It's 2:00 AM. You require a snack.
You decide, it is cookie time.
[[To the kitchen. -> kitchen 1]]You arrive in the kitchen.
It is pitch black.
The floor is cold under your feet.
[[Turn the light on -> kitchen lights]]
[[You know your way in the dark -> kitchen dark]]You flick the lights on.
You're blinded for a moment by the harsh LEDs, but soon adjust.
It's a good thing you did. [[There's a chair right in your way. -> was the chair always there]]You know this kitchen better than the back of your hand.
[[You stride confidently forward. -> stub toe]]You feel a sharp pain in your foot as your toe comes into violent contact with an unseen barrier.
[[You feel around and flick on the lights to examine the offending object. -> was the chair always there]]
Strange...
You don't remember leaving this chair out.
You push it back neatly under the table, where it belongs. Finally, to the cookie jar to complete your quest.
[[You open the jar -> cookies are gone]]The jar is empty.
Who could have done this?
[[Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? -> investigation 1]]You have to get to the bottom of this.
You decide to look...
[[In the bedroom -> bedroom]]
[[In the bathroom -> bathroom]]
[[In the living room -> living room]]
[[Outside -> outside]]To the bedroom.
You live alone, so this is a strange place to look.
You creep down the darkened hallway, lit from behind by the light spilling out of the kitchen.
[[The house is silent -> bedroom 2]]The bathroom is right near by, the door left fully open, as always.
You can see in, everything looks normal.
[[Nothing to see here -> investigation 1]]
[[Open the shower curtain -> shower]]You walk to the other side of the kitchen and open the door to the living room.
The room is large, larger than you know what to do with. It feels even more empty than usual.
It's dark, facing away from the street.
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:3s)[You think you see the darkness move. ]
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:4s)[[[Turn on the lights -> living room light]]]
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:4s)[[[Walk forward -> living room forward]]]You step out your front door. The street lights shine dimly on the grass.
You don't see anything here.
But there's more to outside than just the front yard.
[[Back yard->outside window]]
[[Back inside-> investigation 1]]The door to the bedroom is slightly ajar. This is normal, you don't usually close doors.
You push it open slowly, peering into the inky blackness.
[[You see... -> bedroom 3]]Nothing...
Though the dark can obscure many things.
You decide to...
[[Go back to the kitchen -> investigation 1]]
[[Turn on the light just to be sure -> bedroom light]]You turn the lights on in the bedroom.
With the bulbs now at full power, you see the room is just as you left it.
[[You head back to the kitchen-> investigation 1]] You step into the bathroom. The tile floor is cold.
[[You yank the shower curtain aside. -> shower 2]][[The shower need to be cleaned. -> investigation 1]] You turn the lights on in the living room.
The darkness is beaten back by the power of electric ilumination.
You see light wash across the room.
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:3s)[[[Until it stops. -> living room figure]]]You don't need light. There's enough coming from the kitchen.
You step forward into the darkness.
[[A chill runs up your spine->living room window]]You see, formless in the shadows, a patch of darker dark.
Scattered around the floor below it are cookie crumbs.
[[scream->scream]]
[[silence->silence]]You see something swoop past the window.
You're sure of it.
You feel the icy wind against your chest.
As you step ever closer, you discover the window is open.
[[look out->outside window]]
[[close it->window close]]You see outside your home, a figure of pure dark shadow.
You can feel it looking back at you.
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:3s)[It trembles.]
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:5s)[[[You chase after it->chase]]]
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:5s)[[[You leave it be->passive]]]You close the window.
Must have been the wind.
[[You go back to bed->bed]]You scream in terror, unable to comprehend what you see before you.
The shadow moves, faster than anything you've ever seen.
It's across the living room in an instant, and seems to have slipped out the window.
[[You feel the icy wind against your chest.->outside window]]You are shocked into silence, unable to comprehend what you see before you.
You feel that the figure is looking at you.
[[It speaks->it speaks]]"Oh hey man. Yeah sorry I had the munchies. I'll get out of your hair."
The figure glides across the living room, and slips out of your window.
[[You feel the icy wind against your chest.->good ending]]You watch, stunned, as the being leaves your home.
You feel the fear fade in your chest.
Streange... it just had the munchies.
[[You go back to bed.->bed]]You give chase. Fueled by fear stoked adrenaline. Your body has chosen fight over flight.
This thing must pay for stealing your cookies.
You feel its chill becoming stronger as you approach.
[[You collide->bad ending]]In an instant, you feel ice in your bones. As though every last unit of heat had been drained from you.
You are frozen, unable to move, blind.
When you wake up, you're in the grass, late for work. When you get back to your bedroom, on your pillow you find a note.
It reads, "Thanks for the cookies" and has a $20 Amazon gift card attached.You stop, eyes locked to the formless shadow.
Seconds of silence tick by.
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:3s)[It seems reassured]
(t8n:"fade")+(t8n-delay:4s)[[[You go back up to bed->bed]]]