Three Cubes

You wake up from a well-needed nap. You hadn't intended to sleep as long as you did, but it seems like your body had other ideas. No use stressing about it now. You're awake. [[Look around.]]

You are sitting in your bedroom, in your small apartment. Your room is simple. Twin-sized bed, a desk, a nightstand, and small dresser. The only piece of furniture in the room that doesn't feel strictly utilitarian is your bookcase. [[Even for a bookcase, it's very tall.]]

Its height feels pretty over-the-top. It has always felt out-of-place in here. The shelves are filled with books, comics, magazines, movies, and a few scattered game cartridges. You haven't touched any of them in more than a year, at the very least. [[Soak in the rest of the room.]]

You blink away your grogginess and look at the rest of your room. The entire room is filled with a glow of bright pinks and greens, as the setting sun comes through the window across from you. A low hum of citylife seems to pierce through the apartment's dead silence. [[You have things to do, but don't feel like doing them.]]

Your eyes don't even flit to the desk for a second, where the work you promised yourself you'd get finished is sitting. Instead, you stare at the center of your room. Floating about three feet off the carpet, as always, are three bright cubes. It's time to kill some time. [[Examine the Red Cube.]] [[Examine the Cyan Cube.]] [[Examine the Indigo Cube.]] [[Examine the bookshelf.]] [[Go back to sleep.]]

You stand up, almost losing your balance and tripping over your bed sheets. The choice feels like a no-brainer. You often default to the Red Cube when you've got time on your hands. You step over to it, ignoring the others. [[Read the Red Cube.]]

You stand up, almost losing your balance and tripping over your bed sheets. Without much hesitation, you walk over to the Cyan Cube. You deserve this. Right? You got some work done the other day. As your peers often say: treat yourself. [[Read the Cyan Cube.]]

You stand up, almost losing your balance and tripping over your bed sheets. It's not often that you use the Indigo Cube. It just doesn't call out to you as strongly as the others. For that reason, it feels even more important when you give it attention. [[Read the Indigo Cube.]]

You look at the bookshelf, wondering if there's something you could do to pass the time. You haven't touched most of this stuff in so long, so maybe it'll be fun to take a look. It could be nostalgic. You do your best to ignore the three cubes, as hard as that is to do. [[Read something.]] [[Watch something.]] [[Play something.]]

You don't feel like doing anything. You curl up in bed. The sheets feel oddly cold, despite your search for warmth. [[Maybe you can just sleep.]]

You lift the cube up from the bottom, and eagerly press it down on your head. You make sure you're completely immersed. Every inch of hair. Don't let your chin poke out. [[Close your eyes.]]

The cube is warm, and inviting. It feels pretty good, although you try not to think too hard about that. You feel your hair slipping off your forehead as it floats weightlessly in the liquid. It's hard to shake the image of your head looking like a treat floating in a bowl of bright gelatin. You look ridiculous, you bet. [[But who cares.]]

The cube feels good, like it always does. "Well, not always," you tell yourself reflexively. "Sometimes it doesn't. But maybe it's not the cube's fault. I'm just in the wrong mindset." But today is not one of those days. Today, you think Cyan is exactly what you needed to recharge. As soon as you're done, and feel refreshed, you'll hop to that thing you have to do. [[Right.]]

The cube feels really good. You relax your shoulders and try to just live in the moment. No use going on and on about how the cube feels good. Just enjoy it. Focus, and keep hold of it. That's what matters. Live in the moment, or next thing you know, you'll be back at your desk. [[Try to appreciate this moment while it lasts.]]

You try to appreciate it...and you succeed. A strange phrase floats past your mind. "Fits just like a glove." Do people actually say that? You're not sure, but it's apparently the thought you have about the Cyan Cube. It's familiar. It's reliable. It's a good way to jumpstart your morning. It's, honestly, a good reminder that there's good stuff to look forward to all the time. [[Just having that thought makes you feel pretty optimistic about your day.]]

Before long, you hear faint echoes of music flow through your ears and dance around your head. You don't know how to describe it, except as delightful. You wish you had the vocabulary for this. Whatever this track is, you've never heard it before, but you're kind of loving it? You wonder how you can find more music like this. Maybe you'll hear something similar tomorrow. [[Stop getting distracted by the music, and focus more on the cube.]]

You focus on the cube. It almost tickles. At first, you try to stifle a laugh. The next time you feel it come on, you just let it loose. It's not like anyone can hear you chuckling in your apartment through the cube anyway. In between laughter, you focus intently. [[Such great storytelling.]]

