Before we can start, please tell me: What pronouns would you like to be used?
[She/Her]<msg1| | [He/Him]<msg2| | [They/Them]<msg3| | [Other]<msg4|
{(click: ?msg1)[
(set: $p_sub to "she")
(set: $p_obj to "her")
(set: $p_dep_pos to "her")
(set: $p_indep_pos to "hers")
(set: $p_ref to "herself")
(go-to: "PronounsII")
]
(click: ?msg2)[
(set: $p_sub to "he")
(set: $p_obj to "him")
(set: $p_dep_pos to "his")
(set: $p_indep_pos to "his")
(set: $p_ref to "himself")
(go-to: "PronounsII")
]
(click: ?msg3)[
(set: $p_sub to "they")
(set: $p_obj to "them")
(set: $p_dep_pos to "their")
(set: $p_indep_pos to "theirs")
(set: $p_ref to "themself")
(go-to: "PronounsII")
]
(click: ?msg4)[
(set: $p_sub to (prompt: "Subject?", "she, he, them"))
(set: $p_obj to (prompt: "Object?", "her, him, them"))
(set: $p_dep_pos to (prompt: "Dependent possessive?", "her, his, their"))
(set: $p_indep_pos to (prompt: "Dependent possessive?", "hers, his, theirs"))
(set: $p_ref to (prompt: "Dependent possessive?", "herself, himself, themself"))
(go-to: "PronounsII")
]}(display: "Pronouns")
You'd like to be refered by $p_sub/$p_obj?
[[Yes, start the story|Story Start]]Your family is a weird one: First comes your father, he's responsible and reliable, though he is a little too tough with you; Then your mother, who you are sure is in heaven, as she was kind to everyone and everything; Your oldest brother, clever and intelligent, he knows how to manage everything, he also is your father's favourite, and too proud because of that.
[[Now you?]] <img class="img" src="media/campfire.png">
One day, while listening to stories, your father says:
“You are getting big and strong. You too will need to learn something so you are able to live. I see how your brother is, and it feels like there is no hope for you...”
You reply to him:
“Well father… There is indeed a skill I want to learn. [[I want to learn how to fear]].”Your brother laughs at you!
“What a dimwit, he really is useless!” he barks at you and your father. “Learning how to fear!” Then he laughs more. Your father just sighs at you.
Suddenly a woman places her hand on your shoulder. You do not jump.
“You want to learn how to fear, I hear? I have a few suggestions for you!” Her voice is soft and quiet, her hand and face are wrinkly, and she’s half hidden in the shadows by a hood and cape.
You reply to her:
[[“What are your suggestions?”|Suggestions]]
(link: "What? No, I will not listen to a scary witch like you!")[~~“What? No, I will not listen to a scary witch like you!”~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]The old woman pulls you to a corner away from the fire, and now she’s entirely covered in shadows.
<img class="img" src="media/old-hag.png">
“There’s a few things that the faint of heart cannot do. I’ll tell them to you. First, your must try [[ringing the church’s bell at midnight|To the Church]], for a ghost will appear to you."She laughs softly.
“You already know where the church is, just be sure to tell the priest about what you are doing. He won’t help you, but maybe God will.”
The old lady turns and walks away way faster than you thought she would be able to, and you return to the fireside.
You waited in the dark for the right time to leave. You saw both your father and brother fast asleep, tired from working all day.
Arriving at the church, you found the priest praying alone, and, remembering what the old lady said, you approached him.
[[“Father, excuse me.”|Church]]Thank you for playing this demo!The priest nods at you after a minute, excuses himself and leaves through a door on the other side of the altar.
(link: "Look Around")[The church is the one you always gone to on Sundays. It isn’t too ornamented, but you appreciate the elaborated altar and the few paintings it has. Though some moonlight enters through the windows, and there is still a few offering candles burning, the church now is drenched in shadows.
The paintings look darker and filled with shadows you never saw or paid attention to. Jesus Christ, hanging above the altar, while usually looking with care and piety over you, now just looks pained and suffering, with many shadows that look like streaks of blood dripping off of him.
