config.style.page.header.font: "16"
config.style.page.header.link.font: "small caps"
config.style.page.footer.font: "16"
config.style.page.footer.link.font: "small caps"
config.body.transition.name: "none"
config.style.page.style: "none"
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.header.center: "_Act I_"
plant: 'small'
ghost_aware: false
water_aware: false
plant_aware: false
wall_aware: false
baby_aware: false
childs_room_visited: false
--
[align center]
[[You awaken.]]
[continue]config.header.center: "_Bathroom_"
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
The light of a full moon spills through a small window into the bathroom. Otherwise, it’s dark both inside and outside.
All the usual [[amenities]] are present. Along one [[wall]] hangs a [[full-length mirror]].
[if plant_aware && water_aware]
Sitting on the windowsill next to a quaint [[watering can]] is a small potted [[plant->small potted plant]].
[else]
Sitting on the windowsill next to a quaint watering can is a small potted [[plant->small potted plant]].
[continue]
A sizable [[black cat]], looking intimidating, watches you from the [[doorway]].
config.body.transition.name: "none"
ghost_aware: true
--
You look into the mirror, but see no reflection. Where are you?
Are you... invisible?
Are you... a ghost?
[[back->bathroom 1]] config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
The cat stares back at you with unblinking yellow eyes.
[if ghost_aware; append]
You can't tell what's more disturbing — the fact that she can see you, or the fact that she clearly doesn't like you.
[continue]
[[back->bathroom 1]] config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if !ghost_aware]
Other than the mirror, there's nothing particularly else interesting about the wall.
[[back->bathroom 1]]
[continue]
[if ghost_aware && !wall_aware]
You stare at the wall, brace yourself, and then begin to move through it.
It feels like… nothing! How interesting! There’s no tingling sensation, no blast of cold, you simply float through the physical space.
It seems you have certain powers that you didn't have before.
You emerge in [[a different room...->nursery]]
[continue]
[if wall_aware]
You brace yourself again, and then begin to move through the wall to the [[nursery]].
[continue]
config.body.transition.name: "none"
plant_aware: true
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
The plant looks slightly wilted. Its leaves droop as if it's sighing.
[continue]
[if water_aware && plant == 'small']
Those feelings of thirst and drinking — you realize they weren't coming from you at all, but from a living thing in this room. Not the cat, but the plant.
[continue]
[if plant == 'medium']
The plant looks much happier now.
[continue]
[[back->bathroom 1]]
config.header.center: "_Nursery_"
wall_aware: true
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
You arrive in a toddler’s room.
[continue]
[if passage.visits !== 1]
A toddler’s room.
[continue]
Perhaps during the day this room is bright and cheery, but here in the pale moonlight, all appears in gray shadow.
Everything is the perfect size for a small child, from the tiny desk to the miniature {reveal link: 'bookshelf', text: 'bookshelf — full of thick books with cardboard "pages" that are just right for chewing'}.
All the toys have been put away, save for one — a [[sleepy bee]] carelessly tossed near a crib.
All should be calm, and yet… the [[toddler]] lying in the crib is anything but peaceful.
The [[cat->bedroom cat]] watches you from the [[doorway->bedroom doorway]]. She must have followed you here.
(You can revisit the [[bathroom->bathroom 1]] if you feel you have unfinished business there.)
config.body.transition.name: "none"
water_aware: true
--
Shower, sink, toilet. Water, water, everywhere.
[if plant == 'small']
For a moment it makes you thirsty (well, not the toilet... unless? no, no) — but then you realize you no longer have a need for water. It's more the memory of being thirsty, of drinking water, of being... alive.
[continue]
[[back->bathroom 1]] config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if !ghost_aware]
You try to touch the watering can, but nothing happens. Strange.
[[back->bathroom 1]]
[continue]
[if plant == 'medium']
You don't need to water the plant any more.
[[back->bathroom 1]]
[continue]
[if ghost_aware && plant == 'small']
{embed passage: 'watering the plant'}
[continue]
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
Whenever you approach the cat, her hackles rise. A hiss wells up from the back of her throat.
You don't feel comfortable trying to get past the cat — you'll have to find another way.
[[back->bathroom 1]]plant: 'medium'
--
It feels like you're using limbs that have turned invisible and fallen asleep, but with some effort and concentration, you're able to lift the watering can and tilt it — just enough — so that water sprinkles onto the plant.
Drink up, little plant.
[[back->bathroom 1]] [if !baby_aware]
It's a small, soft blanket with a huggable plush bee head at the end, perfect for snuggling, chewing, or guaranteeing a peaceful night's sleep.
Indeed, it might be the finest toy ever conceived.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[continue]
[if baby_aware && plant == 'small']
It feels like you're using limbs that have turned invisible and fallen asleep, but with some effort and concentration, you're able to levitate the sleepy bee just enough so that it floats within the baby’s reach.
He grabs for his precious bedtime companion and clutches it to his chest, and even though the moonlight remains the same, it feels as if color has returned to the nursery.
You watch him drift off to sleep, and though this small act of ghostly kindness might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, to the baby, his sleepy bee means the world.
Satisfied, you [[fade away->Act 2]].
[continue]
[if baby_aware && plant == 'medium']
You levitate the sleepy bee just enough so that it floats within the toddler’s reach. Either you’re spurred on by the baby’s frustration and desire, or perhaps you’re getting used to your noncorporeal body, but it’s a little easier this time.
He grabs for his precious bedtime companion and clutches it to his chest, and even though the moonlight remains the same, it feels as if color has returned to the nursery.
You watch him drift off to sleep, and though this small act of ghostly kindness might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, to the baby, his sleepy bee means the world.
Satisfied, you [[fade away->Act 2]].
[continue]
config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
config.header.center: "_Act II_"
ring_obtained: false
ring_returned: false
plaything: false
nest_seen: false
woman_seen: false
plant2_aware: false
plant_watered: false
--
[align center]
_Time passes..._
_In the void, you ponder what you just experienced with an awareness that now exceeds your mortal grasp._
_Who was this child?_
_Did you know him when you were alive?_
_Did he know you?_
_These questions swirl through your mind, half-formed and half-thought, until finally..._
[[You awaken.->child's bedroom start]]baby_aware: true
--
Who is this child? He seems familiar... but you've never seen him before.
Unfortunately, even if he was old enough to answer your questions, he takes no notice of you. Instead, he's splayed out and reaching through the bars for the one thing that will bring happiness and color back to his very existence.
