It is a rough winter evening in Newark. A heavy snow storm is predicted for tonight and the city has declared a "Code Blue", meaning temperatures have reached lower than 25 degrees Farenheit. Click on the blue text to continue to the next page.
[[Continue]]
You will play as Naomi Walters. She recently lost her job due to an injury last month and has been couch surfing with her son for the past two weeks.
[[Start|Naomi]] You find a twenty dollar bill and some change. Your light rail money.
[[Tell your son sorry, no McDonalds today.|no mcdonalds]]
[[Buy your son a happy meal and a McFlurry!!|mcdonalds]](set: $mcdonalds to false)
You hate to see that disappointed look on his face, but every penny counts right now.
You guys walk through Penn Station and a guy shoves a [[flyer|flyer]] in your face. (set: $mcdonalds to true)
You guys head over to the McDonald's cashier and place your order.
As you are waiting for your food, you look over to the side where there is a [[flyer]] posted. The flyer seems to be advertising a new housing development.
[[Read the details|Read the details.]]
//Looking for work? Looking for a place to stay?
We are a newly developed live/work collective located right on Market Street, a 6 minute walk from Penn Station.//
Hm. That's certainly something to consider when your situation gets bad.
You read the rest of the details in a rush, as you're son nudges you, pointing to the bathroom.
[[Quickly read the details|Read details]]
//Wifi and warmth...volunteer and work/live programs...collective......rehabilitation programs, temporary living, but it won't feel like it...//
//Amenities offered:
[[Shared Outdoor Patio]]
[[Common areas equipped with high speed WiFi]]//
Ooh and a //[[sauna]]//?
You and your son have gotten off the light rail and arrived in Newark Penn station. Both of you are instantly hit with the smell of McDonalds.
It's been a while since lunch.
You check your [[pockets]].
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Cool. [[Go back to details|Read details]]</style>
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[[Back to details|Read details]]
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[[Next|Phone Rings]]-ring-ring-
You pick up your phone.
It's your friend whose apartment you're supposed to stay at tonight.
[[Next|Phone conversation]]//Hey is this Naomi? This is Francis's husband. I know you were supposed to stay with us tonight, but we had to rush Francis to the hospital a few hours ago.//
Jesus, is she alright?!
//Yeah, they're saying she's in a stable condition, but I need to stay with her tonight in the hospital. Sorry, to flake out on you like this last minute.//
It's ok, things happen. Hope she gets better soon.
You hang up the phone.
[[Next|Welp]] Welp. Things //do// happen. But now you and your son have no where else to go for tonight.
What about that flyer you just read?
[[Walk to the address|Address]]You and your son exit Penn Station into the freezing January night. It must be one of the coldest nights of the month so far.
You reassure your son (and yourself) the walk is only gonna be about 6 minutes.
However, you worry that there might not be room available for you guys tonight, considering Newark's Code Blue strictly enforces everyone stay inside.
[[Next|Homeless Man]]
You bare through the cold for a bit more. You don't see the advertised building yet, but Google Maps says you are about two minutes away.
You pass by a man sitting outside a store. He looks like he's in a pretty bad shape, freezing while clutching to the old blanket he has.
You approach the man and check your pockets to see if you could help.
(if: $mcdonalds is true)[ [[Check your pockets|no money]] ]
(if: $mcdonalds is false)[ [[Check your pockets|money]] ]You've only got $3 left. Wow, McDonald's is really getting expensive nowadays.
How about you tell him about this work/live place you're going to?
[[Show the man the flyer]]
[[Keep on walking]]
You check your wallet. You've still got that $20 bill when you withheld from McDonald's earlier.
[[Every penny counts.]]
[[Give it to the man.]]You feel bad. How about you tell him about this work/live place you're going to?
[[Show the man the flyer]]
[[Keep on walking]](set: $ManHasMoney to true)
The man is extremely thankful, and says he'll use this for a nice hot meal somewhere that will warm him up tonight.
You trek on, and the building approaches.
[[Enter]](set: $ManGetsLeftBehind to false)
The man shows interest in this place. You tell him you are headed there right now, and you offer to walk with him there.
You all trek on together and the building approaches.
[[Enter]](set: $ManGetsLeftBehind to true)
What if this place only had one more room left, and he got it instead? You and your son need a place to stay too. Besides, you can't help everybody.
You trek on, and the building approaches.
[[Enter]]You are instantly hit with a comforting warmth.
You walk through the market and make your way to some offices where you try to see if they have any extra rooms.
[[Next|Office]]You approach a woman at a desk.
//Hi folks, how can I help you tonight?//
You tell her about the flyer.
//Oh yes, we have plenty of rooms available right now.//
(if: $ManGetsLeftBehind is true) [ [[Next|Feels bad]] ]
(if: $ManGetsLeftBehind is false) [ [[Next|more info]] ]
(if: $ManHasMoney is true) [ [[Next|more info]] ]Oof. Had you known there would have been this many rooms left, you would have gladly told the man on the street about this place...right?
[[Next|more info]]//So our residents usually stay here anywhere from a day to about 3 months, which has been the amount of time we've been open actually.
We are committed to providing all of our residents with the necessities which, for the longest time has been warmth, but as times change, people need to have wifi too.//
Hm, you would have to agree with that. Warmth and wifi have rightfully earned their place at the top of the hierarchy of needs. Warmth is essential for your literal survival, and wifi gives access to the Internet in which many people make a living off nowadays.
[[Next|more info B]]//Our programs are also committed to helping our residents get back on their feet. We host a few other public programs on the first two floors of our building.
Positions at the library, the market, the art studios, the community kitchen, and the exhibition are all reserved for and run by residents of this very building.
If you choose to live here, for whatever amount of time that is, residents are highly encouraged to volunteer at least once in any of those places.
Potential residents whose financial situations cannot pay their lease right away can choose to take on more permanant work positions at those places. //
[[Next|More info C]]//We also host a variety of rehabilitation programs.
So as you can see, we try not to label ourselves as a hotel or a homeless shelter, per say.
We want to house people who haven't had the best of luck and have found themselves being marginalized more and more by society, while also giving them a sense of permanancy and community for the time they are here. //
Sounds promising.
[[Sign up for a short term lease]] It takes a couple minutes to get some papers signed, but not too long. You sign up to work at the market for the time being.
(if: $ManGetsLeftBehind is false) [ [[Next|Man Signs Papers]] ]
(if: $ManGetsLeftBehind is true) [ [[Next|Visit the sauna]] ]
(if: $ManHasMoney is true) [ [[Next|Visit the sauna]] ]//Alright sir, I'll get you set up in a room first.//
[[Next|Visit the sauna]]//Alright, and here is your guys' room assignment. I've assigned you to a wifi cluster, since I know students these days practically can't do schoolwork without it anymore!//
Your tell your son to thank the lady for doing so.
//No problem at all! After you get settled in, make sure to warm up in the sauna tonight. It's freezing out there!//
(if: $ManHasMoney is true) [ [[Next|In the Sauna]] ]
The End. After settling into your unit for the night, you decide to check out this sauna while your son goes to sleep for the night.
It's nice and toasty in the sauna. A few minutes in, the same man you had given your change to enters.
//Oh hey! I can't thank you enough for the money you gave me! I wandered into the market downstairs looking for something to eat, and then I saw they had a sauna open to the public here?? So I had to save some of that change for this. This is perfect for someone like me who just needs a place to warm up for the night.//
The End.