day of the dead

{(if:(history:)contains "the beginning")[ ](else:)[ (set:$protangonistname to (prompt: "What is your name?"))] (if: $protangonistname is "")[ (set:$protangonistname to (prompt: "No really, what is your name?"))] }$protangonistformat[Mom, Mom.] $momformat[Yes $protangonistname whats the matter, are you hurt?] $protangonistformat[No, Mom I'm fine.]you say while holding an object behind you. $protangonistformat[I was down by the shore and I found something, I want you to have it , but you have to guess what it is.] [[A seashell]] [[A beatle]] [[A flower]]

$protangonistformat[How did you know?] $momformat[Mother's intuition.] $protangonistformat[That's not a real thing.] $momformat[How would you know you're not a mother.] I stayed quiet having no rebuttal. $momformat[But I love your gift though $protangonistname.] $momformat[Thank you.] She smiled [[happly]].

$protangonistformat[no mom why would I bring that with] [[me->the beginning]].

$protangonistformat[How did you know.] $momformat[Mother's intuition.] $protangonistformat[That's not a real thing.] $momformat[How would you know your not a mother.] you stay quiet having no rebuttal. $momformat[But I love your gift though $protangonistname.] $momformat[Thank you.] She smiled [[happily->happly]].

**seven years later** $protangonistformat[That is one of the last memories I have of my] [[mother.]]

<center>Mother's Gift</center> [[Start]]

$protangonistformat[it's been seven years since my mom died in a car crash on this day,November 2nd. Since then you have been living with my grandma. you don't have anything against your] [[grandma.]]

$protangonistformat[However, your grandma is quite obessed with dia de los muertos. She is always trying to get you to celebrate it with] [[her]].

You choose not to celebrate it because you know no matter how much you try the dead are gone and soon our memories of them will fade away. Still your grandma is really the only family you have left since all your other relatives live outside the country and your dad could be half way across the world and you wouldn't [[know]].

Still you shouldn't be reflecting the pros and cons of your family at seven in the morning. You should probably get up. [[get up]] [[stay in bed]]

You sat up and got off your bed. You then walked into the kitchen and see your grandma there. $grandmaformat[good morning $protangonistname did you get a good night's sleep]. [[yeah i got a decent amount of sleep]] [[as much sleep as I can get on this day]]

You stayed in bed then fall back to sleep. You then started to dream. $protangonistformat[Mom why are there so many people at that cemetery.] $momformat[Oh they're celebrating dia de los muertos.] $protangonistformat[whats that?] $momformat[It's when people come to places like a cemetery to remember their loved ones.] $protangonistformat[But mom I thought when some one dies it's a sad thing.] $momformat[Well your right but when you celebrate the dead's life it makes you feel like they're still here.] suddenly your alarm clock goes [[off->know]].

$grandmaformat[I'm gald to hear that maybe you won't mind going with me to run some errands.] $protangonistformat[Grandma please not this again.] $grandmaformat[Not what again?] $protangonistformat[The whole trying to get me to run errands with you, only to go to the dia de los muertos festival. You do this every] [[year]].

$grandmaformat[I know you're still upset about Maria but you can't keep holding on to bad memories.] $protangonistformat[I can't believe you would say that!] $protangonistformat[She was your only daughter and you act like her death was insignificant.] $grandmaformat[That's because I know she is still here in sprit.] $protangonistformat[Don't give me] [[that]]!

$grandmaformat[No I don't, I just want you to go to the store with your dear old grandma.] You can already tell that she is lying, but for some reason you believe her. You then get into the [[car]].

we drive down to what use to be a supermarket but is now a cemetery with a lot next to it. $protangonistformat[I thought you said we were going to the supermarket.] $grandmaformat[This use to be a supermarket, well you know we you get older you tend to forget things.] $protangonistformat[Oh and I guess you also forgot that this is where the festival is taking place.] $grandmaformat[It] [[is]].

$grandmaformat[well since we're here we should attend the festivial.] Having no real chocie at this ponit. You decided to go with her to the festivial held in the [[lot]].

