You stand on the wings of a stage. Lights are peaking through the curtain in front of you. The hum of the crowd fills you with a mix of fear and excitement. You always get this feeling when you're about to go on. You grip the neck of your bass as you bounce nervously.
The Stage Manager comes up beside you and grabs the curtain.
"Alright, guys," She says, [["Showtime."|Gig Slide 2]]The Stage Manager pulls back the curtain, and the rush hits you as you and the band take the stage. The crowd goes nuts.
Izzy takes the mic as you and the rest of the band get plugged in and set up.
"We are The Melbourne Bobbies!" The crowd goes even wilder.
[["1-2-3-4!"|Gig Slide 3]]The band starts up and you feel absolutely electric. Ben's driving the drums hard, and Ray's tearing it up on the guitar. And Izzy's up there, belting her heart out.
Sure, this might not be the kind of music you're really passionate about, but the crowd loves it. The band is in sync with each other.
[[This is what it's all about.|Gig Slide 4]]
(track: "gigsong", "play")The post-show adrenaline always takes a while to leave you, but you're absolutely beat when the tour bus hits the road again. While Ray drives the tour bus, you and the rest of your band get into your respective bunks.
[[You quickly drift off to sleep...|Bus Slide 1]]You wake after a shallow, restless slumber. Strange dreams troubled you, but the details are hazy and vague. You remember something massive, colossal. But that's about it.
You pull back the privacy curtain and [[get up from your bunk.|Bus Slide 2]]
(track: "gigsong", "fadeout")Through the windows of the bus, you can see that it is, surprisingly, still dark out. Also surprising is the fact that the rest of the band is gone. No one's in their bunks, and the door to the bus is wide open.
[[Head out the door...|Outside Bus Slide 1]]
- OR -
[[Grab your jacket...|Bus Slide Jacket]]The brisk night air wakes you up as you step off of the tour bus. You're parked on the side of a rural road. A seemingly endless field rolls off into the distance in front of you. You step around to the front of the bus. The hood is popped, and a rag is draped off the side.
You've never been too handy with cars, so you're not quite sure what you're looking at. But the state everything's been left in definitely gives you the feeling that the van wouldn't start up even if you had the keys.
[[Look around...|Outside Bus Slide 2]]
(track: "crickets", "play")
(track: "crickets", "fadein")
(track: "crickets", "loop", true)You grab your jacket before you head out. You check your pockets, and thankfully your wallet and keys are in there, despite the door to the bus being left wide open.
[[Head out the door...|Outside Bus Slide 1]]
(set: $wallet to true)Off to your right, you see a very, very small rural town. You see no sign of your bandmates, however, you hear off in the distance the faint sound of an acoustic guitar. You figure the best chance of finding your band is to [[follow the music.|Porch Slide 1]]After a bit of searching, you find the source of the music. Sadly, it's not Ray sitting on the old wooden porch plucking the acoustic guitar. Instead, you find a middle-aged man playing the dulcet tones. His tired, sunken face is topped with a mop of thinning grey hair. His bearded face harbors a look of fear and exhaustion.
"Come on, Leonard," He says to himself shakily, and quietly, "Just a little bit longer..."
[["Hey, man," You say to the stranger...|Porch Slide 2]]
(track: "crickets", "fadeout")
(track: "porchmusic", "play")
(track: "porchmusic", "fadein")
(track: "porchmusic", "loop", true)The man playing guitar jumps, as though he didn't see you walking up to his porch. "Wh-What?" He stammers, without ceasing his guitar playing, "What is it? Who are you?"
"My, uhh..." You search for the words to explain your situation, "My band's on tour, and our bus broke down on the outskirts of town." The man has gone back to looking down at his guitar, but you get the sense that he's at least half paying attention to what you're saying. You continue, "I can't find my bandmates anywhere. Have you seen 'em around? Group of punks, two guys, and a lady?"
[[Continue...|Porch Slide 3]]"Ain't seen nothin'," The guitarist exclaims nervously, "No-no-no, ain't seen nothin'. Can't see nothin', too busy. Too busy playing. Gotta play, gotta play, it's my shift. Gotta keeeeep playin'. Just a lil while longer, then I'm off. Then I can go to sleep..." The man's eyelids sink down in the sweet allure of sleepiness till he jolts himself back awake.
[["Alright, man. Whatever you say..."|Walk To Bar Slide]]
- OR -
[["Well, do you know where I might find them?"|Porch Slide 4]](if: $directed is true)[You make your way through the small residential streets towards the bar, following the stranger's directions. As you go, your mind is fixated on what the hell happened. Part of you is a bit unsurprised. You're the bass player, after all. You've always been the band member who gets pushed to the side and forgotten about. That's typical of most bands. But something about this feels different. You find it hard to think that they actually just left you behind.
[[You start to hear something, familiar, but faint, on the edge of your hearing...|Walk To Bar Slide 2]]]
(if: $directed is false)[You make your way through the small residential streets. As you go, your mind is fixated on what the hell happened. Part of you is a bit unsurprised. You're the bass player, after all. You've always been the band member who gets pushed to the side and forgotten about. That's typical of most bands. But something about this feels different. You find it hard to think that they actually just left you behind.
[[You start to hear something, familiar, but faint, on the edge of your hearing...|Walk To Bar Slide 2]]]
(track: "porchmusic", "fadeout")
(track: "crickets", "play")
(track: "crickets", "fadein")
(track: "crickets", "loop", true)A look of pondering comes across the man's face before he answers, again, never stopping his playing, "Y'all a band, ya said? Well, if I know you rockstar-types, I'd bet you might find 'em down at the local watering hole. Glenn's Tavern, it's called. Head down two blocks, take a right, and follow the jukebox music. You'll find it, guar-en-teed."
[["Alright, man. Thanks..."|Walk To Bar Slide]]
- OR -
[[Check out his playing...|Porch Slide 5]]
(set: $directed to true)You take a moment to watch the stranger's guitar playing. It's simple, but it's got soul. Folksy, bluesy, and yet kinda somber. Dirge like. This is your jam. The real shit, folk music from the salt of the Earth in the heart of America. But not many other people are into it. Folk doesn't pay the bills. But now, in the 90's, pop-punk does.
As you watch, you notice something kind of disturbing; the man's fingers on his left hand are bleeding. It's not the first time you've seen a guitar player's fingers bleeding, but something about it is different this time. Maybe it's the scared look on the man's face. Maybe it's being lost and not knowing where the hell you are, or where your friends are. But your gut is strongly telling you not to engage with this guy any further.
[["Alright, man. Thanks..."|Walk To Bar Slide]](if: $directed is true)[You hear a drum beat. It's muffled, but you're a bass player. You can feel the beat all the way in your bones. There's something so familiar about this beat, as distant as it may be. As per the strange man's directions, you [[follow the music.|Walk Up To Bar Slide]]]
(if: $directed is false)[You hear a drum beat. It's muffled, but you're a bass player. You can feel the beat all the way in your bones. There's something so familiar about this beat, as distant as it may be. With no other real sense of direction, you [[follow the music.|Walk Up To Bar Slide]]]As you make your way from the residential part of town onto more of a main thoroughfare, the sound of that drum beat blends into the music coming from down the road. All the shops on the street are closed, and the whole area seems to be illuminated solely from one building; Glenn's Tavern. The red, wooden saloon sits at the end of the road and shines like a beacon of neon and dim rock-n-roll. You can tell from the sound that it's not your band playing, but it's your best chance of finding out more. You head up the creaky wooden steps and [[walk into the bar.|Bar Slide 1]]
(track: "crickets", "fadeout")
(track: "outsidebar", "play")
(track: "outsidebar", "fadein")
(track: "outsidebar", "loop", true)You swing open the classic saloon-style doors and are hit with a wave of pure Americana. The bar is dimly lit and constructed largely of dark wood. A few tables litter the space between the bar and a pool table. The table looks dusty, the green felt reduced to a dull color from dust and a lack of use.
