Stanley? Stanley?

He walks through the nothingness.

Stanley? Are you-

He notices a small figure in the distance over a big glowing window in the nothingness.

Stanley?

The Narrator rushes closer.

Please be you. Please be you.

He stops as he gets close.

The window is showing the two doors in the story from a third person view.

Stanley!

He wraps his hands around you.

It's really you.

He pushes you away to get a better look at your face.

You are still unconscious.

Oh Stanley...

The Narrator looks at you with a very sad gaze before picking you up in his arms.

If you'd ever know how terribly sorry I am for all this.

Narrator adjusts you in his arms before beginning to walk forward through the darkness. He wants to make sure that you are as comfortable as you ever can be.

I'm sorry.

He tucks your hair behind your ear as he looks at you.
The darkness is everywhere. You can't even see your own hands.

The trip is long. Very long.

But Narrator isn't tired. He keeps going. Holding on to you. Not letting go.

He starts humming. Something gloomy.
The tones are low and almost silent. You are still not awake.

I have always been in this never ending cycle. Nothing new, nothing old. Just this story.

The darkness continues as Narrator's footsteps echo.

Always following the same story.

He ends his sentence.

It is my responsibility to guide Stanley through this predetermined path. Yet... Now... You are not Stanley.
You are a real person.

He waits and thinks over his words.

If you're not Stanley, then. What am I suppossd to do. My story and my purpose, your friendship and what we used to do together.

Nothing will ever have a meaning. Ever again.

He continues walking.

You changed everything.

I've come to realize that there is more to life than following a set path. You showed me that, Stanley.

You showed me that there's beauty in the unknown, in the unscripted moments.

I wish you had never shown me that.

Narrator had reached the end of the limbo.

Time to wake up Stanley, you have been here way too long. His tone is cold.

[***]

You wake up in a hospital bed. On your right is a unfamiliar figure with glowing yellow eyes, you panic. You instinctively try to swing your arms at the Narrator, hoping to fend him off.
However, Narrator, being quick on his feet, easily dodges your flailing arms and pins you down onto the bed.

Stanley, calm down. It's me, The Narrator. You're safe now.

He says in a soothing tone, trying to calm you.

At least that is the name you gave me.

You look up at him, breathing heavily with fear and confusion.

"Who...who are you? What's happening?"

You ask, still struggling to get free from Narrator's grip. It hurts him to see you like this.

The Narrator lets go of you, taking a step back, trying to not seem threatening.

I'm the Narrator. I'm the one who guides you through your story. You had an accident, and you've been in a coma for a while. You're in a hospital now that I got for you in the office building.

He explains patiently.

Your eyes widen in shock and fear as you processes the information.

"I...I don't remember anything...what happened to me?" you ask, feeling overwhelmed and disoriented.

You don't remember me at all, do you?

I'm the one who's been narrating your life this whole time.

You... You used to remember me.

"Narrating my life? What are you talking about?"

Narrator looks at you with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

It's complicated,

he says.

But the important thing is that you're safe now.

You try to remember, but your memory is too fuzzy.

"I don't understand. Why would you do that?" you ask.

Narrator still is standing few feet away from you.

He was wearing a gray coat and a black turtleneck. Black glasses which are yellow tinted. He has a worried sad expression on him.

Your heart was pounding quick. Every inch of your body was sceared of this man. You didn't have the memories but you had some sort of understanding.

You were in a company. You worked for it. It had a story, mind control. You were supposed to stop it but you decited to take the control to yourself but then-

Fear and panic grip you, and you instinctively reach out for the cables connected to your arms, ripping them out with a sharp tug.

No- don't-

Before the Narrator has a chance to explain, you grab a nearby chair and swings it at him. The Narrator is caught off guard by your sudden outburst. The chair crashes the wall as Narrator quickly forces you down to the bed, trying to calm you down and explain the situation more.

"LET ME GO!"

Stanley, please calm down...

the Narrator pleads. His voice cracks as tears fill his eyes.

I am here to help you. You were in a coma and I have been watching over you. You are safe now. Please stop.

It doesn't work.

You continue to struggle and resist, your mind clouded by fear and confusion.

The Narrator turns away as he presses down on you with his hands. He couldn't look at you like this.

Eventually, you exhaust yourself and the grip around Narrator's whrists fade, you are panting heavily and moving around in the bed.