(if:(history:)contains"house")[ well since I'm here I should look around.](else:)[As we walked in my grandma started to talk to some of the venders and craftsmen there. So I guess since I'm here I should look around.] [[go talk to the venders]] [[talk to the craftsmen]] (if:(history:)contains"talk to the craftsmen" and it contains "go talk to the venders")[ [[walk by the cemetery]]]

You walk up to this both that sells what seems to be skulls made of sugar. While your looking a young boy about no older than 12 comes up to the both and stands right next to you. $boyformat[So your here to buy a sugar skull to?] [[no I was just looking, by the way what are these things used for anyway]]

You walk up to craftsmen making a altar looking object containing many different objects. you then ask the craftsmen. [[what is that]]

(if:(history:)contains"house")[You then walk to the cemetery to find a quiet place, then you cry under a [[tree.->to]]] (else:)[You decide to walk though the cemetery to get away from the festivities being held. You really don't like cemeteries since the last time I was in one was for my mom's funeral. Still it's the only quiet place I can go [[to]].]

$boyformat[Well mostly we use it to decorate our loved ones graves but it also serves as food for them.] $protangonistformat[Why do you all do this for dead people, it's not like they can appreciate what you] [[do]].

(if:(history:)contains"house")[As your crying under the tree. you then hear a voice coming from next to. It's a little girl. $girlformat[You know crying doesn't help] [[usually.->tag]]] (else:)[As I walked though the cemetery I found a nice spot under a tree to sit down at. As I sat there a dog came out of nowhere and start to lick me. $protangonistformat[Hey! stop that tickles.] When he finally stopped licking me I checked to see if he had a name [[tag]].]

$protangonistformat[You and everyone else in this town are lying to yourselves if you believe that.] Being so angry you stormed out of the [[house]].

You started walking angrily down the street. Once you cooled down you thought about going back to apologize to grandma ,but it started to rain so you took cover at a local festival in a [[lot]].

$boyformat[True but were all going to die at one point. So personally I would prefer that when I pass my family would celebrate my life. It's always nice to know that you will never be forgotten by the ones you care about. Well I be off now see you] [[around]] $boyformat[$protangonistname.]

As the boy walked away I realized something I never told him my name. I walked away from the [[venders->lot]].

(if:(history:)contains"house")[$protangonistformat[Who are you to be tell me that!] $girlformat[Just someone trying to help.] $protangonistformat[Well your doing an awful job at it.] $girlformat[You lost people important to you, didn't you.] $protangonistformat[How did you know?] $girlformat[Just a feeling. So why are you so sad, especially today.] $protangonistformat[Well just like you said I lost people important to] [[me.->going]]] (else:)[$protangonistformat[Huh thats weird you don't have a name buddy? You must not have an owner right. Well I don't mind taking care of you my grandma loves dogs.] The dog then barked happily. $protangonistformat[You can keep me company.] Just like that the dog started to run away. $protangonistformat[Hey! wait were are you] [[going]].]

(if:(history:)contains"house")[$girlformat[here come with me.] I don't know why but I decided to follow her. I then followed her to the front of two graves. $protangonistformat[What's the ponit of this?] $girlformat[These to graves are undeocarated, forgotten, will you continue to do this to your mother and] [[grandmother.->years]]] (else:)[I then chased after the dog. When I finally caught up with the dog. I found him sitting in front of a grave that read "here lies willam 1997-2003". The dog then started to whimper. $protangonistformat[He must of been your owner, I know how it feels to lose someone. You just need to keep moving on thats really all we can do. Like I should be talking i've been holding on to a bad memory for seven] [[years]].]

(if:(history:)contains"house")[As I turn to yell at her I notice she's gone. I can't believe she would say that. As time passes you begin to reflect on everything everone said. You then think you should celebrate thier lives you since they were your family. You then go back to the festival to gather objects for ofrendas for your mom and grandma. When you get back to the cemetery you decorate the two graves that were bare. The first one your mom's and the second had no name because it was the lot your grandma bought for [[herself.->him]]] (else:)[$protangonistformat[Maybe everyone is right our loved ones don't have to be forgotten. They can live on in our minds and hearts even after they're gone. well I'll be off but frist lets get you to a new home.] I walked back to the festaival with the dog and found my grandama talking to someone. $protangonistformat[Grandma.] $grandmaformat[Oh $protangonistname I see you made a friend.] $protangonistformat[Yeah he has no home so I was thinking we could take care of] [[him]].]

