Foul Play by Cheryl Cheng

Foul Play

Played 950 times
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The maximum score is 325.

Rule for deciding whether all includes scenery: it does not. 
Rule for deciding whether all includes a person: it does not.

A thing can be distant or near. A thing is usually near. 
A thing can be found or lost. A thing is usually found.

A thing can be examined or unexamined.

After taking something unexamined:
    say "Taken. [run paragraph on]";
    try examining the noun.

Shattering is an action applying to one thing. Understand “shatter [something]” and “shatter [something] with mallet” as shattering.

Understand "read [something]" as examining.

Carry out examining something:
    now the noun is examined.
Rule for printing room description details of a closed container: stop.

Instead of doing anything other than examining to a distant thing: 
say "[The noun] [if the noun is plural-named]are[otherwise]is[end if] too far away."

Understand "man" as a man. 
Understand “woman” as a woman.

Talking to is an action applying to one visible thing. Understand "talk to [someone]" or “converse with [someone]” as talking to.

When play begins:
say “[italic type]You, Detective Jameson, are responding to some local complaints about the Davis Family Circus. You step out of your car and you look around. Your task right now should be to find Danny Davis, the manager of this circus.[paragraph break][roman type]”

The sky is a backdrop. “The sky is big and vast, with numerous grey clouds covering the sun. It looks like it is going to rain." The sky is everywhere. The ground is a backdrop. "The dirt of the fairground is mixed with rocks and cigarette butts. There is nothing interesting about it.” The ground is everywhere. Understand "dirt" as the ground. 

The Fairground is a room. “The empty fairground is littered with deserted food carts and flyers. A bright neon sign that says ‘Davis Family Circus’ blinks ominously and hangs precariously off the edge of a rugged building. A faint smell of hot dogs wafts through the air, and a gust of wind blows a stray flyer to your feet. Above you, a group of seagulls are sitting on a sign. An empty ticket booth is by the entrance of the circus. The food bar is to the West, the Circus Tent is to the North, and the Game Room is to the East.”

The mime is a man in the Fairground. “To your left, there is a Mime standing off to the side, entertaining some children. He looks at you for a moment, but then turns away.” The description is “Upon closer examination, the Mime does not seem exceptional, but he does seem a little sad. His face is caked with black and white makeup. You may want to ask the Mime for directions.” The mime is wearing makeup. Understand “Jacob” and “Jacob Davis” as the mime.

Instead of talking to the Mime:
	say “The Mime does not seem inclined to answer you, but he gestures vaguely to the Circus Tent in the north.”

Check showing the letter to the Mime:
if the score is maximum score begin;
	say "After laying out all your evidence to the Mime, he breaks down crying, admitting to the crime of killing his beloved brother. Blind with remorse, he asks you to take him in to the authorities so that he may get what he deserves. You bring Jacob Davis in a few minutes later. However, when you are filling out the official report, you don't feel any better.";
end the game in victory;
otherwise;
	say "the Mime shrugs helplessly and turns away. When he thinks you aren't looking, he sneaks suspicious glances at you.";
end if;
reject the player’s command.


	
The flyer is in the Fairground. The description of the flyer is "The flyer is purple. The words 'Welcome to Davis Family Circus!' is printed boldly across the front. Right below the heading, you read ‘since 1998’."

seagulls are in the Fairground. The description is “The seagulls are grey and colourless. They make loud noises as they pass above your head.” Understand “birds” and “gulls” and "seagull" as the seagulls. The seagulls are fixed in place. 

Instead of listening to the seagulls:
	say “Honk.”

Some visitors are in the Fairground. The description is “There are some families still visiting the circus, even on a rainy day like this. Some girls are holding balloons and talking softly to their parents. Another family is walking towards the circus tent.” Understand “people” and "children" as the visitors. The visitors are fixed in place. 

The ticket booth is in the Fairground. The description of the ticket booth is “The booth is empty, but you decide to inspect it anyway.” The ticket booth is fixed in place.

The pen is in the ticket booth. The description is “This is a black pen.” 

