Cabin Fever

It's January 8th, and the snow covers the ground as you drive through the twisting path along the woods. Your GPS told you this was the fastest way without tolls, and you are deeply regretting the decision to take this route now that you know no one plows it.

You can't tell where the road ends, and without warning, you find yourself getting caught by the shoulder and skidding into a big snow bank. Yeah, your car isn't getting out of this without a towtruck.

What will you do?

Check my phone. I'll call a tow truck.

Take a nap. Someone will come around eventually.

<<set $awareness += 2>><<set $fireplace = 1>>\s\nYou look inside the fireplace, where a bunch of candles are tightly pressed together. You can't imagine why someone in the middle of the woods wouldn't just use wood to burn in a fireplace, but to each their own.\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[[...|return1]]\n

You look around for your phone, scrambling through the cold, and eventually find it underneath some snow. As you try to turn it on, it drops from your hands. You're shaking so hard from the cold that you can't really do anything right now.\n\n[[Try to warm up.|badend1]]

<<set $awareness += 1>>\s\nYou look at the bookshelf, and there's a bunch of books on herbs and plants. \n<<if $awareness < 3 >>\nIt kind of makes sense that there'd be a bunch of hippie stuff in the middle of the woods, you guess.\n<<else>><<set $bookshelf = 1>><<set $awareness += 6>>\nCurious, you look further. You also notice something similar to a journal. You open it and see instructions for a ritual. Upon further reading, you notice that it details a human sacrifice upon the stroke of midnight.\n\nHoly shit. \n\n[[Run.]]<<endif>>\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[[...|return1]]\n

<<set $s1 += 1>>\n<<set $awareness += 1>>\s\nYou look at the bookshelf, and there's a bunch of books on herbs and plants. \n<<if $awareness < 3 >>\nIt kind of makes sense that there'd be a bunch of hippie stuff in the middle of the woods, you guess.\n<<else>><<set $bookshelf = 1>><<set $awareness += 6>>\nCurious, you look further. You also notice something similar to a journal. You open it and see instructions for a ritual. Upon further reading, you notice that it details a human sacrifice upon the stroke of midnight.\n\nHoly shit. \n\n[[Run.]]<<endif>>\n<<if $s1 < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n[[Wait until she comes back.|wait2]]\n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\n\n<<else>>\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[["Welcome back."]]\n<<endif>>

<<set $suspicion += 1>><<set $awareness += 2>>\s\nJosephine frowns. \n\n"What do you mean, why? You're here because I didn't want you to die."\n\n[["That makes enough sense. Thanks. Can I use your phone?|hospitality1]]

<<set $awareness += 2>>Josephine frowns and looks at the ground.\n\n"I was on a walk."\n\n[["In a blizzard?"]]\n\n[["Oh. Well I'm glad you found me."|nice4]]

<<set $suspicion += 1>><<set $awareness += 1>>\s\n"I found you on the side of the road, passed out, and rescued you."\n\nShe smiled uneasily. "What's your name, anyway?"\n\n[["I'm Maxwell. Nice to meet you."|flirt2]]\n\n[["Maxwell. Why am I here?"|interrogate2]]

<<set $awareness += 1>><<set $wardrobe = 1>>\s\nYou look inside the wardrobe and see a bunch of black coats and what looks like robes or cloaks or something.\n\nSomeone has a horrible sense of fashion.\n\n<<if $suspicion < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<else>> \nYou hear a sound from behind you. \n\n[[Turn around and see who it is.|scene1]]<<endif>>

<<if $woods is 0>>You think you might hear some sounds off to the right.\n\n[[Go right.|woods][$woods += 1]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods][$woods += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<if $woods is 1>>Now the sounds seem to be coming from the left.\n\n[[Go right.|woods][$woods += 1]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods][$woods += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<if $woods is 2>> You might have been imagining the sounds all along.\n\n[[Go right.|woods][$woods += 1]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods][$woods += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<if $woods is 3>>The everlasting darkness sure makes it hard to navigate...\n\n[[Go right.|woods][$woods += 1]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods][$woods += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<if $woods is 4>> You feel the cold setting in.\n\n[[Go right.|woods][$woods += 1]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods][$woods += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<if $woods is 5>> Your vision starts to go black.\n\n[[Go right.|woods][$woods += 1]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods][$woods += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<if $woods is 6>> You freeze to death in the woods.<<endif>>\n

