WMBK

(text-style:"underline")[(align:"==><===")[^^^^^^^^(text-style:"bold")[Chapter 1: What Once Was Always Will Be ]^^^^^^^^]] It's a lovely drive, really. The road to the manor never dulls in all the time you've been away. The autumn breeze is sharp outside, the brilliant reds and oranges of the trees that frame the road are swept up in it's grasp and gently carried away. They scatter on the roads, and though the road is beautiful, the actual drive itself was rather dull, boring, and often put you to sleep. But that wouldn't be happening today, oh no. Because (text-style:"bold")[today was the day]. As you drove down that quaint little back road, watching the trees fly by, beautiful warm colors all blurring together, you couldn't help but feel the heavy excitement that permeated your bones. You were absolutely beside yourself with anticipation. Today was the day. (text-style:"italic")[Today was the day you'd finally get to see your good friend Jessie again.] You and Jessie had been such close friends when you were younger, spending almost every afternoon with each other in high school, and you two had practically known each other since you were babies. You felt a sense of joy bubble up within you just thinking about the fact that he'd decided to invite you up to his estate for the party. After he went into acting you rarely had the time to spend with each other. You'd been traveling for work a lot lately, after all, and between you traveling and him being on set you'd never gotten the chance to catch up. But today was the day. Today was the day you'd finally, //FINALLY//, after all this time, get to sit down and chat with him. The winding pathways curl and snake through the woods and feilds, slowly winding towards you destination, and as you sit there in your seat you begin to [[think]] to yourself. (set: $MetEveryone to 0) (set: $MetDamien to false) (set: $MetEstelle to false) (set: $MetElliot to false) (set: $MetPeter to false) (set: $MetJessie to false) (set: $MetAlex to false) (set: $MetTheo to false) (set: $MetTifflings to false) (set: $MetNatiqa to false) (set: $MetSamuel to false) (set: $ObservedtheDetective to false) (set: $ObservedtheColonel to false) (set: $ObservedtheGroundskeeper to false) (set: $HadDinner to false) (set: $HeardDamiensStory to false)

It was quite the surprise, you suppose, that you recieved a letter to this particular party, being that you and Jessie haven't spoken in what feels like eons. He had been one of your closest friends during your childhood, you had practically done everything together, and through the years leading up to the take off of his acting career you both stood stalwart by each other's side. You were there for him, through thick and thin, as he struggled to grasp his dream and find foothold in that world of starlight and adoration he loved so much. You never really understood it, that want for fame and riches. It just wasn't your particular cup of tea, but then again many people would've said that about Jessie himself as well. But they were wrong. They were so very wrong. Jessie was someone who was, and would forever remain, someone so very important to you. Even now, after all these years of silence, he was still your closest friend. [[You realize you miss him.]]

Focusing on the road again, you realize that you're getting closer and closer to your destination and, within the next few minutes, the manor grounds rise into view. It is sprawling and gorgeous, the grass neatly cut and kept, bushes like monoliths rise along the gravel drive giving it a sense of seclusion and privacy. No prying eyes will find you here. And then, at long last, it finally appears, looming above you in all it's victorian-esque glory. With vines crawling up it's sides, beautiful gardens full of flowers of every shape and color, and a twisting stone pathway leading up to the porch, you swear that it begins to look more and more like an old castle every time you see it. You can just barely see the rest of the gardens peeking out from behind the stoney gray building before you, all bright and clear and just as perfect as they'd always been. Ivy crawls up and down the walls, snaking up to the windows as if it wished to crawl inside. This manor was every bit as beautiful as how you remember it. //'Every bit as dramatic as him too.'// You think to yourself as you gather up your things and head towards the door. You feel as though you're walking on air, buzzing with positive energy, and can only think of how much fun it will be to see your old friend again. As you walk along the pathway, you take a second to marvel at a new addition to the home: Two marble lions frame the stairs leading up to the patio, stoic and regal, as stalwart protectors of the home. You don't remember them being there before, but it has been several years since you last visited. You [[remember]] that visit.

It was one of Jessie's extravagant parties, probably not unlike this one. You'd met with his snootier, stuck up friends, and he introduced you to newer faces. [[Kinder ones]]. The acting types never were really the best people to talk to, in your experience. They were always talking and acting like they were bigger and better than you simply because you ran a book shop and they were on the silver screen. It was insufferable and you remember that you'd left that particular party early. You had tired of the crowd. But oh how you would've [[stayed]] if you knew it'd be the last time you'd see Jessie for a long, long while.

Jessie's newer friends, newer at the time at least, were quite charming in their own right. You stop and rest a finger on your chin, thinking. Who were they again? You have a hard time with names, it's something you're not particularly proud of, but you think you remember their professions. Let's see... There was a doctor, an author, & a historian. There was also a colonel, a detective, & an archaeologist. Hopefully they don't mind reintroducing themselves if they're here. It's been so long that surely they can't blame you for forgetting. You do tend to [[zone out]] a lot.

You truly would've spent the rest of your time there, with him, taking in his presence and infectious energy if you'd known how long he would be absent from your life after that. He just vanished one day, not long after the party. Any letters he'd sent you became your only reminder that he was real, and any letters you'd sent him remained unanswered. You'd wondered if, perhaps, they'd gotten lost in the mail but there was a part of you that feared that Jessie had simply grown tired of you and your early departure had been the final straw. But that didn't seem to be the case, thankfully. You'd been sent this invite after all! You assume he'd just been far too busy to spend time writing letters. It must've been that. That and your innate ability to [[zone out]] out and miss even the most simple of things. Maybe you'd just zoned out while going through your mail. Yes, that must've been it.

As this thought crosses your brain you realize you've been standing at the front door this whole time just...staring at it. And yet again, you realize something else. Something a bit more [[important]].

(if:(history: where its name contains "strangest")'s length is 0)[You quickly realize that there's someone walking towards the front door, and subsequently you, at a very brisk pace. In a panic, and hoping to not look too much like a creeper, you turn to face the person and are taken aback just as quickly. This is quite possibly the [[strangest]] man you've seen.] (if:(history: where its name contains "strangest")'s length is 1)["Oh." You say, before shaking your head. "No. I'm a guest, actually. I just got lost in my thoughts. The main house is so beautiful and I haven't seen it in a long, long time. "A guest!" the stranger exclaims. "Oh, how wonderful! I was hoping we'd have a new guest [[join us]]!"]

The man in the driveway is quite an odd looking fellow and you spot him quite easily. Approaching you at a very brisk pace is a man in a tall black hat wearing an off white coat and carrying...an umbrella? You start to wonder if you should have brought one as well. Is it supposed to rain today? You look up towards the sky and hold out a hand but feel no rain. And suddenly, somehow, the second you look back towards him, this strange man is standing right beside you despite being only halfway to the porch when you last saw him. //'He's even stranger up close!'// you think to yourself as you observe the stranger now standing uncomfortably close to you. For one, he's incredibly pale, his fingers are long and lithe, curled around the handle of his umbrella. He wears a long coat, possibly a peacoat, which wouldn't be so concerning in and of itself if it weren't covered in dark, reddish stains. His hair is long and nearly white, though it's probably a particularly light blonde, and on his face sits a pair of spiraled glasses. He tilts his head slightly, waving his empty hand. "Hello there," the man says as he twirls the umbrella in his hand, carefully avoiding anything he might hit. "Awfully nosey of you, peering into someone's windows like that." The stranger smiles, it makes you a bit uneasy to look at. "Looking for something [[important]]?"

"Join us?" you enquire, somewhat taken aback by the man's sudden enthusiasm. He simply smiles more in response, umbrella grasped firmly in his hands. You start to wonder who the hell Jessie has been hanging out with in your absence, worried about this seemingly blood stained stranger standing before you. Abruptly, he slams the tip on the umbrella on to the stone stairs, making quite the loud (text-style:"shudder")[crack] as he does so. "Well!" He straightens himself up, extending a gloved hand towards you. "This has been a wonderful introduction, but I'm afraid we'd best not keep the rest of the group waiting." You stare at him for a moment, baffled. [[The man stares back at you.]]

"I didn't actually introduce myself, did I?" You shake your head. No, no he didn't, and you aren't confident enough to state that you may know him already. He adjusts his glasses with the handle of the umbrella, hand still held out towards you. " So sorry about that, friend. I am Elliot Hyde, a well known surgeon around these parts." He pauses, before continuing on. "Please, pay no mind to the..um..." He gestures down to his outfit with his head. "Stains. Party was right after quite the strenuous medical emergency. Simply had no time to go change." "Right..." You say, seriously debating if you want to [[shake his hand]] or [[simply ignore it]].

(set: $ElliotApproval to $ElliotApproval +1) You decide it'd be quite rude to ignore the man, seeing as how you've been talking for a bit now and you can obviously see the hand being offered to you. You take his hand in yours, gently, and introduce yourself. Elliot's smile widens as he quickly latches on to it. He gives your hand one firm shake and your whole body jerks downwards from the force of it. He doesn't really look to be that strong at all, he's quite thin in all honesty, but that was one of the strongest handshakes you'd ever experienced. (text-style:"italic")["This man truly is quite the oddity."] You think to yourself as you remove your hand from his grip and nod, taking the time to make sure your appearance is still clean and in shape. Elliot simply looks on, seemingly [[waiting]] for you to do something though you've got no idea what. You could always [[knock]] on the door.

