Loving Leo

sound.ambient.titanic.url: 'titanic.mp3' sound.ambient.titanic.description: '8-bit my heart will go on' sound.ambient.devil.url: 'devil.mp3' sound.ambient.devil.description: 'devil.mp3' sound.ambient.inception.url: 'inception.mp3' sound.ambient.dlp.url: "dlp.mp3" config.style.page.link.active.color: "red-8 on red-0" config.style.page.link.color: "#FFC300" config.footer.right: "{restart link}" movie: 'Titanic' movie (candleNumber === 2): "Inception" movie (candleNumber === 1): "Don't Look Up" leoAge: year - 1974 playThrough: "" playThrough (candleNumber < 3): " still " config.footer.left: "Loving Leo" playThrough2: "as he often reminds you" playThrough2 (candleNumber < 3):"as you know well" -- [if candleNumber === 3] <img src="leo_young.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 2] <img src="leo_mid.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 1] <img src="leo_old.gif" height="256"> [continue] It is {year}. Tomorrow is your 25th birthday. In some weird twist of fate, you’ve ended up in the arms of the world’s hottest movie star. [if candleNumber === 3; append] {ambient sound: 'titanic', volume: 0.3} {reveal link: "*", text: '(Fate is a gold coin, your mother always told you—hard and ostensibly sacred, yet malleable to those brave enough to test it. One, though, had to be willing to loose a tooth in the process)'} [if candleNumber === 2] {ambient sound: 'inception', volume: 0.3} {reveal link: "*", text: "(Fate took a few years to tame; the girl you possessed was a couple months immature for pretty Leo’s [and the law of consent] tastes. On your 21st birthday, you spent the night helplessly ‘stumbling’ home from the bars he frequents at. After a few weeks of playing the drunken damsel-in-distress, he found his way to you.)"} [if candleNumber ===1] {ambient sound: 'dlp', volume: 0.3} {reveal link: "*", text: "(The girl whose soul you transmigrated in this time was in Kindergarten. You thought that it would take years of stalking to get him to notice you, but you went viral at your highschool graduation for simply being pretty. He slid into your DMs not too long after.)"} [continue] Much to your chagrin, off the coattails of {movie}, those iridescent baby blue eyes and boyishly supple lips are{playThrough}the subject of wet dreams across the world. Nevertheless, while the hearts of the globe may belong to him, his heart only belongs to you. And who cares about the age gap, as the press never seems to not chide. 24 and {leoAge} are not that far off! Love, {playThrough2}, abides no boundaries. “Star-crossed lovers”, he{playThrough} calls you affectionately, much to your delight. Tomorrow, alas, is your birthday. And you need to [[invite him to your party->You invite him to your party.]].

