[CoffeeBean] Stranded! A Lateral Choose-Your-Own-Adventure

[CoffeeBean]

This puzzle works as a story. Much of the action is directed by the participants (just like the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books from many ages ago). When the story reaches a point where a decision must be made (or a puzzle must be solved), the first suggestion made by a participant will determine how the story proceeds.

There's a twist in this one, as compared to similar puzzles in the past - the main character can die if a wrong decision is made. If this happens, you will see the phrase "YOU HAVE DIED". At this point, return to the previous point at which a decision on how to proceed was needed and make another suggestion. Like all stories (well, most of them), this one has an end, and by making the right choices the end can be reached.

Feel free to make suggestions such as, "Look around," or "Listen", etc.

Good luck!


Oh, my aching body. I don't know where I am, and I don't know how I got here. I can't open my eyes for more than a second, it makes my head hurt too bad. Here's what I know...

- I'm in a chair
- There's a window nearby letting sunlight through
- I can hear a sound that sounds like ocean waves crashing on a shore
- My name is Blaine

[Balin]

Are you able to stand up? Or are you secured to the chair?
Where is the window in relation to your current position?
Look around.

I've also been sitting on an idea for a deadly lateral room; looking forward to this one!

[CoffeeBean]

Have fun with this one, I'll look forward to yours!

Are you able to stand up? Or are you secured to the chair?
Without opening my eyes, I tried to stand up, but something is holding me against the chair. I was able to open one eye for just a few seconds and look down, and I saw that I'm held to the seat by a seatbelt. After trying a few times I was able to get the belt loose and I'm sure I can stand up now.

Where is the window in relation to your current position? There's a small window just a few feet to my right, and there appears to be a larger window also to my right, about ten feet in front of me.

Look around. I still can only open one eye and just briefly at that. I can tell that I'm in a room that has windows along both walls, the room is only about 10 feet wide. There is a seat just like the one I'm in a few feet to my left, another one just like it a few feet in front of me (this one has a dark reddish stain on the back of it, which faces me, and the stain looks like blood). There's another seat just like it ahead and to my left. A few feet in front of that is a wall with a door in the center of it. The door is partially open, allowing in sunlight through the gap. On the wall next to the door is a fire extinguisher. I can see that the floor is littered with all kinds of debris and trash - papers, pieces of plastic and metal, there's a briefcase on the floor...

Ok, now I get it. I'm inside a small passenger plane that has crashed. There's nobody else in here, as far as I can tell.

[Balin]

How does the rest of your body feel? Are you bleeding? Any broken bones? Are you able to stand up?
If you can stand up and move around, grab the fire extinguisher and briefcase. Does the briefcase appear locked? What opening/unlocking mechanism does it have?
Also examine the bloodstained seat.

[CoffeeBean]

How does the rest of your body feel? Sore, oh so sore!
Are you bleeding? I'm pretty sure I have a laceration on my forehead, the skin feels sticky and it hurts to even barely touch it. Any broken bones? I don't think so. My left leg is partly numb, I thought it might be broken but I think the numbness is from the way I was slouched in the seat. Are you able to stand up? Yes, and I can walk with some difficulty.
If you can stand up and move around, grab the fire extinguisher and briefcase. Does the briefcase appear locked? I think the case is locked, but it's been damaged. The lid is partly open, and if I had a strong enough tool I'm sure I could pry it open.
What opening/unlocking mechanism does it have? A three digit combination lock on the right side
Also examine the bloodstained seat. I stared at it for a minute before I stood up. Based on where the stain is, I'm sure that I've hit my head on it and that led to the stain and the wound on my forehead. The fabric is blue and gray checkerboard...

Ok, I just remembered something else. As I was standing here holding the extinguisher and picking up the briefcase I was staring at the fabric on the floor in the aisle, it's the same as on the seats. For just a very brief moment I could recall a voice saying loudly, "Going down! We are going down!" and another voice (a man's voice) yelling, "No! No!"

[biograd]

Is it your head that hurts when you open your eyes, or your eyes?

If it's your head, is it the skin on your face that hurts, from moving the eyelids?

If it's your eyes, is it because there's a painfully bright light? or because there is something in the air (smoke, noxious fumes) that irritates them? are your lungs OK?

[CoffeeBean]

Is it your head that hurts when you open your eyes, or your eyes? It's my head, I'm pretty sure I hit it on the back of the seat and got a gash at the hairline

If it's your head, is it the skin on your face that hurts, from moving the eyelids? At first the feeling of opening my eyes made the pain worse, I think it was the light and having to squint. If I keep my left eye closed and just open my right eye I can see good enough for now. Some aspirin or other pain killer would really come in handy now.

If it's your eyes, is it because there's a painfully bright light? Well the sunlight was coming directly into the window next to me and it was very bright
or because there is something in the air (smoke, noxious fumes) that irritates them? I do smell something like fuel or something burning, but there's nothing inside the plane that's making any kind of smoke or fumes are your lungs OK? My chest hurts from being held back by the seatbelt but my lungs seem to be fine

[SurfingPikachu]

Can we quickly look around and also examine our body to see if we look like we might be in immediate danger? Can we do a quick memory check of who were with us, what was in the plane with us, and where we were flying over? Are we near civilization? Did air control know of our plight?

[GalFisk]

Do you recall which people were on the plane? Who flew it? Where it came from? Where it was heading? Does it appear to be on solid ground? In the water? Does it have any emergency exits? Normal exits? Try going outside, or at least to look outside. Are there any signs of fire? Leaking fuel?

[CoffeeBean]

Can we quickly look around and also examine our body to see if we look like we might be in immediate danger? My shirt has some blood on it, I'm guessing this is from the cut on my head. I don't have any broken bones, the extent of my injuries seem to be pain and soreness in my chest and legs.
Can we do a quick memory check of who were with us, what was in the plane with us, and where we were flying over? I am trying to remember. As I look at the briefcase, I remember seeing a man holding it in his lap, but I can't recall what the man looked like. I do think he was wearing brown pants. I don't know who or what else was in the plane, but there are only six seats so there couldn't have been many other people on it.

The door near the extinguisher leads to the cockpit, but I can only open it a few inches. The floor of the cockpit has buckled just inside the doorway, so I can't access it from this side. I can see that at least one of the cockpit seats is empty. Judging by how well I can hear the sound of the ocean coming from the other side of the door, I'd say it's very likely that the windshield has been shattered.

Are we near civilization? What I thought was a large window on the right side wall is actually an exit door, which is open. Looking out I can see a very narrow strip of sandy beach and the ocean beyond that. Looking out the small windows on the other side, I see dense forest, nothing else. No sign of people or buildings.

Did air control know of our plight? I don't know

[SurfingPikachu]

Can we will ourselves to teleport to heaven for a quick sec, and see if it works?
Has the cut on our head clotted? If not, can we tie our shirt around our forehead like a bandana for abit to speed up the clotting?
Are there any signs of other people or bodies on the plane?
Is there any metal debris on the ground that look safe enough to pick up without cutting ourselves, and possibly providing enough leverage to pry open the briefcase?
Are there any footprints leading away from the exit door? Or on the beach?
Can we make our way to the exit door and peek outside? Do there appear to be any humans or animals around from that vantage point?
Is there anything in our pockets?
How dexterous and athletic are we compared to the average person?

I've been on budget airplanes sitting hundreds that were less than ten feet across...

[Acridian9]

As soon as possible, try to locate the "something like fuel or something burning" and see if it's possible to extinguish the fire. If it' possible, use the extinguisher, otherwise try to extimate how much time you have before the plane explodes or the fire gets to where you are now.

[CoffeeBean]

Can we will ourselves to teleport to heaven for a quick sec, and see if it works? Nice idea, but wrong puzzle...

Has the cut on our head clotted? If not, can we tie our shirt around our forehead like a bandana for abit to speed up the clotting? It's not that bad of a cut, I don't think. I can't see how bad it is, but it doesn't seem to be actively bleeding. I picked up a shirt that was on the floor of the plane and wrapped it around my head.
Are there any signs of other people or bodies on the plane? No bodies, that's for sure. I am pretty sure the man in the brown pants was sitting across from me. There might have been someone sitting behind me too...in fact, yes there was, but I don't remember if it was a man or woman or what they looked like. There's nobody in or near the plane now as far as I can tell.
Is there any metal debris on the ground that look safe enough to pick up without cutting ourselves, and possibly providing enough leverage to pry open the briefcase? Not really, these pieces are very small
Are there any footprints leading away from the exit door? Or on the beach? Yes. I've stepped out of the exit door, there are a few sets of footprints that are clustered, then lead to the right, directly into the woods.
Can we make our way to the exit door and peek outside? From the door I am looking across a somewhat narrow strip of beach and then across the ocean. The beach extends off to the right, but just a short distance to the left it ends at a rock wall face.
Do there appear to be any humans or animals around from that vantage point?Besides hearing some birds, I don't see or hear any other living thing.
Is there anything in our pockets? In my left front pocket I have some loose change (coins), in my front right pocket is a business card for a person named Juan Perez with Worldwide Leisure Properties Group (that is the company I work for, but I'm not Juan Perez). In my back right pocket is my wallet and a brochure from a place called La Gaviota, which appears to be a luxury hotel. I'm not positive but I think I have visited this place recently.
How dexterous and athletic are we compared to the average person? I eat well and exercise a few times a week. I'm not wearing athletic clothes, I have on a plain blue T-shirt and khaki pants, my shoes are rubber bottomed loafers.

