“That won’t be successful,” Brandon said.
“I know, but they’re restructuring and rebuilding. The best defense in this case is to simply go underground. I’m amazed it didn’t happen sooner. We spoke about it many times, but Raphael said that with the numbers involved, it wasn’t possible. Most of the current known members will die — over a hundred million. A small few are being spared, called out before group killings and left unharmed. Families are wiped out except one or two members who are left alive. With those survivors, we will rebuild. There were also tens of thousands of members who never revealed themselves, in case just such an attack ever became a reality. Almost all of these people have been left unharmed.”
“Secret meetings, small groups of cells that never know about other groups. Cell leaders given specific tasks in such a way that know only their goal, not the bigger picture. The bigger picture is known only by a few at the top, and the ones at the top are unknown to everyone,” Brandon said.
“Exactly as we have discussed,” Trew said. “Few know that Danni is the leader, and her history of being away from the movement aids her in staying secret.”
“Raphael is truly the master strategist and implementer for this type of campaign. We’re lucky that Mainframe gave him to Danni.” Brandon said.
“If luck had anything to do with it,” Trew said. “If I had to guess who is really responsible for this happening, you would be first, Sylvia would be second.”
“Both good guesses.”
Trew laughed. “She answered as neutrally as you when I brought up the subject earlier.”
The two men sat in silence as the sounds from multiple feeds played softly in the background. Finally, Trew spoke.
“I do feel very bad,” he admitted. “These avatars all followed my message, and because of that, they are being ejected.”
“Look,” Brandon said, “you didn’t put a gun to anyone’s head and force them to agree with you. All you did was say ‘I have an idea, and this is what it is.’ It was up to people to decide
whether they accepted it or not. Millions did. That’s a great thing, Trew, no matter how you look at it. Religious targeted killing isn’t new, and it isn’t going to stop with ‘The Game Is Life’ members. Maybe there’s a reason for it, maybe there isn’t. Interviews with recently ejected players indicate they don’t blame you at all.”
Trew nodded. He’d watched countless interviews with newly ejected players. None of them blamed Trew or the movement for their deaths. The players freely admitted that they had become lost and off course from their intents, and they’d been wasting their time inside the Game. It was no surprise to them that they’d been ejected, In fact most pointed out that the only good thing they had managed to do during their recent play was join Trew’s movement.
The Game ranking system seemed to agree. Credits were generously awarded to all players who had joined the ‘Game Is Life’ movement versus those who hadn’t.
Another interesting phenomenon was occurring. Players were following Trew’s lead and keeping the name of their last avatar.
Trew might be losing followers inside the Game, but it looked like he was gaining them by the millions outside of it.
Chapter 31
“Someone needs to wake up and take a good long look at what’s going on with the students who don’t make it to retirement age in the Game.
Traditional schools are worse than prison. When a child is too old to return home, but too young to be considered an adult, they are simply taken and used.
We are all so busy watching the Game that none of us are asking the difficult questions anymore. Who works to clear the trash? Who puts themselves in danger to maintain the sewer systems and electrical plants? Who recycles the waste and turns it into desirable products?
It’s our children, and many of them are dying to give you the lifestyle that so many of us take for granted.”
Excerpt from ‘What happens to children when they fail out of the Game?”
Interview with Lilith Branshaw, prominent business woman
Recorded 24 years after the Game began
Tygon, School District 13
The Toad sat in his office and watched his monitor as static hissed on the screen.
He considered the title the students had bestowed upon him… ‘Toad.’ They whispered it secretly behind his back, making bulging eyes and other lewd gestures when they thought he wasn’t looking. Of course, to his face, they displayed the proper amount of fear, but he’d always known what went on behind his back.
He sat at his desk in his pitiful office, the cold air conditioning blowing on his head as it forced his thinning hair to tumble around in chaos. He was depressed with how his life had turned out.
He knew it was because of the visitor who’d just left. Meeting with the great Gamer Trew had drudged up these unpleasant thoughts and feelings of regret inside of him. Seeing Trew reminded him of all the things he had wanted, and never accomplished. It was painful to admit that he was a loser, especially when sitting in the presence of a winner. Things hadn’t turned out as he’d hoped when he was a young man playing inside the Game.
He owed Lilith for helping to put him in this position; that was why he’d agreed to meet with Trew in the first place. The Toad looked around and barked out a bitter laugh. Trew had done his best to be polite, but it was obvious how disgusting this place was. Yet the Toad was proud to be here? Pathetic.
As a Game dropout, this was a very desirable place to be, and the Toad knew that he was lucky to be here. He had food, shelter, clothing… Most importantly, there were very few who bothered to bully him.
Safety from the others was the best one could hope for, and this position provided as much safety as possible, for a failure. He, in turn, offered as much shelter and protection as he could to others
that Lilith sent his way. It had been too little for so many of them, but it was the best they could do in a world where the losers were discarded like garbage.
