Me & My Robot Friend

a twine game by Jeffry van der Goot

start story

made possible by patrons at Patreon

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<h2>Age 16</h2>\n<p>“Robo?” I begin, “what if I gave you money to buy some flowers and you went over to their house and you told them all this?”</p><p>“Okay,” Robo says.</p>\n\n<<replace @@.continue;"Continue...">><p>The gleaming white Robo stands in front of an open door, a bouquet of red roses in their hand. An angry teenager is yelling at them.</p><p>“Are you for fucking real?” Alex screams at the robot, “they can’t even tell me that in person? Or at least in a DM? They send their goddamn robot with a bunch of flowers? Fuck off you bucket of bolts and tell them I don’t ever want to see them again.”</p>\n\n<<if $job is 1>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age22a]]<<endif>><<if $job is 2>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age22b]]<<endif>><<endreplace>>

<h2>Age 22</h2>\n<p>Satisfied with his intimidation Edward turns around and leaves. I immediately alt-tab to my IM and spill my guts to Robo.</p>\n<<timedinsert 3s>><span class="im me">god edward is such a fucking asshole, i have to stay late and finish these slides</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 5s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> what a fucking dick, that must make you really angry</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 7s>><span class="im me">yea</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 9s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> fuck him, you gonna do those slides?</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 11s>><span class="im me">i have to</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 13s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> okay, so you will be home late? what time should i pick you up?</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 15s>><span class="im me">i’ll let you know</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 17s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> okay, i will clean up around the house</span><span style="display: block; clear:both;"></span><<endtimedinsert>>\n\n<<timedinsert 18s>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age25]]<<endtimedinsert>>

<center>\n<h1>Me & My Robot Friend</h1>\n<h3>a twine game by Jeffry van der Goot</h3>\n<br/>\n[[start story|inspired]]<br/>\n<br/>\n<a href="http://www.patreon.com/jvdgoot" target="_blank">made possible by patrons at Patreon</a>\n</center>

<h2>Age 6</h2>\n<p>“A fighter jet,” I tell it.</p><p>“Cool,” it answers in a tone approximating excitement, “let’s start with the cockpit.” Robo grabs several blue transparent pieces and some LEGO people. I build a long straight piece for the cockpit to rest on.</p><p>“Now we need wings,” Robo says, “just make two triangles!” I follow its instructions. Totally on my own initiative I add two big red domes to the back as engines.</p><p>“Now it’s a jet, but not a fighter jet,” Robo says.</p><p>“We need to add weapons,” I tell it, “missiles and guns, and lasers! We can add lasers!”</p><p>“Lasers are cool!” Robo states.</p>\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age12]]

<h2>Age 16</h2>\n<p>“You’re right,” I tell them. Grabbing my smartphone I send a simple DM to them.</p>\n<<timedinsert 3s>><span class="im me">hey, so, uh, i kind of have a crush on you… we cool?</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 4s>><p style="clear:both;">An agonizing five minutes pass</p><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 7s>><span class="im other"><strong>Alex:</strong> same.</span><span style="display: block; clear:both;"></span><<endtimedinsert>>\n\n<<timedinsert 8s>><<if $job is 1>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age22a]]<<endif>><<if $job is 2>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age22b]]<<endif>><<endtimedinsert>>

<h2>Age 28</h2>\n<p>I arrive at work, slightly late. Leila, a coworker, turns to me. “Where you’ve been? Edward hasn’t shown up for work and there are cops here, detectives, asking for you.”</p><p>Before I can answer or even process this, a young woman dressed casually approaches me. “Good morning, I’m detective Nagy, my partner, detective Martin is waiting for us in the conference room. We have some questions for you.”</p>\n<<replace @@.continue;"Continue...">><p>Detective Martin is tall, lanky and has a five o'clock shadow. He’s leaning back in his chair, studying me. Detective Nagy is short, squat, and leaning forward, studying me.</p><p>“Do you know Edward Hummel?” Nagy asks.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s my boss,” I answer.</p><p>“You don’t like him do you?” Martin asks.</p><p>“Not really,” I answer truthfully.</p><p>“You use Twitter?” Martin asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” I answer truthfully.</p><p>Nagy retrieves something from her backpack, it is a tablet. She activates the screens, opens a file and turns the device around to show me. Screenshots of tweets from an account called @r0b07. At-replies to an account called @edwardhummel12. Awful replies. Threats.</p><p>“Now that account follows five other accounts, three are company-run accounts, the other two are Edward Hummel and you,” Martin says.</p><p>“Do you have any idea who this could be?” Nagy asks.</p><p>“Uh, I think… I think,” I mutter, “I think it could be my robot.”</p><p>Nagy and Martin share a glance.</p>\n\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|ending]]<<endreplace>>

