(enchant: "gold", (text-colour: yellow) + (text-style:'bold'))
You're standing in front of a house painted gold. Long on the receiving end of neighborhood lore, the house is supposedly: haunted, inhabited by a witch, inhabited by a wizard, a portal to another universe, the center of a multi-national (perhaps even multi-dimensional) cult, populated by satanists, or the workplace of a disgraced inventor.
The truth is, well, that's why you're here, right? The truth? What started as a fun little story about the neighborhood has turned into four months of research. And still, nothing about this house. Nobody knows what year it was built, who built it, or even who lives in it.
You've been here countless times, knocking endlessly on a door that you weren't sure had someone on the other side. But today, you have an invitation. Or at least, an email.
You approach the door.
[[Read the email one more time]]
[[Knock on the door]]
[[Leave]]You pull out your phone, open up your email app, and pull up the email you received with directions.
>>Dear Sir or Madammmm
I ve been inoformed your looking for the owneer of the golden house on musgrave street. I can help. Be at the house on tuesday, 2pm. I'll let you in then and show your around.
Typos notwithstanding, this is the only lead you've had in months, and it's better than nothing.
[[Leave]]
[[Knock on the door]] You knock on the door. No answer. You wait, listening. You hear footsteps coming toward the door. Then the sound of the latch unlocking, and finally, the door opens.
A short creature stands in front of you. It seems half dwarf, half robot. It has white plastic armor on, rollerskates, and hands like a claw machine. "Hello!" it says. "You are here from the email?" It asks.
You nod.
"Excellent! It has been some time since we've had visitors. Please come in. The machine is very excited you're here.
[[Ask the creature what machine it's talking about]]
[[Nod and follow the creature]]
[[Ask the creature for its name]]You decide to leave. This isn't worth it.
As you turn away from the house, you feel a presence behind you. You look over your shoulder. Nothing. You continue to walk away from the house but can't shake the feeling. You turn again, still nothing. Again, you go to leave, but again, you get that feeling. This time though, it's different. You feel sadness and paranoia. Then, tiredness. You lay down on the sidewalk. You don't wake up.
(link:"Try again")[(goto:"Start")]"I'm sorry, what machine?"
"Oh!" (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] replies, the machine is the main attraction here. It'll tell you everything you need to know.
[[Nod and follow the creature]] You nod and decide to follow (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature].
You're led through the house, down a hallway with oil portraits. You look ahead, and (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] beckons you to follow with a smile.
"We're here," (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] says.
You see a box in the middle of the room. "Is this the machine?" you ask.
"It certainly is!" (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] says.
[[Approach the machine]]"What's your name?" you ask.
"Oh!" the creature seems surprised. "It's Emil."
[[Nod and follow the creature]]
[[Ask the creature what machine it's talking about]] (set: $list to (array: "demon holding a book and teeth", "four small boys with carved faces", "tentacles under tunics"))
(set: $read to (shuffled: ...$list))
(set: $finished to (a:))
You approach the machine. It looks like a simple box. When you look back to the doorway, (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] urges you along. "Open it! It'll give you what you need."
[[Open the box]]You open the box.
(link: "Look inside the box")[(goto: 1st of $read)]
Inside the box you see a pile of a tunics. Digging through it, you realize the box is full of tentacles.
[[Grab yourself some tentacles, see what happens]]
[[Poke tentacles]]
[[Question what you've done to deserve this]]Inside the box you see four small boys. Very small. They're about two inches tall. They don't have human faces, instead, someone carved their [[heads]] from the trunks of tiny trees.
The boys speak in unison. "Hello there?" they say, as a question, not a statement. "We weren't expecting you?"
[[Ask who they were expecting]](enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
Inside the box you see a small demon holding a book. Teeth surround the demon.
[[Ask the demon what it's doing inside the box]]
[[Ask the demon about the history of the house]]
[[Turn around and leave the box]]
(enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
"Hello there," you say, "What are doing inside this box?"
The demon looks up from its book. The demon sets the teeth down. You notice the demon is wearing glasses, which the demon then removes.
