18 Rooms to Home
Carolyn VanEseltine
episodic serialized
It's a day in the life of Yesenia Reed, whose life is far from ordinary, no matter what she might prefer.
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The front door has been propped open with a rock, but there's no one in sight. Yesenia kicks it out of the way - why doesn't anyone understand security around here? - and swings her suitcase into the familiar darkness of her apartment building. Two flights of stairs later, she reaches the door to her apartment.

It's been a very long day. It's good to come home, however briefly.

During the day, the hallway's cool shadows provide relief from the California sun. But at night, it's simply dark, because the scattered wall sconces aren't close enough or bright enough to provide decent illumination. Still, this is home, and there's nothing more welcome to Yesenia right now than the sight of her own front door.

Yesenia parks her suitcase beside her apartment door.

There's a folded note taped to the door. Yesenia frowns at it.
Inventory
Right now, Yesenia is more concerned with what she doesn't
have. What she doesn't have is her purse, which is in the restaurant office.

It'll take a full hour to get back to the restaurant by bus, but Camilla can drive her there in 15 minutes, if the traffic on 101 isn't too bad.
You read the note
It's a plain white piece of paper, folded into thirds. Illegible black marker has smudged through from the inside.
Unfold note
Yesenia peels the note off the door.

Yesenia unfolds the note.
You read the note
Yesenia stares at the note. There's one sentence written on it in stark black marker.

Come on in.

It's not Camilla's handwriting.
About yourself
Yesenia's sweaty and tired, and the wind made a mess of her hair. But it doesn't matter, because only Camilla will see her before she can freshen up.
You examine the suitcase
It's a large blue suitcase patterned with pink and white flowers. It's new, durable, and easy to spot at the airport.

In better lighting, the suitcase would be truly hideous against the red walls of the apartment building. It's one small reason for her to be glad of the dark.
You open the suitcase
Considering the contents of her suitcase, Yesenia really isn't inclined to unpack in the middle of the hallway.

Apart from that, she doesn't have the key. It's in her purse, and her purse is at the restaurant.
You knock
(the unfolded note)
Yesenia raps on the unfolded note with her knuckles.
You knock on the door
Yesenia knocks on the apartment door.

There's no reply.
You open the door
Yesenia reaches out to try the door, and the knob turns easily. Unease coils in her belly, and a familiar prickling runs down her arms.

She pushes the door open.
You knock on the suitcase
Yesenia raps on the flowered suitcase with her knuckles.
You examine the sconce
Yesenia studies the flickering light irritably. She's pointed it out before to the apartment management - how dark it is, how unsafe.

Not unsafe for her, of course. (Not that management knows that.) But what about every other young woman living here?
You look around
During the day, the hallway's cool shadows provide relief from the California sun. But at night, it's simply dark, because the scattered wall sconces aren't close enough or bright enough to provide decent illumination.

Yesenia is standing in front of her own front door. It's open.

Yesenia's flowered suitcase is parked beside her apartment door.
Go north
Yesenia glances down the hall, but she can't leave now. What if Camilla's in trouble?
You go to the east
Yesenia starts to cross the threshold when an all-too-familiar voice within says, "Welcome home."

"Chris," Yesenia says. Ice forms in her gut, but her skin prickles with heat. "What are you doing here?" She bites back her next words - What have you done to Camilla?

"Welcome home, Yesenia," the other woman says. "Or should I say..."

"No," Yesenia says sharply, "you shouldn't." And she steps through the door.
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Yesenia hefts her suitcase down from the bus. It's about three minutes from the bus stop to her apartment, and she takes the distance briskly, stopping only once to shove windblown hair out of her eyes.

There's an easy cut across the grass, but Yesenia takes the sidewalk instead, with the suitcase rollling along behind her. She rounds the corner of the building and starts up the front walk.

