6:35 AM, January 1

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The street is quiet up here, so far away from the station. The rows of empty houses continue to your right. To the left, a long-abandoned warehouse. [[Check out the abandoned warehouse->warehouseOutside]] [[Go north->road4]] [[Go south->road2]]

The building towers above you. This place was a swimming pool, once. Must have been around '24 that they converted it into a munitions depot. Not much use for that, a few years later. The door seems completely unguarded -- any security must have left when the building was condemned. [[Enter the warehouse ->warehouseInterior]] [[Return to the road ->road3]]

You open the door and walk inside. Immediately, the smell of damp. Corroded steel. Sulfur. It's dark, but a cracked window allows just enough light through to make out shapes. Glass [[vials]] crack underneath your feet as you walk. <<if $ladder_loc is 0>>A [[ladder]] lies on the floor nearby, in amongst piles of debris and trash. <<endif>> [[Leave the warehouse->road3]]

They say that the UK isn't long behind America in any sort of cultural trend. Drug legalisation was the exception. In the cities, harsh policing pushed forgotten addicts into forgotten places. Places like this. [[Continue->warehouseInterior]]

It's a ladder. Tall. Useful for getting to places high up. [[Pick up the ladder]] [[Leave the ladder]]

Okay. Sure. Why not? You heft the ladder onto your shoulder. <<set $ladder_loc to 1>> <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

Why would you need a ladder anyway? You've got a place to be. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

<<if tags().includes("location")>> There are some [[items->inventory]] in your pockets. <<if $ladder_loc is 1>>\ On your shoulder is a huge [[ladder->ladderHeld]]. <<endif>>\ <<if $tins is 1>>\ You're carrying a crate of Krony B. <<elseif $tins is 2>>\ You're carrying two crates of Krony B. <<elseif $tins is 3>>\ With some difficulty, you're carrying three crates of Krony B. <<elseif $tins is 4>>\ Somehow, you're carrying four crates of Krony B. This is probably your limit. <<endif>> <<endif>>

You check your pockets. You're carrying: [[An empty cigarette packet]] [[An ID card]] <<if $inventory.includes('A lighter')>>\ [[A lighter]] <<endif>>\ <<if $inventory.includes('Spray paint')>>\ [[Spray paint]] <<endif>>\ <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

In all honesty, it's starting to become a bit of a pain in the arse to lug around. <<if $return is "road5">> [[Place the ladder against the bridge->ladderPlace]]<<else>>[[Drop the ladder->ladderDrop]] <<endif>> [[Keep carrying the ladder->ladderKeep]]

<<if $return is "warehouseInterior">> You put the ladder down. It's better this way. <<set $ladder_loc to 0>> <<else>> Not here. Find it a new home, or return it from whence it came. <<endif>> <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

It'll probably come in handy. Probably. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

Here. The place. You're standing outside the flat. You can go in, if you think the time is right. The road leads north and south. [[Approach the flat->flatExterior]] [[Go north->road45]] [[Go south->road3]]

You're on the road, outside an autoshop. Ten years ago there was a petrol station out in front of it. Four years ago, [[lines of electric vehicle chargers]]. All of them have been switched off, now. The only activity comes from the electric billboards on the front of the autoshop. [[Enter the autoshop]] [[Go north->road3]] [[Go south->road1]]

You're on the road. Empty houses with perfectly maintained gardens line the pavement to the east. To the west, an office complex. It was once a housing estate. <<if $burned_paper is 1>>\ [[Enter the office complex->burnedOffice1]] <<else>>\ [[Enter the office complex->officeEntry1]] <<endif>>\ [[Go north->road2]] [[Go south->road0]]

You're standing on the bridge over the old canal. Debris floats in the water. A few years ago, there would have been boats here. Not much sense in that now -- eventually, the shit that they were pumping into the ocean started flowing back into the rivers. It makes boat traffic difficult. <<if $gone_north is 1 and $north_tins is 0>>\ Something catches your eye in the water below. It wasn't there before. There are [[steps leading down]]. <<endif>>\ [[Go north->road1]]

It's quieter up here than the south. High above you is the old railway bridge. There aren't many trains that pass through here these days. <<if $new_graffito is "">> Someone has scrawled [["SEND 'EM RWANDA"]] across the bridge in poorly-kerned red emulsion. <<else>> In glorious rainbow colours, "$new_graffito" is written across the bridge. You give yourself a moment to appreciate your work. <<endif>> The road leads north and south.<<if $ladder_loc is 2>> A [[ladder]] is propped up against the bridge. <<endif>> <<if $graffiti_tins is 0>>By the side of the road, a [[Krony B delivery van is parked]].<<endif>> [[Climb up to the bridge->bridgeLadderCheck]] [[Go north->road6]] [[Go south->road45]]

The prison looms above you to the east. Stern faced guards watch as you walk along the road. Nothing you can do for the people in there, at least not tonight. <<if $gone_north is 0>>[[Go north->road7]]<<else>>[[Go north->noNorthAgain]]<<endif>> [[Go south->road5]]

You're walking north, up the road. A long-abandoned church on the left, more recently abandoned houses on the right. There's nothing for you this far north. [[Go north->road8]] [[Go south->road6]]

Up past the old underground station, over the bridge. The wind cuts through to your bones up here. The dead city stretches endlessly. [[Go north->road9]] [[Go south->loopAbort]]

Why are you still walking north? There's nothing here but empty buildings and deafening silence. You can still turn back. It's not too late. You can still turn back. [[Go north->loop0]] [[Go south->loopAbort]]

