M's Adventure

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\<<run UIBar.unstow()>>\ \<<updateSubgoals "Go to the library" "???">>\ Your eyelids twitch as spots of light dance in the darkness of your vision. A light beeping sound grows louder and louder from your left, and the soft blankets on your bed get tangled in your legs as you turn towards the sound. You pull your arm from the warmth of the bedding to slam your hand down onto the alarm clock, and one of your eyes peeks open just a sliver to look at the bedside table next to you. <<linkreplace "Wake up">>\ The red light from the time display on the small black clock sears your retinas. 8:00 a.m. You really should be getting to the library to work on your final essay for history; that is why you set an alarm for this time. It’s due by 5:00 p.m. tonight, and you haven’t even started it. But the air conditioning in your dorm is so cold, and the blankets are so warm, and your bed is so soft… <<include "Dorm Options">> \<</linkreplace>>

/* variables in sidebar */ <<set $deathCount = 0>> <<set $mainGoal = "Turn in final essay">> <<set $subGoal1 = "???">> <<set $subGoal2 = "???">> <<set $sparkle = false>> /* variables for time */ <<set $hour = 8>> <<set $minute1 = 0>> <<set $minute2 = 0>> <<set $ampm = "a.m.">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 0>> /* variables for memory bank */ <<set $memories = []>> /* variable to track last passage we were in (excluding Memory Bank) */ <<set $lastPassage = "Dorm">> /* variables for Dorm */ <<set $countBed = 0>> <<set $bathroom = false>> <<set $outOfBed = false>> /* variables for library */ <<set $passcodeAttempts = 0>> <<set $raccoon = false>> <<set $topic = "none">> <<set $grades = []>> <<set $hasReadForFun = false>> <<set $canLeaveLibrary = false>> /* variables for DMC */ <<set $dmcListened = 0>> <<set $magic = []>> <<set $dmcEnter = "unknown">> <<set $leaderFought = false>> /* act 4 variables */ <<set $knowJason = false>> <<set $lichDefeated = false>> <<set $recruit = false>>

\<div id="menu"></div>

<div id="story-caption"> Time: <<print $hour + ":" + $minute1 + $minute2 + " " + $ampm>> <<if $deathCount > 0>> \Death Count: $deathCount <</if>> \Goal: $mainGoal - $subGoal1 - $subGoal2 </div>

<<button "Back">> <<script>> Dialog.close("memories") <</script>> <<updateWatch>> <</button>> \<<if $memories.length == 0>> Nothing of note has happened yet. \<<else>> \<<for _i, _memory range $memories>> \<<if _i <= 2>> _memory \<<elseif _i <=5>> \ _memory \ \<<elseif _i <=8>> \ _memory \ \<<elseif _i == 9>> \ _memory \ \<</if>> <</for>> <</if>> \<<set $sparkle = false>>

\<<if $countBed == 1>> \Wow, look at you. What a diligent and hard-working student. With your alarm successfully snoozed, you roll over again, tangling the blankets even more. You snuggle back into the warmth and fluffiness of your bed. Your eyelids drift back down with ease, and the next thing you know, the damn alarm is going off again. That annoying little beep-beep-beep pulls you from your dreams.\ <</if>> \ \<<if $countBed == 2>> \Snzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz nah You snooze the alarm again. You don’t even bother to roll over again before returning to the realm of dreams. When the alarm trumpets its tune again, you shudder as you are shocked awake. Your dream was fun. It had a jar and like. Um. Was there a dragon? Something going on with campus. It was fun while it lasted, at least. Maybe you can get to it again.\ <</if>> \ \<<if $countBed == 3>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 210>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Bed Death">> <</if>> \ <<include "Dorm Options">>

\<<if visited("Bathroom") == 1>>\ You drag yourself out of the warm cocoon of your bed to trudge across your tiny dorm bedroom to the bathroom. The tile is cold under your feet, and the face staring back at you in the mirror has deep bags under their eyes. You begin getting ready by brushing your teeth. The sound of bristles against bone rings in your ears as you stare at the mirror. A post-it note is stuck to the side of the mirror. It reads: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is a falsified statistic used to promote cereal. Set yourself free. The alarm rings out again. Guess you left it on snooze. <<linkreplace "Turn off the alarm">>\ You were brushing your luscious locks, but you quickly drop the brush on the counter to shut the annoying sound off, tapping the button on the top of the clock. There, the clock is officially off, not just snoozed. You pull on some clothes before moving into your combined dorm kitchen and living room. What are you up to now? <<include "Dorm Options">> <</linkreplace>> \<<elseif visited("Bathroom") == 2>>\ You turn the alarm clock off properly this time. The tile is still cold under your feet. Is it really worth brushing your teeth? \ <<include "Dorm Options">> \<<else>>\ How many times do you need to pee? \ <<include "Dorm Options">> \<</if>>

You need to get to the library… but instead you rummage through the cabinets of your kitchen. There’s no way you can work on an empty stomach. \<<if not hasVisited("Cabinet 1")>> <<link "Check cabinet 1">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Cabinet 1">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Check cabinet 1</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if not hasVisited("Cabinet 2")>> <<link "Check cabinet 2">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Cabinet 2">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Check cabinet 2</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if not hasVisited("Fridge")>> <<link "Check fridge">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Fridge">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Check fridge</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if hasVisited("Cabinet 1")>>\ <<if hasVisited("Cabinet 2")>> <<link "Eat">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Eat">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "Eat">> <<goto "No Eat">> <</link>> <</if>> <<else>> <<link "Eat">> <<goto "No Eat">> <</link>> <</if>> \

\<<if visited("Grabbing Stuff") == 1>>\ You need your phone, backpack, and trusty pocket watch to keep you company. Your messy living room wishes you a shitty morning. You step over the various stuffed creatures your roommate leaves strewn about and almost eat it as you slip on a stuffed raccoon. Raccoons are the worst. They give masks a bad name. <<linkreplace "Step over it">>\ You manage to make it to the coffee table in the middle of the living room safely. Now you just have to sort through the copious amount of stuff on the table in order to get the stuff you need. You find your cell phone first. It’s a brand new model -- a slider phone -- and the blue case shines in your hand. The blue background of your phone lights up as you turn the device on. You don’t have any new messages. You slide the keyboard back into the phone and put it in your back pocket. The next thing you encounter in your rummaging is your backpack. How you didn’t see it before, you’ll never know. Regardless, you throw one of the various notebooks on the table into the backpack and sling it across your back. As you move to leave the room, you see your pocket watch on the end of the table. Your grandma gave it to you when you were little; she even got your nickname engraved on the inside of it. You don’t know why you grab the pocket watch, but as the silver of the watch reflects the fluorescent lights of your dorm, you feel like something good will come out of having it. It looks like you’re finally ready to head out. <<link "Leave the dorm">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Leaving Dorm">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \<<elseif visited("Grabbing Stuff") == 2>>\ You can vaguely remember where you found everything the first time. Still, you have to rummage a bit for your backpack. Do you want your pocket watch this time? You decide to leave it, but it still finds its way into your pants pocket. <<link "Leave the dorm">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Leaving Dorm">> <</link>> \ \<<else>>\ Phone. Backpack. Watch. Let’s go. <<link "Leave the dorm">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Leaving Dorm">> <</link>> \<</if>>

\<<if $knowJason && (hasVisited("Find Jason") || hasVisited("Outside The Library"))>>\ You pull the heavy wooden door of your dorm open and snatch your keys from the rack hanging on the wall beside it before the door slams shut. You should try to recruit help to defeat Jason. \<<elseif !(hasVisited("DMC"))>>\ You pull the heavy wooden door of your dorm open and snatch your keys from the rack hanging on the wall beside it before the door slams shut. Inside, you make a promise to yourself. No matter what happens today, you will get this paper done and submitted in time. \<<else>>\ You pull the heavy wooden door of your dorm open and snatch your keys from the rack hanging on the wall beside it before the door slams shut. Time to figure out what to do about all this. \<</if>> <<link "Continue">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Outside">> <</link>>

Wow, how do you only have the ends of a loaf of bread in here? I guess you’re having untoasted toast today… <<button "Go back">> <<goto "Kitchen">> <</button>>

Peanut butter! There's gotta be bread around here somewhere. Why did you give peanut butter an entire cabinet to itself? <<button "Go back">> <<goto "Kitchen">> <</button>>

There’s some cold pizza in here, but that would take too long to cook and eat. You’ll have to find something else. Last time you ate cold pizza you were throwing up for a bit. Don’t even think about it. <<button "Go back">> <<goto "Kitchen">> <</button>>

Untoasted bread with peanut butter… delicious. The peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth, and pieces of the bread get into the spaces between your teeth. The time on your oven catches your attention. <<print $hour + ":" + $minute1 + $minute2>> already! You stuff the rest of the bread into your mouth, but then it gets stuck. <<linkreplace "Chew harder">>\ The peanut butter is too thick. Before you can grab some water from your fridge, your lungs tighten and your vision goes dark. This is the end. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Don't risk the peanut butter.")>> <</linkreplace>>

Maybe you should check the cabinets first... <<button "Go back">> <<goto "Kitchen">> <</button>>

/* change variables */ <<set $deathCount += 1>> <<updateSubgoals "Go to the library" $subGoal2>> <<set $outOfBed = false>> <<set $bathroom = false>> <<set $passcodeAttempts = 0>> <<set $topic = "none">> <<set $grades = []>> <<set $dmcListened = 0>> <<set $hasReadForFun = false>> <<set $dmcEnter = "unknown">> <<set $leaderFought = false>> <<set $canLeaveLibrary = false>> <<set $hour = 8>> <<set $minute1 = 0>> <<set $minute2 = 0>> <<set $ampm = "a.m.">> <<if $countBed != 3>> <<set $countBed = 0>> <</if>> <<if $recruit == true>> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Recruit help against the lich">> <<set $recruit = false>> <</if>> /* go to appropriate passage */ <<if hasVisited("5_Beach")>> <<goto "Act5 Death">> <<elseif hasVisited("Boss3")>> <<goto "Act 5">> <<elseif hasVisited("DMC")>> <<goto "Act3 Death">> <<elseif $raccoon == true>> <<goto "Raccoon Death">> <<elseif $deathCount == 1>> <<goto "First Death">> <<elseif $deathCount == 2>> <<goto "Second Death">> <<elseif $deathCount == 3>> <<goto "Third Death">> <<else>> <<goto "Future Deaths">> <</if>>

\What is even the point anymore? As you snooze your alarm for the third time, something in the back of your mind reminds you that your clock only lets you snooze it three times before turning the alarm off. Without the alarm, you sleep the day away. Sunlight explores every crevice of your room as it travels across the sky. You still doze in bed. <<linkreplace "Zzz...">>\ A tremor shakes you awake, as if an earthquake hit. You startle out of bed to see your wall decor falling off and crashing, cracks in the wall itself appearing behind them and growing. Still dazed from sleeping in, you might have the thought to duck and cover, get under your bed and wait it out, but if you do, you are far too slow. A chunk of the roof (or possibly one of the floors above you) crashes through the ceiling, hitting your head and splitting it open. One second of blinding pain hits you like you hit the floor, and the next thing you know -- Well. You don’t, really. (You died.) <<include "Gotta Remember That">> <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The dorm inexplicably collapses at about noon.")>> <</linkreplace>>

A light beeping sound calls out from your left. You twitch at the sound for a moment before jumping upright in your bed. This seems awfully familiar… <<linkreplace "Huh?">>\ You whip your head around to look at the clock making the sound that now grows louder and louder. The red light from the time display on the small black clock sears your retinas. 8:00 a.m. That can’t be! You… you died. You shake your head softly. That can’t be true. It must’ve simply been a nightmare. You should just get up and get started on your final essay for history in the library. <<include "Dorm Options">> \<</linkreplace>>

A light beeping sound calls out from your left. You grasp at your chest, feeling the air getting pulled in and out. in and out. You slam your fist down on the snooze button of the alarm clock now beeping louder and louder. The sound feels like a knife stabbing into your brain. The red light from the time display on the small black clock sears your retinas. 8:00 a.m. This is so strange. You… you died. AGAIN! You shake your head softly. Can you die in your nightmares multiple times in a row? Does the question even matter? You should just get up and get started on your final essay for history in the library. \ <<include "Dorm Options">>

A light beeping sound calls out from your left. You slam your fist down on the snooze button. No, no, no. This can’t be real. You turn towards the clock.The red light from the time display on the small black clock sears your retinas. 8:00 a.m. This can’t be possible. There is no way that you died. There’s no way to be here again after dying. Nobody can escape from death. You shake your head softly. You should just get up and get started on your final essay for history in the library. \ <<include "Dorm Options">>

<<if $countBed != 3 && !$outOfBed>> <<link "Stay in bed">> <<set $countBed += 1>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Bed">> <</link>> <<elseif !$outOfBed>> <<link "<s>Stay in bed</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if !$bathroom>> <<link "Go to the bathroom">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <<set $bathroom = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Bathroom">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if not hasVisited("Eat")>> <<link "Go eat">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Kitchen">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Go eat</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if $bathroom>> <<link "Grab your stuff">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Grabbing Stuff">> <</link>> <<else>> \<<if not (passage() == "No Grabbing Stuff")>> <<link "Grab your stuff">> <<goto "No Grabbing Stuff">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <</link>> <</if>> \<</if>>\

Your bladder is small. You have to go to the bathroom first. \ <<include "Dorm Options">>

/* To pass time, first set $passTimeAmt to the amount of minutes you want to pass, then <<include "passTime()">> */ /<<for ($passTimeAmt > 0)>> /<<set $minute2++>> /<<if $minute2 == 10>> /<<set $minute1++>> /<<set $minute2 = 0>> /<<if $minute1 == 6>> /<<set $hour++>> /<<set $minute1 = 0>> /<<if $hour == 12>> /<<set $ampm = "p.m.">> /<</if>> /<<if $hour == 13>> /<<set $hour = 1>> /<</if>> /<</if>> /<</if>> <<set $passTimeAmt-->> /<</for>>

A chilly breeze sends goosebumps up your arms as you step out of your dorm building. You flinch from the sunlight streaming into your eyes, but a flurry of blinks rights your visions. The sight of the sky above you makes your chest ache. White cumulus clouds make shapes within the clear blue sky. Do you really want to be spending such a beautiful day stuck inside the library? <<if !hasVisited("Beach")>> <<link "To the beach">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 20>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Beach">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "<s>To the beach</s>">> <</link>> \<</if>> <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Path">> <</link>> \<<if $knowJason && !hasVisited("Find Jason")>> <<link "Try to find Jason">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Find Jason">> <</link>> <<elseif $knowJason && hasVisited("Find Jason")>> <<link "<s>Try to find Jason</s>">> <</link>> <</if>>

Great choice. You’ve really done it for us now. Essay, here we come!! Who cares about responsibilities! It is too nice a day to stay cooped up inside! Instead of turning onto the paths to the library, you turn around and move towards the beach behind your dorm. You love sitting by the sand and watching the water; it’s the reason you chose this school next to the beach. <<linkreplace "Chill on the beach">>\ You slip off your shoes when you reach the sand. The golden sand is soft under your feet, and the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore is like a lullaby to you. You plop down by the shoreline. The water tickles your toes. As you lean back to relax, a huge wave crashes against you, pulling you into the water. This is fine. You can swim. Except, as the water gets wilder and wilder, it gets harder and harder to keep your head above the waves. “You can swim", you said. Get out of there. Now. <<link "Swim back to shore">> <<goto "Beach Death">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

It’s too much for you. You start to sink into the dark blue water, and your body twists and twirls under the sea. You hold your breath for as long as you can, desperately fighting against the sea enveloping you until you can’t anymore. <<linkreplace "Try not to drown">>\ You feel the water filling up in your lungs. Your lungs burn, and your vision goes dark. This is the end. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The weather is too dangerous for swimming right now.")>> <</linkreplace>>

A groan escapes your lips, but you drag yourself along the path anyway. You really need to work on this paper, even if you would rather laze in the sun like a cat. You trudge across campus, expertly avoiding missing bricks in the walkway and golf carts filled with people. A gust of wind sends pollen straight into your eyes as you walk. By the time you’ve blinked away the pollen and stopped your eyes from watering, you are at a fork in the road. I’ve always hated pollen. Second-worst time of the year. <<link "Go down the main path">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Main Path">> <</link>> <<link "Take a shortcut">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Shortcut">> <</link>>