As soon as possible, try to locate the "something like fuel or something burning" and see if it's possible to extinguish the fire. If it' possible, use the extinguisher, otherwise try to extimate how much time you have before the plane explodes or the fire gets to where you are now.
I'm outside now and am facing the wreckage. The nose of the plane is crumpled, most of the windshield is shattered. The plane is resting at the edge of the beach where the sand meets the forest. The left wing is broken completely off. The right wing is bent but still attached, and there is a little bit of smoke coming from the engine on that wing. With a blast from the extinguisher the smoke is almost completely gone. There does not appear to be any danger of fire or an explosion. To the right of the plane, the beach extends for about 50 feet then ends as the face of a rock wall begins and extends outward for maybe 30 feet then ends. To the left is more beach, about 100 feet and then it becomes low brush and small trees. It looks like the plane landed among the brush and then slid along the beach, stopping as it hit a small tree. Behind the plane along the beach are a few pieces of luggage, most are torn, some loose pieces of clothing are lying along the sand. The footprint trail that I mentioned goes to my right, turns left a few feet in front of the wreck and stops at the edge of the forest. There's another cluster of footprints right in front of the plane.

[SurfingPikachu]

Can we tell how many distinct set of footprints there are? All of them went into the woods? None of them came out of the woods?

Is there anything to scavenge from the luggage apart from loose clothing?

Can we see a river flowing into the sea? Any other freshwater source?

Do we recognise any of the vegetation? Any coconuts? Fruits? Anything that looks edible? (Not saying to eat them yet)

How good are we at navigation and survival skills? Can we climb trees? Start a fire? Get our bearings or compass direction from the sun and stars? Can we follow the footprints through the woods? Roughly how far could we venture into the woods without fear of being unable to return to the plane? Can we distinguish vegetation, or does it all look the same to us?

[CoffeeBean]

Can we tell how many distinct set of footprints there are? Hard to tell, my guess is at least 3, maybe 4. One set is made by small, narrow shoes, another by wide shoes with substantial tread, another seems to be made by smooth-bottomed shoes. A possible 4th set also made by smooth bottomed shoes slightly larger than the heavy treaded shoes. All of them went into the woods? None of them came out of the woods? They all go out from the plane and toward the ocean, then there is a cluster of them near the front of the plane. From this, they seem to go single file into the woods.

Is there anything to scavenge from the luggage apart from loose clothing? I have walked from the rear of the plane to the point where it obviously touched down (as evidenced by flattened and broken trees near the shore several hundred feet from the wreckage). Here is what I've found:

- A large duffle bag with "M. Alfonse" written on the outside in black marker. Inside this bag are some shirts, two pairs of pants, a zip-up jacket, a pair of shoes and a tool belt (which has the same name written on the waistband). Inside the tool belt are some screwdrivers, a wrench, a tape measure and a set of pliers.

- A small suitcase containing two pairs of dress pants, two ties, two button-up shirts, two pairs of dress socks, two pair of underwear, a small travel kit with a toothbrush and toothpaste

- A badly torn garment bag with initials "V.P." printed on the front, inside is a torn but otherwise very expensive business suit (a size too small for me, I might add) and a scuffed up black leather shoe (also too small for me)

Can we see a river flowing into the sea? Any other freshwater source? I don't see one from here, no

Do we recognise any of the vegetation? Any coconuts? Fruits? Anything that looks edible? (Not saying to eat them yet) Not near the shore but there appear to be some tall trees with some kind of fruit maybe 100 feet into the forest

How good are we at navigation and survival skills? Fairly well skilled, I must say Can we climb trees? Ones with easily reachable branches, yes Start a fire? With a fire starter kit, maybe Get our bearings or compass direction from the sun and stars? I can do this
Can we follow the footprints through the woods? The prints become nearly impossible to see almost as soon as they get into the woods. The ground is not soft so prints are not easily made. I can see what appears to be a lone set of prints left by the well treaded shoes - this trail leads just a short distance into the woods, then stops in front of a dense set of trees and bushes. It looks as if someone broke a few small limbs off of a few small trees here, then there are a few prints leading off to the left but they soon disappear as the ground becomes more dense with low growth.

Roughly how far could we venture into the woods without fear of being unable to return to the plane? As I go into the woods, the land slopes upward ahead of me and to my right. To my left it remains level and seems to slope downward not too far away (if I walked in this direction I would be moving parallel to the shore and somewhat in the direction of the point where the plane touched down). The forest is more dense to the right, slightly less dense ahead and to my left. I can go a considerable way here without fear of getting lost, but I'm still having a difficult time walking and can't use both eyes yet.

Can we distinguish vegetation, or does it all look the same to us? It varies, but all seems consistent with a tropical area.

[Balin]

What are you wearing? Is there anything in your pockets?
Will either of the screwdrivers work as a lever to pry open the briefcase?

[CoffeeBean]

What are you wearing? I have on a plain blue T-shirt and khaki pants, my shoes are rubber bottomed loafers.

Is there anything in your pockets? In my left front pocket I have some loose change (coins), in my front right pocket is a business card for a person named Juan Perez with Worldwide Leisure Properties Group (that is the company I work for, but I'm not Juan Perez). In my back right pocket is my wallet and a brochure from a place called La Gaviota, which appears to be a luxury hotel. I'm not positive but I think I have visited this place recently.

Will either of the screwdrivers work as a lever to pry open the briefcase? I'll try...yes, there is a large flathead screwdriver that I was able to use to get the case open. Here are the contents of the case:
- Several business cards of a man named Vivek Purohit from a company called Universal Metals Ltd in Dubai
- An I.D. card with the same information and a man's photo in the center
- Various papers, some written in a language I don't recognize, many of them show aerial photos of large tracts of land, some have several signatures and appear to be contracts of some kind

[SurfingPikachu]

Could we contemplate why our travelling companions would see fit to go off traipsing through the woods without waking us first?

The scavenged stuff (except perhaps the V.P. stuff) sounds situationally useful. Can we fit them into one of the bags to bring around with us? Preferably a good bag that does not require arms to carry (that sounds like the duffle bag). How much would that weigh?

Does the beach show signs of it currently being low tide? If so, we might consider if anything potentially valuable should be moved to higher ground.

Do we need time for a breather for our eyes and walking difficulty? Can we also hope to recover our memories during this time? Information about our companions and flight path seem to be super useful.

Does the rock wall look safely scalable? Are there any nearby trees that look climbable? (Are we usually able but currently unable to climb in our current state?) Perhaps we could spot our ex-companions from a higher vantage point, or at least spot other important landmarks that would aid in decision-making.

[Balin]

Would it be possible to access the cockpit through the broken windshield?
Look through the broken windshield. What can you see through it?
Did you see a first-aid kit somewhere on the plane? Perhaps in the back? Or in the cockpit?

[CoffeeBean]

Could we contemplate why our travelling companions would see fit to go off traipsing through the woods without waking us first? I've been asking myself the same thing. Why didn't anyone try to get me out of the plane?

The scavenged stuff (except perhaps the V.P. stuff) sounds situationally useful. Can we fit them into one of the bags to bring around with us? Preferably a good bag that does not require arms to carry (that sounds like the duffle bag). How much would that weigh? Everything fits easily into the duffle bag and it's not very heavy. I have all the clothing that will fit me in the bag, plus the fire extinguisher. The briefcase won't easily fit into the bag so it's the only thing that's not in it now.

Does the beach show signs of it currently being low tide? If so, we might consider if anything potentially valuable should be moved to higher ground.
I'd say it's high tide but moving out. Even at the highest tide it appears that the wreckage would not be subject to water reaching it.

Do we need time for a breather for our eyes and walking difficulty? Sure, this would be great.
Can we also hope to recover our memories during this time? Information about our companions and flight path seem to be super useful.
I feel like I'll remember more if I can recover from the shock of waking up in a wrecked plane. I know I've been to the building that's pictured on the travel brochure that's in my pocket. Maybe a few days ago? Maybe yesterday? My memory of boarding the plane is foggy, but I remember someone telling me that I should not worry about it.

