Only a Game (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 14: So this is odd

Teddy

I think everything is a little bit odd when we reach the resort and have to go through metal detectors and such. They don't find my knife (because it's glass I guess) but they do pat us down. I think everything is a bit more odd when they turn away travelling companions and spectators. I think it's even more odd when they herd us all into an abandoned hotel for the night while armed guards patrol the area. I get increasingly concerned when we get no cell service and get lined up to leave all electronics behind before going to the competition.

"This isn't right," I whisper, mostly to myself. My mother will be going to the Daily Mail, insisting I've been kidnapped and eaten.

"Everything about Minos Industries is weird. Did you know the founder's wife had sex once with a bull?" the guy in front of me in line is bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Well, that's clearly not true," I mutter.

"My name's Neil. I'm from America."

"I noticed. I'm Teddy."

"You look familiar—"

"Huh that's odd," not like I have millions of views on my tutorials or anything.

"You look like that surfer---what's his name?"

"Well I don't surf. I can't even swim."

"You can't? Are you afraid of the water?" still bouncing. He's like fourteen.

"No, I've just never tried," sounded very athletic to me.

"Two at a time---wait," a guard shoves me back and Neil goes on ahead. I'm second to last, along with a tall girl who's been quiet this whole time.

"You'll enter the game in pairs," the guard informs us.

"Nice to meet you," the girl say, politely. She's tall, like I said. Much taller than me, with thick, black hair and dark skin, well a shade or two darker than mine. She looks like—I don't know, islander? Native Hawaiian maybe? She doesn't have an American accent, though. I think she's wearing an American University t-shirt. It's blue and tight across her large chest.

"Teddy," I say.

"I watch your videos," she says, nodding, "Ariadne."

"Oh---um---hi," people do not usually recognize me in public. People who watch videos like I make don't usually spend a lot of time in public. Not that I personally spend a lot of time in public. I'm just saying. They don't. "I mean---nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," she says, nodding.

"I guess we go in together? Then?"

"Yeah, they send us in in pairs," she says. She's noticeably more morose than the other contestants. Maybe girl gamers are like that though? (see my previous comment about not spending a lot of time in public or out of my mother's basement in general).

"How long did it take you to beat Dancing Ground?" I ask.

"Couple of days," she shrugs.

"Huh," maybe this isn't how you make polite conversation. I don't know. (See previous comment about not spending a lot of time in public or leaving my mum's basement or possibly not speaking to a human woman who isn't my mum or MI-5 in over a year).

"The section in the pirate's cove—that was my favorite, unlocking the treasure chest," she offers up.

"Dude, that was the hardest section," I say, laughing, "That alone took me like, three hours."

She shrugs a little.

"Didn't it remind you of Merchant's Crossing?" I ask.

"Shhh, not here," she says, glancing around.