Cold Connection

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<<audio ":all" stop>> Please enter your name before beginning the story. <<textbox "$name" "">> [[Begin your story->Title]]

<p>Amazingly nothing seems to be broken however your fridge door slamming caused a ladder to drop from a hatch in the ceiling. You take a look up into the dark maw above you and see nothing up there. Weighing your options for a moment you decide you had better check up there really quick to make sure nothing is broken. You've never really been one to scare easilly, but the combination of the unfamiliar environment, the eerie silence following the crash, and the surprisingly cold draft coming from the attic makes your hair stand up a little bit as you begin climbing.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/hallway.png" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Climb the ladder" data-passage="Climb the ladder" href="" coords="354,72,459,282" shape="rect"> </map> <<audio ambient play loop>>

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/kitchen.png" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="" href="" data-passage="Check the fridge" coords="931,368,936,53,1199,64,1199,447" shape="poly"> <area target="" alt="" title="" href="" data-passage="oven" coords="609,455,606,610,909,707,921,512" shape="poly"> <area target="" alt="" title="" href="" data-passage="faucet" coords="306,380,296,371,317,370,332,359,332,370,342,373,323,380,303,388" shape="poly"> <area target="" alt="" title="" href="" data-passage="cabinet" coords="665,7,655,161,805,171,810,15" shape="poly"> </map> Your kitchen seems fairly empty right now other than the modest early 90's appliances that came with the home. The off-white walls seem to have a few more stains than your remember from the original showing, but the room still has a nice welcoming feel to it. [[Check the fridge]]

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/living_room.png"> Your living room is very full right now, mostly full of boxes, a couch and a chair. There is a spot on the mantle of an old fireplace where you think you could put your T.V. Despite not having any lights on, the room is very well lit due to the massive window on one side of the room. [[Unpack some boxes]]

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/dining_room.png"> Your dining room is, like every other room, fairly empty except for a few boxes of dishes stacked on your old dining table. There is an old dusty lighting fixture that might pass as a chandelier on a good day, but not today. [[Turn on the lights]]

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/garage.png"> The musty little garage attached to your home has enough room for your car and a few boxes waiting to be put into the attic above the garage. The garage smells faintly of paint and has somewhat of an eerie feeling about it with a single lightbulb casting a ghostly yellow glow about the room. [[Look in your car]]

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>At the top of the ladder your head pokes into the dusty time capsule of an attic that hasn't seen any action in years, maybe even decades. You whip out your phone and turn on the flashlight, scanning the attic. You don't expect to see anything, however your beam passes over an odd looking thing covered in cloth towering ominously near the back of the attic.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/attic.png" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Investigate" data-passage="Investigate the mound" href="" coords="18,407,72,366,110,320,111,239,102,223,93,137,78,115,92,56,206,1,663,2,700,25,703,34,761,54,752,161,740,173,725,269,739,284,728,370,738,389,630,384,441,393,403,400,343,395,303,373,173,400" shape="poly"> </map> <<audio ambient2 play loop>>

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/fridge-close.png"> Inside the fridge you are surprised to see a bottle of wine and a note. The note says: "Cheers to your new home! Thank you for working with me and I hope that you enjoy your new job!" -Keith (Max Realtors)

No time like the present I suppose. You begin to unpack the daunting mountain of boxes starting at the top. In the first box you find some old photos of you and your friends in college on a ski trip, relaxing in a hot tub surrounded by snow, being stuck on the side of the mountain pass road after getting a flat tire... [[A few minutes pass]]

You realize you had been daydreaming for some time, and hadn't gotten any unpacking done.

You flip the light switch and for a few seconds the lights bathe the room in a yellow glow before they flicker and suddenly pop as the room is brought back to its dim beginning. You add new lightbulbs to your mental shopping list for tomorrow.

You check your car to make sure that you hadn't forgotten anything, and you are glad you did because you spot your backpack that had fallen behind one of the seats. Your toothbrush, deoderant, phone chargers, etc. were all in your bag. Thankfully you found that now and didn't have to panic thinking you left it back at your old place.

