PewDieCry : Experience - Book 01

Copyrighted 2014 © Ricky Nathan XII

Co-Writer : ERW XII

Edited by Rick Anderson

 Chapter 01

~Cry’s P.O.V~

The high pitched ringing of a phone woke me up at an unearthly hour. The early morning rays were shining in though the curtains, casting long shadows across my bedroom floor. I rolled out of bed with a loud groan, mumbling under my breath.

Who the hell calls at five in the morning? I thought as I picked up the phone. I’d only gone to bed an hour ago.

“Hello?” I answered. My voice was deep and thick with sleep.

“Hello please may I speak with Chaotic Monki?” a man replied.

“Yeah, speaking... but you can call me Cry,” I told the voice and scratched the back of my neck. I frowned, wondering who this could be.

“Eh... who is this?”

“Well Cry, I’m calling to inform you that you’re application to take part in ‘Experience2013’ has been accepted.” My eyes widened and I gripped the phone tightly.

“Really?” I asked. The drowsiness disappeared suddenly as excitement began to take over. Had I really gotten in? Surely it was too soon for them to reply ... I’d only sent in the application two weeks ago. I guess they chose the contestants quickly.

“Yes really. All the information you need has been emailed to you. All you need to do it confirm you’re place,” the man instructed.

“Wow that’s awesome... thanks man.”

I stood grinning to myself as I thought about what this meant. Being part of the first ever ‘Experience’ competition could possibly be the best thing to ever happen to me. It was about time I caught a break.

Honestly, I would have never even thought about taking part in such a thing if it hadn’t been for my little brother, Nathan, nagging me to and telling me that I couldn’t give up on my dream of getting into the gaming world. Like always, he was right. How could I just give up?

Now, if by some miracle, I managed to win ‘Experience2013’ I wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. It would be like a free pass into the world of games and adventure and that just what I need.

“Nathan!” I called once I’d hung up the phone. I didn’t care it was so early. I needed to tell someone.

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

 “What? I’ve gotten in?!” I yelled down the phone as my place in ‘Experience2013’ was confirmed. I couldn’t believe this.

This is big... this is HUGE! I couldn’t help but snigger, making a ‘that’s what she said’ joke.

“Yes, you sure have,” the woman from the other end chirped. “With a name like PewdPie it would be hard for us to say no,” the woman added and let out a small chuckle but I was too thrilled to take notice, too busy imagining what it would be like, living in a house with six other gamers, competing to win... something. I didn’t actually know what the prize was. In fact no one did, it was a total secret, only revealed once a winner was found, and of course, I thought that made the competition even more amazing.

“So when does it start?” I asked the woman on the phone. Hopefully it’ll be soon, I can’t wait to get started.

“In about three weeks, all the details will be emailed to you,” she explained but as she spoke I began to wonder something.

“Erm... who else has been chosen?” I asked, curiosity taking the better of me as it always did. Maybe it was someone I’ve heard of.

“Oh no, I can’t tell you that. That’s all part of the game,” she replied.

Chapter 02

~Cry’s P.O.V~

“Welcome Cry, to Experience2013!” I recognised the voice instantly. I was the man who’d called me to confirm my place here. A guy who looked around 30 welcomed me as I jumped out my car. A long white lab coat hung on his shoulders with a name badge reading: Paul Whitfield. He seemed friendly enough with small crinkle forming around his eyes as he smiled.

“Hey,” I replied and reached out to shake his. He began to talk, filling me in on stuff I really should have been listening to but I was taken aback by the huge building behind him. It stood tall, blocking the sun from view and overlooked the car park which was tiny in comparison. Its walls were a light grey color and large windows covering the first three floors, giving you a clear view of what was going on inside.

“This place is huge,” I murmured as Paul led me through the main entrance. I was met with a swarm of people, some in lab coats like Paul and others dressed casually. “Who are all these people?” I asked and looked up at him as he gazed proudly around the room.

“These are the minds behind ‘Experience2013’. These people make everything possible.”

“Cool, what exactly do they do?”

Up until now everything had been kept very secret. I wasn’t told about what I’d have to do, who else had been chosen. I hadn’t even known where this place was until they emailed me the address yesterday. All I’d

known is that ‘Experience2013’ was taking place in Florida.

“I guess it’s about time I explained... but first let me introduce you to someone very important...,” Paul trailed off as a woman made her way over to us. “Cry, meet Miss. Anna Sharp. The founder or ‘Experience’.”

“Hello,” I greeted her with another hand shake. She smiled down at me but it didn’t look right with her sharp, businesslike features.

“Hello Cry, what do you think?” she asked and gestured around the room.

“It’s very... big,” I answered. They both laughed at my remark then told me to follow them.

“As you already know, you were chosen as one of the twelve contestants of ‘Experience2013’. What you might not know it that you’ll be working with five other contestants as a team. You’ll be living with your team-mates in one of the two houses we have on campus for the duration of the competition,” Anna explained as we walked into a small room behind the reception desk of the main lobby. I noticed a small box on a desk with my name written on it.

“The competition consists of you and your team-mates making your way through a series of... simulations. Basically, our expert team has discovered a way to create a virtual environment in which you’ll be expected to race against the other team to complete a number of tasks,” Paul added.

“A virtual environment?” I asked, adjusting my glasses and gripping the handle to my suitcase.

“Yes. It’s perfectly safe and controlled. All you need to do is enter one of the simulation rooms and we’re able to manipulate the environment around you. It’ll be just like you’re playing a game,” he explained. That sounded pretty darn cool, sounds like it’s actually going to live up to my expectations.

“But you have to follow a certain... condition,” Anna added, pushing the box towards me. I glanced down at the box, feeling my face fall sceptically. I should have known there’d be a catch to this.

“Go on. Open it,” she coaxed. I glanced between them both before tearing into the box to discover what mystery lay inside it. Peering inside I was met with something odd, something totally unexpected.

“What’s this?” I asked as I pulled out the white poker face mask. Thick string hung each side, allowing someone to easily fasten it on.

“You’re condition Cry... is to remain completely anonyms. You must never show your face to the other competitors. If you do you’ll be removed from the game immediately,” Anna answered sternly. I could see from her expression that she was deadly serious.

“You must never discuss your condition with any of the other competitors,” Paul added, his voice much softer. I liked this guy... more than Anna anyways.

Looking down at the mask I inspected it closely... I guess I could wear it. I guess it could be worse.

“Okay then. I’ll stay anonyms,” I agreed and pulled my glasses off. Luckily I’d bought my contacts with me.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Anna nodded then turned to Paul. “Paul, take him to meet the others.”

“Come on,” Paul told me, taking my suitcase and leaving the room. Before leaving the room I tied the white ceramic mask to my face, making sure it was tightly fixed then glancing at my reflection in the window. So... this was Cry from now on.

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

We’d been sitting here for nearly half an hour, me and ten other competitors. We were still waiting for one more to arrive.

“So... what do you think of all this?” a man with a clear Mississippi accent asked me. I couldn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes as he glanced around the room full of gamers.

“It’s unbelievable. Did they tell you about the simulations?” I asked.

“Yeah. These people have some serious talent.”

“Bro, you’re telling me.”

“So... who are you?” he asked me curiously.

“I’m PewdPie. You?”

“CinnamonToastKen... but you can call me Ken,” he laughed. “I used to have a beard ya know,” he added sadly.

“Huh?”

“I cut it because of summer season,” he explained, shaking his head as if he’s lost something precious. “My poor chin was getting too hot,” he added and I couldn’t help but laugh. I think I was going to like this guy.

I have to admit this place seemed a lot more advanced than I thought it was. I’d thought we’d just be playing video games on a console but no... They had a way of making us feel like we were in the game. A simulation.

