Story Summary:
Crystal's raven black hair brushed against your shoulder, scarlet lips stretched into a loving smile. "I do," you promised as you leaned over to kiss her softly. "I'll stay by your side forever, until death do us part."
Her eyes were always so full of hope and optimism - the folly of youth. "Sweetie," she greeted one day, reaching behind her back to pull out a black and white photograph. "I have a surprise to share with you."
Her name had been Sara, and when she'd opened her baby blue eyes for the first time, you'd cried, though you'd never admit to it.
Many years later, you would hold Kaitlyn in your arms, heart filled with the same fiery warmth you'd felt that first fateful day. You'd do whatever it took to protect them. Perhaps one day, you'd be able to look down with adoration at your grandkids. When the time came, your daughters would bury you. You hoped they would weep, remembering you as their loving father. You always tried to appreciate each moment with them, for one day it would be your last.
Accessibility:
This game makes heavy use of graphics. It is recommended that you play on a computer rather than a mobile device. (Images should still be visible on smaller screens, but may be more difficult to see and interact with.) Alt. text has been provided for images essential to the plot of the story. There is also the option to manually enter the password for the two digital locks. Simply click on the links "You were having trouble using the keypad" and "You were having problems typing the passcode." [NOTE: Alt text not yet available. Will be incorporated soon.]
Development:
The full story will be told in three acts. Act 1 is comprised of chapters 1-3, act 2 of chapters 4-6, and act 3 of chapters 7-8. Right now, only chapters 1-3 are available. Chapters 4 and 5 are already written, but not yet revised/edited and are still quite buggy. My aim is to completely finish and publish this story game by some point in early 2020. [The 'Important Notes' below aren't so important for the first few chapters, but will become important when playing through the full story.]
Other Important Notes:
It is strongly advised that you
never press the 'back' button when playing. This is because the story has been coded to remember all choices you make, which influences both the puzzle mechanics and the way the protagonist will react to different situations. If you choose to do so anyway, you may find that certain puzzles are rendered unsolvable, and that some lines of dialogue won't make sense (e.g. the protagonist might suddenly acquire knowledge they aren't supposed to have, or might refer to past choices that never happened). You have been warned.
This game is also long (estimated play time: 2 hours). Though the story itself is extremely interactive, there is only one true end. The game automatically keeps track of your progress along the way. You will know you have reached the true end if you are able to rate the game and leave comments.
You may sometimes encounter items in this story that you can pick up. Having items in your inventory can unlock new pathways in later scenes, which will be displayed automatically through new links. You will never need to 'use' an item. Attempting to do so can and will interfere with the page scripts.
Warnings:
Contains non-graphic descriptions of death, both due to a fire and other causes. Also includes references to suicide and murder.
Hints / Walkthrough:
If you ever find yourself unsure how to progress further, you can always ask God for guidance:
http://chooseyourstory.com/story/heavenly-hints~3a-a-guide-for-~22recursion-theory~22
Image / Text Credits:
All pictures were either created by me or taken from the public domain (occasionally with digital alterations). If you see your image on here but you don't wish for it to be included, simply contact me and I'll remove it.
Any scientific information paraphrased in the story has been cited at the bottom of the respective pages. The only directly quoted material is a few lines from two of Robert Frost's poems, which have been altered to suit my narrative.
Special Thanks:
To
Shadowdrake27,
TheChef, and all the other commentators who have beta-tested my work – your help is much appreciated.