A middle aged bartender stands behind the bar. A middle-aged man with long, salt-and-pepper hair. Presumably, this is Glenn. He is wiping glasses while talking to the bar's sole patron. That patron is an older man, with a tall mess of wispy, dark thinning hair. He is dressed in a crisp, black suit, a white button-down shirt, and a shining, but understated bolo tie.
The two men turn to look, surprised, as you walk through the doors. Unexpectedly, it's the patron who greets you, not the barkeep.
[["Evenin', young man," The patron says, locking eyes with and smiling at you.|Bar Slide 2]]
(track: "outsidebar", "fadeout")
(track: "insidebar", "play")
(track: "insidebar", "fadein")
(track: "insidebar", "loop", true)"Evening," You say in curt reply. The strangeness of the situation is starting to get to you, and it's getting difficult to keep up with things like manners and social niceties. The man in the suit continues to lean against the bar and smile at you. His outward appearance is nothing but pleasant, but you can't shake the feeling that he's... Observing you.
The bartender finally pipes up, "What can I getcha?" He asks. "I'm actually looking for some information," You respond, "See-" Before you can say anything, the man in the suit casually points at you and cuts you off, "Lemme guess," He says with a sly charm in his voice, "Your band's tour bus broke down?" You're a bit taken aback by this. Not only because of how dead-on he is, but something about the way he interrupted you. Again, he comes across, on a surface level, as nothing but nice and helpful. But something about his speech, his manner. It feels like he's sizing you up.
"Y-yeah, that's right," You say, very confused and apprehensive, [["How did you-"|Bar Slide 3]]Glenn starts putting away the glasses he's been cleaning as he answers, "The rest of your band came through here... Maybe a couple hours ago? They were asking about finding a mechanic." Finally, a semblance of what's going on. You feel a great sense of relief. "Awesome, where's the mechanic at? I'll go track them down."
Glenn gives a smile that conveys the expression of, "Well..." The man in the suit says, "Bit of bad news there; Our local mechanic's out of town at the moment. She's on vacation, I think she's due back in two or three days."
The man in the suit walks over to you, and holds out his hand, "Name's Pastor Wyatt O'Neal," He [[shakes your hand.|Bar Slide 4]]"That's Glenn behind the bar." He continues as you shake hands. He gestures for you to take a seat with him at the bar.
[[Take a seat with Pastor O'Neal...|Bar Slide 5a]]
- OR-
[["I'm sorry, but I really need to find my friends. Do you know where they went?"|Bar Slide 5b]]As you take a seat on a barstool next to Pastor O'Neal, he flashes two fingers at Glenn. The barkeep promptly pours two shots of bourbon and slides one to each of you. The Pastor takes his glass and holds it up for a cheers.
"Cheers, friend. It's nice to meet ya." He says, still brandishing that unwavering smile.
[["Cheers," You say as you clink glasses and down the shot..."|Bar Slide 6a]]
- OR -
[["Thanks, but I really shouldn't. Feel like I oughta keep my head straight till I find my friends."|Bar Slide 5b]]The Pastor shrugs, but his expression is one of understanding. "Fair enough," He says, "I'm not quite sure where they went, truth be told. We had a quick drink while they were asking about finding a mechanic. Then they said they were gonna figure out what to do next before they left. Said something about going back to check on their bass player, too. But I'm guessing that never happened, based on your confusion."
"Best of luck to ya, friend," Glenn says pleasantly from behind the bar, "If you need anything, y'all come back now. Ya know where to find me."
"Thanks, fellas," You say as you [[exit the bar|Leaving Bar Slide 1]], "Have a great night."
(if: $BarSlide6a is false)[The familiar sting of whiskey in your throat is followed by that oh-so-familiar warm feeling in your belly. You feel a little looser, a little calmer. Glenn takes the glasses from you and the Pastor. "Thank you," You say to Glenn. He gives you a nod and a smile.]
Pastor O'Neal smiles that same unbreakable smile at you.
(if: $Pastordrinks is false)[[["I gotta say, it's not too often you see a pastor drinking. At least where I'm from, anyway."|Pastor Drinks Slide]]
- OR -]
(if: $Wherearewe is false)[[["By the way, where are we exactly? I fell asleep on the bus, so I have no idea what town this is."|Where Are We Slide]]
- OR -]
[["Thanks for the drink, Pastor. But I really oughta go find my friends. Do you happen to know where they might have gone?"|Bar Slide 7]]You head out of the bar and back into the streets. Despite having gained some info about what happened, you struggle to feel like you're not back to square one. You know that your friends are alright, or at least they were when those guys saw them. But with the local mechanic being out of town, you have no idea where to look for the band. You take a few steps out in the street, hoping to gather your thoughts. A small voice pipes up from behind you.
[["Hey, mister. Did you talk to my dad in there?"|Leaving Bar Slide 2]]
(track: "insidebar", "fadeout")
(track: "outsidebar", "play")
(track: "outsidebar", "fadein")
(track: "outsidebar", "loop", true)<span style="font-size: 500%">(text-colour:red)[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''[[1998|Gig Slide 1]]'']]</span>
(set: $directed to false)
(set: $Pastordrinks to false)
(set: $Wherearewe to false)
(set: $BarSlide6a to false)
(set: $coffee to false)
(set: $wallet to false)
(set: $sus to false)The pastor shrugs as he reaches into his pocket. "It's never said anywhere that it's expressly forbidden. And it's a rough world we live in." The pastor pulls a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and pulls one out. "My faith can get me through a lot in this world. As for the rest," Pastor O'Neal puts the cigarette in his mouth, gets a zippo from his pocket and lights the smoke, "Well, for the rest, there's always Jack and Camels." The pastor flashes that same sly smile again before taking another drag.
[[Continue...|Bar Slide 6a]]
(set: $Pastordrinks to true)
(set: $BarSlide6a to true)The pastor smiles as he stretches his arms out wide. "Why, you're in Radiance Fields, Oklahoma, friend. Most pleasant town in the South. My great-great-grandpappy founded this town about two hundred years ago. We O'Neals have been looking after it ever since."
[[Continue...|Bar Slide 6a]]
(set: $Wherearewe to true)
(set: $BarSlide6a to true)Pastor O'Neal says, "I'm not quite sure where they went, truth be told. We had a quick drink while they were asking about finding a mechanic. Then they said they were gonna figure out what to do next before they left. Said something about going back to check on their bass player, too. But I'm guessing that never happened, based on your confusion."
"Best of luck to ya, friend," Glenn says pleasantly from behind the bar, "If you need anything, y'all come back now. Ya know where to find me."
