♘ Be Brave ♘

LXVI

"Try to stay in the simulation as long as humanly possible." Matthew's warning echoes in my head as soon as I wake up. Half a second later, the box starts to suffocate me. I need to force myself to panic. I claw at the walls, screaming. "Let me out! Let me out!" I even kick the sides for good measure.

After about ten minutes, I let myself relax, and the box starts expanding until it finally dissolves. Next, I walk slowly over to the table where I know a gun is waiting to be fired. I freeze. I'm going to have to kill my mother.

Again. "Kill her." This time, it's not Marcus I see when I turn around. It's Eric. And behind him, tied up and gagged, is...

Cassandra.

My eyes widen. "No. I'd rather kill myself." Eric smirks. "Go ahead." I aim at my forehead and shoot, but nothing happens. The bullet simply bounces off my face. I fire again and again, without success.

Eric bursts out laughing. "It only works if you shoot her, moron." That does it. I've had enough, and while killing only a fake version of him won't be as satisfying as doing it in real life, it'll have to do. I aim at his heart, and smile as I release the trigger.

When the bullet hits him, he simply throws it aside, and grins. "Told you. Shoot her." I look at Cassandra. Her eyes are begging me not to... but I must. If I don't, I'll be trapped in here forever. "I'm sorry," I whisper, and Cassandra closes her eyes.

This isn't real.

This.

Isn't.

Real.

I release the trigger and look away. The illusion instantly disappears and is at once replaced with the heights simulation. I peer down at the seemingly endless black hole that awaits me. I have to make it look like I'm nervous, so I pace back and forth, hoping the suspense will eliminate any suspicion.

After a few more minutes of my mediocre acting, I walk down to the edge of the roof, and prepare to jump, but just before I do...

"Hello again." I turn around and see Eric standing there. Surprise surprise. I'm not afraid of Eric... Am I? "Beat it." Eric laughs. "Oh, Matthew. Your stupidity never fails to amaze me. Will you never learn? In your mind, my word is law. And you have no idea how awesome it is to know that you, the pathetic, pushover Stiff is afraid of me." He smiles, and before I can do anything to stop him, his fist connects with my nose. And I fall off the edge.