Roath Park v2

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<b>Welcome to Roath Park, Cardiff.</b> In Spring, bluebells scent the woodland walks and daffodils carpet the grass. Willows dip newly greened branches into the lake. Pigeons bill and coo while swans sit sentry on their ragged nests. Summer air hangs heavy with the scents of sun-warmed earth and newly cut grass. Families picnic in the shade of trees to the music of bird song. The lake echoes to the creak and splash of oars and the laughter of excited children. Autumn brings the mulchy smell of decay and the promise of bonfires and fireworks. Ladders of fungus climb rotting tree stumps. Mushrooms grow in fairy rings. Winter cold brings bobble hats and balaclavas. Frost-coated puddles crunching underfoot. Bare boned trees sigh in the wind, silhouetted against a grey, forbidding sky. There are five gates into the park. Which one do you want to use?\ \ <<if $count < 5>>\ <<set _gates to []>>\ <<if $Prom is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('The gate that leads to the Promenade->Promeast')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This gate leads to the Terra Nova cafe and the Boating->Cafe')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Rose is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This leads to a short walk to the Rose Garden->Rose')>>\ <</if>> <<if $Play is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('You can hear from the excitement that this leads to the Playground->Play')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Botanical is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('Leading off Lake Road East this gate leads to the Botanical garden->Botanical')>>\ <</if>>\ <<set _shuffled to []>>\ <<for ; _gates.length > 0 ; >>\ <<set _i to random(0, _gates.length - 1)>>\ <<set _shuffled.push(_gates[_i])>>\ <<set _gates.deleteAt(_i)>>\ <</for>>\ <<for _gate range _shuffled>>\ <<capture _gate>>\ <<set _parts to _gate.split('->')>> <<link _parts[0] _parts[1]>><</link>> <</capture>>\ <</for>>\ <</if>>\

<<set $count += 1>>\ <<if $Botanicalvisit < $count>>\ <<benchmemory>>\ <</if>>\ <b>The Promenade.</b> A gang of us walk through the park on our way home from the High School. The sunshine is warm on my face. When we come to Nain's bench, I sit down quietly, and the gang walks away. A girl with a blonde ponytail, and her skirt pulled up too high, sits next to me. She's wearing the Grammar school uniform. \ She's scrolling on her phone. It's an iPhone in a red case. I pretend to look at my phone, and she catches me looking sideways at her. \ She turns to face me. 'What?' \ I go red. 'Nothing... I haven't seen you here before.' She's wearing makeup on her eyes. \ 'So, you selling tickets then?' \ 'No, sorry to stare, but I just noticed how blue your eyes are.' \ 'What, you flirting now? Be asking for my number next.' \ 'Well, what is it, then?' \ 'Give me your phone a sec. Oh, it's a Samsung.' \ She types on her phone, and mine rings. 'There, you got it now. You can call me if you want.' \ I go redder. \ 'My name's Ffion.' 'I'm Dylan. Got to go. Bye, Ffion.'\ 'See ya, Dylan.' \ \ <<if not $Prom>>\ <<set $Prom to true>>\ <</if>>\ <<set $PromeEastvisit to $count>>\ <<if $count < 5>>\ <<set _gates to []>>\ <<if $Prom is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('The gate that leads to the Promenade->Promeast')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This gate leads to the Terra Nova cafe and the Boating->Cafe')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Rose is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This leads to a short walk to the Rose Garden->Rose')>>\ <</if>> <<if $Play is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('You can hear from the excitement that this leads to the Playground->Play')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Botanical is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('Leading off Lake Road East this gate leads to the Botanical garden->Botanical')>>\ <</if>>\ <<set _shuffled to []>>\ <<for ; _gates.length > 0 ; >>\ <<set _i to random(0, _gates.length - 1)>>\ <<set _shuffled.push(_gates[_i])>>\ <<set _gates.deleteAt(_i)>>\ <</for>>\ <<for _gate range _shuffled>>\ <<capture _gate>>\ <<set _parts to _gate.split('->')>> <<link _parts[0] _parts[1]>><</link>> <</capture>>\ <</for>>\ <</if>>\ <<funeral>>

