Into the Game

We didn’t stop running for an hour.

I dropped into the grass. There wasn’t much to hide behind. The entire area was one big field. The good news was that we would be able to see any troops coming until it got dark. The bad news was that they would know where we were until we got out of the zone.

Mei walked over and grabbed the arrow. She broke off the head and pulled it out. I wanted to scream, but I was too tired. I hurt too much.

“What happened?” Mei asked as she started healing my shoulder

“He was creepy.” I said. "Too creepy for a computer character.”

“So?”

“I called him on it.” I winced as the flesh knitted back together. "And I may have mentioned my brother.”

“He knew Billy?”

“Sort of.” I closed my eyes,

Mei stood up and dusted herself off. "How well is sort of?”

I opened my left eye. "He may have led a raid to clean out Mouse’s treasure room?”

“Your brother stole from a PK?” She shook her head. "Does he have a death wish?”

“I don’t know.” I closed my eye. "It’s not like him.”

“Not like him?” Mei threw my bag next to me. "He snuck into a prison so he could play a game full of criminals. What else has he done?”

I opened my eyes and sat up. "He’s always been…” I thought for a moment. "Adventurous, but he knows where the line is. He doesn’t steal.”

“This whole game is built around stealing.” Mei sighed. "Think about it. You get a group together to attack a monster and take his treasure? Sounds like stealing to me.”

“But that’s the game. It’s what you’re supposed to do.” I crossed my arms. "He wouldn’t steal from a person.”

“What if he thought that person was a monster?” She nodded her head towards Trumpit. "Like Mouse?”

“I don’t know.” I grabbed a handful of grass. "UH! I just need to find him before he gets into any more trouble.”

“What about you?” Mei asked

“What about me?”

“That man was about to kill you.” She said. "If I hadn’t been walking around the fence, then he would have.” She stared at me. "Who is going to make sure you stay out of trouble?”

I didn’t have an answer for her. I had been running so fast to try to catch up to Billy; I hadn’t bothered to think about how dangerous it was for me.

I decided to change the subject. "How is Michael going to find us?”

“Party members are displayed on the map.” She answered. "He’ll know where we are.”

She turned towards Trumpit. Guards were starting to leave the gates and head in our direction.

“Did you get the coin?”

I dug into my pocket and pulled it out. "Yeah, but it won’t work unless I put it in my stat book.”

“It’ll work.” Mei promised. She pointed through the grass. "Let’s go.”

We started running. "What about Michael?”

“We’ll wait for him in the next town.”

The shouts behind us got me to run faster. I hoped Michael made it out okay.