The beeping sound of the machines monitoring your vitals filled the room as you continued to thrash around in the bed, still struggling to remember what had happened. The Narrator watched with a heavy heart as you tried to get up again, eyes filled with fear and confusion.

No-no, Stanley, please, you need to stay calm,

The Narrator begged, his voice cracking with emotion.

I'm not here to hurt you, I promise. Please, just try to remember who I am.

But you were too far gone in your panic to listen.

Please.

The Narrator tries to hold you still and not hurt you.

Please stop and remember me.

The Narrator had no choice but to push more down on you, holding you still until you could calm down.

It's okay, Stanley,

he said with a soft quiet tone to not start crying. His grip gentle but firm.

Just breathe, try to relax. You're safe here, I won't let anything happen to you.

The machines beeped steadily in the background as the two of you stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, the Narrator holding you down and speaking softly to you trying to calm you. Eventually, your struggles slowed again and you laid still, gasping for air.

The Narrator released you and sat back, watching you closely.

Do you remember me now?

he asked softly.

Anything?

Anything at all?

Stanley couldn't stop hyperventilating

"Did I do something?"

You ask

No. Please don't worry about-

"Did you do something to me?"

Stanley asks, The narrator's eyes widen.

No, Stanley. I didn't do anything to you

the Narrator reassures you, his voice soft and gentle.

You were injured, and we had to bring you here to the hospital. You've been in a coma for a few days.

He tries to keep his tone calm and soothing, but he can't hide the sadness and guilt in his eyes.

You look at him suspiciously, still struggling to make sense of your surroundings.

"I don't remember anything," you respond, your voice shaking.

"What are you? What's going on?"

The Narrator takes a deep breath and decides to be honest with you once more.

My name is Narrator. I said that already. I'm the voice that guided you in the office building. You...you were playing a game, Stanley. A game where you made choices, and I...I tried to give you directions.

You look at him with a mixture of confusion and fear.

"A game? I don't understand."

The Narrator's eyes fill with tears again. He can see that Stanley is still struggling to grasp the situation, and he knows that it's his fault.

It's...complicated, Stanley. But you don't have to worry about it right now. You just need to rest and recover.

He gently strokes your hair, hoping to comfort you.

You relax a bit under his touch, and for a moment, the Narrator feels a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they can start over and build a new relationship, one that's based on trust and understanding.

"I feel like I should be sceared of you, as if you had killed me"

Narrator knows what you are implying to and his heart skips a beat. The countdown ending. He doesn't get a word out but more tears start forming.

You notice the tears in Narrator's eyes. "Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

The Narrator takes a deep breath and composes himself.

Stanley, I'm sorry. You were never killed. That was just a part of the story. I had to make you think that in order for the game to progress.

Your eyes widen in shock as you struggle to understand what Narrator is telling you.

"But...but why would you do that?"

It was all a part of the game, Stanley,

The Narrator replies.

I had to create a sense of danger and urgency in order to keep you engaged. But I promise you, you were never actually in danger.

You nod slowly, trying to process everything

"So...this is all just a game?"

Yes, Stanley. It's all just a game. And now that it's over, I'm here to help you remember who you really are.

The Narrator reaches out and takes your hand, and together you sit in silence for a moment, the weight of everything that has happened sinking in. But for the first time in a long time, you feel somewhat a sense of peace.

Narrator tries to cover his tears. He was lying to you, you really did die. That all happened, because Narrator had never seen that ending. The guilt washed over him.

Now get some rest

The Narrator hated himself too much to stay in the same room as you and he got up and went to another as he started wispering out loud how foolish he was and how sorry he is for you and how it all is his fault. He hated himself. He hated how he had enjoyed it. He hated how he loved making fun of you. How you were trapped. How you had thought you were in control but he wins. Every single time.

He sits in the office wating room. He had created that nursing place for you. In this game. In this endless Matrix.

When The Narrator walked out of the room, you couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

You still couldn't remember everything, but something about The Narrator's behavior made you feel like there was something he wasn't telling you.

You tried to shake the feeling off and rest, but your mind was racing with questions. Who was The Narrator really? What was your connection with him? And why did you feel like you had been betrayed?

You close your eyes. You can still remember Narrator's yellow glowing eyes on you. His light hair and bothered tone.

Hours pass, you couldn't sleep. Your memories slowly started to return. You felt hot and your blanket was on the floor but it didn't help.
Your pillow was like a hot sun against your face and you were covered in cold sweat.
You remembered the office, the endless corridors, and the voice that had guided you through it all. And then the countdown, the fear, and the darkness.
The real person ending, the glitches, the shouting, the despair and then gradually accepting the death of the darkness in the limbo once you couldn't return to your body.

