Part One: Just a game? Reality Now CHAPTER 5
519 Words
Matt climbed laboriously up the wooden stairs. Steps which were rebuilt in the house after the accident which caused his father's disappearance. Matt would swear he could sometimes hear his father's voice whispering to him, but when he listened it would quit. Other times he would wake up hearing screams as if it was happening again. Matt never totally gave up on the idea that his father was alive and just couldn't get home ... somehow.
At the door to his room, he paused. He had the terrible feeling he was being watched. He even imagined he heard footsteps behind him. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned expecting to see a vampire, or worse; perhaps a ghoul. The footsteps continued. He finished the turn, quicker than expected, to find there was nothing following him after all.
He turned the knob on his door. His computer monitor cast an eerie yellow fluorescent glow throughout the room. His monster and horror models all seemed to mock him. The feeling he was being watched was even more powerful in the room.
He had to get out. He got a drink. He turned around. His mother was standing there, in the doorway. He jumped and caused her to jump.
"Matt, what's wrong? You look like you saw a ghost! Here, I thought you might like this."
She produced, as if by magic, an icy cold bottle of Pepsi from her apron. This caused Matt to cringe. His only escape from his room wavered then vanished, nothing but a mirage. His mother saw his disappointment.
"Matthais Nightshade! What is bothering you? You tell me right this instance."
A tear slid down his cheek, as he replied, "Nothing, Mom. I just miss dad."
She hugged her son for his comfort as well as her own. "So do I! so do I."
He brushed the tear away and moved to his computer. "Well, I better get to work before Pete comes."
"Ok!" His mother said. She moved to the doorway. "Do you want this shut?" She shook the door.
"Yes." he replied.
Matt looked around his dark room. His models of Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, Jason, Freddy, Leatherface, and the Cenobites from Hellraiser seemed to be laughing at his insecurities.
He opened his Pepsi. He set it down on his keyboard and went to the light. He flicked the switch, expecting it not to come on. The light came on. He put the devices for the game back onto his body. First the body harness. Then the gloves. Finally, the visor. This equipment was very expensive. His father had been a computer genius, well beyond his time. He had created the game and the system which had been modeled and now was popular in almost every computer society.
On the way back to his desk he heard something ..."Matthais!" An unknown voice said.
He really thought he lost it now. He bumped into his desk while scanning the room with his visor on. The Pepsi on his keyboard rocked and fell over. The sweet, sticky, foaming liquid seeped into the keys.
A blue electrical cracking sight shown throughout the room, glimmering off the visor. The lights went out. Matt thought to himself, "Just what I need. I blew a fuse. Mom's going to kill me. And I ruined my keyboard!"
The crackling noise grew in intensity and the flashing lights grew brighter.
- Writer
