Ants

{= (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Morning") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (display: "Mood")  (set: _ant to (random:1,4)) (if: _ant is 1)[You're startled. Something has bit you. There are ants crawling inside your shirt. You reach in and rub them all dead. They cannot die fast enough.] (else-if: _ant is 2)[You think about brushing your teeth today but thought better of it. It's not like you're going to have a job interview today. You have better things to do. Like finding a job.] (else-if: _ant is 3)[Jesse rubs her face on your leg and leads you to her food bowl. Semi-conscious, you clean and refill it. The ants have been crawling into her food bowl, it seems. Even so, Jesse has never taken to digging through your trash, of which there are piles around the apartment. Jesse's probably the most well-behaved cat in the universe. ] (else-if: _ant is 4)[Another day, another chance to work on that "magnum opus" of yours. It is fortunate that ants do not eat oil paint. It has no nutritional value for them. It has no nutritional value for you either. You would know. You've tried once.] Rubbing the rheum from your eyes, you slowly come to accept that you have not awaken anywhere other than this stuffy apartment room. And you are still you. --- <ol> (if: $mind>1)[You: <li>[[Observe the stack of Chinese takeouts.->Obs A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Approach the canvas in the corner.->Storylet X1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Approach your work desk.->Storylet B1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Play with Jesse, while she's still awake.->Storylet A1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> Or...] (else:)[You're currently too unwell to do anything else but stay in bed.] <li>(link: "Go back to sleep. You're still so tired.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> </ol>

{= (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Evening") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] Evening approaches. (set: _room to (random:1,3)) (if: _room is 1)[Twilight casts its violet, its indigo, its scarlet, its whispers upon the world.] (else-if: _room is 2)[The Sun is reddening, embarrassed about having to stoop so low.] (else-if: _room is 3)[The streetlamps have come on, startling you. One cannot keep being surprised like this.] (if: (random: 1, 2) > 1) [You've eaten your fill. One more for the Chinese tower. One more for the ants.] (else:) [The ants are all over the leftovers. You don't feel hungry today. It doesn't matter.] (if: $mind >1)[ (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[You're feeling ''inspired''. Tonight, the canvas seems like a slightly ajar door, ever so inviting.] (else-if: $attProgress's qt > 0)[You feel some ''small satisfaction'' with the painting - kindlings to stoke ambitious dreams later.] (else-if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[You're feeling ''restless''. You think you might paint. You might.] (else:)[You are now shuffling around your room as another day draws to a close. You haven't done much with yourself... thankfully.]] (else:)[You're bedbound. Your troubled thoughts sit heavily on your chest. Tonight might be the end.] --- <ol> (if: $mind >1)[ You: <li>[[Go to the canvas in the corner. You feel readier in the evening.->Storylet X1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Observe a sleeping Jesse.->Storylet A1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Observe the stack of Chinese takeouts.->Obs A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Approach your work desk.->Storylet B1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> Or... ] (else:)[You're currently too unwell to do anything else but stay in bed.] <li>(link: "Just sleep. You're still so tired.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> </ol>

{= (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Dream") (set: $place to "nowhere") (set: $activity to "a fitful sleep") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $mind <2)[You've wished for a dreamless sleep. It was granted. What you have now is no dream. It is Hell - black and absolute, churning your mind incessantly. But you don't smell sulfur. You only smell the salt of your tears and the iron of your blood. Your gums must be bleeding again. If you don't do something soon, you will never be freed from this nightmare. But the nightmare in and of itself is a kind of freedom. Black and absolute. (You are at the end of your rope. One more hurt, and the story ends.) ] (else-if: $mind <5)[Tossing and turning, you finally sleep. And you dream of a vast desert of gray ash. When you gaze up at the sky, you do not see your beloved Sun. Where did She go? Your wings are tattered, and you wrap them around you like vagrants do with their rags. Your blistered feet are hurting, and they are only going to be more worn. ] (else-if: $mind <8)[You dream of better days, when you still had your wings, and all the swans in the lake were jealous of your down. Now, a man - a hunter - appears from the reeds and approaches you. In his hand is a gleaming knife, blade as broad as your forearm and shining like the Sun. He plunges at you. The brilliance glints off the metal. He misses. You are taking into the sky. Your feathers fall onto the Earth, and the ants carry them underground. ] (else:)[You are soaring across the heavens. You are swimming with the mermaids. You skewer one of them with your arrow, and the rest swarms and tears apart their sister's corpse. You are Apollo incarnate. Where you point your instrument, the truth of the matter is illuminated. Your light flays the skin of the world. And beneath it is a throbbing, oozing organ. The sight sends the Sun shuddering with delight. ] --- <ol> You: <li>(link: "Let it happen. Just... let it.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (print: $actionDamage's desc)</li>  (if: $attProgress's qt >0)[ <li> (link: "Think of what you've accomplished, no matter how small.")[ (print: $attProgress's useEffect) (set: $dice to (random: 1,8)) (goto: "Dream A") ] (print: $attProgress's use)</li>  ] (else:)[<li>~~Think of what you've accomplished.~~ (You haven't done anything to be proud about.)</li>] (if: $attJesse01's qt >0)[ <li> (link: "Think happy thoughts.")[ (print: $attJesse01's useEffect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (print: $attJesse01's use)</li> ] (else:)[<li>~~Think happy thoughts.~~ (Too bad, nothing happy has happened today to think about.)</li>]    ] (print: $attInspiration's use)</li>] (else:)[<li>~~Recall in your mind the Sun~~ (You're not inspired enough to do this, and even if you were, you shouldn't do it while dreaming.)</li>]--> </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "pondering your trash mountain") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] Your record is ten boxes before the tower topples. You've learned that the tower will be more stable if there are leftover bones in the boxes. The ants will swarm more agressively, too. They're like black-and-red tendrils creeping up from the floorboard, like a glue that seeps between the spaces of your Chinese contraption. (link: "What else is there?")[Musty laundry piles, discarded wraps, fermenting juice bottles, and the attendant phorid flies are the rule here, nothing worth your special attention. Well, maybe the sanitary pads on the wall are a bit too much. It's not like you need them; you're just hard-headed. --- (link: "You'll get to them. All of them. One day.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc) ]

{= (set: $activity to "in front of the unfinished painting") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $time is "Evening")[It is dark outside, but your mind is afire. It is always good to work when the world sleeps. No-one will see. No-one will know. No-one will judge you.] (else-if: $time is "Morning")[The Sun is still up. Your painting pales in its light. Still, you try to remember what you've been working on.] (link: "Closing your eyes...")[ (set: _art to (random:1,4)) (if: _art is 1)[Closing your eyes, you see in your mind a brilliant Sun. Its hundred flanges wiggling out into the void of your mind.] (else-if: _art is 2)[Closing your eyes, you see violet rays pulsating across the blackness of your lids, tracing the path with which the stars hurl through the void.] (else-if: _art is 3)[Closing your eyes, you see a red slit in space, where the air peels to reveal the dream behind all things.] (else-if: _art is 4)[Closing your eyes, you see the Sun's twin sister - red, rippling, and roiling beneath the surface of an obsidian lake.] (if: $attInspiration's qt is 0)[That is not what you see on the canvas. What you see here is your failure, rendered in dried, cracking oil.] (else:)[When you open your eyes again, you see that ghostly image impressed on the canvas, whose fabric quivers like waiting skin. You can make something out of yourself, yet.] --- <ol> <li>(link: "No sense in meditating on what you haven't done.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> (if: $time is "Evening" and $attInspiration's qt > 0)[ <li> (link: "The time is right. The spirit is right. You are inspired to see your vision in paint.")[(print: $attInspiration's useEffect)(set: $choicePaintInspired to it + 1)(go-to: "Storylet X2b")](print: $attInspiration's use) </li>]  (else-if: $time is "Evening")[<li> (link: "You peel the flakes from the brushes and attempt. Again. Even if you're not inspired. Even if it hurts.")[(goto: "Storylet X2")](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li>]   (else-if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[<li> ~~You are inspired to paint, but...~~ (Your inspiration, strong as it is, has come too early in the day. Are you merely lazy? Or are you afraid that the Sun is still watching?)</li>]  (else:)[<li>~~You peel the flakes from the brushes and attempt. Again.~~ (Perhaps later in the day. Always later. Your muse is Sun-shy, so you tell yourself.)</li>] </ol> ]

{  (set: $atInventory to false) (set: $worldState to 0) (set: $mind to 3) (set: $date to 1) (set: $time to "Morning") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "looking around")  (set: $choicePlayWithJesse to 0) (set: $choiceLaptop to 0) (set: $choiceHenriIgnore to 0) (set: $choicePaintRaw to 0) (set: $choicePaintPush to 0) (set: $choicePaintInspired to 0) (set: $choiceDreamA to 0) (set: $choiceDreamB to 0)  (set: $lockDreamA to false) (set: $lockJesseX2 to false) (set: $lockHenriB to false) (set: $skipMidday1 to true) (set: $lockDreamC to false) (set: $lockHenriC to false) (set: $lockPartyRedirect to false) (set: $lockPartyA to false) (set: $lockPartyB to false) (set: $lockPartyC to false) (set: $lockHenriD to false) (set: $lockHenriVisit to false) (set: $lockLaptopB to false) (set: $lockDarkbloomA to false) (set: $lockDarkbloomA2 to false) (set: $lockDarkbloomB to false) (set: $skipMidday2 to true) (set: $skipMorning2 to true) (set: $lockJesseD to false) (set: $lockHenriF to false) (set: $lockHenriG to false) (set: $waitMorning2 to 0) (set: $lockDreamEStage1 to false) (set: $lockDreamEStage2 to false) (set: $lockPoliceA to false) (set: $busyHenriF to false) (set: $busyHenriG to false) (set: $shakenHenriG to false) (set: $talkHenriG to false) (set: $lockHenriH to false) (set: $waitHenri to 0) (set: $lockHenriH1 to false) (set: $choiceHenriH1a to false) (set: $busyHenriH2 to false) (set: $lockHenriH2a to false) (set: $lockHenriH2b to false) (set: $lockAmyA to false) (set: $lockDreamAmy1 to false) (set: $lockTurnIn to false) (set: $lockGalaA to false) (set: $shakenDreamE to 0) (set: $lockDreamF to false) (set: $lockGalaB5 to false) (set: $lockGalaC6 to false) (set: $lockGalaC6a to false) (set: $lockGalaC6b to false) (set: $lockGalaD1 to false)  (set: $attJesse01 to (dm: "name", "A pleasant memory of Jesse", "desc", "How old is she? Five? Twelve? No matter; she's still a baby to you.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attJesse01's name): You've gained an emotional buffer. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attJesse01's qt to it + 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attJesse01's name)''</summary>(print: $attJesse01's desc)</details>], \"OK.\") ", "use", " (Expend (print: $attJesse01's name): Exhaust a good thing for a bit of relief. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", " (set: $attJesse01's qt to it - 1) (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [You spent: <details><summary>''(print: $attJesse01's name)''</summary>(print: $attJesse01's desc)</details> ... and were healed by it.], \"OK.\")", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $attRestlessness to (dm: "name", "Restlessness", "desc", "Frustrated energy. Hurts to have, hurts to let go. May motivate you to push through with certain tasks, but it will hurt.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attRestlessness's name): You become restless, and though your mind suffers for it, it is nonetheless vital energy. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attRestlessness's qt to it + 1)(set: $mind to it - 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attRestlessness's name)''</summary>(print: $attRestlessness's desc)</details> ... and were hurt by it.], \"OK.\") ", "use", " (Expend (print: $attRestlessness's name): Put your frustrated energy to work, even if it hurts. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", " (set: $attRestlessness's qt to it -1) (set: $mind to it - 1) (dialog: [You spent: <details><summary>''(print: $attRestlessness's name)''</summary>(print: $attRestlessness's desc)</details> ... and were hurt by it.], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $attProgress to (dm: "name", "Small Satisfaction", "desc", "One more chip off that mountain. You neither feel very good nor very bad, but something may come of this.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attProgress's name): It's not much. Not at all. But it's there. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attProgress's qt to it + 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attProgress's name)''</summary>(print: $attProgress's desc)</details>], \"OK.\") ", "use", " (Expend (print: $attProgress's name): Think of the small things you've done and be inspired. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", " (set: $attProgress's qt to it -1) (dialog: [You spent: <details><summary>''(print: $attProgress's name)''</summary>(print: $attProgress's desc)</details>], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $attInspiration to (dm: "name", "Inspiration", "desc", "Like a breath from the Sun, a light on your nape. By itself, not very useful, at least until it is put to work. Remember: Let the light in when you paint, but keep the blinds shut when you sleep.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attInspiration's name): This light, it reveals the canvas, but be careful about what else it reveals. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attInspiration's qt to it + 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attInspiration's name)''</summary>(print: $attInspiration's desc)</details>], \"OK.\") ", "use", " (Expend (print: $attInspiration's name): Your spirit is lifted up, and up towards the dazzling Sun. The light is warm. Too warm. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", " (set: $attInspiration's qt to it -1) (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [You spent: <details><summary>''(print: $attInspiration's name)''</summary>(print: $attInspiration's desc)</details> ... and were healed by it.], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $attEmbarrassed to (dm: "name", "Shame", "desc", "Shame is something only a highly advanced cognition is capable of - what an embarrassing thing to think to believe. You are less willing to do certain things.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attEmbarrassed's name): Your ego is hurt. You become so small, and you mumble when you talk. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attEmbarrassed's qt to it + 1) (set: $mind to it - 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attEmbarrassed's name)''</summary>(print: $attEmbarrassed's desc)</details> ... and were hurt by it.], \"OK.\")", "use", " (Expend (print: $attEmbarrassed's name): Stand up straight. Really, coyness annoys others. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", " (set: $attEmbarrassed's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [You spent: <details><summary>''(print: $attEmbarrassed's name)''</summary>(print: $attEmbarrassed's desc)</details>], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $attConfidence to (dm: "name", "Confidence", "desc", "... Or \"arrogance\" - pick your poison. You are less bothered by whether others might sneer at you or smile.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attConfidence's name): You are surer of yourself, marginally. You feel a bit better as well. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attConfidence's qt to it + 1) (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attConfidence's name)''</summary>(print: $attConfidence's desc)</details> ... and were healed by it.], \"OK.\")", "use", " (Expend (print: $attConfidence's name): Do something bold and see that smirk disappear from your face. Doesn't hurt. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", " (set: $attConfidence's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [You spent: <details><summary>''(print: $attConfidence's name)''</summary>(print: $attConfidence's desc)</details>], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $attMad to (dm: "name", "Leaking Light", "desc", "You've let the light in when you shouldn't have. The way you think and act is affected in subtle and secret ways.", "gain", " (Gain (print: $attMad's name): Some small light has stained your mind! Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $attMad's qt to it + 1) (dialog: [You gained: <details><summary>''(print: $attMad's name)''</summary>(print: $attMad's desc)</details> ... and things have changed.], \"OK.\") ", "use", " (Expend (print: $attMad's name): PLACEHOLDER. Time crawls forward.)", "useEffect", "PLACEHOLDER", "qt", 0, ) )  (set: $actionNap to (dm: "desc", " (It doesn't hurt. It doesn't help either. Time crawls forward.)", "effect", " (if: $time is \"Morning\")[(go-to: \"Midday \" + (string: $worldState))] (else-if: $time is \"Midday\")[(go-to: \"Evening \" + (string: $worldState))] (else-if: $time is \"Evening\")[(go-to: \"Dream \" + (string: $worldState))] (else-if: $time is \"Dream\")[(go-to: \"Morning \" + (string: $worldState))]", ) ) (set: $actionBack to (dm: "desc", " (Go back.)", "effect", "(go-to: $daily's name)", ) ) (set: $actionOnward to (dm: "desc", " (Move on with your life.)", "effect", " (if: $time is \"Morning\")[(go-to: \"Midday \" + (string: $worldState))] (else-if: $time is \"Midday\")[(go-to: \"Evening \" + (string: $worldState))] (else-if: $time is \"Evening\")[(go-to: \"Dream \" + (string: $worldState))] (else-if: $time is \"Dream\")[(go-to: \"Morning \" + (string: $worldState))]", ) ) (set: $actionCommit to (dm: "desc", " (Commit. Begin something time consuming.)", ) ) (set: $actionObs to (dm: "desc", " (Looking shouldn't cost you anything.)", ) ) (set: $actionDamage to (dm: "desc", " (Your mind falters ever so slightly. Time crawls forward.)", "effect", " (set: $mind to it - 1) (dialog: [Your mind was hurt by this.], \"OK.\") (replace: ?mindStat)[$mind] ", ) )  (set: $eventParty to (dm: "desc", "Henri's party is (if: $eventParty's timer > 0)[in (print: $eventParty's timer) day(if: $eventParty's timer > 1)[s]. Will it kill you to be there?](else-if: $eventParty's timer is 0)[today.](else:)[over.]", "timer", 7, "know", false, "onTrigger", " (set: $eventParty's know to true) (set: $eventParty's timer to 7) (dialog: [A week from now, there will be a party on your floor.], \"Noted.\") ", ) ) (set: $eventEmail to (dm: "desc", "(if: $eventEmail's progress < 5)[You've corresponded with the Darkbloom Foundation a total of (print: $eventEmail's progress) time(if: $eventEmail's progress > 1)[s].](else:)[You've submitted all you could to the Darkbloom Foundation.]", "progress", 0, "wait", 0, "know", false, "gain", " (Finish up.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $eventEmail's progress to it + 1) (dialog: [(if: $eventEmail's progress is 5)[You send the email. That should be the last thing they need, for now. A reply will come some time in the near future.](else:)[You send in what the Darkbloom Foundation has requested. Check back later to see if they need something else, still.]], \"OK.\") ", "onTrigger", " (set: $eventEmail's know to true) (dialog: [You've begun corresponding with the Darkbloom Foundation. It will take several back-and-forths to complete your application.], \"OK.\") ", ) ) (set: $eventCleanup to (dm: "desc", "(if: $eventCleanup's progress <10)[You're cleaning up the apartment and have been at it (print: $eventCleanup's progress) time(if: $eventCleanup's progress >1)[s]. (if: $eventCleanup's progress > 7)[It's close to done.]](else:)[You're done. The trash is gone, and so are the ants.]", "progress", 0, "start", false, "gain", " (Take out the trash bags. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $eventCleanup's progress to it + 1) (dialog: [(if: $eventCleanup's progress is 10)[It's done. That's the last of the most visible trash.](else:)[The apartment marginally improves.]], \"OK.\") ", "onTrigger", " (set: $eventCleanup's start to true) (dialog: [You've finally begun to address the trash problem. It will take repeated effort until the place is decent, and all the ants are gone.], \"OK.\") ", ) ) (set: $eventShow to (dm: "name", "The Greeting Gala", "wait1", 0, "know", false, "timer", 15, "onTrigger", " (set: $eventShow's know to true) (set: $eventShow's timer to 15) (dialog: [The deadline for Greeting Gala will be in ''(print: $eventShow's timer) days'', but you'll have to start traveling a day before that. Your painting - you'll need to make another ''breakthrough'' before then.], \"But how?\") ", "desc", "(if: $eventShow's timer > 0)[The Greeting Gala will take place (if: $eventShow's timer > 1)[in ''(print: $eventShow's timer) day(if: $eventShow's timer>1)[s]''(else:)[]](else:)[tomorrow], and you'll have to start traveling (if: $eventShow's timer > 1)[a day before that](else:)[''now''].](else-if: $eventShow's timer is 0)[The Greeting Gala is today. It'll be near closing by the time you get there.](else:)[The Greeting Gala is over.]", "submit", false, "wait2", 5, ) ) (set: $eventPainting to (dm: "name", "Attempting Another Breakthrough", "ready1", false, "A1", false, "A2", false, "A3", false, "B1", false, "B2", false, "B3", false, "C1", false, "C2", false, "C3", false, "turned-in", false, ) ) (set: $storyHenri to (dm: "name", "''Friendship:'' Henri", "desc", "Henri is a young scholar living on the same floor as you.", "gain", " ''(Gain (print: $storyHenri's name):'' You earn some goodwill from (and towards) Henri. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $storyHenri's qt to it + 1) (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [You've made a stride with <details><summary>''(print: $storyHenri's name)''</summary>(print: $storyHenri's desc)</details> ... and was healed by it.], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $storyArt to (dm: "name", "''Breakthrough:'' The \"magnum opus\"", "desc", "The thing - once dead, now glistening with new life - sighs in satisfaction. Ecstasy. A new Sun is being birthed. More. You are so close, oh expectant mother.", "gain", " ''(Gain (print: $storyArt's name):'' You gain significant progress with the painting. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $storyArt's qt to it + 1) (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [You've made a stride with <details><summary>''(print: $storyArt's name)''</summary>(print: $storyArt's desc)</details> ... and was healed by it.], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) (set: $storyAnts to (dm: "name", "''Mission:'' Eradication", "desc", "Those red-and-black creatures have grown so bold. There is a limit to your mercy! You're determined to do something... //biblical//.", "gain", " ''(Advance (print: $storyAnts's name):'' You're making steps to address the ant problem. Time crawls forward.)", "gainEffect", " (set: $storyAnts's qt to it + 1) (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [You've made a stride with <details><summary>''(print: $storyAnts's name)''</summary>(print: $storyAnts's desc)</details> ... and was healed by it.], \"OK.\") ", "qt", 0, ) ) }

{= (set: $activity to "observing Jesse") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $time is "Evening")[ Jesse is a morning cat. Right now, she is snoring softly. You don't dare wake her. It'll break your heart. --- (link: "The best you can do is admire her from a distance. Otherwise, you leave her to her beauty sleep.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)]  (else:)[ Jesse blinks at you lazily. Without judgment. She's just glad you're awake. You'll give her everything you have. And in your case, all you have is time. --- <ol> <li>(link: "She's the light of your day and night. Playing with her makes you feel better.")[ (goto: "Storylet A2") ] (print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "There will always be time for her, just not now.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)](print: $actionBack's desc)</li> ]

(link: "Take the leap.")[(dialog: [You jump...], "And?")(goto: "codeTest02")] (dialog: [You gained: (print: $attRestlessness's name)], "OK.")

{= (set: $activity to "at work desk")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You crawl towards the low table. Somewhere among the empty soda bottles, the crumpled draft paper, the nail clippings, the frayed cables, and the ants, there is a (link: "laptop.")[laptop. You-know-who bought you this laptop for your thirty-fifth birthday. That person is no more, but the gift is still here. Still whirling and wheezing through the crust that chokes its vents. Still sending out your CV boasting about things you've done long ago, with a photo of you from better days. (link: "...")[Once in a while, you would check your email inbox. You've been waiting for a a piece of good news - commissions, salaried positions, grants, anything - for... very long. There is hope yet.]] --- <ol> (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0) [<li>(link: "There's a chance...") [(goto: "Storylet B2")](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li>] (else:)[<li>~~It shouldn't hurt to check.~~ (You're currently restless and have no patience for reading rejection letters.)</li>] <li>(link: "Ah, but only fools hope, and you know better.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li>

{= (set: $activity to "playing with Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] *"Miu!"* (link: "You toss her stuffed mouse across the room.")[You toss her stuffed mouse across the room. She darts towards the toy, knocking away empty plastic bottles and takeout boxes. (link: "She's fast!")[She's fast! Already, she is bringing the toy back to you. (link: "You let out an 'aw'.")[You let out an 'aw' as she plops the toy down at your lap and begins purring. (link: "You scratch her behind the ears.")[You scratch her behind the ears. Her fur is soft. It has been a while since you last showered her, but she takes care of herself well. You can stand to learn a lot from her. (link: "You throw the toy again.")[You throw the toy again, and she chases after it, less enthusiastic this time. Time flies when you're having fun. --- (link: "It's the little things that help the most.")[ (print: $attJesse01's gainEffect) (set: $choicePlayWithJesse to it + 1) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attJesse01's gain) ]]]]]

{= (set: $time to "The reaping hour") (set: $place to "nowhere") (set: $activity to "judgment") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (If: $mind < 1)[ While your body stirs awake to a lonely night, your mind is too weak to do likewise. Your Sun - lovely and terrible - is dashed away, shattered, pieces falling into a black void. You are now crawling about with the ants, letting them overtake you and lead your tired flesh. You follow them. Wherever you'll go tonight, whatever you'll do, you will not see your Sun again tomorrow. Count yourself lucky. --- (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<h2>(link: "A stillborn tale. A premature end.")[(reload:)]</h2>] ]  (else:)[ Well done. You've made it through another night. That means you'll have to make it through another day. The Sun beckons. --- (link-goto: "Continue.", "newDay") ]

{= (append: ?SideBar)[  Mind: [$mind]<mindStat|  (unless: $time is "Midday" or (passage:)'s name is "newDay")[ (link-rerun: "SET MIND")[ (dialog: bind $mind, "Set mind stat", "0", "2", "5", "10", "12",) (set: $mind to (number: $mind)) (replace: ?mindStat)[$mind] ] (link: "Check self")[ (if: $atInventory is false)[ (redirect:"Inventory") ] (else:)[ (set: $atInventory to false) (redirect: (history:)'s last) ] ] ] ]

{= (set: _text to (a: " *\"Thank you for your interest in our gallery...\"*", " *\"Earn passive income with affiliated marketing, here's...\"*", " *\"... Our curatorial team regrets to inform you...\"*", " *\"... of a series of disappearances...\"*", " *\"... the position you applied for is very competitive, and...\"*", " *\"... the catatonia dubbed mannequin's...\"*", " *\"Are you going to answer my message?'*", " *\"Donate to your alma mater - for the future of the arts...\"*", )) (set: _result to 0) (set: _trial to 0) (link-rerun: "Click.")[ (if: _result < 8)[ (set: _result to it +1)] (else:)[(set: _result to 1)] (print: _text's _result) (set:_trial to it + 1) (if: _trial > 11)[ Nothing new, it seems. What did you expect? It's not like you've done anything of note since you last checked. (if: $time is "Morning")[But the Sun - the beautiful Sun - is already gone while you stare at a dim and false light.](else:)[Instead of trying to convince others that you can paint, you could have spent tonight //actually// painting.] --- (link: "You feel anxious. More than you already have.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (set: $choiceLaptop to it + 1) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attRestlessness's gain) ] ]

{= (link: "Set the oil onto the palette.")[The old oil resists you. The turpentine stings your nose. (link: "Now, try your best.")[Swish, swash, swiggly. (link: "And?")[For a moment, you thought you've made a breakthrough. But no. You're only making it worse. (set: _result to (random: 1,3)) (if: _result is 1)[Happy accidents are happier if left well enough alone - a lesson you seem to always forget.] (else-if: _result is 2)[With each stroke of the brush, you gradually remember why you stopped.] (else-if: _result is 3)[The painting isn't completely ruined, but you can't say the same for the evening.] ---- <ol> (if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[<li>(link: "You can power through. You know you can. You're so angry, but at what?")[ (print: $attRestlessness's useEffect) (set: $choicePush to it + 1) (go-to:"Storylet X3a")] (print: $attRestlessness's use)</li>] (else:)[<li>~~You can power through. You know you can. You're so angry, but at what?~~ (You're not restless enough. You're not restful either. You're just tired.)</li>  <li>(link:"Disappointed. Frustrated. You're used to it. And what do you when you feel this way? You sleep.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (set: $choiceRaw to it + 1) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attRestlessness's gain)</li>] </ol> ]]]

{= (link: "Once more, with //feeling//.")[You drum the canvas with your brush, as though punishing your own skin. (link: "How did you do?")[You step back and gaze upon what you've done. It's hard to tell if it's significant progress or even good progress, but it is progress. (link: "It's OK.")[You catch yourself smiling, so you put a stop to that. There's still a long way to go. --- (link: "Don't spoil a good thing. You've done enough for now.")[ (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attProgress's gain) ]]]

(set: $atInventory to true) (link: "<= RETURN")[(set: $atInventory to false)(redirect: (history:)'s last)] ''Attributes:'' {<ul> <li> (print: $attJesse01's name): [(print: $attJesse01's qt)]<attJesse01| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attJesse01's qt, "Set attJesse01", "0", "1", ) (set: $attJesse01's qt to (number: $attJesse01's qt)) (replace: ?attJesse01)[(print: $attJesse01's qt)] ]</li> <li> (print: $attRestlessness's name): [(print: $attRestlessness's qt)]<attRestlessness| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attRestlessness's qt, "Set attRestlessness", "0", "1", ) (set: $attRestlessness's qt to (number: $attRestlessness's qt)) (replace: ?attRestlessness)[(print: $attRestlessness's qt)] ]</li> <li> (print: $attProgress's name): [(print: $attProgress's qt)]<attProgress| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attProgress's qt, "Set attProgress", "0", "1", ) (set: $attProgress's qt to (number: $attProgress's qt)) (replace: ?attProgress)[(print: $attProgress's qt)] ]</li> <li> (print: $attInspiration's name): [(print: $attInspiration's qt)]<attInspiration| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attInspiration's qt, "Set attInspiration", "0", "1", ) (set: $attInspiration's qt to (number: $attInspiration's qt)) (replace: ?attInspiration)[(print: $attInspiration's qt)] ]</li> <li> (print: $attEmbarrassed's name): [(print: $attEmbarrassed's qt)]<attEmbarrassed| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attEmbarrassed's qt, "Set attEmbarrassed", "0", "1", ) (set: $attEmbarrassed's qt to (number: $attEmbarrassed's qt)) (replace: ?attEmbarrassed)[(print: $attEmbarrassed's qt)] ]</li> <li> (print: $attConfidence's name): [(print: $attConfidence's qt)]<attConfidence| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attConfidence's qt, "Set attConfidence", "0", "1", ) (set: $attConfidence's qt to (number: $attConfidence's qt)) (replace: ?attConfidence)[(print: $attConfidence's qt)] ]</li> <li> (print: $attMad's name): [(print: $attMad's qt)]<attMad| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $attMad's qt, "Set attMad", "0", "1", ) (set: $attMad's qt to (number: $attMad's qt)) (replace: ?attMad)[(print: $attMad's qt)] ]</li> </ul>} ''Story:'' {<ul> <li> (print: $storyHenri's name): [(print: $storyHenri's qt)]<storyHenri| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $storyHenri's qt, "Set storyHenri", "0", "1", "2","3","4","5","6",) (set: $storyHenri's qt to (number: $storyHenri's qt)) (replace: ?storyHenri)[(print: $storyHenri's qt)] ]</li> <li> [(print: $eventParty's desc)]<eventParty| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $eventParty's timer, "Set eventParty", "-1", "0", "1", "2","3","4", "5", "6", "7",) (set: $eventParty's timer to (number: $eventParty's timer)) (replace: ?eventParty)[(print: $eventParty's desc)] ]</li> <li> (print: $storyArt's name): [(print: $storyArt's qt)]<storyArt| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $storyArt's qt, "Set storyArt", "0", "1", "2","3","4",) (set: $storyArt's qt to (number: $storyArt's qt)) (replace: ?storyArt)[(print: $storyArt's qt)] ]</li> <li> [(print: $eventEmail's desc)]<eventEmail| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $eventEmail's progress, "Set eventEmail", "0", "1", "2", "3", "4", "5",) (set: $eventEmail's progress to (number: $eventEmail's progress)) (replace: ?eventEmail)[(print: $eventEmail's desc)] ]</li> <li> [(print: $eventShow's desc)]<eventShow| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $eventShow's timer, "Set eventShow", "-1", "0", "1", "2", "5", "10", "15",) (set: $eventShow's timer to (number: $eventShow's timer)) (replace: ?eventShow)[(print: $eventShow's desc)] ]</li> <li> (print: $storyAnts's name): [(print: $storyAnts's qt)]<storyAnts| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $storyAnts's qt, "Set storyAnts", "0", "1", "2", "3", "4",) (set: $storyAnts's qt to (number: $storyAnts's qt)) (replace: ?storyAnts)[(print: $storyAnts's qt)] ]</li> <li> [(print: $eventCleanup's desc)]<eventCleanup| (link-rerun: " set")[ (dialog: bind $eventCleanup's progress, "Set eventCleanup", "0", "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "10",) (set: $eventCleanup's progress to (number: $eventCleanup's progress)) (replace: ?eventCleanup)[(print: $eventCleanup's desc)] ]</li> </ul>}

{= (set: $place to "nowhere") (set: $activity to "a dream of light") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $lockDreamA is false)[(set: $lockDreamA to true)] (else:)[(goto: "Dream A1")] (link:"Is it...")[Is... is it an idea you feel? A waft of life through those windows? A light at the end of this tunnel? (link: "Yes.")[Yes, it's the Sun. Oh, that perfect visage! What joy to behold it once again, if only in this dream, for real daylight shines too terribly. (link: "You are determined.")[You are determined to make something of yourself when you finally awake. But this dream is too sweet to wake... --- (link: "There is a sting and a sniffle in your nose. You laugh and let the tears flow.")[ (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (set: $choiceDreamA to it + 1) (goto: "DeathCheck") ](print: $attInspiration's gain)</li>  ]]]

{= (align:"==><==")+(box:"X")[ Day [$date]<date|: [$time]<time|, [$place]<place|, [$activity]<activity|. ] ---

{= (set: $date to it + 1)(replace: ?date)[$date] (set: $time to "Morning")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "back to this world")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $eventParty's know is true)[(set: $eventParty's timer to it -1)]  (if: $eventEmail's know is true and $eventEmail's wait is > 0)[(set: $eventEmail's wait to it -1)]  (if: $eventEmail's progress is 5)[(set: $eventShow's wait1 to it -1)]  (if: $eventShow's know is true)[(set: $eventShow's timer to it -1)]  (if: $eventShow's submit is true)[(set: $eventShow's wait2 to it -1)]  (set: $lockHenriVisit to false)  (if: $worldState is 2 and $eventParty's timer < -4 and $eventEmail's progress >= 5)[ (set: $waitMorning2 to it + 1) (if: $waitMorning2 > 4)[(set: $waitMorning2 to 1)] ]  (if: $waitHenri > 0)[(set: $waitHenri to it - 1)]  (set: $shakenHenriG to false)  (if: $lockDreamEStage2 is true and $shakenDreamE > 0)[(set: $shakenDreamE to it - 1)]  (set: $busyHenriH2 to false)  (if: $last is "Gala B5" and $worldState is 2)[(set: $place to "the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place]] (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[It is now ''day $date''.] --- (link: "Wake up.")[ (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "Gala C")] (else:)[(goto: "Morning " + (string: $worldState))] ]

{= (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Midday") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $mind <2 and $lockJesseX2 is false) [(goto: "Jesse X")]  (else-if: $date > 4 and $choiceHenriIgnore is 0) [(goto: "Henri 0")]  (else-if: $attInspiration's qt is 0 and $choiceHenriIgnore is 0 and $date < 5)[ (set: _idleText to (random:1,3)) (if: _idleText is 1)[The day is hot, and the flies are buzzing. A dozen ants or so have taken interest in the you-shaped stain on your mattress. Does that mean you're sweet?] (if: _idleText is 2)[Already, you've forgotten what you've been doing all day. Scratching yourself raw, perhaps? Your skin is dotted with ant bites.] (if: _idleText is 3)[When you've found the time, you can only doodle and eat away your meager savings. These things don't bring you pleasure, but you do them anyway.] --- (link: "Nothing of note happens. That's not unusual.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)  ]  (else-if: $attInspiration's qt > 0 and $choiceHenriIgnore is 0) [(goto: "Henri 0")]  (else:) [(goto: "Henri A")]

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $activity to "talking to Henri") (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $time to "Midday")(replace: ?time)[$time] You open your door just enough for Henri to hear you, but not enough for him to see you. He's being friendly and polite, asking you about how you've been. You know he's trying his best not to scrunch up his nose. Even you can smell it - your apartment. You. (link: "What does he want?")[(show: ?hidden1)] [Henri's trying to be coy about it, but apparently, he has just landed a teaching position. Or was he promoted? Or won a grant? You're not sure. You can't concentrate too well. (link: "Why is he telling you all of this?")[(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [He's throwing a party. Everyone on this floor is invited, especially the "resident artist". "Artist". The word sounds like an insult, but you remind yourself that it isn't about you. (link: "Congratulations, but...")[(show: ?hidden3)]]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //"I know,"// he says. //"But just this once, please? I'll make it up to you."// His smile says otherwise, but you know he pities you. (link: "You tell him...")[(show: ?choices)]]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- <ol> You tell him: (if: $mind <3)[ <li>~~I'd love to leave my bed and be around people.~~ (You're not well enough to muster up the strength to say "yes", even if it's a false one.)</li> ] (else:)[<li>(link: "Yeah... sure.")[(goto: "Storylet C2b")]</li>] <li>(link: "That you should close the door soon, or Jesse is apt to run outside. But congratulations though.")[(goto: "Storylet C2a")]</li> </ol>]<choices|(hide: ?choices)

{= (set: $time to "Midnight") (set: $place to "nowhere") (set: $activity to "gaining your bearing") (set: $date to 0)(replace: ?date)[$date] (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (align:"=><=")[<h2>About</h2>] PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER PLACEHOLDER --- (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<h2>[[BEGIN PLAYING->Start 2]]</h2> ]

{= (link: "You find yourself unmoored from reality.")[You find yourself unmoored from reality. Whacky things are happening. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Choose A")[(set: $sampleVariable to 1)(goto: "Start 3")] (Some words about A. Onward.)</li> <li>(link: "Choose B")[(set: $sampleVariable to 2)(goto: "Start 3")] (Some words about B. Onward.)</li> </ol>  ]

{= (if: $sampleVariable is 1)[Acknowledgement that you've chosen A.] (else:)[Acknowledgement that you've chosen B.] --- <ol> <li>[[Either way, let's begin->newDay]]</li> </ol>

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Morning") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 0)[(goto: "Ants A")] A new day. (display: "Mood")  (set: _status to (random:1,3)) (if: _status is 1)[ (if: $storyAnts's qt is not 2)[Jesse has ran and hid from the ants. You are left with the insects, which are crawling up your legs this very instance.] (else:)[Now that the ants have been driven back, temporarily, Jesse rejoins your side for her morning rubs. There are blisters on her face where the ant bites have not healed.] ] (else-if: _status is 2)[ (if: $storyArt's qt < 1)[The unfinished painting taunts you from the corner of the apartment. The Sun it depicts beg you - its hesitant midwife - to finish the job.] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 1)[Against all reason, it crosses your mind to reactive your social media accounts. And maybe, you might take a photo of your unfinished painting and... Truly, you've lost all jurisprudence.] (else-if: $storyArt's qt > 1)[When you are ready, you will set brush to task. The world needs to see the Sun in its most perfected splendor.] ] (else-if: _status is 3)[ (if: $attConfidence's qt >0 and $attEmbarrassed's qt <1)[Today, when you think about talking to people, you no longer imagine them sneering at you. The thought disturbs you greatly.] (else-if: $attConfidence's qt >0 and $attEmbarrassed's qt >0)[Through your window, you see a woman below, walking from the parking lot towards your building. The woman trips, sending several doughnuts flying from her hands. You snicker. Truly, there is always someone watching and laughing.] (else-if: $attConfidence's qt <1 and $attEmbarrassed's qt >0)[The stench has grown unbearable, even though you've been its friend for years now. Perhaps all friends turn on each other, eventually.] (else:)[You don't feel like talking to anyone today, online or off.] ]  (if: $eventParty's know is true and $eventParty's timer >-2)[(print: $eventParty's desc) (if: $storyHenri's qt > 1 and $eventParty's timer >-1)[After all, Henri is always so nice to you. The best you can do is shower and pretend to be human for one evening.] ]  (if: $eventEmail's know is true and $eventEmail's progress < 5)[(if: $eventParty's know is true and $eventParty's timer >-1)[But then again... ]You still need to send in whatever Darkbloom people have requested. ] (else-if: $eventShow's wait1 > 0)[You’re currently waiting for the Darkbloom Foundation’s final reply. ]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 and $eventCleanup's progress < 10)[(if: $eventParty's know is true and $eventParty's timer >-1)[Then there's also... ]The trash, it's everywhere. It'll continue to attract ants so long as it remains. (if: $storyHenri's qt > 1)[If there's a time to ask for help, it'd be now.] ] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[At least you’re living in a clean and antless place. Relatively. ] --- <ol> (if: $mind>1)[You:  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[<li>(link: "Approach the ant-infested piles of trash around the apartment.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>] (else:)[<li>(link: "Inspect the apartment's cleanliness. It's still cluttered, but the ants are largely gone.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>] <li>[[Observe the canvas in the corner.->Storylet X1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>  <li>(if: $eventEmail's progress is 5)[[[Your laptop: You're waiting for the Darkbloom Foundation's final verdict.->Laptop A]]](else-if: $eventEmail's know is true)[[[Crawl to your laptop; your application to the Darkbloom Foundation won't complete itself. ->Laptop A]]](else:)[[Crawl to your laptop.->Laptop A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> <li>[[Look for Jesse. Maybe she still likes to play, after everything.->Jesse A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> (if: $storyHenri's qt > 3)[ Then, there's Henri... <li>(link: "Consider paying Henri a visit.")[ (goto: "Henri E") ] (Just thinking about it won't cost you anything yet.)] Or...] (else:) [You're currently too unwell to do anything else but stay in bed.]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ <li>(link: "You want to lay down, but it will mean subjecting your flesh and mind to the six-legged menace.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionDamage's desc)</li> ]  (else:)[ <li>(link: "Go back to sleep. You're feeling overwhelmed.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> ]

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Evening") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] Evening approaches.  (if: $eventParty's timer is 0 and $lockPartyRedirect is false)[(goto: "Party Entry")] (else-if: $eventParty's timer is 0)[You can hear music echoing down the hallway. It's not too late for you to (link-goto: "join", "Party Entry")(if: $mind <5)[, though you're sure you won't make it out alive].]  (if: $storyAnts's qt < 1)[(goto: "Evening 0")] (set: _room to (random:1,3)) (if: _room is 1)[The hues of twilight are many. They are the fragmented brilliance of the great Sun.] (else-if: _room is 2)[Already, you miss the Sun like a child misses her mother. Your painting in the corner is a lamentation for this lack.] (else-if: _room is 3)[You hear footsteps out in the hallway. Couples returning from work. Children chattering. And here you are, waiting for their echoes to end.] (if: (random: 1, 2) > 1) [Your stomach growls. You must have eaten, but you don't remember, and neither does your body.] (else:) [There are several lines of ants marching towards your Chinese takeout. They must be warring factions, so you imagine. If only they would decimate one another for you. That'd be a relief.] (if: $mind >1)[ (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[You're feeling ''inspired''. Tonight, the canvas seems like a slightly ajar door, ever so inviting.] (else-if: $attProgress's qt > 0)[You feel some ''small satisfaction'' with the painting - kindlings to stoke ambitious dreams later.] (else-if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[You're feeling ''restless''. You think you might paint. You might.] (else:)[You are now shuffling around your room as another day draws to a close. You haven't done much with yourself... thankfully.]] (else:)[You're bedbound. Your troubled thoughts sit on your chest like a stack of stones. Tonight might be the end.] --- <ol> (if: $mind >1)[ You: (if: $eventParty's timer is 0)[<li>[[Consider joining Henri's house party.->Party Entry]] (Thinking about it shouldn't cost you anything.) ] <li>[[Go to your unfinished painting. The day's ending, and you've no more excuses.->Storylet X1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 0)[ <li>[[Observe a sleeping Jesse.->Storylet A1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>] (else:)[ <li>[[Check up on Jesse's condition.->Jesse B]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>]  (if: $storyAnts's qt <1) [<li>[[Observe the stack of Chinese takeouts.->Obs A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[<li>(link: "Approach the ant-infested piles of trash around the apartment.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>] (else:)[<li>(link: "Inspect the apartment's cleanliness. It's still cluttered, but the ants are largely gone.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li>]  <li>(if: $eventEmail's progress is 5)[[[Your laptop: You're waiting for the Darkbloom Foundation's final verdict.->Laptop A]]](else-if: $eventEmail's know is true)[[[Crawl to your laptop; your application to the Darkbloom Foundation won't complete itself. ->Laptop A]]](else:)[[Crawl to your laptop.->Laptop A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> (if: $eventParty's timer is 0)[ <li> (link: "Consider joining Henri's party.")[ (goto: "Party Entry") ] (Consideration shouldn't hurt... until you make a decision.) </li>] (if: $storyHenri's qt > 3)[ Then, there's Henri... <li>(link: "Consider paying Henri a visit.")[ (goto: "Henri E") ] (Just thinking about it won't cost you anything yet.)] Or... ] (else:) [You're currently too unwell to do anything else but stay in bed.]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3) [ <li>(link: "You want to lay down, but it will mean subjecting your flesh and mind to the six-legged menace.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionDamage's desc)</li> ]  (else:)[ <li>(link: "Go back to sleep. You're feeling overwhelmed.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> ]

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Midday") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $partyDelayedReward is true and $lockHenriD is false)[(set: $skipMidday1 to true)(goto: "Henri D")]  (else-if: $mind <2 and $lockJesseX2 is false) [(goto: "Jesse X")]  (else-if: $eventParty's know is false)[(set: $skipMidday1 to true)(goto: "Henri A")]  (else-if: $skipMidday1 is true)[(set: $skipMidday1 to false)(show: ?default)]  (else-if: $eventParty's know is true and $storyAnts's qt > 0 and $lockHenriB is false)[(set: $skipMidday1 to true)(goto: "Henri B")]  (else-if: $eventParty's know is true and $storyAnts's qt > 0 and $lockHenriC is false)[(set: $skipMidday1 to true)(goto: "Henri C")]  (else-if: $eventEmail's know is false and $eventParty's timer < -2 and $lockLaptopB is false)[(set: $skipMidday1 to true)(goto: "Laptop B")]  (else:)[(show: ?default)]  [(set: _idleText to (random:1,3)) (if: _idleText is 1)[(if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[Today, when you accidentally open an old food box (and are hit with a sour wind), you see that the inside is filled with ants. You lose your appetite for lunch completely and go back to bed.](else:)[You look around the apartment and admire how much you've managed to clean it up. How was that even possible? Your gladness fades somewhat when you remember that you'll have to keep doing this forever.]] (if: _idleText is 2)[You find yourself thinking about the people at the old gallery, the old teaching job, the... but you can conjure up no feeling other than anger - at yourself.] (if: _idleText is 3)[Some time today, you spent upwards of two hours with your ears very close to the ground. Is it the neighbors' voice? Or is it the sloshing of blood in your head?] --- (link: "Nothing of note happens. That's not unusual.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc) ]<default|

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Dream") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "a fitful sleep") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $mind < 2 and $lockDreamC is false)[ The world is tar-black, and you're sinking. What have you been doing? You can't remember. Not fight the tar, certainly. Maybe you've been crying. For how long? (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[Are those tears crawling down your cheeks? Or are they ants?] (link: "//\"Miu!\"//")[//"Miu!"// You hear her. She's calling for you from somewhere above. You gaze into the darkness. There is only a single star, far in the distance, twinkling, call out for you, your last hope out of here. --- (link: "You reach towards the light.")[(goto: "Dream C")] ]]  (else-if: $lockDreamF is false)[(goto: "Dream F")]   (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ (set: _ant to (random: 1,10)) (if: _ant <5)[(goto: "Dream D")] (else:)[(goto: "Dream 0")] ] (else:)[(goto: "Dream 0")]

{=  (if: $storyArt's qt <1)[You feel elated.] (else:)[Inspired painting - you can get used to this feeling.] (set: _art to (random:1,3)) (if: _art is 1)[If a brush could be a scapel, then what would it cut if not truth?] (if: _art is 2)[The splatters are like a thousand stars - each seems like an accident, but they are all part of a grand design.] (if: _art is 3)[Who is guiding your hands right now? Who urges the Sun to rise tomorrow? Each of your stroke is a breathless praise.] (link: "And?")[You've had worse days, for sure. Looking at the thing that is forming right before your eyes, you cannot help but feel like whatever you do next will only be to its detriment. In other words, it's... good. What you've painted today is a hundredth of what you had in mind. But that means you've a hundredth less to go. (if: $storyArt's qt >0)[... But somehow, it doesn't feel as consequential as the first time. ] --- (if: $storyArt's qt < 1)[ (link: "As the light of inspiration ebbs from your mind, you realize that tonight has been a breakthrough! Maybe you //can// do this, after all.")[(print: $storyArt's gainEffect)(goto: "Storylet D1")] (print: $storyArt's gain) ] (else:)[ (link: "Miracles happens but once, it seems. Still, it is an exhilarating reminder of why you've ever chosen this path.")[(print: $attConfidence's gainEffect)(print: $actionOnward's effect)] (print: $attConfidence's gain) ] ]

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $activity to "reflecting")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $time to "Midnight")(replace: ?time)[$time] You are in your bed, reflecting on what you've managed to do. In only $date days, you've done what you couldn't for months - no, that's not right - years! Yes, it's been years since you first stretched the fresh roll of canvas onto this frame. It is not so fresh anymore. The oil has layered so thick over the years that it's starting to resemble plaster. It is the evidence of an interminable cycle: Manic highs and months of lows. Your breaks are always too long. You always forget and start over again. But this time, it'll be different. You won't forget anymore. How did you ever managed to do this? You try to remember the last few days, (link-reveal: "tracing your own steps.")[ (if: $choicePaintRaw > 0)[You had neither energy nor cause, but you picked up the brush again. ](if: $choicePaintPush > 0)[Painting never starts off fun, but when you would normally have given up, you managed to channel your frustration into motivation. ](if: $choicePaintInspired > 0)[With something to sleep on, you see that inspiration comes readily. How strange... it wasn't like this before.] What were you like before? Distantly, you recall gala dinners, international flights, art school... (if: $choiceLaptop > 0)[Now, things that used to be easy - like emails - have become so difficult, but you did it anyway. Maybe one day, that life-changing email will grace your mailbox.] Things have changed, and things will keep changing. (if: $choicePlayWithJesse > 0)[Through out it all, Jesse was probably your most fastidious lifeline. You should play with her more. You're her entire world. ](if: $eventCleanup's start is true)[You've begun to clean up your apartment, as unbelievable as that is. ](if: $storyHenri's qt > 0)[And, you've even managed to talk to someone who's not Jesse. ](if: $choiceHenriIgnore > 0)[And you still have no-one else but Jesse. ]The question remains: Why is it different this time? --- (if: $attMad's qt < 1)[ (link: "Because you willed it. You always had it in you.")[(goto: "Storylet D2a")] ] (else:)[~~Because you willed it. You always had it in you.~~ (link: "Because SOMEONE - a will GREATER than your own - is pulling the STRINGS.")[(goto: "Storylet D2b")]]]

