Stuck in a Painting?!

You wake from your dream with a start and the dread comes back; your best friend Max went missing after visiting the local museum a few days ago. He had mentioned there was a new exhibit of paintings brought in from the 1800's and he was very excited to see them. When he asked you to go with him you told him you couldn't. Now you feel awful maybe you could have prevented his disappearance! Max had been excited because one of the paintings was contributed by a family whose ancestor was accused of being a witch! It's been said that her painting has a curse on it, and anyone who touches it will disappear. Max wouldn't have touched the painting though; would he? [[Yes he sure would!]] [[No of course not! there must be a reasonable explanation!]]

Max is always talking about how he likes to experience new things and how your sense of touch is important. Being within arm's reach of an old painting, he never would have been able to resist touching it! The first step is going to be getting to the museum, you friend could be in great danger and you need to get there as fast as possible. [[Ask your Mom For a drive->You are Grounded!]] [[Grab your bike and start pedalling->You arrive at the museum]]

Max has always enjoyed experiencing new things, but he was always respectful at the museum, he never would have touched something like an old painting without permission. Something awful must have happened at the museum! You need to get to the museum as quick as possible! [[Ask your Mom For a drive->You are Grounded!]] [[Grab your bike and start pedalling->You arrive at the museum]]

You know you need to get to the museum as fast as possible so you ask your mom for a drive. She reminds you that you haven’t cleaned your room. She grounds you and tells you can’t leave for the rest of the weekend! [[This is a nightmare!->Max]]

Your parents have gone grocery shopping, so you grab your bike and pedal as fast as you can. You make it to the museum in record time and walking in you wave hello to the day supervisor Olivia and she motions for you to come closer. “Hi there, I was sorry to hear about Max, how are you doing?” You tell her you’ve been doing alright and thought maybe you might have a look around the museum because that’s where Max was last. She says that’s ok and she stamps your hand for the entry fee and doesn’t make you give a donation to get in this time. You know Max was last seen on the second level where the paintings by A. Wells were being displayed, but you also know he always starts in the piano room where they display an ancient baby grand piano and different musical instruments. Where do you start? [[Head Straight for A. Wells paintings-> The Painting]] [[Check out the Music Room first-> The Music Room]]

You head upstairs, quick and quiet as a mouse, trying not to disturb a few of the other people wandering the various rooms at the museum. You take the long hall back and walk into a long rectangular room that has paintings hung almost from floor to ceiling. The Wells collection that Max was excited about takes up the whole wall at the end of the room. There’s one massive painting in the middle and probably thirty or forty smaller paintings surrounding it. Some are landscapes, and some still-life paintings, they all have a strange glow to them, but you think that must be the lighting the museum put on them. You stand in front of the paintings and you notice something in the largest painting; next to the farmhouse there's a woman who looks like she is welcoming a young boy home. Except the young boy is pointing back out towards you, and he looks a lot like your friend Max! [[Is it really Max?]] [[Study the painting harder]]

You walk into the music room which feels warm and cozy. The museum has set it up with different instruments from over the years arranged throughout, and even have some on the walls. There are flutes and a lap harp, a couple violins, the baby grand piano, a harpsichord and even smaller instruments like a mouth harp, harmonica and a pair of old spoons tied together. On top of the piano are some old photographs in frames showing people through the years playing their instruments, one photograph stands out to you; a young woman holding the harmonica to her mouth with a big smile on her face. The description card beside it says ‘circa 1857. Artist A. Wells approximately 22 years old’ That’s the artist Max was talking about! The harmonica itself was off its stand and slightly crooked but you could see on the corner where someone had carved the initials AW on to it. You feel the urge to pick it up and take it with you. What do you do? [[Pick up the harmonica and take it with you->The Conservatory]] [[Leave the harmonica alone, but maybe straighten it out on its stand-> The Conservatory]]

You stare at the painting and the more you look the more the boy looks like Max, down to the glasses sitting on his nose. As you stare at the painting you can almost see the woman and the boy moving, but they’re moving so slowly it's almost impossible to tell. He’s asking for your help; Max is stuck and can't get out without your help. You hear someone say all this but it’s like a voice carried on the wind. You can’t tell who is saying it. Max’s hand is reaching out towards you now and you feel like if you could just touch his hand it would all be alright; you can pull him out of the painting! [[Pull Max out]]

You stare at the painting resisting the urge to touch it, it feels as though someone is trying to push you into touching the painting. You notice a few things about the painting itself, it seems to change slightly every time you look at it. the woman and the young boy always seem to be in the same position but in a different place or in the same place but in different positions. It’s hard to tell and staring at the [painting is beginning to give you a dull headache. You look away for a moment and study the frame, a dark wood with engravings all the way around you notice shapes within becoming more obvious; a harmonica, a pointed cone shaped object, and what looks to be a hairbrush. Strange objects to be engraved into a painting frame. Your head starts pounding harder and your focus is wearing thin. Maybe you need to rest? [[Lean against the wall by the painting ->Stuck]] [[Leave the room and see if you can get rid of the head ache -> Upstairs Hall]]

