Part 50: Day Three- Page 49

Alright, alright. I'm updating now, despite saying I'd do it earlier.
All I can offer as excuse is that Skyrim is a hell of a drug.

You may remember we were inside the house of poor woman who lost her boy. We were dressed like one of the cultists that stole her child and returning her dead son's teddy bear and maybe his skull.

Today, Miranda will need your help in over coming a puzzle.

>w
The woman attempts a wan smile as you make ready to leave. "Thank you," she says softly, indicating the stuffed bear. "If you discover anything else, please let me know."

You're welcome, lady. I'll tell you when we desecrate his corpse.

Shanty Town

>s

Entrance to the Paper Mill

A gust of wind blows your hair into your face.

>s
The path curves southwest, leading you into an overgrown area behind the mill.

Bare Foundations

Set into the base of the mill wall, nearly covered by the thickets, is a metal hatch.

A gust of wind blows your hair into your face.

>look at metal hatch
It's just an ordinary-looking metal hatch.

Ah, this thing. When I first played Anchorhead, I had to look up a walk through to find this hatch.
Now, I'm an old hand at adventure games, point-and-click, text-adventure, CYOA, etc... When I have to look up an answer nine times out of ten it's because of a pixel hunt.

I'm no fan of finding this hatch.

>open hatch
It seems to be locked.

>unlock hatch
(first taking the keyring)
You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn, and after several false attempts you discover that the long steel key fits the lock.
You unlock the metal hatch.

>enter hatch
(opening the metal hatch first)

Maintenance Access Tunnel
You are at the southern end of a long, narrow crawlway leading northward into the mill. All around you, through the metallic walls, you can hear the oppressive thumping and grinding of heavy machinery. The air in here is hot and smells of burnt engine oil.

A large metal valve wheel juts out from the middle of one of the many fat, sweating pipes lining the walls. Just to its left is a gauge of some sort.

Just as the mechanical noises reach a crescendo, the pipes at the north end of the crawlway suddenly give vent to an enormous gout of superheated steam. The entire north half of the crawlway is momentarily filled with vapor and intense heat, which just as quickly dissipates. The noise behind the walls recedes to a calmer level, and the needle on the gauge swings back down to zero.

After years, I think, the machinery is still on auto?

>look at valve
It's a large, spoked metal wheel, about a foot in diameter, for opening and shutting a valve somewhere inside the pipes.

>touch valve
Yowch! The wheel is sizzling hot!

The needle slowly creeps up the dial.

So Miranda can't touch the valve without gloves or something.
And oh, a handy dial.

>look at dial
The gauge has a circular face with a needle that sweeps in a 270 degree arc across a set of numbered calibrations, most of which are colored green. The last 30 degrees or so are colored bright red. The needle is slowly rising, about a quarter way up the dial.

The noise of machinery is growing steadily louder.

Maybe Miranda can come up with something on her own.

>think
You pause momentarily, lost in thought.

The machines behind the walls are reaching a feverish pitch, and an unpleasant vibration ripples up and down the crawlway.

Okay, she can't hear herself think in this. Maybe if she shouts her thoughts out loud.

>yell
Come now; you're not that frightened.

Just as the mechanical noises reach a crescendo, the pipes at the north end of the crawlway suddenly give vent to an enormous gout of superheated steam. The entire north half of the crawlway is momentarily filled with vapor and intense heat, which just as quickly dissipates. The noise behind the walls recedes to a calmer level, and the needle on the gauge swings back down to zero.

Good! The steam seems to take care of itself after a few turns.
Let's explore now.

Oh. And, uh...
>save
Ok.
Obviously.

>north
The air grows hotter the farther in you go, and it is becoming difficult to breathe.

Maintenance Access Tunnel
You are roughly at the center of the access crawlway, which stretches north and south from here.

>north

Maintenance Access Tunnel
The north end of the access crawlway ends at a sturdy metal hatch. A thick haze of steam hangs in the air, and the heat is like an oven -- the walls and floor are almost blistering to the touch.

The hatch is closed.

>look at hatch
The hatch is round and quite sturdy-looking. There is a handle on this side, and a small notice fixed to the wall nearby.

The noise of machinery is growing steadily louder.

Must... Steal...

>get notice
(the printed sign)
That's fixed in place.

The machines behind the walls are reaching a feverish pitch, and an unpleasant vibration ripples up and down the crawlway.

Not a lot of time, Miranda. Just read it and escape.

>read notice
Which do you mean, the printed sign or the typewritten notice?

>small
"Maintenance hatch operates on a timed-release mechanism. Door will unlock approx. 15 s after handle is pulled."


With a sudden shriek, an enormous blast of steam erupts from the pipes above your head, engulfing you in a cloud of superheated vapor well in excess of 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The pain is intense but mercifully brief as your skin scalds instantly and peels from your body like cheap wallpaper.


*** You have died ***


In that game you scored 49 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?

> Suggestions?