(if:visits is >= 3 and $Reason is < 1)[A serious deja vu vibe hits you like a ton of bricks. The bricks that you used to build your cottage. It feels like you've been stuck in a loop coming to this cave for years.
[[Return home.->in house]]
[[Crawl under your house and wait for the end.->Crawlspace]]
[[Enter the cave.->Old Cave]]]
(else:)[(if: $sleep is "true" or $mailbox is "true")[You've been dragged you to the entrance of the cave. It's more an ominous giant sinkhole and less a cave. Very uninviting.
(if: $secure is "true")[[Enter the cave.->Enter the Cave]]
[[Retreat to the safety of home.->outside your house]]
]
(else:)[The cave is less a cave and more an ominous giant sinkhole. It looks spooky and dangerous, just like you said.
(if: $secure is "true")[[Enter the cave.->Enter the Cave]]
[[Retreat to the safety of home.->outside your house]]
]]Your eyes adjust as you descend, but there's not much to see until you hit the bottom. There's a musk on the breeze and you're not quite sure if it's $name or mildew.
[["Do you smell that, $name?"->smellcave]](if:$mailbox is "true")[The setting sun bounces amber off the thatched roof of your little brick cottage. Warm streaks of gold run through your topiary garden and onto the large cobblestone walkway.
[[Go to the cave.->Cave Entrance]]
[[Go inside your cozy house.->in house]]
You know the mailbox is rigged and should just let the postal service deal with it.]
(else:)[The setting sun bounces amber off the thatched roof of your little brick cottage. Warm streaks of gold run through your topiary garden and onto the large cobblestone walkway.
[[Go to the cave.->Cave Entrance]]
[[Go inside your cozy house.->in house]]]<txt|
(link: "Check the mail.")[(replace:?txt)[
You open the mailbox and peer inside. You feel a spray of hot mist hit your face. "$name," you shout, but you can't fight the somniferous wave that overcomes you.(set: $mailbox to "true")
(if:$Reason > 0)
[[Enter your mind palace and find a solution.->MailboxAntidote]]
(set: $counter to 8)
You have (css: "color: red; font-size: 100%")[|amount>[$counter]] seconds left!
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(go-to: "Cave Entrance")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
]]You open a little door on the side of your cottage and climb in. Spears of light between the floorboards illuminate the dust and cobwebs as you lay on the pebbles, staring up at the underside of your living room.
You hear a voice calling. "Hello? Anybody home?" howls $name over and over. Eventually, $name gives up and leaves.
[[Head back outside.->outside your house]]
[[Just stay here forever.->End]]As you stumble deeper into the cave, you feel a crisp crunching under your feet. your eyes adjust and you realize that they are bones so ancient they're nearly dust.
You spot a familiar outfit wrapped around a bony outcropping. Even without the flapping gums, you'd recognize $name's jabberjaw anywhere. How long had they been hounding you to explore this cave? Time really flies by. Perhaps it's time for you to rest as well.
[[End->End]](set: $name to
(prompt: "Enter Name", "Dunceton")
)
[[Who Needs a Reason?->Greetings]]
(set: $showfooter to "false")(set: $Reason to 10)
(set: $showFooter to "true") (if: $showfooter is true)[
Psyche: |Reason>[$Reason]
(link: "Restart")[(reload:)]](set: $showfooter to true)
["Hey glip what rip on the siddlebort?" says $name.]<txt|
(link: "Reason out $name's nonsense.")[ (replace:?txt)[
You bend your mental capacity and puzzle out what $name is saying. "There's a cave I discovered in the foothills leading to Mount Turkeyfoot. I'm going to investigate. I'm not much for spelunking on my own, so you're coming with me for back up."
[["That sounds a little spooky, not to mention dangerous. I don't plan on dying, but knock yourself out. I'm going home."->outside your house]]
](set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]](set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
You stumble to the garden shed and tear open the door. Your eyes are heavy. A-ha, under the ropes and assorted equipment is a row of old jugs. Ammonia--as close to smelling salts as you'll get. You flip the lid and take a big whiff. Whoo. Back to your senses. Or what's left of them, anyway.
