text: [Themes: Religious, Slice of life, Mystery, religion, teenage protagonist, teenagers, female protagonist, mystery]
  
  > Look around
  This is a far cry from the grandeur of the sanctuary. The walls are covered in some kind of dark wood panels, but they're shabby and windowless, and the floor is bare concrete. A huge wooden chest and a closet full of robes take up one wall. You can head back out to the altar to the south.
  
  A stack of hymnals is crammed into one corner.
  
  Some more ectoplasm is smeared on the floor.
  
  > enter the chest
  You lie down inside the chest, and notice that there's plenty of space inside. It's not a bad spot.
  inside. It's not a bad spot.But there's no time for napping now.
  
  You pull yourself out of the box.
  
  > Close chest
  You close the huge wooden chest.
  
  > look at the panels
  Looking closely at the walls, you realise that one of the panels on
  the wall is sitting slightly further forward than the others.
  
  > open panel
  You're not quite sure how to open the panel, or even if it can be opened. You jiggle it experimentally and it shifts a little.
  
  > pull the panel
  You grab the edges of the panel and try to pull it towards you.
  
  Nothing much seems to happen at first, but then the panel shifts
  upward and slides to the side. Behind it a narrow tunnel leads downwards. You open and close the panel a few more times to make sure you know how it works, and then leave it open.
  
  > go to the south
  A few steps up from the pews to the south are the preacher's pulpit, the altar, and the American and Christian flags. Behind them, to the north, is a tiny doorway.
  
  On the altar are two candles.
  
  A large cross hangs high on the wall above the altar.
  
  > get the candles
  Without something to light them with, these candles are just sticks. Not worth carrying around.
  
  > light them
  This dangerous act would achieve little.
  
  > examine the cross
  (the small white cross)
  This is a nice little cross for a table. Nothing fancy.
  
  > examine the large cross
  It must be fifteen feet from top to bottom. The wood is smooth, and
  the proportions are graceful. Aesthetically speaking, it is a very pleasant object.
  
  > examine the altar
  A simple beige table. On the side facing the congregation is an insignia with the letters "IHS".
  
  On the altar are two candles.
  
  > look up uv
  (looking up "uv" in Casey's notes)
  You riffle through the notes, but you can't find anything that seems relevant.
  
  > examine the flag
  Which do you mean, the American flag or the Christian flag?
  
  > examine the american
  Although it's lying furled against its post, you can easily tell that this is an American flag. This one has tassels around the edges, and
  an eagle figurine is perched at the top.
  
  > examine the christian flag
  You assume it's the Christian flag, because there's a red cross near the top, but you've never seen such a flag anywhere else.
  
  > examine the pulpit
  The lectern stands on the stage-left end of the platform. The
  austerity of its design is diminished somewhat by the microphone sticking out of the top.
  
  > speak into microphone
  (to yourself)
  Your voice echoes in the empty room.
  
  > examine the microphone
  The controls for the mic must be somewhere else. You don't see an on/off switch.
  
  > examine the pews
  The benches are like dense underbrush: something could be hiding anywhere.
  
  > go to the south
  This room can't be as large as it seems. It certainly didn't look so huge from outside. It must be some kind of optical illusion, created
  by the angles of the vaulted ceiling or the long rows of pews.
  
  Near the southern exit is a rolltop desk. Up at the north end of the room is the altar, and the east stairway must lead up to the balcony.
  
  It is dark outside, and the stained glass windows are dull and lifeless.
  
  > examine the windows
  Some of the designs are purely abstract, but you notice a dove, a
  lion, a lamb, and what looks like an elk.
  
  > examine the elk
  The elk is looking to the side, as if ready to take on some unseen assailant.
  
  > look at the dove
  The dove is flying downward, its wings outstretched.
  
  > look at the lion
  The lion is looking out into space with one paw raised.
  
  > look at the lamb
  The lamb is sitting down, its eyes closed.
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  a name tag (being worn)
  a can of tuna
  a can opener
  a jam jar
  some ectoplasm
  an orange box
  a bird cage
  a small white cross
  a stack of photos
  Casey's notes
  a Polaroid camera (being worn)
  
  > examine the desk
  You saw one of these in a movie once. The top recedes into the back of the desk, and you can hide a convict inside.
  
  > open the desk
  You try to pull back the top of the desk, but it's locked down.
  
  > look up orchid
  (in Casey's notes)
  You flick through the notes and read Casey's scrawly handwriting: "Here's an anecdote about Orchid. This happened just recently. I
  didn't tell you, because I wanted to save it for here. Okay:
  
  "I'm at school after hours because of rehearsals. But we're still in the fairly lazy stage of the production, so there's lots of time to just goof off around the school. So while the underclassmen are
  sitting around in the hall running lines, I head up to the drama office, because there are donuts there.
  
  "But Orchid and Aiden Kingsley are already up in the office, and as soon as I poke my head in Orchid looks up and says 'Actors only, please!' and I'm like 'Actually, I am an actor,' and she says, 'Well, you know what I mean.'
  
  "No, Orchid! I do not have the slightest idea what you mean. I would have just grabbed a donut and left, but you're not allowed to take the donuts out of the drama office, so I just left.
  
  "I wouldn't say I hate Orchid. Hate is a very strong word. I
  completely hate Aiden, though."
  
  > Up
  From here, you could head north to the altar, south to the narthex,
  and east.
  
  > S then east
  This room can't be as large as it seems. It certainly didn't look so huge from outside. It must be some kind of optical illusion, created
  by the angles of the vaulted ceiling or the long rows of pews.
  
