Riley Pt. 1

Riley          Chapter Eleven Pt. 1

I don't know when we started this. Or even why for that matter. It started with stat stupid video game. The video game that everyone loved. I loved it. My brother Jackson loved it. But we are grown men. That's when Cole, my oldest brother, had gotten the idea to make our own real life video game- zombies included.

Now I know that it was a stupid idea, but we were all tired of  beating the same levels over and over again. taking it to real life- real people with real blood- seemed like the logical thing to do.

And now I've got this kid, Mason I think, or number Five, spazzing out in the Containment Room. Stupid people, can't recognize electricity when they see it in thick zapping lasers. I hope he beat's Jackson's number Five. She's the reason Five is in the Containment Room. F*****g b***h, making my team wait.

It took years to get the virus just right. So many test subjects. So many of them were zombies, just not Zombies, they weren't rabid and blood thirsty. We had run out of vulnerable people… then I came to the lab one day… and she was in the Viewing box. Jessie… They'd taken my girlfriend. But she had gotten the right virus. The perfect, complete one. So she's just been  wandering in a jail cell, where everyone else will go once they've been turned. Hopefully not my Five though..

"Riley!" Jackson shouted, sounding concerned or worse, pissed. I couldn't tell which.

"What?" I asked, looking at the screen with my twitching Five. "Oh," I said, already knowing what. I typed in a command on my control board, making the electric friend disappear. Sighing, I got up and walked to the stairs that lead to the hissed door that opened up into the Containment Room. Dip s**t.

 Opening the door, I could hear Five mumbling things. He had stopped twitching  but was now just laying in the middle of the room staring up at the ceiling with his arms and legs sprawled out. Basically, He looked like a human starfish.

I laughed silently to myself and walked to Five. He didn't look at me when I stood over him, no,  he looked beyond me. It seemed as if he was looking through me. But he was just staring off into space.

I clapped trying to draw his attention. Nothing. I shrugged. "Must be in shock." Backing up I step, I kicked him in the ribs, receiving strangled cry while he gasped for air. I felt a smug smile creep onto my face.

"Man, what the hell?!" Five shouted once he managed to get air into his lungs. I crouched down, causing him to flinch away. I laughed softly.

"Five, I need you to listen to me if you're going to win." I remembered my mic hooked up to my ear and took it out letting it dangle from the cord against my back.

"You're going to go into that room," I continued, pointing to the metal door that led into the Virus Room. "Then you're going to open the lockbox sitting on the metal table. Take the gun out of it. Do. Not. Get. Shot."

He looked at me like I was insane, which, for the most part was probably true. "Got it?" I asked, wondering how much time I had before my brothers started getting suspicious or Red Five got to the Virus Room first.

"Y-yes," He stuttered. I slammed my hand on the floor causing him to flinch once again.

"Yes, Sir. Damn it." He nodded quickly.

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. So don't get shot and Do not touch the bullets. You'll die in ten seconds. Once the girl gets in the room, shoot her. Do not kill her or you won't get out of there alive. Just shoot her leg or shoulder. Not the head, stomach, or heart." I touched his thigh and shoulder for emphasis.

"Yes, Sir." He said, his eyes going glassy. If he dies from shock I swear to f*****g god…

I shook his shoulder. "Once you shoot her a door will open. Get out as fast as you can because it will shut right behind you. Drop the gun and get out. You'll have ten seconds to get out of you'll die too."

I stood and turned going back upstairs.

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"Jesus Christ, Riley. Took you long enough." Cole snapped. I sat down at my station.

On the screen Five had slowly gotten up and made a break for the metal door. Grinning I rolled my chair to the other screen. Go, Five. Go.

I watched quietly as Five busted through the door, rushing to the lockbox. I knew he was fumbling, but that was out of my control.

"She's active!" Jackson shouted, putting his headset on. I could hear him giving her hints and clues.

But Five was already standing beside his table, gun set at the door. I grinned triumphantly. C'mon, Five. Stop shaking and focus.

"What the f**k!" I blinked as Jackson shouted, he must've seen my Five in the doorway as his ran in. "No!" Jackson was slamming his fists on the desk now.

In seconds the girl from the Red Team was on the ground screaming in agony and clutching her arm, her screams turning to moans and groans within seconds of being shot, her body turning quickly. Five seconds left. C'mon, Riley, move.

I wanted to jump up and cheer, but I needed Five to live. I pressed the button, opening the door that led back to the cell that fourteen other players were held in.

Five dashed out and I pressed the button again, locking the moaning, undead girl in the room. She had begun to pound on the door sensing the heartbeat of Five.

Now, I could celebrate. I turned and came face-to-face  with Jackson. His eyes set in a glare and his nostrils flaring. Well he's pissed.

I let my smile fade. "You cheated," He hissed. I shook my head.

"No, No I didn't." I laughed nervously. Before I even had time to process it, I was dangling against the wall, Jackson's arm crushing my throat.

I clawed at his arm, gasping for air.

"Break it up!" Cole said, dragging Jackson away from me. I crumpled to the ground, the air rushing back into my lungs. It burned but I felt the pressure begin to release in my face.

Coughing and wheezing, I made my way back to my chair. "God damn, nearly killed me,"

"Oh yeah?" Jackson snapped.

"Yeah," I snapped back.

"Well good, you cheating b*****d."

F****r. Now I know that He's my brother, my twin brother for that matter. But he's such a dick. Nothing like me what so ever. He's bigger than me, that's for sure. He knows I helped Five, obviously. But there's still fourteen others. Seven for him, seven for me. He's just a sore loser. Can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

God my lungs still hurt. He's never tried to kill me. Sure, he's punched or hit me a few times. But never strangled me.

He's just taking the game too seriously, Riley. I got up and walked to the bathroom.

Flipping on the light, I looked at my pale neck in the mirror. I scoffed. Rat b*****d… I'm already bruising..

I lifted my chin and looked at the bruise that was forming on my neck, remembering parts from my childhood that I thought were long forgotten.