While a shortcut might get you to the library a bit faster, you turn to continue on the main path. It’s better not to risk getting lost or any unexpected barriers to getting this paper done. It is, after all, due today. You stroll down the path, admiring the trees as you walk. The white and pink flowers of the dogwood trees on campus have started to bloom, and green leaves of towering oak trees rustle in the wind. A small smile creeps onto your face. <<linkreplace "You see your friend">>\ That smile drops when your friend, Forest, starts waving at you from further down the path. You love Forest, but he has a tendency to ramble when he talks to you, and you can’t afford to waste time talking to him today. You could just… avoid him. <<link "Talk with Forest">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Forest was talking about some kind of club.")>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 20>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Talk w/ Forest">> <</link>> <<link "Avoid Forest">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Avoid Forest">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

\<<if not hasVisited("Raccoon!")>>\ Friends! Spending time with friends isn’t writing your essay. Come on, don’t you have things to do? Despite your better judgement, you wave back at Forest. His smile deepens to show his dimples, and he waves even more aggressively. “Hey M! Good to see you!” he almost shouts in your ear. He’s wearing a weird robe with plastic stars glued onto it today, but you choose to not tell him that some of his stars have started to peel off. It would just make him feel bad. <<linkreplace "Listen to Forest">> \He starts to tell you about this magic club he’s in, and something about black circles. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> You’re too tired to really process the words directed at you, so instead you just watch him wave his arms in the air. The sleeves of the robe swish with every emphatic movement. After what feels like hours, you pull yourself away from Forest to work on your paper. You may have lost 20 minutes to his spiel, but at least he looked happy to have chatted with you. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library Main Entrance">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \<<else>>\ Friends! Spending time with friends isn’t writing your essay. Come on, don’t you have things to do? Despite your better judgement, you wave back at Forest. His smile deepens to show his dimples, and he waves even more aggressively. “Hey M! Good to see you!” he almost shouts in your ear. He’s wearing a weird robe with plastic stars glued onto it today, but you choose to not tell him that some of his stars have started to peel off. It would just make him feel bad. <<linkreplace "Listen">> \He starts to tell you about this magic club he’s in, and something about black circles. You’re incredibly tired, but you try to focus on his words. “So, I found this club that apparently has existed on campus…” Forest waves his arms wildly as he talks. \<<if not hasVisited("Interrupt Forest")>> <<link "Interrupt">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Interrupt Forest">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Interrupt</s>">> <</link>> <</if>>\ \<<if not hasVisited("Listen to Forest")>> <<link "Listen carefully">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 20>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Listen to Forest">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Listen carefully</s>">> <</link>> <</if>>\ \<<if hasVisited("Interrupt Forest") && $knowJason>> <<link "Say passphrase">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Recruit Forest">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<link "Say TTYL">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Say TTYL">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> <</if>>\

Like a monster, you avoid Forest’s eyes. You stare down the ground and walk faster to pass Forest without talking to him. When you glance back at him after getting a good way away, you see his sad frown, and you can imagine the tears in his eyes. At least you saved some time. It’s for the best. You can talk with him later, after the essay. Maybe even wear a funky wizard robe with him. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 15>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library Main Entrance">> <</link>>

You might as well take a shortcut. The sooner you get to the library, the sooner you can start your essay. The sooner you can start your essay, the sooner you can finish your essay. Es-say. Es-say. Woohoo! Let’s do this! <<linkreplace "Walk">>\ You turn onto the path that leads to a shortcut to the library. The dirt path is tough and bumpy, and you stumble a few times as you walk down the route. The cicadas scream as you walk through the path, but that’s alright with you. It reminds you of your childhood, of an easier time. A small smile creeps onto your face. But this path isn’t that much faster than the main path. Maybe you could take another shortcut through the woods? <<if !hasVisited("Woods")>> <<link "Through the woods">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Woods">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Through the woods</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<link "Continue down the dirt path">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Dirt Path">> <</link>> \<</linkreplace>>

It may not be your best idea, but you cut through the woods. This way will be much faster, and it’s not like there are any dangerous wild animals here! This is a college campus, after all. You walk through the forest, jumping over tree roots and stopping often to look at cool rocks. You even see a toad on the route! Just as the library comes into view through the trees, you hear a spine-chilling roar. <<linkreplace "Turn around.">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "woods">> \<<addclass "body" "bear">> \ Uh oh. Since when did we have bears?? Shit. \ <<include "Gotta Remember That">> You turn towards the sound to see a bear bounding towards you. Your eyes open wide, and your breath hitches. You try to run, to exit the forest, but the bear is right behind you. You glance behind you, still running at full speed, only to see the bear’s claws dig into your flesh. Red pain fills your vision. You didn’t even know pain could have a color. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("There's a bear in the woods by campus.")>> <</linkreplace>>

You are already taking a shortcut, so you decide not to tempt fate. Who knows what could be lurking in the woods. You continue down the dirt path. Nothing interesting happens as you walk down the path. The cool air tickles your cheeks, and you simply enjoy the moment before the horror of this paper takes you from the great outdoors. The path is not much faster than the main path, but is that really important? Yeah, yeah. That was nice. Let’s do this. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 15>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library Main Entrance">> <</link>>

Finally, you reach the library. The building is grand; it towers above you with two sets of stone steps and one stone ramp to enter the building. You hate the library. Climbing all those steps to enter the building doesn’t make it worth it most of the time, but you have a paper to do, so there really isn’t a choice. <<linkreplace "Climb the stairs">>\ You start the climb, taking the stairs one step at a time. By the time you reach the top of the seven flights of stairs, you are breathing heavily, and a drop of sweat drips down your face. The asthma doesn’t help with climbing these cursed stairs. \<<if hasVisited("Back Door")>> Your fingers meet the keypad on the wall. What do you enter? <<link "Enter passcode">> <<goto "Passcode">> <</link>> \<<else>> \<<updateSubgoals "Find the library password" "???">> You pull at the opulent door handle, only for nothing to happen. You didn’t put the passcode in. Duh. You stumble past the doors to the keypad on the wall. You lean against the cold wall as you try to think of the passcode. “Damn, what was it again?” you mumble. <<link "Try the back door">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 25>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Back Door">> <</link>> <</if>> <</linkreplace>>

You hem and haw for a moment as you think. Nothing. You try to slam your forehead into the wall to see if that helps you remember the passcode. All that does is make your head hurt. You just can’t think of the password. You drag yourself down the copious amount of stairs to go to the backdoor, resting for a moment at the bottom of the damn staircase in order to catch your breath again. <<linkreplace "Walk around">>\ You walk around to the back of the building. This side of the library… has character, as admissions might say if asked about it. It is basically an alleyway with a giant dumpster in it. The appearance may be less-than-pleasing, but at least it is a way to enter the library. You run to the door only to find it locked with the same keypad. Drat. Or whatever curse words you young people use. You slide down the door to sit in the gross alleyway. As you do so, you see a bright yellow note sticking out from under the dumpster -- the same bright yellow note that Forest told you he stashed for whenever he can’t remember the passcode. You grin and make a silent promise to get Forest some food as thanks whenever you next see him. <<linkreplace "Pick it up">> \<<updateSubgoals "Go to the library" "???">> \You spring up and swagger over to the dumpster to pick up the note. It reads: 4865 <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The passcode to the library door is 4865.")>> \ The note makes you smile, and you bump your hand against your head for having forgotten about it. <<link "Go back to the front of the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Raccoon!">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>>

Just as you turn to move towards the door, a giant fluffy raccoon emerges from the dumpster. The raccoon is easily triple the size of a normal raccoon. How is it that you haven’t ever seen it before? Before you can wonder if the raccoon is friendly and would let you pet it, it lunges at you. Its little hands grab your throat, and the creature’s claws dig into it. You are probably the first person to be injured by a giant raccoon. The creature jumps back into the dumpster after its attack, but the damage is done. You can feel the air escaping from the gaps in your neck, and a whistling sound escapes when you breathe. Red blood pours down your throat and chest as you fall to the ground. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <<set $raccoon = true>>

Enter the passcode below: <<numberbox "$passcode" 1111 "Passcode Entered" autofocus>> <<button "Enter">> <<goto "Passcode Entered">> <</button>>

\<<if $passcode == 4865>>\ The heavy door gives way. You are finally in the library and able to work on your paper! \<<if $passcodeAttempts > 0>> Thank God <</if>> \ <<link "Enter the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \<<else>>\ \<<set $passcodeAttempts += 1>>\ \<<if $passcodeAttempts == 1>>\ The door doesn’t budge. You pull harder, in case it’s heavier than you remember, but no. Still locked. Dude. You did not get ripped apart by a raccoon to just forget the passcode. Hint: 4 ate one more than its cube, the hungry little shit. \<<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> \ \<<elseif $passcodeAttempts == 2>>\ You’re doing this on purpose. Or you’re bad at math. Fine, it’s 4865. I tried to be clever. Try again. \<<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> \ \<<elseif $hour == 1>>\ You spend hours randomly punching in numbers, because apparently that’s how you would rather spend your time. The essay isn’t even getting written before 5pm at this point. As you’re inputting another random four numbers -- or have maybe switched to repeatedly pressing 1111 -- the glass of the door shatters, cutting most of the front of your body and one piece getting in your eye. You can’t see, but you feel a wave of heat wash over you, and you can hear a few things crash around you. Left only to lie in agony and cover your head, you do your best to survive, but to no avail. I hope you learned a lesson from that. Condolences and all, sure, but that was infuriating. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Some sort of explosion happens from inside the library around 1:00, make sure not to be too close.")>> \<<else>>\ We’re just gonna sit here until something blows up or you come to your senses, I guess. \<<set $passTimeAmt = 15>>\ <</if>> <<if $hour != 1>> <<link "Try again">> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Passcode">> <</link>> \<<if ($passcodeAttempts > 2)>> <<link "Pass time">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 60>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Passcode Entered">> <</link>> <</if>> \<</if>> <</if>>

\<<if $subGoal1 == "Go to the library">> \<<updateSubgoals "Research for your paper" $subGoal2>> \<</if>>\ Your eyes take a minute to adjust to the dimness of the building. To the left, an elderly janitor ignores you, pulling a wet floor sign from his cart. To the right, the printers hum, occasionally making a worrisome beeping noise. A display of new fiction books sits in front of you. A cardboard sign promoting a “DMC” meeting -- whatever that is -- leans against the display. \<<if $subGoal1 == "Research for your paper">> And directly in front of you lies your research, if you dare to start. \<<else>> What now? \<</if>> Better get a move on. Time is ticking. \<<if ($topic == "none")>> <<link "Research">> <<goto "Research Options">> <</link>> \<<elseif ($topic == "written")>> <<link "Printers">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 20>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Printers">> <</link>> \<<elseif $topic != "printed">> <<link "Computers">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Computers">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "<s>Printers</s>">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Bathrooms"))>> <<link "Go to the bathroom">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 6>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Bathrooms">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "<s>Go to the bathroom</s>">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if !$hasReadForFun>> <<link "Read for fun">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<set $hasReadForFun = true>> <<goto "Magic Book">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "<s>Read for fun</s>">> <</link>> \<</if>> <<link "Check out the DMC">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 6>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "DMC Password">> <</link>> \<<if hasVisited("Ask abt Magic")>> <<link "Go to the basement">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Basement">> <</link>> \<</if>> \ \<<if $canLeaveLibrary>> <<link "Leave the library">> <<goto "Outside The Library">> <</link>> \<</if>>

Beep. Beep. Beep. Not again... <<include "Dorm Options">>

You jolt up in your bed, grabbing at your throat. You grasp at your chest to feel it rise and fall with each successful breath, and your heartbeat flutters under your hand. You turn to your alarm clock as it begins to beep softly. The red light sears your retinas. 8:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m.? That isn’t possible. You know that you went to the library; you can almost feel the pollen in your eyes. You KNOW that you got attacked by that raccoon. Blinding pain like that doesn’t ever happen in your dreams. Something strange is going on here. Maybe someone else will know more about what the hell is going on? Regardless, your paper is still due by 5:00 tonight. Finishing it and turning it in may help you forget all the weirdness happening. \ <<include "Dorm Options">> \<<set $raccoon = false>>\

The bookshelves tower above you; you feel small looking at them. What should you research? <<link "Math">> <<set $topic = "math">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 45>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Math">> <</link>> <<link "English">> <<set $topic = "english">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 45>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "English">> <</link>> <<link "History">> <<set $topic = "history">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 45>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "History">> <</link>>

For some reason, you decide that you should take a quick bathroom break before getting started on your research. Do you just have a small bladder, or are you trying to avoid your essay? You slide past the janitor and nod your head at him. Custodial staff have to deal with too many problems caused by students. He just lets out a quiet grunt that gets muffled when you swing the creaky door open. <<linkreplace "Use the bathroom">> \You use the bathroom, not much more to be said than that. As you move towards the sink, you see a puddle forming on the floor. That must be what the wet-floor sign was for. You finish washing your hands, and when you scuttle over to the paper towels, your foot slips out from under you. <<linkreplace "Oh no">> \Your forehead slams against the hard granite sink on your way down to the floor. You hear a crack and feel your forehead dent inwards. The last thing you see is the sparkling water on the floor. It reflects the white of the pipes and the tile. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \ You close your eyes. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The floor in the library bathroom is dangerously slippery.")>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>>

You– God, why do I even try? Sure. Fine. Let’s ignore the essay still but also ignore everything else going on in life. Instead of moving towards the nonfiction books for your essay, you amble over to the display of the new fiction books. You reach out for one of the books around eye level. The cover is teal, and there’s a clock with hands that swirl inwards on it. It reminds you of your pocket watch for some reason. <<linkreplace "Read">> \The book fits well into your hands as you flip it open. The book isn’t very interesting at first, but you get drawn in as you read more. The book is about a person who makes a wish on a star to slay an evil wizard. The star gives them a clock that turns back time over and over again until their wish is fulfilled. When they move the hands of the clock, they can choose where to turn back time to. The story seems very familiar, but you ignore it and put the book back on the shelf. You have literally one day left on your finals and then you can read as many books as you want. <<link "Back">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

Your shoes tap against the wooden floors as you walk over towards where the computers are housed, gradually getting slower and slower as you get closer and closer to the computers. Get a move on! Approaching the desk with the computers, you see that there are two computers in the library. The one on the left is making a strange high-pitched whirring sound, and sparks occasionally pop from somewhere underneath the desk. Which computer would be best to write your paper on? <<if not hasVisited("Left Computer")>> <<link "Left Computer">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Left Computer">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Left Computer</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "Right Computer">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Right Computer">> <</link>>

You strut across the library floor to where the library houses their printers. Only one printer is currently in the space. Where the second printer was initially, only a black hole in the table remains. The remaining printer hums loudly and lets out a low and long beep very often. There’s no other option but to use it to print your paper. You slide the flash drive into the printer and tap the buttons on it to begin printing the essay. You print double-sided, of course, as the school charges you for every page printed. Your professor might get angry, but hey! You aren’t made of money. <<linkreplace "Start printing">> \The printer whirrs to life, but stops working after a second. You kick the machine in the hopes that it will continue its mission, and it does. It begins to whir once again, and you can hear the papers moving from within the machine. You lean against the printer for a moment of rest. It continues to beep at you, but nothing of note really happens. As the printer takes FOREVER to print only 6 pages... <<linkreplace "Pass time">> \...you run to grab a bottle of water from the library vending machine. You take a swig of the cool, refreshing drink, and place it on the table the printer is on. Finally, the printer finishes its mission. You snatch up the papers, and grab a stapler. You pop the staples through the paper with a satisfying click. Your paper is officially ready to turn in! <<link "Huzzah!">> \<<updateSubgoals "Turn in your paper" $subGoal2>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \<<set $topic = "printed">> \<<set $canLeaveLibrary = true>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>>