<p>You take one carful step after another, each one landing with a puff of dust that almost makes you sneeze. With your eyes watering you blink rapidly, and you swear for a moment that the mound got brighter. With the dust settled, you can see once again and your eyes did not fool you. The mound in front of you is now glowing a ghostly pale blue under the sheet covering it.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/blanket.gif" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Pull the sheet off" data-passage="Pull the sheet off" href="" coords="252,511,274,488,282,454,274,403,270,396,273,374,327,345,339,323,330,268,390,253,459,256,469,281,466,289,475,313,476,339,518,362,541,372,538,416,528,457,529,505,396,510,353,499" shape="poly"> </map>

<p>You carefully make your way around the attic checking around the computer and the box it is placed on. You scan the area with your flashlight and don't see much of interest other than an old newspaper and what appears to be a powercable running towards a wall outlet. </p> [[Look at the newspaper->Look at the computer]] [[Look at the computer]]

<p>Before you are given a chance to take in much of the scenery, your eyes are drawn to a single icon in the middle of the screen that is blinking at you.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/desktop.gif" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Check EZ Mail" data-passage="Click on the blinking icon" href="" coords="375,269,377,327,438,325,440,302,437,278,444,267,436,257,424,265" shape="poly"> </map>

<p>Clicking this icon opens up a new window with an almost archaic interface, it shows what you assume were the last messages between this computer's user and someone named D. Murdock. The last message from D. Murdock reads:</p><div class="message" style="top: 190px;">Thanks for your help.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Try to read the previous messages]] </div>

You're not sure what you expected to find in the trash can of a strange computer, but when you see it is empty, you can't help but be disappointed.

Clicking on the My Computer icon opens up a file browser that shows nearly nothing, just an empty user file named Brian.

<p>You begin to scroll up to see what it was D. Murdock was thanking this persons for, when suddenly the screen stops and jumps back down to the bottom. Instead of the "Thanks for your help" message a new one has appeared:</p> <p>Shocked not only by the contents of the message, but also by the fact this computer seems to be receiving messages, you can't help but think of a reply.</p> <div class="message">"Hello? If you are recieving this message please reply. The safety of many innocent people depends on it."</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["Is this some kind of joke?"->Is this some kind of joke?]] [["What's going on here?"->What's going on here?]] </div>

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/friends.png"> You click on the Friends tab and wonder to yourself, "when did I become the type of person to snoop around someone's old email account?" Before you can think too hard on it, you are greeted by a message stating you are signed in as a guest.

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/my_page.png"> You click on the My Page tab, hoping to find some clue as to who used to own this computer, but you are disappointed to see the previous owner was "A Guest"

<img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/img/files.png"> There might be something interesting here in the future, but for now it is empty. :( <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random">This is a test. Click Me for a random Wikipedia Article!</a>

<p>A few seconds pass, and then a new message appears:</p> <div class="message">"Thank God we finally got someone, I can't believe it. This is going to sound a little crazy but what year is it?"</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["1980"]] [["2020"]]</div>

<p>A few seconds pass, and then a new message appears:</p><div class="message">"Thank God we finally got someone, I can't believe it. This is going to sound a little crazy but what year is it?"</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["1980"]] [["2020"]] </div>

<p>A new message appears on the screen:</p><div class="message">Haha very funny, listen if you're not going to be helpful just know that you could have prevented lots of innocent deaths.</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Alright I'm sorry it's 2020->"2020"]] </div>

<p>A few new message come up on the screen:</p> <div class="message" style="top: 260px;">Perfect, let me introduce myself. I am Detective Murdock and I am investigating a pair of murders that I have a feeling may be linked.This may sound crazy to you-and believe me if you are telling the truth about what year it is I owe a lot of people drinks-but I am contacting you from the year 1983 and I need your help catching this killer.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["You're right this is crazy, I don't believe you."]] [["Ok, how am I supposed to help you?"]] </div>

