Rats in the Pantry

(text-style:"sway")[Ah, There are rats in the pantry!!!] It is a 1347 outside. You are happy to live in one of the most-developed and quite prosperous region of Europe... Oh, Italian Peninsula, a place where the Mediterrarean sea is escpecially blue and the sun is shining during most of the days of the year. The rivalry between //Guelfi// and //Ghibellini// of course, darken the overall wellbeing a little bit. Yet, the land here is quite rich. The variety of food supplies, unavailable in the colder regions, is vast. The strifing culture and well-defended cities, oh, we may say that you definetely a lucky one, to be born in such a place... However, your existance is quite far from perfect. All your life you have to struggle a lot to receive your daily-bread. And being a father of a large family you have a lot of mouthes to feed. Your place of living also leaves a huge space for improvement. It is tiny and unclean, with hardly any commodities in, where all your familiy must live in together. And to add to that, you are dirty, small and have several fire-burns on your flanks. Your left ear is damaged too, and you only have eighteen fingers... And the most horrible part - you are a rat. (text-colour:red)[[[Rat?->Beginning II]]]

Ah yes... a rat. A rodent with an unfair and cruel destiny. While probably around thousands of you inhabit every medieval city, your survival is still a road of endless obstacles and difficulties. <img src="http://dahi.lucdh.nl/twines/2021/rat.png" alt="Grey Rat" width="150" height="100"> While being represented in huge numbers and still holding a marginal positon in a "circle-of-life", it would be ridiculous to assume that one, single tiny creature can significantly contribute to changing the landscape of Europe for many upcoming centuries... (text-colour:red)[[[Or not?->Beginning III]]]

Well... let's find out. The Butterfly effect is a widely discuss concept, can it be at the heart of the so-called Black Death (1346-1353)? An epidemy of bubonic plague was transmitted to Europe from Asia, and caused major economic, social and religious upheaval. For centuries, the most dominant narrative stated that the rats were the main vehicle of the plague's transmission. Yet, recently, this narrative was challenged by the team of scientists from the University of Oslo. They claimed that the plague was mainly transmitted by human-to-human contacts, during which a lot of infected louses were "exchanged". Nevertheless, even this approach admits that the first human in Europe, the so-called patient zero, was more likely infected by... rat. This small game will focus on the live of one small rat, putting a heavy weight of responsibility for all World (in our case - mostly for European part of it) on your small shoulders. The decisions you will take will impact the outfit of the Europe. So, in other words, the destiny of Europe is in your little paws now. We know it is weird to ask a rat its name, but... maybe you have one? What is (text-color: red) [(link-reveal:"your name?")[ (set: $playerName to (prompt: "What is your name?","")) (if: $playerName's length > 0)[ (text-color: white)[ What a beautiful name for a rat! Nice to meet you, $playerName. Are you ready to begin?] (text-color:red)[[[BEGIN->Start: CATACOMBS]]] ] ] ]

{<setup>(set: $playerHunger to 50)(set: $playerInfection to 0)</setup> (if:(history: where it is "Start: CATACOMBS")'s length >= 2)[(replace: ?hunger)[$playerHunger](replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection]]} Day: I - Panem et Circenses *Few words before we begin, as a player you will have two parameters you have to maintain at a certain level. First one - hunger, second one - infection rate. You can see them in the beginning of every page. The changes in them will be affected by the decisions you make.* *The higher is infection rate, the more likely you will transmit the disease to someone you contact. If the hunger is above 90 - you die* *The game might end in the victory for you (a rat) or for a city. Or for none of you... or even for both. You win if: you do not die from hunger and not get killed. City wins if: you will not contribute to the infection's transmission. Good luck!* --- [(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] The morning did not seem to be nice... you woke up by the familiar feeling of hunger and cold in one of the countless tonnels in the catacombs under the unknown church. Desperated and hungry, well, you definitely need to find sometging to eat... As you slowly stretch your joints after sleep, you think about where you can find some food. Time to investigate the tonnels. (text-color:red)[[[Go to the tonnels->The tonnels]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] So, you go to the tonnels. The darkness around you could be terrifying if was not so familiar to you. The sounds of the waterdrops echoed from the ancient wall, as you have felt the subtle smell of... probably some boiled vegetables in the air. This smell increased (link-reveal:"the feeling of hunger")[ (set: $playerHunger to 60)(replace: ?hunger)[$playerHunger] Ohh, you better hurry up until you cannot move! You speed up and approach a wall in front you. Hah, in your life you climbed the wall which were much higher than this one. (text-color:red)[[[Climb the wall->The wall]]] ]

