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We waited until we were alone in the room and then we all laughed simultaneously like a dam that had to break. Our accommodations were impressive. Somebody important was kicked out. And kicked out so fast they weren't even able to take all of their things. I wondered what they thought. Were they a regular NPC and didn't know they were one and so they were probably pretty upset or were they like the one that brought us here?
“Swanky this is”, Amy said impressed.
“Swanky she says”, Jared said pointing approvingly at Amy. “Nice period terminology but serious how did I do back there?”
“Apart from the ridiculous fake British accent not bad”. She said smiling approvingly.
“Amy seriously how do we get out of here … even if not right now at some point?” I said breaking the mood. “I'm actually getting sleepy anyways so can we wrap this up?”
“You can't come to the Titanic and leave before the final act are you mad?” Jared said with righteous fake British indignation.
“We don't even know what day it is and I don't even want to know what sleeping in a virtual reality is all about. Besides sleeping here isn't an option.” I said forcefully.
“Whats wrong with this room”, Jared asked diving head first onto the giant bed.
“Its the TITANIC” Amy and I said in unison.
“Oh yeah” He said sheepishly turning over and sitting up.
“Actually going to sleep is one of the ways to exit the game,” She began, “another being death or mortal injury and the third when a time limit is reached.”
“Well when is the“ I began interrupted by a jolt that felt like the room had been shifted suddenly.
“Ohhhhh holy camel dung! Huston we have lift off”, Jared exclaimed.
Amy looked at me with a the same stunned look that I felt.
“That couldn't be it right? I mean that was soft … maybe it was something in the dining room.” She stared at me for some reason looking for answers.
I walked over to the balcony and looked down relieved to no end.
“False alarm everything looks normal.” I said never having been more wrong in my whole life. “Well I don't know about you guys but I'm beat.” And with that I joined Jared on the bed. And then we both looked at Amy with sad puppy eyes and patted the bed invitingly with our hands. It wouldn't be the first time all three of us slept in a bed. She gave us her patented heart melting smile and joined us. And so we all laid back staring at the ceiling pondering our crazy adventure.
Amy kicked it off, “What if the people that were in this room were players like us only they were fully immersed?”
“They are going to be pisssssed off when they wake up” Jared mused.
“Sounds like a reasonable refund request to me”, I offered.
“What do you guys want to do tomorrow?” Amy asked.
“Wait theres a tomorrow!” Jared said beating me to it.
“Yeah we go to sleep then time here like pauses then we resume. We can even skip ahead but personally the way we were treated I vote for breakfast”, she explained.
“Ok when you eat here that doesn't do anything in real life though right?”, I asked like an idiot. But I never got an answer to my stupid question because we heard a pounding on the door.
I jumped up my heart racing I already knew what that meant. So did Jared:
“Lift off!!!” He said with real enthusiasm.
I turned back to the two of them before opening the door. Amy had a look of real concern, Jared looked a fool happy child on Christmas morning. I opened the door and a crew member told us in a very polite but serious voice that we should assemble on the deck below as a safety precaution. And with that he turned to leave but I grabbed him startling us both.
“Where is the other crew member that brought us to this room?”
“Sir there are 900 crew members on this vessel .. I wouldn't know” He said abruptly and left.
“I can't believe we didn't get the name of that guy” I said bewildered. Jared and Amy got up immediately.
“Well David it looks like we're going to have to do what we came here for.”He said patting me on the shoulder. “Have an adventure.”
“Ok sounds good to me … race you to the lifeboat.” I said gamely but the look on both their faces killed me.
“Bro … women and children first.”He said with conviction. “Amy can go but you and I … well we can go get drunk with the Baker, sing with the band or help with women and children. Unless you fancy a shotgun wedding to one of the women that doesn't make it on the lifeboat.”
He was right of course and it killed me. How could he suddenly be noble? Oh yeah because nothing ever seems to bother him. And thats when I realized it wasn't the game version of me that had been the coward it was the real me. I felt gutted.
“Amy we will see you off” I said softly to her and then to him, “And then we will assist the women and children.”
“Ahhhh you guys are cute in this Victorian version of yourselves and I'm touched but your off your knockers if you think I'm missing out on the best part.” She said sternly. “Besides family remember?”
