The Mystery of Evermore High

#The Mystery of Evermore High //by: Jianne Soto// This game contains themes of political corruption, mystery, and action. The story is set in Lakewood county and takes place in first person. You play as a highschool student who figures out a small town mystery along with your friends. All images are drawn by me. Continue to [[Character List]].

I decide to take the bus to school, barely missing it and having to take the late bus instead. I get on the bus looking worn out and tired. I walk down the aisle to sit in the back of the bus disreguarding the morning chatter from my peers. We end up being about 30 minutes [[late]] due to traffic.

I hop on my rusty bike to school while half-asleep as I struggled to make it to class on time. Already tired, I hurriedly biked my way through the streets and had to decide whether to turn [[right]] or [[left]].

I decide to walk to school with my headpphones in and end up walking five blocks to get there. I tried my best to run but I couldn't shake my morning grogginess... I arrive [[late]] due to my fatigue and sluggish nature.

I make a right and bike over a nail in the road causing my tires to be flattened and my bike out of serice... I end up being [[late]] to class with my broken bike. Bummer.

I turn left and make it just on time for my [[first class]].

When I arrive at school, I sit down in Mr. Anderson's class as he rambles on about the periodic table... Almost half asleep, I get called on. He remarks in a sarcastic tone, "Since you seem to be paying attention, you'll be able to tell the class what the atomic number of silver is right? Shoot. I completely blanked and guessed a random number. I answer [[32]], [[47]], [[60]].

When I enter the room, it's empty. Nothing out of place except a single note attached to a box in the middle of the room (I found this odd since this room was used as an old classroom unit in the 1950s but it has been abandoned and was located in the old wing of the school). I then pick up the note that reads "Congratu(text-colour:grey)[''L'']ations, I hop(text-colour:grey)[''E''] you (text-colour:grey)[''F'']ind this letter well, I wan(text-colour:grey)[''T'']ed to explain to you how to uncover the Watson's familys msytery that's roots goes way deeper than this school. As you know, the Watson's are the main family that funds this school and run this small town in general. Well, what if I told you that you could change that? Generations of passed down power and abuse could be uncovered if you manage to find the missing peice to the puzzle. It's up to you if you want to go through with it or not. [[Will you go through with it?]] or [[Will you ignore the letter and conitue with your life?]]

As I enter the library, I lay my eyes upon hundreds books on each shelf, thinking about how I could ever possibly find what im looking for. I head to the back shelf and make my way through, recruiting my friends, Jessica, Vivian, and Sam to help me find the book... With their help, I stumble upon three books. Which one should I choose? The [[right ]], [[middle ]] or [[left ]]?

The book is titled //Finn's Fairytales//. (text-style:"fade-in-out")[(text-colour:#343a40)[5]] A small and tiny book on old fairytales, I sense this is not the book I'm looking for. Maybe I should go back and check the [[letter->room B205]] again.

The book is titled //10 Things to get over them//. (text-colour:#343a40)[(text-style:"fade-in-out")[3]] An educational self-help book that does not seem to be that helpful. I don't think this is the book were looking for. Maybe I should go back and check the [[letter->room B205]] again.

The book is titled //The History of Lakewood: From 1865 to Present Day//. (text-colour:#343a40)[(text-style:"fade-in-out")[6]] A worn out and used book, I decide to open the book and flip through the pages. From timelines to pictures, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. Until, I stumble upon one page. It's a picture of Henry's geat grandparents with a group of kids and some adults. It reads, //"John and Emily Watson, 1894"//. As I take a closer look, I notice a bump behind the picture and decide to take the image out... A piece of paper drops to the floor and I pick it up. My friends and I gather around to figure out what it says. The old note writes: "Go down to the west wing of Evermore High and unlock the secret door behind the gym." With that information, my friends and I head down towards the [[west wing]].

Like any other day, I wake up and check my emails on the computer. I browse them one by one until I stumble upon one in particular that writes, "I have something intresting to reveal... come to room (text-colour:grey)[B205] after class today. -(text-style:"italic","strike","blurrier","condense","shudder")[Oliver Dane]" I can't make out the sender even after I rebooted my comupter...I'm filled with anticipation and wonder until, suddenly, I realize that the time is 8:10am... the first bell rings in 20 minutes, shoot! I jump up from bed, hurridly put my clothes on and get ready, pack my backpack, and head off to school. I head downstairs and leave my house in a rush, but I can't decide whether I should take the [[bus]], [[bike]], or [[walk]]! I realize can't afford to be late.

Going behind the gym, Vivian, Jessica, Sam, and I head to the back door and try to get in. We enter the west wing which seems like its falling apart as it has not been maintained for years. I'm a bit anxious and scared but as I start to wavier, my friends reassure me to continue foward. I arrive at the room where there happens to be a lock that requires a 3 digit code. I look to my friends as we stay stumped trying to figure it out. My friends suggest 3 combinations from what they have all seen today. I think back on what I saw at the library. What combination should I use? [[368]], [[069]], [[536]].

