Monoliths

A pale moon illuminates a vacant sky. The winds carry an earthy scent. The boat below you rocks back and forth on a calm, dark ocean. A mass of rock breaks through the waves at the edge of the horizon. (if: $ngp is false)[[[You start to row.|ch1-rowing]]](else:)[A [[pile of photos]] rests on top of the other seat.]

The oars are cutting through the (either: "salty","cold","restless") water. (if: $rows < 3)[ Your arms are tiring, but the island in the distance seems to grow farther and farther. [[You continue rowing.|ch1-rowing]]](elseif: $rows is 3)[ The boat passes through an opening in the rock into a small lagoon. The water here is still. [[You are almost there.|ch1-rowing]]] (else:)[With a quiet *thud* the boat hits sand. [[You arrive.|ch1-arrival]]] (set: $rows to $rows + 1) (set: $hasCompass to false) (set: $hasMap to false) (set: $hasJournal to false) (set: $hasCamera to false)

You gather your belongings before stepping off the boat. You open your bag, which has your (if: !$hasCompass)[[[compass|Compass.]]](else:)[compass], (if: !$hasMap)[[[map|Map.]]](else:)[map], and (if: !$hasJournal)[[[journal|Journal.]]](else:)[journal] in it. (if: $hasJournal and $hasMap and $hasCompass)[At the bottom of your bag, you find your [[camera|ch1-camera]].]

A nice model. Highly adjustable focal length. A new leather band was delicately put around it for comfort. It is light. [[Fiddle.]] [[Step off.|ch1-end]]

You open the compass. The needle rests uneasy, as if unsure of where "North" might be. [[You understand.|ch1-arrival]] (set: $hasCompass to true)

Empty. (if: $ngp is false)[ [[Empty?]]](else:)[ [[Not entirely.]]] (set: $hasMap to true)

Notes of Voyage. Photos. [[No memories.|ch1-arrival]] (set: $hasJournal to true)

You approach the angular shape of a smooth, umbral stone. As you step near, it seems to grow, as if perspective was amplified. [[You're curious.|ch3-inspect]]

[[Exist.|ch1-start]] (set: $ngp to false)

*click* [[Hm.|ch1-camera]]

The wind whistles through the ravine, creating soft harmonies that break and weave through the air. Overhangs throw shadow upon the path, accentuating the patches of dirt where no grass is growing. Finally, the ravine [[opens up|ch2-crossing]].

The hum intensifies. The glimmer grows. Small, twinkling stars fly by, speeding up until they form streaks of light breaking through purple, amorphous clouds. More and more lights glow, yet the space around darkens, as if the stars sucked all light away. The light in front of you is [[blinding->Glyph.]].

You try to pull back. You can feel your consciousness stick to this obelisk like honey. As if walking through tar, you slowly nudge your way backward, the glimmer dimming. A doubt. A call. You feel cold. [[Maybe you shouldn't pull back.|Continue.]] [[You pull back even further.]]

Your curiosity guides you into deeper focus. You feel vibrations below your fingertips as you stare deeper into the dark, shimmering rock. One after another, small twinkling dots appear in your peripheral vision. (link: "The golden glow fascinates you.")[A warm breeze caresses your skin as the world around you goes black. You consciousness starts to move deeper in, the twinkling dots move past you like stars in the night sky. [[You feel light.|ch3-choice]]]

Twinkling. Warm. Inviting? (link: "Watch.")[You think you can make out a shape. You lean closer, the source of the glow seems to emanate from the inside of this rock. [[See.]]]

