text: [Themes: Horror, Mystery, Humor, new mexico, Lovecraft, private investigator, horror, Comedy]
  
  > go down
  This basement room is bare. Odd.
  
  You can see an army trunk (closed) here.
  
  > look at the trunk
  It's an old, battered army trunk. You wonder if it's been through The War.
  
  > open the trunk
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > go upward
  This old building houses the only newspaper in Silver City; The Silver City Press. The room was designed with activity in mind however, the place is nearly deserted. Half a dozen desks are placed around the room. Telephones, typewriters, a coffee percolator, and a fan are the trappings of this bastion of free speech. The door to the outside is to the northwest and in the corner, you can see a staircase leading down.
  
  It's very warm in here.
  
  > examine fan
  It's an electric Emerson with brass blades.
  
  The fan is currently switched off.
  
  It's very warm in here.
  
  > switch the fan on
  The breeze from the fan moves some papers around on a desk. The papers fall revealing a key.
  
  A fan in the corner noisily chops some air into the room.
  
  > take the key
  (putting the Herald clipping into the trenchcoat to make room)
  You take the archive key from the desk.
  
  A fan in the corner noisily chops some air into the room.
  
  > open the trunk with the key
  You unlock the army trunk.
  
  > open trunk
  You open the army trunk, revealing a scrapbook.
  
  > take the scrapbook
  You hear a bus horn in the distance.
  
  (putting the Times clipping into the trenchcoat to make room)
  You take the scrapbook from the army trunk.
  
  > read the scrapbook
  There are several articles bundled in the scrapbook, all dealing with the town of Castronegro and all dating back over thirty years. The articles report the mysterious disappearance of infants from the Castronegro area. At first, these disappearances were attributed to the still-unpacified Apaches nearby, but gradually the vanishings were just left as a mystery. One other article tells the story of the disappearance of a Castronegro man visiting Albuquerque in 1892; a case similar to that of Joaquin Vileila-Pareia. The other articles are dated 1890, 1898, 1902, and 1918. In the 1898 article, a Castronegro man named Bernardo Diaz is named as a prime suspect, but there is no information as to whether or not he was ever arrested.
  
  The final article seems to be just general information about Castronegro. It reads as follows:
  
  Castronegro is a small New Mexican town, located about 40 miles
  north of Silver City. It was founded in 1680 by a wealthy Spanish nobleman named Bernardo de Diaz. He led his family and another family, the Vilheila-Pareiras, there from Spain. The town's original name was Agua Blanca, changed later to Castronegro early in the 18th centry, for an unknown reason.
  
  In 1728, during the Inquisition's suppression of Madrid
  Freemasonry, many Spanish refugees fled to Castronegro.
  
  ago. It has a population of about 600, and the town's only tie with the outisde world is the weekly bus from Silver City, as phone lines have not yet been installed. It is a scenic example of Spanish America.
  
  > Go upwards
  This old building houses the only newspaper in Silver City; The Silver City Press. The room was designed with activity in mind however, the place is nearly deserted. Half a dozen desks are placed around the room. Telephones, typewriters, a coffee percolator, and a fan are the trappings of this bastion of free speech. The door to the outside is to the northwest and in the corner, you can see a staircase leading down.
  
  A fan in the corner noisily chops some air into the room.
  
  > Go northwest
  You're lucky to be visiting New Mexico in the winter to avoid the extremes of the season. You stand in the town square of Silver City. To the north, you can make your way to the sheriff's office. Hyde street is to the west; where sits the boarding house in which David Lane stayed. The newspaper office, The Silver City Press, can be reached to the southeast. The bus station is to the south.
  
  > go to the south
  One long, uncomfortable bus ride later. . .
  
  > press the space
  As the bus driver drops you off at the edge of this sleepy town, he points to the north to a largish building built upon a foothill about a half mile from town. He tells you it is Casa de Diaz and inside is the reason this town has so few visitors. The man who lives there is Bernardo Diaz VI, a direct descendant of Bernardo de Diaz who founded the original town. He tells you that Bernardo doesn't care for strangers and then the bus driver drives off.
  
  This is the only bus stop in town and it sits at the town's edge. To the west, the road leads out of town and to the east is the rest of Castronegro. To the south is the Herrera Hotel; its sign dangling lazily from the door like a warm dog's gonad.
  
  You can see a sign here.
  
  A vulture circles lazily far overhead.
  I beg your pardon?
  
  > go south
  (first opening the hotel door)
  
  The Herrera Hotel is the only place to stay in Castronegro. It is an old adobe building, at least a hundred years old, with two stories. This is the lobby where the front desk greets the guest. A lounge is to the east and stairs lead upward to the rooms. A door is set into the west wall.
  
  Organizing some paperwork (in a futile attempt at professionalism) is the hotel's owner, Juan Herrera.
  
  You can also see Claire Prebo here.
  
  Juan dusts around the room.
  
  Claire looks around nervously.
  
  > ask Juan about room
  "I don't know much about room."
  
  Juan checks his fly.
  
  Claire wonders aloud if she remembered to buy tampons.
  
  > ask Juan about the cats
  "I don't know much about cats."
  
  Juan checks the lock on the west door.
  
  Claire looks at you but then quickly looks away.
  
  > ask Juan about the castronegro
  "I don't know much about castronegro."
  
  Juan checks the lock on the west door.
  
  Claire takes an eclaire from her purse, takes a bite, and replaces it.
  
