ClubFloyd Transcript:
shadows on the mirror by Chrysoula Tzavelas

As played on ifMUD on February 13, 2010

The idea behind ClubFloyd is that each week at a pre-arranged time, a group of people meet online to cooperatively play a game of interactive fiction.

Below is a transcript of shadows on the mirror, written by Chrysoula Tzavelas. shadows on the mirror was originally released as part of the 2003 Interactive Fiction Competition, where it took sixth place. It went on to be nominated for three Xyzzy awards: Best NPCs, Best Individual NPC, and Best Individual PC. You can learn more about the game, including how to download it, by visiting the ifWiki.

WARNING! Below you will find a transcript of people playing this game, and it goes without saying that the transcript is full of spoilers. So, if you've never played this game, and think you might like to at some point, I do not recommend reading any further. Instead, you might want to return to the interactive fiction page.


ToyShop & Floyditorium
#ClubFloyd Discussion
 
Jacqueline says, "(Having already played this, and having been the one to suggest it for ClubFloyd, I'm not really playing this morning, just an observer/logger.)"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load shadows"
Floyd | Welcome to the Cheap Glk Implementation, library version 0.9.0.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | It's raining out.  You lean your head against the window, the glass
Floyd | cold against your cheek, and watch the world slide by.  The city is as
Floyd | grey as the skies, but rainbows catch in the trembling drops of water.
Floyd | The swish-slap of the windshield wipers and low hum of the air
Floyd | conditioner covers up the faint sound of his breathing.  If you close
Floyd | your eyes, you can almost be somewhere else.  Maybe if you try...
Floyd |
Floyd | You tremble inside like a raindrop on the verge of falling, fighting
Floyd | to spread yourself out, let yourself drift away into the sky, away
Floyd | from this car, away from him, away from the fate ahead.  But even with
Floyd | the fear, it's so hard to move on...  or maybe because of the fear.
Floyd | Metal snugs around your wrist as he tightens the cuff, shattering your
Floyd | concentration.  "None of that," he says.  His voice isn't even cold,
Floyd | it's just empty.  He touches a panel on the car's dashboard.  "We'll
Floyd | be there soon," he adds.  Soon.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | shadows on the mirror
Floyd |
Floyd | by Chrysoula Tzavelas
Floyd | IFComp ver 1.0
Floyd | Players new to this game should type ABOUT.  Hints are also available.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | I drew a picture on the window as we rode
Floyd | Then I wiped it dry to see the other side
Floyd | I see no more than you do
Floyd | Believe me, I've tried
Floyd | To find what is missing, to find what is wrong
Floyd | To write the words to my happy-ending November song
Floyd |
Floyd | - "November Song," Mark Henley
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your backpack is on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says (to Floyd), "x galen"
Floyd | From your dreams, you always thought he'd be tall.  Big.  Enormous.
Floyd | He cast such a shadow in your dreams.  But when you looked up in the
Floyd | park and saw him standing there in front of you, just a man, you could
Floyd | barely believe it.  This is what had been hunting you, night and day,
Floyd | across world and wane?  Not so tall, almost slight in build,
Floyd | unremarkable brown hair.  But then his hand closed around your arm,
Floyd | stronger than the silver band there now, and you knew him.  "Your
Floyd | grandfather asked me to find you, Enra," he said, and caught you as
Floyd | your knees buckled.
Floyd |
Floyd | He's wearing an expensive-looking pair of shades that scrape across
Floyd | your nerves.  His suit is very fine, although it bears the signs of
Floyd | being driven in for many hours.  It's typical Man In Black garb.
Floyd | Silver glints at his neck.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x backpack"
Floyd | When he caught you, he peeled it off of you like you were a child,
Floyd | holding your arm in one hand.  After he had you cuffed, attached
Floyd | securely to him, he went through it.  He took your caheris and stepped
Floyd | on it, breaking it into a thousand glittering pieces, and he took the
Floyd | rose pin that Bobby had given you, snorted, and tossed it into the
Floyd | undergrowth.  He looked at your battered mystery novels, your dice,
Floyd | your lensless eyeglasses, laughed humorlessly, and left them in the
Floyd | backpack.
Floyd |
Floyd | It's raining steadily out.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x silver"
Floyd | (the cuff)
Floyd | The silver cuff can loosen and tighten around your wrist like a
Floyd | training collar on a dog when he pulls on it, which is easy for him to
Floyd | do, because the other end is around his own wrist.  It's closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison asks, "just got a call from my brother. seems like we are going to go see 'the fantastic mr. fox' with my nephew in like an hour. are we close to beating this yet?"
Jacqueline says, "ha"
Cathy says, "heh"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "talk to Galen"
Floyd | He glances at you expectantly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask Galen about grandfather"
Floyd | "What does my grandfather want?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "The usual," he says.  "Power and immortality."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Ellison), "I mostly want to see that film just so I can see if they included my favorite line from the book. Which is when one of the small foxes asks, 'How will we die, mummy?'"
Jacqueline says, "Or something like that."
Ellison says (to Floyd), "ask galen about caheris"
Floyd | "Why did you break my little crystal?"  you ask thoughtfully.
Floyd |
Floyd | He gives you a look.  "Instructions from your grandfather."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask Galen about grandfather"
Floyd | "My grandfather told you to break my stone, specifically?"
Floyd |
Floyd | "Yes."
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen touches the control panel and a symbol flashes.  It's still
Floyd | raining.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says (to Jacqueline), "cool, I am not familiar with the book, but I will be on the listen-out for such a line"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "close eyes"
Floyd | Those are not something you can close.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "drift"
Floyd | The word "drift" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | (If this was an accidental misspelling, you can correct it by typing
Floyd | OOPS followed by the corrected word now.  Any time the story points
Floyd | out an unknown word, you can correct a misspelling using OOPS as your
Floyd | next command.)
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy arrives, full of fun and funk.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x control panel"
Floyd | You never learned to read the symbols.  You've never had to drive
Floyd | yourself anywhere before.  First there were Daddy's people, and then
Floyd | Stephan, and then Bobby.  And now Grandfather's people, apparently.
Floyd | But not for long.  Soon you won't go anywhere ever again.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "Whoops...I'm late."
DavidW says, "We started late. You haven't missed much."
Touchy asks, "Is there a recap function for Floyd?"
Touchy says, "Oh, sweet."
Jacqueline says, "We've been playing, like, seven minutes."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x novels"
Floyd | You see no novels here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "Well, good to see you both."
Jacqueline says, "I could send you my scrollback, but I don't think there's a recap feature."
DavidW says, "You can recap #toyshop"
Touchy says, "And the silent people lurking in the shadows of course."
Jacqueline asks, "Do you want me ... you can?"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x mystery novels"
Floyd | You see no mystery novels here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I had no idea you could recap the toyshop."
Jacqueline says, "Huh."
DavidW says, "inky extended @recap to recap certain rooms by creating channels for them. You can @recap #lounge too."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x briefcase"
Floyd | It probably has terrible weapons in it.  Bombs.  Nerve poisons.
Floyd | Battery swords.  Laser nunchunks.  Tasers.  Smooth black tronic
Floyd | devices for unlocking doors and people equally well.  It's closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "That's awesome."
DavidW says (to Cathy), "The novel should be in the back pack."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door"
Floyd | This is the kind of door where all the useful functions- the window,
Floyd | the lock, the handle- are controlled from the driver's side.  There's
Floyd | a handy ashtray, though.  Too bad you don't smoke.  It's closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen turns his head to look at you directly for a moment.  The clouds
Floyd | directly ahead are darker.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x ashtray"
Floyd | Absolutely spotless.  Of couse.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "open door"
Floyd | The car door seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen scowls at the storm ahead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about storm"
Floyd | "Do you like the rain?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | He turns to look at you, his mirrored gaze discomfiting.  Then he
Floyd | turns back to the front again.  "It suits my mood."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x mirror"
Floyd | Yourself.  You usually avoid mirrors because they always make you feel
Floyd | like you're falling, like if you don't hang on you'll slip to the
Floyd | other side and never find your way back.
Floyd |
Floyd | Definitely nasty weather ahead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says, ">ASK GALEN WHY HE'S SUCH A SOURPUSS"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "touch mirror"
Floyd | You feel nothing out of the ordinary.
Floyd |
Floyd | You finish passing the great bulk of the city.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd | You are carrying nothing, and are wearing a cuff.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "who am i"
Floyd | The word "who" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about immortality"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says (to Floyd), "open cuff"
Floyd | The cuff seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen taps his fingers on his leg thoughtfully.
Floyd |
Floyd | Ahead, the sky is even darker, and flashes of light dance between
Floyd | clouds.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x galen's neck"
Floyd | Half-hidden by his hair and collar, the links of the necklace are thin
Floyd | and wide.  There seems to be a pendant of some sort but it's tucked
Floyd | under his shirt.  When he moves his head, you can see that the skin
Floyd | under the chain is a chafed and fiery red.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "do we have a strategy or plan? seems like we should try to get out of the car, or figure out why we've been abducted"
inky arrives, full of funk, but no fun. DavidW says, "I have no plan. I couldn't figure it out before."
