text: > look around
  You're standing on the front porch of a large mansion, where the awning protects you from the acid rain. If you want to enter the mansion, there's a large oak door to the south, otherwise you can head back north towards the road.
  
  You can see a plant pot here.
  
  > pull the plant
  Nothing obvious happens.
  
  > climb the plant
  Climbing that would achieve little.
  
  > take the plant
  You carefully lift the pot plant out of the plant pot and catch a glimpse of something in the bottom of the pot.
  
  > take the key
  (the brass key)
  Taken.
  
  > put plant in the pot
  You carefully plant the pot plant in the plant pot, where it belongs.
  
  > unlock the door with the brass key
  You unlock the large oak door.
  
  > open the door
  You open the large oak door.
  
  > go to the south
  You're in an entry foyer. The front door is to the north and there are exits on the other three sides.
  
  > go to the west
  It's dark in that direction. You'd better not venture any further without a source of light.
  
  > turn on the torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  > Go west
  As you start to move, a gust of wind slams the front door shut. You stop in your tracks and spin around. A neatly-painted sign is now visible on the back of the door.
  
  > read sign
  It says, 'This door can only be unlocked with an electronic door opener'.
  
  > take the sign
  The neatly-painted sign is hardly portable.
  
  > go to the west
  This room is somewhat dark and stuffy. The only exit is to the east.
  
  You can see a security card and a loose light switch here.
  
  > examine card
  It's a plastic card with a magnetic strip on one side and someone's identity on the other. It's about the size of a credit card.
  
  > look at the switch
  It's a simple light switch with an on/off button.
  
  > pull it
  Nothing obvious happens.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You're carrying:
  a loose light switch
  a security card
  a brass key
  a tyre lever
  a torch (providing light)
  a plastic raincoat (being worn)
  your car key
  
  > Go east
  You're in an entry foyer. The front door is to the north and there are exits on the other three sides.
  
  > Go east
  The walls in this room are lined with bookshelves, so you gather that it is a library of some sort. The exit is to the west.
  
  You can see a reading table (on which is a book) here.
  
  > Examine book
  It's currently closed. You can see that it's a soft-covered book and quite dog-eared, implying that it's been read a lot.
  
  > read the book
  It's titled, 'The Science of Locks'. You wonder if it can help you out of your current predicament.
  
  > read the note
  'Parts list for electronic door opener:
  1. Switch
  2. Control unit
  3. Laser power module
  4. Circuit board (EK0007A)
  5. Wire
  6. Piezoelectric transducer
  7. Jiffy box (size 2)
  8. 3-volt LED'
  
  > read the book
  It's very technical, but you grasp enough to understand how to make an electronic door opener. All you need is a screwdriver, a soldering iron and the relevant parts.
  
  > examine the bookshelves
  They're full of books, far too many to read in one lifetime. The owner of this mansion must be a prolific reader.
  
  > examine table
  Shush. It's reading something. On the reading table is a book.
  
  > Go south
  You're at the northern end of a long hallway that extends to the south. Other than the hallway itself, there are exits to the north, east and west.
  
  > Go west
  You're at the northern end of a formal dining hall. There's a sideboard against the western wall and an exit to the east. The hall continues to the south.
  
  On the sideboard is a fruit bowl.
  
  > examine the bowl
  It's a heavy blue glass fruit bowl. In the fruit bowl is a banana.
  
  > examine the sideboard
  It's a dark wood sideboard used for serving food and displaying the dishes when serving meals. On the sideboard is a fruit bowl.
  
  > look at banana
  It's got black spots on the skin from sitting on the fruit bowl for too long.
  
  > go south
  You're in the middle of a long dining hall that extends to the north and south. The centre of the room is dominated by a long dining table. There's also an exit to the east.
  
  On the dining table is a small crystal dish.
  
  > look at the dish
  It's a small, delicately-cut crystal dish. In the small crystal dish is some caviar.
  
