All text will now be saved to the script file. Type UNSCRIPT at any time to discontinue scripting. >restore Restored. Behind house The back of your house is as non-descript as ever. Even the old trees that line the west edge of the property don't do much to liven the area any more. The spout of your drainpipe comes down here from the roof. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >x trees I see nothing special about the old trees. >search trees You find nothing of interest. >x drainpipe I see nothing special about the drainpipe. >look in it The drainpipe is clogged with leaves. >restore Restored. South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. There is a rope dangling from the window. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A beautiful, leafy tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought it should. >i You are carrying: a blue pencil a desk lamp a tire a package a perfect blue crystal an old pillowcase a library book a car key a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a divining rod a can of WD-40 a paper napkin a can-opener a shovel a machete a biology book a cannonball the time machine manual a Herring detector a screwdriver a frisbee a rare book >se You can't go that way. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a wheelbarrow. >set machine to 1 Turning the time machine doesn't have any effect. >set dial to 1 Okay, it's now turned to 1. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A deep red light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a wheelbarrow. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >push wheelbarrow ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow and a wheelbarrow here. >g Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot, a little mound of dirt, and a wheelbarrow here. >g Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. You see a wheelbarrow here. >push wheel n You can't seem to do that. >push wheelbarrow n In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. You see a wheelbarrow here. >push wheelbarrow e Antique store Stocked full of knickknacks and ancient collectibles, this shop is pervaded by a rich, musty odor. Taking a look around, you are somewhat ashamed to admit that you really can't tell one item from another. None of it looks any more valuable or rare than the collection you keep heaped in your garage. The only exit is west into the village. You see a wheelbarrow here. The merchant is here. >show wheelbarrow to merchant The merchant gives it a quick once-over with her expertly trained eyeballs. The merchant says, "Say, this wheelbarrow is as ancient as Methuselah. I'll give you $60 for it. Deal?" >yes The merchant pulls the wheelbarrow over to one side of the shop and says, "All righty. Here you are. Thank you." >i You are carrying: a blue pencil a desk lamp a tire a package a perfect blue crystal an old pillowcase a library book a car key a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a divining rod a can of WD-40 a paper napkin a can-opener a shovel a machete a biology book a cannonball the time machine manual a Herring detector a screwdriver a frisbee a rare book some money (60 dollars) >w In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >e Antique store Stocked full of knickknacks and ancient collectibles, this shop is pervaded by a rich, musty odor. Taking a look around, you are somewhat ashamed to admit that you really can't tell one item from another. None of it looks any more valuable or rare than the collection you keep heaped in your garage. The only exit is west into the village. You see a wheelbarrow here. The merchant is here. >w In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >s Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >sw Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >sw Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >sw You push your way into the clearing, opening your usual path once again. Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >drop money Dropped. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 4 Okay, it's now turned to 4. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A bright blue light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Woods The smell of freshly-sawed wood wafts through this natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way. A construction site is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You hear a woman calling your name from the northeast. A vibrant young woman in a professional suit is hurrying to catch up to you. "Wait, wait," she says. "The foreman said they'd seen you going down this way." Paying careful attention to where she is stepping in her heeled shoes, she neglects her hand, which is carrying a dark leather briefcase. When she reaches the bend in the path, she smacks her briefcase directly into the rock. It splits open and tumbles out of her hand, and paper scatters everywhere. "Ooh! This is not my day!" she sighs as she kneels and starts to pick up her papers. >z Time passes... Laura continues to pick up the loose papers and put them hastily back into her briefcase. >z Time passes... Laura continues to pick up the loose papers and put them hastily back into her briefcase. >z Time passes... Laura continues to pick up the loose papers and put them hastily back into her briefcase. >z Time passes... Laura finishes picking up her loose papers. She crams them all into the briefcase in a hasty fashion. Laura straightens herself up. "Thank you. I'm such a spaz these days." She looks at you straight on for the first time, and a funny look comes over her face. "You look different. Have you suddenly grown older?" She shakes her head. "Never mind. That was rude of me, sorry." She ruffles through the papers, looking for something. "I came to talk to you about your trust fund and issues concerning construction cost ..." she says, "Argh, I can't find the papers, now, of course." >z Time passes... Laura looks at you soberly. She says, "I got a call from Mr. Mayhew concerning certain improvements to the house that you have called for that significantly drive up the cost of construction." She continues her fruitless search for the right document. "Something about a better grade of roofing? Well, there's good news and bad news about this." >z Time passes... "The good news is, it will lower your insurance significantly, as it significantly reduces the risk of fire damage." She rummages in her briefcase a bit. >z Time passes... "The bad news is, I don't know how you're going to afford this particular modification. You were cutting it close already. Accounting for cost of living increases, I think you're going to run out of money just fifteen years into your thirty year mortgage. If things go in your favor, maybe twenty." She looks at you sympathetically. >z Time passes... "I'm sorry, I just can't make head or tails of my documents now. Do you have a minute? Why don't you come back to the bank with me so we could chat? Thanks. I'm really sorry about this. I'm just a little distracted today anyway." >z Time passes... Laura starts walking to the northeast. You follow her. South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. Laura is here. Laura says, "I'm sorry if I'm not up on all of the details of your finances. I only recently accepted a promotion, and had to scramble to get up to speed on a few dozen client histories. My life is suddenly a lot more hectic than I expected. I suddenly have the responsibility to make decisions that affect people's lives." She stares down at the ground as she walks, lost in thought for a minute or two. "If the money hadn't been so good," she says, "If I'd known what I was getting into ..." "Sorry," she says to you. "You probably have enough problems of your own without listening to mine." >z Time passes... Laura continues walking toward the shopping village. You follow her. Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is also recently poured. It follows alongside a dirt road that will soon be paved. The sidewalk disappears to the east, just before the road takes a bend to the north. The construction site is back to the west. Laura is here. Laura says, "I don't know if anyone ever talked to you about what options you have for investing your trust fund. I know the stock market can seem confusing when you're new to it, but the payoffs can be worth it, even within a few years' time frame." "I can tell this isn't very interesting to you. Maybe we should forget about all of this for the moment and talk about something else." >z Time passes... Laura continues walking toward the shopping village. You follow her. Bend in path The unpaved dirt road that leads in the direction of the construction site has been crisscrossed by a number of vehicles with large treads. The road bends here from the west to the north, following a scenic paved road into the shopping village. Laura is here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the sewer hole. Laura stares at a bird as it passes overhead. "I lost my train of thought just now," she says, distracted by thoughts you can't guess. After a pause, she asks, "Do you ever feel like life is a series of decisions, and you never have quite enough information to make an informed choice? That only in hindsight can you ever see how good or bad a selection you made?" Laura straightens her posture, which had started to slump. "Oh well. What's done is done. You can only go forward, not backward." >z Time passes... Laura continues walking toward the shopping village. You follow her. Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these forty- to ninety-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the shopping village, and south to a familiar bend in the direction of your house. Laura is here. Laura stops for a moment and takes a deep breath. She looks at the trees lining the road and says, "Aren't they beautiful? I can see why you wanted to build out here." She resumes walking, slowly. "I live on the north end of town, so I don't get out into these older areas much. I probably should. I always tell myself I should take walks out here during lunch. I guess today was my excuse. I just wish I'd planned ahead and brought walking shoes." She smiles and winces. "I'm all right. We're almost there." >z Time passes... Laura continues walking toward the shopping village. You follow her. In the village The little shopping village looks a little different than you're used to seeing it. Colored signs point you to this merchant and that. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an empty plot of land. The sandwich shop is to the north. The road leading back is south. Laura is here. Laura looks at the sandwich shop. "Geez, I missed lunch again. That's another thing about being promoted -- it's the best diet I've ever been on. Eight pounds so far." She looks at her watch. "If I weren't running late, I'd buy you lunch. But I guess I don't have time for that. I guess I won't have time for that for a long time." She goes silent again, gazing into the distance. "I keep thinking that if I just keep moving onward and upward, into the big office with the big chair and the big desk, I won't have to worry about money any more. I won't have to worry about anything. That's the big thing, right? Not having to worry? I guess that was your plan with the house. Oops, sore subject, sorry." "But sometimes I lie awake wondering, does that make any sense? Doesn't the bigger office just come with bigger worries? And then I see guys who have made it, women in business whom I admire, and they look happy. I sound like a sap. 'I just want to be happy! I just want to be loved!' My boss tells me that he gave me the promotion so I could toughen up. He says I'm too compassionate, too lenient on the bank's debtors, too open-hearted about people in need." "In fact, if he finds out I made this trip out to see you, he's not going to be happy. And he wants to be happy, too, just like ... everyone." >z Time passes... Laura enters the bank. You follow her. In the bank The bank interior is polished and impeccable. A desk to the south says "New Accounts." A teller window to the north is labeled "Deposits and Withdrawals." A hallway leads west into the bank's back offices. The exit is east. Laura is here. Laura almost walks toward the new accounts desk, but stops herself. "Bad habit," she says, grinning. "I have an office now, in the back. It used to be a closet or something. I remember thinking, 'Wow, my own office? Cool.' And then I saw it for the first time, and -- oh well. It'll only be for a year or so, and then I'll get promoted again, to one with a window. Maybe I'll be able to see the trees from there. Provided they don't cut the trees down to build something, which is the way things look like they're going." "You're a good listener, I have to give you that. I don't know why you bother with basket cases like me." >z Time passes... Laura invites you to come with her into her office in the back part of the bank. You follow her. Laura's office Laura's office is a small, windowless room with a file cabinet and a plain white desk. The only exit is to the east. Laura is here. A paunchy man with a bald head and a brown suit appears in the doorway. "Laura!" he says, and then casts a judgmental glance at you. "We're holding the meeting for you. Are you ready? Where's your report?" Laura puts her briefcase on the desk. "Right here, I'm coming," she says. The man clicks a ballpoint pen a few times, nods sternly, and exits. You hear the clicking noise disappear down the hall. >z Time passes... Laura sits down at her desk, sighing. Laura dumps her papers onto the desk and begins picking out pieces of her report. Laura sighs. "I'm sorry, I guess I need to get back to work. Thanks for the walk -- and the conversation. If you need anything else, come back and see me. My door's open." She manages to get her report put back together and ushers you back into the lobby. In the bank The bank interior is polished and impeccable. A desk to the south says "New Accounts." A teller window to the north is labeled "Deposits and Withdrawals." A hallway leads west into the bank's back offices. The exit is east. Laura shakes your hand, smooths back her hair, and disappears into the back rooms of the bank. >e In the village The little shopping village looks a little different than you're used to seeing it. Colored signs point you to this merchant and that. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an empty plot of land. The sandwich shop is to the north. The road leading back is south. >s Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these forty- to ninety-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the shopping village, and south to a familiar bend in the direction of your house. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >w There is nowhere to go in that direction. >s Bend in path The unpaved dirt road that leads in the direction of the construction site has been crisscrossed by a number of vehicles with large treads. The road bends here from the west to the north, following a scenic paved road into the shopping village. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the sewer hole. >w Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is also recently poured. It follows alongside a dirt road that will soon be paved. The sidewalk disappears to the east, just before the road takes a bend to the north. The construction site is back to the west. >s There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >w South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. >s There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw Woods The smell of freshly-sawed wood wafts through this natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way. A construction site is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 2 Okay, it's now turned to 2. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A dull orange light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see some money (60 dollars) and a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >ne Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >ne Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >n In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >e Antique store Stocked full of knickknacks and ancient collectibles, this shop is pervaded by a rich, musty odor. Taking a look around, you are somewhat ashamed to admit that you really can't tell one item from another. None of it looks any more valuable or rare than the collection you keep heaped in your garage. The only exit is west into the village. You see a wheelbarrow here. The merchant is here. >w In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >w In the bank The bank interior is polished and impeccable. A desk to the south says "New Accounts." A teller window to the north is labeled "Deposits and Withdrawals." A hallway leads west into the bank's back offices. The exit is east. >e In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >s Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >sw Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >sw Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >sw You push your way into the clearing, opening your usual path once again. Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see some money (60 dollars) and a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >i You are carrying: a blue pencil a desk lamp a tire a package a perfect blue crystal an old pillowcase a library book a car key a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a divining rod a can of WD-40 a paper napkin a can-opener a shovel a machete a biology book a cannonball the time machine manual a Herring detector a screwdriver a frisbee a rare book >set dial to 5 Okay, it's now turned to 5. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A blinding purple light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. There is a rope dangling from the window. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A beautiful, leafy tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought it should. >i You are carrying: a blue pencil a desk lamp a tire a package a perfect blue crystal an old pillowcase a library book a car key a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a divining rod a can of WD-40 a paper napkin a can-opener a shovel a machete a biology book a cannonball the time machine manual a Herring detector a screwdriver a frisbee a rare book >search ground You find nothing else of interest. >s You can't go that way. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 4 Okay, it's now turned to 4. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A bright blue light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. At the rock A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, a familiar landmark in an otherwise unfamiliar landscape. Once nestled along a wooded path, it now is the sole feature of an eerily empty landscape, distorting your perceptions of scale and distance. The broken remains of dark glass bottles lie around the base. The rock itself looks darker than you remember it, somewhat blackened. To the northeast is your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The beautiful tree you planted has split from its scorched trunk and smashed into the side of your house. From what you can see, the roof has been torn open by the weight of it, and a terrifying hole gouged out to fully halfway down the wall. However, the fire seems not to have spread thanks to the fire- resistant shingles. Broken splinters of wet and rotting wood lie everywhere, kept moist by recent rains. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. >ne Front of house This is the front your house, and something is terribly wrong. The front door is boarded up, sealing off all entrance to what should still be your home. The roof is crippled by the weight of a fallen tree, and all of the front windows are cracked. Sopping mounds of rotting leaves that have collected along the edges and corners indicate years of neglect. A pool of dirty yellow water trickles down from the driveway and collects, full of black silt, near the front door. The driveway is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible far to the southwest. The front door is to the west. >nw North of house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. >s You'll have to open the garage door first. >e Driveway Your driveway looks much the same, a thankful sight after the ruin your house has become. The road to town still lies to the east. Your front door is to the southwest. You see a newspaper here. >get newspaper Taken. >w North of house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. >sw Behind house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The dead trees that line the west edge of the property seem to regard the scene with a sagelike sadness. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >se South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The beautiful tree you planted has split from its scorched trunk and smashed into the side of your house. From what you can see, the roof has been torn open by the weight of it, and a terrifying hole gouged out to fully halfway down the wall. However, the fire seems not to have spread thanks to the fire- resistant shingles. Broken splinters of wet and rotting wood lie everywhere, kept moist by recent rains. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. >sw At the rock A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, a familiar landmark in an otherwise unfamiliar landscape. Once nestled along a wooded path, it now is the sole feature of an eerily empty landscape, distorting your perceptions of scale and distance. The broken remains of dark glass bottles lie around the base. The rock itself looks darker than you remember it, somewhat blackened. To the northeast is your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >sw There is nothing but desolate, brown land in that direction. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 1 Okay, it's now turned to 1. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A deep red light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >set dial to 2 Okay, it's now turned to 2. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >push button You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A dull orange light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see some money (60 dollars) and a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >ne Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >ne Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >sw Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >sw Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >sw You push your way into the clearing, opening your usual path once again. Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see some money (60 dollars) and a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >get money Taken. >sw You get all turned around in the dense forest growth and end up back where you started. >drop money Dropped. >undo (Undoing one command) Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see some money (60 dollars) and a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >undo (Undoing one command) Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >undo (Undoing one command) Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >undo (Undoing one command) Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >undo (Undoing one command) Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. You see five jugs of miracle-grow here. >undo (Undoing one command) Forest (on the time machine platform) The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see some money (60 dollars) and a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can see a construction site through the woods to the northeast. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >undo (Undoing one command) At the rock A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, a familiar landmark in an otherwise unfamiliar landscape. Once nestled along a wooded path, it now is the sole feature of an eerily empty landscape, distorting your perceptions of scale and distance. The broken remains of dark glass bottles lie around the base. The rock itself looks darker than you remember it, somewhat blackened. To the northeast is your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >undo (Undoing one command) South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The beautiful tree you planted has split from its scorched trunk and smashed into the side of your house. From what you can see, the roof has been torn open by the weight of it, and a terrifying hole gouged out to fully halfway down the wall. However, the fire seems not to have spread thanks to the fire- resistant shingles. Broken splinters of wet and rotting wood lie everywhere, kept moist by recent rains. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. >undo (Undoing one command) Behind house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The dead trees that line the west edge of the property seem to regard the scene with a sagelike sadness. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >ne North of house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. >u You climb gingerly up the stone wall. North roof This is the north end of the roof. The shingles are in good shape, even after twenty years of weather and recent natural disaster. Someone obviously took the time and care to do this roof job right. A gutter trap, clogged with leaves, runs along the length of the west side of the house. The roof itself continues south. The stone wall, which turns out to be the outside of your chimney, leads back down. >s South roof The shingles are in good shape, even after twenty years of weather, but you can't say much for the roof itself. It is dangerous to walk very far along the south roof, because most of it is gone now, chewed open by the trunk of a large tree, planted too close too the house and felled by a severe lightning strike. The roof shingles seem to have kept the fire from spreading, but nothing could stop the sheer damage caused by the massive tree trunk slashing into the house like a troll's axe through a soft elven skull. The only exit is north. >put cannonball in pipe You drop the cannonball into the drainpipe. It barely fits, so you give it a shove. There is a disgusting vomiting noise below, as the cannonball bursts out the bottom of the spout, pushing all the muck out with it. >n North roof This is the north end of the roof. The shingles are in good shape, even after twenty years of weather and recent natural disaster. Someone obviously took the time and care to do this roof job right. A gutter trap, clogged with leaves, runs along the length of the west side of the house. The roof itself continues south. The stone wall, which turns out to be the outside of your chimney, leads back down. >d You climb gingerly down the stone wall. North of house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. >sw Behind house The house is burned and crippled, a shadow of its former pleasant beauty. The southern roof has been torn open by the weight of a fallen tree. However, the fire seems not to have spread very far, thanks to the fire-resistant shingles. The dead trees that line the west edge of the property seem to regard the scene with a sagelike sadness. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. You see a cannonball here. >get ball Taken. >x pipe I see nothing special about the drainpipe. >look in it You find nothing of interest. >[OK, nothing.] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >restore Restored. Behind house The back of your house is as non-descript as ever. Even the old trees that line the west edge of the property don't do much to liven the area any more. The spout of your drainpipe comes down here from the roof. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >i You are carrying: a package a frisbee a rare book a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a divining rod an old pillowcase a shovel a machete a blue pencil a desk lamp a tire a newspaper a bottle of cheap liquor a Herring detector a car key a paper napkin a monkey wrench a perfect blue crystal a library book a can-opener a can of WD-40 a crowbar a biology book the time machine manual a screwdriver >[Maybe I can fix the wheelbarrow better.[ I don't understand the punctuation "[". >restore Restored. Front of house This is the front of your house. It looks somewhat weathered, as if no one had tended to it for ten years, but is otherwise normal. Sopping mounds of rotting leaves that have collected along the edges and corners indicate years of neglect. A pool of dirty yellow water trickles down from the driveway and collects, full of black silt, near the front door. The driveway is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible far to the southwest. The front door is to the west. >i You are carrying: a package a frisbee a rare book a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a divining rod an old pillowcase a shovel a machete a blue pencil a desk lamp a tire a newspaper a bottle of cheap liquor a Herring detector a car key a paper napkin a monkey wrench a perfect blue crystal a library book a can-opener a can of WD-40 a crowbar a biology book the time machine manual a screwdriver >sw South of house The house is older and sagging, with long ruts where splinters have broken off, but it otherwise looks the way you remember it. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. The tiny window high in the wall has been crudely boarded shut. A large and sagging tree grows here, leaning its bulky canopy toward the house. A large branch has snapped from the middle of its trunk and lies in the mud. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A secret door is open to the north. >sw At the rock A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, a familiar landmark in an otherwise unfamiliar landscape. Once nestled along a wooded path, it now is the sole feature of an eerily empty landscape, distorting your perceptions of scale and distance. The broken remains of dark glass bottles lie around the base. To the northeast is your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. You see a time machine here. >restore Restored. Storage room This room is barely big enough to hold the time machine. It is full of filing cabinets, old computer equipment, stacks of old ledgers and printouts, and other discards. Fluorescent lighting fixtures flicker overhead. The air is conditioned and cold, almost antiseptic smelling. A door leads east. You see a time machine here. >u There is nowhere to go in that direction. >set dial to 2 Okay, it's now turned to 2. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A dull orange light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Secret chamber Whether this nondescript room existed before the secret passage was made is unclear to you, but here it is now. It is made of concrete, about thirty feet square, with a fifteen foot ceiling. The floor of room must be at least twenty feet below the ground. The dim amber light, just enough to see by, seems to be coming from the ceiling itself, rather than any kind of recognizable fixture. The only exit that you can see is back up. You see a time machine here. >u (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Secret passage The secret passage is a narrow hallway of sorts, only about twelve feet long and three and a half feet wide. The walls are bare plaster and sheet rock. Various springs and tumblers are connected together in an elegant set of mechanisms to open the doors. A small light bulb hangs from the ceiling, but it was left on and burned out long ago. The only light in the passage is from the open door. The short hallway dead-ends at a crudely-carved staircase leading down. There is another door to the west, and you can go out the way you came in. >s South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The beautiful tree you planted has split from its scorched trunk and smashed into the side of your house. From what you can see, the roof has been torn open by the weight of it, and a terrifying hole gouged out to fully halfway down the wall. However, the fire seems not to have spread thanks to the fire- resistant shingles. Broken splinters of wet and rotting wood lie everywhere, kept moist by recent rains. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A secret door is open to the north. >sw At the rock A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, a familiar landmark in an otherwise unfamiliar landscape. Once nestled along a wooded path, it now is the sole feature of an eerily empty landscape, distorting your perceptions of scale and distance. The broken remains of dark glass bottles lie around the base. The rock itself looks darker than you remember it, somewhat blackened. To the northeast is your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The clearing here is desolate, giving the distinct impression that all natural life has left this area. The ground is hard and overgrown by weedy grass. There are no trees any more, but there are some stumps where once they stood. Your old footpath is nowhere to be seen. You do see your house to the northeast, but it too looks abandoned. >sw There is nothing but desolate, brown land in that direction. >[Um.] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >ne At the rock A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, a familiar landmark in an otherwise unfamiliar landscape. Once nestled along a wooded path, it now is the sole feature of an eerily empty landscape, distorting your perceptions of scale and distance. The broken remains of dark glass bottles lie around the base. The rock itself looks darker than you remember it, somewhat blackened. To the northeast is your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >n There is nowhere to go in that direction. >ne South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The beautiful tree you planted has split from its scorched trunk and smashed into the side of your house. From what you can see, the roof has been torn open by the weight of it, and a terrifying hole gouged out to fully halfway down the wall. However, the fire seems not to have spread thanks to the fire- resistant shingles. Broken splinters of wet and rotting wood lie everywhere, kept moist by recent rains. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A secret door is open to the north. >n Secret passage The secret passage is a narrow hallway of sorts, only about twelve feet long and three and a half feet wide. The walls are bare plaster and sheet rock. Various springs and tumblers are connected together in an elegant set of mechanisms to open the doors. A small light bulb hangs from the ceiling, but it was left on and burned out long ago. The only light in the passage is from the open door. The short hallway dead-ends at a crudely-carved staircase leading down. There is another door to the west, and you can go out the way you came in. >n Secret chamber Whether this nondescript room existed before the secret passage was made is unclear to you, but here it is now. It is made of concrete, about thirty feet square, with a fifteen foot ceiling. The floor of room must be at least twenty feet below the ground. The dim amber light, just enough to see by, seems to be coming from the ceiling itself, rather than any kind of recognizable fixture. The only exit that you can see is back up. You see a time machine here. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >x dial The knob can be turned to settings numbered from 1 to 5. It's currently set to 2. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A dull orange light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Secret chamber Whether this nondescript room existed before the secret passage was made is unclear to you, but here it is now. It is made of concrete, about thirty feet square, with a fifteen foot ceiling. The floor of room must be at least twenty feet below the ground. The dim amber light, just enough to see by, seems to be coming from the ceiling itself, rather than any kind of recognizable fixture. The only exit that you can see is back up. You see a time machine here. >u (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Secret passage The secret passage is a narrow hallway of sorts, only about twelve feet long and three and a half feet wide. The walls are bare plaster and sheet rock. Various springs and tumblers are connected together in an elegant set of mechanisms to open the doors. A small light bulb hangs from the ceiling, giving the room some gentle illumnation. The short hallway dead-ends at a crudely-carved staircase leading down. There is another door to the west, and you can go out the way you came in. >s (Opening the main door) South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. There is a rope dangling from the window. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A secret door is open to the north. A beautiful, leafy tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought it should. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a wheelbarrow. >fix machine (with the monkey wrench) I don't know how to fix the time machine. >fix wheelbarrow (with the monkey wrench) The wheel is already as fixed as it will get. >x wheel It's still a little wobbly, but the bolt is holding it tight. >ne Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >use herring on rock Not a red herring. >[Um, OK. I look at raif, and it looks like I'll need exactly the $100. Here we go...] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >restore Restored. Treetop You're as high in the tree as your weight will let you climb. The view from here is incredible. The window in the side of the house is right in front of you to the north. >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal an old pillowcase a library book a car key a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a divining rod a can of WD-40 a paper napkin a can-opener a shovel a machete a biology book a bad shingle a cannonball the time machine manual a Herring detector a package a screwdriver a frisbee a rare book >l Treetop You're as high in the tree as your weight will let you climb. The view from here is incredible. The window in the side of the house is right in front of you to the north. >x window It's tantalizingly out of reach, but if you leap for it, you might just make it. >d Mid-way up tree You are mid-way up the tree, which extends up another 15 feet. A strong branch here extends horizontally from the trunk. You can climb even farther up from here, or back down to the ground. You see a thick rope (tied to a tire swing and to a strong branch) here. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >d South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A beautiful, leafy tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought it should. You see a tire swing here. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. The hinged compartment seems to contain a hot meatball sandwich. Sitting on the time machine platform is a wheelbarrow. >restore Restored. Attic This is a little attic space, barely tall enough for you to stand in. Thick boards run in parallel lines along the floor, with pink insulation laid out in between. A thick brass pipe passes up from the floor next to the window and continues up through the ceiling. Cardboard packing boxes of various sizes are stacked along the walls. A folded-up ladder attached to a hatch would lead down if it were open, but it's closed. The only exit is the little window you came in. >restore Restored. Mid-way up tree You are mid-way up the tree, which extends up another 15 feet. A strong branch here extends horizontally from the trunk. You can climb even farther up from here, or back down to the ground. >d South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A beautiful, leafy tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought it should. You see a tire here. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. The hinged compartment seems to contain a hot meatball sandwich. Sitting on the time machine platform is a wheelbarrow. >[arr.] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >restart Are you sure you want to start over? (YES or NO) > y You've just arrived at home from your nightly visit to the science and invention section of the local public library, where you spend each night dreaming your dreamy dreams of one day inventing a time travel machine. Tonight, for some reason, you're especially fatigued, and can't wait to get inside and go right to bed. Seems like a good plan, but somehow you have a premonition it's not going to be that easy... First Things First - A Text Adventure Game by J. Robinson Wheeler Developed with TADS: The Text Adventure Development System. Release Version 1.1 20010723 Copyright 2001 by J. Robinson Wheeler. All Rights Reserved. Published by JRW Digital Media. Type ABOUT, CREDITS, and HELP for general information. Front of house This is the front of your house. A couple of stones laying about make up your half-hearted attempt at landscaping. Your driveway is to the northeast. A small path leads northwest and southwest. The front door stands invitingly to the west. You see a doormat here. >move rock You find a spare key! [ Your score just went up by 3 points. You can toggle these notifications at any time by typing 'notify.' ] >ne Driveway This is your front driveway, which leads west to the north side of your house. A small path leads southwest to the front door. To the east is the road into town. You see a little car here. >open car (with the spare key) Unlocked. So that's what this key is for. >in You'll have to specify the car if that's what you mean. >open trunk (with the car key) Unlocked. The trunk pops open. >enter cart I don't see any cart here. >enter car (opening the little car) Okay, you're now in the little car. Driveway (in the little car) The interior of the car has gotten a little dusty with disuse, but the seats are still comfy. The only obvious things to see are the glove compartment and the steering wheel. The little car is open. >open glove It's locked. >unlock it (with the car key) Unlocked. >open hood Opening the hood reveals an engine. >search car You find an armrest compartment! [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >open armrest Opening the armrest compartment reveals a garage door opener. >get garage Taken. >get all from glove I don't see what you're referring to. >open glove Opening the glove compartment reveals a #2 pencil and a tourist map. >get all from glove #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. >out Okay, you're no longer in the little car. Driveway This is your front driveway, which leads west to the north side of your house. A small path leads southwest to the front door. To the east is the road into town. You see a little car here. The trunk seems to contain a spare tire and a jack. The hood seems to contain an engine. >w North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is closed. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >push button You push the opener button. Click. The garage door smoothly glides open. >s In the garage This room is a total mess. No wonder you keep your car in the driveway. It would take a long time to sort through the junk in here, and even then it seems unlikely there would be much point to it. There is a garage door button on the wall. A closed door to the south leads into your house through the kitchen. The only other exit is the way you came in, which is open. You see an opener button here. >search junk You find a crowbar! >g You find a can of WD-40! >g You find an old pillowcase! >g You find a handful of cobwebs. Bleah! >g You find a deflated soccer ball! >g You find a broken tire pump! >g You find a wasp nest! >g You find a 2x4 plank! >g You find a can-opener! >g You find a moose head trophy! >g You find a shovel! >g You find a beat-up mattress! >g You find a divining rod! >g You find a machete! >g You find a busted wheelbarrow! >g You find a frisbee! >g You find a cannonball! >g You find the kitchen sink! >g You find absolutely nothing else! At last!!! [ Your score just went up by 10 points. ] >get all garage door: You can't have the garage door. junk in the garage: It's fixed in place. wall opener button: You can't have the wall opener button. crowbar: Taken. can of WD-40: Taken. old pillowcase: Taken. deflated soccer ball: Taken. broken tire pump: Taken. wasp nest: It looks dead, but you'd better leave it alone. 2x4 plank: You've already got your hands full. can-opener: You've already got your hands full. moose head trophy: You've already got your hands full. shovel: You've already got your hands full. divining rod: You've already got your hands full. machete: You've already got your hands full. frisbee: You've already got your hands full. cannonball: You've already got your hands full. the kitchen sink: You must be kidding. >put all in pillowcase library book: Done. car key: Done. garage door opener: Done. #2 pencil: Done. tourist map: Done. crowbar: Done. can of WD-40: Done. old pillowcase: You can't put the old pillowcase in itself! deflated soccer ball: Done. broken tire pump: Done. >get all garage door: You can't have the garage door. junk in the garage: It's fixed in place. wall opener button: You can't have the wall opener button. wasp nest: It looks dead, but you'd better leave it alone. 2x4 plank: Taken. can-opener: Taken. moose head trophy: You've already got your hands full. shovel: Taken. divining rod: Taken. machete: Taken. frisbee: Taken. cannonball: Taken. the kitchen sink: You must be kidding. >n North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is open. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >w There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw Behind house The back of your house is pretty non-descript, except for some really nice trees that make up for the lack of landscaping in the front. The spout of your drainpipe comes down here from the roof. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >ne North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is open. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >u You climb gingerly up the stone wall. North roof This is the north end of the roof. Shingle tiles, already looking the worse for wear, make for slippery traction. A gutter trap, clogged with leaves, runs along the length of the west side of the house. The roof itself continues south. The stone wall, which turns out to be the outside of your chimney, leads back down. [ Your score just went up by 4 points. ] >d You climb gingerly down the stone wall. North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is open. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >e Driveway This is your front driveway, which leads west to the north side of your house. A small path leads southwest to the front door. To the east is the road into town. You see a little car here. The trunk seems to contain a spare tire and a jack. The hood seems to contain an engine. >e Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is starting to show the wear and tear of the hot summers and cool winters. The sections are uneven and tufts of grass poke up through the cracks. The sidewalk wanders east alongside the road away from your house and toward the nearby shopping village. Your driveway is back to the west. You see a mailbox here. >e Bend in path As you approach the local nub of suburban civilization, you again are reminded that community expansion has a price. A small shrubbery here serves, apparently, as an excuse for people to litter, as it is full of bits of trash. The footpath bends here from west to north, leading into the shopping village. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the shrubbery. >search shrubbery You find a sewer grating! >open grating (with the crowbar) You pry up the sewer grating. The sewer hole is now wide open. >n In the village This little shopping village is attractively decorated with colored signs pointing you to this merchant and that. To the west is the bank, and to the east is the public library. Because it is late, the only thing open is the sandwich shop, which is to the north. The sidewalk leading home is south. >x slot The library depository slot is for returning books after hours. Wedged just inside the slot are two books. Someone must have tried to cram them both in at the same time, because they should have slid down and out of reach. >get books library book: Taken. wedged books: You grab ahold of the books and give them a few solid yanks. They pop free and tumble onto the ground. >get books rare book: Taken. biology book: You've already got your hands full. >put all in case old pillowcase: You can't put the old pillowcase in itself! 