Ellison says (to Floyd), "ask galen about chain"
Floyd | "Will you take this cuff off me?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | He doesn't bother responding.
Floyd |
Floyd | A big truck passes, sending up a wave of spray that washes over the
Floyd | car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "All I know to do is poke around and ask him about topics."
Ellison says (to Floyd), "ask galen about necklace"
Floyd | "So, where'd you get the necklace from?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | His mouth curves up in a humorless smile.  "It was a...  gift...  from
Floyd | your grandfather."
Floyd |
Floyd | There's a flash of lightning in the distance.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says (to Floyd), "get necklace"
Floyd | You lean back in your seat, stretching your hands out so wide.  He
Floyd | moves his head to his left as you threaten his personal space, leaving
Floyd | his neck open.  Quick as a fish, you dart your hand in, wrap your
Floyd | fingers around the chain and yank.  He recoils, which helps, because
Floyd | the surge of energy that tingles through you almost makes you lose
Floyd | your grip.  You fight back- and with a snap, the chain is in your
Floyd | hand.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh," he says quietly.  "Oh."
Floyd |
Floyd | His hands go up to the weal around his neck.  There's a pulse of white
Floyd | around you, and for a moment for a moment you are overcome by a wild,
Floyd | sourceless joy.  From the pendant in your hand there sings an
Floyd | answering note.  And then-
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your backpack is on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's a click as ordinary vision returns, and the cuff drops off
Floyd | your wrist.  Galen gives you a long, steady look, and then returns to
Floyd | driving.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "alright, here I am"
Ellison says, "I was thinking that maybe our grandfather was using the necklace to control Galen. I don't know what just happened, though."
DavidW says, "good grief"
DavidW says, "I never saw that response before."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x necklace"
Floyd | The pendant is a flat, seven-sided crystal, in which a tiny downy
Floyd | feather has been imprisoned.  The chain melds organically to the
Floyd | pendant, the links narrowing to a tiny filigree as they intersect the
Floyd | pendant.  Holding it in your hand, you can feel the quiet thrum of an
Floyd | alien power in the artifact.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Ellison), "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Ellison says (to Floyd), "ask galen about grandfather"
Floyd | You're certain, based on recent events, that he hates your grandfather
Floyd | as much as you do.  Maybe even more.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about necklace"
Floyd | "Where did this come from?"  you ask, holding the pendant.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Your grandfather had it crafted from certain materials he gathered.
Floyd | Then he collared me with it."  His voice is almost entirely even.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen mutters something under his breath.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "break necklace"
Floyd | You move to swing the pendant sharply against the door.  As you do,
Floyd | Galen says sharply, "Don't!"  and reaches over to take hold of the
Floyd | chain just long enough to check its momentum.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Don't," he says again.  "It's not a good idea."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "open window"
Floyd | That is not something you can open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says (to Floyd), "wear necklace"
Floyd | You slip the chain over your head.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen takes the next exit, which is an interchange.  You're now
Floyd | running parallel to the storm rather than driving into it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd | Taking back one turn: "wear necklace".  Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, upholstered in sleek grey.  The
Floyd | control panel on his side flashes discreet symbols you never learned
Floyd | to read, but in the center of the dashboard is the stereo, and above
Floyd | it hangs a mirror.  The car has a back seat as well as a front;
Floyd | usually his kind comes in groups.  There's only a plain black
Floyd | briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your backpack is on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says, "just wanted to see what happens, but I don't trust it"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "save"
Floyd | Please select a file in which to save the current position >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "1"
Floyd | Saved.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "oh, we never cleared the save setting"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open briefcase"
Floyd | You reach in the back seat and haul the briefcase forward into your
Floyd | lap.  Galen watches this, raising his eyebrows.  Fortunately you've
Floyd | learned a lot from this journey and ignore him quite successfully as
Floyd | you fiddle with the clasp.  Locked, of course.  You glare at it.  A
Floyd | globular field sparkles around the clasp and there's a click as it
Floyd | unlocks and opens.
Floyd |
Floyd | Inside, socks and toothpaste share space in a tiny overnight kit with
Floyd | a pair of neatly folded boxers.  In the main compartment of the case
Floyd | there's a slim laptop and on top of it- aha!  A battery sword!
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen takes the next exit, which is an interchange.  You're now
Floyd | running parallel to the storm rather than driving into it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "oh, did I just do something bad?"
DavidW says, "no."
inky says, "hmm, light saber"
DavidW says, "We have a gizmo for saving that we normally use."
Ellison says, "a light saber powered by Energizer. it just keeps dismembering!"
Touchy asks, "I'm confused. The briefcase opened because we glared at it?"
DavidW says, "We're obviously not fully human."
inky says, "ha ha"
Cathy says, "I just wanted to make sure we had a version from before we got turned into a zombie"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get sword"
Floyd | Almost certainly contaminated by MIB cooties.  But you study it for a
Floyd | while, and suspect that with some time to digest the information, you
Floyd | could create one for yourself later.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x sword"
Floyd | These show up in video games and spy novels all the time, but you've
Floyd | never seen a real one.  Wow.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Ellison says, "it's possible that since we're all magical, the necklace has no power over us"
DavidW asks, "did we take the sword or not?"
Cathy says, "I don't think so"
inky says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd | You are carrying a cuff and a necklace.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says, "I guess we just examined it"
DavidW says (to Ellison), "I think the silver cuff was what stopped our abilities from working."
Touchy asks, "Why are we all magical? What kind of world is this?"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get backpack"
Floyd | You pick up your backpack.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen adjusts his sunglasses.  It looks like the freeway is curving
Floyd | back around to the city.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Touchy), "I don't know."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x laptop"
Floyd | Very sleek, very nice.  Certainly top of the line, although you don't
Floyd | really pay attention to that stuff anymore.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "Fair enough."
DavidW says (to Touchy), "Help us find out."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about bobby"
Floyd | "Why did Bobby act so strangely when you came to get me?  Why didn't
Floyd | he help me?"  He'd stood back, practically cowering, with your other
Floyd | friends when Galen showed up.
Floyd |
Floyd | "I've been in his dreams, too.  He doesn't remember them, but they
Floyd | probably made him uneasy.  But, let's face it, anyone that might hurt
Floyd | him makes him uneasy."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about pin"
Floyd | There's not a flicker of expression on that face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Taleslinger arrives, full of funk, but no fun.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | "Why did I see you in my dreams?"  you ask him.
Floyd |
Floyd | "You're special," he says.  "Most people don't."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen why I'm special"
Floyd | The word "I'm" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about special"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen watches you for a long moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about destination"
Floyd | "Where are we going?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "A park," he says.  "I thought I'd drop you off at a park."
Floyd |
Floyd | The car takes the upcoming offramp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about park"
Floyd | "When we were at the park, you showed up practically out of nowhere.
Floyd | How did you find me?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | He hesitates and then says, "By visiting you in your dreams, a
Floyd | temporary link was forged that gave me a directional heading when we
Floyd | were both awake."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy asks, "So we're not going to our grandfathers anymore?"
DavidW says, "Correct."
Touchy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about freedom"
Floyd | You're free now, though you're not quite sure why.
Floyd |
Floyd | Now you're racing along the edges of the city again, back along the
Floyd | skeletal ribs of the city freeway system.  This is a rather nice part
Floyd | of the city, but not where you would have expected to find yourself.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take backpack"
Floyd | You are already carrying the backpack.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "I grabbed it a few turns ago"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x feather"
Floyd | It's a tiny white feather, with a translucent, almost crystalline
Floyd | quill.
Floyd |
Floyd | As you pass by a park, the car turns into the parking lot.  A moment
Floyd | later, Galen has parked the car.  He turns toward you, inscrutable
Floyd | behind his sunglasses. Then he brushes his fingers on the panel and
Floyd | the door beside you clicks as well.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Go on, get out of here."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
olethros arrives, full of neither funk nor fun.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "out"
Floyd | (first opening the car door)
Floyd | You open the door.
Floyd | You slide out of the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | After The Rain
Floyd | There's comfortable scent of wet sidewalk and shattered ozone.
Floyd | Whirling autumn leaves race down the gutter as the late afternoon sky
Floyd | brightens overhead.  To the south, there's a park, and beyond that,
Floyd | the embrace of the city awaits.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
olethros says, "is it on or what"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x car"
Floyd | The car that took you so far...  Man, it's dirty.
Floyd |
Floyd | It's open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "wash car"
Floyd | The word "wash" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "fly"
Floyd | The word "fly" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "clean car" Touchy says, "hey olethros"
Floyd | You wouldn't know how to clean that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open trunk"
Floyd | The word "trunk" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "invite Galen"
Floyd | The word "invite" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "get on car"
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, upholstered in sleek grey.  The
Floyd | control panel on his side flashes discreet symbols you never learned
Floyd | to read, but in the center of the dashboard is the stereo, and above
Floyd | it hangs a mirror.  The car has a back seat as well as a front;
Floyd | usually his kind comes in groups.  There's only a plain black
Floyd | briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is lounging inside the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | A bird flies across the front of the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd | Taking back one turn: "get on car".  After The Rain
Floyd | There's comfortable scent of wet sidewalk and shattered ozone.
