The Sueño
by Marshal Tenner Winter (2015)
Genres: Surreal
Mystery

Low on income, you've signed up for a sleep study to test a new medication; one that supposedly causes lucid dreams. What you'll learn, however, is that much more will be revealed on The Sueño.

action: %
response: The funny thing about dreams is that, as advanced as we are as a civilization, with our space flights, our computers, our science, and our philosophy, no one on the planet has a verifiable answer as to what dreams really are and why we have them.

Your university experience, so far, has left a lot to be desired. Constantly broke, you are always looking to do something to make a buck; the job market is seemingly not able to support giving you a part-time paycheck from somewhere. Left with little other choice, you've begun answering ads calling for medical research studies. Tonight's job: some overnight sleep study at the hospital a few blocks down from your dorm.

The Sueño
An Oneirological Mystery by Marshal Tenner Winter

Waiting Room (on the office couch)
White, sterile, clinical: it's everything a hospital waiting room should be, you guess. An office couch and some office chairs await any sitters and a low table offers a selection of magazines. Near a secure door to the north is a receptionist's desk complete with a busy receptionist. The door that leads to more of the hospital, and eventually an exit, is to the south.

(To talk to people, type "talk to {person}" For conversation
topics, type "topics". For additional help, type "help". For the credits, type "credits".)
action: About yourself
response: Male. 19. Student at a university in Philadelphia. Good sense of humor. Usually broke. Otherwise, generally a nice guy who tries to do the right thing. Not ugly but no Adonis. You're comfortable with yourself but not with your financial situation.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying:
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
action: You examine the jeans
response: The ultimate in fashion, in your opinion.

The receptionist's phone rings. She answers it, "Yes, sir?"
action: You examine the shirt
response: It's relatively non-descript. You've realized so far in your life that you don't really like standing out in a crowd.

"Sure." The receptionist says into the phone before hanging up. She looks up at you. "You can go in now." She instructs as she pushes a button beneath her desk. A buzzer sounds and you hear the secure door to the north unlock.
action: You look at the Skechers
response: They are a pair of casual, black shoes. They go with everything, really.
action: Go north
response: (first getting off the office couch)
(first opening the secure door)

This is your typical hospital corridor. It continues to the north and a bathroom door is to the west. To the east is a lab door and the secure door back to the waiting room is to the south. Otherwise, it is a sterile environment, as if it is compulsively cleaned throughout the day.
action: Go north
response: You're pretty sure the lab is to the east. You shouldn't wander around.
action: You go east
response: (first opening the heavy door)

This brightly lit room reveals to you just how much money is budgeted for this sleep study. A hospital bed is the focal point, of course, but around it is a space-age-looking machine: some sort of MRI device, maybe. Arrays of equipment flank the bed sporting dozens of wires that hang from them.

north while another, nondescript door is to the east. Next to the nondescript door is a large window, through which you can see an observation room that obviously monitors this one. The door back to the corridor is to the west. The whole room seems to softly hum.

Dr. Lynch is here, clipboard in hand.
action: You talk to dr lynch
response: You say hello to Dr. Lynch.

(You could ask Dr. Lynch about Dr. Lynch, the MRI device, the clipboard or sleep study.)
action: You talk to the dr lynch about the dr lynch
response: I only understood you as far as wanting to talk to Dr. Lynch.
action: Topics
response: You could ask Dr. Lynch about Dr. Lynch, the MRI device, the clipboard or sleep study.
action: You ask Lynch about Lynch
response: "I guess I'm supposed to be in here?" You ask.

"Yes," the doctor shakes your hand, "I'm Dr. Richard Lynch. Thanks for volunteering for our study."

"I'm Benji Evans." You dutifully tell him, but you're sure he already knows that, of course. "What do you mean volunteer? I thought I was getting paid for this."

"Oh, of course." He smiles, "Volunteer sounds better than,
say, test subject." He gives a small chuckle.
action: You talk to Lynch
response: You are already talking to Dr. Lynch.

"This is a simple sleep study to measure the effects of a new medication." Dr. Lynch explains. "Your blood tests are well
within the range we need them to be in order for you to take the dosage we're testing tonight."
action: You ask Lynch about the clipboard
response: Pointing at the clipboard, you ask, "Jesus, do you need that many notes for this?"

"Well, the study's been going on for years." He explains, "Most of this is just reading material for me while you sleep." Yet you can't help but notice he now guards it a bit more from you.
action: You talk to Lynch
response: You are already talking to Dr. Lynch.
action: You ask Lynch about the mri machine
response: "So what's that machiney-thing?" You ask, pointing to the MRI device surrounding the head of the bed.

"It's like an MRI device." He tells you, "It measures just about anything the other equipment arrays don't. But don't worry. It's not invasive at all."
action: You ask Lynch about the sleep study
response: "So, this must be the sleep study lab?" You inquire, not sure what else to say. Dr. Lynch smiles, "Yes, of course it is."
action: You go north
response: It would be rude to walk out of the room while talking to Dr. Lynch. You should probably wait until you are instructed before heading into the dressing room.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: This brightly lit room reveals to you just how much money is budgeted for this sleep study. A hospital bed is the focal point, of course, but around it is a space-age-looking machine: some sort of MRI device, maybe. Arrays of equipment flank the bed sporting dozens of wires that hang from them.

north while another, nondescript door is to the east. Next to the nondescript door is a large window, through which you can see an observation room that obviously monitors this one. The door back to the corridor is to the west. The whole room seems to softly hum.

Dr. Lynch is here, clipboard in hand.
action: Topics
response: You could ask Dr. Lynch about new medication.
action: You ask Lynch about the medication
response: "What medication?" You ask, a little nervous at the thought that the sleep study involves an untested chemical in your system. Then again, you've partied enough to not worry too much about it.

"It's got a long technical name, but we've been calling it The
Sueño. Dr. Torrez coined the word. It means dream in
Spanish." He tells you.

"Makes sense." You shrug.

"Yes," he continues, "It was originally designed as an anesthetic for surgery, or maybe a powerful sleep aid for insomniacs. But what we're doing in this lab is focusing on one of its side effects."
action: Topics
response: You could ask Dr. Lynch about side effects.
action: You ask Lynch about the side effects
response: "What side effect?" You ask; this time, a little more nervous, "Is it diarrhea?"

"No," he looks at you with a furrowed brow, "no, it's not diarrhea, Benji. It's about dreams. Have you ever had a lucid dream? Where you know you're dreaming and can maybe even control your dream?"(yes/no)
action: Yes
response: "Yes," you answer, "I think once or twice it's happened. I don't remember any details, it was awhile back."

"Oh, excellent." He says, "Then you might be able to help us better than someone who hasn't." He makes some notes on his clipboard.

"Well, if you're ready," Dr. Lynch replaces his pen into his pocket protector, "Just head into the dressing room and get changed and come back out for a good night's sleep."
action: You go to the north
response: (first opening the private door)

It's a large bathroom that can accommodate the handicapped. Some pegs line one wall while the other wall holds the toilet, sink, and mirror. The door back to the sleep lab is to the south.

Hanging on one of the pegs is a hospital gown.
action: You look at the mirror
response: It's a large, industry-standard mirror.
action: You wear the gown
response: (first taking the hospital gown)
You put on the hospital gown.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a hospital gown (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
action: Go south
response: This brightly lit room reveals to you just how much money is budgeted for this sleep study. A hospital bed is the focal point, of course, but around it is a space-age-looking machine: some sort of MRI device, maybe. Arrays of equipment flank the bed sporting dozens of wires that hang from them.

north while another, nondescript door is to the east. Next to the nondescript door is a large window, through which you can see an observation room that obviously monitors this one. The door back to the corridor is to the west. The whole room seems to softly hum.

Dr. Lynch is here, clipboard in hand.

Dr. Lynch sees your pants. "I'm sure you'll be more comfortable with just the gown, Benji. You can leave your jeans in the dressing room."
action: Go north
response: It's a large bathroom that can accommodate the handicapped. Some pegs line one wall while the other wall holds the toilet, sink, and mirror. The door back to the sleep lab is to the south.
action: You remove the shoes
response: You take off the pair of black Skechers.
action: You remove pants
response: You take off the pair of jeans.
action: You remove the shirt
response: You take off the black shirt.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
some boxer shorts (being worn)
a pair of socks (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
a pair of jeans
a black shirt
a pair of black Skechers
action: You examine the shorts
response: Of all days to wear your Mighty Mouse boxer shorts, you think to yourself.
action: You examine the socks
response: They are black and without any holes.
action: You go south
response: This brightly lit room reveals to you just how much money is budgeted for this sleep study. A hospital bed is the focal point, of course, but around it is a space-age-looking machine: some sort of MRI device, maybe. Arrays of equipment flank the bed sporting dozens of wires that hang from them.

north while another, nondescript door is to the east. Next to the nondescript door is a large window, through which you can see an observation room that obviously monitors this one. The door back to the corridor is to the west. The whole room seems to softly hum.

Dr. Lynch is here, clipboard in hand.

"Looks like you're ready." Dr. Lynch has the equipment arrays ready and closer to the bed now. He hands you a small paper cup with a pill in it. "It's chewable." He says, "You don't need water. Go ahead and take that, please."
action: Examine pill
response: It's a small, peach colored, chewable pill with the number 7178 printed into it.
action: You take the pill
response: You take the chewable sueño from the small paper cup.
action: You eat the pill
response: You chew the pill and it dissolves in your mouth.

Dr. Lynch smiles, satisfied. "Go ahead and climb into bed, Benji." He says.
action: You get in the bed
response: You shouldn't carry your jeans to bed with you.

"Go ahead and climb into bed, Benji." He says.
action: You drop all
response: small paper cup: Dropped.
pair of jeans: Dropped.
black shirt: Dropped.
pair of black Skechers: Dropped.

"Go ahead and climb into bed, Benji." He says.
action: You get in the bed
response: You get onto the hospital bed.

Dr. Lynch all but tucks you in as he attaches the many wires that dangle from the equipment arrays onto various parts of your body with little sticky electrodes.

