All text will now be saved to the script file. Type UNSCRIPT at any time to discontinue scripting. >[OK, need to replay to get my stuff back from the maze...] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >x stones Just a couple of cold grey stones sitting in the soft dirt. >search stones You'll have to be more specific about how you want to search those. >move stones You find a spare key! [ Your score just went up by 3 points. You can toggle these notifications at any time by typing 'notify.' ] >open door It's locked. Drat the luck, you've forgotten your house key tonight. There must be a spare around here somewhere. >unlock it (with the spare key) This key doesn't fit the front door lock. It must open something else. As you move the key away from the lock, you are hit with a strong sense that it is going to be a long and complicated night before you'll be able to unlock and open this door. At the same moment, something causes your spine to shiver. Something is definitely in the air this evening, but you don't know what. >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. >open car (with the car key) Unlocked. >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 it Opening the glove compartment reveals a #2 pencil and a tourist map. >get pencil, map #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. >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. >open mailbox Opened. >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. >x shrubbery It's a full, healthy, dense little bush. >look under it There's nothing under the shrubbery. >search it You find a sewer grating! >[Hmm.] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >look in grating Sitting in the muck about a foot and a half down is a five-dollar bill. >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. >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. >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. >sw 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. >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 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. >sit on rock You sit down on top of the rock. It is very serene and peaceful. >think Hmmmmmm. >out You get off the rock. There is nowhere to go in that direction. >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! >z Time passes... >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >set dial to 2 Okay, it's now turned to 2. >push button You push the big red button. Click! Nothing seems to happen. I wonder why. >z Time passes... 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 dull orange 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. ] >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >ne 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. Someone shouts, "Get that paint over to number eight!" A teenaged kid dashes by with hot coffee for the foreman. >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. Two guys wheel past with a load of cinder blocks. A man with a hard hat barks commands to some dust-covered strongarms. Someone shouts, "Where's the langstrom 7-inch gangley wrench?" >get jug Taken. A young man scurries by, holding three bundles of copper piping. Two women walk by, discussing their favorite winch pulley manufacturers. Someone up in the roof rafters shouts orders that are ignored. >nw 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. 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. A short man in a blue shirt says, "We ain't got enough water in the mix. Where's the foreman? Get the foreman." >u There is nowhere to go in that direction. 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. A young woman with a large box of wood screws rushes past, crying, "Coming! Coming!" >climb frame The frame is not suitable for climbing. 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!" A nervous kid slouches by, looking like it's his first day on the job. >se 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. 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. Someone yells, "Fifteen! Fifteen, everybody!" Someone yells back, "You got that right!" >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. 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!". Someone rushes up to you, looks you up and down, and then shakes his head and runs off. >get drivewr I don't know the word "drivewr". >get screwdriver Taken. 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." There is a crashing noise and some amount of furor and muttered oaths from the construction crew. >u Second floor The description 'second floor' is misleading, because the floor up here isn't actually finished, so watch your step. From up here you see a nice view of the town square down the road. There is a fancy blueprint of the house sitting on a temporary workdesk. The only exit is down. Sitting on the workdesk is a blueprint. The architect is here. 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. A handsome, tanned woman walks past, sipping a cup of tea. >x blueprint It's a lovely floor plan, rendered impeccably with blue pencil. The name of the architect is stenciled in the top corner. 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. A somber man winds past, unfurling a length of thick cabling behind him. >read it It's a lovely floor plan, rendered impeccably with blue pencil. The name of the architect is stenciled in the top corner. The lunchtime whistle blows shrilly. All of the workers cry, "LUNCH!" They drop what they're doing and gather north of the house to start eating. The architect looks up, grimaces, but goes back to work. He says, "Oh sure. They get a lunch break. They always get a lunch break. But me? Do I get one? Noooo..." >read name "Peter H. Mayhew -- Architect!" >x architect The architect is a brilliant craftsman, in his own way. You can tell just by looking at him. He must be in his early forties, with slightly peppery hair at the sideburns. His eyes are deep and intelligent, and his shoulders are already rounded from years of hunching over drafting tables. >ask architect about secret door He seems lost in thought for a moment. "What are you talking about?" Perhaps you should take it upon yourself to pencil it in for him. >draw secret door on plan (with the pencil) The architect harumphs and nudges you back. You might have to wait for him to be somewhere else in order to change the blueprint. >tell architect about lunch He doesn't seem to be listening. >l Second floor The description 'second floor' is misleading, because the floor up here isn't actually finished, so watch your step. From up here you see a nice view of the town square down the road. There is a fancy blueprint of the house sitting on a temporary workdesk. The only exit is down. Sitting on the workdesk is a blueprint. The architect is here. >x desk On the workdesk you see a blueprint. >x square From here you can see the bank, the sandwich shop, and an empty plot where the library ought to be. >x bank From here you can see the bank, the sandwich shop, and an empty plot where the library ought to be. >x architect The architect is a brilliant craftsman, in his own way. You can tell just by looking at him. He must be in his early forties, with slightly peppery hair at the sideburns. His eyes are deep and intelligent, and his shoulders are already rounded from years of hunching over drafting tables. >i You are carrying: a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a jug of miracle-grow some thick liquid a screwdriver >show all to architect library book: He is too busy to look over your things. car key: He is too busy to look over your things. #2 pencil: He is too busy to look over your things. tourist map: He is too busy to look over your things. jug of miracle-grow: He is too busy to look over your things. screwdriver: He is too busy to look over your things. >get blueprint The architect shoos you away. >d 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. >e 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. >x driveway I see nothing special about the wet driveway. >draw on driveway What do you want to draw on it with? >pencil I don't know how to draw on the wet driveway. >e There is nowhere to go in that direction. >ne You can't walk across the newly-poured cement driveway. >e There is nowhere to go in that direction. >se 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. >x grate I don't see any grate here. >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. >x grate The grating is made of iron. A trickle of water is visible underneath it. >x water I see nothing special about the trickle of water. >n 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. >save Saved. >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. >sw There is nowhere to go in that direction. >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. >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. >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. >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. >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. >se 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. >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. >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 ... 