As the rain sings ENG

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/*Enter your starting variables here */ <<set $menu to true>> /*This is for the menu, you can remove if you want it toggled off when you start the game*/ <<set $inventory = []>> <<set $nome = "">> <<set $TITOLO = "As the rain sings">> /* ----- inv items ------- */ <<set $iMonetina_Presa = false>> <<set $iChiavetta_Presa = false>> <<set $iPosta_Presa = false>> <<set $iTabacco_Preso = false>> <<set $iCandela_Presa = false>> <<set $Frac_Trovato = false>> <<set $Macchina_Trovata = false>> /* ----- varie ------------ */ <<set $Bertelli_Dialogo_1 = 0>> <<set $Appartamento_First_load = false>> <<set $iChiavetta_Needed = false>> <<set $Cane_scappato = false>> <<set $Cane_riportato = false>> <<set $Mangiato = false>> <<set $Bianca_Dialogo = 0>> <<set $Candela_Needed = false>> <<set $Quest_Attive = false>> <<set $Fiori = 0>> <<set $Telefonata = false>> <<set $Fiore1 = false>> <<set $Fiore2 = false>> <<set $Fiore3 = false>> <<set $Fiore4 = false>> <<set $Fiore5 = false>> <<set $Quest == 0>> <<set $Caffe_preso = false>> <<set $Incontro_Sidecar = false>>

/* Do not remove the div, Needed to make the title pretty */<div class="title">$TITOLO</div>

/*titlepage is the widget where you can edit the CSS just for this page*/ <h1>$TITOLO</h1> <p><<if Save.autosave.ok() and Save.autosave.has()>><<link "Resume">><<script>>Save.autosave.load()<</script>><</link>> | <</if>><<link "Start" "Disclaimer">><</link>> <br> <<link "Load">><<run UI.saves()>><</link>> <<link "Settings">><<run UI.settings()>><</link>></p> /*You can also add whatever you want*/ a game by Louie Raphael

<<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-backward"></i>'>><<run Engine.backward()>><</link>> | <<if State.length === State.size>><i class="fa-solid fa-forward"></i><<else>><<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-forward"></i>'>><<run Engine.forward()>><</link>><</if>> /*You can also add whatever you want*/

/*<<liveblock>> updates the menu toggle <p title> will show the hovertip (name when you hover) you should keep the <p>'s around the links otherwise formating will be weird*/ <<liveblock>><<if $menu is true>><p style="margin: 0;" title="Inventory"><<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-suitcase"></i>'>> <<popup "INVENTARIO" "INVENTORY">> <</link>></p> <p style="margin: 0;" title="Save"><<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-floppy-disk"></i>'>><<script>>UI.saves();<</script>><</link>></p> <p style="margin: 0;" title="Settings"><<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-gears"></i>'>><<script>>UI.settings();<</script>><</link>></p> <p style="margin: 0;" title="Credits"><<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-scroll"></i>'>> <<popup "Credits" "CREDITS">> <</link>></p> <p style="margin: 0;" title="Restart"><<link '<i class="fa-solid fa-rotate-left"></i>'>><<script>>UI.restart();<</script>><</link>></p><</if>><</liveblock>> /*You can also add whatever you want, it can also be links to passages rather than dialog boxes Note: you may need to edit the formatting of #menu if you add links, especially for smaller screen sizes (>300px)*/

<center><img src = "images/Logo.png"> EMPTYWORLD_GAMES is: Louie Raphael MY OTHER GAMES: https://emptyworld-games.itch.io/ CLICK HERE FOR MORE ARTS & CRAFTS http://linktr.ee/emptyworld/ Story, Graphics and Drawings by: Louie Raphael </center> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twine template by manonamora ([[Tumblr|https://manonamora-if.tumblr.com/]]/[[Itch|https://manonamora.itch.io/]]) on Twine (v2.7.0)/Tweego with Sugarcube (v2.36.1) Macros: * [[Chapel: Notification|https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2/]] * [[Cycy: Liveupdate|https://github.com/cyrusfirheir/cycy-wrote-custom-macros/tree/master/live-update]] Assets: * [[FontAwesome|https://fontawesome.com/]] * [[GoogleFonts|https://fonts.google.com]] * [[OpenDyslexic|https://opendyslexic.org]]

You are familiar with the clanking of the old bus: you are almost at your destination. It makes a peculiar noise as it comes around the last, usual bend; the brakes whistle impatiently, the engine takes a wide breath, and everyone in the place dances. The windows squeal softly, and you open your eyes. The trip from Torino to home was long and tedious, as always. Sometimes you still wonder why you never made up your mind to move to the city, but then you look at your creased suspenders, your shirt rolled up and yellowed at the neck, and that little tear you hide in your breeches. There's not a penny in those breeches. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Intro_2]]>><</button>></center>

You wave to Inardi, the driver. He nods at you with his usual raised eyebrow. The other is perpetually burned by matches: he's never without a cigarette, the old man! He must have good pay. You descend the iron ladders and land in the gravel with weary steps. You don't even look around: you know you are alone. The bus makes a slight detour at Monfalco only when necessary, and since you are there, to the palpable displeasure of the other commuters, it is //always// necessary. When the vehicle has pulled away, after an ungraceful U-turn, there remains the silence of a town bathed in sunset. The October chill has eliminated all chirping: only the wind in the ancient trees makes itself heard, lashing the leaves in erratic blows. One brave cricket seems to resist the autumn, and decides to let you know. You can't stand insects, especially those that revel in the off-season. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|FERMATA_BUS]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> BUS STOP </strong></center> The asphalt, old and black, breaks against the uncultivated grass. Only a few meters have been filled with gravel as if to form a small square, and the only stone bench probably dates back to the //Royaume d'Italie// Who knows, you think, perhaps Napoleon himself had rested his butt on it, waiting for the bus! Not far away, the clock, from its ten-foot height, shows off iron baroques that now impress no one. And then it stands still. The mayor will have to wake up. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Look around you|Osserva]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Head for the town|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $iMonetina_Presa == true>> There is nothing interesting here anymore. <<else>> Not many people usually pass by here. However, sometimes you might find some lost coin, or a used handkerchief. Today is one of those days. <center>You find <strong>5 lire</strong>. <img src = "images/iMonetine.png"> <<set $inventory.push("A few coins")>> <strong>A few coins</strong> have been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>!</center> <<set $iMonetina_Presa = true>> <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|FERMATA_BUS]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> ROAD NEAR THE CEMETERY </strong></center> The road continues straight ahead toward Monfalco. A few dozen meters ahead you glimpse the first houses gray from soot. On one side, among the blades of grass, stands imposingly the wall that surrounds the local cemetery. It is not super tall, but high enough to keep brats away from pulling some stunt. In the center is an iron gate, solid and pointed. Across the street is the old house that is used by the caretakers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Go to the bus stop|FERMATA_BUS]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the cemetery|CANCELLO_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the caretaker's house|CASA_GUARDIANO]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter Monfalco|MONFALCO_MAZZINI]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> CEMETERY GATE </strong></center> <<if $Bianca_Dialogo < 2>> <<if $Cane_scappato == true>> You stop in front of the gate. You can catch a glimpse of the cemetery in the twilight, and there, in the distance, Pepe is happily hopping among the graves, playing with something, probably a twig. <<else>> You stop in front of the gate. You can see the cemetery in the twilight's dim light. You often observe it from your window. Inside those walls, a few gravel paths branch out, leading directly into the woods, as if offering a more interesting way out for bored souls. Stone and wooden crosses, a couple of low-cost family mausoleums... A small central altar for ceremonies. Really nothing interesting. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Enter the cemetery|Cancello]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Return to the street|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> <<if $Cane_riportato == false>> The gate is now open. About twenty meters away, you can see Mr. Grimaldi, tall and imposing, leaning over your dog among the stone tombstones. He's petting him. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Enter the cemetery|CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go back to the street|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> The gate is now closed. Night is approaching, and you're not sure why you're still here. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Go back to the street|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <</if>> <</if>>

<center><strong> CARETAKER'S HOUSE</strong></center> The house is made entirely of stone. It looks like an old barn, and perhaps it really was. Looking at the attic reveals massive wooden beams that have seen better times, and the attic wall looks like it was never finished. A more human-sized, closed door has been carved out of a large main door. A tightened latch can be glimpsed in the crack. <<if $Cane_Scappato == true && $Bianca_Dialogo == 0>> Perhaps Mr. Grimaldi can help you get your dog back. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Back on the street|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Cane_scappato == true && $Bianca_Dialogo == 0>><center><<button[[Knock on the door|Bussa alla porta]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

<center><strong>MONFALCO - VIA MAZZINI</strong></center> The main street of Monfalco, welcomes you as it has every day for the past few years. The houses embrace you: a small safe place in the middle of the countryside. The facades, however, are increasingly filthy. The continuous noise of the sewer fills the air from the manholes. Fortunately, not the smell. The only point of interest is the //bar//, a few steps away. To the side, a cul-de-sac houses a couple of garbage cans, resting on the nearby wall. That house, with peeling plaster and caged windows, houses the apartments where you also live. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Head for the cemetery|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the bar|BAR]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter the house|CASA_PT]]>><</button>></center>