A wide concrete walkway leads around the three-story building and up to the front door, flanked by ground lights on both sides, which shine in response to the setting sun. On the right, regimentally spaced palm trees provide an illusion of privacy for the west-facing windows. On the left, there's a parking lot for the apartment, but since the divider is all of six inches wide, the parked cars in the first row rest their noses against the walkway.

Yesenia parks her suitcase beside the building's front door.

There's a bank of resident mailboxes set into the outer wall, just to the right of the front door. The doorbells are on the other side.
About yourself
Yesenia's sweaty and tired, and the wind made a mess of her hair. But it doesn't matter, because  only Camilla should see her before she can freshen up.
You look at what you're carrying with you
Right now, Yesenia is more concerned with what she doesn't
have. What she doesn't have is her purse, which is in the restaurant office.

It'll take a full hour to get back to the restaurant by bus, but Camilla can drive her there in 15 minutes, if the traffic on 101 isn't too bad. She just has to get inside and let Camilla know.
You look at the mailboxes
Yesenia glances at the mailbox for apartment #32. As expected, the mailbox is crammed with mail.

Camilla isn't very good about checking the mailbox, so Yesenia's absence always leads to crumpled mail.
You read the mail
Yesenia glances at the mailbox for apartment #32. As expected, the mailbox is crammed with mail.
You open the mailbox
The mailbox is locked. Yesenia will have to unlock it first.
Inventory
Right now, Yesenia is more concerned with what she doesn't
have. What she doesn't have is her purse, which is in the restaurant office.
Unlock mailbox
Yesenia reaches automatically for her mailbox key, but of course she doesn't have her keys. Because she doesn't have her purse. Because it's in the restaurant.

But... she pauses to consider the angles of the sun. There's still sunlight touching the mailbox, which means she could open it with sufficient focus. And it wouldn't be the first time she's
opened the mailbox without a key.
You focus on the mailbox
Shielded from sight by the building and a palm tree, Yesenia stretches her awareness to the setting sun. The orange light warms her, just as it warms the mailbox.

The sun has power over the mailbox; its heat can make the metal expand. Its absence can make the metal shrink. And she has
power over....

Yesenia focuses. The tumblers click into the unlocked position, and she pulls it open.
You open the mailbox
That's already open.
You get all from the mailbox
Yesenia pulls the mail out of her mailbox. Among the advertisements and junk mail (promptly discarded into a convenient recycling bin), she discovers three white envelopes.
You look at the mail
Which do you mean, her mailbox, the third envelope, the second envelope, or the first envelope?
You examine the first envelope
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara three days ago.
You examine the second envelope
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara two days ago.
You examine the third envelope
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara one day ago.
You open the first envelope
Yesenia rips open the first envelope, revealing a letter.
You read the letter
(the first letter)
Yesenia unfolds the first letter.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

We need to talk. Call me -

and a number that Yesenia doesn't recognize. There's a 305 area code, though, and that's the Miami area.
You open the second envelope
Yesenia rips open the second envelope, revealing a letter.
You read the second letter
(the second letter)
Yesenia unfolds the second letter.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

I'm trying to help you. You don't have to hide from me.
You open the third envelope
Yesenia rips open the third envelope, revealing a letter.
You read the third letter
(the third letter)
As Yesenia unfolds the letter, a playing card falls to the ground.

At the sight of it, Yesenia's stomach clenches, and goose bumps prickle across her shoulders.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

Call me, or I'm coming to see you.
You examine the playing card
Yesenia picks up the playing card.

It's a standard playing card: paper coated with plastic, with a blue design on the back.

Yesenia turns it over. As she expected, it's the Jack of Spades - which means the Jack of Shadows.

