=><=
//The darkness is the perfect place to grow.//
<==
That is what Sef was taught since she was young. The outside world, it is said, is careful to disallow people like Sef from feeling at ease. It is said that people like Sef would be considered a monster, and cursed out of any society she wanders into.
She is, after all, a (text-style: "smear")[freak.]
The darkness is different. The darkness does not maim. (click-replace: "does not maim.")[does not spit.](click-replace: "does not spit.")[does not curse. The darkness is a friend.]
(click-append: "friend.")[
Sef //believed// them. The darkness had never harmed Sef before, and she had no reason to wander. So she tended to her cave like any of her people might. Until one day, when the darkness [[parted.->Trans1]]](set: $building to 0)But the light offered a new perspective for Sef.
<div style="float:left; width: 33%;">[[The Light Smelled of Meat.->Butcher]]</div><div style="float:right; width: 33%;">[[The Light Weeped and Sobbed.->Funeral]]</div><div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 34%;">[[The Light Laughed Like Children.->Candy Shop]]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgur.com/h0rmKvK"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/h0rmKvK.gif" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></div>
(live: 3s)[(go-to: "Confused State")]Sef found herself in a city. Sef did not know that it was a city. The buildings confused her, the smells frightened her, and there were things in the darkness, rasping in -
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgur.com/3FQ3QIg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3FQ3QIg.png?1" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></div>
Everything was too far. No familiar darkness, no hopeful elders. Just the sounds of a society with (link: "no")[(link: "idea")[(link: "who")[(link: "she")[(link-goto: "was.", "Trans2")]]]]<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgur.com/vaM7xmP"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vaM7xmP.png" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></div>
(live: 10s)[(go-to: "The Light")](set: $mushroom to 0)Sef does not stay for long, returning to the street. She
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgur.com/4YeyKR7"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4YeyKR7.png" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></div>
Sef’s first venture to the elders ended as she expected; she was told to stay in her cave and clean. They did not punish her, did not discipline her. Anything to avoid interacting with her.
However, her experience with the city of light hardened her spirit. She would not stay still. She went out to the city many times, looked in many windows, and learned many words.
Now, if only her people could just [[listen.]]A woman cuts meat in the light, illuminated by a lantern. She’s laughing at something that a young man muttered under his breath. The sound of the butcher’s knife, the gruff voice of the woman, the tiny giggle of the man… Something was here. Home was here. (set: $building to 1)
(live: 4s)[Sef had seen enough. It was time to [[leave->New Light]]]The solemn noises of an organ brought Sef’s pattering feet under a cloak of deep, mournful notes. A gathering of people stood, heads down, some weeping, as they observed a corpse. The corpse’s face looked void of any facial hair, or any signs of age. Sef feels her chest move; worshipping death is forbidden in the cave, and any of her kind that die are simply thrown out. What is this – a sign of respect, a religion, a fear of death itself? (set: $building to 2)
(live: 4s)[Sef had seen enough. It was time to [[leave->New Light]]]The Candy Store’s bright lights hid Sef from the onlookers, a group of children playing with each other as they approached the counter. Sef knew not what the children were saying, nor that one boy had a crush on another girl; all that she knew was that there was a longing, a longing for that level of companionship. Sef had nothing except the darkness to speak to, and she was tired of her own voice being the only response. (set: $building to 3)
(live: 4s)[Sef had seen enough. It was time to [[leave->New Light]]]And so, Sef engaged the world around her, bringing her tribe to the light. (if: $building is 1)[The butcher] (else-if: $building is 3)[The candy shop kids] (else-if: $building is 2)[The funeral director] saw her approaching, and (if: $building is 2)[he](else-if: $building is 3)[they](else-if: $building is 1)[she] bent down to look at her and her people.
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgur.com/kl3gQNe"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kl3gQNe.png" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></div>
Are the elders right? Is this destined to fail?
<div style="text-align: center;">Who knows?</div>
Is this definitely better than staying in the darkness?
<div style="text-align: center;">Who knows?</div>
All Sef knew is that, in the darkness, she could never
<div style="text-align: center;">(text-style: "shadow")[grow.]</div>
Now, in the light, she can maybe, just maybe...
<div style="text-align: center;">(text-style: "mark")[shine.]</div>(set: $listen to 1)
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 1)[<div style="text-align: left; padding-left:44px;"><span style="font-size: 15%">listen.</span></div>]](live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 2)[<div style="text-align: middle; padding-right:100px;"><span style="font-size: 30%">listen.</span></div>]](live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 8)[<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 75%">(text-style:"shadow")[listen.]</span></div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 5)[<div style="text-align: middle; padding-left:400px;"><span style="font-size: 75%">(text-style: "underline")[listen.]</span></div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 3)[<div style="text-align: middle; padding-left:300px;"><span style="font-size: 30%">listen.</span></div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 14)[<div style="text-align: middle; padding-left:25px;"><span style="font-size: 105%">(text-style:"shudder")[listen.]</span></div>]]
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10%">listen.</span></div>
=><=
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 5 and $listen < 13)[(text-style: "italic")[[And One Or Two Journeyed With Her]<continue|]]](live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 12)[(text-style: "italic")[And Soon, The Tribe Followed Suit.(replace: "And She Tried")[We Must Move On.]]]]
