Start of a transcript of Good Bones An interactive fiction by XYZoe and IronSerenity Release 1 / Serial number 240801 / Inform v6.43 PunyInform v5.5.1dev DR > x me You feel like you haven't slept in weeks. Everything that's happened in the days since hearing from, well, whoever it was that you heard from, you've been in a daze. The worst of it was discovering that whoever it was, they were serious-- the little "reminders" left for you wherever you went, as if they had mapped out your routine (and, at this point, you're absolutely certain that they have). > i You're carrying a flashlight. > x flashlight A simple Maglite that runs on two D batteries, currently switched off. > x vent It's too late to back out now. > x cover It's unimaginable, but this thick iron grate appears to have been peeled away. It's clear that some of the rust isn't simply oxidation but organic in nature. > x rust Sorry, I don't understand what "rust" means. > x door The handle jiggles slightly when touched. > s You can't, since the wood-framed door is closed. > open door You apply pressure to the warped and moldy door. It's softer than it looks and instead of opening outward on its hinges, you stumble through as if it were made of soaking wet cardboard. Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open- topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. You can see a Guide to Adventure Games here. > x guide A weathered book with dog-earred pages. It claims to contain important information regarding playing adventure games. It can be consulted via: "read in guidebook" For example: "read contents in guidebook" > read contents in book You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > read contents in guide You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > read contents in guidebook You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > read guidebook A weathered book with dog-earred pages. It claims to contain important information regarding playing adventure games. It can be consulted via: "read in guidebook" For example: "read contents in guidebook" > get book Taken. > i You're carrying a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > l Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open- topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. > x desk It is covered in dust save for where a greasy film streaks through it. The handle on its ancient drawer is corroded, possibly by moisture that's made its way into the facility from the Resto Barmory it sits beneath. > x drawer You recognize this model of desk and its 'iconic' (if that's the word) drawer from your time working at that Scandinavian furniture store in your youth. Billig. It was mostly particleboard but for some reason the drawer itself was tougher than Fort Knox. This one seems to be more oxide than metal at this point. > open drawer You pull and pull but the bloody thing won't budge. > hit drawer Actually, sometimes violence IS the answer... but not right now. > x oxide Sorry, I don't understand what "oxide" means. > l Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open- topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. > x film You can't see any such thing. > x dust You can't see any such thing. > x handle You can't see any such thing. > x pc Undoubtably state-of-the-art two decades ago, the dust that has settled on it now forms a sticky-looking film. > turn on pc No need to concern yourself with that. > x boxes They contain old papers which have stuck together into one giant blob of wood pulp. > search boxes No need to concern yourself with that. > x pulp You can't see any such thing. > l Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open- topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. > look under desk Sorry, I don't understand what "under" means. > l Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open- topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. > e Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > x memo > l Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > get memo Taken. > x desk Three heavy slabs of wood pieced together. > x plexiglass Presumably to protect the receptionist from hostile visitors, but it very well could have been the other way around. > x bench Very uncomfortable looking. > sit on bench The bench looks so very uncomfortable that you think better of it. > x bulkhead A very heavy door with a dozen locks and latches, many of which have rusted shut. > n Nothing you do convinces the bulkhead to move. > e Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > x chest A box made of dark, stained wood. A wide, thin hole has been cut in its top, about the size and shape of a short stack of papers. Its base appears to be a small turntable of sorts. Flaking gold paint twines across the lid, swirling into fleurs-de-lis. Where they converge in the center, a large felur-de-lis points north. A hideously-constrasting aluminum latch of hardware-store quality has been screwed onto its front. The off-center keyhole looks small, cheap, and just sturdy enough to keep the lid closed. > open box You can't see any such thing. > open chest It's locked. > x hole You can't see any such thing. > x base Sorry, I don't understand what "base" means. > turn box You can't see any such thing. > turn chest You turn the chest to face east. > g You turn the chest to face south. > g You turn the chest to face west. > g You turn the chest to face north. > g You turn the chest to face east. > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > x windows These arched windows look out over a beautiful ocean