Basketball

It took all day but i made it to level forty five. The exp requirements are getting steep It'll take a lot of effort to make it to level sixty, I'll need to fight stronger and tougher monsters if I want to do its in such a short time I'll have to push myself further. I closed my eyes, then I fell asleep, all my worries and insignificant thoughts floating away.

The rhythmic beeping started to blare the robotic sound reverberating through my brain. I stared up at the ceiling, my eyes sparkling from sleep, the sweat from the night rolling down my body and carving through my stomach. I moved my body slipping out of the bed. I placed my feet on the floor, my body hitting the ground. It's getting harder to move. My body feels strange and wrong. Is this a side effect of spending all my time in-game? It's been a while since I worked out. It's been a while since I properly moved. After I finish playing with my sister I'll do something. Something so I don't turn into a vegetable.

It's currently nine O'clock on a sunday. My sister is off school and doesn't have any clubs so it's the perfect time to introduce her to LSO.

"Ellie, you ready?"

"Yeah!!!"

"OK, log into the game by pressing that button then as soon as you do, tap the menu button on the side of your screen and type in my number and start a video call, I'll guide you through from there."

"Got it!" she brought her hand up to her head, saluting me and then rolling into the bed.

I walked back into my room and fell back into the game.

'New message to Psye, Banana:

We're ready, I'll meet you guys in the starting village.'

I then started to sprint back to the village, my legs kicking into the soil as I sprinted.

The ring tone started to chime and there she was.

Seh became a Wizard and we played for an entire day with Bana and Psye. It was so fun and I treasured every second of it… but can I be happy? Is it allowed? Do I deserve this? Macheala why? Why did you have to go? Why couldn't you stay with me? Why wasn't I enough? Why Ella? Why did you go?

I logged off the feeling of loneliness falling over me again. I pushed my way out of bed sitting on the edge. I pushed off the bed and walked over to my door grabbing the hoodie that was hanging there.

"Hey Charlie."

"Hi mom"

"Going out for food?"

"No."

"To meet someone?"

"No"

"How did playing with your sister go?"

"It was fun..."

She stood up, her eyes staring into my soul. She was wearing a loose sweater and her hair was frayed. She walked over to me and then behind me wrapping her arms around me. Then bringing her head in close she whispered in my ear.

"Don't make your sister like you. Don't corrupt her. Don't make her stay here. Don't turn her into us."

"I won't."

"Such a good boy I have."

I walked out of the house, my eyes fixed on the floor. My head was broken by her words. She's right. I can't let Ellie become like me. I can't tether her here, not when she could be so great. Not when she could escape.

I walked into the park the sounds blaring through my head, the shouts and laughter burrowing into my skull. Then I crossed through to a steel cage. Three people jumping and running through the court. Their bodies glistened with sweat and their smiles so bright.

I pushed through the gate and stepped inside.

"Hey Charlie is that you?"

"Yeah,"

"What's going on man? I haven't played you in like forever."

"Yeah I kinda stopped playing when I started highschool."

"Hey guys this is charlie he was insane in middle school. He'd practise every second of every day and he was our ace. I was so disappointed when you didn't join the basketball club."

"Haha yeah sorry."

"So wanna play a few games?"

"Sure."

"I won't go easy on you! Even if you're rusty."

I dropped my hoodie on the ground and caught the ball, it felt so right in my hands. And in an instant it all came back. I bounced the ball, speeding up the intervals until I remembered, until I could run. I pushed forward pressing to the hoop. My old team mate ran in front swiping at the ball but I jumped upwards as he dived, thrusting the ball with my right hand as it arced into the sky, the orange sphere sinking into the hoop and shaking the net.

"Woah man you weren't lying!"

"Dude, have you really not played in four years??"

"Come on man, you gotta join our club."

"I'm alright I just wanted to do it again since I haven't in a while, I'm not looking to become a basketball player anymore."

"Fine, let's at least have fun and we play every Sunday so you can always come back then."

I took the ball dripping through the court. The first blocker swiped at the ball again but I shifted it to my other hand and moved to the side letting him move past me, then I ran forward my legs squatting down as I gripped the ball with both hands, I jumped up the pressure surging down my bones and into my knees. I smacked the ball down dunking it into the hoop, my face hovering over the second defender as he fell to the floor.

