text: [Themes: Mystery, ocean, mystery]
  
  How did Thom ever talk you into this one...
  
  Your friend Thom Hall has always been a smooth talker, which is probably how he got you to attend his party on board the *Bellerophon*. The fourty-eight-foot yacht is named after the H.M.S. Bellerophon, the ship on which Napoleon formally surrendered in 1815 after Waterloo. Thom isn't usually too modest.
  
  Anyway, you're now stuck at a floating party with three other people you barely know, friends of Thom's. Bill Leveritt is one of Thom's partners in his architectural firm. Carl Weathers, another old friend of Thom's, brought his girlfriend Ashleigh Flannagin, which completes the floating fivesome.
  
  So far you've seen Bill and Thom yell at each other, Thom hit Carl for some unexplained reason, and Ashleigh ignore both Thom and you. Not the most pleasant party you've ever been to.
  
  And it's barely 10 a.m...
  
  Undertow v1.1 (9/5/1995) by Stephen Granade
  
  The forward head sports a small toilet, a sink, and a miniscule shower. In the floor is a small drain; above the sink, a mirror and medicine cabinet. A closed door leads west.
  
  > open the cabinet
  Opened.
  
  > Inventory
  You are empty-handed.
  
  > look at it
  It is bolted to the wall just above the sink. It is made of strong plastic, and is open.
  
  > examine the drain
  It sees a lot of use due to the shower. Its metal surface is streaked with hard-water stains.
  
  > Time
  The time is now 10:12 a.m.
  
  > About yourself
  You look remarkably like yourself.
  
  > go west
  You'll have to open the door first.
  
  > open the door
  It's locked.
  
  > unlock door
  Unlocked.
  
  > open the door
  Opened.
  
  > Go west
  Compact yet liveable, the fore stateroom has two v-berths that meet near the nose of the ship. On the port wall is a hanging locker, and across from it is the door to the forward head, standing open. A small ladder to the south leads up to a door.
  Sitting on the left v-berth is a pill bottle.
  
  > examine bottle
  The closed bottle is opaque and plastic. The label has been torn off, so you don't know where it came from or what its pills do. All that is left is a faded sketch of a man with dark circles under his eyes.
  
  > get the bottle
  Taken.
  
  > open it
  Opening the pill bottle reveals five little pills.
  
  > eat the pill
  You swallow the pill, grimacing at its chalky taste. Almost immediately, you feel a wave of lethargy sweep over you. You have to fight off the overwhelming urge to sleep.
  
  > open the locker
  Opening the hanging locker reveals a safe.
  
  > examine safe
  Squat, grey, metal. It obviously requires a key to unlock it. Part of the top of the safe is scarred with deep gouges.
  
  > examine the gouges
  On closer inspection, you can see that the gouges outline a panel.
  
  > examine the panel
  The panel is surrounded by gouges, evidence of prior removals.
  
  > open it
  No matter how you try to fit your fingers around the panel, you fail. Evidently the panel is not openable without the assistance of a tool.
  
  > Up
  The forecastle of the boat is surprisingly comfortable despite its small size. The helm controls, including the wheel, are mounted on the fore wall, next to a chest-of-drawers which sports a lamp. Across from the chest and beside the west entrance is the galley; between the galley and the helm is a companionway to the fore stateroom. Also on the port wall, aft of the entrance, is a small bar. Across from it is a dinette bench. Windows are at each of the cardinal directions. The west entranceway is open, as is the companionway to the north.
  Sitting on the small bar is a drink tray.
  
  > examine the tray
  The wooden drink tray has held many, many drinks on its surface and is discolored with many, many drink stains. Right now it holds a whiskey bottle, a scotch bottle, a wine bottle, and a bottle of beer. One edge is chipped slightly.
  
  Carl arrives from the west.
  
  > examine Carl
  Carl Weathers is about 28, with sandy brown hair and light blue eyes. If Hitler were alive today, he'd put Carl on one of his posters. Carl is a bit of a know-it-all, but fairly bright. You've never quite been sure what he does for a living.
  
