"Oh shit."
Drake cussed as the opponent charged at him. The big fangs of the agile youth charging at him were flaunted at every growl. Not only was the youth of good body proportion, but the manner at which he carried his frame as he zoomed was too quick for Drake to catch.
It happened so quickly that Drake was now on the floor, and the youth was trying to bite into his neck. He tried to roll the youth away from him but the pressure was greater than his. He would have to do more.
"You think a big build has a chance against a werewolf?"
The youth snarled, his cold blue eyes freaking the hell out of Drake.
"By the time I finish ripping your throat out, you won't be here to see your corpse. And I'll have leveled up before you return!"
During the gloating of his contender, Drake was looking for a way to break free. He let out a great cry of pain as the fellow dug claws into his chest.
Concentrating the pressure on the arm digging the claws, Drake could push his frame sideways then kick the werewolf into the air; the werewolf tumbled away and fell on his back.
Drake was able to stand on his feet. He tried to catch his breath,
"Oh, shit. How do I get out of this?!"
He looked around him. The cheering of the audience had suddenly died out when their hero had tumbled away.
Drake was surrounded by a tall net-like ring with the werewolf, the audience outside anticipating. A slender teenage with an oversized head suddenly called outside the ring,
"This is the end for you!!! We warned you! Nobody challenges Manor to a fight. He'll only use you to level up, like he'd done to many others. Many experienced men!!!!"
Drake couldn't look at the talkative for long.
"Manor? -- what the hell are they talking about?!"
Drake tried to discard the distribution. But the truth was that he was warned for real. But since he got bored and couldn't speak with the nurse since two days ago, he decided to wander out and try different locations out in the game.
Actually, late night the previous day, he'd discovered back on earth that was a map that points location in Game, and the only way to unlock the map was winning a fight.
He neither searched further what location the map would point to nor listened when he was being warned not to fight this Werewolf Manor.
He was only worried about two facts: One, unlock the map. Two, the tough the opponent, the more points.
But now, he wouldn't really be fighting to unlock the map anymore. He would be fighting for his life. And as much as he knew that 'twas a game where he couldn't die, yet the fear of having his flesh ripped off sent chills down his spines.
"I'll give you one more chance!!!"
Manor called at him. Manor's voice was deep and audacious. Drake envied the kinda atmosphere Manor's voice commanded.
"You can walk away now and forget that this happened. Or you can remain and have your heart ripped off in two seconds!!!"
Manor stopped walking closer. Drake looked down at himself after the warning. He wasn't wearing his old form. He was wearing a big build!!! He was like 7ft tall with huge biceps and triceps. He probably had lied to himself that the strength of that huge character he was assuming would suffice for whoever he would be contending with.
But different is this case here with a werewolf. A creature he wasn't sure if he knew anything about.
Drake stepped forward too, he could feel pain in his chest. The mark from the claws sitting in his chest.
"I don't really care whatever happens here, Manor. Yes, that's your name. Just answer one of my questions, then I won't fight. You can do whatever you want with me."
He halted just few steps away from Manor. The latter seemed interested in his offer,
"And what might your question be?"
Drake sighed,
"So you talked about leveling up? What was that about? Are there some other special programs going on in this world?!"
Manor snickered, more of a mockery to Drake's naiveness.
"You didn't really think that the video game ends here, in this busy world!!"
Drake wasn't sure of what reaction to give. Manor didn't seem to care,
"This is just a General space, dummy. It's just like a trash can where almost everything can be dumped."
Drake cut in,
"You mean there's somewhere else other than Earth and this video game world?!!"
Manor growled,
"One question, you said."
Some of the audience who obviously have been bored out of their minds by their indistinct chatters called,
"Fight you fuckers. We paid for this. Fight!!!"
The oversized headed teenage added,
"I bet a gem on this, please don't ruin it!"
Drake, for few seconds, got carried away by the maniac audience. Manor's deep growl knocked him back as he stuttered,
"But, aren't you supposed to tell ---"
Manor had dashed at him. Seeing that Drake was too tall for the 6ft Werewolf, Manor slid on his knees to Drake's legs and planted two fierce punches in Drake's knees, dislocating the patellas and femurs holding the knees in place.
"Arggghhh!!!"
Drake screamed in pain as he dropped on the dislocated knees. Fueled by the building cheers of the audience, Manor gave no breathing space, he lunged at Drake's chest and threw his face in it, munching a mouthful of his flesh in the quest for Drake's heart!!!
He used his claws to widen the gore his mouth had made then pulled out the heart. In two bites he chewed it up and Drake dropped on his back.
"Uhnh..."
Drake gagged... his last one. And the last thing he heard was the echoes of the audience's cheers!!!
Then gloom.
_____________________________|
After seven seconds, Drake was back on earth, in his duplex, in his couch.
"My heart... my heart."
He hopped off the couch, clasping his palms to his chest.
"That bastard!"
He had almost forgotten that 'twas an illusion. As soon as he got a grip of reality, he exhaled deeply, several times till he was able to regulate his breathing pace.
"But what's it that I'm yet to figure out? What was those things he was explaining?"
He tried to digest the words,
"Are there really games out there? Like real games?! I mean, I've been wondering too. We can't possibly just be roaming around with no real deal!"
