Coke Is It!
by Lucian P. Smith (1999)
Genres: Children's
Fantasy

Ahhhh! Another can of refreshing Coca-Cola! You sigh in contentment as you partake of the sweet carbonated beverage, so recently purchased. But what's this? The dispenser light is still on! You can select another! You pause, though. The labels seem to be different than they were before,...

action: %
response: Ahhhh! Another can of refreshing Coca-Cola! You sigh in contentment as you partake of the sweet carbonated beverage, so recently purchased. But what's this? The dispenser light is still on! You can select another! You pause, though. The labels seem to be different than they were before,...

Coke Is It!
An Interactive Commercial

Type ABOUT for more information.

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: Go east
response: You can't bring yourself to leave the Coke Machine. At least, not while there are free buttons left to push.
action: You look at Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses**
**Adventure**
**Planetfall**
**Hitchhiker**
**Grip**
**A Bear's Night Out**
action: You pick up Machine
response: That's hardly portable. Unlike Coke.
action: Xyzzy
response: Six Million a Day.
action: Drink
response: What do you want to drink?
action: Pepsi
response: You can't see any such thing. Maybe you meant to refer to your Coke?
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a can of Coca-Cola
action: Drink coke
response: Which do you mean, the Coke machine or the can of Coca-Cola?
action: You drink can othe Coca-Cola
response: Aaaaah! What joy! What bliss! What unbearable ecstacy of delight!
action: Press adventure
response: Your surroundings boil away like fizzing soda, and you find yourself in a completely new place!

Classic Coca-Cola presents: CLASSIC ADVENTURE

Reconstructed in three steps by:
Donald Ekman, David M. Baggett (1993) and Graham Nelson (1994)

You are standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Coca-Cola...Along The Highway To Anywhere, Around The Corner From Everywhere, Coca-Cola is The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.
action: Go east
response: You are inside a building, a well house for a large spring. Be Really Refreshed: Drink Coca-Cola.

There are some keys on the ground here.

There is tasty food here.

There is a shiny brass lamp nearby.

There is an empty green glass bottle here.
action: You take all
response: set of keys: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
tasty food: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
brass lantern: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
green glass bottle: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
action: You examine bottle
response: The green glass bottle is empty.
action: Go outside
response: You are standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Coca-Cola...Along The Highway To Anywhere, Around The Corner From Everywhere, Coca-Cola is The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.
action: Go east
response: You are inside a building, a well house for a large spring. Be Really Refreshed: Drink Coca-Cola.
action: Drink stream
response: You have taken a drink from the stream. The water tastes strongly of minerals, but is not unpleasant. It is extremely cold, like Coca-Cola: Ice-Cold Sunshine.
action: Go downward
response: The stream flows out through a pair of 1 foot diameter sewer pipes. The only exit is to the west.
action: You go west
response: You have walked up a hill, still in the forest. The road slopes back down the other side of the hill. There is a building in the distance. Where There's Coke, There's Hospitality.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a green glass bottle
a brass lantern
some tasty food
a set of keys
action: You examine food
response: Sure looks yummy! Remember: Things Go Better With Coke.
action: You examine bottle
response: In the green glass bottle is some bottled water.
action: You examine the lantern
response: Which do you mean, the stream or the bottled water?

It is a shiny brass lamp. It is not currently lit.
action: You drink the bottled water
response: You have taken a drink from the stream. The water tastes strongly of minerals, but is not unpleasant. It is extremely cold, like Coca-Cola: Ice-Cold Sunshine.
action: You go to the north
response: You are in open forest near both a valley and a road. Coca-Cola Revives And Sustains.
action: Go downwards
response: You are in a valley in the forest beside a stream tumbling along a rocky bed. Coke, Delicious And Refreshing, is collected in a bubbling, ice-cold pool in the streambed.
action: You look at the pool
response: Delicious and refreshing, Coke Is It!
action: Go south
response: At your feet all the water of the stream splashes into a 2-inch slit in the rock. Downstream the streambed is bare rock. Have A Coke And A Smile.
action: You examine the slit
response: It's just a 2-inch slit in the rock, through which the stream is flowing. Coca-Cola: The Great National Temperance Drink.

On close examination, you see a thin scroll tucked into the slit.
action: You take the scroll
response: You carefully pluck out the scroll, a list of slogans.
action: You examine the scroll
response: This is a list of slogans for Coca-Cola. It reads:

1905 Coca-Cola Revives And Sustains
1906 The Great National Temperance Drink
1917 Three Million A Day
1922 Thirst Knows No Season
1925 Six Million A Day
1927 Around The Corner From Everywhere
1929 The Pause That Refreshes
1932 Ice-Cold Sunshine
1938 The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had
1939 Coca-Cola Goes Along
1942 Wherever You Are, Whatever You Do, Wherever You May Be, When You Think Of Refreshment, Think Of Ice-Cold Coca-Cola
1942 The Only Thing Like Coca-Cola Is Coca-Cola Itself. It's The Real Thing.
1948 Where There's Coke, There's Hospitality
1949 Coca-Cola...Along The Highway To Anywhere
1952 What You Want Is A Coke
1956 Coca-Cola...Making Good Things Taste Better
1957 Sign Of Good Taste
1958 The Cold, Crisp Taste Of Coke
1959 Be Really Refreshed
1963 Things Go Better With Coke
1970 It's The Real Thing
1971 I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke
1975 Look Up America
1976 Coke Adds Life
1979 Have A Coke And A Smile
1982 Coke Is It!
1985 We've Got A Taste For You, America's Real Choice
1986 Catch The Wave, Red White & You
1989 Can't Beat The Feeling
1990 Can't Beat The Real Thing
1993 Always Coca-Cola
action: Go downwards
response: You don't fit through a two-inch slit! What You Want is a Coke.
action: Xyzzy
response: Six Million a Day.
action: Go south
response: You are in a 20-foot depression floored with bare dirt. Set into the dirt is a strong steel grate mounted in concrete. A dry streambed leads into the depression.
action: You open the grate
response: It seems to be locked.
action: You unlock it with the keys
response: You unlock the steel grate.
action: Unlock grate
response: What do you want to unlock the steel grate with?
action: You open the grate
response: You open the steel grate.
action: You look at the grate
response: It just looks like an ordinary grate mounted in concrete.
action: Light lamp
response: You switch the brass lantern on.
action: Go downwards
response: Your lamp is getting dim. It's not safe to explore the caves without a brightly burning lamp.
action: You examine the lamp
response: It is a shiny brass lamp, glowing dimly.