The gate is closed, as expected. The opening hours have remained the same for years, ever since the old caretaker was in charge. Now, he lies inside, not far away, but unfortunately, he has no intention of getting up to open for you. <<if $Cane_Scappato == true>> The only solution is to call the current caretaker, Mr. Grimaldi. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CANCELLO_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> BAR </strong></center> The door titters, the glass vibrates loudly, the hinges squeak. The bar is the ultimate hangout. Those who play cards, those who read newspapers, those who enjoy the last glass before going to dinner. On the bar the radio sings one of those new American jazz songs that even we are beginning to copy. Ettore, the bartender, dances on the spot-he is so proud of that device, he bought it fresh. Only when he hears the all too frequent news reports about Mussolini does he hurry to turn it off. He lost an older brother a few months ago. He was an anarchist. Ettore, on the other hand, wants no part of politics. And you can't blame him. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Look around you|Osserva i presenti]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Make a phone call|Telefonata]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the bar|MONFALCO_MAZZINI]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Mangiato == false>><center><<button [[Eat something|Mangia qualcosa]]>><</button>></center><</if>>

<center><strong> HOME - GROUND FLOOR CORRIDOR </strong></center> The door is always open. After a couple of marble steps, there's the ground floor corridor. On the wall there is no decoration, except for a mailbox. On the right, there are the doors to two apartments, the first of which belongs to your landlady, the widow Mrs. Conti. At the end of the corridor, there's that unsettling little corner where a plaster Madonna is surrounded by candles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Check the mailbox|Posta]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Knock on Mrs. Conti's door|Conti]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Observe the religious shrine|Madonna]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go up to the first floor|CASA_1P]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Exit to the street|MONFALCO_MAZZINI]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $iPosta_Presa == false>> It seems there's mail for you, but the mailbox is locked. <<set $iChiavetta_Needed = true>> <<else>> The mailbox is empty. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Leave it|CASA_PT]]>><</button>></center> <<if $iChiavetta_Presa == true && $iPosta_Presa == false>><center><<button[[Use the key|Usa la chiavetta]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

It's not the right time to disturb the kind old lady. She loves getting up at four in the morning, and she loves letting everyone know in the loudest way possible, so she might already be in bed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT]]>><</button>></center>

The plaster Madonna seems to enjoy the warmth of the candles. A niche carved into the wall is a "must," as the English soldiers say, for the old superstitious ones. Mrs. Conti dedicates all the care she can to that corner of holy knick-knacks. «For my husband.» she always says in the local dialect. Her late husband would not be pleased to know that, to go upstairs, his guests have to make the sign of the cross twice in his memory; he would have preferred a glass of wine. There are also new candles hidden among the bricks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Candela_Needed == true && $iCandela_Presa == false>><center><<button [[Grab a candle|Sgraffigna una candela]]>><</button>></center><</if>>

<center><strong>HOME - FIRST FLOOR CORRIDOR</strong></center> The corridor is identical to the ground floor. There are a couple of houseplants here and there. Usually, it's your neighbor Bertelli who takes care of them, and indeed, you see him near the window, busy cleaning the large leaves of some plant from the dust. The wooden floor creaks beneath your steps, but the worn-out carpet muffles the noise just enough not to unleash the fury of the hag. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Talk to Mr. Bertelli|Dialogo: Bertelli]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter your apartment|Entra nel tuo appartamento]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go down to the ground floor|CASA_PT]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Bertelli_Dialogo_1 == 0>> Mr. Bertelli is a jolly fellow, but you suspect it's due to the perpetually circulating alcohol. His happy little eyes betray a certain mischief that you've never been able to identify. Might as well play along for a moment to appease him. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bertelli.png"></center> <center>//Bertelli:// «Hello, young one!» //$nome:// «Good evening, Bertelli.» //Bertelli:// «How's life in Milano?» //$nome:// «Actually, I work in Torino, but... Everything is fine, thank you.» //Bertelli:// «Let's hope that Mussolini...»</center> ... old Bertelli rattles off the latest news, and you disconnect your brain due to exhaustion. You have no desire to talk about the squads that are wreaking havoc in the working-class neighborhoods in the city, or the workers' demonstrations being dispersed in blood with baton blows. Even less do you want to tell Bertelli that his own son ended up in the hospital two days ago. You know Renatino well; he works as a sweeper right under the headquarters of your newspaper. That fateful day, when his nose got involved in one of those violent incidents, will stay with you forever. <center>//Bertelli:// «... and tell your dog not to pee on the flowerpots, huh!» //$nome:// «My Pepe has manners, Bertelli! Guaranteed!» //Bertelli:// «Ah ah ah!»</center> You bid your neighbor farewell. That should be enough. <<set $Bertelli_Dialogo_1 = 1>> <<else>>No need to incite another empty conversation. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_1P]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Appartamento_First_load == false>> You have nothing to hide or protect, as Mrs. Conti is deterrent enough for thieves. So, the door is always open. Of course, this could be a problem if your dog, Pepe, were to find out. It's probably best not to inform him. <<set $Appartamento_First_load = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Cutscene_Canescappa]]>><</button>></center> <<else>><<goto APPARTAMENTO>> <</if>>

<center><strong>APARTMENT</strong></center> Your home is little more than run-down but clean. The house must be at least a hundred years old, but the stones are tough to die. The restored wooden floor makes everything seem much cozier. A wood-burning stove for cooking is the only way you have to warm up, and next to it, a patched armchair is your little corner of paradise. The iron bed, placed along the opposite wall, is a bit rusty, but the blankets are warm. Upon reflection, you're lucky to have a landlady like Mrs. Conti, who even takes care of your dog, in addition to washing your few clothes. Of course, she doesn't do it for free, but those are painful details. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Sit in the armchair|Poltrona]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Sit at the desk|Scrittoio]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Open the window|Finestra]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the bathroom|BAGNO]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the apartment|CASA_1P]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Pepe.png"></center> You open the door, and as always, Pepe barks happily. He darts towards you, wagging his tail, and starts jumping. <center>//$nome:// «Hey! Where's my good boy?»</center> Pepe continues to circle around you in response. You already know where he wants to go. <center>//$nome:// «Did you behave with the old hag? Did she give you some good meat?»</center> You take the labrador by the cheeks and shake him vigorously. This time, he just can't seem to calm down. <center>//$nome:// «I know you want to go out. Let me at least freshen up first...»</center> Pepe barks, launching himself at the open door. <center>//$nome:// «Don't you dare!»</center> Pepe dares. In the blink of an eye, he's already on the corridor stairs. <center>//$nome:// «He dared...» you sigh.</center> Pepe is used to going out alone, and he's not a danger to anyone. He usually heads towards the outskirts of the town. Either way, it's better to retrieve him as soon as possible. <<set $Cane_scappato = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>DESK</strong></center> Your small desk, kindly provided by the landlady. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Open the first drawer|Cassetto 1]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Open the second drawer|Cassetto 2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave it|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Cane_riportato == false>> It's not the time to relax, unfortunately. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> If no one has anything else against it, you decide it's time to relax a bit. Fortunately, you don't have to work tomorrow. You think about the last little things before sinking into the armchair: <<if $iPosta_Presa == false>>* Check the mailbox<<else>>* You have the letter...<</if>> <<if $iTabacco_Preso == false>>* Look for tobacco<<else>>* Your cigarette is ready...<</if>> <<if $Mangiato == false>>* Have a bite to eat <<else>>* The stomach is full (or almost)... <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <<if $Mangiato == true && $iPosta_Presa == true && $iTabacco_Preso == true>><center><<button [[Continue|CUTSCENE_Lettera]]>><</button>></center> <<else>><center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center> <</if>> <</if>>

<center><strong> APARTMENT - BATHROOM </strong></center> The bathroom is small. There's nothing interesting, just like in all bathrooms. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Hero.png"> Every morning, that mirror reflects a pale face, a bit gaunt, which looks thirty even though it's only twenty-three, despite stubbornly shaving every day to appear younger. Sometimes the mirror teases that young man, especially for the little mustache he insists on keeping, thinking it's trendy in the city. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Inspect the laundry basket|Cestone]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Freshen up|Lavabo]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the bathroom|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $iChiavetta_Presa == true>> You really should get these clothes washed. You have two shirts... Maybe this Sunday. <<else>><<if $iChiavetta_Needed == true>> A revelation: the pants! You picked up the mail just two days ago, and you were wearing those pants. In a pocket, you find the <strong>mail key</strong>! <<set $inventory.push("Mail Key")>> <center><img src = "images/iChiavettaPosta.png"> <strong>Mail Key</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>!</center> <<set $iChiavetta_Presa = true>> <<else>>You really should get these clothes washed. You have two shirts... Maybe this Sunday. <</if>> <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAGNO]]>><</button>></center>

A splash of water on the face always feels good. Clears the mind. Sometimes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAGNO]]>><</button>></center>

With the key, you unlock the mailbox and open the door. The envelope is peculiar. It doesn't seem like a regular private letter. <<set $inventory.push("Unusual Letter")>> <center><img src = "images/iLettera.png"> <center><strong>Unusual Letter</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>!</center> <<set $iPosta_Presa = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Posta]]>><</button>></center>