"Thanks, fellas," You say as you [[exit the bar|Leaving Bar Slide 1]], "Have a great night."porchmusic: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fbfd42f3fadf3b5b2ff723/t/65340837cbf294723a98db3e/1697908793510/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Porch+Song.mp3/original/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Porch+Song.mp3
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gigsong: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fbfd42f3fadf3b5b2ff723/t/65370de427659327386143d4/1698106854153/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Intro+Gig+Song+%28demo%29.mp3/original/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Intro+Gig+Song+%28demo%29.mp3
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insidebar: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fbfd42f3fadf3b5b2ff723/t/65370e2cffa483051aec4f90/1698106925666/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Jukebox+Song+Mastering+%28In+Bar%29.mp3/original/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Jukebox+Song+Mastering+%28In+Bar%29.mp3
dreamsongreg: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fbfd42f3fadf3b5b2ff723/t/65370ec0f6b91a20966a654e/1698107075024/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Dream+Song+%28Regular%29.mp3/original/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Dream+Song+%28Regular%29.mp3
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monstersongout: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fbfd42f3fadf3b5b2ff723/t/65370f3a8cf13939b6623503/1698107196084/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Monster+Song+%28Outside%29.mp3/original/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Monster+Song+%28Outside%29.mp3
monstersongin: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fbfd42f3fadf3b5b2ff723/t/65370f0dbb2ce4728198c332/1698107151275/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Monster+Song+%28Compression%29.mp3/original/Scream+Jam+2023+-+Monster+Song+%28Compression%29.mp3You turn around and see a young boy on the porch of Glenn's Tavern. He is sitting on a wooden chair, holding a book. His hair is neatly combed and stiffened in place with product. He wears a suit and bowtie, giving him that appearance of a kid dressing to seem more serious than a kid ever ought to be. "I might have," You say back to him, "Is your dad Glenn, or Pastor O'Neal?" The kid nods, and says, "The pastor. But I'm only ever allowed to call him 'sir'."
That feels a bit strange to you. Based on the conversation you had with the pastor, you wouldn't take him for the type to be so strict with his son. Though to be fair, southern etiquette was never something you really understood.
[["Yeah, we had a chat. He seems like a nice guy." You answer.|Leaving Bar Slide 3]]The kid gets visibly uncomfortable when you say this. You can tell he's dying to say something but feels like he can't. He's squirming in his seat, dodging eye contact. You recognize the tell-tale signs of a kid who struggles with his home life. You come up to the porch and take a seat next to the kid.
"What's your name, bud?" You ask him.
"Joshuah," He responds, still avoiding eye contact with you.
[["Do you like your dad, Joshuah?" you ask...|Leaving Bar Slide 4a]]
- OR -
[["I'm looking for my friends. Do you think you could help me, Joshuah?"|Leaving Bar Slide 4b]]Joshuah stops to think for a second before answering, "He... He expects a lot. From everybody. But even more from me. He wants me to grow up and be a pastor and lead the town just like him. Even better than him, actually. He always talks about how it's our family's job to lead the town. He says that it's God's will. That's why he's always dragging me along everywhere he goes, so I can see how a good pastor works with their town."
Joshuah makes eye contact with you and says, "But I don't wanna. I don't wanna be a pastor. I want to be a writer when I grow up. Or maybe play music... Are you with that band that was here a little bit ago? You're kinda dressed the same as them."
"Yeah, I am with those guys," You reply. Joshuah's face beams with excitement on hearing this. "I'm actually trying to find them right now. [[Do you think you could help me?"|Leaving Bar Slide 4b]]Joshuah smiles, but his expression quickly sours back to uncomfortable. Like he suddenly remembered something bad. "I... I don't know where they went," He answers, looking away from you once more, "They could be anywhere... You should... You should go to Leonard's porch. The guy who plays guitar in the neighborhood right here. You probably passed him on the way over here. His shift should be over now, you... You should play some guitar while you think about where to find them."
There's something cryptic about what Joshuah is saying to you. As though he's leaving something unsaid. "I really should just be looking for them, I-" Joshuah cuts you off, looking at you again. There's a sense of fear and desperation in his gaze. He grabs your arm tight and says, "You //really// should go play Leonard's guitar. Really." He nods at you. You nod back at him as you get up. Joshua stares at you with that same fearful look as you leave to [[go back to Leonard's porch.|Porch Return Slide 1]]You make your way back to the same porch you passed before. The man (Leonard, apparently) is gone now. His guitar is left resting on the wooden chair he was sat on earlier. This all feels so frickin weird, but what the hell, you don't know what else to do.
You pick up the guitar and begin [[strumming a tune...|Porch Return Slide 2]]
(track: "outsidebar", "fadeout")Despite its rough condition, this guitar sounds great. Playing bass in a pop-punk band might be your day job, but nothing brings you more joy and peace than playing folk guitar. It's the only thing you've ever felt yourself get truly absorbed in. Call it being in the pocket, call it being in a flow state, to you, it doesn't really matter. When you are sat down with a guitar and start playing something that truly comes from down in your soul, down in the core of your being... Well, the rest of the world just seems to melt away. And though your thoughts are very much on your friends right now, on what the hell happened, you feel it start to happen.
You surrender yourself to the music, and you once again [[drift off to sleep...|Dream Slide 1]]
(track: "dreamsongreg", "play")
(track: "dreamsongreg", "fadein")
(track: "dreamsongreg", "loop", true)You immediately find yourself in a dream. Well, maybe dream isn't the right word for it. It feels too tangible, too real to be a dream. It's as though you're in another plane, another state of being maybe. But you feel very much awake. The world around you has disappeared and is replaced with a foggy haze of black and crimson shadow. You're sat down similarly to where you were before you fell asleep, but something about the chair is different. The guitar feels different in the same way the chair does, and while you consciously feel as though you're playing the same song, it too is somehow... Off.
But there's something almost enticing about playing this song. Intoxicating. You feel like you could play it over and over again, until the end of time.
[[Stop playing the song and examine your surroundings.|Dream Slide 2a]]
- OR -
[[Surrender to the music.|Dream Slide 3b]]
(track: "dreamsongreg", "fadeout")
(track: "dreamsongmess", "play")
(track: "dreamsongmess", "fadein")
(track: "dreamsongmess", "loop", true)You stop playing and get up out of your seat... Or, at least, your brain tells your body to stop playing and get up... But it doesn't. Again, you fire neurons to your limbs, "Stop playing, get up!"... But you don't. No matter how hard you try to prevent it, your fingers keep playing the dark, sultry tones over and over. Your legs are planted to the ground, and you can't seem to summon the seemingly incredible amount of strength that it feels like it would take you to stand up.
Over and over, round and round the song goes again. It hurts and yet, there is a tempting thought in the back of your head. "Stop fighting," Says the intrusive thought, "Just let go. Let the music take you over."
[[Fight|Dream Slide 3a]]
- OR -
[[Give in|Dream Slide 3b]]"Fuck that," You think to yourself, "Gotta get out of this!" You struggle and strain to stop your fingers from playing, but it's like someone else has control of them. You tighten your core as hard as you can, and try your hardest to push your legs, try to stand up. But it's no use. They won't budge.
Eventually, you make headway with your hands. The sound starts to sound wrong. You start missing notes. It's working. You fight harder, with all that you can. One by one, you regain control of your fingers.