You quickly pop the harmonica into your pocket and head through the doors to the conservatory. A room lush with greenery and with some small samples of items that would have been used in gardens and rooms like this one across Canada in the 1800’s. There were trowels and flower snips, watering pots, grafting knives and other similar items. Some items had a description of how they were used, and some had pictures of people using them. One such item was a handheld tool that had a short handle on to of about a 6-inch cylinder and came to a point. The description reads: <center>Seed Dibber circa. 1850 From the A. Wells Collection. </center>It feels almost like the tool is calling to you, you feel the same urge you felt with the harmonica. [[Take the seed dibber too ->Upstairs Hall]] [[Don’t touch it, it gives you the heebie jeebies!-> Upstairs Hall]] [[Maybe you should have grabbed the Harmonica…-> The Music Room]]

You put your hand against the painting where Max’s hand is and try to grasp him but suddenly you feel a tugging sensation in your palm. Your hand has gone into the painting!! There’s a look of sadness on the young woman’s face and Max is clearly upset with your choice, this wasn’t the way to get max out at all! Your arm is already fading and the whole of your body is being absorbed into the painting. Soon enough you’ll be in the painting with them. Though at least you’ll be with Max. Maybe this could be a new kind of [[adventure->Max]].

Rubbing your forehead a little you lean against the wall beside the painting; what you thought was far enough away but your shoulder brushes the frame edge and suddenly a feeling of dizziness overwhelms you and you fall to the ground, your hands clench in some blades of grass and you hear Max call out your name and then you hear him call you a dummy. “Now we’re both stuck!” There’s a look of sadness on the young woman’s face and Max is clearly upset, it might have been an accident, but just as Max said, now you’re both stuck. Though at least you’ll be together along with the young woman whose name you still don’t know. Who knows, maybe this could be a new kind of [[adventure->Max]].

Walking out of the painting room takes away some of the pounding in your head almost immediately. You feel a sense of peace the further you walk from the room. Though you do still need to figure out a way to help Max, but if he’s really in the painting there’s no way any of the adults will believe you. You’re on your own and you’ll have to figure it out on your own. But where to begin? [[Start where Max would have started-> The Music Room]] [[Just go to a random room and see what you can find-> The Conservatory]]

You run down the stairs at a breakneck speed, the feeling of someone watching you never leaving until you’re on your bike and halfway home. You barely remember saying goodbye to Olivia as you rushed out the front door, but you can remember hearing the faint laughter of a young woman as you struggled to get on your bike. You pull to the side of the sidewalk and breathing heavily you begin to wonder if there was something you missed. Was there maybe something you could have done differently? You start to debate about going back to the museum when suddenly, a heavy hand lands on your shoulder. [[Scream->Max]]

You pocket the seed dibber and it fits with the harmonica in your back pocket. You hit the base of the stairs and even knowing that Max normally would head back towards the kitchen and then go upstairs, something makes you go right upstairs. Along the hall are photographs hung on the walls and a variety of objects were placed artfully on small decorative tables. The hallway feels grand and unlike any hall you’ve been in before. Your footsteps are muted by the thick push carpet and you can just see the dark hardwood gleaming around the edges of it. There is a feeling of opulence in the hall that wasn’t in any of the previous rooms and it makes you cautious; its never felt like this before. You look around to see what might have changed. You’re pulled to a table set before a large bay window, there is a framed sign that reads: <center>Belongings of A.G Wells, circa 1857 - 1870 Gilt edged mirror and matching hairbrush Photo of family and friends circa 1860 Silver Water pitcher and enamel bath basin. All items would have been on or very near her bedside table.</center> You look over the items but only one is drawing you to it like the others, the hairbrush. It’s gleaming in a ray of sunlight through the window and though it shouldn’t give you a sense of foreboding; it does. There’s a chill climbing over you, goosebumps erupt over your arms and you could swear its suddenly gotten so cold in the room you can see your breath. [[This is too much I need to go home! I should have left the search up to Max’s parents]] [[Grab the brush and run!->Painting room]]

Holding the brush in your hand you duck into the room that holds the paintings, you stare at the back wall where the massive painting in the middle is displayed with thirty or forty smaller paintings surrounding it. For some reason you’re breathing heavily and watching the painting seems to make you dizzy. Your head is pounding and stumble a bit, the hairbrush touches the bottom edge of the frame and the whole thing bursts into light and then the brush begins to fade. Before your very eyes the brush is absorbed by the painting. You notice now at the bottom of the frame the engravings that are there, the instrument, the gardening tool and the brush, but now the brush is silver and almost sparkles in the light. This gives you an idea! [[Touch the frame of the painting with the seed dibber->Seed Dibber]]

