*comment TEMPORARY VARIABLES *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_1 false *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_1_1 false *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_1_2 false *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_1_3 false *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_1_4 false *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_2 false *temp yr1_01_04_20_s_3 false *set meet_c true [i]January 4th[/i] "Hello??" The creak of the ancient front door echoes through the empty manor. You bolt upright and grab your trusty metal bucket. "Who goes there?" you shout, springing to your feet and sending miscellaneous pieces of clothing flying. Alex, a little braver in the daylight, also jumps up and unfurls ${a_their} travel umbrella in preparation for battle. When the intruder appears in the entranceway, you bang on your bucket, and Alex releases a fierce war cry. The petite figure in front of you shrieks and drops her basket. A handful of oranges go rolling across the floor, and she drops to her knees to collect the wayward bounty. Your heart pounds in your chest, but you've dropped your arms to your sides, your fight-or-flight instincts satisfied that your imminent demise isn't so imminent after all. "Who are you?" *page_break "Gosh—I'm awful sorry—I shoulda waited for a response instead of barging in on you." She steps forward and extends her free hand toward you. "I'm Charlie!" she drawls out. You glance over at Alex, who has retained an iron grip on ${a_their} umbrella and looks ready to bat Charlie out of the park at the slightest provocation. $!{a_their} chest puffs up and down, and ${a_their} eyes are as wide as saucers. You look back over at your unexpected guest and burst out laughing. You drop your bucket and brace your hands against your thighs. What a fright you must have looked—layers of mismatched clothing, the remnants of last night's run in with Alex, and wielding a very threatening bucket. Tears begin to roll down your cheeks, and your chest burns, begging you to take a breath. You peek back up at Alex, whose panicked gasps are finally falling away, and ${a_they} begins to snicker too. You laugh even harder with the extra encouragement, and the two of you turn to your bewildered guest. Not one to be left out, a few giggles burst from her as well. When the laughter finally subsides, you open your arms to Charlie. "Welcome to our humble abode!" *page_break Charlie grins at you. Now that you've calmed down, you fight another eruption of giggles as you consider that you were afraid of this innocuous-looking woman. She's of average height with light, freckled skin. Her frizzy stawberry-blonde hair peeks out from under a pink-striped toboggan with a white pom-pom. "Welcome to the neighborhood!" she says. She takes a step closer and extends the basket toward you. "I thought you could do with some breakfast this morning." "Did you say breakfast?" Alex asks, standing on ${a_their} tippy toes as if to get a better look inside. $!{a_their} stomach growls right on cue. Charlie smiles. "Sure did!" *page_break Charlie unpacks her basket to reveal an assortment of fruit, breakfast sandwiches, and even a thermos full of coffee. "I didn't know what you would already have," she says, looking around the dusty, empty room. The three of you make camp in front of the fireplace, taking advantage of every last ray of heat emanating from the dying embers. "As you can see, we have a whole lot of nothing," you reply. "I'm not sure what I expected, but I thought there would be more..." "Furniture?" "Heat." "The two of you can't live like this all winter." Charlie shakes her head and frowns. "Tell me about it," Alex says through a mouthful of egg. "You know," Charlie continues, chewing on her words, "we—that is Bertie and Frankie and I—we have an old camper just collecting dust in the garage. You could use it if-if you want, until you figure everything out?" *choice #I agree because I like Charlie. *set yr1_01_04_20_c true *set awk %- 5 *set gen %+ 5 *set org %- 5 *set a +1 *set b +1 *set c +1 *set f +1 #I agree because it's smart. *set yr1_01_04_20_c true *set org %+ 5 *set per %+ 5 *set yie %+ 5 *set a +1 *set b +1 *set c +1 *set f +1 #I agree because I can't spend another night on the cold floor. *set yr1_01_04_20_c true *set org %- 5 *set dir %+ 5 *set yie %+ 5 *set a +1 *set b +1 *set c +1 *set f +1 #I'm uncertain. *set per %- 5 "I don't know... That's a really [i]generous[/i] offer," you hesitate. Alex elbows you in the side and shoots you a meaningful look. $!