Living Room

It's a nice, big room.  A potted plant is the only attempt at decoration.

Passages lead north, east, and west.  To the south, the front door of the house

leads outside.

An old television, a huge, boxy, massive-looking thing, sits on the floor.

You see a PO Box, a small red ball, a red book, an iron key, a clear jar, a

green jar (which contains two copper coins), a blue test booklet, a brass key,

a brown box, a tricycle, a rusty key, a green ball, an 8-ball, a large red

ball, eight coins (five gold and three silver), and a phone book here.

Bill and Bob are standing here.

>bill, s. close door. n

Bill opens the front door.

Bill leaves through the front door.

Someone closes the front door from the other side.

Someone opens the front door from the other side.

Bill enters through the front door.

>bill, follow me

"Okay, I will follow you."

>w

Platform Room

This room is obviously highly contrived.  Filling one end of the room is a

platform, almost like a theater stage, raised a couple of feet above the floor.

At opposite ends of the platform are two smaller platforms, one red and one

blue; atop each smaller platform is a chair of the same color as its platform.

In the center of the main platform is a raised dais, upon which are a wooden

stool and a leather armchair.

The only exit is east.

On the main platform is a large white box, about waist high and quite roomy.

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

Bill enters from the east.

>sit in box

(first standing on the main platform)

You can't do that because the white box is closed.

Bill stands on the main platform.

>open box

Opening the white box reveals a beeper.

A small trap door is set into the floor of the box.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>sit in box

Okay, you're now sitting in the white box.

Bill stands in the white box.

>bill, sit

Bill sits in the white box.

>close box

You close the white box.

It is now pitch black.

>stand

There's not enough room to stand up in the box while it's closed.

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

>bill, stand

You see no bill here.

>l

In the dark (sitting)

It's pitch black.

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

>e

It's too dark; you can't see where you're going.

>open box

You open the white box.

Platform Room (sitting in the white box)

This room is obviously highly contrived.  Filling one end of the room is a

platform, almost like a theater stage, raised a couple of feet above the floor.

At opposite ends of the platform are two smaller platforms, one red and one

blue; atop each smaller platform is a chair of the same color as its platform.

In the center of the main platform is a raised dais, upon which are a wooden

stool and a leather armchair.

The only exit is east.

On the main platform is a white box (which contains a beeper).

A small trap door is set into the floor of the box.

Bill is sitting in the white box.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>bill, follow me

"Okay, I will follow you."

>sit on red chair

(first getting out of the white box, then standing on the red platform)

Okay, you're now sitting on the red chair.

Bill gets out of the white box.

Bill stands on the red platform.

>sit on blue chair

(first standing up, then getting off of the red platform, then standing on the

blue platform)

Okay, you're now sitting on the blue chair.

Bill gets off of the red platform.

Bill stands on the blue platform.

>sit on stool

(first standing up, then getting off of the blue platform, then standing on the

dais)

Okay, you're now sitting on the stool.

Bill gets off of the blue platform.

Bill stands on the dais.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>sit on armchair

(first standing up)

Okay, you're now sitting in the armchair.

>e

(first standing up, then getting off of the dais, then getting off of the main

platform)

Living Room

It's a nice, big room.  A potted plant is the only attempt at decoration.

Passages lead north, east, and west.  To the south, the front door of the house

leads outside.

An old television, a huge, boxy, massive-looking thing, sits on the floor.

You see a PO Box, a small red ball, a red book, an iron key, a clear jar, a

green jar (which contains two copper coins), a blue test booklet, a brass key,

a brown box, a tricycle, a rusty key, a green ball, an 8-ball, a large red

ball, eight coins (five gold and three silver), and a phone book here.

Bob is standing here.

Bill enters from the west.

>bob, follow bill

"Okay, I will follow Bill."

>n

Dining Room

This medium-sized room[1] has a dining table and a couple of chairs, one

upholstered in dark fabric and other in light fabric.  A door (closed) leads

north.

A trophy is visible in a small alcove set into the top of one wall.

A bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase in the center of the table.