(set: $isAgressive to false) [(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As you climb the wall, you start to feel tired a little bit. You see a small hole and decide to take a small rest or else you would feel even worse. When you enter the hole, you see... another rat inside. It is approximately of the same size with you. However, by its smell you clearly distinguish that it is not from the same tribe with you. And it looks agressive. As it noticed you it stands on the hind legs and start to hiss... Oh, you definitely disturbed its rest by an unexpected appearence. Should you attack it first or should you run away? The fight might be quite dangerous, yet if you run you will find yourself even more tired... how long will you be able to bear this feeling of hunger then? (text-color:red)[[[AVANTI! Attack it->Fight]] / [[No violence, run away->Back to the Wall]]]

(set: $isAgressive to true) [(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] To run? TO RUN? I fought creatures thousand times bigger than this! You jump forward on this disgusting creature... At first it looks shocked, the initiative is definitely at your side! Where should you (link-reveal:"bite this creature?")[ {(dialog: bind _biteTo,"You will bite it to: ", "Neck","Flank","Nose") (if: _biteTo is "Neck")[ (set: $playerInfection to $playerInfection + 10) (replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection] ] (else-if: _biteTo is "Flank")[ (set: $playerInfection to $playerInfection + 20) (replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection] ] (else-if: _biteTo is "Nose")[ (set: $playerInfection to $playerInfection + 5) (replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection] ]} So, you bite your enemy to the (lowercase:_biteTo). In anger, it attempts to counter-attack you. Openning jaws with rotten yellow teeth, it tries to bite you back, targeting your neck. What will (link-reveal:"will you do?")[ (dialog: bind _toFinish, "Your action:", "Too slow! Finish it","Dodge! And push it out") (if: _toFinish is "Too slow! Finish it")[ (set: $isAgressive to true) (set: $playerInfection to $playerInfection + 20) (replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection] Not impressed! You had this speed when you were two weeks old! You easily bites its neck in two. As its uttering its last wheezes, you lay down and take a rest you deserve. Unfortunately, this rat looks way to horrible to eat it... your inner instincts say that it is better to continue your way. By the way, why do you itch so much...? (text-color:red)[[[That is fine. Ready to climb forward!->Back to the Wall]]] ] (else-if: _toFinish is "Dodge! And push it out")[ (set: $isAgressive to false) (set: $playerInfection to $playerInfection + 5) (replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection] You jump back and easily push it out of the hole. For the following 10 seconds you hear its fading squeek. You lay down and take some rest. After several minutes, you are ready to continue climbing the wall. (text-color:red)[[[Alright! Ready to climb forward!->Back to the Wall]]] ] ] ]

{<setup> (if: $playerInfection is 0)[ (set: $playerHunger to $playerHunger+20) ] (else-if: $playerInfection > 0)[ (set: $playerHunger to $playerHunger+5) ] } </setup> [(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] So... you are back on the wall. After dozens minutes of climbing you finally reach its top breathing heavily. Yet, the smell of food is near, what definetely cheers you up. As you climb up, you see two possible ways to go forward. The first one is shorter, you literally can see how the light breaks throuh the slits, but... oh, you see the corpse of another unlucky rat stucked there. It probably was there for a while already, yet you can easily climb over it. The second way is longer, but seems to be clean, without any undesired obstacles. (link-reveal:"Which way?")