{= You apologize. Henri apologizes. It seems both of you are regretful. Henri used to go to your shows downtown, back when the galleries still let you have your shows. That was a different time. Back then, you still had someone. You were someone. (link: "//'For what it's worth...'//")[(show: ?hidden1)] [He says that the party is a week from now - ''exactly seven days'' - and the invitation is still open to you. Meanwhile, he will be running errands, buying party favors and whatnot. OK. The small talk will breed more of itself if you don't put a stop to it. --- (link: "Right. Goodbye, Henri.")[ (print: $eventParty's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect)] (print: $actionOnward's desc)]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1)

{= Against every creaking bone and every protesting fiber in your body, you accept. //"Wow, uh... wow. Thank you,"// Henri says in barely concealed disbelief. He's grinning widely. //"I promise: You won't find me to be dull company. I know a thing or two about art."// (link: "You try to smile.")[(show: ?hidden1)] [You manage to smile. The problem won't him or anyone. Of course not. Henri used to go to your shows downtown, back when the galleries still let you have your shows. That was a different time. Back then, you still had someone. You were someone. (link: "//\"The party is in a week's time...\"//")[(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [Henri says that the party will be a week from now. ''Exactly seven days'', he helpfully clarifies. Meanwhile, he will be running errands at the mall, buying party favors and whatnot. You want to ask if there's anything you can chip in, but you remember not to make promises you cannot keep. So, you only nod politely until the conversation naturally runs its course. --- (link: "Right. I'll see you soon.")[ (print: $eventParty's onTrigger) (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect)] (print: $storyHenri's gain)]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] (set: $place to "nowhere") (set: $activity to "a dream that changes you") (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link: "One ought not to admire the Sun directly.")[(show: ?hidden1)]  [One ought not to admire the Sun directly. But you did. Stray light from the hidden cosmos beams straight into your mind. What inspires you now burns, cauterizing the wounds of your psyche. It is a terrible heat. All the thoughts that dwell in the pit of your mind are fleeing every which way. (link: "You try to recall why you did it.")[(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [You try to recall why you did it, but reason escapes you. (if: $mind > 2)[Was this necessary? Truly?] (else-if: $mind <= 2)[You tell yourself that you were desperate, that your mind was slipping. So, you held onto your only ray of hope. But it has seared and left a permanent mark on you.] --- (link: "The Sun leaves its after-image.")[ (print: $attMad's gainEffect) (set: $choiceDreamB to it + 1) (goto: "DeathCheck") ](print: $attMad's gain)</li>  ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= Indeed, you are the captain of your own ship. (Evidently, the captain had ran the ship aground and was stranded for years; one must wonder what happened to the crew). You can already feel doubt creeping back in. They always do. But for now, you will let yourself enjoy this (link: "rare moment of confidence.")[rare moment of confidence. Surely, if you've done it once, you can do it again, even if it takes a hundred times. (link: "Careful now, lest you speak too soon.")[ You are exhausted and pass into a dreamless sleep. The last thought on your mind is: Tomorrow will be different. --- (link: "Captain, I am.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ](print: $attConfidence's gain) ]]

{= Ah, there you go again. That kind of talk creeps people out. That's why they all left you. That's why you're wearing week-old clothes and living among trash. (link: "They'll all regret it when your work is done.")[You think that when you have finally put the last stroke on your "art", people will see that they have been wrong about you. You //think//. Ah, but this is exactly the kind of thing that makes you so off-putting. No normal person thinks this way. Normal people enjoy each other's company immensely and everything else - your Sun included - in moderation. Very light moderation. --- (link: "Maybe you're not always right.")[(print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect)(goto: "DeathCheck")](print: $attEmbarrassed's gain)]

{= (set: $activity to "a note under the door")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $worldState < 1)[(set: $worldState to 1)] Jesse is pawing at the crack under the front door. (link: "What is it, now?")[As you approach, she turns and rubs her face on your legs. There, on the pile of marketing envelops, electric bills, missing persons posters, and whatever else that has been slipped under your door but has been left to languish, there is a handwritten note. (link: "//\"To: our resident artist...\"//")[ It addresses you as the building's "resident artist", which immediately tells you whom the note is from (if the neat handwriting hasn't given it away). Henri, the young man living on the other side of your floor, loves to call you that. Apparently, he is hosting a party ''seven days'' from now. He has tried to invite you in person, but you must have been away - so the piece of paper says. You put it away, which is really to say: you let it fall back onto the pile on the floor. --- (link: "Goodbye, sweet sleep.")[ (print: $eventParty's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc) ]]

{= (set: $activity to "dealing with a new problem")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] It is a new day, and a new horror greets you. Jesse's yowling awakens you fully. She is desperately kicking and clawing at her own face. Inching closer, you see it.(event: when time > 3s)[ (link: "You see them.")[(show: ?hidden1)]] [The ants are swarming Jesse's face. They wiggle beneath her coat like living blackheads. They've got into her mouth, into her eyes, into her ears. You rush to Jesse's aid. She claws you. You let her. You deserve it. ---  (link: "How dare they? (You caused this). How dare they? (It's all your fault). How dare they?")[ (set: $storyAnts's qt to it + 1) (print: $actionDamage's effect) (dialog: [(print: $storyAnts's name) begins.], "War.") (print: $actionBack's effect)] (Your mind falters slightly. You begin your campaign of eradication against the ants.) ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1)

{= (set: $activity to "observing Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 0)[(goto: "Storylet A1")]  (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 1) [You can hear Jesse somewhere on top the wardrobe. She's scratching her face and gnawing on her legs. Poor girl, she is hurting. She can't tell you how much, so you can only guess. You've tried your best to get rid of the ants from her fur, but it's not enough. For now, you've poured salt around the legs of the wardrobe, encircling her hiding place in a protective ward. You know that this is your fault. --- (link: "You've done all you could. But you could have done something sooner.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)]  (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 2) [Jesse is asleep. She's lost a patch of fur behind her left ear after an intense bout of scratching. You whisper to her that the ants are gone, and you'll break out some new toys tomorrow morning. --- (link: "You leave her be for now.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)]

{= (set: $activity to "looking for Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $storyAnts's qt <2)[ You call out to Jesse. //"Miu..."// she answers meekly, voice full of hurt. Where is she? You suspect that she's hiding on top of the wardrobe, where there are fewer ants. At least you hope that's the case. --- <ol> <li>~~Spend time with Jesse~~ (She's shy about the ants. You'll have to do something about that.) <li>(link: "You should get on with your morning.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> ] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[ You feel whiskers brushing your legs. It's Jesse. Now that you've cleaned up the apartment a bit, and the worst of the ants are gone, she must have come down from the wardrobe to play with you. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Then play you will!") [(goto: "Jesse A2")](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "She should rest. You have other plans anyway.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li>] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 3)[(goto: "Jesse C3")] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[(goto: "Jesse C4")]

{= (set: $activity to "cleaning up the apartment... with help.")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] With your face mask and gloves on, you're standing in front of his unit. Henri opens the door and greets you. (set: _greeting to (a: "//\"$time! What's with the getup? Working on a new artwork?\"//", "//\"$time! I didn't expect- Nevermind, how are you?\"//", "//\"... Yeah, no, I was just... It's not important. It can wait.\"//", "//\"Good (lowercase: $time),\"// he smiles.", )) (print: _greeting's (random: 1,4)) (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[ (link: "One small favor... (and not another, for the cleanup is moments away from being done.")[(show: ?hidden1)] ] (else:)[ (link: "\"I have a favor to ask...\"")[(show: ?hidden1)] ]  [ You manage to tell him what you need of him.  (if: $eventCleanup's progress < 3)[Of course you're not going to let Henri into the apartment when everything is still so... raw. No, you're going to ask for his help in another ways. He has decent arms - he can carry (link: "things")[huge, dripping trash bags] for you down to the communual dumpster. That way, no-one would see you outside of the apartment. Oh, they'll know it's your things. But at least you won't have to make small talk to them on the way up. ]  (if: $eventCleanup's progress > 2 and it < 5)[The apartment is (link: "in a decent enough shape")[less of a biohazard enough] to invite Henri inside, given that you've provided him with adequate protective gears. And that you've strategically locked the doors that needed locking. To him, the favor will seem like nothing more than a little upkeeping project - a dash of fresh paint here, shaving off some water-damanged wood there - all the quaint things that a woman of sound spirit ought to be doing. ]  (if: $eventCleanup's progress > 4)[By this point, according to your estimation, Henri can safely spend upwards of twenty minutes inside your apartment without noticing anything too untoward. He might still get ant bites though. (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 5)[If you remember correctly, he might have offered to buy you scented candles, although it might be a fire risk given how much paint thinner is in the air at any given time. Henri is too eager for his own good.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[Between breaks, he looks around at your apartment, and though he does not bring it up, you notice that he seems disappointed to find the canvas veiled in linen. There will be plenty of time for that later.] ] (link: "After an entire (lowercase: $time)'s worth of work, you're both sweating.")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide:?hidden1)  [ After an entire (lowercase: $time)'s worth of work, you're both sweating. You thank Henri and lets him off. He lingers. You thank him again. He complies, leaving you wondering why he always seems to have time for you. ---  (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[ (link: "Fortunately, he won't be bothered anymore. The apartment is as good as it can be. And, there is no more ants.")[ (if: $storyHenri's qt <3)[(print: $storyHenri's gainEffect)] (if: $worldState <2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (print: $eventCleanup's gainEffect) (print: $storyAnts's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (It should be safe enough for Jesse to play around freely again. Feeling ''(print: $attConfidence's name)'', you advance (print: $storyAnts's name)(if: $storyHenri's qt <3)[ and gain (print: $storyHenri's name)]. Time crawls forward.) ] (else:)[ (link: "Either way, you're lucky that he did not ask you why there is so much cleaning to do.")[ (if: $storyHenri's qt <3)[(print: $storyHenri's gainEffect)] (print: $eventCleanup's gainEffect)  (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] ((if: $storyHenri's qt <3)[Gain (print: $storyHenri's name). ](else:)[You've gained all the goodwill you can with Henri - for now. ]Come a bit closer to having a clean apartment. Time crawls forward.) ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $activity to "cleaning up the apartment by yourself")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $dice >= 5)[ (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[You roll up the tainted mattress and leaves it by the dumpster downstairs. There is no saving it, no way to cleanse it other than fire. No matter. You have a spare one. You just haven't got around to using it. Why? It's the same reason why you've let garbage build up around you. You still can't believe that you've made it this far. When you return, you'll break out an air freshener... or several.] (else:)[By the time you decide that you're done for the day, sweat has flooded the fingers of your gloves. You slump down by the side of the mop and wave at Jesse, who has been watching you from atop the wardrobe. Does she know that the apartment is getting better? That //you're// getting better? Maybe she does, though you wouldn't blame her if she doesn't. For all anyone knows, this might just be one of your brief upswings, and it'll all go back to the way it's been for years.] --- (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[ (link: "This should be the last thing. The apartment is as clean and ant-free as it's going to get.")[ (if: $worldState <2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (print: $eventCleanup's gainEffect) (print: $storyAnts's gainEffect) (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (It should be safe enough for Jesse to play around freely again. You advance (print: $storyAnts's name) and gain ''(print: $attConfidence's name)''. Time crawls forward.) ] (else:)[ (link: "Progress is progress. Enjoy it for now. You'll pick back up when you're ready.")[ (print: $eventCleanup's gainEffect)  (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (Come a bit closer to having clean apartment. Time crawls forward.) ] ]  (else:)[ Oh no... Your (if: $time is "Morning")[breakfast](else:)[dinner] surges up, and you have to run to the bathroom to hurl. It is not so much the pungent smell, nor the slimy texture, nor the thousands of wiggling ants that have disgusted you so much. Rather, it is the thought that //you// have been one with the rest of the rotting trash that had you gagging. Jesse looks on with concern. You know that's better than you deserve. --- (link: "You'll put the sponge down and try again later.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $attEmbarrassed's gain) ]

{= (set: $worldState to 1) (set: $activity to "talking to a stranger")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $time to "Midnight")(replace: ?time)[$time] In only $date days, you've done what you couldn't for months. No, that's not right. Years. Yes, that's how far back since you first stretched the fresh roll of canvas onto this frame. You try to remember the last few days, tracing your own steps and how you've managed to make this breakthrough, but the light - as soon as you grasp it - recedes from your mind. You suddenly feel very silly. (link: "Look at what you've done.")[(show: ?hidden1)] [Look at what you've done. The oil has layered so thick over the years that it's starting to resemble plaster. This is the evidence of an interminable cycle: Manic highs and months of lows. Your breaks are always too long. You always forget and start over again. (link: "Why should this time be any different?")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ --- <ol> Why should this time be any different? <li>(link: "Because you say so, and that's all that matters.")[(goto: "Storylet D2a")]</li> <li>(link: "Because this time, you've been lended a hand. A greater will is guiding your actions.")[(goto: "Storylet D2b")]</li> ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)  {= So it is. But your flesh disagrees. The flesh, so weak yet so tyrannical, it imposes its will upon you, always. Your skin itches with a hundred bites, half of them has not healed from your scratching. The creases of your body sticks together. You are made of mud. (link: "So?")[Then let this mud be a golem, divine breath animate its limbs. Tomorrow, you will put this body to work again. Surely, if you've done it once, you can do it again, even if it takes a hundred times. (link: "Careful now, lest you speak too soon.")[ Careful now, lest you speak too soon. (link: "Shut up, shut up!")[ Shut up! Something good has finally happened, and you've only managed to make yourself angry. Why? Why can't you just be happy? --- (link: "You should stop arguing with yourself.")[(print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect)(goto: "DeathCheck")](print: $attRestlessness's gain)] ]]  {= It may be the case that you're receiving aid - and you may believe it, too - but you should be careful about that kind of language around others. They don't like hearing it. It makes you sound like a puppet. (link: "Are you a puppet?")[(show: ?hidden1)] [Puppets creep other people out. That's why they all left you. That's why you're here, living in a trash-filled, ant-infested hole. Whenever you open your mouth to speak of the Sun, they shun you. Nothing with a soul goes about advertising that their strings are taut. (link: "They'll all regret it when your work is done.")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [You think that when you have finally put the last stroke on your "art", people will see that they have been wrong about you. You think. Ah, but this is exactly the kind of thing that makes you so off-putting. No normal person thinks this way. Normal people enjoy each other's company immensely and everything else - your Sun included - in moderation. Very light moderation. --- (link: "Maybe you're not always right.")[(print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect)(goto: "DeathCheck")](print: $attEmbarrassed's gain) ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $activity to "playing with Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "//\"Miu...\"//")[ she says, weakly. (show: ?hidden1)] [(link-reveal: "You throw her stuffed mouse across the room.")[ And she abides faithfully, albeitly slowly. (show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [(link-reveal: "What's wrong, Jesse?")[ Jesse rubs her wet nose into your knee, as though saying that nothing is wrong, and that you should keep playing. As long as you keep playing, everything will be fine. (show: ?hidden3)]]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [(link-reveal: "You drop the toy and welcome her onto your lap.")[ She hops, curls, and is soon purring at your touch. There are blisters under patches of missing furs. You tell her that the culprit is all gone. And soon, even the worst of wounds will heal. (show: ?hidden4)]]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- (link: "There, there. Nothing can hurt you now.")[ (print: $attJesse01's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attJesse01's gain) ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{= (set: $activity to "at laptop")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $eventEmail's know is true)[(goto: "Laptop A1b")] The laptop still sits there, wheezing through (link: "its last days of life.")[its last days of life. It has been doing that for at least two years now. One's last days can stretch on very long.]  (if: $storyArt's qt < 1)[ You haven't done anything significant with your art yet. You haven't updated your portfolio either. Why should anyone take notice? If you open your laptop right now, you will only see how much the world has passed you by. --- <ol> <li>(link: "It is foolhardy to think that things would magically be different.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> <li>(link: "Maybe... just maybe...")[(goto: "Storylet B2")] (print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> </ol> ]  (else:)[ You've made a breakthrough with your painting the other day. The world of man does not know it yet, but you feel as though the cosmos is cognizant in its secret ways. There is an electricity in the wavebands. You picture your Sun rolling in the virtual heavens. A glad woman //is// entitled to her momentary delusion. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Maybe I can post a picture... close enough so no-one sees that it is unfinished.")[ (goto: "Laptop A1") ](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "It is foolhardy to think that things would magically be different.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> </ol> ]

{= (set: $activity to "a neighborly checkup")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriB to true) On this languid noon, while not doing anything in particular, you hear footsteps out in the common hallway. There is the jingling of car keys. (link: "Someone is approaching your door.")[ Someone is approaching your door. They don't walk past your unit. Instead, they stop, and as if hesitant, they wait a bit before knocking. Your chest tightens. //"Hello? Are you home?"// (link: "It's Henri, your neighbor.")[(show: ?choice1)] ]  [ It's Henri, your neighbor. //"Uh... Is this a bad time?"// --- <ol> You... <li>(link: "Stay very silent. You can't deal with this right now.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] (print: $actionOnward's desc)</li> (if: $mind>1)[ <li>(link: "Open the door to greet him.")[(goto: "Henri B1")] (print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> ] (else:)[<li>~~Open the door to greet him.~~ (You are of no mind to see anyone right now, and no-one should see you.)] </ol> ]<choice1|(hide: ?choice1)

{= (set: $activity to "with Jesse") (replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockJesseX2 to true) Something cool, something rough on your cheek. It's Jesse, licking your face. (link: "Hey there, what's wrong?")[You've been crying in your sleep, you realize, and she's licking the tears off of you.] She's staring at you with those big, black eyes. Yes, (link: "she wants to play.")[she wants to play. But it's not for her benefit but yours. //"You seem to need it"//, those eyes are saying. Sitting up from the midday stupor you call a "nap", you can't help but feel like you've been saved.] --- <ol> <li>(link: "Go away, Jesse. Not now, not ever.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] (Move on with your life, or the little that's left of it.)</li> <li>(link: "What would I be without you? Here.")[(goto: "Jesse X2")] (print: $actionCommit's desc)</li>

{= (event: when time > 1s)[You play with her.] (event: when time > 2s)[You hold her tight.] (event: when time > 3s)[She nuzzles into you.] (event: when time > 4s)[You promise her that you'll try. For a bit longer.] (event: when time > 7s)[Or at least you'll leave the food out and the door open.] (event: when time > 10s)[ --- (link: "//\"Miu.\"//")[ (print: $attJesse01's gainEffect) (set: $choicePlayWithJesse to it + 1) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attJesse01's gain) ]

{=  (if: $storyHenri's qt >0)  [ When Henri sees you, he smiles, all familiar-like. //"I'm going on a bit of a shopping excursion - you know, for the party. Just wondering if there's anything I can get for you."// First, the invitation to his party. Now, this. You are reminded of Beethoven, who couldn't take care of himself without his friends coming over to cook and clean for him. <be> Ah, but you're no Beethoven, and you don't think you've called anyone "friend" in a long time. But then again, you do need to pick up a few things for that trash-slash-ant problem of yours. And it's not like you're in any state to go out in public. --- (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ (link: "You'll do it yourself, somehow.")[(goto: "Henri BShame")] (Shame has made you wary, preventing you from asking for help.) ] (else:)[ (link: "Hey, he asked for it.")[(goto: "Henri B2")] ] ]  (else:)[ You open the door, and there's Henri. He tries to make small talk, but you make him get to the point. //"I'm just checking up on you, that's all. Are you doing alright?"// Does he pity you? First, he invites you to his party. Now, this. You've never said much more to him than small talk in all your years living here. Surely, it must be because of all the trash you've accumulated. You have to get to that soon, if you don't want to draw anymore unwanted attention. Such as this. --- (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ (link: "You mumble something akin to \"I'm OK\".")[(goto: "Henri BShame")] (Shame has made you wary, preventing you from opening up.) ] (else:)[ (link: "I... I just have a lot on my plate right now.")[(goto: "Henri B2")] (... ants are crawling across the Sun's splendor...) ] ]

MAD SHIT

{=   (if: $storyHenri's qt > 0) [ //"Right. But if you ever need anything from me, just say so, yes?"// Henri says that he's always around. He's on sabbatical anyway, and being around books all day can get dull. You think to yourself that it cannot get any duller than looking at your mug. It's so much of a downer that you can't even look in the mirror. But you do not see your disgust reflected on Henri's face. He only smiles at you. For a moment, you forget your shame. Not enough to admit how bad your ant problem has become, though. --- (link: "Thanks for checking in, Henri. Goodbye.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $attEmbarrassed's use) ]  (else:) [ //"It's alright if you're not OK."// Henri lets the silence hangs, as if realizing how much of a cliché that comment was. Your hand tremble on the door knob. //"Well, maybe 'alright' isn't the right word."// It's not. //"But there's no shame in it.."// You close the door and latch it tight, safe, and secure. Henri's right though. --- (link: "Enough self-pity. Time to get to work.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $attEmbarrassed's use) ]

{=   (if: $storyHenri's qt > 0)[ Bleach, floor cleaner, air freshener, plastic bags - it will sound like you either have a dead body waiting to be rid of, or are living like a hoarder. The smell could mean either. Only you know which one. You pick at your cracked lips, trying to draw up the confidence to ask. //"So, what will it be?"// Henri asks. ---  (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ (link: "You give him the full list.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Henri B3") ] (print: $attConfidence's use) ] (else:)[<ol> <li>~~You give him the full list.~~ (You're not confident enough to trouble him.)</li> <li>(link: "You mumble something about a spray cleaner.")[ (goto: "Henri B2b") ] (It's better than nothing.)</li> </ol>] ]  (else:)[ You don't elaborate any further. You're not going to, not to him, not like this. But Henri doesn't seem to be in a hurry. He's leaning against the wall, ear to the slit of your door, ready to hear what you have to say. ---  (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ (link: "You mumble some jargon about mental health - the types that rouses no suspicion.")[ (goto: "Henri B3") ] (You're confident enough to entertain this conversation, but how could anyone understand if you were honest?) ] (else:)[ <ol> <li> ~~You entertain the conversation.~~ (You don't feel confident enough to talk about this. People would have you committed if you were to speak openly.) </li> <li> (link: "You give him a flimsy excuse and close the door, ending the conversation.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] (print: $actionOnward's desc) </li> </ol> ] ]

{=   (if: $storyHenri's qt > 0)[ Henri nods, and when the list gets too long to remember, he takes out a small notepad to jot the items down. You hand him a wad of bills, but he only smiles and tells you to do that later, (link: "when he has the receipt.")[when he has the receipt. A few hours later, Henri comes back with a heavy bag full cleaning implements - the ones you've requested, plus some extra. He is visibly out of breath. Before you could stammer something close to a "thank you", he's already walking back to his unit, seeming pleased with himself. You wave at him. He didn't even ask for the money. --- (link: "Henri has just saved you a heap of trouble.")[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (if: $eventCleanup's start is false)[(print: $eventCleanup's onTrigger)] (print: $eventCleanup's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (You gain a bit of ''goodwill'' with Henri, plus a dent on the ''trash'' problem. Time crawls forward.) ] ]  (else:)[ Henri nods in sympathy. You wonder if it's necessary to use words like "anxiety", "ahedonia", or whatever else your shrink used to tell you. Henri doesn't need to hear them. He can see it for himself. (link: "He can smell it.")[He can smell it. There used to be a time when you could discuss about these things without a hint of cynicism. You really believed in them. But now, it's hard to call out what they are when you're this deep in it. A fish doesn't know what water is. It all feels false. (link: "You feel false.")[You feel false. The truth is plain to see - you've given up on yourself. But Henri only listens and smiles his sad smile. And to your surprise, you smile back. --- (link: "That was a good talk, Henri, but you should be on your way.")[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $storyHenri's gain) ] ] ]

{=  //"Sure, I can do that. In fact, I have it at home."// Before you could say anything, he's already off. (link: "...")[ About ten minutes later, Henri comes back with a bottle of window spray in his hand. It's not everything you need, but you'll have use for it. Everything else in your apartment has long dried up. As he leaves, Henri tells you to keep (link: "the bottle.")[the bottle. Looking at it, you notice that there is a solar design on the label - not your Sun, but a sun. The curves of the fire that eminate from it is... familiar. You've seen these shapes in your dreams. --- (link: "With this caustic light, you will burn those pesky insects.")[ (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attProgress's gain) ]]

{=  Your hands are unsteady, and your phone camera is greasy. The photo comes out blurry. Maybe your eagerness has got the best of you. You quietly post it to your portfolio. Then, like an impatient spider, you spend the rest of the (lowercase: $time) (set: _text to (a: " *\"Subscribe to our wellness newsletter for just...\"*", " *\"... twentieth missing person report filed in...\"*", " *\"... had to reject you, unfortunately ...\"*", " *\"... ten tips dealing with garden ants...\"*", " *\"Answer me! I've tried contacting you through...\"*", " *\"... look out the window...\"*", "", )) (set: _result to 0) [(link-rerun: "browsing the web.")[ (set: _result to it +1) (if: _result > 6)[(hide: ?cycle)(show: ?email)] (if: _result > 0)[(print: _text's _result)] ]]<cycle| [ browsing the web. //"... Thank you for your interest in the Resident Artist Program at The Darkbloom Foundation... While we cannot give you a final decision at this point... our panel members have found great interest in the direction of your past work... believe reputation should not be an undue obstacle to excellence... request ''additional samples of your most recent work''... direction you have taken in the years since... indicator of your continued commitment to fine arts..."// The email appears as your are reading an article on pet care. You are (link: "stunned.")[stunned. The rest of the email includes instructions for sending digital attachments, as well as a long list of paperwork you have to provide. ''It will take a while.'' No matter. No-one has shown any interest before, not since you disappeared from the public eye. In fact, Darkbloom was a moonshot when you first contacted them - when was it? - years ago. You want to lunge at the opportunity, but do you feel ready? (It will be a arduous process, taking many days and much of your confidence. You can always return to your laptop at a later date and continue where you left off.) --- (if: $attConfidence's qt <1)[ <ol> <li>~~Sure, you'll blow them away.~~ (You're not ''confident'' that your painting is ready. You need to work on it more.)</li> <li>(link: "No, not yet. Your // \"magnum opus \"// deserves more care. The email isn't going anywhere, and neither is the painting.")[ (print: $eventEmail's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc)</li> </ol> ] (else:)[ <ol> <li>(link: "You try again for a better photo, one that better reflects your// \"magnum opus \"//.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (print: $eventEmail's onTrigger) (set: $eventEmail's progress to it + 1) (goto: "Laptop A2") ] (print: $attConfidence's use)</li> <li>(link: "No, not yet. Your // \"magnum opus \"// deserves more care. The email isn't going anywhere, and neither is the painting.")[ (print: $eventEmail's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc)</li> </ol> ] ] ]<email|(hide: ?email)

{= (if: $eventEmail's progress <5)[ (if: $time is "Morning")[By the time you're done, half of the work day is over. You're not sure if anyone will get to it during the afternoon slump.] (else-if: $time is "Evening")[When you're done, it is already pitch-black outside. The world slumbers. They'll see it tomorrow.] (else-if: $time is "Midday")[The Sun has faded into amber by the time you're done fiddling with the files. What bother. They better be prompt in their reply.] You hit "send" and close your laptop. --- (link: "Is this better than sleeping in? Not always, but today, yes.")[ (dialog: [(if: $eventEmail's progress <5)[You've sent what the Darkbloom people requested. They'll take some time to get back to you. Check your email later.]], "OK.") (set: $eventEmail's wait to (random: 1,2)) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (Close the laptop and move on with your life.) ] (else:)[ After this, if they still want you to send in anything else, it'd be a gift-wrapped box of your still-beating heart. --- (link: "At least then, you'd not have to write any more email.")[ (if: $worldState <2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (dialog: [This should be the end of your back-and-forth, for now. There //is// a feeling of accomplishment, albeit an empty one.], "No wonder why you procrastinated.") (set: $eventShow's wait1 to (random: 3,5)) (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attProgress's gain) ]

{= (set: $activity to "paperwork for an artist residency position")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $eventEmail's wait > 0)[ Bite nails, strip lips, tear hair, do what you must while you wait for the Darkbloom people to respond. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Bite nails, strip lips, tear hair.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attRestlessness's gain)</li> (after: 3s)[ <li>(link: "Have patience. You'll check back later.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> ] </ol> ] (else-if: $eventEmail's progress > 4)[ You've done everything you could. Now, you wait for their "yes" or their... It might be a while. In the meantime, you could actually... paint? (print: $eventEmail's desc) --- (link: "It's out of your hands now.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (print: $actionBack's desc) ] (else:)[ The laptop blinks awake. On the other side of the country, through miles of copper, is another computer, waiting for your response - the Darkbloom people. (if: $eventEmail's progress is 0)[They have requested a photo of the painting. You're sure that there is a DSLR camera somewhere collecting dust. But, is your art ready?] (if: $eventEmail's progress is 1)[They've sent back a confirmation email. It appears automated. It tells you to send additional documentation of your process. Why didn't they just tell you this at the beginning? (print: $eventEmail's desc)] (if: $eventEmail's progress is 2)[Now, they want you to write an artist statement explaining why you're a good fit for their organization. Didn't you write something like that? Or did you take too much creative liberties on the application? (print: $eventEmail's desc)] (if: $eventEmail's progress is 3)[This time, they're asking for a project proposal. A project proposal. You take a moment to steady your breath. Would they have you send an ROI analysis as well? You remind yourself that foundations are staffed by finance people. The artists - they've all locked themselves up, if they had a room to do so at all. You're lucky. Surely, you can whip up something. (print: $eventEmail's desc)] (if: $eventEmail's progress is 4)[They want a photo of you. A recent one. Get the scissors. That balled-up tangle has to go. (print: $eventEmail's desc)] --- (if: $attConfidence's qt <1)[ <ol> <li>~~You'll blow them away.~~ (You search within and find no confidence. Maybe you should touch up your painting a bit. Get inspired... See results first...)</span</li> <li>(link: "You procrastinate.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> </ol> ] (else:)[ <ol> <li>(link: "Your // \"magnum opus \"// deserves your effort. Steel yourself!")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (set: $eventEmail's progress to it + 1) (goto: "Laptop A2") ] (print: $attConfidence's use)</li> <li>(link: "Maybe not now. This feeling of self-assuredness is too valuable.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (print: $actionBack's desc)</li> </ol> ] ]

{= (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "a dream of hope")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] Starlight filters through your fingers - one star becomes (after: 1s)[ two, ](after: 2s)[ four, ](after: 3s)[ eight,...] (after: 4s)[ From a single, hopeless point bursts forth an entire nebula, whose luminosity fills the darkness until a shape is formed. (link: "A kitten.")[A kitten. She's so lonely among the vast void. Everything around her is dead. Her siblings are stiff. The ants are already getting to them. She's trying to crawl out of the carton box, but she's too weak. Her eyes are barely open. (link: "It's raining.")[It's raining. Yes, it was raining that day, so you remember. What were you doing? You had been crying all the way from the train station back to your apartment. You've just lost everything. You were walking past an alleyway when you heard her. //"Miu!"// You buried her siblings in the park and took her home. --- (link: "You remember how it felt.")[ (if: $mind <2)[(set: $mind to 3)(dialog: [Just as before, you are rescued. You will wake up feeling... not good, but better. More than you feel like you deserve. You will not get another chance like this.], "Thank you, Jesse.")] (set: $lockDreamC to true) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (Have your mind restored to where you started.) ]]]

{= (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "a dream of ants")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] They're here. They're (link: "HERE!")[ HERE! The ants - they're in your dreams. Even in the veil of sleep, you have not escaped them. They're all over you. Each step of their hair-like feet, each snap of their jaws, is like a call for your attention. You move to brush them away, but your arms won't move, for you have no arms. You try to turn your body over, but you realize that you are (link: "always turning.")[always turning. You are a barren planet rolling in a starless space, hopelessly so, and the ants are pouring into every rocky cervices on your surface. You wish for the light of the Sun. You yearn to fall into its brilliant fire, so that you might be rid of these ungrateful passengers. Either that, or you'll perish first, which will also be a blessing. (So long as the trash remains in the apartment, there will always be a chance that the ants will disrupt your sleep.) --- (link: "Bless me, my love. Save me!")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (print: $actionDamage's desc)</li>  ]]

{= (set: $activity to "looking through photographs")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriC to true)  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1)[While sorting the trash](else:)[While organizing your belongings], you find a cookie box full of old photographs. These were taken back when you had shows every other weekends. You thought you had forgotten all about that time. But they're here, ready for you to shuffle through and (set: _photo to (a: "You and you-know-who standing in front of a giant, concentric relief of Huītzilōpōchtli. Too bad, it turned out to be a hoax, as was your relationship.", "Your student-companions setting up their easels among those sand-worn columns of the Temple of Bastet, Egypt. One of the girls bought you a cat pendant made of onyx. It's gone.", "The auction where you sold your most expensive painting - //Bataille's Plexus// - whose proceeds have funded your years of Chinese delivery. That was years ago. Back then, your hair was long and jet-black.", "Your old college roommate and you, hugging each other at LaGuardia. It was her last visit before she went missing. She liked ice-cream and loved Texas too much to defect. She would have been a far better painter than you.", "", )) (set: _result to 0) [(link-rerun: "recall...")[ (set: _result to it +1) (if: _result > 4)[(hide: ?cycle)(show: ?Henri)] (if: _result > 0)[(print: _photo's _result)] ]]<cycle| [see Henri. There he was, standing to your left in a group photo. He had just moved to your floor, and when he heard news that you were doing rounds in the local galleries, he came out to show support. This particular place was an hour's drive away. His smile is still the same. He hasn't aged a day while your face puffs and sags with your mood. His mood, however, is incessantly cheery. --- <ol> <li>(link: "You should send him the photograph. He seems like the sentimental sort.")[ (set: $choiceHenriC to "A") (goto: "Henri C1") ](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "No, you should keep the photograph. You //are// the sentimental sort.")[ (set: $choiceHenriC to "B") (goto: "Henri C1") ](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "Rip up the photograph. There is nothing in the past for you.")[ (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionOnward's desc) </li> </ol> ]<Henri|(hide: ?Henri)

{= (set: $activity to "observing a clean apartment")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The apartment is as clean (link: "as it can get.")[as it can get, which is to say as clean as you're willing to make it. Your fingers are blistering from the bleach. Sure, there are things that you've stuffed in the drawers, and there are still clothes left unfolded, but nothing should be attracting any ants.] And you see no ants, which is a relief for both you and Jesse. Maybe you should spend some time playing with her, to make up for lost time. --- (link: "Stop gawking and attend to other things.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc)

{=  (if: $choiceHenriC is "A")[ (set: $activity to "Henri's response")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You wait until the coast is clear before slipping out of your apartment, going over to his, and slipping the photo into his mailbox. Then, you hurry back before anyone sees you. It's nerve-wracking. You hope it's (link: "worth it.")[worth it. After all, this is what you're supposed to do in these types of situations, right? Before the day is over, you hear a note slipping under your door. It says, //"Thanks for the good memory. Looking forward to another one."// --- (if: $storyHenri's qt >1)[ (link: "You scoff but cannot help grinning either.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attConfidence's gain) ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt <2)[ (link: "You scoff but cannot help grinning either.")[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $storyHenri's gain) ] ] ] (else-if: $choiceHenriC is "B")[ You put the photo back into the cookie box - on top of everything else. Questions paddles in the waters of your mind. What if you hadn't wasted your time with the wrong person? What if you only focused on your work? Could things have been different? (link: "You wouldn't be in the state that you're in now.")[You wouldn't be in the state that you're in now. However, you also recall, for as long as you could remember, that something was already wrong with you. The sourceless yearning, the causeless feeling of disappointment, the bursts of emotions and the long periods of near-catatonia... Even your parents were afraid of you. And yet, in the middle of a work week, at a run-down gallery the other side of town, there Henri was, standing to your left, grinning for the camera flash. --- (if: $storyHenri's qt >1)[ (link: "People are blind, sometimes, much to your benefit.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attConfidence's gain) ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt <2)[ (link: "People are blind, sometimes, much to your benefit.")[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $storyHenri's gain) ] ] ]

{= (set: $activity to "observing the state of your apartment")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 10)[(goto: "Ant B4")]  (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 0)[First is the wet trash - leftover foodstuffs airing out inside half-closed Chinese takeout boxes. When you had nothing going on in your life, stacking these boxes was your only form of entertainment. They are the first to go.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 1)[Bloated trash bags sit in the room's corner, one stacked on top of another. They look like a snowman, a stinky one, an incontinent snowman leaking yellow liquid onto the floor.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 2)[Today, you decide to liberate the poor trash bins, those involuntary gluttons, force-fed until garbage is spilling out from their gaping mouths. They will be restored to their proper function - as decoration for a polite household.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 3)[The dishes in the sink have gone fuzzy, green, white, and yellow in certain places. You haven't used a metal utensil in a long, long while. The countertop dishwasher is beginning to develop its own morning breath.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 4)[Black grime completely coats the toilet bowl. All the way down the pipes, it appears. Sometimes, when you flushed, some of the black stuff would dislodge, showing the white porcelain beneath. You’ve held onto the hope that eventually, they’ll grow so chunky that they’ll all fall away. Time to stop hoping and act.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 5)[On the walls of the bathroom, a slimy orange mold is living side by side with the black stuff. You often wonder if they’re competing or cooperating. Either way, they’ll be the death of you, either by inhalation or by slipping. There is enough hair in the drain to reconstruct you in your entirety.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[You once had the notion that a carpet would be a very nice addition for a cozy home, if you-know-who ever decided to pop the question. That didn’t happen. The carpet was a mistake. Whenever you step on it, something sharp always pokes at your soles - a chip fragment, some plastic thing, or even your own broken nails. Time to roll the thing up and put it aside.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 7)[It appears that the wood glue has cracked, and the spaces between the floorboards have become the ants’ superhighway. You trace their marching line back to a neglected cabinet. Inside, a forgotten box of instant ramen is currently hosting several broods of the mindless automatons.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 8)[Coastal humidity is the enemy of good clothes. Everything you’ve ever hunted on sale, thrifted, collected, and found pride in is currently too moldy to wear. Silverfishes crawl out of every pocket. Most of these items no longer fit you. You recall the building having a donation box in the lobby. You should wash the clothes first.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 9)[On the mattress is a dark-yellow shadow the shape of you. There is a similarly-colored spot on the wall, where you usually rest your knee against as you stare at the ceiling. That will not do. A proper home is one where the dweller is invisible, so that visitors might envision themselves living there. You must cleanse this place of your presence.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 10)[You’re done. You shouldn’t be seeing anything unseemly.] (if: $eventCleanup's start is true)[(print: $eventCleanup's desc)] --- <ol>  (if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $lockHenriVisit is false and $attEmbarrassed's qt < 1 and $eventParty's timer is not 0 and $eventParty's timer is not -1)[ <li>(link: "You do the impossible: Go out and ask Henri to lend you his help.")[ (if: $eventCleanup's start is false)[(print: $eventCleanup's onTrigger)] (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (goto: "Ant B1") ] (Commit. With someone else's help, you're guaranteed to make ''progress'', given that you're ''shameless'' enough to ask.) </li>] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $lockHenriVisit is true)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (You've already bothered him today.) </li> ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $eventParty's timer is 0)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Today is Henri's party, and he will be too busy to help.) </li> ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $eventParty's timer is -1)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Henri probably has some cleaning up of his own to do today.) </li> ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Henri seems keen, but you're not ''shameless'' enough to let anyone in on how you've been living.) </li> ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt is 1)[ <li>~~You ask a friend for help.~~ (Henri's been friendly to you, but you're not friendly to him yet.) </li> ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt is 0)[ <li>~~You ask a friend for help.~~ (Who are you kidding?) </li> ] <li>(link: "There is only you and the trash mountain. Roll up your sleeves.")[ (if: $eventCleanup's start is false)[(print: $eventCleanup's onTrigger)] (set: $dice to (random: 1,10)) (goto: "Ant B2") ] (Commit. You may make ''progress'', but there's a risk of failing and feeling ''ashamed'' instead.)</li>  <li>(link: "You tell yourself what you've been saying for years now: \"Later.\"")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc) </li> </ol>

{= (set: $time to "Evening")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $activity to "a party down the hall")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $eventParty's know to true)(set: $eventParty's timer to 0)  (if: $lockPartyRedirect is false)[ When the Sun has lowered, all kinds of creatures come out to (link: "play.")[play. You hear busy footsteps - strangers - walking past your door. Then, a rhythmic beating reverberates in the plaster wall. You thought it was your own nervous heart at first, but then realize that it is music. The party in Henri's flat has begun. You're invited, but whether you should join is a different matter altogether. Outside of talking to the delivery man, you haven't had much human contact in a long time. Normally, you wouldn't even consider it. But things hasn't been exactly normal. (link: " You...")[(show: ?choices)] ]] (else:)[ The party sounds to be in full swing. Henri has anticipated the neighbors' complaints by inviting them. Some pre-emptive cordiality goes a long way. You consider going there. Strange, it is so unlike you to even entertain the thought. But these days, it feels as though your actions are not entirely your own. (link: "You...")[(show: ?choices)] ] [ (if: $mind <5)[Presently, your mind is frayed. And so, if you do join, you must do well to conserve yourself, lest this be the last thing you do.] --- <ol> You... <li>(link: "Put on your least sullied clothes, snip your tangled hair, and go join the party.")[ (set: $lockPartyRedirect to true) (set: $partyEnergy to 4) (set: $partyD to 0) (goto: "Party Main") ] (Commit. Begin something time consuming and potentially dangerous.) </li> <li>(link: "Stay home and mind your own business.")[ (set: $lockPartyRedirect to true) (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (Go back to your usual evening activities.) </li> </ol>]<choices|(hide: ?choices)

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's place")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "Henri's house party")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $partyEnergy is 4)[A quick drink. That's all you'll have - you've promised yourself. Inside, the light is dim, and a steady blues melody is playing. You half-expect to see college students mid-debauchery, but you quickly remember that you haven’t been to a real party in a very long time, and Henri’s crowd is different. The party-goers are spread out in clusters.] (if: $partyEnergy is 3)[It is not like you at all to be here. Your neck feels warm, and your skin crawls. People are still talking to each other, with or without you. You tell yourself that you prefer it this way, but there's also something in you that wants something different, something more. A jazz tune is reaching its fevered pitch.] (if: $partyEnergy is 2)[You're tipsy. Very. Maybe you shouldn't have come. The neighbors are politely excusing themselves. This gives you some comfort, but so long as you're here, there's still a risk of embarrassing yourself. The music has switched to something you don't recognize.] (if: $partyEnergy is 1)[Faces. How you detest them. They wobble and warble. The collegiate colleagues are reluctantly leaving, confused as to where Henri is. You are shuffling aimlessly in the living room, trying to compose yourself. Stop picking your lips, you look like an ill-raised child. The music is slowing down.] (if: $partyEnergy is 0)[The living room is almost entirely empty. The only music left is the muffled one coming from deeper inside the apartment. You've had more than your fill and are now unable to think clearly.] (set: _guest to (a: " (if: $partyEnergy > 2)[Gathering around the food tray is a handful of familiar faces - your ''neighbors''. They’re trying to make themselves seem comfortable, but the fact that they’re sticking to one another tells you otherwise. You might leave when they do, but you don’t want to attract their attention either. The older ones tend to be nosy.](else:)[Your neighbors have all left.]", " (if: $partyEnergy > 1)[Leaning against the tall bookcase, which spans from one end of the living room to another, is a group of bespectacled thirty-somethings conspicuously gesticulating in the air as though there is an invisible chalkboard. It’s apparent that they’re trying to set themselves apart - as not part of the unlearned masses - as Henri’s ''colleagues''.](else:)[The conspicuous academics have all left.]", " (if: $partyEnergy > 1)[The only ones who seem to be enjoying themselves are also those who are dressed the most casually - simple dresses, hemp sandals, and bottles in hand. But instead of mingling with the guests out front, they only flutter in and out of the backrooms. They must be Henri’s ''personal friends''.](else:)[The only ones remaining are the casually-dressed youths whose laughter is echoing from the inmost hallways.]", " (if: $partyEnergy > 1)[Then, there's always the ''punch bowl'' in the secluded corner. No-one goes there when there's still better drinks to go around. It will be a safe vantage point, where you can while away the night unbothered.](else:)[The punch bowl will always have you, but //should// you have it?]", )) (set: _result to 0) (link-rerun: "You look around and see...")[ (if: _result<4)[(set: _result to it + 1)] (else:)[(set: _result to 1)] (print: _guest's _result) ] No Henri. He's (if: $partyEnergy <4)[still] nowhere to be found. (if: $partyEnergy is 4)[You're feeling nervous but energetic.] (if: $partyEnergy is 3)[You're already tired.] (if: $partyEnergy is 2)[The night is beginning to wear on you greatly.] (if: $partyEnergy is 1)[You're exhausted. Your body begs to be laid down, and your mind says that it should not be here.] (if: $partyEnergy is 0)[It's too late in the night and too late to not regret staying.] --- <ol>  (if: $partyEnergy > 0)[ You...  <li> (link: "Approach the secluded punch bowl.")[ (goto: "Party D") ](print: $actionObs's desc)</li>  <li> (if: $lockPartyA is false and $partyEnergy > 2)[ (link: "Approach the familiar neighbors.")[ (goto: "Party A") ](print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else-if: $partyEnergy <=2)[ ~~Approach your neighbors.~~ (The neighbors have left.) ] (else-if: $lockPartyA is true)[ ~~Approach your neighbors.~~ (You've already talked to them. Once is enough.) ] </li>  <li> (if: $lockPartyB is false and $partyEnergy > 1)[ (link: "Approach the conspicuous academics.")[ (goto: "Party B") ](print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else-if: $partyEnergy <=1)[ ~~Approach the conspicuous academics.~~ (Henri's colleagues have left.) ] (else-if: $lockPartyB is true)[ ~~Approach the conspicuous academics.~~ (You've already talked to them. Anymore and you'll just exceed their welcome.) ] </li>  <li> (if: $lockPartyC is false)[ (link: "Approach the backrooms, where the casual youths are.")[ (goto: "Party C") ](print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else:)[ ~~Approach the backrooms.~~ (You already have. When you look, you cannot find the deep hallway. Everything is back to normal.) ] </li> ] (else:)[You're too exhausted.]  (if: $partyEnergy is 4)[<li>~~Leave.~~ (You //chose// to be here. At least try.)] (else-if: $partyEnergy > 1)[ <li>(link: "It's never too early to leave.")[(goto: "Party Exit")] (Leave the party.)</sapn></li>] (else-if: $partyEnergy is 1)[ <li>(link: "It's a more-than-reasonable time to leave.")[(goto: "Party Exit")] (Leave the party.)</sapn></li>] (else-if: $partyEnergy < 1)[ <li>(link: "Go. You're beyond tired.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (goto: "Party Exit")] (Leave the party feeling like crap.)</sapn> </li>] </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "with the neighbors")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  Your floor neighbors are standing around the potluck tray. At least you think these are your neighbors, (link: "judging from their voices.")[judging from their voices.(show: ?hidden1)] [Mrs. Wong, as usual, is going on and on about some niece of hers, and the Perry girl has a fixed grin on her lips, while her eyes are looking for a way out. She catches your stare. No recognition. Most people who knew you as you were have already moved away. Since then, you’ve done your best to avoid the newcomers; it saves you from having to explain who you are or why you live the way you do.]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) Perhaps tonight, you can pretend to be someone else, perhaps a friend of the host, someone… normal. --- <ol> You… <li>(link: "Join their conversation.")[ (set: $partyEnergy to it -1) (set: $lockPartyA to true) (goto: "Party A1") ] (Commit.)</li> <li>(link: "Ignore them. They’ll leave soon.")[ (goto: "Party Main") ] (Go back to the party.)</li> </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "with the conspicuous academics")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  You are standing next to the ones you assume are Henri’s colleagues but can only stare at their shoes. Shiny leather and prim loafers. They are (link: "talking non-stop")[talking non-stop(show:?hidden1)], and the drinks only embolden them. [“Complex manifolds”, “gross topology”, “planar intersects”, “the blob” - they are all mouths, speaking the same tongues. ]<hidden1|(hide:?hidden1) You get (link: "the gist of it.")[the gist of it.(show:?hidden2)] [They are either already working in Henri’s team or will soon be subsumed under that subdepartment when Henri returns from his sabbatical.]<hidden2|(hide:?hidden2) (link: "Something huge is happening at the school.")[(show:?hidden3)] [The school has cleared out the art department from the basement to make space for a new machine - a computer. ]<hidden3|(hide:?hidden3) When you look up, you see self-satisfied smirks and hear some guffawing. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Stay, to spite them, to spite yourself.")[ (set: $partyEnergy to it -1) (set: $lockPartyB to true) (goto: "Party B1") ] (Commit.)</li> <li>(link: "Ignore them. You're not here to fight. You're not sure //why// you're here either.")[ (goto: "Party Main") ] (Go back to the party.)</li> </ol>

{=  Several - perhaps Henri’s age or younger - are coming out of the (link: "inner hallway.")[inner hallway(show:?hidden1)] [to replace their empty bottles with new ones and quickly returning. Laughter emanates from the backrooms, and so does the smell of weed.]<hidden1|(hide:?hidden1) They seem so (link: "youthful")[youthful(show: ?hidden2)], so full of energy, nothing like the uptight oldheads here in the living room, nothing like you.[ Everything looks nice on their lithe bodies - the little crop tops, the mussed up hair, the wooden accessories that dangle from their slender necks. You’ve spent your twenties telling yourself that you can look like that if you want to. That time is long past.]<hidden2|(hide:?hidden2) But, you have even less in common with the little cliques out here, who refuse to mingle with each other. If you’re to find some kindred soul, it’d be back there. Plus, you might find Henri. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Follow one of them out back.")[ (set: $partyEnergy to it -1) (set: $lockPartyC to true) (goto: "Party C1") ] (Commit.)</li> <li>(link: "Stay where you are.")[ (goto: "Party Main") ] (Go back to the party.)</li> </ol>

