by Matt Moss
I narrow my eyes. “Wait. You can track a player’s history in the game?”
“Gamemasters can, yes.”
That’s dangerous.
“Can you hear what they say?”
“No. Only visual playback. This is to settle disputes and ban cheaters who hack the game or use a bot.”
Have you been watching me, Deakins?
“Have you been watching me?”
He shakes his head and his eyes grow worrisome. “I haven’t been able to track you for the last week or so. It’s very odd, but… there’s something that interferes with our search engine in regards to you.”
Could it be the glyph mark? Or maybe the Amulet? Either way, that’s good for me.
Bye bye, big brother. You always were a bastard.
A flood of relief washes over me knowing that if they can’t track me in the game, they can’t track me in real life either.
You’ll never know that I am John Crussel, construction worker, husband, father of two.
I am Ace the Great.
I look towards the street, then back to him. “Deakins, I know I’m sticking my neck out by showing my face here, but I needed to see you. To bring warning. Someone wants you dead.”
He takes a small step back and furrows his brow. “Someone wants me dead? I don’t understand? Why would anyone want that?”
“I have no idea, but they want me to kill you. And if I don’t, I’m going to die. Not just in the game, Deakins. In real life. I’m going to actually die.”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I still don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
I turn my hand over and show him the glyph on my palm. He takes my hand with both of his and stares at the mark as it gently pulses with red light underneath my skin. “What sorcery is this?” he gasps.
“I only have a few days left.”
“Who did this to you?” he asks, snapping his gaze back up to meet mine.
“A man that was in the cell next to me. I don’t know who he was. Deakins, I swear I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want this.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this. Does this mark exist outside the game?”
I give a solemn nod. “Answer the question Deakins. What happens when a Gamemaster dies?”
He lets go of my hand, stands up straight and takes a step back, staring into my eyes and, like me, is struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation fate has put us in. Like two trains on course for a collision with one another, both on the same track, full steam ahead with no brakes. Our destinies are intertwined.
“If a Gamemaster dies in the game, they die in real life,” he replies in a cold tone.
A sinking dread takes hold of me at the thought. I look to him, desperate. “Help me. Take this mark away.”
“I can’t.”
“Tell me what to do.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t? Help me, Deakins!”
“I can’t help you!” he shouts, his face angry with pain, tears welling in his eyes. “I would if I could, Ace, believe me. I can do many things in this world, but I can’t take away the mark, and I can’t tell you what to do because whatever choice you make will leave one of us dead.” He turns away to catch his breath and speaks behind his back. “How much time do you have left?”
“Three days and some change.”
He looks down. “Okay. I’ll ask the other GMs about the mark and see if they know anything. And I’ll rally all of them to help find the man who did this to you. Maybe, with a little luck, we’ll be able to find him and force him to remove the mark since he’s the one who gave it to you.”
A small glimmer of hope. It’s better than nothing. “Thank you, Deakins. Again, I’m sorry for all of this.”
“It’s not your fault,” he says.
It’s not?
Listen to him. He said it’s not your fault.
Then why do I feel like it is…
I turn towards the street. “Alright. I’m off to kill the Guildmaster.”
Deakins steps in front of me. “Why would you do that? I just told you that he wasn’t the one who murdered you.”
I nod, slowly. “That may be true. But it doesn’t matter. Thal, the God of War, wants his sword back. And the Guildmaster has it. If I don’t return it to Thal, he’s going to, and I quote, ‘seek me out. And destroy me’.”
“You do know that gods can’t interfere…”
I cut him off. “I know. The Professor may not have killed me, but he damn sure took advantage of my death and took my items. I can’t let that slide.”
Deacons laughs, a short bursting cry of insanity. “You are truly one-of-a-kind, Ace. I still remember that bright, hungry look in your eye the first day I saw you at the fountain. At that moment, I knew you were something special and would do great things.”
“That was like a week ago.”
“Exactly.”
I look down, then raise my gaze back to his. “See you soon, Deakins.”
“See you soon, Ace.”
I leave him standing alone in the alley.
15
JACK OF THE WOOD
3 DAYS REMAINING
Shit.
Shower.
Shave.
I unplug and catch a cab into downtown Asheville. Sunglasses on to cover my blackened, strained eyes.
I need some fresh air and some time to let loose. My brain’s been in overdrive with everything going on and I need a break. Especially with the threat of impending death looming over me.
Most people fear death. But they put off thinking about it and live like they’re immortal. I’m no different. But knowing the exact day I’m going to die puts things into a new perspective. It’s not like the doctor walks in with the bad news and says you got six months to a year.
No. I got this thing nailed down to the exact day. And it’s three days from now.
One might think that most people would want to take care of certain affairs in their last days of life. See their family and spend every precious moment with them. Realize how much time has been wasted and make up for it in one last attempt to leave a lasting impression. Cherish that remaining time together.
But not me.
I’m not thinking that way because I’m not going to die.
