Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fourth Restart

Adventure into unexplored territory

Find the line again

Find the Confusion Ending Schedule

Narrator restarts the game

——Confusion Ending Schedule

       So starting from the right, let us ask, “Will taking the right door lead us to where we are going?”

And since the answer is clearly yes, then by all the counts, the door on the right is the correct one. Another victory from logic! Come Stanley, our destiny awaits.

       Oh, hold up, what’s this? Um…um…The confusion Ending?

You are telling me that what this is, is all one giant ending? Are we suppose to restart the game for ei…eight times?

That’s really how all this goes? It’s all…determined?

So now according to the schedule I restart again. Then what? Am I just supposed to forget? Well, what if I don’t want to forget? My mind goes blind simply because it is written here on this… this thing…wall.

Well, who consulted me? Why didn’t I get to decide? Why don’t I get a say in all of this? Is it really…no, it can’t be. I don…I don’t want to be. I…I don’t want the game to keep restarting. I don’t want to forget what’s going on. I don’t want to be trapped like this. I won't restart the game. I won't do it! I won’t do it! I won’t do it!

And the timer…stopped? Does that mean…Did we do it? Did we break the cycle, the…whatever it is that made the schedule?

 How would we even know? Will someone come for us? Will something happen?

So, okay. *sigh* I guess now we just wait.

You know, I suppose in some way, this is a kind of a story. Wouldn’t you agree? I’m not quite sure we are in the destination, or the journey.

Though that old saying that life is about the journey and not the destination. So I hope that’s where we are right now. We’ll find out, won’t we eventually?

Well, in the mean time,

THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END

Chapter Text

Fifth Restart

Narrator forgets about previous restarts

Stanley attempts to play the story but is prevented

Unable to go anywhere or do anything

The game restarts on its own

——Confusion Ending Schedule

       All of his coworkers were gone. What could it mean? Stanley decided to go to the meeting room. Perhaps he has simply missed a memo.

       What’s wrong, Stanley? Why aren't you moving?

       Oh, poor Stanley, did the last ending fright you out? Don’t worry. This time you will get a beautiful story as long as you follow my instruction. Let’s start moving with no fears!

       Are…are you trying to say something? I can’t understand your gesture.

       Move forward. You can choose your own path. Just move forward.

       Stanley has wasted one hour in his office. *sigh* If you don’t want to finish this story with me, you can just close the door, and let yourself rot in your office.

       What on earth are you doing? Three hour passed, and Stanley stares at his screen motionlessly. Maybe he doesn’t care about everything except for hoping to get a new instruction from the screen.

       Stanley, what do you want? I told you, I can’t understand your exaggerated gesture! Please move forward. It doesn’t matter which way you choose, you can just walk.

       Wait, are…are you requesting me to give you the authorization of speaking?

       Oh, that’s impossible. You can’t talk. That’s the rule. I am responsible to talk. You are responsible to listen. I am responsible to lead you, and you are responsible to move.

       I see you decided to confront me. Nice job, Stanley. Everyone feels your perseverance.

       *mad* Don’t you think I can just restart the game?

       Wait, why would I do that? That’s admitting my defeat. You know what? I can wait three hours without talking, too.

       (3 hours later)I can wait five hours longer.

       (5 hours later)*sigh* Okay, you win. I admit that I’m not a person with such patience. (Pushing buttons and sounds of machines) Don’t make me regret for what I’ve done.

       When Stanley heard a buzzing noise from some machine, he felt his body had some strange and wonderful changing. Then he found that he could open his mouth and talk.

       “Thank God,” he started shouting, “you finally agree to let me talk!”

       “No, you should thank me, not the God.” He heard a dissatisfied voice from Narrator again. “Um, but considering that my existence is like a ‘god’ to you, I’d take it as you were thanking me. I accept your gratefulness.”

       Stanley decided not to argue with Narrator’s nonsense. He started straight to the point, “You totally forgot the last cycle, right? The Confusion Ending, any impression?”

       “What are you talking about, Stanley? I blew you up in last play-through, the fifty-third time.”

       Stanley hastily interrupted Narrator’s arrogant talk, “I’ll tell you something serious, that you’ve lost your memory for a period of time.”

       “Memory loss? Me?” He heard Narrator laughed loudly, “Oh, Stanley, I’ve never noticed that you are so humorous.”

       “I’m not joking! Listen to me. This is very serious: We’ve been to a very confusing story in last five cycles. I first went to the door on the left after the employee lounge, then into another entrance of the Mind Control Facility. You restarted the game, but this time two doors became many doors, and I couldn’t find the way.  So you restarted the game for the second time. This time the doors were gone, and I was lead into a small wood house. There was a adventure line after the third restart, but it leads me to another entrance of the Mind Control Facility. After the fourth restart, we went from the door 437, and end up in a small room.  There was a big time schedule, and said ‘Confusion Ending’. It described our past experience of four restarts in detail, it even described that we found the schedule after the fourth restart, and what happens next. We have to experience eight restarts. This time you will forget everything. Also, you will disappear and I will die after the eighth restart. You didn’t want to follow the schedule when you saw it, but you didn’t know what to do. Then the game restarts itself when you were talking——do you understand?” Stanley said hurriedly.

       Narrator heard such a long story patiently, and said, “Oh, it’s very clear. You are saying that we have past a five-play-through confusing story, and there was a big spoil wall somewhere and then the game restarted and I forget everything about that?

       Stanley nodded.

       “Oh, great! I, the controller of the story, forgot everything, and you, the little guy who can’t even follow the instruction, remember them perfectly, right?”

       If Stanley still can’t figure out Narrator’s sarcasm, he’d be just too stupid.

       Narrator yawned, “Listen, I don’t know what kind of tricks you are trying to do. Actually, I’m already regretting for authorizing you to speak. Let’s continue the story, okay? Stanley?”

       Stanley was utterly discomfited. He shouted, “Don’t you realize? I can’t go out! It’s not I don’t want to! I can’t move anything! I can’t carry on the game, just like what the schedule said!”

       Narrator seemed to be moved, he said with a slightly puzzled voice, “You can’t leave the office?”

       Stanley rolled his eyes at the ceiling, “Or why would I stay here for eleven hours?!”

       “Un…” Stanley heard the sound of flipping papers, “It can’t be. You walk out of the office, then run into two doors, left or right, just like always…Let me check…You should be able to walk.”

       “No, I can’t. The Confusion Ending Schedule wrote that clearly. It says that after the fifth restart, I can’t move to any where or do anything. Oh, also, it predicted your memory loss.”

       “What?” Narrator’s voice was a little shaken, “Un…but there is no Confusion Ending in my script.”

       “So your script isn’t universal.”

       “No, everything is in my script.” Narrator explains seriously.

       “‘Everything?’” Stanley laughed. “Does it include our conversation now? Isn’t this a part of the story?”

       “It does.” Narrator said, “I’m also writing down what we are doing now, and everything happens before can be found.”

       Stanley was a little surprised, “Really? And…nothing about the Confusion Ending?”

       “Not a word.” Narrator said undoubtedly, and added with concerning, “Stanley, did you had a bad dream, and believed it?”

       Stanley shook his head, “That was real. I can at least distinguish between dream and life.”

