Chaos Theorem

Chapter 6: A Cruel World

"Um, guys? I'm fairly sure that this isn't how the ride works!" Tricky whimpered, turning to Penny and Will behind her.
  "Well, yeah, obviously." Null sneered, "You didn't think it'd be normal, did you?"
  All I could do was look at Null, nonplussed, before the ride started to get too intense to think about anything else. I gripped the safety bar tightly as we started to get swung about by the ride.
  The speed picked up sharply, and I closed my eyes as wind started to dry them out. I felt myself rise out of my seat a little more every time my side went up. Everyone else was the same - the other side was a brief grace period between each lift.
  How long was this going to go on for? It was horrible; I had that ticklish feeling in my stomach whenever I dropped and it was starting to make me feel sick. I tried to think about the game description, wondering if anything was said about a time limit.
  I couldn't think, but also couldn't not know so I turned to Nate and yelled over the creaking ride, "Is there a time limit?"
  "What?" he yelled back, but his voice sounded quiet and distant over the loud, groaning ride.
  "IS THERE A TIME LIMIT?" I yelled, my throat scratching as the ride swung down again and my stomach had that horrible feeling.
  "NO?" Nate bellowed back through gritted teeth. He sounded unsure. He couldn't think either.
  I didn't respond after that, I just closed my eyes. I wasn't even religious, but I prayed silently that the nauseating feeling would go away. I knew that it was wishful thinking, but I didn't expect things to get worse. The ride was going so high...
  "Do you know what would be really fun?" Null called back at us as the ride swung us back up.
  "Getting off?" I laughed awkwardly as I saw his smirk.
  "No," Null chuckled, "Well, I mean yes, of course, but I was being more specific."
  Oh no. What was he going to say?
  "I could totally climb over the rows right now..." Null started, smiling insanely, "And push you off."
  Elise glared at him disapprovingly, and I wasn't surprised. The worst part was that I didn't even know if he actually would do it, and the snake could totally do it at any point.
  Ignoring my slowly approaching headache, I vociferated back, "Don't you dare!"
  Null turned around in his seat, "But what if I did? What would you do?"
  Will spoke up angrily and stood up slightly in his seat, "Don't touch them... or I'll push you off!"
  "See? This is fun."
  The ride jerked suddenly and Will fell backwards into the seat behind him. Null also adjusted himself back to the position he was in. Elise looked back at Will, afraid that he would go after her too, and scooted away from Null a little.
  My heart pulsed angrily. I'd had enough of this.
  "GUYS! Chill, we're a team!" I yelled, "We need to stick together, even if just for now! Nobody will get anywhere if we push each other off! Sit in your seats and hold on! Please!"
  There was a pressure that seeped onto me as everyone's eyes turned to lock into mine. I made sure that Null was who I looked at. He was a threat to these people, my friends. Even Elise. He wasn't going to get away with it if he made a move. I gripped my safety bar tighter as the ride went higher and higher and Null's gaze got colder and colder.
  "I... like your attitude, human." Null looked away from me. I'd overpowered him, and he ended his statement with, "Knock it off, William."
  Will went to argue back.
  That was when the ride began to violently shake. I realised that when I looked forwards I saw the ground.
  We were fricking perpendicular to it.
  It suddenly felt very difficult to hold on, and I closed my eyes as I felt the sick feeling ebb back into my throat. The boat swinging back was arguably even worse, as the wind howled in my ears and the ride screamed along with my brain.
  And then the swing back was worse than that.
  We were now parallel to the ground. When did this build up happen?
  The safety bars were the only things we could hold onto as we started to slip from our seats. I was hanging on using just this bar.
  The boat didn't move.
  My arms killed, but I couldn't let go.
  I looked down and saw that it was very far away.
  The arguments seemed petty now - the real threat had reared its head. My hands slipped, and I thought that the predator was going to take me in its boat-shaped jaws.
  Just then, the boat started to spin around, and we all slammed into the ride. Before we knew it we were back again, but the ride didn't wait this time - it just went spinning around again. And around. And again and again as suddenly I wasn't aware of anything other than myself, my pounding headache and the haunting sensation to let go.
  I tried to hoist myself back into my seat, but the air pressure was too strong.
  The whole thing was hopeless.
  It was hopeless...
  All seven of us were going to go flying.
