[b]Prologue[/b]

"Run!" you shout over your shoulder.
Your backpack thumps against you with each bounding step, and your carry-on suitcase tottles from side to side.

"Last call to board Norwegian Air Flight 7022 to Paris.
Please proceed to gate seven immediately," a nasally voice announces overhead.

You dodge between jetlagged travelers, sparing a glance behind you to make sure that your best friend is keeping up.

*fake_choice
  #I've known her since we were kids.
    *set alex "Alexandra"
    *set a_gender "f"
    *set a_person "woman"
    *set a_they "she"
    *set a_them "her"
    *set a_their "her"
    *set a_theirs "hers"
    *set f_gender "m"
    *set f_person "man"
    *set f_sib "brother"
    *set b_sibs "siblings"
    *set frankie "Francis"
    *set f_they "he"
    *set f_them "him"
    *set f_their "his"
    *set f_theirs "his"
  #I've known him since we were kids.
    *set alex "Alexander"
    *set a_gender "m"
    *set a_person "man"
    *set a_they "he"
    *set a_them  "him"
    *set a_their "his"
    *set a_theirs "his"
    *set f_gender "f"
    *set f_person "woman"
    *set f_sib "sister"
    *set b_sibs "sisters"
    *set frankie "Frances"
    *set f_they "she"
    *set f_them "her"
    *set f_their "her"
    *set f_theirs "hers"

"Move your ass, Alex—we can't miss this flight!"

"I'm coming—sheesh!"

You nearly crash into the gate agent, but you don't have time to worry about manners.
You've got to get to Paris.

"WAIT!
WE'RE HERE!"

Behind you, Alex gasps for breath.

The gate agent, Kaeleigh her name tag says, wrinkles her nose at you and holds her hand out for your boarding pass.
You reach into your pocket, and your chest constricts when you don't feel that familiar slip of paper.

"It's on your phone, dumbass," Alex wheezes.

A crooked grin spreads across your face as you hand Kaeliegh your phone.
She waves you through, and the next thing you know you're fighting with Alex, who's fairly tall, for the last inch of space in the overhead bins.

How tall are you?

*choice foot inch
  #Four foot—
    #—even.
      *set height 48
      *set height_d "4'0"
      *goto height
    #—one.
      *set height 49
      *set height_d "4'1"
      *goto height
    #—two.
      *set height 50
      *set height_d "4'2"
      *goto height
    #—three.
      *set height 51
      *set height_d "4'3"
      *goto height
    #—four.
      *set height 52
      *set height_d "4'4"
      *goto height
    #—five.
      *set height 53
      *set height_d "4'5"
      *goto height
    #—six.
      *set height 54
      *set height_d "4'6"
      *goto height
    #—seven.
      *set height 55
      *set height_d "4'7"
      *goto height
    #—eight.
      *set height 56
      *set height_d "4'8"
      *goto height
    #—nine.
      *set height 57
      *set height_d "4'9"
      *goto height
    #—ten.
      *set height 58
      *set height_d "4'10"
      *goto height
    #—eleven.
      *set height 59
      *set height_d "4'11"
      *goto height
  #Five foot—
    #—even.
      *set height 60
      *set height_d "5'0"
      *goto height
    #—one.
      *set height 61
      *set height_d "5'1"
      *goto height
    #—two.
      *set height 62
      *set height_d "5'2"
      *goto height
    #—three.
      *set height 63
      *set height_d "5'3"
      *goto height
    #—four.
      *set height 64
      *set height_d "5'4"
      *goto height
    #—five.
      *set height 65
      *set height_d "5'5"
      *goto height
    #—six.
      *set height 66
      *set height_d "5'6"
      *goto height
    #—seven.
      *set height 67
      *set height_d "5'7"
      *goto height
    #—eight.
      *set height 68
      *set height_d "5'8"
      *goto height
    #—nine.
      *set height 69
      *set height_d "5'9"
      *goto height
    #—ten.
      *set height 70
      *set height_d "5'10"
      *goto height
    #—eleven.
      *set height 71
      *set height_d "5'11"
      *goto height
  #Six foot—
    #—even.
      *set height 72
      *set height_d "6'0"
      *goto height
    #—one.
      *set height 73
      *set height_d "6'1"
      *goto height
    #—two.
      *set height 74
      *set height_d "6'2"
      *goto height
    #—three.
      *set height 75
      *set height_d "6'3"
      *goto height
    #—four.
      *set height 76
      *set height_d "6'4"
      *goto height
    #—five.
      *set height 77
      *set height_d "6'5"
      *goto height
    #—six.
      *set height 78
      *set height_d "6'6"
      *goto height
    #—seven.
      *set height 79
      *set height_d "6'7"
      *goto height
    #—eight.
      *set height 80
      *set height_d "6'8"
      *goto height
    #—nine.
      *set height 81
      *set height_d "6'9"
      *goto height
    #—ten.
      *set height 82
      *set height_d "6'10"
      *goto height
    #—eleven.
      *set height 83
      *set height_d "6'11"
      *goto height
*label height
*if (height < 70)
  *set a_taller true
*if (height < 65)
  *set c_taller true
*if (f_gender = "f")
  *if (height < 70)
    *set f_taller true
*if (f_gender = "m")
  *if (height < 72)
    *set f_taller true
*if (height < 60)
  *set i_taller true
*if (height < 62)
  *set j_taller true
*if (height < 73)
  *set o_taller true
*if (height < 72)
  *set s_taller true

*if (height <= 64)
  Unfortunately you're pretty short, so Alex has an advantage.
  What you lack in height, however, you make up for in spirit and have no qualms about elbowing your friend in the side to shove ${a_them} out of the way.
*elseif ((height > 64) and (height <= 71))
  You're of pretty average height, so it's a fair fight.
  A few of the other passengers shoot the two of you dirty looks as you squabble for space.
*elseif (height > 71)
  *if (height >= 77)
    Boy you're tall, huh?
  *else
    Luckily you're pretty tall, so you get the drop on ${a_them}.
  And you aren't [i]above[/i] using that to your advantage.
  You use your long limbs to block Alex out of the way while you shove your suitcase into the bin.

