Jump, jump, sprint forward, jump back. A barrel rolls at me and i have to time it just right and immediately jump to the next level. DK is going down today. Ive spent every night for the last two weeks trying to beat Donkey Kong. I figured the timing would be easy but the detection area for the barrels is a little tricky. Ok more tricky than i thought it was. Now i get why dad laughed at me when i said i could beat it in a night. 

Jump. I’m over the barrel, quick jump for the ledge. Dammit not again I’m short. Missing the ledge i run down the ramp to try and time the next barrel. It’s like they have an area of effect hovering on their surface. Mario freezes in the air and the lights in the arcade die.

”You’ve got to be kidding me” this old arcade is truly a relic. It burps and creaks without any remorse. It let itself go and doesn’t care, well Doug doesn’t care. “Hey Doug you going to flip the breaker or do I have to do it this time?” I click the buttons just to have something to do. I love the mechanical buttons, its so satifying.

Weird. It’s a bit too quiet. “Yo, Doug?” There’s no light coming from outside like normal. Maybe the whole block is dead. The windows appear to be pitch black though. Almost feels like you would walk into nothing if you left the store. The quiet is absolute. Doug also rocks an oxygen tank and you can usually hear him wheezing even over the AC creaking. Yet now i feel alone.

i know the layout of the store but I’m scared to move. A red glow clicks on near the front casting a soft diffused light on to the windows. Again nothing appears to be out there. The carpet scratches as i walk to the front, the smooth spots hard from candy smashed into the surface. 

Suddenly screens start to click on throughout the store. The same red glow can be seen. The lights circle around the store starting from the outside. I can’t see any of them as they face the walls but the red intensifies. A soft click can be heard as the tubes fire one by one. Each click sends a soft chill over my skin. I feel like a hunted animal. 

“Doug” i whisper his name but i know he’s not there. The room is bathed in red at this point, my head spins as i look from screen to screen.

GAME OVER flashes in the same font on every screen. Turning to look at my hopeful conquest as it stares at me empty. Click, click, click.

finally Donkey Kong flares to life with the same image. GAME OVER.

”THANK YOU FOR PLAYING” blares through the room. I hit the ground covering my ears. I pull my knees to my chest as i try to catch my breath.

”Would you like to play again?” The voice is so mechanical with not a trace of emotion. Slowly i uncurl and survey the room. Every screen is still black save for the now glowing green pixelated image. One word.

START.