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Child's Bedroom_"
--
[if !ring_returned]
You are once again in the child’s bedroom. A small bed shaped like a fire truck lies underneath the [[open window]], and on the wall is a framed {reveal link: 'poster', text: 'poster — a depiction of twenty-six colorful animals, each contorted into a different shape'}.
But the most noticeable change is the [[small child]] sitting on the floor, patiently setting up an elaborate [[tableau of toys]]. Beside him sits a [[plastic cup]] full of water, forgotten as he is focused on his intricate task.
You can also exit into the [[hallway]] or apparate through the wall to the [[bathroom]].
[else]
You return to the child’s bedroom.
It seems he’s completed his [[masterpiece->tableau of toys]]. It feels like the poster is watching as he completes the pièce de résistance – lighting a candle that will burn a [[thread]] that will drop a [[marble]] that will set off the chain reaction of [[dominoes]].
Beside him sits his plastic [[cup->plastic cup]].
The room fills with an acrid odor as he lights a [[match]]. Everything about this scene fills you with dread.
[continue]
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if !ring_returned]
A depiction of twenty-six colorful animals, each contorted into a different shape.
[continue]
[if ring_returned]
Twenty-six pairs of cartoon eyes watch, in equal parts awe and dread, at what is to come next.
[continue]
[[back->child's bedroom]]
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
It feels like you just saw him fall asleep with his beloved sleepy bee, but now he appears a few years older.
His eyes focus in concentration, and his once chubby features are sharpening into boyhood. How has time passed so quickly?
[else]
The boy's eyes focus in concentration. This is a portrait of the artist at work.
[continue]
[[back->child's bedroom]] config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if !ring_returned]
The boy patiently sets up a labyrinthine assortment of wooden blocks, glass marbles, phone books, a measuring tape, a candle, and various other household items, with dominoes spiraling around, underneath, and throughout.
His process is methodical, almost meditative, and when his plans come to fruition, the resulting chain reaction should be quite impressive.
[else]
A glorious labyrinth of wooden blocks, ping-pong balls, phone books, a measuring tape, a candle, and various other household items, with dominoes spiraling around, underneath, and throughout.
[continue]
[[back->child's bedroom]] config.body.transition.name: "none"
config.header.center: "_Hallway_"
--
The hallway is bare except for some framed [[pictures]] hanging on the wall.
[if woman_seen]
There are doors to the [[bathroom]], the [[child's bedroom]], and the [[woman's bedroom->bedroom]]. The other end of the hallway leads to the [[living room]].
[else]
There are doors to the [[bathroom]], the [[child's bedroom]], and another [[bedroom]]. The other end of the hallway leads to the [[living room]].
[continue]config.body.transition.name: "none"
config.header.center: "_Bathroom_"
--
You are in the family’s bathroom. Sunlight streams through the window. All the usual amenities are present, and a full-length [[mirror]] hangs on one wall.
The door leads back into the [[hallway]]. Otherwise, you can apparate through the wall to the [[child's bedroom]].config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
Building such a masterpiece must be thirsty work.
[[back->child's bedroom]] A thread that is sitting far too close to the window's billowing curtains.
{back link, label: 'back'}Smooth, heavy, and dangerous, should it roll off-course and underfoot.
{back link, label: 'back'}There must be hundreds of dominoes, all waiting for someone to trip over them and ruin the impending spectacle or disaster.
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Woman's Bedroom_"
woman_seen: true
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
You are in another bedroom — one that belongs to a grown adult.
[continue]
[if !ring_returned]
The [[woman]] of the house is here, looking through her dresser. The rest of the bedroom has been upended, as if she’s thoroughly searched this room more than once. A number of [[items]] are laid out on her bed.
The door leads back to the [[hallway]].
[else]
The bedroom has been upended, as if she’s thoroughly searched this room more than once. A number of [[items]] are laid out on her bed.
The door leads back to the [[hallway]].
[continue]
config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
[if !ring_obtained]
Though the living room is devoid of people, voices fill the room — an old [[TV]] squats across from the [[couch]], and off to the side a [[record player]] spins noiselessly.
A [[cat tree]] stands in one corner, but the [[cat]] lurks in the opposite corner of the room. Her attention is not on you; instead she’s laser-focused on a small [[hole]] in the [[wall->to crawlspace]].
[continue]
[if ring_obtained && !ring_returned]
Even though you’re noncorporeal, it feels good to be out of that cramped crawlspace.
The living room remains just as you left it — empty, but with the [[TV]] and [[record player]] still on.
However, the cat has found a new [[plaything]].
[continue]
[if ring_returned]
The [[woman]] remains in the living room, cleaning the ring of dust, cobwebs, and rat hairs.
The [[cat]] glowers at you from the cat tree. She’ll remember this injustice.
[continue]
You can exit into the [[hallway]], or enter the [[kitchen]], and the [[front door]] leads to the outside world.The pictures in the hallway are artfully framed. One is a photo of a smiling man and woman holding a newborn baby — they look like a happy family. Except for the cat. She’s never happy.
Another photo shows a dog catching a stick. He looks like a good boy.
{back link, label: 'back'}You look into the mirror, but see no reflection.
{back link, label: 'back'}[if !ring_returned]
She continuously searches through the dresser drawers, muttering to herself inaudibly with an exasperated air.
Though no words form, you can sense her frustration, her worry, her fear of something that has been lost... and might never be found.
[continue]
[if !ring_returned && plaything]
Could it be the ring she's looking for? If only you could find a way to tell her it's in the living room.
[continue]
[if ring_returned]
She'll never know about the ring's adventures — how it was misplaced, then found by the rat and given a place of honor upon his nest, then retrieved by a ghost.
Instead, she'll just blame the cat.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}
A collection of jewelry, carefully arranged. Neat piles of clothing, pockets thoroughly searched.
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Kitchen_"
--
A cozy kitchen with all the normal appliances: a [[stove]], a [[refrigerator]], and a wooden [[dining table]]. A window above the [[sink]] overlooks the sunny backyard. And there on the windowsill is your old friend the [[plant->plant 2]].
You can go back to the [[living room]], and a [[door]] leads to the backyard.Strange... much like you're unable to pass into the "great beyond" (whatever it might be), you're unable to pass through the front door.
It seems your spirit remains confined to this house. You don't really mind this. In fact, it feels somewhat comforting.
[[back->living room]]
[if !ring_obtained]
The TV shows an episode from an old show, where a couple has one comedic misunderstanding after another in an example of domestic bliss. You're not quite sure what they're talking about, but you find their voices comforting.
[continue]
[if ring_obtained && !plaything]
It seems the old-timey couple have sorted out their misunderstanding. All's well that ends well. Now time for some unpleasantly loud commercials.
