LK9Star

Rea’s friend from the English department was peeking through the door not realising Rea has noticed her already. She was waiting for an adventure to unfold and the key was in front of her eyes. She was waiting for the mysterious girl (Rea) to open up after what she was going to do here and now.

Nobody knew how fascinated she was or how she could not hold herself to do what she was about to do.

Just fascinated she was. Unmeasurably fascinated.

Rea…

Does she think I have not noticed her? I will act like that if she behaves like that. The door is not even crowded and she has the audacity to act like she is spying at me. Well, she is pretty and fair a real contrast to the dark wooden door over there. Maybe I should just call her. But maybe she might not want me to call her. I should just keep on acting like I do not see her and keep making my clay sculpture. After all I have to complete it by tomorrow. I just want it to be perfect. It has turned out quite well till now.

The face need to not look like any person in college and yet still good to look at. Otherwise, what might to teachers think? They will obviously think I have a crush on this person. I just hope it does not turn out like any of the guys in college.

I need to figure out every person in college of how they look like and make it look not like them. What if I make a good-looking feature and someone from college figure out that it looks like them confront me with their girlfriend and scold me? Or even worse, belittle me?

Deira might have a guy too. After all she is so pretty. I guess nobody thinks like me- not wanting to be in a relationship. After all everyone I have seen in my dorm, younger or senior, are all talking about boys. And asking me about my private life too. I already told them I did not have anyone but they were like “didn’t anyone propose you till date?” I will be like I am not interested in them.

They definitely looked puzzled and said, “We accept who ever proposes us.” Like it was a good thing. I did not get it. Did they not have preferences?

Maybe this country was different than ours. Deira was from the same place as me. So, I was able to relate some things. But our preferences with the relationships were not similar. She would befriend everybody in her way and chase after boys like it was her religion. I stayed out of it. But she was a free soul and what would she have to talk to me about in this odd time? Would she not have any other people to be friends around with?

“Hey Rea! What are you planning to make out of this sculpture?”

“A fine embodiment of the opposite gender.” I spoke the exact words the instructor spoke. Was I mocking her? No, I was impressed by her line and was impersonating her. At least in a sentence.

I did not even realise when she came in until she talked to me.

“And?”

“I have not found the perfect face I should create. “

“Umm, how about I help you out and in return you help me out too?”

I did not even think as the words came out of my mouth. “I just don’t want it to look like anyone in college.” And hoped that she would not judge me. And now there was no going back.

“That figures. How about you take the most handsome face and disfigure it?

I have access to some boys’ photos in campus.” She said.

I thought for a second and decided to give it a try. “Let’s do it.” Was her impressing her? No, it was just easy with someone who knew the same language and had almost the same vibe. Obviously, we all are made different.

We did the job in no time.

Then Deira told me about a ring that can figure out stuff about their online presence especially in a gaming atmosphere. She wanted to figure out what it did on a non-player as I did not have a gaming account.

“I am not sure of the truth of it so I bought it myself and decide to try it out.”

She took my hand and slid the ring in no time.

I would have told not to but what is done is already done.

The black ring turned white and there was a white light glowing in the middle. Then Deira took it out and slid it into her finger it did not turn on. It just remained black and inactive. So, she slid it back on my index finger. It turned white like before. I was fond of that colour.

“It chooses you. No going back now. I have this another one here. Put it on my finger.”

I took it from her palm and slid it on her middle finger. It turned yellow. And a faint yellow glow in the middle. With two curved digital decorations on both sides.

“And here, I have the information manual.”

We went out of the class and to the campus lawn. It was still bight outside with the sun over the horizon. Late afternoon patrolling parties would be here anytime soon. But we did not care about it. We read through the manual.

It said-

The aura colour could be detected and takes the colour of it. The light indicates the amount of energy on has and the digital decorations indicates the type of player on is. A more advanced player would have a more prominent brackets.

“It reveals a lot about the player. We cannot just go around wearing one of these in campus.” I spoke.

“And I thought he was giving me a ring. At least he said so.” She looked disappointed.

“I still like the look of it. We can be it in a battle ground to flaunt our skill levels.”

“Umm if only I could go to a battle ground.” She thought. “Did you read the last bit of it? It says the ones who have an infinity as their indicator are mazes and can use any skill they want.”

“Ow, interesting.”

“In some rings the indicator shows a light instead of the infinite sign.”

She looked at me.

“So how do you change it?”

“You cannot. It is in their blood or something I read on the net people criticising it. It is not given it is a skill at birth.” She looked at me again. “I know it’s crazy. But the netizens are calling it a digital lock as it digitally locks every information on the gaming… it even gets worse but who knows they are after all theories, conspiracy theories.”

“Conspiracy theory or not, when did games become such?” I asked.

“I don’t think it is a game at all. It is something else.”

“Seems so.”

We looked at each other.

Did it only seem only to me that our worlds were about to change? So much change that my gut felt like about to explode. Was I the only one? Looking at my friend I realised the truth.

And I think not! I was not the only one to be consumed with fear.