[[You stop playing, and stand up.|Porch Return Slide 3]]You listen to the voice in your head and let yourself go, completely. Though you're sitting upright, it feels like you're falling backward. Tumbling down into an endless void, spinning in freefall as you sink [[down,|Dream Slide 3ba]]You jolt with a fright, like waking from a nightmare where you're falling to your death. A flash of dread comes over you as you shoot up out of the chair. You feel like you've just absorbed the personal angst and grief of dozens of people. The feeling is unbearable and your body reacts before you can think.
Immediately after standing up, you throw the guitar across the porch, like it's contaminated with something rotten. Even though you still don't know what the hell just happened, you can't help but feel bad for throwing someone's instrument like that.
Your guilt is lessened when you see that it's still intact after landing on the wood. You catch your shallow, shaky breath as you check your watch. A couple of hours passed while you were in... Whatever the hell that was. It's late now. The wee small hours of the morning. You look up from your watch and then you see it. Like it's a sign or something. The guitar landed backside facing up, and you see something you hadn't noticed before. A sticker on the guitar, worn and faded, but legible all the same; It reads, "Property of Radiance Fields Worship Band", and it lists an address you can safely assume is the local church. You can't explain it, but your gut is screaming at you to go to this church.
You remember seeing the street name while you were wandering earlier. You follow your gut and [[make your way to the church.|Church Slide 1]]
(track: "dreamsongmess", "stop")You listen to the voice in your head, and let yourself go, completely. Though your sitting upright, it feels like you're falling backwards. Tumbling down into an endless void, spinning in freefall as you sink down
[[down,|Dream Slide 3bb]]You listen to the voice in your head, and let yourself go, completely. Though your sitting upright, it feels like you're falling backwards. Tumbling down into an endless void, spinning in freefall as you sink down
down,
down, into the dark depths of eternity, playing that sweet, delicious melody that you just can't [[give up...|Porch Return Slide 3]]You get turned around a couple times, but eventually, you make your way to the church. It's about what you'd expect in a small, southern town like this. Rickety wood, peeling paint, and a huge vaulted roof. Interestingly, you see no signs for the church. Nothing indicating the name, or denomination. Hell, you don't even see a cross anywhere. But you check the address again. This is the right place.
After a deep breath, you muster up the courage to [[head inside the church...|Church Slide 2]]The massive oak door creaks open louder than you had intended. You wait for a moment, but determine that the coast is clear. The dark, unlit church is creepier than you'd imagine it would be even during the day. Just enough moonlight is peaking through the windows for you to be able to see. The church is a mess. The pews have all been pushed out of the middle of the room, creating a circle. In the middle of the circle, strange runes have been spray painted on the ground in a deep, dark red. Something bad happened here. Something dark. You feel it in your bones. But a glimmer of hope shines through.
You see something you recognize. You see a jacket hanging off one of the pews. It's [[Izzy's jacket.|Church Slide 3]]You quickly run over and pick up the denim jacket. Izzy wears it every time you play a show, you'd recognize it anywhere. From the torn-up elbow to the Sunny Day Real Estate pin on the lapel, there's no doubt. Finally, you're getting somewhere. The state of this room doesn't fill you with much hope, but fuck, at least you have something now.
Without even thinking about it, you desperately rifle through the jacket's pockets, hoping to find something. Some scrap of information that might help you. And sure as shit, there it is. You find a scrap of paper in one of the pockets; A receipt. And, thankfully, another address. It reads, "Milo's Diner - Open 24/7, 365" You quickly search around the church, and turn up nothing more.
With the one lead you got, you [[set out towards Milo's Diner.|Diner Slide 1]]After walking around as much as you have tonight, you're starting to get a sense of direction in the town, and you make your way to the diner much quicker than you did to the church. It looks to be your classic, greasy-spoon kinda joint. Big, red, art deco decor outside matches the red neon sign that reads, "Milo's". Similar to the bar earlier, the diner's bright lights are an oasis in the sleepy desert that is the rest of the street around it.
[[You head inside.|Diner Slide 2]]As you expected from the exterior, Milo's is a pure slice of Americana. It's exactly what you'd expect a diner to be, like a snapshot from the 1950's. Formica tables have been built into booths that line the front-facing window of the restaurant, with classic green upholstered seats. Red barstools are all in a row along the big, wrap-around bar, complete with pie case, coffee pots, and milkshake machines. A couple of patrons are strewn across the diner, most of them look like truckers, stopping for a bite and a coffee. Typical, with it being so late.
A tired-looking server stands behind the bar, cigarette hanging from her mouth. She's wearing the classic diner waitress outfit, even the little paper hat. She sets down the newspaper she's been reading and greets you.
"Hey, hun, welcome to Milo's. Oldest diner in all of Oklahoma. Go ahead and grab a seat anywhere, I'll [[be right with ya.|Diner Slide 3]]"(if: $wallet is true)[You take a seat at the bar while the server brings you a water. "Coffee?" She asks. Normally, you'd say no, but after... Drifting off like you did earlier, you think it's probably a good idea. "Yeah, thanks," You respond. She smiles as she sets a mug in front of you, grabs the coffee pot from the warmer, and pours you a cup. The sweet bitter smell alone is enough to perk you up a bit. She sets the pot back down and asks, "You need to look at the menu a bit, or can I take your order now?"
You sip your coffee before replying, "Actually, I'm not here for food. I was hoping you might be able to help me out with [[some questions I have|Diner Slide 4]]." (set: $coffee to true)]
(if: $wallet is false)[You take a seat at the bar while the server brings you a water. "Coffee?" She asks. With how you... Drifted off earlier, coffee would probably be a good idea, but you remember that you left your wallet on the bus. You sip your water before replying, "Actually, I'm not here for food. I was hoping you might be able to help me out with [[some questions I have|Diner Slide 4]]."]The server looks surprised, but she doesn't let it get in the way of her professional demeanor. "Well, I'll help where I can," She says as she leans on the bar, "But I'm not sure what I can let you know that someone more important can't. I just work the diner." You sit forward on your bar stool. You find yourself lowering your voice, for some reason, even though your questions are really benign. But you can feel it now, more than just a hunch; Something bad's going on here.
"My band's tour bus broke down while I was asleep," As you say it, the server's smile shrinks a little bit. It certainly doesn't leave her face, but it's a little less wide. A little less genuine. You continue, "When I woke up I couldn't find them. Have you seen them? A group of three, all dressed in punk clothes."
The server takes an unnaturally long beat before answering you, "Y-yeah, they were in here earlier in the night, towards the start of my shift. [[Don't know where they went off to, though.|Diner Slide 5]]"There's something about the way she's talking to you; You don't buy it. She still has a nice, service-industry facade up, but it's less hospitable than when you first came in. And her eyes are telling a different story than the rest of her expression. "You didn't hear them say about where they were going?" You ask, "Were they with anyone?"
The server shakes her head, and says, "Nah, it was just the three of 'em. We chatted a bit about y'all's band while they ate, then they paid and left." The server stares at you, hard. Like she's hoping that you'll leave so she doesn't have to engage in this conversation anymore.