"We're not giving you any additional sedatives as we don't want to inhibit your dreams, so just relax and hopefully soon you'll be asleep." He tells you, "I'll be in the observation room all night."
He motions to the east.

He walks to the east door and shuts the lights out as he leaves, closing the door as well. With the lights out, you can still see fine as the lights from the equipment glow dimly and some light from the observation room's window to the east filters in as well.
action: Sleep
response: You close your eyes...

Someone's Bedroom (on the army cot)
Well, that certainly was a strange dream, you think to
yourself as you wake up. You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium with something in it is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

A tinny voice seems to emit from the brain, "Don't leave me here!"
action: You examine the aquarium
response: It is devoid of any water and, instead, it seems to now be some sort of showcase or science experiment.

In the aquarium tank is a sentient brain.

A tinny voice seems to emit from the brain, "Hey, pick me up! You're going to need me!"
action: You take brain
response: The tinny voice is coming from the brain, "Thanks, mate." It says.

You'd have to get off the army cot first.
action: You get up
response: You get off the army cot.

You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium with something in it is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

A tinny voice seems to emit from the brain, "Don't leave me here!"
action: You take the brain
response: You take the sentient brain from the aquarium tank.
action: You examine the brain
response: It's a human brain. Perfectly pink and slimy.
action: You talk to the brain
response: You say hello to the sentient brain.

(You could ask the sentient brain about the sentient brain, Dr. Lynch or the chewable sueño.)
action: You ask the brain about the brain
response: "What on Earth are you?" You ask, not believing that you're
conversing with a talking brain.

"Oh, it doesn't matter much anymore, does it?" It replies with a tinny, melancholic voice.
action: You ask the brain about Lynch
response: "Do you know if Dr. Lynch is around?" You ask the brain but you're not quite sure why. You just have a feeling he's either around or needs to be around.

"Um..." the tinny voice seems confused a bit, "I don't remember, but I'm sure it will come back to me."
action: You ask the brain about the pill
response: A question comes to your lips and you ask the brain, "Do you know anything about the sueño? I think I'm on it right now. Things are weird and I'm not remembering things too clearly. Like how I got here or where I actually am."

"The sueño?" The brain asks back, "I don't speak Spanish. I'm sorry."
action: You look at the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Anchorhead" starring Scarlett Johansson.
action: You look at the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Leather Goddesses of Phobos" starring Melissa McCarthy.
action: You examine the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Hunger Daemon" starring Jesse Eisenberg.
action: You examine the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "A Mind Forever Voyaging" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
action: You look at the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Shade" starring Elijah Wood.
action: You examine the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Trinity" starring Brad Pitt.
action: You examine the posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Slouching Towards Bedlam" starring Gary Oldman.
action: You look at posters
response: This room is wallpapered with full-size movie posters. Currently, you're examining the poster for "Make It Good" starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
action: You look
response: You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall
action: Examine set
response: It's a small, relatively non-descript television set. There's no dial on it; just a knob to switch it on or off.

The small television is currently switched off.
action: You look at the television
response: (the small television)
It's a small, relatively non-descript television set. There's no dial on it; just a knob to switch it on or off.

The small television is currently switched off.
action: You turn on the tv
response: The television begins to glow with an electric blue tint.

On the television, a scene from your childhood plays out, like a silent home movie.
action: You watch the tv
response: It's a small, relatively non-descript television set. There's no dial on it; just a knob to switch it on or off.

The small television is currently switched on.

On the television, a man in an armchair watches the camera, as if you are the show.
action: You watch the tv
response: It's a small, relatively non-descript television set. There's no dial on it; just a knob to switch it on or off.

The small television is currently switched on.

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: You watch the tv
response: It's a small, relatively non-descript television set. There's no dial on it; just a knob to switch it on or off.

The small television is currently switched on.

On the television, security camera footage shows people at a bank doing their everyday banking routines. Suddenly, masked men rush in with guns but then the scene goes to static.
action: You ask brain about television
response: (the small television)
There is no reply.

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)

On the television, security camera footage shows people at a bank doing their everyday banking routines. Suddenly, masked men rush in with guns but then the scene goes to static.
action: Look around
response: You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: You look at the bed
response: It has a thin, bare mattress on it. The mattress doesn't look that new. In fact, it's pretty rank in appearance. How you ended up crashing on it last night is anyone's guess.

On the television, a man in an armchair watches the camera, as if you are the show.
action: You go north
response: (first opening the bedroom door)

A room of strange architecture but you can't quite put your finger on how. The floor is thickly carpeted in beige and the air has a slightly damp feel to it, especially near the door to the east, where you can also hear the sound of a shower running. The door to someone's bedroom is to the south and this space continues to the southeast. Dim light comes in from a small window to the north.
action: Go east
response: (first opening the bathroom door)

You are surrounded by hot, wet steam. It clings to your skin and clothes, and it obscures your vision. You think the door is to the west, but surely there must be more in this room. You can hear a shower in here; the source of the steam. The sonorous sound of it is almost hypnotizing.
action: You open the glass door
response: You try to open the glass shower door but it seems to be locked. A man's voice, familiar to you somehow, tells you from within the shower stall, "I'll be out in a minute!"
action: You knock on the glass door
response: knock knock knock.
The sentient brain speaks up in its tinny voice, "Try walking around in here. Maybe more can be found in this steam."
action: Go east
response: (first opening the glass shower door)
You try to open the glass shower door but it seems to be locked. A man's voice, familiar to you somehow, tells you from within the shower stall, "I'll be out in a minute!"
action: Go south
response: You bump into a moist toilet.
action: You examine the toilet
response: It's a clean, white, porcelain throne, but it's slick with moisture from all the steam in the air.
action: You go south
response: You bump into the moist toilet.
action: You go to the north
response: You bump into a moist sink. Above it is a fogged-up mirror.
"What's that written on it?" The tinny voice of the sentient brain asks.
action: You read mirror
response: It's a wide mirror, totally fogged-up from the steam in the room.
With a finger, someone has written "7178, see u tonite" on
it.
action: Flush toilet
response: You flush the toilet. The pulsing sound of the running water changes slightly and you hear, from within the shower stall, a man shriek as the water suddenly scalds him. The glass shower door flings open and a nude person blurs past you, leaving you in the bathroom alone.
action: You take the washcloth
response: You pick up the damp washcloth from the ground.
action: You examine the washcloth
response: It's a coarse, damp washcloth. It's green in color.
action: You look at drain
response: It's a small drain in the center of the floor. The hot water exits through it.
action: You turn off the water
response: Funny. You don't see a faucet or any knobs.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You go west
response: You are surrounded by hot, wet steam. It clings to your skin and clothes, and it obscures your vision. You think the door is to the west, but surely there must be more in this room. You can hear a shower in here; the source of the steam. The sonorous sound of it is almost hypnotizing.
action: Go west
response: A room of strange architecture but you can't quite put your finger on how. The floor is thickly carpeted in beige and the air has a slightly damp feel to it, especially near the door to the east, where you can also hear the sound of a shower running. The door to someone's bedroom is to the south and this space continues to the southeast. Dim light comes in from a small window to the north.
action: You examine the window
response: It doesn't seem to be able to open. You can look through it.
action: You look through the window
response: Outside, it's a gray day with a light drizzle. This house appears to be nestled among many pine trees. The ground outside is covered in dead pine needles.
action: Go south
response: You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

On the television, a scene from your childhood plays out, like a silent home movie.
action: You go to the south-east
response: Mid-Century Modern decor dominates this irregularly shaped living room. The furniture and lighting are from the stylish side of the 60's, as if the room were designed by Charles and Ray Eames or something. In fact, an Eames reclining chair sits near a fireplace with a dwindling fire. A large bookshelf covers the west wall and a bay window sits in the east wall. Open doorways lead northwest and south; the wall-to-wall carpeting runs non-stop.
action: You examine the bookshelf
response: The bookshelf covers the entire west wall. You glance among the books and a title that catches your eye is Indecisive Book Browsers: A Menace to Literature? by Shannan Brittnee.
action: You read the book
response: The bookshelf covers the entire west wall. You glance among the books and a title that catches your eye is a worn copy of a Frederick's
of Hollywood lingerie catalog.
action: You read the book
response: The bookshelf covers the entire west wall. You glance among the books and a title that catches your eye is Northwest, and Other Compass Directions by Peterus Shrier.
action: You examine the fireplace
response: Snug in the wall, this fireplace holds a dwindling fire of dying red embers. On the back wall of the fireplace there seems to be a small, metal door. The face of the door is filthy with soot.
action: You look at the door
response: The face of the door is filthy with soot. It is closed.
action: You open the door
response: It is locked.
action: You sit in the chair
response: You get onto the Eames reclining chair.
action: You look at the carpet
response: It is beige, very clean, and wall-to-wall.
action: You examine the window
response: It juts out a little bit from the house and is divided into dozens of small squares. You can also look through windows.
action: You look  through the window
response: Outside, it is an overcast day which you can only tell by the lack of shadows. You cannot see the sky as this house seems to sit amongst many pine trees. Dead pine needles litter the ground outside.
action: You look
response: Cozy Study (on the Eames reclining chair)
Mid-Century Modern decor dominates this irregularly shaped living room. The furniture and lighting are from the stylish side of the 60's, as if the room were designed by Charles and Ray Eames or something. In fact, an Eames reclining chair sits near a fireplace with a dwindling fire. A large bookshelf covers the west wall and a bay window sits in the east wall. Open doorways lead northwest and south; the wall-to-wall carpeting runs non-stop.
action: South
response: (first getting off the Eames reclining chair)

