Coffins
by Christopher Huang (1998)
Genres: Romance


action: %
response: It was the greatest of tragedies when your wife, Ligeia, died of a wasting disease not two nights ago. As the local mortician, you embalmed her yourself ... she's gone from your life now.

On the bright side, this means you get to marry your mistress, Rowena.

It's the dim, austere chapel of the funeral home. Even though you've worked here for the past ten years, you never quite get over the spookiness.

You can see a coffin (which is closed) and Rowena here.
action: You look at Rowena
response: Rowena is a fair-haired young Englishwoman. Very practical, loves
dogs, can't write poetry. In short, nothing like your late wife
Ligeia. You love her very much. That's why you murdered Ligeia.

Rowena seems to be carrying a flask of some sort.
action: You look at the coffin
response: A mahogony coffin. It's the centrepiece of the chapel.
action: Open coffin
response: You open the coffin, revealing Ligeia.
action: You examine Ligeia
response: Your late wife, the Lady Ligeia is pale, drawn and dead. This means
you can go marry Rowena. Except ... after Ligeia, do you really want Rowena? Ligeia was the perfect specimen of frail womanhood....
action: About yourself
response: As good-looking as ever.
action: You ask Rowena about yourself
response: Rowena coos and nestles into your shoulder.
action: You ask Ligeia about yourself
response: She's dead, remember? You killed her yourself.
action: Kiss ligeia
response: Her cheek feels cold and lifeless.
action: You examine flask
response: You can't quite make out the details. Something nags in the back of your mind....
action: You think
response: What a good idea.
action: You look at Rowena
response: Rowena is a fair-haired young Englishwoman. Very practical, loves
dogs, can't write poetry. In short, nothing like your late wife
Ligeia. You love her very much. That's why you murdered Ligeia.

Rowena seems to be carrying a flask of some sort.
action: You give the flask to you
response: Rowena shrugs and hands you the flask.
action: You examine flask
response: It's the elixir of life, of course. Rowena's father was a famous alchemist who died before he could sample his magnus opus.
action: You give the flask to Ligeia
response: But that would bring Ligeia back to life. You don't want that!
action: Kiss rowena
response: You suddenly realise that you don't love Rowena. Floods of half-forgotten memories wash through you, leaving you thoroughly and heartily hating her. On the other hand, you realise how much you
really loved your Ligeia....
action: You give the flask to Ligeia
response: Rowena stares at you in horror. "What are you doing??"

Meanwhile, the colour begins to return to Ligeia's pale, wasted cheeks....
action: You examine Ligeia
response: Oh dear. You suddenly remember that Ligeia never was one to suffer competition gladly. That's why you killed her.
action: Kiss ligeia
response: Her cheek feels cold and lifeless.
action: Wait
response: Time passes.

With a shriek, Ligeia launches out of the coffin and brutally attacks Rowena. Screams fill the chapel and you are forced to run ... run ... run....

You try to blot the memory of Rowena's stricken face from your mind.

And then ... you remember your first wife, Lenore. Nameless, here, for evermore....

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