You know you need to wait five minutes, but [[there is no clock.->walls]]
_____________________''|''
_____(if: $countfin is true)[(text-color:white)[[[Ask if you-> ask]]]](if:$countfin is false)[__________]______''|''
____(if: $countfin is true)[(text-color:white)[[[can play now-> ask]]]](if:$countfin is false)[____________]_____''|''
_____________________''|''
___________________0_''|''
_____________________''|''
__[[Play with the cat -> cat]]_''|''
_____________________''|''
_____________________''|''
''_____________________|''
_________________________________________[[Count the seconds ->count]]
_________________________________''|iiiii--iiiii--iiiii--iiiii''
_________________________________''|iiiii--iiiii--iiiii--iiiii''
_________________/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,''|iiiii--iiiii--iiiii--iiiii''
________________/::-::-::-::-::-:''||'' :.: [[Play with dolls -> dolls]]:.:
_______________/::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-:/
______________/::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-:/
_____________/::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-:/
____________/::-::-::-::-::-(if: $play < 1)[[[Use the CD player-> cd]]](if: $play > 0 and < 2)[[[Use CD Player-> cd2]]](if: $play > 1)[[[Use the CD player-> bored]]]-::-::-:/
___________/::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-:/
(if: $mean2 is true and $friend2 is true)[(set: $dolls to true)]You peer around the white walls, some with crude drawings taped to them. They feel barren, and [[there is no clock. -> start]](if:visits < 2)[You crack open the door, your eyes meeting with a pair of black saucers. As you open the door more the gray tabby slips through, brushing against you before sitting on the carpet.
[[Stare at it -> stare]]
[[Meow at it -> meow]]
=><=
''/&^P!________!G^G\
?@&&#GB5!::!B@@GGGG:
B@&#BBBGGPPGGGGGGPG7.
.Y&@&BPG##BGPPPPGGBP5P~
5@@#BP!!!B@@&BGBB#@5!^:
J&@&BG5?7Y#BYB&BBYG55#@Y
!P&@&&&#BBBG#&GB####G?.
:~!7!7&@@@@PY?^::.###
.5@& ?#G~
~Y#@&#GG7 P#P.
~G&@@&&BGGJ :~!?Y55YG#G
!&@@@&&&BGGGJ^~J5GGGGGGGGGGGJ.
5@&@@&@@@@@@@#(text-colour:white)[[[PET IT-> pet]]]GGGGGGGG5^
~B@@@@@@&BGGGGGGGPPG#&@&#BGGGGP^
:JB@@@@@@&BGGGGPB#&@@@@@&#BGGG5.
.^P@@@@@@#GGGP#@@&&&@@@@&#GGG7
.G@&@@@@&GPPG#&&&@#&@&@@GPGJ
:#@&@@&@&GPPB&&@5:^P@&@&PG7
~&@@B^5@&GGG#&Y Y@&&&BP:
~#&#. ^P#GGG5 Y@&&@#~
?##J ~GBB5: :B&&&~
5BB^ B@&@: ^#@&~
^PG! &!P@ 7@@~
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………''
](if:visits > 1)[(if: $pet is true)[You peer through the slit of your door, hoping to see the cat again. What greets you is an empty hall, the inhabitants consisting of dust bunnies and stale crumbs. Hushed whispers linger in the background.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
~7777777JYJJJJ???????J???JJ??77!~^:..::
777777JJJ???????????77?J????7!ii:.
????J?????7777777777J?77???
?JJJJ??????????!!??77?
!7??J?????????7~!?77
!777~iiiiiii~7~i77!!
~!7?7~.......~!i^!!!
~!77^.?77777~!^i~!!!
^:~77^.~-----~!^~^~!
.^?7^..~-----~!^:~!!
77^...~-----~!^!..?~
!!77~.?J?JJJ!~^i~!!!
7777~.?YJJJJ!iii!!!!
7777~.^iiiii!iii!!!
7?77!:^:..::!!i~i!!
!!?J!^.:_____~7^~!!!
J?!...::_____^!7.~i!