Floyd | Whirling autumn leaves race down the gutter as the late afternoon sky
Floyd | brightens overhead.  To the south, there's a park, and beyond that,
Floyd | the embrace of the city awaits.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "shall we head south?"
DavidW says, "hm. Should we hea... tmg"
DavidW says (to Cathy), "go for it."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd | You head south, to the park.  As you do, he gets out of the car and
Floyd | leans against it, taking his sunglasses off to watch you go.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ***The end***
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
Ellison says, "huh"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd | That isn't one of the options.
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
DavidW says, "huh"
Jacqueline says, "huh"
Ellison says, "ha ha"
Jacqueline says, "I don't remember that."
DavidW says, "I suspect there's other endings."
Ellison says, "I'm thinking there must be multiple endings"
Cathy says, "maybe we won since we escaped :-)"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open backpack"
Floyd | That isn't one of the options.
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
Touchy says, "Well..it was a happy ending I guess"
DavidW says, "oh. no undo as this stage."
inky says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd | That isn't one of the options.
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
Cathy asks, "should we restore or restart?"
inky says, "I imagine taking off the necklace was a big choicepoint"
DavidW says (to inky), "yes."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "/undo"
Floyd | That isn't one of the options.
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
Jacqueline says, "boo"
Cathy says, "we could try wearing it next time"
DavidW asks, "so restart?"
Ellison says, "I don't trust that bird in the park. I want to kill it with our battery sword."
DavidW says (to Ellison), "We didn't actually take the sword."
Ellison says, "oh, would it not let us? weird"
Cathy asks (of Jacq), "you played to another endpoint? was it more satisfying?"
DavidW says, "Apparently, we can make one later, she said."
Ellison says, "can't have a final battery sword showdown without one!"
Touchy says, "We should kill Galen with that sword."
Ellison says, "ah"
Cathy says, "or we could quit and I could go have lunch..."
DavidW says, "I find it weird that we still don't know what sort of creature we are or our capabilities. The PC must know, but we don't."
Touchy asks, "I'm confused. Why did this only take 10 minutes?"
DavidW says (to Touchy), "We took the necklace; he changed sides and took us to a park and we left."
Cathy says, "seems pretty minimal"
Touchy says, "OK, so let's not take it next time..."
DavidW says, "I think we need to replay and search out more story."
Cathy says, "I was expecting that we'd end up confronting / defeating grandfather"
DavidW says (to Cathy), "That would be better, since grandfather will just send Galen #2 after us."
Cathy asks, "maybe wait to take the necklace until we get to where GF is, thus creating an ally at an opportune moment?"
DavidW says, "ooh, clever"
Cathy says, "back in about 5 minutes; getting a snack"
DavidW says, "yeah, snack break"
Touchy says, "My Gulasch isn't ready yet."
olethros says, "Gulasch never is quite ready"
Touchy asks, "You're not trying to say you don't like Gulasch, are you?"
olethros says, "I am not nearly as funny as to think of implying that. I just meant that it takes too long."
Touchy says, "True."
Touchy says, "But it's awesome so I can wait."
olethros says, "I usually end up eating lots of snacks while waiting, so when it's ready I am no longer hungry"
olethros says, "but the next day, it's great"
Jacqueline says, "heh"
Touchy says, "Yeah, Gulasch actually gets better over night. No argument there."
Jacqueline says, "You bastards. Now I want gulasch/"
Jacqueline says, "But I'm sort of avoiding stuff like that right now."
DavidW asks, "what the heck is gulasch?"
Touchy asks (of Jacq), "You're avoiding tasty things?"
olethros says, "slowly boiled meat with lots of connective tissue, which melts"
olethros says, "making it into a thick soup, full of flavour"
Jacqueline says, "No, just stuff that's heavy on the less-complex carbs."
olethros says, "normally paprika and perhaps tomato is added"
Touchy says, "Or a thick soup with large meat chunks...depending on your point of view."
Touchy says, "Less complex carbs? Is this diet science? 'cause I don't understand a word of it."
olethros says, "sugar"
Cathy says, "(back)"
Ellison says, "well, I have to start getting ready to go to the movie theater so I will miss any second playthrough we do. later all!"
Ellison goes back to Squeamhurst..
Ellison has disconnected. Jacqueline says (to Touchy), "Yes, I guess it is some diet science. heh"
Touchy asks, "You're trying to lose weight?"
DavidW says, "so restart please"
Cathy says, "yes, let's"
Touchy says, "By all means.."
Jacqueline says (to Touchy), "Yeah. I've gotten a little too fluffy for my taste."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "restart"
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | It's raining out.  You lean your head against the window, the glass
Floyd | cold against your cheek, and watch the world slide by.  The city is as
Floyd | grey as the skies, but rainbows catch in the trembling drops of water.
Floyd | The swish-slap of the windshield wipers and low hum of the air
Floyd | conditioner covers up the faint sound of his breathing.  If you close
Floyd | your eyes, you can almost be somewhere else.  Maybe if you try...
Floyd |
Floyd | You tremble inside like a raindrop on the verge of falling, fighting
Floyd | to spread yourself out, let yourself drift away into the sky, away
Floyd | from this car, away from him, away from the fate ahead.  But even with
Floyd | the fear, it's so hard to move on...  or maybe because of the fear.
Floyd | Metal snugs around your wrist as he tightens the cuff, shattering your
Floyd | concentration.  "None of that," he says.  His voice isn't even cold,
Floyd | it's just empty.  He touches a panel on the car's dashboard.  "We'll
Floyd | be there soon," he adds.  Soon.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | shadows on the mirror
Floyd |
Floyd | by Chrysoula Tzavelas
Floyd | IFComp ver 1.0
Floyd | Players new to this game should type ABOUT.  Hints are also available.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | I drew a picture on the window as we rode
Floyd | Then I wiped it dry to see the other side
Floyd | I see no more than you do
Floyd | Believe me, I've tried
Floyd | To find what is missing, to find what is wrong
Floyd | To write the words to my happy-ending November song
Floyd |
Floyd | - "November Song," Mark Henley
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your backpack is on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW clears the save counter.
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get backpack"
Floyd | You pick up your backpack.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen turns his head to look at you directly for a moment.  It's
Floyd | raining steadily out.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x galen" Cathy asks, "shall we try reading until we get there?"
Floyd | From your dreams, you always thought he'd be tall.  Big.  Enormous.
Floyd | He cast such a shadow in your dreams.  But when you looked up in the
Floyd | park and saw him standing there in front of you, just a man, you could
Floyd | barely believe it.  This is what had been hunting you, night and day,
Floyd | across world and wane?  Not so tall, almost slight in build,
Floyd | unremarkable brown hair.  But then his hand closed around your arm,
Floyd | stronger than the silver band there now, and you knew him.  "Your
Floyd | grandfather asked me to find you, Enra," he said, and caught you as
Floyd | your knees buckled.
Floyd |
Floyd | He's wearing an expensive-looking pair of shades that scrape across
Floyd | your nerves.  His suit is very fine, although it bears the signs of
Floyd | being driven in for many hours.  It's typical Man In Black garb.
Floyd | Silver glints at his neck.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x silver"
Floyd | (the cuff)
Floyd | The silver cuff can loosen and tighten around your wrist like a
Floyd | training collar on a dog when he pulls on it, which is easy for him to
Floyd | do, because the other end is around his own wrist.  It's closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x neck"
Floyd | Half-hidden by his hair and collar, the links of the necklace are thin
Floyd | and wide.  There seems to be a pendant of some sort but it's tucked
Floyd | under his shirt.  When he moves his head, you can see that the skin
Floyd | under the chain is a chafed and fiery red.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x shades"
Floyd | You can see yourself in his sunglasses, all distorted and wavy.  You
Floyd | don't like them.  Nothing's real through sunglasses, everything is
Floyd | just a game with a wall between you and the world.  You've been there.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen scowls at the storm ahead.  It's still raining.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take shades"
Floyd | You lunge at him, grabbing at the sunglasses.  The metal tightens
Floyd | around your wrist again, but it can't do much to stop you.  The car
Floyd | swerves for the briefest instant as he is distracted, his other hand
Floyd | coming up to fend you off.  There's a brief tussle that ends with him
Floyd | holding your arm in an iron grip.  But you are clutching his
Floyd | sunglasses.  He looks at you impassively for a heartbeat, and then
Floyd | thrusts you away from him, back into your seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | You have his sunglasses.  Triumph!
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "ah good catch; we didnt' see that before"
Touchy says, "hehe"
DavidW asks, "Now if we wear them, are we cool or what?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x shades"
Floyd | Lightweight, sleek, partially reflective.  He looked good in them.
Floyd | Well, intimidating, which is what his kind consider 'good'.  Too bad
Floyd | for him.  They're yours now.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear shades"
Floyd | You put on his sunglasses.  You can feel his warmth on your cheeks for
Floyd | a moment, and then you hastily take them off, embarassed that he saw
Floyd | you acting so frivolously.