You collapse onto the armchair with a heavy sigh. You haven't even lit the fire. It doesn't matter. In a swift motion, you extract the rolled cigarette and a match from your pocket and enjoy the first puffs while opening the envelope. <center><img src="images/iInvito.png"></center> Only now do you notice a strange stamp. You don't recognize it, but it looks formal, like those from government offices. It had nothing to do with those nice homemade seals with wax from your literary colleagues (at least those who still love to bask in the nineteenth-century intellectualism that, as far as you're concerned, is dead and stale). The letter contains an invitation to a dance soirée in Torino for... tomorrow! For a moment, you think it's a joke. In truth, you won't stop thinking that. Yet here it is, stiff paper, short, aseptic, noble words, almost pompous. And your name in bold. The invitation to the //Salotto della Contessa Claretta Chiusini Montalieri//. Sure, why not. You decide it's enough. Your eyes close, the last puff of the cigarette hits your head. A pat on Pepe, and you collapse onto the bed. The springs creak heavily. As for Miss Bianca, you'll look for her tomorrow. That certain "something" of hers has captivated you, and in the end, you decide there's nothing wrong with rocking yourself to sleep with thoughts of her... <<set $inventory.push("Invitation")>><<set $inventory.delete("Unusual Letter")>><<set $inventory.delete("Cigarette")>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Pre1]]>><</button>></center>

Here you keep a pen to which you are attached. You don't use it; it's empty, but it reminds you of the first day you showed up in the newsroom. //L'Ebdomadario//, a scandalous rag you turned to for lack of other ideas after several unsuccessful attempts. Truth be told, it was a weekly insert, born from a rib of the //Gazzettino di Torino//. Then the director, Mr. Cesena, decided to go it alone and told his superiors to go to hell. Cesena is a strange guy, and that day he had taken one too many drinks: you hadn't even started talking, and the ink from that damned pen started staining the pocket of your shirt. Cesena laughed heartily. He asked if you happened to be a satirical cartoonist, and he took you on board. It was only the next day that he realized you were a serious writer, and only a week later did he ask for your name. That pen is still here, with its little bundle of memories and the signed contract. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Scrittoio]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $iTabacco_Preso == false>> As you hoped, behind some papers, you find more tobacco. In a few moves, you've already rolled a cigarette. You're trying to cut down on smoking, but it's never easy when no one is forcing you. <<set $inventory.push("Cigarette")>> <center><img src = "images/iSigaretta.png"> <strong>Cigarette</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>!</center> <<set $iTabacco_Preso = true>> <<else>>You don't find anything interesting. Just some used papers that you keep because you haven't bought a trash can for the house yet. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Scrittoio]]>><</button>></center>

The air is cold. The leaves from the surrounding woods flutter randomly, dirtying the streets of Monfalco. Below you, a little further away, is the cemetery. It's quite fortunate to have it so close, in case you ever feel the need for a walk among the flowers or to socialize with quiet and understanding people. It's not exactly a sea view. <<if $Cane_riportato == false>> There he is, the furry rascal. He's slipped between the graves again. And even on the feminine side, the connoisseur. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Go back|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center>

The whole gate shakes under your knocks, although they are not so loud. No one responds. <center>//$nome:// "Mr. Grimaldi!"</center> You knock a few more times to no avail. Suddenly, you hear the sound of footsteps from behind the house. Footsteps in the grass that, for a moment, make you wince. <center>//???:// "If you keep this up, you will break down the door, you know?"</center> A female voice, subtle and unfamiliar, caresses your ear. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Dialogo_Bianca]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Ettore.png"></center> <center>//Ettore:// «$nome, I have a soup that you'll dream about! My mother added shallots!»</center> <<if $iMonetina_Presa == true>> <center>//$nome:// «Ok, but the soft bread, not like the doorstop from the other day!» //Ettore:// «But it goes down just as well with the soup!»</center> Ettore mimics the act of dipping the bread into the bowl, while with a poker face, he expresses an unspeakable pleasure. A born salesman. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Mangia2]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> <center>//$nome:// «I'm sorry, maybe later... I don't have money with me, today.»</center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

It's not the time to make a phone call. Mom is fine... probably. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Bianca_Dialogo == 0>> There are not many patrons, but those few you recognize all of them. Anyway, you're not looking for anyone in particular, and after a couple of greetings, you go back to the counter. <<elseif $Bianca_Dialogo == 1>> Mr. Grimaldi is here, as Bianca told you. Wrapped in a shrunken and somewhat dirty coat, the cap on his forehead, he is warming himself with what by the smell looks like a good tangerine punch. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Grimaldi.png"></center> <center>//Grimaldi:// «You are my neighbor.» //$nome:// «Yes, sir. Good evening.» //Grimaldi:// «You lose of your dog in the cemetery and want my help.» //$nome:// «How do you...?» //Grimaldi:// «Do you think I'm dumb? This is probably the sixth time this has happened.» //$nome:// «Oh, really?» //Grimaldi:// «Yes, although usually Mrs. Conti comes to take it back.» //$nome:// «She never told me that.» //Grimaldi:// «Well... I might even adopt him, that big dog.»</center> Apologizing, you interrupt the conversation, asking that big man if he can lend you the keys for just ten minutes. He hesitates, lets out a silent belch, and ponders. <center>//Grimaldi:// «Uhm... Let's do this, one favor for another. Get me a clean <strong>candle</strong> right away, and in exchange, I'll come to remove the chain.» //$nome:// «A candle? But...» //Grimaldi:// «He'll repay, you'll see. And you better hurry if you don't want some neighbor to call the authorities for the racket of that dog.»</center> Without adding a word, Grimaldi gets up, leaves a couple of coins on the counter, and steps out onto the street, pulling his hat down over his bald head. <<set $Bianca_Dialogo = 2>><<set $Candela_Needed = true>> <<else>> Now the bar is almost empty. <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR]]>><</button>></center>

In a few minutes, your hot soup arrives, and it's truly delicious. You feel so much better. <<set $Mangiato = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR]]>><</button>></center>

The girl approaches slowly, staying close to the wall. The shadow prevents you from seeing her face, but you're pretty sure you don't know her. <center>//$nome:// «I-I'm sorry, miss. I'm in a bit of a hurry, I'm trying to...» //???:// «Mr. Grimaldi is at the bar. You are looking for him for the dog, aren't you?»</center> Before you can answer, the young girl jumps in the middle of the street, like a little girl looking for butterflies. <center>//???:// «I see. Quite a nuisance, isn't it?» she replies without looking at you. //$nome// «Yes...sometimes I would like a cat, sleepy and peaceful!» </center> you answer her, raising your voice to cover the distance. <center>//???:// «Don't get a red one then, they are real monsters!» Then she retraces her steps, and your curiosity is satisfied. Isn't she lovely? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Dialogo 2]]>><</button>></center>

Mrs. Conti probably won't even notice. Hopefully, not even Jesus. It would be awkward to have to explain. <<set $inventory.push("Votive candle")>> <center><img src = "images/iCandela.png"> <strong>Votive candle</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>!</center> <<set $iCandela_Presa = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Madonna]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bianca.png"></center> You had never had such a dip in your heart. Never a faint, until that moment. But that stranger stirs something indescribable in you. A round little face, prominent cheeks enhancing a thin mouth. Big eyes, what color it is impossible for you to say, and well-groomed hair, albeit _buff that you noticed_ with a rather unfashionable hairstyle: eh, country girls! <center>//$nome:// «My name is $nome, young lady. You are Grimaldi's niece, I suppose?» //???:// «Me? His relative? No, no, what an idea!»</center> She laughs sugary. She looks like one of those movie divas. Not the heroic and emancipated ones from Germany, but the scatterbrained and romantic ones from Hollywood. A great strength of spirit seeps from her answers. Surely ten times yours, you think. <center>//???:// «My name is Bianca, I am his caregiver. You see, Mr. Grimaldi often has leg problems and...»</center>. Pepe's insistent barking from the nearby cemetery brings them both back to reality. Too bad. They were pleasantries, but you were enjoying them. <center>//Bianca:// «You'd better go get your friend.... Find Grimaldi at the //bar//. We'll chat later.»</center> You nod. <center>//$nome:// «Thank you, Bianca.» //Bianca:// «You're welcome. I'll wait for you here.» //$nome:// «Don't be ridiculous... It's starting to get cold, and you don't even have a coat!»</center> Bianca spins around, feigning offense. At least that's what you think; you're not very knowledgeable about female psychology. <center>//Bianca:// «Oh! You want to deprive me of this coquetry? Don't you care to see me again?» //$nome:// «I didn't mean that, of course, I will gladly see you again. Just...» //Bianca:// «I was just kidding! You are so funny, $nome!»</center> And not to spoil things further, you smile uncertainly, give her a quick bow with your head, and head for the bar. She's still giggling, the diva.... <<set $Bianca_Dialogo = 1>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Back on the street|CASA_GUARDIANO]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $iCandela_Presa>> Your steps on the gravel are heavy. Mr. Grimaldi looks up and smiles, inviting you to approach. Pepe barks, grabs his toy again, and rushes toward you, skillfully dodging the tombstones at breakneck speed. He's having a great time! If only he knew how tired you are... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Dialogo_Cimitero1]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> You remember that Grimaldi asked you for a candle. There's something about him that suggests you shouldn't contradict him. Maybe it's his enormous stature or his deep voice. Or perhaps it's the fact that your dog has become too friendly with him for your liking. Where to find a candle? You have a vague idea... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|STRADA_CIMITERO]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Grimaldi.png"></center> <center>//Grimaldi:// «You brought the candle... Very good.» //$nome:// «Yes, sir... Can I have my dog back now? Oh, with many apologies, once again...» //Grimaldi:// «Come, come, lad. Place it there.»</center> Mr. Grimaldi extends his hand, as big as an elephant's ear, toward the tombstone behind him. You observe it: bare, with only a date: October 25, 1921. Exactly one year ago. <center>//$nome:// «Is the candle for this person?» //Grimaldi:// «Well, you're a sharp one!» he chuckles, revealing rather sharp teeth. </center> Grimaldi's forehead wrinkles, his sparse hair ruffles with a sudden breeze. You think it's about time to end this because the situation is starting to give you the chills. You are well aware of the power of suggestion, and being with such a unsettling man in an equally dark place with a candle in hand has a certain effect. You have a couple of matches in your shirt pocket. It bothers you to waste one. <center>//Grimaldi:// «Do you know why I asked you for this?»</center> You shake your head, placing the lit candle on the nondescript tombstone. <center>//Grimaldi:// «More respect is required in this world. More sensitivity. More prayer.» //$nome:// «Mr. Grimaldi, I agree with you. But it's already dark, and I'm distraught...» //Grimaldi:// «Eh... young ones. Always in a hurry, always rushing...»</center> Mr. Grimaldi shakes his hand in a farewell gesture and reveals his crooked teeth. The wide-brimmed hat flutters almost as if it has a life of its own. Truly a bizarre sight. <center> //Grimaldi:// «Off you go, kid, before I make you recite the De Profundis.»</center> You run away, calling Pepe and grabbing him by the scruff. A couple of slaps on the butt won't hurt, at home. Then you notice the branch he's chewing on with such determination and decide to use it as bait. You pull it out of his mouth, and Pepe sticks to you like... well, like a dog. Once at the gate, you turn around: Grimaldi is gone. Another shiver runs down your spine, and you quicken your pace. What the hell is happening? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Dialogo_Cimitero2]]>><</button>></center>