!7J?!^:. ..~7?7!777
ii7?JJ?7!i~^i~~!7?J?JYYi
!7JJJJJ?7!!!!!77?JJYYYJ!~
!7JYJYYYYJ?????7??JYYY55Y?~
!7Y5YY555YYJJJJJ?JJY55Y5555J~
755YY5P55YYYJYYYJYYY555YYY55J!~
!YPYJ5PPP555YY555YYY555YYYYYY5Y~!
i!~Y5J5PPGGGP5Y55555Y5555YJYYYY55~!i
iii~!!JYYPPPGGP5555PPPP555555YYYY555!!~iii
]
](if: $stare is true)[You approach your bed, the cat letting out a soft (text-style: "italic")['mrow'] as you place your hand on its back. You scratch its head, slowly going down its neck and venturing to its stomach. The cat tenses up, and lightly bites you.
Ouch.
It hops off the bed, sliding through the crack in your door.](if: $meow is true)[You peer into the hallway, hoping to nap with the cat again. The passage, littered with dust bunnies and crumbs, shows no sign of a cat.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
~7777777JYJJJJ???????J???JJ??77!~^:..::
777777JJJ???????????77?J????7!ii:.
????J?????7777777777J?77???
?JJJJ??????????!!??77?
!7??J?????????7~!?77
!777~iiiiiii~7~i77!!
~!7?7~.......~!i^!!!
~!77^.?77777~!^i~!!!
^:~77^.~-----~!^~^~!
.^?7^..~-----~!^:~!!
77^...~-----~!^!..?~
!!77~.?J?JJJ!~^i~!!!
7777~.?YJJJJ!iii!!!!
7777~.^iiiii!iii!!!
7?77!:^:..::!!i~i!!
!!?J!^.:_____~7^~!!!
J?!...::_____^!7.~i!
!7J?!^:. ..~7?7!777
ii7?JJ?7!i~^i~~!7?J?JYYi
!7JJJJJ?7!!!!!77?JJYYYJ!~
!7JYJYYYYJ?????7??JYYY55Y?~
!7Y5YY555YYJJJJJ?JJY55Y5555J~
755YY5P55YYYJYYYJYYY555YYY55J!~
!YPYJ5PPP555YY555YYY555YYYYYY5Y~!
i!~Y5J5PPGGGP5Y55555Y5555YJYYYY55~!i
iii~!!JYYPPPGGP5555PPPP555555YYYY555!!~iii
]
]
You close your door.
[[Do something else -> start]]
(set: $meow to false)
(set: $stare to false)
(set: $pet to true)
]
(if: visits < 2)[You rummage under your bed, finding two dolls to play with.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
''._____(text-colour:white)[[[MAKE THEM-> friends]]]_____.
.^??~____(text-colour:white)[[[FRIENDS-> friends]]]____:~!~.
.?JP5P______________^!!!?~
~5P7~JB!____________:!J~!J7:
?GB7!5B5:___________^?Y~7J7~
:PP&5~5GP5.________::7B7?J~7.
?5Y?~^~?PPY._______::YP77~^7:
.YPY!^75PGP57______:.~?!~!~^7!
7PP?!YGBGGJ:_______^!~^~!~^!?^
~^JY7PPG?^?^______^~^!^~!7^::!.
:~:?YY55J^ ~^_____:~^7!~!7Y?! ~:
^:!~??J7^!^:^____:^:?Y~:7J???:::
.:.!!~!7!!^??^~.__^:.7!!~!7J?7!~!^.
. :?J7~!^!7JJ! .____:~:!~!?YY?77~..
!!7!!!7?YJJJ.____.7?!~^~7J?7??7.
.7?7!77?J??JY!____:~77!~^~777?!7^
^7?!(text-colour:white)[[[MAKE HER-> mean]]]!YJ.___::^~7~^!~!77!~!~
!7!77!!(text-colour:white)[[[MEAN-> mean]]]!JJJY!__.!77~^~7!^!~^~:^
.7?77!7??7!77?JJ._:??7~^~!PY7!~!~^7:
!??7!!!7!777??JJ~ ~J7~7~^5B57!!~!~!^
.7??7!!!???7!77J??.^!~^!!~!~!~^.^?7^:
:!77!~!!????7?7!!~.~^:: !~ !! .:::
.::^~!!!?!~~^^..______:?^ .7^
______________________..___..''
]](if: visits is > 1 and $dolls is false)[You look at the dolls on your floor, conteplating playing with them(if: $mean is true or $friend is true)[ again].
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
''._____(text-colour:white)[[[MAKE THEM-> friends]]]_____.
.^??~____(text-colour:white)[[[FRIENDS-> friends]]]____:~!~.
.?JP5P______________^!!!?~
~5P7~JB!____________:!J~!J7:
?GB7!5B5:___________^?Y~7J7~
:PP&5~5GP5.________::7B7?J~7.
