Stay on Track

Water Company Data Center Management Terminal Welcome back: User#0114514! (current-date:) (current-time:) Please choose from the following: [[> Messages]] [[> Historic Documents]] [[> User Entries]]

This is a text-based horror game. It will be horrible with horrible stuff. Play at your risk. [[Proceed->Stay on Track]] (set: $Mail to 1) (set: $MainLoop to 10) (set: $clue to 0) (set: $Danger to 0) (set: $story to 0)

You have $Mail new message(s). - [[Recent Discussion Notifications->MailCanvas]] (if: $clue > 0)[- [[[Action Required]Request for Assistence->MainReply]]]

Here's a list of your entries: Note: Only you can see this page (if: $clue > 2)[- Chinese Ghosts: help them find home or be ... ] (if: $clue > 1)[- Works of Chinamen demolished over safety concerns ... ] - Woman found dismembered on water company land, Sheriff tells... - Mysterious disappearances near the 'haunted tunnels' Local ... - Bear attack or serial killer? Yet another advanturist found...

From <notifications@main.web> to me You're signed up to receive a weekly report of some notifications from your account. Below is the report for the week of (current-date:): New Discussion - Question about theme words for twine game: Foundations of Video Game Design I was wondering if all possible paths in my game need to include at least one of the themes, or if it's okay if only one particular path that the player can choose contains one of the themes? [[Click to view]] New Discussion - Essays: Foundations of Video Game Design Hi I would like to know if there is an estimate on how many essays there should be for the quarter. Just to get a feel of when they would be would be helpful. Thank you! [[Click to view]] New Discussion - Playtesting Twine Games: Foundations of Video Game Design Hi everyone! If you don't know me, my name is Katie and I'm a reader/tutor. I love Twine and I love playing all kinds of different Twine games, so I'm really living my dream job out here. Since we ... [[Click to view]] (set: $Mail to $Mail - 1)

It was abandoned at 1940. (set: $clue to $clue + 1) (set: $Mail to $Mail + 1) [[> Messages]]

Emergency services requested at Box T1SSB01->answer. [[Answer Phone? ->answer]] Local police has been notified. If this call is originated from B, R, or T-Series call boxes, please remain inside, lock all doors and windows, do not attempt to talk, or look at the caller. Answer his questions via text ONLY, and ask him to remain at the phone booth until police arrives. Do NOT guide anyone to your location! For more details, refer to your book of rules. While assisting the caller, phone the following number: [[(831) 400 - 7889->call]] (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) (set: $Mail to $Mail - 1)

[[Maps->Maps]] [[Instructions->Rules]] [[Misc.->Others]]

ERROR 503 Service Unavailable

Hello! If you are reading this for the first time, welcome! Please note that this is only meant to be viewed by employees of the water company. First, to answer a couple of questions: > Why does a water company need a system of emergency callboxes with a dispatcher? - Well. The land which we are running our pipes on right now has not always been built for carrying pipes. You might have noticed already on the way here: the bridges, trestles, and tunnels are way too big and heavy duty for a couple of pipes. That's because they aren't. They are originally meant for trains. You see, in the 1800s, trains are more popular than they are right now. Many narrow-gauge regional systems existed, and some still does running as weekend vacation trains. So anyways, time moved on and this once important main line connecting our town to the outside world was invaded by the automobiles. After particularly bad winter storm, the rail company abandoned this line and sold the land to us. However because of its history, people kept trespassing onto our worksites and get themselves hurt, and your job was created as a solution. > Is place really haunted? - Now, yes, we are just glorified dept of water of the county. But we are a company of science after all. Despite the ru [Edited 2 days ago by (null)] LEAVE AT ONCE! NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY PAY YOU! RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN! (set: $Danger to $Danger - 2)

[[Return->> Historic Documents]]

You have phoned the correct number. Help is on the way. (set: $clue to $clue + 1) [[Return->MainReply]]

I got lost hiking on the trail. I'll admit that I did go over some fences but.. please help me! I have been walking down the same tracks for the past hour and this is the first thing I saw that is not a telephone pole. Please tell me what to do. (set: $story to $story + 1) (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) [[> Tell him to remain in place and text you instead. ->EndPath1]] [[> Tell him to continue down the trail so he can reach you. ->EndPath2]]

You told him as the rules told you to do. (set: $story to $story + 1) He refused however, cursed at you and hang up. [[> Drink some water->1a]]

You asked him to reach you. (set: $story to $story + 1) (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) He agreed and went on his way. [[> Wait for him to reach the next callbox.->2a]]

Wasn't long before another call came in. It's from the callbox a bit further to where you are. It's clear that the person is going the opposite way from you. [[Pick it up? ->2b2]] OR [[Send text messages to the Caller->2b1]]

You drank some water. Another call came in. It's from the callbox a bit closer to where you are. [[Pick it up? ->1a2]] OR [[Send text messages to the Caller->1a1]]