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. [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >ne 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 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. >s 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. >ne 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. >nw 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. >w 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. >nw 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. >ne 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 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. [ 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 through a long walk through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot here. >x soft spot There is a spot here which is particularly moist and soft. >n There is nowhere to go in that direction. >e There is nowhere to go in that direction. >se There is nowhere to go in that direction. >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. The merchant is here. >x antiques The collection of antiques is disordered, and most of it doesn't look important. You think you might turn something up if you gave it a good search, though. >search them antiques: You find nothing of interest. >read book There are two main theories about the potential for time travel. The first is that time is linear and immutable. Even if one were able to travel back and forth, there would be no way to alter the course of events. This does not rule out free will; rather, it is stipulated that free action is accounted for -- the time traveller's comings and goings have, in a sense, already taken place. You could not go back in time and prevent your own birth, for circumstances would intervene to make this action impossible. The second theory is that the timeline branches when a time traveller moves back and forth. A traveller from the future may disrupt the possibility of returning to the same world he or she left behind. Some say that time is an infinitely branching tree, with each moment containing a universe of all probable or possible choices, and the time traveller slips around from one to the next, with free will being a crucial factor in the consequent events. A third theory has been recently posited, and is the core of this particular book. It delves into the possibility of a merger between the two theories (previously determined to be mutually exclusive). This theory is expanded upon under the heading of paradoxes. >read about paradoxes (in the library book) This book centers on a new kind of paradox. It posits a theory in which the two main theories of time travel (previously determined to be mutually exclusive) are merged, allowing both for a universe in which time travel cannot change the course of events; and yet at the same time depicts a branching time stream where a time traveller may redirect events to change the future. This new paradox goes something as follows: A time traveller from the future travels back to the past. The mere act of traveling backwards disrupts the future course of events from that moment, making it impossible for the traveller to return to his or her own time and find it to be as he or she left it. However, through further manipulation of objects and events, the time traveller will be able to alter the time stream such that the future he or she left will be restored. Once the future is restored, the time traveller will have discovered that all of these events -- including the initial time trip which disrupted the time stream -- needed to happen, or else the time traveller would never have existed in the world he or she initially came from, and thus would not have been able to make the trip in the first place. The existence of the future he or she came from was contingent on the very disruption and manipulation of the time stream that nearly caused their future never to have existed at all! >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. >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 through a long walk through the trees to the northeast, you can see a road of some kind. You see a soft spot 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. >ne 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. >s 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. >sw Grotto The multiverdant greenery fed by the churning stream seems to end here in a place of stillness and serenity surrounding a deep pool of clear water. Even the very air itself seems to obey the call to quiet. The only exit is northeast. >save Saved. >i You are carrying: a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a jug of miracle-grow some thick liquid a screwdriver >enter pool You should probably leave your things here before you do that. >drop all library book: Dropped. car key: Dropped. #2 pencil: Dropped. tourist map: Dropped. jug of miracle-grow: Dropped. screwdriver: Dropped. >enter pool As you step into the cool water pool, you find it difficult to keep your footing. You move slowly towards the deeper end, and suddenly the bottom takes a sudden drop. Losing your balance, you slide under the water, pulled along by a deep current you didn't imagine was lurking under the still surface. Looking out through the water's surface, you see the sunlight disappear. Air returns to your lungs just as the light goes away, and you feel your body sluicing down into groundwater caverns. When the motion stops, all you hear is the dripping of shallow water. You crawl forward and find a hard but dry spot. It is not completely dark here, but it takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust. In the misty light you find yourself in a ... Limestone crawl You are in a tiny crawlway carved by the flow of ancient waters through soft limestone. The natural groundwater springs are drying up, and soon will be gone. A current of dark but shallow water swirls nearby. Light leaks down from a vertical sluice that leads up into the deep end of the grotto. You can leave through careful navigation up the sluice, or follow the crawlway, which leads north. >x water They are dark and swift-moving. >u It's a somewhat torturous ascent, but with patience and resolve you manage to make your way up the sluice. Your head again goes underwater for a moment, but you follow the light. Your hands grope and find a hold on the shallow bottom of the pool. Emerging, you shake yourself dry as best you can. Grotto The multiverdant greenery fed by the churning stream seems to end here in a place of stillness and serenity surrounding a deep pool of clear water. Even the very air itself seems to obey the call to quiet. The only exit is northeast. You see a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, a jug of miracle-grow, and a screwdriver here. >d There is nowhere to go in that direction. >enter pool As you step into the cool water pool, you find it difficult to keep your footing. You move slowly towards the deeper end, and suddenly the bottom takes a sudden drop. Losing your balance, you slide under the water, pulled along by a deep current you didn't imagine was lurking under the still surface. Looking out through