All text will now be saved to the script file. Type UNSCRIPT at any time to discontinue scripting. >x clock The clocks are all inset in the walls. Their faces are covered in faceted glass and there is no obvious way to set any of them. >x woman She stands perfectly still, head tilted to one side. She has no mouth--where it should be, there is only smooth skin. Despite this, she is rather pretty, with brown hair framing her face. She stares fixedly straight ahead. She is holding a sign on which is printed in block letters, "Touch Me." >x light The red light puddles on the floor around the north doorway. >touch woman As soon as you touch the woman, she blinks. She glances around, then nods at you. With a swift motion she crumples her sign. A second later she is striding out of the room, beckoning you with one hand. >follow woman I don't see any woman here. >n South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. Three monkeys block the east doorway. Through the east doorway you catch a glimpse of brown hair as the woman moves about the room. >e You cannot get past the monkeys. >x monkeys The three monkeys are nearly two meters tall. One holds his hands over his eyes; another holds his hands over his ears; the third covers his mouth with his hands. >s Clock Room The walls of the room are filled to capacity with clocks of varying shapes and sizes. All are running, though the hands of some whirl quickly while others creep infinitesimally forward. A thick red light glows through the doorway to the north. >x clock The clocks are all inset in the walls. Their faces are covered in faceted glass and there is no obvious way to set any of them. >turn clock Don't worry about the clocks. >e You can't go that way. >n South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. Three monkeys block the east doorway. >n As you place a foot on the bridge, you remember hanging on to the side of the cliff above the cage of faeries. Fear rises up and grips you; you take several shaky steps away from the bridge. Even if you could force yourself onto the bridge, you would no doubt fall. >x monkey The three monkeys are nearly two meters tall. One holds his hands over his eyes; another holds his hands over his ears; the third covers his mouth with his hands. >x first monkey I don't see any first monkey here. >kick monkey One of the monkeys nips you on the foot. You dance back in pain. >i You have a rucksack. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a dark sphere, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a pair of sunglasses, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >get dark sphere Taken. >show sphere to monkeys As you hold up the sphere, it begins making a loud humming noise. You see the three monkeys twitch as you bring the sphere closer. Then you drop the sphere, letting it roll to the feet of one of the monkeys. That monkey can stand it no longer. He takes his hands from his ears and grabs the sphere. When he does so, he hears the noise the sphere is making. Eyes wide, he shrieks and pulls the second monkey's hands from his eyes. They shriek in unison and dive into the chasm, one right after the other. The third monkey sits there, the whites of his eyes showing. He looks at you, then at the sphere, then at you, then at the sphere. "Oh, bugger," he says resignedly before following his companions into the chasm. [Your score has increased by 5 points.] >get sphere Taken. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A woman stands here, unremarkable save for her lack of a mouth. Scratching her head, the woman glances at the chains. She tugs gently on one of them. >x chains The chains are rusted and knotted. They've not moved for some time. With a loud rattle, the woman shakes several of the chains, creating a cloud of rust. She steps back, looking up and down the chains slowly. >x levers The levers jut from the wall next to the chains. The woman walks to the levers and gives them an experimental tug. They don't move. She kicks them. They don't move. >kick levers That would accomplish nothing. The woman tugs at a lock of her hair. Her brow furrows. >pull lever The woman catches your wrists and moves you away from the levers. The woman's eyes widen, and she snaps her fingers. She strides out of the room, pulling you with her. South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. There is a woman here, walking with a purpose. >follow woman But the mouthless woman is right here! The woman walks onto the rock bridge without a second thought. >n As you place a foot on the bridge, you remember hanging on to the side of the cliff above the cage of faeries. Fear rises up and grips you; you take several shaky steps away from the bridge. Even if you could force yourself onto the bridge, you would no doubt fall. >follow woman I don't see any woman here. >s Clock Room The walls of the room are filled to capacity with clocks of varying shapes and sizes. All are running, though the hands of some whirl quickly while others creep infinitesimally forward. A thick red light glows through the doorway to the north. >n South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n As you place a foot on the bridge, you remember hanging on to the side of the cliff above the cage of faeries. Fear rises up and grips you; you take several shaky steps away from the bridge. Even if you could force yourself onto the bridge, you would no doubt fall. >i You have a rucksack and a dark sphere. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a pair of sunglasses, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >wear glasses You aren't carrying the sunglasses. >get them sunglasses: Taken. >wear it Everything becomes a little dimmer as you put on the sunglasses. >n As you place a foot on the bridge, you remember hanging on to the side of the cliff above the cage of faeries. Fear rises up and grips you; you take several shaky steps away from the bridge. Even if you could force yourself onto the bridge, you would no doubt fall. >close eyes I don't see any eyes here. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. >pull levers The levers are frozen. >pull chains Don't worry about the chains. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. Sitting in the sink, waiting vainly to be scrubbed, are several spoons. >wash spoons I don't know the word "wash". >clean spoons You turn on some water and rinse off the spoons. No matter how you scrub, though, the spoons become no cleaner than before. >x sofa Its floral pattern has been worn by time and by cigarettes. It smells faintly of dogs. >search sofa There's nothing on the floral-print sofa. >x chair The battered chair cants slightly to one side. Stuffing peeks through strained stitching. >x stuffing I don't know the word "stuffing". >x stiching I don't know the word "stiching". >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, and a pair of sunglasses (being worn). The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >x coat The coat is thin, more of a windbreaker than a coat. White stitching runs down its arms and sides. >x stitching It runs down the coat's arms and sides. It has begun to unravel. >l Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. Sitting in the sink are several spoons. >get spoons Taken. >x spoons The spoons have been used to stir many a cup of coffee, judging from the stains which cover their surface. >clean spoons The spoons are as clean as possible. >turn on water I don't see any water here. >turn on sink I don't know how to turn the metal sink on. >x sink The sink is made of metal and is stained from repeated use. There are two handles, each with its own spigot. >x handles left handle: The left handle has an "L" on it. right handle: The right handle has an "M" on it. >turn left What do you want to turn counterclockwise? >handle Which handle do you mean, the metal box, the left handle, or the right handle? >left You must specify whether you want to turn the handle on or off. >turn left handle on There are words after your command I couldn't use. >turn handle on Which handle do you mean, the left handle, or the right handle? >left Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins pouring from the spigot. >x water A stream of water is pouring merrily from the left spigot. >touch water It feels just like a left stream of water. >drink it You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. As it trickles down your throat, you feel an odd sensation, as of cool fingers run lightly across your brain. A carefree mood grips you, some of your worries lifted from you. >x left handle The left handle has an "L" on it. Water runs from the left spigot. >turn handle left off I don't understand that sentence. >turn left handle off There are words after your command I couldn't use. >x handles left handle: The left handle has an "L" on it. Water runs from the left spigot. right handle: The right handle has an "M" on it. >turn l off Okay, it's now turned off. >turn m on Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins flowing from the spigot. >drink water You carefully sip the water. It is thick and has a bitter aftertaste to it. As it settles in your stomach you feel a sharp pain right behind your eyes. It slowly fades, leaving in its wake several rememberances of the past. >turn m off Okay, it's now turned off. >turn l on Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins pouring from the spigot. >drink l The left handle doesn't appear appetizing. >drink water You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. As it trickles down your throat, you feel an odd sensation, as of cool fingers run lightly across your brain. A carefree mood grips you, some of your worries lifted from you. >g You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. It sluices away memories as you swallow, until you suddenly realize that you have no memory save that of drinking the water, and no compulsion save to continue drinking.... --=== Your journey is over ===-- You have achieved a score of 57 points out of a possible 100. You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command. Please enter (R)ESTORE, RE(S)TART, (Q)UIT, or (U)NDO: >undo (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. >n North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you and into the chasm. >n Hazy Room The room is filled with gauzy floating strands which drift around the room. Occasionally a group of them drift towards the door, where they are caught in a breeze and borne out of the room. On the east wall are five groupings of pipe. The woman is here, watching the strands float about the room. You feel a tap at your shoulder. When you turn to look, you see the woman glaring at you. She motions you towards a clump of the strands. >x strands The strands brush past and around you. Surprisingly, you breathe none of them in. The woman points at the strands, then back to you. >x pipe The east wall is studded with short sections of PVC pipe leading from somewhere. They are loosely grouped into five regions. Occasionally a tangle of the strands will slide out of the pipes and begin floating about the room with the others. >touch strands It feels just like a floating strands. >enter strands I don't know how to enter the floating strands. >get strands You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "balance" echo eerily in your head. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, and a 'balance' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four- leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >get strand You already have the 'balance' strand. >get another strand I don't know the word "another". >show strand to woman The woman takes the strand, then gestures for you to follow her. The woman walks out of the room to the south. >s North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you and into the chasm. There is a woman here, walking with a purpose. The woman walks onto the bridge. >s You pause for a moment, troubled by something. Then you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. There is a woman here, walking with a purpose. The woman walks south along the bridge. >s South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. There is a woman here, walking with a purpose. The woman walks into the room to the east. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. There is a woman here, walking with a purpose. The woman moves to the balance, then looks back at you, waiting for something else. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. >n North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you and into the chasm. >n Hazy Room The room is filled with gauzy floating strands which drift around the room. Occasionally a group of them drift towards the door, where they are caught in a breeze and borne out of the room. On the east wall are five groupings of pipe. >get strand You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "tangle" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "pipe" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "remove" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "restart" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "break" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "stymie" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "doll" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "lever" echo eerily in your head. >g You grab one of the strands. As you touch it, you hear the word "chain" echo eerily in your head. >g The strands dart away from you as you try to grab them. >s North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you and into the chasm. >s You pause for a moment, troubled by something. Then you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. >s South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A woman stands here, unremarkable save for her lack of a mouth. >x balance A large brass balance. Its pans are the size of dinner plates. Jammed under one of the plates is a doll, preventing the balance from working. >put doll strand on doll There's no good surface on the Russian doll. >get russian doll Taken. >open it You tug open the halves of the doll. The blackness you find inside rushes out, washing over you, carrying you away. Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >undo (Undoing one command) Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A woman stands here, unremarkable save for her lack of a mouth. >x woman She stands just over five feet tall. Her brown hair falls to her shoulders, framing a face which lacks a mouth. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'tangle' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'remove' strand, a 'restart' strand, a 'break' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'lever' strand, a 'chain' strand, and a Russian doll. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four- leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >x tangle strand The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. >put it in tangle You can't put the 'tangle' strand in itself! >x tangle The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. >l Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A woman stands here, unremarkable save for her lack of a mouth. >x chains The chains are rusted and knotted. They've not moved for some time. >x balance A large brass balance. Its pans are the size of dinner plates. >put chain on balance Don't worry about the balance. >x levers The levers jut from the wall next to the chains. >point to balance I don't know the word "point". >tell woman about balance Don't worry about the five balances. >show doll to woman The woman ignores you. >show doll strand to woman The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'tangle' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'remove' strand, a 'restart' strand, a 'break' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'lever' strand, a 'chain' strand, a Russian doll, and a 'balance' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >give tangle to woman The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. >give stymie to woman The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >give doll, balance to woman Russian doll: The woman ignores you. balance: Don't worry about the balance. >give doll strand and balance strand to woman 'doll' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'balance' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'pipe' strand, a 'remove' strand, a 'restart' strand, a 'break' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'lever' strand, a 'chain' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'tangle' strand, and a 'doll' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >x doll A Russian nesting doll, cheap and tacky. A groove runs around it. >open doll You tug open the halves of the doll. The blackness you find inside rushes out, washing over you, carrying you away. Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >x groove It seems to suggest that the doll may be separated. >push groove Pushing the groove doesn't do anything. >enter groove I don't know how to enter the groove. >open doll The two halves of the doll slide apart with moderate resistance. >l Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >out There is no obvious exit from the dolls. >u There is no obvious exit from the dolls. >climb doll I don't know how to climb the lower section of a doll. >jump Such fun should be illegal. >out There is no obvious exit from the dolls. >undo (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >g (Undoing one command) Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A woman stands here, unremarkable save for her lack of a mouth. >save Saved. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'pipe' strand, a 'remove' strand, a 'restart' strand, a 'break' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'lever' strand, a 'chain' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'tangle' strand, and a 'doll' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >give all strands to woman 'pipe' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'remove' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. 'restart' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'break' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. 'stymie' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'lever' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. 'chain' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'balance' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. 'tangle' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'doll' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >x strands 'remove' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'break' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'lever' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'balance' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'doll' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'pipe' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'restart' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'stymie' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'chain' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'tangle' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. >give chain strand and lever strand to woman 'chain' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'lever' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >give chain strand and tangle to woman 'chain' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'tangle' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >x chains The chains are rusted and knotted. They've not moved for some time. >x lever The levers jut from the wall next to the chains. >pull lever The woman catches your wrists and moves you away from the levers. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'remove' strand, a 'break' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'restart' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, and a 'chain' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >x strands 'remove' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'break' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'lever' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'balance' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'doll' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'pipe' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'restart' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'stymie' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'tangle' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'chain' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. >x pipe The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. >give break and chain strand to woman 'break' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'chain' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, they are canted at a severe angle. The woman's excited expression drains from her face as she hands the two strands back to you. >give chain strand and restart to woman 'chain' strand: The woman takes the strand, then looks at you again expectantly. 'restart' strand: The woman takes the second strand from you. She places one on each pan of the balance. The arms swing back and forth, far out of proportion to the weight placed on them. You and the woman watch as the balance's motion damps out, moving slower and slower. When the arms stop, the two pans are level. Swiftly now, the woman snatches the strands from the balance. [Your score has increased by 5 points.] >pull chains Don't worry about the chains. The woman takes the two strands you gave her and wraps them around one of the chains. She steps back, admiring the wrapped chain. With a swift motion she yanks down one of the levers. A loud groan echoes through the room. Rust swirls down as one of the chains jerks upwards, followed by another, then another, until all are winding their way from somewhere below to somewhere above. The woman nods in satisfaction. >x chains The chains are slowly shedding their layer of rust as they move from the floor to the ceiling, drawn up by some unseen mechanism. >z Time passes... The woman walks through the doorway to the south. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. Sitting on the easy chair you see a mouthless woman. The woman takes a flask from one of her pockets and opens it. She closes her eyes as she holds it under her nose, breathing deeply. You catch a whiff from the flask; it stings your nose. >x flask A metal hip flask. Fumes from the flask fill the room. Your vision blurs momentarily. The sofa is there to catch you as you crumple. The woman slumps down in the easy chair as if boneless. >sleep You find yourself unable to sleep. You barely notice when the woman caps the flask and walks out the doorway. She pauses, sketches a salute to you, and is gone. >z Time passes... >get up Okay, you're no longer on the floral-print sofa. >n Your feet move faster than you can control. The doorway slyly moving to one side every time you approach finalizes your inability to leave. >x faucets I don't know the word "faucets". >x handles left handle: The left handle has an "L" on it. Water runs from the left spigot. right handle: The right handle has an "M" on it. >turn l off Okay, it's now turned off. In your hand, the coffee spoons twitch, as if they would leap from your grasp. >turn m on Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins flowing from the spigot. >drink water You carefully sip the water. It is thick and has a bitter aftertaste to it. As it settles in your stomach you feel a sharp pain right behind your eyes. It slowly fades, leaving in its wake several rememberances of the past. >wash spoons I don't know the word "wash". >clean spoons The spoons are as clean as possible. >x spoons The spoons have been used to stir many a cup of coffee, judging