Grind 2.1

Stupid black room. Stupid wall of lights. Stupid power.

How was I supposed to know my power worked on video games? Now I'm stuck here and I forced my friends into it too! There was no way they would react well to being stuck in a game as some character. But I didn't want to just leave them here. What was I supposed to do in this situation?

"Chirp." Beauty flew around my head radiating warm emotions. I couldn't help but give my little queen a smile.

I pick her up and scratch behind her eyes, the way she likes. More warm feelings, stronger now.

I need to keep them out of this as much as possible. Maybe it won't be so bad if I set them up as friendly support characters? Are there things like that? I checked the annotations. Three characters jumped out as non enemies, Princess Peach, Luigi and Toad. I sent Beauty to poke Peach's light. Rocky to Luigi, and Diver to Toad. There. My friends should be safe now, but I'm sure they're panicking. Crap I'll have to try and beet this as fast as possible.

I reached out and poked the light labeled Mario.

The first thing I noticed was the bright light, like being out at noon. The second was the dumb little ditty that was playing on a loop, it was catchy but I could see it getting annoying after awhile. Finally I noticed how messed up the scenery was. Everything was blocky and pixilated. There was a path in front of me and off to either side there was essentially rocky ground. I tried stepping off the path but it was like kicking at an invisible wall.

About when my foot bounced off the invisible wall I noticed something else. I was wearing red suspenders. What kind of hero wears red suspenders?

I shrugged and started walking. I did not really know what to expect, but there was only one way to go. Besides, I had to rescue Beauty so I could get her and the others out of here. So we could all go home. I really wanted to just go home.

Almost immediately I saw some mushroom things with frowning faces waddling my way and a bunch of bricks just floating in mid air. I might not know anything about video games but I was pretty sure they were the bad guys. I turned around to run, and ran right into another invisible wall. "Crap" I banged my fist against the stupid thing, "come on I have to get out of here!" I turned around just in time for one of the weird little things to run into me.

It hurt like being punched in the chest. Not terrible, but distracting and painful. I jumped back on instinct. I was shrinking but I was also all but flying. I must have jumped at least 10 feet straight up. "Aghhh" I screamed. I expected to land on my face or chest. Or at least break a leg. But I physically could not fall over, like my back was being held straight by invisible strings. I came down on top of the first mushroom creature. It squished flat like a pancake. I wasn't sure if I should feel bad about that or not. It was just a bunch of code, and it was out to get me but still.

I wasn't paying attention. I was too lost in my own thoughts to notice that the second mushroom thing was still coming my way.

Dying sucks. If taking the first hit was like a punch to the chest the second was like a blow to the head at double the force.

A moment later the pain was gone and I was back at the start. That stupid jingle was still going strong, "Crap."

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I decided that I hated Mario. It didn't really take very long. I got the hang of the first level pretty quickly but I still died something like five times before I really got a feel for the game. I already said that dying hurts but I think it bears repeating. DYING HURTS, A LOT! Stupid power.

Falling to my death was worse than getting hit. The sensation of the floor dropping out, followed by pain and then suddenly I'm back on solid ground without feeling an impact from the fall. That was really unsettling. Weirder still was the underwater levels. I couldn't quite get used to the fact that I didn't need to breath. I kept panicking, expecting to drown.

Not to mention I didn't really like this game even when I was winning. Why did I have to stomp on the angry little mushroom men? Why were they even after me? I missed being able to sit outside these stupid fantasy worlds where nothing could hurt me. It was so much easier to enjoy a scary ride when you knew there wasn't really any danger.

But I'd been at this for a long time. Too long, most likely. Dad must be worried about me, again. He was probably going to ground me when I got out. I knew I was screwing up, making the same mistakes multiple times but I couldn't quite get the timing right. I only had two levels left to beat. Just two more levels. But for the life of me, every time I saw those freaking cannon-sized bullets flying towards me I panicked. I'd been stuck here for ages and I had no idea how to get out. Beauty, Rocky and Diver were probably all having nervous breakdowns and I couldn't do anything to help them. I must be a terrible friend, I concluded.

I plopped down outside the entrance to the level. I couldn't keep doing this. I just couldn't. I couldn't even finish a stupid video game. I was letting my friends down. Beauty, Rocky, and Diver didn't deserve to be stuck her in this stupid freaking game. It was all my fault and I couldn't get them out because I was stuck here. I leaned my back against the stupid scenery rocks and I looked up at the pixilated cloudy sky.

"I give up." They're I said it. "I can't do this. It's stupid and impossible and I quite." I stared off at the stupid unmoving clouds in the stupidly blue sky.

I don't know what I was expecting to happen, but I didn't get out. I was still stuck in this stupid fucking world. I hated it. This was supposed to be my new escape, so why was it turning into a prison?

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I kept going.

I kept trying.

It didn't matter how much of a failure I was, I wasn't going to get out until I won. I wasn't going to be able to help my friends any other way.

Die, revive, repeat. Die, revive, repeat.

Every now and then, I'd get the timing just right and figure out how to make it a little farther. Every small victory got me that much closer to the end, that much closer to freedom.

I was running on autopilot, just following the steps I had already figured out. Suddenly I was out of steps, and there was Bowser, the big bad himself. I was finally here. I was finally at the end of the game. I almost broke down and cried right there, but I couldn't I had to get to Beauty. I had to finish this.

I jumped over the big dragon monster and touched the axe. The bridge slid out from under him and his arms flailed as he fell. Only a few seconds to beat him after an eternity of torture, but I don't care. I run to Beauty and threw my arms around her. I can finally let go, I thought as I break down crying and just hold her to me. I babble an apology and hold her all the tighter. Soon I feel Rocky and Diver nuzzling at my neck, feeling them try to comfort me through our link. I realize were no longer in the game, but back where we started, sprawled out on my bed.

I break down all over again and cry myself to sleep.