the water's surface, you see the sunlight disappear. Air returns to your lungs just as the light goes away, and you feel your body sluicing down into groundwater caverns. When the motion stops, all you hear is the dripping of shallow water. You crawl forward and find a hard but dry spot. It is not completely dark here, but it takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust. In the misty light you find yourself in a ... Limestone crawl You are in a tiny crawlway carved by the flow of ancient waters through soft limestone. The natural groundwater springs are drying up, and soon will be gone. A current of dark but shallow water swirls nearby. Light leaks down from a vertical sluice that leads up into the deep end of the grotto. You can leave through careful navigation up the sluice, or follow the crawlway, which leads north. >n Narrow north-south crawl You are in a narrow north-south crawlway that bulges slightly, giving you more room to maneuver. The crawlway heads north and then bends, making it difficult to see farther ahead, and slopes downward to the south. >n Tight bend The tunnel you have been following makes a tight bend here. Chalky dust swirls in the damp air, stirred up by your arrival. The crawl widens to the south, and turns here to the southeast, making a sudden drop as it does so. >se Crumbling tunnel Eroding limestone has caused the floor here to give way recently. You find your footing on the crumbling chunks of limestone, but only after making a scary drop of about four feet. The walls of the tunnel sport all manner of jagged cracks, but you don't feel any shifting or settling. Perhaps it is safe to continue, but probably not much farther. The limestone shelf is up and back to the northwest. The tunnel continues forward to the north, descending even further as it does so. >n Dark passage The light you have been following darkens here, making you wonder how much faith you have in the ambiguous light source. You can no longer make out any colors, only grainy shades of light and dark, but there wouldn't be many other colors to see even in full light. The passage continues ahead, zigzagging to the northeast, and to the south. >ne Zigzag passage The passage takes a series of sharp, zigzag turns here, north to west, north to west. As it does so, you feel your ears adjust to deepening pressure. You are definitely headed downhill the farther you go. The passage straightens out to the northeast, where you can discern a strange but growing brightness, and zigzags back into the darkness to the southwest. >ne Ledge The brightness coming from the bend in the tunnel to the north nearly distracts you from watching your footing. The sharp echo of a carelessly kicked stone, that rattles down for ten or twelve seconds before coming to a splashing halt, stops you in your tracks. You are standing on a narrow ledge at the south end of a jagged east-west gap in the cave floor. The gap plunges straight down, erosion having eaten everything away underneath. It is not a wide gap, and you are capable of crossing it without difficulty. However, you are aware that if you had stepped directly into it, your story would have ended here, in the darkness and the deep. Across the gap, the tunnel goes north and takes another bend, and it continues back southwest. >x gap The gap plunges straight down, erosion having eaten everything away underneath. It is not a wide gap, and you are capable of crossing it without difficulty. >enter gap There is no point in risking it. >jump You jump across to the north side of the gap. >n Bright bend Bright blue illumination shines from the opening to a larger cavern to the east. The light shimmers and ripples on the walls, wavelike patterns that dance and intermingle, shining all the more brightly where they overlap. The cavern is east, and the tunnel bends south, where it meets a ledge. >e Crystal cavern You are in a large cavern that seems to be an enormous natural geode, with crystals as big as your head growing in splints and shafts from every direction. A pool of white water catches the reflected and refracted light and spins it back into the room, where it is caught and re-refracted. The original source of the light seems to be a series of pinholes in the roof of the cavern high above, but you don't think it could be sunlight. You have lost track of how deep you have gone, perhaps twenty, perhaps forty feet under the surface, but too far down to see sunlight, you would have thought. It is possible that sunlight has periscoped down a set of small crystal encrusted shafts that lead far enough up to see the open sky. In any case, it is literally mesmerizing to be here. The only exit is a tunnel to the west. You see crystals here. >[LucentTrans! We found them!] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >[20-40 feet and I feel a difference in pressure?] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >x crystals Crystals as big as your head and as delicately small as your fingernail are growing in splints and shafts from every direction. >get crystals You search for a crystal loose enough to take without breaking it or a larger crystal. After a short search, you discover a perfect blue crystal, which you take. [ Your score just went up by 3 points. ] >g There aren't any other crystals loose enough to take. >x blue Which blue do you mean, the perfect blue crystal, or the general light in the area? >perfect The crystal is about an inch long, with perfect hexagonal symmetry. It is a dazzling little keepsake. >x light A pool of white water catches the reflected and refracted light and spins it back into the room, where it is caught and re-refracted. The original source of the light seems to be a series of pinholes in the roof of the cavern high above, but you don't think it could be sunlight. >x pool The pool of white water is silent and slightly rippled, calmer than the vibrant dance of light on its surface. >full In a total of 157 turns, you have achieved a score of 25 points out of a possible 151, which means you are starting to get somewhere. You have earned the following: 5 points for stepping onto the platform the first time 5 points for arriving in the far past the first time 5 points for arriving in the past the first time 4 points for making it through the maze to the stream 6 points for finding various items >l Crystal cavern You are in a large cavern that seems to be an enormous natural geode, with crystals as big as your head growing in splints and shafts from every direction. A pool of white water catches the reflected and refracted light and spins it back into the room, where it is caught and re-refracted. The original source of the light seems to be a series of pinholes in the roof of the cavern high above, but you don't think it could be sunlight. You have lost track of how deep you have gone, perhaps twenty, perhaps forty feet under the surface, but too far down to see sunlight, you would have thought. It is possible that sunlight has periscoped down a set of small crystal encrusted shafts that lead far enough up to see the open sky. In any case, it is literally mesmerizing to be here. The only exit is a tunnel to the west. You see crystals here. >w Bright bend Bright blue illumination shines from the opening to a larger cavern to the east. The light shimmers and ripples on the walls, wavelike patterns that dance and intermingle, shining all the more brightly where they overlap. The cavern is east, and the tunnel bends south, where it meets a ledge. >s Ledge You are standing on a narrow ledge at the north end of a jagged west-east gap in the cave floor. The gap plunges straight down, erosion having eaten everything away underneath. It is not a wide gap, and you are capable of crossing it without difficulty. Across the gap, the tunnel goes southwest, and it continues back north and takes a bend into the crystal cavern. >jump You jump across to the south side of the gap. >sw Zigzag passage The passage takes a series of sharp, zigzag turns here, north to west, north to west. As it does so, you feel your ears adjust to deepening pressure. You are definitely headed downhill the farther you go. The passage straightens out to the northeast, where