Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Hacked Cartridge (Genesis)

My friend and I are fans of Sonic the Hedgehog...well...big enough to know a little more  about the franchise then some of the more low core fans, but not enough to own every single Sonic the Hedgehog related item and know every single tiny thing about it. My friend and I read the comics, have seen some of the shows, and occasionally looked up some info on our favorite characters on the several wikias on the web.



My friend, however, grew up in one of those super strict religious households that wouldn’t let him or any of his siblings play videogames. My friend had to negotiate for hours just to look up a few wikia articles or watch a few of the shows. But he could absolutely not play any of the games…not as his house. The only time he got to experience the games was when he came over to my house after school or sometimes on the weekends when he wasn’t being hauled to church. We had a lot of fun, but we never fully finished any games…



Time passed and my friend got accepted into some college in Europe. We had arranged to have one more day of blue hedgehog nostalgia before he had to leave, and agreed that we would finally finish a game together before he left for 4 years, maybe plus that.



The game of choice we agreed on was Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & and Knuckles. My friend saw me play this game once a long time ago, but he only saw mere seconds of it before having to go home. He was dying to play it and complete it, he wanted to do so with me.



<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I remember sighing to myself after we arranged the hangout. I had played this game so many times as a child that just hearing its name drove me into automatic boredom. I knew this game’s story, I knew this game’s secrets, I got all the endings, I knew this game inside and out. The thought of playing it again seemed like an absolute chore. But I agreed to it, and I would have to stick it through to the end for the sake of my friend.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I woke up on the day my friend and I were meant to hang out realizing that I no longer had my Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 2 cartridges required to play Sonic 3. My younger brothers decided it would be a great idea to fuck with their big sister and give the two copies a bath, leaving me with accurate memories of completion…and the interlocking cartridge that made Sonic 3 possible for the Sega Genesis.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I drove from thrift shop to thrift stop and second hand store to second hand store before finally finding them in two separate stores far across town from each other. The prices were decent for each game, 8 dollars for one and the other got haggled down to 10 dollars. Both copies were used, and both the guys who sold it to me said that the copies looked and worked fine. I really didn’t have time to check if what they were saying was true so rushed back to my apartment as soon as I had both games in my possession.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">In retrospect…that was the dumbest thing I could have done.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">My friend arrived not seconds after I walked back into my apartment. He was so frickin’ excited about playing this game that he made kids at Disneyland look hopelessly bored. We quickly dust off my trooper of a Sega Genesis, interlock S&N and S2 to get S3, hook up the system to the TV and began the game.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The “SEGA” logo and voice chorus popped up followed by the 3D Sonic that had spun himself into the title screen. He shook his finger back and forth and winked whilst gave us his signature half smile while Tails flew in the background in the Tornado. We came to the “Data Select” screen and picked the “New” file with both Sonic and Tails striking a pose beneath the “New” box. I pick up the second controller to be Tails and we begin the game.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">As soon as the intro scene began, my eyes grew wide with both irritation and disbelief; this was NOT the game I played over and over as a child. Tails and the Tornado plane were absent, Sonic was already in his golden super form and flying on the water by his self, and the color scheme of the sky, clouds, and water were…green-ish instead of its correct rich blue color. The music was different- not slow, not fast, but different, like a chiptune incorporated remix. The intro also went much quicker than it originally did, as if someone fast-forwarded to the scene with Knuckles.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Knuckles, instead of jumping from the ground and knocking Sonic backward, only stood there, facing the direction in which Sonic came. Sonic’s animation did as it should have, flying backward before landing on the ground, but he dropped no Emeralds. Knuckles, after a beat, finally left, and the gameplay began, while announcing the “Angel Island Zone 1 Act1 heading.”