1

ETHAN LEANED OVER the bathroom sink, the cool metal of the faucet grounding him in reality as he splashed water onto his face. The cold droplets jolted him awake, contrasting to the adrenaline-fueled hours spent battling virtual enemies in Brav0 0ne.

His reflection stared back, eyes still glazed from too many hours glued to the screen. The sounds of gunfire and the chatter of his friends echoed in his mind, a chaotic symphony of strategy and teamwork. As the water dripped from his chin, he wiped his hands on a towel, feeling the weight of the game’s intensity linger in his bones. Outside, the world was dark, shadows stretching across the quiet street—a stark reminder that time had slipped away from him.

He took a deep breath, the scent of soap and the faint tang of sweat pulling him back to the moment. This was the real world, but as he dried his face, he could still hear the distant echoes of victory and defeat in his ears, reminding him that the line between the game and life was growing thinner every day.

Ethan turned away from the sink, the faint sound of his friends’ voices crackling through his headphones, a siren call he couldn’t resist. He returned to the dimly lit room, where his old gaming chair awaited him, its worn fabric familiar and comforting.

As he settled into the chair, it creaked softly, molding to his body like a second skin. He reached for his headphones, the familiar weight resting snugly against his ears. His friends’ chatter came alive, their laughter and strategy discussions flooding his senses.

He grinned, remembering the battles they had fought together and their shared victories. The world outside faded away as he adjusted the volume.

“Hey guys,” Ethan said, settling into his chair.

“Tonya had to leave,” Caleb replied, his voice slightly muffled through the headphones. “She’s got school in the morning.”

Ethan glanced at the clock on his table, the red numbers glaring back at him: almost midnight. The late hour surprised him; he had lost track of time again.

His desk was a cluttered landscape of his life. Empty energy drink cans huddled together like forgotten soldiers, a tangle of charging cables snaked across the surface, and a few scattered game discs lay half-open, their covers creased and worn. A crumpled notepad, filled with hastily scribbled strategies and reminders, rested beside a half-finished bag of chips.

A dusty action figure from a long-forgotten game stood sentinel in one corner, while a small potted cactus, green and resilient, brought a hint of life to the chaos. Amid the clutter, a framed photo captured a moment with his friends, all grinning and holding up their controllers, a snapshot of carefree days that felt both near and distant.

With a sigh, Ethan returned his focus to the screen. His phone beeped, the familiar tone cutting through the ambient chatter of his friends. He glanced down to see a message from Tonya: “Good night! I love you.”

A smile crept across his face. Her words warmed him. With a quick response typed out—”Good night, babe! Love you too!” — He hit send and returned to the laptop screen, feeling a little better as he joined his friends.

“I’m out,” Ethan told Caleb and Maverick, interrupting their animated chatter.

“Good night, man!” Caleb replied, while Maverick added a quick, “Catch you tomorrow!”

Ethan shut his laptop, and the room fell silent as their voices cut off. He stood up, feeling the fatigue settle in, and went to the fridge. Each step felt heavier, the allure of sleep beckoning him. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a cold bottle of water, the chill seeping through the plastic as he returned to his room.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, he couldn’t help but reflect on the marathon session—twenty-one hours of intense gameplay with his friends. It was exhilarating and exhausting, a blur of strategy and laughter. He took a long sip of water, letting the coolness refresh him, and then placed the bottle on his bedside table.