You grab the knife from the bedside table to kill Josephine.\n\n<<if $suspicion gte 8>>Josephine walks back in, but expertly dodges your attack. She glares at you. \n\n"I knew it was too good to be true." She raises her hand and you freeze in place.\n\nNo matter what you do, your body isn't moving.\n\nJosephine carries you outside, to a stone table, and ties you down.\n\nAfter some chanting, and a toll of a large bell, she digs a knife down into your heart. You die.\n<<else>>\nJosephine walks in, and you jump at her.She gasps as the knife sinks into her chest. She falls to the ground, and the life drains from her eyes.\n\n[[Escape.]]\n\n[[Wait the night out at the cabin.]]<<endif>>

You brush the snoww off you and turn the car back on. It's heat takes way too long to actually work, but it finally starts to thaw you out. \n\nThe car doesn't have much juice left in it, though. You have to do something.\n\n[[Now's the perfect time to use my phone.|Phone]]<<playsound "Drifting-in-space.mp3" >>\n

You keep walking, and something tugs at your consciousness.\n\nThe world goes black.\n\n[[...|cabin]]\n<<fadeoutsound "Drifting-in-space.mp3" >>

<<set $awareness += 2>><<set $drawer = 1>><<set $s1 += 1>>\s\nYou look inside the drawer and see some sort of decorative knife. It almost looks like its from a videogame, with its strange shape and the odd markings along its edge.\n\nYou briefly wonder why someone would hide a decorative knife in a drawer instead of keeping it out in the open.\n\n<<if $s1 < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n[[Wait until she comes back.|wait2]]\n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\n\n<<else>>\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[["Welcome back."]]\n<<endif>>

She looks over at you in shock.\n\n"What the fuck did you just call me?"\n\n[["A hag."]]

<<set $awareness += 2>>"Okay, you caught me. I saw you laying face-first in the snow and then ran outside to help you."\n\n[["How did you see me? Are we right by the road or something?"][$suspicion += 2]]\n\n[["Wow. That's pretty lucky."|nice4]]

Cabin Fever

The silence of the forest makes for easy sleep. Somewhere, deep in your mind, you realize how cold it is...\n\n[[Wake up.]]\n\n[[Stay asleep.]]\n<<fadeoutsound "Drifting-in-space.mp3" >>

<<stopallsound >>Jospehine laughs. "That's great. You were waiting for your perfect opportunity to escape, and you just revealed that fact to me. You're one mystery." She waves her hand and everything goes black. \n\nThe next thing you're aware of is being strapped to a table. You are blindfolded and can't tell where you are, but it's cold and you can't move.\n\nYou feel a knife punge into your stomach and you feel the hot blood pouring down your body.\n\nYou die.

You decide to head north, and the snow picks up as you walk. \n\n[[Keep walking.]]

<<set $s1 = 0>>She shrugs. "Yeah. Why not? I'll go make us something. Be right back!"\n\nJosephine leaves and closes the door behind her.\n\nYou're alone now.\n\n[[Wait silently.|wait2]]\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>

<<set $awareness += 2>><<set $fireplace = 1>>\s\nYou look inside the fireplace, where a bunch of candles are tightly pressed together. You can't imagine why someone in the middle of the woods wouldn't just use wood to burn in a fireplace, but to each their own.\n\n<<if $suspicion < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<else>> \nYou hear a sound from behind you. \n\n[[Turn around and see who it is.|scene1]]<<endif>>

"You... You really think so?" Josephine has this small hope in her eyes.\n\n[["Yeah. It's like I'm suddenly in a fantasy novel!"|Goodend1]]\n\n[["No! Are you crazy?"|crazy]]

