Red
by Thomas Insel (2018)

"Don't forget," your mother said, "your Granny's arthritis has been acting up since the weather last week. She's been in bed since Thursday. I need you to take her this basket first thing. When you get back, you can play Nintendo or whatever until I get home from work." You grunted something like "ok," and she drove off, leaving you standing there with a basket.

action: %
response: "Don't forget," your mother said, "your Granny's arthritis has been acting up since the weather last week. She's been in bed since Thursday. I need you to take her this basket first thing. When you get back, you can play Nintendo or whatever until I get home from work."

You grunted something like "ok," and she drove off, leaving you standing there with a basket.



Type "about" for credits and more information.

You're outside the late model singlewide you now call home. Everyone else you know lives in actual houses, or at least trailer parks, but you moved here last year because your mother wanted to be near Granny. Not that she's even that close by foot.

The highway is west, your home is north, and Granny's is an unreasonably long walk down the forest path to the southeast.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
the basket
a bottle of moscato
a box of coffee cake
a red hoodie (being worn)
action: You examine the Moscato
response: A screwtop bottle of Pleasant Home Pink Moscato with natural flavorings.
action: You examine the cake
response: Cheese filled crumb coffee cake. Why you're bringing this to an old lady with type two diabetes is beyond you.
action: About you
response: As cute as ever.
action: Examine hoodie
response: Only the finest from the discount sporting goods warehouse near your old house.
action: Look around
response: You're outside the late model singlewide you now call home. Everyone else you know lives in actual houses, or at least trailer parks, but you moved here last year because your mother wanted to be near Granny. Not that she's even that close by foot.

The highway is west, your home is north, and Granny's is an unreasonably long walk down the forest path to the southeast.
action: Go southeast
response: A pleasant forest path winds northwest towards home and southeast towards Granny's. A narrow trail splits southwest.
action: You go to the west
response: You shouldn't wander off into the forest. Home is northwest, Granny's is southeast, and a narrow trail leads southwest.
action: You go to the south-east
response: The river runs from the northeast to the southwest and varies from a trickle to a torrent with the season. At the moment, it's very high and the bridge that normally crosses to the southeast must have washed away last weekend.

You can follow the river, home is northwest, and Granny's is southeast...well hell...you'll need to find another way across.
action: You go to the southeast
response: The bridge is washed out.
action: You go to the south-west
response: You're among the trees, downstream and southwest from the river crossing.
action: You go southwest
response: It's a small clearing in the trees where an old abandoned van is slowly rotting and rusting away.
action: You look at van
response: What's left of this old van was here when you moved in. You come and sit in it when you want to be alone.
action: You enter the van
response: You get into the abandoned van.

On the bench is your lunchbox (closed).
action: You enter the van
response: But you're already in the abandoned van.
action: You open the box
response: Which do you mean, your lunchbox or the box of coffee cake?
action: You open the lunchbox
response: You open your lunchbox, revealing a brass key, a pocket knife, and a shotgun shell.
action: You put the lunchbox in the basket
response: (first taking your lunchbox)
There is no more room in the basket.
action: You examine the key
response: You found this key somewhere.
action: You examine the shell
response: #4 buckshot.
action: You examine the knife
response: A folding knife.
action: You take the lunchbox
response: You already have that.
action: Go outside
response: You get out of the abandoned van.

It's a small clearing in the trees where an old abandoned van is slowly rotting and rusting away.
action: You go south
response: Your home is northwest and Granny's is southeast. The river runs northeast to southwest.
action: You go northeast
response: You're among the trees, upstream and northeast from the river crossing.

A small boat is chained up here.
action: You look at the boat
response: It's old but riverworthy, and it's chained up to an old log.
action: You enter the boat
response: You get into the small boat.
action: You examine the chain
response: It connects the boat to an old log, and it's secured by a padlock.
action: You unlock the padlock with the key
response: (first taking the brass key)
You open the padlock and the boat drifts away from the shore.

The current takes the boat, and you jump out when it comes close to the far bank. Then the current grabs it again, and the boat is gone.

You're near where a bridge used cross the river. A stand of bamboo is still here.

Your home is back across the missing bridge to the northwest, and you're pretty sure both the east and south paths will take you to Granny's.

You can see a handsome hunter here.

"Well hello there, Red," says the hunter.
action: Examine hunter
response: The hunter is very handsome, but he's is the hairiest man you've ever seen. His face is wolflike, and his hair is black, but his thick beard and bushy eyebrows are silver gray. He's dressed in a blaze vest and cap.
action: You examine the stand
response: Obviously not native to the forest. The bamboo is tall and about an inch thick.
action: You talk to the hunter
response: "Hello. My name isn't Red."

"And where are you going, my pretty one, with your little basket on your arm?" he asks.

(You could refuse to answer; or tell him about Granny.)
action: You refuse
response: "Never mind," he says creepily, "I know just who you are. You're going to visit your Granny, and that's just where I'm going too. I'll get there before you and tell her that you're coming to see her."

