As I journeyed deeper into the heart of the forest, the trees grew twisted and gnarled, their branches like grasping fingers reaching out to snuff the last vestiges of hope from my soul.
I had been walking for hours, the only sound the rustling of leaves and the creaking of branches, the only light the faint glow of my lantern, which seemed to be slowly succumbing to the darkness that consumed me.
And then, I saw it. The cave of despair. A yawning maw in the side of the mountain, its entrance guarded by a trio of goblins, their eyes glowing with a malevolent glee.
I steeled myself for the challenge ahead, knowing that I had to confront the darkness within, and possibly within the cave as well. For in the depths of the cave, I had heard rumors of a treasure so terrible, it would shatter the very fabric of my sanity.
Or, if you're feeling particularly masochistic, continue to the alternative route, where the path is filled with even more despair and existential dread.
Or, if all else fails, read the abridged version, where the most important bits are condensed into a single page of pure, unadulterated terror.