sunset in one direction and snowcapped mountains in another. Upon closer inspection, they're just very good paintings inset into the wall. > x sunset Goldenrod clouds wisp across incredibly detailed rolling waves. > x mountains They have a bluish-purple look to them, with splashes of white across their pointed tops. If they were real, you'd estimate them to be around sixty miles away. > get painting You can't see any such thing. > x paintings These arched windows look out over a beautiful ocean sunset in one direction and snowcapped mountains in another. Upon closer inspection, they're just very good paintings inset into the wall. > get paintings No need to concern yourself with that. > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > u You can't go that way. > s Projection Room An antiquated film projector stares down over the theater below. A secondary digital projector is mounted on the ceiling, its cable trailing to a small black box in the corner. A doorway to the north leads back towards the upper landing. > x box The digital projector is mounted to the ceiling above the film projector. A cable runs along the ceiling and down the wall into a small, black box in the corner with a port for ZetaMax-II visual art diskettes. > turn on projector Do you mean the digital projector or the film projector? > digital The projector itself does not appear to have a power button. Following the cables down to the black box, the only exposed element is the port for ZetaMax- II visual art diskettes. > x port You can't see any such thing. > x film An old-fashioned reel-to-reel film projector. The empty spools await a film reel. > x digital The digital projector is mounted to the ceiling above the film projector. A cable runs along the ceiling and down the wall into a small, black box in the corner with a port for ZetaMax-II visual art diskettes. > x vable Sorry, I don't understand what "vable" means. > x cable Sorry, I don't understand what "cable" means. > l Projection Room An antiquated film projector stares down over the theater below. A secondary digital projector is mounted on the ceiling, its cable trailing to a small black box in the corner. A doorway to the north leads back towards the upper landing. > n Upper Landing > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > e Swanky Office Soft, cerulean carpet flows from the raised, eastern portion of the room to the lower western half. An opulent mahogany desk sits square in the middle of the raised platform, leering down at you. The doorway to the west is angled for a perfect view of the Upper Landing's windows from the desk. > x carpet It runs like twin rivers from the higher platform holding the desk, down two parallel pairs of steps, to the lower area near the entrance. > x doorway Sorry, I don't understand what "doorway" means. > x windows You can't see any such thing. > x desk It is beautifully constructed of dark, laquered wood. It rests atop a raised platform, looming haughtily above the rest of the room. It has a single thin drawer with a a gilded keyhole. > x drawer It is beautifully constructed of dark, laquered wood. It rests atop a raised platform, looming haughtily above the rest of the room. It has a single thin drawer with a a gilded keyhole. > open drawer It's locked. > l Swanky Office Soft, cerulean carpet flows from the raised, eastern portion of the room to the lower western half. An opulent mahogany desk sits square in the middle of the raised platform, leering down at you. The doorway to the west is angled for a perfect view of the Upper Landing's windows from the desk. > w Upper Landing > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > w Lobby > l Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. > s Lab Access Stairwell At the bottom of the steely stairway, pale white lights shine behind frosted panels. The stairway climbs northward towards the lobby. To your immediate south is a solid steel door. > x lights If you put your ear close you can hear a faint but bright hum. It's somewhat mesmerizing, and you notice your breathing starting to slow, your eyes begin to grow heavy and... You pull yourself away. After taking a moment to recover, you notice that the buzzing sound has been replaced by the sound of your own pounding heart. > x stairway Sorry, I don't understand what "stairway" means. > x steel A beautiful slab of stainless steel. Very good at keeping out unwanted visitors. > s You can't, since the steel door is closed. > open door It refuses to budge. As if to explain why, a card reader blinks angrily to the right of the frame. > x reader A simple panel with a single red blinking light in the middle > n Lobby > l Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. > e Upper Landing > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > d Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > x flowers Pretty, pastel, and probably acryllic. > search flowers No need to concern yourself with that. > l Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > x water Granite spouts that once poured into small pools of smooth stone. > w Collapsed Hallway What was once a lovely hallway capable of efficently moving foottraffic from east-to-west and back again has been blocked off by a collapsed pile of rubble. There is just enough room to still make passage between the eastern stairwell and the norther room possible. > x pile Pulverized concrete with heavy bits of rebar threatening to puncture the carefree adventurer. > w You can't go that way. > climb rubble No need to concern yourself with that. > s You can't go that way. > n Pastel Room The