**July 19th 2016, Evening. Park Residence.**
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YOU: *Stop* installing locks on your door! Mom and Dad said--
BELL: Mom and Dad aren't here!
YOU: Yeah, for another day. What happens when they get back from Vancouver?
BELL: Nothing! Because I have a cool older sister who respects my privacy and isn't going to *narc* on me.
* [[You're one to talk.|6]]
* [[Just open the door.|7]]
YOU: What's going on in there?
BELL: Nothing!
YOU: Doesn't sound like nothing.
BELL: Does to me! And I'm the one in the room so my testimony is a lot more reliable. <% s.testimony = true; %>
<%= display("13") %>
YOU: Who have you got in there?
BELL: Nobody!
YOU: Are you *sure*?
BELL: I would know, wouldn't I?
<%= display("13") %>
YOU: Open up!
BELL: Kind of defeats the purpose of the lock, doesn't it?
YOU: Bellwoods, open the door or I'm telling Mom and Dad as soon as they get home!
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YOU: Oh you're one to talk about "narcing" and "privacy invasion"!
BELL: Don't bring my detective work into this!
YOU: *(sighing)* Just open up please.
<%= display("8") %>
YOU: Whatever, they won't hear about it from me. But they're going to notice eventually. Now could you open the door please?
BELL: Kind of defeats the purpose of the lock, doesn't it?
YOU: *Bellwoods*.
<%= display("8") %>
BELL: Fine!
*(You hear more noise from inside.)*
YOU: You're stalling.
BELL: Just a second, God!
<%= display("9") %>
*(You hear a series of mechanical sounds, and then the door creaks open slightly. Bell stands there blocking the opening.)*
BELL: Can I help you?
* [[Move.|10]]
* [[What was all that noise?|11]]
* [[What do you want on your pizza?|12]]
YOU: Alright, move.
<%= display("14") %>
YOU: Well?
BELL: Well what?
YOU: "Well what." What was all that noise?
BELL: <% if (s.testimony) { %> I told you, <% } %> I didn't hear anything. <% if (!s.testimony) { %> And I was the one in the room so my testimony is a lot more reliable. <% } %>
<%= display("14") %>
YOU: What do you want on the pizza?
BELL: I'm not hungry. Goodbye.
*(She starts to close the door. You prop it open with your foot.)*
YOU: You have to eat something. Feeding you was like my one job.
BELL: Yeah well--
YOU: *(sniffing)* ...is that a scented candle?
BELL: Uh.
*(You push past her into her bedroom. It's unusually moody. The lights are dimmed, there's a candle burning on her dresser, and she's even got some weird indie rock music coming out of her phone.)*
* [[Since when do you have scented candles?|18]]
* [[What's with the lighting?|16]]
* [[Are you listening to *music*?|17]]
*(You hear more noises from inside.)*
YOU: Bell just open the damn door already.
BELL: Fine!
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*(You push past her into her bedroom.)*
BELL: Hey!
*(You take in the scene. It's unusually moody in here. The lights are dimmed, there's a candle burning on her dresser, and she's even got some weird indie rock music coming out of her phone.)*
* [[Is that a scented candle?|15]]
* [[What's with the lighting?|16]]
* [[Are you listening to *music*?|17]]
YOU: Is that a scented candle?
BELL: I fail to see the relevance of that question.
<%= display("18") %>
YOU: What's with the lighting? You always like to keep your room super bright.
BELL: I guess you caught me right as I was going to sleep. Yaaaawn. Well, goodnight.
<%= display("19") %>
YOU: Are you listening to *music*?
BELL: Sure, why not?
YOU: You *never* listen to music. That's like your weird dumb thing.
BELL: It's research. For a music-related mystery.
<%= display("19") %>
YOU: Since *when* do you have scented candles?
BELL: You don't know everything about me. You don't know what kind of candles I like.
<%= display("19") %>
*(You squint.)*
YOU: Is there a *boy* in here?
BELL: *(scoffing)* In my inner sanctum? Please.
* [[Your bed's all messy.|42]]
* [[You're acting weird.|43]]
* [[Clearly *someone's* here.|44]]
*(You go to open the closet but the door doesn't work.)*
YOU: What's this?
BELL: A closet.
*(You jiggle the handle some more.)*
YOU: I know it's a closet. Why is it locked?
BELL: What is it with you and locks?
* [[Seriously.|21]]
* [[Who's in there?|22]]
* [[Open it.|23]]
YOU: Seriously. What's in there?
BELL: Nothing. Just clothes. *(She raises her voice slightly.)* Normal clothes that a person could wear if they needed to cover their body.
YOU: Are you going to open the door or am I going to have to break it down?
