|i)[<img src="images/hex.jpg" height="300" alt="Your room">]
|0>[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?1)] are 1,215 meters below the Surface.]
|1)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?2)] are in a hexagonal room, with each wall measuring 2.5 meters.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?3)] are sitting in an armchair in the center of the room, facing an LED screen that is posted onto one of the walls.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[To (link-reveal:"your")[(show:?4)] left, you have a desk that takes up a quarter of the room. On top of the desk there is a worn down book with many creases in its pages.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[To (link-reveal:"your")[(show:?5)] right, there is an LED screen in the shape of a circle with a diameter of 2 meters. It is in the middle of the wall. Deep down, you know that this screen is also the exit to your room.(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|5)[[[You->Second]] have never used it.(enchant:?4,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|w>[(enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #444444) + (background: white))]
|b)[(enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #444444) + (background: black))]
<script>window.audio= document.createElement('audio');
audio.src=
'sounds/beethoven.mp3';
audio.loop = true;</script>|0>[The sudden sound of applause brings your attention back to the screen in front of you.
You begin to clap for a second before realizing your microphone isn't turned on.
You reach for the (link-reveal: "button")[(show:?1)] to turn it on.]
|1)[However, you cannot remember which button to press.
Is it the [[button->Book]] to your left?
Is it the [[button->Book]] to your right?
Is it the [[button->Book]] directly in front of you?(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|i)[<img src="images/book.jpg" height="300" alt="Book of the Machine">]
|0>[You tentatively reach out for the button before realizing that you don't actually have to take this risk, and can instead just check the (link-reveal: "Book")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[You turn your chair over to your desk and open your copy of the Book of the Machine.
(link-reveal: "You")[(show:?2)] flip through the pages listlessly, looking for any information about the microphone.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[(link-reveal: "You")[(show:?3)] make sure to treat each page with care, the Book is very important to you. It is the most direct link you have to the Machine, and without it you would truly be lost in this world.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You finally find the correct page and see that the correct button was on your right. [[You->Buttons]] turn back to the large screen.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You look at the screen and realize that the time for applause is over. Another (link-reveal:"speaker")[(show:?1)] is up, their pale face speaking to the the crowd you are a part of. Their dull brown hair is pulled into a tight bun, and every word that comes out of their mouth causes the bun to shake ever so slightly.]
|1)[You recognize the speaker as your colleague, Gwen. You realize that you are supposed to speak after her, but your (link-reveal:"microphone")[(show:?2)] is still not on.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You reach out to press a (link-reveal:"button")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[|no1>[Is it the (link-reveal:"button")[(replace:?no1)[It is not the button to your left.]] to your left?]
Is it the [[button->Gwen]] to your right?
|no2>[Is it the (link-reveal:"button")[(replace:?no2)[It is not the button directly in front of you.]] directly in front of you?]
(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You press the button and your microphone comes to life. You quickly turn it off so you can pay attention to the (link-reveal:"lecture")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[You listen intently as Gwen continues their lecture. Today they are talking about the historical implications of the harpsichord on medieval Italy. You do not know that all that much about Italy, so you trust what she says. Gwen mentions that some of the music played today still uses harpsichords.
(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?2)] nod.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Gwen pauses for a second and then suddenly one of the myriad of faces in the corner of your screen grows and becomes her equal. The face has more lines than Gwen's, but much less hair.
The owner of the face asks for examples of [[music->Music]] that use the harpsichord, so that they can ask the Machine to play it for them.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You look towards Gwen and watch her close her eyes very slowly. After a very paused moment, she says the name of a quite popular (link-reveal:"song")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[Having played that same song quite recently, you reach out and press the button to have it sent through the tubes to your room. A hatch near the ceiling above you opens, and the gentle [[music]] begins to play.