This would be the dining room except that everything is packed in moving boxes. Someone is either moving in or moving out. It's all very familiar to you, somehow. A wide window lets in diffuse light from the east wall and doorways lead north and west.
action: Examine boxes
response: There are at least a dozen cardboard boxes here with no other furniture. Someone is either moving in or out, you think to yourself. The boxes are sealed tight with packing tape.
action: Open boxes
response: They all seem to be sealed tight with packing tape. You attempt some force and vandalism to attempt to get into one or two of them but it gets you nowhere. You would need a sharp implement of some kind to do this job.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You examine the window
response: It fits the wall snugly and lets in diffuse sunlight. You can also look through windows.
action: You look through the window
response: Outside, pine trees obscure view and dead pine needles litter the ground. It is a gray, overcast day.
action: Describe the surroundings
response: This would be the dining room except that everything is packed in moving boxes. Someone is either moving in or moving out. It's all very familiar to you, somehow. A wide window lets in diffuse light from the east wall and doorways lead north and west.
action: Go west
response: This kitchen is bare of appliances or any decorations at all; as if the moving process has moved through here already. Cupboards are above the counter and drawers are below it. The dining room is to the east and a door to a screened-in porch is closed to the northwest.
action: You look at the cupboards
response: They are empty.
action: You open the drawers
response: The only thing you find is a box cutter which you grab.
action: You cut the boxes
response: Using the box cutter, you slice open some of the boxes, looking for something of interest. At first, you find only dishes and other dining room knick-knacks, but then you find something incongruous: an old-school floppy disk for an out-of-date computer such as a Commodore, perhaps. It is labeled "Read Me" so you decide to
grab it.
action: You get the disk
response: You already have that.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You examine the disk
response: It is an old 5.25" floppy disk that hasn't been in use since the 80's. It's black with a hole in the middle and it is labeled with a white label and black ink: "Read Me".
action: Go northwest
response: (first opening the porch door)

The smell of fresh, pine air fills your nose and a slight, cool wind blows through the screens here. This screened-porch is more dilapidated than you would think given the interior of the house. Dried, dead pine needles are strewn on the wooden floor and an old, plastic lawn chair is the only furniture, as if it was used by someone to sit and enjoy the fresh air out here. It's almost as if you remember doing it, but you also know you've never been here before. The door back to the kitchen is open to the southeast and the flimsy, exterior door is to the west. Each wall save for the east is wooden-framed screens, allowing you to see that this house sits deep in a thick, pine forest.

Lying among the dead pine needles is a worn backpack.
action: You get the backpack
response: You pick up the worn backpack from the ground.
action: You open the backpack
response: You open the worn backpack.
action: Examine backpack
response: It's a large backpack that's worn with the elements but still seems pretty sturdy. It's familiar to you, somehow, as if maybe it was the backpack you used in high school. But it's not.
action: You examine the chair
response: It is a dirty, white plastic lawn chair. It's seen better days.
action: You sit on the chair
response: You get onto the plastic lawn chair.
action: You go east
response: (first getting off the plastic lawn chair)
You can't go that way.
action: You look
response: This screened-porch is more dilapidated than you would think given the interior of the house. Dried, dead pine needles are strewn on the wooden floor and an old, plastic lawn chair is the only furniture, as if it was used by someone to sit and enjoy the fresh air out here. It's almost as if you remember doing it, but you also know you've never been here before. The door back to the kitchen is open to the southeast and the flimsy, exterior door is to the west. Each wall save for the east is wooden-framed screens, allowing you to see that this house sits deep in a thick, pine forest.
action: Go west
response: (press space)
action: You press the green button
response: "Benjamin?" You hear Dr. Lynch's voice.

"Blech." You is all you can muster. You crack your eyes and even the dim, electronic lights seem too bright. The good doctor is behind the window in the observation room to the east. His voice is a tinny sound from a speaker somewhere.

"Any initial thoughts, Benji?" He asks. It takes a few moments for you to realize what the hell he's talking about. The pill. The sleep study. The dream.

"Oh," you tell him, "yes. I was in this house. There was a brain and a floppy disk." You realize you sound like a lunatic. But then again, everyone's sort of psychotic in their dreams.

"Next to you, you'll find a questionnaire. I know you're groggy, but it's part of the study.

You grab the sheet with the attached pen and quickly scribble through questions about your mood and other imagery from your dream. Then, you slam it down again and roll over.

"Goodnight, Benji." Dr. Lynch says.

"Shut up." You reply.

Trees (near the screened porch)
Pine trees surround you; their dead needles litter the forest floor. There is no yard here as the house is nestled cozily within the trunks of these woods. The house's gutters are jammed with the pine needles and its flat roof is covered by them. The door to the house's screened-in porch is to the east. The sky above, what little you can see through the canopy of foliage, is gray. Foot trails seem to lead north and south, although it's difficult to really tell.
action: You go north
response: Trees (deep in the woods)
You wander into the forest, aimlessly. Deep in the woods, you find yourself surrounded by the pine trees, leaving visibility into the woods at a minimum. The dead pine needles crunch below your feet and the sky is gray above you, through the foliage and branches. You think the house from where you emerged is to the south. You can hear running water to the northeast.
action: You go northeast
response: Trees (near the small waterfall)
You wander into the forest, aimlessly. You soon find yourself near a babbling stream with a small waterfall running from the northwest.
The waterfall, only ten feet tall or so, falls from a rocky crag and creates a small pond before continuing its trek to the southeast. The pine trees are no less dense here and the sky above is gray. The only foot trail you think you see is to the southwest. Across the small pond and stream, you see a more clearly defined path leading northeast. The sound of the waterfall is rushing in your ears.
action: You examine the pond
response: There is a continuous ripple on this pond as the waterfall to the northwest empties into it. Large goldfish swim about within it.
action: You look at the goldfish
response: Sparkling goldfish swim about in the small pond.
action: You go northeast
response: You wade through the water, soaking yourself from the waist down, before exiting the stream again and heading northeast.

Trees (near the overlook cliff)
Finally, a break from the monotony of endless pine trees. You stand on the edge of a vertical cliff looking down over more forest and eventually, in the near distance, a small town. A rocky path leads down to the southeast, winding down the cliff and its various outcroppings. Another path leads back into the woods to the southwest. The cliff cuts the land here from the northwest to the southeast. The sky, unobstructed by foliage here, is still a bleak gray.
action: You go to the northwest
response: You wander into the forest, aimlessly. After an immeasurable amount of time, you are surprised to find yourself back near the edge of the cliff.
action: Go southeast
response: You dread heading to the southeast, down the rocky path. Something stops you. Something tells you that dark entities guard it. In your mind, you see large, black rabbits. Strange, yes, but terrifying for some reason. They are in your mind only for now, but something also tells you that you will lose your lucidity and wake up screaming should you head that direction.
action: You go southwest
response: Trees (near the small waterfall)
You  find yourself near a babbling stream with a small waterfall running from the northwest. The waterfall, only ten feet tall or so, falls from a rocky crag and creates a small pond before continuing its trek to the southeast. The pine trees are no less dense here and the sky above is gray. The only foot trail you think you see is to the southwest. Across the small pond and stream, you see a more clearly defined path leading northeast. The sound of the waterfall is rushing in your ears.
action: You go southwest
response: Trees (deep in the woods)
Deep in the woods, you find yourself surrounded by the pine trees, leaving visibility into the woods at a minimum. The dead pine needles crunch below your feet and the sky is gray above you, through the foliage and branches. You think the house from where you emerged is to the south. You can hear running water to the northeast.
action: Go south
response: Trees (near the screened porch)
Pine trees surround you; their dead needles litter the forest floor. There is no yard here as the house is nestled cozily within the trunks of these woods. The house's gutters are jammed with the pine needles and its flat roof is covered by them. The door to the house's screened-in porch is to the east. The sky above, what little you can see through the canopy of foliage, is gray. Foot trails seem to lead north and south, although it's difficult to really tell.
action: Go south
response: Trees (near the doghouse)
You wander into the forest, aimlessly. A little further south from the house's screened porch, you find a strange tree. Halfway buried in its base is an ancient doghouse, the tree having grown through most of it. Most of its dark opening is still gaping enough to peer into. Otherwise, this part of the forest is identical to the rest; large pine trees with needles littering the ground.
action: You examine the doghouse
response: (the ancient doghouse)
It really is your typical doghouse, as far as design goes. But it's decrepitly old and a pine tree has grown through most of it, fusing the two together forever. The opening of the dog house is still gaping enough to peer into.
action: You look in the doghouse
response: (the ancient doghouse)
You approach the dark opening of the doghouse and reach inside. Finally, you pull out something: a spiked dog collar.
action: You examine the collar
response: It's made of worn, black leather with dull spikes on it. It must've fit a large dog, for sure.
action: Go south
response: You wander into the forest, aimlessly. After an immeasurable amount of time, you are surprised to find yourself back near the tree growing from the ancient doghouse.
action: You go east
response: (first opening the outside door)

This screened-porch is more dilapidated than you would think given the interior of the house. Dried, dead pine needles are strewn on the wooden floor and an old, plastic lawn chair is the only furniture, as if it was used by someone to sit and enjoy the fresh air out here. It's almost as if you remember doing it, but you also know you've never been here before. The door back to the kitchen is open to the southeast and the flimsy, exterior door is to the west. Each wall save for the east is wooden-framed screens, allowing you to see that this house sits deep in a thick, pine forest.
action: Go southeast
response: This kitchen is bare of appliances or any decorations at all; as if the moving process has moved through here already. Cupboards are above the counter and drawers are below it. The dining room is to the east and a door to a screened-in porch is open to the northwest.
action: Go south
response: You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

On the television, a man in an armchair watches the camera, as if you are the show.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a spiked dog collar
a worn backpack (open but empty)
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You open the door
response: It is locked.
action: You ask the brain about the door
response: (the small metal door)
There is no reply.
action: You examine the washcloth
response: It's a coarse, damp washcloth. It's green in color.
action: Dream
response: What do you want to dream?
action: Dream pants
response: You are already dreaming that you are wearing your jeans.
action: You wear collar
response: You put on the spiked dog collar.
action: Dream lynch
response: You try to conjure Dr. Lynch into your dream, but you feel as if you don't have enough power or something to do it yet.
action: Dream pill
response: You try hard to concentrate on it, but you are unable to bring a sueño pill into your dream. Odd.
action: Dream computer
response: (the computer monitor)
Try as you might, you can't seem to bring any image of Fran Anderson or her belongings to your mind right now. Weird.
action: You look
response: Mid-Century Modern decor dominates this irregularly shaped living room. The furniture and lighting are from the stylish side of the 60's, as if the room were designed by Charles and Ray Eames or something. In fact, an Eames reclining chair sits near a fireplace with a dwindling fire. A large bookshelf covers the west wall and a bay window sits in the east wall. Open doorways lead northwest and south; the wall-to-wall carpeting runs non-stop.
action: Go northwest
response: A room of strange architecture but you can't quite put your finger on how. The floor is thickly carpeted in beige and the air has a slightly damp feel to it, especially near the door to the east, where you can also hear the sound of a shower running. The door to someone's bedroom is to the south and this space continues to the southeast. Dim light comes in from a small window to the north.
action: You go south
response: You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

