text: [Themes: house setting, profanity, mystery, psychological]
  
  > 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.
  
  It is dark in here, but I can still make out the room around me.
  
  > look in cupboard
  (first opening the linen cupboard)
  Inside the cupboard are a few shelves covered in neatly-folded bed linens. My overcoat is in here, too.
  
  > wear the overcoat
  (first trying to take the beige overcoat)
  I don't need it just now.
  
  > think about House
  Feeling in my skirt pockets, my fingers brush against my bedroom door key and the cold, unnerving steel of a kitchen knife. I'm wearing my blouse and skirt.
  
  >I'm not sure what that refers to.
  
  > Sleep
  My arms are a mess. I'll have to clean them up before going back to bed.
  
  > look at the arms
  My arms look terrible. The blood is fresh and bright, the cuts underneath about a day old. They must have been aggravated as I slept.
  
  Running some water over my arms might help to relieve the heat and itching.
  
  > go east
  (first unlocking my bedroom door with my bedroom door key, then 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.
  
  > Go south
  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.
  
  > go to the west
  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.
  
  > close the door
  I close the bathroom door.
  
  > turn on the sink
  I turn on the basin tap.
  
  > Wash arms
  I run some cool water over my itching forearms. Bloodied water swirls down the drain, stark against the white of the basin.
  
  Oddly, there seems to be some redness under my fingernails, too. I pick out some dried flakes and wash them away.
  
  > examine arms
  With the blood cleaned away, the gashes on my arms are exposed, looking like so many horrid red mouths.
  
  > examine the toiletries
  An assortment of feminine toiletries. Nothing unexpected.
  
  > open the cabinet
  (first trying to open the medicine cabinet)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  >It seems to be locked.
  
  > Search table
  On the plastic table are some toiletries, a perfume bottle, a packet of plasters, a bottle of hair dye and a vase.
  
  > look at the plasters
  A 50-pack of adhesive bandages.
  
  > look at the vase
  A traditional tall vase in green glazed ceramic. A few browning flowers hang wilted over the lip of the vase.
  
  > turn off the sink
  That's already off.
  
  > look at the hair dye
  It's a bottle of hair dye. Auburn #602.
  
  > look at the perfume
  A pretty, tulip-shaped glass bottle.
  
  > Bandage arms
  With what?
  
  > Bandage arms with bandages
  (first trying to take the packet of plasters)
  (first opening the packet)
  I take a handful of plasters and slip them into my skirt pocket.
  
  > examine arms
  With the blood cleaned away, the gashes on my arms are exposed, looking like so many horrid red mouths.
  
  > Bandage arms with bandages
  (the plasters in my pocket)
  I count out twenty plasters - ten for each arm - and methodically peel off each strip of backing paper and stick them in place.
  
  Something wobbles in my peripheral vision. I snap my head up and stare at the mirror, at once on edge. Nothing. Only my reflection staring back at me. The odour of blood must be affecting my senses.
  
  > Bandage bandage with bandage
  (first trying to take the plasters)
  I'd rather leave the plasters where they are.
  
  > examine the arms
  They're clean and plastered.
  
  > examine the mirror
  I find myself unable to focus on the mirror. My vision fills with black when I try to look at it.
  
  > go east
  As I turn to leave, the surface of the mirror draws my eye; it seems, impossibly, to waver and shimmer. I pinch my forehead, trying to stay in the present, but memories from last night overwhelm my conscious mind. A struggle with a knife. A woman, her name I can't recall - only her eyes: angry tunnels, and then suddenly lifeless. Stunned regret supplanted by terror. Fumbling to clean the fast-coagulating mess. Running. Calling the only number I could focus on. Marissa's gentle concern, innocent of the reason for my distress.
  
  Enough. I'm safe here. I should try to sleep again.
  
  > Go east
  (first opening the bathroom door)
  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.
  
  > go to the north
  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.
  
  I can hear a strange muffled sound here, almost like a human voice.
  
  > listen to the east door
  The noise is coming from behind the east door. I lean in, pressing a palm to the doorframe, and listen intently. It sounds like whimpering.
  
  > knock on the east door
  I knock gently on the east door.
  
  There is no response.
  
  > talk
  (myself)
  I try not to make a habit of conversing with myself.
  
  > think about the door
  Which do I mean, my bedroom door or the east door?
  
  > listen to the east door
  The air is silent, now. Perhaps Marissa has also been suffering from nightmares tonight.
  
  > Go west
  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 an open door, and right of that is an imposing oak cupboard. A window in the north wall overlooks the bed.
  
  It is dark in here, but I can still make out the room around me.
  
  I feel a weird tingling in my right knuckles. I massage them gingerly.
  
  > lock the door
  (with my bedroom door key)
  (first closing my bedroom door)
  I lock my bedroom door.
  
  > examine the knuckles
  They're fine. Perhaps a little red, but that may just be the cold. I'm not sure what that tingling was.
  
  > sit
  (on the bed)
  I sit down on the bed.
  
  > Y.
  The bed does look inviting. Should I sleep now?
  Wearily, I repeat the motions of undressing and crawl into bed.
  Morning. I exhale slowly and run my fingertips along my arms, feeling the plasters there. Apparently, last night wasn't just a dream.
  
  Rising from the bed, I stumble over to the cupboard to dress - almost tripping on the open drawer on the way. Did I forget to close it last night?
  Excuse me?
  
  > close the drawer
  (first getting off the bed)
  I close the drawer.
  
  > Inventory
  Feeling in my skirt pockets, my fingers brush against my bedroom door key and the cold, unnerving steel of a kitchen knife. I'm wearing my blouse and skirt.