  Near the southern exit is a rolltop desk. Up at the north end of the room is the altar, and the east stairway must lead up to the balcony.
  
  It is dark outside, and the stained glass windows are dull and lifeless.
  
  There isn't really any room in here for anything except the stairs up to the balcony, but that hasn't stopped someone from putting a potted plant in the corner. If you can avoid tripping over the plant, an archway to the west leads back out into the sanctuary.
  
  > Up
  Standing here, you have a good view of the altar and most of the sanctuary. A low wall with a railing along the top prevents accidents, though it probably also obscures the view for anyone sitting on the balcony pews. A projector is mounted at one end of the pews, pointing down towards the front of the sanctuary. On the ceiling behind the pews, you can see the square outline of what must be a trapdoor of
  some kind, and a narrow staircase leads back down to the sanctuary.
  
  A tangled heap of bars and cables is lying near the edge of the balcony.
  
  > examine the projector
  A strong metal cage protects the projector from careless and/or malevolent handling.
  
  > look at the pews
  (the balcony pews)
  There are only a few rows of pews up here, mounted on a series of
  steps so the people at the back can still see down to the altar.
  
  > look at the cables
  It's hard to tell what this stuff is for with it all tumbled into a heap like that. There are some metal bars, and some pulleys and
  things, and a lot of tangled cables connecting things together.
  
  > search the pews
  (the balcony pews)
  There is nothing on the balcony pews.
  
  > search cables
  You try to disentangle some of the cables but it's all too mixed up. You sort out one bit and the rest just gets knottier.
  
  > examine the trapdoor
  The trapdoor is set into the ceiling, well above your head. The cord
  to pull it down seems to have got caught in the door, and only a small loop is visible on this side.
  
  > look at the cord
  The cord to open the trapdoor is caught up in the door. You can just see a small loop sticking out between the ceiling and the edge of the trapdoor, well out of reach.
  
  The cat trots up the stairs and mews at you.
  
  > Pet cat
  The cat dodges your hand and bounds off downstairs.
  
  > feed the cat
  What do you want to feed the cat?
  
  > Go east
  From here, you could head up and down to the the balcony stairwell.
  
  > Down
  There isn't really any room in here for anything except the stairs up to the balcony, but that hasn't stopped someone from putting a potted plant in the corner. If you can avoid tripping over the plant, an archway to the west leads back out into the sanctuary.
  
  to the west.
  
  > go to the west
  This room can't be as large as it seems. It certainly didn't look so huge from outside. It must be some kind of optical illusion, created
  by the angles of the vaulted ceiling or the long rows of pews.
  
  Near the southern exit is a rolltop desk. Up at the north end of the room is the altar, and the east stairway must lead up to the balcony.
  
  It is dark outside, and the stained glass windows are dull and lifeless.
  
  The cat wanders off to the north, glancing back at you as if to check whether you're following.
  
  > go south
  The main entryway to the church, this room has been set up to be as welcoming as possible. A rack of pamphlets sits in the center of a large table, flanked by pots of fake flowers. Lying open on a podium
  is a huge Bible. Pinned up on one wall is a board full of name tags.
  
  To the east is the fellowship hall, and the large passage to the north obviously leads to the main sanctuary. The way out of the church is south of here, but that's none of your concern currently.
  
  > go to the east
  Battered toys spill out of the toybox and across the floor, piling up in a corner of the room. Cupboards are mounted high on the walls, out of reach of tiny fingers, and an enormous blue recliner sits
  underneath them. It's already dark outside, and the doors west to the basement stairway and south to the youth room are dark as well.
  
  Your sleeping bag is lying on a tidy patch of floor, ready for when
  you finish your investigation.
  
  Sharon's makeshift bed doesn't look comfortable, but apparently she's fast asleep anyway.
  
  > Sleep
  Before you get into your sleeping bag, you quickly review the evidence you've collected. Are you sure you have everything you need for the story?
  
  > Yes
  You put your belongings aside and snuggle down in the sleeping bag.
  
  > open the tuna
  After a few moments' work with the can opener, the can is open, revealing a pungent mass of tuna.
  
  > look at the trapdoor
  The trapdoor is set into the ceiling, well above your head. The cord
  to pull it down seems to have got caught in the door, and only a small loop is visible on this side.
  
  The cat trots up the stairs and mews at you.
  
  > give the tuna to the cat
  (the open can of tuna to the cat)
  The cat dodges your hand and bounds off downstairs.
  
  > eat the tuna
  (the open can of tuna)
  You definitely aren't desperate enough to start eating tuna straight from the can.
  
  > Up
  (first opening the trapdoor)
  The pull-cord is caught up in the trapdoor, and you're much too short to reach it.
  
  > look up trapdoor
  (in Casey's notes)
  You flick through the notes and read Casey's scrawly handwriting: "The trapdoor goes up into the steeple. Nobody uses it, because like I
  said, the steeple is super dangerous."
  
  > look up cat
  (in Casey's notes)
  You riffle through the notes, but it looks like Casey didn't have anything to say about the cat.
  
  > look up altar
  (in Casey's notes)
  You flick through the notes and read Casey's scrawly handwriting:
  "Many church enthusiasts use the word "altar" to refer not only to the little table with the candles, but also to the raised area at the
  front of the sanctuary where the little table with the candles is located. This practice is completely incorrect and extremely stupid. The raised area is called a 'raised area' or I guess maybe a 'stage'."
  
  > look up dais
  (looking up "dais" in Casey's notes)
  You riffle through the notes, but you can't find anything that seems relevant.
  
  > put the tuna in the cage
  (the open can of tuna in the bird cage)
  The bird cage seems to be welded closed. It must be purely decorative.