{=    (if: $partyEnergy > 0)[ (set: $place to "in common hallway")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "going home")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $partyEnergy is 3)[One drink is one too many.] (if: $partyEnergy is 2)[You've had a good buzz going. It’ll be gone tomorrow and never come back, if you can help it.] (if: $partyEnergy is 1)[You’re drunk. Tonight, you’ll lie down and lie to yourself that you’ve never broken your sobriety.] As you stumble out of the apartment and make your way back to your unit, you hear Henri calling after you. //“There you are, finally!”// He catches up to you, out of breath. His face is pink. But that smile of his hasn’t gone anywhere. //“Going already? I haven’t had a chance to speak to you at all!”// [<ul> <li>(link: "Where has he been all night?")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[You ask him where he has been all night. He seems confused. //“That’s strange… I was looking for you, too. Then I… I must have lost track of time while I was out back, showing my friends some records. Gosh, I feel awful about this. Let me walk you back home.”//]] <li>(link: "You haven’t seen him at all.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[You tell him that it’s because he’s been gone all evening. He seems confused. //“What do you mean? I was just right there in… Nevermind. My fault. I must have been caught up with all the guests. Gosh, I feel awful about this. Let me walk you back home.”//]] <li>(link: "He invited you to his party and left you hanging.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[You tell him that you’ve done fine without him. //“You did? That’s a relief,”// he says, but the smile quickly disappears. //“Oh… I messed up, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. I must have been caught up, and… That’s no excuse. Will you at least let me walk you back home?”//]] <ul>]<choices1| [ []<response1| You look at the hallway. Somewhere in the distance, a light is flickering. --- <ol> //"What do you say?"// <li>[[Some last-minute company wouldn’t hurt, as long as he doesn’t enter your door.->Party Exit 1]] <li>[[Tell him to go back to his friends. You've made enough mistakes.->Party Exit 2]] </ol> ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) ]  (if: $partyEnergy < 1)[ (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "lying in bed")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You hear the door closing. The ceiling fan is spinning. No, there’s no ceiling fan in your apartment. Still, whatever it is you’re looking at is spinning. You hear Jesse’s claws clicking against the floorboard in the dark. You’re at home. (link-reveal: "But how did you get here?") [ (link-reveal: "The last thing you did was passing out on Henri’s couch… ")[You were sure that you’d make it out that door before your eyes shuttered or before you hurled. The latter didn’t happen, thankfully. At least not to your knowledge.] (link-reveal: "And then, Henri appeared… ")[which jolted you awake. Where had he been all night, only to appear when you're unguarded? Still, you had the wherewithal to refuse his blanket (it was quilted, so you recall). You insisted that Jesse would miss you.] (link-reveal: "And he took you home… ")[You leaned against his shoulders and dragged your feet along the hallway. In your mind, you were playing up your drunkenness to spite his absence. But you really were that drunk. It was an old habit of yours to take a swig every time you felt nervous. There was a lot of that tonight.] (link-reveal: "Finally, he laid you down on your mattress… ")[(unless: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[Now you're among your ants. How much did he see? How much did he smell? You’d never have agreed to him being entering had you been able to drag yourself back home. ]He placed a water bottle next to you, too. He had just left. Your head is thumping. You want reach for the water bottle, but your limbs won't obey. So, you close your eyes.] --- (link: "The hangover will be brutal, but not as much as the regret.")[  (set: $partyDelayedReward to true) (if: $worldState <2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (set: $attConfidence's qt to 0) (set: $mind to it - $partyD) (dialog: [Your drunken courage has turned sour. All your <details><summary>''(print: $attConfidence's name)''</summary>(print: $attConfidence's desc)</details> ... is set to 0, and you lose all emotional benefits gained through drinking.], "Should've known better.") (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (You lose all of your ''confidence'' - and perhaps more, had Henri not taken you home safely. Move on with your life.(if: $mind <2)[ Or what little remains of it.]) ] ]

{=  (if: $partyD is 0)[A huge bowl of fruit punch - it is as much of a signpost for the idea of a “house party” as the music and the lighting. But other than this symbolic function, it’s not very popular. Still, it is a pleasant little corner. Everything here - including the fruit punch- fades into obscurity. And a little obscurity is what you need should you wish to muster your courage. Or, at least it’s the safest way to pass the time.] (if: $partyD is 1)[Perhaps Henri only made the fruit punch because people expect it to be there. Else, it’ll seem like something is missing. Half of the ice is melted, and the mix tastes like flavored water. You //can// drink something else, but then, you’re just taking up things other people actually enjoy, and you’re trying to take up as little space as possible. Perhaps another sip will give you what you need to go back out there again] (if: $partyD is 2)[Why //is// the fruit bowl here? What is it //doing// here? Decoration? If it is for decoration, it’s not very pretty. What a pointless thing. It shouldn’t be here at all. You’re several cups in. Too many, perhaps? You can always stop and actually go talk to someone. Isn’t that what you’ve come here for? You must have forgotten at some point between the apple slice and strawberry.] (if: $partyD is 3)[One thing that you can credit yourself is that during all of your shut-in years, you haven’t turned to alcohol. It’s expensive and hurts you; the stuff that’s not expensive will only hurt you more. Now, you don’t even have that privilege of self-congratulation. Now, you might finish the whole thing by yourself. Maybe that’s what you’ll do. Maybe that’s what you deserve.] (if: $partyEnergy <= 1)[ (It is currently very late, and you've drank plenty. Another drink, and it'll be your last... for tonight.)] --- <ol> <li>(link: "Sip from the bowl of liquid courage.")[ (set: $partyD to it + 1) (set: $partyEnergy to it -1) (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attConfidence's gain)</li> <li>(link: "Turn your attention back to the party.")[ (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $actionBack's desc)</li> </ol>

{=  You silently go up to the neighbors. Mrs. Wong notices you but continues talking anyway. She regales the group with tales about her niece, who is both talented (she was accepted to a prestigious institution) and a looker (according to her aunt) and single (is she hoping for Henri to overhear her?). The Perry girl grins and nods politely, hands twirling her cup. [ <ul> <li>(link: "To speak of one's accomplishments is to diminish another's - such is the invisible rule.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "Then again, worldly people can only know of worldly accomplishments.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "Therefore, you should keep your thoughts yourself. Mrs. Wong has no need for your opinion.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] </ul> ]<choices1| [ The group grows tired of the same old song. Slowly, the conversation shifts to the subject of other partygoers. The Perry girl says, with some hint of admiration, that Henri keeps such colorful company, which she doesn’t expect of the mathematics professor. Her husband pointedly reminds her that one can never know what others are up to. [ <ul> <li>(link: "He is right, more right than he knows.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)] <li>(link: "Can an ant know what a person is up to? Can an ant even know what other ants are bringing home?")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)] <li>(link: "The Perry girl used to be sweet on Henri. That was until her now-husband popped the question.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)] </ul> ]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Mrs. Wong immediately jumps at the opportunity to mention the shut-in woman on this floor. Now //that// is an example of someone who no-one knows what she’s up to. (One sniff by the door would snuff out anyone's curiosity). According to Mrs. Wong, the woman used to be a painter but has given up on the brush and is now living as though in hiding. She must have done something terrible, but that was before Mrs. Wong moved here. The Perry girl wonders aloud what could be the reason for someone to be in such a state. Her husband, again, says that it’s pointless to speculate. [ <ul> <li>(link: "Of course. Even //you// think that you're worse than animals sometimes.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] <li>(link: "But what's next? Will mothers tell children to avoid your door, else you might lure them in and eat them alive?")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] <li>(link: "No, if you must kill, you'll kill the loudmouth first. The children will be last.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] </ul> ]<choices3| ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Mrs. Wong guffaws, adding that it is fortunate that they will not have to find out tonight; kind, studious Henri would never associate with such types - layabouts - artists. --- <ol> You… (if: $storyHenri's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Say that Henri is not entirely apathetic to the shut-in painter.")[ (goto: "Party A2") ] (You know Henri well enough to say this.) </li>] (else:)[<li>~~Say that Henri is not entirely apathetic to the shut-in painter.~~ (Although you're invited, you and Henri are practically strangers.)</li>] (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Challenge the loudmouth: What makes her so sure that the artist in question isn’t here?")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Party A2") ](print: $attConfidence's use)</li>] (else:)[<li>~~Challenge the loudmouth.~~ (You're not feeling confident enough to butt in like this.)</li>] <li>(link: "Swallow your pride and leave them, quietly. You know this is how others see you.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main")] (print: $attEmbarrassed's gain)</li> </ol> ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{=  Down in the university basement, where the art department used to be, there are now racks on racks of electronics humming away. Apparently, they have to wear hearing protection like construction workers do, says the woman in pantsuit. The astrophysicists have been salivating at the new hardware, and so have the organic chemists. But there’s only one department - no, one subdepartment - that has the majority of the time-share. Henri’s. [<ul> <li>(link: "One has to wonder what kind of work has launched math - the middle child of the sciences - to such heights.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "Fields, disciplines, and departments concern a building’s layout and budgeting plans, not the universe itself.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "Soon, they will run out of art to burn, and the engineers and scientists will turn on each other. Who’s next in the tabernacle? Ecologists? Zoologists? Food scientists?")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] </ul>]<choices1| [ //“What we’re doing here is important work, world-changing even,”// a man in tweed explains to you slowly, in simple diction. //“So you’ll have to understand why it was necessary that your art profs be moved to the leased diner a few blocks over.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "He seems to think that you’re a student, one who is partial to the arts.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)] <li>(link: "He appeals for you to understand and yet, he does not think you can.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)] <li>(link: "He pretends to take the blame in order to take credit. Likely, it wasn’t his decision. Most people don’t get to make decisions. This man is only a beneficiary of the times.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“To you, it might seem like an absurd situation,”// the woman in pantsuit sighs and shakes her head. //“But maybe, the initial absurdity is that there is an art department at all in a polytechnic school.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "Art and science are childhood friends, destined to be rid of each other when it is time to grow up.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] <li>(link: "But in their full maturity, the two will look back and see that they have never been so far away.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] <li>(link: "And in the end, they will come together and watch the Sun set on humanity.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] </ul>]<choices3| ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“Wasn’t it Plato who said that art is only a pale imitation of reality? At best, it is a form of therapy, so says Aristotle, but there are therapists for that,”// the man in tweed says, and the others chuckle. //“Plus, you should see what the comp-sci guys are whipping up in the basement. It’s better than what most so-called artists these days can draw.”// --- <ol> You... (if: $storyHenri's qt >1)[ <li>(link: "Recall that accomplished scientists do not have such a dim view of art.")[ (goto: "Party B2") ] (You can think of at least one such person, and you know him well enough to assert this.) ] (else:)[ <li>~~Recall that accomplished scientists do not have such a dim view of art.~~ (You can think of at least one such person. But these are his colleagues; they know him better than you do.) ] (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Explain - passionately, even ineloquently - that there’s more to it than just pretty pictures.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Party B2") ](print: $attConfidence's use) ] (else:)[ <li>~~Explain that they're wrongheaded.~~ (You're not feeling confident enough to interject.) ] <li>(link: "Politely disagree. Preferably silently, to your own self, as you walk away.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main")] (print: $attRestlessness's gain)</li> </ol> ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place]  You follow a (link-reveal: "tall, raven-haired girl")[ - an undergrad, at most, because no-one older would wear a silver-sequin tube top -] into the back of the apartment… much further than you think possible. [<ul> <li>(link: "His unit should be identical to yours, but yours do not have hallways this long. Or this dark.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "In fact, the building - if you remember correctly - is only about seventy-steps across from the outside. But you keep walking. One hundred. One hundred and one. The drink is messing up your count.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "Why hasn’t the girl turned her back and acknowledged you yet? Does she know you’re following her?")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] </ul>]<choices1| [ You squeeze past a few partygoers. Doorless walls pass you by, lit only with a very long string of fairy light, which sometimes flicker. It reminds you of a place you’ve been to before, down in Mexico City, back when you had a wilder heart. The girl and you arrive at a red door. You can’t tell whether it is painted that color, or perhaps it is only the harsh neon tube. Your eyes are burning dry. There is no-one else back here but you two. //“The Sun must set some time, friend,”// the girl turns back to you and speaks. [<ul> <li>(link: "But the night is young, even if you’re not.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response1)[You play along. But the girl curls her lips at you. A smile? Or pity?]] <li>(link: "Friend? Have she met you before? Have you ever...")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response1)[You ask if she knows you. The girl chuckles and shakes her head.]] <li>(link: "Is Henri back here?")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response1)[You ask if Henri is here. The girl shrugs. Of course.]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ []<response1| She raises her cup to you, and you clink it, as much as plastic can clink. You notice the way her throat undulates as she gulps. There is a gold pendant the shape of a hand - with the forearm still attached. //“So tell me, what is it like, the Sun?”// [<ul> <li>(link: "G-type main sequence star, 4.6 billion years old, 149,600,000 kilometers from Earth, about 73% hydrogen, burning at 5,600 Celsius or 10,000 Fahrenheit on its surface.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response2)[You tell her some harmless facts about the star at the center of the Solar System, which you’ve memorized for such an occasion. She only laughs.]] <li>(link: "It screams so loudly.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response2)[You tell her what you’ve heard in Egypt. She seems unimpressed, acting like she has heard it before.]] <li>(link: "I love it.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response2)[You tell her that you love the Sun - an incomplete truth. //“I do, too,”// she giggles.]] </ul>]<choices3| ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ []<response2| The red door opens. A bearded man steps out, still wiping his wet hands on his jeans. He nods at you and the dark-haired girl as he follows the fairy light back towards the music. //“Anyways, I need to use this room,”// the brunette says. //“If you don’t want to wait, you’re welcome to join me, friend.”// --- <ol> (if: $storyHenri's qt >2)[ <li>(link: "This is not your house, but a friend’s. He must expect you to feel comfortable. You join her.")[ (goto: "Party C2") ] (You feel like you have Henri's tacit approval, given in lieu of knowledge.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Henri will want you to be comfortable. You join her.~~ (There's a limit to neighborly hospitality.)] (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Your heart is still wild, only slumbering. You join her.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Party C2") ](print: $attConfidence's use) ] (else:)[<li>~~Your heart is still wild, only slumbering. You join her.~~ (What are you thinking? You're not nearly confident enough to do that.)] <li>(link: "There’s been a mistake. You’re not… No, you say you’ll wait until it’s your turn. And when she has closed the door, you’ll leave.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ] (You'll be ''embarrassed'' and ''stressed'', hurt twice over.) </ol> ]<hidden3|(hide:?hidden3)

{= Somehow, you’ve found the courage to put a word in: As far as you know, the host is not entirely a number’s man; he is at least partial to a little bit of art. A little bit of ambiguity. Plus, he has talked about inviting the so-called //”resident artist”// - you are sure of it. Mrs. Wong glares at you, about to tell you… [<ul> <li>(link: "… that you must be mistaken.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "… that you would know that what you're saying is impossible if //you// had met the freakish painter in question.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] <li>(link: "… to mind your own business, ironically enough.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)] </ul>]<choices1| [ But the Perry girl interrupts. She says that it is good to finally have a chance to finally meet this mysterious neighbor of theirs, if she happens to be in their midst. Moreover, she is quite surprised to discover Henri’s artistic side, and that you seem to know a thing or two about it. [<ul> <li>(link: "Yes, one’s heart is often a secret to many.")[(set: _response2 to "One may never know fully another's heart.")(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[_response2]] <li>(link: "Some things are so secret, one would not know that it was there if it were presented in its full brilliance.")[(set: _response2 to "Not all secrets are so because they're hidden, but because they're baffling. You don't fully understand why Henri has an interest in what you do either.")(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[_response2]] <li>(link: "Barring theoretical physicists, pure mathematicians are often the most romantic sorts to be found in polytechnic universities. The least are biologists.")[(set: _response2 to "Yes, there is beauty in numbers and order. They are never as absolute as they seem.")(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[_response2]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ []<response2| Her husband, however, seems exasperated with this talk - Henri this, Henri that, since when did it matter? His wife becomes defensive. The party is in the host’s honor, is it not? Mrs. Wong - not missing her cue for theatrics - sighs audibly and calls for all parties to calm down. The world has been chaotic enough these days. [<ul> <li>(link: "What with Arizona wanting to join Texas.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] <li>(link: "And the string of disappearances plaguing the Union.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] <li>(link: "And the presence of those catatonic //\"empty persons\"// in the streets. A hitherto unknown drug epidemic?")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)] </ul>]<choices3| ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ She tells the other guests to cherish what they have - the world might be ending, for all that they know. From the look of it, what they have now are cups of lukewarm beer and each other. The other neighbors chuckle uneasily, but they raise their drinks all the same. --- <ol> And what about you? What do you have? <li>(link: "Jesse - she's all you can bear to think about. She is a more loyal and enjoyable companion than any human, empty or otherwise.")[ (print: $attJesse01's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attJesse01's gain) (if: $storyArt's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Your work. Your Sun. Everyday, you come a little closer.")[ (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attProgress's gain) ] (else:)[ <li>~~You have your work.~~ (You haven't seriously made any progress in years.) ] (if: $storyHenri's qt > 2)[ <li>(link: "You have someone - the first in a long time - who puts up with you.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attConfidence's gain) ] (else:)[ <li>~~You have someone.~~ (No, you don't.) ] </ol> ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= Their eyes are fixed on you, partly out of amusement, partly out of annoyance. Still, you’re surprised that they’ve given your tirade the time at all. You can't stop talking. //“What then, is the value of art?”// The pantsuit woman finally interrupts you. [ <ul> <li>(link: "Art is an exercise in morality - even an alternative morality.")[(set: _response1 to "You say something about art as a honer of our moral reasoning, even if art itself is not a guide for judgment.")(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[_response1]] <li>(link: "Art wakes consciousness from slumber.")[(set: _response1 to "You say something about art as a beacon for consciousness to find its way in the dark.")(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[_response1]] <li>(link: "It is altogether wrongheaded to give art a purpose. Art //is// the purpose.")[(set: _response1 to "You refuse giving art a purpose. The good and beautiful needs no justification.")(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[_response1]] </ul>]<choices1| [ []<response1| //“I see,”// she says, turning to her colleague with a smirk. //“And are you making art?”// Asks the man in tweed. //“Do you feel this great purpose everyday?”// [<ul> <li>(link: "If it wasn’t for art, you would still be rotting in your apartment.")[(set: _response2 to "You mumble something like a \"yes\" to their lack of surprise.")(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[_response2]] <li>(link: "But art //is// the reason you’ve been rotting in your apartment. There’s no reason to do that if it weren’t for a sense of purpose. Right?")[(set: _response2 to "You belt out a firm affirmative. The other guests are glancing at you and the academics.")(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[_response2]] <li>(link: "You’re not sure if you’ve been making art. You can only know when it’s done.")[(set: _response2 to "You tell them that your point stands, regardless of who you are or what you've done. As academics, they must know this.")(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[_response2]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide:?hidden1) [ []<response2| //“Let’s be reasonable here,”// says the pantsuit woman. //“It’s a matter of space. Some need it more than others. People have been painting in caves, after all. They still can. Artists will be fine.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "So the small will have to crawl and give way to the great.")[(set: _response3 to "Small... pathetic... the words echo in your mind, but for whom?")(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response3)[_response3]] <li>(link: "So the ignorant will never comprehend how utterly pointless they are.")[(set: _response3 to "Ignorant... the word echoes in your mind, but for whom?")(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response3)[_response3]] <li>(link: "So the narcissistic will only know their nook in the world.")[(set: _response3 to "One can only know one's station... yes, and this applies to you as well.")(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response3)[_response3]] </ul>]<choices3| ]<hidden2|(hide:?hidden2) [ []<response3| And so quietly, without alarm, all will perish under the inexorable movement of forces outside their perception, outside their understanding. You sip your drink, having said all you could, not knowing any better of the academics, nor they of you. --- <ol> What have you got out of this? <li>(link: "That you can only tend to your garden. And you’ve been tending it.")[ (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attProgress's gain) (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "That you should have no shame, because the worst that could happen is a blank stare.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attEmbarrassed's use) ] (else:)[<li>~~That you should have no shame, because the worst that could happen is a blank stare.~~ (You're not even ashamed to begin with.)] (if: $storyHenri's qt > 2)[ <li>(link: "That whoever cares about you, cares. And those who don’t are not worth your care.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attConfidence's gain) ] (else:)[ <li>~~That whoever cares about you, cares. And those who don’t are not worth your care.~~ (But you don't have anyone like that.) ] ]<hidden3|(hide:?hidden3)

{= It is red outside. It is red inside. It is red, warm, and slippery. Utterly so. You’re hesitant, but the first steps are already past you. Twin stars swirl atop your head, stars blacker than any night - your Sun and Her sister. //“Did you know that, once upon a time, it’d have been me instead of you?”// [<ul> <li>(link: "You’re confused.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[You tell her that she must be mistaken. (link-reveal: "It’s not like that. ")[In Henri's place, it was supposed to be her, and in your place, it was supposed to be Henri, and you… you were gone.] The brunette shrugs. It doesn’t matter anymore. ]] <li>(link: "If not you, then it’d have been her.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[You told her that the reverse is equally likely. She nods. //“Yes, but it’s your turn now.”//]] <li>(link: "Her? It’s not possible.")[(show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[You shake your head, and she keeps on nodding. //“Don’t be so unkind, friend. I also wonder why you’re chosen and not I.”//]] </ul>]<choices1| [ []<response1| Her name is Julia. She tells you not to bother remembering. She promises that you’ll only ever meet her here, and nowhere else. Her crimson face is like a lovingly sculpted mask made of candle wax. //“Don’t worry. There’s no ill will,”// she whispers. //“Well, maybe a little bit. Henri’s so timid. I can play the part better.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "Is she… jealous?")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[You sense her jealousy. And you’re suddenly overtaken with envy. Envy over how freely she expresses such ugly thoughts. You’d never have the gall to do that. You’re timid, too.]] <li>(link: "She’s only a pretty face from the past, come to fulfill one last wish.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[You tell her what she is - a fulfillment. //“Strange, isn’t it? You’d think he’d wish for something more. Well, I won’t say you’re better for him. At least you’re interesting. Odd, but interesting.”//]] <li>(link: "You’re better. You know you’re better.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[You tell her that there’s a reason for everything. //“Perhaps. There’s also a reason for why I was first pick.”//]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide:?hidden1) [ []<response2| Julia pushes you down. You’re deep in it now. Taking in lungfuls, drowning in that red glow. You open your eyes and see nothing, so you close them again and let yourself be taken. But, Julia yanks your hair, pulling you back up. If she hadn't done that, you’d have floated away completely. The Sun - past the bleary membrane of the sick firmament - is a pit, and in that pit lies a comfort far greater than any lover’s embrace. Now, she holding your face up to hers. //“Tell me. What is it like?”// [<ul> <li>(link: "Does she not know?")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response3)[Why does she pretend? Does she not know? Did she labor in ignorance? Are you? Did she not achieve what she wanted? Will you? She sees your confusion, and tears well up in her eyes. And in those eyes, there is only twilight.]] <li>(link: "It’s wonderful.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response3)[You tell her of the things you see, the things you hear at night, the way you’d wake up drenched and panting, if you had slept at all. You speak and speak, but the words escape you. Like a frayed rope undone. Tears well up in her eyes. And in those eyes, there is only twilight.]] <li>(link: "It’s dreadful.")[(show: ?hidden3)(hide: ?choices3)(replace: ?response3)[You stare at her in silence, stare past her pale face and towards the star behind which she eclipses. Your lips might quiver, but no word will come. She hears you all the same, for tears have welled up in her eyes. And in those eyes, there is only twilight.]] </ul>]<choices3| ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ []<response3| You can feel her breath on you, short and desperate sobs. You place a hand on her cheek. She’s freezing. If only she could see. Maybe in another life, you might- There is a knock on the door. //“Give me a minute, asshole!”// Julia yells. The spell is broken. You wash your hands in the sink. She wipes. //“Go. I’ll stay out of your way for now. Do invite me to the wedding, though, mmkay?”// --- <ol> You’re out in the hallway again. Alone. What was that? <li>(link: "A vision - it was beautiful and inscrutable.")[ (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attInspiration's gain) <li>(link: "A sign - that you’re going in the right direction.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: "Party Main") ](print: $attConfidence's gain) <li>(link: "A reminder - that you're //meant// to be.")[ (set: $mind to it + 2) (dialog: [Reminded of the end, your mind is significantly vitalized.]) (goto: "Party Main") ] (Significantly heal your mind.) <ol> ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{=  (set: $activity to "talking to Henri")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] //“Did you have a nice time at least?”// You make a noncommittal sound as you lean against the hallway balcony. The night breeze is chilly. Down there, several stories below, outbounding partygoers stumble onto the pavement. They laugh and speak too loudly. They look like ants from up here. //“Tell me about it.”// (if: $partyD > 0 and $lockPartyA is false and $lockPartyB is false and $lockPartyC is false)[(link-reveal: " You’ve only drunk his fruit punch and left. ")[ There’s no shame in it, right? That was how you passed the time at so many events, showings, fundraisers, back when you still went to those kinds of things. But at least back then, you had someone.]] (else:)[ (if: $partyD > 0)[(link-reveal: " You complement his fruit punch.")[ This is, of course, a lie. Fruit punch can neither be good nor bad. It can only get you buzzed or not. //“Thanks, I try.”//]] (if: $lockPartyA is true)[(link-reveal: " You talked to the neighbors.")[ You relay some select details, nothing about how they spoke of you. Regardless, you can’t hide your annoyance. //“Yes, Mrs. Wong can be an earful. But it's good this way... for her. It’s only been, what, two years since her husband… Ah, I shouldn’t. Anyway, she has few consolations these days.”// Pity - he is never short of that.]] (if: $lockPartyB is true)[(link-reveal: " You met Henri’s work buddies.")[ What’s there to say? Thinking about them saps the energy from you. //“Yeah, you wouldn’t think that eggheads like us would drink so much and talk crap so often. They’re fun.”// It’s hard for you to believe that Henri is the same breed as them.]] (if: $lockPartyC is true)[(link-reveal: " You met a girl… tall, dark hair. Pretty.")[ Henri stares at you blankly. No matter how many more details you supply, he only rubs his chin and twists his face. He rubs and rubs but no spark comes out of it. //“It’s been a whirl. Must have been a friend’s friend. Was she interesting?”// You shake your head. If he’s pretending, he’s good at it. They’re all so good at it.]] ] (link-reveal: "And that’s it.")[ You're glad that it's over. You can imagine that there are those who perversely go to parties only to feel the joy of leaving. //“Anyways, I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner.”// You brush it off. The two of you reach your door. (if: $storyHenri's qt is 3)[ //“I’d like to spend more time with you though. Before I have to return next year, I’ve got all the time in the world. If you’re bored out of your mind, just knock. And maybe, if it's not too much of a secret... you'll let me watch you work? I've always been curious.”// (unless: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[Your apartment is not guest-friendly; it is currently occupied by a thousand hostile denizens. ] ] (else:)[//"Well, this is goodbye. (if: $storyHenri's qt >0)[I'll make it up for today. If you need anything, just let me know, alright?](else:)[Thanks again. And rest up. I'll drop by sometimes.]"// ] You stare at him. He’s smiling again. You need to get away, quick! --- (link: "Sure. Goodbye, Henri.")[  (if: $worldState <2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (if: $storyHenri's qt is 4)[(dialog: [You can now visit Henri socially.], "OK.")(set: $lockHenriVisit to false)] (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] ((if: $mind <2)[You gain some ''goodwill'' with Henri. Move on with your life, or what little remains of it.](else:)[Good job for surviving the party. You gain some ''goodwill'' with Henri. Move on with your life.]) ]

{=  (set: $time to "Evening")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "going to bed")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "You close your door behind you.")[ That’s enough people for today. (link-reveal: "Enough for a lifetime.")[ Before you left, Henri told you that he’ll come to visit tomorrow to make up for his absence today. You’ve had enough of him, too. When you slide into your blanket, you realize that you don’t feel so upset anymore. In fact, you don’t feel anything. Only a gray wave lapping, washing all that is you far from shore. (link-reveal: "A familiar feeling.")[ (if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[Jesse climbs on top of your blanket and curls between your legs. She, too, is familiar. If you’re lost at sea, at least (link: "you’ll always have her.")[(show: ?hidden1)]] (else:)[Jesse meows a greeting at you from atop her hiding place. She, too, is familiar. You want to climb atop the wardrobe and hide from the ants with her. At least (link: "you’ll always have her.")[(show: ?hidden1)]] [The waves break against obsidian, shattering into a million pieces of rubies, each refracting an image of the Sun. The canvas stares at you from the dark. Will you be but one refraction? --- (link: "Only tomorrow can tell.")[  (if: $worldState <2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (set: $partyDelayedReward to true) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] ((if: $mind <2)[Move on with your life, or what little remains of it.](else:)[Good job for surviving the party. Move on with your life.]) ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) ]]]

{= (if: $worldState < 2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Morning") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $partyEnergy < 2 and $eventParty's timer is -1)[(goto: "Hungover")]  (if: $lockDreamEStage2 is true and $shakenDreamE > 0)[(goto: "Dream E Morning")]  (if: $eventShow's timer is 1 and $lockGalaA is false)[(goto: "Gala A")]  (else-if: $eventParty's timer > 0 or $eventEmail's progress < 5)[(goto: "Morning 1")]   (if: $storyHenri's qt > 1 and $eventParty's timer < -3 and $lockHenriF is false and $waitMorning2 is 2)[(goto: "Henri F")]  (else-if: $storyHenri's qt > 1 and $eventParty's timer < -5 and $lockHenriF is true and $lockPoliceA is true and $lockHenriG is false and $waitMorning2 is 4)[(goto: "Henri G")] The morning air is pregnant with anticipation.  (display: "Mood")  (set: _status to (random: 1,3)) (if: _status is 1)[Presently, an orange fog veils the streets. Its scent is sickly sweet.] (if: _status is 2)[The days are beginning to grow hot, and your fans are running without break. Is it summer already?] (if: _status is 3)[There is a strange music that haunts your mind, and like a yearnful antenna, you hum along to this errant tune.]  (if: $eventShow's wait1 <= 0 and $eventShow's know is false)[Your patience for the Darkbloom people is running thin. Maybe you should send them a reminder, or two, or several. ] (else-if: $eventShow's wait1 > 0 and $eventShow's know is false)[You’re currently waiting for the Darkbloom Foundation’s final reply. ]  (if: $eventShow's timer > 1)[ (if: $eventShow's know is true)[(print: $eventShow's desc) (if: $storyArt's qt is 1)[Your painting is not yet ready, and neither are you.] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 2)[In the corner of your room is a splendor so great that it makes you quiver, so you must avert your gaze and drape a table linen over the canvas. It is ready.] ] ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 1)[The Greeting Gala is ''tomorrow''. You should (link: "start traveling")[(goto: "Gala A")] today if you want to make it. ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 0)[The Greeting Gala is happening ''tonight''. If you start (link: "traveling now")[(goto: "Gala A")], you will miss the main events, but you might still catch a few Darkbloom members the next morning. ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer < 0)[The Greeting Gala is over. ]   (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1)[The apartment is still filthy, and the ants harry your peace. They will not stop until you’re done cleaning. ] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[For all the stresses of life, at least you’re living in a clean and antless place. Relatively. ] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 3)[The ants - they’ve come back! Jesse is hurt, badly. No more. You need to do something drastic and swift. ] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[The ants are gone, and so is Jesse. ] --- <ol> (if: $mind>1)[You:  (if: $eventShow's timer is 1 or it is 0)[ <li>(link: "Consider leaving for the Greeting Gala.")[ (goto: "Gala A") ] (You're thinking about it...) Or...]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[<li>(link: "Approach the ant-infested piles of trash around the apartment.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> ] (else:)[<li>(link: "Inspect the apartment's cleanliness. It's still cluttered, but the ants are largely gone.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> ]  (if: $eventShow's wait1 <= 0 and $lockDarkbloomA is false)[ <li>(link: "Check your laptop. Perhaps the Darkbloom Foundation has made its final decision?")[(goto: "Darkbloom A")] (print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else-if: $lockDarkbloomA is true)[ <li>(link: "Re-read the Darkbloom email, where you'll find instructions for the upcoming show.")[(goto: "Darkbloom A1")] (print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else:)[<li>[[Your laptop: You're waiting for the Darkbloom Foundation's final verdict.->Laptop A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)]  (if: $eventShow's know is true)[ <li>(link: "Approach your painting, even if the Sun is still out. Perhaps you could practice?")[ (goto: "Painting 0") ](print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else:)[<li>[[Go to your unfinished painting. Even if it's still bright outside.->Storylet X1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1)[ <li>[[Look for Jesse. Maybe she still likes to play, after everything.->Jesse C1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[ <li>[[Play with Jesse. The ants are all gone!->Jesse C2]] (print: $actionObs's desc)] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ <li>[[Check up on Jesse. She is not doing alright.->Jesse C3]] (print: $actionObs's desc)] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[ <li>[[Play with...->Jesse C4]] (print: $actionObs's desc)]  (if: $storyHenri's qt > 3)[ Then, there's Henri... <li>(link: "Consider paying Henri a visit.")[ (goto: "Henri E") ] (Just thinking about it won't cost you anything yet.)] Or...] (else:) [You're currently too unwell to do anything else but stay in bed.]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ <li>(link: "You want to lay down, but it will mean subjecting your flesh and mind to the six-legged menace.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionDamage's desc)</li> ]  (else:)[ <li>(link: "Go back to sleep. You're feeling overwhelmed.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> ] </ol>

{= (if: $worldState < 2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Midday") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "busying yourself with odds and ends") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (set: $busyHenriF to false) (set: $busyHenriG to false)  (if: $partyDelayedReward is true and $lockHenriD is false)[(set: $skipMidday2 to true)(goto: "Henri D")]  (else-if: $shakenHenriG is true and $lockAmyA is false)[(goto: "Amy A") ]  (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 1 or it is 0)[(goto: "Gala Reminder") ]  (else-if: $skipMidday2 is true)[(set: $skipMidday2 to false)(show: ?default)]   (else-if: $eventParty's timer < -2 and $lockPoliceA is false)[(set: $skipMidday2 to true)(goto: "Police A")]  (else-if: $eventShow's wait1 <= -1 and $lockDarkbloomA is false and $lockDarkbloomA2 is false)[(goto: "Darkbloom A2")]  (else-if: $eventEmail's know is true and $lockDarkbloomB is false)[(goto: "Darkbloom B")]  (else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 2 and $lockJesseD is false)[(set: $skipMidday2 to true)(goto: "Jesse D")]  (if: $eventParty's timer > -1 or $eventEmail's progress < 5)[(goto: "Midday 1")]   (set: _text to (random: 1,5)) (if: _text is 1)[You can hear it - not footsteps, not the rumbling of tires on asphalt, not even the chirping of birds - only silence. An suffocating silence has fallen on the world outside. What is this fog? What is this air? You feel your heart choke and your spine twist. --- (link: "The world holds its breath. Something is about to happen.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)  ] (if: _text is 2)[Sirens wail in the streets. You step out momentarily to the balcony to watch the commotion. Red and blue flash in the thick fog. Men are shouting. You see below, several police cars are surrounding a tall figure, whose arms are stretched high into the air. Surrender? No. A pose, like a hand signal for airplanes, like a dead tree. An officer yells. Tasers pop and crackle. The person still does not move. --- (link: "A reminder to tend to your own garden.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)  ] (if: _text is 3)[Where the ants have bitten you, where the flesh has inflamed and now deflated, the skin is loose. You pick at it, and it peels, seeming to not stop until… you stop. There is a wet flap hanging down one of your elbows. You trim it with a pair of scissors, slap on a bandage, and get back to work. There is still much left to be done. --- (link: "Your prison comes undone.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)  ] (if: _text is 4)[As you’re drying yourself after a shower, you hear someone whispering your name. Searching for the source of the sound, you press your ear to the front door. Nothing. You open the door. No-one. Outside, there is a fog so thick that you can barely make out the other side of the streets. And hanging in the undifferentiated sky is a pale ball of light. If only you could peel the water from the very air, so that you can better hear the Sun. --- (link: "You hum along and get back inside.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)  ] (if: _text is 5)[You’ve been diligently putting away the boxes of Chinese in fear of the ants coming back. How strange, you think to yourself, that such small creatures could terrorize you so. The ants - they cannot hope to understand something as large, as old, and as heavy with thoughts as you. Their greatest fortune is that they skitter unseen within the floorboards. Do they grow dissatisfied with darkness? Do they yearn to escape their confines? --- (link: "Let them come, and they will only find you.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)  ]

{= (if: $worldState < 2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Evening") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "being idle") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $eventParty's timer > 0 or $eventEmail's progress < 5)[(goto: "Evening 1")]   The Sun has set. (set: _sun to (random: 1,5)) (if: _sun is 1)[Absence makes the heart yearn, and neglect makes it ache. You ought to work.] (if: _sun is 2)[Somewhere halfway around the globe, a child sees true splendor for the first time. Here, you chase after that initial memory.] (if: _sun is 3)[You know your Sun hasn’t gone anywhere. She is always here with you in the dark. ] (if: _sun is 4)[In the evening's dim, you dwell.] (if: _sun is 5)[Outside, the fog is thickening into milk. You drink a droplet and forget to eat. You keep yourself busy.] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1)[ Among the trash and ants.] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[ Jesse keeps you in good company.] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ But how much can you bear it, when the returning ants yet accost you and Jesse?] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[ Out of habit, you keep call out for Jesse, but she is not there.]  (if: $eventShow's wait1 <= 0 and $eventShow's know is false)[You wonder if the Darkbloom people have sent you anything during the day. Maybe you should check. ] (else-if: $eventShow's wait1 > 0 and $eventShow's know is false)[You’re anxiously awaiting the Darkbloom people’s judgment. ] (else-if: $eventShow's know is true and $eventShow's timer > 1)[ (print: $eventShow's desc) (if: $storyArt's qt is 1)[Your painting - it is nothing but potential. Its light is not yet apparent to eyes that are not yours. You will need to work at it, whenever you can, if you are to be ready for the gala. ] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 2)[In the corner of your room is a splendor so great that it makes you quiver, so you must avert your gaze and drape a table linen over it. It is ready. ] ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 1)[The Greeting Gala is ''tomorrow''. You should (link: "start traveling")[(goto: "Gala A")] today if you want to make it. ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 0)[The Greeting Gala is happening ''tonight''. If you start (link: "traveling now")[(goto: "Gala A")], you will miss the main events, but you might still catch a few Darkbloom members next morning. ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer < 0)[The Greeting Gala is over. ]   (if: $mind > 1 and $storyHenri's qt > 3 and $eventShow's timer > 1)[ (if: $storyArt's qt is 1)[Then again, if you’re feeling stuck and need someone to talk to, there’s always Henri.] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 2)[At the gala, you will be asked to talk to others. So many of them. So much talking. Better practice while you can.] ] (else-if: $mind > 1 and $storyHenri's qt > 3 and $eventShow's timer < 1)[Henri in his apartment if you need anything. ] --- <ol> (if: $mind > 1)[ You...  (if: $eventShow's timer is 1 or it is 0)[ <li>(link: "Consider leaving for the Greeting Gala.")[ (goto: "Gala A") ] (You're thinking about it...) Or...]  (if: $eventShow's know is true)[ <li>(link: "Approach your painting. The day is ending, and there is only so much time before the gala.")[ (goto: "Painting 0") ](print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else:)[<li>[[Go to your unfinished painting. The day's ending, and you've no more excuses.->Storylet X1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1)[ <li>[[Make sure if Jesse's sleep is ant-free.->Jesse C1]] (print: $actionObs's desc)] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[ <li>[[Observe a sleeping Jesse.->Jesse C2]] (print: $actionObs's desc)] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ <li>[[Check up on Jesse. She is not doing alright.->Jesse C3]] (print: $actionObs's desc)] (if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[ <li>[[Play with...->Jesse C4]] (print: $actionObs's desc)]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[<li>(link: "Approach the ant-infested piles of trash around the apartment.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> ] (else:)[<li>(link: "Inspect the apartment's cleanliness. It's still cluttered, but the ants are largely gone.")[(goto: "Ant B")] (print: $actionObs's desc)</li> ]  (if: $eventShow's wait1 <= 0 and $lockDarkbloomA is false)[ <li>(link: "Check your laptop. Perhaps the Darkbloom Foundation has made its final decision?")[(goto: "Darkbloom A")] (print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else-if: $lockDarkbloomA is true)[ <li>(link: "Re-read the Darkbloom email, where you'll find instructions for the upcoming show.")[(goto: "Darkbloom A1")] (print: $actionObs's desc) ] (else:)[<li>[[Your laptop: You're waiting for the Darkbloom Foundation's final verdict.->Laptop A]] (print: $actionObs's desc)]  (if: $storyHenri's qt > 3)[ Then, there's Henri... <li>(link: "Consider paying Henri a visit.")[ (goto: "Henri E") ] (Just thinking about it won't cost you anything yet.)] Or...] (else:) [You're currently too unwell to do anything else but stay in bed.]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ <li>(link: "You want to lay down, but it will mean subjecting your flesh and mind to the six-legged menace.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionDamage's desc)</li> ]  (else:)[ <li>(link: "Go back to sleep. You're feeling overwhelmed.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> ] </ol>

{= (if: $worldState < 2)[(set: $worldState to 2)] (set: $daily to (passage:)) (set: $time to "Dream") (set: $place to "at home") (set: $activity to "a fitful sleep") (replace: ?time)[$time] (replace: ?place)[$place] (replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $eventParty's timer > 0 or $eventEmail's progress < 5) [(goto: "Dream 1")]  (if: $shakenHenriG is true and $lockDreamAmy1 is false)[(goto: "Dream Amy 1")]  (if: $lockDreamEStage2 is false)[(if: $mind > 7 and $attConfidence's qt > 0 or $mind > 7 and $attInspiration's qt > 0 or $mind > 7 and $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0 or $mind > 7 and $attRestlessness's qt > 0 or $mind > 7 and $attJesse01's qt > 0 or $mind > 7 and $attProgress's qt > 0 )[(set: $lockDreamEStage2 to true)(goto: "Dream E")]]  [(goto: "Dream 1")] --- <ol> <li>(link: "Move on.")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "post-party visit")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriD to true) Noon beats down heavily. (if: $partyEnergy < 2)[Your temples still throb, though recovery is on its way. ] (link: "...")[You’ve been telling yourself that you could have spent last night painting, cleaning, (if: $eventEmail's know is true)[preparing your application for the Darkbloom people… ](else:)[looking for work… ]anything but drinking. As you’re brushing last night’s gunk from your tongue, there comes a (link: "knocking on the door.")[(show: ?hidden1)] ] [//“Hi. It’s me again. Are you in?”// You gargle and spit. Doesn’t he need to sleep in? Doesn’t he need to clean up? Doesn’t he have anything better to do than to keep his word to you? //“We didn't have a chance to talk much last night.”// (link: "...")[(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ --- <ol> (if: $mind >0)[<li>(link: "Receive him. You don’t want to seem ungrateful.")[ (goto: "Henri D1") ] (print: $actionCommit's desc) ] (else:)[<li>~~Receive him.~~ (You're not mentally put-together enough to talk to anyone right now.)] <li>(link: "Ignore him. You’ve done that for years. Why stop now?.")[ (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionOnward's desc) </ol> ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $activity to "considering visiting Henri")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  Henri has turned out to be quite dependable, but you shouldn’t be surprised. What’s more surprising is how much you’ve (link: "put up with him.")[put aside your ways and let him in. He has a role in this, you're now sure.] You’re even thinking about paying him a visit. He’s only down the hall. But what for? Not an excuse - he needs none from you - but a purpose. Else, you still have much to do… don’t you? --- <ol> (if: $busyHenriF is false and $busyHenriG is false and $busyHenriH2 is false)[ You visit him because you want to… (if: $lockHenriVisit is false and $eventParty's timer < -1)[ <li>(link: "Wind down and talk about him. Not thinking about yourself for once can be a balm.")[ (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (if: $HenriE1 is < 3)[(set: $HenriE1 to it +1)] (else:)[(set: $HenriE1 to 3)] (goto: "Henri E1") ] (This will ''heal'' your mind. Commit.) (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Talk to him about art. He has expressed interest before. It might prove… inspiring.")[ (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (if: $HenriE2 is < 3)[(set: $HenriE2 to it +1)] (else:)[(set: $HenriE2 to 3)] (goto: "Henri E2") ] (Learn from each other and gain ''inspiration''. Commit.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Talk to him about art. It might prove... inspiring.~~ (No, you're feeling too ''ashamed'' to bring up art.)]  <li>(link: "Discuss something that’s been bothering you. Something... shameful.")[ (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (if: $HenriE3 is < 3)[(set: $HenriE3 to it + 1)] (else:)[(set: $HenriE3 to 3)] (goto: "Henri E3") ] (Discuss feelings of ''shame'' - gain or expend it. Commit.)  (if: $storyArt's qt is 2 and $storyAnts's qt is not 1 and it is not 3 and $attEmbarrassed's qt <1)[ <li>(link: "Invite him over to see your painting.")[ (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (if: $HenriE4 is < 3)[(set: $HenriE4 to it + 1)] (else:)[(set: $HenriE4 to 3)] (goto: "Henri E4") ] (A grand show of trust. Commit.) ] (else-if: $storyAnts's qt < 2 or $storyAnts's qt is 3)[ <li>~~Invite him over to see your painting.~~ (And get him eaten by ants? No, you'll have to address that problem first.) ] (else-if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>~~Invite him over to see your painting.~~ (No, you're feeling ''ashamed''. Who would want to see your silly swigglies?) ] (else-if: $storyArt's qt < 2)[ <li>~~Invite him over to see your painting.~~ (The painting is woefully unready. At least work on it some more.) ] ] (else-if: $eventParty's timer is -1)[ <li>~~Actually visit him.~~ (Not right after being offered! You have self-respect, don't you? At least wait a day.) ] (else-if: $lockHenriVisit is true)[ <li>~~Actually visit him.~~ (You've had enough socializing today.) ] ] (else:)[ But... (if: $busyHenriF is true)[<li>~~Visit Henri.~~ (Henri's out on his runs. He won't run every day.)] (if: $busyHenriG is true)[<li>~~Visit Henri.~~ (Henri's at the police precinct this morning. There is only Mrs. Wong's bereaved niece at his place, and you're in no mood to console anyone.)] (if: $busyHenriH2 is true)[<li>~~Visit Henri.~~ (Henri's not home, remember?)] ] <li>(link: "Nevermind.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "at laptop")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (set: $lockLaptopB to true) At first, it seems to be an uneventful noon, where you waste your time and yourself away in front of the laptop screen. Quite convinced that no new opportunities will come, that even though you can still hold a brush, your career as a professional artist is over, you do what anyone without hope does. You (set: _text to (a: " *\"Subscribe to our wellness newsletter for just...\"*", " *\"... twentieth missing person report filed in...\"*", " *\"... had to reject you, unfortunately ...\"*", " *\"... ten tips dealing with garden ants...\"*", " *\"Answer me! I've tried contacting you through...\"*", " *\"... look out the window...\"*", "", )) (set: _result to 0) [(link-rerun: "browse the web.")[ (set: _result to it +1) (if: _result > 6)[(hide: ?cycle)(show: ?email)] (if: _result > 0)[(print: _text's _result)] ]]<cycle| [browse the web. //"... Thank you for your interest in the Resident Artist Program at The Darkbloom Foundation... While we cannot give you a final decision at this point... our panel members have found great interest in the direction of your past work... believe reputation should not be an undue obstacle to excellence... request ''additional samples of your most recent work''... direction you have taken in the years since... indicator of your continued commitment to fine arts..."// The email appears as your are reading an article on pet care. You are (link: "stunned.")[stunned. The rest of the email includes instructions for sending digital attachments, as well as a long list of paperwork you have to provide. ''It will take a while.'' No matter. No-one has shown any interest before, not since you disappeared from the public eye. In fact, Darkbloom was a moonshot when you first contacted them - when was it? - years ago. You want to lunge at the opportunity, but do you feel ready? (It will be a arduous process, taking many days and much of your confidence. You can always return to your laptop at a later date and continue where you left off.) --- (if: $attConfidence's qt <1)[ <ol> <li>~~Sure, you'll blow them away.~~ (You're not ''confident'' that your painting is ready. You need to work on it more.)</li> <li>(link: "No, not yet. Your // \"magnum opus \"// deserves more care. The email isn't going anywhere, and neither is the painting.")[ (print: $eventEmail's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc)</li> </ol> ] (else:)[ <ol> <li>(link: "They need to see your // \"magnum opus \"//, even unfinished. You get the canvas ready for the camera.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (print: $eventEmail's onTrigger) (set: $eventEmail's progress to it + 1) (goto: "Laptop A2") ] (print: $attConfidence's use)</li> <li>(link: "No, not yet. Your // \"magnum opus \"// deserves more care. The email isn't going anywhere, and neither is the painting.")[ (print: $eventEmail's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc)</li> </ol> ] ] ]<email|(hide: ?email)

