Chapter 6 - "Anticipation"

Chapter 6 - "Anticipation"

Its around 02:00 pm and I'm hungry.

We were asked not to eat before todays test, because it could cause disturbance in the results. I hope its a one-time-thing.

A view of us have met in the sitting room, so we can go to the lab together. But its still to early for that.

Sammy and Collin are on the couch, discussing some specific game elements. Although, my expectations for todays test-run are low, the two of them still managed to infect me with their excitement. Besides that, its a good feeling to look forward to a test, once in a while. Until now i´ve seen them only as exhausting.

Raul and Martha are sitting on the broad radiators at the window and are also talking about something. From everyone that gathered here, they seem the most relaxed. It looks like Raul is trying to flirt with her, but she is pretty calm about it. She either ignores it, or simply doesn't notice. While i think about that, it occurs to me that i don't know if Martha is married. I always assumed it, because she has kids, but she never said something about her being married. It never occurred to me, but now i notice that she is not wearing a Ring. [Well, its none of my business.]

Nina is leaning on the wall aside from everyone and absentmindedly looks on her own shoes.

Lindsay is sitting on her usual place at the table where the coffee machine is. She has a book with her, but today it's closed. Instead, she looks around the room, unobtrusively listening to peoples talk. Today, even in her Eyes a little excitement can be seen. Could it be, that there is a passionate gamer inside our Ice-Princess? That would be a surprise.

Outside the room, Alina is speaking with “Marcell Dubois” and “Gerald Richards”, our two local Artists.

Gerald is a musician, he played saxophone in a retro-band before they disbanded. Today he is almost 40 an calls himself a „freelancer“, whitch basicaly means that he goes on any stage whenever he gets the oportunity for it. One day he admitted, that he had a time in his life when things got so hard, he had to play in subway-statioms to pay his bills. He sees the world in a tragic-romantic way, like most artists do and likes philosophing about the reason, or un-reason os current world-events. His composed, or even almost „indifferent“ characteristic makes him often look bored or desinterested in everything, but that's a mistake. Speaking about his look, it can be discribed in one word as „Retro“, although his look may be older then himself.

Marcell at the other hand is more known in his fan-base for his abstract art. His most famous creation is a room, where he stretched thousands of painted treads. The room has just two windows and while you can see geometric forms through the first one, a Family at a breakfast table can be seen through the other. Pretty genius, if you ask me. In his free time, he mostly wears simple, but contemporary clothes, on special occasions it can be something extravagant. He never rejects a nice talk, but always trys to lead the conversation. He can be often seen with Gerald, discussing something aside from everyone else.

While they are currantly talking about ways to artistically express themselves inside the game, Alina is listening to them with overwhelmed interest and comments everything. [They are both totally falling for her ...]

I'm Sitting on a chair in the middle of the room and scrolling through video files on my pad, trying to kill some time.

If you wait for something, time almost seems to stand still. I can't keep myself from looking at the time every view minutes.

Collin: "Yo, guys ... What do you intend to do, after we enter the Game?"

Collins sudden call is unexpected. The People are looking at each other for a view long moments, but nobody dares to speak first. [Should i break the Ice?] I turn off my pad, to show that I'm done with it and put it on the armrest of my chair.

Nicolas: "Well, I'm planning to become an evil, tyrannic monarch and than enslave all of you!"

Cheerful laughter suddenly fills the room.

Collin: "Yea ... sure!"

Sammy: "Dude, you have read to much mangas."

I have a hard time keeping a serious face, because everyone else is laughing.

Nicolas: "Laugh all you want ... while you still can ..."

Martha trows a package of paper-tissues at me. [What was that about?] Does she think, I'm to silly?

While looking as serious as I'm able to, i put the tissues in my pocked.

Martha: "Hey, these are mine!"

Nicolas: "I will wipe your tears with that, when your defeat is certain!"

Finally, i can barley hold back my own laughter.

Alina: "In this case, i will be the shining heroine, that will hold you off!"

There the response, i was hoping for ...