You keep walking. Empty houses give way to ruined houses, which give way to rubble. It's not safe up here. You pick up the pace. As you go further north, the temperature starts to bite. A compulsion to keep walking north strikes. [[Go north->loop1]]

This building has gone through a lot of iterations. Its present form is a chain nightclub. There's not many clubs left around. The few that do are largely sanitised affairs. Not <em>bad</em> per se, but something's missing. A small crowd of smokers stands outside the club, more sullen than they should be for this time of the year. A bouncer guards the door with practised nonchalance. <<if $ladder_loc is 1>>\ [[Enter the club->noEntry]]<<else>>\ [[Enter the club]]<<endif>> [[Return to the road->road45]]

The dull thud of bass punctuates your thoughts as you walk along the pavement. Cigarette smoke fills your nostrils, a brief respite from the pollution of the city. To the east is a nightclub. The road continues north and south. [[Approach the club->clubExterior]] [[Go north->road5]] [[Go south->road4]]

<<if $ladder_loc is 1>>\ You attempt to climb the bridge while holding the ladder over your shoulder, and immediately fall to the ground. You might need to place the ladder against the bridge first. [[Continue->road5]] <<elseif $ladder_loc is 2>>\ It creaks, but holds. You climb the ladder to the top of the bridge. [[Continue->bridge]] <<else>>\ It's too high. Maybe sober you could climb, but it's New Year's Eve, and you are not sober. [[Continue->road5]] <<endif>>\

You don't know why someone would write this. This would have been already happening when the graffiti was made. [[Continue->road5]]

You're on top of the old railway bridge. It's peaceful up here. Years ago you would have worried about being hit by a train up here, but at least that's a concern of the past. They shut down the overground after the second wave of riots. <<if $new_graffito is ''>>Below you, on the side of the bridge, lies the [[cryptofascist graffito]]. It smells of gammon and misplaced aggression. With the right materials you could totally fuck with it from up here.<<else>>Below you, the defaced cryptofascist graffito screams petty resistance to the entire street.<<endif>> [[Climb down the ladder->road5]]

"SEND 'EM RWANDA". In your heart, you know the reason this is here. It wasn't for the government to read -- it was for "'EM". It's a reminder that there's not just the state to be afraid of. [[Continue->bridge]]

<<set $ladder_loc to 2>> You extend the ladder and place it against the bridge. Seems sturdy enough. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

It's situations like these that are the reason you always carry your [[emergency clipboard and high-vis]]. You don them, and march up to the receptionist. [[Continue->officeEntry2]]

They've only failed you once. A senior manager at Maccy D's refused to believe you were the true Lincolnshire milkshake inspector. In all honesty, bricking the window and liberating the milkshake yourself worked just as well, but it felt a lot less elegant. <<return Continue>>

<<if $met_receptionist is 0>>\ "Hi, I'm here to see -" "Third floor. Late one for those guys." The [[receptionist]] doesn't look up from his tablet. You mumble an awkward thanks. This one probably should have been harder. \ <<set $met_receptionist to 1>>\ <<else>>\ The [[receptionist]] ignores you completely. \ <<endif>>\ <<if $ladder_loc is 1>>\ You walk through the lobby and attempt to enter the elevator, before remembering that you're carrying a massive ladder on your shoulder. Probably need to ditch this before going upstairs. <<else>>\ You walk through the lobby and into the elevator. The buttons are worn from overuse. [[Press the '3' button.]] <<endif>>\ [[Head back to the street.->leaveOffice]]

They really don't care. <<return Continue>>

The doors close and you begin to ascend. Briefly, you wonder exactly which decisions made in your life led to you being half-cut in an elevator leading to some boring-ass office which you have no possible [[reason]] to investigate. [[Continue->leaveElevator]]

You make a deft escape from the office block. [[Continue->road1]]

Maybe you're curious as to what could be important enough to warrant an office full of people working late on New Year's Eve. Or maybe you're just drunk and it seemed like a good idea at street level. [[Continue->leaveElevator]]

B3 -CSS -once through, edit RC1 - review - test the fucker

On the wall opposite the elevator is a noticeboard with a single, lonely [[note]] on it. For a place that should be full of conversation, there's an eerie quiet on the air, with only the muted sound of typing coming from one end of the corridor. [[Walk towards the typing noises.]] [[Walk away from the typing noises.]] [[Leave the office->leaveOffice]]

<span style="font-family:Comic Neue"><b>SALES OUTCOME METRICS DIVISION To all employees: Everyone here is proud of your work in meeting key target fulfillment quotas. We're now delighted to give you the opportunity to help the company even further by requiring all colleagues to work evenings and weekends until further notice. Please note that this enhanced learning/supporting initiative is a vital and compulsory aspect of your employment arrangement. As a reward for your hard work, for the duration of this policy the company will provide free pizza between the hours of 1PM and 2PM in the break room, on the third Saturday of every month. Thank you again for your efforts and happy holidays! - Management </b></span> <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

You walk down the corridor towards the typing noises. Peering round the corner, you can see the light of cheap monitors illuminating the faces of several suited workers. They seem fixated on their work, barely exchanging even a few words. On one of the empty desks, a large bag of [[white powder]] lies next to a used coffee cup. On the other side of the room, you see what appears to be a break room. [[Go through to the break room]] [[Return to the corridor->returnOfficeHall]]

You walk down the corridor away from the typing noises. Alcohol chased with liminality makes the journey feel endless, but in reality you know that it's only half a minute before you find an unlocked door. The door opens with no resistance. [[Continue->paperRoom]]