decor wthin this bedroom attempts to defy the coldness of the surrounding facility. Every surface is covered with garrish posters and pictures. A dozen animal plushies are scattered over the bed. The powder-pink carpet in this room squishes as you move about it. A single door to the south leads back to the world of steel and rust. > x posters A couple dozen posters from various animated shows like Joseph Galaxy, Vasra and the Marquises of Might, Pony Pals, and Buoyancy Heights. > x pictures A couple dozen posters from various animated shows like Joseph Galaxy, Vasra and the Marquises of Might, Pony Pals, and Buoyancy Heights. > x plushies Lions and lions and sharks, oh my! > x bed A well-made bed with pretty pink sheets. > look under bed Sorry, I don't understand what "under" means. > sit on bed It's like nestling into a cotton candy cloud... But, having a task to perfom, you hop back out. > sleep That is not a verb I recognize. > x carpet You'd rather not examine the carpet too closely, but you note that when you press on it, a greenish-yellow liquid comes to the surface and when you release, it recedes, leaving not a trace of a stain on the cotton candy surface. > s Collapsed Hallway > l Collapsed Hallway What was once a lovely hallway capable of efficently moving foottraffic from east-to-west and back again has been blocked off by a collapsed pile of rubble. There is just enough room to still make passage between the eastern stairwell and the norther room possible. > e Stairwell > l Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > s Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. You can see a Last Player marker here. > x shelves You can't see any such thing. > x bookshelves 'bookshelves' may be a misnomer given that these are only stocked with board games. Sadly, they are all mushed cardboard now. > x games Sorry, I don't understand what "games" means. > x table The netting is ripped in half. > x folding Sorry, I don't understand what "folding" means. > x game The much-reviled board game, The Kettles of Satan, is set up in the center of the table. One player clearly amassed a fortune of Hellsheep which they used to secure the resources for Longest Road. > x marker A small, coin-sized marker used to signify the last player in a game of Kettles of Satan. Its surface shimmers irredescently. > get it Taken. > smell You smell nothing unexpected. > listen You hear nothing unexpected. > i You're carrying a Last Player marker, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > l Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > s Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a plastic flowers and a fountain here. > x light It is slightly brighter than the other lights in the facility, but you doubt it'll provide you your daily dose of Vitamin D. > x ceiling A false sky of desaturated blue with a few faux clouds thrown in for good measure. > x flowers The beauty of plastic is that it never needs watering. > x fountain A marble bowl adorned with a warbling stone bird spitting water. Something glimmers beneath the water. > x plinth You can't see any such thing. > get flowers You pluck them from along the path, leaving the room looking a little less colorful. > i You're carrying a plastic flowers, a Last Player marker, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > search fountain You grab at the shimmer in the fountain. As soon as you try to pull it out of the water it slips from your fingers. > get shimmer You can't see any such thing. > search fountain You grab at the shimmer in the fountain. As soon as you try to pull it out of the water it slips from your fingers. > i You're carrying a plastic flowers, a Last Player marker, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > l Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > x bird Its wings are carved from white rock. Its beak spills water into the basin below. > x glimmer Sorry, I don't understand what "glimmer" means. > x something Sorry, I don't understand what "something" means. > enter fountain It's nowhere near large enough for you to properly get into. > drink water You can't see any such thing. > l Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > get fountain That's fixed in place. > w Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > x vent No larger than your forearm, it spills warm air into the hallway. > open vent You can't open that. > x light You can't see any such thing. > x carpet There is a faded, diamond pattern weaving its eternal iterations onward. Your shoes scrub harshly against it as you walk. > x doorway Sorry, I don't understand what "doorway" means. > w Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > x wallpaper Beatifully carved wooden arches are poorly imitated all along the hallway. The peeling corners reveal the thick steel that the walls are actually made of. > n Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > x cabinet A cabinet. It's handles gleam before you, invitingly. > open it You open the cabinet, revealing a immaculate pipe. > x pipe A wooden smoking pipe with a broad bowl and a straight, mahogany stem. > get it Taken. > l Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > x desk Some of the trash seems to have melded with the faux wood used to make this desk. A large drawer frames its lower-right corner. > open drawer The drawer pulls open to reveal a sea of scrunched-up paper. > x drawer Some of the trash seems to have melded with the faux wood used to make this desk. A large drawer frames its lower-right corner. > x paper A mass of papers fills the drawer. > get it That's