text: [Themes: Gay/queer protagonist, male protagonist]
  
  > Look around
  Heavy wooden benches separate long rows of battered green gym lockers. Everything smells like old socks in here. The coach's office is over to the east, and the gym is back to the north.
  
  George is here, holding hands with you and Samir.
  
  The gym office door is open.
  
  Tyrone is here, holding hands with Samir and Jude.
  
  A old boombox sits quietly on one of the wooden benches.
  
  You can also see a deodorant spray bottle and a broken ponytail holder here.
  
  > go north
  You are holding George's hand, so he follows you.
  George is holding Samir's hand, so he follows George.
  Samir is holding Tyrone's hand, so he follows Samir.
  Tyrone is holding Jude's hand, so she follows Tyrone.
  
  The elderly gymnasium looks relatively unscathed. Since this room doubles as an auditorium, stacked bleachers line the north wall. The open door to the equipment room is west, and the locker room is south. The double doors leading back to the hallway are north.
  
  Jude is here, holding hands with Tyrone and clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is here, holding hands with Tyrone and George.
  
  Blue exercise mats are piled to one side, arranged around a balance beam, and scattered over the floor.
  
  You can also see Mr. Lewis's gym keys, a blue exercise mat, and a pommel horse here.
  
  > Go north
  You are holding George's hand, so he follows you.
  George is holding Samir's hand, so he follows George.
  Samir is holding Tyrone's hand, so he follows Samir.
  Tyrone is holding Jude's hand, so she follows Tyrone.
  
  The air reeks of smoke and chemicals. To the south, two large double doors lead into the gymnasium. Mrs. McCaskill's classroom used to be accessible to the north, but there's no going that way now.
  
  Jude is here, holding hands with Tyrone and clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is here, holding hands with Tyrone and George.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  > Push horse north
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse into the hallway?
  Jude, Samir, and George, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Tyrone lets go of Samir's hand.
  
  Tyrone lets go of Jude's hand.
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Samir lets go of George's hand.
  
  George lets go of your hand.
  
  Tyrone, Jude, Samir, and George gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it into the hallway.
  
  > Go north
  The air reeks of smoke and chemicals. To the south, two large double doors lead into the gymnasium. Mrs. McCaskill's classroom used to be accessible to the north, but there's no going that way now.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > Push horse east
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse along the hall?
  George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it along the hall.
  
  > go east
  The wall buckled a bit here, but didn't collapse entirely - unlike to the west, where outright wreckage is visible by the gym entrance. Colorful leaf rubbings and magazine mosaics hang drunkenly off their moorings.
  
  The door to your classroom hangs open on its twisted doorframe.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > Push horse north
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse into the art room? Jude, Samir, and George, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, Jude, Samir, and George gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it into the art room.
  
  > go north
  This was your classroom. A gaping hole in the wall provides
  unexpected access to Mrs. McCaskill's room. Tissue paper trees line the intact east wall, striving to brighten the desolation.
  
  You left a long table shoved up against the west wall. Now, that
  table supports half the rubble from the collapsed wall and partially blocks your access to the gaping hole.
  
  The door to your classroom hangs open on its twisted doorframe.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse and a slim red notebook (empty) here.
  
  > look at the ceiling
  It's very strange seeing the wreckage of the ceiling and walls. The school used to be divided into boxes, each hall and room discrete, but now those boxes have crunched like eggshell.
  
  > Push horse south
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse to the hallway?
  George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it to the hallway.
  
  > Push horse east
  You shout, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse along the hall?
  Jude, Samir, and George, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, Jude, Samir, and George gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it along the hall.
  
  > go east
  Emily's former classroom is to the north, marked with a construction paper sign reading "Ms. Wagner's room - Come In!" To the south, there's an alcove that splits off toward the bathrooms. The hallway continues to the east and west, decorated with inexpertly drawn
  posters about When I Grow Up.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > Push horse north
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse into the classroom? George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it into the classroom.
  
