(Senica Thing) "Those voices are getting louder captain"

//You are curently on a big boat. You are a sailor and you and your collegues were sent to Argentina to deliver fruits and vegetables. As you are standing and skillfully pretending to do your job, you don´t have to actually do anything. Sudenly one of your fellow collegues come to you biting his nails and looking nervous. // [[Ask him if he´s okay]] [[Simply ignore him.]] //(I mean...this guy is always nervous, why would you bother him and yourself by asking stupid questions.)//

//You ignore his nervousness and walk away. You can see your captain yelling at the other sailors, and other sailors rolling their eyes as they are being yelled at by the captain. You don´t want to take part in it, so you go downstairs, far away from them. Then you see something that really surprises you. A parrot. // [[Talk to the parrot.]] [[Pet the parrot.]]

//You pet his shoulder gently and ask him if he´s okay. His eyes full of horror turn to you. He isn´t nervous... he is scared. // [[continue]]

´´Uh... y-yeah... well, no! I´m not. I´m really not o.k.´´ //The man says with his voice trembling.// ´´I... I could swear that i saw something in that water...´´// he says, poiting at the sea that is everywhere where you look.// [[Ask him what has he saw and why he is scared.]] //(Are you serious... are you sure you want to take this guy seriously? He is a sailor? A sailor that is scared of the sea? Better choose this one):// [[That´s ridiculous]]

´´A... creature... a creature shape... I don´t even know what it was... but I´m scared...´´ //(This guy is just a simple snowflake, don´t mind him. There are tons of fish in the sea, there is nothing you should worry about.)// [[Knock the sailor off saying that he´s talking nonsense.]]

//(You did a good job! I don´t think you should take him seriously.)// ´´Do you also hear that voice...? Or am I insane...?´´ //The guy says with face full of terror. (Sure he is insane, don´t believe him. Believe//'' ME''//)//. // (Choose this one):// [[Knock the sailor off saying that he´s talking nonsense.]] //(Or)// [[Ask him what voices he means.]] //(''Don´t. You. Dare.'')//

´´I saw it I swear!!! Why does nobody believe me??!´´ //´Because you are stupid and gullible,´ (sorry I was talking to him, okay?) // //(Uhm, so, yeah, that guy is starting freaking out.)// [[Want to comfort him?]] //(You´d better comfort him, I´m not giving you other options.)//

Don´t. Test. My. Patience. (text-style:"fade-in-out")[Human.] //A voice appears inside your head.// [[´´Hey! Heeeey!! Are you asleep???´´]]

´´You look brainwashed... are you... alright?´´// the sailor says looking into your eyes. (Wow, romanc!, You two should kiss or something, I don´t know.)// [[Tell him you´re alright]] [[Seriously! Kiss him!]] //This is a joke. Don´t do that. :) //

´´Are you sure? You don´t seem to be alright... or... do you hear that voice too?´´ //(This guy is crazy don´t hang out with him. Suriously.)// [[Yes, I hear it, too.]]//(This is your last warning.// (text-style:"fade-in-out")[//HUMAN!.//]//)// //(I suggest this):// [[What? What voice? I don´t hear any voice.]]

//You must be joking!// ´´Wh... What was that for??!!´´// The nervous guy´s face flushes. //´´I... I barely know you!!!´´// He looks even more nervous now.// ´´You are weird...´´ //he says, but blushing. // ´´Hey, you two!!!! Go downstairs!!!! There is a leaking hole! Go! find it!!!!!! AND STOP MAKING OUT!!!!!´´ //Captain yells with his nerves on edge. (He hates when sailors are not doing their job, he hates not yelling at sailors and he hates love... Wait! Did he say "leaking hole"?)// [[continue...]]

´´Those... those voices... or rather... ''that'' voice... that voice that keeps telling you things... but... those are lies... now i don´t know what to believe...´´// He is looking at you like a wet mouse. You start to be curious... (Yes, i know that you are curious now, but ''trust me'' there is ''''''nothing'''''' to be curious about.) // [[...]]