Nicolas: "A shining heroine, without companions? Try again!"

Alina: "... Who will come with me on this glorious Journey? Let us overthrow the tyrant together!"

Alina looks around the room in anticipation, while she raises a fist in a heroic gesture. The clichéd words are funny in their own way, but with her Russian accent, they sound evin more clownish.

Sammy is the firs one to reply in a glorious pose:

Sammy: "I will be the master thief, that opens you every door!"

Others don't take long to join ...

Collin: "I will be the Priest, who heals all your wounds!"

Marcell: "In this case, i will take the role of the mage. Every hero-party needs a mage!"

[Are they trying to outdo each other?] In any way, my plan seems to work out, the overall anxiety has almost disappeared.

Gerald: "Then, I'll be the bard, to sing songs about your victories ..."

He makes a gesture, like he is playing something like a guitar.

It seems like Raul wanted to say something too, but after a hasty look to Martha he changed his mind.

Nicolas: "Its not a surprise, that all the guys are on your side ... In this Case, I'll take the Girls to my support!"

I'm pointing at the ladies in the room.

Nicolas: "Lindsay, the dreaded Ice-Magician!"

I find it amusing, to include Lindsay in a conversation without any warning. The dumbfound expression in her face is priceless. But i mentioned that already before.

Nicolas: "Nina, die mistress of the woods."

Nina looks at me with a confused smile. She obviously don't know, how to react to that.

Nicolas: “And Martha, the fearless ... ähm ... Cook!”

Martha: "You would like that, wouldn't you?! ..."

Her reaction was expected.

I throw the Tissues back to her.

Nicolas: "No? What have you planned for the two months then?"

Martha: "You know, playing games is something for the young. Let's see how it turns out, i will go with the flow."

Sammy: "So, a Cook after all ..."

This time, she trows the tissues at Sammy.

Nicolas: "Well, there is a profession like that in the game."

Martha: "Why should i flee to a virtual paradise, just to do there the same things that i do every day in m real life?"

Collin: "I can't argue with that."

In the Corner of my Eye, i see how Alina is indeed still smiling, but also is anxiosly stepping from one foot to another. I guess, she is thinking about, how to get the attantion back on her.

Marcell: "You should take the opportunity to explore your creativeness. I'm sure, there is a lot of repressed potential."

Martha: "You intent to become my teacher?"

She says it in a mocking tone.

Marcell: "It would be my pleasure!"

He makes a small, formal bow.

We joke around a bit longer and the time, that felt like it was crawling, now seems to be flying away. After thirty Minutes or so, we move on to the neighboring building. Behind strict Security masseurs and likewise strict looks, this is where you would find the scientific and technical equipment. The living complex is four floors high, with the canteen at the basement. From outside, you can see through the large windows, how the staff is cleaning the tables after lunch. The tempting scent of food is still in the air, but i can't tell what it was. Something with vegetables.

There, in the passage between the buildings, we meet Tamirat. He is sitting on the same slim park bench as always.

Sammy: "Tam', we just talked about, what everyone would like to do in the Simulation. What about you?"

Tamirat lets a view silent moments pass. He likes to make such small pauses while he talks, this way he makes sure, that everyone is listening.

Tamirat: "If the dream will allow it, I would like to be a hunter, like when i was young. I miss the hunt!"

Nicolas: "I think, you can be pretty confident about that."

While we are walking together to the lab, i got an idea. I find a moment when the curious ears of the others are distracted:

Nicolas: "Tamirat, i would like to ask you something ..."

My words are purposely quieter. Tamirat does not answer, but he lets me know with a gesture, that he is listening. He immediately understood, that not everyone needs to hear that. His understanding is amazing, even though he is blind ... or maybe that is exactly the reason for it.

Nicolas: "I recommended Nina to play as a hunter, i think it would be good for the development of her character, to strengthen her personality ..."

He nods in agreement.

Nicolas: "... You think you could take her by the hand at the beginning? Teach her the basics of hunting, or something like that? I hope she will get more self confidants through that."

Tamirat: "Only, if she wants that too."