  > go north
  Ms. Wagner's Room
  This classroom is reasonably undamaged, apart from a fallen ceiling tile. The decorations are straight out of the 70's, all giant cardboard apples and smiling cartoon children, occupying not only the walls but the front of Ms. Wagner's desk. The air smells of markers and chalk dust.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  You can also see a closet door, a pommel horse, and an enormous blackboard here.
  
  > look at the ceiling
  Looks like one of the tiles was jarred loose from above.
  
  > get on the horse
  You're not going to climb on top of the pommel horse unless it's absolutely necessary. Your weakened muscles ache at the idea alone.
  
  > get on the horse
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you climb up on the pommel horse?"
  
  Tyrone pulls himself up onto the pommel horse and then stands up.
  
  > get the tile
  You ask, "Tyrone, would you please grab that tile?"
  
  Tyrone sizes up the fallen ceiling tile and then shakes his head. "I don't think I can move that."
  
  Well, you probably didn't need the fallen ceiling tile anyway.
  
  George picks up a piece of chalk and adds a few more details to one of the drawings on the board.
  
  Satisfied with the result, George puts the chalk back in the tray.
  
  > go north
  This is the only supply closet on the hall, but at least it's large. Boxes line the right wall beneath a row of empty coat hooks. On the left wall, files and stacks of paper cover the lower shelves, and a
  few odds and ends have been tucked away on the highest shelf.
  
  You can see a closet door and a cinder block here.
  
  > look in the boxes
  You check inside one of the boxes and discover a pile of translucent plastic file folders in various neon hues. That box doesn't look useful, so you close it up again.
  
  > examine files
  Stacks of fresh photocopies waiting for distribution to students and stacks of finished homework waiting for retrieval by teachers. Some
  of them have been converted into paper snowflakes.
  
  > climb on the block
  You're not up for clambering around right now. You might climb on something large and flat, like a desk, but a cinder block? No.
  
  > look at the shelf
  Which do you mean, the low shelves or the high shelf?
  
  > get the flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You try - you close your shaking hand around the flashlight's handle and lift. It's like trying to lift a semi truck with one hand. Dark spots flash instantly through your vision, and you wonder briefly if you're going to pass out.
  
  The flashlight falls from your fingers and thumps back into place on the shelf. You managed to move it perhaps an inch.
  
  > Go south
  Ms. Wagner's Room
  This classroom is reasonably undamaged, apart from a fallen ceiling tile. The decorations are straight out of the 70's, all giant cardboard apples and smiling cartoon children, occupying not only the walls but the front of Ms. Wagner's desk. The air smells of markers and chalk dust.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  You can also see a closet door, a pommel horse (on which is Tyrone), and an enormous blackboard here.
  
  George picks up a piece of chalk and adds a few more details to one of the drawings on the board.
  
  Satisfied with the result, George puts the chalk back in the tray.
  
  > examine the board
  The blackboard currently contains a list of countries in Western Europe, with extra notes about Luxembourg (capital - Luxembourg, largest city - Luxembourg, official languages - French, German, and Luxembourgish).
  
  Off to the side, the blackboard contains your note:
  
  IF YOU FIND THIS: DO NOT ERASE!
  Leave the school ASAP.
  I have located Jude, Keiko, George, Samir, Tyrone, and Ashley
  and we are leaving as soon as we can.
  
  ~Mr. Ginsberg
  
  Additionally, the blackboard contains a chalk drawing of a smiling woman riding in a rocket ship toward an impressively cratered moon.
  
  > ask Tyrone,  to go north
  You say, "Tyrone, please go into the supply closet."
  
  Tyrone jumps down from the pommel horse.
  
  Tyrone goes north.
  
  > go to the north
  This is the only supply closet on the hall, but at least it's large. Boxes line the right wall beneath a row of empty coat hooks. On the left wall, files and stacks of paper cover the lower shelves, and a
  few odds and ends have been tucked away on the highest shelf.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  You can also see a closet door and a cinder block here.
  
  > get the flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you please pick up that flashlight?"
  
  Tyrone stands on tiptoe and tries, but the industrial flashlight is
  out of reach on the high shelf. "I could climb up on the low shelves, if you want?" he suggests cautiously.
  