'' GAME OVER'' '' You ended up being possesed and killed by your own mind... or something else...'' (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: red)) // (Bad ending, the "something else" is explained only to those who survive.)// [[Play Again->Intro]]

´´Oh okay...sorry for bothering you...´´ //He walked away and pretended like nothing happened. And we could also pretend like nothing happened, am I right human? // Am I right? // [[Yes]] // [[No]] // of course I am //

'' GAME OVER'' '' You survived the "Oximosiren". It´s mainly knew as a sea creature who parasites on mind of other people. Even you almost died and siren is still going to parasite on you for a while, but later it will go away and find another victim. If it feels like victim knows about it´s existence, it will kill them. '' (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour:green)) (good ending) [[Play Again->Intro]]

'' GAME OVER'' '' You got killed by the "Oximosiren". It´s mainly knew as a sea creature who parasites on mind of other people. If it feels like victim knows about it´s existence, it will kill them. (Spoiler, the nervous guy died after this as well)'' (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: red)) (Bad ending) [[Play Again->Intro]]

//A pretty funny coincidence is that the captain comes and tells you to check, if food downstairs is not spoiled by water leaks. You take a look at the sky and observe, that it is going to rain soon. You go downstairs and you do what captain told you to. (And your stomach has been growling for like two hours now, don´t you wanna take a bite?)// [[You´d better not, captain would be mad]] [[Take an apple.]]

´´A CREATURE!! Aren´t you listening?!´´// The nervous guy looks like he is about to cry.// ´´Nobody takes me seriously! WHY, does nobody take me seriously?!´´ //he starts crying. You start feeling sorry for him. (Poor guy, it´s a shame he suffers from hallucinations, right?)// [[Apologize.]] [[Leave him to his hallucinations.->I´m sorry, I have to go...]]

//As you gently pat the sailor´s shoulder once again, he shakes you off. //´´Don´t touch me! You don´t even believe me!!´´// (Whoa?! This guy is not just a snowflake, he´s also a drama queen.)// ´´Why don´t you believe me?! I swear it was there!!´´ //(He truly needs mental support. What will you say?) // [[I´m sorry, I have to go...]] [[What exactly have you seen there?]]

//As you take the apple, you notice it is all wet. You check the rest of the provisions one more time, and while doing so you suddenly step into a big puddle. The ship is being slowly filled by water. (I guess that apple will have to wait, what do you think?)// [[Run upstairs and inform the captain.]] [[Try to find the hole from where the water is coming from]]

//You are scared of the captain´s anger, so you decide to not take anything. You go upstairs and tell the captain that everything is okay. After a few minutes of doing nothing (as always) you realise you were wrong.// ´´The ship is sinking!!! THE SHIP IS SINKING!!!!´´ //the sailors yell while running around the boat, expecting somebody else to do something about it. The captain disapears. Persy, the nervous guy says he´s jumped out of the ship[[.]] //

//You ran upstairs and find the captain. As he sees your sweaty and scared face, he immidiately knows what´s going on.// ´´The ship is filled with water??!! Why didn´t you find the hole first, you donkey!!!! Go back there, or you will be on the nightshift tonight!!!! Hey you!!!!´´// he yells at that nervous guy who saw something in the sea. //´´Go and help him find the hole!!!!´´ [[continue->continue...]]

//You started looking for the leaking hole. You found it after like 2 minutes. You picked up hammer, nails and a piece of wood, and started repairing. It didn´t do much, but at least the ship will not sink. You picked up the apple and started eating it while going upstairs.// ´´So there was a hole?? And you repaired it??! THIS is what I call a real sailor!!! You did a great job!!!´´ //the captain has patted your back, looking like a proud father.// [[continue->continue......]]

//As you two run downstairs and start looking for the leaking hole, the nervous guy says: //´´There is something off... I know it... Not only you. This whole ship and the sea seem strange...´´// You hear yourself saying. (Excuse you? Are YOU the weird one, the nervous guy? WHOA!! Now even I get shocked! Not scared, just shocked.) (Wait!) The ship has just crashed into something outside. You and your buddy get smashed to the wall and few bananas fall on your head. // [[Quickly run upstairs.]]