<p>A few new messages appear on the screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 282px;">I warned you it would sound crazy and to be frank I think I'm going crazy thinking im talking to someone from the future. But I trust our lab folks and we are out of options so please, the lives of innocent people rest in your hands.This guy has been avoiding us too well, not leaving a trace, nothing. We need information about him, where his hideout is, how he's caught, anything that can point us in the right direction.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["Ok, I'll help you, this better not be a prank"]] [["I'm not sure sounds pretty hard"]] </div>

<p>A few new messages appear on screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 282px;">Like I said, I am trying to catch a killer but every time we get close he manages to slip away without leaving a trace. Honestly it's kinda impressive but the guy is careful.This is where you come in, surely he isn't still at large in 2020 right? I mean nearly 40 years is a long time for one dude to hide from the cops. So I need you to get me information about him.Stuff like victims, how he was caught, hideout information all that stuff. Do you think you can do that?"</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["I'm not sure sounds pretty hard"]] [["Yeah I can do that, what are the victims names?"]] </div>

<p>A few new messages appear on the screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 275px;">Look kid, nothing in life is easy. If we didn't need an act of God to catch this guy we wouldn't be asking. If you decide to be helpful here is what we have so far. Killed two women, I got a bad feeling we have a Jack the Ripper wannabe on our hands. Please get me any information as quickly as possible. One more thing, you got a name? I like knowing names of people I'm working with.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Tell your name and take a step back from the computer]] </div>

<p>A few new messages appear on the screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 245px;">Damn you're getting ahead of me, alright so far he has only killed two women, I got a bad feeling we have a Jack the Ripper wannabe on our hands. Please get me any information as quickly as possible. One more thing, you got a name? I like knowing names of people I'm working with.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Tell your name and take a step back from the computer]] </div>

<p>You think for a moment, all the years of your parents telling you to never trust strangers online coming back to haunt you. In a moment you decide that maybe you should come up with an alias to give to this person. $name should work well enough, you think typing it into the box. You take a step back from the computer and take in what just happened. In your moment you notice the newspaper sitting next to the computer.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/computer.gif" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Look at the newspaper" data-passage="Look at the newspaper" href="" coords="230,437,173,472,216,486,244,487,261,491,272,454" shape="poly"> </map> [[Look at the newspaper]]

<p>You gently pull the dusty newspaper out from under the computer, much of it is worn and smeared around making it hard to read. From this you are able to piece together that there was a group</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/newspaper1.png"> [[Return to the computer]]

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>After a long journey to the little town of Saltcreek, you've finally made it to your vacation home. You get out of your car stretching your legs and grab your bags going inside the little home with the keys left under the doormat like your host told you. You enter the home dumping your bags at the entrance. You immediately head towards the kitchen putting some of the food your brought with into the fridge. You shut the fridge a little faster than intended and hear a loud crashing sound right next to you. The fear of paying for whatever you just broke fills your mind as you look around tha corner.</p> [[Look around the corner->Choices]]

<div class="message">Please get me any information as quickly as possible.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[His hideout]] [[Evidence at crimescenes]] [[Number of Victims]] </div>

<p>A few new messages appear on screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 260px;">"Thank you, believe me you'll be a hero. Alright so far he has only killed two women, I got a bad feeling we have a Jack the Ripper wannabe on our hands. Please get me any information as quickly as possible.One more thing, you got a name? I like knowing names of people I'm working with."</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Tell your name and take a step back from the computer]] </div>