Chris, she thinks, and glances around apprehensively. Is
Chris already here? She always drives, because she hates the bus.... ....
You focus on the playing card
While Yesenia could focus on the playing card, that would be... indiscreet. And she strives for discretion these days.
You focus on the first letter
(the first letter)
While Yesenia could focus on the first letter, that would be... indiscreet. And she strives for discretion these days.
You focus on the suitcase
Yesenia could focus on the suitcase - but there's no good reason to do so. Considering the contents of her suitcase, she's not about to unpack in the middle of the walkway.
You focus on yourself
While Yesenia could focus on herself, that would be... indiscreet. And she strives for discretion these days.
Look around
A wide concrete walkway leads around the three-story building and up to the front door, flanked by ground lights on both sides, which shine in response to the setting sun. On the right, regimentally spaced palm trees provide an illusion of privacy for the west-facing windows. On the left, there's a parking lot for the apartment, but since the divider is all of six inches wide, the parked cars in the first row rest their noses against the walkway.

Yesenia's flowered suitcase is parked beside the building's front door.

There's a bank of resident mailboxes set into the outer wall, just to the right of the front door. The doorbells are on the other side.
You look at the palm
They're very picturesque. They appear on all the apartment's brochures.
You look at the windows
From here, the apartments are just so many closed windows.
You look at the doorbells
It's a standard apartment doorbell panel. Pushing a doorbell will alert whoever's in the apartment.
You think
What a good idea.
You focus the palm
While Yesenia could focus on the palm tree, that would be... indiscreet. And she strives for discretion these days.
Look around
A wide concrete walkway leads around the three-story building and up to the front door, flanked by ground lights on both sides, which shine in response to the setting sun. On the right, regimentally spaced palm trees provide an illusion of privacy for the west-facing windows. On the left, there's a parking lot for the apartment, but since the divider is all of six inches wide, the parked cars in the first row rest their noses against the walkway.

Yesenia's flowered suitcase is parked beside the building's front door.

There's a bank of resident mailboxes set into the outer wall, just to the right of the front door. The doorbells are on the other side.
You enter it
The front door has been propped open with a rock, but there's no one in sight. Yesenia kicks it out of the way - why doesn't anyone understand security around here? - and swings her suitcase into the familiar darkness of her apartment building. Two flights of stairs later, she reaches the door to her apartment.

Tradewinds Apartments - Hallway
During the day, the hallway's cool shadows provide relief from the California sun. But at night, it's simply dark, because the scattered wall sconces aren't close enough or bright enough to provide decent illumination. Still, this is home, and there's nothing more welcome to Yesenia right now than the sight of her own front door.

There's a folded note taped to the door. Yesenia frowns at it.
You focus on the sconce
Yesenia can only focus the sun when she has access to direct sunlight.
You check your inventory
Yesenia is carrying:
a playing card
a third letter
a second letter
a first letter
a third envelope (open but empty)
a second envelope (open but empty)
a first envelope (open but empty)
You go inside
Yesenia reaches out to try the door, and the knob turns easily. Unease coils in her belly, and a familiar prickling runs down her arms.

She pushes the door open.
You enter door
She's about to cross the threshold when an all-too-familiar voice within says, "Welcome home."

"Chris," Yesenia says. Ice forms in her gut, but her skin prickles with heat. "What are you doing here?" She bites back her next words - What have you done to Camilla?

"Welcome home, Yesenia," the other woman says. "Or should I say..."

"No," Yesenia says sharply, "you shouldn't." And she steps through the door.
You examine the playing card
It's the Jack of Spades. Chris's calling card.
Go west
Yesenia glances down the hall, but she can't leave now. What if Camilla's in trouble?
You look at first letter
(the first letter)
It's typed in simple serif letters.

We need to talk. Call me -

and a number that Yesenia doesn't recognize. There's a 305 area code, though, and that's the Miami area.
Shout
What do you want to shout?
You shout chris
(to herself)
(To speak with someone, use the command TALK TO.)
Look around
During the day, the hallway's cool shadows provide relief from the California sun. But at night, it's simply dark, because the scattered wall sconces aren't close enough or bright enough to provide decent illumination.