       “I know you have a lot of pressure…”

       “That was real. I promise.” Stanley interrupted and said affirmatively.

       Narrator didn’t mock him this time, but asked, “Um…Do you have any evidence?”

       “Evidence…” Stanley thought slowly, “I’m afraid I don’t have any this time. But I think you and your script aren’t like what you thought to be. Um, let me ask you a question, ‘Are you sure you are the one who controls the story?’”

       “Of course, I’m the boss. I’m the author of the story and the only author.”

       “The only one...Hum…I’m afraid you’re not. Do you know that museum?”

       “What museum?”

       “So you don’t know about the existence of the museum. It’s at the end of the ESCAPE path.”

       “There was no museum. That’s a destruction center.” Narrator said, with a sound of flipping paper, “Right, you will fall into a cage, and see you self being killed by two big iron cubes, then I’ll restart the game. I thought you’ve tried many times. Also, I never understood why you would suicide so many times.”

       Stanley sighed, “I know what the problem is.” He stopped for a second, and said, “I remember it very well, that when the cage was being squashed by two iron cubes, my soul——maybe soul, or something else, I can’t feel my body——fell into a hallway at the bottom, then I heard another…”

       However, as he hadn’t finished what he was saying, darkness surrounded him. The game restarted for no reason.

THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END

Chapter Text

Sixth Restart

Find the line again

Begin following the line

Find an identical replica of the office that has begun to deteriorate

Attempt to make up a story here

Narrator restarts the game

—Confusion Ending Schedule

Like always, Stanley woke up from dark consciousness.

It was a new cycle. He turned his head to the door. The yellow of the adventure line is pretty bright.

He remembered what was on the Confusion Ending Schedule: Sixth Restart, find the line again.

"All of his coworkers…"

"Did you restart the game?" Stanley interrupted Narrator.

Narrator was surprised for a few seconds, "What? You can talk?"

Narrator's tone seemed not to be faking.

Stanley heard the buzzing from the machines and the voice of Narrator talking to himself, "Did I authorize it? How is it possible?"

Stanley sighed, "You forget again?"

"Forget what?"

Stanley didn't answer him immediately; instead he found a comfortable posture on the chair, "You won't believe me."

"That depends on what you would say," Narrator said, "but first, you must explain, how did you get authorization of speaking?"

Stanley laughed at the ceiling. Before he started speaking, he heard Narrator's resentful voice, "No laughing! It's very serious! Don't you understand? Authorization—authorization is not fruit from a tree—authorization is very valuable! It's something very important!"

Stanley shrugged his shoulders, "You gave them to me, in last play-through."

"No, I didn't. I blown you up in pieces!"

"No, that happened six times before. We experienced six more cycle after the nuclear explosion, but you forgot everything."

He heard laughing from Narrator, "You think I will believe those nonsense?"

"No, you won't." Stanley nodded, "That's why I will have a bet with you."

"What bet? Wait, you have no rights to bet with me, you cunning…"

"A deteriorating office." Stanley said one phrase succinctly.

"What?"

"Following the adventure line, we will find a copy of my office that has begun to deteriorate. That's the bet."

Narrator said both angrily and laughingly, "Mortal, do you know what you are doing?"

"If you lose, I only want you to believe what I say. If you win, I…"

"No, I won't bet with you."

"Why? You are afraid of losing?"

"No, the reason I don't bet with you is that it's not fair to you. It's not possible to find a rotten office, because it doesn't exist. I made the map of this story, and you know? I've never made any map of rotten office. So you have already lost, Stanley."

Stanley shrugged his shoulder, "We haven't started off yet."

"Okay," Narrator had no reason to say no, "If you insist, let's go. Um…I won't ask you to do anything if you won."

From the door 427, the adventure line extended to the corner on the other side. Stanley followed it to the room with two doors.

The doors were both opened, but this time, Narrator didn't say the "He entered the door on his left" thing that Stanley was already sick of. Maybe it was because the adventure line pointed to the left.

Stanley followed it and the adventure line pointed to the meeting room.

The dim meeting room was still empty. The slide show was still on, and there was a mess of working plans on the white board. Everything seems the same except the yellow line on the floor.

Stanley looked down to the adventure line. It formally bypassed the table in the middle and stayed on the floor, unlike the unbridled line in his memory at all.

"It's still not late if you went back on your bet." Stanley heard Narrator's bantering voice.

Stanley could even imagine his taunting face. He shook his head and walked forward.

Stanley went up following the adventure line.

Stanley stood in front of the door on the opposite side of the boss' room, and stared at the ceiling playfully.

"It can't…Why would the adventure line point here?" Narrator was confused, "This room does not have any exit."

"I'll just push the door, Mr. Narrator? It's not late for you to throw in the towel."

He heard Narrator sounded awful, "Do not get too complacent, Stanley. I still don't think you would win."

Stanley pushed the door; everything was the same with before, except that the yellow line pointed to the elevator. Stanley went straight into it and pushed the button. The elevator swayed lightly, and a nice music started playing.

"It's useless. This elevator doesn't even have a rope on it. It's just a box with a sound system. Actually…"

Before Narrator finished his endless chattering, the elevator door opened automatically.

In front of them was a dark and humid room. The structure was exactly the same as room 427, but the table was so worn that the number on it is not readable. The monitor was parted from the computer, and the keyboard had only half left on the table. The files on the ground were covered by dust. And in the corner, there was a fern.

It was a office that has begun to deteriorate.

Stanley guessed that Narrator's eyes must be filled with disbelief, if he was a creature with eyes.

"How did you…It's not possible…God…It's not possible…" When he heard Narrator's incoherent speech, Stanley even sympathized him a little.

"Listen, I don't have time to rebuild your values. Can you calm down first? I will tell you what happened."

"What happened?" Narrator's voice sounded dazed.

Stanley shook the old chair to check if it could still hold his weight. He sat down, "This is a long story."

"I see," Narrator heard Stanley's explanation, "it's…incredible."

"I know. But you believed it, right?"

"I did. If an office from nowhere could suddenly come out of your story, what on Earth could I not believe? Also, you said that someone else is controlling us; can you explain more detail about that?"

"No, that would be too risky. I wanted to tell you last time, but before I said anything specific, the game restarted. Maybe we are monitored throughout the whole game."

"I can't believe that I was controlled, too. Just like you." Narrator sighed.

Stanley did not comment on that. "According to the Confusion Ending Schedule, it's the sixth restart now. After the eighth restart, you will be missing and I will be killed. So I think we should work together now."

"Yes, cooperate. But what can you do for me anyway?"

Stanley could have answered that directly, but he could not resist saying, "Don't you consider other's feeling when you talk, even a bit?"

"What?" Narrator asked curiously, "Really? When?"

"Just now. And the sentence before, and a lot before that."

Narrator sounded more confusing, "I asked what you could do, is there anything wrong with that?"

Okay, he seemed not to know what was wrong with his tone, Stanley thought. Then he thought that maybe what Narrator said that pissed him off before was not on purpose, either. He felt like he could easily gone crazy. If it was not so urgent now, he will certainly have a talk about the rules of being polite with Narrator. But he could not take care of these right now. He just shook his head, "Never mind, it's nothing. I can at least help you in two ways: I know the content of the Confusion Ending Schedule, and I know more about the controller than you."

