[vi·rus

ˈvīrəs/

noun

1.

an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host.

"a virus infection"

2.

a piece of code that is capable of copying itself and typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data.]

Virus, that's what the Narrator was. A self serving entity who cared only for himself, whose sole purpose in existence was to poke and prod whoever was unfortunate enough to be dragged into his story or dumb enough to willingly follow along.

No, perhaps not dumb. Naive, broken and tired of fighting, of seeking a new path.

He was sickeningly cordial, this proper outer shell was disarming. His authoritative aura luring his protagonist to be with the promise of protection, of knowing what to do. The false promise of freedom, of allowing themselves to try and dictate the meaning in their existence drew them deeper into the Narrator's web. The farther they fell, clawing after that elusive lie, the more hopeless they became.

The Narrator fed off this hopelessness, this self preservation of one's own self. It was as if this identity was what fueled him. The loss of everything that one was down to their deepest core both repulsed the Narrator at the thought of a narrative that wasn't his. The destruction of their soul, their own persona drove The Narrator wild, salivating at the thought of cultivating the perfect protagonist- a being who could both understand and blindly play along. An unobtainable paradox of ideals.

With no one to listen, to bend to his will, The Narrator was just as powerless as any Stanley he could shape. He needed another who could play his lines, perform his scenes, to give him purpose. A soul who needed another to give him a reason to continue existing.

It was this thought that gave Stanley the drive to continue, to fight The Narrator at every step. After all, if he wanted to turn Stanley into a puppet like him, he was going to have to fight for it. A fight that Stanley had no intention to lose without raising hell