Nowheresville — 39 of 60

Section Main Street North

There is a room called Main Street North.

The description of Main Street North is "This curiously empty street runs north and south."

[THE BALLOON]

The balloon is a portable container in Main Street North. "There's a blue balloon floating around."

The description of the balloon is "A plain blue balloon floating around. Something seems to be inside."

Instead of taking the balloon: say "It's floating just out of your reach."

Instead of throwing the pin at the balloon:

say "You throw the pin at the balloon. With a pop and a black explosion, the balloon bursts. Black liquid falls from the balloon. It's oil!";

now the balloon is nowhere;

now the oil is in Main Street North;

now the pin is nowhere;

increase the score by 1;

rule succeeds.

Before inserting the pin into the balloon:

say "You can't quite reach the balloon with the pin. There's got to be a way...";

stop the action.

Instead of attacking the balloon:

say "You can't reach it."

Instead of puncturing the balloon with the pin:

try inserting the pin into the balloon.

[OIL]

The oil is a thing in the balloon. The indefinite article is "some".

The description of the oil is "A slick black substance. Why it was in the balloon is anyone's guess."

Instead of taking the oil: say "All that would accomplish is making your hands oily."

Instead of putting the clean rag on the oil:

say "You wipe up the oil with the rag. Now it's a very oily rag.";

now the clean rag is nowhere;

now the oil is nowhere;

now Max has the oily rag;

increase the score by 1;

rule succeeds.

Instead of putting oil on the clean rag:

if the oil is in the balloon:

say "The oil is in a balloon floating just out of your reach.";

otherwise:

try putting the clean rag on the oil.

Instead of wiping the oil with the clean rag:

if the oil is in the balloon:

say "The oil is in a balloon floating just out of your reach.";

otherwise:

try putting the clean rag on the oil.

Instead of cleaning the oil with the clean rag:

if the oil is in the balloon:

say "The oil is in a balloon floating just out of your reach.";

otherwise:

try putting the clean rag on the oil.

Instead of rubbing the clean rag on the oil:

if the oil is in the balloon:

say "The oil is in a balloon floating just out of your reach.";

otherwise:

try putting the clean rag on the oil.

[OILY RAG]

The oily rag is a thing that is nowhere. Understand "oil" or "rag" as the oily rag.

The description of the oily rag is "A small piece of cloth, completely soaked in oil."