(if: $wallet is true)[You pull out your wallet and grab a hundred-dollar bill. You discreetly slide it across the bar towards the server, and ask, "[[You sure that's all you know?|Diner Slide 6a]]"
- OR -]
(if: $coffee is true)["Well, I appreciate you indulging my questions." You say as you set a five-dollar bill on the counter, "Keep the change. [[Have a great night.|Diner Slide 6b]]"]
(if: $coffee is false)["Well, I appreciate you indulging my questions." You say as you get up from your stool,"[[Have a great night.|Diner Slide 6b]]" ]The server looks at the money. Then at you. Then back at the money. She takes a big sigh before swiping the bill and stuffing it down her cleavage. "Alright, fine, but you didn't hear this from me, got it?" She says in a hushed, angry tone. She continues, "They were in here with Pastor O'Neal. Said he met them when they came into Glenn's, and that he was showing them around town." You knew there was something fishy about that guy. Why did he lie to you about what the band did after they left the bar? That fucker's hiding something, and you're determined to get to the bottom of it.
"Why didn't you tell me that from the jump?" You ask. The server's demeanor changes to fearful as she says, "Pastor doesn't want anyone talking about his comings and goings. He's made it... Very clear. That's all I got for you. Now get the hell outta my face before you get me in trouble."
You know better than to say anything more, you can tell this lady has had enough of you. You nod as you [[get up from your stool.|Diner Slide 6b]]
(set: $sus to true)As you're heading for the door, you feel a tap on your shoulder. With everything that's happened tonight, you nervously jump at such an unexpected occurrence while you are lost in thought. "Jesus!" You say, startled, but under your breath. You look in the direction of the tap and see a young woman, decked out in leather biker apparel. Her curly hair is tied up in a messy bun. "Woah, easy. Didn't mean to startle you." Something about the way she speaks to you puts you at ease. It feels... Normal. In a way that no other conversation has felt all night.
"Sorry to bother you," She says, in a bit of a hushed tone, "My name's Abbie. I couldn't help but overhear some of your conversation, and... Well, can we talk outside?"
"Yeah, sure." You reply as the two of you [[head outside...|Outside Diner Slide 1]]Abbie leads you to a spot just right of the window of Milo's. She nervously looks around, like she's making sure the coast is clear. "Alright, this place is fuckin' weird," She says in a hurried, quiet voice, "I'm on a road trip. Riding my bike from across the country. I made sure it was in good shape before I left, but then, just like you and your band, I broke down just outside of town. I met that weird-ass pastor dude, and he told me the mechanic's out of town. I wandered over here to the diner, to ask to use the phone, but they told me the line's down. Figured I'd post up at the diner and wait for the line to come back up. But then I saw what I'm assuming to be your band come in with that same Pastor."
(if: $sus is true)["Yeah, I ended up getting the server to tell me that," You reply, "But she wouldn't tell me anymore. [[Did they leave with Pastor O'Neal? Do you know where they might have gone?|Outside Diner Slide 2]]"]
(if: $sus is false)["I knew he was full of shit!" You half-shout, half-whisper, "[[Did they leave with him? Do you know where they might have gone?|Outside Diner Slide 2]]"]Abbie shakes her head, and excitedly responds, "They didn't leave with him, the Pastor left first. After he left, I managed to overhear the band. They were talking about breaking into the auto shop to see if they could get the parts they needed." Finally, you have another lead to follow.
Just as you're getting ready to head off, Abbie says, "Here's what I'm thinking; I need parts for my bike, you need to figure out what happened to your friends. Why don't we help each other break into the auto shop? I can look for parts, you can look for clues. And, hell, if your band managed to break in, they might have done half the work for us already."
[["What do you think?" She asks.|Outside Diner Slide 3]]You think that it's the only lead you have to go on, so you might as well accept the offer. At the very least it'll be nice to have someone else helping you in all this. It might feel a bit less creepy... Just a bit.
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go." You say. Abbie pumps her fist in the air and lets out a quiet, but victorious, "Yuuss!" She pulls something out of one of her many jacket pockets; A napkin. It's been scribbled on with a pen to form a small, makeshift map of the town. "We're right here," Abbie says as she points to the map and shows you. She slides her finger over a bit, "So we need to head that way. Ready?"
"Yeah," You respond, eager to get the hell out of here, [["Let's go."|Outside Auto Shop Slide 1]]Using Abbie's map, the two of you make your way to the auto shop. It's rather small for an auto shop, but then again, this is a small town. A garage that can probably fit two cars is attached to a quaint storefront. The whole place is done up in a classic art deco style, worn with rust and age, oil staining the sidewalk. Abbie makes a beeline right for the front door. You follow her and see that the lock has been busted off. "See," She says in a cautious whisper, "Looks like your friends //were// here." She opens the door and holds it for you, giving you a classic "After you," gesture.
[[You head inside.|Auto Shop Slide 1]]The dark, unlit storefront is an absolute mess. You can't tell if it's been ransacked, or if some sort of brawl broke out here. Abbie points towards the back of the room. "Sign over there says 'Office'," She points out, "I'll bet there's security camera footage back there. Go check out what you can back there, I'll be out here looking for parts for my bike."
"Yeah, sounds good," You reply as you [[head to the back office...|Auto Shop Slide 2]]The back office is in much better shape than the storefront. A simple brick room with a desk, a filing cabinet, and a security camera monitor setup, with a door leading out back. The monitor currently just shows static. You press the rewind button and watch the time code fly backward. You go all the way back to footage from 6 PM last night... And the tape is blank. Weird, but you figure it must just be a fluke. You scrub forward a couple of hours... And still nothing. You fast forward to find that the tape of security footage is entirely blank, save for a small bit that occurred a few hours ago.
When you hit the part of the tape with actual footage on it, you're met with a familiar visage; The footage shows the face of [[Ben, the drummer in your band.|Auto Shop Slide 3]]Seeing Ben on the tape fills you with a bizarre mix of fear and relief. Because while it's good to see the face of your friend, his fearful expression makes you worried about what you're going to see in this footage. That fear is all in his eyes, though. The rest of his expression is completely neutral, but his eyes say everything. They show how scared he was in this moment. Quickly, Ben holds something up to the camera. It's a small bottle of motor oil. He takes a few steps back so that most of him is now in frame.
Ben grabs a screwdriver from a nearby counter and punctures the bottle of oil so that it's slowly leaking. He puts the bottle of oil in the large back pocket of his oversized Jnco jeans. In the background, you can see the rest of the band. They are all standing single file, their faces with an absolute neutral expression. So neutral that it's unnerving. Light from behind an opening door is shone on your friends, and they all march off-screen. The oil is still trailing out of Ben's pocket as he holds up the rear of the line and exits the frame. The footage immediately cuts out, and the rest of the tape is blank.
Suddenly, you hear a big crash and a [[scream coming from the storefront...|Auto Shop Slide 4]]More crashing sounds happen as Abbie bursts through the door from the storefront. She's hyperventilating and looks more frightened than you've ever seen another human being be. Her hair is a mess, and her face is covered in blood, pouring from a huge gash on the top of her head. "RUN!" She screams in your face and pushes you towards the back door. The crashing sounds from the front of the shop sound like they're getting louder. Getting closer. Abbie screams again in abject terror.