You sleep comfortably in the cabin, and wake up early the next morning.\n\nThe sun has risen and the snow has stopped. Josephine gives you a map and sends you off. Once you actually get to your car and get a towtruck, the map disappears, and you can never quite remember where her cabin was.\n\nYou go on to live your life, keeping an eye on those woods. Every few years you hear of a person going missing around that area, but you can never get the courage to speak up about it.\n\nOne year the missing persons stop happening, and you never figure out why. After that, Josephine soon leaves your memories.\n

<<set $awareness += 3>><<set $bag = 1>>\s\nYou look at the bag laying next to the door. It appears to be a satchel of some sort. As you pull it open, you hear a rattling, and a wretched smell hits your senses.\n\nYou look inside, and there are what looks like small animal bones inside. Some of them still smell like death, and there are little clumps of fur in there.\n\nThis is disgusting.\n\n<<if $suspicion < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<else>> \nYou hear a sound from behind you. \n\n[[Turn around and see who it is.|scene1]]<<endif>>

<<stopallsound >><<if $sleep is 1>>You both hang out for a few more hours, and then you agree to go to sleep. <<endif>>Josephine smiles and makes you a bed. You go to sleep fairly easily.\n\nThe next thing you're aware of is being strapped to a table. You are blindfolded and can't tell where you are, but it's cold and you can't move.\n\nYou feel a knife punge into your stomach and you feel the hot blood pouring down your body.\n\nYou die.

<<stopallsound >>Josephine's eyes glow and then everything goes black.\n\nThe next thing you're aware of is being strapped to a table. You are blindfolded and can't tell where you are, but it's cold and you can't move.\n\nYou feel a knife punge into your stomach and you feel the hot blood pouring down your body.\n\nYou die.

You set up a trap to incapacitate Josephine.\n\n<<if $suspicion gte 8>>Josephine walks back in, but expertly dodges the trap. She glares at you. \n\n"I knew it was too good to be true." She raises her hand and you freeze in place.\n\nNo matter what you do, your body isn't moving.\n\nJosephine carries you outside, to a stone table, and ties you down.\n\nAfter some chanting, and a toll of a large bell, she digs a knife down into your heart. You die.\n<<else>>\nJosephine walks in, and the trap hits her. She falls to the ground, unconscious.\n\n[[Escape.]]<<endif>>

<<set $awareness += 2>> Josephine glares at you. "Yeah. We're right around there."\n\n[["Something about this doesn't add up."|DEATH]]\n\n<<if $love gte 3>>[["Sorry, I was just trying to find my barings. I didn't mean to offend you or anything."|saved1]]<<endif>>

<<set $awareness += 3>>She watches another movie with you. Josephine keeps looking at the clock anxiously.\n\n[["Is something wrong?"|wrong?][$love += 2]]\n\n[[Ignore it.]]

Josephine frowns. "Yeah. Like a real witch."\n\nShe looks down at the ground.\n\n[["Wow, that's really cool!"|cool]]\n\n[["You mean, like the ugly green hags with warts on their noses?"|hag]]

<<set $love += 2>>"I have just the thing!" Josephine pulls you into another room,<<if $food is 1>> leaving your plate behind,<<endif>> and leads you to a shelf of movies.\n\nYou recognise them as mostly horror movies.<<if $awareness gte 3>> You wonder if this has anything to do with the creepy things in her cabin.<<else>> You wouldn't take Josephine as a horror movie fan, but she seems excited to watch something.<<endif>>\n\n"Go ahead, pick one!"\n\n[[Nightmare in the Middle of the Woods.|movie2]]\n\n[[The Nair Witch Film.|movie2]]\n\n[[Dead Video Demon.|movie2]]

<<if $suspicion gte 6>>Josephine frowns. "You've figured it out, haven't you? You know what I plan to do at the end of the night. You're just trying to get away from me to save your skin."\n\n[["That's not it, I swear!"|reply]]\n\n<<if $love gte 4>>[["I honestly just wanted to spend the night with you. Even if it's my last night, I'd want to spend it with you."|love]]\n<<endif>>\s\n<<else>>\nShe smiles. "That sounds like a good idea, actually. A few more hours can't hurt, right?"\n\n[["Not when I'm with you."|flirt5]]\n\n[["I can handle no sleep. I'm a night person anyway."|other]]\n\n<<if $awareness gte 4>>[["Yeah, but a few more blankets would be nice anyway."|plan]]<<endif>><<endif>>

