Game Dump

"Another thrilling day at Neil Armstrong Middle and Elementary School," you think, with studied irony, as you get off the bus, trying to look as cool and bored as the other eighth graders. In truth, though, you really are a little excited and nervous, because today is Valentine's Day, and you have a special job to do, delivering Enterprise Candy Grams to classes all around the building. And best (and worst) of all, your delivery partner will be Judy, on whom you've had an incredible crush since before you knew what a crush was.

You are Doug DeGrace, a lanky, thirteen-year old eighth grade student at the only public school in Nom de Plume, North Dakota, a town of five thousand souls in the north central part of the United States, which boasts of being "The Coldest French-Named Town in the EN-tire US of A." Today's temperature does nothing to contradict the town's unofficial slogan.

As you enter the middle school side of the building, which is totally separate from the section for kids younger than ten, you see a huge red poster advertising the biggest social event of the year, the Valentine's Day Dance. The dance is tonight, but you're not at all sure you'll be going. After a quick trip to your locker, you arrive at the middle school cafeteria, where your school day starts.

The Enterprise Incidents

A Middle School Fantasy

Release 1 / Serial number 020428 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10

The Neil Armstrong Middle and Elementary School Cafeteria is a big, unadorned room that echoes like Carlsbad Caverns whenever there's any noise at all, though it's quiet here now. There's an exit to the west; and a door to the north leads to the Enterprise closet, where materials for your special task of the day are stored.

Mr. Alltext enters the cafeteria from the west. He's a small man in his fifties and is wearing a "Save the Children" tie.

"Hi!," he says. "It's good to see you're all on time. Here's the key to the closet, Doug." He gives you a brass key. "Judy will be working with you, and so will the new girl who's joining us today.

"Since you worked as a record keeper on our last candy gram project and Judy handled the actual deliveries, the two of you will swap those roles today. The new girl will serve mainly as an observer.

"All the paperwork you'll need is on the shelf in the closet. So are the cards and candy pops you'll be delivering. By the way, there are some unsold pops in the envelope. Feel free to buy and deliver them, if you like."

"Any questions about your job today?"

Judy flops herself down on one of the cafeteria stools. She's blond and pretty, and she's chewing a big wad of gum.

The new girl is known by the odd nickname "Queenie," or so you've been told. She approaches you and Judy, limping a little. She seems quiet, but not especially shy or nervous. Queenie has a small scar on her cheek.

Judy raises her hand, even though only three students are in the area. Mr. Alltext replies a bit ruefully, as if he's expecting something odd, "Yes, Judy."

"Can I go the bathroom?" Judy inquires.

Mr. Alltext pauses, collects himself for a moment, and replies, "I don't think that qualifies as a question about our special task for today, Judy, but I'll answer anyway. No. You may not. However, in a few minutes, you'll be on your own (Heaven help us!), delivering the candy grams, and so you'll be able to make your own hygienic choices."

"OK," she comments amiably.

(If this is your first experience with interactive fiction, you should probably now type INTRO. If you've read other works of interactive fiction but are trying this one for the first time, you should probably type ABOUT.)