[continue]
[if plaything && !ring_returned]
You have a feeling one of these buttons can make the people speak louder, but you can't tell which one.
[continue]
[if ring_returned]
Time for a new program, featuring a different mismatched couple undergoing a different comical misunderstanding.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}[if !ring_obtained]
The record spins round and round, but the needle has gone off the track.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[continue]
[if ring_obtained && !plaything]
The record spins endlessly, releasing no music, but a pleasant white noise.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[continue]
[if ring_returned]
Honestly, you prefer the white noise of the record spinning over what's currently playing.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[continue]
[if plaything && !ring_returned && !woman_seen]
Honestly, you prefer the white noise of the record spinning over what's currently playing.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[continue]
[if plaything && !ring_returned && woman_seen]
{embed passage: 'music'}
[continue]Though frayed from tooth and claw, it provides a magnificent view of the cat's domain. However, its topmost perch is currently empty.
{back link, label: 'back'}Something must have gnawed through from the other side. Probably a rodent of usual size, judging by the smell.
{back link, label: 'back'}
config.header.center: "_Crawlspace_"
--
This cramped, narrow space is dimly lit by cracks in the walls. You would undoubtedly sneeze if you still had lungs — [[dust motes]] float through the air, and the corners are filled with [[cobwebs]].
In one corner, staring at the hole in the wall, a small brown [[rat]] sits atop its [[nest]].
The [[wall->living room]] looks easily permeable in your current form.plaything: true
--
The cat is now batting the ring around the room in a frenzy. You've never seen her so excited.
[if woman_seen]
You wonder if this ring might be what the woman was looking for... but how can you tell her it's here when you have no voice?
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}
ring_returned: true
--
You lower the needle onto the record player — doing so is tricky, like the opposite of levitation — and instantly the living room bursts into song.
You hear footsteps approaching from the hallway, and moments later the woman arrives. She takes in the scene — the TV, the record player, the cat… everything except you.
With a gasp, she picks up the ring. The aura of worry surrounding her dissipates as she puts on the ring with a sigh of relief.
{reveal link: 'Satisfied, you start to fade away...', passage: 'fade away'}
[if !ring_obtained]
The cat is ignoring you completely. She only cares about what's inside that hole.
[continue]
[if ring_obtained && !plaything]
No longer focused on the rat hole, the cat's found something much more shiny and interesting.
[continue]
[if plaything && !ring_returned]
You could try to levitate the cat, but you wouldn't dare. She's too intimidating.
[continue]
[if ring_returned]
Her playtime interrupted, she stares grumpily at you.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}
For dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.
{back link, label: 'back'}Even the spiders in here died long, long ago. You wonder if you'll see their ghosts.
{back link, label: 'back'}[if !nest_seen]
The rat nervously cleans her whiskers while staring at the hole in the wall. She senses the cat outside, but she doesn't acknowledge you. However, you know she has more to fear from the cat than she does from you, a helpful ghost.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[else]
With some concentration, you gently lift up the rat from her nest. She squeaks in surprise, but otherwise seems to handle her newfound levitation quite well.
Now you can see what’s [[shining]] within the nest.
[continue]
nest_seen: true
--
The nest is a carefully crafted pile of twigs, fabric, shredded cardboard, and stray couch fluff... but you catch sight of something [[glittering->rat]] within the detritus, barely visible beneath the rat's long and winding tail.It's a clear gemstone, set within the delicate golden band of a [[ring]].ring_obtained: true
--
You realize such a fine piece of jewelry doesn't belong here, lost within the crawlspace. With intense focus, you disentangle it from the rat's nest, and slide it across the dusty floor and out the hole. With one last act of concentration, you gently set down the rat. [[Whew.]]The rat blinks in confusion. It might be best to leave her alone so she can contemplate everything she just experienced.
You decide to return through the [[wall->living room]] to the land of the living… room.It smells like years of home cooking.
{back link, label: 'back'}You can almost smell the delicious treats inside.
{back link, label: 'back'}The family has eaten many meals at this table.
{back link, label: 'back'}[if plant2_aware && !plant_watered]
The sink is small but functional. In the sink is a [[cup of water]].
[else]
The sink is small but functional. In the sink is a cup of water.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}That way leads outside the house, but it seems your spirit is confined within.
{back link, label: 'back'}The well-worn but comfortable couch is a frequent victim of the cat’s claws.
{back link, label: 'back'}With all of your ghostly strength, you blow out the match! But alas, your moment of victory is dashed when the child simply lights [[another one]].
How strange to be a ghost that will soon run out of breath… but once you do, he’s sure to light the [[candle]] that will burn the [[thread]] that will drop the [[marble]] that will set off the [[domino effect]].You try to blow this one out, too, but he simply keeps trying to light more matches.
{back link, label: 'back'}The candle is new; its wax unmelted, its wick unburnt. Soon all that will change.
{back link, label: 'back'}Your powers might be nearly exhausted, but you can still knock over one single domino.
You push over the first one, and it sets off a chain reaction. The child wails, drops the matches, and goes about trying to rescue his domino masterpiece from ruin.
Quick! Now’s your chance to send the matchbook somewhere safe and out of the child’s reach.
You can think of two options:
>[[Out the window]]
>[[Into the cup of water]]
With the last of your ghostly strength, you toss the matches out the open window, where they’ll be safely out of the child’s reach.
Outwardly, everything seems the same, but you feel you’ve just changed his life for the better.
Satisfied that he is safe (if a bit disappointed with his project), [[you fade away->Act 3]].
config.header.center: "_Act III_"
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
cat_danger: false
cat_scared: false
cake_burning: false
cake_saved: false
--
[align center]
_Time passes..._
_You think about the ring and the woman._
_A faint memory stirs... of a day filled with sun and grass, surrounded by happy people, and carrying the ring — an important burden, but one that was light and easy to hold._
_It's a happy memory, and one you're grateful to recover — just as the woman was grateful to be reunited with the ring._
_You reflect on this, until at last..._
[[You awaken.->kitchen 3]]
config.style.page.color: "white on black"
config.style.page.link.font: "underline"
config.style.page.link.color: "yellow"
config.style.page.link.lineColor: "yellow"
config.style.page.link.active.color: 'violet'
config.style.page.link.active.lineColor: "violet"
playtesters: 'Ashley Baccam, Brian Willson, Kylie Williams, Melissa Kramer-Sarrett, Phil Loeb, Risa Pearl, Rob Manuel, and Susan Cheng'
--
[align center]
{embed image: 'The Good Ghost title page.jpg', alt: 'The Good Ghost'}\
by Kirk Damato and Sarah Willson
[[Begin game->Act 1]]\
[[Switch to light mode->Light title page]]\
[[Credits]]
[continue]
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
Daylight streams in from outside, and a merry breeze blows in, ruffling the curtains.