(set: $ElliotApproval to $ElliotApproval -1) You choose to ignore his hand, instead you look towards the door and decide it'd be best to get inside before this man murders you. You can practically feel Elliot's distain, his eyes boaring into your back. You suppose you've only two options now: [[insist]] Elliot enter before you, for your own safety, or [[knock]] on the door.

After a few more moments of silence you decide it'd be best to just ask him. "Elliot?" You posit. He looks to you with a soft "Hm?" "Are you waiting for something?" He pauses for a moment, before nodding. "I'm waiting for you to go in." He states, matter-of-factly. "See, I've started up a kind of tradition for whenever I show up to a party hosted by Jessie." "What might that be?" His eyes shine, full of mischeif. "I am always, (text-style:"bold")[always], the last one to arrive. They all expect it by this point, for me to be as late as I possibly can be without missing the beginning of the party entirely. If it's alright with you, my friend, I think I'd like to keep that tradition going. Henceforth, I am waiting for you to knock so I may enter after you." Who on earth is this man? He seems to feel no need to keep to societal expectations of respect towards the host, which is rude as anything, but on top of that he makes a habit of showing up late? And yet he had no time to change out of his bloodstained clothes? You decide, though the man is quite strange, to [[knock]] on the door, as Elliot requested.

(if:$ElliotApproval is 1)[Elliot's smile never falters as you reach your hand out and grasp the golden knocker on the door. You give it three swift knocks before turning to Elliot again. "You have my thanks, friend." He whispers, nodding to you. It takes a moment after you knock for anyone to answer but when the door finally opens you're greeted by a short, soft looking man in a butler's uniform. He has short, dark brown hair and warm brown eyes. He smiles when he sees you. "Well," he says cheerfully. "You're certainly a new face! Could I get your name?" You introduce yourself to the butler and he pulls out a clipboard, scans down the page, and then checks something with a pen. "Pleasure to meet you! My name's Peter. If you ever need me I'm probably in the kitchen working on something. Now, may I take your coat?" You nod and, as you move to enter, Peter notices Elliot standing behind you. "OH, Mr. Hyde!" He says, shocked that he hadn't noticed him before. " I didn't see you there. Let me just note you down as well..." He pulls out the clipboard and scans the page again, which you now realize is a guest list. He puts a check mark next to Elliot's name. "That's everyone then!" He states, putting his pen back into his pocket. "Would you like me to take your coat, sir?" Elliot simply smiles and waves dismissivly. "No, no, I'm quite alright keeping mine, Peter. Thank you though." "Of course. Well then, come on in!" You enter and head towards the Main Hall with Elliot in tow. You amicably chat for a little as you walk down the entrance hall but Elliot excuses himself upon reaching the Main Hall. "There are some friends waiting for me. I best not keep them waiting much longer. Take care, friend." He says before turning on his heels and swiflty making his way to the second floor.] (if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[Elliot's smile shifts to a frown, brows furrowing behind his spiral glasses. As you knock on the door you can feel his eyes boaring into the back of your head. (text-style:"italic")["He's just confused."] you think to yourself.](if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[(text-style:"italic")["And definitely not going to try to hurt me."] ] (if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[A few minutes of tense silence go by before the door is opened. Before you stands a butler, in uniform, with short black hair and warm, clear skin. He's short, much shorter than Elliot at the very least, and quite..well, soft, you'd say. "Well," he says, tilting his head slightly. "You're certainly a new face." You simply wave, feeling immense discomfort as Elliot hasn't stopped watching you this entire time. "And Mr. Hyde," the butler states, and you feel Elliot's eyes unstick themselves from your back. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Please, come in. I'll take your coats if you'd like." Elliot shakes his head. "No thank you, Peter. I'd like to keep mine on me, if you don't mind." "Not at all." Peter replies. He then turns to you, readies his pen, and looks down at the clipboard. "Name?" You tell him your name and he checks something off before looking back up at you. "Seems everyone's here then! That's wonderful. Come right in! I'll take your coat and you can find me in the kitchen if you need anything!" You enter and Elliot swiftly follows behind. You think he might be following you until he sweeps past you without a word and climbs the stairs up to the second floor.] (if:$ElliotApproval is -2)[Elliot's smile shifts to a frown, brows furrowing behind his spiral glasses. As he begins to realize you're actually quite serious his expression shifts yet again, to a look of pure frustration. He quickly moves past you, bumping your shoulder as he does so, and grasps the knocker in his hand. He slams it down on the door one, two, three times, grumbling all the while about your apparent disregard for tradition. A few minutes of tense silence go by before the door is opened. Before you stands a butler, in uniform, with short black hair and warm, clear skin. He's short, much shorter than Elliot at the very least, and quite..well, soft, you'd say. His deep, brown eyes widen in shock upon seeing Elliot at the door. "My, my, my, Mr. Hyde." he says, tilting his head slightly. "I didn't expect to see you so early. Finally given up on that whole "always the last one in" tradition?" Elliot scowls. "Not by choice, he spits, gesturing back to you with the umbrella. "Apparently some people don't have an iota of respect for tradition nowadays." You suddenly feel quite embarassed but resolve to stick to your guns. You give the butler a wave and he bows in response. "Well," the Butler states, pulling out a clipboard and a pen. "I suppose I can mark you down as having arrived then, Mr. Hyde. Go on in and do try not to let this sour your night." Elliot breezes past the butler, not uttering a word in response, and silently speeding down the main hall before sharply turning and scaling the two starecases on either side of the doorway. The Butler then turns to you. "Hello there! I'm truly sorry about Mr. Hyde. The man is an absolute stickler for tradition, even if they're ridiculously silly. I hope he didn't cause too much of an issue?" You shake your head. No, he wasn't really a problem. Just odd and unsettling, though you'd never say it aloud. The Butler nods. "Good. Anyways." He readies his pen and looks down at the clipboard. "Name?" You tell him your name and he checks something off before looking back up at you. "Seems everyone's here then! That's wonderful. Come right in! I'll take your coat and you can find me in the kitchen if you need anything! I'm Peter, by the by." You step inisde and head into the Main Hall.] Making sure to thank Peter for taking your coat, you slip it off and hand it to him. He nods and bids you farewell, vanishing through the main hall and off into a door on the right. Must be the kitchen, if you remember the layout correctly. Now, it's time to figure out where you'll go first. You are in the Main Hall, you can either [[Exit to the Backyard]] [[Climb the Stairs]] [[Follow Peter]] (set: $MetElliot to true) (set: $MetPeter to true) (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +2)

You decide it'd be best if he knocks first. "Go on ahead, Elliot." You say, gesturing to the door. He laughs, genuinely. He clearly thinks you're joking. You are not. You stare at him for a bit before gesturing to the door again. "Go on and [[knock]], Elliot." (set: $ElliotApproval to $ElliotApproval -1)

As you walk further into the Main Hall, taking in the rich decor of old oak wood and warm, red carpeting, you peer out into the backyard through the double doors. Off in the distance you spot something, or rather someone, go sprinting across the wide expanse of the yard, vanishing behind a row of bushes. A short minute afterwards, what appear to be two stout little dogs race across the yard, seemingly chasing the figure you saw. The dogs vanish behind the bushes, just as the figure did, only for that same figure, who appears to be a man in overalls, sprints back out from behind the bushes and across the yard again. You grow curious as to what could possibly be causing this man to sprint around like that. Did something bad happen? You're just about to open the door and step outside when someone taps you on the shoulder. You turn, startled, and come face to face with [[Peter]], who stands just a bit behind you.

As you walk further into the Main Hall, taking in the rich decor of old oak wood and warm, red carpeting, you peer up the stairs to the second floor. The landing is just as inviting as the main hall, and just further up is the set of doors that lead further into the second floor and it's maze of rooms. You grow curiouser and curiouser the longer you stand in the Main Hall as you swear you can hear piano music coming from somewhere behind those doors. Last you checked, Jessie didn't own a piano. You're just about to take the first step up the stairs when someone taps you on the shoulder. You turn, startled, and come face to face with [[Peter]], who stands just a bit behind you.

You decide it'd probably be best if you went to find Peter first. You can't fully remember the layout of the house, it has been ages since you've been here last, and you don't remember if there were any places you weren't allowed to go. Quickly, you glide through the Main Hall to the door that you'd seen him walk through. Faintly, you hear the sounds of dogs barking somewhere outside. Odd...Jessie never had any dogs. Not that that matters right now of course, what you need to do is talk to Peter. Just as you reach for the door handle, the door swings open, startling you, and you're face to face with the man you're looking for. [[Peter]] stands before you, looking quite apologetic.