The stamp of the Davis logo is in the ticket booth. The description is “The stamp looks dry. It has not been used in a long time.” Understand “stamp” as the stamp of the Davis logo. 

Instead of going south from the Fairground:
	say "You cannot exit the Fairground, Detective."

Instead of going nowhere from the Fairground:
	say "You cannot go that way."

The Food Bar is west of the Fairground. “The outer eatery is empty, apart from a couple visitors. The smell of pizza in the is stale, as if this area hasn’t been populated in a very long time. The electronic menu is not turned on, but there is an array of food choices at the buffet table. You wonder if the food is cold. The Food Bar Restroom is to the West and the Fairground is to the East.”

The buffet table is a scenery supporter in the Food Bar. The description is “On the buffet table, you can see pizza, hot dogs, fries, soda, and water.” Understand “table” as the buffet table.

The garbage disposal is a scenery supporter in the Food Bar. The description is “The black garbage disposal is nearly empty.” Understand “garbage” and “disposal” as the garbage disposal.

The slice of pizza is on the buffet table. “The pizza looks cheap.” The slice of pizza is edible. The description is “Upon closer inspection, the slice of pizza is cold and a little bit moldy.” Understand “pizza” as the slice of pizza.

The hot dog is on the buffet table. “The hot dog does not look appetizing.” The hot dog is edible. The description is “Upon closer inspection, you can see little pockets of fat on the sides of the sausage. You can feel your cholesterol rising by just looking at this hot dog.”

Some fries are on the buffet table. “There are fries.” The fries are edible. The description is “The fries look unappetizing and oily.”

The stack of cutlery is on the garbage disposal. “There are knives, forks, and spoons on the table.” The description is “The plastic cutlery has ‘Davis’ engraved on the sides. All of the cutlery is plastic, which you do not approve of.” The stack of cutlery is fixed in place.

The bloody knife is an object. The knife is on the garbage disposal. The description is “The handle and blade of the knife are both bloodstained. The blood is not dry, so you know that this must be the murder weapon. It looks like any other generic knife from the kitchen.”

After examining the knife for the first time:
	increase the score by 50;
	say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of major evidence![roman type]"

The cracker is on the buffet table. “There is a cracker on the table.” The description is “The cracker is flaky and dry; it was most likely left by the children you saw earlier. You think you should leave it untouched.” 

Instead of eating the cracker:
	say “That is both unnecessary and unsanitary, Detective.”

Instead of going nowhere from the Food Bar:
	say "You cannot go this way."

The Food Bar Restroom is west of the Food Bar. “There is a small, foggy window on the walls of the restroom. A faint smell of paint fills your nose, and you use your jacket collar to cover the invasive stench. From what you can see, the bathroom is empty, and you think you hear a couple small mice scurry away in the farthest stall. The mirrors have all been clouded over with years worth of grime. The stall doors seem innocuous, but you should investigate it anyway. The entire room looks relatively untouched for a long time. The Food Bar is to the East.”

The stall door is scenery in the Food Bar Restroom. The description is “The stall door is covered with different coloured comments made by previous customers. Nothing interesting catches your eye, except the tiny ‘He has no words’ on a corner of the stall door.” Understand “door”, “restroom stall door”, “washroom stall door”, "stall doors", and “bathroom stall door” as the stall door. 

After examining the stall door for the first time:
	increase the score by 25;
	say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of minor evidence![roman type]"

Instead of going nowhere from the Food Bar Restroom:
	say "You cannot go this way."

The Game Room is east of the Fairground. “The air in the Game Room is stifling and difficult to breath in. Bright neon lights are taped near the ceiling, giving the room an iridescent magenta glow. The paint on the walls is peeling and you think you can see a wet spot in a ceiling corner. A game booth for Darts sits to your left, and a Ring Toss game booth sits to your right. A game of High Striker lies against the wall with a mallet right beside it. The Fairground is to the West and the Hall of Mirrors is to the East.”