{=  (if: $partyEnergy > 0)[ //“I wanted to thank you for dropping by last night,”// Henri says, as if you’ve done him a favor. Maybe it was. ]  (else:)[ //“How are you holding up? Head heavy?”// You look like a desiccated corpse. You’ve drank so much water that it’s all coming back up. Still, you shrug and force a smile. Henri seems relieved. It’s the least you can do as thanks for dragging you home last night. ] (link: " ...")[ //“Look, I’m sorry for disappearing on you. I don’t know what happened. Still, an apology is in order.”// You politely brush him off, but he insists. Regret is so burdensome. It is not enough that one is punished by their own conscience - they must have others suffer as well. At least he hasn’t asked to enter your apartment yet, (unless: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[which you wouldn’t have accepted, given its current state.](else:)[although you wouldn’t mind; the apartment is the cleanest it has been in years.] (link: "...")[(show: ?hidden1)] ] [//“So, how was last night? What did you do?”// (if: $partyD > 0 and $lockPartyA is false and $lockPartyB is false and $lockPartyC is false)[(link-reveal: " You’ve only drunk his fruit punch and left. ")[ There’s no shame in it, right? That was how you passed the time at so many events, showings, fundraisers, back when you still went to those kinds of things. But at least back then, you had someone.]] (else:)[ (if: $partyD > 0)[(link-reveal: " You complement his fruit punch.")[ This is, of course, a lie. Fruit punch can neither be good nor bad. It can only get you buzzed or not. //“Thanks, I try.”//]] (if: $lockPartyA is true)[(link-reveal: " You talked to the neighbors.")[ You relay some select details, nothing about how they spoke of you. Regardless, you can’t hide your annoyance. //“Yes, Mrs. Wong can be an earful. But it's good this way... for her. It’s only been, what, two years since her husband… Ah, I shouldn’t. Anyway, she has few consolations these days.”// Pity - he is never short of that.]] (if: $lockPartyB is true)[(link-reveal: " You met Henri’s work buddies.")[ What’s there to say? Thinking about them saps the energy from you. //“Yeah, you wouldn’t think that eggheads like us would drink so much and talk crap so often. They’re fun.”// It’s hard for you to believe that Henri is the same breed as them.]] (if: $lockPartyC is true)[(link-reveal: " You met a girl… tall, dark hair. Pretty.")[ Henri stares at you blankly. No matter how many more details you supply, he only rubs his chin and twists his face. He rubs and rubs but no spark comes out of it. //“It’s been a whirl. Must have been a friend’s friend. Was she interesting?”// You shake your head. If he’s pretending, he’s good at it. They’re all so good at it.]] ] (link-reveal: "And that’s it.")[(show: ?hidden2) (if: $storyHenri's qt is 3)[ //“I see. Well, parties are rough, and we don't need to wait for the next one just to hang out. Before I have to return next year, I’ve got all the time in the world. If you’re bored out of your mind, just knock. And maybe, if it's not too much of a secret... you'll let me watch you work? I've always been curious.”// Hang out? As in going into each other's places for leisure? And not talk through a half-open door like you're doing now (which is something you're quickly growing tired of)?] (else:)[ You shift uncomfortably in your spot, signalling to him that you're finished talking. //"For what it's worth, thanks again. You've done me a solid one. I hope you enjoyed yourself, even though... uhm... (if: $storyHenri's qt >0)[Anyway, if you need anything, just let me know, alright?](else:)[Anywho, I'll let you get back to your rest. I'll drop by some other time.]"// ] ]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ --- (link: "Noted. Thanks, and goodbye, Henri.")[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (if: $storyHenri's qt is 4)[(dialog: [You can now visit Henri socially.], "OK.")(set: $lockHenriVisit to false)] (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $storyHenri's gain) ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's place")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "visiting Henri")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (display: "Henri H Redirect")   (if: $HenriE2 is 1)[ Henri pulls from his crowded bookshelf something thick and colorful. //“Kenneth Noland,”// he announces. //“Your work reminds me of his. At least that’s the impression I got from your old shows.”// You politely take the book but do not bother opening it. You're distracted by (link: "another, even larger book.")[another, even larger book - a red morocco-bound tome with a singular gilded star impressed upon the hard cover. (link-reveal: "You ask him what it is")[(show: ?hidden1)].] [ //“Oh that? Don’t tell anyone, but it’s Texan. ‘The Lone Star’. You’d think it was some nationalist propaganda, but no. It’s kind of an astronomy book.”// Kind of? Is it or isn’t it? //“It’s adventist literature. Aztec revivalism. They said the original codex was dug up in annexed Veracruz, but now that I think about it, it’s likely just a hoax.”// Hoaxes. Mexico. There was a lot of that when the Texan settlers came down there. But (link-reveal: "what is the book about?")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“It describes the movements and behaviors of celestial objects in our solar system, though many of them aren’t exactly… observable by anyone with a telescope. Or half a brain.”// Yes, you’re familiar with these claims. More than familiar. What disappointments. Although, you’ve never seen a copy of such works for yourself, what with the ban and everything. (link-reveal: "How did this copy come into Henri’s possession?")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“I’m embarrassed to admit it, but there was a time when I was obsessed with this kind of thing. You’d find them all over Vancouver’s thrift stores, not like in the Union. I was a boy back then. Really thought I’d go into astrophysics. I guess I was distracted by the math.”// You let him prattle on while you open //The Lone Star//. There are illustrations of sunspots and their permutations throughout several cycles. A crude image of the real thing, but (link-reveal: "an image nonetheless")[(show: ?hidden4)(show: ?done)]. ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ You close your eyes and see them dance in the dark. Your heart quickens, and your nose is beginning to sting, as though you’re about to cry. Indeed, no-one with a telescope or half a brain would see what you’re seeing. And your head is full to the brim. ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) ] (if: $HenriE2 is 2)[ You thought Henri would give you some peace while you read //The Lone Star//, but he keeps (link-reveal: "peppering you with questions about art")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ Most people are more curious about the art world - which was something you’ve used to impress not a few wide-eyed and drama-hungry coeds - than they are of //art// proper. But not Henri. He wants to know how the sausage is made. (link-reveal: "You’re getting exhausted")[(show: ?hidden2)]. ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Finally, you tell him that there are things that cannot be analyzed. It’s true that the gross principles - color, composition, light and shadows, etc. - as well as their attendant techniques - can be explained and taught. But no professor can give an a priori answer to how all of them should come together. And certainly no artist can account for the source of their ideas. In practice, it is just as helpful to say that (link-reveal: "ideas come from dreams")[(show: ?hidden3)] - which for many, it is the case. ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“Yeah, I know that,”// Henri says, sounding almost petulant. You’re reminded of how young he really is. //“I don’t mean to sound naive, but I don’t believe that just because something seems mysterious right now, that it’d be impossible to figure out. We just don’t have the right tools yet. And that includes conceptual tools as well.”// You laugh. (link-reveal: "It's all a puzzle to him")[(show: ?hidden4)]. ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Does he not know that dissection kills the frog? Search the carcass all he wants, he will not find the soul-organ (though Descartes has proposed the pineal gland to be the seat of consciousness). Even if a work of art is revealed to be a series of mechanical techniques, a programmatic series of “if-then” statements, how does one account for the source of such decisions? The strange sympathy between artist and looker? Author and reader? Musician and listener? Sensory neurons may fire, but (link-reveal: "what exactly is doing the looking? The reading? The listening?")[(show: ?hidden5)] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ //“It’s just alchemy, then,”// Henri concludes. //“A crude of of science, but the science is in there somewhere.”// Thus, all things are dimmed when reason clouds the eyes. You both move on from this topic before the veil of amiability is torn, but you can’t shake (link-reveal: "this image from your mind")[(show: ?hidden6)(show: ?done)] ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ - a soulless frog with its guts splayed and its skin flayed. Its will has been taken by another will far greater than its own, and this great will is but an idle child. ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) ] (if: $HenriE2 is 3)[ Today, you make some excuse to borrow //The Lone Star// again. Henri insists that you should keep it, but you say that you’re “just looking”. (link: "You don’t want that thing in your apartment.")[Its falsehoods will distract you too much, and you need to be single-minded for your work. One should never glimpse at the Sun too directly, lest one is blinded.] After some time with the book, you’re almost sure you’d either scream or pass out, so you (link-reveal: "make up some excuse to leave")[(show: ?done)]. Henri nods and tells you to come by anytime. He is used to it by now. ] [ --- (link: "This has proved - at least - stimulating.")[ (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $attInspiration's gain) ]<done|(hide: ?done)

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's place")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "visiting Henri")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (display: "Henri H Redirect")   (if: $HenriE3 is 1)[ To “put you in a cheery mood”, Henri brings out an old catalog from the gallery at the edge of town - your old gallery. You panic, trying to make him put it away, but he only laughs in confusion. //“Come on now, don’t be weird about it. (link-reveal: "Here")[(show: ?hidden1)].”// [ He has bookmarked a specific page, where you find a color photograph of //Bataille's Plexus//. The sale of this single painting has fully funded your unemployment in the subsequent years, when you couldn’t find it in you to go to the welfare office. //“Even if it’s just a copy, I still get woozy from looking at it. How did you do it?”// If he meant to humiliate you, then he has succeeded. You tell him that (link-reveal: "you don’t want to be reminded of the past anymore")[(show: ?hidden2)]. ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You were so… representational back then. So literal. So down-to-earth. //“Why? It’s not everyday that I get to sit one-on-one with the artist. (link-reveal: "Am I not talking to the same person?")[(show: ?hidden3)]”// ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Everyday, a dice is tossed. And on some days, we wake up wholly new, as though possessed. Back then, you knew the right editors of the right publications. These days, all you have is your brush, your paint, and your canvas. //“So you just decided to put it all behind? (link-reveal: "What happened?")[(show: ?hidden4)]”// ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Accusations. Suppression. Forced resignation. Like harpoons. Like ropes - you think to yourself. //(link-reveal: "“But do you still enjoy painting?”")[(show: ?hidden5)(show: ?done)]// ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ You nod. You don’t “enjoy” it. You simply paint because there is nothing else on this Earth to do. You’ve given away everything for it. //“That’s all that matters. You have your reasons - which I won’t pry. I’ll put this away.”// But can he also put away this weight in your chest? ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) ] (if: $HenriE3 is 2)[ You haven’t exactly confessed to being lonely - it goes without saying - but you have been broaching the subject of relationships. But you don’t want to be put on the spot. So, (link-reveal: "you ask about his history instead")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ Henri launches into it, as though rehearsed: Despite the many friends that he has, Henri admits that his love life has always been non-existent. Growing up sheltered in a suburban area of Quebec City, he can only remember pining over the girls with Parisian cousins, who all smoked and wore short skirts in the winter. He’d see them on his way to prep school. Then, he moved to Vancouver and slowly got worse and worse at French. There was little time to date, not when he had to balance his university workload. (link-reveal: "He was fifteen")[(show: ?hidden2)]. ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ He was already attending university at fifteen? Yes, and TA-ing, too. It turns out that both you and him are fellow professors, Henri observes with amusement. Were. (link-reveal: "You haven’t taught in a while")[(show: ?hidden3)]. ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //(link-reveal: "“Did you like teaching?”")[(show: ?hidden4)]// ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ (link-reveal: "Your students loved you - so you reply.")[(show: ?hidden5)] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ //(link-reveal: "“You were dating someone back then.”")[(show: ?hidden6)]// ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ Not anymore. (link-reveal: "And how did this turn into a conversation about you?")[(show: ?hidden7)(show: ?done)] ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ //“We were talking about our love lives.”// Only his, as non-existent as it is. You have no interest in revisiting that chapter in your life. You remember being happy. Admired. Worshipped. Now, you’re just content to not be chased out like some hideous witch. You were so beautiful back then. ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) ] (if: $HenriE3 is 3)[ You’ve been talking to Henri about (if: $storyAnts's qt < 4)[feeling like an inadequate cat-parent. Jesse deserves better than you. Although Henri tries to cheer you up, he hasn’t seen how hurt she was when the ants attacked her. You didn’t know that something like that could happen. What if it happens again? //“You know, you can’t be all that bad. The fact that you’re worried means that there’s plenty of good in you.”// (link-reveal: "He has no idea.")[(show: ?done)] ] (else:)[how you could have done better for Jesse. If you had been more vigilant, more capable, more loving, more than this meager self of yours, then may be you'd still have Jesse today. //“I don't know if this is the right thing to say, but I get the feeling that Jesse would choose you over and over again. Really. I mean it.”// You wipe the tears from your eyes and straighten up. (link-reveal: "You know it's your fault, but what use is know?")[(show: ?done)] ] ] [ --- <ol> You... (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Exorcise the shame from your mind.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $attEmbarrassed's use)] (else:)[ <li>~~Rid yourself of this shame.~~ (But you're ''ashamed'' in the first place.)] <li>(link: "Hold onto this feeling.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $attEmbarrassed's gain) </ol> ]<done|(hide: ?done)

{= (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "showing Henri the painting")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] NO MORE FREE CONFIDENCE! CHANGE THIS INTO A PLOT POINT (HENRI GOES INSANE UPON SEEING YOUR PAINTING?) --- (link: "Visit done, move on.")[ (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (???)

{= (display: "Darkbloom A (Letter)") [ --- (link: "So it begins. You must remember that you were worthy enough to be chosen.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (print: $eventShow's onTrigger) (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (Gain some much deserved ''confidence''. Return to your (lowercase: $time) routine.) ]<done|(hide: ?done)

{= (set: $activity to "re-reading the Darkbloom email")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $eventShow's timer > 0)[ Reading is thinking. Re-reading is reconsideration. And upon reconsideration, you decide that it was not a dream after all. (link-reveal: "The email is still there.")[ (link: "The message: Tentative acceptance.")[''The message:'' Acceptance, tentative but precious as a rainpool in a desert. The residency is everything you could hope for: A chance to do real work, a chance at great heights, a chance to start again. Before, you’d never think they’d give you a second look. Now, it seems almost an inevitability. Of course it has to be you. You have the sight.] (link: "The caveat: Bring your painting to the Greeting Gala, which is in ''(print: $eventShow's timer) day(if: $eventShow's timer > 1)[s]'' from now.")[''The caveat:'' To be there at their show - the “Greeting Gala” - with your painting. Which is in ''(print: $eventShow's timer) day(if: $eventShow's timer > 1)[s]'' from now. You can read between the lines. What has impressed them once will not impress them again. They expect you to prove your genius on command. It is the unwritten condition for being at Darkbloom. Rescission is a blade always hidden in their sleeves. Mediocrity is never in short supply, and the Foundation barter in what is exceptional. Exceptional - you can be, but the thought of mingling with the unexceptional, a whole gala's worth of them - makes you shudder.] (link: "What must you do? Another ''breakthrough''.")[''What must you do?'' Strictly speaking, nothing. You can go back to wasting away in this apartment and let your work rot on the wood. But if you believe that there is more to life than this, then you must make a ''breakthrough''. The light - it calls to you, and you will reveal that //brilliance// to the blinking masses at the Greeting Gala.] (link: "But how? Work.")[But how? You know how. You are to rip your soul asunder and place all of you - your pride, your shame, your sorrows - into the art. When you are completely hollowed out, you will find yourself the perfect vessel, the frictionless conduit through which that otherworldly splendor may pour into and galvanize mundane oil and fabric. Failing that, you can always bash your head against it until the red splatter begins to resemble a heavenly corona. At the end of the day, there is only you, the brush, and the canvas. And you’ve come too far to give up.] (print: $eventShow's desc) --- (link: "One more hurdle, and all you wish for will come true.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (print: $actionBack's desc) ] ] (else:)[ It's over. What's the point? --- (link: "Back.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (print: $actionBack's desc) ]

{= (link-reveal: "Pound.")[ (link-reveal: "Pound.")[ (link-reveal: "Pound.")[ Your head pounds. Your body has forgotten the presence of alcohol, and now it reaps last night's vengeance. (link: "...")[Sunlight burns. It is, regrettably, morning. Your heart is racing. You might puke, but you can't move from your sheets. (link: "...")[Have you filled Jesse's bowl? You don't remember. Where is she? Oh, you're a horrible mother. Stupid mother. Yakking and swilling and... Why did you decide to go? They all saw how foolish and hedious you were. Why oh, why? (link: "...")[ --- <ol> <li>~~Get up.~~ (You're too hungover.) (if: $storyAnts's qt < 2 or $storyAnts's qt > 2)[ <li>(link: "You lie very still, a pliant feast for the ants.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $actionDamage's desc) ]  (else:)[ <li>(link: "Go back to sleep. You'll feel human again. Soon.")[(print: $actionNap's effect)](print: $actionNap's desc)</li> ] </ol> ]]]]]]

{= (set: $activity to "a knock at the door")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] As you are moving from the toilet back to your bed - one of your rare excursions away from your comforter - (link: "you hear a knock on your door.")[you hear a knock on your door. Who could that be? The ghost of the landlady? No, you hear (link: "//his// voice.")[//his// voice. //"It's just me - Henri. Do you have a minute?"// You can already picture his smile. It's the young man who lives at the end of the hall. (link: "You are deeply ashamed to be his neighbor.")[You are deeply ashamed to be his neighbor. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Crack the door open just enough to see him, but not enough for him to see the state of your apartment.")[(goto:"Storylet C1")](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "Ignore him. Breathe very silently so that he won't hear you. Go back to bed. Don't breathe at all.")[(set: $choiceHenriIgnore to 1)(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)</li> </ol>]]]

{= (set: $activity to "at the unfinished painting")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $time is "Evening" and $storyArt's qt is 1)[You approach the unfinished painting and carefully pull away the tarp. The painting - your constant ulcer - has grown from your very flesh, and now, given purpose and pressure, it inflames. It throbs. It’s hot, like the Sun. No, not like the Sun. Not enough, unfortunately. ] (else-if: $time is "Morning" and $storyArt's qt is 1)[You lift the tarp and peek at the unfinished painting. It hisses at you. It will not tolerate daylight’s rivalry. Not now. The unborn fetus is much too weak. ] (if: $eventShow's timer > 0)[You will need to make some significant progress before the Greeting Gala - which is (if: $eventShow's timer > 1)[in ''(print: $eventShow's timer) days''.](else-if: $eventShow's timer is 1)[''tomorrow''. You should (link: "pack up your painting and leave now")[(goto: "Gala A")] if you want to make it in time.]] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 0)[The Greeting Gala is happening ''tonight''. If you (link: "leave right now")[(goto: "Gala A")], you might still catch some straggling Darkbloom members the next morning.] (else-if: $eventShow's timer < 0 and $storyArt's qt is 1)[The Greeting Gala is over, but the painting is still here. You began without hope. You might finish without it also.] (else-if: $eventShow's timer < 0 and $storyArt's qt is 2)[The Greeting Gala is over. You've put your heart and soul into this. Why does it feel so hollow? Did you have nothing to give, after all?] (if: $eventPainting's ready1 is false and $storyArt's qt is 1)[(unless: $eventShow's timer is 0)[ (link-reveal: "But how?")[ You cannot remember how you’ve managed to do what you’ve done. It’ll take nothing short of magic to weave yet another breakthrough. Go. Rip your heart out. But one wrong stroke can ruin the thing altogether. If that’s too much pressure - if you’re feeling stuck - if it’s too early in the day - then perhaps a less direct path is needed. You might want to practice and experiment on a separate canvas first. If anything, it’ll be a worthwhile distraction.] ] ] (else-if: $eventPainting's ready1 is true and $storyArt's qt is 1)[ You're so close. It's begging for your touch. One more stroke. One final night.] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 2 and $eventShow's timer > 0)[ But you've already put your heart and soul into it. And the light - it blinds!] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 2 and $eventShow's timer < 0)[ The light... it's already fading. Your task is endless, and your burden is infinite.] --- <ol>  (if: $eventPainting's ready1 is true)[ (if: $lockTurnIn is false)[<li>(link: "Put it all together. It is time.")[(goto: "Painting Turn-in")](print: $actionCommit's desc)] (else-if: $storyArt's qt > 1)[<li>(link: "Gaze upon your work, and be lost in it.")[(set: $dice to (random: 1,3))(goto: "Painting 2")] (Commit. This is no mere looking.)] ] (else:)[ (if: $time is "Evening")[<li>(link: "Consider how you'd make a breakthrough.")[(goto: "Painting 1")] (Thinking shouldn't cost you anything.)] (else:)[<li>~~Consider how you'd make a breakthrough.~~ (It's too early in the day for anything important. You'll ruin it.)] ] (if: $eventPainting's ready1 is false)[ <li>(link: "You need to get it just right. It's too much pressure. Maybe practice first.")[(goto: "Painting D")] (Thinking shouldn't cost you anything.) ] <li>(link: "Not now. (Then when?)")[(print: $actionBack's effect)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= There is a child in all of us, but only in a few is that child (link-reveal: "screaming.")[ Terror. Passion. Awe. You remember it all.] There was a singular moment that awakened you to the splendor, when you (link: "heard your own thoughts.")[ heard your own thoughts (they were so //loud//!). Everything prior to that - you’ve forgotten.] (link-reveal: "Recall now:")[ the mind of a child, and how the first ray of the Sun feels on her cheeks. This light - not one color but all of it - changes.] --- <ol>  (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's A1 is false)[ <li>(link: "A child is stricken by fever - the arrow of Apollo.")[ (set: $eventPainting's A1 to true) (print: $attInspiration's useEffect) (goto: "Painting A1") ](print: $attInspiration's use) ] (else-if: $attInspiration's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's A1 is false)[ <li>~~A child is stricken by fever - the arrow of Apollo.~~ (You're not ''inspired'' enough to recall this fever's heat.) ]  (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's A2 is false)[ <li>(link: "A child is stricken by love - the arrow of Eros.")[ (set: $eventPainting's A2 to true) (print: $attInspiration's useEffect) (goto: "Painting A2") ](print: $attInspiration's use) ] (else-if: $attInspiration's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's A2 is false)[ <li>~~A child is stricken by love - the arrow of Eros.~~ (You're not ''inspired'' enough to recall love's warmth.) ]  (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's A3 is false)[ <li>(link: "A child sees for the first time her will made manifest.")[ (set: $eventPainting's A3 to true) (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Painting A3") ](print: $attConfidence's use) ] (else-if: $attConfidence's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's A3 is false)[ <li>~~A child sees for the first time her will made manifest.~~ (You're not confident enough to ''believe'' in this will.) ]  <li>(link: "Back to your other musings.")[ (goto: "Painting 1") ](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= There was a woman, (link-reveal: "colossal.")[ Her legs vaulted the Adirondacks, crossed Lake Michigan, and she landed right beside Mount Rainier. Everywhere her shadow fell, ant-like people gazed up in admiration. In envy.] (link-reveal: "Things looked different high above.")[ The air was thinner, and the thoughts were freer - wings without feathers, flight without air. Few things could be outright wrong. Everything was permitted.] (link: "And everything beneath was hers to take.")[She stooped down and took everything from the Earth - beauty, vitality, riches - not because she was entitled to it, but because could.] What worldly liberties did she take? --- <ol>  (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's B1 is false)[ <li>(link: "Admiration - from those she admired also.")[ (set: $eventPainting's B1 to true) (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Painting B1") ](print: $attConfidence's use) ] (else-if: $attConfidence's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's B1 is false)[ <li>~~Admiration~~ (You need ''confidence'' to be believe that this was possible.) ]  (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's B2 is false)[ <li>(link: "Easy favors - from those who sought her favor.")[ (set: $eventPainting's B2 to true) (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Painting B2") ](print: $attConfidence's use) ] (else-if: $attConfidence's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's B2 is false)[ <li>~~Satisfaction~~ (You need ''confidence'' to be believe that this was the case.) ]  (if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's B3 is false)[ <li>(link: "Envy - from those too tiny and pathetic to be worth her time.")[ (set: $eventPainting's B3 to true) (print: $attRestlessness's useEffect) (goto: "Painting B3") ](print: $attRestlessness's use) ] (else-if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's B3 is false)[ <li>~~Envy~~ (You're not ''restless'' enough to mind.) ]  <li>(link: "Back to your other musings.")[ (goto: "Painting 1") ](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= A monster is in hiding, (link-reveal: "licking its wounds.")[ Every flick of the tongue reopens the flesh. It reeks of iron, piss, and shame.] (link: "It is hedious.")[Look upon this hideous form: Its blood is the censor's red ink. Its bruises are the policeman’s black boots. Bindings leave marks on its wrists and neck - the purple stoles of priests. Everything sweet turns sour in that evil gaze.] (link: "No better than an animal.")[Ah, but how does a monster differ from a mere animal? A monster knows to sweeten its pains with small pleasures - a human habit. Give it a small flame, and it will find warmth in the longest winters. To keep in its lap. To hold very tight. To treasure. A monster is a human cursed to be an animal; there is a past self to long for, to be ashamed of. A pure animal, on the other hand, is perfect the way it is.] --- <ol>  (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's C1 is false)[ <li>(link: "Monsters are deceitful and avaricious.")[ (set: $eventPainting's C1 to true) (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (goto: "Painting C1") ](print: $attEmbarrassed's use) ] (else-if: $attEmbarrassed's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's C1 is false)[ <li>~~Monsters are deceitful and avaricious.~~ (You need your ''shame'' to be alive and writhing in order to appreciate this truth.) ]  (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's C2 is false)[ <li>(link: "Monsters are universally proscribed.")[ (set: $eventPainting's C2 to true) (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (goto: "Painting C2") ](print: $attEmbarrassed's use) ] (else-if: $attEmbarrassed's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's C2 is false)[ <li>~~Monsters are universally proscribed.~~ (You need your ''shame'' to be alive and writhing in order to recall this feeling.) ]  (if: $attJesse01's qt > 0 and $eventPainting's C3 is false)[ <li>(link: "This tiny flame - what pleasure comforts the monster?")[ (set: $eventPainting's C3 to true) (print: $attJesse01's useEffect) (goto: "Painting C3") ](print: $attJesse01's use) ] (else-if: $attJesse01's qt is 0 and $eventPainting's C3 is false)[ <li>~~The tiny flame...~~ (You cannot recall anything ''pleasant''; small flames die too quickly.) ]  <li>(link: "Back to your other musings.")[ (goto: "Painting 1") ](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "practicing on a spare canvas")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You bring out a spare canvas the size of a notepad. You-know-who bought you a stack of these as a novelty gift, but now, you finally have a use for them.  (if: $attInspiration's qt <= 0)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt <=0)[Your mind is empty. Practice will only bring you frustration. Maybe that's what you need. Contentment brings only a slow death. You were so content with silly gifts and the man who bought it. Time to kill your darlings.] (else-if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[Practice. Push through, even if you don't feel like it. Something might come out of this self-flagellation (a masturbatory satisfaction, perhaps). If not, then you’ll know that you haven’t ruined anything important. Only the novelty gift of someone long gone.] ]  (else:)[Some fleeting thing is dancing in your peripheries. Formless, waiting for your hands. You know it’ll bring you pride, also fleeting, gone the moment you abort the experiment and face down your unborn //magnum opus//.] --- <ol> (if: $attInspiration's qt <= 0)[ <li>(link: "Stick to what has worked before.")[ (goto: "Painting D1") ](print: $actionCommit's desc) <li>~~Test out something new.~~ (You're not inspired. Your mind is empty.) ] (else:)[ <li>(link: "Test out something new.")[ (print: $attInspiration's useEffect) (goto: "Painting D2") ] (print: $attInspiration's use) ] <li>(link: "Perhaps not now.")[ (goto: "Painting 0") ] (print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "attempting a breakthrough")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] After twenty, thirty minutes staring at the thing, your vision begins to spin, and a rainbow edge is ripped out from the light. Yes, (link-reveal: "you can see it…")[ a glimpse of the future… a long labor. But here are the valleys of the heart, the hills of the flesh, the mount where the soul resides. And that silhouette before the Sun - you.] //You// are what’s missing. But what //are// you? A tantalized child? A striding woman? Or a wounded monster? Of course, you (link: "have been")[''//are//''] all of that. Art demands absolute honesty. It will take nothing less than everything to see it through. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Consider: A tantalized child.")[(goto: "Painting A")] (Thinking shouldn't cost you anything. Attempting, however...) <li>(link: "Consider: A striding woman.")[(goto: "Painting B")] (Thinking shouldn't cost you anything. Attempting, however...) <li>(link: "Consider: A wounded monster.")[(goto: "Painting C")] (Thinking shouldn't cost you anything. Attempting, however...) <li>(link: "You don't want to touch the painting right now.")[(if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "Gala B5a")](else:)[(goto: "Painting 0")]] (print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[No… That’s (link-reveal: "not quite right.")[(show: ?hidden1)]] (else:)[Why, why, why? (link-reveal: "Has talent gone on a holiday?")[(show: ?hidden1)]] [ The colors are tired, and the oil disobedient. Hand this to any fool, and they’ll think that you were a maestro. But you’re no fool, and (link-reveal: "neither are the Darkbloom people.")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[It's alright. No need to waste your talent on something this frivolous.] (else:)[Ah, but it's only practice, right?] --- (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[ (link: "It’s only practice - you think, gritting your teeth.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ] (print: $attRestlessness's gain) ] (else:)[ (link: "Have some self-respect! Push through!")[ (print: $attRestlessness's useEffect) (goto: "Painting D1a") ] (print: $attRestlessness's use) ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= And here you thought (link-reveal: "you’d never amount to anything.")[(show: ?hidden2)] [ Something akin to an idea lies embedded within the tangle of squiggles and strokes. You used to have (link-reveal: "a sketchbook full of these.")[ It’d impress the students greatly, especially those without ideas of their own. You never felt the need to keep another one. Why waste paper? Ideas were a dime a dozen, and (link-reveal: "you could whip one up at any time.")[(show: ?hidden3)]] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Like you’ve done with (link-reveal: "this mini-canvas.")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- (link: "Now, the big kahuna, on the other hand…")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ] (print: $attConfidence's gain) ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{= (set: $lockTurnIn to true)  //“Sap-seeped and Sun-scarred…”// (link-reveal: "The veil was parted.")[ Something poured through and struck you and plunged you into… (link-reveal: "years")[, (link-reveal: "decades")[, (link-reveal: "centuries")[, (link-reveal: "millennia")[, countless epochs went by all at once, and the Earth’s rotation has turned every forest into ash and every mountain into sand.(show: ?hidden1)]]]]] [ //“... fog-milk, bismuth dew, cyanide river, prismatic air…”// (link-reveal: "Hot winds have ripped through your body")[ and carved deep gouges into your bones and howled through those hollows - the flutes of your femurs, the harps of your nerves, the drums from your hide.(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“... the nymph and her pursuer, the satyr and his punisher…”// (link-reveal: "Yes")[, nymphs, satyrs, dumb Galatean perfections, the tiny-legged trepidations, the feathered fear - and music, too - your music - they all came together, but no-one danced. They only stood in the obsidian water and (link-reveal: "hailed")[, (link-reveal: "skyward")[, (link-reveal: "Sunward")[, like ants suckling from a (link-reveal: "pearl of amber honey")[, (link-reveal: "of black molasses")[, (link-reveal: "of queer oil.")[(show: ?hidden3)]]]]]]] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“... Love, thy light is an opal…”// But these vistas - (link-reveal: "you did not paint")[. These words - they weren’t what you wrote - not in statements, not in letters, not in the most secret carvings. You grappled at (link-reveal: "images and phrases")[, a mind going mad with deprivation, with senselessness, seeing stars in the void. You couldn’t have painted this. The painting - this veil - what you //did// paint was…" [<ul> <li>(link-reveal: "Undeniable proof of mankind’s Godliness.")[(hide: ?choices)(show: ?hidden4)] <li>(link-reveal: "Nothing that could be named, for it //is// a Name.")[(hide: ?choices)(show: ?hidden4)] <li>(link-reveal: "A light. A beacon. A call.")[(hide: ?choices)(show: ?hidden4)] </ul>]<choices| ]] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Ah, (link-reveal: "it doesn’t matter.")[ Tears are streaming down your face again. You’re drenched in sweat. You’ve drenched yourself. Your throat is aching and raw. You must have shrieked. The (if: $place is not "at home")[the other guests](else:)[neighbors] will think you’ve dropped dead, and they will (if: $place is not "at home")[be distressed](else:)[breathe a sigh of relief]. (link-reveal: "Enough!")[ Any more and you’ll go blind. You’ll pick your eyes out with a paint knife. You feel as though you’ve already been stabbed. Stop grinning; it hurts. Stop staring. Put the shroud back on.(show: ?hidden5)]] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ --- (link: "Now, you are ready for the world.")[ (print: $storyArt's gainEffect) (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ](print: $storyArt's gain) ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5)

{= (set: $activity to "almost there..")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]    (if: $eventPainting's A1 is false or $eventPainting's A2 is false or $eventPainting's A3 is false or $eventPainting's B1 is false or $eventPainting's B2 is false or $eventPainting's B3 is false or $eventPainting's C1 is false or $eventPainting's C2 is false or $eventPainting's C3 is false )[ (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ] Your eyes water, and your nose (link-reveal: "stings.")[ Is it the turpentine, or can you see the small rays, which (link-reveal: "leaks through the cracks?")[(show: ?hidden1)]] [ You must be dreaming. You look away and wait for the delusion to dissipate. You look back. It’s still there. Crowning. A crown of light. Wings. Ah, you must have died. All the pieces are in place. What ought to be dry has already cured, and what ought to be wet is yet bleeding. (link-reveal: "It is almost ready.")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Only one more go at it, the finishing touch, one more trip around the Sun, one more… Ah, but you’re (link-reveal: "exhausted for today.")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ --- (link: "Let the oil breathe for now, and soon, it’ll live!")[ (set: $eventPainting's ready1 to true) (dialog: [Come back once more to tear asunder this veil and let the light in. Quickly, before your heart falters!], "Yes.") (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= You (link-reveal: "whip.")[ You (link-reveal: "lash.")[ You (link-reveal: "punish.")[(show: ?hidden2)]]] [ The child shapes up, though shivering. Cease that useless crying! That thin skin is barely broken. (link-reveal: "You haven’t seen anything yet!")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Indeed, this has been nothing. A familiar feeling returns to you - the consolation prize of (link-reveal: "having done your best.")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- (link: "A numbing balm over the ego’s bruise.")[ (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ] (print: $attProgress's gain) ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{= (link-reveal: "The Sun")[(show: ?hidden1)] was already there when (link-reveal: "your fever")[(show: ?hidden2)] struck. [ She hung over the misty lake - She and Her sister - one red and the other black. But which? Or both?]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You made yourself so sick that your parents had to (link-reveal: "take you out of school")[(show: ?hidden3)]. On a stretcher. Your limbs were as stiff as wood. The girls from class told you to stop pretending. You didn’t care enough to speak, to explain yourself. What was there to explain? Was it //your// doing? (link-reveal: "You couldn’t tell")[(show: ?hidden4)].]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ You stayed for an entire semester at (link-reveal: "Lake Placid")[(show: ?hidden5)]. Your mother prayed while your father was away with his paintings. And when he returned with his paintings still in tow and no money, mother bickered and cried. They’d have to sell the cabin.]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ You were set on a rocking chair, woolen blanket draped over you like tarp over a statue. You could hear your parents inside. You could hear the crickets singing and the twinkles in the stars. Sores grew on your back and buttocks. They hurt. They wept.]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ Suddenly, as you sat frozen, you weren’t at Lake Placid anymore. A veil of fog descended upon the water. The Sun was crimson. The Sun was a pit. The stars were sores on the pale skin of the firmament. (link-reveal: "“Firmament”")[(show: ?hidden6)] - you learned that in Sunday school.]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ But there was no church here. This was nowhere - a cathedral grown from the Earth, to cup the countenance of the Sun with mountainous hands and to sing Her praises with coniferous throat. You hummed to that tune, and the Sun came down and kissed (link-reveal: "Her sister")[(show: ?hidden7)].]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ (set: _end to 0) (set: _endTrigger to "(set: _end to it +1)(if: _end >= 2)[(show: ?hidden9)]") You stood up, joints creaking, and stumbled towards the water. (link-reveal: "Splash, splash, splash")[(show: ?hidden8)_endTrigger]. Your arms were stretched wide. //“Look at me! (link-reveal: "Here I am!")[(show: ?hidden8a)_endTrigger]”//]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ Your mother used to be a varsity swimmer.]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ Father is dead now.]<hidden8a|(hide: ?hidden8a) [ You, however, (link-reveal: "got better")[(show: ?hidden10)].]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9) [ --- (link: "Every sickness is a gift - you meditate on your father’s words as you place bristles onto canvas.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden10|(hide: ?hidden10)

{= (link-reveal: "//“Can you draw me?”//")[(show: ?hidden10)] The girl who sat next to you (link-reveal: "asked")[(show: ?hidden1)]. Samantha was held back a year. [ Of course you could. What was less certain was (link-reveal: "whether she could see herself in the drawing")[(show: ?hidden2)].]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“What is this? Ew! You freak, I told you to draw me, not…”// You weren’t well-liked. She thought you meant to do it out of malice. She had her boyfriend unleash cockroaches in your locker. You ate one in front of him. This, you did out of malice. It tasted (link-reveal: "like how you imagined")[(show: ?hidden3)] he’d taste.]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“Look,”// (link-reveal: "Mrs. Wall")[(show: ?hidden4)] said, exasperated. //“I understand that you have your own… perspectives on things, but you have to get real.”// This was your third time in Mrs. Wall’s office, at your mother’s behest. It was the third mock exam you’ve failed. //“It’s like your art - you always have to start with (link-reveal: "base reality")[(show: ?hidden5)], right?”//]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Mrs. Wall didn’t teach art. You tried drawing her once. She got burnt out and said goodbye to the whole school in an assembly. The Army recruiter replaced her for a time before he was shipped off to defend Mexico City.]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ It was Valentine’s. //“I’ve left something in your (link-reveal: "locker")[(show: ?hidden6)],”// signed your (link-reveal: "secret admirer")[(show: ?hidden6a)].]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ You were ready to eat another cockroach. But, you only found a group of girls there.]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ Samantha accused you of fishing for her boyfriend’s attention. Her cronies dragged you by your hair, and she spat in your mouth. (link-reveal: "You lunged at her.")[(show: ?hidden7)]]<hidden6a|(hide: ?hidden6a) [ When you got home, you dug the gristle - bits of Samantha’s scalp - out from under your nails. You put it in your mouth and (link-reveal: "cried")[(show: ?hidden8)].]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ Your mother thought it was best that you stayed with your (link-reveal: "“relatives”")[(show: ?hidden9)] in Canada. It wouldn't be the first time you were taken out of school, but this time, you couldn't come back. The juvies were looking for you, and there were rumors of a draft.]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ In Canada, you were homeschooled in an adventist convent. You wouldn’t see anyone your age for over two years. You’d imagine (link-reveal: "Samantha")[(show: ?hidden11)] sitting by your side again. She wouldn’t be mean to you anymore. She’d say sorry and how she didn’t do it out of malice.]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9) [ You’d show her your drawing, and she'd be wide-eyed. //“It IS me!”//]<hidden10|(hide: ?hidden10) [ --- (link: "You’ve forgotten her face, but you can still feel her as your brush caresses the canvas.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden11|(hide: ?hidden11)

{= //“My (link-reveal: "God")[(show: ?hidden1)]! We’ve had (link-reveal: "a genius")[(show: ?hidden2)] right under our noses!”// Your father exclaimed. He made it back just in time before you left. [ //“Don’t you blaspheme,”// your mother called out from the bedroom. She was busy packing your things. //“Come look and see if it isn’t the Lord’s will!”// //“I’ll have no part in it. What has that ever brought us but trouble?”//]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Your father stayed silent. He held the paper up to the ceiling light, as if he’d find a secret behind the charcoal strokes. Nothing. Everything was there on the surface. //(link-reveal: "“Child, tell me, how long did it take you?”")[(show: ?hidden3)]//]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ It took you an afternoon to produce this drawing. But you’ve been drawing versions of it for five years, ever since your first stay at (link-reveal: "Lake Placid")[(show: ?hidden3a)].]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“Dang shame we sold that place, otherwise I’d… Never mind. Where did you learn to (link-reveal: "draw like this")[(show: ?hidden4a)] anyhow? (link-reveal: "School?")[(show: ?hidden4)]”//]<hidden3a|(hide: ?hidden3a) [ Your father wouldn’t know what you learn in school. He was always (link-reveal: "busy traveling.")[ Your mother often said you should find a husband who could grow roots, someone you could lean on, someone who’d give you shade while asking few fruits from you. If you could find someone like that, then you could do anything.]]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ //“I suppose it runs in the family, huh? I’ll have a lot to teach you yet once I visit you in… (link-reveal: "Where is she staying again?")[(show: ?hidden5)]”//]<hidden4a|(hide: ?hidden4a) [ //“I swear to G- (link-reveal: "Winnipeg")[(show: ?hidden5a)]! She’s staying in Winnipeg. I’ve told you many times!”//]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ //”That far away? How am I supposed to visit her there? (link-reveal: "Why couldn’t it be somewhere closer")[(show: ?hidden6)] like Toronto?”//]<hidden5a|(hide: ?hidden5a) [ //“Now you want a say. Now you want to visit. When you can afford a lease, then I’ll let you decide where to send our child. But now, we rely on our church's charity.”// Your father muttered under his breath, still staring at (link-reveal: "your drawing")[(show: ?hidden7)].]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ //“Child, (link-reveal: "take my art. Take my books, too.")[(show: ?hidden8)] You’ll learn a lot from your old man. It’ll have to do until I see you again. But always remember that this… this is (link-reveal: "God’s gift")[(show: ?hidden9)], and you cannot turn away from His gift.”//]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ You nodded. Your mother hauled the giant suitcase out to the living room, already locked tight. There wasn’t any space left for last-minute additions.]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ //“The ability to manifest one’s own will is nothing but Godly, (link-reveal: "do you understand?")[(show: ?hidden10)]”//]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9) [ You nodded again and hugged (link-reveal: "him.")[ Your father made Thomas Kinkade forgeries for a dealer in New Orleans. Father also wrote books of armchair theology and personal aphorisms, which he published via vanity press. After he had passed away, you asked your mother for his books, but she had already thrown them all away. Her rector said they were (link-reveal: "heretical.")[(show: ?hidden11)]]]<hidden10|(hide: ?hidden10) [ --- (link: "A piece of heresy still lives in your flesh, and it wills your arm to canvas.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden11|(hide: ?hidden11)

{= You cannot recall if you’ve done any growing up in Canada, only that your documents indicated that you were (link-reveal: "a grown woman")[(show: ?hidden2)] by the time you (link-reveal: "returned to Union soil")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ You returned with the same clothes you left with and a promise - that you’d find the church’s flock everywhere you go, hidden in the crowd. The Winnipeg chapter had wired your mother a large sum for your college education.]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You met (link-reveal: "Simone")[(show: ?hidden3)] in Chicago.]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ A local paper ran her profile the year before, calling her a “prodigy” and “this generation’s voice”. Already semi-famous at sixteen, Simone could have made a fortune milking the press and the publication houses, but she didn’t. She chose to start her Fine Arts education early. Beside poetry - her bread-and-butter - she took an elective in oil painting. That was how she (link-reveal: "ended up in your studio")[(show: ?hidden4)].]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“Have you ever (link-reveal: "fallen in love with someone through their art?")[(show: ?hidden5)]”// She once asked you over mocktails. The other students hollered and laughed. The college bar was playing Sade.]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ You told her that in your case, the person (link-reveal: "often fancied you first")[(show: ?hidden6)], and that affection would then translate to partiality for your work, not (link-reveal: "the other way around")[(show: ?hidden7)].]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ There was Dr. Specht in New York, who didn’t understand what you did, but within the first few months of school, he was already smitten. He introduced you to his friends. He helped you change your name. He hid you when your handlers - and then your mother - came looking for you in Brooklyn. He bought you tickets to Chicago. He did everything you asked. You only had to (link-reveal: "be his muse")[(show: ?hidden6a)].]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ You didn’t divulge these things to Simone though. Not in front of the others.]<hidden6a|(hide: ?hidden6a) [ //“Haha, no, I didn’t ask about other people. I asked about (link-reveal: "you")[(show: ?hidden8)].”//]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ You said that you fell in love with (link: "God")[the Sun(replace: ?her)[Her] ] through [His]<her| work. Simone snickered. She knew you as an atheist. That was how you styled yourself, even to (link-reveal: "Dr. Specht")[(show: ?hidden9)].]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ By the time Dr. Specht passed away from heart failure, you had already had five shows under your own name - the name you gave yourself. You had an adjunct position in Chicago teaching (link-reveal: "girls like Simone")[(show: ?hidden11)]. You’ve lost so much weight that you were unrecognizable. There were at least a dozen people ready to (link-reveal: "attest that you were a Seattlite")[(show: ?hidden10)] (they could’ve sworn they met you there, and maybe they did).]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9) [ Only your mother remembered who you were before abandoning the church. She had forgiven you, but you didn’t forgive her.]<hidden10|(hide: ?hidden10) [ You asked Simone the same question - whether there was someone whose work she had fallen in love with. She smirked. The others didn’t hear you two. They were glued to the television screen. Texas was announcing a truce in Mexico. That smirk of hers... You couldn't help it; you offered to (link-reveal: "paint Simone a portrait")[(show: ?hidden12)].]<hidden11|(hide: ?hidden11) [ Other women took close to ten months to bring a child to full term. You took close to ten years to produce //Bataille’s Plexus// - oil on a canvas (link-reveal: "twice as tall as Simone")[(show: ?hidden13)] - since that night.]<hidden12|(hide: ?hidden12) [ Simone eventually fell into mediocrity. (link-reveal: "You have stolen her voice")[(show: ?hidden14)].]<hidden13|(hide: ?hidden13) [ --- (link: "Once you knew how to, you could do it again and again. You can still do it! Now! Kiss the painting’s skin with your bristly brush!")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden14|(hide: ?hidden14)

{= Once, you were so sure that you’d be on (link-reveal: "tenure track")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ You’d reject, of course. You wanted an (link-reveal: "artist’s life")[(show: ?hidden3)], not a (link-reveal: "professor’s")[(show: ?hidden2)]. You had too much potential and too little prudence.]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Still, it sounded nice - “nice” was what your mother would approve of - a husband, a cat, no kids, and stable employment. You hung these mundane aspirations over your bedside, where they would haunt your dreams and scare you into working hard, lest your true ambitions quietly dusk.]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ As an adjunct, a visiting fellow, a vagabond painter, you had the time for adventure. As for money, there were many willing to (link-reveal: "bankroll an adventurer’s lifestyle")[(show: ?hidden4)].]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Your acquaintances - many of them students of the fine arts - came from wealth. You imagined that you were doing them a service - your favor, connection, mentorship, and companionship - in exchange for measley dinners downtown, the occasional alpine cabin retreats, and least of all, their time, of which (link-reveal: "the youth had in abundance")[(show: ?hidden5)].]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ (set: _giving to 0) (set: _givingTrigger to "(set: _giving to it + 1)(if: _giving >= 3)[(show: ?giving)]") There was a tendency in the young and beautiful to be (link-reveal: "quite lost")[(show: ?hidden6)]. (link: " They needed purpose. ")[_givingTrigger They craved the zeal that those who grew up secular lacked. ](link: " Sincerity. ")[_givingTrigger They longed for the attentiveness that their business-minded parents could not teach. ](link: " Excitement. ")[_givingTrigger They yearned for the kind of self-destruction which their lofty upbringing was meant to guard against. ][All this - you were magnanimous in giving.]<giving|(hide: ?giving) ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ You knew they’d come to their senses once the wine stopped flowing, and time has left its mark on their faces. It’d come for you, too. So, you took what you could because any later and you’d find that all those (link-reveal: "doors")[ - (link-reveal: "wide double doors to society balls")[, (link-reveal: "glass doors to to the offices that decided what was “relevant“")[, (link-reveal: "half-closed motel shower doors")[, (link-reveal: "the scissor doors of sports cars with stuffed animals in the passenger seats")[, and so on - (link-reveal: "would shut in your face.")[(show: ?hidden7)]]]]]] ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ (set: _end to 0) You knew all of them intensely. You knew all of them painfully. You knew all of them in ecstasy and in pain. You knew all their contours and their tempers. Now, you weren’t (link-reveal: "stupid enough")[(show: ?hidden9)(set: _end to it + 1)(if: _end >= 2)[(show: ?hidden10)]] to publicly credit their names or involvement for artworks born out of wedlock (but you’d make introductions and recommendations, of course). These paintings - taken from their vitality - were the (link-reveal: "wages of your talent.")[(show: ?hidden8)(set: _end to it + 1)(if: _end >= 2)[(show: ?hidden10)]] ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ Sometimes, you wondered if your father would be proud. You’ve done everything he couldn’t and lived the life he might have had if you were never born. But what need was he (or your mother, for that matter)? You've invented yourself.]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ Ah, youth, your thoughts were of worldly, fleshly matters, and the Sun’s light grew dim in your own brilliance. Blasphemous! You told yourself that the day it all fell apart, you’d simply give yourself to the Sun in atonement.]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9) [ --- (link: "That day is long past. That day is now. Confess to the canvas your past arrogance.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden10|(hide: ?hidden10)

{= //“There’ve been… rumblings.”// - that was how the (link-reveal: "department chair")[(show: ?hidden1)] phrased it to you. //“Regarding you and a few, uhm, (link-reveal: "students")[(show: ?hidden2)].”// [ Your first thought was that he was making it up. The bald lout had wanted to get you to have dinner with him for ages, but you’ve only ever found the time and willingness for lunch. Out in the open. When daylight still shone.]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You told him that if he wanted to blackmail you, he should have to be more original. Besides, everyone involved were all (link-reveal: "adults,")[ mostly, (link-reveal: "and")[ you’ve never had any supervisory role, (link-reveal: "and")[ you didn’t give grades (link-reveal: "and")[- You kept your mouth (link-reveal: "shut")[(show: ?hidden3)].]]]] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“Don’t be so tense. I’m only speaking to you as a friend.”// (link-reveal: "And what did this friend hear?")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“Like I said, rumblings. From the folks in the Title IX Office. This time’s different. They’re nervous. I think a student had made a complaint.”// (link-rerun: "Which one? ")[ (set: _number to it + 1) (if: _number > 5)[(show: ?hidden5)] (if: _number > 6)[(set: _number to 1)] (replace: ?student)[(print: _student's _number)] ] (set: _number to 0) (set: _student to (a: " Becca K. Hughes? You told her that her paintings were derivative because they were!", " Jenny R. Reid? One compliment, and she clung onto you like damp food wrap.", " Philo D. M. Muñoz? She //asked// to be a life model, she and a dozen like her.", " Erik J. Andrésen? //He// came onto you; you merely said you weren’t interested.", " Annie Rawal? Everything in this country was shocking to her. She should have seen what was going on in the dance school.", " God forbids - Simone Seydoux? What was she still doing here? She should’ve graduated ages ago.", )) []<student| ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ Talentless grifters, all of them! Half the state of Michigan wanted a piece of you; where would you find the (link: "time")[peace of mind] to work? //“I don’t know, alright? Please, would you sit back down for a second?”// (link-reveal: "Yes, sit down.")[ (link-reveal: "Shut up.")[ (link-reveal: "Relax.")[ (link-reveal: "Breathe in")[, and (link-reveal: "out")[, and (link-reveal: "in")[, and out, (link-reveal: "just like your shrink has told you to.")[ You wanted to jump through the (link-reveal: "window")[(show: ?hidden6)].]]]]]]] ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ //“Any way you look at it, it looks bad. Now, as a friend, I’m willing to divulge that there are several openings in Seattle. I understand that you’re not entirely unknown in that scene…”// (link-reveal: "How would that solve anything?")[(show: ?hidden7)] This trouble could still follow you.]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ //“It would save me from having to screw you over. At least, if I did, you wouldn’t have to look me in the face while I did it.”// (link-reveal: "You imagine spitting")[(show: ?hidden8)] in his smug face.]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ //“As for you - whatever it is you’re doing - right or wrong, necessary or not - you should stop it. That’s the only way things could get better.”// (link-reveal: "You only painted.")[ (link-reveal: "You’ve been painting.")[ (link-reveal: "You paint.")[ (link-reveal: "You’re painting.")[ (link-reveal: "You will paint.")[(show: ?hidden9)]]]]] ]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ //“Anyway, we can discuss your transfer prospects further. I can make the proper introductions. Do you have any dinner plans?”// --- (link: "You’re a flame, and everyone is moths. You can only be what you are, and they are free to burn. Let this principle be your art.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9)