On the table are a red candle, a white candle, a stretchy bag, a cookie tin,

and an inflatable rubber raft.

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

Bill enters from the south.

(A number in [square brackets] like the one above refers to a footnote, which

you can read by typing FOOTNOTE followed by the number: FOOTNOTE 1, for

example.  Footnotes usually contain added background information that might be

interesting but isn't essential to the story.  If you'd prefer not to see

footnotes at all, you can control their appearance by typing FOOTNOTES.)

>z

Time passes...

Bob enters from the south.

>footnote 2

The story has never referred to any such footnote.

>footnote 1

This is just a sample note for the dining room.

>x dining table

It's a large[2] oval table.  On the table are a red candle, a white candle, a

stretchy bag, a cookie tin, and an inflatable rubber raft.

A bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase in the center of the table.

>footnote 2

Okay, it's not all that large.  Medium-sized sounds so weak, though.

>x trophy

It's shaped like a big cup, and looks to be made of silver.

>x alcove

It's a small, arched alcove, set high up on the wall, near the ceiling.

A trophy is visible in a small alcove set into the top of one wall.

>smell

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

>smell flowers

The flowers have a strong, well, flowery fragrance.

>smell vase

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

>listen

You hear nothing out of the ordinary.

>look in alcove

A trophy is visible in a small alcove set into the top of one wall.

>get the trophy

You can't reach the trophy from here; the alcove is too high up.  You might be

able to reach the alcove if you were standing on something.

>stand on table

Okay, you're now standing on the table.

Bill stands on the table.

>get the trophy

Taken.

Bob stands on the table.

>get off table

Okay, you're no longer on the table.

Bill gets off of the table.

>n

(first opening the door)

Back Yard

This small yard has a well-kept lawn.  The edges of the yard are defined by

thick, tall hedges.  An old garden shed occupies the northwest corner of the

yard.  A door into the house is to the south.

In the center of the yard, floating in mid-air, is a red sphere.

Bill enters through the back door of the house.

>x sphere

The red sphere floats unnervingly in mid-air, with no apparent mechanical means

of suspension.  It does not hover like a balloon, but seems absolutely still,

as though firmly attached to an invisible pole.

Bob enters through the back door of the house.

>get it

The sphere is strangely fixed in place; it resists your attempts to move it.

It does seem to be able to rotate freely on its vertical axis, though, so you

could probably turn it if you wanted to.

>open it

That is not something you can open.

>eat it

The red sphere does not appear to be edible.

>put it in the duffel

(first trying to take the red sphere)

The sphere is strangely fixed in place; it resists your attempts to move it.

It does seem to be able to rotate freely on its vertical axis, though, so you

could probably turn it if you wanted to.

>turn it

Although the sphere is immovably fixed in space, it rotates so freely that it

feels weightless.  You give it the lightest touch, and it starts spinning

wildly, so fast that it becomes a featureless, glowing blur.  After a few

moments, it abruptly comes to a stop, and you see that its color has changed to

blue.

>push it

The sphere is strangely fixed in place; it resists your attempts to move it.

It does seem to be able to rotate freely on its vertical axis, though, so you

could probably turn it if you wanted to.

>x door

Which door do you mean, the door of the shed, or the back door of the house?

>both

back door of the house: It leads south, into the house.  It's open.

door of the shed: It leads into the shed.  It's closed.

>close door

You close the back door of the house.

>open door

Which door do you mean, the door of the shed, or the back door of the house?

>back door

Opened.

>nw

(first opening the door of the shed)

Shed

There's barely room to stand up or turn around in this tiny storage space.  The

north wall has a few deep shelves, but otherwise the structure is featureless.

A door leads out to the southeast.

On the shelf are a flashlight, a box of rat poison, and a book of matches.

Bill enters through the door.

>eat rat poison

It's not very tasty, but it sure is deadly.

*** YOU HAVE DIED ***

Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, UNDO the last

move, see the CREDITS, or QUIT?

>undo

Taking back one turn: "eat rat poison".

Shed

There's barely room to stand up or turn around in this tiny storage space.  The

north wall has a few deep shelves, but otherwise the structure is featureless.

