Echoes of the Manor: A Haunted House Escape by Emma Li

Echoes of the Manor: A Haunted House Escape

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"Haunted House Escape"

The Living room is a room. "You wake up and find yourself sitting on the carpet of what seems to be a very dimly lit, living room. As you look around the room, everything about it feels strangely familiar, but something feels off. To the west, you see what looks like a mudroom that leads to the front door of the house. There is a dark hallway to your south." 

The House spirit is a person in the living room. "Suddenly, a faint shimmer catches your eye and you watch as a figure materializes before you. It appears to be...a cat? It appears to be an orange tabby, with white paws. The cat regards you with a curious gaze, its tail swaying lightly from side to side. You have a feeling it's trying to communicate with you. A ray of light reflects off of its collar shining into your eyes. You then notice that the words 'House spirit' are written across it. " 

The description of the House Spirit is "A small orange cat". Understand "cat" as the House spirit. 

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

Check talking to: say "[The noun] doesn't reply."

To ask for help is a truth state that varies. 

Instead of touching the House spirit: 
	Say "The cat swats your hand away and says 'Don't touch me' " 
	
Instead of examining the House spirit: 
	Say "The cat regards you with a curious gaze, its tail swaying lightly from side to side. You have a feeling it's trying to communicate with you." 

The Letter is an object. The Letter is undescribed. The Letter is in the Living room. The description of the Letters is "Love letters exchanged between a couple."

Instead of examining the Letter:
	Say "The letter had tear stains on it staining some words. You read on: 
‘To my love, 

As I write these words, my heart aches with the weight of our parting. It was not an easy choice, and if I could’ve I would have never left you. Leaving us behind felt like a betrayal to my existence, for only in your presence, I find peace and joy. Until the day we are reunited, I carry you in my heart, a beacon of hope guiding me through the darkest of nights. I never have and never will forget you, our love remains unwavering and eternal.’"


Instead of talking to the House Spirit: 
	Say "'Hello', you say tentatively to the cat. 

The cat blinks at you slowly before responding, 'Greetings human, I am the house spirit of this house and I'm supposed to protect the house! It's my first day on the job and I've already encountered some trouble...You see, the house is cursed and I need your help to undo it before it brings harm to the future. Will you help me?’" 

Instead of asking House Spirit to try saying no: try saying no. 

Instead of asking House Spirit to try saying yes: try saying yes. 

Instead of answering House Spirit that "yes", try saying yes. 

Instead of answering House Spirit that "no", try saying no. 

Instead of saying yes in the presence of House Spirit: 
    say "The cat’s smile widens. ‘I just have a feeling we will get along perfectly! Now let’s see what we have to do to save this house!’

The cat disappears for a second and reappears this time with a letter hanging between its mouth. ‘I was instructed to give this to you. I am not sure about what is in the letter - wasn’t allowed to open it’ the cat said rolling its eyes in annoyance."

Instead of saying no in the presence of House Spirit: 
    say "The cat slowly blinks at you. 'Well you don’t have much of a choice, it seems that you are trapped in this house until you serve your purpose… helping me undo the curse!' 

The cat disappears for a second and reappears this time with a letter hanging between its mouth. ‘I was instructed to give this to you. I am not sure about what is in the letter - wasn’t allowed to open it’ the cat said rolling its eyes in annoyance."


The Mudroom is a room. The Mudroom is west of the Living room. "You enter the mudroom. It's dusty and looks like it hasn’t been used in years." 

The Front door is a door. The Front door is west of the Mudroom. The Front door is locked. 

The Hallway is a room. The Hallway is south of the Living room. "The hallway lights flicker and the floorboards creak with every step. It seemed to stretch on forever, however there were rooms on either side. 

To the northeast is a bathroom, and a wood door to the southeast. To the west is a kitchen and at the end of the hallway is a study room to the south." 

The Kitchen is a room. The Kitchen is west of the hallway. “As you walk in the kitchen, you are met with a sudden blast of cool air. As you adjust to the cold, you take a closer look in the kitchen and find a fridge and a large counter, all of which were covered in dust and spider webs.” 

The Salt is an object. The Salt is in the Kitchen. The Salt is undescribed. 

The Fridge is an object. The Fridge is in the Kitchen. The Fridge is undescribed. 

The Mint is an object. The Mint is in the Kitchen. The Mint is undescribed. 

The Counter is scenery. "The dark marble counter stretches across the kitchen. The counter is bare aside from a clump of salt." The Counter is in the Kitchen. The Counter is undescribed.

Instead of eating [object]: 
Say "Let’s not do that."

Instead of examining the Salt: 
Say "It is salt."

Instead of examining the Mint: 
Say "Very minty."


Instead of examining Fridge: 
Say "You open the fridge door, another cold blast of air hits you and in the middle you find a couple of rotten tomatoes and what looks like a bundle of mint." 

The Bedroom is a room. "As you open the door and walk in, a blinding flash of white light envelops you and before you know it your consciousness slips away…

You open your eyes slowly and look around only to find that you were back in your own bedroom! It has felt like forever trying to come back home and it certainly feels good. You adjust in your bed and feel something pressing against your thigh. As you look down, beside your hand and under the covers is a shiny key." 