He paced the living room, arms in akimbo,
"What kind of games? Role-playing or random usual games?!"
He shook his head, unwilling to admit,
"Then does that mean that I've been wasting my time all this while."
He gulped,
"But if there are games... what could be the reason or essence? Or is it some other dark plots of the elites?!"
He stop pacing,
"There's one way to find out."
He wanted to go grab the tablet when he heard noises from outside his apartment.
"Could be that bitch again!"
He groaned,
"I'll just have to ignore her. There's no point talking to her."
He walked to the tablet and was going to pick it up when the noise increased. He hesitated,
"I'll have to reactivate the soundless wall!!"
He picked up the tablet on the fancy glass stool beside the long couch. He retired into the couch and tapped it open.
"Now let's see--"
The noise outside got louder again, more of laughter of different pitch. He got distracted,
"That can't be Chloe. Could there be any other persons roaming Earth?! Impossible!"
He wanted to shoo the thoughts off but didn't have enough willpower. He dropped the tablet,
"Just this last time. I won't get distracted ever again!"
He jumped off the couch and rushed to the door. He couldn't wait to palmprint... he bolted through the lawn in enthusiasm.
"I know those three."
He stopped at the large gate of his compound which opened before him. There were three teenagers about his age who were walking along the silent street, laughing and shouting; two boys and a girl.
Why do I feel a need to remind you that teenagers about fifteen years old here are like the eighteen years old in our modern world. With good body proportions and shapes.
"Oh yes, the three talkative from that day!"
Drake had stepped out of his apartment. He remembered those three. The three turned in his direction suddenly.
"Did I just hear a dog bark right now?"
The most mature of the three sneered at Drake.
"I see no reason to be rude to each other when we are only just meeting."
Drake tried to be civil.
"Should I just beat this fucker up?"
The girl offered but the boys discouraged her. Drake wasn't enjoying the show.
"But why are you three together? Are you new here or something? Do you know about the judgement bots and the dumb elites?!"
"Know what, Hayden slap him!"
One of the boys, the one with a cold face instructed the girl. The girl strutted towards Drake. Drake tried to keep a distance warning,
"What are you doing? You could get yourself killed!"
"Why don't you just wait and see."
Drake refused to retreat anymore. He stood his ground and Hayden got to him. She slapped him heavily.
"Shit..."
Drake groaned but held it in.
"Now you'll see what happens! You won't say I didn't warn you."
He akimboed, expecting the Judgement bots but nothing came. Hayden mocked,
"Where are your judgement bot?"
She pretended to look around,
"Maybe another slap will bring them? Don't you --"
She dazed him again with a backhand. The two boys laughed.
"Or maybe more!!!"
She slapped him repeatedly till he saw twelve stars travel through the sky though 'twas still daylight.
He couldn't take it anymore. He threw a fist into the girl's jaw and she staggered back,
"Fuck this!!!"
And as soon as he punched the lady, a portal of crackling electricity appeared and the Judgements crossed over.
"Player *** one lifeline more."
Drake's eyes turned red suddenly,
"What kinda bullshit is this? Why do I get punished when she doesn't?"
The two boys who had run to the aid of Hayden suddenly glared at him. The cold faced advanced towards him,
"Do you know what else is about to be fucked up? now?!!"
The chorused at once,
"You!!"
The two boys lunged at him and started beating him up. No matter how much they hit him, the judgement bots just stood there watching.
Drake got swept off his feet and the boys kept kicking into his sides and face.
"Why would you hit our girlfriend?!!"
The other carefree boy kicked him in the butthole. Drake closed his butt in.
He wanted so bad to fight back but remembered the judgement bots watching.
The constant kicks and punches couldn't let him stand to make a run for it.
But luckily the boys stopped, then called at the girl,
"Hayden, come take your revenge!"
That was the time for him. Drake somehow jumped on his feet and began to run towards the gate, his gate. The carefree boy wanted to follow him but the cold faced said,
"He can't run away. The gate will open for us."
Drake ran through the gate and it closed. As soon as the gate closed, they walked towards it.
"Let's see how far you can run."
They got to the gate but 'twasn't opening.
"Why isn't it opening? Doesn't the gates open automatically?!!"
Hayden argued.
"Sure. We didn't have trouble raiding that fat man's house!"
The cold faced explained. He glared at Drake through the closed gate,
"What did you do? Why isn't the gate opening?"
Drake coughed out blood, trying to laugh. He struggled to speak, his hands clutched to his left ribs,
"Ask my ass!"
He tried to point one of his fingers but the effort gave an unbearable pain.
"I've marked your faces. Y'all will pay for this! I promise you!!"
He turned and began to stagger towards his building.
"You dork! Do you know who we are. We are the sons of Rodney!!!"
"Fool, don't say that!!"
The cold faced had cautioned the carefree one who had just mentioned a name.
"Let's go boys, we'll catch him again."
Hayden promised.
"We could climb the gate..."
The carefree suggested but none of the two seemed interested. The carefree boy's face suddenly changed,
"How about what he said... making us pay."
"Why do I even have you as a brother! So dumb!"
The cold faced had sneered, walking away. Hayden tried to catch up,
"Twin brother you forgot."
"Sucks."
"Wait for me."
The carefree hurries to catch up with the two.