With a content sigh, he turned off the light and laid back, letting the day’s chaos fade. As he drifted off to sleep, the echoes of the game faded into the background.

~~~

“SHAARKTAANK, PICK UP my dog tag!” Marvnator shouted, urgency creeping into his voice. “You’re closer! Hurry before the timer runs out!”

Ethan leaned forward, his eyes glued to the laptop screen as he watched Caleb—known in the game as Shaarktaank—rush to pick up the fallen dog tag. The seconds ticked away, the tension palpable as Caleb scrambled to scan it just in time, saving Marvnator from elimination.

Ethan chuckled softly, remembering how their gaming personas had become part of their identities. In the virtual world, he was known as Death_San, Caleb went by Shaarktaank, Maverick was Marvnator, and Tonya played as COOLTWILIGHT.

Something felt off. Death_San realized he hadn’t seen or heard COOLTWILIGHT in a while. A knot of concern tightened in his stomach. Had she been eliminated, and they hadn’t even noticed?

“Babe! Are you there?” He called out, but there was no response. Even her game number had vanished from the scoreboard.

Just as worry began to creep in, he heard her voice echo in his mind: “Death_San, look out! Behind you!”

Ethan whipped around in real life, adrenaline surging as he turned. A figure loomed behind him, a gun raised and aimed directly at him. The reticle was hovering ominously in his line of sight. Panic surged, instinct kicked in as he scrambled to react, every ounce of focus honing in on the impending threat.

The gun fired, and pain shot through Ethan’s side, pulling him from the chaos into darkness. He jolted awake, gasping for breath, his heart racing. It had all been a dream.

His alarm blared, cutting through the remnants of the nightmare. With a groan, he reached over and shut it off, murmuring, “Too late.”

He laid back briefly, his body heavy with exhaustion from the unsettling dream. The fear still clung to him, but he knew he had to shake it off. Reluctantly, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, forcing himself to get ready for work. The day awaited, and despite the lingering unease, he couldn’t let it hold him back.

~~~

ETHAN LOCKED HIS apartment door, gazing out at the thick fog that had settled in since early morning. It wasn’t particularly cold, but a slight chill clung to the air. The lack of sunlight made everything look like it was filtered through a haze. It was 8:27 AM, and he was ready to leave for work. Without a car, he would need to walk to catch the bus, as he did every day.

As he strolled down the street, his mind swirled with thoughts. Tonya and his friends were the only constants in his life. He wasn’t close to his parents or siblings, but they kept in touch. Although his job as a software developer was solid, the routine had grown dull after two years. He rarely attended church or any activities and felt like his life lacked a spark. Tonya crossed his mind again. He hadn’t texted her. Maybe at 27, he was getting forgetful. He felt like he was 80.

He slipped his hands into his pants pockets, searching for his phone, but it wasn’t there. He checked his backpack, but it was still missing.

Ethan groaned, cursing under his breath, drawing the attention of passersby. The idea of returning home irritated him; he wasn’t the type to forget his phone.

“Death_San, look out! Behind you!”

Tonya’s voice echoed in his mind, jolting him with memories of the dream. Desperate to avoid a repeat, he turned sharply, swinging his arms in a reflexive attempt to escape. His movement was halted when a hand clamped down on his wrist, cold metal pressing against the side of his head.

A masked stranger stood before him, gun drawn. He looked like a character from Brav0 0ne. Was this some sick joke? Panic coursed through Ethan as the stranger chuckled softly.

“Why are you doing this?” Ethan screamed. “Someone, anyone, help!”

The stranger pulled the trigger, and the loud gunshot echoed around him. Ethan’s ears rang, and he squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for what he believed was his fate. He had been shot just as he had dreamed, but this time it wasn’t a nightmare—it was real.

Was it real?

A ticking sound jolted him awake. He opened his eyes to find himself in what looked like the back of a military plane. He recognized it instantly; he had played Brav0 0ne for so long. This was the start of a Battle Royale match. The surreal turn of events left him disoriented. He couldn’t make sense of anything anymore. In a moment of desperation, he pinched himself. The sting confirmed it was real.

“Ouch,” Ethan muttered, realizing it was real. He had just felt pain.

“I think it’s real, bro. We’ve been here since last night,” someone said. Ethan turned, squinting to make out the figure.

It was Shaarktaank, with Marvnator right beside him. They were dressed in their Brav0 0ne skins, looking more lifelike than their game characters.

“What’s happening? I’m losing my mind, dude,” Ethan said, finally feeling relieved at seeing his friends.