]
(link: "Pray")[You sit down in one of the many chairs and lower your head, closing your eyes. Talking with God, you ask if He can help you along the way. Maybe even teach you how to fear.
When you open your eyes again, the church still looks the same as before, maybe a bit darker, as if a few candles stopped burning.
]
(link: "Stay here")[~~Stay here~~
You already saw everything here. There is nothing else to do. You grow bored of the dark and shadowy church.
]
[[Climb the stairs|Bell Tower Bottom]]<img class="img" src="media/stairs.png">
You climbed in silence while holding a weak candle you found after the door to the stairs. The candle’s fire tremulated and danced, making shadows appear and disappear in front of you. There was a light wind pushing you towards the top.
You heard some sounds behind you while climbing, as if something heavy was being dragged.
[[Look behind]]
[[Keep Climbing|Bell Tower Top Light]]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]<img class="img" src="media/stairs-dark.png">
You hear the sound again, and this time you turn around to search for what’s making it.
Unfortunately, when you turned, the draft of wind coming from the bottom extinguished your candle. You are now surrounded by the darkness, so much that you cannot see your own hand in front of your face.
You reach for a wall and drop the now useless candle on one of the steps. The wall is dry and chalky, making your hand dirty, but it’s the only way to guide yourself.
(link: "Listen")[You stand there in silence, listening to whatever the darkness has to offer. The dragging noises had stopped completely, the only thing you can hear is the wind howling at you. You soon grow tired of standing there.
]
[[Go up|Bell Tower Top Dark]]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]<img class="img" src="media/stairs.png">
You shrug off and keep climbing, almost hugging your candle in front of you, whose weak fire could barely iluminate a few steps ahead of you. The wind behind you picked up and started howling in your ears, the sound so loud that it started to hurt your ears and make your hair fly around.
[[Cover ears with hands|Bell Tower No Candle]]
[[Keep going]]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]<img class="img" src="media/stairs-dark.png">
You stumble on the first steps, reaching in front of you. Once you almost fall down, but you managed to grab hold of a step above you before you slipped too far.
Climbing the steps in the dark proved to be a difficult task, and one you are not good at, just like the others.
The wind still howls at you, as if laughing at your struggles. Once or twice you heard noises coming from under you, they stopped as soon as you did, but you could swear they were very light footsteps, as if someone was climbing the tower just behind you. You still saw nothing, no matter where you looked, only the darkness hugging you.
Slowly, after what felt like hours, but were mere minutes, you started seeing a faint light. You had finally reached the top of the stairs.
The door in front of you, leading to the bell, was small, such that you’d need to lower your head to pass by.
[[Go through|Bell Tower Bell]]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]<img class="img" src="media/stairs-dark.png">
The wind howls so loudly and so painfully that you decided to leave your candle on one of the steps and cover your ears. As soon as the candle left the shielding of your body, it went out, leaving you in complete darkness.
And still, covering your ears was a huge relief. The wind seemed to rage at that, and started howling even more angrily at you.
Your hair now whipped around, the thin strands hurting your face and neck, but you had nothing to tie it down.
[[Climb the steps|Bell Tower Top Dark]]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]<img class="img" src="media/stairs.png">
Shielding your already weak candle from the wind with your body and hands, you continue climbing the steps. The wind feels stronger now that you can’t cover your ears, it laughs at you and your pain.
And still, you climb.
In what feels like hours, but were mere minutes, you reached the top of the stairs. The door in front of you, leading to the bell, was small, such that you’d need to lower your head to pass by.
[[Go through|Bell Tower Bell]]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]You lower your head and walk through the door. (if: not ((history:) contains "Bell Tower Top Dark"))[You soon notice you can leave the candle behind, as the top of the tower has big open windows that let the moonlight bask the huge bell in front of you.](else:)[You are finally out of the dark, as the top of the tower has big open windows that let the moonlight bask the huge bell in front of you.]
(display: "Bell Tower Menu")With no much else to do, you just stand there in the tower. You looked at the door behind you, drenched in the darkness.
After a minute, you grow bored.
