text: [Themes: Horror, Lovecraftian, female protagonist]
  
  > describe your surroundings
  The ground descends here to the muddy edge of the swamp. A small window is set high in the plank wall of the shed, which stands to your east. A path to the north leads back to the front of the shed.
  
  > go to the north
  The open area behind the western row of cabins is thinly carpeted with scruffy, dusty weeds. A large, rusted incinerator stands in the middle of the open space. A scraggly tree has set down roots quite close to the leftmost of the three cabins whose rear walls form a barrier to the east.
  
  To the south is the shed at the edge of the swamp. You can go north to the area in front of the run-down shack, where the motel's dusty van is parked. The overgrown, junk-strewn garden beside the shack is to the west.
  
  > look at the incinerator
  The incinerator is the size of a large garbage can. Its rusted metal sides are pierced by large holes.
  
  > look in the incinerator
  The incinerator contains some ashes.
  
  > examine the ashes
  The ashes and charred scraps at the bottom of the incinerator are gray and unidentifiable.
  
  > examine the Cabins
  The rear walls of three cabins stand in a blocky, unattractive row along the east side of this open space. A scraggly tree is growing behind Cabin Four, obscuring much of it, but the rears of Cabins Five and Six are bare. Each of them is an unbroken expanse of weathered gray planks except for a small window (presumably the bathroom window) set quite high off the ground.
  
  > look in the window
  The bathroom windows are set too far off the ground for you to be able to see in. (Anyway, you already know what the inside of a bathroom looks like.)
  
  > take the bucket
  You pick up the bucket.
  
  > climb the tree
  From this perch in the midst of the scraggly tree, you can't see much. The area behind the cabins is obscured by foliage. However, you're quite close to the rear wall of Cabin Four, and have a close view of the cabin's bathroom window, which is open.
  
  > look in the window
  The bathroom looks ordinary enough. Beyond the open bathroom door, a man is sitting on the bed, hunched over a laptop computer.
  
  > examine man
  The man is intent on what he's doing with the computer.
  
  > examine computer
  The computer is too far away for you to make out any details.
  
  > ask the man about the computer
  The man in the cabin is too far away.
  
  > Go west
  This may once have been a garden, but now it's just a final resting place for junk - lots and lots of junk - and nothing grows here but weeds. The falling-down shack stands (if that's the right word) north of here, its single square window looking out on the junk. The area where the van is parked is to the northeast, and the area behind the cabins is east. Off to the southeast stands the shed at the edge of the swamp.
  
  The way westward is blocked by an improbably dense thicket of bramble-bushes.
  
  An old shovel is leaning against the wall of the shack.
  
  An old burlap sack is lying on the ground.
  
  > take the shovel and the sack
  old shovel: Taken.
  burlap sack: Taken.
  
  > examine the shovel
  The shovel's handle is split, and the blade is dented.
  
  > examine the junk
  Some of the junk is identifiable as parts of automobiles or farm equipment. There are also a few rusted, half-disassembled kitchen appliances scattered about, and a stack of rotting lumber.
  
  > Search lumber
  There's quite a lot of junk here. You spend a minute looking through it, but without spotting anything that would have any immediate value.
  
  > look in the sack
  The burlap sack seems to be empty.
  
  > look at the shack
  It's a tumble-down shack (though not, as in a corny old song your father used to play for your mother when you were little, "a tumble-down shack by the old railroad track"). The boards are warped and discolored, and the roofline sags. There's one window about three feet square, which is covered by a coarse-mesh screen.
  
  > Go north
  You can't go that way. Obvious exits lead east, back to the area behind the cabins; northeast; and southeast.
  
  > look in the window
  Peering through the screen and the grimy glass, you can't see much of the interior of the shack. The afternoon sunlight is too bright.
  
  > open the window
  There's no obvious way to do that. A quick inspection reveals that the screen is held firmly in place by half a dozen heavy screws.
  
  > go northeast
  A slant-roofed, sagging shack stands here. There might have been a bit of vegetable garden beside it at one time, but all that's left now is a jumble of weeds and rusting junk. The large passenger van belonging to the resort stands in front of the shack, its hood up.
  
  A man is standing hunched over the van's engine, peering down into the innards.
  
  You can go south to the open area behind the cabins, northwest along the gravel driveway, north to the back door of the main house, or northeast on a path that leads around the corner of the house. An overgrown brick walkway leads east along the side of the nearest cabin. The shack itself is to the west from this spot, and the garden beside it is to the southwest.
  
  > kill the man
  That could easily be dangerous. You don't know him well enough to know what he's capable of.
  
  > get in the van
  The man working on the van shakes his head. "You can play in there if you like, honey, but don't get your hopes up. This here vehicle is incapacitated. Down for the count."
  
