Sugarcane

She strokes the gaping wound on her cheek. The man had killed her grandmother, and he was going to do even worse to her before the wolf broke in. Shooting him would be too quick. She raises the shotgun over her head. The man looks up at her and his eyes widen with fear right before she brings it down into his face. There's a loud crack on impact. That might've been his nose. He's in too much pain to yell, but he manages a soft choking sound.\n\n"What the hell are you doing?" he spits.\n\nShe raises the gun again.\n\n[[(Hit him again)|Hit2]]

She brings the gun down into his face a second time, and there's another loud crack. That might've been his cheek bone, or maybe a couple teeth. He tries to cry out but there's too much blood. The girl raises the gun again.\n\n"Stop..." the man whimpers. "Just shoot me."\n\n[[(Beat him to death)|Beaten]]\n[[(Leave him to suffer)|Broken]]

The girl runs out of the bathroom and dives underneath the bed just before the man's heavy footsteps enter the room. A flashlight's beam searches the room and the girl crawls further into her hiding place. The man mutters a few curse words under his breath as he runs to check the master bathroom. If she's going to [[escape|Living Room]], now's the time, before he returns to the main part of the house.

<<set $boot = true>>She pulls on the heavy wool socks and stuffs her feet into the boots.\n\n<<if $coat eq true and $boot eq true>>[[(Leave now)|Front Door]]<<else>>[[(Take coat)|body1]]<<endif>>

<<if $coat eq true>>Her coat is covered in snow, but the sweater underneath is only a little damp<<else>>Now that her coat is off, her sweater will dry on its own<<endif>>. <<if $boot eq true>>Her boots are covered with thick patches of muddy slush after trudging through the forest, and the socks inside are buried in the fragments of ice that had snuck their way inside<<else>>Her feet feel much better on the warm, dry floor<<endif>>.\n\n<<if $coat eq true>>[[(Take off coat)|1q]]<<endif>>\n<<if $boot eq true>>[[(Take off boots)|1w]]<<endif>>\n<<if $coat eq true or $boot eq true>>[[(Leave the rest on)|2]]<<endif>>

The girl lifts the top of the chest and looks inside. In the dimming light of the lamp, she can see a lot of squares and rectangles. Frames. Picture frames. She picks one up and flips it around, but the picture has been ripped out, leaving torn remnants on the borders. She searches through a couple more frames, but they've all met the same fate. She looks up from the chest to the [[thin brown door]] on the wall to the right of the bed.

<<set $Woodsman = "alive">>"No."\n\nThe girl drops the gun. Her hands are trembling, not because of the cold pouring in through the shattered window, but out of overwhelming hatred. She doesn't want to end the man's pain. She wants him to suffer for as long as his fleeting life will let him. She looks down at him, and as she gazes at the wounds covering his body and hears him begging for death, she feels something else. A light, feathery feeling. Satisfaction. She slowly walks around the dead wolf and the writhing man -- two giants reduced to a pathetic heap -- then she opens the [[front door|Exit]].

<<set $curtain = false>>Ignoring the tub's contents, the girl rushes to the bathroom window. She tries to pry it open, but it's sealed shut. She pounds on the glass but it's too thick. Her only way out is through the front door. Her head throbs as her mind races to see all the pieces coming together: the cabin in the woods, the pictures removed from the walls, the green dresses in the closet. This is Grandma's house, and that man did something to her. Something awful.\n\n<<display 'Lights Out'>>

hat about your parents?" the man asks. "If you're by yourself out here they must be worried sick."\n\n[["Maybe, if they even notice I'm gone."|4q]]\n[["I don't want to talk about them."|4w]]\n[["They're coming later." (Lie)|4e]]\n[[(Take another sip)|5]]

The girl tries to dash toward the door but a blind swing from the man's huge arm catches her in the stomach and she tumbles back to the ground.\n\n"You're not leaving that easy," <<display '9'>>

Her breath does little to warm them, but it is all she can do. Slowly, her blurring vision catches something in the distance. A soft orange glow ignites the wall of swirling white before her. She moves a little faster, stumbling, crawling through several feet of snow, but she doesn't mind it anymore. As she gets closer to the glow, she can see that it's flowing through cabin windows. She squeezes her icy hands into fists and pounds on the heavy wooden door, desperate and weak. When it opens, she [[tumbles inside|House]].

<<if $mbd eq true>>The girl returns to the master bedroom door<<if $key eq true>>, this time with the ring of keys. Perhaps one of them will open the door. The only way to find out is to [[try them|Master Bedroom]]<<else>>, but it's still locked tight. There must be something in the house that can get her inside<<endif>>.<<else>>The girl can't help but wonder why this door is closed while all the others are left wide open. It's probably the master bedroom, judging by its placement in the house. She tries the knob, but it's locked tight<<if $key eq true>>. Maybe the keys she found in the man's jacket can open it. It's worth a [[try|Master Bedroom]]<<else>>. There must be something in the house that can get her inside<<endif>>.<<set $mbd = true>><<endif>>\n\nBehind her is the [[living room|L]], beyond which is the [[front door|F]]. Along the other wall are the [[kitchen|K]] and the [[guest bedroom|G]].

<<if $coat eq false>>[[(Take coat)|body1]]<<endif>>\n<<if $boot eq false>>[[(Take boots)|feet1]]<<endif>>\n<<if $coat eq true and $boot eq true>>[[(Leave now)|Front Door]]<<endif>>

The girl hurries to the hearth to pull her winter clothes back on as fast as possible.\n\n<<display 'Clothes'>>

<<set $sleep = true>>The girl crawls into the bed and lays down. <<if $coat eq false and $boots eq false>>She pulls the covers over her and buries herself inside them<<else>>It's soft and comfy, even without the covers on<<endif>>. As she listens to the storm outside, she prepares to drift off to sleep.\n\nBut then she feels something. Something under the covers. She [[reaches inside|Picture]] to see what it is.