He steps back slightly, holding his hands up in the air. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just realized I'd forgotten to tell you about the house! The rooms, I mean. Jessie requested that I let all the guests know the areas in which they're allowed to hang about." (if:(history: where its name contains "Find Peter")'s length is 1)[He quickly checks you over once, clearly worried. "I didn't hit you, did I? With the door, I mean." "No, you didn't." You say. "I'm fine, Peter." He takes a deep breath and lets out a long sigh. "Good. I don't know how I'd handle if I had...Anyways."] "Let me see here..." Peter flips a page on his clipboard over the top and skims the page below it. "Alright, so, the areas that people will most likely be hanging out in are as follows: One the first floor we have: the (text-style:"bold")[Living Room], the (text-style:"bold")[Back Porch], the (text-style:"bold")[Theatre], and the (text-style:"bold")[Gardens]. One the Second Floor there's the (text-style:"bold")[Library], the (text-style:"bold")[Art Gallery], and the (text-style:"bold")[Ballroom], and the third floor is where the (text-style:"bold")[Bedrooms] are situated. You're also welcome to sit in the (text-style:"bold")[Dining Room], should you wish, and you're welcome to come visit the (text-style:"bold")[Kitchen], if you'd like." "The only areas that are off limits currently are the (text-style:"bold")[Attic] and (text-style:"bold")[the Basement], for safety reasons. The floor in the attic is quite old and the Basement just needs refurbishing after that horrid storm we were hit by a few days ago." He then flips the top page back down and nods. "And that's all you need to know! Is there anything I can help you with?" You could always ask Peter to [[show]] you where a room is or you could [[explore]] on your own.

(set: $PeteriswithYou to 1) Peter nods. "Where would you like to go?" [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]]

(set: $PeteriswithYou to 0) You thank him for the offer. He simply nods and bids you farewell as you step back into the Main Hall. Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]]

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)["Where on the first floor would you like to go?"] (if: $PeteriswithYou is 0)[Where would you like to go?] (if:(history: where its name contains "The Living Room")'s length is 0)[ [[The Living Room]] ] (if:(history: where its name contains "The Back Porch")'s length is 0)[ [[The Back Porch]] ] [[The Gardens]] [[The Theatre]] (if:$MetEveryone is 10)[The dinner bell rings, echoing around the house. You should probably head to the [[Dining Room]].]

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)["Where on the second floor would you like to go?"] (if: $PeteriswithYou is 0)[Where would you like to go?] (if:(history: where its name contains "The Library")'s length is 0)[ [[The Library]] ] [[The Art Gallery]] (if:(history: where its name contains "The Ballroom")'s length is 0)[[[The Ballroom]]] (if:$MetEveryone is 10)[The dinner bell rings, echoing around the house. You should probably head to the [[Dining Room]].]

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)["Shall I show you to your room?"] (if: $PeteriswithYou is 0)[Where would you like to go?] [[Your Bedroom]] (if:$MetEveryone is 10)[The dinner bell rings, echoing around the house. You should probably head to the [[Dining Room]].]

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and off to the side, revealing a lovely little area with a stone fireplace and plenty of plush seats to sit on. He bows and takes his leave.] (if:$PeteriswithYou is 0)[You walk through the Main Hall, wandering aimlessly, until you notice an archway off to the side. This leads into a room with a large stone fireplace and some lovely plush seats to sit on. This must be the (text-style:"bold")[Living Room].] (set: $LivingRoomFound to 1) (if:visits is 1)[Upon entering the Living Room you immediately notice two figures standing by the fire. One is significantly more familiar to you with his dark black hair, striking brown eyes, and tall, lithe frame, he looks exactly as you remember him. That's Jessie, the outfit nails it. He always wears a button up and black pants to his parties. He seems to be deep in conversation with a very loud, very tall, very strong looking man. The man seems to be the more rough and tumble type, wearing something akin to what an explorer might wear with a backpack slung over his shoulder. He must've arrived a bit before you and Elliot had. [[Call out to Jessie.]] [[Wait for him to notice you.]]] (set: $PeteriswithYou to 0)

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and right through the glass double doors at the end. The air is warm and inviting out here and you can smell the flowers from the gardens. There's a table and a few wicker seats set around it. Peter bows and takes his leave.] (if:$PeteriswithYou is 0)[You decide to take a look outside as you've always been fond of the gardens here. You open the glass double doors and step out on to the back porch.] As you look around the porch you spot three people hanging out around the back porch. You observe the beauty of the land the house sits on, admiring it for a while. The bushes and grass are so well kept, the garden remains an oasis amongst a sea of grass, and you can't help but smile to yourself as you stand and stare at the landscape. The trees themselves are spattered with red, orange, and yellow leaves, rustling in the crisp Autumn wind. The yard look absolutely stunning during most seasons, but especially during the Fall. You manage to tear your eyes away from the landscape, reluctantly scanning the porch, and notice the three other people hanging around it. To the right, near the edge of the porch, there's a tall man with round glasses (if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 0)[who appears to be the [[groundskeeper]] ] (if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 1)[, the groundskeeper,] standing by the end of the porch, watering some flowers. Two little corgis seem to be running around him, play fighting in the grass, their collars jingling as they do so. To the left, sitting on a nice wicker couch, are two people, a man and a woman, talking quietly between themselves. The woman is short and seems to be wearing something akin to a tan trench coat. (if:(history: where its name contains "detective")'s length is 0)[Perhaps she's a [[detective]]?] (if:(history: where its name contains "detective")'s length is 1)[That's most definitely Jessie's detective friend.] The man she appears to be talking with is tall and wearing what appears to be military attire. He speaks very animatedly, often waving his arms and laughing to himself. Perhaps he's telling a story? (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[Could this be the [[Colonel]] you remember?] (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[That's absolutely the Colonel.] (if:(history: where its name contains "Introduce yourself to the woman." or "Introduce yourself to the man.")'s length is 0)[[Introduce yourself to the woman.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Introduce yourself to the man." or "Introduce yourself to the woman.")'s length is 0)[[Introduce yourself to the man.]] (if:(history: where its name contains "Introduce yourself to the man watering flowers.")'s length is 0)[[Introduce yourself to the man watering flowers.]] [[Go back inside]] (set: $TifflingsApproval to 0)

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and straight through the glass double doors at the end. He leads you away from the patio, down a dirt path, through and ivy covered archway, and into the gardens proper. The flowers are brilliant bright hues of reds, blues, yellows, oranges, and purples. There's a little pond nearby with koi swimming about inside. He bows and takes his leave.] The Gardens have always been your favorite part of the yard. The colorful flowers with their fragrant blooms always invite you to sit and stay a while, the wind rustling the leaves of the Weeping Willow has it's own charm to it, and the waterwheel, a tiny little replica, chugging away as it pulls water from the pond is nice to watch. The area truly is the best on the estate. Its far away from people, from the hustle and bustle of both the city and the manor in general, and it provides a safe little spot where one can come and sit, enjoy a glass of tea, and be alone with their thoughts for a while. This place was one you'd visit quite often when you were invited to those fancy folk parties. The garden wouldn't judge you, nor you it, and that was nice. You watch the koi in the pond swim around, weaving in and out of the plants, hiding under duckweed, and then vanishing for a while before appearing on the other side. The turtles sit on their log as always, watching over the pond and all it's inhabitants like some soldier, stalwart and strong. There doesn't seem to be anyone here, but you decide to be with yourself for a [[moment]].

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall, through the living room, and down a long hallways adorned with all the movie posters Jessie could possibly find. He stops by a thick double door and gestures to it with his hand. He bows and takes his leave.] The Theatre is a wonderfully immense room full of chairs and insulated quite well. There sits a large screen and the end of the room, all the chairs face towards it, and behind the chairs, up on the wall, appears to be the device that allows Jessie to show all his films to his guests. There doesn't appear to be anyone in here and you'd rather not dig through all of Jessie's expensive films right now. Where would you like to [[go]]?

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and up the stairs to the second floor. He turns to the left and walks until he reaches an old, oak door. The knob is worn but still golden in hue and you hear the crackling of a fire inside. He bows and takes his leave.] (if:$PeteriswithYou is 0)[You decide to take a moment and explore the second floor. As you wander about aimlessly, you stumble upon an old looking oak door. The door knob is well worn but still golden in hue. You hear the crackling of a fire behind the door.] The library is absolutely massive with shelves upon shelves of books in rows along either side of the room. All the shelves lead down towards the end of the room where there sits a large, vaulted window overlooking the backyard and gardens. Below this window is a comfy looking little sitting area. Two chairs sit diagonally from the currently crackling fireplace and between them sit a small table with a steaming mug on it. Leaning against the chair to the left is a black cane with a round, golden handle. Looking around the room, it becomes apparent that you are not alone. Gliding amongst the shelves, paying you no mind what so ever, is a woman with short, puffy blonde hair in a long, muted emerald dress. She moves silently from shelf to shelf, barely making any noise yet commanding all of your attention. She sets a book on the shelf in front of her and sighs before swiftly lifting up her skirt and vanishing behind the next shelf before you can stop her. Once again, you're left in the middle of the library on your own. Well....what will you do now? You can [[check the fireplace]] and see what's going on there, or you could [[go look for the woman.]] (set: $MetEstelle to false) (set: $MetDamien to false)