Floyd |
Floyd | The clouds directly ahead are darker.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x galen's face"
Floyd | The word "face" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | (If this was an accidental misspelling, you can correct it by typing
Floyd | OOPS followed by the corrected word now.  Any time the story points
Floyd | out an unknown word, you can correct a misspelling using OOPS as your
Floyd | next command.)
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "I didn't know there was anything frivolous about wearing shades.."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x galen's eyes"
Floyd | His gaze is constantly moving, flicking down the road, over passing
Floyd | cars, and towards you.  He meets your eyes expressionlessly and then
Floyd | something flickers- what was that?  Something strong.  Even without
Floyd | your caheris you can see that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x glove compartment"
Floyd | There's a hatch flush with the dash of the car.  It's closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open it"
Floyd | Opened.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen rolls his head around his shoulders, stretching his neck.  You
Floyd | catch a glimpse of his necklace.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about sunglasses"
Floyd | "Do you want your sunglasses back?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He eyes you warily.  "All right."
Floyd |
Floyd | "Tough!"  you say gleefully.  He snorts and turns his attention away
Floyd | from you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Definitely nasty weather ahead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "what is a caheris"
Floyd | The word "what" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about caheris"
Floyd | "Why did you break my little crystal?"  you ask thoughtfully.
Floyd |
Floyd | He gives you a look.  "Instructions from your grandfather."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about instructions"
Floyd | "My grandfather told you to break my stone, specifically?"
Floyd |
Floyd | "Yes."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "x glove compartment"
Floyd | There's a hatch flush with the dash of the car.  It's open.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen scowls at the road ahead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in it"
Floyd | You see nothing in the glovebox.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen turns a fierce look on you.  You finish passing the great bulk
Floyd | of the city.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x necklace"
Floyd | Half-hidden by his hair and collar, the links of the necklace are thin
Floyd | and wide.  There seems to be a pendant of some sort but it's tucked
Floyd | under his shirt.  When he moves his head, you can see that the skin
Floyd | under the chain is a chafed and fiery red.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about me"
Floyd | Quietly, you ask Galen, "Do you know the sort of things I can do?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He glances over at you, his voice flat as he recites.  "Yes.  You
Floyd | interface with reality on a subdimensional level as a result of
Floyd | prenatal modifications to your genetic and aethereal nature and
Floyd | catalyzed by a nanomechanistical substrate absorbed during
Floyd | adolescence.  You require a focus item, and your generative
Floyd | capabilities can be externally suppressed."  He sighs, but his eyes
Floyd | are burning..  "Or, as I imagine Bobby would say, some whacked out
Floyd | magic shit."
Floyd |
Floyd | You've never heard it expressed quite like that before.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy exclaims, "ah, good!"
Touchy says, "hehe"
Touchy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about skin"
Floyd | There's not a flicker of expression on that face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about bobby"
Floyd | "Why did Bobby act so strangely when you came to get me?  Why didn't
Floyd | he help me?"  He'd stood back, practically cowering, with your other
Floyd | friends when Galen showed up.
Floyd |
Floyd | "I've been in his dreams, too.  He doesn't remember them, but they
Floyd | probably made him uneasy.  But, let's face it, anyone that might hurt
Floyd | him makes him uneasy."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about necklace"
Floyd | "So, where'd you get the necklace from?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | His mouth curves up in a humorless smile.  "It was a...  gift...  from
Floyd | your grandfather."
Floyd |
Floyd | Ahead, the sky is even darker, and flashes of light dance between
Floyd | clouds.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "so... we're a techno-elf?"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about focus item"
Floyd | He just shakes his head, very slightly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy asks, "Weren't they called technomage or something?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about magic"
Floyd | Hah, magic.  People always try to turn what they don't understand into
Floyd | magic.  You're a product of technology.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen frowns at the dashboard.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about necklace"
Floyd | "The old man really expects you to wear that thing even though it
Floyd | hurts?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He inclines his head.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's a flash of lightning in the distance.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about nanites"
Floyd | His head doesn't even turn towards you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about technology"
Floyd | It's hard to describe your interface with computers and other machines
Floyd | in ordinary language, and not much fun to try.  You've become pretty
Floyd | good at pretending you use all the normal methods, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's the thunder.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get briefcase"
Floyd | It's very awkward to get a hand into the back seat to fiddle with the
Floyd | briefcase, as there's a cuff around the hand closest.  You'd have to
Floyd | do some pretty significant contortions to get to the briefcase.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "I was thinking that we might be able to interface with the computer to get info from it"
Cathy asks, "shall we save, grab the necklace, then have a go at the computer?"
DavidW says, "hm. Good idea. But the cuff has to come off first, I bet."
DavidW says (to Cathy), "yes, try that."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf1"
Floyd | Please select a file in which to save the current position >
Floyd | Saved.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get necklace"
Floyd | You lean back in your seat, stretching your hands out so wide.  He
Floyd | moves his head to his left as you threaten his personal space, leaving
Floyd | his neck open.  Quick as a fish, you dart your hand in, wrap your
Floyd | fingers around the chain and yank.  He recoils, which helps, because
Floyd | the surge of energy that tingles through you almost makes you lose
Floyd | your grip.  You fight back- and with a snap, the chain is in your
Floyd | hand.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh," he says quietly.  "Oh."
Floyd |
Floyd | His hands go up to the weal around his neck.  There's a pulse of white
Floyd | around you, and for a moment for a moment you are overcome by a wild,
Floyd | sourceless joy.  From the pendant in your hand there sings an
Floyd | answering note.  And then-
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's a click as ordinary vision returns, and the cuff drops off
Floyd | your wrist.  Galen gives you a long, steady look, and then returns to
Floyd | driving.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x cuff"
Floyd | It's very shiny, and there's a fine texture on the metal.  You don't
Floyd | like it.  You don't like touching it.  It's a leash and collar, with
Floyd | spikes on the inside.  It's closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about necklace"
Floyd | "Where did this come from?"  you ask, holding the pendant.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Your grandfather had it crafted from certain materials he gathered.
Floyd | Then he collared me with it."  His voice deepens, anger roughening it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about grandfather"
Floyd | You're certain, based on recent events, that he hates your grandfather
Floyd | as much as you do.  Maybe even more.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen looks out the window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get briefcase"
Floyd | You reach in the back seat and haul the briefcase forward into your
Floyd | lap.  Galen watches this, raising his eyebrows.  Fortunately you've
Floyd | learned a lot from this journey and ignore him quite successfully as
Floyd | you fiddle with the clasp.  Locked, of course.  You glare at it.  A
Floyd | globular field sparkles around the clasp and there's a click as it
Floyd | unlocks and opens.
Floyd |
Floyd | Inside, socks and toothpaste share space in a tiny overnight kit with
Floyd | a pair of neatly folded boxers.  In the main compartment of the case
Floyd | there's a slim laptop and on top of it- aha!  A battery sword!
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about recent events"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about sword"
Floyd | "Why do you have a battery sword?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He sighs."It reminds me of home."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get laptop"
Floyd | Nah, you don't need it.  It's very lightweight, sure, but nothing's as
Floyd | lightweight as what's between your ears.
Floyd |
Floyd | Maybe you should reconsider the phrasing on that before you say it
Floyd | aloud.  Anyhow, it would slow you down.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about home"
Floyd | "They make battery swords where you're from?"  you guess.
Floyd |
Floyd | He smiles faintly.  "Not battery swords, no."
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen takes the next exit, which is an interchange.  You're now
Floyd | running parallel to the storm rather than driving into it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "interface with laptop"
Floyd | The word "interface" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "use laptop"
Floyd | The word "use" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "scan laptop"
Floyd | The word "scan" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read laptop"
Floyd | That's so last evolution.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about daddy"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x dice"
Floyd | You see no dice here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "open backpack"
Floyd | Opening the backpack reveals some mystery novels, a pair of
Floyd | eyeglasses, and some dice.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen glances over at you, an odd look on his face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x dice"
Floyd | Six siders and twenty siders.  Useful in work and play.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "roll dice"
Floyd | Unfortunately, there's no good surface in the car to roll the dice.
Floyd |
Floyd | The car takes the upcoming offramp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x eyeglasses"
Floyd | Coppery round metal frames with iridescent butterflies dancing along
Floyd | the earpieces.  They help you focus sometimes.
Floyd |
Floyd | It looks like the freeway is curving back around to the city.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "wear eyeglasses"
Floyd | (first taking the pair of eyeglasses from the backpack)
Floyd | You pull out your glasses.
Floyd | You put your glasses on.  Ah, that's better.
Floyd |
Floyd | This is a rather nice part of the city, but not where you would have
Floyd | expected to find yourself.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about laptop"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen shifts in his seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "focus"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x laptop"
Floyd | Very sleek, very nice.  Certainly top of the line, although you don't
Floyd | really pay attention to that stuff anymore.
Floyd |
Floyd | As you pass by a park, the car turns into the parking lot.  A moment
Floyd | later, Galen has parked the car.  He turns toward you, a half-smile on
Floyd | his face.  Then he brushes his fingers on the panel and the door
Floyd | beside you clicks as well.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Go on, get out of here."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x galen"
Floyd | He's actually kind of attractive, now that you think about it.  Not
Floyd | pretty, like Bobby, but there's something there that makes him not
Floyd | unpleasant to look at.