The girl opens up the closet, but it's bare, apart from the cobwebs forming in its corners.\n\nT<<display 'guest bedroom'>>

The side table seems strangely bare. It could use something. Perhaps a clock, or a lamp, or a picture of some sort.\n\nT<<display 'guest bedroom'>>

The bed is small, and it seems to be just about the girl's size. It looks soft. Just the sight of it makes her a little more tired. As the storm grows ever more fierce outside, she starts to think that a little [[rest|g4]] could do her some good.\n\nT<<display 'guest bedroom'>>

The man's snoring isn't quite as soothing a sound as the crackling flames in the fireplace, but it's far more comforting than the blizzard. The girl looks around the cozy living room. <<display 'living room'>>

<<if $s1 eq false>>[[(In the living room?)|s1]]<<endif>>\n<<if $s2 eq false>>[[(By the front door?)|s2]]<<endif>>\n<<if $s3 eq false>>[[(In the guest bedroom?)|s3]]<<endif>>\n[[(In the kitchen?)|s4]]<<endif>>\n<<if $s5 eq false>>[[(In the master bedroom?)|s5]]<<endif>>

here is a small [[bed|g1]], a [[side table|g2]], and a [[closet|g3]].\n\nJust outside the bedroom is the entrance to the [[kitchen|K]]. The [[living room|L]] is still aglow with the warm light of the fire, while the [[front door|F]] shields the cabin's interior from the cold winds outside. On the other side of the house is the <<if $mbd eq false>>only [[closed room]]<<else>>[[master bedroom door|closed room]]<<endif>>.

To the right of the path there is a collapsed tree. Its trunk has a [[small hollow|Hollow]].\n\n[[(Look to the left)|Left]]

The girl spreads her hands out to receive some more of the blaze's generous heat<<if $winterAttire lte 4>>. The clothes she had places on the hearth to dry are coming along nicely<<endif>>.\n\n<<display 'living room'>>

The girl looks up to the weapon hanging over the fireplace. It's a shotgun, the kind that hunters use. The two hooks it's resting upon look newly and crudely installed. Above the gun, a third, much older-looking hook sits alone, unused.\n\nClearly, the man is quite prepared for the beast that had given her chase through the woods.\n\n<<display 'living room'>>

The girl politely shakes her head, declining the offer.\n\n"Suit yourself," the man shrugs. "At least take this." He hands her the mug. "Hot chocolate," he explains. "Careful with it."\n\n<<display '3'>>

He'd fallen asleep rather quickly. He must have been quite tired. Hopefully he'll wake up in time to tend to the food he's left cooking.\n\n<<display 'living room'>>

The girl turns the old knob of the thin brown door and pulls it open. It's a closet with a metal pole full of hangers holding a variety of sweaters, jackets, and, strangely enough, dresses. Most of them are green. The girl turns around. Across the room is the [[big white door]].

The girl crawls, quickly and quietly, out from her hiding place in the room, then she stands and creeps into the living room while the man is occupied. The front door is now the only thing keeping her from her escape. <<if $coat eq true and $boot eq true>>Luckily, she still has her winter clothes on. She wouldn't last a minute in the blizzard without them.\n\n[[(Leave now)|Front Door]]<<else>>She begins regretting her choice to take off any of her winter clothes. She won't last a minute in the blizzard without them. She turns to the [[hearth|Hearth]] where they lay drying.<<endif>>

It's a small picture frame. The girl spins it in her hands to see the image contained. It's a photograph that has been stabbed multiple times. Despite the rips, the girl can make out the figure of a kindly old woman in green: her grandmother.\n\nThe girl wonders to herself why the man would have a picture of her grandmother in his house, and why it has been so violently handled. Then she recognizes the living room the old woman is sitting in, and the fireplace that lights her tired face. Now the girl realizes who's house she's really in. Her head throbs as her mind is consumed with one question. If this is her grandmother's house, where is her grandmother? The girl turns the frame in her hand to see the [[back|Frame]].

<<set $Shoot = "none">>Sensing her opportunity, the girl rushes to the door and prepares to swing it open, but before she does, she pauses. Her hand rubs the swelling, bleeding wound on her cheek, and she turns to see the man who had beaten her -- the man who had killed her grandmother -- on the ground, helplessly fighting a monster much too large for him to stop. As the wolf's teeth finally find their way around the man's arm and into his throat, the girl watches until he stops moving, and the wolf begins eating. When the man has ceased his gurgling and twitching, the girl finally opens the door. The swirling snow and freezing wind pour inside, dousing the fireplace and overtaking the little cabin. She marches forward into the blizzard and with every step the hungry snarls of the wolf become quieter, swallowed up in the sound of the terrible storm. The girl shivers, and doesn't look back.\n\n[[END]]

The girl doesn't answer. She simply takes another sip from her cup.\n\n"Alright, well, w<<display '4'>>

"I'm looking for my grandma's house," the girl says.\n\n"Your grandma's?" the man repeats, somewhat alarmed. "Alone? In this weather? Have you ever been to her house before?"\n\n"No, I haven't."\n\n"Oh," the man sighs.\n\n"Have you seen her?" the girl continues. "My parents said she lives in a cabin in the woods. Are there more than just this one?"\n\nThe man gives his beard a thoughtful scratch. "I'm not sure. I only moved here a little while back. I'm a woodcutter, so I've gotta go where the trees are growin', you see? Haven't had time to meet my neighbors. This here's a big forest, though. If anyone else lives out here, they're probably not closeby."\n\n"Oh," the girl says, realizing that the man is probably right.\n\n"W<<display '4'>>

