Collision Course [+ Additional Levels]

Level Nineteen - Tough Luck

"That was a close one there," QBert chuckled in an excited breath.

His friend nodded. "Yeah, it was," he agreed.

Jumpman had played a short while on his own, but then began to simply watch QBert play. He claimed verbally that it was to observe his friend's progress from being under Andrew's brief teaching, and he encouraged him here and there, but really, he'd gotten a little too far into Donkey Kong. As long as he wasn't playing on the screens himself, so far, his sick stomach seemed to be fine. When he had first saddled up beside QBert, his friend had asked him knowingly, "Too much of a good thing?" Jumpman thought he had replied with a grunt or something. Otherwise, nothing else was spoken on the matter. They both knew of it. And as long as he didn't throw up or anything, nothing needed to be said. Simple as that. It was mutually understood that guys didn't need that much talk anyway.

Seeing QBert play, his mind wandered. It was a pretty packed night, the building alive with gameplay and chatter. He noted that perhaps he should check what time it was at some point. He hoped that Andrew would find his friend okay. He wondered how Pacman was, if he was still sleeping soundly. Jumpman wished he wasn't sleeping too soundly―Pacman had been in such a deep sleep earlier, he'd questioned whether or not his yellow friend had been in comatose.

"Are you still going to take on that challenge of Mr. Watt's tonight?" asked Jumpman out of the midst of his thoughts.

QBert smirked, face alit from the screen. "Didn't think that it was an option to back out."

Jumpman smiled, strangely comforted with his friend's competitiveness. QBert was beginning to feel like himself again. That was a good thing. Then he noticed something about his friend's gameplay. He realized that all the power-ups were gone, all except for one, and QBert's character was also currently boosted with something. Enemies surrounded him, and he toasted a couple of them. Then the boost wore out, and there were still a few goons left. "You can sneak past them and get to the next level," he told him, also seeing that there was one life left.

QBert squinted at the screen. "Now why would I want to do that?"

"To live, duh."

"Hm." QBert set his jaw, thinking about it. What would he choose to do? Be conservative, or take the risk?

He aimed his character for the last power-up.

"I can do it." His voice was firm with confidence. The character boosted, he charged after his enemies.

"Careful."

"I know, I know."

Just then, after he took down a guy, one of the other two shot down his character, depleting the boost. QBert's movements became jerky. Then, taking a breath, he collected himself, remaining cool-headed. He narrowed his eyes on his targets with focus. He didn't need a boost to take them down. He tried to keep himself steady as the goons chipped away at his health. Yeah, he could do this. He knew he could―

Suddenly he had no more lives. QBert abruptly faced his last choice: stand up against his assailants, or make a beeline for the next level. His lips pressed tight together as he quickly came to his decision, which was to hit them hard and fast. He cheered inside when he successfully took one of them down.

Then it was done. He'd barely had time to think.

His character was dead, the other guy still standing. The screen had scrolled to the right in the fight, and as he looked and it registered to him what he saw, his stomach twisted. The exit. It had been right there. He'd barely had to take any steps, if he'd just went for it. He hadn't, though.