you can discern a strange but growing brightness, and zigzags back into the darkness to the southwest. >sw Dark passage The light you have been following darkens here, making you wonder how much faith you have in the ambiguous light source. You can no longer make out any colors, only grainy shades of light and dark, but there wouldn't be many other colors to see even in full light. The passage continues ahead, zigzagging to the northeast, and to the south. >s Crumbling tunnel Eroding limestone has caused the floor here to give way recently. You find your footing on the crumbling chunks of limestone, but only after making a scary drop of about four feet. The walls of the tunnel sport all manner of jagged cracks, but you don't feel any shifting or settling. Perhaps it is safe to continue, but probably not much farther. The limestone shelf is up and back to the northwest. The tunnel continues forward to the north, descending even further as it does so. >s There is nowhere to go in that direction. >nw Tight bend The tunnel you have been following makes a tight bend here. Chalky dust swirls in the damp air, stirred up by your arrival. The crawl widens to the south, and turns here to the southeast, making a sudden drop as it does so. >s Narrow north-south crawl You are in a narrow north-south crawlway that bulges slightly, giving you more room to maneuver. The crawlway heads north and then bends, making it difficult to see farther ahead, and slopes downward to the south. >s Limestone crawl You are in a tiny crawlway carved by the flow of ancient waters through soft limestone. The natural groundwater springs are drying up, and soon will be gone. A current of dark but shallow water swirls nearby. Light leaks down from a vertical sluice that leads up into the deep end of the grotto. You can leave through careful navigation up the sluice, or follow the crawlway, which leads north. >u It's a somewhat torturous ascent, but with patience and resolve you manage to make your way up the sluice. Your head again goes underwater for a moment, but you follow the light. Your hands grope and find a hold on the shallow bottom of the pool. Emerging, you shake yourself dry as best you can. Grotto The multiverdant greenery fed by the churning stream seems to end here in a place of stillness and serenity surrounding a deep pool of clear water. Even the very air itself seems to obey the call to quiet. The only exit is northeast. You see a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, a jug of miracle-grow, and a screwdriver here. >get all pool: That isn't important. library book: Taken. car key: Taken. #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. jug of miracle-grow: Taken. screwdriver: You've already got your hands full. >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a jug of miracle-grow some thick liquid >[Eeeagh! Inventory limits!] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >n There is nowhere to go in that direction. >l Grotto The multiverdant greenery fed by the churning stream seems to end here in a place of stillness and serenity surrounding a deep pool of clear water. Even the very air itself seems to obey the call to quiet. The only exit is northeast. You see a screwdriver here. >ne 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. >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. >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. >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a jug of miracle-grow some thick liquid >put all on machine perfect blue crystal: Done. library book: Done. car key: Done. #2 pencil: Done. tourist map: Done. jug of miracle-grow: Done. >ne 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. >s 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. >sw Grotto The multiverdant greenery fed by the churning stream seems to end here in a place of stillness and serenity surrounding a deep pool of clear water. Even the very air itself seems to obey the call to quiet. The only exit is northeast. You see a screwdriver here. >get screwdriver Taken. >ne 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. >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. >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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >ne 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. >n 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. >n 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 bunch of workers are here, having a lunch break. A temporary workshed is to the west, and you can walk around the house to the southeast and southwest. >e You can't walk across the newly-poured cement driveway. >se 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. >sw 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. >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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >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 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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. [ Your score just went up by 5 points. ] >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >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. >ne South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The house has been destroyed by fire. There is nothing left of the roof or the upper half, and of the lower half, merely charred timbers and twisted pipes that no longer lead to anything. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around what's left of your house to the northwest and northeast. >n Inside the house You step inside your house. There isn't much to see, unfortunately, except fire damaged wood and broken things. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. Sadly, you can exit in any direction. >ne North of house The house has been destroyed by fire. There is nothing left of the roof or the upper half, and of the lower half, merely charred timbers and twisted pipes that no longer lead to anything. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. The stone chimney that once led up is a crumbled pile of blackened stone and mortar. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >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 paper Taken. >read it An item in the business section catches your eye. Apparently, the Lothario Corporation has failed to consume DibbleBits, an upstart technology company, in hostile takeover. It seems DibbleBits is cash-rich right now, its stock value having taken a sudden 80-point jump in the last year, due to technology demand, after having languished at pennies-per-share for 30 years. >se There is nowhere to go in that direction. >e Sidewalk After the shocking sight of your house, this once-familiar sidewalk is a calming surprise. Someone must have recently repoured the walk, as it is smooth and free of flaws. The sidewalk wanders east-west alongside the road from your house into the nearby strip mall. You see a mailbox here. >open mailbox Opened. >look in it There's nothing in the mailbox. >e Strip mall The walk to town is much shorter, because progress seems to have brought the town to you. Where there used to be some nice trees and bushes is a concrete strip-mall. The old village square with the library, bank, and sandwich shop seems to have been mowed down to make way for this thing. In fact, a sign here makes you think even this strip mall isn't long for this world. Even the bank is gone, replaced by an impersonal automated teller machine (ATM). In the strip mall you see a number of vacant offices. The only shop that seems to be open for business is an alabaster little store labelled "Locksmith," which is directly to the north. The sidewalk leads back west. >n Locksmith shop A sign inside says, "Going out of business - Free stuff." Most everything has been taken already. The only exit is south. You see a motorized grinder here. The motorized grinder seems to contain a blank. >get grinder You'll have to unplug it from the socket first. >unplug it You unplug the motorized grinder from the socket. >get it Taken. >s Strip mall The walk to town is much shorter, because progress seems to have brought the town to you. Where there used to be some nice trees and bushes is a concrete strip-mall. The old village square with the library, bank, and sandwich shop seems to have been mowed down to make way for this thing. In fact, a sign here makes you think even this strip mall isn't long for this world. Even the bank is gone, replaced by an impersonal automated teller machine (ATM). In the strip mall you see a number of vacant offices. The only shop that seems to be open for business is an alabaster little store labelled "Locksmith," which is directly to the north. The sidewalk leads back west. >w Sidewalk After the shocking sight of your house, this once-familiar sidewalk is a calming surprise. Someone must have recently repoured the walk, as it is smooth and free of flaws. The sidewalk wanders east-west alongside the road from your house into the nearby strip mall. You see a mailbox here. >w 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. >w North of house The house has been destroyed by fire. There is nothing left of the roof or the upper half, and of the lower half, merely charred timbers and twisted pipes that no longer lead to anything. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. The stone chimney that once led up is a crumbled pile of blackened stone and mortar. 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 house has been destroyed by fire. There is nothing left of the roof or the upper half, and of the lower half, merely charred timbers and twisted pipes that no longer lead to anything. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. A gravel path extends northeast and southeast. >ne North of house The house has been destroyed by fire. There is nothing left of the roof or the upper half, and of the lower half, merely charred timbers and twisted pipes that no longer lead to anything. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. The stone chimney that once led up is a crumbled pile of blackened stone and mortar. The driveway extends east, and a small path leads southeast to the front of the house and southwest to the back. >u There is nothing left standing for you to climb. >s Inside the house You step inside your house. There isn't much to see, unfortunately, except fire damaged wood and broken things. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. Sadly, you can exit in any direction. >s South of house This is not your house as you expected to find it, but a scene of devastation. The house has been destroyed by fire. There is nothing left of the roof or the upper half, and of the lower half, merely charred timbers and twisted pipes that no longer lead to anything. The nearly unrecognizable remains of furniture are overturned and mildewing inside the jaggered black wood. To the southwest is the old rock and, farther, the clearing. You can walk around what's left of 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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set button to 4 Turning the large red button doesn't have any effect. >oops dial I don't know the word "oops". >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 ... Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >fullscore In a total of 236 turns, you have achieved a score of 30 points out of a possible 151, which means you are starting to get somewhere. You have earned the following: 5 points for stepping onto the platform the first time 5 points for arriving in the far past the first time 5 points for arriving in the past the first time 5 points for arriving in the future the first time 4 points for making it through the maze to the stream 6 points for finding various items >[Hey, no 5 points for arriving in the far future?] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >l Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >ne Beneath the skyscraper The skyscraper looms, looms, looms above you. It could be as high as 100 stories, but somehow the rippling heat from the blacktop is making your vision distorted, and you really can't trust your eyes right now. The name "Lothario" is displayed in striated steel letters 20 feet up over the entranceway, which extends through glass doors into an expansive lobby. There is not another soul in sight. Your only means of escape is the time machine, visible through the hazy heat to the southwest. You hope it isn't just a mirage. The glass doors are to the west. >w (Opening the lobby doors) The blast of dessicating heat settles into the sterile chill of air conditioning as you pass through the doors... Expansive lobby The floor of this oppressively architectured lobby, with proportions guaranteed to make the visitor feel powerless and insignificant, is made of polished pink granite. Black marble walls laced with stripes of brass lurch upward to a curved ceiling. An almost laughable fresco has been painted in the dome, depicting Atlas shouldering the world as angels look on. In this rendition, Atlas sports a tailored, double-breasted gray suit and an advertising-age, beaming white smile. You are aware of the presence of security cameras, at least four that you notice right away, pointed in your direction. A massive security desk built of granite, with an arcing black marble countertop, is situated in the middle of the lobby. An array of black and white monitors are visible behind it. The lobby doors exit to the east. To the northeast is a long hallway, and to the northwest you see a set of three elevators. There is a security guard here, sitting behind the desk. >nw Lobby elevators This short hallway is painted a deep shade of crimson. A large building directory is bolted to the wall. A leafy plant sits in the corner, attempting to breathe some semblance of real life into the sterile atmosphere. There are three closed elevator doors here, and up and down call buttons. The lobby is back to the southeast. >read directory The directory lists well over fifty companies, each occupying a different floor. None of them mean anything to you. The Lothario Corporation's main offices are on the top floor, level 70. >look up architect What do you want to look up it in? >directory The directory contains no information about that subject. >se Expansive lobby The floor of this oppressively architectured lobby, with proportions guaranteed to make the visitor feel powerless and insignificant, is made of polished pink granite. Black marble walls laced with stripes of brass lurch upward to a curved ceiling. An almost laughable fresco has been painted in the dome, depicting Atlas shouldering the world as angels look on. In this rendition, Atlas sports a tailored, double-breasted gray suit and an advertising-age, beaming white smile. The lobby doors exit to the east. To the northeast is a long hallway, and to the northwest you see a set of three elevators. You see a security desk here. There is a security guard here, sitting behind the desk. >e The sterile chill of conditioned air gives way to the punishing blast of dessicating heat as you pass through the doors... Beneath the skyscraper The skyscraper looms, looms, looms above you. It could be as high as 100 stories, but somehow the rippling heat from the blacktop is making your vision distorted, and you really can't trust your eyes right now. The name "Lothario" is displayed in striated steel letters 20 feet up over the entranceway, which extends through glass doors into an expansive lobby. There is not another soul in sight. Your only means of escape is the time machine, visible through the hazy heat to the southwest. You hope it isn't just a mirage. The glass doors are to the west. >sw Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. You hear a sharp noise that dies quickly away. >listen You hear the dessicating blasts of hot winds across black-topped pavement. You see something moving in the shimmering air. >enter lot You don't need to refer to this location like that. Something is moving quickly toward you from the northeast. >ne Beneath the skyscraper The skyscraper looms, looms, looms above you. It could be as high as 100 stories, but somehow the rippling heat from the blacktop is making your vision distorted, and you really can't trust your eyes right now. The name "Lothario" is displayed in striated steel letters 20 