A Day at the Office

"Hello, HR. We have a personnel request. There are three employees who can't come to an agreement on how to divide their work. They have requested a fourth employee to evenly distribute the work" The line disconnects before you are able to respond. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a busy day. You feel like you made extra work for yourself somehow. THE END.

Which desk would you like to approach? [[Approach the nearest desk|Desk 1]] [[Approach the closest desk|Desk 2]] [[Approach the farthest desk|Desk 1]] [[Approach an empty desk]]

There's no one at this desk, it looks clean. [[Approach a different desk|Approach a desk]]

You finish the painting and turn to look for the exit. When you turn, the person who brought you here is standing behind you. "Oh wow, this looks great, thank you!" You look at the clock, you seem to have worked through lunch and it's almost time to go home. It'd be silly to start another painting so close to the end of the day. [[Start another painting]] [[Leave for the day]]

You cover your ears tightly. You can still dimly hear the ringing, so you focus on the only other sound you can find. You focus on the rhythmic sound of your own heartbeat, like ocean waves lapping against the shore. But the ringing gets louder. [[Answer it]] [[Keep trying to ignore it]]

"Oh good! I was hoping you'd say that." Tova seems excited by your answer. She reaches into the drawer of her desk and pulls out a paper bag, handing it to you. "Take this and head outside, you'll know what to do" (set: $lookedInside to 0) (set: $gunDrawn to 0) [[Look in the bag|Look in the bag initial]] [[Take the bag and leave]]

"Oh, we're going to be coworkers!" Tova seems excited by this. She writes out "Department of Personnel" on a blank line at the top of the form, under your name. "And what would you say is your job title?" [[Intake Specialist]] [[Decruiter]] [[HR Generalist]]

"Oh wow, that's a great choice. We just lost our head of sanitation last week, so while you're cleaning up, do keep an eye out." Tova hands you your badge and gestures to the door you entered through. [[Thank her|Thank her sanitation]] [[Leave through the door|Leave through the door sanitation]]

It takes you longer to reach the desk than you thought, it must have been farther than it looked. There is a person working at the desk, you can't exactly see what they are doing, but they seem busy. [[Tap their shoulder]] [[Wait quietly]] [[Approach a different desk|Approach a desk]]

There are two people huddled around some papers at this desk. They seem to be discussing something, but you can't hear them very well. [[Interrupt them]] [[Wait quietly|Wait for discussion]] [[Approach a different desk|Approach a desk]]

Tova looks at you expectantly, after a few seconds she holds out her hand and continues to wait. [[Leave]] [[Hand her your badge]]

You place the badge in your mouth. It's a bit salty. As soon as you let go of the badge, your mouth is filled with paper. [[Spit out the paper]] [[Swallow]]

You walk up the line of horses, your boots clicking solidly on the floor of the barn, filling each of their troughs with feed. You reach the end of the line, the last horse, Mystery, is your favorite. You've had Mystery since you were a teenager [[Give Mystery a treat]] [[Leave the barn]]

"Oh that's great to hear, there's always a need for a jack of most trades around here." Tova scribbles something on the paper and then looks up. "Go back through the door you came in, and head straight down that hall until you find something to do." She hands you your badge, the papers that were on her desk are gone. [[Leave through the door]] [[Thank her]]

Tova takes your badge and puts it in a drawer under the desk. After a few seconds, she pulls out a stack of papers from the same drawer. As she's pulling them out, the drawer slams shut on the bottom half of the paper. Tova pulls on the paper for a moment before it rips, the lower halves sliding back into the drawer. "Oh dear, I hate it when this happens. We're going to just have to wing this one." She opens the drawer again, placing the torn papers back in and pulls out another stack of papers. After setting those papers on her desk, she reaches into the drawer and pulls out a pen, and your badge. "Okay, so what department would you say you're in?" [[Department of Personnel]] [[Department of Sanitation]]

After a handful of steps, you notice a door on either side. What do you want to do? [[Try the right door]] [[Try the left door]] (if: $seenZDoor < 1)[[[Look around]] ] (else:)[ [[Ponder the door above you]] ]

You realize the person you're talking to is not a person at all, but a horse. This surprises you so much that you remove your hat. Looking around you, you're in a barn. There are dozens of horses in short runs. You're holding a bag of feed in your hand, you must have been in the middle of feeding them. [[Feed the horses]]

"Oh" They look perplexed as they respond, "I wasn't aware we had plants here" (set: $chosePlants to 1) [[Nod your head|Nod with plants]] [[Say something else|Tell them you're an HR Generalist and you're here to help]]

Their eyes light up at this, "Oh isn't that lucky! I was just thinking this morning that I needed someone to paint a landscape featuring fictitious European ruins." [[Nod your head]] [[Leave|Approach a desk]]

"Oh right, I knew that. I don't need any help, but those two over there have been arguing all day. That sounds like a job for Human Resources to me. They point to another desk on the other side of the room. Two people are standing bent over the desk. [[Approach the other desk|Desk 2]]

"That's... that's my job..." Tova seems a little disturbed by this, but she writes it on the form anyway. "Now uhh... let's see... that's the same for everyone... you won't need that yet... insurance starts after 30 days.... Okay. Looks like we're done here. I'll just file this and you can get started." She opens the drawer and places the papers inside, then closes it. As soon as the door closes, Tova vanishes. You're left staring at an empty chair. [[Take her seat]] [[Wait|Wait intake specialist]] [[Leave]]

