For homework, we had to download Twine 1.4.2. this is the program we will be using to create our interactive stories.
Below is a draft of the improved story, Reconnect. I imported this story into Twine.
Hi. My name is Matthew, not Matt, not Matty just Matthew. Now we have got introductions out of the way, I have a question for you.
Have you ever been too busy to socialise with your friends to the point where you two become mere strangers?
Yes?
Well, I have a story to prove to you that it is never too late to reconnect with a friend.
As you know, my name is Matthew but what you do not know is that I had good two friends, Jakey and Aeron.
Everything we did we did together, we were really close, we were like brothers.
Until I became unbearably busy with work, which made me spend less time with my friends and more time at the office.
The thing is, I needed more money. Not just for myself but for my mum. My dad could not help probably because he was too drunk to know left from his right. That’s one of the reasons why I became a detective; I wanted to do something with my life, unlike my father. I wanted to be better than him. I wanted to be better than everyone. So, with this promotion, I would be killing two birds with one stone. I’d finally be the best at work and have enough money to support both my mum and myself. The only way I could do this was to drown myself in work whilst unwillingly distancing myself from my friends.
I haven’t seen my friends in years! I missed out on important social gatherings. For instance, two months ago it was Aeron’s 21st birthday. Or was that his 25th? I don’t know.
The main point is that I have not had a day off where I can just relax and socialise with my friends like I used to. That’s what being a workaholic does to a man.
PART 1
One day, my Boss slammed a new case file on my desk he promised me if I got it done quickly he would consider my promotion.
Did you hear that?
He said he would consider my promotion!
This was what I’ve been working so hard towards! Just one case in-between me and that promotion!
I opened the case and began to read and to my shock the latest murder victim was my childhood, Aeron.
What do I do? Give the case back and say I cannot do it, because the victim was my friend, who I haven’t seen in God knows how many years?!
Think, there must be a reason why my Boss gave me this specific case; maybe it’s a test to see if I break. If I pass this test, I will get my long awaited promotion. I have to make a decision fast!
- Give the case back? – YOU LOSE, because I did not take the case, I didn’t get the promotion I sunk into a deep depression and alcohol was my last resort. I HAVE BECOME MY FATHER. THE END.
- Carry on reading the case file and don’t say anything.
Ok, the only way I could avenge Aeron’s death was by solving this case, and to solve this case I needed a clear head. The only way I could do that was to remove any emotional connection.
As hard as I tried I could not hold back the tears that were making their way down my face.
No one could see me crying, they were going to think I am weak.
I ran to the toilet and wiped my tears. My mind immediately went to Jakey. I don’t think anyone told him about Aeron’s death.
Although I had not been in contact with Jakey in years, I was conflicted whether or not I should inform him of Aeron’s death.
What shall I do?
- Don’t tell him. Remember no emotional attachments. – To be fair, I had not been in contact with Jakey in years; he has probably forgot that I existed. (Proceed to do the case by myself, I went to the crime scene but I did not find anything. All I saw was rubble and despair. I give the case back and didn’t get the promotion. I sunk into deep depression and alcohol was your last resort. I HAVE BECOME MY FATHER. THE END.
- Tell him, he needs to know. Aeron was his friend too.
PART 3
I headed over to Jakey’s house, not sure if he still lived there. To my surprise he did and embraced me warmly. I pushed him off trying to avoid any form of emotion. I bluntly told him of Aeron’s recent departure, he was wailing his eyes out.
To avoid any more emotion, I left quickly.
But Jakey begged me to let him come to help solve the case. He was persistent to the point where he was literally begging on his knees. By-passers began to stare and watch. Making a scene was the last thing I wanted to do.
What shall I do?
Tell him stay here. – Jakey followed me anyway. He reminded me that Aeron was his friend too.
Ok give in so he shuts up. – Jakey followed, excited to help on the case.
Either way he follows.
We headed to the crime scene to see if we could find any evidence that could help with the case. All I can see is rubble, where the car smashed into Aeron’s house. Fragments of car parts crumbled underneath my feet. Suddenly Jakey ran towards me waving something in his hand that looked like a license plate. It was a license plate, a familiar one too.
