Chapter Thirty-two – 'Hide and seek'
"Now why can't my game be that exciting?" Moe wondered to himself. "I have the worst luck in the world and this isn't even a real world. It was created by Burns."
He was frustrated with how the game treated him so far. The only positive thing was he had a silver top hat to ride in.
"If it gets any worse, I may have to sell the top hat and just walk around the world, or use the Transport System if the purple hologram lets me. I should just give up now." He was really frustrated now. "Let me find that elevator and skip ahead like Luann did."
He walked to the base of the dam and past the empty guard-house. The security guard stationed there earlier had run away due to the statue moving from inside the dam to a locked trailer down the trail.
"Nothing in this game makes sense." He thought to himself as he tried to enter the lower level of the dam. The entrance door was locked and so was the guard-house. It appeared everything was abandoned in a hurry. "Now I'm completely out of luck. Why can't anything go right?" He looked around for a second before realizing he was carrying his MyPad. His arm swung back and just before he released it, the purple hologram appeared outside the guard-house.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The hologram ordered. "That tablet is more important to you than life itself. If you break it, your game is over."
"That's just not right." Moe shook his head. "If nothing goes right, my game will be over soon anyways."
The hologram grabbed his attention. "Do you think that may be the point of the game. To test everyone to find their reactions to situations. Burns didn't have the power plant handed to him, he built it from nothing." Moe absorbed every word the hologram said. "Patience and strategy. You have only taken two turns. Play the game and see what happens..."
"How long is..." Moe started to ask, but the hologram had disappeared. "Those things make the game more confusing." He set the MyPad on the ground near the guard-house and picked up a baseball-sized rock. "I'll show them I can get to the top of the dam without the elevator." He threw the rock toward the top of the dam, but it bounced back strangely.
It fell into the water with a splash that confused him. He picked up another rock and tossed it the same way and the result was similar. A third rock was the best solution he had.
He threw the largest rock and instead of bouncing and dropping into the water, it exploded with a bang of shattering glass. "What the...?" Moe was surprised at what he had just done. "A glass ceiling?" He leaned over to pick up another rock when a blue hologram appeared.
"Rule violation." The blue hologram sternly said. "Rule 28a states: 'Only the Transport System can be used on applicable spaces to take the shortcut between connected properties'."
"I wanted to used it, but the door to the dam is locked." Moe explained to the hologram.
"Since you couldn't use it, you decided to throw a rock and smash the barrier between the properties." The blue hologram asked.
Moe looked up at the broken ceiling. "This really doesn't make sense. I just watched Luann jump from the top of the dam, land down here, and continue running." Another shard split from the ceiling and fell into the water. "Why is that ceiling there now, but not a few minutes ago when Luann took her turn?"
"I'll tell you a secret if you promise to stop breaking things that aren't yours." The hologram offered and Moe agreed. "The barriers are active to separate properties, however properties with a shortcut, or transport, to another do not follow this rule."
"Then why is it there now?" Moe questioned.
"Short answer is Transport can not be used on the first turn you find it." The hologram explained. "Speaking of turns..." Moe saw the MyPad light up as the hologram disappeared.
He picked it up and pressed the roll icon displayed on the screen. "I swear these holograms exist for the sole purpose of messing with me." He sighed as loud booms echoed across the dam. The display showed a six.
"I guess it's time to leave the dam and continue the game. I will miss this place." Moe jumped into the silver top hat and rode into the forest.
The path wound around a few trees, then two roads diverged in the yellow wood. The forest was silent except for the chirping of a single bird. Moe stared at the bird as it flew from one tree to the next.
"If you are telling me something, I don't understand, and sorry I can not travel both, as I am one traveler." He told the bird who probably couldn't understand him. The bird flew down and landed on the MyPad. The screen displayed two buttons, one labeled 'Yes' and the other 'No'. "I don't understand what is going on here."
The bird poked the No button with his beak and flew back into a tree branch and faded into nothingness. The hat took the path to the left and circled around more trees toward daylight in the distance.
"Finally." Moe said in disgust. "I thought I was wasting my time. This game hasn't been exciting so far." The hat continued toward the light and swerved before reaching the edge of the forest. "I shall be telling this with a sigh, that I'm going to die of boredom. Somewhere ages and ages hence traveling in this wood."
The top hat took another large circle around trees and through the woods, and stopped at the same place where the two roads diverged in the yellow wood. Moe shrugged as he peered into the trees looking for the bird, but it was gone. He looked at the MyPad and only the Yes button was illuminated. He pressed it and the top hat took the one less traveled by.
