Part 3
It's 2:47 AM.
I should be asleep.
I want to be asleep.
But I can't.
Because I made the mistake of checking Discord one last time.
Big mistake.
There are 23 new messages.
At 2:47 AM.
Who is awake right now??
I open the server. Immediate chaos.
Someone just typed, "anyone up?" and somehow that turned into a full conversation about pineapple on pizza. It's getting heated. Of course it is.
I don't even join in. I just stare at the screen in silence.
Then—
Ping.
"@mod HE STARTED IT"
I close my eyes.
I don't respond.
I refuse.
Thirty seconds later:
"WOW MOD ABUSE IGNORING US"
I sit up.
Why am I like this?
I open the chat and type, "guys it's literally 3am go to sleep."
Someone responds instantly: "no."
Fair enough.
Then another user joins.
New account.
No profile picture.
First message:
"free nitro?"
I ban them in under a second.
My fastest reaction time yet.
I try to put my phone down again.
I really do.
But then I hear it.
Ping.
From across the room.
It echoes.
I swear it echoes.
I slowly reach for my phone like it's calling me.
"mod can you check this?"
Check what.
I open it.
It's just two people arguing over who's funnier.
I stare at the ceiling.
Why is this my responsibility?
I finally lock the chat for five minutes.
Silence.
Peace.
I put my phone down.
Close my eyes.
Drift off—
PING.
I bolt upright.
Chat unlocked.
"why was it locked???"
I'm losing it.
I grab my phone, typing with the last bit of sanity I have left:
"GO. TO. SLEEP."
No one listens.
Of course they don't.
It's now 4:12 AM.
I'm wide awake.
The server is active.
And I realize something terrifying.
The server doesn't sleep.
Which means…
Neither do I.