Disclaimer: I don't own Doki Doki Literature Club. All rights to the Dokis and the original game belong to Dan Salvato and Team Salvato.
[Chapter 1 - Prologue]
Inside her lonely hospital ward, Celeste Jones waited for the time when God would finally take her away from this world.
She knew that her time on Earth was limited. Like a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time. Celeste had long accepted that fact, ever since she received her official diagnosis from the doctor.
Celeste knew that it wouldn't be long until the terminal illness known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis claimed her life for the taking. "Lou Gehrig's disease", or ALS for short was the cross that she had to bear.
The poor girl never knew why she had been struck with the disease. She had been a good kid, at least she thought so. Back when she still went to school, Celeste had a lot of friends. She also had a very loving family, and in all sense of the word, she was a perfect little girl.
Nevertheless, somehow the world had found it fitting to curse her with ALS, and limit the number of days she had left. However be that as may, she accepted her fate... with a smile.
ALS had no known cure. It was referred to as a terminal illness for a reason. And it seemed that there was just no escaping from her fate. Thus, the girl was living out the rest of her days inside of mostly two places. Her family house, where she had as minimal activity engagement as possible, and the hospital where various tests were run on her once in a while.
Celeste's parents never gave up, they still prayed that their one and only daughter would be cured, free from the shackles of ALS.
Said hospital being where she currently was. Celeste had just finished her latest checkup with the family doctor. Currently, she was allowed to rest in one of the public wards for a couple of hours, before going back home.
"Still a bust... well, at least I'm still alive." she chuckled to herself with a light smile. Another day of living meant that it just wasn't her time yet.
Time. The mere notion of having a couple more hours was something that Celeste had come to appreciate very much. Every added moment of her being alive was something she treasured. Even though she was prepared to give up her soul to the grim reaper once it was her time, she was still human.
Celeste still, if possible, wanted to live.
She wanted to be with her family just a little longer. Her friends too. She was sure that they missed her at school, because she missed them just as much.
The girl wanted to get married and be blessed with wonderful children, grow old, and have lots and lots of adorable little grandchildren as well.
She wanted to prove to the world, that ALS doesn't always win! That somehow, she'd be the first to survive the sickness.
"ALS Surivor, Celeste Jones. That has a nice ring to it, haha." she joked at no one in particular.
But alas, reality didn't quite agree with her optimistic view of life. As the cure rate of ALS still remained at 0 percent.
Celeste had a feeling though, that something might change today. She had this gut feeling that something incredible was going to happen to her soon, and she may just live long enough to experience it.
This is the story, of a girl who wanted to live.
-Chapter 1 END-
A/N:Here's my attempt at a tragic DDLC fanfic. Unlike The World Beyond The Screen and The Color Pink, the tone here is a bit more sad and somber. In contrast to my previous two DDLC stories that focus on romance, Purple Embers will be about friendship and how a strong and close-knit bond can help lighten the final days on earth of a pure-hearted girl.
See you all in the next update my dear readers!