“So you’re... Swedish?” Ken guessed, noticing my accent.

“Yeah. I’m from the land of Sweden.”

“The land of Sweden? Sounds dangerous,” he chuckled.

We carried on talking for a while, mostly about video games but I couldn’t help my mind from wondering to the condition I’d been told I had to follow. I didn’t quite understand it but they told me to follow it. They told me it would be important... “Contestants!” My thoughts were interrupted by Paul calling to us from down the corridor. Ken and I sheared a quick glance before turning to Paul who rushing into the room.

“Our last man has arrived! Everyone... meet Cry.”

Chapter 03

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

I sat, completely frozen in my chair as I watched the tall masked man scurry around the room, trying to find a seat. There was something about him... I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Right people, it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” Paul announced dramatically and pulled a sheet of paper from the breast pocket of his lab coat. Ken nudged me and nodded towards Cry who was shifting in his seat across the room from us.

“What do you think the deal is with him?” he asked. I narrowed my eyes, taking in Cry’s lanky body, his mop of brunette hair and the mask which hid him away from us all.

“I don’t know,” I whispered.

“And the mask?”

“Maybe it’s his thing?” I guessed. Ken nodded slowly, mulling over the idea.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” he chuckled then looked back to Paul who was calling to us, telling us to listen. Ken and I shared one last mischievous grin. I felt like I was in school again, getting told off for not paying attention in class.

“It’s time to meet your team-mates! On this sheet are the names of those you’ll be working with for the duration of the competition. These are the people you’ll have to trust, respect and most importantly... look out for,” Paul explained then gave us all a smile, flashing a set of clean, white teeth. I began fidgeting with the buttons on my jacket. God, I hope Ken’s on my team. I’d hate to be working against him.

“When I call out your name just come over to the front. Firstly we have Team X,” Paul began then lifted the paper in front of his face. He began calling out names painfully slowly, “Contestant one... Russ Money.” A tall man with brown hair and glasses stepped up and made his way towards Paul. “Contestant two... Scott Jund.” This time a man with short dark hair walked over to the front, a guitar case slung on his back.

“Contestant three... CinnamonToastKen.” My head shot to Ken who raised his eyebrows.

“Good luck,” he whispered to me before standing up and joining the other men at the front.

“Contestant four... Red.” A woman with bright red hair and glasses hopped up from her seat and rushed over to the front. She was practically leaking enthusiasm which seemed to rub off on me. I shifted and crossed my fingers, hoping my name was called.

“Contestant five... PewdPie.” I jumped from my seat, causing the few others sitting around me to flinch slightly. I noticed Ken smile widely at me and I brofisted him when I got to the front.

“And the last contestant in Team X is... Cry!” Paul announced. I peered over Kens shoulder and saw the masked man making his way over to us. Gosh, there really was something about him... something I just liked. “Now time for Team Y...”

~Cry’s P.O.V~

I glanced at the contestants which gathered around me.

In the background I heard Paul call the names of the other team,

“MangoLouise... MegaHaz... AmzPix... ShaunFTW... MaximumTimeHunter... StanSeven.”

One contestant had caught my eye in particular, a tall skinny man with dirty blonde hair. When I entered the room the first think I saw was his stunning blue eyes. They were just so bright, so inviting. He stood just behind me, whispering to a contestant he called ‘Ken.’ They seemed to be getting on pretty well already. Was it bad that this made me slightly jealous? I mean, I don’t even know the guy and I’m getting touchy over him. What’s wrong with me? Not to mention this mask... he probably thinks I’m weird.

“Hey, Cry is it?” I felt a hand tap my arm.

“Oh yeah. And you’re Russ right?” I replied, looking at the brunette with glasses.

“That’s right,” he smirked. “I like the mask,” he pointed at my face and I nodded slowly.

“Thanks,” I murmured.

“It’s... different.”

“I guess you could say that,” I chuckled.

“So Cry, made any friends yet?” he teased, already knowing the answer.

“Nope. You?”

“Well I was talking to Red and Scott before. They seem pretty cool,” he replied and nodded towards the red head and the man with the guitar. They were talking quietly beside us.

“What about Pewd?” I whispered quietly before I managed to stop myself. Russ glanced back at the two chatting behind us.

“No not yet but he seems pretty alright. Why? You know him?” he asked.

“Oh no. I was just wondering,” I rushed, feeling my cheeks grow warm behind my mask. I was about to ask him about Ken but Paul’s loud voice interrupted me.

“Now you’ve all met you’re team it’s time to show you were you’ll be living. I’ll take Team X to their quarters. Team Y, you’ll be shown around my Anna,” Paul explained as Anna entered the room. A smile was plastered on her face but it seemed too forced to be genuine.

“Come on then people,” Paul called to us as he made his way towards a glass door leading out the building.

Russ and I trailed behind the group as we followed Paul down the gravel path and towards an area scattered with trees. We were busy talking about the simulations that had been explained to us when I heard someone yell.

“Jesus! Look!” I turned to see a giant house in the distance. It seemed more like an apartment block than a house but as we got closer I noticed the warm brick work and thick glass windows, making the building look more inviting. Not only that but I could see a clear swimming pool peeping out from round back.

“Jävla helvete,” Pewd cried in Swedish. His accent was thick with excitement and for some unknown reason... it made my stomach flip. I noticed Ken glancing up at him, laughing at his outburst. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling either. Pewd’s was kind of cute.

Wait... was I... attracted to him?!

“Yes I know,” Paul sighed, looking the place up and down. “This will be your home from now on. I’ll let you guys settle in. You’ll need to be back at the main building by ten o’clock tomorrow morning for us to brief you and fill you in on the... rules. For tonight just stay in this building and, please, try not to break anything.”

Chapter 04

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

As soon as Paul left us the whole group rushed into the house, racing to get the best room. There were six bedrooms in total and I managed to grab the one looking out onto the pool in the back. Ken got the room next to mine and there was another room near ours. I think the girl named Red got that one. The three other rooms were at the front of the house. Seriously though, this place was HUGE! As far as I knew each room had its own bathroom, the kitchen downstairs was massive and held a six seated bar were we’d eat our meals, the living room was filled with sleek black sofas, a plasma screen TV and just about every games condole you can think of and this place had a pool! A pool!

I was about to open my suitcase and unpack when I noticed something odd. This suitcase was black... mine was brown.

“Dammit,” I muttered and searched for the tag which read: Cry. I must have grabbed the wrong one in the rush to find a room. Hopefully he had my stuff because I really couldn’t wait to get in that pool. The weather here in Florida is boiling compared to Sweden... well, compared to most countries.

I dragged the suitcase down the stairs leading into the spacious living room but I was brought to a halt when the case got caught on something. Bending down to inspect what was wrong, I found that the wheel had got caught on something... but I couldn’t see what. I began tugging the handle, hoping to shift it but nothing happened.

“Right,” I whispered grasped the case with both hands. I leant back and pulled it harshly. This time the suitcase moved but I was sent tumbling backwards into something solid.

“Whoa,” I deep voice gasped as I struggled to catch my balance. The man grabbed my arm, helping to steady me. “Someone’s in a hurry,” he added. I could feel my cheeks grow red with embarrassment.

“S-sorry.” My hair was fallen over my face so I peeked through to see Cry standing before me, staring at me with that white poker face mask. We were a similar height, he was maybe slightly taller but it was hard to tell.

“It’s alright friend. I think I have something of yours...” he said and pushed my brown suitcase forward. A smile stretched across my face.

“Thanks! Yeah, I had yours,” I nudged his forward before retrieving my own and grinning like a fool. His eyes fell onto the wireless headphones around my neck.