[[back->child's bedroom]] [if passage.visits == 1]
You've apparated through a wall before, but this time is different. There’s no room beyond the hole, only an in-between space not meant for people — a tiny, dust-filled [[crawlspace]].
[else]
{embed passage: 'crawlspace'}config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.header.center: "_Kitchen_"
--
You are in the kitchen. Not much has changed over the years. It’s still cozy, and all the old appliances have a little more wear and tear to them, but they’re still hard at work — even as a ghost, you can smell something delicious baking in the [[oven]].
The scent has alerted someone else, too: standing on the table next to some [[deflated balloons]] is the [[cat->cat 3]], curiously inspecting a [[bowl]].
One of these things should not be on the kitchen table.
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if !cake_burning]
Something chocolatey and mouthwatering is baking in the oven. If only you had a mouth!
[continue]
[if cake_burning && !cake_saved]
The cake inside is quickly crossing over that fine line from “baked to perfection” toward “burnt.”
Unfortunately, the oven is much too confusing for you — there are too many knobs, too many buttons, too many dials. You can't even levitate the door or get it to open.
This cake will need to be rescued by more lively hands than yours.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}config.body.transition.name: "none"
cat_danger: true
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
It's your old friend the cat. Unless someone stops her, she's going to eat whatever's in that bowl.
[else]
Even if you could levitate the cat out of harm's way, she'd just find a way to jump back up onto the table. Maybe there's a way to get her out of the kitchen altogether.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
The bowl is full of chocolate frosting. It's probably delicious… but also dangerous to animals.
[else]
You start to levitate the large mixing bowl full of frosting… but it’s too heavy. You’ll have to think of some other way to stop the cat.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
The living room looks mostly the same — perhaps the couch is a bit lumpier, and someone must have patched up the [[rat hole]] — but otherwise it’s just as you remember it from your last visit to the land of the living.
The [[cat->cat 3b]] watches you angrily from the safety of her [[cat tower]], and a [[stepladder]] stands in one corner beneath some cheery decorations.
But mostly your attention is drawn to the [[child]], sitting at the coffee table, busy with some kind of [[craft]].
You can return to the [[kitchen->kitchen 3b]], enter the [[hallway->hallway 3]], or try the [[front door->front door 3]].
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
[if cat_danger && !cat_scared]
Maybe this will get the cat's attention.
You blow into one of the yellowish balloons. It's now partially inflated.
[[more]]
[else]
The blue and yellow balloons smell strongly of rubber. One of them has a few stray tooth marks — the cat’s curiosity might have gotten the best of her, before she moved on to something a bit tastier.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[continue]You blow another breath into the balloon. It's not easy, especially with you being dead and all, but the balloon is now full of a ghostly air.
[[more->Pop]]cat_scared: true
cake_burning: true
--
Using the last of your ghostly breath, you blow up the balloon even more, and it... [[POPS->kitchen 3b]].config.header.center: "_Kitchen_"
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
With a yowl, the cat leaps off the table and skitters out of the kitchen. You might not have given her what she wanted, but you gave her what she needed.
Your heroic moment comes to an abrupt end as your keen nose smells something… the first hints of burning from within the [[oven->oven 2]].
There are two exits from the kitchen: into the [[living room->living room 3]] or the [[backyard->door]].
[continue]
[else]
You are in the kitchen. Not much has changed over the years. It’s still cozy, and all the old appliances have a little more wear and tear to them, but they’re still hard at work — even as a ghost, you can smell something burning in the [[oven->oven 2]].
There are two exits from the kitchen: into the [[living room->living room 3]] or the [[backyard->door]].
[continue]
You wonder whatever became of the rat, and hope it's happy, wherever it is.
{back link, label: 'back'}
Over the years, the bottom half of the tower has been clawed and shredded.
{back link, label: 'back'}You'd best keep your distance — you get the feeling the cat would like to use you as a scratching post after you thwarted her culinary investigation.
{back link, label: 'back'}It's tall and sturdy. Maybe someone was using it to hang those decorations.
{back link, label: 'back'}[if passage.visits == 1]
He's really grown since you last saw him. At the moment he's cutting out letters from pieces of colorful construction paper.
[continue]
[if passage.visits !== 1 && !cake_saved]
Still out of "breath" from the balloon ordeal, you try to get the child's attention... but he's too absorbed in his activity. No stray puff of wind will deter him from his project.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}[if passage.visits == 1]
The table is littered with pieces of construction paper, as well as a pile of large handcut letters.
[continue]
[if passage.visits !== 1 && !cake_saved]
It takes the rest of your ghostly energy to scatter the construction paper... which the boy promptly gathers up.
You get the feeling he can do this all day — but that poor cake doesn't have the luxury of time before it'll be burned beyond recognition.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}
config.header.center: "_Hallway_"
--
The hallway is bare except for some [[framed pictures]] hanging on the wall.
There are open doors leading to the [[bedrooms]], and a closed door leading to the [[bathroom->bathroom 3]]. From inside you can hear the sound of running water.
Otherwise, there’s nowhere to go but the [[living room->living room 3]].
Alas, whatever keeps your spirit tethered to the house applies to the front door as well as the back.
{back link, label: 'back'}Next to the old family portrait and dog photo is a school picture of the child. He's older now, and wearing some kind of uniform. How time flies when you're a ghost!
{back link, label: 'back'}You can sense both of the bedrooms are empty — you won't find any help for the cake within either of them.
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Bathroom_"
--
[if passage.visits == 1]
You apparate through the door into the bathroom.
[continue]
It’s difficult to see because of all the [[steam]], but this room seems unchanged through the years. The [[mirror->mirror 3]] still hangs on one wall, and a fresh towel is folded over a rack next to the [[shower]]. And look, sitting on the windowsill is your friend, the [[plant->plant 3]].
Beyond that, there’s just the door that leads back into the [[hallway->no hallway]].[if passage.visits == 1]
You wonder if your form might be visible in these fog-like conditions.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[else]
With a great deal of effort, you concentrate on the steam permeating the room. The temperature of the bathroom drops, as if all the warmth has been snatched away with a chilling [[bite]].[if passage.visits == 1]
The mirror is all fogged up, thanks to the steam from the shower.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[else]
With a great deal of effort, you twist the nail holding up the mirror — just enough so that the mirror [[crashes]] to the floor. Luckily, it doesn't break.[if passage.visits == 1]
The sound of running water is coming from here, and through the frosted glass you can barely see the silhouetted figure of the mother.