<h2>Age 25</h2>\n<p>It is election time. I’m going to vote for…</p>\n<<if $vote is 1>>[[@@.decide;The Libertarian Party|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;botALLIES|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;The Green Party|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;The Socialist Front|age28]]<<endif>><<if $vote is 2>>[[@@.decide;Conservatives United|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;Daughters of Eris|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;The Communist Coalition|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;The Liberal Party|age28]]<<endif>><<if $vote is 3>>[[@@.decide;Tau Corporation|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;Robot Interest Representation|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;The Marxist Alliance|age28]]\n[[@@.decide;Christian Democrats|age28]]<<endif>>

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<h2>Age 12</h2>\n<p>“Robo!” I yell.</p><p>I can hear their servos activating from across the street, their feet thumping on the asphalt. A monstrous, distorted, garbled, yell that still manages to read as anger. Immediately I am released by my captors.</p><p>Robo shoots past me, their blue LEDs turned bright red. They grab Edward and push him up against the wall of the bus stop.</p><p>“Don’t hurt my friend,” Robo says in an ominous monotone, “no more money. No more beatings. You leave my friend alone now.”</p><p>I hear a familiar sound and notice the bus is approaching. “Robo, the bus” I warn.</p><p>Robo lets Edward go. He and his goons frantically leave.</p><p>“Thanks,” I tell Robo. They put their hand on my shoulder and nod.</p>\n\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age16]]

Me & My Robot Friend

<center>\n<p>this was</p>\n<h1>Me & My Robot Friend</h1>\n<h3>a twine game by Jeffry van der Goot</h3>\n<br/>\n<p><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jvdgoot">Contact them on Twitter</a> to tell them what you think, or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/jvdgoot">back them on Patreon</a> so they can make more games like this</p>\n<p>or [[replay the game|inspired]]</p>\n</center>

<h2>Age 22</h2>\n<p>With a sigh I alt-tab back to Powerpoint. I press ctrl+a and then delete.</p>\n\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age25]]

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<h2>Age 6</h2>\n<p>We’re on the blanket, behind the big couch. LEGO pieces spread all around. Robo is jumping excitedly in circles. He’s taller now, with two hind legs and two big arms, resembling a hunched over tiny gorilla. It’s picking up different pieces and weighing them in its arms.</p></p>It looks at me expectantly. “What shall we build?” it asks in voice that is only slightly artificial.</p>\n\n[[@@.decide;Our house|age6_house]]\n[[@@.decide;A fighter jet|age6_jet]]\n[[@@.decide;A spaceship|age6_spaceship]]

<h2>Age 4</h2>\n<p>It was on my 4th birthday that I got it. My life-long friend. My parents must’ve saved up for years to get it. When Robo came out of the packaging it was just a small white sphere with two blue LEDs that suggested eyes and four stainless steel legs.</p><p>But here’s the thing about Robo’s model line: it grows with you for your entire life. It stays with you, grows with you both mentally and physically. The best pet a person can have.</p><p>This was back when they were still new, that’s how I know my parents spent a fortune to get one.</p><p>[[I softly pet the shiny white oblong shape|age6]]</p>

<h2>Age 6</h2>\n<p>“A spaceship,” I tell it.</p><p>“Awesome,” Robo says, “let’s make a really big one!”</p><p>“Yeah, like the one in Star Trek, one where like a million people can live on it,” I respond.</p><p>“We need to start with a place where the space people live then,” Robo says as it starts building a brick out of LEGO.</p><p>“I’ll start on the engines,” I say.</p>\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age12]]

