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[[Awake|awake]]<<background "cottage_living_room">>
<<checkpoint "Beginning">>
<<set $billierapport = true>>
<<set $e_floydrapport = false>>
<<set $e_yuyarapport = false>>
<<set $e_leedarapport = 1>>
<<set $e_winstongone = false>>
<<set $e_billiegone = false>>
<<set $e_billiesaved = false>>
<<set $e_yuyagone = false>>
<<set $e_yuyasaved = false>>
<<set $e_niatrapped = false>>
// Winston cannot be killed, only saved (banished to mortal realm)
//if Siti annoys Billie in this chapter, she(B) will ignore her(S) and anger the royals, getting herself killed/banished.
//Nia and Cormac are kind regardless of how you treat them.
<<d "siti:worry">><i>I smell cheap perfume; like roses tossed in cigarette ash.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Mom would never let a stink like that in the apartment.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I keep my eyes half closed, and try desperately to breathe slowly, as if I'm still asleep.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Something is badly askew with everything around me.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>This certainly isn't my apartment, or anywhere I know.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>My mouth tastes minty, as if I've already brushed my teeth.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I haven't brushed my teeth.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Shifting slightly, I realize I'm not in my pyjamas any more. Nor am I wearing my own clothes.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:fear">>My skin crawls.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:fear">>Who took me from my bed, brushed my teeth, and clothed me?<<endd>>
<<push "billie">>
<<push "floyd">>
<<d "siti:fear">>The people I glimpse through my lashes are unfamiliar, but they sound scared too.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:fear">>There are too many people to disentangle them all, but a woman's steady voice cuts through, silencing the rest:</i><<endd>>
<<d "billie:default">>None of us are hurt, none of us know each other, and none of us know where we are.<<endd>>
<<d "billie:joy">>This is a game.<<endd>>
<<d "floyd:default">>This is no game, Billie. This is abduction.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>The old man has a booming voice specifically designed for yelling at kids on lawns.</i><<endd>>
<<d "billie:joy">>Can't it be both?<<endd>>
<<d "siti:surprise">><i>The old man snorts his contempt.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:fear">>I wish I could believe Billie's theory, but the old man is right: This is no game. Not for us.</i><<endd>>
[[Open my eyes.|open_eyes]]|[[Fake sleep.|fake_sleep]]|[[Sneak away.|sneak_away]]
<<push "billie">>
<<push "floyd">>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>I sit up, examining the two main speakers:<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>The old man has gnarled hands and the kind of posture that suggests he was once a soldier, and is now in pain. <<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>If he was a kidnapper, he'd have a weapon—but his hands are empty.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>He scowls at me and turns away without a word.<<endd>>
<<pop "floyd">>
<<d "siti:worry">>Beneath his anger, there's fear.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:anger">>I feel a rush of anger myself, wanting to fight whoever brought me here in my sleep, taking me away from Mom and from my life.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Mom must be waking up, wondering where I am. Wondering where she is.>>
<<d "siti:worry">>By now Dad's mumbled an excuse and made himself scarce.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:sadness">>No one likes to be reminded that the love of their life has forgotten who they are.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:fear">>I can't be here. I need to be home, cooking breakfast and gently introducing myself to Mom—like every other morning.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>But there's no obvious enemy for me to beg for mercy.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:anger">>Yet.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Someone here must know something.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>For a terrifying moment, I wonder if I, too, have forgotten who I am.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>No. It's clear everyone is as confused as I am, and this is far too nice for a dementia ward.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>So what is it?<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>The woman is a couple of years older than me, with cornrows and the kind of physique that indicates a love of working out.<<endd>>
<<push "yuya">>
<<d "siti:worry">>A younger Japanese man is looking back and forth between the gym junkie and I, and I sense more movement behind me.</i><<endd>>
<<d "billie:default">>I'm Billie. Are you the mole?<<endd>>
<<d "billie:default">>We know this is some kind of TV stunt, and I for one will sign the contract as soon as I'm given it.<<endd>>
<<d "billie:default">>Before I sign anything, I want to take my chance to ask you outright:<<endd>>
<<d "billie:default">>Are you the mole?<<endd>>
<<d "siti:surprise">>What?<<endd>>
[[I'm Siti Haddad.|intro_siti]]|[[Who are you?|intros]]|[[You're deluded.|annoy_billie]]<<push "billie">>
<<d "siti:worry">>I'm a beautician.