<p>Your curiosity gets the better of you as you gather your courage, and climb the rest of the way into the attic shining your phone light around the small crawl space. The dust swirling around in your beam makes psychedelic patterns in the air as you creep foreward trying to not disturb whatever is beneath the sheet.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/blanket.gif" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Creep closer and touch the sheet" data-passage="Creep closer and touch the sheet" href="" coords="252,511,274,488,282,454,274,403,270,396,273,374,327,345,339,323,330,268,390,253,459,256,469,281,466,289,475,313,476,339,518,362,541,372,538,416,528,457,529,505,396,510,353,499" shape="poly"> </map>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Damn, no address huh? Well I know there are a few homes we can check out in the area. Ill get right on that. That'll be very useful to keep an eye out for, thank you did you find anything else?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Evidence at crimescenes->Evidence at crimescenes 1]] [[Number of Victims->Number of victims 1]] [[Nothing else->1 Clue Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Strange we haven't found anything like that at the current crime scenes, maybe they are at later ones. I'll have someone recheck the other two thanks. That is useful but did you find anything else?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[His hideout->His hideout 2]] [[Number of Victims->Number of Victims 2]] [[Nothing else->1 Clue Given]] </div>

<p>New Message on screen:</p><div class="message">My god, we've got to catch this guy. I need more information, did you find anything else useful?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[His hideout->His hideout 3]] [[Evidence at crimescenes->Evidence at crimescenes 3]] [[Nothing else->1 Clue Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Damn, no address huh? Well I know there are a few homes we can check out in the area. Ill get right on that. Did you find anything else?</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Number of Victims->Number of Victims 2.2]] [[Nothing else->2 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Damn, no address huh? Well I know there are a few homes we can check out in the area. Ill get right on that. Did you find anything else?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Evidence at crimescenes->Evidence at crimescenes 3.3]] [[Nothing else->2 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Strange we haven't found anything like that at the current crime scenes, maybe they are at later ones. I'll have someone recheck the other two thanks. That is useful but did you find anything else?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Number of victims->Number of victims 1.1]] [[Nothing else->2 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New Message on screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 200px;">My god, we've got to catch this guy. I need more information than that, did you find anything else?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Evidence at crimescenes->Evidence at crimescenes 1.1]] [[Nothing else->2 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">Damn it that's all? I guess it's something. Thank you for the help, I've got some work to do, but please stay close because we will need your help again."</span></div> <p>After a few minutes at the computer you see that no new messages are coming through and decide to get up. After a long day of travel and now stopping crimes in the past, you are fairly hungry and exhausted. You slowly climb down the ladder back into the hallway and turn to the kitchen. You open the fridge to grab some of the food you brought with, setting it on the counter only to notice a note that was left there that you must have missed on your first look around.</p> [[Read the note->Read the note1.1]] [[Ignore the note->Ignore the note1.1]]

<p>New Message on screen:</p><div class="message">"My god, we've got to catch this guy. That is useful but did you find anything else?</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[His hideout->His hideout 2.2]] [[Nothing else->2 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">That will be helpful thanks. I've got some work to do, but please stay close because we will need your help again.</span></div> <p>After a few minutes at the computer you see that no new messages are coming through and decide to get up. After a long day of travel and now stopping crimes in the past, you are fairly hungry and exhausted. You slowly climb down the ladder back into the hallway and turn to the kitchen. You open the fridge to grab some of the food you brought with, setting it on the counter only to notice a note that was left there that you must have missed on your first look around.</p> [[Read the note->Read the note1.1]] [[Ignore the note->Ignore the note]]

<p>New message on the screen:</p><div class="message" style="top: 200px;">"My god, we've got to catch this guy. Did you find anything else?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Nothing else->3 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">Thank you all of this information will be very helpful. I've got some work to do, but please stay close because we will need your help again.</span></div> <p>After a few minutes at the computer you see that no new messages are coming through and decide to get up. After a long day of travel and now stopping crimes in the past, you are fairly hungry and exhausted. You slowly climb down the ladder back into the hallway and turn to the kitchen. You open the fridge to grab some of the food you brought with, setting it on the counter only to notice a note that was left there that you must have missed on your first look around.</p> [[Read the note]] [[Ignore the note]]

