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Epilogue
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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Seems like things have turned out great, huh..?"
The guidance counselor of Cooper University, Mr. Lane, has summoned both me and Charlotte to his office to discuss the re-novated library's opening ceremony. The event had already occured couple of days ago. And now, as he skims the article the school's website issued, Lane nods slightly, looking pleased.
"Well, there's nothing left to say. Good job, you two." he says. "Though, I would've appreciated it if Miles's smile was a little less derby.."Lane is talking about the picture we took during the ceremony. Cisco had taken a multitude of shots, but that jerk had settled for the one where my face froze like a rock. But what did these people expect, anyway? I'm well known to not show emotion outwardly."It wasn't the smile, it's his whole face that is a problem.." sitting to my left, Charlotte flips her pridfully. "...You didn't even smile!" I reply, trying to keep my cool. "At least I tried..""FirsRelated chapters
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Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 01
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Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 02
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When I arrived home, I found that mom had fixed the dinner issue. She called her sister, Aunt Esparanza over for help. And it was beyond bearable; I wished for an earthquake or a flood to take me away. That woman never let us swallow any piece of the stakes she brought without her spitting some harsh critizism to either me, or mom, or both! So, I ended up excusing myself early, and went straight to my room.In my dark personal space, I bypass Finneas, The Paper Kite, and Linkin Park for some ambient music. I fish through my desk for a stranded beef jerky, and tell myself to get over it. There are different ways to die. There’s jumping off a roof and there’s slowly poisoning yourself with the salted flesh of another every single day.I sign onto the computer, and start typing:January 17:According to the New York Times, nearly 20 percent of suicides are committed by poison, but among doctors who kill themselves, that number is 57 p
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Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 06
College is such a weird place if you think about it. Some of the things here are just not well purposefully positioned. Isn't this place suppose to prepare us for real life?! And yet, there are stuff forced on us with no logical explanation. Like the fact that I'm an IT student, but I still have to take classes about poetry. Or a two hours per week in Women Studies. But today's class is a dozy.The professor arrives on time, and starts in a whim. "Death, so called, is a thing that makes men weep." he says. "And yet, a third of life is spent in sleep."Hmm, okay—that's a good start. I'm intrigued. He didn't enter the class with the same aura as the other serious-face instructors I use to. His chuckley grin seems like a default state. Way to go, sir!"Open your textbooks to page 37."We do as we're told, but the professor counters. "Now, close 'em, and throw them away!"Huh, wait! Is this really happening?! In an institute of higher educati
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 07
Febuary comes with it's amusingly jumpy weather. And in Stonebay, this means it gets unexpectantly rainy, only to flip to sunny and even windy inbetween, too. With the vibes of New Year have pretty much faded, most of them upbeat mood-ers charge out to find new things to do. Whether it's finding somebody or something to cling to, or just setting out to actually start knocking the goals of their New Year's Resolutions. There's gotta always be a thing going on! While in my case, it's usually a watchful countdown. When might a terrible problem hits? Or, if this year is gonna take it easy on us.I admit that sometimes I feel envious of how these happy people who see a new year as a revenue for more happiness. An opportunity for them to get the things they didn't in the previous year. But hey, it's not like they were merely blessed and I'm not! These people just happened to be working their ass off to get what they want, while I don't. But that's because I'm basically cu
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Is Life A Single Player Experience? Epilogue
"Seems like things have turned out great, huh..?" The guidance counselor of Cooper University, Mr. Lane, has summoned both me and Charlotte to his office to discuss the re-novated library's opening ceremony. The event had already occured couple of days ago. And now, as he skims the article the school's website issued, Lane nods slightly, looking pleased."Well, there's nothing left to say. Good job, you two." he says. "Though, I would've appreciated it if Miles's smile was a little less derby.."Lane is talking about the picture we took during the ceremony. Cisco had taken a multitude of shots, but that jerk had settled for the one where my face froze like a rock. But what did these people expect, anyway? I'm well known to not show emotion outwardly."It wasn't the smile, it's his whole face that is a problem.." sitting to my left, Charlotte flips her pridfully."...You didn't even smile!" I reply, trying to keep my cool. "At least I tried..""Firs
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 10
“Let's go, Low-Sero. Can't run now, can you?” Anthony picks up the controller again, and chooses his character.“Fine,” I sigh, steeling myself. I can't hold back when it comes to videogames. “…But you're the one who can't run, Size—whatever..”What? I can't just utter his stupid name casually! It's inappropriate!Up till now, Anthony has been the only person to experience how scathing I could be once I get cocky, but now a murmur ripples through the library.“Whoa!”“He's number 1?!”“That is Miles, right?!”“It's about to get real!”I wish they'd all shut up. I don't care. If I have to do it, I'll do it and do it right. This is my art. Hate yourself for picking a fight with me over Battle Royale, Anthony! When it comes to this game, I'm A-tier.“Still as sassy as ever, huh?” Anthony whines. He's obviously mad.
