Scratches
Game Details: Mystery, 2006
Links: Moby Games, Adventure Gamers
Walkthrough Updated: 4/19/2010
Suggested Listening: Give Up Now (Ash 25)
Saturday, October 12th
Day Time
After the introduction, go to the front door of the house and unlock it with your gold key. Open the door and head inside. Wait just inside until the phone rings, then head forward into the room with the red chairs, which is the main hall. Look to the right and pick up the phone on the table to answer it.
Once the conversation is over, go back to the entry hall and enter the living room (opposite the staircase). Look at the books on the coffee table, and read the journal. Go through the door here to find the study. Head over to the desk and read another journal on the desk, then go through the drawers to find an envelope and a boring tool. Go through the double doors to find the dining room, then turn right and go through another door into a small hallway, then through the next door into the kitchen. Approach the sink, and look at the small cupboard below the bench here. Open the second drawer and take the knife. Turn right and try the door on the right - it leads to the basement, but is locked at the moment. Go through the other door here to find the maid's room. Go straight over to the desk and get some paper from the desk. Open the drawer and get a pencil, and make sure you look at the photograph in the drawer. Use the pencil on the paper in your inventory to reveal a letter in Italian (you can't read it). Head into the next room and look at each of the photographs. Go back to the small hallway outside the kitchen and pull open the curtain. Look in the vases and pick up the small key.
Now go all the way back to where you entered the house, and go upstairs. Enter the first room on the right to discover your bedroom. Go to the small table in the corner and put your suitcase on it. Open the case and take the pen and the matches, and make sure you read the business card, notebook, letter from Jerry and the back of your novel. Next, put your typewriter box on the large desk to the right. Open the box and take out the paper and typewriter, then click on the box to remove it from the desk. Look in the wastebin next to the desk and read the crumpled piece of paper. While still in your bedroom, walk around the other side of your bed and look in the black doctor's bag - take the stethoscope, then close the bag again.
Leave your bedroom and go straight down the hall to find the bathroom. Look at the towel hanging on the rack, then search the drawers to find a rag. Leave the bathroom and head upstairs to the second floor, then continue upstairs to the attic. Look around at all the items lying about the place. Open the chest and look through the pictures, then take the lamp. Try looking at the newspapers, but you need a specific date in order to search properly.
Now go back downstairs to the front of the house, and pick up the phone. Call Jerry, then call Barbara twice, then Jerry again - now you know the date of the murder. Go out the front door and find the mailbox next to your car. Open the mailbox and take the note from the electrician. After reading the note, place the piece of paper with the Italian writing in your envelope, then write on the envelope before placing it in the mailbox. Close the mailbox and return to the house.
Head up to the attic and look at the newspapers. Now that you have a date from Jerry, you can find out more about the murder. Head down the top flight of stairs and look beneath the wooden staircase to find a piece of newspaper under a can of paint. Take the newspaper, then go back to the kitchen. Use the small golden key you found in the pot to unlock the basement door. Go downstairs and look around. Things are creepy down here, but have a look in the fusebox and flip both switches. Head back upstairs and leave the basement for now.
Go back to the telephone and call Jerry again - he will tell you to go and look for some candles. You need to search in 3 specific places before calling him again. Go into the dining room and look at the candelabra on the small table, then look in the drawer of that table. In the kitchen, make sure you look in the top drawer under the sink. You have already looked in the third location - the chest in the attic. Now phone Jerry again and he will suggest going to town.
Head out the front door and go to your car. Open the door and get inside. Grab the keys from the glove compartment, and try to start the car - you left the lights on before! Get out of the car and head back inside to call Jerry. Go upstairs. Check out the two other rooms near your bedroom to find the main bedroom, and an African gallery. Now go to your room and get into bed.
Night Time
You will now be in a dream sequence. Leave your bedroom and go to the African gallery, which now appears different. Go to the boarded door on the left and look down, then pick up the hammer to end the dream.
Now you awaken and hear scratching noises. Go over to your fireplace to note they are louder. Head downstairs and look in the fireplace in the living room. Use your stethoscope to listen to the fireplace here to conclude the noises are coming from below. Go back to your room and go to sleep.