“Nice headphones,” he remarked... His voice was so alluring. I imagined that this is what melted chocolate would sound like if it could talk. Remembering what he’d actually said, my hand reached up to touch the headphones. I’d only gotten them this morning... when Anna had given them to me in a box and told me I must have them on me at all times. That was my condition. I don’t know why I had to wear them. She told me I’d find out soon enough... as long as I didn’t tell anyone.

“Nice mask,” I replied.

~Cry’s P.O.V~

After bumping into Pewd’s in the living rooms we got talking, soon forgetting about our suitcases which remained at the bottom of the stairs. Half an hour later we found ourselves slouched on the sofa with our laptops out as we play a ‘No Room in Hell’ co-op map.

“Who am I?” Pewd’s asked when our characters found each other in the game.

“The guy you thought I was going to be,” he chuckled.

“The fatty?”

“Yeah,” I laughed and showed him my screen. He burst out laughing and, in the process accidentally made his character punch mine in the face. It only caused him to laugh even harder when I began running away from him in mock fear.

“No! Come back Cry!” he called as his character chased mine. By time he caught up with me I was laughing so hard it caused a pain in my stomach.

“Hey look Pewd’s,” I managed to say around my fit of hysterics. “Guns! Well... only one.”

“Wow,” he gasped, seeing the room full of weapons our characters had ended up in.

After that the next two hours were filled with us trying to kill each other, messing about and having more fun than I’ve had in a long time. He was so easy to get on with.

“You had enough Cry?” Pewd’s asked when he noticed me staring blankly at my screen, oblivious to the fact my character was getting mauled by zombies.

“Yeah. I’m pretty hungry,” I replied and pushed the laptop off my knee. He smirked at me then grabbed my hand. I was shocked for a moment but he pulled me from me seat and led me into the kitchen. His hands were surprisingly soft but just as I was beginning to like it he dropped my hand and began raiding the kitchen, searching for food.

The sun had started to set outside but that didn’t stop the others from hanging by the pool. Russ and Red were swimming, playfully splashing each other with water as Scott played his guitar and Ken seemed to be sleeping on one of the deck chairs.

“Cry...” Pewd’s called softly. I turned around to see him gazing into a cupboard.

“Hmm?” I walked over to him then saw what he was staring at. It was filled with potato chips, chocolate and sweets. “God. This place is awesome!”

We both dived into the array of treats, grabbing as much as we could carry.

“Come on,” Pewd’s called as he rushed outside. I turned to him, wondering what he was planning but followed him anyway. The childlike enthusiasm in his voice was impossible to disobey.

“Bros!” Pewd’s yelled as he stepped outside. Everyone around the pool stopped what they were doing and gawped at the piles of goodies we held before them. Pewd’s dropped his on the bench between Ken and Scott then nudged Ken awake with his foot.

“Holy mother of...” Scott began but trailed off, his eyes wide as he tried to take in the amount of sugar piled before him. I came up from behind Pewd’s and dropped my pile too. I didn’t think it was possible for Scott’s eyes could get any wider... I guess I was wrong.

“This place is heaven!” Russ yelled as he jumped out the pool, stopping to help pull Red out then turning his full attention to the sweets.

“Where did you find all this?” Red asked whist wrapping a towel around her body.

“In the kitchen,” Pewd’s replied proudly. “You’re welcome,” he added and bowed before them all.

“It’s like Christmas!” Ken yelled. That’s when everyone dove towards the sweets, grabbing what they could and digging in.

But I didn’t join them.

Instead I backed off into the kitchen.

I had an idea.

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

“Where’d Cry go?” Ken asked me around a mouthful of cotton candy. I had noticed him wondering back inside a few minutes ago. I’d thought this would be a great way for us all to get to know each other, and it was... but Cry wasn’t here. He was missing. I’d noticed that he was a little

shy at first but as soon as we’d got talking it was as if we’d been friends for years. I’d had so much fun that I’d totally forgotten about the pool. I’d only seen Cry speaking with one other contestant, Russ, so I thought that this would be a good way for him to get involved. Instead he’d just walked away. Maybe I should go find him?

“I don’t know. I don’t think this is his thing,” Russ said as he eyed up the caramel popcorn Red was munching on.

“Don’t even think about it,” she warned him. I’d noticed those two were getting pretty friendly, if ya’ know what I mean.

“Ah come on,” he pleaded, pouting at her but she shook her head and held the popcorn away from him. Sudden he pounced, stretching for the bag but instead just toppling over her clumsily. Red’s soft giggle was heard just before the rest of us burst out laughing.

“Get a room!” Scott yelled and threw a bag of crisps as them.

“Stop it,” I wacked his arm playfully. “I like watching love bloom.”

“Yes... It’s just so... beautiful,” Ken added dramatically and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. This led us all into another fit of hysterics which ended with me doubled over, clutching my stomach as tears formed in my eyes. I hadn’t laughed this hard in a while.

“Hey friends,” a deep, mischievous voice called towards us. I looked up and saw Cry standing near the kitchen door. His brown hair was tousled, the sleeves of his black shirt were folded up to his elbows and a large box swung in his grasp. “Guess what I found.”

He held up the crate of alcohol and everyone around me jumped up cheering. Scott dropped his crisps and ran over to him.

“Man, I love you!” he yelled and pulled him into a tight hug before leading Cry over to us all. Everyone began rummaging through the crate and admiring Cry’s findings but, as he walked over to me with two bottles in his hands, all I could think was... Damn, he’s hot!!!.

Chapter 05

~Cry’s P.O.V~

“Glad to see you’ve decided to grace us with your presence Team X,” Anna called as we rushed through the door of the main building. I glanced at Pewd’s who stood beside me, cringing slightly at Anna’s harsh tone and the questioning glances from Team Y. We shuffled forward, all of us out of breath from running down here and stood before Anna and Paul.

“Well?” Anna prompted. “What’s your excuse?”

“Sorry...it’s my fault,” I admitted and rubbed the back of my neck nervously. They wouldn’t kick me out the competition would they? Anna was about to say something but was interrupted by Scott, Russ, Pewd’s, Red and Ken who suddenly began defending me.

“Whoa!” Paul shouted over them all. He jumped off the table he’d been sitting on and made his way over to us. “Russ. Please explain to us why you’re all late,” he said and gestured to Russ.

“Erm well... I guess we all stayed up too late last night,” he answered. The rest of us nodded vigorously in support.

“Well... it was your first night here. It’s good that you’re getting to know each other,” Paul smiled down at us although Anna glared at him disapprovingly.

“If it happens again there will be consequences,” Anna warned us.

“That was close,” Pewd’s whispered in my ear. His warm breath brushed against my neck, causing goose bumps to appear long my arms. All I could do was nod in response.

Paul and Anna made their way back to the front and although I should have been eying up the competition like the rest of my team, my mind was running through what I remembered of last night. It all went a bit cloudy after we decided to do shots of vodka jelly. Of course that resulted in Scott jumping in the pool fully clothed and Pewd’s pinching his guitar, climbing onto the bar in the kitchen and dancing around whilst singing loudly over the loud music Russ had put on.

I remember Ken jumping onto the counter with him and singing along.

I remember Russ finally making a move on Red which resulted in them making out most the night.

I remember lying on the floor, weak from hysterical laughter as Ken tried to jump from the counter to the sofa in the living room... He missed and dived straight into a soaking wet Scott.

I remember drawing a moustache, with Russ, on Scott’s face after he fell asleep on the couch as Pewd’s and Red began playing ‘Just Dance’ on the WII. Soon all of us were playing, falling over and making fun of one another. That’s the last I remember... which makes me wonder...

How did I end up in Pewd’s’ bed this morning with his T-shirt in my hand?

