Two: Yeah… Uh-huh… No, we just grabbed drinks… Yeah, we’re just around the corner… Yeah, sure, see you- oh, she hung up.
Two puts the phone away, starts the car, and drives. He passed his test first time, unlike you, who still hasn’t passed- that’s why you’re the passenger.
Two: You ready for this?
[[‘Where are we going?’]]
[[‘Of course.’]]
[[Credits.]]
Two: Kim's house- well, technically not her house, but her, err... shack? It's like, most kids' parents might build them a treehouse, but Kim's built this little shack thing at the end of the garden. It's cool.
[['So, it's a party?']]
[['Okay, I get it.']]
Two pulls up at Kim's house, parking in the driveway. The house is big and all the lights are off, with a path running along the side of the house with an open gate. You leave the car and walk along the path.
At the foot of the path is a large garden, with small lamps illuminating another path leading to a shack. It's dark, with the sides of the garden buried in shadows.
You follow Two along the illuminated path until you reach the shack; it's big and made of ugly, black wood. Two opens the door.
The inside is dark, apart from small lights dotted around the large single room at random intervals. To the right is a very basic kitchen area, mostly plenty of cupboards, but a large and empty wine rack catches your eye. If you weren't certain before, it's now apparent that this shack isn't so much intended for Kim as it is for her parents. A pile of bags lie in the corner, likely dumped by all the guests.
Kim: About time, too.
In the middle of the room are a bunch of cushions spread around an electric heater, with four of them taken. Kim's face is illuminated by her smartphone screen.
Milk: Who the hell is that?
Milk is wearing a green army jacket.
Two: I thought I said?
Everyone looks at Kim.
Kim: I think I'd remember if you mentioned a plus-one!
Two: Okay, my bad. This is Michael, my brother. He, err, bought us all drinks.
George: What drinks?
Two: What drinks? What- ah. In the car. Back in a second.
Two leaves, then pops his head back in.
Two: Oh, and try to be nice to Michael while I'm gone, will you?
Two leaves and the room goes quiet.
You: Erm, hi.
Everyone gives you a 'hello' or a raised-hand as a wave or a slight smile. Mindy gives you all three, albeit meekly.
Kim: Great, we're all friends now. Take a seat.
[[Go and sit on one of the cushions as casually as you can.]]
[[Go and sit on one of the cushions, but try to play it cool.]]
Two pulls up at Kim's house, parking in the driveway. The house is big and all the lights are off, with a path running along the side of the house with an open gate. You leave the car and walk along the path.
At the foot of the path is a large garden, with small lamps illuminating another path leading to a shack. It's dark, with the sides of the garden buried in shadows.
You follow Two along the illuminated path until you reach the shack; it's big and made of ugly, black wood. Two opens the door.
The inside is dark, apart from small lights dotted around the large single room at random intervals. To the right is a very basic kitchen area, mostly plenty of cupboards, but a large and empty wine rack catches your eye. If you weren't certain before, it's now apparent that this shack isn't so much intended for Kim as it is for her parents. A pile of bags lie in the corner, likely dumped by all the guests.
Kim: About time, too.
In the middle of the room are a bunch of cushions spread around an electric heater, with four of them taken. Kim's face is illuminated by her smartphone screen, most prominantly highlighting her chubby cheeks.
Milk: Who the hell is that?
Milk is wearing a green army jacket. He's pale, skinny, and his hair is a shaggy mess.
Two: I thought I said?
Everyone looks at Kim.
Kim: I think I'd remember if you mentioned a plus-one!
Two: Okay, my bad. This is Michael, my brother. He, err, bought us all drinks.
George has a smug grin on his face. He's as fat and spotty as Two had led you to believe.
George: What drinks?
Two: What drinks? What- ah. In the car. Back in a second.
Two leaves, then pops his head back in.
Two: Oh, and try to be nice to Michael while I'm gone, will you?
Two leaves and the room goes quiet.
You: Erm, hi.
Everyone gives you a 'hello' or a raised-hand as a wave or a slight smile. Mindy gives you all three, albeit meekly. She awkwardly loses eye contact as soon as you look at her.
Kim: Great, we're all friends now. Take a seat.
[[Go and sit on one of the cushions as casually as you can.]]
[[Go and sit on one of the cushions, but try to play it cool.]]
Two: Party?
He snorts.
Two: Don't expect too much. We're just gonna hang out, err, do whatever. You know?
He pauses to concentrate as he turns off the main road, then continues.
Two: Kim told me who's there. Want me to fill you in on them?
[['Yes; I don't know anyone.']]
[['No; I've done my research.'->‘Of course.’]]
Two: Kim's, err, a little bitchy, and has her phone glued to her hand half the time. She was in a relationship with Milk until a few weeks ago- Milk's gonna be there too, by the way, so expect some tension.
You: Milk?
Two: Oh, yeah, ha ha- he was staying with a friends after his parents kicked him out one time and he used all the milk. Yes, that's all there is to it. He's, err, pale, skinny, hot-headed.
You: These people sound wonderful.
Two: Alright, alright, sorry for dragging you along. George is there, too; he's fat and spotty, but he's friendly and gets along with anyone. He's the kind of guy who isn't afraid to make a joke at his own expense, you know? Oh, and there's Mindy- she's the new girl at school, and the teacher told Kim to look after her, then they became friends. She doesn't know any of us that well, and she's quite shy, so be nice.
You: Is that everyone?
Two: Err... Yeah. I know, not a great turn-out. Oh, by the way, everyone calls me Two; no one calls me Gabe.
[['Got it.'->'Okay, I get it.']]
[['Why do they call you Two?']]
Two: There was another Gabriel at school, so I became Gabriel Two, then just Two. The other Gabriel left, but everyone still called me Two, so, erm, that's that.
Two pulls up at Kim's house, parking in the driveway. The house is big and all the lights are off, with a path running along the side of the house with an open gate. You leave the car and walk along the path.
Two: Oh, by the way, Mindy has a hearing aid. So, you know, just in case you might think that's weird, maybe don't point it out or whatever.
[['Err, thanks for the tip.'->'Okay, I get it.']]
[['I'm not rude like you, Gabe.']]
Two: Hey, don't use my real name around everyone; they'll think it's weird.
At the foot of the path is a large garden, with small lamps illuminating another path leading to a shack. It's dark, with the sides of the garden buried in shadows.
You follow Two along the illuminated path until you reach the shack; it's big and made of ugly, black wood. Two opens the door.
The inside is dark, apart from small lights dotted around the large single room at random intervals. To the right is a very basic kitchen area, mostly plenty of cupboards, but a large and empty wine rack catches your eye. If you weren't certain before, it's now apparent that this shack isn't so much intended for Kim as it is for her parents. A pile of bags lie in the corner, likely dumped by all the guests.
Kim: About time, too.
In the middle of the room are a bunch of cushions spread around an electric heater, with four of them taken. Kim's face is illuminated by her smartphone screen, most prominantly highlighting her chubby cheeks.
Milk: Who the hell is that?
Milk is wearing a green army jacket. He's pale, skinny, and his hair is a shaggy mess.
Two: I thought I said?
Everyone looks at Kim.
Kim: I think I'd remember if you mentioned a plus-one!
Two: Okay, my bad. This is Michael, my brother. He, err, bought us all drinks.
George has a smug grin on his face. He's as fat and spotty as Two had led you to believe.
George: What drinks?
Two: What drinks? What- ah. In the car. Back in a second.
Two leaves, then pops his head back in.
Two: Oh, and try to be nice to Michael while I'm gone, will you?
Two leaves and the room goes quiet.
You: Erm, hi.
Everyone gives you a 'hello' or a raised-hand as a wave or a slight smile. Mindy gives you all three, albeit meekly. She awkwardly loses eye contact as soon as you look at her.
Kim: Great, we're all friends now. Take a seat.
[[Go and sit on one of the cushions as casually as you can.]]
[[Go and sit on one of the cushions, but try to play it cool.]]
You walk over to one of the cushions, feeling awkward as you do. You've never met any of these people before, and none of them look too keen on helping you fit in.
You sit down, and the room goes deathly quiet. Kim is texting someone.
George: Should we, err, do something?
Kim looks up from her phone.
Kim: What?
George: I said, should we do something?
Kim: Oh- yeah, I guess. Let me see if we've got any snacks.
Kim stands up and heads for the kitchen area, but stops halfway as her phone bleeps, becoming distracted by a text message. Milk watches her, then turns back to the group.
Milk: Wanna play a game?
George: Sure.
Mindy: Yeah, okay.
Milk: Truth or Truth.
George frowns, and Mindy looks puzzled, too.
Mindy: What's that?
Milk: It's like Truth or Dare, but no one ever picks dare anyway, so just truth.
George: Can we make some rules?
Milk: Why would we need rules?
George: Well, you know. In case someone asks a weird question, or something.
Milk: That's the point- it's no fun otherwise. Besides, it'll help us get to know Two's brother.
Milk looks to the ceiling briefly, thinking.
Milk: Okay, I got first question for you. Do you believe in Heaven or Hell?
George smirks.
George: What, like he has to pick one? What kind of question is that?
Milk: Alright, I mean; are you religious?
[['Yes, of course I am.']]
[['No, religion's not cool.']]
You walk to one of the cushions with your best 'cool walk', trip over your own feet, but luckily manage to stop yourself from falling over. You take a look to see of anyone noticed.
Everyone saw.
George: Oh, thank God, he's awkward. You'll fit right in.
You sit down, and the room goes deathly quiet. Kim is texting someone.
George: Should we, err, do something?
Kim looks up from her phone.
Kim: What?
George: I said, should we do something?
Kim: Oh- yeah, I guess. Let me see if we've got any snacks.
Kim stands up and heads for the kitchen area, but stops halfway as her phone bleeps, becoming distracted by a text message. Milk watches her, then turns back to the group.
Milk: Wanna play a game?
George: Sure.
Mindy: Yeah, okay.
Milk: Truth or Truth.
George frowns, and Mindy looks puzzled, too.
Mindy: What's that?
Milk: It's like Truth or Dare, but no one ever picks dare anyway, so just truth.
George: Can we make some rules?
Milk: Why would we need rules?
George: Well, you know. In case someone asks a weird question, or something.
Milk: That's the point- it's no fun otherwise. Besides, it'll help us get to know Two's brother.
Milk looks to the ceiling briefly, thinking.
Milk: Okay, I got first question for you. Do you believe in Heaven or Hell?
George smirks.
George: What, like he has to pick one? What kind of question is that?
Milk: Alright, I mean; are you religious?
[['Yes, of course I am.']]
[['No, religion's not cool.']]
Milk: See? Nothing wrong with that. It's easy. George, you go next.
George: What, asking or answering?
Milk: Asking, I guess.
George: Err, okay.
He looks around the room, his eyes falling on Mindy.
George: You playing, Mindy?
Mindy: Err, sure.
She adjusts her hearing aid with a shaky hand.
George: What's your... favourite film.
Milk roles his eyes.
Mindy: I... I don't think I have one, erm...
Milk: Then just name a film you like. Whatever comes into your head.
Mindy: Err...
She stares at the floor, thinking.
Mindy: Harry Potter, I guess. Is that, erm, nerdy?
George sits forward, interested.
George: Which one is your favourite?
Milk: Hey, you've had your turn.
Mindy: Erm... the second one?
George: Oh, same! Hey, what house did you get?
Kim finally returns with a bowl filled with sweets, taking a seat as she eats them.
Kim: What'd I miss?
Mindy: Ravenclaw.
George: Ah- I got Slytherin.
Milk: We're playing Truth or Truth. No dares.
Kim: Wow, fun.
Milk: You're next, then?
Kim gives Milk a horrific stare.
Kim: I don't remember saying I was playing. I'll watch.
Milk: You won't watch at all if you don't play.
Kim: What's that mean?
Milk: Well, you know. You'll be looking at your phone.
Kim: So?
Mindy: Shouldn't I go next?
Everyone looks at Mindy.
Mindy: Well, I answered the last question. Can I ask the next one?
Kim: Sure, go ahead.
Milk frowns at Kim.
Milk: I thought you weren't playing?
Mindy: What kind of jacket is that?
Milk snaps to attention as he realises the question is aimed at him.
Milk: This? It's an army jacket. It's waterproof and everything. I got it from my Stepdad.
Mindy: Does he like that kind of thing?
Milk: What, army stuff? Yeah, he loves it. Guns, tanks- do you like guns, Kim?
Kim: Why would I, Milk?
George: Oh wow, look who's back already.
George smiles, trying to make his sarcasm as obvious as possible, and you all look to the door. Two walks in with a shopping bag full of bottles and places it on the kitchen counter.
Two: Sorry, I got to the car and decided to move it- didn't want Kim's parents to have no access to the driveway.
Kim: Oh, you didn't have to- they'll be out all night.
Two: Yeah, I figured, so, err, I moved it back again.
Everyone laughs. Two opens a bottle on the kitchen counter and takes a seat on a cushion besides you.
Two: Knock yourselves out, guys.
Milk heads to the counter and grabs a bottle, easily getting the bottlecap off. George gets up and takes a drink too, but fails to open it. Milk opens it for him.
George: Thanks. We still playing the game?
George returns to his cushion, but Milk seems to be preoccupied reading the label on his bottle.
Two: Game?
George: Truth or Dare except not dare.
He takes a sip, his face wrinkling up at the bitter taste. Two smiles.
Two: You okay there?
George: Yeah, great. Hey, err, thanks for the drinks.
Two: And thanks for drinking. Would be a waste if you were as boring as Michael here.
Two and George smugly lean in, knocking glasses together. Mindy looks a little awkward.
Mindy: Err, hey, didn't we skip a turn?
George: Huh?
Mindy: Michael was asked a question by Milk, but didn't get to ask anyone else a question. Don't you get to ask a question after you've been asked?
George: Oh, yeah, sure.
Two: This should be good.
Two smiles.
Two: Who are you going to ask?
You look around the room. Milk is by the bags, looking at something in his tan backpack. You look to the others.
[[Two]]
[[Kim]]
[[George]]
[[Mindy]]
Milk: Ooo, we got a badass over here.
Kim: What? Two's an atheist, too. Of course his brother is.
Milk: Hey, I'm only joking. George, you go next.
George: What, asking or answering?
Milk: Asking, I guess.
George: Err, okay.
He looks around the room, his eyes falling on Mindy.
George: You playing, Mindy?
Mindy: Err, sure.
She adjusts her hearing aid with a shaky hand.
George: What's your... favourite film.
Milk roles his eyes.
Mindy: I... I don't think I have one, erm...
Milk: Then just name a film you like. Whatever comes into your head.
Mindy: Err...
She stares at the floor, thinking.
Mindy: Harry Potter, I guess. Is that, erm, nerdy?
George sits forward, interested.
George: Which one is your favourite?
Milk: Hey, you've had your turn.
Mindy: Erm... the second one?
George: Oh, same! Hey, what house did you get?
Kim finally returns with a bowl filled with sweets, taking a seat as she eats them.
Kim: What'd I miss?
Mindy: Ravenclaw.
George: Ah- I got Slytherin.
Milk: We're playing Truth or Truth. No dares.
Kim: Wow, fun.
Milk: You're next, then?
Kim gives Milk a horrific stare.
Kim: I don't remember saying I was playing. I'll watch.
Milk: You won't watch at all if you don't play.
Kim: What's that mean?
Milk: Well, you know. You'll be looking at your phone.
Kim: So?
Mindy: Shouldn't I go next?
Everyone looks at Mindy.
Mindy: Well, I answered the last question. Can I ask the next one?
Kim: Sure, go ahead.
Milk frowns at Kim.
Milk: I thought you weren't playing?
Mindy: What kind of jacket is that?
Milk snaps to attention as he realises the question is aimed at him.
Milk: This? It's an army jacket. It's waterproof and everything. I got it from my Stepdad.
Mindy: Does he like that kind of thing?
Milk: What, army stuff? Yeah, he loves it. Guns, tanks- do you like guns, Kim?
Kim: Why would I, Milk?
George: Oh wow, look who's back already.
George smiles, trying to make his sarcasm as obvious as possible, and you all look to the door. Two walks in with a shopping bag full of bottles and places it on the kitchen counter.
Two: Sorry, I got to the car and decided to move it- didn't want Kim's parents to have no access to the driveway.
Kim: Oh, you didn't have to- they'll be out all night.
Two: Yeah, I figured, so, err, I moved it back again.
Everyone laughs. Two opens a bottle on the kitchen counter and takes a seat on a cushion besides you.
Two: Knock yourselves out, guys.
Milk heads to the counter and grabs a bottle, easily getting the bottlecap off. George gets up and takes a drink too, but fails to open it. Milk opens it for him.
George: Thanks. We still playing the game?
George returns to his cushion, but Milk seems to be preoccupied reading the label on his bottle.
Two: Game?
George: Truth or Dare except not dare.
He takes a sip, his face wrinkling up at the bitter taste. Two smiles.
Two: You okay there?
George: Yeah, great. Hey, err, thanks for the drinks.
Two: And thanks for drinking. Would be a waste if you were as boring as Michael here.
Two and George smugly lean in, knocking glasses together. Mindy looks a little awkward.
Mindy: Err, hey, didn't we skip a turn?
George: Huh?
Mindy: Michael was asked a question by Milk, but didn't get to ask anyone else a question. Don't you get to ask a question after you've been asked?
George: Oh, yeah, sure.
Two: This should be good.
Two smiles.
Two: Who are you going to ask?
You look around the room. Milk is by the bags, looking at something in his tan backpack. You look to the others.
[[Two]]
[[Kim]]
[[George]]
[[Mindy]]
Two: As if there's anything you don't already know about me, ha ha. Hit me with your best.
[['What's the worst sin you have ever committed?']]
[['Kiss the second-most attractive girl in the room.']]
She looks up at you- she was just about to pull out her phone. Milk looks over from the pile of bags, interested.
Kim: Yeah?
She pulls her phone out anyway, eyes on you as she waits for the question.
[['Who are you texting?']]
[['What's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?']]
George: Oh- okay. Go ahead.
He sips his drink and pulls another ghastly face at the taste.
[['If a snake bit my brother on the butt, would you suck out the poison to save his life?']]
[['If you had a crush on anyone in this room, who would it be?']]
Mindy: Oh- okay. What's the question?
[['Do you drink alcohol?']]
[['Why do you have a hearing aid?']]
Mindy: Err, no...
George: Never?
Mindy: No, never.
George: Oh- I mean, that's cool. You're not missing out on anything.
The room goes quiet.
Kim: God, this game sucks. Can anyone think of anything else to do?
Mindy: Erm, I brought a book along?
Kim frowns at her.
Mindy: I mean- a book of ghost stories. We could read it, maybe?
Two: Oh, that could be cool. You won't get too scared, will you, Michael?
Two gives you a playful nudge as Mindy walks over to the pile of bags, disturbing Milk. Milk zips up his backpack and returns to the group, soon followed by Mindy. She's holding a large, old, hardcover book. She sits down and opens it up, looking for a good page.
George: Hey, can I get one?
Kim looks up to see George pointing at the bowl of sweets.
Kim: Oh, sure. Sorry.
George takes a sweet and passes the bowl around.
[[Take a sweet.->'Yes please.']]
[[Don't take a sweet.->'No thanks.']]
Mindy: Erm... Because I can't hear very well?
Two: Ugh, come on, Michael. What kind of a question is that?
Mindy: No, it's okay. My right ear isn't too bad, but my left is really quiet, and if I don't have the hearing aid it can be hard to tell what direction a sound comes from.
She taps the hearing aid over her left ear.
Mindy: That's why I only have one. Does that make sense?
George: That's actually kind of cool. I mean, not cool, but it's inetersting. So if you're deaf in one ear you can't tell direction?
Mindy: Well, I'm not //deaf//, but yeah.
George: Oh- yeah. Sorry.
Kim: Hey, you guys want to go back to my house? Maybe I can find us something more interesting to do.
Mindy: Sure.
Everyone gets up to leave.
[[Go to Kim's house.->Mary's portal.]]
Kim: What kind of a question is that?
Milk stands up from the corner and walks over to the group.
George: We all know who, anyway. It's not that personal.
Kim: Yeah, but it //is// still personal.
Suddenly Milk reaches down and snatches Kim's phone.
Kim: Hey!
Milk walks to the kitchen area, walking behind the kitchen counter. Kim walks over, and he walks around, keeping the counter between them.
Milk: Hash, huh? That's Paul's name?
Kim: Give it back, Gus!
Milk: Do you only date boys with nicknames?
Kim: Gus!
She reaches over the table, but Milk jerks back.
George: Hey, come on, give her it back. Don't break it.
Milk: After she answers the question. Say it, say you hate me and you've been texting Paul all night.
He looks at Kim's phone, scrolling through the texts.
Kim: Yes, fine! It's Paul! Now give it back!
Milk looks to her. He looks tense, but he hands over the phone. Kim reaches for it- and then in vibrates in Milk's hand. He takes a look.
Kim: Gus, come on!
Milk stares at the phone.
Milk: Paul- are you still hanging out.
Everyone is quiet.
Two: Okay, give her it back now.
Milk: Are you still hanging out. That's what Paul just said. Not Hash.
He glares at Kim.
Milk: Who the fuck is Hash?
Another silence.
Milk: Are you serious? You ditched me for Paul and you're already looking for your next guy? Who is it? Is Hash someone I know?
Kim: No, she goes to a different school. None of you know her.
Milk: She?
Kim: ...She.
George walks up behind Milk and takes the phone. Milk looks angry, but he doesn't react. Kim takes it back and averts her eyes to it, lost from the group once again. Mindy walks over to her backpack and browses through until she pulls out a large hardcover book.
Mindy: Erm, I brought this book along- it's a book of ghost stories. Maybe we could do something else?
Two: Yes please.
George: Sounds like a good idea to me. Everyone want to sit down for a story?
Two: Nothing too scary- I wouldn't want my brother getting freaked out. Right, Michael?
Two smiles and nudges you with his elbow. Everyone sits down, with Kim and Milk still seeming a little tense. George takes the bowl of sweets while Mindy flicks through the book.
George: Want one?
[['Yes please.']]
[['No thanks.']]
Kim: Oh, that's a tough one.
She looks up at the ceiling, thinking- and then looks over to Milk, still in the corner looking through his bag, but watching her intently.
Kim: Well, I guess... Remember when I was ill last year, and you came over everyday?
He doesn't answer, but nods.
Kim: That was nice. I appreciated that.
He smiles, then stands up from the bags and returns to the group.
Two: Didn't you get ill because you were with Kim everyday?
Milk: Heh, yeah.
Kim: I did tell you you'd catch it.
Milk shrugs. His cheeks are a little red.
Kim: Anyone up for a different game, now?
George: What do you have in mind?
Kim: Err... I dunno. Maybe there's something we can do back at my house?
Milk shrugs.
Milk: Sure, let's go.
[[Go to Kim's house.->Truth room.]]
He snorts.
Two: Drinking.
He raises the bottle and shakes it, smiling.
George: Err, really?
Two: Yep- I'm a clean slate otherwise. I'm in His good books, so I'm sure I can seek forgiveness.
Milk: Jesus Christ, you guys are so lame.
Milk returns to the group from his bag.
Milk: Can we do something fun?
George: Like what?
Milk: Anything to make you guys bareable.
Kim: Charming.
There's a silence, then Kim sighs.
Kim: Alright, fine. Let's go back to my house- I'm sure I can find something we can do.