"Whatchu doin'?" says $name from behind you.
You turn to face them.
[["$name, you idiot, you could have killed me."->ammoniaconfrontation]][You head around back to the little shed chock full of spelunking supplies. You knew this day would come, eventually.]<txt|
(link: "Gather the ropes and harnesses.")[(replace:?txt)[
You collect all the appropriate gear for cave diving. "Come here, "$name," you say, let's get you strapped in."
$name says, "I can do it myself. I tied my shoes this morning." Their bedraggled lace drags free, aglet stuck in the tread of their shoe.]
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
(if: $Reason > 0)[(set: $secure="true")[["I'll handle all the safety checks, thank you very much."->secureEquip]]]
(else:)[(set: $secure="false")[[You're right. Have at it.->secureEquip]]]
](if: $Reason > 0)[You look around at your sparse but comfy home. The table that was once rough hewn has been smoothed by loving use. Your chair is broken in just the way you like it.
(if: $screams is "true")[You hear $name rustling around in the bushes. He must have gotten himself un-dangered. Ah well. Maybe next time.]
[[Put on the kettle.->tea]]
[[Crawl in to bed.->bed]]
[[Finish your crossword.->crossword]]
]
(else:)[You're not really feeling this house anymore, or houses at all. Caves might be up your alley. Weird, since you thought that was $name's thing, not yours, but you can't shake it.
[[Give in to the lure of the cave.->Cave Entrance]]
]You put the kettle on. After a brief moment, it bubbles and you pour it over an infusion of chamomile and lavender that you've carefully balanced to your taste.
(if: $sleep is "true" and $Reason > 0)[You sniff the tea carefully. You've been burned before. And just as you thought. The kettle was spiked with sleeping drugs. You dump the tea out.
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
[["$name!"->dunstontea]]
[["I should just give it a rest->bed]]
[["Finishing my crossword should calm me down."->crossword]]]
(else:)[(set: $counter to 6)
You chug down the tea. A warm and fuzzy sensation overcomes you.
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(set: $sleep to "true")(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason](go-to: "Cave Entrance")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
][(set: $counter to 3)
You climb under your warm covers and before you know it, you doze off.
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(set: $sleep to "true")(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason](go-to: "Cave Entrance")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
][You settle into your chair and work on the crossword. The words flow from your pen (of course, you do your crossword in pen), working down the columns sequentially.]
(if: $Reason > 1)[The final clue, 109 across, (print: $name's length) letters. It comes to you instantly, and you lick the tip of your pen in satisfaction, ready to swipe a strike through the clue until you spy the spidery block print each square.
(text-style:"shudder")[[["<upp>$name</upp>!"->dunstoncrossword]]]]
(else:)[You settle into your chair and work on the crossword. The words flow from your pen (of course, you do your crossword in pen), working down the columns sequentially. The final clue, 6 across, (print: $name's length) letters, you know it instantly. Naturally it's $name. You trace the characters that are already in the squares. You can't remember filling them in, but maybe you're just that good.
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
[[Make a celebratory tea.->tea]]](if: $Reason > 0)[A head pops up in the front window you opened to let in the cool morning breeze. "You rang?" asks $name.
"You screwed up my puzzle. You know I can't start the day until I finish my crossword.
"A finished crossword is a job well done," says $name. "It doesn't much matter what you write down. The answers are in your heart."
"That's entirely not true," you reply as you pop out the front door to confront $name.
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
"Ah, great. Ready for an adventure now?"
[["Forget it, I'm taking a nap."->bed]]
[["I'm going to have some tea and relax.->tea]]
]
(else:)[A head pops up in the front window you opened to let in the cool morning breeze. "You rang?" asks $name.
[["Yes," you reply. Let's get started."->Cave Entrance]]
]
$name picks up the jug. "It smells good."
(if: $Reason > 0)["You're going to hurt yourself." (set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
[[Snatch the jug away.->snatch]]]
(else:)["Let me have another sniff."(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason] You grab the jug and inhale deeply. Oh yeah, that's the stuff.
