It's Hard To Not Go Crazy Sometimes
Sometimes, you just have to accept the world's absurdities. Disbelief in the face of overwhelming evidence is a great indicator of insanity and/or irrationality.
Of course, belief isn't a sign of sanity either.
My case should knock that in pretty well. Being stuck in a tiny cupboard for hours at a time doesn't really do much for one's mental health.
<Faint Resistance Lv.5 -> Faint Resistance Lv.6>
As I forced my eyelids open again, I heard the voice of the system informing me that I'd gained a level in Faint Resistance. Just another thing to add to my growing list of resistances.
Let's see... I have Heat Resistance, Cold Resistance, Cutting Resistance, Blunt Force Resistance, Pain Resistance, Fear Resistance, Poison Resistance, Hunger Resistance, Suffocation Resistance, and now, Faint Resistance.
Now one might be wondering, "Just what kind of hell would force someone to develop these resistances?". Well, to answer your question, I must inform you that this hell is called Number 4, Privet Drive. Or in other words, the Dursley house.
Yeah, being Harry Potter sucked. I mean, I'd read about him in the HP series, but actually experiencing his abuse at the hands of the Dursleys was a completely different beast.
The Dursleys would wonder just why I seemed to get less and less reactive to their abuse. Well, my system is the answer.
Name: Harry Potter
Title: Hardened Rock
Race: Wizard
Level: 8
HP: 498/550
MP: 560/590
SP: 360/480
San: 11%
Vit: 24 (Emaciated: -6)
Str: 14 (Emaciated: -6)
Dex: 22
Int: 22 (Sleep-Deprived: -6)
Cha: 15 (Emaciated: -6)
Skills:
-Mana Manipulation Lv.4
-Pyrokinesis Lv.1
-Telekinesis Lv.3
-Teleport Lv.2
-Cooking Lv.6
-Gardening Lv.5
-Cleaning Lv.6
Resist:
-Heat Resistance Lv.3
-Cold Resistance Lv.7
-Cutting Resistance Lv.3
-Blunt Force Resistance Lv.8
-Pain Resistance Lv.9
-Fear Resistance Lv.8
-Poison Resistance Lv.7
-Hunger Resistance Lv.9
-Suffocation Resistance Lv.4
-Faint Resistance Lv.6
Buffs:
Debuffs:
-Emaciated (-6 to Vit, Str, and Cha)
-Sleep-Deprived (-6 to Int, -20% to San)
-Claustrophobia (-50% to San when in enclosed spaces)
-Major Bruising (-10% HP)
-Cursed (Horcrux)
Yeah. That stat page alone should give you an idea of what the last month has been like.
Hell.
I used to be a normal person living in a civilized world. Then, thirty-one days ago, I died and ended up in this fictional hellhole. Seriously Rowling, did you have to make Harry's life so fucked up?
Whatever.
I curled up tighter inside the cupboard and tried not to sleep. The nightmares couldn't get to me if I stayed awake.
Outside in the hallway, a clock ticked.
One tick. Two tick. Three tick.
I counted them all.
An hour passed like that.
<San 11% -> 9%>
It was nothing new. For the last month, every night had been like this.
I heard that it takes thirty days to cement a habit, or to get used to something. Maybe I'll finally get used to this complete lack of space and utter darkness.
I tried to stretch my arms and legs, but couldn't. There were walls blocking me on all sides.
I was really going to go crazy like this.
Remember child abusers, real kids don't bounce back.
The darkness of the cupboard seemed to grow, invading my vision and threatening my ability to sleep. Strange shapes writhed in the shadows. A stinging pain grew behind my eyes, seducing me with its restful ways.
'Just close your eyes.' Said the voice. 'Sleep. You'll love it!'
I shook my head. I knew better.
I tried to stretch my legs again. No avail.
My stomach rumbled and another hour went by.
<San 9% -> 7%>
Everything was silent. Nothing to distract me from my thoughts and sensations.
I took my hand away from where it was touching the wall with its fingertips, and brought it to my lips. My nails were particularly delicious today. Or at least what was left of them.
Ow! I bit too far and the nail began coming off too deep. My fingertip was probably bleeding now. It was too dark to tell.
I kept chewing though. The blood gave my finger a nice, metallic taste.
Hmm... munch munch...
I ate, but it didn't really help with my growling stomach.
Another hour.
<San 7% -> 4%>
Hmm? What's that? I can hear birds chirping! It must be getting close to daytime!
Wonderful. I'd finally be let out.
Well, I'd be let out to make breakfast, but freedom was freedom.
Breakfast...
The chirping outside intensified, amplified by the silence. I couldn't tell how much of it was real and how much I was imagining, but the sounds were pleasing to my ears. Distracting and pleasing.
Another hour passed. The number of clock ticks said so.
<San 4% -> 1%>
Hmm... has my Sanity score ever gotten so low before? I don't think so... but it's been getting lower and lower every day.
Well whatever. It's not important.
Finally, I heard rustling and movement from somewhere upstairs. Bleary, British-accented voices.
Oh boy.
I listened intently, making out what they were saying and doing. Some murky G'Mornings, mostly. Then the sound of brushing teeth. A water fosset running.
The sounds were a wonderful respite from the horrible silence of the night, but I absolutely despised the people making them.
I wanted to kill them.
Kill them... yeah, that sounded like a swell idea...
No. Not yet. Maybe.
Heavy footsteps tromped down the stairs. Dust rained down on me from above. It smelled like strawberries.
The footsteps got closer and closer. My heart beat faster with anticipation.
*Click* *Shunk*
The lock unlocked, and the door to the cupboard opened. Light streamed in. Beautiful, blinding light. My pupils struggled to contract.
As I adjusted to the light, a large, meaty hand reached in and pulled me out of the cupboard.
"Boy, go cook breakfast." Muttered the man.
Looks like Mt. Vernon wouldn't be erupting quite yet.
I trudged over to the kitchen, breathing in the air. For some reason, everything was tinted yellow.
Yellow walls, yellow doors, yellow kitchen counter tops. Odd.
The bacon and sausage was yellow too. And so were the eggs. I cooked them regardless on the yellow stove.
"Boy, be quick with it!" Vernon called.
His wife was still upstairs, probably tending to her hair.
I wondered if her hair was yellow too, now.
The bacon finished. I put it on a yellow plate and brought it to him, where he sat in front of the TV.
His face was orange.
I headed back to the kitchen. It looked like the eggs and sausage had turned orange too, while they were cooking.
Hmm... orange sausage. Looked tasty...
It wasn't finished, but I stole a piece of the sausage with my orange fingers. The raw, processed meat nicely slid down my throat.
It was bursting with flavor. I loved meat, but it was a shame it was so rare.
Then again... Vernon had plenty of it on him... maybe he wouldn't mind sharing...
Nah, he'd never share with me. Not willingly.
The eggs were probably done. They were a slightly darker orange than everything around them, but I figured it would be okay.
I put it on an orange plate and brought it to Vernon.
He took a bite, and his face turned red.
"This is burnt! HOW DARE YOU!"
He roughly shoved the red plate down on the table in front of him and stood from his seat. Then he began waddling over to me, red fists clenched.
I ran for it.
The red kitchen blurred from view as I made it to the hallway. But that was as far as I got before I was caught.
A blow crashed down on my head.
I saw stars for a moment.
<San 1% -> San 0%>
The world turned from red to black.