What Lurks in the Night?

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-style:"rumble")[What Lurks in the Night? by Stephanie Carr]] <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/08/01/00/08/trees-407256_1280.jpg"> (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Can you figure out what is lurking in the night?? Do you think you have the courage and smarts to make it through this level? Click on the blue font to make your choice or to move onto the next page. If you want to go back to the previous screen, press the back button at the top right hand corner of the screen. To start, you will have: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] Let's see how much courage you can receive with each encounter you face. If you are too scared to do something, you will lose courage points. If you happen to use your gun, it will take 5 ammo points away. Ammo can be bought at the store in level 2. You will die once you have 0 health points. That is all you need to know. Are you ready???? (text-style:"shudder")[[ENTER IF YOU DARE!]]]

(set:$health to 100)(set:$ammo to 15)(set:$courage to 0) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/11/26/03/52/foggy-545838_1280.jpg"> Off you go, $name! It is time for you to figure out who is out there. You are outside of your home. You hear rustling in the forest. Do you, [[Go towards the trees to see who is there.]] OR [[Run back inside.]]

Let's get in the right mind frame. Pack your bag with your essential items. <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/02/04/18/35/bag-2037985_1280.jpg"> Eat some food. Take a deep breath. Now you are ready! [[Let's solve this mystery]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] Once you approach the area where you heard the noises come from, you realize that there are three different trees making noise. <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/05/13/12/51/forest-5167332_1280.jpg> Do you: [[Run back inside.]] [[See what is behind tree 1.]] [[See what is behind tree 2.]] OR [[See what is behind tree 3.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage-25)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] Clearly, you are a chicken. Why are you even alone if you can't even go out to investigate?? Put on your big kid pants and get back out there. [[I give up!]] [[Go towards the trees to see who is there.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] Oh my....what is that?? <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2019/08/27/03/17/bird-skull-4433244_1280.jpg"> Do you: [[Load up your gun and shoot this thing?]] [[Talk to this creature?]] OR [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] What the heck!! Who is this person?? <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/06/24/13/32/killer-820017_1280.jpg"> Do you: [[Talk to this person??]] [[Take your bat out and start to whack them??]] OR [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] Phew, I guess it was just the wind. <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/12/28/20/00/dark-1936954_1280.jpg"> Do you: [[Keep on walking further into the forest?]] [[Call a friend to come over?]] [[Call the police and get them to check your property?]] OR [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$ammo to ($ammo-5)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You just shot this creature. You go over to it and take off the bird skull mask. "What?? It was just a scarecrow with a mask on?? I am so glad I did not actually kill someone. Phew" You find a bag beside this scarecrow. Do you: [[Open it up.]] OR [[Continue walking.]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] "Hello there. What are you doing in the forest?" There is no answer. "Hello???" There is still no answer. You go up to it and shake their shoulder. You notice that it does not feel like a human. Instead it feels like straw. You take off the mask. You realize that it is just a scarecrow. There is a bag beside the scarecrow. Do you: [[Open it up.]] OR [[Continue walking.]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] "Hello?? What are you doing out in the forest??" The person responds, "I kept hearing noises so I decided to go check things out" "Really?? Me too! The only thing I have come across is a scarescrow and now, you." The person responds, "I have only seen some raccoons, rats, owls, and now you." Do you: [[Trust this guy and search with him together?]] [[Go your separate ways to cover more ground?]] OR [[Attack him and check for his ID so you can see if he actually lives around here]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) (set:$health to ($health-25)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You start to hit this person with your bat, however now this person is also swinging a crowbar at you. All of a sudden, you start to get hurt and tell him to "STOP" Surprisingly, he stops. You start talking and realize that he is also searching for something that has been making noises. Do you: [[Trust this guy and search with him together?]] [[Go your separate ways to cover more ground?]] or [[Attack him and check for his ID so you can see if he actually lives around here]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] As you continue to walk in the forest, you see a tent. <img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/6048/6388458763_e69f89cacf_n.jpg"> There is a light on in the tent and you see a shadow of someone in there. Do you: [[Approach the tent?]] OR [[Shout out asking who they are.]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage-50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] After calling 2 of your friends and having both of them not pick up, you decide to call it a night. You sleep with a flash night under your covers and fall asleep. At about 2am, you shiver and notice that the window is wide open. <img src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/11/09/20/35483522-8930687-image-a-73_1604955145731.jpg"> [[You get up to close it.]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage-50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You dial 9-1-1 and tell them that you have been hearing noises and feeling like someone has been watching you from outside for days. The police take a report and tell you to call again if you see someone. <img src="https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/male-hands-writing-plans-in-notepad-picture-id618963806?k=20&m=618963806&s=612x612&w=0&h=jcGtYVKGLK9l_9IFDaAMWMOcP_um1x_Wf_Y45NjttHk="> "I bet they are not going to even come look. The police are absolutely useless." $name, will you either: [[See what is behind tree 1.]] OR [[See what is behind tree 2.]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] [[Once you open up this mysterious bag, thousands of wasps fly out of this bag attacking your face.]] <img src="https://i.inews.co.uk/content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_84815482-640x360.jpg">