Yesenia's flowered suitcase is parked beside her apartment door.

Yesenia is standing in front of her own front door. It's open.
You look in the window
The apartment windows are too far away for that.
You look at the suitcase
It's a large blue suitcase patterned with pink and white flowers. It's new, durable, and easy to spot at the airport.
You examine the door
Someone has propped open the front door with a triangular rock.

Yesenia feels a familiar flare of annoyance, but it's a relief this one time, since her keys are in her purse and her purse is at the restaurant.
You look at the rock
Someone has propped open the front door with a triangular rock. A few scratch marks show it's not the first time.
You open the mailbox
The mailbox is locked. Yesenia will have to unlock it first.
You examine the sun
Yesenia gazes for a moment into the setting sun. It doesn't hurt her eyes. It never has.
You look in the mailbox
In her mailbox are some crumpled letters.
You take the letters
Yesenia pulls the mail out of her mailbox. Among the advertisements and junk mail (promptly discarded into a convenient recycling bin), she discovers three white envelopes.
You open first
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara three days ago.

Yesenia rips open the first envelope, revealing a letter.
You open second
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara two days ago.

Yesenia rips open the second envelope, revealing a letter.
You read second
(the second letter)
Yesenia unfolds the second letter.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

I'm trying to help you. You don't have to hide from me.
You open third
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara one day ago.

Yesenia rips open the third envelope, revealing a letter.
You read third
(the third letter)
As Yesenia unfolds the letter, a playing card falls to the ground.

At the sight of it, Yesenia's stomach clenches, and goose bumps prickle across her shoulders.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

Call me, or I'm coming to see you.
You take the card
Yesenia picks up the playing card.
You examine it
It's a standard playing card: paper coated with plastic, with a blue design on the back.

Yesenia turns it over. As she expected, it's the Jack of Spades - which means the Jack of Shadows.

Chris, she thinks, and glances around apprehensively. Is
Chris already here? She always drives, because she hates the bus.... ....
You look at the lot
Yesenia scans the parking lot again, taking her time. She doesn't know what Chris is driving these days, but she knows it'll be a cut above the norm.

And it is - a sleek, matte black car with a T-shaped logo on its nose, sitting three cars down and barely a centimeter off the walkway. The large black crystals hanging off the rearview mirror seal her suspicions.
You look at the crystals
The sun's failing light glimmers through the large black crystals.
Focus crystals
Yesenia considers the black crystals. The sun is touching them, and she's in the sunlight, but... what could she do with them, except damage the car? There are easier ways to damage the car.
You focus on the car
(the sleek black car)
While Yesenia could focus on the sleek black car, that would be... indiscreet. And she strives for discretion these days.
Unlock car
(the sleek black car)
Even if Yesenia could get inside (and she's not sure she can), what could she do with it? Hotwiring was never her specialty, and she's getting an unsettling high-tech vibe off the car that suggests hotwiring wouldn't be enough.
You take the crystals
The crystals are hanging from the rearview mirror, and the rearview mirror is inside the car.
You look in the car
(the sleek black car)
Yesenia can't see inside, since the sleek black car is closed.
You look under the car
(the sleek black car)
Yesenia finds nothing of interest.
You open the car with the card
(the sleek black car with the playing card)
That doesn't seem to fit the lock.
You touch the sun
It's a little far away for that.
You read the crystals
The sun's failing light glimmers through the large black crystals.
You look through the crystals
The crystals are hanging from the rearview mirror, and the rearview mirror is inside the car.
You open the car
(the sleek black car)
It seems to be locked.
Unlock car
(the sleek black car)
Even if Yesenia could get inside (and she's not sure she can), what could she do with it? Hotwiring was never her specialty, and she's getting an unsettling high-tech vibe off the car that suggests hotwiring wouldn't be enough.
You examine the lot
Yesenia stares grimly at the sleek black car. If anything, Chris loves her cars even more than Camilla does, and she certainly keeps them in better condition.
You climb tree
Not only would that be indiscreet, but it might damage the trees.
Rub card
Yesenia rubs the playing card.
You hit the car
(the sleek black car)
Yesenia takes a deep, centering breath and then slams her foot into the black car's front bumper. She's reserving her strength; after all, there's no need to punt it across the parking lot, and there would be awkward questions if she did.