"Um. Yes." Narrator said affirmatively, "And what I can help is that first, I can check the building for you, you are using human eyes after all, but I could see using a more advanced point of view. Second, I can restart the game. Third, I'm way smarter than you."

"Did you check the office with your 'advanced point of view' then? What do you see?"

"Not a clue. It's just a rotten office. I checked the disk of the computers, the files are not broken, but they are just information of this company, not really useful. The fern has grown for at least two years. Besides, this office is really similar to yours, even the number on the table is 427, too, but it's not yours. Your office is hundreds of meters away, and brand new."

"Who built this office? Do you have any clue?"

"No, I can only say that the one who built it violated my copyright seriously."

Stanley decided to ignore what he just said. But a few seconds later Narrator said with his puzzled voice, "Stanley, why don't you laugh? Don't you realize I was joking?"

Stanley rolled his eyes at the ceiling, "Let's check other places."

"Let me see, I have checked all the offices that I can go in, and Mind Control Facility, and places like basement." Narrator said, "But still no clues. Do you have any idea?"

"Let's go to the escape pod."

"What?"

"Escape pod. Oh, you don't know that place. Um…I locked you up in my boss' office."

"Oh! Haha, I know that place," Narrator started laughing, "So you went to the escape pod that time. Haha, Didn't you blow up once you get in there?"

"How do you know?"

"I designed it. It only works when I am there. But I forget where it was. Um…Where was it anyway?"

"Beside my office, right upstairs. Right, what if we go together this time? Where would it drive us to?"

"Technically, anywhere within one kilometer and without any building blocking us because that's the range of my map."

"Okay," Stanley shrugged his shoulders, "Can you tell me the reason why did you design it?"

"I was going to write a story of you fighting with aliens, and you run away with that. But later I decided not to, so some maps remained there."

"Alien battle…Oh, you tastes are weird." He said jokingly, "Thanks for not finishing it."

"You're welcome." Narrator said seriously, "You don't like that kind of stories very much?"

Stanley shook his head, "No."

"What about the others?" Narrator was silent for a second, and asked, "Freedom Ending? Explosion Ending? Baby Game Ending? What do you feel about those?"

"Fine, I'm used to those." Stanley said casually.

Narrator seemed to be frustrated. He didn't talk for a long time on the way to the escape pod.

Stanley returned to the door beside his office, and went into the long, cold and dark stairwell. Stanley trembled by the cold.

"It feels awful," Narrator said suddenly, "I can't imagine how you got through."

"What feel? Climbing stairs?" Stanley didn't get it at the moment.

"Being controlled. You told me that there was another controller. God, Every time I think about being watched every day, it would be awful enough. But till now you are always under my monitor, and I didn't even think about your feeling," Narrator said, "You must be so upset."

Stanley was shocked. He didn't know why Narrator started talking about this, "It's been fine, I'm used to it," he laughed at himself, "I've been living like this since I remember things."

Narrator was silent for a moment, and asked carefully, "So…do you hate me?"

"Yeah…why?"

"I think…I treated you very bad before." Narrator hesitated for a second, and said softly.

Stanley laughed out, "How would you like me to answer that? Um… 'Ha! Congratulations, you finally find out that you are a jerk!' or 'Oh, darling, it's okay, I never blame you.' Um? Choose one."

Narrator didn't say anything. He got Stanley's sarcasm.

Stanley stopped laughing, he sighed, "If I say, 'I never hated you a bit', then I must be lying. You know, to be honest, you treated me, um…not very well, but considering your EQ, which is outrageously low, I don't think you did that on purpose. So…It's not a problem." He stopped, and added, "Actually, in general, I kinda like you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Stanley said.

"Why?"

"Why do I like you? Um…Let me see…" Stanley tilted his head and thought about it, "Maybe it's Stockholm syndrome? Just kidding. Your advantage is that you have no competitor. You are my only partner. So, maybe you are my friend."

"You are my only partner, too, Stanley," Narrator said, "To be honest, I actually cared about you, and I think I just wasn't good at expressing it. I admit that my emotional intelligence isn't enough…You might think I don't care about you. That's not it. I care about you…It's just I never learn to think in your point of view, sorry."

Stanley scowled; he looked up at the ceiling, like he can see the Narrator through it, "What's wrong with you? Why did you say those things? It's not a emotional talk show. Let's focus on this plight in front of us."

"You…you don't like to talk about this?" Narrator asked carefully.

"No, I was just…" Stanley paused a little, and laughed, "God, maybe it's that I've been used to how we got along before and don't want to change it…Really, I don't hate you," Stanley emphasized, "I really like you."

This however didn't make Narrator excited, he was still upset, "Ah, If my words made you unhappy, sorry. Ugh, I always say things wrong."

Stanley laughed joyfully, "Not at all, I talk straight forward, too. I like to see how awkwardly you try."

Narrator thought for a few seconds, and said uncertainly, "Did you mean that?"

"Uh…Never mind."

"Oh…" Narrator thought confusedly, and said earnestly, "If you have something to say, please tell me. I don't always get the implications."

"Sure," Stanley said, "One question, 'You want our relationship to be closer?'"

"Yes."

"Okay, but the time is running short, let's just skip 'changing relationship through a series of slowly trying out'. Um…We can just pretend we already had many long talks. And we are really close now."

"Oh." Narrator still thought he didn't get what Stanley was saying.

"Still no clue." After searching every corner, Narrator said.

"What do we do next?"

"Um, I think you said that there would be a book store in the next cycle."

"Yes, is that in your map?"

"No."

"Let's just restart. We can't find anything anyway. Let's go to the book store."

"But you said there were only eight times; it's the sixth. Are you sure we want to restart?" Narrator said hesitantly, "It will be the last time after this time."

"There's no point to waste time here. Let's restart and use the next cycle well. Oh wait. I'm afraid that you might lose your memory again when next cycle starts, so I need a way to make you trust me. Can you answer me a few question?"

"Sure."

"Your birthday?"

"What?"

"Answer me." "May fourth."

"Birthplace?" "London."

"You favorite color?" "Sky blue."

"Favorite flower?" "Tulip."

"Favorite book?" "Leaves of Grass."

"Okay now, you can restart it."

Then Stanley felt his consciousness falling into darkness.

THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: The Seventh Restart

Seventh Restart

There is no longer an office, simply black space

Wander in the blackness

Find a book store

Get bored and leave

Narrator restarts the game

—Confusion Ending Schedule

Stanley woke up again, he opened his eyes. Before his eyes this time is no longer his office, but completely dark instead.

Even though he knew that this will happen after the seventh restart, his heart still tightened up a little.

"All of his coworkers were gone," he heard the voice of Narrator, "wait, where's all the light? Why is it so dark?"

Stanley felt relieved when he heard the familiar sound, he looked up and laughed.

He did not realize that the ice between him and Narrator had somehow turned into warm water. This sound was no longer a boring sequence of instructions, but a person who he cared and minded.

He decided to lie a bit—maybe not just a bit.