Does the rock wall look safely scalable? As I stand next to the wreck facing the same direction as the plane, I'm looking at the shorter expanse of beach that ends as a rock face extends outward across it. The rock starts at the water line and goes straight up for about 30 feet. But there wouldn't be a need to scale the wall, because if I can walk up a short incline and turn right, I can walk along the land at the edge of the wall. So by walking a few hundred yards from here I can stand at the edge of the dropoff and be looking at the beach where the plane is.

Are there any nearby trees that look climbable? (Are we usually able but currently unable to climb in our current state?) The trees closest to me aren't very tall or sturdy looking, but there are numerous trees a short distance into the forest that seem to be easy for me to climb.

Perhaps we could spot our ex-companions from a higher vantage point, or at least spot other important landmarks that would aid in decision-making.
Yes, good thinking. The higher - or highest - vantage point will be to the right, beyond the rock face area. If I walk inland from where the rock wall meets the beach, I will be climbing upward steadily toward a high point that appears to be 1-2 miles away from here.

Would it be possible to access the cockpit through the broken windshield? Yes, very easy to do.
Look through the broken windshield. What can you see through it? The wall next to the co-pilot's seat has been partially pushed inward, enough to dislodge the seat partly from the floor. There is blood on the floor next to this seat. The pilot's seat seems to have been pretty much untouched. There is a small pouch on the floor next to the pilot's seat, various small pieces of debris strewn around the cabin.
Did you see a first-aid kit somewhere on the plane? Perhaps in the back? Or in the cockpit? There is one attached to the wall behind the co-pilot's seat. It looks like it was opened but there are still some items in it.

[Balin]

Check the first-aid kit for some painkillers or aspirin or something that will help with your head. Also take a look inside that pouch.

Just to make sure... you haven't seen any bodies or injured persons (or non-injured persons, even) on the plane yet, right?

[CoffeeBean]

Check the first-aid kit for some painkillers or aspirin or something that will help with your head. Also take a look inside that pouch.
The kit has been opened and some items are missing, but there are some small bandages that I've used to cover the wound on my head.
The pouch appears to be someone's travel kit, it contains a toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, and luckily a bottle of aspirin. I've taken a couple already and will hang onto this.

Just to make sure... you haven't seen any bodies or injured persons (or non-injured persons, even) on the plane yet, right? No, and the interior of the plane is not very big so it is easy to survey.

[Balin]

What else (besides the bandages) is in the first-aid kit?

After taking the aspirin are you yet feeling better? Are you able to look around without pain?

[CoffeeBean]

What else (besides the bandages) is in the first-aid kit? Some alcohol swabs, Q-tips, latex gloves

After taking the aspirin are you yet feeling better? Are you able to look around without pain? After taking the pills I went back into the passenger cabin and sat down in a reclined seat. I was able to sleep for a while, apparently, because when I woke up I noticed that it's now almost night and there is a light rain falling outside. The medicine has helped reduce the pain.

[Balin]

Grab everything from the first-aid kit as well.

How dark is it outside? Do we have a light source? If not, have you seen one?

Now that the headache has gone, can you remember anything more about the events leading up to the crash?

[CoffeeBean]

Grab everything from the first-aid kit as well. Ok, the contents are now in the duffle bag

How dark is it outside? It is nearing night, but it is getting cloudy and this is adding to the darkness. I hear thunder in the distance as well.

Do we have a light source? If not, have you seen one? At first I didn't have any source of light. I checked again in the plane's cabin and found a small flashlight among some debris on the floor, but apparently the batteries in it are dead because it will not turn on.

Now that the headache has gone, can you remember anything more about the events leading up to the crash? It has gotten darker outside and rain has started to fall, so I've taken shelter inside the plane. The sound of raindrops hitting the fuselage brings to mind something...that's right, I was in the plane last night and we flew into some rough weather...the man in the brown pants sitting across from me had been sorting through some papers but we encountered some turbulence so he put the papers in his briefcase...someone sitting behind me was talking...ok, that's right, there was lightning...we felt the plane take a turn to the right...man in the brown pants kept saying we were going the wrong way...what else was there...a light...the plane dipped suddenly and we briefly saw a very bright light out the window...a sudden jolt and we started going down very fast. That's all I remember right now.

[Balin]

Open the flashlight. Are there indeed batteries in it? Are they definitely dead?

[CoffeeBean]

Open the flashlight. Are there indeed batteries in it? Yes Are they definitely dead? The flashlight does not appear to be damaged in any way, but it won't turn on, so I am guessing this means the batteries are dead

[Balin]

One of the travel pouches has a razor in it. Is it a manual or electric razor?
If the latter, are there any batteries in it? Does it power on?
Do you recognize the photo on the Vivek Purohit ID? (Given the initials, I think he is the owner of the "V.P." items.)

[CoffeeBean]

One of the travel pouches has a razor in it. Is it a manual or electric razor? A straight (manual) razor
If the latter, are there any batteries in it? Does it power on?
Do you recognize the photo on the Vivek Purohit ID? (Given the initials, I think he is the owner of the "V.P." items.) At first I didn't, but as I kept thinking and looking at the photo, I recognize him as the man in the brown pants who was sitting to my left. More of the events of the past day are coming back to me - I was at an airport, supposed to be getting on a large plane but ended up in this one, someone talked to me as I was walking to this plane to board it, saying something about Puerto Rico, it was almost night, I got on the plane, barely noticed a man with a dark complexion wearing brown pants holding a stack of papers seated on the right side of the plane, someone was sitting behind him, at some point the plane was quickly losing altitude and I could see a bright light through the window next to the man in the brown pants...

[Balin]

Straight razor: safety razor, or old-style hinged Sweeney Todd razor?

Look outside. Is it still raining? How dark is it - is there any moonlight or other light?

[CoffeeBean]

Straight razor: safety razor, or old-style hinged Sweeney Todd razor? Nice looking steel safety razor with removable blade

Look outside. Is it still raining? How dark is it - is there any moonlight or other light? I ended up falling asleep, it is now the next day, cloudy but not raining any longer

[Balin]

Head back outside. Are the footprints still there? Any new sets of prints?

[CoffeeBean]

Head back outside. Are the footprints still there? Any new sets of prints? The prints that were there are barely visible now, and there don't appear to be any new prints anywhere

[Grip]

Can you go back in the plane and search it from top to bottom? Is there anything else in there that may be useful?

Once done, can you follow the footprints before they fade away?

[CoffeeBean]

Can you go back in the plane and search it from top to bottom? Is there anything else in there that may be useful? Well I guess "useful" will have to be determined, but this is a good suggestion at any time. At this point there doesn't seem to be anything else that would be of any advantage to me. Based on my earlier exploring it appears that the luggage that had been stored in the rear of the plane all fell out and was strewn along the beach. It's possible that other items may have been in the plane and also fell out, the beach becomes too narrow to continue searching a few hundred yards behind the plane, I'd have to walk inland for a short distance to access a section of beach slightly farther away, and from where this section of beach stops I can't see if anything is lying on the ground in that area.

Once done, can you follow the footprints before they fade away? The trail of prints that I saw earlier is barely visible, it leads from the front of the plane into the forest a short distance, then seems to stop in front of dense growth. It looks like someone stood here and tried to push branches aside in front of them (a few branches are bent or broken), but wasn't able to clear a path to continue ahead. At this place, if I turn right the land slopes upward slightly then gets increasingly steeper. Walking straight will eventually lead me to the highest point that I can see from the wreck site, walking diagonally to the right for a short distance would put me at the edge of the rock face and I could look out at the wreck site from that vantage point. If I turn left, the land is level for a few hundred yards and then seems to slope downward slightly. If I walk straight for a few hundred feet and then turn left, I would come out on the other beach area that is slightly visible from the wreck site but not reachable without turning inland or going out into the water and swimming towards it.

[Insight]

Is there any food o drink inside the plane?
Any luggage compartments over the seats that may contain something else?
Is the cockpit empty with just blood?

Well if nothings more attracts your attention, walk inland towards the section of the beach slightly farther away

[CoffeeBean]

Is there any food or drink inside the plane? No, I've looked everywhere
Any luggage compartments over the seats that may contain something else? Nothing of any use
Is the cockpit empty with just blood? Yes I've found everything of use in there

Well if nothings more attracts your attention, walk inland towards the section of the beach slightly farther away
Ok, so I turned left where the path straight ahead ended and walked for a few hundred yards, the land sloped downward and opens up both straight ahead and to the left allowing access to more beach. As I walked out onto the beach, I saw a suitcase not too far away. I examined it, the name "Alfonse" it written on a tag attached to the handle. The suitcase has been opened, there are a few items of clothing inside it but nothing else.