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 09
The game of life is not a great one, it's severely lacking. Those who are lucky to be given high quality characters never flinch to exploit the less fortunate. Even if you choose to endure the setbacks, and aim to fix this game, there're no guarentees that you wouldn't face the wrath of the A-tier; the ones that are happy with the way things are. Especially when they got control of the masses."What in the world..?!""Whoa..!""What happened to the library?!"When Charlotte left the library, she must have let the door unlocked. And due to that, the Stuck-up Kids were able to intrude on us. There are three boys: Noah, Anthony, and the guy with glasses and medium black curls. They were soon followed by two girls: Courtney, and another shorter girl with red pony-tailed hair."What have you done to this place..?" Anthony's perplexed."Well, well, well, what do we have here?!" Courtney muses. "Looks like a great place for a party.""
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 08
Next day's morning comes by, and by 11:30 AM, my classes for the day have finished. What's next is the hellish task for saving the library. It's scheduled to begin at lunch hour.I wonder why I'm going along with them. At the end of the day, all this community known as the Aid Club do, is gathering together a bunch of weaklings, and all these weaklings are doing is doze off inside that little walled garden. The guidance counelor has just piled together this group of losers and given them a temporary comfortable shelter. And how's that any different from the classic experience that I hate so much?Maybe that was the very purpose for which Mr. Lane had created this sanatorium for excising the sources of our respective sicknesses. But if what ailed us was something that could be wiped away through such a shoddy effort, none of us would have been sick in the first place.That was how it is for Charlotte.I don’t know what her deal is, but I don’t think it
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 07
Febuary comes with it's amusingly jumpy weather. And in Stonebay, this means it gets unexpectantly rainy, only to flip to sunny and even windy inbetween, too. With the vibes of New Year have pretty much faded, most of them upbeat mood-ers charge out to find new things to do. Whether it's finding somebody or something to cling to, or just setting out to actually start knocking the goals of their New Year's Resolutions. There's gotta always be a thing going on! While in my case, it's usually a watchful countdown. When might a terrible problem hits? Or, if this year is gonna take it easy on us.I admit that sometimes I feel envious of how these happy people who see a new year as a revenue for more happiness. An opportunity for them to get the things they didn't in the previous year. But hey, it's not like they were merely blessed and I'm not! These people just happened to be working their ass off to get what they want, while I don't. But that's because I'm basically cu
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 06
College is such a weird place if you think about it. Some of the things here are just not well purposefully positioned. Isn't this place suppose to prepare us for real life?! And yet, there are stuff forced on us with no logical explanation. Like the fact that I'm an IT student, but I still have to take classes about poetry. Or a two hours per week in Women Studies. But today's class is a dozy.The professor arrives on time, and starts in a whim. "Death, so called, is a thing that makes men weep." he says. "And yet, a third of life is spent in sleep."Hmm, okay—that's a good start. I'm intrigued. He didn't enter the class with the same aura as the other serious-face instructors I use to. His chuckley grin seems like a default state. Way to go, sir!"Open your textbooks to page 37."We do as we're told, but the professor counters. "Now, close 'em, and throw them away!"Huh, wait! Is this really happening?! In an institute of higher educati
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 05
One of the things that makes life such a shitty game, is the random set of rules that are almost always unpredictable. When you're at your usual state of tolerable misery, and something comes to add to the turbulence, you have no choice but to throw the towel."Pa—pardon me," the troubling turbulence walks in. "Is this the Aid Club..?"Out of the three thousand students enrolled in Cooper University of Science and Technology, the first customer to the Aid Club is the very same person with those one sided triple freckles, and those curvy hips. The way she moves, it seems as though she doesn't want to be seen. The white shirt she's wearing is tightly squeezing on her body, and her above the knee skirt bounces with every move. Her chestnut-brown hair flows down slightly below her shoulders in loose waves, and with every step she takes, they sway. Her puppy-like eyes darted about as if she is scouting out the area, her gaze never stopping to rest, and when her
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 04
When I arrived home, I found that mom had fixed the dinner issue. She called her sister, Aunt Esparanza over for help. And it was beyond bearable; I wished for an earthquake or a flood to take me away. That woman never let us swallow any piece of the stakes she brought without her spitting some harsh critizism to either me, or mom, or both! So, I ended up excusing myself early, and went straight to my room.In my dark personal space, I bypass Finneas, The Paper Kite, and Linkin Park for some ambient music. I fish through my desk for a stranded beef jerky, and tell myself to get over it. There are different ways to die. There’s jumping off a roof and there’s slowly poisoning yourself with the salted flesh of another every single day.I sign onto the computer, and start typing:January 17:According to the New York Times, nearly 20 percent of suicides are committed by poison, but among doctors who kill themselves, that number is 57 p
Is Life A Single Player Experience? Chapter 03
Monday arrives, and I'm regrettably still alive. To be honest, there was maybe a flicker of hope that things could get better. But apparently, I wouldn't learn my lesson! Because every time I wish to hear something good, the universe hurries to smack me. Today for example, my mom told me that we might not have money for dinner. That's why it's better to be done with this life before I starve. But instead, I'm trapped in class. I can just leave if I want, but the Class Merit Contest is hindering my freedom.In short, The Merit Contest is a competition where the school secure the highest paying job opportunities, exchange programs, and special post-grad training to the overall best class. Since they're judging us on the basis of 'merit', everything could be taken into account. From academics and decipline to social harmony may get to be used against us. That's the reason students here are super careful about what they do and say. So, if someone like me, storms out in the mi