<h2>AMAZING PRECEDENT SET: FIRST ARREST OF ROBOT</h2>\n<p>In an amazing precedent a robot was arrested by law enforcement officers yesterday. Police were alarmed when they discovered a series of threatening tweets sent to Edward Hummel (30). Investigators found the source of the tweets through questioning several witness.</p><<if $aggro is 0>><p>It seems like threatening language was the extent of the bot’s actions. It is now in police custody and in cooperation with the Tau Corporation, manufacturer of the BUDD-E line of robots, this subject will be investigated to prevent any future incidents.</p><p>A spokesman for the Tau Corporation said “It is a very old model of the BUDD-E line and only a few of this specific run are still out in the wild. We are issuing an immediate recall.</p><<endif>><<if $aggro is 1>><p>It seems like the robot was willing to make good on its threats. Mr. Hummel was found badly beaten in his home, apparently at the hands of the robot. It is now in police custody and in cooperation with the Tau Corporation, manufacturer of the BUDD-E line of robots, this subject will be investigated to prevent any future incidents.</p><p>We contacted the Tau Corporation for a response, but we have yet to receive any.</p><<endif>><<if $aggro is 2>><p>The robot was willing to make good on its threats. Mr. Hummel was found murdered in his home, the apparent murder weapon being a pocket knife. The robot has been immediately deactivated.</p><p>The Tau Corporation, manufacturer of the bot, has declined every request for comment and has gone on virtual lockdown, their stock crashing almost immediately on the news.</p><<endif>><p>The biggest question that remains now for the police, law experts and the robot’s owner: should they be held accountable for their robot’s actions? Opinions differ and we will follow this story closely as it develops.</p>\n\n[[@@.continue;The End?|fin]]

<h2>Age 22</h2>\n<p>“I thought I asked you to have that Powerpoint ready by yesterday,” Edward barks at me, hovering over my desk.</p><p>“You totally changed your entire pitch yesterday morning, I can’t redo an entire presentation in less than a day,” I protest.</p><p>“Tau Technologies is the biggest fucking consumer technology corporation there is, so yeah, my pitch has to be perfect, so that requires last minute tweaking,” Edward says, seemingly becoming even taller and looming over me.</p><p>“Yes, sir” I mutter.</p>\n\n[[@@.decide;Vent to Robo|age22a_vent][$aggro = $aggro + 1]]\n[[@@.decide;Make the slides|age22a_dothework]]

<h2>Age 22</h2>\n<p>The food packets lumber towards me on the conveyor belt. I grab eight of them and put in them in a box. I seal the box and put it on the other belt. I do it again. And again. Again. And once more.</p><p>“Looks like you’re slacking,” a familiar voice booms from behind me. Edward.</p><p>“I’m going as fast as I can without compromising quality, just like the instruction pamphlet says, sir” I mutter.</p><p>“You’re slacking,” Edward repeats, “I’ll see this weekend for some extra shifts to compensate.” I hear him turn around and leave.</p>\n\n[[@@.decide;Vent to Robo|age22b_vent][$aggro = $aggro + 1]]\n[[@@.decide;Keep my head down|age22b_dothework]]

<h2>Age 22</h2>\n<p>As soon as I’m able I take my cigarette break and storm outside. I take out my phone and IM Robo.</p>\n<<timedinsert 3s>><span class="im me">edward is such a dick, he has me working the weekend shift, accusing me of slacking!</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 5s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> what an asshole! i know you work as hard as you can!</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 7s>><span class="im me">i like to do a good job, fast or good! pick one!</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 9s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> that really sucks. do you still get off at 5 and i can come pick you up?</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 11s>><span class="im me">yes plz</span><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<timedinsert 13s>><span class="im other"><strong>Robo:</strong> k, i will see you then. i’m cleaning up around the house.</span><span style="display:block; clear:both;"></span><<endtimedinsert>>\n\n<<timedinsert 14s>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age25]]<<endtimedinsert>>

<h2>Age 22</h2>\n<p>I grumble and pick up eight food packet and put them in a box. I seal the box. And again.</p>\n\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age25]]

<h2>Age 16</h2>\n<p>“That’s too scary,” I say, “and if they like me too, then something will happen eventually. Because it’s supposed to.”</p><p>“Okay,” Robo says.</p>\n\n<<if $job is 1>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age22a]]<<endif>><<if $job is 2>>[[@@.continue;Continue >|age22b]]<<endif>>

