{(set: $got_boat to false)
(set: $oars to false)
(set: $radio to false)
(set: $seen_boat to false)
(set: $rope to false)
(set: $end to false)
(set: $seen_oars to false)}
You wake up on a beach head. The waves lap around you as you try to remember what happened. It had been the last night of your cruise, you were due to return to the port the next day and then home. You been drinking, quite heavily actually. You remember slipping and then the freezing cold as you hit the water and then...
you must have drifted to this island.
(set: $crevice to false)
You have two choices. Either you [[pull yourself up and look for a way off the island->Life's a beach]] or you [[close your eyes and hope this all goes away->optimist]]
You are standing on a beach. An imposing [[cliff]] stands over you(if: $crevice)[, there is a (if: not $oars)[[[narrow crevice->cave]] in the cliff face](else:)[a narrow crevice, but you've gotten everything useful from it]]. (unless: $got_boat)[(if: $seen_boat)[There is a [[small boat|boat]]](else:)[There seems to be (link: "something")[(set: $seen_boat to true)(goto: "mystery object")] perched at the top.]] The beach is sprinkled with [[pebbles]] and larger stones. a [[solitary crab|crab]] scuttles between the stones. A narrow [[pathway]] winds its way up the hill. Alternately you could follow the beach [[around the base of the hill->other side]]
(if: $got_boat)[The [[boat->boat2]] from up the cliff is sitting on the beach]
(if: $oars)[There's a couple of pieces of wood on the beach.]
(if: $radio)[There's a box of supplies.]
You lie still with your eyes closed. All you can hear is the waves crashing around you and the seagulls overhead. Before too long the water has reached your waist and you're forced to open your eyes.
Unfortunately the island is still there. So there's no other option but to [[get up and look for a way off of it->Life's a beach]]
The cliff face is crumbly and there aren't any hand holds. It doesn't look like you'll be able to scale it. However you do spot a narrow [[crevice|cave]] running into the cliff face, the [[beach->Life's a beach]] is behind you.
(set: $crevice=true)
You manage to squeeze into the crack. It leads into a small cave. There is some wood here, perhaps washed here from a ship wreck.
(if: !$oars)[(set: $seen_oars to true)(if: $seen_boat)[A couple of the larger pieces could be used as oars. (if: !$got_boat)[As long as you can get that boat down from the cliff] (set: $oars=true)]
(else:)[You look through it a while, but there doesn't seem to be anything useful.]]
After making sure there's nothing else there you squeeze back to the [[beach->Life's a beach]].
If only there was someway to get up to the boat, you'd be able to escape.
(display: "Life's a beach")
Peering upward you can just about make the object out as being a boat. You'll be able to use it to escape, as long as you can get it down.
(display: "Life's a beach")
They're smooth and flat. Perfect for [[skimming across the water->skimming]] or you could keep [[looking for a way off the island->Life's a beach]].
The crab waves it's claws in the air as it scuttles back and forth. Maybe it'll be [[friends]] with you.
The path is steep and you're soon out of breath. You're not sure you'll be able to reach the [[top]]. Perhaps pausing to catch your [[breath]] might help, or maybe you'd be better off returning to the [[beach->going down]].
You follow the beach as far as you can. About a quarter of the way around a line of rocks cross the beach, forming an impassable barrier. (if: !$radio)[There seems to be [[something->radio]] amongst the rocks.] There is nothing to do save return the [[way you came->Life's a beach]].
(if: $oars and $radio)[You push the boat out into the water and jump in. Using your makeshift oars you're certain you'll be able to get far enough out to radio for help before your supplies run out.(set: $end to true)]
(elseif: $oars)[Using this bit of wood as an oar, you'll be able to get out to sea. Then what? Dying from thirst on the open sea doesn't sound too appealing.]
(else:)[If you set off in it now you'd be out to sea without a paddle. (if: $seen_oars)[Maybe you could use some of that wood from the cave.]]
(if: !$end)[(display: "Life's a beach")]
Throwing the stones and watching them bounce across the surface passes the time, but it doesn't get you any closer to (if: $seen_boat)[[[getting that boat down.->Life's a beach]]](else:)[[[escaping.->Life's a beach]]]
The crab doesn't seem too interested in making friends. There's nothing for it but to return to [[figuring out how to get off the island->Life's a beach]].
You are at the top, overlooking the beach. [[Falling->falling]] from this height would be a very bad thing.
(if: !$got_boat)[(if: $seen_boat)[The boat is hanging over the edge.](else:)[Now you're up here you can see the object is a boat.(set: $seen_boat to true)] You're not sure what force is stopping it from going over and smashing on the rocks below. You could easily [[grab it|take boat]] and pull it down the path to the beach, but the ground doesn't seem too [[stable]].(if: $rope)[ A safer option would be to use the vine you picked up to [[lassoo the boat|lassoo]].]
There is a small trail leading into the [[forest]]. You could return to the [[beach->Life's a beach]] to find another way off the island.]
(else:)[Now you've got the boat there's nothing to do except take it down to the [[shore->Life's a beach]]]
As you struggle to catch your breath you gaze out over the sea. The view from here is almost worth getting stranded on this island for. Almost. After a while you feel like you should be able to make it the rest of the way to the [[top]]
As a wise cat once said, why fight gravity? Going down is a lot easier and you've soon made it back to the [[bottom->Life's a beach]]
You manage to pull it out from amongst the rocks. It turns out to be a crate of emergency supplies. It must have been washed off a passing ship. There is tinned food and bottles of water in it. Most importantly there is a radio.
{
(if: $got_boat)[(if: $oars)[Now you have everything you need to get off this island]
(else:)[If you just had something to propel the boat with.]]
(else:)[The radio does not looks strong enough to signal anyone from this island. (if: $seen_boat)[You will need to get that boat down.]
(else:)[You need to find a way to get out to the shipping lanes.]]
}
(set: $radio=true)
Now there's nothing left to do but return to the [[beach->Life's a beach]]
As you look over the edge of the cliff, there is a part of you that wants to jump. Is it a deeply buried suicidal instinct or is the urge not to fall, but to fly.
Either way you move further back from the edge.
(display: "top")
You had just made it to the boat when the outcrop gives way.
As the stones below race up to meet you, your life flashes before your eyes.
It's actually quite depressing.
The outcrop the boat is on really doesn't look safe. It could easily come away from the rest of the cliff if you stepped on it.
(display: "top")
You tie the rope into a lassoo and throw it at the boat. Those years you spent at cattle camp are finally paying off. You manage to snag th boat on your first try, and pull it away from the cliff.
(set: $got_boat to true)
(display: "top")
The trees soon start to draw closer together making further progress hard. Before long you're prevented from progressing any further.
(if: !$rope)[There are [[vines]] hanging from the trees. ]Your only course of action is to return to [[cliff top->top]].
One of these might come in handy. You pull a low hanging vine down and coil it up.
(set: $rope to true)
(display: "forest")
(unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "noheader")[{
Your current task is:
(if: $got_boat)[
(if: $radio and $oars)[You just need to leave the island]
(else:)[
You need to find
(if: $radio)[a way to propel the boat]
(elseif: $oars)[some supplies and a way to call for help]
(else:)[a way to propel the boat and to call for help]
]
]
(elseif: $seen_boat)[You need to get that boat down from the cliff]
(else:)[You need to find a way off the island]
}]
---