"This will make all the difference." Moe thought to himself as the hat exited the woods onto a busy street. The top hat picked up speed as it took a right turn to enter a freeway. "What a difference. Now we are getting somewhere." Moe felt the wind in his hair as a large building came into view on the side of the freeway.
The sign on top read 'Moneybags Mall' with a lower neon sign flashing 'For Sale'. Moe eyes lit up as this was the break he needed. The top hat exited the freeway at top speed and rolled along its edge like a carnival ride. Moe was more excited than scared at his ride. He saw Luann's dog leap off the top of the dam, so the top hat rolling on its edge felt safe.
Upon entering the parking garage, Moe saw something moving in the distance but could not tell what it was. "Follow whatever that was." He ordered the top hat and it raced down an aisle of cars and around the bend.
Slowly around each corner, Moe got a closer look at the object he was chasing. "Is that...?" He questioned as the top hat starting rolling on its edge to cut corners as mathematically short as possible. "It looks like the same purple hologram that Luann and I saw in the elevator at the dam. Forward march." Moe intensely ordered the top hat.
Two more corners and the hologram appeared in the middle of the road. "We'll show him you don't mess with Moe." The top hat picked up speed towards it, but it disappeared as the brim of the top hat was within inches of hitting it. "Take that." Moe yelled not seeing what happened.
He looked back as the hologram reappeared and waved before disappearing again. The top hat stopped in front of a set of glass doors. Moe jumped out of the top hat and ran towards the once visible hologram. Suddenly, he slammed into an invisible barrier.
"That's completely not fair. I just came through here a couple seconds ago." His instinct was to throw something through the glass wall, but the thought of how important the MyPad was reminded him not to allow anything to damage it. "Only one place I can go from here." He told himself.
"You have arrived at Tennessee Avenue." The MyPad announced as it showed him the six spaces he had just traveled. The sign above the glass doors also confirmed where Moe was entering the Mall.
"This place is for sale, so that's a positive." He told himself as he entered and found a mall directory. He traced the floor plan with his finger as he compared the number on the blocks to the store listing. "It's all food." He mentioned as the big letters on top caught his attention. "Second floor – Food Court." He read. "Well that makes sense..."
"Welcome to the food court." An unseen voice yelled at Moe. "I'll be there in a minute. Take a look around."
"Who said that?" Moe asked but did not hear a reply. "I know I did not imagine that."
The food court choices covered every type of food known to man, and even a few that were unknown. Tables and stalls stretched as far as his eyes could see, but it was completely abandoned.
"Maybe the mall just isn't open yet. It is still early, I think. I wonder if I can special order something. I haven't eaten in a while." There were too many choices for him to easily decide on one. "Anything except fries. Too many bad experiences with hot fries." The memories were not pleasant as he took a walk to scout out anything to eat.
"Thirty seconds, I promise." The unseen voice yelled again. "Just let me know what you want and my executive chef will make it."
Moe could tell the voice was closer and had to be from the third floor. He walked down the central corridor between stalls.
"Everything is snack food. I was hoping for a decent meal, but this will suffice." He approached a small central kiosk with a large plastic chocolate chip cookie mounted to the top of it. A banner wrapped around it read: 'Cookie Colossus'. "It's food." Moe convinced himself.
He jumped the counter and rummaged through the cabinets and found some leftover cookies along with a tube of raw cookie dough. The cookies were a bit stale as they were from last night. "If no one is making food, this is all I have."
"Raw cookie dough is supposedly bad for you due to raw eggs, but I eat it every day." The unseen voice was directly behind Moe. "There are better places to eat a regular sized meal at besides Cookie Colossus."
Moe stood up with the cookie dough in one hand and the MyPad in the other. "Who are you and do you want some cookie dough?" He asked the man.
"I am Artie Ziff and no, I do not need any cookie dough." Artie introduced himself and pointed to the other end of the mall. "I just had a quick meal with another player, but I could eat again."
Moe's eyes lit up at his statement. "I don't know which is more exciting, better food at the other end or another player is here." He thought out loud. "Is that the reason the purple hologram was taunting me in the parking garage?"
"Purple?" Artie asked. "I don't remember a purple hologram, just a green one at the statue when the last player came through here. In fact, I think they are still here."
"Let's go find them." Moe took his cookie dough and followed Artie through the central corridor past more shops and stalls. They left the junk food area and entered into the breakfast area, which was slowly coming to life. "Did I arrive at a bad time?" Moe inquired as vendors were setting up displays and turning on the grills.
"Not at all. It is early morning, and no normal person around here eats cookie dough for breakfast." Artie eyed his half eaten tube of cookie dough. "There are better options since we have everything imaginable."
