Into the Game

It didn’t take long to cook the meat.

Michael rolled up the wild boar skin and placed it in a pocket on the side of his backpack. We would sell it once we got to an actual town.

We got back on the road and made our way to the border. This time the guards waved us through.

“How did they know?” I asked Michael once we were on the other side

“Know what?”

“That I killed a wild boar?”

“The game keeps up with everything.” Michael kicked a rock off the path. "Every computer character is tied into the system. Everything you do is recorded and added to your stats.”

“We have stats?”

“Yes, but not like what you’re thinking.” Michael took off his backpack and dug around for a moment. He pulled out a small book.

“In most games like this you would have health, magic, strength, agility, and defense. Those type of stats.” He opened the book. "In this game you don’t have any of those stats. There is nothing that you can ‘level up’.” He pointed at the first page. "Instead we have statistics. More like feats really. The game records what you’ve done. What you’ve killed and how many, where you’ve gone, interaction you’ve had with the computer characters. It even records interactions with the other players.”

I skimmed the first page of his book. It was mainly deer kills and not many. For being in the game for over eight years, he only had twelve deer kills, and eight wild boar kills.

“You haven’t done much.”

He flinched. "I’ve been enjoying my time out of a cell.”

“Fair enough.” I looked around the tall grass. "Should I be worried about the cats?”

He put the book back in his backpack and shouldered it. "Cat attacks on the road are rare.” He bounced the bow in his hands. "But it never hurts to be careful.”

I nodded and we started down the road. We walked in silence for a few minutes before curiosity got the better of me.

“How do you plan on finding my brother?”

Michael didn’t bother to turn around. "Each place we go through will be able to tell us his latest feat. All we have to do is keep heading in that direction.”

I reached for my map. "What’s the next town?”

“We aren’t going to a town.”

“What?” I dropped the map. "Why not?”

“Because you can’t go to the next zone.” Michael stopped. This time he turned around. "We have to get you the credentials to get into the next zone.”

“What do I have to kill this time?” I put the map back in my pocket. "A lion?”

“Nope.” He grinned, and then he turned and started walking down the road.

I jogged after him and waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t.

I grabbed his arm. "What do I have to kill?”

He turned around. "Why do you think you have to kill something?”

“I. Um.” I stammered. "Because I had to kill something to get across the last border.”

“This game isn’t just about killing.” He motioned around. "There is beauty to it.”

“Fine.” I stomped my foot. "What do I have to do?”

“Raid an elephant grave.”