"RUN! JUST [[GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"|Preacher Street Slide 1]]You push open the back door and stumble out of the cramped office just as the crashing noises get to the room. More noises of a scuffle happen behind the door, followed by a final, blood-curdling scream from Abbie. But those sounds are fading into the distance behind you, because you're running faster than you've ever ran in your life. Pure instinct drives your legs under you to speeds you didn't know you were capable of.
You run around behind the shop, and out into the street. You run for several blocks before you completely run out of breath and are forced to stop. You lean over and clutch your knees as you try to catch your breath. After a moment, you look up and see something in the streetlight in front of you.
Standing in the street, positioned as if the streetlamp were a spotlight, is a familiar visage. A slim man with a wild, wispy mess of hair. [[You see Pastor O'Neal, staring right at you.|Preacher Street Slide 2]]"You alright?" The pastor asks from down the road. He flashes that smile again, more subdued this time, "Look like you just saw a ghost." Pastor O'Neal makes his way over to you.
(if: $sus is true)[Seeing the Pastor after all that just happened, you have to fight the urge to run. You still aren't sure what happened to your friends, but you're pretty sure this is the person behind it. You think quick on your feet, speaking through panting breaths, "I, uh... No, no I'm fine. I was just... Out for a run." Pastor O'Neal seems surprised at this. "At this hour?" He questions. His tone is of disbelief. It's not so much that he's questioning the validity of your claim, but more so that he's questioning the structural integrity of your lie. He knows. You know he knows.
But what else can you do? After how cagey he's been with you, and after hearing what the server at the diner had to say, you feel like you just can't trust him. You continue your lie, "Yeah, just... Just getting some exercise while looking for my friends." The pastor comes as close to cracking a frown as you've seen him, though that still would be too sour a description to match his face. "Well, best of luck with that. Please, let me know if you need anything." His powerful smile comes back in full force as he says this.
"Thank you, Pastor." You say as you get back to your [["run".|Oil Slide 1]]
(set: $pastorhelp to false)]
(if: $sus is false)[Seeing the Pastor after all that just happened fills you with a sense of queasy uncertainty. You still aren't sure what happened to your friends, but you can't rule out that Pastor O'Neal might be involved, given how cagey he's been with you. And yet, aside from Abbie, he's the person who's been most friendly to you.
[[Lie to him...|Preacher Street Slide 3a]]
- OR -
[[Ask for his help...|Preacher Street Slide 3b]]](if: $pastorhelp is true)[You make your way back down the street with Pastor O'Neal. But as you get close to the building, fear and apprehension grip at your gut; Going back to the place you just sprinted away from doesn't feel like a good idea. You utter a sentence you never thought would come out of your mouth, "Wait, shouldn't we go to the police about this?" The pastor shrugs and replies, "Radiance Fields disbanded its police force in the early 70's. It's such a small, quiet town, we're usually able to sort things out amongst ourselves.
With the auto shop now in full view, Pastor O'Neal stops and looks on at the building. "Don't worry," He says as he draws a revolver from inside his jacket, [["I'm prepared."|Oil Slide 2]]]
(if: $pastorhelp is false)[You take off down the street again, this time at a much lighter pace. Pastor O'Neal watches you go with his ever-present smile. You have no idea what the hell to do now. First, you think something you never thought you would, "Maybe you should go to the police about this," But you think back to Abbie's map of the town. You distinctly remember a note on the map reading, "No police station?!" It might seem a bit strange to some, but having toured across the country a couple times, you know that lots of small towns across America have disbanded their police force. Rather than pooling their already small amount of taxes together to pay for a police department, they opt to sort things out amongst themselves.
Then it hits you; The oil. Ben had that bottle of oil in his back pocket in the security footage. That's gotta lead you to //something//. As much as it feels like a bad idea, you loop around a couple blocks and make your way [[back to the auto shop.|Oil Slide 2]]]You think quick on your feet, speaking through panting breaths, "I, uh... No, no I'm fine. I was just... Out for a run." Pastor O'Neal seems surprised at this. "At this hour?" He questions. His tone is full of disbelief, but the alarm bells of your flight response are blaring in your head, your instinct screaming at you to get the hell out.
You continue your lie, "Yeah, just... Just getting some exercise while looking for my friends." The pastor comes as close to cracking a frown as you've seen him, though that still would be too sour a description to match his face. "Well, best of luck with that. Please, let me know if you need anything." His powerful smile comes back in full force as he says this.
"Thank you, Pastor." You say as you get back to your [["run".|Oil Slide 1]]
(set: $pastorhelp to false)You feel your emotional walls break down as you stumble towards Pastor O'Neal, legs nearly giving out from exhaustion, both physical and emotional. You choke back tears as you plea, "Fuck, you gotta help me, man! You gotta help- I-I think they fuckin' killed her, FUCK! Oh, god-" You lose it and the tears come full force. Pastor O'Neal jogs over to you, and grabs your shoulders, "Woah, hey. Hey, calm down, son" He says, concerned, reassuring, "It's gonna be alright. I'm here to help. Tell me what's goin' on."
You dump on him everything that just happened. With Abbie, and the security camera footage. With the jacket and runes at the church. Some of the things you say he seems to already know. Some of them seem to come as a surprise to him. The whole time you're unpacking all of this, he keeps a firm, supportive hand on your shoulder. It makes you feel a bit better. Just a bit. "I had heard that someone might have broken into the church, that's actually why I'm out so late. I was on my way there when we crossed paths. The rest of it, well... This is more than just some minor vandalism, like I hoped.
The pastor dusts off your shoulders and straightens your jacket out. He looks at you with a concerned face, but, as always, that smile still hasn't fully left his face. "Let's go check out the auto shop, [[see what we can see,"|Oil Slide 1]] He says.
(set: $pastorhelp to true)(if: $pastorhelp is true)[The pastor quietly approaches the front door of the auto shop, gun at the ready. This feels crazy, but then again, crazy shit has been happening tonight. You watch Pastor O'Neal step through the door, and see his posture relax a bit when he looks around. You step in and look around as well. And feel like you're losing your damn mind. The shop is completely cleaned up, and all of the mess and disarray that was here when you first came in earlier is gone. The shop looks completely normal. You can't help but utter a whispered, "What the fuck?" As you [[look around you.|Oil Slide 3]]]
(if: $pastorhelp is false)[You do your best to stealthily approach the front of the auto shop. You take a moment to listen. You don't hear a peep. It feels like no one's here. You slowly peak your head through the front door... And feel like you're losing your goddamn mind. The shop is completely cleaned up, and all of the mess and disarray that was here when you first came in earlier is gone. The shop looks completely normal. You can't help but utter a whispered, "What the fuck?" As you [[look around you.|Oil Slide 3]]](if: $pastorhelp is true)[Pastor O'Neal heads to the back and peeks his head in the office, gun drawn. He looks back at you, and quietly says, "The coast looks clear." You run to the back and look in the office. It's completely normal. No signs of a struggle. No Abbie, no blood. Nothing. "This doesn't make any sense," You stammer, part to yourself, part to the pastor, "I swear, everything I said was true. I'm not shitting you, I'm not crazy, I-"
Pastor O'Neal once again puts a reassuring hand on your shoulder and catches your frantic, anxious eye contact. He reassures you, "Hey, hey, son. It's okay. I believe you. Whatever's going on, we're gonna find out. Alright?" You nod as you calm your breathing. You feel a little better. Pastor O'Neal walks over to a spot on the ground, black and shiny. It's the trail of oil that Ben left. It seems to be the one trace of what happened earlier that didn't get cleaned up. "I think your friend's trail is our best lead to go on," Pastor O'Neal says, [["We should follow it."|Oil Slide 4]]]
(if: $pastorhelp is false)[It feels so eerie walking through the completely cleaned-up shop. You were just here, what the fuck happened? You make your way to the back of the shop. You slowly peek your head through the door to the back office and... It's completely normal. No signs of a struggle. No Abbie, no blood. Nothing. "This doesn't make any sense," You stammer to yourself. You feel yourself about to freak out, but sense takes over. You calm yourself. Logic kicks in, and you go back out to the storefront to see if...