And with that, he lopes off.
action: You cut the bamboo with the knife
response: (first taking the pocket knife)
You hack at the bamboo for a minute before remembering that your knife has a saw blade. It takes a few more minutes, but you cut a nice bamboo pole almost as tall as you are.
action: You examine the bamboo
response: (the bamboo pole)
It's green and thick and almost as tall as you are.
action: You take it
response: You already have that.
action: You cut the shell
response: Cutting it up would achieve little.
action: You put the shell in the bamboo
response: (the bamboo pole)
(first taking the shotgun shell)
That can't contain things.
action: You drop the pole
response: Dropped.
action: You get the pole
response: Taken.
action: Go southeast
response: Your home is northwest and paths lead south and east. The river runs northeast to southwest.
action: You go south
response: You're surrounded by oak trees. The river is just north of here. Your Granny's house is uphill to the east. Unfortunately, it's up a steep hill of loose stones. Some squirrels scramble across the path every now and then as they hunt for acorns.
action: You examine the squirrels
response: What can you say? They're squirrels.
action: Search stones
response: You grab a stone from the hill.
action: You go east
response: With the bamboo pole as a walking stick, you're able to make it up the hill of stones.

The ground is covered with beautiful flowers of all colors.

Granny's is east, and you can enter the forest to the north, south, and west.
action: You take the flowers
response: You pick a lovely bouquet of meadow flowers.
action: Go east
response: Granny's house is a one-room shack on the north side of the yard. Her shed is an even smaller building to the south. The road is east the path to the west leads back to your home.
action: You enter the house
response: Granny's house is pretty much what you expect from a one room shack. There's a night table and a bed.

The hunter is lounging on your Granny's bed. He's wearing her nightgown and nightcap, but fooling nobody.
action: You talk to the hunter
response: "Hello, my dear," he says, "come give your Granny a kiss."

You have nothing specific in mind to discuss with hunter just now.
action: You examine table
response: A small rustic table.

You notice that, unlike your Granny, the hunter has very muscular arms. You say "Granny, what big arms you have!"

"All the better to hug you with, my dear," he answers.
action: You look under the bed
response: You find nothing of interest.

You notice that, unlike your Granny, the hunter has big pointy ears. You say "Granny, what big ears you have!"

"All the better to hear you with, my child," he answers.

You think you should take a closer look at the hunter.
action: Examine hunter
response: The hunter has swapped his blaze vest and hat for your Granny's nightclothes. You're more than a bit concerned about what he's done with her. Also, now that you get a good look, he looks a lot more like a wolf than the man you saw before.

Unlike your Granny, the wolf has large black eyes. You say "Granny, what big eyes you have!"

"All the better to see you with, my child," he answers.
action: You enter the shed
response: (first opening the shed door)
It seems to be locked.

Granny walks in from the east.

"Hello dear," she says, "what are you doing here?"

(You could ask her about where she was; or tell her about the wolf or the basket.)
action: You tell Granny about the wolf
response: "I met a hunter in the woods and now he's in your bed wearing your clothes. I thought he had done something unspeakable to you."

"I see," she says. "Let's take care of that wolf together. I'll watch the house. You go find me a weapon in the shed."
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a bouquet of flowers
a stone
a bamboo pole
a shotgun shell
a pocket knife
your lunchbox (open but empty)
the basket
a bottle of moscato
a box of coffee cake
a red hoodie (being worn)
action: You ask Granny about the shed
response: "Yes, honey."
action: You look at the shed
response: A tiny shed where she stores things.
action: Unlock shed
response: (with the leopard print sweatsuit)
Granny has better things to do.
action: Go north
response: "No, dear," says your Granny, "I'll handle that part. Just bring me a good weapon from the shed."
action: You enter the shed
response: (first opening the shed door)

The shed is even smaller than the house.

You can see a gas can, a flower pot, and a double barrel shotgun here.
action: You enter the shed
response: Granny's house is a one-room shack on the north side of the yard. Her shed is an even smaller building to the south. The road is east the path to the west leads back to your home.

Your Granny is standing here.
action: You enter the shed
response: The shed is even smaller than the house.

You can see a gas can, a flower pot, and a double barrel shotgun here.
action: You take all
response: double barrel shotgun: Taken.
gas can: Taken.
flower pot: Taken.
action: You take the can and the gun and the pot
response: gas can: You already have that.
double barrel shotgun: You already have that.
flower pot: You already have that.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: The shed is even smaller than the house.
action: You give the gun to Granny
response: Your granny takes the double barrel shotgun.

"Thanks, dear. Can you find us a shell?" she asks.
action: You give the shell to Granny
response: Your granny takes the shotgun shell.

"Thanks, dear."

"Wait here a minute," Granny requests.

She walks into her house and you hear a very short discussion punctuated by a shotgun blast.

A few months later...

Highway (in your Camaro)
Going to Granny's is much nicer now that you have your license and a fast car.

>inventory
You are carrying:
the basket
a bottle of white zinfandel
a box of cinnamon buns
a lovely furry wolfskin coat (being worn)