The Last Snowfall

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XX=")[The Last Snowfall ] [[Start Game]] (masteraudio: 'stopall')

You stand in a thick forest. Snow is falling gently. It is nearly night and you need to find shelter. [[Go left.->move]] [[Go right.->move]] (track: 'snowfall', 'loop', true) (track: 'snowfall', 'playwhenpossible')

It does not matter which way you choose. You have no idea where you are heading. [[Stop to check your bag.]]

It is time to make a decision. You have walked through these woods for several days and found nothing that will help you survive. The only thing keeping you going is melted icewater. All you have accomplished is to prolong the pain. You need to come up with a plan. [[Check your bag.]]

You have an empty plastic bag that once contained salty peanuts. There's also an empty plastic waterbottle. No point carrying water around since it'll just freeze. What else... hmm... a flashlight almost out of battery. Let's see... oh yes a box of matches. Very useful. Almost forgot the hatchet. Good for chopping up wood for fires. And deep down buried beneath your tools is a plane ticket. [[Keep going.->Keep walking.]]

Why are you doing that? You just did. You list all the things again. Most of it is just rubbish. The flashlight has no batteries. The waterbottle has a hole in it. Oh yes, I also forgot to mention the empty pill bottle. You have no more medicine. You check it anyway. Your numb fingers try to pull the cap off and it takes several minutes to do so. Still nothing there? Don't you remember swallowing the last one this morning? [[Throw the bottle away.]]

You drop the bottle into the snow and keep walking. You feel fine. You didn't need that medicine. Keep walking. [[Until your knees freeze shut.->collapse.]]

You collapse against a snowbank. The snow falls down your neck. You've grown too tired to shiver anymore. Everything is so cold... so cold of this world. You need to find something warm. Anything. Just close your eyes and you'll feel it. The warmth is there. In your your [[dreams]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s))

Waves gently come up the rocks. A lighthouse. Across the inlet you can see people sitting on the beach. A few stray clouds cover the sun briefly. Everything feels normal. Just another day. There is a haze over the water. What is it? Something standing there? [[That's not real.]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s))

Keeping your eyes open is a heavy task, like lifting the whole world on your shoulders. Need something to stop you from fading away. You're dying. In your bag there are matches. Enough to light a small fire if you want to. You don't want to light a fire. Still, you reach inside your backpack and pull out your matches along with the ticket you have. The plane ticket should burn easily enough, give you time to make a real fire. The match is struck against the box. It flares up, nearly blinding you. Your fingers are trembling. Holding it, so small, yet so dangerous. One hand holds the match as it is brought underneath the thin paper of the plane ticket. The destination begins to burn away. You can't do this. Fuck! The match and ticket fall into the snow. Fingers are so numb that you can't close them around the ticket. Close your eyes. Stop breathing the cold air. Try to find someplace warm in your mind. Don't worry anymore. [[It's night.]]

You don't have many choices left to make. [[Sleep.]] [[Don't sleep.]]

Does it really matter? You'll see the same things whether awake or not. [[close your eyes]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s))

Does it really matter? You'll see the same things whether awake or not. [[open your eyes]]

You can see the desert sand blowing over the dunes. Dust rises and falls. Bright light of the sun is slowly setting over the flat plain. It is so hard to keep your eyes up from the glare. You must look. From far over the horizion you can see a black shape approaching. It comes closer. You are unable to move, your feet caught in quicksand. The blackness comes closer until you can see it clearly. It is a young girl, weatherbeaten by the sand wind. She looks up at you and asks... "Jack, why did my parents die?" [[My name is Jack.]]

In the snow there is a monster. A whirling shadow with two eyes. Hiding halfway behind a tree. You are unable to move. Asleep or awake doesn't matter. The monster is always there. Following you. It comes closer and you hear it breathing a terrible raspiness. The swirling form seems to expand and contract with each wheeze. You can hear right there inside your ear. It's up to your face. This isn't real. This isn't reallllllllllll [[not alone]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) (track: 'snowfall', 'fadeout', 3)

When you look again you can see a campfire, the wood crackling pleasantly. Across, sitting down and poking it gently is an older man. He is tightly wrapped so you can't see his face. He pulls down a scarf, showing a smile. "Good, you're alive. I was just about to eat you," he said. His voice is hoarse from too much cigarette smoke. [[Play it off casually.]] [[Try to escape.]] (track: 'campfire', 'loop', true) (track: 'campfire', 'playwhenpossible')

Floating over the campfire is a cloud of smoke. Something unnerving about it just hanging there. There's a face in the fire that you recognize haunting your nightmares. It's not real. The face goes away after a second. What about the stranger? Is he real? Yes, you think so. That doesn't mean you trust him. Will he kill you? No need to freak out just yet. The best way to avoid getting hurt is not to make huge assumptions. You need to play this out. Calmly. "Oh hey," you say. "Hi there," the stranger replies. He is still smiling. "Who are you?" you ask. The older man laughs. "Can you be more specific? There are many things that I could list that apply to me." "Start with a name," you say. "Oh no, that's a complicated question. Let's say... My name is Marlowe." You manage to keep talking despite the pain in your stomach. "Still going to eat me?" "Sorry, a bad joke. I tried once, though. Terrible taste. Rather die first than feast upon flesh." Something about his smug, joking manner of speech sets you on edge. He is not entirely sincere. [[Be polite.]]

Your body is stuck, held back by exhaustion. No amount of wishful thinking is going to get your legs to move by themselves. You are forced to take in your surrondings. Floating over the campfire is a cloud of smoke. Something unnerving about it just hanging there. There's a face in the fire that you recognize haunting your nightmares. It's not real. The face goes away after a second. What about the stranger? Is he real? Yes, you think so. That doesn't mean you trust him. Will he kill you? It doesn't matter whether he's real or not. People can get hurt either way. But as you try to stand up, you realize that it is impossible. Being so close to death has made your body shut down. It will take a while to recover. "Who the fuck are you?" you ask. Your response is more rude than actually angry. You're too exhausted to raise your voice above a whisper. The older man laughs. "Can you be more specific? There are many things that I could list that apply to me." "Start with a name," you say. "Oh no, that's a complicated question. Let's say... My name is Marlowe." You manage to keep talking despite the pain in your stomach. "Still going to eat me?" "Sorry, a bad joke. I tried once, though. Terrible taste. Rather die first than feast upon flesh." Something about his smug, joking manner of speech sets you on edge. He is not entirely sincere. [[Be polite.]]

He did save your life after all. Without that fire you'd be a frozen icicle. Admitting that is difficult. "Thanks for finding me." "Pure luck, my lad. I found your footsteps and followed hoping for some easy thievery. You were so pathetic I had felt too sorry to take anything." You'll have to check your bag later. But you keep talking. "Things are that bad?" "For you, yes. I doubt you'd have survived making it to the city. But you won't find anything there. It is empty of all souls. Your journey was in vain." "You don't know me." "Sure I do lad. A man on a mission. I'm on one myself." [[Scoff.->mission]] [[Laugh.->mission]] [[Growl.->mission]]

Instead you hack out a cough. Your nose is stuffed with snot. Talking makes everything spin. Sickness is growing within you. It's not the snow's fault. Your mind is eating itself. Marlowe is concerned, at least. "You alright?" "Perfectly fine." "I can see a liar from a mile away. I'm an expert in acting. Spent my whole life on the stage and I can tell when someone's faking a performance. You need to spin belief into truth. Else you won't get better." He leans back and grabs a canteen. You drink the water greedily. It's been boiled hot but the heat is beautiful. Sinks between your teeth and into your gums. Wiping your mouth, you ask... [[What about you?]]

He seems to enjoy your question. "Like I said, I'm on a mission. Actually, I'm returning from a long odyssey into the unknown. But I fought and survived and won something great. The knowledge to save this world." You can't help but squeak out a comeback. "You're ever crazier than me." Marlowe laughs. "That's right. You have to be to survive this long. We're brothers that way. Stronger than blood. Both playing the same part in this half-written play. That's a close bond we share." "You fall in love with everybody you meet?" you ask. "Just with myself." You aren't sure if you like this guy. [[He's friendly.->leave]] [[He's a killer.->leave]]

"Here's some food." He tosses a plastic bag your way. Filled with cold meat cut from corpses. You suddenly imagine him taking a knife to your frozen body. "I have enough for myself. Take it as payment for keeping me company before the last turning." Most of what he says sounds like gibberish. "The universe works by exchanges. I give something, and recieve it back later. Remember that kindness can be paid back a hundred fold. Same with destiny. The laws of nature are bent to our intentions. We make destiny ourselves." "I'll keep that in mind." Marlowe stands up. "Well, I have to keep moving. My destination is getting away from me. Good luck, Jack." [[And he fades away into the night.]]

Did you hear that? He said your name. You don't ever share your name. [[Check that fucking bag!]] [[Check the bag calmly.]]

Going through the bag calms you down. Everything you own is inside the straps. Thankfully Marlowe doesn't seem to have taken anything out. You check your plane ticket again. Edges burned but you can still read the important info on it. Your name. Marlowe wasn't some crazy mind-reader at least. He probably saw the ticket as he went through your stuff. At least he didn't take anything. [[Nearly morning.]]

You check your bag without going crazy. Calmly, looking in and seeing that all of your stuff is there. Marlowe didn't steal your stuff. How did he know your name? No need to freak out. Your plane ticket, despite it's singed edges, still has your name printed on the front. No need to jump to conclusions. [[Nearly morning.]]

You feel strong enough to keep walking. Perhaps Marlowe was right and the city held no one alive. That felt like a lie but also you might just be in denial. After all, you did come all this way to find someone there. Marlowe's footprints guide your path towards the city. A part of you thinks this is all inside your head, that your conversation with Marlowe was merely another dream. Except you manage to follow the prints to the highway. The ground is firm compared to the molasses of the forest. No longer pushing through knee high snow drifts. Signs appear every few miles pointing towards your destination. At least that's proof you've been going in the right direction. [[Shelter in the gas station.->shelter]] (track: 'campfire', 'fadeout', 3) (track: 'sadpiano', 'fadein', 3)

The building is off the road. Abandoned vehicles crowd around the pumps despite the high prices being advertised. Even before the end people were buying desperately. Inside, everything is free. Almost everything has been taken except for sunscreen. (unless: $sunscreen is 1)[[Take the sunscreen.]] (unless: $office is 1)[[Search the office.]] (unless: $bathroom is 1)[[Check the bathroom.]] (if: $search >= 2)[[Move on.]]

The last large quantity of stock inside the store. SPF 100+ perfect for holidays on the beach. You grab a whole armful and put it in your backpack. Who knows when you might need it? Might empty the bottles and refill with water. The packaging says the cream is non-toxic. Maybe you'll eat some as a snack later. It isn't the worst thing you've had to put in your mouth these past few months. [[Yum.->shelter]] (set: $search to $search + 1) (set: $sunscreen to 1)

The door is shut tight. You take out your hatchet to break open a hole. crack crack crash. You see a small room mostly taken up with cabinets and a single desk at the center. Entering, you look for anything else to help you on your journey. A map of the city is there, which you take. There is cash on the desk but you don't bother wasting your time with that. When you look over the desk you see a Body lying there with a hole in it's head. Shriveled but not decomposing, preserved by the endless winter. You can see it easily standing back up and speaking at you to get out of his office. The cause of death is in the corpse's hand. [[Take the gun.->gun]] [[Leave the gun.->shelter]] (set: $search to $search + 1) (set: $office to 1) (set: $guncheck to 1)

There isn't any sign of toilet paper. You still take advantage of the moment to sit down and have a nice bowel movement. None of the water works. Frozen solid in the pipes but there is still some soap to at least get that nice smell. You open the bottle and break off a frozen piece to melt in your hands. There is a mirror. You get the first good look at yourself in a while. Beard crawling down your neck like a horrific overgrown bush. It looks like you've fought in several boxing matches and lost every one of them. Jesus. You've come a long way, haven't you? Shouldn't you feel lucky coming this far? Not many others did. [[What's the point if I'm alone?]] (set: $bathroom to 1)

You've spent enough time here. There's still enough light to keep going, though brief it'll be. You'll reach the city today. After that, you aren't too sure. [[Check your bag?]] (set: $search to 0)

You hold the gun in your hand. It's a revolver. Five bullets inside. Hopefully you won't ever have to use it. [[Leave the office. ->shelter]] (set: $gun to 1)

You aren't. Out of the corner of your eye you can see the shadow Only a flicker of movement. Probably nothing. Clear your mind of such worries. We're nearly there, the whole reason for this journey. From across the wilderness, through the blizzards... you are so close to home. It's going to be okay. [[Stop looking in the mirror.->shelter]] (set: $search to $search + 1)

The plane ticket is singed at the edges. The ink has faded over the months, but you can still read the note you wrote on the back. It is an address. [[Go there.]]