<script>audio.pause();audio.play();</script>
(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[The rest of Gwen's lecture happens but you are too distracted by the music to pay attention. You wonder if Gwen understands this. You tried to gauge everyone else's reactions, but their faces did nothing to betray what they were thinking. As Gwen finishes, the applause begins again. Do you |l1>[(link-reveal:"join in")[(show:?1)(replace:?l2)[own lecture]]] or prepare for your |l2>[(link-reveal:"own lecture")[(show:?2)(replace:?l1)[join in]]]?]
|1)[You quickly press the button for your microphone and add your own clapping to the cacophony of clapping from the crowd. After a moment, it is over and you realize it is [[your turn]].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You turn to your desk and take out your notes. You remember writing these a few days ago, but you're not sure what happened to your pen. You hope you don't need to make any edits. You turn back to the screen, and wait patiently for [[your turn]](enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You press the corresponding button on your control panel and your face now takes up the majority of the screen. You begin to speak before you are interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat as (link-reveal: "their face")[(show:?1)] grows to your size.]
|1)[It takes you a moment to realize this is the same lined, bald face as before. It takes you another moment to realize that this is August, your group's expert on the migratory habits of small birds. They tell you that your music is still on. (link-reveal: "You blush")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You scramble to turn your music off. How embarrassed [[you->lecture]] are! Surely you will ask for euthanasia after this lecture is over.
<script>audio.pause();</script>(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]You play a person in their cubicle, doing routine/mundane tasks, and attending/giving lectures about recycled content.
You do the same things over and over again, then they start degrading.
At first this is a minor issue, but eventually it gets to a point where everything falls apart and then you must decide whether to leave your cubicle or not.
The End(set:$expert to "Nothing")
|0>[August minimizes his face and you start your lecture in earnest. You try to maintain (link-reveal:"composure")[(show:?1)] as well as you can, but it is difficult.]
|1)[Wait. What are you talking (link-reveal:"about")[(show:?2)]?(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[
* The history of [[sailing vessels]]
* The cultural fixation on [[certain mammals]]
* The [[pottery]] from the North
(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|i)[<img src="images/ship.jpg" height="300" alt="A Ship">]
(set:$expert to "boats")
|0>[You have never seen a boat in your life. You do not know anyone who has ever seen a boat in their life. You have listened to (link-reveal:"others")[(show:?1)] talk about boats.]
|1)[There was one particular person who would tell the most riveting lectures about just how large boats could be. They had said that some could be almost 50 meters at their longest. You were (link-reveal:"fascinated")[(show:?2)(replace:?l1)[boats]] by this. You listened to all the lectures about |l1>[(link-reveal:"boats")[ (and their rarer |c>[counterpart)]]] anytime you got a chance.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Now you are spreading this [[information]] to all the others in your group.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
(click:"counterpart")[(replace:?c)[counterpart: ships)]]|i)[<img src="images/cat.jpg" height="300" alt="A cat">]
(set:$expert to "cats")
|0>[You have never seen a cat in your life. You do not know anyone who has ever seen a cat in their life. You have listened to (link-reveal:"others")[(show:?1)] talk about cats.]
|1)[There was one particular person who would tell the most riveting lectures about just how many cats people used to have. They had said that some would have over 10 in their living quarters. You were (link-reveal:"fascinated")[(show:?2)(replace:?l1)[cats]] by this. You listened to all the lectures about |l1>[(link-reveal:"cats")[ (and their rarer |c>[counterpart)]]] anytime you got a chance.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Now you are spreading this [[information]] to all the others in your group.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
(click:"counterpart")[(replace:?c)[counterpart: lions)]]|0>[You continue to talk about $expert almost half an hour. You bring up points about how valued $expert were to humans, before the (link-reveal:"Machine")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[At your mention of the Machine, a face asks how the Machine has affected humanity's love for $expert. You blink for a moment before realizing the owner of the face is none other than Gwen, the last lecturer. This familiarity begets an uncertain (link-reveal:"confidence")[(show:?2)] in you.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You answer the question quickly, without hestitation. You explain that obviously humanity still appreciate $expert, but they are too much for humans to handle. That is why the Machine protects humans by keeping them from $expert. Gwen accepts your answer, and you ask for any more [[questions]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|i)[<img src="images/pot.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="A pot">]
(set:$expert to "pots")
|0>[You have never seen a pot in your life. You do not know anyone who has ever seen a pot in their life. You have listened to (link-reveal:"others")[(show:?1)] talk about pots.]
|1)[There was one particular person who would tell the most riveting lectures about all the different types of pottery on the Earth. They had said that the ones created in the North were the most interesting. You were (link-reveal:"fascinated")[(show:?2)(replace:?l1)[pots]] by this. You listened to all the lectures about |l1>[(link-reveal:"pots")[ (and their rarer |c>[counterpart)]]] anytime you got a chance.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Now you are spreading this [[information]] to all the others in your group.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
(click:"counterpart")[(replace:?c)[counterpart: vases)]]|0>[You answer two more questions. They are barely related to $expert, so you are unable to answer them. This simply adds to the embarassment you felt with the music fiasco. Your lecture finishes and (link-reveal:"applause")[(show:?1)] fills your room.]