<<set $count += 1>>\ <<if $Botanicalvisit < $count>>\ <<benchmemory>>\ <</if>>\ <b>Terra Nova and the Boating lake.</b> Mam makes me hold her hand as we walk to Nain's bench. 'Your Nain and Bampi loved it here.' We come here on Bonfire Night, no matter what the weather, and sit quietly. Mam always cries a bit.\ A dog chases a squirrel up a tree and runs around it barking.\ Another mum and a girl sit on the bench with us. The girl's got a unicorn on her girly pink top. She's got yellow hair and blue wellies.\ Mam gives me some bread, 'Feed the ducks and don't fall in.' I only fell in once, and that was when I was little.\ The ducks all squabble over the bread. One's a real bully.\ The unicorn girl stands next to me. She's got two daffodils in her hand. She hands me one, 'Swap you for some bread, they smell funny.' I give her a chunk of bread. She does a girly throw and misses the water. A seagull dives on it.\ 'Why do girls like pink?'\ 'I don't. When I grow up, I'll wear what I want.'\ 'Why do you wear it now, then?'\ 'Cos it's got a unicorn on it. Unicorns are magic. My name's Ffion.'\ 'Mine's Dylan. Gotta go now. Bye.'\ 'Bye, Dylan. See you.'\ <<if not $Cafe>>\ <<set $Cafe to true>>\ <</if>>\ <<set $Cafevisit to $count>>\ <<if $count < 5>>\ <<set _gates to []>>\ <<if $Prom is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('The gate that leads to the Promenade->Promeast')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This gate leads to the Terra Nova cafe and the Boating->Cafe')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Rose is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This leads to a short walk to the Rose Garden->Rose')>>\ <</if>> <<if $Play is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('You can hear from the excitement that this leads to the Playground->Play')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Botanical is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('Leading off Lake Road East this gate leads to the Botanical garden->Botanical')>>\ <</if>>\ <<set _shuffled to []>>\ <<for ; _gates.length > 0 ; >>\ <<set _i to random(0, _gates.length - 1)>>\ <<set _shuffled.push(_gates[_i])>>\ <<set _gates.deleteAt(_i)>>\ <</for>>\ <<for _gate range _shuffled>>\ <<capture _gate>>\ <<set _parts to _gate.split('->')>> <<link _parts[0] _parts[1]>><</link>> <</capture>>\ <</for>>\ <</if>>\ <<funeral>>

<<set $count += 1>>\ <<if $Botanicalvisit < $count>>\ <<benchmemory>>\ <</if>>\ <b>The Rose Garden</b> I had to get out of the house. They've got so old in the past three years. God, they fuss over every little thing. I feel like a stranger in what used to be my home. At least a run will keep me sane. Two laps, then sit with a coffee on Nain's bench. \ Woah. That blonde is sitting there. \ I slow to a walk. Earbuds out. She's staring at the lake like it owes her money. Leggings, hoodie, coffee in her hand. \ She looks up. Blue eyes. <<pastmemory>> \ 'Ffion?' \ She squints at me. <<if$cafe is false>>'Do I know you?'<</if>> \ 'Dylan. From school. Well, not your school. I was at the High School. We met here once, you gave me your number, and I was too scared to—' \ 'Samsung boy.' She's smiling now. 'You never called.' \ 'I was fourteen. I didn't know what to say.' \ 'And now?' \ I sit down. The bench is cold through my joggers. 'Now I've got a Politics degree and no job, and I'm living with my parents again. So, you know. Plenty to talk about.' \ She laughs. It's a good laugh. \ 'Coffee? Mine's gone cold, but you can buy me one.' \ 'OK,' I say. 'I owe you. Eight years of phone credit.' \ We walk toward the Terra Nova. The ducks watch us go. \ \ <<if not $Rose>>\ <<set $Rose to true>>\ <<set $Rosevisit to $count>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $count < 5>>\ <<set _gates to []>>\ <<if $Prom is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('The gate that leads to the Promenade->Promeast')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This gate leads to the Terra Nova cafe and the Boating->Cafe')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Rose is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This leads to a short walk to the Rose Garden->Rose')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Play is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('You can hear from the excitement that this leads to the Playground->Play')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Botanical is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('Leading off Lake Road East this gate leads to the Botanical garden->Botanical')>>\ <</if>>\ <<set _shuffled to []>>\ <<for ; _gates.length > 0 ; >>\ <<set _i to random(0, _gates.length - 1)>>\ <<set _shuffled.push(_gates[_i])>>\ <<set _gates.deleteAt(_i)>>\ <</for>>\ <<for _gate range _shuffled>>\ <<capture _gate>>\ <<set _parts to _gate.split('->')>> <<link _parts[0] _parts[1]>><</link>> <</capture>>\ <</for>>\ <</if>>\ <<funeral>>