[["This cave thing is sounding pretty good."->Cave Entrance]]
]You grab the jug out of $name's hands. It sloshes and spills all over your shirt. You get another headrush, then cap the bottle with a huff.(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
"I've just about had it, $name. I think it's time you went home. I need to get cleaned up."
$name's chin droops into their jugular notch and they Charlie Brown on down the path towards home.
[["Wait a minute, $name. We can go exploring."->Supplies]]
[[Hate to watch them leave, but love to--actually--love to watch them leave, so you do.->sneaktocave]](if: $Reason > 0)[You collect the ropes, pulleys, spikes, and other assorted spelunking gear you've stored just for such an occasion. Motto number (print: $name's length): Too prepared is how you like your life and your mustard.
[[Hustle back to rescue $name.->caveEntranceSave2]]
]
(else:)[The lure of the ammonia jug is just too much. You inhale deeply and forget all about $name.
[[Head back in the house.->in house]]
]$name fades away under the tree-lined path. You turn to head inside when suddenly you hear a shout. Clearly it's $name, but it sounds like they're in danger.
(if:$Reason > 0)[[[Run to the shouts.->caveEntranceSave]]]
(else:)[(set: $counter to 8)
You have (css: "color: red; font-size: 100%")[|amount>[$counter]] seconds left!
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(go-to: "ignoreScreams")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
](set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
(if: $Reason > 0)[You see $name hanging on for dear life. The cave is less a cave and more a giant sinkhole. This is a day you've prepared for.
(if: $Reason < 3)[[Grab $name's arms and try to pull them up.->pullup]]
[[Run to the shed for equipment.->shed]]
]
(else:)[[Climb down and hang beside them.->hanging]]You sit and wait for the screams to fade. They do. Finally some peace and quiet.
[[Return home.->in house]]
[[Sit and enjoy the silence.->nameReturns]][(set: $counter to 5)
You try to heft $name out of the hole, but their flappy arms discombobulate the both of you and you topple into the darkness.
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason](go-to: "Enter the Cave")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]All you see are the tips of three fingers slowly slipping down into the hole. "$name! Just hang on," you shout.
"Oh, I'm OK. Just pull me up by my loose pinky." You see a pinky pop over the cusp and waggle at you.
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
(if:$Reason > 0)[[["I'm strapping into my gear first."->rescueProper]]]
(else:)[
["That sounds like a good idea."]<txt|
(link: "Grab $name by their wagging digit.")[ (replace:?txt)[
As you pull on $name's pinky, the rocks slide out from under your unprepared feet. You scrabble, but before you know it, you're hanging mid-air beside them, $name's ring caught on your sleeve, the only thing holding you until you reach up for the ledge and only then do you realize that $name has already let go.
(set: $counter to 5)
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(go-to: "Enter the Cave")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
]]
]You hang beside $name, enjoying the breeze coming from below.
"Shall we drop in?" asks $name.
[["That sounds like a plan."->Enter the Cave]]
[["Nah, I have things to do at home.->outside your house]](if: $Reason > 0)[You strap into your gear and just as $name's grip slides from the precipice, you flip over the edge of the hole with a practiced maneuver (though only from the safety of your couch to the floor) and grab them.
(set: $secure to "true")
"Oh, thank heavens," says $name. "Time to go exploring."
[["If you won't let me do anything else, then we're going to do it properly."->Enter the Cave]]
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
]
(else:)[
[(set: $counter to 6)
It seems you haven't practiced jumping from the couch to the floor in your spelunking gear and can't quite remember how it all fits together. Oh well. You tie a few things together and it's good enough.
You drop down off the ledge and grab $name under the armpit. Ah nuts. Good enough wasn't good enough, and the ropes slide out of the buckles.
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason](go-to: "Enter the Cave")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
]
](if: $Reason is > 0 and $secure is "true")[[[You properly secure your gear and then strap $name into theirs too.->Cave Entrance]]]
(else:)[$name wraps the ropes around your waists and says, "It would work better if you climbed into my shirt."