Your lamp is getting dim. Coke Adds Life.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a list of slogans
a green glass bottle
a brass lantern (providing light)
some tasty food
a set of keys
action: You go to the north
response: At your feet all the water of the stream splashes into a 2-inch slit in the rock. Downstream the streambed is bare rock. Have A Coke And A Smile.
action: You go to the north
response: You are in a valley in the forest beside a stream tumbling along a rocky bed. Coke, Delicious And Refreshing, is collected in a bubbling, ice-cold pool in the streambed.
action: You turn off the lamp
response: You switch the brass lantern off.
action: Empty bottle
response: The bottle is already empty!
action: You fill the lamp
response: Say, that Coke really put the juice back into this thing! The Only Thing Like Coca-Cola Is Coca-Cola Itself.
action: Go south
response: You are in a 20-foot depression floored with bare dirt. Set into the dirt is a strong steel grate mounted in concrete. A dry streambed leads into the depression.

The grate stands open. Where There's Coke, There's Hospitality.
action: Light lamp
response: You switch the brass lantern on.
action: You go downwards
response: *** You Can't Beat The Real Thing ***

This demo is now over, but there's Always Coca-Cola!

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: You look at Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses**
**Adventure** <Empty>
**Planetfall**
**Hitchhiker**
**Grip**
**A Bear's Night Out**
action: You pull Machine
response: It is fixed in place. Unlike your refreshing Coke.
action: You press the curses
response: Your surroundings melt away, and you find yourself in a completely new place!

This is a vast underground station in great rectangular caverns, deep beneath the streets. You are outside the ticket gates, near a flight of steps back up to the city, and since you haven't a ticket you're likely to stay that way.

Behind a kiosk, a surly-looking man is selling guide books and maps.
action: About yourself
response: As good-looking as ever.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a crumpled piece of paper
a can of Coca-Cola
action: You examine paper
response: Things to do:

1. Find map.
2. Phone airport to check parking.
3. Health forms...

and so on. Let's face it, 1. is more enticing than the rest put together.
action: You look at the man
response: His jumper is unstriped, and there are no onions around his neck. Nonetheless he has a rather Gallic, disgruntled look to him. Perhaps he's a former Socialist cabinet minister.
action: You examine Coke
response: Truly, all of your desires can be assuaged with the refreshing goodness inside this can.
action: You ask the man about the map
response: "Non." And he folds his arms defiantly. Perhaps he has no such thing.
action: You give Coke to the man
response: The man snatches the Coke from you, sneers, and drains it in one huge, unhurried swallow.

He glares at you for a moment, and then a change ripples across his features. "Merci," he croaks in a voice unaccustomed to politeness. He shudders, and then shakes himself like a dog exiting water.
action: You give Coke to the man
response: He stares down at his jumper in disbelief, and rips it off, revealing a New York Giants T-shirt underneath. He shakes his head, clears his throat, and tries again.

"Thanks, buddy!" he exclaims, in what is manifestly a New Jersey, rather than a French, accent. "This is in-freakin'-credible! You've cured me of being a freakin' Frog! Holy freak! You freakin' RULE!"

"Oh, you wanted the freakin' map?"

He shrugs and hands you the map of Paris. You feel a shiver ripple through the multiverse as the ancestral Curse of the Meldrews is lifted.

"I dunno why the freak you'd wanna go there, though. It's all covered in freakin' dog crap, and worse than that, it's full of freakin' Frogs! No, you need someplace better than that."

He scratches his head, encountering his beret, which he flings into the darkness.

"I know!" he shouts. "At-freakin'-lanta! Birthplace of Coca-Cola! Only the greatest freakin' drink in the history of the freakin' world! Yeah! C'mon! I got a cousin Vinnie who knows a guy who knows a guy who can get you a sweet freakin' deal on the trip!"

Arm in arm, the two of you leave the Underground behind. After a fantastic vacation in Atlanta, the highlight of which is (of course) the "World of Coke" exhibit, you somehow find yourself...

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.

You can only do that to something animate.
action: Fuck
response: How can you be so upset when you have a Coke?
action: Darn
response: You sound like someone who drinks Pepsi.
action: You kill yourself
response: Violence doesn't solve anything. But Coke does!
action: You examine Machine
response: You can't see any such thing. Maybe you meant to refer to your Coke?
action: You give Coke to the man
response: The man snatches the Coke from you, sneers, and drains it in one huge, unhurried swallow.

He glares at you for a moment, and then a change ripples across his features. "Merci," he croaks in a voice unaccustomed to politeness. He shudders, and then shakes himself like a dog exiting water.

He stares down at his jumper in disbelief, and rips it off, revealing a New York Giants T-shirt underneath. He shakes his head, clears his throat, and tries again.

