Love Is as Powerful as Death, Jealousy Is as Cruel as the Grave
by Conrad Cook (as Michael Whittington) (2009)
Genres: Horror

Atmospheric and moody, here one gets to follow an American teaching in Cambodia through a ghost story with an Eastern flavor.

action: %
response: Love Is As Powerful As Death, Jealousy Is As Cruel As The Grave

This is how later you would remember these events, almost as if reliving them, going over the details again and again, trying to recapture the feel of events, putting yourself into them as if they were happening for the first time.

This is the dining room of the Cafe Khmer.

There's a thin metal table here that Joe is sitting at. Joe's coffee sits on the table. You haven't had coffee in a long time, actually.

Joe is here, chillin'.
action: About yourself
response: This is you, Roger West - six feet tall, dirty-blonde hair, and not conspicuously out of shape. You are, you think somewhat critically, as handsome as ever. Unfortunately that doesn't say much.

"Dude, what's up?" Joe says. Joe has started his own small business matching private tutors with Koreans who have money. (There's no money in tutoring Khmers.)  You heard he was looking for tutors. More than anything else, you're hoping he can send some business your way.

(You could say not much, lie and say lots, tell him about girls, or ask him about a job, Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You ask Joe about himself
response: Joe snorts. "Yeah, whatever." Clearly, he thinks your "himself" thing was a dumb comment. Or maybe he just didn't hear you?
action: You tell Joe about the girls
response: "There's these two girls I'm trying to figure out." you tell Joe.

"Not surprising" Joe replies. "Who are they?"

"One's a Filipina named Mary. The other's a Khmer girl."

"Whats her name?"

"Paridy. Part-time librarian at the school I work at." And she's neat, you think, but she doesn't have the basic idea of organization: of alphabetical order, for example.

"Aah. I know them," Joe says.

(You could tell him about Mary, or Paridy, or ask him about a job, Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You tell Joe about Paridy
response: "How do you know Paridy?"

"Well, remember, I used to work at your same school. Just part-time."

Oh, that's right. That's actually how you met Joe: he was going out, segueing into working only as a private tutor for Koreans, just as you were coming in.

"I wouldn't waste too much time on her," Joe is saying. "She's a good girl."
action: You tell Joe about Mary
response: "How do you know Mary?" you ask.

"She used to work at the California School," Joe says. "That's how you met her, right?"

"Through one of the teachers there, yeah."

"Yeah, she's hot. And I think she's the kind of girl you need."

A pretty blonde girl walks by, distracting you both.

"What do you think?" Joe asks you.

"French," you reply.
action: You get the coffee
response: "Hey, hey - hands off," Joe says, holding his coffee protectively.

"Yeah, so anyway-" Joe says.
action: You ask Joe about himself
response: "Hey, man," Joe says, seeming to notice you for the first time.

"No, you had your chance," Joe tells you. "Now I'm going to tell you about my new girlfriend."
action: You ask Joe about the job
response: "No, you had your chance," Joe tells you. "Now I'm going to tell you about my new girlfriend."
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying your wallet and your cell phone.

"Try to keep up. I know you never have much to say, but this is ridiculous."
action: You examine the wallet
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

Joe raises his eyebrows. "HuhWhat?"

A pickup truck, with a rusted cab and a banged-together bed of wood, pulls up outside, and a delivery guy props the door open and brings some boxes in to the back.

Your wallet is far less important here in Cambodia than at home. Your driver's license, bearing the name Roger West, would be useless to the police, as most of them can't read English, and no license is required to drive anyway.

Like most ex-patriots, you keep your really important stuff - your ATM card and your passport, which contains your visa - safely at home.

Cambodians use American money, mostly - paper dollars. They use their own currency as small change. 4,000 reil to a dollar. Or sometimes 4,400. It depends on which way the transaction is going.

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You tell yourself about the girlfriend
response: Talking to yourself won't accomplish anything.

"I've been dating this girl. She's pretty cool, actually." While he's talking to you, he takes out his phone and brings something up on it.

Joe the phone out to you, showing you a picture. It's the image of a beautiful Asian girl tied and gagged on a bed. She's otherwise naked. It's actually quite shocking.

Seeing your expression, Joe laughs. The delivery guy takes his paperwork, climbs into the truck, and drives off. A moment later, the waitress (who you haven't managed to get the attention of) closes the door as she passes through.

(You could ask him about his new girlfriend, a job, Joe himself, or bring up something else, or tell him about Paridy.)
action: You ask Joe about the girl
response: "How'd you meet this girl?" you ask. "I can tell you're into her."

"She was a hooker," Joe replies promptly. "Still is, technically, but I told her she had to stop while she was with me."

You say nothing. He reads your expression. "It's okay," he tells you. "I had her tested. She's healthy, basically. She has hep. That's the only really bad thing. I'm careful."

(You could ask where he met her, tell him about Paridy, or ask him about a job, Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You look at the photo
response: The word "photo" is not necessary in this story.

(If this was an accidental misspelling, you can correct it by typing OOPS followed by the corrected word now. Any time the story points out an unknown word, you can correct a misspelling using OOPS as your next command.)
action: You ask where he met her
response: "Where'd you meet her?" you ask.

"At the X-pub."

