𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 [𝙽𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚡 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚢]

7

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Stanley hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep in the colorful domed room until he was woken up by the feeling of a hand on his shoulder.

Wait, a hand? There shouldn't be any of those here other than his. He whipped his head to see who this strange hand belonged to if anyone.

"Woah there, Stanley, it's only me; no need to go so swiftly. I just wanted to show you that I'd finished." A very familiar voice said, instantly calming Stanley's nerves. It wasn't easy to make out many features with the constantly changing colored lights, but behind Stanley stood a person of small stature, wearing a formal suit vest over a long-sleeved button-up shirt.

Standing up, Stanley was about 3 inches taller than them. They wore round glasses and had slightly curly hair. There were two incredibly long groups of strands of hair flowing in front of their glasses, in a very unrealistic way. How did they stay there so perfectly?

The Narrator looked at Stanley "Alright then, are you ready to go? Do you want to grab anything before we head out?" Stanley shook his head, no, and The Narrator pulled out a yellow button seemingly from nowhere and pressed it.

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The two materialized in Stanley's office. Once in the light, Stanley could get a better look at The Narrator. Their hair was simultaneously grey and dirty blond; not in the 'going grey' way, but more similar to the way, say, an animal has spots on its fur. Its hair was just colored differently in different places.

The two walked silently up to the office, neither taking their eyes off the other the whole way through the halls. On multiple occasions, one of the two walked directly into a wall while trying to go through doors or around corners. Stanley had only snapped out of the trance right before the large doors to the office.

Stanley blinked, before motioning to The Narrator to follow him over to the desk on the secretary's desk. When over there, Stanley typed up instructions to The Narrator.

[So, considering the doors haven't been closing behind us like they do when I'm alone, I think if I walk in and then back out and then you close the door it should work?]

"This is a lot of variables and 'ifs' Stanley. It may not work because the doors haven't closed behind us, that's a variable."

[So what if it takes a couple of tries? Is it worse to waste a bit of time trying this and not be able to get out, or to have access out but not know it?]

The Narrator let out a sigh. "I suppose better safe than sorry, as they say."

The two of them had a bit of difficulty fluidly executing the plan. Stanley stepped through the door, and Stanley immediately heard the doors close behind him with a gust of wind.

Stanley stared at the door for a few moments, neither one making a sound.

"Stanley I think I messed up." It said in a sheepish tone. There was the sound of the door handles jiggling several times before The Narrator sighed. "I think I should reset- knock on the door if you're fine with that."

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Appearing in his office again, The Narrator was just outside, leaning on the door they'd eventually need to go through.

"I am quite apologetic for that, Stanley- I don't know how I messed up that badly! I promise I'll do it properly this time." It said, pushing its yellow-tinted glasses up the bridge of its nose into their proper place.

The two went back up to the office. It seemed a lot quieter than usual, both without The Narrator's lines and without the creaking of the closing doors behind them. The walk was easier this time, and the two were able to acknowledge each other without having to stare at each other the whole time.

They got to the doors, attempting to get it right this time. They did not. When they tried to go back to Stanley's office, the door next to the office remained firmly closed.

They tried again. And again. There were many fumbles, ranging from accidentally closing or opening doors that shouldn't have been opened or closed to a few times Stanley tripped due to forgetting The Narrator was there, Stanley falling down the stairs, resulting in a forced reset because of death.

The final time around, The Narrator did its usual narrating as they walked; claiming it helped it focus on the plan better. Stanley wasn't quite sure how, but he trusted it (and its voice is something he could never get tired of so he didn't mind.) enough.

Once again reaching the dark wooden doors, Stanley motioned for The Narrator to stay put. Stanley stepped into the room before heading directly back out. Stanley looked at The Narrator expectantly, but it did not approach the door.

"Stanley... I'm beginning to have second thoughts. What if we can't get back here? What if one of us doesn't get out? I know this was my idea, but I think it was a bad one." It fidgeted with its hands.

Stanley walked up to The Narrator, resting a hand on its shoulder, trying to be some form of reassurance. Stanley didn't have a clue what might happen to them but he felt deeply in his heart that they'd both make it out of this story.

He trusted it.

He saw as it swallowed its fear, and walked past Stanley, closing the door. He'd heard the door close before, and he saw the force with which The Narrator closed the door; it was no different than usual. But it felt so loud. The air of the building felt different instantly.

It turned around, a shaky smile on its thin and terrified lips. "Off to new adventures?"

Stanley nodded, giving a much more confident smile. He took its hand, and lead it down to his office. Its hand was shaky in his own, but they made it down unscathed. This was the farthest they'd gotten in a few resets.

And the door was wide open. They'd done it.

They rushed through the halls, ending up in that room Stanley hadn't seen in many many resets.

And there it was, the red-lined chamber in all its glory.

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