?5Y?~^~?PPY._______::YP77~^7:
.YPY!^75PGP57______:.~?!~!~^7!
7PP?!YGBGGJ:_______^!~^~!~^!?^
~^JY7PPG?^?^______^~^!^~!7^::!.
:~:?YY55J^ ~^_____:~^7!~!7Y?! ~:
^:!~??J7^!^:^____:^:?Y~:7J???:::
.:.!!~!7!!^??^~.__^:.7!!~!7J?7!~!^.
. :?J7~!^!7JJ! .____:~:!~!?YY?77~..
!!7!!!7?YJJJ.____.7?!~^~7J?7??7.
.7?7!77?J??JY!____:~77!~^~777?!7^
^7?!(text-colour:white)[[[MAKE HER-> mean]]]!YJ.___::^~7~^!~!77!~!~
!7!77!!(text-colour:white)[[[MEAN-> mean]]]!JJJY!__.!77~^~7!^!~^~:^
.7?77!7??7!77?JJ._:??7~^~!PY7!~!~^7:
!??7!!!7!777??JJ~ ~J7~7~^5B57!!~!~!^
.7??7!!!???7!77J??.^!~^!!~!~!~^.^?7^:
:!77!~!!????7?7!!~.~^:: !~ !! .:::
.::^~!!!?!~~^^..______:?^ .7^
______________________..___..''
]](if: $dolls is true)[You can't think of anything else.]
[[Do something else -> start]]
(if: $counted is false)[(if: visits < 2)[You decide to start counting to five minutes. How many seconds is that? Sixty seconds in a minute, ten minutes is 600 seconds, so five minutes is 300.](if:visits > 1)[300 seconds. You take a deep breath and start again.]
(after:4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[1...]]
(after:5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[2...]]
(after:6s)[(transition: "dissolve")[3...]]
(after: 8s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Keep counting -> count1]]]]
(after: 10s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Do something else -> start]]]]](if: $counted is true)[Nope. That was way too boring.
[[Do something else -> start]]
[[Try again anyways -> count1]]
]Crawling to your bookshelf, you pull out your CD player. You take down your favorite CD, opening it and admiring the art printed on top.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[=
//`````````````````````````````````````\\
/----------------(text-colour:white)[[[INSERT CD-> cd in]]]-----------------\
|——————————————————————————————————————————————|
``````````[NOT PLAYING]````````
[pause] (text-colour:white)[[[play-> no music]]] [rewind] [fast forward] [repeat]
|————————————————————————————————————————————————|
??#########??\———————-—————————-———-/??#########??
?##########??\--------------------/?###########?
?##########??\------------------/?###########?
?########???!\----------------/!???########?
?YPGG@JFP5Y?:~~————————————~~:7JY5PGGG5@OD?
(set: $play = it + 1)
You extend your hand towards its fur, pausing to let it sniff you. The cat gingerly brushes its face against you, your hand sliding down the silky patterns of its back.
It is soft.
After a few strokes the cat saunters out, bored with the attention.
[[Do something else. -> start]]
(set: $pet to true)You stare at the cat, saying a quick (text-style: "italic")["meow"] before sitting down in front of it. It cocks it head, licking its paws before laying down. You pet it for a while, lying down next to it and admiring its peaceful face. As your hand moves up and down with its breaths, you find yourself slowly falling asleep.
When you wake up, the cat is gone.
[[Do something else -> start]]
(set: $meow to true)You lock eyes, the only movement coming from the occasianal flit of the cat's tail. It looks around, pausing momentarily before sauntering to your bed and jumping onto it in a swift motion. It crosses the sheets, smelling occasionally, before settling in one space and closing its eyes.
You decide to leave it alone for now.
[[Do something else -> start]]
(set: $stare to true)You press play, but nothing happens. You realize you still have the CD in your hand, placing it inside and closing the top with a soft (text-style: "italic")[click].
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[=
//`````````````````````````````````````\\
/-------------------------------------------\
|——————————————————————————————————————————————|
``````````[NOT PLAYING]````````
[pause] (text-colour:white)[[[play-> cd in]]] [rewind] [fast forward] [repeat]
|————————————————————————————————————————————————|
??#########??\———————-—————————-———-/??#########??
?##########??\--------------------/?###########?
?##########??\------------------/?###########?
?########???!\----------------/!???########?