The X-pub is one of the night-life spots in Siem Reap. You've never been there.
action: You look around
response: "No, you had your chance," Joe tells you. "Now I'm going to tell you about my new girlfriend."

This is the dining room of the Cafe Khmer.

There's a thin metal table here that Joe is sitting at. Joe's coffee sits on the table. You haven't had coffee in a long time, actually.

At the moment, Joe is talking to you.

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask Joe about girlfriend
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

"Do you want to tell me about your new girlfriend?" you ask.

"I could talk about her all day," Joe says, smiling to himself.

"You're dating a hooker?" you ask.

Joe nods. "When she was a kid, her parents sold her off to work as a child beggar. One of the ones who try to sell you stuff when you go to see the ruins of the temple-city. It was supposed to be temporary. They raped her into it there. She got a boss who liked kids. Liked making them hurt. Bad luck."
action: You ask Joe about girlfriend
response: "I don't entirely understand how she got out of it," Joe says, "but I know she was out of it for a while. Made friends with the right person, I think. Got back into it recently. She wasn't out of it for too long - claims to be eighteen. Anyway, there's a few years unaccounted for. Man, she's into some crazy stuff."
action: You ask Joe about the girlfriend
response: "We have an agreement," Joe says. "She doesn't let any other guy touch her. But I can do whatever I want, as long as she's getting what she needs."

Joe ponders for a moment. "Or at least I think that's our agreement." He laughs. "She speaks broken beggar English, and I speak no Khmer. Anyway, that's how I'm running it."
action: Again
response: Joe breaks into a shockingly beautiful smile. "I don't know... I just feel so good for some reason, and just here while I'm talking to you, I can't get her out of my mind."

(You could tell him about Paridy, or ask him about a job, Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You ask Joe about the girlfriend
response: "Sounds like quite a girl," you say.

Joe's smile lingers. He just shrugs.
action: You ask Joe about a the job
response: You say, "I'm really not finding the work here in Cambodia they told me I'd find. They told me having my teaching cert would open doors. They told me-"

"Aw, man, you are such a whiner," Joe says.
action: You look at the coffee
response: That's Joe's coffee. It sure looks good.

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask Joe for the coffee
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

Joe raises his eyebrows. "HuhWhat?"
action: You take the coffee
response: "Hey, that's my coffee. Get your own."

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask Joe about the girl
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

"Sounds like quite a girl," you say.

Joe's smile lingers. He just shrugs.
action: Look around
response: This is the dining room of the Cafe Khmer.

There's a thin metal table here that Joe is sitting at. Joe's coffee sits on the table. You haven't had coffee in a long time, actually.

At the moment, Joe is talking to you.

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask Joe about Paridy
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

"I like good girls," you say.

He shrugs. "You might like them, but are you successful with them? There's two ways to get into a girl like Paridy: marry her, or be a pimp." He laces his fingers behind his head and leans back. "Like me."

(You could zing him about the pimp comment, tell him about Paridy, or ask him about being a whiner, Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: Zing
response: "You're a pimp?' you ask.

"You know it,' Joe replies.

Hm. That didn't work at all. Joe remains un-zung.
action: You ask him about being a the whiner
response: "Well, what do you mean I'm a whiner?" you ask.

"I'll just put it this way - I'm glad I don't work with you."
action: You ask Joe to come back to your place
response: The story doesn't understand that command. Please use ASK ACTOR ABOUT TOPIC (or just A TOPIC).

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask him about Joe
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

"So how're you, Joe?" you ask.

"You know me, man. I'm always good."
action: Topics
response: You could tell him about Paridy, or ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.
action: You tell Joe about Paridy
response: "I think I have a chance with her," you say.

"And how many girls in your life have you thought you had a chance with, to find they'll let you buy them things but you get no boom-boom?" (You have to admit, he has a point.)  "Don't fight what you are. You'll just frustrate yourself."

(You could ask about frustrating yourself, or ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You ask him about frustrating yourself
response: "What do you mean, I'll frustrate myself if I fight what I am?"

"Ah, y'know, man. I'm just saying, leave girls like Paridy to guys who know how to get 'em in the sack."
action: You ask him about Joe
response: "So how're you, Joe?" you ask.

"You know me, man. I'm always good."
action: You tell him about the assholes
response: Joe raises his eyebrows. "HuhWhat?"
action: You find the waitress
response: What do you want to look that up in?
action: Topics
response: You could ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.

You could ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.
action: Topics
response: You could ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.
action: You ask Joe about Joe
response: "So how're you, Joe?" you ask.

"You know me, man. I'm always good."

"So how're you, Joe?" you ask.

"You know me, man. I'm always good."
action: Look around
response: This is the dining room of the Cafe Khmer.

There's a thin metal table here that Joe is sitting at. Joe's coffee sits on the table. You haven't had coffee in a long time, actually.

At the moment, Joe is talking to you.

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask Joe about the coffee
response: Joe looks you over. And it's friendly, but it's not.

Joe raises his eyebrows. "HuhWhat?"
action: You look under the table
response: You see nothing unusual under the cafe table.

"Why do I always have to do all the work?" Joe demands. "Why can't you ever hold up your end of a conversation?"
action: You ask Joe about the girl
response: You are carrying your wallet and your cell phone.