"I'm running from that thing it the woods," the girl says.\n\n"Oh, the beast?" the man nods, understanding. "Yeah, he's hassled me a few times, an' I haven't been here long. I'm a woodcutter, so I go where the trees are growin', and this here's a big forest. You'd think he'd find someone else to pester, but maybe I'm the only one closeby."\n\n"Oh," the girl says, realizing that the man is probably right. The forest really is huge. This might be the only cabin for miles.\n\n"W<<display '4'>>

<<set $thirteen = true>>"I'm not little. I'm thirteen," the girl corrects him, indignantly.\n\n"Begging your pardon, Miss, but that's little to me." He chuckles. "So, what's a thirteen-year-old like yourself doing alone in a blizzard?"\n\n<<display '3choice'>>

The girl reaches beside the door and flips the light switch. A small lamp on a bedside table flickers on. Its bulb is old and weak. Aside from the lamp, the bedside table is strangely bare. Beside the table is a messy queen-sized bed. The quilts are all lopsided, carelessly flowing onto the hardwood floor. To the right of the bed is a shut door, brown and thin. To the left, another shut door, big and white. At the foot of the bed is a [[chest]]. The lock is broken off.

<<set $myCoat = $coat>><<set $myBoot = $boot>>She receives the mug and takes a cautious sip. It's very hot, and very soothing.\n\n"So," the man begins, sitting heavily in a big armchair, "what's a little kid like you doin' out in a storm like this?"\n\n<<display '3choice'>>

The girl scans the room for another way out but all she sees are sealed windows, small rooms, and the shotgun mounted far too high above the fireplace. The front door really is her only escape, but now the man is in her way, seeming more massive with every step closer to her. Then the girl's eyes catch sight of one of the logs in the fire. It's small, and about half of it is hanging outside the blaze, unignited. It's only a couple inches out of arm's reach.\n\n"She had pictures of you," the man suddenly says, running his finger along the blade of the axe. "The woman who lived here. A little baby girl with bright red hair, held by an old woman in a green dress."\n\n[[(Inch toward log)|7q]]\n[[(Go for log now)|7e]]

"I'm looking for shelter," the girl says.\n\n"Any shelter in particular, or is this good enough for now?"\n\n"This is nice, but I was looking for someone."\n\n"I see," the man says, looking concerned. "You been in these woods before?"\n\n"No, I haven't."\n\n"Oh," the man sighs. "Well, I haven't been here long. I just moved in. I'm a woodcutter, so I go where the trees are growin'. Anyway, this forest's a big one, so I have yet to meet any neighbors. If anyone else lives out here, they're probably not closeby."\n\n"Oh," the girl says, realizing that the man is probably right.\n\n"W<<display '4'>>

<<set $blanket = true>>The girl accepts the blanket and wraps it around herself.\n\n"There ya go," the man smiles. "Take this, too." He hands her the mug. "Hot chocolate," he explains. "Careful with it."\n\n<<display '3'>>

The [[man|l1]] sits comfortably in his reclined armchair. The [[fireplace|l2]] is still producing a strong warmth. Above the it there hangs a [[shotgun|l3]].\n\nThe entrance to the [[kitchen|K]] is just behind the girl, along with the [[guest bedroom|G]] the man had mentioned. Behind the man's chair is the [[front door|F]], and in the other direction is the <<if $mbd eq false>>only [[closed room]]<<else>>[[master bedroom door|closed room]]<<endif>>.

Thank you for playing\n''WOLF OF THE WOODS''\nA Short Story by Tom Gould\n\n__SOME OF YOUR CHOICES:__\n<<if $Hide eq "snow">>''Cold Shelter'': The girl hid in the snow to avoid the wolf. Better cold than eaten<<else>>''Wood Be Safe'': The girl hid in the hollow of a tree to avoid the wolf<<endif>>.\n<<if $myCoat eq true and $myBoot eq true>>''Always Prepared'': The girl preferred to keep her winter clothes on, rather than letting them dry<<else>>''To Be Warm'': The girl let some of her winter clothes dry and enjoyed the warmth of the fire<<endif>>.\n<<if $sleep eq true>>''Tears to Shred'': The girl tried to sleep in the bed, but then she found the torn up picture of her grandmother<<else>><<if $curtain eq true>>''I Have to Know'': The girl saw what was in the tub<<else>>''I Can't Look'': The girl couldn't bear to look into the tub<<endif>><<endif>><<if $Shoot eq "none">>.<<else>>.\n<<if $Load eq true>>''Experienced Shooter'': The girl knew how to load the shotgun<<else>>''Inexperienced Shooter'': The girl fumbled while loading the shotgun<<endif>>.<<endif>>\n<<if $Shoot eq "none">>''Two Monsters'': The girl retreated into the depths of the blizzard to escape two terrible beasts<<else>>''The Greater of Two Evils'': The girl fired, deciding that the <<print $Shoot>> was the worse of the two monsters<<endif>><<if $Shoot eq "wolf">>.\n<<if $Woodsman eq "alive">>''Left to Fester'': The girl left the man to die in the cabin<<endif>><<if $Woodsman eq "shot">>''Executed'': The girl put the begging man out of his misery<<endif>><<if $Woodsman eq "beaten">>''Not Helpless Anymore'': The girl brutally beat the man to death for what he did, and for what he was about to do<<endif>>.<<else>>.<<endif>>

The room appears to have gone some time without use. Inside, t<<display 'guest bedroom'>>

The kitchen is cozy and small, designed for no more than one person's use at a time. Stirring spoons and spatulas hang on the wall, clean dishes are stacked neatly on cupboard shelves, and an array of spices are organized on a thin rack on the counter. Judging by all the supplies, the man must be a very good cook, or is at least trying to be.\n\nThe girl takes a look around. <<display 'kitchen'>>

The girl goes for the log but she's too far away. The man notices her reaching and quits his speaking, raising the axe over his head and bringing it down hard toward the girl's arm. She screams and pulls away just in time for the axe to miss and strike the stone hearth instead, sending a painful vibration up through the man's arm. He yells as his hands instinctively release the [[axe|Retaliation]]. The [[front door|Take Two]] is just past the man.

