Escaping The Parable

Word Count: 667

"Really wishing I had a clock right now." you write.

The narrator doesn't respond, he's probably too distracted by the colors, you clear your throat.

"Hm? Oh-" There's a pause, "We've been here for about 7 hours, you slept through 3 of them however."

You look up, you're honestly getting bored of this.

"No offense, but I'm bored."

"Really? I think it's quite nice. You confuse me Stanley."

You chuckle, "It is nice, but it's hardly engaging." You think for a moment, "Want to play hangman?"

"Only if you let me put the colors back the way they were."

"Deal."

---

You erase the board at the end of the narrator's turn, "I feel like your cheating."

"I'm cheating?! I'm not the one who used "Under the apple tree" as my phrase!"

"It's a classic!"

"Since when?!"

"You still got it!!!!"

"I only had one chance left and you gave me like five hints."

"true, true."

You both get quiet. You lean back, the colors look like they're falling towards you. You pull up your white board and pause before writing something. You hold it for a minute before showing the narrator.

"You know, I'm not Stanley."

The narrator laughs, "Don't be ridiculous Stanley, who else would you be."

"(Y/N), I don't know how I got here but I've been here for the past four years

and a month I guess, but the point is I've never been Stanley"

"Oh... How-How is that even possible. This story was written for Stanley- How did you get here?"

"I don't know but it's always been me. I mean maybe that's why the Real Person Ending has always felt so personal I suppose."

"The- The what?"

"The ending where I unplug the phone."

"Oh, when Stanley stops moving at the doors."

"Wait... That's really how you see things?"

"Yes?"

"I see it as almost an outside presence, I can see Stanley below me and you sound distant. It makes me feel bad." You show him and erase the bored, "That's why I only do it when I'm a specific type of mad at you."

"I see."

"Do you remember all the endings?"

"Yes."

"How would you know."

The narrator is quiet, "I guess I wouldn't. Have you really named all the endings?"

"No they're all in the Museum Ending"

"The Museum Ending?"

"The one where I go down the path that says escape?"

"You mean the one where you're crushed?"

"Yeah... And than you get replaced by a female narrator and I drop down into a museum room."

"There's another narrator?!"

"Apparently."

"Do you remember the Confusion Ending?"

"The what?"

"With the Adventure Line™ "

"The Stanley Parable Adventure Line™? Sort of."

"I see... Remember when a sat and clicked buttons for four hours?"

"When you were in Heaven?"

"No, when I was playing the baby game."

"Oh yes, I can't believe you actually did that."

"It wasn't worth it, I got told I love you by some black rectangle."

---

"So, if you're not Stanley why did you answer to Stanley for four years?"

"What else was I meant to do? I couldn't tell you I wasn't Stanley."

"But even so you waited this long to tell me."

"Well by now I've gotten used to it."

The Narrator huffs, "I can't believe I didn't notice before, you don't even look like Stanley."

You nod slightly.

"Or- or maybe you do... I can't seem to remember. Strange."

"Like how I can't remember who I was before any of this?"

"I suppose."

"Hey Narrator."

"Yes Stan-... What?"

"If you don't get annoyed or bored of your story why do you start skipping out on or changing dialogue when I do the Freedom Ending multiple times."

"As I said some things can get repetitive but I don't get bored of it like you do, it's my story."

"Is the Countdown Ending part of your story too?"

"You weren't supposed to turn the machine on."

"That doesn't answer my question."

The narrator doesn't respond.