This place seems to be one end of the island. The beach ends just a few yards to my right, I'd have to walk back inland to get back to the wreck site. To my left, the beach narrows and extends a short distance and bends off to the right.

[Grip]

Can you examine the sky? is it cloudy?

Can you examine the clothes in the suitcase in more detail?

[CoffeeBean]

Can you examine the sky? is it cloudy? The sky is mostly sunny, a few stray clouds

Can you examine the clothes in the suitcase in more detail? A couple of button-up plaid shirts, a pair of cargo pants, a few pairs of socks

While examining the suitcase, I noticed a cigarette butt nearby on the beach, and footprints that seem fairly new heading off around the curve ahead of me

[Balin]

Can you describe the footprints in more detail? Are they made by human feet? Wearing shoes?
Among the various clothing strewn about the beach and the wreck, did you notice any shoes?
Can you describe the cigarette butt in more detail? Is it still smoldering?

Assuming the prints are human, follow the footprints around the curve.

[CoffeeBean]

Can you describe the footprints in more detail? Are they made by human feet? Wearing shoes? They all seem to have been made by human feet, wearing shoes. Two sets of prints that indicate a couple walking side by side approaches the suitcase from the distance, but a few feet away from the suitcase one of the tracks stops (so seemingly as two people approached the suitcase, one stopped a few feet away and the other walked right up to it).
Among the various clothing strewn about the beach and the wreck, did you notice any shoes? The suitcase does have a pair of lightweight slip-on shoes in an inner pouch, yes.
Can you describe the cigarette butt in more detail? Is it still smoldering? It's not smoldering, but seems like it hasn't been here long (doesn't look weathered or anything)

Assuming the prints are human, follow the footprints around the curve. As I start walking toward where the beach curves, it seems that I'm following tracks of two people who walked toward the suitcase and then returned from their origin point. As far as the landscape, the beach narrows here to the point that if it wasn't low tide I'd probably have to walk right along the treeline or maybe even in the wooded area to keep going. As the shore curves, I can see that the beach extends for maybe another half mile then I will have to go inland. I just noticed that there is another cigarette butt here on the ground, and I knelt down to look at it. It looks about like the other one did. As I stood and prepared to keep walking, I think I saw movement along the treeline ahead of me, where the beach ends.

[Balin]

Examine this butt also.
Cautiously approach the treeline.

[CoffeeBean]

Examine this butt also. This one hasn't been here very long, it's lying atop the sand
Cautiously approach the treeline. A fairly fresh trail of footprints leads right to the treeline, the ground inclines here as the beach ends and I'll have to turn inland to continue. As I stand at the end of the beach, looking straight ahead the land rises quickly towards the high area at the other side of the island. The ground slopes just slightly to my right, and if I walk in this direction it will be taking me back toward the wreck site.

[Balin]

From where you stand now, from which direction did you see the earlier movement?

[CoffeeBean]

From where you stand now, from which direction did you see the earlier movement? I am at the edge of the wooded area where the beach ends. The movement I saw was only a few feet away from where I am standing, among some very small trees at the edge of the wooded area where it meets the beach. Footprints going into the wooded area seem to indicate that someone recently walked along the beach coming from the area where I found the suitcase and then went into the forest just to the right of where I'm standing. Because of the ground cover and type of terrain it's impossible to see any tracks in the wooded area.

From what I can tell based on the location of the sunrise and sunset, the plane landed on the east side of this island. I'm now standing on the beach on the west side of it, likely opposite the wreck site. I'm facing north, the southern tip of the island is a few hundred yards behind me. I can't tell how far north the land extends, but I can tell that in order to go north it will be uphill, and likely a steep incline for most of that.

[Acridian9]

Let's go north then: if from here it seams hard/impossible, find the better way, if necessary getting back east.

[CoffeeBean]

Let's go north then: if from here it seams hard/impossible, find the better way, if necessary getting back east.
Then north it is. I can get into the wooded area easily, it looks like a path has been made by someone removing some small trees and low hanging branches. As I walk, the ground slopes upward at an increasing degree, the trees thin out enough at times that I can see what is probably the beach area where the wreck is, several hundred yards off to the right.

Suddenly I've emerged from the trees onto a small path that is obviously used often. The ground is well worn and I can even see footprints. I've come onto the path at a place where I can take a slight right turn and continue uphill, or a complete left turn (almost turning around) and follow the path downhill.

[Acridian9]

Can you see where the path leads, both uphill and downhill? Any sign of living things?
Are footprints made by bare feet or shoes? Do they go up or down?

Try to move further uphill along the path, but hide if you see movement. Try to reach a point where all the island can be seen and have a look.

[CoffeeBean]

Can you see where the path leads, both uphill and downhill? Not really, but it appears that by following the path uphill I would go towards the high point of the island Any sign of living things? A few yards away on the path going uphill I can see a cigarette butt on the path, and a shiny object in the low growth next to the path
Are footprints made by bare feet or shoes? Do they go up or down? All prints have been made by shoes, and I can see some pointing in both directions

Try to move further uphill along the path, but hide if you see movement. As I start following the path uphill, I see that the shiny object next to the path is an empty beer bottle. I don't recognize the label on it. The path winds a bit, climbing steadily, and it takes me a good 20-30 minutes to get close to where the trees thin out and the ground begins to level out. Just as I am nearing what seems to be the top of the slope, I see a person standing maybe 20 yards away. It's a man, he's wearing a straw hat, brown shirt, jeans and boots. He is facing almost completely away from me, and he's looking into binoculars. A large semi-automatic rifle is slung over his shoulder. He apparently hasn't heard or seen me, so I crawl off the path into some low bushes and a thick grove of trees nearby.

A few minutes pass by. Then I hear the man say something in a language I don't understand. It's quiet for a few seconds, then I hear another voice coming through some kind of device, probably a walkie-talkie, but I can't understand anything that is said. It's quiet for a few seconds, then the man nearby says something else. After a few minutes of silence, the man runs quickly down the path and is gone.

Try to reach a point where all the island can be seen and have a look. I've waited for several minutes to be sure all is clear, and there's no sign of anyone. I emerged from my hiding place and walked a short distance to where the man was standing. There are a few cigarette butts on the ground here. This is the high point of the island. Looking in the direction that the man with the gun was looking, I can see only open ocean. If I were to take a few steps forward, I would fall over the edge of a sharp decline that doesn't flatten for a few hundred yards. The land to my right looks the same. To the left, the slope isn't as sharp. If I turn around, I'm looking back in the direction I came from. The land slopes downward along the path, and I can see across the island to the beach areas (that are obscured by trees). Below me and to the left is the rock face and wreck site, but those areas are hidden by trees.

[Acridian9]

So, this is the northest point of the island, right?
Also, it seams that we explored almost all of it, the only place left is the other end of the path, correct?
Then we should go down the path and see where it leads. But, try to hide if you see or hear something.
On the way down, look for other objects or things that may be useful. And take the bottle!

[CoffeeBean]

So, this is the northest point of the island, right? Practically speaking, yes. In order to get to the true northernmost point I would have to find a way to get around the base of this elevated area but it does not extend far.
Also, it seams that we explored almost all of it, the only place left is the other end of the path, correct? What I've explored is a portion of the eastern side where the wreck is, the beach extending down that side and around the southern tip, then a diagonal path from the end of the western beach to the top of the high area. If I go back down the path to the place where I came onto it, I can continue down the slope along the path to an unexplored area. Or I could go off the path through the wooded area making a diagonal path toward the wreck site, or walk to the left and I'd likely be walking toward the rocky face where the beach ends and I would be able to look out onto the wreck site from there.
Then we should go down the path and see where it leads. But, try to hide if you see or hear something. On the way down, look for other objects or things that may be useful. And take the bottle! As I passed the bottle I picked it up and continued along the path, watching and listening. Along the path are some cigarette butts and another empty bottle (I picked this one up too), and the path slopes downward and seems to be winding toward the north end of the island. Up ahead I can see that the trees thin out and the path ends at a low area that has a few trees. I got off the path and hid behind a tree as soon as I saw the man that I'd seen earlier. He and another man are facing away from where I am. They are talking but I can't hear anything they are saying. All I can see of the other man is that he's shorter and is also wearing a hat. He's holding a dark colored object in one hand but I'm not sure what it is. Beyond the men I can see the ocean. The trees and other growth make it difficult to see anything else from here.