from the stains which cover their surface. >n Your feet move faster than you can control. The doorway slyly moving to one side every time you approach finalizes your inability to leave. >drink water You carefully sip the water. It is thick and has a bitter aftertaste to it. As it settles in your stomach you feel a sharp pain right behind your eyes. It slowly fades, leaving in its wake several rememberances of the past. >g You carefully sip the water. It is thick and has a bitter aftertaste to it. Your memory improves again, so much in fact that the past seems more real than the present. You slump to the floor, enraptured by what you recall.... --=== Your journey is over ===-- You have achieved a score of 62 points out of a possible 100. You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command. Please enter (R)ESTORE, RE(S)TART, (Q)UIT, or (U)NDO: >undo (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >n Your feet move faster than you can control. The doorway slyly moving to one side every time you approach finalizes your inability to leave. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'remove' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, and a 'break' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >x syrup The dark syrup was your Mom's remedy for all manner of stomach aliments. >drink syrup You take a sip of the cloyingly sweet syrup. It creeps down your throat and coats your stomach. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >undo (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >g (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >g (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >g (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >l Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >x syrup The dark syrup was your Mom's remedy for all manner of stomach aliments. >sit in sofa Okay, you're now sitting on the floral-print sofa. >z Time passes... >lie down What do you want to lie on? >sofa You're already on the floral-print sofa! >sleep You find yourself unable to sleep. >wake up I don't know the word "wake". >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), coffee spoons, a 'remove' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, and a 'break' strand. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >get up Okay, you're no longer on the floral-print sofa. >drop spoons As the coffee spoons leave your fingers, they fan out and slide across the floor, forming a curving line which points at the west wall. >x west wall You can see nothing unusual about the west wall. >touch west wall It feels just like a west wall. >w Haltingly you walk along the curved line of the spoons, arms spread wide for balance. You don't look up, even as you see the west wall approaching. Then you are through the wall and somewhere else. For a brief instant you see images of a long drop, but they are gone and you are back where you started, in the room of clocks. Clock Room The walls of the room are filled to capacity with clocks of varying shapes and sizes. All are running, though the hands of some whirl quickly while others creep infinitesimally forward. A thick red light glows through the doorway to the north. [Your score has increased by 5 points.] >n South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. Lying wrinkled on the ledge is a note. You see a metal flask here. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >read note On one side of the note "Touch Me" is written in block letters. The other side reads, "Your exit lies down." >get all metal flask: Taken. note: Taken. >x flask A metal hip flask. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >x chains The chains are slowly shedding their layer of rust as they move from the floor to the ceiling, drawn up by some unseen mechanism. Strands are borne into the room on the breeze. They float over to the balance, where they pile up on both pans. Faster than you can clearly follow, the balance rocks back and forth. Strands shift between the pans until the balance is level. The strands then bind together and attach to various chains which carry them up and out of sight. >z Time passes... >l Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >x strands 'remove' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'lever' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'balance' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'doll' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'pipe' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'stymie' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'tangle' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. 'break' strand: The strand is thin and translucent. It quivers slightly. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >w You can't go that way. >get spoons I don't see any spoons here. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. Strands are borne into the room on the breeze. They float over to the balance, where they pile up on both pans. Faster than you can clearly follow, the balance rocks back and forth. Strands shift between the pans until the balance is level. The strands then bind together and attach to various chains which carry them up and out of sight. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >d You can't go that way. >jump You cannot bring yourself to jump into the chasm. >n As you place a foot on the bridge, you remember hanging on to the side of the cliff above the cage of faeries. Fear rises up and grips you; you take several shaky steps away from the bridge. Even if you could force yourself onto the bridge, you would no doubt fall. >x note On one side of the note "Touch Me" is written in block letters. The other side reads, "Your exit lies down." Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >x flask A metal hip flask. >open flask The flask is already open. >look in flask There's nothing in the metal flask. >smell flask The metal flask doesn't smell like anything in particular. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), a 'remove' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, a 'break' strand, a metal flask, and a note. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four- leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >get strands 'remove' strand: You already have the 'remove' strand. 'lever' strand: You already have the 'lever' strand. 'balance' strand: You already have the 'balance' strand. 'doll' strand: You already have the 'doll' strand. 'pipe' strand: You already have the 'pipe' strand. 'stymie' strand: You already have the 'stymie' strand. 'tangle' strand: You already have the 'tangle' strand. 'break' strand: You already have the 'break' strand. >rub shiny You rub your hand over the stone, feeling it warm in your grasp. >g You rub your hand over the stone, feeling it warm in your grasp. >g You rub your hand over the stone, feeling it warm in your grasp. A nearly- invisible cloud rises from the stone and settles about you, making you sneeze. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. Strands are borne into the room on the breeze. They float over to the balance, where they pile up on both pans. Faster than you can clearly follow, the balance rocks back and forth. Strands shift between the pans until the balance is level. The strands then bind together and attach to various chains which carry them up and out of sight. >x levers The levers jut from the wall next to the chains. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), a 'remove' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, a 'break' strand, a metal flask, and a note. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four- leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >put remove strand on balance Don't worry about the balance. >l Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >turn on l Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins pouring from the spigot. A hissing noise rises from the sink as the two streams of water mix. >drink water Which water do you mean, the right stream of water, or the left stream of water? >turn off m Okay, it's now turned off. The hissing noise stops. >drink water You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. As it trickles down your throat, you feel an odd sensation, as of cool fingers run lightly across your brain. A carefree mood grips you, some of your worries lifted from you. >g You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. As it trickles down your throat, you feel an odd sensation, as of cool fingers run lightly across your brain. A carefree mood grips you, some of your worries lifted from you. >g You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. It sluices away memories as you swallow, until you suddenly realize that you have no memory save that of drinking the water, and no compulsion save to continue drinking.... --=== Your journey is over ===-- You have achieved a score of 67 points out of a possible 100. You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command. Please enter (R)ESTORE, RE(S)TART, (Q)UIT, or (U)NDO: >undo (Undoing one command) Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. Strands are borne into the room on the breeze. They float over to the balance, where they pile up on both pans. Faster than you can clearly follow, the balance rocks back and forth. Strands shift between the pans until the balance is level. The strands then bind together and attach to various chains which carry them up and out of sight. A nearly-invisible cloud rises from you and disperses into the air. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >n North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you. >n Hazy Room The room is filled with gauzy floating strands which drift around the room. Occasionally a group of them drift towards the door, where they are caught in a breeze and borne out of the room. On the east wall are five groupings of pipe. >x pipe The east wall is studded with short sections of PVC pipe leading from somewhere. They are loosely grouped into five regions. Occasionally a tangle of the strands will slide out of the pipes and begin floating about the room with the others. >get pipe Don't worry about the pipe. >get strand Which strand do you mean, the 'remove' strand, the 'lever' strand, the 'balance' strand, the 'doll' strand, the 'pipe' strand, the 'stymie' strand, the 'tangle' strand, or the 'break' strand? >all 'remove' strand: You already have the 'remove' strand. 'lever' strand: You already have the 'lever' strand. 'balance' strand: You already have the 'balance' strand. 'doll' strand: You already have the 'doll' strand. 'pipe' strand: You already have the 'pipe' strand. 'stymie' strand: You already have the 'stymie' strand. 'tangle' strand: You already have the 'tangle' strand. 'break' strand: You already have the 'break' strand. >get strands The strands dart away from you as you try to grab them. >s North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >follow strands 'remove' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'remove' strand. 'lever' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'lever' strand. 'balance' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'balance' strand. 'doll' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'doll' strand. 'pipe' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'pipe' strand. 'stymie' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'stymie' strand. 'tangle' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'tangle' strand. 'break' strand: I don't know how to follow the 'break' strand. >s You pause for a moment, troubled by something. Then you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >s South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >e You can't go that way. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >jump No matter how hard you try, your legs refuse to obey you. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >le I don't know the word "le". >e You can't go that way. >w You can't go that way. >s South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. Strands are borne into the room on the breeze. They float over to the balance, where they pile up on both pans. Faster than you can clearly follow, the balance rocks back and forth. Strands shift between the pans until the balance is level. The strands then bind together and attach to various chains which carry them up and out of sight. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall, water pouring from one of its spigots. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >turn off l Okay, it's now turned off. >turn on m Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins flowing from the spigot. >fill flask What do you want to fill that with? >water The flask fills with water. >turn off m Okay, it's now turned off. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >drink flask You carefully sip the water. It is thick and has a bitter aftertaste to it. As it settles in your stomach you feel a sharp pain right behind your eyes. It slowly fades, leaving in its wake several rememberances of the past. One of those rememberances is of you clinging to the cliff above the cage. You look down, far down. You hear blood rushing in your ears as you gently topple off the bridge. And then you are on the side of the chasm watching yourself fall. A feeling of separation washes over you as the other you vanishes into the depths. >l South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >n As you place a foot on the bridge, you remember hanging on to the side of the cliff above the cage of faeries. Fear rises up and grips you; you take several shaky steps away from the bridge. Even if you could force yourself onto the bridge, you would no doubt fall. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), a 'remove' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, a 'break' strand, a metal flask, and a note. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four- leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >read note On one side of the note "Touch Me" is written in block letters. The other side reads, "Your exit lies down." >touch me How rude! >lie down What do you want to lie on? >floor Okay, you're now sitting on the ground. >get up Okay, you're no longer on the ground. >x magazine It's a copy of U.S. News and World Report from hospital admissions. >read it All of its pages are a uniform slate grey. >x box The box is made of seamless metal, marred only by a large handle and a display with a needle. Its underside is crisscrossed with a strange pattern, giving it the look of granite. The display is marked from 0 millimeters to 20000; the needle is currently pointing at 0. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >x flask A metal hip flask. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >turn on m Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins flowing from the spigot. >fill flask What do you want to fill that with? >water The flask fills with water. >turn off m Okay, it's now turned off. >turn on l Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins pouring from the spigot. >drink l The left handle doesn't appear appetizing. >drink water Which water do you mean, the flask water, or the left stream of water? >stream You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. As it trickles down your throat, you feel an odd sensation, as of cool fingers run lightly across your brain. A carefree mood grips you, some of your worries lifted from you. >turn off l Okay, it's now turned off. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >n North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >s You pause for a moment, troubled by something. Then you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >drink flask You carefully sip the water. It is thick and has a bitter aftertaste to it. As it settles in your stomach you feel a sharp pain right behind your eyes. It slowly fades, leaving in its wake several rememberances of the past. One of those rememberances is of you clinging to the cliff above the cage. You look down, far down. You hear blood rushing in your ears as you gently topple off the bridge. And then you are on the side of the chasm watching yourself fall. A feeling of separation washes over you as the other you vanishes into the depths. >e Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >s Break Room A break room, similar in appearance and seediness to the one in the McDonald's where you used to work. There is a sink against one wall. A sofa, its floral pattern faded, and an easy chair are the only furniture. >turn on l Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins pouring from the spigot. >drink water You take a sip of the water. It has a cool, refreshing taste. As it trickles down your throat, you feel an odd sensation, as of cool fingers run lightly across your brain. A carefree mood grips you, some of your worries lifted from you. >turn off l Okay, it's now turned off. >turn on m Okay, it's now turned on. Water begins flowing from the spigot. >fill flask with water The flask fills with water. >turn off m Okay, it's now turned off. >i You have a rucksack, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses (being worn), a 'remove' strand, a 'lever' strand, a Russian doll, a 'balance' strand, a 'doll' strand, a 'pipe' strand, a 'stymie' strand, a 'tangle' strand, a 'break' strand, a metal flask, and a note. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four- leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a length of rope, a pair of elf boots, and an ash laurel. >put all in sack heavy gloves: The heavy gloves are already in the rucksack! thin coat: The thin coat is already in the rucksack! hall pass: The hall pass is already in the rucksack! single magazine: The single magazine is already in the rucksack! aluminum key: The aluminum key is already in the rucksack! blood pressure cuff: The blood pressure cuff is already in the rucksack! glass vial: The glass vial is already in the rucksack! book of mythology: The book of mythology is already in the rucksack! book of faeries: The book of faeries is already in the rucksack! four-leaf clover: The four-leaf clover is already in the rucksack! metal box: The metal box is already in the rucksack! flyer: The flyer is already in the rucksack! shiny stone: The shiny stone is already in the rucksack! bottle of Karo syrup: The bottle of Karo syrup is already in the rucksack! white cane: The white cane is already in the rucksack! rope: Done. elf boots: The elf boots is already in the rucksack! ash laurel: The ash laurel is already in the rucksack! rucksack: You can't put the rucksack in itself! dark sphere: Done. sunglasses: (Taking off the sunglasses first) Done. 'remove' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. 'lever' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. Russian doll: Done. 'balance' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. 'doll' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. 'pipe' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. 'stymie' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. 'tangle' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. 'break' strand: When you let go of the strand, it floats away from you. metal flask: Done. note: Done. >get flask, doll metal flask: Taken. Russian doll: Taken. >x flask A metal hip flask. It is filled with water. >n Room of Chains and Balance The east wall of the room is covered in chains, chains which run from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the chains are several levers. In the center of the room a large balance huddles. A doorway leads west; to the south is an oddly-shaped arch. A breeze occasionally wends its way in from the west doorway. >w South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >n You pause for a moment, troubled by something, before you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >n North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you. >n Hazy Room The room is filled with gauzy floating strands which drift around the room. Occasionally a group of them drift towards the door, where they are caught in a breeze and borne out of the room. On the east wall are five groupings of pipe. >get strands The strands dart away from you as you try to grab them. >g The strands dart away from you as you try to grab them. >i You have a rucksack, a metal flask, and a Russian doll. The rucksack seems to contain a pair of gloves, a thin coat, a hall pass, a single magazine, an aluminum key, a blood pressure cuff, a glass vial, a book of mythology, a book of faeries, a four-leaf clover, a metal box, a flyer, a shiny stone, a bottle of Karo syrup, a white cane, a pair of elf boots, an ash laurel, a length of rope, a dark sphere, a pair of sunglasses, and a note. >open doll You tug open the halves of the doll. The blackness you find inside rushes out, washing over you, carrying you away. Inside a large wooden doll You are in a cramped wooden container with smooth curved surfaces which restrict your motion. By reaching above your head, you can feel a groove running around the interior of the container. The ceiling arcs high above you. >undo (Undoing one command) Hazy Room The room is filled with gauzy floating strands which drift around the room. Occasionally a group of them drift towards the door, where they are caught in a breeze and borne out of the room. On the east wall are five groupings of pipe. >s North End of Bridge The north end of the cavern is much like the south end. The bridge crosses the cavern to the south, and a doorway leads north. An occasional breeze brushes past you. >s You pause for a moment, troubled by something. Then you shake it off and continue. Rock Bridge Balancing on the center of the bridge, you doubt the wisdom of your position. Below you yawns the chasm. The bridge continues to safety to both the north and the south. A breeze whips past you, unnerving you further. >z Time passes... Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... >z Time passes... Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >s South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >s Clock Room The walls of the room are filled to capacity with clocks of varying shapes and sizes. All are running, though the hands of some whirl quickly while others creep infinitesimally forward. A thick red light glows through the doorway to the north. >x clocks The clocks are all inset in the walls. Their faces are covered in faceted glass and there is no obvious way to set any of them. >move clocks Don't worry about the clocks. >x light The red light puddles on the floor around the north doorway. >n South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. >s Clock Room The walls of the room are filled to capacity with clocks of varying shapes and sizes. All are running, though the hands of some whirl quickly while others creep infinitesimally forward. A thick red light glows through the doorway to the north. >e You can't go that way. >n South End of Bridge You are in a tall cavern, standing on a narrow ledge which hugs the south wall. To the north, the ledge becomes a narrow rock bridge which arcs over a deep chasm. From across the bridge you occasionally feel a breeze blow. Doorways have been cut in the rock to the south and east. The entire scene is lit by reddish light from above. Strands slither over you, carried past on the breeze. >x bridge The bridge is just wider than your two feet placed together. It looks sturdy enough. There are words painted on the bridge. >read it This is painted on the bridge: "I don't want the world; I just want your half." >[Yay TMBG!] I don't understand the punctuation "[". >save Saved. >quit You have achieved a score of 67 points out of a possible 100. Do you really want to quit? (YES or NO) > y Thank you for playing Losing Your Grip.