config.style.page.link.active.color: "#FDDA0D" config.style.page.link.color: "#b3b3ff" -- <style> #backdrop { background: #d44b36; } #page { background: #d44b36; } #page a { font: white; } div { color: white; } </style> [if candleNumber === 3] <img src="bezos.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 2] <img src="bezos.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 1] <img src="bezos-1.gif" height="256"> [continue] {ambient sound: "devil", volume: 0.3} [if candleNumber === 3] On that especially terrible day, you reach into your closet and grab the last book on the top shelf. Your mother gave it to you when you were young, right before she passed away{reveal link: "*", text: " (a terrible case of spontaneous combustion)"}. Its bindings are made of a brownish leather—sheep or pig, it feels like, but one could never be sure. In any ways, she told you if you were in any need of help, that this book would be the answer. So long as you were willing to pay the toll in blood, sweat, and tears. It’s run of the mill stuff, really. You slice your wrists to summon the devil, as instructed. Not too long after, he appears in flaming wonder. Unsurprisingly, he looks kind of like Jeff Bezos. You plead with him to help you get him back, and he offers you a deal. He tells you he can, and presents you a "crazy" offer. Forego your body and possess a younger, prettier girl. Wrestling her soul from out her embodied vessel. Only then, will Leo come running back. The flip side, of course, is that Bezos-Lucifer gets a fragment of your soul for eternity. [if round > 0; append] Weirdly, he thanks you for being his most reliable customer (what did that mean?). [if candleNumber === 2] You reach into your closet once again, and pull that carnal book. Bezos-Satan smiles as he arises from out your bloody puddle. He's happy to see a returning customer. You scold him, saying that it didn't work. He tells you that you just need to possess an even younger, prettier girl. You smile, almost laugh. Of course he's right! [if candleNumber === 1] Furious, you grab your mother's book and spill Leo's dried blood over the pages. Bezos-Satan gradually pulls himself from out of the crusty pool, upset with the poor ritual materials. Nevertheless, he looks at you with disgust. You howl at him, demanding he brings your star-crossed lover back to life. It was his fault that you killed him after all. Bezos-Satan dismisses your look. In a moment, he expands. No longer the size of the book, he towers at you, in all-encompassing terror. He says he'll grant you your wish. But you must pay the costs. He'll send you back to 1997, but you'll remember none of it. And furthermore, your soul is now his. You'll have no name, no desires, no past or future. Everything you do will be in service of him and your wanton love. You pause, but not out of doubt. Everything you already do has been in service of him. What was a name anyways? [if round > 0 && candleNumber === 1; append] You seem in that moment to not remember yours even now. [continue] [if candleNumber > 1] {embed passage: "increment memory"} [else] {embed passage: "reset memory"} [continue] You [[agree without hesitation.->Leo gets a new girlfriend.]]

config.body.transition.name: 'none' config.style.page.link.active.color: "red-8 on red-0" config.footer.left: "for crwr 312" config.footer.right: "by kdt" candleNumber: 3 year: 1997 round: 0 sound.ambient.flames.url: 'flames.mp3' -- <style> h1 { font-size: 50pt;; text-align: center; mattom: 70pt; } #page a { font-size: 20pt; } footer { display: none; } </style> {ambient sound: 'flames'} <img src="candle_3_b.gif" height="256"> <h1>Loving Leo</h1> [align center] [[begin->Leo gets a new girlfriend.]] | [[credits->Credits]]

playThrough: " " playThrough2 (candleNumber < 3): ", once again, " even: " even " even (candleNumber <3): " " annoying: "" annoying (candleNumber < 3): " (was that always so annoying?)" sound.effect.phone.url: 'phone.mp3' -- {sound effect: 'phone'} Ring, ring… Leo’s been distant the last few weeks. It seems as though {playThrough}he returns your calls less and less each time you ring. You send him a text, reminding him to come to yours at 6 for the special day. [if candleNumber === 3] Leo, himself, never liked birthdays. Every time his came around the corner, he’d refuse any gifts you tried to give him. Instead, he’d take you shopping and buy you a new dress, a pearl necklace, something of that sort. It was that weird inverse of tradition that you loved about him. [if candleNumber === 2] He still hated his birthday, even in this relationship. He was a bit shocked, though, in that first year, when you accuratedly picked out his favourite restaurants, and bought him his favourite gel. [if candleNumber === 1] Leo seemed to like birthdays more this time around. He liked parading you around the parties he'd throw himself, so much so that the window of time you had to yourselves away from the public was very small. Still, with all your previous knowledge, pleasing him was like second nature. [if candleNumber > 1] When your birthday came around the corner, though, he{playThrough}wouldn’t{even}get you cake. “Birthdays are the responsibility of the birthday girl”, he’d say{annoying}. So you knew if you wanted festivities, you’d{playThrough}have to do it yourself. At the very least, he'd eat your cake, and enjoy a meal with you. [if candleNumber === 3] This year is no different. You liked making your own cakes. Baking always seemed to wow Leo (besides wearing your old cheerleader uniform), and boy, your cake this year would wow him. This year, you make a cake with {cycling link for: 'ingredient_1', choices: ['ostrich eggs', 'homemade yeast', 'yuzu']}, and {cycling link for: 'ingredient_2', choices: ['raspberry', 'strawberry', 'pomegranate']} jam. [if candleNumber === 2] This year is a bit different. You liked making your own cakes. Baking still seemed to please Leo. But with the growing distance between you (and what had happened last time), your cake this year would need to wow him. This year, you make a cake with {cycling link for: 'ingredient_1', choices: ['golden goose eggs', 'tamarind', 'your hair']}, and {cycling link for: 'ingredient_2', choices: ['watermelon', 'pink drink', 'placenta']} jam. [if candleNumber === 1] You are not going to let him go. You feel your soul flickering in each movement. You know if this year turns out like the last few runs, you are not going to survive another corporeal exchange. This year, you make a cake with {cycling link for: 'ingredient_1', choices: ['grapefruit', 'salmon', 'your blood']}, and {cycling link for: 'ingredient_2', choices: ['kidney', 'more blood', 'apple']} jam. [continue] [[You start the baking festivities]].