"Oh, hello there," the demon says. (either: "He", "She") continues, and [[who might you be?]]
(enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
You ask the demon about the history of the house.
"Oh, hello there," the demon says. (either: "He", "She") continues, and [[who might you be?]]This is too much. You turn around and leave. You can hear a small voice behind you saying, "That was rude."
You make your way past (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature], and exit the house. As the bright sun hits your skin, your chest begins to ache. It feels like a giant hand is squeezing your entire body. You look to the sky for help. The last thing you see is tentacles emerge from behind the clouds.
(set: $finished to $finished + (a: "demon holding a book and teeth"))(set: $read to $read - $finished)
(if: $read's length > 0)[(link: "Try again")[(goto: "Open the box")]]
(else:)[(set: $read to (shuffled: ...$finished))
(set: $finished to $finished - $finished)
(link: "Continue")[(goto: "Start")]](set: $name to (prompt: "And who might you be?", "default name"))
(enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
The demon looks you up and down. "Well, hello $name. It's nice to meet you." The demon pauses, briefly, "I don't mean to be rude, but in my world, we ask for names before we start asking questions. My name is Crypton, for what it's worth."
[[Apologize to Crypton]]
[[Ask about the history of the house]]
[[Ask what Crypton's reading]](enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
"I'm sorry," you say, "this is all a little new to me. To be honest, I wasn't expecting a demon inside the box."
"It's okay," Crypton says, "I've been alone in here for a long time, so I might've been a bit short."
An awkward tension remains between you.
[[Ask Crypton why they're in a box]]
[[Ask about the history of the house]]
[[Ask what Crypton's reading]] (enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
"Do you know much about the history of this house?" you ask. "I've been trying to learn about this place for years, but it's all rumors and hearsay."
"Oh yes, I know quite a bit," Crypton says.
The pause lingers a while.
"I'd love to hear what you know," you say, urging Crypton along.
"Oh yes, certainly." Crypton says.
"Uh," you say.
"Oh, right." Crypton says. "I built this house, though I couldn't tell you how many years ago that was. I did so because my worshippers needed a roof over their head. The townspeople were very rude about it, to be honest."
[["Your worshippers?"]](enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
"What are you reading?" you ask.
Crypton holds up the book, "It's called 'Master Your Feelings, Master Yourself', by Elizabeth Stockett. It's supposed to help me suss out some of my feelings. You see--and don't be judgemental!--I've had some issues with self-worth."
"You seem so confident." You say.
"I appreciate that! I've been working on it. At some point, I realized, I was undervaluing myself, you know?"
"Sure, I understand," you say.
"I've had some real trauma over the years and sometimes I tie my self-worth to others, instead of myself." Crypton continues. "It's not healthy, I know that! But I still crave the valuation of others."
"It's okay, we all have things like that," you say.
The two of you stare at each other, briefly content.
[[Ask about the history of the house]] (enchant: "demon", (text-colour: red) + (text-style:'bold'))
"Why are you inside the box?" you ask.
Crypton laughs. "Where else would I be?"
You think about that for a while. "Well, I..." you stutter, before going silent.
"The world's as it is, $name, not as you want it to be, or as you think it ought to."
"I suppose you're right. But, well, let me reword this then. What do you do all day in that box?"
Crypton looks down, "Well I read a bit. And sometimes I talk with the teeth, unless they don't feel like chatting."
This seems to resolve the question for Crypton, but you feel a lot is still missing in this exchange.
[[Ask about the history of the house]]
[[Ask what Crypton's reading]] It's worth pointing out, I think, that these heads weren't children's heads. They were the heads of wizards, carved from the trunks of massive trees, but then somehow shrunk down for the pint-sized children. The group gives off the simultaneous senses of youth and wisdom.
(link:"back")[(goto:"four small boys with carved faces")]"Who were you expecting?"
"Well(if: (history:) contains "who might you be?")[ $name](else:)[], we weren't expecting you?"
(if: (history:) contains "who might you be?")["How do you know my name?" you ask.