The Fire Eater is a man in the Game Room. “You see a fire eater standing in the corner, fiddling with his sticks, which spark with flames.” The description is “When he sees you, he straightens his back and tosses one of his sticks in the air, as if to intimidate you. You are not fazed. There are bits of soot on his face.”

Instead of talking to Fire Eater:
	say “'I do not want to talk to you.'”
Instead of showing the scrapbook to Fire Eater:
	say “'Danny made that scrapbook for us when we first opened up this circus. I'm just thankful that I was included at all. He was like a brother to me.'”

The High Striker is scenery in the Game Room. The description is “The game is coloured with bright yellow and blue stripes, with a glass bulb at the top of the scale. There are scratches along the sides of the game. It has not been played in a long time.” Understand “striker” as the high striker. 

Instead of doing anything other than examining with the high striker: 
	say "You do not have time to play right now." 

The mallet is in the Game Room. “There is a mallet lying beside the High Striker.” The description is “The heavyweight mallet is blue in colour. On one side of it, the paint is scratched off.” 

The Darts Game is scenery in the Game Room. The description is “There is a stout little man sitting inside the booth. He is reading a piece of newspaper intensely and does not seem like he will answer you. You can see a torn up picture on a pillar of the game booth, held up by a stray dart.” Understand “darts”, "dart", and "dart game" as the Darts Game. 

The torn up picture is in the Game Room. The description is “The photo is of two men. One of them is very obviously the Ringleader, with his telltale top hat and brightly coloured clothes. The other man is dressed plainly. You cannot identify the other man. The picture seems like a joyous occasion. The Ringleader is smiling widely at the camera with his arm around the other person, but suspiciously, the other man is stoic and frowning.” Understand “picture” as the torn up picture.

After taking the torn up picture when the torn up picture is not handled:
	increase the score by 25;
	say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of minor evidence![roman type]"

The Ring Toss Game is scenery in the Game Room. “The Ring Toss booth is currently empty. There is nothing special about this booth.” 

Instead of going nowhere from the Game Room:
	say "You cannot go this way."

The House Of Mirrors is east of the Game Room. “The Hall of Mirrors is disorienting. You can see your own reflection from every angle, and you fear that if you go too deep into the building, you will never find the way out. To your left, you can see a section with different types of mirrors, designed to entertain children. There is a wavy mirror, a convex mirror, and a concave mirror. There is a red mirror that looks cracked. It seems to have something stuck behind it. The Game Room is to the West.”

wavy mirror is scenery in the House of Mirrors. The description is “Your legs look overly elongated and your upper body looks squished. Truly entertaining.”

convex mirror is scenery in the House of Mirrors. The description is “Your entire body has taken the shape of beanstalk.”

concave mirror is scenery in the House of Mirrors. The description is “Your body has been squished beyond recognition. This is the highlight of your day.”

The red mirror is a closed openable container in the House of Mirrors. The description is “The red mirror is held in a silver metal frame. The top of the mirror has started to crack and seems to be breakable. Something — a piece of paper — peeks out from behind the glass.” The red mirror is fixed in place. 

Instead of shattering the red mirror: 
	if the player carries a mallet begin;
		now the red mirror is open; 
		now the red mirror is not openable; 
		now the red mirror is unlocked; 
		now the red mirror is not lockable; 
		now the printed name of the red mirror is "Shattered Mirror”;
		say "You smash the red mirror with the mallet, revealing the letter behind it.";
	if the player does not carry a mallet,
		say "You do not have enough strength to break the mirror with your bare hands.";
	end if.

The letter is in the red mirror. “This is a letter.” The description is “As you read through the letter, you discover that Jacob, the Mime, is the Ringleader’s younger brother. The letter is addressed to Jacob. It speaks of how their family has decided to give the bulk of the family inheritance to Danny, who they deemed to be a better and more capable heir. One side of the letter is crumpled up, presumably from anger.”

After taking the letter when the letter is not handled:
  increase the score by 100;
  say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of major evidence![roman type]"

Instead of going nowhere from the House Of Mirrors:
say “You cannot go this way."