  > talk to Juan
  You casually make conversation in order to ask if, as the hotel manager, he's heard of David Lane or even the other two missing persons; Dr. Godfrey and Joaquin Vilheila-Pareira.
  
  He tells you he's not heard of David or Dr. Godfrey but he knows that the third missing man, Joaquin, has an uncle who runs a tobacco shop here in Castronegro. You remember the sheriff in Silver City telling you that Joaquin's uncle was the one who claimed Joaquin's possessions.
  
  Juan checks the lock on the west door.
  
  Claire smells her finger.
  
  > talk to Claire
  "This town's an armpit."
  
  Juan checks his fly.
  
  Claire rummages around in her purse.
  
  > Go upwards
  You don't have any rooms to investigate here. None of the three missing individuals were known to have stayed here. However, being the only hotel in Castronegro, maybe there is still information to be found here. . .
  
  Juan checks his fly.
  
  Claire looks at you but then quickly looks away.
  
  > go to the west
  (first opening the private door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  Juan checks his fly.
  
  Claire rummages around in her purse.
  
  > Kiss claire
  Keep your mind on the game.
  
  Juan checks his fly.
  
  Claire takes an eclaire from her purse, takes a bite, and replaces it.
  
  > show envelope to Juan
  "Fantastic."
  
  Juan checks his fly.
  
  Claire Prebo goes north.
  
  > go to the north
  This is the only bus stop in town and it sits at the town's edge. To the west, the road leads out of town and to the east is the rest of Castronegro. To the south is the Herrera Hotel; its sign dangling lazily from the door like a warm dog's gonad.
  
  You can see Claire Prebo and a sign here.
  
  Tumbleweed tumbles by.
  
  Claire smells her finger.
  
  > read sign
  (the sign)
  Bus Stop
  
  You think you hear your name whispered somewhere near you but it might've just been the wind.
  
  Claire Prebo goes south.
  
  > go to the east
  This is a dusty street corner in Castronegro. A bus stop can be seen to the west, in front of the Herrera Hotel. One of the roads that lead out of town is to the southeast. The library can be reached to the east, and the sidewalk continues to the north past a nondescript building. A park can be reached to the northeast.
  
  You hear footsteps behind you, but when you turn to look, you see no one.
  
  > go to the east
  This is a dusty stone courtyard to the library of Castronegro. A sad excuse for a park is to the north and the street corner is to the west. The library's door is to the southeast. You can cross the street to the northwest.
  
  A chill wind blows; the only sign of winter you've felt here.
  
  > go southeast
  (first opening the new door)
  
  The Castronegro Library is one of the few wooden buildings in town.
  It is fairly modern and was built no more than twenty years ago as a result of funds from a grant from Andrew Carnegie. Bookshelves, of course, dominate the space. The exit to the outside is to the northwest.
  
  Looking after the library is the strange old librarian, Efraim Diaz.
  
  Efraim reads from a dirty magazine.
  
  > talk to Efraim
  "What am I? A reference desk?"
  
  Efraim loudly stamps some overdue books.
  
  > ask Efraim about Castronegro
  "I don't know much about castronegro."
  
  Efraim mumbles something you can't make-out.
  
  > examine Efraim
  Efraim Diaz somewhat resembles an elderly Fatty Arbuckle.
  
  Efraim loudly stamps some overdue books.
  
  > go northwest
  This is a dusty stone courtyard to the library of Castronegro. A sad excuse for a park is to the north and the street corner is to the west. The library's door is to the southeast. You can cross the street to the northwest.
  
  Dust swirls around the buildings.
  
  > check your inventory
  You are carrying:
  a scrapbook
  the archive key
  a torn envelope
  a paperback book
  a revolver
  an ashtray
  a fedora (being worn)
  a set of clothes (being worn)
  a trenchcoat (being worn and open)
  a Times clipping
  a Herald clipping
  a train ticket
  a holster (being worn)
  
  Tumbleweed tumbles by.
  
  > go north
  This is a sorry excuse for a 'park'. There are no trees save for some cacti and tumbleweed. A bench sits near a dry fountain. To the east is the entrance to the chapel and to the south is the courtyard to the town's library. One of the roads that lead out of town is to the southeast and the park can be exited back into town to the west. You can also cross the street to the northwest and southwest.
  
  A vulture circles lazily far overhead.
  
  > go east
  (first opening the chapel door)
  
  Inside the chapel, it is eerie and silent. It seems that the locals do not frequent it much. The door to the street outside is to the west.
  
  In the center of this chamber is a rather horrible statue carved from basalt.
  
  Reading in the back of the chapel is Father Alonso Vilheila-Pareira.
  
  You can also see Ichabod Johnson here.
  
  Father Alonso lights a cigarette.
  
  Ichabod Johnson goes west.
  
  > examine the statue
  It depicts a distorted human figure wrapped partly in a shroud with a sickle in the left hand. The right hand points southeast.
  
  Father Alonso puts his face close to the page he's reading as if his sight is very bad.
  
  > talk to Alonso
  You inquire about David Lane, having found the envelope in the boarding house. The old priest tells you that David asked for certain information about the Castronegro area, which he was glad to collect from the library and mail to him in Silver City. He tells you he knows nothing of the disappearances nor the cattle killings.
  
  Father Alonso lights a cigarette.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  Father Alonso turns the page of the book he is reading.
  
  > talk to Alonso
  Maybe you should ask or tell about more specific topics.
  
  Father Alonso eyes you curiously.