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I felt panic and anger crash through me like a hurricane. One, or both, of the games I purchased was hacked. “Gently used” my ass! I was about to stand from the floor to get my cellphone before my very excited friend boomed again in excitement. I stop myself, remembering that my friend has never had the joy of experiencing this game and will only have the rest of the afternoon to do so. Even if the game was hacked, this friend’s excitement and ignorance kept me from ruining this precious time we had together.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">When I turn back to the screen, I see Sonic running through the Zone by himself. No Tails. I know for a fact that my friend didn’t reset the game and chose the Sonic only story, but I know for a fact that we were going for the true ending, so we needed Tails. Yet…he was nowhere to be found on the screen. Besides this factor, the remixed music and the greenish color scheme, the game played like a normal 1 player game.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I bite back my annoyance and then guide my friend throughout the level to the first Ring under the cliff in the first part of the level. My friend gets Sonic to spin dash into the rocks and jump into the magic ring.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">This is where it gets…weird.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The secret world was supposed to have a top down view of Tails behind Sonic on top of a checkerboard, spherical 3D plane with even tinier blue and red spheres lining the plane. The mission in these secret stages is to collect the all blue spheres in order to get the chaos Emeralds.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Instead of taking us to the regular special stage we were taken to the Hyper Emerald Shrine. This shrine was only supposed to appear after you collected the first set of chaos Emeralds…which makes sense, I guess. Sonic still had the first set of Emeralds you were supposed to collect.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif""> The shrine was its normal color scheme: tall and dark pillars in the background that reflected bluish lights from their sides. The platforms that were supposed to hold the seven Hyper Emeralds were bare accept for two on the higher platform on either side of the shrine. Knuckles and Tails stood in the center under the green and Master Emeralds as Sonic stood on the leftmost side of the shrine.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Knuckles stared at Sonic as he did before, but Tails was facing away from Sonic, and looking up at the empty platforms. Knuckles then turns to Tails for a few seconds before Tails decides to turn to face Knuckles in return. After a beat, Knuckles nods then turns back to Sonic. Tails, after another beat, goes to Sonic. But, instead of standing close to Sonic, Tails had his back to Sonic and stood away from him at a distance. The cut scene ended, flashed white and transitioned to the special stage with the spheres. We completed the stage, obtained one of the Hyper Emeralds, and came back to the Angel Island zone.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I internally winced, not out of fear, but out of confusion and slight irritation. Tails and Sonic were now together throughout the run, but Tails was still…cold toward Sonic. Tails never stood in close tandem with Sonic and Tails would always face away from Sonic, even if I tried to correct the position, Tails would just move himself back at a distance and keep his back turn to the blue hedgehog instead of facing him.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">An unsettling feeling poked at my stomach as I guided my friend throughout the level. It wasn’t long before we came to the second secret ring location and jumped in. Again, we were taken to the shrine of the Hyper and master Emerald where Knuckles stood waiting again. After a few seconds, Knuckles faces away from Sonic and Tails before turning to the right side of the screen. Seconds later, another sprite appeared from that corner of the screen, a female with blonde hair, dark brown fur, and blue boots. It took me a moment to her, but after a moment it clicked that that was Princess Sally Acorn.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The very convincing Sally sprite came up to Knuckles and stood very close to him. Sonic stepped forward, but Sally turned away. Sonic then tried to run forward, but Knuckles blew him back. Tails did…nothing. The scene ended again and put us back at the intended special stage. We finished it, got the Emerald and continued onto Angel Island.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sally is supposed to be Sonic’s love interest in the Archie Comic books…so…why was she with Knuckles? Is this supposed to be cannon to the comics? But Sally didn’t have this color scheme when she met Knuckes in the stories…

