Loose Screws

A little work. A little comfort.

You're locked in a cold, dark room. You don't know why you're here or how to get out. There's a workbench, a bucket of mixed hardware, and a voice telling you what to do.

Sort the pieces. Return your work. Collect your credits.
There's another bucket waiting when you're done.

Everything has its place

Tip screws, nuts, and washers onto your workbench and sort them by hand. Each piece rolls, bumps, and settles as you work.

Use your tools to check their sizes before putting them away.

As you earn access to more demanding jobs, the differences get smaller. You'll have to pay attention.

Clean what comes in dirty

Not every piece arrives ready to sort. Wash the dirty ones before they go in the tray.

There's something satisfying about an empty bucket and a neatly filled tray. After a while, you start getting good at this.

Get better at the job

Spend some of your earnings on better tools and upgrades. Make the work easier, get through buckets faster, and earn more credits.

The better your setup, the more you can take on.

Make yourself comfortable

Your work earns credits. Credits buy things that make the room easier to live in. A radio for company. A light by your bed. A rug on the cold floor.

Arrange your space the way you like it. You don't know how long you'll be staying.

After a while, you catch yourself thinking about what to buy next instead of how to leave.

Listen to the voice

It tells you how to do your job. It congratulates you when you finish. It even notices when you take a break.

You're beginning to understand what it expects of you.

You still don't know who's speaking, why the door is locked, or whether doing everything right will ever get you out.