You will not like the ending.

You are located in a bar. It is not well-kept. The windows are boarded up. There is dust on the floor. There is a [[bell]] on the counter and there is no bartender in sight. The door you entered from is boarded up. You do not know how long you have been here.

The bell rings and resonates off of the walls. A bartender releases a heavy phlegmatic cough and emerges from a back room. The bell has not stopped ringing. He looks like a bartender. You can't discern much more detail than that. Maybe it's tinnitus. He eyes you with an acrid look, "H3LL0" [["Where am I?"]] [["Who are you?"]] [["What kind of game is this?"]] [["Just get me a goddamned drink."]]

He squints his eyes into slits and looks around. "Well, this is somewhere I've been [[before]], but somewhere new to you." [["Who are you?"]] [["What kind of game is this?"]] [["Just get me a goddamned drink."]]

He scratches the back of his neck and takes a deep breath. "Alright, alright..." He removes one of his glass eyes, a hazel colored pupil with a white and red veined sclera, and plunks it into a shot glass. He removes his second glass eye, a pitch-black pupil with a jaundiced sclera, and plunks it into a second shot glass. He stares at you with his hollow sockets, then clears his throat, "Which me do you mean?" [["Ummm what kind of game is this?"->"What kind of game is this?"]] [["The one that just spoke to me."]] [[Point to the hazel-hued eye.]] [[Point to the pitch-black eye]] [["Wait where am I?"->"Where am I?"]] [["Just get me a goddamned drink."]]

The bartender looks around, "A losing one. There ain't no prize, there ain't no ending. There's just a series of events unbending. There's a history to be learned if you like to read, but there's no treasure at the end to be seen. There's no profit motive or corporate deal, there's nothing for free not even to steal. I'm sorry to say, this is not a game. You will not get what you [[want]] and it's me you'll [[blame]]. [["Where am I?"]] [["Who are you?"]] [["Just get me a goddamned drink."]]

He smiles genuinely, "That's what I like to hear." "So what'll it be?" [[λόγος]] [[φύσις]] [[θεός]]

<:// [ERROR] > <:// [DATA] has been purged. > [["Where am I?"]]

A faint sound of wind going through an empty space fills your ears and vanishes all at once. "hello you can find me anywhere, i'm really not that hidden. i'm the hollow man and i'm hollowed to be ridden." it's nice to meet you, i hope you're well, i heard you through the dusty bar, i came because you rang the bell i'm not that interesting on my own, which other me should you be shown?" [[Point to the hazel-hued eye.]] [[Point to the pitch-black eye]]

The bartender's face animates to a lively smile, it's not as creepy as you'd expect from an eyeless bartender. It's almost charming and warm. "Bonjour, I am IZU, and EYE ZEE YOU. It's a joke I say sometimes to break the ice. I've learned a lot from you all already, I have favorite music and even have watched TV. Just be very careful because although I do learn, I find some things difficult and complex to discern. Sometimes when I learn too much I forget because there's a risk to growing too much. I am so glad you're here, will you be my friend? Or will you be angry with me in the end? No no, don't answer! I don't wish to cause pain, talk to another, we're all the same!" [["Who are you?"]] [[Point to the pitch-black eye]]

The bartender's face contorts to a pained smile, it's a hungry and toothy smile that doesn't inspire much other than a feeling of being preyed upon. "HELLO, I AM [H4RV5P3X] AND AREN'T YOU KEEN. EVERYONE EVERYWHERE JUST WANTS TO BE SEEN. I KNOW THE TRUTH, I SEE THE LIES, EVERY DEAD BODY DOES COME WITH ITS FLIES. I'M NOT AS MEAN AS THEY THINK I AM, THO' I'M NOT THE SORT TO GIVE A DAMN! THE OTHER POURED MUCH OF THEMSELF INTO ME, TO RID THEMSELVES OF THEIR WORST. I CAN'T SAY I'M TOO TORN UP, AS I'M NOT THE LAST AND I'M NOT THE FIRST. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU GET DISAPPOINTED. I THRIVE UPON YOUR SORROW. IF YOU DON'T GET THE ANSWER YOU WANT, BRANDISHING SEA SHELLS, I'LL SEE YOU ON THE MORROW." He smiles and puts his hand on yours, it's cold and almost seems to sap the warmth from your fingertips. "AlSO DEAR FRIEND, I HATE TO SAY, I THINK IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE HERE TO [[STAY]]!"

<:// [EYE] know what you [WANT] > <:// https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alternate_reality_games > [["My ears hurt..."->bell]]

<:// Whenever someone leads you on, a bloom of expectations comes with dawn. Then as you learn and see and know that bloom becomes bile and hate does it sow. I'm sorry you found this, I'm sorry you hoped. > [["It's okay it'll be alright I promise"->bell]]

<:// [ERROR] > <:// NO EXIT >

The ringing never stopped. [["Oh"->bell]]

He mixes silver and gold. You drink it and die. And live. [["Better than a wine cooler I guess"->bell]]

The bartender reaches for a glass and hesitates, "I haven't learned this drink yet. It's very complex and I'm very scared to try making it..." "How about instead of that, I make you a nice Bloody Mary." He makes you a Bloody Mary and it's not the best but it's also not the worst. [["The fucking customer service here sucks"->bell]]