[Balin]

Would you be able to get closer without alerting the two men to your presence?
Can you tell if either of the men were on the plane?
Can you describe the dark object in any more detail?

(See, whenever there's death involved in a game or adventure, I tend to get too cautious before trying anything.)

[CoffeeBean]

Would you be able to get closer without alerting the two men to your presence? Not by going toward them, they are standing only a few yards away from where the path ends. If I go to the other side of the path, it looks like there would be just a small wooded area then it would open up onto the same area as where the men are standing. I can move to my right and stay mostly hidden among the trees.
Can you tell if either of the men were on the plane? Neither of these men are the man from the plane with the briefcase. I never got a good look at the pilot so one of the men could be him. If I remember right, the other passenger who sat behind me had a beard and long hair. Even though these men are wearing hats I can tell that neither of them has long hair.
Can you describe the dark object in any more detail? I watched the men for a few minutes. At one point, the man raised the dark object to his face and spoke a few words, then lowered the object down by his side. A minute or so later, I could hear someone talking (not one of the men), and the man raised the object to his ear. He listened, then spoke one word into the object which seems to be a walkie-talkie. The shorter man then spoke a few words to the taller man, then the men began walking. The taller man walked directly toward the water, the shorter man turned and walked to the right. The ground must slope downward in that direction because he was out of sight after going a fairly short distance.

(See, whenever there's death involved in a game or adventure, I tend to get too cautious before trying anything.) It seems as if Acridian shares your caution and the two of you are using a wise plan of action so far...

[Balin]

Staying out of sight (in the trees), can you move rightward and follow the shorter man? (If I've mapped it in my head correctly, which I may not have, that area has more cover.)

[Acridian9]

Did you notice if the shorter man has a weapon? If the other still has the rifle? or the binocular?

[CoffeeBean]

Staying out of sight (in the trees), can you move rightward and follow the shorter man? (If I've mapped it in my head correctly, which I may not have, that area has more cover.) I can move to my right without being seen, because the land right in front of me slopes downward (so I'm at a slightly higher elevation than the man). In order to see exactly where is he is and/or follow him I would have to be out in the open with him, or at least at another vantage point than my current one.

Did you notice if the shorter man has a weapon? I didn't see him holding or carrying one, no
If the other still has the rifle? or the binocular? The rifle is still slung over his shoulder, and he may have still been holding the binoculars but his back was to me so I'm not sure of this.

[Acridian9]

If there is a way to follow the path without bee seen/heard procede, otherwise I'd like you to explore the northern part of the east side.

[CoffeeBean]

If there is a way to follow the path without being seen/heard procede, otherwise I'd like you to explore the northern part of the east side.
From here, I could follow the path away from the shore, back uphill, without being seen by either of the two men. By doing this, I can travel off the path and walk in the direction of the east side through the wooded area.

So I did this, and ended up where I thought I would, at the edge of the small rocky cliff. From here, I am looking down on the wreck site, a few hundred yards away. Turning north, I begin to make my way ahead. Soon the flat ground begins to slope slightly upward, as I am moving around the base of the elevated area. There's no evidence that anyone has done much walking in this area. As I come to where the trees thin out, apparently the northern tip of the island, I emerge on a narrow area of sandy, rocky ground, not really a beach, and can see out onto the ocean. I continue around the curve of the shore, now moving south along the western side of the island. The land here is much like that on the east side, sloping quickly uphill on one side and flat on the other side. After walking for a while, I've come to a place where the trees thin and the land slopes downward toward an open beach area. I see movement on the beach so I take cover in some trees and observe...

I can see the shorter man that I saw earlier. He is now sitting in a chair in a shaded area, his hands folded across his chest, the walkie-talkie on the ground next to him. I don't see the taller man. A few yards away from where the short man is sitting is a table, and there is a man seated at the table. He has a phone handset next to his ear, the handset is attached to a satellite phone which is on the table. This man is stocky, has blonde hair, he's wearing a yellow shirt and khaki shorts. He is talking but I can't hear him well or make out any words he says.

Closer to me, below me and right at the edge of the wooded area, are two buildings. One of them is small, maybe 10 by 10 feet, made of concrete brick. The other building is larger, probably three times as long and a little wider, also made of concrete brick. I hear the faint sound of a motor running.

[Acridian9]

Any windows? If possible (i.e. without being spotted), get near the buildings and have a look through a window or door.

[CoffeeBean]

Any windows? The small building has one small window that I can see on the side that faces the forest. This window is fairly small and has 3 small bars at even intervals vertically across it. The larger building has three windows along the long side, one window on the short side which is facing me.

If possible (i.e. without being spotted), get near the buildings and have a look through a window or door. I can approach the short side of the longer building without any chance of being seen. I do this and look in the window, but the inside is dark, I can't make out anything. To move along either of the long sides of the building will put me in view of the man sitting at the table, so I'm staying clear of the sides.

I can cross between the buildings using some tree cover and approach the side of the small building. This side doesn't have any windows, but I can move around to the back side without being seen. This side has the barred window, and if I raise up on tiptoe I can see most of the inside. There is one light bulb hanging from the ceiling, it's lit. I can tell that there are people inside this building, there is a man in a white shirt leaning against the opposite wall near a door, and I can see the top of another man's head, this man appears to be sitting on something.

I see the source of the motor sound that I heard, a few yards away from me is a generator and it is running. Several large barrels are on the ground near it.

[Acridian9]

Can you safely hide behind the barrels to have a closer look at them and at the generator?
Also, see if the small building (a prison, right?) is guarded.
Do you remember if the men in prison are the plane occupants?

[CoffeeBean]

Can you safely hide behind the barrels to have a closer look at them and at the generator? Yes, there are several barrels that provide cover. The generator is only a few yards away and next to the larger building. It is roughly a 3 foot by 3 foot cubic shape.
Also, see if the small building (a prison, right?) is guarded. I can't see the front of it from here, I'd have to walk out into the open to do this, and that would put me in line of sight of both of the men that I can see from here.
Do you remember if the men in prison are the plane occupants? I'm trying to remember. I recall that I was walking across an airfield toward a small plane, someone was talking to me, then I got on board the plane. Someone on the plane - the man in the brown pants, I think - was saying to another man that he was in a hurry. I remember looking toward the cockpit but it was dark outside so I couldn't tell much about the pilot. It's possible that the man I saw standing near the door is the pilot, but I'm not 100 percent certain.

[Balin]

Blaine, I'd like to know more about your physical skills. If you were (and this is a theoretical, I am not suggesting right now that you do this) able to approach one of the men from behind without being noticed, would you be able to silently knock them out and silently bring them to a place of cover?
If you were (again, theoretical) to throw something like a stone in the opposite direction, do you think it would distract the men long enough for you to sneak around to the front of the building (and possibly back)?
And can you recap what you have with you right now (your inventory)?

[CoffeeBean]

Blaine, I'd like to know more about your physical skills. If you were (and this is a theoretical, I am not suggesting right now that you do this) able to approach one of the men from behind without being noticed, would you be able to silently knock them out and silently bring them to a place of cover? In theory, yes. I wouldn't attempt this now because the only man I could approach from the rear is the one sitting in the chair, and he is in plain view of the man sitting at the table several yards away. Plus I don't know where the third man is at this time, and I don't know if there is anyone else here. But if I had the opportunity to quietly subdue one of these men then yes, I could do it.
If you were (again, theoretical) to throw something like a stone in the opposite direction, do you think it would distract the men long enough for you to sneak around to the front of the building (and possibly back)? Yes, and I think this is a very good tactic. It may not be effective now since there are two men here and I'm not sure the sound of an object landing would be heard by either of them, but I've noticed that it's fairly quiet in the wooded areas, so this idea may be useful at some point.
And can you recap what you have with you right now (your inventory)?Sure:
- In my pockets are some coins, a business card with the name Juan Perez with Worldwide Leisure Properties Group (my company), my wallet, and a brochure for a luxury hotel called La Gaviota
- In a duffel bag I'm carrying several articles of clothing, a flashlight that doesn't work, two empty bottles and a tool bag containing screwdrivers, a wrench, a tape measure and a pair of pliers

[Balin]

Not completely sure what to do at this time, so just running through the stealth game concepts...

[CoffeeBean]

"Not completely sure what to do at this time, so just running through the stealth game concepts..."

This is a good time to pause and consider my next move, based on what I have just witnessed. As I hid near the barrels, I saw the short man stand up from the chair, point toward the ocean and say something to the man sitting at the table. The other man also stood, looked toward the ocean, said something into the phone and then set the handset down. A minute later, the third (taller) man appeared from farther down the beach and stood looking toward the ocean.