{back link, label: 'back'}
[else]
With a great deal of effort, you concentrate on the shower and the steady cascade of water. The temperature drops, as if all the warmth has been snatched away with a chilling [[bite]].[if plant == 'small']
The plant is absolutely soaking in all this moisture. It must be desperate for water.
[else]
The plant is absolutely soaking in all this moisture. You can practically hear it buzzing with joy.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}
You can't leave now — not when the cake's deliciousness is at stake!
{back link, label: 'back'}With a yelp, the woman quickly turns off the shower and reaches for her towel.
As she dries herself off, she suddenly notices the smell of the burning cake and rushes to its rescue.
Curious, you follow her to the [[kitchen->cake saved]].config.header.center: "_Kitchen_"
cake_saved: true
--
A waft of not-quite-smoke fills the kitchen. Despite the smell of burnt flour and sugar, you'd still eat it, if you could.
As the woman fusses over the charred cake, you feel satisfied that you’ve diverted two disasters in the kitchen, and yet you... [[don’t fade away]].
Why are you still here? You’ve saved the cat and saved the cake in the kitchen… where else can you help?
{reveal link: 'The child\'s bedroom', text: 'The child\'s bedroom is empty. It must be somewhere else.'}
{reveal link: 'The woman\'s bedroom', text: 'The woman\'s bedroom is empty. Surely that can\'t be it.'}
{reveal link: 'The bathroom', text: 'Other than the shower you cut short, all is well in the bathroom.'}
{reveal link: 'The kitchen', text: 'The woman seems to have everything under control in the kitchen.'}
[[The living room]]
config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
Of course, the living room!
As you enter, you see the [[cat->cat 3c]] pacing nervously around her cat tower, her eyes glued to the corner of the room.
There! The [[child->child 3b]] stands on the [[stepladder->stepladder 2]], trying to hang up his completed birthday banner.
She seems more upset now than she was after you popped the balloon. This is worrying.
{back link, label: 'back'}[if passage.visits == 1]
He's standing unsteadily on one foot at the very top of the stepladder. This is very worrying!
{back link, label: 'back'}
[else]
Now is not the time for subtlety. The child is far heavier than anything you've ever levitated, but the [[urgency]] heightens your powers.It looks sturdy, but the way the child is standing on it makes you nervous.
{back link, label: 'back'}Right as the child begins to lose his balance, you’re able to hold him aloft for just a moment, so that he slowly falls to the floor.
He lands, safely and softly, and seemingly stares right at you, wide-eyed and stunned. Can he actually see you?
You don't have time to find out. But you do know this is a birthday gift he’ll remember for a very long time.
Satisfied, [[you fade away->Act 4]].
config.header.center: "_Act IV_"
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
--
[align center]
_Time passes..._
_You mull over your three good deeds..._
_In life you always wanted to be helpful, even if sometimes it felt like you were just getting in the way. Now, in this form, you finally feel useful. No one knows it was you, but that's not the important thing. This afterlife, whatever it is, suits you._
_You're starting to remember who you were, then. Is that still who you are now?_
_You consider this, until finally..._
[[You awaken.->living room 4]]
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
You are in the living room. Moonlight filters weakly through the curtains, leaving everything cloaked in quiet shadow.
How strange.
Other than the [[cat->cat 4]] perched atop her tower, no one seems to be home… but then, why are you here?config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
The cat is older and [[wider]]. Her fur bristles slightly — but not at your unexpected presence.
She glances at you for a moment, but her attention is focused elsewhere. She quickly returns her gaze to the [[kitchen->kitchen 4]].
Perhaps due to the large pile of cat food left in her bowl — there's enough for two or three days, even.
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Kitchen_"
--
You follow the cat’s gaze into the kitchen. Like the living room, it is dark and empty.
And then you hear it: a metallic clicking and scraping from just beyond the [[back door]].
You focus on the back door, the barrier which has kept you from exploring beyond the house for your entire ghostly existence.
The [[lock]], the [[door handle]], and there outside the window — a [[stranger]]!Click, click, scratch, scratch.
{back link, label: 'back'}Every few moments it jiggles, turned by an unseen hand.
{back link, label: 'back'}Perhaps it’s the stubborn lock, or perhaps it’s the feeling of being watched by a ghostly presence, but the intruder abruptly steps away from the back door and disappears into the night.
And yet… you sense your work here is not finished.
In fact, the feeling of dread within you only seems to grow.
The intruder must still be nearby… but [[where]]?
config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
Unsure, you return to the living room.
The [[cat->cat 4b]] is still here, keeping watch.
You check the [[front door->front door 4]], but there’s no sign of the [[intruder]].
For once, the cat seems calmed by your presence.
{back link, label: 'back'}You try to apparate through it... but it appears you're still confined within the walls of the house.
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Hallway_"
--
He must be somewhere nearby. You float into the hallway, but it’s even darker than the living room — there are no windows for the moonlight to sneak in. You can barely make out the [[new pictures]] hanging on the wall.
You hear a sound from somewhere in the house, but can’t tell whether it’s coming from the [[bathroom->bathroom 4]], the [[child's bedroom->child's room]], or the [[woman's bedroom]].
The woman has a bit more gray in her hair. And... is that the boy? He's now taller than her!
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: "_Bathroom_"
--
You enter the bathroom. All is dark and quiet within, not even the drip of a faucet.
There is no sign of the intruder here. Perhaps he went to one of the bedrooms – either the [[woman’s->woman's bedroom]] or the [[child’s->child's room]].
config.header.center: "_Child's Bedroom_"
--
You enter the child’s bedroom. The bed is a little older and saggier, the mattress a bit more threadbare, but not much has changed since last you’ve been here — other than the [[new posters]] lining the walls.
However, the room is empty. The [[bed]] remains unslept in and unmade, and the window is firmly closed.
There’s no sign of the child — and no sign of the intruder. Perhaps he went toward the [[bathroom->bathroom 4]] or the [[other bedroom->woman's bedroom]].
config.header.center: "_Woman's Bedroom_"
--
Even before you've passed through the threshold of the woman's bedroom you know something is wrong.
A change in the {reveal link: 'air.', text: 'air. From an open window, it seems.'}
The boom of a {reveal link: 'heartbeat.', text: 'heartbeat. Rapid. Determined.'}
The heightened {reveal link: 'breath of the living.', text: 'breath of the living. Muffled, moist beneath a mask.'}
The intruder is here, finding his footing after climbing in through the window.