Yes, it's still there. A spot in the middle of the floor. Black and slick and shiny. It's the trail of oil that Ben left. It seems to be the one trace of what happened earlier that didn't get cleaned up. With no other leads to go on, you [[follow the trail of oil...|Oil Slide 4]]](if: $pastorhelp is true)[The two of you follow the oil trail out of the door. It takes you down the sidewalk, wrapping through the neighborhood. After a while, the oil goes from being on the sidewalk, to in the street, out onto a dirt road. It heads down the road for a while, before veering off into a field. The trail leads up to and stops right in front of a decrepit old barn. The barn is made of rotting old wood. The grey-blue paint is dirty, peeling, and flaking off.
"Do you know who owns this place?" You ask the pastor, for some reason unable to turn your gaze from the creepy gothic structure. Pastor O'Neal shakes head, and says, "This place has been condemned for a long time." You're scared shitless, but there's nowhere else to go. [[You open the door.|Barn Slide 1]]]
(if: $pastorhelp is false)[You follow the oil trail out of the door. It takes you down the sidewalk, wrapping through the neighborhood. After a while, the oil goes from being on the sidewalk, to in the street, out onto a dirt road. It heads down the road for a while, before veering off into a field. The trail leads up to and stops right in front of a decrepit old barn. The barn is made of rotting old wood. The grey-blue paint is dirty, peeling, and flaking off.
The place looks abandoned, and you don't see another soul in sight. You're scared shitless, but there's nowhere else to go. [[You open the door.|Barn Slide 1]]](if: $pastorhelp is true)[The barn is dark and musty. It reeks of dust and rot. The dirty floor is sparsely covered with old, dry hay. Some small stables line the walls, and huge, thick supporting beams tower up to the ceiling. But what's in the middle of the barn takes you by surprise. It's the last thing you'd expect to see here; An old freight elevator sits in the dead center of the barn. Its ancient, rusty metal caging makes you feel unsettled, especially when juxtaposed with the rotting wood of the barn. The muffled sounds of heavy music reverberate through the floor like it's coming from a basement below you. "Well ain't that strange," Pastor O'Neal says as he steps towards the elevator to check it out. He looks at the control panel. There's only one button. He looks from the panel to you and says, "Well, only way to go is [[down."|Barn Slide 2]]]
(if: $pastorhelp is false)[The barn is dark and musty. It reeks of dust and rot. The dirty floor is sparsely covered with old, dry hay. Some small stables line the walls, and huge, thick supporting beams tower up to the ceiling. But what's in the middle of the barn takes you by surprise. It's the last thing you'd expect to see here; An old freight elevator sits in the dead center of the barn. Its ancient, rusty metal caging makes you feel unsettled, especially when juxtaposed with the rotting wood of the barn. The muffled sounds of heavy music reverberate through the floor like it's coming from a basement below you. You step over to the elevator to take a better look at it. You examine the control panel. There's only one button. Looks like the only way to go is [[down.|Barn Slide 2]]]
(track: "monstersongout", "play")
(track: "monstersongout", "fadein")
(track: "monstersongout", "loop", true)(if: $pastorhelp is true)[You and Pastor O'Neal step onto the platform. The pastor presses the button and the elevator lurches with a "CA-CHUNK!" before it starts. A sinking feeling emerges in your gut as you begin your descent. You don't know what you're about to find. Hell, you're not even sure if you trust the pastor fully. You just hope that your friends are alright.
The elevator takes a while to fully descend. Wherever you're going, it's ''deep'' underground. And as the elevator approaches the bottom of the shaft, you begin to understand why. What you see begins to challenge [[your very sense of perception.|Monster Slide 1]]]
(if: $pastorhelp is false)[You step on to the platform take a deep breath before pressing the button. The elevator lurches with a "CA-CHUNK!" before it starts. A sinking feeling emerges in your gut as you begin your descent. You don't know what you're about to find. You just hope that your friends are alright.
The elevator takes a while to fully descend. Wherever you're going, it's ''deep'' underground. And as the elevator approaches the bottom of the shaft, you begin to understand why. What you see begins to challenge [[your very sense of perception.|Monster Slide 1]]]The elevator lets out onto a large, subterranean clifftop. In front of the cliff is an enormous cavern carved into the natural stone found here; incredibly long and impossibly deep. This cavern houses... Well, something you would fail to put into words. Something you almost fail to comprehend. To call it a monster would do justice to its size, surely, but describing any other part of it that way would be a disservice. You can tell (or //feel//, really) that this thing is alive. It emits a bright glow from its radiant orange "skin". Puddles of splotchy blackness slide and slough across its impossible shape, blocking that light as they move. It has no features you could relate to any living thing you've seen before. No discernable face or appendages, but still; You know in the very core of your being; This thing is a living being.
On the clifftop are your bandmates. They are droning away on the song that you could hear through the barn floor. A dark, driving industrial sounding dirge. Their eyes are glazed over with a dark red color, and they don't seem to notice your presence. They look scared, but they're playing their hearts out. Suddenly, you feel a cold piece of metal being pressed against your back. The click of a gun's hammer being cocked is barely audible with all the noise, before you hear Pastor O'Neal's voice in your ear, "Alright, kid. Let's [[cut the bullshit, huh?"|Monster Slide 2]]
(track: "monstersongout", "fadeout")
(track: "monstersongin", "play")
(track: "monstersongin", "fadein")
(track: "monstersongin", "loop", true)You put your hands up. Pastor O'Neal steps around to your side, keeping the gun aimed at you the whole time. (if: $pastorhelp is true)[In trying to comprehend the nightmare you've found yourself in, you forgot he was even there with you.] (if: $pastorhelp is false)[He must have been waiting for you down here.] (if: $sus is true)[You knew that slimey guy was behind whatever was happening, but you didn't expect... Whatever the hell this is.]
"There's a bass over there," He says, his smile gone from his face for the first time. He barks at you, "Pick it up."
(if: $pastorhelp is false)["You sick bastard, I knew you were [[behind all of this..."|Monster Slide 3]]
- OR -]
[["What the fuck are you doing?!" You shout.|Monster Slide 3]]"I'm doing what I have to do," Pastor O'Neal says as he lowers his gun slightly. He doesn't stop aiming at you but lowers the revolver so you can see his face better. As he continues, a dispassionate look comes across his face. Like this is just another day at the office for him, "This right here? All of this... Is destiny in motion. A little over one hundred and fifty years ago, my great-great Grandpappy, Emmett O'Neal was working as a miner. He and his company were digging for coal down here. When they found something old. Older than history itself. This..."
