A Shadow from the Sky

You wake up in a small, cramped space, with no idea how you got there. Your first instinct is to check all your pockets for the usuals: Wallet, keys, phone. They're all gone. After getting your bearings, you realize you're in a closet. As far as you can tell, the closet is completely empty. The door stands just in front of you. (if: not $checkitems)[ [[Check the closet for items]] ] (if: not $nap)[ [[Go back to sleep for a bit]] ] [[Open the door]]

(set: $checkitems to true) You rummage around for a while, finding nothing but dust on the floor and a few dead bugs. None of those will help you get free of this place. [[Try something else|Opening]]

(set: $nap to true) A little more shuteye wouldn't hurt, right? After all, you've got a pretty nasty headache. You have a weird dream about Elvis and airplanes. You have no idea what it means. Also, you're not quite sure how long you slept. But you're still suck in the same spot. At least you're slightly less tired. [[Try something else|Opening]]

You swing open the closet door, hoping to figure out exactly where you are... and why. But before you can ask those questions, you notice a room full of goons. And worse yet, they notice you. All of them draw their guns and point them right at you. You've got a feeling your next decision may be your last. [[Get on the floor]] [[Try to reason with them]] [[Run back into the closet]]

(set: $checkitems to false) (set: $nap to false) (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[#A Shadow from the Sky A Pulp Noir Mystery] [[Begin|Opening]]

You hit the deck with an alarming speed, almost knocking the wind out of yourself. But it works somehow. All the goons are shooting at where you used to be, rather than wherre you are. In his haste to get closer to you, one of the goons catches some friendly fire. His machine gun goes rolling out of his hand, sliding across the floor toward you. Now you're packing heat! Time to fight fire with fire. What's your target? [[Everybody]] [[Shoot out the lights]] [[Fire a warning shot into the air]]

You step forward, keeping your hands up. This all has to be a big misunderstanding, right? "Hey, everyone. I can sense there's some tension. So how about we--" Whatever you were about to sell, they didn't buy it. As their bullets cut you to ribbons, your last thoughts are of New York. You don't know why. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

Hey. Did you know that neither drywall nor plywood are bulletproof? Well, you find that out the hard way. Bullets and shrapnel rip into you at a steady pace. You bleed out slowly, thinking about airplanes. You have no idea why. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

Shoot out the lights? Really? What is this, a movie?! It turns out this is a warehouse, full of florescent tube lighting. You manage to pop a few of them, but it's still way too bright in here. Your diversion does nothing, as the goons quickly readjust their sights and fill you with hot lead. The last thing you see is a sky as blue as ice. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

Just as you rise to your feet, you fire a warning shot into the air. This is a horrible idea, it turns out. A chunk of ceiling comes down and lands on you, knocking you right back to the floor. The goons surround you, shooting at you from all angles. The first bullet goes right into your head. At least you died quickly. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

No time to play it cool. Everyone here is trying to kill you. So the only answer is to take them all out. You scream and spray hot lead in all directions, spitting fire from your barrel. The others begin to scatter, taking shots at you from behind cover. After an intense game of cat-and-mouse, you manage to take all of them down. Just before the last one bites the dust, he laughs and throws a molotov cocktail. It misses you completely, but then you realize you weren't the intended target. This place is full of cardboard boxes, wooden crates, forklift fuel canisters, and who-knows-what. It's a friggin' powder keg, and the fire is stating to spread. You gotta do soemthing. [[Put out the fire]] [[Run]] [[Walk]]

You discovered two important things today: 1. Fire spreads very quickly, especially fire started from a liquid accelerant. 2. You're very flammable. You may have won the firefight, but you lost the fight with the fire. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

No time to think! Just run! Of course, you have no idea what the layout of this warehouse is, where any of the exits are, or how fast that fire is spreading. You round a corner and slip in an oil slick, knocking you flat on your back. The last thing you see is a burning chunk of ceiling, falling down right onto you. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

You remember what you were taught in elementary school. In a fire, always walk and never run. You keep your wits about you, despite the tense situation, and carefully walk away from the burning crates. You find yourself in a spot where the warehouse isn't a complete inferno. A sign on one of the trucks catches your eye: "REX LA BREA SHIPPING LLC." Rex La Brea. That explains things. He's a small-time crook with big dreams. He probably had you brought here to get you out of the way. But there's no time to dwell on that right now. You still need to make your escape. And as luck would have it, the exit door is right ahead! There are three keys on the rack next to the door. And that fire's spreading mighty fast. Only one shot at this. Which keychain do you grab? [[The Teddy Bear]] [[The Dinosaur]] [[The Rubber Duckie]]

Do you think a guy like Rex La Brea would put his keys on something cutesy like a teddy bear? You put the key into the lock, but it won't turn. As hard as you try, that lock is not going anywhere. Just before you can reach back for another key, the whole place blows up, taking you with it. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]

Of course! With a name like "Rex La Brea," what else would he choose but a T-Rex? You put the key in the lock, and it opens right up. You swing open the door to the warehouse, running out into the parking lot. Looks like you're only a few miles from downtown. And just over to the left, there's your car. Wallet, keys, and phone are still in it. You should probably call the cops, the fire department, or maybe a shrink. But you decide to head to the bar first. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''Congratulations!''] (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[You won, becuase you remembered the most important steps: * Open the door * Get on the floor * Everybody * Walk * The dinosaur Thanks for playing! Boom! Boom! Acka lacka lacka boom! ] [[Start Over|Title Screen]]

🎶Rubber Duckie, you're...🎶 Not the one. The duck lets out an adorable squeak every time you turn the key, but the lock is stuck. The fire spreads much faster than you anticipated. The last thing you see are a pair of cute rubber duckie eyes, staring into your soul as they melt in your hand. Then you burn to death. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[''You're a goner.''] [[Start over|Title Screen]]