Only a Game (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 2: If I die tonight I missed out on having a mid-life crisis

Viktor

The gentle rush of water guides me down the steep embankment. The sun has long since set, which means I am on the move. I don't dare activate my headlamp. No need for anything to see me.

I crawl forward, water bags in hand. Then my line pulls tight. Of course. I'm not close enough. I unhook the carabiner from my harness, keeping tight hold of it as I ease my way closer to the rushing stream. It's not clean water, but it's fresh. If I fill both bags and we boil them then we can have soup tonight.

Damn. The rope won't stretch. Reluctantly I let go of my line, setting it down gently before creeping closer to the water. I'll find it, even if it means turning on my lamp. Worst case scenario I manage to get home and die while my father asks me what I was thinking. I smother a chuckle at my own gallows humor. That is, literally, the worst case scenario: dying while being told I made the wrong decision despite already knowing I made the wrong decision, evidenced by my dying.

I dip one rubber bladder into the water, trying to gently skim the surface to get as little sediment as possible.

Rocks shift under my feet. I wince, remaining perfectly still.

There is the slightest huff of breathing.

I dart back, sealing the bag and not bothering with the other. Silence does me no good now. Too late.

He heard me.

And he's hungry.

There's a slam and I hear the deep huff as the monster nears me, leaping upon this embankment.

I fumble for my dropped line. shit. Where is it? Shit.

Shit.

Claws seal on my ankle just as my fingers find the carabiner in the rocks. I tug a tazer from my belt as hot blood pours from my calf.

The leads find their way and I hear a strangled cry. Enough to kick my foot free as I drop the counter weight and am pulled up the rock.

My fingers burn raw as I grab rock, pulling myself up and onto the top of the harsh labyrinth wall. There's huffing beneath me.

"No dinner tonight," I hiss, before taking off running. I shove the water in my backpack just as I hear the thud of heavy feet hitting the wall.

I run, nearly tripping, as I feel for the door. yes. Inside. I slam the door behind myself just as the creature smacks the door, screaming in anger.

"Not monster food tonight, better luck tomorrow," I sigh, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves.

Then I progress down the tunnel to the next steel door. I tap in a code and walk in, taking another deep breath.

"Dad? I got the water, just one bladder. I'm not hungry," I say, shedding my backpack onto the worn sofa. Our little apartment glows with the only light from several screens of code. My father stands with his back to me, typing at a keyboard on a podium. His silver hair is damp and slicked out of his face, and despite the late hour he's still dressed, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"I suppose you forgot your line again?"

"I'll go back and get it in the morning," I say, hanging my harness by the door. My ankle stings, but nothing I can't clean up. Not worth mentioning.

"They're not going to send us more ropes Vik. You need to be more careful," he says, still not turning around.

"I'll get it in the morning. I promise. I'm going to go lie down," I say. I want to fix up my ankle before he notices. I'm tired, and not in the mood to be chastised for letting go of my line and not paying enough attention to hear the monster coming.

"You'd better, we're on our last few," he says, "Sit with me a moment."

"All right," I say, sitting down hesitantly on the sofa. "How's Dancing Ground going?"

"Several are already finished, I told you that that treasure trove wouldn't take them long," he says.

"Did they enjoy it though?" I ask, quietly. I want to see now. That was the one challenge he let me design myself.

"They were done quickly if that's what you're asking," he says, stubbing out the cigarette, "Five people, already done. Your water runs will have to be much more careful, once we have people in here."

"He's seriously going to put people in here?" I ask.

"You knew that already, Vik."

"Yeah but---real people going missing because they get eaten would be a big deal I'd think," I scoff, "Don't they have families?"

"Vik, they're gamers who spent forty eight hours straight playing our little game, I think, no, they don't have many people who would miss them."

"Even so," I say.

"I don't know why you're upset, this the distraction we need. Best case scenario, one of them found our cutscene and is planning to get us out, worst case, everyone is distracted with the challengers and we make our way out," he says, turning around to face me, finally.

"Yeah," but I don't want other people to be killed.

"I looked over your code, it was passable. I left notes on your tablet," he says, tipping my face up to study me, "Work on that tonight, eh?"

"Yeah, sure Dad," I can't wait to see all the things I did wrong.

"You sure you're not hungry? You're growing, I swear you've grown an inch each month this year," he says, pushing curls out of my face.

"No, I'm fine," I need to wrap up my ankle and I wanted warm soup and now I didn't get enough water for it. So now I don't want anything. Better to save it anyway.

"You should eat. I'll make you something," he says, studying my face, "You're too thin, we can't have that. It's no good for your brain."

"My brain is fine, dad," I say, standing, "I'm just tired."

"Go get changed and do some work, I'll bring you something to eat, we'll talk," he says.

"Okay," I don't want to talk.

"Go on now," he turns back to what he was doing. "I'll be done in a few hours."

Oh good, I'll be asleep by the time he's done.

I limp into my room. No more than a six foot by six space. A few bags hold my meager possession. And as promised my tablet sitting on my bedroll. I sit down to painfully take off my boots. They're too lose as they're his old ones. I don't tell him. Instead I rub a little precious salve into the blisters and lie back to stare at the concrete wall. Someday that'll be the sky above me. Someday.