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and up the stairs to the second floor. He turns to the right and walks until he reaches an oak door. The knob is made of some type of stone or marble. He bows and takes his leave.] (if: $PeteriswithYou is 0)[You continue to wander around the second floor, hoping to find something interesting, when you stumble across an oak door. You decide to check it out, though it sounds as though no one is in there at the moment. You grasp the knob in your hand, it is cold to the touch.] You open the door and enter the room. It is large and spacious with a vaulted ceiling and a very greecian look to it. The walls are absolutely covered with paintings from various different eras and, though you assume they're remakes, you can't help but marvel at them. On the right side of the room stands a few statues, all in neat rows. They absolutely loom over you, beautiful figures frozen in time. There doesn't seem to be anyone in here right now. Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]]

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and up the stairs to the second floor. He turns to the left and walks past an old looking oak door with a golden knob. As you both continue down the hall you start to hear the piano music you'd heard getting clearer and clearer. He stops a large set of double doors. Once he's sure you don't need anything else he bows and takes his leave.] (if: $PeteriswithYou is 0)[You wander about the second floor, seaching for more people to say hello to. It's almost like a scavenger hunt, if you really think about it. You end up passing an old oak door with a golden knob, and as you pass it by you hear the piano music you heard earlier growing closer. Eventually you reach a large set of double doors, the music you heared echoes from behind it.] You gently open the door, courteous as to not disturb the person playing inside. The room that streches out before you is grand, with golden trimming and beautiful polished wood floors. There sits a piano in the corner near the end of the room, the person sitting on the stool in front of it intensely familiar, with a stage next to it. On that stage sits a man, one unfamiliar to you, who gently sways back and forth. The man at the piano's identiy is obvious. It's Elliot, you could recognize him anywhere. (Not that he tries to make himself less distinct.) He's intensely focused on the piano before him, fingers gliding gracefully across the keys. (if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[Despite your misgivings when it comes to the man, you have to admit that the music he plays is absolutely magical. It is both haunting and enchanting as it echoes about the room, calling all who hear it inside.](if:$ElliotApproval is >= 1 )[You have to admit it. The music he plays is absolutely magical. It is both haunting and enchanting as it echoes about the room, calling all who hear it inside.] The man sitting on the stage, however, is an absolute stranger. In complete contrast to most of the people you've seen before, this man sits in the most casual outfit anyone could possibly get away with when it comes to being a guest at a formal party. His hair is ruffled and brown, curling in odd directions, and short. His eyes are a striking, warm brown, and his skin is pale and spattered with freckles. He sits and listens as Elliot plays, completely lost in the music as he sways back and forth. He looks to be quite young, though appearances can be decieving. You could possibly [[greet]] Elliot(if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[, though he might not react well.](if:$ElliotApproval is >= 1)[ and hope he doesn't mind the intrustion.] You could also introduce yourself to the [[man]] sitting on the stage.

(if: $PeteriswithYou is 1)[Peter leads you through the Main Hall and up the stairs to the second floor. He turns to the right and walks past a door with a weird looking knob. From there he walks down the hall yet again until he reaches another set of stairs. He climbs those and then walks down the hall til he reaches the third door from the end. "This will be your room for the night." He says, and once he's sure you don't need anything else he bows and takes his leave.] Your bedroom is a small and cozy little spot, with a window that overlooks the garden and backyard. Looking out through the window for a moment, you spot Tifflings and the two dogs sprinting around the yard again, as you asssume is their want and whim. They seem so busy today. The bed is a decent size, looking comfy and warm. Your bags, which you had completely forgotten about, sit neatly stacked in the corner of the room. (if:$HadDinner is false)[You unpack them and make sure that everything is neat and orderly. You stand up and look around the room, taking it in.](if:$HadDinner is true)[Your bags sit empty and stacked in the corner of the room.] (if:$HadDinner is false)[Eventually you decide to leave. [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]]] (if:$HadDinner is true)[You decide to head to bed, exausted by all the excitment you'd had today. Completely sapped of energy, you fall into bed, kicking your shoes off as you do so. You curl up under the blankets and settle in, feeling a happiness you hadn't felt in a long while. You can't help but wonder what [[tommorrow]] will bring.]

"Jess!" You call out, simply too excited about seeing him to wait. "I haven't seen you in ages! I've missed you so much, where have you been???" Jessie notices you and waves, a bright smile across his face. "I missed you too, bud! Now don't you be a stranger, you hear? Come on over!" Jessie beckons you over with an arm and you comply, swiftly making your way over to the two men. "Couldn't be bothered to send a letter letting me know you were alive, eh?" you tease, smacking him in the arm once you get close enough. Jessie simply laughs in response, mock rubbing his arm before sweeping you up in a big, warm hug. "It's been forever since I last saw you! How've you been? How's the family? OH! Have you met any of the other guests yet?" The explorer chuckles. "I'm going to assume you've met Elliot already. Am I right? You got here around the time he usually does, and he's always, (text-style:"bold")[always], the last one here." You quickly realize that he's mocking the man, though his tone indicates it's all in jest. (if:$ElliotApproval is 1)["Yeah, I have!" you say, remembering the weird man you'd met at the door. "He's...a little odd, but aren't we all?" The explorer claps you on the back. "I'll drink to that!" he laughs. Jessie continues to smile, looking to you. "He's harmless, really! Just a bit of an oddball. I wouldn't worry about him."] (if:$ElliotApproval is -2)["Yeah, I have." you say, remembering the man you'd met at the door. "He's...incredibly unsettling, if I'm honest." Jessie rolls his eyes, still smiling. "That's just how he is, bud! He's harmless, I promise."] "Anyway, allow me to introduce you two! Alex, this is my childhood friend! You remember, right? The one I was telling you about?" The explorer, Alex, nods. "Oh yeah! I do! This was the one with whom you were practically inseparable, right?" He turns to you, a big smile on his face, and holds out his hand. "It's fantastic to finally meet you!" You shake his hand, his grip is gentle but firm. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well!" "Come, won't you sit with us?" Jessie asks. "Alex was just going to tell me about one of his most recent trips!" Alex nods and lets out a hearty laugh. "Yes! You must stay and listen to the stories from my latest exploration, they're simply ridiculous." [["Sure, why not?"]] [["Maybe later? I kinda wanna go meet everyone else first?"]]

You think it'd be incredibly rude of you to interrupt their conversation. You simply walk into the room and decide to wait until one of them notices you or their conversation ends. Immediately upon you taking one step towards one of the seats, however, Jessie notices you and waves, a bright smile across his face. "Hey! Don't think I won't notice you if you stay quiet enough! Come on over!" You simply can't refuse Jessie's request, his excitement practically infectious, and you swiftly make your way over to the two men. "Hello again, Jess! Couldn't be bothered to send a letter letting me know you were alive, eh?" you call out, smacking him in the arm once you get close enough. Jessie simply laughs in response, mock rubbing his arm before sweeping you up in a big, warm hug. "It's been forever since I last saw you! How've you been? How's the family? OH! Have you met any of the other guests yet?" The explorer chuckles. "I'm going to assume you've met Elliot already. Am I right?" (if:$ElliotApproval is 1)["Yeah, I have!" you say, remembering the weird man you'd met at the door. "He's...a little odd, but aren't we all?" The explorer claps you on the back. "I'll drink to that!" he laughs. Jessie continues to smile, looking to you. "He's harmless, really! Just a bit of an oddball. I wouldn't worry about him."] (if:$ElliotApproval is -2)["Yeah, I have." you say, remembering the man you'd met at the door. "He's...incredibly unsettling, if I'm honest." Jessie rolls his eyes, still smiling. "That's just how he is, bud! He's harmless, I promise."] "Anyway, allow me to introduce you two! Alex, this is my childhood friend! You remember, right? The one I was telling you about?" The explorer, Alex, nods. "Oh yeah! I do! This was the one with whom you were practically inseparable, right?" He turns to you, a big smile on his face, and holds out his hand. "It's fantastic to finally meet you!" You shake his hand, his grip is gentle but firm. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well!" "Come, won't you sit with us?" Jessie asks. "Alex was just going to tell me about one of his most recent trips!" Alex nods and lets out a hearty laugh. "Yes! You must stay and listen to the stories from my latest exploration, they're simply ridiculous." [["Sure, why not?"]] [["Maybe later? I kinda wanna go meet everyone else first?"]]