(set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) You picked up the phone but no sound came through. That was pretty weird you thought. Do you now: [[> Go and lock all doors and windows as the rules told you to->1a2a]] [[> Go outside and start looking for the caller->1a2b]]

You sent the caller a text message via the messaging system. You hope they got the message. You then realised that you haven't locked all doors and windows yet. Do you now [[follow the rules->1a2a]] OR [[head out to search for the caller->1a2b]]

You picked up the phone but no human sound came through. All that you heard was a train approching from distance. That was weird you thought: there isn't an active train track anywhere around here. Why would the phone inside the callbox pick up the sound of a train? Anyway, a chiling gust of wind snapped you out of your thought, you realised that you haven't locked the doors and windows yet. Do you [[lock them right now->1a2a]] or [[not->1a2c]]? (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1)

You texted the caller that he is going the wrong way. You got no response. (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) Suddenly you felt a sense of danger. You decided to go ahead and [[lock all doors and windows->1a2a]].

You decided to follow the rules (if: $Danger > 2)[this time] because they are written for a reason. Still, you did not feel safe. You felt as if something is watching you. (if: $clue > 2)[The news you read and saved are creepy enough on their own, maybe you should just quit tomorrow.] There are three options in front of your eyes: [[Draw your gun and shoot whatever once they are insight->fight]] [[Nope out of there and run home for the night->flight]] [[Move inside the bathroom and hide there->hide]]

You headed outside despite all the warnings. It wasn't long until you've found yourself in a plane of void. The water pipes you were following disappeared. Instead you started to see train tracks. But the nearest active rail was well over 30 miles away, and you have only been outside for mere minutes. You began to panick. You felt like something is with you but you just cannot know what or where it is. All you can do is to walk. As you walk blindly in the night fog, you found yourself in front of a tunnel. The tunnel is in great shape like it was just built yesterday. You walked into the tunnel. Your sanity is drained as you try to explain everything to yourself. Truth is, you can't. You walked for what felt like 1 whole mile before you saw some light from the other side of the tunnel. That must be the exit, you thought. The lights began to flicker a bit too, just like the lights they have on the police cars. You are saved. (if: $Danger > 2)[EXCEPT that wasn't the police and you are far from being saved. Those lights are headlights of a steam train. As bizzare and dream-like as the situtation is, you can still feel the ground begining to shake from the train. You screamed for the train to stop but your scream is ignored by the roaring of the steam engine. You tried your best to hide yourself away from the train, but you realise it was too late as you watch your body getting cut in half by the wheels of the train. As your consciousness is fading away, you saw the passengers on the train. They were all laughing at you. ] The END

You decided against it. Why not? You are your own person. Screw the rules, they don't pay you enough for you to care. You sat your desk for another 30 mins doing nothing... You felt like someone is behind you. Do you [[turn and check]]?

Boo! (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) Nothing was behind you. You turned back around, out of the corner of your eye you saw something dashing through the room. Do you [[nope out of there->flight]] or [[pull out your gun->fight]]?

You started running for it. You broke out of the doors, and started running along the pipes. You know your car is parked right there down the pipes but you just cannot reach it. The night fog settled in and you realise that you are completely lost. (set: $Danger to $Danger + 1) You began to panick. You felt like something is with you but you just cannot know what or where it is. All you can do is to walk. As you walk blindly in the night fog, you found yourself in front of a tunnel. The tunnel is in great shape like it was just built yesterday. You walked into the tunnel. Your sanity is drained as you try to explain everything to yourself. Truth is, you can't. You walked for what felt like 1 whole mile before you saw some light from the other side of the tunnel. That must be the exit, you thought. The lights began to flicker a bit too, just like the lights they have on the police cars. You are saved. (if: $Danger > 2)[EXCEPT that wasn't the police and you are far from being saved. Those lights are headlights of a steam train. As bizzare and dream-like as the situtation is, you can still feel the ground begining to shake from the train. You screamed for the train to stop but your scream is ignored by the roaring of the steam engine. You tried your best to hide yourself away from the train, but you realise it was too late as you watch your body getting cut in half by the wheels of the train. As your consciousness is fading away, you saw the passengers on the train. They were all laughing at you. ] The END

Bang! You shot the thing as it appeared again, this time at the front door. You unlocked the doors only to find that you have indeed shot an innocent boy. Before you could do anything, the police arrived responding to the automated call. You were charged manslaughter and found guilty. But whatever was out there, it wasn't the boy, you are sure of that. As you are being transported to prison, you saw the shadow yet again, before the bus skid on the highway and flipped over. You died from the crash. The END.

You hid in the bathroom for what felt like hours before police arrived. They told you not to worry and sent you home. You quit the next day. A months later, as you were hiking in the woods, you slipped and fell down a ridge. You blacked out only to wake up near some train tracks with a callbox in sight. You walked in to call for help... To be continued?