I sit back, close my eyes, and attempt to gather my thoughts as Monika's voice floods my ears along with the piano instrumental. After so many hours, twists and turns, and the final confrontation, I have completed it. Doki Doki Literature Club. A game unlike any other I've had the joy of playing.

After investing so much time in front of the screen, eyes glued, attempting to not miss a single detail in my playthrough, I feel slightly empty. These characters that I've learned to love and care so much for, even Monika, have had lasting impressions on me. I can't shake it. That longing for more is on the verge of capsizing and spilling out of my throat. I do my best to suppress the emptiness that is suddenly flooding my body.

With this failed attempt, I slowly guide my cursor down to the bottom left hand corner of my screen and click the button labeled, "Shut Down". I then place the palm of my hands where the my forearms rested less than a second ago and propel myself upward. Once upright, I slide my chair under the cutout section of my desk and head towards my kitchen to grab a water bottle before heading to bed.

1:27

My alarm clock a screaming reminder of how late I've been awake. This reminder also carries a very painful reminder. Work tomorrow.

"Fuckkkkkk", I moan as this sudden realization hits me like a baseball bat to the temporal lobe.

Although I'm a 24 year old male, the prime of my life, spend 5 out of the 7 days at the gym, and have a steady job going for me, I can't help but feel like something is missing from my life. I've often chalked it up to my inability to find a lover. However, I am not a sad or bitter person, I simply find the most positive things in life and choose to focus as much as I can on those.

I make my way to the fridge, grab the handle, and swing it open far enough to slide a water bottle out of the door holder.
I twist the cap off with a slight "POP!" noise. I begin drinking as I walk over towards the stairs leading the 2nd story of my house. As I put my right foot upon the first step that's when I hear it. A clicking sound. It's coming from my gaming room. My first thought was that it must be my dog Gracey, who is a Jack Russell puppy less than a year old. Letting my drowsiness nearly encapsulate me, I almost forgot to collect her and return upstairs for bed.

Correcting my mistake, I enter my gaming room where I see Gracey lying in the floor asleep. Enamored to see my puppy, the question still remains.

Where is that clicking coming from?

I follow the sound of the noise over to my computer. At the center of the screen is a bright, flashing red light. As I sit down to investigate further, the screen suddenly turns completely on, showing my profile icon of me and my dog along with prompting me for a password. Completely disregarding the red, flashing light, I lean over my desk and enter my password.

I am then brought to a black screen in place of my usual background, like usual, of my dog and I. I'm kind of creeped out at this point, as I watch a lot of horror movies. However, despite my better judgement I push on further. I feel as if I have no control over my own actions or thoughts. I am then presented with a small text bubble just like within DDLC, a pink chat bubble at the bottom of the screen with pretty but easy to read white letters.

Care to see how the game really ends?

"What the? Hell yeah I do!"

This is presented along with two options.

Yes or Yes

Now a jettison of adrenaline refuels my desire to see what this game might be hinting at. I click Yes and...

Just then I am struck with the most intense heat I have ever felt. A sudden rush of magma like numbness overwhelms me and my vision goes bright. Its as if I've taken a telescope and have zeroed in directly on the sun without knowing it. However, through this daze and confusion I notice one thing. Despite the insurmountable level of burn I am feeling, I feel no pain whatsoever. It's as if I feel it more inside my soul rather than my own body. I stumble backwards falling over a chair, whilst knocking it over carrying a lamp with it crashing to the floor.

CRASH!

I throw my arms under me but... But I never hit the ground. So I lie there falling endlessly as the bright white light that has preoccupied my sight fades to a dull black...

I wake up with a deep exhale and ringing in my ears.

"Ugh. My fucking head. What the fuck happened?"

It is then that an oddly unfamiliar sunlight relights the lack of color in my vision to a ghostly white.