{(if: (history:) contains "Look at the bell")[~~Look at the bell~~]
(else:)[ [[Look at the bell]] ]}
{(if: (history:) contains "Look at the town")[~~Look at the town~~]
(else:)[ [[Look at the town]] ]}
(if: ((history:) contains "Look at the bell") and ((history:) contains "Look at the town"))[ [[Ring the bell]] ]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]The bell in front of you is a lot bigger than you imagined it being. It could easily be higher than you, and the walls were very thick. It surely needed to be big like this to ring as loudly as it did. It hung at about your shoulder height, so that you could go under it easily, but maybe you wouldn’t be able to look out while under there.
Other than its shape and size, there wasn’t much else to note about it. The external walls were bare of any ornaments. It was merely there to be functional.
You saw the mechanism used to ring the bell on one of its sides, with a rope hanging from it, going up to your hips. You made a mental note about this, as you’d need to use it later.
[[Go under the bell]]
(if: (history:) contains "Look at the town")[~~Look at the town~~](else:)[ [[Look at the town]] ]
[[Stand around in the tower]]
(if: ((history:) contains "Look at the bell") and ((history:) contains "Look at the town"))[ [[Ring the bell]] ]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]You walk around the bell and look out to the town bellow you.
It is quiet and dark. Being this time of the night, every working person had already retreated to bed, but you stood there, waiting for midnight to come and see if you could learn how to fear.
In a way, you were working on something yourself, trying to learn something you never could. You hoped this really worked, at least you’d be able to finally tell your father you learned a new skill.
(if: (history:) contains "Look at the bell")[~~Look at the bell~~](else:)[ [[Look at the bell]] ]
[[Stand around in the tower]]
(if: ((history:) contains "Look at the bell") and ((history:) contains "Look at the town"))[ [[Ring the bell]] ]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]Midnight has come, and you had to ring the bell. You walked over to the rope you saw earlier and tested it, pulling it sightly. The rope was pretty solid and it was heavy to pull, the bell didn’t even budge with your testing pull. You gathered more strength and pulled hard on the rope.
It took a few pulls before the bell finally rang, but when it did, it rang so loud that it felt like the whole tower was ringing with it.
(set: $rings to 1)
[[Ring the bell again]]Not resisting the temptation, you go under the bell.
The underside of it was covered in darkness, and a weird low sound came to your ears. You soon found the clapper hanging from the top of the bell.
Under here, you could not even see the door that you came through, much less the windows or the moonlight.
The low sound grew and lowered at random intervals, sometimes getting so strong that the bell seemed to vibrate, and you as well.
[[Get out from under the bell|Bell Tower Menu]](set: $rings to it + 1)Once more you pulled the rope and made the bell ring, and once again it felt like the whole tower shook with it.
You've already rung the bell $rings times, but you feel like you need to ring it 12 times.
{(if: $rings is 12)[
[[Stop ringing]]
]
(else:)[
[[Ring the bell again]]
]}You rang the bell a total of twelve times, as if you were really marking the time for the people in the town. After you let the bell stop, you could still hear it ringing in your ears, on the same rhythm that you rang it just seconds before.
<img src="media/bell-tower.png">
[[Search for the ghost]]You looked around the tower, in search of the ghost that the old woman promised would appear. And you were not let down.
He was standing just in front of the door to the stairs, dressed in all white, expressionless face and immovable body. The paleness of his skin was only reinforced by the moonlight. In every aspect, he truly looked like the promised ghost.
[[Approach him calmly]]
[[Yell “Who is there?”]]As the ghost didn’t seem to react, you decided to approach him slowly. You took a few steps in his directions, his eyes finally focused on you from your movement.
Suddenly you noticed: he looked a lot like the priest you saw just half an hour ago. Did he die? Did he have a brother who died and came to haunt him?
“Who are you?” you asked, voice raising as you got near him. And still, even when looking directly at him, he did not reply.
When you got near enough, you tried to grab him. He took a step back to avoid your hands, but, as he was right in front of the stairs, his foot only found air under it, and the ghost fell back.
Turns out he wasn’t quite so ghostly, as when he hit the steps, he let go of his breath in a painful yelp. He rolled down until you could no longer see him, white clothes disappearing in the darkness. You could only hear the painful sounds and cracks coming from there.