As the door slams open, the fluorescent lighting is like a lightning bolt to your visual cortex. You step into the corridor. [[Continue->officeHall]]

The room is something of a disappointment. Stacks of tedious looking paperwork are piled high. Financial reports, employee profiles, surveillance records. Corporate bullshit, largely. [[Return to the corridor->officeHall]]

You can set things on fire with this. Usually cigarettes, sometimes mistakes. <<if $return is "paperRoom">>Once in a blue moon, a massive [[pile of boring-ass corporate documents]].<<endif>>\ <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

Not much use for this now, but littering is kind of a dick move. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

It's fake, but you still couldn't resist using the name "Greg 'Greggy' Gregerson". <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

This is gonna be sick. [[Continue->burning1]]

You spark the lighter and hold it close to a document headed "Known political associations - Employee #0451". The paper ignites. Smoke starts to fill your nostrils. You drop the papers into the pile and make a swift exit from the cupboard. It isn't long before the fire alarm starts -- a wail that instantly shatters the controlled sterility of the corridor. [[Continue->burning2]]

Confused workers start to get to their feet and file out of the building. They're talking now - some annoyed, others bemused. "It can't be a drill. But if there's an actual fire, why haven't the sprinklers - " The suited man stops talking. He's looking right at you. An eyebrow is raised. For the first time, you start to question whether this was a good idea. He opens his mouth. [[Continue?->burning3]]

The sprinklers go off. A fluorescent light overhead starts to flicker. The suited man shrugs, and -- like his colleagues -- begins to head to the staircase. The fashion is orderly, but probably not as orderly as the bosses would like. You follow them, keeping a safe distance. [[Continue->burning4]]

<<set $burned_paper to 1>>\ Out on the street, the office workers are debating their next steps. "I mean like, management said we're meant to work late. There's still a lot of reports to finish." "Brian, the entire fucking office is drenched in water." "Yeah, I suppose you have a point." "Besides, we're not paid enough for any of this shit. It's New Year's Eve, for fuck's sake." "You're right. Pub?" "Abso-fucking-lutely." First in pairs, then in groups, the office workers depart in search of the nearest watering hole. [[Continue->road1]]

They've been around for years now, but these workerless shops still give you the creeps. Giant [[smiling cartoon faces]] are mounted in the ceiling, tracking your movements with machine efficiency. The [[shelves]] are half-empty -- shortages are cropping up again. A crackling speaker meters out generic music as you browse. You find the fridges.<<if $shop_beer is 0>> A [[crate of Krony Bs->shopBeer]] is on the shelf, ripe for the taking.<<else>> The shelves are full of exclusively BezosBeer.<<endif>> [[Leave the shop->leaveShop]]

The bouncer looks at you, then looks at the massive ladder on your shoulder. He looks back at you, incredulously. "Not tonight, mate." [[Return to the street->road45]]

The bouncer waves you through with a token glance at your ID card. The music hits you with full force as soon as you open the door. You feel the familiar rush of adrenaline, anxiety, liberation. You're tempted to get a drink and stay for a while, but you have somewhere else to be. [[Continue->clubInterior]]

You're inside the club, on the ground floor. <<print $music.toUpperFirst()>> is blasting from all corners of the room. Beam lasers dance in the haze overhead. The air smells of burnt syrup and sweat. <<if $crowd_upstairs is 0>>\ There's enough people here to feel busy, but not heaving. Fragments of drunken conversations punctuate the music as you weave through the crowd. <<else>>\ It's rammed up here, now. You can barely pass through the crowd without knocking the drink out of someone's hand. <<endif>>\ <<if $dj_gone is 1>>\ [[Check out the DJ booth]] <<endif>>\ [[Go to the downstairs bar]] [[Return to the street->leaveClub]]

<<if $master is 10 and $low is 10 and $bartender_dead is 0>><<goto "killBartender">><<endif>>\ <<if $master is 6 and $hi is 9 and $mid is 6 and $low is 9 and $nice is 0>><<goto "nice">><<endif>>\ Nobody bats an eye when you stumble up to replace the DJ. You have absolutely no idea what most of this machine does, but a few buttons seem to be fairly self-evident. <<print $music.toUpperFirst()>> is currently enveloping the room. <<print $VOLUME[$master-1]>> The master dial is set to $master.\ <<if $master lt 10>> <<link "[+]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $master++>><</link>><<endif>><<if $master gt 1>><<link "[-]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $master-->><</link>><<endif>> The highs dial is set to $hi.\ <<if $hi lt 10>> <<link "[+]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $hi++>><</link>><<endif>><<if $hi gt 1>><<link "[-]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $hi-->><</link>><<endif>> The mids dial is set to $mid.\ <<if $mid lt 10>> <<link "[+]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $mid++>><</link>><<endif>><<if $mid gt 1>><<link "[-]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $mid-->><</link>><<endif>> The lows dial is set to $low.\ <<if $low lt 10>> <<link "[+]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $low++>><</link>><<endif>><<if $low gt 1>><<link "[-]" "Check out the DJ booth">><<set $low-->><</link>><<endif>> [[Change the playlist]] [[Return to the club floor]]