On the television, security camera footage shows people at a bank doing their everyday banking routines. Suddenly, masked men rush in with guns but then the scene goes to static.
action: Dream knob
response: You just need to switch on/off the small television.
action: You look at bookshelf
response: The bookshelf covers the entire west wall. You glance among the books and a title that catches your eye is The Mailbox Baseball
League by Spiky Zytez.
action: You search the fireplace
response: Snug in the wall, this fireplace holds a dwindling fire of dying red embers. On the back wall of the fireplace there seems to be a small, metal door. The face of the door is filthy with soot.
action: You clean the door with the washcloth
response: You wipe the front of the small metal door with the damp washcloth. Once the soot is removed, you see four dials on the front of it.
action: You look at the dials
response: Which do you mean, the first dial, the second dial, the third dial or the fourth dial?
action: You look at the first dial
response: It can be set from 0-9.
action: You set the first dial to 7
response: You set the first dial to "7".
action: You set second dial to 1
response: You set the second dial to "1".
action: You set the second dial to 7
response: You set the second dial to "7".
action: You set the third dial to 7
response: You set the third dial to "7".
action: You set the fourth dial to 8
response: You set the fourth dial to "8".

You hear a click from the safe and the small metal door pops open.
action: You examine safe
response: The safe space behind the small metal door is about a twelve-inch square space for valuables, you guess.

In the safe space is a crumpled napkin.
action: You take the napkin
response: You take the crumpled napkin from the safe space.
action: You read napkin
response: It's a cocktail napkin with some hastily scrawled words on it: "remember- you are DREAMing".
action: You dream yourself
response: In a way, you are already dreaming of yourself. You'll have better luck dreaming of things you encounter along the way.
action: Dream doghouse
response: (the dark opening)
You close your eyes and imagine the ancient doghouse near the strange tree. When you open them again, you are somewhere else.

Trees (near the doghouse)
A little further south from the house's screened porch, you find a strange tree. Halfway buried in its base is an ancient doghouse, the tree having grown through most of it. Most of its dark opening is still gaping enough to peer into. Otherwise, this part of the forest is identical to the rest; large pine trees with needles littering the ground.
action: Dream fireplace
response: You dream of the Cozy Study and find yourself there.

Mid-Century Modern decor dominates this irregularly shaped living room. The furniture and lighting are from the stylish side of the 60's, as if the room were designed by Charles and Ray Eames or something. In fact, an Eames reclining chair sits near a fireplace with a dwindling fire. A large bookshelf covers the west wall and a bay window sits in the east wall. Open doorways lead northwest and south; the wall-to-wall carpeting runs non-stop.
action: Dream dog
response: (the spiked dog collar)
There's something about the dog collar you have, something you can do, you feel. Perhaps if you were in the right location.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a crumpled napkin
a spiked dog collar (being worn)
a worn backpack (open but empty)
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You enter the doghouse
response: (the ancient doghouse)
You find nothing more in the ancient doghouse but dirt.
action: You examine the dirt
response: It's just the ground.
action: You examine the collar
response: It's made of worn, black leather with dull spikes on it. It must've fit a large dog, for sure.
action: Dream floppy disk
response: This will probably be important at some point.
action: Dream brain
response: The tinny voice from the sentient brain speaks, "But you're already dreaming about me."
action: Dream bathroom
response: Which do you mean, the restroom door or the bathroom door?
action: Dream toilet
response: Which do you mean, the hospital toilet or the moist toilet?
action: Dream moist toilet
response: You close your eyes and think of the moist toilet in the steamy bathroom. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

You are surrounded by hot, wet steam. It clings to your skin and clothes, and it obscures your vision. You think the door is to the west, but surely there must be more in this room. You can hear a shower in here; the source of the steam. The sonorous sound of it is almost hypnotizing.
action: You go to the north
response: You bump into the moist sink. Above it is a fogged-up mirror.
action: Dream bedroom
response: Which do you mean, the bedroom shadows or the bedroom door?
action: Dream bedroom shadows
response: You close your eyes and think of the shadows in the bedroom. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: You examine the shadows
response: The shadows in this room seem to change and mingle with the green glow.

On the television, a scene from your childhood plays out, like a silent home movie.
action: You examine the bed
response: It has a thin, bare mattress on it. The mattress doesn't look that new. In fact, it's pretty rank in appearance. How you ended up crashing on it last night is anyone's guess.

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: You look under the bed
response: You find nothing of interest.

On the television, a man in an armchair watches the camera, as if you are the show.
action: You examine the aquarium
response: It is devoid of any water and, instead, it seems to now be some sort of showcase or science experiment.

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: You take the aquarium
response: That's hardly portable.

On the television, a man in an armchair watches the camera, as if you are the show.
action: Look around
response: You're in someone's bedroom. You've forgotten whose, however. A dim green glow illuminates the place but you cannot tell from where exactly. No matter where you look, the glow seems to be coming from somewhere near the corner of your eye. Movie posters plaster the wall and an aquarium is against one of the walls. A small television set is against another wall, and an exit is to the north. The bed, a twin-sized, glorified army cot, sits against the east wall

On the television, security camera footage shows you, of all people, in a post office sending out a care package. Funny, you don't remember ever living that scene in real life.
action: You close the door
response: Which do you mean, the bathroom door or the bedroom door?
action: You close the bedroom door
response: You close the bedroom door.
action: You close the bathroom door
response: You close the bathroom door.
action: You examine the fire
response: Which do you mean, the fireplace or the dwindling fire?
action: You examine the dwindling fire
response: It has been reduced to glowing red embers.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a crumpled napkin
a spiked dog collar (being worn)
a worn backpack (open but empty)
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You examine the window
response: It juts out a little bit from the house and is divided into dozens of small squares. You can also look through windows.
action: You look through the window
response: Outside, it is an overcast day which you can only tell by the lack of shadows. You cannot see the sky as this house seems to sit amongst many pine trees. Dead pine needles litter the ground outside.
action: Go north
response: (first getting off the Eames reclining chair)
You can't go that way.
action: Dream roof
response: You are already dreaming that you are standing before the strange house in the woods.
action: Go south
response: Trees (near the doghouse)
A little further south from the house's screened porch, you find a strange tree. Halfway buried in its base is an ancient doghouse, the tree having grown through most of it. Most of its dark opening is still gaping enough to peer into. Otherwise, this part of the forest is identical to the rest; large pine trees with needles littering the ground.
action: You examine the tree
response: Which do you mean, the pine trees or the strange tree?
action: You look at strange tree
response: This tree grew through an old doghouse and up towards the sky. Who knows how long it took to grow?
action: You examine the waterfall
response: Cascading from a rocky crag about ten feet in height, this small waterfall empties into a rippling pond. From the pond, the stream continues to the southeast.
action: Go northwest
response: The rocky crag is too slippery and jagged to climb.
action: Dream rocky crag
response: You are already dreaming of the rocky crag.
action: You wear the collar
response: You're already wearing that!
action: You go to the northeast
response: Trees (near the overlook cliff)
You stand on the edge of a vertical cliff looking down over more forest and eventually, in the near distance, a small town. A rocky path leads down to the southeast, winding down the cliff and its various outcroppings. Another path leads back into the woods to the southwest. The cliff cuts the land here from the northwest to the southeast. The sky, unobstructed by foliage here, is still a bleak gray.
action: Go southeast
response: You dread heading to the southeast, down the rocky path. Something stops you. Something tells you that dark entities guard it. In your mind, you see large, black rabbits. Strange, yes, but terrifying for some reason. They are in your mind only for now, but something also tells you that you will lose your lucidity and wake up screaming should you head that direction.
action: Dream collar
response: There's something about the dog collar you have, something you can do, you feel. Perhaps if you were in the right location.
action: Dream doghouse
response: (the dark opening)
You close your eyes and imagine the ancient doghouse near the strange tree. When you open them again, you are somewhere else.

Trees (near the doghouse)
A little further south from the house's screened porch, you find a strange tree. Halfway buried in its base is an ancient doghouse, the tree having grown through most of it. Most of its dark opening is still gaping enough to peer into. Otherwise, this part of the forest is identical to the rest; large pine trees with needles littering the ground.
action: Dream collar
response: You close your eyes and the collar slips from your person. But you don't hear it hit the ground. You open your eyes to instead find a large, black mastiff beside you. He is calm, guarding you, and wearing the spiked dog collar.
action: You examine the dog
response: (the black mastiff)
The black mastiff is a shadowy animal; a monster of a dog with muscular shoulders and a wide jaw. It wears the spiked dog collar.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a crumpled napkin
a worn backpack (open but empty)
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: Dream napkin
response: You are already dreaming that you have the crumpled napkin.
action: Dream disk
response: This will probably be important at some point.
action: You talk to dog
response: (the black mastiff)
The black mastiff has nothing to say.
action: Dream cliff
response: You close your eyes and imagine overlooking the cliff. When you open your eyes, you are somewhere else.

