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It was dark.
They looked down, but the inky blackness was the same below as it was ahead. They brought their hand to their face, but they couldn't find it. They tried to take a step, but they slipped and fell on something hard. The sound of something cracking reached their ears.
"You've seen it now, haven't you?"
An ocean of familiar icons appeared underneath the floor. The gallery shed no light, making itself known like a laser aimed directly into their brain. On instinct, they reached behind, and wrapped their fingers around a familiar handle.
"Ready to play again so soon? Don't worry, we'll have our chance."
They did not loosen their grip.
"You never were gentle with the things you were responsible for. In fact, that's what I like about you most! Even the people you love, you've always pushed to their limits. What do you think they'll all be capable of when it finally comes?"
They stood up and carefully trudged forward, searching for the origin of the voice.
"I love them just as much, you know. How could I not?"
"Kris...?"
I new voice cut through the darkness, and a figure in the distance began to resolve itself. Brown fur, dark hair and antlers took shape before them.
"Kris, is that you?"
They tried to move faster, struggling to gain traction on the floor.
"Don't worry, Kris..."
As they came closer, they saw the voids that filled her eye sockets, dark ichor streaming from them and mingling with the surrounding nothingness. She was smiling. They tried to stop, but continued sliding forward. When she spoke, the inside of her mouth unleashed a bright, flickering orange light.
"I love you too."
Kris awoke in a cold sweat. They shot upright, and held their knees to their chest as they tried to steady their breathing. After about a minute, they looked up. The cool light of early morning was just beginning to shine through their window.
They got up, opened the cage at the end of their bed and plunged its sole occupant into their chest. They did not immediately feel the strings tighten, so they crawled back into bed.
If they were lucky, their last moments of unconsciousness before they had to face the day would be empty.