TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

Challenge of the day
Write a horror story in which the villain is a famous kid's character. Do not make it obvious who the character is until the end.

OOPS PUT THIS ON THE WRONG FORUM!

was gonna say, “wait am i on the wrong topic?”
anyway, i'mma go check it out, i'm bored

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

scary… and sad… you always manage to get me wondering with your writing and now i want answers

cheese-duck wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

scary… and sad… you always manage to get me wondering with your writing and now i want answers

There will be answers. This is just the end, or the beginning.

cs156175 wrote:

cheese-duck wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

scary… and sad… you always manage to get me wondering with your writing and now i want answers

There will be answers. This is just the end, or the beginning.

:OOOO

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

cheese-duck wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

He sent me a text sort-of complaining because he read a post online where someone said they were writing a whole fanfic for a very odd ship and I jokingly responded with “i wil literally right now write a whole story of steven x the minkybar kid and you cant stop me” and now I am.

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

cheese-duck wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

He sent me a text sort-of complaining because he read a post online where someone said they were writing a whole fanfic for a very odd ship and I jokingly responded with “i wil literally right now write a whole story of steven x the minkybar kid and you cant stop me” and now I am.

true to your word.
how long will it be?

cheese-duck wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

Because spiteing is what friends are for

ARE WE THE PREY? NO, WE ARE THE HUNTERS!

Darn you anime theme songs why do you have to be so catchy

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

cheese-duck wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

He sent me a text sort-of complaining because he read a post online where someone said they were writing a whole fanfic for a very odd ship and I jokingly responded with “i wil literally right now write a whole story of steven x the minkybar kid and you cant stop me” and now I am.

Okay, here’s what I found about the personality of the milky bar kid:
He’s a cowboy archetype, right? And he was created to promote milky bar. So… have him mention it in every sentence. He brings the chocolate bar into the conversation no matter what it has to do with anything, he’ll come up with some convoluted way to fit it in there. Also maybe put some ‘yall’s’ in there. A ‘howdy’. Maybe. I don’t know anything about milky bar ads so I’ll use a different example. Let’s say… a company called ChocoBits gets a mascot and that mascot gets into a relationship with someone.
“I love you, ChocoBits Kid.”
“I love you too. But do you know what I love even more than you? The delicious taste of milk chocolate ChocoBits tm™.”
“Your bedroom is really big.”
“Thank you, what better place to enjoy a ChocoBits Bar™ is there than a large indoor room?”
And etc, but with milky bar. I don’t know. Maybe put in something about how their love can never truly be because they’re from two different worlds.

Ryasis wrote:

cheese-duck wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

Because spiteing is what friends are for

What kid shows try to teach you: Friends are for having fun with, and sharing with, and loving!
Reality: Friends are for writing Steven Universe x Milkybar kid fanfics to spite

cheese-duck wrote:

Ryasis wrote:

cheese-duck wrote:

TheRealNetherBefore wrote:

I'm writing a Steven Universe X Milkybar kid fanfic to spite my friend and I'm seriously getting worked up because I don't know the Milkybar kid's personality.

Oof. why are you using this fanfic to spite this friend?

Because spiteing is what friends are for

What kid shows try to teach you: Friends are for having fun with, and sharing with, and loving!
Reality: Friends are for writing Steven Universe x Milkybar kid fanfics to spite