You find a comfortable spot to sit by the fire as Jessie settles in to a seat of his own. For what feels like hours, you're regailed with stories of high stakes adventures, daring escapes, and all of the work that Alex has done over the years. He tells you of the lost ruins of Southeast Asia, the hunt for the fragments of what might've once been tech from Atlantis, and so on. You sit there with Jessie, watching the man before you retell his stories in quite the dramatic fashion, and realize exactly how the two became such good friends. After a little bit longer you decide it's probably time for you to go meet everyone else. You politely excuse yourself and bid them farewell. As you leave you hear Alex yelling about a particularly stubborn Indian Tiger. Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]] (set: $MetJessie to true) (set: $MetAlex to true) (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +2)

They both seem rather disappointed but understand your eagerness to meet the others. "I'm sure the others will be just as thrilled to meet you as I am!" Alex says, "Why, you're practically all Jessie ever talks about anymore!" Jessie playfully swats his arm as he devolves into laughter. He turns to you and pats your shoulder. "There'll be time to catch up later. Go on, go meet everyone else. If you need an idea of where to look, just come ask me!" You bid the two men farewell as they settle in to two of the seats by the fire, chatting as animatedly as they were when you first walked in. You step out into the Main Hall. Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]] (set: $PeteriswithYou to 0) (set: $MetJessie to true) (set: $MetAlex to true) (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +2)

You decide to check the fireplace out, maybe take a seat on one of those chairs and enjoy the warmth for a bit. It does look so incredibly comfortable and the Library is so quiet and comforting. With the wind starting to kick up outside you could really use a nice sit down by the fire to ground you and remind you that you are safe inside. (if:$MetEstelle is false)[As you approach the chairs, however, you begin to realize that it's not just you and the woman in here.] (if:$MetEstelle is true)[As you approach the chairs, however, you begin to realize that it's not just you and Estelle in here.] Honestly, you shouldn't have been caught as off guard by the tall man sitting in the left seat as you were, but you were just...not expecting him to be there. He is reading, very intently might you add, and that's what you do in a library , but that's not what surprised you. Not only is he quite tall, his long legs lay crossed in front of him at the ankles, but he's also a stark contrast to the gold, brown, and red that litters the room around him. He is incredibly pale, almost sickly white, with short, dark black hair that's almost a ruffled mess on his head. He wears a black suit with a white collared shirt and a pair of dark black shoes. Then you notice his one leg and how it seems to be bent just the slightest bit different than his other one and suddenly what you assumed to be a lone cane makes sense. It's leaning against his chair, after all. Casually, the man reaches to his side and lifts the mug off the small table beside him. He brings it to his lips and takes a very gentle sip, humming contently as he does so. It's at that moment that he notices you staring at him and gently sets the mug back in its place, smiling. "I'm not ill, I promise you." he says, voice smooth and deep. "You don't have to stand all the way over there." He pats the arm of the chair to the right of the table. "Come. Take a seat. It's a lovely little spot, isn't it?" You can't help but feel as though you've [[seen]] the man before. Though perhaps you should just [[take a seat]] and see if he offers any more information.

But where have you seen him before? He must've been at one of Jessie's parties before this. Perhaps this is the...writer you remember? Yes, yes that must be it! But that still doesn't explain the eerie feeling of familiarity that you feel when you look at him. And then it hits you: You've seen him in some of the books you sell before! He's the author of some of the really popular mystery novels that've been selling really well recently! You can't remember the title fully, only that it had something to do with a ship and being stuck out at sea. What was his name again? The man watches you, an amused expression on his face. "I'm serious, you know. I don't bite." You shake yourself from your thoughts and take a seat in the chair next to him. "I'm sorry, you just look very familiar and I couldn't quite place why until I remembered that I've sold a few of your books." The man nods. "I have written a few books during my life, yes." He chuckles and holds out his hand. "Damien de Lafoncé, professional novelist. I write mostly mystery novels, most recent one was a murder mystery on a ship." You nod excitedly and take his hand without thinking. His fingers are cold but his grip is gentle, harmless. "Yes! That's who I thought you were but I couldn't remember your name! Sorry about that..." "Oh, it's quite alright." He chuckles, slowly opening his book again. "I don't expect everyone to remember my name all the time. Quite unrealistic." Maybe you should [[find something to talk about]]. (if:$MetEstelle is false)[You could always [[go look for the woman.]]]

You decide to take the man up on his offer, settling into the chair he's offered to you. The man smiles. "See?" He says. "I told you I don't bite." You nod, watching him curiously. He watches you as well an amused smile on his face. This is getting ridiculous and a little bit awkward, but you swear you've [[seen]] the man before.

You offhandedly mention Jessie, how you're a really old friend of his, and that seems to draw Damien's attention again. "Is that so?" he asks. "How old are we talking?" "I've known him since Elementary school!" you state, proud of who your friend has become. "That's incredible!" He exclaims. "You and Jessie are like Stella and I." "Stella?" "Oh, you might've met her. She's around here somewhere, her name's Estelle. I just call her Stella. I've known her since Elementary school as well, just like you and Jessie." "That's cool! How'd you meet Jessie?" Damien sets a bookmark in between the pages he was reading and sighs, a fond smile crossing his face. "How much time are you willing to spend sitting here, listening to me talk? This is a long, strenuous story about an adaptation for one of my books and a director that just wouldn't listen." You think for a moment before responding. [["I've got to hear this story, no matter how long it takes.]] [["Maybe we should save it for after I've met everyone else."]]

(set:$MetEstelle to true) You quicky speed off into the labarinthine maze of shelves in search of the woman. Maybe if you can catch up to her quick enough you won't have to hunt her down for the rest of eternity. That'd certainly suck. As you round a shelf you nearly smack right into the woman, you because you just weren't paying attention and her because she now has what seems to be a massive pile of history books in her arms. She quickly steadies herself, immediately balancing the tower of books she carries, and peers around them at you. You immediately feel like you just woke a cat from their nap. "Hi," you start. "I'm sorry I nearly tipped you over. I was just looking for people to introduce myself too since I'm relatively new to these parties and you sorta vanished before I could say anything." The woman simply nods her head and walks over to a table hidden amongst the shelves. There she sets down the book tower with a heafty thump and dusts off her hands. "Well, I can't blame you for coming in here to look for people. And if I did truly run off before you could greet me then I suppose I'm partially to blame for that almost disaster." She holds out a hand to you, a soft smile on her face. "Well then, let us commence with the introductions! My name is Estelle Dulaine and I am a former history teacher turned Historian. And you are?" You shake her hand and introduce yourself. She grasps your hand in hers and gives it a firm shake. It's strong, like her. "Pleasure to meet you! Say, have you met Damien yet? He's sitting by the fireplace." (if:$MetDamien is false)[You shake your head. "No, I haven't. I haven't checked it out yet." "Ah," she says. "Well, before you leave the library I highly suggest stopping by and saying hello. Especially if you're trying to find everyone."] (if:$MetDamien is true)["I've actually already met Damien." you say. "He was pretty fun to talk to." "Oh!" She exclaims, clearly excited. "You've met him! Good, good. I'm so glad. He needs more people to spend his time with, you know? People that aren't Elliot and I."] Estelle nods and smiles. "Well, I better get back to my pile o' books here, if you don't mind?" "Oh no, not at all!" You say. "Take care!" Estelle settles down at the table and takes a book off the top of the tower. "You as well!" (if:$MetDamien is false)[Well...now you should probably [[check the fireplace]].] (if:$MetDamien is true)[I suppose it's time to head out again. Would you like to explore the [[Second Floor]] some more? You could also go down to the [[First Floor]] again. Lastly, there's always the [[Third Floor]], where your room is located. You may need to ask Peter which one is yours though.] (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +1)

Damein nods, taking a sip of his tea. "Well, it all started when a studio had reached out to me. They wanted to do an adaptation of a book I'd written called "The Murder of Pennington Way". The story, for sake of brevity, is about a detective who's tasked with figuring out who keeps taking out the residents of a little area called Pennington Way. I, of course, agreed. I was very curious as to how they'd pull it off." You nod, eagerly waiting for him to continue. "Well, apparently Jessie had been cast to play the main character. I can't really argue with their choice from an acting perspective but, physically, the man is nothing like the main character." Damien goes on to tell you, in great detail, about the absolute nightmare the came from that deal. They wanted to cut important details, had hidden others too well, and were ignoring a grand majority of what he'd actually written down for the characters. Through this whole mess Jessie was one of the few people who'd actually be on Damien's side when arguing about the details being as close to the book as they could get and, because of this, Jessie quickly became someone Damien highly respected. And then, the first time they'd genuinely interacted, Jessie tripped while holding a cup of coffee and completely doused him. He was apologizing for hours afterwards, worried he'd burned him, but apparently Damien just thought it was funny. You can't help but laugh at that. That certainly does sound like the Jessie you know, incredibly graceful until the one moment he isn't. You can't help but bring up the one time you'd invited him over for tea and he'd accidentally shattered your one good teapot. That gets a laugh out of Damien. You swap a few more stories, generally ones about Jessie and the mishaps he'd caused, before bidding him farewell. (if:$MetEstelle is true)[Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]] ] (if:$MetEstelle is false)[You could always [[go look for the woman.]]] (set: $MetDamien to true) (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +1) (set: $HeardDamiensStory to true)

Damien nods to himself, smiling a bit more as he does so. "That's understandable. Do come find me once you've spoken with everyone else and maybe we'll have enough time for me to tell that story, hm?" You nod enthusiastically, standing up from the chair. "Of course, of course! I wouldn't miss this golden opportunity for all the money in the world!" Damien chuckles. "Jessie will just //love// that I'm telling you all about it, //I'm sure.//" You can't help but laugh at how playfully fond he sounded right then, talking about Jessie. (if:$MetEstelle is false)[Damien gestures to the shelves with his one hand, book again held firmly in the other. "Stella should be around here somewhere. I'd check the shelves. She's been running through them since we decided to settle down in here. She was letting her drink go cold and everything." You look at the mug sitting next to him and then slowly look back at him. "What?" he asks, raising the mug up to his lips. "I wasn't about to let a good cup of tea go to waste." You chuckle and nod.] You bid Damien a polite farewell. Now... what to do next? (if:$MetEstelle is false)[You could always [[go look for the woman.]]] (if:$MetEstelle is true)[Where will you go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]]] (set: $MetDamien to true) (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +1)

