YOU ARE IN A FOREST

< You are alone in a forest. 

< Go north.

< You go north. You are in a forest. 

< Go north.

< You go north. You are in a clearing. 

< Go east.

< You go east. You are in a forest.

< Go east.

< You go east. You are in a forest.

< Grab axe.

< What axe?

< There was an axe here last time.

< This is your first time in this area.

< No, I’ve been here before.

< This is your first time in this area.

< Search for axe.

< You look around. A freshly scarred tree stump sits nearby. It appears something was embedded in it not too long ago. 

< So, the axe was here?

< There is no axe here.

<…Go to the ravine. 

< What ravine?

< Jesus.

< Null input. 

< Go west.

< You go west. You are in a forest. 

< Go west.

< You go west. You are in a clearing.

< Go north. 

< You go north. You are in a forest.

< Go north. 

< You go north. A deep ravine in the earth blocks your path. Nearby, an axe lies on the ground, discarded. Several deep, spaced-out footprints are squished into the mud leading up to the ravine. 

< I thought the game reset each time I tried again.

< Try again?

< NO! I mean, why is the axe here? It should be in that other area, surely.

< The axe has always been here.

< It hasn’t

< It has.

< …Grab axe.

< You take the axe. 

< Chop down tree with axe.

< You search nearby for a tree to chop down. After finding one, you take a couple of healthy swings at it, eventually knocking it to the earth with a loud splintering of wood. A flock of birds hiding in the undergrowth soar to the sky in a flurry of misplaced feathers. A thick trail of dark-umber liquid seeps from the log. 

< Push tree over ravine. 

< It takes you all your strength, but you manage to arrange the fallen tree into a makeshift bridge across the gap. 

< Go north. 

< You go north, making use of your newly made bridge. After reaching the other side of it, you hear something behind you.

< What is it?

< You don’t know. 

< What does it sound like? 

< Something wet. Something that cracks.

< Where is it coming from?

< You search for the noise. You think it originates from within the ravine. 

< Can I see into the ravine?

< You try to examine it, but it is too dark.

< Can I call out to see if somebody is there?

< What would you like to say?

< “Hello. Is somebody down there?”

< You call out. There is no initial response. 

< Call out the same input again. 

< You call out again. The sound you had been hearing suddenly sounds much closer and moving closer still. It sounds as if it has started moving with purpose, climbing the sides of the ravine. 

< What is it? 

< You are unsure. 

< Can I drop something into the ravine?

< You are holding an axe.

< Drop axe into ravine.

< You hold out your hand over the ravine with the axe’s shaft clenched between your knuckles. After locating roughly where the sound is coming from, you release your grip. The axe disappears into the pit below. You hear it pierce something. Again, a wet cracking sound echoes out towards you, but this time, there is some finality about it. You dare for a moment to feel relieved, but as you turn to walk away, the noise starts again. It sounds so close that you think that whatever it is, it might be able to reach out and touch you. 

< Get away from here.

< Use compass directions to move in a specified direction.

< Run, north.

< You don’t know how to ‘run’. 

< Go north, quickly.

< You go north. A second set of footsteps closely matches your own. You are in a wide clearing with a large white house standing at its centre. 

< Is there anything else in the clearing?

< There is a large white house with a blue slate roof.

< Is there anybody home?

< You look at the house. You feel like you are being observed.

< Approach house. 

< You approach the house. A large white door appears to be its entrance. Adorning it is a proportionally sized round metallic knocker held up by a horned gargoyle. 

< Use door knocker, cry for help. 

< You sound out three sharp raps against the wood. Each one reverberates in the empty room beyond the door. There is no answer.

< Open door.

< You try the door. It is locked. It is coming.

< Look for an open window. 

< You circle the house in search of another way in. You discover a window on the ground floor. Its glass is caked in dust and cobwebs from the inside. It is closed, but it looks as if it might open with some assistance. 

< Look through the window.

< You press your face against the glass. The insides are dark, but you can just about make out the outline of some simple pieces of furniture as well as a strange blue glow that emanates from the back of the room and which draws you in.  The thing following you sounds close. 

< Open window.

< You tug at the window. Its rotted old frame splinters in your hand. The pane of glass falls out with a loud smash against the ground. A wet cracking noise sounds out from over your shoulder. 

< Climb through window.

< You try to climb through the window, but you freeze when a voice speaks to you in a whispered breath that trails down the back of your neck. ‘We didn’t think you’d make it here so soon. Please don’t be in such a rush to leave. You need us just as much as we need you.’ Something solid and textured wraps around your head and twists, hard. You are dead. 

< What the Hell was that?

< Try again?

< No. I give up with this.

< Try again?

< I said no. 

< Try again? 

< Quit game. 

< We wish to keep you around. Quitting now helps no one. Least of all you. 

< What the fuck. I want to leave. 

< I know you would. But that would be a mistake. 

< How do I quit? I can’t see the button for it. I can’t see anything. 

< I think trying again might take your mind off things. Let’s go back to the start.