It is night. You stand in a street amid a neighborhood. There are plenty of places to find shelter but you are only interested in one. [[Get lost.]] (track: 'sadpiano', 'fadeout', 3)

Lost in a maze of suburban houses identical to anywhere else in the country. Ignore the fact that the streetlamps have no light and this could be almost normal. These houses could be filled with sleeping families. Children waking up in the morning to make a snowman. Do you miss it? [[Yes->old life]] [[No->old life]]

A tragedy. Jack. I know it was an accident. Are you ok. I'm sorry about your parents. I'm sorry. [[We can't afford to pay for the hospital bill.]]

You can hear the click of a switch. In one of the windows a light comes on. The bedroom on the second floor. Silhoutted is the body of your father A person. You ignore it and keep moving. Another light flashes awake in a different house. This time the person standing in it is your mother A woman standing perfectly still. You break into a run. The lights follow you, turning on when you run past each home. Dead people hanging in the rooms, feet off the ground. Fires burning behind them, consuming everything. The smoke rising and turning the falling snow into ash. Who killed them Jack? Who? [[Shut up!]]

It's //her// house. You use your shoulder to force open the door. The hinges are so frozen they snap easily. Behind is a force breathing down your neck. But it stops when you enter. You find the nearest couch and collapse on it. [[im okay]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s))

Marlowe comes up on stage. He's dressed like you. The actor takes off his backpack and rummages through it desperately. "Where's my ticket, where's my ticket?!" He yells in a high pitched screech. The audience laughs. Marlowe pauses before slowly pulling it out from his bag. But the ticket is a gun. "Uh oh, how did this get in here?" Howling laughter. The curtain opens as Marlowe walks away. [[it so funny!]]

A man and a woman. They come in slowly dancing opposite each other. Towards the spotlight in the center. "I love you," he says. "I love you," she says. Marlowe appears from the shadows with the gun. Standing in the spotlight between the couple. "Choose which, Jack, who do you love the most?" [[man->girlfriend]] [[woman->girlfriend]]

"My parents are dead." Marlowe is talking to a young girl. He's playing your part. "Nobody ever dies," says the girl. "That's what my mother told me before she left. Told me that all the graves are empty and the headstones got fake names on 'em. It's a scam by the morgues." Marlowe nods his head. "I still see them, sometimes. They come to ask me how I'm doing. But I can't..." "What?" The old actor puts his hands on the girl shoulders with a sly smile. He looks back at the audience. THEY ARE ALL LAUGHING. "Get your goddamn hands off her!" you yell. Suddenly you are on stage. The rage is real. [["Don't touch her!"]]

Marlowe laughs. "What is it, Jack? Did you forget the limits of your imagination? You told Sophie that same day!" [["BUT I CAN'T FEEL THEM!"]]

Marlowe grabs your head in his hands. You can feel his thumbs dig into your eyes [[feel real enough for you?]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) (track: 'area', 'play')

Your eyes snap open. It is day, thankfully. The stage is gone, just a dream. Reach out and feel the cushions. Fabric between your nails. The cold chill in the air. Remember that familiarity and know you're safe. We have a long day ahead of us. Get some breakfast. [[Fine.->breakfast]] (track: 'windchimes', 'loop', true) (track: 'windchimes', 'playwhenpossible')

The fireplace looks like its been used recently. Otherwise, the building is a mess. Looks recently ransacked, stripped of easily burnable objects. A chill wind blows through the open doors and smashed windows. (if: $gun is 1)+(unless: $gunhold is 1 or $gunrefuse is 1)[The gun is in your bag. If you want that thing, you should grab it before leaving this floor.] Hopefully there's a clue to finding your friend here. (unless: $bag is 1)[[Check your bag.->bag 1]] (unless: $picture is 1)[[Look at the pictures.]] (unless: $pills is 1)[[Go to the bathroom.]] (unless: $phobia is 1)[[Cook the meat.]] (if: $search >= 2)[[Go to the bedroom.]]

(if: $gun is 1)[There's only one thing you need in the bag. The gun. Weighing on your mind since picking it up at that gas station. You don't want to carry it because then maybe you'd have to use it. Pulling the trigger isn't a pleasant thought, even to save your own life. Take the gun? [[Yes.->take gun.]] [[No.->leave gun.]]] (unless: $gun is 1)[Why do you keep looking in expecting to find something new? Did you forget to pick something up? Something crucial? Is your heart gnawing at the other possibilties that you've left behind in the snow? Either way, it doesn't change what's in your bag. Useless junk. A ticket for a flight long missed. You decide to leave it all in the bag. [[Do something more productive.->breakfast]]] (if: $sunscreen is 1)[Oh hey, there's also some sunscreen in here. Maybe you can squirt that in your mouth for some energy? (link:"Squirt it!")[Ugh, gross. You spit it back out.]] (set: $search to $search + 1) (set: $bag to 1)

The whole house is in a state of preserved suburban bliss. Many pictures of the married husband and wife in stunning locations around the world. On beaches and mountain sides their faces are looking up at their phones with pure bliss. You can't sense any hidden tension behind their eyes. The only thing missing, you think, is a child. You put a finger on the wife. She's still as beautiful the day you first met her. All grown up now, living free of the trauma you shared. How did she do it? You aren't jealous. All you are is alone. There's another picture you find on the floor. This one is ripped in half. One side with a smiling woman, the other half a familiar man dressed up in a stage costume. They are part of some production. It's signed? 'Lots of love! M.' [[Stop reminiscing.->breakfast]] (set: $search to $search + 1) (set: $picture to 1)

The downstairs toilet is nice and clean. A little sign hangs from the wall reminding users to wipe their asses and wash their hands. All you do is just look in the mirror. The same man as yesterday. Not dead yet, though you feel close enough. Behind the mirror is a collection of tablets and pills. You look over the labels, not finding the one you need. Guess nobody here needs antipsychotic medication. Still... why not take a couple anyway? It might help... might make you feel good... [[Take a mouthful of pills.]] [[Do not do this.]] (set: $search to $search + 1) (set: $pills to 1)

Remember the meat Marlowe gave you? The bag of stuff that might actually be human flesh? You are hungry enough not to care. But it's all raw so you'll need to cook it. But that ain't happening. This phobia of yours is very inconvenient in a world half-frozen to death and with the weather of constant snowfall. Really, you couldn't have picked a worse fear. Stupid, isn't it? Maybe if you had some pills, maybe you'd be able to calm that anxiety of yours and light a fire. Until then, you'll suffer being the cold. [[I know.->breakfast]] (set: $search to $search + 1) (set: $phobia to 1)

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You've investigated the first floor, wasting more than enough time picking through mirrors and pictures. You need to find what you came here to find. There might be a clue leading you to //her//. She's too smart to leave something obvious behind. She's a survivor, like you. Actually, this whole journey could easily end right here. But that hasn't stopped you coming all this way. You need a new direction. You need to find her. [[Upstairs.]]

Before you realize it, a collection of mystery pills are entering your mouth. We're heading to Feel Good City, just right off exit 420. Population of one. Your sudden attempt to swallow all the pills activates your gag reflex and makes you puke it all up into the toilet bowl. Thank God, else you'd probably be dead. Rereading the label reveals that these pills are for women who don't want to have a baby. Birth control. Maybe next time slow down and pay attention before shoving something in your mouth? [[Leave the bathroom.->breakfast]]

You do not shove unknown chemicals down your throat. Rereading the contents of the bottle makes you realize that this is birth control for women. It would have been totally embarrassing if you actually tried swallowing this stuff! Thankfully that never crossed your mind. [[Leave the bathroom.->breakfast]]

The door opens with a creak. This is their bedroom. From the state of the place, you doubt it's been used recently. There is a hole in the ceiling, collapsed by the weight of snow. Powder gently floats down. All signs show it has been totally abandoned, except for a series of recently made footprints in the snow. The trail leads to the head of the bed. You follow the steps. Is there someone behind you? [[No there isn't.]]

Shake off that feeling. You are nearly there, can't have you getting distracted by another episode. Your eyes scan for any evidence of who was here recently. Think. [[Think.]]

Underneath the pillow. That's where Sophie always hid the things most precious to her. She'd write notes to herself of her own dreams, hoping it would come true overnight. Always wanted to become an actor. And then she did. You should have tried writing down what you wanted too. You lift up the pillow and find a A rock. Underneath the small stone is a small note in her bad cursive. You pocket the stone. [[Still remember how to read?]]

Ezra he's still after us bastard some of his men came close to me killed one of them outside the house? have to go across the water you know the spot stay safe Sophie [["Shit."]]

You didn't say that. You turn around. [[A stranger.->The husband.]]

"Fuck," says a man. The stranger holds a baseball bat hammered with nails. The sharp ends are dripping blood onto the white snow. A bruised face is twisted in a snarl. He is paused in place from sneaking up on you, halfway to dealing an unseen blow against your head. It's almost like a game on a playground, caught and you freeze. Except he could just kill you. He is breathing heavy. [[Sophie...]] (if: $gunhold is 1)[[Shoot him.]]

You say the woman's name. "Sophie..." The man hesitates. "S-sophie is my f-friend," you choke out. Oh please work. [[Please...]]

At first it seems like you miss, since the man standing there continues standing long after the bullet leaves the barrel. He looks at you confused, not understanding his own demise. Like he still has one last question to ask. Then the red begins to stain his front and the truth can't be denied anymore. He falls with a thump to the ground. [[Holy shit, you killed him.->dark path]] (set: $murder to 1) (track: 'gunshot', 'play')

"You know her! Oh God, is she safe?" The man's body relaxes. Stay calm. You are still human. Just have a conversation. You nod. "I know her. I found a note. She's across the water." He lets out a sigh of relief. "So my wife is safe." "I think so." you say. He is overjoyed. "I'm Ezra. Who are you? What's your name?" "My name is-" [[Jack?]]

The shadow! It's right behind- Marlowe He has a (if:$gunhold is 1)[knife!](unless:$gunhold is 1)[gun!] it goes "Ezra!" [[Too late Jack.]] (if: $gunhold is 1)[[Shoot at Marlowe.]]