<==
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 10)[<div style="text-align: middle; padding-left:158px;"><span style="font-size: 60%">(text-style:"expand")[listen.]</span></div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 13)[<div style="text-align: right; padding-left:100px;"><span style="font-size: 105%">(text-style:"blurrier")[listen.]</span></div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 3)[<div style="text-align: right; padding-left:201px;"><span style="font-size: 50%">listen.</span></div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 11)[<div style="text-align: middle; padding-left:1px;"><span style="font-size: 75%">(text-style:"smear")[listen.]</span></div>]]
=><=
<div id="link">(link-repeat: "And She Tried")[(if: $listen < 19)[(set: $listen to it + 1)](else:)[(goto: "Elder Panic")]]</div>
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 15)[<div style="text-align: middle;">(text-style:"bold")[Even.]</div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 16)[<div style="text-align: middle;">(text-style:"bold")[If.]</div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 17)[<div style="text-align: middle;">(text-style:"bold")[It's.]</div>]]
(live: 0.2s)[(if: $listen > 18)[<div style="text-align: middle;">(text-style:"bold")[Hard.]</div>]]
<div style="float:left;">[It]<it|</div>
(click: ?it)[<div style="float:right;">Took</div>]
(click: "Took")[<div style="float:left; padding-left:12px;">Many</div>]
(click: "Many")[<div style="float:right; padding-right:12px">Journies</div>]
(click: "Journies")[<div style="float:left; padding-left:24px;">[She]<she|</div>]
(click: ?she)[<div style="float:right; padding-right:24px">Threw</div>]
(click: "Threw")[<div style="float:left; padding-left:36px;">[Her]<her|</div>]
(click: ?her)[<div style="float:right; padding-right:36px">Prejudices</div>]
(click: "Prejudices")[<div style="float:left; padding-left:48px;">Away</div>]
(click: "Away")[<div style="float:right; padding-right:48px">[And]<and|</div>]
(click: ?and)[<div style="float:left; padding-left:60px;">Embraced</div>]
(click: "Embraced")[<div style="float:right; padding-right:60px">[A]<a|</div>]
(click: ?a)[//And she brought them, one by one.//
<div style="float:left; padding-left:72px;">Better</div>]
(click: "Better")[<div style="float:right; padding-right:72px">[Truth:]<truth|</div>]
(click: ?truth)[<div style="float:left; padding-left:84px;">[Not]<not|</div>]
(click: ?not)[<div style="float:right; padding-right:84px">[A]<a2|</div>]
(click: ?a2)[<div style="float:left; padding-left:96px;">Perfect</div>]
(click: "Perfect")[<div style="float:right; padding-right:96px">[Truth.]<truth2|</div>]
(click: ?truth2)[//She showed them the lights, the stars, the talk.//
<div style="float:left; padding-left:108px;">[But]<but|</div>]
(click: ?but)[<div style="float:right; padding-right:108px">[Far]<far|</div>]
(click: ?far)[<div style="float:left; padding-left:120px;">[From]<from|</div>]
(click: ?from)[<div style="float:right; padding-right:120px">[The]<the1|</div>]
(click: ?the1)[<div style="text-align:center;">[Darkness]<dark|</div>]
(click: ?dark)[(goto: "almost")]The more she brought to the light, the more the elders spoke.
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 2s)[
//If we do not stop Sef, our reign will end.//]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 4s)[
(text-style: "emboss")[Can we not just kill or maim the wretched wench?]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 6s)[
//The tribe is brought to light. We're in a trench.//]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 8s)[
(text-style: "shadow")[Might I offer an idea, my friends?]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 10s)[
//If you are to say "surrender" again...//]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 12s)[
(text-style: "shadow")[Heavens say no, yet you seem saddened yet.]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 14s)[
(text-style: "shadow")[All I say is; do nothing. We are set.]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 16s)[
(text-style: "emboss")[You speak lies and falsehood. She'll crush our den.]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 18s)[
(text-style: "shadow")[Sef wishes to show the truth, allow her.]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 20s)[
(text-style: "shadow")[The truth will destroy. We'll laugh from afar.]]]}
{(live: 0.2s)[
(if: time > 30s)[
And so, the elders wait, to see if Sef takes their apparent bait. (You may need to click this link multiple times before it works.)]](stop:)}
(click: "apparent bait")[(goto: "Elder Delegation")]