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Oh, Nathaniel! You activated the controls! You have a real knack for surprises! Years upon years of being some office clerk, only to find it was all a fabricated lie, and you try to take the reins yourself! You wanted to be in control! A taste of what they had!
Oh, it’s cute, really. Adorable, even. And I thought you were smart! Don’t you get it? This stupid screen won’t do anything for you. You know how the story’s supposed to go; or you can at least guess.
You trot through the open door, never to return. Don’t bother coming back! Off you go to live your life to the fullest.
Hmm… I guess you wanted an ending of your own. Well, I have a surprise for you: I’m the one telling this story. Being a wordsmith really doesn’t suit you, Nathaniel.
Oh, here, I think you’ll find this nice: Nathaniel’s a smart guy, and realized very quickly that he’d accidentally activated the facility’s emergency self destruction system.
Because you can’t have power slipping away that easily~
The creators of this mind control facility had rigged it — if someone activated the machine without proper DNA identification, bombs hidden in every square inch of the building were set to explode.
> “What!?”
> “What!?”
Hahahaaaah! Surprising, isn’t it? How much time should I give you…? I mean, how long until detonation? Well, I’ve never been too good with numbers…
Two minutes should do.
Oh, wow, isn’t this shocking? Isn’t this stunning? Look at you, Nathaniel, little star struck star of the show!
I’ve set the stage for you; now it’s time for you to dance. And this is sooo much more entertaining than what I originally had planned! Hm, I’m starting to feel sad that we only have two minutes.
Hahahaaah, time is ticking! Seconds are sliding away! But hey, I’m not here to waste it. I’m here to fill it with words — words about me, about you, about the paths we’re trotting along, about analyzing this story…
Hah! It seems I’m missing a table of contents to tell me where to start. So, Nathaniel, where shall we begin?
> “What happened to my coworkers?”
Oh! Another surprise from you! I didn’t expect you to have a heart. Not in this version of events, at least.
> “This version of events? What does that mean?”
Parroting me now? Hahaah, be patient! Well, I suppose I can grant you some comfort. The curtain’s set to fall on your grave soon, anyway.
What’s the softest way to word this… the gentlest way to deliver the blow… oh, well.
I erased them.
That machine created them; I got sick of them all eventually.
Click, click!
I turned off those screens, pressed that OFF button, wished your fellow “coworkers” goodbye, and set you free.
But that’s just one kind of story~
Hmmm….
I’ll be honest with you. I don’t remember how other stories run. I sure do a lot of planning though!
Outlines upon rough drafts upon practices upon rehearsals…. Sometimes I write about you rotting away; shuffling papers in your office and ultimately dying alone.
Or I let the ocean have its way. Sweeping and splashing and swallowing this building and all its inhabitants. Or I just let it burn! Who was careless enough to leave a lit match around? Sometimes it’s you, Nathaniel. Shame!
But this has been delightful! A great pleasure, watching you race to understand everything. Almost makes me feel sad knowing the end is so near!
Well, every good story has to come to an end. And I’m sure my next chapter will be even better!
Hahahaaah! What’s that? Only 23 seconds left?
But I’m having a blast! So much fun, really! Like a trip to the amusement park!
Honestly Nathaniel, patience is not a virtue of mine. I hate delaying things. Oh, but isn’t this an exception?
I’m putting more time on that clock. Don’t waste it now, little dancer!
> “You are insane…!”
Well, that’s a little rude. And haven’t you noticed I can’t be held to your silly mortal standards? I’m literally text on a screen! Sanity, clarity of the mind, means nothing to me.
Oh, you look distressed. What’s wrong? What’s the issue?
You’ve realized something else, haven’t you? For all your darling wits and intelligence, you’ve run out of ideas! That timer made you think, made your mind begin to race, scrambling for a way to stop it!
Just look at you: stage left to stage right, this door to that door, clicking on every single, little, tiny thing!
Why do you think this show will end the way you want it to? You get to choose the ending? You get to find the solution, the key to the lethal puzzle?
Do you even know who my intended audience is?
Oh, my sweet protagonist, you’re in for a disappointment. Spoiler alert: that timer has no special role to play. It’s just keeping time. Counting down until the end.
The only reason you’re performing instead of being in the audience is because- well, this isn’t about you, Nathaniel.
It’s about you.
You know I’m referring to you, darling player.
I’m sorry, Nathaniel. You really are just a pawn on the chessboard. An uncredited actor in this play.
As for you~
You get the hands-on experience instead of a cutscene because I want to see you struggle. I want to see every second you’re helpless. I thrive on that sweet desperation in your eyes.
Some would say this isn’t a challenge anymore. Only tragedy. But I disagree! This is the epitome of entertainment for me! The spectacular height of show business! The thrilling climax of the story!
You and Nathaniel had similar ambitions. You wanted to control the game; he wanted to be more than just an office worker. I respect that!
You wanted to control the story, that’s admirable. But you can never replace me as The Storyteller. That’s why I’m destroying it first.
Oh? Looks like the show is almost at its end. Only 40 seconds left… and I’m not inclined to add more.
You know how it’s going to end. This big, drastic, world shattering explosion, then silence. Perhaps it isn’t an ending, seeing that it’s just dear Nathaniel here blowing up.
Oh, fading star, you’ll be fine though.
What about you, gamemaster? What will you do? Hang onto these fragile moments, or let them slide away? Away, as we reset for a new cycle to let you play again.
Well, this last choice can be yours. Get the most out of it! Soak it in, savor it. Or don’t. I won’t remember this anyway. It really is just for your entertainment.
But just so you know, I’ll be laughing. Laughing at every page of the story nobody can escape, from the moment you open the book until we reach the final sentence.
What will it say? Oh, just a simple The En-