text: [Themes: Western, Fantasy, western, female protagonist]
  
  > Look around
  Although you just finished cleaning this room an hour ago, it now looks like it hasn't been cleaned in about three weeks. The bed looks like it has been jumped on by an entire preschool. Dirty clothes are thoughtfully sprinkled across the floor, interspersed with assorted toys and food items. You can exit this mess to the south.
  
  Somehow, someone has lost their gum and thoroughly ground it into the carpet.
  
  You can also see a black cat here.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Your ears start to ring.
  
  > go to the south
  The upstairs hallway is really nothing more than an annex between several other rooms of the house. There are exits leading north, northeast, east and south. A stairway leads down to the west.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  > Go east
  No surprises here. Towels everywhere, water on the floor, even a couple of toys to boot. The hallway is just a couple of steps to the west.
  
  There is a pinkish shower curtain here.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  The ringing in your ears is very annoying.
  
  > look at the curtain
  Penny's, $7.99, and that's not even on sale!
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > examine the towels
  These are the towels with little hoods that the kids use after every bath.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > listen
  You hear nothing unexpected.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > examine the toys
  Typical bathroom toys, but of use only to your children.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get the towels
  Why bother? The kids will only mess them up another day. Besides, they look comfortable where they are.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get toys
  Leave the poor toys for the kids to play with.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  It's difficult to think with your ears ringing.
  
  > listen
  You hear nothing unexpected.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  The ringing is starting to give you a headache.
  
  > Go west
  The upstairs hallway is really nothing more than an annex between several other rooms of the house. There are exits leading north, northeast, east and south. A stairway leads down to the west.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  > Go south
  You can't, since Kati's bedroom door is in the way.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > open the door
  It seems to be locked.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > examine the door
  This door is not unlike any other door in the house except for the little ledge on top.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > look at the ledge
  The ledge extends about an inch from the wall above the door.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > Search ledge
  Looks like your normal door ledge from where you're standing.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  The ringing in your ears finally subsides.
  
  > feel the ledge
  You feel nothing unexpected.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > drop the bench
  Dropped.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > stand on bench
  From your vantage point, you can make out a wire key on the ledge.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get on the bench
  But you're already on the bench.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get the key
  Taken.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get off
  You get off the bench.
  
  The upstairs hallway is really nothing more than an annex between several other rooms of the house. There are exits leading north, northeast, east and south. A stairway leads down to the west.
  
  You can see a bench and a black cat here.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > unlock the door with the key
  You unlock Kati's bedroom door.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > open the door
  You open Kati's bedroom door.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > go to the south
  Kati has done a marvelous job at totally trashing this room since this morning. You swear there once was a bed in here but all you can see is a mountain of clothing in front of the closet. The hallway is to the north.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  > Search clothing
  Under the clothing you find an ice pack.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > Keep going
  There is nothing else under the clothing.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > wear the ice
  You can't wear that!
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > Examine pack
  The plastic blue container has a tattered white label.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > examine the label
  "Bees-Knees Insta-Freeze
  Shake and Apply."
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > Shake pack
  The blue pack turns ice cold in an instant.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > put the pack on the cat
  Putting things on the black cat would achieve nothing.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > put pack on yourself
  Putting things on yourself would achieve nothing.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > look at the closet
  This is your everyday kid's closet filled with toys from days gone past. In some ways, you might call it a toy graveyard. The closet is closed.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > open the closet
  You open the closet, revealing a toy black safe.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > look at safe
  It's a small black metal box about six inches high with a small combination lock on it. All in all, it's a pretty good replica of the type of safe frequently shown in gangster movies. Mark has played with this thing for hours since getting it from his uncle. The safe door is shut and apparently locked.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get safe
  Taken.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > open safe
  Concentrate as you may, but you can't come up with the combination.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > ask cat about safe
  The cat gives you a puzzled look.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > go to the west
  The carpets haven't finished drying yet!
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a toy black safe
  a blue ice pack
  a bench
  a wire key
  a silver whistle
  a moldy candy bar
  a beat-up old bag (which is closed)
  a pair of garden gloves (being worn)
  a little toy car
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > go to the north-east
  Although you just finished cleaning this room an hour ago, it now looks like it hasn't been cleaned in about three weeks. The bed looks like it has been jumped on by an entire preschool. Dirty clothes are thoughtfully sprinkled across the floor, interspersed with assorted toys and food items. You can exit this mess to the south.
  