There's a small [[box|k1]] on one of the counters. The [[pots|k2]] on the stove continue their rumbling boil. There is an unused [[space|k3]] on the wall above them.\n\nFrom the entrance to the kitchen, the girl can see the [[guest bedroom|G]] the man had mentioned. The man is still sound asleep in his armchair beside the fireplace in the [[living room|L]]. Behind him is the [[front door|F]], and on the other side of the house is the <<if $mbd eq false>>only [[closed room]]<<else>>[[master bedroom door|closed room]]<<endif>>.

Beside the door is a [[window|f1]]. Hanging next to the window is the man's [[coat|f2]], beneath which rests his [[axe|f3]].\n\nBehind the girl is the [[living room|L]], and beyond that are the entrances to the [[kitchen|K]], the [[guest bedroom|G]], and the <<if $mbd eq false>>only [[closed room]]<<else>>[[master bedroom door|closed room]]<<endif>>.

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<<set $Shoot = "wolf">>The girl pulls hard on the trigger until the gun fires and the wolf's torso explodes. It lets out an anguished yelp as it collapses on top of the man who is in too much pain to push it off. The man groans, pinned to the floor, clutching his shredded left arm. He's helpless, just like she had been.\n\n"Please," he croaks. "Just... finish it." The girl sees the blood gushing from his mouth. He's dying. He's begging for the pain to end.\n\n[[(Shoot him)|Bloodied]]\n[[(Hit him with the gun)|Hit1]]\n[[(Leave him to suffer)|Broken]]

Just as she takes her first unbalanced step into the snow outside, a powerful hand grabs her by her hair and yanks her back in. The man jerks her back to face him, then brings the back of his hand across her face with vicious force. He throws her to the floor in front of the fireplace, slams the door shut, then he tenderly picks up the axe from its place at the front window. He turns to the girl.\n\n"<<if $curtain eq true>>You found Grandmommy, didn't you?<<else>>Headed out? But you've already found your Grandmommy's house,<<endif>>" he growls as the fire illuminates his twisted smile. The girl can feel blood already trickling down from the new wound on her cheek.\n\n[["Please, let me go."|6q]]\n[["This isn't your house."|6w]]\n<<if $curtain eq true>>[["I know what you did."|6e]]<<else>>[["What happened to her?"|6r]]<<endif>>\n[[(Say nothing)|6t]]

<<if $coat neq 4>><<set $coat = $coat + 1>><<endif>>The girl looks to the man's coat hanging beside the front window. <<if $key eq true>>It's a very well-made coat. Perfect for a night like this.<<else>><<if $coat eq 4>>She touches the plaid fabric again and hears the muffled jingling of the [[keys|f4]] within one of its pockets.<<endif>><<if $coat eq 3>>She touches the plaid fabric again and hears the muffled jingling once more. Then she remembers the [[keys|f4]] the man had put into his pocket.<<endif>><<if $coat eq 2>>The plaid fabric looks soft and, still curious, the girl reaches out once more to feel just how soft it is. As her fingers move along the fabric, she hears a muffled jingling coming from one of the pockets and she pauses, startled.<<endif>><<if $coat eq 1>>The plaid fabric looks soft and, curious, the girl reaches out to feel just how soft it is. Before her fingers reach it, however, she hears the man give a disturbed snort and she turns quickly. He's still asleep, probably having some kind of dream.<<endif>><<endif>>\n\n<<display 'front door'>>

The girl quickly rolls off the bed and crawls underneath it. She sees the man's boots emerge in the doorway just seconds later.\n\n"Kid?" he calls. "Kid, where'd you go? You didn't... oh, no."\n\nAs he moves slowly to the bed and stops right beside it, the girl realizes that she'd left the ripped picture on the sheets. She covers her mouth to muffle her quivering breaths as the man examines the picture right above her.\n\n"I thought I got all of these," he mutters. "I'm such an idiot. I need to-- wait a minute." He runs out of the room, and the girl hears him trying the handle of the <<if $mbd eq true>>master bedroom<<else>>closed<<endif>> door on the other side of the house. It's locked<<if $key eq true>>. The man curses under his breath, probably finding that the keys are missing from his plaid coat pocket, but then a loud pounding and the splintering of wood<<else>>, but the sounds of keys jingling<<endif>> alert her to the door's opening, and the sounds of the man disappear for a moment.\n\nThe girl knows now that she needs to escape. She looks up to the [[window|Sealed Window]] above the side table, then to the doorway to the living room where the [[front door|Living Room]] waits.

<<set $Hide = "snow">>The girl forces her aching limbs to carry her off the path and she collapses into the mound of snow and buries herself as far inside as she can. It's like crawling into an icebox, but she doesn't have time to care. She must be out of sight.\n\nFor minutes she waits, unmoving, listening intently for the crunching of the snow beneath four giant paws hunting for her on the path, but all she can hear is the wind. Suddenly, there comes a low, rumbling growl. It is right above her, but it has not yet found her in the snow. She gasps in fright and is punished by the frigid air that immediately rushes into her lungs. She tries to ignore the aching in her chest, waiting until the growl has moved away. Minutes pass, but even when she is certain the way is clear, she finds herself wondering if she should even bother moving forward. She's so cold, so tired. All she wants to do is rest. Her eyes are becoming heavy, and her body is beginning to relent.\n\nBut suddenly she shakes her head, fighting the thoughts of rest with every remaining ounce of conciousness. She cannot rest here. She clumsily crawls out of the snow and back to her feet. Even though the icy slush is sneaking into every inch of her clothing, she knows she must keep moving. She knows that if she gives into her fatigue, she will die. Motivated by this singular fact, she continues along the path. She raises her stiffening hands to her mouth, and gives them a weak [[puff|Path]].