(if:(history:)contains"house")[ to finsh decorating you picked a flower from a near by patch, and put it on your mom's grave. Then from your pocket you pulled out a seashell you bought from the venders. You then placed it on your grandma's grave because you remembered your how much she loved [[them.->ago]]] (else:)[$grandmaformat[well he looks harmless why not. would you like that?] and almost like he understood her he barked in response. $protangonistformat[Okay great would you mind holding him for a while.] $grandmaformat[Where are you going?] $protangonistformat[to do something I should have done seven years] [[ago]].]

{(set:$grandmaformat to (color: purple)) (set:$protangonistformat to (color: red)) (set:$momformat to (color: blue)) (set:$boyformat to (color:green)) (set:$craftsmenformat to (color:orange)) (set:$girlformat to (color:aqua)) }

(if:(history:)contains"house")[ You then take this time to reflect on both of their lives. As you do this the rain stops and the sun comes [[out.->grave]]] (else:)[you then go talk to the craftsmen and venders, gathering objects that you remember you mom liking for a ofrenda. A bouquet of flowers, sweet bread, and to round it all out you make and deecorate a sugar skull for your mother's [[grave]].]

(if:(history:)contains"house")[<center>The End</center>] (else:)[you then take all of the objects for your mom's ofrenda to her grave. After organizing the objects at her grave you start to speak. $protangonistformat[Hey mom it's been a while. I know I haven't visted in a long time, but I just wanted to tell you i'm sorry. I was so caught up in the anger of losing you, that I didn't bother to remember you during the years. In a way I was the one making my memories painful ones. But no more I understand now that even though your gone, my memories of you will never] [[fade]].]

As you finish talking you feel an warm gust of wind behind you. The wind almost feels like a touch on your back. As you turn around you notice nothings there but see your grandma at the entrance of the cemetery. You then walk to her. $grandmaformat[I'm glad to see your not angery about your mom anymore.] $protangonistformat[Yeah thanks grandma for helping me realize.] $grandmaformat[Well come on the festival still going on, will you join me?] $protangonistformat[Yeah lets go ][[grandama.]]

$craftsmenformat[oh this it's a altar I make and sell them to people to use for their ofrendas.] $protangonistformat[ofrendas?] $craftsmenformat[You don't know what an ofrenda is.] $protangonistformat[I can't say I do.] $craftsmenformat[Well ofrendas are a collection of offerings to your loved ones, so many like to make the ofrendas look nice hence the reason they buy] [[altars.]]

$protangonistformat[yeah well I still can't believe you all put all this work in for the dead.] $craftsmenformat[I can tell something's been bothering you would you like to talk about it?] $protangonistformat[Well it's just I lost someone important to me and I find it hard to really celebrate the day of the] [[dead.]]

(if:(history:)contains"house")[$craftsmenformat[Well do you still care about this person?] $protangonistformat[Of course I do.] $craftsmenformat[Then it shouldn't matter if their here or not, it's your feelings about them is whats important.] $protangonistformat[Yeah I guess your right, your advice doesn't change my opinion but it does make me feel a little better, thanks.]As you leave one of the regular attendees of the festival comes up to you. You're Alice's grandchild right? Yeah I don't know how to tell you this but your grandma suffered from a heart attack not to long ago. Don't worry she's not, in any [[pain.->lot]]] (else:)[$craftsmenformat[Well do you still care about this person?] $protangonistformat[Of course I do.] $craftsmenformat[Then it shouldn't matter if their here or not, it's your feelings about them is whats important.] $protangonistformat[Yeah I guess your right, your advice doesn't change my opinion but it does make me feel a little better,] [[thanks.->lot]]]