Narrator was still muttering to himself, "What could possibly go wrong…"

Stanley said five phrases slowly, "May fourth. London. Sky blue. Tulip. Leaves of Grass."

"How did you know…wait! How could you speak?"

"You told me that I could get your full trust if I say these words, before you lost your memory. Can I get your trust now?"

"Lost my memory? I…"

"It's a moment of life and death, let me just tell you what happened briefly."

Half an hour later.

"That's what happened in the last cycle. Did you understand?"

"I see," Narrator said, "eh…Another question, the reason I told you my secret…is really that…I love you?"

"That…It was a little awkward actually when you told me that ," Stanley kept lying with a straight face, "To be honest, I didn't know you were going to do that such suddenly."

"Ah…I was so reckless, sorry." Narrator sounded a little nervous. He seemed to be…blushing?

"No problem."

"I don't remember at all…So, what was it like? God, I can't even imagine."

"It was very touching. We both cried." Stanley said, "You cried like a baby."

"Really? I hadn't cried in years…How did you answer me?"

Stanley laughed, "I surely love you, too"

The mood suddenly became subtle again.

Stanley broke the silence, "Um, let's go find the book store."

"Oh alright. You can't see, right? Just slow down, I will tell you the direction."

Stanley walked while touching the wall. It was quiet. They can only hear their breath. Stanley couldn't help to be kind of nervous.

"I can't see the road, is this office building?"

"No, it is…How could I put this? I think it's a maze. But the style of hallway is similar to your office building, even the corner…look out!"

Before Narrator finished, Stanley hit something.

"Uh…you might already realize. Even the corner has a potted plant like your old office building."

Stanley squatted and rubbed his toes. "What about a fern?"

"No," Narrator asked confusingly, "why would you ask? Is that for something?"

"Didn't you say it will be important in the game after?"

"Oh…I think it might just be a joke," Narrator said embarrassedly, "though I don't remember saying that."

"Don't worry, I didn't really believe it."

"Okay."

"Right, is the book store still far away? Use your 'advanced point of view."

"I don't know. The maze is not a map I designed, I can only see where you've been."

"Okay," Stanley shrugged his shoulder, "I can't see, anyway. I'll just count on you. You won't get lost, right?"

"Maybe."

"What's 'maybe'?" Stanley said loudly.

"Uh…A modest way to say 'No, I won't.'"

"Are you sure you won't? You can take me to the book store, right?"

"If I know what the entire maze looks like, I can do that without trying. But now I don't know, either, so…"

"Oh!" Stanley stopped.

"Don't worry, I will remember the way. Even if we run into a dead end, I can always take you back. It will just take a little longer."

"…My dear, can you say the important point first next time?"

"Hey, we have been through many intersections, right?"

"Yes, five."

"I'm very obedient this time. I went wherever you told me to."

"Well…Want a cookie?" Narrator told a right joke rarely.

Stanley laughed, "I don't want a cookie. I want chocolate."

"I don't have that."

"I know you don't." Stanley said, "As the one who declare his love first, you haven't even give me anything."

"Um…What do you want?"

Stanley thought, then said, "Ugh, I can't think one. I'll let it go this time." He laughed happily, like Narrator really proposed to him during last play through.

Narrator didn't say anything, then said seriously, "Stanley, I won't make any story you don't like. If we can defeat the 'schedule'"

"Hey, why are we talking about this now?" Stanley got angry, "But really, what if I died? How would you deal with it?"

"Don't make this assumption." Narrator said anxiously.

Stanley shrugged his shoulder, "Where's your humor?"

"We shouldn't joke about this."

"Yes. It's something more serious than your table, right?"

Stanley found a door. He tried pushing it. It opened with a creaking sound.

It's still darkness behind the door. Stanley sighed like always, but Narrator sounded excited, "Oh, we arrived!"

"Book store?"

"Yes, it's right here! A giant book store. Let me count. There're hundreds of books!"

Stanley suddenly relaxed, and smiled. Then he felt exhausted from this travel. He laid down, "You can just start reading. I don't need to read one by one, right?"

"No," Narrator staid, he sounded exhilarated, "God, I'm so nervous. Let's pray."

Stanley laughed. Though he was still a little bit nervous, it was the first time he felt alive since the fifth restart.

He didn't talk, but laid in the darkness silently, waiting for Narrator's news.

He even felt some kind of happiness that he never felt before in a moment.

But a minute later, Stanley still didn't Narrator saying anything. He realized something was wrong.

"Narrator?"

There was no response.

Stanley had a terrible feeling suddenly. His heart beats faster. He stood up and shouted, "Narrator?"

"Ah?" Narrator seemed just regain consciousness, and answered hastily, "What?"

Stanley was relieved, "You didn't talk. I was scared. Did you read? What did you find?"

"I did. I read every single book," Narrator said. His tone sounded full of anxiety. Apparently, the sentence had not finished. There are some bad news that Narrator seemed to be hesitating of.

Stanley was stressed again, "And?"

"The book…the books had nothing on them." Narrator innervated himself and finally said it, "It's just blank paper." He stopped. He said, "Sorry, Stanley."

Stanley felt dizzy. His brain was purely blank, and then came lots of chaotic thinking. He felt himself trying to say something, but he could not organize his language, so he stayed silence.

Narrator was silent, too, in the darkness.

Neither of them talked. There was only the sound of their breath for a long time.

Ten minutes later, Stanley said softly, "So you are saying, that there's nothing for us?"

"Yes." Narrator's voice sounded far away.

"We should have thought of that." Stanley stopped. His started smiling like before, "Maybe the designer of the game doesn't want us to just get out this simply, does he?"

"Yeah."

"If the clue is so easy to find, then it will be unlikely." Stanley laughed at the ceiling, "Let's keep trying, Narrator. Don't tell me you've lost your confident."

Narrator however was still very upset. He didn't respond to Stanley positively and just said ok.

"Cheer up. Don't be frustrated. We will success. Trust me."

"Ok."

"Let's keep looking. What do you think?" Stanley walked along the wall, and asked Narrator.

"I already looked." Narrator said.

Stanley didn't say anything. He squatted down and started groping from the bottom of a bookcase, trying to find something. But he didn't even find a little nick.

Stanley stood there and thought for a while. He went to the left side of the book store, and took out the first book, "Do you need me to check the book again for you?"

"No," Narrator was still in a bad mood, "I read them. There's nothing left to check, let's just leave."

Stanley remembered the sentences on the schedule. He laughed at himself, "Are you getting board?"

"What?"

He sighed, and said softly, "Nothing, just kidding." He cheered up and said, "Shall we leave and check the whole maze?"

He pushed the door, and went forward along the wall.

Nobody talked in the darkness.

Could he get away from the fate on the 'schedule'? Stanley did not know, he actually did not have any confidence himself. He was just pretending to be more calm than Narrator. Maybe it was because he wanted to protect Narrator, maybe it was his subconscious refusing to think and face this problem.

He comforted Narrator, and tried to cheer him up, showed how relax he was, but did he really think about this question? Did he think about the ending? He asked himself, but he could not find the answer.

It was silent in the maze. Stanley's trepidation started emerging. He tried to start a conversation, "I think we walked for like half an hour."

However, Narrator didn't response.

"Narrator?" Stanley said with louder voice.