Once the music settles in, your mind is enveloped in a blossoming narrative. The narrative of today's cube is really catching you off-guard, but it's great. It's genius, even. You'd actually use the word "genius" to describe this. The story, the music, the feel. All of it. Definitely. Genius. The Cyan Cube always offers a new experience, and it always takes you somewhere different. No two days have ever felt the same. Today's experience is really incredible. [[Feel a sense of emptiness.]] [[Feel a sense of yearning.]]

You suddenly feel empty. You recognize the feeling. It's funny how that feeling, "empty", is so aptly named. It's more than just feeling bad. You feel like a hole has opened in your stomach. You feel cold. Not an exciting chill, but just a slow, swirling vacuum. The absence of heat. [[You don't feel good.]]

Despite everything, you still want...more. You want something else. You're done with this story. You've had enough of this vibe. You're ready for more. Something different. [[You expand your mind, searching for more.]]

Without intending to, you clench your fist. A tremble travels up your body. What does it want? To cry? To lay down? You don't like this. [[Maybe it's time to take the cube off.]]

You had your fun. Maybe it's time to do something productive. As quickly as that thought comes to you, another one reflexively snaps back. Why? The Cyan Cube always makes you feel better. Why would you take it //off?// You should leave it on, so that this conflicted feeling will pass. [[Take it off.]] [[Give it a chance.]]

You hesitate for a second, but then decide that taking it off is probably for the best. You clasp the left and right sides of the cube, struggling to grip the smooth surface, and heave it off of your head. It slips from your hands, and you let it gently fall to the ground. [[Your head is spinning.]]

How are you going to string together multiple good days in a row if you give up so easily? The reason you own a Cyan Cube is because it makes you happy. You can't live a happy life if you refuse to indulge in the things that make you happy. [[Just act like a normal person.]]

You take a moment to collect yourself, and take a deep breath. You still don't feel good. But part of you at least feels like you made the right decision. Maybe you'll put the Cyan Cube on tomorrow. There's still more to do today. [[Examine another cube.]] [[Do your work.]]

You feel like you've wasted some time, but maybe you just need another shot. You decide to give the cubes another try. You still don't feel like being productive. [[Try the Red Cube.]] [[Try the Cyan Cube.]] [[Try the Indigo Cube.]]

You have work to do, and you've wasted enough time putting it off. You walk over to your desk and take a seat. There's...a million things you'd rather do than work right now. [[Just do it.]] [[Check out another cube, just for a little bit.]]

There are some days where you just have to buckle down and get stuff done. You feel proud of yourself for a moment. Then you take the pride back. You're rewarding yourself just for having a thought. You'll have time to be proud when you get your stuff done. [[You shake the presence of the cubes out of your mind.]]

They're there for a reason. Before you even give it second thought, your hands are already hovering over the cubes. Your body reflexively comes to these in moments of boredom. It's just a routine, really. [[Examine another cube.]]

Clearing your mind, work finally starts to get done. Minutes pass, then hours. You take breaks to eat, and stretch your arms. [[The sun sets, and night falls.]]

You're relieved. And now, you're proud. You're not quite sure what happened over the years. What happened to make one productive day feel like such a victory? You worry about that thought for a moment, but decide it's time to just feel satisfied with what you've done. You got your work done. You can unwind. You can sleep. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

And I know you will be okay. [[Thank you for playing.]]

You lift the cube up from the bottom, and eagerly press it down on your head. You make sure you're completely immersed. Every inch of hair. Don't let your chin poke out. [[Expand your mind.]]

The cube is warm. Slowly, you begin to feel the usual sensations flowing into your head. Your mind feels warmer, enriched. It feels connected to the world, the way it should be. You feel your hair slipping off your forehead as it floats weightlessly in the liquid. It's hard to shake the image of your head looking like a treat floating in a bowl of bright gelatin. You push that image aside, and focus on what's important. [[You focus on searching.]]

You begin searching. Browsing. Traveling. Seeking. Reading. Whatever you want to call it. Your vision glazes over, and you can feel your mind reaching out to the world around you. It zigs and zags until it finally makes contact with millions of other stray thoughts . A network of thoughts and ideas turned into emotion and action. Thoughts and ideas meant for sharing. Or taking. Or absorbing. [[You begin your daily search.]]

You begin your usual routine, allowing the warmth to overcome you and take you over. Your body becomes numb. Your toes are itchy, and then they aren't. Your mind is in a different place now, so you try to forget about your body. [[You feel connected.]]

Before you know it, all of your work is done. You could have sworn there was another item or two on your docket, but no, you've really finished it all. [[A wave of relief hits you.]]

Your mind reaches out into the city, into the nation, and circles across the planet. You can feel it mixing with everyone else. Like walking through an old town plaza. No, like beads of dew along a beautiful spider web. No, like tempting pastries, displayed together thoughtfully in a baker's window. [[You feel enriched.]]