  Bill arrives from the west.
  
  With a large sigh, Carl sits down on the bench.
  
  > ask Carl about Bill
  Carl says, "Hmm, can't tell you too much about that!"
  
  Bill wanders over to the drink tray and picks up the whiskey bottle. From somewhere around the bar, he scrounges up a slightly-clean glass. With a deft flick of his wrist, he pours himself a shot of the whiskey and replaces the bottle. "I've always, er, liked whiskey," he comments.
  
  Ashleigh arrives from the west.
  
  > look at Bill
  Bill Leveritt has been Thom's partner in their architectural firm for as long as you've known Thom. Bill's thatch of thinning gray hair and round glasses make him look older than his forty-two years. He tries to dress flamboyantly but often fails, as demonstrated today by his long-sleeved blue oxford shirt. He's extremely good at what he does, but he is very unassuming; Thom is the talker of the firm. In one hand he is holding one of his ubiquitous glasses of whiskey.
  
  Ashleigh sits down next to Carl and whispers something to him. He grins slightly in response.
  
  > examine Ashleigh
  Ashleigh Flannagin is a knockout, which is why Thom ever dated her in the first place. However, Thom always has to be right, and it didn't take long for Ash to tire of that and start dating Carl. She has shoulder-length copper hair and dark brown eyes.
  
  > look at Carl
  Carl Weathers is about 28, with sandy brown hair and light blue eyes. If Hitler were alive today, he'd put Carl on one of his posters. Carl is a bit of a know-it-all, but fairly bright. You've never quite been sure what he does for a living.
  
  > go west
  The flying bridge rises above you, its canopy rippling slightly in
  the wind. To the east, an open door flanked by windows leads into the forecastle. To the northeast you can see the foredeck; to the south are the aft sections of the boat.
  
  > look at the canopy
  It arches over much of the flying bridge.
  
  > Go south
  You stand on the deck of the boat, just to port of the aft
  stateroom. Its roof curves across the boat, and a ladder leads to the roof and then to the flying bridge. Beside the ladder, windows open into the stateroom. To starboard is the rail, standing sentinel between you and the cerulean water. The boat runs beneath your feet from the north to the southeast.
  
  > About yourself
  You look remarkably like yourself.
  
  > go to the south-east
  boat. A large access panel in the deck allows for any necessary engine maintenance. On the stern, a flagstaff juts skyward, the stern light perched atop it like a squat bird. The door leading down into the aft stateroom yawns widely. Small windows flank the door. Tied to a cleat on the port side is a line. To the northeast and northwest is the remainder of the boat.
  
  > examine the line
  The line is tough, easily able to withstand the rigors of marine life. One end of it is tied to a cleat. The other end of it runs over the rail and into the water. It is taught, as if something heavy were tied to it.
  
  > pull the line
  You tug on the line as hard as you can, but something is weighing it down. Glancing over the rail, you see a dark shape in the water.
  
  > examine the shape
  It looks disturbingly person-like. In fact, it looks disturbingly Thom-like.
  
  > pull the line
  You tug on the line as hard as you can, but Thom's...dead weight, for lack of a better term, is too much for you. Judging from the weight, it is too much for everyone else on board.
  
  > look at the water
  It stretches all around you, rolling and glistening in the glare of the sun, churned up by the propellers. It is tantalizingly close yet out of reach. In the water, you can see a dim shape attached to the line tied to the cleat.
  
  Bill arrives from the northwest.
  
  > tell Bill about thom
  You tell Bill about seeing Thom's body in the water. Bill, however, just waves you off absentmindedly.
  
  As he is walking past it, Bill absentmindedly tugs on the line. Something about it makes him stop. He looks over the rail and into the water. His eyes widen alarmingly, and he yells, "Oh, my God! Quick! Everyone to the cockpit deck! It's Thom!" Bill begins pulling on the line with all his strength. "Help me!" he says to you.
  