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">My friend and I look to each other. At this point we’re both wondering what the hell was going on.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">We eventually come upon another special ring and jump into the special stage. We expected there to be another weird cut scene, but it once again…plays as normally as I previously described. The shrine was empty and prompted us to pick a Hyper Emerald to replace, and sent us to the special stages. We cleared the stage, and the correlating Hyper Emerald returned to its place on the platform.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">We continue through the zone till we get to the true game’s second cut scene. In this scene, one of Eggman’s (or Robotnik’s, whatever you prefer) bots sets the forest on fire. Instead, it was the Sally sprite in Eggman’s ship that comes at the end of the level.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Just as the fire from the ship launched itself up in order to burn the Island, a black screen flashes with the words “Are you satisfied?” in white text. The message and black screen disappeared and lead us back to the cut scene. The fires that enveloped the screen burned a sickly green color and slowed to a crawl until it froze. The music halted to one, long, monotone note for what felt like hours. With each passing second, I could feel myself get sick. The green fires slowly grew yellow in the center and continued to rouse my stomach until I gagged.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Hey, was that supposed to happen?” My friend asks, his excitement replaced with confusion.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Before I could answer him, the game unfreezes itself and continues. The flames pour down the screen and reveals Angel Island under pulsating green and yellow fire. A still distant Tails and a standard disinterested Sonic stand waiting for us to continue the pursuit.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">My friend takes the controller and continues, without waiting for my reply. He continues straight ahead, asking me where the next special ring is. I debated the options in my head: stop the game and stop any more potential surprises from coming up or keep this going and give in to curiosity.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">It was loyalty that won out over every raging emotion within me and we continue our special ring pursuit. I could feel the hair rising from my skin as we ventured further. The green and yellow fires made my head ache. My friend sat in absolute silence as he navigated the stage and came upon the last ring we needed to become Hyper Sonic. He jumps into the oversized ring and the special stage commences.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Another black screen pops up white writing;

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Was it worth it?” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The screen flashes back to the special stage, we retrieve several more blue orbs before the second message pops up.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“In the walls” ''

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">We retrieve another several orbs…

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Under the floors” ''

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">We get the last orbs and the stage under Sonic and Tail’s feet and the back of the stage fades to a dark green and yellowish tone. The Hyper Emerald came toward us and grew very, large to the point to where it envelops the entire screen- leaving just a running Sonic and Tails and a large, green Emerald graphic. The screen cuts to black before going to the score screen.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The white screen containing the scores and Emeralds was instead green and words that were supposed to say “You can now use Hyper Sonic” now said “The mighty will fall.”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The screen cuts to black then cuts back to the shrine. The Emeralds all appear and glow on their corresponding platforms. Below the Emeralds is the blonde Sally sprite, and a fallen Knuckles. Tails ran from Sonic’s side and stands in front of Sally. Sonic, without any hesitation, spin dashed into Tails and threw him onto the other side of the shrine. Sally backed away as Sonic prepared to spin dash into her before Knuckles gets up and deflects him. Knuckles goes to punch Sonic, but the screen cuts to black again. The screen then cuts back to the very beginning to Act 1 on Angel Island.

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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“W-What the hell is this!? How did we get back to the beginning!?”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I felt sick. The green and yellow colors were even heavier than before. My stomach churned. I just wanted to move on to the next zone as quickly as possible.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Just go Hyper Sonic so we can move on to Act 2.” I say, cradling my head in my hands.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I tell him what buttons to press and the music changes to the music heard in the title screen and Sonic turns a shining white. I sigh in relief and watch as the double imaged Hyper Sonic flies through the stage with absolute ease. But that changed quickly.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sally’s image appears in front of Sonic like a ghost and with a sudden tap of her sprite Sonic loses his silver shine and flies backward as his rings scatter across the stage like golden fireworks. The ring count on the upper left corner of the screen became zero and the game’s frame rate once again slows to a crawl. The black screen cuts black again just before Sonic touches the ground.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“You can’t escape.” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The level resets once again and we are back at the beginning of the level. The level is now nothing but undulating sickly green and yellow tones. The enemies are still, there is no music, nothing but absolute silence.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">But…honestly, I would have rather had that.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sonic stood, unmoving, looking down below him. Below him was not grass and dirt textures, but…Sally. Never ending rows of sleeping, blonde Sallys lying in the ground and standing in the walls of the caves. Every time Sonic took a step, they stretched and bent their bodies and limbs as if in incredible agony. Each time Sonic jumped, they rolled and pulsed like the quivering sky. All their sleeping heads faced the blue hedgehog. All of the sprites tracked his every move, and his every action.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The black screen make’s another appearance and taunts us.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Here lies Princess Sally Anderson. Her royal majesty now sleeps in the most unconventional of graves.” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“W-What the hell!?” my friend exclaims, his hands now limp and shaking. “I-is this some type of joke!? Who the hell is Sally Anderson!? What the hell is going on!?!?”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I shook my head. He looks to me, asking me the same question- even going so far as to shake me. I threw his arms off of and crawl toward the Genesis.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Wait!” he shouts “What are you doing!?”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I look to him, my heart pounding, my hands shaking in a cold sweat. “What the hell do you think I’m doing!? I’m turning this shit off before it gets worse!”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">He puts down the controller and takes my hands, practically pulling me away from the system. He looks to the screen, the Genesis, then back to me and shakes his head. As if I didn’t understand him, he does so again, this time mouthing with an accompanying ‘no.’