I remember 2 or 3 years ago I was working on a hit and run case. The CCTV camera caught the licence plate of a car belonging to a street racer named, Lucas ‘The Wolf’ Jackson. Eventually I arrested him and he did his time in prison. Just a couple of months ago he was released, seems like he was back to his old ways. Fortunately. I knew where to find him.
PART 4
Loud music blared from the Bad Boys Bar; this was where ‘Wolf’ was known to hang out. I walked up to the counter and sat right next to a man that everyone was avoiding. We made eye contact then I gestured outside where Jakey was waiting. I showed him the evidence we found from the crime scene.
His eye widened with panic and I knew straight away that he did it. Wolf immediately started to deny the allegations. He started to ramble on about someone taking his wife and how she meant so much to him. When I asked Wolf who took his wife, he kept quiet. The only thing he said was that I had to meet the real culprit face to face. He handed me a piece of paper with an address on it and told me to meet him there tomorrow morning.
PART 5
The next morning, Jakey and I met Wolf at an abandoned building in the city centre. We followed him to the rooftop and there he was, waiting.
We were literally standing inches away from a supposedly dead man, Aeron. He had a cold look in his eyes both Jakey and I knew that this was not the good friend we once knew.
My first reaction is to arrest him! As my hand moved towards the holster of my gun, Aeron gestured to Wolf and Jakey was suddenly held hostage at gunpoint. I asked Aeron why he was doing all of this. He said that it was because we, as in Jakey and I, forsaken the friendship we all had.
We neglected him in this time of need.
He blamed me for forgetting about him because I was so work-obsessed.
I had no idea that Aeron had lost his job and was homeless for 5 years; I never knew he was suffering so much.
I deeply apologised to him, I tried to beg for his forgiveness but all he said was that it was too little too late. He didn’t want to reconnect. He didn’t want to be my brother again. All he wanted his insurance money from his fake death and to kill Jakey and I.
Aeron commanded Wolf to shoot Jakey. I held up my gun and aimed at Wolf. Jakey begged me to shoot through him to kill Wolf. He knew how much this promotion meant to me.
But was a promotion more important that my friend? Than my brother? What shall I do?
- Shoot through Jakey? (I took the risk and shot through Jakey, my brother. The bullet went through Jakey’s arm and straight through Wolf’s. This made his gun go off and shot Aeron in the leg. Wolf dropped to the ground, along with Jakey. Jakey was crying like a baby but he was alive. Did I really just shoot my friend just to get a promotion? What type of person am I? Aeron screamed in agony and stumbled to the floor. I turned to him and put him in handcuffs. I solved he case but in the process I hurt my friend. Although Jakey said he was ok, I had an unbearable feeling of guilt. I knew no matter what, I could not accept that promotion after what I had just done.
- Tell Jakey to duck? I needed to save my friend, my brother. I told Jakey to duck and with lighting reflexes I shot Wolf in the arm. Crying out in pain, Wolf pulled the trigger and shoots Aeron instead. Wolf made a break for it. Aeron screaming in agony stumbles to the floor. I turned to him and put him in handcuffs. I saved my friend and solved the case! Killed two birds with one stone, not bad Matthew. Not bad!
Back at the office and everyone was congratulating me on solving the case. My Boss walked into my office and asked me to meet him for lunch so we could talk about my promotion.
Hmm this promotion was what caused me to be to lose contact with my friend but it is also what I have been working so hard for.
Shall I meet him for lunch or not?
- I declined the offer. I told my Boss that no promotion was more valuable that the reconnection I have gained from this case. I got my friend back, that’s all I could have asked for. Before I thought that his promotion could solve all the issues I had in my life, all those feels of loneliness but in reality all I need was my brother. I did not need a promotion to feel valuable. My Boss said he was touched by my humble answer, he made the decision right there on the spot and awarded me the promotion. I thanked him and asked my why, even though I had originally declined. He said that my humble answer remembered him why he hired me many years ago.
- I went to lunch with my Boss and he awarded me the promotion! I was over the moon this was what I had been working for! I went to celebrate with my mum and my friend, Jakey.
So the moral of this story was that no matter what you have been through, do not think it was ever too late to reconnect with a loved one. Some will welcome you with open hands others not so much, but you will never know until you try.