Sara and I woke up near Hudson Heights. We were still upset over Ash being Erased. But I said that the best thing we could do is win, for her sake. The mission came on our phones.
Release the Noise from Hudson Heights: You have 800 minutes
Fail and Face Erasure
-The Reapers
The timer clicked up to 800:00. And started ticking down. Sara led the way to Hudson Heights, and when I Scanned the area, I saw Noise all over the place. But they were like the head of a hydra, take one down, two more took its place. At this rate, the mission was impossible. Then I saw two girls come out of Sushi Yu 2. There must've been something going on between them... the Noise were coming from them.
"Why are you acting so weird, Taylor?" one girl asked she was brunette with hazel eyes and a face that showed peppiness. I immediately hated her for looking like that. "You're acting really tense…"
"I'm fine Hannah," Taylor said she was blond. Her eyes were blue behind her glasses. Yeah that's what she said, but that's not what she was thinking. To understand what Hannah was talking about, I Scanned Taylor. And what was in her head was not what was coming out of her mouth. Mike and Hannah… I can't believe it! She knows I had a crush on him! Why was she with him yesterday!? How could she do this!?
"Those two are the source of the Noise," I told Sara, "Specifically Taylor, the blond."
"Really!?" She sounded surprised. "I heard that Noise are a manifestation of negative energy, but I didn't think people could make them by being negative. What's she upset about?"
"She has a crush on a boy, and she saw Hannah, the brunette, with that guy yesterday. According to Taylor, Hannah knew that she had a crush on Mike."
Sara thought about it for a minute. Then she looked back at me.
"There's this game on the RG, I've noticed it a lot," Sara said. "It's kind of like a magic 8-ball, it tells the truth and the future… supposedly. It's called 'Unveiler.'" Our phones went off when Sara said "Unveiler." That was the Meme. But before I Imprinted this on Taylor's mind, I had to see how accurate her assumption was. I Scanned Hannah, looking for what happened yesterday.
What's up with Taylor?… Ah! Could it be she saw me ask Mike about the Jake Garrison Concert!?... I really hope she's just wondering what we were talking about, it'd be horrible if she thought I was on a date with him!
I imprinted the Meme onto Hannah and then her thoughts were re-directed to something like this: Maybe I could use "Unveiler" to show her the truth.
"Taylor, there's obviously something wrong," Hannah said. "But I have another way of figuring it out."
"What?" Taylor said. "...What's that?"
"There's this new trend going around called the Unveiler, it tells people the truth or the future, I'll just ask it what's wrong with you."
"… Maybe I'll join you with that."
They drew a ven-diagram on a piece of paper. One side was a + and the other was a -. In the middle was an =, meaning maybe or yes and no. Hannah took out a coin, a quarter, and placed it above the diagram proper. Sara suggested that I use the Psychokinesis Pin to move the coin, and show the truth.
"Is there someone Hannah likes?" From my Scan, I did see memories of a guy named Jimmy… which she had in fondness. With that information, I sent the quarter to +.
"Does Hannah have a secret I should know?" I Knew I should've answered yes… but I wouldn't call talking to someone about a concert a secret, so I put it in the middle for maybe.
"Hannah was talking to Mike about something yesterday, should I know what it was about!?" I only answered yes because Hannah was too shocked to answer herself. When I spilled the beans on that, Hannah held out her hand to show two concert tickets for Jake's Concert.
"Here, Taylor," She handed over the tickets. "I got these after talking to Mike about it. I figured if I got the tickets-"
"How could you!?"
"Can I finish my thought?" Taylor motioned for Hannah to go on. "I figured if I got the tickets, you could ask him out."
"What…?" Taylor looked as shocked as I was that people trust each other like this.
"We still friend?" Hannah asked and held open her arms for a hug.
"Still friends," Taylor hugged her.
The Noise started to thin out a lot. I scanned and Sara and I took the last one out.
"Why did Hanna lie to Taylor about that?" I asked. "If she had those tickets for Taylor, why wouldn't she tell her about it?"
"Because," Sara said. "Hannah wanted to surprise Taylor, and get her closer to the guy she likes. What don't you get about it?"
"I don't see the good of a friendship based on lies." That led to a sermon that I didn't need… or so I thought.
"Ricky, people don't like because they want friends, they lie to each other because they are friends. My friend, Erin, once lied to me about wanting me to make her designs real… then she offered… but I wonder what it'll be like, when we get a second chance?"
This got me.
"Second Chance?"
Then the Reaper showed up.
"Heheheh," We heard a deep voice "It won't be very pleasant for you, princess."
"Who's there!?" Sara gasped.
"A Reaper!" I growled.
"Not entirely untrue, I am the Game Master by Proxy for this week. Adrian Jacobs."
"So you're the guy in charge?" I asked, never losing the scowl.
"Indeed, I'm here to see her." I didn't like this guy at all. With snuggly fit jacket that outsized me, the dread-locks, and the fact that I couldn't see his face, besides his chin nose and cheeks.
"Why me?" Sara asked.
"Your jealousy is the key ingredient in my flambé of pain. No Player was supposed to survive yesterday's onslaught. Your strength is the only reason you still stand here. why else would the entry fee for you be your-"
"Shut up!" I didn't say that. "Erin was a good friend! Why should I be jealous of her!?"
"If she was a good friend, why do you doubt whether or not you want your second chance?"
"What does that mean!?" I yelled.
"You haven't figured it out?" The GM raised his finger and pointed it to the bullet hole I found in my chest. "all Players on the UG died at some point during the week before the game they play. You are dead."
"What!?" I was in shock. I didn't remember dying. But then again I didn't remember anything before Central Park. How did I die? And Who KILLED ME? Here ends the fifth day.