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

“Alright then! Now everyone is here, it’s time to go through the rules,” Anna said and clapped her hands together. Her short brown hair fell down to her chin and the thick framed glasses made her features look even sharper than they actually were. Not to mention these freaky lab coats everyone wears. What are they about anyway?

“Rule number one; do not, under any circumstances, leave your houses at night. After 8pm every contestant must remain in their team houses until 8am,” she began, her dark eyes staring us all down. “Rule two; absolutely no illegal drugs of any kind are allowed on the premises. If you are found in possession of any you will be immediately eliminated from the competition and the police will be informed.”

“What about cigarettes?” a tall blonde man from the other team asked. I think his name was Max.

“Are cigarettes illegal Max?” she asked him. Yes, he was Max alright.

“Erm...no,” he replied and I heard Scott chuckle behind me.

After shaking her head Anna began talking again. “Rule three; the competition consists of six simulations. In each simulation two contestants will be illuminated. There is to be no foul play during these games, no hacking and no cheating. There are serious consequences for those who do,” she warned. “Now, I believe Paul should explain the fourth rule...”

My eyes fell on Cry as he stood beside me. Even with his mask on I could tell he wasn’t paying attention to anything Anna was saying. I nudged his arm and his head jerked towards me. I’d obviously shocked him.

“What’s up friend?” he whispered to me.

“You should listen,” I told him and pointed towards Paul who came to the front. Cry nodded and folded his arms across his chest.

“Some of you will already be aware of this but we’ve been told that we must inform you all to ensure the competition is fair. There are six contestants standing in this room who have been given... ‘Conditions’ to follow. Three contestants on each team...” he began before everyone began whispering to each other and shifting nervously.

“Whoa, calm down,” Paul interrupted. “Rule four is that you cannot ask your fellow team mates if they have a condition or what they think the conditions are. No discussion of the conditions can take place. It’s vital for the competition. Do you all understand?” Paul asked.

Everyone nodded. So it wasn’t just me? Five other contestants had conditions too. I wonder what they were...

“Now everything’s been explained it’s time for the competition to start!” Anna announced and raised her hands in the air. “Tomorrow the first simulation will take place and, for two of you, it will be the end of your journey. So go back to your quarters, get some rest and we need you here for nine o’clock tomorrow morning,” Anna said then turned to our team. “That means everyone.”

I lay on deckchair by the pool, drying off in the midday sun after a relaxing swim. I’d been so busy gaming with Cry yesterday that I hadn’t had time to enjoy the pool but considering Cry had disappeared into his room when he got back to the house, I had my chance to use it. The only bad thing was that I had to take my headphones off when I swam so I couldn’t stay in the pool for long. I’d just left them on my deckchair and hoped nothing important happened. Luckily, when I returned, they were still silent and I put them straight back on.

“Last night was crazy,” I heard Ken say as he lay on the chair next to mine.

“Remember when you tried to fly across the room?” I laughed and Ken groaned.

“I’ve got a bruise from that,” he complained and rubbed his hip.

“Hey! Think about how I feel!” Scott called from the pool. I remember how Ken had fallen straight into Scott and how Cry had collapsed on the floor, laughing to hard to stand up. God, that laugh. I could listen to it all day. There had hardly been a moment last night when he wasn’t laughing or giggling about something. Drunken Cry was so giggly. I wonder if he remembers what happened last night when I took him to bed...

* * *

“Pewd’s!” Cry sang drunkenly as I helped him up the stairs. I was pretty drunk myself, my vision was a blur and it felt as if the floor was tilting slowly.

“Cry!” I sang back and got a soft giggle as a reply. His head lulled against my shoulder and his feet were clumsy on the ground. Due to my cloudy mind, I really had no idea where I was heading. All I knew was that my feet were moving.

“You’re funny friend,” he slurred through another round of giggles. “I like... you’re... haha!” He must have thought of something funny because he was too busy laughing to ever finish the sentence. I started laughing to, feeling my hand pushing against the door to my room. My room? Ah well...

“Oh Pewd’s... you taking me to bed?” he chuckled. A certain air of mischief could be heard in his voice. I laughed and dropped him onto the bed. He sprawled out, grasping the covers and burying his head in the pillow.

“In your dreams Cry,” I joked as I fell onto the bed beside him. Hmmm this bed was soft.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was,” he whispered and when I turned to look at him his was sitting up slightly, looking down at me. I wish I could see his face...

“Cry, are you flirting with me?” I teased and batted my eyelashes at him. He giggled and threw a pillow at me.

“Nooooo,” he answered, making it sound like a lie.

“You’re drunk,” I laughed and prodded his side. He jerked suddenly then burst into another fit of giggles.

“Nooooo, you’re drunk,” he slurred and faced back down towards me. We sat there for a moment, silence hanging heavily around us before I reach over to him. My fingers traced around the edge of his mask. It was so smooth. It felt almost soft. Would he let me? He sat frozen for a second but as soon as my fingers reached the bottom of the mask he slapped my hand away and rolled over giggling.

“I’m not that easy Pewd’s!” he called and nudged me with his foot teasingly. I laughed softly before noticing how hot it was in this room. Cry was facing away from me now and his breathing had suddenly turned soft and relaxed so I guessed he was sleeping. I pulled my shirt over my head clumsily before collapsing beside him and soon falling to sleep.

* * *

When I woke up this morning he was still fast asleep clutching my shirt.

“Hey Pewd’s? Did you hear me?” I heard a familiar voice ask. I looked to my side to see Cry sitting on the deckchair. Ken was sitting up on my other side, also waiting for an answer.

“Huh?” I asked, still dazed from the memories of last night.

“I asked if you wanted to come explore this place with us,” he said. I turned to see Scott getting out of the pool and drying off. “Plus I think we should leave those two... alone for a while,” he added and pointed towards Russ and Red who were whispering into each other’s ear affectionately.

“Haha sounds like a plan bro.”

Chapter 06

~Cry’s P.O.V~

The clock on the wall in my room let out a continuous ticking which was driving me nuts. Glancing up at it I could see it was nearly 6am. Why am I up so early? I’m never up this early. I grabbed the thin sheets and rolled over, pressing my faced against the pillow. It felt good not to be wearing the mask, feeling the soft material against my skin, but I was growing to like the constant cover I had from everyone. Nobody here was judging me on my looks... I liked that.

I wonder if Pewd’s is awake, or Russ or Scott. Luckily Pewd’s had explained what happened the other night when I’d asked when we were ‘exploring.’ He told me we were both drunk so he took me to bed, not realizing it was his room. When I asked about his shirt he laughed and told me not to worry about it, nothing had happened. I was relieved... if something ever happened between us two I’d want to remember it. For a second I closed my eyes and imagined. I imagined what his lips would feel like against mine. What he’d say if he was lying beside me now like he was last night.

“God Dammit,” I muttered and jumped out of bed before my thoughts got too out of hand. I grabbed a towel and jumped into the shower. I don’t even know if Pewd’s is into guys like I am. I mean, sure, I’ve known I was bi for some time now but I’ve never met a guy like Pewd’s. He’s different. He’s... just different. God, I don’t know. I’m really confused about it all.

I have more important things to think about now anyway. Like the competition today. It was starting in 3 hours. At least I won’t be late this time.

Jumping out the shower I got dressed and put on my mask then headed downstairs for some breakfast. Scott and Russ were already in the kitchen, sitting at the bar and eating cereal.

“Morning,” I called to them.

“Hey Cry, can’t sleep either?” Scott asked.

“Not really,” I replied.

“Thinking about today?” Russ guessed and pushed the carton of milk over to me as I sat down with my bowl of fruit loops.

“Yeah,” I lied. I couldn’t exactly tell them I was thinking about Pewd’s.