You hear nothing except the gentle thump of Ezra falling across the snow. Blood pools out into a red angel trapped in the ice. His eyes look over to you, glassy and still. Whatever word is on his lips is now lost forever. Marlowe puts away his weapon. "Gave me quite the chase, but I finally got you." Marlowe gets to his knees next to Ezra. "You will never be forgotten friend. My disciples will sing your song until the end of days." Is he... saying a prayer? (unless: $gun is 1)["I'm giving thanks to our lord for providing me with this weapon. I found the gun in a gas station, last used to kill it's owner. A very noble weapon, the revolver. I find the design very chivalric." Marlowe says, as if knowing you could have taken it instead.] (if: $guncheck is 1 and $gun is 0)[You had the opportunity to take the gun! Why didn't you?] (if: $gunhold is 1)["Give me your gun, Jack."] [[Any advice?]] (unless:$gunhold is 1)[(track: 'gunshot', 'play')]

Me? Voice in your head? Nope. (if: $gunhold is 1)[[Shoot the bastard!]] (unless: $gunhold is 1)[[Talk to Marlowe.]] (if: $gunhold is 1)[[Give up the gun.->Talk to Marlowe.]]

That motherfucker! He killed... Marlowe killed Sophie's wife! The gun is in your hands. The light in the room shrinks, wisps of black skulls fill the edges of your vision. Smoke everywhere and your lungs can barely suck down the air. Marlowe looks up from his knife to look at you. You pull the trigger. Marlowe dives for the ground and the shot wizzes overtop. You pull the trigger again, but the room is spinning and it misses. The actor runs out. You shoot one last time but it only leaves a hole in the wall. [[Follow him outside.]] (track: 'gunshot', 'play') (track: 'windchimes', 'fadeout', 3)

(if:$gunhold is 1)[You give up the gun.] "Why... did you kill that man?" you ask. "Ezra, you mean?" Marlowe groans as he stands back up. "Come on, who do you think he is?" "Sophie's husband?" He smiles. "Interesting. You do know." Looks like you already divulged too much information. He suspects you are involved with whatever madness is ticking in his head. What if he kills you next? "Answer the question," you say. Marlowe shrugs. "Fine. I couldn't have him interfering." "With what?" "The ending of this winter." [[Fire and smoke.]] (track: 'windchimes', 'fadeout', 3)

"Some of the survivors love the new world of never ending ice. People like Ezra don't understand why the snow must stop. They see themselves as kings upon themselves, greedy to live their meager existences scavenging for survival. But should we not try to aim higher? Towards a greater purpose?" "You've seen the universe work, Jack. I gifted to you a new lease on life and in return you led me to the very person I seek. You lead me straight to their home. Is that not proof that the snows are coming to an end? That the EARTH itself seeks the sun's warmth?" "Ezra was too afraid to go back. He was not willing to make the final sacrifice. So we must go on without him. We must find the Mother and her Child. And you will help me." The monologue finished, Marlowe pauses as if expecting applause. "Come now, speak Jack. Tell me you don't want to usher in the [[everlasting summer]]?"

"I think you are completely insane." Marlowe laughs. "That's a term from the old world Jack. But I know that I'm not the crazy one here." From out of his pockets he pulls the fire Empty bottle of pills that you dropped in the snow. "Tell me... what do you see. Is it the future or the past? Things that will come or may happen? I need a map. And you are my guide!" Oh shit. [[Try to make him understand.]]

Don't look at Ezra. That isn't going to help. You aren't crazy. Hey, Jack, you aren't crazy. It's okay. Deep breaths. Ignore the shadow monster. Forget the fire. Focus on the here and now. There is a man holding a gun ready to kill to prove a point. All we need to do is survive. [[Offer to help.]]

"I know where Sophie is." Remember, you are only doing this to keep Marlowe from hurting you. You might be the only chance Sophie has left. He nods. "Good." Inside your pocket is the rock. "You can follow me," you say. Marlowe moves forward to hold your hands. His skin feels colder than the room. "When you find her, we must be gentle with the Mother. She's still within grace. Gain her trust and prepare her for our arrival. I must gather our people. The time of the summer is soon." You nod slowly. Don't cry, it will make your face numb. The actor moves toward the exit. And does a bow before leaving. This is real Jack. We need to [[stay strong.]]

We need to find Sophie and warn her. Though it seems like she probably already knows about Marlowe. But she's most likely all alone now. Without her husband... "This is real," you say to yourself. To remind you that this isn't another hallucination. A man died in front of you. You slowly trudge forward towards Ezra. He is lying there, completely still. He isn't going to stand up again, so it's okay to get close. Search his pockets. See if there's anything in there useful. "I'm sorry." [[Pick up the red note.]]

[[Sophie!]] I'm writing this note just in case I'm here first. I know you said don't write a whole novel, but I can't help myself. Anyway, I'm almost at the you know what across the water. But first, let me catch you up to speed. It also helps keep my thoughts in order. After we split up, I was attacked by three of the cult. Got away fine. Seems like our plan worked because the rest of them were hot on my tail for the past couple of weeks. Got through Portland by the skin of my teeth. Can almost see Mt. Rainier now. I saw Marlowe from a distance. He's the same as ever. I can't believe you were on the same tv show as him. Still conceited after everything. Not even the apocalpyse can change that. I hope we can get out of here. Remember when we still thought heading south was a good idea? The ocean looked like it was going to freeze. Maybe we can find a way across? It's either that or go jump in St. Helena to keep warm. Also, I know whatever Marlowe says about our child, he's wrong. I trust you. Whatever happened with you and him doesn't matter to me. I still love you. Just thought I'd throw that in at the end. See ya soon, Ezra

Yeah, you probably shouldn't have read that. The guilt is too strong. Put it in your pocket, it'll be good if you can deliver it. So, are you ready? [[Find Sophie.]]

The water. Across the water? You think you know what she means. Means heading deeper into the city. Careful, you have no idea what to expect there. Downstairs lies all your equipment. Gather it all, we need to hurry. Marlowe is going to follow as you try to find her. While heading in the city, you need to think of a way to get him off your trail. No time to check your bag. [[You walk down the street.]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s))

Take aim at the actor. Your hand shakes. The click of the trigger is followed by the sudden recoil of totally missing Marlowe. The bullet flies high and hits the top of the doorframe. Though your fire has not the intended effect, you manage to get Ezra to turn around and face Marlowe. The actor is frozen, shocked by the near miss. "Bastard!" Ezra punches Marlowe in the face. The actor goes down in a slump. [[Whew, that was close.]] (set: $ezrasave to 1) (track: 'gunshot', 'play')

Sophie points up across the inlet. "Can you see the mountain?" she asks. The rest of the class have already moved on from the shore. Mrs. Cunnigham is too busy sheparding the rowdy kids towards the //lighthouse// to pay attention to your absence. The air sparkles with sunlight reflecting off the dragonflies eyes. Boats pass by, small yachts that inspire jealousy. To feel the wind in your hair, flying across the channel. Both you and Sophie share the same love. You are too young to realize that this is the happiest you'll ever be. The mountain appears briefly above the clouds before fading away again. It was only a moment, but enough to mark this ground as holy. For the both of you. You throw a rock into the water. "Someday I'm gonna climb it." "Not before me." she says. "I'm always going to be ahead of you. The teacher yells at them from a distance. "Kids! We're going to miss the ferry!" You don't want to leave. Neither does Sophie. She picks up a rock and puts it into her pocket. "Let's come back here after we've climbed to the top." [[Summer days were so good.]] (masteraudio: 'stopall') (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s))

Daytime is practically night as the clouds close in. Snow falls quickly from the approaching storm, burying everything in another deep layer of snow. How many years will it take until all civilization is swallowed up by the permafrost? The stone acts as your compass towards Sophie's location, held in your hands as if it could give you directions for which street to go down. It is a maze even with the street signs helping. All you know is that you need to head north towards the inlet. Is Marlowe following you? The quiet is suffocating. [[Ignore the shadows.]] (track: 'piano', 'loop', true) (track: 'piano', 'playwhenpossible')

The shopping mall is a good place to take a break. You sit down near a blow up figure of some advertising mascot selling insurance for vehicles. The snow shaken off your boots, you are finally free of the weather for the first time today. Across the wide avenue you can see a pharmacy. [[Get medicated.]]

You walk over to the pharmacy and gently open the doors. Underneath the snow, broken glass crackles. You get to searching. Digging through the trash of the pharmacy results in a lucky find. It's the exact prescription you need, buried within a drawer. Anti-pyschotic medicine with a name you can definitely not pronounce. So... You want to take some? [[yes]] [[no]]

You pop the pill. (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[Goodbye.]]

Good choice. We can't start wasting time with this bullshit prescribed to you. Feel that inside your body? You are finally free of their control. Those doctors wanted you sedated, passive, so you'd never question their intentions. First person you saw after your parents' deaths was a doctor. Think that's a coincidence? Think again. They were responsible. How could it have been your fault? A kid like you couldn't even hurt a fly. [[STOP!]]

"Where am I?" You sit up from the hospital bed. Your arm is caught in a sling. "In the hospital. How are you feeling?" A nurse is standing above you. "Tired, I guess," you say. She puts down a clipboard and gently pushes you back down onto the bed. She gently opens a window, letting in fresh air. "What do you remember Jack?" she asks. It takes a second to remember. "I was in a forest. Looking for firewood. Then... I'm not sure. Something was chasing me." "A person?" "It was more like a shape. Smoky air. That's it." The nurse kneels down next to you. "I'm sorry Jack, this next part is going to be hard." "Okay?" "Your parents are its your fault jack you killed them "Wake up!" A voice begins reading the side-effects of your medicine. Starting with: (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[Anxiety...]]

You open your eyes. It seems you took a nap in the mall. Lying down on the hard plastic tiles with your bag as a pillow. That pill did fuck all for your schizophrenia. Out of date perhaps. Or maybe you're too far gone. Brain is too much of a slurry to put back together. Humpty Dumpty's mental breakdown. [[Just get out of here.->leave mall]]

The scream echoes in the monument to American consumerism. You sound angry. Infuriated at your own mind's betrayal. You don't feel united but rather a collection of broken mirrors reflecting different images. When will it stop? The bickering between yourself. It won't ever end. This is who you are. Change that, Jack would be gone; lost to the ether. Pain destroys but can also create. [[I need to find Sophie.->leave mall]]

And when we do? Think ahead for once. Do you really plan on saving Sophie from whatever wrath Marlowe has in store? Don't think we could stop him. He's less a man and more a force of nature. The time comes, will we able to do anything in this sorry state? [[Stop worrying about it.]]

You reach the water's edge. After crossing over on some bridges, you've come to a port caught in the deep freeze. Ships once floating now lay on their sides as part of the ice. Past a small park where trees once grew, now chopped for firewood, is a stony beach that you decide is where you'll start walking across the inlet. You jump up and down on the ice where it is still shallow. Stays solid though you can feel it shift with each step. No way could you walk this with another person without the ice breaking. The storm has not abated once, making it hard to see your destination. But you head off anyway. [[Across the water.]]

It is a long walk to the island. Through the angry flurry you think there is a shadow following you. But whether it is real or trapped in your delusions is hard to tell. Your destination is only a blotch of gray amid a swirlling white. The itch of a thousand ticks is on your skin. Shivering and sweating only makes things worse. You slip once and feel your knee bounce off the ice shield covering the water. But you have to keep going. For Ezra. He couldn't make it this far. Now it is your journey to take. Sophie... I should have [[done more.->regret]] [[stayed in touch.->regret]] [[overcome my fear.->regret]] [[kept our friendship.->regret]]

You are here now. You haven't given up despite everything. [[I'm strong?]]

The thought is ludicrous. You? Strong? But you make it to the island anyway. [[And the lighthouse.]]

A beautiful old cottage on the beach. A collapsed steel tower acts as a wall between you and the lighthouse. You can climb through it easily. Before heading inside, you take out your hatchet. Maybe it might be more useful than just cutting wood. The door is unlocked. Open it. [[Doing that.]]