feet up over the entranceway, which extends through glass doors into an expansive lobby. There is not another soul in sight. Your only means of escape is the time machine, visible through the hazy heat to the southwest. You hope it isn't just a mirage. The glass doors are to the west. >sw Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. Black shapes are surrounding you on all sides. >x black shapes I don't see any black shapes here. >l Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. Everything seems to fade into the haze... >x haze I don't see any haze here. >z Time passes... >set dial to 1 Okay, it's now turned to 1. >push button You push the big red button. Click! The machine vibrates and heats up like a toaster oven. A blinding light envelops the machine, and it vanishes in a fancy puff of smoke, leaving only the smell of ozone behind. >out The heat and wind drive you back. >undo (Undoing one command) Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. >undo (Undoing one command) Parking lot You are standing in the middle of a gigantic parking lot which extends as far as you can see in most directions. An ugly, hot wind whips past you, scorching across the miles of black pavement, drawing at you like a vacuum, pulling you toward one of the ugliest skyscrapers you have ever seen. A monolith of black glass and steel, it rises fully 80 stories, at least. The fearsome structure is a short walk to the northeast, right where your house used to be. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >set dial to 1 It's already set 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. 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 perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >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. >ne 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. >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 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. >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. ] >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. >get tile You pry loose one of the bad shingles. The squirrel gazes into the distance, daydreaming about something. >x squirrel Definitely male, all right. He's got a tuft of white hair on his head that almost gives him an Einstein-like appearance. In his little paws is a big, juicy acorn. The squirrel dashes from one spot to another, then twitches its jaws. >i You are carrying: a screwdriver a newspaper a motorized grinder a blank a bad shingle The squirrel nibbles at his tail. >show all to squirrel screwdriver: The squirrel isn't impressed. newspaper: It is dangerous to go around showing obvious artifacts from the future to people in the past. motorized grinder: The squirrel isn't impressed. bad shingle: The squirrel gnaws on one of the rotten shingles, makes a face, and spits out the splinters." >[Yeah, that's dangerous all right. The squirrel might buy stock!] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >i You are carrying: a screwdriver a newspaper a motorized grinder a blank a bad shingle The squirrel lazes about in a state of squirrel contentment. >hit squirrel Violence won't help. The squirrel shakes his little head. It doesn't mean anything significant. >wave I don't know the word "wave". >jump That's a dangerous thing to do when you're thirty feet up on a slippery roof. The squirrel gazes into the distance, daydreaming about something. >dance You trot out a couple of your best steps. The squirrel looks at you quizzically, and only finally seems to show some sign of amusement when you nearly lose your footing on the roof. The squirrel flicks his tail and blinks. >[Yay!] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >dance You trot out a couple of your best steps. The squirrel looks at you quizzically, and only finally seems to show some sign of amusement when you nearly lose your footing on the roof. The squirrel paces back and forth. >i You are carrying: a screwdriver a newspaper a motorized grinder a blank a bad shingle The squirrel squats down. >x bad This is a prime example of what not to make a roof out of. It shouldn't be in such bad shape after only, what, ten years? A mood seems to come over the squirrel, indistinguishable from other squirrel moods. >x squirrel Definitely male, all right. He's got a tuft of white hair on his head that almost gives him an Einstein-like appearance. In his little paws is a big, juicy acorn. The squirrel pouts, looks excited, then pouts again. Just your usual squirrel business. >get acorn The squirrel is carrying the big juicy acorn and won't let you have it. The squirrel waddles a bit. >x pipe It runs from here down to a spout at the back of the house. The squirrel scampers back and forth on the rooftop. >clean it You pull out a few stray leaves, but it does nothing to unclog the drainpipe. The squirrel looks around, then stares at you. >x trees >l 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 nibbles and fidgets. >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 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. >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. >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. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow. >drop all screwdriver: Dropped. newspaper: Dropped. motorized grinder: Dropped. bad shingle: Dropped. >get all from machine I don't see what you're referring to. >enter machine Okay, you're now standing on the time machine platform. >get all perfect blue crystal: Taken. library book: Taken. car key: Taken. #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. jug of miracle-grow: Taken. >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >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. >ne 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. >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 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. >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 doesn't react. >give all to squirrel perfect blue crystal: That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. library book: That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. car key: That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. #2 pencil: That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. tourist map: That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. jug of miracle-grow: That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. The squirrel walks in a slow circle. >pour miracle on squirrel You shouldn't pour the thick liquid into him. The squirrel makes a funny 'tk-tk-tk-tk' noise. >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 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. >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. >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. You see a time machine, a screwdriver, a newspaper, a motorized grinder, and a bad shingle here. The motorized grinder seems to contain a blank. >put all on machine perfect blue crystal: Done. library book: Done. car key: Done. #2 pencil: Done. tourist map: Done. jug of miracle-grow: Done. >get all footpath: It's fixed in place. canopy: It's fixed in place. time machine: It's fixed in place. perfect blue crystal: Taken. library book: Taken. car key: Taken. #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. jug of miracle-grow: Taken. screwdriver: You've already got your hands full. newspaper: You've already got your hands full. motorized grinder: You've already got your hands full. bad shingle: You've already got your hands full. >put all on machine perfect blue crystal: Done. library book: Done. car key: Done. #2 pencil: Done. tourist map: Done. jug of miracle-grow: Done. >get screwdriver, paper, grinder, shingle screwdriver: Taken. newspaper: Taken. motorized grinder: Taken. bad shingle: Taken. >put all on machine screwdriver: Done. newspaper: Done. motorized grinder: Done. bad shingle: Done. >set dial to2 I don't know the word "to2". >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 ... 