Mind Games

Let the Games Begin

Feels like I’m… floating. It’s a nice feeling. Nothing holding me down. But I don’t like the endless field of whiteness. It’s blank, emotionless, mechanical.

Colour. Sparks and fireflies of bright colour, twisting and tumbling around itself. It’s so pretty…

I’m standing now, reaching out to where the colours were. A warm palm is pressed against my own. I look up at Mark. He pulls his hand back, looking around.

“Where do you think we are?” he asks.

“I dunno.” I admit. “Maybe… Okay, this is a shot in the dark from a major sci-fi and fantasy lover, but it might not be too far off.”

“Might as well hear it.” Mark replies.

“We just might be… In some kind of between space.” I say slowly. “Between your mind and my mind. Between where we came from and where we’re going.”

“That’s actually plausible.” Mark murmurs.

“It could also explain why it’s so empty.” I add. “This place is a crossroads. There are either too many or too few ideas passing through here for there to be anything.”

“Wow. With your brains and my general awesomeness, we’re gonna win this easy.” Mark grins. I feel a nice, warm feeling blossom in my chest at the praise.

Streaks of colour and light begin to appear, flickering in and out.

“I guess we’re going in.” Mark says. “Marlene, stay close to me.”

We stand back-to-back, waiting for whatever we might be up against. I raise my arms slightly, preparing.

This is gonna seem real to me. I have to be ready for anything.

 

~~~~~

 

I run a hand through my hair. First day on the job; night security at a dinky kid’s pizza joint. Pay sucks, but hey, I need to get through uni.

“So, how’d you get suckered into such an awful job?” I ask my new partner, flopping down into the spinny chair.

“Making ends meet,” he replies. “You?”

“Uni- Sorry. College for you Americans.” I smirk as I untwist the sleeve of my slightly-too-tight black T-shirt. “I’m Marlene.”

“Mark. Nice to meet you.”

A phone starts ringing on the desk in the odd little cubicle we’re sharing. I ignore it and climb up onto the table, perching on my knees.

“What are you doing?” Mark asks as I begin to paw around the back of the desk.

“You never know what people leave behind in these kinds of cubicles.” I answer, digging around behind the computer. “Score, baby!”

“What?” Mark asks eagerly. I pull out the totally sealed bag of M’n’M’s.

“Now you know just how easily people can lose their valuables.” I state. “And how easily we can claim the goods!”

“Well, don’t hold them up to torture me!” Mark laughs. I rip the bag open, half-listening to the screened message.

“… Fazbear entertainment is not responsible for damage to properties or person. Upon discovery that damage or death has occured-”

Mark and I both spit out the M’n’M’s.

“- filled within ninety days or as soon as the premise has been cleaned and bleached and the carpets have been replaced, blah blah blah, now that might sound bad, I know.”