(text-style:"underline")[#(align:"==><===")[^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^(text-style:"bold")[We Must Be Killers]^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^]] (text-style:"italic")[We Must Be Killers] is a WIP Murder Mystery by Oliver (That's me.) based around an idea I had about writing a murder mystery where all the characters were based off of my closest friends. The story has shifted and changed over the years but I feel as though starting it up now, while I still know the story I want to tell, is the best idea. Please feel free to let me know what you think of it and anything I can improve upon! With that being said, I hope you enjoy (text-style:"italic")[We Must Be Killers]. [[Chapter 1: What Once Was Always Will Be]] Chapter 2: Sunset Chapter 3: And the World Stopped Chapter 4: Close, Closer Chapter 5: Yet Closer Still (if:$HazyDays is true)[Ending 1: Hazy Days] (if:$MockingbirdSongs is true)[Ending 2: A Mockingbird's Song] (if:$HellonWheels is true)[Ending 3: A Nightmare on Wheels] (if:$AtLongLast is true)[Ending 4: At Long Last] (if:$SinnersEatFree is true)[Ending 5: Hell is Empty] (if:$ALongWayHome is true)[Joke Ending 1: A Long Way Home] (if:$Corgipawcalypse is true)[Joke Ending 2: The Corgipawcalypse] (if:$ThisHurtsMyHead is true)[Joke Ending 3: This....Hurts My Head] (if:$WowReally is true)[Joke Ending 4: Wow...Really?]

You quickly make your way to the Dining Room, having realized that Peter and the cooks must've finished cooking dinner. You can't believe how quickly time flew by as you wandered about the house meeting people and exploring the expansive layout. Upon entering the room you notice the long table is set up quite nicely, placemats and plates perfectly aligned with each other sit in front of 7 chairs. There are flowers in a vase in the middle of the table and a long, expensive looking table runner spans the entirety of the table. It'd seem a few of the guests have made it here before you. Elliot, Damien, Estelle, and Samuel all sit together. Elliot and Damien on one side of the table with Estelle and Samuel sitting across from them. Jessie sits next to an empty seat, Alex across from him. Next to Alex sits Colonel von Maxim and across from him is Natiqa. Jessie spots you and waves you over, patting the seat next to him. "Hey buddy, I saved you a spot! Come on over." You settle into the seat next to Jessie, happy that he'd saved the spot just for you. As dinner is served you spend most of your time chatting with the people at the table. You hear a few stories about Natqia's line of work, the Colonel baffles you all as he explains his very delicately crafted theory on these things he's calling "Time Assassins", and you get to hear how each of them met Jessie. Damien politely refrains from telling his story, as he knows it'd only embarass the man.(if:$HeardDamiensStory is true)[ You catch his eyes as Alex goes on to explain what he does for a living and he gives you a knowing smile and winks, holding a finger up to his lips. You smile and give him the most subtle nod you can.] Eventually you finish dinner, remaining for several hours to chat with the other guest about all manner of things, before you begin to grow tired. Jessie gives you a nudge with his arm, apparently noticing your growing fatigue. "Why don't you head to bed? We shouldn't be up much longer." "But I wanna chat more with you guys..." you say, letting out a yawn as you do. Jessie smiles and pats your head. "We'll have plenty of time to chat tomorrow, buddy. Go rest." You nod, hearing a chorus of "Goodnight"s as you rise from your seat. "Peter!" Jessie calls out, and in a matter of seconds Peter is at his side. "Could you take them up to their room? I think the day's finally gotten to them." Peter bows. "Of course sir! Right away! Come along then, let's get you to bed." You follow Peter as he leads you to [[Your Bedroom]]. (set: $PeteriswithYou to 1) (set: $HadDinner to true)

The Groundskeeper seems to be a tall man in overalls and heavy work boots and gardening gloves. He wears a pair of round glasses that sit on the bridge of his nose. The man is pale but absolutely covered in dirt and grass stains, his long blonde hair speckled with dirt and grime. At his side sit two corgis, one with a blue collar and one with a red. The corgi with the red collar sprints around the area, never leaving the sight of the groundskeeper, and looks like quite the friendly little fellow. The corgi with the blue collar, having tired of rough housing with red, sits calmly in the grass, watching the groundskeeper expectantly. Every so often he scans the area, looking around the back porch absentmindedly. Blue's eyes settle on you for a moment and he lets out a soft huff. The groundskeeper stops watering for a moment to look at Blue inquisitively. "What'd ya see, Spark? Was it the gopher again?" He says, as Blue looks at him, little nub tail wagging. Blue looks back to you and the groundskeeper follows his line of sight, eventually spotting you. He waves at you and goes back to his work. "Ah, jus' 'nother friend 'a Mr. James'. Nottin' ta worry 'bout, Sparks." You stand on [[The Back Porch]] and start looking around again. (set: $ObservedtheGroundskeeper to true)

The detective, a short and sweet looking woman with short, curly red hair, sits on the wicker couch, (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[listening to the man ramble on about something.] (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[listening to the Colonel talk about his experiences with the paranormal while he was still in training.] She seems to be rather interested in his stories, nodding along when he speaks, though she seems a little preoccupied. As you watch her, sitting there with her long tan coat and collared white shirt, you realize she's turned to look at you. You make eye contact with her and she smiles, a relieved look washing over her face. She gives you a little wave, short but friendly, before looking back towards the (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[man](if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[Colonel], who hasn't stopped talking this entire time, despite the detective not paying attention for a moment. She seems to pick up the story again quite quickly, almost flawlessly piecing together what she had missed. You are standing on [[The Back Porch]], the detective sits on the wicker couch listening to (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[the man](if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[the Colonel] ramble on. (set: $ObservedtheDetective to true)

The man in the military uniform is tall with blonde hair and bright, mischevious eyes. His skin is pale, yet warm, and he wears a pair of heavy duity boots. He gestures around animatedly, seemingly telling a story about an experience he had when he was still in basic training. Through catching a few more snippits mentioning something called a "Firewatch" and the story of a few "plebs" playing with a Ouija board. You wonder why anyone in their right mind would mess with something like that, it's for contacting spirits and it most certainly isn't a toy. You decide that listening for a bit longer won't hurt anyone. You catch a few more snippits of the story, apparently this is what made him believe in the paranormal, when you catch the words "Boodle" and "Big Daddy" and summarily decide to check out of the conversation, for good this time. You are standing on [[The Back Porch]]. The Colonel chatters on about his experience with the paranormal, completely unware of your eavesdropping. (set: $ObservedtheColonel to true)

Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]]

You decide to introduce yourself to the woman. She seems quite kind and gentle, the perfect person to say hello to if you're anxious about speaking to the others. Unfortunately for you, the man seated by her side seems to notice you first. As you approach the small sitting area, (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[ the man](if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[the Colonel] takes notice of you and waves a hand bombastically. "Salutations, my fine friend!" he calls out to you. "Come, sit and join us! I'm only halfway through the story!" The woman sitting near him winces slightly, apparently bothered by his sudden increase in volume. You pull one of the wicker chairs situated around the small table over to the couch and take a seat. "I hope you don't mind my asking but..you wouldn't happen to be a Colonel, would you?" you ask, and the man's eyes shine. "Why indeed I am! A most astute observation!" he says, straightening up in his seat, puffed up with pride. "I am Colonel Theodore von Maxim, at your service!" "A pleasure to meet you, Colonel." you say, introducing yourself and extending a hand out. The Colonel takes it in his and shakes it enthusastically. "The pleasure is all mine!" he says. "I am most thrilled that you decided to join us, my fine friend. See, I was just regailing Natiqa with the story of the paranormal experience that truly made me believe in the paranormal!" He gestures grandly to the small, redheaded woman sitting beside him The woman, Natiqa, gives you a polite wave. "Pleasure to meet you," she says, extending a hand. "My name is Natiqa Anders, and before you ask, yes, I am indeed a detective. Most people ask, if the outfit didn't give it away already." The Colonel stares at you, excitement brewing in his eyes. "Won't you join us for a spell?" [[Stay for the story.]] [[Politely excuse yourself.]]

You decide to introduce yourself to (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[the man who's sitting on the wicker couch.](if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[the Colonel.] As you approach the small sitting area, (if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 0)[ the man](if:(history: where its name contains "Colonel")'s length is 1)[the Colonel] takes notice of you and waves a hand bombastically. "Salutations, my fine friend!" he calls out to you. "Come, sit and join us! I'm only halfway through the story!" The woman sitting near him winces slightly, apparently bothered by his sudden increase in volume. You pull one of the wicker chairs situated around the small table over to the couch and take a seat. "I hope you don't mind my asking but..you wouldn't happen to be a Colonel, would you?" you ask, and the man's eyes shine. "Why indeed I am! A most astute observation!" he says, straightening up in his seat, puffed up with pride. "I am Colonel Theodore von Maxim, at your service!" "A pleasure to meet you, Colonel." you say, introducing yourself and extending a hand out. The Colonel takes it in his and shakes it enthusastically. "The pleasure is all mine!" he says. "I am most thrilled that you decided to join us, my fine friend. See, I was just regailing Natiqa with the story of the paranormal experience that truly made me believe in the paranormal!" He gestures grandly to the small, redheaded woman sitting beside him The woman, Natiqa, gives you a polite wave. "Pleasure to meet you," she says, extending a hand. "My name is Natiqa Anders, and before you ask, yes, I am indeed a detective. Most people ask, if the outfit didn't give it away already." The Colonel stares at you, excitement brewing in his eyes. "Won't you join us for a spell?" [[Stay for the story.]] [[Politely excuse yourself.]]