"Thanks, buddy!" he exclaims, in what is manifestly a New Jersey, rather than a French, accent. "This is in-freakin'-credible! You've cured me of being a freakin' Frog! Holy freak! You freakin' RULE!"

"Oh, you wanted the freakin' map?"

He shrugs and hands you the map of Paris. You feel a shiver ripple through the multiverse as the ancestral Curse of the Meldrews is lifted.

"I dunno why the freak you'd wanna go there, though. It's all covered in freakin' dog crap, and worse than that, it's full of freakin' Frogs! No, you need someplace better than that."

He scratches his head, encountering his beret, which he flings into the darkness.

"I know!" he shouts. "At-freakin'-lanta! Birthplace of Coca-Cola! Only the greatest freakin' drink in the history of the freakin' world! Yeah! C'mon! I got a cousin Vinnie who knows a guy who knows a guy who can get you a sweet freakin' deal on the trip!"

Arm in arm, the two of you leave the Underground behind. After a fantastic vacation in Atlanta, the highlight of which is (of course) the "World of Coke" exhibit, you somehow find yourself...

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: You look at Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses** <Empty>
**Adventure** <Empty>
**Planetfall**
**Hitchhiker**
**Grip**
**A Bear's Night Out**
action: Sing
response: "I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony.
I'd like to buy the world a Coke,
And keep it company!
action: You press the grip
response: Your surroundings melt away, and you find yourself in a completely new place.

Rain and mud. And the taste of something, sweet in your mouth.

Those are your first solid memories. Rain pouring down on your head, filling your eyes. Mud beneath your feet, filling your shoes. And, of course, there's always Coca-Cola -- or is there? A sudden feeling of loss sweeps over you, and a chill wind cuts through your clothes with ease.

Shelter would be a good beginning.

The trees around you are spaced far enough to provide little shelter, allowing the stinging rain to pelt you. A grey mist conceals everything past four meters.
action: You go east
response: You strike off in that direction, but soon become disoriented by the rain.

Once the field might have been covered in grass. Now the grass is but a memory. Mud covers the ground in its place, fed by the constant rain.

Buried almost to its chin in the mud is a human head.
The head glances northeast for a moment. "Just a sip, that's all I ask. One little sip of Coke."
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying:
a bottle of cola

"So thirsty ... So, so thirsty ..."
action: You kick the head
response: The head's eyes widen as you draw your foot back. "Terry, no, please, oh God you can't--" His cries are cut short as your foot slams into him. With the sound of eggshells cracking, the head fragments into countless pieces which are quickly lost in the mud.
action: You examine bottle
response: A bottle of some dark, fizzy substance. But it's definitely not Coke.
action: You look at head
response: Other than being buried in mud to his chin, the head is reassuringly normal. His hair and mustache are a matted brown, perhaps from genetics, perhaps from mud. Rivulets of water run down his creased face.
The head glances northeast for a moment. "Just a sip, that's all I ask. One little sip of Coke."
action: You ask the head about Coke
response: There is no reply.

"'Have A Coke and A Smile', they said. I'm smiling --" the head pulls its lips into a cracked grin. "Where's my Coke?"
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a bottle of cola
"'I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke'. And I did. So you OWE me!" The head's eyes flicker to the northeast.
action: You give the bottle to the headf
response: You can only do that to something animate.
action: You give the bottle to the head
response: There is no reply.

"'Have A Coke and A Smile', they said. I'm smiling --" the head pulls its lips into a cracked grin. "Where's my Coke?"

The head's eyes widen as you open the bottle and begin to pour. "Terry, no, please, oh God you can't--" His cries are cut short as a stream of hissing liquid trickles into his mouth. His head seems almost involuntarily to wriggle its way further down into the mud, and quickly disappears. A few remaining drops of liquid drip from the bottle and splash down onto the soil, cutting tiny trails to the northeast.
action: Go northeast
response: The mud coating him makes you think twice.
"'I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke'. And I did. So you OWE me!" The head's eyes flicker to the northeast.

The madness and confusion of this place drives you to ever-more-desperate acts. But here, at the brink, you manage to summon your courage and honor and draw back.

The head hums a Coke jingle to itself.

As you walk away, the head screams at you. "Coward! You put me here! Can't you at least get me something to drink?" Disturbed, you keep walking.

Looming suddenly out of the gloom is a large marble building. Its columns jut skyward, raked by the unending rain. To the north lies its entrance.
action: Go north
response: As you walk through the door of the building the sound of the rain stops, as if suddenly turned off.

The two-story height of the foyer is channelled into a narrower hallway to the north. On the north wall to the west of the hallway's beginning is an open doorway. The building's entrance to the south is reflected in the marble floor.

A section of the air just above your head shimmers. A small pyramid falls from the disturbance to the ground below.
action: You examine the pyramid
response: A small paper pyramid, about three centimeters on an edge.
action: You take it
response: The pyramid begins glowing softly. It unfolds like a flower and voices begin to issue from it, saying "Subject suffering from unusually low levels of sugar and caffeine..." "Thirst dangerously unsatisfied..." (someone shouts) "Doctor! We must try the new experimental treatment, it's his only hope!" "Fine, get me a syringe."
When the light dies down, the pyramid is gone.

