Sail The Whale to Happiness

My name is (link-reveal:"Hana.")[ I live in (link-reveal:"The World Down Under.")[ The World Down Under is a place where abandoned children and people who are 'flawed' are sent so families in The World Above can be viewed as perfect.]] (click: "abandoned children and people who are 'flawed'") [ I've lived down here with my friends Sam, Kai, and Mia for as long as I can remember. We were all sent here at the same time, so we have a strong [[bond.->Legend pt. 1]]]

Our dream is to somehow make it to The World Above and have (link-reveal:"better lives.")[ Everyone down here is very unhappy and there are little resources to help us. If we look up, we can just barely see civilization...] (click:"see")[ We can see it enough to make us curious. To make us (link-reveal:"want to be up there.")[ One day, Kai came back to our small hut very excited, saying he [[heard->Legend pt. 2]] of a way to get to The World Above from one of the elders.]]

At the very top of the tallest hill we have, called The Great Hill, there is said to be a (link-reveal:"flying purple whale.")[ The elders refer to this whale as the whale of happiness because it's supposed to bring you to The World Above where you can achieve happiness.] (click:"bring")[ The thing is, the trek up The Great Hill to meet the purple whale is long and what lives in the mountain is unknown.] (click:"trek up")[ Excitedly, we all agree we will attempt the journey to find the purple whale together. It's worth a shot to make our [[dreams come true.->Start]]]

(alert:"A few days later...") We inform the elders and others of our plan to make the journey to the top of The Great Hill. They try to persuade us against it, but we are (link-reveal:"hopeful.")[ Today is finally the day we start our journey. I review the list I made to make sure we pack everything we may need.] (click:"list")[ * Food] (click:"Food")[* Extra clothes] (click:"Extra clothes")[* First aid] (click:"First aid")[* Extra water] (click:"Extra water")[* Various tools. It looks like we at least have the basics. I go to find the others, and we [[begin the journey->Base]] to the base of The Great Hill.]

At the very beginning of the trail, there is a big warning sign. (click: "big warning sign.")[ (css: "font-size: 150%")[(background:#c57e50)[DO NOT ENTER]] This causes us to be a bit wary, but after a small discussion we push forward and continue onto the trail.] (click: "continue")[ After about 10 minutes, the terrain begins to slowly change.](click:"change")[ The ground becomes softer, a bit muddy, and our feet start to sink in a bit. The smell of rotten eggs begins to tickle our nostrils. We are approaching a [[swamp.->Swamp]]]

As we attempt to make our way around the most muddy and watery areas of the swamp, I get a sudden chill running down my spine. It's almost as if someone is breathing down my neck. (click: "someone")[ (link-reveal:"I freeze.")[ (link-reveal:"What is it that's making me feel this way?")[ I look at Sam, Kai, and Mia. They are all frozen too. I try to move to be closer to them, but my body won't move. Then I hear [[it.->Swamp 2]]]]]

//(text-colour:green)[Why are you here in my swamp? Are you lost? Why don't you follow me?]// Something whispers into my ear. I feel drawn to the voice. The thoughts of reaching the top of The Great Hill start to fade away slowly. (click: "fade away")[ Do I... [[Follow the voice->Followed]] or [[Try to snap out of it->Snap out]]]

(t8n: "dissolve") [ I try to open my eyes, but the sun is bright. I'm laying on my back and I hear my friends around me muttering words of concern.] (live: 3s)[//(text-colour:#80ffff)[I think we should go back...]//] (live: 4s)[//(text-colour:#f1ec8d)[This is scary. I don't know if we should continue...]//] (live: 5s)[//(text-colour:#fc8383)[Are you okay?]//] (live: 7.5s)[I sit up and face my friends, still a bit dazed. It seems as though we are out of the swamp now, at the base of the trail where we first entered. [[It's just the beginning of our journey. We can't give up this easily. Push forward!->keep going]]]

Images of my friends and everyone else back in the village flash through my head, giving me the urge to push forward. I'm able to reach my friends and grab their hands, pulling them further into the swamp. My hope is that we can make it out safely before anything else tries to stray us from our goal. (click:"out")[ As we near the edge of the swamp and the terrain changes, I feel as though I have more control over my body. I quicken my pace until I'm [[running->lose food]], trying to get out of this place as fast as possible.]