?YPGG@JFP5Y?:~~————————————~~:7JY5PGGG5@OD?
You place the CD in with a soft (text-style: "italic")[click,] closing the top and pressing play. The upbeat guitars of The Romantics start to come through the speakers as you jump around the room without a care (if: $stare is true)[and startling the cat]. Each chorus has you shaking your head, until you find yourself exhausted and the next song comes on. You pause the music, uninterested in the rest of the tracklist.
[[Do something else -> start]]You press down on the top of the CD player, staring at the machine as it opens with a slow (text-style: "italic")[whoosh]. You gingerly remove the CD, placing it back in its case before returning everything back to where it was.
[[Do something else -> start]]You restart the CD, dancing again to your favorite song. It's over too quickly, and you pause the next song before putting the player back.
[[Do something else -> start]]You start to make your way to the CD player, but the novelty of dancing has worn off. You're bored.
[[Do something else -> start]](after:1s)[(transition: "dissolve")[48...]]
(after:2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[49...]]
(after:3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[50...]]
(after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You're bored.(if: $flowers is true)[ Again.]]]
(after: 7s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Keep counting -> count2]]]]
(after: 9s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Do something else -> start]]]]
(set: $counted to true)(after:1s)[(transition: "dissolve")[98...]]
(after:2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[99...]]
(after:3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[100...]]
(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You've started to run your fingers along the seams of your quilt.]](if: $stare is true)[(after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[
The cat hops up, annoyed with your counting, and slips out the door.]]]
(after: 6s)[(transition: "dissolve")[
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
________________.^7?JYYJ!:
..:^::.________~YP5Y???J557
.!JY555555Y?~:___~55?:_____:JP?
^YP5?~^::^~7J55?^ JPJ________.Y5^
.5PJ._________.!55?YP~_________?P!
.YPJ____________.JP55^_________-;^
~5P?.___________.Y5Y.________!PJ
^YP5!.__________!557~^:____75;.
______.!YPY7^.____.!Y5555555Y!^JPY!!7?JJYJJ?!^.
______.:!Y5PPY??77YP55555555555P5555YJJ???JY5P5?:
____~?5P55YYYYY5PP5555555555555?~^:.________.^?55!
__.JPPJ!^..___.:^J5555555555555._______________!P5
_.YPY^____________:5555555555555~_____________:JP?
_!P5~___________:?55555555555^:.___________.^?557.
_?P5:_________:(if: $flowers is false)[(text-colour:white)[[[Run your hands along the stitches-> run hands]]]](if:$flowers is true)[stay determined555555555555555]:
^5P?.________:75555555555~;'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'5?55;
~YPY7!!7J5P5J75P!!!!!!!!____________50;i7
.!J5555Y?!:________.YP?__________:55.
_________________!P5~_________^PY.
__________________7;5!______.JP!
___________________!5PJ~::^75P?
____________________:7Y55555J~
______________________:^^:.
]
(after: 8s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Keep counting -> count3]]]]
(after: 9s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Do something else -> start]]]]
]]Your fingers trace the stitching around the flowers adorning your quilt. Somewhere along the way you stop counting, immersed in the feeling of the cotton kissing your fingertips. (after: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[After tracing an entire boquet you remember your counting.]]
(after: 3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Start over ->count]]
[[Do something else -> start]]]]
(set: $flowers to true)
(set: $counted to false)(after:1s)[(transition: "dissolve")[198...]]
(after:2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[199...]]
(after:3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[200...]]
(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[The carpet has begun to dig into your knees.]]
(after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
''^Y5555PPPPGGGGBBBB#######!
~555PPPPGGGGGBBBBB######BJ.
:5PPPPPPPGGGGBBBBBBBBBBBB##Y
JPPPPPPPPGGBBBBBBBBGGBBBBBBG.
^PPPPPPPPPGGBBBBBGGGGGGGGBBBP.
^5PPPPPPPPPGBBB##BGGPPPPGGGBBBY.
:YPPPPPPPPGGBB##5YGBGPPPPPGBBBB#5:
.J555PPPGGGBBB##Y YBGPPPPPPPPPG##Y.