You can't see "it" (the paper pyramid) at the moment, unlike your Coke.
action: You go to the north
response: Like the foyer, the hallway is marble. Its two-story height combined with its thinness inspires unease. A walkway runs above you, clinging to the east and west walls. Below the east walkway is a doorway.
action: You examine the walkway
response: The walkway rings the hall on every side but the south, casting a shadow on the floor.
action: You go east
response: Just enough light filters in to show you row after row of boxes filling rack after rack of shelves, making it difficult to find a place to stand. The room continues to the north. Above the west exit is a clock.
action: Examine box
response: Cardboard boxes, all taped shut. Each one has been labeled with a black magic marker.
action: You read the box
response: Your eyes roam over their surfaces, taking in their titles. Many are labeled "Bottled: " with a range of dates following. A few are labeled "Carbonation." You feel an odd sense of disorientation as you stare at them.
action: You look at the clock
response: A red-faced clock with white hands. Above the hands is written the inscription "It's always time for Coca-Cola".
action: You go to the north
response: Metal shelves fill the hall; most are empty and many have succumbed to rust. The shelves that aren't empty hold broken shards of glass. The archive continues to the south, and an exit leads west.
action: Go west
response: The hallway ends abruptly in a pair of large oak doors. Their intricate carving is barely visible in the leaden light from the windows above you. The doors are flanked by two sweeping staircases to the northeast and northwest. A doorway to the east is mirrored by a closed door to the west.
action: You examine the doors
response: The carved doors are made of oak and are twice your height. They stand slightly ajar, leaving enough room for you to enter.
action: You open the doors
response: The doors have frozen in position over time. You cannot budge them.
action: You open the small door
response: You open the small door.
action: You go to the west
response: The room is hot and stifling -- makes you wish for a Coke right about now -- and cobwebs drip from every surface. A hot-water tank crouches in one corner. Rickety stairs lead into the depths of the building. To the east is an open door.
action: Go down
response: A cramped square room, barely lit by windows above you. The north and west walls are taken up by tables. A clock is just visible next to the stairs on the south wall. In the northwest corner is a tiny drain, while a pile of bottles has claimed part of the east wall.

A man stands bent over the tables, jotting things down in a large notebook.

As your footsteps sound on the stairs, the man turns. He looks you over, one eyebrow quirking in surprise. "Hello," he says. "And here I thought I was the last one still around. I'm Frankie."
action: Hello
response: Frankie has better things to do.
action: You give the bottle to the man
response: (the bottle of cola to Frankie)
"Dear God, what is this?" he says. "I've seen some weird things in my day, kid, but nothing as weird as this. Take some advice from someone who's been around and stick with Coke." He hands it back.
action: You examine the drain
response: The metal drain is a small circle with a grate about ten centimeters in diameter.
action: You look at the bottles
response: The bottles are smooth and translucent, glowing softly from within. Several are caked with mud and dirt, testimony to their recent location. They have been stacked in a tight-fitting pyramid. You feel a strange sense of deja vu as you gaze into them.
action: You get the bottle
response: Which do you mean, the pile of bottles, the bottle-opener, the bottle of Sprite or the bottle of cola?
action: You get the bottles
response: You reach your hand towards one of the bottles. As you draw nearer, a spark spits from the bottle, rushes up your arm, and then--

Darkness, then light.

You see yourself, a brief memory of buying a Coke for the first time, a muttered conversation, money changing hands, the hiss of a can opening, and then the taste. Ahhh.

Light, then darkness.

You'd been in the principal's office for hours. Got suspended for a week, you remember. But Billy Thimbleton was in the hospital with a broken arm and a black eye. That'll teach him to offer you a Dr. Pepper--

With a horrendous wrenching sensation you pull yourself away from the pile of bottles. You glance at Frankie, but absorbed in his work, he has not noticed your momentary distress.
action: You take the opener
response: That seems to belong to Frankie.
action: You ask Frankie for the opener
response: Frankie has better things to do.
action: You examine Frankie
response: Frankie is of middling height, with tousled hair and a sandy brown mustache. He carries a notebook and a bottle. Resting in his shirt pocket is a bottle-opener.
action: You kill Frankie
response: As you prepare to attack Frankie, he turns and fixes you with a gimlet glare. "Now, now," he says softly. "Getting antsy without a caffeine fix, eh?"
action: You examine the opener
response: It looks like an ordinary bottle-opener, made out of metal with a pointy bit on one end.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a bottle of cola
action: You kick the bottles
response: Again you reach for the bottles, but cannot draw close. The rush of memories triggered by the bottles was overwhelming the first time.
action: Look around
response: A cramped square room, barely lit by windows above you. The north and west walls are taken up by tables. A clock is just visible next to the stairs on the south wall. In the northwest corner is a tiny drain, while a pile of bottles has claimed part of the east wall.

Frankie is here, sorting and mixing.
action: Go east
response: The hallway ends abruptly in a pair of large oak doors. Their intricate carving is barely visible in the leaden light from the windows above you. The doors are flanked by two sweeping staircases to the northeast and northwest. A doorway to the east is mirrored by an open door to the west.
action: You go northeast
response: The walkway runs along the east wall of the hallway. A sweeping staircase joins the walkway to the southwest.
action: You go north
response: Your footsteps echo hollowly in the dimly-lit and cavernous hall. Benches line the floor, their rows skewed slightly to focus on the object at the north end. A clock is set in the wall in plain view of the desk. The south third of the room is covered by a balcony, reducing the height of the hall from two stories to one. A small door to the east and two large doors to the south stand ajar.

A dust-covered Coke machine stands at the north end of the hall, the focus of attention.
action: You examine Machine
response: The Coke machine's lights are dimmed and the whole is covered with a thin coating of dust. "What demon hath robbed thee of thy vigor, noble machine?" you can't help but cry. Then you notice the power cord extending from the back of the machine, hanging limp on the floor mere inches from a socket.
action: You plug Machine into the socket
response: Curses! Inches too short! What fiendish mind could have devised such a Tantalus-like torture?
action: You examine the socket
response: It's an apparently ordinary light socket, tucked away against the wall.
action: You examine the cord
response: The plug is a dusty black in color. It extends from the back of the machine, just waiting to bring the electronic god to life again.
action: You cut the cord
response: Cutting that up would achieve little.
action: You hit Machine
response: Violence doesn't solve anything. But Coke does!
action: Go north
response: Your footsteps echo hollowly in the dimly-lit and cavernous hall. Benches line the floor, their rows skewed slightly to focus on the object at the north end. A clock is set in the wall in plain view of the desk. The south third of the room is covered by a balcony, reducing the height of the hall from two stories to one. A small door to the east and two large doors to the south stand ajar.