[[You must act.]]
You have no idea who these athletes and musicians are, but they make you feel connected to the child, and so you decide you like them.
{back link, label: 'back'}Something is missing: usually there's a suitcase under this bed.
{back link, label: 'back'}The intruder clicks on his flashlight and peers around the room.
> [[SLAM the window]]
> [[PULL his mask]]
> [[DESTROY the flashlight]]Summoning all your ghostly power, you slam it shut with a resounding bang!
Surprised by the unexpected and unnatural noise, the burglar stumbles about in a panic.
{embed passage: 'step 1'}His ski mask might conceal his identity, but it can’t protect him from you.
Summoning all your ghostly power, you grasp at the fibers of the ski mask and twist them around, blinding him in the semi-darkness.
Suddenly unable to see, the burglar stumbles about in a panic.
{embed passage: 'step 1'}Another unfamiliar piece of modern technology… but you fixate on the small bulb of the flashlight with all your ghostly power until it explodes with a small pop!
Suddenly unable to see and surprised by the unnatural noise, the burglar stumbles about in a panic.
{embed passage: 'step 1'}[if plant == 'small']
He trips, sending his crowbar flying into the [[wall->wall 4]], and crashes head-first into the potted [[plant->plant 4]] with a resounding [[thud]].
[continue]
[if plant == 'medium']
He trips, sending his crowbar flying into the [[wall->wall 4]], and crashes head-first into the large potted [[plant->plant 4]] with a resounding [[thud]].
[continue]
[if plant == 'large']
He trips, sending his crowbar flying into the [[wall->wall 4]], and crashes head-first into the massive potted [[plant->plant 4]] with a resounding [[thud]].
[continue]A section of plaster and particleboard has been smashed, leaving a hole. There appears to be something within the walls, but it's too dark to tell. Besides, now is not the time!
{back link, label: 'back'}But that’s not enough. The intruder is still within the house — which you’ll defend even beyond death — and with some encouraging vibes from the plant, you…
> [[HOWL with rage]]
> [[FETCH an item]][if plant == 'small']
The old plant has been replaced with a new artificial version, but its pot is no less solid.
[continue]
[if plant == 'medium']
Your friend the plant has grown over the years and now resides in a big, sturdy pot. You sense the intruder is not welcome within its domain.
[continue]
[if plant == 'large']
Your friend the plant has now grown to envelop a full corner of the bedroom, and you sense the intruder is not welcome within its domain.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}You let out an otherworldly howl — a scream from beyond the grave — that fills the bedroom. The noise is terrifying enough, but the anger and power behind it, all directed at the intruder, is much, much worse.
It goes on and on — you no longer have to pause to draw breath — until finally the intruder scrambles to his feet in a daze and flees from the room.
You [[follow]].
You don’t have time to think of which item to grab. Instead, you fetch everything.
The comforter atop the bed. The clothes in the closet. You hurl everything you can at the intruder — shoes, a forgotten overnight bag, a book left atop the nightstand, the nightstand itself. The deluge continues as he cowers in fear.
You feel like you could do this forever — and perhaps you would, but then the intruder scrambles to his feet and retreats from the room.
You [[follow]].
config.header.center: "_Hallway_"
--
You move through the darkened hallway, tearing the [[pictures->pictures 4]] from the walls and hurling them at the intruder.
But as he makes his way into the living room, he comes face to face with two glowing, angry eyes.
[[The cat.]]
config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
She normally looks angry, but you’ve never seen her look like this.
How dare this stranger trespass upon her domain, and intrude upon her tower!
From atop her perch, she hisses and claws at him, leaving crimson slashes across his face.
The intruder’s had enough. He runs to the front door and throws it open… but then pauses in the doorway to look around the living room one last time, perhaps to see if there’s anything of value he can grab, or possibly to make sense of all he’s just encountered.
However, you are not done with this stranger, and neither is the cat.
> [[Get your REVENGE]]
> [[Help the cat get REVENGE]]
Though the woman and the boy aren't here in person, they're here in spirit, defending their home with you.
{back link, label: 'back'}Summoning all of your supernatural strength, you shove the burglar out the door. With terror in his eyes, he turns and flees into the night, never to return.
Feeling quite content, you pull the door closed and... [[you fade away.->Act 5]]
The cat gives her silent permission, and you use your power to levitate her towards the intruder. She hisses and spits in fury, claws outstretched.
The sight of a murderous floating cat kills whatever courage the intruder has left. With terror in his eyes, he turns and flees into the night, never to return.
You softly set the cat on the ground, both of you quite content, and after you pull the door closed... [[you fade away.->Act 5]]
config.header.center: "_Act V_"
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
--
[align center]
_Time passes..._
_You think about the house you are bound to._
_You lived in this house. You remember that now. It was your home._
_You protected this house, and everyone in it._
_Even the cat._
_And all this time, even though she didn't show it, maybe the cat wanted to protect everyone too._
_As this thought occurs to you..._
[[You awaken.->bedroom start]]
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.header.center: "_Bedroom_"
--
You are once again in the woman’s bedroom.
It appears not much time has passed — a few weeks at the most. However, the mess has been cleared away, and with the setting sun shining through the window, it feels like home again.
One thing has changed since your last visit: the hole that was smashed by the burglar's crowbar has been widened — purposefully, this time. Sections of the wall have been removed to reveal [[a small room]].
Faintly, you faintly hear {reveal link: 'a sound', text: 'the soft meow of the cat'} coming from beyond the [[hallway->hallway 5]].
config.style.page.color: "black on white"
config.style.page.link.font: "underline"
config.style.page.link.color: "yellow"
config.style.page.link.lineColor: "yellow"
config.style.page.link.active.color: 'violet'
config.style.page.link.active.lineColor: "violet"
--
[align center]
{embed image: 'The Good Ghost title page.jpg', alt: 'The Good Ghost'}\
by Kirk Damato and Sarah Willson
[[Begin game->Act 1]]\
[[Switch to dark mode->Title page]]\
[[Credits]]
[continue]config.header.center: "_A Small Room_"
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
This small space is more of an alcove — or a crawlspace reminiscent of the rat’s former domain. A place long forgotten, only to be rediscovered through the most unlikely of circumstances.
Set into the far wall is a heavy safe, built in a bygone era. Though sturdy, it’s quite ornate, with a metal frame that displays its most important treasure: an old, faded [[photograph]].
The [[boy]] is here, studying the safe. He methodically turns the wheel, searching for the right set of numbers, with absolutely no success.