(set:$courage to ($courage-25)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/07/09/18/01/ball-2487705_1280.jpg"> [[All of a sudden, you step onto a boobytrap and fall down a long dark hole in the ground.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] Both of you continue to walk searching for whatever was lurking in the night. [[All of a sudden, you step onto a boobytrap and fall down a long dark hole in the ground.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You are so glad that there are now two people looking for whatever it is that is lurking in the dark. You get spooked by the sound of wolves howling in the night. <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/10/18/16/08/wolves-2864647_1280.jpg"> You back up slowly away from the sound. Then you suddenly hear foot steps behind you. [[As you turn around you see that guy with the crowbar about to strike you in the head.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] As you attack him, he starts attacking you back to save himself. This guy is taller and larger than you. You should have just let him be as it was not a good match for your ability. However, you hit him so hard in the back that he just falls down and is unconscious. After waiting for about 5 minutes with no movement, you decide to walk away. Then you suddenly hear foot steps coming up behind you. [[As you turn around you see that guy with the crowbar about to strike you in the head.]]

(set:$health to ($health-100)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You fall down this hole and no one is ever able to find you again. You DIE (text-style:"shudder")[Game Over]

(set:$health to ($health-100)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] The thousands of wasps sting you over and over again. Unfortually, you are highly allergic and do not have your epi-pen on you. Your entire body swells up causing you to struggle for air. After a few minutes of struggling, you drop dead and die. (text-style:"shudder")[Game Over]

(set:$health to ($health-100)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] The crowbar smashes into your skull, cracking in dozens of pieces. Your brain starts to bleed. You die on on the cold, damp, forest floor. Wolves then start to surround your body. (text-style:"shudder")[Game Over]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You close the window and lock it. Since you got up, you decide to go to the washroom quickly before heading back to bed. As you go down the hallway rubbing your eyes, you notice a shadow of a person.... <img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9ouIKNhwPwiDRc54abI-ZYW8G3Ohtfu2BJg&usqp=CAU"> [[You turn back to your bedroom and lock your door.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You scramble to find anything you can to defend yourself. Your bat is right under your bed so you grab it. The door handle starts to rattle. All of a sudden, this person starts using an axe to get into your room. <img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHO-lIQmqlJ--c5ae_9ZHZXp-ZIKqKJ0pWdB1FFM_LtDGkibazSfaEh9OabXDQwTG_Seg&usqp=CAU"> You threaten them that you have a gun and you are not afraid to use it. That does not stop this person from coming in. They manage to axe their way through your door. They are searching for you. You are under the bed shaking in fear. [[They find you.]]

(set:$health to ($health-100)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] They find you! You have nowhere to hide! You are done for.....you DIE! (text-style:"shudder")[Game Over]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] As you approach the tent, the person inside unzips the zipper. You stop to see what will happen next. The man gets out of the tent and starts a fire because it is cold out. <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/04/07/16/23/flames-711279__480.jpg"> You approach the man and ask him if he has seen or heard anyone else around. He says that there has only been animals around. You decided to: [[Stop and chat with him.]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] You shout out, "Who goes there??" A voice from inside the tent, says "Hello?" "Please don't hurt me, my name is Larry and I have been living out here for a few days now." You then decide to: [[Approach the tent?]] If you are too scared, you can always [[Run back inside.]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] After joining the man, you realize that he has just started living in the forest for the past couple of days due to being recently kicked out of the house by his wife. During your long 2hr conversation, he admits that he has seen you around as he has been using your garden hose to shower, drink, and use water for cooking. He apologizes and says that he did not want to startle you and was embarassed so he just tried to be sneaky. "Ohhhhh so maybe the noises that I have been hearing have been from you. I could sense that someone was lurking around and I was feeling uneasy about it." The man apologized again. He also asked if he could borrow anything to keep warm at night. [[You go back to the house to grab some wool socks, a sweater, a jacket, and a few blankets]]

(set:$courage to ($courage+50)) $name: [Ammo=$ammo] | [Health=$health] | [Courage=$courage] After delivering the warm clothes to this man, you invite him over for coffee and breakfast in the morning. You say goodnight to him and go back home to rest. $name, you figured out the mysterious noise and creature that was lurking around your property! You should be so proud of yourself for solving this concern of yours. (text-style:"bold","expand","sway")[YOU WON!! YOU COMPLETED THIS LEVEL!!!] Until next time, my friend....

(set:$name to (prompt:"Enter your name: ","Default Name")) <img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2019/10/28/21/21/halloween-4585684_1280.jpg"> Welcome, $name! Halloween is approaching and every evening you are unable to settle as you feel someone or something is watching your every move and you can hear noise outside around your house. Are you ready to figure out who is lurking in the night around your home? [[Let's solve this mystery]] [[Gather yourself and take a breather...]]