Movement.
A shadow.
What is that. Who is that?
[[You whisper "Hello?"|Hello2]]
Ahead, at the crossroads, the silhouette doesn’t move. “Hello?”, you say again, stepping a little closer.
In response, the stranger slowly turns toward you. The eyes... and the mouth confirming an expression you didn’t expect.
Finally it says,
>“I’ve been waiting... waiting for you to come back here.”
You realize you don't know how long you have been standing there... waiting for it to speak.
<<link "You feel...">><<goto "feel and speak">><</link>>
The figure seems to become smaller.
> "That's what you told me last time? Remember?"
The stranger glances at the road ahead and then behind you.
> "You can go forward, or we can find what you left behind, what you forgot."
<<link "Move on.">><<goto "Moving Forward">><</link>>
<<link "'What did I forget?', you ask.">><<goto "Memory">><</link>>
<strong>Share This Story</strong>
<em>(If this felt familiar, send it to someone who might recognize the crossroads.)</em>
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</form>Its features betray an age much older than you had noticed at first.
> "You left something."
> "It's been waiting for you to find it again, to make it yours again."
The stranger doesn’t say what it is. And you search its face for information.
<<link "Stay here.">><<goto "Stay">><</link>>
<<link "'I can't', you say.">><<goto "Moving Forward">><</link>>
The figure nods.
> "Then I'll see you at the next fork."
Turning, it walks back along the path in the opposite direction.
You keep moving.
You finally let go of something.
<<link "Night begins to fall.">><<goto "Continues">><</link>>
The stranger almost smiles.
> "Yes. We used to be the same person. Remeber?"
It glances at the road behind you. And you resist the urge to look back.
> "Do you want to remember, or would you rather keep moving?"
<<link "Look back. Remember.">><<goto "Memory">><</link>>
<<link "Keep walking.">><<goto "Moving Forward">><</link>>
You pause. Something in the wind shifts and you glance up.
The figure says nothing more because it’s not here.
Or maybe it's a part of you now.
The wind stops. The silence seems to wait.
[[And so do you.|Stay2]]
<<link "Your story continues... but waits for you to write it.">><<goto "End">><</link>><p>Five steps down to a deeper place.<br>
Slowly, one at a time you take them.
Pausing to notice the how it feels...
more and more engulfed by the forest with each step.</p>
<p id="countDisplay" style="display: none; font-size: 3em; text-align: center;">1</p>
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// 🔹 Adjust these values easily 🔹
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const stepInterval = 2000; // Time between each step count (in milliseconds)
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// Wait before showing "1" and starting the count
setTimeout(() => {
$("#countDisplay").fadeIn(1000); // Smooth fade-in effect
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<</script>><p>You feel a presence behind you.</p>
<<button "Turn around">>
<</button>>
<span id="reveal1" class="hidden-text">A figure is waiting. You recognize them, but not their face.</span>
<<script>>
$(document).on("click", "button", function() {
$("#reveal1").fadeIn(500); // Smooth fade-in over 0.5s
});
<</script>><p id="line1" class="fade-text">You reach the fork in the road.</p>
<p id="line2" class="fade-text">A figure is already there.</p>
<p id="line3" class="fade-text">Waiting.</p>
<<script>>
$(document).ready(function() {
$("#line1").hide().delay(1000).fadeIn(1500);
$("#line2").hide().delay(3000).fadeIn(1500);
$("#line3").hide().delay(5000).fadeIn(1500);
});
<</script>>You reach the deepest part of the forest.
Things feel different here. You feel different.
[[You begin to walk the deeper path.|Hello]]A shadow moves across your path.
A dark figure is barely visible up ahead at the crossroads.
How did you get here?
You think back.
[[Hello?|Hello2]]
<p id="line1" class="fade-text">Out of the corner of your eye, a shadow moves across your path.</p>
<p id="line2" class="fade-text">You look up.</p>
<p id="line3" class="fade-text">What is that standing at the crossroads.</p>
<p id="line4" class="fade-text">[[How did you get here?|portal fade into]]</p>
<<script>>
$(document).ready(function() {
$("#line1").hide().delay(2000).fadeIn(1000);
$("#line2").hide().delay(3000).fadeIn(1000);
$("#line3").hide().delay(4000).fadeIn(1000);
$("#line4").hide().delay(6000).fadeIn(1500);
});
<</script>>It was late in the day and you were walking on a forest path.
You enjoyed the peaceful natural sounds around you and you felt like you were ready to discover something new.
You noticed another path leading off down into a deeper part of the forest.
[[You decided to take the path down.|Induction]]<p id="expandingText" style="font-size: 1em; opacity: 1; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; left: 50%; transform: translateX(-50%);">You think back</p>
<<script>>
$(document).ready(function() {
$("#expandingText").animate(
{ fontSize: "10em", opacity: 0 }, // Expands text while fading out
4000, // Animation duration (4 seconds)
function() {
// After animation is complete, transition to the next passage
Engine.play("StartWalk");
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);
});
<</script>>You feel every bit of the emotion you work to hide.
You manage to [[speak.|manage to speak]]
You say...
<<link "I... know you.">><<goto "Recognition">><</link>>
<<link "I’ve never been here before.">><<goto "Denial">><</link>>Stay here.
Wait.
Find what it is you've lost.
Make it yours again.
<<link "Night begins to fall.">><<goto "Continues">><</link>>