Meet Joe Black

I sat in front of the TV, gripping the controller tightly in my hands, the glow of the screen casting a dull blue hue across the room. I tried to focus on the game in front of me, but my mind kept wandering, my thoughts consumed by the nagging feeling that I was wasting my time. I had shut myself out from the world, my only solace coming from the virtual worlds that I could escape to. As I navigated through the levels, defeating enemies and collecting power-ups, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t deserving of this time I was investing in distracting myself. I needed to be doing something productive, something that would propel me towards my ultimate goal of becoming rich and famous. The thought of spending my days playing video games without worrying about bills or responsibilities seemed like a far-off fantasy, a dream that I could never achieve. I took a swig of beer from the bottle sitting beside me, the familiar burn of alcohol warming my throat. It was a daily routine, one that I had convinced myself was necessary for my creative process. But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, the wins that I used to lift my spirits became smaller and smaller, until they were almost non-existent. I found myself as a silhouette, the light around me making it difficult to see any expression on my face that the darkness had consumed. The constant pressure of needing to make something of my life weighed heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn’t escape the feeling that I was falling short of my own expectations. As I continued to play, the music and sound effects blending into a monotonous drone, I tried to force myself to enjoy the little moments of victory that the game provided. But even as I defeated the final boss and watched the closing credits roll, I couldn’t escape the feeling that I had wasted my time. I set the controller down, the weight of it heavy in my hand, and reached for another beer. It was a vicious cycle, one that I knew I needed to break free from, but didn’t know how. I couldn’t continue down this path of self-destruction, and yet, I didn’t know how to take the first step towards something better. I sat in silence, the only sound in the room the soft hum of the TV. As I took another sip of beer, I knew that I needed to find a way out of this dark place, a way to rediscover my passion and motivation. But for now, all I could do was sit and wait, lost in my own thoughts, hoping for a glimmer of hope to guide me out of the darkness.