With your suitcase stowed away, you settle in.
You're in one of the aisle seats in the middle section.
You slide your backpack underneath the seat in front of you and start making yourself a nest.
*if (height <= 60)
  Although economy seats are uncomfortable on the best of days, you at least have a good amount of leg room, even with your backpack peeping out.  
*elseif ((height > 60) and (height <= 70))
  You're a bit cramped, but you manage to rest your feet on top of your backpack pretty comfortably.
*elseif (height > 70)
  You feel like a sardine in a tin can that's about to be flung through the sky.

Alex is two rows ahead of you on the opposite side of the aisle, and your immediate neighbor is a white-headed old lady.
You fiddle with the touch screen on the back of the seat in front of you and scan through the movies at your disposal.
You're already ready to get off this plane, and you haven't even taken off yet.
[i]It's gonna be a long eight hours[/i].
*else
  *bug

*page_break
[i]Earlier at baggage check[/i]

The agent's eyes flit between you and your passport photo.

"Name?" he asks.

You bite your lip and smile.
"It's right there," you say.

"I didn't ask [i]where[/i] it is—"
*fake_choice
  #"—[i]lady[/i], I asked [i]what[/i] it is."
    *set var "ma'am"
    *set mx "Ms."
    *set person "woman"
    *set child "daughter"
    *set they "she"
    *set them "her"
    *set themselves "herself"
    *set their "her"
    *set theirs "hers"
    *set they_are "she is"
    *set theyre "she's"
    *set they_were "she was"
    *set they_have "she has"
    *set theyve "she's"
    *set has "has"
    *set v "s"
    *set y "ies"
  #"—[i]mister[/i], I asked [i]what[/i] it is."
    *set var "sir"
    *set mx "Mr."
    *set person "man"
    *set child "son"
    *set they "he"
    *set them "him"
    *set themselves "himself"
    *set their "his"
    *set theirs "his"
    *set they_are "he is"
    *set theyre "he's"
    *set they_were "he was"
    *set they_have "he has"
    *set theyve "he has"
    *set has "has"
    *set v "s"
    *set y "ies"
  #"—[i]buddy[/i], I asked [i]what[/i] it is."
    *set var "buddy"
    *set mx "Mx."
    *set person "person"
    *set child "child"
    *set they "they"
    *set them "them"
    *set themselves "themself"
    *set their "their"
    *set theirs "theirs"
    *set they_are "they are"
    *set theyre "they're"
    *set they_were "they were"
    *set they_have "they have"
    *set theyve "they've"
    *set has "have"
"I didn't ask [i]where[/i] it is, ${var}, I asked [i]what[/i] it is," the agent says.

The force of Alex rolling ${a_their} eyes behind you sends a cosmic wave through the universe.
[i]The check-in agents are never this rude in Louisville[/i], you think to yourself and frown.

Taking a deep breath, you answer.

*fake_choice
  #"It's Chris."
    *set first_name "Chris"
  #"It's Jesse."
    *set first_name "Jesse"
  #"It's Morgan."
    *set first_name "Morgan"
  #"It's Sam."
    *set first_name "Sam"
  #"It's—"
    *label first_name_input
    What's your first name?
    *input_text first_name
    *set first_name "$!{first_name}"
    Is ${first_name} correct?
    *choice
      #Yes.
      #No.
        *goto first_name_input

"It's ${first_name}," you say.

"${first_name}," he repeats after you.
"Alright.
Step through."

You grip the handle of your suitcase and begin to walk toward security.

"Whoah—don't you think you're gonna need this—"
*fake_choice
  #${mx} Ali?"
    *set last_name "Ali"
  #${mx} Lee?"
    *set last_name "Lee"
  #${mx} Patel?"
    *set last_name "Patel"
  #${mx} Rodriguez?"
    *set last_name "Rodriguez"
  #${mx}—"
    *label last_name_input
    What's your surname?
    *input_text last_name
    *set last_name "$!{last_name}"
    Is ${last_name} correct?
    *fake_choice
      #Yes.
      #No.
        *goto last_name_input

*set full_name "${first_name} ${last_name}"

"Whoah—don't you think you're gonna need this, ${mx} ${last_name}?"

You swing back around.
"Oh.
Yeah, I guess so," you answer, taking your passport.

Alex grabs you by the shoulder.
"What's wrong with you today?
Almost leaving your passport!"

You wiggle free from ${a_their} grip, trying to shake off whatever spell has come over you.

*fake_choice
  #Normally I'm much more organized than this.
    *set org %+ 5
  #I'm not usually very organized, but I'd never forget my passport.
    *set org %- 5

"I guess it just feels so weird.
Hard to believe it's not just some dream."

"Imagine how I'm feeling, then, ${mx} Master's Degree!
A week ago I was a lowly tech with the county government.
What have you got me into?" Alex asks, clutching ${a_their} heart and throwing ${a_their} head back.

You laugh.
"And still you managed to remember to take your passport."

Alex winks at you.
"Come on, we'll miss our flight if we aren't careful."

The two of you bustle past check-in and get in line for security.
When you get to the front, the TSA agent grips your passport, sizing you up.
You watch the minutes tick by on the clock opposite you.
[i]Not now[/i], you pray, [i]not when we're almost there[/i].

*fake_choice
  #Airports are always difficult.  Society has not always perceived me as a woman.
    *set gender "f"
    *set trans true
  #Airports are always difficult.  Society has not always perceived me as a man.
    *set gender "m"
    *set trans true
  #Airports are always difficult.  Society expects me to fit into a gender binary that does not describe me.
    *set gender "nb"
  #The photo was taken when I was a young girl, but it still looks like me!
    *set gender "f"
  #The photo was taken when I was a young boy, but it still looks like me!
    *set gender "m"

After scrutinizing every detail of your face, the TSA agent motions at you to join the line for the conveyor belt.
You pull off your shoes and hoodie and shove them into the plastic containers.
Behind you, Alex fumbles with ${a_their} bag.