That was memorable.\ \<<set $sparkle = true>> \<<updateWatch>>

You cut him off. “I’m stuck in a time loop!” The words burst out of your mouth. “...um. What? No, don’t screw with me, that’s mean.” Forest frowns deeply, and his brow furrows. You shake your head aggressively. If anyone would understand you, it would be Forest. You just have to get him to listen. “Please? I don’t know what to do.” Your voice is tinged with desperation. “You know what? Sure. I’ll consider for a sec. What keeps setting off the loop?” Forest isn’t gesticulating as he talks; that’s how you know he is dead serious. <<linkreplace "Explain">> \“I keep dying,” you tell him. " \<<if $deathCount >= 4>> \Usually by some really dumb stuff. \<</if>> \<<if hasVisited("Eat")>> \I don’t know if I can eat a PB sandwich again. \<</if>> \Nothing is going well for me, and I’ve woken up to my alarm <<print $deathCount + 1>> times now. It sucks." “Alright, alright. Tell you what. I have this passcode that I was gonna reserve for something like this.” You raise your eyebrow at him. “Don’t– yeah, okay, I am a little weird. Lucky you. If you restart the loop, you can tell me you’re going up in history. Clever, huh? Or not. I didn’t think I’d actually share that with anyone.” Not too bad. You’ll need to remember this in case you restart the day again. Hopefully, you won’t have to use it. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Forest will know you're really in a time loop if you tell him you're 'going up in history.'")>> Satisfied, Forest shoos you towards the library. You may have lost 30 minutes by talking to him, but at least you know what his passphrase is now. That could prove helpful if this time loop sticks around. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 15>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library Main Entrance">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

“… called the DMC, it’s a magic club and they do some really cool stuff! Their last meeting of the semester is in the library pretty soon, but I have a DND session to run, but I’d love to get ideas for the villains, I really wish I could make it. ” You nod along as he speaks. The arms of his robe swish around his hands as they move in time with his speech. “I know you have your final to write, which by the way I hope you started last week like you promised me you would,” Oops! You meant to, really… “but if you have time you should go, maybe take notes for me or something.” <<linkreplace "Agree">> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Look into the DMC">> \Satisfied, Forest shoos you towards the library. “Oh wait! They have a password to keep random people from ruining the fun. I forgot, sorry. You’ll be okay though. It’s ‘Opossums are better than raccoons.’” <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The password to get into the DMC is 'Opossums are better than raccoons.'")>> You may have lost 20 minutes by talking to him, but at least you know about the DMC now. That could prove helpful if this timeloop thing sticks around. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 15>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library Main Entrance">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You walk up to one of the shelves. A printed and laminated sign labeled “Math” is taped to the side of the old oak bookshelf. Your finger moves across the books as you scan for a topic to write on. The spine of a blue book sticks out to you. The Monty Hall Problem. The book appears to be part of a collection called “Wikipedia” or something. You take a seat and flip the heavy book open. <<linkreplace "Read">> \The Monty Hall Problem is a probability puzzle based on the American game show Let’s Make a Deal. The problem was both posed and solved by Steve Selvin in 1975. The problem goes as follows: You are on a game show, and have a choice of three doors. Behind one is a new car, and behind the other two are goats. You pick one door, and the host opens another. Behind the host’s door is a goat. The host then asks if you want to switch your choice of door to the final door or keep your current door. Do you switch the door?... As you read, something appears above your head. It is a black hole in the air, just above your head. It looks like someone poked a hole in the universe. \<<if !(hasVisited("Printer Death"))>> <<link "Huh?">> <<goto "Printer Death">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Dodge">> <<goto "Dodge">> <</link>> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>>

“That’s weird…” Just as you say the words, something falls out of the hole right onto your head. You hear a crack in your head, and something feels like it is stabbing into your head. You drop to the floor, and before the blackness starting to consume your vision overtakes you, you see what hit your head. <<linkreplace "Seriously?">> \A printer. Oh, the irony of dying via one of the materials for your paper. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \ The blackness overtakes your vision. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Somehow, a hole opened up above the library stacks and tossed a printer onto you when you tried to research.")>> \<<if $subGoal2 == "???" || $subGoal2 == "Look into the DMC" || $subGoal2 == "Find out the DMC password">> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find out what’s happening">> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>>

You tilt back in your chair as you see the hole, falling back against the ground. Rug burns sting on your hands as you scuttle backwards and away from the table just as a printer crashes into the space where you just were. Part of the table is splintered from where the now-broken printer nicked it, and the chair lies broken below the printer. <<linkreplace "Yikes">> \That could have been you. That was you, before. You shake your head to shake the thought away. You stand up and dust yourself off before moving to grab the abandoned book just past the broken edge of the table. You may have almost died, but your paper is still due. \<<if $topic == "math">> <<link "Read more about math">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Math2">> <</link>> \<<elseif $topic == "english">> <<link "Read more about English">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "English2">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Read more about history">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "History2">> <</link>> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>>

You sit at a different seat and continue your research. There is an incorrect assumption that the contestant has a 50% probability no matter which door they choose, but in reality, the car is twice as likely to be in the door not chosen. As a result, switching doors gives you better odds. You yawn a bit as you read. The book continues to drone on, but that’s enough information to write your essay on. <<link "Time to write">> \<<updateSubgoals "Write your paper" $subGoal2>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>>

You walk up to one of the shelves. A printed and laminated sign labeled “English” is taped to the side of the old oak bookshelf. Your finger moves across the books as you scan for a topic to write on. The spine of a purple book sticks out to you. Shakespeare’s Life. The book appears to be written by some person called “Mathur” or something. You take a seat and flip the light book open. <<linkreplace "Read">> \William Shakespeare, the popular playwright and poet, was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He grew up and received an education at King’s New School before marrying Anne Hathaway. She was already pregnant when the two were wed. They had three children together: Suzanne, Judith, and Hamnet. Shakespeare was often away from his family for his work as a playwright and actor… As you read, something appears above your head. It is a black hole in the air, just above your head. It looks like someone poked a hole in the universe. \<<if !(hasVisited("Printer Death"))>> <<link "Huh?">> <<goto "Printer Death">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Dodge">> <<goto "Dodge">> <</link>> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>>

You sit at a different seat and continue your research. Between the years 1592 and 1612, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 3 narrative poems, and 154 sonnets. Popular plays include Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and popular sonnets include his “Dark Lady” sonnets and his “Young Man” sonnets. He wrote his plays in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth 1 and King James 1. Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 at his home in Stratford. You yawn a bit as you read. The book continues on, but that’s enough information to write your essay on. <<link "Time to write">> \<<updateSubgoals "Write your paper" $subGoal2>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>>

You walk up to one of the shelves. A printed and laminated sign labeled “History” is taped to the side of the old oak bookshelf. Your finger moves across the books as you scan for a topic to write on. The spine of a yellow book sticks out to you. The History of Bear-Baiting. The book appears to be part of a collection called “Wikipedia” or something. You take a seat and flip the heavy book open. <<linkreplace "Read">> \Bear-baiting was a blood sport that became popular in the 12th century and continued to be popular until the 19th century. It was a popular blood sport in Great Britain, Sweden, India, Pakistan, Mexico, and others. A chained bear was pitted against either dogs or another animal for the entertainment of humans which led the practice to be controversial and talked about in terms of animal rights… As you read, something appears above your head. It is a black hole in the air, just above your head. It looks like someone poked a hole in the universe. \<<if !(hasVisited("Printer Death"))>> <<link "Huh?">> <<goto "Printer Death">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Dodge">> <<goto "Dodge">> <</link>> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>>

You sit at a different seat and continue your research. In Great Britain, where bear-baiting was very popular, the blood sport was performed in a large circular pit outside. Raised seats sat around the pit for spectators to watch from. The practice was especially popular in the reigns of Henry 8 and Elizabeth 1. One arena, the Hope Theatre, was used for both bear-baiting and the production of plays. This practice led to the popular stage direction “Exit, pursued by bear” within English plays, such as Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. You cry a bit as you read. The book continues on, but that’s enough information to write your essay on. <<link "Time to write">> \<<updateSubgoals "Write your paper" $subGoal2>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>>

… I want to interject and give my version of a simple disapproving look. You sit down in front of the left computer. You can feel heat radiating from the monitor, and small sparks burn you from where the tower sits below the desk. You boot up the computer, and the screen flickers blue for a moment. You tap on the keyboard and kick the tower in the hopes that the computer will come to life only to feel blinding pain shoot through you. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> <<linkreplace "Ow!">> \A shock worse than any static electricity your friends have pranked you with flows through you from your hand to your chest and out through your foot. A fog overtakes your brain as you fall to the floor. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("To no one's surprise, the computer letting off sparks will shock you.")>> <</linkreplace>>

You sit down in front of the right computer. Despite your procrastination, you are not an idiot; the left computer is clearly broken. You boot up the computer, and the screen flickers for a moment before prompting you to sign in. You enter your username and passcode in order to pull up a writing software. You crack your knuckles, and your neck pops as you tilt your head from one side and then the other. It’s time to write. \<<if $topic == "math">> <<link "Write about math">> <<set $topic = "written">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 90>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Math Questions">> <</link>> \<<elseif $topic == "english">> <<link "Write about English">> <<set $topic = "written">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 90>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "English Questions">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Write about history">> <<set $topic = "written">> <<set $canLeaveLibrary = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 90>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "History Questions">> <</link>> \<</if>>

<<done>> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</done>> \\ Numbers! Why are there so many letters in these numbers? You start your essay with a typical introduction and thesis statement. Better to make the essay good rather than make it fancy. As you type you try to remember what you read. What did you read about again? <<link "The Monty Hall Problem">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Game Theory">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Why Statistics sucks :/">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You balance a pencil on your upper lip to make a pencil mustache as you think about what else you learned about. <<link "It was posed by Steven Selbin in 1975">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "It was posed by Steve Smith in 1977">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "It was posed by Steve Selvin in 1975">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You only need to remember one more thing in order to finish your essay! <<link "The car has twice the possibility of being in the other door">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "The car has a 50% possibility of being in the other door">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "The car has a 1 in 3 chance of being in the other door">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You dust your hands off as you finish your essay. This will get you an A+ for sure! You slot your flash drive into the computer tower and transfer the essay onto it. Now all you have to do is print it! <<link "Back">> \<<updateSubgoals "Print your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \

<<done>> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</done>> \\ Shall I compare this essay process to a winter’s night? It is less lovely and less temperate. Procrastination for you. <<if hasVisited("Woods")>> Can we add “Exit, pursued by a bear” to our resume after all this? \<</if>>\ You start your essay with a typical introduction and thesis statement. Better to make the essay good rather than make it fancy. As you type you try to remember what you read. What did you read about again? <<link "Shakespeare’s Life">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare’s Plays">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Why Shakespeare is irrelevant today">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You balance a pencil on your upper lip to make a pencil mustache as you think about what else you learned about. <<link "Shakespeare had three kids: Suzanne, Judith, and Hamlet">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare had three kids: Suzanne, Judith, and Hamnet">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare had three kids: Susan, Judith, and Hamlet">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You only need to remember one more thing in order to finish your essay! <<link "Shakespeare wrote 35 plays">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare wrote 35 plays and 154 sonnets">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You dust your hands off as you finish your essay. This will get you an A+ for sure! You slot your flash drive into the computer tower and transfer the essay onto it. Now all you have to do is print it! <<link "Back">> \<<updateSubgoals "Print your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \

<<done>> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</done>> \ We weren’t lying when we said what we said about going up in history. Grades wise, at least. Hopefully. You start your essay with a typical introduction and thesis statement. Better to make the essay good rather than make it fancy. As you type you try to remember what you read. What did you read about again? <<link "The History of Bear-Baiting">> <<set $grades.push(95)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "The History of the Hope Theatre">> <<set $grades.push(85)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "The History of the Spanish Inquisition">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You balance a pencil on your upper lip to make a pencil mustache as you think about what else you learned about. <<link "Bear-baiting was popular between the 12th and 18th centuries">> <<set $grades.push(85)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular between the 10th and 17th centuries">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular between the 12th and 19th centuries">> <<set $grades.push(95)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You only need to remember one more thing in order to finish your essay! <<link "Bear-baiting was only popular in Sweden">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular in Great Britain in the reigns of Henry 8 and Elizabeth 1">> <<set $grades.push(95)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular in Great Britain in the reigns of Elizabeth 1 and James 1">> <<set $grades.push(85)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You dust your hands off as you finish your essay. This will get you an A+ for sure! You slot your flash drive into the computer tower and transfer the essay onto it. Now all you have to do is print it! <<link "Back">> \<<updateSubgoals "Print your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \

<<updateWatch>>

/* used to control the library explosion */ \<<if Story.get(State.passage).tags.includes("canexplode")>> \<<if $hour == 1>> <<goto "Explosion">> <</if>> \<<elseif Story.get(State.passage).tags.includes("dmcExplode")>> \<<if $hour == 1>> <<goto "DMC Explosion">> \ <</if>> \<<elseif Story.get(State.passage).tags.includes("basementExplode")>> \<<if $hour == 1>> <<goto "Basement Explosion">> \ <</if>> \<<elseif Story.get(State.passage).tags.includes("sewerExplode")>> \<<if $hour == 1>> <<goto "Sewer Explosion">> \ <</if>> \<</if>>

You pause to glance at your watch before continuing on. 1 p.m. already… As you go to move on to your next task, the ground begins to shake beneath your feet. That is so strange… You duck under a table just as they taught you in your elementary-school earthquake drills. Concrete and bricks crash onto the floor and tables all around you. You see a slab of gray smash down by where you dropped your backpack. Guess we’re not getting that back. When will this end? <<linkreplace "Wait it out">> \<<removeclass "body" "research">> \<<addclass "body" "explosion">> \As the thought flashes through your mind, something goes off with a bang! Your vision goes white, and all you can hear is ringing. Pain and heat sear your skin, and somehow, your head hits the ground. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Something causes the library to explode around 1 p.m. Better finish your essay and get out before that happens next time.")>> \ Great, you mutter as you lose consciousness. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>>

\<<if $subGoal2 == "???" || $subGoal2 == "Look into the DMC" || $subGoal2 == "Find out the DMC password">> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find out what’s happening">> \<</if>> \<<if !$knowJason>>\ You strut out of the library, and this time around you don’t even mind the seven flights of stairs, especially because they’re down. Your calves mind a little. You smile to yourself as you reach the bottom of the staircase and amble down the path. The air seems warm, but not hot, and the pollen almost doesn’t bother you. Everything is perfect, but then something grabs your ankle. You look down to see a hand with purple and gray splotches. Bugs crawl from inside the hand onto your foot. The hand pulls you to the ground, and pebbles stab into your arms. You rub them out of your skin as…something… emerges from the sewer next to you. <<linkreplace "Ew ew ew">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "bench">>\ \<<addclass "body" "jason">>\ \You can only describe the thing--the creature--as magical. Is it something or someone? The creature looks like a person, but its skin is gray and purple. Bugs eat at its skin. It almost looks like a corpse that hasn’t yet decayed. Does that thing live in the sewers? Gross You stare up at the towering figure. You can only stare as water appears out of nowhere. <<link "Run away">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Run from Jason">> <</link>> <<link "Seduce">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Seduce Jason">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \<<else>>\ You exit the library with caution and walk quickly down the stairs, breathing a bit of a relieved sigh at the bottom. Now at least you won’t be trapped. What are you nervous for? You’ve died and come back a lot now. Yeah, but dying hurts. The air is warm, not hot, and everything seems peaceful, too good to be true. Halfway through your walk, you’ve almost started to believe it’s true… but then something grabs your ankle. You look down to see a hand with purple and gray splotches. Bugs crawl from inside the hand onto your foot. The hand pulls you to the ground, and pebbles stab into your arms. You rub them out of your skin as…something… Jason? emerges from the sewer next to you. <<linkreplace "Ew ew ew">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "bench">>\ \<<addclass "body" "jason">>\ It has to be Jason. You really really wish someone had warned you about what he looked like. His skin is gray and purple and splotchy, much worse than movie zombies, and his eyes – Good God. A horrible grin forms on his mouth (his decaying mouth, yuck) and he prepares to cast a spell. \<<if $magic.length > 0>> <<link "Fight with magic">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Fight Jason">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "Run away">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Run from Jason">> <</link>> <<link "Seduce">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Seduce Jason">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> <</if>>

