I come to with my head leaned down and hands wrapped around a wheel. The brain fog and slight headache make me groan, and all I can do is stare at what’s directly in front of me. Light pink? It’s the first color my eyes pick up on as they adjust to the light. No doors? My legs feel exposed in the vehicle seat I woke up in. I’m not in a car, but a go-kart!

Fully awake now, I look at my surroundings. A large wood floor spans out before me, and in the very distance a haze of white curves around the floor. I rub my eyes in confusion. Nothing changes. Although I do see an enormous sized purple couch that rests deep in the white fog.

“What the hell?” I whisper to myself.

The environment is deadly silent. All that sits on the expansive wood floor is just me and this light pink vehicle. Unsure of what to do and too scared to leave the go-kart, I tentatively press down the pedal.

The pink kart rolls slowly forward and suddenly Mario Kart music echos around me, seeping from the white mist on the border. The upbeat tune feels eerie as my Kart crawls across the smooth wood towards white mist. This surely isn’t any Mario Kart race track I’ve seen.

Then, I hear it, the sound of nails clicking across a hard surface in an excited, hurried fashion. I look behind me, the Mario Kart music slightly disorienting me.

From the mist the sound of exhilarated barking fills the air. Following the yelps, two enormous, smoothly animated dogs emerge from the fog. One resembles a golden retriever with a white flower accessory on its ear, the second, with black and brown coloring and pointed ears , is, by no question, a German shepherd. I recognize them as I look into their dark, lifeless eyes that I used to find so adorable. My two puppies from my favorite childhood game; Nintendogs.

A message pops about my dogs’ status. Both Gabby and Flower are famished, and it reflects in their eyes as the stare down at me in my kart. Gabby barks, and their massive paws start running towards me.

I slam down the pedal with my heart willing the kart to zoom faster. I’m aiming for under the large, purple couch. I’ll be safe there. Crossing the wooden expanse towards the edge of the mist, my dogs are right behind me. I never knew their shrill barks could be this fear inducing. Finally, I reach the mist just feet from the couch, but my kart bounces off against the fog like some kind of force field. My kart ricochets off, spinning past the two beasts. It’s no use, the fog is impenetrable.

“Curse this game and it’s simplistic one-room design!” I shout in exasperation as Gabby and Flower close in on me.

My dogs stop, a change of composure washing over them. They look apprehensive. They’ve never heard a voice come from the race kart before. My heart beats even faster as I realize this is my moment to turn things around.

I muster up the courage and try to call out in a loving tone, “Flower! Gabby!”

I wait in nervous anticipation. My dogs perk their ears and bark excitedly. It seems they’ve recognized my voice.

“Flower, sit!”

The golden retriever follows my command. Thank god, all my hard training has paid off. I tell Gabby to do the same and I bravely walk up to my pups. They wriggle in excitement as I approach. Stopped before Flower’s paws, I reach my hand up. Her large, wet nose meets my palm and I sigh in relief. I have mastered the beasts, but now I need to find out how to escape the game…