He tossed the last scoop of dirt. The hole was gone. Just a flat, ordinary patch of ground remained.

The game’s UI flashed red.

Leo realized the truth. This was not a game about digging a hole. It was a game about the hole you dig for yourself. Every hour he had spent escaping into digital dirt was an hour he had spent burying his own joy, his connections, his real life. The marble was childhood wonder. The key was opportunity. The mirror was self-awareness.

A. S. Pixel

The Deeper Game