You scramble toward the metal detector, but Alex pulls you back.
"Hey, wait!"

You cock your head and wait for an explanation.

"Don't laugh, but I've never done this."

"Never done what?"

$!{a_they} gestures around at everything and glances down.
"Flown.
Alright?
I've never even been in an airport.
So wait for me, okay?
Show me how to, how to do [i]it[/i]."

You take a deep breath in.
Alex's nerves trigger some deep, protective instinct within you and quiet your own anxieties and doubts.

You clasp ${a_their} shoulder.
"We've got this."

*page_break
[i]In Paris[/i]

Does a three hour layover at Charles De Gaulle count as a trip to Paris?
Somehow you think the answer is no.

"Do you have any more of those wet wipes?" Alex asks you.
You knew they'd be the only shower you could get before arriving in Farleigh later today.
You unzip the outer pocket of your backpack and toss the pack at Alex's face.

"Hey!
That's enough sass outta you!"

You raise an eyebrow at ${a_them}.
"And just what are you gonna do about it?"

"If you aren't nice to me, maybe I'll just go back to Kentucky," ${a_they} threatens.

"Oh yeah?
Dying to move back in with mom and dad?"

Alex wrinkles ${a_their} nose.
"No need to get nasty."
Grabbing the packet of wet wipes from the floor, ${a_they} saunters off to the bathroom.

You reach a hand up and fiddle with your—
*choice
  #—blonde hair.
    *set hair_color "blonde"
  #—strawberry blonde hair.
    *set hair_color "strawberry blonde"
  #—red hair.
    *set hair_color "red"
  #—auburn hair.
    *set hair_color "auburn"
  #—light brown hair.
    *set hair_color "light brown"
  #—dark brown hair.
    *set hair_color "dark brown"
  #—black hair.
    *set hair_color "black"
  #—gray hair.
    *set hair_color "gray"
  #—dyed hair.
    *label dyed_hair
    What color is your hair?
    *input_text hair_color
    Is ${hair_color} correct?
    *fake_choice
      #Yes.
      #No.
        *goto dyed_hair
  #—headscarf.
    *set headscarf true
    *set tic "headscarf"
    [b]Development question: should I include a question to allow MCs who wear headscarves to clarify the color of their hair?[/b]

    You fiddle with the soft material, somewhat wrinkled after your international flight.
  #—earlobe.
    You run a hand over your bare head and fiddle with your ear lobe.
    *set bald true
    *set tic "earlobe"

*if ((headscarf = false) and (bald = false))
  You run your fingers through your ${hair_color} hair.
A nervous habit you've had since you were a kid.
You can still hear your mamaw scolding you for fidgeting.

Outside, soft gray clouds have overtaken the sky, and snow threatens the surrounding landscape.
People scurry around the international terminal, but you imagine that January isn't exactly a busy month here.

You get up and pace back and forth, trying to work off some of your restless energy.
Stopping in front of the large windows, you watch as passengers huddle together against the cold wind while they wait to climb into a small charter plane.
Under the harsh artificial lights, your skin has taken on a sickly yellow.
You almost don't recognize the reflection in the glass.
Normally you skin is a healthy—
*fake_choice
  #—dark tone.
    *set skin_tone "dark"
  #—brown tone.
    *set skin_tone "brown"
  #—bronze tone.
    *set skin_tone "bronze"
  #—olive tone.
    *set skin_tone "olive"
  #—tan tone.
    *set skin_tone "tan"
  #—beige tone.
    *set skin_tone "beige"
  #—ivory tone.
    *set skin_tone "ivory"
  #—fair tone.
    *set skin_tone "fair"

Normally your skin is a healthy ${skin_tone} tone, but the fluorescent lights aren't doing you any favors.
Of course, it doesn't help that you've spent the last nine hours on a plane and haven't been able to shower in more than 24 hours.

You look beyond your reflection again to watch the distant passengers.
Soon, you and Alex will be on a shuttle taking you to a similarly small plane.
The two of you could have taken a train to Marseille to catch the ferry to the island, but in this weather and with three bags each, you thought the flight would be better, even if it meant an uncomfortable layover in Paris.

The passengers have finally started to board, though the line still moves slowly as the flight attendants wait for the passengers lucky enough to make it onto the plane to stow their luggage and settle into their seat before they let anyone else on.
The wind whips a paltry dusting of snow through the air, rearranging it like a nervous hostess who can't decide where to place the throw pillows before her guests arrive for dinner.

You wander back to your campsite and hunker down for the wait. 

*page_break [i]Much earlier...[/i]

[i]The Last Day of Class[/i]

Class went late, as you knew it would.
Professor Newman always reserves the last day for your final projects.
Each of you had ten minutes to present your research followed by five minutes of Q&A.

Six hours, five pizzas, and fifteen presentations later, you're sitting in a corner booth in a bar in the village.
The one with $5 margaritas.

The drunken chatter of the bar's patrons mixes with the 80's new wave in the background to create an energetic buzz.
There are nine of you packed around a table meant for six, and you were lucky to get a table at all.
If it hadn't been for Isaac guarding one for twenty minutes while he waited for the occupants to split, you'd still be standing in the corner.

You squeeze into a middle seat, Gia on one side, Kaleem on the other, and fight for elbow space.
You look around the table at the people you've spent the last year and a half with.
They'll be here come January, still taking classes, still going out afterwards, but this is it for you.
You just finished your last class.

"Okay, so two pitchers of margaritas?" Jacob asks the table.

*fake_choice
  #I nod along.  I'm here to celebrate.
    *set drunk true
  #"Water for me," I say.  I don't drink.
    *set drunk false

[i]Later that night...[/i]

*if (drunk = true)
  "How many have you had?"