favMeats (candleNumber === 3): "(his two favourite cuts)" favMeats (candleNumber === 2): "(the frailer and bonier the better)" favMeats (candleNumber === 1): "(luckily, some things never change!!)" -- [if candleNumber === 3] <img src="candle_3.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 2 && ingredient_1 === "your hair"] <img src="candle_2_h.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 2 && ingredient_1 !== "your hair"] <img src="candle_2.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 1 && (ingredient_1 !== "blood" && ingredient_2 !== "more blood")] <img src="candle_1.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 1 && (ingredient_1 === "blood" || ingredient_2 === "more blood")] <img src="candle_1_b.gif" height="256"> [continue] [if candleNumber > 1] You spend the whole day preparing the cake, putting it in the fridge to rest. [if ingredient_1 === "your hair"; append] Your hair takes especially long to mix into the batter (who knew it was so hard to incorporate {ingredient_2} and {ingredient_1} into cake)! [else; append] The {ingredient_1} takes especially long to mix into the batter (who knew it was so hard to incorporate {ingredient_2} and {ingredient_1} into cake)! [if candleNumber > 1] In the morning, you pick up a lamb shoulder and veal from the butchers {favMeats}. In the afternoon, you go to the farmer’s market and grab a few unripe plantains. At a quarter to three, you doll yourself up, doing the whole routine. At four, you start cooking, slaving away at the flame to braise the meats. At five, you plate everything, set the table, and sit on the island waiting to surprise him. [if candleNumber === 3] At half past six, you eagerly watch the door while lighting the candles on your cake. At a quarter to seven, you begin to get worried, sending him a flurry of calls and text messages to no avail. This goes on for an hour before you run into your room wailing. It isn’t until eight that a knock finally comes at the door. [if candleNumber === 2] At half past six, you eagerly watch the door while lighting the candles on your cake. For some odd reason, one pesky candle refuses to light. At a quarter to seven, you begin to get worried, sending him a flurry of calls and text messages to no avail. This goes on for an hour before you run into your room wailing. No. This can't be happening again! You've been such a model girlfriend! \ \ Like clockwork, it isn’t until eight that a knock finally comes at the door. [if candleNumber === 1] You still grab the lamb shoulder and veal, but decide to start cooking this time when he arrives. You try to light the candles of your cake, but for some reason only one catches aflame. Grabbing a knife to cut the cake as soon as he arrives, you sit on the floor in front of the door. And speak of the devil (not Bezos-Satan of course), at eight, there's a knock. [continue] You [[open the door->You open the door]].

