The gift adventure

                                                      The gift adventure
________________________________________________________________________

Note: This is a chose your own adventure story and unlike most stories you do not read the pages in the order given. Each choice will instruct you to go to the labeled page in order to progress through the story. Hope you enjoy it and happy holidays!
________________________________________________________________________
Page 1
________________________________________________________________________
The first feeling that races through your mind as you wake up in your bed is that of excitement. Today you are expecting a surprise gift for taking part in a gift exchange to arrive soon. This particular gift exchange is unlike any other you have ever heard of before. You found out about it one day when you where browsing around your favorite hangout and noticed a large poster announcing the event. The announcement read that the only conditions where to sign up, make a gift, and then leave it on the porch of your house for it to be collected into the exchange. On Christmas you would receive a present in return. After signing up out of curiosity you received some letters about the dates you need to have your gift done by.

After this, you decided that it was time for some online research about this strange event. You found some interesting stories about how every year the gifts disappear and then a new gift appears on everyone's porch. Some people say that an actual person exchanges all the gifts between everyone. Many have begun referring to this individual as the "gift exchanger". Others say it must be magic because for one second, nothing was on the porch, then the next moment, a present was there. Some say that it's just a really kind grandmother.

You spent a lot of time working on your gift to give away. You really didn’t think about what you might get in return; however, after you sent your gift in, you couldn’t help but wonder what you would receive. The anticipation of knowing that the gift to you would be arriving shortly was all you could think about while lying in bed.

What do you do now that you’re awake?
1. Get out of bed and wait for the arrival of your gift (Go to page 2)
2. Get ready for the day.(Go to page 5)
3. Hide under your warm blankets. (Go to page 3)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 2
________________________________________________________________________
With a bound you leap out of bed. It’s too exciting to just wait in bed for your gift to arrive. You want to see the moment the gift is delivered by the fabled gift exchanger. You might have read into the stories surrounding this gift exchange more than you should have but the novelty of it seems oddly exciting. Someone who comes unseen to just to exchange a gift, It was akin to the kind of magic of Santa leaving presents for you under the tree. Who wouldn't want to miss that?

Now from what spot should you wait for the gift exchanger to appear?
1. Sitting on the front porch.(Go to Page 6)
2. Watch the front porch from a nearby window.(Go to page 4)
3. Hide in the bush located in the middle of the front yard.(Go to Page 7)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 3
________________________________________________________________________
You decide that it’s not really worth getting out of bed just yet. You can wait a bit longer for your gift to arrive and the stories really don't mean too much. Though you think that it is nice of whoever bothered to exchange everyone's gifts, which must have taken a lot of work and coordination to pull off such an event. Besides staying under the warm blankets are much more comfortable than walking about the cold house. The weather has been oddly colder than usual now that you think about it. In a way it is almost like it's been worse than the past few holiday seasons. This year the roads into town have already been shut down three times due to large snow drifts blanketing all the roads in town. You hope that the fabled gift exchanger won't get stuck trying to deliver your gift to you.  That would be a catastrophe all the gifts would be delivered late.

The wind outside your bedroom window howls ominously, what do you do?

1. Look outside a window (Go to page 4)
2. Look in your closet for extra blankets (Go to page 10)
3. Check the porch (Go to page 6)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 4
________________________________________________________________________
You decided to take a look out the nearest window to your location and see a clear view of the porch. At first you see nothing other than the ragging snowstorm occurring outside. You try to concentrate on look at nothing but your porch; however your eyes are beginning to water. Unable to keep your eyes open any longer you inevitably blink your eye lids a few times in rapid succession. With your eyes cleared you suddenly notice that there is a gift on your porch. Puzzled you wondered how you could have missed that, it was only a matter of seconds. You get up and begin to make your way to the front door. However as your undoing the lock you hear a mischievous laughter. By the time you've managed to open the door you find the present to be gone. The only trace left in the snow is a square impression in the snow and what look like tiny foot prints no bigger than a dime.

Who could have stolen your present?
1. Gremlins (Go to page 13)
2. Fairies (Go to 15)
3. The bush in the front yard (Go to page 7)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 5
________________________________________________________________________
You decide that it's best to get ready for the day. Besides it is Christmas day, there's a lot that you need to get done before the day is over. You get out of bed and begin to prepare for the day in your usual manner. As your moving about the house you notice something odd. The house seems oddly cold and almost a lot less cluttered than what it normally is. However it becomes clear the moment you look in your living room to find all of your gifts gone and the Christmas tree bare of it's decorations.

How could this have happened?