“We’re so going to kick the other team’s asses,” Russ added with a wide smile.

“What do you think the simulation will be?” Scott asked us. We both shrugged. “Maybe a strip club?” he added and wiggled his eyebrows. We both laughed at him.

“What’s this about a strip club?” Red asked as she entered the room.

“Nothing,” Russ answered quickly. Red just laughed and kissed his cheek before going to fetch herself some toast.

“Dude?” I said quietly.

“Haha yep it’s official,” Russ laughed and flicked some cereal my way.

“She’s my gal.”

“That was quick,” Scott teased and nudged him. Russ just rolled his eyes, flicking more cereal at Scott.

“Shut up,” he laughed before Scott’s cereal piece hit him square in the nose. It was awkward eating with this mask on but I managed without having to lift it up. I guess Anna designed it with that in mind.

“Hi Cry,” Red said as she perched on the stool beside me.

“Hey Red.”

“Sleep okay?”

“I guess,” I replied then caught sight of a sheet of paper she held.

“Did you draw that?” I asked, looking at the sketch of some anime characters.

“Yeah, you like it?” she asked, setting it on the table.

“It’s awesome,” I answered honestly. “You’re really talented.”

“Awh thanks Cry,” she smiled and pushed her glasses up her nose and pulling a pencil from behind her ear. “It’s not finished yet but I think it’s alright,” she added.

“You’re like a genius with a pencil,” Scott joked but I could see he was admiring her work just as much as I was.

Soon Pewd’s came down and sat next to me, eating cereal and telling me about the crazy dream he had about giant spiders wearing sunglasses. I just sat and laughed, not being able to take my eyes off him. He looked so good in the morning.

God, what is wrong with me? I thought, noticing that my mind was, yet again, filled with thoughts of the guy.

Ken followed shortly after and before long it was nearly 9 o’clock.

“Time to go,” Red told us all, determined not to be late again.

“Let the games begin!” I called, throwing my hands in the air dramatically.

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

“You ready?” Cry asked me as we stood outside the simulation room. Team Y were sent to a different one to stop us from arguing or something. I don’t want to fight with them but I guess it’s just for safety reasons. So, we were left here, waiting for Paul to arrive and tell us what we needed to do. It won’t be long now.

“I’m quite excited,” I replied. I couldn’t wait to discover what surprises they had in store for us. Hopefully we won’t have to fight anything, I suck at that.

“Yeah, me too,” Cry agreed, leaning against the wall and facing me. I felt my cheeks grow hot when he didn’t turn away. “Hey Pewd’s...” he began but stopped suddenly.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Don’t you think it’s strange? This place is totally surrounded with forest. It’s so hidden,” he said. I thought back to yesterday and how we’d walked around for an hour, only to be met with endless trees and thick forest.

“I don’t know. Maybe they want to keep this place private,” I guessed and shrugged. I wouldn’t be surprised after all the publicity this competition had got. The last thing they’d want is a herd of people interrupting it. “Plus these ‘simulations’ seem pretty advance. Maybe they don’t want anyone stealing their ideas,” I added.

“Hmm I guess,” Cry nodded but he still sounded unsure.

“Oh Cry, are you always this paranoid?” I teased and gave him a smirk. I wish I could see his face. To see if he’d smiled at my words or rolled his eyes... but I couldn’t. I didn’t get an answer either because just that second Paul came round the corner.

“It’s time guys. The simulation is ready!” he cheered, pushed the door of the simulation room open and rushed inside.

“Come on Cry,” I coaxed, seeing him linger behind slightly. He stood up straight and made his way to the door but before he answered he leaned closer to me.

“By the way Pewd’s. I’m not paranoid,” he whispered in my ear, his voice deep and seductive. Then... I felt his hand come down, slapping me on the ass playfully. A small yelp escaped my lips and I was left in utter shock. He casually walked into the room, leaving me frozen to the spot, my cheeks bright red and a strange feeling in my stomach.

Chapter 07

~Cry's P.O.V~

I stood, grinning to myself as I watched Pewd’s stumble into the room. It was hard to miss his deep blush. The deep blush which I had caused...I felt so proud.

“The competition begins in five minutes to I’ll be quick,” Paul began as we gathered around. This room was completely empty with large white tiles covering the walls, floor and ceiling. They must be what they project the simulation on. “The aim of this first simulation is to find the Glass House. The first team to find it wins,” he told us then headed for the door.

“Wait...” Ken called after him. He turned and looked at us all. “What are the rules?” he asked.

“That’s simple. No cheating,” he replied then left the room. We all glanced at each other, suddenly nervous. My eyes fell on Pewd’s who was shifting from side to side, his cheeks still pink as he kept glancing over to me, unaware that I could see him.

“What the hell was that about?” Red asked us all and pointing in the direction Paul left.

“He didn’t even tell us what the simulation was.” Scott’s voice seemed rushed and panicked. Suddenly all the lights went out, bathing us in total darkness. I flinched sharply, my eyes darting around the room but I saw nothing. The room around me erupted into a mess of questions and frantic voices as everyone began to worry. Someone walked straight into me but then passed, searching for a wall to grab. I heard Red mumble an apology somewhere in the room. 

“The doors locked!” I heard Russ yelled.

Where was Pewd’s? I couldn’t hear him anywhere. Fear began to rise inside of me. I knew there was something wrong with this place! I knew it! Why did no one...

My thoughts were cut short as the room was cast in a dim light. Numbers appeared on the back wall, showing a timer counting down from 10 seconds. Silence fell and sliced through our chaos as we all stared at the screen.

“Cry?” I heard the comforting Swedish accent of the guy I’d been worrying about a moment ago. When I looked down, Pewd’s was standing beside me, his eyes wide with either fear or excitement... maybe it was both. I let out the breath I’d been holding in. I was about to say something when a loud buzzer interrupted me, filling the room with a horrible high-pitched ringing.

“Contestants,” a fuzzy voice called through a speaker. We all looked up, searching for the source of the voice but found nothing in the dull room. “Get ready. It’s time.”

The buzzer continued to sound but the speaker cut off. When I turned to the timer I saw it flashing with the number 1 then it suddenly turned to 0 and we were all drowned in darkness again. But this time it was only for a moment because in the space of a blink I found myself somewhere totally different.

“Are we... in the desert?” Scott gasped.

“Holy shit,” Russ said in disbelief as he looked around him. We were surrounded by endless mounds of sand. It stretched as far as the eye could see, joining with the horizon where the blazing sun stood high in the sky. It was boiling here, the heat was intense and I was already beginning to sweat.

“How are we supposed to find a Glass House in this?” Ken asked, stretching his arms out towards the miles of sand. Red began raking her hands through her hair, searching in all directions for something. I spun around too. Maybe if we would see something in the distance it would tell us which was to go.

“There’s nothing,” Red called to us all.

“Guy!” Pewd’s yelled. We all turned around to see him standing before us, his hands on his hips as he shook his head. “We all need to calm down. We can do this. I know we can,” he said encouragingly. The way his eyes shone made it impossible for me not to believe him.

“Pewd’s is right,” I said which got me a shy smile from him. “I say, we pick a direction and follow it.”

“Yeah, we’ve got to find the Glass House before the other team,” Pewd’s reminded us.

“But what if we go it the wrong direction or something?” Red asked nervously.

“Have you got a better idea?” I replied, turning to her. She sighed, closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Come on then people!” Pewd’s cheered. “I say...,” he began but stopped short. He suddenly started spinning around with one hand over his eyes and the other stretched out, pointing in every direction. “I say we go this way!” he yelled and stopped abruptly. He stood pointing in a random direction with a silly grin on his face.

It’s amazing how easily he can make us all laugh.