After a few moments, the door at the other end of the room opens. Someone walks in and looks at you, uncertain. [[Welcome them]] [[Look back, uncertain]]

You clear your throat, not too loud, but loud enough that the two hear you and look your way. They both speak simultaneously. "Yes? What do you want?" [[Tell them you're an HR Generalist and you heard they need help]] [[Apologize and leave|Approach a desk]]

You find yourself standing in front of the door that was above you, which is now in front of you. [[Open it]] [[Go back down|Head down the hall]]

Your vision starts to go white as the world around you dissolves into the sound. There is no light overhead, no air blowing through the vents, the vibration of the electricity in the thick wires running through the ceiling burns away. There is only the ringing. [[RING RING]]

You press your hands tighter against your head, but it's no use. The ringing is inside your head now. You search for your heartbeat, but can't find it. All there is is ringing. Your body vibrates to the tune of it. You rip your hands away from your head and try to find another sound, any other sound, to focus on, but there is none. The din of the office has been replaced by the ringing. It is everywhere, and everything. [[Answer it]] [[Keep ignoring it]]

Eventually the hall opens up into a large open room with lots of windows. There are dozens of desks placed around the room. At some of the desks, people are diligently working. [[Look out the window]] [[Approach a desk]]

They lead you to another room. The room is empty except for a large blank canvas on an easel. When you turn back, they are holding a palette and paint brush. They hand you the paints and leave. [[Paint "The Old Bridge"|Correct Painting]] [[Paint "The Pantheon with the Port of Ripetta"|Correct Painting]] [[Paint "The Fire of Rome"|Correct Painting]] [[Paint "The Raft of the Medusa"|Wrong Painting]]

You've decided this job isn't worth keeping. You should call your sister. THE END.

You worked hard today, but you can't help but feel like you took a wrong turn somewhere. You head home, hoping for a fresh start in the morning. THE END.

You leave through the only door in the room. The hallway outside is unfamiliar, long and straight. [[Walk down the hall]]

Today could have gone better. Hopefully tomorrow will be a fresh start. THE END.

You ignore the ringing, but it doesn't stop. It becomes louder. [[Cover your ears]] [[Throw away the phone]]

There is a door to your right, and a door to your left. There is also a door above you. (set: $seenZDoor to 1) [[Try something else|Head down the hall]] [[Ponder the door above you]]

It's been a long day, and you feel good about it. A successful first day, tomorrow will be even better. THE END.

You could cut the tension with a knife. They seem to be waiting for you to signal something, but you never do. They turn and leave the room. A succesful first day. For you anyway. THE END.

You look around but don't see any way up. However there is a plaque on the ground that reads "Just go up" [[Just go up]] [[Try something else|Head down the hall]]

No. [[Approach a desk]]

[[Tell them the new employee will be here this week]] [[Tell them there is no budget for a new employee]]

The room on the other side of the door is small, but it fits a large desk. Behind the desk is a cheery woman with thick brown hair, Her nametag reads "**(text-rotate-z:180)[Tova]**" "(text-rotate-z:180)[You must be the new hire! I'm Tova. I'll be setting you up for your first day. Can I have your badge for a moment?]" [[Look at her in confusion|Tova Fixed]] [[Confidently nod your head|Tova Fixed]]

It's a drawer. [[Wait|Intake day one]]

As soon as you place the papers in the drawer, a new stack of papers is in your hand. (set: $paperPulls to $paperPulls + 1) (if: $paperPulls < 5)[ [[Pull them out]] [[Place them back in the drawer]] ](else:)[ The drawer slams shut. You are able to pull your hands free without losing them or the papers. [[Read the papers]] ]

It seems like a normal door. Looking closer, you can see a plaque on the side that reads "**Intake**", but there doesn't seem to be a way up. [[Look for a way up]] [[Try something else|Head down the hall]]

You set the papers out in front of you on the desk. [[Read the papers]]

(if: $paperPulls is 0)[ You open the door and place the badge inside. As soon as you let go of the badge, there is a stack of papers in your hand. ](else:)[ You place the stack of papers back in the drawer. As soon as you let go of them, a new stack appears in your hands. ] (set: $paperPulls to 0) [[Pull them out]] [[Place them back in the drawer]]

Again, you speak without thinking. (if: $paperPulls is 1)[ "Looks like you're heading to the security office. Head back to the room where you got your badge and hand these to Ray, he'll give you your post." They take the papers and leave the room. Well done, a successful day. THE END. ] (if: $paperPulls is 2)[ "Looks like you're heading to the security office. Head back to the room where you got your badge and hand these to Ray, he'll give you your post." They take the papers and leave the room. Well done, a successful day. THE END. ] (if: $paperPulls is 3)[ "Looks like you're heading to the security office. Head back to the room where you got your badge and hand these to Ray, he'll give you your post." They take the papers and leave the room. Well done, a successful day. THE END. ] (if: $paperPulls is 4)[ "Oh personel, looks like we'll be coworkers." They smile as you read the papers. "And an intake specialist. That's my job too, you'll love it." You hand them the papers. As soon as they take them, you find yourself surrounded by a thick blackness. There is no light in any direction, the air feels still and cold, and you feel nothing underneath your feet. THE END. ] (if: $paperPulls is 5)[ "Looks like you're heading to the security office. Head back to the room where you got your badge and hand these to Ray, he'll give you your post." They take the papers and leave the room. Well done, a successful day. ]

You refuse to take their badge. They continue to try to hand it to you, but you will not take it. After a few moments, they lower their hands, defeated. They turn and leave the room. A successful first day. THE END.