You follow the signs directions to enter the DMC meeting; you might as well find out what it is. Unfortunately, your oldest enemy -- stairs -- block you from your path. You descend down, down, downstairs. It is easily 3 flights of stairs. Why this library has so many stairs, you will never know… <<linkreplace "Find meeting room">> \When you reach where the DMC meeting is, you see that the heavy oak door has a sign on it. The sign is dark blue with white words spelling out “Dark Magic Club meeting here.” Stickers of ravens and crows cover the sign, and various Edgar Allan Poe quotes litter the sign. A girl in a black robe covered with the same crow stickers stands in front of the door. \<<if $dmcEnter == "unknown">> “No entry without the password, noob.” She snickers a little as she talks. You sigh deeply. What could the password possibly be? \ <<if hasVisited("Listen to Forest")>> <<link "'Oppossums are better than raccoons'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Correct Pword">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "'Nevermore'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Nevermore">> <</link>> <<link "'Uhhhh… password one two three?'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Pword123">> <</link>> \<<if !hasVisited("Listen to Forest")>> <<link "Admit you don’t know the password">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Don't Know">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Admit you don't know the password</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<elseif $dmcEnter == "noEntry">> “No entry without the password, noob.” She snickers a little as she talks. Then, she does a double take, recognizing you. "Hey, you were here earlier. You clearly don't know the password. Go away." <<link "Go back upstairs">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \<<else>> The girl nods at you. “You’ve shown you know the password, noob.” She snickers lightly as she pulls the door open. <<link "Enter">> <<goto "DMC">> <</link>> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>>

Is it worth trying to finish this essay? What if we die again after it’s written? Maybe there’s a way we can stop dying first. \ <<include "Dorm Options">>

\<<if !hasVisited("Listen to Forest")>> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find out the DMC password">> \<</if>>\ “Nevermore?” You fidget with your fingers as you say the word. You really hope you guessed the password. The girl laughs at you, and she snorts occasionally. “YOU FOOL! The Edgar Allan Poe quotes were a ruse to keep nerds like YOU out.” She continues to laugh at you, even pointing at you as she doubles over. Suddenly, two goons in knight outfits emerge from the room behind her. They grab you by the arms and drag you away. At least they’re using the stairs for you? <<link "Back upstairs">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \<<set $dmcEnter = "noEntry">>

\<<if !hasVisited("Listen to Forest")>> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find out the DMC password">> \<</if>>\ “I don’t actually know the password…” You kick at the wooden floor as you say it. Maybe she’ll let you in anyway? The girl sighs and frowns. “Listen, I appreciate the honesty, but I can’t let you in without the password.” She rubs at her temples with one hand. “Figure out the password and come back. We could use an honest homie like you.” She points at you with her other hand as she continues to rub her temples. Suddenly, two goons in knight outfits emerge from the room behind her. They grab you by the arms and drag you away. Forest is into magic and other stuff like that. Maybe he knows more about the club? <<link "Back upstairs">> <<set $canLeaveLibrary = true>> <<goto "Library">> <</link>> \<<set $dmcEnter = "noEntry">>

“Uhhhh…password one two three?” You fidget with your fingers as you say the password. You really hope you guessed it correctly. The girl laughs at you, and she snorts occasionally. She doubles over at the waist, which seems a little excessive to you. “You idiot! Why would we make that our password…” She stops laughing for a second. “Wait… that was our last password.” She shrugs. “Eh, you’re funny, and that password is close enough. Head on in.” She pulls the door open. “Remember,” she whispers as you pass her, “snitches get stitches.” <<linkreplace "Worry about that">> \You wonder for a second if you are about to enter a cult, but shrug and enter the room anyway. Maybe this will help you find out why you’re in this cursed timeloop. Several people in black robes stand around in a circle in the middle of the room. The lights are off, so the only light is a single candle in the middle of this circle. So… Forest is in a cult. This is a cult. Yeah. <<link "Look around">> <<goto "DMC">> <</link>> \<<set $dmcEnter = "enter">> <</linkreplace>>

“Opossums are better than raccoons?” Your voice cracks a bit as you say the password. You really hope you remember the password correctly. The girl’s smirk falls for a moment. She starts snickering lightly again as she pulls the door open. “Remember,” she whispers as you pass her, “snitches get stitches.” <<linkreplace "Worry about that">> \You wonder for a second if you are about to enter a cult, but shrug and enter the room anyway. Maybe this will help you find out why you’re in this cursed timeloop. Several people in black robes stand around in a circle in the middle of the room. The lights are off, so the only light is a single candle in the middle of this circle. So… Forest is in a cult. This is a cult. Yeah. <<link "Look around">> <<goto "DMC">> <</link>> \<<set $dmcEnter = "enter">> <</linkreplace>>

The group stops for a moment to stare at you. A person whose robe has a purple bias tape covering the edges of the fabric flicks their fingers at you, and two people wearing knights’ outfits emerge from the shadowy corners of the room. They sling a black robe over you, and the circle goes back to muttering amongst themselves. \<<set $canLeaveLibrary = true>> \<<include "DMC Options">>

\<<done>>\ \<<if $dmcListened == 1>>\ \<<toggleclass "#2" "hide">>\ \<<toggleclass "#3" "hide">>\ \<<elseif $dmcListened == 2>>\ \<<toggleclass "#1" "hide">>\ \<<toggleclass "#3" "hide">>\ \<<else>>\ \<<toggleclass "#1" "hide">>\ \<<toggleclass "#2" "hide">>\ \<</if>>\ \<</done>>\ \\ The person in a robe with purple bias tape appears to be the leader of the club. They lecture to the group in a low, hushed voice, and as you join the circle, you see that several people are nodding along to the words. You try really hard to listen to the leader’s words. “The giant raccoon is known to not actually be from this world. It is an angry creature from the 7th dimension that is known to attack anyone within a foot of its nest.” You think back to the large raccoon you saw in the dumpsters and shudder. You can still feel the air slipping out of your throat. <<linkreplace "Don't think about that">> \<<removeclass "body" "dmc">> \<<addclass "body" "raccoon">> \<<run setTimeout(() => { document.body.classList.remove("raccoon"); document.body.classList.add("dmc"); }, 100); >>\ \“This creature is precisely 3.258 times larger than the normal raccoon. We theorize that it is this size to eat larger mammals and birds. We currently have an image of a raccoon we believe to be this creature courtesy of Allison.” The leader gestures towards a girl on the left side of the circle. She has a gold star sticker on her robe on the right side of her chest. You can see large bandages on her arm as she gives the leader a thumbs up. The leader passes around a picture. It is a blurry photo of what looks like a raccoon with red eyes. Honestly, the photo is so blurry that it is mostly streaks of colors at this point. \ <<include "DMC Options">> \<</linkreplace>>\ \\ \\ The leader continues on as the picture is passed around the circle. “Another creature we believe to exist is the lich. It is the remnants of a dark wizard who turns to evil.” You wonder what makes someone a dark wizard vs. an evil dark wizard. “These creatures, formerly people, have put their souls into a jar. These jars are what keeps them alive eternal, even as their bodies rot and decay.” <<linkreplace "Gross">>\ You think of the last zombie movie you watched and feel a bit sick to your stomach imagining a moving, rotting body. “The space where the soul once was in the body fills with magic, making the lich a dangerous creature to combat. We do not have photographic evidence of this creature.” Everyone looks a bit sad at those words. \ <<include "DMC Options">> <</linkreplace>> \\ \\ The leader claps their hands. “The next creature we have is the legendary flying alligator. Do not let the name fool you; this creature is dangerous, unlike the flying squirrel. We are unsure of how this creature came to be, but our researcher,” They gesture to another person opposite to you in this circle. The person has deep eyebags and sways a bit where they stand. <<linkreplace "Look back to the leader">>\ “theorizes that this creature could be a familiar. This creature requires both wet and dry conditions as well as a cool environment. Our estimates say that if this creature were to live on our campus, it would need an environment like the sewers.” The words all start to blur together. The leader just keeps going on and on about various magical creatures. This is getting really boring. Might as well just tune them out. \ <<include "DMC Options">> <</linkreplace>> \\

\<<if $dmcListened == 0>> <<link "Listen to what people are talking about">> <<set $dmcListened += 1>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Listen In">> <</link>> \<<elseif $dmcListened != 3>> <<link "Keep listening">> <<set $dmcListened += 1>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Listen In">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Ask abt Magic"))>> <<link "Ask someone about magic">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Ask abt Magic">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Leave and go downstairs">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Basement">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Ask abt Weird"))>> <<link "Ask someone about the weird things going on">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Ask abt Weird">> <</link>> \<<elseif !(hasVisited("Ask abt Duel"))>> <<link "Ask about taking over the club">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Ask abt Duel">> <</link>> \<<elseif !$leaderFought>> <<link "Duel the leader">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Duel">> <</link>> \<</if>> <<link "Go back upstairs">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 6>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library">> <</link>>

\<<set _theory = false>> \<<set _practical = false>> \ \<<if $dmcListened == 0>> The person in a robe with purple bias tape appears to be the leader of the club. They lecture to the group in a low, hushed voice, and as you join the circle, you see that several people are nodding along to the words. You lean closer to the person standing next to you. “Psst!” \<<else>>\ You might as well try to find out some more information if you aren’t going to listen to the leader. You lean closer to the person standing next to you. “Psst!” \<</if>> The person standing next to you seemed very invested in the leader’s words. He glares at you a little, and his voice is venomous. “What?” <<linkreplace "Ask">>\ Is it worth it to try to get information from this dude? Despite his -- and your -- wishes, you continue the conversation. “How does magic like, work?” You smile in the hopes that he won’t be angry. He rolls his eyes a little. “Theoretically or practically?” You purse your lips together as you think. <<link "'Theoretically'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#theory" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "'Practically'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The DMC does magic training in the library basement.")>> <<set $sparkle = true>> <<updateWatch>> <<toggleclass "#1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#practical" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "'...what?'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The DMC does magic training in the library basement.")>> <<set $sparkle = true>> <<updateWatch>> <<toggleclass "#1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#what" "hide">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \ \ \<<set _theory = true>> He groans a little, which causes the person next to him to smack his arm. A loud “shh!” makes its way through the circle, and the leader begins to continue his lecture. “That’s like, last week stuff. It’s been a while, man. High Mage Draconius might give you more of a rundown.” He pulls up his robe sleeve to scratch a bug bite as he speaks the words. Jeez, how helpful. \<<if !(_practical)>> <<link "Ask about practical magic">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The DMC does magic training in the library basement.")>> <<set $sparkle = true>> <<updateWatch>> <<toggleclass "#theory" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#practical" "hide">> <</link>> \<</if>> \ \ \<<set _practical = true>>\ He looks a little more interested in the conversation. At the very least, he isn’t glaring at you anymore. “Oh, you a newbie? Welcome, welcome. We do training and practice downstairs in the basement, people are probably setting up now. Might want to get the basics of theory first, though.” He claps you on the back with a smile. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \ What should you do now? \ \<<if !(_theory)>> <<link "Ask about theoretical magic">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#practical" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#theory" "hide">> <</link>> \<</if>> \ <<include "DMC Options">> \ \\ He looks a little more interested in the conversation. At the very least, he isn’t glaring at you anymore. “Oh, you a newbie? Welcome, welcome. We do training and practice for practical knowledge, how to use magic, in the basement. People are probably setting up now. Might want to get the basics of theory first, though, that’s with High Mage Draconius. Our leader, up there.” He points at the person in the robe with purple bias tape. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \ You smile and thank him. You really needed clarity. \ <<include "DMC Options">> \ \<<set $sparkle = false>>

\<<done>> \<<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> \<<toggleclass "#3" "hide">> \<</done>> \\ Really? Of all the things you could do right now. I guess it doesn’t matter. Have fun in your death loop. You join the weird cult circle, and lean over to the person next to you. You whisper to him, “Hey, hypothetically, how would I go about taking over -- leading this club?” He turns towards you with his mouth slightly open. He blinks at you for a moment, and you smile at him. He shrugs. “It’s in our constitution actually, we say it’s a vote because of the school but really you have to battle the High Mage to earn his spot. It can be really entertaining, you should absolutely do it if you want to.” <<link "'How do I start?'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "'Actually, nah, I’m good.'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#3" "hide">> <</link>> \\ \\ A sinister grin spreads across his face. “You just sorta walk up to him and declare your intention. He’ll make it public.” He chuckles a little to himself. Are you sure you want to do this? <<include "DMC Options">> \\ \\ His face falls, and he kicks at the ground a little bit. “Suit yourself.” After saying the words, he turns his attention back towards the lecture the leader is giving. \ <<include "DMC Options">> \

\<<if (hasVisited("Magic1") && hasVisited("Magic2") && hasVisited("Magic3"))>>\ You grin at all of your teachers. You have mastered 3 different kinds of magic. Surely, you stand a chance against the leader now! Your water mentor crosses his arms. “You’ve learned all we can teach you. The leader is the one who normally teaches fire magic, so that will have to wait. Good luck, kid.” You leave the room and head back to the DMC meeting. <<link "Go back">> <<goto "DMC">> <</link>> \<<elseif (hasVisited("Magic1")) || (hasVisited("Magic2")) || (hasVisited("Magic3"))>>\ The stick-twirler waves at you a little. Nothing has changed, though the trainee in the middle seems to be doing better on their water control. Has the meditating guy even breathed? One can only hope. \<<if !(hasVisited("Magic1"))>> <<link "Learn magic from the people in the middle">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 80>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Magic1">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Magic2"))>> <<link "Learn magic from the person meditating">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 80>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Magic2">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Magic3"))>> <<link "Learn magic from the person twirling a stick">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 80>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Magic3">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "Go back">> <<goto "DMC">> <</link>> \<<else>>\ You wonder for a moment if rolling down the stairs would be worth it to save your knees before you stop yourself and walk down the stairs like a human being. The room you were directed to doesn’t have a guard this time. Did they need a guard or did that girl just really want to mess with people? <<linkreplace "Whatever">> Regardless, you swing the door of the room open. It’s bigger than the other room, and fluorescent lights reach every corner of it. A variety of objects are scattered about the room: hula hoops, books that you’re pretty sure should be on the shelves upstairs, and some clown-worthy silk handkerchiefs decorate the floor and tables. There are fewer people here. One person twirls a long stick in the corner. Another appears to be meditating in a different corner, but they’re facing the wall, so it is hard to tell. The final two stand in the center of the room surrounded by tables. <<linkreplace "Look closer">> As you watch, one person in the middle of the room forms a ball of water in his hands and pushes it forwards. It lands in the middle of an already-soaked wall. The other person, who reminds you of a former gym coach you had, looks proud. What should we try? Something that isn’t dying. \<<if !(hasVisited("Magic1"))>> <<link "Learn magic from the people in the middle">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 80>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Magic1">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Magic2"))>> <<link "Learn magic from the person meditating">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 80>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Magic2">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("Magic3"))>> <<link "Learn magic from the person twirling a stick">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 80>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Magic3">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "Go back">> <<goto "DMC">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>> \<</if>>

You walk up to the person meditating in the corner and tap them on the shoulder to have them turn around. “Hey…” They stare at you with a blank face before smiling. “How can I help you?” They ask softly. Their eyes crinkle where their smile hits their eyes. “Can you teach me magic?” You bounce on your toes a little as you ask. <<linkreplace "Wait">> \They nod slowly. “Of course.” You watch as they move over to the books and grab them. They look very graceful as they bring the books to you, but as soon as they drop the books in your hands, you buckle a little under the weight. What happens next seems like it’s right out of a training montage. The person teaches you about the ways of earth through the power of balancing books on your head. By the time the person sits back down to meditate, you are able to balance a boulder on your head using magic. <<linkreplace "Awesome">>\ You’re covered in sweat (gross) and mentally, you feel like you’ve run a marathon, but hey. You learned some magic! It was surprisingly easy to start, and you wonder for a brief second why this isn’t more common of a thing. So, no energy for the essay? I get it, you don’t do this every day. You still have a final to do, though. Just putting that out there. <<link "Back">> <<goto "Basement">> <</link>> \<<set $magic.push("earth")>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>>

You walk up to the person twirling a large stick. “Hey…” She continues to twirl her stick as you speak. “How’s my trick lookin’?” She asks. She seems so focused that she doesn’t think you might have a reason for talking to her. “Can you teach me magic?” You bounce on your toes a little as you ask. <<linkreplace "Wait">> \She nods without even looking at you. Her eyes are trained on her stick. “Sure. Just grab those handkerchiefs over there.” You grab the handkerchiefs and head back over. What happens next seems like it’s right out of a training montage. The person teaches you about the ways of air through the power of tossing handkerchiefs in the air. By the time she masters her trick, you are able to keep the handkerchief up in the air using magic. <<linkreplace "Awesome">> \You’re covered in sweat (gross) and mentally, you feel like you’ve run a marathon, but hey. You learned some magic! It was surprisingly easy to start, and you wonder for a brief second why this isn’t more common of a thing. So, no energy for the essay? I get it, you don’t do this every day. You still have a final to do, though. Just putting that out there. <<link "Back">> <<goto "Basement">> <</link>> \<<set $magic.push("air")>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>>