  You look down at your wrist.
  Is that four or five black smudges?
  Did you remember to count the drink that Jacob brought you?

  "I—uhhh—"

  Maddison cuts you off.
  "I think you've had enough for tonight."

  "No!
  It's graduation!
  We have to celebrate!"
  You stand up to better argue with her, but you lose your balance.
  She grabs your arm.

  "${first_name}," Maddison sighs, "it's time to go home."
  *choice
    #I know she means business when she uses my whole name instead of my nickname.
      *label nick_name
      Normally she calls you—
      *input_text nickname
      *set nickname "$!{nickname}"
      Is ${nickname} correct?
      *fake_choice
        #Yes.
        #No.
          *goto nick_name
      Normally she calls you ${nickname} instead of ${first_name}.
      *fake_choice
        #Everyone calls me ${nickname}.
          *set name nickname
        #Some people call me ${nickname}, and other people call me ${first_name}.
          *set name first_name
      *if (drunk = false)
        *goto nick_name_sober
    #I know she means business by the long-suffering tone of her voice.
      *set nickname first_name
      *set name first_name

  "${first_name}?" she repeats.

  Maybe she's right, but you're having such a good time!
  Alcohol makes you feel so much more—
  *fake_choice
    #—charming than you really are.
      *set cha %- 5
    #—confident than you really are.
      *set hum %+ 5
    #—spontaneous than you really are.
      *set org %+ 5

  The next thing you know, you're in your bed scrolling through Tumblr.
  You managed to take a shower, even with the world spinning around you.
  It still spins a little bit when you close your eyes.

  You're too sloshed to comprehend anything you read, but a few idyllic picture sets capture your imagination.
  You dive down the rabbit hole, clicking on tag after tag until you finally find yourself reading a reposted news story about free castles in Europe.
 
*if (drunk = false)
  "Hey!
  Give it back!" you say.

  Eleanor holds your phone out of reach before tossing it to Kaleem.
  The two of them, rather quick for drunk people, manage to keep the phone from you until Maddison sneaks up behind them and grabs it.
  She hands it to you, and you slide it back into your pocket before anyone else can get up to mischief.

  "You're no fun, ${first_name}," Eleanor complains.

  *fake_choice
    #You can tell she's annoyed when she uses your whole name instead of your nickname.
      *goto nick_name
    #You can tell she's annoyed by the petulant tone of her voice.
      *set nickname first_name
      *set name first_name

  *label nick_name_sober

  "Party-pooper," Kaleem agrees.

  "I'm goind to head out, guys," Sahla says to the group, bringing the shenanigans to an end.
  At least for a while.
  The rest of you hold out for a while, but your crowd steadily dwindles.

  Eventually Maddison leans in close to you.
  "Let's try to get these guys home," she says, gesturing to Kaleem and Eleanor who have progressed to the giggles stage of drunkeness.
  You nod, and the two of you begin to herd your ducklings out the door.
  Within an hour, you find yourself in bed, scrolling through tumblr before going to sleep.  

*page_break
[i]The next morning in your Brooklyn apartment[/i]

[i]BLAME IT ALL ON MY ROOTS[/i]—

You bolt awake in your bed and grapple for your ringing phone.
The midmorning light streams in through your curtains and overwhelms your 
*if (drunk = true)
  hungover 
*else
  sleep-deprived
system.

"Yes?
Hello?"

"Hello, ${mx} ${last_name}?" a soft British accent asks.

"Yes, speaking."

"Hello!
My name is Sebastian More.
I'm the Mayor of Talverton, and as such the custodianship of the Darbury estate falls to me.
I'm calling to inform you that we have accepted your bid.
Congratulations!
Darbury Manor is yours!"

[i]Talverton, Darbury Manor[/i]...
*if (drunk = true)
  Those names seem familiar.

"Excuse me?"
You pull your laptop out, ready to google those names, but your inbox is already open, a single unread email waiting for your click.

*page_break
---

[i]Bid Confirmation #337864[/i]

[i]Your order ID is #337864.[/i]
[i]A summary of your bid is shown below.[/i]

[i][b]Billing Address[/i][/b]

[i]272 Meserole Street[/i]

[i]Apartment K[/i]

[i]Brooklyn, NY 11206[/i]

[i]United States[/i]


[i][b]Details[/i][/b]

[i]Item: DARBURY MANOR[/i]

[i]Bid: $1 USD[/i]

[i]Subtotal: $1 USD[/i]

[i]Tax: $0 USD[/i]

[i]Grand total: $1 USD[/i]

[i]Payment method: Credit Card[/i]


[i]Thank you for your business.[/i]

---

*page_break

"Uhh," Sebastian hesitates, "your bid?
For Darbury Manor?
It's been accepted."

You blink your eyes a few times and swallow back the sour taste of stale liquor.
[i]I bought a manor?[/i]
*if (drunk = false)
  [i]What did Eleanor and Kaleem[/i] do[i]??[/i]

"I bought a manor."

"Uh, yes
*if (they = "she")
  ma'am.
*if (they = "he")
  sir.
*if (they = "they")
 indeed.
Maybe we could discuss the details?"

You ignore Sebastian's uncertain suggestion as you dig through last night's browsing history.
A few clicks brings a photograph of the estate in question before your eyes.

It's smaller than you would have expected, maybe the size of a very large cathedral.
Green ivy crawls up the beige stone walls, obscuring some of the windows.
You count four archery towers, and a larger, square tower rises from the center.

"${mx} ${last_name}?" Sebastian interrupts.

"Yes, sorry, I'm here!
What were you saying?"

You can hardly believe the conversation you're having, but the smooth cadence of the voice on the other end of the phone anchors you.
Maybe after you've had a chance to process, it'll feel more real.
When the two of you have gotten as much as you can out of the exchange, you transition into goodbyes.

