Pipe Dreamers

1. Breaking News!

Carol's brother Marc played in his online game. Playing Black Ops with his old friends from high school. As always, he mumbles under his breath about how many times he lost rounds. Knowing how well the other players are either cheating or just expert gamers.

Carol stands near the doorway of Marc's bedroom. "Don't strain yourself."

Marc glares at me and back at the game. "Get lost."

"It's not like it's the end of the world for you, you know?"

He sighed annoyingly. "I've practiced all my life to get in these competitions. It's not fair they cheat."

Carol removes herself from the doorway to sit down in the second game chair next to Marc. "Sometimes, gamers just have time to practice more on their talent of playing games."

"And how do you know about practicing?"

"Me and you played against each other. You sometimes win during most rounds that lasted at least for twenty seconds."

Marc puts his controller down, hearing the competency of what Carol was mentioning of the games they previously played. "Sis, before I taught you how to play games, I was at least six when I learned." His emotions turned from slightly sad to a little bit of joy. "I liked most games I grew up with. Like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Super Mario... " He stops to look back at Carol. " Now, I'm also practicing to enter those competitions for gamers who want to get first place. "

"Why do you wanna enter so bad?"

"To prove to everyone... I can do anything."

Carol crossed her arms, hearing Marc's confession about wanting to be the best gamer. She sighed and commented. "Listen, don't let anybody give your hopes up. You want to be a gamer because you like to play games."

Marc's expression hasn't changed.

Carol continues. "You're only letting it eat you up because you're letting everyone beat you down without telling yourself to get back up."

He speaks up. "I know you're right, it's just that I let things get to me easily."

Without a second thought, Carol turns off Marc's system.

"Let's just watch some TV to get it off your chest." She tugged on his shirt and went into the living room to sit on her favorite red velvet sofa. She turns on the TV to the news to watch the forecast.

While waiting for Marc to come into the living room, Carol watches the news that the forecast in Brownwood is gonna be a chance of rain tomorrow morning. A man who looks like he's in his mid-forties explains about the events from LA where gamers are excited for the main competitions that are coming up. Next, he mentions a missing gaming creator who disappeared without a trace. This got Carol unbelievably shunned by the disappearance. She always hated situations that involved missing cases. The worst part was, he was missing in the same town as her and brother's.

Marc entered the room. Seeing his sister in discomfort, he looks at the television and back at her. "What's wrong?

Before she could say anything, the man announced the man who was missing, showing the picture of him. He had a half-buzz cut and was dark-skinned. He wore a light-blue steel zip hoodie and black jeans.

Carol heard a scoff from Marc.

"It's been over two months and they still haven't found him."

The news kept going with the report. "Police say that the neighbors have heard a conflict between him and the residence. As far as the investigation is going, this could be questionable if something tragic happened to Zedrick Adir. If you see him in the area or know any whereabouts, contact your local police department. I'm Tyler Manning and this was WTSN."

At that, Carol turns the TV off.

"Everything is going to be overwhelming for Zedrick's folks," Marc spoke up. " The company he's in charge of, they're supposed to be making a virtual reality game.

She shrugs at him. "So?"

He continues to see her annoyance. "So... Without him, there's no way they can't finish the game. It's been a decade since he announced to everyone that it'll be coming out next month of November."

"Can you stop talking about a stupid reality game already?" Carol snaps. "This is about a game Creator's life that's missing out there for God knows how long and hasn't been having any contact with his family."

Marc knows his sister is right. It felt like he was losing his own consciousness. Things were just going too fast for him to comprehend. "Well, this isn't easy to face with the guy being missing. Whatever drove him insane must've overwhelmed him."

"Could be." Carol agreed. "In situations like this, it's mainly the parents they ended up arguing with and leaving out the door."

"What could lead him to leave, like that?"

"Who knows..."

Hearing the tap on Marc's phone, she begins to ask him. "Who are you texting? "

Marc answered as his eyes rose. "Amanda. She said that she wants to invite us to dinner."

"Jesus," Carol exclaimed. I forgot." Facepalming herself on her clueless forehead, she remembers now that she promised that she and Marc were going to Amanda's brother's birthday party. "Her brother, Adam, is turning ten."

"Ha, you forgot?" He teased.

"Shut up."