It was Joey, the “hard thrower’ from gym class, and another guy. They were both standing in front of me and glaring hard.

Gosh

If looks could kill, I’d be thirty feet under right about now. Before I could do anything ‘no name’ guy grabs my arm, “I’ll hold her you shoot.” He says to Joey, I started to try and pull my arm from him and get away.

“Isn’t this, I don’t know cheating.” I said to them, still trying to get away. I’d at least try and shoot Joey if I hadn’t dropped my gun when I bumped into them.

“I feel like we’re better than this,” Joey said.

I like Joey he seems reasonable, ‘no name’ guy looks at me and then at Joey, “You’re kidding right?” He asked in disbelief, shaking his head at Joey.

“This is an easy win, bro there aren’t that many people still playing.” He said to Joey still holding my arm and keeping in place. Joey looks at us again and sighed before lowering himself on the ground and picking up my guns.

“Let her go before I make you let her go.” Joey said in a ‘don’t mess with me tone’ Guy suddenly lets go of me and took a step back. Joey hands me, my guns and smiles.

“Sorry about that, If you want we can also give you a headstart to get farther away from us.”

Joey is so nice, but something seems off about his smile or maybe it’s this whole thing in general.

“That would be cool thanks,” I said still a little shell shocked. “You’ve got five minutes.” I take a step forward and take off running away from them. I keep making sure to change my path. I’m looking for a place to catch my breath and collect my thoughts when I’m pulled to the side, and behind a wall.

“I just saw what happened are you okay?” I looked to where the voice was coming from and saw Pete.

“What?” I looked at him confused.

“You were just talking to Joey and Seth,” Pete said looking at me like I was supposed to know something.

“I was too far away to hear anything, what did they say?” He asked,

“Nothing much, just gave me a five-minute head start. Which is pretty cool since I bumped into them in everything.” Pete starts shaking his head at me.

“No, that most definitely isn’t cool.”

“Why not?” I asked him, he was acting weird, I opened my mouth to say something else when he cut me off.

“Because this means he wants to hunt you,” he said looking me in the eyes all serious like. I then did what any sane people would do.

I started laughing. “That’s. One. Of. The. Dumbest. Things. I’ve. Ever Heard.” I said in between my laughs. “You said it all serious too.

“He wants to hunt you.” I had my hand over my mouth to try and quite my laughs but it was kind of hard then Pete grabs me by the shoulders.

“Ash, I’m being so real right now. Didn’t you think it was weird how he gave not one but both of your guns back to you? Not only that but instead of taking the easy hit, he let you go.”

“Maybe he was trying to be nice,” I said.

“Joey doesn’t do nice, Seth maybe like when he’s really high,” Pete got a little off topic, I shook off his hands and said,

“Then what do you say we do?” I tilted my head at him and crossed my arms. I’m not sure if I buy this thing or not.

“We need to get you out.” He said, Oh so that’s his game make me think Joey some weird creep and then get me off himself. I don’t think so. I nod my head, so he thinks I’m totally about to go with this lame attempt to score a point.

“Ok, I guess I could just shoot you.” He says, Pete turns away from me and goes to get his gun. I guess when he grabbed me a few minutes ago he put it down.

When he turned away, I shot him. There was a small beeping noise and Pete quickly turned back to me in shock, like he couldn’t believe what I just did.

“Ashley, I was just trying to help you.” He looked like there was more he wanted to say but instead, he just looked at me sadly and walked over to the exit. I didn’t know what to say, however, this is just a game and it’s not that deep.

I pushed away my thoughts and started to some voice I heard.

“How many people do you think are still in the game?”

“I don’t know? why don’t you look up at the ’dead or alive” scoreboard you freaking noob.”

There’s a scoreboard, I looked up, and sure as heck saw it up there about ten people including myself left in the game. The scoreboard was basically like those boards you see at basketball games. I started inching up to the voices.

“Hi!” a cheery voice from behind me said, I turned my guns placed in both hands, so they were pointed at the guy who just said ‘hi’ to me.

“Is that any way to greet the guy who gave you a head start.” It was Joey again.

Before I could say anything I heard a couple pews behind me, and since Seth wasn’t anywhere in sight I’m assuming he was the one shooting people.

My guns were snatched out of my hands, and throw away from me.

“Hey!” I started to say, “Yes, that’s better.” Joey says looking at me pleased.

“No you idiot, I didn’t mean ‘Heeey’” when I said the ‘heeey’ part I waved my hand in a ‘hi’ motion. “I meant ‘Hey!’ as in what the heck are you doing.” I pointed my finger at his chest glaring at him, that was so rude of him.

He immensely narrowed his eyes at me. He grabbed my hand away from his chest and said: “Don’t touch me.”

I scoffed at him and looked away. “Just get it over with.”

“Get what over with?” He asked as he looked behind me and to the sides. I looked at him weirdly.

“Oh! that nope sorry you aren’t my kill.” He said.

Kill?

I watched him get his gun and shot himself.

“What?′

Now I’m super confused, Joey smiled at me and picked up my guns and run for the exit door. Leaving me alone and defenseless.

- -

It turns out while Joey was talking to me, Seth was pretty much-taking everyone out. I was out before I could do anything. good thing though it wasn’t Seth that got me out.