Hi. I know. I'm a fucking piece of shit for not updating. I'm sorry, I have been super busy. How could I have been busy on the weekends! Good question! Because I am a junior in high school! And it fucking sucks! I have lots of work and it's like 1:00 a.m right now. So I plan to throw about three or four chapters out at you tonight. Bye! Enjoy! NO FLAMES! Unless they involve me. If you flame the story 8 will find a way to Block you on this site. Bye!

The whole square, the whole space, the whole world was silent. Nothing made a sound. There wasn't a trace of bird singing, the crying of a vendor, not even breath.

I am trapped forever in a death game.

All Natalie could think about was her family. Her baby brother and sister. Her mom. Her cousins. And school. She would never see them again, and she would never be able to accomplish her dream of becoming a writer. She will never finish school, have her first love, children, or job. She would die an early death, her brain getting microwaved.

Tears filled her eyes. She dropped to her knees and stared.

Maddy was still staring with her mouth open at the spot where the cloak mass had disappeared. She wasn't sure how she felt. Not scared, really. Just… shocked.

Payge was doing the same thing, but staring at Taylor. They were both staring at each other, their mouths open and not saying anything. Payge's head was spinning, not sure of what to think. In Taylor's mind, all she heard was regret. Regret for ever putting on that stupid cord. She would never see her beloved brother again. Her brother… could not live without her.

Aidan immediately started to cry. She couldn't stop herself, and she wasn't sure why. It was as if someone had pressed a button, and tears came pouring down her face. She hugged her older sister, her sister who was always there for her.

Even Emily didn't know what to think.

Around them, players were yelling and swearing threats at Akihiko Kayaba, even though he had disappeared. A girl to their right passed out. Another voice screamed from the other end of the square, a long, drawn-out scream. A young man to their left was checking the main menu frantically, as if he could still check that it was there.

But of course, it was not there.

No one could get out.

Everyone was trapped.

Natalie knew what they had to do. She stood up tried to talk, but her voice came out weird. She could barely talk.

She cleared her throat: "Hey. Guys. We need to get a place to spend the night. Before they're all taken."

"How are we supposed to?" Taylor yelled. "Give us a few seconds, OKAY?" her voice was shaky.

Aidan continued to cry. Maddy seemed to be lost in thought. Emily said: "Natalie, let's just try to figure-"

"NO. After all this information, I want to sleep in a nice bed, not cobblestone!" she shouted. The tears came again for some reason, but she held them back. "In the morning, we can figure everything out."

Emily sighed. Payge tried to shrug but her shoulders felt like jelly for some reason.

Natalie made an ushering movement with her arms, and they all walked by her side. Suddenly, Emily pulled out her sword. They all looked at her. "Now that I know this game is fatal, I'm not taking any chances.

"She's got a point." said Payge.

"I think we're safe in-town…" Maddy said.

They all knew that was true, but after what happened today anything was possible.

They found a cheap inn that was fairly nice. It was a small, wooden inn but it was most certainly cozy. The lobby was just one room with a fireplace, tables, and a bar. They bought one "large" room for 85 col. It had two full-size beds with plain white sheets, with a small table and armchair in the corner. There was one window on the right side, getting a view of the Northern fields.

But there wasn't much to look at anymore, because of the increasing darkness. It was a window frame with black. Payge closed the curtains. Natalie locked the door. It was all for safety.

Taylor yawned loudly. "I'm so tired. How am I tired? This is a game."

"It's because everything is real now." stated Emily.

"I just realized, guys, where are our real bodies right now?" Payge asked. There was a few moments of silence.

"I don't know."

"Hospitals?"

"... probably."

"Well, let's get in bed then. I'm so tired." said Taylor, as if they weren't just discussing something serious.

They all unequipped their gear, leaving them in their undergarments. "These are our pajamas?" asked Payge.

"Then these are the strangest pajamas." Maddy said.

"You know what?" said Payge. "Screw it." she unequipped her undergarments. All that was left was a red bra and underwear.

"I don't care either!" admitted Taylor. She did the same. "I just want to sleep!"

"We're all women." Emily said.

Everyone unequipped their clothes so that they were all in their underclothes.

"I'm so tired." Taylor announced again.

"We know." said Natalie.

Aidan, Emily, and Natalie climbed into one bed and Taylor, Payge, and Maddy in the other.

Once they were in bed, they realized the light was still on.

"I'm too comfy." said Maddy.

"Taylor and I are officially asleep!" yelled Payge.

"Oh, I'll do it." Aidan groaned. She leapt out of bed and turned off the lamp.

Now everyone was in bed. Everyone was resting. And everyone was thinking. Thinking about how crazy everything was, how terrifying this was going to be.

And: would they ever get out?

It was 7:21 am, and Payge was the first one up. How?

Normally, Aidan would be up first. Then Natalie. Then Emily, then her, Maddy, and Taylor was always the very last to get up.

She also realized with a sinking feeling that this game really was happening. That she really was trapped.

This is not a dream. F.

What was the point of it all? moaned Payge in her head. She wanted to continue her life normally, really. Even if it meant being self-conscious and being bullied, whatever. She would give anything to go back to the real world.

Well, at least I'm with my best friends.

Actually, being with her best friends in this situation was the best that could possibly happen. Because she loved her friends more than anyone.

I hope that's what they think about me…

She sat up in her virtual sheets and looked out the window. The sun was rising.

She laid back down in her bed and stared at Taylor's back

as it rose up and down in a melodic pattern. She heard Maddy's sleeping sounds behind her. She closed her eyes.

Suddenly, when she opened her eyes again she heard people walking around and talking softly. She must of fallen asleep.

Payge sat in her bed somewhat sleepily. "Morning, friends." she said, then stretched and yawned like a kitty.

Aidan laughed. "I seriously wish I could record that. It's so cute."

Payge smiled and leapt out of bed but was careful not to wake Taylor or Maddy. She joined Natalie, Emily, and Aidan at the small table. She then realized she was the only one awake who was still in her underwear. She equipped her undergarments quickly (white shirt with black shorts).

"We need to go shopping for sure," said Natalie. "But we also need to level up. Right now we are all at level one. If we want to… well, survive… we need to be strong."

"I think we need to get supplies first." said Emily.

"But we have to level up!" argued Natalie.

"What about breakfast? I am really hungry." said Aidan.

Payge put her hands up in the air. "How about before we any of those things we wait for Taylor and Maddy to wake up." she pointed out. "My vote lies with breakfast first." she added.

"Well, yes. Breakfast obviously. But then we should head out to the fields and level up to at least Level 5." Natalie said quickly. "Then in the afternoon we get lunch and shop for everything we need."

They all looked at Emily. She was the oldest, sixteen in real life, and they all sometimes joked that she was their mother.

"That is actually a good plan. And I also think Taylor and Maddy should wake up now-"

"Why?"

"-before the bar downstairs gets packed. They sell food, right?" asked Emily.

Natalie shrugged. "Guess we'll have to find out."

"I'll wake them up." Aidan volunteered. She walked over to the left bed and gently woke Maddy up. She got up slowly but got dressed. Taylor, however, wouldn't budge after five minutes of Aidan's gentle shake.

"Put some elbow grease into it!" Payge called. They all laughed.

"Um," said Aidan.

"Come on! All of us are already in our gear and our swords are equipped." Natalie tapped her foot impatiently.

"Hold up!" said Payge. Aidan quickly moved out of the way as she jumped on the bed with such force they heard a boing sound. They all broke down laughing. Payge could barely breathe.

Taylor stirred and sat up. "What is going on?"

"A lot, Taylor. A lot."