text: > look around
  The room is small, musky, and windowless. A single light bulb is hanging overhead, controlled by a light switch. A bed is pushed in the corner, leaving only a little room for standing. The walls are made of solid gray concrete and are colored by various stains you'd rather not speak of. There is one hole in the wall for electricity. A wooden door separates this room from the hallway to the north.
  
  On the bed is Nikhil Varma.
  
  You can also see a plastic fan here.
  
  > Mention nikhil
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  "Yes, I find this building to be extremely old and depressing, but I'm willing to accept it."
  
  > M nikhil
  You're already talking about that.
  
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  > think
  You are currently talking about: himself.
  
  You might want to mention: the building, love, marriage, prostitution, the girls, sex, you, and Nikhil.
  
  > Mention marriage
  Nikhil considers marriage for a second.
  
  "Yes, I certainly want to be able to meet a woman soon who is worthy of being my wife."
  
  > M love
  Nikhil considers love for a second.
  
  "Ah, love is a great thing. It is the most noble of all emotions. A man and a woman are truly great when they so choose to be."
  
  > M marriage
  Nikhil considers marriage for a second.
  
  "Love can lead to marriage or the other way around. Of course, one never knows which at first."
  
  (The following story was written for Vanderbilt University's 2012 Commons Reading Competition. It was inspired by "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.)
  
  > examine the bed
  Perhaps your least favorite place in the world. It is essentially a large mattress set on the ground, perhaps half a meter high.
  
  On the bed is Nikhil Varma.
  
  > M marriage
  You're already talking about that.
  
  Nikhil considers marriage for a second.
  
  > open the door
  Nikhil says, "Hey, what are you trying to do? I paid for this time, so stop wasting it."
  
  If you want to leave, you'll probably have to be a little more surreptitious.
  
  > M building
  Nikhil considers the house for a second.
  
  "No, this is a terrible place to have a wedding. It's too dark and everything's too enclosed. That is what you mean, right?"
  
  > think
  You are currently talking about: the house.
  
  You might want to mention: the building, love, marriage, prostitution, the girls, sex, you, and Nikhil.
  
  > M nikhil
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  > M marriage
  Nikhil considers marriage for a second.
  
  "I want to be married by the time I'm thirty, but I'm willing to wait if I can't find the right woman."
  
  > M girls
  Nikhil considers the girls here for a second.
  
  "I don't know where they get these girls from, but most of them are pretty impressive."
  
  > M building
  Nikhil considers the house for a second.
  
  "This is not the best place for them to work, really. Still, I'm sure that it's the best the owners can afford."
  
  > M you
  Nikhil considers prostitution for a second.
  
  "Yes, I know what this place is for. Maybe it could branch out a little, though, maybe add a restaurant."
  
  You see no reason to mention that.
  
  > M building
  Nikhil considers the house for a second.
  
  "I've heard that prostitution is the world's oldest profession. It must have been so open back then. Now we're forced into cramped houses if we want to satisfy ourselves."
  
  > M marriage
  Nikhil considers marriage for a second.
  
  "Looking for a wife here is probably the worst thing I can do. They have been tainted by other men, of course, but even if they weren't, only the poor girls end up here anyway."
  
  > look at the switch
  A small plastic light switch turns the light on and off.
  
  The light switch is currently switched on.
  
  > M nikhil
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  "I'm not married yet, of course, but I definitely hope to be some day. My wife will be beautiful, loyal, and hardworking."
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  a dress (being worn)
  
  > M love
  Nikhil considers love for a second.
  
  "There was a girl I knew who I once thought I loved. She and her family disappeared one day, and I have never seen them since. Maybe they moved because of poverty, or maybe she became engaged to another man. I have no idea."
  
  > M nikhil
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  "I really must meet someone someday who I love. The world would be so much brighter."
  
  > turn off the light
  (the light bulb)
  Nikhil shouts at you, "No, leave that on! I want to be able to see you."
  
  > look at bulb
  (the light bulb)
  A bare yet surprisingly bright bulb dangling from the ceiling is the only source of light in the room. A power cable running along the ceiling is connected to a hole in the wall. Another cable connects it to a light switch by the door.
  