"So which one are you going to ask out?" Joe asks. "Mary or Paridy?"

(You could say you'll ask out Mary, say you'll ask out Paridy, or ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.)

"Hey, hey... c'mon, man" Joe cajoles. "After all I told you? You've got to answer my question or I'll feel like a dweeb."
action: You say paridy
response: "I'll ask Paridy out," you say.

Joe considers that. "Well, it's your choice, I guess."
action: You ask Joe about Paridy
response: "I think I have a chance with her," you say.

"And how many girls in your life have you thought you had a chance with, to find they'll let you buy them things but you get no boom-boom?" (You have to admit, he has a point.)  "Don't fight what you are. You'll just frustrate yourself."

(You could ask him about Joe himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You describe your surroundings
response: This is the dining room of the Cafe Khmer.

There's a thin metal table here that Joe is sitting at. Joe's coffee sits on the table. You haven't had coffee in a long time, actually.

At the moment, Joe is talking to you.

Frowning, Joe fiddles with his phone. He stands, mutters, "Hey, man-" and walks away.

You assume that he was going to the bathroom, or something, but after a while you realize he's left.

And that he's left you to pay for his coffee.
action: You ask Joe for the perfidy's number
response: Joe's not here - he left in a hurry. And, it seems, stuck you with the bill.

-The conversation didn't seem important at the time, but later you would look back on it and wonder.

Two days later, you were out on the balcony near your apartment talking to your neighbor, Chuck.

Chuck is basically a good guy - you like him - but it sometimes takes him quite a long time to fomulate his thoughts, requiring you to wait for him.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying your wallet and your cell phone.
action: You open the wallet
response: No need to fiddle with your wallet. Besides, it makes you look awkward.
action: You look at the phone
response: Your cell phone is a tiny, cheap little thing - "cheap" in this case being $40. You know you can get them for less, but you weren't able to talk the merchant down any. This one keeps turning off for no good reason. A good thing to keep with you, even though you have no one to call at the moment.

"There was a big fire the other day," Chuck tells you. "Did you hear about it?"

"Not really," you say. "Oh!- I smelled the smoke, a few days ago around noon, but with Siem Reap so dusty I didn't think about it.
What happened?"

"I heard somebody died in it, but then I heard that, no, all of the tenants got out and were accounted for, so it's okay. Joe was talking about it."

(You could ask him about the big fire, or Chuck himself, or tell him about Cambodian history.)
action: You look at Chuck
response: Chuck is a small, somewhat heavy Australian. He's what some people would call 'quietly intense', and others, 'tightly wound.' Although he's not looking at you, you know Chuck is giving you his full attention. You think he knows it can be unsettling when he looks directly at a person - there's just something about him.
action: You ask Chuck about the the big fire
response: "I don't really get it," Chuck says. "Why is Cambodia so poor?"

"Because of Pol Pot," you say. You read up on the history before you got here.

"Was there more to that story about the fire?" you ask.

Chuck says, "Yeah, I guess there was."

(You could ask him about the big fire, or Chuck himself, or tell him about Cambodian history.)
action: You continue
response: "You talked to Joe?" you ask. "I haven't seen him lately."

"Yeah; he said there had been a fire in New York a couple years ago where the parents had been smoking in bed, and the mattress caught fire. Then they tried to get the mattress out of the apartment, and when they got it halfway through the doorway, well now there was a draft, and it burst into flame. So they screwed up."

Chuck considers something, and adds, "He didn't say what they were smoking. I guess the media would have considered it an undiplomatic question, under the circumstances. Maybe nothing exotic, even."
action: You ask Chuck about the fire
response: "The whole family - the parents and three kids - were all stuck in the apartment. Everyone else got out of the building safely, but they were trapped. No fire exit. Sucks."

Chuck motions. "Anyway, from what I understand, everyone's accounted for in this one, thank Christ."
action: You ask Chuck about the fire
response: "I wonder where the fire was?" you say.

"I don't know that," Chuck replies. "Somewhere in the neighborhood.
I imagine if you walk around, you'll notice the burnt-out husk of a building somewhere."
action: You tell Chuck about the cambodian history
response: "The country was discontent," you say, "because they were under French colonial rule. Pol Pot came to power - there was another government between the colonial government and Pol Pot - but Pol Pot came to power and he had a traditionalist theory that the reason Cambodia was having problems was that it had gotten away from its roots. Which was farming."

Chuck is listening, but you can't tell how much he is hearing. He nods slightly, but it seems almost rhythmic.
action: You tell Chuck the cambodian history
response: The story doesn't understand that command. Please use ASK ACTOR ABOUT TOPIC (or just A TOPIC).

Chuck stands. "Well, I'd better go," he says, looking over your shoulder at the hall to his door. "Good luck with everything."

Chuck walks out.

You can hear him in the hallway saying something to Ted, who presently walks in. His friend George is right behind him.

"Hey, how's it going?" Ted asks as he takes Chuck's seat.
action: You look at George
response: George is by far the weaker personality. Mostly you address yourself to Ted and let George chime in when he likes.

"So what happened on your date?" George asks, staring at you.

