The Jupiter Room

There is a room—a guest room, we can call it—named the Jupiter Room. I’m not sure exactly where it is, like in which building and on what floor. I believe it’s on the first floor, but I can’t prove it. A wall of windows makes up one quarter; the opposite wall is home to the headboard, from which extends a lovely bed of an antique fashion, yet plainly new. The wall connecting those two holds a door, through which is a bath, an en suite. Across from that doorway is a second door, which is closed. You do not know what is behind that door. Not yet.

The drapes along the window wall are gossamer, letting light filter in. I am naked and standing near the drapes. You can be on the bed, if you want. Or standing by me. Whatever you want, babe.

In the corner, is a dresser—a bureau, a chest of drawers; whatever you call it where you are from. Atop that is a television. It isn’t on right now.

Music is playing, though you don’t immediately see where it’s coming from. [Ed. You can roll a check in the play procedures below.]

This song reminds me of Pem, I say.

You ask me about Pem, if you want.

But I don’t go into it. Instead, I talk about Loona.

Loona was very sweet, but also very wild. Not like Ecks, I say. Not that wild. More like, I dunno. Some kind of fey creature. Capricious, maybe?

You try to give me a better word to describe what you think I’m talking about, but I don’t respond directly to it.

Instead, I say, I’ve been with them here, like I am with you now. Like a lot of people have been here, in the Jupiter.

You ask about the origin of the name, but I tell you I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with Train? I speculate, But the time would be wrong.

You can remind me that I am telling the story from some point in the future, so it actually wouldn’t be a time problem.

If you do, I simply say, Oh, yeah. Right, and continue staring out the window.

It’s such a strange experience, I say, feeling so completely sure that you are with who you want to be, who you’ve been searching for, and who you will do anything for. You know, you think so, until you have to. Then when you do meet that person, it’s not at all like you thought.

You ask who I mean.

The song changes.

I turn around and move to you. If you will let me, I kiss you. We can have a long, slow kiss, or we can make it fast, hard, and passionate. Then we can go to the bed—unless you are already there, in which case, now I am too—and make out.

If you want to make love, I do, too. I have to warn you, though: I may start crying.

You might ask me what is wrong. I will say, Nothing. It’s nothing.

If you press, I will definitely cry then, and you can either comfort me or try to get me to talk about it.

All you will get is this: It doesn’t matter, anyway, I say. Loona is married and has a kid. Ecks is a cult leader. Pem is a beam porn star. None of it went right. I keep failing. Everywhere, everyone. I’m failing.

You know there is more, but I don’t speak it. Instead, I go to the closed door, and open it.

I say, you can come with me, if you want, then I go inside.

If you stay, once the song ends, there is no more music playing.

Play procedures:

• You may add either song to your inventory—or any song that either reminds you of, that the situation brings to mind, or that you think would be better suited to the scene. Should you follow me through the doorway, be sure to write whatever you choose in your journal or it may not survive the trip.

• What is behind the second door is visible, even if you choose not to accompany me. You see it is a closet, something like a long coat closet on one side. On the other side is a wall of built-in bookshelves, effectively making that entire wall a bookcase. You may examine the coats and the books, if you wish, and add anything to your inventory that you like—provided you can carry it. The closet is almost long enough to be considered a hallway; it’s right at the limit your mind will accept before crossing over. At the other end is another door, which I will go through. If you are coming with me, I will hold it open for you. If you do not follow me, I close it as I pass through. So you do not know what is behind that door unless you go with me, or cheat. Do as you will.

• You can make a check to determine the source of the music. Use something like investigation, intelligence, wisdom, observation—any trait like that. If you don’t have one and would like to, you can assign one now. Success means that it is being piped into the room from in-wall and in-ceiling speakers. Great success means you can locate specifically where in the room they are placed, and you find the hidden control reticule, as well.