A dust-covered Coke machine stands at the north end of the hall, the focus of attention.

You can't go that way.
action: You take the cord
response: Taken.
action: Lick socket
response: Teddy bears, being soft toys, find such feats difficult.
action: About yourself
response: What you can see of yourself is familiar. But wait .. there's something different. Something wrong. You don't have a Coke!
action: You go south
response: The two-story height of the foyer is channelled into a narrower hallway to the north. On the north wall to the west of the hallway's beginning is an open doorway. The building's entrance to the south is reflected in the marble floor.
action: You go to the south
response: You start to take a step out the door, then pause. Somehow, the weather has turned from drenching rain to snow, colder than a Coke straight from the fridge. You shiver and retreat back to the warmth of the foyer.
action: Open boxes
response: The tape prevents you from oepning the boxes.
action: You go to the north
response: Metal shelves fill the hall; most are empty and many have succumbed to rust. The shelves that aren't empty hold broken shards of glass. The archive continues to the south, and an exit leads west.
action: You examine the shards
response: The glass fragments (perhaps broken bottles?) run the gamut from large shards to fine, gritty powder.
action: You get the shards
response: You would most surely cut yourself.
action: You look at the shelves
response: The shelves cover the room, as if they had multiplied in the same manner Coke bottles in the fridge don't. They are covered in broken shards.
action: You take all
response: bottle-opener: That seems to belong to Frankie.
bottle of Sprite: That seems to belong to Frankie.
action: You ask Frankie about the sprite
response: "Actually, yeah, you could give me a hand here. Could you take this up to the top floor and get it opened? I'm not having much luck with my bottle-opener." He hands you the bottle.
action: You examine the notes
response: "Top floor, I said. In the library."

You can't see any such thing.
action: You ask Frankie about notebook
response: Frankie says "I'm doing some observational analysis. I'd like to do some product synthesis of these bottles once I figure them out."
action: You ask Frankie about yourself
response: Frankie shrugs. "I'd never seen you before you walked down the stairs. You look like you could use a Coke, though."
action: You ask Frankie about Frankie
response: Frankie grins sardonically. "I'm just an archaeologist, nothing more. My team and I were working on unearthing those," he gestures at the pile of bottles by the wall, "until we got word of the drink shortage."
action: You go up
response: The room is hot and stifling -- makes you wish for a Coke right about now -- and cobwebs drip from every surface. A hot-water tank crouches in one corner. Rickety stairs lead into the depths of the building. To the east is an open door.

The hallway ends abruptly in a pair of large oak doors. Their intricate carving is barely visible in the leaden light from the windows above you. The doors are flanked by two sweeping staircases to the northeast and northwest. A doorway to the east is mirrored by an open door to the west.
You can't go that way.
action: You go northeast
response: The walkway runs along the east wall of the hallway. A sweeping staircase joins the walkway to the southwest.
action: You go south
response: The walkway is cut off to the south by the rising walls of the foyer. There is a doorway to the east; the walkway continues to the north.
action: You go east
response: The library is a dimly-lit backwards L curving around the end of the building. Shelves filled with books take up much of the room; the rest is inhabited by stacks of books. A metal sentinel guards the west exit; directly above it is a clock.
action: Examine book
response: The books resemble case histories from a law library: leather binding, small type on their spines.
action: You read book
response: You pull one off the shelf at random and open it: "Coca leaves, cola nut, carbonated water, corn syrup, phosophorus .." You replace it and draw another: slightly different ingredients, slightly different method of preparation. Each recipe seems vaguely familiar, none seem quite right.
action: You examine the guard
response: A dark metal statue, reminiscent of a prop from Fritz Lang's Metropolis. A stern, angular head sits atop a sexless body seven feet tall. One arm hangs by its side -- the other extends outwards as if to grasp something.
action: You put the Sprite in the hand
response: The statue's relaxed hand suddenly blurs into life. It reaches up to the bottle, twists off the cap, and returns to the relaxed position almost before you noticed it moving. You (gingerly!) take the bottle back.
action: Drink sprite
response: You think about it, but decide you'd really rather have a Coke.
action: You give Sprite to Frankie
response: "Excellent!" Frankie says, taking the bottle from you. He immediately begins observing the Sprite and taking notes on its behavior. "By the way," he says, "I don't need this, and you might find it handy." Frankie takes the bottle opener out of his pocket and hands it to you.

A quiet sound catches your attention. A black liquid has begun welling up through the drain, covering it and starting to fill the northwest corner.

Frankie glances down, then swears quietly. "Sam, you son-of-a-bitch," he mutters, scribbling furiously in his notebook.
action: You examine the bottle opener
response: It looks like an ordinary bottle-opener, made out of metal with a pointy bit on one end.

Hissing, the table legs begin to dissolve in the sludge. You hastily step away.
action: You open the bottle
response: Which do you mean, the pile of bottles, the bottle of Sprite, the bottle-opener or the bottle of cola?
action: Cola
response: If you'd like to drink it, at least be honest with yourself and just say so. Otherwise, pour it someplace or something.

