by Matt Moss
“Ask me if I give a shit.”
He pleads further. “You and I both know that the virus is real, and that the gods are going to raise Thal. When that happens, there will be no stopping the outbreak. The virus will spread from the game into the real world, and humanity itself will be under the threat of extinction. No longer will there be mysterious deaths tied to some virtual reality system. No, this will be something new. The bloodlust will make people take to the streets, and the virus will spread in this world like wildfire. You, Ace, are our only chance to stop this.”
“There’s no stopping the gods and the guilds now. It’s over. And all that shit you just said, that’s all made up. You are blinded by an illusion. You place so much belief in a game.” Shake my head. “I was like you once. Not anymore.”
Gio stands tall and clasps both hands in front. “The virus is real, and it is coming whether you like it or not. Think of your son. Think of your family. They will die if you do nothing. As will we.”
His words make me pause.
He’s right, John. Quit trying to cover your eyes from the truth.
Gio continues. “I know the odds are stacked against us. But, if we work together and have faith that the Creator will see us to victory, I know that there’s no army in the world that can stand against us.”
I look down, then back up into his eyes. “Let me go, Gio.”
He looks away and takes a deep breath. His hand reaches for the button, and the window turns back into the wall.
I yell, curse, and beat against it with bound fists.
“Let me go!”
I sit in the recliner, exhausted from being captive. Not being able to move or be free takes a toll on your mind. I’ve never been to prison, but I imagine this is what it would be like. Except this is worse. At least they have the freedom to move their arms and legs. Muscles experience fatigue from lack of motion.
The intercom clicks on.
I stick my finger up and flip the window-wall off.
“Are you ready to get back in the game yet? It’s time, Ace.”
I make a fart sound with my mouth.
Stop being juvenile.
Fuck him. If I don’t keep some sense of humor about all of this, I’m going to lose my damn mind. That’s the last thing anyone wants…
“If you’re still holding on to the fact that someone is coming to save you, I can reassure you that they’re not. Your truck is not on the premises. Who knows where it might be?”
He got rid of it. Smart.
“I spoke to your wife, Jenny, today.”
I jump up with the strength of ten men upon hearing her name and shuffle over to the wall. “You spoke to my wife? She was here?”
He nods, ruefully. “She asked if I had seen you, and I told her the truth. You left two days ago and there hasn’t been a word from you since. Told her that you were excited about your son waking from a coma, and that you were finished with Alterlife.” He walks along the wall. “I relieved her worries a bit by saying that if I heard from you, she would be the first to know.”
“You son of a bitch. You’re a real piece of shit.”
He turns back to me in a fury. “Your curses and threats are wearing thin on me, Ace. I would advise you to refrain from doing that anymore.”
“What are you going to do, huh?” I spit at his face, saliva splattering the glass between us.
He stares blankly for a moment, then grabs a baseball bat that hangs from the wall and walks out of the room.
“Ya, come on over here, mother fucker! See what happens.”
My door opens and he steps in.
That’s it. Come closer…
I may take a beating but, sooner or later, I’m going to take advantage of his carelessness; and that’s when I’m going to wrap this cable around his neck.
He stands in the doorway, hesitant to come in.
“I defy you, bitch,” I tell him and spit again.
Calmly, he wipes the spittle from his face.
I can see that he’s holding back his urge to want to come in and teach me a lesson. Beat me black and blue with his Louisville Slugger. But his will wins, and he maintains control over his emotions.
Gio drops his head and leaves the room, locking the door behind him.
“Chicken shit!” I yell at him as he goes back into his room.
He walks to the wall, gives me a blank look, then presses the button.
Gio says I’ve been here for five days now, and that there’s just a little over a week left before the blood moon rises and the gods raise Thal. Every day that passes, he gets more and more rash with me, irritated that I won’t go back into Alterlife.
Go save the day yourself. Be your own hero, bitch.
I’m not going back.
You hear that, Deakins? I’m not going back! Was this part of your plan all along? You’re the one who sent me to this lunatic, so surely you knew that he was going to do something like this. I thought you had my back. You said you were on my side.
I wait for a reply.
Nothing.
Did you tell Gio to lock me up because you knew I was quitting Alterlife? Answer me.
Still no reply.
Deakins said that I was the only one he could talk to. Given both of our experiences in Alterlife, I’d say he’s right and that he can’t communicate with anyone else.
Deakins, if you can hear me, please help. Get me out of here.
As soon as I finish the words, the lock on the door clicks and Yuna walks in carrying a steaming bowl of soup. She quickly lays it on the floor, leaves, and shuts and locks the door.
I walk over to the bowl, famished. Egg drop soup again; go figure. I’ve been eating this since I got here.
“What, no spring roll?” I shout out. “You’re almost as big of a monster as your master.” I’m hoping that my words piss her off and she’ll open the door back up. “Why do you serve him anyway? I’ve seen the way he treats you…”
Silence.