“Same here, bro,” Marvnator replied with a sigh.

“I don’t fully understand it, but we’ve entered Brav0 0ne. After you went to bed last night, Marvnator and I suddenly found ourselves outside. We’ve figured it out after being here for a while,” Shaarktaank explained.

To Ethan—or, instead, to Death_San, since he was now in Brav0 0ne—this felt like something out of a movie.

“I think they’ve been gathering players since you just arrived. Speaking of players, look who just showed up.” Marvnator pointed, and Death_San turned to see COOLTWILIGHT in her game skin.

She looked just as confused as Death_San had when he first arrived. Her eyes scanned the room and landed on the three familiar faces. Unlike many war games, Brav0 0ne allowed players to customize their skins completely, which was how she recognized them.

“What’s going on, babe?” COOLTWILIGHT asked, visibly shaken.

Death_San rushed over to her. “You’re okay, princess. You’re going to be fine.”

He could see the fear in her eyes, and all he wanted to do was ease her anxiety. He hugged her gently, ensuring he gave her enough space to breathe.

“Are we in Brav0 0ne?” COOLTWILIGHT asked, her brows raised.

“You figured it out fast,” Death_San replied, impressed. He had always admired her quick thinking.

“You’re all dressed up, and it isn’t even Halloween. Plus, we’re on a plane. This ticking sound means we’re about to start,” she said, scanning the surroundings. She was confident they were in the game.

As if on cue, everyone stood up. They didn’t fully understand what was happening but knew they had to survive. This was a game they had played together for years, and they would use that experience to their advantage. All that mattered now was winning.

The final sound before the game began echoed around them. A map materialized, startling everyone. COOLTWILIGHT reached out, and to her surprise, she could manipulate it as if it were tangible.

“We should take this seriously. Let’s choose a good spot to land so we don’t face enemies head-on,” she suggested, focusing on the map.

“Let’s land here,” Marvnator said, pointing to a small area near a stream. “It’s far from the starting point. We can gather weapons and plan properly.”

“He makes a good point,” Death_San agreed.

Everyone nodded in agreement, leaving the landing decision to COOLTWILIGHT, the best player among them.

Shaarktaank sighed as he examined his uniform. “We’ve only got a knife and two explosives each.”

“Yeah,” Death_San replied, “and we also have parachutes for landing and a backpack.”

“Whatever happens, let’s try not to die, guys. We don’t know if this affects us in the real world,” COOLTWILIGHT warned.

“True. We need to be careful,” Marvnator added, his tone growing more serious. “We should also look for clues. This isn’t normal, and we have no idea what’s happening.”

It was clear that everyone was on edge, filled with concern and confusion. Death_San lightly tapped each of his teammates’ shoulders.

“I think we’ll be fine. We might not be pros, but we’re not pushovers either. We need to take it slow, win this game, and figure out what’s going on,” he said, reassuringly smiling and COOLTWILIGHT mirrored.

“Yeah, I guess,” Shaarktaank sighed again. “Let’s stick together no matter what. Promise?”

“Promise,” the others replied in unison, their spirits lifting even if just a little.

“It’s not fair that Death_San gets to be with his girlfriend, though,” Marvnator joked, and everyone laughed.

“Thought you two were dating,” COOLTWILIGHT smirked.

“Haha, very funny,” Shaarktaank rolled his eyes, but Marvnator laughed harder.

“It’s time, guys,” COOLTWILIGHT said, refocusing everyone. “We’re close to our spot.”

“Come on, Papi. Let’s go kick some ass,” Marvnator said, resting his hand on Shaarktaank’s shoulder.

“I’ll kill you,” Shaarktaank shot back, slapping his hand away. “I hope my girl is okay, though.”

“We’ll figure it all out. I’m sure everyone is fine,” Marvnator reassured him.

“Let’s do this,” COOLTWILIGHT said, tapping what seemed to be an eject button on the map.