<<if $crowd_upstairs is 0>>\ The vibe changes abruptly as you wander down the stairs. The drunk enthusiasm of upstairs morphs into a barely contained aggression. It's busy down here -- far too busy. This isn't somewhere you want to be for long. Across the room, perched above the bar, you see a familiar [[glint]] of a crate of Krony B. [[Cross the room to the bar->downstairsBarTooBusy]] <<else>>\ It's quieter down here, now that the bulk of the crowd has been drawn upstairs. Only a few groups of gurning young people are left. Across the room, perched above the bar, you see a familiar [[glint]] of a crate of Krony B. [[Cross the room to the bar->downstairsBar]] <<endif>>\ <<if $dj_gone is 0>> [[Return to the ground floor bar->dj_leaves]]<<else>>[[Return to the ground floor bar->clubInterior]]<<endif>>

You stumble through the crowd and into the chill air of the street. [[Continue->road45]]

Not a chance. There are far too many people down here to cross. You'll have to find some way to shift them if you want to get to the bar. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

They started putting LEDs in the crates a couple years ago as a marketing gimmick. Joke's on them, you were already buying shitloads of the stuff. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

The bar is quieter than the rest of the club. You're not sure why. The state enforced limits on alcohol consumption are often flaunted. <<if $bartender_dead is 0>> <br> The lone [[bartender->bartenderAlive]] avoids your eyeline. \ <<else>> <br> You peer over the bar. An unconscious [[bartender->bartenderDead]] lies on the floor.<<if $club_tins is 0>> Next to him is a [[crate of Krony B->barCrateTake]].<<endif>><<endif>>\ <<if not $inventory.includes('A lighter')>> A [[lighter]] lies discarded on the bar.<<endif>>\ <<if $club_tins is 0 and $bartender_dead is not 1>> A [[crate of Krony B->barCrateInaccessible]] is balanced precariously above the bar. <<endif>>\ [[Return to the bottom of the stairs->Go to the downstairs bar]]

<<set $dj_gone to 1>>\ You walk up the stairs and enter the main bar. As you leave, you see the DJ leave the booth and head out the back. His nose was visibly dripping. You suspect he may be gone some time. [[Continue->clubInterior]]

<<set $inventory to ['An empty cigarette packet', 'An ID card']>> <<set $nice to 0>> <<set $tins to 0 >> <<set $ladder_loc to 0>> <<set $graffiti to "">> <<set $met_receptionist to 0>> <<set $burned_paper to 0>> /* 0=warehouse,1=carried,2=bridge */ <<set $warehouse_tins to 0>> <<set $office_tins to 0>> <<set $club_tins to 0>> <<set $graffiti_tins to 0>> <<set $north_tins to 0>> <<set $gone_north to 0>> <<set $music to 'tropical house'>> <<set $master to 5>> <<set $hi to 5>> <<set $mid to 5>> <<set $low to 5>> <<set $crowd_upstairs to 0>> <<set $dj_gone to 0>> <<set $bartender_dead to 0>> <<set $shop_beer to 0>> <<set $VOLUME to []>> <<set $new_graffito to ''>> <<set $VOLUME.push('The volume is barely audible over the sound of conversation. People are starting to look confused', 'The volume is a little quiet.', 'The volume is a little quiet.', 'The volume is about average for this time of night.', 'The volume is about average for this time of night.', 'The volume is about average for this time of night.',) >> <<set $VOLUME.push('The volume is starting to get louder.', 'The volume is starting to get louder.', 'The volume is becoming excessive.', 'The volume is ear-splittingly loud. You\'re not sure how much longer you can keep it this high.')>>

Better leave before the actual DJ comes back from his misadventures and notices you fucking about. [[Continue->clubInterior]]

Thankfully, the DJ is running the whole playlist off Spotify. The whole musical world is at your feet. You could do literally anything with this. <<if $music isnot 'tropical house'>><br>[[Fire up a tropical house playlist|changeMusic][$music to 'tropical house']]<<endif>>\ <<if $music isnot 'acid techno'>><br>[[Fire up an acid techno playlist|changeMusic][$music to 'acid techno']]<<endif>>\ <<if $music isnot 'neurofunk'>><br>[[Fire up a neurofunk playlist|changeMusic][$music to 'neurofunk']]<<endif>>\ <br>[[Fire up Classic FM->classicFM]]\ <<if $music isnot 'psytrance'>><br>[[Fire up a psytrance playlist|changeMusic][$music to 'psytrance']]<<endif>>\ <<if $music is not 'Don\'t Stop Believin\''>><br>[[Fire up Don't Stop Believin' on repeat|journey][$music to 'Don\'t Stop Believin\'']]<<endif>>\ <br>[[Leave the playlist alone->Check out the DJ booth]]

You change the playlist. The transition is abrupt, but precious few revellers notice. The vibe changes, but stays the same. [[Continue->Check out the DJ booth]]

Okay, fine, maybe not anything. [[Continue->Change the playlist]]

It is a banger, after all. <<if $crowd_upstairs is 0>>[[Continue->journey2]]\ <<else>>[[Continue->Check out the DJ booth]]<<endif>>

<<set $crowd_upstairs to 1>>\ Summoned by the lure of the greatest song ever made, people slowly start to filter in. The crowd gets denser. By the end of the first loop, the smoking area is empty. By the end of the second, there's a steady stream of people coming up from the downstairs bar. By the end of the third, everybody in the building is in this room, singing in unison. The energy is electrifying. Without really knowing what you're doing, your hands fly over the deck. You are Moses on Sinai, announcing the word of God to his children. The song ends, and starts again. Your faithful cheer ever harder. [[Continue->Check out the DJ booth]]