<<set $awareness += 2>><<set $drawer = 1>><<set $s1 += 1>>\s\nYou look inside the drawer and see some sort of decorative knife. It almost looks like its from a videogame, with its strange shape and the odd markings along its edge.\n\nYou briefly wonder why someone would hide a decorative knife in a drawer instead of keeping it out in the open.\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[[...|return1]]\n

You jolt awake, and somehow your door was propped open. Snow covers you, and you're freezing.\n\n[[Try to warm up somehow.]]\n\n[[Call the dang towtruck.]]

<<stopallsound >>"You're a terrible liar."\n\nJosephine's eyes glow and then everything goes black.\n\nThe next thing you're aware of is being strapped to a table. You are blindfolded and can't tell where you are, but it's cold and you can't move.\n\nYou feel a knife punge into your stomach and you feel the hot blood pouring down your body.\n\nYou die.

Through the haze, you know you should wake up, but everything is so silent, and comfortable, it's difficult to force your body awake.\n\n[[Wake up!]]\n\n[[Stay asleep.]]

Josephine softens. "Yeah, okay. I probably got a little too worked up there."\n\nA bell chimes in the house. \n\n"Oh, wow. Is it that late? We should be headed to bed if you wanna be up early enough to dig your car out."\n\n[["Yeah, I should probably turn in."|sleepyo]]\n\n[["The night's still young. Why don't we stay up a little longer?"|stayupyo]]

<<set $awareness += 1>><<set $wardrobe = 1>><<set $s1 += 1>>\s\nYou look inside the wardrobe and see a bunch of black coats and what looks like robes or cloaks or something.\n\nJosephine has a horrible sense of fashion.\n<<if $s1 < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n[[Wait until she comes back.|wait2]]\n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\n\n<<else>>\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[["Welcome back."]]\n<<endif>>

<<stopallsound >>Josephine growls in frustration. "I thought you would understand, but no. You're like all the other assholes."\n\nA large bell dongs. Josephine's eyes go cold and your whole body freezes up.\n\n"It's time to start the ritual." \n\nShe lifts her hand and you go unconscious.\n\nYou never wake up.

You leave that night, and you freeze to death in the snowstorm.

Josephine comes back with blankets and hands them to you. As you curl them around yourself, you suddenly feel immensely tired. <<if $love gte 4>>As you fall slowly into unconsciousness, you hear a quiet, "I'm sorry."<<endif>>\n\nThe next thing you're aware of is being strapped to a table. You are blindfolded and can't tell where you are, but it's cold and you can't move.\n\nYou feel a knife punge into your stomach and you feel the hot blood pouring down your body.\n\nYou die.

<<stopallsound >>You fumble for the keys to turn the car back on, but you can't seem to get them together. Distantly, you notice a deep numbness taking over. \n\nYou try to brush the snow off in a futile attempt to warm yourself up.\n\nBlack encroaches on edges of your vision, and soon you can't see anything.\n\nYou never wake up.

Michelle Clift

<<set $food to 1>>Joesphine places the food on the bedside table, and sits beside you.\n\n"I'm not hungry, but we can talk while you eat."\n\n[["Actually, can I get a drink with this? I'm pretty parched."|drink]]\n[["That sounds like fun. We can get to know each other more."|ask1][$awareness +=1]]\n[["Maybe we should do something else. Do you have any movies?"|movie]]

Josephine blushes. "Wow, really? You'd want to spend it with me?"\n\n[["Yeah. I don't care what you are. I'd spend an eternity with you anyway."|badromance]]\n\n<<if $awareness gte 6>>[["I would love to. I wish you didn't have to do these things, though."|goodromance]]<<endif>>

You pull your coat closer and get out of the car. As you walk down the street, you hold your phone up to the sky, as if that would actually change the little X in the corner of its screen into one or two bars.\n\nYou reach a fork in the road. You really wish you had GPS despite your lack of service, because you have no idea which way would be better.\n\n[[Head north.]]\n\n[[Head south.]]

