Civilization

Standing in front of the shivering Rebecca was none other than our store manager. He was dressed in a long brown coat and navy blue pants, with our store uniform underneath. He wore a curious and worried expression as Rebecca wobbles back ducking down behind the counter with her hands gripping her head. Her whole body shakes uncontrollably, sweating dripping onto the floor.

"Manager? What's wrong Rebecca?"

"He-He-He."

"Ian, what is wrong with Rebecca? I just walked in and she screamed."

"Umm, I'm not sure, manager. I think maybe she isn't feeling that well. I'll take her home if that is okay?"

"Yes! Yes, take her home. Text me when she gets home and tell me how she is feeling okay?"

The manager rushes to the other side of the counter to try and help only to be greeted with a scream from Rebecca. Confused he backs off and I take Rebecca outside, letting her lean on my shoulder while I wrap my arm around her's to keep her upright. We walk further away from the store and after turning the corner I confirm with Rebecca her condition.

"Are you alright, Rebecca?"

She shakes her head violently, leaning against me and slowly dropping down to the ground.

"He is disgusting."

"Our manager?"

"Disgusting."

"Did you see something?"

"A glimpse. Shorter than normal but it was disgusting. I'm never walking back into that store. I'm leaving. I'm quitting."

"Okay, okay, let's head for the city. I still need to meet up with my friend. Do you want to talk about anything or should I let you just calm down?"

"We can talk more later. Just for now, just let me be, okay?"

I give Rebecca a reassuring smile and help her to her feet. We walk in silence to the train station and got on the train to the city. I didn't think that there would be another person that might as uncomfortable as I did when I left the game today. What makes it worse is that I know the person.

Is there more of this happening elsewhere or is it just something in our mind playing tricks on us? There is no evidence that I had that handprint around my neck and even Rebecca's 'thoughts' might just be her imagination, projected so vividly it seems real. I look at her as she sits across me looking out of the window. Her arms were crossed and her hands were tightly gripping onto her work shirt.

Afraid?

Worried?

Bit of both?

Maybe that was how I looked like when I first walked into the store earlier this morning. I text Evan that we were getting there early and luckily for us, he was also coming earlier as well. We got to the city and walked towards the cafe and standing in front of the cafe was Evan, dressed in a white polo and beige pants.

"Yo, Ian and Ian's friend."

"Hey, Evan. This is Rebecca, my co-worker. "

"Hi."

"Hmm, not much of a talker aye. Well, let's go in, I have a lot to talk about as well."

Rebecca and I follow Evan inside the cafe and sat in the back corner, ordering some drinks before talking.

"So, Ian, Rebecca, who wants to share their problems first? Come, counselor Evan will advise you."

"Is your friend always like this?"

"Sometimes, don't worry too much about it Rebecca. I'll start first. In the game, last night, one of my NPCs had visions about possible future events, and later on, Kingston, another player attacked me unwillingly almost causing my death. I woke up with a red handprint on my neck but it disappeared after I started to notice it. I felt very confused and afraid about-"

"Wow, wow, wow, stop right there. Let's back up. I see that there is a lot troubling you, so let's start at the top. The visions. Tell me about them."

"Well, first of all, the visions have a chance of happening. According to the game description of the skill, the vision can be real or it can be false."

Rebecca turns towards me with a confused face.

"So what is seen may not happen at all?"

"That's right but the thing is the NPC had 3 separate visions on different days. The first was me falling into a hole or something of that sort. The second was an NPC and Kingston fighting a dinosaur with the ground covered in blood and the last is all my NPCs plus me dead on a mound."

"Well, that is pretty umm, unfortunate…?"

"Evan, I thought you were going to help me through this?"

"Right, right, sorry, there is a lot to process and we haven't even gotten to the next part of your situation. Well, in my opinion, even if those visions are real, I think you should continue doing what you have been doing."

Fully engaging in the conversation, Rebecca leans forward slightly frowning a bit, confused about Evan's advice.

"Why? Shouldn't Ian be doing things to avoid it?"

"Look here, Rebecca what if the visions happen because he decides to avoid it? Sure there is a chance it happens because he decides to move about but there is also the chance that it will happen if he sits still. We have no way of knowing which action will cause the 'vision' to come true and then there is also the chance that the 'vision' is fake. Therefore, the best solution is to not think of a solution and move on."

"I understand Evan but what about the lives of my NPCs? They are more at risk than my life or Kingston's life since we are players."

"Be prepared. That's all you can do. Prepare more weapons. Prepare more resources. Never be alone at any point in time. Go slowly. Watch your back. Look before you step. Just be careful. That is all you can do."

"Ian could stay still and do all of that as well though."

"Yes, he could but he won't be making progress by staying in one spot. Moving around is vital in securing resources and more NPCs to build your settlement. That's the point of the game is it not?"

"Okay, I get it, Evan."

Evan claps his hands together with a big smile on his face.

"Now, onto the more intriguing part of the problem. What was this about a handprint?"