"Ah, what?"

Stanley stopped, "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

Stanley shook his head, "No, you were distracted. Tell me, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing." Narrator dodged this topic stubbornly.

"If you feel upset, worry or fear. It's fine. Tell me. Don't deal with all of them by yourself, okay?" Stanley said seriously, "I am always with you."

Narrator responded this encourage with his silent.

So Stanley kept saying gently, "Don't lose hope, trust me, we can do it. It's not the end, we…"

However, before Stanley finished, he lost his feeling. With no sign, the game restarted.

THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END

Chapter Text

Eight Restart

The Narrator is gone

After a long time, Stanley dies

—Confusion Ending Schedule

Stanley woke up from darkness again. He found him in his office. In front of him was the monitor with a green cursor shinning on it. His fingers were still on the keyboard.

For a moment, he thought this restart was the same as usual—He will walk to two doors, and choose an ending depending on his mood today, and live a boring life as always.

But seconds later, he realized. It was "the Eighth Restart".

And he had not heard the familiar voice from Narrator.

He stopped moving, and listened. He even held his breath.

Half a minute passed.

A minute passed.

Two minutes passed.

He still did not hear Narrator's voice.

Stanley tried shouting, "Are you here? Narrator?"

There was no response.

Stanley's heart was beating so fast. He remembered the moment before the last restart when he was talking to Narrator, but he lost his conscious before he finish. He remembered the schedule. It should be the Narrator who restarted. But clearly, the game restarted by itself. Where is Narrator? What happened to him?

Stanley yelled, "Are you here? Narrator?"

He run out of his office, shouting Narrator's name while he was walking. Everything out of his office is same as usual. Bright light irradiated on his coworker's desk and hallway. There was no Line. There was no darkness. It seemed the last eight restart was just a ridiculous dream, but when he walked to the two doors, there was no instruction.

Stanley turned back, the door behind him did not close. He walked back to his office, tried to calm down.

Stanley thought he was ready for the worst situation, but when it finally happened, he found that he was never as strong as he thought would be.

"Confusion Ending Schedule" appears into his mind. It recorded the eighth restart easily, with only two sentences, "The Narrator is gone. After a long time, Stanley dies."

Actually, Stanley did not care about what would happen after a long time. There was only one thing in his head: what happened to Narrator?

It was weird. Stanley thought he would never care about Narrator, but now his mind is full of him.

Why didn't Narrator show up? Was he locked somewhere? Or even worse? Was he…alive? Who did it? Will he come back? How can he find Narrator?

Stanley could not calm down. He run through every corner in the building, and stayed for very long at every place. But Narrator never showed up.

He did not know how long he walked. Maybe two days, or three days. He was finally tired. He stopped looking crazily. He went back to his office. He sat down, stared at the ceiling .

Yes, he admitted his deep powerlessness. He did not know who designed their fate, fooled them slowly. Maybe he let him know the schedule on purpose, to enjoy his tons of vain effort.

Maybe Narrator was already died. Who knows? Stanley repressed his thoughts, to avoid thinking about this idea.

Then Stanley remembered, he would also die soon, so he started laughing at himself, he remembered every sarcastic, cruel word Narrator ever said. He remembered the word he heard before he was crushed by that big machine, "As the machine burdened into motion, and Stanley was inched closer and closer to his demise, he reflected that have been have no consequence whatsoever. Stanley can't see the bigger picture. He doesn't know the real story, trapped forever in his narrow vision. Perhaps his death worth of no great loss, unplugging the eyeballs from a blind man, so he resigned and willingly accepted this violent end to his brief and shallow life. Farewell, Stanley.

It could not be more appropriate using these words to describe this situation now. Stanley remembered everything he did, and realized that all he did was being controlled by that schedule, and knew nothing about the controller behind the story. Inexplicable adventure line, deteriorating office, dark maze and book store full of blank paper, and two sudden restart… Stanley shook his head, tried to clear his mind. He did not feel angry anymore, only tired.

Stanley shook his head. It cannot go on like this. He breathed deeply, tried to clear any complicated negative feelings. He stood up and moved his body, forced himself to be cheered, walked out and continued searching.

He could not stop. If he stopped, everything will fall apart.

He could not stop.

A long time seemed to be passed. Stanley did not know. He walked in the building mechanically, like a zombie.

Was this the fate? Was it already doomed since the moment he saw the schedule, even further, since some designer wrote it?

He did so much, to stop his and Narrator's fate. He tried everything he could. Was everything just futile attempt?

Stanley never felt such lonely.

Once he adapted the fear and powerless of death, he felt deeply lonely.

Since he had memory, that voice was always there, it was never absent. He used to not like that voice. He used to lament his lonely. He saw Narrator as a controller that he could not talk to. But now, he lost him, without any reason. He lost him.

Why did not he learn to treasure it earlier?

Stanley looked every familiar place he ever been. He could not stop to think of what Narrator said. When he walked to the two doors, to the broom closet, to every path, sometimes his tears would pour down whelmingly. "When Stanley came to a set of two open doors, he entered the door on his left." The words were so familiar, each tone and accent of every word was engraved in his mind. Sometimes he said these things involuntarily, and then he would be surprised by his hoarse and weary voice. And he became silent, until the next time he repeat this.

At first, Stanley tried very hard to get rid of this feeling. He tried to make himself not be immersed in memories of the past, and kept searching for Narrator or any clues to get out, kept trying to change what was in front of him. But as time went by, the memory kept jumping into his head. Like the tide water eroding the beach, his mind was finally occupied.

Hence, since some time, Stanley stopped. Like a sculpture, he sat on the ground quietly, reclining the corner, looking at the ceiling. Time seemed to be stopped.

Maybe he sat for a whole day. Stanley did not know. Stanley did not care.

Maybe a week passed. A month passed. He sat there, not moving at all.

After a long time.

Stanley sat like that, after a long time, until he suddenly had an idea.

"God, why didn't I think of it!" He stood up excitedly and run out of the door, nothing like a person who had not moved for months.

He found a way. It might work.

Even though he might not be able to get saved, he might have a chance to save Narrator.

Stanley ran through the left door, ran up stairs, and ran into the elevator behind his boss' secret door.

He waited for the elevator going down anxiously, and then started worrying. He worried if he was too late.

He ran into the ESCAPE path.

Yes, he thought of another man, another woman! The woman in the museum! Maybe she was some higher controller, maybe she was still in the story, maybe she could save them!

The narrow road was filled with pale mist, creating a terrible mood. Stanley could not care less. He ran as fast as he could. He had only one thought.

Jump.

Jump. He would fall into the cage. He would be crushed by the iron cubes, and he was sure this time it will not restart. But before that, his soul would fall down to the hallway. He would enter the museum. Maybe that woman was still there. He would beg her to save them. If his destiny was to be dead, at least he would save Narrator.

He must beg her, for any price he might pay.

The last sentence of the "Schedule" appeared on his mind, "After a long time, Stanley died" —was that how the prediction is fulfilled?

Maybe the end of this road was only pointing at his violent end, nothing else.

But it was the only hope.

Stanley saw the red wall appeared at the end of the path. He closed his eyes, and kept running.