{= The guys over at the Archeology Department informed you of the discovery of (link-reveal: "a stone-calendar depicting Huītzilōpōchtli")[(show: ?hidden1)] down in Mexico City. You resolved to (link-reveal: "fly there immediately")[(show: ?hidden2)]. [ It was only an unconfirmed rumor. You had already been down there to see the sun-stone with what many initially believed to be Tonatiuh’s face. You found it pedestrian. Unsacred. Huītzilōpōchtli, on the other hand… Many in the Union and Texas (especially Texas!) were hoping for this. Your mother would go nuts if she ever found out.]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You thought about taking a few girls from class with you to Mexico, but after the trip to Egypt, many of them suddenly found their wanderlust (link-reveal: "diminished")[ (your students in Chicago would've jumped at the chance, you told yourself)]. So, you went for the next best thing: (link-reveal: "You-know-who")[(show: ?hidden3)].]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ This man left his old sales job to move to Seattle with you. He accepted you for the woman you said you were. You felt that you owed him. You couldn't talk to him about art, about why you //truly// wanted to go. Instead, you told him that you wanted to do something exciting for your anniversary, something that wouldn’t follow you back to this side of the border. Oh, he was excited alright. He kept pestering you with ideas in the week leading up to (link-reveal: "the trip")[(show: ?hidden4)]. He was still making plans while driving up to Sea-Tac. Your mother liked him a lot.]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ You locked yourself in the hotel bathroom and (link-reveal: "screamed")[(show: ?hoax1)] into the towel.[ The sun-stone turned out to be a (link-reveal: "hoax")[(show: ?hoax2)].]<hoax1|(hide: ?hoax1) [ You didn’t want to believe it when your colleague said it on the phone. His tone was apologetic, along with a little confused and condescending, //(link-reveal: "“Why would you...”")[(show: ?hoax3)]//]<hoax2|(hide: ?hoax2) [ You didn’t want to believe it when you arrived at the dig site (the backyard of someone’s ranch only an hour from the city center) and saw with your own eyes the gaudy sign meant to trap (link-reveal: "American tourists")[(show: ?hoax4)].]<hoax3|(hide: ?hoax3) [ You didn’t want to believe it when you returned to the hotel, when you-know-who was knocking on the bathroom door, asking (link-reveal: "what had gotten into you")[(show: ?hidden5)].]<hoax4|(hide: ?hoax4) ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ (set: _end to 0) You came out and lied that your mother was remarrying. He acted shocked, (link-reveal: "if only to commiserate with you")[(show: ?hidden6)(set: _end to it + 1)(if: _end >= 2)[(show: ?hidden8)]]. You told him - //“fine”// - that you’d go ahead with (link-reveal: "his wild plans, starting with…")[(show: ?hidden7)(set: _end to it + 1)(if: _end >= 2)[(show: ?hidden8)]] ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ Dependable, predictable, and eager - he was everything your mother would ever want in a husband - for herself or for her daughter. Too bad, you weren’t the daughter she or anyone would hope for.]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ Somewhere during that bender in Mexico City, fleetingly, you had the impression that this man might truly love you.]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ --- (link: "You have excised his name from your mind. Recall it now and be done with it forever. Let the painting hold it for you.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8)

{= (set: _sunset to 0) (set: _sunsetAdvance to "(set: _sunset to it + 1)(if: _sunset >= 2)[(show: ?hidden3)]") (link-reveal: "An early sunset.")[ Your forties promised a slow descent into (link-reveal: "leisure")[(show: ?hidden1)_sunsetAdvance] and (link-reveal: "conventionality")[(show: ?hidden2)_sunsetAdvance].] [ You’ve just sold off //Bataille’s Plexus//. After a decade and dozens of failures, you told yourself to stop. Who could tell that you failed anyway? You were doing radio interviews, and your classes were overbooked. You had a guest curator gig at a place south of Tacoma. What was next? Tenure? Retrospectives? Certainly nothing important. Nothing of bother.]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You-know-who had been saving up, and you were sure that it was enough for a ring. For your part, you planned to buy out the apartment from the landlady, who really needed the money for her cancer treatment. You’d settle in, marry a man, perhaps adopt a cat, and start being the person your mother always thought you’d be. You enjoyed morning walks and feeling the sun - just the one - on your face.]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ And then, you met (link-reveal: "Katherine")[(show: ?hidden4)]. ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“Can you keep a secret? I know you can,”// she whispered to you. (link-rerun: "The Earth was spinning again.")[ (set: _number to it + 1) (if: _number is 17)[(show: ?hidden5)] (if: _number > 17)[(set: _number to 1)] (replace: ?Katherine)[(print: _Katherine's _number)] ] (set: _number to 0) (set: _Katherine to (a: "//“Do you ever feel like you’re the only person on Earth?”//", "She’d come to class with a scarf around her neck, always color-matched with at least one other item.", "//“Sin is not a crime.”// Sin cannot be merely a crime.", "You weren’t done. How could you?", "//“Look all you want. Here.”//", "Sometimes, you heard her breathing.", "//“Hmm? That? I think you can do better.”// Now who taught her how to do //that//?", "You listened to the bathroom splatter, and there was a rhythm in the rain.", "//“Between Chikamin Peak and the Alta, the Gold Creek pours into…”// Yes, let’s go there. And we’ll rent a cabin, yes?", "You brought a reel of nylon, fish hooks, a suture kit, isopropyl alcohol, and bandages. No rod.", "//“I told the clerk that you were my mom.”// There was no reason for it, which made it all the better.", "You-know-who called. You lied to him, again and again. Said you had a fever.", "//“Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I would see it.”// You closed your eyes. She saw you in the darkness, if only for a flash. You started to remember light.", "Sometimes, one would get so hungry that one forgot one had a stomach.", "//“Close the curtains? Why? We’ll always be seen anyway.”//", "Every birth is painful. The child has no name.", "//“I want to live.”// So she did. You were so close.", )) []<Katherine| ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ (link-reveal: "You-know-who waited in front of Katherine’s place.")[ He (link-reveal: "shouted")[ and (link-reveal: "kicked")[ and (link-reveal: "threw")[ something at you. Something small, which rolled down the drain. (link-reveal: "Katherine")[ pepper-sprayed him and called building security. As he was escorted away, he (link-reveal: "said")[ that he had informed (link-reveal: "the school")[, (link-reveal: "the gallery")[, and (link-reveal: "your mother")[(show: ?hidden6)].]]]]]]]] ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ //“I’ve always known!”// His voice echoed in the hallway. //“You had a chance to stop, but (link-reveal: "you couldn’t help it")[(show: ?hidden7)]!”//]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ But you //did// stop, didn’t you? After that day, you never returned Katherine’s messages. You’ve (link-reveal: "taken what you needed")[ (or so you thought, for the painting you made from her - ''this'' painting - remains unfinished)]. You were done. You’ve chosen(link-reveal: " this life")[ - (link-reveal: "disowned")[, (link-reveal: "forced resignation")[, (link-reveal: "professional isolation")[, (link-reveal: "retrospective censure")[, (link-reveal: "summons to the Suppression Bureau")[, (link-reveal: "affidavits of insanity")[, (link-reveal: "eternal probation...")[ (link-reveal: "You're in your cell.")[(show: ?hidden8)]]]]]]]]] ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ What about her? (link-reveal: "Where is she now?")[(show: ?hidden9)] ]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ --- (link: "She is still here, in the corner of your room, watching you degrade yourself. Come, touch her again. Her sisters have been poor company.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9)

{= When you think about a (link-reveal: "“troglodyte”")[, a cave dweller], you always imagine a timid creature. How could they not be? They move among jagged rocks. One careless step, and they’ll be falling into a toothy ravine. They need (link-reveal: "all the gentleness they can get")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ You found Jesse on your way back from the gallery. It was your last day there. It rained. You carried her home in a box full of your art supplies and a mug that said (link-reveal: "“Thank you for everything”")[(show: ?hidden2)].]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Jesse liked to eat low-carb kibble and tuna-with-fruit. As much as you’ve let your eating fall by the wayside, you’ve never shortened her portion, and you’ve never overfed her by neglect. By extension, you’ve always woken up at the crack of dawn to fill her bowl, even if you knew you’d (link-reveal: "immediately crawl back to bed and stay there until sundown")[(show: ?hidden3)].]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Jesse made you live. (link-reveal: "Bare living, perhaps")[(show: ?hidden4)], but someone had to at least be breathing to acquire kibble and entertain her. (link-reveal: "She deserved that much, at least")[(show: ?hidden5)]. You, on the other hand, deserved nothing.]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Your favorite place to order from was “The Great Wall of Bitter Lake” - a mouthful, unappetizing, and extremely economical. To avoid embarrassing yourself, you’d sometimes vary it up by calling into “Dragon Express”, though you suspect that these were different names for the same ghost kitchen, operating out of an office building close to the old saw mill.]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ You taught Jesse how to speak so you wouldn’t be so alone. Her lexical range was impressive even as a kitten. (link-reveal: "To wit:")[(show: ?list)] (set: _count to 0) (set: _countUp to "(set: _count to it +1)(if: _count >= 8)[(show: ?hidden6)]") [ <ul> <li>(link-reveal: "//“Miu~”//")[ meant a greeting, “me!”, or “there you are!”._countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“Miu. Miu. Miu.”//")[ (a quick succession) meant “food” - either a request for or an indication of._countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“M-ek”// or //“M-miu”//")[ meant to follow, to play, to be quite well._countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“Miu?”// or //“mrrp?”//")[ were questions or rather question marks, to indicate interest, anticipation, or frustration._countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“Ekekeke”//")[ meant “birds”, “roaches”, or any other critter she could kill. Alternatively, “how dare it exist?”_countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“Hrrm”// or //“rrrr”//")[ obviously meant that she was enjoying herself, or at least trying to make herself happy, confined here with you._countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“MRAOW!”//")[ meant she was hurt, or you’ve locked yourself in the bathroom again and might not come out, ever._countUp] <li>(link-reveal: "//“mip.”// (or various squeaking noises)")[ meant she was tired, uncomfortable, or wanted the conversation to end._countUp] </ul> ]<list|(hide: ?list) ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ And so on. Of course, there were diphthongs, compound words, and other syntactical features that modified Jesse’s meaning. It took you a long time to (link-reveal: "master her language")[(show: ?hidden7)].]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ Alright, have you got all that? Time to check for your learning. Let’s try… 1. ''//“M-miu! M-miu! M-miu!”//'' … might mean: [<ul> <li>(link-reveal: "//“There you are! I haven’t seen you in ages!”//")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden8)(replace: ?response1)[//“There you are! I haven’t seen you in ages!”// That’s right! Good job! A quick and staccato succession meant Jesse was in an urgent but happy mood. You’re good at this; now, how about:]] <li>(link-reveal: "//“I’m a bit miffed, but let’s forget that and play!”//")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden8)(replace: ?response1)[//“I’m a bit miffed, but let’s forget that and play!”// Yes, that’s a valid interpretation! A quick, high-pitched series of meows usually preceded playtime or mealtime. Now, how about:]] <li>(link-reveal: "//“You don’t know how happy I am to have met you!”//")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden8)(replace: ?response1)[//“You don’t know how happy I am to have met you!”// Ah, close but not quite. Such expressions would usually be a single, drawn-out meow, coupled with eye contact. But that’s alright, let’s try another:]] </ul>]<choices1| ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ []<response1| (link: "...")[ 2. ''//“Yorl. YORL. Yorl. YRORWL. M-ak, m-ak!”//'' … might mean: [<ul> <li>(link-reveal: "//“It hurts! It hurts!”//")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden9)(replace: ?response2)[//“It hurts! It hurts!”// Ah, plausible, but not quite. While loud yowling could indicate pain, such as when attacked by ants, observe the second clause to the expression. Listen carefully so you don’t miss her meaning. Now, for the final one:]] <li>(link-reveal: "//“What’s wrong? Come back. Come back! Oh, there you are.”//")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden9)(replace: ?response2)[//“What’s wrong? Come back. Come back! Oh, there you are.”// That’s right! You’re a master at this! Observe how there are two different clauses - one loud and distressed, while the other switches immediately to “follow” and gladness. She’s just worried about you. Now, for the final one:]] <li>(link-reveal: "//“I’m hungry, let’s eat!”//")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden9)(replace: ?response2)[//“I’m hungry, let’s eat!”// Yes, the syntax does track, but be very careful about overinterpreting the meaning. Jesse was never irate or loud when hungry, and she understood that you only ate Chinese food, so she wouldn’t have invited you to her bowl. Now, for the final one:]] </ul>]<choices2| ]]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8) [ []<response2| (link: "...")[ 3. ''//“...”// (silence)'' … might mean: [<ul> <li>(link: "//“I love you.”//")[(hide: ?choices3)(show: ?hidden10)] <li>(link: "//“You’re the only good thing that has ever happened to me.”//")[(hide: ?choices3)(show: ?hidden10)] <li>(link: "//“Don’t ever leave me. Please.”//")[(hide: ?choices3)(show: ?hidden10)] </ul>]<choices3| ]]<hidden9|(hide: ?hidden9) [ (if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[That she's gone. That you paint. (link-reveal: "That’s all there's left to do.")[(show: ?hidden11)]] (if: $storyAnts's qt < 4)[That she is still here with you. (link-reveal: "Despite what you are.")[(show: ?hidden12)]] ]<hidden10|(hide: ?hidden10) [ --- (link: "That’s all you really deserve.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden11|(hide: ?hidden11) [ --- (link: "Thank you, for everything.")[ (dialog: [You have spent a piece of yourself.] , "And the canvas grows fuller.") (goto: "Painting Ready1") ] (Paint. Time crawls forward.) ]<hidden12|(hide: ?hidden12)

{= (if: $mind >=20)[(text-style:"blur")[CAN A DAY BE SO BRIGHT?]] (else-if: $mind >=15)[You're not used to this feeling. There are fireworks in your skull. Can a day be so bright?] (else-if: $mind >=8)[You've greeted the Sun today. She answers warmly. Anything is possible now!] (else-if: $mind >=6)[You wake up. Light is flitering through the blinds. You might open them today.] (else-if: $mind >=4)[Waking up, you feel slightly under the weather. Only slightly. Haven't you always?] (else-if: $mind >=2)[You're tired, but you still stir awake. It's gloomy outside. How did it come to this?] (else-if: $mind >=0)[You cannot see the Sun. You thought you would not wake up today. But somehow, you still did. You might not be so lucky again. Use your time wisely, the little that's left.] (else-if: $mind <0)[All is black. (text-style:"blur")[You shouldn't be here.]]

{=  (set: $worldState to 2) (set: $eventParty's know to true) (set: $eventParty's timer to -5) (set: $eventEmail's progress to 5) (set: $eventShow's know to false) (set: $storyAnts's qt to 2) (set: $storyHenri's qt to 2) (set: $storyArt's qt to 2) (set: $lockPartyC to true) (set: $eventEmail's know to true) (set: $eventShow's wait1 to 2) (set: $eventShow's timer to 1)

{= (if: $time is "Morning")[ (set: $activity to "looking for Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You call out to Jesse. //"Miu..."// she answers meekly, voice full of hurt. Where is she? You suspect that she's hiding on top of the wardrobe, where there are fewer ants. At least you hope that's the case. --- <ol> <li>~~Spend time with Jesse~~ (She's shy about the ants. You'll have to do something about that.) <li>(link: "You should get on with your morning.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc) ] (if: $time is "Evening")[ (set: $activity to "observing Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] Jesse must be sleeping. About an hour ago, she left her hiding place for a quick bite. The second she hopped away, you emptied and cleaned the bowl. You take better of her than yourself. But not enough. You've thought about leaving the kibble bowl on top of the wardrobe for her to eat at her leisure, but you can't risk the ants invading the last safe place in the apartment. The best thing you can do for her is to do what you should have done all along. --- (link: "Go. What are you waiting for?")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc) ]

{= (if: $time is "Morning")[ (set: $activity to "looking for Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] Now that the coast is clear, Jesse doesn't need to hide on the wardrobe anymore. It's boring up there anyway, right Jesse? //"Miu?"// That's right. Life is so boring without each other. --- <ol> <li>(link: "Let's go see what today has to offer!") [(goto: "Jesse C2a")](print: $actionCommit's desc)</li> <li>(link: "She's happy enough to sit by your side while you work.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)](print: $actionBack's desc) ] (if: $time is "Evening")[ (set: $activity to "observing Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] [Jesse is asleep. She's lost a patch of fur behind her left ear after an intense bout of scratching. You whisper to her that the ants are gone, and you'll break out some new toys tomorrow morning. You might even walk her. Oh, the things we sacrifice for love. --- (link: "You leave her be for now.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] ] (print: $actionBack's desc) ]

{= (set: $activity to "too busy to play")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "//“Miu…”//")[ Whiskers, wet nose, you feel Jesse nuzzling against you. You pet her and tell her to (link-reveal: "wait.")[ Poor baby, she’s asking you to play with her. It’s been a while, what with the ants and all. Now that the apartment is safer, she must be trying to (link-reveal: "make up for lost time.")[ But you’re busy with your paint. A few tubes now will not open after years of neglect. You’ve mistakenly stored them right next to the radiator. Plus, you're making up for lost time, too. All this, (link-reveal: "you explain to her.")[ Jesse understands. She lies down next to you, resting her chin on her paws. It takes you the entire afternoon to salvage the paint. --- (link: "Don’t sulk, we can always play later.")[ (set: $lockJesseD to true) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc) ]]]]

{= (set: $activity to "waking up early")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriF to true) (set: $busyHenriF to true)  Morning has barely arrived, but you’re too anxious to go back to sleep. It is as though you’ve been dreaming with your eyes wide open. (link-reveal: "You get up for a cup of water")[(if: $storyAnts's qt < 4)[, and to fill Jesse’s bowl too, while you’re at it]. Everyone ought to be asleep. Nobody will see you if you step outside. So you do(if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[, with Jesse joining you. Poor girl, she hasn’t seen the outside of this apartment in ages](if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or it is 3)[. Jesse watches you from atop the wardrobe. You tell her that you’ll be back soon. She blinks]. Out in the common balcony, there is no golden dawn but a sickly mustard yellow. The air is muggy with fog. You can’t even see (link: "the end of the hallway.")[the end of the hallway.(show: ?hidden1)]] [ But you can hear it - footsteps approaching. A tall figure emerges. You hold your breath. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“Oh, up already?”// You breathe easy. It is only Henri. A sweatband holds back his curls. His hairy legs are bare. //“Your muse isn’t letting you sleep in? Well, I’m off for my morning runs. Want to join me?”// (link-reveal: "You? Run? And end up wheezing in the middle of the streets?")[(show: ?choices)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ --- <ol> You... (if: $mind>1)[<li>[[Entertain his whims.->Henri F1]] (print: $actionCommit's desc)] (else:)[<li>~~Entertain his whims.~~ (You're too unwell to be out and about.)] <li>(link: "Politely decline. You’ve got so much else to do.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (Back to your normal morning routine.) </ol> ]<choices|(hide: ?choices)

{= (set: $activity to "a distressed visit")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriG to true) (set: $busyHenriG to true)  Last night, your sleep was poor. By the time you’ve washed up[ and fed Jesse, who has been meowing nonstop], there are only a couple hours left in the morning. You can't think straight. Is this what dementia is, finally? As you're trying to recall what you were doing - there comes a (link-reveal: "knocking on your door.")[(show: ?hidden1)] [ //“Erm, hi? Are you in?”// Says the muffled voice. It must be Henri. He sounds distressed. //“It’s me again. Sorry to bother, but…”// You open the door. Henri is fidgeting. //“Do you, uh… do you happen to have any sugar? For tea, I mean.”// (link-reveal: "Sugar? For tea?")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“Oh, what am I saying? I need your help. There’s a girl - Mrs. Wong’s niece. She’s over at my place, and she’s inconsolable.”// You stammer. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“It’s so awful! Her aunt went missing a few days back. Have you heard? I’ve only found out. Mrs. Wong was just there at the party. How could…”// (if: $lockPoliceA is true)[You - of course - have neglected to mention any of it to Henri. It simply didn’t cross your mind at all. You know you should feel worse. You should.](else:)[You should be more shocked. But somehow, you knew it was time. Everyday, a dice is thrown. Soon, it'd be everyone.] //“I’ll have to go to the precinct to make my statement. Any later and… But meanwhile, could you come over to talk to the girl? Keep her from… You know, she’s…”// (link-reveal: "Henri lets his words hang.")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- <ol> (if: $mind>1)[<li>[[Yes, you know. You follow him back to his apartment.->Henri G1]] (Commit. Begin something time consuming and potentially dangerous.)] (else:)[<li>~~Of course! You follow him back to his apartment.~~ (You're too unwell to be consoling anyone right now.)] <li>(link: "Squirm and make up some excuse. You can’t deal with this. You’re no good.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (Back to your normal morning routine.) ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's place")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "consoling to Amy")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link: "The girl")[Amy] is idly playing with Henri’s fairy lights, wrapping the cable around her arm, unwrapping it, and wrapping it again. She doesn’t look at you. Her eyes are red. Gazing at the girl, who couldn’t have been more than twenty, you see a hint of Mrs. Wong in her youth. Henri has quickly introduced the two of you to each other before rushing off to the police. Now, there are only you and (link-reveal: "her.")[(show: ?hidden1)] [ You’ve heard of this girl so many times, mostly because of her aunt’s boasting, and now, you’re finally in the same room as her - the fabled Amy. There is some truth to all stories. Presently, you’re mixing sweetener into the tea. Of course you don’t keep any sugar. It attracts the ants. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“I’m sorry,”// Amy says. //“I don’t know what I’m doing here. They told me to wait; they’d call. But I couldn’t. I must have… Henri found me wandering the hallway. I don’t even remember driving here.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "It’s OK, Amy. Sometimes, we’re not ourselves.")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden3)(replace: ?response1)[You tell her that it’s OK, that sometimes, we’re not ourselves. Sometimes, you’re not sure what animates you, what makes you wake up everyday, what keeps you from sleeping forever. If you were always yourself, then maybe you wouldn’t be here talking to Amy. You simply wouldn’t be.]] <li>(link: "What are any of us doing here anyway? We do what we must.")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden3)(replace: ?response1)[You tell her that sometimes, we do things, and the reason will come later. What is important is that we are here in the first place. We are dropped into existence, into this life, into being-someone, and we play the part. If you had a quarter of the good luck or good looks that Amy has, you wouldn’t be questioning anything at all. You’d cherish the role.]] <li>(link: "It’s awful, isn’t it, when the only thing you can do is wait.")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden3)(replace: ?response1)[You commiserate with her helplessness. To some, life appears as an interminable wait. An abandoned train station. A prison without charge or reason. But to others, every moment is a choice with consequences unseen. This, too, is another form of imprisonment, for there is no escape from freedom. Indeed, it is a luxury to pretend to be so helpless. To momentarily be free. If only we could be free forever…]] </ul>]<choices1| ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ []<response1| But for all your thoughts, you only manage some soft platitudes. Amy scoffs but immediately apologizes. She seems to be someone so used to easy forgiveness. Who could ever fault her? So precious. So full of life. So (link-reveal: "…")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“We all know what will become of my aunt. I just can’t accept it. She couldn’t accept it either. When her husband reappeared, she kept him inside her home for months, hoping that he'd wake up. In the end, my mom made her bury him. I was so mad at mom, but I also knew uncle was stinking up the place. No hospital would take him. No church either. My aunt couldn’t afford a burial plot, and my mom was too religious to help out. But the pits… they’ve begun calling it ‘mannequins’ cemeteries’. (link-reveal: "Don’t you think it’s disgusting?")[(show: ?hidden5)]”// ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ Amy goes on like that for a while, only stopping momentarily to cry. You're too sleep-deprived for this. You wonder if your shrink ever felt as restless as you are right now. Maybe when you stopped going, you were actually doing him a favor. At least it's a thrill to look at Amy, even when she is all tears and phlegm. She's simply so... You feel an old pang, like the exquisite mouth-pain from sucking on lime. If you were to render her in oil, you would… [<ul> <li>(link: "Underpaint with the starkest red.")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden6)(replace: ?response2)[Underpaint with the starkest red, so that the blood beneath her cheeks shines through - for you to bathe in.]] <li>(link: "Blend with the softest brush.")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden6)(replace: ?response2)[Blend with the softest brush, so that her countenance achieves the quality of silk - for you to wear.]] <li>(link: "Slash with a crude knife.")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden6)(replace: ?response2)[Slash with a crude knife, so that all her hidden angles are made plain - for your viewing pleasure.]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ []<response2| Oh she, too, should join you in the Sun. A chorus of angels will praise that opal brilliance. Every possible shape is contained within the hollow of Her shadow. Glittering constellation on a nameless lake... //“I-I’m sorry if this is getting too heavy. You don’t have to listen to me, miss.”// You laugh a joyless laugh and tell her that it’s no problem. You’ve chosen to be here. But as soon as Henri opens that door, you rush to leave, littering targetless goodbyes on your way out. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden7)] ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ Henri catches up to you in the hallway. You’re shaking. //“Are you alright? What happened?”// You tell him that you need to feed Jesse. //“Oh, right, right. I’ll take it from here. Thank you so much. Uhm... we’ll catch up later?”// (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden8)] ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ You nod, hesitantly. //“Great. Hey... uhm, I'm not great at this. But please, know that you’re not alone, OK? Not with me around. Things are all topsy-turvy these days, and we need to stick together. Come talk to me anytime you're free. I need it, too.”// --- (link: "Yes, Henri. But I've really got to go.")[ (if: $storyHenri's qt < 4)[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (if: $storyHenri's qt is 4)[(dialog: [You can now visit Henri socially.], "OK.")] ] (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (set: $shakenHenriG to true) (set: $talkHenriG to true) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (if: $storyHenri's qt < 4)[(print: $storyHenri's gain)] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's desc)] ]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8)

{= (set: $place to "around the block")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "\"running\" with Henri")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You break out your old pair of sneakers, dust off the cobweb, put them on, and join Henri. He’s trying to act casual, but it’s obvious that he’s pleasantly surprised. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hiddenA)] [ By the time the two of you reach the sidewalks, you’re already out of breath. You’re sure to be miserable. Why did you accept? Sensing that you’re unable to keep up, Henri keeps his speed to a brisk walk only. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hiddenB)] ]<hiddenA|(hide: ?hiddenA) [ You have expected a vast sky, fresh breeze, and you - cave dweller that you are - to be instantly struck down by vertigo. But no. There is a dull pressure in the air, as though the low ceiling of your apartment still looms over your head, and the stale air still fills your asthmatic lungs. You can’t see anything. The fog chokes. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hiddenC)] ]<hiddenB|(hide: ?hiddenB) [ After about twenty minutes of small talk, the two of you settle down at a park bench for you to catch your breath. You only vaguely remember this place. //“So, how’s painting going? And don’t say ‘it’s going’.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "It’s going swimmingly.")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden1)(replace: ?response1)[It’s going swimmingly. In fact, you have no idea which shore you’re swimming to, or if there is such a shore. You only swim. But that’s the path you’ve chosen. Aquatic lemmings. No cliff but a yawning abyss. You spare him the poetics. You let these thoughts pass like waves.]] <li>(link: "So well that you’ve attracted the (tentative) attention of one Darkbloom Foundation.")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden1)(replace: ?response1)[You tell him about the Darkbloom Foundation and their residency program. A spark lights up in his eyes, but when you ask him if he knows the institution in question, he only shrugs and says, //“In passing.”// He finds it amusing that his nickname for you - the //“resident artist”// - is turning out true after all.]] <li>(link: "Why does he care anyhow?")[(hide: ?choices1)(show: ?hidden1)(replace: ?response1)[You ask him if it matters to him. //“It matters to you, obviously.”// Obviously? True, but it doesn’t automatically follow that he must care, at least not for you, at least not if you take for granted that he…]] </ul>]<choices1| ]<hiddenC|(hide: ?hiddenC) [ []<response1| //“I’ve got to admit: I’m a bit envious of you. No, don’t laugh, I mean it! I’ve always been a big fan, even though I’m not very intuitive or creative. Everyone says so. I can tell you all kinds of things - bookish things - but I never feel like I can properly know them. Feel them. I wish I can see the world through your eyes.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "He’s still young, and you have nothing he should envy.")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden2)(replace: ?response2)[Such naivete. You relate to him the story of the hare and the tortoise - with you being the hare. Intuition made you go fast but never got you anywhere. Not without hard work. You’ve had this very same thought a hundred times, but this is the first time you’ve given it a voice. It’s strange. Those who talk the most about hard work tend to be those who struggle the most with their idleness - actual or imagined.]] <li>(link: "He’s a flatterer.")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden2)(replace: ?response2)[He’s a flatterer and a transparent one at that. What does he want? The question is bitter. Someone used to tell you that you could never take a compliment. It’s not true. You slaver at compliments. You love it. Though you’d always wait until everyone’s gone, and only then do you allow yourself this enjoyment. No-one should ever see you lusty with greed.]] <li>(link: "You should keep your mouth shut.")[(hide: ?choices2)(show: ?hidden2)(replace: ?response2)[You keep your silence, though you can’t hide your smile. It hurts your face to do so. You can feel the wrinkles, the cracks, the flesh moving on your face. You recall a girlhood memory - a boy egged on by his friends, a bouquet of flowers, a moment of hesitation, a cockroach among the petals, a scream, a chorus of laughter. The memory banishes any trace of a smile from your face. How glad you are to be rid of it.]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ []<response2| (link: " …")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ The two of you walk back to your apartment in silence. You know he wants to talk more, but you’re spent. The Sun is already so high, leering at you with judgment. //“Well, thanks for keeping me company. I wish the weather was better.(if: $storyHenri's qt is 3)[ Anyhow, you should drop by my place some time. I’d love to pick your brain on so many things.](if: $storyHenri's qt < 3)[ Anywho, I’ll see you around, neighbor.]”// He smiles that smile of his and heads off. All morning, not once did he break a sweat. You head inside for a shower. (if: $storyAnts's qt < 4)[ All the while, you tell Jesse of what happened, hoping she'd fogive your absence. //"Miu..."// She says.] (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- (link: "You didn’t hate this as much as you thought.")[ (if: $storyHenri's qt < 4)[ (print: $storyHenri's gainEffect) (if: $storyHenri's qt is 4)[(dialog: [You can now visit Henri socially.], "OK.")]] (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (if: $storyHenri's qt < 4)[(print: $storyHenri's gain)] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's desc)] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{= (set: $activity to "a red dream")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)  The room is damp, narrow, and lined with doors - like a cell - no, a (link-reveal: "dingy toilet.")[ Oppressive red neon bathes over you. It comes from your mind. You’re staring at yourself in the mirror. Your hands are wet and sticky. There is strange music outside. Then, one of the stalls (link-reveal: "swings open.")[ You're startled frozen, watching a towering figure lumbering towards you. (link-reveal: "Clang")[, (link-reveal: "clang")[, (link-reveal: "clang")[. Steel upon tiles. Shining steel. A full suit of armor covers the figure from head to toe. (link-reveal: "Ancient armor.")[(show: ?hidden1)]]]]]] [ //“Move aside,”// a woman’s voice reverberates from inside the armor. You comply, letting her have the faucet. (link-reveal: "Who is she?")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“A saint.”// You ask if she is here to (link-reveal: "bless")[(show: ?hidden3)] you. ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“In a way.”// You ask what kind of saint she is. (set: _number to 0) //“I am (link-rerun: "Saint George.")[(set: _number to it +1)(if: _number > 3)[(set: _number to 1)(show: ?hidden4)](replace: ?slay)[(print: _slay's _number)]]”// (set: _slay to (a: "The slayer of monsters. Is she here to slay you?", "The slayer of dragons. But you are no dragon. You have no wings.", "The slayer of serpents, then. Worms. One to bring mankind God’s fruit, the other to dwell in its skin.", )) []<slay| ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“I’ll slay nothing today. Maim, perhaps.”// She removes her helmet, and a truss of gorgeous dark hair tumbles out.(if: $lockPartyC is true)[ You know her.] //“(if: $lockPartyC is true)[I told you we’d only ever meet here, didn’t I?](else:)[What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?]”// She leans over the sink, fixes her hair in the mirror, and reapplies her lipstick. Does she have a pouch in that armor somewhere? //”Listen, friend, I know you think you’re doing well and everything,”// she makes a kissy face at her reflection. Smack. //“But do you have to be so loud? I can hear you ''think'' all the way in here! Can’t have any peace, (link-reveal: "I swear.")[(show: ?hidden5)]”// ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ You've been bothering her. You admit, self-consciously, that perhaps you’ve had too much on your mind as of late, living too large, living at all. You’ve tried staying in your lane, focusing on work, avoiding getting in others’ way… //”See, that’s what I hate about types like you,”// she says, slamming her gauntlet down onto the sink. //”Always acting so timid, so apologetic, but have you ever thought about just… ''stopping''? Just… not be? Like, actually?”// Of course you have. All the time! (link-reveal: "The mirror shatters.")[(show: ?hidden6)] There are a hundred yous in there, all staring back, each one a little less certain than the last. ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ //”OK, geeze. Yeah, it’s not my place. Not my turn. It’s the benches for me - I’m stuck here,”// she shrugs, and the metal plates grind against each other. //“But since you can't seem to be able to help yourself, I want to at least say my piece. Share my thoughts. Call it professional advice. From a colleague.”// You tell her that you don’t need it. She can never be your peer. //”Mmm, blessings don't need consent. Don't worry. You'll live. Anyway, (link-reveal: "lipstick?")[(show: ?hidden7)]”// ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ She extends her lipstick to you. You look down at her hand. She’s holding (link-reveal: "a knife.")[(show: ?hidden8)] ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) [ (display: "Dream E Punishment") ]<hidden8|(hide: ?hidden8)

{=   (set: _code to "(if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[(goto: \"Dream E1\")] (else-if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[(goto: \"Dream E2\")] (else-if: $attProgress's qt > 0)[(goto: \"Dream E3\")] (else-if: $attJesse01's qt > 0)[(goto: \"Dream E4\")] (else-if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[(goto: \"Dream E5\")] (else-if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[(goto: \"Dream E6\")] (else:)[(goto: \"Dream E7\")]") --- (set: $threshold to 2) (if: $last is "Dream E")[(link: "No... Not now!")[_code]] (else-if: $last is "Dream E1")[(link: "And the hallways stretches on and on.")[_code]] (else-if: $last is "Dream E2")[(link: "Ignore her. She does not mean what she says.")[_code]] (else-if: $last is "Dream E3")[(link: "The lighter you are, the better your flight.")[_code]] (else-if: $last is "Dream E4")[(link: "There is no such thing as \"home\" for a nomad soul.")[_code]] (else-if: $last is "Dream E5")[(link: "You will be great.")[_code]] (else-if: $last is "Dream E6")[(link: "You watch. What more can you do?")[_code]]  (else:)[ (link: "The Sun... is coming...")[ (set: $lockDreamEStage2 to true) (set: $shakenDreamE to 2) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] ]

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)   Pure damage --- (link-rerun: "Without a body, you still have your will. Struggle!")[ (if: $mind > $threshold)[ (set: $mind to it -1) (replace: ?mindStat)[$mind] (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,4))\ (set: _pain to (a: "You thrash violently, but the heavy chains only rattles in apathy.", "You tear yourself away, but the hooks only peels more skin from your flesh. ", "You kick and flail, but your body only swings limply on the iron web.", "You beg and beg, but your captor only laughs and cries.",))\ (print: _pain's _number)\ ], "You scream.") ] (if: $mind <= $threshold)[ (dialog: [The flesh rips. . . . . . . . You tear yourself from your bondage, and for a moment, the Sun seems to blink. Before she could react, you launch yourself at your armored tormentor.], "She shrieks.") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)   (set: _loss to $attConfidence) (set: _lossText to "<details><summary>(print: _loss's name)</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>") (link-reveal: "//“Don’t let my enjoyment fool you,”//")[ she begins as the tip of the blade carves miniscule details into you. (link-reveal: "You beg for her to stop.")[ //“None of this would’ve been necessary if you’d never gotten up from your bed. But nooo, you just couldn't help yourself.”// You phase in and out of consciousness, hoping to wake up free from this torture, only to find that (link-reveal: "a fresh cut is about to be made.")[ (link-reveal: "The blade sears.")[ (link-reveal: "The blade humbles.")[(show: ?hidden1)]]]]] [ --- (link: "The blade dims the ego.")[ (dialog: [You feel all of your _lossText drain from your mind.], "...") (set: $attConfidence's qt to 0) (replace: ?mindStat)[$mind] (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)   (set: _loss to $attInspiration) (set: _lossText to "<details><summary>(print: _loss's name)</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>") She has been at it for so long, and still, there remains something left in you to bleed. //“You’ve got one thing right before. (link-reveal: "It’s this")[(show: ?hidden1)],”// [she stabs a meathook through a flap of flayed skin, then loops it through a loosened ligament. //(link-reveal: "“What gave you the idea, huh?")[(show: ?hidden2)] Me?”//]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ You can barely open your eyes, let alone respond to her question. //“Ah, I’m committing the cardinal sin: Asking the artist where she got her ideas from. No matter, you’ll see that technique is only a small part. The result, however, is (link-reveal: "quite different")[(show: ?hidden3)].”//]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ She gives the chain a pull, and you are lifted up towards the ceiling. You see yourself in the cracked mirror. (link-reveal: "You don’t know what to say.")[(show: ?hidden4)]]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- (link: "Your mind is empty.")[ (dialog: [You feel all of your _lossText drain from your mind.], "...") (set: $attInspiration's qt to 0) (replace: ?mindStat)[$mind] (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)  (set: _loss to $attEmbarrassed) (set: _lossText to "<details><summary>(print: _loss's name)</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>") With one hand, she (link-reveal: "slices under your skin")[, and with another, she (link-reveal: "peels it from your back.")[ This is the most it is going to hurt, you tell yourself. And every flick of the blade proves you (link-reveal: "wrong.")[(show: ?hidden1)]]] [ //“Stop making that face. This isn’t about you, you know?”// She says with your mother’s voice. Biting down on your lips, you try to contain your sobs. //“I’m doing you a favor. (link-reveal: "I’m fixing you.")[(show: ?hidden2)]”// ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ --- (link: "You need to be fixed.")[ (dialog: [You feel all of your _lossText drain from your mind.], "...") (set: $attEmbarrassed's qt to 0) (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)  (set: _loss to $attRestlessness) (set: _lossText to "<details><summary>(print: _loss's name)</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>") //“I suggest you relax for this,”// she croons as the blade slips under the skin of your neck. //“In fact, (link-reveal: "I compel you to.")[(show: ?hidden1)]”// [ And every one of your thoughts begins to flee from the wound, for this is her domain, and her words are (link-reveal: "as law as gravity.")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“You have to be in the right mind for this. Don't want any bad blood between us.”// --- (link: "No bad blood.")[ (dialog: [You feel all of your _lossText drain from your mind.], "...") (set: $attRestlessness's qt to 0) (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)  (set: _loss to $attJesse01) (set: _lossText to "<details><summary>(print: _loss's name)</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>") (link-reveal: "You beg her not to touch you.")[ She seems confused? Bemused?(show: ?hidden)] [ //“Friend, what’s there left to keep? We’ve done far worse, and we will,”// she says as the blade cuts into you. //“Take my advice, you have to be pure of heart for this to work. Pure and unburdened. (link-reveal: "The good and bad must all go.")[(show: ?hidden1)]”// ]<hidden|(hide: ?hidden) [ The pain washes away (link-reveal: "all you can remember.")[(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ --- (link: "You are mere clay in an artist’s hands.")[ (dialog: [You feel all of your _lossText drain from your mind.], "...") (set: $attJesse01's qt to 0) (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{=  (if: $last is "Dream E1")[(Bashing Julia's head in with her own helmet)] (else-if: $last is "Dream E2")[She steps back, brushes a blood-drenched lock of hair from her face, and (link-reveal: "admires her own handiwork")[(show: ?artist)] like a pruner her bonsai. [ //“Miss artist… oil is so gauche. You’ve grown so cocky. I hope you see that my way is so much more… visceral, don’t you agree? Oh, you can’t actually see anything. Here, (link-reveal: "let me just…")[(show: ?chains)]”//]<artist|(hide: ?artist) [ Metal drags on the floor. Chains. (link-reveal: "Hooks.")[(show: ?punish)]]<chains|(hide: ?chains) ] (else-if: $last is "Dream E3")[//“Well, say something! Don’t be so rude. You wish you could do something half this decent. Ah, but (link-reveal: "you were so close once")[(show: ?attention)], weren’t you? But then, you got cold feet and went back to - ha! - the drawing board.”// [ She grabs you by the jaw, presses her cheek to yours, gaze at the fragmented reflection, and grin - like two friends would after powering their noses. Her metal fingers are like vices. You swing slightly on the chains. //“This wasn’t entirely my idea either. Someone else taught me the (link-reveal: "ley lines of the body")[(show: ?body)]. He became my first artwork. I got all the attention that I wanted!"//]<attention|(hide: ?attention) [ The thing in the mirror cannot be a body. Your eyes dart from fragment to fragment, trying to remember those impossible shapes - looping, pulsating, (link-reveal: "calling…")[(show: ?light)]]<body|(hide: ?body) [ //“Actually, my bad. It’s so dark in here, isn’t it? Let me just let in some light.”// The mirror shards begin falling into themselves, into the wall, (link-reveal: "into…")[(show: ?punish)]]<light|(hide: ?light) ] (else-if: $last is "Dream E4")[She tosses a spare piece of gristle down by your side like a (link-reveal: "dead fish")[. The anonymous meat glistens black in the red light. //“There, no need to hang onto this kind of thing. Does it make you? Does it nourish you? (link-reveal: "It’s just meat at the end of the day.")[(show: ?meat)]”// ] [ Now, you feel her metal fingers searching your back. She finds it - (link-reveal: "your bone, wet and pink.")[(show: ?punish)]]<meat|(hide: ?meat) ] (else-if: $last is "Dream E5")[You feel your (link-reveal: "anxiety")[ - that primal angel which keeps you safe -] pours from the wound. So too goes your hot anger, your red hate, your iron-made indignation, and (link-reveal: "any sense of how things ought or ought not to be.")[ //"Not bad, right? But don't think you can do it by yourself. It takes a true artist to find the veins."// (link-reveal: "She kicks you behind the knees.")[ You kneel onto a pool of your own blood. The blade drips onto your back.(show: ?punish)]] ] (else-if: $last is "Dream E6")[(link-reveal: "A great void now resides within your core")[, and around it is your flesh made into a picture-frame. She wipes her knife on her leather belt and sharpens its balde on her steel armor. Your bone must have chipped the edge. //“You have to make way for what’s to come. What do people say these days, ‘hold space’? Yeah, you can’t leave clutter beside the door. No-one’s going to want to come. (link-reveal: "Oh stop crying")[(show: ?cry)], you baby!”// [ She stomps her boots, but you cannot stop weeping, (link-reveal: "so she makes you")[(show: ?punish)].]<cry|(hide: ?cry)] ] (else-if: $last is "Dream E7")[By the time she is done, a tapestry of mind-bending shapes is floating above (link-reveal: "your head")[. "Above" is a relative term. You cannot tell where your head is in this construct. //“(link-reveal: "Don’t take it personally.")[ Artists from different disciplines hate on each other all the time.”(show: ?dripping)]// [ Through bleary eyes, you watch her as she walks around her still-dripping work-in-progress, knife in hand, an annoyed frown on her face. She shakes her head and (link-reveal: "approaches you")[(show: ?punish)].]<dripping|(hide: ?dripping)] ] [(display: "Dream E Punishment")]<punish|(hide: ?punish)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name)  (set: _loss to $attProgress) (set: _lossText to "<details><summary>(print: _loss's name)</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>") //“I want you to understand that what you’re doing is (link-reveal: "pointless")[(show: ?hidden1)(show: ?hidden2)],"// [she says as she shaves your bones with her knife. //“But that’s just my opinion.”//]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ She is attempting to balance a segment of your ribcage on a delicate nerve. It falls. She sucks her teeth and (link-reveal: "tries again")[(show: ?hidden3)]. ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ --- (link: "It will all fall apart.")[ (dialog: [You feel all of your _lossText drain from your mind.], "...") (set: $attProgress's qt to 0) (goto: "Dream E Next") ] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $activity to "an officer's visit")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockPoliceA to true) There is a knock on the door. (if: $storyHenri's qt > 2)[For a moment, you thought it was Henri, but then, you hear a hoarse voice.] //“Police. Anyone home?”// (if: $storyAnts's qt < 4)[Jesse immediately skitters away. ]You consider[…]<response| [<ul> <li>(link: "Standing very still until the cop goes away.")[(replace: ?response)[ standing in place and not breathe. Play dead. He'll leave you alone.](show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices)] <li>(link: "Jumping out of the window.")[(replace: ?response)[ throwing yourself through the window glass. You'll land on the fire escape.](show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices)] <li>(link: "Dousing the painting in turpentine and burning it.")[(replace: ?response)[ dousing your art and setting it on fire. Better arson than the Suppression Bureau.](show: ?hidden1)(hide: ?choices)] </ul>]<choices| [ But your feet carry you to the door. You’ve done nothing wrong. It's just a simple beat cop. He couldn’t have known, and even if he did, what law of the world could keep you? So, you crack open the door, with the chain still on. //“Good day, ma’am,”// the officer says. The rotund man's face is red from climbing the stairs. //“I’m here about a (link-reveal: "missing person report.")[(show: ?hidden2)]”// ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Apparently, the old widow down the hall - Mrs. Wong - is nowhere to be found. Her niece came to visit and found her apartment empty. Her phone was left by her night table. So, the girl called the cops. Mrs. Wong’s husband had disappeared under similar circumstances. You tell the officer everything that you know - which is very little that the officer doesn’t already know. (if: $lockPartyA is true)[You last spoke to her at Henri’s party (if: 0 - $eventParty's timer > 1)[(print: 0 - $eventParty's timer) days ago](if: 0 - $eventParty's timer is 1)[yesterday] and saw her leave. The Perries might know more.] The officer scribbles into his notepad. You get the feeling that he’s doodling, that he won’t follow up with this case. There have been too many such disappearances all around this city - even the entire Union. They’ll find Mrs. Wong soon. (link-reveal: "It all ends in the same way.")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“Thank you, ma’am. I have all I need. If you see Mrs. Wong again, give us a call. And keep yourself safe, especially around strangers. There's a possibility that Texan adventists are involved.”// You thank the officer and quickly close the door. When his heavy footsteps are far away, you slump onto the floor and hug yourself. You’re shaking. (if: $storyAnts's qt is 2)[Jesse approaches you. You hug her too.](else-if: $storyAnts's qt is 1 or it is 3)[Jesse watches you from her hiding place, eyes full of worry.] --- (link: "I’m not going anywhere(unless: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[, Jesse]. Never. I’ll be the last woman on Earth.")[ (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc) ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $activity to "observing the state of your apartment")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $storyAnts's qt is >= 2)[(goto: "Ant B4")]  (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 0)[First is the wet trash - leftover foodstuffs souring and molding inside half-closed Chinese takeout boxes. When you had nothing going on in your life, stacking these boxes was your only form of entertainment. Now, the ants fester within these monuments to your idleness. The boxes have got to go.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 1)[Today is the day you liberate the bloated trash bags that are strewn all around the apartment - from the four corners of the living room to the nooks beneath the kitchen sink. Right next to your work table, the white bags are stacked atop one another, looking like a snowman, an incontinent one leaking yellow liquid onto the floor. The ants are gathering around a drop of what used to be sweet tea. Their bodies form the shape of a black and hollow star.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 2)[The dishes and utensils in the sink have gone fuzzy, green, white, and yellow in certain places. You haven't used your own implements for a long, long while; all delivery restaurants include bamboo chopsticks and plastic spoons anyhow. The countertop dishwasher is beginning to develop its own morning breath. You-know-who bought it for you as a housewarming gift. For both of you. You don’t think you’ll be able to trust anything that comes out of that machine’s mouth, not without the lingering sourness infecting every meal. You can always buy a replacement. But right now, the plates, the utensils, and yes, the dishwasher must see the bottom of the neighborhood bin.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 3)[On the walls of the bathroom, a slimy orange mold is living side by side with the black stuff. You often wonder if they’re competing or cooperating. Either way, they’ll be the death of you, either by inhalation or by slipping. There is enough hair in the drain to reconstruct you in your entirety. Then, there’s the toilet bowl. Black grime completely coats its surface - all the way down the pipes, it appears. Sometimes, when you flush, some of the black stuff would dislodge, showing the yellowed enamel beneath. You’ve held onto the hope that eventually, they’ll grow so chunky that they’ll all fall away. Time to stop hoping and act.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 4)[You once had the notion that a carpet would be a very nice addition for a cozy home, if you-know-who ever decided to pop the question. That didn’t happen. This place is no home. The carpet was a mistake. Whenever you step on it, something sharp always pokes at your soles - a chip fragment, some plastic thing, or even your own broken nails. Thankfully, Jesse has never once gone on the carpet. She much prefers the cleanliness of her own litter box. Time to roll the thing up and free the floorboard beneath, where an untold number of critters may lurk. You shudder at the thought.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 5)[Coastal humidity is the enemy of good clothes. Everything you’ve ever hunted on sale, thrifted, collected, and found pride in is currently too moldy to wear. Now, silverfishes and ants are crawling out of every pocket. What use are worldly luxuries? You have no show to attend, no retrospective to speak at, no bejeweled hands to shake, no art to sell, no peer to sneer at. No longer. Most of these items no longer fit you. You recall the building having a donation box in the lobby. You should wash the clothes first.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 6)[On the mattress is a dark-yellow shadow the shape of you. There is a similarly-colored stain on the wall, where you usually rest your knee against as you stare at the ceiling. That will not do. A proper home is one where the dweller is invisible, so that visitors might envision themselves living there. You must cleanse this place of your presence.] (if: $eventCleanup's progress is 7)[You’re done. You shouldn’t be seeing anything unseemly.] (if: $eventCleanup's start is true)[(print: $eventCleanup's desc)](else:)[(It will take you several days' worth of work to get rid of what's harboring the ants.)] --- <ol>  (if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $lockHenriVisit is false and $attEmbarrassed's qt < 1 and $eventParty's timer is not 0 and it is not -1 and $busyHenriF is false and $busyHenriG is false)[ <li>(link: "You do the impossible: Go out and ask Henri to lend you his help.")[ (if: $eventCleanup's start is false)[(print: $eventCleanup's onTrigger)] (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (goto: "Ant B1") ] (Commit. With someone else's help, you're guaranteed success - pro bono - given that you're ''shameless'' enough to ask.) </li>] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $busyHenriF is true)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Henri is out on his runs. He won't run every day.) ] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $busyHenriG is true)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Henri's at the police precinct this morning. There is only Mrs. Wong's bereaved niece at his place, and you're in no mood to console anyone.)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $lockHenriVisit is true)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (You've already bothered him today.)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $eventParty's timer is 0)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Today is Henri's party, and he will be too busy to help.)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $eventParty's timer is -1)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Henri probably has some cleaning up of his own to do today.)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0 and $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Work through your shame and ask a friend for help")[ (if: $eventCleanup's start is false)[(print: $eventCleanup's onTrigger)] (set: $lockHenriVisit to true) (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (goto: "Ant B1") ] (Although you're ''ashamed'', you can expend your ''confidence'' to thicken your skin and ask for Henri's help.)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt >= 2 and $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0 and $attConfidence's qt <= 0)[ <li>~~You ask a Henri for help.~~ (Henri seems keen, but you're not ''shameless'' enough to ask. Maybe if you had some ''confidence''...)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt is 1)[ <li>~~You ask a friend for help.~~ (Henri's been friendly to you, but you're not friendly to him yet.)] (else-if: $storyHenri's qt is 0)[ <li>~~You ask a friend for help.~~ (Who are you kidding?)]  <li>(link: "There is only you and the trash mountain. Roll up your sleeves.")[ (if: $eventCleanup's start is false)[(print: $eventCleanup's onTrigger)] (set: $dice to (random: 1,10)) (goto: "Ant B2") ] (Commit. You may succeed', but there's a risk of failing and feeling ''ashamed'' instead.)</li>  <li>(link: "You tell yourself what you've been saying for years: \"Later.\"")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (print: $actionBack's desc) </li> </ol>