Preach

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

———
I don’t know when it started. All I know is that, when I came to the realization that I was currently existing somewhere, I was looking out the window of Town’s Radio and Television Broadcasting Station into the pink clouds in the sky above. The entire world seemed to have a pinkish tint to it, and everything emitted a sense of happiness, of calmness. Slowly, all of it came back to me. I am working with Abby, my fellow broadcast partner. She has bright pink hair and can turn any situation into a good one. She has unending optimism. She makes me happier than anything else. Outside in the street, there are other things, things that don’t matter as much as this.
Abby walks into the room and the tint fades, though I can still feels its presence. “Here!” She hands me a sandwich, fresh from the supermarket down the road, where Daniel works as a cashier. He also seems happy. He likes his job, I can tell. Who wouldn’t? And the market always has reliable sandwiches. I bite into it. It’s as good as it’s always been. I like the way it tastes.
“We’re going on in 9 minutes, so get ready.” Abby shakes my hand. It’s nice to know I can make contact. I don’t know why. And I get up and walk through my room and into the main work area. It’s all how I want it to be. And now we’ll get to announce today’s news. I think of the others- Sol, a woman who doesn’t work and lives at the end of the main road. Null, who lives adjacent to Sol and near Daniel.
They’ll see me and they’ll recognize me. I like all of them in their own ways.
So, in full consciousness, I walk into the film room, where Abby waits, smiling.

cs156175 wrote:

Okay, here’s what I found about the personality of the milky bar kid:
He’s a cowboy archetype, right? And he was created to promote milky bar. So… have him mention it in every sentence. He brings the chocolate bar into the conversation no matter what it has to do with anything, he’ll come up with some convoluted way to fit it in there. Also maybe put some ‘yall’s’ in there. A ‘howdy’. Maybe. I don’t know anything about milky bar ads so I’ll use a different example. Let’s say… a company called ChocoBits gets a mascot and that mascot gets into a relationship with someone.
“I love you, ChocoBits Kid.”
“I love you too. But do you know what I love even more than you? The delicious taste of milk chocolate ChocoBits tm™.”
“Your bedroom is really big.”
“Thank you, what better place to enjoy a ChocoBits Bar™ is there than a large indoor room?”
And etc, but with milky bar. I don’t know. Maybe put in something about how their love can never truly be because they’re from two different worlds.

Thanks! That's given me some ideas.

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

———
I don’t know when it started. All I know is that, when I came to the realization that I was currently existing somewhere, I was looking out the window of Town’s Radio and Television Broadcasting Station into the pink clouds in the sky above. The entire world seemed to have a pinkish tint to it, and everything emitted a sense of happiness, of calmness. Slowly, all of it came back to me. I am working with Abby, my fellow broadcast partner. She has bright pink hair and can turn any situation into a good one. She has unending optimism. She makes me happier than anything else. Outside in the street, there are other things, things that don’t matter as much as this.
Abby walks into the room and the tint fades, though I can still feels its presence. “Here!” She hands me a sandwich, fresh from the supermarket down the road, where Daniel works as a cashier. He also seems happy. He likes his job, I can tell. Who wouldn’t? And the market always has reliable sandwiches. I bite into it. It’s as good as it’s always been. I like the way it tastes.
“We’re going on in 9 minutes, so get ready.” Abby shakes my hand. It’s nice to know I can make contact. I don’t know why. And I get up and walk through my room and into the main work area. It’s all how I want it to be. And now we’ll get to announce today’s news. I think of the others- Sol, a woman who doesn’t work and lives at the end of the main road. Null, who lives adjacent to Sol and near Daniel.
They’ll see me and they’ll recognize me. I like all of them in their own ways.
So, in full consciousness, I walk into the film room, where Abby waits, smiling.

We begin the broadcast in unison. ‘Welcome to town broadcasting Inc.- Your #1 for news!”
Abby takes over with the date. January something, she says. The last part seems blocked out. I forget about it quickly.
We read the news. It’s a lot of stuff about the stocking of new foods in the grocery store, about the roads and how they’re clean as ever. About how foggy it’s expected to be. I like when it’s foggy. Everything’s more serene and pink. We finish up at the same time as we do every day, and I leave the building, Abby following close behind. She hops up to me and pulls me down the road. I’m sure I know we’re going to Sol’s- she likes visiting her around these times. Before I can think about the idea of doing anything other than complying, I’m pulled in through the door and am sitting down in the living room of the coziest house in town. It has a wonderful view of the pink sky outside, a book shelf, a convenient layout… everything I like about a house. I see Sol and Abby chatting. Everyone in this town is content, and I am content too. Maybe I’m not as content as them, though. What’s their secret? Everything about them radiates something positive. Am I that way too? Maybe I am, but I can never measure up to their levels of optimism. Something is holding me back. There’s nothing to feel sad about, I’m aware, but it doesn’t stop something deep inside from staying.
“Hey! Want some water? Or some berry juice? Why is juice called juice? It just sounds right. Juice. Juice.” Abby says, focusing on her pronunciation. She’s not as serious as I feel people should be, but I don’t mind. She always comes up with the best ideas.