  > examine caviar
  Fish eggs. Yuck! What do the rich and famous see in this stuff? Give me steak and eggs, any day.
  
  > take the dish
  It looks quite delicate. You don't trust yourself to carry it around, as you're just as likely to drop it.
  
  > taste the caviar
  Yuck! No, thanks. Just the thought of it makes your stomach churn.
  
  > go to the south
  You're at the southern end of a long dining hall. It continues to the north or you can leave to the east.
  
  > Go east
  You're at the southern end of a north-south hallway. There's a wooden door to the south, a metal door to the east and an open exit to the west.
  
  > look at it
  It's a plain metal door with no handle or keyhole. It's currently closed. You notice that there's a slot in the wall next to it.
  
  > put card in the slot
  The metal door slides open, revealing a hallway to the east.
  
  > Go east
  You're at the western end of a long hallway. The hallway continues to the east. There's an open metal door to the west and a set of stairs going down to the basement.
  
  > Go east
  You're at the junction of a long hallway that continues to the east and west. The other arm of the junction goes to the north. There's also an exit to the south.
  
  > go south
  You're in a tiny broom closet. It's barely large enough to turn around in. The exit is to the north.
  
  You can see a long-handled broom here.
  
  > Go east
  You're at the eastern end of a long hallway that continues to the west. Apart from the hallway itself, there are also exits to the north and south.
  
  > Go south
  You're in the ground floor bathroom. There's a small basin sitting atop a vanity unit and a mirror mounted above it. The exit is to the north.
  
  > examine the mirror
  You see a scruffy-looking scientist looking back at you. His dress sense leaves a bit to be desired.
  
  > examine the vanity
  It's a typical vanity unit like you find in all domestic bathrooms. You can't see inside, since the vanity unit is closed.
  
  > open it
  You open the vanity unit, revealing two D-cell batteries.
  
  > take the batteries
  You're carrying too many things already.
  
  > Inventory
  You're carrying:
  a long-handled broom
  a banana
  a note
  a loose light switch
  a brass key
  a tyre lever
  a torch (providing light)
  a plastic raincoat (being worn)
  your car key
  
  > go north
  You're at the eastern end of a long hallway that continues to the west. Apart from the hallway itself, there are also exits to the north and south.
  
  > go to the north
  You're in a comfortable guest room. It appears to be unused. There's a window to the north. The exit is to the south.
  
  You can see a bed (on which are some clean sheets) here.
  
  > examine the bed
  It's a single bed. On the bed are some clean sheets.
  
  > examine sheets
  They're tightly tucked into the bed.
  
  > look at the raincoat
  It's the designer-label raincoat that you bought from K-Mart.
  
  > look at the window
  When you look out the window, you can see the rain pelting down outside. Through the rain, you can just make out another room a short distance away. The window is currently closed.
  
  > open the window
  You open the window.
  
  > Go north
  You're standing precariously on a ledge outside the guest room. The window to the guest room is to your south. You can see another ledge a short distance to the north.
  
  You can see a red key here.
  
  > Go north
  It's too far to step across. You'll have to jump.
  
  > jump
  You just make it to the northern ledge.
  
  You're standing on a short ledge beside a window on the south side of the building. This part of the building goes west for a short distance, then south and east. You can see another ledge a short distance to the south.
  
  > open the window
  You open the bedroom window.
  
  > go north
  You're in a bedroom with an exit to the west and a window to the south. Interestingly, there's a keypad and a coded message scrawled on the northern wall.
  
  You can see a bed (on which are some sheets) here.
  
  > look at the bed
  It's a double bed. On the bed are some sheets.
  There's a large lump under the sheets.
  
  > examine the lump
  Yaaah! It's a dead body!
  
  > examine the body
  Oh, my god. What a gruesome sight. It's a partially decomposed body. You guess it's the body of the mad scientist.
  
  > look under the bed
  The smell is too strong. You decide to keep your distance.
  