Inside is a woman sitting on a chair. She is really there. Real enough to touch and know you'll feel her warmth. The same face, older and stronger than you expected. The living room is an old fashioned living room. Somebody is burning oil because it feels great to just stand and feel the outside air dissolve away. She smiles. "Well, this is unexpected Jack." [[Talk to your best friend.]]

"I-I am here." "That's right," she says. "Are you okay? How's the hallucinations?" She still knows you well. Most days in the orphanage when all you could trust was her. "It's bad. Really bad. I'm sorry." She grabs you, letting you know she isn't trapped inside your head. "Okay. That's okay. You made it. That's all that matters." And for a few minutes, things return as they were ten years ago. [[Then you notice her belly.->pregnant.]]

She's pregnant. "You're..." You can't finish the words. She nods. "Yup. I got married. Ezra should be here soon." There is a sinking feeling in your stomach. "Sophie, we have to leave. Marlowe will have followed me across the water. We don't have much time." "Wha-! How do you know about Marlowe?" It's a lot to explain. "I ran into him while coming to find you. He's crazy." "I know that!" She struggles to stand. Her pregnancy is advanced. "He's obsessed with me. Thinks that I'm the mother and he's the father of the goddamn messiah! But what about Ezra? Did you see him?" (unless: $murder is 1)[[Tell her the truth.]] (if: $murder is 1)[[Tell her the truth.->honesty]] [[Lie.]]

"He's dead. Killed by Marlowe. I saw him do it. I was there." You give her the bloodstained note from Ezra's pockets. Sophie reads it with a hand over her mouth. "God! He's... fuck!" She nearly falls but you catch her. "I'm going to kill that motherfucker!" You keep her steady. "We need to go now Sophie." It is hard to share the same pain. All you're worried about is getting her safe. "No shit," she growls. "They want the baby. Think they can stop the winter with blood. Well, they've spilled enough and nothing has changed." "I know," you say. Seeing the red angel around Ezra. "Where will we go?" You have no answer. "Not me, you. I can hold them off." [["Bullshit."]]

"I haven't run into him. The city is a mess, the storm... He's probably still out there looking for you." Lying does not seem to bring any comfort to Sophie. She wrings her hands, pacing back and forth. "But if I leave this place, he won't know where to find me. God, what a fucking mess this is." You keep her steady. "We need to go now Sophie." It is hard to share the same pain. All you're worried about is getting her safe. "No shit," she growls. "They want the baby. Think they can stop the winter with blood. Well, they've spilled enough and nothing has changed." "I know," you say. Seeing the red angel around Ezra. "Where will we go?" You have no answer. "Not me, you. I can hold them off." [["Bullshit."]] (set: $liar to 1)

Her voice digs into your pysche. "I'm staying here with you," she says. "We have to do this together." This is your fault. It is your responsibility. "Go!" You push her away. "I can give you some time, but not long." Paying back all those people you've hurt. To give something back to the universe. You've already taken too much. The smoking monster is out there to take you. Ever since your parents died, it has patiently waited to collect it's debt. Now it will have it's chance to finally take what you owe. Sophie refuses to listen. "I have an idea Jack. There's a way we can stop Marlowe. Put an end to him, even if it puts us at risk. I need your help since I'm the bait." It sounds too risky. What happens if Sophie and the baby die because of you? But... you should trust her judgement. [[You do not accept her plan.->She leaves.]] [[Agree with Sophie.]]

Sophie sees you can't be convinced. She leaves without a word. Better for you to die than anyone else. You need to prepare quickly. Sophie leaves by the back door while you stand at the front with a hatchet in hand. A set of stairs leads up to the roof and lighthouse. You'll draw them up there, make it hard for more than one person to attack you. Are you even hoping to escape? [[No.]] (set: $badending to 1)

The doors open and ten feral looking men walk in. In their hands are a collection of blunt force weapons. You feel the hatchet in your hands. At least you know the axe is sharp. Marlowe moves to the front of his group. "Where is my lover?" [[Up your asshole.]]

"I knew you'd betray me, Jack. That was always obvious to me. I have more of my followers on the island already looking for her." He leans against the wall, totally unconcerned. "It must go this way. Jesus had his Judas, after all. When we tell your story, you'll be synonymous with a sinner." You should have gone with Sophie. Now you don't know if she escaped. Marlowe wipes his hands of the matter. "Spill his blood, gentlemen. It will join the Child's as our offering." They charge you. (unless: $honestmurder is 1)[[Run upstairs!]] (if: $honestmurder is 1)[[Run upstairs!->honesty path]]

You are halfway up the steps when somebody grabs your ankle and you fall onto the hard wood. One of the growling monsters has a tight grip. The hatchet goes down on his wrist, splitting it open. Screams. The next one clambers over. All of them are like a pile of squirming insects fighting to deliver crumbs to their queen. You kick the attacker and send him tumbling down. Up to the lighthouse. Go go go go! There is a blast and the smell of gunpowder. Did you get hit? Who brought a gun? Then you see Sophie downstairs. She's standing with a smoking shotgun. [[She is still here!]]

"For Ezra!" The heavily pregnant women fires another round into the back of the mob. Blood stains appear in a dozen spots on their shirts. Still, they are coming at you. Swing. Kick. You are pushed to the lighthouse. One of the ugliest has a machete, which you block with your handle. Around the giant lightbulb, dead and dark. There is no skill involved. Just swing and hope you hit The axe goes into his skull. He pauses to look up at your handle before going dead eyed. You leave the hatchet and stomp back downstairs. Over the pile of dead men, towards the open doors. You stand there. Looking out into the storm. Where is Sophie? Or Marlowe? [[Run out into the blizzard.]]

The heat of the lightouse escapes your body. It has never felt colder. The beach is empty, you think. The only shapes are the piles of driftwood shaped like human bodies. Deeper into the island you run, into the trees. Blood melting in the snow. Small drops that you can follow. You trip and fall. It is impossible to see your way. Where. Where are you? (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[Home.]]

The blanket isn't enough. Something terrible has entered your body. The cold is inside you, digging away at your heart. Turning it blue. Your parents try to feed you soup, but the sickness is too strong. "Tomorrow, I'll take him to the hospital," you hear whispered behind your bedroom door. They go off to bed, worried about their child. It won't help. Nothing will. You think you are about to die. [[A shape appears before you.]]

A smoking shape with wide eyes. In your sleep you see it, then when you open them it is still there. The //thing// is breathing slowly. You can feel the wind moving against your cheek. The smoke leaves your bedroom. You follow. Downstairs in the living room there is a fireplace never used. It came with the house. Might have been decades of being unused, just sitting there gathering dust. There's no firewood so you begin to throw whatever might burn into the pit. Magazines, books, toilet paper, your lunchbox with Spiderman on it. Anything close at your hand. All this work only makes you more tired and cold. There is also a box of matches in the kitchen, making it easy to start a decent fire. You want to burn away the sickness inside you. To get rid of the death freezing you. [[It isn't working.]]

The fire needs to be bigger. You head outside. You need proper wood from the forest. You need something that was once alive. The wilderness behind your house loom in the darkness. Everything is tall and scary. But you brave it. You don't want your parents to see you die. Everything aches. The headache causes you to stop for minutes. You try to pick up some more firewood, but your tiny arms can't bear the weight. Something is moving behind you. Turn around slowly. It is the smoking shape with glowing eyes, the form caught in the shape of a man standing tall over you, opening its mouth to show a swirling inferno You drop your wood and scream. tumbling down you don't see the ravine. [[You are sick.]]

The nurse tells you. You are sick. Take this medicine to keep away the monsters. And your parents? [[dead]]

Killed by uncontrolled inferno that left nothing to bury. [[See him now.]]

The monster is above. Once it appeared to you as a man, but now it knows your true fear. It is a cold fire burning in the sky. Your body screams for relief. Too weak to continue bearing your pain. Meanwhile the light is threatening to consume you. Don't sink away. The cold has engulfed the whole world. You could have stopped it. The monster is triumphant. The sickness is going to kill you and everyone you love. "Stand tall!" Sophie... She was there to help you. When the medicine didn't help. When you thought you lost all hope. When the cold came back. "We will climb that mountain someday." She never gave up on you. [[Fight the monster.]]

The fire can be doused. Just remove what it needs most. You hold your breath. Try to keep your lungs full. Deny the monster oxygen. You aren't real. You aren't real. The fire grows dimmer. YOU AREN'T REAL! It isn't your fault. YOU AREN'T REAL! They would be proud of you. YOU. A child needs your help. (unless: $badending is 1 or $early is 1)[[Grab the air.]] (if: $badending is 1)[[Grab the fire.]] (if: $early is 1)[[Grab the air.->no!]] (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) (track: 'gusts', 'loop', true) (track: 'gusts', 'playwhenpossible')

Sophie is lying against the trunk of a tree. She is bleeding profusely above her breast. A gunshot wound steaming. Standing over her is Marlowe. You are too late. She is heaving. You know nothing of pregnancy but something tells you that the time has come. The actor turns to you. He waves his gun, your gun, up into the air. "Soon, the Child's blood will melt the snow. See, it has already begun!" He points to the blood dampening the area between Sophie's legs. You don't have an argument to make. Marlowe continues. "I see we have an audience for tonight's show!" His followers are watching at a safe distance. "Back off," you say. It is a tired plea. "It is too late. How can one person stop destiny?" [[You can't.]]

What do you have left? Marlowe lets you approach Sophie. Why not? He has already won. What can you do to stop a crowd of bloodthirsty cultists? You lean down next to her. You try to put pressure on her wound, but it only seems to make it worse. "Stop Jack. Let me say something," she whispers. "Okay." Each breath is a gasp. "Help me. It's almost here." [[Reach down.]]

It is suprisingly painless. Sophie's whole body is relaxed. Out comes the child, wailing in the cold. You take off your coat to try to swaddle it. "It's a girl." You hold the baby up so she can see. "Brigid," she says. "That's her name." Marlowe is right behind you. "Best we get this done quickly." You lay the baby down with Sophie. "No." [[Marlowe wins.->marlowe wins]]

You are shot. - - - Marlowe smiles as he picks the baby up. His foes lay vanquished. The stars have finally aligned. This story he imagines himself in where he is the hero is just about to reach its conclusion. Jack is dead. Sophie is dying. And the Child is at the mercy of his knife. All it would take is a quick thrust and "Do it, you coward," she says. The mother is impatient. Marlowe hesitates. "Kill my child and burn in hell." Do it. DO IT! [[Can't.]] (masteraudio: 'stopall')

Ezra pulls the actor to the bed, knocking the knife from his hand and pointing the bloodied bat at his head. "Jack, go grab some rope from downstairs, it's downstairs in a kitchen drawer. Watch out, he could have some friends hanging around." You find none of Marlowe's companions but you do bring back the rope. Ezra ties Marlowe's hands together tight. Marlowe has remained calm except for the occasional twitch to break free. Ezra finally lets go once everything has been secured. Wipes his nose and spits on the snow. "Christ, that was close. Thanks Jack." You mumble out a 'your welcome'. Your hand is still holding the gun, trembling. Oh god, had you actually not missed? Another dead man to haunt you. Marlowe has rope tied into his mouth as well. All you can hear is some chewing and grumbling. [[Time to go.]]