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

I walked... and walked.... and then walked some more. It seems like it’s the only thing you can do in the desert. We can’t even play eye-spy because there’s nothing but sand!  Don’t get me wrong, it does look kind of beautiful when the sun hits the sand, making it sparkle. Or when the sky turns pink as the sun sets...Or when Cry looks up, allowing me to peek up his mask and get a glimpse of his jaw line. Sure, looking at that can amuse me for an hour or two but now my feet are hurting, I’m boiling hot and I’m tired. Nor did it help that my mind kept remembering the way Cry had slapped my ass earlier. Every time the memory popped into my head it made me flush and my whole body would heat up. Why did  he even do that? I’m not going to lie, it felt pretty good but it still made me wonder. Maybe... No he was probably just messing with me. 

I looked up at the sky but was only reminded that I have no idea how long we’ve been in the simulation. Just moments ago the sun had begun to set.

“Hahahahahaha,” I heard Scott begin to laugh hysterically. The others walked quite a bit ahead of me as I was beginning to get tired but Cry had hung back, keeping in step with me and talking to me to get my mind off the fact that I felt like I was going to collapse.

When we heard Scott we both looked up to see what was going on. As soon as I looked up I wished I hadn’t. Standing before us was a giant sand dune that stretched for miles. There was no walking around it, only over. Ahead of us I saw Scott fall to the floor and roll around laughing. Cry rushed over and helped Russ lift him to his feet. It seemed like this desert was driving everyone a little insane.

“Snap out of it man,” Russ said whilst shaking him.

“Okay okay,” Scott laughed, pushing away from Cry and Russ’ grasp. He stumbled over to the sand dune and pointed towards it. “This is bullshit,” he managed to say between fits of laughter. We all just stood in silence, staring at Scott as he continued to laugh like an idiot.

“Scott...” Red began but was cut off.

“Dude! Calm the heck down!” Ken yelled, making us all flinch.

“Ken’s right. You’ve got to chill,” Russ warned. As the others began arguing between themselves I looked up at the sand dune. It was pretty steep. I don’t even know if we’d be able to get up there. Wait... what’s that? I squinted and looked up. A group of small figures were walking along the top of the sand dune. It was hard to see them from this distance but they were defiantly people. Was it Team Y? It didn’t look like them, there were only four figures.

“Do you see that too?” Red asked me, looking up as well.

“Yeah... Guys!” I yelled at the others who were trying to calm Scott down. “Look!” I pointed up at the people. It seems that my yelling hadn’t only got my friends attention but the attention of the group on top of the dune. They all turned towards us and shaded their faces from the sun.

I noticed one of them reach behind their back and pull something out. It looked like a bow... Wait... No! Before I could react an arrow was shot in my direction.

 My heart froze. My body froze. My mind froze. I didn’t even have time to flinch. All I could do was squeeze my eyes shut but by time I’d done that the arrow had already landed an inch from my feet.

Opening my eyes slowly I looked down at the sharp arrow that was buried in the sand. That could have killed me! I jerked my head up and saw that after a moment of hesitation the four figures had began to slide down the dune towards us.

“Shit!” Cry yelled to us all. As they slid towards us I could see them pulling out spears and knifes. Suddenly my friends began running from them but all I could do was stare, horrified over what had nearly happened to me. I’d have been frozen in place much longer if Cry hadn’t grabbed onto me and pulled me alongside him.

“Pewd’s! Run!”

Chapter 08

~Cry’s P.O.V~

“Pewd’s! Run!” I yelled desperately at him. He stumbled back, his feet not moving properly. If I didn’t have such a tight grasp on his shirt he would had fallen over.

“Pewd’s! Please!” I yelled again and this time he seemed to snap out of his trance. His blue eyes looked up at me and it killed me to see them filled with fear. Thankfully, after the brief glance he gave me, he started running. My hand still didn’t let him go though. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t let him go.

We soon caught up with the others who were sprinting across the sand towards the sun which was barely visible over the horizon now. Russ glanced behind him, his hair falling in his face.

“They’re following us!” he yelled. His hand suddenly stretched out, searching for Red and she grabbed onto him. They shared a worried glance, showing that it wasn’t just Pewd’s who was scared. Shit, I was scared!

“There!” I heard Scott yell. We all looked at him as he pointed towards a small cave in the distance. I hadn’t seen that before. It was as if it had just appeared...like someone had just put it there. It didn’t matter anyway. We had a chance.

We all headed towards the cave. The wind was beginning to pick up and it had grown dark suddenly. Not only that but I could hear the group chasing us. They were screaming and yelling. It only made my grasp on Pewd’s tighten. I couldn’t let him fall behind.

As soon as we got to the cave we all ducked inside and searched desperately for a hiding place. My eyes fell on a large rock and I began rushing to it. Russ, Scott and Red ducked behind it, pressing themselves against the rock wall but just as I was about to shove Pewd’s into safety I heard him yell.

“No! KEN!” he shouted and flew from my grasp. My hand was left, desperately trying to grasp for him as he ran off towards the cave opening. I was about to call after him. To yell at him for being such an idiot but I found myself routed to the spot in terror when I saw the scene before me. Even Pewd’s froze.

Coming into view were the four figures. Three men and a woman. Their clothes were torn, their hair was cut short, weapons were strapped in their belts and on their backs, and scarves were wrapped around their mouths, protecting them from the sand. Not only did they look threatening but they also had Ken. The tallest male had a tight hold of his shirt as he dragged him along with them.

“Well, what do we have here?” he hissed at us, releasing his grasp on Ken who fell to the floor limply. The other two men grabbed his arms and dragged him into the space between them and me.

“I think we’ve been given some toys,” the woman said. She pulled her scarf down, revealing a small smirk which lay on her lips. It would have unnerved me if I hadn’t been so worried for Ken.

“Come on,” I began and stretched my hands out. “We don’t want any trouble.”

All I got in reply was a low laugh from them before the tallest male stepped forward, lifted his spear and whispered, “That’s what they all say.”

Ken whimpered slightly when his eyes fell on the spear.

“No... NO!” I screamed and jumped forward when I realized what was going on. No! They can’t kill Ken. This is just a game! They can’t kill people!       

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

I held the rock firmly in my hand as I hid in the shadows of the cave. They hadn’t noticed me slip into the darkness. Nobody had.

“That’s what they all say,” I heard the man snarl at Cry.

“No... NO!” Cry screamed and launched himself forward...but he hadn’t had to. At that exact moment I pounced from the shadows, held up the rock and smashed it down on the man’s head with all the strength I had.

The spear clattered to the floor and the man fell forward, landing on Ken then rolling off when Ken shrieked and shoved him off.  Ken then began shuffling back frantically, getting as far away from the group as he could. I, on the other hand was left surrounded by them. I really hadn’t thought this plan through. But just when I thought I was totally screwed something strange happened.

“Get us out of here,” the woman said into a small mic on her shirt. Suddenly all four of them turned into pixels and began to glitch until they completely disappeared, leaving only air in their wake. When I looked over to my friends I saw Cry helping Ken to his feet but the whole time his mask was facing my way. At the same time Scott, Russ and Red came out from behind the rock, glancing around at us then rushing over to Ken.

“Are you alright?”

“What happened?”

“Ken! Jesus man!” They all began talking but I couldn’t seem to find my voice.

“Pewd’s,” Ken called and when I turned to him he was making his way over to me. Before I could reply he’d pulled me into a tight hug.

“You saved my live man. Thank you,” he sniffled. I patted his back then leaned away.

“Don’t mention it bro,” I smiled at him and held out my fist. He brofisted me, his eyes damp with relief and a wide smile on his face.

“Now let’s find this Glass house.”

