Nightwalk

(text-style:"subscript","expand")[[[(a game for people who are afraid of falling in love)|ch1_1]]]

(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[it was supposed to be a nightwalk.] (t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s) [the full moon was out.] (click-replace: "out.")+(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s) [out. the stars looked nice.] (click-replace: "nice.")+(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[nice. you suggested that she should come smoke with you in the [[forest.|ch1_2]]]

(transition: "fade")[it was hard to keep track of the [[time|ch1_3]] when you two got to talking.] (live: 1s)+(transition: "dissolve")[.](live: 2s)+(transition: "dissolve")[.](live: 3s)+(transition: "dissolve")[.]

[(and even harder to keep track of where you were going.)] (t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[[["do you know where we are?"|ch1_4"]]]

"no. I have no fucking clue where we are." (live: 2s)[[["oh."|op1]]]

(t8n: "dissolve")["oh."] (t8n: "dissolve")["you still have your [[cigs]], right?"] (t8n: "dissolve")[(you have 3 newports left.)] (if: $var1 is false)["yeah, I have them. let's find a place to [[stay for the night.]]"]

you remembered she liked newports. you prefered... (set: $var1 to false) [[not smoking at all.]] [[marlboro reds.]] [[to smoke newports too, actually.]]

not smoking at all. (set: $var1 to false) (live: 2s)[(but it was nice to have an excuse to see her late at night)] [[<|op1]]

marlboro reds. you've been smoking them since you were 15. (set: $var1 to false) (live: 2s)[(but you didn't mind switching for her)] [[<|op1]]

what a pleasant coincidence. (set: $var1 to false) [[<|op1]]

"in the forest?" (live: 2s)["do you know the way [[back?]]"] (live: 4s)+(transition: "dissolve")["..."] (live: 6s)+(transition: "dissolve")["...no."]

(t8n: "dissolve") [she bit her [[lip]] thoughtfully. you were both wearing warm clothes, and had brought bags with blankets with you.] [["there's other people who sleep in the forest, you know."|sleep in forest]]

(she did this a lot.) [[<|back?]]

(transition: "dissolve")[a soft wind blew between the pine trees, tossing her hair into her face.] (transition: "dissolve")+(live: 2s)["yeah, frat boys and homeless people."] (live: 3.5s)["well... if they can do it, [[so can we."|so can we]]]

[[//...// | night1]]

[[> hand her a newport]]

(t8n: "fade")["here."] (set: $cig_count to 2) (t8n: "fade")[[[> hold out the box to her|box]]] (text-style:"blurrier")+(text-colour:blue)[[[> take one out and put it in her hand|hand]]]

(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[you find a small circle of trees. there's a slight hum to the air.] (click-replace: "air.")+(t8n: "fade") [air. she turns to you expectantly.] (click-replace: "expectantly.")+(t8n: "fade")[expectantly. [["let's get settled, then."]]]

you blink. she smiles. (live: 2s)["thanks."] (live: 4s)["yeah of course."] (live: 5s)["for coming to smoke with me, i mean."] (live: 6s)["uh huh."] (live: 8s)["... even if we're lost. you seem a little too calm about that."] (live: 8s)[[["i've been lost in this forest before."|lost]]]

she gives a small grin. [["thanks."|foundation]]

she neatly plucks out a cigarette and places it between her [[lips.|stare]]

she holds out her hand. you press a cigarette into her palm. [[> pull away.]] (text-colour:blue)+(text-style:"blurrier")[[[> linger.|linger]]]

(set: $tf to false) (t8n: "fade")[so...] (t8n: "fade")+(live: 1s)[so...] (t8n: "fade")+(live: 2s)[so...] (set: $tf to true) (if: $tf is true)[[[> "you look really nice tonight."|nice tonight]]] (if: $tf is true)+(text-style:"shudder")[[[> ''snap out of it.''| snap]]]

(set: $tf to false) You want to scream. (click-replace: "scream.")+(t8n: "fade")[scream. //that's it?//] (set: $tf to true) (if: $tf is true)[[[oh well.| snap]]]

you pull the blanket out of your bag and start setting up a place to sleep. (text-style:"shudder")[something isn't right.] (click-replace: "right.")+(t8n: "fade")[right. the hum in the air is louder now. in fact, it's //still// getting louder...](click-replace: "louder...")+(text-style:"shudder")[louder... you're getting lightheaded...] (click-replace: "lightheaded...")+(text-style:"shudder", "blur")[lightheaded... louder... you feel something pooling in your [[ears...|lighter]]]

[//shckt!// //shhckt!//] (click-replace: "shhckt!")+(t8n: "fade") [the sound of her lighter cuts off the hum. you touch your ears gently. no blood.] (click-replace: "no blood.")[[["you good?"|good]]]

you draw in your breath with a shudder. the hum returns to its original volume. [[> "did you hear that too?"]] [''> "im okay. let's go to bed."''] (click-replace: "> \"im okay. let's go to bed.\"")[''> "im okay. let's go to bed."'' "if [[you|lets sleep]] say so."]

smoke streams from her nose. "no, i don't hear anything." (live: 2s)["i must be tired. [[let's sleep.|lets sleep]]"]

you pull your blanket over you. the bark of the tree you're leaning against digs into your back despite your thick clothing. it almost feels like... (live: 3s)[...teeth.] (live: 6s)["goodnight."] (live: 7.5s)[[["sleep well."|night1]]]

[[(dream.)|ooga]]

you pull your hand back and give a small grin. you still feel the warmth of her palms tickling the ends of your fingers, and suddenly you become acutely aware of how cold it is out. (click-replace: "out.")+(t8n: "fade") [out. you notice the hum in the air get [[louder.|stare]]]

you let your [[hand|hand linger]] rest on [[hers]] a [[moment]] longer than [[you|you should]] should.(text-style:"fidget")[ she [[noticed]]. your head [[spins]].] (if: $linger is false)[[> pull back.]]

