1:43 AM. That's what the clock on my phone says.
Sometimes you get right home feeling tired, and you lie down in bed.
And there's nothing more that you could want than sleep.
But the universe has decided it isn't the time for sleep.
[[Not quite yet|One of Those Nights]].Tonight is one of those nights.
Actually, this whole week has been full of those nights.
It's been a few hours now. Trying to convince myself that I'm about to fall asleep.
But that's enough pretending for now.
Might as well [[keep browsing the internet|Using the Phone]] until I get tired enough.Now we're back to the nightly routine.
Clicking on that compilation of cute cat videos.
Getting angry about the latest political post my aunt shared.
Looking up whether I have to worry about that lump that's still there.
3:02 AM. Well, that's just great.
Hoping that [[sleep|Getting Sleepy]] will take me soon.[[Sleep....|Asleep]]Wow. For the first time in a week, I actually feel rested.
It's nice to finally have a good night of sleep for once.
And it's finally Saturday, so I don't have to do anything at all.
It still seems pretty dark, too. Maybe I can get some more sleep.
(if: (history:) contains "Outside")[[[What time is it|End]]]\
(else:)[[[What time is it|Missing Phone]]]?[[...|Awake]]Where did my phone go?
I'm sure I fell asleep with it in my hand. It must be in the sheets somewhere.
Huh. I guess not. Maybe I knocked it off the bed in the middle of the night?
Nothing on the floor.... Is it [[under the bed|Under the Bed]]?I have that gut feeling you get about looking under the bed in the dark.
It's a primal fear, still there right from when it started in childhood.
You'd think I would have gotten over it by this point.
I guess that's one of those fears that'll always be there in the back of my mind.
[[...|Lost Phone]]Well, there's nothing under there this time.
That's a relief, at least.
But that still means I don't know where my phone is.
Well, there's a clock on the microwave in the kitchen that I guess I can check for now.
Time to [[get up|Bedroom]].''Bedroom''
My bedroom is relatively plain.
A bed covered in messy sheets.
A \
(if: $batteries is true)[~~dresser~~] \
(else:)[[[dresser|Dresser]]] \
next to an overflowing hamper, that holds whatever clean clothes I have left.
A \
(if: $orangeKey is true)[~~nightstand~~] \
(else:)[[[nightstand|Nightstand]]] \
beside the bed, holding a glass of water and some unpaid utility bills.
A door to the \
(if: $flashlight is true)[~~closet~~] \
(else:)[[[closet|Closet]]] \
in the corner of the room.
There's a door to the \
(if: (history:) contains "Hallway")[[[hallway|Hallway]]] \
(else:)[[[hallway|Hallway in the Dark]]] \
that leads to the rest of the apartment.Where did this come from?
There's an (color: orange)[(text-rotate:5)[orange lock]] on the dresser drawer.
I didn't put this here. I don't even own any locks.
What's going on?
(if: $orangeKey is true)[Fortunately, I have a (color: orange)[(text-rotate:-5)[key]] that I think will [[unlock it|Dresser Drawer]].]\
(else:)[I should [[look around|Bedroom]] for a (color: orange)[(text-rotate:-5)[key]] that will fit.](set: $batteries to true)\
(set: $orangeKeyUsed to true)\
The dresser drawer is pretty empty, other that the disorganized pile of socks.
Rummaging around the back, I do find some (text-rotate: -5)[batteries] in here.
[[I can probably find a use for those|Bedroom]].(set: $orangeKey to true)\
Opening the drawer of the nightstand, I see a bible, some ibuprofen, and a strange (color: orange)[(text-rotate:-5)[orange key]].
Weird. I don't remember putting (color: orange)[(text-rotate:-5)[that]] in here.
How strange....
I might as well [[take that with me|Bedroom]].(set: $flashlight to true)\
The closet is full of jackets, just barely staying on their hangers.
There's a (text-rotate: -5)[flashlight] that I keep in a shoebox in the back, along with a first aid kit.
