For The Love Of The Game

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Enter Player Name: Riley

How the fuck did I get here?

Time stretched endlessly in front of me. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours, and the hours disappeared into nothingness. Pain shot through my feet as I dragged them against the floor, struggling to keep moving forward. How much easier it would be to let my legs give out.

Why was I trapped here?

I bit into my nails and my guts twisted into tight knots at the sight around me.

There were boxes everywhere — tall as mountains. Their corners stretched, casting dark, pointed shadows in the shape of sharp spears. But unlike real mountains, these weren't stable. I felt it starting in my bones, a deep and slow rumble. The boxes at the bottom were caving in. The thick woven cardboard bent under the pressure from above. It was only a matter of time... before it would all come tumbling down.

I walked and ran, but no matter how many turns I took, there were always more boxes. Boxes preventing me from escaping. Boxes keeping me trapped.

"Riley!" screams permeated throughout the air. I recognized the cries; it was Mom and Dad.

Their echos bounced from box to box, Riley

                                      Riley

Riley

                                                                        Help us

                 Riley

                                         Riley, wrapping me in a disorienting vortex — there was no up — no down — no left or right — just the nauseating cycle of my name, Riley

Riley come find us

                Riley, I wanted to collapse — to close my ears and shut everything out— but I needed to reach them — I began running, forcing my feet to carry me faster than they humanly could — but no matter which direction I ran, the voices never got closer — or farther away

Riley

"Riley!" My parents' voices thundered. Louder. Shattering the sky. The sound shook the ground beneath my feet. Every box grumbled, vibrating in unison. A poorly choreographed dance.

"Sis, wake up!" A new voice exclaimed.

The walls of boxes broke into pieces. The sky fell and an avalanche swallowed me, trapping me in complete darkness. All alone.

I screamed, "Nooo!"

_________________________

"Noooo!" I snapped up from the bed. My forehead slammed into my five-year-old brother's teeth.

Mikey kneeled next to me, wrapped in an iron-man onesie, tiny fingers buried deep into the mossy green sheets beneath us. My heart softened at the sight of his puffy cheeks. His lower lip quivered, and tears built at the corner of his hazel eyes. His hair, as chocolate as mine, tumbled messily around his face.

I smiled, ignoring the tendrils of fear that lingered from my dream and the heart quenching loneliness threatening to consume me.

My arms wrapped around his shaking body. I pulled him tightly into my arms and rained wet kisses over his chubby cheeks. His scared face morphed into a smile. I laughed, watching his belly jiggle with every giggle drawn out.