It's January 8th, and the snow covers the ground as you drive through the twisting path along the woods. Your GPS told you this was the fastest way without tolls, and you are deeply regretting the decision to take this route now that you know no one plows it. \n\nYou can't tell where the road ends, and without warning, you find yourself getting caught by the shoulder and skidding into a big snow bank. Yeah, your car isn't getting out of this without a towtruck.\n\nWhat will you do?\n\n[[Check my phone. I'll call a tow truck.|Phone]]\n\n[[Take a nap. Someone will come around eventually.]]\n\n<<playsound "Drifting-in-space.mp3" >>\n<<unloopsound "Drifting-in-space.mp3" >>\n<<set $suspicion = 0>><<set $awareness = 0>><<set $love = 0>>\n<<set $bag to 0>><<set $wardrobe to 0>><<set $drawer to 0>><<set $bookshelf to 0>><<set $fireplace to 0>>

You lay down and close your eyes. The soft thuds of snow hitting the car sound like a lullaby.\n\nYou slowly drift off.\n\n[[Sleep.]]\n\n[[Actually, I'd rather try to call a tow truck.|Phone]]\n

You wait in silence, and suddenly a sound comes from the door.\n\n[["Hello?"|scene1]]

<<fadeoutsound "quiet-pause.mp3" >><<fadeinsound "WebofDarknessLONG.mp3" >> A beautiful woman enters the room and smiles at you.\n\n"How are you feeling?" she asks, without introducing herself.\n\n[["I'm doing much better now that you're here."|flirt1]]\n[["Wait, who are you, and what am I doing here?"|interrogate1]]

You sit beside Josephine and she cuddles up to you as you watch the film. <<if $love gte 3>>As a scary part comes up, Josephine hold tight to you.<<endif>>\n<<set $movie to 1>>\n"I'm really glad I found you in that snowstorm tonight."\n\n[["Wait... why were you out there in the snowstorm?"|interrogate3]]\n[["I'm glad too. I guess everything's working out alright."|flirt4]]\n

You pull out your phone to call a tow truck, and the bright light blinds you for a second. You look at the the background of your phone, a selfie of your sister and you with the words "Maxwell and Mel, terror twins" plastered across it. Above the background is a little black X instead of the usual bars. You have no signal.\n\nFigures. That's what you get for trying to use your phone in the middle of nowhere.\n\n[[Go try to find signal.|walk]]

<<set $woods to 0>>You run out the door and into the woods. \n\nIt doesn't take long for you to get lost.\n\n[[Go right.|woods]]\n\n[[Go left.|woods]]

"Thank you."\n\nJosephine takes your hand and you both go on a journey to find a less murderous way to be immortal. Eventually, you both give up on that part of the journey, and instead spend your remaining time on earth living life to the fullest.\n\nJosephine grows old with you, and you die happily.

Josephine blinks, dumbfounded.\n\n"You knew?"\n\n[["Of course I knew. <<if $bookshelf is 1>>You left your instruction manual on the bookshelf over there.<<else>>You were pretty obvious, leaving all your stuff lying around.<<endif>>"|tell1]]\n

<<fadeinsound "quiet-pause.mp3" >>\s\nYou wake up in an empty bedroom, in an old bed. There's a sort of silence in the room, and in the dim light, the furniture casts long shadows across the walls. The room is cluttered with odd looking decorations and it all kind of weirds you out.\n\nThere's no one else here. If you're going to find out more about where you are and who brought you here, now's the time.\n\n[[Call for help.]]\n[[Wait silently.]]\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\n

<<set $awareness += 1>>\s\nYou look at the bookshelf, and there's a bunch of books on herbs and plants. \n<<if $awareness < 3 >>\nIt kind of makes sense that there'd be a bunch of hippie stuff in the middle of the woods, you guess.\n<<else>><<set $bookshelf = 1>><<set $awareness += 6>>\nCurious, you look further. You also notice something similar to a journal. You open it and see instructions for a ritual. Upon further reading, you notice that it details a human sacrifice upon the stroke of midnight.\n\nHoly shit. \n\n[[Run.]]<<endif>>\n\n<<if $suspicion < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<else>> \nYou hear a sound from behind you. \n\n[[Turn around and see who it is.|scene1]]<<endif>>

"I wouldn't even know where to start. I love watching movies, and old-school black and white horror is my favorite. I also like to paint, but I'm not that good at it. I like going on hikes most of all, but during snowstorms I can't do much, so it was good luck finding you. Now I have so much more to do!"\n\n[["Wait... why were you out there in the snowstorm?"|interrogate3]]\n[["You're not the only one with good luck tonight."|flirt4]]

You wait for a few minutes and Josephine returns.\n\n[["Welcome back."]]