You sit the papers onto the desk. They come out in a neat stack, surprisingly dry and expertly collated. [[Read the papers]]

You nod your head, insisting that, yes, that is in fact the person assigned to help them. They look at you confused for a moment, but they both shrug and cross the room to the person you indicated. The three of them begin arguing. You can hear them, but you can't understand what they're saying. Something begins ringing in your pocket. There seems to be a phone in there. [[Answer it]] [[Let it ring]]

There's no more canvas on the easel, there's nothing for you to paint on. [[Leave for the day]]

You swallow, the paper scratches as it goes down your throat. You feel like you swallowed all of it, but your mouth is still full of paper. (set: $paperPulls to $paperPulls + 1) (if: $paperPulls < 5)[ [[Spit out the paper]] [[Swallow]] ](else:)[ It's too much. Maybe if you'd skipped breakfast you could keep this up, but you didn't, so you can't. You spit the papers onto the desk. They are surprisingly dry. [[Read the papers]] ]

You try to walk around the desk, but it takes up most of the room and there isn't much room on the sides, so you go over. The seat isn't terribly comfortable, but it's better than nothing. [[Wait|Intake day one]] [[Open the drawer]]

You tap their shoulder, and they turn to face you. "Can I help you?" (set: $chosePlants to 0) [[Tell them you're an HR Generalist and you're here to help]] [[Apologize and leave|Approach a desk]]

"Are you sure that's them?" [[Yes|Stand by your HR claim]] [[No, sorry, that's not them]]

They accept this answer and return to their work. [[Look at the clock]]

They aren't happy about this news. You get the feeling that they are overworked, and that soon, the workers will rise up and overthrow the corrupt overlords that sit upon the gilded throne to which they are shackled. You understand that, when that day comes, you will have to choose a side, but you get the impression that you may have already made your choice. Maybe you should have said something else. THE END.

They reply in unison, "It's about time. We've been trying to solve this all day". [[Ask what the problem is|The problem]] [[Nod wisely, and wait for them to continue|The problem]]

They look perplexed for a moment before they respond. "Oh really? I'm not sure if I need an HR Generalist right now. What exactly does HR stand for?" (if: $chosePlants < 1)[ [[Horticulture Renegade]]] [[Human Resources]] [[Horse Rancher]] [[Hubert Robert]]

"Oh you're welcome dear. That means a lot, too many people forget to say thank you these days. (set: $tovaLikesYou to 1) [[Leave through the door]]

"We need a third person to finish this job. HR told us they would send someone, and that was a week ago. Nothing since. Can you tell us when we can expect our new worker so that we can correctly plan the rest of our work?" [[Tell them the new employee will be here this week]] [[Tell them there is no budget for a new employee]] [[Tell them the new employee is already here, and point to someone else in the room]]

You stop to think about this door. There's got to be a trick to it, maybe it's a psychic door. [[Try to think the door open]]

You dig in your pocket for the phone, you finally find it and throw it across the room. Strangely, no one reacts to the vibrating missile. But it didn't help. You can still hear the ringing in your pocket. [[Cover your ears]] [[Try to throw the phone away again|Throw away the phone]]

"(text-rotate-z:180)[Oh dear, am I still on upside-time? Let me fix that real quick]" The woman behind the desk rotates her nametag, you can now see that it reads "**Tova**" (set: $tovaLikesYou to 0) "Welcome to your first day, sorry about that. It'll happen to you before long. Now as I was saying, if you'll just hand me your badge I can get started on your intake" [[Hand her your badge]] [[Do not hand her your badge]]

You try to pull on the door, but there's no handle, so you kind of just paw at it. (set: $triedPull to 1) [[Try something else|Try to open it]]

You push as hard as you can, which seems a bit much for a door anyway. The door doesn't budge. (set: $triedPush to 1) [[Try something else|Try to open it]]

This door doesn't have a handle, or hinges. It actually looks more like a wall than a door, but it's giving big door energy. [[Try to open it]] [[Try something else|Head down the hall]]

You open the door to your right. It seems to be a bathroom. [[Try something else|Head down the hall]]

How? (if: $triedPush < 1) [ [[Try pushing]] ] (if: $triedPull < 1) [ [[Try pulling]] ] (if: $triedPull >= 1 and $triedPush >= 1) [ [[Think about it...]] ] [[Try something else|Head down the hall]]

(set: $doorTries to $doorTries + 1) (if: $doorTries <= 10)[ You think very hard at the door, but it doesn't budge [[Try something else|Head down the hall]] [[Try to think the door open]] ](if: $doorTries >= 11 and $doorTries < 13)[ It doesn't seem like this is a door after all. It might just be a wall. [[Try something else|Head down the hall]] [[Try to think the door open]] ] (if: $doorTries >= 13 and $doorTries < 15)[ It's not going to open. Just give up. [[Try something else|Head down the hall]] [[Try to think the door open]] ] (if: $doorTries >= 15)[ No. You know what. We're done here. I do not get paid enough for this. I used to be in commercials. Not big ones, but they were nationally syndicated. People recognized my voice, and when it told them to buy things, they listened. Now I have to sit here and watch you think at a door all day? No. No way. I'm not doing this anymore. My dad was right, Narrator school was a scam. I'm done with this, and I'm going home. THE END ]