[[That could come in handy|Bedroom]].The hallway is pitch black for some reason.
That's odd. It was dark in the bedroom, but nowhere near this dark.
And the light switch isn't working, either. Great. The power must be out.
Something doesn't feel right. Something is very wrong.
(if: $flashlight is not true)[I can't even step foot out here without (text-rotate: -5)[a light source].]\
(else-if: $flashlight is true and $batteries is not true)[If only this (text-rotate: -5)[flashlight] had any (text-rotate: -5)[charge] in it.]\
(else:)[Good thing I have a (text-rotate: -5)[flashlight] and some (text-rotate: -5)[batteries] so I can [[see in here|Hallway]].]\
The door back to the [[bedroom|Bedroom]] is right behind me.(set: $flashlightUsed to true)\
(set: $batteriesUsed to true)\
''Hallway''
The hallway is long, straight, and narrow.
The door to the [[bedroom|Bedroom]] is at the end of the hallway.
There's a door \
(if: (history:) contains "Outside")[[[outside|Outside]]] \
(else:)[[[outside|Front Door]]] \
at the other end of the hallway.
There are five other doors leading to other rooms of the apartment: the [[living room|Living Room]], the [[kitchen|Kitchen]], the [[dining room|Dining Room]], the [[bathroom|Bathroom]], and the [[office|Office]].(set: $greenKeyUsed to true)\
(set: $redKeyUsed to true)\
(set: $yellowKeyUsed to true)\
(set: $cyanKeyUsed to true)\
(set: $grayKeyUsed to true)\
I've never seen anything like this before.
There's just nothing.
The entire outside of this apartment is just...empty. Blank. Nothing.
Aside from the doorstep, everything else is covered in total darkness.
[[What on earth is going on?|Cruel Joke]]''Living Room''
The living room is a bit brighter than the hallway was, but just barely.
And that's only because of the light coming from the static on the \
(if: $redKey is true)[~~TV~~]\
(else:)[[[TV|Television]]]\
.
There's an empty chair in the corner of the room, a coffee table with some unopened mail on it, and a \
(if: $icetray is true)[~~sofa~~] \
(else:)[[[sofa|Sofa]]] \
sitting at the perfect viewing angle.
The door back to the [[hallway|Hallway]] is right behind me.''Bathroom''
The most ordinary room of the whole apartment.
A \
(if: $cereal is true)[~~toilet~~]\
(else:)[[[toilet|Toilet]]], a \
(if: $yellowKey is true)[~~sink~~]\
(else:)[[[sink|Sink]]], and a \
(if: $pencil is true)[~~shower~~]\
(else:)[[[shower|Shower]]].
The door back to the [[hallway|Hallway]] is behind me.''Office''
The office is a small, messy room.
There are sheets of paper all over the place.
Crumbs on the floor from the snacks that I eat in here while I work.
There's my \
(if: $greenKey is true)[~~desk~~] \
(else:)[[[desk|Desk]]] \
on the back wall, and a \
(if: $remote is true)[~~filing cabinet~~] \
(else:)[[[filing cabinet|Filing Cabinet]]] \
by its side.
The door back to the [[hallway|Hallway]] is behind me.The static on the TV is unsettling.
Shouldn't this be off if the power is off?
I feel like there's a faint image on the screen, behind all the noise.
The buttons on the side of the TV aren't doing anything.
(if: $remote is true)[I wonder if the (text-rotate: -5)[remote] will be able to [[do anything|Change the Volume]].]\
(else:)[I wonder where I left the (text-rotate: -5)[remote]. Maybe I'll [[find it somewhere|Living Room]].]This seems excessive.
There are five locks on the front door, and none of them have keyholes.
Why would someone be trying to lock me into my own apartment?