I played well into the night, the court illuminated by the dim light from the park. Each of us scored point after point. I don't think I ever had this much fun playing before.

Who was I kidding? I'll never lose control of this body. This was always mine and always will be!

I walked back inside and the couch was flipped over and the table too. I walked over to the unconscious figure on the floor. Asd I stepped, bottles rattled. I picked her up, the golden hair falling onto my shoulder as I carried her back to her bed. I then put the couch back in position picking up the bottles and putting them in a big black bag carrying the clinking glass wear out to the bin. Seriously every week, I then walked over to the man passed out on my table. I opened a bottle of water, pouring the contents on his head.

He had long black hair that was ruffled and messy. He had small black eyes that made everything he said insincere

"Huh… oh hey charlie. What time is it?"

"You can use the couch and just be gone by the time I wake up and stop coming round."

"Aw man so cold but kid you know I can't do that."

"I know I'm just trying to be optimistic."

"hahaha, hey we won."

"Good for you. Now I don't want to see you until next week you hear me?"

"Aw but your mom is just so fucking fun and i've been here all your life so why dont you call me dad?"

"Because if you were my dad I wouldn't have to clean up your shit every year at the finals"

"Oooh hooo hoo those are some fun days."

"Now sleep the booze off and fuck off in the morning."

"Now why can't I make my daughter breakfast?."

I let out a heavy sigh and checked the lock on my sister's door. Then I walked back to my room.

I closed my eyes as I lay on my bed, my back soaking the sheets with my sweat. Then I drifted off. My eyes closed.

The room was plagued with noise, it was eleven years ago and I was in my bed trying to sleep. Lamps and tables broke through the door. The pounding and screams echoing through the room. Tears rolled down my face and my hands gripped my pillow holding it over my ears. Then through the noise I heard a knocking. I rolled the pillow back to normal and shifted out of bed unlocking the window.

The glass pane screeched as it slid upwards.

"Heya lee" Ella was climbing into my room her dress flapping in the wind

"Yo," I said flatly, my head hurts and my eyes feel heavy. It has been three days since I've slept.

"They're still going at it?"

"Yeah during the day they drink and watch TV and in the night they fuck until the morning."

"Jeez, wanna get out of here?"

"Gladly"

We climbed out of the window and slid down the side through a small rope I had made before.

"You know you can sleep at mine if you want?"

"No, mom needs someone there. If I leave she might choke on her vomit, and if there's no one to kick him out at the end of the week he'll never leave. And then mom will have to support all three of us,"

"When I asked my dad about it he said "that's no environment for a child to be living, someone should really take him away," but I don't want you to be taken away"

"If I get taken away I'll run from wherever I am and find you, I'll always be with you. That's our promise right?"

"yeah. "

We walked through the park. The weather was cool as the moon shone down on us. The stars were so bright.

"Lee, I hate this town."

"Me too,"

"Lee, I want to die."

The words still break my heart, they still make my entire world shatter when those words echo through my head.

"Then let's leave. We'll work our hardest and get the top scores, that way we can go somewhere else for middle school. We can leave this town and you and I can be together forever." I clenched my fist and wrapped my arms around her.

"Yeah, let's work hard! I want to be with you forever too. Thank you lee,"

I sat back into position and stared at her face, she was still smiling even when tears fell from her eyes she still smiled. The face haunts me every time I see it. I wish I could have grabbed her and ran. I wish I had taken her hand and carried her away from this accursed town, now and forever I wish I could've saved her. I wish I'd known. I wish I'd known what she was thinking.

But I didn't, I worked hard with her and took test after test. Both of us scored above ninety percent in every one. I really believed that would save her. That I could help, that I was helping. We played every day distracting ourselves from our homes, creating our own with the others, in that waterfall creating a home full of love. All six of us created our own world to live in, our own escape. Together I believed Ella and I could run away and leave everything behind. The goal of an idiot.

A pathetic attempt by a fool who knew nothing.

That night my mom got pregnant, Ella and I vowed to take the baby with us. We both said we'd never leave each other or anyone in those empty homes.

That night was when my life started, that was when I started to live.

"Hey lee? Do you want to live?"

"Not particularly."

"Then why do you?"

"Because of you Ella."

"I feel the same. I'll live for you Charlie"

"I'll live for you too"