{a_they} mutters under ${a_their} breath so that only you can hear: "What are we supposed to do otherwise?" As far as material comforts go, there's no comparison between a hard, cold floor and an old camper. At least you'll have a warm bed, even if you'll have to share a small space with Alex. On the other hand, you've only just met Charlie. She's a virtual stranger, even if she [i]is[/i] your neighbor. "It really would be our pleasure," Charlie insists with a grin. "We haven't used it in years. It's just sitting there in the garage taking up space, and I can't say that we fancy going camping in the middle of January anyway." "It's the middle of January, [i]now[/i]," you counter, "but there's no telling when we'll be able to move back into this place." Charlie waves away your protest. "If the fancy strikes, we could always ask for it back, not that I see that happening anyway. There's no need to shiver through the winter, though." *fake_choice #I accept the offer. *set yr1_01_04_20_c true *set a +1 *set b +1 *set c +1 *set f +1 #I refuse the offer. #I refuse because I don't want to accept charity. *set hum %- 5 *set dir %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 #I refuse because I don't know what Charlie will want in return. *set per %+ 5 *set dir %- 5 *set yie %- 5 *if (yr1_01_04_20_c = true) "Are you sure?" you ask mid-bite. You turn to look at Alex, whose wide eyes are even bigger than ${a_their} stuffed, chipmunk-esque cheeks. [i]Say yes[/i], those eyes beg. "Well yeah! That's what neighbors are for, aren't they? I'm glad someone has finally taken this old place. It's nice to get some new blood. How'd you find out about it anyway?" *if (drunk = true) Alex snickers, and you shoot ${a_them} a sharp look. "I'm not [i]entirely[/i] sure," you answer. Charlie tilts her head sideways and knits her brows together. You sigh. "It was the night after graduation. I got home a bit... late—" [i]plastered[/i] "—and I woke up the next morning to a call from Sebastian." Charlie's eyes flit between Alex, who is still snickering, and you. Your refusal to make eye contact does you no favors. Her lips curl into a smile. *if (drunk = false) "That's a good question," you say. A crease forms between Charlie's eyebrows. Alex snickers at your non-answer. Turning to Charlie, ${a_they} says, "You see, ${nickname} here doesn't know. It was a wild night after graduation." You shoot your so-called best friend a dirty look. "I won't have you malign my character, you ${damn} hillbilly!" Alex guffaws. "Well [i]excuse me[/i]!" You turn back to Charlie. "I was out with my friends after our last final, and they... got a little too jolly and took my phone. I can't even begin to speculate how they got from point A to point B, but here I am." Charlie lets out a bark of a laugh. "I think we're gonna get along just fine. What about you?" she asks, turning to Alex. "Are you two...?" Alex begins to cough. "Uh—no," You say, laughing. You pat Alex on the back to help ${a_them} cough up the rogue toast. *fake_choice #We're just friends. And that's all I want. $!{a_they}'s your best and oldest friend, and you have no interest in a different dynamic. #We're just friends, but I want more. ♥ *set a_feelings true "We're just friends," you confirm to Charlie, a hint of wistfulness in your voice. Alex, red-faced, stops choking on ${a_their} breakfast long enough to get a swig of water down. "I'm just a long for the ride," ${a_they} says in a strained voice. "I'd never heard of this place before this one here—" ${a_they} gestures at you with ${a_their} thumb "—dragged me out of the backwoods of Kentucky." You scoff. "Valley Creek is hardly the backwoods. Bigger than Talverton anyway." "So you own the next property over?" Alex asks Charlie. "Yep. Been running the farm for, gosh, the last five or six years now." "All alone?" you ask, eyebrows shooting upward. "Well," Charlie continues, "I have a younger ${f_sib}, ${frankie}, and an—" *fake_choice #"—older sister, Alberta—" *set b_gender "f" *set b_person "woman" *set b_sib "sister" *set f_sibs "sisters" *set bertie "Alberta" *set b_they "she" *set b_them "her" *set b_their "her" *set b_theirs "hers" *if height < 70 *set b_taller true #"—older brother, Albert—" *set b_gender "m" *set b_person "man" *set b_sib "brother" *set f_sibs "siblings" *set bertie "Albert" *set b_they "he" *set b_them "him" *set b_their "his" *set b_theirs "his" *if height < 76 *set b_taller true "Well there's my older ${b_sib}, ${bertie}, and my younger ${f_sib}, ${frankie}, but I'm the one who runs the farm." "${bertie} and ${frankie}," Alex repeats. "Everyone calls them Bertie and Frankie, though. Like me—my full name is actually Charlotte." [i]It's almost as if[/i] someone [i]was looking for gender neutral names[/i], you think to yourself. *if (b_gender = "m") "I have an older brother too, Jake," *elseif ((b_gender = "f") and (gender = "f")) "I'm a younger sister too," *else "I have an older sibling too, my brother, Jake," you say. "He's back home, though. He's an EMT." "Bertie's in construction. Frankie's a teacher." Charlie pauses, and looks around the room again. The nicks in the woodwork and water damage above are more visible in the morning light. "Bertie'd love to get ${b_their} hands on this place." *page_break You and Alex glance at each other "Are you guys gonna do renovations?" Charlie asks "We don't have much of a choice, actually," Alex says. You grumble something that sounds suspiciously like "thanks to Sebastian" before Alex elbows you in the side. Charlie's face lights up. "Well I know ${b_they}'s my ${b_sib} and everything, but ${b_they} really is amazing!" *if (yr1_01_04_20_c = false) You look at Charlie's bright, hopeful eyes. "That's a really generous offer, but I don't think we can accept it." Her face falls, and Alex shoots daggers at you. "I understand," Charlie says, looking around at the empty room. She seems to be searching for a new topic of conversation to escape the awkwardness of your refusal rather than admiring the deteriorating architectural features of the manor. "Are you guys going to do renovations?" she asks. *fake_choice #"My older sister, Alberta, is a contractor. She'd love to get her hands on this place." *set b_gender "f" *set b_person "woman" *set b_sib "sister" *set bertie "Alberta" *set b_they "she" *set b_them "her" *set b_their "her" *set b_theirs "hers" *if height < 70 *set b_taller true #"My older brother, Albert, is a contractor. He'd love to get his hands on this place." *set b_gender "m" *set b_person "man" *set b_sib "brother" *set bertie "Albert" *set b_they "he" *set b_them "him" *set b_their "his" *set b_theirs "his" *if height < 76 *set b_taller true "My older ${b_sib}, ${bertie}, is a contractor. $!