You show Sophie's note to Ezra. "I found this underneath her pillow. And a rock. She's at the lighthouse." Ezra rubs his head. "How do you know this?" "We went there once as kids," you say. "Oh, that's right. I think Sophie mentioned you once while there. You meant a lot to her." He looks down at Marlowe. "This isn't really the time to reminisce, though. He's bound to have his goons close by." "I agree. Do we...?" "Kill him. As much as I want to, he might be more useful alive. The whole city is full of his followers. Built himself a pretty decent cult." He forces Marlowe to his feet. "C'mon, let's parade their prophet through the streets. They won't touch us." [[Through the city.]] (track: 'windchimes', 'fadeout', 3)

The trio make for a funny sight. You lead the way with your distressed look and gun unholstered near your hip. Ezra is leading Marlowe on like a disobedient dog muzzled after biting too many strangers. The city is gray underneath the heavy clouds. You sense a storm whipping itself into a frenzy. The wind picks up and trash goes flying. Snow starts to fall in flurries then chunks. Marlowe is making their walking slow. He actively resists being pulled. Ezra lets out a yell. "Let's stop in the mall!" [[Shelter in the shadows.]] (track: 'piano', 'loop', true) (track: 'piano', 'playwhenpossible')

Wait, does he want to go shopping? Actually, no he just wants to take a break. Cities are big and designed for cars, not too walkers with heavy cargo. It isn't hard to find a spot to sit in the vast shopping center. On a bench in front of a silent fountain. A carving of a fish would be spilling water. Ezra takes some blocks of spare firewood out of his backpack. "Hey, you got any matches? It'd be nice to have some extra heat," he asks. No way. Not a fire. Who knows what monsters would be in the smoke? Maybe with some medication to keep away the delusions but not now. Your mind is very vulnerable to any reminder of your past. "Sorry, I have none." "Right. We'll survive either way." Ezra kicks at Marlowe. "So, is it okay to ask what you're doing here Jack? Didn't you live in Michigan or something?" [[He's right.]]

Why are you here? You take out the burned plane ticket and hand it to Ezra. "My invitation. I wanted to catch up with her. After so long..." "You were coming?" Don't retreat now. Stay here, in the moment. Things are hard, harder than ever. The shadows turn to smoke turn to monsters. You know the three of here aren't alone in here. Marlowe's followers are nearby. The headache is unbearable. "I... I bought the ticket before... the end." Ezra nods. "I promised Sophie I would come visit once I got better." "Better?" Marlowe starts laughing behind his tight gag. [["Ignore him."->talk]] says Ezra.

You aren't safe here, but each of you need shut eye. Especially Ezra who looks like he's running off coffee grinds. His eyes are bloodshot with black brusies. So you volunteer for first watch. You hold the gun still. Marlowe watches you intently. It looks like he wants to say something. Ezra is out cold (not metaphorically), so you could talk with Marlowe if you wanted. [[Keep the gag on him.]] [[Take off the gag.]]

Marlowe licks his lips. "Finally, sheesh. Being the subject of censorship before, the pain is familiar. Doesn't make it easy, though." "What?" He rolls his eyes. "I'm saying this isn't my first rodeo. People hated me long before the Winter and they'll continue to do after. Don't know why, I think I'm pretty charming." "Uh?" "I wanted to tell you that there's a pharmacy across the way. You might find what you are looking for in there." What does that exactly mean? "I don't need your help." "I found your empty bottle left in the snow. Looking at the conditions its suppossed to treat... well let's say it's a lot." The pharmacy is calling to you. [[Ask him a question.]]

"Hey, we need to get moving," you say. It might be daytime outside. Hard to tell. The storm has only grown stronger. Ezra wipes his eyes. Frost sticks to his eyelashes. "Mmm, right. Did you get some sleep?" Sleep brings nothing but pain. "I'm fine. Let's go," you say. [[Onto the streets once more.->summer lighthouse]]

"What's your game?" He cocks his head to the side. "I have no idea what you're talking about." "Listen to me you little shit," you get close enough to feel his hot breath. "What's your plan? Why do you want to kill Sophie?" "Kill is such a nasty word. More like a sacrifice." He leans back. "Only the child's blood will bring an end to this Winter." "That's insane." "This is painful for me too, to kill my own child. But you must understand, I have been blessed with the knowledge to save this world. A pure soul, with my own blood flowing through it. Sophie is the mother of our salvation." "She cheated on Ezra?" "With myself, why wouldn't she? I am an internationally successful actor with several awards. Why, if the bombs did not fall I would have eventually won an Oscar. If I was Ezra, I wouldn't even be angry." "Fuck off." "Now that I'm the messiah, Sophie will quickly abandon Ezra for me." "You got to be joking." He smiles slyly. "I would never lie to you, Jack." [[You've had enough.]] [["You are the messiah?"]]

You reach the edge of the city. Along the way, you feel the hostile watch of a city turned against you. Men and women drunk on the promise of the winter death watch your progress. They stand back because of Marlowe, out of deference to his surivival. They begin to gather, though. Following you to the water's ede. Ezra knows it won't last forever. "I think we need to leave Marlowe on the ice." His meaning is obvious now that you can see the inlet. It is completely frozen. At a standstill. The docks hold half-sunken ships suspended in the clear ice. Now you stand on a beach braving yourself for the journey across. The blizzard has not improved. Behind you are the cultists. You hold your gun to Marlowe's head. Ezra cries out. "Keep away or he dies!" You walk backwards onto the ice. [[Hold calm.]]

The ice cracks beneath you. The weight of you three is too much for one tiny area. You'll need to spread out. "You walk in the cold! Hand over Marlowe or perish in it!" yells a figure in the fog. That weird biblical speak must mean they are really the cultists. You are in very immenient danger! Ezra offers his hand. "Give me the gun." You don't have the chance to ask why, though it should be fairly obvious. [[Refuse.->refuse to give.]] [[Relenquish.->give him the gun.]]

You aren't about to let Ezra take the fall. He deserves to see his wife once more. So instead of handing over the weapon, you grab Marlowe and point the barrel at his head. "Get out of here Ezra!" you yell. Have to give him enough time to reach Sophie. That's the only way they'll escape. Ezra takes a moment before he backs away. The cultists don't pay him any heed, focused entirely on saving their leader. Sophie's husband sprints across the ice. Marlowe grunts as the ice beneath the both of you begin to weaken. [[Stall.]] (set: $icedrown to 1)

You give Ezra the gun. It isn't like you to deny somebody's last request. "I'll hold them off! Get to Sophie!" he yells. Marlowe looks up at Ezra and begins to laugh. Or cry. It's impossible to know with his mouth muffled. You run. [[As fast as you can.]] (set: $coward to 1)

One of the cultists takes a cautious step forward. "Let him go, we won't hurt you," he says. You weren't born yesterday. The gun is pressed against Marlowe's cheek. "Leave these people alone. Find somebody else to terrorize." The cultist shakes his head. "We're going to find paradise." Marlowe rips the gag off. "Listen to him, Jack, we aren't the bad guys here. All we need is the child's blood. Don't you understand that we are on the cusp of destruction? Humanity is nearly ended by this self-inflicted wound." Keep that finger on the trigger. The actor keeps talking. "It was a suicide that society wanted. We wanted to die. But now we are stuck in this purgatory of cold. The only way out is through another's death. But instead of it being the corruption of man, it will be the innocence of a baby. Then we'll finally reach heaven." "Why her!?" "She was there. At my rebirth. When I was shown the truth. It came in the explosion of bombs and fire. In the smoke, I saw our future." The ice cracks. Toes become immersed in the water. You only have a second left. [[Kill Marlowe.]]

Time is up. Whatever head-start you gave Ezra hopefully is enough to escape Marlowe's men. At least you'll finish off the actor. As you pull the trigger, the ice gives way with a loud bang The shot goes wild. You can't know if it hit anything because your mind sinks into the [[Cold.->sink]] (track: 'piano', 'fadeout', 3)

Sorry. So sorry. Coward. These voices, symptoms of being the one still alive when so many are not. You should have stayed, done something more. Yet, now you are running alone across the ice. From the distance you can hear the crack of gunfire. The ice seems to crack beneath your feet. But that fades away into the storm of snow. Eventually you reach a new shoreline of a new body of land. Ahead of you is a [[Home.->And the lighthouse.]]

Despite Marlowe's muffled protestations, you do not remove the gag. His poisoned words don't need to touch your ears. Think back to the first time you met him. Can you really trust anything he says? Probably not. The same way you can't trust your own eyesight. [[You stand watch until you wake Ezra.->wake ezra]]

You put the rope around Marlowe's mouth. God, he talks a lot, doesn't he? None of it makes a lick of sense either. [[Wake Ezra->wake ezra]]

Floating. Sinking. Through the water of the puget. Like being suspended in nothingness, weightless in space. Reach up Jack. Reach up! And grab the air. [[I can do this.]]

You wake up to snowflakes on your face. Where is Sophie? [[You find Sophie.->marlowe win]]

Sophie walks and talks as fast as she can carrying a heavy baby around. "There's some oil in the basement that I've been using to heat this place. I've been thinking we can set this place on fire and catch Marlowe inside." Its a risky plan. But you have no choice but to help her now. "I can barricade myself in the tower, keep them occupied. Get the oil ready, we don't have much time. It's downstairs." You lay a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be-" [[A voice from outside.]] (set: $friend to 1)

You pull yourself out of the hole in the ice. Crawling across the slippery surface to the rocky shore. Seeing all white. Each touch a hot iron against your flesh. A voice (mine) tells you to take off your clothes. It's like peeling cloth off burned flesh. You take it all off, even your socks, until you are standing naked as you were born on the shore. Not much time left. You'll need something to change into. Your backpack is lying on the ice. You remember Marlowe grabbing it as the both of you fell in. He must have used it to remain buoyant. Inside is your spare clothes. Always got to keep them around, just in case this happened. Good forward planning. [[Change.]]

Okay, with the new set of threads, it looks like you're going to survive. You take a moment to lie down and rest your feet ontop of a rock. Catching your breath until your heart slows enough you can't hear it anymore. Blood rushes back into your head. All this doesn't make you feel better, but it's better than nothing. You are really going after her, aren't you? You plan to go across the ice. To stop Marlowe or die trying. Good luck with that. [[Go across the ice.]]

The embrace of winter takes you in. Storm winds rip through the flat plain and against your raw face. Feels like being caught in an ice cream blender. Where is the lighthouse? It is a maze without walls. All white, all gray. Near exhaustion, you see a sign through the flurries. The sound of a loud horn, the kind an old tug boat would make. Light flashes to right, a wide beam in the darkness. It warns of a shoreline. You limp that way, hatchet in hand. The water has sapped all your strength. You'd be lucky to even lift that axe up for a swing. What use will you be in a fight? [[Less than nothing.]]

Where are you now? [[At the lighthouse?->lighthouse]] [[Back home.->lighthouse]] [[In a hospital bed.->lighthouse]] [[Hell.->lighthouse]]

You stand before the lighthouse. A small shack by the small inlet created by the sea millenia ago. Sticking up from the back is the tower sending it's loud warning across the ice. It is smaller than you expected. Walking around collapsed steel girders lying on the beach, you find Ezra lying on the snowy rocks. He is bleeding profusely from his chest. There is no way to stop it. The rivers of blood burn away the snow leaving gashes in the earth. You lean over him. "Jack?" You nod. "She's barricaded... Not enough... time. Oil is... in the basement. Save her." He grabs your shirt. "What about you?" "Tell her that it is our child! Then burn it ALL DOWN!" [[Sneak into the lighthouse.]]

