text: [Themes: edutainment, humor]
  
  Purchase or Pirate?
  
  > Credits
  Credits
  
  Created by David Dong
  
  Programmed by Matt Cooper
  
  Written by Nick Ludlow
  
  Jacob Weiss
  
  Researched by Alex Snedeker
  
  Written for COMP 380[Themes: fan fiction, historical, drama]
  
  "My name is Isabel." You keep reminding yourself of this fact as you desperately kick at the rotted wood in the damp, dark potato bin that has become your prison.
  
  "I'm alive." "Ruth is alive." "Ruth was never sold." I silently chant these things over and over in my head as though they give more energy to each kick.
  
  "If I don't get out of here, Madam will sell me," you silently scream in your head, kicking even more frantically.
  
  Suddenly, you hear a noise above you! You freeze. It could be Hannah coming back. Worse yet, it could be Madam back early from the Queen's Ball.
  
  [Author's Note: This game was created for my 8th Grade Reading class who is in the midst of reading the book "Chains". It is a book about Isabel, a young black slave girl during the time of the revolutionary war. Our story picks up after Isabel has learned where her sister has been sent. Isabel has been caught by her loyalist owner sending messages to the rebels. Isabel has been locked in the potato seller by her mistress for the night, and has been told she will be sold in the morning to the cruelest master that her mistress can find. You are now Isabel. Whether you escape with your life is up to you. Make the right choices and you will reunite with your baby sister Ruth. Make the wrong choices and you will surely die.]
  
  > decide it must be Hannah and continue kicking
  You kick for all you are worth one last time. There is a quiet crack. You kick again and lean forward to feel the boards. You lean back, take a deep breath and then kick and kick again with all your might. You feel the boards give way and fly into the dark. You've made a hole just big enough to crawl through.
  
  1 pt
  
  > crawl through as fast as you can
  You take the stairs two at a time and pause to listen at the door before entering the kitchen. The house is still silent. You head down the hall and up the stairs to the drawing room where the Master met with all of the important men. You know there will be maps and one of those maps will lead you to Ruth.
  
  2 pts
  
  > light candles to read the map
  You search through the papers, throwing anything useless to the floor. Finally you find what you were looking for, a small map that showed the colonies from Massachusetts down to Georgia. You look closely at the map and realize the quickest way to Ruth will be by boat.
  
  2 pts
  
  > grab the map and leave
  You creep down the stairs as quietly as you can. You take a basket from the kitchen and load it up with food. You put on every piece of clothing you own and head out into the night.
  
  The streets are empty. The Rebels are not allowed out, and those loyal to the King are celebrating the Queens birthday. Even so, you stay in the shadows, determined to not risk being seen.
  
  1 pt
  
  > head for the prison to try to free Curzon
  You know that it is a risk, but you cant make this journey on your own.
  
  You steel yourself, and sneak back out into the night. The streets are silent. You make your way to the prison and hope to catch the guard sleeping.
  
  When you arrive, the guard is wide awake. However, you notice that his keys are on the ground next to his chair.
  
  Your mind is racing as you think of different options.
  
  2 pts
  
  > throw a rock to get him to leave his post
  You find a rock the size of a chicken egg and throw it as hard as you can in the opposite direction. The guard hears the noise and gets up to investigate.
  
  You wait until he rounds the corner to the other side of the prison and run up and grab his keys, make sure not to make a sound. You use the keys to get inside of the prison and head to southwest corner when you talked to him through the window. You begin whispering his name.
  
  You hear him whisper back and follow his voice. Quickly you unlock the cell to let him out
  
  2 pts
  
  > only take Curzon hoping no one will notice until you're gone
  You quickly and quietly make your way out of the prison. When you get to the front door, you peak to see where the guard is. He has not yet reappeared.
  
  Curzon is in poor health, but he is able to stand on his own. You and Curzon run as fast as you can to the nearest grove of trees.
  
  You and Curzon make your way silently down to the docks. You find an empty row boat and climb into it. You are unsteady and nervous that you will get sick like the last time you were on the boat with Ruth. You swallow the lump in your throat and begin rowing for all you are worth.
  
  After a while, blisters begin to form on your hands, but still you keep rowing. It seems like forever, but you finally make it to shore.
  
  2 pts
  
  > And Curzon look for a ship heading to South Carolina
  You find a ship name "Carolina Trading Company". Its a safe bet that it will take you where you need to go. You survey your surroundings to make sure no one is there. When you are certain the docks are empty, you and Curzon climb onto the boat and each find a spot to hide.
  
  Exhausted from rowing, you fall fast asleep. When you wake up, you can feel that you are at sea. You body is stiff from being in a cramped cupboard for so long, but you know that you cannot move, so you force yourself to go back to sleep.
  
  After what must have been at least a day, you realize that the boat is no longer moving. You hear voices above and wait for your chance.
  
  After what seems like an eternity, the boat is finally silent. You crack open the door of the cupboard you are hiding in and see the space is empty. You cautiously move your stiff legs to climb out of your hiding spot. You go to the door and listen. You find Curzon's hiding spot at whisper to him that all is clear. You make your way up tha stairs and up to the deck to find that it is once again night.
  
  You use the cover of night to slip off of the boat into darkness.
  
  2 pts
  
  > click here if you forged papers and you're with Curzon
  You make your way off the docks and through the unfamiliar town.
  
  Suddenly, you see a soldier approaching you and Curzon.
  
  As the soldier approaches, you do your best imitation of Madam. "Oh sir, I am so glad to see you! I just arrived and am to deliver this slave to the home of my good friends the Lockton's. Could you give me directions, I seem to have found myself lost." You say as you hand him your papers.
  
  Your heart beats so loud you are certain he will hear it. I looks carefully at the pass you handed him, and then looks at you. You hold your breath as you wait to see if you have been caught.
  
  "Turn left at the livery stables, and go to the end of the street, it will be the last house on the right." He says as he hands back the document.
  
  "Thank you sir," you say as you curtsey and quickly turn to go.
  
  You force yourself to walk instead of run. You follow the soldier directions and find the biggest house you have ever seen. You hear a child's voice singing in the back yard and circle around the house to see where it is coming from.
  
  You can hardly believe your eyes when you see Ruth hanging laundry in the yard. You hold your finger to your lips as she turns and sees you. She holds her finger to her lips and runs toward you and jumps into your arms.
  
  Still carrying her, you begin walking to your new life. You don''t know where you will end up, but you know you will be together, and that's all that matters.
  
  5 pts