  One of my fingers slipped, and I felt myself starting to go unconscious as another one did the same.
  This was it... this was the end.
  If only I could tell my parents I was sorry.
  But then the boat stopped, and we were left lying across the seats. I took a moment to breathe properly, before I shakily hauled myself up. Oh, thank god... we were ok. Everyone looked a little frazzled, but that wasn't something to worry about.
  My phone made me jump as it announced, "Congratulations on completing the game. Each of you have been allocated seven points."
  We all dragged ourselves off of the boat. I couldn't speak for anyone else, but my mind was certainly spinning. We were all doubled over, and the sick feeling returned very briefly before it was interrupted by Null.
  "You know, I'm surprised that we all made it." Null panted, standing up straight shakily.
  "Screw- screw you, dude..." Penny grunted at him.
  Null glanced at her before glancing around, "But I'm glad we all did. You've proven yourselves to be worthy players of this game."
  "Yeah, whatever. Did you have any compliments you wanted to give us that weren't backhanded, or what?" I shook my head and straightened up as well to be level to Null.
  "Not for everyone," Null shrugged, smirking, "But I do have one for you. You handled things pretty well out there."
  My heart fluttered as he looked at me. He frustrated me; I just couldn't read him.
  Null smiled at me again, but this time it seemed more genuine, and he held out his hand, "GG."
  I placed my hand into his and shook it, "Who still says GG?"
  "I do." Null removed his hand and placed his hands into his trouser pockets, "Stay safe, all of you. It's a cruel world out there."
  He turned around and met up with Elise before they both started to walk away. Her ponytail swung behind her as she took one glance back before continuing on.
  "Come with us." I called after them, "Maybe we didn't have the best start, but you're right. This world is cruel. There's safety in numbers, and we could learn to work together."
  They both turned back to me. Null grinned at me.
  But it was Elise that spoke first, "That's not a bad idea, you know."
  Null looked at her before looking back at me, sighing, "Thanks, but no thanks. I think that meeting you randomly will be more fun. Just promise you don't get yourselves killed before then. I'd rather our next meeting not be us seeing you all dead in a ditch."
  Elise gave a sidelong glance to Null before sighing and turning to look at the ground.
  "Please," I added, looking at Elise's downcast expression, "Join us. I insist."
  "We should, Null." Elise agreed, but didn't meet his gaze, continuing to look at the ground.
  Null sniffed, "You are persistent, aren't you?"
  He gave me one last gentle nod, before turning to leave, his hands behind his back. Elise gave us another last look before crossing her arms and walking away from us five. I waved even though they couldn't see me.
  "I can't believe you just asked him to join us." Will scoffed distastefully.
  "Nobody deserves to be alone, especially not here." I argued my case, but I knew it was hopeless. I think that being lonesome would suit him just fine, "But I do trust him to be by himself. I guess I should trust Elise too, although I don't really know that much about her."
  Suddenly Nate was on my other side and he patted me on the shoulder, "How are you so nice? It's exhausting. How are we supposed to keep up?"
  Was I really that nice?
  I didn't know how to respond. All I did was shrug, and then twiddled my thumbs as we waited for one of our allies to come up with a plan of action.
  When our phones beeped, I was glad to be able to pull away from the awkward silence. There was now text on the phone screen, although unlike before it wasn't being read out. However, it did read:

From now on, robots will appear at night. They will appear to be a threat to you expert players!
  Good luck and cheers to satisfactory scoring,
  The Team at Chaos Theorem

  "The Team?" Penny asked everyone, "Is Chaos Theorem a company?"
  The Team wasn't what Tricky was drawn to, "I just feel like more and more is being added to the mix. It's really unfair."
  I looked to the sky and saw the sun rising higher and higher into the sky, the shadows of the buildings growing shorter and less threatening as warmth started to flood into our bodies. We had, what, at least ten hours to find somewhere safe to camp out at night?
  "Stay positive, guys. It's nothing we can't handle!" I grinned at everyone.
  "You're also so positive," Nate pointed out, "Maybe we will be fine, but can I not wallow in misery for a few minutes?"
  "No, not really."
  "Well, then."
  Will, Tricky and Penny laughed, before I pointed down a path opposite the boat, one which Null and Elise had not gone down.
  "This way! Onwards to safety, hopefully."

To be continued...