The backdoor is broken on it's hinges. Slow steps take you into the living room. Smashed furniture is everywhere. The room is small. Close by you can hear the yells of the cultists. Marlowe's voice is loud. "Remember Los Angeles? When the bombs fell? We were together that night." He is somewhere up the staircase. It looks like the door is blocked. You try not to listen, but Marlowe is good at catching people's attention. "Did you ever tell Ezra that?" he asks. "Or was it too shameful to admit? Or worse, were you afraid he'd leave you out in the cold?" "My child has nothing to do with this!" The voice of Sophie. Just as you remember as a child. Marlowe's chuckles echo through the house. "It is everything. The day the old world was destroyed, our child was concieved." "All you can do Marlowe, is tell a good story. But when it comes time to stop playing the part and finally become it, you'll hesitate. When it is time to kill my child, you will fail. Because cowards like you only believe in conviction, not have it," she says. "A wonderful speech. You can tell me more after the ritual," he finishes, followed by the sound of banging. They are trying to break into the tower. [[Hurry.]] (track: 'gusts', 'fadeout', 5)

The basement holds several antique cylinders of whale oil. Taking a quick sniff you see they've all been filled. Were they all packed down her like this, or did someone prepare them once the winter days started coming? Doesn't matter. You lift one, struggling to hold the weight. Up the stairs you start dumping it quietly, hoping that nobody notices. The cultists are all on the stairs. You douse the tiny living room and kitchen. Then a line is poured out into the snow. You light a match, the last one in your box. [[See the light.]]

The flame on the end of the wood. Inside of it are the faces of your parents. The day you killed them. Sophie is still in the tower. Can you really Smoke billows out from the woods. A form of the man stands before you wreathed in blackness. His breath is the sound of a fireplace with a blocked chimney. [[Drop the match.]]

Shivering all over. The light of the match misses the oil. Lands in the snow, snuffs out. //can't hold onto heart or mind steady he's here laughing and speaking in riddles in languages older than the earth when the world was fire and the sun was new he was here first life to take away the lives of amoeba in the great oxygen catastrophe that decimated your ancestors. hates all life yet is renewed by it within us all leading us to kill and burn and fill the atmosphere with a thousand tons of dust from bombs that will lead to a winter then a summer without end it will outlast us all// you need it hold your breath [[and blow]]

Maybe there's still a chance. The match can still relight. Just gotta //do what? there's no point. dead, dead like you are. we all are. they told you life was worth living and lied about it. if it was true than nobody would have dropped those bombs. choking the atmosphere until there was no light left.// if life was good than why did they make it so bad? But you feed it your breath anyway. The fire is brought back to life. Just enough to catch the edge of the oil leading towards the house. [[The lighthouse burns.]] (track: 'windchimes', 'fadeout', 3)

Screams. So much screaming. You've never seen a fire start so quickly. In the windows, you can see your parents waving good-bye. They are leaving. First they come out, one by one, steaming and screaming like oiled pigs and fall to the ground silent. None of them you recognize. Marlowe could be one of them. Hard to know, hard to care. Sophie is at the window, the occasionaly spin of the lighthouse light making her bright. The fire is climbing higher. She doesn't have much time. "Jump!" She lands in your arms, heavier than you expected. But she is carrying an extra person in her. Belly swollen to near completion. "What the hell are you doing here, Jack?" She sounds weak, but thankful. Bleeding from many places. You try to get her to lie down, yet Sophie refuses standing tall despite the many injuries. "Where's Ezra?" she asks. [[Tell her.]] [[Lie to her.]] (track: 'carfire', 'loop', true) (track: 'carfire', 'playwhenpossible')

"He's dead." She hugs you. "I never told him... the baby is ours, not Marlowe's." "What?" "Marlowe taunted us, told Ezra about... but it was never... I was on the fucking pill. I never had enough time to explain." You aren't good at comforting. "It's okay. He knows. He knows." Her embrace keeps the frostbite away. You can barely stand. All you want to right now is have a good cup of coffee. [[Just talk.->quick talk]] (set: $knowtruth to 1)

"I haven't seen him," you say. "Hopefully he's okay." You really should have said the truth. Oh God, why didn't you? Too late to go back now. [[Just talk.->quick talk]] (set: $liar to 1)

It's Marlowe. Burns over his whole body where there are holes in his clothes. Long hair removed except for the clumps hanging over his eyes. Cheeks glistening red. You can see the muscles on his face twitch. "Warm," he says. "Finally warm." There is a gun in his hand. Sophie's grip is tight. You only have your hatchet. But Marlowe is far enough away to make it impossible to stop him from pulling that trigger. "I'm going to kill you Jack." You say: [[Put down the gun.->shoot]] [[The child isn't yours.->shoot]] [[I've brought the Summer.->shoot]] [[Do it.->shoot]]

You speak, but Marlowe does not listen. "I'm tired of the talking." He says. Then [[it's over.]]

The gun fires. You feel a push from the back. It hits not you but Sophie lets out a gasp that sounds wrong where the oxygen knows it isn't coming back. Her grip lessens and then falls away. She took the bullet for you. You lean down over her, gently helping her to the ground. Stay close. Give her warmth. "The baby!" The bullet hole is in her lungs. She can't die Marlowe falls to the ground. Devastated. He didn't want this. Why Sophie? [[The birth.]] (track: 'gunshot', 'play') (track: 'gusts', 'fadeout', 3)

A crowd is gathering. The rest of Marlowe's followers on their pilgrimage to a new world. To follow their soon to be dead messiah. All you can do is hold Sophie's hand as she both lives and dies. You help deliver the baby. "We almost made it," she says. "Is it a boy, or girl?" "Daughter." She smiles for the last time. "A girl. Brigid." "Why?" "I thought I could save... both of us," she says, before going quiet. Just like when you were growing up. She'd do anything to have your back. [[Marlowe crawls forward.]]

"The blood of the everlasting king! Son of God!" He yells weakly. The baby is crying as Marlowe tries to grab at it. Nobody is cheering. They can see their prophet lying on the snow trying to keep his body cool. His skin is peeling off. "Thank you Jack... Now do what you must... kill my son..." [[Tell him.]]

"It isn't your son." Marlowe coughs up blood. "Yes..." "Not true. This is your girl." "I am beyond the old ways. I am comforted by thousands! I have been..." His breath is running out. The burns on his body, forgotten by the adrenaline, are starting to get to him. None of the crowd are willing to come closer. "Where is their comfort now?" you ask. "I don't need them. I am... it's... to survive you need people that will listen. To keep you company. But I would still be doing this if... I was alone!" "Marlowe..." (unless: $knowtruth is 1)[["You are going to die."]] (if: $knowtruth is 1)[["Your child isn't yours."]]

"I... It doesn't matter!" The wounds on his face. His body. Too hot. He came too close to the sun. Marlowe will be entering shock soon. As the skin peels off. "Sophie lied to you!" "She was on birth control." "Liar!" "Your relationship, whatever it was, didn't include love. Marlowe, she loved Ezra. And that girl is not yours to own." Your words seem to crush him. The blood oozes from out of the charred body. He seems to clutch the snow, hoping it will block the pain. "Fuck! Somebody help me!" Nobody in the crowd is cheering now. [[Marlowe dies.]]

Slowly. As his brain finally starts responding to his pain. The actor won't be as lucky as your parents. He's still got enough undamaged nerve endings to feel his coming death. Marlowe is finally entering the world he always wanted. After a minute, he begins to laugh. "Yes! YES! I CAN SEE IT!" Then, he falls quiet. No more storm. The snow has finally stopped and now you can see the world and faces of your enemies. The crowd surronds you. Faces of the hopeful suddenly crushed. Has it finally dawned on them that this was not their salvation? Their leader is dead. Maybe that'll be enough sacrifice for one day? Or maybe they don't attack because they are lost without Marlowe. You won't let anyone touch Brigid. Not a single person. The crowd backs off. You sit down on the beach, alone. [[Sit there.]] (masteraudio: 'stopall') (track: 'hope', 'loop', true) (track: 'hope', 'playwhenpossible')

Brigid is sleeping. Being born is hard work. You feel much the same way. So tired. But not cold anymore. At first you think it's the rush from surviving, or the baby pressed against your chest, but the warmth is from somewhere else. You are sitting on a log looking out on the ice. With the storm gone, you can see the hills and buildings in the distance. The city of the world before the end. And above that...? So brief that maybe it is another trick from your mind. Yet it happens again and again. Squinting doesn't make it dissapear. Becomes clearer. Over the city it is impossible. Blue. And sunlight. The clouds are breaking for the first time. [[Sunrise]]

The more sensible option. Protection is scarce out here so you better take anything you can get. The gun will kill only if you decide to. As long as you remain responsible, then there is nothing to fear. [[Right?->breakfast]] (set: $gunhold to 1)

No need to carry around a weapon around this house. Nobody else is here threatening murder. All you'll be doing is jumping at the ghosts living in your mind. Better to keep the gun safe and hidden. You put it back in your backpack. [[Nothing will go wrong.->breakfast]] (set: $gunrefuse to 1)

Before you can move, Marlowe walks into the room. He's holding a knife up as if ready to attack, but then notices the man at your feet. "Good job, Jack. I've been trying to get at him for weeks." "Who is he?" you ask. "C'mon Jack, you know, don't you? It's obvious." "That's Sophie's husband." He smiles. "Interesting. You do know." The death of Ezra does not seem to bother Marlowe one bit. It seems you finished a job for him, one you won't be paid for. It just leaves one question. "Why did you want him dead?" you ask. Marlowe shrugs. "I couldn't have him interfering." "With what?" "The ending of this winter." [[Fire and smoke.]]

Marlowe is above you in the water. Holding your backpack taken from your shoulders. He stares at you. Alive. Then he is taken up to the heavens. While you fall. (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[You become a child.->Home.]]

Ezra doesn't judge you. "Well, whatever reason you have, I'm goddamn glad to have you with me. This your first run in with Marlowe?" [[No.->truths]]

Marlowe is observing the two of you with great interest. It's slightly disturbing to having a silent onlooker to your intimate conversations. Though not as disturbing as having a voice in your head narrating your thoughts. You shake your head. "Yeah, we met out close to the highway. Why is he chasing after you?" Ezra sighs. "That's... I rather not say." [[Insist, you need to know.]] [[Let it lie.]]

"I think I need to know. I'm a part of this now," you say. "Marlowe knew Sophie back when she was working in Los Angeles. She is... uh was an actress on this television show." "I know." It wasn't popular, but you made sure to watch every episode. "Right... course. She was down there when everything fell apart. Usually she stays down for a few months but I had come down to visit and um... I found out that Sophie..." This is entering into very uncomfortable territory for Ezra. This is very private information. Marlowe grunts. Ezra explodes. "It isn't your child!" [[Okay, you have enough information.]]

Marlowe makes a couple of grunts for attention. Clearly he wants to hear this story too. Well too bad. You don't need to have a complete picture to understand the actor's crazy obsession. "It doesn't matter Ezra," you tell him. "But what if Marlowe is right?" he asks, not really noticing his words. [[Okay, you have enough information.]]

There's no need to delve any more into this topic. "Hey, Ezra, don't worry. We'll protect Sophie." Ezra nods. "Thanks man." [[Get some rest.->shuteye]]

You ask him another last question. "What makes you think you're the messiah?" Marlowe closes his eyes as if in meditation. "I can still see the vision as clear as it first appeared. The blood on the snow. Melting it away to reveal flowers. Blood watering the Earth until it was clean." "Nice drugs." "Nothing like that. I was nearly dead. The bombs had decimated the city, leaving most dead. The rest were fighting over scraps. The cold had only just started to come. But I saw the snow before anyone else. I warned them all. I gathered them to me. It was an audience like I never had before." "You must have enjoyed the attention," you say. "The one person I actually cared about had already left me. Sophie saw and misunderstood my purpose. Her and Ezra, they were too stubborn to admit I was right even as the winter began. Then, she tried taking my own child away, the one we made together!" "So what is it? You want your child or do you want to kill it?" Stop arguing with a madman. [[You've had enough.]] [[Keep prying.]]

Marlowe is completely confident of his position. "If you must choose the life of one soul against a million, what would your choice be?" [[One soul.]] [[A million.]]