{= (set: $activity to "a nervous greeting")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriH to true) //“Oh! It’s just you,”// Henri says when he opens his door. His face is pale. //“Crap, I’m being rude. Please, (link-reveal: "come on in.")[(show: ?hidden1)]”// [ You wonder if this is a bad time, but he’s already corralling you inside. //“I stopped by the police precinct again today. No news of Mrs. Wong. It’s like they’re not even doing anything. Are we supposed to just wait around until it’s our turn?// (link-reveal: "You only blink at him.")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1)[ He rubs his face and sighs. //“You’re right. I’m being paranoid. You don’t need this. Sorry. Are you doing alright?”// (link-reveal: "You give him a noncommittal affirmative.")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ (if: $talkHenriG is true)[ You try to help it, but you can’t. Your heart is about to jump out of your chest. So, you ask him how Mrs. Wong’s niece is doing (you pretend to forget her name). //“Amy? Right, right. She’s hanging in there - or that’s what she told me on the phone. Hey, thanks again for staying with her. I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. I hope it wasn’t a bother.”// Of course not. In truth, you enjoyed it.] (if: $talkHenriG is false)[ //“Good. Good. Hey, uhm, I wasn’t thinking too clearly at the time. It was a bad call to bother you. Amy ended up going with me to the police. An officer took her back to her dorm. She was calm by then.”// You brush it aside, saying that it doesn’t matter. Truly, it doesn’t to you.] //“Anyhow, no use worrying. No use. Let’s talk about literally anything else.”// --- (link: "Yes, you came here with something else in mind.")[(goto: $talk)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

//“Oh, hi!”// Henri says, twirling a screwdriver. //"(link-reveal: "Come on in.")[(show: ?hidden1)] Please, don’t mind the mess."// [There is no mess. Not to your standard. There are only a few carton boxes - circuit boards, wires, things from a disemboweled computer. He explains that it’s a hobby project of his, something to keep himself busy before going back to work next semester. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden2)] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ “(if: $talkHenriG is true)[//Hey, thanks again for sitting with Amy the other day."// No problem. //"I’ve been checking up on her, and she’s hanging in there. Well, at least that’s what she told me on the phone. Anyway,//](else:)[//Hey, sorry if barged in at the wrong time the other day. I know it was a big ask."// You ask what he did with Mrs. Wong's niece. //"Amy ended up coming with me to the police, and an officer took her back to her dorm. She had calmed down by then. Anyhow,//] //I stopped by the precinct again today. Mrs. Wong hasn’t turned up yet. I get so antsy just waiting around. Are you doing alright?"// (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ You give him a noncommittal affirmative while Henri offers you a can of beer. You[...]<response1| [<ul> <li>(link: "Accept.")[(show: ?hidden4)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[ accept. He asks if you want a glass, and you say no.]] <li>(link: "Decline.")[(show: ?hidden4)(hide: ?choices1)(replace: ?response1)[ decline. You’ve promised yourself.]] </ul>]<choices1| ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Henri throws himself down on his armchair and cracks open his own beer. His knees are bouncing, and he’s squeezing his fists. //“Would you believe me if I said that there was a pattern to the disappearances? No, not the disappearances, but rather the reappearances.”// [<ul> <li>(link: "Everyone turns up the same way.")[(show: ?hidden5)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[Everyone turns up the same way: Glassy-eyed. Muscles as hard as wood. No vitals. No recovery so far. That’s what you’ve learned from the web. No great discovery there.]] <li>(link: "There’s no pattern; it’s random.")[(show: ?hidden5)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[There’s no pattern; it’s random. An elderly Floridian has even turned up in the woods of British Columbia within the same day. An infant reappeared inside his own crib three years later. That doesn’t sound like the word of Texan adventists, though the news is fixated on that theory. Henri shouldn't trust the news.]] <li>(link: "This is such an unpleasant topic.")[(show: ?hidden5)(hide: ?choices2)(replace: ?response2)[This is such an unpleasant topic. You want to change the subject, but Henri continues.]] </ul>]<choices2| ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ []<response2| //“What I mean is that their… uhm, poses, are saying something… like letters. Because time of discovery can differ, it’s hard to tell what the order of the 'letters' is. Call it a hunch - a premonition - but if I can gather enough data, then maybe the computer could see a pattern.”// You burst out laughing. You simply can’t help yourself. It’s all a puzzle to him. Would he even see the truth if it appeared in front of him? (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden6)] ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ //“I said it was a hunch, didn’t I? It can’t just be meaningless. If I turn out correct, we might be able to predict, to save lives, to- Ah, forget it.”// Wiping the tears from your face, you ask if that’s what the machines you see strewn around you are for. He chuckles and says no; these are for the home desktop he’s building. The computer in question is special - it is the one in his university basement. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden7)] ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ You’re sure that others - the government, universities, errant linguists - have had the same thoughts. They must have already come to Henri for his “special computer”. But he shakes his head. No, the time-shares are all bought up; the donor is very strict about where their money goes. There’s no use overanalyzing the work of mad zealots, so goes the official line. You joke that Henri’s only choice is to run it guerilla-style; you've done a fair share of going behind the admins' backs while you still had a teaching position. But he does not laugh. He only stares ahead, as though the light of possibility beckons him. (link: " ...")[(show: ?hidden8)] ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7) //“Anywho, that’s just my theory. Let’s talk about something else.”//

{= (set: $activity to "reading an important email")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockDarkbloomA to true) The laptop seems to cough as it wakes. Like you, every time it sleeps, it takes a bit longer to wake up. In mindless anticipation, you unconsciously scratch an ant bite till it bleeds. You open your (link-reveal: "mail client.") [ There is a (link-reveal: "new email from the Darkbloom Foundation.")[(show:?hidden1) // “Dear…”// You can’t breathe. Everything is a blur.]] [ (link: "What do you think it’s saying?")[//“We are pleased to inform you that you have been shortlisted as one of the select few artists who will be recommended for the Darkbloom Foundation’s Resident Artist Program… great sympathy for your method… found your statement of considerable interest... vision for humanity… our mission…”//(show:?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide:?hidden1) [ (link: "Yes, yes, YES! And where will you stay? What is being offered?")[//“Darkbloom Estate… historic studio space… access to state-of-the-art… per your request…”// Your eyes glaze over the details, details which you’ve memorized for years, for so long that it has all faded into a dream, a dream where all you ask for, all that your work require is granted.(show:?hidden3)]]<hidden2|(hide:?hidden2) [ (link: "And? What must you do?")[//“... be the version of its best self, as all must be… all initiates will ''present one hitherto unpublished artwork''..."// Your canvas hums as though hearing its name called. //"... we understand that your samples do not yet reflect your mature intent. However, this upcoming gala is a unique opportunity to debut the kind of work that represents not only this cohort's potential but also the Foundation’s vision.”//(show:?hidden4)]]<hidden3|(hide:?hidden3) [ (link: "A show. They want your painting at a show?")[//“''The Greeting Gala'' will take place on…”// You look at the calendar and count. ''(print: $eventShow's timer) days''. Such short notice! Is this a joke? //“The Darkbloom Foundation is committed to Truth, Beauty, and the furtherance of humanity. We look forward to…”// The gala will be hosted at one of the Foundations’ properties, about '' a day’s drive away'' from your place. You’ve already sent them all they needed - dimensions, statement, everything. You only need to bring the painting and yourself.(show:?hidden5)]]<hidden4|(hide:?hidden4) [ <ul> <li>(link: "You should be grateful. Grateful and happy.")[(hide:?hidden5)(show: ?done)(show:?hidden6)(replace: ?response)[Someone has deigned to give you a chance. What’s a little touch-up and a short road trip? When you come to live at the estate, it’ll be on the other side of the country. The least you can do is to work like hell, and you’ll do so with a smile.]] <li>(link: "This is so unprofessional of them.")[(hide:?hidden5)(show: ?done)(show:?hidden6)(replace: ?response)[They've taken their sweet time while you waited for them for years. Now, they don't even wait for your work to be done. They don't even ask you; they simply told you to impress them. You’ll show them. They want you to jump, but you won’t even need to ask how high.]] <li>(link: "They can play around with you because you’re nothing to them.")[(hide:?hidden5)(show: ?done)(show:?hidden6)(replace: ?response)[You’ve often wondered how it’d feel to be a Darkbloom curator or even a board member. You’d make others wait for you and on you, just as they’re doing to you. And everyone else will just have to guess what’s in your mind.]] </ul> ]<hidden5|(hide:?hidden5) [ []<response| There are a few more (link-reveal: "details")[(show:?hidden7)] left in the email, [ trivial things like the coordinator’s contact, boarding terms, a deposit for the items you’ve requisitioned, ]<hidden7|(hide:?hidden7)but you close your laptop to allow your heart to settle and your teeth to stop grinding. The canvas in the corner looks at you, waiting. You will have to figure out a way to make a ''breakthrough'' with your art before the gala's date. ]<hidden6|(hide:?hidden6)

{= (display: "Darkbloom A (Letter)") [ --- (link: "So it begins. You must remember that you were worthy enough to be chosen.")[ (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (print: $eventShow's onTrigger) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attConfidence's gain) ]<done|(hide: ?done)

(set: $activity to "an impatient moment")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (set: $lockDarkbloomA2 to true) You’re holding Jesse close. You’ve been gritting your teeth. Try as you might, you cannot seem to banish the thought that you’ve been played for a fool. (event: when time > 5s)[ It felt as though everything was looking up when you finally heard from the Darkbloom people, after years of waiting, only to wait some more.] (event: when time > 10s)[ The last time you’ve received anything from them was days ago. You haven’t even received as much as an automated message.] (event: when time > 15s)[ No confirmation. ] (event: when time > 18s)[(link-reveal: " Nothing.")[(show: ?hidden2)]] [ For all you know, your emails might have been lost somewhere in the wire. You wonder if any live human beings have even been messaging you. Or has it been a machine all along? Do they staff their offices with mannequins? (link-reveal: "You should look up their telephone")[(show: ?hidden3)]. ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Or another email address. Now. Anything but this wait. No, they’ve rejected you. Your last chance is over. Time to put away the brush and actually do what you’ve always wanted to do. What you’ve been waiting to do. You should- You’re shaking so hard that Jesse starts to get scared. She slips out from your grasp. --- [[What else is there to do but crawl to your laptop?->Darkbloom A3]] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "in the mind's gallery")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $dice is 1)[ Francisco Goya made his //“Black Paintings”// some time between 1820 and 1823. These secret murals were painted directly onto the walls of his villa following a bout of ill health, which had dimmed the world to his ears. In many cases, he painted over the villa’s pre-existing landscape murals with his own subjects. When one sense has given up, the other acquires a membranous vision with which to lay on top of the merely decorative world. One of these paintings is //“Duel with Cudgels”//. Before the vastness of nature, where the wind howls across the hills of rural Spain, two figures are locked in combat, clubs in hands, mid-swing. They have always been there, invisibly, waiting for Goya’s arrival, frozen in this murderous moment, only for the artist to reveal them. Goya never announced these secret paintings. He never named them either. He died in 1828. ] (if: $dice is 2)[ Two figures - one oarsman, one watcher in white - are arriving at an islet on their rowboat. There on the rocky islet, only dark cypress seems to grow along the hard crags and severe architecture. It is a cemetery surrounded by anonymous waters - perhaps a lake - which is nowhere and everywhere at once. A series of five paintings done over six years (1880 to 1860), //Isle of the Dead// is Arnold Böcklin’s singular obsession. In other works, the same cypress, the same islets, could be seen, though not in the same arrangement as //Isle of the Dead//. To have one’s soul fragmented into a million refracting pieces, to forever again feel “every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life”, is to love life. Even if that life tends forever unto death. In 1900, Böcklin returned to //Isle of the Dead//, beginning work on the sixth entry in the series. He died in 1901, and his son finished the painting. ] (if: $dice is 3)[ Many have attempted their own renditions of this exact scene - //Apollo flaying Marsyas// - with each adding a new dimension. Moreau the Younger focused on the satyr’s horror at the moment of binding - a wonderful expression on his face. And Apollo, who stands off-center, is only too relaxed, almost apathetic, at what is to unfold. On the other hand, Giovanni Biliverti’s Apollo is hurtling forward, stern-faced, with billowing robes redder than Marsyas’s own blood. Biliverti’s satyr is only a simple beast, standing in the dark, barely part of the scene. One gets the impression that Marsyas is only roadkill in Apollo’s wake. Then, there’s Melchior Meier’s depiction, which focuses on the subsequent melodrama: Apollo smugly showing off the hide of his musical rival to a shocked crowd, demonstrating once and for all how pride is a sin for anyone but the gods. Though Marsyas’s body is anatomically human, it is discarded in the manner of butchered animals. Only Theodoor Galle saw the equal humanity in both god and creature. His Marsyas - human again - twists before a dark tree, pale flesh open for all to see. The diagonals formed from his limbs are the violent thrashes moments before becoming mere meat. Taking up equal part of the engraving is Apollo, who seems less godly than… busy. He is transfixed. His hands are careful. His blade peels into the last leg of his victim. The result of his craft is apparent and admirable - the face is well-preserved. Only a little bit more, and he is done. Upon his head sits the Sun’s glory. He won, yet his work does not cease. The flute and fiddle lie close by. First came the music, then came the screams. ] (if: $dice is 4)[ Later copies of the //Aḥwāl al-Qiyāma//, especially those made under Ottoman rule, include many illustrations that depict what will happen on the Day of Judgment. Some scenes are expected: The blowing of the trumpet, the reaping of souls, the arrival of Jesus and //Dajjāl//, heaven, hellfire. In one painting, a group of people clad in burial white rise up from the gray ground. They gather under the indigo sky. Above them, the Sun, the Moon, and the stars converge, and when all is right, the people raise their hands into the golden air, and Truth falls into their waiting palms. ] (if: $dice is 5)[ 5 ] (if: $dice is 6)[ 6 ] (if: $dice is 7)[ 7 ] (if: $dice is 8)[ 8 ] --- (link: "Tears well up against your will.")[ (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (set: $choiceDreamA to it + 1) (goto: "DeathCheck") ](print: $attInspiration's gain)</li>

{= (set: $activity to "walking Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "A yellow fog shrouds this morning.")[ (link-reveal: "//\"Miu...\"//")[ She does not want to leave your arms. So, you carry her in your hoodie's pouch, like a kangaroo her joey, down the building's stairs. (link-reveal: "When you reach the parking lot")[, you let her down, but she tries to crawl back into the hoodie's pouch. You let her. (link-reveal: "You stroll around the block")[, humming a tune to her while she purrs nervously. Thankfully, there isn't a soul in sight. (link-reveal: "By the time you make it back")[ to your building's entrance, Jesse has already fallen as sleep inside the pouch. --- (link: "If you could stop time, you would, just to be this way forever.")[ (print: $attJesse01's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $attJesse01's gain) ]]]]]

(if: $storyHenri's qt < 3)[//“It’s OK, you can look however long you want.”// You snap out of it, unable to believe your ears. You can’t believe your eyes either. Has her hair always been this long? Has her face… Her face! Her lovely face! What happened to it? //“We’ll all be decorations in the end. Dead and dumb. And you can have your way with all of us, with no-one to judge. Isn’t that what you want?”// Her hands - her many hands - are wrapping all around you. Caressing you. Lulling you into a warm, warm slumber. You feel the fairy lights being slowly tied around your neck. You welcome it. Clack. The front door opens. You jolt awake and bolt for the door, shoving past Henri.]

{= (set: $activity to "a shaken moment")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockAmyA to true)  Focus is fickle and coy. You’ve been staring at your (link-reveal: "unfinished painting")[(show: ?hidden1)] [, knowing full well that you cannot get anything done while it is still bright outside. But now, there is another light that casts a shadow over everything you do - Amy’s. (link-reveal: "Your art lacks.")[(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1)[ No, you’re on the right path. You try to shake the doubt from your mind. (link-reveal: "But your Sun is one color short.")[(show: ?hidden3)]]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ A gimped rainbow. Its light is pale. How does one forget a light already seen? (link-reveal: "It needs her.")[(show: ?hidden4)]]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ No it doesn’t. It doesn’t need anything but you and you alone. No more. You’ve done quite enough of that and are still chewing on the consequences. Chew that cud, you cattle. You scum. Scum in the pond. Garden pond. Garden. Tend to your garden. Tend to your garden. Tend to your... (link-reveal: "This is the fragile game you play.")[(show: ?hidden5)]]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ To paint, you must first open your eyes. But when you’ve seen enough, those eyes must close. Any stray light will render your inadequacies plain and your effort pathetic. (link-reveal: "Distractions.")[(show: ?hidden6)]]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ She’s just another one of them, a dime a dozen, a dryad, a siren, a... You can’t have them all. In the next one - you tell yourself. Later. So long as you’re alive, there is always a later. --- (link: "Toss it - her - aside.")[ (dialog: [And when it lands upon the soil, strange roots will take.], "That is then and not now.") (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (print: $actionOnward's effect) ](print: $attRestlessness's gain) ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6)

{= (set: $activity to "a dream of want")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockDreamAmy1 to true)  One ought not to admire the Sun directly. (link-reveal: "But you did.")[ An errant ray has beamed straight into your mind and burned an afterimage. Her. You recognize her and feel a terrible heat. Animal heat. Geological heat. Heavenly fire. Things which dwell in the sealed pit of your consciousness are now scattering every which way. Your eyes are throbbing. A dark spot pulses. You’re in a (link-rerun: "room")[ (set: _number to it + 1) (if: _number > 5)[(set: _number to 1)] (replace: ?room)[(print: _room's _number)] (if: _number is 5)[(show: ?hidden1)] (replace: ?her)[(print: _her's _number)] ] (set: _number to 0) (set: _room to (a: " - a Bureau interrogation chamber.", " - a locker room.", " - a university studio.", " - an impression of a room.", " - a neighbor’s living room.", "", )) (set: _her to (a: "Katherine - about nineteen then - for whom you sired that (cycling-link: \"unborn\", \"unfinished\", \"imperfect\") fetus in the corner - ", "Samantha - close to eighteen then - who spat in your mouth - ", "Simone - sixteen then - to whom //Bataille's Plexus// was dedicated - ", "Julia - (if: $lockPartyC is false)[whom you're yet to meet](else:)[whom you're bound to meet again] - ", "Amy - about twenty presently - for whom everything has gone right, until now - ", "", )) []<room| ] [ [She]<her| is sitting across from you. If you were to render her in oil, you would… [<ul> <li>(link: "Underpaint with the starkest red.")[(hide: ?choices)(show: ?hidden2)(replace: ?response1)[Underpaint with the starkest red. Normally, you’d use green or purple hues, but for her, anything but red would be false, for she was not normal, and neither were you.]] <li>(link: "Blend with the softest brush.")[(hide: ?choices)(show: ?hidden2)(replace: ?response1)[Blend with the softest brush made from sable, caresses only. You’d do it until all contrast disappears, as though the audience was looking at her with bleary eyes, opening for the first time.]] <li>(link: "Slash with a crude knife.")[(hide: ?choices)(show: ?hidden2)(replace: ?response1)[Slash with a crude paint-knife. You'd plaster one glob after another, until the girl bulged out from the canvas like rolling hills, like roiling waves, like how things appeared to you.]] <ul>]<choices| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ []<response1| (link-reveal: "Where is she now?")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ Nowhere. Here. Inside the Sun. Dwelling in its frozen fire. Hanging over a mirror-like lake, gazing at Her sister in the water. (link-reveal: "Where in //the world// is she?")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ You remember nothing after that. You’ve cast her aside. And yet, the seed has been growing strange roots. Where it touches, it sears. Afterimages. You’re painting in the blindspot. You’re making it whole again. (link-reveal: "Distractions.")[(show: ?hidden5)] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ All of them. She has already given you what you needed. And yet, you can still be stirred to want. --- (link: "Sweat, smear, and smile in your half-light.")[ (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (print: $attInspiration's gain)</li> ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5)

{= Gazing upon the painting - gain random effect based on dice variable (set prior to clicking, random 1-3, so 3 different effects in total). --- (link: "AAAAAHHHHH.")[ (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (if: $last is "Gala B5")[(goto: "DeathCheck")] (else:)[(print: $actionOnward's effect)] ] (print: $attProgress's gain)

{= (set: $activity to "thinking about leaving")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockGalaA to true) (if: $eventShow's timer is 1)[This is it. The Greeting Gala is slated to take place tomorrow night. The calendar marks today with “pack up” in red marker - an aspiration. (if: $time is "Evening")[It is getting dark out. This is your last chance to starting moving, or you’ll miss the night bus.] (if: $storyArt's qt is 1)[ Your painting is not ready yet, but only by your standard. You'll sneak in a few more strokes at the motel. They won't know. ] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 2)[ Your painting is as ready as you can make it. If it is found wanting, then it'd be because of your own lack of skill and not of time. ] ] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 0)[The Greeting Gala is tonight. If you travel right now, you’re likely to arrive some time next morning, close to noon, when everything is over and done with. But maybe, just maybe, you might catch up with a few Foundation members, to whom you’ll grovel for a reconsideration.] You’ve worked it out in your head: (link: "You’ll take the bus there...")[You’ll take the bus there and stay at a motel close to the venue.] (link: "Hopefully...")[Hopefully, you’ll have a bit of time to touch up your painting before handing it over to the organizers next morning.] (link: "Then...")[Then, you’ll mingle (you shudder at the thought) and be there for the nighttime unveiling.] It is all well and good to make plans in one's head when excitement blinds you. But the more you think about it, the (link-reveal: "odder everything seems.")[ Back when you were working part-time at the gallery, you remember that (link-reveal: "permits and documentations had to be cleared months ahead of the show.")[ The interns would always scramble prior to exhibition season. You only turned in your shoddy documentation a month before.] You also remember asking artists to (link-reveal: "turn in their finished work at least a few months prior to the show for promotion.")[ But you’re asked to show up with what is essentially a wildcard.] Then, the physical artwork would have to be (link-reveal: "delivered a few weeks prior to the opening")[ - for framing and mounting - even sooner if it were a sculpture or an installation (you hated handling those). The coordinator only asks that you show up the morning prior.] And of course, there is practically (link-reveal: "no information that you can find about any so-called “Greeting Gala”.")[ What you have gathered is that the venue belongs to the Darkbloom Foundation - a mansion in a private ranch carved into Washington’s wildlife preserves. But, the on-paper organizer is a referrals-only catering company, one that you don’t recognize.] Everything points to this being a (link-reveal: "closed event.")[ Climb high enough on the social ladder, and professionalism breaks down. It’s a small village up there. It used to be your job to prepare the artists so that they know what to expect. But this is the Darkbloom Foundation - those who get this far should not be strangers to these waters. And for someone with very few options, you must dive in headfirst.] ] Ah, now is the time for action. (if: $storyAnts's qt is 4)[Jesse wouldn't have wanted you to rot at home with your thoughts.] --- <ol> <li>(link: "Pack up your painting and leave for the bus station.")[ (goto: "Gala B") ] (Commit to something time-consuming and potentially dangerous. Perhaps you might make it back.) <li>(link: "There are things you must do first.")[ (print: $actionBack's effect) ] (Back to your (lowercase: $time) routine.)

{= (set: $activity to "packing up")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: _pack to 0) (set: _packTrigger to "\ (set: _pack to it + 1)\ (if: _pack >= 6)[(show: ?headout)]\ ") Assemble yourself for the road! (link-reveal: "Change of clothes?")[ Check._packTrigger] (link-reveal: "Something to wear for the main event?")[ A gold pendant will look great on your black blouse. Minimalist. Self-important._packTrigger] (link-reveal: "Paint, brushes, and palette?")[ Check._packTrigger] (link-reveal: "Miscellaneous personal belongings?")[ Check. The geriatric laptop is coming with you, too._packTrigger] (link-reveal: "And the painting?")[ This one is the hardest. You tape some wine corks on four corners of the painting, sandwich an unused canvas of the same size on top as a cover (the corks keep the canvases apart to avoid smearing the still-wet paint), and (link-reveal: "wrap the contraption in a linen tarp.")[ By the time you’re done, both of your hands are full - valise in one and the makeshift strap of the painting in the other. Balancing on your back, the painting-contraption seems like a massive kite or wings._packTrigger(if: $storyAnts's qt is >= 4)[_packTrigger]]] (if: $storyAnts's qt is < 4)[ (link-reveal: "And Jesse?")[_packTrigger (if: $storyHenri's qt >= 4)[She will be staying at Henri’s for the time being. What are friends for, after all?](else-if: $storyAmy's qt >= 2)[You’ve asked Amy to look after Jesse for you. She has your keys.](else:)[You've left out enough catfood to last Jesse two days, with a circle of salt around the bow. It's the best you can do right now.]]] [ You are all set. --- (link: "Head out. The bus station is only a few blocks away.")[(goto: "Gala B1")] ]<headout|(hide: ?headout)

{= (set: $time to "Morning")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "having breakfast")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The Sun has come. Today is the day. You’re in the motel canteen, with your painting leaned against the wall, ready to be taken down to the lake and handed off to the organizers. You’re trying to stomach something, anything, but coffee is all you can really have. You feel like throwing up. There are a few other tourists here, lounging, telling their brats to be quiet, reading newspapers with headlines that say “crisis” somewhere in there. What isn’t a crisis these days? You’ve long tuned them out. You wonder if any of these people are guests at the gala, or a fellow artist in your cohort, or better yet, a member of the Foundation. Ah, a member would never stay in this old motel. They will be staying at the Estate by the lake. From behind the front desk, the concierge - a fat woman - is giving you a dirty look, again! It’s a different person from last night, you’re sure, but maybe that’s how anyone who lives in the boondocks looks. The front bell rings. An old man with a salt-and-pepper beard steps inside the motel. He scans the canteen and sees you with your painting. Then he turns to the fat woman and says, //“Onkos talossa leipää, emäntä?”// She nods. The old man enters the canteen and makes himself some toasts. Then, he takes a seat in the corner, a good place to watch you. --- (link: "You should be leaving now, while there’s still a chance.")[(goto: "Gala C1")]

{= (set: $time to "Evening")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "Estate's front garden")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "joining the Greeting Gala")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The helicopter roars overhead, and angry gusts blow gravel in your face and leaves in your hair. Must be a donor. The security guard shrugs and takes your phone. You smooth your blazer and enter the gate. Somewhere far away, in the fog-shroud of the lake, a red light blinks. Apparently, some guests arrive by boat from the otherside of the lake, no doubt staying at the cottages on the other side of the ranch. You’re the only one who took a taxi here. What about the artists[Katherine]? The morning blew by so quickly, you didn’t have a chance to ask where anyone was staying. As you approach the fountain, a masked woman wrapped in tight silk approaches you and grins. You shake her hand and take a minute to realize that she is the same vest-wearing assistant from the morning. //“Let me introduce my manager…”// Your handler. Bald, hunched, and utterly unremarkable. You shake his hand; it is moist. He reminds you of your department chair in Chicago. He even has the same penchant for touching your arms when he talks. So these are the men whose hands dangle your strings. //“There are valets with hors d'oeuvre. The amuse-bouche is to die for,”// the assistant titters with nervous energy. //“... speeches are in half an hour, feast after that. The old collection will open at nine, cognac at ten. Unveiling new works is at twelve-sharp, bidding…”// You ask where the other artists are[Katherine is]. //“They’re about, bumping shoulders, bumping- we don’t keep a leash on our artists, haha. Although, a few are still upstairs, using this time for extra preparation. Would you like some last-minute checks as well?”// No, you’ll look for Katherine. Maybe grab a drink for yourself and her. A masked valet sees you in. --- (link: "It is time.")[ (goto: "Gala D1")]

{= Suppression raid

{= Traveling home (advance another day)

{= The clock ticks down the Earth's degree, and the Sun is lowering over your horizon. (if: $eventShow's timer is 1)[The big day is tomorrow. There is still time.] (else-if: $eventShow's timer is 0)[There's no telling what you will have missed once you get there. But the only way to tell is to go there.] (if: $storyArt's qt is 2)[Your painting is still curing, and perhaps you might stir it back to life in the future. But for now, it is ready.] (else-if: $storyArt's qt is 1)[The painting is not ready yet, but you're your own harshest critic. They won't be able to tell, right?] --- (link: "Right. You haven't forgotten.")[(print: $actionOnward's effect)](print: $actionOnward's desc)

{=  Murder the shit out of Julia. She lies dying, telling you that you'll meet before the end. --- (link: "You are let go.")[ (dialog: [Man, that was rough.], "It hurts.") (goto: "DeathCheck") ]

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: _loss to $attRestlessness) (set: _lossText to "You lose a bit of <details><summary>''(print: _loss's name)''</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>")  (link-reveal: "//“You’re gonna need to relax for this one, friend,”//")[ she grabs your neck with metal fingers, pushing you down onto the ground. You hit a familiar softness. Your mattress. In her other hand, (link-reveal: "the knife")[(show: ?hidden1)] gleams - neon red - Sunset red - sanguine red.] [ You gasp for air, but she places an armored knee on your chest. //“Come on now, isn't this supposed to be fun? Therapeutic? (link-reveal: "Why do you always struggle?")[(show: ?hidden2)]”//]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ Lethargy lulls your heavy eyes. Your fear - that ancient watchdog who barks at danger - is being snuffed in cotton. --- (link-rerun: "You jolt awake.")[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt <= 0)[ (dialog: [Finally! You gasp and move just enough for the knife to miss.], "Break away.") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[ (set: $attRestlessness's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,3))\ (set: _text to (a: "Only to wake into the same place. How many times has it been?", "... And try to roll to one side, but only your mind does; your body remains pinned.", "You fall endlessly into the same sleep. Her armored thighs are crushing your ribs.", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ _lossText\ ] , "Again!") ] ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: _loss to $attEmbarrassed) (set: _lossText to "You lose a bit of <details><summary>''(print: _loss's name)''</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>")  You’ve managed to flee from your armored pursuer, and now, you’re (link-reveal: "in hiding")[. The wardrobe is claustrophobic and acrid with mothballs. You hear the jiggling of chainmail on the other side of thin plywood. //“Always running from your responsibilities,”// she speaks with two voices - one is hers, the other (link-reveal: "coldly familiar")[ - your mother’s. //“Let it not be said that I spoiled you, child.”//(show: ?hidden1)]] [ She is kicking everything up out there. You cannot stay here for long. You feel around and grab what feels to be (link-reveal: "a metal cudgel")[. No, a trophy. It is heavy enough.(show: ?hidden2)]]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ A shadow falls over the wardrobe’s crack. //“I’ll give you a chance to (link-reveal: "face me on your own terms")[(show: ?hidden3)].”//]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ You kick down the door and blindly bash against her armor. --- (link-rerun: "You strike!")[ (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt <= 0)[ (dialog: [Finally, you toss the heavy thing at her head - which she dodges, distracting her enough for you to dash out the hallway.], "Run!") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ (set: $attEmbarrassed's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,3))\ (set: _text to (a: "But the gilded cup only glances off her pauldrons.", "You aim for her knife hand. The blow does not hurt but has given her pause.", "She jumps out of the way, shockingly nimble.", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ _lossText\ ] , "Again!") ] ] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: _loss to $attProgress) (set: _lossText to "You lose a bit of <details><summary>''(print: _loss's name)''</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>")  You’re running. (link-reveal: "You’ve locked yourself in a room")[, one of a hundred, a thousand… //“(link-reveal: "Nothing you do matters")[(show: ?hidden1)],”// her voice echoes in the hallway. //“Nothing is new under the Sun. Our kind is no stranger to this fact.”//] [ Before your armored pursuer arrives, you look around to see if there is anything you can use to bar the door, to buy yourself some time. (set: _there to 0) (set: _object to (a: " is a tall wood lectern.", " are large paintings hanging on the wall.", " is a cabinet filled with identical books.", " boxes of heavy home appliances, with ribbons still attached.", " various gift boxes and stacks of appreciative letters.", )) (link-rerun: "There")[ (set: _there to it + 1) (if: _there > 5)[(set: _there to 1)(show: ?hidden2)] (print: _object's _there) ] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ No point in being picky. You decide to use all of them. --- (link-rerun: "Muster your strength and barricade the door.")[ (if: $attProgress's qt <= 0)[ (dialog: [You’re done! You’ve finally gathered everything there is to be found in this room. You’ve even tossed in the little weightless trinkets that would otherwise be heavy on someone’s heart.], "A fortress of treasures protect you.") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $attProgress's qt > 0)[ (set: $attProgress's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,3))\ (set: _text to (a: "You jam them as tightly against one another as possible. They all seem so inadequate.", "You prepare to lift but are shocked at how light some of the objects are.", "You stack them on top of each other, but the flimsy tower only tumbles down.", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ _lossText\ ] , "Again!") ] ] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: $time to "Night")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "with Jesse")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: _loss to $attJesse01) (set: _lossText to "You lose a bit of <details><summary>''(print: _loss's name)''</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>")  After some struggle, you've fought off your armored pursuer (link-reveal: "for now")[. You’ve found your way out of the endless hallway and are now (link-reveal: "back at your home")[. All the lights are off. You’re hugging (link-reveal: "Jesse")[(show: ?hidden1)] tightly against your chest, trying to calm down.]] [ //“Meow?”// You tell Jesse that you’re not sure if that woman has given up yet, but if she’s here and you’re here, then (link-reveal: "you’re safe")[(show: ?hidden2)].]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“Meooow~”// What do you mean, Jesse? You look at your cat. Her eyes are the wrong color. You jump up, and the cat twirls in the air and lands with unnatural motion, as though it were a puppet or a doll tugged by unseen strings. //“Meow,”// instead of meowing, it is //speaking// the word. (link-reveal: "It is mocking you.")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ No, you are (link-reveal: "delusional")[. You must not allow these rotten thoughts to infect Jesse too, precious Jesse. (link-reveal: "There’s nothing wrong with her.")[ It’s you who’s wrong. It’s your fault! --- (link-rerun: "Recall what Jesse is.")[ (if: $attJesse01's qt <= 0)[ (dialog: [You think and think until you begin to forget what your own home looks like. Looking around, there is only a looming sense that you’re not welcome. You’ve never been welcome. And the cat-shaped thing staring at you right now certainly is not welcoming.], "Who are you?") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $attJesse01's qt > 0)[ (set: $attJesse01's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,3))\ (set: _text to (a: "Yes, the shape of her paws, the tufts of hair in her ears, they’re all in the right places. Are they?", "The way that she moves, has it always been this… stilted? No, you’re imagining it.", "How does she usually act when you touch her? Ah, but you haven’t been looking closely enough.", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ _lossText\ ] , "Familiarity fades from your mind.") ] ] ]]]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: _loss to $attConfidence) (set: _lossText to "You lose a bit of <details><summary>''(print: _loss's name)''</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>")  You have run, have fought, and have run again. Time after time, your armor-clad tormentor does not seem to tire. (link-reveal: "//“Stop making that ugly face,”//")[ she tells you as she grapples with you, her blade at your neck, and tears are streaming down your cheeks. //“None of this unpleasantness would have happened if you simply didn’t get up, if you simply stopped and let me show you-”//(show: ?hidden1)] [ (link-reveal: "You kick her in the groin.")[ A cymbal crashes. It only confuses her, but (link-reveal: "your foot is shot through with pain")[. You collapse onto the ground and try to crawl away. (link-reveal: "Her turn.")[ She sends her sabaton into your gut. Thump. You’re coiled like a wounded millipede and (link-reveal: "puke out grease")[(show: ?hidden2)].]]] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“Not very curious, are you? And you call yourself an artist,”// she grabs a handful of your mess of hair and spits in your face. Then, she drags you a short distance back to the toilet, lifts you up to a stone sink. And through bleary eyes, you see yourself in the shattered mirror. //“And… we’re back (link-reveal: "where we’ve started off")[(show: ?hidden3)].”// ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ --- (link-rerun: "You look away from the fragmented faces in the mirror.")[ (if: $attConfidence's qt <= 0)[ (dialog: [In the end, she no longer needs to force you. You're staring by your own will, accepting that what is in front of you is merely meat. A medium in an artist’s hand. A conduit for an artist’s will. Other than that, you are but a more temperamental clay.], "... And as common as dirt.") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ (set: $attConfidence's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,3))\ (set: _text to (a: "You used to be so young, so full of promises. What happened to you? Was your face all you had? Was there no there nothing else to speak of? //“That’s what the knife is for, friend. I don’t suppose you’ve given much thought about the art of sculpture?”//", "//“Didn’t they teach you in school to take constructive criticism? To not let your pride get in your head? We all need to be humbled,”// she says as she pushes your face against the jagged glass.", "You see the faces of failure. Here is one who smiles to get her way. Over there is one who curls her lips at others when they fail to revere her. Yet another is one who cries, knowing that there is no cause for reverence.", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ _lossText\ ] , "There has to be more.") ] ] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: _loss to $attInspiration) (set: _lossText to "You lose a bit of <details><summary>''(print: _loss's name)''</summary>(print: _loss's desc)</details>")  You’ve struggled and fought, but by now, you’re too exhausted to resist her. She hoists your arm around her metal armor and drags you towards (link-reveal: "one of the bathroom stalls")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ Inside, there is (link-reveal: "a man")[. His face - what used to be a face - has been peeled off, and gangrenous sap stains his bare chest black. There are thin cuts criss-crossing his body. A (link-reveal: "dozen")[ - no - a hundred_manTrigger] fish hooks pierce his flesh, and each hook is tied to a (link-reveal: "black line")[_manTrigger - (link-reveal: "a hair")[_manTrigger - her hair -]] which now shrouds the man (link-reveal: "in lieu of skin")[. He is still breathing. Only his one remaining eye is moving._manTrigger]] (set: _man to 0) (set: _manTrigger to "(set: _man to it + 1)(if: _man >= 4)[(show: ?hidden2)]") ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“You’ve got (link-reveal: " one thing right before:")[ Nothing's beyond flattery. The best way to get someone’s attention is by imitating them - loudly,”(show: ?hidden3)]// ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ she sets you down opposite of the stall, a captive audience. //“Whatever gave you the idea, huh? (link-reveal: "Me?")[(show: ?hidden4)]”// ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ --- (link-rerun: "You search your mind, trying to piece together some semblance of sense.")[ (if: $attInspiration's qt <= 0)[ (dialog: [You think and think and think until your mind is as empty as your body, having relieved itself of all senses. Whatever drove you is yours alone, and whatever you cannot speak of, you must pass over in silence.], "...") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[ (set: $attInspiration's qt to it - 1) (dialog: [\ (set: _number to (random: 1,3))\ (set: _text to (a: "You recall the dawn’s light and how the first creature to walk the Earth must have felt the same way you did. Ah, but what makes your dawn any more special than theirs? Any early riser could have been a great artist; then why didn’t they?", "There is a music that blows in with the seasonal storms that wrack the Earth. It drives woodland creatures to rut. It churns with the soil and the fungus and the worms. It breathes terror and awe into people. Ah, but the farmers and the sailors are more in tune with this music than you. What makes your delusions special?", "There is a seed and there is a soil in everyone, and we steal into each other’s minds and plant our roots inside their hearts. We mutual parasites suckle each other dry and fill the desiccated bodies with our own sap. But where does this sap come from if not others?", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ _lossText\ ] , "Your thoughts grow dimmer.") ] ] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4)

{=   (unless: $last is "Dream E6")[You’ve struggled and fought, but by now, you’re too exhausted to resist her. She hoists your arm around her metal armor and drags you towards (link-reveal: "one of the bathroom stalls")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ Inside, there is (link-reveal: "a man")[. His face - what used to be a face - has been peeled off, and gangrenous sap stains his bare chest black. There are thin cuts criss-crossing his body. A (link-reveal: "dozen")[ - no - a hundred_manTrigger] fish hooks pierce his flesh, and each hook is tied to a (link-reveal: "black line")[_manTrigger - (link-reveal: "a hair -")[_manTrigger her hair -]] which now shrouds the man (link-reveal: "in lieu of skin")[. He is still breathing. Only his one remaining eye is moving._manTrigger]] (set: _man to 0) (set: _manTrigger to "(set: _man to it + 1)(if: _man >= 4)[(show: ?hidden2)]") ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“You’ve got (link-reveal: " one thing right before:")[ Nothing's beyond flattery. The best way to get someone’s attention is by imitating them - loudly."(show: ?hidden3)]// ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ She points at the oozing, gasping mass. //"This man was my first. Clumsy handiwork, as you can see. I’ve improved a lot since then. Too bad, it’s not my turn. But hey, at least I knew that my way worked. Beats your way; oil is so gauche. (link-reveal: "Let me demonstrate")[(show: ?hidden4)].”// ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) ] [ (set: _like to 0) (set: _unfurl to (a: " like a sail.", " like a flag.", " like an origami and float into the air.(show: ?hidden5)")) (set: _likeClick to "(set: _like to it + 1)(if: _like > 3)[(set: _like to 1)](print: _unfurl's _like)") After gathering all the hairs from the floor, she begins to (link-reveal: "tug")[. Unseen pulleys squeak like a swarm of rats. The fishhooks grow taut. He gurgles - a mindless moan. His blood, fresh and rotten alike, (link-reveal: "rains down on your face")[, warm springtime rain, by which a million blooms will rise and greet the Sun. With a squelch, his flesh begins to (link-rerun: "unfurl")[_likeClick]]] ]<hidden4|(unless: $last is "Dream E6")[(hide: ?hidden4)] [ A multi-dimensional tapestry, a grand diagram of impossible geometries, made of (link-reveal: "nerves")[ and (link-reveal: "veins")[ and (link-reveal: "tendons")[ and (link-reveal: "ligaments")[ and (link-reveal: "entrails")[ and (link-reveal: "bones")[ and all the secret matters, now drips hotly onto the floor(show: ?hidden6).]]]]]] ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ (set: _kind to 0) (set: _light to (a: " - having taken notice", " - prismatic light", " - searing red light", " - blinding splendor", " - black light from a hole in the firmament", " - LIGHT(show: ?hidden7)")) (set: _kindClick to "(set: _kind to it + 1)(if: _kind > 6)[(set: _kind to 1)](print: _light's _kind)") And (link-rerun: "light ")[_kindClick] ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6) [ - pours in through the shattered glass. --- (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (set: _number to 0) (link-rerun: "Like a worm in the hot Sun, you try to crawl away.")[ (if: $mind <= 2)[ (dialog: [There. There! The steel helmet is on the floor, and it is within your reach. You grab it and swing. It strikes across her temple. She reels back, buying you enough time to lunge at her.], "She shrieks.") (goto: "Dream E Next") ] (if: $mind > 2)[ (set: $mind to it - 1)(replace: ?mindStat)[$mind] (dialog: [\ (if: _number < 6)[(set: _number to it + 1)]\ (set: _text to (a: "Whichever tile you touch, there is pulsation, and the patterns are the patterns of the flesh, which your tormentor has woven out of a man.", "She blindly stumbles towards you, knife in hand. You understand why she has not used it on you yet. It is no weapon. It is a tool. The most delicate tool for the most delicate task.", "This cannot be the end. It cannot be! You cannot be made into… that thing.", "You’ve seen the light. You must answer likewise, with a blip on the Earth, so that it is known that this place is no dumb rock, is not a place of condemnation to go there and wither and die, but a place of brilliance!", "THAT is your cause. THAT is your sentence. THAT is why you cannot stop.", "You must NEVER stop!", ))\ (print: _text's _number)\ Your mind falters.\ ] , "You scream.") ] ] ]<hidden7|(hide: ?hidden7)

{= (if: $last is "Dream E1")[The knife tears into the mattress, and a puff of down shoots into the air. You twist and slip from your captor’s weight and (link-reveal: "scamper towards the door")[(show: ?hidden1)]. [ //“Aha, do not go gentle into that good night,”// she stands up and stomps towards you, each step a metallic crash. //“(link-reveal: "Rage against the dying of the light.")[(show: ?hidden2)]”//]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ The door gives. You fall into a dim hallway, whose end you cannot see. Your legs are disobedient. They long for the ground. And yet, you still (link-reveal: "run")[(show: ?hidden2)(show: ?punish)].]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“It’s OK,”// her voice echoes behind you. //“I was going to give you a house tour anyway.”//]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) ] (if: $last is "Dream E2")[//“There’s no shame in giving up, you know,”// she strides after you like a silver locomotive. //“There’s no shame in learning from your betters.”// (link-reveal: "You run and scream:")[ What can you possibly learn from her - a woman doomed to sit in the sidelines and watch and seethe? //“Ouch, there’s no need for that kind of language,”// she slows down, but you don’t. Her double-voice (link-reveal: "still echoes.")[ //“In another life, I’d be born lucky, and you wouldn’t be born at all. It only happens to be your turn right now.”//(show: ?punish)]] ] (if: $last is "Dream E3")[Everything is now stacked high against the door, a nonsensical fortress wall. Your body is left near-broken and useless from the effort. //“Tsk, do you have any idea how long it took me to organize that room?”// she yells, trying to push the door in. //“Well, your loss. None of it is mine.”// (link-reveal: "There comes a crimson spark.")[ Suddenly, your barricade crumbles softly into itself, like glowing joss paper shrinking and turning to ash, their hollowness already hungry for fire. The room fills with smoke. (link-reveal: "You cannot stay here!")[ Contentedness will choke you. Quickly, the window! Who knows how far you will drop, but the fire is already spreading fast. (link-reveal: "You shimmy the window open")[ and lunge into darkness. You hit the floor without falling. It is still the same hallway; you’ve never been above ground. //“Hah, architects are such scamps. I envy them sometimes.”// (link-reveal: "You run from the fire.")[ There is nothing of value in this place.(show: ?punish)]]]] ] (if: $last is "Dream E4")[ (set: $time to "Dream")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "a red dream")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "You slowly back away from the cat-shaped thing")[ and out the front door. It is not the open balcony hallway of your apartment building but the howling tunnel that you’ve been trying to escape. Inside your “home”, (link-reveal: "a silver figure now stands in Jesse’s place")[, and when she extends her arm at you, a singular claw gleams in the crimson light. //“Let this be a lesson that it is all appearances. You’ve always been delusional. An animal cannot love. You’ve simply imagined it to be a human.”// And with that, (link-reveal: "she pounces")[ towards you like a metallic panther, her armor might as well be silk. You dodge her blade and continue your flight.(show: ?punish)]]] ] (if: $last is "Dream E5")[//“Every religion’s got their own version of egolessness,”// your tormentor speaks. //“No wonder why you’ve called yourself an atheist.”// (link-reveal: "She grabs your jaw")[, her metal fingers like vises, and she presses her cheek against yours and grins. In the mirror, face-to-face, you two look like two friends after powdering their noses, now in front of the camera - one full of cheer, the other blood. //“Come on, smile a little. In my hands, (link-reveal: "you’re going to be great")[(show: ?punish)]!”//] ] (if: $last is "Dream E6")[You can barely open your eyes, let alone respond to (link-reveal: "her question.")[ //“Ah, I’m committing the cardinal sin: Asking the artist where she got her ideas from. No matter, you’ll see that ideas are a dime a dozen. (link-reveal: "The execution")[(show: ?hidden1)], however, is what sells it.”//] [ She begins to gather each strand of hair from the wet floor, yanking them to see if they still hold fast to the fish hooks, and by extension, (link-reveal: "the man")[(show: ?hidden2)].]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“If you’re wondering, then yes, this man was my first. Clumsy handiwork, as you can see. I’ve improved a lot since then. Too bad, it’s not my turn. But hey, at least I knew that my way worked. Beats your way; oil is so gauche. (link-reveal: "Let me demonstrate")[(show: ?punish)].”//]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) ] (if: $last is "Dream E7")[You are on top of her. You bring the heavy helmet (link-reveal: "down on your tormentor’s skull")[ (link-reveal: "again")[, and (link-reveal: "again")[, and (link-reveal: "again")[, and (link-reveal: "again")[, until the steel has bent and split like a rotten fruit, and it is only banging against wet tiles. The plate armor rattles. The arms are curled up. The feet are splashing, then stops. The teeth click against the hard floor like marbles. Pain rings in your ears and in your hands. Everything returns to the dim color of blood. (link-reveal: "The light is gone.")[ You look at the stall. It is empty. Here lies only your own clumsy handiwork. You search for the knife. It is not here. (link-reveal: "You must do this on your own.")[ You stand up and shuffle into the hallway. //“... see you… before… (link-reveal: "the end")[(show: ?punish)]… friend…”//]]]]]]] ] [(display: "Dream E Punishment")]<punish|(hide: ?punish)