They continued towards the far end of the food court passing from the breakfast area towards the darkened lunch area. Artie veered to the side to flip a set of light switches to illuminate the section.
"Should be easier to see where we are going." He said to Moe. "Let me find that other player." He walked back to the center for a better view. Cupping his hands to his mouth he shouted towards the third floor. "Ned! Are you still sleeping? Wake up!" Artie yelled and waited for a response.
"Oh boy. Ned is here?" Moe plainly said.
"Is that an issue?" Artie countered.
"I was hoping for someone..." Moe started when the response interrupted him.
"Hi-diddily-ho Gamer-eeno!" Ned leaned over the third floor railing and yelled back. "Fancy seeing you here. You find the statue yet?"
Moe took a second too long to answer. Artie jumped in instead. "We were just on our way to the far end of the mall to see if that statue was any different."
"I have a quick question for Ned, if you want to help me, or maybe it will help you as well." Moe had Ned's attention. "While you have been wandering around up there, have you seen a purple hologram?"
"Purple? Are there multiple colors of holograms? That's news to me." Ned was surprised at this fact. "I've been to three properties and I haven't seen a purple one. I'll search up here while you look for your statue."
"Sounds like a plan." Moe thought about enlisting the help of Ned to find the purple hologram. "How's this? Meet me at the escalator at the far end in about fifteen minutes and we can talk."
"Okilly-dokilly!" Ned answered before disappearing.
Moe looked at Artie as they resumed their journey to the far end of the food court. Sandwich shops turned into steak houses and burger bars the further down the corridor they walked. "I have a theory." Moe admitted. "If you want to hear it."
"I'm all ears." Artie wanted to hear as they approached an upscale sushi restaurant.
"While I was at the Hydroelectric dam, I learned the purpose of the purple hologram. I'm assuming since I saw one here, this rule applies here as well." Moe explained the Transport System to Artie and the light bulb went on inside his head. "If you knew Ned was up there, you have to be the mayor of this entire mall."
"I forgot to mention that while you were helping yourself to free cookie dough." Artie scolded him. "That makes us even."
Moe placed the mostly eaten cookie dough on the nearest table. "After the statue, can we grab something to eat?"
"Sure can." Artie said while unlocking the doors to the sushi restaurant. "I stored the statue in here because no one comes to the mall to eat sushi." The statue was standing between a pallet of rice and a shelf of wasabi. "I'll go get the executive chef while you play the important part of your game."
"Is there a chance we can invite Ned..." Moe asked but Artie had already left. "Strange guy."
Moe placed the MyPad into the hands of the statue and a green hologram appeared as did the elusive purple one.
"Greetings and..." The green hologram started before Moe and the purple hologram started arguing.
"You tried to run me over." The purple hologram protested.
"Only because you kept taunting me." Moe answered.
"Enough!" The green hologram yelled. "Settle your differences like real men out of my sight. I have strict orders to run this game." The green hologram snapped at them. "Greetings and welcome to Tennessee Avenue. This property can be purchased for one hundred sixty dollars. The price of a dinner sampler from the food court will be fourteen dollars. Make your decision so you two can go battle outside."
"I'll meet you outside." The purple hologram said before disappearing.
Moe reached up and pressed the Buy icon and the green hologram also disappeared. "Finally, I own a property." He thought for a moment. "Ned wouldn't lie about owning three properties, would he? I have some catching up to do."
Three pieces of paper printed below the statue's hands. Moe grabbed them one at a time. The first one he hugged as if it was the greatest present he had ever received. It was the Title-deed for Tennessee Avenue. The second one showed his purchase of one hundred sixty dollars and leaving him with eleven hundred ten dollars.
The third piece of paper did not match the rest the other two. It was printed on lavender paper and read: 'Also meet me at the escalator. - Purple'.
"I should hurry. This meeting could be important." Moe thought as he grabbed the MyPad and sprinted out of the restaurant. As planned, Artie, Ned, and the purple hologram were waiting at the escalator between the second and third floors. Moe strolled over to join them.
"Normally, this is against the rules but I'm not held responsible if someone sees this." The purple hologram started. "Ned, you have to stay on the upper stairs, and Moe on the lower stairs." Each of them grabbed the handrail as loud booms echoed outside and shook the building.
"Is this the safest place to have this meeting?" Ned questioned the hologram.
"No, but this is the only place you two can meet without it counting as a Transport." The purple hologram explained.
"Makes sense." Moe agreed.
The focus shifted back to the hologram. "Listen carefully as I may only have time to say this once. This isn't the game you think it is..."
