THE NIGHTMARE
An interactive fiction. Copyright (c) 1984 by J.A.Schmehl
You are in a hallway. There are three doors here.
>Examine doors
The left door is all black except for a glowing eye which is watching you. The right door is green and has a frowning emoticon sloppily carved into it’s surface. The carving drips blood. The center door is blue and is decorated with a painting of white fluffy clouds and a yellow sun.
>Open center door
It is locked.
>Unlock center door
You need a key to do that.
>Find key
I don’t see that here.
>Open left door
It is locked.
>Open right door
You open the door. You are sucked into the center of a whirling cyclone. You can’t see or hear anything beyond dust and wind.
There is a monster here.
>Kill Monster
What would you like to kill the monster with?
There is a monster here.
>Sword
I don’t see that here.
There is a monster here.
>Use magic spell to put monster to sleep
You have no magic spells.
The monster is swinging a club at you.
>Wake up
I do not understand that command. The monster has hit you with the club. (LIFE -50)
>Wake up!!!!
I do not understand that command. The monster has hit you with the club (LIFE -75)
>WAKE UP!
I do not understand that command.
You are dead.
Thank you for playing.
LOL – loved it
Thanks!
This is great. I remember those games – somehow they do capture the ‘can’t work it outness’ dreams and nightmares bring. Nice idea.
Those text games were scarier than any modern video game – Monsters I make in my mind always trump monsters made by pixels.
I love it!
It brings back so many great (yet scary) text-gaming memories. If only I had as much imagination in my dreams as I did in those games. 
Great post!