armDescrip: "veiny and muscular" armDescrip (candleNumber === 2): "veiny and slightly less muscular" armDescrip (candleNumber === 1): "pudgy" emotion: "confusion and disappointment" emotion (candleNumber === 2): "worry and angst" emotion (candleNumber === 1): "ire and frustration" look: "" look (candleNumber === 3): " (Yes! If he just eats the cake, all will be solved!)" look (candleNumber ===2): " (Why didn't he want your cake?)" daisy: "grab them out of reflex" daisy (candleNumber === 2): "refuse to grab them." daisy (candleNumber === 1): "throw them on the ground, smushing them under your feet" sound.effect.knock.url: "knock.mp3" -- {sound effect: "knock"} [if candleNumber === 3] <img src="leo_young.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 2] <img src="leo_mid.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber === 1] <img src="leo_old.gif" height="256"> [if candleNumber > 1] You are mad. Of course, you are. He is three hours late and the food has gone cold. But as he lovingly stares at you with those innocuous blue eyes, holding daisies in his hand, you know you can’t stay angry for too long. [continue] “I’m sorry I’m late.” You beckon him to come in, showing him the cake on the table. You grab onto his {armDescrip} arm, telling him to sit quickly before the veal goes bad. “Listen cupcake. I can’t stay for long, I just came to stop by.” Your brows furrow with a mix of {emotion}. [if candleNumber === 3] “Listen baby, I have loved you since the day I saw you at Nobu. You couldn’t believe how happy I was when you left your number on the cheque.” You smile as he recounts the day you met. He always has a way with words. Words he'd only say to you, his special girl. [if candleNumber === 2] “Listen baby, I have loved you since the day I saw you tripping out of Donohan's. You couldn’t believe how happy I was when you let me drive you home...” You laugh as he recounts the day you met. He never knew the lengths you'd go for him. [if candleNumber ===1] “Listen baby, I have loved you since the day I saw you across my explore page. You couldn’t believe how happy I was when you responded back to heart-eyes emoji.” You know what's coming. You brace for the inveitable. [continue] “I told you then that we were star-crossed lovers. I mean that. But sometimes…” You look at his waning eyes, as they glanced towards the cake{look}. “...sometimes, the stars don’t align.” He hands you the daisies, and you {daisy}. He turns away and begins to leave. [if candleNumber === 3] You [[desperatedly throw the daisies back at him as if that would make him stay.->You try to make him stay.]] [if candleNumber === 2] You [[pull at his leather jacket and try to yank him inside.->You try to make him stay.]] [if candleNumber ===1] Knife in your hand, you need to take desperate measures. There's one way to make him stay. You need to [[kill him.->You try to make him stay.]]

magazine: "People.com" magazine (candleNumber < 3): "Vogue Teen" -- [if candleNumber === 3] You shove the daisies in his face, but he turns away faster. He leaves and walks to the elevator. You run after him, but it’s too late. [if candleNumber === 2] You pull at his sleeve, but like a worm, he wiggles out of the jacket. Leaving you with ony the jacket in your hands, he bolts to the elevator. [if candleNumber > 1] You try to call him, but the number goes flat. You reach out to your mutuals, but they refuse to reach him for you. What went wrong? What did you do? [if candleNumber === 2; append] Were you not pretty enough, young enough? Still? [continue] You sit in your apartment for days. Weeks. [if candleNumber > 1; append] {magazine} announces that young Leo has a new belle. She’s younger than you, hotter than you, more famous than you too. [continue] You spiral into the ground (or really your bed, you haven’t gotten much further than that in days). The cake is still in the kitchen. [if candleNumber > 1; append] Leo might never have had a taste, but the flies and colony of ants now living in your apartment seem to like it. [if candleNumber === 1; append] Leo finally has a taste of the cake, at least his disembodied head does. He sits there, his eyes peeled open, gnawing at the {ingredient_1} frosting. The ants are happy to have company (plus his earwax is quite tasty). [continue] You want him back. You’d do anything to fill the void that gnaws at your heart, to silence that shrieking banshee in your mind, the one mangling your body further and further into dust. Even it meant giving up your soul. You’d do anything. You'd [[do away with everything.->You sell your soul to the devil.]]

candleNumber: 3 year: 1997 round: round + 1 --

candleNumber: candleNumber - 1 year: year + 13 --