The discussion continues. You can hear the words, but can't understand them. It doesn't seem like it'll be ending any time soon. [[Interrupt them]]

You wait for several minutes, but nothing changes. [[Take her seat]] [[Wait|Wait intake specialist]] [[Leave]]

You walk for several moments, past a few doors that are closed. Not much seems to be going on at this end of the hallway. [[Keep walking the same way]] [[Turn around|Walk down the hall]]

"First day! Exciting! Here's your badge, you'll need it if you decide to leave the campus for lunch, otherwise you can just keep it in your pocket. Head down the hall to the intake office, it's the first door on your Z. Tova will finish getting you set up." (set: $doorTries to 0) (set: $triedPush to 0) (set: $triedPull to 0) (set: $seenZDoor to 0) [[Head down the hall]]

"You must be the new hire!" The words start coming out of your mouth before you have a chance to think of what to say. "I'll be setting you up for your first day. Can I have your badge for a moment?" They nervously glance around, but they hand you their badge. [[Refuse the badge]] [[Put it in the drawer]] [[Eat it]]

You finish the painting and turn to look for the exit. When you turn, the person who brought you here is standing behind you. "This is very nice, but I was hoping for a landscape. I do appreciate the motion and the contrast poses though. It is getting late, maybe you can try again tomorrow" They seem appreciative, but you get the feeling you messed up. They leave the room. [[Leave for the day|Leaving failed]]

There's a small refrigerator plugged in on the back wall of the barn. You open it to reveal bowls of cold fruit and vegetables. [[Grab a carrot]] [[Grab an apple]] [[Grab a pear]] [[Nevermind|Leave the barn]]

You leave the long barn, returning to the cold night. There's no moon tonight, but as your eyes adjust the light of the stars is enough to see where you're going. You head towards the porch light in the distance. The single bulb creates an oasis of light in the deep shadows that blanket the ranch at night. (if:$tovaLikesYou is 1)[ [[Sit on the porch for a bit|Sit on porch Happy]] [[Go inside|Go Inside Happy]] ](else:)[ [[Sit on the porch for a bit|Sit on porch unhappy]] [[Go inside|Go Inside unhappy]] ]

You hold the carrot out to Mystery. She takes a bite off the tip and loudly crunches for a few seconds before swallowing and coming back for more. After a while, only the top of the carrot is left in your hand. You extend your hand, fingers flat, and let Mystery take the last piece of the carrot. She brays happily. [[Leave the barn]]

You grab a crisp red apple. You can't remember, but you're pretty sure it's a Honeycrisp. You walk back to Mystery and hand her the apple. She happily takes it from your outstretched hand. Her teeth brush the tips of your fingers, and you remember what your father told you about keeping them flat when feeding a horse. Mystery seems satisfied with the apple, she loudly crunches on it, her tail swishing back and forth. [[Leave the barn]]

You grab a pear, the most disappointing of all fruits. [[Contemplate the pear]] [[Feed it to Mystery]]

What a disappointing fruit. It's like a diet apple. You're not even sure where you got this one. The apples came from the orchard and the carrots came from your own garden, but do you have a pear tree? However you feel about pears, Mystery doesn't seem to mind them. [[Feed it to Mystery]]

Mystery happily takes the pear from your hand, braying softly as she chews it. 'Suppose there's no accounting for taste. [[Leave the barn]]

You pull open the door, careful to not let it get caught in the wind, and go into the house. It's an old house, it was an old house when you were born in it, and that history seeps out of every board. The floor is covered in warm, aged wood, the walls of the hallway are covered in wallpaper with a whimsical pattern, animals dancing in a forest. The walls are covered in pictures of your sister and her kids, your parents, and all the places you and Tova have been together. As the memories seep into you and warm your bones,, the smells of the dinner Tova prepared start to envelope you. [[Go into the kitchen]]

There's a couple of nice wooden chairs on the porch, along with a long bench with room for a few people. You sit on the wooden bench and look out at the ranch. It's quiet, for now. It's almost Christmas, so your sister will be coming home with her kids soon. You make a mental note to check the saddles in case the kids want to go riding. After a few moments of sitting in silence, the door to the front of the house opens. Your wife, Tova, leans out of the door, she blows her curly brown hair out of her face before speaking "I was wondering where you were. I thought you might have taken Mystery for a midnight ride again. Come on inside dear, dinners getting cold." [[Follow her inside]] [[Ask her to sit with you]] [[Tell her you'll be in in a minute|Ask her to sit with you]]

You walk inside the old farmhouse, slapping your hand to the left of the door, hitting the light switch without looking. The old bulb crackles to life and lights up the hallway. You kick off your boots and hang your jacket on one of the hooks by the door, the rest of them are empty. You walk into the kitchen without turning on a light and go over to the fridge. The pale light of the fridge reveals your options. [[Take the stew]] [[Take the pizza]] [[Close the fridge]]