The Circus Tent is north of the Fairground. “The Circus Tent is freely flapping in the wind, with red and blue stripes making it the centerpiece of the carnival. A faint smell of mold lingers in the air. There are some hoops and torches resting against the wall, behind the bleachers. To make things more interesting, there is a pile of scattered popcorn on the ground. The desolate atmosphere makes you shiver, pulling your coat tighter around you. It's unnerving to see such a happy place to be reduced to an empty lot. The Dressing Room is to the West, the Fairground is to the South, the Stables are to the East, and the Circus Tent Restroom is to the North.”

The hoops are scenery in the Circus Tent. The description is “The hoops are decorated with bright shimmering neon tape.”

The torches are scenery in the Circus Tent. The description is “A pair of torches sit next to the hoops. Their handles look worn, as if someone has been using them for a long time. The name [italic type]‘SAM’ [roman type]is engraved on the sides. You wonder if that is the fire eater’s name.”

The bleachers are scenery in the Circus Tent. The description is “Rows and rows fill up the tent, reminiscent of a time when this carnival was teeming with life.”

There is scattered popcorn in the Circus Tent. The description is “Nobody has bothered to sweep up the scattered popcorn. They look dried out and old.”
Instead of eating the scattered popcorn:
	say “That is incredibly disgusting, Detective.”

The red door is north of the Circus Tent and south of the Circus Tent Restroom. “There is a red door to the north of the Circus Tent. The paint on it has faded, leaving it with a washed up appearance. The brass knob of the door is so small that if you didn’t look at it carefully, you would have missed it.” The red door is a scenery door. The red door is lockable and locked. The red key unlocks the red door. 

Before going through the red door: 
	if the red is closed begin;
	if the red door is not locked begin;
		say "You push open the red door. [paragraph break]"; 
		now the red door is open; 
	otherwise if the player carries the red key;
		say "You open the door with the red key, then push open the door. [paragraph break]"; 
		now the red door is unlocked; 
		now the red door is open.;
	otherwise;
		say "You need the red key to open the door.";
		end if;
	end if.

Igor is a man in the Circus Tent. “There is a man dressed in a tight suit standing to your left, but he doesn’t seem particularly friendly.” The description is “Upon closer examination, you see a name tag on his tight suit that says [italic type]‘IGOR’ [roman type]in bright yellow letters. The man is very clearly an acrobat, as he was practicing rolls and flips before you walked into the tent.” Understand “man” as Igor.

Instead of talking to Igor:
	say “[one of]You put on your best smile and walk up to the man. ‘Good morning, I am Detective Jameson, sent by the Detroit Police Department to investigate some neighborhood disturbance claims of Danny Davis?’[paragraph break]Igor scans you up and down for a while, then deems you safe. ‘How can I help you, Detective Jameson?’ He says in a heavy Russian accent.[or]‘I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of your manager — Danny Davis’ — office.’[paragraph break]Igor looks a little bit annoyed, but he grunt in the western direction. ‘You have to go through the dressing room to get to the Ringleader’s Office. He should be waiting for you.'[stopping]”.
Instead of showing the scrapbook to Igor:
	say “To your utmost surprise, Igor seemed a little emotional when you brought up the scrapbook with him. Looking sorrowful, he says: ‘This is one of my favourite pictures that I have with Mr. Davis. When he took my sister, Svetlana, and I in, we were very poor and on the verge of losing our house. He took us in and gave us a real home. It is unbelievable that he is no longer with us.’[paragraph break]Igor seemed genuinely upset, so you refrain from asking him any more questions.”

Instead of going nowhere from the Circus Tent:
say "You cannot go this way."

The Dressing Room is west of the Circus Tent. “The first thing that hits you as you walk into the dressing room is the smell of cheap perfume and makeup. The room is unlit except for the light coming from the makeup mirror lights. Racks and racks of costumes adorn the left wall, and you think you can see various sparkly shoes poking out from under the couch on the right. There are various stains on the sofa, and you do not think you would like to find out what they are. There is a woman sitting in front of the only makeup mirror that is turned on. The Ringleader’s Office is to the South and the Circus Tent is to the East.”

