2:36 a.m.

it's 2:36 am. you couldn't sleep, so you went on a walk through your neighborhood. it's peaceful, y'know? you really get to take a break from everything, including people. you're terrified of being alone. you've taken a walk before. you usually get back around 3:00 am. [["you wouldn't be so alone if you actually tried to reach out sometimes."->2]]

you know. you know that, but you can't. it's hard. people just.. don't feel realistic. you can't relate. you tell yourself that, but you can, can't you? you don't even feel real half of the time it's 2:39 am. [["it's not that hard. you're overreacting. stop kidding yourself."->3]]

you just can't. it's frustrating. you can't stop hurting people. you want to reach out, but you cant. it's 2:43 am. you wish your brain would just stop for a while. you stop under a lamp. you're at the end of the street now. you kick a can and [[sigh...->4]]

[["why do you always act like this? you're impossible"->5]]

you're tired. you want to go home, but you can't. you need to finish your walk. "why don't you ever get sick of this?" you ask your brain. "it's your fault. don't blame me." he says back. you guess he's right. you count to 10 and take a deep breath. can't wait to get home. it's 2:45 am. [["didn't your parents ever teach you how to control yourself?"->>6]]

they did, but it's so hard to listen when you're so preoccupied with your own thoughts. it's hard to listen when you can't focus. you see the soda can on the sidewalk. you kick it. it lands in the gutter. "why would you do that?" your brain says to you. "i dont know." you say back. he doesn't know anything. it's 2:47 am. [["have you tried not being nervous?"->7]]

you wish you could stop being nervous. you see your house in the distance. you think about all the people you've hurt. you didn't want to. "it's your fault when you hurt people. you're a bad person." your brain comes back, always knowing exactly what to say. "i don't want to. please don't call me that. you're glad you're almost home. it's 2:50 am. [["you're tired. try to sleep more. i don't like seeing you like this."->8]]

you wish you could sleep. it's hard. you don't have the energy to do anything, but when you need to sleep, you can't. it's ironic isn't it? you see a light on in a house as you pass by. you hope they don't see you. that would be embarrasing. "you made the decision to come out this late." you wonder if 2:36 am is considered late at night, or early in the morning. it takes your mind off of your problems. it's 2:55 am. [["i can't help you if you don't want to help yourself."->9]]

you decide that maybe help just isn't for you. maybe you're a lost cause. you're close to home, so what could go wrong? you don't feel happy about that. you don't feel sad either. you feel inbetween. you put your key into the lock and turn. you look at the time on the stove. it's 2:57 am. you were early home by 3 minutes. it felt like your walk was forever. your legs are heavy. [["inbetween? that's not a real emotion."->10]]

maybe it is, maybe it isnt. if it is, you decide it's something like 2:36 am. not quite one or the other, but it's something all on its own. you hope tomorrow doesnt feel like 2:36 am. you hope it's better than today. you open the door to your room and lay down. it's 3:00 am. [["goodnight."->11]]

thank you for playing. please tell me what you think [[replay?->1]]