Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Suspense/Mystery

“BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP” The alarm rang loudly in the ears of a young man about 15 years of age. 

“Hmm?” he slowly exclaimed waking up slowly dazed to grab his phone that kept going off. He stood up out of bed, turned off his alarm and headed to his dresser drawers to retrieve clean clothes for the day. He stripped himself of his nightwear and put on clean clothes. He walked over to the bathroom and closed the door to do his business. After a few moments he washed his hands and brushed his slightly long medium brown hair and washed his face. 

He walked down to his room to retrieve his bag and walked to the kitchen where his mother was making his lunch for school. 

“Goodmorning Slade” his mother remarked making his lunch packing a sandwich and other food items into his small lunch bag.

“Goodmorning mother. Also you don’t have to make my lunch. I’m in highschool now.” he told her attempting to be mature.

“Oh trust me last time you said that you didn’t do it.” she said giving him his lunch.

“Now get going before you become late.” she replied to Slade.

He held his lunch bag and put it in his knapsack not questioning his mother's opinion and started to head off to school. While walking a thumping noise was behind him calling his name. The voice sounded pretty familiar, yet where has he heard it before?

“Slade! Wait up~” a dirty blonde hair boy said catching up to him.

“Oh it’s just you Jaspers.”  Slade said to him looking into his light blue eyes.

“By the way your glasses are dirty. Again.” Slade said looking back in front of him paying attention to his surroundings.

“Really again? I cleaned them this morning and I forgot to study for my exam too!” Jaspers cried out.

They we’re almost at their high school which was newly built in their area. It was a quiet march morning that day too, something you wouldn’t expect in 2300 after all the past incidents. You think there’d be more chaos around in neighborhoods. 

“I guess you can study at school before it starts for a little while.” Slade told Jaspers.

“I guess I should” replied Jaspers.

They arrived at the school when the bell rang and started to head inside. They were a little confused because they probably got the time wrong for when they left and the distance of the school and their surroundings. 

Slade and Jasper slowly walked in the long grim hallways where hundreds of different students male and female resided with their own personal gossips.

“So when is your exam and what is it about again?” Slade questioned with confusion to Jaspers.

“It’s a writing exam. Yet it’s so hard to do! With all the research I didn’t remember to do on it.” Jaspers exclaimed towards Slade.

They opened their lockers and something in Slades caught his eyes. There was a small game for the newest VR. It’s title said “Lamented Pneuma”. He gazed over the cover, everything was black minus the title name with small text at the bottom as he read “This game plays you as much as you play it.”. What did that even mean he wondered. On the back was a sticky note that said “To Slade. From your nightmares”. He didn’t think much of it so he threw the sticky note away.

“Hey Jaspers look at what I found in my locker. Strangely it was for me yet whatever. Said my name on a sticky note!” Slade told Jaspers as he put the rest of his stuff in his locker.

“That’s so cool! I wonder if it’s multiplayer so we can both play!” Jaspers said happily looking at the game.

“I’ll check it out at home and text you afterwards.” Slade replied shifting his eyes back on the game and grabbing his school supplies.

Those long hours ended and the school day was over. Slade started to walk in the house and started to do his homework in his room. 

“I see you’re home now.” his mother said to him.

“Yeah I’m going to finish my homework quickly” Slade told her finishing up the last question to his math homework and started to head downstairs to play the game.

Slade walked down the stairs with his mother who left the house to visit a friend for a few hours while and said goodbye. Slade headed back upstairs and turned off unneeded lights around the house. He headed to the bathroom and finished doing his business after a few minutes as his phone buzzed.

“Hey you play the game yet?” Jaspers texted Slade.

“No not yet. Yet I have a bad feeling about it. If I don’t text back in thirty minutes come get me” Slade texted back.

“Okay. Yet you’ll be fine.” Jaspers replied in text.

Slade turned on his VR helmet and inserted the game. He put on his helmet and a giant zap of electricity goes off.