Collision Course [+ Additional Levels]

Level Twenty - Playing Games

"Oops! Sorry! Forgot for a second that you were tagging along," the girl replied, kindly slowing for him.

"Huh, what a crowd," her friend observed.

As he came alongside them, he saw what she was talking about. There were at least a half a dozen people standing by to watch someone play the game.

"Come on!" The girl tugged her friend. "He's crazy good!"

Andrew stayed behind as he watched the two join the group. A few curious onlookers around him cast glances at the commotion, but didn't stop; there were other sights and sounds to distract them. He himself contemplated his options, which he hadn't given himself the time for, having acted without thinking to get here. Q*bert. As he thought of the name, familiar facts floated into his thoughts. Gottlieb, usually known for their pinball machines, had come out with the video game in 1982. It used what was called "isometric graphics" to create a pseudo-3D effect. It included nine levels, with four racks each to complete.

And it had a purple snake villain named "Coily."

Andrew squinted. He knew random nerd things about the specifics of the game, but it'd been a while since he'd actually seen gameplay. He wondered if watching someone play the game would confirm anything for him. After what had happened lately, he'd spent some time getting back into looking up Q*bert and learning about the game―though, very little. He always approached the research tentatively, as if diving in would mean that he accepted his outlandish theories about what had happened that night at the gas station. As a result, the very existence of the game seemed distant, surreal even. Maybe laying eyes on the game alone would provide a reality-check for him.

His feet coming to a decision for him, he walked over to participate in the watch party. They seemed immovable, transfixed to whatever was going on with the game. He peered past shoulders, and saw there was space on the other side of the group, so he walked around them. As he did, he heard excited comments.

"Ohh, will he make it?" asked someone he didn't see.

"Wow! Close one! Nice job!" exclaimed a tall person next to Andrew.

"Man, how does he do it?" a guy wondered aloud.

"See? Didn't I say he was good?" he recognized the girl he'd followed say.

He finally stepped around the small crowd, which he noticed had grown by a few people. Andrew took his position next to a teenager with greased up hair about his height, where he couldn't quite see whoever it was playing Q*bert, but had a view of the screen if he leaned to the left a little to peer over a bystander's shoulder. Andrew glanced beside him so that he wouldn't bump into the guy he was standing next to. Then he glanced again. "Hey, nice shirt," he said.

"Hm?" The guy was busy staring at the gameplay. Then suddenly, snapping out of it, he glanced back at Andrew. "Oh, my shirt? Which one?"

"Uh." Andrew looked between the black t-shirt with the logo on it, and the plaid long-sleeved shirt over it. "Well, they both look good."

The guy grinned at him. "Heh, thanks. Was only messing with you. Metallica fan?"

"Occasionally," he replied.

He surprised him with a laugh. "That's the best answer I've heard to that yet. Honest, too."

Andrew chuckled with him, and they both fell silent as he went back to watching Q*bert being played. He turned away to watch too, and was dismayed to find that the person in front of him had shifted, blocking his view. So his gaze wandered to the people watching the game instead. Most of them were really into it, like they were rooting for the guy playing. Curious, he looked over at Plaid. Maybe it was his imagination, but he thought he could see something like awe on his face.