For a brief moment, I allowed denial to settle, but soon enough I came to realize that nothing about the current situation is a coincidence. I pinched myself a couple times. A bunch of times, in fact. Too many times ? So much that I could barely feel the sting anymore. Come to think of it, if it was a crazy dream, would a pinch really wake me up ?
Though I had been in front of it for quite a while now, I never really took the time to get a good look at my reflection. What it showed was nothing more than my usual self. Well, except for the little thing on top of my head. I tried to touch it or shove it away more times than I can count, but it just doesn't go away. "Player 1" ? Come on.
Out of curiosity, I looked up to see it floating above my head. But... there was nothing. I look in the mirror again. Now it's there. What the hell ? For a moment I thought it would be some funny art experiment, like a screen that acts like a mirror but adds things around you. As I try to think rationally, the larger part of my brain starts to think otherwise. I NEED to know what's going on. I grab the first person I see walking my way, an older looking man.
"Excuse me, do you see this ?" I said while pointing above my face, immediately confusing the elderly gentleman.
"What are you talking about ? Get away from me, you psycho !" he replied way more angrily than I thought.
I liked to think that this proved that I was just hallucinating, and that thought brought me comfort, if only for a moment. As I tried to brush it off and resume my walk, however, a voice came from a woman that was sitting on a nearby bench.
"New Player, huh ?"
I turn to see her, not looking at me but instead at her phone. She was in her late twenties perhaps, wore glasses, had black hair going to her shoulders, and dressed like any other woman on the street, barely noticeable in a crowd. Instinctively, I try to see above her head. Nothing. Then I tried to look at her in the reflection. Still nothing.
"You won't see it, it's already gone."
"What are you talking about ?" I said, even if I knew exactly what she was talking about.
"The Player tag. The thing you have right now." she answered, pointing above my head, this time looking away from her phone.
"You can see it ? Player 1, right ?"
"Actually, you're the only one to see Player 1, because it's your tag."
"Oh, uh, I guess it makes sense."
"At least you're not freaking out like most people."
I was actually freaking out quite a bit, but years of hiding my feelings seem to have made me stronger. At the very least, it’s helped me get better at pretending like I am.
"Who are you ?" I finally asked, after all this time.
"I'm Erica. I like to sit here and watch new players struggle."
"What are you talking about with the players ? Is this some kind of game ?"
"You could say that. Look under your shirt real quick."
Without hesitation, I did as she said, but wish I hadn't. What I had on my body... was explosives. Somehow, I knew they were explosives even though I had never seen any before in my life. It was completely surreal. I quickly put my shirt back down to hide them, not only from the other people but mainly from myself.
"OH MY FUCKING GOD !!" I shouted before realizing how loud I was in public.
"Not so loud ! I'm sorry. You're part of their game now."
"Who the fuck is doing this ?"
"Now, you gotta keep this to yourself and listen to me." she said with an extremely serious expression. "They call themselves the 'Scarlet Horizon'. They're a mysterious group involved in numerous crimes."
"How did they do that to me ? Making me see things in my reflection and attaching this on me without me realizing it ? I know I didn't have them when I left home !"
"Calm down, it's normal. They have a way of doing this. I don't know it, but it's the same for everyone."
I just couldn't believe what was happening to me. I was trapped in a weird game, and I could blow up at any moment. With a bomb that I didn't even know I had ? It was like my brain tried to both not freak out and figure a way out of this mess.
"There isn't much time, here's how it works" she snapped me back to my senses, and I gave her as much attention as I could. "You have to find someone with the Player 2 tag, and with that person, you have to beat the Boss."
"Okay." It was not okay, but I said this anyway. "Where is this Player 2 ?"
"They should be in this area, but mostly random people are assigned. Your task ends in an hour. You have little time. Go find that person."
"Alright" I started running around frantically around the block, not even noticing that Erica didn't follow me. People were still looking at me, somehow frightened and/or disgusted. At this point, I was still considering the possibility of there being a dream or some big simulation, maybe some virtual reality shit ? Whether it was a life or death issue or just a game, I didn't care : I had to do what I was told.
After about 5 minutes, I saw a young guy, possibly 15 or 16 years old, quite tall but with a defining average teenager look. He was staring at his reflection in the window. I thought, what if ? I went behind him to see the reflection, bingo : 'Player 2'.
"Oh shit !" he turned around, facing me with eyes staring dead straight at mine. "You have that icon thing !"
"Yeah, I finally found you ! I'm Player 1 !"
"Wait, what ? No, I AM Player 1 !"
I looked and it showed me as Player 1, but him as Player 2. Then I remembered what Erica told me about perspective, about how it showed different things for different people.
"Okay okay, I get it. Do you know what we have to do ?" I asked the teenager who was clearly freaking out more than me.
"Dude, what is all this shit ? What's gonna happen to us ?" he said while starting to cry from all the pressure. "I just want to go home, man !"
"I don't know, but we have to do something, I think they'll let us out if we do what they want"
"What do they want us to do ?"
"I got told we have to 'beat' someone together, just like in a game. I don't know who that is, but they'll have a thing above their head just like us, right ?"