|1)[You hardly listen to it, you are already reaching over for the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You begin leafing through the book and hear a voice say that lectures are over for the day. Your screen cuts to (link-reveal:"white")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You finally find the [[page]] you want.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))](set:$chance to (random:0,9))
|0>[Your eyes dart across the page until you finally realize exactly what you need to (link-reveal:"do")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[You press an assortment of buttons on your console and a (link-reveal:"face")[(show:?2)] appears on your screen.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[The face is the picture of youth. They cannot have seen more than a decade, maybe two. They are completely devoid of hair. You ask your (link-reveal:"question")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[They deliberate for a second, then (if:$chance > 3)[[[frown->frown]]. Not enough humans have been born recently, they are not accepting your request.](else:)[[[nod->confirm]]. Enough humans have been born recently, and they are accepting your request.] (enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[They say it will (link-reveal:"happen")[(show:?1)] shortly.]
|1)[Your screen cuts to (link-reveal:"white")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You notice a sudden (link-reveal:"emptiness")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[The hum of the Machine has (link-reveal:"stopped")[(show:?4)].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[You hear a click and the vents into your room spring back to (link-reveal:"life")[(show:?5)].(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|5)[You lie back in your chair and (link-reveal:"wait")[(show:?6)].(enchant:?4,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|6)[[[You->END]] close your eyes.(enchant:?5,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))][[THE END->Credits]]|0>[They tell you that you can try again in the near (link-reveal:"future")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[Their faces leave your screen and (link-reveal:"you")[(show:?2)] lean back in your chair, sighing.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You decide that it is time to sleep. You stand and clear your desk, gently placing the Book on your control panel. Your eyes linger on it for a second, making sure that it won't (link-reveal:"fall")[(show:?3)] over.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You press a button on the wall and your (link-reveal:"bed")[(show:?4)] slowly rolls out of the wall.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[You lie down, and [[sleep]].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]You [[dream]].|0>[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?1)] wake up and yawn.]
|1)[You get out of bed and press a (link-reveal:"button")[(show:?2)] on the far wall, hoping for food to come from the Machine.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?3)] wait.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[(link-reveal:"Nothing")[(show:?4)] comes out.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[You press the [[button->food]] again.(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You hear a clunk from above and then a panel in the wall rolls out with a package of (link-reveal:"food")[(show:?1)] on it.]
|1)[You grab it and sit in your armchair. (link-reveal:"You")[(show:?2)] begin to eat.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[What are you going to do now?
* Prepare for your next [[lecture->call]]
* Read from the [[Book->call]] of the Machine
* Call Gwen to ask about her [[lecture->call]]
(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[Suddenly, you get a call on your (link-reveal:"screen")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[The face that comes onto the screen is dark, with black bags under their eyes. They have short hair that falls onto their ears. Their (link-reveal:"breathing")[(show:?2)] is uneven.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You ask how (link-reveal:"they")[(show:?3)] are doing.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[They say they are fine, but they want to [[talk]] to you.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You ask what they want to (link-reveal:"talk")[(show:?1)] about.]
|1)[They say they cannot say it (link-reveal:"here")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You ask (link-reveal:"where")[(show:?3)] else they could say it.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[They invite you to come to their (link-reveal:"room")[(show:?4)].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?5)] pause.(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|5)[You recognize that this face belongs to your [[parent]].(enchant:?4,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[Their name is (link-reveal:"Vashti")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[You haven't talked to (link-reveal:"them")[(show:?2)] in many years.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You haven't been in the same room as (link-reveal:"them")[(show:?3)(replace:?2l)[walk]] since you were able to |2l>[(link-reveal:"walk")[(show:?2a)]].|2a)[ You have been able to walk for quite some time now.](enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You do not understand why they would ask now, after so how long, for you to come to their room. What would the difference be? You could just talk through the (link-reveal:"screen")[(show:?4)].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[You voice your [[concerns]].(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[(link-reveal:"They")[(show:?1)] say it's not the same.]
|1)[(link-reveal:"They")[(show:?2)] say they want in to be in the same room as you.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[To breathe the (link-reveal:"same")[(show:?3)] air as you.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[To show (link-reveal:"you")[(show:?4)] what they've learned.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[You [[shudder]].(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]This story was written by (link-reveal:"Rowan Wood")[ (You are currently on their itch page)].