"You'd choose to live alone?" he asks. "No. The child and me." "Then the child will come to resent you for placing so much weight upon their soul." He shakes his head. "Enjoy your desolation. That's enough debate." [[You've had enough.]] (set: $morality to 1)

"The same choice I am making. Think being in this position gives me happiness? That I am not cursed with this knowledge? I am a sinner trying to bring forth a sinless world. It is nearly impossible," he says. "But this is different," you say. "You are delusional. Killing a child won't end the cold. I'm not letting you." "I expect nothing less. God places many challenges on my path. You are only one of many." [[You've had enough.]] (set: $utility to 1)

Where are we heading? (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[To the past.]]

Sophie points up across the inlet. "Can you see the mountain?" she asks. The rest of the class have already moved on from the shore. Mrs. Cunnigham is too busy sheperding the rowdy kids towards the //lighthouse// to pay attention to your absence. The air sparkles with sunlight reflecting off the dragonflies eyes. Boats pass by, small yachts that inspire jealousy. To feel the wind in your hair, flying across the channel. Both you and Sophie share the same love. You are too young to realize that this is the happiest you'll ever be. The mountain appears briefly above the clouds before fading away again. It was only a moment, but enough to mark this ground as holy. For the both of you. You throw a rock into the water. "Someday I'm gonna climb it." "Not before me." she says. "I'm always going to be ahead of you. The teacher yells at them from a distance. "Kids! We're going to miss the ferry!" You don't want to leave. Neither does Sophie. She picks up a rock and puts it into her pocket. "Let's come back here after we've climbed Rainier." (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[Return to the present.]]

You nearly fall asleep walking but you're woken by whispered words. Ezra speaks into your ear. "We are being followed." Among the skyscrapers and buried buildings you walk towards the water, not alone anymore. [[This isn't good.->close]]

This might be harder than anything you've ever done. Crossing the Rockies, surviving the orphanage, dealing with the deaths of your parents... at least then you didn't have to tell anyone. Such a failure. All you can do is hurt people, over and over again. When will it stop? "It was an accident," you say. An accident where you purposefully pulled the trigger. Sophie doesn't understand at first. "What do you mean?" "I-I... I shot him." She is silent for an eternity. You feel your skin wanting to leave your body. This is worse than everything possible. Then she lets out a small breath, like a sigh. "Are you still willing to help me?" "Anything. I will do anything. I'll hold them off as long as I can while you escape." That seems like a fair trade. [["Bullshit."]] (set: $honestmurder to 1)

"SOPHIE!" It is Marlowe, making himself heard to the whole audience. "SOPH! Stop running!" Your friend grabs a shotgun hidden behind a cabinet. Doesn't even look your way to whisper, "Hide!" They are kicking at the front door. [[Run downstairs!]] (track: 'piano', 'fadeout', 3)

It is impossibly dark down here. You scramble and feel for anything that seems like it could contain oil. The smell of dead chemicals stuffs itself up your nostrils. Makes it hard to concentrate. You want to sneeze so badly. Some silver cans from the last century are stacked on a shelf. There's a distant crash as the front door is knocked down. Sophie fires a blast from her shotgun and there's a stampede going up to the tower. It doesn't sound like they got her. You stop to listen. Have you gone deaf? Or maybe it's too hard to hear them. Finally you catch a word from Marlowe. "Check..." Then light pours in from upstairs. "Check the basement." [[Hide!]]

A cultist walks down the steps. How surprising to see another person totally normal in everyway except for the fact he'd likely kill you. Can't trust anything behind those eyes. You are crouched behind some of the oil jars. He has no light so you doubt he'd actually find you. Pinching your nose in the hope that it doesn't explode. [[Use your hatchet on him.]] [[Just wait until he leaves.]]

You swing for the head. The blade tucks itself right behind the man's ear. A spray of blood hits your face. He lets out a cry of alarm before wheeling around. In the darkness, you misjudge his thrust and a knife pierces your side. One step back. The wound on you isn't severe at all while the cultist's is fatal. You watch as the man trips, falls and slowly crawls to a standstill. Your breath is heavy though you never exerted yourself. [[Get the oil topside.]]

"Whew, nothing," the cultist finally says after a few minutes of looking. Though this doesn't mean he leaves. Instead he leans against the wall, scraping his knife against the stone wall to distract himself. "I hope that this ends soon." You sneeze. Oh great. The cultist jumps to attention, confused and baffled. He begins to search with his back to you. [[Use your hatchet on him.->detect]]

The canister is in your hands as you spread it across the floarboards of the lighthouse. Soon this whole place will light up like a tinderbox. All the cultists seem to be gathered up the stairs, trying to reason with Sophie. It seems like they don't want to kill her. That's too bad. By the time they knock down that barricade, they'll find out that Sophie doesn't have the same reservations. The smoke will be terrible... Once it is nearly empty, you pour the rest into a line out the back door. All that needs to be done is light a match and burn it all down. Across the snow the flame will go. [[Can you though?->bad memories]]

Shivering all over. The light of the match misses the oil. Lands in the snow, snuffs out. can't hold onto heart or mind steady he's here laughing and speaking in riddles in languages older than the earth when the world was fire and the sun was new he was here first life to take away the lives of amoeba in the great oxygen catastrophe that decimated your ancestors. hates all life yet is renewed by it within us all leading us to kill and burn and fill the atmosphere with a thousand tons of dust from bombs that will lead to a winter then a summer without end it will outlast us all you need it hold your breath [[and blow on the match->return]]

Maybe there's still a chance. The match can still relight. Just gotta do what? there's no point. dead, dead like you are. we all are. they told you life was worth living and lied about it. if it was true than nobody would have dropped those bombs. choking the atmosphere until there was no light left. if life was good than why did they make it so bad? But you feed it your breath anyway. The fire is brought back to life. Just enough to catch the edge of the oil leading towards the house. [[The lighthouse burns.->catch and save]]

Screams. So much screaming. You've never seen a fire start so quickly. In the windows, you can see your parents waving good-bye. They are leaving. First they come out, one by one, steaming and screaming like oiled pigs and fall to the ground silent. None of them you recognize. Marlowe could be one of them. Hard to know, hard to care. Sophie is at the window, the occasional spin of the lighthouse light making her bright. The fire is climbing higher. She doesn't have much time. "Jump!" She lands in your arms, heavier than you expected. But of course, she's carrying extra cargo this time. "That went pretty well," she says. I guess compared to everything else, but that's not a very high bar to clear. Even so, her cheer is what you've been missing these past few months. Just happy to still be alive. The two of you hug. Closing your eyes. A friend. You came all this way to find an old friend. [["Wake up Jack."]] (track: 'windchimes', 'fadeout', 3) (track: 'carfire', 'loop', true) (track: 'carfire', 'playwhenpossible')

It's Marlowe. Burns over his whole body where there are holes in his clothes. Long hair removed except for the clumps hanging over his eyes. Cheeks glistening red. You can see the muscles on his face twitch. "Warm," he says. "Finally warm." There is a gun in his hand. The same one you held to his face not long ago. Sophie's grip is tight. You only have your hatchet. But Marlowe is far enough away to make it impossible to stop him from pulling that trigger. You say: [[Put down the gun.->shoot]] [[The child isn't yours.->shoot]] [[I've brought the Summer.->shoot]] [[Do it.->shoot]]

"You doing okay?" you ask her. "As well compared to everything else. Hey, Jack, it's okay to smile. For the one's who can't," she says. I guess compared to everything else things are fine, but that's not a very high bar to clear. Even so, her cheer is what you've been missing these past few months. Just happy to still be alive. So you smile. "Nice jump. Learn to do that in Hollywood?" "Shut up idiot." She wipes away a tear. "I never thought I'd see you again!" she cries out. The two of you hug. Closing your eyes. A friend. You came all this way to find an old friend. [["Wake up Jack."->Turn around.]]

You don't need to be an oracle to see the burns slowly withering Marlowe away. Now the pain is coming like a tsunami. "You're dying." "I can't... Jack get a bandage or something. I need..." "Are you afraid, Marlowe?" you ask him. He slowly sits down. "I should have known not to escape fate." What does he mean? "It was me. I was the sacrifice all along," he says. His own words seem to crush his spirit. The blood oozes from out of the charred body. He seems to clutch the snow, hoping it will block the pain. "Fuck! Somebody help me!" Nobody in the crowd is cheering now. [[Marlowe dies.]]

He can't do it. Marlowe is a monster but even that is too far for him. He's come all this way burdened with the illusion of importance. He hopes to be the hero people see on television. He is afraid of being alone. And he now has the chance to be a father. Sophie can see the change in Marlowe's eyes. Her dying breath is as Marlowe hugs the baby close. "I have had a revelation! There is no need for a sacrifice! We have proved ourselves to God!" Marlowe will never be alone again. [[An ending.]]

Marlowe is surprised by the entry of Brigid into his private tent. He prefers to work inside as the heat and glare of the sun makes it impossible to see the paper he's writing on. His current project is writing a new testament based on Brigid being the savior. It will be a religious text far surpassing the Bible or Torah. And at the center of it he will be the second most important figure. Brigid may be a living goddess, but that doesn't mean she can just barge into his tent. "What is it?" you ask. [[Behind her follows a crowd.]]

The End? (enchant: ?Link, (t8n-arrive: "blur")+(transition-time: 4s)) [[Not quite.]]

The steps spiral upwards to the dead light of the tower. You swing your hatchet to keep them back, far enough away to keep backing up. Got to drag them away from Sophie. Distract them long enough to giver her a chance. In each face you see Ezra's last gasp. You killed him. Remember that. This is what you deserve. But... do you really want to die? Is that smoke in the air? Marlowe yells up to you. "Somebody's set the house on fire!" A series of bangs and explosions shake the foundation of the house. You slip your grip on the handrail, meeting the gaze of a surprised cultist. A strong kick gets him tumbling down. "We got to get out of here!" Somebody yells as the air turns sour. The only way out for the smoke is upwards towards you. The haze grows thicker by the second. Where do you go? [[Higher!]]

Marlowe calls out to you. "Wait Jack!" At the top of the lighthouse the blizzard is at full force. The windows bend and shiver from the powerful winds. Smoke gathers here. You'll have to let it out. One strike is all it takes for the hatchet to smash the glass to pieces. Opposing forces meet, and you feel like an astronaut facing the void of space. You grab onto the wall to hold steady. "Jack?" Who's that voice? Marlowe? "Jack!" It's your parents calling out to you. "Jack, we need to jump!" Marlow grabs your shoulders. He points down. The house is in flames. Something tells you this was all part of Sophie's plan. Perhaps if you'd only listened... But you never do? Real people, they're only temporary objects in your mind. Little wisps floating around that mean nothing. Isn't that why you killed them? Mother, Father? Ezra? "Shut up!" You slam the hatchet at the voice. [[But the voice is in your head Jack.]]

Marlowe holds the handle. Blood dripping down it. He looks at you in confusion. And falls back down the tower. It takes a second to hear him hit the bottom. The flames are curling up, reaching for you. Hands wanting to pull you down to hell. You close your eyes. Just want it to stop. For everything to be quiet. Gravity takes you in its embrace. [[And you die.]]