You sat up in your bed. The lights were off. It's night.

You had to confront The Narrator.

He was lying on his back. On a sofa in the waiting room. The room was dark, quiet and tinted blue since all the lights were off. Narrator's eyes being the only source of light aside from the moonlike light from the window.

The silence is loud. He can hear his own breathing. He lets his eyes close.

Something loud falls in Stanley's room.

Narrator bolts awake.

He rushes in your room, he saw in the dim blue light that you were sitting up in bed, eyes burning with fury.

"YOU LIED TO ME!"

You shouted, as you point towards Narrator.

His heart sank as he realized that you had regained your memories.

He had started to hope that you would never remember what had happened, that you could move on with your life without the burden of the truth. But now it seemed that hope was lost forever.

I'm sorry, Stanley ..

Narrator said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I didn't want to hurt you. I thought it was for the best.

"For the best?!" you scoffed.

"You erased my coworkers, sent me on a wild goose chase, and then killed me! How is that for the best?"

I know it seems terrible, but I had to do it

Narrator said, his voice pleading.

It was the only way to break the cycle, to give you a chance at a different life.

"A different life?" you said, your voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You call being stuck in a hospital bed with no memory of my life, a different life?!"

I know it's not ideal

Narrator said, his voice heavy with guilt.

But it's better than what you had before. You were trapped in that office, doing the same thing over and over again. Then you wanted to control the mind control facility, and... I just had to give you a chance at breaking free.

You looked at Narrator for a long moment, your anger remaining. He could see the pain and remorse in Narrator's eyes, and you knew that he was telling the truth.

"Okay," you said finally, your voice calm. "I understand why you did it. But I can never forgive you for what you did to me."

I understand.

The Narrator turned away from you but before he could walk out the door you stood up on your bed.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"

The Narrator's eyes widened in shock and fear as you charged at him. He quickly tried to dodge, but your rage was too much. Your hands gripped around Narrator's neck, choking him.

The Narrator struggled to breathe as he tried to push you off him, trying to not hurt you.

Please, Stanley, calm down

he gasped.

Let's talk it out-

But you were beyond reason, fueled by your anger and the after effects of confusion from the memory loss. You tightened your grip, and the Narrator could feel his consciousness slipping away... Slowly.

Just as the world around him began to fade, the Narrator heard a voice calling out his name. He opened his eyes to see a group of doctors and nurses rushing into the room, pulling you off him.

The Narrator coughed and gasped for air as he looked up at the doctors, realizing the severity of what just happened. He felt a deep sense of shame and guilt, knowing that he had caused this outburst from you. You shouted and screamed.

As the doctors tended to you and took you away for treatment, the Narrator sat alone in the room, contemplating the consequences of his actions.

What have I done.

This is worse than before.

So much worse.

But I... Tears fall from his eyes.

I don't want him to forget anymore.

He... He went out to his way to destroy my game just to be free. He doesn't want to be controlled and he is willing to do anything for it.

Narrator's heart hurts. He isn't exactly good or bad. Friendly or harmful. But right now... He doesn't know.

I just want the first Stanley back. The one who... Loved my little game...

The Stanley, the first Stanley ever. My first reset button ever.

The morning rises. You are on your bed. Hands crossed looking at the ceiling.

You hear a knock on the door.

It was clear to you that the nurses weren't real. The Narrator got them to save himself without hurting you.

You don't respond to the knocks in any way yet the door opens.

Narrator slowly walks in not to alarm you.
You don't make any sort of eye contact as he starts to talk about the weather.

He has brought you flowers. The yellow kind.

He slowly sits down on the bed that you're on and starts talking about more random everyday things.

He never ends up getting a response.

The Narrator starts to feel a sense of loneliness as you remain silent.

He begins talking to himself about the power he has to control the office and the game.

You know, Stanley, it's interesting. I have the power to control this world, to shape it in any way I choose. And yet, sometimes I wonder if it's all just an illusion. Am I really in control, or is it all just a part of some grander design?

He pauses, hoping for some kind of response from you. But there is none. The Narrator sighs and continues talking to himself, hoping that maybe someday you will be willing to talk to him again.

You doesn't move for a long time, you just looks at the ceiling.

I think it's time to eat

Since I don't think that having another reset on you would fix your current state but instead make it worse...