  The van has the usual front and rear seats. Through the dust-speckled windows you can see the house, the driveway, the shack, and the cabins. The interior smells faintly of gasoline.
  
  > Search van
  Under the seat (along with some chewing gum wrappers and a couple of crusty, dried-out french fries) you find a small red flashlight, which you retrieve.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying a wooden bucket, an old shovel, a burlap sack, and a flashlight, and you're wearing your clothes.
  
  > examine the flashlight
  The flashlight is small and red. The lens is cracked. There's a switch on the top and a battery compartment on the underside.
  
  > Time
  You aren't wearing a wristwatch. Usually you'd keep track of time by glancing at your cell phone, but you seem to have misplaced that today. At a guess, it's about 2:30.
  
  > turn on the light
  You flip the switch, and the flashlight emits a feeble glow.
  
  > turn off the light
  You switch off the flashlight, and the light dies.
  
  > get out
  A slant-roofed, sagging shack stands here. There might have been a bit of vegetable garden beside it at one time, but all that's left now is a jumble of weeds and rusting junk. The large passenger van belonging to the resort stands in front of the shack, its hood up.
  
  A man is standing hunched over the van's engine, peering down into the innards.
  
  You can go south to the open area behind the cabins, northwest along the gravel driveway, north to the back door of the main house, or northeast on a path that leads around the corner of the house. An overgrown brick walkway leads east along the side of the nearest cabin. The shack itself is to the west from this spot, and the garden beside it is to the southwest.
  
  > ask the man about the man
  The man lifts his head from the engine to stare at you. At first glance his expression is so baleful that you take an involuntary step backward, your heart pounding. He's very large and very black. His scarred and calloused fist is wrapped around a heavy wrench, and as he steps toward you he raises the wrench.
  
  But then he bares his teeth in an ill-sorted expression that seems to be an attempt at a smile. "Hello, there, little lady. We haven't met. I'm Tyrone."
  
  You stammer a hello, and he goes on. "I'd offer to shake your hand, but mine's a little greasy, you know. I do the heavy liftin' around here, mostly. Heard tell you was comin'. Guess I shouldn'ta said that, but it's too late now."
  
  He frowns at the ground for a moment. "Whatever happens, I just want you to know I ain't got nothin' to do with it. I cain't stop it, neither, so don't bother to ask. I'm talkin' too much."
  
  Tyrone smiles when you show an interest in him, showing off a big mouthful of yellowish, uneven teeth. "I'm nobody special, honey. I work for Mr. Beauregard, is all. Him and me, we got an understandin', you might say. I don't get in his way, he don't get in mine.
  
  "That don't mean I'm pleased by all of what he does, no sir. But there's folks don't care for all of what I do, neither. Let well enough alone, that's what my momma always said. That's how you get through life."
  
  > ask Tyrone about the van
  You ask Tyrone what he's doing with the van. "Oh, somethin' or other's always goin' wrong with it," he says obscurely. "Carburetor, most likely. I'll have it fixed up by tomorrow, time these folks is ready to leave."
  
  > ask Tyrone about the boat
  Tyrone spreads his hands. "You got me."
  
  > ask Tyrone about Caroline
  It's pretty obvious Tyrone doesn't know your aunt, but you figure he might have a guess about why she's been hiding out in the bathroom all afternoon. "'Cause she embarrassed, honey," he says promptly. "Maybe she love you, or maybe she don't. I don't know about that. But she full o' shame on account of she's not doin' right by you."
  
  > ask Tyrone about Beauregard
  Tyrone's mouth sets in a grim line. "Mr. Beauregard, he pays my salary, and me and him leave each other alone. Live and let live, you know? I don't got nothin' bad to say about him. Nothin' good, neither, but nothin' bad."
  
  > ask Tyrone about Jimmy
  Tyrone snorts quietly. "The preacher? Awful full of hisself, I'd say. I wouldn't trust him to shine my shoes, and that's the truth."
  
  > ask Tyrone about the flashlight
  "I really ought to get back and work some more on that van," Tyrone says apologetically. "I love talkin' with you, an' that's the truth, but I don' want Mr. Beauregard gettin' mad at me, now, do I?"
  
  > examine the shack
  The shack is small, old, and in poor repair.
  
  > Go west
  As you move toward the door of the shack, Tyrone moves swiftly to intercept you. "That's my home, little lady. Ain't much, but it's all I got. I don't know how they do things where you come from, but 'round here it ain't considered polite to go into a man's home without his say-so."
  
  > ask Tyrone about the shack
  "That little ole shack?" Tyrone shrugs. "It ain't much, but I call it home. Suits me pretty good, if you want to know the truth."
  
  > open the door
  The back door seems to be locked.