Almost all the available floorspace is taken up by Pepsi. Several of the bottles in the pile have already been eaten away, their contents mixing with the sludge. You step back to a narrow spot by the stairs.
action: Drink cola
response: The madness and confusion of this place drives you to ever-more-desperate acts. But here, at the brink, you manage to summon your courage and honor and draw back.
action: Go downwards
response: Not with the Pepsi down there!
action: You put the opener in the socket
response: You can't see any such thing.

Somewhat unwisely, you jab the bottle opener into the socket. Current flows through your body and you twitch like a trout on a hook.

*** You have failed to achieve the real thing ***

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: You attach the opener to the cord
response: You would achieve nothing by this.

The building trembles slightly, as if something was dissolving its foundations. Surely .. nah.
action: Pray
response: You close your eyes. You pray for a Coke. You open them again. You still don't have a Coke, but you feel more hopeful of getting one soon.
action: You examine Machine
response: The Coke machine's lights are dimmed and the whole is covered with a thin coating of dust. "What demon hath robbed thee of thy vigor, noble machine?" you can't help but cry. Then you notice the power cord extending from the back of the machine, hanging limp on the floor mere inches from a socket.

You cry out as the floor collapses, dropping you into a seething pool of Pepsi-Cola.

*** You have failed to achieve the real thing ***

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a bottle of cola
a bottle-opener
action: You go to the east
response: You strike off in that direction, but soon become disoriented by the rain.

Once the field might have been covered in grass. Now the grass is but a memory. Mud covers the ground in its place, fed by the constant rain.
action: Go east
response: You strike off in that direction, but soon become disoriented by the rain.

The trees around you are spaced far enough to provide little shelter, allowing the stinging rain to pelt you. A grey mist conceals everything past four meters.
action: You go to the north-east
response: You strike off in that direction, but soon become disoriented by the rain.

Looming suddenly out of the gloom is a large marble building. Its columns jut skyward, raked by the unending rain. To the north lies its entrance.
action: Go north
response: As you walk through the door of the building the sound of the rain stops, as if suddenly turned off.

The two-story height of the foyer is channelled into a narrower hallway to the north. On the north wall to the west of the hallway's beginning is an open doorway. The building's entrance to the south is reflected in the marble floor.
action: You go to the north
response: Like the foyer, the hallway is marble. Its two-story height combined with its thinness inspires unease. A walkway runs above you, clinging to the east and west walls. Below the east walkway is a doorway.
action: Coke1
response: Enter saved game to store: Ok.
action: You jump
response: Careful: you'll spill your Coke!
action: Go south
response: The hallway ends abruptly in a pair of large oak doors. Their intricate carving is barely visible in the leaden light from the windows above you. The doors are flanked by two sweeping staircases to the northeast and northwest. A doorway to the east is mirrored by an open door to the west.

The walkway runs along the east wall of the hallway. A sweeping staircase joins the walkway to the southwest.

The walkway is cut off to the south by the rising walls of the foyer. There is a doorway to the east; the walkway continues to the north.
action: You give the Cola to the sentinel
response: You are carrying:
a bottle of cola
a bottle-opener

The statue's relaxed hand suddenly blurs into life. It reaches up to the bottle and twists off the cap. Hidden taste sensors activate, and the sentinel hurls the bottle to the ground, to shatter in a crash of glass and hissing fluid.
action: You take the hand
response: I don't suppose the sentinel would care for that. I *do* suppose the sentinel would care for a refreshing Coke!
action: You look at floor
response: Which do you mean, the floor or the marble floor?
action: Marble
response: The floor reflects the ceiling back. For a moment, the light shifts, and you think you catch a glimpse of a familiar red-and-white image; then the light shifts again and the pattern vanishes.
action: You look up
response: What do you want to look up in?
action: You examine the ceiling
response: You see nothing special about the ceiling. It is entirely unlike refreshing Coke.
action: You go to the east
response: You achieve nothing by this.

An inner voice tells you there's no Coke that way.
action: You examine the clock
response: Nothing obvious happens.

A red-faced clock with white hands. Above the hands is written the inscription "It's always time for Coca-Cola".
action: You take the clock
response: It's up high on the wall.
action: You get the cord
response: Taken.
action: You put the opener in the socket
response: Somewhat unwisely, you jab the bottle opener into the socket. Current flows through your body and you twitch like a trout on a hook. You grasp the power cable firmly and hope for the best. The Coke machine hums to life as you cry out with the pain. Tragically, the last words you hear before it all fades to black are a mechanical voice saying "I'm sorry, this machine is all out of that selection. Please enter 75 cents and choose again."
action: You look at your surroundings
response: You are in the room where your father died. It is crowded with familiar medical equipment which clusters around a bed.
The Pause That Refreshes.
action: You look at the equipment
response: The array of equipment only succeeded in prolonging your father's agony. Tucked in amongst the equipment you notice a mini-fridge.
action: You examine the fridge
response: The minifridge is small but compact.
action: You open the fridge
response: You open the mini-fridge, revealing a can of Coke.
action: You take can
response: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
action: Drink coke
response: You take a sip of the Coke. Truly, this entire experience was worth it. You glance up again, and notice the prone figure of your father, lying there.
action: You examine father
response: He breathes in shallow gasps. His face is pale as a candle flame. The cancer has crept from his lungs to the rest of his body.
action: You give Coke to the father
response: You lean over and tip some of the Coke into your father's mouth. His eyes open in surprise for a minute, and then he slowly smiles. "You're -- You're a good boy, Terry."

*** Thanks to Coca-Cola, you have resolved your latent Oedipus complex and gone on to a happier and more mentally and physically secure life ***
action: You ask the father about Coke
response: Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.