The Bedroom is southeast of the wood door.

The wood door is a door. The wood door is southeast of the hallway. The wood door is scenery. The wood door is lockable. The wood door is locked. The gold key unlocks the wood door. The gold key is in the bathroom. 

The Bathroom is a room. The Bathroom is northeast of the Hallway. "As you enter the bathroom, a chill runs down your spine. It's a small, simple bathroom, with a shower and a toilet. On the right-hand side, there’s a sink with an antique mirror hanging on the wall above it. The mirror is large, taking up most of the space on the wall.The room is dimly lit with only a faint light beside the mirror."  

The Mirror is an object in the Bathroom

Amelia Smith is a person in the Bathroom. "As you glance at the mirror a ghost looks back at you through the mirror. Its figure slowly, flickering."

Understand "ghost" as Amelia Smith. 

Instead of examining the Mirror:
Say "You peer into the dusty surface of the mirror. It’s warped and cloudy, reflecting your image in a distorted way. Aise from your own reflection, you also see another face peering back at you from–a shadowy visage just beyond your shoulder." 

Instead of talking to Amelia Smith: 
	Say "‘Hello?’, you hesitantly ask the ghost.  

The figure flickers slightly, a woman in a faded nightgown materializing before you. Her expression is one of deep sadness, with furrowed eyebrows and a frowning mouth. Her eyes, filled with a longing that you can’t quite place, seem to look straight through you, glazed over and distant. You await a response, but only a mournful sigh escapes her lips."

Instead of giving the Letter to Amelia Smith:
now the Letter is carried by Amelia Smith; 
say "You give the Letter to Amelia Smith. 

Amelia unfolds the letter with trembling hands, her figure beginning to flicker faster. As she reads, the sadness that had burdened her fades. The creases between her eyebrows relaxing, the corners of her mouth lifting. Amelia breathes out a shaky sigh, but this time of relief.  With a gentle smile, Amelia looks at you. Her gaze now filled with gratitude, a silent thank you. ‘There is just…one thing…I need.. before I can finally join my love’, she whispers, her voice like a soft breeze. She looks you in the eye and whispers, ‘salt’. ";

Instead of giving the Salt to Amelia Smith:
now the Salt is carried by Amelia Smith; 
say "You give the Salt to Amelia Smith. 


Amelia’s form brightens as you hand her the salt. The moment you pass the salt over to her it disappears into Amelia’s now glowing form. She then whispers, ‘Thank you. Now, I’m truly coming home, my love.’ With a flash Amelia’s form dissolves. You then notice the ghost has left behind a gold key."

The gold key is in the bathroom. The gold key is undescribed. 

The Study room is a room. The Study room is south of the hallway.  "As you walk in you are met with an old vintage looking study. There is a desk at the side of the room and a big painting hangs in the middle of the wall."

The Desk is an object. The Desk is in the Study room. 

The Box is an object. 

Instead of examining the Desk: 
Say "You examine the desk. Like many other objects in the house, it’s an antique. It's once polished wood now dulled by a layer of dust. A box sits on the desk."

Instead of examining the Box: 
Say "The box is unopenable"

The hidden door is a door. "The couple in the painting smile." The hidden door is west of the secret passage and east of the study room. The hidden door is closed. Understand "painting" as the hidden door. The description of the hidden door is "The painting’s bottom reads ‘1867, the Smith’s’. You notice that the handwriting looks familiar…Upon closer inspection, you notice that the painting seems to be slightly ajar from the wall." 

The secret passage is a room. The secret passage is west of the library. "You enter the secret passage. Narrow stone walls hug at your sides as you squeeze your way through the passage.

To the east you see the Library. To the West you see the Study room." 

The Library is a room. The Library is east of the secret passage. "Once you enter the library you are faced with shelves of books–cobweb-lined and forgotten volumes. As you make your way further into the library, a worn-out diary catches your eye, lying on the floor in front of you." 

The Diary is an object. The Diary is in the Library. 

Instead of examining the diary: 
	Say “The diary seemed old, browning at the edges and was cracking on the bridge. The very first page reads ‘Amelia’s Diary’. You flip through the pages, her story no longer sealed in the confines of ink and paper. It reads: ‘I don’t know what went wrong or what I did but I am willing to wait for you. I trust that you will come back one day and we will never have to separate again.’ Another entry a week later reads as follows: ‘I don’t think I can continue to live here without your presence. Every day I spend is a wakeful day that reminds me of your absence. I will do whatever it takes to see you faster even if it means death.’”

After going southeast in the bedroom: 
	end the story saying "As you open the door and walk in, a blinding flash of white light envelops you and before you know it your consciousness slips away…

You open your eyes slowly and look around only to find that you were back in your own bedroom! It has felt like forever trying to come back home and it certainly feels good. You adjust in your bed and feel something pressing against your thigh. As you look down, beside your hand and under the covers is a shiny key. The End."