Level Up rough draft

Level Up.

“Come on, you have to check out this new mobile game Nancy!” Ted flung his arms around like a madman. “It is a crazy new rpg. I know you would love it.”

She sighed. “Come on Ted. I am working here.”

He rolled up his red and black sleeve. “Let me help you put some of these books away then. Get you out of work faster.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “That isn’t a good idea.”

“And why not?” He picked up one of the textbooks. “I help you put these last books away. Then we go out back and introduce you to the new game.”

“My boss wouldn’t like the help that is why. She is very strict.” Took the book out of Ted’s pale hands and blew her red bangs out of her face. “Just give me ten more minutes and I should be done.”

He crossed his arm and narrowed his green eyes. “Ugh fine.” He turned around. “But I will be waiting for you outside. Meet me behind the library the moment you get out you hear me?”

She nodded. “Ok. Ok.” Nancy returned to her work. Ted was a close friend of hers but he could be an obnoxious and pushy. He meant well but even good intentions had their limit.

“Nancy!”

She turned around to see her boss staring at her. Nancy pulled at the collar of her blouse as her blue eyes blinked rapidly. “Hello Claire. Umm how are you doing?”

Claire sighed. “I want you to come into work tomorrow.”

“You know I was going to start my vacation tomorrow. My parents are going to have their thirtieth anniversary and I was going to head up the coast to be there.”

“Not my concern.  The school year is starting and I Tammy decided she is taking a holiday.”

Nancy crossed her arms. “So she gets a day off just like that but I have one planned weeks in advance and you just take it away?”

Claire shrugged her shoulders, her dark curly hair moving with her. “What can I say? Just be here tomorrow.” She turned around. “And make sure the last of those books are on the shelves. We need to make sure this place is ready for when the school opens in a few days. And keep things neat this time.”

Nancy shook her head. “Sure thing. Phew.” She went about putting the last few text books on the shelves. “One day I hope to get out of here. I want to do something that really matters. Maybe be in the movies or something fun like that. Ugh these things are heavy.”

A few minutes later Nancy was finished. She looked around. “Good Claire is nowhere to be seen. Time to leave before she finds something else for me to do.” Nancy dashed for the exit of the library and her freedom for the day. “Happy day.” She sighed. “Well time to see what Ted is up to.”

She hurried around the back of the school’s library. There she found her buddy sitting in the grass tapping away at his phone. “Hey, what is so interesting?”

“Oh god.” He threw his phone up into the air and fought to grab it. The device hit him on his head before landing in his lap. “Nancy you scared me.” He slammed his fist on the grass. “How dare you do that!”

She laughed. “It isn’t my fault you weren’t paying attention. Now what is this all important game?”

He picked up his phone. “It’s Conquest of Kings. You pick a champion, fight monsters, level them up and collect loot.”

She sat down beside him. “So like any other rpg game?”

“Umm, no. This is totally unique. It has cyber dragons and other cool stuff.” He looked at his phone. “You can also group up with people from around the world and go on massive boss fights.”

“Sounds intense for a mobile game.”

He shrugged. “Well umm outside the group fights everything is automated.”

“I knew there was a catch.”

“Hey if you can get into the group fights you can win big money.”

Nancy raised an eyebrow. “Ohh.”

“Ya. It is a big competition right now.”

Nancy took his phone. “Well I want in on that action.”

Ted snatched his phone back. “Hey. You can sign up on your own smart phone.”

“Ugh fine.” She stood up. “Thanks for the info.”

Ted looked back down at his phone. “Any time.”

She turned around and walked towards the parking lot. “Well this will be a nice and easy way to try and earn some extra cash. Maybe get out of this damn job at the library with Claire. Ugh I still can’t believe she is trying to make me work on my vacation.” Nancy pulled out her phone. “Now to download this game.

“Hey lady look out.”

“Ouff.” Nancy tripped over a skate board, her phone flying out of her hands.

A pair of young boys ran up to her. “We tried to warn you.”

His friend pointed down the road. “Yuck, your phone landed in some strange purple goo.”

“Gross.”

Nancy stood up and gently picked up her phone. “What are you kids doing?” She tried to wipe off the strange gunk but it oozed all over her fingers.

“We were just having fun. You know playing around.”

She looked at the young kids. One of them had sandy hair and blue eyes and the other long dark hair that came out from under his red helmet. “The school won’t be open until Monday.”

The sandy hair kid laughed. “Well we wanted to get ahead on our studies. See if Ms. Henderson had something she could teach us early.”

Nancy sighed. Kids were always trying to catch glimpses of Ms. Henderson. The woman didn’t exactly wear school appropriate clothing. “Just watch where you are going.” The kids laughed and ran off. “Kids.” She looked at her hands. “What is with this crap? It won’t come off.”

She wiped her hands together to try and get the ooze off her hands but all that did was spread it over her skin. “I hope this washes out.” She waved her hands. “I better get home.”