<<d "billie:default">>Is that so?
<<d "siti:disgust">>Of course it is! Why would I lie? There must be some kind of a mistake.
<<d "billie:default">>Then tell me, if you're in the beauty biz, what skin tone am I?
<<d "siti:disgust">>Really? You're going to make me prove myself?
<<d "siti:anger">>Fine. You're a gorgeous deep ebony with buttery olive undertones.
<<d "billie:default">>That doesn't prove anything.
<<d "siti:disgust">>Your complexion is virtually flawless, probably because you've devoted yourself to peak physical health.
<<d "siti:worry">>She snorted, but I could see she believed me.
<<push "yuya">>
<<pop "billie">>
<<d "yuya:joy">>What am I? Hello, I'm Yuya by the way.
<<d "siti:worry">>You've got a lovely pale peach base, with sepia overlay. I could easily fix that sun damage for you, if I hadn't just been abducted.
<<d "yuya:joy">>Really? How?
<<d "siti:worry">>The tiniest dusting of foundation would do the trick, although you really should invest in a combined moisturiser/sunblock.
<<d "siti:worry">>You really have the most exquisite bone structure.
<<d "siti:disgust">>Can we focus on the actual issue now?
<<d "yuya:joy">>Hey Cormac, do you want her to analyze your face too?
<<pop "yuya">>
<<push "cormac">>
<<d "cormac:disgust">>I'm well aware that the only tan I'll ever get is the one fom my computer screen.
<<d "siti:default">>Actually I sell a range of products that—
<<pop "cormac">>
<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:default">>Enough! Viewers aren't going to want us to sit around discussing facials all day.
[[So send me home to Mom!|worry]]|[[Who made you the expert?|anger]]|[[Stop wasting time.|anger]]<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:default">>I'm Billie.
<<push "floyd">>
<<d "billie:default">>That's Floyd.
<<d "floyd:default">>Leave me out of this.
<<pop "floyd">>
<<push "cormac">>
<<d "billie:default">>The nerd's Cormac.
<<d "cormac:angry">>Hey!
<<d "billie:default">>I'm the jock, you're the nerd. Does anybody disagree?
<<d "cormac:sadness">>Well. . . no.
<<pop "cormac">>
<<push "yuya">>
<<d "yuya:default">>What am I?
<<d "billie:default">>I think you're either the pretty one or the innocent.
<<d "yuya:joy">>Definitely the pretty one. I'm not innocent.
<<d "billie:default">>You won't win, but you'll still last most of the season.
<<d "yuya:joy">>Is there a second prize?
<<d "billie:default">>I'll ally with you if you like; vote the others out and split the winnings eighty-twenty.
[[This is serious! Mom's alone.|worry]]|[[How dare you!|anger]]|[[Stop wasting time, Billie.|anger]]<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:default">>It's all right. I guarantee your mom already knows exactly what's going on.
<<d "siti:worry">>Her English isn't that good any more, and Dad's not usually home.
<<d "siti:worry">>Even if you were right, this whole situation is wrong.
<<d "billie:default">>You were chosen for a reason. I'm sure they have a translator for her. She'll probably get paid too.
<<d "siti:worry">>I wish I could believe you.
<<d "billie:default">>Then believe me. I spend eight hours a day in the gym, and I've watched every episode of <i>Survivor</i>™ at least three times.
<<d "siti:worry">>Let's pretend you're right. Is there any way to communicate with the outside world?
<<d "billie:worry">>Not exactly. But if your mom is freaking out, they might show her a raw clip of us.
<<d "siti:worry">>So she might be watching us right now?
<<d "billie:worry">>Yep.