[[Search for him]]
[[Go down the stairs]]An anger overcame you, the white of his clothes turned red as you ran towards him. When you pushed him, you discovered he wasn’t quite so ghostly, as you felt his body under your hands. You also felt as he released the air in his lungs with a quick and surprised yelp.
He fell back towards the stairs, rolling towards the darkness. With each hit came a painful sound, sometimes even a weird crack.
[[Search for him]]
[[Go down the stairs]]The ghost was still unmoving, and didn’t react to your question.
“Answer me! You have no business being here at night!”
And the ghost was still. He just had a far off gaze, pointed at you no less, but feeling like he was looking very far away and too deep into you at the same time.
[[Approach him calmly]]
[[“What do you want here?”]]
[[Attack him]]Again you demanded answers, and again the ghost didn’t react. He just stood there, looking at you, but not really at you.
“Speak if you are an honest man! Or else I’ll throw you down the stairs.”
Even a threat didn’t make the ghost budge. He looked as if made of stone, but his white clothing floating a bit with the wind proved this wrong.
You felt deception, was this really the so scary ghost? He just stood there, didn’t do anything.
[[Approach him calmly]]
[[Attack him]]After the noises stopped, you looked with much attention trying to find even the slightest hint of his white clothes, but your eyes came up with nothing to offer. The candle you took on your way to the top was long gone as well, but you had no way to light a candle again anyway.
You took a few careful steps down the stairs, but with too faint moonlight, which was now starting to be covered with dark clouds, it was impossible to see anything past an arm’s length.
[[Go down the stairs]]Ignoring what had just happened, you chose to go down. There was nothing you could do anyhow. The way back was somewhat harder than the way up, you had no light to be able to see the steps, but you managed to reach the bottom, with a feeling that it took less time to so so compared to going up.
When you got to the church, more candles had gone out, but it felt more illuminated than before, maybe because you had just spent so long in the darkness, or maybe because you weren’t scared at all.
[[Search for the priest]]
[[Go home]]You walk over to the door the priest had gone into before you went up the tower, you knocked on it a couple of times.
“Father? Are you there, Father?” You said while pressing your ear to the door. A few seconds of silence later, you tried to open the door, only to fail. The door was locked, and it was so solid that it wouldn’t budge even when you pushed at it.
You gave up on trying to find the priest, as it seemed impossible to open the door and he wouldn’t reply to your call.
[[Go home]]After all that, you just felt tired, but never even a hint of fear. You walked home in silence, trying to understand what exactly you did wrong that caused you to not feel fear, but you found nothing.
[[In the next day...|The Next Day]]<img class="img" src="media/campfire.png">
That night, you found yourself again at the fireside, listening with much attention to stories. One of them caught your attention: The priest had showed up in the town’s doctor office, with many bruises and even a few broken bones. They didn't give much detail, but apparently the priest had said something about a ghost at the bell tower.
The old woman approached you again tonight.
"Good night, young one. How was your little adventure in the church last night?" You saw the sparkle of something golden in her mouth when she grinned. "Did you learn how to fear?"
"Not yet, no." You told her. She let out a small gasp.
"Oh no... then you must try my other suggestions!"
[["What are they?"|Suggestions 2]]Your father awoke you with a jolt, telling you that a nun came to see you. You got dressed and went to see what she wanted.
"Yesterday, you came to the church, late at night, no?" She asked, voice trembling a little.
"Yes, I did. At about midnight."
"Oh!" She exclaimed, showing a worried expression. "I cannot, for all that is good, find the priest! I think you may have been the last one too see him!"
"I did see him yesterday." You tried to calm her.
"Where, my dear boy?" She asked grabbing your arm.
[["Right before climbing the tower"|Before the Tower]]Your father looked at you with impatience.
"Tell her everything already! Cannot even tell a whole story!" He barked at you.
"Well... I went to the church, for it was advised for me to climb the tower at midnight, so I could learn how to fear. I did see the priest before climbing, but after I came down I could not find him again." You explained to both of them, trying to calm both down.