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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, a jug of miracle-grow, a screwdriver, a newspaper, a motorized grinder, and a bad shingle. >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >get all time machine: It's fixed in place. perfect blue crystal: Taken. library book: Taken. car key: Taken. #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. jug of miracle-grow: Taken. screwdriver: You've already got your hands full. newspaper: You've already got your hands full. motorized grinder: You've already got your hands full. bad shingle: You've already got your hands full. >ne 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. >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. >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. >u Second floor The description 'second floor' is misleading, because the floor up here isn't actually finished, so watch your step. From up here you see a nice view of the town square down the road. There is a fancy blueprint of the house sitting on a temporary workdesk. The only exit is down. Sitting on the workdesk is a blueprint. The architect is here. >show all to architect perfect blue crystal: He is too busy to look over your things. library book: He is too busy to look over your things. car key: He is too busy to look over your things. #2 pencil: He is too busy to look over your things. tourist map: He is too busy to look over your things. jug of miracle-grow: He is too busy to look over your things. >sing You don't have much ability for that, but you feel plucky and warble out a few bars of one of your favorite tunes. The architect says, "Do you mind doing that somewhere else? I am trying to work here." >dance You trot out a couple of your best steps. The architect says, "Do you mind doing that somewhere else? I am trying to work here." >ask him about lunch He says, "Mmmm, lunch would really hit the spot right now, but I have to work straight through. I could really go for a nice big sandwich." He sighs and goes back to work. >d 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. >e 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. >sw 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. >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. Sitting on the time machine platform is a screwdriver, a newspaper, a motorized grinder, and a bad shingle. >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. 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 screwdriver, a newspaper, a motorized grinder, and a bad shingle. >out Okay, you're no longer on the time machine platform. >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a jug of miracle-grow some thick liquid >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. >drop all perfect blue crystal: Dropped. library book: Dropped. car key: Dropped. #2 pencil: Dropped. tourist map: Dropped. jug of miracle-grow: Dropped. >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 screwdriver, a newspaper, a motorized grinder, and a bad shingle. >get all footpath: It's fixed in place. canopy: It's fixed in place. time machine: It's fixed in place. screwdriver: Taken. newspaper: Taken. motorized grinder: Taken. bad shingle: Taken. >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. You see a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow here. >ne 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. >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. >e There is nowhere to go in that direction. >se There is nowhere to go in that direction. >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. >se There is nowhere to go in that direction. >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. >put all in grating screwdriver: You can't put anything into the sewer grating. newspaper: You can't put anything into the sewer grating. motorized grinder: You can't put anything into the sewer grating. bad shingle: You can't put anything into the sewer grating. >put all in water screwdriver: There's no sense in getting your possessions wet. newspaper: There's no sense in getting your possessions wet. motorized grinder: There's no sense in getting your possessions wet. bad shingle: There's no sense in getting your possessions wet. >get bill You can't reach the five-dollar bill through the grating. >get bill with screwdriver I don't recognize that sentence. >get dollar You can't reach the five-dollar bill through the grating. >stab dollar Poking the five-dollar bill doesn't seem to have any effect. >i You are carrying: a screwdriver a newspaper a motorized grinder a blank a bad shingle >x grating The grating is made of iron that has long since rusted. A trickle of water is visible underneath it. Sitting in the muck about a foot and a half down is a five-dollar bill. >hit it I don't know how to attack the sewer grating. >move it You can't move the sewer grating. >turn it Turning the sewer grating doesn't have any effect. >pull it Pulling the sewer grating doesn't have any effect. >open it It's too heavy to open. >open it with screwdriver You can't open things with that. >i You are carrying: a screwdriver a newspaper a motorized grinder a blank a bad shingle >open it with shingle You can't open things with that. >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. >open library It's locked. >unlock library What do you want to unlock it with? >screwdriver I don't know how to unlock anything with the screwdriver. >e You'll have to open the public library first. >x library This is the library you left just a few minutes ago. It is closed for the night. A depository slot is the only thing of note. >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 from slot 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: Taken. >read books rare book: You haven't the slightest interest in the subject. Who would? biology book: The only thing interesting about this book is that the author was apparently stranded on a small island in the Pacific for fifteen years while researching the material. >x biology book The title of this book is "Fun With Ferns" by Prof. Roy Hinkley. >x rare A rare scientific volume, detailing the mating habits of small rodents. >look up squirrel in rare The book goes into somewhat lurid detail about the mating habits of squirrels, including a ream of bawdy, full-color photographs of female squirrels in heat. It's really rather lascivious for a scientific volume. >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. >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. >sw 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. >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. >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 paces around, turns, and paces some more. Then he just kind of sits there. >show rare to squirrel The squirrel leaps up and down in a state of excitement! >get acorn The squirrel is carrying the big juicy acorn and won't let you have it. The squirrel nibbles at one of his little paws. >give bad to squirrel That isn't what the squirrel is interested in. The squirrel looks shocked and clutches at his little neck. Or not. He was probably just doing some squirrel thing that you read too much into. >show rare to squirrel The squirrel leaps up and down in a state of excitement! >give it to him 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. >x pipe It runs from here down to a spout at the back of the house. >pour miracle into pipe I don't see any miracle here. >i You are carrying: a screwdriver a newspaper a motorized grinder a blank a bad shingle a biology book >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 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. >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. >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. You see a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow here. >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. >put all in machine screwdriver: You can't put anything into the time machine platform. newspaper: You can't put anything into the time machine platform. motorized grinder: You can't put anything into the time machine platform. bad shingle: You can't put anything into the time machine platform. biology book: You can't put anything into the time machine platform. >put all on machine screwdriver: Done. newspaper: Done. motorized