[[I'm fine Mom. Don't worry.|calm]]|[[Let me go.|furious]]|[[Tell my family I'm okay.|calm]]<<set $billierapport = false>>
//This will result in Billie being rude to the royals (against Siti's advice) and getting killed/banished.
<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:anger">>Fine. You do you. Let's see if you last a week here.
<<d "siti:anger">>If I could I'd go home right now.
<<d "billie:anger">>Fine. One less contestant for me.
<<d "siti:anger">>Do you think there are people watching us right now?
<<d "billie:anger">>Of course there are. They'll want to catch our first impressions of each other.
<<d "billie:anger">>I can already hear the promo: "Sparks fly between noob Siti and knowledgeable Billie."
<<d "siti:anger">>Whatever.
<<d "siti:anger">>We're not on TV, but you're probably right about one thing. Someone is watching us right now.
<<d "siti:worry">><i>I looked right at the mirror and spoke clearly.</i>
[[Enough. Talk to us.|calm]]|[[Let me go right now.|furious]]|[[Tell my family I'm okay.|calm]]<<d "siti:worry">><i>I wait for a long moment, half expecting the walls to fall away and Mom to shuffle out to greet me.
<<d "siti:worry">>Nothing happens.</i>
<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:joy">>Why don't we all tell the viewers a little more about ourselves?
<<d "siti:surprise">><i>All right. Let's tell each other who we are. Maybe there's a pattern to this abduction we can't see.</i>
<<d "siti:default">>Hello, I'm Siti Haddad. I have no idea why I'm here.
<<d "billie:joy">>What do you remember from back in RL?
<<d "siti:worry">>RL?
<<d "billie:disgust">>Real Life.
<<d "siti:worry">>I remember going to bed, like always—hot water bottle for Mom, tea for me.
<<d "siti:worry">>Then I dreamed. . . or maybe it wasn't a dream. There was a man and woman, with crowns, talking to each other as if I wasn't there.
<<d "siti:default">>It wasn't English or Indonesian, so I didn't understand it. But it was so beautiful!
<<d "siti:default">>Then there was a light, and warmth, sweeter and warmer than anything I'd ever felt.
<<d "siti:disgust">>And then I woke up here.
<<push "nia">>
<<d "siti:surprise">>Oh look, the other person is waking up too.
<<d "nia:worry">>Hello? Who are you? Where am I?
<<d "billie:joy">>My name is Billie. And you are?
<<d "nia:fear">>I'm Nia. But where's Charlotte? Where's my baby girl?
<<d "siti:sadness">><i>We all hear a piercing scream.</i>
[[Hurry to the sound.|winston]]|[[Hurry away from the sound.|winston]]|[[Is that Charlotte?|winston]]<<d "siti:worry">><i>I wish I hadn't spoken so loudly.</i>
<<push "nia">>
<<d "nia:surprise">>Woah! What's going on? Where am I, and who are all of you?
<<d "nia:fear">>Where's Charlotte?
<<d "siti:worry">>I'm Siti. Sorry I woke you. Who's Charlotte?
<<d "nia:fear">>My baby girl!
<<d "siti:worry">>She. . . uh. . . Billie says she's safe. There'll be someone looking after her right now.
<<push "billie">>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>I hated myself for being such a coward, but it was too strange and awful.
<<d "siti:worry">>I wanted to give her a few more seconds before the fear set in.</i>
<<d "billie:default">>I'm Billie. Everything is fine. What's your name?
<<d "nia:fear">>Really? I'm Nia, and my daughter is Charlotte. Bring her to me right now.
<<d "billie:default">>I'm very sorry, but I can't do that. None of us can.
<<d "nia:anger">>Well if you don't bring her here right now my left breast is going to explode.
<<d "billie:surprise">>You're breastfeeding? How did they not know that?
<<d "siti:fear">><i>We all hear a piercing scream.</i>
[[Hurry to the sound.|winston]]|[[Hurry away from the sound.|winston]]|[[Is that Charlotte?|winston]]<<d "siti:sadness">><i>Nia vaults the white-leather couch in an instant and gives a cry of horror at what she sees on the other side.</i>
<<push "nia">>
<<d "nia:sadness">>Which one of you has a baby? Is this some twisted mother's group prank?