You're certainly not forgetting about Bianca. However, the lovely waitress has vanished into thin air. You search for her with your eyes at every step, scanning every corner. Then, you scold yourself for this behavior: as if you were a little boy! You head towards home, casting a final glance at the cemetery and the careteker's house: nothing. No one. Graveyard silence, quite literally, given the bizarre adventure you've just experienced. You re-enter the apartment, nod at the small Madonna, hoping for forgiveness, and finally toss the stick into the apartment, allowing Pepe to rush inside, swift as lightning. Finally home. Free. Safe. <<set $inventory.delete("Candela votiva")>><<set $Cane_scappato = false>><<set $Cane_riportato = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO]]>><</button>></center>

You rub your hands on your pants. Enough with this story, and Pepe will have to come to terms with it. Anyway, you think that... the night has brought advice. An invitation to a high-society ball, provided it's not a fake, is undoubtedly Cesena's doing, your Editor-in-Chief. He's the only person you know capable of teasing you in this way. It's not the first time he gets you into trouble without telling you anything, for personal purposes. Since you'd bet your life on it, you've decided to give him a call. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Pre3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> BUS STOP </strong></center> The asphalt, old and black, breaks against the uncultivated grass. Only a few meters have been filled with gravel as if to form a small square, and the only stone bench probably dates back to the //Royaume d'Italie// Who knows, you think, perhaps Napoleon himself had rested his butt on it, waiting for the bus! Not far away, the clock, from its ten-foot height, shows off iron baroques that now impress no one. And then it stands still. The mayor will have to wake up. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <<if $Quest_Attive == true>><center><<button [[Look around you|Osserva2]]>><</button>></center><</if>> <center><<button [[Head for the town|STRADA_CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> ROAD NEAR THE CEMETERY </strong></center> The road continues straight ahead toward Monfalco. A few dozen meters ahead you glimpse the first houses gray from soot. On one side, among the blades of grass, stands imposingly the wall that surrounds the local cemetery. It is not super tall, but high enough to keep brats away from pulling some stunt. In the center is an iron gate, solid and pointed. Across the street is the old house that is used by the caretakers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Go to the bus stop|FERMATA_BUS2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the cemetery|CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the caretaker's house|CASA_GUARDIANO2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter Monfalco|MONFALCO_MAZZINI2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>MONFALCO - VIA MAZZINI</strong></center> The main street of Monfalco, welcomes you as it has every day for the past few years. The houses embrace you: a small safe place in the middle of the countryside. The facades, however, are increasingly filthy. The continuous noise of the sewer fills the air from the manholes. Fortunately, not the smell. The only point of interest is the //bar//, a few steps away. To the side, a cul-de-sac houses a couple of garbage cans, resting on the nearby wall. That house, with peeling plaster and caged windows, houses the apartments where you also live. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Head for the cemetery|STRADA_CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the bar|BAR2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter the house|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to Via Cavour|MONFALCO_CAVOUR]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Quest_Attive == true>><center><<button [[Look around you|osserva2]]>><</button>></center><</if>>

<center><strong> BAR </strong></center> The door jingles, the glass vibrates loudly, the hinges squeak. The bar, early in the morning, is a warm gathering place for the unfortunate. Behind the counter, there is no Ettore, but his mother. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Look around you|Osserva i presenti2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Make a phone call|Telefonata2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the bar|MONFALCO_MAZZINI2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Have an Espresso|Prendi un caffè]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Quest_Attive == false>> Now he'll hear you. You wait for the switchboard to connect you to the editorial office of the //L'Ebdomadario//, which is, in Cesena's terms, those four walls he calls the "office." Then his shrill voice pierces your ear. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Cesena.png"> <center>//Cesena:// «Here is Oriano Cesena, always at work!» //$nome:// «I'm $nome! I'll give you a minute to explain what that invitation from Countess //Ican'tremember Smellsunderthenose Whatsitsname// means because I know it's your doing.» //Cesena:// «Contessa Claretta Chiusini Montalieri! Italy's forbidden dream of gigolos! Holy shit, my friend, I can't hide anything from you!» //$nome:// «I'm more of a bloodhound than my dog! So, what kind of trouble are you sending me into?» //Cesena:// «All right, listen to this, truffle-dog. The ticket is fake, but it's exactly like the others. I bribed the Prefect's bag carrier and had a couple of photos taken. I'm sending you in there because I want you to stick your nose into...»</center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Telefonata2.2]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> There's no point in calling now. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR2]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

<center><strong> HOME - GROUND FLOOR CORRIDOR </strong></center> The door is always open. After a couple of marble steps, there is the ground floor corridor. On the wall, no decorations, except for a mailbox. On the right, there are the doors to two apartments, the first of which belongs to your landlady, the widow Mrs. Conti. At the end of the corridor, there is that eerie corner where the gypsum Madonna is surrounded by candles. Mrs. Conti, wrapped in her black shawl, is sweeping inside. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Check the mailbox|Posta2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Talk to Mrs. Conti|Conti2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Observe the religious shrine|Madonna2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go up to the first floor|CASA_1P2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Exit to the street|MONFALCO_MAZZINI2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>HOME - FIRST FLOOR CORRIDOR</strong></center> The corridor is identical to the ground floor. There are a couple of houseplants here and there. Miraculously, it seems that Bertelli is not at home today. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Enter your apartment|APPARTAMENTO2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go down to the ground floor|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Quest_Attive == true>><center><<button [[Examine the plants |Piante_Bertelli]]>><</button>></center><</if>>

<center><strong>APARTMENT</strong></center> Your home is little more than run-down but clean. The house must be at least a hundred years old, but the stones are tough to die. The restored wooden floor makes everything seem much cozier. A wood-burning stove for cooking is the only way you have to warm up, and next to it, a patched armchair is your little corner of paradise. The iron bed, placed along the opposite wall, is a bit rusty, but the blankets are warm. Upon reflection, you're lucky to have a landlady like Mrs. Conti, who even takes care of your dog, in addition to washing your few clothes. Of course, she doesn't do it for free, but those are painful details. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Play with Pepe|Pepe2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Sit at the desk|Scrittoio2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Open the window|Finestra2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the bathroom|BAGNO2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the apartment|CASA_1P2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> APARTMENT - BATHROOM </strong></center> The bathroom is small. There's nothing interesting, just like in all bathrooms. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Hero.png"> Every morning, that mirror reflects a pale face, a bit gaunt, which looks thirty even though it's only twenty-three, despite stubbornly shaving every day to appear younger. Sometimes the mirror teases that young man, especially for the little mustache he insists on keeping, thinking it's trendy in the city. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Freshen up|Lavabo2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the bathroom|APPARTAMENTO2]]>><</button>></center>

The weather seems nice; the sun is weak, and a fresh morning lies ahead. The village is as quiet as ever. The cemetery, viewed from above, has a certain charm. You've never really taken the time to observe the graves before, but after last night, you can't help but scan the tombstones, searching for the nameless one. You find it with some difficulty, as there's a tree in the way, but you're sure you've spotted it. Your gaze then falls on the nearby caretaker's house. You wonder if Bianca is still at Grimaldi's place and if you'll get to see her again today. You strain your ears, but thirty meters are enough to mask any sounds of a ladle or voices, if there are any. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>DESK</strong></center> Your small desk, kindly provided by the landlady. In your notes, you read: <<if $Telefonata == false>>* Call Cesena <<else>>* Call Cesena [DONE]<</if>> <<if $Quest_Attive == true>><<if $Macchina_Trovata == false>>* Find a decent vehicle<<else>>* Find a decent vehicle [DONE]<</if>> <<if $Frac_Trovato == false>>* Get a tailcoat<<else>>* Get a tailcoat [DONE]<</if>> * Bouquet of flowers for Bianca [$Fiori/5] <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Open the first drawer|Cassetto 12]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Open the second drawer|Cassetto 22]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave it|APPARTAMENTO2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> CEMETERY </strong></center> The cobblestone is heavy; it must have rained last night. With each step, the typical sound of the swamp spreads. Almost better to stay in the grass. You would like to ask Mr. Grimaldi about the girl, but no matter how hard you try to scrutinize every corner, there seems to be no trace of either of them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Approach the tombstone|LAPIDE]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go back to the street|STRADA_CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Quest_Attive == true>><center><<button [[Look around you|Osserva4]]>><</button>></center><</if>>

