Deadly Decadence

Lance

"Hey, this event is cool!"

My best friend, Lance, exclaimed as he observed the surroundings. The venue is swarming with people; all are players of Deadly Decadence from this region. To give a short intro to the game, Deadly Decadence is a strategy game in which we manage troops to fight off zombies, that’s it.

"Yeah! I'm thrilled."

I reply to him, sharing the enthusiasm he has. Lance and I had the tags which showed "Hunters," our Alliance name. Later, we saw some newcomers who has the same tag as us.

I wave at them as I say my gamer ID. They recognized me then. We chit-chatted for a while. Later, the sound of the horns blared from the speakers of the venue.

"Good day, Players! Welcome to the Deadly Decadence 1st anniversary!"

We cheered after the master of the ceremony announced the activities that will be done at this event.

Lance, who is a very talented athlete at school and just skilled in almost everything looks so excited because judging from the surroundings, this isn’t just a normal event. There was a shooting range, an obstacle course, a paintball game where we fight off other alliances. It honestly looked like intramurals, only this was hosted by an online mobile game organization.

Who says video games make lifestyle sedentary? Because from what I can see, it's clearly not the case.

Time passed by. I looked for Lance to tell him my participation in the activities. He was triumphantly smiling as he relayed how his team defeated five other teams on the paintball war.

We were gathered later for the awarding on the challenges. Everyone was anticipating the results. I heard collective gasps from the audience as the doors of the place were opened, in which a swarm of zombie-looking creatures entered. Clearly, not what we were expecting, but these zombies look so real!

Suddenly, the cheers turned to screams of fear and gnarls of zombies. I wasn't really looking forward to hearing squelch coming from the zombies munching on their victims. I just look at my surroundings, which is now a fountain of blood, dumbfounded, and probably just dumb. Not gonna lie.

"Fools! Your time is up!"

 I look at the stage as I look for the owner of that voice. I shiver as I caught his smirk as he looked at me. 

"HAHAHAHA!"

The last thing I heard was the demonic cackle that echoed inside the place, silently hoping he'll die laughing so hard. Then I hear the gnarl of a hungry infected person as it rushed to end me. And darkness engulfed me.

I gasp as I woke up; beads of sweat on my forehead.

'What the heck was that?'

I hastily scanned my surroundings and heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that I am still in my room.

'It was just a dream, Albie. Calm down.'

I told myself as I reached for my phone to check the date. I'm still two years behind that dreaded event. 

'Was that event the beginning of a zombie apocalypse? Were the game organizers involved in the zombie attack? Was it a virus that made those infected, infected? Did they purposefully put all the players in one place for that attack?'

All these questions poured all at once. I cradle my head as I feel it throbbing. It doesn't help that my heart is also racing, thumping hard as if it wants to get out of my system.

I got out of my room to get some water in the kitchen. It was really quiet since it's already 2 AM.

'What the --!'

My soul almost left me when my phone suddenly ringed.

I looked at the caller ID and saw that the call is from Lance. What kind of person would call at 2 AM? Well, perhaps my family, or an emergency, or my best friend. 

I sigh as I answer the call.

"Yeah?"

I answered as I also drink my water.

"There's not even a hello?"

I can feel that he's feigning sadness on the other line, and it grosses me out, just kidding.

"Ugh. What? Why are you calling at this hour?"

"Did I wake you up?"

I can hear a hint of worry in his voice, and I kinda felt sorry. 

"Nah. Is something wrong?"

I asked him.

There was a long pause before he talked again.

"Nothing. I just felt like something's wrong."

"What?"

Now, this is intriguing.

"I just can't sleep, that's all."

I went to the living room and sat down on the couch. I'm starting to think that maybe Lance was also aware that he was reincarnated? I want to ask him, but I don't know where to start. 

"Really?"

I asked, not really believing his excuse, or was it an excuse?

"Yeah."

"So, you would call me just because you can't sleep?"

I'm still thinking of how I'm going to open up to him about my speculations, but I think just asking him straight away is the best way to open it up.

"Come on, is that how you console your best friend?"

"Oh? I didn't know that I should console you just because you can't sleep."

I hear him chuckle on the other end.

"Did you somehow had a nightmare?"

I asked.

"Because I did. That's why I woke up."

I continued.

"How am I going to have a nightmare when I can't even sleep?"

He replied, quite sarcastically.

"Maybe your life is a nightmare, that's why you can't sleep?"

I tease.

"You know, Albie, sometimes I can't believe how you can be so rude."

I laughed.

"I'm kidding, of course. But really, why can't you sleep?"

I asked, concerned.

"I don't know, something's bothering me."

"And what is that? Do you somehow feel like you were reincarnated?"

"What? No, not that. Why would I feel like that?"

"Oh. It's just that I have these strange dreams recently."

"What kind of dreams?"

I paused and think. Should I tell Lance? What if it'll put him in danger? If he doesn't have these kinds of dreams, does it mean I should just keep that to myself?

"Nothing. So, if it's not that, what was bothering you then?"

"Have you read the news?"

"What news?"

"About the game, Deadly Decadence. Didn't the developers said back then that they'll be releasing it a year from now?"

"Yeah. I've read the news. I was also shocked."

"I mean, we should be happy, right? We've been waiting for that since the first announcement from the developers."

"Yeah."

It actually bothers me. What if this is really related to the zombie attack?

"See? You don't even sound happy about it! I feel like something fishy is going on."

"Like what?"

"Like, what if the game was hacked and then the hackers announced that it'll be released six months from now as bait, or to conduct their plans quickly. And then when we install it, it will corrupt our phones! Or maybe hack our personal data or something."

That's actually bad, but I think the game related to that zombie attack is worse.

"Yeah. Maybe, but we can never be sure. Let's just wait for the game devs explanation. Okay?"

"You're right."

I try to stifle my yawn, but I think he might have hinted it.

"That's all. Go back to sleep."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. That's all. Go back to sleep."

"Go to sleep too."

"I will. Sleep well, Albie."

"Same to you."

I ended the call and went back to sleep. I don't know what awaits me in my dreams or later on in the day.