Some costumes are scenery in the Dressing Room. The description is “There are more costumes than you can count in this dressing room. You can see sequins, reflective material, silk, and if you squint you think you can even see a swimsuit.” Understand “clothes” as the costumes. 
Instead of doing anything other than examining with the costumes: 
	say "I don’t think that’s what costumes are for, Detective." 

Svetlana is a woman in the Dressing Room. The description is “The woman is wearing a matching tight suit as the male acrobat outside. Her name tag has [italic type]‘SVETLANA’ [roman type]printed in bold letters as well. Her rick scarlet hair is startling against the black of her costume. The mascara that she is applying to her eyes brings out her very light eyes. As you walk closer, you realize how beautiful she is.” Understand "woman" as Svetlana.
Instead of talking to Svetlana:
	say “Giving you a cold stare through the reflection of the makeup mirror, she continues doing her makeup without answering you.”
Instead of showing the scrapbook to Svetlana:
	say “My brother and I came to this circus with almost nothing at all. Mr. Davis was one of the kindest men I know. I don’t know who would do this.”

Instead of going nowhere from the Dressing Room:
	say "You cannot go this way."

The Ringleader’s Office is south of the Dressing Room. “The Ringleader’s office is a lot smaller than you expected. There are no windows anywhere in the room, making the air inside the office very humid and stuffy. The yellow wall paint is peeling and the smell of mildew wafts through the air. The Dressing Room is to the North.” 

The desk is in the Ringleader’s Office. “There is a desk, adorned with little trinkets.” The desk is fixed in place. The drawer is part of the desk. The drawer is a closed openable container. “The desk has only one drawer.” In the drawer is a red key. The description of the desk is “It is a worn wooden desk covered in scratches. There were various trinkets strewn across the surface of the desk, and you can even see a photo frame on one of the corners. The papers on top were thrown around as if they had been hastily flipped through. You can see a drawer on the left side of the desk.” The description of the drawer is “ The drawer is wooden and small with an elaborate gold handle. It seems to be unlocked.” 

Instead of opening the drawer when the ringleader is in the Ringleader's Office:
say "That would be very disrespectful to Mr. Davis, Detective Jameson."

The description of the red key is “It’s a plain key with a red handle. On the keyring, there is a small laminated label with [italic type]‘D.D’ [roman type]written on it. There is a small engraving that says ‘DO NOT COPY’.” The red key unlocks the Circus Tent Restroom door.
Instead of taking the red key:
	now the player carries the red key;
say “You put the red key into your pocket.” 

The painting is an openable container in the Ringleader’s Office. “Against the opposite wall, there is a large askew painting of Danny Davis, looking as bright as the sun.” The description is “It seems to be a portrait of himself in his costume, sitting on a golden horse. He was a stout man and the size of his top hat made him appear even smaller. He had on a charming smile and greased back hair. The painting is uncentered and loosely hanging.” 

Instead of doing anything other than examining the painting when the ringleader is in the Ringleader's Office:
say "That would be very disrespectful to Mr. Davis, Detective Jameson."

The safe is a closed locked container. "You use a considerable amount of effort to move aside the painting, revealing a safe." The description of the safe is “It is a dark iron safe with a rotary dial.” The safe is in the painting.

The rotary dial is part of the safe. The dial has a number called current setting. The current setting of the dial is 1. The dial has a number called max setting. The max setting of the dial is 2000. The description of the dial is "The rotary dial has two thousand numbers, 1 through [max setting]. At the moment it's set to [current setting]." 

Instead of turning the dial: 
	increase the current setting of the dial by 1; 
if the current setting of the dial > max setting of the dial begin;
	now the current setting of the dial is 1; 
	say "You turn the dial to [current setting of the dial].";
end if.

