Summer was in full swing. The sequel to 'The House On The Corner' had been released in the middle of June. Fans of the first game purchased the next installment in droves all over the world. People who were new to gaming also took interest. The sales were high in just the first week.
Jade used the mirror in her and Sairah's dressing room to ensure she was presentable. She wore a T-shirt with the game's logo on the left breast.
" . . . crazy. But I love the response." Chris Drew was in the UK. He spoke to a guard at the door. Soon they would all have to go out to have an interview in front of fans and press to discuss the game's success.
"It's your most successful game?" asked the guard.
Chris laughed awkwardly. "No." He scratched his head.
Joe had a special pass to be back here given to him by Sairah. Out of nowhere a week ago, she had shown up to his house to play video games. She didn't say much but he'd been happy to see her. He too wore merchandise for the game. "It sounds like a crowd outside." He came to stand next to Jade in the mirror. "I think the fandom's grown immensely since the first game. I'm so excited. Are you?"
Jade smiled at him. "I am excited. That among other things." She saw Sairah walk out of the bathroom with the same face she had been wearing since her birthday, empty.
Sairah ruffled Joe's hair and patted Jade on the arm when she joined them. "I hate stuff like this." She said.
"It's necessary to talk about your craft when it's out. Especially with something that's got as much lore as THOC. They went really crazy with the storyline for this one." Jade knew that she couldn't but here she was trying to read Sairah's mind.
"Aren't you responsible for the story line?" Joe asked.
"Yup. How far have you gotten in this one?" Jade looked down at him. He was getting taller. Soon he would be her height.
"I finished it in a couple of days. It was amazing!" Joe bounced up and down. "The part where Blaze turned into a monster too made me cry a little. My friends didn't want to admit it but they cried too! I could tell they did."
"Mmm . . . yeah that part cut deep." Jade saw Sairah staring intently into her own eyes. "Sairah?"
The girl looked at her. "Yeah? What is it?"
Jade held hands at her back. "How long do you think you'll need space?"
"They're ready!" Chris was pumped. "Go time baby!" He skipped out the door behind the venue's guards.
Sairah locked eyes with Jade. "A while." She turned around to follow. "You can watch the interview in here." She pointed to the flatscreen hanging on the wall.
"Okay." Joe happily sat on the couch provided. "Have fun guys."
"I'll try." Jade smiled tightly at him then left.
They were sitting on stage with the interviewer before hundreds of people.
" . . . the response has been absolutely astounding. Tell me, how does one come up with a sequel just as good in fact, better than such a phenomenal game to begin with?" The interviewer was clearly a fan.
Chris Drew smiled charmingly as people whistled and cheered. He looked to Jade and Sairah. "That question's all yours girls." He said into his mic.
"I know. We're the ones who did most of the planning." Sairah heard people laugh after she said this. "Uhh . . ." she was staring in space for a moment. "The first game didn't have as much support as this one did. This one had Chris' company and outside forces like that animation studio in Korea to back it up. So that's why it looks like a million bucks but in terms of the story or as Jade calls it 'the lore' . . . people say it's better than the first but it's just continuing what the first already started right Jade?"