hardly portable. > search it Within a cocoon of misprinted pages, you find a crumpled red note. You put it in your pocket. > x note You can't see any such thing. > x red You can't see any such thing. > x red note You can't see any such thing. > i You're carrying a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a Last Player marker, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > x pocket Sorry, I don't understand what "pocket" means. > l Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > x bed You can't see any such thing. > x floor A look in that direction reveals nothing new. > x wrappers Cheesey Snakes and Crisp Crisps and Yunfuns; oh my! > x clothes Really coming close to the literal meaning of 'threadbare.' > x receipts Whoever lived here seemed to purchase a lot of junk food and loose-leaf tobacco. > search unk Sorry, I don't understand what "unk" means. > search junk No need to concern yourself with that. > x junk Cheesey Snakes and Crisp Crisps and Yunfuns; oh my! > g Cheesey Snakes and Crisp Crisps and Yunfuns; oh my! > g Cheesey Snakes and Crisp Crisps and Yunfuns; oh my! > l Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > take all There are no things available that match "take all". > s Silent Hallway > s Artsy Room Every wall is covered with sketches and paintings, granting this bedroom a more personal touch. The bed is made up perfectly. Against the western wall, an easel holds an unfinished portrait of two gleaming cat eyes over a toothy, half-smile. The silence of the hallway seeps into the room from a doorway to the north. > x easel A cool easel that needs more description > x portrait Sorry, I don't understand what "portrait" means. > x eyes Sorry, I don't understand what "eyes" means. > x painting You can almost see what lies beyond. > x sketches Figures grim and phantasmal stare at you from every angle. Among the more interesting pieces are a sketch of monstrous raven, a watercolor of gooey skeletons, and an oil painting of a violet door. > enter painting No need to concern yourself with that. > x raven Not implemented yet, but I can assure you it'll be spooky. > x skeletons Gloopy bones yet to be implemented. > x violet You can't see any such thing. > x door You can almost see what lies beyond. > open door No need to concern yourself with that. > l Artsy Room Every wall is covered with sketches and paintings, granting this bedroom a more personal touch. The bed is made up perfectly. Against the western wall, an easel holds an unfinished portrait of two gleaming cat eyes over a toothy, half-smile. The silence of the hallway seeps into the room from a doorway to the north. > x bed Serenity should probably make her bed more often. > sit on bed No need to concern yourself with that. > get easel No need to concern yourself with that. > get painting No need to concern yourself with that. > n Silent Hallway > l Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > w Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > x couches The cushions, squishy to the touch, are sewn to the frame. Perhaps three people could squeeze onto one of these couches. > sit on couch You can't enter that. > sit on couches You can't enter that. > x table A Bjork-Bjork coffee table made of the sturdiest Swedish lumber. > x cards Slimy and faded. Picking through the pile it appears someone has removed all the Aces. > smell The scent of a drowned bookstore wafts through the room. > x board An old corkboard soaked with a brown ooze that is becoming disgustingly familiar. > x ooze Sorry, I don't understand what "ooze" means. > x pulp Notes and flyers and pictures and posters have all merged into a swirl of color and pulp. One note is just barely legible: #13013 Stop hoarding all the milk! > get note You can't see any such thing. > l Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > x machine A pane of plexiglass separates you from its only contents: a red herring. A blue handcrank on its side sits just below a coin slot. > x slot You can't see any such thing. > x crank A blue wheel with a grip for one's hands. > x herring A vibrantly red fish. It must be packed full of preservatives in order to last down here this long. > turn wheel It refuses to budge > put coin in slot You can't see any such thing. > i You're carrying a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a Last Player marker, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > put marker in slot You can't see any such thing. > x marker A small, coin-sized marker used to signify the last player in a game of Kettles of Satan. Its surface shimmers irredescently. > x slot You can't see any such thing. > x coin slot You can't see any such thing. > put marker in machine The Last Player marker tumbles through the machine's internals. > turn crank The handcrank begins to turn, making it almost a quarter way around before locking into place. > x machine Behind the plexiglass the red herring dangles by its tail fin. A sliver of it appears to be caught in the vending machine's coils. So close and yet... > shake machine That is not a verb I recognize. > push machine What a concept! > attack machine You slam into the vending machine. The red herring wriggles free of the machine's internals and falls into the recepticle. You gingerly fish it out. > x herring A vibrantly red fish. It must be packed full of preservatives in order to last down here this long. > i You're carrying a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > eat herring A pang of nausea overcomes you as you consider eating a raw fish that you got from a vending machine. A second later, the