Sunday, October 13th
Day Time
Go downstairs and answer the phone - Jerry is not coming until the storm lets up. Now head upstairs to the 3rd floor. Go to the door behind the wooden staircase and try to open it, but it's locked. Look under the door to notice light is coming from behind it. Put the newspaper under the door and use the boring tool to push the key through, then pull out the newspaper - the key will get stuck so you can't retrieve it. Go down one flight of stairs and enter the bedroom opposite the gallery. Look at each of the paintings on the wall. Click on the object in the lady's hands while looking at the picture next to the round mirror, and you will reveal a safe. Try to open it, but you don't know the combination. Head downstairs and talk to Jerry, who gives you the combination. Go back upstairs and open the safe, then read the document and take the key.
Go back to the door where you lost the key earlier, and use your new key to unlock it. Go inside and pick up the hammer from the seat. Look through the blueprints on the table to see that there is an upstairs room you didn't find yet. Also pick up the paint can lid and key from the table.
Go through the other door here, then in the next room climb the ladder. Look at the rope up here, and cut it free with your knife. Keep climbing up to find a shelf. Take the can of oil, then use your rag on the dirty can to see it is a larger can of oil. You unfortunately can't open the can, so use the boring tool on it to create a small hole. Now use your lamp on it to fill it with oil. Go back down the ladder and pick up the rope from the floor. Head through the next door to return to the hallway.
Go down the end of the hallway and climb the spiral staircase to the top of the tower. Look at the crack in the wall, then use the hammer to make it wider. Tie the rope to the lamp above the crack, then pick up the rope from the floor and you will automatically put it out through the crack. Go one part of the way down the stairs and open the window. Grab the rope, which is just passing by the top right corner of the window, then try to go outside 3 times and you will actually do it. Climb down the rope and through the window into the secret room - the nursery.
Look in the top drawer and check out the birth certificate. Look at everything else around the room, then climb back out the window.
Go to the gallery, and look at the cabinet with the elephant tusks over on the left. Try to pull the handle, but you can't move the cabinet. Look right at the bottom of the cabinet to notice a small panel, then pry this off with your knife. Put oil on the wheels on each side, then pull the handle and you will move the cabinet. Look behind it to see a barricaded door. Use the hammer to remove the boards and go inside. Use a match on your lamp, then use the lamp to light the room. Turn right and move the sticks so you can open the curtains and let proper light into the room. Now read the two sets of papers on the boxes to the left.
Head right up to the attic and look at the newspapers again. You now have a second date you can look up to get more information. Go downstairs and phone Jerry for a chat. Go to your bedroom and start typing, then read what you typed before going to bed.
Night Time
You are dreaming again - leave your room and go to the previously barricaded room from the gallery. The mask is missing. Go back out again to see where the mask is.
When you wake up, go down to the basement. Light your lamp with another match, then use it on the darkened room. Go down the stairs and open the furnace. Climb inside and crawl right to the end to see someone walk past. Climb back out of the furnace, then head upstairs to bed.
Monday, October 14th
Day Time
Head down and use your matches on the fireplace in the living room. Phone Jerry to tell him about last night, then head out through the front door. Follow the path to the left to find a locked garage. Use your silver key to open the padlock, then go inside. Take the pliers and the screwdriver from the toolbox on the workbench, and the crowbar from the floor to the right.
Leave the garage and follow the path around the fountain. Keep going straight to find the greenhouse. Try the door, then use your oil on it, and open it. Go forward and look at the shiny object beneath the grate. Now go upstairs and walk around to the desk. Look in the drawers to read a note and get some shears. Use the shears on the plant on the table to get some leaves. Go around until you see a hose on the walkway. Tie one end around the shovel that is stuck in the garden bed, and throw the other end over the edge of the walkway. Head back downstairs. Attach the free end of the hose to the tap, and try to turn it but it doesn't work yet. Look at the fallen plant that is blocking the drainage over to the left, and use the shears to clear the blockage. Now leave the greenhouse.
Go back through the house and out the back through the kitchen door. Follow the path to find a crypt, the doors of which are locked with barb wire. Remove this wire with your pliers, then open the doors. Approach the right side of the coffins and open each of them; one is open and the other contains a corpse that you should look at 3 times. Step back and look at the plaques for the coffins, then pick up the small round rock in front of the plaques. Go down the stairs and look at each of the plaques and coffins, then leave the crypt.
Head inside the house and phone Jerry again. Next head upstairs to the attic and look at the newspapers, then select the new date to find the phone number of the police chief. Go back downstairs and phone him now - 0166565217.