grinder: Done. bad shingle: Done. biology book: Done. >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. You see a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, and a jug of miracle-grow here. >get all well-trod path: It's fixed in place. perfect blue crystal: Taken. library book: Taken. car key: Taken. #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. jug of miracle-grow: Taken. >ne 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. >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 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. >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. >pour miracle into pipe You shouldn't pour the thick liquid into that. >get tile There aren't any other shingles loose enough to take. >clean pipe You pull out a few stray leaves, but it does nothing to unclog the drainpipe. >look in pipe You see nothing but muck and darkness in the drainpipe. >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 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. >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. >x pipe I see nothing special about the drainpipe. >pull it Pulling the drainpipe doesn't have any effect. >shake it I don't know the word "shake". >clean it You pull out a few stray leaves, but it does nothing to unclog the drainpipe. >look in it The drainpipe is clogged with leaves. >count leaves >pull pipe Pulling the drainpipe doesn't have any effect. >x pipe I see nothing special about the drainpipe. >climb i I don't understand that sentence. >climb ii I don't know the word "ii". >climb it The drainpipe is not suitable for climbing. >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a jug of miracle-grow some thick liquid >put all in pipe perfect blue crystal: You put the perfect blue crystal into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. library book: You put the library book into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. car key: You put the car key into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. #2 pencil: You put the #2 pencil into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. tourist map: You put the tourist map into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. jug of miracle-grow: The jug of miracle-grow is too big to fit in the drainpipe. >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. You see a time machine here. Sitting on the time machine platform is a screwdriver, a newspaper, a motorized grinder, a bad shingle, and a biology book. >get all from machine I don't see what you're referring to. >get all footpath: It's fixed in place. canopy: It's fixed in place. time machine: It's fixed in place. screwdriver: Taken. newspaper: Taken. motorized grinder: You've already got your hands full. bad shingle: Taken. biology book: Taken. >x canopy >[oops--another 1010] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >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. >ne 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. >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. You see a perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, and a tourist map here. >put all in pipe jug of miracle-grow: The jug of miracle-grow is too big to fit in the drainpipe. screwdriver: You put the screwdriver into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. newspaper: You put the newspaper into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. bad shingle: You put the bad shingle into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. biology book: You put the biology book into the drainpipe, and it falls out onto the ground. >drop all jug of miracle-grow: Dropped. >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. >get all well-trod path: It's fixed in place. >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 motorized grinder. >get all footpath: It's fixed in place. canopy: It's fixed in place. time machine: It's fixed in place. motorized grinder: Taken. >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. >undo (Undoing one command) 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. >g (Undoing one command) 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 motorized grinder. >g (Undoing one command) 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. >g (Undoing one command) 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. >g (Undoing one command) 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. >g (Undoing one command) 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 perfect blue crystal, a library book, a car key, a #2 pencil, a tourist map, a screwdriver, a newspaper, a bad shingle, a biology book, and a jug of miracle-grow here. >get all drainpipe: It's fixed in place. perfect blue crystal: Taken. library book: Taken. car key: Taken. #2 pencil: Taken. tourist map: Taken. screwdriver: Taken. newspaper: Taken. bad shingle: Taken. biology book: Taken. jug of miracle-grow: You've already got your hands full. >ne 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. >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. >put all in pipe perfect blue crystal: You drop the perfect blue crystal into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. library book: You drop the library book into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. car key: You drop the car key into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. #2 pencil: You drop the #2 pencil into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. tourist map: You drop the tourist map into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. screwdriver: You drop the screwdriver into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. newspaper: You drop the newspaper into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. bad shingle: You drop the bad shingle into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. biology book: You drop the biology book into the drainpipe. It vanishes, leaving you with a sinking feeling in your gut that you won't see it again. >undo (Undoing one command) 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. >w You will fall off the roof if you go in that direction. >x trap It's clogged full of leaves, but you can still make out the top opening of the drainpipe that leads down to the back of the house. >clean trap You pull out a few stray leaves, but it does nothing to unclog the drainpipe. >clean trap with screwdriver That isn't going to work. >clean trap with all You can't use multiple indirect objects. >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a screwdriver a newspaper a bad shingle a biology book >full In a total of 434 turns, you have achieved a score of 34 points out of a possible 151, which means you are starting to get somewhere. You have earned the following: 4 points for climbing onto the roof the first time 5 points for stepping onto the platform the first time 5 points for arriving in the far past the first time 5 points for arriving in the past the first time 5 points for arriving in the future the first time 4 points for making it through the maze to the stream 6 points for finding various items >i You are carrying: a perfect blue crystal a library book a car key a #2 pencil a tourist map a screwdriver a newspaper a bad shingle a biology book >x biology The title of this book is "Fun With Ferns" by Prof. Roy Hinkley. >read it The only thing interesting about this book is that the author was apparently stranded on a small island in the Pacific for fifteen years while researching the material. >look up fern in biology The book contains a few dry facts about the biology book, but nothing very important. >[Oops.] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >look up tree in biology >[1010] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >look up acorn in biology The biology book contains no information about that subject. >look up author in biology The biology book contains no information about that subject. >save Saved. >quit In a total of 441 turns, you have achieved a score of 34 points out of a possible 151, which means you are starting to get somewhere. Do you really want to quit? (YES or NO) > y Thank you for playing First Things First.