Call of Caldiria chapter 2 rough draft

Veredel walked to her car, exhausted after a long day of exams. Trigonometry.

It didn’t matter how much time she spent studying; she had still been a nervous wreck and was sure she had failed.

She always hated math.

She unlocked the door of her car, a beat-up old wreck her father had driven most of her short life. The air conditioner was shot, the windows in the back didn’t roll down, and the braking system needed work, just to name a few issues.

It was a death trap, and she didn’t have the money to buy another one. Usually, she took the bus to school, but she had made a promise this morning to Sean that she intended to keep.

She turned the key in the ignition multiple times before it started, the engine making an awful grinding noise as if it were growling at her. She let it idle for a few moments before she backed out of the parking lot and drove to the nearest store that sold Call of Caldiria, the game Sean wanted so badly.

The blistering afternoon heat made the un-air-conditioned car seemed like an oven. She found a spot in the crowded parking lot and breathed deeply when she entered the store. It was blissfully serene. She stood for a few moments and absorbed the spectacle before her. A festival of banners and cardboard cutouts advertising “Call of Caldiria” festooned the store. A large image of twisted and gnarled trees covered with fall colored leaves urged fans to “Conquer a new world.”  She knew the game was one of the most anticipated of the decade. An ambitious endeavor utilizing a virtual reality headset that allowed players to immerse themselves into the game environment. The headset was supposed to be a pair of glasses with wires crossing across the user’s head with built-in features so the user would not bump into any real-life objects like shutting the screen off if necessary. The game’s selling point was supposed to be the virtual world's nature, but the advertisements didn’t strike her as anything special.

She spotted a store employee with his back to her and tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me, could you please tell me where to find Call of Caldiria.”

The young man turned around with an annoyed look on his face; the store was so crowded she didn’t blame him. His green eyes flashed angrily when he realized who she was. “Connor Petinu.” He had harassed her mercilessly growing up. It had been mostly verbal, but when they were much younger, he had been an abusive vocal bully and usual would tell her father things she did so he could really punish her. One of the worst things he had done was set her hair on fire.  Great, just what I need right now.

She looked at his mussed brown hair to avoid looking at him directly.

“Nice to see you. How did you ever land a job here?”

He took a deep breath. “Don’t push me, Veredel,” he snared. “I can’t risk getting fired. What do you want?”

“A Call of Caldiria gaming system for my brother Sean.”

“Well, we’re sold out. Too bad for the little squirt.”

She blinked. “I just head you direct that customer to one.”

“Then why don’t you follow her? I’m not saying it again, especially to you.”.  “Like I am going to help you find the few copies we have left.”

Veredel observed his mouth move and realized he was speaking, but his lips weren’t moving. She rubbed her temple; it was starting to become sore.  “What’s going on? This is what happened this morning.

She shook to rid herself of the strange feeling. “Look, I know you’re not telling me the truth.” She pointed to a little kid walking down the aisle with a copy of the game.

Connor groaned. “Fine, but only because I don’t want to get in trouble with my manager.

That and I want you out of this store as soon as possible.”

“Whatever gets the job done.”

He led her to the back of the store where he disappeared for a moment though the door marked Employees Only.  He returned moments later with a large box decorated with the gnarled tree she had seen at the front of the store.

“I am required to tell you this box includes the Call of Caldiria game, complete with virtual reality headset and Bluetooth controllers. Everything you need to start your adventures in Caldiria.” He sounded like a drone.

She took the box form him. “Thank you.” It was hard for her to say that considering how he had treated her, now and in the past.

She turned on her heel and walked toward the checkout line, which snaked down practically an entire aisle. As she waited patiently, an elderly woman who reminded her of her grandmother greeted her and rang her purchase.

“That will be two hundred and thirty dollars.”

Veredel handed the woman her credit card, the same credit card she had stolen from her father to pay for this game. She didn’t have even twenty bucks on her. As the cashier processed the transaction, she mumbled, “Everyone wants this game. I can’t imagine why.” She handled Veredel her credit card.

Veredel managed a smile. “It is one of the biggest sensations of the decade if you believe the press.”

The old woman wasn’t convinced. “Games these days are nothing but trouble.”

She pretended she hadn’t heard the comment and said quickly, “Thank you,” and hurried out of the store. She wanted to get home before her father, so he wouldn’t see her with the game, no telling what he would do if he caught her with it.