It's only been a few minutes, and you've already learned something new you didn't know. And you've seen something beautiful that you'd have never noticed. And you've pondered something complicated and insightful that you hadn't thought of before. [[You feel validated.]]

Throughout your childhood, you always had trouble finding people who you could relate to. Things always felt just a little bit off. But now that you're older, you've been able to connect with people who validate your existence and make you feel welcome. You can't imagine going back to those days. [[Become overwhelmed.]] [[Become furious.]]

Everything is suddenly just a bit too much. Your thoughts are racing through your head. Not just yours, but everyone else's too. You're overwhelmed by the rising emotions of it all. The dissenting opinions, the onslaught of new information, the many crises demanding your attention. [[Your mind feels like it's breaking apart.]]

The mood is soon ruined. The longer you search, the more you're stumbling upon unpleasant things in your stream of consciousness. They feel like intruders. Alarm bells. You clench your jaw, annoyed at yourself for calling them such things. [[It's the usual fare.]]

Split in a hundred different directions. So, so many things require your attention. You know they all shouldn't. There should be some sort of priority list. A queue. A VIP line. [[But there isn't.]]

A swarm of thoughts and feelings from around the world swirl in your brain. A hurricane with no shelter. Above all, you're surprised by the fact that you're still in the cube. No matter how many times this happens, you've never developed a reflex to take it off. [[Your natural inclination remains to stay submerged.]]

You take a deep breath, and try to decide what would be best. Despite the discomfort it gives you every day, you've never considered ditching the Red Cube. You're certain that its existence makes you a better person. Makes life better. At least, in the long run. It would be foolish to cut yourself off from the world, and stay holed up in your apartment. [[Disconnect.]] [[Stay connected.]]

You give up, and decide to remove your consciousness from the slurry. Hands placed firmly on the sides, you rip the Red Cube off of your head. [[Silence.]]

Even if keeping your head in here takes a toll on your body...if you run away at the first sign of uneasiness, aren't you just turning a blind eye to all that stuff you saw? By disconnecting, you're admitting that you'd rather not know the truth. You're running away from reality. By disconnecting, you'd be abandoning the good people, and letting the bad people win. [[You blink, and pause for a bit.]]

You take a deep breath, adjusting to the usual quiet of your apartment. You feel better. Undeniably. ... Now what? There's a slight throb in your forehead, and you start to feel the pull of the Red Cube. You look at it, fully aware that it's tempting you. This is what always happens when it's too quiet. You've wasted time, but there's still more to do. [[Examine another cube.]] [[Do your work.]]

You lift the cube up from the bottom, and eagerly press it down on your head. You make sure you're completely immersed. Every inch of hair. Don't let your chin poke out. [[Immerse yourself.]]

You close your eyes, and try your best to clear your mind. The stresses of the day melt away. You couldn't be further from remembering the work you have to get done today. You can feel yourself standing in the snow, as if setting a marker for your present place in time. To your left and right, you see your own life stretching in two directions, as far as the eye can see. [[Explore your past.]] [[Consider your future.]]

You re-direct your consciousness, and take a step into your past. Your mind is flooded with images and sounds from years past. Every smell, touch, and taste that has left an impression on you. Everything is laid out before you. [[You remember your childhood fondly.]] [[Your childhood left scars you'd rather forget.]]

It's been a long time since you've explored your future. As soon as you turn towards it, everything seems to melt away. The floor sweeps out from under you, and the world spins in your vision. Light and dark blur together. Hot and cold become a singular, numbing feeling. [[The future isn't so concrete, after all.]]

The warmth shifts to an undeniable coldness. Not quite a chill, but rather a coolness against your skin. It's kind of nice. You feel like you're walking through a calm field of snow. Every footfall in the undisturbed blanket feels important. Grandiose. Like walking through unexplored land. [[Meditate.]]

You had a good time growing up. Things were a little bit simpler back then. [[It's fun to reminisce.]]

Although you lead a pretty satisfied life now, there's a reason you try to live in the present. Dwelling on the past has never gone well. [[But it still feels important.]]

Images soar past you. They highlight all the memories you miss most. The taste of sweets and comfort food. The feeling of a warm blanket at the end of a long day. The sound of laughing with friends. [[The world felt different, then.]]

It felt expansive. Even though all of your memories aren't happy, there was still a pervasive feeling that the world was there to be explored and experienced. Every year, new things to do, and learn. [[You really can't complain, you've been very lucky.]]

Whenever you look back on these memories, it puts a smile on your face. As soon as this happens, a sour feeling begins to form within you. You're not happy in life right now. It pales in comparison to how you felt as a kid. [[Is it all downhill from here?]]