[ (dialog: bind _way,"Which Way?", "First (short)","Second (long)") (if: _way is "First (short)")[ (set: $playerInfection to $playerInfection + 15) (replace: ?infection)[$playerInfection] You climbed over the dead body and rapidly reached the desired destination. Nevertheless, as you getting closer to the top, you clearly hear a weird noise... people! You hear people's voice on the surface. So, you finally at the top. You see the small hole through which the light breaks through. (text-color:red)[[[To look outside carefully->Whoops]] / [[To heed carefully to the noises->The Cabinet Noises]]] ] (else-if: _way is "Second (long)")[ (set: $playerHunger to $playerHunger + 10) (replace: ?hunger)[$playerHunger] (if: $playerHunger is 90)[ Unfortunately, as you were climbing the long way, the horrible stomache ache ravaged your body. Your hands shaked and, loosing balance, you slip off the wall down. (text-color:red)[[[You are falling down->Wall Whoops]]] ] (else:)[ Nevertheless, as you getting closer to the top, you clearly hear a weird noise... people! You hear people's voice on the surface. So, you finally at the top. You see the small hole through which the light breaks through. (text-color:red)[[[To look outside carefully->Whoops]] / [[To heed carefully to the noises->The Cabinet Noises]]] ] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] Whoops... as you carefully pull out your head out of the hole, the last thing that you see in your life is a huge foot getting closer to you... Well... to die when someone stepped on you is quite common for even the strongest of rats. On the good side, you stopped (or at least postponed) the spread of the disease by your death... No one got infected, the human did not even notice that you died! We may say that you unwilling, unconscious sacrifice was not in vain. Be careful next time... (text-color:red)[(text-style:"fade-in-out")[CITY WINS, YOU LOSE]] (text-color:red)[[[City wins. Try again?->Start: CATACOMBS]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You hear that someone is walking there, from one corner to another, creating horrible noise by its mouth. As you can determine, there is only one human being, it is, more likely, a male, energetic and quite big one. When his steps seem to be quite far from your asylum, you carefuly pull you head out of the hole and look around. You see a quite spacious room with a big table in the middle of the room, and a chair next to it The smell of food is intensive, yet due to many other different smells in this room, you can tell it is coming from the table! (text-color:red)[[[Let's get closer to it->Go to Table]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You get closer to the table while the man is at the other side at the room. The smell of food intensifies, looks like you have chosen the right path. The table is made out of wood, so you could easily climb by one of its legs. You carefully approach the closest leg... Suddenly, the man turns around sharply and is now walking straight to the table... (text-color:red)[[[Oh no! Hide under the chair->Hide under chair]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You splip under the chair, trying to be as quiet as possible. The human sits on the chair and start to eat the food at the table rapidly... slurping and making other weird noises. You blood boils up. Such a long way was made for nothing? You must do something. (if: $playerHunger > 65)[ (text-color:red)[[[I am too hungry. I need to get closer!->Get Closer]]] ] (else:)[ (text-color:red)[[[I need to get closer before he ate everything!->Get Closer]] / [[Too dangerous. Maybe something will drop from the table->Wait for leftovers]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You sneaks closer to the human carefully... It seems to be completely consumed by eating and does not notice your appearence. Getting closer, you see that it is a well-groomed gentleman of middle-age. However, back to the business. You are very close to the plate already... (if: $playerInfection >= 25)[ You was very close already, as he stopped eating and started to... sniff. Oh, how naive of you was to think that someone would not smell a dirty rodent as one gets too close... He turns his head to you and recoiled from the table with the eyes wide open and the grimace of fear and disgust... (text-color:red)[[[You have to act now! Snatch the piece of food and run away->Run away]]] ] (else:)[ Let's try to pull off a piece of food his eating. (link-reveal:"Now or never!")[ (set: _steal to (random:(1,6))) (if: _steal >= 3)[ You successfuly steal the small piece of cucumber from the plate and retreats from the table, without giving out your presence. You climb down from the table and eat the desired vegetable. (set: $playerHunger to $playerHunger-20) (replace: ?hunger)[$playerHunger] (text-color:red)[[[Yummy, now I can leave!->Leave]]] ] (else:)[ You was literally few centimeters from the desired tread, as the man accidentally lowered his head and noticed you. He immediately recoiled from the table with the eyes wide open and the grimace of fear and disgust... (text-color:red)[[[You have to act now! Snatch the piece of food and run away->Run away]]] ] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As the human continues to eat, the piece of food indeed dropped down, a piece of tasty yet not that fresh cucumber! Delicious! (link-reveal:"EAT IT NOW!")