Humans need to eat when they aren't reset.

The hospital food gets brought to you on a tray. You don't say a word.

Narrator sits by your bedside as he watches you refuse to eat. He tries to persuade you to take a few bites, but you remain unresponsive.

It reminds Narrator when you were stuck in the limbo. It sceares him.

Come on, Stanley. You need to eat something. It's not good for you to skip meals.

He says with concern in his voice.

But you continues to stare blankly at the ceiling, ignoring the food tray in front of you.

Maybe you just need some time to think things through, But please don't starve yourself. You're not alone, and we'll get through this together.

He gets up to leave the room.

"Narrator, I don't think that I want to live, with these memories."

The Narrator felt a pang of guilt and sadness upon hearing those words. He understood that you were struggling to come to terms with everything that had happened and you wished that nothing had happened. Ever.

I know it's hard, Stanley. But you don't have to bear it alone.

the Narrator said softly, approaching your bed.

There are people who can help you, professionals who can guide you through your memories and emotions.

Stanley remained silent, staring off into the distance.

Please, Stanley. Don't give up. You're stronger than you think,

The Narrator continued, placing a hand on your shoulder.

You turned to look at the Narrator, your eyes filled with pain and confusion.

"How can you say that? You were the one who put me through all of this. You were the one who made me suffer."

The Narrator sighed, feeling the true weight of your accusations.

I know. And I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Stanley. I just... got carried away.

You looked away, still not forgiving the Narrator for what he had done.

The Narrator stood up and made his way to the door.

I'll leave you alone for now, Stanley. But please, think about what I said. There are people who can help you. You don't have to go through this alone.

With those words, the Narrator left the room, leaving you with your thoughts and memories.

The day progresses more. You get out of bed before I you were supposed to and put on clean office clothes that Narrator had provided for you.

You once and for all pull out the vital wires from your arm.

Don't they dare put these back.

You walk out of the Nurse room and find yourself back in your office.

You look back to where you came from but there is nothing aside from your computer.

You sigh and walk though the corridors. It was weird not having The Narrator narrate everything. You reached the two doors and enter the left for a moment.

Nothing is glitched or broken. The game had fully been reset once you were out but as always it momentarely affects you too.

You yawn before laying down on the carpet.

I want to get in to the real world. Why am I in a video game.

You turn to your side.

Yeah... Why am I in a video game.

You stand up feeling a little woozy, you make your way to the boss's office.

The secret door that was previously Narrator's hideout, remains as a broom closet.

You take a look inside anyway and find a chess game.

Hm.

I can play chess for a reason.

Let's play chess.

Stanley walks few rings around the building before finding Narrator in the lounge, drunk.

You approach him cautiously, unsure of what to say. "Hey, are you okay?" you ask quietly.

Narrator looks up, his eyes bloodshot and his speech slurred.

Oh, Stanley. You're here. I'm fine, just... just having a drink

he responds gesturing to the bottle in front of him.

You hesitate for a moment, then you take a seat next to him on the floor.

You know why he got himself drunk.

The Narrator, still a bit dazed from the alcohol, watches as you prepare the game. He wants to apologize again, but he's afraid that it might make things worse.

As you finish setting up the board, you look down at the Narrator.

"Do you play chess?"

The Narrator nods his head, still not trusting himself to speak.

"Well, let's play a game then," You respond.

The two begin to play, moving their pieces across the board in silence. It's a tense match, with both players taking their time to carefully consider their moves. Despite the silence, there's a sense of understanding between the two of you, as if they're communicating through the game.

As the game goes on, you seems to relax a bit. Your focus shifts from the anger you been feeling towards the Narrator to the challenge of the game. The Narrator can feel the tension easing.

Eventually, after a hour and a hard-fought battle, you end up victorious. You looks up at the Narrator with a small smile on your face, and the Narrator can't help but return it.

It's a small step towards forgiveness, but it's a start.

After all the brain cells have been erased from you both because of the chess game and you're both in the mood you mess around in the conference room.

So... Like I said, I- Narrator burps struggling to walk.

"You're so disgusting!" You laugh with your legs on the table.

No! Nope! I most certainly am not! I'm good-looking and ... And...

"Ugly?"

Nooo... Not uGlY, these two don't even go together! Someone can't be both pretty and ugly.

Narrator exclaims with certainty.

Can they?

He is losing it.

You laugh your heart out.

"Okay! My turn!" you stand up with a bottle in your left hand and hike over to the board.