At the same time, he heard a familiar voice shouting, "Stop!"

At first, Stanley thought it was his hallucination.

But shortly he heard the second sentence from Narrator, "What are you doing, Stanley?"

Stanley stopped. Then he shambled and leaned on the wall. He asked softly, "Narrator?"

"Yes, I'm here." The voice answered gently.

"Where have you been?" Stanley muttered, dazed, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." The voice answered.

"You are Narrator? It's really you, Narrator?"

"Yes, Stanley. What are you doing?"

"Oh, I, I wanted to go to that…" Stanley almost said that word that may cause the game to restart, "I wanted to get help."

"Help? Down there?"

"Yes, there might be something that can help me…I had no other way…I can't find you…I thought you…"Stanley said incoherently, "I couldn't find you…I thought…I would never see you again…I…"

"Don't worry," Narrator said gently, "shall we go back to office first?"

"Okay." Stanley is still not recovered from such a big surprise. He nodded his head, and went back.

Stanley went back to the office and sat down, then asked urgently, "Are you alright? Where have you been? Why didn't I hear you for such a long time…Right, do you know anything about the last restart? Anything about your disappearance?"

But unexpectedly, it was a long silent that answered him. When Stanley got nervous again, he heard Narrator's voice, "Sorry, Stanley."

"What?"

"Sorry, for what I did to you."

"What did you do to me?"

He heard Narrator signed, "I don't know if you could forgive me."

"What?" Stanley could not control to get nervous again, "What did you do?"

"I think it is hard to accept. From your point of view, I don't know if I should tell you. We could pretend that nothing ever happened. If I restarted the game now, everything will be just as before."

Stanley was completely confused by Narrator's words, "You mean…you can restart the game?"

"Yes."

"I won't die? You won't be…gone?"

"Yes, everything is the same as before."

"But something will be different. What did you do?!" Stanley stood up, "There is no such thing as a free lunch! What did you do for this? What did you pay to her?"

"Pay? Who?"

"Tell me!" Stanley yelled, "Also, say that you won't leave me again! Please, promise me!"

Narrator still did not say anything for a while, and then laughed softly, "Stanley, did you think that I sacrifice something for you safety? What did you think I paid? Freedom? Life?" He stopped for a few seconds, and said, "You are wrong, horribly wrong."

Chapter Text

This is a story of me.

My name is Narrator.

My job is simple. I sit at my desk and tell the story of Stanley.

The story I tell is, that one day, Stanley found his coworkers were gone, so he left and looked for them. He would meet two doors. There would be more choices behind every door. There would be more choices behind every choice.

My job is to write him more and better stories, tell his stories, and give him instructions. This is what I did everyday of every month of every year. I relished every moment of reading every line, as though I had been made exactly for this job.

And I was happy.

And then one day something very peculiar happened.

I finished an ending of nuclear explosion, restarted the game as usual, and prepared to start a new cycle.

But this time, Stanley sat in the office for eleven hours, and wanted the authorization of talking. I gave him the authorization, and then he told me a surprising secret. I had been experienced five confusing cycles, but I forgot. This was the fifth restart. And after the eighth restart, the story would come to an end. I would disappear, he would die. I despised this ridiculous story. I thought he made it up. Stanley tried to convince me. He tried to tell me that I was controlled, too. He told me the existence of the museum. When he was going to tell me about another female narrator, some force stopped him.

After the sixth restart, I lost my memory again. Stanley still remembered the content of the schedule, so he found the office that was deteriorating. He won the bet and got my trust. We decided to work together.

After the seventh restart, I lost my memory again. Stanley used some secrets of me that I told him to get my trust. He even told me that I fell in love with him (I even believed that). He told me to find a book store, so I took him to a book store with him. But unfortunately, the books had only blank paper in them. They were useless. When Stanley tried to find a new way, the game restarted. Then, after the eighth restart, I disappeared.

But this time, it was not the truth. It was what Stanley believed. I lied to him.

I was honest to Stanley, until the seventh restart. When I read the books, I decided to lie to him. Because the books were not blank, and every page of them has the same story. A story of getting out of here.

Like I said in the beginning, the main character of this story was not Stanley. The main character of this story was me.

Yes, it was a story about how Narrator get freedom.

I might as well call it 'The Story of Narrator'.

The first half of 'The Story of Narrator' was almost the same as what Stanley told me. About the confusion Ending, the time schedule, and the cycles before. About the museum, the female narrator and the truth that I was not the one who controls this story. About how Stanley tried to communicate with me and avoid the ending of his death.

It was worth noting that from these contents, I found that the 'Confusion Ending Schedule' was perfect. It predicted, or recorded every detail.

Stanley once told me the forth restart was different from the schedule. It said that when I saw the schedule, I did not want to follow it, so the game restarted on its own. But it was well written on 'The Story of Narrator', that it was me who restated. I did not finish what I was saying on purpose, to let Stanley think that "what is on the schedule might not be achieved" so that I can make him feel "maybe the schedule could be beaten". Why would I do that? Because I saw the hidden words on the screen, which is 'The Story of Narrator' that I will read after the seventh restart. It taught me to use that trick.

I did not know who wrote this story. But it convinced me to do that.

But after I restarted, I forgot this story, and the 'Schedule'.

However Stanley still remembered the schedule. As a minor character in this story, his existence is only for me to finish this story. His memory being not lost helped this process.

Just like what 'The Story of Narrator' wrote, He was a little afraid and worried, but he had the hope of beating the schedule. Hence, he wanted to talk to me. He wanted to find a way out with me. He told me that there was a certain higher controller. This made me pay attention to what he was saying. He convinced me using the prediction of the deteriorating office, so I trusted him. He told me about the book store, and I led him to the destination.

I really hoped that we could beat the fate together at that time.

I lost my memory, so I must rely on Stanley. Facing the memory lose, the deteriorating office, the mysterious schedule and the unknown destiny, I felt terrified for the first time. So I started paying attention to him, relying on him, and understanding him.

At the same time, I started examining my life before, examining the job of non-stopping telling stories, examining the relationship between me and him, and examining my current situation and my future. I got out from the way I was addicted of telling stories every day.

I started to think about what is happening to me.

I used to laugh at his boring job of pushing buttons, but what was the difference between his job and mine? I despised and sympathized his short sightedness, his narrow vision, and him doing nothing for the fact that he was controlled. However, the appearance of a higher controller made me realized that I was the same as him, pathetically.

In some way, I was similar to Stanley. We had the same pitiful fate. Maybe for this reason, we even became some kind of…friend.

I thought if the story ended now, it might be a beautiful story of two strangers who did not care about each other developing deep feelings under the same pressure.

But what story could have such a naive theme? I said before, it was a story of me looking for freedom. Stanley led me to the key location, the book store. Then I found 'The Story of Narrator' on every page of the book.

It was pretty simple in the last part of 'The Story of Narrator'. There was only a few sentences. I still remember every word it has.