"Paridy didn't show up," you say. "Found out later she claimed she didn't understand what the plan was. And that she wanted to hang out in a group: so clearly she did understand what the plan was - saying she didn't was some kind of face-saving bullshit. She flaked. Turns out that Cambodian chicks are still chicks."

You think about what Joe told you: not to fight what you are.

You say, "She didn't trust me, I guess. I dunno, I mean, it's not like I'm going to tear her clothes off in Lucky Mall and rape her.
I'm an id beast, but I'm not that much of an id beast."

"It's part of Khmer culture," Ted tells you, causing George to stop staring at you momentarily. "The first couple dates, she needs to have a friend there."

-George once told you that he became an ex-pat because the women back home "wouldn't give him the time of day." And indeed there is something creepy about his manner.'

(You could tell them about dating (to answer George's questions), or dating (to get George to stop staring at you), or ask them about Joe's new girlfriend, Joe, Ted himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You ask about the dating
response: 'George, you're still staring at me,' you say. 'Was there something else you wanted to know?'

'Not really,' George says. 'What's the follow-up?'

'She invited me fishing,' you say. There's this pagoda she goes to go fishing; she invited me along. Later today."
action: Topics
response: You could ask them about Joe's new girlfriend, Joe, Ted himself, or bring up something else.
action: You tell George about the fishing
response: George is by far the weaker personality. Mostly you address yourself to Ted and let George chime in when he likes.
action: You ask about the joe's new girlfriend
response: Ted gives you a crooked smile. George merely makes eye contact.

You have nothing in mind to say on that subject right now.

(You could ask them about Joe's new girlfriend, Joe, Ted himself, or bring up something else.)
action: You ask about Joe
response: "What's the latest on Joe?" you ask.

George says, "I heard the cops want to talk to him. Don't know why."

"Oh, I know why," Ted says. "His house burned down the other day.
His apartment building. So they need to ask everyone questions, for insurance and all that. Can you imagine what a pisser that is?"
action: You ask about Joe
response: You ask, "Did Joe lose his passport?"

"Yeah, must've. And that means he wouldn't have his visa so he couldn't prove he was here legally. Which is $5 a day they fine you for every day you're not here legally. And he's been here for months. If they find him before he gets that squared away, he is screwed."
action: Again
response: "Can you imagine that?" Ted muses. "To lose absolutely everything except what you're happening to be carrying at the time? -I loaned him fifty dollars. Would've loaned him more, but I'm hard up until payday."
action: You examine ted
response: Ted is an Irishman with what you at first found to be an incomprehensible accent. You've since adapted to it, which you find a little alarming. He has bad teeth from a lifetime of barroom fights and an old face from a lifetime of drinking; but he has a young body. He works out, and shows it off with a loose-cut tank top. Ted is a cheerful enough guy, but underneath it there's something not at all kind-hearted.
action: You ask about the girlfriend
response: "Have you seen Joe's new girlfriend?" you ask. "Is she pretty?"

"Pretty enough," Ted says, "but she has these little scars on her arms. Some of 'em look fresh. You know what those are from? - cockroaches."

"Really? They'll bite you here?" You've seen some mammoth roaches in your apartment.

"Oh, will they bite you. They'll get you while you're sleeping. Move your bed away from the wall and, what I do, I run tape sticky-side-out around the legs of my bed, so they can't climb up it. But she's pretty enough, yeah."
action: You ask about the girlfriend
response: "I think he really likes her," you say. "He got a tattoo in Cambodian that I think might be her name."

"If he really liked her, he'd get it in English," Ted says.
action: You ask about the girlfriend
response: "It's funny," you say: "With Joe being so good with girls, that he'd end up with a hooker."

There's an awkward silence as Ted and George look at each other.
action: You ask about Joe
response: "Where's Joe staying?" you ask.

"With his girlfriend, where else?" Ted replies. "She's Khmer. Must live, I imagine, in some rat-infested hole with a dirt floor, in common with a few others. No proper door leading out. I don't imagine he's enjoying that."
action: Topics
response: You could ask them about Joe, Ted himself, or bring up something else.
action: You ask them about Ted
response: "So what's new, Ted?" you ask. "How's school? How's your students?"

"The usual crap," he replies.
action: You ask them about Joe
response: "-And when Joe goes to sleep in that that Cambodian household, he's very paranoid about where to keep that fifty dollars you lent him," you say.

"Yeah he probably is," Ted says, looking a little surprised. "But I've gotten so much work from him, and I know he's good for it, so I couldn't turn him down, could I?"

"Well, it's about time I got ready for my big fishing date at the pagoda. This is dating, Khmer-style."

"Good luck," Ted says.

You stand.

(You could ask them about Ted himself, or bring up something else.)
action: Bye
response: Nothing obvious happens.
action: You ask them about Ted
response: Ted gives you a crooked smile. George merely makes eye contact.

"So what's new, Ted?" you ask. "How's school? How's your students?"

"The usual crap," he replies.

You give your regards and go to get ready for your big fishing date with Paridy at the pagoda.

When you get to Paridy's door, you heard voices inside.

You're outside the door to Paridy's apartment. Traffic goes by occasionally - motorbikes, mostly.
action: You go inside
response: Opened.

(the door)

You walk into Paridy's apartment and see Joe and Paridy hanging out.

