text: > look around
  Helena's Bedroom (on the bed)
  This is my room, at least for now. It is remarkably clean, the walls a warm off-white. The bed rests against the west wall, a portrait-sized mirror facing the foot of the bed. Right of the mirror, in the east wall, is a closed door, and right of that is an imposing oak cupboard. A window in the north wall overlooks the bed.
  
  > examine the cupboard
  An oak linen cupboard, imposingly tall and square-edged. Bevelled double-doors hang above a large drawer at the base.
  
  The double-doors hang open, revealing several shelves covered in bed linens.
  
  > open the drawer
  (first getting off the bed)
  That's already open.
  
  > Stab linens
  I'm loath to encourage such violence.
  
  > Go east
  (first opening my bedroom door)
  Hallway
  The carpeted hallway extends away to the north and south. In the west wall is a door leading to the guest bedroom, and in the east wall is a door which I can only assume leads to the master bedroom.
  
  My vision is fading around the edges. I need to sleep, as soon as possible.
  
  > Go south
  (first opening the hallway door)
  Living Room
  It's a beige little living room; the offering of pale light filtering from the entry hall to the south somehow doesn't help to shake the sleepy, lifeless feeling here. An undersized dining table forms the centrepiece of the room, with two chairs pushed beneath it. Wedged into the northwest corner of the room is a television, an old-fashioned armchair tucked up next to it. Against the north wall to the east is a display cabinet with a single shelf of ornaments visible through the glass.
  
  A door to the north leads to the hallway and doors in the east and west walls lead to other rooms. The entry hall is to the south.
  
  > examine table
  The dining table is so tiny it's almost square.
  
  > examine the chairs
  A pair of dining chairs flank each side of the little table.
  
  > examine the cabinet
  The cabinet is dark timber with a glass panel. I can see some strange-looking ornaments lining a shelf inside.
  
  > examine the ornaments
  I'm a little taken aback by the ornaments. They're crude and disfigured, limbs out of proportion and faces melted into disturbing expressions - screams, sighs, grimaces. They're certainly not what I would choose to display in my own living room.
  
  > go south
  A nondescript alcove separates the front door from the living area to the north. Two large windows here allow a little light to permeate the otherwise dull living room.
  
  > open the door
  What an unconscionable thought. No. I'm not safe out there.
  
  > Go north
  It's a beige little living room; the offering of pale light filtering from the entry hall to the south somehow doesn't help to shake the sleepy, lifeless feeling here. An undersized dining table forms the centrepiece of the room, with two chairs pushed beneath it. Wedged into the northwest corner of the room is a television, an old-fashioned armchair tucked up next to it. Against the north wall to the east is a display cabinet with a single shelf of ornaments visible through the glass.
  
  A door to the north leads to the hallway and doors in the east and west walls lead to other rooms. The entry hall is to the south.
  
  > go west
  (first opening the west door)
  Kitchen
  The kitchen has a dated feel to it; a laminate bench runs around two walls of the room, and white tiles line the wall above an aging sink and stove. An old fridge is tucked into the far corner of the room, and several potted plants decorate the bench around the spotless appliances.
  
  A calendar and old-fashioned cordless phone hang on the wall near the door leading east.
  
  My vision is fading around the edges. I need to sleep, as soon as possible.
  
  > go east
  It's a beige little living room; the offering of pale light filtering from the entry hall to the south somehow doesn't help to shake the sleepy, lifeless feeling here. An undersized dining table forms the centrepiece of the room, with two chairs pushed beneath it. Wedged into the northwest corner of the room is a television, an old-fashioned armchair tucked up next to it. Against the north wall to the east is a display cabinet with a single shelf of ornaments visible through the glass.
  
  A door to the north leads to the hallway, a door in the west wall leads to the kitchen and a door in the east wall leads to another room. The entry hall is to the south.
  
  > go east
  (first trying to open the east door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > Go north
  Hallway (south end)
  The carpeted hallway extends away to the north. Doors in the east and west walls lead to other rooms. The living room is to the south.
  
  > Go west
  (first opening the west door)
  Bathroom
  The bathroom is modestly sized and equipped, and as pristine as a hospital room. A white basin faces the door, a small mirrored cabinet attached to the wall above it. A toilet and shower are fixed against the north and south walls respectively. Just left of the doorway on the east wall is a small plastic table, covered in toiletries and other miscellany.
  
  > go east
  Hallway (south end)
  The carpeted hallway extends away to the north. A door in the west wall leads to the bathroom and a door in the east wall leads to another room. The living room is to the south.
  
  > Go east
  (first opening the east door)
  Studio
  This is surely an artist's studio. The concrete-floored room gives the impression of spaciousness simply because of how empty it is: an artist's easel sits right in the centre of the space, with an expensive-looking chair facing it. A floor-length window on the east wall adds to the discomforting sense of open space. The north wall, bare-bricked, looks strangely out of character with the painted walls of the rest of the house. The door is set into the west wall.
  
  Marissa, apparently deep in concentration, doesn't even glance up from her painting as I enter the room.
  
  > talk to Marissa
  Marissa turns her eyes upon me, questioning.
  
  [1] "Is there a key to my room?"
  
  > 1
  Marissa fiddles nervously with her blouse. It strikes me how unnecessarily frilly the thing is; she certainly has plenty to fiddle with. "Is it not by the bedside? I must've forgotten, sorry. A minute..."
  
  I watch her patter down the hallway and dart into my room. Her desire to take care of me seems more genuine than is warranted - or deserved, I catch myself thinking. Before last month, we had not seen each other since sixth form at college, years ago. She had no real reason to help me, no real reason to bring me to her home today.
  
  On the other hand, it seems pointless to question her motives when I'm unable to clarify even my own. Last night... I didn't know what to do. She just happened to be the one I remembered. Maybe I thought I could be anonymous here. Safe.
  
  Maybe I just knew she'd be unable to refuse.
  
  I see Marissa walking back down the hall towards me, an odd look on her face. A vague look, I think. Something approaching regret stirs in me - maybe it's my own unease that has flustered her into losing keys. "Here," she says, dropping the key into my expectant palm, "I'm sorry." I manage to suppress a grimace as she places a well-meaning hand on my injured arm.
  
  "I know having a key must be important to you now," she goes on, "but... you'll be safe here, you know. I don't think anyone could have followed us."
  
  [1] "Thank you for understanding."
  [2] "I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you."
  [3] "It's difficult to be certain of that. Thanks for the key."
  
  > think about the arm
  [To respond in dialogue, enter a number, or enter "repeat" to reacquaint yourself with the options.]
  
  > 1
  She smiles uncertainly and returns to her painting.
  
  I struggle against the exhausted trembling of my hands.
  
  > examine the arm
  They're tender.
  
  > think about arm
  They're fine. They'll be fine.
  
  Marissa's brush flicks deftly against the canvas as she refines some small detail.
  
  > Go west
  Hallway (south end)
  The carpeted hallway extends away to the north. A door in the west wall leads to the bathroom and a door in the east wall leads to Marissa's studio. The living room is to the south.
  
  > lock the door
  (with my bedroom door key)
  I lock my bedroom door.
  
  > enter the bed
  I sit down on the bed.