<<set $bartender_dead to 1>> The wavelength of a 100Hz acoustic wave in air is approximately 3.4 metres. Maybe that's why bass is king in a place like this. People absorb the tiny vibrations of the highs, but the lows bind them together in a single oscillation. The solidarity of being in the same part of an ever repeating cycle. Or maybe people just like getting hit by something that feels like a freight train. That freight train is currently making a good case for why you shouldn't be allowed near DJ decks. With both master volume and lows set to maximum, the bass is loud enough to make you feel nauseous. You can see objects vibrating. The floor beneath you is like a trampoline. From somewhere below: a crash, an scream, and silence. You're not sure how you heard it over the music, but it doesn't look like anyone else has. The music goes on. [[Continue->Check out the DJ booth]]

<<set $inventory.push('A lighter')>> Out of all human inventions, fire remains one of the most timeless. Once a source of light and heat, now a source of delicious nicotine. The lighter still works. You pocket it - no sense letting a good lighter go to waste. [[Continue->downstairsBar]]

The crate is tauntingly close. You gesture wildly at it, but the bartender ignores you with a sense of barely contained anger. [[Continue->downstairsBar]]

Shit. Fascist tattoos and a fashion sense that screams "true believer". Probably better to give this one a wide berth. [[Continue->downstairsBar]]

<<set $club_tins to 1>><<set $tins++>>\ The reverberations from the bass must have knocked it off the shelf. Well, the bartender won't be needing it any more. You heft the crate onto your shoulder. Probably best to get out of here before anybody notices. [[Continue->downstairsBar]]

The asshole bartender is alive, but out cold. He's covered in nazi tattoos. Chalk one up for anti-fascism, you guess. [[Continue->downstairsBar]]

Possibly cocaine, more likely caffeine and amphetamine. These days, everyone's a trucker. [[Continue->Walk towards the typing noises.]]

The workers seem pretty consumed by their labour, but they'll definitely notice if you just trundle through. Something does draw you to the break room, though. Maybe you can find a way to distract them. [[Continue->Walk towards the typing noises.]]

Probably better to leave them in peace. [[Continue->officeHall]]

The receptionist still doesn't give a shit about you, or the horde of office workers who have just left the building. Confidently, now, you march through the lobby, into the elevator. You ascend to the third floor. The light overhead is still flickering, but at least the sprinklers have stopped now. The air smells of a weird combination of damp and barbequed tedium. [[Continue->burnedOffice2]]

On the wall opposite the elevator is a noticeboard with a single, lonely [[note]] on it. The corridor is completely silent now. You probably shouldn't dwell here too long. Corporate is probably gonna be pissed when they hear about what happened here, and while they probably can't retaliate against their entire staff, they can definitely retaliate against <em>you</em>. [[Head to the office main room]] [[Head to the paperwork cupboard]] [[Leave the office->burnedOfficeLeave]]

You head back to the room with the [[computers]]. You note that the workers stopped to pick up their [[drugs]] on the way out. [[Go through to the break room->breakRoom]] [[Return to the corridor->burnedOffice2]]

No. The classy arsonist never returns to the scene of the crime. [[Continue->burnedOffice2]]

Most are unlocked. Under normal circumstances you figure it would be funny to pull the ol' screengrab desktop background trick, but you're pressed for time. [[Continue->Head to the office main room]]

I guess you could call it a speedy exit. [[Continue->Head to the office main room]]

You're in a fairly standard break room. The coffee machine is broken, and the dishwasher smells of mildew. <<if $office_tins is 0>>There is, however, a [[crate of Krony Bs->officeCrate]] on the counter.<<endif>> [[Leave the break room->Head to the office main room]]

<<set $office_tins to 1>>\ <<set $tins++>>\ This must be the source of the inexplicable drive you had to come here. A post-it note stuck on the front reads "FOR EXECUTIVES ONLY". You smirk as you bin the post-it and heft the crate onto your shoulder. [[Continue->breakRoom]]

You stride out into the elevator, then through the reception and into the night. [[Continue->road1]]

Groceries, toilet paper, coffee, [[spray paint]], tin foil. The usual. [[Continue->Enter the autoshop]]

<<set $shop_beer to 1>>\ On closer inspection, this isn't a crate of delicious Krony Bs at all! It's a crate of Amazon own-brand BezosBeer. Fuck that. [[Continue->Enter the autoshop]]

You always feel like you're about to be jumped by some sort of robot security when you leave the shop. The cold air of the road is a comfort. [[Continue->road2]]

The cameras were introduced a few years ago as an anti-theft measure. There were always plenty enough cameras to track you, of course. These are just here as a deterrent. You don't know how many millions Amazon must have spent getting the creepiness level just right -- just enough for people to know they're watching, not enough to stop them from shopping. [[Continue->Enter the autoshop]]

<<if not $inventory.includes('Spray paint')>>\ <<set $inventory.push('Spray paint')>>\ Good idea. Could be useful. You pocket the spray paint. Your fake ID should cover the charge. <<else>>\ You've already stolen all the spray paint you could possibly need. <<endif>>\ [[Continue->Enter the autoshop]]

It's both sparkly <emph>and</emph> neon! <<if $return is "bridge" and $new_graffito is ''>>The perfect tool for [[defacing the cryptofascist graffito]].<<endif>> <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

You shake a couple cans, pop the tops, and grin. Time for a little artistic resistance. With due haste, you change the graffito to say <<textbox "$new_graffito" "" "changeGraffito" autofocus>>. [[Continue->changeGraffito]]

On second thoughts, best to wait until you can think of something clever to write. <<link "Continue" $return>><</link>>

<<if $new_graffito is ''>> <<goto graffitoAbort>> <<else>>\ <<type 1500ms none>>\ <h1>$new_graffito</h1>\ <</type>> <<timed 5s>>[[Continue->deface1]]<</timed>> <<endif>>