<p>New Message on screen:</p><div class="message">"My god, we've got to catch this guy. That is useful but did you find anything else?"</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Nothing else->3 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on the screen:</p><div class="message">"Damn, no address huh? Well I know there are a few homes we can check out in the area. Ill get right on that. That is really useful but did you find anything else?"</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Nothing else->3 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Strange we haven't found anything like that at the current crime scenes, maybe they are at later ones. I'll have someone recheck the other two thanks. Did you find anything else?"</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Nothing else->3 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">"Strange we haven't found anything like that at the current crime scenes, maybe they are at later ones. I'll have someone recheck the other two thanks. Did you find anything else?"</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[His hideout->His hideout 3.3]] [[Nothing else->2 Clues Given]] </div>

<p>New message on the screen:</p><div class="message">Damn, no address huh? Well I know there are a few homes we can check out in the area. Ill get right on that. Did you find anything else?"</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Nothing else->3 Clues Given]] </div>

Double-click this passage to edit it.

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>The note says: Hello! Thank you so much for choosing our home to stay in, we hope that you have a wonderful stay and enjoy your time here in Saltcreek. If anything happens and you need to contact us during your stay please give us a call. We have left some basic things for you in the fridge so you won't have to buy any. Thank you again! Kyle and Marissa Dillon How considerate of them, you think as you make yourself some dinner.</p> [[Make dinner]] <<audio ambient play loop>>

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>Whatever was on it probablt wasn't important anyway, and you are too hungry to really care either way.</p> [[Make dinner]] <<audio ambient play loop>>

Some things are better left alone, you think to yourself as you hoist the ladder back up into the attic closing the hatch behind it. The week you were there went by swiftly enough and after that you went back to your boring job in the city, never really thinking about the attic again. Many years later you are celebrating your retirement party with close friends and colleagues. Now ready to begin your retirement you make the final trip home from work to your loving partner who greets you with a hug and a kiss. With all the money you have saved from work retirement will be an easy and good time. You and your partner have already been planning trips you want to make for some time now. On the topic of vacations a name you thought would never appear again in your life makes an appearance. Saltcreek, the little town you once visited in your youth. Apparently it is now quite the town now with its idyllic atmosphere and cheerful locals. That name opens up a hatch in your mind, and a flood of emotions hit you. You remember the ladder that came crashing down and the dark maw of mystery that you so hastily shut. You begin to wonder, what was beyond that portal? Could it have been a grand adventure that was the highlight of your life? Perhaps a perilous plunge into the unknown that you would have bravelly dove into and come out with new knowledge and experiences? Your mind races for a moment but eventually you are able to come back to reality, but that little itch in your mind can never be scratched. Your retirement is filled with journies to all corners of the globe, yes. But this one mystery in your life may never leave you and as you lay there in your bed one night before the calm of sleep overtakes your old bones you can't shake the feeling you missed out on something no amount of travelling could replace.

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>You scale the ladder quickly and are greeted by the soft glow of the computer. There is a few new messages on the screen from the detective:</p><div class="message">I've got some good news and some bad news for you. Good news is that you were right about almost everything. Bad news is there's more dead. 5 now to be exact. There must be more information you can tell me please, we need to stop this madman</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["There's nothing more I can do, I'm sorry"]] </div> [[Look at the newspaper for more clues]] <<audio ambient2 play loop>>

<p>After your meal you settle down on your bed and begin reading a book you brought with you, one of the many you said you would read given the free time but never really got around to it. You intended to check the computer upstairs in an hour or so to see if any new messages had come through but before you realize it, you wake up still fully clothed in your bed with your book at your lap, only a few pages in. You roll over and pull your phone from your pocket seeing it is now late in the morning the next day. Feeling a little hungry you get up to make some breakfast, but you remember the computer in the attic and decide to go up and check on it.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/hallway.png" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Go up to the attic" data-passage="Go up to the attic" href="" coords="354,72,459,282" shape="rect"> </map>

<p>You begin to glance over the newspaper again, but soon realize that something about it seems to have changed.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/newspaper3.png"> [[Go back to the computer]]

<p>A few minutes pass before a reply appears on the screen:</p> <div class="message">God dammit I need more information! You can't find anything else?</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[Look at the newspaper for more clues]] [["Nothing else I'm sorry"]] </div>