I press the button on the window-wall. Empty room on the other side. I’m surprised it still works, thinking that Gio would have disabled the operation from my side.
I turn around and bang the back of my head against the wall, let my legs give out from under me, and slide down to the floor.
My stomach pangs, and I crawl on all-fours over to the bowl. Make my way back to the recliner and enjoy my meal. Slurp the lukewarm soup down. It’s not half bad.
Would be a whole lot better with some damn spring rolls…
John.
I jump at the sound of my name and spill the remains of the soup all over myself.
“Son of a bitch. Deakins, you always pick a real fine time to show up.”
I hear him laugh. Oddly, I find it comforting.
I need to keep my voice down. “Where the hell have you been?” I ask.
Honestly, I don’t know.
I go in and out of darkness and other strange places quite often. Never for a long time though, and never long enough for me to understand. But when I find myself here, with you, I know that I’m in this world.
“I can somewhat relate, especially lately. Do you know where I am right now?”
No. I can only tell whether you are in Alterlife or not. Right now, you are not, obviously.
My emotions take over, but I keep my shout to a whisper. “I’m with Giovisi. Locked up and held against my will as his prisoner in a room.”
What? Why?
I hear the intercom click on.
Freeze. Don’t say another word.
John, what are you talking about?
I wait for Giovisi, or whoever is on the other side of that wall, to say something. After a minute or so, the intercom clicks off.
Whew, that was close. Maybe we should just talk like this, okay Deakins?
That is fine. Explain. Why did Giovisi lock you up?
Because I quit Alterlife.
You did what? John, I thought you’d made your mind up to destroy the gods. I was�
�� counting on you.
Well, sorry to let you down, again, old friend. I’m out. And I’m not going back.
You must go back, John. You don’t understand how crucial it is that you do.
I’m not going back. Deakins, please. Is there any way you can get me out of here? Can you call someone or contact the authorities?
No. I’m sorry. I would if I could.
Is Giovisi allowing you to play Alterlife?
Yes. That’s the whole reason he locked me up. I told him I was through with the game. The man won’t let me go until I destroy the gods, or at least try to.
Then that’s your way out.
You’re not much help, you know that?
Just… go back and… do what you set out… to do.
Deakins? What’s going on? Don’t leave again. Not now, please.
Login, Ace...
I’ll speak to…
Maybe he… can…
Deakins? Speak to who? Maybe he can, what?
Silence. He’s gone.
Damn.
I shake my head. “I’m not logging in.”
The door opens and Giovisi bursts into the room. “Who were you talking to?”
“Your mother.”
“Who?” he demands. He furrows his brow as his eyes find my soup-soaked clothes.
Throw my bound hands up. “Nobody, geez. Okay fine, I was talking to myself. But hey, what do you expect given the circumstances, huh? I think I’m starting to go a little crazy in here.”
He’s neither impressed nor convinced by my snarky reply. Turns around and leaves the room, slamming the door and locking it behind him.
What a little bitch...
Deakins is right. You’ve only got one way out of here, John.
But who is Deakins going to speak to, I wonder? I thought I was the only one. It must be someone that can help me; the police, perhaps.
I’m just going to sit here and wait. Alterlife can kiss my ass.
Don’t be a fool and wait in hopes that Deakins might be able to save you. Alterlife is your only way out. You know that.
Yeah, we’ll see about that.
Something is going to happen.
I just need to keep slurping the soup, relieving myself into a bucket, and remain patient.
My time will come.
I just wish they’d bring me some damn spring rolls.
I know that another day passes by the regime that my captors keep. Three times a day they enter my room; once for a snack, once for a meal, and once to empty the bucket.
I’ve been a prisoner for a week now.
My stomach growls. Meal should be coming soon. More egg drop.
Maybe Deakins will talk to me today. I wonder why we can’t stay connected for very long. It’s as if he gets weak and his energy fades out the longer we’re connected.
I think of my family, and how the day that Ben awoke was one of the best days of my life—shortly after, and simultaneously, becoming one of the worst days of my life.
I miss them so much and wish I was there with them. Jenny and Carla know about Ben by now, as the hospital would have contacted them—I wish I could have seen the look on their faces when they found out. I should be with them right now, not locked up in here like some animal. I can’t believe this happened.
The door swings open and Gio rushes into the room. “I’m going to be very honest with you. Your wife and some man named Jim Pattocks are in the lobby right now and are asking questions about you.”
“My wife’s here?” I rise from the chair and look past Gio, ready to yell for help.
Gio puts a finger up in warning. “If you so much as make a sound, I will kill them both without a moment’s pause. Do you understand me?”