\<<set $leaderFought = true>> \<<if (hasVisited("Magic1")) || (hasVisited("Magic2")) || (hasVisited("Magic3"))>>\ You point at the leader aggressively and try to bring some pizzazz into your voice. “Leader of the DMC, I hereby challenge you to a duel for your position!” <<linkreplace "Smirk">>\ Various members’ breath catches as they look to the leader. His face twists into a smirk, and he cracks his neck. “I’ve been waiting for a fool to challenge me.” You might be fucked. <<link "Battle">> <<goto "Duel Rounds">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \<<else>>\ You clear your throat, and everyone turns to look at you. You don’t think that the club members like you very much… Despite their dislike, they will have to deal with you. You point at the leader aggressively and try to bring some pizzazz into your voice. “Leader of the DMC, I hereby challenge you to a duel for your position!” <<linkreplace "Smirk">> \Various members’ breath catches as they look to the leader. His face twists into a smirk, and he cracks his neck. “I’ve been waiting for a fool to challenge me.” You might be fucked. The leader summons three fireballs and begins to juggle them. As you stare at the show with fascination, you see one fireball head straight in your direction. “Uh oh” slips from your lips as the fire sears at the flesh on your face. <<linkreplace "Ow">> \You feel your skin melting off your bones, and the pain is so much that tears begin to fall from your eyes only to evaporate under the heat. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The leader of the DMC is very powerful. Better be prepared if you want to face him again.")>> \ You hear a commotion as everything goes dark. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>> <</if>>

\<<set _water = hasVisited("Magic1")>> \<<set _earth = hasVisited("Magic2")>> \<<set _air = hasVisited("Magic3")>> \<<set _chosen = "">> \<<set _points = 0>> \<<set _subgoal = $subGoal2>> \\ The leader summons three fireballs and begins to juggle them. Which magic should you use? \<<if _water>> <<link "Use Water">> \<<set _points += 1>> \<<set _chosen = "water">> <<toggleclass "#Rd1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#Rd2" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if _earth>> <<link "Use Earth">> <<set _chosen = "earth">> <<toggleclass "#Rd1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#Rd2" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if _air>> <<link "Use Air">> <<set _chosen = "air">> <<toggleclass "#Rd1" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#Rd2" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \ \ \ \<<do>> \<<if _chosen == "water">>\ You put out the leader’s flames. He blinks at where the fireballs used to be before focusing in on you again. \<<elseif _chosen == "earth">>\ You try to make the leader slip. Unfortunately, he just rolls backwards whilst still juggling. You find yourself applauding as he laughs at you. \<<else>>\ You blow a gust of wind at the fireballs, but they only grow stronger. Even the leader is a little alarmed and spends time putting them out before gathering his next move. \<</if>> \<</do>> The leader summons a wave of fire that begins moving towards you. You don’t think water will put this fire out… \<<if _water>> <<link "Use Water">> \<<set _chosen = "water">> <<toggleclass "#Rd2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#Rd3" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if _earth>> <<link "Use Earth">> <<set _chosen = "earth">> <<set _points += 1>> <<toggleclass "#Rd2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#Rd3" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if _air>> <<link "Use Air">> <<set _chosen = "air">> <<toggleclass "#Rd2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#Rd3" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \ \ \<<do>> \<<if _chosen == "water">>\ You try to put out the wave of flames anyway. Your water quickly evaporates and you need to jump out of the way to dodge. \<<elseif _chosen == "earth">>\ You cower from the wave from behind a giant wall of rock. Is this guy trying to kill you? \<<else>>\ You jump high into the air using your powers to avoid the wave of flames. The fire still singes your new robe, and you stumble onto the floor when you land. \<</if>> \<</do>> With you on the floor, the leader surrounds you with thousands of little flames. They remind you of a birthday candle. \<<if _water>> <<link "Use Water">> \<<set _chosen = "water">> <<toggleclass "#Rd3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if _earth>> <<link "Use Earth">> <<set _chosen = "earth">> <<toggleclass "#Rd3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if _air>> <<link "Use Air">> <<set _points += 1>> <<set _chosen = "air">> <<toggleclass "#Rd3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<redo>> <</link>> <</if>> \ \ \<<do>> \<<if _chosen == "water">>\ You spray the flames with water. You get a good chunk of the flames put out, but more remain around you. The leader puts out the remaining flames and helps you to your feet. \<<elseif _chosen == "earth">>\ You raise the ground where the flames hover. However, the flames move with the earth. The leader puts out the flames and helps you to your feet. \<<else>>\ You blow hard and send a gust of wind through the flames. The numerous tiny lights vanish with your magic. The leader reaches forward and helps you to your feet. \<</if>> \<<if _points >= 2>> \<<set $magic.pushUnique("fire")>> You smile at the result of the duel. You now know what fire is all about through the power of friendship and beating people up. The leader smiles at you and trades your robe for his. “Great job, new kid. I just hope you understand the responsibility. Don’t worry, I won’t go lich on you, you’ll only have the one to worry about.” <<linkreplace "'What do you mean?'">>\ \<<set $knowJason = true>>\ \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find the soul jar">>\ “Oh, it’s the last club leader, Jason. He had a cool name but you give it up after you’re not the leader now. You can call me Dylan now, by the way.” He fidgets with the un-taped hem of his new robe. High Mage Draconius was way cooler. I’m sticking with that. “Anyways, Jason went lich after he lost to me, and he sometimes threatens to blow up the entire campus. I doubt you’ll have to worry about him too much. But he has a soul jar somewhere around here we’ve been trying to find and break just in case.” \<<include "Gotta Remember That">>\ \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The previous DMC leader, Jason, has turned into a lich and is threatening campus.")>>\ \ <<include "DMC Options">> <</linkreplace>> \<<else>> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Learn magic">> He smiles at you and pats you on the back. “Great try, new kid, but you still have a ways to go. Try not to lose next time.” You smile at the leader and shake his hand. Maybe you don’t need to become the leader of the club to break this time loop. \ <<include "DMC Options">> \<</if>> \<</do>> \ \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 _subgoal>>

\<<widget "updateWatch">> \<> <<if $sparkle>> <<repeat 0.5s>> <<if !$sparkle>> <<stop>> <</if>> <<set $isFirstImage = not $isFirstImage>> <<replace "#menu">> <<if $isFirstImage>> <<link [img[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQLS3cQCFMywxVHp5HsaoHhGJ4s53txItOQ-NBr9JPmdkr4fxWKX2nkey_ZKFiLn34-ZCoJbQYD8Dxv/pub?w=186&h=133]]>> <<script>> Dialog.create("Memory Bank", "memories").wikiPassage("Memory Bank").open(); <</script>> <<set $sparkle = false>> <<updateWatch>> <</link>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.create("Credits", "credits").wikiPassage("Credits").open(); <</script>> <</button>> <<else>> <<link [img[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQoAFBXh2gKAHPodcI2DvJ4gVc2NQxnJKV9PwtZPHLdG096e1wko_1DmtKubL7ZINLU2lmy1Cy-ndpw/pub?w=186&h=133]]>> <<script>> Dialog.create("Memory Bank", "memories").wikiPassage("Memory Bank").open(); <</script>> <<set $sparkle = false>> <<updateWatch>> <</link>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.create("Credits", "credits").wikiPassage("Credits").open(); <</script>> <</button>> <</if>> <</replace>> <</repeat>> <<elseif !(Dialog.isOpen("memories"))>> <<replace "#menu">> <<link [img[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vTnBViYdQC4vBVlVG1qibbtfPnMe1eOk7kXI_e6IVRimxb0l_paMYDb9CJzY06--83CXXq5bqD8_geq/pub?w=186&h=133]]>> <<script>> Dialog.create("Memory Bank", "memories").wikiPassage("Memory Bank").open(); <</script>> <<updateWatch>> <</link>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.create("Credits", "credits").wikiPassage("Credits").open(); <</script>> <</button>> <</replace>> <<else>> <<replace "#menu">> <<link [img[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQDo6I8Qaeq4WsSgrkS1B1J-uMnb-YlGVFQu7v_KkgURa2zhchEo-P9rTML2elem4wFewVN1leHJnsM/pub?w=186&h=133]]>> <<script>> Dialog.close("memories") <</script>> <<updateWatch>> <</link>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.create("Credits", "credits").wikiPassage("Credits").open(); <</script>> <</button>> <</replace>> <</if>> \<> \<</widget>>

"Sorry, Forest, but I've gotta go." He frowns deeply and draws a finger from his eye to his jaw, mimicking a tear falling. Fake sniffling, he says, "Ok." You wave goodbye and awkwardly hurry away. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 15>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Library Main Entrance">> <</link>>

\<<set _questions = 0>> \<<set _askedJason = false>>\ High Mage Draconius holds up his hand to silence the room and looks up at the sky, pondering. For a sophomore, he is quite good at commanding a room. He holds the silence just long enough for you to wonder if you’re about to die again. “We are under attack from Jason,” he calmly declares. The mages huddle in a circle around him, making complicated gestures in the air that you can’t follow. The ground begins to shake under your feet. \ \\ \ \ <<link "'Who's Jason?'">> \<<set _askedJason = true>> \<<set $knowJason = true>> \<<redo>> \<<set _questions += 1>> \<<if _questions > 2>> <<goto "DMC Explosion 2">> \<<else>> <<append "#here">> “Who’s Jason?” you ask. Priorities, man. “Previous high mage, went lich, grudge against whoever the running high mage is.” A hand you can’t identify pulls you behind the wizards casting their spells. <<include "Gotta Remember That">>\ \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The previous DMC leader, Jason, has turned into a lich and is threatening campus.")>> \<</append>> \<<replace "#2">> <<link "'Went lich?'">> \<<set _questions += 1>> \<<if _questions > 2>> <<goto "DMC Explosion 2">> \<<else>> <<append "#here">> “Went lich?” Your voice trembles as you ask the question. The leader rolls his eyes. “Yeah. Immortal evil wizard. Were you not listening in the lecture? It’s not often, but it happens.” Your heart begins to race. \<</append>> \<<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> \<<include "passTime()">> \<<remove "#2">> \<</if>> <</link>> \<</replace>> \<<replace "#5">> \<<if hasVisited("Listen In")>> <<link "'Where is his soul jar?'">> \<<set _questions += 1>> \<<if _questions > 2>> <<goto "DMC Explosion 2">> \<<else>> <<append "#here">> You close your eyes and try to think back to what you learned about liches. A thought sparks through your brain. “Where is his soul jar?” You hope they can break it. The leader frowns deeply. “That’s part of what we don’t know, but we think it’s in the sewers.” <<include "Gotta Remember That">>\ \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The leader of the DMC suspects the lich's soul jar is in the sewers.")>> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find the soul jar">> \<</append>> \<<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> \<<include "passTime()">> \<<remove "#5">> \<</if>> <</link>> \<</if>> \<</replace>> \<<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> \<<include "passTime()">> \<<remove "#1">> \<</if>> <</link>> \ \ \ <<link "'How do we stop him?'">> \<<set _questions += 1>> \<<if _questions > 2 || $hour == 1>> <<goto "DMC Explosion 2">> \<<else>> <<append "#here">> Your voice sounds shrill and annoying even to your ears. “How do we stop him?” He rubs a non-existent beard. “We’ve been trying to find and break his soul jar. If it’s this bad, we might have to do that now. You ready?” \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Find the soul jar">> \<</append>> \<<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> \<<include "passTime()">> \<<remove "#3">> \<</if>> <</link>> \ <<link "'Why haven’t we stopped him?'">> \<<set _questions += 1>> \<<if _questions > 2>> <<goto "DMC Explosion 2">> \<<else>> <<append "#here">> The room begins to crumble around you. “Why haven’t we stopped him?” The various club members stop what they’re doing to glare at you for a moment. The guy who was standing next to you in the circle pipes in. “We’re trying, geez. Ran out of time this semester, classwork and all, you know?” You nod. You know the burden of a college course load as well. \<</append>> \<<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> \<<include "passTime()">> \<<remove "#4">> \<</if>> <</link>> \ \ \<> <<script>> setTimeout(() => { Engine.play("DMC Explosion 2"); }, 20000); <</script>> \<>

Before Draconius can draw breath to answer, one of his mages cries out and falls to the floor, breaking the protective shield around you all. Draconius tries to hold on but the damage is done. You fall through the meeting room’s floor. You feel your bones shatter when you hit the ground, and feel life escaping from you. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> <<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The DMC is attacked and destroyed around 1 p.m.")>> \<<updateWatch>> This is the end. <<include "Proceed">>

\\ The mages around you react to something all at once, and after a second, you could sense it too. Something was terribly wrong. “We need to get back up there,” the stick-twirler says, holding her stick in a fighting stance. The five of you make for the door as fast as you can. The gym-coach person in the center of the room – it would have helped if you heard anyone’s name – gets to the stairwell doors first, and almost falls down the chasm that once held stairs. Earth and air magic pushes against the ceiling, but nothing works there. <<include "Gotta Remember That">> \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("Something destroys the stairs to the library basement around 1 p.m.")>> \<<updateWatch>> \ \<<if hasVisited("Magic1")>> <<link "Jump, and try to absorb the impact with water">> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<removeclass "body" "basement">> <<addclass "body" "basementexplosion">> <<prepend "#2">> \ You jump, but before you make it to the bottom, <</prepend>> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if hasVisited("Magic2")>> <<link "Make new stairs">> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<removeclass "body" "basement">> <<addclass "body" "basementexplosion">> <<prepend "#2">> \You push out the magic you just now learned, and your teacher nods approvingly. Before you’re done, <</prepend>> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if hasVisited("Magic3")>> <<link "Jump and try to fly down the chasm">> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<removeclass "body" "basement">> <<addclass "body" "basementexplosion">> <<prepend "#2">> \You jump, but before you make it to the bottom, <</prepend>> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "Uh oh">> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<removeclass "body" "basement">> <<addclass "body" "basementexplosion">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> \ \ \A rush of murky water envelops you and your companions. You can’t see Can’t breathe And can’t tell which way is up. Drowning is the worst way to go, but well. Here we are. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> \

Whassup, danger? You walk along campus, glancing every which way. You will find Jason no matter what. You can’t find him in the forest. The beach is Jason-less. He isn’t even anywhere along the path! Eventually, you give up. You plop down onto a bench on the main path outside of the library. You put your head in your hands and close your eyes. Where could he possibly be? As you think, you feel something on your ankle. Your eyes pop open. You look down to see a hand with purple and gray splotches. Bugs crawl from inside the hand onto your foot. The hand pulls you off the bench and onto the ground, and pebbles stab into your arms. You rub them out of your skin as…something… emerges from the sewer next to you. <<linkreplace "Ew ew ew">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "bench">>\ \<<addclass "body" "jason">>\ You can only describe the thing--the creature--as magical. This must be the lich. You wish that you had seen the horrifying creature before. Then, you might have been prepared. The creature looks like a person, but its skin is gray and purple. Bugs eat at its skin. It almost looks like a corpse that hasn’t yet decayed. Good news, he’s in the sewers? Good place to start looking at least. You stare up at the towering figure. You can only stare as water appears out of nowhere. \<<if $magic.length > 0>> <<link "Fight with magic">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Fight Jason">> <</link>> <</if>> <<link "Run away">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Run from Jason">> <</link>> <<link "Seduce">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Seduce Jason">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You walk up to the people in the center of the room. “Hey…” They give you a strange look before glancing back at each other. They look back at you. “Can we help you with something, kid?” The gym-coach one asks. He seems pretty apathetic about the whole situation. <<linkreplace "Respond">> \“Can you teach me magic?” You bounce on your toes a little as you ask. The gym-coach one nods slightly before turning around. The other person furrows his brows and splashes your head with some water before turning around and leaving the circle. You glare at the back of his head and shake some of the water out of your hair. The gym-coach person turns around with a hula hoop in his hand. This is strangely threatening… What happens next seems like it’s right out of a training montage. The man teaches you about the ways of water through the power of hula hooping. By the time the man nods at you as proudly as his other student, you are able to hula hoop with a circle of water using your magic. <<linkreplace "Awesome">> \You’re covered in sweat (gross) and mentally, you feel like you’ve run a marathon, but hey. You learned some magic! It was surprisingly easy to start, and you wonder for a brief second why this isn’t more common of a thing. So, no energy for the essay? I get it, you don’t do this every day. You still have a final to do, though. Just putting that out there. <<link "Back">> <<goto "Basement">> <</link>> \<<set $magic.push("water")>> \<</linkreplace>> \<</linkreplace>>

