They say if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything.
So I did. I worked harder than anyone.
So why... Why can't I achieve the only thing I ever wanted?
Happiness.
Something so simple, yet always so far away from reach.
There was never a moment where I felt like I was close to it.
Not even once.
This god-forgotten world... No matter where you look, it's always the same.
One person has everything, while others fight for their scraps.
I used to be like them...
Now, even though I'm successful, rich, even feared – the only thing I don't have is happiness.
If I were to describe my life, it would be one word, boredom.
''Perhaps that's why I'm in the situation I am in now...''
I look at the bottle of pills in my hand.
My hand is stable, my gaze focused.
''They say people prefer physical pain over boredom.''
With one last chuckle, I open the bottle, stir the pills within, and bring them closer to my mouth.
''I came from nothingness, and that's where I'd rather be. Until never.''
With that, I swallow one pill after another.
Holding my favorite whiskey in my other hand, helping me push them through.
''How many is this now... 15? 20?''
I look down at the bottle.
With my vision becoming increasingly dizzy, it's hard to tell how many are left.
Nonetheless, I continue.
''Almost there... Don't give up now, my dear body. If I pass out now, I will surely survive and wake up in a hospital bed. With my luck, in a vegetative state, unable to do this again...''
Pill by pill, I keep going until I can no longer feel anything in the bottle.
My vision so blurred I can barely make shapes of things.
''Even at the end of the line, I feel nothing.''
With one last sip of my whiskey, I lay down on my back, close my eyes, and patiently wait for my end.
''The pain is there... But why am I still conscious?''
I shake my head weakly, a weird smile forming on my lips.
''To the very end, nothing goes as planned.''
After a few minutes, I feel my eyelids getting heavier.
My breath becoming weaker and softer with every moment.
''F...Finally...''
As I feel my consciousness fading away, something flashes in front of my eyes.
[DING!]
[System Detected: FEAR-ENGINE v1.0]
[Host Qualification: ERROR - MEASUREMENT IMPOSSIBLE ▸ QUALIFIED]
[Initialization Cost: 1x Life of an Intelligent Being ▸ REQUIRED]
[Suitable Targets: 1]
[Bind to Host? ▸ YES / NO]
''What is this...? A hallucination...?''
With a smirk, i reach out to the floating window in front of me before my consciousness finally leaves me.
[DING!]
[Initialization Completed]
[Cost: Price paid in full]
[Status: Host's bodily functions ▸ NONE]
[Warning: Host unsuitable for continued operation]
[Attempting host transfer ▸ ERROR]
[Reconfirming cost ▸ Price paid in full ▸ ERROR]
[Reinitializing process ▸ ERROR]
[Reconfirming cost ▸ Price paid in full ▸ ERROR]
[Analizing options...]
[NOTE: Transferring host consciousness to compatible vessel ▸ SUCCESS]