[ (set: $playerHunger to $playerHunger-20)(replace: ?hunger)[$playerHunger] Ah finally... the deep feeling of happiness fills your body. Your simple and not too refined tastes have their own benefits. As you gnaw this piece, the human spits on the floor the fish bone with small pieces of meat on it. (text-color:red)[[[Drop this cucumber, pick up the fish!->Fish Whoops]] / [[Let's finish the cucumber first->Finish Cucumber]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You drop the cucumber and pick up the delicious fish bone. You eat it in an euphoria, completely forgetting about everything. Yet... the gluttony is one of the ''deadly'' sins. And unfortunately... while eating, you did not notice that the human is now looking at you... The heavy foot lands on your head, breaking the neck: "Dirty rodent!" That was the last sound you heard in your short life. Well... at least you died doing what you liked the most. And it even was not a death from hunger. (if: $playerInfected >= 25 )[ But unfortunately, while throwing your remains away, the human was so unlucky to have some louses jumping from your dead body on him. Within few days, the city's everyday routine was shuttered by the growing disease, which was later transmitted to the whole peninsula, and then - to nearly whole Europe... Well, we all make mistakes. (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-color:red)[CITY LOSES, YOU LOSE]] (text-color:red)[[[Both lost. Would you like to try again?->Start: CATACOMBS]]] ] (else:)[ Nevertheless, some good news, the infection was prevented or, at least, postponed by your unwilling and unconscious sacrifice. We may say you did not die for nothing. You did not carry infection with you. Splendid. (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-colour:red)[CITY WINS, YOU LOSE]] (text-color:red)[[[City wins, you lost. Would you like to try again?->Start: CATACOMBS]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] The caution is the key to everything. You finish the cucumber carefully following the noises coming from human on the chair. As you finish your humble meal, the human seems to be done too. You barely made it to jump away when he got up from the table. He leaves the room, you hear that he started to talk to someone behind the door. You ate, so everything is alright! (text-color:red)[[[It was delicious. Enough for today. Retreat->Leave]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You sneak away from the table... The hole by which you got here is quite far, and you have noticed another small hole in the wall. Maybe you could use it to escape too?(set: $boyInfected to false) (text-color:red)[[[The best way is the one you know the best->To the hole]] / [[The hole in the wall is closer, use it->Hole in the Wall]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You reach the familiar hole rapidly and was nearly ready to jump into it as the door opens again and a new human, a young boy with a broom in his hands, enters the room. Since you were in the middle room, he notices you immediately. You look at each other for a mili-second, which felt like an eternity to you. As the shock fade away, he screams: "A rat!". And approach you trying to swipe you away!(set: $boyInfected to false) (if: $isAgressive is false)[ (text-color:red)[[[Get back, tiny human! Try to scare him->Scare the boy]] / [[Peace was never an option with humans->Fight the boy]]] ] (else-if: $isAgressive is true)[ (text-color:red)[[[[Get back, tiny human! Try to scare him->Scare the boy]]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As you sneak through the hole rapidly, you enter a spacious street fill with nasty humans. The noise they create is unbearable. You hide after the closest barrel. And waits for a right moment to sneak to the closest ditch, where, more likely, the entrance to your native underground is located. As you waiting, you start to feel the sight of someone on you... (text-color:red)[[[Turn around->A cat]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] There are not so much left from you as your body faced the ground. Whether your dead is quite tragic... it is also quite common for a rodent. On the bright side! You did not contact anyone, nor you had any chances to contribute to the transmission of the disease. How responsible of you! You just died from hunger not even reaching the surface. The true heroes always die in silence and with no one around. The start of pandemic wsa stopped or, at least, postponed. (text-color:red)[(text-style:"fade-in-out")[CITY WINS, YOU LOSE]] (text-color:red)[[[City wins, you lost. Try again?->Start: CATACOMBS]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You prepare to face the tiny human, as it get closer, you jump at him. Where would you (link-reveal:"like to bite him?")[ (dialog: bind _biteTo,"Bite the boy to:", "Leg","Arm","Finger") (if: _biteTo is "Leg" or _biteTo is "Arm" or _biteTo is "Finger")[ (set: _successfulBite to (random:(1,6))) (if: _successfulBite >= 3)[ (if: $playerInfection > 10)[(set: $boyInfected to true)] You successfuly bite the boy to its (lowercase:_biteTo). The boy screams in terror and, as you landed, tries to hit you with the broom. You need to (link-reveal:"dodge!")