DO NOT KILL THE SLEEPING BEAST

(font:'Neucha')[(color:#e61e10)[''DO NOT KILL THE SLEEPING BEAST''] by atomicmogar for neo-twiny jam [[begin]] [[content warning]]]

(font:'Neucha')[there's a monster in your closet, but [[you know that]] already.]

(font:'Neucha')[the monster has lived much longer than you. it was your grandfather’s monster, then your father’s, and now it is yours. why couldn’t your father kill it? why, like always, were you stuck dragging your feet through his turmoil? (transition:"flicker")+(after:2s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[you crawl from your bed in the dead of night, scaling it like a mountain; even at seventeen, you’ve never felt so small. the descent, the climb out of your warm bed and into the dragon’s den, is a bit like playing knights and princesses when you were much younger. you, you reported to the king— but (text-style:"fidget")[ [[the king]]] isn’t here.]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[a knight is always loyal, but who is loyal to the knight?] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[i’ll tell you who’s loyal to the knight. the monster is his [[keeper]]. ]]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[a knight is always loyal, but who is loyal to the knight?] i’ll tell you who’s loyal to the knight. the monster is his keeper. (transition:"flicker")+(after:0.25s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[when the world passes you by, as best friends ditch you for each other and the impending doom of being alive smothers you, that sleeping beast underneath too-small shirts and a pair of sneakers is there to carry you. it cradles you, holds you, like a ship in its bottle. its venom is a kiss. god, you wished he’d (text-style:"fidget")[ [[kiss you]]] once.]]

(font:'Neucha')[your fingers curl like claws, tugging at the monster’s keep until it is revealed: it sings to you, like a siren, in the clinking of glass bottles and the hiss of a bottle cap, (text-style:"fidget")[ [[popped]]]. ]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[you press the monster to your lips, and it speaks to you.] crooning, it cries out, “why are you alone?” (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[nobody called->question2]]]] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1.3s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[nobody came->question2]]]] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1.6s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[nobody cares->question2]]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[you press the monster to your lips, and it speaks to you.] “maybe it’s you,” it snarls, “maybe you’re unlovable.” (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[maybe so->question3]]]] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1.3s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[maybe no->question3]]]] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1.6s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[get me out of here->question3]]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[you press the monster to your lips, and it speaks to you.] “the king should know better,” it says, scolding. (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[i trust him->kill]]]] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1.3s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[i love him->kill]]]] (transition:"flicker")+(after:1.6s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[[[i want to go home->kill]]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[you could kill it. do you know that?] the beast clutches at your throat and makes it hard to scream. the pain is numbed, but so is everything else. it wants you, it loves you, it guards you with talons and fangs and a kiss. the king could never keep you like the monster keeps you. (transition:"flicker")+(after:2.5s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[your vision is blurry—the monster covers your eyes and keeps you safe from harm—but you see his name in your phone, and press your thumb to the (text-style:"fidget")[ [[keypad]]]. ]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[all of this could be over with a single message. if the king really loves you, like he’s claimed, he will help you kill the beast. (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[ [[type it out]]]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[“no,” it orders, “he doesn’t care.” (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[ [[letter by letter]] ]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[“listen to me. i know you,” it soothes. (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[ [[just type it out]] ]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[it presents the ultimatum. (transition:"flicker")+(after:1s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[(text-style:"fidget")[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[ [["i love you."]] ]]]]

(font:'Neucha')[(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[there’s a monster in your closet, and it never leaves you. it cradles you, kisses your wounds, all the while tearing you apart cell by cell. it roars. (transition:"flicker")+(after:2.5s)+(transition-time:1.5s)[tonight, you (text-style:"fidget")[do not] kill the sleeping beast. maybe you’ll be stronger [[tomorrow->begin]].]]]

(font:'Neucha')[this game is about losing to alcoholism, and unrequited love. [[you have been warned->Untitled Passage]].]

(font:'Neucha')[there's a monster in your closet, but you know that already. (transition:"flicker")+(transition-time:1.5s)+(after:0.25s)[(text-style:"fidget")[its face is that of glass: smooth and unfeeling. even though it’s hidden, you know its there. you know [[a lot]] of things.]]]