<set $injury to 0>>
<<set $lightsource to 0>>
<<set $hoboroom to false>>
<<set $kitchenfight to false>>
<<endsilently>>
It's a humid summer day, the sun is beating down on your neck as you hear the wagon underneath you creak. Your friend Steven breaks the tranquility of the air. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Bailout! Today we will see who's more chicken. The earliest to bail as they race down Death Trail is the other's slave for a year!" "Wait we never agreed on a year!" you laugh. "Too late dude. I called it" "Whatever." Steven always bails out first anyways. You look down to the ravigne below, it's full of low hanging trees and boulders. The other side of the hill is a normal ski slope, but probably equally as fun to ride on.
[[Second thoughts...|There he goes]]
[[Time to get a servant...|wagon]]
<<set $fear to $fear + 1>>
The gnarled trees suddenly look a little too stab-ey. "Hey Steve, I don't think-" "What's that? Someone forfeiting early? Or are you just trying to make me chicken out?" "N-no I-" "I'm not falling for it!" Steven pushed himself off, his wagon careening down the rocky hill as he shrieked with delight. His wagon propelled through the trees and out of sight. All traces of him soon disappeared.
[[Next Page|What]]
You waited a few minutes, then a few more. After around ten minutes you still haven't seen any traces of him. "Oh my god..." you mutter. You can't return empty handed. Time to rescue the dame in distress. Do you...
[[wagon after him|wagon]]
[[walk down the hill|walk]]
<<set $injury to $injury + 1>>
You push off the ground and plummet down the hill. You dodge the first couple of trees and boulders, but pretty quickly you start clipping branches and jagged rocksides. You close your eyes. When most of the clipping subsides, you open them to see you're aiming for a front collision with a tree. Will you...
[[bail]]
[[hold on tight]]
You step out of your wagon and start down the hill, following the treads Steven's wagon left in the dust. There are a bunch of missing branches and scratches left in the rocks down his path, and the trees are only getting thicker. You're both SO going to be in trouble if you get home. When, you correct, but the silence of the forest around you is forboding. Steven's gotta be here somewhere.
[[continue|wagon area]]
Screw that. You dive right out of that trainwreck, rolling a few times. There's a sickening crack as your wagon crunches into the tree. Poor tree. Poor me, you realize as you start to ache with scratches and bruises. You listen for Steven and hear nothing. Your gut drops, because that can't be a good sign. You've got to find him. There are two different paths in front of you.
[[left path|not wagon area]]
[[right path|wagon area]]
<<set $injury to $injury + 2>>
<<set $fear to $fear + 2>>
You close your eyes and brace yourself, you know this is gonna hurt. Time seems to go in slow motion, you feel each dent and wrinkle form underneath you as the wagon crunches into the tree. Then time speeds up as your face slams into the tree and you are thrown off your vehicle. You land on your side, your head spinning. When you open your eyes, it takes a second to focus them, and your headache intensifies. Some time passes before you feel that you could safely move. You wipe some sap from your face, only to realize that it's blood. The only thought in your head is to find Steven.
[[Start your search|not wagon area]]
The forest around you is silent. The trees here are large and scraggly, their fingers pulling and tearing at the sunlight that foolishly tries to warm the earth below. There is a layer of scratchy bushes that line a path that lead to a house in the distance. Opposite that there appears to be sunlight in a clearing.
[[towards clearing|wagon area]]
[[towards house|home front yard]]
You enter a golden picturesque field, with shapely trees and birds singing. Tire tracks mar this field, and following them, a bent and broken wagon. Stevens wagon. The boy is nowhere to be seen, though. There is a path that leads to a dark spooky area, that looks like it belongs in a movie. There is a smaller path nearby. Also, down the clearing there appears to be a pile of debris and a shopping cart.
[[towards the scary area|not wagon area]]
[[little path|cave and house split]]
[[shopping cart|hobo hut]]
This path seems to have led to a little cave. There is also a creepy house rather close by, and the bushes near that don't look to difficult to get through.
[[enter cave|cave]]
[[go to house|house backyard]]
[[go back to clearing|wagon area]]
As you get closer, you realize this isn't a pile of debris. It's a sort of hut made of branches and leaves. The shoping cart next to this primitive home makes the whole scene surreal.
[[enter the hut|hobo entrance]]
[[go back|wagon area]]
<<if $light_source = 0>>
You consider entering the cave, but it's too dark. If you hurt yourself you'll never find Steven.