[b]Feedback request: the choice below will take you to Sebastian's POV scene.  From now on, POV shifts will be left to player choice.  What do you think of the choice below?  Is its purpose obvious?  Do you find it awkward?  Please let me know what you think![/b]

*fake_choice
  #I hang up the phone and throw myself back against the bed.
  #Sebastian hangs up the phone and leans back in his chair with a sigh.
    Sebastian places the black receiver of the old rotary phone back on the hook and glances down at his wrist watch.
    Two in the morning.
    He stiffles a yawn and thinks to himself, [i]it ought to be eight in the morning there[/i].
    He had stayed up late specifically to speak with ${mx} ${last_name}.

    If he's being honest with himself, he hadn't really expected the ad he had placed for the estate to get any bites, certainly not all the way from New York.
    But the conversation he just had doesn't fill him with confidence.
    He pushes himself out of his wingback chair and ambles over to the liquor cabinet to pour himself a snifter of brandy.

    Glass in hand, he settles in front of his computer and powers on the monitor.
    The artificial light stings his eyes and casts harsh shadows in the otherwise dark study.

    [i]${name}[/i], he types into the google search bar and begins to wade through the results.

    *page_break

You walk into your tiny bathroom and splash water on your face.
[i]A manor![/i]
[i]Complete with an estate![/i]
*if (drunk = true)
  [i]What have I done?[/i]
*if (drunk = false)
  [i]I'm going to kill them![/i]

The headache starts at your temples and soon overwhelmes your senses.
You've got to think, and fast.
Yesterday was the last day of class.
You've got one more final paper to write and forty undergraduate papers to grade.
Thankfully you've already turned in your thesis.  
Between now and when you go home for the New Year in two weeks, you've got to figure what to do.
[i]And how to tell your family[/i].

You close your eyes and take a deep breath.
When you open them and look into the mirror, 
*if (drunk = true)
  your hangover
*else
  sleep-deprivation
has muted their—
*fake_choice
  #—black color.
    *set eye_color "black"
  #—brown color.
    *set eye_color "brown"
  #—hazel color.
    *set eye_color "hazel"
  #—green color.
    *set eye_color "green"
  #—blue color.
    *set eye_color "blue"
  #—gray color.
    *set eye_color "gray"

You stare back at your reflection, thinking, looking for an answer in your ${eye_color}, blood-shot eyes.
What other prospects do you have?
You must have submitted fifty applications with hardly anything to show for it.

[i]You could teach[/i].
You swallow the bile that rises to the back of your throat.
Charter schools hire indiscriminantly, more interested in getting a warm body in front of brainwashed students than finding a teacher who cares.

If not teaching then what?
You sit around in your little apartment and watch your savings dwindle as you pay for an apartment you can't afford?

Things are going great, and they're only getting better.

*page_break [i]One week later...[/i]

So you've bought an estate.
Well, technically, you've leased it.
Not bad for one dollar though, eh?
But how do you explain to your family that you've decided to hightail it to Europe to take care of a crumbling manor?
At least you won't have to pay rent.

You made a list of the pros and cons of the opportunity.
You're going to tell them that—
*fake_choice
  #—it's a great chance to live abroad and experience a new culture.
    *set awk %- 5
    *set yie %+ 5
    You'll learn so much and meet so many interesting people.
    This may not have been the obvious choice, but the stories and memories will last you a lifetime.
  #—it's a chance to learn some practical skills and gain experience.
    *set hum %- 5
    You've worked hard in school, and now it's going to pay off.
    Maybe it's risky to move to a country you've never heard of, but if anyone can do it, it's you.
    And hey, you made it in New York, and you know what they say.
  #—it's a once in a lifetime opportunity!
    *set hum %+ 5
    *set org %- 5
    You're young and free, no family or job to tie you down.
    There won't ever be a better time to do something crazy like pick up and move half way across the world. 
  #—it's a great opportunity to make something of myself.
    *set org %+ 5
    *set per %+ 5
    You've done your research.
    Tourism to Eprea is almost nonexistent, even though it's much cheaper than France, Italy, or Spain.
    You didn't exactly plan to buy an estate, but why not seize the advantageous opportunity in front of you?

You've got this!
At least you hope you do.
Okay, so maybe your MA in literature didn't exactly prepare you to take care of an estate, but that doesn't mean you can't do it.
Right?

If you're honest with yourself, for every pro you could list, you thought of an equally compelling con.
Not that you're gonna tell your family that.
They were skeptical enough about the hole of debt you had dug yourself into for school, there's no need to inflame their anxiety by admitting that not one of your fifty job applications got a bite.
Nevertheless, when you're alone in the dark trying to fall asleep, you can't help but think that—
*fake_choice
  #—I'll be moving thousands of miles away from my support system!
    *set awk %+ 5
    *set hum %+ 5
  #—I could very well fail.
    *set hum %+ 5
    *set per %+ 5
  #—I have no idea how this fits into my larger life goals.
    *set org %+ 5
    *set yie %- 5
  #—I'm gonna have to get used to a whole new way of life.
    *set yie %- 5

[i]New Year's Eve back home in Kentucky[/i]

Between the heat emanating from the oven and the nineteen people packed in your grandmother's tiny kitchen, you're starting to sweat.
Beads of condensation have begun to collect on the window panes of the french doors that lead out to the deck and backyard.
You can barely hear the conversation over the sound of your grandfather mashing the potatoes with the hand mixer.    
Loretta Lynn plays in the background, occasionally bubbling to the fore when papaw turns off the mixer.

*fake_choice
  #New Year's Eve has been like this for as long as I can remember.
  #I can't remember what New Year's Eve was like before I was adopted.
    *set adopted true

Every year, your mother's entire family gathers in the red brick ranch-style house.
Mamaw and papaw break out the extra leaves for the bulky wooden table and drag another smaller table up from the basement for the kids.
There have got to be at least five different kinds of chairs in this room, some of them from your mother's house.

