==> Everyone: Play Sburb.

==> Alex: Try and do something.

July 17th, 11:47 a.m.

==> Alex: Don't panic.

Of course not. Why would a kid like Alex panic? The answer is that they wouldn't.

He figures that whatever is happening outside has got to be on the Internet or some news media.

==> Alex: Check the Internet for answers.

Alex, after finishing his Mac and Cheese and cleaning up, goes upstairs to his room. He does this in under a minute, just as usual. By the time he's been in there for a few seconds, he's already on his bed logging in to his laptop. The thing's a piece of crap, and it's got duct tape holding together an opening that's from the top shell and the protective bottom shell being pried apart due to the screen being knocked out of place near the axle that connects it to the actual computer. Now whenever he opens it the stupid thing squeaks and occasionally cracks. The duct tape holds it together though. He's been meaning to actually fix it but just blows it off occasionally. 

The tab that was already open was on his Tumblr blog, BubbaFishy. He decides that some teens have got to be freaking out about this, and refreshes his feed just to see of anyone else is getting flying chunks of rock outside their house. 

The only thing on his dash is endless links to news articles, all saying the same things about meteors and the world ending and crimes coming up out of nowhere and endless hopelessness, blah blah. Honestly, Alex couldn't care less about all of that bilge. He just wants to find a way to protect the people he cares about, and if he's lucky, maybe himself as well.

After a while, the Internet proves to be nothing but a bunch of people having panicked seizures about what's happening. Not Alex, he's almost pretty much all the time calm and cool. Since the Internet was a bust, Alex talks to his friends to see what they're up to.

Wait a second, what's this?

There's one post on the bottom of his screen, just barely showing its heading. It's labeled, in all caps, "Download this game; it could save your life and others!" Wow, that sure doesn't sound cliché. Alex, just for the kicks and because he's got time, clicks on the link. It brings him to a website that seems just like a normal forum thread. The people here seem to be all freaking out about this dumb game. He figures that as of now, he's got nothing to lose. Alex would never admit this, but right now he's a little desperate. The game is called SBURB.

==> Alex: Download SBURB.

The game starts itself up, but by the time it just gets to the terminal screen there's an error message displayed in bright green letters on top of the black, desolate background: "No Server Player Detected."

Does this mean that someone else has to play with him? Who would that even be? Alex is frustrated, but manages to keep it cool. He goes back to the page and sees that there's another link under the first, labeled "Server Download". Alex has a feeling that he knows what kind of stuff has got to go down for this whole 'surviving' thing to happen. He contacts his homies about this sick turn of events in their dank group chat.

AA: hey dude and dudettes

AA: i think i know whats up

KA: What? Alex this isn't the time!

CA: Well maybe we should listen

CA: I mean he could be serious

AJ: Dude this can't be real

AA: yeah yeah it's a mess

AJ: Yeah, IT IS!

AJ: The WORLD is ENDING

AA: dude calm down

AA: okay everyone shut up and listen up

AA: so apparently according to the internet what's started this is a game

KA: You think this is a game?

AA: well yeah just look at this link

AA: download it

AA: we need to all play it

AA: i mean what else have we got to lose right

AJ: DUDE, YOURE INSANE
AJ: WE ALL ARE PROBABLY GOING TO DIE

CA: Dude calm down

CA: Just take a look at the link it looks okay.

CA: I'm downloading it.

AA: thanks del

AA: aight katie and josh are you going to do it or not

AJ: Why SHOULD I? This is STUPID!

KA: Josh, calm down!!!

AA: youre also yelling tho

KA: That isn't the point

KA: The point is that we just need to all stay calm, okay?

KA: I'll download it.

AJ: Ugh! No! WHAT WILL THIS DO? NOTHING!

AA: dude you have to

AA: we all need to play

AJ: I'll THINK ABOUT it

AA: i don't know about you

AA: but

AA: im pretty sure we dont have time for that

AJ: I'll get back to you on it, okay!?

AA: okay but make it quick alright

AA: like light speed or something

He has to play it. He will. Alex will, Katie will, and Dae will, and even Josh; they have to. Alex wouldn't be able to handle knowing a way to save them and doing nothing about it. He cares too much. Nothing can stop him from that, not even himself. Ugh, why can't he just care less? He can barely handle this, but he's keeping it cool because he needs to do it for everyone else. Not Josh though, oh no. Josh can have a panic attack and it's excusable. Okay, He starts to feel bad for thinking that. Alex can't help that he cares, and Josh can't help that he has anxiety. It no one's fault here, probably. Well, maybe it's his. Alex is the one who brought this up, right? Maybe he shouldn't even be playing. He should just leave it to them. He can play later or something on his own. He's probably not even needed in the game. He wouldn't be there, and it'd be fine, just as usual. Alex doesn't know where to start with this whole thing. Maybe he won't start at all.