"I don't want to do it, man. Why do we have to do this ?"
"We'll think about it later, come with me !"
Without blatantly running to not attract more stares, I told him to follow me while we got back to the place where I found Erica. I half-expected her to be gone by now, but she was still there, using her phone on a bench.
"Oh hey, I see you've found Michael" she immediately said to me as I arrived in front of her.
"You know his name ?" I replied.
"Yeah, these glasses allow me to see info on Players."
"Your glasses do what now ?" I asked, completely not believing what I just heard.
"They give this to Players who are out of the game. They say it's if you wanna have fun seeing the game take place for other people after you're done."
"You done this before ?" Michael asked, after having stayed silent.
"Yeah, I was like you guys before. Not a great situation, sure."
I became immediately pissed off and doubtful about Erica.
"You're with them, aren't you ?" I said, trying to sound intimidating.
"No I'm not. Do you really think I would have said all that if I were ?"
"Then why haven't you reported them to the police or anything ? They don't have leverage on you now, do they ?"
She bursted into laughter, as if I just said the most hilarious thing in the world. But I didn't like where this was going.
"What's so funny about this ?"
"Oh, nothing. You'll understand once you're in the same position as me."
I didn't like that answer for sure. So I replied "Don't give me your cryptic answer shit. Just explain yourself."
"Wait, can I use this for a moment ?" Michael asked Erica, pointing at her glasses.
"Sure, knock yourself out." she said while handing them to him.
After looking at the people around us but visibly not seeing anything, he turned towards me. Then he read what he was seeing, out loud.
"Louis... 7."
Well, that was my name alright. But seven ? Seven what ?
"Hey, give me these."
I took them from Michael, and immediately looked at him. 'Michael - 0'. Okay, now it's zero. This makes no sense.
I got back to what I wanted to say initially, looking at Erica.
"So as I said, what if you just started to explain what's going on ?"
"I think we should save this for later. Look behind you, guys."
I turned around, and in the reflection, saw the icon "Boss" floating in the air. Then I looked down, and saw this guy. A man in his mid-forties perhaps, looking at the reflections just like we were doing. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw us. He turned around, watched us looking at him in return for a split second, then he started running like crazy.
"It's him ! Run !" I said while sprinting trying to grab Michael along. I think he followed shortly.
I ran as fast as I could, but the guy in front me could hold his pace. I started to catch up as he entered a small, empty alleyway. As I entered it, I saw the guy turning around, pulling a gun from his pocket. I stopped immediately and raised my hands.
"Shit, you got me." I said trying to act cool, but I knew I was fucked. But then, he said the last thing I expected to hear.
"Don't just stand there ! Get behind me before he comes !"
Still with my hands up, I asked "What ?"
For a brief moment, he looked above my head and said "Wait a minute... how long have you been doing this ?"
I had no idea what he was talking about. Suddenly, I noticed that I had a gun in my jacket. I didn't even know I had it with me... As he was aiming at the entrance of the alleyway where Michael was coming in from, I quickly pulled it out and pointed it at the Boss guy.
"What the fuck are you doing ?" he asked still not pointing his gun at me. "You're supposed to help me kill the guy with the Boss icon !"
My brain almost melted at this instant. Then came Michael. He stood there, frozen as we held up our respective weapons, one barrel looking him directly in the eyes. I was still pointing mine at the middle aged man. I asked, almost trembling.
"Michael, you saw me as Player 2, right ?"
Looking at me with the most frightened expression I've ever seen, he shook his head. Then I understood everything, but I didn't have time to think. I looked back at my target, and just before he could shout, I pulled the trigger.
After this horrible, deafening sound, the whole alleyway went silent. I could have stayed there for hours had it not been for the sound of footsteps approaching ever closer. Michael was just there, crying and unable to move. I ran. I don't know what kind of incredible strength got into me, but I was running as fast as I could. I quickly looked behind me and saw Michael get jumped by a bunch of people, followed quick by police sirens. It wasn't him, but I couldn't go back and tell them that.
As I got far away from the scene, I remembered the words of the late man I just shot. "How long have you been doing this ?". What did he mean ? Just then, I noticed something. My right hand had a lot of blood on it. I think I noticed it before when I held the gun, but my brain didn't process it. Was that the reason why everyone was staring at me ? Holy shit, I got to clean this thing.
Just at that moment, I felt something sting me in the arm. Just underneath a part of the bomb that was attached to me. Wait a minute, is that even a bomb ? Suddenly, my head started to hurt. I was about to lose consciousness. Then I saw words taking form before my eyes.
The Mexican Standoff
a game by Scarlet Horizon
Good job, Louis !
Score : 7 -> 8
Engaging memory wipe...
...
...
I feel exhausted. I looked at my watch. Holy shit, is it already so late ? I don't know for how long I've been walking in this area. Didn't I leave the house this morning ? Why did I even come down here ?
Suddenly, I noticed my right hand. Was it bleeding ? Is that why people are looking at me weird ?
Well, I think I should go home an clean myself up. I was feeling a bit dizzy anyway.
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