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">My eyes grow wide. “You- you really want to go on with this!?”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif""> “I…I know this sounds crazy, but I want to see where this goes.” He looks back to the screen, “This is our last night together. Even if this is some messed up shit, I want see how this thing ends.”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I just looked at him. In my mind I questioned if loyalty was really worth all this. The feeling in the back of my head told me to stop. The sickness in the pit of my stomach was sick of negotiating and wanted some type of relief from this madness.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">In the end though, it didn’t matter. My friend picked up the controller once again and manipulated the lone Sonic to continue forward. The restless Sallys made the stage move in ways it was never intended to do. After a while, it seemed like they were reaching for him. The Sally’s wanted Sonic, not because he was missed or loved. My skin prickled in agony. I fought back the bile that was rising to my mouth. This sickening curiosity, this wanting to see how this story ends was eating my health.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">We come to what should have been the end of the stage. In fear and curiosity, my friend and I watch as we come upon Knuckles and Tails…and other character sprites that shouldn’t have been in this game. The Chaotix, Amy Rose, Cream and Cheese…all stood staring at the ground.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">When my friend had control again, he pushed Sonic forward. All of the characters turned to Sonic. My friend pushes Sonic even further, passing the sprites in a slow, walking fashion. Each, and every sprite followed Sonic. After  the last sprite was passed, the black screen came again.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“’She was mine.’ You said…”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The screen goes away, and Sonic was alone again. The skies stood still. The Sally’s were stagnant. Sonic is pushed down a long path. The blue hedgehog begins to gain speed and run down the path, continuing very quickly to nowhere. He ran for seconds, than minutes, than those minutes turn into what feels like hours…

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Then Sonic is blown back again. As soon as he falls to the ground, the Sallys awake again and take him by his feet. The ghost Sally sprite stood before Sonic, just standing and staring. The Sallys from the ground pull Sonic into the ground. Sonic’s sprite begins to make an unfamiliar drowning animation. The ghost, the only standing Sally walks up to Sonic. As soon as she touches him, the black screen cuts in again.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“In the walls” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The shrine appears again. Sonic does a spin dash, Sally is in his path trying to escape him.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Under the floors” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">He dashed trough Sally and she flew backward like Tails.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“In the walls” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sonic attacked Sally again.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Under the floors” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">She falls to the floor.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“In the walls” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sonic drags her away with another unfamiliar and strange animation.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">“Under the floors” ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The Sally’s from the ground finally get Sonic’s sprite completely under the ground. Another unfamiliar animation of him dying plays over and over until the screen freezes. This time we wait and watch the screen. After another long beat of time, I sigh with relief and turn off the system.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Epilogue