<center><strong> CARETAKER'S HOUSE</strong></center> The house is made entirely of stone. It looks like an old barn, and perhaps it really was. Looking at the attic reveals massive wooden beams that have seen better times, and the attic wall looks like it was never finished. A more human-sized, closed door has been carved out of a large main door. A tightened latch can be glimpsed in the crack. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Back on the street|STRADA_CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button[[Knock on the door|Bussa alla porta2]]>><</button>></center> <<if $Quest_Attive == true>><center><<button [[Look around you|Osserva3]]>><</button>></center><</if>>

<<if $Fiore3 == false>> In the tall grass surrounding the statue, neglected for months, you find a spontaneous white lily. Curious, in October... But why ask questions in the face of such beauty? <strong>Lily</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>! <center><img src = "images/iFiore.png"></center> <<set $Fiore3 = true>> <<set $Fiori++>> <<else>> There is nothing interesting... <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|MONFALCO_MAZZINI2]]>><</button>></center>

Nothing. The mailman never comes this early... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Quest_Attive == true && $Frac_Trovato == false>> <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Conti.png"> <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «You seem pensive! Did you have breakfast?» //$nome:// «I'm always pensive! How are you?» //Mrs. Conti:// «Running late. Ah, I've set aside some leftovers for your little dog, I'll leave them outside your door tonight!» //$nome:// «Thank you. And tell me, ma'am...» //Mrs. Conti:// «It's not about the rent, is it?» //$nome:// «What? No, no... I was wondering, can you tell me where I can find a tailcoat, even second-hand?»</center> Mrs. Conti lowers her aquiline nose and eyes you up. <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «For you? A tailcoat?» //$nome:// «Oh, don't be mean, it would suit me.» //Mrs. Conti:// «Well, I don't care. And I don't know.» //$nome:// «Okay. I'm sorry to have bothered you.»</center> As you go to say goodbye, the hag calls you back without looking at you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_CONTI]]>><</button>></center> <<elseif $Quest_Attive == true && $Frac_Trovato == true>> <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Conti.png"> <center>//$nome:// «Good morning, ma'am, and thank you.» //Mrs. Conti:// «Mind you, just for one day!»</center> It's better to leave her alone for now! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center> <<else>> <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Conti.png"> <center>//$nome:// «Good morning, ma'am.» //Mrs. Conti:// «Don't step on the dust heaps!» //$nome:// «No, ma'am!» //Mrs. Conti:// «And, please, don't close the front door!»</center> The affection of neighbors is always pleasant. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

The little Madonna looks at you a bit disapprovingly. Come on, she knows you did a good deed. Sure, prayers on the tombstones of strangers may not fall under the graces allowed by divine law. You hope that unknown corpse has a good lawyer up there. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Pepe.png"> You spend some time with Pepe, who is always more energetic than you are. However, one of his barks is more than enough to wake you up completely, in case you are still groggy. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO2]]>><</button>></center>

You don't find anything interesting. Just some used papers that you keep because you haven't bought a trash can for the house yet. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Scrittoio2]]>><</button>></center>

But first, you sit at your desk because it's your good habit to write a page a day. //Every time you want to keep track of your commitments, you know you have to go back to your little desk and take a look at the notes.// More than once, it has saved you from awkward situations you might have encountered if you had relied solely on your memory! Even this morning, as you get dressed, you start to gather your thoughts... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Scrittoio2]]>><</button>></center>

You wake up at dawn. You're in shape as usual; those dark circles will never go away, just like the sarcasm. Before you can say a word, your gaze focuses on something on your legs: it's a bone. A femur, or something like that. Horrified, you kick it away, and Pepe jumps on it, catching it in mid-air. This dog should participate in competitions... How that bone got there is easy to explain: you brought it last night, just to bring the dog home. Dazed as you were from fatigue, and confused by the eccentricity of old Grimaldi, you didn't realize until now that you were holding a femur, not a piece of wood. After a few moments, your heartbeat returns to normal, and you regain your sanity: you grab that disgusting thing and open the window facing the cemetery. Once you make sure no one is watching, you throw it as far as possible into the graveyard. While washing your hands at the kitchen sink, Pepe reproaches you with a whimper. <center>//$nome:// «Don't even try it!»</center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Pre2]]>><</button>></center>

<center>//Mrs. Conti:// «What do you need a tailcoat for? //$nome:// «Well, I have to... I mean, I have to go to a dancing evening.» //Mrs. Conti:// «How lovely, they still have costume parties...»</center> Her obvious interest as a gossip is subtly hidden under her contemptuous tone. But you have learned to know her. And suddenly, you have a revelation: <center>//$nome:// «You must have attended many balls, haven't you?»</center> The lady gets annoyed. Perhaps you've pierced her with the lance of dormant memories. <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «Very well. Come with me...»</center> She opens the door to her apartment, kicks away a couple of cats that came to investigate, and gestures for you to follow as she puts the broom in the umbrella stand. <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «Go ahead!»</center> It's like entering the witch's lair. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_CONTI2]]>><</button>></center>

The lair is a bit like the Grimm's marzipan house: the walls are stuffed with cuckoo clocks, mirrors, shelves full of jewelry boxes, wicker baskets, prussian ceramic vases, hand-painted saucers, glass and wooden knick-knacks. Even a Fabergé, undoubtedly fake. The floor is a succession of floral tiles, terribly kitsch. The scent is the typical one that permeates the homes of the elderly. The atmosphere is warm and barely bearable. You know that Mrs. Conti is well-off, that's why you had a revelation. Her deceased husband was a big shot in the royal army and must have left his skin in Abyssinia. Ettore had told you everything. You would never have thought you'd have to bring out certain memories you thought were useless. <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «Here.»</center> Mrs. Conti, quick as lightning, comes out of a room with a clean and ironed tailcoat, leaving you stunned. <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «Try it on. It was my husband's.»</center> You stammer a weak thank you and, terrified by the monotonous and stern expression of the landlady, put on the tailcoat. Well, the twenty-two mirrors in the entrance all agree that you look quite dashing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_CONTI3]]>><</button>></center>

<center>//Mrs. Conti:// «Bring it back to me the morning after.» //$nome:// «I don't know how to thank you, I'm moved.»</center> Mrs. Conti gestures for you to be quiet and pushes you out of the house. You're sure you saw a couple of tears welling up in her icy eyes. Somehow, you must have reminded her of things you're not supposed to know... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_CONTI4]]>><</button>></center>

Then, like a cold shower: <center>//Mrs. Conti:// «Well. The last time he wore it, he was in the coffin. I couldn't bury him with it, it's so beautiful. After two days, I took it off. Who knows, maybe someday I'll have to pawn it... You never know in these times....»</center> You step away, trying to erase what you just heard forever, but it's difficult when you have the metaphorical equivalent of two ice cubes down your collar! A harbinger of certain death, if you were superstitious! <<set $inventory.push("Tailcoat")>> <center><img src = "images/iFrac.png"> <strong>Tailcoat</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>!</center> <<set $Quest++>> <<set $Frac_Trovato = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bertelli.png"> At this hour, there's only Mr. Bertelli with a glass of white wine: the perfect breakfast to digest the newspaper. You slip away without being seen. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_ZiaRita.png"></center> <<if $Caffe_preso == false>>You greet Aunt Rita with pleasure, as everyone amiably calls the barista. She opened this place about forty years ago... And her coffee is the best in the world.<<set $Caffe_preso = true>><<else>> One is more than enough! <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR2]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Quest_Attive == true>><<if $Fiori < 5>> It's better to come back when you have a more substantial bouquet of flowers. She doesn't seem like the type of woman to make a fuss, but it's always better to make a good impression! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continua|CASA_GUARDIANO2]]>><</button>></center><<else>><<if $Incontro_Sidecar == false>> The door shakes under your blows. Despite calling loudly for both Grimaldi and Bianca, no one seems to be home. Exhausted, you sit in the grass against the house and give a scowl to the bouquet of lilies. Maybe it's better to come back in the afternoon or something. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continua|CASA_GUARDIANO2]]>><</button>></center> <<else>><<if $Frac_Trovato == true>> You knock on the door. You knock again. No answer. This story is starting to annoy you... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continua|Avanza]]>><</button>></center> <<else>>Upon further thought, you're not ready yet. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continua|CASA_GUARDIANO2]]>><</button>></center> <</if>><</if>><</if>><<else>> Inviting Bianca to the soirée is a nice idea, romantic and perfectly timed! But first, it's better to find out if it's not a joke. Only a call to Cesena could dispel doubts. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_GUARDIANO2]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>