2x4 plank: Done. can-opener: Done. shovel: Done. divining rod: Done. machete: You can't fit that in the old pillowcase. frisbee: You can't fit that in the old pillowcase. cannonball: You can't fit that in the old pillowcase. library book: You can't fit that in the old pillowcase. rare book: You can't fit that in the old pillowcase. >get books Taken. >s Bend in path As you approach the local nub of suburban civilization, you again are reminded that community expansion has a price. A small shrubbery here serves, apparently, as an excuse for people to litter, as it is full of bits of trash. The footpath bends here from west to north, leading into the shopping village. You see a sewer grating here. The sewer hole seems to contain a five-dollar bill. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the sewer hole. >w Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is starting to show the wear and tear of the hot summers and cool winters. The sections are uneven and tufts of grass poke up through the cracks. The sidewalk wanders east alongside the road away from your house and toward the nearby shopping village. Your driveway is back to the west. You see a mailbox here. >w Driveway This is your front driveway, which leads west to the north side of your house. A small path leads southwest to the front door. To the east is the road into town. You see a little car here. The trunk seems to contain a spare tire and a jack. The hood seems to contain an engine. >w North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is open. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >u You climb gingerly up the stone wall. North roof This is the north end of the roof. Shingle tiles, already looking the worse for wear, make for slippery traction. A gutter trap, clogged with leaves, runs along the length of the west side of the house. The roof itself continues south. The stone wall, which turns out to be the outside of your chimney, leads back down. >s South roof The shingles are in even worse shape on this end of the house, which makes you very nervous as the ground is a long way down from the peak here, at least 30 feet. The gutter trap is to the west and continues up to the north end of the house. You can see the top opening of the drainpipe in the clogged leaves. The only exit is north. A squirrel is here. The squirrel is rather squat and feral, but it regards you with an almost intelligent interest. >give rare to squirrel You give the rare book to the squirrel. The squirrel is so excited by the numerous color depictions of female squirrels in heat that he drops the acorn, which unfortunately rolls down the slope of the roof into the gutter. You hear the acorn rattle into the drainpipe and get stuck in the muck halfway down. The squirrel runs off with the rare book. >put cannonball in pipe You drop the cannonball into the drainpipe. It barely fits, so you give it a shove. There is a disgusting vomiting noise below, as the cannonball bursts out the bottom of the spout, pushing all the muck out with it. [ Your score just went up by 3 points. ] >n North roof This is the north end of the roof. Shingle tiles, already looking the worse for wear, make for slippery traction. A gutter trap, clogged with leaves, runs along the length of the west side of the house. The roof itself continues south. The stone wall, which turns out to be the outside of your chimney, leads back down. >d You climb gingerly down the stone wall. North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is open. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >sw Behind house The back of your house is pretty non-descript, except for some really nice trees that make up for the lack of landscaping in the front. The spout of your drainpipe comes down here from the roof. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. You see a cannonball and a big juicy acorn here. >get all drainpipe: It's fixed in place. cannonball: Taken. big juicy acorn: Taken. [ Your score just went up by 8 points. ] >se South of house You always thought this would be a nice place to plant a tree, but a bare spot reminds you of your lack of foresight. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. There is a warmth to the air you don't recognize. >ne Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You feel as if something is about to happen, but don't know what. >z Time passes... There is a strange vibration to the air, and the smell of ozone. >z Time passes... Something is definitely happening! The center of the clearing is starting to glow bright yellow. >z Time passes... A sound like the crack of thunder erupts, sucking in the air from around you into a vacuum in the center of the clearing. The light becomes blindingly bright. >z Time passes... When the light fades, you see that a time machine has appeared! >open container I don't know the word "container". >open compartment A wave of heat comes out of the compartment. Opening the hinged compartment reveals the time machine manual and a package. >get manual, package time machine manual: Taken. package: Taken. >open package Opening the package reveals a Herring detector. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >set dial to 1 It's already set to 1! The haze and ozone dissipate from the air. >push button You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A deep red light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can barely keep your bearings straight, as each direction looks the same as every other. You see a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the south. [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >s (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the southeast. >se You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the north. >n You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the east. >e You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >ne You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >ne You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northwest. >nw You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the west. >w You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northwest. >nw You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >ne You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the southeast. >sw In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the southeast. >undo (Undoing one command) In the forest The woods surround you on all sides. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. The foliage is so rich and dense that you can barely keep your bearings straight. Each direction looks the same as every other. >se You almost lose your bearings again, but the divining rod seems to pull you through. Flowing stream The foliage parts at last to reveal a sparkling forest stream. Light dapples gently through the leaves to highlight slick, wet rocks and the bright green of fresh growth. The stream flows, about half a meter wide, from the north to the southwest. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the stream. [ Your score just went up by 4 points. ] >n Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot here. >dig in soft spot (with the shovel) The shovel bites a nice hole in the earth. >put acorn in hole You put the acorn into the hole, and scoop the dirt over it, leaving a noticeable little mound. [ Your score just went up by 6 points. ] >ne Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >n In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >s Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >x sewer I don't see any sewer here. >sw Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >ne Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >n In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >x sewer I don't see any sewer here. >e Antique store Stocked full of knickknacks and ancient collectibles, this shop is pervaded by a rich, musty odor. Taking a look around, you are somewhat ashamed to admit that you really can't tell one item from another. None of it looks any more valuable or rare than the collection you keep heaped in your garage. The only exit is west into the village. The merchant is here. >w In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >w In the bank The bank interior is polished and impeccable. A desk to the south says "New Accounts." A teller window to the north is labeled "Deposits and Withdrawals." A hallway leads west into the bank's back offices. The exit is east. >e In the village The little shopping village looks a lot different than you're used to seeing it. The sandwich shop is there, to the north, but it doesn't look like it's open for business yet. To the west is the bank, which seems like it's always been here and always will. To the east is an antique store, where the public library will be. The road leading back is south. > I beg your pardon? >x What do you want to inspect? >s I don't see any s here. >s Oakwood drive This pleasant road wanders peacefully through the lush tree growths native to the area. In the intervening years, they'll straighten the road and widen it, cutting down dozens of these thirty- to eighty-year-old live oaks. The road leads north into the old shopping village, and a path winds back into the forest to the southwest. >sw Sloping wood The ground slopes down here, eroded by the nearby stream. Grasses heavy with fresh dew and spring-saturated soil give the area a soft, spongy feel beneath your feet. The stream leads back southwest, and far ahead through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot and a little mound of dirt here. >sw Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw You push your way into the clearing, opening your usual path once again. Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 4 Okay, it's now turned to 4. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A bright blue light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the busy noise of construction work nearby, coming through the woods from the northeast. You see a time machine here. [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. You push through the trees. Your footpath doesn't seem to exist any more... Woods The smell of freshly-sawed wood wafts through this natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way. A construction site is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. Someone shouts, "Get that paint over to number eight!" >ne Front of house You are standing in what will be the front of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. A construction blockade is to the northeast, preventing you from stepping on the freshly-poured cement driveway. A huge supply truck sitting on the other side of the driveway, behind the blockade. You can walk around the house to the northwest and southwest. You can go around the driveway and find the road into town to the southeast. You see a jug of miracle-grow here. A teenaged kid dashes by with hot coffee for the foreman. Two guys wheel past with a load of cinder blocks. A man with a hard hat barks commands to some dust-covered strongarms. >get jug You've already got your hands full. Someone shouts, "Where's the langstrom 7-inch gangley wrench?" A young man scurries by, holding three bundles of copper piping. Two women walk by, discussing their favorite winch pulley manufacturers. >w Inside house You finally step into your house. Not much of a victory, given the circumstances. Just a lot of planks and rafters. A temporary work ladder is nailed into the structure, and leads up to the second floor. You see a screwdriver here. Someone up in the roof rafters shouts orders that are ignored. Someone cries, "Yeah! We've been waitin' for those!" A huge man with a mustache to match lopes by, carrying a trowel and a bag of plaster mix. >get screwdriver Taken. A short man in a blue shirt says, "We ain't got enough water in the mix. Where's the foreman? Get the foreman." A crashing noise is heard, and then a burst of laughter. You can't see what caused it. The sharp noise of nails being hammered into thick planks causes you to blink your eyes several times. >s South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. A young woman with a large box of wood screws rushes past, crying, "Coming! Coming!" A sweaty, red-faced man yells, "Where are my ducts? Where are my flim-flanged ducts?" Someone yells, "That's a riot! Where's Ed? He's gotta hear this!" >w There is nowhere to go in that direction. A nervous kid slouches by, looking like it's his first day on the job. A trio of men with puffy faces and scruffy chest hair stride past, telling dirty jokes. A beefy blond man waddles past, blowing his nose ferociously into the sleeve of his shirt. >nw Behind house You are standing in what will be the back of your house. If you thought it was boring to look at before, you couldn't possibly be less enthusiastic about seeing it now. The wooden frame has gone up, but that is all there is to see. However, there is something new to see, a temporary workshed built by the construction company. The shed sits to the north. You can walk around the house to the northeast and southeast. Someone yells, "Fifteen! Fifteen, everybody!" Someone yells back, "You got that right!" A young woman with a pile of floor tiles rushes past, crying, "Who ordered these?" A guy clambers down from above and yells, "Let's eat!". >n Outside workshed The construction company has built a sturdy workshed on your property, apparently for the convenience of storing materials and tools during the job. It is probably locked at night, but right now it is wide open. You can enter the shed to the north. The back of the house is to the south, and your driveway is east. Someone rushes up to you, looks you up and down, and then shakes his head and runs off. A man with round spectacles stares at the sky and predicts rain. A wiry lad from the electrical crew says, "We need to wait for the plumbers." >n Inside workshed It's kind of hot and stuffy in here, during the heat of the day. It is also hard for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. The materials that are locked in here at night must all be in use right now, because the shed is basically empty. The only exit is south. You see four jugs of miracle-grow here. A huge dog is sitting here. >throw frisbee You throw the frisbee. The huge dog tears off after it! You hear his playful barking disappear into the woods. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >s Outside workshed The construction company has built a sturdy workshed on your property, apparently for the convenience of storing materials and tools during the job. It is probably locked at night, but right now it is wide open. You can enter the shed to the north. The back of the house is to the south, and your driveway is east. There is a crashing noise and some amount of furor and muttered oaths from the construction crew. Someone shouts, "Nobody move! Wait, everyone get out of the way! I said, get out of the way!" A fat man jumps up and down and makes 'bibble-brrrrrr' noises with his mouth. Oddly, nobody seems to care. >se There is nowhere to go in that direction. A handsome, tanned woman walks past, sipping a cup of tea. Someone shouts, "Budget! We're over budget! I can feel it." There is a whoop from a nearby card game being played by a team of idle roof shinglers. >e North of house You are standing on what will be the north side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, and the driveway is currently being poured, but apart from that, there's not much to see. A temporary workshed is to the west, and you can walk around the house to the southeast and southwest. A somber man winds past, unfurling a length of thick cabling behind him. A set of floor tiles is laid out on the ground and inspected. A slouching plumber trundles by, snapping his chewing gum. >s Inside house You finally step into your house. Not much of a victory, given the circumstances. Just a lot of planks and rafters. A temporary work ladder is nailed into the structure, and leads up to the second floor. A tall man with a hard hat checks the crossbeams with a level. "Just about perfect," he intones. A huge truck departs, diffusing the sunlight with its smoky exhaust. Two young boys scamper by, tossing a ball back and forth. Someone shouts, "Hey! Get your kids off the site!" The huge dog comes bounding up to you and deposits the slobbery frisbee at your feet. From somewhere nearby, you hear a sharp whistle that gets the huge dog's attention. A voice calls out, "Blackie! Here boy!" The huge dog runs off. >s South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. A voice cries, "Higher! Higher! Keep going! Stop!" An old gent with nails clenched between his lips totters by, carrying a selection of hammers. A beautiful woman walks by, slips on a cable, and breaks one of her high heels. "Ooohh!" she yells, enraged. >sw Woods The smell of freshly-sawed wood wafts through this natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way. A construction site is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the busy noise of construction work nearby, coming through the woods from the northeast. You see a time machine here. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Woods The smell of freshly-sawed wood wafts through this natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way. A construction site is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. Someone cries, "Hammers! Hammers!" Another voice replies, "Ol' Meretzsky just went by!" Four electricians push their way through, carrying cartons of wiring and sockets. A voice yells, "We need more of that one, and less of the other!" Someone responds, "You mean like this?" The first voice shouts, "No, the other way around, Artie!" >e Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is also recently poured. It follows alongside a dirt road that will soon be paved. The sidewalk disappears to the east, just before the road takes a bend to the north. The construction site is back to the west. >e Bend in path The unpaved dirt road that leads in the direction of the construction site has been crisscrossed by a number of vehicles with large treads. The road bends here from the west to the north, following a scenic paved road into the shopping village. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the sewer hole. >open sewer Which sewer do you mean, the sewer grating, or the sewer hole? >grating (with the crowbar) You pry up the sewer grating. The sewer hole is now wide open. >get money I don't see any money here. >look in grating Under the sewer grating is an open sewer hole. There's nothing in the sewer hole. >look in hole There's nothing in the sewer hole. >w Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is also recently poured. It follows alongside a dirt road that will soon be paved. The sidewalk disappears to the east, just before the road takes a bend to the north. The construction site is back to the west. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >s There is nowhere to go in that direction. >w South of house You are standing on what will be the south side of your house. The house is currently under construction. The wooden frame has gone up, but apart from that, there's not much to see. The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. A little bare path made by you just now leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around the house to the northwest and northeast. To the east is a dirt road leading to town. You see a sapling here. A woman shouts, "Has anyone seen Brian?" A noisy blast comes from the cement mixer. Several workers, clutching their heads, emit vain cries of protest. Someone shouts, "Get that paint over to number eight!" >sw Woods The smell of freshly-sawed wood wafts through this natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way. A construction site is to the northeast, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the busy noise of construction work nearby, coming through the woods from the northeast. You see a time machine here. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A bright blue light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A scrawny, undernourished tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought one should. The sad sight of this particular specimen makes you think maybe you were wrong. >ne Front of house This is the front of your house. A couple of stones laying about make up your half-hearted attempt at landscaping. Your driveway is to the northeast. A small path leads northwest and southwest. The front door stands invitingly to the west. You see a doormat here. >ne Driveway This is your front driveway, which leads west to the north side of your house. A small path leads southwest to the front door. To the east is the road into town. You see a little car here. The trunk seems to contain a spare tire and a jack. The hood seems to contain an engine. >e Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is starting to show the wear and tear of the hot summers and cool winters. The sections are uneven and tufts of grass poke up through the cracks. The sidewalk wanders east alongside the road away from your house and toward the nearby shopping village. Your driveway is back to the west. You see a mailbox here. >e Bend in path As you approach the local nub of suburban civilization, you again are reminded that community expansion has a price. A small shrubbery here serves, apparently, as an excuse for people to litter, as it is full of bits of trash. The footpath bends here from west to north, leading into the shopping village. You see a sewer grating here. The sewer hole seems to contain a five-dollar bill. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the sewer hole. >get bill Taken. [ Your score just went up by 4 points. ] >put bill in pillow You can't fit those in the old pillowcase. >i You are carrying: an old pillowcase a car key a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a can of WD-40 a deflated soccer ball a broken tire pump a 2x4 plank a can-opener a shovel a divining rod a machete a library book a biology book a cannonball the time machine manual a package a Herring detector a screwdriver some money (five dollars) >put key in package Done. >put bill in package Done. >put package in pillow You can't fit that in the old pillowcase. >put bill in pillow You can't fit those in the old pillowcase. >get ball Taken. >put bill in pillow Done. >put pillow in package Done. >i You are carrying: a machete a library book a biology book a cannonball the time machine manual a package a Herring detector a car key an old pillowcase a garage door opener a #2 pencil a tourist map a crowbar a can of WD-40 a broken tire pump a 2x4 plank a can-opener a shovel a divining rod some money (five dollars) a screwdriver a deflated soccer ball >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >w Sidewalk The concrete sidewalk that leads away from your house is starting to show the wear and tear of the hot summers and cool winters. The sections are uneven and tufts of grass poke up through the cracks. The sidewalk wanders east alongside the road away from your house and toward the nearby shopping village. Your driveway is back to the west. You see a mailbox here. >w Driveway This is your front driveway, which leads west to the north side of your house. A small path leads southwest to the front door. To the east is the road into town. You see a little car here. The trunk seems to contain a spare tire and a jack. The hood seems to contain an engine. >s There is nowhere to go in that direction. >sw Front of house This is the front of your house. A couple of stones laying about make up your half-hearted attempt at landscaping. Your driveway is to the northeast. A small path leads northwest and southwest. The front door stands invitingly to the west. You see a doormat here. >sw South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A scrawny, undernourished tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought one should. The sad sight of this particular specimen makes you think maybe you were wrong. >sw Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >sw Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 1 Okay, it's now turned to 1. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A deep red light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex. The loose money you are carrying goes spinning off into the whirlwind! When the wind dies down again, you find yourself in a ... Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. Unfortunately, you lost all of your money during the time jump. You should probably take steps to prevent that from happening next time. >undo (Undoing one command) Clearing (on the time machine platform) The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. >put money in compartment Done. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A deep red light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Forest The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. The hinged compartment seems to contain some money (five dollars). The divining rod vibrates, pulling to the northeast. >[Yay!] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods A natural path made by the stream winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, and the stream does an abrupt curve around it. The stream runs from the northeast to the south, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >undo (Undoing one command) Forest (on the time machine platform) The woods surround you on all sides, although there is enough space around you to consider it a clearing of sorts. Light streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. You can hear the soft gurgling of a stream nearby, but the foliage is so rich and dense that the sound of it is dispersed. You aren't sure which from which direction it originates. You can see your usual path through the grove of trees to the northeast. You see a time machine here. The hinged compartment seems to contain some money (five dollars). >set dial to 5 Okay, it's now turned to 5. >push button You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >g You push the big red button. Click! The time machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A blinding purple light envelops you. The world around you spins into a wild vortex that suddenly vanishes, leaving you to find yourself in a ... Clearing The woods part in a marvelous natural clearing here. Moonlight streams prettily through the canopy of leaves above. The ground is hard and flat and clean. Your footpath leaves the clearing to the northeast, heading back to the house. You see a time machine here. The hinged compartment seems to contain some money (five dollars). >ne (first getting off the platform) Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. Path in the woods This little spot is one of your favorite places to sit and think. A well-trod path winds through a natural grove of cedar and live oak trees. A large rock juts up out of the ground right in your way, so the path does an abrupt curve around it. The path leads northeast to your house, and a clearing is visible to the southwest. >ne South of house The ground slopes down slightly here, and the wall of the house looms an extra story high because of it. There is a tiny window high in the wall, about 30 feet up. A little path made by you on your many daily walks leads southwest into the woods. You can walk around your house to the northwest and northeast. A scrawny, undernourished tree is growing here next to the house, right where you always thought one should. The sad sight of this particular specimen makes you think maybe you were wrong. >nw Behind house The back of your house is pretty non-descript, except for some really nice trees that make up for the lack of landscaping in the front. The spout of your drainpipe comes down here from the roof. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >ne North of house The north side of your house is dominated by your garage door. The garage door is open. A scaled stone wall runs up the side of the house. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >s In the garage This room is a total mess. No wonder you keep your car in the driveway. Sure enough, it took a long time to sort through the junk in here, and you have found everything including the kitchen sink, and there still doesn't seem to have been much point to it. There is a garage door button on the wall. A closed door to the south leads into your house through the kitchen. The only other exit is the way you came in, which is open. You see an opener button, a wasp nest, a moose head trophy, a beat-up mattress, a busted wheelbarrow, and the kitchen sink here. >fix wheelbarrow (with the screwdriver) Perhaps a wrench would have been better suited for the