[ (set: _successfulDodge to(random:(1,6))) (if: _successfulDodge >= 4)[ However, the boy moves not fast enough, you successfuly jump away from him. The boy seems completely devastated by this failure. He throws the broom away and runs out of the room calling for help!(set: $boyInfected to true) (text-color:red)[[[Pathetic. Now the way is free->You Win, City Loses]]] ] (else:)[ Ah, you did not make it unfortunately. The boy managed to swipe you away to the wall... (if: $playerInfection > 30)[ It did not seem as such a tough punch... yet, as you tried to breathe, your feel like if your lungs were pierced with thousand tiny needles... (text-color:red)[[[Your vision becomes blurry...->You Lose, City Loses]]] ] (else:)[ Arrr... it hurts! However, you was lucky enough to land accurately next to the whole in the wall, you was thinking about before...(set: $boyInfected to true) (text-color:red)[[[Run to it! Now!->Hole in the Wall]]] ] ] ] ] (else:)[ Unfrotunately, the boy managed to step away just in time... On the bright side, you landed right next to the hole in the wall you noticed before.(set: $boyInfected to false) (text-color:red)[[[Run to it! Now!->Hole in the Wall]]] ] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You stand up on your hind legs and hiss trying to look as dangerous as possible! (if: $isAgressive is false)[ The results overcame your expectations, well, life underground leaves it marks on your outlook. He steps back and his legs start to shake. (text-color:red)[[[Now you know, puny human! I am out->You Win, City Wins]] / [[Arrr... that's not enough. I will teach you some respect->Fight the boy]]] ] (else-if: $isAgressive is true)[ The boy, however, is not impressed by your terrifying performance. He holds the broom in his hands stronger and approaches you with confidence (text-color:red)[[[There is no way, you have to fight->Fight the boy]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You jump into the hole. Ah, the good old tonnels again. The so familiar and beloved darkness. You found some food, did not bite anyone (or just not too much). Your careful and well-planned actions resulted in an outcome even better than you expected. You are still hungry a little bit, but hey, the struggle is endless for a rat. *You learn that avoiding direct contact and acting when is necessary can alone help to stop the spreading of disease. Thank you for your responsibility. And even if the disease will outbreak, you acted with a clear conscious and in a rational way. Splendid performance for a rat!* --- (text-color:red)[(text-style:"fade-in-out")[CITY WINS, YOU WIN]] (text-color:red)[(text-style:"fade-in-out")[WELL DONE!]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You managed to escape to the tonnels back. You are alive. And, most importantly, less hungry that you used to be. Was not it a good day? (if: $boyInfected is true)[ However, after several weeks even the underground creatures noticed that something horrible is going on a surface. Corpses... they were everywhere now. The unfamiliar smell spread over the city. The smell of death. The human biten by you became the first human infected by the disease. He died within several weeks, but did transmit the disease to all its surrounding... the following spreading on the greater scale was just a matter of time. The Europe is ravaged by the new disease and thousands of people die everywhere. The pandemic you started will change the landscape of Europe for many centuries to come. However... you are not hungry anymore, right? (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-color:red)[CITY LOSES, YOU WON]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As you try to breathe last, the boy lands its feet on you... All your life flies before your eyes. It was not a good life, of course. However, maybe then it is good that it is over? (if: $boyInfected is true)[ After you die, the boy took the remains of you and threw them away. Nevertheless, you death was revenged... in an unexpected way. Your bite was fatal to him and within several days, he could barely stand up from the bed. After few weeks, he was dead. All his family was infected by an unknown disease that you "gifted" him with by your bite. The disease transmitted rapidly and soon the whole city was shattered by the pandemic, and later, the whole Europe. The humanity paid for all miserables that a small rat had to face, yet you are dead now. Is it a fair cost? (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-color:red)[CITY LOSES, YOU LOST]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As you turned around you see the most disgusting, the most evil, cruel and merciless (link-reveal:"creature.")