We continued to walk, deciding that it was probably safer than staying in the cave. If those ‘bandits’ came back, that would be the first place they’d look for us. Plus it was dark around us; the sky a midnight blue and covered in stars. At least we were hidden in the darkness.

We’d managed to get up the sand dune...with a lot of effort, and we now lay on the top, collapsed in the sand and staring at the sky. My breathing had began to calm down but I couldn't seem to stop the thoughts from swirling round my head.

“It’s just a game,” I mumbled, more to myself than anyone else. “They couldn’t have really hurt Ken. They were just pixels, about as real as this desert. Didn’t you see? They just vanished. Anna and Paul were looking out for us by putting the cave there. I know it. We can’t really get hurt...they can’t really hurt us. I’m sure of it. It’s all just a game. We’re...”

“Pewd’s. Shhh,” Cry said gently from beside me. I closed my eyes and sighed but was met with surprise when I felt a warm hand take mine, entwining our fingers. I kept my eyes shut for a moment and relaxed into the feeling of their thumb moving up and down mine.

 “I know. We’re okay,” Cry whispered. When I turned to look at him he was facing me. His hair fell over his mask slightly, messy from the day’s events and his chest rose up and down slowly. Everything about him was calming. I squeezed his hand, letting him know that I was thankful. He was right. I’m okay...because I have him here with me to make things better.

Chapter 09

~Cry’s P.O.V~

“Thanks for helping me before,” Pewd’s said softly as we trailed behind the others. It was still night but that didn’t matter. I liked it. It was peaceful.

“All I did was grab you,” I chucked and looked down at him. I could see the reflection of the stars in his eyes.

“Still,” he said and shrugged. “You’re my hero,” he grinned stupidly at me. I couldn’t help but laugh and shake my head at him when he began skipping around me in the sand.

“Cry! My hero!” he cheered then jumped onto my back. I stumbled backwards from the surprise but, luckily managed to regain my balance.

“Pewd’s! Get off!” I giggled as he wrapped his arms around my neck and he legs around my waist. I felt his chin rest against my shoulder and I looked back at him to find he was smirking at me.

“Nope. This is what you get for slapping my ass,” he whispered in my ear. My step altered slightly and I nearly fell. God, I wasn’t expecting that.

“Fine then,” I laughed when I recovered from the shock. I grabbed his legs and shifted him higher onto my back, giving him a piggyback as we caught up with the others. I didn’t mind the extra weight. It felt nice to have him so close. I could feel the rise and fall of his chest against my back and his breath on my neck. At least he couldn’t get into any trouble here.

When we caught up to the others they looked at us questioningly before laughing. They didn’t seem surprised. I guess it wasn’t that strange. Just one guy giving his crush a piggyback through the desert... WAIT...What? Crush? I almost tripped again when I realised what I’d thought.

“Cry, you’re really clumsy, ya know that?” Pewd’s teased but I was too shocked to answer. My crush? Why had I even thought that? Pewd’s and I were FRIENDS... friends...that’s all we are. Just friends.

I sighed at the thought. It was impossible to ignore how much it upset me. I didn’t want to be just friends. I knew that.

 As if he read my mind he tightened his arms around me and chuckle into my ear. I wanted this. I wanted him. There was no use denying it.

“Cry?” Pewd’s looked over my shoulder slightly to get a better look at my face. Well, my mask. “You okay bro?”

“Yeah...” I lied. I could see him begin to frown but when he ahead of us his whole expression changed. He leaned up, looking into the distance.

“Guys!” he yelled suddenly, making me jump.

“Guys! Look!” he added excitedly and pointed into the distance. I looked up... what was he looking at? That’s when I saw it. A tall Glass House. It lit up in the night, casting a bright white glow around the area it stood, impossible to miss.       

“I see it!” Russ yelled. Everyone began to cheer, smiling happily towards the Glass House. Pewd’s let go of me and slid down my back. He jumped onto the sand and began sprinting towards the house. Everyone followed, running and laughing as we got closer and closer to our goal... It was so close. Just when I was beginning to think that we’d done it, that we’d won, the earth began to shake beneath my feet. Huh? I slowed down to a jog, feeling the ground tremble beneath me. What was happening? This doesn’t look good.

“Ahh!” I heard Red scream and when I turned she was flying across the sand, her body tumbling and rolling like a rag doll.

“Red!” Russ, Pewd’s and I yelled in unison. The three of us turned around and rushed towards her. Scott and Ken heard our shouting and turned too, saw that Red had fallen and began to make their way back. The earth still shook violently, making it hard to stand up straight.

“What’s going on?” Russ asked over a low rumble that had begun to surround us. The noise wasn’t loud but it was enough to cause us to panic.

“Thanks,” Red mumbled dizzily as we helped her up. She began brushing the sand off her and swore under breath for being so clumsy.

“I don’t know,” I answered Russ’ question.

“Feels like an earthquake,” Scott said. Ken nodded in agreement. The ground quivered violently and we all braced ourselves, gasping as the shock hit us full force. It felt as if my legs were disconnected from my body, like they’d turned to jelly. It was so hard to stand.

“Yeah, defiantly feels like an earthquake,” Ken said. I noticed his teeth chatter slightly from the trembles. The sand around us began to shift and jump up and down like tiny bouncy balls. I frowned and tried to make sense of what was going on but nothing seemed plausible. It didn’t seem real. I guess it wasn’t, it’s just a simulation...

“Fan...Fan...FAN!” Pewd’s began shouting in Swedish and pointing towards the direction we’d come from. I turned to see what was making him panic so much. My eyes fell on the steep slope we’d climbed over which stood far in the distance now. But something was wrong. I squinted and strained to see...and then I saw it. A group of six people were running towards us. Team Y. They were pretty far behind but that wasn’t what had caused Pewd’s to freak out. It was the fact that, behind the group of people, a huge wave of sand and dust was falling down the slope, heading straight towards us.

“Run!” Ken yelled. He grabbed Pewd’s’ arm and began running. The rest of us weren’t far behind them.

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

Not again! Why are we always running from something? I just want to lie down and chill out, enjoy the stars and have some chocolate but no... Now there’s a huge sand avalanche behind us! Not only that but Ken had pulled me with him so we were ahead of the others and every time I’d turn to look for them my hair would whip in front of my face, making it impossible to see. In the end I gave up. I was too out of breath to call for them and the ground was still shaking, making it hard to keep my balance whilst looking forward never mind backwards. Whenever I tried to shout I couldn’t seek to get any sound to leave my lips so instead I focused to the Glass House. All we had to do was get to that then the simulation would be over. But would that mean anything if the rest of my team weren’t with me?

“C-C-Cry,” I finally managed to gasp and tried looking behind me again. This time I noticed someone. I think it was Scott. Good, at least that’s one of them.

“Just keep running,” Ken told me. He no longer had a hold of me but he kept his eye on me, making sure I was okay. I guess this was his way of repaying me for helping him before. I didn’t need repaying though. I didn’t want it. I want to see if Cry’s alright.

We were so close to the Glass House now, maybe only 500 meters away. I kept telling myself that Cry was fine, he’s probably right behind me. So are Russ and Red, they’re all behind me. They’re all safe.

I began to stumble when the ground beneath me abruptly moved, vibrating viciously under my feet. I felt like I was drunk, like the whole world was tipping and spinning before me. This shaky ground was so disorientating.  

“Get in!” Ken yelled, pulling me out of my thoughts. When my eyes focused I saw Ken grabbing a glass door. He shoved me through then began

calling to some others. I stumbled into the house, falling at the last minute and crashing to the floor. Where was I? Was I...? Where we...?

We were here!

The Glass House!

We’d won!