You wait patiently for Josephine to return.\n\nYou also might wonder why you're not choosing to use your time away from Josephine wisely.\n\n[[...|return1]]

<<set $awareness += 1>> "I actually don't have a phone. There aren't any telephone lines around here, and I wouldn't get a signal with a cell phone."\n\nJosephine shrugs. "You can just wait out the storm here, and I can get you to a phone in the morning."\n\n[["I'd rather not stay in some stranger's cabin."|rude1]]\n\n[["That sounds like a great idea."|nice1][$love += 1]]

"I wish I didn't either, but I won't accept death so easily."\n\n[["Then let me help you find another way."]]

Josephine returns with the water. She places it beside your food.\n\n"Alright, then. What now?"\n\n[["Tell me more about yourself."|ask1][$awareness += 1]]\n[["We should watch something."|movie]]

You wait out the night at the cabin. It's cozy, and you can't actually sleep, due to the corpse laying in the middle of the room, but you feel like you'll probably just get lost and die if you try to leave in the middle of the night in these woods.\n\nYou stay in the room with Josephine's corpse, too terrified that she'll just pop back up and kill you as a zombie, and wait out the hours until sunrise. After you're sure she's actually dead for sure forever, you look around the cabin for resources. You find a map and a landline phone. You call 911 and tell the police everything that happened. They might not believe Josephine was a real witch, but she still killed people. \n\nThe police come and get you, and you finally get the towtruck for your car. You go home and live out the rest of your life in peace, ever looking over your shoulder expecting her ghost to haunt you or something.\n\nIt never does.

She looks confusedly at you. "You're fearless. That's kind of amazing."\n\nWith a sigh she looks away, at the rest of the room.\n\n"I was going to sacrifice you tonight. I swear I won't, now, and you can leave in the morning if you'd like."\n\n[[Leave now.]]\n\n[[Leave in the morning.|morning]]\n\n[[Stay with her.|stay]]\n

<<if $love gte 8>>She sighs. "I actually have to tell you something. I'm a witch."\n<<if $awareness gte 10>>\n[["And you were planning on sacrificing me.|tell]]<<endif>>\s\n\n[["Oh my god, like a real witch?|disbelief]]\n<<else>>\n"It's nothing. It's just getting late. We should go to bed soon."\n\n[["Yeah. It really is getting late."|sleepyo]]\n\n<<if $awareness gte 8>>[["Yeah. Can I get a few blankets to get comfy first?"|plan]]<<endif>><<endif>>

<<stopallsound >>Josephine pulls her knife out in a fit of rage and kills you.\n\nWhat did you think would happen?

<<stopallsound >>She smiles wide. "You're really cool, too." \n\nAfter a short moment, she bites her lip. "I was going to sacrifice you tonight. I swear I won't, now, and you can leave in the morning if you'd like."\n\n[[Leave now.]]\n\n[[Leave in the morning.|morning]]\n\n[[Stay with her.|stay]]\n

<<stopallsound >>Josephine kisses you. "Then let's do that." \n\nShe spares you, but together you begin sacrificing people to remain immortal together. \n\nYou live, but your humanity dies.

"I wish I could do it differently, too, but I don't know what else I can do."\n\n[["Then let me help you find another way."]]

