text: [Themes: Slice of life, punk, mild profanity, male protagonist]
  
  > Look around
  The Path, the thin sidewalk that links the school grounds to the real world, is neither on or off school property. It's no-man's-land, and all suspect activity takes place here. Like most legendary spots, it's rather unimpressive in actuality -- it's a butt-littered sidewalk that heads west to the school and east to freedom.
  
  You can see Stuart here.
  
  > Go west
  These one-room portables are meant to be temporary but these battered aluminium boxes look older than the school itself. Ugly things, but they do serve nicely to obscure the activities of the Path from prying eyes in the school. You can venture south to the field or enter the playground by going west.
  
  > go to the south
  A track rings the large multi-purpose field, and trees ring the track. The school looms to the west, its window eyes silently judging the players. This is where boys become men, where the raw ore of youth is pounded into iron, where the limits of the body and spirit are tested.
  
  Where the jocks frolic, in other words.
  
  There's a bunch of jocks throwing around a melon shaped ball and running around in a very intense fashion.
  
  > look at the jocks
  One of them's the guy whose lighter you found. He notices you staring at them. "What you looking at, faggot?" he shouts between catching and throwing the ball.
  
  > give the middle finger to the jocks
  You give the jocks the finger.
  
  [You get 5 punk points for that.]
  
  As one, their faces turn ugly -- then they look at each other in silent consultation. The lighter guy tosses the ball to someone else and stomps towards you.
  
  The lighter guy is even bigger than you remember him, his face with an out-of-place look of thoughtfulness as he considers what to do to you. He finally decides on pulling your blazer up and over your head, then spinning you around until you fall of your own accord. Guffaws echo in your ears.
  
  [You lose 5 punk points for that.]
  
  > examine the trees
  Pretty, but so what?
  
  > go to the west
  Even if you were prepared to climb the vine trellises, the windows are closed.
  
  > Go west
  The asphalt is painted with various arcane white lines which you assume are used in playing something, but you've never seen anyone doing anything but shooting hoops here. The side door to the school cafeteria is propped open to the west, the portables squat to the east, or you can go AWOL and head north.
  
  > Go west
  There's a constant hubbub in this large room intended for eating food. There's a lot more card players, arguers, wrestlers and crammers than there are diners, however, all playing out their little dramas. Off to the side is a little food booth, occupied by Old Pudge.
  
  There's a stairwell to the west, and you can smell the fresh air coming from the east door.
  
  You can see Old Pudge here.
  
  > examine the Pudge
  He sells a surprising variety of things, meeting all teenage boy needs -- excepting, perhaps, porn and smokes. The fat old man is wedged in his booth, wiping up something, his apron swaying with the exertion.
  
  > ask Pudge about the ticket
  Old Pudge grunts and shakes his head, continues rubbing grease around the counter.
  
  > go upwards
  Second Floor, East
  The science lab is to the north and stairs lead up and down. Grey lockers line the walls, as do doors to various classrooms.
  
  > Go north
  There's a class in progress. Didn't you get enough?
  
  > Go up
  Third Floor, East
  This is as high as this high school gets. You can go back down, south to the library, or you can follow the hallway west. Lockers and classroom doors line the walls.
  
  > go south
  The musty little room is choked with books, with only barely enough room for a reading table and the librarian's desk. It's hard to imagine a better way to discourage reading.
  
  You can see Dave and a librarian here.
  
  > examine dave
  Dave has a curtain of curly bangs he wears draped over his angular face, which is mirrored by the plethora of loose threads he's unravelled from his tie. His pointy toed boots fit neatly into his specially tapered slacks.
  There's a strange scratching sound.
  
  > look at Dave
  Dave has a curtain of curly bangs he wears draped over his angular face, which is mirrored by the plethora of loose threads he's unravelled from his tie. His pointy toed boots fit neatly into his specially tapered slacks.
  
  You realize the scratching is coming from behind Dave's book. It's quite loud, and when you look at him questioningly, he mumbles, "She's totally deaf."
  
  > examine the librarian
  The librarian has the grey bun and the grandmotherly stylings that are guaranteed to negate even the most determined teenage lust. Presumably, given the similarities to the school secretary, they're sisters -- but no one cares enough to ask.
  
  The scratching pauses for long enough for Dave to sweep the shavings off the table.
  
  > examine table
  On the reading table is a carving. It's kind of round with some lines in it...oh, forget it. It's all greek to a geek like you.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some Doc Martens boots (being worn)
  a zine
  some cash
  your middle finger
  a blazer (being worn)
  a tie (being worn)
  
  > read Zine
  It's a small photocopied and stapled booklet called "Virus: A Zine Dedicated to Spreading Truth". A picture of Christ that's been coloured in brown is on the cover: "NEWSFLASH: Jesus wasn't a cracker!". Inside are articles on punk rock iconography, censorship in science class, and the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church -- you can READ ABOUT ____ IN ZINE, if you were so inclined.
  
  > read about the punk rock iconography
  What do you want to read about in?
  
  > Zine
  Handwritten above a series of arcane symbols and definitions is: "We at Virus believe that, while pretending to be the exact opposite, the hardcore scene has become an elitist club. To combat that, and for historical record, we give you the Iconography of Punk Rock."
  
  Scanning the symbols, you recognize the one Dave was carving -- it's for a band called "Dead Kennedys".
  
  > ask Dave about dead Kennedys
  Dave's eyes widen in surprise.
  
  "You know them? Cool," Dave enthuses.
  
  [You get five punk points for that.]
  
  Dave looks down at your boots and then gives you a sideways look. "Their best one is the song 'Nazi Punk, Fuck Off'..."
  
  "Yeah, Nazis suck," you concur.
  
  "You know Nazis wear red laces?"
  
  "Oh," you say, feeling like an idiot. "Yeah. Well, Stuart said he took -- rolled -- a skin for these."
  
  "Huh," says Dave. "Well, I think they got laces at the caf." He goes back to his carving.
  
  "You boys be quiet," says the librarian suddenly.
  
  "Fuck off, you old biddy," says Dave, hidden behind his book.
  
  She doesn't even look up from her book.
  
  > Go north
  Third Floor, East
  
  > Go west
  Third Floor, West
  This is the most remote part of the school, and so naturally your locker is here. For added fun, the detention room is directly north -- its deadly silences punctuated by barked orders and sobs ensure that you visit your locker as infrequently as possible.
  
  > Go north
  You'd like to put that off as long as possible.