<<set $count += 1>>\ <<if $Botanicalvisit < $count>>\ <<benchmemory>>\ <</if>>\ <b>The Playground.</b> 'Come and sit on Nain's bench. Stop running around, and I'll give you some bread for the ducks.' \ The twins hurl themselves onto the bench. \ 'Can we have phones for Christmas, Dad, please, please?' \ 'I want a red one like Mum.' \ 'I don't care what colour mine is,' says Carys. 'Pink's fine. Blue's fine. Rainbow's fine. I can choose what I like. Girls can do anything boys do anyway.' \ Tom snorts, but he goes quiet. \ I give them bread. 'Here. Break it up small. Feed the ducks nicely. And don't fall in.' \ They run to the lake. The ducks fight over every crumb. Wings flap. Water splashes. Tom throws huge chunks to see how far he can reach. Carys tears hers carefully and drops each piece like she's feeding something fragile. \ 'Playground after, Dad?' Tom shouts. \ 'Yes. Go on. I'll sit here a minute.' \ The bench feels colder than it should. The lake is too wide and too still. Their bright coats blur against the grey water, and for a moment, everything tilts. \ If Ffion doesn't get better… \ Carys comes back and presses against my arm. \ 'She will, Dad,' she says, like she's already decided it. 'Even if she's poorly, we'll look after her and Tom. But mostly me.' \ I try to smile. \ 'Yeah,' I say. 'Mostly you.' \ She nods like that's sorted. \ 'Right. Playground now. And we won't cry, Dad, will we? We're being brave.' \ <<if not $Play>>\ <<set $Play to true>>\ <</if>>\ <<set $Playvisit to $count>>\ <<if $count < 5>>\ <<set _gates to []>>\ <<if $Prom is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('The gate that leads to the Promenade->Promeast')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This gate leads to the Terra Nova cafe and the Boating->Cafe')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Rose is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This leads to a short walk to the Rose Garden->Rose')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Play is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('You can hear from the excitement that this leads to the Playground->Play')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Botanical is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('Leading off Lake Road East this gate leads to the Botanical garden->Botanical')>>\ <</if>>\ <<set _shuffled to []>>\ <<for ; _gates.length > 0 ; >>\ <<set _i to random(0, _gates.length - 1)>>\ <<set _shuffled.push(_gates[_i])>>\ <<set _gates.deleteAt(_i)>>\ <</for>>\ <<for _gate range _shuffled>>\ <<capture _gate>>\ <<set _parts to _gate.split('->')>>\ <<link _parts[0] _parts[1]>><</link>><br> <</capture>>\ <</for>>\ <</if>>\ <<funeral>>