Floyd |
Floyd | His suit is very fine, although it bears the signs of being driven in
Floyd | for many hours.  It's typical Man In Black garb.  His hair has been
Floyd | tousled from its previous immaculate state.
Floyd |
Floyd | A bird flies across the front of the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x bird"
Floyd | The word "bird" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x necklace"
Floyd | The pendant is a flat, seven-sided crystal, in which a tiny downy
Floyd | feather has been imprisoned.  The chain melds organically to the
Floyd | pendant, the links narrowing to a tiny filigree as they intersect the
Floyd | pendant.  Holding it in your hand, you can feel the quiet thrum of an
Floyd | alien power in the artifact.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "focus on crystal"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "touch crystal"
Floyd | You see no crystal here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "get novel"
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen leans back in his seat.  A gaggle of children races down the
Floyd | sidewalk into the park.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "read novel"
Floyd | You're not really in the mood for reading now.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen stretches his hand, watching as it closes into a fist.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "touch necklace"
Floyd | You feel nothing out of the ordinary.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "try wearing it now?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about grandfather's plans"
Floyd | There's not a flicker of expression on that face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about grandfather"
Floyd | You're certain, based on recent events, that he hates your grandfather
Floyd | as much as you do.  Maybe even more.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about himself"
Floyd | "So, what are you going to do now?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh, I'll be paying one last visit to your grandfather.  He won't like
Floyd | that very much at all."  Galen smiles unpleasantly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about recent events"
Floyd | He just shakes his head, very slightly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about himself"
Floyd | "Um.  What will you do after you...  visit...  my grandfather?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He glances over at you.  "I haven't decided."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about necklace"
Floyd | "Did you really get this from my grandfather?"  you ask, fingering the
Floyd | chain.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh yes," he assures you, his jaw clenching.  "Oh yes.  He brought me
Floyd | to him and bound it around my neck.  Bound me to him."
Floyd |
Floyd | The cement is drying outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "go with galen"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd | The car door is already closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "galen, drive"
Floyd | Galen just shakes his head.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "thank galen"
Floyd | The word "thank" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "kiss galen"
Floyd | The mood has to be right...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "I'm always to forward..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sword"
Floyd | These show up in video games and spy novels all the time, but you've
Floyd | never seen a real one.  Wow.
Floyd |
Floyd | For a moment there's a bit of blue sky in the shifting clouds
Floyd | overhead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about grandmother"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about stephen"
Floyd | His head doesn't even turn towards you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | "Why did I see you in my dreams?"  you ask him.
Floyd |
Floyd | "You're special," he says.  "Most people don't."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about me"
Floyd | "So," you say.  "You're not mad at me or anything, right?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He gives you a quizzical look.  "I'm very happy with you."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about destination"
Floyd | You're there now.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under seat"
Floyd | You see nothing unusual under the front seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | A kid on a scooter zooms by.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about power"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "This is a very well made game."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about others"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "At least that's my impression."
Cathy asks, "ok, so my laptop idea flamed out... shall we save this fork, then restore to where we grabbed the necklace?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on stereo"
Floyd | You tuck a strand of hair behind an ear and flick the stereo on.
Floyd | Running your fingers across the touchpad, you make haunting cello
Floyd | strains fill the vehicle.
Floyd |
Floyd | The beautiful sonorous chords of cello music flood the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kiss galen"
Floyd | The mood has to be right...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "change channel"
Floyd | The word "change" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x stereo"
Floyd | State of the art, of course, but not much used, from the looks of it.
Floyd | The beautiful sonorous chords of cello music flood the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "change station"
Floyd | The word "change" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tune stereo"
Floyd | The word "tune" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy exclaims, "I guess we turned on the stereo, but not Galen!"
Touchy says, "hahaha"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on galen"
Floyd | Not at the flip of a switch, you don't.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen rubs a spot under his eye.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "run galen's back"
Floyd | The word "run" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "rub galen's back"
Floyd | The word "rub" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x galen's skin"
Floyd | The word "skin" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I can't think what else to try."
DavidW says, "I wish I knew more about our pseudomagic."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about powers"
Floyd | His head doesn't even turn towards you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask me about me"
Floyd | Talking to yourself won't accomplish anything.
Floyd |
Floyd | A pair of teenagers wander by, sharing a cigarette.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about power"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "think about me"
Floyd | The word "think" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "remember daddy"
Floyd | The word "remember" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x me"
Floyd | Definitely feeling better now that the evil cuff has been removed.
Floyd | Not panicking was a great plan.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "break cuff"
Floyd | Stomping on it won't work.  And it'd be best if this sort of thing
Floyd | couldn't cage you ever again.  So you decide to spend the time and
Floyd | focus yourself on the cuff, analyzing every aspect of it.  When you're
Floyd | done, you tell the cuff to stop existing.  With a puff of dust, it is
Floyd | gone.
Floyd |
Floyd | A dog races down the sidewalk, its leash trailing behind it.  A
Floyd | shouting, grinning child chases after.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "wow"
Cathy says, "nice"
Touchy says, "We're the shit."
Touchy says (to Floyd), "bewitch galen"
Floyd | The word "bewitch" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "stop car"
Floyd | The word "stop" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "destroy necklace"
Floyd | You move to swing the pendant sharply against the door.  As you do,
Floyd | Galen says sharply, "Don't!"  and reaches over to take hold of the
Floyd | chain just long enough to check its momentum.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Don't," he says again.  "It's not a good idea."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take feather"
Floyd | You can't have that; it's part of the necklace.
Floyd |
Floyd | A child carrying a pair of rollerblades marches past.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "save, then restore to cf1? try to get to GF"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "duplicate sword"
Floyd | The word "duplicate" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "create sword"
Floyd | The word "create" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Cathy), "okay"
Taleslinger says (to Ellison) "Doom III rocks" (and disappears)
Taleslinger has disconnected.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "RESTORE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf1"
Floyd | Please select the saved position file to restore >
Floyd | Restored.
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "you didn't save?"
DavidW says (to Cathy), "drive"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x necklace"
Floyd | Half-hidden by his hair and collar, the links of the necklace are thin
Floyd | and wide.  There seems to be a pendant of some sort but it's tucked
Floyd | under his shirt.  When he moves his head, you can see that the skin
Floyd | under the chain is a chafed and fiery red.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "oh, I've got no specific plans, that's just what we'd been working on when I suggested the laptop tangent"
DavidW asks, "The idea is to go to evil Grandfather and then take the pendant?"
Cathy says, "yeah, I think so..."
Cathy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about destination"
Floyd | "So, where exactly are you taking me?"  you ask, trying to sound
Floyd | casual.
Floyd |
Floyd | He barely turns his head in your direction as he repeats calmly "Your
Floyd | grandfather asked me to return you to his estate."
Floyd |
Floyd | More lightning.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about estate"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen shifts uncomfortably in his seat.  The rain briefly becomes a
Floyd | downpour, reducing visibility, before returning to a steady drizzle.
Floyd |
Floyd | Thunder.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "open backpack"
Floyd | Opening the backpack reveals some mystery novels, a pair of
Floyd | eyeglasses, and some dice.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "wear eyeglasses"
Floyd | (first taking the pair of eyeglasses from the backpack)
Floyd | You pull out your glasses.
Floyd | You put your glasses on and stare defiantly out the front window.
Floyd | You're cute.  You know it.  Screw him.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen glances over at you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Lightning.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "read novel"
Floyd | You pick up one of the novels and flip restlessly through it before
Floyd | dropping it again, distracted by the rain.
Floyd |
Floyd | THUNDER!
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "roll dice"
Floyd | Unfortunately, there's no good surface in the car to roll the dice.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "wait"
Floyd | Time passes...
Floyd |
Floyd | Lightning, THUNDER!
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open dice"
Floyd | Those are not something you can open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd | You hear nothing out of the ordinary.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "break cuff"
Floyd | You can't.  Every attempt you make to focus on the cuff slides off,
Floyd | and the cuff tightens around your wrist like a living thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | A big truck passes, sending up a wave of spray that washes over the
Floyd | car.  The car turns right into what turns out to be a very long
Floyd | driveway,old-fashioned wrought-iron lamps illuminating the darkened
Floyd | afternoon, making rainbows sparkle in every raindrop on your window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "oh, cool, almost there"
DavidW says, "we need to be careful not to mistime this."
Cathy asks, "save now?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf2"
Floyd | Please select a file in which to save the current position >
Floyd | Saved.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "okay, you drive"
Cathy exclaims, "gak!"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x driveway"
Floyd | The word "driveway" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "It was your idea. Don't you want to follow through?"
Cathy says, "sure, but I'm fine going as a group"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x drive"
Floyd | You see no drive here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rainbows"
Floyd | The word "rainbows" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rainbow"
Floyd | Staring into the raindrop is a little like focusing on your caheris.
Floyd | You can feel your breathing deepen and sense the raindrop expanding to
Floyd | surround you.  All you have to do is step inside...