Understand "set [something] to [number]" as setting the state of it to. Setting the state of it to is an action applying to one thing and one number. Understand "turn [something] to [number]" or "turn [something] to setting [number]" or "turn [something] to position [number]" or "adjust [something] to [number]" or "adjust [something] to position [number]" or "adjust [something] to setting [number]" as setting the state of it to. 

Check setting the state of it to: 
if the noun is not the rotary dial begin;
say "You can't set [the noun] to a number." instead; 
end if;
if the number understood < 1, say "The lowest setting is 1." instead; 
if the number understood > max setting of the dial, say "Sorry, the dial can only be set from 1 to [max setting of the dial]." instead. 

Carry out setting the state of it to: 
now the current setting of the noun is the number understood; 
say "You turn the dial to [number understood]." 

Every turn when the location is the Ringleader’s Office:
if the current setting of the rotary dial is 1998 begin;
now the safe is unlocked;
end if.

The scrapbook is in the safe. The description of the scrapbook is “The cover of the scrapbook is a faded warm blue. The pages let out a satisfying crackle when you turn them, and the smell of old paper meets your senses. The photos in the book depict many people, most of whom you have not met, building the colorful food stalls and putting up this tent that has outlived its time. Some pages are dedicated to their first show, with the caption [italic type]‘OPENING NIGHT’ [roman type]printed underneath.[paragraph break]Towards the end of the book, the photos begin to look more weathered. The final page holds one yellowed image. It is a candid photo of a group. A tall and lanky man is separated from the group, wearing an annoyed look, while the rest are gathered together eating. Among the large group, Danny Davis seems to stand out. The text beneath says [italic type]´DAVIS REUNION’.[roman type][paragraph break]You should probably show this to everyone at the carnival to see their reactions.”

After taking the scrapbook for the first time:
	increase the score by 50;
	say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of major evidence![roman type]"

The Ringleader is a man in the Ringleader’s Office. The description is “The Ringleader, a round little man, sits at the desk across from you. His charming face is unsuspecting, as if he does not know what you are here for. He is currently dressed in his showtime costume, although his top hat rests upside down beside him. You dislike the idea of having to question him.” Understand “Danny”, “Mr Davis” and “Danny Davis” as the Ringleader.

Instead of talking to the Ringleader:
	say “[one of]You speak first. ‘Mr. Davis, I am Detective Jameson with the Detroit Police Department. I’m here on some neighborhood disturbance reports. I’m hoping that you will answer some questions for me.’[paragraph break]Jovially, the Ringleader replies, seemingly unfazed. ‘It would be my pleasure to answer any questions you have.’[or]For the next couple of minutes, you ask Mr. Davis about how his carnival is run and any possible events that might have occurs to encourage the neighborhood to call this report in.[paragraph break]He continues to answer your questions, but you can tell by the sweat on his brow that he is afraid of what you may do if he answers a question wrong. He is slowly and slowly getting most uncomfortable. It is not an uncommon reaction, considering the fact that you are a police officer.[or]A couple more minutes pass.[paragraph break]Mr. Davis is now visibly agitated, which is not your original intention, but you understand that it is inevitable. You try to quell his anxiety, but it gets to the point that you may have to have a look around the circus in order to fill in your official report. His answers are less than satisfactory. Mr. Davis seems to understand this.[or]In the middle of asking him another question, he puts his sweaty hand up and stops you.[paragraph break]’Detective Jameson, I can tell that my answers are not to your standards. If it will make you feel better, I give you free reign to look around my circus to answer any questions you have that I cannot answer. Feel free to talk to any of my employees.’ You are about to press him a bit more, but you decide at the last minute that this compromise is acceptable. You nod solemnly and refrain from question him anymore.[stopping]”

The dead body is an object. “The dead body of Mr. Davis is lying face down on the floor.” The description is “You pull on your gloves. Upon closer examination, you can see multiple stab wounds on his sternum and his torso. A trickle of blood flows from his mouth, and you can tell that he has not died for very long by the heat coming from his body. His coat is drenched by the puddle of blood that is surrounding him. If you look close enough, you swear that you can see the blood still flowing from his body. You are hit with a wave of nausea. Even after being a detective for 7 years, you cannot get used to the sight of a dead body. When you think you have enough evidence to convict the murderer, you must show them your most compelling piece of evidence in order to prove them guilty. You must collect all the evidence.” Understand “body” as the dead body. The dead body is fixed in place.