[[Go to Kim's house.->Mary's portal.]]
The room goes quiet. Kim and Mindy look equally as horrified.
George: Whoa.
Two: That's, err... Quite a question.
Mindy: Isn't that a dare?
Everyone looks at Mindy, and a look of relief sweeps over Kim.
George: Oh, yeah. That's a dare. Truth questions only. Sorry, try again.
Milk: And just when it was getting interesting...
Milk returns to whatever he's doing in the corner, while the rest of the group await your question.
[['What's the worst sin you have ever committed?']]
[['Do you prefer cats or dogs?']]
Two: I don't love one any more than the other. All of God's creatures as as beautiful as each other.
He sips his drink while Kim frowns at him.
Kim: What?
Two: What?
Kim: What the hell was that?
Two: My answer?
Kim: You've got a dog. I've known you for years, Two- you're a dog person.
Two: Just because I have a dog doesn't mean I can't like cats, Kim!
Kim: Are you for real right now?
Two: Why wouldn't I be?
Kim: That's just not //you//, you know? That's not something I'd expect you to say.
George: Look guys, this is a dumb game anyway. If we're not taking truth seriously then we can't play a truth game, so let's do something else.
Two: Well, I wasn't lying.
Kim: Fine, whatever. Let's go back to my house, I'll see if I can find anything for us to do.
[[Go to Kim's house.->Truth room.]]
George spits his drink out in surprise and everyone laughs.
George: Would I... erm...
He smiles in embarrassment, looking at the floor.
George: Look, if I've got to suck a butt to save a life, then yes. Two, I would suck your butt.
Everyone laughs again, and Kim even gives a cheer.
Mindy: You know, he said you have to suck out the poison, not the venom.
George: Huh?
Mindy: The question was to suck out the poison, but snakes don't poison you. Posion kills you if you injest it; venom is injected into the blood stream.
Two: So if George didn't suck my butt, I'd still be fine?
Mindy: Yes!
Two: Well, I appreciate the offer regardless.
More laughter.
Two: Hey, have you got any food back there?
Two is looking at Milk- Milk is surprised.
Milk: Huh? No?
Two: That's a shame. Kim's hogging the sweets.
Kim: Oh- sorry. Here.
Kim holds out the bowl and Two takes a handful.
Two: Have you got anything else around here?
Kim: No, everything's in the house.
She unwraps another sweet and pops it in her mouth.
Kim: You know what? This sucks. Let's go back to the house and find something more fun.
George: Sounds good. This shack gives me the creeps, anyway.
Everyone stands up, ready to go.
[[Go to Kim's house.->Mary's portal.]]
George chokes on his drink a little.
Kim: Whoa. You can't ask that.
Two: Why not?
Kim: That's a little much, don't you think?
Everyone looks at George. He takes another drink.
George: Err- is there another question, maybe?
Two: Hey, come on, man. We're all mature adults here- well, some more than others. We can take it.
Mindy: Adults?
Two: You know what I mean, though.
Kim: Two, this is the kind of question that gets people hurt.
Kim looks at you.
Kim: Ask something else.
[['If a snake bit my brother on the butt, would you suck out the poison to save his life?']]
[['No, I asked my question and I'm sticking with it.']]
George looks to the floor as everyone watches him, then his eyes drift up to Two. Everyone goes quiet.
Two: ...Oh.
George: I mean, if I //had// to pick someone. It's not... you know.
He fumbles with his bottle.
Two: Erm, you know I'm not gay, so, erm...
George: Yeah, I know. I just thought, you know, if it could work. I mean, if you only like females, and if I were female, then, then it could work. Something like that.
There's a silence.
Milk: ...What?
Milk is stood up by the kitchen area, a goofy grin across his face. George throws his head back and drinks the remainder of the drink while everyone watches. It takes him eleven seconds, with every second feeling drawn out. He finishes and stands up, going to get another.
Kim: Right. Well. I say we do something other than Truth or Dare.
Mindy: Truth or Truth.
Kim: Yeah, that.
Mindy: Erm... I brought a book along. It's a book of ghost stories- maybe we could read it?
Two: Sure.
Mindy walks over to the groups bags and pulls out a large hardcover book. Milk's grin has faded and he sits back down with the group. There's an awkward atmosphere- Milk takes Kim's bowl of sweets and passes them around as Mindy returns to the group with her book. George takes one. The bowl reaches you.
[[Take a sweet.->'Yes please.']]
[[Don't take a sweet.->'No thanks.']]
You unwrap the sweet and pop it in your mouth. It doesn't taste great.
Two: Got a story yet?
Mindy: Erm- there's so many. Some of these don't so much look like stories as they look like... fables? Myths?
Two: Doesn't matter, I suppose. Turn to a random page and give us a read.
Mindy flicks the book open about halfway, scanning across the pages.
Mindy: Okay, erm, there are three stories here- Mr Crumbles, Pha'borsh, and Lady Lockjaw.
Kim laughs.
Kim: Mr Crumbles? That sounds the least scary.
Two: Do the second one- what was it called again?
Mindy: Pha'borsh, it looks like.
Milk: What's the third one again?
Kim: Oh, you're playing now? Sure you don't want to go sit off in the corner?
Milk: Well maybe I do. I guess we'll see, won't we?
Two: Hey, I know. Let's let Michael pick. What do you say, Michael?
[['Mr Crumbles.'->Drugged.]]
[['Pha'borsh.']]
[['Lady Lockjaw.']]
You pass the bowl on, but no one else takes a sweet.
Two: Got a story yet?
Mindy: Erm- there's so many. Some of these don't so much look like stories as they look like... fables? Myths?
Two: Doesn't matter, I suppose. Turn to a random page and give us a read.
Mindy flicks the book open about halfway, scanning across the pages.
Mindy: Okay, erm, there are three stories here- Mr Crumbles, Pha'borsh, and Lady Lockjaw.
Kim laughs.
Kim: Mr Crumbles? That sounds the least scary.
Two: Do the second one- what was it called again?
Mindy: Pha'borsh, it looks like.
Milk: What's the third one again?
Kim: Oh, you're playing now? Sure you don't want to go sit off in the corner?
Milk: Well maybe I do. I guess we'll see, won't we?
Two: Hey, I know. Let's let Michael pick. What do you say, Michael?
[['Mr Crumbles.']]
[['Pha'borsh.']]
[['Lady Lockjaw.']]
You walk back across the dark garden, everyone taking their bags with them, and enter Kim's house through the back door.
George: Did you leave it unlocked?
Kim: Yeah? We were only over there, in the shack.
George: I guess.
You go inside and Kim turns on some lights. You all dump your bags by the back door and head to the living room while Kim goes to get snacks from the kitchen, but Milk doesn't follow you in. Eventually you hear Kim and Milk arguing from the hallway and you all rush to see what's happening.
Kim: What do you mean, 'just taking a look'? Go to the living room!
George: What's going on?
Milk is kneeling by a door, looking through a keyhole. The door has no handle.
Kim: Milk is being nosy.
Milk: What is this door? It doesn't have a handle.
Kim: So?
Milk: So most doors have a handle!
Kim sighs.
Kim: It's the basement door. My parents told me to never go in there. They hide the doorknob, but I know where it is.
George: How come you're not allowed?
Kim: They say it's haunted.
Milk grins.
Milk: Whoa- this is cool.
Kim: You really think so, huh?
Milk: Well, yeah! Have you never been down there?
Kim: No, and it's going to stay that way.
Milk: Why? Because you want to play more Truth or Truth?
Kim frowns, then sighs. She walks into the kitchen, opens a top cupboard, reaches all the way to the back and returns with a doorknob.
Kim: Just for, like, five minutes. If my parents come home and find us down there they'll kill me.
Milk: Not if the ghost kills you first!
Kim: Hilarious.
Kim places the handle on the door and opens it up. The basement door creeks open, revealing a long set of stairs to a dark basement. Kim flicks a light switch, turning on a single bulb dangling above the middle of the room. The room looks empty.
Kim: Nothing here. Let's all go down, then straight back up, okay? Not even five minutes.
You all agree, then make your way down the stairs. Two is last in, letting the door fall shut behind him. George almost jumps out of his skin. Milk laughs.
Milk: Scared yet?
George: I'm not the biggest fan of ghosts, hehe...
Mindy: Hey, what's this?
Against the back wall of the basement is a soft fabric doll with a round head. The doll wears a plain white mask covering its face.
Milk: Creepy doll! Ten points to Mindy!
George: Why's it got a mask on?
Mindy tries to remove the mask, but as soon as she does she throws the doll down.
George: What happened?
Mindy: It moved!
???: LET'S PLAY A GAME.
The voice booms around the room, speaking from the walls. Mindy screams.
Two: Okay, I can see why your parents hid the handle now, Kim!
The cracks along the basement walls begin to glow with red light bursting from them, and the doll rises into the air, floating near the ceiling and out of reach. George runs up the basement stairs and tries to open the door. It's locked.
???: EXIT IS ONLY PERMITTED ONCE THE GAME IS OVER.
Kim: What are you?!
???: THAT QUESTION IS IRRELEVANT TO THE GAME.
Milk: What's the game?
???: THE GAME IS- TRUTH OR TRUTH!
Everyone looks at each other, confused.
Kim: Are you for real?
She glares at Milk.
Milk: Hey, it's nothing to do with me!
Two: What are the rules of this game?
???: I WILL ASK THREE QUESTIONS, TACKLING THE DEEPEST AND DARKEST SECRETS OF THE ROOM. I WILL KNOW IF YOU ARE LYING.
Milk: W-what happens if we lie?
???: NOTHING, REALLY. I'LL TELL YOU YOU'RE WRONG AND YOU'LL HAVE TO ANSWER AGAIN UNTIL YOU GET IT RIGHT.
Two: Well, this is lame.
Mindy: Are you not the least bit concerned that //a doll is levitating in a room while a voice speaks to us and the walls glow red?//
Two: Mindy, you have to approach these things calmly and rationally.
Mindy: //Approaching this rationally is irrational!//
Kim: Look, let's just play the stupid game.
???: EVERYONE MUST BE IN THE GAME ZONE IN ORDER TO PLAY.
Two: And what's that?
???: NOT ON THE STAIRS, PLEASE.
You all look at George. He's shaking and sweating.
George: I don't want to play this.
???: THEN YOU CANNOT LEAVE.
Two: George, buddy, you gotta come play.
George looks between you all, then slowly walks down the stairs, standing next to Milk. You look at them both, and it seems Milk is sweating and shaking just as much as George is- although that's probably the right response to a game like this.
???: QUESTION ONE- WHO AMONGST YOU HAS COMMITTED SIN?
Two: Nope.
Kim: Wait, what's defined as sin?
???: BAD THINGS.
Kim: Like, what specifically? Stuff in the Bible?
???: ERR... YES, THAT STUFF. NOT THE STUPID STUFF THOUGH, LIKE BRAIDING YOUR HAIR OR WOMEN SPEAKING IN CHURCH. A LOT OF THAT STUFF IS MORE LIKE AN OPINION PIECE. ESPECIALLY THE BITS BY PAUL.
Two crosses his arms.
Two: What do you know about the Bible, huh?
???: SHUT UP GABRIEL.
Everyone looks at Two.
Kim: Oh, man- I keep forgetting you have an actual name.
Mindy: Guys, let's focus! Pretty much anything is sin, right? I guess all of us here have sinned to some degree!
[['I have sinned.']]
[['I have never sinned.']]
You walk back across the dark garden, everyone taking their bags with them, and enter Kim's house through the back door.
George: Did you leave it unlocked?
Kim: Yeah? We were only over there, in the shack.
George: I guess.
You go inside and Kim turns on some lights. You all head to the living room while she goes to get snacks from the kitchen, and eventually she rejoins you with more sweets and two tubes of Pringles.
George: Got any dips?
Kim: No, sorry. Plain Pringles it is.
Milk: What's this?
None of you had even noticed Milk rooting through a cupboard. He's holding an old, black book.
George: Is that a diary?
Kim: Are you just rooting through my house, now?
Milk: Hey, you said it yourself- this is boring.
Kim: Give it here.
Kim takes the diary and takes a look.
Two: Is it yours?
Kim: No. It's not my parents', either.
George: It must have a name somewhere. Who's it belong to?
Kim flicks to the front.
Kim: Mary Dalton.
Milk: And who's that?
Kim: No idea.
Milk: Oh, wow- this just got interesting. Read it.
Kim sighs.
Kim: Do I have to? I just want to hang out, do nothing, you know?
[[Offer to read the diary.]]
[[Let Kim read it.]]
You: I'll read it.
Kim: Knock yourself out.
She tosses the diary to you and you catch it. It's small with a black cover; each page is coated in neat handwriting.
Kim: Where did you find it, anyway?
Milk: In that cupboard, tucked at the top.
Kim: Do you root through everyone's house like this?
You read through some entries while the conversation drifts from privacy and respect to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In the diary, Mary discusses the details of a 'joyous and hopeful place' where she believes wishes can be granted. She explains how this place can be entered through 'jumping doorways', which she says are 'doorways that spring up when a room is just right and just fit for them.'
In the last entry, Mary says she's found a doorway that's appeared in one of the rooms in her house; she doesn't know what exactly caused it to appear, but says she's going to see where it leads. There are no more entries.
Two: What does it say?
You shrug.
You: A diary written by a woman who found... portals? It's hard to tell exactly.
Two takes the diary and reads the last entry.
Two: 27th September. A jumping doorway has appeared in the upstairs bedroom. I've watched it for hours, but nothing I can see has walked out.
George: Nothing she can see?
Two: This doorway is 28 inches high and 31 inches across, the largest I have ever seen. It has no measureable depth, as expected. I feel inclined to find someone and show them, but every time I have done so the doorway has always jumped away before they have arrived. The longer I watch it, the more my curiosity grows. The only way I may ever know what is on the other side is to see for myself. I will report back with what I find.
Milk: And then what?
Two turns a page, then another.
Two: That's it. Last entry.
George: Oh, wow. Have we got ourselves a real ghost story here?
Milk: Hey, who's up for a game?
Everyone looks at Milk.
Two: What do you have in mind?
Milk: We go portal hunting. Lights off, see if we can find Mary.
He grins.
Kim: You mean walking around my house in the dark, don't you?
Milk: Well, essentially.
Kim sighs.
Kim: Sure, whatever, but no one go in my parents bedroom. And don't go off alone.
George stands up, just as Mindy does.
George: Shall we look around upstairs?
Mindy: Sure.
Two: Let's go in groups. I'll go with Michael.
George: Okay.
George and Mindy are already heading upstairs, while Kim looks at Milk. He grins, she groans. You and Two go off to the side of the room while Kim pulls out her phone and tries to ignore Milk.
Two: Where to first?
[['The bathroom.']]
[['Kim's parents' room.']]
Everyone stays quiet, and Kim sighs.
Kim: Fine.
She flicks through, takes a seat, and reads a little more. The munching of Pringles only serves to heighten the tension.
Milk: Well?
Kim: This looks legit as fuck. Where was it again?
Milk: At the top of this cupboard- up here.
Kim: I'm guessing it's a diary-style ghost story, but, err... Basically, she seems like some crazy chick who believes in... portals? The whole diary is about these 'jumping doorway' things.
George: Skip to the end. That's always the good bit.
Kim skips ahead, her eyes scanning the page.
Two: We, err, can't hear you reading in your head, you know.
Kim gives him a dirty look, then begins to read.
Kim: 27th September. A jumping doorway has appeared in the upstairs bedroom. I've watched it for hours, but nothing I can see has walked out.
George: Nothing she can see?
Kim: This doorway is 28 inches high and 31 inches across, the largest I have ever seen. It has no measureable depth, as expected. I feel inclined to find someone and show them, but every time I have done so the doorway has always jumped away before they have arrived. The longer I watch it, the more my curiosity grows. The only way I may ever know what is on the other side is to see for myself. I will report back with what I find.
Milk: And then what?
Kim turns a page, then another.
Kim: That's it. That's the last entry.
Milk: Oh... wow.
Milk grins, then stands up.
Milk: Hey, who's up for a game?
Everyone looks at him.
Two: What do you have in mind?
Milk: We go portal hunting. Lights off, see if we can find Mary.
He grins, this time even wider.
Kim: You mean walking around my house in the dark, don't you?
Milk: Well, essentially.
Kim sighs.
Kim: Sure, whatever, but no one go in my parents bedroom. And don't go off alone.
George stands up, just as Mindy does.
George: Shall we look around upstairs?
Mindy: Sure.
Two: Let's go in groups. I'll go with Michael.
George: Okay.
George and Mindy are already heading upstairs, while Kim looks at Milk. He grins, she groans. You and Two go off to the side of the room while Kim pulls out her phone and tries to ignore Milk.
Two: Where to first?
[['The bathroom.']]
[['Kim's parents' room.']]
You and Two creep upstairs through the darkness. You see a light up ahead- George is using his phone to see around. The light disappears as they walk into a room, probably Kim's bedroom, leaving you and Two in darkness.
You fumble around, your hand feeling for an entrance as you walk, your eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. Two enters a room and pulls you inside, then a bright light blinds you.
Two: So, what do you think of everyone?
Your eyes adjust yet again and you see you're in the bathroom. Two has turned on the light and has his arms crossed.
Two: You okay there?
[['We're supposed to be looking for portals. In the //dark//.']]
[['What do I think of everyone? They're cool, I guess.']]
[['These 'friends' of yours are terrible people, Gabe.']]
You and Two make your way through the dark of the upstairs until Two finds the room you want, then leads you inside. He closes the door behind him, and your eyes start to adjust to the dark room- a large double bed in the middle, wardrobe, small bedside lamp on a chest of drawers, a large window with open curtains.
Two: What are we doing again?
You: Portals.
Two: Oh, yeah, right.
Two snorts.
Two: God, this is so dumb.
Suddenly you can hear footsteps. A door creaks open.
Kim: What the hell are you two doing in here?
Two: Oh- hi, Kim...
Kim: What did I say?
Two: Err, not to come in here... Sorry.
Kim: You know what I said, but you still came in? I only suspected something because the door was closed. What were you thinking-
Her phone rings. She looks at the screen, her face illuminated by the light. She frowns, then answers.
Kim: Hello?... Huh? Who is this?...
Kim looks at you.
Kim: Who?... Where... Is this a joke?
The phone call ends- she pulls it away from her ear and stares at the screen.
Two: Who was it?
She looks at you, then at Two, then back at you.
Kim: Who are you?
Two: What does that mean?
Kim: It means who the //hell// are you?
There's a silence.
Two: So, err, who was on the phone?
Kim: Michael. Michael was on the phone.
Two smiles.
Two: No way. Really? What did he say?
Kim: If this is a joke, I swear to God.
A toilet can be heard flushing.
Two: Hey, this is cool. Let's go tell the others-
Kim: Don't go anywhere.
Milk finally leaves the bathroom and walks in besides Kim.
Milk: Why are you in here?
Two: Okay, tonight is getting a little weird, so, err, maybe me and Michael will just, you know...
Kim: Michael said Two's car had been stolen so he couldn't make it.
Milk: What's that supposed to mean?
Two: Okay- okay, this is really getting a little too weird now...
There's a knock at the door.
Milk: Is that your parents?
Kim: Michael said Two's car had been stolen, but he decided to walk here, anyway.
Milk: Why would Michael say that?
Kim: //This// Michael didn't. Michael called my phone.
There's another knock at the door.
Two: Right, this is really weird. //Really// weird. Kim, is the front door locked?
The front door opens. You hear him speak from downstairs.
Two: Hey Kim, you in? Why is my car in your drive?
The Two in the room with you looks horrified. He looks to the window. Kim looks at the wardrobe. Milk looks into the hallway.
[[Climb out the window.]]
[[Hide in the wardrobe.]]
[[Confront Two 2.]]
Two: Oh, wow. You're really getting into this.
Two looks at the mirror.
Two: Mary Dalton... Maybe there are other ways to make her show up. Want to play Bloody Mary?
He smirks. If you want to find portals, perhaps it would be best to try elsewhere- there are definitely none in the bathroom.
[[Go to Kim's parents' room.->'Kim's parents' room.']]
[[Go and see what George and Mindy are doing.]]
Two: Err, really? I guess that makes one of us. Are we done in here?
No matter how hard you look, there are no portals in the bathroom.
[[Go to Kim's parents' room.->'Kim's parents' room.']]
[[Go and see what George and Mindy are doing.]]
Two: Yep, as expected. Although, I suppose Mindy isn't too bad- she gets a pass. Speaking of which, is it just me or have her and George gotten a little close over the course of the party? I'll go bug Kim and Milk if you want to check up on them? Or we could go chill in Kim's parents room- see if she gets mad at us? Could be funny.
[[Go to Kim's parents' room.->'Kim's parents' room.']]
[[Go and see what George and Mindy are doing.]]
You: I'm going to see what George and Mindy are doing.
Two: Uh-huh. Sounds great. Lot's of fun, those two.
He pauses.
Two: That was sarcasm, in case you couldn't tell.
He sighs.
Two: Alright, I guess I'll go check up on Kim and Milk, make sure they haven't killed each other yet. Shout me if you see a ghost.
Two casually walks out of the bathroom and heads downstairs, while you feel your way along the walls until you find what you believe to be the room George and Mindy went inside. You open the door and slowly creep in.
There's a glowing light coming from under the bed- not under the covers, but literally beneath the bed. You crouch down, expecting to see George and Mindy hiding, ready to scare you, but instead you see a glowing, flat oval.
Suddenly a hand reaches out, then a body. A woman crawls out of the shape, crawling across the floor until she reaches you. She looks up in surprise.
???: Oh! Erm- hello...
The woman stands up and brushes herself off. Her clothes don't fit- they're too wide and hang loosely from her. She smiles- it's dark, but her face looks smooth, not a blemish in sight.
You: Err... Who are you?
???: Me? I'm... Mary? Mary Dalton. Yes. That's me, hehe...
[['My two friends came in here. Have you seen them?']]
[['So, err... that's a jumping doorway, right?']]
[['I don't believe you.']]
Two quietly opens the bedroom window, raising a finger to his lips as he waves for everyone to climb out.
Two 2: Hey, is anyone about?
You climb to the window and look down, the view of the drop making your heart race. You climb out, falling to the ground below. Your knees bend perfectly to break your fall, and you stand up in the dark, unharmed. Two jumps next, also landing unharmed. Kim goes next- she lands and shrieks in pain when she lands.
Suddenly Milk screams as he sees something walk into the bedroom. He immediately climbs out of the window and jumps, landing worse than Kim, and screaming again. Neither of them can walk well, so you and Two help them as you run through the side path to the car.
Milk: Go, go, go! Drive!
Two slams a foot down on the pedal and you roar off the driveway. You drive in a panicked silence, plenty of groaning and pained sounds coming from Kim and Milk.
Eventually you arrive at your destination- your house.
Two: Can either of you walk?
Kim: I can make it in, yeah.
Two: Okay- come on, let's get inside.
You all leave the car, Kim walking in while Two helps Milk walk. You hang back at the car, then when they walk inside you make a run, heading down the road and round the corner.
You wait. A minute, two, three pass- and then you hear running. Two rushes up to you.
Two: Run, run! We messed up!
You run, your bodies exploding into lights, wings bursting from your backs, and you take off into the Heavens.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Kim opens the wardrobe as quietly as she can, and signals for Milk to come inside with her- he does. You and Two creep forward, and Kim watches you hesitantly. Footsteps are heard coming up the stairs- Kim slips into the wardrobe, and you and Two follow. You silently thank Kim's parents for owning so few clothes.