Several minutes later, the stocky man and the short man walked toward the shore while the taller man walked to the prison building. I heard the door open and the man said something in a language I don't understand. A minute or so later the door closed, and I saw the man in the brown pants (from the plane) walking a few steps in front of the tall man toward the shore. The man, who I believe is Vivek, had a burlap bag over his head and his hands were bound with a plastic cable tie. I had to crawl to the side of the barrels to see where they went, and then I saw that they joined the other two men on a small floating dock. A moderately sized boat was nearing the dock.

When the boat docked, a dark haired man wearing only a pair of cargo pants stepped onto the dock and shook hands with the stocky man. The stocky man pointed to Vivek, the other man nodded, and the short man in the hat helped Vivek onto the boat. Meanwhile, the taller man unloaded some large boxes from the boat and set them down on the beach. The shorter man then emerged from the boat with some smaller boxes which he set next to the larger boxes.

The stocky man and the man from the boat stood on the dock talking for several minutes, then the shirtless man nodded toward the two men on the beach, got back into the boat, started the engine and pulled away. The stocky man turned, motioned to the large building (which is just a few yards away from me) and said something to the two men. As the stocky man walked toward the table, each of the other two men picked up a box and began walking toward the large building. They can't see me now, but it's possible they may see me if they come right to the door of the building.

[biograd]

I am having trouble visualizing where each building is relative to the other buildings, on which sides the doors and windows are, and where they face in relation to the shore/dock. Maybe a "local" map of just this area is in order.

Anyway, am I correct in gathering that there are no men remaining near the dock area (i.e. two are walking toward the large building, and the others sailed away on the boat)? I also gather that aside from the two boxes they picked up, the others are still in a pile by the dock?

What I'm trying to figure out is whether it's possible to walk/run toward the ocean such that there's always a building between you and the men, until either they enter the large building and close the door, or their view of the dock is obscured by another building. If that were possible, then as soon as the men can't see you or the dock, you could run over and pick up one of the boxes, then run back the same way to take it behind one of the buildings and inspect/open it.

[biograd]

Actually, upon re-reading I seem to gather that all three of the original men are still on shore, and that the third one is near the table. Where is the table relative to the buildings and the dock?

[CoffeeBean]

I am having trouble visualizing where each building is relative to the other buildings, on which sides the doors and windows are, and where they face in relation to the shore/dock. Maybe a "local" map of just this area is in order.

Since I don't know how to include a drawing, I will do my best to describe the orientation - from this vantage point, I am looking out straight across the beach area. The wooded area begins about 3-4 yards behind me, and I'm positioned behind several barrels. One end of the larger building is only a few yards away to my right, and there is an entry door on that end. But in order for me to go to the door, I would have to walk into plain view of the men. The front side and the opposite side of the building from me are all in open view from the shore. I am facing the other long side, and I can move along this side without being seen by anyone on the beach. The other end of the building is at the edge of the wooded area, and unless someone was standing near the dock they wouldn't be able to see that side. It is on that side that I looked into a window but it was too dark to see anything inside. The small building is directly to my right, partially among trees. The back side of that building is completely out of sight from the beach, as is the left side (facing the building). The right side and front are in open view of the beach. From the small building to the side of the large building is only about ten steps. The ground behind the small building is level in a small area but then slopes upward.

Anyway, am I correct in gathering that there are no men remaining near the dock area (i.e. two are walking toward the large building, and the others sailed away on the boat)? I also gather that aside from the two boxes they picked up, the others are still in a pile by the dock? Yes, the other boxes are still by the dock. The stocky man is seated at the table, the other men are walking towards the building (and me).

What I'm trying to figure out is whether it's possible to walk/run toward the ocean such that there's always a building between you and the men, until either they enter the large building and close the door, or their view of the dock is obscured by another building. If that were possible, then as soon as the men can't see you or the dock, you could run over and pick up one of the boxes, then run back the same way to take it behind one of the buildings and inspect/open it. No, in order for me to get to the boxes I would have to be completely in the open, as they are several yards away from the buildings. I like the suggestion of inspecting the boxes, but it will be difficult for me to do that as long as the two men are out there. The other man at the table is facing away from the boxes, so unless he turned around he wouldn't see me.

Actually, upon re-reading I seem to gather that all three of the original men are still on shore, and that the third one is near the table. Where is the table relative to the buildings and the dock? The table is several yards away from the larger building. The men with the boxes pass between in and the building as they walk. While I'm watching, the men come to the door of the large building, the shorter man opens the door and the two men walk inside. Less than a minute later they emerge and go to retrieve more boxes. They get them into the building so quickly there's no time for me to get to them. After the boxes are all in the building, the two men walk to the table and talk to the man seated there. A few minutes later, the stocky man stands up and goes into the large building, closing the door behind him. The short man sits down at the table, and the taller man walks toward the opening to the path into the woods and is soon out of sight.

[biograd]

I still don't think I get the layout. So, you are behind barrels along one long side of the large building? the long side that is hidden from the beach? but close enough to one of the corners that you can see around it and to the beach?

I also gather that the short side ("end"?) to which your are nearer is the one that faces the small building? Do both the opposite "end" from that one, and the long side where you can move, face the forest?

I've made a quick map, but I have a feeling it might be totally wrong because there are some things that don't check out.
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah1 ... hqzkwr.png

[biograd]

By the way, in case that map isn't clear, the long rectangle is supposed to represent the large building (which sounds like it's rectangular, since it has "short" and "long" sides), and the more squarish rectangle is supposed to represent the small building. Also, I can see that Photobucket adds random left and right arrows, but where I say "ocean and dock are way over that way", I mean the dark hand-drawn arrow. In other words, I'm imagining the small building being slightly closer to the ocean, but the ocean and particularly the dock being much farther from either building than the two buildings are from each other.

[CoffeeBean]

Thanks to Biograd for creating the map! Please read below for a few clarifying details, but it is a good reference for the puzzle...

I still don't think I get the layout. So, you are behind barrels along one long side of the large building? Yes
The long side that is hidden from the beach? Yes
But close enough to one of the corners that you can see around it and to the beach? The barrels are at one corner of the long building, placed a few yards behind the building (on the side nearest the wooded area). From this point, I can look straight ahead and see across the beach, the building is diagonally to my right, blocking part of my view of the dock.

I also gather that the short side ("end"?) to which your are nearer is the one that faces the small building? No, I'm at the opposite end of the long building and there is an entrance on this end. At the opposite end of the long building from the entrance is a window.
Do both the opposite "end" from that one, and the long side where you can move, face the forest? The long side nearest to me faces the forest, yes. The short side nearest me (where the entry door is) faces the beach, as does the other long side of the building. The other short side of this building faces the forest. If I stand at the corner of this building where the long side meets the short side facing the woods, I would need to walk about 10 yards towards the woods to reach the small building. So the small building is offset from the large building, and the area between the building is mostly hidden from view of the beach. The only way to see this open area between the buildings is to be standing on the beach near one end of the dock area.

By the way, in case that map isn't clear, the long rectangle is supposed to represent the large building (which sounds like it's rectangular, since it has "short" and "long" sides), and the more squarish rectangle is supposed to represent the small building. Also, I can see that Photobucket adds random left and right arrows, but where I say "ocean and dock are way over that way", I mean the dark hand-drawn arrow. In other words, I'm imagining the small building being slightly closer to the ocean, but the ocean and particularly the dock being much farther from either building than the two buildings are from each other. The small building is farther away from the ocean than the large building. The door to the small building is in plain view of the beach and dock, but not in view of either the table or the chair where the shorter man sat (because the larger building blocks this area from view). The barrels are at a place from which I can see about half of the dock (the right side of it is blocked by the building), and both buildings are much farther from the shore than from each other. i would estimate about 30 yards from the beach side of the large building to the shoreline, but 10 yards or less between the two buildings.

Keep this in mind - the "safe" (mostly hidden) side of the large building is the side facing the woods. The side with the entry door is out in open view of the table, chair, and most of the beach. The opposite short side (with the window) can be seen from the dock area but not from where the table and chair are. The rear (facing the woods) side of the small building is safe, completely hidden from any viewpoint on the beach. Facing that building, the left side is almost entirely hidden from the beach, a person would need to be standing on the far right end of the dock or in that part of the beach to see that side, and there is also some tree cover there. The right side of the small building can be easily seen from where I am, so easily seen from the chair but not from the table. The front of the small building can be seen from the dock and any area on the beach between the dock and the small building. It is visible from the table but not from the chair.

The entrance to the path that I used earlier is about as far to the opposite side of the chair as I am to this side of the chair, probably 20 yards.