There is nowhere else to go but back into the [[bedroom->bedroom 5]].
config.header.center: "_Hallway_"
config.body.transition.name: "none"
--
You glide into the hallway, and notice the wall of framed photographs has a [[new addition]].
From the hallway, you can enter the [[boy’s bedroom]], the [[bathroom->bathroom 5]], or the [[living room->living room 5]], or return to the [[woman’s bedroom->bedroom 5]].A picture of a man and his dog.
{back link, label: 'back'}
{embed Flickr image: '<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/21133841@N03/6098938259/in/photostream/" title="Old Gent and Dog"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/6198/6098938259_f4612beead_h.jpg" width="1230" height="1584" alt="Old Gent and Dog"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>'}
How tall he's grown! And yet, the look of intense concentration on his face is the same one you remember from when he was reaching for his sleepy bee or constructing his domino masterpiece.
{back link, label: 'back'}A framed newspaper article states "Hero Cat Foils Robbery," with a photo of said hero.
{back link, label: 'back'}The boy isn’t in his room, though his presence is felt everywhere — from the sagging, unmade bed to the second-hand clothes scattered all around.
There’s nothing to do here but return to the [[hallway->hallway 5]].config.header.center: "_Bathroom_"
--
You enter the bathroom, where you first began your afterlife. The setting sun shines in through the window, bathing everything with a quiet golden light.
There is no sign of the cat here, but you can still hear her insistent meow coming from beyond the [[hallway->hallway 5]].
config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
The woman is here in the living room. She's sitting on the threadbare couch, going through a sheaf of papers on the coffee table. Every now and then she finds a set of figures and writes them down. The old [[television set]] drones on and on, though no one's watching.
From here you can hear the cat more clearly — it’s coming from the [[kitchen->kitchen 5]].config.header.center: "_Kitchen_"
--
As you enter the kitchen, the cat gives one last impatient meow, as if she’s been waiting for an eternity.
She slowly weaves around you in a circle, vaguely gracing your presence, and then… she walks _through_ the [[back door->backyard]].
For a moment, you wonder how she passed through the door… and then the realization hits your heart with a pang of {reveal link: 'grief.', passage: 'grief'}
You’ve learned to walk through walls, but you’ve never been able to leave the confines of the house.
You brace yourself, wondering what will happen, but you effortlessly glide through the door as if it’s [[nothing]]! Or as if you are nothing — you’re not sure which.
config.header.center: "_Backyard_"
--
You’re outside! You gaze around the backyard in wonder. How different the air feels upon your ghostly presence! But also how devoid of the feelings of home and permanence. It’s a strange trade-off.
But you don’t have time to think about it — the cat looks back at you for a moment, and then pads noiselessly into the deepening [[gloom]].
config.header.center: "_Bramble_"
--
You follow her past thicket and bramble, into the untamed trees and bushes beyond the borders of the house’s property.
At last, the cat stops in a misty, quiet clearing. It’s peaceful here, but also a bit melancholy.
This is the final act of her nine lives: to guide you here, to this place hidden in the bramble.
The cat looks at you, blinks a farewell, and then dematerializes.
Goodbye… [[old friend]].
config.header.center: "_Pet Cemetery_"
--
But where is here, exactly?
You’re surrounded by several statues and stones — all carved and placed to honor those that were loved and lost over the years, then overgrown and forgotten over the decades.
Those who knew of this place’s existence have long since passed on, and time and twilight have worn the monuments down to vague shadows.
A sculpture of a {reveal link: 'cat', text: 'cat — one leaner and sleeker than your old friend, akin to a feline of divine origin'}.
A headstone commemorating a {reveal link: 'horse', text: 'horse — though the words carved into the stone have long since faded away, the love felt for this steed still shines through'}.
And one small bronze [[statue]], worn away by the weather.
[if passage.visits == 1]
This one particular statue calls out to you.
It’s a small dog, and even though the years have worn away his features, his posture looks pert and dignified — and you can still see the form of a collar and small bell attached around his neck.
You stare into his bronze eyes, lost in thought — thoughts of his life, and of yours, and of your afterlife. A jumble of memories half-forgotten.
And then you realize [[what you must do->statue]].
[else]
This one particular statue calls out to you.
It’s a small dog, and even though the years have worn away his features, his posture looks pert and [[dig]]nified — and you can still see the form of a collar and small bell attached around his neck.
You stare into his bronze eyes, lost in thought — thoughts of his life, and of yours, and of your afterlife. A jumble of memories half-forgotten.
And then you realize what you must do.
[continue]
You dig.
First you blow away the rotted leaves at the base of the statue, then you loosen and levitate the dark, loamy earth.
It feels good to dig, as if it’s something you were born to do, and at last you come upon a few wisps of rotted leather. Attached to which is a tarnished piece of [[silver]].
recipient: 'dog'
--
It's a small silver bell, bone-cold after being buried in the ground for so long, and yet you can feel the warmth and love that it held in those ages long past.
A set of numbers is carved into the bell — a date of great importance.
You feel as if you should return this to someone back at the house… but who?
> [[The WOMAN]]
> [[The BOY]]recipient: 'boy'
--
You feel you've gotten to know the boy over the years, and it's obvious how important he is to his mother, who was once your best friend.
You drift back through the brambles and the brush, back to the house that is your [[home]].recipient: 'woman'
--
Once upon a time, this woman was your best friend, and you were hers. She took care of you, and you were always by her side — and even carried the ring at her wedding, much to everyone’s delight.
You drift back through the brambles and the brush, back to the house that is your home, and into the [[living room->living room final]].[if recipient == 'boy']
The door to the safe swings open, releasing a squeak of rusty hinges and a waft of cold, stale air.
“Mom?” calls the boy. Then he calls again, but louder, more excited.
Her footsteps approach, and moments later she’s also in the small, forgotten room, peering alongside her son into the safe.
Something sparkles from within.
Her face lights up with something greater than joy — [[hope]].
[else]
The woman gasps.
“Honey?” she calls. “Hey!” She rushes into the hallway, yelling the numbers written on the bell over and over again.
You silently follow, and together you reach the bedroom just as the boy swings open the door to the safe, releasing a squeak of rusty hinges and a waft of cold, stale air.
Together, mother and son peer into the safe. Something sparkles from within.
Slowly, their faces light up with an expression greater than joy — [[hope]].
[continue]
config.header.center: ""
config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
--
[align center]
{embed image: 'The Good Ghost title page.jpg', alt: 'The Good Ghost'}
written by Kirk Damato and Sarah Willson
many thanks to our playtesters: {playtesters}
photograph: “Old Gent and Dog” by Kollage Kid, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (flic.kr/p/ahWDRV)
title page font and ornaments: Castine by 3IP Type Foundry
[[Dedicated to all the pets we've known and loved.]]
