Disclaimer: I don't own Stay Alive.
*Charli Williams*
Some people really have all the luck. Then again, when some people have the luck, some people get the short end of the stick. Damn, poor Loomis, he had been a pretty cool guy too. Yeah, I'd only met him a couple of times, but he was a real gamer. Compared to most of these guys I was a real amateur, but that was just because I had to always work on my music. But this is getting beside the point, the point is that Loomis is dead and nothing is going to change that.
"Charli, I think I may have figured it out!" Drea, my best friend and the one I split the rent with, runs up to me with another of her theories. Then again, mine aren't much better than hers. But Drea isn't her real name, where most girls named Andrea shorten it to Annie, Drea's always been just that, a Drea. And damn can that girl hit the drums, which is useful for our band.
"What is it this time?" I asked, she had theories about one thing, and I had mine about something completely different, something that, believe it or not, I hate. That something has a name, but I'll get into that later.
"His name has to be something he's completely ashamed of. Otherwise he wouldn't have to resort to a nickname!" she babbled excitedly. "It's got to be something like Albert, I'm sure of it."
"Dracula, his name is definitely Dracula." I responded, I may as well ruin things for you. We enjoy making fun of Swink, because it really bugs him. Yeah, I actually do hate him, he's just too computer nerd for my taste. "No one wears visors unless it's for protection from the sunlight. He is most definitely a vampire, which is why you never see him eating garlic."
We both knew that our theories were stupid, but it became a habit with us. Plus he was over there working on Drea's ancient computer for spare bits and pieces. That's the one good thing, he doesn't turn down a job when people pay him.
"Would you stop talking to me like I'm not here? And I am not a freaking vampire, my name is not Albert, or Dracula." he sighed from where he sat, typing away on his own laptop and occasionally looking into the thrown up bits of hard drive.
"Whatever, you're going to have to admit that you're undead at some point or another. That visor is the only thing keeping you from burning up in the sunlight." I responded, walking over to the piano and sitting at the bench. Last week he had been a poker dealer, which had actually been my longest lasting theory. Pressing down the first few keys I began to play a song my mind could pull from memory. Things got like that when I played a song enough times. This particular piece was Hello by Evanescence.
When people look at me they see just below the shoulder length, light ginger curls, warm hazel eyes, and a short, skinny frame. I don't know exactly what runs through their minds, but then when they get to talking to me they find out that I'm one big contradiction. One day I'll be listening to feminist empowered music, the next it'll be about show tunes, then maybe songs like stuff from Evanescence, only to restart the whole cycle. Just the same with instruments, piano is my best, but guitar comes a close second, I can also play bass, a little bit of drums, some trumpet, violin, clarinet, and I've got a kick-ass singing voice.
"Shit, I've got to get going soon. Hutch got this game from Loomis that we're trying out tonight." Swink had obviously seen how late it had gotten. My fingers just stopped playing and I looked over at him.
"And what game is this?" I asked calmly, figuring that he was just screwing around with us. We hadn't seen a new game in what felt like ages, and I was pretty sure that vampire bastard was holding out on us.
"Something called Stay Alive. You guys probably wouldn't like it." he stood up and started walking off, but Drea intercepted him.
"Oh we're coming, but the car's totaled. You're taking us there." she told him, her arms crossed as she leaned against the door.
I grabbed the laptops and other gaming equipment and glanced over at him. "But it's your choice whether we do this the easy way, or the hard way."
"I-I'm not scared of you guys." he responded, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Just keep telling us that Swink, but you are scared of us. Stepping just a few inches away from his face I glared into his eyes. So I was a little bit shorter than he was, it was still pretty effective.
"You're not scared of us? Well you should be." I gave an evil little smirk and stroked the top of his head. He looked like a scared puppy by now, we had him right where we wanted him. "Swink, I think you're lying to us. Now go start the car."
He rushed out the door and almost collided with Drea, I have that menacing power over people. I'm just very convincing, really. People hang out with me enough and they learn to do what I say or they'll definitely get revenge when they least expect it.
"Damn, you are one bitch to that guy." Drea smiled and walked out the door beside me to see Swink fumbling with the keys.
"Yes, I am, and with good reason, shotgun." I smiled and sat in the front seat, half-tempted to stretch the use of one of my skills, which happened to be stealing. It was also a proven fact that I was a kleptomaniac, a disease that I couldn't really control at times. Feeling the urge, I discreetly pulled a few dollars from his glove box without his noticing, it was a good thing I knew where he kept the cash. Popping in a mixed CD of my feminist music into the player I sat back.
"Really, you still listen to this shit?" Swink asked in a sarcastic tone of voice, whenever he tried to make fun of me it ended badly.
"Yeah, you wish you had the superior mind to understand the Ani DiFranco. Someday your mind will be able to handle the sheer complication that is her." I responded, Ani was probably my favorite feminist artist, and I could tell Swink didn't really hate her. Otherwise he would've taken the CD out, but he didn't, so it was all good. But he did add some muffled curses as we drove off towards the apartment building Hutch lived in.
We were greeted by a waiting October, Phin, and a girl we didn't recognize. October and I were pretty good friends, she'd been there when I was going through some pretty rough times with my parents. Yeah, I had left my parents a bit early because we didn't see eye-to-eye really. That was when I came here to New Orleans.
Walking in, Swink decided to lead the way and scare the shit out of Hutch. One of these days the guy was going to get stabbed, shot, or otherwise injured for sneaking up on people like an ass.
After scaring Hutch we all walked in and I just barely registered that the girl's name was Abigail. God I was just so giddy about being able to try out some new game. My attitude was kind of like Phin's at the moment, shut the hell up and let's play the game.