You sit on the single metal chair on the porch. It's cold enough that you can see your breath, but not so cold that you can't enjoy it. The ranch is much quieter since your father passed, that must have been what, five years ago? Six? Either way, you wonder how much longer you can do this. You think of your sister, working in an office in the city. Wonder what she's up to tonight, you should call her. You should have called her when dad died. You should have called her a bunch of times. Your stomach growls loudly, reminding you you haven't eaten since lunch. [[Go inside|Go Inside unhappy]]

You look at the stew, but remember you decided to go vegetarian this year. Cold pizza it is. As you pull out the pizza box, you look at the microwave for a second before sitting down at the table and tucking in. It's not bad. It's from some local place in town, it's one of those thick pizzas that's better cold than it is fresh. You finish the rest of the pizza in the box, feeling a little bit of accomplishment at your meat free night, and head into the living room to watch some TV before bed. It's too late for the news, so you switch the TV to a channel that plays old black and white movies. Your dad loved this one, your sister did too. She really was just like him. You should call her. THE END.

You close the fridge and head over to the pantry. There's some instant ramen, the kind that comes in a cup. You heat up some water in the kettle and pour it in the cup. The boiling soup has a sweet, comforting aroma. Once it's ready, you grab a pair of wooden chopsticks from the drawer and start eating. It's not as good as the ramen you had in Japan, back when you were stationed there, but it's warm and filling. You look across the kitchen into the living room, wondering if you can still read any of those books on the shelves. You should go back to Japan some day, as a tourist this time. Maybe not Japan, maybe Korea. Somewhere, you should go somewhere. THE END.

There's a plastic container full of thick brown stew with chunks of what you're pretty sure are beef and potatoes floating in it. You're not sure how old it is, but it smells fine. As you dump the stew into a pot on the stove, you remember that you were planning on going vegetarian this year. Oh well. The hot stew warms your stomach, but you don't eat much before heading to bed, where you'll lie awake for a few hours before the sun rises and you start the day again. THE END.

As soon as you cross the threshold into the house you can smell dinner. The air is filled with the smell of warm spices and fresh vegetables. Tova went ahead of you and started setting the table. You hurry to get your boots off and neatly set them next to her running shoes by the door. The hooks by the door are full of reusable grocery bags and lighter coats, so you lay your jacket on the small bench under the hooks. [[Go into the kitchen]]

She looks at you, and without a word and sits down on the long bench beside you. She lays her head on your shoulder and slides her arm under yours, looking out at the ranch for a few breaths before speaking. "Sometimes, I can't believe how beautiful this place is. I've seen the world with you, but I'll always come back to this view." You don't say anything, you just look down at her. She's right, night time on the ranch is beautiful. It's strange and alien, the moon and the stars light the land in a pale white, like a cold sun. It's beautiful, but not as beautiful as her. Eventually your stomach reminds you that you haven't eaten since lunch. Tova hears the rumbling and smiles. She gets up silently and opens the door to the house, you follow behind her. [[Follow her inside]]

Walking into the kitchen you can see Tova already seated. There's two plates of rich tomato stew on the table, each with a poached egg on top. A loaf of warm bread steams in the middle of the table next to a bowl of spiced lintels. For just a moment, you marvel at the fact that she managed to do all of this and work a full day. The stew tastes like home. THE END.

You nod your head, but don't say anything. They look at you for a moment before responding slowly "Well, that's good. I don't believe there are any plants here though, so maybe you want to try a different desk?" [[Leave|Approach a desk]] [[Prune the plant]]

You produce a pair of plant scissors from your pocket and begin trimming their leaves. They seem like they would protest, but they are a plant, and as such have no mouth. You trim a few leaves here and there, making sure the branches aren't over crowded, but still look full. It's a lovely plant, though you think it could be more subversive. Maybe tomorrow you'll do better. THE END.

You exit from the only door in the room, and find yourself in a different room. It's a long room, dominated by an only slightly shorter table. There is a door on the other side of the room with a pane of frosted glass in the center. Aside from that, there are no windows. [[Look through the door window]] (if: $lookedInside is 0)[[Look in the bag]]

You look into the bag and see a gun. (set: $lookedInside to 1) [[Try to give it back]] [[Leave with the gun|Take the bag and leave]]

You try to hand the bag back to Tova, but she won't take it. "I'm sorry, I've already filed the paper work, there's nothing I can do now." [[Leave with the gun|Take the bag and leave]]

[[RING RING]]

You can't really see through the window. Occasionally a shadow will pass in front of it on the other side, but you can't make out any details. [[Open the door]] [[Crack the door and peak out]] (if: $lookedInside is 0)[[Look in the bag]]

(set: $buildingAlerted to 0)(if: $gunDrawn is 0)[ You appear to be on the bottom floor of an office building, there are a few people milling about with folders and papers, but no one seems to notice you. [[Go up the stairs]] (if: $lookedInside is 0)[[Look in the bag]] ](else:)[ You step out into the bottom floor of an office building. At first no one notices you, but then someone turns towards you and notices your new gun. They open their mouth, wider than should be possible, and a megaphone begins to extrude from their throat (set: $sirenTimer to 9) (live: 1s)[ (set: $sirenTimer to $sirenTimer - 1) (if: $sirenTimer > 0)[[Shoot the siren creature]] (if: $sirenTimer <= 0) [(go-to: "Bottom Floor Alerted")] ]]