A door leads out to the southeast.

On the shelf are a flashlight, a box of rat poison, and a book of matches.

Bill is standing here.

>look in box

It's full of white powder.

Bob enters through the door.

>x book of matches

It's closed.

>x matches

It's closed.

>get flashlight

Taken.

>get matches

Taken.

>x it

It's closed.

>open it

Opening the book of matches reveals five matches.

>x matches

It's open, and contains five matches.

>get two matches

match:

(first opening the duffel bag, then putting the keyring in it to make room)

Taken.

match:

(first putting the trophy in the duffel bag to make room)

Taken.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring and a trophy), a

flashlight, a book of matches (which contains three matches), and two matches.

>x matches

match: The match is an ordinary match.

match: The match is an ordinary match.

book of matches: It's open, and contains three matches.

>get match

(first putting the flashlight in the duffel bag to make room)

You take the match.

>light match

You strike the match, igniting a small flame.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring, a trophy, and a

flashlight), a book of matches (which contains two matches), and three matches

(one lit).

>extinguish match

You put out the match, which disappears into a cloud of ash.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring, a trophy, and a

flashlight), a book of matches (which contains two matches), and two matches.

>undo

Taking back one turn: "i".

Shed

There's barely room to stand up or turn around in this tiny storage space.  The

north wall has a few deep shelves, but otherwise the structure is featureless.

A door leads out to the southeast.

On the shelf is a box of rat poison.

Bob and Bill are standing here.

>undo

Taking back one turn: "extinguish match".

Shed

There's barely room to stand up or turn around in this tiny storage space.  The

north wall has a few deep shelves, but otherwise the structure is featureless.

A door leads out to the southeast.

On the shelf is a box of rat poison.

Bob and Bill are standing here.

>drop match

Which match do you mean, an unlit match, or the lit match?

>unlit

Which match do you mean, one of your matches, or a match in your book of

matches?

>one of my matches

Dropped.

The match finishes burning, and disappears into a cloud of ash.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring, a trophy, and a

flashlight), a book of matches (which contains two matches), and a match.

>l

Shed

There's barely room to stand up or turn around in this tiny storage space.  The

north wall has a few deep shelves, but otherwise the structure is featureless.

A door leads out to the southeast.

You see a match here.  On the shelf is a box of rat poison.

Bob and Bill are standing here.

>get match

You take the match.

>x door

It leads out of the shed.  It's open.

>out

Back Yard

This small yard has a well-kept lawn.  The edges of the yard are defined by

thick, tall hedges.  An old garden shed occupies the northwest corner of the

yard.  A door into the house is to the south.

In the center of the yard, floating in mid-air, is a blue sphere.

Bill enters through the door of the shed.

>close door

(the door of the shed)

Closed.

Someone opens the door of the shed from the other side.

Bob enters through the door of the shed.

>s

Dining Room

This medium-sized room has a dining table and a couple of chairs, one

upholstered in dark fabric and other in light fabric.  A door (open) leads

north.

A small alcove is set near the top of one wall, up near the ceiling.

A bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase in the center of the table.

On the table are a red candle, a white candle, a stretchy bag, a cookie tin,

and an inflatable rubber raft.

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

Bill enters through the door.

>get raft

(first putting the book of matches in the duffel bag to make room)

Taken.

Bob enters through the door.

>put it in the tin

Done.

>inflate it

You cannot do that because it would make the inflatable rubber raft too large

for the cookie tin.

>put it in the stretchy bag

(first taking the inflatable rubber raft)

Done.

>put stretchy bag in tin

(first taking the stretchy bag)

Done.

>inflate raft

You cannot do that because it would make the stretchy bag too large for the

cookie tin.

>get bag

You take the stretchy bag.

>inflate raft

You cannot do that because the stretchy bag would become too large for you to

hold.

>drop bag

Which bag do you mean, the stretchy bag, or the duffel bag?

>stretchy

Dropped.

>inflate raft

It takes all your strength, but you manage to blow up the raft.  You might feel

light-headed for a bit.