1. Gremlins (Go to page 13)
2. Fairies (Go to page 15)
3. The bush in the front yard (Go to page 7)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 6
________________________________________________________________________
Carefully you put on your warm clothing as you prepare to head out onto the porch. As you bundled yourself in warm clothing you think about how in past years that you only needed was a scarf, a pair of gloves, and a good coat. Now you feel like a giant marshmallow having to bundle up in three sweaters, two coats, a pair of double layer insulated gloves, giant overall snow pants, wool socks, and a giant white wool hat. You just hope that once you get out to the porch that at least it won't be snowing. Unfortunately as you open the door it seems to be snowing so heavily that you can barely see two feet in front of you. You step outside and then close the door to your house.  You make a quick investigation of the area around the porch and see nothing; the gift exchanger must have not been here yet. You then wait for bit eventually sitting down on the porch. After a while you become board.

What do you do now?
1. Go back to get more warm clothing from the closet (Go to page 10)
2. Move towards the bush (Go to page 8)
3. Look to your left (go to page 9)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 7
________________________________________________________________________
Of course it was that dastardly bush that stole of your holiday present! It's the only logical explanation, as things have disappeared from your house before without explanation. It just thought it was so sneaky pretending to be completely still and then when you weren't looking it made off with whatever struck its fancy.

Well that's the last straw! No bush is going to best you with these kinds of shenanigans, it's time to go and get some answers from this bush, and then get all your stuff back. You hastily grab as many warm clothes as you need to brave the cold weather outside and then head out the front door.

(Go to page 8)
________________________________________________________________________
Page 8
________________________________________________________________________
You make your way out to the bush in the front yard. The bush has always seemed odd to you. It's a scraggily looking think that stands just a little taller than you. However its height has always made a good spot to hide behind in the past when playing hide and seek. No one could see you from here if they where heading towards the porch. However as you come closer to it you notice something odd. The wind is blowing at full force yet the bush doesn't even sway the slightest. You would think that the wind would have some kind of an effect on it but the branches of the bush don't even shiver at all.

What do you do now?

1. Walk into the bush (Go to page 12)
2. Punch the bush (Go to page 11)
3. Look to your right (Go to page 21)
________________________________________________________________________
Page 9
________________________________________________________________________
You see a piece of cheese, nothing else.

(Go back to page 6)
________________________________________________________________________
Page 10
________________________________________________________________________
You move towards the storage closet. You carefully open the door and walk in. You reach to your left expecting to find the switch that turns on the light but instead your hand hits a cold stone wall. For a moment you are confused, the closet wasn't made of stone walls. You look behind you thinking you can turn one of the lights in the room outside on, or go back to get a flash light, but find nothing other than a long tunnel behind you. You take a moment to try and sort out your surroundings and find that the tunnel also continues in front of you. It is dark inside the tunnel.

What do you do?

1. Go forward (Go to page 17)
2. Go backwards (Go to page 19)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 11
________________________________________________________________________
 This bush should at least be moving like a leaf in gale like this one. It's odd that it's standing perfectly still. To make sure your mind isn't pulling tricks on you, you carefully pull your arm back and then hurl it forward to punch the bush. However something odd happens and the moment your hand should collide with the bush, your fist continues moving forward. It happens too quickly to realize what happened at first but the movement causes you to fall through the bush.

(Go to page 12)
________________________________________________________________________
Page 12
________________________________________________________________________

You blink for a moment. The atmosphere has changed so suddenly that it feels like you've been teleported to another dimension. You are now standing inside a stone tunnel that has a path before and behind you. The sound of the gale outside is no longer audible from your location and the only noise is that of water dripping off the walls. You are absolutely confused at how you got here but it seems that there is no imitate way back to your house from here.

1. Go forward (Go to page 17)
2. Go backwards (Go to page 19)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 13
________________________________________________________________________
Gremlins could be the only ones responsible for this. The tricky little fellows love causing havoc by rearranging things and making sure you'll find what you're looking for too late. Very few people actually see a gremlin bemuse they only move when your not looking at them. However this time you're not going to put up with having to wait for them to feel like giving your stuff back. It's time for action!

Now where could they be hiding?
1. The Bush in the front yard (Go to page 8)
2. The closet (Go to page 10)
3. Above you (Go to page 16)
________________________________________________________________________
Page 14
________________________________________________________________________
 You see your feet and no trace of fairies.
(Go back to page 15)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 15
________________________________________________________________________
Fairies love nothing more than messing around. The smaller they are, the more dangerous they are. It's pretty easy to spite them. Just saying you hate winter will send snow fairies off into creating a blizzard of doom. Now that you think about it, the weather has been acting oddly spiteful. Could the Snow fairies be behind this bout of intense storms?

It's time to find out! Now where could they be hiding?

