Augmented Reality

Where I Find Out I Live In A Video Game

The girl saunters over to my bush and grabs me by the shirt, wrenching me from my hiding place.

"I knew there was someone following me!" she exclaims, her face angry.

I raise my hands in mock surrender. "Sorry?"

"Sorry doesn't cut it buster! What do you think gives you the right to follow me and stick your nose in my personal business?" she yells, glaring at me.

"Well, if a girl who has never been in your class, where the same things happen every day, suddenly shows up and she doesn't speak, wouldn't you want to try to learn about her? Even if you had to follow her and invade her privacy?"

Dylan smirks like he's proud I said that to the girl.

She lets out a huff and loosens her grip.

I fall and when my butt hits the ground my tailbone explodes in pain.

Now Dylan is trying to hide a smile behind his hand.

"So, uh, who's this boss you were talking about?"

"How much did you even hear?"

"Everything," I state nonchalantly while standing up and brushing the dirt off of my clothes.

She turns, the worry evident on her face, rubbing her hands down her cheeks so the bottoms of her eyelids are pulled down in weird shapes.

Dylan shoots me a thumb up.

He then turns to the girl and says, "But maybe this isn't a bad thing. He could help us."

"Or he could turn us in! Game over!"

"Excuse me, who would I turn you in to?"

"The final boss. Duh."

"Who is this final boss?"

She turns back to me with a surprised look on her face. "You really DON'T know what I'm talking about do you?"

I stand there silently and shake my head no.

She closes her eyes and sighs.

"Maybe we could start with names? I'm Russell," I say hopefully extending my hand for her to shake.

She just glares at it.

"Adanya," she says finally, "and this is my brother Dylan."

"Hi," Dylan says cheerily.

Looks like Dylan and I are cool.

"And, um, are you from around here?"

"No, and you aren't either."

"Why do you say that?"

She sighs, rolls her eyes, and mutters something about some thing being stupid. Who knows what though.

"OK. So here's the whole story," she starts, "You're trapped in a video game right now. . ."

"What's a video game?"

Dylan and Adanya just stand there in shock.

"Dude, that's sad, really sad," Dylan states, his face not changing.

"A video game is a game you play on the computer or a gaming system. Kind of like an electronic board game but better."

"Ooooooooooook."

"So anyway, you're trapped in a video game along with a bunch of other people."

"Wait a minute," I interrupt, "if I was trapped in a video game, wouldn't I remember getting sucked in like you guys?"

"No, you lose your memories when you do."

"Then how do you have your memories?"

"Well, Dylan's kind of a technical genius. See these necklaces?" She points at her choker and Dylan pulls a necklace out of his shirt with a cross pendent on the end.

"These allow us to keep our memories."

"Cool. So, how did I get stuck in the game?"

"All you had to do was log in."

"Well who would play it then?"

"It's a very popular game. And no one believes the rumors that the game kidnaps you."

"And, if you knew it would suck you in, why did YOU play it."

"Well, Dylan and I decided that we are going to save all of the kids that have been trapped. So we voluntarily bought the game and came here so we can save them. We intend to beat the game in order to leave and take as many people as we can with us."

"Oh. And what if they don't want to come?"

"Then we'll persuade them by letting them know that as soon as we get back, we're destroying the game and anyone who is still in it will die."

"I see. Who is the final boss again?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out."

"We could use your help," Dylan pipes up, "I mean, you know the game."

"Sure."

Dylan looks at the girl for clarification.

She sighs but then says, "Fine. But we're trying to blend in so you have to act as if you don't know us, at least while we're at school."

"Well you're not exactly blending in with that outfit."

Dylan whips around, trying very hard to suppress a laugh.

Adanya blushes and states, "Well it's not like I had much choice in the avatar department. The other avatar to choose from was horrific."

She gets a faraway look in her eyes and I see Dylan shiver out of the corner of my eye.

"So. Much. Pink," she says as she starts to shiver as well.

"Let's move on, shall we?"

"Yes. Please."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

She flips back to her usual bossy self and dramatically says, "I want you to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Literally anyone could be the final boss."

"Got it."

"Now, we can't keep meeting in the same place every day. Tomorrow we meet in front of the library. You both got that?"

"Yep."

"Great. Meeting adjourned."