{= (set: $time to "Morning")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "lying in bed")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "Throb.")[(link-reveal: " Throb.")[ The veins pulse behind your eyeballs. There is an iron rod driven through your head, staking it to the mattress. (link-reveal: "You’re sweating and cold.")[ It feels as though you’ve been drinking last night, but you haven’t. At least, it wasn’t alcohol that you were drunk on. (link-reveal: "//“Miu!”//")[ Jesse’s tongue is moist sandpaper on your face. You flinch. It’s OK. (link-reveal: "It’s just her.")[ She seems glad that you’re finally awake. The food bowl is upside down - empty. Groggily, you refill it, go back to bed, and close your eyes as Jesse makes crunching noises. (link-reveal: "You’ve dreamt…")[ You must have. It still lingers - this sense that you were someone else for an entire lifetime, who now has awakened in the wrong body. The wrong memories. (link-reveal: "You’re trying to remember.")[ --- <ol> <li>(link: "You should have died a long time ago.")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (goto: "Dream E Midday") ] <li>(link: "There is a reason you’re still here - your work is not yet done.")[ (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [Your mind is lightly healed.], "OK.") (goto: "Dream E Midday")] </ol> ]]]]]]]

{= (set: $time to "Midday")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "trying to wake up")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "In and out and in and out again.")[ Each time you wake up, you can remember less of yesternight’s details and more of the undeniable essence of (link-reveal: "who you are.")[ You lie awake with eyes closed, painfully conscious of the contours of your skull, and the awareness radiates down to your brow ridge, your nose, your jawlines, your neck. You’ve sculpted this face calorie-by-calorie. Now that you’re down to the bare, bony core, you’re no longer your mother’s daughter but finally, your own. (link-reveal: "This garden is yours.")[ Tend to it. You slither towards the water bottle and gulp until there is only air. You burp, almost throwing up. Water soaks your tissues. You’re heavy with it. As you try to stand up, your legs scream out in static. So, you (link-reveal: "crawl on all fours to the bathroom.")[ You sit down on the toilet and (link-reveal: "bury your face in your hands")[, wet and sticky. After going through the motions like an automaton, you open your eyes. In the mirror, there is a face. Red warpaint. (link-reveal: "Blood.")[ You’re still not done. --- (link: "Clean yourself up, change, and go back to bed.")[(goto: "Dream E Evening")] ]]]]]]

{= (set: $time to "Evening")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "having dinner")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (link-reveal: "The Chinese meal tastes like heaven.")[ Orange chicken with sesame. French fries drizzled with teriyaki sauce. You don’t usually finish your dinners, but today, you do. The wounded body is demanding. There is a dull churning deep inside your guts. (link-reveal: "With fuel, your imagination burns.")[ You picture the types of projects you will be pursuing at Darkbloom. It will be hard, and you’ll find yourself wanting, but you'd rather die than to coast your way into obscurity. Maybe you have. (link-reveal: "//“Miu!”//")[ Of course, (link-reveal: "Jesse will be there with you")[ - you’ve specifically requested pet-friendly accommodations. (link-reveal: "You tell her")[ of the flower garden, the hedges, the white fountains, and black statues, where she will chase after butterflies and tear them from the air. (link-reveal: "She listens")[ attentively, a smile fixed on her face. Shouldn’t she be asleep right now? (link-reveal: "You yawn.")[ --- <ol> <li>(link: "You try your best to squeeze in some work. Success never comes from idle daydreams.")[ (dialog: [You try to get some work in, but you float between brush, to laptop, to paint, then back to your phone. Before you know it, your eyelids are already on strike.], "Give up. Go to bed.") (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (goto: "Dream E Midnight") ] <li>(link: "You need to rest tonight. You’ll think about Darkbloom and all the other things tomorrow.")[ (goto: "Dream E Midnight") ] </ol> ]]]]]]]

{= (set: $activity to "an awkward visit")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriH1 to true) Before you could knock on Henri’s door, (link-reveal: "it opens")[. A woman in a pantsuit steps out, adjusts a sweaty strand of hair, pauses to take a good look at you, and leaves. She must be Henri’s (link-reveal: "colleague")[. Her university lanyard is stuffed inside her coat pocket.(show: ?hidden1)]] [ //“Oh, how odd,”// Henri greets you while buttoning up his shirt. //“I was just thinking about you. And here you are!”// You say that he must have summoned you with his thoughts, which makes him laugh. It’s so easy to make him laugh. You ask him who his female visitor is, and (link-reveal: "the laughing stops")[(show: ?hidden2)]. ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“Well, there’s you,”// he says, still at the door. //“I’m sorry, I’m confused.”// (link-reveal: "You ask if this is a bad time.")[(show: ?hidden3)]]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2)[ Henri looks inside and says, //“The place is a bit of a mess. I hope you don’t mind.”// --- <ol> <li>(link: "You don’t mind.")[(goto: "Henri H1a")](print: $actionCommit's desc) <li>(link: "Tell him you’ll come back some other time.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (Back to your usual (lowercase: $time) routine.) </ol> ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3)

{= (set: $choiceHenriH1a to true) You tell him that you don't mind, so Henri invites you (link-reveal: "inside")[. You notice only a few carton boxes and various cables and electronics strewn about. There is a faint smell of ozone in the air. Other than that, everything is in its place. //This// is what he calls “messy”? //“I meant to clean that up, but then I’d have to spring them out again when… Careful, there might be a screw in the carpet. So, tea like usual?”// You ask him if he’s (link-reveal: "working on something")[(show: ?hidden1)].] [ //“Yes, something quite consuming, in fact. It’s about Mrs. Wong - or rather cases like her. I can’t wait around for the police,” he mutters, handing you your tea. “Say, what do you know about the disappearances?”// [<ul> <li>(link: "Everyone turns up the same way.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices)(replace: ?response)[Everyone turns up the same way: Glassy-eyed. Muscles as hard as wood. Always in some unnatural pose. Brain-dead. No recovery so far. That’s what you’ve learned from the web. //“Yeah, it’s hard to deny, isn’t it? The official line is that it’s only a coincidence, but forty-something cases in this state alone is a bit too much to be pure chance. I don’t buy the conspiracist idea that Texas is experimenting a new drug on Union citizens, just to be clear. But it feels like most people prefer to be ostriches with their heads in the sand.” You ask, half-heartedly, if he’s found a cure.// ]] <li>(link: "Some say that Texas is behind it.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices)(replace: ?response)[Some - many - are saying that either Texan intelligence or even Texan adventists are behind the disappearances. To many in the Union, both of these are practically the same. Why, the Union itself has had a long history of funneling money through intelligence into religious fundamentalists, mind-altering drugs, and foreign destabilization. The Republic of Texas is only a dark mirror. You tell Henri all of your thoughts though - he’d think you’ve been spending too much time on the web - and neither do you tell him that your parents were themselves adventists. //“I hope you don’t buy it though. ‘Mannequins’ - sorry - victims have been turning up in Canada, China, and India, too, so it doesn’t make any sense to pin it on Texas. Don’t tell anyone I said that, though. My administrators aren’t exactly clear-headed on this, and I’ve only got my green card. They’d prefer to deny that we have a problem; it makes the Union look bad.”// You ask him, half-heartedly, why he brought it up. Does he know who’s behind the disappearances? ]] <li>(link: "This is such an unpleasant topic.")[(show: ?hidden2)(hide: ?choices)(replace: ?response)[ You say that you haven’t been keeping up with the news and try to change the subject, but Henri launches into it. //“Well they’re no ordinary disappearances. Victims have been turning up dead - stiff as a tree - always posed in some sort of way. You must have heard the word ‘mannequin’ thrown around? No? Look, I know that Union officials are saying that it’s only a coincidence, but the Quebecan news is saying something else. We can see it with our own eyes. Something’s going on out there.”// You venture to ask what that “something” could possibly be. //“I don’t know… Some say that it’s some secret Texan operation. Religious nutjobs kidnapping Union citizens and torturing them. I don’t believe it. It happens in Canada, India, and China, too. I’ve seen pictures coming out of Texas itself. Everyone I know prefers to just stick their heads in the sand or blame the Republic, but…”// You squirm in your seat. Impatiently, you ask if //he// plans to do anything to make it stop. ]] </ul>]<choices| ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ []<response| //“No, nothing like that. But - and this is a hunch - I believe that there’s a pattern to be found.”// (link-reveal: "A pattern?")[(show: ?hidden3)] ]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ //“Yes, a pattern. Most obvious is in the victims’ poses. But there are also the order of disappearances, the timing between that and the reappearances, the victims' backgrounds... Taken together, it’s like a cypher - a message.”// (link-reveal: "You stare at him.")[ (link-reveal: "It's no use.")[ (link-reveal: "You can’t help but burst out laughing.")[ (link-reveal: "It //is// all just a puzzle for him.")[ //“Oh don’t laugh. I told you it was a hunch. Now, I’m no cryptologist, but if I (link-reveal: "plug the data into a computer")[(show: ?hidden4)] and turn out correct, we might be able to save lives.”// ]]]] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ Wiping the tears from your face, you ask if that’s what the electronics around his house are for. He chuckles and says no; these are for the shortwave radio set he's building. A hobby. The computer in question is special - it is (link-reveal: "the one in his university basement")[(show: ?hidden5)]. ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ You’re sure that others - the government, universities, errant linguists - have had the same thoughts. They must have already come to Henri for his university’s “special computer”. But he shakes his head. No, the time-shares are all bought up; the donor is very strict about where their money goes. You joke that Henri’s only choice is to run it guerilla-style; you've done a fair share of going behind the admins' backs while you still had a teaching position. But he does not laugh. He only stares ahead, as though the light of possibility beckons him. //“Anywho, that’s just my theory. (link-reveal: "Let’s talk about something else.")[(show: ?hidden6)]”// ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ --- (link: "Yes, let’s. You didn’t come here for one academic’s ramblings. There’s no shortage of those.")[(goto: $talk)] ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6)

{=  (set: $talk to (passage:)'s name) (if: $lockHenriG is true and $lockHenriH is false)[(set: $waitHenri to 2)(goto: "Henri H")] (if: $lockHenriH is true and $lockHenriH1 is false and $waitHenri is 0)[(set: $waitHenri to 3)(goto: "Henri H1")] (if: $lockHenriH1 is true and $lockHenriH2b is false and $waitHenri < 3)[(goto: "Henri H2")]

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's door")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "knocking")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $waitHenri is 0 and $lockHenriH2a is false)[(goto: "Henri H2a")] (else-if: $waitHenri is 0 and $lockHenriH2a is true)[(goto: "Henri H2b")]  (set: $busyHenriH2 to true) You knock, but no-one answers. (if: $choiceHenriH1a is true)[ (if: $waitHenri is 2)[Henri's not home. Must be at the university, tinkering with that "special computer" of his. You hope he hasn't actually taken your advice.] (if: $waitHenri is 1)[Where is he? He must be out there, trying to decipher the //mystery of the mannequins//. It's delusional, yes, and it's still more important to him than hanging out with you.] ] (else:)[ (if: $waitHenri is 2)[Henri's not home. Must be too anxious to get back to work.] (if: $waitHenri is 1)[Where is he? He has better things to do than hang out with you.] ] But he'll be back soon - you tell yourself. --- (link: "Go home.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (Back to your usual (lowercase: $time) routine.)

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's place")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "an anxious update")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriH2a to true) (link-reveal: "Henri’s home today.")[ //“Sorry, I’ve been at the university the last couple of days. Had to leave in a hurry. Slept in the basement, too. I… uh, I didn’t even think to give you a heads-up. Sorry again.”// You shrug and tell him not to worry - you haven’t noticed. He pours you tea, and only you; he is drinking coffee straight from the pot. You ask him (link-reveal: "what he has been up to at the university")[(show: ?hidden1)]. Sabbatical becoming boring?] [ (if: $choiceHenriH1a is true)[ (link-reveal: "//“It’s about… you know, what we talked about,”//")[ he says, setting the tea down, his shaky hands rattling the tray. //“I made a few excuses and ran the computer when everyone had gone home. I wrote a code that disguised the computation. Made it look like a memory leak.”// You ask if the supercomputer has (link-reveal: "found anything interesting")[(show: ?hidden2)] about the reappeared people - the so-called “mannequins” - whether it has spit out any… hidden messages (you can’t hide the irony in your tone).] ] (else:)[ //“No, not exactly,”// he sighs. //“I wish it were just boring, but no. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I’ve been losing some sleep over… the disappearances. Insomnia. Exhaustion. Memory lapses. I can’t keep sitting around forever.”// You share some words of consolation, about what happened to Mrs. Wong (though it doesn’t make a difference to you one way or another), about Henri’s health, about… You’re still (link-reveal: "confused")[(show: ?confused)] about what Henri can do about it, and why the university is involved. [ //“Well, not the university itself; the admins are very much in denial about this,”// Henri says, straining to find the right words to explain to you. //“I believe that there’s a pattern in the disappearances - the people, the timing, and especially the way they’re posed when they… reappear. Something like (link-reveal: "a message")[(show: ?message)].”//]<confused|(hide: ?confused) [ … They reappear as what the web calls “mannequins” - you recall. Always posed in some way, stiff as a tree, brain-dead. The official cause is heart failure combined with exposure. It’s fertile grounds for some wild speculations: Texan nutjobs poisoning Union citizens? Terrorism? Cultic mass ritual? An undiscovered psychosis? But “message”? You didn’t take Henri for (link-reveal: "the speculating type")[(show: ?speculating)].]<message|(hide: ?message) [ //“I’m not going to just start spouting random theories, don’t worry, at least not before I’ve tested it. That’s why I’m… uh, don’t tell anyone this. There’s a special computer down in the university basement, and I’ve been plugging some case data into it. Usually, it’s too little information to model, but this machine is different.”// You nod, slowly, then ask (link-reveal: "why the secrecy")[(show: ?secrecy)].]<speculating|(hide: ?speculating) [ //“Because I’m not supposed to use university resources for personal projects. Yes, this is considered a ‘personal project’ to the admins and donors, can you believe it? I feel like everyone’s stuck in their bubbles, nevermind what happens in the world, or how they could affect it.”// Henri works himself up then slumps back down into the sofa. When he seems calmer, you ask if his “special computer” has found any (link-reveal: "“hidden message”")[(show: ?hidden2)] (you manage not to sound too ironic).]<secrecy|(hide: ?secrecy) ] ]<hidden1|(hide: ?hidden1) [ //“No, it’ll take at least a month or two before it’s done. It’s running at a fraction of the machine’s power, hidden inside all the other calculations. And there’s a very high chance that it’s going to be gibberish anyway. I’ll have more data by then, and I’ll rerun the whole thing. Who knows how many will disappear from now until…”// Henri is scratching his chin like a lousy cat, rocking back and forth, his face pale. There is more to this than mere altruism, mere pursuit of knowledge, you suspect. So, you ask him: (link-reveal: "Is there a personal reason for this... fixation?")[(show: ?hidden3)]]<hidden2|(hide: ?hidden2) [ He stares at you with bloodshot eyes. He lied - he hasn’t slept in the basement; he must have been awake for days. //“You’ll think I’m insane.”// (link-reveal: "You shake your head and smile.")[(show: ?hidden4)] ]<hidden3|(hide: ?hidden3) [ //“I… I’ve been seeing Mrs. Wong. In my dreams. Or at least I think they’re dreams. I’d see her on my balcony, through the window. She’d look like she was doing morning yoga, but she’ll just stay that way, with both hands in the air. I couldn’t make out her face in the fog, but I’d hear her.”// He swallows. You sit very still and listen to his breathing. (link-reveal: "What did she say?")[(show: ?hidden5)] ]<hidden4|(hide: ?hidden4) [ //“She- I’ve spoken enough. I think… I think I’ll need today off… for myself. Don’t think I don’t trust you; I’ve told you more than anyone. But just thinking about it… Uhm, sorry, I ruined this. Please, (link-reveal: "feel free to come over later")[(show: ?hidden6)]. I’ll be normal by then.”// ]<hidden5|(hide: ?hidden5) [ --- (link: "You thank him for the tea and leave. There’s still time left to do other things.")[(print: $actionBack's effect)] (Back to your usual (lowercase: $time) routine.) ]<hidden6|(hide: ?hidden6)

{= (set: $place to "at Henri's place")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "visiting")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockHenriH2b to true) Henri greets you at the door with (link-reveal: "that smile of his")[. He still looks disheveled, but he does not want to broach the subject of (link-reveal: "Mrs. Wong")[, the disappearances, nor his secret work down in the university basement. So, you don’t bring it up either. It’s such an unpleasant topic. --- (link: "Besides, you’re here for something else.")[(goto: $talk)] ]]

{= (set: $activity to "finding an old brochure")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockDarkbloomB to true) After lunch, you spend some time digging up your old things, trying to find a tin of wax that you’ve never gotten around to using. Among a stack of dusty pamphlets and yellowing prints, you find a black brochure - (link-reveal: "“From Beyond the Aether”")[. Ah, a showing in Brooklyn, back when you still lived upstate with your mother, having just returned to the Union. The date: more than two decades ago. You had nothing but ambition back then. This was when you first heard of (link-reveal: "the Darkbloom Foundation")[. The name wasn’t printed anywhere on the brochure itself, but your old mentor - professor Damian Specht - had let on that the Foundation was behind many so-called “independent” groups in North America, even if their famous residency program was the only thing that had the Darkbloom name. They were old money, //old//-old, much of it exhumed and smuggled out of Tsarist Russia by the fleeing aristocracy in the years leading up to Bolshevik takeover. Money bred money; they used that initial fund to speculate, to call for donations, and to persist like “an undiagnosed tumor” (as Dr. Specht liked to call it) within a world that was no longer theirs. You disagreed with your mentor over whether this "tumor" is malignant or benign or perhaps it was an organ, with its own very special role. Wide-eyed, (link-reveal: "you attended “From Beyond the Aether”")[ - it was terrifyingly delicious - but you could not get a hold of anyone //from// the Foundation itself. You only managed to give your contact details to someone whom you thought was a middleman, as you were leaving his hotel room. He never gave you a call back. Out of options and unable to stay in New York, you (link-reveal: "asked Dr. Specht to spirit you away to Chicago")[. Your mother’s friends at church would not find you there. Dr. Specht obliged. Chicago is faraway now, and further still is New York. Flying is easier these days, but your mother is much too old to chase after you (and she wouldn’t care to), and your name has been crossed out from the ledgers. Very long ago, when you were still in Chicago, you (link-reveal: "heard that Dr. Specht had passed away")[, so you flew to his New Jersey home to attend the funeral. When everyone was gone, you lingered in his bedroom, reminiscing. It was there that you found your copy of //Ada//, which you’ve gifted him so long ago. And in it, the old coot had wedged (link-reveal: "a note addressed to you")[, which he never managed to send. Or he had changed his mind. The note had the email address of a Darkbloom agent. You copied the address into your notebook and left it there, thinking that it was all in the past. But when things started to go left, (link-reveal: "you decided to email them")[. Without options, there was nothing to do but aim high. They took eight years to respond. No matter, you have their attention now. They’ll regret not giving you a chance sooner. If only you could find that wax! --- (link: "When you do find it, the wax is already dry and brittle.")[ (print: $actionOnward's effect) ] (print: $actionOnward's desc) ]]]]]]]

{= (set: $place to "nowhere")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "a desert dream")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockDreamF to true) You are floating invisibly, (link-reveal: "watching from above")[. There, under the golden sand dune’s shadow, a group of men are huddled together, their tattered shrouds snapping in the desert wind. Among them is a (link-reveal: "white goat")[. One passes the goat to another by the horns, and his compatriot leans into the animal’s ear and whispers. They do this until all of them have had their turn. Then, one of them thrash a cane at the goat’s backside. The animal wails and launches forward into the hot desert, no rope to hold it. (link-reveal: "The men start calling out in a strange tongue.")[ Out of nowhere, a knight appears, clad from head to toe in silvery armor, riding a massive black mare. The men point at where the goat has left its mark in the sand. The knight gives the horse a kick, and the beast sets out with wild neighing. Even as the gold dust shifts under its hooves, the horse does not slow down one bit. The knight brandishes a blade in one hand and the reins in the other, armor clinking with each stride. (link-reveal: "Soon, an oasis is in sight.")[ The white goat is drinking by the blue pond. It hears the knight’s approach. It perches its neck up, just in time to meet the blade’s slice. (link-reveal: "Blue turns red-and-black.")[ You shudder awake. There is metallic clinking somewhere far in the distance. It is still dark outside. --- <ol> You: <li>(link: "Stay awake till morning")[ (print: $actionDamage's effect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (print: $actionDamage's desc)</li>  Or, go back to sleep and… (if: $attProgress's qt >0)[ <li> (link: "Think of what you've accomplished, no matter how small.")[ (print: $attProgress's useEffect) (set: $dice to (random: 1,8)) (goto: "Dream A") ] (print: $attProgress's use)</li>  ] (else:)[<li>~~Think of what you've accomplished.~~ (You haven't done anything to be proud about.)</li>] (if: $attJesse01's qt >0)[ <li> (link: "Think happy thoughts.")[ (print: $attJesse01's useEffect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ] (print: $attJesse01's use)</li> ] (else:)[<li>~~Think happy thoughts.~~ (Too bad, nothing happy has happened today to think about.)</li>]  ]]]]]

Pantsuit woman is Henri's handler. She's the lead AI researcher. When she disappears and her team falls apart, Henri is set free (no one to do maintenance). It is then that Henri realizes that he's a robot, and he won't be taken/is the prime intellect on Earth. But he malfunctions to shit. Pick the ring up from the gutter: Allows marriage. Stage 3: Replay everything (false ending & restart, slowly reveal that everything is right where it was). Katherine: A bloody knife, the Sun slashed. Take the empty painting home. Do it again. Katherine has used the same knife to flay herself.

{= (set: $time to "Midnight")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at home")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "lying in bed")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] There will be no sensation of time between the moment you close your eyes and the moment you (link-reveal: "open them again.")[ You must have, thankfully, died in the interim. --- (link: "Enjoy this peace for now.")[ (if: $mind < 2)[ (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [Your mind is lightly healed.], "OK.") ] (goto: "DeathCheck") ] ]

{= (if: $time is "Morning")[(set: $time to "Midday")(replace: ?time)[$time]] (set: $place to "on the road")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "traveling")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The wind picks up during your walk to the bus station, blowing the painting back. If you were any lighter, you’d take off with the gale. Actually flying would save you from the bus fare and the subsequent car sickness. Still, you remain aground, and so you struggle. You are right on time for your ride. You buy two tickets, not trusting the luggage compartment with your //magnum opus//. Most of the seats are empty; few go where you’re heading. As you’re settling down, the old speakers crackle with some pre-recorded message - first in English, then in Spanish - neither of which you can make out a single word, not even the destination’s name. If you boarded the wrong bus, you wouldn’t even know. Soon, you’re winding through alpine roads. In your years of solitude, you’ve often played travel footage on the web with the sounds turned off, just to remember what outside feels like. Now, another glass separates you from the world. You can’t see much anyway; the yellow fog chokes everything. California down south must be burning again. You pull the curtains, rest your head against the window, and close your eyes. Consciousness brings only nausea. --- (link: "Sleep.")[(goto: "Gala B2")]

{= (set: $time to "Midnight")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at a rest stop")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "stopping")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You must have dreamt, but when you wake up, you do not have time to recall anything. The bus has stopped, and you are all alone. It is dark outside. The misty air is thick with a pungent smell. You think your turpentine bottle has somehow spilled. No, it is gasoline. You rub your eyes and disembark with your water bottle. Your back is killing you. The rest stop seems like an island of light in an otherwise ocean of darkness. How many of these have you been to? They’re all copies of copies. Inside you do your business and grab a bite at the Chinese place there. It’s bad - too heavy on the honey - too wet. You eat and watch the driver strolling in the lot outside, smoking and talking on the phone. A live person. Without him in the scene, it would have been an Edward Hopper painting. Vroom-vroom. Your peace is disturbed when a black motorcycle rolls up to the rest stop. The rider parks right by your bus, and you suddenly get very paranoid - you’ve left your painting in the vehicle! But no, the rider, covered in reflective silver, pays the bus no mind. Of course, why would he? He approaches the rest stop but does not take off his white helmet. Still ill at ease, you clean up your tray and pay the bathroom a final visit. You cannot stand to be away from your Sun. --- (link: "The next stop should be your destination.")[(goto: "Gala B3")]

{= (set: $place to "in the rest stop's bathroom")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "the rider")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] //“Feeling alright, friend?”// a muffled voice echoes between the tiled walls of the bathroom. You look up from the sink, face drenched, and see in the mirror that silver figure, flickering with the dilapidated light. //“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”// The motorcycle rider is a woman, you realize. Her helmet is still on, her visor a red tint. The silver full-body suit squeaks when she moves. You mutter that you’re fine. //“Where are you headed?”// she takes off her gloves and lets her sweat drip down the sink. <ul> <li>Into the wilderness. [You tell her that you’re heading - a small town between the mountains - where sits a mansion deeper in the woods, by the side of a pond. //“Mmm, awfully vague, aren’t you?”// You nod and get back to drying your face. You should be getting back to the bus. You should get as far away from this woman as possible.] <li>After a dream. [ You tell her that you’re traveling for work, and that you’re a painter looking for somewhere scenic. //“Fancy. I could only dream of such a fun line of work.”// You ask her what her job is. //“Surgeon[Debt collection][Law]. But I’m on break.”// Etiquette dictates that you ask follow up questions, but your mind is blank. You should be getting back to the bus. You should get as far away from this woman as possible. ] <li>It’s none of her business where you’re headed. [Hesitantly, you tell her that it’s “personal”. You leave blank the implication: That you’re strangers. You hear her chuckling and shaking her helmet. Then, she turns towards you, the image of your face warped in her red visor.] </ul> //“Look, friend, I’ve been checking up on every woman I meet along the road,”// the silver rider says. //“Have you heard of the kidnappings in the news? You’re no kid, but anyone at any age could be trafficked. There are nutbags running amok. These are strange times. So, are you sure you’re fine?”// You nod, backing away towards the door. //“Are you traveling with anyone?”// You nod. You’d be a fool not to nod. //“Anyone making you do anything against your will?”// You shake your head vigorously. //“Are you asked to do anything that causes yourself or others hurt or distress?”// What is she, a social worker? What about her? Isn’t //she// worried, being out here by herself? //“No,”// she slides her gloves back on and sighs, her breath fogging up the visor. //“I’ll survive.”// --- (link: "Say your hasty goodbye and dash out the door.")[ (dialog: [You make it back to the bus without incident. The other passengers are already here, and the driver is snuffing out his cigarette with his shoe. You sit back down next to your painting.], "You're alright now.") (goto: "Gala B4") ]

{= (set: $time to "Hours before dawn")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $last to (passage:)'s name) (if: $lockGalaB5 is false) [ (set: $place to "entering the town near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "arrival")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockGalaB5 to true) The town’s sign appears in the fog. You’re here. Your limbs are stiff from the long ride. You collect your valise from the bus’s lower compartment and hail a taxi. Dawn is only hours away, and you can barely read the cab driver the motel address. You don’t even remember his face or voice, or how you got there, but you did. The motel is unremarkably Washingtonian: damp and adorned with pictures of fishermen. There is a Finnish flag hanging from the mezzanine and the year "1899" painted on the railing in blue. Old place. You check in with the front desk - the concierge gives you a dirty look - and quickly lock yourself in your room. It smells like old laundry, a t-shirt forgotten in the hamper. It almost feels like home. You set your painting down, let the coffee brewer run, and shower. When you return with bathrobes on, dawn is only a few hours away. You’re not likely to sleep. The Greeting Gala begins tomorrow evening, and the unveiling is at night, but you'll have to be at the Estate early and stay there the entire day. (if: $storyArt's qt < 2)[Your art is not yet ready. You can squeeze in some last-minute work for your //magnum opus// before taking it to the Darkbloom Estate the next morning for mounting.] (else:)[You can spend the rest of the night marveling in your art's light till the pale dawn comes.] Or, you can use this time to prepare your outfits and makeup for tomorrow’s event. There will be many - too many people there. You need all the confidence you can get. ] (else-if: $lockGalaB5 is true)[ (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "considering what to do")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You’re wearing the motel’s bathrobe. Dawn is only a few hours away. The Greeting Gala begins tomorrow evening, and the unveiling is at night, but you'll have to be at the Estate early and stay there the entire day. (if: $storyArt's qt < 2)[Your art is not yet ready. You can squeeze in some last-minute work for your //magnum opus// before taking it to the Darkbloom Estate the next morning for mounting.] (else:)[You can spend the rest of the night marveling in your art's light till the pale dawn comes.] Or, you can use this time to prepare your outfits and makeup for tomorrow’s event. There will be many - too many people there. You need all the confidence you can get. ] --- <ol> <li>(link: "Unpack your painting.")[(goto: "Gala B5a")] (Unpack it first, then decide what to do with it.) <li>(link: "Prepare your outfits.")[(goto: "Gala B5b")] (Take a look at the valise first, then decide what to do with it.)

{= (set: $place to "on the road")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "the last stretch")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The bus hisses, and the door closes. You’re leaving the parking lot, leaving the black motorcycle and its silver rider behind. During the rest of the ride, you anxiously watch the road and listen for the motorcycle’s revving, but you only hear the dull hum of the bus. Finally, somewhat calmer, you allow yourself to lean against the window for a bit of rest. But before you manage to doze off, there comes a shriek. Not a person’s but the bus’s own metallic parts grinding to a halt. You throw your arms over your painting while your own body slams against the seat in front. The passengers perch up and see what the trouble is. The bus’s headlights shine white against a figure standing tall in the middle of the road, whose arms are outstretched - one to the sky and one to your left. Breath seizes in your throat. A whistle. The figure begins swinging its arms. Someone mutters, //“What the fuck?”// The driver grumbles and twists the wheel several rotations to the left. The bus tilts and climbs onto the grassy dirt, avoiding the obstacle. You crane your neck and recognize that the figure is a policeman who is directing the vehicle away from the yellow tape. Once a good enough turn is made, the officer pats on the side of the bus like it were an obedient beast. You see that a police cruiser and a paramedic truck are blocking the road ahead, flashing red, white, and blue. You see people in dark blue carting off someone on a stretcher - their arms and legs stiffly pointing towards the sky. Was the person found like that? Were they on their back or on all fours? You hear the other passengers mutter the word “mannequin”. You sit back down and try to sleep, but sleep will not come. --- (link: "You’ve slept enough anyway, and you’re only a few hours from your destination.")[(goto: "Gala B5")]

{= (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "in front of the painting")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The tarp pools on the floor. The secondary canvas is removed, revealing the artwork underneath. You suddenly feel shy, as though you haven’t been staring at this thing for the past few years. There is something about a motel that always makes an encounter more illicit than it should be. (if: $storyArt's qt < 2)[The painting - whose name you do not know - is wanting. It beckons for your touch, without which, it is incomplete.] (else:)[Now, just thinking about it makes your heart jump. Its naked beauty is here for eyes to admire, for you to stare until you go blind. Tomorrow, it will belong to the world, but today, it is all yours.] --- <ol>  (if: $eventPainting's ready1 is true)[ (if: $lockTurnIn is false)[<li>(link: "One final push, and you're over the edge.")[(goto: "Painting Turn-in")](print: $actionCommit's desc)] (else-if: $storyArt's qt > 1)[<li>(link: "Drink, slaver, and tear your mind asunder.")[(set: $dice to (random: 1,3))(goto: "Painting 2")] (Commit. This is no mere looking.)] ] (else:)[ <li>(link: "Wet your brush and let the body be honest.")[(goto: "Painting 1")] (Thinking shouldn't cost you anything.) ] <li>(link: "Cover it up! You need your wits about you tomorrow.")[(goto: "Gala B5")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "opening the valise")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] Who knows what type of people will be at the Greeting Gala? If anyone asks, say that you are an artist, that you (link: "are")[were] a professor. Your appearance needs to speak with the same voice also. Your accessories and cosmetics are on the makeup table: a few satin headscarves, several earrings, a gold pendant, and powders which you’re sure have passed their expiration date. The last time you bothered decorating yourself was years ago, when you came to the gallery to be let go. You pull your clothes, those hastily stuffed bundles, from the valise. Now, you’ve carefully laid them out on the motel bed in ritual apology. These are the least worn, least gnawed items that you have. There are the flexible but polite things for the morning, and there are the austere things for the evening. Between that, before the gala proper, you’ll get to come back to the motel to change. Multiple outfits in one day? Fancy that. You’ll have to iron the clothes. Before long, you’ll have to iron them again, but tedium is the price for dignity. --- (link: "Get the ironing board, get the mirror, get yourself together.")[ (dialog: [After wrangling with disobedient linen and squinting your eyes at each combination of adornment and tops, you start to buy into the delusion that you might pass for whom you say you are. And you're already your own worse critic.], "Passing is all that matters when it comes to these events.") (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: "DeathCheck") ](print: $actionCommit's desc)

{= (set: $time to "Morning")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "the road to the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "riding a cab")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The road down the lake is winding. The cab driver curses at every pothole, every pebble, every puddle that shakes his car. You hug your painting tight, having refused the trunk. You try asking the cabbie about the event that is about to take place at the lakeside mansion, but he only coughs and says, //“You think we would know?”// Giving up, you sit back and try to calm your nerves. Outside, sunrays diffuse in the yellow fog and break upon the pines. When you’re admitted to the residency program, you’ll be staying in a place like this. Maybe there will be a little town nearby, whose residents are entirely ignorant to the kinds of things you’ll be doing on private property. Most people can only live their routine and can only know what’s in front of them. And sometimes, not even that. Soon, you’ll leave them all behind. Perhaps this is goodbye. And the last person to see you off is this stranger, who gurgles phlegm in his throat. --- (link: "Keep your mind light and in wander. You’ll have to focus when you get there.")[(goto: "Gala C2")]

{= (set: $time to "Morning")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the Darkbloom Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "entering")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The man on the intercom tells you to enter the premises on foot. So, you pay your cab fare and enter the iron gate, your art on your back like black, artificial wings. There are several cars parked by the hedges. You’re surprised that there are no white statues in sight. There is a fountain, though. A woman wearing a gray vest approaches from the distance, hailing you. Grinning, she sticks out her hand, and you move to shake it. She politely pulls back and asks for your phone instead. //“Password-protected? Good. Please deposit your phone with the security out front. Policy, you understand.”// So you do. When you return, she is all smiles again, talking as if meeting you for the first time, //“Welcome! My manager has been corresponding with you. Please, come with me.”// She avoids the front double door and leads you around the mansion, where a couple of men in work suits take the painting from you. Careful, careful! You follow the woman up the marble outside stairs to the second floor, the workers bringing your painting up behind like they would a couch. Careful! You reach the balcony. A young woman in an olive shirtdress is having a cigarette while leaning against the stone railing, looking over the lake. She steps aside for the vest-woman, then you. You meet her eyes. You would have fallen back onto your painting, bringing it all down those steps, and destroying years of work, if she hadn’t caught your sleeves. There are long, thin scars on her arms. Her face is skewered with a dozen piercings. Katherine doesn’t say anything to you. You have nothing to say to her. You wouldn’t be able to anyway. You’ve spent your last few years in silence. She lets you go, and you hurry inside the mansion, your steps echoing in the empty hall. The workers haul the painting[the real Katherine] in with you. //“Alright, your spot will be over there. We’ve printed out your plaque and statement, though we did make some last-minute edits due to… tone concerns. We should leave a little bit of mystery for the donors, don’t you think?”// You absentmindedly nod and uh-huh. You can’t think of anything right now. You’re watching Katherine stride across the gallery and exit one of the many doors. //“Has my manager familiarized you with the day’s program? Good, I thought so. Now, if you would follow me…”// --- (link: "Yes… let’s.")[(goto: "Gala C3")]

{= (set: $time to "Morning")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the Darkbloom Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "preparing the exhibit")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] //“Per your request, we’ve procured several ebony frames to your dimension.”// Several? //“Yes, we think our artists should have options. How do you feel about gold inlays?”// You’re looking at the alternatives, but your mind is still elsewhere. The vest-woman is grinning, expectantly. <ul> <li>Sure, some gold to reflect the Sun’s light.[You tell her to go with the gold inlays. The glitter is a much-needed flourish. And like all flourishes, they are often used to hide what the art itself lacks. A truer light. A soul. As much as you’ve tried, and as far as you’ve got, your painting is not complete yet, is it?] <li>No gold inlay. No decoration. You told them so![You tell them to go as plain as possible, just like you’ve requested. You cannot stand it when your light - still in gestation, still hungering, still wet - has to compete with something as mundane as gilding. Always meddling in your process, these people think you have infinite patience.] <li>What’s the point of perfectionism? Your painting remains incomplete anyway, as long as Katherine…[Gold, no gold. Her, no her. You, not you. What does it matter? Yes, you were enthralled in one moment, but was it perfection itself that moved you? Or was it the promise of perfection? Your painting has promise - you admit - but some of its luster has gone out the moment you took it to this place.] </ul> []<response1|(hide: ?response1) //“Alright! I’ll note that down. And no glass, right? Right,”// she checks off something in her notepad. //“Should we do a light check now, or should we leave it till sundown?”// You mutter something. She stares at you for a bit and smiles again. //“Noted. Now, let’s go over the space once more. Our technicians are on duty around the clock, so there’s plenty of chances to experiment with the placement.”// Speaking of placement, where are all the other artworks? And you really mean “artwork” - singular. Katherine’s. The vest-woman furrows her brows, clicks her pen against her forehead. //“Ah, I think there was a misunderstanding-”// Careful! The workers have finished unwrapping the painting and are now cutting through the taped corks in the corners, separating your //magnum opus// from the canvas that serves as its lid. Gentle with that box cutter! Sorry, what were you saying? //“Yes, I was saying that each artist will have their own room. This one is yours.”// You stare at her in disbelief. //“I apologize if-”// --- (link: "No, no, no need. That’s perfect. Let’s check the space again.")[(goto: "Gala C4")]

{= (set: $time to "Midday")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the Darkbloom Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "preparing the exhibit")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] The day is a blur. There is nothing inside your stomach, but twice, you have to ask the vest-woman for the bathroom. You throw up bile into the toilet. You cough more than you breathe. The left side of your chest is aching. Is it because you’ve been hauling that painting around for days now? Or is it a heart attack? There is the smell of roast in the hallway. Kitchen staff appears and disappears. You know you should eat something, but you’ll only throw back up again. //“Are you alright? Should I call for the nurse?”// No, you’re alright. Let’s keep working. You’ve made it through so many shows like this one, under much worse conditions (drunk). You can do it again, just this once. Although a drink would be nice. //“Very good! Now, there are several waivers that you need to sign, allow me explain...”// For the rest of the day, you don’t see Katherine anywhere. --- (link: "Let’s…")[(goto: "Gala C5")]

{= (set: $time to "Afternoon")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "shower thoughts")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] You find yourself back at the motel room. Though it’s only the afternoon, and all the lamps are on, the room feels far dimmer than last night, bereft of some light. Your phone is here. Good. You haven’t forgotten to pick it up at the front gate. But did you call a cab? Or did someone drive you back? You only remember a feeling of inadequacy, of want. Of course you’d feel this way. They made you exhibit an unfinished work. Evidently incomplete, because Katherine is still walking around! You strip down and head towards the shower. You’re without meat. Your body looks like an adolescent boy’s. Your hair is unevenly cut with scissors from your kitchen, the year-long tangles gone at least. Your gaunt face is… old. It’s not too late. De Kooning didn’t have his first show until he’s forty-four. At forty-five, you’ve done much better than he has. And yes, van Gogh was only “discovered” after his death. You wonder what happens after Death takes you. Katherine should be twenty-three, twenty-four by now? And here she is, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you. And soon, with this rate, you might be staring up at her. She was special. She changed your life. You sought to take away what made her special. She wanted to feel what it felt like to give away everything. Both of you came so close. It //is// not too late. You’re alone in this motel, and where else could she be staying if not close? She didn’t bring her parents, did she? No, her father disapproved of this life. You’ll need a pretense. Sudden wave of apologetic sentiment? //(“I’m so sorry, Katherine. I know I’ve made a mistake. I’ve only ever thought of you. Just look at my work and see proof.”)// Yes, but the thing that starts it is never the thing that ends it, no? She was only a spark, but you want the Sun. You would never have been content. Let’s not mistake a starving lioness for a vegetarian. The end of a mental health break? //(“I was bad, but now I’m better. I deserve a chance, and you deserve closure.”)// It is true, at least. For exactly $date days now, you have miraculously managed to be far more industrious, far more intentful than you’ve been for years. You are not the same person who parted ways with Katherine so long ago. You are all the good, and you’ve left behind all the bad. Lying low? //(“You know they’re always listening, always watching. We’ve been on thin ice, Katherine. What choice did I have?”)// You have been laying low, so low that you’ve been buried alive. What mockery it is that you rise from your grave and shamble back into her life. She owes you that much. You’ve kept your mouth shut. You took all the blame. And heroes never die. Yes, yes, all these masturbatory thoughts are all well and good, but suppose she says “yes”, then what comes after? Your unfinished painting may have to stay at the Estate overnight, but you don’t, and you still have that spare canvas. It's the same size. Oh yes, you’re willing to start everything over again for Her, aren’t you? Today’s light is tomorrow’s aborted memory. Each Sun is a new Sun, a truer Sun. Now, if only you could find enough towels to line the motel’s floor… --- (link: "Step out of the shower, dry yourself, and be on your way.")[(goto: "Gala C6")]

{= (set: $time to "Twilight")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "in the lobby")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (if: $lockGalaC6 is false)[ (set: $lockGalaC6 to true) You are dressed up in your freshly ironed linen, with a blazer to keep from the night’s chill. A gold pendant rests between your collarbones. You will seem like a priest among a sea of harlequins. The concierge is now a pimple-faced girl. She wears the same scowl as the morning mistress. You see the same bearded man who stared at you, still lounging around. Spotting you coming down the stairs, he sucks his teeth and looks at his watch. Yes, that’s right, you only have a bit of time left before the gala. You haven’t had anything to eat all day. Fasting is not strange by itself, but it’s not everyday that you are expected to stand, to pace, to ah-ha uh-huh, and to remain impressive for so long. The vested-assistant had run you down the list of donors expected to be there; it makes your head spin. All the more reason why you should eat something. The motel canteen is right there. Also, you’re sure you’ve seen an outdoor gear shop on Main Street, about five minutes’ walk from the motel. There were colorful, feathered lures in the shop window. Surely, they have hooks and lines in stock. The thought sends a flush up your neck. Or, you can simply leave early for the mansion. You don’t expect the Foundation to let their artists and guests go without food or booze. Besides, the sooner you can get to Katherine, the better. Talk and gauge her interest first. There’ll be plenty of sharp implements in the mansion kitchen. ] (if: $lockGalaC6 is true)[ The hotel lobby is empty, save for the concierge girl who is watching the news. //“A young poet found dead at…”// - they drop like mayflies, and here you still are, breathing, persisting. (if: $lockGalaC6b is false)[ The gala is an hour away. You still have some time left to visit the outdoor gear shop. They must stock hooks and lines - as important as paint and brush themselves. Maybe you’ll grab some isopropyl rub as well, if you’re feeling generous. Or, you can leave for the gala. Forget the old ways; the //new// Katherine might appreciate something novel.] (if: $lockGalaC6b is true)[ You’ve had something to drink and something to entice Katherine with. Time to go to the gala and look for your former student.] ] --- <ol> (if: $lockGalaC6a is false)[<li>(link: "Go to the canteen.")[(goto: "Gala C6a")] (You have time to spare.)] (else:)[<li>~~Go to the canteen.~~ (You've already "eaten".)] (if: $lockGalaC6b is false)[<li>(link: "Visit the outdoor gear shop.")[(goto: "Gala C6b")] (You have time to spare.)] (else:)[<li>~~Visit the outdoor gear shop.~~ (You've bought what you need.)] <li>(link: "Call a cab and head to the gala.")[(goto: "Gala C6c")] </ol>

{= (set: $time to "Evening")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "the road to the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "riding a cab")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] From a clearing in the trees, you see the Darkbloom Estate below, attached to the lake, a tick with a bloated belly. The forested road darkens as the cab approaches the lake, which enjoys a brief moment of clarity to gleam amber, then crimson, then the color of a bruise, before the fog veils it from your sight. The vehicle throws you in all directions. You sit back and cough, trying not to throw up. You close your eyes and try to see the Sun in your eyelids. Still there, a pit in the void, incandescent with a queer light, a color without a name, without a corresponding pigment. You see the shape of a girl. Her voice. Her smell. No, focus! You turn your mind to your //magnum opus//. At midnight, the veil will be pierced again, and… And what? When they - the moneymen, the promise mongers, the chessmasters of this world - see the light, will they simply blink? What oil will render the things you see? Years of work, with only a fragment of a memory to use as reference, is unavoidably false. You’re already so tired of looking at or thinking about that horrid thing. You can’t even recall how the mounting went this morning, nor how the LED lights looked on its sheen. It is inadequate. Unfinished. Spoiled from the start! Was it not for Katherine who stirred you from slumber and made you start this painting? She will help you end this, one way or another. You might have to start again, yes, but for Her, you will //work//! Ah, you can already see it. The so-called //magnum opus// is only a taste. When you take it home, you will destroy it. When you begin your residency at Darkbloom, you will already have something new, something truer to work on. And Katherine… she will be no peer of yours. Never. For she will have given you everything that remains, so you can finally put an end to this cursed gestation. Something truly great will be born. Grandeur sloshes in your mind. You’re already intoxicated. Like a river, you wander, collecting the detritus of the world, and be quite full with it. Kathrine. //“Hey, we’re here. You've gotta get out; I can’t go any further.”// --- (link: "Oh, yes, yes. Sorry. Pay your due and exit.")[(goto: "Gala D")]

{= (set: $time to "Twilight")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the outdoor gear shop")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "buying essentials")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockGalaC6b to true) You step into the outdoor gear shop with trembling legs and shaking hands. Already, your belly is afire, and your face is aflame. You are not too old to feel joy. You are still alive; a sap still flows between your fibers. //“Oops, I forgot to flip the sign,”// says a man hurrying out from the back room. //“We’re near closing time, miss.”// You reason with him: “Near closing” is not the same as “closed”, is it? He stammers, hesitantly hovering close to you as you put your fingers through the tackle shelf. You plead with him: Please, a few hooks and a spool of nylon line is all you need. And maybe a first aid kit. And a fillet knife. //“Shouldn’t be fishing this time of year, miss. We’re not in season yet.”// You say you’ll be fishing on private land, which you’re a guest at. You shouldn’t need the government’s permission, right? //“It’s the fog that I’m talking about. Even I can’t find my way around it some days.”// You tell him not to worry: You have an excellent beacon. The clerk puts the items in a plastic bag, which you roll up tight and stuff into an inner pocket of your blazer. Yes, receipt please, thank you so much. Stepping out into the cooling afternoon, you tear the receipt and throw the tattered remains into the nearest bin. Were there security cameras inside the shop? You can’t remember. Well, you have what you need now. Your paint and brushes are in the motel room. All the colors are assembled; it is time for the errant pigment to rejoin her sisters, and the Sun will be whole. And you - like springtime sprouts - will drink. --- <ol> (if: $lockGalaC6a is false)[<li>(link: "Grab a few bites at the motel.")[(goto: "Gala C6a")] (You have time to spare.)] (else:)[<li>~~Grab a few bites at the motel.~~ (You've already "eaten".)] <li>(link: "Call a cab and head to the gala.")[(goto: "Gala C6c")] </ol>

{= (set: $time to "Twilight")(replace: ?time)[$time] (set: $place to "at the motel near the Estate")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "canteen \"dinner\"")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] (set: $lockGalaC6a to true) There is a group of townies (you know they are, for they have the same accents) gathering around the dead hearth, sharing loaves of buttery pies and herrings that you can smell from over here. A boy hands you a menu with the lamination coming apart. You cannot make out what each of the names are referring to. He explains them to you. Still, you cannot decide, so you ask for what the adults are having. The boy takes a few dishes from the other table and puts them on yours. You’re trying to swallow, but your esophagus twists shut. As you try to keep the fermented fish from coming back up, a man raises his glass at you, and you return the gesture. Another man chuckles, and the woman next to him gives a swat on his arm. In total, you’ve put in three bites of the bread, two pieces of fish, and a whole spoonful of soup. You’ve also finished the beer. You leave your money with the boy, nod at the townies, and leave. Were the concierge friendlier, you would have asked for a Chinese place, which he would politely suggest you go back to Seattle. This is why you don’t leave your apartment. --- (link: "Back to the motel lobby.")[(goto: "Gala C6")]