It's that thought again. You're all too familiar with it by this point. And when that thought comes to you, your brain reacts reflexively. "It wasn't all good!" it tells you. [[New images begin to drift past you.]]

Determined to rip you from the warmth of nostalgia, your brain offers up the most upsetting and dreary memories it can conjure. Anything to convince you that things are fine now, because they were just as bad then. [[This isn't helping.]]

So much for self-reflection. Looking towards the past has always been a useful tool for you. A tool with which to measure your growth, success, and aspirations. An enjoyable pastime in its own right. A fun thing to do for an evening. [[But, inevitably, this always happens.]]

Is there a point to thinking about your successes and failures if it creates this sour feeling? Is it worth exploring your past if it only makes you dread the future? Is it worth keeping this cube on? [[You remove it, ready to move on.]] [[This pain is temporary. You know that reflection will make you stronger.]]

With a heavy sigh, you place your hands on the left and right side of the cube and heave it off of your head. You let it drop to the floor. [[The memories and thoughts begin to fade.]]

You stay immersed in the Indigo Cube. Other people do this all the time. Surely you can too. A little introspection is important to a growing adult. [[And with that thought, childhood feels so far away.]]

But you know they will always be there for you, the next time you need them. Not much time has passed. There's still work to do. [[Do your work.]] [[Examine another cube.]]

There must be more stuff like this, right? More work out there that will make you feel this way again? Something prepared by someone with great taste, someone who knows exactly what you needed to start your day? This one's all used up now. Once you've experienced it once, that's over with. You can't ever get your "first time" experiencing this song or this story back. [[You need another one.]]

You search and search, but you can't find something else to give you that feeling again. You close your eyes tighter, opening your mind, opening your consciousness to whatever the cube wants to envelope you in today. Feelings, sounds, and colors pass you by. None of it holds up. Nothing else feels "genius" to you. If only you could hop back in time to just a few minutes ago. Now? Everything feels mediocre. Everything feels like it sucks. [[But maybe it's just you.]]

Maybe something is wrong with you. Isn't that much more likely? It's not the world's fault. It's yours. Are you just...picky? Impossible to please? Too in your own head? Everything that makes you happy seems to be punctuated by these long dry spells. Stretches of time where nothing makes you happy, and it feels like nothing ever will. [[Maybe it's time to take the cube off.]]

You decide to shut your eyes tight, and keep the cube on. You force yourself to relax, despite knowing the absurdity of that effort. You listen for the music. You pay attention to the story. You open yourself up to the other minds and feelings that surround you in the aether. [[You let yourself reach out to the emotion of the work.]]

Or rather, you try to force yourself to. You grow frustrated, but are stubborn in your search for leisure. Minutes pass, and you can feel your efforts being pointless. [[Hours pass, and you refuse to give up on today being a good day.]]

And yet, you've only been able to hold on to genuine satisfaction for mere minutes at a time. The rest of the evening has left you feeling empty and annoyed at yourself. [[Stop trying. You should sleep.]]

You remove the cube from your head, and hold it in your hands. It's light, deceptive considering its size, and feels valuable. Is that what gives it value? The fact that you perceive it that way? You wish you could say that today was the exception to your experiences with the Cyan Cube, but that would be a joke. For months, this is essentially how the pattern always goes. [[It may be time to re-consider something.]]

There's a thought that lurks in and out of your mind that feels wrong, but you know is plain and simple common sense. You don't need to have a Cyan Cube. You don't need to own one. This is, of course, true of any luxury purchase. Even if you own one, you don't need to keep it out in the middle of your apartment. Even if you keep one out, you don't need to use it. Life would go on without it, even though you've treasured it before. [[Tomorrow could be a fresh start.]]

You decide to make a decision tonight. Will you take the Cyan Cube out of your routine? Or can you push past this, and become more well-adjusted? [[Put the cube away for good.]] [[Keep it.]]

You decide that this is a change you need to make, and tomorrow will be your first step. You never imagined that something that was meant to bring you leisure could bring you so much stress, but here you are. You will find your own ways to be happy. A swirling mixture of relief and anxiety bubbles within you, but you calmly breathe it out. You will be okay. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

There is no need to be over-dramatic and make sweeping changes about your life. By doing that, you'll be robbing yourself of a simple joy in your day-to-day. It would do more harm than good. You'll find a way past the frustration. You'll find a way to be happy. You feel confident that you will be responsible and focused from now on. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

Thoughts so hateful, you can't bear to even commit them to memory. News so awful, you feel too powerless to even prod at the context. People so vile, it disrupts your perception of human empathy. [[Your blood begins to boil.]]

