I entered the Geek & Sundry Contest thinking I was an underdog. I expected to lose because I was at a disadvantage. With 1USD equaling RM41, how can I win? With an eBook the price of 8 meals, how can I convince readers to give 4 times more than my competitors? But after 2 months, I realised I was wrong. Me thinking I was an underdog was just me thinking I was an underdog. It was a thought. It wasn’t true. After 2 months, I finally realised underdogs do not exist.

Now, why do I say that? Here’s a question: what makes a rags-to-riches story memorable? 

What makes the tale of a homeless man becoming a billionaire inspiring? What makes the small town baseball team going to the major leagues uplifting? What makes any story of success empowering?

Is it the neighbourhood the characters grew up in? Is it their poverty-striken families? Or... is it their passion, drive, and determination to succeed despite all odds? Do you remember the story because they came from a third world country, or do you remember their story because they bravely faced the giants? I believe we can all agree it is the latter. 

So, is there such a thing as an underdog? No. Being an underdog is a state of mind. It is how we look at ourselves. It is what people might call us. But ’underdogs’ by default do not exist. Nobody is made to be an underdog. Nobody is born a loser. Our upbringing, our country, and our circumstances, do not define who we are. If we are fighters, we will keep on fighting. We will not succumb to the idea of being an underdog. We will write our own story with passion and determination, and we will keep doing so until we succeed.

Honestly, I don’t know why I entertained the thought of being an underdog, especially when Thom himself never saw himself as one. Thom may not have the faith to free his people, but at least he didn’t think he was at a disadvantage. He was part of the minority, but he was determined to win. He didn’t box himself in a label, and chose to believe he was an equal. If Thom could do that, in his fight for freedom in a world so bias, then I can do it too. 

I am not an underdog. I am an equal. And so are you.

It’s October, guys. You know what time it is, right?

The Coma: Cutting Class is a horror game, heavily focused on storytelling, by Devespresso Games. Devespresso Games is an indie game developer from South Korea. And the CEO, Min Ho, is someone I’ve worked with in my early days of Oz. As a fellow creator, storyteller, and fighter of dreams, I am ecstatic to receive his generous support. 

The poster above tells everything you need to know about the contest. If you’re a gamer, who likes story-heavy games and can handle jump-scares, here’s your chance to play The Coma for free. Just order yourself a copy of The Slave Prince, ’like’ the picture on Facebook*, and you might just be able to add this game to your inventory in time for Halloween.