Twine script


*bzzzt*
~ Are you there? Are you awake?
*bzzmm*
~ Hello?
> I'm here.
~ It's safe to climb out. I've been outside for a couple of minutes and there's nothing here.
> Where are you?
~ I'm standing on the hull's right—wait, I can see you. This way.
> Are you sure those were plants you saw? They could've been anything from that height.
~ We're here now, we might as well take a look. You can stay on the ship if you'd rather eat mashed potatoes for the rest of the trip.
> Fine, fine. I'm going to go look in the sun's direction. You go the other way.
~ You want to split up? You're sure?
> Yeah. You have your flares?
~ I've got the orange ones with me.
> See you in a while then. Don't take your helmet off.

The sun's already beginning to set. You're not too worried: there are torches built into the suits, and you don't see any sign of danger. But you're not really learned in these matters. This is only your first trip. Danger could come in any shape or form here. Maybe it had been a mistake to split up.

It's too late now: your companion's already disappeared into the foliage, if that's what it is.
-- You decide to forge ahead.

You climb up a small hill, and pause when you reach its crest. A field of stalks, tall and golden, sprawls before you. They're almost twice your height, and they swallow you up as you try to push your way through. You turn around, but you can't see which way you came in from. You panic as you realise you could stay lost in here forever.
-- Stumble blindly.

You struggle haphazardly through the stalks. You can see the sun's light dimming in the sky above, and you try and make your way towards it. Your arms are beginning to ache from pushing the stalks away.

Just when you think you can't go on any longer, you burst out into the open. The field rustles behind you with a muted menace. -- You breathe a sigh of relief, and move on.

As you keep walking towards the sun, you hear a faint murmuring in the distance. It almost sounds like singing.
-- You move towards the sound.

The wind blows more strongly into your face. You can't feel it because of your helmet, but you can hear it. It reminds you so much of your childhood home by the sea that you wish you could take your helmet off and breathe the air in.

The murmuring has become louder. Now it sounds more like a thousand chimes rippling in unison. It entrances you: you can't help but continue in its direction. -- You haven't even noticed that the—

Wait, stop!
Stop!
There's nowhere else to go.
You're standing at the edge of a cliff.
And you'd almost fallen over into—

A sea?

You can barely believe it. You're seeing water again after what feels like an eternity. The waves look like flames to you, peaked with blazing magenta. It's only then that you realise how much time has passed since the two of you landed. Or maybe you're mistaken? The sun seems to set much faster here than back at home.

You remember what you're here for, and feel briefly ashamed of your carelessness. You hope that your companion has been luckier in their finds.
-- You gaze out at the horizon absentmindedly.

Is that a tower in the distance? Maybe a lighthouse? Probably not. Of course not. Why would somebody build a lighthouse here?
-- You squint at the distant structure.

You can't see any sign of life at the tower. it looks like a dense and solitary column, pale yellow like the limestone you're used to.
-- Listen.

The music seems to emanate from the tower, the sounds that had captivated you only a few moments ago. You barely notice it now. You wonder whether the tower and its sounds are the work of humans like you.

The water stretches as far as the eye can see: you can't go any further. You decide to turn back. You shudder as you remember that field of treacherous canes. You don't want to take your chances again: you fire one of your blue flares into the sky and hope your companion will arrive to extricate you.

You sit down at the edge of the cliff, and wait.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.

You've dozed off.
~ Hey! HEY!

~ Haven't you seen the sun?
> What? What are you talking about?
~ I think it's an eclipse. I don't know...do eclipses work the same way everywhere? Something's eating away at the sun.
> What do you mean eating away—
~ No, don't look! You're not supposed to look!
> Oh.
~ Anyway. Let's leave before things get weirder.
> Did you find anything to eat?
~ I found something that looks like onions, we can run it through the poison test on the ship. Did you find anything?
> No. Except that tall thing over there. Past the water.
~ Oh. Hm. I'd love to stay and explore all the harbingers of doom that this place has to offer, but my oxygen's almost out. And yours is too, probably. Let's go.
> I'll be right behind you.
-- Turn around and take one last look.

Oh no.

You're too late. The sun's already been swallowed. You fumble around with the buttons on your suit's wrist, trying to find the switch for that torch of high stakes.
Is it this one?
It wasn't that one. You hear your helmet unlock in the dark.
Oh no!

You call out to your companion in desperation.

> I think my helmet's unsealed.
~ Aaah, what? Don't move! This'll only last a few moments.
> I've just remembered that we're standing at a cliff's edge, and I can't even see my hands in front of me.
~ We'll be fine. I'm right beside you.
~ Do you want to hum something together?
--Hum a tune.

> ♩♪♪♫♩♩♬♬
~ ♪♪♩♩♩♫♩♩♬
> ♩♩♩♫♫♩♩♩♩!
-- Stand still and hum some more.

The world is flooded with light again, and you're both still alive.

Get Afterthought Sunset