>get bag

The stretchy bag is too large for you to hold.

>put bag in tin

(the duffel bag)

Done.

>undo

Taking back one turn: "put bag in tin".

Dining Room

This medium-sized room has a dining table and a couple of chairs, one

upholstered in dark fabric and other in light fabric.  A door (open) leads

north.

A small alcove is set near the top of one wall, up near the ceiling.

A bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase in the center of the table.

You see a stretchy bag (which contains an inflatable rubber raft) here.  On the

table are a red candle, a white candle, and a cookie tin.

Bob and Bill are standing here.

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

>put stretchy bag in tin

(first trying to take the stretchy bag)

The stretchy bag is too large for you to hold.

>deflate raft

You let the air out of the raft, which flattens into a bunched-up pile of

yellow rubber.

>put stretchy bag in tin

(first taking the stretchy bag)

Done.

>get tin

Taken.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring, a trophy, a

flashlight, and a book of matches (which contains two matches)), two matches,

and a cookie tin (which contains a stretchy bag (which contains an inflatable

rubber raft)).

>l

Dining Room

This medium-sized room has a dining table and a couple of chairs, one

upholstered in dark fabric and other in light fabric.  A door (open) leads

north.

A small alcove is set near the top of one wall, up near the ceiling.

A bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase in the center of the table.

On the table are a red candle and a white candle.

Bob and Bill are standing here.

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

>light white candle

(with your match)

(first lighting the match)

You light the white candle.

>x white candle

The candle has barely been used.  It's lit.

The match finishes burning, and disappears into a cloud of ash.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring, a trophy, a

flashlight, and a book of matches (which contains two matches)), a match, and a

cookie tin (which contains a stretchy bag (which contains an inflatable rubber

raft)).

>s

Living Room

It's a nice, big room.  A potted plant is the only attempt at decoration.

Passages lead north, east, and west.  To the south, the front door of the house

leads outside.

An old television, a huge, boxy, massive-looking thing, sits on the floor.

You see a PO Box, a small red ball, a red book, an iron key, a clear jar, a

green jar (which contains two copper coins), a blue test booklet, a brass key,

a brown box, a tricycle, a rusty key, a green ball, an 8-ball, a large red

ball, eight coins (five gold and three silver), and a phone book here.

Bill enters from the north.

>push tv north

Dining Room

This medium-sized room has a dining table and a couple of chairs, one

upholstered in dark fabric and other in light fabric.  A door (open) leads

north.

A small alcove is set near the top of one wall, up near the ceiling.

A bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase in the center of the table.

On the table are a red candle and a white candle (providing light).

Bob is standing here.

The flowers have a pleasant fragrance.

You push the television into the area.

Bob leaves to the south.

Bill enters from the south.

>bob, sit on light chair

You see no bob here.

>z

Time passes...

Bob enters from the south.

>bob, sit on lighter chair

Bob sits on the lighter chair.

>bill, sit on chair

Bill sits on the darker chair.

>push tv north

The television's casters are too small to allow the TV to go beyond this point.

>push tv south

Living Room

It's a nice, big room.  A potted plant is the only attempt at decoration.

Passages lead north, east, and west.  To the south, the front door of the house

leads outside.

You see a PO Box, a small red ball, a red book, an iron key, a clear jar, a

green jar (which contains two copper coins), a blue test booklet, a brass key,

a brown box, a tricycle, a rusty key, a green ball, an 8-ball, a large red

ball, eight coins (five gold and three silver), and a phone book here.

You push the television into the area.

>push tv south

The television's casters are too small to allow the TV to go beyond this point.

>w

Platform Room

This room is obviously highly contrived.  Filling one end of the room is a

platform, almost like a theater stage, raised a couple of feet above the floor.

At opposite ends of the platform are two smaller platforms, one red and one

blue; atop each smaller platform is a chair of the same color as its platform.

In the center of the main platform is a raised dais, upon which are a wooden

stool and a leather armchair.

The only exit is east.

On the main platform is a large white box, about waist high and quite roomy.