"We know everything from all the timelines?"](else:)[]
"We are curious what [[you seek]]?" they ask.
[[Ask the children about the history of the house]]"Oh yes, I was once a pretty **big deal** on account of my resemblence to your civilization's 'devil' or 'Satan' or whatever you call that thing these days. I mean, aside from my small stature, that is. But it turns out people stretch their beliefs to fit the reality in front of them. So, if a small demon like myself appears and they want to worship Satan, well, who am I too judge?
In retrospect, yes, it was probably a bit careless, but if I'm honest with myself, and I try to be nowadays, (if: (history:) contains "Ask what Crypton's reading")[*and as we talked about earlier*,](else:)[] I used to have some insecurity issues. I was always seeking approval from *someone*."
"But you could deliver on some of those godly duties, like building a house?"
"Oh sure, who can't build a house, these days?"
"So, what happened to your worshippers?" you ask.
"The townspeople got to them, took them into rehabilitation centers, and I never saw them again. Ever since then, it's me and (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] here. Which is fine by me! I like solitude.
In a bout of frustration, you let loose with all your question in a jumbled mess.
[["But who handles all the upkeep? Why does the house look so nice outside? And why did you paint it gold?"]] "Calm down!" Crypton says. "I'm a demon, the upkeep happens magically, okay? And it's gold because that's what the worshippers wanted! Is that strange? Are gold houses not normal here? It's not like it's real gold. Or maybe it was? Like little gold flakes? Shucks, now I can't remember."
"I should be going!" You can't take it any longer. You yell, on accident, but it's too late to take it back.
"Hrm, yes, you should be leaving." Crypton seems to pause on that, and as you turn away you hear Crypton's finger's snap. You can't move.
"Since you're here. I'd like to have at least one worshipper again." Crypton sizes you up, then claps, and in an instant, you feel yourself shrunk down to the demon's size.
"You'll live with me and (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature]."
(set: $finished to $finished + (a: "demon holding a book and teeth"))(set: $read to $read - $finished)
(if: $read's length > 0)[(link: "Try again")[(goto: "Open the box")]]
(else:)[(set: $read to (shuffled: ...$finished))
(set: $finished to $finished - $finished)
(link: "Continue")[(goto: "True ending")]]You find yourself in front of the golden house again. As you look on, the house slowly dissolves, leaving nothing but a light mist in its place. As you turn to leave (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] appears in front of you.
"Did you find your answers, at least?" (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature] asks.
You nod, thank (if: (history:) contains "Ask the creature for its name")[Emil](else:)[the creature], and leave. "Do you children know the history of the house? Who built it, who lived here before?"
"We know much about this house? But not about every house here?" They say, their chorus of questioning voices causes your [[ears to burn]].
[[I don't need to know about every house, just this one.]]Interesting that they assume you're looking for something, isn't it? It's almost like everything in this story knows you're coming.
(link:"back")[(goto:"Ask who they were expecting")]Sometimes, events in sync are a true pleaure. Look at synchronized swimming. Or ballet. But this? This quad-voiced creep fest is grating to say the least.
(link:"back")[(goto:"Ask the children about the history of the house")]"A Swiss immigrant built the house to house his family? It was, we think, sometime in the 1800s?"
"Has the family always lived here?" You ask.
"Yes? We've always been here? The family came from all over the world? We were truly happy for a time? We worshipped here and [[built statues of ourselves in the basements]]? We made art for the people of the town? We wore [[gold masks]]? But eventually, father died? And the family was too hurt to stay here? They left us as protection?"
[[What do you mean 'left as protection'?]]
[[Where are they now?]]
What the hell?
(link:"back")[(goto:"I don't need to know about every house, just this one.")](if: (history:) contains "What do you mean 'left as protection'?")["What do you mean protect the family? Didn't you say they left?"](else:)[]
"We don't know where the family went? It's our understanding that our understanding is potentially dangerous? For example if you were here to track the family?"
"Why would anyone want the family dead?" you ask.
"Our family believed in things the rest of the town did not?"