You climb down the ladder and check it out. [[Continue->deface2]]

It's beautiful. [[Continue->deface3]]

<<set $tins++>><<set $graffiti_tins to 1>>\ Just as you're about to leave, the door of the Krony B delivery van opens. A woman steps out and lights a cigarette. She looks at the defaced graffiti, then looks at you. "Hey, man. That you?" "Indubitably." You smile, proud of your work. "Sick - I was wondering when someone would get around to getting rid of that fash shit. Want a crate of Krony B? The depot gave me too many." "But of course!" "Cool." She hands you a crate from the van. The cans are still cold. The woman flicks her cigarette into a drain. "Anyway, I better get back to the round. Nice to meet you, mate." The electric van makes no noise as it disappears into the night. [[Continue->road5]]

You knock on the door, but there's no answer. They're probably busy. [[Continue->road5]]

You turn back. There's no reason to keep going north. The air becomes warmer and the noise of the road fills your ears. You end up outside the prison. [[Continue->road6]]

Let's not tempt fate again. [[Continue->road6]]

Faster, now. The pace staves off the chills. The road is unrecognisable up here. It may not even be the road anymore. The screech of vultures overhead - when you look up, nothing. [[Go north->loop2]]

Your senses are not your own, up here beyond the road and the music and the party. You keep going north. [[Go north->loop3]]

You're standing on the bridge over the old canal. Debris - Wait. This isn't right. You were far north of here, last time you noticed. [[Go north->loop4]]

You keep going north, past the shop, past the club, past the prison. The sights are deeply familiar, but somehow different. Again, you end up on the bridge over the canal. You start to run. [[Go north->loop5]]

Over and over you go through the loop, the wind lashing against your face. Every time you end up back where you started. You can't find the place where it changes, where the end becomes the start. It's all just a blur. [[Go north->loop6]]

How many times have you gone through this loop now? How long have you been trapped here? The panic of the first time round has given way to a comfort, now. You keep running. [[Go north->loop7]]

<h3>[[Go north->loop8]]</h3>

<h2>[[Go north->loop9]]</h2>

<h1>[[Go north->loop10]]</h1>

Your own personal revolt against good sense and reason. [[Go north->loop11]]

A revolt against the walls at the end of the garden. [[Go north->loop12]]

<<set $gone_north to 1>>\ A revolt against geometry itself. [[Go north->road0]]

<<set $tins++>>\ <<set $north_tins to 1>>\ It's a bit difficult clambering down the steps in the dark, but you make it without falling over. A crate of Krony B floats in a ziploc in the water. It seems undamaged. You fish it out and open the bag. The crate is still dry. A post-it is stuck to the cardboard: in cursive, it simply says "Greg". You don't recognise the handwriting. You put the crate on your shoulder and return to the road. [[Continue->road0]]

10:27, December 31. You stumble out of the train as soon as the doors thud open. The ground is somewhat unsteady, but likely not as unsteady as it'll be in a few hours. If you can get to where you're going, you'll be okay. [[Continue->intro1]]

It's impossible for them not to be more lenient on New Year's Eve. Much as they might like to throw you in prison, if they did that to every reveller tonight, there wouldn't be any space to put the dissidents. The train journey back took longer than expected. Long enough for you to get through your entire Krony B stash. But you're here now. Just need to get through the checkpoint. [[Continue->intro2]]

The station is busy, and there's only a few cops in your way. You walk to the barrier, trying your hardest to look sober. A hard-faced pig stares at you with contempt as you approach. You wonder if he can smell the alcohol on your breath. Gritting his teeth, he waves you through. [[Continue->intro3]]

You emerge into the air of the city and light a cigarette. The streets outside are full of people rushing around. Right now, everyone is going somewhere. You step in some trash as you cross the road. This place might be going through some shit times, but it's still home. [[Continue->intro4]]

You pause outside the old snooker club as an old man strikes up a conversation. His hands shake throughout. Eventually, you give him your last cigarette and start to head on. As you leave, he asks your name. "<<textbox "$fake_name" "" "intro5" autofocus>>." [[Continue->intro5]]

<<if $fake_name.toLowerCase() is not "greg">>\ You briefly consider giving the man a fake name, but it just doesn't seem right somehow. <<endif>>\ "Greg." "Well, have a good one, Greg. Cheers for the cigarette." You nod as you head down the road. You walk briskly. The winter air is cold, and you have somewhere to be. [[Continue->intro6]]

<span style="font-family:Hepta Slab"><h1> 6:35 AM, January 1 </h1></span> [[Continue->road0]]

You walk up to the door of the flat. Muscle memory enters the keycode before you consciously remember it. The door clicks open with a buzz. Are you sure you want to enter the flat? There's no going back after you cross the threshold. [[Enter the flat->endingLadderCheck]] [[Return to the road->abortFlat]]

You can hear the noise as you walk up the stairs. You're not entirely sure how anyone got inside -- it is, after all, supposed to be your flat -- but it doesn't particularly matter. The inner door opens and a cheer goes up as you walk in. Someone hands you a can of Krony B. [[Continue->ending1]]

There's plenty of time to explore before you enter the flat. You take a step back. [[Continue->road4]]

11:31 PM, December 31. Spirits are high. Thing are relatively civilized, for the moment. The chaos only tends to start after midnight. You take a [[swig of Krony B]]. Someone proposes a toast to absent friends. Too many of those, these days. You neck the remnants of your drink. [[Continue->ending2]]

