The door to the cellar has already been locked, but you have the key. With careful speed, you unlock and slip in, knowing you won't be caught this late.
The warm smell of fresh bread wafts through the back of the shop and aorund the bottles, you hesitate for a [[moment->Smell bread]].
But no, you made this choice. You need to show them.
You can do [[this->Head Down]].
There is a warm breath as the loaf comes from the stove. You are sure that it would taste great with fresh jam and butter.
A small laugh issues forth from your siblings, as they watch your father make shadow puppets across the wall.
A small fire will be coughing this time of the evening. Your mother will have poured wine and settled with a book.
The shop is shut, the bottles placed away.
But you know what you want to [[do->start]].
<audio src="fireplace.mp3" autoplay>The cellar should be musty, but it isn't. You notice the smell of lavender and citrus. As you pass bottles, your head becomes a mix of leaves, smoky tobacco and a strange fresh smell. You can't put your your finger on it.
The [[bottles->Start]] on the main table lie before you, left by your parents only an hour before.
<audio src="door opening.mp3" autoplay>
Before you are six key ingrediants. From reading your [[recipe book->recipebook1]]. You know you must mix two ingrediants to create a potion.
You can show them you are worth something.
You want to belong.
Before you are:
=><=
A [[carrot->carrotmix]]
An [[orge's toenail->ogremix]]
[[Piece of cheese->Cheesemix]]
[[Scale tail->Scalemix]]
[[Dust from a grave->Dustmix]]
[[Whisper of a spirit->Whispermix]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>
Before you is an underlined and stained passage. It has seen many updates, probably from when your father and mother first started out.
To successfully mix a potion, at least two ingrediants must join together in smooth spiritual harmony.
==><==
To not do so can range in dangerous to just discomforting effects. Tread carefully in the world of alchemy.
For 500 years successful alchemists have rose from lower ranks to serve Kings and Queens. Could you be one of [[them->Start]]?
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>You pick up the carrot and decide to add:
=><=
An [[orge's toenail->Cheese smell]]
[[Piece of cheese->Success]]
[[Scale tail->Success]]
[[Dust from a grave site->Nothing]]
[[Whisper of a spirit->Ouch]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>A foul smell reuprt forth. You can taset gone off cheese, and will have to [[start again->Start]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>With a (transition: "pulse")[bubbling hiss], you see a green froth emit from the pot. You can hear a whining, then a sharp pop.
The potion is complete.
You hear steps coming downstairs. You try and hide the potions you have tried to create, small pools of various coloured liquids falling to the floor.
The steps are getting [[closer.->father]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>A sharp (transition: "shudder")[bang] erupts from the pot, and you shake your fingers. That hurt, you'd best be careful from [[now on->Start]].
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>
Nothing happens. you stare at the pot in dissapointment, and decide to try [[again->Start]].
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>
You pick up the ogre's toenail and decide to add:
=><=
A [[carrot->Cheese smell]]
[[Piece of cheese->Cheese smell]]
[[Scale tail->Ouch]]
[[Dust from a grave site->Success]]
[[Whisper of a spirit->Ouch]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>You pick up the piece of cheese and decide to add:
=><=
A [[carrot->Success]]
An [[ogre's toenail->Success]]
[[Scale tail->Nothing]]
[[Dust from a grave->Ouch]]
[[Whisper of a spirit->Ouch]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>You pick up the scale tail and decide to mix it with:
=><=
[[A carrot->Success]]
[[A piece of cheese->Nothing]]
[[An ogre's toenail->Ouch]]
[[whisper of a spirit->Success]]
[[Dust from a grave->Nothing]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>You pick up the grave dust and decide to add:
=><=
[[A carrot->Nothing]]
[[Scale tail->Nothing]]
[[An ogre's toenail->Success]]
[[Whisper of a spirit->Success]]
[[A piece of cheese->Ouch]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>You decide to take the whisper of a spirit and add:
=><=
[[A carrot->Ouch]]
[[A piece of cheese->Ouch]]
[[Dust from a grave->Success]]
[[Scale tail->Success]]
[[An ogre's toenail->Ouch]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>Despite all your years, the sight of your father calms you.
His dark blue eyes glitter in the low lamp light. His round shape fills the stair path as he takes in the potions, the floor, and then you.
"You have been experimenting" he says. Not a question.
[["I'm sorry, I just wanted to try" ->trying my best]]
[["I can explain"->explain myself]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>His eyes crinkle, and for a moment he looks almost sad.
"You don't need to prove yourself to anyone. And you don't need to do something you don't enjoy". Walking closer, he inspects the bottles on the table. Picking up the successful one, he takes a sniff, and then a sip.
For a moment he pauses, and you feel fear rise. What if he becomes ill? Or you have made a poison instead?
"Ah" he says, "my headache is gone". He sits next to you and smiles.
"Trust your mistakes, they are trying to tell you something" he says. "let us go [[upstairs->end]].
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>He takes in the scene and gives a small laugh.
"I can see for myself" he says, and then falls silent.
"Please don't be like me, I want you to enjoy your things. I may not understand what you want to do, but I can learn".
He closes the book you had opened, places it back and shelf and dusts off his hands.
[["Come on, it's late" he says.->end]]
<audio src="bubbling.mp3" autoplay>As you rise up the stairs after your father, you notice the warmth from the kitchen spread through your skin.
Each step brings you closer to the laughter of your siblings, the crackling of the fire.
As you leave the celler behind, the scents and tastes you created in your families image seem to fade.
It is as though you had never been downstairs at all.
And as the door to the cellar closes, you wonder. Even though you were successfull, what were you really trying to (text-style: "fadeinout")[prove?]
<audio src="door opening.mp3" autoplay>