Not entirely. The bottom right corner reads (font:"Balsamiq Sans")[04°14'N 14°50'E]. [[Why?|ch1-arrival]]

You run your fingers over the smooth surface. It's warm, pleasantly so. Umbral depths. A slight hum. [[A Glimmer?]] (set: $hasWatched to false)

Trees grow taller and thicker. The light fades, leaving a dim gloom to make out details. Mushrooms line the bark of some trees, and bushes force you to weave your way through the dark and cramped parts of the woods. One tree seems [[different->Lemon.]]. No animals in sight. [[You hear a slight trickling of water to your left.|ch2-pond]] [[Light breaks through the mist up ahead.|ch2-clearing]] (if: $visitedCave is true)[(display: "ch2-end")]

Sand gives way to dirt, then tall, damp grass. The sun breaks through the trees, drawing intricate patterns on the ground below. The trees form a path further into the [[woods|ch2-woods]], obscured by thickening, verdant fog. (link: "You try to be quiet as to not scare any animals.")[It is completely silent. There is no sound, not even the rustling of leaves. Are there even any creatures present? ]

A ravine opens up in front of the boat. The rocky cliffs at each side seem to reach for the sun above. The path snakes at an incline, leading further into the island. [[You start walking.|ch2-start]]

Upon a patch of sand, you can overlook some parts of the island. In the middle of the island, a pale blue [[lake|ch2-lake]] reflects the sky above. To its left, the grass grows thicker and fades into a small [[forest|ch2-trees]]. You can barely see the end of it before their leaves vanish into a thick mist To the right, [[hills|ch2-hills]] throw large shadows upon each other, forming a fascinating pattern of light and dark. (set: $photoTaken to false)

The [[trees|ch2-woods]] open up to a small pond lined with reed is surrounded by trees and bushes. Leaves float upon the surface, dancing and forming patterns. [[Take a picture.|ch2-pond-snap]] A small [[stream->ch2-lake]] trickles down some rocks that line the hill. The lakewater found its way down here.

A small clearing. The mist retreats into the [[woods|ch2-woods]] around you, leaving this place untouched. Small motes of light circle around you, multicolored little orbs dancing through the still air. In the middle of the clearing you see a tree resembling a large bonsai tree. Pink and purplish tufts of leaves crown the ends of gnarly, twisted branches. [[Take a picture.|ch2-clearing-snap]] A rock wall follows a side of the clearing. The rough rock has many smooth spots that reflect the light of the sun. An [[opening|ch2-cave]] leads into the rock. (if: $visitedCave is true)[(display: "ch2-end")] (set: $ch2lastlocation to "clearing")

You look through the viewfinder and line up your shot. Two leaves on the pond have caught onto each other, swirling around on the water in a small dance. Even though the trees throw shade at the pond, the leaves swim towards the few spots of light on the pond where the water reflects the light as a glittering, warm sensation. (link: "Click.")[Just as you take the shot, the leaves split and glide along the water surface aimlessly. The inside of the camera whirrs as the film is pulled along, preparing for your next shot. You are disappointed, but there's no changing it now. You are glad you could experience it while it lasted. You stare at the leaves for a few moments longer, then stand up again. [[You put the camera away.|ch2-pond]] (set: $photoTaken to true) (set: $pondPhoto to true)]

You circle around the lake. Small stone formations frame the shore of this still body of water. You crouch down and look at the water. At this angle it resembles a mirror, reflecting the ravine you came from. At one side a small [[stream|ch2-pond]] slithers through a bed of gravel. Nearby, a calm river reaches out to the [[shore|ch2-shore]]. (if: $visitedCave is true)[(display: "ch2-end")]

You hike through the hills, feeling long grass brush your legs. The gentle up and down of the area makes you feel not unlike on the boat before. You vault over some rocks, feeling the warm stone against your hands. There is not much to be seen here, but you can already hear the ocean waves crashing upon the [[shore|ch2-shore]].