[[go back|cave and house split]]
<<endif>>
<<if $light_source > 0>>
You flick on your flashlight and enter the cave. After walking a little ways you find Steven, lounging on the ground. "Oh my gosh dude! I thought you were dead! Why didn't you wait by the wagon!" You shout as you run to him. He sits up. "I was looking around for you first and twisted my ankle man. Then I saw a scary gang group enter the house nearby. I knew I couldn't climb the hill without help, but I didn't want to be in the open so I went here so you could find me. Now lets get out of here!
THE END
<<endif>>
There is a cool dampness to the air around the cave. Maybe Steven is in there?
[[enter?|enter]]
[[turn around|cave and house split]]
This old house looks like it's been begging to be torn down for ages. It's obvious no one had lived in here for a long time, but it looks safe to enter. You could also go to the backyard.
[[head to clearing|not wagon area]]
[[go around|house backyard]]
[[enter|entrance]]
There's a cracked sliding glass door, it's been left open, and you can see some of the rooms in the house. You can see some weird rocky thing just through some bushes or you can go around to the front of the house.
[[towards rocks|cave and house split]]
[[enter house|backdoor]]
[[go around house|home front yard]]
There is a creepy torn family portrait next to an open sliding glass door that leads outside. There is a doorway on your left that appears to lead to a kitchen and a door on your right. Down the hall appears to be a living room. Where do you go?
<<if $kitchenfight eq false>>
[[kitchen]]
<<endif>>
[[bedroom]]
[[down hall|entrance]]
[[leave|house backyard]]
The living room has a musty smell to it. The old furniture in it is falling apart and full of holes. There is a staircase and a hallway attached to this room. Where will you go?
[[down hall|backdoor]]
[[upstairs]]
[[leave|home front yard]]
You climb up the staircase and on the final step, the floor lets out a terrible creak. A couple people rush out of a room to find you, and quickly grab you. One of the people talk to you as they drag you to the room they were in. "You poor kid, you picked the wrong day to be here. We can't have any potential witnesses. We'll try to take care of you quickly." God, you hope so.
THE END
<<set $kitchenfight to true>>
<<set $fear to $fear + 1>>
You take one step into the kitchen and someone grabs you. You struggle to free yourself, but their grip is too strong. You swing your head to see that its a gangly, pimpled teenager with a gun in his pocket. He grins at the sight of your fear. "Give me something to convince me not to kill you right here." His voice is nasally and cracking, but he means business.
<<if $lightsource > 0>>
[[give flashlight]]
<<endif>>
[[give nothing]]
<<if $injury < 5>>
This ia an old bedroom with a dusty king size bed. There's also an old looking closet in the room. A broken window in the corner makes the dust floating around glow. What do you do?
[[check closet]]
[[check under bed]]
[[leave|backdoor]]
<<endif>>
<<if $injury > 4>>
<<display 'injury end'>>
<<endif>>
<<set $injury to $injury + 1>>
You open the door and all you see are many big green eyes. They are racoon babies and the mother does not approve of you there. She hisses and scratches at you.
[[back out|bedroom]]
The floor is somehow dustier than the bed, and that makes searching underneath it miserable. You find the skeleton of some small animal.
<<if $lightsource eq 0>>
You see something next to the skeleton.
[[take it|light get]]
<<endif>>
[[leave|bedroom]]
It turned out to be a flashlight, thank goodness! Time to get out from under the bed.
[[go back|bedroom]]
You close your eyes as your head pounds. It seems to reverberate through all of your aching body. Your knees waver so you lay on the floor, there's no way you can continue on.
THE END
You are shocked at the sheer number of things in this room. Panphlets are wedged onto the wall, so wherever you face you see pictures of the ocean, vacation homes, beautiful travel destinations. An old table holds a handful of snowglobes and an empty can of food. There is a room to your left and to your right.
[[left room]]
<<if $hoboroom eq false>>
[[right room|sleeping hobo room]]
<<endif>>
[[leave|hobo hut]]
This room is considerably smaller, with an old trash bin and a cooler. Your stomach growls, when was the last time you ate?
[[search cooler]]
[[leave|hobo entrance]]
This room has little organizers and knickknacks everywhere. There's an old couch on one side of the room covered in newspapers. Maybe theres something useful in here.
[[search room|begin encounter]]
[[leave|hobo entrance]]
The cooler is almost completely empty. The only thing in it is a little baggy of mushrooms.
