Gamer (Gamer Trilogy) Read online

  GAMER

  Copyright © 2012

  All rights reserved.

  DEDICATION

  Remo, Anna, Chris and George Mum, Dad and Annalise

  For You. LET THE TRILOGY BEGIN

  …………………………………………………

  BEGIN The glass trees glistened ominously in the pale moonlight. My breath rose up in puffs of barely visible fog. My heart was racing and my body was full of adrenaline. The escape I’d been searching for was right here, I could see it, I could feel it, I had found it - the end.

  I was popping – as we called it – from tree branch to tree branch, my feet barely touching their uppermost tips. The entire sensation was surreal.

  Looking up I couldn’t help but stare with wonder. Even from so far away, the place that would set us all free was awe-inspiring. It was literally like a living rainbow, with the structure’s walls projecting a thousand colours into the night sky.

  The closer I got, the more I felt like I could never pull away. Days, weeks, months, maybe even years of living trapped in a world that wasn’t real… or was it?

  Regardless, all we wanted was an escape and here it was. I focused my eyes on the prize.

  I felt myself being drawn in by the castle’s mesmerizing lights, unable to resist, and my body took over from there – irrationally driving me forward, wanting only to get to the end.

  It was all going so well, another few minutes and I’d be there but suddenly, to my right, I heard a scream. Looking down, I could make out a silhouette, distorted by the glass trees. Without thought I knew it was Stefanie. She had also been trying to make it to the escape, but it looked like some beast had cornered her.

  I felt like I was being split in two. On the ground, Stefanie seemed to be calling to me for help – she had seen me – and yet, just a few hundred meters away, the diamond-like portal beckoned. If I saved her I’d give up my chance of escape, neither of us would reach the castle first and so we’d be trapped forever. If I didn’t save her, she’d be killed.

  My mind was so occupied with making the decision that I never saw it coming. The axe whistled through the air and straight into my chest. Shock. And then pain. My eyes searched out the thrower. A pair of yellow eyes glinted as they watched me fall. No longer flying, the ground was fast approaching me. A wolfish chuckle filled the air. Victor. I smacked into the ground.

  Dead.

  1

  XANDER Sweat. Tangled sheets. Cold air. I breathed in deeply and opened my eyes, feeling like I’d just been plunged into ice water. Thud. Thud. Thud.My heart was racing. It took me a moment to recognize my surroundings. “Oh,” I exhaled a short breath of relief. Just a dream.

  I pushed my covers away and stumbled somewhat blearily over to the light-switch. The bedside clock read “7:00”.

  I swore under my breath – I was running late.

  “Xander?” a high, clear voice called. Someone was knocking at my door. Hastily, I scrambled around my dorm room, tossing unwashed clothes and empty pizza boxes out of sight in a haphazard effort to clean up.

  The knocking continued.

  “Xander, it’s me, Stefanie. Are you in there?”

  I swore again.

  “Uh, here. I’m coming, just a second,” I called out, stalling.

  Scanning my dorm, I resigned myself to the fact that I was about to look very foolish.

  I smoothed my creased shirt, attempting to look as casual and comfortable as one who just changed out of duck covered pajama bottoms could. Sauntering almost, I attempted to look ‘cool’ as I opened the door…

  * * * INTERVIEWER: “Hold on. You’re going too quickly,” she gestured to the cameraman to cut filming. The ON AIR sign went out. “As terribly wonderful and captivating as I’m sure this will be, they -” she pointed at the camera lens, “can’t empathise with you from the word ‘go’. You obviously need give them something to relate to, first.” I could’ve sworn I saw her eyes roll.

  She clearly wanted to be anywhere but here. Unfortunately, she also understood the exclusivity and “career-making quality” of this deal. So she continued to smile.

  ME: “Mm… Sure,” I said, failing in my attempt to reciprocate her persona. My mind was a world away, “Give me a second.” I cleared my throat. The interviewer nodded with mock excitement.