<<d "siti:sadness">><i>She shoves the couch aside, and we all stand staring at a baby barely a month old, who pauses his screaming to stare at us in confusion.</i>
<<push "winston">>
<<pop "nia">>
<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:default">>Oh no. Please tell me we don't have to raise him or something.
<<pop "winston">>
<<push "nia">>
<<d "nia:anger">>Where's his parents? And more importantly, where's Charlotte?
<<d "billie:default">>Maybe it's a maze. . . or a race? Or a race through a maze?
<<d "siti:sadness">>Billie, this is messed up. Even a TV executive wouldn't steal a baby.
<<d "billie:sadness">>I'm sure it's not what it looks like.
<<d "billie:sadness">>It's some kind of illusion. A gimmick. It has to be.
<<d "nia:anger">>What TV execs? Where's my daughter?
<<d "billie:default">>It's a challenge. It has to be. We find the baby.
<<d "nia:disgust">>And the other infant's parents.
<<d "siti:fear">>We have to get out of here before our kidnappers show up.
<<d "nia:fear">>Oh no no no. Charlotte. My poor baby. What have they done to us?
<<d "billie:worry">>Let's split up. The nerd and the old guy can be a team. Pretty boy, you go with the Indonesian girl.
<<pop "billie">>
<<push "yuya">>
<<checkpoint "Nia or Yuya">>
<<d "siti:disgust">>I'm as American as anyone here.
<<d "yuya:disgust">>I'm Japanese.
<<d "nia:disgust">>Let me guess: I'll be taking the baby. Do I get some help, or is mini Winston Churchill here my team-mate?
[[Go with Yuya.|yuya]]|[[Go with Nia.|nia]][[I'll carry the baby.|nia]]|<<milestone "yuya" "You befriended Yuya.">>
<<background "cottage_bedroom">>
NB Find Siti's bag in bedroom (she walks into the room first). Siti looks at her bag contents while the other/s find their own bags.
Siti can choose to drink the water, which is an amazing magical experience. (which makes cormac distrust it, and talk Yuya out of trying it).<<milestone "nia" "You befriended Nia.">>
<<background "cottage_bedroom">>
NB Find Siti's bag in bedroom (she walks into the room first). Siti looks at her bag contents while the other/s find their own bags.
Siti can stop Nia drinking the fairy water, but if she doesn't then Nia describes the amazing taste & feel of it. Sounds like drugs.<<d "siti:worry">><i>I shuffle backwards slowly, remaining on the floor as if I'm still asleep.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>My heart is pounding, beating a hurry-up rhythm against my half-closed eyes.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>The only good thing about this kidnapping is that our guards seem to have left us alone for the moment.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Unless someone else in this room is a plant.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>It must be Billie, who is talking so calmly about reality TV, as if this is some ordinary day.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>We've been abducted. I'm certainly not famous or rich, so it can't be that.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I try desperately not to think of other things people might want me for.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>My elbow is bleeding from scraping it against the floor as I awkwardly sneak behind a white ottoman.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>It's hard not to sob with fear.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Have I left a blood trail?<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I manage to get my head behind the eerily clean footstool.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>The leather smells like a new car, fresh from the showroom.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Everything in me screams at the wrongness of this luxurious room when I should be in my small and messy room.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I should be home, cooking breakfast for Mom and quietly resenting Dad's ability to wander off the second he wakes up.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>But at last I can fully open my eyes.<<endd>>
<<push "billie">>
<<d "siti:worry">>Billie pops her head over the couch, looking straight at me.</i><<endd>>
<<d "billie:anger">>Who are you, and why are you trying to sneak off?<<endd>>
[[This isn't a TV show.|annoy_billie]]|[[I'm Siti Haddad.|intro_siti]]|[[Who are you?|intros]]<<set $billierapport = false>>
//This will result in Billie being rude to the royals (against Siti's advice) and getting killed/banished.