feeling subsides. You can probably push past it next time if you really want to. > l Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > x tv Sorry, I don't understand what "tv" means. > x television The eyes and head of a news anchor are burnt into its screen. It will not turn on. > n Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > x chute There is nothing special about the garbage chute. > look in chute You find nothing special. > turn on flashlight You switch the flashlight on. > shine light in chute You can't see any such thing. > shine light You can't see any such thing. > look in chute You find nothing special. > l Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > x counters Sorry, I don't understand what "counters" means. > x fridge Sorry, I don't understand what "fridge" means. > x oven Sorry, I don't understand what "oven" means. > i You're carrying a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > put flowers in chtue Sorry, I don't understand what "chtue" means. > put flowers in chtue Sorry, I don't understand what "chtue" means. > put flowers in chute It clatters down the garbage chute. > l Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > undo Previous turn undone. > undo Previous turn undone. > l Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > i You're carrying a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > n You can't, since the latched door is closed. > open latched It's locked. > x latched A sturdy-looking door. > s Lounge > l Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > e Silent Hallway > l Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > e Flickering Hallway > l Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > w Silent Hallway > w Lounge > e Silent Hallway > peel wallpaper That is not a verb I recognize. > pull wallpaper No need to concern yourself with that. > e Flickering Hallway > w Silent Hallway > w Lounge > l Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > e Silent Hallway > l Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > e Flickering Hallway > l Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > e Garden You can see a fountain here. > l Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > put herring in fountain The fountain can't contain things. > n Game Room > l Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > w Theater Three rows of chairs point towards an enormous canvas screen stretched across the western wall. A small window looms about twenty feet up the eastern wall. Double doors lead back east to the Game Room. You can see a floor hatch and a movie seats here. > x window Almost certainly the window of a projection booth. > x hatch A metalic hatch with "Emergency Use Only" printed on its top. It is locked up tight. > open hatch It's locked. > x seats Three rows of theater seats point towards the screen. Beneath the frontmost row a small metal hatch peeks out from beneath the red carpet. > sit on seats You take a seat in the backmost row. > x carpet You can't see any such thing. > x screen The silver screen where movie magic happens. > stand You get up. > l Theater Three rows of chairs point towards an enormous canvas screen stretched across the western wall. A small window looms about twenty feet up the eastern wall. Double doors lead back east to the Game Room. You can see a floor hatch and a movie seats here. > e Game Room > l Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > n Stairwell > l Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > get flowers You already have it. > get pastel No need to concern yourself with that. > w Collapsed Hallway > l Collapsed Hallway What was once a lovely hallway capable of efficently moving foottraffic from east-to-west and back again has been blocked off by a collapsed pile of rubble. There is just enough room to still make passage between the eastern stairwell and the norther room possible. > e Stairwell > w Collapsed Hallway > search rubble No need to concern yourself with that. > e Stairwell > l Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > u Upper Landing > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > look in chest The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > get paper You can't see any such thing. > put flashlight in hole You can't see any such thing. > turn chest You turn the chest to face south. > look in chest The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > turn chest, look in chest You turn the chest to face west. The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > g The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > g The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > turn chest, look in chest You turn the chest to face north. The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > turn chest, look in chest You turn the chest to face east. The chest seems to be able to turn with a little force and slot into one of four directions. Beyond that, however, it is immovable. On its lid, faded gold patterns proclaim a bygone grandeur that has been long since spoiled by the cheap lock and rough hole in its top. Sticking your fingers within the hole as far as you can manage, you brush against the stiff edges of paper. Yet, you can not grasp it. > x painting You can't see any such thing. > x windows These arched windows look out over a beautiful ocean sunset in one direction and snowcapped mountains in another. Upon closer inspection, they're just very good paintings inset into the wall. > x lock You can't see any such thing. > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > d Stairwell > l Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > w Collapsed Hallway > l Collapsed Hallway What was once a lovely hallway capable of efficently moving foottraffic from east-to-west and back again has been blocked off by a collapsed pile of rubble. There is just enough room to still make passage between the eastern stairwell and the norther room possible. > e Stairwell > l Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > s Game Room > l Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > s Garden You can see a fountain here. > l Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > w Flickering Hallway > l Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > w Silent Hallway > l Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > s Artsy Room > nl That is not a verb I recognize. > n Silent Hallway > n Untidy Bedroom > s Silent Hallway > w Lounge > l Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > n Kitchen > save Ok. > enter chute Squaring your shoulders against the frame of the chute, you're pretty sure you could squeeze into it if you want. But... are you sure that's what you want to do? > yes That is not a verb I recognize. > enter chute You stick your head inside and stare down into the darkness. If you do this, there may not be a way back up. And there would be no help until your employers decide to send someone else on this cursed quest. Still... > g Tucking your elbows in, you hold your nose and slide into the chute. You fall through the rancid night. A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > x garbage The variety of junk here is truly astonishing. The garbage bags aren't entirely unexpected, nor the empty cans of beans and creamed corn (at least, it seems to be creamed corn. It's hard to tell since none of the cans are labeled). The pile seems to be endless, although you're unsure if any of it is interesting or useful. You're almost certain that some of it is toxic. The stench is incredible. > smell You smell nothing unexpected. > search garbage You dig your hand deeper into the pile, trying your best to avoid anything sharp. Mostly more cans of cream maybe-corn, pencil shavings, decaying and moldy produce, and you've only just begun. > g You continue to dig deeper into the garbage, your arm up to your elbow, desperately feeling around for something that could help you get out of here. You pull out a moldy orange that is somehow more orange than a non-moldy orange. You're fairly sure something warm just slithered past your finger tips. > g You continue to dig your hand deeper, passing layer after layer of miscellaneous debris. Worse, you're feeling an itchy tingle creep up your arm. The content of this mountain of refuse is almost certainly not hypoallergenic. You're about to give up when your fingers graze something hard and metallic. You pull the weighty object out and look down to see an old exit sign. > x sign You're intimately familiar with this kind of sign. Small, rectangular with green unlit letters. > i You're carrying an exit sign, a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > l A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > search garbage You're pretty sure you've searched as thoroughly as you possibly can. > n You can't go that way > s You can't see any obvious way out of here. > e You can't see any obvious way out of here. > w You can't see any obvious way out of here. > d You can't see any obvious way out of here. > u You can't see any obvious way out of here. > i You're carrying an exit sign, a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > put sign in garbage The garbage can't contain things. > climb sign You would achieve nothing by this. > hit wall with sign Violence isn't the answer to this one. > l A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > i You're carrying an exit sign, a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > smoke pipe That is not a verb I recognize. > eat pipe That's plainly inedible. > x memo > Come again? > sleep That is not a verb I recognize. > l A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > i You're carrying an exit sign, a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > eat herring Your stomach gurgles. A feeling like angry fire ants pulses through your veins. The world swims as your knees give out from underneath you. Darkness pushes in from every direction. Your employement, like your life, has come to an end. Hopefully the next person they send will fare better. *** You have died *** In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 0, in 328 turns. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE, UNDO the last move or QUIT? undo Previous turn undone. > l A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > exit You can't go that way > x sign You're intimately familiar with this kind of sign. Small, rectangular with green unlit letters. > x letters Sorry, I don't understand what "letters" means. > i You're carrying an exit sign, a red herring, a immaculate pipe, a plastic flowers, a "Memo: Renovations", a Guide to Adventure Games and a flashlight. > read guide A weathered book with dog-earred pages. It claims to contain important information regarding playing adventure games. It can be consulted via: "read in guidebook" For example: "read contents in guidebook" > read playing in guidebook You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > read help in guidebook You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > about That is not a verb I recognize. > help That is not a verb I recognize. > hint That is not a verb I recognize. > quit Are you sure you want to quit? yes