Go out the front and check the mailbox to get the translated letter from Barbara. Read the letter, then go back inside. Go through to the maid's room and look at the floor beneath the small table next to the bed. Lift the floorboard and look at the photograph. Now go down into the cellar. Put the crowbar through the wheel on the pipe, then hit it with your hammer to turn on the water supply. Grab your crowbar back, and head outside to the greenhouse.
Turn on the tap, then head upstairs. The soil around the shovel is now wet, and you can pick up the shovel. Go back downstairs and detach the hose from the tap. Walk around the fountain and look at the shiny object - it will be washed away before your eyes. Go outside and follow the path to the right to the base of a large tree. Look at the ground and pick up the shiny key.
Head back into the house and go into the study. Use this shiny key to unlock the right-hand drawer, and read the letter inside. Look at the box, but you need a combination to be able to open it. Walk upstairs and go to the gallery. Use your pliers to pull the lion's claw off the necklace around the bust. Next go into the bedroom across from the gallery and use your screwdriver to detach the small mirror from its stand on the dresser.
Go out through the kitchen into the crypt. Once inside, look up to see the glass panels in the ceiling. Throw your little rock at the windows, but you will miss the first time. Go down the stairs and pick up the rock, then go up and throw it again. Now light shines towards the candle-holder on the wall to the left. In your inventory, attach the mirror to the barb wire, then hang it from the candle-holder. Go downstairs and look at the lit plaque to see the name begins with R. Leave the crypt and head back to the house.
Enter the nursery (via the rope from the tower window). Look at the blocks on the floor to see the remainder of the name: ROBIN. Also look at the numbers on the blocks to realize this could also be written as 59097. Go back to the study and enter this code in the box in the drawer. Open the box - it appears empty. Turn the central piece of wood one way, then try each of the end pieces and one will depress. Turn the central piece the other way and depress the other end piece. Now lift the central piece of wood to reveal the contents. Pick up the cathedral key.
Go out the front door and take the path to the right, then turn right and follow the dirt path to the cathedral. Use the key to unlock the door and go inside. Walk behind the altar and use your crowbar to lift up the ring attached to a floor tile. Head back towards the entrance, and up the spiral staircase. Look in the small cabinet and read the bible in the top drawer - you will find a large nail. Go back downstairs to the altar and look at the feet of Christ. Put the nail in the hole here, then look up at Christ's face to see the INRI sign behind it. Use your crowbar on the sign and the secret passage will be revealed. Go down the stairs and light the candle with your matches. Look at the table and read the letter, then take the branch before returning to the house.
Phone Jerry, then go outside and read the new mail in your mailbox. Click on the gate, but you are reminded you can't leave on foot. Open the trunk of your car and remove the battery. Go to the garage, and put the battery on the small crate next to the bicycle. Use the device on the rear tyre and you will attach the wires here to your battery. Now pedal the bike to charge up your battery, and pick it up again. Go and put the battery in the trunk of the car, then get in the car and try to start it. Keep trying, until you resolve not to leave.
Go along the dirt path towards the cathedral, and you will see the shadow of the tower crossing the path. Look at the ground here to see it is devoid of life; this is the area that featured in the most recent photo you uncovered. Use your shovel here to dig a hole. If you dig in the wrong place you won't find anything - you need to aim for the part of the shadow where the base of the cross meets the main bulk of the tower. Once you find the body, extract a tooth with your pliers, then cover up the body again.
Go inside to the kitchen and look at the grinder on the table. Open the lid and put the tooth inside, then close the lid, wind the handle, and take the ground tooth from the drawer. Repeat this process on the lion's claw.
Enter the unfinished bathroom near the base of the steps to the attic. Look closely at the discarded bricks on the right and pick up the metal rod. Enter the next room and use the rod on the little stove. Put the paint tin lid on the top of the stove to create a flat surface. Now in your inventory, mix the ground tooth and ground claw, then add this mixture to the leaf. Put this combination on the stove, then light it with your last match. Pick up the "stone" that has formed and combine this with your branch to form an amulet. Go and find the mask in the secret room off the gallery and use the amulet on it to make the house go silent.
Head downstairs and the scratching noises will start up again. Go to the fireplace in the living room and climb down into a musty dungeon. Go forward into a small room, and look at the ripped teddy bear and the raw meat on the ground. Now look in the dark hole to complete the game.