Agenda 21: Interactive Fiction

Agenda 21, pp. 117-121

An interactive thriller from the producers of THE OVERTON WINDOW

>load

You are in a drab, unremarkable room with concrete walls. There is a single narrow window in front of you, the soft evening light streaming through. There is a map of the United States in front of you.

>fold map

You refold the map, taking a few tries to get it right. These things are a pain to fold, amirite?

>i

You are currently holding a sleeping mat containing an anachronistic photograph, a packet of recipe cards, and a map.

John passes by the window.

>say hello john

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Are you?"

>say yes

"Jeremy never should have been paired with you. My wife knew him from the Children's Village. She said he wasn't mature of stable enough, that the Central Authority is pushing the children to reproduce and be productive before they are ready."

>ask about elsa

"She's growing."

>ask about sexy gatekeeper

"Let him know if you need anything. He promised to keep an eye on you to make sure you're okay."

>ask about home

"We used to live in Kansas."

>ask about current location

"We were relocated without specifics, on trains with the windows painted black."

>ask about coincidence

You ask John if it seems odd that after years of being shuffled around the Compounds that you keep ending up neighbors with all the people from your old hometown. He shrugs.

>that makes no sense

Please don't point out weaknesses in the narrative.

>offer map to john

"Maybe I can figure out where we are. Or do you want something for it?"

>say bring elsa here

"Do you have any idea what you are asking for? Give me the map. I'll try to figure something out, but I can't promise anything."

John takes the map and leaves.

>wait

Time passes.

The sexy gatekeeper passes by the window.

>swoon

I'm sorry, I don't understand that command.

"It's very unusual for the Central Authority to allow a female to live alone. They weren't prepared for the move Jeremy pulled. He was a brat, wasn't he?"

>say what is your name

"David. I know yours already."

He takes his leave.

>say can love bloom on the battlefield

He is too far away to hear your cliche video game joke.

You are now alone.

>write better novel

You pen a manuscript with more colorful settings, deeper characters and genuine drama. It draws the attention of a famous ideologue, who conspires to get the rights to it and release it under his own name. You spend the rest of your life trying to figure out why there are people willing to pay Jerry Jenkins for writing tips.

GAME OVER

SCORE: 18 of  49