You crack the door slightly, you can see some movement, people pass in front of the door quickly, but no one seems to notice you. [[Open the door]] (if: $lookedInside is 0)[[Look in the bag]]

You look into the bag and see a gun. (set: $lookedInside to 1) (set: $name to (history:)'s last) (link: "Pretend you never saw it")[(goto: $name)] (link: "Ditch the bag, you've got a gun now")[ (set: $gunDrawn to 1) (goto: $name) ]

You act on reflex, firing your gun before the siren creature lets out a sound. The gun makes no sound and the creature simply vanishes. The other people on the floor don't seem to notice. [[Hide the gun and go up the stairs|Go up the stairs]] [[Go up the stairs without hiding the gun]]

The Siren creature lets out a loud, blaring alarm sound that echoes through out the bottom floor of the building. You notice the three other people on the floor have dropped their papers and bags. They raise their hands, the flesh peels away and blades extend upward from their wrists. [[Prepare to fight]] (link: "Just wait. Maybe they're friendly")[(set: $creaturesShot to 0)(go-to: "End of Blade Hands encounter")]

(if: $creaturesShot < 3)[ You weren't quick enough, one of the blade handed creatures reached you and removed your head from your body. THE END. ](else:)[ As the dust settles you look in front of you and see the stairs unoccupied. You can hear alarms going off elsewhere in the building. (set: $buildingAlerted to 1) [[Go up the stairs]] ]

(if: $buildingAlerted is 0)[You climb the stairs to the second floor. There is no one on this floor that you can see. There are three hallways that spread out from the landing, each ending in a door with a frosted glass window like the one you entered through. (set: $firstDoorOpened = 0) [[Try the first door]] [[Try the second door]] [[Try the third door]] (if: $lookedInside is 0)[[Look in the bag]] ](else:)[You climb the stairs, you can hear sirens blaring near by. When you reach the top of the stairs, there are three employees pointing long rifles at you. When you look closer, you can see the rifles are coming out of the ends of their left arms. [[Point your gun at them]] [[Raise your hands above your head]] ]

You start to walk up the stairs with your gun drawn. You pass by another office worker who does a double take and notices the gun. The person points their hand at you, and the flesh peels away as a long sharp blade extends from their wrist. You notice two other people near by have transformed their hands into blades and are looking at you. [[Prepare to fight]] (link: "Just wait. Maybe they're friendly")[(set: $creaturesShot to 0)(go-to: "End of Blade Hands encounter")]

The three blade handed creatures charge towards you. (set: $Blade1Timer to 3) (set: $Blade2Timer to 3) (set: $Blade3Timer to 3)(set: $creaturesShot to 0) (set: $firstLinkClicked to 0)(set: $seoncLinkClicked to 0)(set: $fthirdLinkClicked to 0) (live: 1s)[ (set: $Blade1Timer to $Blade1Timer - 1)(set: $Blade2Timer to $Blade2Timer - 1)(set: $Blade3Timer to $Blade3Timer - 1) (if: $Blade1Timer > 0 and $firstLinkClicked is 0)[(link: "Shoot the first creature")[(set: $creaturesShot to it + 1)(set: $firstLinkClicked to 1)]] (if: $Blade2Timer > 0 and $secondLinkClicked is 0)[(link: "Shoot the second creature")[(set: $creaturesShot to it + 1)(set: $secondLinkClicked to 1)]] (if: $Blade3Timer > 0 and $thirdLinkClicked is 0)[(link: "Shoot the third creature")[(set: $creaturesShot to it + 1)(set: $thirdLinkClicked to 1)]] ] (live: 5s)[ (stop:) [(go-to: "End of Blade Hands encounter")] ]

Three of them, three shots. You can do this. (set: $Shoot1Timer to 3) (set: $Shoot2Timer to 3) (set: $Shoot3Timer to 3)(set: $creaturesShot to 0) (set: $firstLinkClicked to 0)(set: $seondLinkClicked to 0)(set: $thirdLinkClicked to 0) (live: 1s)[ (set: $Shoot1Timer to $Shoot1Timer - 1)(set: $Shoot2Timer to $Shoot2Timer - 1)(set: $Shoot3Timer to $Shoot3Timer - 1) (if: $Shoot1Timer > 0 and $firstLinkClicked is 0)[(link: "Shoot the first creature")[(set: $creaturesShot to it + 1)(set: $firstLinkClicked to 1)]] (if: $Shoot2Timer > 0 and $secondLinkClicked is 0)[(link: "Shoot the second creature")[(set: $creaturesShot to it + 1)(set: $secondLinkClicked to 1)]] (if: $Shoot3Timer > 0 and $thirdLinkClicked is 0)[(link: "Shoot the third creature")[(set: $creaturesShot to it + 1)(set: $thirdLinkClicked to 1)]] ] (live: 5s)[ (stop:) (if: $creaturesShot < 3) [(go-to: "Take the bullets")] (else:) [(go-to: "Shootout success")] ]

You raise your hands in a gesture of peace, they do not seem to notice as they each fire their rifles. [[Take the bullets]] [[Dodge the bullets|Take the bullets]

You walk down the hall and open the door. Behind it is an empty conference room with a large round table. On the table sits a conference phone, with a light blinking that indicates it's connected to a call. (set: $firstDoorOpened = 1) [[Say something]] [[Leave and try another room]]

This door appears to be locked. (if: $firstDoorOpened is 0)[[Try the first door]] [[Try the third door]]

You open the third door. It opens into a lavish office with a large wooden desk. Sitting at the desk is a bald man in a finely cut suit. "I knew they'd send you eventually." He says as the door slides shut behind you. "I knew it couldn't last forever. When I was young, I thought I was clever. I thought I was using all the right tricks and no one would find out, but as I watched the others go down, I knew my time was coming. Do me a favor? Have a drink with me first?" [[Have a drink with him]] (if: $lookedInside is 0)[[Look in the bag]](if: $lookedInside is 1)[[Shoot him]] (if: $lookedInside is 1)[[Set the gun down on his desk]]

Just before the bullets hit you, you reflect on the choices you've made today. Maybe they weren't the best. THE END.