  > look at the keypad
  The buttons on the keypad are laid out as follows:
  A Z Q E
  M L O X
  H F G B
  W C V U
  
  > look
  You're in a bedroom with an exit to the west and a window to the south. Interestingly, there's a keypad and a coded message scrawled on the northern wall.
  
  You can see a bed (on which are a dead body and some sheets) here.
  
  > Go west
  You're at a bend in the hallway. It goes south to a junction and east to another room, where you detect a putrid smell.
  
  > go to the south
  The floor caved in. You won't be able to return the same way.
  
  You're at the junction of a long hallway that continues to the east and west. The other arm of the junction goes to the north, but you can't go that way because of the giant hole in the floor where it collapsed. There's also an exit to the south.
  
  > go west
  You're at the western end of a long hallway. The hallway continues to the east. There's an open metal door to the west and a set of stairs going down to the basement.
  
  > go to the west
  You're at the southern end of a north-south hallway. There's a wooden door to the south, a metal door to the east and an open exit to the west.
  
  In the slot in the wall is a security card.
  
  > open the wooden door
  The wooden door seems to be locked.
  
  > go east
  You're at the junction of a long hallway that continues to the east and west. The other arm of the junction goes to the north, but you can't go that way because of the giant hole in the floor where it collapsed. There's also an exit to the south.
  
  > take the key
  (the red key)
  The key is located about three metres further along on the narrow ledge. You can't reach it from where you are and you dare not risk going any further along the slippery ledge in this rain.
  
  > take it with the broom
  You scrape the key towards you with the long-handled broom. It's now within reach. As you reach down to pick it up, the broom slips out of your grasp and falls to the ground far below.
  
  > take the key
  Which do you mean, the red key, the brass key or the car key?
  
  > Red
  You already have that.
  
  > Inventory
  You're carrying:
  a red key
  a banana
  a note
  a loose light switch
  a brass key
  a tyre lever
  a torch (providing light)
  a plastic raincoat (being worn)
  your car key
  
  > unlock the wooden door with the red key
  You unlock the wooden door.
  
  > Open wooden
  You open the wooden door.
  
  > Go south
  You're on a landing at the bottom of the stairs. The exit from the stairs is via a door to the north.
  
  > Go north
  You're in the middle of a long hall that extends to the north and south. There are also exits to the east and west.
  
  > go east
  You're in the kitchen. There's a sink beside the kitchen cupboard. The exit is to the west.
  
  > look in the sink
  The sink is empty.
  
  > open the cupboard
  You open the cupboard, revealing some Jatz crackers.
  
  > look at the jatz
  It's a handful of Jatz crackers.
  
  > Go east
  You're in the kitchen. There's a sink beside the kitchen cupboard. The exit is to the west.
  
  In the cupboard are some Jatz crackers.
  
  > drop the red key
  Dropped.
  
  > take the crackers
  Taken.
  
  > go north
  You're at the northern end of a long hallway that extends to the south. Other than the hallway itself, there are exits to the north, east and west.
  
  You can see a small ravenous monster that defies description here.
  
  > Go north
  You're in an entry foyer. The front door is to the north and there are exits on the other three sides.
  
  > go to the west
  This room is somewhat dark and stuffy. The only exit is to the east.
  
  > take the bowl
  It's quite heavy. You can't see any point of lugging that around with you.
  
  > Pet monster
  As you reach out to the small ravenous monster that defies description, it snaps at your hand. You withdraw it just in time.
  
  > Go south
  You're in the middle of a long hall that extends to the north and south. There are also exits to the east and west.
  
  > Go south
  You're at the southern end of a north-south hallway. There's a wooden door to the south, a metal door to the east and an open exit to the west.
  
  In the slot in the wall is a security card.
  
  > Go upward
  You're on a landing at the top of the stairs. You can leave the landing to the north.
  
  > go to the north
  You're at the southern end of a wide hall. The hall extends to the north and there are exits on the other three sides.
  
  > Go west
  You're in the upstairs bathroom. It's furnished in glorious pink. There's a vanity unit with a small basin mounted against the west wall and a mirror mounted above it. The exits are to the north and east.
  