Your eyes are still burning from the onions that mamaw cut up for the stuffing earlier, and you rub them against the cuff of your sweater in a futile attempt to find some relief.
Blinking a few times, your eyes land on a little face barely peeking over the top step of the staircase that leads to the basement.
You raise an eye at your younger cousin, and she giggles before disappearing back down the stairs.

A voice interrupts your thoughts.

*if (gender = "f")
  "Have you met a young man yet?"
*if (gender = "m")
  "When are you going to bring home a nice girl?"
*if (gender = "nb")
  "Aren't you going to settle down any time soon?" 
your (divorced) aunt Hannah pesters you.

You make eye contact with your mom across the table, and she rolls her eyes.

*fake_choice
  #"I'll bring someone home if you do," I mutter under my breath.
    *set gen %- 5
    You roll your eyes and hold in a scoff.
    "I'll bring someone home if you do," you mutter under your breath.

    "What was that, dear?
    Speak up!"

    "Nothing, aunt Hannah!"
  #"And let someone else take all your attention? Never!" I say.
    *set cha %+ 5
    You flash your getting-along-with-grownups smile at your aunt.
    "And let someone else take all your attention?
    Never!"

    She practically glows at the flattery.
    "There you go again!
    Don't think you can trick me though, I'll have it out of you."

    "I don't doubt that," you answer with a smile a bit too large.
  #"Thanks for asking, aunt Hannah.  How's the kitchen remodel coming along?" I ask.
    You tamp down your annoyance and school your features into something that approximates neutral.
    "Thanks for asking, aunt Hannah."
    You smile now, for good measure.
    "How's the kitchen remodel coming along?"

    "Oh, that contractor your uncle David recommended will [i]not[/i] do.
    I swear he's stalling to get me to pay more."

    You refrain from pointing out that the longer the job takes the less profitable it's likely to become and listen to your aunt drone on about her woe-begotten renovation.
    *set dir %- 5
  #I fidget in my chair.  "Oh, you know..."
    You rub your ${tic} between your index finger and thum.
    "Oh, you know..."

    "Come on now," she chides.
    "You can't keep secrets from your favorite aunt."

    "Your my [i]only[/i] aunt, Hannah," you protest, wringing your hands.
    *set awk %+ 5

"So you said you have some news for us?" your mom prompts, changing the subject.

You glance around the room.
Your grandfather is still trying to show the potatoes who's boss, and your grandmother is checking on the turkey.
Everyone else has split into groups around the table.
Your brother, Jake, is sitting at the kids' table with the youngins.

"Maybe we ought to wait until after dinner?" you suggest.

Your mom nods and reaches out for your hand.
"Whatever makes you more comfortable, honey."

Imagining how this scene is going to go down, you begin to get nervous.
*if ((hair = true) and (headscarf = false))
  You wrap a loose strand of hair around your finger.
  Your hair is—
  *choice Length Texture
    #—short—
      #—and coiled.
        *set hair_length "short"
        *set hair_texture "coiled"
        *goto hair
      #—and curly.
        *set hair_length "short"
        *set hair_texture "curly"
        *goto hair
      #—and braided.
        *set hair_length "short"
        *set hair_texture "braided"
        *goto hair
      #—and wavy.
        *set hair_length "short"
        *set hair_texture "wavy"
        *goto hair
      #—and straight.
        *set hair_length "short"
        *set hair_texture "straight"
        *goto hair
    #—chin-length—
      #—and coiled.
        *set hair_length "chin-length"
        *set hair_texture "coiled"
        *goto hair
      #—and curly.
        *set hair_length "chin-length"
        *set hair_texture "curly"
        *goto hair
      #—and braided.
        *set hair_length "chin-length"
        *set hair_texture "braided"
        *goto hair
      #—and wavy.
        *set hair_length "chin-length"
        *set hair_texture "wavy"
        *goto hair
      #—and straight.
        *set hair_length "chin-length"
        *set hair_texture "straight"
        *goto hair
    #—shoulder-length—
      #—and coiled.
        *set hair_length "shoulder-length"
        *set hair_texture "coiled"
        *goto hair
      #—and curly.
        *set hair_length "shoulder-length"
        *set hair_texture "curly"
        *goto hair
      #—and braided.
        *set hair_length "shoulder-length"
        *set hair_texture "braided"
        *goto hair
      #—and wavy.
        *set hair_length "shoulder-length"
        *set hair_texture "wavy"
        *goto hair
      #—and straight.
        *set hair_length "shoulder-length"
        *set hair_texture "straight"
        *goto hair
    #—long—
      #—and coiled.
        *set hair_length "long"
        *set hair_texture "coiled"
        *goto hair
      #—and curly.
        *set hair_length "long"
        *set hair_texture "curly"
        *goto hair
      #—and braided.
        *set hair_length "long"
        *set hair_texture "braided"
        *goto hair
      #—and wavy.
        *set hair_length "long"
        *set hair_texture "wavy"
        *goto hair
      #—and straight.
        *set hair_length "long"
        *set hair_texture "straight"
        *goto hair

*label hair
*if ((hair = true) and (headscarf = false))
  You pull at a strand of your ${hair_length}, ${hair_texture} hair and take a deep breath.
  Under the table, someone nudges your foot, and you look up.
  Your mom raises her eyebrows at you and points to her hair.

  You smile and stop fidgeting.
  Until you begin to bounce your leg up and down.

  Your mom shakes her head at you, but she's smiling.
  You stick your tongue out.

  [i]It'll be okay[/i], she mouths. 

*page_break[i]Later that Evening[/i]

You're digging into the banana pudding while the adults talk.
It takes you a minute to remember that you're an adult too.
As soon as you've got a big spoon full of pudding stuffed in your mouth, your granny turns to you.

"What's this about news?" she asks.
Her not so subtle peek at your bare ring finger tells you everything you need to know about how this conversation's gonna go.

"Oh leave ${them} alone, woman!" your grandfather interrupts.
"$!{they}'ll tell us when ${theyre} ready."
He slaps you across the back, and you nearly choke on the pudding.