  > examine cable
  A thin black rubber cable attached to the light bulb. You can tell that it's already fraying at the hole in the wall.
  
  > M prostitution
  Nikhil considers prostitution for a second.
  
  "If you mean that I should try becoming a prostitute, I'd really rather not. The demand is probably pretty low as well. That is what you mean, right?"
  
  > pull the cable
  Nothing obvious happens.
  
  > M building
  Nikhil considers the house for a second.
  
  > think
  You are currently talking about: the house.
  
  You might want to mention: the building, love, marriage, prostitution, the girls, sex, you, and Nikhil.
  
  > M yourself
  Nikhil considers you for a second.
  
  "Yes, I guess it must not be comfortable working here all day. Still, we all have to make a living somehow."
  
  You refrain from stating that you don't actually get any of the money.
  
  > M prostitution
  Nikhil considers prostitution for a second.
  
  "I do wonder how you came to be in this state. Actually, don't tell me. That'll take too long."
  
  > M yourself
  Nikhil considers you for a second.
  
  "I can plainly see what you are. Everyone can plainly see what you are."
  
  > M nikhil
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  > M prostitution
  Nikhil considers prostitution for a second.
  
  > M yourself
  Nikhil considers you for a second.
  
  > think
  You are currently talking about: you.
  
  You might want to mention: the building, love, marriage, prostitution, the girls, sex, you, and Nikhil.
  
  > M girls
  Nikhil considers the girls here for a second.
  
  "I imagine that in your field of work you have little time for recreation with those other girls. Still, it's just something you have to accept."
  
  > M love
  Nikhil considers love for a second.
  
  "Every girl is in love with the idea of love. I would say most men are too."
  
  > M prostitution
  Nikhil considers prostitution for a second.
  
  "Yes, I've heard that some prostitutes fall in love with their clients. Ah, all those broken dreams."
  
  > M girls
  Nikhil considers the girls here for a second.
  
  "I wonder how these girls will live the rest of their lives. They certainly cannot survive by themselves for long."
  
  > M nikhil
  Nikhil considers himself for a second.
  
  "I've been to a few other places in the past few years, but I admit that the girls here are probably the best selection I've seen."
  
  > move the bed
  It is fixed in place.
  
  > examine the door
  A wooden door with cracked, peeling, green paint in random splotches.
  
  > M sex
  Nikhil considers sex for a second.
  
  "I'm a fan of it, personally."
  
  > think
  You are currently talking about: sex.
  
  You might want to mention: the building, love, marriage, prostitution, the girls, sex, you, and Nikhil.
  
  > M yourself
  Nikhil considers you for a second.
  
  "Yeah, sure, we might as well get started soon."
  
  > M building
  Nikhil considers the house for a second.
  
  "If you had to enter this business, couldn't you have picked a better place to do so?"
  
  No, you think. You couldn't have.
  
  > M yourself
  Nikhil considers you for a second.
  
  > M sex
  Nikhil considers sex for a second.
  
  "The woman up front said that you were pretty good at this, but of course everyone always oversells their products."
  
  > M girls
  Nikhil considers the girls here for a second.
  
  "It does bother me sometimes to think of the other guys who have been in all you girls, but I can generally block that image out."
  
  > kiss him
  You move near him and take his head into your hands. He pulls you close and kisses you. "Not bad," he says, "but let's just get right down to it."
  
  > get in the bed
  You get onto the bed.
  
  On the bed you can see Nikhil Varma.
  
  > have the sex
  (with the plastic fan)
  You should probably limit yourself to only having sex with animate objects.
  
  > have the sex with Nikhil
  Nikhil pulls you closer and proceeds not to let you go for hours. Despite what else you may say about him, he certainly has incredible stamina. Of course, by the time you actually have any chance to leave, it's already too late to.
  
  > look at the fan
  (the plastic fan)
  A generic white fan about half a meter high, consisting of four fairly sharp blades. It is placed here more for the comfort of the customers than for yours. A cord connects it to the hole in the wall. There is a white cover to protect the blades.
  
