Zeroverse

Chapter 1 : Yet Another cold winter day.

"Too bad that Marc wasn't able to come.

Bruce said that every year, even though Marc only came on the first anniversary.

Their friend and game master died 6 years ago.

Before that they used to gather at the hospital he was staying in and played with him. It lasted for 11 years. An 11 year old game. A game that only existed on some sheets of papers and their minds.

A game that stopped at the same time as the friendship it created. Now they all had lives that seemed far away. Lives to take care of. They moved on and Bruce stayed where he was. He just couldn't forget them, those afternoon sitting around a table. The dreams he had the night that followed.

James crouched in front of the tomb and took the box that they left years ago. It was at the end of the ceremony and among the few people that came only the four main players remained. They decided it should stay here with him. The game was over, they had no reason to stay together anymore. Afterall, the only thing they had in common beside the game was the fact that they all had been juvies at one time and another. Juvies that had chosen to pay their debt to the society by spending time working in a hospital.

Paul, the game master was about their age, maybe younger. From the little he said about himself, it was almost like he grew up behind these walls. There was nothing to do in and he was forbidden to go out. So he proposed the game. Since he neither had books nor playing rules, they would have to build anything from scratch. He explained that the game would take place in their minds. That he would tell a story and they would play in it.

Paul took dices from a monopoly box and explained that they were gonna use them to solve the actions. Then Paul gave him a sheet of paper and told him that everything about his character would be written on. At first there was just a name and a job. Informations would be added together with the game.And then it started, week passed, and other players joined.

At first they were using 6 faced dices. The red one that James took of the box was a 20 faced one. "Like the pros".

Marc brought them, saying he saw them online and ordered a fistload of them He thought they were much cooler. They didn't need it, afterall, there were as random as the six faced ones. But in order to avoid disappointing him, Paul said they would keep them. They all had different colors, so each chose one.

Marc that was having trouble opening the box finally succeeded and smiled.

"It's still there guys!

Surprised James and Bruce gathered around.

The red dice. The one that Paul used. The game master, being god in his world never had to show his score. They all knew that most of time the result wouldn't matter. Paul had a plan and therefor had the right to cheat.

Marc who was holding the dice looked at it closely

"Damn, I can't remember all the times this dice almost killed me.

James character had the hardest time. He was famous for his critical failures on dice rolls, or fumble. A score of 1 on any action test, that meant troubles even for the easiest action. He grew so obsessed with it that he kept count of every critical success and failures.

"Yeah but it also saved us.

Paul was a good but firm game master. James knew it, thanks to the number of times that Paul saved his ass. In the end his character was one of the strongest in the universe they built.

"It sure did.

Leaving the dice Michael stood up and watched the graveyard and stretched as if it was difficult for him to stand up.

"Do you remember how many people played with us?

"Many.

Bruce had no idea. As the year passed by, they stayed together and other juvies, kids staying at the hospital joined them for one or more games. But in the end they were three core players that somewhat lived there, and kept on spending their sundays afternoon here, even though their debt had been paid.

James sighed and took the dice in the palm of his hand.

"Those were the days.

Michael checking the time on his watch.

"Yeah they were. By the way do you still have our character sheets?

Bruce smiled.

"Of course, I also have his notes, people that took care of him at the hospital let me keep what was there. The room had already been cleaned.

"I'd like to see them one day.

Hearing this James stood up.

"Me too! Maybe we could go to your place? I'd like to see it.

Bruce face lit up.

"That would be awesome! I have time right now if you want so…

Michael shook his head.

"Sorry guys I have to go back home. Maybe next week ok?

Bruce smiled.

"Sure next week. What about you James?

"I'd like to but… Michael you're passing by the train station don't you?

"Yes.

"Could you drop me there?

"Sure.

"Sorry Bruce, next week ok?

"Yeah sure! No problem.

They left soon after. There was nothing more to say. The meeting was over, and they won't call each other. Bruce stayed a while staring at the grave and took the dice out of the box.

"Do you still need it?

Taking the dice back home with rest of Paul's stuff seemed like the right thing to do. It was surprising that it remained here so long.

He left the cemetery rolling the dice in the palm of his hand.

Why wasn't he able to move on? There wasn't a day spent without thinking about the game. He had cruised through life on the passenger seat. Sometimes he felt that everything had been a waste. Chances and opportunities he didn't take, friends he didn't keep. He lived in the past, always redoing events that already happened. The sole comfort of the word if was enough to put him to sleep.

Bruce went back home under the rain and alone. He tried to remind some of their adventures, and realized that his memories were fading away. After all it was to be expected. They weren't playing on a screen, neither were they using models. They had to picture things in order to see them, some of them drew, but in the end everyone always imagined things differently.

Back to his place Bruce spent the time for his pastas to warm up looking at the dice and all the place it brought them.

The game wasn't set in a particular world or genre, it was inspired from everything that Paul fancied in books, games or movies. Bruce didn't remember the specifics or the story behind. He never really cared after all, he was what people called a munchkin, a player that was focused on getting stronger. Sure he liked the story, but he liked the fights better.

The alarm of the microwave pulled him out of the nostalgia that was coming. Diner was ready. He put the dice in his pocket and ate alone, listening to the news.

He spent the rest of the evening in the same mood, and fell asleep the dice in his hand. Outside the rain became a storm and lightning lit up the flat. When Bruce closed his eyes his hand opened and the dice fell and rolled, 20.

Critical success.