Floyd |
Floyd | just let go of everything here...
Floyd |
Floyd | and go on to something...
Floyd |
Floyd | more...
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | lightningTHUNDERYour concentration is shattered.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "oh wow"
Cathy exclaims, "oh, so close!"
Cathy says, "nice find"
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x raindrop"
Floyd | They're wiped from the windshield almost as fast as they can land, but
Floyd | on your window, they cling to the glass.  Inside them, a rainbow
Floyd | shivers.
Floyd |
Floyd | A large house comes into view around a gentle bend.  Dread knots your
Floyd | stomach.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "x house"
Floyd | The word "house" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rainbow"
Floyd | "I can't!!"  you shriek, and then whimper, "I'm afraid.  I don't know
Floyd | what will happen..."
Floyd |
Floyd | "Don't be," Galen says gently.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rainbow"
Floyd | You take a deep breath and then let the vast layers of repressed
Floyd | comprehension buried in your brain unfold around you.  You enter the
Floyd | rainbow and the rainbow enters you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Prismatic light spills out of your skin, your eyes, your mouth.  You
Floyd | are going somewhere else, becoming something more as you stop
Floyd | resisting.
Floyd |
Floyd | You are no longer afraid.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are bells, cathedral bells.
Floyd |
Floyd | A faraway voice, very near, whispers, "I'm glad you're finally
Floyd | free..."
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ***You have transcended***
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
Cathy says, "that was unexpected"
DavidW says, "yeah"
Cathy asks, "restore from 2?"
DavidW says, "yeah"
Touchy says, "This is a game of unexpected ends."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "RESTORE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf2"
Floyd | Please select the saved position file to restore >
Floyd | Restored.
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "break mirror"
Floyd | Breaking that would serve no purpose.
Floyd |
Floyd | A large house comes into view around a gentle bend.  Dread knots your
Floyd | stomach.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "wait a few times until we're in the house?"
Cathy says, "odd that we couldn't x house..."
DavidW says, "well, it might be okay to grab 'em now."
Cathy says, "ok, go for it"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take necklace"
Floyd | You lean back in your seat, stretching your hands out so wide.  He
Floyd | moves his head to his left as you threaten his personal space, leaving
Floyd | his neck open.  Quick as a fish, you dart your hand in, wrap your
Floyd | fingers around the chain and yank.  He recoils, which helps, because
Floyd | the surge of energy that tingles through you almost makes you lose
Floyd | your grip.  You fight back- and with a snap, the chain is in your
Floyd | hand.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh," he says quietly.  "Oh."
Floyd |
Floyd | His hands go up to the weal around his neck.  There's a pulse of white
Floyd | around you, and for a moment you are overcome by a wild, sourceless
Floyd | joy.  From the pendant in your hand there sings an answering note.
Floyd | And then-
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen gives you a long, thoughtful look, and then returns to driving.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen leans back in his seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "z"
Floyd | Time passes...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | The car stops.  Galen touches the cuff around your wrist and looks
Floyd | past you at the men coming out of the house, loathing on his face.
Floyd | Then, coldly, he smiles and the cuff binding you, binding your power,
Floyd | opens.  You are free, and all your fear transforms into exultation,
Floyd | and rage that seeks a target.  Coming out of the house, your
Floyd | grandfather.  And after-
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ***He'll never cage anybody again.***
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
Cathy says, "ok, that's probably about as good as we could expect..."
Cathy asks (of Jacqueline), "how does this compare to your ending?"
DavidW says, "hm, yes. We might want to see what the worst ending is, when we get caged."
Cathy says, "sure, let's try that; you drive"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "RESTORE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf2"
Floyd | Please select the saved position file to restore >
Floyd | Restored.
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about stereo"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | A large house comes into view around a gentle bend.  Dread knots your
Floyd | stomach.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about fear"
Floyd | You lean against the door, hugging your backpack and ask quietly, "Are
Floyd | you afraid of my grandfather?"
Floyd |
Floyd | You can see his jaw clench suddenly.  Then he says quietly, "I'm
Floyd | afraid of being helpless."  He pauses and then shrugs.  "With your
Floyd | grandfather sometimes it's the same thing."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about revenge"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | More rain.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about love"
Floyd | You can't figure out how to bring that topic up.
Floyd |
Floyd | The wind gusts, blowing the rain horizontal.  The car stops.  Galen
Floyd | leans back, sighing.  He runs a hand through his hair, looking at you,
Floyd | something mysterious in his eyes.  The front door of the house opens,
Floyd | and men in black suits come out.  And after them- your grandfather.
Floyd | Galen releases the cuff from around his wrist and raises his hand to
Floyd | touch your cheek gently.  "I'm sorry, Enra."  Despair has never tasted
Floyd | so bitter.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ***You did not escape***
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
DavidW says, "I'm guessing there's a kiss/love ending, but darned if I know how to reach it."
olethros asks, "can't you just > kiss ?"
Cathy says, "except we presumably have a relationship with Bobby..."
inky asks, "did you try telling him stuff about yourself?"
DavidW says (to olethros), "we tried that. The time/mood wasn't right."
DavidW says (to inky), "We never tried 'tell' at all."
Cathy says, "we were trying to find out about us, didn't know anything to tell..."
DavidW says, "I suppose we could try tell Galen about me/Daddy/grandfather/Stephen/Bobby/caharis"
DavidW says, "also, did it say the butterflies on our glasses were rainbowed? Perhaps examining the butterflies would act as a backup focus."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "RESTORE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf2"
Floyd | Please select the saved position file to restore >
Floyd | Restored.
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x butterflies"
Floyd | The word "butterflies" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x my glasses"
Floyd | Coppery round metal frames with iridescent butterflies dancing along
Floyd | the earpieces.  They help you focus sometimes.
Floyd |
Floyd | A large house comes into view around a gentle bend.  Dread knots your
Floyd | stomach.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "x earpieces"
Floyd | The word "earpieces" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "focus on glasses"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about me"
Floyd | You sit quietly, looking at the rain streaming down the window.  "My
Floyd | favorite flower is wisteria.  My father's estate had an arbor just
Floyd | covered in it, and the scent would be so strong it dizzied me."
Floyd |
Floyd | "I know," he says softly.
Floyd |
Floyd | You glance at him quickly.  "How do you know?"
Floyd |
Floyd | "You dream about it," he says simply.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about my father"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about daddy"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | The car stops.  Galen leans back, sighing.  He runs a hand through his
Floyd | hair, looking at you, something mysterious in his eyes.  The front
Floyd | door of the house opens, and men in black suits come out.  And after
Floyd | them- your grandfather.  Galen releases the cuff from around his wrist
Floyd | and raises his hand to touch your cheek gently.  "I'm sorry, Enra."
Floyd | Despair has never tasted so bitter.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ***You did not escape***
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, or
Floyd | QUIT?  >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "restore"
Floyd | Please select the saved position file to restore >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf1"
Floyd | Restored.
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about me"
Floyd | You sit quietly, looking at the rain streaming down the window.  "My
Floyd | favorite flower is wisteria.  My father's estate had an arbor just
Floyd | covered in it, and the scent would be so strong it dizzied me."
Floyd |
Floyd | "I know," he says softly.
Floyd |
Floyd | You glance at him quickly.  "How do you know?"
Floyd |
Floyd | "You dream about it," he says simply.
Floyd |
Floyd | The wind gusts, blowing the rain horizontal.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about me"
Floyd | The plan to make him see you as a person seems to be foiled by the
Floyd | strange looks he keeps giving you and the distinct impression you get
Floyd | that he already sees you quite personally.
Floyd |
Floyd | More rain.
Floyd |
Floyd | More lightning.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about bobby"
Floyd | "I wonder if I'll ever see Bobby again," you muse.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Probably not," he says, his words clipped and angry.
Floyd |
Floyd | Thunder.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "tell galen about grandfather"
Floyd | "Do you know what kind of man my grandfather is?"  you demand.  "He's
Floyd | not a kindly old man.  He doesn't want to spoil me rotten.  He wants
Floyd | to put me in his lab and take me apart."
Floyd |
Floyd | White knuckles.  He takes a deep breath and mutters, "I wish I knew
Floyd | what to do."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "galen, take off necklace"
Floyd | Galen just shakes his head.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "try taking necklace, then doing tell?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take necklace"
Floyd | You lean back in your seat, stretching your hands out so wide.  He
Floyd | moves his head to his left as you threaten his personal space, leaving
Floyd | his neck open.  Quick as a fish, you dart your hand in, wrap your
Floyd | fingers around the chain and yank.  He recoils, which helps, because
Floyd | the surge of energy that tingles through you almost makes you lose
Floyd | your grip.  You fight back- and with a snap, the chain is in your
Floyd | hand.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh," he says quietly.  "Oh."
Floyd |
Floyd | His hands go up to the weal around his neck.  There's a pulse of white
Floyd | around you, and for a moment for a moment you are overcome by a wild,
Floyd | sourceless joy.  From the pendant in your hand there sings an
Floyd | answering note.  And then-
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, but it's still just a traveling
Floyd | cage, upholstered in sleek grey.  The control panel on his side
Floyd | flashes discreet symbols you never learned to read, but in the center
Floyd | of the dashboard is the stereo, and above it hangs a mirror.  The car
Floyd | has a back seat as well as a front; usually his kind comes in groups.
