ready player one

chapter 11: the final key ✔️

the final key
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madison's p.o.v:

at this point all i'm thinking is getting to the last key. who cares about zeroing out? i have everything i need in the real world but if we don't get this last key, this'll effect the real world.

"everything okay?" wade asked with concern thick in his voice. "i-i dont know. i keep having these reoccurring thoughts... but i won't let them interfere with this mission." i stated with confidence.

as wade was driving, sam was shooting out the window until we arrived at the 3rd challenge which was surrounded by sixers. "take this and stay here. when coast is clear and everything is ready. i will call for you and you'll be my back up in case something happens." wade said as he put some type of walkie talkie in my hand and dashed into the building with artemis.

after just sitting, waiting for parzival's call, i started thinking about how crazy everything is. it seems like i'm doing this a lot but i still can't wrap my mind around this whole situation. this has brought me new friends, and enemies however and brought me even closer to samantha.

flashback:
"madison! i'm heading the village place, want to come with?" i heard my mother yell. i eagerly ran to the door, put on my sunglasses and caught up with my mom. it took a little while because my 7 year old legs couldn't compete with hers.
     as we were walking through the village, i got thrown to the side as a thief was running away with his stealings. it was completely accidental but i took another girl, my age, with me to the ground which caused my glasses to fly somewhere unknown.
     "woah. your eyes are..." and before she could finish, i covered my face a quickly started apologizing. i felt two arms pick me up and start hugging me. i looked up and it was my mom. i felt tears well up in my eyes because i scraped my knee and that girl was going to make fun of my eyes.
     my mom picked me up and brought me to a bench and started cleaning me off. after a few minutes the same girl came up to us with bandages, water and my glasses. "i-i just wanted to stay, that um... i like your eyes. they remind me of the night sky but at the same time, the ocean." she said with regret in her eyes.
     this has never happened to me before. my mom thanked her and we found out her name was sam.

and ever since then is history. she's been that person for me, you know? that person you cry to when you're having a bad night, that person you can let your guard down around and more.

without realizing it, wade was whispering through the device to come, stay back and keep an eye on them. i quickly gathered my blaster, swung my sword over my shoulder and ran into the castle.

from what it sounded like, i heard the van door open and shut and people talking but i was so worried about wade, that i was blocking everyone out and focusing on what i had to do.

i found the room that wade was in with nolan. i pointed blaster at nolan just to be safe and listened in on their conversation. after a minute of them talking, i felt something cold, on the back of my head. realizing the predicament i was in, i just followed orders, into the room where everyone else was which looked like an ice cave almost.

"what do we have here. looks like we had a peeping tom, or madison should i say." nolan said in a snarky tone. i froze. everything is over. by the time we all respawn, he'll have the last key.

"let her go, i-rok." parzival demanded. i just felt the gun dig deeper into my skull which really hurt considering the gear i had on. "he will, if you give us the last key." nolan said like he has everything planned out. wade looked conflicted but defiantly said a stern no.

another player shot i-rok in the leg which caused him to throw me down and i got up and ran behind wade. this caused a full on gun fight until nolan pulled out something that could change the course of this mission as we know it.

"dude, that's a cataclyst!" wade yelled. "now personally, i don't care." nolan said as he turned the top of the bomb. "wait i thought you were bluffing, i've got 10 years worth of shit pent up inside of me." i-rok said with fear evident in his eyes.

wade grabbed my hand for a slight second as nolan made the second motion to set off the bomb. wade then, quickly ran to nolan to knock the bomb out of his hand but it was too late. everything started disintegrating and all i saw was white as i slid off my head set.

"that's it. we lost." i announced to everyone in the van. i had already accepted defeat. i felt someone slide their hand into mine, finally realizing it was sam! i nearly knocked the breath out of her when i pulled her into the strongest embrace i could.

"i thought i'd loose you forever." i muffled with tears in my eyes. she pulled away and said, "hey, i'm impossible to get rid of." we both laughed but noticed wade was still going.

everyone started questioning him but i quickly hushed then to get a clear answer and let him focus. he muttered something about an extra life which we'd definitely have to ask about later.

"hey, what's everyone watching?" sam asked as she traced her finger down the window of the van. i quickly grabbed my head set and noticed halliday is streaming wade for everyone to see. i laughed shaking my head. that's so my dad.

wow. that sounds so weird to say... but yet, right. as wade was explaining to the public how to get the last key, someone kept ramming into the van to mess wade up. "aech, what the hell is going on?" i asked in a panic. of course she responded with, "just practicing my mario cart, what do you think?"

sam pulled out a tablet so we could watch what wade was seeing. "he has the key!" sam announced, nearly falling on her ass from excitement. "i bet sorento is shitting himself right now." i added as i pulled the tablet out of her hands with a laugh.

"everyone watching, if you live in the columbus stacks, this is parzival. my real world name is wade watts and we're going to need your help!" wade announced with hope in his voice. "aech, head for the stacks!" aech instantly made a quick left and followed his orders.

wades p.o.v:
i hastily put the last key into the key hole which caused everything to break apart and revealed a golden room with a giant, shinning egg on display.

"that's it." i said with astonishment. "yeah yeah, that's it, now sign these papers and the oasis is yours. you will be the sole proprietor." halliday said as he handed me a gold pen.

i say down in a chair that was near me with the contract in front of me. the only thoughts running through my head, however, was my future with madison. what would happen? will she still be with me? will signing this contract effect what comes next. well obviously but something hit me...

"this is wrong. this pen. this contract. this is the moment halliday made morrow sign over his shares in gregarious. that was the biggest mistake of this life and he knew it. this can't be the end, it's a test."

"oh good, i just needed to be sure." halliday said with a glint if happiness in his eyes. the room started transforming into what looked like his childhood home as he was explaining why he created oasis and part of his childhood.

after searching for a while, halliday finally pulled out the egg and placed it in my hands. all i could hear was someone yelling about a gun but also cops in the background.

"mr. halliday, something i don't understand. you're not an avatar are you?" i questioned. he shook his head. "is halliday really dead?" which he confirmed with a yes. "then what are?" i know i shouldn't be asking this many questions but i just had to know.

"goodbye parzival. thanks. thanks for playing my game." was his final words before everything disappeared.

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a.n // wow, y'all are gonna hate me 😂 everything has been so hectic and kinda personal, and i probably should've made an announcement but i got completely side tracked. i hope y'all liked this chapter & happy gunting!