feat.
***
Marx’s was mostly empty except for the gamers at the tables and on the jumbo screen. The crowd that gathered to watch was thick at lunch and in the evenings. It was only half past six. In a couple hours, it’d be packed. I usually avoided going up on the jumbo, but with it being so empty, it was okay. The bigger screen made for better gaming.
My avatar—a girl in a hooded robe with a staff—loaded and I started to play against whoever was around. The control panel was a little high for playing at length, but I rolled out my shoulders, trying to relax into it. My fingers flew across the board, sending commands to my avatar as it moved through the 3D world. I lost myself in the fantasy forest, filled with fairies, gnomes, and wizards, casting spell after spell and melting the baddies in giant balls of flame.
Halfway through the game, the three people I was playing against bailed out.
“Fucking Cipher,” the last one muttered as he climbed down the stage.
I almost felt sorry for him. “What? Can’t keep up?”
“Not with you,” he said. “It’s no fun getting slaughtered.”
I sighed. Maybe I shouldn’t have been taking my aggression out on the players, but killing a ton of slogs and a few wicked combo spells had done wonders for my mood. “Come back up. We’ll switch modes and play together.”
“You mean it?” The guy’s voice cracked. He was way too young to be in this bar, but who was I to say anything? He was probably only a few years younger than me.
“Yep.” I hit a few buttons and reloaded the game. A few more clicks and we were playing against online players instead of each other.
“I want back in next round,” another guy said as he jumped back on stage.
Soon, all seven spots were taken. We strategized on our headsets and I took charge of the group as we hit different dungeons. Time melted away as one scene flowed into another. We fought in a rainforest, abandoned ruins, and a temple city. Before we switched to the alien planet landscape, I heard the voice—the one that made me shiver—behind me.
“I want in. Lowest scorer is out. And we switch to team battle.”
“Who the hell is this guy? You can’t come in here and take over. We’re playing with Cipher .”
I looked at the boards. “DickBallz is out. And seriously, get a new handle. That sounds like a nine-year-old made it up. It’s embarrassing.”
“That’s because I made it up when I was nine. If I change it now, I lose my standing,” the guy two stations over from me said. His face was bright red and he was sporting more than his fair share of pimples. Poor guy.
“Change the name. I’ll get you re-upped,” I said.
“Seriously?” His eyes were wide.
“Yes. Just message me on my site. Now make room for Knight or the deal’s off.”
“Wait. Knight? As in the Knight?”
Knight gave me a not-too-friendly look. “Way to announce it.”
I shrugged and hit the start button. “If you’re gonna play, step up. Otherwise DickBallz is back in.”
“The hell if I’m going to let some guy with a lame handle take my spot.” He put on the headset and held his hands over the controls.
“We’re splitting into two teams.” I rattled off some names, trying to keep the skill level even and leaving Knight on the opposing team.
The screen faded and then a desolate alien planet landscape appeared. Jagged black rock formations rose from the ground like knives. I took cover behind one, and the countdown started.
It was a fast, fierce battle. By the time all was said and done, each member of my team had been killed no less than twenty times. I hadn’t been killed yet. The guys on the opposing team had all died no less than twenty-five times, and Knight had been killed once. By me.
Knight put his headset down. “Drink?”
I turned around to check the crowds. The area in front of the bar was packed three deep, as people shouted orders to Sandra. The areas between the tables were totally filled as people
***
Marx’s was mostly empty except for the gamers at the tables and on the jumbo screen. The crowd that gathered to watch was thick at lunch and in the evenings. It was only half past six. In a couple hours, it’d be packed. I usually avoided going up on the jumbo, but with it being so empty, it was okay. The bigger screen made for better gaming.
My avatar—a girl in a hooded robe with a staff—loaded and I started to play against whoever was around. The control panel was a little high for playing at length, but I rolled out my shoulders, trying to relax into it. My fingers flew across the board, sending commands to my avatar as it moved through the 3D world. I lost myself in the fantasy forest, filled with fairies, gnomes, and wizards, casting spell after spell and melting the baddies in giant balls of flame.
Halfway through the game, the three people I was playing against bailed out.
“Fucking Cipher,” the last one muttered as he climbed down the stage.
I almost felt sorry for him. “What? Can’t keep up?”
“Not with you,” he said. “It’s no fun getting slaughtered.”
I sighed. Maybe I shouldn’t have been taking my aggression out on the players, but killing a ton of slogs and a few wicked combo spells had done wonders for my mood. “Come back up. We’ll switch modes and play together.”
“You mean it?” The guy’s voice cracked. He was way too young to be in this bar, but who was I to say anything? He was probably only a few years younger than me.
“Yep.” I hit a few buttons and reloaded the game. A few more clicks and we were playing against online players instead of each other.
“I want back in next round,” another guy said as he jumped back on stage.
Soon, all seven spots were taken. We strategized on our headsets and I took charge of the group as we hit different dungeons. Time melted away as one scene flowed into another. We fought in a rainforest, abandoned ruins, and a temple city. Before we switched to the alien planet landscape, I heard the voice—the one that made me shiver—behind me.
“I want in. Lowest scorer is out. And we switch to team battle.”
“Who the hell is this guy? You can’t come in here and take over. We’re playing with Cipher .”
I looked at the boards. “DickBallz is out. And seriously, get a new handle. That sounds like a nine-year-old made it up. It’s embarrassing.”
“That’s because I made it up when I was nine. If I change it now, I lose my standing,” the guy two stations over from me said. His face was bright red and he was sporting more than his fair share of pimples. Poor guy.
“Change the name. I’ll get you re-upped,” I said.
“Seriously?” His eyes were wide.
“Yes. Just message me on my site. Now make room for Knight or the deal’s off.”
“Wait. Knight? As in the Knight?”
Knight gave me a not-too-friendly look. “Way to announce it.”
I shrugged and hit the start button. “If you’re gonna play, step up. Otherwise DickBallz is back in.”
“The hell if I’m going to let some guy with a lame handle take my spot.” He put on the headset and held his hands over the controls.
“We’re splitting into two teams.” I rattled off some names, trying to keep the skill level even and leaving Knight on the opposing team.
The screen faded and then a desolate alien planet landscape appeared. Jagged black rock formations rose from the ground like knives. I took cover behind one, and the countdown started.
It was a fast, fierce battle. By the time all was said and done, each member of my team had been killed no less than twenty times. I hadn’t been killed yet. The guys on the opposing team had all died no less than twenty-five times, and Knight had been killed once. By me.
Knight put his headset down. “Drink?”
I turned around to check the crowds. The area in front of the bar was packed three deep, as people shouted orders to Sandra. The areas between the tables were totally filled as people
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