Everything Went Dark
You gain different knowledge from each choice, yet they all led here. Why? Is it because of a lack of creativity? A fourth wall break? I don't know. But there is a reason you chose the thing you chose. Was it a strategy? Was it random? Is this not your first time here? I don't know. I can't know. I'll never know.
It's strange, you know. You type for hours, only for it all to end. And for who to read? Seven people who may not even read through all of this? Where is the satisfaction? It feels incomplete. There is so much more to write. So many ideas. So much needs to be edited. It isn't good enough. It's not long enough. Is it cringey? Is it cliché? Does it lack detail? Is it too dark? Does it even make any sense?
Who was in the mirror?
What were the stories?
What song was playing?
I was in the mirror. You were in the mirror. Tatum was in the mirror. Evie was in the mirror. Jennan was in the mirror. Addie was in the mirror. Jack was in the mirror. Jordan was in the mirror. Emma was in the mirror. Elliana was in the mirror.
There was an alien story. A cult story. A murder game. A jungle temple game. A rebellion story. A fourth wall break. A time travel story. A snail story. A garlic bread story. A pie story. A ghost story. Whatever the hell this is. And possibly more to come.
This is the one thing that is the same. Finally. Something that can be controlled. Something that I can control. I know this. I know this. I know this. We'll Meet Again, by Vera Lee. I know this song. I know the lyrics. I know why the radio played it. I know this...
We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singing this song
...what will happen once this is over? What will I do? What will happen to every word that has been typed? Gone? Forgotten? Shared? Deleted? Reedited? I don't know.
What I do know is that no matter what happens, even real death, I know we'll meet again some sunny day. A lot of us are sad. We are not okay. And yet, we keep smiling through. Just like you always do!
I've wondered how and when this will be read. On a phone? Chromebook? Home laptop? Read together? In the middle of class? At night? While procrastinating homework? On a long car drive?
I don't know.
I do know that my friends reading this will be happy to know, that as you saw me go, go finish this story. Finish what has consumed so much of my time. Consumed my thoughts. Consumed me.
When we all graduate, we won't go to college together. We may loose contact. We may forget one another. That's okay. That's how life is. We will grow and make new friends. But I don't know where and I don't know when, I just know we'll meet again some sunny day. Whether it's in a grocery store, high school reunions, church, or even after death. We will meet again. Maybe someone will remember and reach out to everyone. Maybe someone will find this and reread it. But I don't know, how would I?
But it's over. This story, at least. Will I make another? Possibly, it depends on how this one does. Maybe I'll include more people. Make it shorter. Who knows? Not me. I don't know.
Who knew that the end would be so bittersweet? Not me. Maybe this isn't sad to you, maybe this is funny. Maybe you still think this is a plotline. And it could be, as long as the words, The End, don't pop up then the story will never end. That's it! We can stay friend. We won't separate. Nothing will change. I will know what happens. It will be okay. But that isn't right. It isn't fair. Or maybe it is. I can't help but questioning if this is really how it ends. Oh, god. I don't want this to end. I've spent so long on this, what do I do now? I feel a little lost right now. I'm stalling to end this, can't you see? I don't want it to end. Do you think that death would feel like this? Confused, lost, bittersweet. I could keep this going, I could never end it. But I won't. I can't. Tell my friends, I won't be long.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Sorry. I'm just struggling to grasp the idea of everything right now. This is the one true ending, y'know? You might not believe me, and that's okay. This is my story. I'm supposed to have full control over every single thing that happens. Everything. But I don't. I want to know. I want to have control. Please, damnnit! Give me control. I'm losing the story. Or am I? Do I just have everything under control and I'm not aware? Do you know the original plan I had? There were going to be four characters. Four plotlines. At least 5,000 words. 10 endings. That was the plan. But it got out of control.
Oh. I'm taking up too much of your time.
I'm sorry.
It's The End.
Is it really?
I don't know.
It's strange, you know. You type for hours, only for it all to end. And for who to read? Seven people who may not even read through all of this? Where is the satisfaction? It feels incomplete. There is so much more to write. So many ideas. So much needs to be edited. It isn't good enough. It's not long enough. Is it cringey? Is it cliché? Does it lack detail? Is it too dark? Does it even make any sense?
Who was in the mirror?
What were the stories?
What song was playing?
I was in the mirror. You were in the mirror. Tatum was in the mirror. Evie was in the mirror. Jennan was in the mirror. Addie was in the mirror. Jack was in the mirror. Jordan was in the mirror. Emma was in the mirror. Elliana was in the mirror.
There was an alien story. A cult story. A murder game. A jungle temple game. A rebellion story. A fourth wall break. A time travel story. A snail story. A garlic bread story. A pie story. A ghost story. Whatever the hell this is. And possibly more to come.
This is the one thing that is the same. Finally. Something that can be controlled. Something that I can control. I know this. I know this. I know this. We'll Meet Again, by Vera Lee. I know this song. I know the lyrics. I know why the radio played it. I know this...
We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singing this song
...what will happen once this is over? What will I do? What will happen to every word that has been typed? Gone? Forgotten? Shared? Deleted? Reedited? I don't know.
What I do know is that no matter what happens, even real death, I know we'll meet again some sunny day. A lot of us are sad. We are not okay. And yet, we keep smiling through. Just like you always do!
I've wondered how and when this will be read. On a phone? Chromebook? Home laptop? Read together? In the middle of class? At night? While procrastinating homework? On a long car drive?
I don't know.
I do know that my friends reading this will be happy to know, that as you saw me go, go finish this story. Finish what has consumed so much of my time. Consumed my thoughts. Consumed me.
When we all graduate, we won't go to college together. We may loose contact. We may forget one another. That's okay. That's how life is. We will grow and make new friends. But I don't know where and I don't know when, I just know we'll meet again some sunny day. Whether it's in a grocery store, high school reunions, church, or even after death. We will meet again. Maybe someone will remember and reach out to everyone. Maybe someone will find this and reread it. But I don't know, how would I?
But it's over. This story, at least. Will I make another? Possibly, it depends on how this one does. Maybe I'll include more people. Make it shorter. Who knows? Not me. I don't know.
Who knew that the end would be so bittersweet? Not me. Maybe this isn't sad to you, maybe this is funny. Maybe you still think this is a plotline. And it could be, as long as the words, The End, don't pop up then the story will never end. That's it! We can stay friend. We won't separate. Nothing will change. I will know what happens. It will be okay. But that isn't right. It isn't fair. Or maybe it is. I can't help but questioning if this is really how it ends. Oh, god. I don't want this to end. I've spent so long on this, what do I do now? I feel a little lost right now. I'm stalling to end this, can't you see? I don't want it to end. Do you think that death would feel like this? Confused, lost, bittersweet. I could keep this going, I could never end it. But I won't. I can't. Tell my friends, I won't be long.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Sorry. I'm just struggling to grasp the idea of everything right now. This is the one true ending, y'know? You might not believe me, and that's okay. This is my story. I'm supposed to have full control over every single thing that happens. Everything. But I don't. I want to know. I want to have control. Please, damnnit! Give me control. I'm losing the story. Or am I? Do I just have everything under control and I'm not aware? Do you know the original plan I had? There were going to be four characters. Four plotlines. At least 5,000 words. 10 endings. That was the plan. But it got out of control.
Oh. I'm taking up too much of your time.
I'm sorry.
It's The End.
Is it really?
I don't know.