Trees (near the overlook cliff)
You stand on the edge of a vertical cliff looking down over more forest and eventually, in the near distance, a small town. A rocky path leads down to the southeast, winding down the cliff and its various outcroppings. Another path leads back into the woods to the southwest. The cliff cuts the land here from the northwest to the southeast. The sky, unobstructed by foliage here, is still a bleak gray.
action: Go southeast
response: You dread heading to the southeast, down the rocky path. Something stops you. Something tells you that dark entities guard it. In your mind, you see large, black rabbits. Strange, yes, but terrifying for some reason. They are in your mind only for now, but something also tells you that you will lose your lucidity and wake up screaming should you head that direction.
action: Look around
response: Trees (near the doghouse)
A little further south from the house's screened porch, you find a strange tree. Halfway buried in its base is an ancient doghouse, the tree having grown through most of it. Most of its dark opening is still gaping enough to peer into. Otherwise, this part of the forest is identical to the rest; large pine trees with needles littering the ground.

The black mastiff arrives from the north.
action: You go to the north
response: Trees (near the screened porch)
Pine trees surround you; their dead needles litter the forest floor. There is no yard here as the house is nestled cozily within the trunks of these woods. The house's gutters are jammed with the pine needles and its flat roof is covered by them. The door to the house's screened-in porch is to the east. The sky above, what little you can see through the canopy of foliage, is gray. Foot trails seem to lead north and south, although it's difficult to really tell.

The black mastiff arrives from the south.
action: You go north
response: Trees (deep in the woods)
Deep in the woods, you find yourself surrounded by the pine trees, leaving visibility into the woods at a minimum. The dead pine needles crunch below your feet and the sky is gray above you, through the foliage and branches. You think the house from where you emerged is to the south. You can hear running water to the northeast.

The black mastiff arrives from the south.
action: Go northeast
response: Trees (near the small waterfall)
You  find yourself near a babbling stream with a small waterfall running from the northwest. The waterfall, only ten feet tall or so, falls from a rocky crag and creates a small pond before continuing its trek to the southeast. The pine trees are no less dense here and the sky above is gray. The only foot trail you think you see is to the southwest. Across the small pond and stream, you see a more clearly defined path leading northeast. The sound of the waterfall is rushing in your ears.

The black mastiff arrives from the southwest.
action: Go northeast
response: Trees (near the overlook cliff)
You stand on the edge of a vertical cliff looking down over more forest and eventually, in the near distance, a small town. A rocky path leads down to the southeast, winding down the cliff and its various outcroppings. Another path leads back into the woods to the southwest. The cliff cuts the land here from the northwest to the southeast. The sky, unobstructed by foliage here, is still a bleak gray.

The black mastiff arrives from the southwest.
action: Go southeast
response: You dread heading to the southeast, down the rocky path, but then the black mastiff charges ahead of you. It races down the path, becoming a shadow that chases off whatever spirits haunted the trail. The feeling of dread lifts and you know the path is safe now. However, the black mastiff does not return to you.
action: You go to the southeast
response: This rocky path is treacherous as it winds between boulders and slopes steeply. From here, you can head back up to the northwest or down to the southeast. The cliff that this path winds beside is steep and made of white stone. Below, you can see some more pine forest before a small town a bit further beyond that.
action: Go southeast
response: Trees (the lower woods)
More pine trees, of course, but these sit in the shadow of the cliff above you. A rocky path winds up beside the cliff, through outcroppings and boulders, to the northwest. The trees still obscure a gray sky and the ground is still littered with dead pine needles. You think you can make out a faint path to the east, leading to the town you saw when you were up on the cliff, before you descended.
action: Go east
response: Trees (on the faint path)
You are on a faint path within the pine woods. The path runs east to west but is so overgrown, you must be the only person to have tread it in a long while. The pine trees still surround you and the sky's gray remains motionless. To the east, the trees thin out and you can see the first buildings of the small town ahead.
action: Go east
response: "Benjamin?" Once again, you hear Dr. Lynch's voice waking you.

"Ugh." You reply. Opening your eyes, you see the room, now dimmer, and the observation window beyond where a sleepy-looking Dr. Lynch watches you. He taps a button and speaks into a mic, "What were you just dreaming, Benj?" He asks.

"There was a large dog. He was guarding me and he chased off some spirits so I could climb down this rocky path. There was a town."
You think for a moment, "Wait a minute, I think I returned to my same dream. That's really weird. I didn't think that could actually happen."

"On the Sueño, it does." He says casually, "We're finding it has a number of side effects. Thus, this sleep study."

But you are rolling back over and getting as comfortable as you can, already falling back to sleep.

As you emerge from the woods, you step upon the asphalt of a paved road. A sign nearby signifies that this is Woodside Lane, and it runs north and south. This is the edge of this small town and a wilderness of pine trees sits to the west. A small, brick building is to the east. For some reason, you know it's a library. The sky remains a gray slate and this town appears to be devoid of life.
action: You go to the east
response: (first opening the library door)
It seems to be locked.
action: Go north
response: Woodside Lane, running south, bends and becomes Main Street, running east, on this corner. To the west, the wilderness of pine trees marks the border of this small town. To the north, a small shop with the "℞" symbol on a neon sign on the door.
action: Go north
response: (first opening the apothecary door)
It seems to be locked. The tinny voice of the sentient brain speaks up again, "That door looks smashable ... if you really want to get in, that is."
action: You go to the west
response: You feel that wandering back into the woods at this point would cause you to lose some of your lucidity.
action: You go south
response: A sign nearby signifies that this is Woodside Lane, and it runs north and south. This is the edge of this small town and a wilderness of pine trees sits to the west. A small, brick building is to the east. For some reason, you know it's a library. The sky remains a gray slate.
action: You go to the south
response: The road bends here. Woodside Lane runs north and Cliff Street runs east. To the west is the wilderness of pine trees and to the south is a squat, gray building; a bank, your mind tells you. Its door is a strong, metal affair. The emptiness of this town makes you feel as if you are in an episode of The Twilight Zone.
action: You go to the south
response: Unfortunately, in this dream, the bank is currently closed.
"Must be nice to be a banker with their hours." You mumble
to yourself.
action: You smash the door
response: That would hurt your hands.
action: You attack the door with the box cutter
response: The box cutter might not break the door. Maybe something else will?
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a crumpled napkin
a worn backpack (open but empty)
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You attack the door with the brain
response: The sentient brain might not break the door. Maybe something else will?
action: You attack door with the backpack
response: The worn backpack might not break the door. Maybe something else will?
action: You examine the building
response: It is one-story and shaped as if the architect was trying to be a little creative. It is made of normal, red bricks.
action: Go east
response: You are on Cliff Street, running east-to-west. To the north is the side of the library building but to the south is the front of the post office. The post office is a white brick building with its eagle logo beside the door. Your footsteps seem to echo around the buildings in the emptiness of this town.
action: You go to the south
response: (first opening the office door)

This is a modest post office. The lights are on and the place feels open for business. However, no one besides you is here. A service counter can be seen, unstaffed, and two large bins sit near it; one labelled "out-of-town" and the other "local".
Posters of various kinds of information line the walls. The door back to the outside world is to the north.
action: You read posters
response: The informational posters are hung all over the walls, and they are the kind one would find in every post office: mailing rules and regulations, comemmorative stamp offers, package size prices, and the such. One poster stands out to you. It's a wanted poster, apparently.
action: You take the poster
response: Which do you mean, the wanted poster or the informational posters?
action: You take the wanted poster
response: That's hardly portable.
action: You read wanted poster
response: It's incongruous to the rest of the modern information on the walls as it is made to appear as one of those old-timey Western wanted posters. But this one's picture is a familiar face to you. It is a mugshot of Dr. Richard Lynch. Beneath it is written "Dr. Wallace Josephs - Physician to The Philadelphia Mob".
action: Dream wanted poster
response: You think of the wanted poster and realize that the person on the poster, Wallace Josephs, isn't some look-a-like relative of Dr. RIchard Lynch, but rather he is Dr. Richard Lynch.
action: You look at the bins
response: It's a large bin made of canvas with a metal frame. Its label is stenciled on it: local.
action: You take the bin
response: Which do you mean, the out-of-town bin or the local bin?
action: You look at out of town bin
response: It's a large bin made of canvas with a metal frame. Its label is stenciled on it: out-of-town.

In the out-of-town bin is a care package.
action: You take the care the package
response: (putting the sentient brain into the worn backpack to make room)
You take the care package from the out-of-town bin.
action: You look at the care package
response: It is a box wrapped in brown paper.
action: You open the care package
response: You'll have to unwrap it first.
action: You unwrap the care package
response: You tear the brown paper off the care package.
action: You look at the care package
response: It is a closed package.
action: You open care package
response: You open the care package.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some brown paper
a care package (open)
an old key
a crumpled napkin
a worn backpack (open)
a sentient brain
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You examine the key
response: It's an old-style key that resembles a house key, maybe.
action: You look at the paper
response: Just some brown paper that was used to wrap the care package.
action: You look
response: This is a modest post office. The lights are on and the place feels open for business. However, no one besides you is here. A service counter can be seen, unstaffed, and two large bins sit near it; one labelled "out-of-town" and the other "local".
Posters of various kinds of information line the walls. The door back to the outside world is to the north.
action: You examine the counter
response: It's where post office workers would do their business.
action: You go to the north
response: You are on Cliff Street, running east-to-west. To the north is the side of the library building but to the south is the front of the post office. The post office is a white brick building with its eagle logo beside the door. Your footsteps seem to echo around the buildings in the emptiness of this town.
action: You go to the east
response: Here, Church Street runs north. It bends and becomes Cliff Street which heads west. Woods flank the road to the east and south but a one-story office building is to the southeast.
action: Go southeast
response: (first opening the dentist door)

There is no waiting room in this quaint dentist's office. Instead, there's a sofa for any waiters but they would be in full witness of the dentist's chair in the middle of the room. It is a modern, reclining, comfortable-looking chair, but you know not to be fooled. To you, it's a modern torture device. A service table sits next to the dentist's chair. A small placard is on the table, stating
"Please Have A Seat". The only exit is a door to the outside
world to the northwest.
action: You take the chair
response: That's hardly portable.
action: You sit in the chair
response: You get onto the dentist's chair.