\<<if ($magic.length == 1)>>\ Jason flings the water towards your head, but you roll out of the way and jump to your feet. You attack back with your own magic power, but the magic dissipates in his face. If this were a video game, you imagine that the attack would do 0 damage to his HP. \<<elseif ($magic.length == 2)>>\ Jason flings the water towards your head, but you roll out of the way and jump to your feet. You fire back two attacks of your own magic, but he barely flinches at the power. If this were a video game, you imagine that the attack would do 2 damage to his HP. \<<elseif ($magic.length == 3)>>\ Jason flings the water towards your head, but you roll out of the way and jump to your feet. You fire back three attacks of your own magic, but he only flinches at the power. If this were a video game, you imagine that the attack would do 4 damage to his HP. \<<elseif ($magic.length == 4)>>\ Jason flings the water towards your head, but you roll out of the way and jump to your feet. You fire attacks with all of your own magic, but he smiles at the attack. Fire, air, water, and earth all crumble in his face. If this were a video game, you imagine that the attack would do 16 damage to his HP. \<</if>>\ The lich smirks and green power envelops him. The scratches that showed your effort vanished in the light. You blink rapidly at the sight of the undamaged monster. Huge healing. This is bad. Maybe don’t solo the big boss. <<include "Gotta Remember That">>\ \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("The lich is far too powerful to fight. You'll need to find another way to defeat him.")>> \<<updateWatch>> You look one way and then the other. <<linkreplace "Run!">> \You bolt away from Jason. There’s no way you can win against this creature. However, as you run away, you trip and fall to the ground. Jason floats towards you and stomps down hard on your chest. You wheeze for a moment, and pain spreads through you. Black bubbles overtake your vision. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> \<<set $recruit = true>> <</linkreplace>>

You try to crawl away as the water surrounds your head. The creature just looks down at you. You try to hold your breath, but the water pushes its way into your lungs. Black bubbles overtake your vision. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> \<<if $knowJason>> \<<set $recruit = true>> \<</if>>

\\ You don’t know why, but in your panic, you make a terrible choice. You prop your head on your hand and try to give the creature your most seductive look. Maybe it won’t hurt you if you seduce it? <<link "'Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten-i-see.'">> \<<prepend "#2">>\ 'Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten-i-see.' <</prepend>> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <<link "'I hope you know CPR because you just took my breath away!'">> \<<prepend "#2">>\ 'I hope you know CPR because you just took my breath away!' <</prepend>> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <<link "'Are you a head of lettuce? Because I think I’m worming my way into your heart.'">> \<<prepend "#2">>\ 'Are you a head of lettuce? Because I think I’m worming my way into your heart.' <</prepend>> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <<link "'Are you a lich? Because you uhh. Look like one… in a good way! Yeah.'">> \<<prepend "#2">>\ 'Are you a lich? Because you uhh. Look like one… in a good way! Yeah.' <</prepend>> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> \ \\ You cringe as you say the words, but you wink at the creature anyway. The creature adverts its eyes from yours. What are you thinking??? However, as it turns back, its eyes are glowing red with hatred. It squints its eyes, and floats towards you. <<linkreplace "Wave">>\ One moment you’re smiling awkwardly at the creature and the next you feel its long nails tear across your throat. <<include "Gotta Remember That">>\ \<<set $memories.unshiftUnique("You have a sneaking suspicion that the creature isn’t into you.")>> Blood bubbles into your lungs, and everything goes black. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> \<<if $knowJason>> \<<set $recruit = true>> \<</if>> <</linkreplace>> \

You cut him off. “I’m stuck in a time loop!” The words burst out of your mouth. “...um. What? No, don’t screw with me, that’s mean.” Forest frowns deeply, and his brow furrows. You shake your head aggressively. “You said I’m going up in history.” You cross your fingers at your sides. He has to believe you now. Forest blinks once, then twice. <<linkreplace "Stare at him">>\ “Oh! Oh geez, ok. What do you need? Fill me in?” He seems excited to finally be using this passphrase. He bounces a little as he speaks. You consider your next words carefully, trying to save time. “Jason the lich, cursing and attacking campus, soul jar maybe possibly hopefully in the sewers, we’re gonna destroy it. Good?” He stops bouncing and his eyes widen. “Oh no. Okay. Good.” <<link "To the sewers">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Sewers">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You would think that a man who loves adventure and fantasy as much as Forest would love to go on a quest to defeat a lich, but he whines the whole time it takes him to show you the entrance to the sewers. “Wow! Why would he have chosen the sewers? There’s plenty of nicer places, you know? Is this what you found out in the meeting? Did you attend it in a previous life? Oh, yuck, it got in my robe. I don’t know if that’s going to come out.” You feel bad and sympathize with Forest’s problem, but unfortunately, it is not the end of the world. Your failing to find the sewers is. <<linkreplace "Descend">>\ The two of you enter a manhole in the middle of campus. The ladder that descends into the darkness is covered in rust. You might want to get a tetanus shot after you turn in this essay. You drop off the ladder into the shallow sewer water before Forest does. Luckily, the sewers are less gross than you expected. It still isn’t what you want to do with your afternoon, but it’s better than dying <<print $deathCount>> times a day. Forest finally drops into the thin layer of water, and the bottom of his robe immediately soaks into the sewer water. Tears form in his eyes, so you pat him on the back. You should make him a new robe after this is all over. <<link "Continue">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 6>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Maze">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

The two of you slosh through the sewer water at your ankles. You’ve made it into Jason’s domain; now, you just need to break his soul jar. You and Forest walk for a few minutes, the only sound being the movement of the water with every step you take. The two of you stop because you reach a crossroad in the path. The path continues forward and also splits off into two other paths on the left and the right. <<link "Go left">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Dead End">> <</link>> <<link "Go forward">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Alligator">> <</link>> <<link "Go right">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Maze2">> <</link>>

You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before a large wall greets you. The two of you turn around and return to the last intersection. You’ll have to try this again. <<link "Back">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<set _passage = previous()>> <<goto _passage>> <</link>>

\<<if visited("Alligator") == 1>>\ You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before you hear a loud growl. The two of you freeze, and turn towards the sound <<linkreplace "Oh no">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "sewers">> \<<addclass "body" "alligator">> only to find nothing there. You shrug and take a step forward to meet the jaws of an alligator flying at you from the side. Shit! You hear a sickening crunch before losing consciousness. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> \<<elseif visited("Alligator") == 2>>\ You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before you hear a loud growl. The two of you freeze, and you try to pull Forest back around. <<linkreplace "Pull">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "sewers">> \<<addclass "body" "alligator">> He doesn’t budge. As you struggle to pull him backwards, the floor gives out beneath you. Well, it more… opens. The jaws of an alligator crunches you from below. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> \<<else>>\ You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before you hear a loud growl. Time to go again. \<<removeclass "body" "sewers">> \<<addclass "body" "alligator">> You let the alligator rushing towards you chomp down, and you lose consciousness. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</if>>

You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before you reach another intersection. Three new paths greet you. <<link "Go left">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Maze Again">> <</link>> <<link "Go forward">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Maze3">> <</link>> <<link "Go right">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Alligator">> <</link>>

You and Forest walk for a few minutes, the only sound being the movement of the water with every step you take. The two of you stop because you reach a crossroad in the path. The path continues forward and also splits off into two other paths on the left and the right. This place feels familiar… <<link "Go left">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Dead End">> <</link>> <<link "Go forward">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Alligator">> <</link>> <<link "Go right">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Maze2">> <</link>>

You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before you reach another intersection. Three new paths greet you. <<link "Go left">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Alligator">> <</link>> <<link "Go forward">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Dead End">> <</link>> <<link "Go right">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 8>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Riddle Gator">> <</link>>

\\ You grab Forest by the hand to lead him down one of the paths. The two of you slosh down the way together for a few minutes before you reach a large circular opening. A humongous alligator with wings greets you. Its eyes are closed, and its position reminds you of the Sphinx. Forest screams before you slap a hand over his mouth. The alligator’s eyes open. <<linkreplace "Curses">>\ Well, I’ll be damned. It blinks once, then twice before it leans down towards you. “I am the Riddle Gator. Tremble in my mighty presence!” You try not to curse; this is so not what you need right now. “Now, in order to pass, you must answer my riddle.” The Riddle Gator clears its throat. You didn’t realize that alligators could or need to clear their throats. “Which is heavier: a kilogram of steel or a kilogram of feathers?” <<link "'A kilogram of feathers?'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#feather" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <<link "'A kilogram of steel?'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#steel" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <<link "'Neither'">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<toggleclass "#right" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \ \\ “A kilogram of feathers,” you say with confidence. “It’s a trick question.” Your smile has no reason to be so large at this moment. Forest facepalms beside you and shakes his head. Maybe that wasn’t the answer? The Riddle Gator looks as shocked as an alligator can look for a moment. Really? Of all the ways to die. You go down to the magicked sewers, navigate a non-Euclidean maze and get to the giant winged alligator guarding the big enemy’s only weak point. And it gave you the easiest riddle ever! Everyone knows this one! Kindergarteners can figure it out! All the things you were able to do, and here is where you mess up. The wrong way too! You even knew it was a trick question! Unbelievable. Better luck next time, I guess. The Riddle Gator opens its jaw wide and swallows you whole. <<linkreplace "Did it to myself">>\ You slide down into its stomach, and your flesh burns as you are disintegrated by the stomach acid. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> \ \\ “A kilogram of steel” you say with confidence, “because steel is heavier than feathers.” Your smile has no reason to be so large at this moment. Forest facepalms beside you and shakes his head. The Riddle Gator looks as shocked as an alligator can look for a moment. Really? Of all the ways to die. You go down to the magicked sewers, navigate a non-Euclidean maze and get to the giant winged alligator guarding the big enemy’s only weak point. And it gave you the easiest riddle ever! Everyone knows this one! Kindergarteners can figure it out! All the things you were able to do, and here is where you mess up. Unbelievable. Better luck next time, I guess. The Riddle Gator opens its jaw wide and swallows you whole. <<linkreplace "Welp">>\ You slide down into its stomach, and your flesh burns as you are disintegrated by the stomach acid. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> \ \\ “Neither,” you say with confidence. “They’re both a kilogram, so they’re the same weight.” You smile widely. This is a simple question. Forest narrows his eyes, as he tends to do when he thinks really hard. You might need to tutor him later if you make it out of this time loop… The Riddle Gator smiles. Yes! The ground shakes and a sound like nails on a chalkboard screeches out. Where the Riddle Gator once was, the entrance now sits. <<link "Enter">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Soul Jar">> <</link>> \

The two of you walk through the entrance. The room is as dark as is physically possible until you enter, but as you walk through the threshold, dozens of torches on either side of the room light up. Spooky. The room is a long, thin rectangle of a room. On the opposite side of the space from you is a mason jar on a pedestal. Could that be Jason’s soul jar? \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Break the soul jar">> <<linkreplace "Break the jar">>\ You sprint across the room, which startles Forest. You don’t bother to explain your actions or apologize to him. Instead, you pick up the mason jar and throw it as hard as you can to the ground. The jar shatters against the ground, cutting your shin in the process. A green bubble escapes from the remnants of the jar. It floats towards the ceiling before popping against the cool stone above you. A scream tears through the air. It continues on and on, getting closer to you at an alarming speed. A cry comes from the Riddle Gator before Jason breaks into the room. The broken threshold of the entrance behind him crumbles as he puffs up to tower over you. \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Defeat Jason">> <<link "Battle the Lich">> <<goto "Boss Battle">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

\\ Jason scowls down at you, and Forest lets out a little squeak before hiding behind you. It’s okay; you’ll protect him. You put up your fists and prepare to fight Jason–former DMC leader and current lich. Former lich too, if that was his soul jar. Now, a current pain in the ass. “How DARE you?” Jason’s words are almost a growl. His appearance changed a lot, you notice. Instead of the creepy rotten flesh, he was definitely human, tall and thin and somewhat young. His appearance almost gives you hope that you can beat him. Almost. He raises his arms to gather a large wave made of sewer water. He was having fun with you the other time, you realize. He drops his arms in your direction, sending the large wave down. \<<if $magic.includes("fire")>> <<link "Block it using fire">> <<toggleclass "#fire" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if $magic.includes("air")>> <<link "Block it using air">> <<toggleclass "#air" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> <</if>> \<<if $magic.includes("earth")>> <<link "Block it using earth">> <<toggleclass "#win" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <<set $lichDefeated = true>> <</link>> <</if>> \ \\ You pull up a wall of fire like one would pull up a cloth from the ground. It takes everything you have to make the wall fight against the wave, and you feel the sweat dripping off your face evaporate in the heat of the wall. You need to win this battle. If you don’t, both you and Forest will drown. \<<if hasVisited("Beach Death")>> No one should drown. It is a horrible way to die.<</if>>\ You feel the wall grow weaker and weaker with each droplet of water that pours into it. As the wall disappears, the wave sweeps you away. You try to grab Forest’s hand, but he slips from your grasp in the turmoil of the water. <<linkreplace "Hold your breath">>\ You feel the breath escaping you to become bubbles in the water. You pull your arms through the water to try to reach the surface. You need air. Sweet, clear air. However, it is too late. Your vision fades to black. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> \ \\ You try to levitate in the air with Forest, but it is hard to hold you both up with your weak magic. You hold his hands tightly, and he gives you a strained smile. You try to focus on his face and not the raging water below you both, but you feel the two of you getting closer and closer to the water. As you fall, the wave sweeps you away. You try to grab Forest’s hand, but he slips from your grasp in the turmoil of the water. <<linkreplace "Hold your breath">>\ You feel the breath escaping you to become bubbles in the water. You pull your arms through the water to try to reach the surface. You need air. Sweet, clear air. However, it is too late. Your vision fades to black. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>> \ \\ You tell Forest to breathe deeply and pull him into a closed pocket made by your earth magic. You stare at him struggling not to breathe heavily as he stares at the domed roof of the tiny room made with your magic. You circulate air using your air magic as you try to ground him. You want to prevent him from having a panic attack if at all possible. You ask him to breathe in for 4 counts, hold it for 4 counts, and breathe out for 4 counts. <<linkreplace "Listen">>\ By the time you hear the water ebb away from you, Forest looks a lot calmer. You squeeze his shoulder and crack open your refuge to see Jason’s furrowed brow and flared nostrils. It seems like this is a good time for a counterattack. <<link "Attack">> <<goto "Boss2">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>> \

You attack with all of your magic. Fire twirls around you before snaking around Jason. You pull the air from his lungs, and bubbles surround him in case he escapes your air magic. You can tell that he is greatly weakened by your power. If this was a video game and you had to guess, you’d say that he is at less than half of his HP. You create a spear of earth to stab Jason through with and send it flying. As you release it to the nature of gravity, you see a smirk on Jason’s face. He is looking at where Forest stands behind you. <<linkreplace "Stop the spear">>\ You reach out your hand to try to pull the spear back, but it’s too late. Jason’s fingers twitch as he changes the direction of the spear. How were you supposed to know that Jason could use earth magic as well as water magic? It’s not like it used in your other fights. You see the spear fly in slow motion. You try to push Forest out of the way, but you’re too slow. You’ll never forget the sound of the sharpened slab of earth thunking into your best friend’s chest. It rings and echoes in the room and in your brain. You catch him as he falls, and cradle his body as you feel the life flow out of him. Forest’s blood is all over you: your shirt, your pants, your hands. Why has it come to this? <<link "Get revenge">> <<goto "Boss3">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You gently put Forest’s body on the ground and close the empty eyes staring up at you. You grab the spear sticking out of Forest’s chest. It is an appropriate revenge; there is irony in using the spear that he killed with to kill him too. You try not to think about the fact that you were the first one to let this spear fly. Instead, you levitate in the air and fly until you are face to face with Jason. “You’ve done enough.” Hot tears sear your face as you say the words. A cruel smile twists the undead face of the lich. “He was nothing.” <<linkreplace "Avenge Forest">>\ \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "???">>\ Your hands shake as you stab the spear into Jason’s stomach. It’s done. How has it all come to this? What are you supposed to do now? You fall and collapse onto the ground. At first, you think it is the adrenaline wearing off, but then you feel something warm dripping down your side. You touch your side to find pain and warm blood. In the heat of the moment, you didn’t even notice that the spear hit you too when it was launched at Forest. A thought creeps into your mind. You could just… stay here. If you don’t seek medical treatment soon, you will succumb to your wounds. Jason may have been the cause of your time loop, but maybe… just maybe you’ll get another chance. A chance to bring back your best friend. <<link "Live">> <<goto "Live (Ending 1)">> <</link>> <<link "Die">> <<goto "death()">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