I get up with the help of Sam and Mia, and we head towards the start of the trail once again. This time, [[we will make it through.->try again]]

As we are making our way through the swamp again, I hear the same voice whispering in my ear. I shut my eyes and try to tune it out. [[This journey is too important to give up now.->Snap out]]

I tug on the arms of my friends, urging them to go faster. Suddenly, Mia's foot gets caught on a protruding root and she falls... (click:"falls")[ Kai, Sam and I scurry to help her up, but her foot is stuck on something. The sounds of the swamp start to become louder.] (click: "louder") [ (text-style:"rumble")[Thump]](click:"Thump")[ (text-style:"rumble")[[[THUMP->Something's coming]]]]

It sounds like something is coming... (click: "coming")[ I slip off my backpack with some of our supplies so I can pull Mia up easier. [(text-style:"rumble")[''THUMP''](Click:"THUMP")[ Whatever is coming towards us is coming quick. Finally, Mia's foot is released and we are able to rush towards the [[end->out of swamp]] of the swamp. ]]]

As all 4 of us finally making it out of the swamp and back onto the open trail when I realize something... (click:"realize something...")[ I left the backpack with supplies in the swamp.] (click:"left the backpack")[ [(css: "font-size: 150%")[(text-style:"rumble")[ THUMP]]] Should I... [[Go back to get the backpack.->get backpack]] Or [[Keep moving forward. Whatever is making that sound is too scary.->Keep moving]]]

//I'll just run and grab it quickly! Either that or we run out of food...// I give my friends a reassuring look before darting off towards where we just exited the swamp. (click:"darting off")[ The loud, footstep-like sounds continue to get louder. Not only is it coming towards me, but now I'm going towards it too.] (click:"footstep-like") [ The corner of my backpack comes to view, but just as I'm about to reach for it a giant, furry foot lands on it. I skid to a stop, shocked. I look up and meet the eyes of what looks like a giant, white rabbit. Frozen, I try to think of how I can run away.] (click:"giant, white rabbit") [ //(text-colour:blue)[Oh... was that yours? I'm sorry! I didn't see it... let me repay you!]// Should I... [[Make a run for it back to my friends.->don't go back]] Or [[Say yes!->Help from rabbit]]]

Whatever is coming sounds big and scary... We decide to keep moving instead of going back for the backpack. We still have some supplies, and hopefully, we can find some edible things along the way. (click:"along the way")[ After about 2 hours of just following the trail, a [[small clearing->clearing]] can be seen ahead.]

//Repay me.. How so?// //(text-colour:blue)[Is there anything you would like me to do? I will be at your service for one day.]// I decide to take my chances. //How fast can you get to the top of The Great Hill?// //(text-colour:blue)[The top? There's nothing at the top, but with my size and agility I should be able to make it up by sunset or earlier.]// I grin. //[[Follow me!->rabbit meets friends]]//

Finally... some flat ground with grass! Sam, Mia, Kai, and I sit down to give our legs some rest. We've only made it about 1/3 of the way up The Great Hill so far, but we are already so exhausted. (click:"exhausted")[ We gather what is left of our supplies to take inventory. It looks like we will definitely have to ration our food tonight. If we push hard tomorrow, we can make it to the top before sunset.] (click:"ration our food") [ After a few minutes of rest, Kai gets up to scout out the area in search of anything we can [[bring as a snack->mushrooms]] for the rest of the journey.]

//Phew... got away!// Who knows what that thing was trying to do. Maybe it was trying to play a trick on me. I wasn't about to stick around to find out. I make it back to my friends, huffing and puffing from the run. I deliver the bad news and we decide it was for the better anyways. Hopefully, there will be some food along the way. (click:"along the way")[ We continue down the path for another 2 hours when a clearing comes into view. It seems like a nice area to take a small break and recoup.][[clearing->clearing]]

He comes back with what looks to be a funky, purple mushroom. We are a bit wary at first, but the color makes it very intriguing. Kai takes a little nibble despite our complaints, and his eyes light up. (click:"little nibble")[ //(text-colour:#80ffff)[It tastes like candy!]// Candy...? We all move in a little closer to see. Kai breaks off a small piece for each of us to try. I sniff it nervously before taking a bite. We did lose a good portion of our food back in the swamp, so this will be good to hold us off until later.] (click:"bite")[ It really does taste like candy. Like a fruity candy! In a sense, it makes us all relax a little. Finally we found something nice on this journey. Kai gets up again and goes to [[find more mushrooms->mushrooms effect]] that we can take with us once we start walking again.]