<<set $awareness += 2>><<set $drawer = 1>>\s\nYou look inside the drawer and see some sort of decorative knife. It almost looks like its from a videogame, with its strange shape and the odd markings along its edge.\n\nYou briefly wonder why someone would hide a decorative knife in a drawer instead of keeping it out in the open.\n\n<<if $suspicion < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n<<else>> \nYou hear a sound from behind you. \n\n[[Turn around and see who it is.|scene1]]<<endif>>

<<stopallsound >>You run for the door, fling it open, and bolt through the cabin.\n\nJust as you see the door to the outside, everything stops.\n\nYour body stops moving and falls to the ground.\n\nJosephine walks up to you, frowning. "Aw, we were just getting to the good part, too."\n\nEverything goes black, and you never wake up.

<<set $love += 2>> She blushes lightly.\n\n"My, what a charmer. What's your name, handsome?"\n\n[["I'm Maxwell. Nice to meet you."|flirt2]]\n\n[["Maxwell. Why am I here?"|interrogate2]]

Josephine smirks. "You're quite the smooth one. So, what do you want to do?"\n\n[["Tell me more about yourself."|ask1][$awareness += 1]]\n[["We should watch something."|movie]]

<<set $love += 2>>\n"It's a pleasure to meet you, too. My name's Josephine. This is my little cabin in the woods. I hope you can make yourself at home here."\n\n[["Thanks for the hospitality. Do you have a phone? My car is stuck off the side of the road, and I should really get a tow truck to it before it gets buried in snow."|hospitality1]]

Josephine blushes brightly. <<if $sleep is 1>>"Thank you..."<<else>>"Yeah. Spending time together really is fun..." <<endif>>\n\n<<if $love gte 8>>She sighs. "I actually have to tell you something. I'm a witch."\n<<if $awareness gte 10>>\n[["And you were planning on sacrificing me.|tell]]<<endif>>\s\n\n[["Oh my god, like a real witch?|disbelief]]\n<<else>>\s\n<<if $awareness gte 8>>[["Yeah. I'm a bit cold, though. Maybe you could get me some blankets or something to warm up?"|plan]]<<endif>>\n\n[["Yeah, do you wanna watch another movie?"|movieagain][$love +=1]]<<endif>>

<<set $love += 2>><<if $movie is 1>>As the movie goes to a close, a bell chimes in the house.<<else>> A bell chimes in the house.<<endif>>\n\n"Oh, wow. Is it that late? We should be headed to bed if you wanna be up early enough to dig your car out."\n\n[["Yeah, I should probably turn in."|sleepyo]]\n\n[["The night's still young. Why don't we stay up a little longer?"|stayupyo]]

Josephine seems to figure out whatever was bothering her, and looks at you.\n\n<<if $love gte 8>>She sighs. "I actually have to tell you something. I'm a witch."\n<<if $awareness gte 10>>\n[["And you were planning on sacrificing me.|tell]]<<endif>>\s\n\n[["Oh my god, like a real witch?|disbelief]]\n<<else>>\n"I think it's time to go to bed."\n\n[["Yeah. It's really getting late."|sleepyo]]\n\n<<if $awareness gte 8>>[["Yeah. Can I get a few blankets to get comfy first?"|plan]]<<endif>><<endif>>\n\n

Josephine frowns. "No sleep? Jeez. You might want to sleep some if you're going to be able to drive in the morning."<<set $sleep to 1>>\n\n[["Yeah, I suppose you're right."|sleepyo]]\n\n[["Yeah, but if I go to sleep, I won't be able to see your beautiful face anymore."|flirt5]]

She smiles. "Sometimes things just work out like that."\n\nA bell chimes in the house. \n\n"Oh, wow. Is it that late? We should be headed to bed if you wanna be up early enough to dig your car out."\n\n[["Yeah, I should probably turn in."|sleepyo]]\n\n[["The night's still young. Why don't we stay up a little longer?"|stayupyo]]

Josephine smiles wide. "Perfect. let's start the night of our life, then."\n\n[["Can we start it with some food? I'm starved."|food]]\n[["I can't wait. I'm sure it'll be a night to remember."|flirt3][$love += 1]]\n[["You can't get out often if hanging out with some guy you found on the road is your version of a great night."|rude2][$love -= 1]]

<<set $awareness += 1>><<set $wardrobe = 1>><<set $s1 += 1>>\s\nYou look inside the wardrobe and see a bunch of black coats and what looks like robes or cloaks or something.\n\nJosephine has a horrible sense of fashion.\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[[...|return1]]\n