\\ You can’t do it. You won’t do it. You love life too much to choose to die. That’s not what Forest would want you to do. He would want you to live, even though he died. He would want you to tell stories about him to every person you met. You get on your forearms and crawl. Magic is too risky right now; controlling elements when you can’t even stop blood from flowing out of you is a bad idea. You crawl past the remnants of the Riddle Gator and through the maze. The trail of your blood creates a marker of where you’ve been. As you reach the ladder out of the sewers, your vision fades to black. No, no, no. You were so close. You lose consciousness, and darkness overtakes your sight. <<link "Wake up">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "sewers">> \<<addclass "body" "hospital">> <<toggleclass "#2" "hide">> <<remove "#1">> <</link>> \ \\ A machine is softly beeping somewhere. You peel your eyes open, expecting to see your little black alarm clock. Instead, you see the minimalist gray of your college’s hospital. Bandages cover your side, and a person sleeps in a chair in your room. When they wake up, they explain that multiple explosions went off in the college. It must have happened when you lost consciousness. They had been looking for survivors when they found you on the edge of death. They rushed you here and the rest is history. In the coming days, you hear that the professors of the college gave extensions for finals to all living students. That’s pretty great, considering you haven’t written your paper in this timeline. Time is so funny like that. The college will need to rebuild, so it sounds like classes might be online next year. That might be for the best. So many people were lost on that day that their ghosts will haunt the minds of those that remain. <<linkreplace "Forest">>\ Forest’s family reached out to you. His funeral will be held soon, and they invited you if you want to come. You don’t know if you can bear to go. How can you face Forest’s family when you’re the reason he’s gone? The hospital therapist thinks that’s survivor’s guilt talking, but you don’t know if you believe them. After all, they don’t know about what really went down in the sewers that day. You don’t know what you’ll do from now on. It took all you had to live and to continue on in time. Maybe you just need to be and to live for the future. The end. <</linkreplace>> \

\<<updateSubgoals "Go to the library" "???">>\ Your eyelids twitch as spots of light dance in the darkness of your vision. A light beeping sound grows louder and louder from your left, and the soft blankets on your bed get tangled in your legs as you turn towards the sound. You pull your arm from the warmth of the bedding to slam your hand down onto the alarm clock, and one of your eyes peeks open just a sliver to look at the bedside table next to you. <<linkreplace "Wake up">>\ The red light from the time display on the small black clock sears your retinas. 8:00 a.m. You really should be getting to the library to work on your final essay for history; that is why you set an alarm for this time. It’s due by 5:00 p.m. tonight, and you haven’t even started it. But the air conditioning in your dorm is so cold, and the blankets are so warm, and your bed is so soft… <<include "Act 5 Dorm Options">> \<</linkreplace>>

<<link "<s>Stay in bed</s>">> <</link>> \<<if !$bathroom>> <<link "Go to the bathroom">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <<set $bathroom = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Bathroom">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if not hasVisited("5_Eat")>> <<link "Go eat">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Kitchen">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Go eat</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if $bathroom>> <<link "Grab your stuff">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Grabbing Stuff">> <</link>> <<else>> \<<if not (passage() == "5_No Grabbing Stuff")>> <<link "Grab your stuff">> <<goto "5_No Grabbing Stuff">> <<set $outOfBed = true>> <</link>> <</if>> \<</if>>\

You drag yourself out of the warm cocoon of your bed to trudge across your tiny dorm bedroom to the bathroom. The tile is cold under your feet, and the face staring back at you in the mirror has deep bags under their eyes. You begin getting ready by brushing your teeth. The sound of bristles against bone rings in your ears as you stare at the mirror. A post-it note is stuck to the side of the mirror. It reads: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is a falsified statistic used to promote cereal. Set yourself free. The alarm rings out again. Guess you left it on snooze. <<linkreplace "Turn off the alarm">>\ You were brushing your luscious locks, but you quickly drop the brush on the counter to shut the annoying sound off, tapping the button on the top of the clock. There, the clock is officially off, not just snoozed. You pull on some clothes before moving into your combined dorm kitchen and living room. What are you up to now? <<include "Act 5 Dorm Options">> <</linkreplace>>

You need to get to the library… but instead you rummage through the cabinets of your kitchen. There’s no way you can work on an empty stomach. \<<if not hasVisited("5_Cabinet 1")>> <<link "Check cabinet 1">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Cabinet 1">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Check cabinet 1</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if not hasVisited("5_Cabinet 2")>> <<link "Check cabinet 2">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Cabinet 2">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Check cabinet 2</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if not hasVisited("5_Fridge")>> <<link "Check fridge">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Fridge">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "<s>Check fridge</s>">> <</link>> <</if>> \ \<<if hasVisited("5_Cabinet 1")>>\ <<if hasVisited("5_Cabinet 2")>> <<link "Eat">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Eat">> <</link>> <<else>> <<link "Eat">> <<goto "5_No Eat">> <</link>> <</if>> <<else>> <<link "Eat">> <<goto "5_No Eat">> <</link>> <</if>> \

Wow, how do you only have the ends of a loaf of bread in here? I guess you’re having untoasted toast today… <<button "Go back">> <<goto "5_Kitchen">> <</button>>

Peanut butter! There's gotta be bread around here somewhere. Why did you give peanut butter an entire cabinet to itself? <<button "Go back">> <<goto "5_Kitchen">> <</button>>

You hesitate a bit before eating your breakfast. What if you choke again? You shrug and take a small bite. Untoasted bread with peanut butter… delicious. The peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth, and pieces of the bread get into the spaces between your freshly-flossed teeth. The time on your oven catches your attention. <<print $hour + ":" + $minute1 + $minute2>> already! You stuff the rest of the bread into your mouth, and nothing happens. You breathe in deeply and take a swig of a glass of water. Time to get going. <<include "Act 5 Dorm Options">>

Maybe you should check the cabinets first... <<button "Go back">> <<goto "5_Kitchen">> <</button>>

You need your phone, backpack, and trusty pocket watch to keep you company. Your messy living room wishes you a shitty morning. You step over the various stuffed creatures your roommate leaves strewn about and almost eat it as you slip on a stuffed raccoon. Raccoons are the worst. They give masks a bad name. <<linkreplace "Step over it">>\ You manage to make it to the coffee table in the middle of the living room safely. Now you just have to sort through the copious amount of stuff on the table in order to get the stuff you need. You find your cell phone first. It’s a brand new model -- a slider phone -- and the blue case shines in your hand. The blue background of your phone lights up as you turn the device on. You don’t have any new messages. You slide the keyboard back into the phone and put it in your back pocket. The next thing you encounter in your rummaging is your backpack. How you didn’t see it before, you’ll never know. Regardless, you throw one of the various notebooks on the table into the backpack and sling it across your back. As you move to leave the room, you see your pocket watch on the end of the table. Your grandma gave it to you when you were little; she even got your nickname engraved on the inside of it. You don’t know why you grab the pocket watch, but as the silver of the watch reflects the fluorescent lights of your dorm, you feel like something good will come out of having it. It looks like you’re finally ready to head out. <<link "Leave the dorm">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Leaving Dorm">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You pull the heavy wooden door of your dorm open and snatch your keys from the rack hanging on the wall beside it before the door slams shut. It’s time to do this one last time. You will get your paper done and submitted on time. <<link "Continue">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Outside">> <</link>>

You have had a very long day. Maybe college life isn’t for you. Maybe this particular essay isn’t, at least, and it’s not that big of a deal if you don’t pass this one class. You get some much-needed relaxation at the beach, and try your best to not think about the time loop you were in: the deaths you’ve died and the experiences and age that seemed to come with it. Hell, you were blown to bits at one point, and your legs aren’t even sore from the library stairs. Over the years, the events fade into a bad dream. You dropout of college and get a job, not too well paying but you eventually make a modest living. Find someone, have a kid if that’s your style. No matter what, you grow old, and Forest does too, even though you haven’t kept in touch with him. You couldn’t bear to face him again after you caused his death in the last time loop. Eventually you’re in the hospital for something something blood pressure. You lived a long and happy life, and you are ready to kiss your spouse goodbye (if that’s your style) and move on. The world feels fuzzy from the painkillers, and as you exhale one last time, it slips away into peace and darkness. <<include "Proceed">>

A light beeping sound calls out from your left. You twitch at the sound for a moment before jumping upright in your dorm bed. This seems awfully familiar… … no, just kidding. You died for good then. The end.

You step forward onto the path to the library. You may not want to get this essay done, but after everything that’s happened, you’re just happy everyone’s alive and well. Walking to the library is quite pleasant given you get to see how normal everything is. It was normal all the other times too. We were the abnormal one, I think. You skip across campus, expertly avoiding missing bricks in the walkway and golf carts filled with people. A gust of wind sends pollen straight into your eyes as you walk. Eugh. Why?? By the time you’ve blinked away the pollen and stopped your eyes from watering, you are at a fork in the road. <<link "Go down the main path">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Main Path">> <</link>> <<link "Take a shortcut">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Shortcut">> <</link>>

While a shortcut might get you to the library a bit faster, you turn to continue on the main path. It’s better not to risk getting lost or any unexpected barriers to getting this paper done. It is, after all, due today. You stroll down the path, admiring the trees as you walk. The white and pink flowers of the dogwood trees on campus have started to bloom, and green leaves of towering oak trees rustle in the wind. A small smile creeps onto your face. That smile drops when your friend, Forest, starts waving at you from further down the path. You feel tears bloom in your eyes which causes Forest to drop his smile and his waving hand. <<linkreplace "Hug him">>\ You dash down the path to meet him, and you almost fall into him as you pull him into a hug. He’s here. He’s alive. You can feel him breathing as you hug him, and his shirt catches your tears. He pats your back awkwardly, and you feel the sleeve of his robe swish against your back as he does so. “Hey, M, what’s going on? Did the finals stress get to you?” You sniffle a bit. <<link "Tell Forest about the time loop">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 20>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "Tell Loop">> <</link>> <<link "Pretend everything is fine">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 3>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "This is Fine">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You might as well take a shortcut. Forest is back to life now, and that’s wonderful, but you know that you would cry as soon as you see him. That’s too much for you to do right now. Besides, you have an essay to work on. Es-say. Es-say. Woohoo! Let’s do this! You turn onto the path that leads to a shortcut to the library. The dirt path is tough and bumpy, and you stumble a few times as you walk down the route. The cicadas scream as you walk through the path, but that’s alright with you. It reminds you of your childhood, of an easier time. A small smile creeps onto your face. But this path isn’t that much faster than the main path. Maybe you could take another shortcut through the woods? <<link "Through the woods">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Woods">> <</link>> <<link "Continue down the dirt path">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Dirt Path">> <</link>>

“Forest, I need to tell you something.” You push him out of the hug to hold his shoulders. “I’ve been in a time loop. You.. you died.” You push the words out when they die in your throat. Forest’s concerned look turns to one of irritation. You need to stop teasing him about his love of magic after everything that’s happened. “...um. What? No, don’t screw with me, that’s mean.” Forest frowns deeply, and his brow furrows. You shake your head aggressively. “Before you died, you said I’m going up in history.” Your shoulders slump with the words. Hopefully, this is the last time you have to tell him this. Forest blinks once, then twice. <<linkreplace "Cry again">>\ His face turns to one of panic at your tears. He moves his arms around aggressively, as if he was casting a spell to take away your tears. “It’s alright now, I am pretty fully alive as far as I can tell.” You smile and swipe at the tears streaming down your face. That’s Forest right there. You’re glad that he’s back and here with you. You really should be getting to work on your paper, though. “You didn’t do anything on that final yet, did you? You gotta go, M. I doubt that professor will take your time travel as an excuse.” He pulls you into a quick hug, and gives you a good pat on the back before shooing you away. That was nice. I am glad he’s okay. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Library Main Entrance">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You shake your head as you swipe at the tears on your face. You pull yourself out of the hug to look at Forest. He looks worried; he seems to be searching your face for what the problem is, and his eyebrows are raised. You let out a small fake laugh. This is your burden to bear. “Right! I am just so stressed about finals. Speaking of,” you glance at an imaginary watch on your wrist. “I better go work on my history paper. See you later, Forest!” You practically run away from him. He calls out your name as you speed down the path, but you don’t turn back. You can’t tell him about everything that happened. That knowledge should only haunt you. You run all the way to the library. <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 4>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Library Main Entrance">> <</link>>

<<if hasVisited("Woods")>>Despite remembering the horrors of the bear attack, y \<<else>>Y \<</if>> \ou step off the path to enter the woods. This way will be much faster, and you should be safe now. You walk through the forest, jumping over tree roots and stopping often to look at cool rocks. You even see a toad on the route! Soon the library comes into view. You hop a bit as you exit the woods, so you land solidly on the bricks before the library. You smile up at the building. Graduation, here we come! <<link "To the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Library Main Entrance">> <</link>>

Enter the passcode below: <<numberbox "$passcode" 1111 "5_Passcode Entered" autofocus>> <<button "Enter">> <<goto "5_Passcode Entered">> <</button>>

\<<if $passcode == 4865>>\ The heavy door gives way. You are finally in the library and able to work on your paper! <<link "Enter the library">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Library">> <</link>> \<<else>>\ \<<set $passcodeAttempts += 1>>\ \<<if $passcodeAttempts == 1>>\ The door doesn’t budge. You pull harder, in case it’s heavier than you remember, but no. Still locked. Dude. You did not through all of that to just forget the passcode. Hint: 4 ate one more than its cube, the hungry little shit. \<<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> \ \<<elseif $passcodeAttempts == 2>>\ You’re doing this on purpose. Or you’re bad at math. Fine, it’s 4865. I tried to be clever. Try again. \<<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> \<<else>>\ We’re just gonna sit here until something blows up or you come to your senses, I guess. \<<set $passTimeAmt = 15>>\ <</if>> <<if $hour != 1>> <<link "Try again">> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Passcode">> <</link>> \<</if>> \ <</if>>

\<<if $subGoal1 == "Go to the library">> \<<updateSubgoals "Research for your paper" $subGoal2>> \<</if>>\ Your eyes take a minute to adjust to the dimness of the building. To the left, an elderly janitor ignores you, pulling a wet floor sign from his cart. To the right, the printers hum, occasionally making a worrisome beeping noise. A display of new fiction books sits in front of you. A cardboard sign promoting the “DMC” meeting leans against the display. \<<if $subGoal1 == "Research for your paper">> And directly in front of you lies your research, if you dare to start. \<<else>> What now? \<</if>> Better get a move on. Time is ticking. \<<if ($topic == "none")>> <<link "Research">> <<goto "5_Research Options">> <</link>> \<<elseif ($topic == "written")>> <<link "Printers">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 20>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Printers">> <</link>> \<<elseif $topic != "printed">> <<link "Computers">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 2>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Computers">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if !(hasVisited("5_Bathrooms"))>> <<link "Go to the bathroom">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 6>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Bathrooms">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "<s>Go to the bathroom</s>">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if !$hasReadForFun>> <<link "Read for fun">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<set $hasReadForFun = true>> <<goto "5_Magic Book">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "<s>Read for fun</s>">> <</link>> \<</if>> \<<if $topic == "printed">> <<link "Leave the library">> <<goto "5_Outside The Library">> <</link>> \<</if>>

The bookshelves tower above you; you feel small looking at them. What should you research? <<link "Math">> <<set $topic = "math">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 45>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Math">> <</link>> <<link "English">> <<set $topic = "english">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 45>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_English">> <</link>> <<link "History">> <<set $topic = "history">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 45>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_History">> <</link>>

You walk up to one of the shelves. A printed and laminated sign labeled “Math” is taped to the side of the old oak bookshelf. Your finger moves across the books as you scan for a topic to write on. The spine of a blue book sticks out to you. The Monty Hall Problem. The book appears to be part of a collection called “Wikipedia” or something. You take a seat and flip the heavy book open. <<linkreplace "Read">> \The Monty Hall Problem is a probability puzzle based on the American game show Let’s Make a Deal. The problem was both posed and solved by Steve Selvin in 1975. The problem goes as follows: You are on a game show, and have a choice of three doors. Behind one is a new car, and behind the other two are goats. You pick one door, and the host opens another. Behind the host’s door is a goat. The host then asks if you want to switch your choice of door to the final door or keep your current door. Do you switch the door?... <<link "Keep reading">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Math2">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You continue your research. There is an incorrect assumption that the contestant has a 50% probability no matter which door they choose, but in reality, the car is twice as likely to be in the door not chosen. As a result, switching doors gives you better odds. You yawn a bit as you read. The book continues to drone on, but that’s enough information to write your essay on. <<link "Time to write">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> \<<updateSubgoals "Write your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "5_Library">> <</link>>