He gestures off at the horrible eldritch being in the cavern, "Affront to God and nature. Maybe they hurt it with their drilling. Maybe it's just an angry son-of-a-bitch. Either way, it wasn't very kind to them miners. Grandpappy Emmett was the last one left alive. When the thing was comin' for him... In what he thought was his final moments, Emmett sought comfort in song. He began singing an old church hymn to comfort him in death... And the thing stopped. Like the music kept it from attacking him. He took the miracle God dealt to him and sang his heart out as he left the mine. Then he founded the town of Radiance Springs, mined the coal till it was dried up. And embraced our family's purpose. Our mission; Never stop the music. And keep this thing down here. Keep the town safe. Hell, probably keepin' the whole damn world safe. I'm sorry I played ya. It's nothin' personal. But your life is an entirely acceptable loss in the face of protecting my congregation. My neighbors. My kin. Now [[pick. Up. The. Bass."|Monster Slide 4]]Pastor O'Neal raises his gun back up and stares you down. You can tell he's done talking. If you don't pick that bass up, he's going to shoot you dead. You slowly walk towards the bass, lying on the ground next to your hypnotized friends. Immense dread tugs at your heart watching them being forced to toil away for this sick arcane ritual. For this twisted fuck with a messiah complex. But you see no other way to do it. You pick up the bass.
As soon as you grab the neck of the bass, your mind is transported. Back to that same, shadowy, dark red plane you were stuck in when you played Leonard's guitar earlier. Your band sees you now and actually recognizes your presence. They're all weeping, but they're stuck. Just like you were earlier. Like you can feel yourself starting to be now. But you've been here before. You've learned from this. You aren't gonna take this lying down.
[[FIGHT.|Monster Slide 5]]You feel that shaking intensity, like your feet are stuck in place. You feel the driving of the drums behind you, and you have the strongest urge to sling that bass on you and join the rest of your band in the eternal dirge. But then you feel it; A pain. A sadness. A longing for freedom. Not from you. Not from your bandmates, though their faces certainly convey similar feelings. But no, you feel it from the colossal being in the cavern. It's hurt, it's angry, and it just wants to go home. You summon every ounce of strength you have. It's like what you imagine learning to walk again after physical trauma feels like. Like dragging your feet through the sandy floor of a thick, sludgy ocean. But you do it. You power through. You resist the call of oblivion and regain control of your body. Though your still holding the bass by the neck, your vision snaps back to normality. The strange, shadowy redness leaves you, and you're back in the cavern. Pastor O'Neal still aiming his gun at you.
[[Destroy the band's speakers...|Monster Slide 6a]]
- OR -
[[Attack the pastor...|Monster Slide 6b]]You look over and see the band's sound is all coming from one huge speaker. The speaker is surrounded by a circle of dark red stones. For a split second, you think you can see the stones giving off a shadowy, red smoke. You know this is the key to the ritual. Grabbing the bass with both hands, you swing it like a big axe into the speaker. It smashes through the mesh and destroys it. The pastor fires at you and hits you in the shoulder. He shoots again, but the gun misfires and jams. The music stops and your bandmates come out of their daze. They look immediately relieved to see you, but still scared. As soon as Izzy sees Pastor O'Neal, she rushes him, knocks him to the ground, and starts beating the crap out of him, screaming obscenities. You hear the "CHUNK" of the elevator.
You look over to see the townspeople, with Glenn at the front. They look on in wonder, "Wait," Glenn says, "The music stopped. And the thing. It's just... Sitting there." You approach Glenn and the rest of the townsfolk, and say, "The pastor was lying to you. He wasn't protecting you from it; He was keeping it trapped here." The crowd turns visibly angry, and makes their way over to the pastor. "Wait, wait, he's full of shit!" Pastor O'Neal screams as Izzy pulls him to his feet, "You gonna believe this stranger?! I-" Izzy shoves him towards the crowd, who pull him in and give him another beating. Finally, the adrenaline dumps, and the pain of your bloody shoulder hits you like a truck. You start to fall over, but Izzy and the rest of the band hold you and each other, [[weeping.|Monster Slide 7]]
(set: $crowd to true)
(track: "monstersongin", "stop")You grip the neck of the bass with both hands and swing around. Pastor O'Neal shoots at you and hits you in the shoulder, but it's too late... In your big, swinging motion, you slam the body of the bass against the side of his head, hard. You hear an initial crack with that, followed by a second crack when the pastor falls over and smacks his head on a rock. His eyes remain fixed straight ahead as blood begins to pool on the ground next to him. You look over and see the band's sound is all coming from one huge speaker. You rush over behind the speaker and yank its power cable loose. The music stops, and your bandmates come out of their haze. They look relieved to see you, but still scared. Izzy sees Pastor O'Neal lying on the ground, and takes a big step towards him, "You son-of-a-" She says, but gets cut off when you grab her shoulder to stop her. "It's okay," You say, "He's gone." The adrenaline wears off, and you feel the full pain of being shot now. You look down at your shoulder and see it's a bloody mess. The whole band holds you and each other, weeping.
You hear the "CHUNK" of the elevator.
You look over to see the townspeople, with Glenn at the front. They look on in shock at seeing Pastor O'Neal dead on the ground, "Wait," Glenn says, "The music stopped. And the thing. It's just... Sitting there. That mother fucker-" A thunderous noise cuts Glenn off, and [[shakes the cavern...|Monster Slide 7]]
(set: $pastordead to true)
(track: "monstersongin", "stop")(if: $crowd is true)[After taking some time to appropriately rough him up, the crowd hoists the pastor above their heads. He's beaten and bloody almost to the point of unconsciousness, only capable of letting out painful groans. The crowd of townsfolk walk over to the edge of the clifftop, and hurl Pastor O'Neal off the edge. A horrible, twisted part of the beast in the cavern whips out, like a sentient tendril, and snatches the pastor up as he falls. It absorbs him in a gurgling, sizzling mess. A thunderous noise shakes the cavern.
In an instant, the incomprehensible shape of the massive being begins bubbling, then rolls into itself, condensing down to a single point of light before disappearing completely. The sudden stillness left in its massive wake is bold and intense. You and your band, your family, hold each other and sob, knowing no other logical course of action following the madness of this night. The crowd of townsfolk all hold each other, as well. Some cry, some stay silent and stare forward. But everyone takes solace in this moment. For the nightmare is over.
[[THE END.|Credits Slide]]]
(if: $pastordead is true)[In an instant, the incomprehensible shape of the massive being begins bubbling, then rolls into itself, condensing down to a single point of light before disappearing completely. The sudden stillness left in its massive wake is bold and intense. You and your band, your family, hold each other and sob, knowing no other logical course of action following the madness of this night. The crowd of townsfolk all hold each other, as well. Some cry, some stay silent and stare forward. But everyone takes solace in this moment. For the nightmare is over.
[[THE END.|Credits Slide]]](align:"=><=")[Written and designed by Westley Kossuth
Music by Westley Kossuth, with special thanks to RayzCooks]<span style="font-size: 500%">(text-colour:purple)[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''Stuck'']]</span>
<span style="font-size: 250%">(text-colour:purple)[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''by Westley Kossuth'']]</span>
<span style="font-size: 150%">(text-colour:blue)[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Start|1998]]]]</span>