<<push "billie">>
<<d "billie:anger">>Do you want me to slap you?
<<d "siti:worry">>Don't take your emotional issues out on me.
<<d "siti:worry">><i>Billie turned away in disgust.</i>
<<pop "billie">>
<<push "floyd">>
<<d "siti:worry">>It looks like we're all in the same boat. Kidnapped, strangers, and trapped. Am I right?
<<d "floyd:default">>Leave me out of this.
<<d "siti:worry">>At least tell us your name. Mine is Siti.
<<d "floyd:default">>Floyd.
<<pop "floyd">>
<<push "yuya">>
<<push "cormac">>
<<d "Yuya:fear">>I'm Yuya. This was supposed to be a holiday.
<<d "Cormac:worry">>Cormac. Does anyone have any idea what's going on?
<<pop "yuya">>
<<d "billie:anger">>I do. Why would kidnappers choose such an odd mix of people? Why would they leave us unguarded?
<<d "billie:default">>This is a TV show. It has to be.
[[Mom needs me home.|worry]]|[[Who made you the expert?|anger]]|[[Stop babbling.|anger]]
<<push "billie">>
<<push "floyd">>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>The old man mutters unintelligably, and the woman keeps talking.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>They both move away, and although I can still hear their voices I can't tell what they're saying.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>
<<addelay 12m>>Not knowing what else to do, I wait for them to come closer again.</i><<enddelay>>
<<d "billie:default">>Don't stress. This whole. . . well, kidnapping. . . is just to scare us.<<endd>>
<<d "billie:joy">>Classic reality TV, don't you think?<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>The old man huffs and stomps farther away.</i><<endd>>
<<pop "floyd">>
<<push "yuya">>
<<d "billie:joy">>I'm Billie, by the way. And you are?<<endd>>
<<d "yuya:default">>Yuya. But I'm on holiday. I'm not even an American citizen. Are you sure we're not in danger?<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>Yuya has a very deep voice with a gentle Japanese accent.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>He sounds as sleep-addled as I feel, and sits down out of my line of sight.</i><<endd>>
<<pop "yuya">>
<<d "billie:joy">>I'm sure. It won't be long until we're offered contracts, and everything will make sense.<<endd>>
<<push "cormac">>
<<d "cormac:default">>You think we'll be paid for this?<<endd>>
<<d "cormac:worry">>Presumably if we've been kidnapped by a TV station we need to be paid enough that we don't sue them.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>The newest speaker must have been quietly listening up until this point.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>He sees Yuya's face and moves aside to let him speak directly to Billie.</i><<endd>>
<<pop "cormac">>
<<push "yuya">>
<<d "billie:joy">>That's right.<<endd>>
<<d "billie:joy">>Everything is fine. Good, even.<<endd>>
<<d "yuya:joy">>Will I be paid? Like a job? I could stay on holiday longer if I had more money.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:joy">>For a moment I believe the fantasy that everything is all right.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>But it isn't. Below her bravado, Billie knows it too.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Something is badly wrong with everything.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I wish I knew what it was, so I knew whether to run away or beg for mercy.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Mom will be awake by now, which means Dad will already be out.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>Mornings are the worst, when Mom wakes up not knowing where she is or who we are.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">>I feel a sudden, awful flash of understanding.<<endd>>
<<pop "yuya">>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>Billie moves closer to me, and I wonder uncomfortably if I should pretend to wake up.</i><<endd>>
<<d "billie:default">>I probably shouldn't say this, because we'll be competing against one another soon, but one of those two sleeping women is sure to be a plant.<<endd>>
<<d "siti:worry">><i>Before I can react, she's shaking my shoulder.
<<d "siti:worry">>I sit up to see Billie watching me with a speculative expression.</i>
<<d "billie:disgust">>Are you a mole?
[[I'm Siti Haddad.|intro_siti]]|[[Who are you?|intros]]|[[Are you my kidnapper?|annoy_billie]]