You walk up to one of the shelves. A printed and laminated sign labeled “History” is taped to the side of the old oak bookshelf. Your finger moves across the books as you scan for a topic to write on. The spine of a yellow book sticks out to you. The History of Bear-Baiting. The book appears to be part of a collection called “Wikipedia” or something. You take a seat and flip the heavy book open. <<linkreplace "Read">> \Bear-baiting was a blood sport that became popular in the 12th century and continued to be popular until the 19th century. It was a popular blood sport in Great Britain, Sweden, India, Pakistan, Mexico, and others. A chained bear was pitted against either dogs or another animal for the entertainment of humans which led the practice to be controversial and talked about in terms of animal rights… <<link "Keep reading">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_History2">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You continue your research. In Great Britain, where bear-baiting was very popular, the blood sport was performed in a large circular pit outside. Raised seats sat around the pit for spectators to watch from. The practice was especially popular in the reigns of Henry 8 and Elizabeth 1. One arena, the Hope Theatre, was used for both bear-baiting and the production of plays. This practice led to the popular stage direction “Exit, pursued by bear” within English plays, such as Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. You cry a bit as you read. The book continues on, but that’s enough information to write your essay on. <<link "Time to write">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> \<<updateSubgoals "Write your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "5_Library">> <</link>>

You walk up to one of the shelves. A printed and laminated sign labeled “English” is taped to the side of the old oak bookshelf. Your finger moves across the books as you scan for a topic to write on. The spine of a purple book sticks out to you. Shakespeare’s Life. The book appears to be written by some person called “Mathur” or something. You take a seat and flip the light book open. <<linkreplace "Read">> \William Shakespeare, the popular playwright and poet, was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He grew up and received an education at King’s New School before marrying Anne Hathaway. She was already pregnant when the two were wed. They had three children together: Suzanne, Judith, and Hamnet. Shakespeare was often away from his family for his work as a playwright and actor… <<link "Keep reading">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 30>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_English2">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You sit at a different seat and continue your research. Between the years 1592 and 1612, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 3 narrative poems, and 154 sonnets. Popular plays include Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and popular sonnets include his “Dark Lady” sonnets and his “Young Man” sonnets. He wrote his plays in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth 1 and King James 1. Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 at his home in Stratford. You yawn a bit as you read. The book continues on, but that’s enough information to write your essay on. <<link "Time to write">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 1>> <<include "passTime()">> \<<updateSubgoals "Write your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "5_Library">> <</link>>

Your shoes tap against the wooden floors as you walk over towards where the computers are housed, gradually getting slower and slower as you get closer and closer to the computers. Get a move on! Approaching the desk with the computers, you see that there are two computers in the library. The one on the left is making a strange high-pitched whirring sound, and sparks occasionally pop from somewhere underneath the desk. Which computer would be best to write your paper on? <<link "Left Computer">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Left Computer">> <</link>> <<link "Right Computer">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 5>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Right Computer">> <</link>>

… I want to interject and give my version of a simple disapproving look. You sit down in front of the left computer. You can feel heat radiating from the monitor, and small sparks burn you from where the tower sits below the desk. You boot up the computer, and the screen flickers blue for a moment. You tap on the keyboard and kick the tower in the hopes that the computer will come to life only for a loud buzzing sound to call out before the computer gives a flash of the blue screen of death. You smell smoke. Oh thank God. I thought maybe we would be toast again. Hope it doesn’t blow anyone else up. <<link "Use the other computer">> <<goto "5_Right Computer">> <</link>>

You sit down in front of the right computer. Despite your procrastination, you are not an idiot; the left computer is clearly broken. You boot up the computer, and the screen flickers for a moment before prompting you to sign in. You enter your username and passcode in order to pull up a writing software. You crack your knuckles, and your neck pops as you tilt your head from one side and then the other. It’s time to write. \<<if $topic == "math">> <<link "Write about math">> <<set $topic = "written">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 90>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_Math Questions">> <</link>> \<<elseif $topic == "english">> <<link "Write about English">> <<set $topic = "written">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 90>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_English Questions">> <</link>> \<<else>> <<link "Write about history">> <<set $topic = "written">> <<set $canLeaveLibrary = true>> <<set $passTimeAmt = 90>> <<include "passTime()">> <<goto "5_History Questions">> <</link>> \<</if>>

<<done>> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</done>> \\ Shall I compare this essay process to a winter’s night? It is less lovely and less temperate. Procrastination for you. <<if hasVisited("Woods")>> Can we add “Exit, pursued by a bear” to our resume after all this? \<</if>> \ You start your essay with a typical introduction and thesis statement. Better to make the essay good rather than make it fancy. As you type you try to remember what you read. What did you read about again? <<link "Shakespeare’s Life">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare’s Plays">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Why Shakespeare is irrelevant today">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You balance a pencil on your upper lip to make a pencil mustache as you think about what else you learned about. <<link "Shakespeare had three kids: Suzanne, Judith, and Hamlet">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare had three kids: Suzanne, Judith, and Hamnet">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare had three kids: Susan, Judith, and Hamlet">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You only need to remember one more thing in order to finish your essay! <<link "Shakespeare wrote 35 plays">> <<set $grades.push(55)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare wrote 35 plays and 154 sonnets">> <<set $grades.push(65)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You dust your hands off as you finish your essay. This will get you an A+ for sure! You slot your flash drive into the computer tower and transfer the essay onto it. Now all you have to do is print it! <<link "Back">> \<<updateSubgoals "Print your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "5_Library">> <</link>> \

<<done>> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</done>> \\ We weren’t lying when we said what we said about going up in history. Grades wise, at least. Hopefully. You start your essay with a typical introduction and thesis statement. Better to make the essay good rather than make it fancy. As you type you try to remember what you read. What did you read about again? <<link "The History of Bear-Baiting">> <<set $grades.push(95)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "The History of the Hope Theatre">> <<set $grades.push(85)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "The History of the Spanish Inquisition">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q1">> <<toggleclass "#q2" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You balance a pencil on your upper lip to make a pencil mustache as you think about what else you learned about. <<link "Bear-baiting was popular between the 12th and 18th centuries">> <<set $grades.push(85)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular between the 10th and 17th centuries">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular between the 12th and 19th centuries">> <<set $grades.push(95)>> <<remove "#q2">> <<toggleclass "#q3" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You only need to remember one more thing in order to finish your essay! <<link "Bear-baiting was only popular in Sweden">> <<set $grades.push(75)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular in Great Britain in the reigns of Henry 8 and Elizabeth 1">> <<set $grades.push(95)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> <<link "Bear-baiting was popular in Great Britain in the reigns of Elizabeth 1 and James 1">> <<set $grades.push(85)>> <<remove "#q3">> <<toggleclass "#end" "hide">> <</link>> \ \ \You dust your hands off as you finish your essay. This will get you an A+ for sure! You slot your flash drive into the computer tower and transfer the essay onto it. Now all you have to do is print it! <<link "Back">> \<<updateSubgoals "Print your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "5_Library">> <</link>> \

You strut across the library floor to where the library houses their printers. Two computers sit on the table. Only one appears to be working. There’s no other option but to use it to print your paper. You slide the flash drive into the printer and tap the buttons on it to begin printing the essay. You print double-sided, of course, as the school charges you for every page printed. Your professor might get angry, but hey! You aren’t made of money. <<linkreplace "Start printing">> \The printer whirrs to life, but stops working after a second. You kick the machine in the hopes that it will continue its mission, and it does. It begins to whir once again, and you can hear the papers moving from within the machine. You lean against the printer for a moment of rest. It continues to beep at you, but nothing of note really happens. As the printer takes FOREVER to print only 6 pages... <<linkreplace "Pass time">> \...you run to grab a bottle of water from the library vending machine. You take a swig of the cool, refreshing drink, and place it on the table the printer is on. Finally, the printer finishes its mission. You snatch up the papers, and grab a stapler. You pop the staples through the paper with a satisfying click. Your paper is officially ready to turn in! <<link "Huzzah!">> <<set $passTimeAmt = 10>> <<include "passTime()">> \<<updateSubgoals "Turn in your paper" $subGoal2>> <<goto "5_Outside the Library">> <</link>> \<<set $topic = "printed">> \<<set $canLeaveLibrary = true>> <</linkreplace>> <</linkreplace>>

You strut out of the library, and you are so proud of yourself for finishing your essay that you don’t even mind the seven flights of stairs. Your calves mind a little. They might actually be sore next time you wake up. Imagine that. You smile to yourself as you reach the bottom of the staircase and amble down the path. You only need to turn this in at your professor’s office, and your final is done! The air seems warm, but not hot, and the pollen almost doesn’t bother you. Everything is perfect. <<linkreplace "Walk">>\ It only takes a couple of minutes for you to reach the building your professor’s office is in. It is a cute little building; apparently, the professors protested for it to be kept as it is and in good condition. It looks a little bit like a cottage, but it is a bit larger with several offices for professors in it. <<link "Go inside">> <<goto "Professor">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

You strut into the building with the confidence of a freshman handing in their first exam. You haven’t felt this good about an exam since your first ever exam! You walk through the hallway of the building until you find your professor’s office. Knock. Knock. Your knock echoes in the small building, and your professor tells you to come in. You slap the papers down on your professor’s desk. She raises an eyebrow at you before pushing her teal glasses further up on her nose. She picks up the papers so slowly that you can hardly bear it. She looks at the title page for a moment before placing the papers into a stack labelled To be graded <<linkreplace "Look at her">>\ You stare at for a minute and then another. Eventually she sighs and tells you to leave her office. You step out of her office and then the building. You did it. You survived finals season. <<link "Leave">> <<updateSubgoals "Relax" "You did it!">> <<goto "The End">> <</link>> <</linkreplace>>

\<<set _finalGrade = 0>> \<<for _i, _q range $grades>> \<<set _finalGrade += _q>> \<</for>> \<<set _finalGrade /= ($grades.length)>> \<<set _letter = "">> \<<if _finalGrade >= 90>> \<<set _letter = "A">> \<<elseif _finalGrade >= 80>> \<<set _letter = "B">> \<<elseif _finalGrade >= 70>> \<<set _letter = "C">> \<<elseif _finalGrade >= 60>> \<<set _letter = "D">> \<<else>> \<<set _letter = "F">> \<</if>>\ Let’s GOOOOOOOOOOO The sky is blue. The air is clear. The raccoon is probably pretty angry still, but hasn't killed anyone yet. Most importantly, you and your friend are alive and well. You’re pretty \<<if _letter == "A" || _letter == "B">> happy \<<else>> disappointed<</if>> \ when your final grade comes back. You don’t know how you managed to get a <<print _letter>> but at least it is over. \<<if _letter == "A">> This paper was pretty important. It actually helped you get into a great graduate program. Maybe you were onto something when you left it all for the last minute? You rock! Please never leave things last minute. But at least you can survive when you do! \<<elseif _letter == "F">> It turns out this paper was pretty important. It turns out that you failed the class and need to retake it next semester. Maybe you should have started it sooner? All the things we went through… they led to this. An F. \<</if>> <<linkreplace "Continue">>\ You and Forest do manage to eventually graduate. Forest even manages to be the valedictorian, which surprises you given you never see him actually study. You eventually find someone and have a kid if that’s your style. No matter what, you grow old, and Forest does too. He is a proud uncle to your kids, whether they are human children or animals. One day, you enter the hospital. It was supposed to be a routine check, but things didn’t go as planned. Regardless, you lived a long and happy life, and you are ready to kiss your spouse goodbye–if you have one–and move on. Forest holds one of your hands, and your family holds another. The world feels fuzzy from the painkillers, and as you exhale one last time, it slips away into peace and darkness. This time, you don’t wake back up. The end. <</linkreplace>>

\<> <<widget "updateSubgoals">> <<set $subGoal1 = _args[0]>> <<set $subGoal2 = _args[1]>> <<replace "#story-caption">> Time: <<print $hour + ":" + $minute1 + $minute2 + " " + $ampm>> <<if $deathCount > 0>> Death Count: $deathCount <</if>> Goal: $mainGoal - $subGoal1 - $subGoal2 <</replace>> <</widget>> \<>

Maybe someone here knows more about why you keep dying and going back in time? You lean closer to the person standing next to you. “Psst!” He rolls his eyes at you a bit. “What?” He taps his foot a little bit while he says it. “Some weird things have been happening on campus today. Do you know anything about that?” You rock a bit on your heels as you ask the question. He squints at you and leans further away. “Yeah, but I’m not going to tell you that information. I don’t even know you! Maybe if you prove yourself to me I will…” He taps his finger on his mouth for a second before smirking. “Why don’t you become our leader? Then, I’ll have to tell you.” Uh, that's an escalation. But why not, right...? \ <<include "DMC Options">> \<<updateSubgoals $subGoal1 "Challenge the DMC leader">>

Your bladder is small. You have to go to the bathroom first. \ <<include "Act 5 Dorm Options">>

<<button "Back">> <<script>> Dialog.close("credits") <</script>> <<updateWatch>> <</button>> Script: \ Ace Molloy James Turgeon Coding: \ Morgan Lincicum Olivia Buchanan \ Images: Pixabay, Unsplash, Shutterstock, Freepik, etc. \**Disclaimer: Under US Copyright law, our use of the following resources is consistent with the Fair Use doctrine because we do not make money off of this game and because it is for scholarly purposes**

\<<run UIBar.stow()>>\ \<div style='font-size: 90px; font-family: "Arial Black"; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;'>\ M's Adventure \<div id="watch"></div> \<> <<set _loop = true>> <<repeat 0.5s>> <<if !_loop>> <<stop>> <<replace "#watch">> <img src="https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQDo6I8Qaeq4WsSgrkS1B1J-uMnb-YlGVFQu7v_KkgURa2zhchEo-P9rTML2elem4wFewVN1leHJnsM/pub?w=558&h=399"> <</replace>> <</if>> <<set $FirstImage = not $FirstImage>> <<replace "#watch">> <<if $FirstImage>> <<link [img[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQLS3cQCFMywxVHp5HsaoHhGJ4s53txItOQ-NBr9JPmdkr4fxWKX2nkey_ZKFiLn34-ZCoJbQYD8Dxv/pub?w=558&h=399]]>> <<replace "#watch">> <img src="https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQDo6I8Qaeq4WsSgrkS1B1J-uMnb-YlGVFQu7v_KkgURa2zhchEo-P9rTML2elem4wFewVN1leHJnsM/pub?w=558&h=399"> <</replace>> <<set _loop = false>> <<run setTimeout(() => {Engine.play("Dorm"); }, 1000)>> <</link>> <<else>> <<link [img[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQoAFBXh2gKAHPodcI2DvJ4gVc2NQxnJKV9PwtZPHLdG096e1wko_1DmtKubL7ZINLU2lmy1Cy-ndpw/pub?w=558&h=399]]>> <<replace "#watch">> <img src="https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/e/2PACX-1vQDo6I8Qaeq4WsSgrkS1B1J-uMnb-YlGVFQu7v_KkgURa2zhchEo-P9rTML2elem4wFewVN1leHJnsM/pub?w=558&h=399"> <</replace>> <<set _loop = false>> <<run setTimeout(() => {Engine.play("Dorm"); }, 1000)>> <</link>> <</if>> <</replace>> <</repeat>> \<> \</div>

As you and Forest wade through the sewer water, you hear a loud bang call out from somewhere in the distance. The ground rumbles beneath you, and the ripples form on the water. “That’s weird…” Forest looks confused, but you know what that sound was. That was the sound of a distant explosion. <<linkreplace "Protect Forest">>\ \<<removeclass "body" "sewers">>\ \<<addclass "body" "explosion">>\ You try to create a cocoon of earth around you and Forest, but you aren’t quick enough. As you begin to move the earth, the ceiling above you collapses. Rocks and metal and cement all cave down on the two of you. Something hits your skull, and the last thing you see is your hand reaching for Forest’s body on the ground and your blood mixing with the sewer water. This is the end. <<include "Proceed">> <</linkreplace>>