  > get on low shelves
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you climb up on the low shelves? I want you to get down the flashlight."
  
  Tyrone climbs up the low shelves and cranes to see the high shelf. He spots the flashlight immediately, stretches out as far as he can, and grabs it.
  
  Tyrone jumps back down from the shelves.
  
  > get the batteries
  Taken.
  
  > put the batteries in the flashlight
  Which do you mean, the industrial flashlight (Tyrone's) or the battery compartment on the industrial flashlight (Tyrone's)?
  
  > Compartment
  There isn't enough room because the battery compartment on the industrial flashlight already contains the Energizer D-cell batteries.
  
  The Duracell D-cell batteries falls from your shaking hands to the floor.
  
  > turn on the flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You say, "Tyrone, hold the flashlight over here for a moment."
  
  You switch the flashlight on, but nothing happens. The batteries must be dead.
  
  > open the flashlight
  (the battery compartment on the industrial flashlight)
  You say, "Tyrone, let me take a look at the flashlight battery compartment."
  
  You open the battery compartment on the industrial flashlight, revealing some Energizer D-cell batteries.
  
  > get the energizer
  Your hands are shaking badly enough that you're afraid of dropping the Energizer D-cell batteries, but you could ask Tyrone to get it for
  you.
  
  > get the energizer
  You ask, "Tyrone, would you please pick up the Energizer batteries
  from that flashlight battery compartment?"
  
  Tyrone pries the Energizer batteries out of the flashlight.
  
  > put the duracell in the compartment
  (first taking the Duracell D-cell batteries)
  
  Your hands are shaking badly enough that you're afraid of dropping the Duracell D-cell batteries, but you could ask Tyrone to get it for you.
  
  > drop the energizer
  You say, "Tyrone, please put down the Energizer batteries."
  
  Tyrone puts the Energizer D-cell batteries on the floor.
  
  > put the duracell in the compartment
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you put the Duracell batteries into your flashlight battery compartment?"
  
  Tyrone picks up the Duracell D-cell batteries.
  
  Tyrone checks the polarities and then fits the batteries into the battery compartment on the industrial flashlight.
  
  Tyrone closes the battery compartment on the industrial flashlight.
  
  The flashlight beam blinks on.
  
  > close flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You say, "Tyrone, I need to see the flashlight battery compartment for a moment."
  
  That's already closed.
  
  > Go south
  You are holding Tyrone's hand, so he follows you.
  
  Ms. Wagner's Room
  This classroom is reasonably undamaged, apart from a fallen ceiling tile. The decorations are straight out of the 70's, all giant cardboard apples and smiling cartoon children, occupying not only the walls but the front of Ms. Wagner's desk. The air smells of markers and chalk dust.
  
  Tyrone is here, holding hands with you and carrying an industrial flashlight. Light spears out from the flashlight in his hand.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  You can also see a closet door, a pommel horse, and an enormous blackboard here.
  
  > turn off the flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You say, "Tyrone, hold the flashlight over here for a moment."
  
  You switch the flashlight off. The beam of comforting yellow light vanishes immediately.
  
  > Push horse south
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse to the hallway? Jude, Samir, and George, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Tyrone lets go of your hand.
  
  Tyrone puts the industrial flashlight on the floor.
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, Jude, Samir, and George gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it to the hallway.
  
  > ask Tyrone,  to go north
  You say, "Tyrone, I want you to go into the classroom."
  
  Tyrone goes north.
  
  > go to the north
  Ms. Wagner's Room
  This classroom is reasonably undamaged, apart from a fallen ceiling tile. The decorations are straight out of the 70's, all giant cardboard apples and smiling cartoon children, occupying not only the walls but the front of Ms. Wagner's desk. The air smells of markers and chalk dust.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  A lightless industrial flashlight is here.
  
  You can also see a closet door and an enormous blackboard here.
  
  > put the flashlight in the backpack
  (the industrial flashlight in the black canvas backpack)
  (first taking the industrial flashlight)
  
  You can't. It's an ordinary flashlight, but you're too sick and weak to move it.
  