After straightening the harmonica on it’s stand you walk into the Conservatory. It’s a room lush with greenery and has some small samples of items that would have been used in gardens and rooms like this one across Canada in the 1800’s. There were trowels and flower snips, watering pots, grafting knives and other similar items. Some items had a description of how they were used, and some had pictures of people using them. One such item was a handheld tool that had a short handle on to of about a 6-inch cylinder and came to a point. The description read Seed Dibber circa. 1850 From the A. Wells Collection. It feels almost like the tool is calling to you, you feel the same urge you felt with the harmonica. [[Take the seed dibber-> Upstairs Hall]] [[Don’t touch it, it gives you the heebie jeebies!-> Upstairs Hall]] [[Maybe you should have grabbed the Harmonica…-> The Music Room]]

This whole thing is starting to creep you out, you give yourself a shake to dislodge the feeling that someone is watching you and continue. You hit the base of the stairs and even knowing that Max normally would head back towards the kitchen and then go upstairs, something makes you go right upstairs. Along the hall are photographs hung on the walls and a variety of objects were placed artfully on small decorative tables. The hallway feels grand and unlike any hall you’ve been in before. Your footsteps are muted by the thick push carpet and you can just see the dark hardwood gleaming around the edges of it. There is a feeling of opulence in the hall that wasn’t in any of the previous rooms and it makes you cautious; its never felt like this before. You look around to see what might have changed. You’re pulled to a table set before a large bay window, there is a framed sign that reads <center>Belongings of A.G Wells, circa 1857 - 1870 Gilt edged mirror and matching hairbrush Photo of family and friends circa 1860 Silver Water pitcher and enamel bath basin. All items would have been on or very near her bedside table.</center> You look over the items but only one is drawing you to it like the others, the hairbrush. It’s gleaming in a ray of sunlight through the window and though it shouldn’t give you a sense of foreboding; it does. There’s a chill climbing over you, goosebumps erupt over your arms and you could swear its suddenly gotten so cold in the room you can see your breath. [[This is too much I need to go home! I should have left the search up to Max’s parents]] [[Grab the brush and run!->Painting room]] [[Oh no, I should have grabbed the harmonica and the seed dipper or dibber thing!-> The Music Room]]

Holding the seed dibber with nothing but the tips of your fingers, you gently touch the bottom edge of the paintings frame with it and letting out a soft gasp you let it go. The seed dibber disappears almost instantly and the engraving on the frame has the same sparkling luminescence that the brush has, “Gahhh….this is freaking me out!!!” you say softly, but you take out the harmonica and taking a deep breath you move to touch the frame with it. [[Continue->Curiosity gets you stuck]]

You move towards the frame with the harmonica in hand. Remembering how quickly the seed dibber disappeared after you let it go you wonder what would happen if you held on too long? Would you begin to disappear too? Taking a deep breath you press the harmonica gently to the frame and with a shaky breath you know you have only a moment to choose [[Do you hang on to the harmonica and see what happens?-> Stuck]] [[Or do you let go as quickly as possible?->It’s Max!]]

Thinking about everything that’s happened lately you let go of the harmonica just as quickly as you did the seed dibber and watch as the engraving turns a bright polished silver. You take a deep breath and relax a little as a sense of calm washes through the painting room. You hear a clatter behind you and turn to find your friend Max laying on the ground groaning. You rush over to him and after the two of you laugh and jump around, rejoiucing in the fact that you got him out of the painting.After a brief moment you reach over and punch him in the shoulder. “Ow! What was that for?!” he grumbles while rubbing the spot you punched. “That’s for making everyone worry, and disrupting things in the museum! You’re not supposed to touch the pieces remember?” He grins at you and laughs before he says [[“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?”->The End]]

You decide to hold on to the harmonica long enough to see what happens and once the harmonica is transparent your fingers begin to tingle. The vibrations travel up your arms until it feels like pins and needles all over you. You see now that the harmonica is glowing brightly and then suddenly, you’re pitched upside down and then you fall onto a field of grass. You look around and see a young woman standing by the doorway to an old farmhouse and she waves at you, you turn back and see nothing but a vast black nothingness. Though you can hear Max yelling at you from the other side of the painting, “You saved me, only fair that I get a turn to save you!” and he laughs a little. [[“Yeah, yeah” you mutter back, “Just don’t hang on too long.”->The End]]

With a friend like Max around you never know what kind of adventures might come up! The End