  INTERVIEWER: “… Let’s begin from the beginning then!” She flashed an unnaturally wide and bright grin, glancing at the cue cards held up by the cameraman. “Tell us your name.”

  Looking into the camera and squinting from the harsh spotlights shining down onto the stage, I pushed myself to begin.

  “My full name is Alexander Scott,” I began, voice still hoarse from the Release, “but my friends called me Xander.”

  I paused and the interviewer gave me an encouraging look. I shrugged, indifferent.

  “I’m sure you know all about my mother-”

  “The celebrated actress, Celina Fordswood,” the reporter interjected, I gave her a look. She fell silent.

  “And perhaps my father,” I continued. The interviewer, Eva Silvers was her name, itched to interject once more but she did not, “Maxwell Scott,” my nose instinctively crinkled “and at the age of six I was sent away to the famous boarding school – Elitus Academy – which I’m also sure you now know all about.” Eva gave a small nod and gestured for me to continue. The cue card held up against the camera read ‘career’. What did I have to lose?

  “Once upon a time, I wanted to be a writer,” funny how I began that sentence, “but now, I’m reconsidering. I would prefer to do something that doesn’t make Elitus look good.” There was an evidently bitter tone in my voice. I watched as Eva’s eyes widened expectantly. The elephant in the room – my contempt for the school that claimed to make me who I was – had come to topic. I tactfully avoided it, knowing full well I’d be asked soon enough. “Elitus Academy always taught me,” I continued, voice dripping with cynicism, “that success is measured by results, profits and gains, not becoming second best to pursue what makes you happy.” The interviewer gave a short nod, partially satisfied. I wondered if there was more food somewhere…

  INTERVIEWER: “Tell us about the your,” Eva Silvers’ tongue hung delicately on the word, “morals, Xander.” The atmosphere seemed to have changed. “Surely,” she began, “even the best kids can sometimes be…” she paused, “bad.” She met my now intense stare. The statement was intentionally provocative, almost accusatory.

  My body tensed up, anger coursing through my blood. If she was in any way insinuating that I had anything to do with relax, Xander. I paused for a moment at the foreign thoughts. I recognized the connection however, and appreciated their relaxing tone. I slumped again.

  “I’m realistic,” I started, almost lazily, “to survive, you cannot be an optimist.” I sounded cynical once again. “Likewise, you cannot be self-doubting.” It was my turn to pause. “If you screw around with me or my best mate Jacob Clarke,” I nodded to him as he stood in the corner of the room, a look of concern on his face, “then you’ll see a whole lot more to my personality.” I gazed darkly at Eva.

  “Before,” my tone hollow with the echo of pleasant memories “I used to hang out in the library. Life was good, then. I don’t like closed in spaces anymore. I remember Jacob over there,” I pointed at him, the camera swivelled for a moment, “never used to speak, and I used to just sit and write one or two lines about fictional places that existed only in my mind. But this was Before, of course, now I’m a different person.” Silence. “Jake’s still a good guy though.” He smiled.

  The cue cards rolled for a few minutes more and I answered the token questions about my friendship with Jake. “I could not ask for someone better
,” I finished with.

  Eva nodded. “Thanks for that Alex,” she looked into the camera, “this is your live interview of post-Release Alexander Scott, don’t leave your seats, ladies and gentlemen, because we’ll be right back.”

  The ON AIR sign flickered off and I was left to sit in silence for a moment. I disliked this, but I had to do it, somebody needed to. All too soon the light came back on and the interviewer asked me a few more questions, then politely asked me to continue from where I left off. I forced a smile, my facial muscles aching, and nodded curtly.

  She gestured to the camera expectantly.

  * * * Stefanie’s face peered into the room behind me for a moment, before her enquiry came to settle upon me. “Xander,” she half breathed half smiled brightly, pressing her hands together.

  A part of me seemed to weaken… She was perfect. I felt embarrassed about the state of my room but the best looking girl in school was here now and nothing but her mattered. I smiled a little and realised she was waiting for me to greet her. Straight away my brain turned to mush.