You decide to greet (if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 0)[the man watering the flowers.](if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 1)[the groundskeeper.] (text-style:"italic")[ 'He seems to be a relatively calm individual,'] you think. (text-style:"italic")['that and I don't think interrupting the two on the couch is a good idea right now.'] You approach (if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 0)[the man](if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 1)[the groundskeeper]. (if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 0)[The dog in the blue collar](if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 1)[Spark] stands up and walks towards you, ears pointed up and nub tail wagging wildly. He appears to be coming over to greet you. The dog in the red collar stops sprinting around, his head turning sharply to look at you. He starts panting softly, mouth open and tongue lolling out, and quickly follows (if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 0)[the other dog.](if:(history: where its name contains "groundskeeper")'s length is 1)[Spark.] "Pardon me," you say, tapping him on the shoulder. "You wouldn't happen to be the groundskeeper, would you?" The man jumps slightly before turning to face you. "Ye, I am. Why'd'ya ask?" "I was tasked with introducing myself to everyone here in order to get to know them." "Ah..." he says. nodding to himself. "Makes sense, makes sense...so long as ya don' fuckin'...steal m' name or somethin' then I guess that's fine. Ya jus' gotta promise not ta steal m' name." You nod, absolutely baffled by the strange cast of characters Jessie seems to collect. "I promise I won't steal your name." "Good, good! Name's Tifflings, Tifflings McJaggleswipe! And these here are m' two dogs, Morton and Spark!" The two dogs wag their tails excitedly. "Ye can pet 'em, if ya'd like. They're good boys." (if:(history: where its name contains "Pet the dogs.")'s length is 0)[[Pet the dogs.]]

(set: $TifflingsApproval to 1) (set: $MortonApproval to 10) (set: $SparkApproval to 10) You kneel down and hold out your hand to the two little fluffballs before you. They both sniff your hand excitedly, intensively curious about the new person that's decided to join them on the porch. After a few seconds of sniffing Morton sticks his nose under your hand and waits, eager for pets. You comply, ruffling his fur and scratching behind his ears. Soon Spark does the same. You give him the best ear scratches and gentle pets that you can. They both crave attention, hopping up on your knee and barking if you stop petting them. You pet the two of them for a good solid minute before standing up again. You smile at Tifflings, the dogs sitting on either side of your feet, expectantly. "They're quite the duo!" "Oh ye, they've gotta whole lotta energy in 'em." He says, staring down at the two of them. "They're real helpful around here, ya know? Spark's got a blood feud with the gopher that lives in the woods. Keeps the bastard outta the yard, which is nice." "Oh." "Morton doesn't like the shed much. There's things under there, (text-style:"italic")[dangerous things]. Like an 80 ft long worm that's been eatin' all the rabbits that try to live under there." "Ah." You say, unsure of how exactly to respond. Tifflings nods to himself. "Really should go deal with that lil' bugger..." He says. Tifflings abruptly turns on his heels and picks up a shovel that'd been leaning against the porch. With the confidence of a man who'd seen god and wasn't impressed, Tifflings marches off towards the shed. Morton and Spark look at you for a moment, seemingly judging if it'd be worth it to stay with you or follow Tifflings. After a brief pause, they decide to follow Tifflings, leaving you to do whatever it is you want to do on [[The Back Porch]]. (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +1) (set: $MetTifflings to true)

"Sure," you say, settling into the chair and preparing for what's to come. Natiqa giggles, rubbing her gloved hands together for a moment. "You might come to regret that choice." she says, clearly fond of the Colonel. "Why might that be?" "Because once he gets going it's very hard to get him to stop." The Colonel claps his hands together, clearing his throat as he does so. "Most excellent, my friend, most excellent! Now, are you ready for the fright of your life?" "It all began during my time in Valley Forge." He starts. "There had been some plebs, you see, and they wanted to try out a Ouija board in the area behind the gym that'd burnt down ages ago." It takes ages, though you don't regret staying one bit. The story of the Colonel's experiences with all the paranormal happenings during his time at Valley Forge is absolutely terrifying, though not all bad, and you hang off of every word. Eventually, much to your dismay, the story ends and you must leave once again. You bid Natiqa and the Colonel farewell, and [[Go back inside]]. You could also look around [[The Back Porch]] some more. (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +2) (set: $MetTheodore to true) (set: $MetNatiqa to true)

"Sadly, I don't think I have the time." you say, and the Colonel deflates slightly. "Oh, well perhaps another time then?" he asks. You nod. "Of course. I'm sure I'll be able to hear all about it once I'm done meeting the other guests." Natiqa nods. "Well, we'll be out here for a bit. Feel free to stop by if you ever get lost!" You thank Natiqa and the Colonel for their time and bid them farewell. "Farewell, my friend!" The Colonel calls after you. "Don't get too lost!" You wave goodbye. [[Go back inside]]. Look around [[The Back Porch]] some more. (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +2) (set: $MetTheodore to true) (set: $MetNatiqa to true)

You decide to greet Elliot(if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[, despite your better judgement.](if:$ElliotApproval is >= 1)[, regardless of how he might react.] You approach him cautiously, but not so much as to mask your presence. Your shoes click across the hardwood floor, the sound bouncing around the room, snapping the man on the stage out of his stupor. (if:$ElliotApproval is >= 1)["Elliot," you call out to the man. "I wasn't aware you could play the paino!" The music stops as Elliot turns to look at you, his smile returning to his face. "Hello again, my friend!" he returns, swinging his body to face you. "You never did ask! It's a hobby of mine, I find it quite calming to do. As a bonus, it seems to help calm down those around me as well." He turns to look at the man on the stage, who watches you with curious eyes. "At the very least, I know Damien and Estelle enjoy it. Samuel seems to like it as well." The man jumps slightly upon being referenced, seemingly returning him to his body. "Ah, y-yeah. Elliot's music is real nice to listen to!" He says, rubbing the back of his neck. "I like to listen when I can." You smile and chuckle, nodding. The man, Samuel, seems to be the nervous type. He shifts and fidgets under your gaze. You and Elliot both watch him, Elliot seeming just as amused as you are. Samuel stares back at the both of you, confused. "What?" "Are you going to [[introduce yourself]]?" Samuel smacks his forehead with the heel of his palm. The sound echoes around the room.] (if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[The music stops as Elliot turns to look at you, his expression immediately souring. "Oh. It's you." He says, and the man on the stage turns his head to look at you. "I hope you'll pardon my sudden exit, Samuel, but I think I'm going to go find Damien and Estelle." The man, Samuel, nods once and Elliot stands, quickly making his way past you. He exits through the old oak doors, them shutting behind him with a loud bang. You and Samuel stare at the door for a moment before you turn to look at him. He watches you, curiously. A few minutes pass in awkward silence, no idea on how to move past this. Perhaps you should introduce yourself to the [[man]].] (set: $PeteriswithYou to 0)

"Hello," you say, waving to him. He jolts and nods at you. "You must be Samuel." Samuel nods again. "Yeah, that's me." After you introduce yourself there's a long pause again. "So," you say, finally bringing yourself to speak. "Are you friends with Jessie?" "Kinda." Samuel replies. "I'm closer to Elliot, Estelle, and Damien than I am to Jessie. I kinda met him through them and they all asked if I could join them when they'd gotten the invite for this party. Obviously he said yes." "Cool, cool." The silence settles again, heavy and uncomfortable. "Well it was nice to meet you, Samuel." "Oh, yeah. Y-You too!" (if:$ElliotApproval is -1)[(if:(history: where its name contains "greet")'s length is 0)[Elliot seems to be purposely ignoring you.]] Perhaps you should go explore some more. [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[First Floor]] (set: $MetSamuel to true) (set: $MetEveryone to +1)

Samuel quickly sticks out a hand. "I'm Samuel." He says, "I'm a friend of the Terror Trio." You shake his hand, intrigued. "The Terror Trio?" Samuel nods. "Yeah, that's what a few of us call Elliot, Damien, and Estelle. They can be quite the mischevious bunch together, hence the name." "How bad could they possibly be?" Out of the corner of your eye you see Elliot's smile widen. Samuel laughs. "Yeah, you clearly haven't been around them for very long! They can be a force of chaos if left alone together for any given period of time, though I suppose it's all based on how they're feeling on any given day. If they've all woken up and chose violence then we're doomed." You can't help but laugh at that mental image, imagining the three of them causing absolute mayhem at a party simply on a whim. It brings you an odd sense of joy, familiarity, almost like you've seen them do it before. Honestly, you just might've. As far as you're aware, they were at the last party you went to, you just couldn't remember their names. "In all honesty, I'm kinda hoping that I get to witness that someday." Samuel smiles. "It certainly makes the house a lot louder and a lot more fun!" You stay and chat with Elliot and Samuel for a bit more before saying goodbye. Where would you like to go? [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]] (set: $MetSamuel to true) (set: $MetEveryone to $MetEveryone +1)

You wake in the morning fully rested. Stretching as you sit up in bed, the sun streaming through the window, you go about your morning routine. You get washed and dressed, making sure everything is in order, before you head down to the dining room. Upon entering the dining room you're greeted by a bright and cheerful "Goodmorning!" as Peter spots you. He vanishes into the kitchen for a moment but quickly returns with a biscuit and a cup of coffee. "Morning." You reply, taking the coffee and biscuit in your hands. "Thanks for the coffee." "Ah, it's no bother. Natiqa and Samuel are in the living room if you wanna chat with a few friends. The Colonel went for a patrol around the yard with Tifflings and the dogs following him, so they should be back soon." You thank Peter again and [[head to the living room]].