The world is terrible and people are terrible and this cube always ends up being the quickest way to stream that reminder right back into your skull. Your mind floods with pain, and loss, and cruelty, and violence, and calamity, and manipulation, and disasters of every kind, natural and man-made. It floods with minor grievances and inconveniences. It floods with genuine, undeniable evil and ego and pettiness. It becomes hard to pick them apart from each other. You witness, time and again, bad people doing awful things to good people. You watch genuine, unpredictable misfortune attack and consume people's lives. Each one pulses straight from their brains into yours, an ecosystem of adrenaline. You tell yourself that each day, you can choose to feel miserable and hopeless about it, or be angry about it. [[Today, it seems that decision has been made.]]

Without realizing it, your body is tense, your teeth grinding tight. You can feel your heartbeat race in a way that is uncomfortably real. This wasn't exactly how you wanted to spend your afternoon. And yet, you're still in the cube. [[Your natural inclination remains to stay submerged.]]

You're almost unsure of your own logic. Disconnecting is complacency...right? You can't remember if that's your own belief, or something you heard someone else say. You shake your head, letting the question itself fade away. The point is: you're an adult. You have to be strong. [[You want to stay connected.]]

You try your best to focus your mind. You try to embrace the onslaught of information. You try to sift through it. Look at the important things. [[Maybe you can get a balanced diet of thoughts.]]

If you try hard enough, maybe you can categorize the things swarming around you and parse through it. You push your consciousness around the world, in search of thoughts. You experience a painful thought. Then you find a happy one. You find a misleading thought. Then you find a factual one. You experience a funny thought. Then you find a gravely serious one. [[Maybe this will do.]]

You try your best to push through. You try your best to search, categorize, and curate. If you maintain a balance of positive and negative ideas, then you will be a balanced individual. You'll see all the beauty and ugliness of the world. You can sort through it all. [[At least, you hope.]]

Before you know it, hours have passed by. You still haven't started any of the work you need to get done today. You haven't taken the Red Cube off all day, actually. [[You feel embarrassed.]]

A hot wave of shame washes over your face for a moment. You always feel embarrassed when you waste time. Wait, is the Red Cube something you classify as a "waste of time"...? Surely, it isn't a waste. You learned so many things. You experienced so many new thoughts and ideas. [[You're unconvinced by your own reasoning.]]

You're not sure whether you believe your own defense or if it's just something you tell yourself. Did you "learn" a lot of things today? Of course. Do you...remember the things you "learned" from the Red Cube last time? ... [[You're not sure.]]

It's a blur. All these thoughts and ideas are too much to parse through. It's too hard to even conjure what you remember and what you do not. Minutes tick by while you fumble in your own head about how you feel. With the Red Cube on, it's hard to even tell which thoughts you're fumbling through. Or whose. You realize you've wasted even more time pondering this that you should have spent working. [[Stop pondering. Take the cube off.]]

You consider sitting at your desk and working. But before you do, a thought enters your mind. It's singular, quiet, and wholly yours. [[It may be time for a change.]]

You don't need to have a Red Cube. You don't need to own one. This is, of course, true of any luxury purchase. Even if you own one, you don't need to keep it out in the middle of your apartment. Even if you keep one out, you don't need to use it. It's so simple. You've even felt this thought echoed in the Red Cube itself. Life would go on without it, even though you've used it so much before. [[This could be a fresh start.]]

Maybe you will feel better without it. You decide to make a decision tonight. Will you take the Red Cube out of your routine? Or can you push past this, and become more well-adjusted? [[Put the Red Cube Away.]] [[Continue using the Red Cube regularly.]]

You decide that this is a change you need to make, and tomorrow will be your first step. A swirling mixture of relief and anxiety bubbles within you, but you calmly breathe it out. You will be okay. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

There is no need to be over-dramatic and make sweeping changes about your life. By doing that, you'll be robbing yourself of something that connects you with the world so deeply. It would do more harm than good. You feel confident that you will be responsible and focused from now on. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

Even if it wasn't perfect, it still feels like a crucial part of who you are and how you've gotten here. Reluctantly, you begin searching through past memories. You cringe at past mistakes and awkward phases. You lament the opportunities and privileges you never got to enjoy. You clench your hands tight at the reminders of events that drilled holes of deep, lonely sorrow within you. [[You try to tell yourself something.]]

You try, as you have many times before, to tell yourself that these experiences have you made you stronger. In truth, you do believe that, deep down. It must be true in some sort of form. You try, as you have many times lately, to tell yourself that re-visiting these experiences like this makes you stronger too. [[But you still don't feel sure.]]