The salty breeze hits your face. Waves crash onto the shore and your shoes get a little wet. You retreat a few steps and walk along the shore before you sit down in the sand, taking a break from your walk. [[Take a picture.|ch2-shore-snap]] The eclipsing moon reflects on the dark blue water. A few ways ahead you can see the ocean breaking into the island, forming a river leading up to a [[lake|ch2-lake]]. Beyond the river, you can notice the entrance to a small [[cave|ch2-cave]]. (if: $visitedCave is true)[(display: "ch2-end")] (set: $ch2lastlocation to "shore")

A few steps into the cave all outside light has faded. A faint azure glow illuminates the wall in front of you, so you step closer, carefully. As you turn the corner, the source of the light reveals itself as a shimmering crystal hanging from the ceiling. The rocky walls are completely smooth in this chamber, forming a hall of mirrors reflecting the light. (link: "You could probably see yourself in there.")[You turn toward the reflective surface but it scatters the light in a way that obscures details.(if: $ngp is true)[You step closer to the wall, and now you notice that it is [[not smooth->ch2-patterns]] at all.]] On the opposite wall of the chamber you see another entrance. You can see light breaking into the tunnel. (if: $ch2lastlocation is "shore") [[[Turn back.|ch2-shore]] [[Light at the end of the tunnel.|ch2-clearing]]] (else:) [[[Turn back.|ch2-clearing]] [[Light at the end of the tunnel.|ch2-shore]]] (set: $visitedCave to true)

You circle around the tree, deciding on an angle where the light hits from behind. The leaves illuminate vividly, and just now you can see wind hitting the leaves that protrude above the other trees. Waves ripple across the shape of the leaves as you pull out your camera. (link: "Click.")[You exhale and notice that you have been holding your breath since coming to this clearing, not wanting to disturb the small motes lazily floating around the space. You feel calm. The wind parts the leaves for a short moment and the light of the moon hits your face. [[You put the camera away.|ch2-clearing]] (set: $photoTaken to true) (set: $clearingPhoto to true)]

A formation of rocks breaking through the water surface catches your eye. You walk along the shoreline to find the most interesting arrangement of shapes. You manage to find a spot to take your shot from, as you drive your knees into the sand and zoom in. (link: "Click.")[The pale blue light catches onto the rocks' silhouettes, distinctly separating them from the background. The water below crashes against the rocks, and the part of the rock that gets hit by water periodically glistens beautifully. You wonder if you should just step into the water. Shaking the thought off, you stand up again. [[You put the camera away.|ch2-shore]] (set: $photoTaken to true) (set: $shorePhoto to true)]

In the distance you see a strange [[shape->ch3-start]] atop a hill.

The sensation feels liberating. The pull seems to seperate your body and mind. You feel overwhelmed, but are not sure what from. Gravity shifts, the glimmer pulls you closer, faster and faster. Your heart begins to race, as its beating reverberates throughout the void. [[You are scared.->Pull back.]] [[You close your eyes and fall.->Continue.]]

You slowly become aware of your body. Your arms are tense as you try push away from the rock. This is not a matter of strength, but of will. The glimmer turns dark, the golden glow vanishing in this vast blackness of the rock. (link:"You push.")[You push. (link:"And push.")[And push. (link:"And push.")[And push. (link:"And push.")[And push. [[And push.]] ] ] ] ]

As your arms give in, the light around you returns. You push off from the obelisk, a small glimmer reflecting back at you. [[You fall backwards.->ch3-badend]]

You hit water. Your body tense from the expecation of an impact. Yet here you are, in cold water, losing your [[sense of space]].

You start to swim in the direction the light comes from, trying to regain your sense of where "up" is. Breath escapes your mouth, and the bubbles rise in the direction you are swimming in. The light gets brighter. [[You break the surface of the water.|ch3-end]]

You gasp for air before anything else, your body shivering in the cold water. (link: "Calm down.")[You start to regain composure, and notice that your equipment is missing. There is no use looking for it, as you seem to be in the middle of the ocean. The crescent moon shines down on you, as you put up a hand against it. You're still here. There's your (link: "boat.")[boat. With the last of your strength you try to reach it, small waves trying to pull you underwater again. You climb into your [[boat|ch1-start]].]] (set: $ngp to true)

Right up in the trees, you can see a small spot of yellow. A fruit. Citric. It is... (link: "...a lime?")[...a lime? No, a lemon. [[Okay.->ch2-woods]]]

The bright glow changes shape in front of you. It reaches out to nearby stars, pulling on them. Other stars just vanish, as if being plucked out of the sky. (link: "They form a glyph.")[They form a glyph, a shape you have not seen yet, and still it feels awfully familiar. (display: "glyph-image") <center><div class="runic">[[Vha.->ch3-shatter]]</div> </center> ]

In the moment your mind conceives that thought, you crash through the glyph. It shatters on impact, seperating into millions of small mirrors. You anxiously hunt for just a glimpse of yourself in all these reflective shards, but they all just cast light in between the thick, dark [[clouds->ch3-goodend]].

