text: "In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present." -Francis Bacon
  
  There have been unexplained murders and disappearances at a seemingly innocent amusement area just north of Providence, Rhode Island. Due
  to your strange investigations in the past, you are the one called in solve the mystery of the. . .
  
  You have been hired by the police chief, Elmer Walker, but he wanted
  to keep his involvement secret. Instead, he has sent you a dossier about the recent incidents here in Swan Point. He said he would check in on you, but otherwise, you are on your own. This is the front walk to Mother Matheson's boarding house, where you'll be staying. Her porch is to the west and the main road is to the east. Her lawn is dotted with dogwoods and covered in leaves.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a fedora (being worn)
  a set of ordinary clothes (being worn)
  a trenchcoat (being worn and open)
  a cigar lighter
  a lock pick
  a dossier (closed)
  a holster (being worn)
  a revolver
  
  > examine revolver
  It's a .45 revolver.
  
  > About yourself
  You are a private eye; a gumshoe, as they say, and you appear as such.
  
  > read the dossier
  It is an openable folder meant to hold documents.
  
  > open dossier
  You open the dossier, revealing the first incident, the second incident, the third incident, the fourth incident and the fifth incident.
  
  > look at the clothes
  They're what you could afford with your wages but at least they're in style.
  
  > read first
  May 12, 1928; Kent Howard and Lucy Pringle, lovers, wandered from
  the carnival and into the cemetery. Kent Howard was found injured and insane the next morning, babbling about "horrors from the grave". He now resides at the Butler Insane Asylum and Lucy Pringle is still missing.
  
  > read second
  June 14, 1928; Freddie Pendergast, age 12, entered the "Tunnel of Terrors" ride at the carnival. The mechanical car came back but the boy is still missing.
  
  > read third
  July 23, 1928; Police officer Andy Reynolds investigated a report
  of vandals at the city dump. Reynolds claims to have seen the Pendergast boy there but the child was "swallowed by a moving mountain of garbage" according to Reynolds' report. Reynolds has been
  dismissed from the force for drinking. He resides at Mother
  Matheson's boarding house.
  
  > read fifth
  Sept 12, 1928; Jordan McIntyre, attendant at Butler Insane Asylum,
  was on his way home, a walk that takes him by the cemetery. He never made it home and his bloody clothes were found near the south gate of the cemetery. Unbelievable as it sounds, it appears that he was
  pulled through the gate. There was also dried mucus covering the entirety of the scene.
  
  > go to the west
  This is a cozy front porch that looks out onto the dogwood trees. The front walk is to the east and the front door is to the west.
  
  A rocking chair sits among the scattered leaves that made their way onto the porch.
  
  > examine the chair
  It has a tall back and a homemade look to it. Nonetheless, it looks comfortable.
  
  > sit in the chair
  You get onto the rocking chair.
  
  > Rock
  You creakily rock on the rocking chair.
  
  > knock on the Door
  You knock on the front door. A moment later, a woman's voice can be heard, inviting you to come in.
  
  > enter
  (first getting off the rocking chair)
  You can't go that way.
  
  > open the Door
  You open the front door.
  
  > go west
  This is a small foyer marking the entrance to the boarding house. You can see a dining room to the north, a living room to the south, and a hall stretches to the west where it seems to terminate in a room with
  a lot of windows. In the downstairs hall is a set of stairs up to the second floor. The place seems to be decorated with original artwork and craftwork.
  
  You can see Andy Reynolds here.
  
  Andy Reynolds looks around as if wondering what to do with himself.
  
  > Topics
  You could ask him about himself, the first incident, the second incident, the third incident, the fourth incident, the fifth incident or the Carnival.
  
  > ask Andy about himself
  "What's your story?" you ask but instead of a reply, Andy Reynolds
  just gives you an irritated look.
  
  > ask andy about third
  "So you were the cop fired for making that report about the event at the city dump?"
  
  "I'm not going to let you sit here and scoff me." he begins to say but you set him straight.
  
  "On the contrary. I've seen shit that would change your gender. I'm here to find the truth, so tell me what you know." you say.
  
  He sees you are serious so he tells you what he knows.
  
  (press SPACE)"I was about a hundred yards into the dump when I got
  this feeling I was being watched. I saw this person standing there in the middle of a pile of smouldering garbage. I looked closer and saw it was a small person, maybe a child, maybe the Pendergast boy is what I was thinking at the time. He even looked at me all scared and I was about to approach him to help him out and take him home, but that's when it happened.
  
