ACTIVATING THE SOUR MIST PORTAL MESA (by the downward slope) The mesa is completely covered in snow. To the south is a snow- covered slope leading downwards to a clearing. It looks like you could slide down to the clearing but you wouldn't be able to to get back up. In the distance to the west (and below) you can see a grove of aspen trees. However, you can't get down to the grove from here because the mesa ends in a sheer cliff in that direction. The mesa continues to the northeast. You hear rushing water coming from that direction. >s CLEARING The clearing is covered with snow. To the north is a steep snow- covered slope leading upwards to a mesa plateau. To the west you see a grove of aspen trees. A narrow pathway leads south through thorny bushes. The bushes and difficult terrain block travel in all other directions. Two little children on a sled squeal happily as they slide down the slope into the clearing. They run into a snow drift and fall off the sled. After a while they get up and brush the snow off of themselves. >s CURVED PATHWAY This curved pathway leads north towards a clearing, and southeast towards a large flat rock. The pathway is partially covered with snow. The two little children enter the area, carrying their sled. >se BY THE FLAT ROCK You see a top hat here. The two little children enter the area, carrying their sled. >se BY THE RASPBERRY BUSH >climb trellis You climb up the trellis. DOME LEDGE (east) >sw DOME LEDGE (south) >w You leap across to the balcony. BALCONY >n UP IN THE SYCAMORE TREE >climb down tree You climb down the tree. EAST COURTYARD >w WEST COURTYARD >w As you enter the swirling mist, your mouth fills with a taste sensation, oddly salty. You feel yourself being sucked into the essence that had previously been ripped from you. You feel whole again! Then you find yourself being pushed through to the other side, where you stumble unsteadily on your feet until you regain your balance... ------------- Press space bar to continue ----------------- SECRET GARDEN (near the east wall) There is something very unusual about the east wall of the garden. The center of the wall appears to be missing. You see a swirling mist there. >w You follow the yellow brick road around until you are in the center. GAZEBO There is something very unusual about the east wall of the garden. The center of the wall appears to be missing. You see a swirling mist there. You see a desk chair and a pot of gardenias here. >d TUNNEL (north end) >s TUNNEL (south end) >u DANCE STUDIO You see a coat rack here. >e LIVING ROOM (back half) In the piano bench seat you see "Theme from Scheherazade". On the music stand you see "Water Music". The kitten is curled up and sleeping on the floor. You see three empty boxes, two ordinary cans of spam, and a magic carpet (rolled) here. Agador-Spartacus enters the back half of the living room from the west part of the courtyard. Agador-Spartacus stands before you, wagging his tail affably. >n WEST COURTYARD An intensely bright beam of light is coming out of the lens of the microwave box. It shines west through the open metal doors, cutting across the courtyard to strike the center of the west wall. The light beam seems to be interacting somehow with the red rock of the wall, causing the center of the wall to appear shimmery and insubstantial. Agador-Spartacus enters the west part of the courtyard from the back half of the living room. Agador-Spartacus stands before you, wagging his tail affably. >e EAST COURTYARD An intensely bright beam of light is coming out of the lens of the microwave box. It shines west through the open metal doors, cutting across the courtyard to strike the center of the west wall. The light beam seems to be interacting somehow with the red rock of the wall, causing the center of the wall to appear shimmery and insubstantial. You see a rusty chain here. Agador-Spartacus enters the east part of the courtyard from the west part of the courtyard. Agador-Spartacus stands before you, wagging his tail affably. >e LABORATORY An intensely bright beam of light is shining westward out of the microwave box. The train is stopped at the platform above the lab bench. You see a tray containing a napkin on the platform above the lab bench. You see a green candle (lit), a tray containing a glass of lemonade, a mug, a plate, a large piece of broccoli, a pair of gloves, and a tray containing a napkin here. The gloves are floating halfway between the floor and ceiling. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail. >push stop You push the stop button and it pops back up. The intensely bright beam of light disappears. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail. >open microwave box You open the microwave box door. Inside the microwave box you see a bowl. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail. >take lemonade You take the glass of lemonade off of the tray. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail. >put lemonade in box The glass of lemonade is now in the microwave box. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail. >close microwave The microwave box door is now closed. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail. >push start button You push the start button and it pops back up. The microwave box begins to give off a mechanical hum, and you see a glowing light behind the red-tinted lens on the box door. After a few seconds the box begins to shake violently. When the box approaches a level of shaking that seems ready to break it apart from the rest of the machine, you hear a loud boom and you find yourself momentarily blinded. You blink until you regain your vision, but it is still difficult to see because an intensely bright beam of light is eminating from the lens of the box. The beam of light shines west through the open metal doors, cutting across the courtyard to strike the center of the west wall. The light beam seems to be interacting somehow with the red rock of the wall, causing the center of the wall to appear shimmery and insubstantial. The microwave box is no longer humming or shaking, but the beam of light is still here. You see Agador-Spartacus in the east part of the courtyard. He's wagging his tail.