You can't see any such thing. Maybe you meant to refer to your Coke?
action: You examine Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses** <Empty>
**Adventure** <Empty>
**Planetfall**
**Hitchhiker**
**Grip** <Empty>
**A Bear's Night Out**
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a can of Coca-Cola
a dressing gown (being worn)
action: Examine can
response: Truly, all of your desires can be assuaged with the refreshing goodness inside this can.
action: You examine Nutrimat
response: The Nutrimat has a door which can be opened and a button which can be pressed.
action: You open the door
response: You open the door, revealing some circuitry.
action: You look at cup
response: This is a cup of fizzy brown liquid.
action: You take cup
response: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
action: About yourself
response: You're wearing a red dressing gown with white trim.
action: You examine the gown
response: The gown is dappled with brown stains from having consumed past cans of Coke a bit too eagerly.
action: Drink coke
response: Aaaaah! What joy! What bliss! What unbearable ecstasy of delight!
action: Look around
response: This room is empty except for a large machine bearing the label "NUTRIMAT".

You can see a Nutrimat here.
action: Drink cup
response: PFAH! This beverage is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Coke! You dash the cup from your lips.
action: You ask Nutrimat about the tea
response: You can only do that to something animate.
action: You go to the south
response: You're too intrigued by the Nutrimat to leave.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a can of Coca-Cola
a dressing gown (being worn)
action: You examine the circuitry
response: This is the circuitry that runs the Nutrimat.
action: About yourself
response: You're wearing a red dressing gown with white trim.
action: Examine can
response: Truly, all of your desires can be assuaged with the refreshing goodness inside this can.
action: You pour Coke in the circuitry
response: The Nutrimat emits a shower of sparks. "OH!" it cries. "So THAT'S what Coca-Cola is! My circuits were previously unable to compute a substance so crisp, so refreshing, so delicious!"
action: You press the button
response: "I already made you a beverage," says the Nutrimat.
action: Drink can
response: Aaaaah! What joy! What bliss! What unbearable ecstasy of delight!
action: Drink cup
response: AHHH! Now that's more like it! Crisp, refreshing Coca-Cola!

Marvin the robot wanders into the room. "Oh my," he says. "Human, you have managed to acquire both Coke and More Coke at the same time. Truly a sign of intelligence. Well done."

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: You examine Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses** <Empty>
**Adventure** <Empty>
**Planetfall**
**Hitchhiker** <Empty>
**Grip** <Empty>
**A Bear's Night Out**
action: Press planetfall
response: Your surroundings melt away, and you find yourself in a completely new place.

You yawn, stretch, and roll over blearily. Suddenly, you feel a sharp pain in your side! Your eyes snap open, just in time to see Floyd bend over to poke you again. You leap to your feet.

The is the second half of the sterilization chamber leading from the main lab to the Bio Lab. The door to the east, leading to the Bio Lab, has a window. The bio lock continues to the west.

The door to the lab, mercifully, is closed.

Your trusty companion, Floyd the robot, bounces to his feet as well. "Hi!", he beams. "You sure are a sleepyhead."
action: You look at Floyd
response: From its design, Floyd the robot seems to be of the multi-purpose sort. It is slightly cross-eyed, and its mechanical mouth forms a lopsided grin.
action: You ask Floyd about Pepsi
response: Floyd, clearly uncomprehending, whistles cheerily.
action: You ask Floyd about Coke
response: "Irving the miniaturization-tech-person used to drink lots of refreshing Coca-Cola. He was so absent-minded that he added RNA memory engrams to all Coke in Complex, so he could remember his passwords. So for you to fix computer, you have to drink Coke. Coke is It."

Floyd pauses for a moment, then glances toward the lab door. "Looks dangerous in there," says Floyd. "I don't think you should go inside." He peers in again at the Coke on the Bio Lab floor. "But without refreshing RNA-enhanced Coca-Cola, you won't know minibooth code to fix computer. Hmmm... I know! Floyd will get refreshing Coca-Cola. Robots are tough. Nothing can hurt robots. You open the door, then Floyd will rush in. Then you close door. When Floyd knocks, open door again. Okay? Go!" Floyd's voice trembles slightly as he waits for you to open the door.
action: You open the door
response: The door opens and Floyd, pausing only for the briefest moment, plunges into the Bio Lab. Immediately, he is set upon by hideous, mutated monsters! More are heading straight toward the open door! Floyd shrieks and yells to you to close the door.
action: You close the door
response: The door closes.
From within the lab you hear ferocious growlings, the sounds of a skirmish, and then a high-pitched metallic scream!

That's already closed.
You hear, slightly muffled by the door, three fast knocks, followed by the distinctive sound of tearing metal.
action: You open the door
response: Floyd stumbles out of the Bio Lab, clutching the delicious-looking can of Coca-Cola. The mutations rush toward the open doorway!
action: You close the door
response: You close the Bio Lab door. And not a moment too soon! You hear a pounding from the door as the monsters within vent their frustration at losing their prey. And, of course, their Coke.

Floyd staggers to the ground, clutching the delicious can of Coke. He is badly torn apart, with loose wires and broken circuits everywhere. Oil flows from his lubrication system. He obviously has only moments to live.

You drop to your knees and cradle Floyd's head in your lap. Floyd looks up at his friend with half-open eyes. "Floyd did it ... got Coke. Floyd a good friend, huh?" Quietly, you croon Floyd's favorite song: "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke".

As you finish the last verse, Floyd smiles with contentment. His fingers tighten around the Coke can, and with a spine-tingling "Pfffft!" he opens it. With his last strength, he sets the can on the ground before you. His eyes close as his head rolls to the side. You sit in silence for a moment, in memory of a brave friend who gave his life so that you might have Coke. All in all, a fair trade, but admirable nonetheless.
action: Pray
response: You close your eyes. You pray for a Coke. You open them again. You still don't have a Coke, but you feel more hopeful of getting one soon.
action: Drink coke
response: Aaaaah! What joy! What bliss! You feel renewed strength and energy coursing through your body.