  "The garbage around him rose up like a wave and swallowed the boy. Everything settled and he was gone. Like an idiot, I reported the truth to Chief Walker. He didn't fire me but the city council did, saying I was a drunk. I'm not a drunk. I'm just a bitter
  ex-policeman now. That's my story. Now get outta my face."
  
  Andy Reynolds looks at some of the crafts hanging on the walls.
  
  > examine the crafts
  You can tell they are homemade as they aren't really that good.
  You're allowed to say so because you took an art class once.
  
  Andy Reynolds looks around as if wondering what to do with himself.
  
  > ask him about second
  "What about the Pendergast boy? You know anything about him that
  might help me find him?" you ask.
  
  "You're going to try to find him? Good luck. You know after a few days. . ." he says but you interrupt.
  
  "I'm hoping for once, a missing persons case doesn't end in homicide." you tell him.
  
  "Well," he says, "I really don't know more than the simple fact that, against his mom's wishes, he went down to the carnival one evening
  with the Coombs brothers. Freddie Pendergast got on the Tunnel of Terrors ride and never emerged again. The ride was searched, of course, but no body was found. Probably abducted." he says with the proper cynacism.
  
  > Topics
  You could ask him about the first incident, the fourth incident, the fifth incident or the Carnival.
  
  > ask about Carnival
  "You ever visit that carnival down the road?" you ask Andy Reynolds.
  
  "Not really." he says. "I don't like the carny-folk. Buncha
  scumbags, really. And that Jonathan Boom, the security guard, thinks he's some sort of cop or soldier, but he's really just a disturbed man with a gun."
  
  Andy Reynolds looks at some of the crafts hanging on the walls.
  
  > Go south
  This is a comfortable common area, complete with an old but comfortable-looking sofa, an armchair, and a bookcase. You can see
  the foyer to the north and a narrow door to the west. Outside the windows, you can see the dogwoods in Mother Matheson's yard. The same artwork that is seen throughout the house can be found in here.
  
  > examine the artwork
  You can tell they are homemade as they aren't really that good.
  You're allowed to say so because you took an art class once.
  
  > Examine books
  How one can collect so many books of such a limited genre baffles you.
  
  > look at the bookcase
  It was either found somewhere or homemade, but it seems sturdy enough. It is full of romance paperbacks.
  
  > go west
  (first opening the narrow door)
  
  This is a white, tiled bathroom with the appropriate fixtures (toilet, sink, tub). The pipes are visible up the walls from the fixtures and
  a mirror is set in the wall above the sink. A white door is to the north and a narrow door is to the east.
  
  > look at the mirror
  You look at yourself in the mirror. You look fine, at the moment.
  
  > look at the pipes
  The pipes lead from the fixtures and into the walls and ceiling.
  
  > Go north
  (first opening the white door)
  
  This is the nexus of the house with passages in many directions. The same homemade artwork lines the walls and a staircase leads up to the second floor. To the north, you can see the kitchen and to the east, the foyer. A white door is to the south and you can see a sun room through a doorway to the west.
  
  > go to the south
  This is a white, tiled bathroom with the appropriate fixtures (toilet, sink, tub). The pipes are visible up the walls from the fixtures and
  a mirror is set in the wall above the sink. A white door is to the north and a narrow door is to the east.
  
  > open the mirror
  You open the mirror.
  
  > look in the mirror
  The mirror is empty.
  
  > put the pipes in the mirror
  (first taking the pipes)
  
  That's hardly portable.
  
  > get the mirror
  That's hardly portable.
  
  > Go north
  This is the nexus of the house with passages in many directions. The same homemade artwork lines the walls and a staircase leads up to the second floor. To the north, you can see the kitchen and to the east, the foyer. A white door is to the south and you can see a sun room through a doorway to the west.
  
  > Go west
  This room has large windows that look out onto a garden of wildflowers behind the house. A door to a bedroom is to the south and a utility room door is to the north. The downstairs hall is to the east.
  
  An easel sits in this room.
  
  On the art easel is an unfinished painting.
  
  > examine painting
  It appears to be a painting of an elephant underground, walking among stalagmites and stalactites with a crazed look in its eyes. The painting makes you uneasy as you look at it.
  
  > examine the easel
  It's designed to support a canvas.
  
  On the art easel is an unfinished painting.
  