“Ok we will trust in each other then” I pledged bravely “Knockers??? Is that even a saying in this time?” She just shrugged innocently.
“You sure you don't want to get hitched I am an ordained minister you know? Paid $50 quid for that three months ago to his Holy Redemption.com”
Amy giggled as we made our way out of the penthouse we had known and loved for less then an hour. As soon as we made it to the deck Jared sprung into action as if he were a damn pro at this or had been practicing this bloody moment all his life. He grabbed life vests off a wall handing them out with one arm while directing people with the other. Amy saw the look of envy and read me like a book:
“Hes easy to under estimate until he just does something amazing effortlessly.”
“Yeah hes something.” I said . “ And you know what?”
“Whats that?” she asked helping a child onto a lifeboat.
“I'm glad he's on our team” I said genuinely.
In truth I wasn't scared anymore I was with my family and I knew for once we were doing something right. Maybe it wasn't real and maybe it wasn't the same for us as it was for the brave people back on that fateful night but it felt important. And I was all in. How could I not be with the scene unfolding in front of me? I also knew what was coming next and just then I realized … oh crap.
I grabbed Jared's arm. He looked at me annoyed until he realized it was me. “Jared I don't see anymore lifeboats how are we getting out of here?”
“We're fine we'll just go down with the ship you heard her … mild irritation, then we're back in our crappy flat … remember?”
“Thats for normal players we aren't normal now” I said looking straight into his eyes. Finally I saw a hint of concern. But wouldn't you know it thats when our favorite crew member showed up.
“Gentlemen … Ma'am are you ready to go to the corridor now?” He said in a way that only we could tell what he said or meant.
I knew I was ready. I looked at Amy and then we both looked nervously at Jared.
“Well I guess our work here is done. All the life boats are gone anyways”, He said. But I could tell he was a bit sad to go for some ungodly reason.
We followed our man staying close to him. Some people looked at us with desperate eyes wondering if there was a life boat where we were going until we entered into the ship. They must've thought we had lost our minds. He led us down a level where the water was already half way up to our knees. Good God I hope this NPC isn't defective or something. And sure enough He led us into a laundry room and opened up a coat closet and motioned us in.
“Ok I would rather end this on the deck” I said angrily. And to think I felt sorry for him earlier.
He looked confused.
“This wasn't the entrance you came from? I'm sorry this is the only one I know of”, And with that he walked right through the back wall of the closet. Of course Jared took it in stride and marched right in after him.
“Its like the bloody Tardis” He exclaimed with a decent British accent. Amy and I surrendered and followed the his majesties army.
We emerged into a large corridor with sunken lights in the center of the floor and lights along the corners of the walls above. It stretched curving gently as far as you could see. With branching corridors and doors here and there. There were words, numbers and information streaming across the upper part of the wall behind us like stock tickers. I tried to make it out but then the lights dimmed suddenly and an alarm went off. An elevated coaster looking train started approaching and I had a bad feeling. Our crew member looked at us astonished after reading something on the wall and said: “Your not from here! Your not even supposed to be here! How did you … “
His words vanished along with the creepy futuristic corridor. We were thankfully back home pulling off our headsets. We looked at each other a bit shaken but … strangely battle tested. Only Jared then looked down at his headset thoughtfully. Finally he said something shocking:
“Somehow it doesn't feel right leaving them like that.”
“What … the … hell! When we left their pain was over the simulation stopped. Hell you said a few hours ago their just programs.” I surprised myself switching to his argument.
“I know but still … did you see the look on some of their faces when we were escorted away?”
“Yeah” I said softer “But as soon as they saw us enter the ship they must've concluded we were going to have a suicide pact or an orgy or something.”
“Heyyy” Amy barked defiantly.
I put my hand on his shoulder for the second time that night and looked him in the eyes again and said, “Hey we went into battle and accounted for ourselves quite nicely”
With that Amy rushed forwards and hugged us both.
“Yeah we did. Hoo Rahhh. How about one last night cap old sport?” And like that he was back to his care free spirit. It was just as well as we would soon find out we were in a more serious situation then we realized. And the consequences all too real. We didn't know it that night but we had stumbled onto a situation that actually needed us.
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