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

———
I don’t know when it started. All I know is that, when I came to the realization that I was currently existing somewhere, I was looking out the window of Town’s Radio and Television Broadcasting Station into the pink clouds in the sky above. The entire world seemed to have a pinkish tint to it, and everything emitted a sense of happiness, of calmness. Slowly, all of it came back to me. I am working with Abby, my fellow broadcast partner. She has bright pink hair and can turn any situation into a good one. She has unending optimism. She makes me happier than anything else. Outside in the street, there are other things, things that don’t matter as much as this.
Abby walks into the room and the tint fades, though I can still feels its presence. “Here!” She hands me a sandwich, fresh from the supermarket down the road, where Daniel works as a cashier. He also seems happy. He likes his job, I can tell. Who wouldn’t? And the market always has reliable sandwiches. I bite into it. It’s as good as it’s always been. I like the way it tastes.
“We’re going on in 9 minutes, so get ready.” Abby shakes my hand. It’s nice to know I can make contact. I don’t know why. And I get up and walk through my room and into the main work area. It’s all how I want it to be. And now we’ll get to announce today’s news. I think of the others- Sol, a woman who doesn’t work and lives at the end of the main road. Null, who lives adjacent to Sol and near Daniel.
They’ll see me and they’ll recognize me. I like all of them in their own ways.
So, in full consciousness, I walk into the film room, where Abby waits, smiling.

We begin the broadcast in unison. ‘Welcome to town broadcasting Inc.- Your #1 for news!”
Abby takes over with the date. January something, she says. The last part seems blocked out. I forget about it quickly.
We read the news. It’s a lot of stuff about the stocking of new foods in the grocery store, about the roads and how they’re clean as ever. About how foggy it’s expected to be. I like when it’s foggy. Everything’s more serene and pink. We finish up at the same time as we do every day, and I leave the building, Abby following close behind. She hops up to me and pulls me down the road. I’m sure I know we’re going to Sol’s- she likes visiting her around these times. Before I can think about the idea of doing anything other than complying, I’m pulled in through the door and am sitting down in the living room of the coziest house in town. It has a wonderful view of the pink sky outside, a book shelf, a convenient layout… everything I like about a house. I see Sol and Abby chatting. Everyone in this town is content, and I am content too. Maybe I’m not as content as them, though. What’s their secret? Everything about them radiates something positive. Am I that way too? Maybe I am, but I can never measure up to their levels of optimism. Something is holding me back. There’s nothing to feel sad about, I’m aware, but it doesn’t stop something deep inside from staying.
“Hey! Want some water? Or some berry juice? Why is juice called juice? It just sounds right. Juice. Juice.” Abby says, focusing on her pronunciation. She’s not as serious as I feel people should be, but I don’t mind. She always comes up with the best ideas.

This has your classic “Everything seems too good to be true” feel
Man you are so good at making things seem yet super suspenseful despite the characters being content.

