If Life Were A Game

Chapter 2: Second Life

Contemplating what to do in this room while immobilized was hard. Just then, my thoughts were interrupted by a loud cracking noise overhead,  "Welcome to Provectum! My name is Zak Branch, and I will be your guide on this lovely day. Please get out of your beds, careful with the wires, and step outside. Wait there for further instructions."

An intercom! I wasn't dead! That realization made me happy but also a little confused. If I wasn't dead, then where was I? But questions could be asked to this Zak person later. Getting out of this place was key.  The steel cuffs holding my arms and legs snapped open and I carefully stepped over the many wires in the room. There was a soft hiss sound to my left. As I watched in wonder, the left wall slid open, making a doorway. The outside corridor seemed suddenly dark and foreboding. But what else was there to do? I had not choice. Stepping outside, I was surprised to see that I wasn't the only person here. In fact, there were around twenty of us. Some were of different ethnicities, male and female, some looked as if they were only 10 while others looked something closer to my age, 15.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

One boy yelled at a younger boy who had just emerged from his room and bumped into him.

"You wanna fight? Evidently you don't know who I am! I am James Peach, the one who almost cleared Immortal Takedown Online, one of the hardest VRMMORPG's ever!"

James Peach. I recognized that name. He wasn't in my block, but back in Seishin, we once had a VR match with some other schools, and he was on one of the teams. Evan beat him easily though, so I hadn't really thought much of it. Come to think about it, could we all be...players of ITO?

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, quiet down please! The boy you have just bumped into will be your instructor, Tam Leaves. Please treat him well. He will be guiding you through the basics of your abilities and how to use them. You'd better listen up! Because a week after today, we'll be transporting all of you to your final destinations!!"

Confusion was evident. Not only with what he meant by abilities but also about where we were and how we got here. But the one thing that had me wondering was....what was our final destination?  

  Just then, the mysterious young boy spoke up. He wore a gray jumpsuit not unlike most of our white ones, though over it he wore a dark coat with a matching backpack; on his legs were a pair of old fashioned work boots with steel tips.His dark brown hair was mixed with some strands of white, which gave him a mysterious aura. But most evident, he wore an expression of arrogance and it was clear he thought we were under him.

"Alright! My name is Tam Leaves, but you can call me Instructor Tam. I am, as Zak said, your instructor.  I understand you are very confused; I will ask you to withhold your questions until after I am done however.  I will now go over a few rules in this place!

1. Your questions will be answered by me.

2. You shall address me and Zak by Instructor or Sir.

3. Mealtimes are at 7:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 7:00 pm! Be there or starve.

4. The sparring rooms will be open from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm! Do not stay in there after hours or you will be harmed!

5. The most important rule, do not try to escape! There is no way out of this facility until a week from now.

6. No violence outside of friendly spars will be tolerated. Rulebreakers will be eliminated by force if they do not settle down.

Are we clear on these rules?? After you have memorized these rules, please follow me! I am going to give you the grand tour of our facilities that we will be using for the next few days!"