//(her hand...)// (set: $linger to true) [[< |linger]]

//(how long have I been here?)// (set: $linger to true) [[< |linger]]

//you watch something ripple across her face, though her expression remains unchanged.// (set: $linger to true) [[< |linger]]

//(why does the ground feel so far?)// (set: $linger to false) [[< |linger]]

//(what should i do?)// (set: $linger to true) [[< |linger]]

(t8n: "dissolve")[you catch yourself staring at the edge of her mouth.] (set: $tf to false) (click-replace: "mouth.")+(t8n: "fade")[mouth. she looks so...] (set: $tf to true) (if: $tf is true)[[[> so...|so]]] (if: $tf is true)[[[> ''snap out of it.''| snap]]]

//(are my hands shaking?)// (set: $linger to true) [[< |linger]]

you pull back. the moment ends. the world feels dissolved at the edges. you bring your eyes to her face, looking for something real to reground yourself in. (click-replace: " reground yourself in.")+(t8n: "fade")[ reground yourself in. she looks so...] (set: $tf to true) (if: $tf is true)[[[> so...|so]]] (if: $tf is true)[[[> ''snap out of it.''| snap]]]

"i've been lost in this forest before." (live: 2s)["really?"] (live: 4s)["it's an easy forest to get lost in...] (live: 6s)[...but i've always found my way back quickly. we don't go too deep in, you know?"] (live: 8s)["huh." ] (live: 10s)["..."] (live: 12s)["..."] (live: 14s)["well uh, i'm gonna sleep against this tree over here."] (live: 16s)["sure"] (live: 16.5s)["cool."] (live: 17s)["yeah."] (live: 19s)["..."] (live: 21s)[[["I'll sleep against that one."|tree]]]

(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[it was softer than what you were used to.] (t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[it didn't announce itself through an open window, or with the blaring sound of your phone alarm.] (click-replace: "alarm.")+(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s) [alarm. instead, the light that fought past the branches and leaves fell gently, dappled over the forest floor and her face.] (click-replace: "her face.")+(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s)[her face. [[she]] almost didn't look [[real.|realreal]]]

were the edges of her mouth curled into a small grin? (click-replace: "grin?")+(t8n: "fade")+(t8n-time: 1s) [grin? a wind blows through the trees. the light on her face shifts. no. a trick of the light, [[maybe.|ch2.1]]]

[it was softer than what you were used to.] [it didn't announce itself through an open window, or with the blaring sound of your phone alarm.] [instead, the light that fought past the branches and leaves fell gently, dappled over the forest floor and her face. [[she]] almost didn't look [[real.|realreal]]]

//i didnt even smoke with [[her]] last night.//

[the thought interrupts the stillness of your sleep, as if it was placed there by someone else.] (click-replace: "else.")+(transition: "dissolve")[else. you push your eyes open. [[this morning was different.|ch2]]]

[you stare.] (live: 2s)[...] (live: 3s)[...] (live: 4s)[...] (live: 5s)[[[the hum grows louder again.|staring]]]

[you [[quickly]] pry your eyes away.] [you scan the trees around you, but your eyes refuse to settle.] (live: 2.5s)[you hear her yawn and stretch. your [[eyes]] remain unfocused.]

[[> look at her.|meet her gaze]] (text-style:"blurrier")+(text-colour:blue)[[[> keep your gaze averted|vert]]]

[you force your eyes to point at the ground. your can feel her looking at you.] (set: $looking to true) [you see a little redish rock, and you fix your gaze [[there.]]]

[she starts to stir awake.] [[> look away.|looky away]]

//she definitely noticed.// [[<|looky away]]

(text-style:"italic","blur","shudder")[she's still looking.] (set: $looking to false) [[<|there.]]

[it didn't matter how fast your thoughts raced. she raced faster.](click-replace: "she raced faster.")[she raced faster. you bring your eyes back to [[her.|meet her gaze]]]

[she blinks sleepily as her gaze meets yours. suddenly her eyes are a lot deeper than you remember.](click-replace: "remember.")[remember. suddenly you feel bits of the world around you drop away, as if life had been nothing but a stage play decorating the background of this moment.](click-replace: "moment.")[moment. suddenly your heart is... [[shaking.]]]

[[> "do you want to go deeper into the forest with me?"]]

(live: 0.5s)+(transition: "dissolve")[.](live: 1.5s)+(transition: "dissolve")[.](live: 2.5s)+(transition: "dissolve")[.] [[>|bonk]]

//[[...]]//

[[> stare.]]

//(end of chapter one)// //thanks for playing...//