"Hmmm..." You look at the drawing that Narrator made.

"I... I don't know what that is"

No you do

Narrator takes a another sip from his drink.

"I-..." You turn over to the board again and sigh.

"I have no fucking clue about what the fuck is on this whiteboard."

There is a moment of silence in the room.

The both of you burst out laughing so hard that you collapse on the floor but hit your head against the table corner but continue laughing though now with tears.

Oh my god... Narrator tries not to laugh as he crawls over to pat your head but as he is on his all fours he somehow manages to lose his balance and roll away.

You laugh even harder as you crawl to him now. He is on his side. He hadn't spilled a drop of his alchohol as he laughs heartly.

"He-" You catch your breath trying to speak without stuttering.

"Hey, Narr, so you, uh"

I whahh?

You fall over to your side next to him and laugh harder.

The two of you are side to side letting it all out.

You are left gasping for air in tears.

"My god..."

What is it..?

Narrator turns to you on the floor, friendly.

"You draw terribly"

Oh stop... He chukles softly.

Don't start again, my ribs hurt.

The two of you complain about your ribs hurting and then calm a bit down from all the positive. Still on the floor looking at the ceiling.

You can hear the Narrator breathing beside you. It's strange.
The man who killed you, laughed at your death, is now the man who you are drinking together.

"Hey Narrator" you say quietly, ypur voice raspy and tired from all the fun.

What is it?

He asks just as quietly.

You smile to yourself as you look at his golden eyes watching the roof.

"You said that you had a superpower"

Oh, I wouldn't say super.

"Environment superpowers?"

Just for The Stanley Parable game. Nothing more.

He smiles.

"What can you do?"

You ask.

There is a pause.

I can open doors.

"Like in the two doors room?-"

And so many other rooms.

"What else?"

I cann... Urmmm... Shift objects

"When I was in the broom closet and you stopped that box?"

Yeah, that.

You sigh and turn away from him to start looking at the ceiling.

"What else? You can also Restart the game right?"

His smile fades as you look at him. His voice gets more formal.

I can do most things behind my computer. Just like you would program a live game.

He looks down at his hands. Towards his pocket.

"With the restart button right?"

You could say that.

"Hm." You turn away and pause.

"Are you human, Narrator?"

I used to be human.

Your body goes cold but your mind is more curious.

"What do you mean, 'used to be'?"

The Narrator takes a long sip of his drink before answering,

I was once a human, just like you. I had a life outside this game, outside this office and those infinite corridors.
I wrote books and stories, I red to little kids on carnivals and and drank my favorite tea. But then, I became something more. I became... this.

You look at The Narrator.

"What are you now?"

He turns to you finally and makes eye contact. His golden eyes shine.

The Narrator hesitates for a moment before answering,

I am... something beyond human. A being of pure consciousness.

You nod slowly, taking in The Narrator's words.

"So, you're like... a god or something?"

The Narrator chuckles softly,

That's a weird association, but I suppose you could say that.

I have no emotions or desires of my own. I exist solely to serve my purpose.

"That's a lie"

The Narrator laughs. Oh you catch up fast. Sherlock Holmes.

You smirk.

"At your service, Sherlock Holmes. Ready to do anything you ask me!"

Ohhh! You should have said that when we first started.

"Oh shut up" You blush and turn to your side.

You can hear Narrator's peaceful laughter.

Oh I'm cringe when drunk. Good to know.

You smile to yourself before reopening your eyes.

"You have superpowers right?"

Hm yes, I confirmed it a minute ago.

"Do I have superpowers??"

Narrator coughs on his drink and sits up.

You join him in confusion.

Do you have superpowers?

"Yeah. Do I?"

I... He takes another sip of his drink to avoid talking. You take his glass.

"Do I have superpowers or not?"

You... He hesitates.

You have some sort of... Role here yeah...

"WHAAAT??" You stand up and cheer like a little kid but then stop.

"Oh wait, don't give me any of that "Your choice is your superpower" Bullshit."

I wasn't going to- He laughs. But now that you mention it. It's also a part of your superpower.

"What?"

Well, I write the script or read it. I can make it happen right away what was in the script though it is not supposed at that exact moment.

You on the other hand...

Poets create their world without laws. They can form what they feel and see.

I can form what has been created.

"What are you saying?"

Narrator stands up a little woozy. You hold his hand.

His golden eyes turn to you.

You have the power of poetry.