"O-oh! Then surely something scary happened while you were up on the tower!" The Sister's grab on your arms tightened, and she got closer to you, already with wetness on her eyes.
[["Something did happen indeed"|Something Happened]]
[["I don't know anything that could have happened"|Don't tell]]" Though I did not find it scary, I did see something while on the top of the bell tower." You spoke slowly and softly. "I saw a man up there, standing on the door to the stairs. He appeared after I rang the tower's bell."
"Dear god!" The nun made a cross sign with one of her hands. "What was he doing there?"
"I don't know, for the man didn't answer my calls."
"What did he look like?" The nun pleated for more information.
"He was pale, wearing all white clothes, looked almost glowing in the moonlight. He just stood there, looking at nothing at all."
"Oh no, please God, tell me he was not a... g-ghost!" The nun exclaimed, holding her hands together, in prayer.
{(if: (history:) contains "Attack him")[ [["No, for he was solid when I pushed him."|Admit pushing]] ]
(if: (history:) contains "Approach him calmly")[ [["He looked like the priest actually."|Admit it was priest]] ]}
[["I don't think he was a ghost."|Say nothing]]"Oh no!" The nun spoke softly, as if to her own self.
"You have nothing more usefull boy?" Your father yelled at you, taking a step closer.
"You could try looking in the church again." You suggested, trying to be useful. "Maybe you can find something you missed."
"I'll try that, as I have tried everything else already! Please pray so God can help me in my search!" The nun walked hurringly away, seemingly unaware of your father's yelling.
"You better pray that she finds the priest, and that he is well, for if he is not, you are done for!" Your father pushed you back inside your room, locking you in there.
[[Pray]]
[[Wait]]"Y-you pushed him?!" Your father yelled angrily at you, taking a step closer.
"Oh no! Even if it's not Father, I need to find this person! Please pray for him!" The nun did not even finish speaking before starting to walk hurringly away, seemingly unaware of your father's yelling.
"I did push him. Though he was just standing there, not answering. He could have been a thief for all we know!"
"You better pray that that man is unharmed, for if he is, you are done for!" Your father pushed you back inside your room, locking you in there.
[[Pray]]
[[Wait]]"Like the priest?! And what happened to him?" Said the nun grabbing your arms again.
"He... fell down the stairs when I approached him."
"He fell?!" Your father yelled at you.
"Oh no! I must find him! Please pray for him!" The nun did not even finish speaking before starting to walk hurringly away, seemingly unaware of your father's yelling.
"You better pray that that man is unharmed, for if he is, you are done for!" Your father pushed you back inside your room, locking you in there.
[[Pray]]
[[Wait]]"And what makes you so sure of it?" Asked your father to you.
"Ah. He was indeed solid for all I know, for he was solid when he fell down the stairs."
"He fell?!" Your father yelled at you.
"Oh no! Even if it's not Father, I need to find him! Please pray for him!" The nun did not even finish speaking before starting to walk hurringly away, seemingly unaware of your father's yelling.
"You better pray that that man is unharmed, for if he is, you are done for!" Your father pushed you back inside your room, locking you in there.
[[Pray]]
[[Wait]]You got on your knees beside your bed and bowed your head. You ask God to help the nun to find the priest, and that he may be well and unharmed.
You also pray for God to help you on your goal, for nothing taught you fear yet.
Soon you find yourself out of things to pray for, and you raise to your feets. (display: "Wait")Standing around, with nothing much to do leaves too much time for one to think.
(if: (history:) contains "Admit pushing")[You wonder if the man you pushed down the stairs was trully a ghost, or if he was just a normal man. Maybe he could have done something to the priest after you climbed to the top of the tower, you did spend a long time up there before he showed up.
You come to the conclusion that you were right in pushing the man or ghost down the stairs.](if: (history:) contains "Admit it was priest")[You wonder if the man, or ghost, that you encountered the night before was indeed the priest or not. He was indeed ghost like in appearence, you never saw the priest looking or acting that way, and you did not manage to touch him to know if he was solid or not. Maybe the priest died as you climbed the tower and came to find you for you were the last person to see him alive?