?5555PPPGGGBB###^ JBGPPPPPPPPPPG##7
^YY555PPPGGBBB##G ?BGGPPPPPPPPPPG#J
::::::::::::!YY555PPPGGBB##&Y::::::BGPPPPPPPPPPPBP:::::::::::::
::::::::::::7Y55PPPPGGBBB##&J::::::GBPPPPPPPPPPPPPG::::::::::::
::::::::::::?55PPPGGGBBB###&:::::::GBPPPPPPPPPPPPPG::::::::::::
:::::::::::::!5PGGGBBB####::::::::::GPPPPPPPPPPPPG!::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::####&&&&&:::::::::::::PPPPPPPPPJ!!::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::(text-colour:white)[[[change position->shift]]]::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::''
]]]
(after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Keep counting -> count4]]
[[Do something else -> start]]]]
(set: $shift to false)(if: $shift2 is true)[You shift to a cross legged position, your knees flooding with feeling.
(after: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[203...]]
(after: 3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[204...]]
(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[205...-> count4]]]]
](if: $shift2 is false)[You shift to a cross legged position, your knees flooding with feeling.
(after: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[253...]]
(after: 3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[254...]]
(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[255...-> count5]]]]]
(set: $shift to true)(after:1s)[(transition: "dissolve")[248...]]
(after:2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[249...]]
(after:3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[250...]]
(if: $shift is false)[(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Your knees are burning. ->shift]]]]](after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[It's the last stretch.]]
(after: 6s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Keep counting -> count5]]
[[Do something else -> start]]]]
(set: $shift2 to false)(after:1s)[(transition: "dissolve")[298...]]
(after:2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[299...]]
(after:3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[300...]]
(after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[(if: $shift is false)[Your knees are on fire. ]Now what?]]
(after: 6s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Do something else-> start]]]]
(set: $countfin to true)You tiptoe into the hallway, peering around the corner at the couple sitting at the table and speaking in a soft voice - you point out that it's been five minutes.
(after: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")["Not now, honey. Another five minutes."]]
(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Do something else -> end]]]]
You waited five minutes; [[there was no clock.-> welcome]](if: visits < 2)[You recall an argument you and your sister had, playing it out in a way that makes you victorious - it feels good. After a while you enact another argument you had over the appropriate snacks to have in your lunchbox.
(after: 3s)[(transition: "dissolve")[After all, gummy bears have all the colours of the food pyramid in them.]]
(after: 5s)[(transition: "dissolve")[(if: $friend is false)[[[Make them friends -> friends]]]
[[Do something else -> start]]]]
](if: visits > 1)[You replay the same arguments over again, changing some of the lines to make things interesting. It's not as fun the second time around.
(set: $mean2 to true)
(after: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[(if: $friend2 is false)[[[Make them friends -> friends]]]
[[Do something else -> start]]]]
]
(set: $mean to true)(if: visits < 2)[You pretend you're with your best friend on a vacation, eating cotton candy clouds, shopping, and driving like adults do. You enact all your favorite games and change their outfits a few times.
(after: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[Somewhere along the way, playing with them loses its charm.]]
(after: 5s)[(if: $mean is false)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Make one of them mean -> mean]]]
[[Do something else -> start]]]]]
(if: visits > 1)[You replay the same scenario, having a fun day with friends. You can't think of other things they can do; you grow bored quickly.
(set: $friend2 to true)
(after: 2s)[(if: $mean2 is false)[(transition: "dissolve")[[[Make one of them mean -> mean]]
(transition: "dissolve")[[[Do something else -> start]]]]]]]
(set: $friend to true)
=><=
There is no Clock
[[Pass the time -> start]]
(set: $counted to false)
(set: $flowers to false)
(set: $shift to false)
(set: $shift2 to true)
(set: $pet to false)
(set: $stare to false)
(set: $meow to false)
(set: $play to 0)
(set: $mean to false)
(set: $mean2 to false)
(set: $friend to false)
(set: $friend2 to false)
(set: $countfin to false)You crawl back over to your bookshelf, taking down the CD sleeve and noticing its contents missing. Right, it's still in the player.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[=
//`````````````````````````````````````\\
/----------------(text-colour:white)[[[REMOVE CD-> cd out]]]-----------------\
|——————————————————————————————————————————————|
``````````[NOT PLAYING]````````
[pause] (text-colour:white)[[[play-> music]]] [rewind] [fast forward] [repeat]
|————————————————————————————————————————————————|
??#########??\———————-—————————-———-/??#########??
?##########??\--------------------/?###########?
?##########??\------------------/?###########?
?########???!\----------------/!???########?
?YPGG@JFP5Y?:~~————————————~~:7JY5PGGG5@OD?
(set: $play = it + 1)