''Wolf of the Woods''\n------------------------------\nA shorter, altered version of\na larger story to test setting\nand atmosphere.\n------------------------------\nWritten by Tom Gould\n------------------------------\n[[Begin]]

The swirling snow and freezing wind rush inside, dousing the fireplace and overtaking the little cabin. She marches forward into the blizzard<<if $Shoot eq "man">>, and with every step, the hungry snarls of the wolf become quieter, swallowed up in the sound of the terrible storm<<else>><<if $Woodsman eq "alive">>, and with every step, the agonized moaning of the man becomes quieter, swallowed up in the sound of the terrible storm<<endif>><<endif>>. The girl shivers, and doesn't look back.\n\n[[END]]

"Wolf of the Woods" by Tom Gould

<<set $coat = false>>She can feel the nerves in her hands thawing as she pulls off her coat and drops it beside the fire. The snow begins to melt immediately<<if $coat eq false and $boot eq false>>.\n\n<<display '2'>><<else>>. She looks back to her clothes. <<display '1'>><<endif>>

<<set $boot = false>>She struggles to pull each boot off, and her soggy socks peel off with them. She sets them on the hearth and watches as the mud and snow start to fall off. Her feet feel good on the warm wooden floor<<if $coat eq false and $boot eq false>>.\n\n<<display '2'>><<else>>. She looks back to her clothes. <<display '1'>><<endif>>

<<if $coat eq false and $boot eq false>>The fire's warmth chases away every bit of numbness that had taken over her body. Her hands and feet begin to tingle as the feeling returns to them. She scratches them and breathes a satisfied sigh.\n\n"Makin' yourself comfortable, I see. Here, kid," the man says, returning from the kitchen with a steaming mug and a thick quilt. "I know the fire's nice, but take this for a little extra warmth."\n\n[[(Accept blanket)|2a]]\n[[(Refuse blanket)|2b]]<<endif>><<if $coat eq true and $boot eq true>>She can't help but feel more secure with her winter attire on. Despite the icky wet feeling of the snow that had snuck its way into the inner layers of her clothes, the fire's warmth chases away the thoughts of discomfort. She notices an tingling on her nose as the feeling returns to her hands and face. She scratches it and breathes a satisfied sigh.\n\n"You sure you don't wanna take any of that wet stuff off, kid?" the man asks, returning from the kitchen with a steaming mug. "Well, suit yourself. Whatever makes you comfortable." He hands the mug to the girl. "Hot chocolate," he explains. "Careful with it."\n\n<<display '3'>><<endif>><<if $coat eq true and $boot eq false>>She rubs the sleeves of her coat as the fire begins chasing away her numbness. Her hands and feet begin tingling as the feeling returns to them. She scratches them and breathes a satisfied sigh of relief.\n\n"Make yourself comfortable," the man says, returning from the kitchen with a steaming mug. He hands it to the girl. "Hot chocolate," he explains. "Careful with it."\n\n<<display '3'>><<endif>><<if $coat eq false and $boot eq true>>She rubs the sleeves of her sweater as the fire begins chasing away her numbness. Her nose begins to tingle as the feeling returns to her body and face. She scratches them and breathes a satisfied sigh of relief.\n\n"Make yourself comfortable," the man says, returning from the kitchen with a steaming mug. He hands it to the girl. "Hot chocolate," he explains. "Careful with it."\n\n<<display '3'>><<endif>>

<<set $curtain = true>>The girl slowly walks up to the shower curtain, then she pulls it aside. It squeaks along the rail above as the tub's contents are revealed. A pile of flesh and body parts lie is a disorganized heap. It looks like a person put together all wrong, and on the top is the rotting face of an old woman.\n\nThe girl chokes on something in her throat. Her hands are quaking feverishly. She knows she needs to escape. Her head throbs. Her mind is racing as she starts to figure it all out: the cabin in the woods, the pictures removed from the walls, the green dresses in the closet. This is Grandma's house, and her remains lie decaying in the bathtub.\n\n<<display 'Lights Out'>>

"I-I know what you did," the girl stutters.\n\n"Oh," the man says with exaggerated surprise. "So, you saw my work in the bathroom? I'm flattered. To be honest, she didn't look much better when she was in one piece." His grin widens as he advances toward the girl.\n\n<<display '7'>>

The wind is roaring loudly outside, but the front door remains solid against it. <<display 'front door'>>

The girl moves toward the axe but a blind swing from the man's huge arm catches her in the stomach and she tumbles back to the ground.\n\n"That's a dangerous tool, kiddo," <<display '9'>>

"P-please," the girl begs, "let me go."\n\nThe man shakes his head. "I can't do that, now," he says, advancing as the girl crawls backward away from him. "<<if $sleep eq true>>You've probably already figured out what I did to dear old Granny<<else>>You've already seen <<if $curtain eq true>>the body<<else>>my little mess in the bathroom<<endif>><<endif>>."\n\n<<display '7'>>

"Wh-what happened to her?" the girl demands.\n\n"She was pretty torn up last I saw her," the man suggests, his grin widening as he advances toward the girl.\n\n<<display '7'>>

All the girl can manage is silence. The man shakes his head, advancing as she crawls backward away from him. ""<<if $sleep eq true>>You've probably already figured out what I did to dear old Granny<<else>>You've already seen <<if $curtain eq true>>the body<<else>>my little mess in the bathroom<<endif>><<endif>>, haven't you?"\n\n<<display '7'>>

The girl goes for the log, grabbing the unlit portion, pulling it out of the fireplace, and flinging it right at the man's head. His reflexes are too slow, and the flaming piece of wood strikes him right between the eyes. He yells in pain and drops the [[axe|Retaliation]] as the embers spread all over his face. The [[front door|Take Two]] is just past the man.

