Aris chuckled and clicked his mouse. He loved ARG (Alternate Reality Game) marketing stunts. The progress bar filled. The screen went black.
He had found the link on SOCIGAMES, a notorious underground forum for experimental, hyper-realistic indie games. The thread had no reviews, only a cryptic warning from the uploader: Once you execute the file, there is no going back. Download The Point of No Return [v0.35] В» SOCIGAMES
He gripped the brass key tightly in his hand, realizing that the forum warning had not been a marketing stunt at all. He had downloaded himself directly into the game. To get home, he would have to play. If you tell me what happens next, I can continue the story: The first obstacle Aris encounters in the maze An encounter with another trapped player A discovery about the game's true creator I can write the next chapter based on your choices! Aris chuckled and clicked his mouse
He walked to the window. When he pulled back the curtains, he didn't see the familiar streetlights of his neighborhood. There was only a vast, empty grid of neon-blue lines stretching into an infinite black abyss. A soft chime sounded behind him. He spun around. The screen went black
Instantly, his monitors shut off. The hum of his PC fans died. Total silence swallowed the room. Aris reached for his desk lamp, but the switch clicked uselessly. The power was out. Then, his smartphone buzzed on the desk.
The terminal cursor blinked steadily in the dim light of Aris’s room. On the screen, the download progress bar for "The Point of No Return [v0.35]" was stuck at 99%.