Out to Sea

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s)[It's dark and safe here, though a bit (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"damp.")[ Even beneath the heavy tarp, water has found a way to get in. It sloshes back and forth in the bottom of the (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"boat.")[ It's drier above the bench, but drops of water still reach you here. Your fur is wet and you're terribly cold. You've been here for a long time. Perhaps it's (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"time to go.")[ (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Leave?->G1.d4-leaveBoatIntro]] (or) [[Stay?->G1.d4-boatsIntro]]]]]]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s)[You search the boat for an exit, scurrying from one side to the other as your world tilts (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"back and forth.")[ (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"The Wood - ")[The wood seems very old, and your teeth are very sharp. Perhaps chewing through it wouldn't take too long. [[Chew the wood?->G1.d4-chewWood]]] (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"The Tarp - ")[The tarp is tied down, but it's not very secure. You think you see a gap near the top. [[Try to reach it?->G1.d4-gapTarp]] ] (t8n:"blur")+(t8n-time:0.8s)+(link-reveal:"The Water - ")[The water sloshes at the base of the boat. As you scurry back and forth, you jump through it, your fir growing heavy with the ice cold spray. [[Stay here and wait to dry off?->G1.d4-boatsIntro]]]]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s)[It's tedious, and the wood has a musty flavor, but you manage to gnaw a hole big enough to squeeze through. On the other side, you hide in the shadows cast by the life boat. Before you is the deck of a grand ship. Sounds of the ocean are much clearer now, and looking up, you see three massive sails flapping in the wind. They must have been magnificent once, but now they're old and tattered, hardly fit for sailing. From so low on the ground, you can't see much. Rain beats down on the wooden deck, clouds darkening the sky as a storm rumbles high in the atmosphere. However, none of the crew seem to care. It's strange there are no humans around. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Investigate the bow of the ship->G1.d4-I.theBow]] [[Investigate the stern of the ship->G1.d4-I.theStern]] [[Look over the side->G1.d4-I.theSide]]]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s)[You scrabble at the sides of the boat, eventually discovering a split in the wood that you're able to climb. You reach the top, squeezing yourself through the gap in the tarp and perching above the lifeboats. Before you is the deck of a grand ship. Sounds of the ocean are much clearer now, and looking up, you see three massive sails flapping in the wind. They must have been magnificent once, but now they're old and tattered, hardly fit for sailing. You can see most of the main deck from up here. Cannons line the port and starboard sides of the ship. Near the bow, you see two staircases leading up to a higher deck, the forecastle. There is a human sized opening in the wood, but it's too dark to see inside. To the back of the ship, the stern, you see a similar arangement, two staircases leading up to the quarterdeck, and a human sized opening in the middle. This entryway is easier to see. You can tell that the opening leads to a short hallway with a pale blue door at the end. Rain beats down on the wooden deck, clouds darkening the sky as a storm rumbles high in the atmosphere. However, none of the crew seem to care. It's strange there are no humans around. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Investigate the bow of the ship->G1.d4-I+.theBow]] [[Investigate the stern of the ship->G1.d4-I+.theStern]] [[Look over the side->G1.d4-I+.theSide]]]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You investigate the bow of the ship, scurrying toward the front of the boat. In front of you are two staircases on either side of a wall. The stairs are attached to a raised deck, the forecastle. There is a human sized opening in the wood, but it's too dark to see inside. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Proceed?->underForecastle]] [[Investigate the stern->G1.d4-I.theStern]] ]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You investigate the stern of the ship, scurrying toward the back of the boat. In front of you are two thick staircases on either side of a wall. The stairs are attached to the quarterdeck, a raised deck with a railing. There is a human sized opening in the wood that leads down a hallway and ends in a pale blue door. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Investigate the hallway?->G1.d4-I.hallway]] [[Go back and look at the ocean?->G1.d4-I.theSide2]] ]]

You leave the safety of the lifeboats and scurry to the railing of the ship. The sea tosses the vessel like a toy, massive waves lifting the ship like dark fluid mountains, then dropping it off a cliff. There is no land in sight. You back away from the edge before toppling over the side. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Investigate the bow of the ship->G1.d4-I.theBow]] [[Investigate the stern of the ship->G1.d4-I.theStern]]] [[Jump Wildly Overboard->DEATH]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You investigate the bow of the ship, scurrying toward the front of the boat. You see two staircases leading up to the forecastle. The stairs are small and simple, and attached to a raised deck, the forecastle. There is a human sized opening in the wall, but even up close, it's too dark to see what's inside. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Proceed?->underForecastle]] [[Investigate the stern->G1.d4-I+.theStern]] ]]