  > put the flashlight in the backpack
  (the industrial flashlight in the black canvas backpack)
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you put the flashlight into your backpack?"
  
  Tyrone picks up the industrial flashlight.
  
  Tyrone puts the industrial flashlight into the bulging black canvas backpack.
  
  > ask Tyrone,  to go to the south
  You say, "Tyrone, please go to the hallway."
  
  Tyrone goes south.
  
  > Go south
  Emily's former classroom is to the north, marked with a construction paper sign reading "Ms. Wagner's room - Come In!" To the south, there's an alcove that splits off toward the bathrooms. The hallway continues to the east and west, decorated with inexpertly drawn
  posters about When I Grow Up.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > Push horse east
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse past the lockers? George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it past the lockers.
  
  > go to the east
  The locker-lined hallway stretches from east to west. Pictures of famous Americans gaze starchily down from above the dull brown
  lockers, almost successfully concealing the old water damage on the walls. You can smell something burning.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  One of the lockers is standing open.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse and a straightened striped green paper clip here.
  
  > Push horse east
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse along the hall? Jude, Samir, and George, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, Jude, Samir, and George gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it along the hall.
  
  > Go east
  Fire alarm lights strobe across a painfully cheerful mural on the east wall, positioned exactly opposite the west-facing hallway. The classrooms and the gymnasium are off to the west, the science and computer labs are north, and the cafeteria is off to the south, but
  you can see from here that no part of the building went unravaged. At least it looks like most of the kids made it out.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  There's a bulletin board lying face-down on the floor.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > Push horse south
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse toward the cafeteria? George, Samir, and Jude, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, George, Samir, and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it toward the cafeteria.
  
  > Go south
  This part of the hall has been plastered with signs in unsubtle red, white, and blue, occasionally accented with yellow smiley-face stickers. The overhead lights are flickering weakly here, and the power probably won't last long. The hall continues south toward the school kitchen and north toward the classrooms.
  
  The cafeteria doors are to the east, but they're closed and locked, since lunch ended hours ago.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > Push horse south
  You ask, "Tyrone, can you push the pommel horse toward the school kitchen? Jude, Samir, and George, he'll need your help for this."
  
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Tyrone, Jude, Samir, and George gather around the pommel horse and try to move it. With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it toward the school kitchen.
  
  > Go south
  With the overhead fluorescents out, it's particularly dim at this end of the hallway, but the flashing fire alarms illuminate the door labelled "KITCHEN STAFF - NO STUDENTS". The door is partly open, wedged in place with a serving tray.
  
  George stands looking miserable with his hands in the pockets of his too-big pants.
  
  Samir is standing nearby with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
  
  Jude is here, clinging to Mr. Bunny.
  
  Tyrone stands with his arms folded across his pint-sized chest.
  
  The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
  
  You can also see a pommel horse here.
  
  > get the flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You ask, "Tyrone, could you please take the flashlight from that backpack?"
  
  Tyrone picks up the industrial flashlight.
  
  > Push horse east
  You ask, "Samir, can you push the pommel horse into the kitchen? George, Jude, and Tyrone, he'll need your help for this."
  
  George says, "Can we turn the lights on first?"
  Tyrone says, "We need some light first!"
  Jude looks at Mr. Bunny, looks at the floor, and then hugs him even tighter.
  
  Jude tucks Mr. Bunny under her arm for safety.
  
  Samir and Jude gather around the pommel horse and try to move it.
  With many small-kid grunts of effort, they get the pommel horse moving and successfully slide it into the kitchen.
  
  Jude comes into the hall.
  
  > turn on the flashlight
  (the industrial flashlight)
  You say, "Tyrone, let me take a look at the flashlight."
  
  You switch the flashlight on. It immediately produces a steady beam
  of comforting yellow light.
  
  > Push horse east
  Running the layout of the school through your head, you don't think Samir can push the pommel horse east from where he is.
  
  You could ask him to push it north into the cafeteria, west into the hallway, or up down the big dark tunnel.