<p>The detective's last message is still on screen waiting for a response:</p> <div class="message">There must be more information you can tell me please, we need to stop this madman.</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["More people are dead"]] [["There's nothing more I can do, I'm sorry"]] </div>

<p>Your message appears on the screen, and you wait. Five minutes pass and still no reply. You are getting a little impatient at this point and you begin to wonder what is keeping him. After almost ten minutes of waiting you finally see something new on the screen:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">Thanks for your help.</span></div> <p>You wait a little while longer, but there are no other messages. With nothing else on the screen your eyes fall onto the newspaper once more.</p> [[Pick up the newspaper->Read the newspaper one last time]] [[Leave it alone]]

<p>You decide to ignore the newspaper, opting to get up and leave the attic. You are a little hungry having delayed breakfast to reply to the detective and you head into the kitchen. You begin to prepare your food until you realize that the not on the counter from your hosts isn't where you last saw it.</p> [[Search the kitchen for the note]] [[Don't bother with it]]

<p>You begin searching the kitchen for the note you find a note with almost the exact same message on it as before though this time it is in the fridge: Hello! Thank you so much for choosing our home to stay in, we hope that you have a wonderful stay and enjoy your time here in Saltcreek. If anything happens and you need to contact us during your stay please give us a call. We have left some basic things for you in the fridge so you won't have to buy any. Thank you again! Hannah and Kate Harlow After you find the note you enjoy the rest of your breakfast. After you are done, you decide to check on the computer one more time, just in case. You climb the ladder and look at the computer screen once more to see there is no new message. You look away for a second before you notice a flash on the computer screen. A new message but not from the detective. The message is from an unknown sender and simply says:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]</span></div> [[Read the newspaper one last time]] [[Leave the attic->Ignorance Is Bliss]]

<p>You are sure the note is around somewhere but you can't be bothered to look for it, after all it didn't have any super important information on it so no loss really. You enjoy the rest of your breakfast in peace and quiet. After you are done, you decide to check on the computer one more time, just for fun. At this point you are beginning to think this might be some prank by the hosts, after all what are the odds that a newspaper of the exact killings you were asked about would be right next to the mysterious computer. You chuckle to yourself as you climb the ladder and look at the computer screen once more to see there is no new message. Once more your gaze seems drawn to the newspaper and computer. You notice a flash on the computer screen. A new message but not from the detective. The message has no sender and simply says:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]</span></div> [[Read the newspaper one last time]] [[Leave the attic->Ignorance Is Bliss]]

<p>You decide to look at the newspaper once more before you close up the attic. Something seems a little odd about the newspaper but you can't put your finger on it. As you think about it, you notice a flash on the computer screen. A new message but not from the detective. The message has no sender and simply says:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]</span></div> [[Leave the attic->Ignorance Is Bliss]]

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>Thank You for playing our game! This is the end of the road for now, but there is more to come soon!</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/computer.gif"> [[Credits]] [[TRY AGAIN->Start]] <<audio end play loop>>

<p>You look at the computer for a moment, but the message on the screen does little to hold your gaze as you begin to leave the attic. As you descend the ladder you decided that you'll give your hosts a call and figure out what the story behind that computer is. As for now, your new goal is to read that book you only managed to get a few pages into last night. Thank you for playing our game! You have reached one of the endings.</p> [[Credits]] [[Restart->Start]]

Thank you again for playing our game we hope you enjoyed it! Music & Sound, Styling- Jakeob Maygra Art- Arthur Luanghphasy Writing- Brandan Touhey

<p>New message on screen:</p> <div class="message">No shit more people are dead I just told you that, how is this guy avoiding us so well?</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["More people are dead in the future, something has changed"]] [["I'm not sure it seems like you just got lucky catching him"]] </div>

<p>A new message:</p> <div class="message">Well that is real helpful how do we catch him? Surely he can't be on the run forever? He has to make a mistake.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["I'm not sure it seems like you just got lucky catching him"]] </div>

<p>A new message:</p> <div class="message">What do you mean by that? Like a random cop caught him in the act?</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["Seems that way"]] [["Not sure sounds like he just messed up"]] </div>