The car launches an strenuous protest, flashing its lights wildly, shrilling an alarm, and honking its horn - not polite little beeps, but bewildered, angry blares. If Chris is anywhere around, that should get her attention.
Wait
Time passes.

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
Wait
Time passes.

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.

There's a sudden clatter from the apartment building, and then Chris explodes from within.

Chris is tall and well-coiffed, as always, but her brown eyes are wide with rage, and if she has a perfect manicure today, it's concealed by her clenched fists. "What the hell are you doing? What the
hell are you doing to my car?"

"Getting your attention," Yesenia says. "It seems to have worked."

(To speak with Chris, TALK TO CHRIS.)
You talk to Chris
Yesenia says, "What are you doing here?"

Chris says, "You don't belong here. I came to bring you back."

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
You talk to Chris
Yesenia says, "You're not welcome, Chris. It's time for you to go."

Chris shakes her head. "Jack. Call me who I am, and remember who you are."

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
You talk to Chris
Yesenia says, "Sending creepy letters is not the way to open a conversation. Especially when I've been gone for a week."

Chris says in a reasonable tone, "Well, I didn't know you were gone."

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
Keep going
Yesenia says, "You need to leave. Now."

Instead of answering, Chris glances west to the setting sun. It's so familiar a gesture that it makes Yesenia's heart ache, and for a second she even forgets what it means. But Chris is the Jack of Shadows....

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
You continue
Yesenia says, "I gave enough of my life away. I'm done."

Chris says, "You can't ever be done. That's what it means, to be what we are."

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
Keep going
Yesenia says, "The eastern seaboard got by for some two hundred years without me. It can do it again."

Chris says, "Those were more innocent times. You can't turn your back on responsibility."

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
You continue
Yesenia says, "If you did something to Camilla, you will regret it. I mean that more than I have ever meant anything."

Chris says, "So that's her name." She smiles faintly. "Pretty."

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.
Continue
The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.

The setting sun slips beneath the trees, and both women are immersed in the shadows stretching across the parking lot.

Chris says, "I'm sorry it had to be this way," and she thrusts a hand toward Yesenia.

Yesenia dodges down the walkway, but she's too slow. The air itself catches her in a vice grip, and she's dragged across the concrete to fall at Chris's feet.
Continue
Yesenia opens her mouth to snarl defiance, but Chris tightens her invisible grip, and Yesenia's words abate into coughing and the struggle to breathe.

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.

Chris turns to stare at the damage to her front bumper. "That really wasn't necessary," she says.
Continue
Yesenia opens her mouth to snarl defiance, but Chris tightens her invisible grip, and Yesenia's words abate into coughing and the struggle to breathe.

The sleek black car flashes its lights, honks its horn, and shrills for help.

The sound of conversation drifts up the walk, and Chris spins to look. No one's in view yet, but someone's clearly coming.

"We can't stay out here," she mutters, and the grip of air pulls Yesenia upright like a doll. "In we go."

As an afterthought, Chris grabs Yesenia's suitcase on her way into the building.

Tradewinds has always been Yesenia's refuge from the tourist-laden town. Yesenia likes how her neighbors don't trade rumors, or complain about odd noises, or speculate about Camilla's actual profession. But right now, a little more nosiness would be nice, because there's no one in the lobby and no one in the hallway.

Yesenia seethes as Chris hauls her into the elevator, and she continues to seethe as Chris hauls her out again on the third floor.

