Sleep

Part 11

Mini had left a little while after our chase, and Daithi and I had merely sat around talking. He didn't feel like playing too much and instead decided to question me a heap. The questions had moved from serious ones about me as a person, to more funny and childish ones, as he ran out of the others.

Every now and then, I asked some back, but being a fan, I already knew most. So normally it was just me replying with 'yours?' On some things I didn't know.

He was a funny guy, and it made me really happy to know he was the same as he was on screen. He was genuine.

"Drown in vodka or drown blood?"

Cringing, I thought it through. Vodka would sting a lot, both your throat and eyes. Blood wouldn't nearly as much. Although it's gross as heck.

"Who's blood? And am I submerged?"

I had a habit of overthinking these sorts of things. It'd be easy to say alcohol and joke about being drunk, but I need the facts.

"Hm, random animal bloods. And yes to submerged"

Nodding, I decided my answer. As I went to say, another message came through.

"Alarms going off, I've gotta head out. Del said he'd join in 5-10 minutes"

Daithi had an alarm set for 3pm so he had time to edit his video for tomorrow, and had messaged Delirious to join for the night.

He said he would but that he would probably be a little after 3, which was fine with me.

"Righteo, it's been fun talking man" I said, smiling to his character. Expecting him to disappear, I was shocked when another question came through.

"Do you have Twitter?"

Grinning, I nodded. Telling him my Twitter, I wondered if he was going to follow me, or if he was checking I was who I said.

After that, the character vanished.

'Daithi De Nogla has left the game'

I stood to get food as I waited for H2O Delirious, the crazy masked man.

Leaning against the sink as I ate, I started thinking. It must be boring for the guys to basically watch over me, they couldn't do missions or heists, blow things up and run from the cops, or any of the normal stuff.

Too often they died, and no one really wanted me to die, just in case I didn't respawn. And, from the way I'm still acting totally human, I don't think I will.

Ignoring the buzz of my watch, I continued the food I was snacking on, eyebrows furrowed.

How am I meant to get out of here? What are we meant to do? I couldn't stay in here, couldn't live in here. This wasn't my life. No one was real here. Even the characters, that's all they were. Vessels of make believe for gamers in the real world.

"Are you ok?"

Leaping into the air, I inhaled a bit of food, and started coughing. My eyes watered and my throat burned as I leaned over, hands on my knees.

I finally stopped, standing up as I focussed on breathing properly. It was a little raspy still, but I was able to inhale now.

"Sorry"

Smiling a pained smile at Delirious, I held out a thumb.

"All good" I said, trying to clear my throat.

I turned my thumb into a point at him instead.

"I know you laughed you bitch" I said with a rough laugh.