The city was a pulsing, breathing beast. The air, thick with the aroma of street food and exhaust fumes, vibrated with the sound of a million conversations. Taxi blared, their horns a frantic, percussive beat, as streams of pedestrians flowed along the sideways like a hurried river. Skyscraper windows gleamed, reflecting the restless energy of the day.
But nestled against this din was a cafe-a pocket of stillness where the city's frantic pulse was muffled to a low hum. Inside, the air smelled of roasted coffee beans, a pleasent and grounding scent. Tucked into a worn leather booth, a small circle of friends hunched over a pair of tablets, their faces lit by a faint blue glow.
"So the Ironscale Drake has a vulnerability to ice, but only if you hit it during its roar animation," one said, fingers dancing across the screen.
"Right, but if you miss, its breath attack one-shots our team," replied another, eyes wide with the digital peril.
Outside, the real world moved on, but in their small, insulated corner, another world was at stake. The fate of an enchanted kingdom and mythic beasts was far more urgent than the traffic snarls and siren wails of the metropolis beyond their window.
Aria took another slow sip of her now-chilled latte, her gaze sliding from one friend to the next. They were all there, leaning over their phones with a fierce, single-minded intensity. "Just one more turn!" Chloe shouted, and Maya cheered, a little too loudly for a public cafe. Aria gave a subtle side-eye, a silent, internal question mark hanging in the air. How can people be this obsessed?she wondered. To her, the cafe's warm, familiar chatter had been replaced by the soundtrack of a cult initiation.
Maya nudged Aria's shoulder, a bright smile on her face "Seriously, you have to try this beast game. Just for a little bit? I know you'd love the world-building feature it has in it."
Chloe puts her tablet infront of Aria's face, she quickly launched the game "Just look at this," she said, showing of her glowing, custom-armored beast. "Doesn't that make you want to try? The first quest is easy, I'll even walk you through it."
Maya dramatically clutched Aria's arm. "Please I'm begging you. Our beast guild is nothing without you! Just download it and give it five minutes. What's the worst that could happen? You become obsessed and forget your entire life? It's worth it!"
A quiet homebody by nature, Aria was easily impressionable when it came to her friend's insistent, unenthusiastic demands. The thought of a High-energy game didn't excite her, but the prospect of being left out was even worse. She let's out a dramatic sigh "Fine. Fine. You guys are killing me. I'll download it. But if this turns into me being your personal sidekick, I'm deleting it."
***
They lingered on the sidewalk, the buzz of the cafe still humming in their ears. "So, remember to bring that new legendary sword," Chloe said, pulling her jacket collar tighter against the evening breeze. Maya pulled out her phone, the screen lightning up her face. "I'll log in the second I walk in the door. I've got a strategy to try." "You always have a strategy," Aria laughed, bumping her shoulder playfully. "See you in the lobby, guys."
Aria bid her friends farewell, the sound of their laughter fading as she turned down the narrow alley. The air here was different-cooler, smelling of damp brick walls, a rhythm of one, a counterpoint to the chorus of chatter she had just left behind. Her home's porch light was a beacon at the end of the shadowed passage.
Aria stepped into the familiar warmth of her humble apartment, the quiet click of the door sealing her off from the noise of the world. She could still hear her friend's voices in her head, the excited tones describing the latest game's features. With that sound ringing in her ears, she practically floated to her computer. The soft rug gave way under her feet as she moved towards her PC, the quiet of the room a stark contrast to the thrilling new world her friends promised she was about to enter.
The cool air from the window offered a fresh scent as she leaned forward in her chair, ready to download the game. The cursor blinked, waiting, but her mind was elsewhere. The vibrant graphics and dynamic gameplay described by her friends had painted a clear picture. Her fingers flew over the keys, a frantic search for the game's title in the store.
Aria optimised her time clicking "download" on the game, the whirring of her computer's fans began to download the new game. She stepped into the bathroom for quick shower, the shower's water began to rush-two parallel processes, one for her digital entertainment, the other for her physical comfort.
***
Aria was luxuriating in the steamy heat, the water warm against against her skin. Outside the bathroom, her computer screen flashed a few times. A tiny, almost unnoticeable hiccup in the download. She was completely unaware, scrubbing her hair and lost in thought.
The flickering intensified. The screen now bathed the room in a jittering light, a pale, nervous energy that danced off the walls and into the whole room. The fan that she had left on, whirs louder, a strained sound like a distant bee trapped in a jar. The game's download bar flashed from 99% back to 0%, then vanished altogether, replaced by a deep, unnatural blue. Still, she remained happily sealed off from the spectacle, the sound of the water a perfect, insulating cocoon.
The final, abrupt act was a click and a pop, followed by absolute darkness. The computer was dead, leaving the room in a deep, empty quiet. Aria turned off the water, and as the dripping slowed, the heavy, sudden silence of the apartment was the first thing she actually noticed.
Today's Quote~
LIFE'S IS A GAME:
play hard, win some,
lose some, but never
stop playing!
To be continued...🤍