Afterglow Letter: Small Impossible Things

About Afterglow Letter: Small Impossible Things

Afterglow Letter: Small Impossible Things is an illustrated interactive story set in Lowmere, a village drowned for a reservoir fifty years ago and brought back up by a summer of drought. In its roofless schoolhouse, Aurelia Abery, eighty-two, who was a child there and grew up to write a children’s book about the village, has opened a Museum of Lost Objects with five things the mud gave back. Each does one small impossible thing, exactly as her book said it would: a tin cup that never goes cold, a school bell that rings an hour before rain, a key that fits every door once, a green coat that walks to the old bridge at dusk, and a schoolroom map whose painted water moves. The rain is coming back over the hills, and the water with it. You are the volunteer, and you have until dusk. Test each object to see what it wants, but the day has room for eight tests in all, across all five, so spend them where they help. Then say what it wants: understood, it gets its wish and becomes an ordinary thing at last; misunderstood, it stays impossible on the museum shelf. The author’s commentary is optional: ask Aurelia and she reads you her chapter about each object from the book, a hint that costs no test. There are five endings. The text goes up to Largest, every line is announced to screen readers, you can go back to any choice, and nothing is timed. A new twist each day and a daily challenge keep it fresh.

How to play

Press Go on or tap the label to continue, and tap a choice (or press 1 to 5) to answer. Z or the Back button returns to your last choice.
Each object has three tests. The day has room for eight tests in all, so you cannot do them all: choose the ones that tell you most.
When you are ready, say what the object wants. A right guess grants its wish; a wrong one leaves it impossible on the shelf.
Ask Aurelia to read her chapter about an object for a hint that costs no test. Once she starts, she reads every chapter after. Her labels go on the board (E, or the Labels button).
Dusk reads the wishes understood and the tests left. Change the text size with T or the Text button; the day saves as you go.

Controls

Tap the label, or press Enter, Space or Ⓐ — go on
Tap a choice, or press 1 to 5 — choose
Z, Backspace or Ⓑ — go back to the last choice
E or Ⓨ — the museum labels; L or Ⓧ — the day so far; T — text size
P, Escape or Start — pause

Frequently asked questions

How long is a story?

About fifteen to twenty minutes for the five objects.

What are the tests for?

Each object has three tests that show what it wants. The day has room for eight in all, or six when it drizzles, so spend them where you are unsure.

What happens if I guess wrong?

Nothing bad. The object stays impossible on the museum shelf, still doing its impossible thing. The ending reads how many wishes you understood.

What is the author’s commentary?

Aurelia wrote a children’s book about these very objects. Ask her and she reads you each one’s chapter, which hints at its wish and costs no test. It is optional; once she starts, she reads them all.

Can I play with a keyboard or a screen reader?

Yes. Every line and choice is announced, every button works with the keyboard or a controller, the text goes up to Largest, and nothing is timed.

Does it save?

Yes, in this browser: the object you are on, the endings you have found and your settings. Nothing is uploaded.