7. the seventh restart

7.1 attention: the seventh restart is very important, it is the key to whether Narrator finally get his freedom

7.2 Narrator finds the book store with Stanley's help

7.3 Narrator finds this story

7.4 Narrator is reading this sentence of this story #important time point#

7.5 Narrator is aware of that the way out of the story is at 416 after the eighth restart

7.6 Narrator restarts the game

8. the eighth restart

8.1 attention: the eighth restart is the ending to the story

8.2 Narrator comes to the exit of the story, and there was no higher controller to stop him

8.3 Narrator gets his freedom

8.4 the story of Narrator ends

what happens next is a new story

After that, I understood the sentence after the eighth restart in the Confusion Ending Schedule. The Confusion Ending Schedule was only a minor-character version of my story. Yes, for Stanley, it would certainly be "the narrator is gone". But it did not mean I disappeared or died. Actually, that sentence means I am free. I could leave this giant jail.

God, how could I refuse the enticement of freedom?

If I had never known about the higher controller, if I had never felt the fear and powerlessness of not controlling my own fate, if I had never controlled Stanley's fate with my complacent, sympathizing, teasing attitude, I might would not want to leave here so much.

But no. The more I thought about my situation, the more I wanted to leave this story. I hoped to leave this cage. I hoped to be free. But now, freedom was just behind this office door, and the only chance, was near my fingertips.

I could be free, but only on my own. Stanley would not be free. He was only a minor part of my story. His existence was only in this story. He could not get out of this game.

I did not know what to do. There were many conflicts in my mind.

I could not say I did not like Stanley, but I could not fake how deep I loved him.

Stanley told me that I confessed my love to him. Of course, I knew it was a lie later. 'The Story of Narrator' recorded his behavior. But I was not angry for this lie. I could not stop thinking why he would say that and why I believed that.

From the fifth restart, our relationship had changed. I tried to understand him, care him. I felt guilt and relied on him. I tried to communicate with him and joke with him clumsily. We looked for clues to defeat fate together. Was that love? I did not know. Did he love me? Maybe, I was not sure.

I still remember how confused my mind was at that moment when Stanley asked me what the book wrote. In a few seconds of nervous and flustering, I told him there was nothing.

When I walked out of there, I did not talk. Stanley thought I was afraid and upset, and comforted me.

Do I leave, or stay?

There was only one chance. If I choose to stay, I will never leave. How could I stand living like that, being controlled, without freedom, pointless and hopeless?

But leaving? Stanley was still here. How could I leave him alone like this?

He was still comforting me. His tone was so soft, and so relaxing. I even could not see his fear and worry beneath his words. He said he would be with me forever. He said we still had hope…

I restarted the game.

I promise I was not eager to find the exit after the eighth restart. I was just…not able to listen to him.

Actually, after the eighth restart, I was always there.

After the restart, I went to room 416. The office was empty like usual, but on the other end there was a black door. It says "Exit". That was it. According to 'The Story of Narrator', that was the only chance I could leave without anyone to stop me. I just needed to go and pull the door, and walk out.

At the same time, Stanley will stay here and wait for his death.

What should I do?

For so many times I wanted to pull that door and get my freedom and for so many times I wanted to tell Stanley that I was still here, that I will be with him.

I did not know.

Every time I decided to walk out, I did not have courage to do so. I kept telling myself, think about it, think about it. But every time I wanted to tell Stanley who was crazy looking for me that I was still here, I still could not do so. Because once I talk to him, I would have even less courage to leave. And I desired to leave.

Sometime I felt myself laughable. Hesitating in front an exit for months? God, what was I thinking? Sometimes I felt myself being a heartless jerk, wanted to leave behind my friend, even seeing him such hopeless without saying a single word.

I thought sometimes a choice is a small ball one a pinnacle, and any slight movement could break its balance, making it fall to some unknown direction.

I remembered once I had even put my fingers on the door knob. But I heard Stanley walking here, I saw him being so distracted. His red and swollen eyes and his exhausted steps made me irresolute again.

I could not just open that door and leave like that.

Finally, Stanley was tired. He stopped looking for me, but instead like a sculpture, he sat on the ground quietly, reclining the corner, looking at the ceiling. So I silently looked at him.

I stared at him for a long time. I did not know what I was waiting for.

Maybe it would just continue.

Suddenly Stanley jumped up like a crazy person and started running. I was surprised and followed him. What did he want to do?

He went up stairs, into his boss' office, and then the secret elevator. I was confused, then I saw him running into the ESCAPE passageway.

What was he doing? Suicide? He finally gave up? He was so hopeless to end his own life?

My heart started beating. What should I do? It was urgent. I had to make a choice.

He was closer and closer to the end. He closed his eyes. No! I could not see him die in front of me! So I said, "Stop!"

Like the little ball finally fell to some direction, at that moment, I felt…so relaxed.

Damn the exit and freedom! I did not care anymore.

Once Stanley started talking, and I heard his raucous, from surprised to excited voice. I knew I would have no more courage to leave.

I could not think about that I hesitated if I should save him, and even more, that I thought of leaving him.

How could I think of that? Oh, God. How could I be such a jerk?

Chapter Text

Narrator briefly told Stanley what really happened.

Stanley listened in astonishment, and did not say one word.

"So…What are you doing now?" After a long time, Stanley asked with an absentminded tone.

"I am apologizing, I was wrong. Now I came back and I promise, I will never leave you again."

Stanley shouted violently like he was going to explode, "Apologize? Do you know what I had experienced? I thought you were died! I looked every corner! I thought you were died! I was even risked my life to try to find the higher controller! I even thought my death could save you!"

He shouted loudly, thrown the computer on the table, and smashed binders hardly onto the ceiling, "You son of a bitch! I have been suffering here along for months, and you were just watching me? Why did you even come back?! Why didn't you just let me die here?"

Narrator said cautiously, "Sorry."

"How is a 'sorry' going to help?"

"It won't…" Narrator said, "but I'm really sorry."

"You originally wanted me to die here, right?"

"I…If I could take you with me, I surely will. I promise." Narrator explained, "But that is not possible. I am the only one who can leave."

"Oh, of course! I heard you, you are the main character! You are the mean character! I am the supporting character! I should serve you! I am just some random guy! I don't even get a chance! Oh, how can I lead the story?" Stanley yelled angrily.

"I never see you as a supporting role, Stanley. I see you as a friend."

"Fiend? Do you even know what a friend is?"

"You are my friend, Stanley. Don't you remember the work we've done? Looking for the clues? I cared about you…Don't you think I really meant that?" Narrator said sincerely, " Also… Don't you remember telling me that I said I loved you? I really believed that at that moment."

These words seemed to have two sides. On the one hand they showed how Narrator was not a jerk with no heart or feelings. On the other hand it enraged Stanley. He hoped if Narrator was in front him, then he could punch him in the face. Unfortunately Narrator was just a invisible voice from the ceiling. So Stanley kept staring at the ceiling, "Die! You liar!"

"You really want that?" Narrator asked.

These words cooled Stanley's madness down like a piece of ice. He closed his mouth, he was silent for a few second, and said reluctantly, "Of course not. I'm happy that…you're back and okay. But before that…No, I couldn't forgive you. I can't do it."

Narrator sounded a lot more relaxed, "I didn't ask you to forgive me. You are happy that I'm back, and that's enough."

Stanley walked around, looking at the ceiling, like he could not think of what to say. But he finally sat down, "Okay, maybe I will forgive someday in the future, but not now."