<%= display("24") %>
YOU: Seriously, Bell. Who's in there?
BELL: No one's in there! Just clothes. *(She raises her voice slightly.)* Normal clothes that a person could wear if they needed to cover their body.
YOU: Are you going to open the door or am I going to have to break it down?
<%= display("24") %>
YOU: Open it.
BELL: No.
YOU: *Open it.*
BELL: *No.*
YOU: Either you open it or I take it off the hinges.
<%= display("24") %>
*(Bell folds her arms and looks away. You bang your fist on the door.)*
YOU: Hey! Whoever you are, you better come out of the closet *right now.*
*(The door clicks and creaks open. Bell's camp friend Bridget steps out, wearing only her underwear. Bell groans and sits down on the bed.)*
BRIDGET: *(trying to cover herself)* Uh. Hi.
YOU: ...Oh.
BRIDGET: Sorry.
YOU: Uh... Okay, you can uh get back in there a little.
*(She shields herself behind the door and pokes her head out.)*
BELL: I can explain.
*(You hold up your hand to shush Bell and look expectantly at Bridget.)*
BRIDGET: We were... studying?
*(Bell slaps her forehead.)*
* [[In July.|35]]
* [[Inside a closet.|36]]
* [[With no clothes on.|37]]
<% s.bed = true; %>*(You drop down to your knees and look under the bed.)*
BELL: Tada. Nobody here. Go away forever now.
YOU: Ssh. I'm not finished.
<%= display("33") %>
<% s.sheets = true; %>*(You grab the sheeets and toss them onto the floor.)*
BELL: Hey I have to sleep on those later.
<%= display("33") %>
<% s.dresser = true; %>*(You pull her dresser out from the wall slightly and look behind it.)*
BELL: Are you looking for a *person* or a lost wallet?
YOU: You could have a hidden compartment.
BELL: You *wish* you knew where my hidden compartments were.
<%= display("33") %>
<% s.desk = true; %>*(You look under her computer desk.)*
BELL: You did it. You solved the mystery of the missing power bar. Satisfied?
YOU: Oh you'll *know* when I'm satisfied.
<%= display("33") %>
<% s.laundry = true; %>*(You kick at the dirty laundry pile with your feet.)*
BELL: Hey, watch it! I've got a system.
<%= display("33") %>
<% s.window = true; %>*(You open the window and stick your head out.)*
BELL: Really nice weather tonight. Why don't you *go outside and leave me alone*?
YOU: Not until I find your little buddy.
<%= display("33") %>
<% s.ceiling = true; %>*(You scan the ceiling with your eyes.)*
BELL: Oh what, am I dating *Spiderman*? Come on.
YOU: I'm not ruling anything out right now.
<%= display("33") %>
<% if (!s.bed) { %> * [[Look under the bed.|25]]
<% } if (!s.sheets) { %> * [[Look under the sheets.|26]]
<% } if (!s.dresser) { %> * [[Look behind the dresser.|27]]
<% } if (!s.desk) { %> * [[Look under the desk.|28]]
<% } if (!s.closet) { %> * [[Look inside the closet.|20]]
<% } if (!s.laundry) { %> * [[Look in that pile of dirty laundry.|30]]
<% } if (!s.window) { %> * [[Look out the window.|31]]
<% } if (!s.ceiling) { %> * [[Look at the ceiling.|32]] <% } %>
*(You sigh.)*
YOU: Fine. No open flames, go to sleep at a reasonable hour, eat dinner at some point, and Bridget has to be gone by 10 am tomorrow.
BELL: *(exhaling)* Thank you.
YOU: And no... you know... funny business.
BELL: Got it.
YOU: Like, this? *(You point at Bridget.)* Already? Too funny. Funny it down like five notches.
*(Bell tosses Bridget a shirt from the dirty laundry pile. She puts it on as fast as humanly possible.)*
* [[You know you can tell me this stuff.|46]]
* [[You know I love you unconditionally.|47]]
* [[You know I would have let you two hang out.|48]]
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YOU: You were studying in the middle of summer?
BRIDGET: Never too early to get... started.
<%= display("38") %>
YOU: You were studying inside of a locked closet.
BRIDGET: Uhh...... yes? Fewer... distractions?
<%= display("38") %>
YOU: You were studying without your clothes on?
BRIDGET: Uhhh............... Yes...?
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YOU: Do you two even go to the same school?
BRIDGET: ...It's a common curriculum.
*(You turn back to Bell.)*
BELL: Okay, okay! Bridget's... kind of my girlfriend.
YOU: "Kind of"?
BELL: *(scratching the back of her neck)* Kind of entirely my girlfriend.
YOU: ...Wow.