<center>" Monoliths a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://jannikboysen.itch.io/shutterstroll">Shutter Stroll</a> fiction by Jannik Boysen (<a href="https://twitter.com/jannik_boysen" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" >``@jannik_boysen``</a>) "</center> Weird. You put the note away and [[pick up the oars->ch1-rowing]].

It's a pile of papers, mostly photos. (if: $shorePhoto is true)[(link: "Rocks in the ocean.")[Rocks in the ocean. Are they sinking? Or are the pulling each other out of the water? Where was this taken? ]] (if: $pondPhoto is true)[(link: "Two leaves on a pond.")[Two leaves on a pond. They are quite a distance apart, but will they ever meet? You hope so. Who took this picture? You have no recollection of it. ]] (if: $clearingPhoto is true)[(link: "A majestic tree surrounded by lights.")[A majestic tree surrounded by lights. You ponder. Does it stand strong because of the lights, or are the lights there because it stands strong? You don't know. ]] (link: "A lemon.")[A lemon. You smile. It's the little things.] At the bottom of the stack you find [[a note->Credits]].

The clouds thicken more and more. You slow down as they start to become viscous. In this moment you realize it is getting hard to breathe. (link: "You start to panic.")[You start to panic. Suddenly, your body starts to register in your consciousness again. You turn to face the mirror shards, and as you do they dissolve into bubbles, rising to some light illuminating the liquid you're in. (link: "You realize.")[You realize. [[You're under water->sense of space]].]]

The bottom right corner reads (font:"Balsamiq Sans")[04°14'N 14°50'E]. In the middle of the map, you see a strange shape, unlike anything you have seen before. (display: "glyph-image") Did you draw that? [[No.|ch1-arrival]]

The surface of the rock is adorned with a pattern of small glyphs. You take a closer look; they look awfully similar to the glyph on your map. Did someone engrave them here? You reach out and run your fingers over the runes. [[A hum.]]

It originates from your camera. A low, warm tone emanates from it. You can feel it vibrating in your hand. [[Take a picture.->secret-snap]]

You point your camera toward the wall. Someone has to see this. (link: "\"Someone?\"")[You pull the trigger. The flash goes off. The surface reflects it so brightly, your eyes need to readjust to the gloomy light of the cave again. (link: "It glows.")[The glyphs have lit up in a hue you are not sure whether to call pink or red. The crystal behind you still shines its blue light across the chamber. (link: "You hear rain.")[The sounds of rain from outside reverb through the cave. You can also hear small droplets nearby, echoing through the chamber, creating a rhythm. [[The glyphs flicker to the sound.->secret-end]] ] ] ]

As you turn around, your heart drops to your stomach. You can see the source of the sounds of (link: "water dropping.")[water dropping. Small puddles of water have formed on the cavern floor, yet water is seperating from it and shooting up to the ceiling. [[The outside light fades.]]]

You stumble out of the cave, struggling to find the exit with no light to lead you. As you exit, the moon is (link: "gone.")[ In its place, a mountain. Rain hits your face as you look up at the mass of rock. In the night sky, a mountain descend through the clouds, hanging above the very island you are standing on. (link: "These are no clouds.")[You look up as your knees start to weaken. What you mistook for clouds is water. As if the world folded upon itself, you look up into the depths of a lake. (link: "You remember your camera.")[As you start to line up your shot of the island hanging from the sky, your hands tremble immensely. You have never felt this unsettled before. As your knees give in, you [[take a picture->non-existence]].]]]

(cycling-link: "Everything goes black.", "...", "Exist.", "No.", "")