  > go south
  (first opening Reynolds' door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > check your inventory
  You are carrying:
  a fedora (being worn)
  a set of ordinary clothes (being worn)
  a trenchcoat (being worn and open)
  a cigar lighter
  a lock pick
  a dossier (open)
  the first incident
  the second incident
  the third incident
  the fourth incident
  the fifth incident
  a holster (being worn)
  a revolver
  
  > pick
  (up the art easel)
  Yes, it's light and easy to carry, but it would still be a pain in the ass to do so, especially as you've no real need for it.
  
  > look at lighter
  It is nickel-plated and maybe was once fancy but now it is dull and weathered. You found it in New Mexico. It's a long story.
  
  The cigar lighter is currently switched off.
  
  > Go north
  (first opening the utility door)
  
  This seems to be part mud-room and part laundry-room. A large basin and a small basin sit by one wall. An door to the outside is to the west and the rest of the house can be reached to the south.
  
  You can see Mother Matheson here.
  
  Mother Matheson seems to be preparing to do laundry with the basins.
  
  > talk to the Mother
  You say hello to Mother Matheson.
  
  Mother Matheson arranges the large and small basins.
  
  (You could ask her about herself, room key, the first incident, the second incident, the third incident, the fourth incident, the fifth incident, the unfinished painting or the Carnival.)
  
  > ask about the paiting
  There is no reply.
  
  Mother Matheson seems to be preparing to go outside, but you can't be certain.
  
  > ask about the painting
  "What's with the painting I saw in the Sun Room?" you ask.
  
  "Oh, yes," Mother Matheson explains, "I have recurring dreams of horrible things moving underground; beneath the carnival. But those are just dreams."
  
  > ask about the room key
  You approach the landlady and ask about your room key.
  
  "Oh yes." she says, "You're the temporary tenant that phoned ahead. Your arrangements have been made. Here's your key. Your room is on the second floor." she tells you.
  
  Mother Matheson arranges the large and small basins.
  
  > examine large
  This is probably the basin used for rinsing clothes.
  
  Mother Matheson seems to be preparing to go outside, but you can't be certain.
  
  > ask about the fifth incident
  "What about this incident that happened just the other night? Did you know Jordan McIntyre?" you ask.
  
  "I know of the man. He worked at Butler. People have no idea what to think of the incident. How could it have been so barbaric and what's with all the dried gook all over the scene? It's just one of those things, I guess." she says.
  
  > look at the key
  (room key)
  It's really just an ordinary house key.
  
  > go south
  This room has large windows that look out onto a garden of wildflowers behind the house. A door to a bedroom is to the south and a utility room door is to the north. The downstairs hall is to the east.
  
  An easel sits in this room.
  
  On the art easel is an unfinished painting.
  
  > go east
  This is the nexus of the house with passages in many directions. The same homemade artwork lines the walls and a staircase leads up to the second floor. To the north, you can see the kitchen and to the east, the foyer. A white door is to the south and you can see a sun room through a doorway to the west.
  
  > Up
  This is the upstairs hall area. It is minimally furnished. There are stairs leading down and a door in each wall.
  
  > examine the Door
  Which do you mean, your door, the wide door, Arthur's door or mother's door?
  
  > unlock your door with the key
  You unlock your door.
  
  > enter your door
  (first opening your door)
  
  This is a small, simple bedroom furnished with only a bed and a
  bedside table. A simple door leads to the upstairs balcony to the south and the upstairs hall is to the west.
  
  > look at table
  It's so simple, you wonder if Mother Matheson made it herself.
  
  > Go south
  (first opening the balcony door)
  
  This is a small, open-air porch that allows you to look down to the front walk. The flowering dogwoods give this space privacy. The door back inside is to the north.
  
  Forgotten by the last tenant and neglected by Mother Matheson's cleaning is a sealed jar of moonshine.
  
  > get the moonshine
  You pick up the jar of moonshine from the ground.
  
  > go to the north
  This is a small, simple bedroom furnished with only a bed and a
  bedside table. A simple door leads to the upstairs balcony to the south and the upstairs hall is to the west.
  
  > Go west
  This is the upstairs hall area. It is minimally furnished. There are stairs leading down and a door in each wall.
  
  > go west
  (first opening Arthur's door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > Go north
  (first opening mother's door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > Go south
  (first opening the wide door)
  
  This is a white, tiled bathroom with the appropriate fixtures (toilet, sink, tub). The pipes are visible up the walls from the fixtures and
  a mirror is set in the wall above the sink. A wide door is to the north.
  
  > look at the mirror
  You examine yourself in the mirror.
  
  > look in the mirror
  The mirror is empty.
  
  > go to the north
  This is the upstairs hall area. It is minimally furnished. There are stairs leading down and a door in each wall.