Floyd | There's only a plain black briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is driving the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's a click as ordinary vision returns, and the cuff drops off
Floyd | your wrist.  Galen gives you a long, steady look, and then returns to
Floyd | driving.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about me"
Floyd | You clear your throat.  "I was pretty upset at you for kidnapping me."
Floyd | You hesitate.  "But since it seems like you were in the same situation
Floyd | as myself...  I don't think we need to worry about it anymore."
Floyd |
Floyd | He studies you.  "That's kind of you.  Since I'd like to talk to you
Floyd | again in the future..."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "g"
Floyd | You're not sure you trust him...  but in the end, you just got scared
Floyd | a little.  You can forgive that, under the circumstances.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen throws an annoyed look up at the sky.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "forgive galen"
Floyd | The word "forgive" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about grandfather"
Floyd | "My grandfather, the bastard."  you comment.
Floyd |
Floyd | "You're too kind," he observes.
Floyd |
Floyd | You shrug.  "I'm keeping it PG."
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen stretches his hand, watching as it closes into a fist.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x galen's hand"
Floyd | Galen does not appear to have any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about bobby"
Floyd | "I hope he's not too worried about me."
Floyd |
Floyd | "I'm sure he isn't."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "tell galen about galen"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about bobby"
Floyd | "You are a bastard, but that doesn't mean you're bad," you inform him
Floyd | thoughtfully.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Thanks," he says dryly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Floyd | He seems to have a poor opinion of Bobby.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about bobby"
Floyd | "Come on, what is this problem you have with Bobby?"
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen growls, "He's a worm.  If he'd understood what you were, I could
Floyd | have paid him to turn you over to me.  Anyone could have, and he
Floyd | wouldn't have asked for very much.  He let me have you at the park."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about bobby"
Floyd | You hesitate.  "Really?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He pauses, and his voice is a bit softer.  "I've learned to recognise
Floyd | the scent, and I've seen his dreams."
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen takes the next exit, which is an interchange.  You're now
Floyd | running parallel to the storm rather than driving into it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about bobby"
Floyd | "What was in his dreams?"  you ask nervously.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Your nightmares.  Domination.  Degredation," he says.
Floyd |
Floyd | The car takes the upcoming offramp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about bobby"
Floyd | You're not sure you believe him, but you always knew, deep inside,
Floyd | that Bobby was charming, not virtuous.  You wanted something human.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen glances over at you, an odd look on his face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "tell galen about bobby"
Floyd | "I really liked Bobby,' you say sadly.
Floyd |
Floyd | He sighs.  "I know."
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen leans back in his seat.  This is a rather nice part of the city,
Floyd | but not where you would have expected to find yourself.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about galen"
Floyd | "So, what are you going to do now?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Oh, I'll be paying one last visit to your grandfather.  He won't like
Floyd | that very much at all."  Galen smiles unpleasantly.
Floyd |
Floyd | It looks like the freeway is curving back around to the city.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about galen"
Floyd | "Um.  What will you do after you...  visit...  my grandfather?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He glances over at you.  "I haven't decided."
Floyd |
Floyd | As you pass by a park, the car turns into the parking lot.  A moment
Floyd | later, Galen has parked the car.  He turns toward you, a half-smile on
Floyd | his face.  Then he brushes his fingers on the panel and the door
Floyd | beside you clicks as well.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Go on, get out of here."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about galen"
Floyd | There's suddenly so much to ask that a thousand unasked questions beat
Floyd | each other into the silence that emerges.  You'll clearly need some
Floyd | time to put your thoughts in order before you can interrogate Galen
Floyd | further.
Floyd |
Floyd | A bird flies across the front of the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "x bird"
Floyd | The word "bird" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "x galen"
Floyd | He's actually kind of attractive, now that you think about it.  Not
Floyd | pretty, like Bobby, but there's something there that makes him not
Floyd | unpleasant to look at.
Floyd |
Floyd | His suit is very fine, although it bears the signs of being driven in
Floyd | for many hours.  It's typical Man In Black garb.  His hair has been
Floyd | tousled from its previous immaculate state.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about hair"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about human"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | A gaggle of children races down the sidewalk into the park.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about suit"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on stereo"
Floyd | You tuck a strand of hair behind an ear and flick the stereo on.
Floyd | Running your fingers across the touchpad, you make haunting cello
Floyd | strains fill the vehicle.
Floyd |
Floyd | The beautiful sonorous chords of cello music flood the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kiss galen"
Floyd | The mood has to be right...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about dreams"
Floyd | "I remember you, from my dreams."  You close your eyes.  "You were a
Floyd | presence watching me.  At first I thought you were just another of the
Floyd | ephemera, but there's something different about your presence there."
Floyd | He is quiet, but you can sense that he is listening closely to you.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cement is drying outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says, "maybe we could have kissed him when he was giving us the odd look before"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about dreams"
Floyd | "You didn't intrude, for which I'm grateful."  There's a bit of heat
Floyd | in your cheeks.  "You were just on the edges, a shadow in a cloak of
Floyd | black wings, with burning eyes, watching.  And getting closer."
Floyd |
Floyd | He smiles faintly at your description of him.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says, "oh, that looks promising"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about dreams"
Floyd | You think about other dreams you've had, of the ephemera and more
Floyd | terrifying entities, but you're not ready to talk about those.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd | The beautiful sonorous chords of cello music flood the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | For a moment there's a bit of blue sky in the shifting clouds
Floyd | overhead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about wings"
Floyd | Look, it's plain to see, he doesn't have wings.  Just a rumpled suit.
Floyd | And you don't have wings (which is a pity), and there aren't any pet
Floyd | birds in the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "tell galen about wings"
Floyd | Honestly, he doesn't have any wings.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about shadows"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x shadows"
Floyd | The word "shadows" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x mirror"
Floyd | Yourself.  You usually avoid mirrors because they always make you feel
Floyd | like you're falling, like if you don't hang on you'll slip to the
Floyd | other side and never find your way back.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy asks, "try kissing again now that we've shared dreams?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kiss galen"
Floyd | The mood has to be right...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | "Why did I see you in my dreams?"  you ask him.
Floyd |
Floyd | "You're special," he says.  "Most people don't."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about mirror"
Floyd | He just shakes his head, very slightly.
Floyd |
Floyd | A kid on a scooter zooms by.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | You frown.  "How did you find me in my dreams?  You did it, I know it
Floyd | was you chasing me."
Floyd |
Floyd | He turns to look at you.  "I know about you, Enra.  I haven't just
Floyd | read the files, I've been in your dreams.  Whatever you are, you make
Floyd | me look ordinary."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about galen"
Floyd | There's suddenly so much to ask that a thousand unasked questions beat
Floyd | each other into the silence that emerges.  You'll clearly need some
Floyd | time to put your thoughts in order before you can interrogate Galen
Floyd | further.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says (to Floyd), "kiss Galen"
Floyd | The mood has to be right...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | "How did you get into my dreams?"  You enunciate carefully.
Floyd |
Floyd | He sighs.  "I just do it.  I've always been able to do it.  It's just
Floyd | something I do."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | Man, his special abilities aren't well-documented at all.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen looks out the window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "hm. Galen must be augmented as well, I guess."
inky says, "ha ha"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell galen about stephen"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen shifts in his seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look at galen's eyes"
Floyd | Good humor flickers in his eyes as he keeps an eye on you as well as
Floyd | the surrounding park.
Floyd |
Floyd | A baseball flies over the roof of the car.  A moment later, a girl
Floyd | scrambles after it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "f ask galen about past"
Floyd | The word "past" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about past"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about future"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about home"
Floyd | There's not a flicker of expression on that face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Floyd | "So where are you from?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | He says, "Oh, the city."
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen rubs a spot under his eye.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about city"
Floyd | "Do you like the city?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | He looks out the window.  "It's not too bad," he says.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about family"
Floyd | "Do you have any family?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | He smiles.  "Siblings only."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about siblings"
Floyd | "What's it like, having siblings?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "We fight a lot," he admits.  "There's always some drama going on.  I
Floyd | miss them."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about job"
Floyd | His head doesn't even turn towards you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about siblings"
Floyd | "So, are you going home to your siblings after this?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "I suppose I will eventually."  He gives you a little smile.  "But not
Floyd | yet, I think."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about home"
Floyd | "Are you really from the city?"  you ask him suspiciously.
Floyd |
Floyd | He chuckles.  "A city, certainly."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about sword"
Floyd | He just shakes his head, very slightly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about home"
Floyd | "What's your home like, then?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "My home in this city is an apartment.  I keep my collections there,"
Floyd | he explains.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about collections"
Floyd | "What do you collect?"  you ask.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Stained glass.  Old maps."  He shrugs.  "They pass the time, and
Floyd | remind me of home."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about stained glass"
Floyd | "Don't you enjoy your hobbies?"  you ask curiously.