{b_they}'d love to get ${b_their} hands on this place." Before you have to respond, a knock on the front door echoes back to your little party. "Sebastian's here." *page_break "What happened to your nose?" Sebastian asks, covering his mouth with a hand. You glance toward Alex, who blushes. "You should see the other guy." You've always wanted to say that. Sebastian furrows his brow at you. The three of you are standing in the foyer, which seems even larger with daylight streaming through the windows. Charlie joins you, bundled up again with her basket packed. "I see you've met your neighbor," Sebastian says. "Morning Mr. More." Sebastian frowns. "You know—" "I know, I know, call you Sebastian, but I can't quite get my tongue to agree. The war rages on, but the next battle will have to wait for another day. I don't guess you're here to talk to [i]me[/i]." "Not today." Sebastian smiles. Charlie *if (yr1_01_04_20_c = true) turns to you and grins. "Have fun!" "No promises," you say. Charlie chuckles and gets up to leave. *fake_choice #I wave goodbye to Charlie. #${name} waves to Charlie, and she waves back. Charlie smiles to herself. For as long as she can remember, Darbury Manor has been empty, the fields fallow. When she was younger, her ${b_sib} would drag her out to the old place. $!{b_they} was fascinated, but Charlie just thought it was... sad. Empty halls, crumbling walls. There used to be [i]life[/i] here, but not in an age. She looks back at the front door and watches Sebastian disappear inside with the newcomer. *if (yr1_01_04_20_c = true) Her smile grows wider at ${name}'s decision to accept her help, shivering at the thought of sleeping on the cold floor of the manor. *else She frowns at ${name}'s resistance to accepting her help, but she shakes off her dissatisfaction. [i]Fingers crossed[/i], she thinks, [i]I've made a new friend today[/i]. *page_break You lead Sebastian into the foyer, Alex on your heels. It doesn't provide much warmth, but at least it's protected from the January wind. Not for the first time, you wonder what you've gotten yourself into. "Down to business then," Sebastian says, flashing his bright smile at you. *fake_choice #"Hold up—we're not doing anything until we know when we'll have heat and hot water." *set cha %- 5 *set dir %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 There is no business if you freeze to death before spring. "Hold up—we're not doing anything until we know when we'll have heat and hot water." Sebastian's smile falters. "Well, I can't speak to particulars, but I took the liberty—" you groan "—of talking to ${bertie} Carroll. $!{b_they}'s a contractor in the area—Charlie's ${b_sib} in fact." You rub the back of your neck. "So I've heard." "$!{b_they}'ll be around in a week or so to help you get started on the plans." You nod. What else can you do? #"I'd offer you a cup of coffee, but, well, you know." *set gen %- 5 *set dir %- 5 You flash an insincere smile at Sebastian. "I'd offer you a cup of coffee, but, well, you know." [i]No electricity[/i], you complete internally. Sebastian's smile grows wider. "That's all right!" You sigh, visualizing the quip that just flew over Sebastian's head. #"So where do we start?" *set dir %+ 5 *set yie %+ 5 "So where do we start?" you ask. "I'm glad to see you're so keen!" Sebastian answers. #"The sooner we get this figured out, the better." *set org %+ 5 *set dir %+ 5 Down to business indeed! "The sooner we get this figured out, the better," you say. You shuffle the mayor into your improvised campsite. "Shall we?" "Certainly!" He shakes a rolled up tube of papers. "I've brought a map of the manor and estate grounds for you." He unrolls the plans and begins to rotate them clockwise... and counterclockwise until he seems to make some sense of them. "Ah! Here we are," he says, holding out one of the sheets in front of the two of you. Alex joins from behind and looks over your shoulders to get a look at the plans. "Darbury proper sits on about 92 acres of land, including a 45 acre lawn, 12 acre garden—though it hasn't been cultivated in decades—and a 6 acre orchard." "All of [i]that[/i] belongs to us?" Alex asks in an awed voice. Sebastian nods. "Have you already considered what you're going to go with the grounds?" Although you haven't written up a business plan or anything, you had nearly two weeks between graduation and going home to obsess over your plans and figure out how to justify yourself to nosey relatives. "I think the best idea is to start small—" you look to Alex for confirmation "—with some poultry and maybe some goats. It'll take a while for the goats to mature." Sebastian points back to the plans. "There's a lot of land behind the orchard you could