<<if $Fiore1 == false>> Among the overgrown grass, you find a spontaneous white lily. <strong>Lily</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>! <center><img src = "images/iFiore.png"></center> <<set $Fiore1 = true>> <<set $Fiori++>> <<else>> There is nothing interesting... <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|FERMATA_BUS2]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Fiore2 == false>> Among the overgrown grass, near the gate, you find a spontaneous white lily. <strong>Lily</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>! <center><img src = "images/iFiore.png"></center> <<set $Fiore2 = true>> <<set $Fiori++>> <<else>> There is nothing interesting... <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continua|CASA_GUARDIANO2]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Fiore4 == false>> Among the tombstones, on the edge of the woods, you find a spontaneous white lily. <strong>Lily</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>! <center><img src = "images/iFiore.png"></center> <<set $Fiore4 = true>> <<set $Fiori++>> <<else>> There is nothing interesting... <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center>

A stone with a date: //October 25, 1921//. No name. How morbid it would be to go around asking whose it is? Those are not things to do... At least your candle is still there, lit, protected by a glass cover that Grimaldi must have put on after you left. All in all, he's a good man, even though in your heart, you've treated him like a madman. <<if $Quest_Attive == true>> Odd... There's a white lily placed on this tombstone. But no, you won't touch this; it would be in bad taste.<</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>MONFALCO - VIA CAVOUR</strong></center> Via Cavour is the most central street in the town, full of small shops and businesses. The atmosphere is not bustling and hectic but rather sleepy and gray. Nevertheless, people here live a peaceful life. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<<if $Quest_Attive == true>><<if $Incontro_Sidecar == false>> <center><<button [[Enter the mechanic's shop|Meccanico1]]>><</button>></center><</if>><</if>> <center><<button [[Go back to Via Mazzini|MONFALCO_MAZZINI2]]>><</button>></center>

<<if $Fiore5 == false>> Among Bertelli's plants, you find a white lily. It's for a good cause, go for it! <strong>Lily</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventory</strong>! <center><img src = "images/iFiore.png"></center> <<set $Fiore5 = true>> <<set $Fiori++>> <<else>> There's nothing special. Just Mr. Bertelli's decorative plants, with their broad leaves and a few flowers here and there... <</if>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_1P2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Andrea.png"></center> <center>//Andrea:// «Hey, look who we have here!» //$nome:// «Hi Andrea, how's it going?»</center> The young man wipes the sweat with a dirty oil-stained handkerchief, leaving a nice black streak on his forehead. He smiles, showing you the bandaged open hand. <center>//Andrea:// «Have you ever got a nice burn from the engine?» //$nome:// «No, you know I only ride the bus, and ours is pedal-powered!»</center> You both laugh. Andrea checks that he's alone. His boss, old Maggiori, doesn't like his boys standing around doing nothing. However, Andrea loves to chat and has always been kind to you. He never asked for a dime to check your bike, perhaps because he never considered it a worthy vehicle and tried not to give it any additional value. <center>//Andrea:// «So, what's new?» //$nome:// «Nothing new, just here to beg for a car since my boss pushed me into some aristocratic party.» //Andrea:// «Darn, your life is so hard! You don't know how sorry I am to hear you like this, my friend!» //$nome:// «Yeah, tough times for everyone...» //Andrea:// «Silly! But... today you're out of luck; I can't //procure// anything like that for you.»</center> Andrea lets you take a look inside the workshop: only a completely dismantled car. <center>//$nome:// «Hmpf!... Not that I wanted a Torpedo, but...»</center> Suddenly, the roar of an engine approaches and becomes so loud that it interrupts you. Curious, you and Andrea go out into the square and are astonished. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Meccanico2]]>><</button>></center>

The tabloid press knows no bounds. It's shameless in its impertinence. The circulations are high, and L'Ebdomadario is one of the few surviving on gossip about Italian high society. It's incredible, given the violent atmosphere in Roma, but also just in Torino. <center>//Cesena:// «...so make sure to go unnoticed. There will be a lot of people, $nome, it's not the usual event reserved for the four cousins who hate each other.» //$nome:// «Yeah, okay. I was just planning to be bored in bed tonight. Thanks for saving me... And what do you think I should do, invent a name and a dynasty?» //Cesena:// «As if it were the first time! Come on, you're resourceful, you're the best! Find yourself a companion, a nice flashy car, and a good suit. I'd give you mine, but I didn't think about it. With all the money I give you, you'll have a tailcoat, right?» //$nome:// «Of course, I gave up six months of rent to buy it. Now I'm homeless, but everyone thinks I came out of the Parisian ateliers!» //Cesena:// «Ah ah! Awesome, Parisian always works! Go ahead, show what you're worth.» //$nome:// «I was sarcast...»</center> He hung up. Damnit. You feel lost. Certainly, it could be a perfect opportunity to invite Bianca. This new encounter sent from heaven couldn't have come at a better time. But will you find her? Will she agree? As flirty as she is, probably yes. Decide to give it a try and show up at her place with a nice <strong>bouquet of flowers</strong>. And in the meantime, you'll think about the rest... Somehow. //It would be useful (but not essential) to return to the desk to update your thoughts...// <<set $Telefonata = true>> <<set $Quest_Attive = true>> <<set $inventory.push("Bouquet of flowers: [$Fiori/5]")>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAR2]]>><</button>></center>

<center>//Andrea:// «What the heck...»</center> Not even in your wildest fantasies could you have imagined something like this! A motorcycle with a sidecar is speeding toward you. The engine roars, the body sparkles, and its driver is bolder than ever! You and Andrea dart in different directions to avoid being hit! A record-breaking brake, with a consequent smell of burning rubber, and a disaster narrowly avoided: there were only a few inches from crashing into the lifting ramp. <center>//Andrea:// «Damn, buddy, have you gone crazy?»</center> Andrea falls silent, and you can't believe your eyes. Laughing like crazy, Bianca takes off her motorcycle goggles and hood. <center>//$nome:// «Miss Bianca!»</center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Meccanico3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bianca_Moto.png"></center> <center>//Bianca:// «$nome, it's great to see you here!» //$nome:// «Yeah, for me too... I mean... Well, where did you learn to ride?» //Andrea:// «Well, by Jove, it's been a while since I've seen a gal like this on a beautiful steel horse!»</center> Andrea tries to keep it professional, obviously. <center>//Bianca:// «Oh, be kind, young man. I just took it out of the stable this morning, but it makes a bit of a strange noise! A sort of clack, clack, clack. Wait, let me start it up for you...» //Andrea:// «Hah! Leave it here, darling. It's been years since I wanted to get my hands on a little gem like this! Let me, let me...»</center> While Andrea brings the motorcycle into the sunlight and starts opening everything he can, Bianca approaches you. <center>//$nome:// «Miss, where were you yesterday?» //Bianca:// «Oh, I've always been there. You didn't see me, did you?» //$nome:// «I'm sorry, but no. I looked everywhere, but I thought you had retired due to the late hour... And I certainly wouldn't have blamed you...»</center> Bianca twirls her motorcycle hat between her fingers, almost as if she's nervous. <center>//Bianca:// «There's something you have to tell me, right? Oh, do you mind if we talk in a more informal way?» //$nome:// What? Oh, I don't mind, quite the opposite! We're friends now, aren't we?» //Bianca:// «Yes, yes we are!»</center> Bianca jumps in place, her eyes getting bigger and bigger. And she kisses you on the cheek, quick as a cobra! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Meccanico4]]>><</button>></center>

After keeping your heart in check, which was starting to jump a little too much, you decide to spill the beans and tell Bianca about the ball. <center>//Bianca:// «Your job must be fun!» //$nome:// «A blast! But, you see, it seems so silly to ask you to...» //Bianca:// «I accept.»</center> Silence reigns between you two for a moment. <center>//$nome:// «Wha...?» //Bianca:// «I accept, silly. Do I have to pretend to be your wife? Do I have to dress up? Just invite me, what are you waiting for?» </center> If there's something you like about her, it's her pure naivety. The unpredictability of her character, her joyful and sincere smile no matter what's happening. Where does so much liveliness come from, you wonder? So much zest for life? She's just extraordinary. Now you have millions of thoughts about your melancholic nature, probably just due to yourself, and the often silly and irrelevant problems you put in front of you. Bianca, for you, is an example. You try to get the lesson into your head when... <center>//Bianca:// «Idea, idea! Here are the keys. Tonight, bring me the little horse, and I'll wait for you on the tower with a long braid. How does that sound?» //$nome:// «M... magnificent?» </center> Bianca turns the corner, wrapping herself in her scarf. You stand there, frozen, with the motorcycle keys in your hand. The cinema Diva... <<set $inventory.push("Sidecar key")>> <center><img src = "images/iChiaviMoto.png"> <strong>Sidecar key</strong> has been added to your <strong>Inventario</strong>!</center> <<set $Quest++>><<set $Incontro_Sidecar = true>><<set $Macchina_Trovata = true>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Meccanico5]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Andrea.png"></center> <center>//Andrea:// «You know, she seems familiar. A friend of yours?» //$nome:// «I think so?» </center> Andrea tries to rack his brain, but nothing comes to him. Nevertheless, you reassure him, pointing to a bag of money that Bianca left in the sidecar. <center>//Andrea:// «Ah-ha... I was already excited about this beauty, imagine now. Let's just hope the old man doesn't come to ruin everything...» </center> Time passes. When everything is in order, you mount the little horse, give it a kick, and head towards the cemetery (at a speed allowed by current safety regulations, unlike that reckless one). All is silent. Perhaps it's better to knock on her door to let her know, even though, for heaven's sake, the engine of this beast would wake the dead! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|STRADA_CIMITERO2]]>><</button>></center>

