...And I Am Going Home

Oliver 23

Darren had gifted Oliver the video game Portal for his birthday since Oliver enjoyed puzzles and mysteries. At first, Oliver was unsure as he saw the cover art with someone holding a gun. He wasn't mainly a fan of action or violence, but Darren reassured him that it was, in fact, a puzzle game. So Oliver tried it out, pleasantly surprised to find it was an intriguing physics puzzle game where the character you were playing was testing out a portal gun under the behest of a robot, with some levels stooping him to a satisfying challenge. However, the ending he did not find enjoyable and left him confused.

"So, what did you think?" asked Darren after one of their Friday performances.

"I really enjoyed it, actually," replied Oliver. "Though the ending left more to be desired."

Darren frowned. "The ending? What was up with it? I thought it was great?"

Oliver shrugged. "I prefer happier endings, not you're just discarded after your use is up. Though I get what it is trying to say about-"

"Wait, wait, wait..." Darren stared at him. "How do you think it ends?"

"You get incinerated," Oliver said slowly. "After you've done all the tests."

"You just stood and didn't do anything?"

"Yes, the game told you to remain still."

Darren laughed, clutching his side. "Can't believe, well I can-"

"What?" Oliver huffed, frustrated.

"You know you can move?"

"It told you not to."

"So, you just accepted your fate? Didn't think you could save yourself and live?"

Oliver paused. "No..."

That night, Oliver replayed the level which he thought was the end, and when the main character was about to be incinerated, instead of obeying and standing there, letting it happen, he found an escape.

He messaged Darren.

Oliver: I feel like an idiot

Darren: (crying, laughing face)

But Oliver did especially feel so, as he recalled back to... had really been over half a year now?- to Snickelway and how he chose not to accept his fate and keep moving forward in the queue.

Darren: you know Cody used to love video games, too

Darren: he's gotten back into them

Darren: Portal 2 has a co-op mode

The following week, Oliver got himself a headset to talk to Cody as they played through the co-op campaign of Portal 2. It turns out that not everyone plays like Oliver, being efficient and logical, as Cody proved with his mercurial temperament, ranging from thinking things through with Oliver to running ahead or purposefully annoying Oliver by 'accidentally' getting his character killed, resulting in heated rants from Oliver as Cody uncontrollably laughed on the other end.

Despite their differences in playing games, Oliver was just happy to spend more time with Cody.