´´Wait!! We have to find the hole first!!´´// the nervous guy yells behind you, but after few seconds being left there alone he quickly runs after you. //´´Hey wait for me!!´´ //You two run upstairs trying to find out what´s going on. The captain is trying his best not to make the boat sink. But his efforts are wasted. The boat starts sinking slowly.// ´´EVERYONE JUMP!!!!!´´ //the captain yells, and jumps off the boat. (Wait! You can´t swim!) // [[Jump anyway.]] [[Stay on the boat]]

'' GAME OVER'' ´´Hey! Don´t worry I´m catching you!!´´// the nervous guy says. He is on a small rescue boat. You jump and he catches you. // //(You survived and gained a new friend... and maybe even something more.)// '' Congratulations!! You survived a boat crash and an "Oximosiren". It´s known mainly as a sea creature that parasites on the minds of other people. Even you almost died and the siren is still going to parasite on you now and then, but only shortly, untill it finds another victim to parasite on.'' (good ending)(enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: green)) [[Play Again->Intro]]

''GAME OVER'' '' The ship sank with you on it. You died.'' (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: red)) (Bad ending) [[Play Again->Intro]]

´´Those voices are getting louder captain...´´// (Oh, THAT guy again?!)// ´´Percy, stop with that nonsense! You keep saying that the whole day!!´´// The captain scoffed and gave the nervous guy a suspicious look. //´´I know what the problem is. You are bored! GO, CHECK THE FOOD DOWNSTAIRS!!!!!´´ ´´B...but, c...captain, this sailor already did it...´´ ´´I DON´T CARE!!!!!´´ //Instead of going downstairs, Percy covers his ears. He groans, as if he was suffering from pain.// ´´PERCY DON´T ACT LIKE... Percy?´´// but he is already lying on the ground. You look closer and notice a small string of blood coming out of his ear. He is dead. (Or at least I think so.)// [[Try to save him.]] [[Walk away and don´t care.]]

//You bend down to him and give him CPR. Nothing happens. (Oh, what a shame.! Human minds are of a really low quality when they´re down//[[...->....]]

//(People call me a monster, but then I look at you, (text-style:"fade-in-out") [HUMANS], and all I see is something that has grown into a heartless and selfish nothing. It´s a shame when even a monster is a better person than you. [[Go! Help him! Now!]]//

//(Whatever!) He woke up.// ´´W-what... oh! ... you.´´ //He looks at you and smiles// ´´How long was I out? I´ve just had a crazy dream about being possesed by an Oximosiren. You know, the siren that parasites on your mind and leaves your body only after it´s satisfied.´´ //He chuckles.// ´´Such a crazy dream...´´ //(Yes it was just a dream. This time you should believe him.)// [[continue..]]

´´Sniff... sniff.. .no, no... I know that I´m just a freak... a sailor that is scared of the sea...´´// He sobs, turning back to you.// ´´Do...do you also hear that voice?´´// (no you don´t.)// [[Yes, I hear it, too.]] [[What? What voice? I don´t hear any voice.]]

//Everything is lost. The captain is gone. The ship is sinking. Percy and you just stand there watching all the sailors panicking and jumping out of the ship. And the ~~best~~ worst of all: Those voices are getting louder.// ´´You know, before we actualy die here... I want to tell you that I admire you. A lot.´´// Percy smiles. Who knows if it is meant to be just a friendly reminder that he doesn´t hate you? Who knows? Perhaps it is a confession. All of this dissapears under the salty and cold water of the [[Atlantic ocean]].//

''Congratulations!! You saved Percy (the nervous guy)´s life. You two became great friends, and after few months you became lovers. That day on the ship is just a memory you two like to tell your kids as bedtime stories. Percy always talks about your stubborness and you always talk about his insanity. '' ´´But how did ''you'' survive the siren?!´´'' Lacey, your daugher, asks. You don´t say anything because you don´t know the answer. You wishe Lacey good night and switch off the light.'' ''GAME OVER'' (good ending) (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: green)) [[Play Again->Intro]]

