Game Over // Danvid

Chapter 2

~Daniel~

Warning - Read at Your Own Risk
Thank you

My eyes fluttered open as the sun gleamed in through my shut curtains. I grumbled as the light hit my face, shouting at me to awaken.

A few memories from yesterday crossed my mind. The new boy I met yesterday. David. His hair, a messy dark garnet. His eyes, a bright emerald green with a piercing gaze. His body, thin and lanky. His skin, a pale milky white.

I can tell he's a nice person, he doesn't notice that. Maybe he just hasn't accepted himself yet. I decided to shoot a text to David, just to check over him.

Daniel: Morning! How you doing?

I waited for a few minutes but he didn't reply. I shrugged it off and threw on some clothes. Grabbing my jacket, I strolled out the house with a smile plastered onto my face.

Gazes flew my way as I walked down the pathway, followed with a few gasps if I looked over at them. My mind unable to think of a location to go, my legs carried me wherever they liked.

A few kids stopped and stared at me as I walked past them. One of them threw stones in my direction, missing me by a mile. I paused for a second and turned to face them. As soon as they noticed my gamer tag, fear painted over their faces as they stumbled back. I rolled my eyes and continued to walk.

As I neared towards the river, I noticed a figure underneath the bridge. I couldn't make it out. I couldn't see the gender, appearance or even gamer tag. The tag popped up but it was hidden from it colliding with the bridge. I crept closer to the silhouetted human, seeing the features more clearly. Garnet hair, pale skin, lanky body, and as the player looked up at me, his eyes shone that recognisable green shade.

"David?" I choked out.

"Leave me alone, Daniel." He mumbled in a gravely voice. As I inched closer to him, red bags hid beneath his eyes. Tear stains were drawn out on his face. He sniffed quietly as his mental walls crumbled before me.

"David, why are yo-" I was interrupted by him rushing out into the park. His gamer tag was different from earlier. His logo was gone and his level had decreased. 'Commoner' was rewritten in replace of 'Pawn'. He had lost his home, his happiness, everything.

I caught up to him, clutching his wrist tightly, making him gasp in shock. David peered over his shoulder as his eyes met mine, when green met blue.

After snapping out of the hypnotising gaze, David snatched his wrist back and started to sprint away from me. I raced after him, attempting to catch ahold of his wrist once again. But he was too fast.

The further we ran, the further David distanced from me. The gears in David's legs wouldn't stop as he outran me. He gave me only one option. I launched myself towards him, tackling him down to the dirt.

David groaned in hurt as he smashed onto the ground beneath him, along with me on top. Attention was guided towards us, but I ignored it. I stared at David, annualising every feature of his appearance.

"David, why?" I breathed.

"What?" He growled.

"Why were you running?" I inquired. David sighed heavily, reluctant to speak. I shook him lightly, reminding him.

"Don't bother wasting your time with me, I'm just another player." He murmured. My eyes widened in disbelief.

"You aren't 'just another player'," I mimicked, "you are unique, David. Just because you're level one doesn't mean shit. You are awesome, come live with me for a bit, until you can find a job and get another house."

David exhaled and thought about it carefully. I could tell he was trying to think of a reason not to.

"But..." he started, he couldn't finish it and just grumbled in defeat, "okay."

I smiled softly, moving away from him and pulling him up to his feet. We walked together to my house, my eyes darting from the scenery in front of us to David. I got judge-filled looks from other players we passed hearing them mumble to each other.

"Why is he with him?"
"Why is a low level with a high level?"
"What's happening?"

I knew David didn't like it. My eyes glanced over to him, his head was down, not making eye contact with anyone. I only wheezed as we got closer to my house. As we advanced towards my door, I readied my keys.

"You sure I can stay with you?" David spoke out suddenly.

"I wouldn't of given you the idea of it if I didn't want you to," I responded simply.

I inserted the key into the lock and turned it, opening the door. I strolled in with David shuffling behind me. I shut the door behind him and guided David to the room he'd be sleeping in.

I climbed the stairs with David following close. Travelling down the corridor, I came to a white door to my left. I grabbed the handle and opened the door.

I walked into a small room, with a window opposite the door, green curtains draped down the sides. To the left was a small black dresser with a small plant on the top, a floor lamp with a black lampshade covering the bulb. On the right, was a single bed, the bed sheets were a similar shade of green to the curtains. Placed next to the bed was black bedside drawer with a table version of the floor lamp. A few paintings were hung on the wall in a circle-like shape, with a mirror in the middle of all of it. On the ceiling was a four-bladed fan, and on the black carpet was a dark green rug.

I stepped aside and let David waddle in, to inspect his temporary room. He looked around carefully, then a small smile snuck onto his face.

"Thanks." He whispered. I patted his back and bounced down the stairs gleefully. I gathered ingredients and a couple of pans and started making some food.

A good few minutes later, I shared the macaroni between two plates. As I placed them down on the dining table, I called for David, but no response. I called yet again, but nothing. I decided to go up and check on him, maybe he fell asleep.

I crept up the stairs and tip-toed to the same white door I opened a while ago. I knocked on it gently and continued with, "David? Dinner's ready."

Yet again, unresponsive. I knocked a little louder this time and spoke: "I'm coming in."

The door creaked as I pushed it, the gap between the door and the doorframe widened, as did my shock. There, hanging from the ceiling fan, was David. On a rope, tied in a noose. I stood, startled. David's gamer tag gleamed above his head as I saw his eyes turn lighter shades of green. My eyes darted from David, to his gamer tag, and back to him. My body started to shake. My arms shook as if I was cold, but I wasn't. I was shaking in disbelief.

I closed my eyes, and wished it wasn't a dream. I repeated that wish a couple more times before I opened my eyes and gasped. David's body was turning into pixels, as he was despawning from the game server. First his fingertips, then his hand, and soon, the pixels consumed his whole arm, leg, torso, everything.

After a terrifying few minutes, the final pixels disappeared through the roof, and all that was left was a rope. A rope hanging from the fan. And what used to be a lifeless body hanging from that.