A small trap door is set into the floor of the box.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>sit in box

(first standing on the main platform)

Okay, you're now sitting in the white box.

>close box

You close the white box.

It is now pitch black.

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

>listen

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

>get pager

Taken.

>x it

It's too dark to do that.

>light flashlight

You see no flashlight here.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag, a match, a cookie tin, and a beeper.

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

>look in duffel

It's too dark to do that.

>open box

You open the white box.

Platform Room (sitting in the white box)

This room is obviously highly contrived.  Filling one end of the room is a

platform, almost like a theater stage, raised a couple of feet above the floor.

At opposite ends of the platform are two smaller platforms, one red and one

blue; atop each smaller platform is a chair of the same color as its platform.

In the center of the main platform is a raised dais, upon which are a wooden

stool and a leather armchair.

The only exit is east.

On the main platform is a white box.

A small trap door is set into the floor of the box.

>get flashl

Taken.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag (which contains a keyring, a trophy, and a book

of matches (which contains two matches)), a match, a cookie tin (which contains

a stretchy bag (which contains an inflatable rubber raft)), a beeper, and a

flashlight.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>close box

You close the white box.

It is now pitch black.

>i

You are carrying a duffel bag, a match, a cookie tin, a beeper, and a

flashlight.

You can hear a high-pitched beeping noise.

>light flashlight

Okay, the flashlight is now on.

White box (sitting)

You are sitting in the white box.

A small trap door is set into the floor of the box.

>e

You can't go that way.  Obvious exits lead down and out.

>open box

You open the white box.

>e

(first standing up, then getting out of the white box, then getting off of the

main platform)

Living Room

It's a nice, big room.  A potted plant is the only attempt at decoration.

Passages lead north, east, and west.  To the south, the front door of the house

leads outside.

An old television, a huge, boxy, massive-looking thing, sits on the floor.

You see a PO Box, a small red ball, a red book, an iron key, a clear jar, a

green jar (which contains two copper coins), a blue test booklet, a brass key,

a brown box, a tricycle, a rusty key, a green ball, an 8-ball, a large red

ball, eight coins (five gold and three silver), and a phone book here.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>put copper coin in jar

(first putting the match in the duffel bag to make room, then opening the green

jar, then taking the copper coin)

You put the copper coin in the clear jar.

>x jra

The word "jra" is not necessary in this story.

(If this was an accidental misspelling, you can correct it by typing OOPS

followed by the corrected word now.  Any time the story points out an unknown

word, you can correct a misspelling using OOPS as your next command.)

>x jar

Which jar do you mean, the green jar, or the clear jar?

>both

clear jar: It's made of clear glass.  It's open, and contains a copper coin.

green jar: It's made of transparent green glass.  It's open, and contains a

copper coin.

>e

Den

This small room is dominated by a desk, a massive steel edifice painted a drab

gray, something that would be more at home in a government office during the

cold war.  Behind the desk, built in to the north wall, is a bookcase.  A

passage leads west.

A big, old-fashioned manual typewriter is sitting on the desk.

Someone has jabbed a dagger into the top of the desk, leaving the dagger

sticking up almost vertically.

On the desk are a watch, a pen cup, a jar of Bob's Brand Premium Fish Cleaner,

and a bottle (which contains a model ship).  The pen cup contains four pens.

The phone is ringing.

>w

Living Room

It's a nice, big room.  A potted plant is the only attempt at decoration.

Passages lead north, east, and west.  To the south, the front door of the house

leads outside.

An old television, a huge, boxy, massive-looking thing, sits on the floor.

You see a PO Box, a small red ball, a red book, an iron key, a clear jar (which

contains a copper coin), a green jar (which contains a copper coin), a blue

test booklet, a brass key, a brown box, a tricycle, a rusty key, a green ball,

an 8-ball, a large red ball, eight coins (five gold and three silver), and a

phone book here.

The beeper is making a piercing beeping noise.

>n

Dining Room

This medium-sized room has a dining table and a couple of chairs, one

upholstered in dark fabric and other in light fabric.  A door (open) leads

north.

A small alcove is set near the top of one wall, up near the ceiling.