<center>//Bianca:// «I'm here!»</center> Her vibrant and irresistible voice grabs your attention to the street: Bianca is leaning against the motorcycle, gazing at it dreamily. <center>//$nome:// «Bianca!» //Bianca:// «Thanks for this favor. So, when do we leave?»</center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq1]]>><</button>></center>

//A few hours later...// Having taken care of Pepe, you arrive at Grimaldi's house. You even managed to sneak a drop of perfume from Ettore. The tailcoat fits comfortably enough, but considering the season, you've covered up with a coat. You try to push aside the thought that you're wearing a tailcoat that has been on a corpse for two days. Bianca looks simply magnificent. A soft dress, a simple bead necklace, and her hair wavier than usual, under an elegant bell-shaped hat. From her enthusiasm, you think it must have been a while since she had some fun. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bianca_Festa.png"></center> <center>//Bianca:// «So, where are you taking me?»</center> she yells to overpower the roar of the engine. Meanwhile, she leans down to light a cigarette. <center>//$nome:// «We are going to the city! Damn, I thought you were one of those country girls, all shirt and scarf!» //Bianca:// «As a child, I did dance theatre! They told me I played any role well. Even the country maid suits me well!» </center> She extends the cigarette to you. You take a puff. <center>//$nome:// «True. And tell me, do you get along with Grimaldi?»</center> Bianca bursts into an unintentional, slightly unsettling laugh. <center>//Bianca:// «Damn, no!» //$nome:// «No?» //Bianca:// «He's a strange guy, very demanding. He always sends me here, there, there's always a problem. He has a wooden leg, you know? We have to clean his stump every night; that stubborn head insists on walking on its own, and the shoelaces ruin his skin...» //$nome:// «That's a good one...» //Bianca:// «I'm serious! And he's crazy about spelt biscuits.» //$nome:// «Quite a sadness!!» //Bianca:// «True. But he's a good man. Sure, he's nuts, and when he smiles, it gives you the chills, but damn... At least he's not a disgusting pig like all the others.» </center> She changed her tone. The sky is getting cloudy. You accelerate. You should arrive in about ten minutes. The twilight air is starting to get cold. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq3]]>><</button>></center>

<center>//$nome:// «The world is full of pigs, I suppose?» //Bianca:// «You have no idea. You're not one of them, right?»</center> Bianca extinguishes the cigarette on the glass and tosses it into the wind. <center>//$nome:// «No, I'm a journalist. I only see women through a camera lens!» //Bianca:// «Look but don't touch?» //$nome:// «A nice contract, isn't it? But sorry. I shouldn't say these things to you!» //Bianca:// «I actually like honesty!» //$nome:// «I can see that! Apparently, I'm becoming more shameless just by being around you!» //Bianca:// «Hey!» </center> She hits you with her purse. A purse. Well, it looks like a sack of feathers: you wouldn't be surprised to find it hanging from a shaman's staff. And you believed she was a demure country girl! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq4]]>><</button>></center>

The Contessa's Palace is crowded with people. You park the motorcycle closer to the road to avoid attracting too much attention. You help Bianca out, adjusting your dress. <center>//$nome:// «Okay. You said you can act.» //Bianca:// «I'm Mrs. Marchisio. Nice to meet you. Oh no, he's my husband, right?» //$nome:// «May God be with us...»</center> You head towards the entrance. Bianca clings to your arm. She's elegant, fragrant, and beautiful. When she's silent, she //seems// like an angel! It starts drizzling. This is not what you needed. Hoping it will pass soon, you notice people around you starting to quicken their pace, navigating through luxury cars and magnificent grass sculptures. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq5]]>><</button>></center>

The engine roars. You stay silent, racing through the trees of the neighborhood. The rain becomes more insistent, and the leather pilot's hat she lent you or her elegant bell-shaped headdress are of little use. Bianca keeps her eyes wide open ahead, searching for words. <center>//$nome:// «Tell me again how we got kicked out; tomorrow, I'll have to explain it to my paycheck.» <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bianca_Festa.png"></center> //Bianca:// «I'm Mrs. Marchisio. Nice to meet you. Oh no, you're my husband!» //$nome:// «It's not funny anymore.» //Bianca:// «Oh yes, it is.»</center> Bianca tries to downplay it with little conviction. She's not really trying; her tone is flat and appalled. <center>//Bianca:// «Okay, I'm sorry, alright?» //$nome:// «Yeah.» //Bianca:// «Couldn't they tell me there was alcohol in that green stuff before? I didn't want to spit on //Mr. I'mimportant Don'ttalktome's// shoes! And they could have at least accepted the apologies.» //$nome:// «You mean the orchestra, after you slipped on the drum? It's already a mercy that you don't have a scratch.»</center> Bianca pouts. <center>//Bianca:// «And then I didn't know that fountain was full of //Rainbow Pineappleparrot fish from Polynesia at twenty-five thousand lire each//.» </center> she complains, moving her fingers as if imitating quotation marks. <center>//Bianca:// «Fine, I let out five or six! But then they took them back.» //$nome:// «Dead.» //Bianca:// «Of course, they slipped like eels! If they had stayed still and good, they would have saved them. At least they'll have a barbecue for a million lire. Good for them. Ungrateful.» //$nome:// «Good heavens...» //Bianca:// «And thanks for pulling me out of the fountain anyway! I'm still wet!»</center> she comments sarcastically. <center>//$nome:// «I was far away, and by the way I saw that you weren't short of //disgusting pigs// around, and they were good knights, for once.»</center> Bianca makes a loud raspberry and huddles into your coat. She's really soaked and will probably catch a cold, and to make matters worse, it's raining harder. <center>//Bianca:// «Anyway, it's your boss's fault; that fake invitation melted right away in the water! What kind of paper did he use?»</center> You sigh. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq6]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> ROAD NEAR THE CEMETERY </strong></center> You turn off the engine. The rain is becoming torrential, and the streets are dangerous. Fortunately, you have arrived home. It's pitch dark, the clouds even cover the moon, and it's one in the morning. Certainly, the worst date of your life. But Bianca doesn't seem to share the same opinion. She smiles. She's over it. <center>//Bianca:// «Why do you look like that?» //$nome:// «Uh...» //Bianca:// «Did we have fun?» //$nome:// «All in all, yes.» //Bianca:// «$nome,I haven't had this much fun in a long time!»</center> she yells cheerfully. You burst out laughing like kids, and Bianca hugs you around the neck, planting a proper kiss on you. Probably tomorrow you'll have to come back here to look for your heart, because it jumped out of your throath! <center>//Bianca:// «Those old stuffed shirts with crooked noses, what the hell do they know about fun? You know what we needed? A bit of jazz!» //$nome:// «So let's dance now!»</center> In the throes of euphoria, you grab her and twirl her around in a //charleston// step. Bianca lets out a delighted scream of surprise and follows you in the steps. Can you hear how the rain sings? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq7]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>APARTMENT</strong></center> You wake up, still in your damp clothes. You cough. Driving in the rain for an hour without a coat will kill you soon. Of course, you couldn't let Bianca freeze. You covered her immediately before leaving, and she had weakly thanked you, still in shock for everything she had managed to do! But that coat was also your excuse to see her again. Maybe you don't need an excuse; can you say that you fell in love? Maybe yes. Maybe not, it's never a simple thing. You're not completely inexperienced, and you know you have to be very careful with feelings. At the "L'Ebdomadario" you wrote so many love stories gone wrong that you've become accustomed to it. You've exhausted all possible scenarios. Just by spending two days with Bianca, you've recognized at least ten love dynamics that, in the editorial catalog, you've already sorted with plenty of pins and bookmarks. Damn, what a nice job you have! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Seq9]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>APARTMENT</strong></center> Pepe barks happily and jumps on you. It's time to go out! Yes. It's already noon, and you promised Bianca to come back to her. Not just out of curiosity, even though you can't wait to see her again and ask her if she caught a cold, but because she insisted on washing and ironing your coat. Maybe she feels a bit in debt after the night of madness. Before going to bed and disappearing into the back of the caretaker's house, she had changed back into the clothes of a maid and housewife. A good coffee, perhaps, and then off you go. Even Pepe will have a nice run. Pepe loves Sundays. <<set $inventory.delete("Chiave del sidecar")>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>APARTMENT</strong></center> Home sweet home. Except that today there seems to be more dust than usual. There's this unpleasant feeling of old and musty. You look at the dishes hanging in the kitchen corner that are succumbing to rust. The basket full of wood for the stove has become a home for cobwebs. This house is old, and Mrs. Conti can't come every day... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Play with Pepe|Pepe3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Sit at the desk|Scrittoio3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Open the window|Finestra3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the bathroom|BAGNO3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the apartment|CASA_1P3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> CEMETERY </strong></center> <center>//Bianca:// «...» //$nome:// «Bianca, what are you...» //Bianca:// «I'm sorry...»</center> You feel dizzy. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Pepe.png"></center> Pepe growls, leaps onto the tombstone, and sniffs the surrounding ground, drawing all the attention to himself. Suddenly, he grabs something. Again a bone. Maybe the same from that night? Impossible to tell. But Pepe seems to have a real obsession. He gnashes his teeth and brings that human bone to your feet, hoping to play. Now even he seems distant and unfamiliar. You shiver persistently. Pepe insists and bites the bone with more vigor. <center>//Bianca:// «Ouch!»</center> she screams, bringing her hands to her ankles. The more this situation progresses, the more emotions leave you: surprised, angry, very, very confused. Yet, these emotions feel distant... You're becoming more apathetic. More and more calm. Without a real reason. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Grimaldi.png"></center> <center>//Grimaldi:// «Alright. That's enough.»</center> Grimaldi's voice makes you turn instantly. His imposing figure, the wide-brimmed hat, the crumpled coat dirty with soil, greasy gray hair, and his mastiff-like teeth. He extends a hand covered with a winter glove. In the other hand, you notice, he holds a candle. <center><img src = "images/iCandela.png"></center> That candle... The one from your vote. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Finale3]]>><</button>></center>

