//INITIATE PROGRAM//

/LOADING AREA... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING TEXTURES... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING OBJECTS... 97% UNABLE TO LOAD OBJECT 8

CONTINUE? - Y

/LOADING PROGRAM... 99% FORCE LAUNCH

//LAUNCHING PROGRAM 97//

Somewhere deep in the core files a few ones and zeroes are missing. They should have been part of a space invader named Ocho, but now instead, he is a glitch. Someone forgot to program him correctly. Ocho is unhappy. But one day, the 97^th time someone runs his game, he thinks:

I'm tired of being a glitch.

I have to reach the core file, I'm going to fix myself.

Digital life forms have a very small thought vocabulary. He starts off toward the core files.

Ocho lives in the delete bin. He is safe though. No one ever empties the trash anyway. Of course this ends up being a pot full of other glitches. Walls that aren't solid. A tank that doesn't shoot. Other such stuff. Ocho's world is 2 dimensional, thus he can only go in 4 directions. He leaves the delete bin. He has to avoid detection, otherwise the people playing might think the game is faulty. And that would be very bad. They would be put out of service, or worse, deleted. He can see the others from the side of the screen. They look like white lines on black. Happy white lines on black. He continues. The program board is running full time, which means someone is playing. He wouldn't want to mess up the game. He goes into the files folder but before he can get to the core files (check line 6), the game on the screen ends.

player lives: 0

winner: space invader

GAME OVER

//RESTART PROGRAM//

/LOADING AREA... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING TEXTURES... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING OBJECTS... 97% UNABLE TO LOAD OBJECT 8

CONTINUE? - Y

/LOADING PROGRAM... 99% FORCE LAUNCH

//LAUNCHING PROGRAM 98//

Ocho has returned to the delete bin. A faulty laser slowly inches toward him. He isn't afraid, it's overall damage is exactly: .13018230981 points of damage. But he is used to the dull sting. Right before he gets touched, he glitches. He is teleported to the other side of the bin. The laser phases into the wall before appearing somewhere else in the bin. Ocho leaves the bin again, feeling quite frustrated with the players being so bad a the game that he can barely make it to the files folder. He doesn't bother with even looking at the game this time. The program board is calm, he might have enough time to get to the core files. He enters the files folder.

So many folders!

The core files must be at the center. Probably protected by some antiglitch/antivirus. It is in fact in the center. A bright red line lies between Ocho and the core files. Ocho begins to phase through the antiglitch. He is so close.

Player lives: 0

Winner: space invader

GAME OVER

//RESTART PROGRAM//

/LOADING AREA... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING TEXTURES... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING OBJECTS... 97% UNABLE TO LOAD OBJECT 8

CONTINUE? - Y

/LOADING PROGRAM... 99% FORCE LAUNCH

//LAUNCHING PROGRAM 99//

Ocho leaves the delete bin, quite angry. When he gets to the files he notices something. The files are now protected by an antivirus. He enters anyway. The pain he receives upon entering the folder takes his breath away, if he had any to begin with. He is able to push through to the core files. The core files appear as three folders: Area, Textures, Objects. Ocho enters the Objects folder. He then notices something. Right next to all the interconnected folders, there is a disconnected folder. A folder with the simple title, 8. He begins to move it. The closer he gets the folder to the others, the less glitchy he becomes. Finally with one last burst of strength he connects the folder. Everything goes white.

//CRITICAL PROGRAM FAILURE//

/UPTADE UNAUTHORIZED/

/UPDATING... 100% COMPLETE

//LAUNCH PROGRAM//

/LOADING AREA... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING TEXTURES... 100% COMPLETE

/LOADING OBJECTS... 100%

/LOADING... 100% COMPLETE

//LAUNCHING PROGRAM//

This is a story about 8. 8 is no longer a glitch. But he can no longer think. He no longer feels. Is this what he wanted?

//CLOSE PROGRAM//