Sights, sounds, and smells flood your mind. But overwhelming all of them is a cold emptiness in your chest. It feels like a pit has opened in your stomach. You don't feel particularly sad or angry or regretful, you just feel empty. As if all the warmth of happiness and certainty is escaping from you. You just wish things could have been better for you. You don't understand why they couldn't. [[You almost pity them.]]

You almost feel bad for the child, your own childhood self, for having such unfortunate luck. Looking back, you feel odd. You almost feel like you're a parent, and they're your child. You feel like you failed them. You want to hold them tight and protect them. [[But you can't reach them.]]

They're only memories, and it's too late. After a pause, you feel a slight flicker of warmth within you. It's the reminder that things are better now. [[You worked hard and pulled yourself to a better place.]] [[You were blessed with kind, supportive people as you grew older.]]

As much as you dread re-living all of these mistakes and poor choices, you grew to overcome them. You kept pushing forward and improved yourself in unexpected ways. No matter how hopeless and sudden things seemed in the moment, with hindsight you can recognize that you were resilient. Things are different now. Things aren't so bad. That small flicker within you grows. At first, you assume that is some sort of sensory feature of the Indigo Cube, but you quickly realize it isn't. You're simply proud of yourself and what you've accomplished. [[The present isn't so bad.]]

When you see your life all stretched out on a timeline, it makes you appreciate the people you've met over time. You're incredibly thankful. Friends, loved ones, and even strangers have helped you in ways you never imagined. They helped in ways that you don't even feel you deserve. You accept their help nonetheless. You hope you've helped them in return. [[The present isn't so bad.]]

Things aren't perfect. In fact, you feel lonely. But in the end, this is your life. You're happy with where you are and how you got here. No matter how piercing the bad memories are, they aren't enough to take you away from the present. [[Suddenly, you feel something you don't often feel.]]

A strong desire to pull the Indigo Cube off your head. The sooner you can do that, the sooner you can get back to the present. Doing anything, whether it's work or leisure, would be better than being stuck with these glimpses into childhood. [[Without giving it a second thought, you take the Indigo Cube off.]]

You carefully place your hands on the left and right side of the cube and heave it off of your head. You let it drop to the floor. [[The emptiness begins to fade away.]]

You know that the feeling will return someday. It will return over and over again. But, for now, you feel okay. Not much time has passed. There's still work to do. [[Do your work.]] [[Examine another cube.]]

Even though the good outweighs the bad, these memories washing over you feel meaningless. You've outgrown them. You feel embarrassed for trying to lavish in nostalgic smells and sounds. [[It just reminds you of the present.]]

And the present just never competes with your childhood. Everything just feels a little bit colder. A little bit less colorful. A little bit less welcoming. Friends have come and gone. Loved ones have been lost. New responsibilities and mundane routines have drained each day of anything remarkable. As the stream of your life washes over you like a tide, you catch back up to the recent past. [[Everything seems so dull.]]

Not even dramatically painful or challenging. Just...dull. Dull and frustrating. You interrupt your own train of thought, pausing a moment to try to collect yourself. You try to focus, away from the waves of sights and sounds of your past. [[Why would you think so miserable about your own life?]]

You try to take it back. You try to un-think it. Besides, "dull" isn't so bad. Things could be worse. But seeing an endless stream of your life's most interesting moments doesn't make today or yesterday look very great. In this moment, your whole week feels meaningless. Unproductive. Unremarkable. [[You decide that's enough of the Indigo Cube for today.]]

You clasp the left and right sides of the cube, struggling to grip the smooth surface, and heave it off of your head. It slips from your hands, and you let it gently fall to the ground. [[You feel like you aren't built for this.]]

You've never had anything against the Indigo Cube. And most people seem fine with it. You wonder if it's just you. Maybe you can't handle thinking about your life like this. Maybe you're not strong enough. Maybe it's just too much. [[You begin to wonder if it's wise to keep these memories around.]]

Every day, the Indigo Cube stares at you. But maybe it isn't worth it. Without it, the memories would be within you. They'd be locked away, deep in the past. You could push forward, and not make time for nostalgia or for regrets. [[Put the cube away for a long time.]] [[Keep it. Reflection is important.]]

You decide that this is a change you need to make, and tomorrow will be your first step. A swirling mixture of relief and sadness bubbles within you, but you calmly breathe it out. You will be okay. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

While it can be painful, you can't imagine trying to hide away your own life. Your triumphs, your mistakes, and everything you've ever wished for, felt, or aspired to. These things make you who you are. You're not going to throw them all away. You're not going to pretend they aren't there. It would do more harm than good. You feel confident that you will be more thoughtful and considerate of yourself from here on out. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

Even when you get your bearings, you aren't greeted with sights or sounds. Only vague thoughts, ideas, and feelings course through you. Your future could be so many things. [[Even the Indigo Cube doesn't know.]]

