Don't Read My Diary

Day 1, 6/24/13, 9:23 A.M:
Today is my birthday and my parents threw a small party with only us three. The nice, humid summer air really made my birthday that more thankful, given the circumstances. The first couple presents were a bunch of cheap looking games and clothes, but I understand it since my parents are pretty money tight these days. My dad lost his job recently since the bank can’t afford much more accountants. He found a job at a local Wal-Mart for the littlest bit of income to allow us to keep our house and put food on the table.

I finally made it through the small stack of gifts to have the last, yellow star wrapped gift left out alone. The last present stood out from the others, as it appeared to be some sort of video game. I wore a surprised face as I slit the top of the wrapping paper to reveal Paper Mario, the Thousand Year Door.

I remember watching my cousin play this when I visited a few weeks back and it looked like my kind of game; my parents must have kept a mental note when I mentioned it to them.

I sincerely thanked my mom and dad and asked where they found something like this.

“There happened to be a copy at work and since we don’t sell Gamecube games anymore, my boss just gave it to anyone who wanted it.” My dad replied.

I also asked the condition of the game to which he said:

“It was returned repeatedly so the condition is almost perfect.”

I stopped my bombardment of questions and hurried to the Gamecube to try out my new game. I read the player’s manual to see the controls, but I found the phrase: “Don’t read the DIARY” written repeatedly in the manual. Since the game has been returned many times, I figure someone’s just trying to scare me.I started the game up and found that it took 66 blocks of memory, though I remember the game takes only 30. I didn’t know for sure so I didn’t pay too much attention to it since I have a memory card with lots of blocks anyway.

When I began the game, I couldn’t stop playing! I completed the first 5 chapters in one day. I’ve always been a fan of strategic games, especially RPGs, so it didn’t surprise me that I played it so much.

My mom told me to go to bed after just completing the 5th chapter since it did happen to be midnight. I slept restlessly, unable to wait for what the game had in store for me.

The start, Day 2, 6/25/13 6:00 A.M:
I woke up early knowing how much I wanted to play Paper Mario. I ran right in front of the TV, turned on my Gamecube and started playing. The title sequence played, but louder than usual with a distorted voice saying something inaudible. I turned off the game and kept resetting to try to find out what the strange voice said. I checked the disk for scratches and found an inscription reading “Don’t read the DIARY” in shaky, barbaric letters. This time I really freaked out and felt confused. I thought to myself it was returned a lot so maybe it got scratched up, but then remembered my dad stated it was in near perfect condition.

I turned off the game and made myself breakfast, replaying what just happened over and over in my mind. It bothered me too much, so I had to keep playing to try to find out why this had happened.

9:21 A.M:
I turned on my Gamecube cautiously to see the title screen perfectly fine and the music had the usual volume but the distorted voice kept repeating a beat of words. I couldn’t understand any of them but I kept hearing “diary” after every beat of words. I just assumed it was trying to say “Don’t read the DIARY” and it seemed likely so I continued on. I was frightened to see I was on a train in a room with a ghost. I had just remembered this part when I played it at my cousins in chapter 6 where he had to retrieve the ghost’s diary from the back of the cart. I felt my body go numb for a couple seconds but got back up and took a couple of deep breathes. I wanted to turn off the game but something in my mind forced me to continue. I talked to the ghost and he asked me to go retrieve his diary and NOT TO READ IT in big letters. The fear I had in that moment is one that doesn’t come naturally.

9:35 A.M:
I reached the back of the cart to find his diary. Instead of the diary on the floor behind some boxes, it stood on a dark outlined pedestal marked 66. I grabbed the diary and held my breath.

“You got, The Diary” a word bubble said. The game paused for a second and automatically went to my items and clicked on the diary. Another word bubble appeared saying: “Would you like to read The Diary? >Yes No” I kept tapping A to click “No”, but it kept repeating the question.

The more I pressed A, the more the letters looked morbid: They turned red and grew hostilely. I continued pressing “No”, but the letters soon needed so much space, it covered the entire screen and started throbbing with blood dripping down the “Yes” option.

I screamed quietly, careful not wake my parents and unplugged the console from the outlet.

The screen was black… I took multiple slow, deep breaths and looked at the TV, watching it bring back the textures from the recent event when I previously reached that point, except it didn’t display morbid letters and the “No” option has been replaced with another “Yes”. I made a terrible mistake and chose “Yes”.

I didn’t look at what was written but I could hear Mario making the same distorted voice from the title screen. Then the ghost appeared in front of Mario and said “You read my diary” and attacked Mario, but then the system turned itself off and opened the disk slot. I looked inside to find the disk’s front read “You read my DIARY” over the title. I was in shock and couldn’t react. I resumed the day without muttering a single word, just staring at the disk until I somehow fell asleep.

11:21 P.M:
That night I had a dream where I was playing Paper Mario at my cousin’s house and seeing all the same events happening, although he didn’t notice anything wrong. He selected “Yes” to reading the Diary and turned back to me with a half-smile saying, “You read my DIARY”.

Day 3, 6/26/13. 3:33 A.M:
I woke up to see a black figure run outside of my room. Instead of fear, I filled myself with anger. I couldn’t take this anymore. “Get back here!” I shouted as I ran out of my room in search of it. It went downstairs to the T.V. room. I bolted after it. I saw it over my Gamecube; a half decapitated ghost hanging above the system. “Why…why are you here” I asked quietly.

“You read my Diary” it said faintly.

“I didn’t read what it said, I looked away” I replied.

“You listened to Him…” the ghost spoke louder.

“I didn’t even understand what he said” I answered back.

The ghost then spoke the same words Mario did but less distorted: “YOU’RE NEXT!” I blacked out, unable to open my eyes, I was lost.