Two 2: Hello? Anyone about?
You hear him come closer. He pokes his head into the bedroom and flicks on the light switch. He looks exactly like Two. Milk covers his mouth as he gasps, and you all hold your breath.
The second Two turns off the light and leaves you in the dark. You wait, listening as his footsteps walk from room to room. Seconds feel like forever, but eventually he heads back downstairs. You continue to wait in the wardrobe for some time, and eventually Kim breaks the silence with a whisper.
Kim: Can anyone tell me what the fuck is going on?
Two: I really wish I could, but I- what's that smell?
Milk: Sorry. I think I pissed myself. I didn't even know I could do that- I just went to the bathroom, too.
Kim: Guys, focus. What do we do?
[[Wait in the wardrobe.]]
[[Run.]]
Two 2: Hellooo? Anyone about?
Two whispers.
Two: Guys, we need to hide, or something!
Kim: We're up here!
Two: What?!?
Footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs. Milk is panting heavily, his eyes darting around the room. Kim stands still, looking out into the hallway, waiting.
Two 2 arrives. He looks exactly like the first Two.
Two 2: Guys, how is my car-
He freezes midsentence. Everyone stares at Two 2, then looks at Two 1.
Two 1: H-hi... Hi, me...
Two 2: Wh- whoa.
Two 2 looks at you.
Two 2: M-michael? What's going on?
[['Two 1 is the imposter!']]
[[Attack Two 2.]]
You wait for what feels like hours, until you hear what sounds like a car.
Two: Is... is that my car? Is it driving my car?
Kim: Shhh!
You wait a little longer, but soon the smell of piss becomes unbearable.
Milk: I think it's gone.
Two: Agreed. Let's go.
You slowly leave the wardrobe, then head across the house to see if Two's car is still in the driveway. It's gone.
Milk: Dude- that thing took your car!
Two: I know. God, I'm creeped out. What say we just go?
You: Agreed.
Kim: What, you're going to walk?
Two: Yes.
Kim: And leave me here?
Two: I just want to go home.
Milk: Come back to mine, Kim?
Kim: No, just... Wait with me here, okay? Until my parents are home?
Milk: Yeah, of course.
Two: Michael, come on. Let's go.
Two grabs you and you head downstairs, then out the front door. You give a quick wave to Kim and Milk, then head round a corner and start running.
Two: God, I can't wait to get home. And by home, I mean //my// home, not his.
You agree. You leave this plane of existence, not intending to return for a long time.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Kim: Ready?
Two and Milk nod.
Kim: Go!
You all burst out of the wardrobe and head for the stairs; but before you make it, a door opens. A woman steps out. You don't recognise her.
???: Oh- err, hi?
Two: Who the hell are you?
???: Erm... Mary Dalton?
You faint.
...
You wake up. You can feel cold, fresh air. It's still nighttime.
Two: Jesus, about time.
Two is carrying you.
Two: Never do that again! You owe me- carrying you all this way!
You: What hapened?
Two: The other me? How was I supposed to know I'd show up? This was supposed to be an easy job, God damn it...
You: No, Mary- what was that?
Two: More like //who// was that. We'll have to look into it- whatever it is, it's bad.
You: Right.
Two: ...Why am I still carrying you?
You: Oh, sorry.
Two drops you, and you quickly sprout your wings to avoid falling to the ground far, far below. You both fly through the night in silence, fully aware of the trouble you've caused.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Two 1: Wha-what?
Milk: Really?
You: I know my own brother!
Two 1: Michael- what are you doing?!
Two 1 panics, opening the window to climb out.
Kim: Don't move!
Kim grabs him, holding him down.
Two 1: No! I'm not the imposter! Michael, help me!
Two 2 just watches in disbelief. Milk joins in, and he and Kim pull Two 1 to the floor.
Two 1: Michael, what are you doing?
You: Calling the police.
And the police arrive. They've never seen anything like this, and they undergo lengthy talks with everyone. You swear blind that Two 1 is the imposter, and the others begin to agree- Kim says she's had her suspicions all along. Eventually Kim's parents arrive and aren't too excited to see a police car outside their house, and as the situation becomes confrontational the police agree to take Two 1 to the station and look into his identification, although the younger officer looks very concerned over whether this is the right decision. Two 2 scowls at you as he's driven away.
The rest of you stand on the driveway. It's the early hours of the morning now, and you're all exhausted.
Milk: Now they're gone... What do you, err, think that was?
Kim: I don't know, I just want to go to bed.
Two 2's phone rings, then he looks at you.
Two 2: You- you're calling me?
Looks like the police will be getting another call tonight.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You run at Two 2, hurling a fist at him. He jumps back- you swing again, this time making a light strike, and he loses his balance and topples down the stairs. You all watch in horror as he bounces off every step until he reaches the bottom, lying in a heap.
Milk: Holy hell... what did you do?
You: I think I'd know my own brother.
You all run downstairs, and Kim checks on the Two 2.
Kim: Well, he's breathing. //It's// breathing.
Two 1: Okay, I've got this.
Two 1 leans down and lifts Two 2 up.
Two 1: I'll put it in my car and take it home, then call the police. Anyone have any better ideas?
Kim and Milk shake their heads.
Two 1: Right, then. Michael, let's get out of here.
You and Two 1 put Two 2 in the boot of the car, then drive home. You're silent as you drive- you both know what you'll have to do.
You arrive home, pulling the car into the driveway. You hop out, with Two 1 opening the boot, and you take one last look at the unconcious Two 2. Lights go on in your house and someone approaches the front door.
Two 1: Run.
You and Two 1 run from the car and the house. You look back briefly to see Michael 2 standing in the doorway, watching you run. He'll find his brother in the car. Everything will turn out fine, you hope.
Two 1: I can't believe you hit him!
You: What else was I supposed to do?
Two 1: Something other than physical assault?
You: Alright. Sorry.
You sprout your wings and fly, vowing never to return. There were too many mistakes made tonight. You'll be in a lot of trouble for this.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Two: Really? You picked that one?
Mindy: Okay, here we go. Mr Crumbles.
Mindy clears her throat.
Mindy: Mr Crumbles- also known as The Ankle Grabber or Gallow Mouth. Stories of Mr Crumbles were told by parents to their children across the Ottoman Empire in the late 1800’s, with the earliest records originating in what is now Bulgaria.
George: What kind of a story is this?
Mindy: Mr Crumbles is said to abduct bad children when they are alone, often with sedative drugs disguised as sweets and candy, but in the earliest stories is known to kidnap children by force with no trickery. Mr Crumbles gains his name from rumours of trails of sweets leading to his presence, often used to lure children into a trap.
Milk: Err- Kim?
Kim's eyes drift shut, and she falls back onto the floor.
Milk: Kim? Are you okay?
Milk tries to wake her up, just as George falls forward and lies still.
Mindy: What's happening?
You look at the bowl of sweets, then grip your stomach in a panic. A calming sensation washes over you, and you feel at peace. Your eyes shut.
...
You slowly begin to wake up. You're lying down in a candle-lit room on something hard. A table? You try to move your wrists, but they seem to be tied. Your ankles are, too. Everything looks very old- the table is wooden, and thick wooden beams run along the ceiling above you. There's some kind of metal device up there, too.
You hear a shuffling and you crane your neck to see. There's a figure in the room with huge hunched shoulders. It looks black and furry- or, not furry. The edge of the figure looks fuzzy, and you can't quite tell why; it just doesn't look right.
It turns around and slowly shuffles towards you. It doesn't seem to have a neck, but where a head should be is instead a huge mouth at the upper part of the body. Its mouth is lined with square, white teeth. The mouth is open wide, so wide that you could climb inside it without much difficulty- you wonder if it's even possible for it to close its impossibly wide mouth.
The creature walks up besides you and you feel its hot, wet breath. The corners of its mouth are turned up, almost like a smile. It turns away from you and pulls a lever.
A device swings down from the ceiling- a huge axe attached to a pendulum. The axe swings past, missing your stomach, then lowers and swings again. It misses, then lowers for the next swing.
The creature starts up a new machine to your left. This machine has a large bowl at the top and a small chute at the bottom.
Suddenly the axe rips across your stomach. You scream in agony and writhe around on the table, only for the axe to come down once more and cut even deeper. The creature watches as the axe continues, cutting and cutting, and soon the axe cuts so deep that patches of flesh are being torn off you.
The creature picks a small piece of flesh off the table and places it into the bowl on the top of the machine. The machine begins grinding, and the creature takes more and more loose pieces of flesh, placing them into the machine one by one.
The axe is now swinging through your organs- the pain is unbearable. Your eyes are watering and starting to shut. You can't take much more of this. You take one last look at the machine as it grinds up the flesh Mr Crumbles has fed it and spits out the first sweet.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Two: Oh, heck yeah!
Kim smiles.
Kim: You look excited?
Mindy: Would you like to read it?
Two: No, I got this. Everybody stand up.
Two jumps up, and soon the others follow.
Two: Okay- Mindy, would you be up for reading?
Mindy: Yes, of course.
Two: Alright, great. You're great, Mindy.
She smiles.
Two: Right. You three, stand next to each other across here.
Two points to Milk, Kim and George, and draws his finger across an imaginary horizontal line on the floor. The three line up next to each other, arms by their sides.
Kim: What is this? A ritual?
Milk: It's cool as hell so far. What's supposed to happen?
Two: You'll know when you can feel it. Trust me. Mindy, start reading.
Mindy: Err, okay. Fa, aku, le-pinu ah, zari... pinu kut hu, err... le-pinu nu par- pnu anti tuk...
The air starts to feel humid, wet and sticky. George shuffles on the spot.
Two: DON'T break the line! Trust me, you need this!
Mindy: Erm... ud- han zik kun puş... Şail, shapu, err, uş- tafa...
Milk: Whoa!
There is something in the room. No one can see it, no one can hear it, but you can feel it.
Two: It's coming! Pha'borsh is coming! We did it- we found what we were looking for!
Mindy: What's going on?
Two: Don't stop reading!
Kim screams.
Kim: I can feel something!
She tries to move, but it's too late to break the summoning now.
Mindy: What's happening?
George: Ah! What is that?
Milk: It feels like... like something is crawling up me! It's like wet tree vines, or roots!
Two: We have to finish the summoning!
Two walks towards Mindy, but she grabs the book and pulls away. Two's wings burst from his back- Mindy screams and he grabs the book from her.
Two looks at you.
Two: This is it. Are you ready?
You nod. You turn to the three sinners, wings bursting from your back too. You wait while your brother continues the spell.
Two: Şail, shapu, uş- tafa fa-zari, uş- tafa le-zari, uş- tafa psun.
Milk, Kim and George rise a few feet into the air, held up by Pha'borsh. Kim and George are screaming and wriggling- Milk seems to be looking to Mindy. He's nodding towards something.
Two: Ah fa-zari, ah malhip fa-zari, ah le-pinu, par-
Mindy: STOP!
You and Two turn around to see Mindy.
She's holding a gun.
Two: Where the heck did you find that?
Kim: Is that a gun?
Mindy: It was in Milk's bag.
Kim: What?
Milk: What?
Kim: //What?//
Milk: Don't question it! It's for times like these!
Two smiles, then laughs.
Two: Go ahead. Do it. Shoot an angel.
Mindy: Let them go.
Two: Do you know what you're up against, Mindy?
Two looks at you with a smile.
Two: Should I fill them in on the details? It might be rude of me not to.
[['Tell them. Let's see if they can understand.']]
[['There's no use. It's too much to comprehend.']]
Two: Really? That one?
Mindy: Okay- Lady Lockjaw. A tall, pure melanin-skinned woman with-
Milk: What does that mean?
Mindy: Melanin is a pigment that makes your skin dark. I guess it means she has melanism.
Milk: So she's black?
Mindy: Err- sort of. Melanism is like the opposite of albinism- instead of pure white skin, melanism would be pure black.
Two: Are we done with the science lesson?
Mindy: Sorry.
Kim: It's Milk's fault.
Milk glares, but Mindy continues before anything is said.
Mindy: A tall, pure melanin-skinned woman with a tall neck due to neck rings. Lady Lockjaw’s-
Mindy stops to see Milk looking confused.
Mindy: Do you want me to describe neck rings?
Kim: Oh, just read the story already!
Two: Hold up now, are these even ghost stories? This just sounds like an urban legend.
Milk: So what if they are?
Two: It's just a bit lame. I say we go out for a drive, or something-
Milk: Shotgun!
Kim: Wait, and do what?
Milk grins.
Milk: And do something //really// scary.
Kim: Is this story really that boring?
[[Go out in Two's car.]]
[[Read the rest of the story.]]
Two: Really? You picked that one?
Mindy: Okay, here we go. Mr Crumbles.
Mindy clears her throat.
Kim: Ugh, hold up.
Kim stands up.
Kim: I really need the bathroom. I'll be back in a second.
Milk: Hey, me too.
Kim: Really?
Milk: Err... Well, yes?
Two: Come on. Are you all chickening out?
Milk: No! I've been drinking- what's your excuse, Kim?
Kim: Oh, shut up already. Come on- I'll hold your hand while you go.
Everyone laughs as they leave.
George: Shall we, err, start without them?
Two: I don't see why not. Read the first story, Mindy.
Two takes a sweet from the bowl and unwraps it.
Mindy: Okay.
Mindy clears her throat again.
Mindy: Mr Crumbles- also known as The Ankle Grabber or Gallow Mouth. Stories of Mr Crumbles were told by parents to their children across the Ottoman Empire in the late 1800’s, with the earliest records originating in what is now Bulgaria. Mr Crumbles is said to abduct bad children when they are alone, often with sedative drugs disguised as sweets and candy, but in the earliest stories is known to kidnap children by force with no trickery. Mr Crumbles gains his name from- George?
George's eyes fall shut and he hunches over, then slowly falls back. Mindy rushes over to him.
Two: Is he okay? What- oh.
Two is looking at the bowl of sweets. He quickly spits out the sweet in his mouth.
Two: I'm not superstitious, but, I mean, it could have-
Two pauses. His eyes begin to drift shut, and soon completely close. He falls back, lying down.
Mindy: What's happening? What's happening to them?
Mindy jumps as there's a loud knock at the door.
Mindy: What's going on? Michael, what do we do?
[[Open the door.]]
[[Watch the door.]]
[[Ignore the door and watch your friends.]]
You slowly stand up, approaching the door. There's another knock. You step closer, reaching out your hand...
Suddenly the door opens in front of you. A boy your brothers age is stood there. You don't recognise him.
???: Err... Hi, erm... Is Kim about?
You stare at him, confused.
???: Erm, I'm Paul... is everything alright? You look like you've seen a ghost, ha ha...
Hasn't he noticed? You look at Two- except you don't, because Two isn't there. You look for George, but he's gone, too. You stare at Mindy, but she understands about as well as you.
Paul: So, is Kim in, or...?
[[Explain to Paul what happened.]]
[[Look in the book for answers.]]
You keep your eyes on the door. There's more loud knocking, then it slowly opens. It's Milk. He's crying.
Milk: Something happened to Kim. I- I swear, I didn't do anything, I... I don't know what happened, she just, fell asleep, and then, then she, she disappeared... I can't find her anywhere, she's not in the house, she's gone!
You look down at Two- except you don't. He's not there. You look to where George was, and Mindy makes the same realisation.
Mindy: G-George? Where are they?
Milk: Something's going on. We need to get out of here, we need to find help or something!
[[Call the police and wait for them to arrive.]]
[[Get out of there.]]
You put a finger to your lips, and Mindy nods. There's another loud knock, then silence. You hear footsteps walking away.
You look at your brother- he's alive, seemingly asleep. You and Mindy wait with Two and George for hours in the dingy shack until they both wake up. Neither of them seem to be too badly affected- George even says he slept well.
You throw out the sweets, and the next day you burn the book, even though Two complains that nothing bad happened.
Life returns to normal.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You take out your phone and call the police- they arrive in fifteen minutes. You tell them everything you know, about every single event of the night, about your missing friends, about your missing brother. You, Milk and Mindy are called back often for the coming weeks, recalling the events again and again, but no progress is ever made towards finding out what happened to Two, George and Kim.
You never see any of them ever again.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You: We need to leave.
Mindy: Where to?
[['Let's ask help from a neighbour.']]
[['We'll take my brothers car- I'll take us home.']]
You all burst out of the shack and run down the path, then head to the house next door. You run to the front door, ring the bell and bang on the door.
You wait.
No one comes.
Milk, in a panic, tries the handle. The door opens. You see a trail of wrapped sweets leading upstairs.
Milk: Oh- oh, no, no no no.
[['We have to investigate.']]
[['Let's try another house.']]
Milk: You can drive?
You: Err... Yes?
It's not a lie- you know //how// to drive, but you don't own a license, let alone being insured on your brothers car. You don't care, though- you all give a countdown, then run from the shack along the path until you reach Two's car.
Two's car is an old and ugly thing. It doesn't have a self-locking system, so he simply leaves the keys in the ignition after he's parked up. It's stupid and irresponsible, and it's a miracle his car's never been stolen. You jump in the drivers seat, Milk as passenger, and Mindy in the back.
Mindy: Where are we going?
You: Err... Home?
Milk: Just go!
Milk has finally stopped crying, but he's shaking in his seat. You slam down on the pedal and roar out of the driveway- there's a loud thud.
Milk: What happened?
Mindy: You hit something! Stop!
You stop the car and wait. You all look through the windows, the only sound to be heard being your heavy breaths.
Suddenly a hand slaps against the passenger window. Milk screams as someone stands up- it's a boy you don't recognise. Milk stops screaming.
Milk: Paul?
Milk opens the door.
Milk: Holy shit- are you okay?
...
You all eventually decide to call the police to deal with the situation. You tell them everything you know, about every single event of the night, about your missing friends, about your missing brother. The police at first seem most concerned by Paul's injury, and you're charged for unlawful and reckless driving, but eventually they see the severity of the situation and your missing friends.
You, Milk and Mindy are called back often for the coming weeks, recalling the events again and again, but no progress is ever made towards finding out what happened to Two, George and Kim. You feel like the police treat you more like a suspect than a witness, which is likely your own fault.
None of you ever find out what happened to your missing friends.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Milk: You can't be serious!
Mindy: There might be people inside that need our help.
Milk: What? For real?
You take a step inside.
Milk: No, no. I'm not going. Not happening.
Mindy follows you.
Mindy: Hello? Is anyone here?
You look up the stairs, wondering where the trail of sweets leads to. You place a foot on the first step.
Milk: Oh, you can't be serious. You're really doing this- nope. I'm not moving from this spot.
And so you leave him. You and Mindy head up the stairs, finding the trail of sweets splits into two paths- a large bedroom with a double bed, and a smaller bedroom, likely a childs room.
Mindy: I don't see anyone up here. What should we do?
[['Let's look in the parents' bedroom.']]
[['Let's look in the kids bedroom.']]
You all run to the next house, knocking on the door just as the other, until Milk tries the handle again.
It opens. A trail of sweets run along the floor, leading you upstairs. You stand in the doorway, looking at each other.
Milk: What do we do?
[[Call the police and wait for them to arrive.]]
[[Go inside.->'We have to investigate.']]
Two: Very well. Mindy, what do you think we are?
She looks between you, then at your huge feathered wings.
Mindy: Ange- angels.
Two: Good. You're keeping up so far. Are you willing to shoot an angel?
Mindy: I... I don't know. Maybe- if you don't let my friends go.
Two: Uh-huh. Mindy, there's a reason you're where you are, and not where they are.
Two points to Milk, Kim and George.
Two: They're sinners. They're full of wrath and hate, deceit and lies, refusal to accept the beauty of his creation and the natural laws. I mean, come on, can't you just be happy with what He's given you? Why must you wish for change, to sabotage his plans, his intentions?
Milk is writhing to get free. Kim looks too shocked to speak. George is crying.
George: I'm sorry.
Two: We'll soon see if you really are. Pha'borsh will see.
Two looks back to Mindy.
Two: Mindy, don't shoot me. You'll sacrifice everything. You //know// you don't want to join them.
Mindy: No, I don't!
Two looks shocked.
Mindy: What's going to happen to them? What are you going to do?
Two pinches the bridge of his nose.
Two: Ugh... See, Michael? Too much to comprehend. Tell me, Mindy, what happens to people when they die?
Mindy gulps.
Mindy: Do you mean... Heaven and Hell?
Two claps.
Two: When God first created everything, He was saddened at how life would end after death, so He, of course, made Heaven. This seemed like a perfect solution- Heaven was far more expansive than the Earth, and he believed it to be a fantastic reward after the intended hardships of life- but within the first thousand years a problem arose.
Two points at Milk, Kim and George- then he points at Mindy.
Two: People. Many people came to God, demanding He do something, demanding He create a system in which those whom these people thought of as 'bad' would be sent to. God //hated// this idea. God was all-loving to everything He'd made, but as more people arrived in Heaven and the people's anger rose, he saw no choice.
Kim: He made Hell.
Two: No. He made Pha'borsh. Pha'borsh is a being of judgement. Pha'borsh's sole purpose was to look at what the humans on-average agreed to be sinful, detect those traits in a person, and direct them on the path to Hell, splitting the afterlife in two- paradise and punishment.
Mindy: Then why is it here?
Two: I'll get to that. See, as time passed, some humans of Heaven became angered at being seperated from those who had been sent to Hell, and God realised the humans had changed their definition of sin- one year alcohol was in, next year it was out, that kind of stuff. This dilema was solved by Purgatory, Pha'borsh was given this as its demain and yada-yada some angels wondered if it would be a better idea if Pha'borsh was active from the beginning, casting judgement on Earth instead of the big afterlife surprise, yada-yada the people fought back and drove off Pha'borsh, yada-yada God threw his hands in the air and said 'nobody shalt meddle in any of this ever again', yada-yada people are still unhappy. Now, raise your hand if, before today at least, you had your doubts in God.
Milk, Kim and George's hands suddenly swing up.
Two: Uh-huh. See, this here is the problem- people today don't get it. If Pha'borsh was always here, always judging, people would //know// they have to do good, they would //know// that judgement is upon them. Now, nod your head if you understand.
Milk: I can't even move my head!
Mindy: Wait, so this Fa-brush thing is going to send my friends to Hell?
Two: Yes. Well... Its Earth-programming isn't designed to do that specifically, usually a stern telling off in a harsh whisper, but your friends have sinned too much, so... yeah, basically. Now, put the gun down.
You look at Mindy, then you look at Gabriel, a broad smile spread across his face, the book held tightly in his hands. You look at Milk, Kim and George. You think about the countless other people who will undergo a similar fate across the planet. You and Gabriel have searched long and hard to find this book, its passage forged long ago by the ancient Hattians.
This is it. Judgement will be unleashed upon the Earth from this day forward... unless you intervene.
[[Allow judgement to take place.]]
[[Tell Mindy to shoot Two.]]
Two laughs.
Two: Thank you, Michael. I always hate the monologue.
Mindy: Wait! Please, let them go!
You look at Mindy, then you look at Gabriel, a broad smile spread across his face, the book held tightly in his hands. You look at Milk, Kim and George. You think about the countless other people who will undergo a similar fate across the planet. You and Gabriel have searched long and hard to find this book, its passage forged long ago by the ancient Hattians.
This is it. Judgement will be unleashed upon the Earth from this day forward... unless you intervene.