  Somehow, someone has lost their gum and thoroughly ground it into the carpet.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  > put the ice pack on the gum
  You momentarily place the cold ice pack on the gum. The ground-in gum is now cold and quite firm.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > get the gum
  The cold gum is easily removed from the carpet.
  Taken.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Your husband strolls into the room looking for his beer. Not seeing it around, he departs grumbling something under his voice.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a wad of gooey gum
  a toy black safe
  a blue ice pack
  a bench
  a wire key
  a silver whistle
  a moldy candy bar
  a beat-up old bag (which is closed)
  a pair of garden gloves (being worn)
  a little toy car
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run screaming into the room and back out.
  
  > Go southwest
  The only way out of here is to the south.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Kati comes into the room, looks around, and departs without a sound.
  
  > go to the south
  The upstairs hallway is really nothing more than an annex between several other rooms of the house. There are exits leading north, northeast, east and south. A stairway leads down to the west.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  Your husband strolls into the room looking for his beer. Not seeing it around, he departs grumbling something under his voice.
  
  > go to the west
  The carpets haven't finished drying yet!
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > go east
  No surprises here. Towels everywhere, water on the floor, even a couple of toys to boot. The hallway is just a couple of steps to the west.
  
  There is a pinkish shower curtain here.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  Kati comes into the room, looks around, and departs without a sound.
  
  > pull the curtain
  It is fixed in place.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run into the room, see you, and run away giggling.
  
  > open the curtain
  You open the shower curtain.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > look in the shower
  In the shower is a bar of soap.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark comes in and searches the room for Kati. Not finding her, he departs stomping his feet.
  
  > get the soap
  The soap has no chance against you and your gloves, and quietly surrenders. Taken.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run screaming into the room and back out.
  
  > put the soap on the zipper
  The soap soaks into the zipper like oil, dissolving some of the rust. The zipper is probably serviceable now.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Kati comes into the room, looks around, and departs without a sound.
  
  > open the bag
  You open the beat-up old bag, revealing an ornate box.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > look at the box
  The small ornate box is made of dark wood inlaid with silver swirls and circles.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > open box
  It seems to be locked.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark runs into the room fussing about something, and then leaves in disgust when he receives no consolation.
  
  > unlock the box with the key
  You can't see any such thing.
  
  That doesn't seem to fit the lock.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run into the room, see you, and run away giggling.
  
  > examine the towels
  These are the towels with little hoods that the kids use after every bath.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Kati follows Mark into the room and chases him back out.
  
  > get the towels
  Why bother? The kids will only mess them up another day. Besides, they look comfortable where they are.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Kati follows Mark into the room and chases him back out.
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  an ornate box (which is closed and locked)
  a bar of soap
  a wad of gooey gum
  a toy black safe
  a blue ice pack
  a bench
  a wire key
  a silver whistle
  a moldy candy bar
  a beat-up old bag (which is open but empty)
  a pair of garden gloves (being worn)
  a little toy car
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  > examine the toys
  Typical bathroom toys, but of use only to your children.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Kati comes into the room, looks around, and departs without a sound.
  
  > Shake box
  Results of such an activity are not as productive as you might have hoped.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run into the room, see you, and run away giggling.
  
  > Unlock box
  What do you want to unlock the ornate box with?
  
  > unlock the box with the key
  That doesn't seem to fit the lock.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run into the room, see you, and run away giggling.
  
  > Go north
  While considerably better than your children's rooms, your room is also a little bit on the messy side. There is a king-size bed here with mountains of assorted pillows. A masterfully finished dresser graces the south wall. To the south is the hallway and a bathroom is off to the west.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  Mark and Kati run into the room, see you, and run away giggling.
  
  > Go west
  Beautiful plants hang down from the ceiling and ceramic cherubims watch your every move in this small area off of the master bedroom to the east. To the south is a spacious walk-in closet with mirrored doors.
  
  The closet door is closed.
  
  The black cat runs into the room and rubs up against your legs.
  
  Mark and Kati run screaming into the room and back out.
  
  > open the closet
  For some reason, the closet door won't budge.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Your husband strolls into the room looking for his beer. Not seeing it around, he departs grumbling something under his voice.
  
  > look at the closet door
  These are tall mirrored doors leading into (and hopefully out of) your walk-in closet.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.
  
  Mark and Kati run into the room, see you, and run away giggling.
  
  > break the door
  Violence isn't the answer to this one.
  
  The black cat sits by your feet and purrs.