You enter the room and are greeted by exactly who Peter had said would be here. Natiqa stands by the fireplace, cup of coffee in hand, and chats with Samuel, who's sitting on the floor in front of her. It seems the man refuses to sit on chairs except when necessary. "Good Morning, Natiqa. Samuel." The two smile at you. Natiqa speaks first. "Good morning! How'd you sleep?" "Quite well, thank you. The bed was a lot nicer than I was expecting it to be!" Samuel chimes in. "I know right? Like, it's even comfier than the ones I have at my house and I really need a nice soft bed in order to get to sleep!" You take a sip of your coffee. "Where's everyone else?" "Colonel went on a walk while being tailed by Tifflings and the dogs," Natiqa begins. "Peter's busy making breakfast and setting the table, Damien, Elliot, and Estelle are all on the back porch, and we're all in here." She nods. "I think that's everyone?" "You forgot Alex and Jessie." "Oh, right. Alex should be around here somewhere. I know he grabbed some coffee before running off. As for Jessie, well, none of us have seen him this morning. We don't wanna disturb him if he's sleeping so we're gonna check in on him around 12 if he doesn't show up of his own accord." "That makes sense." You chat with Natiqa and Samuel for a while, the topic jumps wildly from one to another, before you're interrupted by the sound of yelling from the back porch. The voices are most definitely Damien and Elliot, with the Colonel rising above the others. //"Is this some kind of sick joke, Theo? Because if it is I will NEVER forgive you for it!"// //"It most certainly is not! Why on God's green earth would I joke about this!?!// Natiqa quickly exits the room, worry apparent on her face. You decide to [[follow]] her.

You and Samuel look at each other, concern plain on your faces, before quickly following after Natiqa. You sprint through the double doors and into what can only be described as pure chaos. Damien stands near the stairs down to the yard, leaning heavily on his cane. His eyes continuously scan the yard, as if anxiously waiting for something to show itself. Beside him stands Estelle, watching him with a worried expression. Her hand rests on his back, rubbing calming circles into it in a vain attempt to help him relax. Natiqa is conversing with the Colonel and Tifflings, both of which seem rather on edge. The Colonel scans the entire area several times, body stiff and hand on the weapon at his hip. Tifflings sits on a stool with Peter by his side, the dogs continue barking by his feet. You catch a bit of their conversation: "Colonel, what is going on?" "Natiqa, this is a very important question and I need an answer, stat. Are there coconut trees in the garden?" "Wh-What are you talking about?" "Are there coconut trees in the garden!? I need to know! They're very dangerous, especially at this time of year!" You need information immediately. All this chaos is freaking you out. You could ask [[Natiqa]], though she seems pretty busy, or you could see if [[Damien]] knows anything.

You approach Natiqa and tap her on the shoulder. The Colonel pauses his yelling and looks at you as Natiqa turns. "What's going on?" You ask, confused and quite scared. The more everyone ignores you, the more frightened you become. "I-" she thinks for a moment. "I'm not quite sure. The Colonel keeps asking me about coconut trees and telling me they're dangerous and Tifflings is a little too stunned to speak at the moment, but something happened during their walk that's got both them and the dogs all riled up. I'm working on interviewing them but it's gonna take a bit." You nod, it's hard for you to keep your emotions in check but Natiqa seems to do it flawlessly. She's a little stressed, but that's to be expected, this was quite sudden after all. "Is there anything you can tell me?" you ask and Natiqa pauses for a moment. "I'm not too sure of the details but, from what I've gotten out of these two, Tifflings might've...well, there might be a body in the pond." She watches your reaction, guaging what you can figure out on your own. It's a tense bit of silence before the Colonel speaks. "I think it's important that I state this, for the record: Tifflings' dogs started going ballistic during our walk once we got to the garden, so the man went to investigate. He came back white as a sheet, claiming that there was a body in the pond. As a superior officer on patrol, I figured it was my duty to investigate and corroborate what he'd seen and..." his face falls, eyes looking down at the porch. "He was correct. There was a body in the pond." "Not just a body." Tifflings says, finally able to speak. "It was Mr. James. I swear on m' life an' name an' both m' dogs, //it was him//. It had t' be..." You can't even begin to process what you're hearing. Jessie, your closest and kindest friend, the man who was sunshine incarnate, is //dead?// This... this //cannot// be real. //You have to be having some kind of nightmare.// Before anyone can stop you, before you even realize it yourself, you're sprinting off towards [[the garden]], dead set on seeing it for yourself. If you can just prove to yourself that that body isn't Jessie then you'll be fine. Then everything will be fine.

You approach Damien calmly, the man was anxious enough without you scaring him. Estelle hears you approach and nods to you, gently, and speaks. "Hello. I'm...sorry this is what you've woken up to." "I was...I was already awake, actually. But thank you nonetheless. Do either of you know what's going on?" You ask. Estelle looks to Damien, then back to you. "We think someone's...died. We don't know who it was yet, Natiqa is talking to Tifflings and Theodore as we speak. We just...we were sitting out here, enjoying some tea and the crisp autumn air when Theodore comes sprinting towards us, Tifflings right behind him, with the dogs barking up a storm behind them. Damien immediately hopped to his feet and went to talk to them, to ask them what'd happened, and they said..." "They said it was Jessie." Damien says, eyes still shifting around the yard. "Said they'd found his body in the pond. Pulled him out and then ran to get Elliot, according to Theo. I just...I can't-" he puts a hand over his mouth, stifling a sob. "I just can't imagine why someone...why //anyone// would-" Estelle continues rubbing circles into his back. "We're hoping it's not true. That they were mistaken. But until Elliot comes back..." You can't even begin to process what you're hearing. Jessie, your closest and kindest friend, the man who was sunshine incarnate, is //dead?// This... this //cannot// be real. //You have to be having some kind of nightmare.// Before anyone can stop you, before you even realize it yourself, you're sprinting off towards [[the garden]], dead set on seeing it for yourself. If you can just prove to yourself that that body isn't Jessie then you'll be fine. Then everything will be fine. //Then everything will be fine.//

You sprint through the garden, your feet hit the ground and every time they do you feel your dread growing. Closer and closer you draw, closing in on the pond. You remember what it used to be. It was full of Koi and turtles, with a little log and some cattails decorating it, a small waterwheel keeping things clean and duckweed keeping the water fresh. It used to bring you such a sense of calm and closure. It doesn't now. Seeing the pond now brings fear and pain, denail working overtime to weigh them down, keep them hidden, but the bubble just beneath the surface. Eventually you arrive, finally spotting Elliot kneeling over something, ''//someone.//'' You approach swiftly, praying to any god that will hear you //'Please, please don't let it be Jessie.'// The closer you get to Elliot, the more you seem to hear it. A ringing in your ears. Your fear is clogging your senses, making it harder and harder to understand, to descipher anything. Elliot turns to you, surprised by your sudden appearance. He must've heard you coming, but you can't hear anything but the ringing. His mouth moves, you hear nothing. He speaks again,the ringing muffles his voice. You continue to grow closer and he slowly rises up from his kneeling position, holding out his arms as if to stop you. And that's when you see it. That's when you see him. It's as if your whole body shuts down. Your breath catches in your throat, tears fill your eyes and cascade down your cheeks, and your legs suddenly don't work anymore. You can't move. You can't think. All you can do is hurt. (if:$ElliotApproval is >= 1)[Elliot makes his way over to you, carefully and calmly, and wraps his arms around you. He holds you tight, and for once he doesn't speak. He doesn't need to. You can't move, can't even muster the strength to wrap your arms around him, to give him the same amount of comfort as he has to you.] There, soaked with water and laying in the dirt, is Jessie. [[You want to scream.]]

End of Chapter 1. [[We Must Be Killers]].

The area is peaceful, calm, and beautiful. You rest for a few moments before deciding where to go next. [[First Floor]] [[Second Floor]] [[Third Floor]] (set: $PeteriswithYou to 0)

You could go back to exploring the [[First Floor]]. You could check out the [[Second Floor]]. You could also visit the [[Third Floor]]. (set: $PeteriswithYou to 0)

Double-click this passage to edit it.