[biograd]

I'm glad you liked my map--but it's still REALLY hard to understand your descriptions. I think we have to do away with any reference that has to do with the way you are looking (e.g. "to my right is *BLAH*), because that concept is ill-defined. If the barrels are near a corner, where the long "hidden" side meets a short side, then to see anything but forest you must be looking around that corner, which makes directions relative to you very ambiguous. So we really need "absolute" directions here.

So let me walk you through the deduction process I went through making that map, and you tell me where I'm mistaken.

This beach is at (or very near to) the northernmost point on the island. Therefore, the ocean is to the north, and the shoreline runs east-west.

Next, we know that not ONE but TWO sides of the long building are facing away from the beach, i.e. hidden. This doesn't make sense if the long dimension runs east-west, because in that case one long side (the south-facing side) is hidden, the opposite long side is parallel to the shore (and very visible), and the two short sides ("ends") are equally facing neither the shore nor the forest. So, I reconciled this by imagining that the beach is a half-moon/semicircle (as many beaches are), with the shoreline being the straight side and the forest edge being the arc. Then the sides of the longer building are roughly at a 45 degree angle to the shore.

Since I recalled that you got to this place from the east, I imagined that the buildings were along the eastern half of the arc. Thus, in my map, "up" corresponds to northwest, and the thick arrow points north (toward the ocean). I didn't mean to confuse anyone with that--it's just easier to draw rectangles aligned with the borders of the map and have the shoreline be at an angle, than it is to have the shoreline be horizontal and the rectangles at an angle. I also, obviously, assumed that the long dimension of the building is "circumferential" (parallel to the arc) because not only does it seem that a long side is most hidden, but it would seem much more logical to build a building that way than have it "radial" (i.e. a short end faces the midpoint of the shore, and the long dimension "juts out" into the sand).

So then, the long building has (roughly speaking) north, south, east, and west corners. I gathered that the barrels are near the east corner, and you are peeking around that corner to look "north-ish", since you said that there is a short side just "to the right" (which would be the northeast side). The southeast (long) side would be the safest, and the southwest (short) side, which would face the "bottom" of the semicircle, would be relatively safe too. But the northwest (again long) side would be visible from everywhere on the beach, and the northeast (short) side, which it seems has the door, would be visible from part of the shore.

It's unclear where the dock is along the shore--near the west end of the beach, near the east end, or near the middle. From something (I don't remember exactly what), I gathered that the small building was nearer the east end of the beach, and that therefore you were looking through the "gap" between them. But now I gather that the small building is near the "bottom" of the semicircle, i.e. near the opposite end of the long building from the one the barrels are close to.

[Acridian9]

(As we try to understand the geography of the place, we might also do something! )

There should be one man inside the large building (which may have turned some lights on), so we could go and peep through the window. I'd also like to know if the window can be opened (if it's safe to do it).

[CoffeeBean]

So let me walk you through the deduction process I went through making that map, and you tell me where I'm mistaken. Sounds good...

This beach is at (or very near to) the northernmost point on the island. Therefore, the ocean is to the north, and the shoreline runs east-west.
This section of beach (where the buildings are) runs north-south. The elevated area (small mountain, let's say) is at the northern end of the island. The wreck site is on the east side of the island. The area with the buildings, beach and dock are near the north end of the island on the west side.

Next, we know that not ONE but TWO sides of the long building are facing away from the beach, i.e. hidden. This doesn't make sense if the long dimension runs east-west, because in that case one long side (the south-facing side) is hidden, the opposite long side is parallel to the shore (and very visible), and the two short sides ("ends") are equally facing neither the shore nor the forest. So, I reconciled this by imagining that the beach is a half-moon/semicircle (as many beaches are), with the shoreline being the straight side and the forest edge being the arc. Then the sides of the longer building are roughly at a 45 degree angle to the shore. The buildings are only slightly angled away from the shore. The long building runs north-south, just like the beach area. The southern face of the long building has the entry door, the west face is completely open and can be seen from the table and the dock. The northern face of this building has the one window, and the eastern side faces the woods.

Since I recalled that you got to this place from the east, I imagined that the buildings were along the eastern half of the arc. Thus, in my map, "up" corresponds to northwest, and the thick arrow points north (toward the ocean). I didn't mean to confuse anyone with that--it's just easier to draw rectangles aligned with the borders of the map and have the shoreline be at an angle, than it is to have the shoreline be horizontal and the rectangles at an angle. I also, obviously, assumed that the long dimension of the building is "circumferential" (parallel to the arc) because not only does it seem that a long side is most hidden, but it would seem much more logical to build a building that way than have it "radial" (i.e. a short end faces the midpoint of the shore, and the long dimension "juts out" into the sand). The beach does arc slightly from south to northeast.

So then, the long building has (roughly speaking) north, south, east, and west corners. I gathered that the barrels are near the east corner, They are at the southeast corner, a few yards away from the building
and you are peeking around that corner to look "north-ish", This is correct
since you said that there is a short side just "to the right" (which would be the northeast side). This is the side with the entry door, which is to my right slightly from where I'm positioned now
The southeast (long) side would be the safest, and the southwest (short) side, which would face the "bottom" of the semicircle, would be relatively safe too. But the northwest (again long) side would be visible from everywhere on the beach, and the northeast (short) side, which it seems has the door, would be visible from part of the shore. West side totally open to the beach, south side also open (this is where the door is), north side (where the window is) can only be seen from the end of the dock and a small northern part of the beach, east side is hidden from almost all of the beach, can only be partly seen from where the chair is.

It's unclear where the dock is along the shore--near the west end of the beach, near the east end, or near the middle. From something (I don't remember exactly what), I gathered that the small building was nearer the east end of the beach, and that therefore you were looking through the "gap" between them. But now I gather that the small building is near the "bottom" of the semicircle, i.e. near the opposite end of the long building from the one the barrels are close to. The small building is farther north than the long building. From my position, if I could see through the long building, I could see the entire dock, but the building blocks my view partially. As I turn and face north, I'm looking along the east side of the long building, and past that building the south side of the small building.

Just keep in mind that A) the buildings are slightly offset from each other, the small one closer to the woods B) I can move along the east side of both buildings without being seen by anyone except a person who is sitting in the chair C) the east (rear) of the small building has a small barred window and the west beach facing) side has the door. So there is a way to move around near both buildings and be virtually unseen by anyone on the beach.

[CoffeeBean]

There should be one man inside the large building (which may have turned some lights on), so we could go and peep through the window. I'd also like to know if the window can be opened (if it's safe to do it). I moved down to this end of the building easily, and looked in the window again. The room is still to dark to see much, some incoming sunlight reveals some boxes similar to what I just saw the men unload from the boat. I tried the window and it can be opened, it's not locked.

[Acridian9]

If it can be done without anyone noticing (both inside and outside the building) try to enter from the window. Close the window once inside, and inspect the place and the boxes.

[biograd]

Thanks CoffeeBean for clarifying the geography. It seems that aside from the beach being mainly north-south rather than east-west (which really didn't make a difference in fact, until we started using directional terms), the root of my confusion was, like I'd thought, about walls being "to your right". I had assumed that if you were on the east side of a building trying to look west, that the southwest corner and south wall would be described as "to your LEFT"...

Anyway, so did the two men who were delivering boxes to the building remain inside the building when they were done, or did they go back to the table/dock area? If they are inside, I'd think that trying to enter through the window at this point would be VERY risky!

[CoffeeBean]

Anyway, so did the two men who were delivering boxes to the building remain inside the building when they were done, or did they go back to the table/dock area? The two men came back out of the building, one of them moved out of sight further down the beach, the other went back to the chair. My current location is completely hidden from sight by either of those men. The stocky man is still in the building somewhere, though.
If they are inside, I'd think that trying to enter through the window at this point would be VERY risky! If there was more than one inside I'm not sure I'd attempt to enter, but...

If it can be done without anyone noticing (both inside and outside the building) try to enter from the window. Close the window once inside, and inspect the place and the boxes. ...since the window opens fairly easily and without much noise, I climbed in and closed the window behind me. This room does not seem to be very big, maybe 10 feet by 10 feet. The floor is concrete, walls are concrete block, ceiling is metal. There is a circular metal light fixture near the ceiling over the door (which is closed), but I don't see a light switch anywhere. There are six large boxes in here, some wooden, some cardboard. The wooden ones would probably make noise if I tried to open them, so I looked in the cardboard boxes. One of them contains various food items - beef jerky, rice, crackers, canned soup. Another one contains various supplies - light bulbs, batteries, aspirin, bandages, toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags. The third cardboard box is empty.

I can see light coming through the space at the bottom of the door, but I don't hear anything on the other side of the door.

[biograd]

So the building has more than one room? I'm surprised (and relieved!). So the man isn't in that room I assume?

