Glimmer

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[ #Glimmer](align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[By Katie Benson] (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[[[Play->Play]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[[[Credits->Credits]]]

Walking home from work takes you past six rough sleepers, nine boarded up shops, and two burned out cars. [[You stop walking home]]

Written and designed by Katie Benson Cover art photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@grakozy?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Greg Rakozy</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/star?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

On the bus home the next day, you pick up an abandoned newspaper. It's filled with stories of war, poverty, and environmental destruction. [[You stop reading the news]]

One morning you walk into work to discover a colleague ducking into the bathroom wearing... pyjamas? [[You start being late to work]]

Your manager calls you into a meeting. She's been asked to make cut backs. There's a genuine sadness in her eyes. [[You stop going to work]]

Sitting on the sofa under five blankets, you flick through channel after channel on the TV. A documentary about teenage depression makes you cry. [[You stop watching TV]]

With the five blankets on top of your duvet, you snuggle into bed and scroll through your phone. You see your friends' faces, but they are all either crying out for help, trembling with rage, or trying to project a fantasy version of themselves to cover up their fear. [[You stop looking at your phone]]

You switch off your phone and lie on your back, staring at the flaking paint on the ceiling. When you exhale, you can see your breath as a thin cloud of steam. You pull the duvet over your head to keep in the warmth. [[You stop caring]]

Cocooned in the gloom of your duvet, hidden beneath layer upon layer of blankets, you will your mind to go blank. You focus only on your breath, counting each one in and out. Your breathing is all you can hear. [[Until...]]

There's a knocking coming from beyond your room. There it goes again. The front door. The blankets above you feel like stone, pressing you down. They feel like armor, keeping you safe. [[You don't know if you can even move]]

The knocking sounds again. Then silence. Peace. You drag your attention back to your breathing. In. Out. A rattle. A jangle. The whoosh of air streaming into your dusty home. [[And then...]]

Footsteps. Soft. Gentle. The floor creaks anyway. They are coming. [[There's nothing you can do]]

The door to your room swings open. A moment later, small hands are peeling away the armor from your face, blanket by blanket. You dig your nails into the duvet, your final shield. [[But the small hands are wily]]

Finally, you are exposed. Your eyes adjust to the sudden glow. A face hovers close to yours. The face smiles. "I thought I'd find you here. Fancy a cuppa?" [[Yes you do]] [[No cuppa for you]]

You manage a nod. The little hands drag the blankets and duvet away before one of the hands is outstretched to you. [[You take it]]

You manage a small shake of your head. "Well I'm gasping. Come on, you might change your mind once you see mine. Besides, I brought treats." The blankets and duvet are pulled back, and a hand is outstretched to you. [[You take it]]

You shuffle towards the kitchen, clinging to the warm hand until you are deposited in a chair. The table in front of you is littered with letters. Bills, charity appeals, adverts for payday loans. [[Your friend sweeps them all away]]

They smile as they fill up the kettle and switch it on. They busy themselves with cups and teabags while you look around the room in a daze. [[When did you even see them last?]]

You've been a crappy friend. To them. To everyone. Wrapped up in your own stupid worries. Leaving them to struggle by themselves. So selfish. So heartless. So- "Hey." Your friend puts their hand on your shoulder, snapping you out of your spiral of doom. They pull a colourful packet from the bag they brought with them. [[Biscuits]]

Your favourites. Gazing at the shiny wrapper seems to awaken something in your brain. You feel... glad? A steaming cup of tea appears on the table in front of you. You smile in gratitude. [[How did they know?]]

"What are we going to do with you, eh?" Your friend smiles as they let out a big sigh, plucking a biscuit from the packet and giving it a good dunk in their tea. [[You shrug]] [[You might have an idea]]

You have no idea. You take a sip of your tea. The warm liquid seems to thaw something inside you. Could there be any way out of the gloom? [[Maybe->You might have an idea]]

The feel of the warm cup in your hands soothes you, settling your scattered thoughts. "I - I want to help," you stammer. "Can I, though? Where would I even start? What can I-" You take a breath. It feels like weeks since you last uttered more than a few words to anyone other than your own reflection. [[Your friend grins]]

"I know you can help. And, well, what's the alternative?" They gesture to the mess that used to be your kitchen. Your hand reaches up to your lank hair. And your pyjamas have been overdue a wash for... some time. "This can't go on, can it?" [[They're not wrong]]

Another couple of days and you might have lost yourself completely. You used to be part of the outside world. A small part, but not entirely insignificant. But the outside world is scary. Depressing. Relentless. Could you venture out again? [[You could at least try]] [[You're not sure]]

You can give it a go if there's a chance of making the world a little less scary and depressing for someone else. Besides... [[You don't have to do it alone]]