There's a (color: green)[(text-rotate: 5)[green lock]]\
(if: $greenKey is true)[ that is unlocked], \
a (color: red)[(text-rotate: 5)[red lock]]\
(if: $redKey is true)[ that is unlocked], \
a (color: yellow)[(text-rotate: 5)[yellow lock]]\
(if: $yellowKey is true)[ that is unlocked], \
a (color: cyan)[(text-rotate: 5)[cyan lock]]\
(if: $cyanKey is true)[ that is unlocked], \
and a (color: gray)[(text-rotate: 5)[gray lock]]\
(if: $grayKey is true)[ that is unlocked].
(if: $greenKey is true and $redKey is true and $yellowKey is true and $cyanKey is true and $grayKey is true)[Now that all the locks are open, I can get [[out of here!|Outside]]]\
(else:)[I guess I have to [[turn around|Hallway]] and find a way to unlock these.]Where did my phone go?Where am I? Why am I here? What is even happening?
Looking down again, right outside the doorstep, I freeze after seeing what's in front of me.
My feelings starts with confusion.
Then they turn into horror.
But ultimately, I can't even do anything but chuckle at the sight in front of me.
[[I found my phone.|Found Phone]]At this point, any fear I had has been entirely replaced by apathy.
This must all be a dream.
There's nothing I could think of that's more ridiculous than what's happening right now.
I'm going to wake up any minute now.
I kneel down to [[pick up my phone.|GO TO SLEEP]]I look at my phone, and it's frozen on one screen.
I can't get the image to change.
Can't lock it, can't change the brightness.
Can't even turn it off.
Three words are emblazoned on the screen, and they won't go away.
[[''*GO. TO. SLEEP.*''|In Bed]]The next thing I know, I'm lying in bed.
I don't know how I got here.
I don't know if I walked here and forgot everything on the way.
I don't know if I just ended up here somehow.
All I know is that I don't care anymore. This nightmare will end soon enough.
I'm starting to get tired again. Good. Maybe that's how this dream ends.
The last thing I remember before drifting off is looking at those three words on my phone again.
[[''*GO. TO. SLEEP.*''|Getting Sleepy]](set: $faucet to true)\
The microwave is supposed to tell the time.
But with the power out, I've got no info at all.
I don't know what I expected, after all this weird stuff going on.
And to add to all the ridiculous stuff for the day, I see something in the microwave.
It's a (text-rotate:-5)[faucet handle]. Why would this be in here?
[[Might as well bring it along.|Kitchen]](set: $cereal to true)\
The toilet looks normal.
Seems to be flushing too. But what's that weird noise when I flush?
I should open the tank and check what's in there.
Huh. There's a plastic bag holding a box of (text-rotate: -5)[cereal] in here. That's not gross at all.
I guess I have to see what I can [[do with that|Bathroom]].An empty sink.
The faucet seems to be missing its (text-rotate: -5)[handle].
(if: $faucet is true)[Good thing that I have that with me. Let me [[put it back on.|Fill the Sink]]]\
(else:)[I should [[see what else I can find|Bathroom]] in the apartment.]There is some hair stuck in the drain.
Shampoo and soap line the small shelf in the corner.
The shower is completely wet.
That's odd, because there's no (text-rotate: -5)[showerhead] attached right now.
(if: $showerhead is true)[I guess I can [[attach that back on|Clean the Drain]].]\
(else:)[Maybe I should [[look around for that|Bathroom]].](set: $yellowKey to true)\
(set: $faucetUsed to true)\
With the (text-rotate: -5)[handle] back on the faucet, I can turn on the water.
The water starts to totally fill up the sink.
It's almost about to overflow. I should probably stop it.
Wait, what's that? The water starts to glow, in a strange pattern.
It's forming a shape now. It's a (color: yellow)[(text-rotate: -5)[yellow key]].
What was that clicking noise? It sounds like it came from the front door.
Maybe I should [[check it out|Bathroom]].(set: $pencil to true)\
(set: $showerheadUsed to true)\
I put the showerhead back on.
Let's see if turning the water back on does anything.
It seems like there's not much going on yet.
Actually, I think I see something coming out of the drain.
Is that a (text-rotate: -5)[pencil]?