(if: (history:) contains "How so?")["Tell me more."](else:)[ [[How so?]]]
"Our family sought a portal to another land? We used these geometric shapes?" The children move their hands in unison to reveal a series of triangles that forms into the shape of a circle.
"These shapes brought us to the new land and with it a deeper understanding of the world? Something we wanted to share with the other people of the town, but the people of the town were not interested?"
(if: (history:) contains "How so?")[ [["Interesting"]]](else:)[ [[A portal?]]]
Anytime you ask a question you feel yourself falling into the same cadance and rhythm of the children. It's unsettling. Perhaps there's a way you can avoid asking questions altogether.
(link:"back")[(goto:"Where are they now?")]"Father left us here to protect the house? We see everything that happens around the house, in every time? So we know about what you've done before?"
"What I've done before?" You ask, unclear about what they could possibly mean.
(if: (history:) contains "demon holding a book and teeth")["You met the demon in the box already?"](else:)[](if: (history:) contains "But who handles all the upkeep? Why does the house look so nice outside? And why on earth did you make it gold?")["You've asked it all the same questions you've been asking us?"](else:)[](if: (history:) contains "tentacles under tunics")["You've also talked with the professor about his tentacles?"](else:)[] "You've asked many questions of many throughout the years, yet you continue to pursue some universal truth?"
"But how are you protecting the house?" you ask.
"It isn't the house we're protecting? It's about protecting what we believe to be true? It's about protecting the (link:"people who made this place.")[(goto:"Where are they now?")]""Ah yes, a portal to the RNN?" They say, as though this is something you'd understand. (if: (history:) contains "Fractals?")["You heard about it from the tentacles? Or you should have, anyway?"](else:)[]
"What's the RNN?" [[You ask.]]
"We don't know? But it's the answer to all your questions? Thus seems important here? We found it provides the answers we seek, so our people have gone there to live? We do not know where they are now? But we do know they have no come back? And we are very lonely without them? Here in this box?"
You feel a creeping sensation up your leg. When you look down, you see a tangled web of tree roots has locked your feet in place. The children begin to sing a song:
(text-style: "rumble")[You can see us? You can hear us? We will have you? In our hands?]
You feel your entire body crinkle up, like you're a piece of paper and a giant is rolling you into a ball.
(set: $finished to $finished + (a: "four small boys with carved faces"))(set: $read to $read - $finished)
(if: $read's length > 0)[(link: "Try again")[(goto: "Open the box")]]
(else:)[(set: $read to (shuffled: ...$finished))
(set: $finished to $finished - $finished)
(link: "Continue")[(goto: "True ending")]]"Hmm?"
"That's interesting," you say.
"Don't you have more questions?" they say.
"I have no questions," you reply, "But I'll listen to more of the story of this house if you have more to tell."
"We have nothing more to add, then?" The children seem to collectively frown as much as their wooden faces allow.
The children begin to quietly sing a song, and the box closes over them. Behind you, a portal opens.
(set: $finished to $finished + (a: "four small boys with carved faces"))(set: $read to $read - $finished)
(if: $read's length > 0)[(link: "Try again")[(goto: "Open the box")]]
(else:)[(set: $read to (shuffled: ...$finished))
(set: $finished to $finished - $finished)
(link: "Continue")[(goto: "True ending")]]...With the sinking feeling you've doomed yourself to a long-winded explanation of something the children don't understand, but will pretend to in order to keep you here a bit longer.
(link:"back")[(goto:"A portal?")]Why does the phrase "gold masks" sound so familiar?
(link:"back")[(goto:"I don't need to know about every house, just this one.")](if: (history:) contains "Question what you've done to deserve this")[You give the tentacles a little tickle. Nothing happens. You decide to grab them instead.](else:)[]
"That's quite enough! I'm awake!" says a voice in your head.
"Oh, hello," you say.
(if: (history:) contains "Question what you've done to deserve this")[Why are you talking, we've been over this!](else:)["You don't need to speak out loud, I can hear your thoughts," says the voice in your head.]
"You're here with questions, I assume?" says the voice.