  The plastic fan is currently switched off.
  
  > take the fan
  (the plastic fan)
  Taken.
  
  > remove the cover
  (first taking the fan cover)
  You position yourself between Nikhil and the fan so that he can't see it. Then you carefully pry the cover off of the fan, leaving the blades exposed.
  
  You're not wearing that.
  
  > examine the blades
  Four fairly sharp blades are connected to the center of the fan.
  
  > take the blade
  That seems to be a part of the plastic fan.
  
  > touch Nikhil with the fan
  That is either not here, not visible, or does not need to be referred to.
  
  I only understood you as far as wanting to touch Nikhil Varma.
  
  > Attack
  (the plastic fan)
  Violence isn't the answer to this one.
  
  > hit Nikhil
  You're not that dumb. He could easily defeat you with almost no effort.
  
  > touch fan
  (the plastic fan)
  You feel nothing unexpected.
  
  > look at the fan
  (the plastic fan)
  A generic white fan about half a meter high, consisting of four fairly sharp blades. It is placed here more for the comfort of the customers than for yours. A cord connects it to the hole in the wall. You have removed the cover.
  
  The plastic fan is currently switched on.
  
  > examine cover
  A slightly damaged white cage used to protect errant fingers from the fan blades. The fan cover is never tightly attached and has in fact fallen off at least four times in the past year. You have managed to take it off.
  
  > look at the cord
  A white rubber cord connected to the fan on one side and a hole in the wall on the other.
  
  > cut Nikhil
  Cutting him up would achieve little.
  
  > wear the cover
  You place the cover on your head, forming a makeshift helmet.
  
  > cut the cable with the fan
  (the plastic fan)
  You carefully bring the fan blades perpendicularly to the fraying at the edge of the wall.
  
  Nikhil asks, "Hey, why are you messing with that fan back there?"
  
  You lie and tell him that the cover has fallen off, so you're trying to fix it. As you're explaining, the fan blades finally manage to cut through enough of the wire to break the connection, and so the light bulb quickly fizzles out.
  
  It is now pitch dark in here!
  
  > open the door
  You open the wooden door.
  
  > Go outside
  You get off the bed.
  
  It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
  
  Fortunately for you, Nikhil hasn't realized what's happened, so he says "Oh, great, the light bulb has burned out now? Go out and get your owner to change it. I will get what I paid for!"
  
  > Go outside
  But you aren't in anything at the moment.
  
  "Of all the times to happen..." grumbles Nikhil.
  
  You should probably leave before Nikhil gets suspicious. Just go north. (You can also type "n", while "e", "w", and "s" will work for the other directions. Combinations like "sw" may also be used occasionally.)
  
  > Go north
  The fan's attached to the wall. You need to drop it first.
  
  "I'm not going to have time to come here again for another two weeks," Nikhil continues to complain.
  
  Come on, this is the perfect chance.
  
  > drop the fan
  (the plastic fan)
  Dropped.
  
  "And I've got to be back home in just two hours," Nikhil says.
  
  Seriously, you need all the time you can get.
  
  > Go north
  The hallway is narrow and looks essentially the same as your room in all basic respects, with the same drab walls and poor lighting. Small rooms like yours line the wall on both sides. East leads to Pari's room and west heads to the main room where the customers are.
  
  > go east
  The hallway is the same uniform gray all along, and you can see doors stretching all the way further east, leading eventually to the outside. Pari's room is south of here. The hallway in front of your room is to the west.
  
  A door down the hallway on the odd-numbered side opens, as a man leading a girl exit their room and head to the front. You step aside to allow them to pass.
  
  > Go south
  (first opening Pari's door)
  
  The room looks almost exactly the same as yours. A key difference is that this room is lighted. A key similarity is that Pari is not in either. A door leads north to the hallway.
  
  > About yourself
  You are a thin, yet fairly tall, fourteen-year-old Indian girl. You consider yourself to be only of average prettiness, however, which is fortunate here, as beauty is almost a curse.