Krony B was taken over by a worker's co-op in 2025. In a market dominated by Amazon, Walmart and fucking Brewdog, it tastes like freedom. [[Continue->ending1]]

11:59 PM, December 31. The new year is so close now. A countdown starts. From the sounds of another party down the road, your feed is out of sync. "SIX" "four" You've taken to passing all your network traffic through a server in -- well, you don't really know where, but it should keep it safe from prying eyes. It's probably that causing the delay. "FOUR" "two" To be honest, it's still kind of a wonder that this sort of communication is possible at all, even with a two-second fuckup. "TWO" "happy new y-" "ONE" "-ear" "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The room erupts. You pop a bottle of Tesco's finest sparkling wine. In a corner, a modified rendition of Auld Lang Syne has broken out. Literally all of the lyrics have changed to "fuck the police". It's actually quite impressive. [[Continue->ending3]]

1:02 AM, January 1. You realise with horror that shortages and prices are conspiring against your attempts to have fun. The booze is already starting to run out. <<if $tins lt 1>> [[Continue->final0Cans]]<<else>>[[Continue->ending4]]<<endif>>

In desperation, you find a long-neglected bottle of Klungenvin. Everybody has a couple shots each. This turns out to be a mistake. [[Continue->final0Cans1]]

Or it would be, had you not got some spare Krony B out on the road. Another cheer goes out as you produce a crate and hand them out. You are, once more, nominated saviour of the party. [[Continue->ending5]]

Almost immediately, people start vomiting. It is not long before the flat is entirely covered in puke. The smell of butyric acid burns your nose. Someone starts to cry. [[Continue->final0Cans2]]

This evening did not quite go as expected. [[Continue->final0Cans3]]

Still, it was fun before the whole vomming and crying thing. A few people are already finding it funny. It is, at least, a fitting condemnation of the last year. With nothing more to drink, people slowly start filing their way home. Most people leave with smiles. [[Continue->finalTitles]]

<span style="font-family:Hepta Slab"><h1> 6:35 AM, January 1 </h1></span> <em> Tip: Explore. Cause havok. Acquire crates of Krony B to keep the party going later. There are four out there, waiting for the taking. </em> <<click "Restart">><<script>>UI.restart()<</script>><</click>>

2:14 AM, January 1. A crowd including a drunk physicist is shouting "FUCK 2027" from the balcony. This happens every year. It's not like it's a tradition or anything, it's just that the years keep getting shitter, so you gotta be fair to the previous years. Briefly, you contemplate whether this coming year might buck the trend. Looking at the friends around you, there's a possibility that it just might. The crowd demands you join them in their condemnation of the last year. You do so. The shouts echo into the night's air. [[Continue->ending6]]

2:26 AM, January 1. An argument about politics has broken out. On one side, the radicals think that the entire monarchy should be summarily guillotined. Conversely, the moderates believe that they should be given the chance to step down as an alternative to facing execution. Opinions on what to do with the royal children differ. It is a dilemma that you decide to resolve with the power of alcohol. If you can get both sides to drink from the same cup, then it will show that they have more in common than they have in difference. You decide to take this expression literally, and head to the Krony B crate to pick up a tin. <<if $tins lt 2>> [[Continue->final1Cans]]<<else>>[[Continue->ending7]]<<endif>>

But, disaster. The crate is empty. With no peace offering made, the debate spirals and escalates. It's good natured, but you're pretty sure that by the end of the next hour, half of your friends have gone full Lenin, and the other half have turned monarchist. [[Continue->final1Cans2]]

The first crate is empty, but thankfully, you brought a second. You grab a tin and empty it into a cup. You can't remember where you got it from, but it deeply resembles the cup of a carpenter. [[Continue->ending8]]

With no more fuel, the party starts to die down. Few by few, people head home. They leave with smiles on their faces. [[Continue->final1Cans3]]

A pretty damn good night, all things considered. [[Continue->finalTitles]]

You demand that both sides drink from the cup. People are confused, but agree. Haphazardly, you cobble together a speech about friendship. By the end of it, both sides are hugging. [[Continue->ending9]]

3:51 AM, January 1. The bathroom is, by tradition, enveloped in a cacophony of multicoloured light. A tiny rave in a tiny washroom. You work up the determination to leave the disco bathroom, and head back to find another Krony. From the front door, a loud knock. [[Continue->ending10]]

It's an authoritative knock. You don't know anyone who would knock like that. But you're closest to the door, and against your better judgement, you open it hesistantly. [[Continue->ending11]]

As soon as the door is ajar, the tear gas hits your face like a truck. You stagger backwards, eyes burning. The caustic spray is followed up with a punch, which takes you off your feet. "POLICE. This ILLEGAL party must be STOPPED IMMEDIATELY!" For only a few short moments, everything stands still. <<if $tins lt 3>> [[Continue->final2Cans]]<<else>>[[Continue->ending12]]<<endif>>

Through burning eyes, you don't see the blow, but you hear the thud of an armoured cop hit the ground. You blink through the pain to look up. A woman holds a crate of Krony B's -- clearly used as a club -- above the unconscious copper. There's a brief pause as everyone considers the situation. This could prove to have unfortunate consequences. [[Continue->ending13]]

With you already on the floor, nobody seems willing to argue the point. Joke's on the pig - the last crate of Krony B was almost finished anyway. Reluctantly, most people pile out, with a few sticking around to help with your wounds. The cop leaves into the night, content with having stopped another crime. [[Continue->final2Cans2]]

