Hidden Fear

Dying to Win

This story is a collab with FaLLlynn952093

"Beat that!" my brother, Tommy, screamed from his computer chair . "You won again? " I asked from my spot on the bed . He twirled around to face me, he tossed his headset on the computer table and smiled. "Yup!" I rolled my eyes and turned a chapter in my book, "that is the twentieth time today you've played that game and beat it. Why won't you play something else?" Tommy snorted and scooted his chair closer to the bed. "Cause it's fun, duh." I groaned, trying to focus back on the chapter I was reading. "Come on, Danny, why don't you give it a try? " he scooted to the desk and tossed the headset on the bed ,"it's been years since we last played a game together ."

I shook my head, "I'm good. Enjoy your zombies and monsters." He rolled his eyes and turned back around to face the desk. I could hear the keys on the keyboard clacking away. I was in the kitchen popping popcorn for a movie I had planned to watch that night when my brother came dashing like a speeding train down the hall, he nearly face-planted into the cabinet by the fridge. "what's up? ," I asked as he pulled a coke from the fridge and turned to face me, "dude you won't believe what just popped up on my computer screen." I stared at the rotating glass plate with my soon to be delicious buttery snack popping inside. "What? A virus?" He narrowed his eyes and popped the cap on his coke, "Ha.Ha. Very funny, you are a jokester. No, for real though. It's an online game offer."

My brow quirked, I looked away from the microwave door. "A game offers? " I asked with suspicion. He nodded and took a sip of his coke. "Yeah, I was about to finish the final level of Brain Dead for like the millionth time, when this notification popped up on screen about wanting to try out some new online game of a lifetime ." The microwave dinged. I opened it and removed my popcorn. Pulling a bowl from the bottom cabinet, I dumped my freshly popped popcorn in it. "What's the game called?" My brother grinned, " Survive or Die." Such a stupid name. "So, it's just another one of those survival games you like to play so much?" I asked and took my bowl of yummy goodness with me to the living room.

"Well yes and no, that isn't the big picture here," Tommy said as he followed closely behind me. "And what is the big picture? " I asked as I plopped down in the old worn out recliner and popped some popcorn in my mouth. Tommy looked me dead in the eye, he hovered just besides the sofa. "The winner is guaranteed a life changing reward." I rolled my eyes," let me guess another doll for your collection on the shelf." Tommy narrowed his eyes and gave me the finger," they are not dolls, Danny, they are state of the art hand crafted gaming figures of my beloved characters." I shoved another handful of popcorn in my mouth and scrolled to the horror channel on the television," So hand painted dolls? Gotcha." My brother pulled at his curly auburn hair and silently cursed. I glanced at him then back at the television. "So, what exactly is the life changing reward? You know, if it isn't one of your dolls."

Tommy stormed off down the hall. "Would you just come look at it?" Against my better judgement, and sheer amount of want, i got up and followed him to his chair. "See not a doll." Tommy's eyes narrowed in a sarcastic manner. "Ok then what is it?" I asked. "Won't find out till we win." Tommy handed me a limited edition blue and green headset that was worth more than my phone. "Put it on. It is a two player. I can't do this without you." He motioned to the Stark orange controller that sat next to the stack of cheat codes. "If I don't like it, I'm bailing." I snarked.

I carried a chair from the kitchen table back to the room and sat it by the desk, putting the headset on and grabbing the controller I groaned, "alright let's get this shit over with." My brother grinned like a kid in a candy shop beside me, he threw on his head seat and grabbed his own controller. "Let's rock and roll, brother dearest!" He clicked on the let us begin button. We chose our avatars and waited out the game introduction.