a game about a house during october

(transition: "dissolve")[this is a game about a house during october. to advance to story, click on the page.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[sometimes, you should click more than what appears to be necessary.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[this game contains themes of abuse and neglect, as well as descriptions of death. are you sure you wish to enter?] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")["yes, [[i'm sure.]]"]

(transition: "dissolve")[fall always hit your town quickly, temperatures dropping from 90F to 60F seemingly overnight, despite orange and red leaves painting the road months before.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[tonight, the air is especially chilly, a slight breeze making you shiver.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the chilly air, however, carries the scent of warmth, of fireplaces and fall-themed candles.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[it's quite [[festive.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the house in front of you stands tall against the darkening sky.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the windows are lit with an orange hue. the metal fence is adorned with halloween decorations.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the air is [[crisp.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[your gaze shifts back to the fence in front of you, decorated with festive garland - little pumpkins connected by flickering holiday lights.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[two cars sit in the driveway, with many more lining the street. smoke pours from the chimney.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the windows are [[lit.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[silhouettes of people you know move back and forth within the house.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you can just about hear music playing, a festive tune grazing your ears.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you want to [[go inside.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[you reach down and open the gate in front of you, the cold metal making your fingers tingle.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you walk towards the porch, hustling to get inside the warm and inviting atmosphere.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you (text-style: "fidget")[pause] in front of the door, raising your hand to [[knock.]]] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[no, that's not right. the door is [[already open.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[your fist hits the door three times.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the music [[stops.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[quickly approaching steps make you realize that you might not be welcome here.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[but why //wouldn't// you be welcome here?] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[this is //your// home //too,// right?] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[...[[right?]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[unfortunately, the people inside this home don't seem to care what's yours or not.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[they only care to destroy.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[to (text-style: "tall")[shatter.]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[to (text-style: "flat")[ravage.]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you turn to [[run.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the door opens behind you.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you hear rampant, angry footsteps approaching you.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[quicker.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[and (text-style: "flat")[quicker.]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[and (text-style: "tall")[quicker.]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[no mat(text-style: "condense")[ter how fast y]ou run, the gat(text-style: "expand")[e never gets any clos]er.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[there is clawin(text-style: "blur")[g at your back.]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(text-style: "blur")[at your neck.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(text-style: "blurrier")[at your head.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you feel yourself being dragged inside the [[house.]]]

(click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[have you ever felt what it's like to be torn apart?] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[to have your innards put on display by (text-style: "fidget")[overpowering, unyielding hands?]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[to have every (text-style: "fidget")[inch] of your body splayed across your home?] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)+(text-style: "fidget")[every want] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[every (text-style: "tall")[//desire//]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)+(text-style: "expand")[every [[sin]] and wrong-doing?]

(transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[it hurts.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[it hurts.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[it hurts.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)[it hhhurts] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)+(text-style: "buoy")+(text-style: "strike")[it hurts] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")+(color:red)+(text-style: "buoy")+(text-style: "strike")[it hurts(text-style: "mirror")[oh [[god]] it hurts]]

(click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[your undoing is (text-color:red)[biblical.]] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[your body is used for (text-color:red)[decoration.]] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you want to (text-color:red)[try again], don't you?] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[why bother? (text-color:red)[nothing] will change.] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["it will. [[i'm sure.]]"]

(transition: "dissolve")[in an instant, you realize your surroundings have changed.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[no longer does music come from inside the warm home. no longer is it warm.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the windows are dark.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the cars once parked in the driveway are gone.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[it's so jarring that you've forgotten that the door in front of you is still (text-style:"fidget")[open.]] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the sun has set.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the air grows frigid.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you push the door [[open.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the interior is dark.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the furniture and decor seems normal, undisturbed.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you flick the light switch, but nothing happens.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[however, you are still able to navigate the house.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[after all, it's //your// house.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you close the door behind you, and take a step into the [[living room.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[as you step into the living room, many things catch your eye.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i want to see the [[pictures on the wall.]]"] (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i want to try to [[turn on the TV.]]"] (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i want to [[sit on the couch.]]"] (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i'm done here. i want to go to the [[kitchen.]]"]

(transition: "dissolve")[the photos on the wall are of your family.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[photos from family reunions, christmas, and other special events.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you are unrecognizable.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you should get back to the rest of the [[living room.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[you grab the small remote resting on the coffee table, and cautiously press the power button.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[unfortunately, nothing happens.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the power must be out.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you notice a dent in the frame about the size of your fist.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you should get back to the rest of the [[living room.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the couch is decorated with scratchy, beige blankets and navy blue pillows.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[despite the almost comfortable resting place, you feel uneasy.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[as if you're being watched.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you should get back to the rest of the [[living room.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[you find yourself in the kitchen, feeling (text-style: "fidget")[on edge.]] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i want to open [[the fridge.]]"] (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i want to check [[the cabinets.]]"] (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i want to look [[in the sink.]]"] (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")["i'm done here. i want to go to the [[hallway.]]"] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")+(text-style: "fidget")["there's something sticking out of the [[trash can.]]"]

(transition: "dissolve")[you open the fridge, blinded by the light that turns on inside.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the power isn't out after all.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[despite this, the food looks moldy, rotten, and the dates are expired.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[there's more to look at in the [[kitchen.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[you open the ugly wooden cabinets one by one.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[first, canned food. then, a couple pots and pans.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[dishes and utensils are far and few between.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[there's more to look at in the [[kitchen.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the sink is littered with food scraps and dishes.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[it looks like it hasn't been cleaned out in a long, long time.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[it smells terrible.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you supress a gag.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[there's more to look at in the [[kitchen.]]]

(colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you hesitantly open the garbage bin.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[there is a long letter haphazardly shoved inside.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[it's from (text-style: "blurrier")[mom,] written years ago.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[it details an unhappy marriage and an approaching divorce.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you shove the letter back into the bin.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[there's more to look at in the [[kitchen.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the hallway is lined with more photos of family members. weddings, births, pictures in front of the beach.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you reach the first room.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you open the door to your [[dad's bedroom.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[your father's bedroom is dated.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the sheets and bedding haven't been washed in months. there's trash and gum stuck to the blankets.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[foam earplugs litter the floor.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[a bible rests on the side table.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you feel anxious, and [[exit]] his room.]

(transition: "dissolve")[you continue down the hallway, and notice a stain on the carpet.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[it looks like blood. you hurry past it.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you reach the second room.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you open the door to your [[mom's bedroom.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[dread fills your body as you step inside your mother's bedroom.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[it's pristine, every inch spotless.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[the clean environment does nothing to cease your anxieties.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you desperately need to [[leave.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[you continue down the hallway, and finally get to the end.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[one door stands in front of you.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you take a deep breath.] (click: ?page)[== (colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[you push open the door to [[your bedroom.]]]

(transition: "dissolve")[the lights are on.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[your things are unharmed.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[you walk to your bed, and crawl under the covers.] (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[sometimes,] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[being left alone] (click: ?page)[== (click: ?page)[== (transition: "dissolve")[is better than [[end]]uring the alternative.]

(colour: red)+(transition: "dissolve")[thank you for playing.]