During the day, the hallway's cool shadows provide relief from the California sun. But at night, it's simply dark, because the scattered wall sconces aren't close enough or bright enough to provide decent illumination. It couldn't be a better environment for the Jack of Shadows if someone had planned it that way. Even by day, Chris's power would wax in a place like this, and Yesenia tastes despair at the thought.

The door of Yesenia's apartment stands wide open. There's a folded note taped to it.

Yesenia can also see Chris here.
You wait
Yesenia hangs limply in Chris's grip. There's nothing to do but wait.

Chris drags Yesenia across the threshold of her own apartment.
You take the mail
(the crumpled letters)
Yesenia pulls the mail out of her mailbox. Among the advertisements and junk mail (promptly discarded into a convenient recycling bin), she discovers three white envelopes.
You examine the first envelope
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara three days ago.
You examine the second envelope
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara two days ago.
You read it
According to the postmark, this envelope was mailed from Santa Barbara three days ago.

In the first envelope is a first letter.
You read the letter
(the first letter)
Yesenia unfolds the first letter.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

We need to talk. Call me -

and a number that Yesenia doesn't recognize. There's a 305 area code, though, and that's the Miami area.
You open the second envelope
Yesenia rips open the second envelope, revealing a letter.
You read the letter
(the first letter)
It's typed in simple serif letters.

We need to talk. Call me -

and a number that Yesenia doesn't recognize. There's a 305 area code, though, and that's the Miami area.
You read the second letter
(the second letter)
Yesenia unfolds the second letter.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

I'm trying to help you. You don't have to hide from me.
You open the third envelope
Yesenia rips open the third envelope, revealing a letter.
You read the third letter
(the third letter)
As Yesenia unfolds the letter, a playing card falls to the ground.

At the sight of it, Yesenia's stomach clenches, and goose bumps prickle across her shoulders.

It's typed in simple serif letters.

Call me, or I'm coming to see you.
You examine the cars
Yesenia briefly scans the cars with an uninterested eye. She notes Camilla's battered white coupe parked two rows back.
You examine the camilla's coupe
Camilla's car is fairly new - a 2014 Subaru - but it looks like it's been through a minor war. It always puzzles Yesenia how Camilla can love driving so much, yet be so unwilling to go to the body shop.
You hit Chris
Yesenia steps into Chris and reaches out to throw the other woman. Chris dodges sideways.

Chris says, "Can't we talk about this?"
You focus on Chris
Yesenia reaches her mind toward the sun. It's setting rapidly, but there's still enough light... and she seizes that light and focuses upon Chris. She doesn't want to hurt her - but she closes her power all around her. There's just enough vibration leaking through for Chris to know what's happening.

Chris freezes immediately. "Think about what you're doing," she says in a tight voice.

"I thought about it," Yesenia says. "And I want you to go away. And leave me alone. Now." She waits a few breaths longer, to make
sure Chris gets the point, and then releases the power.

Chris glares at her, but then she goes to the car. A door handle extrudes as Chris reaches for it, and she gets inside the car.

Yesenia watches the sleek black car back up, and she watches it leave the parking lot, and she keeps watching until it vanishes down the road.
You go inside
The front door has been propped open with a rock, but there's no one in sight. Yesenia kicks it out of the way - why doesn't anyone understand security around here? - and swings her suitcase into the familiar darkness of her apartment building. Two flights of stairs later, she reaches the door to her apartment.

Tradewinds Apartments - Hallway
During the day, the hallway's cool shadows provide relief from the California sun. But at night, it's simply dark, because the scattered wall sconces aren't close enough or bright enough to provide decent illumination. It couldn't be a better environment for the Jack of Shadows if someone had planned it that way. Yesenia never realized that before, and she feels sick at the idea.

The door of Yesenia's apartment stands wide open. There's a folded note taped to it.
Enter
There's a muffled sound from within the apartment, and Yesenia calls Camilla's name as she crosses the threshold at speed.