Suddenly, you are paralyzed; your arms and legs frozen in place as you lay on the chair. You hear a sound from the service table next to you. You see a dental probe that you failed to notice before fly into the air in front of you. Your mouth opens, yet you cannot scream.
The tool, with its sharp hook, descends to do its torture on you.
action: Dream library
response: Which do you mean, the library door or the small brick building?
action: You dream library door
response: Dreaming of doors is a dangerous thing.
action: Dream bank
response: You close your eyes and think of the squat gray building on Woodside & Cliff. When you open them again, you see that you now stand before it.

The road bends here. Woodside Lane runs north and Cliff Street runs east. To the west is the wilderness of pine trees and to the south is a squat, gray building; a bank, your mind tells you. Its door is a strong, metal affair. The emptiness of this town makes you feel as if you are in an episode of The Twilight Zone.
action: Unlock bank
response: What do you want to unlock the squat gray building with?
action: You unlock the bank with the old key
response: (first taking the old key)
You are paralyzed on the dentist's chair. The dental probe descends closer toward your eye.

The dental probe buries itself into your eye!
action: You look
response: There is no waiting room in this quaint dentist's office. Instead, there's a sofa for any waiters but they would be in full witness of the dentist's chair in the middle of the room. It is a modern, reclining, comfortable-looking chair, but you know not to be fooled. To you, it's a modern torture device. A service table sits next to the dentist's chair. A small placard is on the table, stating
"Please Have A Seat". The only exit is a door to the outside
world to the northwest.
action: You go northwest
response: Here, Church Street runs north. It bends and becomes Cliff Street which heads west. Woods flank the road to the east and south but a one-story office building is to the southeast.
action: Go north
response: Running north-to-south, this is Church Lane. The backside of the library is to the west, and pine trees flank the east. The air is still and the town feels emptier than ever.
action: Go north
response: Main Street stretches to the west and Church street to the south.
They converge here to an intersection and become one road heading northeast, out of town. Trees border the north and an old church sits to the east, on the edge of town. Its door is not far from the road.
action: Go east
response: (first opening the church door)
It seems to be locked.
action: You unlock the church door with the old key
response: (first taking the old key)
(putting the damp washcloth into the worn backpack to make room) You're carrying too many things already.
action: You unlock the church door with the old key
response: (first taking the old key)
(putting the box cutter into the worn backpack to make room)
You unlock the church door.
action: You go east
response: (first opening the church door)

This is a small but dilapidated church. An aisle between rows of pews leads to an altar and behind the altar you can see a squat door on the east wall. The ceiling sags in this building and you can tell that it's been abandoned for many years. Stained glass windows line the walls; each smashed in many places, leaving only pieces of saints intact. The door to the west leads back outside and above it is a dirty sign of some sort.
action: You read the sign
response: The sign is flowing script that reads, "Saint Josephs the
Innocent". Funny, you went to Sunday School and never heard of a Saint Josephs with an "S" at the end of his name.
action: You look at the windows
response: The stained glass windows line the walls; each smashed in many places, leaving only pieces of saints intact. Through the smashed holes, you can see the gray sky that looms over this strange town.
action: Go east
response: (first opening the squat door)

This is the bottom of a church steeple. A rusty ladder leads up to a belfry and a squat door is on the west wall. Otherwise, this space is dusty and shadowy and something tells you that you don't wish to tarry too long here.
action: You go west
response: This is a small but dilapidated church. An aisle between rows of pews leads to an altar and behind the altar you can see a squat door on the east wall. The ceiling sags in this building and you can tell that it's been abandoned for many years. Stained glass windows line the walls; each smashed in many places, leaving only pieces of saints intact. The door to the west leads back outside and above it is a dirty sign of some sort.
action: You go west
response: Main Street stretches to the west and Church street to the south.
They converge here to an intersection and become one road heading northeast, out of town. Trees border the north and an old church sits to the east, on the edge of town. Its door is not far from the road.
action: You go west
response: This east-west road must be Main Street. There's not much here, of course, this being just a portion of a small town. But, there is a hardware store to the north. To the south is the library but the entrance is on another side of it. Otherwise, you could head back to Woodside Lane to the west or Church Lane to the east.
action: You go north
response: (first opening the store door)

Dust covers everything in this abandoned hardware store. Empty shelves probably once held all sorts of things for the handyman in everyone, but now, only the dust remains. There is a wooden counter, as well, where perhaps a cash register once sat. The exit is a store door to the south.
action: You examine counter
response: It's a long, wide counter that probably once held the cash register and other things.
action: You examine the dust
response: In the dust, a message is written with a hasty finger: my name is richard lynch.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
an old key
some brown paper
a care package (open but empty)
a crumpled napkin
a worn backpack (open)
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a floppy disk
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: Dream altar
response: You close your eyes and think of the church altar. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

This is a small but dilapidated church. An aisle between rows of pews leads to an altar and behind the altar you can see a squat door on the east wall. The ceiling sags in this building and you can tell that it's been abandoned for many years. Stained glass windows line the walls; each smashed in many places, leaving only pieces of saints intact. The door to the west leads back outside and above it is a dirty sign of some sort.
action: You go to the east
response: This is the bottom of a church steeple. A rusty ladder leads up to a belfry and a squat door is on the west wall. Otherwise, this space is dusty and shadowy and something tells you that you don't wish to tarry too long here.
action: Up
response: Up here, you can literally feel the steeple rock back and forth slightly. You can hear the wood creak under the strain of your weight. The bell, now rusty and useless, still hangs, dominating the space here. The wind is present, but not heavy, and you can see over the church's sagging roof to the road below from up here. A rusty ladder leads back down to the bottom of the steeple.

Strangely, the only bat in this belfry is an aluminum baseball bat leaning in the corner.
action: You get the bat
response: (putting the floppy disk into the worn backpack to make room)
You pick up the baseball bat from the ground.
action: You ring bell
response: Looking underneath the bell, you see its clapper is missing.
action: Dream neon sign
response: You close your eyes and think of the ℞ sign. When you open them again, you are somewhere else.

Woodside Lane, running south, bends and becomes Main Street, running east, on this corner. To the west, the wilderness of pine trees marks the border of this small town. To the north, a small shop with the "℞" symbol on a neon sign on the door.
action: You look at the bat
response: This bat is identical to the one you used when you were in Little League. It's made of aluminum and you remember the ring it gives when it strikes something.
action: You smash the door with bat
response: You smash the glass of the door with the baseball bat. The piercing sound shatters the stillness of this quiet street. But it is over soon enough. Reaching in, you unlock the door.
action: You go to the north
response: (first opening the apothecary door)

This old-timey pharmacy is as eerily quiet as the town it inhabits. Different medicinal sundries and healthcare supplies line the wire shelves and a pharmacist's counter is in the back. The exit is a door to the south. Also, the window's display items are accessible here.
action: You look at the shelves
response: Just cheap, wire shelving units.
action: You examine the sundries
response: These sundries include over-the-counter medicines for such things as sore throats, headaches, and of course, the dreaded diarrhea.
action: You look at the display items
response: The items in the window display include bedpans, canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and the like.
action: You look at the counter
response: It's where all the business of the pharmacy was once done.
action: Dream bell
response: You close your eyes and think of the rusty bell in the rickety belfry. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

Up here, you can literally feel the steeple rock back and forth slightly. You can hear the wood creak under the strain of your weight. The bell, now rusty and useless, still hangs, dominating the space here. The wind is present, but not heavy, and you can see over the church's sagging roof to the road below from up here. A rusty ladder leads back down to the bottom of the steeple.
action: You dream library door
response: Dreaming of doors is a dangerous thing.
action: Dream neon sign
response: You close your eyes and think of the ℞ sign. When you open them again, you are somewhere else.

Woodside Lane, running south, bends and becomes Main Street, running east, on this corner. To the west, the wilderness of pine trees marks the border of this small town. To the north, a small shop with the "℞" symbol on a neon sign on the door.

Wallace Josephs is here, looking like a dangerous and demented version of Dr. Lynch.
action: You go south
response: A sign nearby signifies that this is Woodside Lane, and it runs north and south. This is the edge of this small town and a wilderness of pine trees sits to the west. A small, brick building is to the east. For some reason, you know it's a library. The sky remains a gray slate.
action: Go east
response: (first opening the library door)

This place must've been designed in the 70s or early 80s, you consider. The design is very "Brady Bunch". Posters and notices line the walls of this lobby and a circular reception desk sits in the center of the room. Wide doorways lead northeast, east, southeast, and south to other parts of the library, and a door leads north to a computer lab, as per the sign on it. A potted fern sits in the corner and the door to the outside is to the west.
action: Go north
response: (first opening the lab door)

This lab is modern if this dream were taking place in the 80's. There's not much here, however, as if either the library could only afford the one old computer you can see here, or maybe the rest of the computers were pilfered by people. After all, this place is as devoid of life as the town. The old computer sits on an old desk and a matching, old chair sits before it. Shapes on the paint on the walls indicate posters once hung here, but they, too, are now gone. The only exit is a door to the south.
action: You put the disk in the comoputer
response: Which do you mean, the floppy disk or the disk drive?
action: You put the floppy disk in the disk drive
response: You pop the floppy disk into the disk drive. The whole computer whirrs to life.

On the screen, a simple sentence prompts you to "Look up Wallace Josephs in the Reference section. Then set your biological clock to wake up."

You take the floppy disk back out of the disk drive, just in case.
action: Go south
response: This place must've been designed in the 70s or early 80s, you consider. The design is very "Brady Bunch". Posters and notices line the walls of this lobby and a circular reception desk sits in the center of the room. Wide doorways lead northeast, east, southeast, and south to other parts of the library, and a door leads north to a computer lab, as per the sign on it. A potted fern sits in the corner and the door to the outside is to the west.