<p>New message:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">Well that's something, I'll have more patrols sent out right away. By god we are going to catch this guy one way or another. Thanks for your help.</span></div> <p>You wait a few minutes but no new messages arrive. Some more time passes and eventually you decide that you are too hungry to sit and wait for him to ask more questions. You set the newspaper down, but out of the corner of your eye, it looks different to you.</p> [[Investigate the newspaper->Bad End Paper]] [[Ignore it]]

<p>New message:</p> <div class="message">That's really helpful thanks, (that was sarcasm by the way). What are we supposed to do wait until he kills more?"</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["Seems like it, I'm sorry"]] [["On second thought, you might be right with your random cop theory"->"Seems that way"]] </div>

<p>New message:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">Yeah right, the only people that'll be sorry are the ones you let die. Thanks for your help.</span></div> <p>You can feel the sting of sarcasm in the text. You wait for a few minutes but that seems to be the end of the detective's thoughts. You look around the room one more time, the newspaper sitting next to the computer seems unchanged. You think it is time to leave the attic, but as you stand up suddenly the computer flashes. There is a new message on screen, this one from an unknown sender:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]</span></div>

<p>You take a closer look at the paper:</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/newspaper4.png"> <p>Your mind racing you get closer to the computer to get better light to read the paper. As you quickly scan the paper it becomes clear what happened. The killer was never caught. Suddenly behind you, you hear the groan of the ladder, a step, and a voice, old and raspy like a branch scraping on a window: "Hello $name, thank you for your help, I hope you've been enjoying your stay." A message on the computer flashes up, it reads:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]"</span></div>

<p>It must have been some play of the light you think as you begin to walk towards the ladder. You freeze when you realize that there is someone, the silhouette of a large person at the bottom of the ladder, head tilted up. You hear a voice old and raspy like a branch scraping on a window: "Hello $name, thank you for your help, I hope you've been enjoying your stay." Suddenly they reach down and grab the ladder lifting it up, slamming shut the attic hatch. You jump on the hatch, pound and yell, but to no avail, you are trapped. The only thing that remains is the light of the computer. It flashes bright with a new message, this one from an unknown sender:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]</span></div>

<p>You move foreward slowly and reach for the sheet covering the object, covering your eyes in preparation for the cloud of dust. After a few seconds you figure the dust has settled and uncover your eyes. To your surprise you see something that looks fresh out of your parents basement. An old computer that by your best guess is probably older than you, and amazingly still running.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/computer.gif" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Look at the computer" data-passage="Look at the computer" href="" coords="344,359,340,340,340,271,365,261,452,263,460,277,466,330,467,358,478,374,465,381,454,372,456,363" shape="poly"> <area target="" alt="" title="Check around the computer" data-passage="Check around the object" href="" coords="175,371,420,361,423,383,528,378,581,388,605,484,521,500,168,508" shape="poly"> </map>

<<audio ":all" stop>> <p>Whatever was on it probably wasn't important anyway, and you are too hungry to really care either way.</p> [[Make dinner->Make dinner1.1]] <<audio ambient play loop>>

<p>After your meal you settle down on your bed and begin reading a book you brought with you, one of the many you said you would read given the free time but never really got around to it. You intended to check the computer upstairs in an hour or so to see if any new messages had come through but before you realize it, you wake up still fully clothed in your bed with your book at your lap, only a few pages in. You roll over and pull your phone from your pocket seeing it is now late in the morning the next day. Feeling a little hungry you get up to make some breakfast, but you remember the computer in the attic and decide to go up and check on it.</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/hallway.png" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Go up to the attic" data-passage="Go up to the attic1.1" href="" coords="354,72,459,282" shape="rect"> </map>