1. The Bush in the front yard (Go to page 8)
2. The closet (Go to page 10)
3. Look down (Go to page 14)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 16
________________________________________________________________________
You see a cobweb hanging from the ceiling.
(Go back to page 13)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 17
________________________________________________________________________
As you move forward along the passage you hear a buzzing sound. It almost sounds like a hyper active mosquito on an energy drink. You come to a large cavern full of what appears to be snow flakes. However on closer inspection you see that each snow flake is a tiny humanoid fairy with frost like wings.

Suddenly one of the fairies lands on your nose and in an annoyed voice says to you:
 "What! Are you here to complain about the lack of snow like everyone else does other year?"

You're too surprised to react and the fairy continues on.

"Every year we get complaints that there is not enough snow here, not enough snow there, and on, and on! Well this year we found a solution! Blanket the whole world in eternal winter by casting a spell! No one will ever complain again about there not being enough snow!" Does that sound better?

How do you respond?

1. Quitely say "That sounds great" and then retreat back down the tunnel (Go to page 18)
2. Say "No, you're going to hold up the gift exchanger!" (Go to page 22)
3. Say "What did you do with my gifts?" (Go to page 20)
________________________________________________________________________

Page 18
________________________________________________________________________
You retreat as quickly as you can without causing a fuss. You are back at where you started in the tunnel.

What will you do now?

1. Go forward (Go to page 17)
2. Go backwards (Go to page 19)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 19
________________________________________________________________________
You quickly turn around and head down the tunnel. You hear sounds of things being moved about and a chattering noise akin to a monkey. The tunnel soon opens up and soon you see a large cavern full of big eyed diminutive green figures with a long line of presents in their hands. You realize that these must be gremlins because from the moment you've entered to room they've frozen like statues.

What do you do now?
1. Quietly then retreat back down the tunnel (Go to page 18)
2. Take back the stolen gifts (Go to page 23)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 20
________________________________________________________________________
The fairy looks at you with an annoyed look and then begins to vent:

"Gifts? What gifts? Why would we care about gifts much less what we would do with them? The weather is much more important! Eternal winter isn't something that just happens naturally! Now what do you think of our plan?"

1. Quietly say "It sounds great" and then retreat back down the tunnel (Go to page 18)
2. Say "I care about what you did to the gifts! And if you don't stop, you'll hold up the gift exchanger" (Go to page 22)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 21
________________________________________________________________________
You see your doppelganger; the next moment you look however the person is gone.

(Go back to page 8)
________________________________________________________________________
Page 22
________________________________________________________________________
You don't care if you offend the fairy, but if they continue with this spell it'll be impossible for the gift exchanger to exchange everyone's gifts. At first the fairy looks at you oddly and then asks:

"Who's the gift exchanger?"

You explain what you know and how it'll be impossible for the gift exchanger, even with the help of magic, to exchange everyone's gift if the world is stuck in an eternal winter. The fairy looks a little taken aback by what you've said.

"Oh, we didn't think about. We where just tired of being unable to please anyone with the lack of snow. We didn't think it would interfere with anything like that "

You respond with that even with snow there would be people who would be annoyed by it, besides your sure they do there best every year to bring the best snow fall around the world.

The fairy gives a little smile thanks you and then returns to the others. The room is filled with a soft glow and then you can't see anything for a moment. Next thing you know you're in front of your house. On the porch is a gift.

-The End-

________________________________________________________________________
Page 23
________________________________________________________________________
You begin to take the items and gifts right of the gremlins hands. It's not too hard at first but you begin to notice that every time you turn your back on one to take an item from another one, they scurry away and steal a gift back from the pile. You're going to have to think of something to outsmart them. You grab a whistle from one of them and now you have an idea.

1. Use the whistle (Go to page 24)
2. Quietly then retreat back down the tunnel (Go to page 18)

________________________________________________________________________
Page 24
________________________________________________________________________

You take the whistle in your hands and blow into it. It seems to have no effect at first. But then suddenly the gremlins are dropping everything and begin scattering. Seconds latter a puppy runs into the room chasing after them. You are surprise to hear the puppy shouting

"Take that you little present snatchers! What are you going to do now that I've found you?"

Soon the room is completely empty expect for the various items littered about the room. The puppy comes and sits at your feet and then says:

"Thanks, I wouldn't have found them if it hadn't been for you."

You can only say welcome and stare at the puppy. Then you ask why he was chasing them.

"I'm the gift exchanger," the puppy responds. "I spend all year practicing by delivering everyone's papers to their porch every day. No one has noticed me yet, except you. Can you keep my secret?"

You smile; you wouldn't have guessed this at all. You agree to keep the secret.

"Good;" The puppy says wagging his tail:" I'll lead you back home now."

After wandering around for a while you eventually find your way back home. You turn around to thank the gift exchanger but only find a gift at your feet.

-The End-