Nope, maybe I should look at the [[books->library]] in the library again.

Hahaha very funny. But nope, maybe I should check the [[books->library]] I stumbled upon in the library again.

I enter the code and I hear a click inside and it unlocks. Nice! We go inside and are surprised to see the dusty and dim room with a plethora of diffrent documents inside. We're all shocked as we explore more and more into the room. I eventually stumble upon a document containing illegal dealings and exposings of the Watson family and all the corrpution that ensued dating from the nineteenth century till just recently. It seems like someone was storing all this incrimating evidence in hopes to "take down" the Watson's, I say to my friends. I can't believe all of this was layed out in the room and how my friends and I are the only people who can put an end to this. We colletively decide to take this evidence to the principal and police. Which piece of evidence should I show the princpial? Before me lies a [[fake identity card of Margaret Watson]], an [[old tax form]], and a [[stash of fake current ballots]].

While this is conclusive evidence to get Hary's mother, Margret Watson, arrested, this does not prove that the entire Watson family was involved. Maybe I should show him something else.

While this would have been useful sixty years ago, there is nothing that can be done now since the Watsons have such a large fortune that legally battling them would not result in success. The normalized coruption among political offcials is apauling but not surprising. I doubt this would bring the whole family to shambles.

This is conclusive evidence that the voting has been tampered with and is a start to investigate the Watson family. I decided to hand this evidence in myself as this was my mystery to solve and I did not want my friends to get in trouble in case this turns south. Before I can hand it to the principal and the police, Henry walks up to confront me about what I'm doing. I tell him I'm not backing down and I will expose his family's voter fraud. He finally gives in and pleads for me to stay quiet. He offers me 500,000 to disgaurd the evidence. Should I take the [[money]] or should I [[expose them]]?

//''Characters''// [[Henry Watson]] [[Sam Nelson]] [[Vivian Cortez]] [[Jessica Chen]] [[Mr. Anderson]] (text-colour:#d9480f)[(text-style:"bold","strike","blurrier","expand","mirror","rumble")[[[Sender]]]] Continue to [[Start of Game]]

When I get to school, I go up to the attendance office to get a tardy slip from Mrs. Nieto as she sighs in dissapointment (have I mentioned that i've been late 23 times this semester?) Anyways... My friends, Sam and Jessica, chuckle as I take my seat in the back of my [[first class]].

(text-style:"expand","shudder")[''(text-colour:#c92a2a)[Wrong!]''] Mr. Anderson happily explaims (It seems like he's always rooting for my downfall)... stupid techers!!! I think to myself. He states that, while close, I need to do a better job in focusing in class. He holds me back to talk with him about my [[recent behavior->Mr. Anderson ]].

(text-colour:#69db7c)[''That's correct!''] states Mr. Anderson in a shocked and dissapointed tone. I sigh in relief as this time I've avoided having to stay after class for the tenth time this month. As soon as the bell rings, I run up the stairs and enter [[room B205]].

(text-style:"expand","shudder")[''(text-colour:#c92a2a)[Wrong!]''] Mr. Anderson happily explaims (It seems like he's always rooting for my downfall)... stupid techers!!! I think to myself. He states that I need to stay after class to discuss my recent behavior. I can't head to the classroom until I talk with [[Mr. Anderson ]].

(text-colour:#c92a2a)[ #(text-style:"bold","blurrier","upside-down","rumble")[????]] (text-style:"expand")[''(text-colour:#c92a2a)[[[Go back.->Character List]]]'']

He holds me after the rest of my classmates leave and he and I discuss my lack of attention to his oh so precious class. I kinda space out until he snaps his fingers in my face urging me to listen. But how can I pay attnetion when theres potentially the biggest secret of this school to discover?!?!?!? He lets me go under the premise that I have to do extra work to compinsate for my lack of attention. This sucks. With lots of work piled up, I finally head to [[room B205]].

I continue to read the letter s it states to head to the library first. Once there, it says to //"look for a book that means the most to you. Good luck."// I head to the [[library]].

You decide to ignore the letter by crumpling it up and throwing it in the trash. I go on with my day and finish the school day. I continue on with my life and let the Watson family stay in power. Bad end. [[Return and retry for another ending.->Start of Game]]

I take Henry's money as I think about my future college funds. When I tell my friends that I burned the evidence, they were dissapointed but understood why I did it. The Watson's stay in power and I got paid off. Months later I hear that the room where all the evidence was found was bulldozed by the family and everything in it destroyed. The end. [[Back to the beginning->Start of Game]]

Finally, I was able to hand the evidence to the authorities and the prncipal as my friends and I are all applauded for discovering the malicious truth behind the Watson family. Henry was expelled from the school along with his fmaily as they all went to jail. It felt good to finally expose that pretentious family and all their wrongdoings. The End. [[ Back to the beginning->Start of Game]]