The Office's boolean is a truth state that varies. The Office's boolean is false.

Every turn when the location is the Ringleader’s Office:
now the Office's boolean is true.

Every turn when the location is not the Ringleader’s Office:
if the Office's boolean is true and the dead body is not in the Ringleader’s Office begin;
now the dead body is in the location of the ringleader;
remove the ringleader from play;
now the bloody knife is on the garbage disposal;
now the towel is in the Circus Tent Restroom;
end if.

Instead of going nowhere from the Ringleader’s Office:
say "You cannot go this way."

The Circus Tent Restroom is a room. “Just like the bathroom in the food court, the stale smell of mildew hits you the moment you walk in. The walls are a yellowed white, with some unidentifiable stains on the ceiling. A small window on the furthest wall is barred, but lets in a pale beam of sunlight. If you concentrate, you can hear the birds flickering outside. The light is flickering. The Circus Tent is to the South.”

Some fixtures are scenery in the Circus Tent Restroom. The description is "The restroom fixtures are not very interesting." Understand "sink", "toilet", "faucet", “stall door” and "mirror" as the fixtures. 
Instead of doing anything other than examining with the fixtures: 
	say "This is unnecessary, Detective Jameson." 

The towel is an object. “You notice a crumpled dark blue towel on the floor. Somebody must have dropped it in haste.” The description is “You hold the towel by the only corner that is untouched. The towel quickly unravels itself to reveal several stains of red, black, and white powder. With closer examination, you conclude that the substance is makeup.” 

After examining the towel for the first time:
	increase the score by 50;
	say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of major evidence![roman type]"

Instead of going nowhere from the Circus Tent Restroom:
say "You cannot go this way."


The Stable is east of the Circus Tent. “The stench of the animals is very strong. You cover your nose with your coat collar in an attempt to keep the smell out. The ground is covered with a deep layer of hay, and you can see several water buckets near the far wall. The room is semi-open, allowing light to travel in. You can see a few animals around, but there is nobody here. The Circus is to the West and the Loading Dock is to the North.”

The elephant is an animal in the Stable. “To your surprise, a small gray elephant is huddled in one of the stalls.” The description is “The baby elephant is crouched in a pile of hay in one corner of its stall. Its huge ears cover up half of its face and when it gets up to go get a drink from its water bucket, its legs shake with the effort to support itself. Your favourite animals are elephants. You can barely contain the glee of finding one here.”
Instead of touching the elephant:
	say “You can’t reach it from here, but you give it a little wave and it tilts its head in response.”
Instead of talking to elephant:
	say "'...'"

The horse is an animal in the Stable. “In another stall is a tall black and white horse.” The description is “The horse lifts its head to greet you. Unlike what you’ve seen at the carnival so far, the horse’s coat is shiny and smooth and it seems to be well taken care of.”
Instead of touching the horse:
	say “The horse grunts, but tolerates your petting.”
Instead of talking to horse:
	say "'...'"

The cat is an animal in the Stable. “From the corner of your eye, you spy a large orange tabby cat dozing on top of a hay bale.” The description is “It appears to be asleep, with only its tail twitching, until you step on a twig and it flinches. It reminds you of your own cat Marmalade, who is probably window-watching right now.”
Instead of touching the cat:
	say “You offer it a chin scratch and the cat happily accepts.” 
Instead of talking to cat:
	say "'Meow.'"