//I'm starting to feel a little funny... Is anyone else?// I look at Sam and Mia. They both have worried looks on their faces. //(text-colour:#fc8383)[My limbs feel tingly... I'm not allergic, am I?]// I feel the same. I try to flex my fingers, but they feel numb and refuse to move. Just when I thought something good happened... Of course not. (click:"numb")[ Suddenly, my face is in the grass. I'm just barely able to turn my head to face my friends, who are in the same position. Those mushrooms were too good to be true. They've paralyzed us... Yes this is scary, but what's even scarier is that Kai hasn't come back yet. He went to go look for more mushrooms... Who knows where he is right now. It looks like we will just have to [[wait this out->few hours later]] and hope for the best.]

(alert:"4 hours later... Those mushrooms sure were powerful!") All we could do was wait and hope that the affect of the mushrooms would wear off. Once we are finally able to start moving our limbs again, there is a major sense of relief. Although we are still sluggish, we are able to stumble around to find Kai. (click:"find Kai")[ We find him a couple hundred feet away, where he found a big cluster of the mushrooms. He has a scowl on his face, but we don't have time to be too upset. 4 hours have already been wasted, we have no more time to waste.] (click:"no more time to waste.")[ We all take a small bite of real food and a swig of water before slowly continuing down the path. We need to find a better place to [[make a camp->make a camp]] for the night since the sun is now beginning to set.]

After another hour of walking, we finally find a decent place to spend the night that's not completely out in the open. After whatever was in the swamp, we need some cover and protection so we aren't ambushed in the middle of the night. Mia and I walk around a little bit to find some wood for a fire. After we finish building our small camp for the night and eat a bit more food, we go to sleep worried for the [[next day.->Next day]]

(alert:"Chirp Chirp Chirp! The birds are like an alarm clock at the crack of dawn. Time to get moving again!") Our goal for today is to make it mostly to the top, so tomorrow we can find the purple whale. Yesterday's incident with the mushrooms set us back a lot.(click:"set us back")[ The effects of not having much food and walking for hours on end are starting to catch up to us. I feel as though we aren't moving as quickly as we were yesterday, and we keep getting into arguments about little things. [[I just hope this was all worth it...->The Great Hill]]]

(alert:"Hana and her friends walked the whole day and found another place to make a camp for the night. Today is the day they see if the legend is real or not!") The top of The Great Hill is so close. I can't believe we've made it this far. Yesterday went smoother than the first day luckily. We all made sure not to touch any mysterious-looking plants and tried to stick together the best we could. The environment once again changes. We've gone from swamp to relatively flat, grassy land, to now dense forest. This is kind of giving me flashbacks to the swamp, and I don't like it. (click:"don't like it")[ I make sure that my friends are close with me as we maneuver our way through the trees and under the branches. The sun is about to set, and it seems like we will have to make another [[camp for the night.->camp in the woods]] It's too hard to see in the dense forest and we all feel a bit safer moving when the sun is out instead. ]

//(text-colour:#f1ec8d)[What is that?!]// Let's just say that my friends were not expecting to see me come out of the swamp with a giant rabbit instead of our backpack full of food. //Our new guide and ride!// After a few minutes of convincing, Sam, Mia, and Kai warily follow me closer to the rabbit. I'm not sure why, but I trust the rabbit. (click:"I trust the rabbit.") [ We carefully climb up on the rabbit's back. Its fur is soft and somewhat fluffy. I feel like I could fall asleep on its back. We settle on the flattest part of its back, in the middle of its shoulder blades. Anywhere else and I feel like we would be thrown off instantly. (text-colour:blue)[Hold on! To the top of The Great Hill we go!] [[Next->rabbit is fast]]]

(alert:"The white rabbit was not wrong! Hana and her friends were able to make it to the top of the Great Hill with its help right before the sunset.") The ride was not as bad as I thought. Surprisingly smooth. Getting to the top of The Great Hill this quick meant we could rest up a bit and eat our leftover food. The rabbit lets us off in a foresty area, the very top just a couple hundred feet more. //Thank you for your help Rabbit!// //(text-colour:blue)[It's my pleasure. I wish you all the best. Stay safe at night!]// We bid our farewells to the white rabbit and watch as it thumps its way back down The Great Hill, back to wherever it lives. Since we arrived right when the sun was about to set, we decided to make a [[camp to spend the night.->camp in the woods]] Tomorrow will be the day we find the purple whale.