"Th-this isn't your house," the girl stutters. "You t-took it."\n\n"You got me," the man says, raising his hands in a feigned surrender and advancing as the girl crawls backward away from him. "<<if $sleep eq true>>You've probably already figured out what I did to dear old Granny<<else>>You've already seen <<if $curtain eq true>>the body<<else>>my little mess in the bathroom<<endif>><<endif>>, haven't you?"\n\n<<display '7'>>

To the left of the path there is a [[mound of snow|Snow]]. It looks very cold.\n\n[[(Look to the right)|Right]]

She tries shoving the shell into the bottom port and, with a bit of force, it slides inside. The girl places the stock against her stomach and pulls the slide back with all her strength, then forces it forward until she hears the internal click of the shell being loaded into firing position. She rushes back into the living room where the two beasts are rolling around, slamming into walls and furniture as they tear at each other. There's blood everywhere. The girl raises the shotgun and aims toward the two of them: the [[man]] who killed her grandmother, and the [[wolf]] who tracked her through the blizzard.

She hits the wall. There is nowhere to run. The man is closing in, smiling with his axe raised over his head, but he pauses. The madness on his face melts away to something far more sinister.\n\nSuddenly a bright flash of lightning floods the room with an instant of white light, silhouetting the man's gigantic figure, and as the following thunderclap shrieks through the sky above the house, rattling the walls, something crashes through the front window behind him -- something even more massive than the man. He turns just in time to face a giant wolf as it tackles him to the floor beside the girl. She scrambles away to avoid the ensuing fight between the two monsters. As she climbs to her feet, she sees the wolf's fangs digging into the man's left arm as his right arm flails with the axe, occasionally catching the wolf in the torso. The man furiously curses as the wolf snarls violently with each strike, and soon, both of them are bleeding profusely. The girl notices that the shotgun has fallen from its perch above the fireplace.\n\n[[(Grab shotgun)|Shotgun]]\n[[(Escape through front door)|Run]]

<<silently>>\n<<set $coat = true>>\n<<set $boot = true>>\n<<set $blanket = false>>\n<<set $thirteen = false>>\n<<endsilently>>The door closes behind her, and the sounds of the blizzard are finally muffled. She remains lying on the floor, overcome with relief, finally out of the awful snow.\n\nThen she hears someone above her, the one who'd opened the door. "Oh, make yourself at home. Don't mind me." It's not the voice of a kindly old lady. It's gruff and sarcastic. The girl looks up to see a large bearded man in a plaid jacket, holding a ring of keys in one hand and a heavy-looking felling axe in the other. He shakes his head and sighs as he pulls off his coat, stuffs the keys into one of its pockets, and then hangs it on a hook beside the front window. He sets the axe on the floor beneath it, then he turns to the girl. "Well, get up. I suppose you'd like a seat by the fire before your nose breaks off."\n\nThe girl sees the fireplace in the living room. The crackling blaze is brilliant and comforting, and perhaps just as comforting is the shotgun hanging on the wall above. Safe from beast and cold alike, she places herself in front of the dancing flames and enjoys the heat.\n\n"I don't much like surprise visitors," the man says, sounding a little annoyed as he returns to the kitchen where a couple pots of something are boiling on the stove. "But, then again, I can't just send you back out into weather like that. You'd freeze up before your heart could strike another beat. Might as well take some of that heavy winter stuff off your back and put it on the hearth to dry. That storm's not going to be over anytime soon."\n\nThe girl looks down at her clothes. <<display '1'>>

The words "My House Now" are carved into the thin wood. The girl freezes as she stares at the crude letters. A chill runs up her spine.\n\nSuddenly there's a loud popping sound and the bedroom light goes out. The girl's eyes shoot toward the doorway to see that the living room light is off, too. The whole house has gone completely dark, save for the eerie orange glow of the fireplace.\n\nThere's a harsh snort in the living room and the girl hears the man jumping out of his armchair. "What the--?" the man shouts, alarmed at the light's failure. "Kid? Where'd you go?" There are a few heavy footsteps. All the girl can think to do now is [[hide|Under the Bed]].

The girl walks over to the white door, turns the knob, and pushes it open. She can tell that it's the master bathroom, but she can't see much else due to the lack of [[light]].

<<set $Hide = "tree">>The girl forces her aching limbs to carry her off the path and climb her into the hollow. The wind screams by the entrance, but it no longer torments her as freely. For a moment, she feels a little warmer.\n\nHuddled away in the wooden cavity, she waits, unmoving, listening intently for the crunching of the snow beneath four giant paws hunting for her on the path, but all she can hear is the wind. Suddenly, there comes a low, rumbling growl. It is close. She gasps in fright before she can stop herself, and she is punished by the frigid wind that immediately rushes into her lungs. She tries to ignore the aching in her chest, waiting until the growl has moved away. Minutes pass, but even when she is certain the way is clear, she finds herself wondering if she should even bother moving forward. She's so cold, so tired. All she wants to do is rest. Her eyes are becoming heavy, and her body is beginning to relent.\n\nBut suddenly she shakes her head, fighting the thoughts of rest with every remaining ounce of conciousness. She cannot rest here. She clumsily crawls out of the hollow, into the snow, and back to her feet. Even though the icy slush is sneaking into every inch of her clothing, she knows she must keep moving. She knows that if she gives into her fatigue, she will die. Motivated by this singular fact, she continues along the path. She raises her stiffening hands to her mouth, and gives them a weak [[puff|Path]].