[[Allow judgement to take place.]]
[[Tell Mindy to shoot Two.]]
Mindy pulls the trigger, but nothing happens. Two laughs.
Two: Can't you tell that's not a real gun?
Milk: It's not?
Two: No, you idiot!
He sighs, then look to you.
Two: Humans, 'ey? Now, where was I- ah, one word left. How convenient.
Two clears his throat, then holds the book out in front of himself.
Two: Ashaf!
Milk, Kim and George immediately dissappear. Screaming can be heard from houses all around.
Two: And it begins!
He laughs a rather fake laugh, then looks at Mindy.
Two: Ah, what a disappointment you were. Honestly, you'd have earned yourself a top spot if you hadn't pulled a gun on an angel. Still, no actual sins committed- Pha'borsh understands your actions and intentions as not noteworthy of punishment, apparently. Go ahead and lead a good life- you'll know when you're making mistakes.
You and Two leave the shack and fly into the sky as Pha'borsh plucks screaming sinners from the world. The song of the damned.
Two: Ah, beautiful, isn't it?
He's right. You fly, marvelling at your work, wondering what the future holds. The collective conscious of humans on Earth determines what Pha'borsh will judge to be sin, but now Pha'borsh is on Earth once again, inflicting judgement where it begins, and the current state of sin will remain forever. There will be no more changes made to what is and isn't acceptable- permanent, endless equilibrium. A universe with rules set in stone, with no possibility of sinners ever being redeemed.
Nothing can ever change. What is unacceptable now is what shall always be unacceptable. One set of rules for every plane of existance.
Perfect.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You focus on the gun. The gun gains weight in Mindy's hands, but she doesn't notice.
You: Shoot him.
Two: What?
You: Do it, Mindy!
She does it. The gun fires, its bullet piercing Two in the chest. He topples back.
Two: Michael? Why?
You: You need to go home to recuperate. Here, I'll send you back.
Two: No!
A blast of white light explodes from Two for a single instant, and then it vanishes, along with him. Mindy looks at you, shocked. You can feel Pha'borsh is already coming for her.
Mindy: You... You're going to save us?
[[Save them.]]
[[Unleash Pha'borsh.]]
You focus your mind, and with everything you have you observe the intricacies of Pha'borsh. Pha'borsh is beautifully designed, nothing at all out of place; from the craftmanship alone you can tell He was its creator. You find the source of its behaviour, its mind- if a machine like this could have a mind. You feel dirty and foul for tampering with something of His design, but you know there is no other choice.
You stop the beast.
Milk, Kim and George all fall to the ground. They sit there, staring at you.
You: You can stand. Don't be afraid.
They stand. You pick the book up from the floor, giving it to Mindy.
You: Burn this book within the hour. More angels will come in search of it- they will continue to come, even after you've destroyed it. They'll think they can convince you to repeat the words, to remember what it read.
Kim: How could we?
You: It doesn't matter if you don't remember- they'll still try.
You walk out of the shack and into the garden, spreading your wings, ready to return home. The other angels will be furious- the //people// will be furious- but you don't fear God. God has nothing but love to give.
You turn back to the children.
You: Get to know each other well, and always be cautious. Sometimes, it may be hard to tell who is your friend, and who is a friend of mine.
You leap to the sky and head for the Heavens. You're excited to see what a home without judgement will look like.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You bend over and pick the book up off the floor. You open it, turning page after page until you find what you're looking for.
Gabriel was a single word away from reading the entire passage. You clear your throat.
You: ...Ashaf.
Milk, Kim and George are whisked away in an instant, disappearing from where they were held. Mindy screams as she feels Pha'borsh wash over her, then she, too, vanishes. The punishment for inflicting wrath upon an angel will be severe.
You walk out of the shack, spread your wings wide, and fly to the sky. All around you can hear screams of terror as Pha'borsh plucks sinners from the streets, from their homes. The song of the damned.
You fly, marvelling at your work, wondering what the future holds. The collective conscious of humans on Earth determines what Pha'borsh will judge to be sin, but now Pha'borsh is on Earth once again, inflicting judgement where it begins, and the current state of sin will remain forever. There will be no more changes made to what is and isn't acceptable- permanent, endless equilibrium. A universe with rules set in stone, with no possibility of sinners ever being redeemed.
Nothing can ever change. What is unacceptable now is what shall always be unacceptable. One set of rules for every plane of existance.
Perfect.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You and Mindy tell Paul every single event of the night- not that Paul takes most of it seriously. Eventually you get to the end of the story, and everyone goes quiet.
Mindy: What are we supposed to do?
Paul: Kim went back to the house, right? If people are disappearing, then... I dunno... Should we make sure she's okay?
Mindy: We should... Unless you think it might be dangerous?
[[Go to Kim's house.]]
[[Call the police.]]
You run to the book and look inside, but you don't find anything more than what Mindy had already read out-loud. The only other thing is a black ink sketch- a broad figure stood upright, the upper part of its body displaying a large, open mouth filled with square, white teeth.
You: Where did you find this book?
Mindy: It was in my room this morning- I don't know, I don't remember seeing it before, but, I, I just thought I'd forgotten about it!
You: You've never seen it before?!
Mindy: No, it was just on my shelf with my other books, I... I don't know! It was just there!
Paul: Erm, what's going on, exactly?
[[Explain to Paul what happened.]]
[[Call the police.]]
You take out your phone and call the police- they arrive in fifteen minutes. You and Mindy tell them everything you know, about every single event of the night, about your missing friends, about your missing brother. You, Mindy and Paul are called back often for the coming weeks, recalling the events again and again, but no progress is ever made towards finding out what happened to Two, George, Kim and Milk.
You never see any of them ever again.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You: You're right, we should go to the house. Kim and Milk might be in danger.
The three of you head across the dark garden and walk into the house through the back door. There are lights on inside- someone screams.
Paul: Gus?
Milk walks out from the hallway, tears streaming down his face.
Paul: What happened? What's going on?
Milk: Kim... Kim, err, she... I don't know! She fell, but like, she was asleep, I didn't know what to do!
Paul: What happened, Gus?
Milk: She, Kim, she... Why are you here, huh? Why is Paul here?
Mindy: Milk, just tell us what's going on.
Milk: She disappeared! I looked away, just for a second, and she vanished, okay? I can't find her, but I swear, I //swear// I didn't do anything!
[[Ask more questions.]]
[[Look for Kim.]]
You: What happened when she vanished?
Milk: What? She just... disappeared! I don't know!
You: How come?
Milk: I... I don't...
Paul: People don't just disappear... right?
Milk: What do you know about this, Paul?
Paul: Well, they don't- do they? She must be here somewhere.
Milk: Why are you even here, Paul? Believe me, I didn't do anything!
Paul: Well, Kim's missing, so...
Milk screams in anger then launches himself at Paul, grabbing Paul around the neck. All of you wrestle them both apart, Milk still screaming, and finally Milk runs out of the house through the back door towards the shack. You all wait in the house, shaking.
Paul: What the hell is his problem, huh? Kim said she was afraid of what he might do, but jeeze. We need to find her, and-
Suddenly you hear running. Milk runs back inside through the back door with something in his hand. He holds it up, pointing it at Paul.
It's a gun.
Paul: Wh-whoa.
Milk: Now, listen to me, okay?!
Milk is shaking, his eyes darting between you all.
Milk: She //just disappearaed//. You //have// to believe me!
Paul: Erm, okay- we believe you, sure. Now, just, put down the gun...
Milk smiles and shakes his head.
Milk: I mean, //believe// me. I can tell you're lying Paul. I'm honest, okay? I didn't do //anything//.
Paul: Yes, I heard you. I understand.
Milk: NO! Damn it, Paul, why did you have to come here, huh? Why did you come here tonight?
There's a silence.
Paul: Look, Kim invited me, and-
Milk: Of course she did! Is that it? Is this some kind of setup? I swear, I never did anything wrong- she just hates me! She used me then threw me out when she was done with me and-
Paul: Gus, you're reading this all wrong-
Milk waves the gun at Paul.
Milk: Shut up! You don't know what's going on, you don't-
Paul: I'm not dating Kim, Gus.
Another silence.
Milk: You're lying.
Paul: No, I'm not. I was //never// dating Kim- technically. She told me to pretend to be dating her because you were freaking her out.
Milk: What?
Paul: She wanted to leave you, sure- but she said you were clingy, that you weren't moving on. She told me to pretend to date her so you'll get the message, okay?
Milk goes quiet. His hands are shaking.
[[Go to grab the gun.]]
[[Stay back.]]
You: Let's look for everyone here, okay?
Milk: Everyone?
Mindy: George and Two and gone, too.
Milk: ...You choose to tell me that //now?//
Paul: Whoa- look.
There's a trail of sweets leading to the hallway. You follow it and look up the stairs, wondering where the trail of sweets leads to. You place a foot on the first step.
Milk: Oh, you can't be serious. You're really doing this- nope. I'm not moving from this spot.
Paul: This is weird as hell. They really disappearaed?
You: We're going to look for them, okay?
Mindy nods, but Paul and Milk look wary.
Paul: R-right. Right, Gus?
Milk: Well- yeah! Obviously! I'm not chicken!
And so you head up the stairs, finding the trail of sweets splits into two paths- one leading to Kim's parents' room, the other to Kim's room.
Mindy: I'll go with you, Michael.
You nod. You look at Milk and Paul- they seem more than willing to keep each other company.
[['Let's look in the parents' bedroom.']]
[['Let's look in the kids bedroom.'->Kids Room 2]]
Suddenly you rush forward, grabbing at the gun in Milk's hands. He shouts out at you, trying to wrestle it back; Paul grabs Milk and holds him, and you sucessfully pull the gun away from him.
You back off to a safe distance while Milk struggles and you examine the gun.
You: This isn't a real gun.
Paul: What?
Milk: //What?//
You: It's a replica... It's fake.
Paul lets go of Milk, and they both seem to have calmed down.
Milk: I'm telling you, she disappeared. Okay? I didn't do //anything//, I swear to you all.
Paul: She has to be somewhere- people don't jus-
Milk: Are you even //listening// to me?
[[Look for Kim.]]
[[Call the police.->Police with Milk and Paul.]]
Milk pulls the trigger- nothing happens. He panics, looking at the gun, then aims it again and pulls the trigger.
Nothing.
An enraged Paul charges Milk, pulling the gun away and pulling Milk to the floor. They wrestle, lashing out at each other, until Paul takes the gun and hits Milk hard on the head with it.
Milk goes limp. Paul stays there on the floor, looking down at Milk, slowly catching his breath.
...
It became apparent that there was nothing to be done other than to call the police. You told them everything you knew, about every single event of the night, about your missing friends, about your missing brother, about Milk's gun, about Paul killing him. You and Mindy are called back often for the coming weeks, recalling the events again and again, but no progress is ever made towards finding out what happened to Two, George and Kim. Paul is arrested for Milk's death, with many of the bereaved parents trying to pin all of the children's disappearances on him.
You and Mindy will never forget the events that took place that night, regardless of who believes you.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You take out your phone and call the police- they arrive in fifteen minutes. You, Mindy, Milk and Paul tell them everything you know, about every single event of the night, about your missing friends, about your missing brother, about Kim. You all are called back often throughout the coming weeks, recalling the events again and again, but no progress is ever made towards finding out what happened to Two, George and Kim.
You never see any of them ever again.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You both creep into the parents bedroom and turn on the light. There's a large double bed in the middle of the room, sweets scattered across the floor, and a small pile placed upon the bed. You approach the bed, looking at the sweets.
Mindy: I wish I still had the book with me. What did it say about any of this?
You: This is thing is called 'Mr Crumbles,' right?
Mindy: Yes. And err, it had other names- Gallow Mouth, and, err...
The Ankle Grabber reaches out from the bed with a bony black hand and grabs you by the ankle. You cry out in shock, but as you pull away it tightens its grip, then pulls at you hard. Mindy rushes over to help, grabbing your hands, but the monster under the bed is too strong, pulling you away.
You look under the bed to see a big, black shape, the only distinguishable feature being a huge, gaping mouth with square, white teeth.
...
You wake up. You're lying down in a candle-lit room on something hard. A table? You try to move your wrists, but they seem to be tied. Your ankles are, too. Everything looks very old- the table is wooden, and thick wooden beams run along the ceiling above you. There's some kind of metal device up there, too.
You hear a shuffling and you crane your neck to see. There's a figure in the room with huge hunched shoulders. It looks black and furry- or, not furry. The edge of the figure looks fuzzy, and you can't quite tell why; it just doesn't look right.
It turns around and slowly shuffles towards you. It doesn't seem to have a neck, but where a head should be is instead a huge mouth at the upper part of the body. Its mouth is lined with square, white teeth. The mouth is open wide, so wide that you could climb inside it without much difficulty- you wonder if it's even possible for it to close its impossibly wide mouth.
The creature walks up besides you and you feel its hot, wet breath. The corners of its mouth are turned up, almost like a smile. It turns away from you and pulls a lever.
A device swings down from the ceiling- a huge axe attached to a pendulum. The axe swings past, missing your stomach, then lowers and swings again. It misses, then lowers for the next swing.
The creature starts up a new machine to your left. This machine has a large bowl at the top and a small chute at the bottom.
Suddenly the axe rips across your stomach. You scream in agony and writhe around on the table, only for the axe to come down once more and cut even deeper. The creature watches as the axe continues, cutting and cutting, and soon the axe cuts so deep that patches of flesh are being torn off you.
The creature picks a small piece of flesh off the table and places it into the bowl on the top of the machine. The machine begins grinding, and the creature takes more and more loose pieces of flesh, placing them into the machine one by one.
The axe is now swinging through your organs- the pain is unbearable. Your eyes are watering and starting to shut. You can't take much more of this. You take one last look at the machine as it grinds up the flesh Mr Crumbles has fed it and spits out the first sweet.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You and Mindy head to the childs' bedroom first. Sweets are placed all over the floor, with a large pile on the bed. Suddenly you trip on one of the sweets, bumping into Mindy- you grab her to steady yourself, and she screams.
Mindy: You scared me!
You both calm down from the fright, steadying your breaths. You look at each other. Mindy stares at you, confused. You've both calmed down, but you can still hear heavy breathing.
You look around until your eyes settle on the bed. There's something under there.
[[Take a look.]]
[[Run.->Run downstairs.]]
You bend down to look, but before you can a black, bony hand bursts out, reaching for your ankle. You fall back in fright as Mindy screams- she runs from the room as you still scramble to get up. You almost make it to a stand, but the impossibly long arm reaches out and grabs your ankle. The arm is attached to a big, black body, with a huge mouth waiting wide open to swallow you whole.
You're pulled closer, the creature breathing heavily as it draws you in. Suddenly, Mindy rushes in with a fire extinguisher, slamming it down on the creatures arm. It doesn't cry out, but makes a soft, low grunt. She hits the arm again, and the creature makes the same sound as before, then lets you go. You quickly scramble up and run for the stairs.
You make it down and see Milk stood by the front door.
Milk: Why have you got a fire extinguisher?
Mindy: Go! Shut up and run!
Mindy tosses the fire extinguisher to the side, and Milk does as instructed; you all charge out of the house as fast as you can.
Milk: What happened?
Mindy: Monster! Monster under the bed! I hit it with a fire extinguisher!
Milk: Where did you find a fire extinguisher?
Mindy: It was next to a cupboard on the landing! Any more questions?
Milk: Err... Probably?
As you run, you take a look back. In the window of the child's bedroom is a big, black shape. It watches as you run.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You both burst out of the room and tear down the stairs as fast as you can. Milk is stood by the front door, but he doesn't question it- he runs too, keeping up with your pace.
As you run, you take a look back. In the window of the child's bedroom is a big, black shape. It watches as you run.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You and Mindy head to the childs' bedroom first. Sweets are placed all over the floor, with a large pile on the bed. Suddenly you trip on one of the sweets, bumping into Mindy- you grab her to steady yourself, and she screams.
Mindy: You scared me!
You both calm down from the fright, steadying your breaths. You look at each other. Mindy stares at you, confused. You've both calmed down, but you can still hear heavy breathing.
You look around until your eyes settle on the bed. There's something under there.
Paul: I heard screaming!
Paul bursts into the room, causing you and Mindy to jump in fright. Milk soon follows.
Milk: Don't leave me, you idiot!
Mindy puts a finger to her lips. Everyone goes quiet. The breathing is heavier than ever. Everyone lowers their voice to a whisper.
Milk: Fuck this. Let's run.
Mindy: What is it?
Paul: A thing under the bed!
Mindy: But there's four of us- somebody look!
[[Run.->Run with Paul.]]
[[Take a look.->Final fight.]]
You all burst out of the room and tear down the stairs as fast as you can. You head for the front door, rushing out into the cool night air. You keep running.
As you run, you take a look back. In the window of Kim's bedroom is a big, black shape. It watches as you run.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You consider looking around the room for a weapon first, but before you can find anything an arm bursts out from under the bed and grabs your ankle. Everyone screams, and suddenly it pulls on you, causing you to fall to the ground.
Paul: Get a weapon! Find something!
Mindy: Forget that!
Mindy stomps on the arm with her foot, but the arm keeps pulling you.
Mindy: Help me!
Milk and Paul rush in and help, stomping and kicking at the arm. The creature lets out a heaving breath like a sigh, then lets you go and retracts the arm. You scramble up and back against the wall, just as the creature rises up, lifting the bed high into the air and causing it to fall, crashing down onto the bedroom floor. The beast is black all over with a huge, wide open mouth, lined with small white teeth. It walks towards you.
Mindy: Hit it!
Milk: You hit it!
Mindy: Fine!
Mindy runs up to the creature and hits it as hard as she can. The creature keeps walking, but it's apparent it's not heading towards you, but for the door. Mindy starts pounding at it.
Mindy: Give us our friends back!
Paul joins in, and soon so do you and Milk. The creature continues to walk, gliding along the floor of the house and travelling along the stairs. It's heaving heavily, with thick, wet breaths oozing from its gaping mouth.
Milk: Are we even hurting it?!
Mindy: Just keep punching!
The creature glides itself outside, drifting towards the road.
Paul: This is ridiculous! I'm getting tired!
Mindy: We can't let it get away!
Milk: Hey- what if we hit it with something bigger?
You frown at him- something bigger? Like what? You look around the street- ah.
Something bigger.
You run from the group for Two's car- as always his keys are sat in the ignition, ready for use. You jump inside, turn on the car, then slam a foot on the pedal and roar off the driveway. Everyone dives out of the way, and you pump the pedal as far as it goes, crashing into the creature and knocking it to the ground, driving over its huge black body.
You stop and get out of the car. Everyone gathers around to look at the thing, lying on the ground, mouth wide open. Mindy leans in.
Milk: Don't get too close!
Mindy: There's a portal!
Paul: A what?
Mindy: A portal! Its mouth has a whole room inside it!
Suddenly the creature wheezes, a hot wet breath being spat out at Mindy, and she jumps back. The creature's arms rise up and fold into its huge mouth.
Milk: It's reaching in! It's going to give us our friends back!
The creature reaches into its mouth- reaches further- more and more of the monster reaches inside.
Mindy: No! It's escaping!
It's too late to stop it. The monster literally turns itself inside-out, climbing and pouring its huge black body into its mouth, consuming its form until it completely vanishes from existence.
You all stand there in the street in silence. It appears Mr Crumbles is nothing short of a monster- one that cannot be reasoned with, nor stopped. Just like every time he is encountered, you never see your missing friends again.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Mary: Oh- about them.
She shuffles on the spot a little bit.
Mary: So there might have been a, err... little bit of an accident.
She takes in a deep breath.
Mary: The fat one died. I know, this will alarm you, but I'm sure it's for the best, or something. I'm sure he will be missed. The girl who likes Harry Potter is... err... still in the maze, but not because she was abandoned there or anything! She is //totally// fine!
Mary puts her hands on her hips and gives an innocent smile. The smile quickly fades.
Mary: Err... maybe we should go in there. You know, just in case she happens to, maybe, possibly, not be okay.
[['So let me clarify- this thing is a jumping doorway?'->'So, err... that's a jumping doorway, right?']]
[[Go through the portal.->'Yes.']]
Mary: Ah, yes, yes it is! Studied these for many a year, I did! This one is under the bed, and it's round!
You stare at her unimpressed.
Mary: Err, and, when you go through there's a big fleshy world and a huge maze! How's that?
[['My two friends came in here. Have you seen them?']]
[['What's in the portal?']]
Mary: Oh- you don't believe me? Well, err... You should, because Mary is definitely who I am, ha ha, ha, haaa.
You stare at her and raise an eyebrow. She keeps smiling, but she's starting to sweat a little. She coughs gently.
Mary: So, erm, if I'm not Mary, who else could I be?
[['Nevermind- nice to meet you, Mary!']]
[['A demon!']]
[['I think it's safe to say we both know who you are.']]
Mary: Phew- I mean, yes, nice to meet you, too!
You both stand around awkwardly for a moment.
Mary: So, erm... what now?
[['My two friends came in here. Have you seen them?']]
[['So, err... that's a jumping doorway, right?']]
Mary: Ah, ah ha ha, ah ha ha ha! What a funny joke, ha ha!
Mary wipes her sweaty forehead on her sleeve.
Mary: Okay, jokes aside, I'm guessing you have some questions...
[['My two friends came in here. Have you seen them?']]
[['So, err... that's a jumping doorway, right?']]
Mary: I, err.. I still don't know what you're talking about, ha ha! Who, erm, who could I be, other than me, good-old Mary Dalton?
[['George.']]
[['George.']]
[['It's painfully obvious it's you, George.'->'George.']]
Mary: Ah- right. What gave it away?
You: The clothes, mostly.
Mary: The clothes... right. I didn't exactly go in with a spare pair- thought I might be able to steal some of Kim's if I snuck out quick, ha, ha ha, haaaaaa ha.
There's an awkward silence.
Mary: This is weird, isn't it?
You shrug. This is nothing compared to the other timelines.
Mary: Would it, err, be okay if I asked you not to tell the others? I mean, just for now, at least?
You shrug again.
Mary: Great! I think? That was a very vague shrug, to be honest.
Yet another awkward silence.
Mary: So, erm, Mindy's still in the portal... Are you ready?
You nod. Mary crouches down and climbs through the portal and you follow her. The other side is a gigantic labyrinth of red, pulsating, fleshy walls. Walking is hard, and your shoes stick to the mucus covered floor- although when you look around it's clear the floor is the same material as the walls and the ceiling. A giant, red, bloody maze.
Mary: Are you ready? There are two paths to take: left and right. After that, there will be two more paths, and then maybe three paths but probably just another two, and then-
You: Just take me through, George.
Mary goes red.
Mary: Erm- okay. You know, this is usually the fun part, but sure, Mr I-Don't-Want-To-Have-Any-Fun-Pants.
[[Follow Mary through the maze.]]
Mary: There's a maze, and if you make it through you can wish for anything you want! Wanna come check it out?
[['Yes.']]
[['My two friends came in here. Have you seen them?']]
Mary: Okay, back into the portal, where I've been for many, many years already, but from seeing how much you care about your friend there's no way I could ever say no!
Mary crouches down and climbs through the portal and you follow her. The other side is a gigantic labyrinth of red, pulsating, fleshy walls. Walking is hard, and your shoes stick to the mucus covered floor- although when you look around it's clear the floor is the same material as the walls and the ceiling. Everything starts to blend together in your mind and you feel dizzy.