"For context, Kingston and I had a small fight where he ends up grabbing my neck with one hand and squeezing it. Before I hit 0 HP he stopped and not long later the game stopped and I woke up with an uncomfortable feeling around my throat. Kind of like the feeling of a dry throat only it hurts more. I drank water and went to the bathroom only to catch a glimpse of a red handprint around my neck in the same place where Kingston gripped but the moment I notice it and I blinked, it disappeared."

"Interesting. Very, very interesting."

"I too, have a similar experience."

"Oh? You too, Rebecca? Go on. Tell counselor Evan."

Rolling her eyes up, Rebecca slouches in her chair, hugging herself.

"In the game, I acquire a skill which allows me to sense danger, expect the danger I feel is the any and all malice towards other people. If someone wanted to stab me in the stomach, a scene would play in my head of it happening. Likewise, if someone wanted to tab another person I would see that as well. It…Also started to happen after I went out of the game today and I had some frightening experiences but after that one in the store nothing happened again. Like it disappeared."

"Really? Are you sure you are okay Rebecca?"

I feel surprised. No more incidences since seeing the manager. So the whole train ride and then in the cafe nothing happened. Then again, she didn't display any discomfort despite being around so many people in the train station or on the train. How did I not notice that?

"I'm fine for now Ian. I'm worried that it will come back."

"So the both of you have experienced game-like things in real life. That is so interesting! I have no advice for this by the way. Ian might have felt something similar to that experiment in the past. A man was shown a knife and then was blindfolded and strapped to a chair. The person touches the man's wrists with the back of the knife saying that he is cutting the man's hand while at the same time pouring warm water over the wound, expressing the amount of blood that was escaping the trapped man's body. Obviously, nothing was happening to the man but his body reacted in a way where even though there was no cut, a scar was formed in the part where there should have been a cut."

"So you are saying by body or mind felt so strongly about Kingston's attack on me that it formed the handprint even though I was in the game?"

"Maybe. I don't know but that is a plausible option."

"Then what about me? Why do I see visions of people doing horrible things to others or to myself."

"That, I have no idea. Maybe a very active imagination."

Rebecca slams her hand on the table, glaring at Evan.

"I AM NOT IMAGINING IT!"

"Rebecca, calm down. Evan doesn't know. He is only suggesting things."

"Fine."

"Sorry, Ian and Rebecca. I didn't know that this is what was troubling you two."

"It's fine. It happened only last night. Even now I don't know how to feel about it."

"Well, at least for something like this, just keep playing, and if it gets worse stop playing and get checked by a doctor."

"Yea. What about you? What was your predicament?"

"Ah, well it is definitely not as exciting as you two's but I am kind of stuck where I am and I wanted some advice on how to get out."

"What's wrong?"

"I have more or less figured out where I am on the continent and surprising I am kind of close to the center, so near you Ian."

"Oh, how did you do it?"

"I had some of my old gaming friends tell me about the map that Aqua was making. All the guilds are making a map of some sort using pieces of information from their guild members. The only problem with is method was the inaccuracy. Too many members with different information have made map build hard. What's more, is that there are spies from other guilds giving false information and all that other jazz.

From what I have found out from my friends is that there is a prototype map and looking at the map I am not too far away from the center. There is, unfortunately, no guide as to how far away I am but between you and me there is a large mountain range with I don't know grassland? Plains? Empty space? There is something between the mountain range which I am unsure of but after that is a forest which I believe is where you are located."

"Well, I am heading towards a mountain of some sort…"

"REALLY?"

"Yea, that's why I wanted advice. I was going to go on a journey that might last for weeks since I don't know how far away I will be gone."

"Damn, weeks? I thought it was going to just be days…"

"It's just what I have planned, I'm still in the preparation phase. Where about are you located, Rebecca?"

"I think the South. I have fought with a lot of skeletons and undead. I hate them."

"The South… That means we have a person in every part of the continent. Ian in the center, Sabrina in the East, Sam in the North, Rebecca in the South, and me in the West."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, were you not going to invite her to our guild?"

"We haven't even confirmed a name or anything for that yet, Evan."

"Well, does it matter though? Rebecca, how would you like to join a guild. It is small but with only top players."

"Top players? Please, do you expect me to believe Ian and you are top players? Wait… Ian, are you the Ian in the top 10? I thought it was just a coincidence but…"

"Uhh, yea that is me."

"Oh my god. Are you dumb? Why would you use your real name in the game?"

"I don't know…"

"Okay, Evan, I'll join but I'm still afraid of being in the game. That skill has no off switch and currently, my body is still shaking from previous incidents. I don't know what I can do for the guild."

"No, no. That is great. Just joining is great and try to do as little fighting as possible in the game, until you are more used to your skill."

"Okay."

"Good, I guess we are all on the same page, let me add you to the group chat and Ian add Kingston too."

"Okay."

"GREAT! WELCOME TO THE GUILD, REBECCA!"