"I don't want to talk about them," the girl mumbles.\n\n"Ah," the man says, crossing his arms and looking thoughtful. "Trouble at the homestead. I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want."\n\n<<display '5'>>

<<set $coat = true>>She quickly grabs the heavy coat from the hearth and hurriedly pulls it on.\n\n<<if $coat eq true and $boot eq true>>[[(Leave now)|Front Door]]<<else>>[[(Take boots)|feet1]]<<endif>>

The girl looks out the window. <<if $window eq true>>She sees nothing but swirling snow.<<else>>The white winds of the blizzard speed past, dimmed by the night. For an instant, she thinks she sees a dark figure looming just out of range of the house's lights, but the next second it has disappeared. It could have been anything.<<set $window = true>><<endif>>\n\n<<display 'front door'>>

The girl looks to the man's coat hanging beside the front window. <<if $key eq true>>It's a very well-made coat. Perfect for a night like this.<<else>><<if $WMcoat eq true>>She touches the plaid fabric again and hears the muffled jingling of the [[keys|f4]] within one of its pockets.<<else>>The plaid fabric looks soft, so the girl reaches out to feel just how soft it is. As her fingers move along the fabric, she hears a muffled jingling coming from one of the pockets and she pauses, startled. Then she remembers the [[keys|f4]] the man had put into his pocket.<<set $WMcoat = true>><<endif>><<endif>>\n\n<<display 'front door'>>

The heavy felling axe rests against the wall under the hanging coat. It looks well worn, but it's been recently cleaned. The man is apparently very tidy when it comes to his tools.\n\n<<display 'front door'>>

<<set $key = true>>The girl sifts through the many pockets of the plaid coat until she finds the little ring of keys. She wonders to herself <<if $mbd eq true>>whether one of the keys in the collection will fit into the master bedroom door<<else>>what they could be for<<endif>>.\n\n<<display 'front door'>>

<<set $Woodsman = "shot">>The girl grabs another shell from the box in the kitchen. She loads it into the shotgun and approaches the man, aims at his head, and fires. The gun jerks back and half the man's face erupts. A hissing gurgle sprays from his exposed throat, then he stops moving.\n\nThe girl drops the gun. She notices her hands are trembling, not from the cold pouring in through the shattered window, but out of overwhelming hatred. She looks down at the man, and as she watches the blood pooling up around what's left of his head, she feels something else. A light, feathery feeling. Satisfaction. She slowly moves around the corpses of the wolf and the man -- two giants reduced to a pathetic heap -- then she opens the [[front door|Exit]].

The girl moves a little closer to the log. It's within arm's reach now.\n\n"I was worried you'd remember your Grandma's house and figure me out," the man continues, smiling to himself, "but I suppose you stopped visiting her once you got older. Poor lonely old Grandma." He clutches the axe tightly. "Ready to visit her?"\n\n[[(Go for log now)|8]]

The girl slowly moves a little closer to the log. It's only an inch or two out of reach, now.\n\n"She must've had at least one of those pictures in every room," the man continues. His face twists in disgust. "I got rid of them, but I still recognized your face. You look just like her."\n\n[[(Inch toward log)|7w]]\n[[(Go for log now)|7e]]

Snow spins on an icy wind that rushes through the forest's trees and nearly topples the girl who struggles to remain on the now-covered path. The biting cold of the blizzard is becoming more ferocious with each step she takes into its blinding white currents as though it were trying to force her back. But then a howl rings out from behind, ensuring that she does not abandon her forward march.\n\nHer heavy coat ruffles at another violent blast of the frigid wind. Crimson streaks of hair cling frozen to her brow. Her trembling hands rise to keep her hood from exposing her numbing cheeks to the relentless flurries. She knows well that she will freeze to death if she does not find shelter soon. If she could only find her grandmother's house. She had never met her grandmother, and she regrets her lack of visits even more by the minute as the woods become less familiar, but her parents had told her about the sturdy little cabin in the woods and about the old woman who lived in the midst of hunters and woodsmen. She had even seen pictures of the kindly old lady, always wearing the same color dress: a deep forest green.\n\nGreen. That was a color the girl hadn't seen for a long time. Before she had even entered the woods that night, the grass on either side of the earthen path had been covered in sheets of snow and ice, and the trees had long since become barren and dark at winter's coming, stretching high into the sky, their branches like cracks in the swirling grey clouds above, but the sky can no longer be seen beyond the speeding white blur of the storm.\n\nSuddenly, another howl pierces the roaring blizzard. It's much closer than before. Nearly upon her. Becoming frantic, the girl looks [[left|Left]] and [[right|Right]] for a place to hide.

The door creaks open, revealing the large bedroom. The [[lights]] are off, making it seem somewhat unwelcoming.

The girl looks around her. She's standing in the [[living room|L]] right now, and the next room is the [[kitchen|K]], beside which is the [[guest bedroom|G]]. Behind the man's armchair is the [[front door|F]], and on the other side of the house is the <<if $mbd eq false>>only [[closed room]]<<else>>[[master bedroom door|closed room]]<<endif>>.