Mary: Hey!
Mary grabs you before you faint.
Mary: Focus! We've got to find Min- your friend, okay?
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
[[Go left.]]
[[Go right.]]
There are two paths ahead: left and forward.
[[Go left.->left2]]
[[Go forward.]]
There are two paths ahead: forward and right.
[[Go forward.->forward3]]
[[Go right.->right2]]
There are three paths ahead: left, forward and right.
[[Go left.->left3]]
[[Go forward.->forward2]]
[[Go right.->Go right.]]
There are three paths ahead: left, forward and right.
[[Go left.->left4]]
[[Go forward.->forward2]]
[[Go right.->Go right.]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
[[Go left.->left4]]
[[Go right.->right3]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
[[Go left.->left3]]
[[Go right.->right5]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
Mary: Jeez, this is getting boring, isn't it?
[[Go left.->Go left.]]
[[Go right.->right3]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
[[Go left.->left 5]]
[[Go right.->right3]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
[[Go left.->left 5]]
[[Go right.->right2]]
There are two paths ahead: forward and right.
Mary: Apparently if you always follow the left path you can find your way out of any maze! Oh... there's no left path. Nevermind, then.
[[Go forward.->forward2]]
[[Go right.->right4]]
There are three paths ahead: left, forward and right.
[[Go left.->left3]]
[[Go forward.->forward5]]
[[Go right.->right2]]
There is one path ahead: forward.
Mary: Why have we stopped? There's nothing here!
[[Go forward.->forward3]]
There are three paths ahead: left, forward and right.
[[Go left.->left3]]
[[Go forward.->forward5]]
[[Go right.->right5]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
[[Go left.->left2]]
[[Go right.->Finish!]]
Mary: Oh, praise Jesus, we made it! It was definitely a lot easier on my own!
Up ahead is a huge, brown, stone column sticking up out of the ground. The monolith has a large red ruby attached to the top. It beams light out across the walls on occassion.
Mary: Don't mind that thing, it's just for show. There's a stairwell at the bottom leading to the wish room- oh, look!
As you watch, you see a head appear beneath the monolith, and soon a whole body. It's Mindy. You and Mary rush over and greet her.
Mary: Hey!
Mindy: Hey- who are you?
Mary: I'm Mary Dalton! Pleasure to meet you!
Mary and Mindy shake hands.
Mary: Did you make your wish?
Mindy: Erm, yeah, I think so...
[[So, err, you wished to hear properly... right?]]
[[What's down there?]]
[[George is dead!]]
There are two paths ahead: left and right.
Mary: I definitely... Don't remember any of this. Hmmmm.
[[Go left.->left2]]
[[Go right.->right4]]
Mindy: What?
You: Well, you know... Hearing aid...
Mindy: Err... I wished my parents would get along better.
There's an awkward silence.
Mindy: My hearing aid doesn't really bother me much, to be honest...
Mary: Right! So, we found Min- erm, your friend, should we go back to the portal now?
[[Go back to the portal.]]
[['There's something I need to know.']]
Mindy: Erm, it's a big, metal room. There's some kind of... voice in there? I'm not sure. It seemed nice though.
Mary: Right! So, we found Min- erm, your friend, should we go back to the portal now?
[[Go back to the portal.]]
[['There's something I need to know.']]
Mindy: //What?//
Mary: No no no! I mean, he is definitely dead, yes, but it's not as bad as you think!
Mindy looks horrified, until something clicks in her mind. Has she figured something out?
Mindy: Ohhhhhhhh. George is //dead//. Of course. Right. Okay.
Mary: ...What?
Mindy: Yes.
Mary: //What?// Your friend is dead and that's it? At least be a little alarmed, jeeze!
Mindy: Err, sorry.
Mary: Don't apologise to me! Apologise to... err, no one, because the person you should apologise to is dead!
There's a very awkward silence. Mary eventually stops huffing.
Mary: So, erm, now that we've found Mindy, should we go back to the portal?
[[Go back to the portal.]]
[['There's something I need to know.']]
Mary: Great! Let's go!
You, Mary and Mindy head back to the portal- this time you only get lost twelve times. You reach the portal, crawl through, and find the others arguing about dopplegangers or some rubbish in the living room.
Mindy: Hi, guys.
They all stare at Mary.
Two: Who the hell is that?
Mary: Oh- hello! I'm Mary Dalton!
Everyone goes quiet.
Two: ...What?
Mary: Also George is dead.
Everyone goes quiet again.
Milk: Right, that's it. I've had enough of this. Nope, no, nooope. I'm going home.
Kim: Yeah, me too.
Two: You are home!
Kim: Oh- right. I'm going to Ha- Paul's. I'm going to Paul's.
Mindy: Where do you live, by the way, Mary?
Mary: That's a good question! That, right there, is a fantastic question, yes, hmmmm, yes it is, ah, oh dear.
Two: Michael, tell me I don't think what I think I'm thinking?
You nod solemnly.
Two: Ah, dang it. Did you deal with it?
You shake your head.
Two: How come?
You shrug.
Two: Right. Well, err... Maybe we could just let things be this one time, right? See how things turn out?
Mary: Hmmmm... I don't have a birth certificate... or a passport... or any form of ID what-so-ever...
Mindy: Yeah, that might be a problem.
Two: Well, you know what to do, Michael.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Mary: Right, okay, that's ominous.
You look at the monolith, then at the stairwell.
Mary: Oh- are you thinking of making a wish?
You: Something like that.
Mary: I see.
She looks around for a moment, but there's no getting around this.
Mary: Look, okay. Real talk. The... 'Thing' down there told me I cannot let you go inside. Don't ask me why, but it just did. Now let's go back to the portal, okay?
[[Go back to the portal.]]
[['I'm going in. You can't stop me.']]
Mary: But I can damn well try!
Mary attacks you, but strength doesn't seem to be her thing. You push her away and run for the stairwell, only for her to run up and jump on your back. You throw her off once again, then run down into the wishing room.
Only a few steps in you hear a giant metal door slide shut behind you. The room is a large metal cube with shiny silver walls and floor. You wait.
The Room: Hello again, Michael.
You'd recognise that voice anywhere. Prometheus would be his old name- now he's referred to as The Gift Giver.
The Gift Giver: Oh, wow. I can feel your anger burning up inside you, Michael. That's a lot of anger for a single archangel to carry, wouldn't you agree?
You: Tell me what you're doing here.
The Gift Giver: Is there any point? You already know- and I already know you know, because that's my speciality. I'm simply doing what I always do- I'm giving gifts to the humans. I could never be so selfish as to behave as you, Michael.
You don't know what to say. When around The Gift Giver you not only need to choose your words wisely, but your thoughts, too.
The Gift Giver: I'll tell you what- I'll offer you a choice. What is it that you want most? To tear me to pieces once again, or to gain knowledge of what we both know you're truly after?
You: There's a catch.
The Gift Giver: When it comes to my dealings with angels, naturally so. If you tear my new machine down, all of the gifts I've given to the humans will cease in being. Could you bear yourself to bring so much misery to the world in one single action? On the other hand, if you desire knowledge of you-know-what, I'm afraid I won't be all-too-willing to let you leave. Understood?
[[Destroy The Gift Giver.]]
[[You want to know where it is.]]
The Gift Giver: Oh, Michael, Michael, Michael. I am so very disappointed in you. Really, this is no way for an angel to behave, don't you agree? So much anger- oh, well. What can I say, other than 'your wish is my command'?
The room begins to fragment, pieces being torn off and drifting up into nowhere. The walls and floor peel away more and more rapidly, and soon the entire room is gone, nothing but a cube-shaped hole in the ground. Your wings burst out of your body and you fly out of the hole, landing besides George and Mindy. They look miserable.
George: I'm sorry. I... That was the Devil, wasn't it? That's what it was- that's what we made a deal with?
Mindy: George, I've seen a lot of God-knows-what today, but //have you seen Michael?//
George: Yes, he's an angel, apparently.
Mindy: //Does that not surprise you in the slightest???//
George: Well, I was Mary Dalton five minutes ago. A pair of wings isn't that big of a deal.
...
The three of you make your way out of the maze and back through the portal. You tell George that if he can keep your secret, you can keep his. George agrees to this but, for some odd reason, a few years later he tells those he knows of his feelings towards his gender. George goes on to receive gender reassignement surgery- a slow and gradual process that takes many years- and goes on to live his life as her. You never fully understand it, but then again you never much saw the appeal of Harry Potter, either.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
The Gift Giver: Ah, I can feel your cravings for your objective overwhelming all feelings of hatred you harbour. Good. It's not good for an angel to be so wrathful, and don't even get me started on your blood pressure.
You: Skip ahead, please.
The Gift Giver: I don't see why. You've got all day- and all eternity, too. The girl has it.
You: Which girl?
The Gift Giver: The nice one with the hearing aid and the parent problems. Well, just the hearing aid now- I made the parent problems go away. Wasn't that cute of her? What she wanted more than anything was for her parents to have a stable relationship together- far better than that orange man with the stupid hair wishing for money everytime. Do you know how many times he's been in here? If only he could learn to invest it in something nice and safe instead of taking a huge risk every other month, perhaps then he wouldn't have to file for bankruptcy so often.
You: Are you done?
The Gift Giver: Oh, yes. Sorry. She's got a book with Pha'borsh's Earth-summoning chant written inside. Yes, it's the same failsafe that sealed it away in the first place all those millenia ago, but chanting it again will re-summon it. I don't see why you want to, to be honest- that thing is the biggest killjoy in the universe.
You sit down on the floor, legs crossed.
The Gift Giver: Yes, that's it, make yourself comfortable. I can foresee many fascinating conversations to come, and- oh. Oh, you cheeky little swine. Where did you get that from? Thoth? Chronos? Look, Michael, think about what you're doing here. You've worked hard, Michael- you've done everything you can to get on everybody's good sides, to earn their respect, their trust. You're a good man, Michael, we both know it- and we both know there's a reason why He let Pha'borsh stay deactivated on Earth- His system stagnates when it's activated.
You refuse to answer. The Gift Giver sighs.
The Gift Giver: Michael, Michael, Michael. Let's be honest. You can clearly see why I do what I do, can you not? What could be more noble a pursuit than sharing amongst the humans? If the other angels agreed with me we could work together to create a Heaven on Earth! Everyone would get what they want, when they want it!
You: You're too naive. You need judgement- greed is too prevalent amongst the humans. They'll abuse your generosity.
The Gift Giver: Yes, yes, I've heard it all before. Well, at least acknowledge that you're too far the other way, correct? What good will come of a world ruled by judgement alone? I know we haven't gotten along in the past, but- oh, you're going, are you? You don't want to chat any longer? Fine. I enjoyed our little talk. Just... don't let yourself get too consumed by all this, okay?
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You walk briskly through the maze for around two minutes until you find the exit. Mary got you lost several times.
Up ahead is a huge, brown, stone column sticking up out of the ground. The monolith has a large red ruby attached to the top. It beams light out across the walls on occassion.
Mary: Don't mind that thing, it's just for show. There's a stairwell at the bottom leading to the wish room- oh, look!
As you watch, you see a head appear beneath the monolith, and soon a whole body. It's Mindy. You and Mary rush over and greet her.
Mary: Hey!
Mindy: Hey- who are you?
You: George.
Mary looks at you in shock, then slowly turns to Mindy.
Mindy: Oh- you look nice!
Mary looks at the floor.
Mary: R-really?
Mindy: Yes. You look great.
Mindy gives Mary a hug.
Mary: Thanks.
You look towards the tower and take a few steps closer.
Mary: Erm, maybe we should head back now- you know, in case the portal closes soon, or something?
Mindy: Could that happen?
[[Go back to the portal.->Portal time!]]
[['There's something I need to know.'->Meet Prometheus.]]
Mary: Phew- I mean, great. I mean... look, the thing down there said I couldn't let you meet it, so this is probably for the best.
You, Mary and Mindy head back to the portal, getting significantly less lost than on entry. You reach the portal and crawl through, just as Kim walks into the bedroom.
Kim: Err- what were you doing under my bed? Wait- who is this?
You: George.
Mary slaps your arm.
Mindy: You see, there was kind of this... thing. It granted wishes and stuff.
Kim: Oh- right. That's one hell of a wish.
Mary covers her face in embarrassment. Kim walks to her wardrobe and looks through her clothes, eventually pulling some out.
Kim: Here, you can borrow these.
Mary: Is this really okay?
Kim shrugs.
Kim: It's more okay than Two chasing himself out of my house and down the street.
You: What?
Kim: Long story. Today has been a crazy day.
You all leave the room as Mary gets changed, then she walks out in Kim's clothes.
Kim: Hey, that looks good on you!
Mary covers her face again.
Mary: Ugh, what the hell am I going to do? There's no way my parents will take this as well as you guys. They're not weird like you.
Kim: Thanks for the compliment.
Mindy: I'll come with you.
Mary: Huh?
Mindy: To your parents house. I'll help you explain as well as I can.
Mary smiles.
Mary: Thanks. I'm thinking- 'Hello mother and father, do not be alarmed, but I have had the most drastic sex change operation in the last four hours.' Think they'll buy it?
Mindy: It's worth a shot!
Mary and Mindy do their best to tell Mary's parents about what happened. It doesn't go down very well.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You start walking towards the monolith. Mary sighs.
Mary: Look, Michael, the thing down there told me not to let you go down there. But... I don't want to fight you. Just... turn around, okay?
[[Go back to the portal.->Final Portal Return]]
[['There's something I need to know.'->Meet Prometheus!]]
Mary: Right- fine. I don't want to fight you. Just go.
You walk away and down the staircase- only a few steps in you hear a giant metal door slide shut behind you. The room is a large metal cube with shiny silver walls and floor. You wait.
The room: Hello again, Michael.
You'd recognise that voice anywhere. Prometheus would be his old name- now he's referred to as The Gift Giver.
The Gift Giver: Oh, wow. I can feel your anger burning up inside you, Michael. That's a lot of anger for a single archangel to carry, wouldn't you agree?
You: Tell me what you're doing here.
The Gift Giver: Is there any point? You already know- and I already know you know, because that's my speciality. I'm simply doing what I always do- I'm giving gifts to the humans. I could never be so selfish as to behave as you, Michael.
You don't know what to say. When around The Gift Giver you not only need to choose your words wisely, but your thoughts, too.
The Gift Giver: I'll tell you what- I'll offer you a choice. What is it that you want most? To tear me to pieces once again, or to gain knowledge of what we both know you're truly after?
You: There's a catch.
The Gift Giver: When it comes to my dealings with angels, naturally so. If you tear my new machine down, all of the gifts I've given to the humans will cease in being. Could you bear yourself to bring so much misery to the world in one single action? On the other hand, if you desire knowledge of you-know-what, I'm afraid I won't be all-too-willing to let you leave. Understood?
[[Destroy The Gift Giver.->Trapped!]]
[[You want to know where it is.]]
The Gift Giver: Oh, Michael, Michael, Michael. I am so very disappointed in you. Really, this is no way for an angel to behave, don't you agree? So much anger- oh, well. What can I say, other than 'your wish is my command'?
The room begins to fragment, pieces being torn off and drifting up into nowhere. The walls and floor peel away more and more rapidly, and soon the entire room is gone, nothing but a cube-shaped hole in the ground. Your wings burst out of your body and you fly out of the hole, landing besides George and Mindy. They look miserable.
George: I'm sorry. I... That was the Devil, wasn't it? That's what it was- that's what we made a deal with?
Mindy: George, I've seen a lot of God-knows-what today, but //have you seen Michael?//
George: Yes, he's an angel, apparently.
Mindy: //Does that not surprise you in the slightest???//
George: Well, I was Mary Dalton five minutes ago. A pair of wings isn't that big of a deal.
You: I've dealt with the monster. We're going home now, children.
Before they even have a chance to respond you pick them both up and fly the three of you through the labyrinth- you only get lost four times. Eventually you reach the end and take a look around.
You: Soooo... Where's the portal?
Mindy: It was right here!
George: It... It couldn't have closed... Could it?
You: I don't see it anywhere.
George: Oh... oh, no... That thing, it... It said I had to stop you as best I could, but, I just thought... I didn't //want// to fight you, Michael! I... I'm sorry, I messed up...
You sigh and sit down on the sticky, fleshy floor. Might as well make yourself feel at home- you're going to be here a long, long time.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You: Fine. Let's go home.
Mary: Great- let's get out of here.
You, Mary and Mindy head back to the portal, getting significantly less lost than on entry. You reach the portal and crawl through, just as Kim walks into the bedroom.
Kim: Err- what were you doing under my bed? Wait- who is this?
You: George.
Mary slaps your arm.
Mindy: You see, there was kind of this... thing. It granted wishes and stuff.
Kim: Oh- right. That's one hell of a wish.
Mary covers her face in embarrassment. Kim walks to her wardrobe and looks through her clothes, eventually pulling some out.
Kim: Here, you can borrow these.
Mary: Is this really okay?
Kim shrugs.
Kim: It's more okay than Two chasing himself out of my house and down the street.
You: What?
Kim: Long story. Today has been a crazy day.
You all leave the room as Mary gets changed, then she walks out in Kim's clothes.
Kim: Hey, that looks good on you!
Mary covers her face again.
Mary: Ugh, what the hell am I going to do? There's no way my parents will take this as well as you guys. They're not weird like you.
Kim: Thanks for the compliment.
Mindy: I'll come with you.
Mary: Huh?
Mindy: To your parents house. I'll help you explain as well as I can.
Mary smiles.
Mary: Thanks. I'm thinking- 'Hello mother and father, do not be alarmed, but I have had a drastic sex change operation in the last four hours.' Think they'll buy it?
Mindy: It's worth a shot!
Mary and Mindy do their best to tell Mary's parents about what happened. It doesn't go down very well.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Two: Nope. Nada. No sin here.
Kim sighs.
Kim: I probably have.
Mindy: Me too.
Milk: Err... Sin here, I guess.
George nods.
George: Sure. I have sinned.
???: THREE OF YOU HAVE LIED!
Kim: Seriously?
???: YES SERIOUSLY!
[['I have sinned.'->Sin2]]
[['I have not sinned.'->NoSin2]]
Two: Same here, bro.
Kim: Seriously, you two?
She sighs.
Kim: Well, I guess I have.
Mindy: Agreed. I have committed sin.
Milk: Right. Same here.
George: Err, s-so have I.
???: TWO OF YOU HAVE LIED!
[['I have sinned.'->Sin3]]
[['I have never sinned.'->nosin4]]
???: MICHAEL, COME ON NOW. YOU'RE BEING TOO HARD ON YOURSELF.
[['Err... I guess I haven't sinned, then?'->NoSin2]]
???: GOOD! NOW ONLY TWO OF YOU ARE LYING!
Everyone looks at you.
You: Err- I guess I'm not the sinful type?
Kim: Wait, so who are the other two? How are we supposed to answer this without knowing exactly what is and isn't sin?
???: HERE'S A CLUE- ALCOHOL IS A SIN!
Two: Oh you've got to be shitting me.
Everyone looks at Two.
Two: Look, I'm only drinking it to fit in with you guys! God will overlook it for me!
Two looks at you, and you shake your head disapprovingly.
Two: Okay, fine. Just a little bit of sin.
???: ONE OF YOU HAS LIED!
Kim: Who's lying?
Mindy: Well it's not me!
???: YES IT IS!
Mindy: What?
???: YOU'RE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF MINDY- YOU ARE, IN FACT, A CLEAN SLATE! NOT A SINGLE SIN ON RECORD!
Mindy: Oh- that's good, I guess?
???: NO, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY BORING. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, GIRL, AND HELL ISN'T AS BAD AS THEY SAY. QUESTION T-
Two: ARE YOU FOR REAL RIGHT NOW?!?
There's a brief but awkward silence.
???: ...QUESTION TWO- WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE ABOUT YOUR BODY?
Kim: Ugh, lose a little weight.
Milk: Really?
Kim stares at him.
Kim: Yeah? Why?
He shrugs.
Milk: I can never gain weight. Mind if I have some of yours?
???: BOTH OF YOU ARE CORRECT, BUT I CAN'T TAKE THOSE ANSWERS UNTIL EVERYONE IS IN THE GAME ZONE.
You all look around until you see George halfway up the stairs. He sheepishly looks around to face you, then walks back down.
???: THAT'S BETTER. TWO CORRECT OUT OF SIX.
Two: Well, I'm happy with this. What about you, Michael?
[['I would not like to change anything about myself.']]
[['I would like to change something about myself.']]
???: NOW THREE OF YOU ARE LYING!
Two: See? Me and my brother are good boys.
[['I haven't sinned.'->nosin3]]
???: GOOD! NOW ONLY TWO OF YOU ARE LYING!
Kim: How are we supposed to answer this without knowing exactly what is and isn't sin?
???: HERE'S A CLUE- ALCOHOL IS A SIN!
Two: Oh you've got to be shitting me.
Everyone looks at Two.
Two: Look, I'm only drinking it to fit in with you guys! God will overlook it for me!
Two looks at you, and you shake your head disapprovingly.
Two: Okay, fine. Just a little bit of sin.
???: ONE OF YOU HAS LIED!
Kim: Who's lying?
Mindy: Well it's not me!
???: YES IT IS!
Mindy: What?
???: YOU'RE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF MINDY- YOU ARE, IN FACT, A CLEAN SLATE! NOT A SINGLE SIN ON RECORD!
Mindy: Oh- that's good, I guess?
???: NO, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY BORING. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, GIRL, AND HELL ISN'T AS BAD AS THEY SAY. QUESTION T-
Two: ARE YOU FOR REAL RIGHT NOW?!?
There's a brief but awkward silence.
???: ...QUESTION TWO- WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE ABOUT YOUR BODY?
Kim: Ugh, lose a little weight.
Milk: Really?
Kim stares at him.
Kim: Yeah? Why?
He shrugs.
Milk: I can never gain weight. Mind if I have some of yours?
???: BOTH OF YOU ARE CORRECT, BUT I CAN'T TAKE THOSE ANSWERS UNTIL EVERYONE IS IN THE GAME ZONE.
You all look around until you see George halfway up the stairs. He sheepishly looks around to face you, then walks back down.
???: THAT'S BETTER. TWO CORRECT OUT OF SIX.
Two: Well, I'm happy with this. What about you, Michael?
[['I would not like to change anything about myself.']]
[['I would like to change something about myself.']]
???: YES, I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME, MICHAEL. TWO OF YOU ARE LYING.
Two: Well I'm not either.
???: YES YOU ARE!
Two: What?
???: ALCOHOL IS A SIN!
Two: Oh you've got to be shitting me.
Everyone looks at Two.
Two: Look, I'm only drinking it to fit in with you guys! God will overlook it for me!
Two looks at you, and you shake your head disapprovingly.
Two: Okay, fine. Just a little bit of sin.
???: ONE OF YOU HAS LIED!
Kim: Who's lying?
Mindy: Well it's not me!
???: YES IT IS!
Mindy: What?
???: YOU'RE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF MINDY- YOU ARE, IN FACT, A CLEAN SLATE! NOT A SINGLE SIN ON RECORD!
Mindy: Oh- that's good, I guess?
???: NO, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY BORING. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, GIRL, AND HELL ISN'T AS BAD AS THEY SAY. QUESTION T-
Two: ARE YOU FOR REAL RIGHT NOW?!?
There's a brief but awkward silence.
???: ...QUESTION TWO- WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE ABOUT YOUR BODY?