use for that. I think there's a barn back there, but it will probably need some repairs." [i]Like everything else around here[/i], you think to yourself. "What about the garden?" Alex asks. "I think we [i]have[/i] to cultivate it. Depending on how long renovations take here—" you frown at Sebastian "—it might be our only income this year." "If we're going to grow produce, then we ought to get a few beehives too." You bite your bottom lip while you think about all the things you have to do in the next year. And all the money you'll have to spend. "Excellent!" Sebastian says. "I just knew you were the right person for the job. Shall we take a tour of grounds?" You and Alex nod. *set counter 0 *label grounds_tour *if (counter = 0) "Where to first?" *if (counter > 0) "Where to next?" *hide_reuse *choice *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_1 = false) #The lawn. *label lawn *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1 true *set counter +1 Sebastian leads you to the lawn. "The lawn has two sections, naturally: the front and the back. We'll start with the front, since it's smaller." The three of you follow the gravel drive to the front of the property. If you didn't know any better, you'd think you were at home in Kentucky. Although the winter has left everything dormant, the trees and fields look no different, despite their proximity to a decrepit manor. You can imagine that the drive will be beautiful in the spring and summer when the trees that line it are in bloom. "Jeez," Alex whispers to you, "might as well've stayed in Valley Creek. Are you sure we ever left?" "If we didn't, I'm not sure what we were doing on a plane for eight hours." "I don't think we can maintain this entire thing by ourselves—" Alex gestures around "—especially if the back lawn is even bigger. And that doesn't even take into account taking care of a garden or livestock." "Don't forget the orchard." $!{a_they} groans. "What are we gonna do?" *page_break You look around at the open fields. You'll have to maintain the area immediately in front of the manor and along the drive, but Alex is right. There's too much. But leaving it completely bare as it is now—but for the weeds—isn't ideal. "What about planting wildflowers?" you ask. "Low maintenance, [i]rustic[/i] aesthetics." $!{a_they} bites ${a_their} bottom lip as ${a_they} thinks. "It'd keep the weeds in check. Should be cheap too." *if (counter = 1) You grin. "Did we just make our first business decision?" "I think we did." Alex smirks and fist bumps you. "What was that?" Sebastian asks, trying to join the conversation. "We've decided to plant wildflowers in the adjacent fields," Alex answers. "Oh, that's perfect! That will complement the pleasure gardens so well." "Pleasure gardens?" you and Alex ask in unison. "The back lawn. I daresay it needs a lot of work, but I've seen photographs from the turn of the century, and the Darbury Gardens were quite an attraction." You stifle yet another groan. "Great." "We'll head there next, if you're ready?" You nod. Despite the rather large size of the so-called [i]small[/i] front lawn, with no leaves on the trees, you can see pretty much everything from the fence row at the front of the drive. It will feel far less dismal when the gray tones of winter give way to spring. Wildflowers will help as well. *page_break Sebastian leads you through the stone archway that separates the front lawn from the back. Ivy crawls along the walls, but the beige stone peeks through the dead vines. Unlike the front lawn, it's impossible to see much back here where evergreen shrubs and other overgrown plants and trees block your line of vision. The three of you follow the path, stepping over creeping roots. "It would be easy to get lost out here," you say. "You needn't worry about that!" Sebastian assures you. "I've got the map." Right on cue, you come to a spot where the path diverges in three directions. "So where does this lead?" Alex asks. Sebastian pulls out the map of the grounds and spins around in a circle, trying to orient himself. "If we continue forward, we should reach a bridge that overlooks the creek that runs across the property. The left will take us to the edge of the property bordering the lake. To the right should be the fountain." "What'll it be?" Alex asks. *fake_choice #"Let's go forward." The three of you continue forward, *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1_1 true #"Let's go right." The three of you go right, *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1_2 true #"Let's go left." The three of you go left, *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1_3 true and as the path curves in and out of the overgrowth, you lose sight of the fork. "Are you sure you know where we're going?" you ask Sebastian, who walks with the map held up in front of him. He lowers the map and peers at you over the top. "Of course, of course." His nervous laugh doesn't reassure you. Finally you come to a clearing. *rand roll 1 3 *if ((roll = 1) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_1 = false)) *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1_4 true *if ((roll = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_2 = false)) *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1_4 true *if ((roll = 3) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_3 = false)) *set yr1_01_04_20_s_1_4 true *if (roll = 1) A series of wooden arches line the path, but the sunshine peeks through the gaps in the dead vines. You can imagine that in the spring and summer, the blooming flowers shade the path from the sun. The trickle of running water prepares you for the next sight. The weathered bridge, its white paint cracked and chipping away, spans the two banks of the small creek. The cattails and lily pads have taken over, leaving the water feeling just as crowded as the land. *if (roll = 2) The white stone, stained with age, rises out of the ground in stark contrast to the dull winter landscape. The lip of the fountain, just the right height for sitting, encloses the geyser in a square. It's obvious from the dirt and leaves that litter the bed that water hasn't touched the fountain in years. The geyser has two shelves, and an ornate cross mounts the top. *if (roll = 3) It's too warm and the current too strong for the lake to freeze over. It has a mirror sheen, reflecting the hills and village on the other side. The clouds hover over the top of the hills, hugging them as if to keep them warm in the winter chill. Despite the season, bright green pine trees dot the hills and brighten the vista. *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_4 = true) *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_1) "This is [i]not[/i] a bridge," you say. *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_2) "This is [i]not[/i] a fountain," you say. *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_3) "This is [i]not[/i] a lake," you say. Sebastian's grip on the map tightens, and he flashes you a sheepish smile. Alex sighs. "Come on, we're already here. We might as well take a look around." *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_1_4 = false) You glance back at Sebastian, who lowers the map and lets out a sigh of relief. You raise a brow at him. "You don't [i]actually[/i] know where we're going, do you?" He shoots a crooked grin at you and raises his shoulders. You sigh. "Come on," Alex says, "we got here alright, so let's take a look around." *fake_choice #"First he leaves us in a 'haunted' manor, then he gets us lost in the woods," I mutter under my breath. *set cha %- 5 *set gen %- 5 You groan. "First he leaves us in a 'haunted' manor, then he gets us lost in the woods." Alex scowls at you. "Be nice." #"The best way to learn the land is to go out and explore," I say. *set hum %- 5 *set org %- 5 You shrug. "The best way to learn the land is to go out and explore." Alex looks at you skeptically. "If you say so." "I [i]did[/i] figure New York out all by myself," you point out. $!{a_they} raises a brow at you. "You telling me you didn't use Google Maps?" You swat at ${a_them}. "That's what I thought." #"I guess I can't expect Sebastian to know this place any better than we do," I say, shrugging off my frustration with the mayor. *set gen %+ 5 *set yie %+ 5 You sigh out your annoyance. "I guess I can't expect Sebastian to know this place any better than we do." "I doubt [i]anyone[/i] knows their way around here nowadays. Looks like this place hasn't been touched in a hundred years." #I sigh and shake my head. *if (roll = 1) You walk to the middle of the bridge and lean out over the railing. Underneath you, a small stream of water fights its way through the marshy creek. Alex slides up next to you and sits down on the bridge, letting ${a_their} feet hang down. "May I offer you a race boat?" ${a_they} asks and hands a stick up to you. You grin and take a seat next to your friend. "You're on." *fake_choice #Ask Sebastian to referee our race. *set s +1 *set awk %- 5 "Hey Sebastian!" you call out. "Hmm?" "Will you referee our boat race?" The older man's face lights up at your request. "Oh, yes," he says solemnly, "certainly." You and Alex get into position with your sticks hanging out over the water ready for takeoff. "Three..." Sebastian counts down. "Two... "One!" You and Alex launch your vessels and watch them go. Despite the proper three-piece suit that he wears, Sebastian chases after your sticks across the overgrown banks. *if (s > 0) You smile at the incongruity. *rand roll 1 2 *if (roll = 1) "Alex's 'boat' has gotten stuck in the reeds," your referee shouts to you. "You win, ${name}!" You grin over at Alex, who sticks ${a_their} tongue out at you. "Wasn't a fair race, anyway." You scoff. "Yeah, sure. Loser." *if (roll = 2) "${name}'s 'boat' has gotten stuck in the reeds," your referee shouts to you. "You win, Alex!" Alex smirks at you. "Whatever, the creek's too full of gunk for a race anyway." "That's not what you said when I challenged you, loser." You scoff. *set roll 0 #Don't ask Sebastian to referee our race. *set awk %+ 5 "You ready?" you ask Alex. "Yep." "On the count of three, then. Three... Two... One!" You drop your stick into the water. "Hey! I thought you were gonna say 'go!'" Alex complains. "I said on the count of three!" "Ugh!" When the two of you look back at the water, one of the sticks has become stuck against the bank. "That's definitely [i]your[/i] stick," Alex declares. "Nuh-uh!" "Yeah-huh!" "You're a cheater!" "You're just a sore loser!" "[i]You're[/i] just made that you dropped your stick late!" "Is there something I can do to help?" Sebastian interrupts your bickering. You look up at