  > open the vanity
  You open the vanity unit, revealing a pink jiffy box.
  
  > open the box
  It's not that sort of box. It's used to hold all the components when assembling electronic gadgets.
  
  > take the box
  You're carrying too many things already.
  
  > Inventory
  You're carrying:
  some Jatz crackers
  a banana
  a note
  a loose light switch
  a brass key
  a tyre lever
  a torch (providing light)
  a plastic raincoat (being worn)
  your car key
  
  > look at basin
  It's a small porcelain basin mounted on top of the vanity unit. The small basin is empty.
  
  > examine the mirror
  Someone has scrawled a message on the mirror.
  
  > read the message
  It says, 'RUTH WAS HERE'. You wonder what that could mean.
  
  > go east
  You're at the southern end of a wide hall. The hall extends to the north and there are exits on the other three sides.
  
  > go east
  You're in a lounge room. It's well furnished for relaxing. There are exits to the east and west.
  
  You can see a lounge and a coffee table (on which are some UV glasses) here.
  
  > drop all but the coat and the torch
  Jatz crackers: Dropped.
  banana: Dropped.
  note: Dropped.
  loose light switch: Dropped.
  brass key: Dropped.
  tyre lever: Dropped.
  car key: Dropped.
  
  > Go west
  You're in the upstairs bathroom. It's furnished in glorious pink. There's a vanity unit with a small basin mounted against the west wall and a mirror mounted above it. The exits are to the north and east.
  
  In the vanity unit is a pink jiffy box.
  
  > examine the lounge
  This is a plush lounge with seating for four people. There is nothing on the lounge.
  
  > sit on it
  You get onto the lounge.
  
  > stand
  You get off the lounge.
  
  > look
  You're in a lounge room. It's well furnished for relaxing. There are exits to the east and west.
  
  You can see a lounge and a coffee table here.
  
  > examine table
  It's a low, stained-wood coffee table with some elaborately carved legs. There is nothing on the coffee table.
  
  > go east
  You're at the west end of a short hall. It enters a room to the west and continues to the east. There are doors on both sides of the hall, a plain door to the north and a louvred door to the south.
  
  > open louvred
  You open the louvred door.
  
  > Go south
  You're in a linen closet. There's a louvred door to the north.
  
  You can see some satin sheets here.
  
  > examine sheets
  Ooh, silky smooth. It's a pity about the moth holes, though.
  
  > take the sheets
  You find a three-volt LED hidden under the sheets.
  
  > go east
  You're at the east end of a short hall. There's an exit to the north or you can follow the hall back to the west.
  
  You can see a goat here.
  
  > examine the goat
  What the hell is a goat doing in a mansion? It must be seeking shelter from the acid rain. It certainly doesn't look very friendly. Maybe it's hungry.
  
  > Pet goat
  You reach out to pet the goat and it bites you. Youch! You'd better not try that again.
  
  > go north
  You can't, since the plain door is in the way.
  
  Your torch is getting dim. You'd better turn it off or replace the batteries pretty soon.
  
  > turn off the torch
  You turn the torch off.
  
  It is now pitch dark in here.
  
  > turn on the torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  You're in the ground floor bathroom. There's a small basin sitting atop a vanity unit and a mirror mounted above it. The exit is to the north.
  
  In the vanity unit are two D-cell batteries.
  
  > go north
  You're standing precariously on a ledge outside the guest room. The window to the guest room is to your south. You can see another ledge a short distance to the north.
  
  > jump
  You just make it to the northern ledge.
  
  You're standing on a short ledge beside a window on the south side of the building. This part of the building goes west for a short distance, then south and east. You can see another ledge a short distance to the south.
  
  > Go north
  You're in a bedroom with an exit to the west and a window to the south. Interestingly, there's a keypad and a coded message scrawled on the northern wall.
  
  You can see a bed (on which are a dead body and some sheets) here.
  