  “Uh, goloormonig,” I blurted out. A mess. An undeserving, shy and creepy mess was the only way to describe me right now. Her silver-blonde hair glittered in the dim light spilling from my room into the unlit hallway.

  A confused expression crossed her face. “Sorry?” she asked. Why did I put myself in these kinds of situations? I mentally kicked myself.

  When I didn’t say anything, she just went on.

  “We’re starting in fifteen minutes, I was just sent out on wake-up duty, but turns out you’re already awake… So I

  guess I can go…” she smiled a little nervously but lingered by the doorway. She didn’t seem to want to leave. Feeling a little weak at the knees, I urged my brain to say something. Anything at all. It didn’t have to be funny, just something to keep her here for a little longer, and hopefully give her the impression that I wasn’t going to try and swab her DNA for my shrine to her or something…

  My thoughts flickered briefly to her boyfriend = fittingly, the biggest tosser in the school – Victor James. The last time I’d spoken to Stefanie, he’d threatened to beat me up. I swallowed nervously.

  “Ah, I only woke up five minutes ago or so,” I said. I smiled a little lopsidedly – facial muscle control was a little difficult right now. “I’m not really a morning person.” I was speaking a little too fast, but at least I was making conversation.

  She smiled again, a little more confidently this time, maybe assured that I wasn’t crazy. Then her smile faltered and an apologetic look crossed over her face. “You’re a good guy Xander. Victor, he-”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I interjected, “I understand completely.”

  A smile flashed across her face, lighting up her features and then she looked down at my knees or something, and said, “I can tell.” Grinning cheekily, she left.

  I stood puzzled for a second.

  “Tell what?” I called after her. Either she meant she could tell I wasn’t a morning person or she could tell that I’d just woken up. Looking down I saw what she saw and died, just a little, inside. That was the last time I answered the door, not wearing pants, only minutes after I’d woken up. I cringed.

  Whether it was, in fact, her silver blonde hair, or established career as a child actress/soon-to-be model, or cheeky personality, it was kind of love at first sight, at least for me…

  Stefanie had started at Elitus when I was just seven and from a crush to full-blown I-want-to-rip-your-clothes-off love (you’ll heal from that description eventually); I’ve always been drawn to her. Unfortunately she’s kind of oblivious to me. With Victor threatening to make my life misery if he ever caught me talking to Stefanie again – the first time being when I asking her to be my biology partner, which she originallysaid yes to – our passive friendship had become strained over the recent months.

  If Victor hadn’t been the Academy’s golden child, and my position here wasn’t so fragile, I would have punched him square in between the eyes…

  But average students like me couldn’t afford to cause trouble, and he was the Academy’s golden child and life was unfair like that.

  I shut the door quietly behind me, still reeling from embarrassment and dressed myself in peace. A wave of nausea passed over me, with the thought of the coming events pressing in my mind and I sat down on the end of my bed.

  “Do this right,” I spoke out to the empty room “and you’ll have earned your place here once and for all.” I lifted the almost pristine envelope from the floor, where I had tossed it out of frustration. The paper shimmered slightly as I withdrew the enclosed letter. It was printed in shining gold ink – difficult to read.

  Dear Alexander,

  We are delighted to inform you that you have been selected to join our trial process for Simulator. Congratulations on your success thus far. Remember that you are now in the

  running for the Omega Award.

  Wishing you luck,

  Elitus Academy.

  I laughed aloud, almost with scorn. Simulator. My relationship with Stefanie was the least of my problems at the moment. Essentially I’d been selected, along with five others from my school – including both Stefanie and Victor to participate in the second ever trial of Simulator – the brand-new most realistic and technologically advanced piece of gaming equipment in the world. Although, I’m not a hardcore gamer myself, the Omega, a prize that rivals that of the Nobel in terms of prestige, was put on offer to the winner of this Simulator trial.

