GAME OVER

Level One

Level One
{PART ONE}

The car engine rumbles to life as I press the button on the side panel. Its engine purrs, and as other Players revv their cars to life, I can tell that the excitement is almost gone. But not quite.

"Is it bad if I don't think I know how to drive this thing?" Emerald's question made Gold laugh.

"Live and learn, kid." Shaun presses down on the gas, and I can tell that he's ready. "See you guys at the finish line."

As soon as the garage door begins to drift open, a countdown timer begins. I have the car in drive, ready to press down hard on the gas. TEN.

The memories of driving are gone. But somehow these movements felt automatic. Gas, brake, clutch . . . the radio switches on to shut up and drive by Rhianna. The Com automatically switches off, and I can still hear the other Players revving their engines in nearby garages. NINE.

The garage is opening slowly - very slowly - and I don't know what to expect, but it sure wasn't what was waiting for me beyond the yellow and black starting line. EIGHT.

SEVEN.

SIX.

FIVE.

FOUR.

THREE.

TWO.

ONE.

As soon as the garage door drifts fully open and the air horn blows, my foot meets the floor and I'm not expecting for how the car rushes forward out of the garage. I let up on the gas a little.

The GPS locates the tallest building in a large city.

I don't know what I expected. But it wasn't this. The sky is inky black. We aren't racing other Players. But I am in an entirely different world made by the Gamemakers. I'm driving on a silver bridge, either ends are lit up bright red and water stretches far across the city a soft gray color that's eerily calming. A city stretches just beyond a long tunnel. I turn on my headlights and turn the music lower.

I want to reach for the Com and call Four. But what was I suppose to say or even ask him until after Level Five? The Coms have still been automatically shut off both in the car and on our helmets. The road is dark and lights up silver as I pass over it.

Goosebumps make the hair on my arms stand up.

The city almost looks as though it's abandoned. These buildings are new and few are sparkling, but there are no lights or street lights on and nobody - not even one NPC out walking these empty streets. Empty of cars and people, I pass through the tunnel fairly quickly and let the map guide me through the city, collecting coins on the tunnel and on back roads I shouldn't have been on.

(Coin balance: $25.00)

The GPS led me to the tallest building in the city, and I park the car in the middle of the street.

TAKE THE ELEVATOR UP TO THE HIGHEST FLOOR. ATTICUS SHAW IS WAITING FOR YOU.

Two NPC's open the golden, tinted doors for me. They have on identical black uniforms and their browns eyes are both glazed over. They could pass as twin brothers. I wave my hand in front of one, and before I could say anything, the one on the right says: "Atticus Shaw is waiting for you on Floor 95."

"Hello?" I wave my hand in front of his face.

"Atticus Shaw is waiting for you on Floor 95." The NPC says again.