The atmosphere is unreal. You're walking in silence in an ocean of candles of all kinds. A famous german director had portrayed men's lives like this, just last year... He nailed it. Some people are truly genius, and they'll never know until they move on to the afterlife. Grimaldi walks briskly, albeit limping a bit. By your side is Pepe, hopping back and forth. Bianca is no longer in sight, but the pain can't grasp you. You feel it, almost desire it, but your heart can't embrace any emotion too strong. Apathetic like a shadow. Maybe over there, you think, there's a bar with plenty of alcohol to make up for this inconvenience. The silence is annoying; even your steps are totally devoid of sound. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Finale4]]>><</button>></center>

Grimaldi stops and raises his hands, looking at you. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Grimaldi.png"></center> <center>//Grimaldi:// «Do you have something to say?» //$nome:// «Yes. Just... Why all this?» //Grimaldi:// «Ah, I don't know. Try asking; they have good lawyers up there.» </center> Grimaldi shows you the candle. It wasn't that long after all. Maybe it was an accident, but you would have lived a little longer anyway. <center>//$nome:// «Well... at least I have Pepe.» //Grimaldi:// «Yes, you have.» //$nome:// «Who knows, maybe I'll find her too...»</center> Grimaldi chuckles, bringing the candle even closer to your lips. <center>//Grimaldi:// «Who do you think I am, a dating agency?»</center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Blow the candle|Finale5]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>HOME - FIRST FLOOR CORRIDOR</strong></center> The corridor is identical to the ground floor. Here and there, there are a couple of houseplants. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Enter your apartment|APPARTAMENTO3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go down to the ground floor|CASA_PT3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> HOME - GROUND FLOOR CORRIDOR </strong></center> No one in sight. Not even Mrs. Conti sweeping. Her precious tailcoat is soaking wet, in the bathroom basket. You think it's acceptable to let her pick it up herself; she'll come by later, as always. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Check the mailbox|Posta3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Observe the religious shrine|Madonna3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go up to the first floor|CASA_1P3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Exit to the street|MONFALCO_MAZZINI3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>MONFALCO - VIA MAZZINI</strong></center> The main street of Monfalco. The continuous noise of the sewer fills the air from the manholes. Fortunately, not the smell. This morning is strangely deserted. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Head for the cemetery|STRADA_CIMITERO3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the bar|BAR3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter the house|CASA_PT3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to Via Cavour|MONFALCO_CAVOUR3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> ROAD NEAR THE CEMETERY </strong></center> You walk slowly towards Grimaldi's house. Pepe trots ahead of you. The motorcycle is gone... a bad sign? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Go to the bus stop|FERMATA_BUS3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the cemetery|CIMITERO3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Go to the caretaker's house|FINALE1]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Enter Monfalco|MONFALCO_MAZZINI3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> CEMETERY </strong></center> The gate is open, but the cemetery is visibly deserted. It's still early, and both Grimaldi and Bianca will be at home. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Go back to the street|STRADA_CIMITERO3]]>><</button>></center>

The entire gate shakes under your blows, although they're not very strong. No one answers. <center>// $nome: // "Bianca! It's $nome!"</center> You knock again. You've knocked on this gate more times than the last six postmen who covered this area. <center>// $nome: // «Oh, for heaven's sake... It's starting to get ridiculous.»</center> The //perpetually-empty-house// echoes. You feel like you hear a distant voice. You wait just a moment, and... someone opens the door. Someone you've never seen before. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|FINALE1.1]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Guardiano.png"></center> <center>//Old man:// «Who are you? What do you want?»</center> A man in his sixties looks at you with a confused expression. Unkempt beard, a pungent smell of wine. Two clear and sad eyes. <center>//$nome:// «Excuse me, I'm looking for Bianca, the waitress, but... who are you?»</center> The man takes on an incredulous and furious expression. <center>//$nome:// «I apologize, I... came to get my coat...» //Old man:// «BIANCA IS DEAD! SHE DIED LAST YEAR! STOP COMING TO LOOK FOR HER, YOU STUDENTS! I'VE ALREADY SAID I DON'T WANT TO BE DISTURBED! GET THE HELL OUT, YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!»</center> The old man slams the door violently. You can hear him crying softly. He was clearly drunk. //Old man:// «PIGS! ALL DISGUSTING PIGS!»</center> you hear him cursing. You walk away, bewildered and frightened. That man is out of his mind. Now you're furious with Bianca. Another damn prank? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|FINALE1.2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong> CEMETERY </strong></center> Pepe whines with joy and rushes towards the cemetery. Well, might as well follow. You hurry after him, but he's too fast. Yes, that dog should do competitions. Pepe stops at the nameless tombstone. And nearby... <center>//$nome:// «Bianca! What are you doing here? Are you okay?»</center> Bianca is lying on the grass, the white dress is stained with blood on her abdomen. A gruesome sight that almost makes you faint... Her legs are spread, blood flowing from under the long, dirty skirt. And she smiles at you. In her hand, she holds a bunch of lilies, yours, and brings them to her nose delicately. You're out of breath. <center>//$nome:// «What? WHAT IS...?!» <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Bianca.png"> //Bianca:// «Sorry for making you wait. Your coat is...»</center> Bianca points to the //nameless-tombstone//. The coat is there, neatly folded and clean. You're dreaming. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Finale2]]>><</button>></center>

<center><img src = "images/Portrait_Pepe.png"></center> Pepe is your anchor. Dogs are always happy because they have no idea what they're doing. You were happy yesterday because, in the same way, you let yourself be carried away by events. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>DESK</strong></center> Your small desk, kindly granted by the landlady. As usual, you tear the page and start jotting down the day's plan: * Retrieve the coat from Bianca --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO3]]>><</button>></center>

There's a brisk breeze, and the cemetery is peaceful. Yesterday's torrential rain cleaned the streets, but there's a terrible swamp in the fields around. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <center><<button [[Continue|APPARTAMENTO3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>APARTMENT - BATHROOM</strong></center> The bathroom is small. There's nothing interesting, as in all bathrooms. You're convinced to find in the mirror the usual pale, gaunt face, with light eyes lost in a world that doesn't belong to it. <center><img src = "images/Portrait_Hero.png"> Is it really you? Weren't you happy until yesterday? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Freshen up|Lavabo3]]>><</button>></center> <center><<button [[Leave the bathroom|APPARTAMENTO3]]>><</button>></center>

There's something strange... The water is coming out slowly and intermittently... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|BAGNO3]]>><</button>></center>

It seems to be just an advertising flyer. You read it quickly: "Amaro Rpg2S, the classic brand of vermouth, since 1835." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT3]]>><</button>></center>

The little Madonna observes you with compassion. There's something in her pupil-less gaze that leaves you perplexed... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|CASA_PT3]]>><</button>></center>

No espresso. The bar is closed today. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|MONFALCO_MAZZINI3]]>><</button>></center>

It's not the time to wander around the town. Bianca is waiting for you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|MONFALCO_MAZZINI3]]>><</button>></center>

<center><strong>BUS STOP</strong></center> Silence reigns supreme... but the iron clock is working! Well done, mayor. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|STRADA_CIMITERO3]]>><</button>></center>

<center> //DISCLAIMER:// This is a short text adventure set in Italy in 1922. Any reference to political characters or ideologies is intended purely for context and entertainment purposes. Any reference to real events to real people is intended to be purely coincidental. This story is based on a local legend from northern Italy, and was created for a halloween contest. //The author is not a native english speaker: the translation was done with the support of AI.// Enjoy! </center> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <center><<button [[Continue|Intro_0]]>><</button>></center>

<center>Thank you for being here. Choose the name of the main character and press enter. <center><span id="link1"><<link "Any suggestions?">> <<run $("#link1").toggle()>> <<run $("#text2").css("visibility", "visible")>> <</link>></span><span id="text2" style="visibility: hidden">For better immersion, the young man could call himself by a name appropriate to his origins and time. The most common were... //Giuseppe, Mario, Aldo, Alberto, Fernando, Marcello, Giorgio, Sergio, Franco, Emilio, Giacomo...//</span></center> <img src = "images/Portrait_Hero.png"> <<textbox "$nome" "" "Intro_0.5">> </center>

<center>Thank you for accompanying $nome on his journey! <img src = "images/Logo.png"> My other games: https://emptyworld-games.itch.io/ Come visit me on the web: http://linktr.ee/emptyworld/ Louie Raphael || Emptyworld_games || ottobre 2023 </center>