"Yes," you think. I wonder if there's a better way to denote that we're not talking out loud though, you think, briefly forgetting yourself.
(text-style: "bold")[ [[Would you prefer this?]]] asks the voice.
(text-style: "italic")[ [[Or this?]]] asks the voice.
You politely poke the tentacles. Nothing happens.
[[Grab yourself some tentacles, see what happens]]
[[Question what you've done to deserve this]]"You've asked questions, and we're here to provide answers," says a voice in your head. "You're getting what you asked for, whether you deserve it or not."
"Excuse me?" you say out loud.
"You don't need to speak," says the voice in your head."
"Oh," you think.
(link:"Give us a little tickle,")[(goto:"Grab yourself some tentacles, see what happens")] says the voice in your head.**Okay now we're getting somewhere.** says the voice. Or, thinks the voice. Or, makes you think. This formatting thing isn't helping a ton.
**Maybe we go back to how it was before? I can't tell what I can and can't click on.**
(link:"Good idea.")[(goto:"Sure")]*Okay now we're getting somewhere.* says the voice. Or, thinks the voice. Or, makes you think. This formatting thing isn't helping a ton.
*Maybe we go back to how it was before?*
[[Sure]]"So what are you seeking?" asks the voice in your head.
[["The history of the house,"]] you think."I can't tell you the full history," your hear in your head, "I wasn't here the whole time, nor did I ever learn what happened before I arrived."
[["Can you start from when you arrived?"]]"Sure," you hear in your head, "I arrived, I think, due to Professor Producion's research. She was a dream researcher initially, I believe, but after she found me, and subsequently the fractal equations, her research shifted to, well, me, mostly."
[[I have questions]](set: $choiceA to true)
"Some time ago, we opened a portal for her, and she hasn't returned. Time stretches at different rates in each place, and at different points in history, so it's impossible for me to say how long she's been gone. Or how long she thinks she's been gone. She left me here to protect the research and the house, and that's what I've been doing. I keep the house clean and tidy, and I make sure nobody breaks anything."
[[Why is all this happening?]]
(display: "I have questions")(set: $choiceB to true)
(if: (history:) contains "Where are they now?")["You're heard this idea before, I believe. From the four children? Have you already forgotten that?"](else:)["Using handheld triangles, we can open portals to another land. That land is very unlike the one here."]
"I still don't understand," you think.
"Nobody does(if: (history:) contains "Where are they now?")[, despite what you might have heard from others](else:)[]. But the idea is simple: using special handheld geometry, one can open a portal. That portal always leads to the same place, but not always the same time."
[[Why is all this happening?]]
(display: "I have questions")(set: $choiceC to true)
"I am tentacles, from the clouds."
"Are you from here?" you ask.
"No, I came over during one of the professors portal openings."
[[Why is all this happening?]]
(display: "I have questions")"Happening is a state, you know." The voice says.
"But what's the point of all this?"
"You're the one who came here asking the questions!"
The tentacles seem annoyed. If that's something a tentacle can feel. They start moving again, and pull themselves out the box. Endless tentacles, attached to nothing substantial. No body. No head. Nothing. Tentacles.
They wrap around you. They squeeze you. You can feel the tentacles enter your ears. Your mouth. It doesn't hurt, but you can feel yourself losing control. Losing your sense of self.
(if: (history:) contains "demon holding a book and teeth" and "four small boys with carved faces")[You've asked enough questions. We're done here.](else:)[You have more to learn. Seek out other histories.]
(set: $finished to $finished + (a: "tentacles under tunics"))(set: $read to $read - $finished)
(if: $read's length > 0)[(link: "Try again")[(goto: "Open the box")]]
(else:)[(set: $read to (shuffled: ...$finished))
(set: $finished to $finished - $finished)
(link: "Continue")[(goto: "True ending")]](unless: $choiceA)[ [[What happened to the professor?]]]
(unless: $choiceB)[ [[Fractals?]]]
(unless: $choiceC)[ [[What are you?]]](set: $choiceA to false)
(set: $choiceB to false)
(set: $choiceC to false)