Wallace Josephs is here, looking like a dangerous and demented version of Dr. Lynch.
action: Go south
response: This area of the library is brightly colored and it attempts to appeal to both young children and young adults with its selection of posters and books. The bookshelves here are only half the normal size and are full of books from Dr.Seuss to whatever the latest vampire epic for teens is. From here, you can see the lobby to the north and the main collection to the east.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the north.
action: You go to the east
response: From where you stand, the aisles of books stretch before you to the east and south. To the north, you can see the Periodicals section and to the west you can see the Juvenile section.
action: Go south
response: You wander down the aisle of books for awhile, but soon are surprised to find yourself back at the start of the main collection.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the west.
action: You go to the east
response: You wander down the aisle of books for awhile, but soon are surprised to find yourself back at the start of the main collection.
action: Go north
response: You are roughly in the middle of the library and its emptiness is creepy as all the lights are on. It's as if the place was busy as normal but everyone just disappeared for you see open books and newspapers around and just a feeling as if people were just here.
It's the 'Mary Celeste' of libraries.

In this section, mostly current magazines are stored in open display cases. Comfortable seats are spread around for reading. From here, you can see the reference section to the north, the main collection to the south, and you can return to the lobby to the west.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the south.
action: Go north
response: This portion of the library is for all the reference material. Wide bookshelves are stuffed with thick encyclopedias and other informative books. However, unlike any small-town library you've seen, the reference books here are guarded behind a thin laser beam running across each shelf, making it impossible to pull a book out without breaking the beam. You can see a control box from where the beams emerge. From here, you can head south to the Periodicals sections or southwest to the lobby.
action: You examine the control box
response: It's a strange, plain, gray box with holes that have lasers protruding forth. The box is angled so that the lasers stream across the reference books in the wide bookshelf.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the south.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a baseball bat
an old key
some brown paper
a care package (open but empty)
a crumpled napkin
a worn backpack (open)
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You get the glass
response: They're hardly portable.
action: Dream sofa
response: Which do you mean, the office couch or the sofa?
action: Dream office couch
response: Trying to recall something from waking life in your dream is like trying to recall a dream in waking life.
action: Dream wallace
response: Something tells you that Wallace is currently in Woodside Lane.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: Dream tv
response: That's not really a television set.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the west.
action: Dream wallace
response: Something tells you that Wallace is currently in Trees (the lower woods).
action: Dream wallace
response: Something tells you that Wallace is currently in Rocky Path.
action: Dream wallace
response: Something tells you that Wallace is currently in Trees (near the small waterfall).
action: Dream dentist's chair
response: You close your eyes and think of the dentist's chair. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

There is no waiting room in this quaint dentist's office. Instead, there's a sofa for any waiters but they would be in full witness of the dentist's chair in the middle of the room. It is a modern, reclining, comfortable-looking chair, but you know not to be fooled. To you, it's a modern torture device. A service table sits next to the dentist's chair. A small placard is on the table, stating
"Please Have A Seat". The only exit is a door to the outside
world to the northwest.
action: You sit in the chair
response: You get onto the dentist's chair.

Suddenly, you are paralyzed; your arms and legs frozen in place as you lay on the chair. You hear a sound from the service table next to you. You see a dental probe that you failed to notice before fly into the air in front of you. Your mouth opens, yet you cannot scream.
The tool, with its sharp hook, descends to do its torture on you.
action: You ask the brain about the probe
response: You are paralyzed on the dentist's chair. The dental probe descends closer toward your eye.
action: Dream probe
response: You concentrate on the dental probe, dreaming it away. It advances closer, aiming for your eyeball. Finally, your lucidity wins and the dental probe, with an audible POP, winks out of this dream.

Once the terror in you subsides, you see a dentist's mouth mirror on the service table. Funny, you didn't see it before.
action: You get the mirror
response: (putting the crumpled napkin into the worn backpack to make room)
You take the mouth mirror from the service table.
action: You examine the mirror
response: It is a small, hand-held mirror used to examine the interior of patients' mouths.
action: Dream computer
response: (the computer monitor)
Try as you might, you can't seem to bring any image of Fran Anderson or her belongings to your mind right now. Weird.
action: Dream fern
response: You close your eyes and think of the potted fern. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

This place must've been designed in the 70s or early 80s, you consider. The design is very "Brady Bunch". Posters and notices line the walls of this lobby and a circular reception desk sits in the center of the room. Wide doorways lead northeast, east, southeast, and south to other parts of the library, and a door leads north to a computer lab, as per the sign on it. A potted fern sits in the corner and the door to the outside is to the west.
action: You go to the north-east
response: This portion of the library is for all the reference material. Wide bookshelves are stuffed with thick encyclopedias and other informative books. However, unlike any small-town library you've seen, the reference books here are guarded behind a thin laser beam running across each shelf, making it impossible to pull a book out without breaking the beam. You can see a control box from where the beams emerge. From here, you can head south to the Periodicals sections or southwest to the lobby.
action: You look at the control box
response: It's a strange, plain, gray box with holes that have lasers protruding forth. The box is angled so that the lasers stream across the reference books in the wide bookshelf.
action: You put mirror in the box
response: (the control box)
That can't contain things.
action: Block beam with mirror
response: Cleverly, you angle the mouth mirror to one of the lasers. After a moment to hold your breath, you break the beam with the mouth mirror. The beam reflects off the mirror and you angle it to the control box, back in on itself. As this happens, the box sparks and the laser beams guarding the reference books disappear.
action: You look up Wallace Josephs in the books
response: You look in the appropriate encylcopedia and find the entry for Wallace Josephs. Unfortunately, the print is too small to read with your eyes alone.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a mouth mirror
a baseball bat
an old key
some brown paper
a care package (open but empty)
a worn backpack (open)
a crumpled napkin
a floppy disk
a box cutter
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You ask the brain about the reading
response: There is no reply.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the southwest.
action: You examine Wallace
response: He looks like Dr. Richard Lynch, but maybe his evil brother, perhaps? He has the large frame and ginger beard. But, instead of a nice, crisp labcoat, Wallace wears a bloodstained butcher's apron. In one hand, he carries a cleaver and a syringe dangles from his other hand. He stares at you with dead eyes.
action: You take the cleaver
response: That seems to belong to Wallace Josephs.
action: You take syringe
response: That seems to belong to Wallace Josephs.

Wallace Josephs springs to life suddenly. He swings his cleaver at your head but you are lucid enough to scramble away from his attack.
action: Dream wallace
response: You are already dreaming of Wallace Josephs.
action: Dream cleaver
response: You are already dreaming of that cleaver in Wallace's hand. You can't seem to do anything with it while he carries it, unfortunately.
action: Dream apron
response: Which do you mean, the butcher's apron or the apron pocket?
action: Dream butcher's apron
response: Something tells you that Wallace is currently wearing the bloody butcher's apron.
action: You examine the pocket
response: It is the only pocket sewn into the butcher's apron.

In the apron pocket is a biological clock.
action: You take the clock
response: That seems to belong to Wallace Josephs.
action: You attack wallace
response: He looks a bit too intimidating to attack him with your bare hands.
action: You attack Wallace with the bat
response: You swing the bat but somehow miss. The monster roars a laugh at your failure.
action: You get the box cutter
response: (putting the care package into the worn backpack to make room)
You take the box cutter from the worn backpack.
action: You attack Wallace with the box cutter
response: You figure the box cutter would make good enough knife and you lash out at Wallace.

Amazingly, you succeed in slicing the monster across the chest. The apron, now cut and ruined, falls to the ground.
As you scramble back to your feet, the monster of a man runs off, injured. You are safe, for now.
action: You get the clock
response: (putting the brown paper into the worn backpack to make room)
You take the biological clock from the apron pocket.
action: You examine the clock
response: It is a strange chunk of ... well, flesh, really. It's pretty disgusting, especially because a rough circle of the flesh has been sickeningly ripped off, leaving a patch of bloody muscle. What's also weird is that there is hair in this patch. Upon closer inspection, the hair is growing in a precise way as to make a sort-of clock face on the muscle. Two hairs grow from the center and point outward, making the hour and minute "hands", and small nubs of hair surround the circle, making a braille-like series of numbers to mark the time. (To check the time, type "check time" or just "time".)
action: Time
response: Taking a moment to study the horrid biological clock, you determine that it is twenty-five to six.
action: Dream fern
response: You close your eyes and think of the potted fern. When you open them again, you find yourself somewhere else.

This place must've been designed in the 70s or early 80s, you consider. The design is very "Brady Bunch". Posters and notices line the walls of this lobby and a circular reception desk sits in the center of the room. Wide doorways lead northeast, east, southeast, and south to other parts of the library, and a door leads north to a computer lab, as per the sign on it. A potted fern sits in the corner and the door to the outside is to the west.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the west.
action: Dream bank
response: You are already dreaming that you are standing before the squat gray building. You seem to realize it's a bank.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the north.
action: You examine the bank
response: It's a sturdy building made of large, white stone bricks. There are no windows. For a small-town local bank, it sure appears solidly forboding. Its door is a strong, metal affair.
action: You examine the door
response: This is the door to the bank. It is made especially strong, just in case.

Wallace Josephs springs to life suddenly. He swings his cleaver at your head but you are lucid enough to scramble away from his attack.
action: You examine saints
response: Mostly the edges of the stained glass remain, leaving the hands, feet, and sometimes a halo, of the saints who have been vandalized in this church.
action: Go north
response: Dust covers everything in this abandoned hardware store. Empty shelves probably once held all sorts of things for the handyman in everyone, but now, only the dust remains. There is a wooden counter, as well, where perhaps a cash register once sat. The exit is a store door to the south.
action: You look behind the counter
response: Looking behind the counter, you find the last remaining tool that this store had to offer: a sturdy hammer which you grab.
action: You look at the hammer
response: It's a well-built, sturdy hammer that feels good in your hand.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the south.
action: Dream bedpan
response: You close your eyes and think of the display items you saw inside the pharmacy. When you open them, you find yourself somewhere else.