This story was based on (link-reveal:"The Machine Stops")[(openURL:"https://www.ele.uri.edu/faculty/vetter/Other-stuff/The-Machine-Stops.pdf")] by E.M. Forster.
This story was only able to exist due to the help of (link-reveal:"Jon Poulter")[(gotoURL:"https://jonp.itch.io/")], (link-reveal:"Ajali Harrison")[(openURL:"https://azhcreates.itch.io/")], (link-reveal:"Martin Nayeri")[(openURL:"https://kariomart.itch.io/")], and (link-reveal:"Jesse Fuchs")[(openURL:"https://twitter.com/jessefuchs?lang=en")].|0>[You don't know why your own (link-reveal:"parent")[(show:?1)] would speak such words.]
|1)[You reach out for the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?2)], to see if it has any answers for you.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Vashti (link-reveal:"cries")[(show:?3)] out, blaming the Book, blaming the Machine.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You can hardly handle their cries. You reach out and press a [[button->silence]].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[Your screen cuts to white, but your (link-reveal:"heart")[(show:?1)] is still beating faster than ever.]
|1)[You lay your head back and try to breath in tune with the hum of the (link-reveal:"Machine")[(show:?2)], knowing that it will watch over you.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[You only notice how tensely you are clutching the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?3)] to your chest when you pry your fingers off and gently place it on the console.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You begin to read from its [[pages]].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))](set:$chance to (random:0,9))
|0>[Your eyes dart across the page until you finally realize exactly what you need to (link-reveal:"do")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[You press an assortment of buttons on your console and a (link-reveal:"face")[(show:?2)] appears on your screen.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[The face is the picture of youth, the same as before. They cannot have seen more than a decade, maybe two. They are completely devoid of hair. You ask your (link-reveal:"question")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[They deliberate for a second, then (if:$chance > 3)[[[frown->stillalive]]. The situation has not changed, there are not enough humans born recently, so they are not accepting your request.](else:)[[[nod->confirm]]. Enough humans have been born recently, and they are accepting your request.] (enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You grumble to yourself. Obviously, the Machine is right not to have you euthanized, but you can't help but feel that it's not (link-reveal:"true")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[You stand and begin to pace your room. Your (link-reveal:"mind")[(show:?2)] is racing with worry.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[What did (link-reveal:"Vashti")[(show:?3)] want to tell you?(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[No! You don't want to know! Whatever it is, it's nothing but [[trouble]]!(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You stop pacing and curl into a (link-reveal:"ball")[(show:?1)] on the floor.]
|1)[Music begins to (link-reveal:"play")[(show:?2)].<script>audio.pause();audio.src='sounds/beethoven_rekt.mp3';audio.play();</script>(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?3)] begin to calm.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[Everything will be okay, so long as the (link-reveal:"Machine")[(show:?4)] is there for you.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[Everything will be [[okay]].(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You spend the rest of the (link-reveal:"day")[(show:?1)] preparing for your lecture.]
|1)[Eventually, you go to bed and in the hour before you succumb to sleep, you breathlessly read from the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[This calms [[you->timejump]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[An amount of (link-reveal:"time")[(show:?1)] has passed.<script>audio.pause();</script>]
|1)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?2)] have listened to many lectures.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?3)] have given many lectures.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?4)] have read from the Book of the Machine.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|4)[You have not [[spoken]] to Vashti.(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[In fact, you would (link-reveal:"almost")[(show:?1)] say that nothing has changed.]
|1)[(link-reveal:"Except")[(show:?2)]...(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Things have [[changed]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[Sometimes, lectures are cut (link-reveal:"short")[(show:?1)] accidently due to connection issues.]
|1)[You have been making your (link-reveal:"lectures")[(show:?2)] shorter to account for this. So has everyone else.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Sometimes, your (link-reveal:"lights")[(show:?3)] turn off.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[This [[worries]] you.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))](enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #dddddd) + (background: white))
|0>[Mainly because you can't see anything in the (link-reveal:"dark")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[Especially the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|2)[This is what concerns you the [[most]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]|0>[If you're not able to read from the Book, how will the (link-reveal:"Machine")[(show:?1)] be able to help you?]
|1)[What if you need something, but cannot (link-reveal:"ask")[(show:?2)] for it?(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[What if you need something, and the Machine doesn't (link-reveal:"know")[(show:?3)]?(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[What would you [[do]]?(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[Your screen comes to (link-reveal:"life")[(show:?1)] and you realize someone is already giving a lecture.]
