“Why not?”
“Did you feel that?”
“What, that tap on the shoulder?”
“Don’t look now, but I think we’re surrounded.” I looked, and indeed, we were. We stood up, hands in the air. We walked through the primitive camp to the top of the volcano. There we were tied to stakes next to the four. I was next to Noah, who looked soaked. “Noah, why are you so wet?”
“Either I’m sweating a lot, or it’s raining.”
“Raining?!”
“Not here. Out there, outside the game!”
“Oh!” Just then there was a soft rumble in the distance.
“Ammon-Ra has spoken!” The chief said.
“What was that?” My wife asked.
“Thunder, and it’s awful close!” Noah responded.
“But there’s not a cloud in the sky!” Andy said.
“Adam, that storm’s awful close, I might have to leave.” Noah said.
“Boy you look wet. If you have to go, go.” I said.
“Well, I don’t yet. . .Wow, that was close.” Noah said.
“What?” Marie asked.
“That bolt of lightning.”
“I hate to disrupt this cheerful conversation of an imaginary storm, but look down!” Andy said. The lava had gotten hot and was getting closer to boiling over.
“So, Noah, what’s your plan?” My wife asked.
“Simple. Hope that the lightning strikes before the lava does.”
“How’s that?” Tricia asked.
“Well, if the lightning hits a power line and the power goes out, we can get out.”
“Oh, I see! The power goes out, the game goes off, and we are free!” I exclaimed.
“Yes.” Noah said.
“But what about Andy and Marie?” Tricia asked.
“And my wife and Jenn?” I added.
“They will simply cease to exist.”
“Us, cease to exist!” Marie exclaimed.
“What about us Noah? Will we be effected by the power loss.”
“Well. . .,” thunder, “We’ll soon see, there goes the power now.” Noah, the chief, Andy, Marie, my wife, the natives, the plants, the sky, everything disappeared. Tricia and I started falling, and in two seconds hit the floor. It was dark. All of a sudden a beam of light came from high above.
I heard some one shout, “ARE YOU TWO OKAY?” It was Noah’s voice.
“Yeah, we’re a little shaken up, and were dressed like when we first came in here. Me in my raid clothes, and Tricia in her casual clothes. Are you sure we’re out of the game?”
“Yes, I just climbed in from above,” Noah said, jumping to the ground level. “All the power is gone, come on up, before the auxiliary generator turns on.” We followed him up the ladder to the real world.
“Ah, smell that real air!”