You see Joe is looking an awful lot at Paridy.

You see that Paridy seems to be paying an awful lot of attention to Joe.

It makes you do a double-take. Yes, indeed: Joe, of all people, is here, of all places, and he and Paridy are so absorbed in looking at each other that they hardly seem to notice you. Paridy is in the middle of a story.

"When they are bad, they go to bad place. They get no feed. When they come out, they have eat bad feed. If it good they can not eat. You must throw it on the ground for dirty, or rot. Rotted?"

Paridy continues, "But they only can come out one day. One day year. Very hungry then. If their family not to monks, they can not eat one year again. Very very hungry."

"So how does the family know the right day?" Joe asks, speaking slowly.

"Oh, yes," Paridy says, laughing. "There are many pagoda in Cambodia. If the family go the wrong pagoda, they not get feed. But the family talk monks. Monks say what pagoda, what day. Very important talk monks."

"That's a well-organized afterlife," Joe says. Paridy doesn't understand. "How do the monks know? Do they have a schedule? A calendar? Who tells the dead person when he gets vacation?"

Paridy is smiling. "Monks know," she says.

"How about you, Roger?" Joe raps. "You believe in magic?"

(You could say yes or no, or ask him about his girlfriend, or the fire.)
action: You examine the door
response: It's open.
action: You ask him about the girlfriend
response: "How's your girlfriend, man?" you ask.

Joe laughs. He tells Paridy, "Roger is asking about my girlfriend. Always asking about my girlfriend. He wants to know because he doesn't have one." Paridy laughs. Joe's gaze remains on her as they both laugh, but you have the feeling he's looking at you out of the corner of his eye.

Down the street, you hear the duck-like squeak of the squeeze-bottles beggars use to call for people to bring out their recyclables and put them into their two-wheeled hand-carts.
action: You say no
response: Joe raises his eyebrows. "HuhWhat?"

Joe sits on the couch with Paridy.

"Hey, man, have a seat," Joe says. He motions beside him, on the far side from Paridy. If you sit there, he's between you and her.

But, you could sit in the big chair, which is kitty-corner to the couch, and you'd be sitting almost next to Paridy.



(You could sit on the couch (next to Joe), sit on the big chair (next to Paridy), or ask him about the fire.)
action: You sit on the big chair
response: You sit down into the big chair, kitty-corner to Paridy.

As you settle into the big wicker chair, you rock the end table that takes up the corner between the couch and the chair. Joe flips out.

'What the Hell's the matter with you?' he shouts - almost screams, really. 'Can't you see I've got a cigarette on there?'

Indeed, on the end table, there's an ashtray, and in the ashtray there's a burning cigarette. Probably left there, you suddenly realize, so Joe would have a reason to keep reaching around and across Paridy.

'What's your problem?' you ask.

'My problem?' Joe yells. 'What's your problem, that you're trying to burn the place down?'

Paridy doesn't understand what's going on. She only knows that Joe is screaming in your face, and you're taking it like a punk.

Joe gets up and walks outside.
action: Look around
response: Paridy's apartment is remarkably nice, for a Khmer apartment. It has a couch and a big chair, a small refrigerator, a countertop with a big portable stove - no gas lines in Cambodia - a big oscillating fan that most Western-style rooms have, instead of A/C, and a TV.

Paridy is here, looking at you.
action: You examine Paridy
response: This is the Khmer girl you've been thinking so much of, Paridy. She's slender without being thin, pretty without being glamorous. And she has a real nice smile. You like her a lot.

Finally, you have Paridy alone! No telling how long it'll last, though.

'I no understaan' this,' Paridy says, putting a newspaper in front of you. She points to the headline:

'Ferry Operator's Fate Still Unknown' Something about the storm in the Philippines.

'What it mean?'

(You could tell her about the newspaper.)
action: You tell her about the newspaper
response: 'A ferry,' you say, 'is a kind of boat. You know boat?'

'Yes,' she says.

'But a ferry just goes back and forth, back and forth,' you tell her. 'Ahh, yes,' she says.
action: You tell her about the newspaper
response: 'The operator is the man who owns the ferry. The man in it.'

'Ah, yes. What is fate?'

You think a moment. 'You know karma?'

'Yes.'

'Same thing.'

'Ahh.' She nods.

This is all very approximate, you think, but that's how early learning works.
action: You tell her about the newspaper
response: 'And unknown means we don't know. So, there was a big storm, and people are missing - "Fate of ferry operator still unknown."'

'Now,' you ask, 'is the man in the ferry alive, or dead?'

She looks at it and makes up her mind. 'Dead.'

'No,' you say.

'Eeh? Alive?'

'No, we don't know. See- it's unknown. So we can hope.'
action: You tell her about the newspaper
response: Honestly, you think she needs a moment's rest on the topic. She's still looking at it, but as Gary Larsen once put it, her brain is full.
action: Topics
response: You could ask her about the newspaper.
action: You ask her about Joe
response: 'I no understaan'' Paridy says.

She seemed to understand Joe well enough.
action: You ask her about the the newspaper
response: Honestly, you think she needs a moment's rest on the topic. She's still looking at it, but as Gary Larsen once put it, her brain is full.