|1)[Their dark brown hair is in (link-reveal:"tangles")[(show:?2)], draped across their sunken eyes.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[They are talking about the use of harpsichords in Italian (link-reveal:"music")[(show:?3)] in the distant past.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[They play an example of the [[music->fallingapart]]. <script>audio.pause();audio.src='sounds/beethoven_evenmorerekt.mp3';audio.play();</script>(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[You, along with the all the other faces on your screen, (link-reveal:"cringe")[(show:?1)] at the sound coming from the music tubes.]
|1)[A face asks the lecturer if this is the (link-reveal:"best")[(show:?2)] example of Italian harpsichord music the Machine has.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[The face of the lecturer pauses and takes a (link-reveal:"deep")[(show:?3)] breath. They explain that it is the only Italian music the Machine has.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[The questioning faces nods their [[assent]].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[The face (link-reveal:"continues")[(show:?1)] their lecture.]
|1)[They speak on how the Italians would make music to (link-reveal:"express")[(show:?2)] themselves in ways they couldn't otherwise.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[The lecture was almost over when everything else [[ended]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[First, your screen goes (link-reveal:"dark")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[The lights go (link-reveal:"dark")[(show:?2)].(enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #dddddd) + (background: white))(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|2)[This is (link-reveal:"normal")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|3)[Or, at least, this is [[your->hum]] normal.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#eeeeee))](enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #dddddd) + (background: white))
|0>[At first, you don't notice the (link-reveal:"silence")[(show:?1)]. <script>audio.pause();</script>]
|1)[The (link-reveal:"absence")[(show:?2)] of something is harder to detect than its presence.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|2)[Especially when that 'something' is a sound you've heard your entire (link-reveal:"life")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|3)[And when you finally notice that the sound is gone you (link-reveal:"realize")[(show:?4)]...(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|4)[[[The Machine Stops->The Machine Stops]].(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#eeeeee))(enchant:?4,(text-colour:#444444))](enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #dddddd) + (background: white))
|0>[You blindly reach out for the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?1)], unable to see.]
|1)[You finally manage to find it but then it (link-reveal:"falls")[(show:?2)] to the ground with a thud.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|2)[You get up and fall to the (link-reveal:"ground")[(show:?3)], trying to find it.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|3)[As you crawl on all fours, you begin to hear a rushing sound beyond your [[walls]].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#eeeeee))](enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #dddddd) + (background: white))
|0>[You are unable to find the (link-reveal:"Book")[(show:?1)].]
|1)[The sound from beyond your wall grows (link-reveal:"louder")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|2)[You crawl towards the wall it is coming from, the wall with the large circular [[mirror]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#eeeeee))](enchant: ?page, (text-colour: #dddddd) + (background: white))
|0>[In the dark you are barely able to see the (link-reveal:"face")[(show:?1)] in the mirror.]
|1)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?2)] hardly recognize it.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|2)[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?3)] haven't seen your own face in years.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|3)[You've always avoided this wall for that very (link-reveal:"reason")[(show:?4)].(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]
|4)[As you stare into your own eyes, something thuds against the wall, and a crack of [[light]] emerges.(enchant:?3,(text-colour:#eeeeee))]|0>[You leave your reflection and reach out towards the light, pushing your fingers into the (link-reveal:"crack")[(show:?1)] in the wall.]
|1)[It takes all of your (link-reveal:"strength")[(show:?2)], you haven't had to move anything this heavy before.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[Finally, it [[gives]].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[The (link-reveal:"light")[(show:?1)] blinds you.]
|1)[You step out of your room and as your eyes adjust to the light you see more faces and (link-reveal:"humans")[(show:?2)] than you have seen in your entire life.(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[They seem just as (link-reveal:"anxious")[(show:?3)] and unsure as you are.(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[You look at one particular face, with long, dark brown hair and deeply sunken eyes. Could it be [[Gwen->gotothem]]?(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]|0>[(link-reveal:"You")[(show:?1)] are certain.]
|1)[It must be (link-reveal:"them")[(show:?2)].(enchant:?0,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|2)[It has to (link-reveal:"be")[(show:?3)].(enchant:?1,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]
|3)[[[You->END]] reach out to them.(enchant:?2,(text-colour:#aaaaaa))]Double-click this passage to edit it.