Before long, you feel thoughts inserting themselves into you, burrowing into your head. Ideas, guesses, goals, and promises you've made about the future and who you want to become. Even the words of others in your life are spiraling around you, presenting their own guidance and possibilities. [[And yet...nothing seems to come of it.]]

No matter what others have said or what you've tried, there doesn't seem to be any agreement on what your future will be like. The scattered ideas don't even seem to coalesce into anything singular. There's no bridge to walk on. No signs to follow. Not even a rope to hold onto you. You've always been a fan of the Indigo Cube, but in this case, you're a little disappointed. [[You begin to feel dizzy.]]

Refusing to give up hope, you try to make sense of it all. You try to make concrete goals, or make sensible predictions, or even tell yourself that you'll take things "one day at a time." Nothing you do seems to pull yourself together. Nothing collects the swirling, blurring shapes around you into a coherent image. The thoughts flock in closer and bombard you. Some are frightening and nerve-racking, but others are colorful and exciting. If you can focus, maybe you can see a definitive path through them. [[Explore the possibilities of the future.]] [[Take off the Indigo Cube.]]

Although it is a lot to take in, you've never given up hope that you can make sense of all of your future choices. You could plan ahead. You have endless information at your fingertips: all of the world's knowledge, the advice and teachings of everyone you've ever met, all of the skills, hobbies, and opportunities you've experienced in your life. With colorful streams of wisdom and memory, you could explore the future however you want. You could map it. [[You could finally chart a course for yourself.]]

You place your hands firmly on the sides of the Indigo Cube and pull it off your head. Suddenly, the noise and confusion are gone. The excitement of all the possibilities fades as well. The future can be overwhelming. You barely even know what you want to do for the rest of the day. [[Examine another cube.]] [[Do your work.]]

You try to focus, and stretch your consciousness out into the void. You pull on threads. You search through every thought and idea you can find. Every color, every temperature, every texture. Something around here will help. [[The more you explore, the more interesting the threads become.]]

Suddenly, you feel invigorated. You could be anything. There's so much you can do. You're a fairly capable person, and you've found success with things in the past when you put your mind to it. You try to remind yourself of that every day. Think of who you could be and what you could do in five years. In one year. In a summer. [[Think of what you could do tomorrow.]]

You could do anything. You could travel the world, you could try new things, you could pick up a new skill. You could pursue new careers, enjoy new hobbies, or meet new people. You could experience countless stories, eat delicious food, or relax inside. You could curl up in blankets, sleep in late, or zone out. [[You feel disheartened.]]

The more you explore the future, the more your ideas seem ridiculous. In an act of defense, you make the path more and more attainable. More realistic. You know yourself. And the more that you're reminded of it, the more you think that you're hopeless. As your excitement fades, the colorful threads of possibility slip out of your fingers. The many paths before you begin to fade away. You feel like you're spinning again. [[You can't be someone else.]]

No matter how many avenues for the future you explore, none of them feel convincing. You can't fake it. You can't take advantage of these possibilities. You can't be someone more adventurous, or spontaneous, or hard-working. You feel like you can only be you. Your everyday self. [[You don't see the point of using the Indigo Cube anymore.]]

You slowly place your hands on the sides of the Indigo Cube and slip it off of your head. The vast nothingness fades away, and the soft sounds of your room return. You're not sure why you bother with the Indigo Cube. No glimpses into the future, no array of facts, ever feel like they help you in any concrete way. It's all just ephemeral. Maybe you won't be returning to it. [[Put the Indigo Cube away for a long time. You don't need it.]] [[Keep the Indigo Cube so that you can use it another day. It will help.]]

You decide that you don't need this. You can live without it. Peering into the past and future hasn't improved your present. It's better to just push on yourself. A swirling mixture of relief and sadness bubbles within you, but you calmly breathe it out. You will be okay. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

Although it can be painful or intimidating, you don't want to stop using the Indigo Cube. Reflecting on yourself and all of life's options won't hurt you. It can be a tool you use find a better tomorrow. With a little more determination, maybe those threads of possibility won't slip from your grasp so easily. You feel confident that you will be optimistic and thoughtful from now on. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

Created by Kyle Labriola. @kylelabriola on Twitter kylelabriola and IndieGamesOfCohost on Cohost. Find my little game projects and old sketchbooks at https://blueberry-lemonade.itch.io/ Thank you for sharing your time with me, I'd love to make another game like this someday. Play again? [[Start]]

You decide that you'd like to try to read something. It's been years since you've read anything lengthy for fun, despite being an avid reader when you were a kid. There are a few books on the shelf that you abandoned and never finished, so you grab one and start from beginning. [[The process feels strange.]]