<<set $s3 = true>>She looks inside the guest bedroom, on the side table, in the closet, but the shells aren't inside.\n\n<<display 'Where'>>

<<set $s2 = true>>She checks by the front door, by the window, in the pockets of the coat hanging beside it. Nothing.\n\n<<display 'Where'>>

<<set $s1 = true>>She looks around the living room, but the shells are nowhere around.\n\n<<display 'Where'>>

<<set $s5 = true>>She looks inside the master bedroom, in the chest of frames and the closet of dresses, but she finds nothing. She can't bear to enter the bathroom again, but there weren't any shells in there before.\n\n<<display 'Where'>>

She runs into the kitchen and sees the box of shells on the counter. She grabs it, pulls it open, and plucks one out. Then she spins the gun in her hands until she sees two ports. One of them is on the right side of the shotgun, the other is on the bottom, just ahead of the trigger.\n\n[[(Load into side port)|Eject]]\n[[(Load into bottom port)|Load]]

The blank space on the wall seems out of place, judging by how efficiently everything else in the kitchen is organized. Perhaps some malfunctioning appliance was recently removed and has yet to be replaced.\n\n<<display 'kitchen'>>

The pots are still bubbling away on the stove. Whatever's cooking smells good. The girl supposes that it's a stew, causing herself a little smile of anticipation.\n\n<<display 'kitchen'>>

The box has a picture of shotgun shells on the front. They must be for the gun hanging above the fireplace.\n\n<<display 'kitchen'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $window = false>>\n<<set $WMcoat = 0>>\n<<set $key = false>>\n<<set $sleep = false>>\n<<set $mbd = false>>\n<<endsilently>>Quietly, the girl takes another sip from her hot chocolate. The house creaks for a second under the growing force of the blizzard.\n\n"Well," the man yawns. "I guess all we can do is wait. I have some food cooking but that's going to take a while. In the meantime, I'm takin' a nap. If you get tired, there's the guest bedroom. I'll wake you when the food's done." The man closes his eyes and reclines in the chair.\n\n<<display 'Around'>>

he growls, picking the axe back up and holding it tight. The storm outside is worsening, and a few distant claps of thunder can be heard in the merciless sky. The girl watches as the man faces her once more. She tries to [[crawl away|10]] from him.

Suddenly there's a loud popping sound and the bathroom light goes out. The girl spins around to see that the master bedroom light is off, too. The whole house has gone completely dark, save for the eerie orange glow of the living room fireplace.\n\nThere's a harsh snort in the living room and the girl hears the man jumping out of his armchair. "What the--?" the man shouts, alarmed at the light's failure. "Kid? Where did you go?" There are a few heavy footsteps, and then, "Oh no."\n\nHe's seen the open master bedroom door. The girl looks around for a place to hide. The window looks sealed shut. The bathroom pantry is too small. The only viable option is in the master bedroom, [[under the queen-sized bed|Hide]].

<<set $Load = false>>She tries to jam the shell into the side port but it doesn't go in. That must be where the used shells get ejected. <<display 'Load'>>

<<set $Woodsman = "beaten">>"No."\n\nShe brings the gun down on him again and again, each blow more furious than the last. With each strike his face becomes less human. His brow collapses and crushes one of his eyes, his jaw becomes unhinged, and soon his whole head has caved into a shattered red pulp with bits of bone and displaced teeth jutting in crooked shards.\n\nThe girl drops the gun when the man's twitching has finally stopped. She notices her blood-soaked hands are trembling, not from the cold pouring in through the shattered window, but out of overwhelming hatred. She looks down at the man, and as she watches the blood pooling up around what's left of his head, she feels something else. A light, feathery feeling. Satisfaction. She slowly moves around the two corpses -- two giants reduced to a pathetic heap -- then she opens the [[front door|Exit]].

<<silently>>\n<<set $s1 = false>>\n<<set $s2 = false>>\n<<set $s3 = false>>\n<<set $s5 = false>>\n<<set $Load = true>>\n<<endsilently>>The girl rushes to the hearth and scoops up the shotgun. It doesn't have any shells inside. She looks around, trying to remember where the shells were.\n\n<<display 'Where'>>

<<set $Shoot = "man">>The girl pulls hard on the trigger until the gun fires and the man's right arm explodes, sending the axe to the floor. He screams briefly before his left arm gives way and the wolf's fangs meet with his throat. The man stops moving, and the wolf begins eating. The girl drops the gun, and she notices her hands are trembling, not from the cold pouring in through the shattered window, but out of overwhelming hatred. As the wolf's teeth slice through the man's lifeless body, the girl feels something else. A light, feathery feeling. Satisfaction. She slowly moves around the hungry wolf, then she opens the [[front door|Exit]].

She flips the doorside switch and waits for the bathroom lights to flicker on. The white tile floor and walls of the bathroom are heavily stained with reddish-brown streaks, splatters, and drag-marks. The sight is so shocking that it takes the girl a moment to notice the strong, vile, indistiguishable scent that permeates the little room. All the streaks lead to the tub on the wall opposite the door, but a curtain hides its contents. The girl looks up to the window beside the tub.\n\n[[(Escape through window)|window]]\n[[(Look behind curtain)|curtain]]

"Maybe," the girl mutters, "if they even notice I'm gone."\n\n"Ah," the man says, crossing his arms and looking thoughtful. "Trouble at the homestead. I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want."\n\n<<display '5'>>

She pulls on the window, trying to pry it open, but it's sealed shut. She pounds on the glass but it's too thick. Her only way out is through the [[front door|Living Room]].

She reaches out and turns the doorknob, then she opens the door. A blast of freezing wind violently forces the door open into the girl's forehead, sending her tumbling backward and onto the floor. Dazed, she rushes to stand back up, but the blow to her head has made her dizzy. She stumbles forward toward the open [[door|Escape]].

"They're... coming later," the girl says, lying.\n\nThe man raises an eyebrow. "What, did they send you as a scout?"\n\n"We're going on vacation," the girl continues, trying to seem a little anxious for the fictional journey. "I got excited and ran ahead before we knew the storm was coming."\n\nThe man eyes her for a moment, then shrugs. "That's dangerous," he says. "When they catch up, you can stay here for the night. I reckon they'll want to have a good long talk with you, anyway."\n\n<<display '5'>>