It would take all the energy you have left just to try. And what if you failed? It would be for nothing. One thing might make a difference, though. You might be able to try if... [[You don't have to do it alone]]

"There is something I was thinking of trying, but..." "You were nervous about going by yourself. Well don't worry, we can do it together." Your friend's smile is so warm that you feel your eyes start to blur. [[You'd started to forget what kindness felt like]]

Your friend still believes in you, even after you disappeared off the face of the earth, holed up in your room for days. And, more importantly, they believe it's worth trying to make things better. You owe it to them to try. And, more importantly... You owe it to yourself. THE END [[Play again->Start]] [[Credits]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[ #Glimmer](align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[By Katie Benson](align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[[[Play->Play]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[[[Credits->Credits]]]

Walking home from work takes you past six rough sleepers, (link-reveal: "nine boarded up shops")[, four betting shops with their bright colours and warm light streaming out into the grey street], and two burned out cars. [[You stop walking home]]

Written and designed by Katie Benson Thank you to my playtesters: Svend H, Martina K, Lachlan M Cover art photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@grakozy?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Greg Rakozy</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/star?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

On the bus home the next day, you pick up an abandoned newspaper. It's filled with stories of war, poverty, and environmental destruction. [[You stop reading the news]]

One morning you walk into work to discover a colleague ducking into the bathroom wearing... (link-reveal: "pyjamas?")[ For a moment, you told yourself that it was just a fashion-forward choice. Until you found a toothbrush by the sink.] [[You start being late to work]]

Your manager calls you into a meeting. She's been asked to make cut backs. There's a genuine sadness in her eyes. [[You stop going to work]]

Sitting on the sofa under (link-reveal: "five blankets")[ to keep you warm until you allow yourself two hours of heating before bedtime], you flick through channel after channel on the TV. A documentary about teenage depression makes you cry. [[You stop watching TV]]

Cocooned in the gloom of your duvet, hidden beneath layer upon layer of blankets, you will your mind to go (link-reveal: "blank")[. You feel like you've done nothing but think for the last few weeks and it's not getting you anywhere]. You focus only on your breath, counting each one in and out. Your breathing is all you can hear. [[Until...]]

The knocking sounds again. Then silence. Peace. You drag your attention back to your breathing. In. Out. A rattle. A jangle. The whoosh of air streaming into your dusty home. [[And then...]]

Footsteps. Soft. Gentle. The (link-reveal: "floor creaks")[. Although it would probably creak if a sparrow landed on it]. They are coming. [[There's nothing you can do]]

Finally, you are exposed. Your eyes adjust to the sudden glow. A face hovers (link-reveal: "close to yours")[. A face with glasses framing concerned eyes]. The face smiles. "I thought I'd find you here. Fancy a cuppa?" [[Yes you do]] [[No cuppa for you]]

You manage a nod. The little hands drag the blankets and duvet away before one of the hands is outstretched to you. [[You take it]]

They smile as they fill up the kettle and switch it on. They busy themselves with cups and teabags while you look around the room in a daze. [[When did you even see them last?]]

You've been a crappy friend. To them. To everyone. Wrapped up in your own stupid worries. Leaving them to struggle by themselves. So selfish. So heartless. So- "Hey." Your friend puts their hand on your shoulder, snapping you out of your (link-reveal: "spiral of doom")[. The spiral is so powerful. You tumble into it at least a dozen times a day]. They pull a colourful packet from the bag they brought with them. [[Biscuits]]

"What are we going to do with you, eh?" Your friend smiles as they let out a big sigh, plucking a biscuit from the packet and giving it a good (link-reveal: "dunk in their tea")[. You wouldn't mind a dip in a bathful of tea right now. Just the thing to warm your chilly bones]. [[You shrug]] [[You might have an idea]]

You have no idea. You take a sip of your tea. The warm liquid seems to thaw something inside you. Could there be any way out of the gloom? [[Maybe->You might have an idea]]

"I know you can help. And, well, what's the alternative?" They gesture to the mess that used to be your kitchen. Your hand reaches up to your lank hair. And your pyjamas have been (link-reveal: "overdue a wash for... some time")[. Not to mention the pile of dirty dishes in the sink and the thick, crunchy layer of crumbs on the floor]. "This can't go on, can it?" [[They're not wrong]]

You can give it a go if there's a chance of making the world a little less scary and depressing for someone else. Besides... [[You don't have to do it alone]]

Your friend still believes in you, even after you disappeared off the face of the earth, holed up in your room for days. And, more importantly, they believe it's worth trying to (link-reveal: "make things better")[. And maybe it can make you a little bit better too]. You owe it to them to try. And, more importantly... You owe it to yourself. (align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[THE END](align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[[[Back to the start->Play]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"XXXXX=")[[[Credits->Credits]]]