Let me reach around the clump of hair in the drain and [[pick it up|Bathroom]].My desk is covered in scraps of notes from all of my projects.
My computer is on the desk, but it's not much use to me with the power off.
There's a notebook on the desk, open to a page with a sketch that I don't remember drawing.
It's a crudely drawn outline of a key, with the words "FILL ME IN" written above it.
(if: $pencil is true)[Let me just get my (text-rotate: -5)[pencil] and [[follow the instructions.|Draw the Key]]]\
(else:)[I'm guessing I need to [[go look for|Office]] a (text-rotate:-5)[pencil] in the apartment.]I haven't used this filing cabinet in ages, so I don't know why there would be anything in here.
But it's worth checking anyway, after everything that's been going on.
Weird. There's a ziptie holding the cabinet to its frame, so I can't open it.
(if: $scissors is true)[Let's [[open this up|Open the Cabinet]] with these (text-rotate: -5)[scissors].]\
(else:)[Maybe I can [[find|Office]] some (text-rotate:-5)[scissors] somewhere.](set: $greenKey to true)\
(set: $pencilUsed to true)\
I filled between the lines and am left with a full drawing of a key.
I don't know what that did for me other than give me a quick art lesson.
Wait a minute. Something's happening.
The key looks like it's turning (color: green)[(text-rotate: -5)[green]]?
I hear a clicking sound. It sounds like it came from the front door.
I should [[see what that was|Office]].(set: $redKey to true)\
(set: $remoteUsed to true)\
I use the remote to try to turn off the TV. Nothing happens.
Maybe if I change the channels? Nope, it doesn't seem like anything's happening here either?
What else can I try? Maybe the volume will work....
As I lower the volume on the TV, the static on the screen seems to fade.
Let's try to mute it. There we go. The static on the screen has disappeared.
I knew I saw something behind all that noise. It's an image of a (color: red)[(text-rotate:-5)[red key]].
I hear a clicking noise. Was that by the front door?
I wonder [[what that is|Living Room]].(set: $icetray to true)\
It's easy to lose things in between the cushions of a sofa.
After all of the weird things I've found so far, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a key somewhere in here.
Well, this thing is much bigger than I would have expected to get lost in the sofa, but it just barely fit.
It's an (text-rotate:-5)[ice tray]. Shouldn't this be in the freezer?
[[I guess I'll take this with me.|Living Room]]''Kitchen''
The kitchen is a bit of a mess, as always.
There are some grocery bags on the floor holding some cans and boxes that I haven't bothered to unpack yet.
There's a \
(if: $scissors is true)[~~counter~~] \
(else:)[[[counter|Counter]]] \
in the center of the room.
Next to the counter is a \
(if: $grayKey is true)[~~fridge~~] \
(else:)[[[fridge|Fridge]]] \
and a \
(if: $faucet is true)[~~microwave~~]\
(else:)[[[microwave|Microwave]]]\
.
The door back to the [[hallway|Hallway]] is behind me.(set: $scissors to true)
The counter is well-worn.
It's covered in some stains from some old recipes that I didn't clean up too well.
There's a fruit bowl in the center of the counter.
Wait. What's that shiny thing underneath the apples?
It's a pair of (text-rotate: -5)[scissors]. I wonder how that got there.
Maybe there's something I can cut [[elsewhere|Kitchen]] in the apartment.The fridge is probably the most decorated part of my apartment.
It's covered in magnets that I've acquired over the years.
The inside of the fridge is pretty empty, since I mostly eat instant meals from boxes.
The freezer has a lot more food in it, but the (text-rotate: -5)[ice tray] isn't in here for some reason.
(if: $icetray is true)[I guess I'll [[put it back|Make the Ice]] in.]\
(else:)[Could that be [[somewhere else|Kitchen]]?](set: $remote to true)
(set: $scissorsUsed to true)\
Alright, the ziptie was easy enough to open after I cut through it.
Now, let's see if there happens to be anything inside the cabinet.