  > wear the glasses
  Everything takes on a purplish hue.
  
  > read the message
  When you're wearing the UV glasses, most of the letters are invisible. However, three of them stand out clearly. Ignoring the spaces, they read, 'VZX'.
  
  > remove the glasses
  That's better. Everything returns to normal.
  
  > Type vzx
  (on the keypad)
  You type "vzx".
  
  A panel slides open, revealing a hidden room to the north.
  
  > turn on torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  You're in a secret room. The walls are covered in various notes, photos of animals, electronic schematics and mathematical equations. The only exit is through the secret door to the south.
  
  You can see a journal and a laser power module here.
  
  > take all
  journal: Taken.
  laser power module: Taken.
  
  > turn off the torch
  You turn the torch off.
  
  It is now pitch dark in here.
  
  > Go south
  You're in a bedroom with an exit to the west and a window to the south. Interestingly, there's a keypad and a coded message scrawled on the northern wall. Beside the keypad, a secret door has opened to reveal an exit to the north.
  
  You can see a bed (on which are a dead body and some sheets) here.
  
  > read the journal
  The hand-written title is, 'On the Electronic Control of Creatures, Great and Small'.
  
  > open it
  You open the journal to see what's inside.
  
  > read it
  It appears that the mad scientist had been experimenting on animals to turn them into robotic creatures that he could control. That would explain the weird combination of animals and electronics in this mansion. Who knows what his ulterior motive may have been?
  
  > Examine module
  It's a laser power module. It would make a good power supply for the electronic door opener.
  
  > turn on the torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  You're in a secret room. The walls are covered in various notes, photos of animals, electronic schematics and mathematical equations. The only exit is through the secret door to the south.
  
  > examine notes
  You don't understand any of it. It's some field of science that's unfamiliar to you, possibly biomechanics.
  
  > go west
  You're at a bend in the hallway. It goes south to a junction, but you can't go that way because of the giant hole where the floor collapsed. However, you can go east to another room, where you detect a putrid smell.
  
  > Go south
  You're standing on a short ledge beside a window on the south side of the building. This part of the building goes west for a short distance, then south and east. You can see another ledge a short distance to the south.
  
  > jump
  You just make it to the southern ledge.
  
  You're standing precariously on a ledge outside the guest room. The window to the guest room is to your south. You can see another ledge a short distance to the north.
  
  > go south
  You're in a comfortable guest room. It appears to be unused. There's a window to the north. The exit is to the south.
  
  You can see a bed (on which are some clean sheets) here.
  
  > take the sheets
  (the clean sheets from the bed)
  The clean sheets are fixed in place.
  
  > turn on the torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  Your torch is getting very faint. I reckon it will only last for another ten moves or so.
  
  You're at the southern end of a long dining hall. It continues to the north or you can leave to the east.
  
  > Go east
  You're at the southern end of a north-south hallway. There's a wooden door to the south, a metal door to the east and an open exit to the west.
  
  In the slot in the wall is a security card.
  
  You can see your car key, a tyre lever, a brass key, a loose light switch, a note, a banana and some Jatz crackers here.
  
  > turn on torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  You're at the east end of a short hall. There's an exit to the north or you can follow the hall back to the west.
  
  You can see a goat here.
  
  > turn on the torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  You're at the southern end of a north-south hallway. There's a wooden door to the south, a metal door to the east and an open exit to the west.
  
  In the slot in the wall is a security card.
  
  You can see some Jatz crackers, your car key, a tyre lever, a brass key, a loose light switch, a note and a banana here.
  
  > turn on the torch
  You turn the torch on.
  
  You're in the middle of a wide north-south hall with a sealed door to the east.
  
  > examine the door
  It looks to be well and truly sealed. The key to that door was probably lost years ago. It makes you wonder what must be on the other side.
  
  Your torch has just gone out.
  
  It is now pitch dark in here.
  
  > put batteries in the torch
  You remove the old batteries and throw them away, then insert the new ones.
  