the older man from your position on the bridge. His proper, three-piece suit, despite his kind smile, screams authority figure, and your retort dies on your lips. "Uh, no," Alex says, "we're just messing around." You glance over at Alex, and the two of you laugh at your antics. *if (roll = 2) You walk over to the fountain and climb onto the lip. Holding your arms outward for balance, you circle around the geyser. "Does the fountain work?" you ask Sebastian. "It did at one point, but I don't know if it will need repairs or not. You look up at the fountain. "This will be an excellent spot for photography and events, once it's working again, but there's so much to do—" *fake_choice #"—Why hasn't anyone taken over this property before now?" "Why hasn't anyone taken over this property before now?" you ask. Sebastian frowns, revealing deep worry lines in the face you have otherwise seen as youthful and optimistic. "I think you realize how big this project is. The time commitment—" "And the money commitment," you finish. He nods. "Yes—that too. I really do believe you can succeed, but it won't be a hobby or side project. Talverton is a small place. There aren't many people here who have any interest in the place, and interest isn't enough." You nod. Maybe the $1 you bid on this place wasn't a bargain after all. *if (hum <= 55) "I [i]have[/i] to succeed," you say. *else You look over at your friend. "I'm glad you're here with me, Alex." #"—What can you tell be about the contractor, Charlie's ${b_sib}?" "What can you tell be about the contractor, Charlie's ${b_sib}?" you ask. "Bertie's the oldest Carroll kid," Sebastian answers. "$!{b_they} went to college in Farleigh and came home several years ago." "Is ${b_they} the only contractor in the area?" "The only local one. Eprea is so small that it's no hardship to hire someone in Farleigh, but people around here tend to prefer Bertie anyway. $!{b_they}'s good at what ${b_they} does, and everyone knows ${b_them}." *if ((per >= 55) or (org >= 55)) "It's probably good for business to hire local anyway. Creates goodwill," you say. *else "It'll probably be easier to work with someone close by anyway," you say. #"—Are there any attractions, other than the estate, nearby?" "Are there any attractions, other than the estate, nearby?" you ask. "Talverton is the smallest incorporated township in all of Eprea, but there [i]is[/i] a rather well known restaurant in town. It's called [i]La Chambre Rose[/i]," Sebastian says with a thick English accent. *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_2 = true) "The chef I mentioned earlier runs it." "French food?" Alex asks. Sebastian nods. "It attracts a fair bit of notice. We're lucky that Eprea is small and well connected by rail." *if ((per >= 55) or (org >= 55)) "Maybe we can capitalize on the interest that the restaurant generates and bring business here too." *else "At least Darbury Manor isn't difficult to get to." *if (roll = 3) You walk to the edge of the lake and pick up a stone to throw. It skips a couple of times before landing with a plop in the water. "Is that Talverton on the other side?" Alex asks Sebastian. "Not the town proper, but it's one of the nearby villages." "Is the lake public property?" you ask. Sebastian nods. "Sometimes we hold events out here—boating, fishing, the like." "Would we be allowed to use the lake for things like that?" Sebastian nods vigorously. "Oh yes, definitely." *fake_choice #"Working with the town would be a good way to establish ourselves," I say. "Working with the town would be a good way to establish ourselves," you say. Sebastian smiles at you in approval. "Speaking as the head of the council, I can gurantee that we would be thrilled to work with you." "We should be careful about becoming to insular," Alex pipes up. "Locals can only give us so much business. We'll need to attract outsiders too if we want to succeed." #"Holding events here would be a good way to draw in people from outside of Talverton," I say. "Holding events here would be a good way to draw in people from outside of Talverton," you say. Alex nods. "A place like this could definitely appeal to someone trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life." "I hope you won't forget us locals," Sebastian adds, his brows furrowed. "Talverton is pretty small, it's true, but you'll find that we're loyal." "It'll be hard to strike the right balance," you say. "Hard, but hopefully not impossible." *if (counter = 1) "Shall we continue to another part of the estate?" Sebastian asks. "Yeah, let's get going," you answer. *goto grounds_tour *elseif ((counter = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_2 = true)) "Let's move on to the orchard," Sebastian suggests. "Sounds good," you and Alex agree. *page_break *goto orchard *elseif ((counter = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_3 = true)) "Let's move on to the garden," Sebastian suggests. "Sounds good," you and Alex agree. *page_break *goto garden *elseif (counter = 3) "I think we should save the rest of the gardens for another day," you say. "I'd rather not get lost on our very first day." "Of course!" Sebastian agrees. "If we retrace our steps, I believe the path will safely deliver us to the manor." "Sounds good," Alex says, and the three of you turn around and retreat. *else *bug *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_2 = false) #The garden. *label garden *set yr1_01_04_20_s_2 true *set counter +1 Sebastian leads you to the garden. A dozen crumbling greenhouses dot the fertile land that once produced a healthy annual harvest. Determined weeds poke up through the discolored roof panels. "Those are gonna have to come down," you say. Alex walks up to one and kicks at the base. "I'm no expert, but they might be salvageable." "I hope you're right. If we want to get started this year, we're gonna need to set out some plants sooner rather than later." "Have you had a chance to talk to your grandparents about it? The ones with the farm?" You hesitate. "Not really. They actually don't know I'm here." Alex whips around to look at you. "You haven't told them??" You bite your lip. "Not yet." $!{a_they} shakes ${a_their} head at you. "I don't envy you that phone call." "Me either." *page_break Sebastian walks up and joins you. "What are the two of you planning for the garden?" "Nothing too finicky," you say. "Though I think we should try strawberries. They're worth the hassle." "What can you tell us about local markets?" Alex asks. "There's a weekly farmer's market in Talverton," Sebastian begins, "as well as some bigger markets in Farleigh. There's also a local chef who's always looking for good produce—" *fake_choice #"—she studied in Paris." *set g_gender "f" *set g_person "woman" *set g_child "daughter" *set gabby "Gabrielle" *set g_titi "Gabby" *set g_they "she" *set g_them "her" *set g_their "her" *set g_theirs "hers" *if (height < 68) *set g_taller true #"—he studied in Paris." *set g_gender "m" *set g_person "man" *set g_child "son" *set gabby "Gabriel" *set g_titi "Gabe" *set g_they "he" *set g_them "him" *set g_their "his" *set g_theirs "his" *if (height < 72) *set g_taller true "If you're going to raise poultry," Sebastian continues, "${g_they} might be interested in that too." "Thanks for the tip," you say. "It won't do us much good to grow anything if we can't figure out what to do with it." "Maybe we could open up a restaurant of our own," Alex muses. *fake_choice *if (yr1 = false) #"We don't even have hot water, and you're ready to think about opening a restaurant?" *set gen %- 5 *set dir %+ 5 You snort. "We don't even have hot water, and you're ready to think about opening a restaurant?" "Well not now, obviously," Alex says. "But it's an idea to keep in mind for the future." #"That sounds like a really great idea," I say. *set gen %+ 5 *set hum %- 5 *set per %- 5 "That sounds like a really great idea," you say. #"I don't know," I say, "if there's already a successful restaurant in Talverton, it might be more trouble than it's worth." *set hum %+ 5 *set per %+ 5 You frown. "I don't know," I say, "if there's already a successful restaurant in Talverton, it might be more trouble than it's worth." "That's a good point," Alex agrees, "but it can't hurt to keep an open mind." #"Maybe in the future, but there's no way we're ready for that right now." *set hum %+ 5 *set org %+ 5 You sigh. "Maybe in the future, but there's no way we're ready for that right now." "You're right, but if it's something we're interested in, we should start [i]thinking[/i] about it [i]now[/i]," Alex says. #"Great way to endear us to the locals—encroach on their business," I say. *set gen %- 5 You laugh. "Great way to endear us to the locals—encroach on their business." "We don't have to necessarily [i]encroach[/i]," Alex argues. "It's not like we'd be exactly the same." "I don't think the chef I mentioned would take too kindly to competition of any kind," Sebastian warns. "Not that that should stop you—" he raises his hands in a gesture of surrender "—but you should be prepared for the, ah, opposition you might encounter in certain quarters." "Well until we have a kitchen, something tells me we won't be competing with [i]anyone[/i] on that front." "True," Alex says, "but what about other stuff?" "Other stuff like what?" you ask. "Well if we're going to be turning this into a working farm, we're gonna have a lot of produce to get through. We'll have to sell most of it as is, but we could process [i]some[/i] of it." "Oh that would be great!" Sebastian says. "I'm sure the locals would just [i]eat[/i] it up." Alex sighs at the pun. *page_break "I do have all my mamaw's recipes," you say. "You think Kentucky home cookin' would be successful around here?" "Definitely," Sebastian answers. "It would be quite a novelty for certain." You glance around at the garden. Compared to your little window sill herb garden, it's impossibly big. Bigger even than your grandparents' farm back home. You pull your lips into an uneven frown, and Alex pats your shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. At least not too much. There are two of us, and it's going to be our full time jobs, not something we come home to take care of after a 9 to 5 in an office." "You're right. *if (org >= 55) We have a lot of planning to do though." *elseif (org <= 45) Let's do it," you announce with resolve. "Nothing can stop the two of us." *else I don't know. It's a big undertaking." "I can't argue with you there." "I guess we're finished here for now, Sebastian." *if (counter = 1) "Shall we continue to another part of the estate?" Sebastian asks. "Yeah, let's get going," you answer. *goto grounds_tour *elseif ((counter = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_1 = true)) "Let's move on to the orchard," Sebastian suggests. "Sounds good," you and Alex agree. *page_break *goto orchard *elseif ((counter = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_3 = true)) "Let's move on to the lawn," Sebastian suggests. "Sounds good," you and Alex agree. *page_break *goto lawn *elseif (counter = 3) "Excellent. The manor isn't far from here." The three of you turn around and retrace your steps. *else *bug *if (yr1_01_04_20_s_3 = false) #The orchard. *label orchard *set yr1_01_04_20_s_3 true *set counter +1 Sebastian leads you to the orchard. Although the leafless trees look dead, the abundance of neglected apples lying at at their base suggests otherwise. "The trees need to be pruned," Sebastian observes, "but they [i]are[/i] still producing fruit yearly. With care, the orchard should be a rather productive part of the property." "Whoever planted the orchard was definitely careful about it," you say. "The trees are spaced out evenly. How old is the orchard?" Sebastian shrugs. "I don't know. It's been here as long as I can remember, and I've found some old black and white photos. It's over one hundred years old definitely, but I couldn't say beyond that." *page_break As you walk deeper into the orchard, you begin to feel more disoriented. Every way you look, the view is the same as far as you can see. Eventually though, you come to what you assume has to be the middle of the orchard. "Wow," Alex says. The tree before you is much larger than any of the others with low hanging branches that beg to be climbed. You walk up to the tree and run your hand along the trunk. "This would be perfect for a swing," you say. *fake_choice #Climb the tree. *set org %- 5 You grab onto one of the bottom branches and hoist yourself up, finding your footing on the trunk. Keeping a firm grip on the tree, you scoot out onto one of the branches and make yourself comfortable. "Having fun up there?" Alex asks. You grin. "Do you doubt it?" Alex shakes ${a_their} head with a laugh. "You're something else." "Not gonna join me?" you tease with puppy-dog eyes. $!{a_they} waves ${a_their} hand at you dismissively. You stick your tongue out. "Spoil sport." You scoot to the edge of your branch and throw yourself off, landing on your feet on the ground below. *page_break #Stay on the ground. "This place reminds me of that place on 62," Alex says. "The pumpkin patch?" "Yeah, though obviously it only has pumpkins in the fall. We could probably do apple picking here, draw in some families with kids." You nod. "I think we should make cider too." "Cider?" Sebastian repeats. You glance over at the mayor and wonder if he disapproves. His impeccable ensemble is everything proper. *if (drunk = true) [i]Does he realize that I'm here because I drank too much one night?[/i] you ask yourself. "Yeah, I figure cider is one of those niche things that some people really go wild for. Might bring in extra business?" Sebastian smiles and you let out a sigh of relief. "You should get in touch with the bartender at [i]Bar None[/i]—" *fake_choice #"—she might be interested in working with you." *set t_gender "f" *set t_person "woman" *set t_sib "sister" *set tony "Antonia" *set t_they "she" *set t_them "her" *set t_their "her" *set t_theirs "hers" *if (height < 65) *set t_taller true #"—he might be interested in working with you." *set t_gender "m" *set t_person "man" *set t_sib "brother" *set tony "Antonio" *set t_they "he" *set t_them "him" *set t_their "his" *set t_theirs "his" *if (height < 72) *set t_taller true You smile again, still relieved that you're getting advice instead of a lecture. "That's a good idea, thanks." "[i]Bar None[/i] is the only bar in the area, so it gets a good bit of business. If you can make a name for yourself there, you could do very well indeed." *if (drunk = true) You grin. "Well I've never met a bartender I didn't like." "Or who didn't like you?" Alex asks with a smirk. You swat at ${a_them}, but ${a_they} ducks out of reach. "You better run," you threaten. Turning to Sebastian, you switch gears: "I think we're finished here." *if (drunk = false) "Good to know," you say. *if (counter = 1) "Shall we continue to another part of the estate?" Sebastian asks. "Yeah, let's get going," you answer. *goto grounds_tour *elseif ((counter = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_1 = true)) "Let's move on to the garden," Sebastian suggests. "Sounds good," you and Alex agree. *page_break *goto garden *elseif ((counter = 2) and (yr1_01_04_20_s_2 = true)) "Let's move on to the lawn," Sebastian suggests. "Sounds good," you and Alex agree. *page_break *goto lawn *elseif (counter = 3) "Very good," Sebastian says. "We'll cut through the garden and return to the manor." *else *bug *page_break "Thanks for the tour," Alex says when the three of you get back to manor entrance. "It was my pleasure," Sebastian replies with a smile. He pulls out a pocket watch and checks the time. "It's still early—would the two of you care to go into Talverton? I'm sure you need a few... supplies." "[i]That's[/i] an understatement," you mumble. "That would be really great," Alex says. "Wonderful!" Sebastian looks back and forth between the two of you. "I am just [i]certain[/i] you two are going to be the right fit." *finish