<b>The Botanical Garden</b> It's New Year's Eve, and I have the park to myself. Frost silvers the grass in the moonlight. Fireworks blossom and fade over Roath, their crackle following on like a message from another world. Mist hovers over the lake. \ She's been gone a year now, and the pain hasn't dulled. \ I've been sitting here too long. The cold is seeping into my bones. \ Nain and Bampi emerge from the mist, and the bench creaks as they sit. \ 'Happy New Year, Dylan, ' and they fade i9nto mist. \ Mam takes their place, she touches my face, her fingers are icy cold. \ 'Not long now, Dyl.' and she fades into the mist. \ A blonde with dark eye makeup and a crimson-lipped smile sits next to me. \ She brushes my cheek with a cold kiss. \ 'See ya, Dylan.' \ 'Bye, Ffion.' \ 'It's not goodbye, Dyl, you're coming with me,' and she clutches my hand. \ The frost is already settling where I sat. <<if not $Botanical>>\ <<set $Botanical to true>>\ <<set $count += 1>>\ <</if>>\ \ <<set $Botanicalvisit to $count>>\ <<if $count < 5>>\ <<set _gates to []>>\ <<if $Prom is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('The gate that leads to the Promenade->Promeast')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This gate leads to the Terra Nova cafe and the Boating->Cafe')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Rose is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('This leads to a short walk to the Rose Garden->Rose')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Play is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('You can hear from the excitement that this leads to the Playground->Play')>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $Botanical is false>>\ <<set _gates.push('Leading off Lake Road East this gate leads to the Botanical garden->Botanical')>>\ <</if>>\ <<set _shuffled to []>>\ <<for ; _gates.length > 0 ; >>\ <<set _i to random(0, _gates.length - 1)>>\ <<set _shuffled.push(_gates[_i])>>\ <<set _gates.deleteAt(_i)>>\ <</for>>\ <<for _gate range _shuffled>>\ <<capture _gate>>\ <<set _parts to _gate.split('->')>> <<link _parts[0] _parts[1]>><</link>> <</capture>>\ <</for>>\ <<else>> <</if>>\ <<funeral>>

<<set $count to 0>> <<set $Rose to false>> <<set $Play to false>> <<set $Botanical to false>> <<set $Cafe to false>> <<set $Prom to false>> <<set $Cafevisit to 0>> <<set $Promeastvisit to 0>> <<set $Rosevisit to 0>> <<set $Playvisit to 0>> <<set $Botanicalvisit to 9>>

<<widget "benchmemory">>\ <div class="medic-voices"> <i> <<if $Botanicalvisit < $count>>\ '...on a bench... Roath Park...' '...all night, they reckon...' ' Temp's twenty-eight. Severely hypothermic.' 'Can you hear me, love? What's your name?' The words float past like the mist off the lake. <<if $Play >> I remember the playground, waiting for Ffi. She had started tripping, couldn't open jars. She was so stubborn, had to go alone. <</if>>\ <<if $Rose >> She was so cool. Beautiful. Blonde. Out of my class and she called me Samsung Boy. <</if>>\ <<if $Prom>> 'You've got my number now. You can call me if you want.' I was too scared. She seemed so self-assured. I was only 14. <</if>>\ <<if $Cafe >> Unicorn girl. Yellow hair and blue wellies. Unicorns are magic. <</if>> <</if>></i> </div> <</widget>>

<b>Eulogy</b> <div class="eulogy-box"> Carys stands first. Tom stays seated, hands clasped, staring at the order of service. 'Mum used to say Dad was the soft one. She was wrong, obviously. She was soft as butter, just didn't show it. But Dad... Dad wore his heart on his sleeve, and everyone knew it.' She pauses. Smooths the paper in her hands. 'When Mum got ill, he never complained. Not once. He learned to use the suction machine. Learned the hoist. Learned to read her eyes when her voice went. He'd sit there for hours, holding her hand, telling her about the ducks on the lake. She couldn't speak by then, but she'd smile. This little smile, just for him.' Tom shifts in his seat. 'After she died, he kept going to their bench. Nain's bench, we called it when we were small. He'd sit there in all weathers. Said he could still feel her there. Said the bench was where he proposed, where they took us as babies, where they sat when the diagnosis came. Every big moment. That bench held them all.' She stops. Breathes. 'This last year was hard. He put on a brave face for us. Made the tea. Asked about the kids. But he was broken inside. You could see it if you looked. The way he'd drift off mid-sentence. The way he'd say her name to an empty room.' Tom stands now. Puts his arm around his sister. 'He died on that bench,' Tom says. 'Sitting where he always sat. Looking at the lake. I like to think she came to get him.' Carys nods. 'They're together now. And that bench? That bench is theirs forever.' </div> <<funeral>>

<<widget "funeral">> <<if $count >= 5>> <<link "Attend the Remembrance Service" "Finale">><</link>> <<link "Stay a little longer">><<run Engine.restart()>><</link>> <</if>> <</widget>>

<<widget "pastmemory">>\ <<if $Cafe is true>>\ <i>    "You're Unicorn girl!"   "What...You're weird! Oh no, you're Duck Boy"</i>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\