You come to the conclusion that you did nothing wrong, the man, or ghost, fell by himself, as you did not push him.](if: ((history:) contains "Say nothing") or ((history:) contains "Don't tell"))[You wonder if you were wrong in not telling the nun and your father more details. Maybe it was cruel to not tell them much else. Or maybe they would be better off not knowing. You could never know what scared other people, as you never felt fear yourself.
You come to the conclusion that you did nothing wrong, for the nun would surely find out what exactly happened.]
[[Soon your father opened your door again]]"The nun is back, boy. And she is not well." Your father never looked so angry before, what ever the nun had to tell, it must not have been nice.
You left your room and soon you found the nun sitting on a chair, crying so much you could not dry her tears in anyway, though she tried to with a handkerchief your father owned. She soon noticed you standing there and rose to her feet, coming towards you.
"I f-found the p-priest!" She said between hiccups. "T-though I a-am glad for t-that, he is h-harmed!" Her tears got heavier still, and your father grunted in anger.
"What happened to him?" You asked, towards any of them.
"What happened is that you are in big trouble boy! She found the priest on the steps of the tower, ragged and broken! He is now in the infirmary, being taken care of." Your father replied as the nun looked too far gone to give a coherent answer.
(link: "Look scared")[~~Look scared~~
You do not know how to do that yet.
You opened and closed your mouth, not knowing what exactly to say. Your father gave one more handkerchief for the nun, who cried loudly.
[[Wait for your father]] ]
You look at the sky, and are surprised that it’s not midnight still.
(if: (history:) contains "Look at the bell")[~~Look at the bell~~](else:)[ [[Look at the bell]] ]
(if: (history:) contains "Look at the town")[~~Look at the town~~](else:)[ [[Look at the town]] ]
[[Stand around in the tower]]
(if: ((history:) contains "Look at the bell") and (history:) contains "Look at the town")[ [[Ring the bell]] ]
(link: "Go back")[~~Go back~~
You do not know how to fear yet.]After he was sure the nun had a clean handkerchief, he stepped towards you, grabbing your shoulder and pushing you away from the nun.
"You. You will leave this house. You only brought unhappiness in this house, specially after your mother died. You are a disgrace to this family. You are to leave and only return when you are no longer... You."
You listened to your father's words, and let them sink into your mind. Even as angry as he was, you still did not feel fear. This could surelly be a way to learn something.
[["I'll gather my things then"]]You stepped back into your room, grabbed the few things you actually owned. They were mostly already ragged clothings and tools you never learned to use.
You left the house while your father still tried to calm the nun down.
[[That night...]]The old woman pulls you to the same corner away from the fire, getting entirely covered in shadows again.
<img class="img" src="media/old-hag.png">
"If the ghost in the church's bell tower did not teach you fear, I know what will!
"Try to spend a night under the [[gallows|Gallows]], and let the hanging bodies warm you at night!"
<div class="title">Learn
How to </div><div class="fear">Fear</div>
<div class="startlink">[[Start story|Story Start]]</div>You are regarded as dumb and stupid. You don’t know how to do much, and all you want to do is sit by the fireside in the evening and listen to other’s stories.
<img class="img" src="media/campfire.png">
A lot of times at night, when particular stories come up, men will say “Oh, that makes me shudder!” or “Oh, that’s scary!”
You never knew what they meant, as you never felt fear. That too must be a skill you do not understand.
[[One day…]]He jumped at your voice and interrupted his quiet prayers.
“Do not scare an old man like that, young one! You might one day scare one of us to death!” The priest made the cross gesture with his rosary in hand.
“Forgive me Father, but that’s exactly why I’m here tonight. I want to learn how to fear like you do.” His eyes sparkled in the low candle light. “I’ve heard of a ghost that will appear when the midnight bell is rung.”
“Ahh yes, you are quite right. I’ll tell you the way to the bell, but I will not dare approach it at this time of the night. Just be sure to wait until it’s exactly midnight to ring it.”
The priest then pointed at a door on the side of the altar, saying that if you climbed the stairs until the end, you’d reach the bell. He also told you there was still about half an hour to midnight.
[[Stay here|Stay in the Church]]
[[Climb the stairs|Bell Tower Bottom]]