'What it mean, still?' Paridy asks, pointing at the word in the headline.

Joe walks back in. 'As in, "He's still talking with you about this?"' He laughs, and Paridy, only understanding that he's laughing, laughs with him.

Joe turns to you. 'Hey, man, we're going fishing at the pagoda. You can come with us if you have nothing better to do.'

So there you are.
action: Topics
response: You could ask her about the fire.
action: You ask her about the fire
response: 'Dude, I heard you lost your passport and all your stuff burned down. You okay?' you ask.

Joe moves back a bit and looks you over. 'Yeah, I'm okay. Sure, I lost a lot of stuff in the fire. It's a hassle. But I'm taking care of it.' He winks at Paridy. She giggles.

...and there you went, walking the long dirt road to the pagoda with Paridy and Joe, watching them chatting and laughing in front of you.
A third wheel.

The three of you come to the corner of high walls that enclose the pagoda property. The walls are in good shape, except here at the corner, where they have been broken entirely down. Further ahead down the road, you can see that the pagoda's gates are firmly closed. This is the offical way in, you guess.

As you reach the broken-down corner, Joe and Paridy, giggling, run ahead.
action: You look around
response: The long, dusty road runs east and west. To the southwest is the busted-down corner of the pagoda wall. Further west, you can see the pagoda gates are closed. East leads a long way back to Siem Reap.
action: Go southwest
response: Inside the Pagoda (corner)
You are just inside the busted-down corner of the wall enclosing the pagoda. The pagoda itself probably comprises about ten acres of land. To the west, somewhat past the gate, you can see small, poor dwellings, somewhat hidden by laundry hung out to dry. Immediately to the south, there is a mausoleum, and some ways beyond that there is a lake. A brook runs past the poor houses down to the lake.

It looks like Joe and Paridy went south, to where you can catch a glimpse of water. From here you could probably see quite a bit about most of these things, if you took the time to examine them.

You hear Joe and Paridy's voices deeper into the pagoda.
action: You examine the lake
response: The word 'laundry' is not necessary in this story.

Far to the south, you can see a small lake. It's toward the center of the pagoda, well away from the eastern wall.
action: You examine the mausoleum
response: About halfway down the the east wall, there is a small 'forest' of tall tapering tower-like objects, each about the girth of a tree and varying in height from ten feet tall to two stories. These, you know, are the monuments keeping the ashes of famous and important people, built in exchange for a generous donation to the pagoda and the understanding that future monks will pray for their spiritual progression during future lives.
action: You examine the brook
response: The brook runs from the north, where there are poor houses built on either side of it, to the south, where it runs into the lake. The brook is small and dirty, and there is a great deal of garbage on either side.
action: You look at Pagoda
response: You are moving around inside the grounds of the pagoda. The pagoda walls bound the grounds to the north and east; they break down at the northeast corner, where you came in. Against the east wall, there is a mausoleum of perhaps thirty stone Eiffel Tower-like monuments. To the northwest there are a number of chicken-coop-like dwellings for deeply poor people. A garbage-strewn brook runs from those dwellings south to the lake.

It is starting to get quite dark.
action: You examine garbage
response: Every so often around the pagoda, and especially down by the brook, garbage is strewn around. It looks like people have been using the brook as a primary dumping ground for years - there are rusted mangled pieces of this-or-that, rotting food, bits of clothing - just all kinds of trash.
action: You search the garbage
response: You can find the same kind of things in the States, on defunct farms and industrial parks where the industry has pulled out.
action: You go south
action: Go south
response: Pagoda (empty space near wall)
This is a wide empy space of rubble and weeds, like an abandoned lot.
action: You go west
response: Pagoda (west of lake)
On a rock with pigeon droppings nearby - Joe lays his scarf over it, lengthwise. 'Sorry, man,' Joe says. 'No room. You'll have to hang out over there - more fish anyway.' Paridy has become passive, pliant. She almost seems to sleep-walk through this.

They sit down together.

You're left off in what in third grade they called 'goat land.' It's not honestly that far away. In a bar, there would be two empty bar stools between you and Joe.

You can talk to them quite easily. But also they can ignore you quite easily.

It starts getting dark. You look at the bamboo fishing pole in your hand

Paridy has her head on Joe's shoulder.

Joe has his arm around Paridy.

With all the terrible parasites you've heard of living in the fresh water of Cambodia, you don't want to get your feet wet. Besides, there's nothing much on the other side - just some thick, brambly grass and different bits of garbage dumped around.
action: Fish
response: You fish a while...

As your eye tracks the ripples moving out from the line across the surface of the brown water, it occurs to you that you could easily eavesdrop on Joe and Paridy.

-Well, no bites. You guess a naked hook isn't that appealing.
action: Eavesdrop
response: -Ah. Of course.

Joe is telling Paridy how secretly vulnerable he is.

As you listen, Joe says, 'I believe free will trumps fate, but you know what trumps free will? That life is random. Stuff just happens and there's not any reason or rhyme to it. And people don't accept that so they make up fate. But we can accept free will...'