The parrot is an animal in the Stable. “A colourful parrot perches on a wooden beam.” The description is “The parrot is rather large; it is likely a macaw. It squawks and glares at you with its beady little eyes. You stare back, but the parrot refuses to blink, and you reluctantly look away. It sure seems talkative today.” Understand “Polly” and “macaw” as the parrot.
Instead of talking to the parrot:
	Say “‘Polly wants a cracker!’”
Instead of touching the parrot:
	say “You lift a hand, but the parrot recoils and screeches in protest. ‘Polly wants a cracker!’it announces expectantly.”
Instead of listening to the parrot:
	say “The parrot puffs out its chest, and it seems to appreciate your attention.”
Instead of giving the cracker to the parrot:
	say “The parrot snatches up the cracker greedily and you wait for it to finish. The parrot swallows the last crumb, gives its feathers a shake and chirps, ‘Mimic! Mimic!’”;
	remove the cracker from play;
	award 25 points;
	say "[italic type]You have collected a piece of minor evidence![roman type]"

Instead of going nowhere from the Stable:
say "You cannot go this way."

The Loading Dock is north of the Stable. “The loading dock is sparsely populated. The room smells faintly of bleach and gasoline. There are a couple open trucks near the entryway, and you see two movers smoking cigarettes at the side of the dock. Several unopened boxes labeled ‘Food’ and ‘Costumes’ are lying around. Some are stacked as high as you. The Stable is to the South.”

The trucks is scenery in the Loading Dock. The description is “There are four blue trucks at the entrance of the loading dock. They all have the words [italic type]‘DAVIS FAMILY CIRCUS’ [roman type]printed in bold on the side of the vehicle. A fine layer of dust rests over them, making it obvious that they haven’t been cleaned in a long time. Some of the trucks were open, allowing you to see into the back, where additional piles of boxes sit. You vaguely wonder why a barren circus like this still needs so much supplies.”
Instead of doing anything other than examining the trucks:
	say “You are not permitted to do that, Detective.” 

The boxes is scenery in the Loading Dock. The description is "There are more boxes than you can count lying around, but you don't think they will be of any use to you."

The plural-movers is a privately-named person in the Loading Dock. The plural-movers is scenery. “The two movers are sitting on a couple empty boxes while sharing a cigarette.” Understand "movers", “workers”, and "people" as the plural-movers. The printed name of the plural-movers is "movers". 

Instead of examining the plural-movers: 
	say "The man and the woman are both wearing overalls and short sleeves, with grime and sweat soaking through the backs of their shirts. They are quietly conversing, and they eye you with distrust."

Instead of doing anything other than examining with the plural-movers: 
	say "You'll need to choose one of the movers and try again." 

Mover 1 is a man in the Loading Dock. “The man is hunched over with his elbows on his knees, and he looks middle aged.” The description is “He blows smoke out of one side of his mouth as he watches you. A faded green bandana covers the front of his hair and he wipes his greasy hands on his jeans while he passes the cigarette to the woman.”
Instead of talking to mover 1:
	say “You ask the man about what it’s like to work under Mr. Davis, but he seems reluctant to answer you. He looks at the woman helplessly and sighs deeply through his nose. ‘Sir, I don’t know your business around here, but Teresa and I don’t like to be involved in the gossip of the carnival. Mr. Davis would get angry if we talk too much.’”

 Mover 2 is a woman in the Loading Dock. “The woman is leaning against the wall. She looks much younger than the man beside her.” The description is “Contrary to the man, the woman is wearing a faded red bandana. She keeps staring at you while you move around the Loading Dock.”
Instead of talking to mover 2: 
	say “The woman seems to be more receptive than the man. ‘Sir, I don’t want to get to get too much into it, but Mr. Davis is very close with all of his performers. The acrobat twins are like family to him, and I think that fire eater named Sam has some deep history with Mr. Davis.’[paragraph break]The woman looks around, as if to make sure nobody is listening before she says what she said next. ‘That Mime — Jacob — I think he had some quarrel with Mr. Davis in the past. They’ve never been as close as the other employees, but recently the tension has become so thick around them you could cut it with a knife.’ After saying this, she takes the cigarette away from the man and takes a deep breath. It doesn’t seem like she will answer any more questions.”

Instead of going nowhere from the Loading Dock:
	say "Your work isn’t finished yet, Detective. You shouldn’t be leaving the premises."