BELL: In my defence the rule is technically "No *boys* until I'm sixteen."
* [[How long has this been going on?|40]]
* [[So you're gay then?|39]]
YOU: So... you're gay.
BELL: Yeah.
BRIDGET: *(raising her hand)* Me too. ...Although I guess you probably figured that out from the context, huh?
*(You stare at her.)*
BRIDGET: ...I'll shut up now.
BELL: You *cannot* tell mom and dad, okay?
YOU: Of course not. Obviously. But you two are going to get caught if you keep sneaking around like this.
BELL: It's worked so far.
YOU: Wait, how long is "so far"?
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YOU: Okay. Uh. How long has this been going on?
BELL: A while. You *cannot* tell mom and dad.
YOU: Obviously. Of course not. But how long is "a while"?
<%= display("41") %>
BRIDGET: Um, a year.
YOU: A *year*?
BELL: *Exactly* one year, actually.
*(You look back and forth between them.)*
YOU: Seriously? *Tonight* is your anniversary?
*(The two of them nod.)*
* [[Fine.|34]]
YOU: Your bed's all messed up.
BELL: I know you're in charge while mom's away but that doesn't mean you have to *literally* turn into mom.
<%= display("45")%>
YOU: You're acting really weird right now.
BELL: I always act weird. That doesn't prove anything.
YOU: You've had a lot of "urgent cases" lately. Perfect cover for sneaking around with a boyfriend.
BELL: Okay, how about you leave the detective work to the professionals?
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YOU: Well *someone's* obviously in here, and you wouldn't be hiding them if it was just one of your weird little friends.
BELL: Leave the detective work to the professionals.
<%= display("45")%>
YOU: Where is he, Bell? I'm serious.
BELL: There's no boy, Trin.
* [[Look under the bed.|25]]
* [[Look under the sheets.|26]]
* [[Look behind the dresser.|27]]
* [[Look under the desk.|28]]
* [[Look inside the closet.|20]]
* [[Look in that pile of dirty laundry.|30]]
* [[Look out the window.|31]]
* [[Look at the ceiling.|32]]
<% $("#passage").addClass("title"); %><div id="openup"><img src="img/openup.png" alt="OPEN UP! by Brendan Patrick Hennessy"/></div>
<div id="menu">A post-<a href="http://birdland.camp/">Birdland</a> microgame</div>
<div id="menu">[[Start|0]]</div>
<% $("#passage").removeClass("title"); %>*(Your name is Trin Park. You are seventeen years old and you're in charge while your parents are out of town for the week. Your only job is to make sure the house doesn't burn down and to stop your little sister from getting into trouble. Should be easy enough. She usually keeps to herself anyway...)*
* [[Next|1]]
YOU: Hey I'm going to order us a pizza. What do you--
*(You go to open the door to your sister's room but the knob won't turn.)*
YOU: Oh, god damn it.
*(You pound on the door. There's some kind of commotion inside.)*
YOU: Bellwoods!!
BELL: Go away!
* [[Stop installing locks on your door!|2]]
* [[What are you doing in there?|3]]
* [[Who's in there with you?|4]]
* [[Open up!|5]]</div>
YOU: ...Bell, you know you're allowed to *tell* me stuff, right?
BELL: Don't take it personally. I don't tell anyone anything.
BRIDGET: It's true, she really doesn't.
<%= display("49") %>
YOU: I'm just saying. I would obviously never have any kind of... problem with you. You know?
*(Bell nods. Then she walks up to you and hugs you. You take a half-step backwards in shock.)*
BELL: *(mumbling)* I know.
*(You pat her on the back.)*
BELL: ...I love you, Trinity.
YOU: Love you too, weirdo.
BELL: Now uh... *(She slowly turns her hugging motion into a pushing motion.)*
YOU: Alright, alright!
*(You walk backwards out of the room and shut the door. The lock clicks behind you.)*
* [[Next|End]]
YOU: Okay well. I'll leave you two alone now.
BELL: Um, thanks.
YOU: But just... I love you unconditionally, okay? I want to make sure you know that.
*(Bell nods. Then she walks up to you and hugs you. You take a half-step backwards in shock.)*
BELL: *(mumbling)* I know. ...I love you too, Trinity.
*(You pat her on the back.)*
BELL: Now uh... *(She slowly turns her hugging motion into a pushing motion.)*
YOU: Alright, alright!
*(You walk backwards out of the room and shut the door. The lock clicks behind you.)*
* [[Next|End]]
YOU: You know I would have let you two hang out together if you had just asked.
BELL: Oh.
YOU: I mean, you found someone who can tolerate you for an entire year. That's probably worth encouraging.
BELL: Wow. Thanks.
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