-Literal sweet nothings, you realize: Paridy can't understand a word. But it doesn't matter, because it's not the words that count.
action: You tell Paridy about Joe
response: Paridy has eyes only for Joe. This could be a problem, you think.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying your wallet, your cell phone, and the fishing gear.
action: You look at the gear
response: This is a bamboo pole, with a line and hook attached, for fishing.
action: Fish
response: You fish a while... -Well, no bites. You guess a naked hook isn't that appealing.
action: You ask Joe for the bait
response: Man-! Joe is freezing you out, and loving it.
action: You look around
response: Pagoda (west of lake) (sitting on the ground)
You are by a lake on the land of a tumble-down pagoda, visible off in the distance.

Paridy has her head on Joe's shoulder.

Joe has his arm around Paridy.
action: You search the lake
response: The lake is for fishing only, although you have certain reservations whether even that's a good idea.
action: Go downwards
response: You can't go that way. Obvious exits lead north, back to the pagoda (empty space near wall); south; east; west; northwest; and in.
action: Go east
response: The pagoda wall is quite tall and solid, running north and south. But there is the rubble-strewn break to the north, where you came in.
action: Go south
response: The terrain gets a little rough to the south - all you have there is long, brambly grass, and it's not that appealing. You could go that way if it were a matter of life and death, and you had some reason to - but not otherwise.
action: You go west
response: With all the terrible parasites you've heard of living in the fresh water of Cambodia, you don't want to get your feet wet. Besides, there's nothing much on the other side - just some thick, brambly grass and different bits of garbage dumped around.
action: Go northwest
response: Pagoda (north of lake)
You are on the north side of a lake. You can follow the lake around to the southeast, or you can walk north along the brook, which immediately to the west joins the lake.
action: Go downwards
response: You can't go that way. Obvious exits lead north; south; east; west; northeast; southeast, back to the pagoda (west of lake); and in.
action: You go north
response: Pagoda (east of brook)
A small brook to the west of you runs from the north, where it goes through the houses, to the south, where it runs into the lake. A rotted log here catches your attention.
action: You look at log
response: This rotten log rests deep in the mud, riddled with bug-holes. You just know if you move it you'll see it teeming with bugs.
action: You take the bug
response: Oooo, it wriggles to get free!
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying your wallet, your cell phone, the fishing gear, and a centipede.
action: You examine the centipede
response: This especially plump centipede, you have to admit, kind of gives you the willies. On the hook it writhes, occasionally flailing, with gradually reducing vigor.
action: Go south
response: Pagoda (north of lake)
You are on the north side of a lake. You can follow the lake around to the southeast, or you can walk north along the brook, which immediately to the west joins the lake.
action: You go to the south
response: The lake water, even more than the brook, is brown and sluggish. There's no way you're getting in there.
action: You go to the southeast
response: Pagoda (west of lake)
You are by a lake on the land of a tumble-down pagoda, visible off in the distance.

Paridy has her head on Joe's shoulder.

Joe has his arm around Paridy.
action: Fish
response: You fish a while - and are jolted out of your contemplation of Paridy by a sudden jerk on the line!

You pull it out into the early twilight. It jerks and twitches in the air.

You've caught a fish!

Paridy comes running over - not to congratulate you, as it turns out, but to hit the fish on the head with a rock until it stops moving.

Despite himself, you can see Joe is impressed.

Paridy turns around from having bludgeoned the fish to death, and right into Joe's arms. It just seems to happen. They kiss: a long, deep kiss. She seems to begin to melt into him, the rock dropping, finally, from limp fingers.

As you watch them kiss, you suddenly feel an intense, crazy jealousy. You must do something - just as you must do something when you're very hungry, or terribly afraid. Oddly, it doesn't seem related to your feelings for Paridy. Rather, it seems founded on the plain fact that Joe has a girlfriend - that this is wrong. Distantly, you realize the hairs on the back of your neck are standing up, that you have gooseflesh along your arms and your spine is crawling.

Still kissing Paridy, Joe's eyes rove, find yours - and twinkle with amusement. Then, they seem to focus on something behind you, and Joe gapes. A look of naked horror comes across his face. He forgets Paridy mid-kiss; the kiss is not broken, but abandoned.

-And the feeling of insane jealousy that had completely overwhelmed you just a moment before is gone. You feel only irritation and mild disappointment that Paridy isn't interested in you.

Paridy opens her eyes, sees the expression on Joe's face, and recoils from it. You look behind you-

Nothing there.
action: You examine Paridy
response: This is the Khmer girl you've been thinking so much of, Paridy. She's slender without being thin, pretty without being glamorous. And she has a real nice smile. You like her a lot. Paridy stays at your side, not looking around at Joe, behind you. You can smell her: she smells like girl. Very nice.

'Things are random,' Joe mutters behind you. 'If we didn't have that game where I left her tied up while I went out with friends - If I didn't take her picture with my camera before I left, so if she struggled I'd have a reason to beat her - If I didn't leave the whip by the bedside so she could see it while she waited- Who knows? - If we hadn't upgraded to me burning her with cigarettes - If she didn't struggle so hard - If the cigarette had fallen on the floor instead - I'd wouldn't even be here. Random stuff happens. So give me a kiss, baby-'

At your side, Paridy ignores him.
action: Kiss paridy
response: You're not sure you should...
action: You take the rock
response: The word 'rock' is not necessary in this story.