Nancy slid her phone into her pocket and rushed to her car. “Today can’t get any worse.”

***

A half hour later Nancy was home and washing her hands in her sink. “Come on. Get off of me.” She scrubbed and scrubbed and the slime slowly dissolved off of her skin. “God. I am glad that gunk just stuck to my skin and not my clothing or phone.” Nancy picked up her yellow towel and wiped her forehead. “Phew.”

She set the towel down and walked into the other room. “Now let’s see about this game. I hope there is time to catch up so I can earn some money.” Nancy started up her phone. “What was it called again? Clash of King? King’s Kingdom? Ugh I should have written it down.” Nancy tapped her finger on her knee. “I got it. Conquest of Kings. There it is.”

She brought up the game interface. “Pick a starting champion. Why are there so many to pick from. And why are some of them locked behind five dollar pay walls? Ted didn’t say I would have to pay cold hard cash for this.” Nancy rolled her eyes. “Always leaving out the important things isn’t he.”

She settled on a dark knight heavy plate armor as her starting champion. “You will do. Until I can get someone with better stats I guess.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Ok now how do I start this thing?” She tapped at her screen. “I think this sends him on a battle. Ok. I still don’t see what is so appealing about this whole thing. Wait three minutes until I see the results of the fight. Ugh.”

She slid her phone into her pocket. “Well that is just dandy. I am going to make myself some popcorn.”

She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. “I can’t believe I listed to Ted. Try this great game. You will like it. Ugh ya right.” She pulled the bag out of the cabinet. “So exciting.”

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. “Someone must be texting me. Whoh.” She fought to keep her balance, her hands falling onto the counter. Her knees hit the cabinets below and she took a few steps backward, falling into one of the wooden chairs. “OUff.” Nancy shook her head. “What was that?” She stood up. “It felt like someone was pulling at my skin. Huh?” She looked at the dining table. “I swear I remember this came up to my waist before.” She put her hands on the table. “Did it shrink a little or am I crazy?” She scratched at her head. “I must be.”

She turned back towards the counter and the bag of popcorn. “I need to get some food in me so I stop talking crazy.” She threw the bag into the microwave and then turned her attention to her phone. “Oh hey my champion is back. And I leveled up. Cool.” She set her phone down. “I will do more of this tonight. After my crappy popcorn dinner.”

The microwave dinged. Nancy walked over and opened the door. She gently pulled out the bag and ripped open one end, a blast of heat hitting her in the face. She then slid the popcorn onto a plate and let the food cool as she picked her phone back up. “Maybe just try one more round as I eat.” She pressed the button to send her champion off to battle. “What could hurt? It is still so early in the game. He won’t die.”

She slid the phone back into her pocket and then sat down at the table to eat.  I need to find a way to get out of work early tomorrow. Something, anything.

Nancy tapped her hands on the side of the dining table. “I sweat this thing is smaller.” She threw another piece of popcorn into her mouth. Something just feels off.”

Her phone vibrated in her jean’s pocket once more. “Wow that game finishes fights fast. Oww.” Her knee hit the table and lifted it slightly off the ground. “What in the world?” She reached out to stop her popcorn from spilling onto the ground. “This chair and these damn clothes are tight all of a sudden.” Nancy narrowed her eyes. “What is going on?” She put her hands on the side of her seat and adjusted herself. “Who makes furniture these days?”

She reached out and grabbed another piece of popcorn. “I am just going to finish this food and go to bed. I think I need to sleep this off. That is it. I am stressed out from having to work an extra day.” Nancy sighed. “That is it. Stress. That is why I am imagining my dining room furniture is shrinking.” She threw another piece of popcorn into her mouth and laughed.

She finished her dinner and went up to her bedroom, ready for a good night’s rest.

***

Nancy tossed and turned all night, unable to find a comfortable sleeping position. Her bed felt just too small. If she stretched out her legs hung over the edge or her head struck the head board. And she didn’t like curling up into a ball. When morning finally came she rose, her eyes bloodshot. “I am calling someone after work about shrinking furniture. I can’t take this.”

She walked into her bathroom, her head hitting the top of the door frame on the way in. “Crap.” She rubbed her forehead. “What is going on?” She took her tooth brush out of its holder.  “It’s like everything has shrunk half a foot.”

Her cellphone started to ring from the other room. “Ugh, crap.” She hurried and finished brushing her teeth, even swolling the toothpaste, so she could rush into the other room and grab her phone. Once again Nancy hit her head on the door frame as he rushed back into her bedroom “Oww.”

She grabbed the cellphone. “Hello?”

“Hey Nancy. It’s Ted. How do you like the game?”

“Look I didn’t get a good night’s sleep. Now isn’t the best time Ted.”

“Come on. I want to know when we can partner up for the competition fights.”

“Look I have to get ready to work.” She pulled at her hair. “I will call you after work.”

“Ok.”

The line went dead. She sighed. “Just take a shower, get to work and get this day over. Then you can go enjoy your parents annivisary. Huhh.”