Part 43: Day Three- Page 43

Of course we'll head out to the University.
First, let's get back to that well.

>pull plywood
You dig your fingers under the edge of the plywood and, straining as hard as you can, manage to slide the heavy cover off the top of the well and onto the grass.

In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle drifting on the wind.

>look into well
The well is very deep, although the rough stonework would probably allow you to safely climb down. Its depths are too shadowy for you to make out any details at the bottom.

>Down
Carefully testing each foothold, you descend into the well.

In the Well
The sky is a dim circle of light far above you. The stone walls press in on you from all sides, and the air is clammy and frigid. A faint odor of decay drifts up from the floor; the smell of a trapped animal decomposing under the back porch.

You are standing knee deep in a rattling jumble of children's bones.

What?!

>look at bones
You can deduce only two things about the gruesome pile: there are more bones here than could be produced by a single child, and some of the bones are older than others. Whoever has been throwing them down here has been doing it for a long time.

WHAT?!?!?!

>search bones
You notice a tuft of brown among the yellowed-ivory of the bones. Moving aside a clattering pile of ribs, you discover a child's teddy bear.

Miranda, what are you doing?!?!

>look at bear
It is old and threadbare, its fur worn through to the stuffing in some places. Stitched onto its behind is the name "Jeffrey".

Miranda, These are Children's BONES! LEAVE!

>take bear
Taken.

For crying out loud, someone's been killing children and throwing their bones in here!
Forget the Teddy Bear and get out!

>put bear in coat
You slip the teddy bear into the pocket of your trenchcoat.

Okay, it's official. Miranda has a thieving problem.

>up
You painstakingly climb out of the old well.

Old Stone Well

Rising from the midst of the underbrush is a squat circle of stone: the top of an ancient well.

A rotting circle of plywood leans against the side of the well.

>take plywood
The plywood cover is too heavy for you to carry.

You just know she's thinking about working out just to carry that useless piece of plywood off, right?

>n

Crumbled Ruin

Faint tracks mark the dirt here; large, rounded footprints tracking back and forth across the ground.

>e
You are about to step back through the eastern wall when a noise makes you stop. In the woods outside, to the east -- something is there. Something breathing. Something huge.

A branch cracks sharply; and another. It's coming this way.

Oh, this thing. Uh...


Oh yeah.

>w
The only exits are through the ragged holes to the east and south.

The sound of tearing undergrowth grows louder. Whatever it is, it's practically bulldozing its way through the forest.

>s

Old Stone Well

Rising from the midst of the underbrush is a squat circle of stone: the top of an ancient well.

A rotting circle of plywood leans against the side of the well.

The ground trembles slightly with the thing's thunderous footsteps as it tromps up the path. It's right outside the slaughterhouse!

A gust of wind blows your hair into your face.

I think it knows Miranda is here.

>d
As quickly as you are able, you scramble down the rough stone walls. Ten feet from the bottom, you slip, landing with a clatter amidst the dusty bones.

In the Well

You are standing knee deep in a rattling jumble of children's bones.

You hear it pause inside the building, its hide slithering loudly against the brick walls as it moves about. There is a horrible, wet snorting sound, as if it were trying to pick up a scent, then an unspeakable, inhuman grunt of anger.

Oh man!

Oh man!

It knows she's down here! This isn't going to work at all!

>hide in bones

Uh... Miranda, what the fuck are you doing?

You burrow down into the bones, piling more bones on top of you for cover while trying to make as little noise as possible.

Scarcely daring to breathe, you lie as still as possible beneath your cover of bones as the thing, whatever it is, moves closer. A shadow falls across the mouth of the well, and then the circle of light above you is blotted out by a shape so utterly, blasphemously hideous that it is all you can do to remain conscious. Two grotesquely blue and childlike eyes blink down into the darkness of the well, searching...







































And then it is gone.

You must have lost consciousness after all, judging from the stiffness in your limbs and the difference in the light. You have no idea how long you were out, but the creature must have passed you by. The forest is still again; the breathing and footsteps, gone.

Involuntarily, you let out a long, shuddering breath.

Your score has just gone up by two points.

Alright. Let it be known that Miranda Carter either has ovaries of steel or gives no fucks about dead children.

>up
The bones fall away, clattering loudly as you stand up.

>up
You painstakingly climb out of the old well.

Old Stone Well

Rising from the midst of the underbrush is a squat circle of stone: the top of an ancient well.

A rotting circle of plywood leans against the side of the well.

I think we're safe for now.
Time to head to the library.

>n
Crumbled Ruin
>e
Abandoned Slaughterhouse
>ne
Trampled Path
>e
Down the Road
>n

Deserted Lane

A small group of townsfolk has gathered up at the north end of the road. As you approach, still breathless from your encounter with the thing at the slaughterhouse, they turn toward you -- and that's when you notice that the one in the lead has an axe in his hand. And the one behind him has a pair of garden shears.

A couple of men move over to your left, and several more step out of the forest behind you. All of them carry weapons or nasty farm implements of some kind, and all of them look as though they're just about ready to put an end to a certain over-curious, outsider woman who doesn't know enough to keep her nose out of things better left undisturbed.

>look at townsfolk
These men look quite serious. They will cut you down with no more emotion or hesitation than they would feel gutting a fish.

The townsfolk shuffle a bit closer, raising their weapons in anticipation of the kill.

Maybe if we explain about the evils of the Verlac family, Miranda could reason with them.

>Tell townsfolk about verlac
(the Verlac family)
No one answers you.

........k

>run north
The threatening townsfolk block your escape in that direction. You could probably break away to the east, if you were quick.

The townsfolk shuffle a bit closer, raising their weapons in anticipation of the kill.

>run south
The threatening townsfolk block your escape in that direction. You could probably break away to the east, if you were quick.

>run west
The threatening townsfolk block your escape in that direction. You could probably break away to the east, if you were quick.

The townsfolk shuffle a bit closer, raising their weapons in anticipation of the kill.

Well, I tried the three cardonal directions, North, West, and South. Nothing left to do but...

>wait
Time passes.

A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling past you in the wind.

Someone lunges at you from your left, and before you can react a machete blade buries itself several inches deep into your collarbone. You try to scream, but shock trauma has robbed your lungs of strength; you can only whimper quietly as your legs give out and the blood pours down your arm. The last thing you see is the business end of a pitchfork darting toward your eyes, but the last thing you feel doesn't come until several minutes later, as the townsfolk leisurely hack your body to pieces.


"Bury me with my trenchcoat."
-Miranda Carter


*** You have died ***


In that game you scored 41 out of a possible 100 points; you are hopelessly enmeshed in the tentacles of an ancient and sinister plot.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, UNDO your last move, give the FULL score for that game or QUIT?
>