The word 'rock' is not necessary in this story.
action: You ask Joe about the fire
response: Joe raises his eyebrows. 'HuhWhat?'
action: You look at Joe
response: Joe is a little shorter than you are. He's well-tanned and has the soft-muscled look of a man who lifts but has never done manual labor. It looks like he has a new tattoo on his arm.

It seems Joe's fighting spirit was drained away by whatever he thought he saw. He's just inclined to follow you. And indeed, it is time to get going. Soon it will be quite dark.
action: You ask Joe what he saw
response: The story doesn't understand that command. Please use ASK ACTOR ABOUT TOPIC (or just A TOPIC).
action: You examine the tattoo
response: You look closer at the tat on Joe's arm. It glistens slightly. Looks fresh. It's written in the Khmer alphabet - you can't tell what it says.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying your wallet, your cell phone, the fishing gear, and a fish.
action: You examine the fish
response: This is a good-sized fish, a shiny white-grey in color. You're immensely proud of it and have no desire to eat it. In fact, KFC is sounding pretty good.
action: Look around
response: Pagoda (west of lake) (sitting on the ground)
You are by a lake on the land of a tumble-down pagoda, visible off in the distance.

Paridy sticks close by you, her hand lightly on your arm.

Joe is doing his best to appear composed, but clearly it is a battle he is losing.
action: You stand
response: You're already standing.
action: Go north
response: Joe comes with you. Paridy comes with you.

Pagoda (empty space near wall)
This is a wide empy space of rubble and weeds, like an abandoned lot.

Paridy sticks close by you, her hand lightly on your arm.

Joe is doing his best to appear composed, but clearly it is a battle he is losing.
action: Kiss paridy
response: You're not sure you should...
action: You talk to Joe
response: What do you want to get out of?

You already have Joe's attention.
action: Go north
response: Joe comes with you. Paridy comes with you.



Paridy sticks close by you, her hand lightly on your arm.

Joe is doing his best to appear composed, but clearly it is a battle he is losing.
action: Go north
response: Joe comes with you. Paridy comes with you.

Inside the Pagoda (corner)
You are just inside the busted-down corner of the wall enclosing the pagoda. The pagoda itself probably comprises about ten acres of land. To the west, somewhat past the gate, you can see small, poor dwellings, somewhat hidden by laundry hung out to dry. Immediately to the south, there is a mausoleum, and some ways beyond that there is a lake. A brook runs past the poor houses down to the lake.

Paridy sticks close by you, her hand lightly on your arm.

Joe is doing his best to appear composed, but clearly it is a battle he is losing.
action: Caress paridy
response: Joe raises his eyebrows. 'HuhWhat?'

The word 'caress' is not necessary in this story.
action: Go west
response: The Khmer who live there are very poor. You don't belong.
action: You go to the north
response: The pagoda wall is quite tall and solid, running west a long ways.
But there is the rubble-strewn break to the northeast, where you came in.
action: Go northeast
response: Joe comes with you. Paridy comes with you.

The long, dusty road runs east and west. To the southwest is the busted-down corner of the pagoda wall. Further west, you can see the pagoda gates are closed. East leads a long way back to Siem Reap.

Paridy sticks close by you, her hand lightly on your arm.

Joe is doing his best to appear composed, but clearly it is a battle he is losing.

The ending of chapter3.
action: You describe your surroundings
response: The long, dusty road runs east and west. To the southwest is the busted-down corner of the pagoda wall. Further west, you can see the pagoda gates are closed. East leads a long way back to Siem Reap.

Paridy sticks close by you, her hand lightly on your arm.

Joe is doing his best to appear composed, but clearly it is a battle he is losing.

Headed to Siem Reap on the road outside the pagoda, Joe collapses. A tuk-tuk - a version of the Asian pedicab, powered by a motorbike rather than a bicycle - stops and, after a shrewd appraisal of the situation, the driver offers to take you to the hospital for three or four times the normal price.

Paridy sits as far away from Joe as possible. You see her looking at his arm. On his arm, you see a strange white mark on his skin. It has an odd shape. It takes you some time to realize it's shaped like a handprint, with the individual fingers clearly visible.

You check Joe in to the hospital. Paridy leaves to do something. You stay with Joe. After about fifteen minutes, a Khmer doctor stops in. 'Your friend has a fever,' he tells you. 'We're running some tests.'
action: You examine the doctor
response: The doctor is a small, fussy-looking Khmer man - small even for a Khmer. But he has a proud bearing.
action: You ask about the odd marks
response: 'Doctor, what about these white finger-marks on his arm?' you ask.

The doctor shrugs. 'Suntan lotion.'

'Suntan lotion?' you ask. 'Look, there are finger marks-'

'Of course. He applied suntan lotion unevenly; he had a handful of it, wiped it on his skin, and did not smear it evenly throughout.'

'I find that a little difficult to accept -' you begin.

'Ah, and are you a doctor?' the doctor asks cheerily. 'Excuse me. I will be back with his test results.'

The doctor walks out. You look into the hall. Behind you, Joe stirs.

You go over to him. He grabs you, and his grip is weak. He says:

'Random...'

-and, with a dry, gutteral sound, dies.

It occurs to you that in all the confusion you left the pail with the fish you caught back in the pagoda.