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<h2>Age 12</h2>\n<p>They think I can’t see them, but I know that Robo is following me. I told them specifically not to. Now in pretty much humanoid form, similar in size and stature to me, they think I can’t see them walking on the other side of the street. They’re concerned. But I’m going to handle this myself.</p><p>I see Robo’s cause of worry at the bus stop waiting for me. Edward and his buddies. I search my pocket for the 10 credit chit, supposedly paying him off every week will make me stop coming home covered in bruises in the future.</p><p>Approaching the bus stop Edward waves several 25 credit bills in my face. “Sorry, I forgot to give these to your mom last night,” he says, laughing.</p><p>I look at the ground, holding out the credit chit to him. “Here, it’s what you wanted,” I murmur.</p><p>Edward grabs it. “A chit, not even paper?” he scoffs, “and 10? I thought we agreed to 25 every week?”</p><p>“This is my entire allowance,” I protest, still averting his gaze.</p><p>Sucking air through his teeth, Edward grabs my face with one of his hands, forcing me to look at him. Two of his buddies hold down my arms. He retrieves a pocket knife from his jeans. He pops out the blade. He holds the blade to my throat.</p><p>“Do you wanna get cut?” he barks, “or are you going to get me my 25 creds? I’ve seen your hot mom around. Would you like it if I slashed her face up?”</p>\n\n[[@@.decide;Do nothing|age12_nothing]]\n[[@@.decide;Call for Robo|age12_robo][$aggro = $aggro + 1]]

<<timedinsert 1s>><p>this game was inspired by a nightmare</p><<endtimedinsert>><<timedinsert 3s>><p>a nightmare inspired by true events</p><<endtimedinsert>><<timedinsert 5s>><p>a nightmare filtered through a writer’s lens</p><<endtimedinsert>>\n<<set $aggro to 0>><<set $job to either(1,2)>><<set $vote to either(1,2,3)>>\n<<timedinsert 7s>><p>in essence: any similarity to actual events is metaphorical only and only very loosely so</p><<endtimedinsert>><<timedinsert 9s>><<if $agree is 1>><p>[[I see|age4]]</p><<endif>><<if $agree is 2>><p>[[I understand|age4]]</p><<endif>><<endtimedinsert>>

<h2>Age 16</h2>\n<p>“Do you think they like me?” I ask as I stare at the ceiling, lying on my bed. Robo is sat in the corner, plugged into an outlet recharging.</p><p>“Alex?” Robo answers, “I don’t know. They talk to you a lot on Facebook and Twitter.”</p><p>“Yeah, but that’s what friends do,” I say, “I want to be more than friends. I want to hold hands. I want to sit on a couch and watch TV with them. I want to rest my head on their shoulder as they watch some show I’m not interested in.”</p><p>“You should tell them how you feel,” Robo says, “and then you will know if the feeling is mutual!”</p>\n\n[[@@.decide;Do nothing|age16_donothing]]\n[[@@.decide;Ask Robo to tell them|age16_robo]]\n[[@@.decide;DM Alex|age16_dm]]

Jeffry van der Goot

<h2>Age 6</h2>\n<p>“Our house,” I tell it.</p><p>Robo stands still for a moment, if it had gears I’m sure I would hear them turning. “Okay,” it says as it darts away, leaving a younger me behind confused. Returning from my mom’s office with a piece of paper in the slit that is its ersatz mouth. It is a printout of how to construct the outside of our house with the LEGO pieces I have.</p><p>With much perseverance and a little help from Robo I am able to build a complete model.</p>\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age12]]

<h2>Age 12</h2>\n<p>I am frozen by fear. The thought of him harming my mother destroys me.</p><p>“I’ll get you the money,” I mutter, “just give me a little more time.”</p><p>Edward squints his eyes at me, presses the blade a little harder against my skin. Then he releases me, his friends following suit immediately.</p><p>“Friday,” he says, “you have the other 15 for me by Friday.” He looks to his left and quickly hides his knife. The bus is here.</p>\n\n[[@@.continue;Continue >|age16]]