//(It was too late. Percy was dead. Now you feel guilty, huh? You deserve it. I have lost all my appetite to parasite on you. Good bye.)// '' You survived the "Oximosiren". It´s mainly known as a sea creature who parasites on minds of other people.'' ''GAME OVER'' (? ending) (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: yellow)) [[Play Again->Intro]]

´´Crow, Crow! Captain is a #### !´´//the parrot says. You don´t argue. The captain truly is a #### . You´re just about to teach the parrot a new curse word when the captain walks in.// ´´What are you doing here? WHY AREN´T YOU UPSTAIRS??! GO!!!´´ //he exclaims and pulls out his fist as a warning. You go upstairs and start rubbing the deck. What is the point of rubbing the deck anyway? In few minutes it will get dirty again.// [[continue->Hey friend]]

//Parrot bites you and you jump away. // [[Talk to the parrot.]]

´´Hey, friend...´´// The nervous guy you saw just a while ago comes to you and pats your shoulder. //´´I saw something weird in the water... I´m scared.´´// (He is delusional, don´t believe him.)// [[Ask him what has he saw and why he is scared.]] [[Knock the sailor off saying that he´s talking nonsense.]]

''You died due to shipwreck.'' '' GAME OVER.'' (bad ending) (enchant: ?page, (background: black) + (text-colour: red)) [[Play Again->Intro]]

''Those voices are getting louder, captain.'' /by Mushroom/ (14, Slovakia) [[Credits]] [[About]] [[Guild Master´s Note (Warnig-spoilers!)->Note]] [[Play->Start]]

Title: "Those voices are getting louder, captain!" Author: Mushroom (14), SpringThing´24 participant (link:"(The Dark One)")[(gotoURL:"https://sif-gamebook.webnode.sk/senica-thing/")], SIF ´24 winner (link:"(The Town Named Palermo)")[(gotoURL:"https://sif-gamebook.webnode.sk/l/the-town-named-palermo-by-mushroom/")] Playtime: 10 minutes (43 passages, 8 endings) Game Type: CYOA, fun Genre: Monster, (link: "ProBlue")[(gotoURL:"https://weareatthesameboat.webnode.sk/micro-game/")], Psycho Country: Slovakia Set Topic: /Found on the Riverbank/ Antology: As I Sat On A Sunny Bank SENICA THING 2025 (link:"SIF website")[(gotoURL:"https://sif-gamebook.webnode.sk/")] [[Back->

This antology of interactive games was designed as an answer to the "Clean Banks" Micro Gamebook Challenge which champions responsibility for our oceans, lakes and rivers. In this challenge the authors were asked to design a non-linear story around "an object found on the riverbank/or a sea shore". /The games were written by students from Senica (Slovakia), from Bohinjska Bistrica (Slovenia) and by a new "grown-up" guild member from Italy as a joint entry to the Back Garden at the Spring Thing Festival of Interactive Fiction 2025./ [[Back->Intro]]

''Guild Master´s Note'' This gamebook author already has some previous authoring experience. They tried to incorporate the gathered reviewers´ feedback to what they are presenting now. They will benefit from straightforward and constructive feedback to learn and grow some more. /This year the Senica Interactive Fiction guild decided to offer "local only" public appearance to unfinished and buggy games designed by authors who already have had the honor of receiving feedback from Spring Thing reviewers and need some more time now for it to sink in. These games can reach their reader (link:"here.")[(gotoURL:"https://sif-gamebook.webnode.sk/senica-thing")])// Mushroom shows promissing output and needs guidance as to how far their game stands from entering the Main Festival sometime in the following years. [[Back->Intro]]

↶

↷

You are curently on a big boat. You are a sailor and you and your collegues were sent to Argentina to deliver fruits and vegetables. As you are standing and skillfully pretending to do your job, you don´t have to actually do anything. Sudenly one of your fellow collegues come to you biting his nails and looking nervous.

Ask him if he´s okay

Simply ignore him.

(I mean...this guy is always nervous, why would you bother him and yourself by asking stupid questions.)