And -- what's that? There.

There, glimmering in the corner of your mind: the access code to the teleportation booth. Floyd was right.

Now it's up to you to make his sacrifice worthwhile. Casting a final, sad glance at his mangled carcass, you stride off to the west...

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: About yourself
response: You are fit, happy, and healthy. You drink Coke!
action: You look at Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses** <Empty>
**Adventure** <Empty>
**Planetfall** <Empty>
**Hitchhiker** <Empty>
**Grip** <Empty>
**A Bear's Night Out**
action: You look at David
response: David is handsome, debonair, forgetful and fast asleep. He also wrote this description, and loves Coca-Cola (tm).
action: Go west
response: You'll have to get off the big bed first.
action: About yourself
response: Quite the most beautiful furry brown teddy bear. And a good potential corporate logo to attract young children, not that the Coca-Cola Corporation would ever do that. Anyway, we fund dentists' groups to prevent this sort of accusation, buddy! So leave us alone.
action: You get off the bed
response: You tumble down, but being a soft bear, that's ok.
action: You go west
response: When you aren't lying on the bed, you usually stay in here, snug and safe with your friends atop the warm pile of clothes.

The cupboard opens eastward to the bedroom.

On the pile of clothes you can see a can of Coca-Cola (tm) and a hand drawn sign.

Your warm winter Coca-Cola jacket is here, which may be just as well, it's a little chilly.
action: You examine the sign
response: Matt and Terry Moose refuse to participate in this cheap commercial ripoff. However, please watch out for their upcoming game, Matt and Terry's Interactive Magic Show, at 

Matt and Terry Moose refuse to participate in this cheap commercial ripoff. However, please watch out for their upcoming game, Matt and Terry's Interactive Magic Show, at an interactive fiction archive near you.
action: You wear the jacket
response: Just the thing for a cold night.
action: You get can
response: Taken. (Things go better with Coke.)
action: You look at the jacket
response: A smart red jacket with big pockets and a Coca-Cola (tm) logo, teddy bear sized.
action: You sit on the pile
response: You struggle, but clamber up successfully.
action: You examine pile
response: A neatly stacked pile of clothes intended for human beings.
action: You go to the east
response: You'll have to get off the pile of clothes first.
action: You go downwards
response: You tumble down, but being a soft bear, that's ok.
action: You go to the east
response: Moonlight plays through the window, softly illuminating the bedroom, full of comfortable memories.

To the west is the cupboard where you usually live, and the doorway to the northwest leads to the rest of the house.

A big bed fills up most of the room.

David lies on the bed, very much asleep.
action: You search david
response: David is out of reach.
action: You wake david
response: David continues to sleep, totally oblivious.
action: You climb the bed
response: You struggle, but clamber up successfully.
action: You hit David with can
response: You find nothing as interesting as your Coke.

The refreshing, ice cold can gently touches David on the nose. Instantly he awakes, and grabs the can.

`Wow, a refreshing ice cold Coke (tm)!'

David opens the can, pausing for a moment to savour the cool air from within, then raises the can to his lips. The first sip is smooth, yet effervescent with the familiar thirst quenching taste of Coca-Cola.

David looks down at you.

`Oh no! The Teddy Bear Picnic! Do we have enough Coke (tm)?'

He races from the room, with the ice-cold can of Coke (tm).

You can't see any such thing.
action: You look
response: Bedroom (on the big bed)
Moonlight plays through the window, softly illuminating the bedroom, full of comfortable memories.

To the west is the cupboard where you usually live, and the doorway to the northwest leads to the rest of the house.

You hear David happily gulping Coke (tm) and riffing through papers.

`Aha! I knew this card was somewhere.'
action: Go downward
response: You tumble down, but being a soft bear, that's ok.

You hear David pulling several 12-packs of refreshing Coca-Cola (tm) from a high cupboard somewhere in the kitchen.

`Aha! A free Coca-Cola (tm) trading stamp!'
action: You go to the north-east
response: You can't go that way.

You hear the creaking of a picnic basket under strain as David pushes in several 12-packs of refreshing Coke (tm).
action: You go northwest
response: There's no need to explore tonight- Coca-Cola (tm) will take care of everything!

David rushes back into the room.

`There, all ready for the picnic. Thanks to my teddy bear, and the things-go-better flavour of an ice cold Coca-Cola (tm)!'

You go to sleep, David lies awake for the rest of the night, and you have a wonderful picnic the next day, with Coke (tm) enough for all!

Of all the places in the world to obtain the sweet goodness of Coca-Cola products, this has to be your favorite. The Coke machine dominates the landscape, resting snugly against the perfect brick wall next to the unbroken sidewalk, which seems to lead to untold possibilities, their potential unlocked by the mere presence of Coca-Cola.
action: You examine Machine
response: This Coke machine has served you well. It is always full, always has exact change, always operates smoothly, and always keeps its assortment of Coca-Cola products chilled at exactly the right temperature. Right now, though, the buttons don't seem to have the same labels they used to. The 'Select!' light is still on, meaning you can push the following buttons:

**Curses** <Empty>
**Adventure** <Empty>
**Planetfall** <Empty>
**Hitchhiker** <Empty>
**Grip** <Empty>
**A Bear's Night Out** <Empty>

With a wink, the 'Select!' button turns off, and you realize you have finished the last selection. With a melancholy sigh, you turn to walk away down the sunlit street, Coke grasped firmly in hand, ready to take on the world.