Hey, look at that. It's the (text-rotate: -5)[TV remote].
Let's see what I can [[do with this|Office]].(set: $grayKey to true)\
(set: $icetrayUsed to true)\
I put the ice tray back in.
I can worry about filling it up with water to freeze until after all this is over.
Huh? What's going on?
The cells of the tray are filling up with ice. Some of them are darker than others.
It looks like the darker ice cubes are in the shape of a (color: gray)[(text-rotate: -5)[gray key]]?
There's a clicking noise. It sounds like it came from the front door.
I wonder [[what that was|Kitchen]].
(if: (passage:)'s name is "Inventory")[]\
(else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "noinventory")[]\
(else:)[Check [[inventory|Inventory]].]''Inventory''
(if: $orangeKey is true and $orangeKeyUsed is not true)[(color: orange)[(text-rotate: -5)[orange key]
]]\
(if: $greenKey is true and $greenKeyUsed is not true)[(color: green)[(text-rotate: -5)[green key]
]]\
(if: $redKey is true and $redKeyUsed is not true)[(color: red)[(text-rotate: -5)[red key]
]]\
(if: $yellowKey is true and $yellowKeyUsed is not true)[(color: yellow)[(text-rotate: -5)[yellow key]
]]\
(if: $cyanKey is true and $cyanKeyUsed is not true)[(color: cyan)[(text-rotate: -5)[cyan key]
]]\
(if: $grayKey is true and $grayKeyUsed is not true)[(color: gray)[(text-rotate: -5)[gray key]
]]\
(if: $batteries is true and $batteriesUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[batteries]
]\
(if: $flashlight is true and $flashlightUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[flashlight]
]\
(if: $icetray is true and $icetrayUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[ice tray]
]\
(if: $remote is true and $remoteUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[remote]
]\
(if: $scissors is true and $scissorsUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[scissors]
]\
(if: $faucet is true and $faucetUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[faucet handle]
]\
(if: $showerhead is true and $showerheadUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[showerhead]
]\
(if: $pencil is true and $pencilUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[pencil]
]\
(if: $cereal is true and $cerealUsed is not true)[(text-rotate: -5)[cereal]
]\
(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last) ''Dining Room''
Frankly, I don't even know why I have a dining room in this apartment.
I usually eat on the couch or the kitchen counter anyway.
There's a \
(if: $cyanKey is true)[~~table~~] \
(else:)[[[table|Table]]] \
right in the middle of the room.
There's also a small \
(if: $showerhead is true)[~~shelf~~] \
(else:)[[[shelf|Shelf]]] \
off to the side.
The door back to the [[hallway|Hallway]] is behind me.I set this table with dishes and silverware when I first moved in.
It's all mostly for show, at this point. All of the dishes are covered in dust.
But wait a minute. What's that in the bowl by the corner?
It seems like there's some milk that was left in here.
Sure, I might be messy, but I'm definitely not that gross.
It almost feels like this bowl is begging to have some (text-rotate: -5)[cereal] in it.
(if: $cereal is true)[Well, I guess I'll [[pour it in|Fill the Bowl]].]\
(else:)[Maybe I should [[look around for that|Dining Room]].](set: $showerhead to true)\
This shelf is usually totally empty, since I hardly ever use this room.
But there seems to be something on it today. What is that thing?
Huh. It's a (text-rotate: -5)[showerhead].
Why would that be in here?
I can only think of one [[use for this thing|Dining Room]].(set: $cyanKey to true)\
(set: $cerealUsed to true)\
I filled the bowl with cereal.
Given the stagnant milk and the place I found the cereal, it doesn't look too appetizing.
I don't know what filling this bowl did for me. It just felt right.
Woah. The cereal is starting to move around. And it's glowing.
It looks like the pieces formed into the shape of a (color: cyan)[(text-rotate: -5)[cyan key]].
There's a clicking noise coming from near the front door.
Maybe I should go [[check what that was|Dining Room]].