Trew had come asking questions about Alexandra, and Toad had done his best to answer. The meeting was short, because the Toad
didn’t know that much, only that he had tried his best to give her the easiest assignments, and whenever possible he attempted to shelter her from the packs of dangerous dropouts, or fallen, as they were all called.
As much as he wanted to hate Trew, the Toad had warmed to him quickly, given all the information he could, and was sorry to see him leave. He always had good instincts about people, which had helped him to survive in this wild environment.
His instincts said that Trew was someone sincere, a leader that deserved to be followed.
He picked up his phone and dialled it. As principal, he was allowed a viewer and given an account to follow ten channels — a tiny number, really. Most children were allowed five times that number. Toad had never bothered to subscribe to even one. To see others playing inside the Game was too painful a memory for him; of what he had been, and of how little he now was.
Trew’s visit had changed something inside him, though. The Toad wanted to watch the Game again.
“Yes, hello,” he said into the receiver. “I would like to subscribe to the Trew channel, please. And perhaps also to Danielle’s channel.”
***
Trew’s mood was dark as he took the private transporter back into the city. The filth of the school, the absolutely horrible conditions that the dropouts — the Fallen — were made to endure, all because they couldn’t afford to buy back into the Game. It was disgusting.
He had met the principal and toured the school. He walked the same halls that Danielle — or, rather, Alexandra — had walked for almost a year.
“Well? Not good, right?” Lilith sat across from him in the transporter.
He looked at her with venom in his eyes and bile in his throat. “No. Not good.”
“That was one of the best schools that exist,” she said. “We can tour the worst, if you like?”
Trew said n
othing. His jaw twitched angrily.
“He said that they called her ‘Fallen,’” Trew said.
“Yes,” Lilith nodded. “They are all known as fallen, but among them, she’d climbed highest in the rankings, and fallen the hardest, so they gave her that title. It was used to label and condemn her.”
Trew nodded. Then he watched the buildings of the city grow closer as rain splattered on the windows.
After a time he sat up straight and sighed, looking back towards Lilith.
“This world is worse than the one we play the Game in, isn’t it?” he asked.
Lilith nodded sadly. “Yes, my dear boy. It certainly is.”
Chapter 32
Death is easier to accept when we believe it is not the end.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we run eagerly towards its frightening embrace. We are able to accept it, however, knowing that our souls return to our original bodies as they leave this game in death.
I do not know why our group has been targeted so vehemently, and the true reason doesn’t matter. The fact is that Gamers are dying; soon there will be very few of us left, as far as this world is concerned.
To those of you who are found and killed, thank you for hearing our message and believing in it. We will soon meet you outside of the Game, or if you return to play again and once again join us in our struggle. Your sacrifice is not made in vain.
For that small number who were granted pardons by our executioners, thank you for continuing the fight in whatever way you are able. Some of you have left us in fear; most have not. We accept the gift that is your continued time with us graciously, and are grateful for whatever assistance you can provide to the cause. Your sacrifices will not be made in vain.
For those who are new to the cause and hidden in secrecy and shadows, thank you for joining us when it is most dangerous to do so. We will rely on your invisibility and considerable skills to help us survive and thrive in these most tragic of times for our movement. Your participation and support will not be given in vain.
To all of you, both new and old, both living and passed from this game, I thank you for being a part of this. It is easier to stand by and do nothing, to live in fear and be controlled by those who are strong and protected from reprisal for their horrible actions. You have chosen to stand up to the bully and fight, no matter what the cost.
From this pain, our strength grows unstoppable.
Initial communication issued by ‘Fallen’
Unidentified leader of the Gamers
Stephanie
Raphael reads the letter, then passes it to me and sits quietly looking at Danni. I read it, then look at her with respect. She has always been a fighter. I was afraid Trew’s death had taken it all out of her, but it appears that she is now stronger than ever.
Finally Raphael speaks. “Fallen?” he says. “That’s a very powerful name, Danni. What made you choose that?”
“I meditated on it,” she says.
That phrase means she’s been talking with Trew. He must have given her some sort of information, we’ll trip the scramblers later and ask her for more details.
“Before we send this out to the masses, perhaps you should reconsider your new title?” he says. “There is another who walks the Earth with that name.”
“Is that Daniel’s other boss?” she asks. Oh, this girl is clever.
Raphael looks like he isn’t going to answer her truthfully, so I do. “Yes,” I say, “and he is very fond of it. It’s unlikely that he’ll be willing to share, he suffered greatly earning that name.”
“As did I,” she says. I can tell by her tone that she won’t budge. Raphael must hear it too, because he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
“I vote we let her use it,” I say.
“Are you insane?” he says. “It’s going to cause trouble, get attention we simply don’t need.”
Danielle laughs. The tone is slightly… unstable. “So what? They’ll get angry and start killing us? Maybe even by the millions?”