Floyd |
Floyd | Another shrug.  "It's better than stamps."  He considers.  "I suppose
Floyd | I have grown fond of some of the pieces."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about stained glass"
Floyd | His collection sounds very pretty, and you'd love to hear more about
Floyd | it.  But conversations like that are best had while sprawled on a
Floyd | couch, surrounded by the subject matter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about maps"
Floyd | His collection sounds very pretty, and you'd love to hear more about
Floyd | it.  But conversations like that are best had while sprawled on a
Floyd | couch, surrounded by the subject matter.
Floyd |
Floyd | A homeless lady with two full shopping bags wanders by.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "hm"
DavidW says, "Galen has a lot of chat I didn't expect."
Touchy says, "This game is a bit like galatea..."
DavidW asks, "Galen-tea?"
Jacqueline says, "snrk"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about phone number"
Floyd | He doesn't bother to respond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen for phone number"
Floyd | The word "phone" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says, "hm...I hadn't thought about that."
DavidW says, "I think we're gonna strike out unless someone has a brainwave."
ParserGirl arrives, full of funk, but no fun.
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about life"
Floyd | His eyes flick towards you and then back outside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "thank galen"
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about love"
Floyd | The word "thank" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Floyd | You have a feeling that'd be an uncomfortable conversation for both of
Floyd | you at this point.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen rubs a spot under his eye.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about sleep"
Floyd | There's not a flicker of expression on that face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about dreams"
Floyd | Man, his special abilities aren't well-documented at all.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about hopes"
Floyd | He has nothing but silence to offer you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen looks out the window.  A dog races down the sidewalk, its leash
Floyd | trailing behind it.  A shouting, grinning child chases after.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about children"
Floyd | His head doesn't even turn towards you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about car"
Floyd | "So, how about this car," you murmur.
Floyd |
Floyd | He glances at you.  "I didn't catch that."
Floyd |
Floyd | "Never mind," you say.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take cuff"
Floyd | You are already carrying the cuff.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "tell galen about car"
Floyd | You say thoughtfully, "I guess it's not a terrible car.  It needs a
Floyd | wash, though."
Floyd |
Floyd | He simply doesn't bother to answer that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put cuff on galen"
Floyd | There's no good surface on Galen.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cuff galen"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear cuff"
Floyd | No way.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy asks (of DavidW), "Is that your way of leading up to a kiss?"
DavidW says (to Touchy), "I wasn't sure."
DavidW says, "It was unlikely, but I thought it worth a try."
Touchy says, "I was just kidding..."
inky says (to Floyd), "x necklace"
Floyd | The pendant is a flat, seven-sided crystal, in which a tiny downy
Floyd | feather has been imprisoned.  The chain melds organically to the
Floyd | pendant, the links narrowing to a tiny filigree as they intersect the
Floyd | pendant.  Holding it in your hand, you can feel the quiet thrum of an
Floyd | alien power in the artifact.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put necklace on galen"
Floyd | There's no good surface on Galen.
Floyd |
Floyd | A pair of students with brightly colored hair wander by, arguing
Floyd | loudly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "focus on necklace"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear necklace"
Floyd | You slip the chain over your head.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "focus on crystal"
Floyd | The story doesn't understand that command.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "x crystal"
Floyd | You see no crystal here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "break cuff"
Floyd | Stomping on it won't work.  And it'd be best if this sort of thing
Floyd | couldn't cage you ever again.  So you decide to spend the time and
Floyd | focus yourself on the cuff, analyzing every aspect of it.  When you're
Floyd | done, you tell the cuff to stop existing.  With a puff of dust, it is
Floyd | gone.
Floyd |
Floyd | A child carrying a pair of rollerblades marches past.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy says (to Floyd), "ask galen about family"
Floyd | He's got siblings somewhere that he misses, but he's not going home
Floyd | yet.  Hmm.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about grandfather"
Floyd | You're certain, based on recent events, that he hates your grandfather
Floyd | as much as you do.  Maybe even more.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen leans back in his seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about destination"
Floyd | You're there now.
Floyd |
Floyd | A man carrying a sign saying 'God Loves' wanders by.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about future"
Floyd | He just shakes his head, very slightly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask galen about me"
Floyd | "So," you say.  "You're not mad at me or anything, right?"
Floyd |
Floyd | He gives you a quizzical look.  "I'm very happy with you."
Floyd |
Floyd | The sun peeks out from behind the clouds for just a moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kiss galen"
Floyd | The mood has to be right...
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen shifts in his seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sun"
Floyd | The sun's just behind that cloud.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about sun"
Floyd | There's not a flicker of expression on that face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "x seat"
Floyd | (the front seat)
Floyd | A comfortable bucket seat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x cloud"
inky says (to Floyd), "recline seat"
Floyd | Thick, puffy clouds, so pale as to be white, almost cover the sky.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen throws an annoyed look up at the sky.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Floyd | The word "recline" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "move cloud"
Floyd | The sky cannot be moved.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn mirror"
Floyd | You cannot turn that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Cathy says, "ok, I've had enough fruitless throwing myself at Galen. A gal can only take so much rejection..."
DavidW says, "yeah."
inky says, "ha ha"
inky asks, "ok, calling it quits?"
Cathy has had her fill of playing for now, and goes back to the Lounge. Jacqueline says, "heehee"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "out"
Floyd | (first opening the car door)
Floyd | You open the door.
Floyd | You slide out of the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | After The Rain
Floyd | There's comfortable scent of wet sidewalk and shattered ozone.
Floyd | Whirling autumn leaves race down the gutter as the late afternoon sky
Floyd | brightens overhead.  To the south, there's a park, and beyond that,
Floyd | the embrace of the city awaits.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Touchy asks, "Somebody feel seductive?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, upholstered in sleek grey.  The
Floyd | control panel on his side flashes discreet symbols you never learned
Floyd | to read, but in the center of the dashboard is the stereo, and above
Floyd | it hangs a mirror.  The car has a back seat as well as a front;
Floyd | usually his kind comes in groups.  There's only a plain black
Floyd | briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is lounging inside the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | The beautiful sonorous chords of cello music flood the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "out"
Floyd | You slide out of the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | After The Rain
Floyd | There's comfortable scent of wet sidewalk and shattered ozone.
Floyd | Whirling autumn leaves race down the gutter as the late afternoon sky
Floyd | brightens overhead.  To the south, there's a park, and beyond that,
Floyd | the embrace of the city awaits.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd | You can't go that way.  Obvious exits lead back to the north and
Floyd | south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x park"
Floyd | You can see a playground with a merry-go-round and swings, as well as
Floyd | a large field where some children are chasing a black dog across the
Floyd | wet grass.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x car"
Floyd | The car that took you so far...  Man, it's dirty.
Floyd |
Floyd | It's open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "there's no way to clean this car?"
DavidW says, "You'd think the rain would've done it."
Jacqueline says, "Well, rain doesn't come with soap."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wave"
Floyd | The word "wave" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "clean car"
Floyd | You wouldn't know how to clean that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says, "WITH MAGIC"
DavidW says (to inky), "We can't fly either."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take car"
Floyd | You can't take that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under car"
Floyd | You see nothing unusual under the car door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close car"
Floyd | Closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "climb car"
Floyd | That is not something you can climb.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in car"
Floyd | There's nothing in the car door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open car"
Floyd | Opened.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd | Car
Floyd | The car is large and comfortable, upholstered in sleek grey.  The
Floyd | control panel on his side flashes discreet symbols you never learned
Floyd | to read, but in the center of the dashboard is the stereo, and above
Floyd | it hangs a mirror.  The car has a back seat as well as a front;
Floyd | usually his kind comes in groups.  There's only a plain black
Floyd | briefcase back there, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | Galen is lounging inside the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | The beautiful sonorous chords of cello music flood the car.
Floyd |
Floyd | A pair of teenagers wander by, sharing a cigarette.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "give necklace to galen"
Floyd | (first taking the necklace off)
Floyd | You offer the necklace back to him, dangling from your fingers.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Keep it," he says.  "I do not want it."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "give shades to galen"
Floyd | Galen considers the sunglasses, and then shrugs dismissively.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "give my sunglasses to galen"
Floyd | Galen considers the sunglasses, and then shrugs dismissively.
Floyd |
Floyd | A squirrel drags a little paper bag across the parking lot.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "hug galen"
Floyd | You lean over and hug Galen.  He seems to enjoy it, in a reserved and
Floyd | silent kind of way.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "ask galen about sunglasses"
Floyd | It's a little late to ask him to take his sunglasses off now.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "galen, hug me"
Floyd | Galen just shakes his head.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "thank galen"
Floyd | The word "thank" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
inky says (to Floyd), "galen, thanks"
Floyd | The word "thanks" is not necessary in this story.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I think we've done as much as we can without disassembling the game."
Jacqueline says, "heh"
Jacqueline says, "Well, you've been pretty thorough."
DavidW says, "we found four endings."
Jacqueline asks, "So... pleased? Ready for me to wrap up the transcript?"
DavidW says, "yeah, I think so."
DavidW says, "I'm glad I saw the rest of this game, finally."



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