You leave the safety of the lifeboats and scurry to the railing of the ship. The sea tosses the vessel like a toy, massive waves lifting the ship like dark fluid mountains, then dropping it off a cliff. There is no land in sight. You back away from the edge before toppling over the side. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Investigate the bow of the ship->G1.d4-I+.theBow]] [[Investigate the stern of the ship->G1.d4-I+.theStern]]] [[Jump Wildly Overboard->DEATH]]

ambiance: ./assets/audio/ambiance.mp3 bgmusic: ./assets/audio/bgmusic.mp3 death: ./assets/audio/death.mp3 scare: ./assets/audio/scare.mp3

{ (track: 'ambiance', 'loop', true) (track: 'ambiance', 'playwhenpossible') (track: 'bgmusic', 'loop', true) (track: 'bgmusic', 'playwhenpossible') }

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [TEXT HERE (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[LINK NEXT->blank]] [[LINK NEXT->blank]] [[LINK NEXT->blank]] ]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You aproach the human sized opening and hesitate. There is a faint groaning coming from the darkness, and you can tell it isn't the old wood. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Proceed?->G1.d4-lockedForecastle]] [[Investigate the stern?->G1.d4-I+.theStern]] ]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You slip through the hole, scurrying into the good-food room. In the middle of the room is a long table made of dark heavy wood. It sits on a woven carpet, and is surrounded by chairs with thick patterned cushions. You can still hear the storm, but light has escaped through a break in the clouds. It streams through the windows, bathing the room in a (t8n:"blur")+(link-reveal:"soft yellow light.")[ At the table, you see figures. Humans sit in each of the chairs, but none of them are moving. They all smell of the sick, and lean over the table with their faces in their plates. You inch forward, but none of them have any reaction to your presence. You look around, wondering where your family might be hiding. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Look for your family?->G1.d4-lookFamily]] [[Investigate the humans at the table?->G1.d4-SafeTable]] [[Leave the good-food room?->G1.d4-leaveHallway]] ]]]

(track: 'scare', 'play')(track: 'bgmusic', 'stop')(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You enter the darkened space, whiskers twitching. You hear a scraping sound in the dark, but it's awfully (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link-reveal:"quiet.")[ You creep further inside and the groaning stops. So does the scraping. Your eyes begin to adjust and you see a collection of card tables and chairs scattered on their sides. The legs are broken and one table appears snapped in half, the jagged edges of the wood protruding dangerously. In the center of the room is something you recognize, a small human sized opening in the floor. You remember that on the other side of that hole is the ship's storeroom, where you lived with your family. With so many nooks and cranies, and so many crew wandering around the ship, it was the safest place for your family to hide. You have so many brothers and sisters, and now, remembering all those barrels and bags of food, your stomach starts to growl. You must have been asleep in that lifeboat for quite a while, because your memory is a bit fuzzy. It's the strangest thing... You can remmeber eating with your family, but you can't seem to remember leaving the storeroom or hiding in the lifeboat. You look back at the human sized opening. You can recall watching the human crew climb up and down through that hole, but right now the door is closed. It looks to be held shut by a small brass (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link-reveal:"latch on one side. ")[ Something moves behind the card tables. A snapped chair leg scrapes as it's pushed out of the way, a dark form peeking from behind a table. It's human sized, but smells foul. You recognize the smell of (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link-reveal:"death.")[ The creature rises, a terrible groan coming from it's throat. You see its head turn, dull empty eyes settling on you. It screechs, a sound like metal scraping on metal. It stumbles forward, leeches falling off its skin as it knocks over a card table. Pigeon feathers and bits of snake drop to the floor as (t8n:"blur")+(link-reveal:"the death-human approaches.")[ (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Run!->G1.d4-returnlockedForecastle]] (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link:"Try to open the door!")[ You struggle to open the door, but it won't budge. It's locked! [[Keep Trying?->timerForecastle]]] ]] ] ]]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You turn and flee, the death-human rapidly gaining on you. You see signs of the illness, the strange plague that made the humans weak and sickly. It's lucky your family is immune to it. The death-human howls and throws something at you. You scurry out of the way just as a large, dark leather mask lands in your (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link-reveal:"path.")[ It resembles the head of a crow, but much larger. You remember seeing the humans wear it. They did very strange things when they put it on, strange things even for humans. You scramble over the mask, but now the death-human is much closer, and you see other shapes rising in the dark behind it. They join the screeching, and the death-human reaches out to (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link-reveal:"grab you.")[ (track: 'scare', 'stop')(track: 'bgmusic', 'play')You leap through the human sized opening and back onto the main deck. Behind you, the death-humans stop, collecting around the opening to screech and stare at you with their dull eyes. It seems they are unable to leave the dark. Slowly, they retreat back into the room, the sounds of scraping and screeching tables dulling to a faint groan. It seems for now, you're (t8n:"blur")+(link-reveal:"safe again.")[ (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[That was stressful T-T Go back to sleep in the lifeboats for a while?->G1.d4-boatsIntro]] [[Take a deep breath and go investigate the stern?->G1.d4-I+.theStern]] ]]] ] ]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You investigate the hallway, creeping slowly toward the pale blue door. The creaking of the ship fills your ears, and you find yourself missing your family. You must have been asleep in that lifeboat for a long time, because your mind feels a bit hazy. You're certain that you were with your family below deck in the storeroom. You remember eating with them, being cozied up with all your brothers and sisters, sleeping between the barrels and (t8n:"blur")+(link-reveal:"bags of food.")[ It's strange. You don't remember leaving the storeroom or climbing into the lifeboats. As you aproach the door, you see a familiar sight that jogs your memory. A small hole has been gnawed in the bottom corner of the door's frame, just the right size for you and your family to slip through. (t8n:"blur")+(link-reveal:"Yes, now you remember!")[ This is where the human crew keeps their best food. They combine it in amazing ways and heat it with fire. Watching them is strange, but whatever they're doing, it makes the food taste so much better. Just thinking about it makes your stomach growl. If you left the storeroom, maybe your family did too. Could they be waiting for you on the other side of the door? (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Go through the hole in the door?->G1.d4-I.dining]] [[Turn back and investigate the bow?->G1.d4-I+.theBow]] [[Turn back and look at the ocean?->G1.d4-I+.theSide2]] ]]]]