Good point, I think to myself.
Raphael stands and walks to the window. He looks out for a few moments, then turns back towards us. “Ok, fine. ‘Fallen’ it is.”
Danielle nods. “Okay. Will you please post the letter?”
“Our first post on a secret and secure Internet website for our members? It will be my pleasure,” Raphael says.
“Good. Thank you, Raph,” Danielle says. “Are we certain that it’s secure?”
“As secure as anything can be on the Internet. Our presence is fluid; no one can track our entries. Each post is entered from different locations and countries. The server which houses the site is live for only minutes before shutting down and reappearing on a new server halfway around the world. We have the best minds on our side when it comes to this.”
“For now,” Danielle says.
“Yes,” Raphael agrees, "For now.”
“All right, then. Post the note and let’s get down to planning our moves. We’ve hidden and fled for months, and over 60 million of us have perished. Enough standing around waiting to be slaughtered. The new message is this: Fight as if your life depends on it, because it does.
Chapter 33
“Hello, Carl.”
“Hey Boss."
Neither bothered to ask if the lines were secure; it didn’t matter if they were or not. Society was built on a foundation of Infernal guidance, which meant the Infernal organization owned the governments. Anyone was welcome to overhear them speak. If it became a problem it could be quickly dealt with. Carl enjoyed those types of jobs, although these days they were often so simple that he gave them to junior Brothers and Sisters.
“What do you need, Carl?”
“I’ll have this job done within the next few months. Just wondering where the next party begins?”
“For you, it doesn’t, as far as the Culling project is concerned.”
Carl had figured as much. So often, mass death was dealt silently; a flu outbreak here, a surge in cancers there. The past few centuries had become more civilized in that respect. “Okay, then. This was fun while it lasted. It’s been a long time since we got so ‘hands on’ with this type of volume.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” The Devil replied. “Let me know when you hit your number. 113 million Gamers, then I’ll contact you when I need you after that.”
“We don’t have 113 million on the list,” Carl said.
“I know. You’re going to have to dig a bit deeper to come up with the shortfall. They’ve added to their ranks despite this mass
annihilation, and that doesn’t make me happy. We need to show the few who remain that they aren’t safe, even in secrecy. The new ones are being added secretly and as small, underground cells. But you find the last couple million from them, you hear me, Carl?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“That’s my little treat for you, a reward for a job well done.”
“Thanks, Boss."
The line clicked and went dead. Carl hung up and got back to work.
***
Andrew was a young player, fourteen years old and just starting to play as a human avatar. He’d been ejected from the Game a day ago, one of the first in a group of Trew’s movement to be eliminated by Carl.
He was sitting at home in his room, spending a lot of time thinking about his first play as a human in the Game. It had been much more fun than being a tree or a dog or some other animal,
although he had learned much and accumulated a large amount of credits from those previous incarnations.
Andrew couldn’t help but think about some of the key moments of his play, and his mind kept returning to one afternoon spent with a very nice girl named Melissa. She’d appeared out of nowhere and become a very good friend of Danielle’s. Andrew just happened to be close to Danielle and Trew for many years in the Game, and he had spoken at length with Melissa one day. They had only spoken once, but Andrew found himself returnin
g to the memory of that talk over and over again.
“Andrew,” his mother called to him from the living room, “Trew is about to go live and speak. You want to come down and watch it with us?”
His given name was Anthony, but he had joined the masses of players and kept his Game name. Andrew’s parents being very good about it and were calling him by his new name easily. “I sure do, Mom. Be right down.”
He came downstairs and grabbed a seat beside his dad, who ruffled his hair as he plopped down beside him. While they waited for Trew to take the stage, Andrew continued to think about Melissa, specifically her advice about the Glow. Andrew had never meditated before meeting her; she was a self-proclaimed Master. She had discussed the best way to begin and practice meditation, specifically mentioning this golden, glowing feeling that resulted after much practice. Andrew had spent the next few months practicing in the Game, occasionally feeling a glimmer of what she had described.
She had mentioned that the Glow was key. Andrew hadn’t known what she meant, exactly, but her words had stuck with him, even followed him out of the Game.
Andrew quickly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and experimented with a quick attempt to calm his mind. Immediately he could feel the warmth and sense the colour, faintly, but the Glow was there.
He opened his eyes and nodded to himself. He would continue to practice.
***
Trew
“I’m giving a talk tonight,” He said.
“Really?” Sylvia asked. “Like the talks you used to give inside the Game?”
“Yes, it will be very similar to that. Bigger crowds, though. It’s estimated that recently ejected players will be watching in the
tens of millions. Add to that their families, fans, and even some of the public schools are allowing their students to watch.”
“I know you will do well. You always had a knack for telling a story and bringing a crowd to your side. What’s the topic? One I’ve heard before?”
Digital Heretic (The Game is Life) Page 12