[continue]Wait, no you don’t. You’re still here. Your work must not be finished yet. But where could that be? Through the [[hallway]], the [[kitchen]], or the [[front door]]?config.style.page.header.font: "16"
config.style.page.header.link.font: "small caps"
config.style.page.footer.font: "16"
config.style.page.footer.link.font: "small caps"
config.body.transition.name: "none"
config.style.page.style: "none"
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
plant: 'small'
--
> [[Skip to Act 2->Act 2]]
> [[Skip to Act 3->Act 3]]
> [[Skip to Act 4->Act 4]]
> [[Skip to Act 5->Act 5]]
> [[End credits->dematerialize]]
[note]
This game was published here: https://passerine.itch.io/the-good-ghostconfig.header.center: "_Bathroom_"
config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
--
The light of a full moon spills through a small window into the bathroom. Otherwise, it’s dark both inside and outside.
All the usual [[amenities]] are present. Along one [[wall]] hangs a [[full-length mirror]].
Sitting on the windowsill next to a quaint watering can is a small potted [[plant->small potted plant]].
A sizable [[black cat]], looking intimidating, watches you from the [[doorway]].
config.header.center: "_Child's Bedroom_"
--
You are once again in the child’s bedroom, but now it’s slightly different — this is no longer the room of a toddler, but a small boy.
Everything has changed now that he’s grown. A small bed shaped like a fire truck lies underneath the [[open window]], and on the wall is a framed [[poster]].
But the most noticeable change is the [[small child]] sitting on the floor, patiently setting up an elaborate [[tableau of toys]]. Beside him sits a [[plastic cup]] full of water, forgotten as he is focused on his intricate task.
You can also exit into the [[hallway]] or apparate through the wall to the [[bathroom]].
[if !cake_burning]
Something chocolatey and mouthwatering is baking in the oven. If only you had a mouth!
[continue]
[if cake_burning && !cake_saved]
The cake inside is quickly crossing over that fine line from “baked to perfection” toward “burnt.”
But there are too many knobs, too many buttons, too many dials. You can't even levitate the door or get it to open.
This cake will need to be rescued by more lively hands than yours.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}config.body.transition.name: "crossfade"
config.body.transition.duration: '1500ms'
config.style.page.verticalAlign: 'top'
config.header.center: "_Woman's Bedroom_"
--
You are once again in the woman’s bedroom.
It appears not much time has passed — a few weeks at the most. However, the destruction has been cleared away, and with the setting sun shining through the window, it feels like home again.
One thing has changed since your last visit: the hole that was smashed by the burglar's crowbar has been widened — purposefully, this time. Sections of the wall have been removed to reveal [[a small room]].[align center]
**THE GOOD GHOST**
written for ECTOCOMP 2022
by Kirk Damato and Sarah Willson
playtested by {playtesters}
title page font and ornaments are Castine by 3IP Type Foundry
{back link, label: 'back'}config.header.center: ""
--
[align center]
{embed image: 'The Good Ghost title page.jpg', alt: 'The Good Ghost'}
written by Kirk Damato and Sarah Willson
many thanks to our playtesters: {playtesters}
photograph: “Old Gent and Dog” by Kollage Kid, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (flic.kr/p/ahWDRV)
title page font and ornaments: Castine by 3IP Type Foundry
Dedicated to all the pets we've known and loved.
They know and love us still.
[continue]As you feel yourself fading away, you hope that your good deeds — both in life and beyond — will stay with them, and that your memory will live on.
You feel some validation knowing that you’ve given them one final gift — that you truly were a good {cycling link, choices: ['ghost', 'dog']}.
Satisfied, you wag your tail as you [[dematerialize]].
plant2_aware: true
--
[if !plant_watered]
The plant looks a little dry. Maybe it could use some water.
[else]
The plant vibrates its thanks for the drink.
[continue]
{back link, label: 'back'}plant_watered: true
--
You gently levitate the glass out of the sink and tip some water onto the plant. It looks much happier now.
[if plant == 'medium']
{embed passage: 'grow large'}
[continue]
[if plant == 'small']
{embed passage: 'grow medium'}
[continue]
plant: 'medium'
--
[[back->kitchen]]plant: 'large'
--
[[back->kitchen]]Quickly, while the boy's back is turned, you levitate the book of matches.
That's the easy part — the hard part will be dropping them into the cup.
Steady... steady... [[plop]]!Whenever you approach the cat, her hackles rise. A hiss wells up from the back of her throat.
You don't feel comfortable trying to get past the cat — you'll have to find another way.
{back link, label: 'back'}You can't tell what's more disturbing — the fact that she can see you, or the fact that she clearly doesn't like you.
{back link, label: 'back'}The matches will no longer pose a threat to anyone.
Outwardly, everything seems the same, but you feel you’ve just changed the child's life for the better.
Satisfied that he is safe (if a bit disappointed with his project), [[you fade away->Act 3]].With a yelp, the woman quickly turns off the shower and reaches for her towel.
As she hangs the mirror back on the wall, she suddenly notices the smell of the burning cake and rushes to its rescue.
Curious, you follow her to the [[kitchen->cake saved]].config.header.center: "_Living Room_"
--
The woman is still searching through the many papers and writing down random figures. She’s so engrossed in her work, she almost doesn’t notice as you drop the bell at her feet. It jingles with a soft sound, one not heard in generations.
She turns from her studies and looks at the bell with a curious expression — one almost reminiscent of the old bearded man in the photograph.
You hover nearby, silent and invisible, as she takes the bell in her hand, and then turns it to read the [[numbers]] inscribed on its side.
config.header.center: "_A Small Room_"
--
You return to the boy, who's still trying in vain to crack the safe’s code, and drop the bell at his feet. It jingles with a soft sound, one not heard in generations.
He turns from his studies and looks at the bell with a curious expression — one almost reminiscent of the old bearded man in the photograph.
You hover nearby, silent and invisible, as he takes the bell in his hand, and then turns it to read the numbers inscribed on its side.
With a gasp, the boy returns to the safe and turns the tumbler to those [[numbers]].The TV displays an artificially happy family, free from any financial woes.
{back link, label: 'back'}grief.
Your old friend the cat is no longer old. Like you, she no longer resides within the land of the living. Like you, she is a {reveal link: 'ghost.', passage: 'ghost'}
ghost.
But wait — if she can walk through the door, [[can you]], as well?