The Box by Hannah C

The Box

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Source Code

"The Box" by Stormchild

The number of endings is a number that varies. The number of endings is 6.

Part 1 - Room

The White Room is a room.
"A featureless white room, 15['] across in every direction. Light comes from each corner, filling the room with a diffuse white light that casts no shadows."

The Box is fixed in place in the white room.
"Suspended in the center of the room is a white box."

The description of the box is "About 6' across on every side."

Part II - Sides

The left side is an openable closed container. It is part of the box.
The description of the left side is "This side seems to open."

The right side is an openable closed lockable locked container. It is part of the box.
The description of the right side is "This side seems to open."

The new-right is a thing.
The description of the new-right is "There is a barcode stamped on the side of the box."
Understand "right" and "side" as the new-right.

The barcode is part of the new-right.
The description of the barcode is "Alas, you can't read barcodes."

The front is part of the box.
The description of the front is "There is a square hole in the front."

The new-front is an openable closed container with printed name "front".
The description of the new-front is "It looks like the front opens now."
Understand "front" as the new-front.

The back is part of the box.
The description of the back is "There is a round hole in the back."

The new-back is an openable closed container with printed name "back".
The description of the new-back is "It looks like the back opens now."
Understand "back" as the new-back.

The panel-back is a thing.
The description of the panel-back is "There is a small round button on the back."
Understand "back" as the panel-back.

The small round button is part of the panel-back.
The description of the small round button is "Small and red."

The top is part of the box.
The description of the top is "There is a triangular hole in the top."

The new-top is an openable closed container with printed name "top".
The description of the new-top is "The top seems to open now."
Understand "top" as the new-top.

The bottom is part of the box.
The description of the bottom is "Plain and featureless."

The new-bottom is a thing.
The description of the new-bottom is "Plain and featureless.";
Understand "bottom" as the new-bottom.

Part III - Holes

The square hole is an open unopenable container. It is part of the front.
The description of the square hole is "About 1' across."

The round hole is an open unopenable container. It is part of the back.
The description of the round hole is "About 1' across."

The hexagonal hole is an open unopenable container in the right side.
The description of the hexagonal hole is "About half an inch across."

Instead of taking the hexagonal hole:
say "That seems to be part of the right side."

The triangular hole is a open unopenable container. It is part of the top.
The description of the triangular hole is "About 2' across."

Part IV - Pegs

The round peg is in the left side.
The description of the round peg is "About 1' across."

The square peg is in the left side.
The description of the square peg is "About 1' across."

The hexagonal peg is in the new-back.
The description of the hexagonal peg is "About half an inch across."

The triangular peg is in the new-front.
The description of the triangular peg is "About 2' across."

The glass cylinder is in the new-top.
The description of the glass cylinder is "About 1' across, and seemingly hollow - filled with a faint pink gas."
Understand "faint", "pink" and "gas" as the glass cylinder.

Part V - Inserting

Chapter 1 - Square Peg

After inserting the square peg into the square hole:
say "The peg slides into place and the hole closes up. You hear a faint click from the right side.";
remove the square peg from play;
remove the square hole from play;
now the description of the front is "Totally featureless.";
now the right side is unlocked.

After inserting the square peg into the triangular hole:
say "There is an awkward silence before the slot closes up.";
remove the square peg from play;
remove the top from play;
now the new-top is part of the box.

Instead of inserting the square peg into the round hole:
say "That doesn't seem to fit."

Instead of inserting the square peg into the hexagonal hole:
say "That doesn't seem to fit."

Chapter 2 - Triangular Peg

After inserting the triangular peg into the triangular hole:
say "There is a quiet popping sound, then a door opens in the east wall.";
end the story saying "Proceed to the next test chamber (2/[the number of endings])".

Instead of inserting the triangular peg into the round hole:
say "That doesn't seem to fit."

Instead of inserting the triangular peg into the hexagonal hole:
say "That doesn't seem to fit."

Chapter 3 - Round Peg

After inserting the round peg into the square hole:
say "There is an odd grinding sound, then the slot closes up.";
remove the front from play;
remove the round peg from play;
now the new-front is part of the box.

After inserting the round peg into the triangular hole:
say "There is a faint buzzing noise, then the box flickers and vanishes.";
end the story saying "You lost the box (5/[the number of endings])".

After inserting the round peg into the round hole:
say "The peg slides into place and the hole closes up.";
remove the round peg from play;
remove the back from play;
now the new-back is part of the box.

Instead of inserting the round peg into the hexagonal hole:
say "That doesn't seem to fit."

Chapter 4 - Hexagonal Peg

After inserting the hexagonal peg into the round hole:
say "There is a crackling from inside the box somewhere as the hole closes up.";
remove the hexagonal peg from play;
remove the back from play;
now the panel-back is part of the box.

After inserting the hexagonal peg into the triangular hole:
say "There is an odd shimmering from the corner of the room as the hole closes up.";
remove the hexagonal peg from play;
remove the back from play;
now the new-back is part of the box;
remove the right side from play;
now the new-right is part of the box.

After inserting the hexagonal peg into the hexagonal hole:
say "There is a quiet popping sound, then a door opens in the north wall.";
end the story saying "Proceed to the next test chamber (1/[the number of endings])".

Chapter 5 - Glass Cylinder

After inserting the glass cylinder into the square hole:
say "There is the brief sound of breaking glass, and then a cloud of pink vapour bursts out of the hole.";
end the story saying "You were killed by deadly neurotoxin (3/[the number of endings])".

After inserting the glass cylinder into the round hole when the bottom is on-stage:
say "There is the brief sound of breaking glass, and then a cloud of pink vapour bursts out of the hole.";
end the story saying "You were killed by deadly neurotoxin (3/[the number of endings])".

After inserting the glass cylinder into the round hole when the bottom is off-stage:
say "There is a low thrumming from somewhere inside the box, followed by the sound of breaking glass, then all the lights go out.";
end the story saying "You broke the box (4/[the number of endings])".

After inserting the glass cylinder into the triangular hole:
say "There is the brief sound of breaking glass, and then a cloud of pink vapour bursts out of the hole.";
end the story saying "You were killed by deadly neurotoxin (3/[the number of endings])".

Instead of inserting the glass cylinder into the hexagonal hole:
say "That doesn't seem to fit."

Part VI - Other Actions

Instead of pushing the bottom:
say "There is a soft click from somewhere inside the box.";
remove the bottom from play;
now the new-bottom is part of the box.

Instead of pushing the small round button:
say "The room is purged with fire.";
end the story saying "You incinerated yourself (6/[the number of endings])".