"OK," you say, and squirm into their shirt, back-to-back, squeezing your melon through the headhole and wrangling your arms into the sleeves.
[[You crabwalk over to the cave entrance.->Cave Entrance]]]You contemplate life and nature and everything wondrous, not noticing the shuffling behind you.
"Hoo. That was a close shave," says $name. "We should get to exploring that cave before it gets dark."
(set: $screams ="true")
[["It's getting late."->in house]]
[["We should prepare->Supplies]]
[["Tally ho!"->Cave Entrance]](if: $Reason > 0)[You rush outside and nearly trip over $name, who waits on your front porch. "$name, did you adulterate my tea with a sleeping concoction . . . again?"
"Define sleeping concoction."
You sputter, getting a little irritated.
"Just a little, says $name. "You needed some encouragement to take that first step. The cave awaits."
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
"Unbelieveable. The cave looks dangerous. [[I'm going back in and you should go home.->in house]]"
]
(else:)[You call for $name and your front door swings open. They were apparently waiting for you. You look him up and down with a serious gaze. "Great tea. Really hit the spot."
[["Let's get a move on. The cave awaits."->outside your house]]]Finally, some peace and quiet.$name sniffs the air and then themselves. "I don't smell anything."
Great, it is them.
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
[[Pinch your nose and carry on.->CaveNetwork]][The decent ends and abruptly makes a sharp right angle where it opens into a long tunnel. You can see an eerie blue glow ahead.]<txt|
(link: "We should turn back, $name. I don't like the look of this.")[(replace:?txt)["Can't you feel it?" asks $name. "There's something very exciting ahead."
"Yeah, our grisly demises." You wonder if the gallows humor will drop the humor in fifty paces.
(if: $Reason >0)[Even with ropes and proper gear, you're not sure you can make the climb back out.]
(else:)[$name nods excitedly, "That's the magic of the unknown. Let's keep moving.]
[[Press on whether you like it or not.->Cavern]]
](set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]]
The cavern is filled with the teeth of stalactites and stalagmites, glowing with a plaque of fungi. $name marvels at the sight.
(if: $Reason > 0) [You hear rumblings from behind. As you turn, the chasm cracks and collapses, like your mind, trapping you inside.]
[(set: $counter to $Reason)
It's too much. (css: "color: red; font-size: 100%")[|amount>[$counter]] mental capacity left!
(live: 1s)[
(set: $counter to it - 1)
(if: $counter is 0)[(go-to: "Cavern2")]
(replace: ?amount)[$counter]
]
(set: $Reason to it -1)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]
]
(else:)[$name grabs your hand and drags you forward. Neither of you really notice nor care about the collapsing tunnel behind you.
[[Keep Going->Cavern3]]]The cavern is filled with the teeth of stalactites and stalagmites, glowing with a plaque of fungi. $name marvels at the sight.
You hear rumblings from behind. As you turn, the chasm cracks and collapses, like your mind, trapping you inside.
$name grabs your hand and drags you forward. Neither of you really notice nor care about the collapsing tunnel behind you.
[[Keep Going->Cavern3]]
(set: $Reason to it -10)(replace: ?Reason)[$Reason]$name grabs your hand and drags you forward. Neither of you really notice nor care about the collapsing tunnel behind you.
[[Keep Going->Cavern4]]$name grabs your hand and drags you forward. Neither of you really notice nor care about the collapsing tunnel behind you.
[[Keep Going->Cavern5]]The rumbling stops with a final plume of dust. As it settles, you notice the walls are made of crystal and you can make out vague shapes moving inside. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing, $name?"
"I see them. I've always seen them. It's what I wanted to show you. I don't know why you were so stubborn."
"Beautiful," you reply. Thousands of $name and you faceted across thousands of angles, each dreaming, each writing, each reading. "I wish I had a cup of tea."
[[End->End2]]$name sits down beside you and you both enjoy the quiet, watching what happens next.