Your gun makes no sound, it feels like firing a toy. The gun handed beings in front of you each disappear as invisible bullets lance outward from your gun. Now that the landing is clear, you can see that there are three long hallways branching out in a T-shape, each hallway ends in a simple door with a frosted glass pane. [[Try the first door]] [[Try the second door]] [[Try the third door]]

You speak into the silent room. A voice replies from the phone. "Yeah, Dave, is that you? I think you may need to fix your mic Dave, I can't really hear you" [[Move closer to the phone and speak again]] [[Leave and try another room]]

[[Try the second door]] [[Try the third door]]

"Oh yeah, that's much better" the voice from the phone seems happy. "Anyway, we were talking about next years budget. It seems like we may need to up our spending on security after the incident last week. We were thinking we could make some cuts in your department to pay for it. How do you feel about that?" [[Agree to the cuts]] [[Fight the cuts]]

"Thanks Dave, so you can probably hang up now. And you won't be getting severance, since you technically just decided to quit. Do try to finish whatever you had left for this sprint by the end of the week, since you'll be turning in your badge on Friday" [[Leave and try another room]]

"Look Dave, I know you care about your employees a lot, but this is for the greater good. This is what being a manager is about." [[Agree to the cuts]] [[Refuse the cuts]]

"Alright, if you really feel that strongly about it, we'll look for somewhere else to make the cuts. We may be able to save some money by cutting the meal subsidies. Thanks for the input Dave." [[Leave and try another room]]

This time, the gun makes sound. A lot of it. This time you see the bullet. This time he doesn't disappear. You know the job is done, but it's hard to feel good about it. THE END.

He goes to a cabinet in the side of the room and pulls out two fine crystal glasses. He pours clear liquid from an elegant decanter into each glass and hands you one. [[Take a sip]] [[Throw it in his face]]

You set the gun down on the table. He looks at it for a moment, then he looks at you. There is a gratitude in his eyes when they look at you, like he knows you've done something for him, but you're not really sure what's going on. Without another word, he picks up the gun, points it at you and pulls the trigger. THE END.

It's just water. "Water. The finest beverage. It really is the nectar of the gods." He downs his entire glass in one go. "I used to want to be a sailor. When I was younger, I wanted to be a fisherman or a merchant. Live on a boat, love on a boat. Then I found out you couldn't drink the sea water and I thought 'Whats the point?'. In retrospect, maybe I should have stuck with it." [[Let him keep talking]] [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

He spits a little bit out of his mouth and wipes his tie on his face. "I deserved that probably, everything I've done. I guess you don't want to hear the ramblings of an old man. Go ahead and finish it then. I'm tired." [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

"It just looks so refreshing doesn't it? And so many different flavors. Sometimes it's steely blue, it blends into the sky and goes on forever. Sometimes it's bright and sweet like a berry. But even though it looks delicious, it's not. You think you can just reach down and take a sip, but then it tastes like salt. Not just salty, it tastes like salt." [[Let him keep talking|Let him keep talking 2]] [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

"And did you know it's full of life? Fish. There's just so many different kinds of fish. And they're so colorful, like birds made of glass gliding through the water. Surely they must drink it as they swim through it? Are they immune to it's salty ways?" [[Let him keep talking|Let him keep talking 3]] [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

"There's just so many kinds of fish. Sturgeon, Pike, Salmon, Tuna, Cod, Bass, Sole..." [[Let him keep talking|Let him keep talking 4]] [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

"Tilapia, Whitefish, Walleye, Snapper, Swordfish, Mackerel..." [[Let him keep talking|Let him keep talking 5]] [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

"I'm sure you don't want to just sit here and listen to an old man list his regrets. When it's time it's time. Go ahead and do it." [[Shoot him]] [[Set the gun down on his desk]]

"Oh you're welcome dear. That means a lot, too many people forget to say thank you these days. (set: $tovaLikesYou to 1) [[Leave through the door|Leave through the door sanitation]]

When you leave through the door, you find yourself in a large supply closet. The wall is lined with various cleaning supplies. [[Grab the mop and bucket]] [[Grab the power washer]]

You grab the mop and bucket and wheel it out into the hallway on the other side of the door. [[Start cleaning here]] [[Walk around and look for something to clean]]

You grab the power washer and secure the tank to your back. You walk back out through the door behind you. You're in a large courtyard, though you still seem to be inside the building. [[Start washing]]

It's a long hallway, but you've got time. You start cleaning up and down the hallway. It's not visibly dirty, but that doesn't mean it's clean. [[Do a good job|Finished Mopping]] [[Do a great job|Finished Mopping]] [[Do your best|Finished Mopping]]