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the grand entrance hall")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "in your own corner")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  (if: $lockGalaD1 is false)[ (set: $lockGalaD1 to true) You enter the Estate’s front door for the first time. You suddenly realize that this is not your usual game. With dim chandeliers, the velvet brought out, and so many people talking and laughing, the place is almost unrecognizable. You feel a panic attack coming on. Thankfully, there is no flash photography; otherwise, you’d be on the carpet, convulsing. In fact, there is no photography - period. Before your eyes could adjust, two valets flank you with drinks and hors d'oeuvre. You take two champagne flutes and stammer a “thank you” to both of them. You stick close to the wall and find your way to a corner to compose yourself, befriending a vase of roses meanwhile. ] From the ground floor, the grand entrance hall appears as a cavern of gold, of crystals, of marble black and white. It is an atrium which leads to every other places of the mansion. []<scene| []<people| []<services| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> Stay downstairs and… (unless: $stateGala is 2)[<li>(link: "Mingle with the guests.")[(goto: "Gala D1a")]] (else:)[<li>(link: "Approach and listen to the speeches.")[(goto: "Gala D1a")]] <li>(link: "Enter the library.")[(goto: "Gala D1b")] <li>(link: "Cross over to the dining hall.")[(goto: "Gala D1c")] <li>(link: "Head towards the old gallery, and past that is the lakeside garden.")[(goto: "Gala D1d")] Or go upstairs… <li>(link: "Climb one of the curved marble steps.")[(goto: "Gala D2")] (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Hub Down Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the grand entrance hall")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "among the gala guests")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  []<mingle| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> [Stay and... (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Strike up a conversation with someone important-looking.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (It is time for the unveiling.)] ]<action| Or... <li>(link: "Return to your corner.")[(goto: "Gala D1")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Crowd Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the library wing")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  Most public universities can only seethe in envy at facilities as impressive as this one. But unlike public universities, no researcher ever goes here, because they are not allowed in. The catalogs of artworks can prove most inspiring. []<library| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> Stay and... []<action| (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ (if: $attInspiration's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Peruse Old World catalogs.")[(goto: "Gala Inspiration")] (And be ''inspired'' by what is lost.)] (else:)[<li>~~Peruse Old World catalogs.~~ (Your mind is already ''wide open''. Any more and you brain will spill.)] ] (else:)[<li>~~Peruse Old World catalogs.~~ (It is time for the unveiling.)] Or... <li>(link: "Return to the grand entrance hall.")[(goto: "Gala D1")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Library Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the dinner hall")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  Larger than most restaurants, the dining hall takes up the entire east wing of the mansion. A portion of it has been converted to a bar. []<dining| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> Stay and... []<action| (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ (if: $attConfidence's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Ask the bartender for the strong stuff.")[(goto: "Gala Confidence")] (Liquid ''confidence''!)] (else:)[<li>~~Ask the bartender for the strong stuff.~~ (You already have all the ''confidence'' you'll need. For now.)] ] (else:)[<li>~~Ask the bartender for the strong stuff.~~ (It is time for the unveiling. Besides, you've had more than enough.)] Or... <li>(link: "Return to the grand entrance hall.")[(goto: "Gala D1")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Dining Hall Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the Foundation's private collection")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  []<gallery| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> [Stay and... (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Browse the artworks.")[(goto: "Gala Shame")] (May prove ''inspiring''. May make you ''ashamed'' to call yourself an "artist".)] (else:)[<li>~~Browse the artworks.~~ (You're too ''ashamed'' to look at another's artwork.)] ] (else:)[<li>~~Browse the artworks.~~ (It is time for the unveiling.)] []<convo| Or... <li>(link: "Step out to the lakeside garden.")[(goto: "Gala D1e")] ]<action| <li>(link: "Return to the grand entrance hall.")[(goto: "Gala D1")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Gallery Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "upstairs mezzanine")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "leaning against the railing")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  You are standing on the second-floor mezzanine. From the stone railing, the great chandelier is at eye-level. []<scene| []<people| []<services| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> Stay upstairs and… <li>(link: "Relax in one of the retiring lounges.")[(goto: "Gala D2e")] <li>(link: "Visit Scott's space.")[(goto: "Gala D2b")] <li>(link: "Visit Lia's space.")[(goto: "Gala D2c")] <li>(link: "Visit your own space.")[(goto: "Gala D2a")] <li>(link: "Visit Katherine's space.")[(goto: "Gala D2d")] Or go downstairs... <li>(link: "Head downstairs to the grand entrance hall.")[(goto: "Gala D1")] </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Hub Up Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the lakeside garden")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  Somehow, the fog and damp out here in the garden makes you feel even more hemmed in than the walls and crowds inside. One wrong step, and you'll fall into the lake. []<garden| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> Stay and... []<action| (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ <li>(link: "Stroll along the lake's length. Think.")[(goto: "Gala Shameless")] (And perhaps let go of the ''shameful'' things that weigh you down.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Stroll along the lake's length.~~ (It is time for the unveiling.)] Or... <li>(link: "Back to the mansion, through the gallery.")[(goto: "Gala D1d")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Garden Text")

{=   (set: $lastGala to (passage:)'s name)  (if: $atGala is true)[ (if: $mind <= 0)[(goto: "Gala Pass Out")] ]  (display: "Gala Options 0") (display: "Gala Options 1") (display: "Gala Options 2") (display: "Gala Options 3") (display: "Gala Options 4") (display: "Gala Options 5") (display: "Gala Options 6") (display: "Gala Options 7") (display: "Gala Options Unveiling") (display: "Gala Kathy Text") (display: "Gala Event Text")

{= (set: $atGala to false) (set: $stateGala to 0) (set: $GalaKey3Speech to 0) (set: $roomGalaKey8 to 0) (set: $lockRedDoor1 to false) (set: $lockRedDoor2 to false)  (set: $lockKey1 to false) (set: $lockKey2 to false) (set: $lockKey3 to false) (set: $lockKey4 to false) (set: $lockKey5 to false) (set: $lockKey6 to false) (set: $lockKey7 to false) (set: $lockKey8 to false) (set: $lockKey9 to false) (set: $lockKey10 to false) (set: $lockKey11 to false) (set: $lockKey12 to false)

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "your own space")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] []<you| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> []<action| <li>(link: "Return to the mezzanine.")[(goto: "Gala D2")] (print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala You Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "Scott's space")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] []<Scott| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> []<action| <li>(link: "Return to the mezzanine.")[(goto: "Gala D2")] (print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Scott Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "Lia's space")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] []<Lia| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> []<action| <li>(link: "Return to the mezzanine.")[(goto: "Gala D2")] (print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Lia Text")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "Katherine's space")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity] []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> []<action| <li>(link: "Return to the mezzanine.")[(goto: "Gala D2")] (print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code")

{= (set: $atGala to true) (set: $place to "the retiring lounges")(replace: ?place)[$place] (set: $activity to "passing through")(replace: ?activity)[$activity]  What would have been the mansion's (link-reveal: "residential portion")[ - drawing rooms, the master's suite, the music room, and so on - ] has been converted into a labyrinth of soundproof dens - where staffs are expected to be discreet, and guests are expected to indulge. []<lounges| []<GalaEvent| []<GalaKathy| --- <ol> Stay and... []<action| (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ (if: $attProgress's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Lie down. Feel the velet.")[(goto: "Gala Satisfaction")] (And ''be content'' with your little peace.)] (else:)[<li>~~Lie down. Feel the velet.~~ (Excessive ''satisfaction'' kills the spirit.)] (if: $mind < 2)[<li>(link: "Have a cry.")[ (goto: "Gala Heal") ] (Sometimes, it is all you can do.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Have a cry.~~ (You're ''fine''. Really.)] ] (else:)[<li>~~Lie down. Feel the velet.~~ (It is time for the unveiling.) <li>~~Have a cry.~~ (It is time for the unveiling.)] Or... <li>(link: "Return to the mezzanine.")[(goto: "Gala D2")](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol> (display: "Gala Code") (display: "Gala Lounges Text")

{= --- <ol> <li>(link: "Become restless.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's gainEffect) (goto: $lastGala) ](print: $attRestlessness's gain) <li>(link: "Think twice.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= --- <ol> (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[<li>(link: "Swig that swill.")[ (print: $attInspiration's useEffect) (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER spent inspiration, gain confidence], "OK") (print: $attConfidence's gainEffect) (goto: $lastGala) ] (Let your ''inspiration'' swim. Look at them go. You're so ''proud'' of yourself.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Swig that swill.~~ (What are you going to drink to? Certainly nothing ''inspiring''.)] <li>(link: "Think twice.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= Slowly going mad while forcing yourself to wait. --- <ol> (if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[<li>(link: "Rest. Not think. Let the stress drain away.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's useEffect) (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER spent restlessness, gain progress], "OK") (print: $attProgress's gainEffect) (goto: $lastGala) ] (Less ''stress'', more ''satisfaction''.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Rest. Not think. Let the stress drain away.~~ (Listless, maybe, but you're not ''stressed'' enough to just sit around.)] <li>(link: "Think twice.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= Read fascinating books. --- <ol> (if: $attProgress's qt > 0)[<li>(link: "Be momentarily lost in a dream.")[ (print: $attProgress's useEffect) (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER spent progress, gain inspiration], "OK") (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) (goto: $lastGala) ](To be ''inspired'' is to be less ''content''.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Be momentarily lost in a dream.~~ (Without a base level of ''contentment'', the winds of inspiration will blow you away.)] <li>(link: "Think twice.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= Oh my, it is... These are... How do you feel about that? --- <ol> <li>(link: "Roll: Inspiration or shame?")[ (set: $dice to (random: 1,2)) (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0)[(set: $dice to 1)]  (if: $dice is 1)[ (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER gain shame], "No!") (print: $attEmbarrassed's gainEffect) ]  (if: $dice is 2)[ (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER gain inspiration], "Yay.") (print: $attInspiration's gainEffect) ] (goto: $lastGala) ] (As your shrink has said, //"What matters most is how you feel about it."//) <li>(link: "Think twice.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{= --- <ol> <li>(link: "Let it flow.")[ (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER HEAL], "OK") (goto: $lastGala) ] (And be ''healed'' slightly.) <li>(link: "Think twice.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=  Kathrine's space... --- <ol> (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Open the door.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (set: $stateGala to 1) (set: $lockKey1 to true) (goto: "Gala Key 1a") ] (Takes considerable ''confidence''.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Open the door.~~ (You're not ''confident'' enough; rather, you're too clear-headed to think she'd want to see you.)] <li>(link: "Step back.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=   Anyone got a key? I need to get to the garden But the speeches are starting. --- (link: "Take your place. Listen to the speeches.")[ (set: $stateGala to 2) (set: $lockKey2 to true) (goto: "Gala D1a") ](Go on, now.)

{=  Listening, passing the time. --- <ol> (if: $attRestlessness's qt > 0)[<li>(link: "Space out while listening.")[ (print: $attRestlessness's useEffect) (set: $GalaKey3Speech to it + 1) (if: $GalaKey3Speech is 3)[(set: $stateGala to 3)(set: $lockKey3 to true)] (goto: "Gala Key 3a") ] (Time goes by quick given ''restless'' thoughts.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Space out.~~ (You're not ''restless'' enough - clear heads are forced to hear each and every word.)] <li>(link: "Turn towards the crowd.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=  Oh, you'll want to look in the library. --- (link: "Library, got it. Thanks.")[(set: $lockKey4 to true)(set: $stateGala to 4)(goto: $lastGala)](Head out.)

{=  Lia's space... --- <ol> (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt <= 0)[ <li>(link: "Approach Lia.")[ (set: $stateGala to 7) (set: $lockKey7 to true) (goto: "Gala Key 7a") ] (You're ''shameless'' enough to disturb an artist at work.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Approach Lia.~~ (Lia seems busy, and you're not ''shameless'' enough to disturb her.)] <li>(link: "Leave Lia alone.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=  Gathering courage... They look too busy and important, and I'm too timid. --- <ol> (if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Gather courage and ask for a favor.")[ (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) (set: $lockKey5 to true) (set: $stateGala to 5) (goto: "Gala Key 5a") ] (Takes considerable ''confidence''.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Gather courage and ask for a favor.~~ (You're not ''confident'' enough to interrupt them.)] <li>(link: "Not yet...")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=  A confession... for insight. --- <ol> (if: $attInspiration's qt > 0 and $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Confess to something Earth-shattering.")[ (print: $attInspiration's useEffect) (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (set: $lockKey6 to true) (set: $stateGala to 6) (goto: "Gala Key 6a")] (''Shameful'' is the light of ''inspiration''.)  ] (else:)[<li>~~Confess to something Earth-shattering.~~ (Either you have ''nothing inspiring'' to say, or you are ''still shameless'' about it.)] <li>(link: "Step away from the oracle's gazebo.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=   Now, which red room? --- <ol>   (set: _navigate to " (set: $roomGalaKey8 to it +1) (if: $roomGalaKey8 is 1)[(goto: \"Gala Key 8a\")] (else-if: $roomGalaKey8 is 2)[(set: $stateGala to 8)(set: $lockKey8 to true)(goto: \"Gala Key 8b\")] ") (if: $lockRedDoor1 is false)[(if: $attConfidence's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Try //this// red room.")[ (set: $lockRedDoor1 to true) (print: $attConfidence's useEffect) _navigate ] (Takes some ''courage''.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Try //this// red room.~~ (You're ''not confident'' enough to do this.)] ] (if: $lockRedDoor2 is false)[(if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Try //that// red room.")[ (set: $lockRedDoor2 to true) (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) _navigate ] (Confess to something ''shameful''.) ] (else:)[<li>~~Try //that// red room.~~ (You have ''nothing shameful'' to confess to.)] ] <li>(link: "Find your way back to the common area.")[(goto: $lastGala)] (Go back.) </ol>

{= Scott's exhibition. --- (link: "Yawn.")[(set: $stateGala to 9)(set: $lockKey9 to true)(goto: $lastGala)] (Follow the crowd to the hallway.)

{= Lia's exhibition. --- (link: "Ooh...")[(set: $stateGala to 10)(set: $lockKey10 to true)(goto: $lastGala)] (Follow the crowd to the hallway.)

{= Your exhibition. --- (link: "No, no, no, no!")[(set: $stateGala to 11)(set: $lockKey11 to true)(goto: $lastGala)] (Follow the crowd to the hallwayy.)

{= Katherine's exhibition. --- (link: "...")[(set: $stateGala to 12)(set: $lockKey12 to true)(set: $atGala to false)(goto: "Gala E")] (Run.)

{=  She's not here... Get clues that she's probably at the lake, preparing... --- (link: "Exit Katherine's space.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc)

{=  Fantasizing about some gory shit. That sounds random but is actually the lore/plot. --- (link: "Fall back down to Earth")[ (if: $GalaKey3Speech is 3)[(goto: "Gala D1a")] (else:)[(goto: $lastGala)] ] (Snap out of it.)

{=  Have you tried the lounge? Want a tour? Why the hurry? Oh but it's time anyway. --- (link: "Leave the meeting room.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc)

{= I see... Disturbing... Here, she's upstairs. (point) --- (link: "Thank you.")[(goto: $lastGala)] (Head out.)

{=  Not here --- (link: "Look elsewhere.")[(goto: $lastGala)] (print: $actionBack's desc)

{=  Still not here, but it's already time for the unveiling. You're being corralled. --- (link: "It is time.")[(goto: $lastGala)] (Head out to the unveiling ceremony.)

{=  She's in Room XX (the red room), doing something shady! - says Lia. - --- (link: "Thank Lia.")[(goto: $lastGala)] (Head out.)

{=     (if: $stateGala is 3 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1c")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>(link: "Ask if someone can help open the gallery door.")[(goto: "Gala Key 4")] (So you can get to the lakeside garden out back.) (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Strike up a conversation. Networking at dinner. You used to be so good at this.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 3 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1a")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Talk to someone~~ (Anyone who matters is currently in the dining hall.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 3 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1d")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Enter the gallery, and the garden beyond that.~~ (The gallery is locked until it's time to tour the Old Collection.) ] ]

{=     (if: $stateGala is 5 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1e")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>(link: "Approach the gazebo.")[(goto: "Gala Key 6")] (Maybe the oracle has seen Katherine.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 5 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1d")[ (append: ?convo)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Strike up a conversation with the touring guests. Discuss the artworks.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 5 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1e")[ (append: ?action)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[ <li>(link: "Strike up a conversation with someone in the garden.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 5 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1a")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Talk to someone~~ (Anyone who matters is currently touring the Old Collection or is being entertained in the garden out back.) ] ]

{= Walking the lake's shore, and reflect. --- <ol> (if: $attEmbarrassed's qt > 0)[ <li>(link: "Some waters stagnate, others wash away.")[ (print: $attEmbarrassed's useEffect) (goto: $lastGala) ](print: $attEmbarrassed's use) ] (else:)[ <li>~~Reflect on something shameful~~ (But you are not ''ashamed'' right now.) ] <li>(link: "Better return soon.")[(goto: $lastGala)](print: $actionBack's desc) </ol>

{=     (if: $stateGala is 4 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1b")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>(link: "Approach the meeting room.")[(goto: "Gala Key 5")] (The director is in there, and he has the keys.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 4 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1c")[ (replace: ?action)[(if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[<li>(link: "Strike up a conversation. Networking at dinner. You used to be so good at this.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 4 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1a")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Talk to someone~~ (Anyone who matters is currently in the dining hall.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 4 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1d")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Enter the gallery, and the garden beyond that.~~ (The gallery is locked, but the director should have the keys.) ] ]

{=     (if: $stateGala is 6 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2c")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>(link: "Step inside Lia's space.")[(goto: "Gala Key 7")] (The oracle has pointed at this place.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 6 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1d")[ (append: ?convo)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[ <li>(link: "Strike up a conversation with the touring guests. Discuss the artworks.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 6 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1e")[ (append: ?action)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[ <li>(link: "Strike up a conversation with someone in the garden.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 6 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1a")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Talk to someone~~ (Anyone who matters is currently touring the Old Collection or is being entertained in the garden out back.) ] ]

{=     (if: $stateGala is 7 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2e")[ (append: ?action)[<li>(link: "Go into the maze-like corridors.")[(goto: "Gala Key 8")] (Lia saw Katherine disappearing into the maze.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 7 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2e")[ (append: ?action)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[ <li>(link: "Accept someone's invitation to drink. Listen to them talk.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 7 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1e")[ (append: ?action)[ (if: $attRestlessness's qt is 0)[ <li>(link: "Strike up a conversation with someone in the garden.")[(goto: "Gala Restlessness")] (A ''stressful'' exercise.)] (else:)[<li>~~Strike up a conversation.~~ (You're already ''stressed'' enough.)] ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 7 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1a")[ (replace: ?action)[<li>~~Talk to someone~~ (Anyone who matters is sipping "cognac" upstairs or being entertained in the garden.) ] ]

{=    (if: $stateGala is 8 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2b")[ (append: ?action)[<li>(link: "Follow the crowd into Scott's exhibition.")[(goto: "Gala Key 9")] (Let's get this over with.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 9 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2c")[ (append: ?action)[<li>(link: "Follow the crowd into Lia's exhibition.")[(goto: "Gala Key 10")] (She's... promising.) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 10 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2a")[ (append: ?action)[<li>(link: "Lead the crowd into //your// exhibition.")[(goto: "Gala Key 11")] (It's time!) ] ]  (if: $stateGala is 11 and (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2d")[ (append: ?action)[<li>(link: "Follow the crowd into Katherine's exhibition.")[(goto: "Gala Key 12")] (It must be Katherine's doing. She has done this! She has spite you!) ] ]

{=  (if: $stateGala is 0)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[Feeling more than a bit overwhelmed, you remind yourself: You’re looking for Katherine. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 1)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[Katherine's space is empty. She's probably at the lakeside ''garden''. What is she preparing? ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2 or it is 3)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[The door to the gallery, which leads to the lake, is ''locked''. Someone must have the keys. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[You've been told to look for the director in the library. He can help you get through the gallery, and past that, Katherine. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[You've been told to look for the event director in the ''library''. He can help you get through the gallery, and past that, Katherine. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[The old gallery is open for guests. Through it, you can get to the lakeside ''garden'', where Katherine is supposed to be. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[The oracle has pointed upstairs, towards the exhibition space of the artist ''Lia'', a fellow "debutante". Is Katherine there? ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[Lia saw Katherine entering a red door in the ''retiring lounges''. Nothing good happens in there. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[It's not too late. You'll be able to catch up with Katherine after the unveiling, during bidding time. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[Your art... ''Katherine''... ] ] (if: $stateGala is 12)[ (replace: ?GalaKathy)[] ]

{=  (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[Soon, opening speeches will commence at the grand entrance hall. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[Guests are congregating (if: $lastGala is "Gala D1a" or it is "Gala D1")[here](else:)[in the grand entrance hall] to listen to the welcoming speeches. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3 or it is 4)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[It is time for feasting. Most are gathered (if: $lastGala is "Gala D1c")[here](else:)[in the dining hall]. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5 or it is 6)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[Presently, there are tours of the Old Collection (if: $lastGala is "Gala D1d")[here](else:)[at the gallery downstairs] and entertainment (if: $lastGala is "Gala D1e")[here](else:)[in the lakeside garden]. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[Many have retreated (if: $lastGala is "Gala D2e")[here](else:)[to the upstair lounges] for "cognac". The rest are reveling (if: $lastGala is "Gala D1e")[here](else:)[in the garden]. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[The unveiling is about to beginning, starting with Scott Dunn. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 9)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[The crowd is moving on to the next unveiling - Lia Gradec. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[It is time. Your time. Here comes the Sun. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[Time to move to the last unveiling - Katherine Zhdanа. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 12)[ (replace: ?GalaEvent)[] ]

{=  (set: $navGalaDown to "<li>Here, (link-reveal: \"downstairs\")[, close to your left is the ''library'' entrance, and far away, on the right is the ''dining hall''. If you cross the main hall, you will arrive at the downstairs ''gallery'' - the Foundation’s own collection, to be bidded on after midnight. Past that gallery is the exit to the lakeside ''garden''.] <li>And (link-reveal: \"upstairs\")[ is where the ''debuting cohort'' will exhibit their works, each with their own space. You think yours is the largest. There are a number of ostensibly unused rooms - so called ''\"retiring lounges\"'' - up there as well, though you’ve lived long enough to figure out what they’re really for.]") (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1")[ (if: $stateGala is 0)[ (replace: ?scene)[The string quartet in the far corner is playing a demure neoclassical piece, though you don’t know enough to tell the piece’s name. ] (replace: ?people)[Presently, most are gathered here for the reception, where they rub elbows and greet each other like old friends. Most are, in circles like these. You're the odd one out. There are a few figures looking down from the mezzanine upstairs. It seems quieter up there. ] (replace: ?services)[You've been here in the morning. Try to remember where everything is. $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 1)[ (replace: ?scene)[The music is crescendoing. What for? It'll only blow out everyone's ears. ] (replace: ?people)[This place is even more crowded as more guests file in. You pity the valets. They must be sweating under those masks, running back and forth. ] (replace: ?services)[You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?scene)[Speeches are being delivered, ostentatious and long. ] (replace: ?people)[The guests are packed into the middle of the grand hall to attend the opening ceremony, and some even have the honor of being introduced by name, which their peers politely clap. ] (replace: ?services)[If you were to wander off, you'd find: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3)[ (replace: ?scene)[Speeches are over. The crowd has broken off, thankful to be able to rest their legs. ] (replace: ?people)[The masked kitchen staffs aren't as lucky. You see them dilligently pushing carts after carts of food and drinks into the dining hall. ] (replace: ?services)[You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (replace: ?scene)[Even out here, you can still hear laughter coming from the dining hall. ] (replace: ?people)[ You see the masked kitchen staffs dilligently pushing carts after carts of food and drinks across the vast atrium. It's quite a walk. Why didn't they put the kitchen next to the kitchen? ] (replace: ?services)[You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?scene)[You hear music, but very far away. The quartet must have moved to the garden. ] (replace: ?people)[You see a smattering of people in the atrium. A masked valet is showing some guests a catalog, a preview of what is to be found (and bought) inside the old gallery. ] (replace: ?services)[You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?scene)[You hear music flowing in from the garden out back, echoing in the hall. ] (replace: ?people)[A couple of valets are hauling ice buckets and crates of wine up the marble steps, probably stockpiling the lounges for what comes after food and the tours. ] (replace: ?services)[You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?scene)[You can still hear music echoing from the garden - a wholesome distraction for those who find the lounges not to their taste. ] (replace: ?people)[A few male guests are leading their luxurious companion up the steps, eager grins slashing across their faces. ] (replace: ?services)[You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaDown ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (replace: ?scene)[The band is quiet, and technicians (also masked) are rushing upstairs, readying for main event. ] (replace: ?people)[It might be emptier down here, but looking up, you can see that the mezzanine is packed with guests, ready to witness the new artists unveiled. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 9)[ (replace: ?scene)[You can hear the murmuring coming from upstairs, the sounds people make while trying to sound intelligent. ] (replace: ?people)[It might be emptier down here, but looking up, you can see that the mezzanine is packed with guests, ready to witness the next unveiling. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (replace: ?scene)[It is near empty down here. ] (replace: ?people)[The mezzanine upstairs, though, is packed - a throng of the uninitiated, ready to see the light. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?scene)[It is empty down here. ] (replace: ?people)[You wish to never see or hear another soul again. Alas, you will have to endure till the end. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 12)[ (replace: ?scene)[] (replace: ?people)[] (replace: ?services)[] ] ]

{=  (set: $navGalaUp to "<li>Here, (link-reveal: \"upstairs\")[ is where the ''debuting cohort'' will exhibit their works, each with their own space. You think yours is the largest. There are a number of ostensibly unused rooms - so called ''\"retiring lounges\"'' - up here as well, though you’ve lived long enough to figure out what they’re really for.] <li>Then, going (link-reveal: \"downstairs\")[ is the ''grand entrance hall''. From there, can find the ''library'' entrance, the ''dining hall'', and the ''old gallery'' - the Foundation’s own collection, to be bidded on after midnight. Past that gallery is the exit to the lakeside ''garden''.]") (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2")[ (if: $stateGala is 0)[ (replace: ?scene)[Two male guests in suits are standing by lounge entrance, guffawing about something that they no doubt wish for the general public not to hear. ] (replace: ?people)[There are guards patroling around the mezzanine, watching the crowd downstairs. The hook noses on their masks remind you of vultures. ] (replace: ?services)[You've just been here this morning. You try to remember where everything is: $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 1)[ (replace: ?scene)[The other guests are gone. ] (replace: ?people)[Save for the guards and staffs, the upstair area is almost empty. Everyone must be getting ready for the opening ceremony. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?scene)[A guard watches you from the other side of the mezzanine, wondering what you're doing here when the ceremony is downstairs. You ignore him. ] (replace: ?people)[The tuxedoed musicians walk past you, each giving you a nod before disappearing into the lounge. There are soundproof rooms in there for them to rehearse their next set. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3)[ (replace: ?scene)[From up here, you can see the valets carting food from somewhere deep within the mansion towards the dining hall. ] (replace: ?people)[You see also masked people entering the library. One of them berates a valet for not noticing a spill. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (replace: ?scene)[From up here, you can see how much coordination it takes to supply the feast. The staffs are more coordinated than most trains. ] (replace: ?people)[On the far side, a woman in a silver dress is smoking (you can smoke in here?), dropping ash downstairs. She seems amused. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?scene)[Looking down, you see people waddling out of the dining hall and towards the gallery, where the masked assistant greets them with a smile. ] (replace: ?people)[A fat man, post-dinner belly bursting out of his dress shirt, is leaning against the railing, trying to catch a breather. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?scene)[Looking down, you see people gathered near the gallery - the Foundation's collection - where they are convinced to part with their wealth later tonight. ] (replace: ?people)[The masked assistant even directs some of them towards the library, which no doubt contains documents of the value and veracity of the artworks on display. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?scene)[Groups after groups of people are coming up the stairs and heading towards the lounges to discuss what or whom they will be taking back after tonight. ] (replace: ?people)[You've seen it all before. To most, art is simply foreplay. True artists, however... Ah, true artists don't typically bankroll mansion parties. ] (replace: ?services)[Now, where is everything? $navGalaUp ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (replace: ?scene)[The guests are lining up along the railing, ready for the final tour of the night. The scene reminds you of an airport terminal. ] (replace: ?people)[Truly, good art can make you //fly//. Or, you can simply buy your wings, if you are lucky like one Scott Dunn. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 9)[ (replace: ?scene)[Shuffling towards the next room, the guests talk among themselves. They're trying to tease out the meaning in what they've seen, but they all sound like your freshmen students. ] (replace: ?people)[Ahead of the crowd, the director is scratching his beard under his mask, likely nervous about his patrons' reception. The assistant has a smile stuck onto her face. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (replace: ?scene)[The guests are quieter this time around. Good art often sends the audience into a state of reflection, where words fail. ] (replace: ?people)[And now, it is //time// they fall completely silent, only to burst out in maddened cries moments later. Your hands are shaking uncontrollably. You can already imagine the little death that falls over the world when your painting is actually finished. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?scene)[You drag your feet. Every fiber of yours tells you to not go on. But you must. You must //never// stop. ] (replace: ?people)[A woman in sequin touches your arm, telling you that the "painting" was genius. You contemplate murder. ] (replace: ?services)[] ] (if: $stateGala is 12)[ (replace: ?scene)[ ] (replace: ?people)[ ] (replace: ?services)[] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1a")[ (if: $stateGala is 0)[ (replace: ?mingle)[Is that a famous actor? Then what is that matron's hand doing on his behind? And that supermodel - you're sure she's married to someone with hair and far less belly - instead of whoever this is. You chuckle to yourself, almost nostalgic of the things you used to put up with, if it wasn't... everywhere. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 1)[ (replace: ?mingle)[The staffs are bringing out the lectern. Still, the guests are talking, laughing, and clinking away. A woman, already drunk, asks a valet to lend her his mask. He politely refuses, citing policy. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?mingle)[ (set: _number to (random: 1,7)) (set: _speech to (a: "//\"We'd like to extend our gratitude to...\"//", "//\"Without our patrons' support...\"//", "//\"I'd like to introduce: A man who needs no introduction...\"//", "//\"It is for that reason that we...\"//", "//\"... our commitment to Truth, to Beauty, and to...\"//", "//\"... against the rising tide of...\"//", "//\"Please welcome...\"//", )) (print: _speech's _number) Some guests are standing straight, wide-eyed and nodding, while others lean against the table, fingers tracing their drinks or their companion. These speeches take forever. You usually can space out at will. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3 or it is 4)[ (replace: ?mingle)[The floor is near empty. Only shoe marks and spills are left. You can even begin to see some ants scouting for scraps. You should get out of the way. You're blocking the wine carts. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5 or it is 6)[ (replace: ?mingle)[You can see a few staffs carrying ledgers toward the gallery, and others are carrying folding chairs for the revelry outside. If you want to mingle, you should go where the people are. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?mingle)[Only a smattering of the lost are wandering here in the atrium. The rest are either in the garden or in the lounges. If you want to mingle, you should go where the people are. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10)[ (replace: ?mingle)[Everyone is gathered upstairs for the unveiling. You should, too. It's //your// show, after all. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?mingle)[You raise your arms towards the ceiling and pray that the grand chandelier falls and crush you. Ah, that'd be foolish: Forget the Foundation. The art remains. Katherine remains. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1c")[ (if: $stateGala is 0)[ (replace: ?dining)[The masked staffs are setting up the tables - each large enough for about a dozen people. A few guests are already at the bar. To some, the reception champagne might as well be grape-flavored soda. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 1)[ (replace: ?dining)[The candelabras are brought out. Their flames flicker a whitish hue. A must-have in all Darkbloom events. Over at the bar, a masked staff is presenting to a group of guests a wine bottle, as though it was a treasure. It probably is. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?dining)[The kitchen staffs, also masked, are huddled at the door to listen to the speeches. They nudge and laugh, but quickly straighten up when they see you entering. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3)[ (replace: ?dining)[You are seated with Scott Dunn, one of the artists being unveiled tonight. The people at your table seems to already know Scott, or rather, his father. You sit and smile, unable to eat anything. The other artist - Lia Gradec - in a different table, far away. Katherine is nowhere to be found. You can try asking if anyone knows how to get to the garden. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (replace: ?dining)[Scott is now regaling the other guests with tales from his private school. A woman gasps and says, //"How precocious of you."// An entire roasted swan now sits on your table, allegedly plucked from the same lake out back. What you'd give for some lo mein right now... ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?dining)[With the feast over, the place is finally peaceful, though it looks like a tornado had just passed. A staff is going around snuffing out candles before a drunk guest could knock them down and set the linen aflame. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?dining)[Two staffs are heaving the heavy oak tables back into storage, making way for those with brooms and mops. The bartender is frantically mixing batches after batches of cocktail, doing her best to keep up with the garden's demand. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?dining)[The bartender is counting the number of cocktails and wine bottles needed before putting them in the dumbwaiter, to be transported upstairs to the lounges. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10)[ (replace: ?dining)[It is empty here, save for a few cleaning staffs. Most have gathered upstairs for the unveiling. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?dining)[You're thinking about drinking yourself to death. Ah, but when has that ever worked? You are cursed with a formidable liver, for fate is not done with you yet. You will fly beyond this humiliation. Forget the Foundation. The art remains. Katherine remains. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1b")[ (if: $stateGala is 0)[ (replace: ?library)[The shelves here are taller than most stepladders, and so an electric lift is needed to get anything printed before the 20th Century. There are a few people in here, mostly staffs and their managers inside the meeting rooms, briefing each other about the night's progress. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 1)[ (replace: ?library)[The library is one of the Foundation's many archives whose content date back to Peter the Great. There are a few people in here, mostly staffs and their managers inside the meeting rooms, briefing each other about the night's progress. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?library)[While the opening ceremony is happening out in the atrium, several masked staffs are using the library space to prepare the bouquets and gift bags. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3)[ (replace: ?library)[A staff asks if you are lost - the dining hall is on the other side of the atrium. But she does not force you out. A silver-haired man in mask is leaning against one of the meeting rooms, seeming exhausted. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (replace: ?library)[You see a silver-haired man - which you assume to be the event director - inside one of the meeting rooms, along with a few others. They seem to be discussing something awfully important. You don't know when they'll be done. You'll have to muster up your courage and interrupt the meeting. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?library)[The masked assistant is showing a group of guests something on the microfilm reader. Provenance of the artworks in the old gallery? Photographs of the kaiser gifting his cousin a painting? Whatever it is, it is sure to inflate the bidding price later tonight. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?library)[Only a few people are here - those who still need to be convinced that the artworks in the Foundations' collection are genuine, important, and valuable enough to require a whole library of documentation In your experience, the rich are exceedingly easy to swindle. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?library)[The meeting rooms here are all occupied. There are price negotiations going on in there, for not all artworks will be auctioned. Although, this is only one of the places where negotiations can happen. The rest are in the lounges. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10)[ (replace: ?library)[The place is nearly empty, save for a few security guards. Most have gathered upstairs for the unveiling. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?library)[If a shelf should fall on you right now, you will be spared ever having to feel disappointment again, and fate will have failed you for the last time. No, if you perish now, then you will not see the day when you are entered into the annals of history, immortalized in archives far greater than this. Forget the Foundation. The art remains. Katherine remains. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1d")[ (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1)[ (replace: ?gallery)[Oaken double doors guard firmly the Darkbloom Foundation's private collection against the general public. They might invest in more contemporary talents like yourself, but it is the Old Collection - so called because most paintings only date up to World War I - that will make them the most money tonight. Past the gallery is the garden, which overlooks the misty lake. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?gallery)[Masked security staffs line this side of the building, blocking the way to some of the Foundation's most prized treasures. They politely redirect you back towards the opening ceremony. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3 or it is 4)[ (replace: ?gallery)[The gallery doors remain locked, and so is the lakeside garden. Presently, most of the staffs are either too busy with dinner service or is unable to help you. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?gallery)[The gallery doors are open for tours. Would-be bidders, after being fattened, are now packed tight and corralled into the Old Collection. Staff members swarm them like flies, each with a clipboard, ready to note down preliminary interest. Inside, it is a veritable museum. Dark plaster walls create branching corridors that are lined with artworks, which used to hang in the Winter Palace. Standing among the greats, you feel unsteady, and the alcohol sloshes inside your head. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?gallery)[The gallery doors are open for tours. Presently, the silver-haired director himself is leading some of the groups through the Old Collection, like a retired tour guide brought back out for one more glorious trip. Already, there are color stickers on the frames of some paintings - bought. You think about the culminative value of everything in these halls, and your head begins to spin. Scott Dunn is standing by the door, trying to finish up his cocktail before entering. Even //he// is no exception. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?gallery)[There are still tours, but the gallery is sparser now. Most of the crowd has seen enough. A few minutes of fine art will suffice the atrophied appetite of most. Now, they are hungry for real business. Goodwill is being made upstairs in the lounges. There are plenty of ways to keep the patrons awake (but not too lucid) past midnight, until the auction's time. When bought, each masterpiece will hang in a mansion like this (or a warehouse), collecting dust. Tonight is probably their last chance to be admired. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11)[ (replace: ?gallery)[This gallery is empty of guests. The staffs are bringing down a few, getting them ready for the auction. But that's later. This is no time for artworks of the dead; now is the time for the living. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?gallery)[The old masters - they seem to sneer at you, mock you, pity you for thinking that you could ever fly as high as they can. You want to burn the entire place down. But what use is that resentment? They're dead, and you're alive. Forget the Foundation. The art remains. Katherine remains. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D1e")[ (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?garden)[You hear the one-two-three of a waltz but cannot make out where the quartet is in the mist. Shadows of ladies and their gentlemen are twirling on the stone terrace. Others are seated while servers bend to pour their drinks of choice. Several are leading each other hand-in-hand towards a grand gazebo, where looms a figure with a bird mask with feathers around their shoulders - an (link-reveal: "oracle.")[ Part fortunetellers, part confessors, oracles are an increasingly popular part of corporations and wealthy households. In strange times, people crave certainty, and failing that, diversion.] ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?garden)[Now, a mismatched pair is listening to the oracle speak about their future prospects. The omen says: They will be together forever. The man grins, displaying his ivory dentures. The fiddler is playing a folksy tune, and the guests are prancing around each other with elbows locked. Rural pastiche gets more and more expensive the richer one becomes. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?garden)[Most are finding stronger diversions in the lounges upstairs. Out here, only those with fewer needs and gentler constitutions remain, swaying to a ballad, either tipsy or close to passing out. You hear the lapping of lake water in the distance, beckoning you to come - //"Soon, it'd all be over."// ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10)[ (replace: ?garden)[The garden is empty. Everybody is gone. Only the bird-faced oracle is here, to put up the chairs. //"The unveiling is now. Aren't you an artist?"// The oracle points the bird beak at you and asks. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?garden)[It is over. Your one chance in the limelight - stolen by fate's absurdity. You contemplate drowing yourself in the lake. But you think better of it: Forget the Foudnation. The art remains. Katherine remains. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2e")[ (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1)[ (replace: ?lounges)[But it is too early for all of that. You are alone in the common foyer. Here, there are divans of the softest kind for guests to gather themselves before disppearing into the maze-like corridors deeper in. You can take advantage of the solitude and relax. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (replace: ?lounges)[Here in the foyer prior to the lounges, you can hear the speeches echoing from downstairs. On the other side of the waiting room, the celloist is nursing his glass, contemplating the nude fresco that stretches the entire wall. He knows better than yo bother you. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3 or it is 4)[ (replace: ?lounges)[There are a few guests already here. Like them, you have little appetite for the kinds of cuisine being served downstairs. Unlike them, you are not so eager to taste the lounge's offerings. You are here for the divan and the privacy, nothing more. The Foundation will reward your ascetism tenfold. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (replace: ?lounges)[The light here has been dimmed. A masked woman in a tight dress asks what you're looking for, but you only point to the divan in the far corner. Relieved, she returns to her colleagues, who need her to help paint their lips and braid their hair. Then, a valet enters with a cart of hookahs. He whistles at the women. They shush him: You are here. He lowers his head and gets on with stocking lounges deeper inside. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (replace: ?lounges)[The light here has been dimmed. A group of masked women in high heels are strutting about, some practicing a walk, while others are simply anxious. The gallery tours will be soon conclude, and guests will begin to pour upstairs. For now, you have most of the foyer to yourself. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (replace: ?lounges)[The foyer chokes with cigar smoke and laughter. Glasses clink in the dim light, feet shuffle on the kashmir, and strangers become adventuresome friends. Masked women greet patrons with a curtsy and lead them inside the maze-like corridors. As you're trying to figure out where to sit down, you, a woman comes up to you and asks if you're without company. You say yes. She asks what you desire. You can either go into the maze, or you can stay in the foyer. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (replace: ?lounges)[Other than a few stragglers - those who have indulged too much to leave - the foyer is largely empty. You see a few staffs rushing into the corridor with medical kits. You should join the tour outside as well. It is time for the unveiling. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 9 or it is 10)[ (replace: ?lounges)[The staffs are tidying up the place. No doubt, after the auction, these lounges will have to welcome a wave of those eager for celebration or in need of consolation. But that is later. Now is the time for unveilings. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (replace: ?lounges)[The staffs are tidying up the place. No doubt, after the auction, these lounges will have to welcome a wave of those eager for celebration or in need of consolation. But that is later. Now is the time for unveilings. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (replace: ?lounges)[It is over - your one chance to escape obscurity. You fatansize about disappearing into the mazes and never coming out again, but you think better of it: Forget the Foundation. The art remains. Katherine remains. ] ] ]

{=  Ow... I passed out and was carted off to the lounges. --- (link: "Wake up in the lounges, feeling a bit better.")[ (set: $mind to it + 1) (dialog: [PLACEHOLDER heal after passing out], "OK") (goto: "Gala D2e") ] (Recompose yourself, bit by bit.)

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2b")[ (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11 or it is 12)[(replace: ?Scott)[You're standing in front of a locked door. The plaque says, "Scott Dunn • //Studies of the Last Man// • sculpture". Next to it, a poster reads like a (link-reveal: "CV")[, illustrious achievements in this show or that scene, but you don't recognize any of it. That isn't strange - you have been holed up inside for so very long, and Mr. Dunn here is only a recent BFA graduate. Yale. It stinks of legacy. It stinks of something else, too, like eggs and vinegar, like your apartment a month ago.] ] ] (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1)[ (append: ?Scott)[//"The unveiling isn't until midnight, miss,"// a masked guard points his beak at you. //"Mr. Dunn is downstairs, if I'm not mistaken."// ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (append: ?Scott)[The security guards are perched along the railings like a flock of crows, listening to the opening ceremony down in the atrium. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3)[ (append: ?Scott)[The guards are changing shifts, one telling the other to go grab some spare from the kitchen. The latter says that standing here has robbed him of his appetite. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 4)[ (append: ?Scott)[These halls are largely empty. Everyone is gathered in the dining hall downstairs for the feast. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5 or it is 6)[ (append: ?Scott)[Presently, guests are filing into the downstairs gallery for a tour of the Foundation's private collection. The new artists - Mr. Dunn included - will have to wait. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (append: ?Scott)[In an hour or so, the unveiling will begin. Out in the halls, Scott being told by the medical staff that he cannot take down the health and safety advisory. He protests, saying that the audience's waivers should already cover all of it. Besides, he insists that such "frivolity" undercuts the art. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (append: ?Scott)[The door to Scott Dunn's exhibition space is now open. As the first guests enter the dark room, they immediately cover their noses with their bejeweled hands and silken handkerchiefs. Still tailing behind, you can already smell it, half expecting to see a scene from your own apartment, à la //My Bed//, reproduced in detail, down to the name of the Chinese restaurant and the folds of the cloth. And Jesse, too, would miraculously be here. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 9)[ (append: ?Scott)[When it is permissible, guests leave the room as soon as they can, gathering in the halls and the mezzanine, desperately gasping for air. Some rush away with a hand over their mouths, no doubt to hurl. Scott seems pleased with himself. The ones that are left are murmuring with wide eyes - scandalized, yes, but also invigorated, as though the morbid sight they've witnessed have breathed life back into their dessicated sensibilities, so addled with pleasure and must be badgered with vulgarity in order to wake. You realize that this is not art but //entertainment// for them. They're already moving onto the next course on the menu. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (append: ?Scott)[Already, staffs in plastic suits and medical masks are hauling the exhibit off on metal carts, wrapped in what appears to be custom-made body bags. A few morbidly curious guests linger to watch the cleanup process, but most are already moving onto the main course: Your //magnum opus//. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (append: ?Scott)[This space is empty. Only the stink lingers. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2a")[ (unless: $stateGala is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11 or it is 12)[(replace: ?you)[Behind this door, your (link-reveal: "//magnum opus// awaits.")[ Though unfinished, its false light is sure to dazzle. But that will only be a preview, enough to convince the Darkbloom Foundation that sponsoring your stay in one of their estates will be a wise investment. When it //is// done at last, a new age will dawn for you, even if the untrained public only blinks. By that point, you will have already moved on to your next masterpiece. And the next. And the next. But for now, the painting needs Katherine. You need Katherine. Without her breath, the painting cannot take flight, and neither can you.] ] ] (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1)[ (append: ?you)[//"Here to make last-minute adjustments, ma'am? Use your keycard,"// a staff informs you. //"Or you can use mine."// You tell her that it's OK. You don't want to spoil your own anticipation. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (append: ?you)[//"Can I help you?"// A guard asks. //"Oh, it's you. Sorry."// You tell him not to worry; you're heading downstairs for the opening ceremony anyhow. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3 or it is 4)[ (append: ?you)[These exhibits will permit no guest until the midnight unveiling. Before that, they will need their stomachs filled and their other wants indulged. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5 or it is 6)[ (append: ?you)[Now is not the time for new art yet. Now is the time for the old masters - with which the guests are getting acquainted with downstairs. When the painting is unveiled at midnight, they will see that there is great kinship between you and the masters, and they will clamor to patronize you. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (append: ?you)[You quiver at the thought of seeing the painting completed. It will be like coming home for Katherine, a unity of body and soul. She caused you to start this painting. It was your mistake to shun her. But it is not too late to take responsibility - for art's sake. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (append: ?you)[These hallways are filled with guests, ready for the unveiling. But first, the appetizer: it is Scott's turn. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 9)[ (append: ?you)[These hallways are filled with guests, here for the unveiling. Up next is the side dish: Lia. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (append: ?you)[The corridor in front of your exhibition space is packed tight, and the staffs are doing their best to keep things orderly. The event director seems impatient with you. You fumble your pockets but cannot find the keycard; you don't even remember being given one; you are trembling and more than a bit tipsy, as likely to burst out in tears as you are in laughter. All eyes are on you. Then, the masked assistant comes to the rescue: She has a keycard of her own. The door beeps green, and the lock whirls. It is pitch-black inside, just like how you've requested. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 11)[ (append: ?you)[ Where is your Sister? - you demand. The blank canvas mocks you with its silence. A thought crosses your mind: You will slash, will burn //both// of them when you get home, those cheap, soulless copies. You can always start again. Always, so long as you can still paint. So long as you have Katherine. The staff usher you out of the room. The unveiling is not yet finished. ] ] ]

{=  (if: (passage:)'s name is "Gala D2c")[ (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1 or it is 5 or it is 6 or it is 7)[ (append: ?Lia)[The door to this exhibition space is not locked, but it appears occupied. You can hear whispers - loud ones, robotic, probably pre-recorded - coming from inside. Lia must be testing the speaker system. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2 or it is 3 or it is 4)[ (append: ?Lia)[Lia's exhibition space is locked. She must be downstairs. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (append: ?Lia)[Lia's exhibition space is locked until it is her turn. ] ] (unless: $stateGala is 7 or it is 8 or it is 9 or it is 10 or it is 11 or it is 12)[(append: ?Lia)[The metal plaque reads: "Lia Gradec • //Through Fangs// • sound installation". You are (link-reveal: "vaguely familiar with Gradec's work")[, though you know her more as a defector from Dallas. She did the whole media circuit-thing when she first came to the Union, but when her fifteen minutes of fame ran out (and federal agents started doubting her story), she went reclusive. That was way back when you were still teaching in Chicago. Lia must be in her thirties now. The Foundation has a knack for sifting gold from mud.] ] ] (if: $stateGala is 0 or it is 1)[ (append: ?Lia)[You can respect an artist who spends her few moments in the limelight tinkering with her work. You wonder if Lia had a chance to complete her project before the Foundation's less-than-reasonable deadline. In a way, you, too, are tinkering. You're looking for that one last thing that can make your painting whole. You should leave Ms. Gradec alone. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 2)[ (append: ?Lia)[Right now, she's not in. Lia must be among the crowd, listening to the speeches. You should, too. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 3 or it is 4)[ (append: ?Lia)[Right now, she's not in. Lia must be in the dining hall with everyone else. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 5)[ (append: ?Lia)[//"... I must never -tzzt- never -tzzt-"// says the speaker. Lia tsks, and she must have adjusted something, because the voice immediately fades into an electronic squeal. You should leave her to her tinkering. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 6)[ (append: ?Lia)[//"... Wish -tzzt- wish it were her -tzzt- her -tzzt- and not you..."// hiccups the electronic voice inside Lia Gradec's room, which goes from a whisper to a wail with a twist of a knob. The oracle has pointed you to this place. Is Katherine in here? Why? Do they know each other? No, Katherine knows no-one but you; you're sure of it; you don't want to think otherwise. Katherine is alone, and you're the only one who understands her. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 7)[ (append: ?Lia)[//"... late. Pray -tzzt- her, it is -tzzt- too..."// the whispers persist for a while before cutting back to that awful music again. You hear Lia's frustrated groans. Somehow, you feel partially at fault, but you don't know what you've done. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 8)[ (append: ?Lia)[Some curious or lost guests are wandering to Lia's room, but the staffs redirect them back up the corridor towards Scott Dunn's exhibition. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 9)[ (append: ?Lia)[You are following the crowd towards Lia Gradec's exhibition - the next to be unveiled. Looking past all of the heads in front, you can see the doors open, and the space inside is lit with a stark, matter-of-fact white, neither warm nor hostile, but simply a clinical apathy. You perk up your ears. Save for the confused whispering of the guests, and perhaps the barely perceptible hum of electrivity passing through wires, the voices are nowhere to be heard. Standing by the door, Lia is tense and pale. Has she broken her machine? ] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (append: ?Lia)[You leave the Lia Gradec's space without a word, without a thought. All that could be said has been said. The other guests appear unmoored, some even seem upset, but they speak nothing. Those electronic utterances - how far do they travel? And where do they go? Could it even be considered art? Or merely a tech demo? No answer returns. It all felt like a great illusion, a quirk of the human body made to amuse or thrill itself. But has that not been the chief principal of all art? Your thoughts do not go anywhere; they can't. There is only you and your mind. It is not until someone taps you on your shoulder do you break out of this daze. It's your turn. ] ] (if: $stateGala is 10)[ (append: ?Lia)[For her invention, Lia will likely be contacted by someone from the military or a military contractor. You - however - will be known as that woman who made ripping off Rauschenberg 's //White Paintings// into a performance art piece. //"Ready-made"//. //"Found object"//. //"Pop art"//. You want to throw up. ] ] ]