Despite your papaw's defense, several sets of eyes have set settled on you, waiting for you to spill the beans.

"Well...
I do have some news," you admit.

*fake_choice
  #I cross my arms.  "I've decided to move to Europe."
    *set cha %- 5
    *set var "I've decided to move to Europe."
  #There's no beating around the bush.  "I've leased a property in Europe, and I'll be moving there immediately."
    *set dir %+ 5
    *set var "I've leased a property in Europe, and I'll be moving there immediately."
  #It can't be that bad; I've been living in New York for years.  "I'm moving to Europe."
    *set per %- 5
    *set var "I'm moving to Europe."
  #It may come as a surprise, but they'll support me.  "I've found an amazing opportunity in Europe."
    *set hum %- 5
    *set var "I've found an amazing opportunity in Europe."

You take a deep breath.
"${var}"

For a moment nobody reacts, but then they all come to their senses and start speaking at once.

"Lord have mercy!" your mamaw hollers over the cacophony.

Jake clasps your shoulder, sending a spoonful of pudding flying.
"Good for you."

"Way to go, little cousin!" Daniel pipes up.

"Europe!
Europe!
Europe?" 

"Come on now, mom," your mom addresses your grandmother, "we know ${name} can do it."

"But is it safe? 
Lord have mercy—"

"I believe you said that, dear."

*page_break

"What part of Europe?" your uncle David asks in his nasally voice that somehow manages to be equal parts redneck and yuppie.

"It's an island in the Mediterranean," you say. 
"A British territory called Eprea."

"The Mediterranean?" your grandmother shrieks.
Her reaction to New York had been hardly less sensational.
Murderers on every street corner and twice as many on Tuesdays.
Not to mention the sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

"Baby doll, we went to Italy for our honeymoon!"

"That was a different time and place—and we were adults!"

"${first_name} is five years older than we were then," he adds with a sigh.

Your cousins Adam and Daniel snicker in the corner.
A grunt of pain tells you that Jake kicked at least one of them under the table
You sigh and grab another bowl of pudding.
It's gonna be a long night...

*label questions
*hide_reuse
*choice
  #"What on Earth are you going to do in Europe?!" my grandmother asks.
    "What on Earth are you going to do in Europe?!
    Wasn't New York enough?
    It's time to come home!"

    "Leave the kid alone!" your papaw protests.

    Your mamaw presses on.
    "Couldn't you have found a job here at home?"

    "Not one like this.  I'll be taking care of an estate."

    "An estate?" Hannah asks.
    "Like with a castle?"

    "A manor," you correct.

    "How do you even find a job like that?"
    *fake_choice
      #"I know you're worried for me, mamaw, but I'll be okay," I reassure.
        *set gen %+ 5
        *set per %+ 5
        You lay you hand on you mamaw's arm and squeeze it, a gesture learned from your mom.  
        "I know you're worried for me, mamaw, but I'll be okay.
        I promise."

        "You can't promise something like that," your aunt interrupts.

        You pinch the bridge of your nose and brace for the inevitable.

        "Anything could happen!" she continues.
        "Who knows what kind of people you could meet [i]over there[/i]?"

      #"Oh, you know, craigslist," I quip.
        *set gen %- 5
        *set per %- 5
        You stretch out in your chair, casually, crossing one ankle over the other.
        "Oh, you know, craigslist."

        That was apparently not the correct answer.

      #"It sort of found me," I say.       
        *set dir %- 5
        You lean back in your chair, crossing your arms as if to shielf yourself from the questioning.
        "It sort of found me."

      *if (drunk = true)
        #"Well... I had been drinking," I admit.
          *set per %- 5
          You lean forward, right elbow resting on the table.
          "Well—" you rub your chin with your left hand "—I [i]had[/i] been drinking."

          "Drinking??
          Lord have mercy!"
      *if (drunk = false)
        #"I, uh, found it through friends," I say.
          *set dir %- 5
          You rub the back of your neck and grimace.
          "I, uh, found it through friends," you say enigmatically.
          Friends who, you don't mention, were drunk out of their gourds.

          Your cousin Daniel raises an eyebrow at you.
          "What kind of friends do you [i]have[/i]?"

          You shrug.

    Your grandmother shrieks even louder.
    "A serial killer's gonna getcha!
    I've seen [i]Criminal Minds[/i]!"

    "Now mom," your mother interrupts, placing a hand on your grandmother's arm.
    "That's just television!
    ${name} is smart—$!{they}'ll be safe!"
    *goto questions
  #"How will you ever meet someone if you keep traipsing all over the world?" Hannah asks.
    "How will you ever meet someone if you keep traipsing all over the world?" Hannah asks.

    You suppress your groan.
    
    "$!{they} could meet someone over there, mom," your cousin Adam points out.

    Hannah seems satisfied with the answer, but it sets off another outburst from your mamaw.
    "Marry a scoundrel??
    Lord have mercy!"

    Hannah begins to fan herself with a placemat.
    "A Mediterranean scoundrel?
    Lord have mercy indeed."

    "Hannah!" your grandmother chides, whacking her with one of the clean serving spoons sitting on the table.
    "$!{theyre} just a child!"

    Your grandfather pinches the bridge of his nose.
    *goto questions
  #"Do they have internet out there?" uncle Sam asks.
    "Do they have internet out there?" uncle Sam asks.

    You nod, managing to suppress an eye-roll.

    "Well it can't be half bad then."
    He shrugs, finished with the topic of your future.

    "It's a normal place," you pipe up.
    "There's a small town called Talverton nearby, and the capital is a short train ride away."
    *goto questions
  #"How do you expect to support yourself over there?" David asks.
    "How do you expect to support yourself over there?" David asks in that stuck-up voice he's perfected.

    Your first instinct is to shrug.
    It's hardly been two weeks since you made your decision, and it's not like you know all the answers already.

    "Well," you begin slowly, "there's an orchard that will produce apples in the fall, and I'm going to raise some livestock and poultry as well."