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">It’s been a month since that whole…ordeal happened. As soon as we turned off the game, I went to puke, took an Advil, then went onto a gaming forum that I’m a part of. My friend and I agreed that we would never play this game again until we’re sure we have the right copy. We also agreed that we should post up a basic and not-so-detailed version of our experiance on the gaming forum we were a part of. Not as some type of entertaining story, but to inform the world about checking old, used cartages bought from shady stores that are more looking to make a buck than to make their consumers happy.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Recently, however, I got a reply from that forum. It was from one of those users with those obnoxious usernames that are mixed with capital and lowercase letters and random numbers that were supposed to form a certain type of word. I opened up the forum post and read the reply. It was a standard reply, something like “wow, that sounds really weird” or whatever.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The same user sent me a friend request. I was suspicious at first. I checked his profile to find that he was a Sonic fan too, and actually made ROMs and certain hacked ROM’s. I decided that it would be nice to have another Sonic the Hedgehog fan as a friend since my friend was already overseas and suffering from crappy internet. I added the annoying username to my friends and they instantly began to PM me.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The user told me my experience was a little strange if not coincidental because (s)he once had S2 and S&K cartridges that (s)he and his/her friends hacked a long time ago. For the sake of conversation, I prompted the user to tell me more about the story of the cartridges.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Annoying-username went on to tell me that the project was actually going to be a type of interactive fan-fiction that included some of the Archie Sonic characters. The story was that Sonic would be framed, and everyone else would band together with Knuckles in order to keep the Master Emerald out of the hands of Robotnik/Eggman while Sonic tried to clear his name. I responded, granted I told this user the full details of the content of the cartridges I ended up buying.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Weirdly enough, the user stopped replying after I told the story. I figured I must have taken too long and the user (wherever they may be in the world) had other things to do while they were waiting. It wasn’t until another week went past that I saw the users reply…the user invited me to a chat room to talk.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I logged into the room and waited. There were no other users available cept the user and me. I type in a few lines and wait. When I don’t get a reply, I begin typing up a message that said I was about to leave until I received a very….very scary reply:

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">You have my cartridges. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif""> You have my cartridges and I want them back. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif""> Give me your address, I can pick them up 

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The hairs on the back of my neck stood erect and a screaming voice in the back of my mind told me to leave the chatroom and block the user.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The user replied again:

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">You weren’t meant to see what you saw. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">My friends ended up taking those cartridges after we fell out and stopped the project. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">They must have hacked them behind my back before returning them. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Besides, I meant to sell the second copies I bought that weren’t hacked ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Gimmie your address so I can swap copies. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Their replies were frantic. They got progressively more aggressive with each reply.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Hello? ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Hello? ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Are you there? ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Hurry up and give me your address ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">GIVE IT TO ME! ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I was frozen. I opened up a new tab and searched “Sally Anderson.” When I saw the results, the color drained from my face and I could feel myself become sick.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sally Anderson is registered missing person in the local papers. She hasn’t been found for several years and her case is as good as closed.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The chat messages continued to ping loudly from my other tab. My body shook. I go back to the chat room and see a wall of replies by the user, all of which was requesting my home address. I feel cold sweat trickle down my neck as I type in my reply…

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Who is Sally Anderson? ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The user goes silent again. The anticipation built up inside me and left me a jittering, nervous wreck. I type the question again…and again…and again and again until it was my replies that painted the chat rooms walls. I stopped with my fingers became numb and I couldn’t correctly spell any more words. I waited in silence as the sun set and made my apartment dark and unbearable.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">The “ping” of the chatroom echoed in my mind. I looked to the bottom, at the user’s very short…very simple reply.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Sally Anderson… ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">is mine. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">She ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Is ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Mine ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif""> I take my mouse and struggle to back out of the chat, get back to my page, unfriend and block the user to the point to where they can’t even post replies on any of my open forum posts. I struggle to power down my computer only to fall out of my chair and knock my mug down with me. I reach my hand behind one of the legs of my desk and struggle for what feels like years to unplug my machine. I struggle to my feet, turn on all the lights and pace for a long time between the kitchen and the living room.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">…So today, after another week of paranoia, I finally decide to plug my computer back in and try to contact my friend in Europe. I check my inbox to see many emails of the junk and unimportant variety…accept for one.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">It was unmarked, and titled. “Found you”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I study it for several minutes before finally opening it. I read the message slowly and out loud.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I found you, you little slut. I know where you live. I know where you work. No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, I will be right there. Right around the corner. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%">''<span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">You’ll join her. You’ll join her and be mine too. ''

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">My body goes numb. I feel the sickness poke at the pit of my stomach once more as I remember the Sally’s lying, moving, pulsing and waving under the ground of the Angel Island level.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I lock the door, grab a kitchen knife, call the police, and- after the call is finished- go into my bedroom and shut the door.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">I sit on the floor in front of my bed where the games lie under, sleeping as Sally did…

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">In the walls

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:.6pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:17.4pt;line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"CenturySchoolbook","serif"">Under the floors.