Ego Sickness: The Archives.

Alternate Scenario: AOTD: Takeover (3/3).

The way the pixels all joined together in a mesmerising dance... the way the light dimmed and brighten to form entrancing pulse... the way the whole screen seemed to be expanding beyond the edges of its boundaries... the way the static was rippling towards him in soothing, slow-moving spirals... it was one of the most, no, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His mind was tingling with joy as he sank deeper and deeper away from rationality. But he didn't feel like he was going down. He felt like he was going up. He felt like he was floating. The Irish man felt so light and free of care that he was weightless, no worry or fear to weigh him down.

"Are you sure?" Anti asked slowly, making sure his words also matched the rhythm so that Seán's trance would not be interrupted. "I think you've got it a little mixed up; are you sure you aren't sinking? Falling down, down, down. Things getting dark, darker, yet darker..."

Oh. Maybe Seán had been wrong. Maybe Anti was right. Of course, Anti was right, he was always right. His body had felt light as if he was floating, but slowly he began to sink downwards into the depths of his own head, away from the world, leaving it all behind. Once more, he could feel that tremendous weight filling every part of him, and the amount of energy and effort that it was taking to remain on his feet was becoming overwhelming. And not only that, but the soft, sweet call of the white noise that hummed like a lullaby was so, so soothing... so calming... he was just so relaxed. It was utter bliss.

As the static spiral gracefully swirled towards him, he gently felt it encase around his body to encapsulate him in a comforting warmth. It almost felt as if it was cocooning him in fluffy, fuzzy, cosy blankets. Seán thought that he could even feel it wrapping around the back of his head like a cushion.

As his focus had become enamoured by the dancing screen, he had forgotten how utterly exhausted he was. And the feeling seemed to be getting stronger, more prevalent, as if his energy was being drained. As if his life essence was getting sapped.

But he didn't mind.

He really didn't care.

Until he realised something.

With every swing of the screen, his eyelids were getting lower and lower.

Seán tried to fight it, for he was scared. He wasn't scared that he was on the brink of unconsciousness. No, he was scared that he wouldn't get to watch the amazing sight before him anymore. He wanted it. He needed it. He didn't want to stop.

Anti sensed an extremely dull feeling of panic from within Seán's weakening consciousness. "It would be horrible if it all suddenly ended and you couldn't watch it anymore, hmm? But if you just close your eyes and you drift off to sleep, do you know what you can do? You can dream about it!" Seán's panic subsided. Anti held back a laugh. "You can dream, and watch it forever and ever and ever... doesn't that sound so good?"

Seán definitely agreed, but couldn't bring himself to make any verbal response. He was too far gone for that now.

"Besides, can't you feel how tired you are, Jack-a-boy? How sleepy you feel? Sleepy Seán!" Anti giggled at the phrase. "Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy... you just can't keep your eyes open, can you?"

The Irish man couldn't. His eyelids were starting to close faster, sliding lower and lower over his bloodshot eyes that had ceased crying a long time ago, leaving them to dry. They should have felt scratchy and uncomfortable, but Seán couldn't feel that. He just felt tired. And he wanted to sleep.

But for some reason there was a tiny, minuscule part of him that didn't want to. A slither of his melted mind that was silently begging for him to stay awake, to hold on. He couldn't understand why. He couldn't remember why. But the voice was so weak, so stupidly feeble, that there was no way it could sway him. The static was so much louder. And the static was so much nicer.