On the wrong side of the Story.

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Meet Joshua—an ordinary high school student, exhausted from constant insomnia.

Strange things start happening around him, and an even stranger person enters his classroom, yet no one else seems to notice—except for him.

Follow him as he begins to question his sanity, while he's pulled into a bizarre world where reality no longer plays by the usual rules.

As he tries to uncover the truth behind these strange occurrences, he finds himself navigating chilling phenomena, cryptic clues, absurd situations, and unexpected damsels in distress. With every step, the conspiracy he stumbles upon seems larger than anything he could have imagined.

And all he really wants is just one night of uninterrupted sleep.

I was told to write somewhere a small warning so there it is:

First 3 chapters are what I would call "introduction". I know Chapter 3 is a bit "repetetive" but I feel like its needed for the atmosphere, so please, just bear with me.

I couldn’t find any new story that would satisfy my hunger for a good read. So, I was told that if I can’t find anything good, I should write something myself—so here it is.

What to expect:

*A mix of humor and existential dread/horror.

*Big mystery, lots of conspiracy, and plenty of weird stuff.

*Some meta elements (Simulacrum is my favorite story ever), with a plot revolving around stories and getting involved in those stories.

*I took a lot of inspiration from other novels on this site while creating a completely new world, system, and mystery. While reading you could also feel influence of anime/manga I watched over the years.

*A likeable MC, two-dimensional people, three-dimensional people, and even some four- and five-dimensional people.

*Target audience in mind: youth/young adults.

I really hope at least one person enjoys what I’ve created.

I'm not a native English speaker, so please be merciful with any language mistakes. I'm doing my best to make the story enjoyable, and I appreciate your understanding and patience!

Thank you for reading <3

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Patryk Rys

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 7
Views: 2,405

Chapters(9 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(3)

Emnm3Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
From the start I want to make something clear: I know Author personally. I tried to be objective, but you know how it is. But I liked whats there anyway (even If there isn't that much yet).
This story is pretty engaging and had me hooked from the start. The main character, Joshua, is kind of relatable—just a regular guy (I mean, he got Insomnia, but other than that hes nothing out of ordinary yet) who suddenly gets caught up in all those weird sheningans.
I really liked the dynamic between him and Tori; their banter is funny and keeps things light even when the situation gets serious.
The whole "points" thing and the strange stuff happening around them is definitely intriguing. There’s a good mix of mystery, humor, and some darker moments that make you want to keep reading.
Story is still at point of building bigger cast of characters, but the ones we already meet (MC, Tori, Dean and Wanda) are likeable - even if Tori is a bit... unhinged.
It feels like the plot is slowly building up to something big (and from what I heard from private conversation with Patryk), so I’m excited to see where it goes.
There is small issue with pacing - especially first 3 chapters, but its nothing major.
If you’re into stories with a mix of school life, supernatural elements, and a bit of conspiracy, this one’s worth a read!
GrumpsterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
First, some good points to the story: an incredibly compelling cast with a relatable progat, suffering from insomnia which, personally links him quite well to perhaps a lot of the insomnia-driven people in our world; the tension and the build up of it is also for note - as the unsettling occurrences the blending of the mundane life of school contrasts well to the changing atmosphere. The pacing is done very well, with a story pacing between characters, action and tension unravelling the story at a good pace, keeping the reader engaged at all times.
Dialogue has been a joy to read, with wit being the key word that can be used to describe it, with banter between characters like Joshua and Dean adding some needed light-hearted-ness to the darker parts of the story.
A gripping story, but can have some improvements, as everything can have: such as more emotional depth into characters like Joshua (with regards to the insomnia and mental state), with more work put into this we can have far more "umph" showing the confusion he falls into through the story with his reactions to the strange occurrences.
Voice between worldsRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
This chapter presents a compelling exploration of the protagonist's inner turmoil and the subtle shifts in his environment. The writing style captures the monotony of high school life while hinting at deeper, unsettling currents beneath the surface. The protagonist's reflections on his insomnia and feelings of detachment resonate with readers, making him relatable. However, while the themes are intriguing, there are areas where the author could improve to enhance the overall impact of the narrative.
The introduction of Tori adds complexity, transforming the story from a typical classroom scene into something more enigmatic. Her abrupt change from a quiet girl to a rebellious figure raises questions about identity and adolescent pressures. However, this transformation could be better fleshed out. The author might consider providing more context or backstory about Tori’s change to deepen readers' understanding of her character and make her transformation feel less abrupt.
While the protagonist’s observations about his classmates create an atmosphere of tension, they sometimes border on repetitive. The descriptions of the classroom's monotony and the students' indifference to Tori could be streamlined. By tightening these sections, the author could maintain the reader's engagement without losing the essence of the classroom dynamics.
The dialogue is generally realistic and engaging, capturing teenage interactions well. However, it occasionally feels stilted or expository. For instance, the banter between the protagonist and Dean, while humorous, sometimes lacks the natural flow of conversation. The author could work on making these exchanges feel more spontaneous to enhance the authenticity of the characters' voices.
Furthermore, the protagonist's internal struggles are compelling, but they could benefit from more vivid imagery or metaphor to convey the depth of his feelings. Currently, the descriptions of his anxiety and insomnia are somewhat abstract; adding sensory