You take out your very small collection of movies. You're not exactly dying to watch any of these, but you think that maybe if you put one on it could be fun to just zone out with some background noise. Besides, maybe you'll see it with a whole new perspective now that you're older. [[You begin to watch.]]

You decide you'll play a game you loved a few years back. After selecting one, you dig around to find the handheld console necessary to play. [[You blow dust off of it and turn it on.]]

You had forgotten quite what it feels like to just lay in your room and read a book. You continue reading, flipping a page every so often. The story is alright. You don't remember the characters or plot. The whole experience is surprisingly tactile, the paper between your fingertips. The dead silence of your room stands out to you most of all. [[What a strange thing.]]

After a while, you get bored of the book and toss it back on the shelf in a completely new spot. You decide to look through some old magazines. You had decided to save these years ago because you thought that some day they'd become valuable collector's items. Despite that grand scheme, you neglected to keep the issues in anything close to mint condition. [[As soon as you open one, you're hit with nostalgia.]]

Everything about it is a blast from the past. The articles, the slang, even the graphic design of how it's all laid out. You can't help but chuckle, flipping through the different issues and remembering what it was like when these came in the mail. [[An hour goes by.]]

That was fun, all things considered. Now you wonder what you should do next. [[Do your work.]] [[Examine the Red Cube.]] [[Examine the Cyan Cube.]] [[Examine the Indigo Cube.]]

While not terrible, it's mostly unremarkable. About three quarters into the film, you lazily turn it off. You've seen it before, so it doesn't matter if you don't wait for the ending. You lay on your bed and just zone out, without the background noise. [[An hour goes by.]]

You're immediately greeted with a blinking red light. Right. When you haven't played something in a few years, it tends to lose battery. [[You dig around your shelf for the charger.]]

You find it, and plug it in. You lay on your bed and play an old favorite. The colorful, nostalgic charm is enough to offset the weird frustrations of old game design and limited mechanics. [[An hour goes by.]]

You feel a bit lonely. A bit isolated. You should see what's going on with other people. [[The Red Cube is a good choice.]]

You feel bored. You want to relax and unwind. You should kick back and enjoy something. Everyone should carve out some time to treat themselves each day. [[The Cyan Cube is a good choice.]]

You feel uninspired. You feel a little introspective. It hasn't been a great day, but your mind is still drifting to positive thoughts. Happy memories of years past, and optimism for the future. [[The Indigo Cube is a good choice.]]

You grip the Red Cube firmly and lift it to your head. You close your eyes, let out a breath, and put it on. The sensation is warm, your ears almost feel like they're burning. [[The experience is too much.]]

After a few minutes, you already feel rotten. You feel upset, angry, and perhaps worst of all...bored. You reach out to the minds of others but find nothing. It doesn't feel like anybody is reaching out for you. [[Forget the Red Cube.]]

You take the cube off and toss it aside. So much for that. You don't know what to do. Nothing seems to help you feel better. Nothing seems to help make the day go by. You really don't want to be productive. [[Go back to sleep.]] [[Do your work.]]

You grip the Cyan Cube firmly and lift it to your head. You close your eyes, let out a breath, and put it on. The sensation is odd, you feel like you're tangled in a pile of blankets. [[The experience isn't relaxing.]]

After a few minutes, you feel unsatisfied. You're not sure if you're just picky or if it's just a bad day. You feel like you're trying to force yourself to enjoy things. Like when you fake a smile to get through a dinner conversation. [[Forget the Cyan Cube.]]

You grip the Indigo Cube firmly and lift it to your head. You close your eyes, let out a breath, and put it on. The sensation is cold, you feel like wind is whipping past your ears. [[The experience isn't comforting.]]

After a few minutes, you just feel embarrassed. You feel self-indulgent, obsessing over your own life and identity. You know deep down that you shouldn't feel this way, or feel ashamed of who you are. But as a pastime for being bored, it feels...self-centered. At least today. Before long, it feels worse than that. More pondering leads to more questions. How can there be so many unknowns about your own life? How could someone feel so unsure of themselves? [[Forget the Indigo Cube.]]

You feel bad. You shouldn't just nap all the time. You know you shouldn't. "You weren't raised like this" is the phrase that rings through your head first, somehow. Guilt rises like the tide, then fades away. [[It's okay.]]

Relax. It's just...a day. You'll get to the work you need to do. The world won't end tomorrow. You can just take a day to recharge. [[The bed begins to warm up.]]

You roll yourself up in blankets, and find yourself dozing off faster than you expected. This isn't so bad. [[Tomorrow will be another day.]]

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