Kim: Ugh, lose a little weight.
Milk: Really?
Kim stares at him.
Kim: Yeah? Why?
He shrugs.
Milk: I can never gain weight. Mind if I have some of yours?
???: BOTH OF YOU ARE CORRECT, BUT I CAN'T TAKE THOSE ANSWERS UNTIL EVERYONE IS IN THE GAME ZONE.
You all look around until you see George halfway up the stairs. He sheepishly looks around to face you, then walks back down.
???: THAT'S BETTER. TWO CORRECT OUT OF SIX.
Two: Well, I'm happy with this. What about you, Michael?
[['I would not like to change anything about myself.']]
[['I would like to change something about myself.']]
Mindy: Erm... There's nothing I can really think of... Perhaps my hearing aid?
Everyone looks at George. George looks at the ground.
George: I... I don't know if I like anything about me. I don't like being fat, and my skin is greasy and I get loads of spots, and I always get really sweaty no matter how often I take a shower, and... I... I don't like anything about me.
???: ONE PERSON HAS LIED.
[['I would not like to change anything about myself.'->nochange2]]
[['I would like to change something about myself.'->change2]]
Two: Really? Like what?
You: This body is a little tight on the wings.
Two: Oh, good point- yeah, I'll change my answer. Bigger body would be nice.
Everyone in the group stares at you both.
Two: What? Is it something we said?
???: YOUR ANSWERS ARE CORRECT. FOUR OF SIX CORRECT.
Mindy: Erm... There's nothing I can really think of... Perhaps my hearing aid? It doesn't bother me too much, but-
???: YES, YES MINDY, WE GET IT, YOUR SELF-ESTEEM IS VERY HIGH. FIVE OF SIX CORRECT.
Everyone looks at George. George looks at the ground.
George: Just... everything. I hate being fat, and I hate-
???: CORRECT. QUESTION THREE- WHAT DID YOU BRING IN YOUR BAG TO THE PARTY?
Milk: Oh, no, no. I don't want to play this anymore.
Two: Why not?
Milk: Why?... What do you mean, why not? We're in a basement playing games with ghosts!
???: WELL, I WOULDN'T REALLY DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A GHOST...
Milk: Guys, come on!
Milk runs up the stairs to the door.
Milk: Help me open the door! We need to get out!
You all look around the room at each other.
Mindy: Erm... I brought a book from home. Otherwise, just my stuff from school- pencil case with, err, three pens- two blue ink and one black- a ruler, two pencils, an eraser-
???: YES YES MINDY, VERY GOOD. I'LL ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER AS SOON AS MILK HAS STEPPED BACK INTO THE GAME ZONE.
You all look at Milk again. Kim sighs.
Kim: I took all my stuff out of my bag and put my laptop in it. I was going to play some music from it in the shack, but I forgot.
???: CORRECT.
George: My bag has... my pencil case, lunch box, err, PE kit, homework diary-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Erm- me and Michael didn't have bags. Well, a bag of alcohol, but I don't think that-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Oh, okay then.
You all look at Milk- he's still standing at the top of the stairs, now leaning with his head against the door. He whispers something under his breath.
???: PLEASE RETURN TO THE GAME ZONE AND SPEAK YOUR ANSWER ALOUD FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR.
But he just stands there.
Kim: Err, Milk? Are you okay?
Two: Look, buddy, this isn't hard. I can assure you, whatever you've got in the bag, we won't judge you for it.
Milk stays there for a few seconds, but eventually leans away from the door and walks down the stairs.
???: THANK YOU FOR RETURNING TO THE GAME ZONE. PLEASE GIVE YOUR ANSWER.
Milk: I wasn't going to use it or anything. Tonight has actually been kind of fun, and...
He looks around at everyone- all eyes his way. He takes in a deep breath.
Milk: A gun.
???: CORRECT.
Everyone gasps. Kim looks more horrified than anyone.
Kim: A- what? Where would you even- Gus, why did you bring a gun to my house?
???: QUESTION FOUR- WHY DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Two: Wait, how many of these questions are there?
Milk: Oh come on- why would you ask that? Come on!
Kim: Well?
Milk: Why is this question aimed at me? This isn't fair! Why would it ask that?!
Kim: Why would you bring a gun to my house?
Everyone goes quiet, watching Milk again. He seems very expressive with his hands, but he can't really get it out.
Milk: Just- in case I, in case something, in, just, just because, you know? Just- just, like... You're with Paul now, you know?
Kim: You were going to shoot Paul?
Milk: No! I mean- it's just- you moved on so quick, Kim! We were together, and then you, you just, you ditched me! I get it, I sucked, but you're dating //Paul?// You barely know each other!
Kim: Answer the question, Gus!
Milk looks helpless, like a lost puppy abandoned and alone. He looks between everyone for help, but it's clear he won't find it.
Milk: To... to shoot myself, okay?
The room goes quiet briefly.
Milk: I just thought, maybe, if you were with Paul at the party, or if you said horrible things to me or if you were on your phone all night or ignoring me, I just thought that, maybe, if you did something, I'd do it. I'd go and get the gun and I'd walk in front of you and I'd do it, and you would fucking deserve it for all you've done to me. That's it. That's why I brought a gun to the party.
You all wait for the voice.
???: ERM- SO, ASIDE FROM USING IT ON YOURSELF, WHY ELSE DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Another deathly silence as everyone watches Milk carefully.
Milk: I- I was telling the truth. Just... Maybe, if I did shoot myself, maybe before I did, I'd... I'd shoot you first.
???: CORRECT.
The doll falls to the ground, the walls return to their non-red state, and the basement door swings open. Milk looks to the stairs.
Kim: DON'T MOVE, GUS!
George and Mindy rush upstairs to find Milk's bag, and Milk stands with you in the basement, shaking slightly.
Kim: Gus- look at me. Look at me, Gus.
He slowly looks up at Kim.
Kim: Do you see the problem now? Do you see why things are the way they are?
She sighs.
Kim: I'm not dating Paul. I told Paul to pretend to date me just so you'd get the message.
Milk: What? Why?
Kim: Because I don't want to go out with you, and that's final. I don't want you to think you might still be able to date me in the future, and I'm sorry for lying to you, but this is just too much. Why are you even here, Gus? Or, why did I even invite you here? I guess it's because I, for some stupid reason, feel sorry for you. I don't want us to be enemies, and I'd like it if we could still be friends.
She puts a hand to her face.
Kim: I invited you here to be nice, because I don't want you to think I hate you, but look what happens. Look how stupid I am for being so fucking nice to you.
George and Mindy arrive back at the basement doorway.
George: This, err, this isn't a real gun. It's, err, a replica.
Two: Pffft, really? What an idiot!
Milk looks around, confused.
Milk: I'm- I'm sorry. I, I...
Kim: Get out.
Milk looks at her with those puppy dog eyes again, but he knows waiting around will just have her repeat herself. He runs up the basement and out of the house.
Two: Well, erm... I think me and Michael will call it a night. Right, Michael?
You nod and take your leave. You tell Two his friends are terrible, and he agrees.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Everyone looks at George. He continues to hang his head in shame.
Geroge: I... I just hate myself, okay? Does... does that not answer the question?
???: WHAT? SORRY I GOT DISTRACTED. THE QUESTION WAS 'WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE ABOUT YOUR BODY?'
George still looks guilty. You all watch him.
George: I... I can't say it, okay? Just... Everything! I hate myself! I've hated me for years- I just want people to like me without thinking I'm fat and ugly, that's not who I want to be! I don't want to be me, I //hate// me, and I just want people to like me for //me// without me having to act like the fat idiot everyone sees when they look at me, because that's not me! I just want to be a whole new me and start again, I want to be who //I// want to be, not who everyone thinks I am, but... but I can't say it, I, I can't-
???: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? JESUS, KID, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE BAD GUY HERE, THERE'S NO WAY I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS EXISTENTIAL BREAKDOWN! MICHAEL, YOU LYING BASTARD, TELL US THE TRUTH!
[['I would like to change something about myself.'->change3]]
???: CORRECT!
Two looks at you, surprised.
Two: Really? Like what?
You: This body is a little tight on the wings.
Two: Oh, good point- yeah, I'll change my answer. Bigger body would be nice.
???: ERR- CORRECT, AGAIN! EVERYONE IS CORRECT!
Everyone in the group is staring at you and Two.
Two: Erm... what?
Mindy: Did you say... wings?
Two: Well, what are we supposed to do? Lie?
Mindy: //Wings?//
Two sighs. He looks up at the levitating doll.
Two: Okay, if we're getting rumbled then so are you. Who's up there, huh? Dionysus? Loki?
???: ERM...
You: Kuebiko?
???: NEXT QUESTI-
Two: I swear, if that's you, Enki...
???: I'M NEW, OKAY!?
You and Two look at each other.
Two: Is 'New' your name, or...?
???: NO! I'M JUST A NEW GUY! I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF A COOL NAME YET, BUT I'M THINKING SOMETHING TO DO WITH TRUTH AND MASKS. THE GOD OF TRUTH AND MASKS, WOULD THAT BE COOL? DOES THAT SOUND COOL TO YOU GUYS?
Two: Is that what this is? You knew we were about so you decided me and Michael could be your beta testers?
???: LOOK, IF IT'S NOT COOL THEN YOU COULD JUST SAY, OKAY? I WON'T BE OFFENDED. I PROMISE.
[['I've heard worse...']]
[['Truth and masks? That's the least-cool thing I've ever heard!']]
Two: Yeah, it's not //awful//, I guess.
???: ARE YOU JUST SAYING THAT TO AVOID HURTING MY FEELINGS?
You: No, honest. It's okay- certainly not bad.
???: THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. QUESTION THREE- WHAT DID YOU BRING IN YOUR BAG TO THE PARTY?
Milk: Oh, no, no. I don't want to play this anymore.
Two: Why not?
Milk: Why?... What do you mean, why not? We're in a basement playing games with ghosts!
???: WELL, I WOULDN'T REALLY DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A GHOST...
Two: Yeah, me neither.
Milk: Guys, come on!
Milk runs up the stairs to the door.
Milk: Help me open the door! We need to get out!
You all look around the room at each other.
Mindy: Erm... I brought a book from home. Otherwise, just my stuff from school- pencil case with, err, three pens- two blue ink and one black- a ruler, two pencils, an eraser-
???: YES YES MINDY, VERY GOOD. I'LL ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER AS SOON AS MILK HAS STEPPED BACK INTO THE GAME ZONE.
You all look at Milk again. Kim sighs.
Kim: I took all my stuff out of my bag and put my laptop in it. I was going to play some music from it in the shack, but I forgot.
???: CORRECT.
George: My bag has... my pencil case, lunch box, err, PE kit, homework diary-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Erm- me and Michael didn't have bags. Well, a bag of alcohol, but I don't think that-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Oh, okay then.
You all look at Milk- he's still standing at the top of the stairs, now leaning with his head against the door. He whispers something under his breath.
???: PLEASE RETURN TO THE GAME ZONE AND SPEAK YOUR ANSWER ALOUD FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR.
But he just stands there.
Kim: Err, Milk? Are you okay?
Two: Look, buddy, this isn't hard. I can assure you, whatever you've got in the bag, we won't judge you for it.
Milk stays there for a few seconds, but eventually leans away from the door and walks down the stairs.
???: THANK YOU FOR RETURNING TO THE GAME ZONE. PLEASE GIVE YOUR ANSWER.
Milk: I wasn't going to use it or anything. Tonight has actually been kind of fun, and...
He looks around at everyone- all eyes his way. He takes in a deep breath.
Milk: A gun.
???: CORRECT.
Everyone gasps. Kim looks more horrified than anyone.
Kim: A- what? Where would you even- Gus, why did you bring a gun to my house?
???: QUESTION FOUR- WHY DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Two: Wait, how many of these questions are there?
Milk: Oh come on- why would you ask that? Come on!
Kim: Well?
Milk: Why is this question aimed at me? This isn't fair! Why would it ask that?!
Kim: Why would you bring a gun to my house?
Everyone goes quiet, watching Milk again. He seems very expressive with his hands, but he can't really get it out.
Milk: Just- in case I, in case something, in, just, just because, you know? Just- just, like... You're with Paul now, you know?
Kim: You were going to shoot Paul?
Milk: No! I mean- it's just- you moved on so quick, Kim! We were together, and then you, you just, you ditched me! I get it, I sucked, but you're dating //Paul?// You barely know each other!
Kim: Answer the question, Gus!
Milk looks helpless, like a lost puppy abandoned and alone. He looks between everyone for help, but it's clear he won't find it.
Milk: To... to shoot myself, okay?
The room goes quiet briefly.
Milk: I just thought, maybe, if you were with Paul at the party, or if you said horrible things to me or if you were on your phone all night or ignoring me, I just thought that, maybe, if you did something, I'd do it. I'd go and get the gun and I'd walk in front of you and I'd do it, to... to show you, to teach you a lesson. That's it. That's why I brought a gun to the party.
You all wait for the voice.
???: ERM- SO, ASIDE FROM USING IT ON YOURSELF, WHY ELSE DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Another deathly silence as everyone watches Milk carefully.
Milk: I- I was telling the truth. Just... Maybe, if I did shoot myself, maybe before I did, I'd... I'd shoot you first.
???: CORRECT.
The doll falls to the ground, the walls return to their non-red state, and the basement door swings open. Milk looks to the stairs.
Kim: DON'T MOVE, GUS!
George and Mindy rush upstairs to find Milk's bag, and Milk stands with you in the basement, shaking slightly.
Kim: Gus- look at me. Look at me, Gus.
He slowly looks up at Kim.
Kim: Do you see the problem now? Do you see why things are the way they are?
She sighs.
Kim: I'm not dating Paul. I told Paul to pretend to date me just so you'd get the message.
Milk: What? Why?
Kim: Because I don't want to go out with you, and that's final. I don't want you to think you might still be able to date me in the future, and I'm sorry for lying to you, but this is just too much. Why are you even here, Gus? Or, why did I even invite you here? I guess it's because I, for some stupid reason, feel sorry for you. I don't want us to be enemies, and I'd like it if we could still be friends.
She puts a hand to her face.
Kim: I invited you here to be nice, because I don't want you to think I hate you, but look what happens. Look how stupid I am for being so fucking nice to you.
George and Mindy arrive back at the basement doorway.
George: This, err, this isn't a real gun. It's, err, a replica.
Two: Pffft, really? What an idiot!
Milk looks around, confused.
Milk: I'm- I'm sorry. I, I...
Kim: Get out.
Milk looks at her with those puppy dog eyes again, but he knows waiting around will just have her repeat herself. He runs up the basement and out of the house.
Two: Well, erm... I think me and Michael will call it a night. Right, Michael?
You nod and take your leave, returning to Two's car and driving away.
You: Your friends are terrible.
Two: Agreed.
???: AGREED.
You look to the back seat and see the doll sitting there.
???: HI, GUYS. WE'RE FRIENDS NOW, RIGHT?
Two: No.
???: OH. OKAY. I SEE. THIS IS JUST WHAT ANGELS ARE LIKE- NOT NICE AND FORGIVING LIKE THEY TELL YOU, RIGHT?
Two sighs.
Two: Yeah, okay, sure. We're friends- but only in this timeline.
You, Two and ??? go on to have a strong and long-lived friendship filled with sunshine and rainbows and crime solving. It's the most fun you've ever had, and way better than hanging out with Two's other friends.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
???: OH... WELL. OKAY THEN.
A heavy silence hangs in the air momentarily.
Milk: Erm... So, should we just pretend we didn't hear that entire conversation?
Two: It would make all of our lives easier, yes.
Milk: Right. Got it.
??? clears its throat.
???: QUESTION THREE- WHAT DID YOU BRING IN YOUR BAG TO THE PARTY?
Milk: Oh, no, no. I don't want to play this anymore.
Two: Why not?
Milk: Why?... What do you mean, why not? We're in a basement playing games with ghosts!
???: WELL, I WOULDN'T REALLY DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A GHOST...
Two: Yeah, me neither.
Milk: Guys, come on!
Milk runs up the stairs to the door.
Milk: Help me open the door! We need to get out!
You all look around the room at each other.
Mindy: Erm... I brought a book from home. Otherwise, just my stuff from school- pencil case with, err, three pens- two blue ink and one black- a ruler, two pencils, an eraser-
???: YES YES MINDY, VERY GOOD. I'LL ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER AS SOON AS MILK HAS STEPPED BACK INTO THE GAME ZONE.
You all look at Milk again. Kim sighs.
Kim: I took all my stuff out of my bag and put my laptop in it. I was going to play some music from it in the shack, but I forgot.
???: CORRECT.
George: My bag has... my pencil case, lunch box, err, PE kit, homework diary-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Erm- me and Michael didn't have bags. Well, a bag of alcohol, but I don't think that-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Oh, okay then.
You all look at Milk- he's still standing at the top of the stairs, now leaning with his head against the door. He whispers something under his breath.
???: PLEASE RETURN TO THE GAME ZONE AND SPEAK YOUR ANSWER ALOUD FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR.
But he just stands there.
Kim: Err, Milk? Are you okay?
Two: Look, buddy, this isn't hard. I can assure you, whatever you've got in the bag, we won't judge you for it.
Milk stays there for a few seconds, but eventually leans away from the door and walks down the stairs.
???: THANK YOU FOR RETURNING TO THE GAME ZONE. PLEASE GIVE YOUR ANSWER.
Milk: I wasn't going to use it or anything. Tonight has actually been kind of fun, and...
He looks around at everyone- all eyes his way. He takes in a deep breath.
Milk: A gun.
???: CORRECT.
Everyone gasps. Kim looks more horrified than anyone.
Kim: A- what? Where would you even- Gus, why did you bring a gun to my house?
???: QUESTION FOUR- WHY DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Two: Wait, how many of these questions are there?
Milk: Oh come on- why would you ask that? Come on!
Kim: Well?
Milk: Why is this question aimed at me? This isn't fair! Why would it ask that?!
Kim: Why would you bring a gun to my house?
Everyone goes quiet, watching Milk again. He seems very expressive with his hands, but he can't really get it out.
Milk: Just- in case I, in case something, in, just, just because, you know? Just- just, like... You're with Paul now, you know?
Kim: You were going to shoot Paul?
Milk: No! I mean- it's just- you moved on so quick, Kim! We were together, and then you, you just, you ditched me! I get it, I sucked, but you're dating //Paul?// You barely know each other!
Kim: Answer the question, Gus!
Milk looks helpless, like a lost puppy abandoned and alone. He looks between everyone for help, but it's clear he won't find it.
Milk: To... to shoot myself, okay?
The room goes quiet briefly.
Milk: I just thought, maybe, if you were with Paul at the party, or if you said horrible things to me or if you were on your phone all night or ignoring me, I just thought that, maybe, if you did something, I'd do it. I'd go and get the gun and I'd walk in front of you and I'd do it, to... to show you, to teach you a lesson. That's it. That's why I brought a gun to the party.
You all wait for the voice.
???: ERM- SO, ASIDE FROM USING IT ON YOURSELF, WHY ELSE DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Another deathly silence as everyone watches Milk carefully.
Milk: I- I was telling the truth. Just... Maybe, if I did shoot myself, maybe before I did, I'd... I'd shoot you first.
???: CORRECT.
The doll falls to the ground, the walls return to their non-red state, and the basement door swings open. Milk looks to the stairs.
Kim: DON'T MOVE, GUS!
George and Mindy rush upstairs to find Milk's bag, and Milk stands with you in the basement, shaking slightly.
Kim: Gus- look at me. Look at me, Gus.
He slowly looks up at Kim.
Kim: Do you see the problem now? Do you see why things are the way they are?
She sighs.
Kim: I'm not dating Paul. I told Paul to pretend to date me just so you'd get the message.
Milk: What? Why?
Kim: Because I don't want to go out with you, and that's final. I don't want you to think you might still be able to date me in the future, and I'm sorry for lying to you, but this is just too much. Why are you even here, Gus? Or, why did I even invite you here? I guess it's because I, for some stupid reason, feel sorry for you. I don't want us to be enemies, and I'd like it if we could still be friends.
She puts a hand to her face.
Kim: I invited you here to be nice, because I don't want you to think I hate you, but look what happens. Look how stupid I am for being so fucking nice to you.
George and Mindy arrive back at the basement doorway.
George: This, err, this isn't a real gun. It's, err, a replica.
Two: Pffft, really? What an idiot!
Milk looks around, confused.
Milk: I'm- I'm sorry. I, I...
Kim: Get out.
Milk looks at her with those puppy dog eyes again, but he knows waiting around will just have her repeat herself. He runs up the basement and out of the house.
Two: Well, erm... I think me and Michael will call it a night. Right, Michael?
Kim: Wait just there.
Two: Oh- okay?
Kim turns to face you both.
Kim: Angels?
Two: Ah- I hoped you might have, you know, forgotten, what with everything that's going on.
Kim: Is this one of those 'and now we're going to wipe your memories to keep it a secret' things?
Two: Err, no, not exactly. More 'time will reverse and we'll avoid buggering this up' kind of things.
Kim: Oh, right... So, you can do that, huh?
Two: Not legally, no. See ya!
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Two stares at you, confused.
Two: Like what?
You: This body is a little tight... You know?
Two: Ohhhh. Yeah, a little more room would be nice- I second that.
???: THANK YOU. HONESTLY, FOR A PAIR OF ANGELS YOU'RE BOTH VERY RUDE.
Milk: Angels?
Two: It's a long story.
You: Yes. Multiple endings. Very long.
George is in tears. He sits down againts the wall and Mindy sits beside him- she gives him a hug.
George: I don't want to play anymore.
???: DON'T WORRY, LAST QUESTION. QUESTION THREE- WHAT DID YOU BRING IN YOUR BAG TO THE PARTY?
Milk: Oh, no, no. I don't want to play this anymore.
Two: Why not?
Milk: Why?... What do you mean, why not? We're in a basement playing games with ghosts!
???: WELL, I WOULDN'T REALLY DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A GHOST...
Milk: Guys, come on!
Milk runs up the stairs to the door.
Milk: Help me open the door! George, you want to get out, right? Help me!
But George stays where he is, sat against the wall with Mindy.
Milk: Guys! Come on!
Two: Look, the creepy doll-thing said this is the last question. Just one more and we can go, right?
But Milk just stands by the door. Mindy sighs.
Mindy: Erm... I brought a book from home. Otherwise, just my stuff from school- pencil case with, err, three pens- two blue ink and one black- a ruler, two pencils, an eraser-
???: YES, YES MINDY, VERY GOOD. I'LL ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER AS SOON AS MILK HAS STEPPED BACK INTO THE GAME ZONE.
You all look at Milk again. Kim looks between you all, then gives her answer.
Kim: I took all my stuff out of my bag and put my laptop in it. I was going to play some music from it in the shack, but I forgot.
???: CORRECT.
Two: Erm- me and Michael didn't have bags. Well, a bag of alcohol, but I don't think that-
???: CORRECT.
Two: Oh, okay then.
George, still shaken up, takes in a deep breath to give his answer.
George: I brought, erm...
???: CORRECT. DON'T WORRY, KID, I'VE GOT YOUR BACK. SORRY ABOUT, ERR, WHAT MICHAEL PUT YOU THROUGH.
George: Thanks.
Finally, you all turn to Milk- he's still standing at the top of the stairs, now leaning with his head against the door. He whispers something under his breath.