"Thank you." Narrator answered nervously.

And neither of them talked.

One week had passed; Stanley and Narrator did not talk.

Stanley did not like the silence, but he did not want to talk first. Narrator clearly was not good at dealing with this kind of relationship. He was silent, only sometimes cough to let Stanley know that he was still there (Narrator finally became a little smarter).

So during this time, Stanley first stared at the monitor on the floor. It was still displaying the cursor. Then he collected all the files and pencils on the ground. He put the binders into one pile, then into a row, then into a pile. Finally Stanley tried to join the keyboard, for two days.

And Stanley sat down, staring at the ceiling angrily, and said disappointingly, "Hey, why don't you talk?"

Before Narrator thought a way of how to answer that, Stanley kept saying, "Okay, anyway, you gave up your only chance of leaving to save me, right?"

"Yes." Narrator answered cautiously.

"But you shouldn't leave me along for so long."

"Yes."

"I know you were hesitating, I can understand, but you totally could talk to me when you were hesitating, otherwise I might think something bad happened to you.

"Yes."

"Even if you decided to leave me, you should at least say goodbye."

"Yes…No. No!" Narrator explained urgently, and incoherently, "I will never leave you, Stanley. I promise, I won't do that, I promise."

"Oh, why? Why not?"

"I…I can't leave you…"

Wait, Stanley seemed to notice that beside nervous in Narrator's voice it was a little…tearful? Was that his illusion?

He interrupted Narrator, "Are you crying?"

"Ah, no… I'm not…"This time his choking is way easier to hear with sobs, "Stanley, I…"

Stanley could not help to laugh, "You are such a fool."

"What?"

"God, can't you understand what everything I just said meant?"

"What did it mean?"

"I've forgiven you, you fool."

"Ah?" Narrator asked surprisingly, and added dully, "Why?"

Stanley rolled his eyes to the ceiling, "Guess."

(Happy End)

Chapter Text

A long time seemed to be passed. Stanley did not know. He walked in the building mechanically, like a zombie.

Was this the fate? Was it already doomed since the moment he saw the schedule, even further, since some designer wrote it?

He did so much, to stop his and Narrator's fate. He tried everything he could. Was everything just futile attempt?

Stanley never felt such lonely.

Once he adapted the fear and powerless of death, he felt deeply lonely.

Since he had memory, that voice was always there, it was never absent. He used to not like that voice. He used to lament his lonely. He saw Narrator as a controller that he could not talk to. But now, he lost him, without any reason. He lost him.

Why did not he learn to treasure it earlier?

Stanley looked every familiar place he ever been. He could not stop to think of what Narrator said. When he walked to the two doors, to the broom closet, to every path, sometimes his tears would pour down whelmingly. "When Stanley came to a set of two open doors, he entered the door on his left." The words were so familiar, each tone and accent of every word was engraved in his mind. Sometimes he said these things involuntarily, and then he would be surprised by his hoarse and weary voice. And he became silent, until the next time he repeat this.

At first, Stanley tried very hard to get rid of this feeling. He tried to make himself not be immersed in memories of the past, and kept searching for Narrator or any clues to get out, kept trying to change what was in front of him. But as time went by, the memory kept jumping into his head. Like the tide water eroding the beach, his mind was finally occupied.

How long had passed? Stanley did not know. He did not have any hope. Maybe he was just waiting for the last sentence in the schedule being achieved.

He was, just waiting.

Death. Stanley kept outlining this concept in his mind. He remembered his "deaths" earlier, dying in the nuclear explosion, jumping from stairs seeing the platform with star light, being crushed by giant machines, starving in the office or his dark apartment. If everything could restart, who would even consider death? It would be just like sleeping. But now, there was not any chance to restart. This is the last death, the real death.

However, what if there was a future? Stanley started fantasizing again. Maybe there would be a restart after dying? Every ending reset the game, and why would the Confusion Ending be an exception? Maybe there was more to that schedule?

He knew that he was just deceiving himself.

But he wanted to live. Nobody wants to die. Either did Stanley.

A long time passed. Stanley was still alive. He was even a little surprised.

He realized slowly, that if he does not do anything, the story will not be going anywhere.

Stanley smiled; he seemed to know what to do now.

He did not want to yield, even though he almost accepted the truth. After all after the foreshadowing from the four cycles, he was not so surprised when it came to this. But he was still not bending. He tried to guard his self-esteem, which he had so little left.

Stanley must die?

Okay.

He must do it by himself?

No.

He wanted to see what this damned controller would do to him.

Till now, he knew nothing about the controller. Though he did not want to be angry about that damned person, or system, or god, or something else anymore, he wanted to know something before he die. Should not he at least to know who did this? Should not he know the reason?

There was no answer.

Who knows. There were many things that did not have an answer in this world. Stanley slowly felt that he could accept this.

Stanley suddenly remembered the baby game. He surly was so boring at that time, so he kept playing it for four hours, and wanted to know what would happen. Narrator did not disappoint him. He heard Narrator read a poem with his arrogant attitude. It said that he was the essence of divine art. It said that he would carry him to his garden built across river Blxwxn after he died to live with him.

Ha, why would he think of this? Stanley laughed, Narrator was simply another person controlled by someone just like him. How could Narrator ever do that? He even disappeared from this story for no reason. Maybe he died for a long time.

Right, what happened to Narrator? Stanley thought. He was already able to think of this question calmly, though there was still no answer.

Finally, Stanley looked down from the ledge or the stairs.

Why would he come here? He could totally jump off the cargo when he was coming here.

Maybe here had a more special meaning? Maybe he wanted to see the star light once again? He sure went there and watched for a long time. He even slept for a while. When he woke up, he walked up the stairs exhaustedly.

He looked down to the ground, and thought about what he did. For many time he jumped just to anger Narrator. He remembered when he heard Narrator begging him, he was pleasured.

He did not want to recall any of those. Let everything end. He jumped.

The moment he fell, he was still waiting for the voice to come. He realized that, so he pulled his mouth, and laughed at himself.

Then he climbed up and repeated three times.

Before his dazed consciousness fading out, he thought he heard a slight sigh and a whisper, "Sorry."

Then he fell into darkness forever.

Stanley woke up in the office.

He looked around curiously. The lamp behind him lighted the place. He looked at the computer monitor with the cursor, the files and pencils on the table and the painting of grass on the wall.

Narrator talked.

"All of his coworkers were gone. What could it mean? Stanley decided to go to the meeting room. Perhaps he has simply missed a memo."

Stanley followed the instruction and went forward.

"When Stanley came to a set of two open doors, he entered the door on his…uh…" Narrator suddenly hesitated, and there was a sound of flipping papers, "uh, right? No, I think it's left. Um? I can't find it, which page was that…" Narrator flipped for a long time and apologized, "Uh…Hello, Stanley, do you know where to go? I'm so sorry, it's my first day of work. I'm not so familiar to this yet.

Stanley shook his head and smiled, "How would I know? It's my first time, too."

"Oh? It looks like we are a new team." Narrator laughed. "No problem, let me look for it…Um…Found it, left! I hope we will have a good time together!"

Stanley smiled at the ceiling, and entered the door on his left.

(Bad End)