Howly, what you've written is masterful because it is personal. Arches is such a personal and grounded story about addiction, abuse, loss, recovery and, most of all, hope. I realized that this game started during the Covid-19 Pandemic and that says a lot about the nuances and charm this story has. It really is a time capsule of this pandemic and I'm glad it is.
What I personally thought before I started reading Arches was that Cameron and Devon were literally going to go through the town, finding ghosts and learning about themselves and whatnot. But once I found out that Duke and Brian were there, still alive in Echo, it dawned on me. THEY are the ghosts, the remnants of Echo's past horrors and trauma. It makes perfect sense that they would still be there. Cameron and Devon were their last nail in the coffin.
I keep thinking of that shadow that jumped Cameron in the forest, the perceived "fork" during the shotgun blast in the mines. Echo, the town, may be dead but its trauma was still able to seep through. However, that is...kind of necessary? We will NEVER be able to forget our past trauma. No matter how hard we try. Like Devon trying to make up past mistakes, Brian trying to forget his victims and continue his selfish tirade. It stays with you, like a scar. Scars heal but the mark is still there. The only thing we can do is learn and keep moving. Embrace our trauma and choose whether we want to keep living or just stop. You can never get what you had back. Your choices define your future.
Thanks again for making this short novel. It might not be as "popular" as the other vns but I don't think that is the point. The best creative works in the world are when creatives create for themselves and the world simply enjoys what they created. You wrote something for you and it clearly does resonate with many folks.
Thank you for your hard work. You are appreciated and loved. All of you peeps in the Echo crew. Thank you. ❤️