The Game

RING!

‘Ah, finally.’ I thought to myself. ‘The bell that frees all students to a Friday afternoon.’

No homework today meaning I could immediately start gaming for two hours when I arrived home. I glanced through the window while packing my school supplies only to find it heavily raining. The perfect weather to be isolated inside. While I was walking out the door, I received a text from my mother.

‘Hey kiddo! Sorry for the rain check. Get it? Sorry lame mom joke. A car crash occurred so I will probably be home late. You will have to take the bus again, I’m sorry. Leftovers are in the fridge, just microwave them for a minute. And don’t use the cheese like last time! Anyway, love you!”

That did not bother me, instead the idea of being home alone was well, sweet. Non-stop gaming until bed. Double sweet. I entered the bus and scrolled through Instagram and received a message from my gamer friend, R1pjaw, inviting me for to join him on Discord. I texted him back stating that I would be home soon. Normally I would wait until the bus stops in front of my house but because of the ecstatic feeling of a perfect day, I jumped off from an earlier stop and ran home. I frantically lifted the doormat for the key, unlocked the door and bolted up the stairs to my room. I threw my backpack onto the bed but while attempting to hurriedly change into my shorts I slipped on a comic book and fell on the ground. Thunk. Quickly standing up, I sat on my chair and turned on my PC. Just as I was about to launch Discord, it stated that an automatic update for the PC was required. Something I was postponing for a while.

Dang, an update. I texted to R1pjaw. Probably will have to wait for half an hour.

Oof. Should’ve updated. He texted back. C’mon dude. We’re fighting a level 10 boss later! If you don’t join, we taking all the loot.

I just chuckled and slipped my phone into my back and went downstairs to fix myself a snack. Once again, I ran up the stairs and slammed my door. The update my finally finished. I put on my headsets and talked to my friend.

“Yo dude! What’s up?” I said.

“The sky, dummy.” He replied, “Sorry, dumb joke.”

“Ready to hop on in Dragon Slayers III?”

“Nah, can’t play.”

“Why, did your mommy ground you?”

“Naw man, the servers are down.”

“Dang! Daishawn told me that the level 10 had killer loot.”

“I know right. So, you wanna play something else?”

“I dunno. All the games I have now are pretty boring. You just want to talk?”

“Sure, but what do we talk about?”

“I don’t know, we’re teenagers, we’re not social animals.”

After staying quiet for a while, R1pjaw and I started watching videos of Dragon Slayer III while still in the call.

Suddenly, Daishawn, our other online friend decided to join our call.

“T’sup losers.”

“Right back at you, squirrel teeth.” I replied.

“You two fight that boss?” Daishawn asked, “It has a high chance of giving you level 25 Lava armor.”

“Naw homie, servers are down.” R1pjaw answered.

“Oof, I see. Well, ya’ll up for Dragon Slayer II?” Daishawn suggested.

“I already finished all the side quests, there’s like nothing to do in the game except fight some bosses that I can one-shot.”

“Same here.”

“Try to think of something to do!” Daishawn said, “I’m bored. I finna die of it. Boredom disease”

“Well, I did find this game. It’s called Truth or Dare or Die.” R1pjaw said, “Horrible reviews though, one star, one star, two star. People saying, ‘Don’t download, it’s bad.’”

“Sounds like a truth or dare game.” Daishawn said.

“Wow, Einstein. Would’ve taken me ages to find that one out.” I replied.

“Is it free, R1pjaw?” Daishawn asked.

“Yessir. Multiplayer too. A webcam is required but all three of us have one. And the rules seem simple enough for baby Sky (my username) to understand.”

“Hey, I happen to be in the gifted program.”

“Keep telling yourself that.”

“C’mon guys, let’s play.” Daishawn said.

“Alright, I’m in. I’ll create a party for us.” I said.

“Okay the rules are as follows, we each have three lives. Pick up a truth card and answer it, the question will be given to you by the game, if you lie, you will lose a life. Or choose a dare card, and follow the dare given to you by the game, if you do not follow it, you will lose a life. Once completing a dare or truth you will be given a point. First to ten points will be announced the winner. Upon losing all three lives, the game will-” R1pjaw explained.

“Be over. We know.” Daishawn replied.

“Alright let’s start. Everyone in the party?”

“Yup.”

“Yessir. Oh, and if someone chooses a truth card, you’ll be called a chicken for the rest of your life.” R1pjaw chuckled.

“Okay, I’m first. I’ll choose a dare card.” I said. “Dare: Chug a can of cola. ‘Kay, let me go get one.”

I returned to my webcam and drank the whole can without stopping. After I was finished, I earned one point on my screen.

“My turn!” R1pjaw said, “Dare: Order a prank pizza.”

For the next few turns, everything was all right. The dares had all been basic: call a prank pizza, strip into your underwear, eat toothpaste. Okay, maybe not normal, but they were amusing to watch. Nothing occurred, until we all had six points each and were down to one life each (after chickening out on some dares).

“Okay my turn. Dare: punch… yourself…until you break your… nose?”

“What? Okay. Nah, just let it skip man.” R1pjaw said.

Then a timer appeared on the screen, counting down from ten. Once the timer ended, I lost a life.

“That was a weird dare. Alright, my turn.” Daishawn said uneasily, “Dare: Call the police…”

“That’s easy.” R1pjaw said.

“Wait, I’m not finished. And tell them that you murdered someone…”

“What?! This game is crazy.” I said.

Suddenly, Daishawn’s phone began to call someone.

“Dude! My phone is calling the cops! I can’t hang-up!”

“Hang-up! Hang-up!” R1pjaw hollered.

“I can’t! I can’t!”

Finally, the police department answered.

“Nine, one, one, what’s your emergency?” The officer asked.

An audio clip began to play from Daishawn’s computer. It appeared to sound like a cluster of the things he said mashed up:

“I. murdered. my. friends. I. live. on. 1. 0. 0. 0. Park. Way.”

“What! No, no, no, no, no!” Daishawn yelled,” I did not, I did not-”

The phone call was then ended.  

Daishawn’s life counter had now reached zero.

Suddenly, his webcam turned off, a loud screaming emanated from his microphone.

“Who are you?! HEL-”

Daishawn disconnected from the call.

“Dude. What the heck is going on!” R1pjaw yelled.

“I don’t know! Send him a text!”

R1pjaw sent a text to our friend but found that Daishawn’s account had been deleted.

“Bro, just delete the game. It’s cursed.” I said.

“I… I can’t!” R1pjaw shouted, “It won’t let me!”

“What do we do!”

The game displayed a timer for me of ten seconds, indicating for R1pjaw to choose a dare or truth card. He chose the truth card.

“Bro, I don’t care about being a chicken, I just want to end the game. T-t-truth: Admit your sins. If you l-lie… you will… d-d-die.”

“Did you do any sins?” I asked.

“No! I didn’t! I swear!”

Another timer appeared, this time with a picture of skull on the clock.

“Naw bro. Screw this. I’m deleting this game!” R1pjaw shouted.

10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…