???: PLEASE RETURN TO THE GAME ZONE AND SPEAK YOUR ANSWER ALOUD FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR.
But he just stands there.
Kim: Err, Milk? Are you okay?
Two: Look, buddy, it's the last question. I can assure you, whatever you've got in the bag, we won't judge you for it.
Milk stays there for a few seconds, but eventually leans away from the door and walks down the stairs.
???: THANK YOU FOR RETURNING TO THE GAME ZONE. PLEASE GIVE YOUR ANSWER.
Milk: I wasn't going to use it or anything. Tonight has actually been kind of fun, and...
He looks around at everyone- all eyes his way. He takes in a deep breath.
Milk: A gun.
???: CORRECT.
Everyone gasps. Kim looks more horrified than anyone.
Kim: A- what? A gun? Like, a real gun?
???: QUESTION FOUR- WHY DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Two: Err, what happened to only three questions?
Milk: Why... why is this question aimed at me?
Kim: Answer it!
Milk: I can't!
Everyone goes quiet, watching Milk again. He seems very expressive with his hands, but he can't really get it out.
Milk: Just- in case I, in case something... just, just, like... You're with Paul now, you know?
Kim: You were going to shoot Paul?
Milk: No! I mean- it's just- you moved on so quick, Kim! We were together, and then you, you just, you ditched me! I get it, I sucked, but you're dating //Paul?// You barely know each other!
Kim: Answer the question, Gus!
Milk: I don't want you to leave me-
Kim: //I already have.//
Milk: But- but I don't want to be alone!
Milk looks helpless, like a lost puppy abandoned and alone. He looks between everyone for help, but it's clear he won't find it.
Milk: To... to shoot myself.
The room goes quiet briefly.
Milk: I just thought, maybe, if you were with Paul at the party, or if you said horrible things to me or if you were on your phone all night or ignoring me, I just thought that, maybe, if you did something, I'd do it. I'd go and get the gun and I'd walk in front of you and I'd do it. That's... That's why I brought a gun to the party.
You all wait for the voice.
???: ERM- SO, ASIDE FROM USING IT ON YOURSELF, WHY ELSE DID YOU BRING A GUN TO THE PARTY?
Another deathly silence as everyone watches Milk carefully.
Milk: I- I was telling the truth. Just... Maybe, if I did shoot myself, maybe before I did, I'd... I'd shoot you first.
???: CORRECT.
The doll falls to the ground, the walls return to their non-red state, and the basement door swings open. Milk looks to the stairs.
Kim: DON'T MOVE, GUS!
Two quickly rushes upstairs, and you follow. Milk doesn't follow.
Two quickly finds Milk's tan rucksack and opens it up, pulling out a small black pistol. He turns it over in his hands and inspects it.
Two: Err... What do you make of this? Because it's quite clearly... you know.
He hands it to you, but you knew it was a replica weapon before even touching it. The gun is heavy, but still too light to be real, with an empty magazine case welded shut into the handle.
Two: You know, I could probably //make// it real, if you catch my drift?
Of course he could- you could, too. You smile at his joke, but shake your head. Milk is in enough trouble as it is, and it's clear his intention was most certainly to use this weapon, even if he would have failed. Intention to kill is as much a sin as actual murder- the only difference is the inability to complete the action.
Suddenly, Milk runs out the basement door and out of the house. Kim eventually walks out, along with George and Mindy.
Kim: Oh, God.
Two: Don't worry, it's fake. A replica- he couldn't have fired this thing if he tried.
Kim: That doesn't make me feel much safer. What the hell am I going to do now?
Two shrugs.
Two: He should realise he's in the wrong now. If he still doesn't get the hint you can tell teachers about this, or whatever.
Kim: Yeah- I guess.
Mindy: We're heading home, now.
Kim: Oh- sure. See you at school.
Two: Yeah- erm, me and Mike are going too. Right, Michael?
You nod and take your leave.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You: I'd like to hear the rest of the story.
Two: Wow, some fun you are.
Mindy: Okay- Lady Lockjaw’s body is described as brittle and bony, in particular her fingers which are long and skeletal, said to be able to stab and tear through skin.
Milk groans.
Milk: And here come the clichés.
Mindy: Lady Lockjaw is named for the most renowned state her victims are left in- with their lower jaws torn off. Some survivors have claimed this method of death can be avoided by refusing to scream or open the mouth during an attack. Lady Lockjaw cannot pass through or open doors, with this being the optimal method of escape. When she is going for the attack she is known to open her mouth extremely wide and howl at her victim, likely in the hopes the victim will scream in shock, allowing her to remove the jaw.
Kim snorts.
Kim: Okay, you're right. This is lame.
Mindy: Sorry, guys- I thought this would be fun.
Kim: No, its okay- we can just do something else.
Two: Like what? Because we don't want to go out in my car anywhere, do we?
Two glares at you.
Kim: Ugh, I dunno. One of you think of something.
Kim returns to her phone, texting away. The room goes quiet.
Milk: God, this sucks.
Suddenly there's a knock at the door. Everyone jumps in surprise.
Kim: Oh, shit.
Milk: Who's that?
George: Are we expecting anyone else?
Two looks at Kim, then at Mindy, then at Mindy's book. Milk snorts.
Milk: Oh, are you serious?
Milk gets up to open the door.
[[Let Milk open the door.]]
[[Stop Milk from opening the door.]]
You: Let's go out- we could always take the book with us.
Two: See that, guys? My brother, professional negotiator.
You head out to Two's car- Milk takes the passenger seat while everyone else piles in the back. It's a tight squeeze.
Mindy: Err, I don't have a seatbelt...
Two: Don't worry about it, I'll go slow.
George: Is this, err, legal?
Two starts the car, drives out of the driveway, stalls the car, starts the car, then continues driving.
Two: Where to?
Kim: God, what are we even doing.
George: Two, weren't you drinking earlier?
Two: No? Oh- I had, like, half a bottle. I'm legal.
Milk laughs. At least someone is having fun.
Kim: So, where are we going?
Milk: Let's go to the woods!
George: What?
Milk: Trust me, this'll be great.
Kim: What will we do?
Milk: I dunno, but it'll be cool!
George: Or we could, just, go get pizza or something?
[['Let's get take away.']]
[['Let's go to the woods.']]
Milk opens the door. A girl is walking away, but turns back to face Milk at the doorway. She's wearing a coat and a knit bobble hat. She's holding her phone in one hand.
Milk: Err, hello?
???: Um, hi.
She stands there, a few feet away from the shack. She doesn't come any closer.
Milk: Do we know you?
Suddenly Kim stands up and heads outside, past Milk and to the girl. She quietly speaks to the girl. Milk pulls the door up and looks amongst everyone in the room, but everyone seems just as confused.
Two: So, err, Kim has been doing a lot of texting tonight, right?
Something clicks in Milk's head. He opens the door then walks outside into the garden, shutting the shack door on you all.
George: Milk!
George gets up to do something, but ends up just standing on the spot. You all look amongst each other as you can hear the three of them talking outside- their talking gets louder, and you manage to make out Kim telling Milk to stop shouting while they're outside. Kim comes back inside with Milk followed closely behind- he's still shouting at her.
Two: Guys, who was that?
Milk: Yeah, Kim! Tell Two who just showed up!
Kim: Everyone, go. Just- everyone go home.
Milk: Not everyone is on the same page here, Kim. Tell them who just showed up.
Kim: Just shut up! Shut up and get out!
Milk: Not until you tell me what's going on.
Kim: You //know// what's-
Milk: And Paul?
A brief silence.
Kim: I'm not, really, dating him.
Another brief silence.
Milk: So, what's that supposed to mean?
Kim: It means I told Paul to pretend to date me so you'd back off! Okay?
Two: Whoa, what?
Kim: What? Paul's fine with it, it's no big deal! There, now everybody knows, okay?
Two: Wait, no, hold up- you're using Paul?
She glares at Two.
Kim: And what's your problem? Are you going to judge me, too?
Two: Well- isn't that kind of messed up?
Two glances at you, but you only shrug.
Kim: Can you all just leave, okay? Just get out.
Milk: Right.
Milk goes to his bag and pulls something out, then returns to the group. It's a gun. There's panic- he aims at Kim.
[[Take a bullet for Kim.]]
[[Keep your distance.]]
You: Wait.
Milk turns and glares at you.
Milk: Really?
Mindy looks between you all, then at Kim, who's furiously typing away at her phone.
Mindy: Wait- let's see if they knock again.
You all wait patiently, listening. A few seconds pass but nothing happens. Eventually Milk opens the door and stares out of the doorway.
Two: What's out there?
Milk: Err, nothing.
Two: Maybe it was a neighbour, or something?
Kim: Yeah- probably. They come round all the time for stuff.
She looks at you and Two.
Kim: Did you guys leave the gates open when you came in?
Two: Oh- yeah. Sorry. You think a neighbour was worried about that?
Kim: Yeah, most likely. So, what do we do now?
Eventually everyone returns to their cushions and Kim manages to put her phone away long enough to start a good conversation. You talk about school, parents, movies, fellow classmates, and that one teacher with the wart on her nose that everyone calls Miss Bubble Nose, and overall it's an average and uneventful night. Congratulations on being boring and avoiding having fun.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You spring into action, diving inbetween Kim and Milk, or more precisely, between Kim and the gun.
Milk pulls the trigger. You close your eyes, only to hear the trigger pull again. You open your eyes- Milk looks horrified.
George quickly rushes in and wrestles the gun, pulling it from Milk. Milk backs off to the corner of the room.
Two: What happened?
George: Erm- this is fake. It's an old replica- it's not a real gun.
You all look at Milk- he turns and runs out of the cabin. You all stand in silence for a while until Mindy starts hyperventilating from the shock of the moment. You look at Kim and see she's staring blankly. You looking at her makes her realise something and she turns to you.
Kim: Shit- Hash is out there.
Two: So, to be clear, Hash is your... girlfriend, right?
Kim nods.
Two: Right. Wow. I mean- okay, my car?
You leave and take Two's car- Kim takes the passenger seat while you, George and Mindy take the back. George has managed to calm Mindy down somewhat.
Two: So, where to?
Kim: She would've headed back home- left.
You start driving down the road.
Two: You think Milk will attack her?
Kim: Considering he had a gun?
Two: Well, he thought it was a gun- I guess. Is it possible he just wanted to scare you?
Kim: I don't know. I don't know what he was thinking. Turn right here.
Two: I haven't seen anyone. Milk can't have gone too far, right?
Kim: He was running, I dunno.
Two: Where next-
Kim: THERE!
Kim points at a figure walking with their hands in their pockets. They're wearing a coat and bobble hat. Two stops the car and Hash turns around- Kim jumps out and runs over, giving Hash a hug.
Kim and Hash talk briefly, then Kim asks Two if he could take her and Hash to Hash's house for the night. It's a tight squeeze in the car, but you manage, and Two drives everyone back to their homes.
The next day in school Milk doesn't show- instead, halfway through the day a message is brought to your class about Milk- he died last night. The school holds a minutes' silence.
After school, everyone meets up to discuss what happened. George says he presumed Milk must have taken his own life somehow, but Two says he's heard rumours of the case circling around school. Milk was found in the woods at the edge of town, meaning he must have left Kim's house, travelling in the opposite direction. His body was found with its lower jaw removed.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You stay back. You watch as Milk pulls the trigger.
Silence.
Milk pulls the trigger again.
Silence.
Milk looks horrified.
George quickly rushes in and wrestles the gun, pulling it from Milk. Milk backs off to the corner of the room.
Two: What happened?
George: Erm- it's fake. It's an old replica- it's not a real gun.
You all look at Milk- he turns and runs out of the cabin. You all stand in silence for a while until Mindy starts hyperventilating from the shock of the moment. Kim is staring ahead blankly.
George: You okay, Kim?
She blinks, then turns to George.
Kim: Shit- Hash is out there.
Two: Wait, so, to be clear, Hash is your... girlfriend, right?
Kim nods.
Two: Right. Wow. I mean- okay, my car?
You leave and take Two's car- Kim takes the passenger seat while you, George and Mindy take the back. George has managed to calm Mindy down somewhat.
Two: So, where to?
Kim: She would've headed back home- left.
You start driving down the road.
Two: You think Milk will attack her?
Kim: Considering he had a gun?
Two: Well, he thought it was a gun- I guess. Is it possible he just wanted to scare you?
Kim: I don't-
George: Who's that?
At the side of the road is a figure walking along.
Two: Is it Milk?
Kim: Shit! Don't look at him!
You turn away and drive past.
Two: Well? Was it him?
Kim: I don't know- turn right, here!
Two turns sharply.
Two: A little more warning next time, please! Where next-
Kim: THERE!
Kim points at a figure walking with their hands in their pockets. They're wearing a coat and bobble hat. Two stops the car and Hash turns around- Kim jumps out and runs over, giving Hash a hug. You all wait in the car as they talk.
There's a scream.
Mindy: What was that?
Two: More like //who// was that.
George turns around, looking out the back window.
George: I think it was behind us?
There's more screaming, then a figure runs down the road you'd just driven along. They don't make it far- a tall figure chases and pounces on them, pinning them down.
George: What is that? What's going on?
George gets out of the car to get a better look.
George: That- that's Milk!
You and Two step out of the car and take a look at the attack taking place at the bottom of the road. Milk is being held down by some kind of figure. He goes limp.
The thing looks at you then starts running towards you.
Two: Run!
Two bolts off towards the nearest house, with Kim and Hash following him. George momentarily fumbles with the car door as he considers whether or not to hide inside it, but bails and runs to the house. Mindy is still inside the car.
[[Run to the house.]]
[[Get in the car with Mindy.]]
You leave the car and run for the house. Kim bangs on the door and Two tries the handle- it opens. You make it, getting inside the house last.
Hash: Hello? Is anyone here?
George: I'll find a weapon!
Two: Look!
Two points to the car as Lady Lockjaw continues to run towards the car. Mindy is still inside.
[[Close the front door.]]
[[Shout at Lady lockjaw to attack you instead.]]
You yank open the car door and get inside, hiding in the back with Mindy.
Mindy: Do- do you think that's...?
Everyone else makes it inside the house they ran to. The creature keeps running towards the car.
You: What did the book say?
Mindy: I left it at the house!
You: But what did it say?
Mindy thinks back.
Mindy: It... it said Lady Lockjaw can't open doors. We should be okay, right?
You look out the back window of the car and get a good look of the figure- tall, pitch-black skin, an impossibly long neck. It reaches the car and immediately smashes the back window- Lady Lockjaw might not be able to pass through doors, but windows are something else entirely. She reaches her long arm through and grabs Mindy by the head, pulling her halfway through the window. Mindy screams- Lady Lockjaw rips Mindy's lower jaw off.
You quickly open the car door and dive out, running for the house. You hear something running close behind you, then long arms swing around your neck and pull you to the ground. Lady Lockjaw turns you onto your back, then her mouth contorts into an elongated, stretched scream. You scream, too. Lady Lockjaw places a bony hand in your mouth.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
[[.]]
Your jaw is ripped clean off, but you're still alive. A sudden holy light blasts over you, and Lady Lockjaw disappears. You're in intense pain and bleeding profusely, but you have to see what happened.
Hash is stood by the door of the house she'd ran too, looking out at you. She has a smile and angelic wings sprouting from her back. You can't speak, but you feel like you know who this is.
Two: Raphael?
Hash turns to look at him.
Hash: Gabriel.
Two looks worried.
Two: We're looking for-
Hash: I know what you're doing here. So does most-everyone else. You're setting a bad example, Gabriel- if an archangel is on Earth, many see it as acceptable for them to come here.
Two: No, you misunderstand- we're here for Ph-
George appears at the doorway with a knife. He quickly stops when he sees Hash.
George: Whoa.
Hash takes the knife and suddenly stabs Two.
Hash: Go home, Gabriel.
A blast of white light explodes from Two for a single instant, and then it vanishes, along with him. Angels can quickly return to Heaven when an injury is sustained- or, another angel can send them back. Hash looks at you, bleeding from your mouth, your agony barely tolerable.
Hash: And you, Michael. I hear this was all your idea? Regardless, it's not my problem. Send my regards to Thoth.
You're consumed by the light.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You dive forward and grab the front door, slamming it shut. Kim goes to protest, but pauses. None of you wants to intervene.
You all wait behind the door. You hear Mindy scream, then she's silenced.
Hash: What... what do we do, now?
[['Let's hide upstairs.']]
[['Let's hide in the living room.']]
You: Hey! Hey, over here!
Two looks shocked at first, but soon realises what you're doing.
Hash: Hey! Leave her alone!
Two: Yeah! Over here, over here!
The figure is watching you as it stands by the car, then suddenly charges, bounding towards you. Two slams the door shut in panic.
Silence.
Kim: Is it still out there?
Two: I'd rather not look, to be honest, Kim!
Kim: Well, is Mindy okay?
Two looks at you for an answer.
[[Open the door.->frontdooropen]]
[['We should find the people who live here.']]
You grab the front door and open it. There's no one there.
Hash: Where did it go?
Mindy is still in the car, looking out at you. Two shouts.
Two: Mindy, stay there!
Hash: Wait, really? Shouldn't we check if she's okay?
[['She's safer in the car. Let's ask the people who live here for help.'->'We should find the people who live here.']]
[[Go to Mindy.]]
Two: Well, I guess it's the polite thing to do.
Kim: We'll find George.
Two: I think he just went to the kitchen- but, sure. I'll call the police.
They head to the living room, then Two looks back at you.
Two: So, you're checking upstairs, then?
Two smiles at you, then gives you a slap on the back. Very funny, Two. It's not like there's a literal monster after you.
You begrudgingly look towards the stairs, then make your way up- but you don't make it far before you see a figure walk out from upstairs, standing at the highest step and looking down at you.
You finally get a good look at it. Tall and bony, she wears a green and red ankara dress and several neck rings, extending her neck to be unnaturally tall. Her lower jaw suddenly stretches down, her mouth open and wide. She doesn't speak, but lumbers down towards you. You turn and run into the living room.
Two: You okay?
You run past him just as Lady Lockjaw bursts into the room, jumping atop Two and pinning him to the ground. She turns him over and howls in his face, but he looks away and keeps his mouth shut.
George enters the room from the dining room, carrying a knife he found- he drops the knife in shock.
George: Holy-
Lady Lockjaw looks up at him, then bursts forwards in a sprint. George screams and shuts the dining room door in her face- she explodes into a fine black smoke which quickly dissipates, vanishing amongst the air.
Kim: What the fuck?
Kim backs away to the side of the room, by the front window.
Two: Did we kill it?
Suddenly Lady Lockjaw smashes through the front window of the house, grabbing Kim and pulling her through. You hear a scream followed by a sickening snapping sound, then Lady Lockjaw reappears, crawling through the window at you.
Hash grabs a floor lamp and swings it down, striking Lady Lockjaw on the head. She screams, then crawls away, climbing up the side of the house.
Two stands up, and you both look at Hash.
Two: Well, erm... So, Kim is, err...
Hash: I think it's safe to say it's time for us all to stop holding back.
Two: Excuse me?
Hash: Gabriel, give up the act. I'd love to deal with both of you now, but I think we can both agree dealing with the Lady first would be preferable.
[['Who are you?']]
[['How do we kill this... thing?']]
[['Let's go upstairs.']]
[[Check on George.]]
You run out of the house and to the car, opening the door.
You: Are you okay?
Mindy: Yeah- I'm fine.
She looks a little shaken, but gets out of the car and looks to Milk.
Mindy: We need to see if he's okay, don't we?
[[Return to the house.]]
[[Check on Milk.]]
You: We should get inside, where it's safe.
You start heading to the house, but suddenly Mindy runs away from you and towards Milk. She shouts back at you.
Mindy: He moved! He's okay!
You watch her leave, but you decided to return to the house, and that's what you'll do. You run to the front door and get inside.
Two: What's going on?
You: Mindy is trying to help Milk.
Two: So? Does he need help?
[['Oh- yeah, probably. I'll go and help her.'->Check on Milk.]]
[['We should find the people who live here.']]
You run over to Milk, lying in the middle of the road, his front coated in blood.
Mindy: He moved! He's definitely alive!
You stand next to him and take a look. Milk lies still, then suddenly convulses. You lean over him.
You: Milk?
Milk suddenly comes alive, reaching up and grabbing at you- you back away, but he quickly springs up and launches at you. You scream and he grabs at your jaw, tearing it away from your face.
You fall to the ground, overwhelmed in agony. Mindy screams, then her screams become a pained gurgle as Milk pries her lower jaw away, too.
...
The pandemic spreads fast, taking the whole world by surprise. You get to see the whole thing unfold on the side of the diseased, killing the innocent and spreading your curse. Most of your friends are taken down by the police and military early on, but you and Two are different, you're strong. You spread the curse amongst the populace, ushering in a new era of humanity.
After millennia of doing the right thing, you realise how good it feels to be bad.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Hash: Really now, Michael?
Hash reveals her wings to you, giving a clear indication of her status.
Two: Uriel?!
You: No, you idiot. It's Raphael.
Hash: Thank you, Michael.
Hash folds her wings away.
Two: Why did you choose a chick?
Hash: Because I'm not one to fuss over my form, unlike the two of you. I can't believe you went out of your way to pick humans who share your names- the term 'pride' comes to mind.
Two: Oh, it's not that bad. Barely even vanity.
Hash shoots Two a wicked look.
Hash: I suppose you've both figured out why I'm here by now?
Two: Erm- this was all Michael's idea!
Hash: And you went along with it because...?
Two: Err, okay, you've got me there.
Hash glares at you. You consider saying something about how judgement day is a few millenia overdue, but you know Raphael will pick flaws in your argument until there's nothing left. You stay quiet.
Two: So, I take it you know what that thing is?
Hash: Unlike you, I do my research before making a visit. Lady Lockjaw is one of the many stories held within the La Liv nan Banir.
Two: The what?
Hash: Just shut up and listen. The Lady was a women greeted by Baron Samedi upon death. He was so stunned by her beauty that he tried to woo her, but she rejected his advances. He tried a few more times, of course- nine hundred to be exact.
Two: Wait, isn't the Baron married?
Hash: Indeed. Brigitte was so furious she pulled the Baron away from the Lady before the Lady had been led to the afterlife.
Two: Is he usually like that?
Hash: No, usually he's quite good at his job.
Two snorts.
Hash: Laugh as you may, he's a charming gentleman once you see past all the... obscenities. Anyway, Eris had been watching this display the entire time and found it hilarious, so she sent the Lady back to Earth with a curse- namely, a curse that causes her to kill people, sending ever more people to the Baron and, subsequently, more work for him to do. Marzanna caught word of Eris's actions-
Two: Marzanna? You mean Morana?
You: I thought it was Morena. Or maybe Mara...
Hash: Same person! Look, Marzanna Morana Morena Mara has been on bad terms with Eris for a long time now-
Two: How come?
Hash: Do you want this story to have an ending or not?!
Hash takes in a deep breath.
Hash: Look, the point is, Lady lockjaw was sending too many people to the afterlife. Marzanna tried to stop this, but her spell backfired, instead spreading the curse to the Lady's victims-
Two: What spell could she possibly have used?
Hash: She didn't! There was obviously a third party involved, Gabriel!
Two: And who might that have been?
Hash: I don't know, okay?
Two: Sounds good, Mr 'I do my research before making a visit.'
Hash: Look, we haven't got time for this- it's not often I offer to work together with you two. Are we quite done?