We implement a system where one person is awake at all times. The forest is a lot scarier than the swamp. We keep a small fire going for light, and it seems to make whatever is in these woods wary to come close to us. I don't know if it's nerves or the fact that this forested area has a lot more creatures than our other camp area, but I cannot sleep for the life of me. Every time I close my eyes I feel the need to open them again. I start to [[think->Hana's thoughts]] about my life back in the village we have.

Quickly cleaning up camp, we are all ready to go find The Purple Whale. Last night's rest left us feeling recharged and ready for whatever today throws at us. (click:"today")[ The top of The Great Hill is mostly clear of trees. I can see all the way up to The World Above and all the way down to my small village. For a moment, I'm torn. I could be leaving everything I know behind for a place that left me to fend for myself. I have to do this, though. Not only for me but for all my friends and everyone else in the village. ] (Click:"friends")[ //(text-colour:#80ffff)[Any sign of the whale?]// //(text-colour:#f1ec8d)[I don't see anything. Are we supposed to do something special call it to us?]// //(text-colour:#fc8383)[I don't remember that being part of the legend. It's just supposed to be up here...]// I scan the area once more, trying to find any signs of this purple whale. From the distance, [[I can hear this sound.->we found it]] The sound echoes all around, but is somehow quiet at the same time. Something about this sounds seems very pitiful to me as if it is reflecting people's pain.]

It's true... The Purple Whale really does fly. Soon after we heard the sounds, a purple blob starts flying towards us. The closer it gets, the clearer the figure of a whale appears. It is indeed purple, but almost a shimmery purple. Its skin glitters in the sun and it looks beautiful. (click:"closer")[ My hands get a little sweaty. I've never seen a whale in real life, only illustrations in the few books we have in the village. It's a lot bigger than I imagined. It slows as it gets closer to us. Oddly enough, it seems to just be floating. There's no wind, and it doesn't need to flap its fins to stay afloat.] (click:"closer to us.")[ I meet its eye that is closest to us, trying to sense if it will be safe to approach. A gleam in its eye gives me a sense of welcome. //(text-colour:#fc8383)[I think it's waiting for us to get on...]// Adrenaline rushes through me as I make a step towards the whale. It's one big stretch to [[get onto the whale->to The world Above]], and if I happen to slip I'll fall off the side of The Great Hill...]

I make a jump for it and scramble up to an area where I won't fall off. Kai follows me, and I grab his hand to make sure he doesn't fall. We both help Sam and Mia get on next. (click:"help")[ Once we are settled, The Purple Whale begins to move. I'm able to get a better view of our village as we move away from The Great Hill.(click:"village")[ The village slowly gets smaller and smaller until I can barely make out the shapes of where people live. We are now entering The World Above space. Never in my life did I think we would be going to The World Above. This journey was such a spontaneous decision, and we were very lucky throughout it. ] (click:"journey")[ I watch as the village I used to call home finally disappears. //I'll be back for all of you. I promise.//]]

(alert:"Hana's Thoughts") Everyone is generally unhappy, but why? (live: 1s)[//Yes, we were pushed away from the rest of society, but that doesn't mean our right to be happy was stripped away as well...//] (live:4s)[//I vow to myself that if... no... when I make it to The World Above with Mia, Sam, and Kai, I'll find a way to come back for everyone else too.// ] (live:7s)[//Either get them to The World Above as well, or make it so The World Down Under is more comfortable to live in.//] (live:10s)[//Solidifying a plan, [[I drift off to sleep finally.->the purple whale]]//]

(css: "font-size: 220%")[Sail the Whale to Happiness] (css: "font-size: 75%")[Sorya Baxter 2021] (css: "font-size: 160%")[<center>[[Start->Intro]]</center>]