[ <img src="http://dahi.lucdh.nl/twines/2021/cat.png" alt="Cute Kitty" width="120" height="150"> A CAT!!! Oh no, it definitely noticed you. Its ears are lifted in agression and the eyes are widely opened. (if: $isAgressive is false)[ (text-color:red)[[[Oh no... run away!->Run from cat]] / [[Another one. I am ready to fight->Fight the cat]]] ] (else-if: $isAgressive is true)[ (text-color:red)[[[Another one. I am ready to fight->Fight the cat]]] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You turn away and rapidly try to hide into the ditch across the street... The cat follows you... (link-reveal:"Let's see who is faster")[ (set: _whoIsFaster to (random:(1,10))) (if: _whoIsFaster >= 5)[ Haha! And you claim that a cheetah is your distant relative, kitty? You easily run away from this cat, leaving it far behind you. (text-color:red)[[[Easy... not even interesting->Success]]] ] (else:)[ (if: $playerHunger > 45)[ You tried but... the cat managed to get you... (text-color:red)[[[You are in a cat paws now...->Cat paws]]] ] (else:)[ The cat moves faster than you... It overtakes you in the half of the way. Yet, you have enough power to fight him back! (text-color:red)[[[Fight him! Now!->Fight the cat]]] ] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] So the game with the cat begins... The deadly battle, indeed. As you make one step forward, the cat steps back and start to hiss. What a weird behaviour for a cat when it sees a rat... However, you got an initiative now. (link-reveal:"Attack the cat!")[ (set: _attackCat to (random:(1,6))) (if:_attackCat >= 3)[ (set: $catInfected to true) You jumped on this creature, not leaving it a single chance to stand against you! You bite him by his nose, putting him to flight away. (text-color:red)[[[The sweet taste of victory->Victory]]] ] (else:)[ (set: $catInfected to false) Unfortunately, the cat managed to put you to the ground by one hit of a paw... (text-color:red)[[[No...->Cat paws]]] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] (if: $boyInfected is true)[ You managed to run away from this creature... You sneak into the ditch and find yourself in a familiar and beloved underground. (text-color:red)[[[Finally!->You Win, City Loses]]] ] (else-if: $boyInfected is false)[ You managed to run away from this creature... You sneak into the ditch and find yourself in a familiar and beloved underground. (text-color:red)[[[Finally!->You Win, City Wins]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As the cat holds you in the paws... you understand that your end is near. You close your eyes, ready to face the inevitable. (if: $boyInfected is true)[ (text-color:red)[[[Goodbye, cruel world!->You lose, City loses II]]] ] (else-if: $boyInfected is false)[ (text-color:red)[[[Goodbye, cruel world!->You lose, City wins II]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] Your was killed by a cat... just for his entertainment. Well, a lot of rats ended in this way. There is nothing to be ashamed of! However, if it will cheer you up, you managed to give a revenge to the cruel world! The human biten by you became the first human infected by the disease. He died within several weeks, but did transmit the disease to all its surrounding... the following spreading on the greater scale was just a matter of time. The Europe is ravaged by the new disease and thousands of people die everywhere. The pandemic you started will change the landscape of Europe for many centuries to come. Yet, you will not manage to see the huge consequences of your relatively light bite... (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-colour:red)[CITY LOSE, YOU LOST]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] Your was killed by a cat... just for his entertainment. Well, a lot of rats ended in this way. There is nothing to be ashamed of! However, if it will cheer you up, you managed to oppose the disease by your unwilling and unconscious sacrifice. Lucky for everyone, the cats, in fact does not eat rats. Neither do they spend too much time around what remains of them. Therefore after the nameless cat killed you, he left the street, being, more likely, freaked out by some of the passers-by. You are dead. But you acted in a calm and rational away, avoiding the contacts and not being too much agressive. You did not transmit the disease... thank you for that. Good night, sweet prince. Real heroes always die being unacknowledged. (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-colour:red)[CITY WINS, YOU LOST]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As the cat runs away, you shake off and walks to the ditch with a victorious look. (if: $boyInfected is true)[ (text-color:red)[[[Get back to the underground->Complete disaster]]] ] (else-if: $boyInfected is false)[ (text-color:red)[[[Get back to the underground->You Win, City Loses III]]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As you reach the