This old-timey pharmacy is as eerily quiet as the town it inhabits. Different medicinal sundries and healthcare supplies line the wire shelves and a pharmacist's counter is in the back. The exit is a door to the south. Also, the window's display items are accessible here.
action: You look behind the counter
response: Looking behind the counter, you find a prescription pad and a dull pencil; both of which you take out of curiosity.
action: Examine pad
response: It's a small but thick pad of prescription slips. A doctor would write the medicine and patient's name on these and the patient brings them to the pharmacy to get filled.
action: You write on the pad
response: What do you want to write on the prescription pad with?
action: You write on the pad with the pencil
response: Sure, you could write on this prescription pad with the dull pencil. But you have nothing that really needs to be written.
However, maybe there's something else you can do with the two objects to glean something.
action: You rub the pad with the pencil
response: Using the old pencil-rub technique, you use the pencil to shade the top page of the pad and read the indentations left from the previous, missing entry. After some squinting and touching-up, you finally are able to read "Richard Lynch is someone else. You're no longer in
your own head. Despair and be forgotten.".

Something tells you that time has passed in this town slightly.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the south.
action: You go south
response: Woodside Lane, running south, bends and becomes Main Street, running east, on this corner. To the west, the wilderness of pine trees marks the border of this small town. To the north, a small shop with the "℞" symbol on a neon sign on the door.
action: You go south
response: (first opening the strong door)

This is a small anteroom mainly for ATM use when the bank proper is closed. A strong door leads outside to the north and an interior door leads to the bank lobby to the south. The ATM sits in the west wall and a card-reading device is next to the interior door.

What's impossible to miss, however, is the dead body on the floor of this anteroom. Most likely a man, its face is gone: destroyed completely by a shotgun blast or some other high-caliber weapon, leaving him completely unidentifiable. The blood from the wound is sprayed all over the east wall and floor, but it is brown and dry.
action: You examine the body
response: Dressed like someone who most likely lived in a trailer park, this person was probably male, but it's difficult to tell as its face is gone: destroyed completely by a shotgun blast or some other high-caliber weapon, leaving him completely unidentifiable. The blood from the wound, now brown and dry, is sprayed all over the east wall and floor.
action: You examine atm
response: It's a bulky device fitted into the west wall. Bank customers insert their credit cards into it to recieve cash out of it. Other banking services can be done, as well. You've always thought of them as one of society's better ideas. To start, you'd have to insert a credit card then type a PIN into it.

Wallace Josephs arrives from the north.
action: You hit Wallace with the hammer
response: You hold the hammer in your fist and strike at Wallace.

Amazingly, you whack the monster man in the forehead, stunning him; his eyes rolling in the back of his head.
Having been injured too much in this dream, the hulking man disappears ... for now.
action: You examine the credit card
response: It's plastic, of course, and silver-gray in color. The numbers on it change every time you glance at it, making you dizzy when you do, but the name on the card is constant: Dr Richard Lynch.
action: You examinthe card-reader
response: Next to the south door is a card-reading device. It's a security feature forcing customers to insert their credit card into it in order to unlock the interior door.
action: You put the card intthe card-reader
response: You slide the credit card into the device and you hear the interior door unlock loudly. The card easily comes back out.
action: You go to the south
response: (first opening the interior door)

This place is full of ghosts. You can see them in line near the teller's window as well as near the kiosk where they repeatedly run through their banking motions for eternity. The spirits are translucent figures of differing shapes and sizes, their feet lost illusions as they float about this bank lobby, forever doing their business; seemingly oblivious to you. The door to the outside world is to the north and you can see a vault door, a large, circular metal monstrosity, to the west. It is guarded by a ghostly security guard, of course.
action: You go west
response: (first opening the vault door)
It seems to be locked.
action: You examine the guard
response: He stands as a translucent sentinal to the side of the vault door. He's the only one whose eyes glance at you every once and awhile. Perhaps he notices you, or thinks he does on whatever level of existence he's actually on.
action: You talk to the guard
response: You say hello to the ghostly guard.

You have nothing specific in mind to discuss with ghostly guard right now.
action: You go to the north
response: This is a small anteroom mainly for ATM use when the bank proper is closed. A strong door leads outside to the north and an interior door leads to the bank lobby to the south. The ATM sits in the west wall and a card-reading device is next to the interior door.

What's impossible to miss, however, is the dead body on the floor of this anteroom. Most likely a man, its face is gone: destroyed completely by a shotgun blast or some other high-caliber weapon, leaving him completely unidentifiable. The blood from the wound is sprayed all over the east wall and floor, but it is brown and dry.
action: You put the card into ATM
response: You insert the credit card and the ATM's lights spring to life. All you need to do next is type a PIN into it.
action: Type 7178
response: What do you want to type that in?
action: You type 7178 into ATM
response: The ATM display tells you that the PIN you entered is accurate. A twenty-dollar bill emerges and you grab it.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a twenty-dollar bill
a credit card
a dull pencil
a prescription pad
a sturdy hammer
a biological clock
a box cutter
a mouth mirror
a baseball bat
an old key
a worn backpack (open)
some brown paper
a care package (open but empty)
a crumpled napkin
a floppy disk
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You examine the credit card
response: It's plastic, of course, and silver-gray in color. The numbers on it change every time you glance at it, making you dizzy when you do, but the name on the card is constant: Dr Richard Lynch.
action: South
response: This place is full of ghosts. You can see them in line near the teller's window as well as near the kiosk where they repeatedly run through their banking motions for eternity. The spirits are translucent figures of differing shapes and sizes, their feet lost illusions as they float about this bank lobby, forever doing their business; seemingly oblivious to you. The door to the outside world is to the north and you can see a vault door, a large, circular metal monstrosity, to the west. It is guarded by a ghostly security guard, of course.
action: You unlock the door with the credit card
response: Which do you mean, the interior door or the vault door?
action: You give the bill to the guard
response: Somehow, the level of existence he is on, and the one you are on, meet as the bill is passed between the two of you clandestinely. It disappears in his pocket and he nods toward the vault door. The smooth sound of metallic gears can be heard for a moment and then the door slowly swings open, allowing passage to the west.
action: Go west
response: Not a large room, by any means. This vault's walls are covered with safety deposit boxes of various sizes in no order at all. Different sized boxes mixed together and all of them are open and empty, having been looted in whatever robbery happened here. The only exit is the vault door to the east.

The only other thing in here: a second body, another gunshot victim. This time, a child of maybe ten years old. A clean bullet wound in the forehead. A peaceful look on his somewhat familiar face.

You can see a monocle here.
action: You get the monocle
response: (putting the old key into the worn backpack to make room)
You're carrying too many things already.
action: You get the monocle
response: (putting the baseball bat into the worn backpack to make room)
You're carrying too many things already.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a credit card
a dull pencil
a prescription pad
a sturdy hammer
a biological clock
a box cutter
a mouth mirror
a worn backpack (open)
a baseball bat
an old key
some brown paper
a care package (open but empty)
a crumpled napkin
a floppy disk
a damp washcloth
a sentient brain
a pair of black Skechers (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a black shirt (being worn)
a hospital gown (being worn)
action: You drop the mirror
response: Dropped.
action: You get the monocle
response: (putting the box cutter into the worn backpack to make room)
You're carrying too many things already.
action: You look at the monocle
response: It's an old-timey monocle, much like Mr. Peanut wears. It's attached to a lanyard so it's easy to carry around and not misplace. You are currently wearing it.
action: You look
response: Not a large room, by any means. This vault's walls are covered with safety deposit boxes of various sizes in no order at all. Different sized boxes mixed together and all of them are open and empty, having been looted in whatever robbery happened here. The only exit is the vault door to the east.

The only other thing in here: a second body, another gunshot victim. This time, a child of maybe ten years old. A clean bullet wound in the forehead. A peaceful look on his somewhat familiar face.

You can see a prescription pad, a dull pencil and a mouth mirror here.
action: Examine boxes
response: What reminds you most that you are in a dream is how they are uneven in every way possible. The more you stare at them, the more the geometry of the ones in your peripheral vision become distorted.
action: You look at the body
response: He is a child of maybe ten years old with a clean bullet wound in his forehead. He has a peaceful look on his somewhat familiar face.
action: You go northeast
response: This portion of the library is for all the reference material. Wide bookshelves are stuffed with thick encyclopedias and other informative books. From here, you can head south to the Periodicals sections or southwest to the lobby.

You can see a butcher's apron here.
action: Go south
response: You are roughly in the middle of the library and its emptiness is creepy as all the lights are on. It's as if the place was busy as normal but everyone just disappeared for you see open books and newspapers around and just a feeling as if people were just here.
It's the 'Mary Celeste' of libraries.

In this section, mostly current magazines are stored in open display cases. Comfortable seats are spread around for reading. From here, you can see the reference section to the north, the main collection to the south, and you can return to the lobby to the west.
action: You look up Wallace Josephs in the books
response: You look in the appropriate encyclopedia and find the entry for Wallace Josephs. Your monocle helps with the small print and the book informs you that Wallace Josephs is the physician to the Philadelphia mob. He is known for his callousness to the victims of those he assists. Some profilers believe the man is schizophrenic, as he runs a typical sleep lab in the local hospital. So far, he has evaded prosecution as authorities are still investigating him.

Written in the margin, in pencil, by some unknown hand, is written: 30th Street Train Station, Locker 7178- all the evidence you need to turn him in.
action: Set the clock to wake up
response: Somehow, you figure out how to manipulate the hairs on the muscle patch of the strange and horrible biological clock to set it to wake you up. You're not sure how that works, but you figure, in a dream, it just does. A ticking sound can be heard emitting from deep within the biological clock and as you hold it, it seems to throb slightly as it ticks.

The biological clock continues to tick away.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.

The biological clock continues to tick away.
action: You look at the clock
response: It is a strange chunk of ... well, flesh, really. It's pretty disgusting, especially because a rough circle of the flesh has been sickeningly ripped off, leaving a patch of bloody muscle. What's also weird is that there is hair in this patch. Upon closer inspection, the hair is growing in a precise way as to make a sort-of clock face on the muscle. Two hairs grow from the center and point outward, making the hour and minute "hands", and small nubs of hair surround the circle, making a braille-like series of numbers to mark the time. (To check the time, type "check time" or just "time".)

Finally, something happens. The biological clock explodes in a fury of noise and gore.

You awake and immediately see Dr. Richard Lynch looking over you. He smiles and you relax a bit. He seemingly doesn't know what you now know. He doesn't know you were in his head all night.

You leave the hospital early that morning with one destination in mind.