cheese-duck wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

———
I don’t know when it started. All I know is that, when I came to the realization that I was currently existing somewhere, I was looking out the window of Town’s Radio and Television Broadcasting Station into the pink clouds in the sky above. The entire world seemed to have a pinkish tint to it, and everything emitted a sense of happiness, of calmness. Slowly, all of it came back to me. I am working with Abby, my fellow broadcast partner. She has bright pink hair and can turn any situation into a good one. She has unending optimism. She makes me happier than anything else. Outside in the street, there are other things, things that don’t matter as much as this.
Abby walks into the room and the tint fades, though I can still feels its presence. “Here!” She hands me a sandwich, fresh from the supermarket down the road, where Daniel works as a cashier. He also seems happy. He likes his job, I can tell. Who wouldn’t? And the market always has reliable sandwiches. I bite into it. It’s as good as it’s always been. I like the way it tastes.
“We’re going on in 9 minutes, so get ready.” Abby shakes my hand. It’s nice to know I can make contact. I don’t know why. And I get up and walk through my room and into the main work area. It’s all how I want it to be. And now we’ll get to announce today’s news. I think of the others- Sol, a woman who doesn’t work and lives at the end of the main road. Null, who lives adjacent to Sol and near Daniel.
They’ll see me and they’ll recognize me. I like all of them in their own ways.
So, in full consciousness, I walk into the film room, where Abby waits, smiling.

We begin the broadcast in unison. ‘Welcome to town broadcasting Inc.- Your #1 for news!”
Abby takes over with the date. January something, she says. The last part seems blocked out. I forget about it quickly.
We read the news. It’s a lot of stuff about the stocking of new foods in the grocery store, about the roads and how they’re clean as ever. About how foggy it’s expected to be. I like when it’s foggy. Everything’s more serene and pink. We finish up at the same time as we do every day, and I leave the building, Abby following close behind. She hops up to me and pulls me down the road. I’m sure I know we’re going to Sol’s- she likes visiting her around these times. Before I can think about the idea of doing anything other than complying, I’m pulled in through the door and am sitting down in the living room of the coziest house in town. It has a wonderful view of the pink sky outside, a book shelf, a convenient layout… everything I like about a house. I see Sol and Abby chatting. Everyone in this town is content, and I am content too. Maybe I’m not as content as them, though. What’s their secret? Everything about them radiates something positive. Am I that way too? Maybe I am, but I can never measure up to their levels of optimism. Something is holding me back. There’s nothing to feel sad about, I’m aware, but it doesn’t stop something deep inside from staying.
“Hey! Want some water? Or some berry juice? Why is juice called juice? It just sounds right. Juice. Juice.” Abby says, focusing on her pronunciation. She’s not as serious as I feel people should be, but I don’t mind. She always comes up with the best ideas.

This has your classic “Everything seems too good to be true” feel
Man you are so good at making things seem yet super suspenseful despite the characters being content.

Maybe it is too good to be true. Thank you.

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

cs156175 wrote:

Maybe now something better is coming.
Maybe I’ll float forever in the paralyzing abyss of perpetuality.
For the first time in my memory, I don’t feel anything.
A light comes into view above me. I’m being pulled closer, slowly, slowly.
And what of the others? Are they still somewhere? Have they ever been?
In this moment I’m sure that at one point they existed. Those who have held my hands, comforted me, and gave me realizations.
They may have been part of my psyche, bits of me deep inside struggling to get out and manifesting themselves to try and reach me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never see them again. Or maybe it does.
Abby, Sol, Daniel, Null. Maybe if I can keep up the thought… maybe they’ll find some way to exist again. Maybe if they remain in consciousness they can make themselves known. Even if it isn’t in the same way as before.
I have total faith in them. They have to be out there somewhere. I’ll see them again, even if it’s at night. I recall my memories of them. They’re as much parts of me as they are real people. They exist. They exist.
And soon I’ll know the answer to my question. It’s a question I’m sure we’ve all asked at some point.
Who were we?