Chapter 10

~Pewd’s P.O.V~

The room suddenly erupted with cheers. My friends all began grabbing each other, hugging and jumping about as we celebrated our victory. Although my body moved, my mind was stuck in a daze. I was left slightly disorientated from the sudden chance of environment. As soon as I’d fallen into the Glass House the simulation had ended and we’d all opened our eyes to find ourselves back in the simulation room, back to reality.

“Woo!” Scott yelled, throwing his hands in the air and grabbing Cry and Russ who were laughing in both happiness and relief. Cry... he was okay! I knew he was okay. Cry is strong, he can look after himself. He doesn’t need me. Even though the thought reassured me it was also upsetting. I’d have been lost in that simulation without him watching over me. I need him but... he doesn’t need me.

“We won Pewd’s!” Cry sang merrily and came rushing over to me. I felt my face heat up when he pulled me into a tight hug. Why do I always blush so much when he’s close? It’s such a giveaway... someone is bound to guess how I feel if I carry on like this. I’ve only known the guy for three days! I guess that doesn’t matter though, it doesn’t to me anyway.

“What’s up friend? Cat got your tongue?” Cry chuckled.

“Well there’s a first time for everything,” I joked, wrapping my arms around him too. Soon all the others rushed over to us, pulling us into a group hug. I was surrounded with laughter. I could get used to this.

“Team X!” we heard Paul shout as the door of the simulation room opened. He rushed in, a wide smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

“Congratulations, you’ve won round one. None of you will be leaving the competition this time.”

His announcement gained another round of cheering from us all. Scott even ran over to Paul and pulled him over to us. We all grabbed onto him, hugging him too and he laughed at our enthusiasm.

“Well you’ve made it safely this time but don’t get too comfortable. The next simulation will be taking place in one week,” he told us.

“A week?” Red asked.

“Yeah, we thought we’d give you guys some time to rest plus we’re experiencing some... technical difficulties,” he admitted. Our cheers began to die down and I looked at Paul questioningly.

“What do you mean?” Cry asked him.

“Oh it’s nothing to worry about. It’ll be fixed in a few days.” He smiled warmly at us but I could see there was something he wasn’t telling us.

“We wouldn’t let you go into the simulations is they were dangerous,” Paul added when he noticed us looking sceptically at him.

“We came across some people in the desert,” Ken said quietly. “They tried to kill me. That’s pretty dangerous if you ask me.”

“Yeah I’d noticed you met them,” Paul told us. 

“Met them?! Pewd’s knocked one out with a rock,” Russ rushed and pointed at me.

“Haha yeah. I saw that too.”

“What do you mean? You ‘/saw/’ it?” I asked. 

“Well, we monitor the simulations. We can see what’s going on at all times. We created the ‘bandits’ to act as a challenge for you. They aren’t real people. They’re just like characters in a game,” Paul told us.

“Hmm, I thought so,” I said. They couldn’t have been real. Ken had been safe all along. I’d know it too but it didn’t stop them from freaking the hell out of me. 

“Well I think it’s time you guys went back to the house. You must be exhausted.” Paul walked over to the door and held it open for us.

“Are we going to run into those ‘bandits’ again?” Ken asked him worriedly.

“I guess you’ll have to wait and find out,” Paul smiled. I glanced over at Ken who gave me an anxious look. I don’t blame him for not wanting to meet those horrible people again.

“Erm Paul? What time is it?” Russ asked him as we left the room.

“Just gone 11am,” Paul replied looking at his watch.

“Wait. So we were only in the simulation for two hours?” I asked, remembering how a whole day had passed in the desert.

“Yes. About two hours in reality would be around a day in a simulation,” Paul answered. “So you have the rest of the day to celebrate,” he added with a smile. We all began walking away but Cry turned suddenly.

“Hey Paul!” he called. “Who’s been eliminated from the competition?” he asked. Paul looked back at us, his eyes turning dull rapidly.

“That would be MaximumTimeHunter, also known as Max and StanSeven, also known at Stan,” he answered. There was definitely a change in his voice. I guess he was sad to lose them...

It was so strange. The competition was over for them already. They’ve only been here three days and they have got to leave already. I’d hate that. At least we have a whole week before the next simulation to enjoy ourselves. I gazed up at Cry... I can think of a few things I can do to pass the time. A small giggle escaped my lips at the thought. Maybe I should get him drunk again...

~Cry’s P.O.V~

So Stan and Max were gone. I can remember Max vaguely as the man who’d asked about cigarettes yesterday. But Stan... I didn’t really take much notice of the other team to be honest. Maybe we should get to know them a little better. 

Pewd’s began giggle beside me, probably at some thought he’d had. I raised my eyebrows at him before realizing that it was pointless. He couldn’t see it because of my mask.

“What’s so funny?” I asked instead. He just shook his head and held his hand up with a large grin on his face. It just made me more curious. Did I have something stuck to my back?

“Tell me,” I complained but he just started giggling again.

“Trust me. You don’t want to know Cry,” he laughed.

“Oh really?”

“Yes. Defiantly.”

“I’ll find out what’s got you laughing soon enough,” I warned him, a hint of mischief in my voice. His eyes widened and he raised an eyebrow.

“You think so Cry?” he asked, matching my teasing voice. I smiled down at him but knew he couldn’t see. All he saw was the poker face.

I was just about to follow the others out of the building when I felt something hit the back of my head. Turning around I saw a scrunched up note lying on the floor behind me. I reached down and picked it up, unfolded it and found a small picture drawn on it. My mouth fell open and my eyes widened in disbelief. On the paper was a pencil sketch of Pewd’s and me. I was on the floor, one hand clutching my leg which seemed to be bleeding and my other hand outstretched towards Pewd’s who was being dragged along the floor.

My head shot up, searching for whoever had drawn such a thing. My eyes fell on a group of four people leaning against the wall in front of me. The remaining contestants of Team Y. Two women and two men.

“Hey! What do you think you’re playing at?” I called over to them and held the paper in the air. The two men stood up straight and looked over at me. “Is this some kind of joke?” I asked. I could feel the anger building up inside of me.

“What are you on about man?” a curly haired man asked and stepped forward.

“Harry, just ignore him,” a short dark haired girl said and grabbed his arm.

“I want an explanation,” I told them and made my way closer. The echo of my footsteps bounced around the room and with each step I took I got more and more agitated.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” a tall blonde girl said. She stood by the other girl, a frown on her face as she watched me coming towards them.

“Don’t give me that! You’re the only people around here.” I tried to keep my voice calm but I could hear it getting sharper by the second. She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at me.

“Oh yeah. I’m Louise by the way. Nice to meet you,” she said sarcastically. I shook my head at her childish behavior. The shorter girl slapped her arm and gave her a warning look.

“What? Amz? He’s being rude,” Louise said in her defence.

“Well I think this is pretty rude,” I told her and stopped in front of them.

“Dude, just leave us alone,” the man named Harry spoke now. He grabbed onto Amz’s hand and pulled her past me. Louise and the other black haired man followed them down the hall. They didn’t seem to be going back to their house but I didn’t think much of it. I was too angry over this sick drawing. They didn’t even know me. Are they really that petty over loosing the simulation?

“Hey!” I yelled after them. I scrunched the paper back up and launched it towards them. It hit no-name in the back of the head. “Take you’re shit with you,” I spat at them. The black haired man froze but I just turned and walked back to the door where I could see my friends looking for me. Pewd’s was making his way back up the stairs. His eyes fell on me then they moved quickly to something behind me.

That ‘something’ soon grabbed my arm and spun me around. I turned to find myself face to face with the black haired man. His face was expressionless but his eyes were burning. That wasn’t the problem though.

The problem was the balled fist heading straight for my face. Poor me..

End of Book 01

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