The hall is pretty clean, it looks like it can go at least a few more days without a deep cleaning, so you walk around looking for a spot that really needs attention. Eventually, you stumble onto a room with two guards standing outside of it and yellow tape around the door. [[Ask what happened here]] [[Keep walking]]

(set: $dirtCleaned to 0) (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]                                                    (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]              (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]                                                                               (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]                           (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]                                                                                                                     (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]                                                                                                                     (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]] (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]              (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]                                                                                                                                                              (link: "Clean the dirt")[(set: $dirtCleaned to it + 1)(if: $dirtCleaned >= 8)[(go-to: "Pressure Wash Success")]]

You've gotten most of the dirt cleaned off. It was surprisingly satisfying, but it did take a while. The water tank on your back feels light, almost empty. [[Refill the tank and leave for the day]] [[Leave without refilling the tank]]

It has been a while since you've had such a physical day. You feel good about the work you've done. THE END.

It has been a while since you've had such a physical day. You feel good about the work you've done, but in the back of your mind it seems like you missed something. THE END.

It took a while, but you finished mopping. You feel like you made a difference today, even if some people might disagree. It may not look like a lot, but it's an endless battle. If you weren't doing it, it wouldn't get done, and if it didn't get done, this place would fall apart eventually. As you pack up and get ready to go home, you think about how every job deserves a living wage. Maybe in the past, when living was cheaper and you didn't need five years of experience to get an entry level position it was okay to say "This job is for kids, it's to teach them the value of hard work, not to help them afford a house", but that's not the way the world works anymore. And yeah, it's true that you enjoyed what you did today, but just because it's "a passion", doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to put food on the table and a roof over your head. It's been a long day, and you feel like you've learned a lot. THE END.

"This is the Classics Department, so it's hard to tell. It's either chocolate syrup or blood. We haven't found a body, or a bottle yet, so we're calling it an active investigation." You look past the guard into the room, everything beyond is drained of color, like an old film. You see some sort of sticky, thick liquid splattered all over the room. [[Offer to clean the room]] [[Keep walking]]

The hallway seems to go on forever, but it's mostly clean. [[Start cleaning here]] [[Keep walking|Keep walking 2]]

"Clean the room? Clean an active crime scene?" The guard looks at you, confused, for a moment, and then continues, "I'm not really sure that's the best idea." [[Insist on cleaning the room]] [[Agree and leave|Keep walking]]

"I don't think you should, but sanitation isn't my department, and if you say it's okay, I believe you." [[Clean the room]]

You duck under the tape and start cleaning the room. The sticky substance doesn't quite come up with just water. If it's blood, you'll probably need a concentrated bleach solution, if it's chocolate syrup you can probably just use normal all purpose cleaner. Somehow, you know that the bleach is in a blue bottle, and the all purpose cleaner is in an orange bottle. The only problem is, there's no color in this room. [[Grab the gray bottle|All purpose]] [[Grab the gray bottle|Bleach]]

You keep walking down the hallway, you see a door coming up on your left. You look at the sign by the door, it says "Supplies". [[Open it|Open supply closet]] [[Keep walking]]

This looks like the closet you started in, except it's missing a mop. [[Return the mop and leave for the day]] [[Grab the power washer]] [[Go back to the hall and look for something to mop|Grab the mop and bucket]]

You didn't actually do anything today, but that's okay. Some days there's just nothing to do. It's not important that you're working, it's important that you're getting work done. THE END.

You grab the gray bottle and spray some onto the stain on the floor. It smells caustic. [[Wipe it immediately|Wipe it immediately bleach]] [[Let it sit a bit, then wipe it|Let it sit bleach]]

You spray some of the gray bottle onto the nearest stain. It smells floral and kind of citrusy at the same time, maybe Yuzu or Orange Blossom. [[Wipe it immediately|Wipe it immediately all purpose]] [[Let it sit a bit, then wipe it|Let it sit all purpose]]

It wasn't quick, but you manage to clean the whole room, top to bottom. You can barely tell that whatever happened here happened. You wheel your mop back out into the hallway and down to the supply closet. By now, the guard has left for a coffee break. You're not sure how long he's been gone, but you're sure he'll be impressed when he gets back. THE END.

You wipe the stain with your rag immediately after spraying it with the gray bottle. It doesn't seem to do much. [[Try the gray bottle again|All purpose]] [[Switch to the gray bottle|Bleach]]

Letting it sit doesn't really change anything. You've diluted the stain some, but now the floor is covered in a slightly thinner version of the same thick liqud. [[Sometimes you have to quit while you're ahead]] [[Try the gray bottle again|All purpose]] [[Switch to the gray bottle|Bleach]]

It comes up a little better, but you're still kind of just spreading it around. [[Spray some more of the gray bottle|Bleach]] [[Switch to the gray bottle|All purpose]]

You let the spray sit on the stain for a bit and then go at it with your rag. It comes up cleanly from the tile floor. You're going to need a couple of rags and some time to do this, but at least you know what you're doing now. [[Finish cleaning the room]]

It's getting late, and you probably shouldn't have started cleaning this room anyway. You start to wheel your mop back out into the hall. The guard sees you and nods, smiling. He thanks you without looking back into the room. This job is much harder than you thought it would be, you may need to invest in some training. THE END.