tonnels, the well-familiar and beloved darkness clouds around you. Home sweet home. Well, you managed to find some food and is still alive. If it is not the best outcome possible, then I do not know that it is... Right? Depends on the perspective. After your chaotic actions on the surface, both the human and the cat were infected by you. Needleess to say, that both of them died... The transmission of the disease escalated at the unprecedent rates. The human successfuly spread the disease to all human it contacted, starting with a kind priest that agreed to heal the bite you made, ending with all market traders that the boy spoke to. In addition to that, the cat not only was infected by your bite, but also became a house for the louses, received during the contact with you. Everywhere he went, the plague was following him as a shadow. By the way... as the result of the massive outbreak of the Black Death, as it was called later, you also died. One is reaping what it sow... *Probably, you should learn the importance of the social distance in the disease's transmission a little bit more. You cannot just bite and contact everyone you see if you are aware that you might be a carrier of the plague* --- (text-color:red)[THE EUROPE IS NEARLY DYING... COMPLETE DISASTER]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You managed to escape to the tonnels back. You are alive. And, most importantly, less hungry that you used to be. Was not it a good day? (if: $boyInfected is true)[ However, after several weeks even the underground creatures noticed that something horrible is going on a surface. Corpses... they were everywhere now. The unfamiliar smell spread over the city. The smell of death. The cat biten by you... it did not just received a "plague kiss" by you, but also got a lot of louses by a direct contact with you. After a week, as he was walking down the street, a young lady gave him a bowl of milk, feeling sorry to his poor look. Needless to say that the louses jumped on the new carrier. Within few weeks, all her family was infected, and later the disease transmitted to the whole city, killing thousands of people. But... at least you are not hungry anymore! (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-color:red)[CITY LOSES, YOU WON]] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You tried to jump from the table but that man grabbed the knife, with which he was eating few minutes ago. With a scream, he puts it to the table few inches from you, then again, again and again. You somehow manage to evade his chaotical and furious attacks... yet it cannot wait for too long. You have to run... You jump from the table trying to reach the hole as fast as possible. (text-color:red)[[[Run, run, run!->Run from him]]]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] You run as fast as possible, yet the piece of food in your mouth does not help... Noticing that you are not very fast, he tries to grab you by the hand (in heavy gloves of course).(link-reveal:"Oh no...")[ (set: _manAction to (random:(1,6))) (set: _yourAction to (random:(1,5))) (if: _yourAction > _manAction)[ Huh, not today! You managed to evade his heavy hand... he did not expect that and lost a ballance, falling down like a an old tower of the castle. Meanwhile you have noticed the hole in the wall...(set:$boyInfected to false) (text-color:red)[[[Let's get there! Now!->Hole in the Wall]]] ] (else:)[ You could not outflank his hand with this food in your mouth. He grabs you and start to squeeze you merciless... (text-color:red)[[[No options, spit the food out and try to bite him->Bite him: NC]]] ] ]

[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:white)[<div class="stats">Name: $playerName Hunger: |hunger>[$playerHunger] Infection: |infection>[$playerInfection]</div>] ] As he squeezes you harder and harder, your vision becomes blurry. However, you have noticed the open space between his sleeve and the glove... It is a perfect place to put your teeth in! However, you only have one attempt, there is no chance for a failure... you try to remember everything the elder rats from your clan taught you about biting humans. The main rule, if adapted to the human language would sound something like: "The blue river must overflow the shores." What a riddle... And you need to act now. The open piece of flash is very close to you... (link-reveal:"Where to bite?")[ (dialog: bind _answer,"Where to bite?", "Low palm","Tendon","Vein","Wrist") (if: _answer is "Vein")[ You put your teeth to the vein of the puny human! The blood fountains out of the wound, he immediately loosened his grip and you managed to land on the floor. Your lungs hurt, yet you cannot rest. You pick up the food and approach the escape-hole.(set:$boyInfected to true) (text-color:red)[[[Away from this madness->Hole in the Wall]]] ] (else-if: _answer is "Low palm" or _answer is "Tendon" or _answer is "Wrist")[] ]