"Yeah, sure." Josephine leaves through the door. "Be right back."\n\nYou probably will only have time to check one thing in the room while she's gone.\n\n[[Wait silently.|wait3]]\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer3][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag3][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe3][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf3][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace3][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>

You offer to stay with Josephine. A glimmer of hope and fear show in her eyes.\n\n"You really want to stay with me, despite who I am, and what I do?"\n\n[["I don't care what you are. I'd spend an eternity with you anyway."|badromance]]\n\n[["I want to stay with you, but I wish you could find another way to live."|goodromance1]]

<<stopallsound >>"Yeah. Sure. I'll be right back."\n\nJosephine leaves and closes the door behind her.\n\n[[Run.]]\n\n[[Kill Josephine.|kill]]\n\n[[Incapacitate Josephine and then escape.|escape]]\n\n[[Wait for Josephine to come back.|wait]]\n\n

<<set $awareness += 2>><<set $fireplace = 1>><<set $s1 += 1>>\s\nYou look inside the fireplace, where a bunch of candles are tightly pressed together. You can't imagine why someone in the middle of the woods wouldn't just use wood to burn in a fireplace, but to each their own.\n\n<<if $s1 < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n[[Wait until she comes back.|wait2]]\n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\n\n<<else>>\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[["Welcome back."]]\n<<endif>>

"Then why didn't you try to escape?"\n\n[["I wanted to learn more about you."|learn]]\n\n[["I was terrified you'd kill me."|kill?]]

<<set $awareness += 3>><<set $bag = 1>><<set $s1 += 1>>\s\nYou look at the bag laying next to the door. It appears to be a satchel of some sort. As you pull it open, you hear a rattling, and a wretched smell hits your senses.\n\nYou look inside, and there are what looks like small animal bones inside. Some of them still smell like death, and there are little clumps of fur in there.\n\nThis is disgusting.\n<<if $s1 < 2>> \nIt looks like there's time to search somewhere else. \n\n[[Wait until she comes back.|wait2]]\n\n<<if $drawer is 0>>[[Look in the bedside drawer.|drawer2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bag is 0>>[[Look in the bag by the door.|bag2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $wardrobe is 0>>[[Look in the Wardrobe.|wardrobe2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $bookshelf is 0>>[[Look through the bookshelf.|bookshelf2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\s\n\n<<if $fireplace is 0>>[[Look in the fireplace.|fireplace2][$suspicion += 1]]<<endif>>\n\n<<else>>\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[["Welcome back."]]\n<<endif>>

<<set $awareness += 3>><<set $bag = 1>>\s\nYou look at the bag laying next to the door. It appears to be a satchel of some sort. As you pull it open, you hear a rattling, and a wretched smell hits your senses.\n\nYou look inside, and there are what looks like small animal bones inside. Some of them still smell like death, and there are little clumps of fur in there.\n\nThis is disgusting.\n\nYou hear the door reopen.\n\n[[...|return1]]\n

<<fadeoutsound "quiet-pause.mp3" >><<fadeinsound "WebofDarknessLONG.mp3" >><<set $call to 1>><<set $love += 1>> You call out to the empty room.\n\n"Hey! Anyone there?" You yell.\n\nThere's a faint sound from outside the door, and it opens to reveal a beautiful woman.\n\n"How are you feeling?" she asks, without introducing herself.\n\n[["I'm doing much better now that you're here."|flirt1]]\n[["Wait, who are you, and what am I doing here?"|interrogate1]]

You drift further into unconsciousness, and you never wake up.\n\nCongradulations, you froze to death before the story really began.

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Josephine frowns. "You don't have to suck the fun out of everything, you know."\n\n\n[["Fine then. Tell me more about yourself."|ask1][$awareness += 1]]\n[["If you want to have fun, we should watch something."|movie]]

"Well, where else would you even go? The storms only going to get worse as the night goes on. If you go out there again, I won't be there to save you this time."\n\n[["I suppose you're better company than a snowman."|nice1]]

You decide to head south, and the snow picks up as you walk. \n\n[[Keep walking.]]