I take his threat seriously because I know he’s a man of his word. I’ve seen his precision in everything he does. If he’s not the one to pull the trigger, Yuna will take them by surprise with that shotgun of hers.
I nod and clench my fists tight. “I understand.”
Gio rushes past me. “Help me move this chair out of the room. Fast.”
“Would be easier if I wasn’t tied up,” I tell him.
Gio straightens up from pushing and gives me a stern look. “If you don’t help, you’re putting their lives at risk.”
“Fine.” I give him a hand and we push the chair outside the room.
“Put it in my room,” he says.
After we’re done, Gio gives me further instructions. “Come with me.” He leads us to the back, walking quickly to the locked room near the bathroom. Taking a key from his pocket, he unlocks the door and flips the light switch on. Inside, the room is full of plastic drums and buckets, each one with SDS chemical labels on them. There’s an acidic smell to the room, but it’s not strong enough to notice from the hallway when the door is closed.
He points. “There’s a few empty drums over there against the wall. Take one to your room, quick, then come back and get another.”
I do as I’m told and wonder how much time we have before my wife and Jim come walking back to check the place out. Yuna is stalling, no doubt, but she won’t be able to keep it up for much longer.
I can’t wrap my arms around the drum to carry it, so I knock it over and roll it towards my room—pushing it longways through the door frames. After I move two drums into my room, Giovisi comes in with one last drum, the top already cut out of it. He sets it down, reaches inside, pulls a full-face respirator out, and throws it to me. “Put this on.”
I don’t even want to know.
As I pull the straps tightly around my face, Gio removes the small table from my room, then returns with a five-gallon bucket filled with clear liquid, and is now wearing a respirator himself.
Acid. Strong acid, at that.
Gio gently places the bucket down then positions one of the blue, plastic drums down in the middle of the room. Stands the other drum up next to the one on the floor.
“Crouch down. Stay there. And be very, very still,” he says as the drum with the cutout goes over my head.
From inside the drum, I hear him splash the acid all over the floor around me. He curses out loud and drops the bucket, then takes off running out of the room. I’m assuming that he spilled some on himself. I noticed he wasn’t wearing any gloves to protect his hands; it’s unusual for him to be so careless. Casualty of nerves and urgency.
Inside the drum, I hear my breath through the respirator, raspy and contained inside my mask. I’m sure that, without the protective equipment on my head, my eyes would be burning and my lungs would be choking for air.
My heart is racing fast.
Stay still. Don’t move.
The lights turn off and the door shuts. I hear it lock.
Voices at the far end of the cleaning room.
“Welcome, please feel free to look around the facility,” Gio says.
I can hear a man’s voice as it draws closer. It’s Jim. “Sorry to bother you, Mr. Espanza. We won’t be long.”
“It is no bother. I understand your concern,” Giovisi replies.
“Thank you,” I faintly hear Jenny say.
The sound of her voice desperately makes me want to break out and run to her.
No, John. Don’t move. Don’t make a sound.
Their voices trail off as they all head down the hall.
I close my eyes and pray that he doesn’t do anything crazy.
They come back.
“How’s business going?” Jim asks.
“It stays steady, thankfully,” Gio replies. “Enough to pay the bills anyway.”
“What’s that smell?” Jenny asks.
“Clumsy me. I spilled some acetic acid in that room earlier.”
“Can you open that door, please?” Jim asks him.
Gio cautions them. “I can. But I must warn you, the smell is very strong in there and will take your breath. I was waiting for you all to leave before I clean it up. As soon as the door opens, it will waft through this entire place.”
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“That’s alright. Open the door, please,” Jim repeats.
“Okay,” Gio says with trepidation.
A moment later, I hear the lock on the door click.
“You might want to cover your mouth and nose,” Gio tells them.
The door opens and the light flicks on.
I stay perfectly still.
I can hear them choking on the fumes.
“That’s enough. Close the door,” Jim tells him, coughing out the words.
The door shuts, and I hear them go to Giology’s room next. Once they’re inside, I remove the drum, walk to the window-wall, and press the button.
My eyes immediately lock onto my bride.
Jenny.
Everything in me yearns to touch her, to hold her in my arms. To take her away from this place and keep her safe.
They look around Giovisi’s room, wondering what kind of place this is. He picks up the NueView system and talks. It’s soundproof, so I can’t hear what they’re saying, but he’s probably describing…
Click.
The intercom comes on.
“Yes, John, or Ace in the game, was a member of my guild, the Saviors.”
“The Saviors? I’ve never heard of them?” Jim replies.
“You play?” Gio asks him.
“I do.”
Don’t say anything else, Jim. Don’t tell him you’re a member of the King’s Blood.
“When was the last time you saw him?” Jenny asks.
“About a week ago. He said something about his son waking from a coma, then told me he was quitting the game. I congratulated him and wished him well. That was the last I saw, or heard, from him.”