You turn away from the hallway and scurry to the railing of the ship. No humans are around, so you climb on top of a cannon, gripping the bumps along the surface to walk out to the edge and look at the ocean. The sea is vast and deep. Colossal waves raise and drop the ship like a giant rocking cradle. There is no land in sight. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Return to deck and investigate the bow of the ship->G1.d4-I.theBow]] [[Return to deck and investigate the stern of the ship->G1.d4-I.theStern]]] [[Jump Wildly Overboard->DEATH]]

You turn away from the hallway and scurry to the railing of the ship. No humans are around, so you climb on top of a cannon, gripping the bumps along the surface to walk out to the edge and look at the ocean. The sea is vast and deep. Colossal waves raise and drop the ship like a giant rocking cradle. There is no land in sight. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Return to deck and investigate the bow of the ship->G1.d4-I+.theBow]] [[Return to deck and investigate the stern of the ship->G1.d4-I+.theStern]]] [[Jump Wildly Overboard->DEATH]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You carefully explore the room, looking for places your family might hide. The cubboards along the walls are filled with decomposing food and herbs. You smell large quantities of sage, clove, rosemary, and wormwood, but you don't see your family. As you walk, you leave a trial of tiny footprints in the thick layers of dust. You can't help but notice that your footprints are the (t8n:"flicker")+(t8n-time:0.5s)+(link-reveal:"only ones around.")[ (track: 'scare', 'play')(track: 'bgmusic', 'stop') As you search, the storm goes on, the clouds shifting until the soft yellow light fades from the windows. The room falls into darkness. The ship rolls on the ocean, and you hear silverware roll onto to the floor, tipped by the changing angles of the ship. You leave the cuboard, ready to give up and return to the main deck of the ship, when you smell something familiar. You lower your nose and follow the scent, discovering some of your siblings' fur near the potato sacks. They must have been here recently. You start searching near the nearby area, but pause when you hear several more pieces of cutlery clatter to the floor. You hear the heavy wood of chairs being tipped over. They thud on the carpet, the sound muffled by the woven fibers of the rug. A groaning like metal on metal fills the room. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Run! ->G1.d4-famRun]](or)[[ Hide!->G1.d4-famHide]] ]]]

(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:0.8s) [You slip through the hole in the door and back into the hallway. In front of you are the lifeboats, tied down in the middle of the main deck. Beyond that is the bow of the ship. Wind from the storm is picking up salt from the ocean. It blows across the deck and even reaches you inside the hallway. You turn around and look at the pale blue door. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ [[Leave the hallway and investigate the bow of the ship?->G1.d4-I+.theBow]] [[Go back through the hole in the door?->G1.d4-I.dining]] [[Climb back inside the lifeboats and sleep?->G1.d4-boatsIntro]] ]]