Apocalypse: The Game

I: Red Envelopes

“Loading. Ten seconds left sir.”

“Good. Vital check.”

“Everything seems to be in order sir. No wave fluctuations monitored. Five seconds.”

“Prepare to launch the system.”

“Activating.”

“Two seconds.”

Then the alarms rang.

---

With the news of the release of the newest VRMMORPG, APOCALYPSE, gamers worldwide tried to find ways so that they would be the lucky person to be invited to beta test the game. It was the talk of the week, trending in different sites, even celebrities were hyping about the newest craze.

People were speculating on when Hy-Brid Corp. would be choosing the beta testers, professional players gave their opinions on whom and what kind of people the company would be choosing.

All were anticipating the release of the list of names of the people lucky enough to test the most talked about game of the century.

The invites arrived one by one to different destinations around the world.

A hundred to the Asian Charter, seventy-five each in the African, European, North American and South American Charter, as well as in the Australian Charter and twenty-five recipients from the colonies in  Antartican Charter.

It was the start of something that will change their lives forever.

---

Harriet Black was confused as to why she was called to the Principal's office early that morning. Seeing four other students, she quietly sat down at the chair that her adviser indicated, after greeting Mrs. Whitmor.

Principal Alice Whitmor has been the principal of St. Sebastian Academy for thirty years and ongoing. Her round face always held a welcoming smile to every student that came across her path, and her office a place where students, parents, faculties and guest were welcomed wholeheartedly.

But now, the smile upon the middle-aged woman face was tight and her usually bright dark eyes were hard and narrow.

Subtly observing the other occupants of the room, Harriet noticed that the other students were not on her year level. Two of them were younger years and the other two from the upper year levels, one of them wearing the Discipline Community Prefect's uniform.

A small cough caught the attention of the students. They looked at Mrs. Whitmor with curious eyes.

“Good morning students,” she started, “today, I received a package containing five invitations, named for the five of you.”

Grabbing a box underneath her desk, she opened it and handed five red envelopes to their respective recipients.

Harriet looked at the envelope in her hands. Noticing her name inked in silver on the vibrant color of the rick paper. Opening it, she pulled out a thick parchment. Opening the letter she read:

Ms. Harriet Aurora Black

You have been chosen as one of the one hundred beta testers in the Asia Circuit by Hy-Brid Corporation to beta test the game APOCALYPSE.

We hope to see you in the Hy-Core Facility on the 1st of September.

Director Richard Grid
President and CEO of Hy-Brid Corporation