  > tell Bill about thom
  You tell Bill about seeing Thom's body in the water. Bill, however, just waves you off absentmindedly.
  
  Carl arrives from the northwest.
  
  Ashleigh arrives from the northwest.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes...
  
  Carl grabs hold of the line and strains in concert with Bill. You slide in between them and put your back into the effort, but to no avail. After a few seconds, Carl stops, swearing.
  
  Bill says, "The four of us won't be able to drag Thom on board while we're, uh, moving."
  
  Ashleigh nods in agreement. "We've got to cut the engines." You find yourself wondering just who this "we" are--you surely don't want to monkey around with Thom's boat. Not that he's going to care now, but habits are hard to break.
  
  > look at the panel
  The large access panel can be opened in order to repair or service the engines which power the boat. Right now the panel is closed.
  
  Carl finally convinces himself that he won't be able to drag Thom onboard. You would have been glad to explain it to him, but no doubt that would have taken one minute shy of eternity. He glances at the three of you.
  
  "C'mon," he says, "I need you three on the flying bridge. I'll explain up there, right?"
  
  > open the panel
  Opened.
  
  Bill leaves to the northwest.
  
  Carl leaves to the northwest.
  
  Ashleigh leaves to the northwest.
  
  > go to the northwest
  You stand on the deck of the boat, just to port of the aft
  stateroom. Its roof curves across the boat, and a ladder leads to the roof and then to the flying bridge. Beside the ladder, windows open into the stateroom. To starboard is the rail, standing sentinel between you and the cerulean water. The boat runs beneath your feet from the north to the southeast.
  Bill stands here, slouching his way from one part of the boat to another.
  Carl, hands in pockets, is standing here, obviously on his way to somewhere else.
  Ashleigh is briskly walking through here.
  
  Bill climbs up the ladder and is gone.
  
  Carl climbs up the ladder and is gone.
  
  Ashleigh climbs up the ladder and is gone.
  
  > Go upwards
  From up here, the skipper of the boat has an almost unobstructed
  view of the waters in any direction. The wind whispers around the canopy's poles and past you on its journey. Beyond the helm, through the windscreen, you can see the bow of the boat. Further away is land, quite some distance away to the northeast. A chair sits in front of the helm. Towards the stern, a ladder leads down.
  Bill slumps here quietly.
  Carl is looking at the helm, thinking.
  Ashleigh is standing here, obviously a bit disturbed.
  
  Bill says, "Um, ok, Carl, what now?"
  
  Carl looks at the controls. "I'd best man the anchor." He looks at you, then at Bill. Finally, "Bill, I want you to go to the cockpit deck and take care of the line Thom's attached to. I want you," he turns to Ashleigh, "to relay my instructions to Bill, and I want you," he turns to you, "to throttle back when I say so. Look over the helm." He makes a few adjustments to the helm, then nods to himself.
  
  > examine the helm
  The helm is amazingly complex, with gagues for RPMs, temperature, amperage...the mind boggles. On the right side of the helm are two levers: the throttle handle and the clutch handle. The throttle is taller than and to the right of the clutch handle. In the middle of the helm is a large wooden wheel.
  
  Bill climbs down the ladder and is gone.
  
  Carl climbs down the ladder and is gone.
  
  > look at the throttle
  The throttle handle controls the boat's speed. When pushed all the way forward, the engines run full out. When pulled back, the engines almost idle. Right now it is set to very slow.
  
  > examine the clutch
  The clutch handle controls the direction the boat moves, either forward or reverse. It can be pushed forward or pulled back. Right now it is set to forward.
  
  > examine the wheel
  Attached to the helm, the wheel controls the ship's rudders. It resembles a stereotypical ship wheel, with large wooden handles all around its circumference.
  
  From below, Carl yells at you, "Pull the throttle back to idle."
  
  > pull the throttle
  You pull the throttle back to idling speed. You hear the engines slow down.