  You're in the middle of a wide north-south hall with a sealed door to the east.
  
  > go north
  You're at the northern end of a wide north-south hall. There's a wide opening to the north, a white door to the west and another exit to the east.
  
  > examine the door
  It's a plain white door with no distinguishing features. It's currently closed.
  
  > open it
  The white door seems to be locked.
  
  > go to the north
  You're on a wide balcony that's well protected from the acid rain outside. The southern wall is covered by a trellis, broken only by the entry to the mansion.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  > examine the macaw
  It's a brightly-coloured blue and yellow macaw.
  
  > examine the trellis
  A lattice-like trellis is mounted on the south wall of the balcony. Tropical vines are entwined in the lattice work.
  
  > go north
  You're at the southern end of a north-south hallway. There's a wooden door to the south, a metal door to the east and an open exit to the west.
  
  In the slot in the wall is a security card.
  
  You can see a banana, some Jatz crackers, your car key, a tyre lever, a brass key, a loose light switch and a note here.
  
  > check your inventory
  You're carrying:
  some Jatz crackers
  a laser power module
  a journal
  a three-volt LED
  some satin sheets
  some UV glasses (being worn)
  a pink jiffy box
  a torch (providing light)
  a plastic raincoat (being worn)
  
  > DROP ALL BUT CRACKERS, TORCH, RAINCOAT, GLASSES
  laser power module: Dropped.
  journal: Dropped.
  three-volt LED: Dropped.
  satin sheets: Dropped.
  pink jiffy box: Dropped.
  
  > give the crackers to the macaw
  "Squawk! Molly make friend. Molly follow you. Molly give hints."
  
  > climb the trellis
  Climbing that would achieve little.
  
  > ask Molly about the trellis
  "Squawk! Molly don't know."
  
  > ask Molly about the goat
  "Squawk! Must be hungry by now."
  
  > ask Molly about the monster
  "Squawk! Molly don't know."
  
  "Squawk! Adventures are cool."
  
  > go to the south
  You're at the northern end of a wide north-south hall. There's a wide opening to the north, a white door to the west and another exit to the east.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  "Squawk! Molly is smart."
  
  > Go east
  You're in a small closet. The exit is to the west.
  
  On the rack are some coats.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  > look at the coats
  The coats are badly moth-eaten.
  
  > search coats
  Moving the coats reveals an opening at the back of the closet.
  
  "Squawk! Molly is smart."
  
  > Go east
  You can't go that way.
  
  "Squawk! Who's a pretty girl, then?"
  
  > look
  You're in a small closet. The exit is to the west. You can also see an opening behind the coats to the south.
  
  On the rack are some coats.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  > go to the south
  You're in the TV room. There's an exit to the west, but it's been sealed up for some reason. Now that the exit is sealed, the only other way out is the opening to the north.
  
  You can see a macaw, a TV set and a lounge chair (on which is a remote control unit) here.
  
  "Squawk! Molly is smart."
  
  > Examine tv set
  It's an old HMV cathode-ray tube analogue TV set. You haven't seen one of those for years. It's currently switched off.
  
  > turn it on
  You turn it on and try all the channels, but there's only static. You're not surprised. All broadcast signals are digital nowadays.
  
  > turn it off
  You turn it off and revel in the joy of a black screen.
  
  > examine chair
  It's an extremely worn, yet comfy-looking lounge chair. There is nothing on the lounge chair.
  
  "Squawk! Adventures are cool."
  
  > Go west
  You're at the northern end of a wide north-south hall. There's a wide opening to the north, a white door to the west and another exit to the east.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  > Go south
  You're in the middle of a wide north-south hall with a sealed door to the east.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  > go south
  You're at the southern end of a wide hall. The hall extends to the north and there are exits on the other three sides.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  > Go south
  You're on a landing at the top of the stairs. You can leave the landing to the north.
  
  You can see a macaw here.
  
  "Squawk! Who's a pretty girl, then?"