You figure it's important to pick your battles. Still, it was a pretty damn good night, until the whole police brutality thing. You head out onto the balcony for a cigarette. Somewhere up the road, you see a cop car swerve and crash into a lamppost. [[Continue->finalTitles]]

A cheer goes up. Predictably, but not unwelcomely, someone puts on NWA. The top of the crate is ripped off, and the first can opened. The spray goes everywhere, including in your inflamed eyes. Somehow, it eases the burning. You check to make sure the cop isn't too grievously harmed. He isn't. His breath stinks of gin. You figure he won't be wanting to report this incident to his superiors any time soon. With a bit of help, you hoist his unconscious body downstairs into an alleyway, making sure to leave a few extra empty bottles around to really sell the drunk-on-duty angle. [[Continue->ending14]]

5:49 AM, January 1. A happy time. Things have quietened down a lot, now. A few people are passed out on the floor. You finish your can. Someone throws you a replacement from the other side of the kitchen. Predictably, it goes out the window. [[Continue->ending15]]

You dive out the window after it. You finish with what feels like a cool combat roll, but is in actuality just you hitting the ground. The can has been saved. It is a noble victory. You crack it, and cheers with the other remaining revellers. [[Continue->ending16]]

"That's the trouble with this fuckin' country, man." A conversation about politics. "They just keep doing exactly the cuntiest fucking thing at any moment." A sip of Krony B. "Full of cunts. They should call it, like. The United King-full-of-cunts-dom." [[Continue->ending17]]

For the first time tonight, someone asks you where the fuck you were for the first few hours of the party. You start to give them the story through an elaborate parable involving crates of Krony B, until you realise that you're actually just recounting the real story. [[Continue->ending18]]

Smiles all round. One friend starts making an interpretive dance out of your adventures. United King-full-of-cunts-dom, maybe. But out here, behind barricades made of empty crates, some good. [[Continue->ending19]]

You finish a cigarette and head back inside. It's getting pretty late. You're considering finding a part of the floor to pass out on. <<if $tins lt 4>> [[Continue->final3Cans]]<<else>>[[Continue->ending20]]<<endif>>

You glance over at the stash of crates. Fuck it, they're empty. Well, the autoshop will be open soon. Can just find a corner to sit for half an hour then head out and restock. [[Continue->final3cans2]]

You glance over at the stash of crates. There's one left, unopened. Well, fuck it, finishing the last one can't hurt. [[Continue->ending21]]

<<set $nice to 1>>\ Nice. [[Continue->Check out the DJ booth]]

<<if $ladder_loc is 1>>\ <<if $nice is 1>>\ Initially you find the idea of taking the ladder upstairs weird, but your mind briefly flashes to the infantile act of setting the volume controls to "6969". You can't figure out the connection, but something compels you to bring the ladder. [[Continue->easterEgg]] <<else>>\ You look at your ladder, shrug, and leave it propped up against the wall. Someone will find a use for it, and you won't need it where you're going. [[Continue->ending0]] <<endif>>\ <<else>>\ <<goto "ending0">> <<endif>>

You can hear the noise from the flat as you walk up the stairs, but it doesn't feel quite right to go in just yet. Instead, you keep going up. Several floors pass you by as you ascend. Carrying the ladder is becoming a struggle. [[Continue->easterEgg2]]

You start to contemplate how it's been a pretty damn good party, but you're passed out before you can even finish the thought. [[Continue->final3cans3]]

You dream of cold beer and a campfire burning out of control. [[Continue->finalTitles]]

6:35 AM, January 1. Out on the balcony. A long drag on a cigarette. It's starting to get light. [[Continue->ending22]]

After what feels like hours, you reach the top of the staircase. There's a hatch in the roof. You look at the ladder, and realise that your entire life has led you to this moment. [[Continue->easterEgg3]]

Climbing up into the loft, the air is thick with must. The walls are lined with asbestos. The room up here is far larger than the building should support. It seems to stretch for miles. Somehow, it is dark, but you can still see. [[Continue->easterEgg4]]

There, in the corner. A CRT monitor flickers green text on the screen. It doesn't seem to be connected to anything. [[Continue->easterEgg5]]

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A shiver goes up your spine. You head out the hatch and down the ladder. The flat awaits your attention. [[Continue->easterEgg7]]

The noise from the flat fills your ears again as you head down the stairs. You're not entirely sure how anyone got inside -- it is, after all, supposed to be your flat -- but it doesn't particularly matter. The inner door opens and a cheer goes up as you walk in. Someone hands you a can of Krony B. [[Continue->ending1]]

Any other day, the streets would be starting to fill up with commuters about now. But instead, only a few half-cut wanderers stagger down the road below. It's quiet out here. There's a muted thud of bass turned low from inside, accentuated by snoring and a couple of hushed conversations. Otherwise, you're left to your thoughts. [[Continue->ending23]]

Pretty damn good party, all things considered. Somewhere down below, a streetlight flickers, then dies. [[Continue->ending24]]

<span style="font-family:Hepta Slab"><h1> 6:35 AM, January 1 </h1></span> <<click "Restart">><<script>>UI.restart()<</script>><</click>>

You look up. You're not sure when, but someone has raised a Jolly Roger. Underneath the skull, a can, and the words "Solidarity and Krony B". You have absolutely no fucking idea where the flag could have come from. You take a sip from your can. It tastes as refreshing as the first one. Somewhere, out in the twilight, you see a fire being lit on the roof of a building. [[Continue->trueEndTitles]]

Electric vehicles became very useful when the petrol started to run out, then a lot less useful when the electricity started to run out. [[Continue->road2]]