Not yet, anyway. And not from some game.
I’ll die kicking and screaming when I damn well please, with coins over my eyes to guide me through the rivers of the afterlife.
The sun is out, sky is blue, and I can’t help but grin at my fortune. Right now, I’m the luckiest man alive because the world is mine for the taking. In less than a week, I’ve made well over fifty thousand dollars. And I got a thousand in my pocket right now.
And the best is yet to come.
I can’t believe how much Alterlife has blessed my life. And my family’s life.
Walking the streets of Asheville, I feel like a million bucks.
The sound of spoons clanking rhythmically with an acoustic guitar causes me to stop and listen. A woman slaps the silverware together on her knee, and sings a song while her bandmate plays a worn out six-string, sitting on a five-gallon bucket, tapping his foot to the beat. Together, they sound amazing.
I throw a hundred dollar bill into the guitar case and keep walking. The lady rings a bell with a raised knee when she sees the tip.
I round the street corner and walk into a bar, Jack of the Wood. It’s got a Celtic vibe and there’s a band playing in the corner. Various beers on tap. Not overly lit inside. Only one TV.
I like this place.
I take a seat at the bar and order a local brew. Jenny has always wanted to come to Asheville, but we’ve never made the trip over the mountains. Told her I would take her for our tenth anniversary, maybe even see the big house. That reminds me; our anniversary is coming up soon.
I order a beer, and the fact doesn’t slip my mind that the last time I got really drunk, I was poisoned.
That was in the game. Not here. This is real life.
“How’s the pale ale?” the bartender asks after a few minutes.
“Not bad, considering it’s my first beer.”
“No shit, that’s your first beer?”
“No shit.”
He wipes the bar top with a rag. “I’ve seen it all now. Cheers, friend.”
I laugh to myself at his comment, thinking he has no idea. He hasn’t even seen a fraction of it.
I used to think I’d seen it all. But the last two weeks have told me otherwise.
The times are a changing, and they’re changing fast.
Alterlife will usher in a new era in the history of the world.
As I drink the beer, I ponder the world today. For thousands of years, people had no connection to one another. Social contact was limited to those in their respective tribe and their surrounding neighbors; some of which might have been hundreds of miles away. No cars. No phones. No internet.
Fast forward to today. The internet has changed everything; it has connected us all to everything and everyone. From a genetic viewpoint, it’s too much to handle over the course of fifty years. And everyone’s doing the best they can to adapt.
And now, virtual reality, and this video game called Alterlife, is changing the world in the same way the internet did.
People weren’t designed for the world of today.
It’s a damn good thing we’re an adaptive species.
“How about another round, friend?” the bartender asks.
I notice that my glass is empty and I slide it towards him. “Sure. That sounds good, thank you.”
“Coming right up.”
“John? It really is you?” a voice calls from behind my back. “Wow. I haven’t seen you since high school.”
“Jimmy?” I jump up and shake his hand. “Son of a bitch, it is you. My god, seems like forever ago. Here, pull up a chair,” I tell him and pull out the empty barstool next to me.
He pats me on the shoulder and takes a seat. “How’ve you been, man?”
The question nearly makes me choke on the beer as it sputters from my tight-pressed lips. “Sorry. I’m doing okay. How about you?” I ask and wipe the bar clean with a napkin. I’m not ready to tell anyone about what’s really going on.
“Not bad. Living over near D.C. now.”
“Really? Country boy like yourself? Never figured you to be one for the big city. What took you there?”
He holds his finger up to pause the conversation and speaks to the bartender. “Mocha stout. Thanks.” He briefly checks his cell phone, replies to someone in text, then turns back to me. “After the military, I went back to school while working as a security guard at NFS in Erwin. With the schooling and the experience, I’m now employed by the FBI.”
“FBI? No shit. That’s great, man. Congratulations on landing that job.”
“I’m pretty happy with the career. The city life, not so much. But it comes with the job.”
“So you do a lot of travel? Hunting down criminals and fighting the war behind the veil, so to speak?”
“Ha. It’s not as Hollywood as you might think. Mostly, I just sit at a desk.”
I shake my head. “I could never do that.”
“I thought the same. But it pays the bills.” He lights a cigarette.
I take a drink and relish in the fact that I could make his entire year’s salary in less than a week. “Hey, you remember that last game we played against Science Hill?”
He grins and blows smoke. “How could I forget? You scored the winning touchdown in the last minute of the game.” The bartender sets his drink down.
“Wouldn’t have if you hadn’t thrown that amazing pass. State championship. Felt pretty good.”
“Indeed it did.” He raises his glass. “To good times.”
“To good times.”
After we drink, I excuse myself to the restroom. Head’s a bit fuzzy, but I feel good despite what I’ve put my body through this week. I feel alive.
When I get back, Jimmy has another drink waiting on me. “Let’s take a shot of whiskey,” he says.
Screw it. Why not?
I take the tiny glass. “Cheers.”
