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Authors: Jen Alexander
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the black spot, from the reckless thoughts that are suddenly popping into my mind, but it’s impossible. The left of the map is different from everything else on the screen. I have to go there. I need to see for myself if the empty space is my way out. And I plan to make the trip at the first available opportunity.
“We’ll wait until they’re done, then follow them to see what they have,” I hear myself say, and I know Olivia’s talking about the four Survivors who have the flesh-eater surrounded on West End. All I can concentrate on is the black space.
“Any place else to go while we wait?” April asks. “You know, some way to actually earn points?”
Olivia zooms back in on the map, and green fills the display once again. I’ve seen plenty, though. Fifty miles, give or take a few. Northwest. Freedom. I want to leave now. I feel as if I could walk all fifty miles in one day and be out of The Aftermath by tomorrow morning.
“Lower-level flesh-eaters on Second Street. Pathetic, but they are usually good for something. Happy?”
“At the rate we’re going, I’ll never get my points,” April whines so low I’m not sure Olivia can hear her, but I do, even with my mind set on running fifty miles.
Of course, my thoughts are wishful. Traveling that many miles in the course of one day in this heat would be dangerous, and, besides, I am not in control of my own body at the moment. I’ve no idea when Olivia will let me go, and even then, how much time I’ll have without her coming back into the game.
But right now, that doesn’t matter. Because I am almost certain I have figured the way out. The route that will get me to the world I saw through Olivia’s eyes with its luminous buildings.
Finally, the red name on West End disappears, along with the picture above it, and Olivia closes the map. I don’t need it anymore, though; while Olivia talked about strategy and raids and points—apparently earning them is an important part of playing the game—I committed it to memory.
Olivia plays me consistently for two days, waiting until my head splits from hunger and my stomach is about to cave in on itself to feed me. I use these forty-eight hours as an opportunity to practice getting in and out of her mind. I also have enough time to come up with various explanations for this ability I’ve gained that none of my friends seem to possess.
Brain tumors—her brain or mine.
Gamer–character telepathy.
A sudden blow to the head—one that came from a boy who was completely out of place in The Aftermath, at least if my faulty memory can be trusted. Despite my uncertainty about the boy, this is the theory that makes the most sense. Even though I’m still not entirely sure of all the events that took place afterward.
My chance at escape finally comes fifty-two hours after Olivia’s return to the game, on a Wednesday afternoon. She’s going on a trip with her father. She will be gone for five days. And she’s convinced the others to take a break right along with her.
“I’m putting us on Group Save,” she makes me tell everyone else as we huddle around in The Save. She has me standing in the middle of the room, with my hands on my hips. “So don’t get any ideas about going ahead without me.”
When April complains, Ethan and Jeremy come to Olivia’s defense.
Jeremy shrugs his broad shoulders and then sits in the chair by the door. “It’s not a big deal.” He shifts his body so that he’s sideways, draping his long legs over the armrest.
“He’s right, April,” Ethan says. I hear him moving behind me—his shoes make a scratching noise on the floor as he comes close. “It’s five days, not forever. Besides, I have schoolwork to catch up on.” He places his chin gently on the top of my head and circles his arms around me, locking my elbows in place by my sides. Suddenly, I’m dizzy.
Let go of me.
The pressure on my head—in the exact location I was recently injured—makes me nauseous. I
“We’ll wait until they’re done, then follow them to see what they have,” I hear myself say, and I know Olivia’s talking about the four Survivors who have the flesh-eater surrounded on West End. All I can concentrate on is the black space.
“Any place else to go while we wait?” April asks. “You know, some way to actually earn points?”
Olivia zooms back in on the map, and green fills the display once again. I’ve seen plenty, though. Fifty miles, give or take a few. Northwest. Freedom. I want to leave now. I feel as if I could walk all fifty miles in one day and be out of The Aftermath by tomorrow morning.
“Lower-level flesh-eaters on Second Street. Pathetic, but they are usually good for something. Happy?”
“At the rate we’re going, I’ll never get my points,” April whines so low I’m not sure Olivia can hear her, but I do, even with my mind set on running fifty miles.
Of course, my thoughts are wishful. Traveling that many miles in the course of one day in this heat would be dangerous, and, besides, I am not in control of my own body at the moment. I’ve no idea when Olivia will let me go, and even then, how much time I’ll have without her coming back into the game.
But right now, that doesn’t matter. Because I am almost certain I have figured the way out. The route that will get me to the world I saw through Olivia’s eyes with its luminous buildings.
Finally, the red name on West End disappears, along with the picture above it, and Olivia closes the map. I don’t need it anymore, though; while Olivia talked about strategy and raids and points—apparently earning them is an important part of playing the game—I committed it to memory.
Olivia plays me consistently for two days, waiting until my head splits from hunger and my stomach is about to cave in on itself to feed me. I use these forty-eight hours as an opportunity to practice getting in and out of her mind. I also have enough time to come up with various explanations for this ability I’ve gained that none of my friends seem to possess.
Brain tumors—her brain or mine.
Gamer–character telepathy.
A sudden blow to the head—one that came from a boy who was completely out of place in The Aftermath, at least if my faulty memory can be trusted. Despite my uncertainty about the boy, this is the theory that makes the most sense. Even though I’m still not entirely sure of all the events that took place afterward.
My chance at escape finally comes fifty-two hours after Olivia’s return to the game, on a Wednesday afternoon. She’s going on a trip with her father. She will be gone for five days. And she’s convinced the others to take a break right along with her.
“I’m putting us on Group Save,” she makes me tell everyone else as we huddle around in The Save. She has me standing in the middle of the room, with my hands on my hips. “So don’t get any ideas about going ahead without me.”
When April complains, Ethan and Jeremy come to Olivia’s defense.
Jeremy shrugs his broad shoulders and then sits in the chair by the door. “It’s not a big deal.” He shifts his body so that he’s sideways, draping his long legs over the armrest.
“He’s right, April,” Ethan says. I hear him moving behind me—his shoes make a scratching noise on the floor as he comes close. “It’s five days, not forever. Besides, I have schoolwork to catch up on.” He places his chin gently on the top of my head and circles his arms around me, locking my elbows in place by my sides. Suddenly, I’m dizzy.
Let go of me.
The pressure on my head—in the exact location I was recently injured—makes me nauseous. I
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