    Your cousin Isabel snorts.
    "What do [i]you[/i] know about farming?"

    You grit your teeth.
    It's true, you've never run a farm on your own, but unlike your cousin you [i]have[/i] actually been on one.
    Your father's parents [i]always[/i] grew a summer garden and raised chickens to boot.
    You're no stranger to shucking corn or snapping beans.
    
    "What I don't already know, I can learn," you answer evenly.
    "I'm sure my mamaw and papaw ${last_name} will have a lot of advice for me, too.
    Eventually I'll open the manor to the public."

    David, who runs a business of his own, crosses his arms across his chest.
    "You best hope you haven't bitten off more than you can chew."
    *goto questions
  #"That's enough for now," I grumble, rubbing my eyes.
    You let out a sigh.
    Will this inquisition ever end??
    Then you remember that you're an adult, and you can stop cooperating whenever you want.
    They can't even put you in time out any more!
    
    "That's enough for now."
    You rub your tired eyes.
    "There'll be plenty of time to talk.
    It's just a phone call away, no different from when I'm in New York."

    Mamaw doesn't look finished with you, but papaw shoots her a sharp look.

    Your mom gets up and starts collecting dirty dishes to take to the sink.
    When you meet her eyes, she nods her head toward the kitchen, and you get up to follow her.

    The conversation around the dinner table shifts to Daniel's kids, giving you and your mom an opportunity to speak privately.
    She turns on the water faucet to fill the sink, muffling the other conversation even more.
    The two of you fall into an old routine: you wash, she dries and puts away.

    "Well
    *if (gender = "f")
      baby girl...
    *if (gender = "m")
      baby boy...
    *if (gender = "nb")
      honey...
    Europe, huh?"
    She looks up at you with a sad smile.
    "You could have told me, you know?"

    "I know," you say, your voice catching a bit on the last syllable.
    This feels too much like a goodbye.
    "It all happened so quickly.
    I didn't exactly... [i]plan[/i] things to go this way."
    
    "Are you sure you know what you're doing, 
    *if (gender = "f")
      baby girl?
    *if (gender = "m")
      baby boy?
    *if (gender = "nb")
      honey?

    "No, but I don't know what else to do either."

    Your mom sits an elbow on your shoulder, keeping her wet hands hanging over the sink.
    "I believe in you."  
    
*page_break [i]Later that night...[/i]

It's two in the morning when you meet up with Alex.
The inquisition had ended shortly before midnight.
Daniel and his wife, Andrea, had left early to get the kids to bed, and the party had died down quickly after that.
Now you and Alex are sitting in ${a_their} pickup in your old high school parking lot.

Even in the middle of winter, Alex sports a tan that ${a_they} can't quite shake, a permanent reminder of the time ${a_they} spends tending to ${a_their} dad's cattle.
*if (a_gender = "f")
  She keeps her wavy brown hair tied back in a ponytail.
*if (a_gender = "m")
  His short brown hair sticks out in unruly strands.

"What was the name of our eighth grade English teacher?" you ask ${a_them}.

"Ms. Mink?"

"No, that wasn't it."

"Ms. Mina? 
Ms. Michaels?"

"No..."

"Ms. Mingus?"

"That's it!
Ms. Mingus!
Do you remember her?"

"She hated me.
Don't worry though, the feeling was mutual.
Didn't she have an affair with—"

"With Mr. Ramsey?" you answer.
"Yep.
Ms. Mingus.
More like Ms. Dingus."

Alex snorts.
"What made you think of her?"

You shrug.
"I don't know.
Nostalgia?
I've got to tell you something."
Alex tenses up.
"It's not bad, at least I don't think it is.
Then again, what do I know?"

"Out with it."

"I'm moving to Europe."

"What? 
When?"

"Thursday."

*page_break

"Did you find a job?
That was quick.
It took me months to find my miserable position."

"It's not a job exactly."
You draw your legs up under you and turn to face your best friend.
The truck has been off since you pulled into the parking lot, and when you breathe out you can see your breath in the cold air.
"I bought a manor."

"You did what?"

*if (drunk = true)
  "Okay look, it was only a dollar, and I was drunk out of my gourd."
*else
  "My friends—drunk friends I should specify—did it, but I guess I just went with it."

"What are you gonna do with a [i]manor[/i]?!"

"Live in it I guess.
Apparently I have to if I want to keep it."

Alex turns to look at you, one eyebrow raised.
"How do you get yourself into these situations?"
$!{a_they} shakes ${a_their} head.

You explain all the details and even pull up the emails from Sebastian on your phone to show ${them}.

"I guess it beats living in your mom's basement."
$!{a_they} nudges your shoulder.
"You gotta let me come visit, okay?"

You grin.
But slowly the grin fades away as you think about the 9 to 5 that Alex lives.
Getting up at the crack of dawn to make it down to the county offices on time, getting home just to do more work on the farm, and waking up the next day to do it all over again.

You turn back to Alex and catch ${a_their} eye.

"Come with me."

*page_break

Alex hesitates.
"I don't know...
I've never left home before."

"I've never owned an estate before."

Alex huffs at you and rolls ${a_their} eyes.

In a quieter voice, you add, "I'd never left home before either when I moved to New York."

"Yeah, but you're different."

"I don't know about that.
The whole first semester, I was convinced I was gonna flunk out."

Alex scoffs.
"Yeah, sure, [i]you[/i]."

"Yes, [i]me[/i]," you repeat in a strained voice.
"I didn't think I was gonna make it."

"You never told me that," ${a_they} whispers.

"It wasn't exactly something to brag about.
I spent my 18th birthday alone in my dorm room, you know.
Thanksgiving too.
Just about everyone but me went home.
It was hard."
You look over at your best friend and make ${a_them} look you in the eye.
"[i]But[/i] it got easier."

Alex turns and stares out ${a_their} window until the silence becomes awkward.
You fidget with your ${tic}.

"Okay," Alex agrees.
"I'll go."

*finish