Disconnected-early draft

I breathed heavily. Where was I? It didn't seem like it was somewhere familiar. My toes felt the ground, but my eyes couldn’t observe anything below me. Not even myself. Am I hallucinating? I asked myself. I patted my thigh. I felt it. I felt every inch of my body until I decided i wasn’t hallucinating. And that I had no clothes on. The ground suddenly shook as a platform rose up. Why is it so blocky? I asked myself. That's when I realized…

“Am I in a Video Game?”

Chapter 1: Processing…

I looked down at my feet. I realized I now had a uniform on. The tag above my head read, [player one]. Huh. I guess I’m player one. I look around to realize there are three more people around me. Player 2, 3, and 4. Just as I was about to call out to Player two, a giant face floated over. It looked quite like a theater mask, but white. “Greetings, Players!” It boomed. “I am Director, and welcome to Pixel Matrix!” Us players looked at one another. “This first round is platform. Try getting across this simple course.” “Easy!” Player four said, rubbing his hands together. Just then, the ground shook. “HOLY—” Player Two said, clutching her own platform for dear life. “Nonono! I do not accept ANY OF THAT FOUL LANGUAGE!” Director said, turning red. The shaking stopped. I looked around, my vision still shaking. “Game, START!”

Overwhelming fast paced music blasted into my ears. I jumped onto the first platform. Then another. Then another. I was at the second last platform when Player Three yelled out, “Last Jump!” I looked over, and she was preparing. I quietly muttered a prayer and jumped to the last platform. Suddenly, my head rang with a painful high-pitched sound. I watched Player Three, who had just been there, fail her jump. I slumped down. I bit down on my lips. Dont cry, dont cry… I rose and made the last jump. Then I collapsed to the ground, my lip bleeding.. “Player One has collapsed! Would you, Players Two and Four, like to heal him?” Director said. Player Four hesitated, and Two shyly nodded. A tune, more relaxed, started to play. I slowly rose to my feet against my will. I touched my lip. It wasn't bleeding. My head still had the ghost of that headache, but it was like… muffled, I guess. “Break time! Charge up your energy for Round Two: Climbing!!” Director said, then he pixelated and dissolved away. I walked over to Player Two. “Hey, thanks for saving me back there,” I said. “You’re welcome,” she said. “Call me Two.” I reached out my hand to shake hers. “I have no idea how I got here. Or when,” I admitted. “Me neither.” she said. “Rrround TWO!” Director yelled, shoving his face into mine. “Climb-The-WALL!” he yelled. A rock climbing wall arose. “Huh,” I said. “This should be easy.” The director went through about ten colors before saying, “There are some holds that your hand will phase right through!” “Oh, shoot.” I said, kicking a pebble.he "phasing through" mechanic is a classic "ruthless" video game move. It turns a simple physical challenge into a terrifying game of Russian Roulette with every grip you take."Easy, huh?" Two whispered, her eyes scanning the towering wall. It was a jagged mess of neon-colored handholds, some glowing steady and others flickering like dying lightbulbs. "He’s trying to psych us out. Stay close to me, One.""Game... START!" Director screamed, his voice distorting into a high-pitched squeal.I grabbed the first hold—a solid, jagged orange block. It felt real enough. I pulled myself up, my muscles straining. Just a few feet away, Player Four was already scrambling upward like a frantic squirrel. He reached for a bright blue grip, his fingers closing around it with a confident grin.Then his hand went right through it."Whoa!" Player Four shrieked as his balance shifted. He barely caught himself on a lower ledge, his legs dangling over the abyss. The blue grip he had reached for wasn't a solid object at all; it was just a holographic projection, a ghost hold."Watch the refresh rate!" I yelled up at him. "The fake ones flicker faster than the real ones!"I reached for a green hold, but as my hand got close, the air around it rippled. The music, which had been upbeat, suddenly dropped into a deep, vibrating hum that made my teeth ache."Two! Don't go for the pink ones!" I warned, but she was already moving.