  I scrunched the envelope in my hands, listening to the satisfying sounds of crumpling paper.

  The first test of this gaming machine left five people in a vegetative state, a disgracing mar on the reputation of Elitus Academy. This award was the only reason that anyone, including myself, had bothered applying to sample it – despite rumours of its risks.

  This Omega award itself was important enough that people had, and would, kill for it. With the Omega behind me, or anyone for that matter, one was guaranteed success in life, in any way shape or form.

  Prospective employers, heads of government agencies and even leaders of countries would all bend over backwards to satisfy the elite few, who through some miraculous feat, had managed to acquire the Omega Award.

  Basically, all we had to do was make sure Simulator worked as it was supposed to. And there were two ways in which we could win. The first and probably more dramatic way - one had to kill all their opponents. It would be hard, probably emotionally damaging and probably not the chosen path, but all it took was one person intent on doing this, in order to force everyone else to do the same…

  The second way allowed more than one person to win. There was a ‘portal’ in the game, through which we could also exit.

  And so this meant that we all had a choice. Cooperate or kill. I was more than confident in my ability to carry either of these out, it was all only a game, anyway.

  The interesting thing about the technology, however, was exactly this. Supposedly the game used a new type of realimagery chip, something that made the game seem as realistic as, well, real-life - which was the real danger. It became a matter of telling the difference between the game and reality and this was the first group’s undoing. Applying for that spot in the trial, however, was like applying for the Midas touch.

  I straightened out my bed and began to button my shirt when I heard a knock at the door for the second time that day. Right now, if it wasn’t Jacob or Stefanie again, I’d be pretty annoyed. I was in one of those moods.

  I got up, ready to depart and answered the knock.

  I struggled to conceal my surprise. One of the more dangerous competitors, Lily, was standing at my door.

  2

  XANDER I resisted the urge to just stare at her silently, giving her a chance to explain her presence. She smiled meekly. “Hey,” she said. Her voice was soft but still had a slightly hard edge to it that I remembered from when we first met.

  “Hey to you too,”
I replied, trying to keep the bemusement from my tone.

  “I-I was coming this way anyway and thought I’d stop by…” Was she blushing?

  “It’s fine,” I waved her apology away and walked out with her.

  Attending Elitus Academy was no easy task. Being one of the most secluded education facilities on the planet - the students here were handpicked, making them the elite of the elite. If you were here, you had to be either famous, a genius or filthy rich. Stefanie was all of the above. I myself was none of them and had it not been for my dearest mother, I wouldn’t have been here full stop.

  My mum was a former student herself and she managed to pull some strings with the staff here - no doubt her stardom helped as well. She was well connected and sending me away to boarding school, especially Elitus, was both convenient for her and something she could boast about to her fellow actors; something that frustrated me.

  I wanted to be my own person, I needed to make my own name – I was here on my parents’ merits, not my own. I needed that glorious Omega. If I didn’t get it, I was pretty much just another student at the Academy. In fact, I was less than just another student; I was a useless student at the Academy – a status that could very well get me kicked out all together. My mother made it clear that if I wasn’t successful here, she would have nothing to do with me after that – thanks mum.

  “Xander,” Lily’s voice sounded, “are you at all surprised that you were picked?” What a random question to ask, maybe Lily was doubting her validity as a candidate or something. For me, however, my actual selection had an underlying motive to it.

  “Look,” I told her honestly, “I think the Academy has some interesting reasons for choosing who they did. I think yours is an easy guess, you’re bloody smart.” She seemed overly flattered.

  “And it’s whom…” She corrected me quietly, smiling. Mental note – speak less in front of Lily, I told myself.

  Getting that spot to trial Simulator was, to be honest, really out of the blue. I had a feeling that I was purposely picked so that I could be given a chance to prove my worth to the Academy. More so, they were expecting me to fail and wanted an excuse to kick me out. Either way, I didn’t have time to think about the hidden motives of elite education and so with Lily, I ran through the other applicants, calculating my odds.