———
I don’t know when it started. All I know is that, when I came to the realization that I was currently existing somewhere, I was looking out the window of Town’s Radio and Television Broadcasting Station into the pink clouds in the sky above. The entire world seemed to have a pinkish tint to it, and everything emitted a sense of happiness, of calmness. Slowly, all of it came back to me. I am working with Abby, my fellow broadcast partner. She has bright pink hair and can turn any situation into a good one. She has unending optimism. She makes me happier than anything else. Outside in the street, there are other things, things that don’t matter as much as this.
Abby walks into the room and the tint fades, though I can still feels its presence. “Here!” She hands me a sandwich, fresh from the supermarket down the road, where Daniel works as a cashier. He also seems happy. He likes his job, I can tell. Who wouldn’t? And the market always has reliable sandwiches. I bite into it. It’s as good as it’s always been. I like the way it tastes.
“We’re going on in 9 minutes, so get ready.” Abby shakes my hand. It’s nice to know I can make contact. I don’t know why. And I get up and walk through my room and into the main work area. It’s all how I want it to be. And now we’ll get to announce today’s news. I think of the others- Sol, a woman who doesn’t work and lives at the end of the main road. Null, who lives adjacent to Sol and near Daniel.
They’ll see me and they’ll recognize me. I like all of them in their own ways.
So, in full consciousness, I walk into the film room, where Abby waits, smiling.

We begin the broadcast in unison. ‘Welcome to town broadcasting Inc.- Your #1 for news!”
Abby takes over with the date. January something, she says. The last part seems blocked out. I forget about it quickly.
We read the news. It’s a lot of stuff about the stocking of new foods in the grocery store, about the roads and how they’re clean as ever. About how foggy it’s expected to be. I like when it’s foggy. Everything’s more serene and pink. We finish up at the same time as we do every day, and I leave the building, Abby following close behind. She hops up to me and pulls me down the road. I’m sure I know we’re going to Sol’s- she likes visiting her around these times. Before I can think about the idea of doing anything other than complying, I’m pulled in through the door and am sitting down in the living room of the coziest house in town. It has a wonderful view of the pink sky outside, a book shelf, a convenient layout… everything I like about a house. I see Sol and Abby chatting. Everyone in this town is content, and I am content too. Maybe I’m not as content as them, though. What’s their secret? Everything about them radiates something positive. Am I that way too? Maybe I am, but I can never measure up to their levels of optimism. Something is holding me back. There’s nothing to feel sad about, I’m aware, but it doesn’t stop something deep inside from staying.
“Hey! Want some water? Or some berry juice? Why is juice called juice? It just sounds right. Juice. Juice.” Abby says, focusing on her pronunciation. She’s not as serious as I feel people should be, but I don’t mind. She always comes up with the best ideas.

It doesn’t seem like much time has passed before I’m walking home, but the skies are darker now. As I take the elevator up to the top floor, I think about the feeling I noticed while having juice with Sol. Everyone here seems to be walking on sunshine, but they’re still real people. If they can get to that point, what’s holding me back? What’s the anchor at the bottom of my heart doing? I should be like them. I want to be like them.
But even with the pink sky and my bright roommate and my fine living conditions, I find it impossible. I wonder sometimes if my facade is working. They would love me anyways, even if I let it down, I’m sure. But it’s just better to contribute to the mood than to ruin it for everyone. Maybe someday that weight will be lifted and I’ll join them in happiness, but for now I drift to sleep.
My dream is, like every night, blackness. And, as always, it seems to last a few seconds before I feel everything push into full gear and I see the sky change rapidly outside and I’m up to do a morning run at the news station. I’ve hardly even thought about it and it’s happened already, so I get up, ignoring what’s oulling me down, and Abby is already waiting in the hallway with a warm smile on her face. That smile is her defining trait. I don’t know if there’s a situation in which it wouldn’t make me feel something inside. I don’t know what it is that I feel when I look at it. I usually don’t feel much at all, which I assume is contentness. But I suppose maybe her smile makes me feel something. Or maybe that’s just what I tell myself to convince myself that I can still have a reaction, somehow.
I correct my tiredness and she holds out her hand. “Want to go on a run before the morning broadcast?”
Something about the way she says it makes it sound like a good idea. It’s not an anything idea, really. I don’t have an opinion on it. But she’s there, so I go with her anyways to run. It’s common for her to ask things like this, and I go with her every time.