[CoffeeBean]

So the building has more than one room? Yes, there are at least two rooms I'm surprised (and relieved!).
So the man isn't in that room I assume? No, the only things in this room are me and the boxes

[Balin]

Would you be able to see anything through the crack at the bottom of the door? The side of the door? The keyhole (if there is one)?

[CoffeeBean]

Would you be able to see anything through the crack at the bottom of the door? The side of the door? The keyhole (if there is one)?
Unlikely that much would be seen under the door or around it, and there is no keyhole. I'm not even sure this doorknob has a lock mechanism.

[Balin]

Could you grab some of the batteries from the cardboard box and put them in your flashlight? (A light bulb as well, if it needs it. And as silently as possible...)

[CoffeeBean]

Could you grab some of the batteries from the cardboard box and put them in your flashlight? (A light bulb as well, if it needs it. And as silently as possible...) Done, the flashlight now works.

I have heard a few faint noises coming from the other side of the door, a creaking sound that seemed to possibly be someone sitting down or lying down on something with springs, and soon after that a heavy regular breathing.

[Balin]

I hope those sounds mean that whoever is next door is asleep, and not that they're faking sleep, and that they're a heavy sleeper.

Use your flashlight to look around the room. Try to avoid having the beam of light be seen through the window or door.

And grab one of those soup cans - might make a good improvised weapon if we get in a sticky spot.

[CoffeeBean]

I hope those sounds mean that whoever is next door is asleep, and not that they're faking sleep, and that they're a heavy sleeper.

Use your flashlight to look around the room. Try to avoid having the beam of light be seen through the window or door. I've seen pretty much everything that can be seen, this appears to be a storage room. If I try to move any of the boxes it will surely alert whoever is in the next room.

And grab one of those soup cans - might make a good improvised weapon if we get in a sticky spot. Ok, but keep in mind that I have a wrench from the toolbelt and two bottles as well...

[Acridian9]

What I suggest to do is grab all you can, food and supplies (at least one of each item) and hide everything in the woods, in a place where the men don't go or won't find them.

Then, I'd like you to go to the prison's window and try to comunicate with the prisoners, asking for info.

[CoffeeBean]

What I suggest to do is grab all you can, food and supplies (at least one of each item) and hide everything in the woods, in a place where the men don't go or won't find them. Good idea, there is some room in my bag for a few items. As far as a good hiding place I'll have to investigate further, I'm not sure which part(s) of the island are the most secure.

Then, I'd like you to go to the prison's window and try to communicate with the prisoners, asking for info. After putting a few food items in the bag, I looked out the window but didn't see anyone. So I slipped out and made my way over to the small building. Glancing in the window at the back, I don't see anyone inside at first, but then I can see the feet of someone lying down on some type of bed on the left side of the room. I whisper "Hello!" a few times, and hear another person on the right side of the room shuffling around. A second later a man's face appears at the window. He says, "It's you! I don't believe it, we were told that you were dead! You see, I'm the pilot of the plane, and we crashed here there was a fire and I was trapped in the cockpit. Mr. Alfonse and the other man saved me, but the smaller man said that the other passenger - meaning you - was dead and that the fire was spreading quickly. Alfonse was hurting badly and he does not speak our language anyway, so the two of us helped him into the woods. We had seen a bright light on the island and knew that there was probably someone here. We shouted for help as we made our way through the woods, and after walking for a while we heard footsteps and shouting nearby. I was pushed from behind and fell to the ground, Alfonse fell as soon as I did, and the smaller man was grabbed and taken out of sight. It was dark outside but there were men around us with flashlights, they were shouting and one of them had a gun pointed at my chest. Someone picked me up and told me to start walking, and they draped Alfonse around my shoulders so I could help him walk. There were at least two men behind us and one in front of us. We were led to this building, the small man sat on one of the beds in here and started crying, saying something about a business deal that he needed to complete. A stocky man with light colored hair stood in the room and was asking us all kinds of questions. When he asked me how we had gotten here, the small man told him that he and Alfonse were passengers on my plane. The stocky man then asked me where the plane was, and I started to tell him about the wreck site but I thought again and told the man that we had landed on the water and managed to get ashore before the plane sank. The truth is that we had to change course due to a bad storm, and there was a problem with the engine so I needed to land. When I saw the bright light below I headed for it although I'm not exactly sure where we are. The man seemed to believe me. He asked me several times if anyone else was on the island and I kept saying no. Since they think the plane is in the water they may not have found the wreck yet."

I could hear the other man mumbling something. The pilot turned away for a second, then looked back at me. "I don't understand his words, but Alfonse is asking me something. He is putting his hands at his waistline and moving them back and forth...a belt! I guess he's wanting to know if you've found his belt?"

[Balin]

I presume that would be the tool belt? Because we do have that.

[Acridian9]

Could you please recap what we have in our inventory?

[CoffeeBean]

I presume that would be the tool belt? Because we do have that. Yes, we do

Could you please recap what we have in our inventory? Sure:

Some shirts and pairs of pants, a pair of shoes
A flashlight (that is now working)
A tool belt with screwdrivers and a wrench
Two empty bottles
Some canned food, packs of beef jerky
Safety razor
Small bandages, swabs, alcohol wipes from a first aid kit
An almost empty small fire extinguisher

[Balin]

Tell the pilot that we do have the belt.
(Would we be able to pass the belt through the window?)

[CoffeeBean]

Tell the pilot that we do have the belt. (Would we be able to pass the belt through the window?)
The whole belt won't fit, but the individual tools will fit. I hand the pilot the wrench, he then walks away from the window for a minute. He then comes back and nods, holding his hand out so I hand him a couple of the screwdrivers. He walks away again, then returns after a minute. "Alfonse is still in pain but I think he can try to get us out of here with these tools," he says. Then he adds, "They are planning something. The blonde man speaks English as well as the other language that the other men speak, and I heard him say to someone that a boat is arriving soon. We don't really know what's going on here, but it seems that they demanded a ransom for Vivek and someone paid it, or else made some arrangement to get him released. I'm not sure, but I think a boat was here when we were brought to this building, and we could see a bright light somewhere near the buildings..."

He stops talking as there are loud voices heard nearby. Glancing around the building I can see the taller man walking toward the door of the small building. He is carrying a plastic tray with some bowls on it.

[Acridian9]

Hide before the man opens the door. If it's safe, try to hear what they say.
Have you explored all the island? In particular, Have you explored all the building area? We could try to see if there are other buildings around, or at least where the "bright light" could come from.

[CoffeeBean]

Hide before the man opens the door. If it's safe, try to hear what they say. I ducked down away from the window and a few seconds later I heard the door open. There were a few words that I couldn't make out, then the door closed. I snuck a look around the corner of the building and saw the tall man walking away towards the shore.
Have you explored all the island? In particular, Have you explored all the building area? We could try to see if there are other buildings around, or at least where the "bright light" could come from. I have explored most of the shoreline and some of the inner parts of the island, as well as the high area. From where I have been I have not seen any other buildings. I can't explore the beach area in front of the buildings now because the men are there, at least one of them anyway.

[Balin]

The tall man has left the building, correct? In that case, look back through the window and resume communication with the prisoners - how Alfonse plans to use the tools to escape, for instance, and what the tall man brought in the bowls.

[CoffeeBean]

The tall man has left the building, correct? Yes. It is starting to get dark outside but I could see that he walked away from the building toward the shore. No sign of either of the other men.
In that case, look back through the window and resume communication with the prisoners - how Alfonse plans to use the tools to escape, for instance, and what the tall man brought in the bowls. I stood back up and looked into the window. The lone light bulb in the room is lit and I can see the pilot standing in the middle of the room sipping from a bowl. I can see that Alfonse is sitting up on something, holding a bowl near his mouth. When the pilot sees me he walks back to the window. I ask him about the bowl, and he says, "They brought us soup, earlier they gave us some beef jerky and crackers. I still don't know what they want to do with us, but they are taking care of us for the moment. Alfonse has a cut on his leg, and the blonde man came in here to look at it, then brought the shorter man back with him and they treated and bandaged the cut. They obviously have food and medical supplies here." I ask him about what Alfonse will do with the tools. The pilot shakes his head and says, "I'm not sure, I don't speak his language. He seemed happy to have his tools again, he's been lying on a cot in here and he's put the tools under the mattress. The door doesn't have a lock on this side so there must be a latch on the outside. Maybe he's thinking of doing something with the hinges, but the only thing he could do from this side would be to pop out the hinge pins, but I'm sure that would make a lot of noise."

[Balin]

...sorry for forgetting about this one...
...could you recap?

[Balin]

If we were to go around to the other side to examine the door Alfonse is tinkering with, would we be spotted?