[[eat]]
[[leave|left room]]
You gulp them down in just a few handfuls. At first nothing happens, but as you try to leave the room, your stomach lurches. The room begins to change to a pinky color and Steven is levatating in front of you? Your legs are suddenly jelly and you crumple to the ground. You can't move, but it feels like you're being split apart limb by limb. There's no way you're recovering from this soon.
THE END
<<set $hoboroom to true>>
You begin searching the room, moving around figurines and knickknacks. You accidentally knock a snowglobe to the ground and it breaks. You hear a couple of grunts and the crumpling of newspapers. Someone was sleeping here! Do you...
<<if $fear < 2>>
[[stand still]]
<<endif>>
<<if $fear < 3>>
[[hide]]
<<endif>>
[[run!]]
you catch your breath in your throat and hold perfectly still. the person grunts once more and you hear the papers shift. the person must have rolled over and went back to sleep.
[[get out of here!|hobo entrance]]
[[continue search]]
You look for somewhere to hide but theres nowhere to go. So...
<<display 'run!'>>
<<set $fear to $fear + 1>>
You bolt for the door. The newspapers crumple as the person jumps out of them and grabs your arm, wrenching it. "What are you doing here???" He roars, jerking you back and forth. "I'll gut you! Don't test me! What are you doing here?!"
[[say nothing]]
[["I need help..."]]
Your throat is like lead. You can barely breathe you're so scared, let alone talk. The man squints, then the corners of his mouth raise. "You picked the wrong man to mess with, thats for sure." You see suddenly the switchblade hes been holding. He grips your arm tighter as he raises the blade.
THE END
Your throat is like lead, but you swallow hard and manage to say "Please... I need help." The man squints at you, but the quivering in your voice seems to soften him a little. "Are you in trouble with your parents, kid?" "N-no. Me and my friend were playing. He disappeared and I d-don't know if he's hurt or dead. I've been trying to find him all day." You sniffle.
[[Next Page|help]]
"Hey now, kid. You don't need to be snotting and crying everywhere," the man says. He lets go of your arm. "I haven't seen any kids around here besides you for a long time. I haven't heard anything either. Let me give you a little bit of advice, though. These woods are a dangerous place. There's an old house, with the nastiest group of people you'll ever meet. They ain't as kind as me to folks meddlin' around. Stay away from them. Just find your friend and go."
<<if $lightsource < 1>>
He cleared his throat. "I have something that might help you, though." He turns his back and walks towards his cabinet.
[[accept his help]]
<<endif>>
[[run now!|leave]]
<<endif>>
[[leave|no help needed]]
<<set $lightsource to $lightsource + 1>>
You shift your weight while he searches his cabinet. He returns with an old flashlight. "I know it isn't much, kiddo, but here you go. Now go find your friend." "Thank you!" you exclaim as he lays back down under his newspapers. You'll have to bring him a blanket if you ever return, you think.
<<display 'hobo entrance'>>
You dart out while his back is turned. "Hey kid where are you-"
But he doesn't finish his sentence. You jog a while longer to make sure you've got some distance between yourself and the hut.
<<display 'house backyard'>>
You nod your head and leave. Hopefully Steven is still safe. As you leave the man lays back down in his newspapers.
<<display 'hobo entrance'>>
You barely manage to say "Okay" and he lets you go. Very hesitantly, you reach into your pocket and pull out your flashlight. The punk folds over himself laughing. "I tell you to bribe me to stay alive and THIS is what you give me? Man, kid you're pathetic. You keep this. If I ever see you here again, I'll kill you, all nice and slow. Watch out for my friends upstairs, they wouldn't have any mercy for you."
[[get out of here!!!|home front yard]]
You shake your head and his eyes glint. <if $lightsource < 1>>
"So you've got nothing for me? How fun."
[[continue]]<<endif>>
<<if $lightsource > 0>>
"Then what's that in your pocket?" He pulls out your flashlight. "What, do you think you're worth more than this flashlight? You idiot. Goodbye." He pulls out his gun and shoots you right in the middle of your forehead.
THE END
<<endif>>
He stares at you just a bit longer and his grin disappears. "You aren't worth the bullet. Get out of here."
[[flee!|house backyard]]
<<set $lightosurce to $lightsource + 1>>
You search much more carefully now, and find a flashlight on in one of the organizers in the room. Success! You quickly and quietly escape the hut.
[[next|hobo hut]]
An Awesome Adventure
Lindsey Kuzich