Crash-d Memories

Around 2013 came a time for a change. For me, I became so hooked on a number of MMORPGs being released that I never got time to relive old memories. Upon going to sleep, I remember seeing my old PlayStation 1 console laying on the floor. Unplugged, and lifeless. I wasn't feeling tired at the time, so I decided to get it running and take it for a whiz.

I got it running and I decided to look through my dusty archive of PS1 games. One caught my eye instantly. Crash Bandicoot 2. I remember creating history in my life just by playing this game with me and my brother. I decided to relive these memories and I stuck the disk in and turned the PS1 on.

It turned on, and saw the usual Sony logo. Seeing that sent excitement into my body. Never have I been this nervous to going back to an old game like this. I waited, and I saw the usual credentials for CB2, as well as the title screen itself. I checked if my old save file was still there, and it was. I loaded it to see where I was up to. I was at the 4th world HUB. Seeing as none of the levels had been touched since I last played it, I jumped into the first level in the area, Hanging Out.

All was normal on this level. Nothing had changed. Nostalgia was in the air, and it felt good. I went through, dodging the obstacles on my jetpack, then finished the level. Having trouble on that level before remains a mystery. Maybe I must have gained experience from all of those MMOs.

The 2nd level in the HUB was Diggin' It. This level seemed different from when I last played it. Many of the characters seemed to be having texture glitches or something. They looked sad, and slightly discolored. I said to myself, "These were definitely texture glitches." I continued through the level. Seemingly odd, the enemies did nothing. They just stood there. I blamed the age of the console and the game itself. I beat the level with no problem.

The next level, Cold Hard Crash, started to worry me. The snow was a grey-ish red, the ice was dark red, and the enemies looked demonic. I wondered why. Was my original copy of Crash Bandicoot 2 been replaced with a bootleg? I asked my brother, and he told me he never touched the game. I believed him, because he would never know how to modify games, anyways. I went through hell to get to the bonus area. But instead of going to the bonus area, I was warped back into the warp room. Crash had disappeared, and it was a first person view. I was then greeted by Cortex, who had an evil grin on his face.

"Surprised to see me, Corey?" He shocked me. How the heck did Cortex know my name? Now I was creeped out.

"Wh-what do you want?" I replied. My brother was looking at me like I was an idiot.

"You have forgotten us, have you?" Cortex replied back, never answering my question.

"No...no...I just was interested in-" I was suddenly stopped by Cortex.

"LIES!" Cortex was now yelling at me, inching closer and nearly filling my screen. "Do you want to see what you have caused from not finishing the game?" I had nothing to say but yes. He moved back and suddenly, a horrifying figure appeared. It was Coco, eyes crying and a dark ring around her neck. I was horrified. What could I have possibly done to make this happen?

"DO YOU SEE IT NOW, COREY?" His voice turned into demonic. "DO YOU SEE WHAT COCO HAD TO DO BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO GET HER BATTERY?" I couldn't say anything. I couldn't move. He could see it, and he was enjoying it.

"WANT TO SEE MORE? DO YOU?" He didn't let me answer, and then Crash appeared. He was carrying Tiny Tiger's legs in his hands, and was wearing Ripper Roo's straightjacket. He was covered in blood. The blood of the victims that he had mutilated throughout the time I wasn't playing the game. Crash then spoke, for the first time. The first time I ever heard him talk.

"yOU BRoKe THe GAme, COreY. yOU BRoKE THe GAme." He was twisted.

I've never seen him this insane before. He lunged at the screen and then a static. The TV and the PS1 turned themselves off. It was dark. I saw my brother lying there. There was no pulse. I opened my door, and I saw them. The twisted, demonic figures of Crash and Cortex, with knives in hand. I jumped into bed and went to sleep.

In the morning, my brother wasn't there. My mom was in my room, telling me he had gone into hospital because of the shock he had experienced. All I could say was.

"i BRoKe THe GAme, MoM. i BRoKe THe GAme."