The Holo Earth

Chapter 3

Sunlight streamed through the large windows of Sarah's house, a stark contrast to the dimly lit antique Liam called home just two doors down.

Liam sank deeper into the plush couch, his fingers working the controller as laughter echoed in the living room. The Shadow Behemoth loomed before them, a massive creature of the netherworld that required precise shots to its glowing weak points to be defeated. Sarah's was playing as The Huntress whose archery had bonus accuracy. The darkness of her long ponytail contrasted with a smile, brighter than the sun. Sarah leaned forward on the cushion, her eyes reflecting the brilliant glow of the wall-spanning laser projection. Her subtle, floral fragrance made the whole house smell like the spring garden she had just outside.

Liam's gaze drifted to the coffee table, littered with half-eaten sushi from a trendy downtown restaurant - a casual indulgence that would have been unthinkable in his childhood and was still out of his reach today. His character was The Guardian, a stocky brute that fought with a hammer.

He recognized the boss's attack patterns, a cleverly designed sequence that rewarded observant players while punishing button-mashers.

"Sarah," he said, his voice calm despite the chaos on screen, "there's a rhythm to its attacks. See how it telegraphs the claw swipe? That's our opening."

Sarah glanced at him, surprised. "How did you notice that so quickly? This game's a classic. I've been playing for years and I just noticed it."

Liam shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's all about reading the design intent. The developers want this to be challenging but fair. They've hidden subtle cues in the monster's animations."

He rushed forward.

"This is it. Aim for the glowing spots. That's its weakness," Sarah said as she fired her arrows at a rapid clip.

There was a glitch in the Behemoth that the company had failed to fix due to the game's poor sales. Once you got close to its left foot, you would immediately appear behind it where its lowest weak spot was. Liam ran for it.

"Liam, what are you doing?!"

He grunted. "I thought I could... never mind, it's got me!" The Behemoth raiseD its claw, poised to strike at the vulnerable Guardian.

"Not on my watch!" Sarah declared. With swift precision, The Huntress unleashed a volley of arrows, each hitting the glowing weak spots with deadly accuracy. The Behemoth staggered, releasing Liam from its grasp.

"You... you saved me." Liam gasped; unaware he'd been holding his breath.

"Maybe we can figure out a strategy together for the next one?" Her voice was reproachful but caring.

Sarah leaned back, a playful smirk on her face. "You know, for someone who just helped slay a behemoth, you look pretty serious."

Liam forced a chuckle, but his eyes betrayed him. His fingers traced the worn grooves of the controller, a stark contrast to the sleek newness of everything else here.

"Hey." Sarah's voice softened. She placed a hand on his arm.

At her touch, Liam's pulse quickened. He took a deep breath. "It's just... Sarah, do you ever feel like life is one big battle?"

Sarah's brow furrowed and she leaned in closer. "Sometimes I think life is like that game. We get so focused on defeating the big monsters that we forget to watch out for each other."

Liam's swallowed hard, wrestling with the vulnerability her words had stirred. "I guess I've been so focused on my own monsters," he admitted quietly. "For me, security was always a fleeting dream, not a reality." He looked around the room. "Maybe... maybe for you it was different."