[['How do we kill this... thing?']]
[['Let's go upstairs.']]
[[Check on George.]]
Hash: The first sensible thing either of you has said all day.
You all head towards the stairs, you leading the way. You look up, but Lady Lockjaw isn't waiting at the top this time.
Two: You were a really convincing Hash, by the way.
Hash: You need to learn the art of staying in character, Gabriel. I'd offer to teach you, but merely being around you, once word of what you and Michael have been up to spreads, would do nothing but send ruin to my reputation.
Two: Well, thanks for the offer, anyway.
You reach the top of the stairs. There are two doors to the front side of the house- a master bedroom and a child's bedroom.
[['Let's try the master bedroom.']]
[['Let's try the child's bedroom.']]
You open the dining room door. George is stood there, looking sweaty and pale.
George: Is... is she gone?
Hash: Yes, she got pulled out the window.
George looks confused.
Hash: Oh- you mean the Lady, don't you? Sorry, I thought you were talking about Kim- oh, while we're on the topic, Kim is dead. Don't worry, she'll fit right in in Hell.
Wings suddenly burst from Hash's back. George faints.
Two: Well, you really laid it on thick, there.
Hash folds her wings away.
Hash: I try my best.
[['Who are you?']]
[['How do we kill this... thing?']]
[['Let's go upstairs.']]
Hash: I can cast it out while it's in the act of killing someone. The Lady passes on a curse to her victims, of which the process leaves her vulnerable. I'm surprised you didn't notice yourselves.
Two: Well, yes... it's obvious. I just didn't want to sound patronising.
Hash gives Two a glare. He replies with an innocent smile.
[['Who are you?']]
[['Let's go upstairs.']]
[[Check on George.]]
You open the door to see two adults- one lying on the bed, one on the floor. They're both covered in blood that's still flowing from their faces.
Two: Oh, God. Is she here?
Hash walks around the room, even checking under the bed. She takes a look at the smashed window.
Hash: She must have left. If she's not in the other room we'll have to go looking for her.
Two: I'm so glad to be spending some good, quality time with my new best friend-
Hash: Shut up.
[['Let's try the child's bedroom.']]
Hash: Sure. Would you like to do the honours?
You all walk to the child's bedroom, with you and Two glancing at each other. You give him a nod, then he gives you a nod. You give him another nod.
Hash: Oh, for crying out loud, one of you open it already!
[[Open the door.->door]]
[['Yeah, Two. Open the door.']]
Two: How very mature of you, Michael.
Two slowly opens the door- as soon as he does Lady lockjaw's hand grabs the door and tries pulling it wide open.
Two: Oh, no you don't!
Two slams the door shut on the Lady's fingers. She shrieks- until the door is closed.
Hash: Wait! If you close the door she-
Suddenly Lady Lockjaw appears behind Hash and brings her arm round her, placing her hand inside Hash's mouth. Hash screams in surprise, just before the Lady sharply pulls down and Hash's lower jaw breaks off with a sickening crunch.
Two: Oh, crap! Michael, you know how to send it back, right?
You shake your head.
Two: What do you mean you-
The Lady dashes towards Two, placing a hand in his mouth and yanking his lower jaw off with a gruesome //snap.// She turns to you- you keep your mouth firmly shut.
You slowly start to back away, but suddenly cry out as Hash grabs your leg. Lady Lockjaw pounces at you, and you watch as both Two and Hash stand up besides her, watching as you're mutilated. You collapse.
...
You stand up besides Two and Hash. You all feel an overwhelming urge to spread the curse. You leave, each of you heading to another house, breaking in through the windows.
The pandemic spreads fast, taking the whole world by surprise. You get to see the whole thing unfold on the side of the diseased, killing the innocent and spreading your curse. Most of your friends are taken down by the police and military early on, but you, Two and Hash are different, you're strong. You spread the curse amongst the populace, ushering in a new era of humanity.
After millennia of doing the right thing, you realise how good it feels to be bad.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You place a hand on the handle, count to three in your head, then open the door. As soon as you do, Lady Lockjaw grabs the side of the door and pulls it all the way open, then pounces and pins you to the ground.
[[Scream.]]
[[Scream.]]
[[Scream.]]
[[Scream.]]
[[Scream.]]
[[Don't scream.]]
[[Scream.]]
[[Scream.]]
You scream and Lady Lockjaw places a bony hand in your mouth, then rips your jaw clean off. She's suddenly consumed by a holy white light- you look up at Hash and she smiles at you.
A second light appears, bursting from your skin.
Hash: Goodbye.
Suddenly Two slaps Hash on the head.
Hash: Ow! Gabriel-
Two slaps Hash again, then again.
Hash: Ow, ow! Gabriel, pack it in!
But Two continues, and soon he and Hash are slapping away at each other in the most pathetic fight you've ever witnessed. Eventually their fight makes it to the stairs, and Gabriel pushes Hash down; she falls down every step to the bottom.
Two: There! That sure dealt with-
You suddenly leap up, tearing Two's lower jaw from his mouth.
...
The pandemic spreads fast, taking the whole world by surprise. You get to see the whole thing unfold on the side of the diseased, killing the innocent and spreading your curse. Most of your friends are taken down by the police and military early on, but you, Two and Hash are different, you're strong. You spread the curse amongst the populace, ushering in a new era of humanity.
After millennia of doing the right thing, you realise how good it feels to be bad.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Lady lockjaw keeps you pinned down, but you refuse to open your mouth. She reels over and shrieks in your face, but you keep your mouth firmly shut.
Hash: Michael! Open you mou-
Suddenly Lady Lockjaw pounces off you and throws a hand into Hash's mouth, ripping her lower jaw off.
Two: Whoa! Oh my Go-
Lady Lockjaw turns to Two in an instant and tears his jaw clean off. He falls beside Hash in agony as blood sprays across the floor.
Lady Lockjaw turns back to you, then lumbers over you once again. You keep your mouth tightly closed, but the Lady doesn't care; she has more than one method of execution. She gently strokes the underside of your chin, then tears through your skin and flesh with her bony hand, breaking into your lower jaw from its underside and tearing it off.
...
After the Lady has left you stand up. Two and Hash stand up, too. The parents from the master bedroom come over to join you. You all feel an overwhelming urge to spread the curse. You leave, each of you heading to another house, breaking in through the windows.
The pandemic spreads fast, taking the whole world by surprise. You get to see the whole thing unfold on the side of the diseased, killing the innocent and spreading your curse. Most of your friends are taken down by the police and military early on, but you, Two and Hash are different, you're strong. You spread the curse amongst the populace, ushering in a new era of humanity.
After millennia of doing the right thing, you realise how good it feels to be bad.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Everyone agrees and you all run upstairs.
Kim: Wait, didn't we leave George downstairs?
Two: There's no time for that, Kim!
Two opens a door to the master bedroom- two adult bodies are lying bloodied in the room, their jaws removed. Lady lockjaw is stood by the smashed window- she charges at Two.
[[Fight her.]]
[[Leave the house.]]
You all run into the living room, but are there for mere seconds when Lady Lockjaw bursts through the front window, grabbing Hash and pulling her outside. Kim screams, then the Lady bursts back inside, clawing at her.
Suddenly George runs into the room with a knife from the kitchen. In a moment of courage he stabs at the Lady- she shrieks in pain and clambers out the window.
Two: Where did she go?
Kim: She took Hash!
Suddenly a second figure climbs through the window- it's Milk. Blood is oozing from his smashed open mouth.
Kim: Gus?
Everyone stays back, just as a second figure climbs inside. It's Mindy.
George: N-no...
Milk grabs at Kim and George stabs at him, pushing him away. Mindy turns to you and lumbers forward, grabbing at your face. Your turn to George for some help, but this time he remains still. He stands watching, unable to move.
Everyone watches.
You let Mindy die.
Why would you do that?
Mindy would like to know, too. She pries your mouth open to hear your answer, but you have nothing to say. She pulls your lower jaw from your mouth with a sharp tug.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You rush at Lady Lockjaw and push her away- she grabs you firmly, but Two intervenes, fighting her off you. You continue wrestling with her and Kim comes in to help.
Kim: Get off them! Get off-
The Lady smiles and places a hand in Kim's mouth, quickly yanking Kim's lower jaw off with a sickening crunch. Hash screams and the Lady goes for her- you and Two back off, only to feel something grab you from behind.
Two screams in fright and one one of the mutilated adults grabs his jaw, ripping it off. The second adult grabs at you, but you try to be smart, keeping your mouth firmly shut.
Kim stands up, then the recently butchered Hash, then Two. Everyone turns their attention to you, and there's no way you can keep your jaw firmly shut against this many prying hands. You join the body count.
...
The pandemic spreads fast, taking the whole world by surprise. You get to see the whole thing unfold on the side of the diseased, killing the innocent and spreading your curse. Most of your friends are taken down by the police and military early on, but you and Two are different, you're strong. You spread the curse amongst the populace, ushering in a new era of humanity.
After millennia of doing the right thing, you realise how good it feels to be bad.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
You turn and run downstairs as fast as you can. You hear Two scream upstairs, but you keep running.
You reach the front door and pull it open, then stop in your tracks. Mindy is stood there, blood dripping down her- so much that you can distinctly see a bloody trail leading from the car. Her speech is broken from her lack of mouth, her tongue wriggling at the air.
Mindy: _ou lef_ _e. _ou lef_ _e _o _ie, _i_hael.
She can't pronounce most of the letters, but you think you understand.
[[Accept your fate.]]
[[Fight Mindy.]]
Your lower jaw drops open loosely and Mindy gently places a hand inside your mouth, then tugs hard. There's an audible crack, but your jaw doesn't break away. She pulls again- the bone cracks, but your skin holds on. She pulls again, finally ripping your jaw from your mouth.
Mindy: Than_ _ou, _i_hael.
You feel a powerful urge inside you- the same feeling Mindy has. You turn around and head back inside with Mindy, just as Hash runs downstairs while Kim wrestles with Lady Lockjaw on the stairs.
Hash: What the-
You grab Hash and hold her still while Mindy pries her jaw open. You and Mindy make an excellent team.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Mindy walks towards you, gently reaching out to your face. You grab at her hands and push her away roughly- she comes back at you more determined, and you grab her, pulling her to the ground with you. Blood sprays over you, still squirting from her broken mouth.
George: M-Mindy?
You turn around and George looks at your blood-covered face. He's holding a knife- he quickly rushes over, stabbing you in the back.
You quickly get off Mindy and fight him off, but he stabs you again and you fall to the ground. Suddenly Mindy gets up and slowly lumbers over to you. George stabs you again, but Mindy lightly pushes him away and reaches down at you, prying at your mouth. He looks at her, tears in his eyes, then at you.
He helps her.
With George's help, Mindy pulls your lower jaw from your face. The pain is excruciating. You can feel blood running down your neck. You watch, lying on the floor in agony, as Mindy and George hug. George is crying. They stand up, and George leads her away by the hand. You hear Mindy try to say the word 'kill.' George nods, holding the knife firmly in his hand, and leads them to their first house.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Two: Alright, what are we getting?
Milk: McDonald's!
Kim: Ugh, I hate McDonald's.
Milk: Alright, KFC or pizza?
George: Is KFC even open right now?
Two: Guys, come on! Tell me where to go!
Two takes a corner onto a main road.
Mindy: Wait, is there even anything down this way?
Two: Err...
Kim: Yeah, you need to go back the way you came.
Two: 'kay, on it.
Two spins the car around with a U-turn.
George: Whoa! Slow down!
Two: Can someone just tell me where to go?
Kim: Two, come on! You live here, how are you lost?
Two: Well what are we getting, pizza or KFC?
Kim: I dunno, but KFC is right next to Papa John's, anyway.
Two: And where's that?
Milk: Wait, Papa John's? What about Domino's?
Two: Here?
Kim: No, idiot! Straight up!
George: I vote Domino's.
Mindy: I'll have whatever.
Milk: Oh, come on! You have to pick one, right?
Kim: No, I'm not fussed, either.
George: Err- I'm not bothered either, I just thought-
Kim: THERE!
Two: What?
Kim: Turn!
Two: Turn //where?//
Kim: Right!
Two almost misses the road, quickly turning and speeding down it.
George: Holy shit!
Two: More warning next time, pelase!
Kim: I literally said!
Two: You're sitting in the back saying 'there,' what the hell is 'there?' I can't see where you're pointing!
Milk: Seriously, you drive us to McDonald's all the time, how have you forgotten the way?
Two: We're not going to McDonald's!
Milk: Alright, sorry.
Two: Guys, seriously! Where are we even goin-
Suddenly a car pulls out from a road ahead. Milk hits the breaks hard; if he'd been paying attention he'd have slowed earlier. You hit the car and everything starts going in slow motion. You manage to have the sense to protect your head with your arms as the car crashes and shudders away, your seatbelt digging into your neck and knocking all of the air out of your lungs.
You wait until everything feels calm and look around. The front window of the car is smashed open- there's a body lying at the front of your car. It's Mindy.
You feel disorientated. You see the people in the car Two hit get out and stumble towards Mindy, but they stay back, putting their hands to their head in shock.
You feel dizzy. You look at Two, and he looks as well as you feel.
Two: G-go back. Now. Let's n-never do this a-again.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Milk: Haha, yes, Michael! Your brother is called Michael, right, Two?
Two: Ask him yourself, idiot!
Two drives you all across town to the woods, breathing a sigh of relief when he sees the sign says '24 hour car park.' You all pile out and take a look around.
George: Well, this is creepy. Anyone bring a torch?
Kim presses some buttons on her phone and turns the flashlight on.
George: Ah, duh.
Two and Milk do the same with their phones.
George: My batteries getting low...
George puts his phone away again and you head towards a rain shelter near the edge of the woods with a few benches underneath.
Two: Well, this is homely.
Kim: And cold.
Milk: Okay, who's ready for the game?
Kim groans.
Kim: What are we doing, again?
Milk: Test of courage! Two of us walk into the woods at a time- the rest of us wait here for them to get back, then the next group leaves.
George: Where do we walk to?
Milk: Err...
Milk walks over to a map of the park, and Two walks over to join him, discussing routes to take. You take a seat on one of the benches and notice Mindy has brought the book along with you. She's having a hard time reading it in the dark.
Milk and Two return from the map.
Milk: Okay, so there's a tennis court and another car park on the right side of the park... somewhere, so that will be the goal.
Kim: Somewhere?
Milk: Yeah, like... you'll get the jist of it if you look at the map.
George: How far is it?
Milk: Err...
Milk looks at Two, but he simply shrugs.
Milk: Not... far? Maybe?
Kim: Well, this is going well so far.
Milk: Okay, so who's coming with me?
Everyone goes silent.
Kim: Well... you could go with Two?
Milk points at her.
Milk: A volunteer!
Kim: No.
Milk: Well I can't go with Two because both of us have a light source. If we go in groups of two at a time then we need someone with a torch to go with someone who doesn't have one.
Kim: Then why did you say I was a volunteer when I have a torch?
Milk: Err... Okay then, George?
George: No way. You'll take me half way then run off and leave me.
Milk: I won't!
Two: Alright, what if I go, George?
George looks nervously amongst you all.
Two: I promise I won't be a dick, okay?
George: Okay- okay.
He gets up with a smile.
George: Let's do this.
Milk: Great! And while you do that, I'm going to do something else!
Milk walks off towards a nearby set of toilets.
Two: Fantastic. Okay, let's get this over with.
George and Two head into the woods leaving you, Kim and Mindy on the benches. Kim once again becomes engrossed in her phone. You look at Mindy- she's still looking at the book.
[[Ask her to read more about Lady lockjaw.]]
[['I think it's too dark to read.']]
You: Can you read that in the dark?
Mindy: Well, not really...
Kim: Oh, sorry.
Kim shines the light over for Mindy to read.
Mindy: Thanks. Want to hear the rest?
You: Sure, go ahead.
Mindy: Okay, here's the whole entry- A tall, pure melanin-skinned woman with a tall neck due to neck rings. Lady Lockjaw’s body is described as brittle and bony, in particular her fingers which are long and skeletal, said to be able to stab and tear through skin. Lady Lockjaw is named for the most renowned state her victims are left in- with their lower jaws torn off; some survivors have claimed this method of death can be avoided by refusing to scream or open the mouth during an attack. Lady Lockjaw cannot pass through or open doors, with this being the optimal method of escape. When she is going for the attack she is known to open her mouth extremely wide and howl at her victim, likely in the hopes the victim will scream in shock, allowing her to remove the jaw. Lady Lockjaw will only attack those whom know of her existence; in order to avoid her it is best to spread knowledge of her to increase the number of potential victims she has, decreasing the chances of her choosing you as her next victim.
Mindy turns the page.
Mindy: Oh- that's it.
Kim: Yeah, that's not a book of ghost stories- more like a book of, err, myths, or something.
You: Can I see that?
Mindy: Sure.
You take the book from Mindy and look at the front. It reads: 'La Liv nan Banir'. Underneath this is the English title: 'The Book of Banishment.' There is no author on the front, but when you open it up you find the details: 'Compiled by Emmanuel Jean Pasquet on behalf of Lady Pandora.'
You: Where did you get this, Mindy?
Mindy: It was just on my bookshelf. Why?
You open the book up again, realising the first few pages are written in foreign. The foreign text makes up the first third of the book.
Milk: What'd I miss?
Milk walks over, still zipping up his flies as he walks. Kim laughs and looks away in second-hand embarrassment.
Mindy: I just read the rest of the story, but that's all.
Milk: How was it?
Mindy shrugs.
Mindy: Not even a story, technically.
Milk looks to the woods.
Milk: How far do you think they've gotten?
Suddenly you hear screaming.
Milk: Whoa- err...
Kim: Shit, that's them, for sure.
Milk: They could just be messing with us?
Kim: But what if they need help?
Mindy: Yeah, we... someone should go, I think.
There's more panicked screaming.
[[Run in to help them.]]
[[Wait where you are.]]
Mindy: Yeah, I know.
Kim: Oh, sorry- do you want some light?
Kim shines her phone at you, blinding you and Mindy momentarily. Mindy laughs.
Mindy: No, that's fine. I'm done with it, anyway.
Kim: Sure?
Mindy: Yeah, sure. Thanks.
Kim looks back at her phone, then looks up at you.
Kim: Erm, Michael?
You: Yes?
Kim: Err, you don't, by any chance, know anyone called Hash?
You: What?
Kim: Hash. Err, my friend- it's just, she keeps texting and asking about you and Two.
You: What kind of a name is Hash?
Kim: Oh- her name is Sunshine. She hates it.
You: Erm, I don't know any Sunshine's. Or Hash's.
Kim: Weird. She's probably joking. She says she's keeping tabs on you.
Milk: What'd I miss?
Milk walks over, still zipping up his flies as he walks. Kim laughs and looks away in second-hand embarrassment.
Kim: Literally nothing.
Milk laughs, then looks to the woods.
Milk: How far do you think they've gotten?
Suddenly you hear screaming.
Milk: Whoa- err...
Kim: Shit, that's them, for sure.
Milk: They could just be messing with us?
Kim: But what if they need help?
Mindy: Yeah, we... someone should go, I think.
There's more panicked screaming.
[[Run in to help them.]]
[[Wait where you are.]]
Without any more time to think you jump off your seat and run into the woods, heading towards the screams. You quickly realise this was a bad idea- you don't have a light source, unlike the others.
You hear more screaming and running- it's definitely Two and George. You keep running until you reach a small wooden shelter- it's a bird watching hut facing towards a large pond. You look around until you see two figures and a light running in the opposite direction- it's Two and George, but they didn't see you. Whatever they were running from must be nearby.
It's dark. Too dark to see. You hear a crunching of crisp leaves and a gradual shuffling. Your eyes are starting to adjust to the dark- a figure is approaching.
It's tall. Its head is suspended atop an unnaturally long neck.
You fumble around in the dark, reaching the entrance to the bird watching hut. You stumble inside, just as the figure shrieks and rushes for you. You back up inside, trapped at all angles. It leers over you, reaching out and touching your face, feeling for your mouth as you scream. It puts a hand inside your mouth.
It pulls down on your jaw, then tugs again, harder. You're whimpering and crying in a panic, but it doesn't care. It yanks at your jaw, still shrieking at you. You hear a snap from your mouth and a sharp pain shoots up your face. It pulls again and there's a loud crunch as your jawbone becomes loose. Lady Lockjaw gives one final, sharp pull, and your lower jaw breaks off, your skin ripping away and blood pouring from your mouth. You howl in pain, your exposed tongue tasting the dry air of the hut, blood running down your neck and coating you in red.
Then she leaves.
You stay there, lying on the floor of the dirty, cobweb-ridden hut, writhing in agony, too scared to leave.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
All of you stay quiet, remaining where you are as you hear Two and George continue to scream. Their screams get closer- they seem to be running.
Suddenly they burst out of the woods and start charging towards you.
Kim: What the-
Two: Go! Get back in the car!
Kim: But what-
Two: GO!
You all start running and make it to the car, piling in, Two quickly starting up the car and screeching away.
Mindy: What happened?
George: There was someone... //something// in the woods! We saw it, and it, I think it saw us!
You all look out the window, looking into the woods for signs of movement.
Kim: What did it look like?
George: A person! A tall, tall person!
You watch the woods as you drive away, but it's hard to make anything out in the dark. There could be hundreds of people watching you right now and you'd never know.
...
Only a short drive out of the car park and Two starts laughing.
Kim: What's so funny?
Two: I can't believe that! I swear, George, we saw something, right?
George: Y-yeah? I think so?
Two: Oh, that was crazy! I can't believe we did that!
George starts laughing too, and soon you all are.
Two: That was the stupidest thing I've ever done! Oh, man- that was //cool!// Who's up for pizza?
You all give a resound 'yes' and Two drives you to get pizza, then you take it back to Kim's house and eat it in her living room. George and Mindy begin talking about Harry Potter once again, and Kim takes a look at her DVD collection- she's got the sixth movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but inside the box is the DVD for Mean Girls, so you end up watching that instead. It's still fun, and you all manage to have a surprisingly great time.
Eventually Kim's parents arrive home and Two offers to drive everyone else to their respective homes. You say goodbye to them all at each house, dropping Mindy home last.
Mindy: Thanks, guys. Two, are you sure you don't want money for petrol?
Two: Nah, I wasn't the one that filled up.
Mindy: Huh?
Two: Err- never mind.
You: Hey- did you forget something?
Mindy looks at you for a moment.
Mindy: Oh- my book? I... I haven't had it all night, actually...
She looks away for a second, thinking.
Mindy: Ah, I think I left it at the park when we all ran. Oh well, don't worry about it- I didn't even know I had that old thing until this morning, haha. See you, guys- thanks again for the lift home!
She leaves and you and Two give a wave. Two starts driving.
Two: Well, then. That was... actually kind of fun.
You: Yeah- I think I had more fun than I've had on any other timeline.
Two: Yeah.
There's a pause.
Two: So... Mindy left her book at the park, right?
You: Yeah.
Two: Right.
Another silence.
You: You know what? Screw it. I had fun, and for once, I'm not ashamed to admit that.
Two: Yeah, I agree. For once, I don't want to go back. Now, let's go return this car.
The End.
Two: Unless, you know, you want to try again anyway? It's just, I think I might be happy with this. I think we all are.
[[Back to start.->Start]]
Game made by Censing.
<a href="http://just-censing-things.tumblr.com/">Tumblr.</a>
[[Back to start.->Start]]