It burns going down and I steel my resolve to eliminate any sign of weakness.
He sets the shot on the bar and shakes his head one time. “I never knew you to drink? I mean, we used to party all the time but you never drank alcohol.”
“Yeah. Well, you only live once, right?”
“I’ll drink to that,” he says, raising his glass of beer and putting it to his lips.
Do you really only live once?
“You finally settle down?”
He nods. “If by settling down you mean married, yes.”
“Kids?”
“Hell no. Two dogs. Typical for today, right? How’s your kid doing? Last I talked to you, he was in diapers.”
“He’s a teenager now, help us all. I have a daughter also.”
He nods his head while idly watching the TV. “That’s great man. I’m happy for you. Really. A family is all you ever talked about after we graduated high school.”
“Thank you. They’re my world, that’s for sure.”
And which world are you living in? They’re not a part of your new world, are they?
I take a long drink.
Don’t ignore the fact.
Shut up! I came here to get my mind off of things, not to make matters worse.
“Let’s have another shot,” Jimmy says.
The band strikes up a song and asks the audience to sing along to the tune.
The drinks keep coming as we catch up on old times.
The next thing I know, Jimmy and I are standing in front of the stage singing Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks. I stomp my Ariat boots in time with the beat and, at this moment, everything is right in the world. It’s just my good friend, good music, and two girls that I notice are eyeing us from a nearby table.
When the song’s over, we go back to our stools and the girls follow us.
“I like the way you dance,” one of them says to me, placing her hand on the back of my chair. She’s blonde, pretty, and obviously looking for a good time.
“What are you guys doing tonight?” the brunette with a low cut shirt asks and leans on the bar next to Jimmy, showcasing her breasts. I chuckle, noticing that he’s staring straight at her cleavage. Hard not to when she puts it right in front of him.
He finds his tongue. “No plans, really. I just met my good friend here that I haven’t seen in forever and we’re catching up on old times,” he says and leans my way, throwing his arm around me.
“What are you guys drinking?” the blonde says and moves close to me, her hips touching mine.
“Jack Daniels. You girls want a shot?” Jimmy asks.
“Hell yeah we do, don’t we?” the brunette says, looking at the blonde.
“Let’s get this party started.” the blonde replies.
“Alright, let’s do it.” Jimmy flags down the bartender and has him pour us four shots of Jack Daniels.
“To old friends and new acquaintances,” Jimmy says. We raise our glasses and toast to one another, the night, and whatever the hell this is.
Just let go and have a good time.
Nothing’s gonna happen. I would never do that to Jenny or the kids.
The hours burn late into the night and everyone is drunk. I can now say that I’ve been drunk in the real world. And I kinda like it. But I don’t see how so many people act ridiculous and do stupid things, only to later blame it on the alcohol in the morning. I’m perfectly in control of my senses and am well aware of what’s going on.
The four of us close the bar down and step out into the streets of Asheville. There’s an abundance of people out despite the late hour, and the air is warm. We walk for a moment and the girls hang back, discussing something in private and laughing amongst themselves.
Having some space to ourselves
, Jimmy speaks. “Man, what a night. Look at you, Johnny boy!” he says and wraps his arm around me tight. “Can’t believe it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. We should do this more often, yeah?”
“It’s really nice seeing you too, Jim. Been a long time since I’ve spent time with a friend.”
“We used to be best friends. What happened?”
I shrug. “Life, man. You know how it is. You grow up, get a job, have a family. Friends take a backseat.”
He runs a hand through his hair and stretches his back. “Damnit, I know. Still, we should keep in touch more often. There’s no excuse to not talk for years at a time. Hell, we both got phones.”
I throw my hand on his shoulder. “You’re right. We shouldn’t let so much time go by without catching up.”
He stops and pulls a card out of his pocket. “Here. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”
Sure enough, the card reads U.S. Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Jim Pattocks, Intelligence Analyst, Washington Division.
I put the business card in my pocket and look him in the eye. “Alright. I may take you up on that sometime.”
He grins and pats me on the back, pulling me forward as we walk. “So, what do you think those girls are talking about back there?”
“I think you know what they’re talking about. Jim, you said you were married.”
He lowers his head. “I did. But the truth is, I’ve been divorced for a year now. It’s over between Carol and I, and I need to move on.”
“I’m sorry.”
Are you? Do you even care?
He throws his hand out. “Hey, it is what it is. Commonplace today, right?”
“Right.”
His shoulders slouch, palms up. “I didn’t want to say anything earlier because I’m still ashamed of it. And we just reconnected, so I didn’t want to unload all of that on you.”
“Don’t be ashamed. I’m glad you told me. Like you said, a lot of people get divorced now. You just need to find the right one.”
“Yeah. Well, I ain’t in no hurry. Not after the last one.” He looks back to the girls as he speaks to me. “You in tonight?”
“No man.”
“Really? Two beautiful girls like that, looking for a good time?”