The Geek Revolution ✓

07 | gamer

"Oh." And because I understand just how fanatic boys can get over games, I offer it to him willingly. "No worries, it just looked like something my brother would have liked."

"Really? Do I know him?" Drew asks, looking excited at the mention of another possible gamer buddy for him.

"I don't think so, he goes to Carsonville Middle School."

Drew stops short, having to tear his awed gaze from the case to stare, mortified, at me. "You were going to give this to him? It's R-16."

"I'm guessing that's a bad thing," I cringe, feeling the embarrassment at being such a — what's the word? — noob at this. The game can't be that bad, right? I mean, I know there's an age limit but I've seen Luke play some pretty full-on stuff, clad with promiscuous, buxom women and gory battle scenes.

"Hell, yeah."

"Well, in my defence—" I raise a finger, like that'll raise Drew's opinion of me, "—he's played some pretty explicit stuff."

He asks instead, "Why do you need a game?"

"Birthday."

Drew nods at my explanation. A girl's voice comes from around the corner and is soon followed by the girl herself, brown hair bouncing behind her. "Drew! You said you wouldn't be long."

Seeing me, the girl stops short in her tracks, pulling up with surprise. She looks roughly the same age as Luke. Her youth is expressed in her shyness; one foot crossed behind the other, hooking it around her ankle, and clasping her hands behind her back.

"Sophie, this is my sister, Sasha. Sasha, Sophie. We go to school together."

Sasha's originally wary look fades to delight and she bounds forward, stopping in front of me. When she talks, the innocence her appearance suggests melts right off, and in her, I see a fiery spirit held back by some confidence issues. "Finally! Drew's such a loser, spending all his time in his room. I haven't met any of his friends since—"

Drew hastily interrupts whatever she was about to say, "Okay! Sasha, we might have to stay a little longer because Sophie needs my help."

"Whatever, just find me when you're done."

And then she walks away, head dropped to her chest. Drew turns to me and we set off down the aisle. After an hour, we find a good one; mild coarse language, medium violence. Drew seems concerned about whether we should give this game to Lucas.

So I ask him, "What sort of games did you play when you were twelve?"

The righteous expression on his face slips just enough for guilt to flood him and he relents. "Fair enough."

The three of us decide to take the bus home together because— well, why not? We live on the same street. Sasha sits in the seat in front of Drew, where he can keep an eye on her. Her music is turned up so loudly, I can hear it emanating from her earphones. It reminds of the way Luke wears his headphones slightly askew, so some gory sound can escape into the air.

After a few minutes of contrived talking, Drew explains to me the basic concept of Blood Bounty, which I find really disturbing. I can't fathom the excitement that drips from Drew's voice.

"A lost soul is desperate for a second life so he makes a deal with the Devil, which he has to repay in blood. Only problem is he doesn't have enough blood so he has to go around killing people to repay his debt. Cool, huh?"

"Huh."

After that, I decide gaming isn't for me and our conversation turns to school. Somehow, the Monarchy comes up, making Drew's eyebrows furrow and his jaw clench. Wow, how many people have the Monarchy pissed off? Soon, we drift from the topic, because I suspect neither of us want a ruined mood.