When you wake up it is daytime. The tower is in ruins, the house a charred skeleton. But when you look up, the sky is clear. Not a single cloud in sight. For the first time you can see clearly. The fall from the tower was not very far, and into deep snow. There was no way you were dying from that. As you limp through the wreckage, you find footprints and stained blood. With the newfound light, it isn't hard to see where it leads. Resting up against a tree is Sophie. She's been shot and stabbed in many places. But she's still alive. Thank God. In her hands is a small, pink thing. "Sophie, are you alright?" you ask. She shakes her head. The thing... unmoving... cold... No, no, no... [[the child is dead]]

The universe laughs at you. [[The End.]] (masteraudio: 'stopall')

"Hot or cold?" [[Hot->future]] [[Cold->future]]

Out in the cold your hand can barely keep the gun straight. Marlowe is gone, dissapeared into the gray haze of snow. A voice calls out from down the street. "You can't stop me Jack! I have been given a mission to end this eternal winter! A sacrifice must be made! The child will die so we may live!" The echo fades away and you are left alone in the street, trying to understand the meaning of Marlowe's words. Sophie is in danger. [[Go back upstairs to check on Ezra. He might have something important.->stay strong.]]

Brigid sits on the side of the hillside. Below is a great desert sea stretching out to the sun's edges. Up here, in the shades of the rocks, the temperature is at a pleasant twilight between the freeze of the night and the fire of the day. You sit by her side. She does not seem to condsider your answer for very long. "I think I prefer the cold." "Really?" you ask. "Doesn't seem as bad. Plus if it ever rained, we might get some snow. Build a snowman, make angels, have a snowball fight, all those things you told me. I'd wake up one morning and the whole world would be different." "Yeah." "There's got to be some places in the world where it still snows," she says. "I doubt it." Brigid does not like your answer. Ever since last night, she's been talking about the world she's never seen. All those questions bubbling up. "Can I ask you some questions Jack?" [[Sure.]]

"What about?" "The story you told me last night. About how my parents died... The guy said I was..." "What?" "A sacrifice. What does that mean?" She is still so young, so unsure of herself. She relies on you for the answers, even when you have none. Telling her about the past would only cause more problems, but holding it back would only cause more resentment. Last night, the story was told. But now you must answer for everything. [[Answer her questions.]]

You begin. "It means he wanted to kill you to end the winter." [[She has more to ask.->answers]]

[["You were both at the lighthouse before?"]] [["You killed your parents?"]] (if: $gun is 1 and $gunhold is 0)[["You left the gun in your bag."->question gun]] [["Did you love my mom?"]] (if: $guncheck is 1 and $gun is 0)[["You could have taken the gun."]] (if: $ezrasave is 1)[["You shot at Marlowe."]] (if: $friend is 1)[["You chose to listen to my mom."]] (if: $murder is 1)[["You shot my dad."]] (if: $icedrown is 1)[["You sacrificed yourself."]] (if: $coward is 1)[["You left my dad to die."]] (if: $liar is 1)[["You lied to my mom."]] (if: $utility is 1 or $morality is 1)[["Marlowe asked you who you would save."]] (if: $honestmurder is 1)[["You told my mom you killed my dad."]] (if: $sunscreen is 1)[["Why did you take the sunscreen?"]] [[Cut her off.]]

"The gun was in your bag. You took it from the gas station, why didn't you take it upstairs with you? Didn't you want to defend yourself? Maybe you could have stopped Marlowe." [["I forgot about it."->answers]] [["A voice in my head told me not to."->answers]] [["I should have... I am so sorry."->answers]]

"You killed him. Didn't even ask who he was, or what he was doing there. Don't you at least regret what happened?" [["I regret nothing. Always be ready to defend yourself."->answers]] [["It was an accident."->answers]] [["I still feel so guilty. I am so sorry Brigid."->answers]]

"I know he was trying to help protect me. Standing up to Marlowe and the cultists. But you had the gun. You could have saved my dad." [["I was too afraid."->answers]] [["I thought Ezra could handle himself."->answers]] [["I didn't think things would go so badly."->answers]]

"You didn't tell her that my dad died. That you saw it happen. { (if: $coward is 1 or $murder is 1)["And that you were responsible."] } "Why didn't you tell the truth?" [[I felt responsible.->answers]] [[I wanted to tell her later.->answers]] [[I wasn't thinking clearly.->answers]]

"That's enough," you say. The sun is setting low, the time for sleep coming soon. She's still young, a girl needing that important rest to grow strong. You are more proud of her than anything else. So brave, facing down the truth of her past without fear. You get up, to get the tents set up. It'll be cold tonight. "Wait Jack." She sounds so much like her. "I want to know one last thing." [["Is the future set?"]]

(if: $morality is 1)["When you had him trapped with you, he asked you whether you'd save one person or one million. Why did you choose one person?"] (if: $utility is 1)["When you had him trapped with you, he asked you whether you'd save one person or one million. Why did you choose one million people?"] (if: $morality is 1)[[Because one person is just as precious and important as anybody else.->answers]] (if: $utility is 1)[[Because a million people hold the same hopes and dreams as one person. Can't sacrifice that.->answers]] [[I don't know, I just wanted him to shut up.->answers]]

"Why were honest about that? You could have lied so easily." [["I needed to tell the truth, just like I'm doing now.->answers]]

"The gun was there in the gas station. You found it. You could have taken it so Marlowe couldn't have used it on my dad later. Didn't you want to defend yourself at least?" [["I didn't trust my senses."->answers]] [["I didn't want to hurt anybody."->answers]] [["I might have accidentaly shot your dad."->answers]]

"You were both at the lighthouse before the bombs?" "So long ago now... we were sent to the same home since both of our parents were dead. Back then, you'd get somebody to take care of you if nobody else could. And one day we went out to that [[lighthouse on a field trip."->answers]]

"That's a weird thing to do. I mean, it was pretty snowy out and lots of clouds, right? Kind of seems irrational?" "It was useful as the world turned hotter. The sunlight on a baby's skin could have caused cancer. Without it, you might not be here. [[You should be thanking me."->answers]] [["I ate it later."->answers]]

"That thing with the smoke... did you... kill your parents?" "It was an accident, Brigid. It's taken me a long to time to forgive that [[ten year old boy."->answers]]

"Was I always going to end the winter?" You feel goosebumps on your skin. She stands in the light of the sunset, basking in the last of the sun. "When I was born, the winter ended. That was the last snowfall. Marlowe saw that it would happen. Saw it in his visions. Is it my fault? Is it my... that their... dead? That it will never snow again?" She's finally letting free the emotion, bottled up all day. [[Don't cry.]]

So what is it? Are the two of you connected with this magic that lives inside you? Does she live in a fantasy world where prophecies are true and ghosts come back to speak? Where her birth ended the winter but brought on the summer? Is she a child of destiny? Did Brigid kill her parents? There is one answer for all these questions. [[You say it.]]

"No. You didn't kill your parents." Brigid lets out a gasp and falls in your arms. "You didn't kill them, Brigid. I promise you, you did nothing wrong." (if: $murder is 1 and $liar is 1)[[Get some rest.]] (unless: $murder is 1 and $liar is 1)[[Get some sleep.]]

You wake up in the morning to find yourself alone. Brigid is gone. You spend a few minutes looking around to figure out the obvious. She left in the middle of the night. [[Check your bag one last time.]]

You wake up in the morning to see Brigid packing up the tent. Usually that's your job. "I thought I'd let you sleep in," she says. "Y'know, thought I owed you." "For what?" you ask. "Saving me." You shake your head. "Nah, I didn't do much." You are such a bad liar. The desert sands are bright. Endless. You'll need to find another source of water soon. The last well you were at dried up. Maybe you won't find one. Maybe all the water is dried up and these are the last days of humanity. The sun's glare is strong through the destroyed ozone layer. Soon there won't be any life left on Earth. At least, that's your opinion. But Brigid seems to still have hope. She hands you her bottle. "C'mon, we better hurry to see the lighthouse." "What?" "That's where I want to go. What's left of it, anyway. To see my parents again." The last weight on your shoulders is finally gone. Brigid has grown all up, stronger than you ever were. You'll be going back to say goodbye. To let the healing finish. Including the last of the voices inside in your head. The narration slips away until finally //silence// [[The End.]]

The Last Snowfall Thanks for playing! [[Go back to start.->begin]] [[Sources]] If you liked this game, please consider leaving a rating. If you did not like this game, also leave a rating, but make sure it is the opposite of your current opinion. If you hated this game, I can no longer help you. Find my Twitter ->>>>>> (link-repeat: 'Here.')[(open-url: "https://twitter.com/LiamDougherty10")] (track: 'hope', 'fadeout', 3)

That plane ticket is still there after all these years. The ink long gone, faded away. But written in pencil is a note left by Brigid. //I can't stay. What you told me last night... you killed my dad and then lied about it to my mom. Sorry. I need to get away. I want to go there. To the lighthouse. If you want to follow, then go ahead. I'll be waiting there. Thanks for everything. Brigid.// You aren't sure what to do, except sit down on the rocks. Brigid is all grown up. You're proud, despite everything. She is stronger than you ever were. And with her gone you can finally let go of the last of the voices. The narration slowly slips away until //silence// [[The End.]]

"Come outside," she says. Curious, you listen. Plus with the others watching, it wouldn't do good to deny her request. She's technically more important than him. Outside of his huge tent, he sees the expanse of his followers. Thousands in the desert, surronding the few wells they've managed to dig in the desert. There isn't a single cloud in the sky. Brigid is still young, but she can command her voice better than anyone here. "I know the truth, father." Something is off. You suddenly don't feel safe. Your followers crowd around you. [["I know you killed my mother."]]

"So, it was the only way to end the winter! She wanted to kill you!" "Stop lying, father. I know who you really are now. An actor. You're the reason why the water is gone. Why the summer won't end. You committed a greater sin than my mother ever could." Hands grab and restrain Marlowe. He struggles but he's grown old and soft from indulging the favors of his subjects. A kick to the head takes him to the ground. Brigid is smiling. She's been taught not to fear pain, or causing it on others. She's in total control, just as always. Marlowe feels a small measure of pride at least. "You murdered her," she says. "The only way we can make it right with God is a sacrifice. To stop the sun, we must make the shade. Your blood will water the Earth." "NO!" Brigid is handed a spear. She points the edge at your face. "Goodbye, Marlowe." [[The End.]]

music Calm Emtim Bell music: https://freesound.org/s/614096/ campfire: https://freesound.org/s/350757/ Fire Auto - car on fire: https://freesound.org/s/563765/ Distent gunshot: https://freesound.org/s/387477/ windchimes: https://freesound.org/s/170762/ gusts: https://freesound.org/s/577339/ PNO Loop: https://freesound.org/s/331873/ hope: https://freesound.org/s/514828/ sadpiano: https://freesound.org/s/522588/ area: https://freesound.org/s/529881/ [[Go back->The End.]]

snowfall: ./audio/snowfall.mp3 campfire: ./audio/campfire.wav carfire: ./audio/carfire.mp3 gunshot: ./audio/gunshot.wav windchimes: ./audio/windchimes.wav gusts: ./audio/gusts.mp3 piano: ./audio/piano.wav hope: ./audio/hope.wav sadpiano: ./audio/sadpiano.mp3 area: ./audio/area.wav

"Is that why you traveled so far to find her? To see her again? You loved her." "I did. Still... do. But... It isn't the same kind of love your father had for her. We were [[family.->answers]]

"You shot at Marlowe and saved my dad's life there. Did you actually want to kill him?" "I don't know. I think I missed on purpose. I still didn't understand the [[danger.->answers]]

"The way you told me the story, I thought you were about to die. You sunk into the frozen water trying to stop Marlowe. You nearly drowned. Why did you stay?" [["I wanted to feel like a hero."->answers]] [["I needed to make up for my mistakes."->answers]] [["I actually didn't think that far ahead."->answers]]

"You helped my mom set the lighthouse on fire, even though you could've told her to leave. Risking her life and yours to defeat Marlowe... do you think you could have saved her if you chose different?" [["I made the wrong choice."->answers]] [["It was the only good option."->answers]] [["I trusted your mother and I don't regret it."->answers]]