<<audio ":all" stop>><p>You scale the ladder quickly and are greeted by the soft glow of the computer. There is a few new messages on the screen from the detective:</p><div class="message">I've got some good news and some bad news for you. Good news is that the little bit of info you gave me was right. Bad news is there's another dead, 3 now. There must be more information you can tell me please, we need to stop this guy.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [[There's nothing more I can do, I'm sorry1.1]] </div> [[Look at the newspaper for more clues->Look at the newspaper for more clues1.1]] <<audio ambient2 play loop>>

<p>A few minutes pass before a reply appears on the screen:</p><div class="message">"God dammit I need more information! You can't find anything else?"</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> [[Look at the newspaper for more clues->Look at the newspaper for more clues1.1]] <div class="response"> [["Nothing else I'm sorry"->Nothing else I'm sorry1.1]] </div>

<p>You decide to ignore the newspaper, opting to get up and leave the attic. You are a little hungry having delayed breakfast to reply to the detective and you head into the kitchen. You enjoy your breakfast, and before you settle down to read your book you decide to check on the computer one last time before you close it and ask your hosts about it. You get to the top of the ladder and are surprised to see a new message on screen.</p> [[Read the message->Check the computer]]

<p>The detective's last message is still on screen waiting for a response:</p><div class="message">There must be more information you can tell me please, we need to stop this madman</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["Fewer people are dead"]] [[There's nothing more I can do, I'm sorry1.1]] </div>

<p>New message on screen:</p><div class="message">Are you blind? 3 is more than 2 last time I checked.</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["Fewer people are dead in the future, something has changed"]] [["I guess he just got sloppy"]] </div>

<p>A new message:</p><div class="message">Well that is real helpful how do we catch him? He has hardly left a trail for us to follow.</div><img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["I guess he just got sloppy"]] </div>

<p>A new message:</p><div class="message">What do you mean sloppy? Does he just leave fingerprints everywhere?</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["That's what it looks like"]] [["Not sure sounds like he just made a mistake, the newspaper doesn't tell."]] </div>

<p>New message:</p> <div class="close"><span class="closep">Well that's something, I guess we'll keep an eye out for more fingerprints. Thanks for your help.</span></div> <p>You wait a few minutes but no new messages arrive. Some more time passes and eventually you decide that you are too hungry to sit and wait for him to ask more questions. You set the newspaper down, but out of the corner of your eye, it looks different to you.</p> [[Investigate the newspaper->Kinda Good End Paper]] [[Ignore it->Ignore it 1.1]]

<p>New message:</p><div class="message">That's really helpful thanks, (that was sarcasm by the way). What are we supposed to do wait until he kills more to find out if you are right?</div> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/mail.png"> <div class="response"> [["I can't tell, I'm sorry."]] [["On second thought, you might be right watch for fingerprints."->"That's what it looks like"]] </div>

<p>You take a closer look at the paper:</p> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/newspaper5.png"> <p>After reading the paper, you notice a flash on the computer screen. A new message but not from the detective. The message is from an unknown sender and simply says:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]"</span></div>

<p>What's done is done you think to yourself as you set the newspaper down by the computer. You make a note to get in touch with your hosts to get the story on this computer. As you begin your descent your eye catches a flash on the computer: A new message but not from the detective. The message is from an unknown sender and simply says:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You could have done better would you like to [[TRY AGAIN?]]</span></div>

<p>There is a new message on screen, this one from an unknown sender:</p> <div class="close2"><span class="closep">You have done the best you can for now, but you may still [[TRY AGAIN->TRY AGAIN?]] if you wish.</span></div>

<<audio theme play loop>> <img src="https://dtc-wsuv.org/jmaygra20/twine/img/title.gif" usemap="#image-map"> <map name="image-map"> <area target="" alt="" title="Start" data-passage="Begin" href="" coords="64,337,126,284,261,284,261,336,93,339,188,334" shape="poly"> <area target="" alt="" title="Credits" data-passage="Credits" href="" coords="555,331,556,279,686,286,752,337,673,337" shape="poly"> </map>

<<cacheaudio "theme" "music/theme.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "computer" "music/computer.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "ambient" "music/ambient1.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "ambient2" "music/ambient2.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "end" "music/end.mp3">>