Chapter 1 - The Monotonous March

Addie's day started, as always, with the sharp, insistent beeping of his alarm — a sound that seemed to mark the relentless march of a life caught in the throes of monotony. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling of his modest apartment, the familiar sense of repetition washing over him.

His job as an engineer, once a source of pride and excitement, had become a tiresome routine. Each project, each calculation, seemed to bleed into the next, leaving him feeling like a cog in an endless machine. During his lunch break, he would often find himself gazing out of the office window, his mind drifting to his family back home.

Addie was the eldest of four, a role that came with its own set of responsibilities and expectations. His parents, warm and loving, had always been his anchor, and his younger siblings, with their endless energy and mischief, were a source of joy and frustration in equal measure. But now, living overseas and absorbed in the grind of daily life, he felt a growing chasm between them. Every weekend, he promised himself he'd call, catch up, perhaps even plan a visit. Yet, somehow, he always found a reason to put it off, convincing himself there would be time later.

In the midst of his routine life, Addie found solace and purpose in his volunteering work. Each week, he dedicated his evenings to volunteering at a local organization focused on mental health, a cause close to his heart. There, he engaged in peer-to-peer sessions, offering a listening ear and compassionate guidance to those wrestling with their own inner turmoil. His natural empathy and understanding, honed through these interactions, were a beacon of hope for many. He also spent time with the youth in his community, mentoring and supporting them through their challenges. These moments, where he could make a tangible difference in someone's life, were the times when Addie felt most alive, most connected to the world around him. Little did he know, this experience would become a cornerstone in the life that awaited him, a life where understanding and healing the mind would be just as crucial as mending the body.

After another forgettable day at work, Addie sought solace at the gym. The physical exertion, the rhythm of his breathing and the beat of his heart, offered a temporary escape. But as he left the gym, navigating the dimly lit streets back to his apartment, he couldn't shake the feeling of isolation, the sense that he was missing out on something fundamental — a life filled with more than just deadlines and routines.

It was in a dim alleyway, just a few blocks from his home, that his mundane existence shattered. Confronted by a mugger, the cold metal of a gun glinting in the faint streetlight, Addie's mind raced. "Your money or your life," the assailant demanded, a cold edge to his voice.

Addie's hand instinctively went to his watch, a cherished memento from his grandfather. "Take anything but the watch," he said, his voice tinged with desperation.

The mugger's response was a sneer. "Not an option. The watch, now."

In a moment of reckless courage, Addie lunged at the mugger. The gun clattered to the ground, but a searing pain in his side told him he'd been stabbed. As he struggled to overpower his assailant, his mind was flooded with thoughts of his family — the weekends he'd missed calling them, the visits he'd postponed. The realization that he might never see them again was a sharper pain than the blade in his side.

As the sound of sirens pierced the night, Addie felt his strength waning. His grip on the mugger loosened, and the world began to blur at the edges. His last conscious thought was a pang of regret — for the time lost, for the promises unkept, for the family he'd left waiting.

When Addie next opened his eyes, he was no longer in the alleyway. He was surrounded by darkness, a void that seemed to stretch infinitely. He reached out, expecting to find the familiar texture of his bedsheets, the snooze button of his alarm. Instead, his hand found nothing but emptiness. A screen flickered to life in front of him, displaying a single, perplexing word:

╔════════╗

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ LOADING...

╚════════╝

Confusion and disbelief gripped him.

Where was he?

What was this place?

Did he glitch into the backrooms?

His heart raced as he tried to make sense of his surroundings, the eerie silence of the void filling him with a sense of unease. The loading screen seemed to stare back at him, a gateway to an unknown journey that was about to begin.

╔════════════════╗

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Welcome to your reality.

╚════════════════╝

[End of Chapter One]