November 22nd, 2014. I have no idea what else happened that day, but I remember the most important thing. I'm relatively certain I knew my wife was having our daughter, although I can't say for sure. Of course, that's not the important thing. Not even close. The most important thing about November 22nd is it's the day I started down a long and lengthy journey that ended today (Tuesday, November 17th), 360 days later.

 

If we've been together in those 360 days, you've undoubtedly seen me on my phone. That's not a very odd occurrence for a man in his late 20's, but you may have noticed my right thumb moving rapidly, my eyes glazed over, my attention barely on the screen at all. More of a disgruntled human looking robot than a person enjoying his moment of technology.

 

For the last 360 days, my life has been owned by a full time job. Not one I would get paid for, but one I “enjoyed”, one I signed up for willingly. I was in charge of a tower. It's tenants, tiny and needy. I would make sure all the floors that sold goods had plenty of stock, for my little Bitizens. I'd try and keep the lights on in the various gambling rooms, try and keep new tenants moving in and out of our hotel floors. I allowed NASA to put a rocket on top of our building, knowing full well that once that rocket launched, out tower would parish. That day has come.

 

Sometime on Sunday, I built my last floor. Lucky 104. It's a circus and I can't think of anything more fitting. All of the other floors had the benefit of time, some as much a 360 days, to find workers, but the Bit Top Circus never got that chance. Immediately after construction was finished, I stopped keeping up with the tower.

 

The top 40 floors went first. Level 4's. They just didn't have the stock to keep up, nor the capacity. Levels 29-62 were level 5's. They lasted a bit longer, but have succumbed to the end as well. 9-26 were lever 6's. They fought the battle like true 6's should. They have no reason to be ashamed. Levels 5, 6 and 7 were L8's; level 4, the lone L9; which brings us to floor 3, the lone level 10. As of 8:42 a.m., floor 3, 777 Slots, has 137 'Triple 7's' in stock. People are rushing in, knowing that the supply is limited, that their chance at owning a piece of history is fading.

 

As the clock ticks down, I start the unenviable task of terminating the employment of those who have stood with me. My thumb moves in a familiar motion. Destroying the lives of so many friends, but also liberating some, free to do as they please with their remaining days. It is not without a heavy heart that I set upon this quest.

 

After everyone was gone, 777 Slots finally sold out of everything and the last remaining worker was terminated, NASA got to work. They readied launch, cleared the area around the tower, started the countdown, ignition and that was it.

 

360 days, down the drain.