It was quiet without all the usual players around. Kenneth slipped out of the front seat of the truck and dropped to the ground. His boots hit the pavement with a smack and he straightened up. 

"I could get some new weapons...or maybe upgrade my tech." He pursed his lips and looked down at his inventory. He didn't carry many weapons, there wasn't much use for them outside of event battles except for the occasional defense and hunting. His lips twisted into a frown.

"Gear it is, I suppose," he mused aloud and then looked to the town. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he wandered into the little town and glanced around. The quests might not be running, but that meant he could go shopping without having to worry about crowds, wait time, and supply. Plus, it was quieter. He looked up to the leaves waving on the trees overhanging the peaceful town and let his shoulders slump and relax.

The quiet was nice. Still, he thought as he glanced to his side some and bit back a frown. 

Passing the gates into the town itself, Kenneth examined the eyes of the NPC's watching him. They were gaunt things. Whoever designed the game had done a decent job of varying the ethnicity, type, and body style of each NPC, right down to if they had freckles or not, yet everyone here had a sickly thin look to them. Kenneth's eyes darted around the streets.

This town is a little ways off the beaten path, but not that far? At least I didn't think so. Is business here really that bad, or is this just how they are? He looked away when one tanned woman caught his eye and he shifted his gaze to the ground. Gear. Focus on finding the right gear. His eyes flickered to his inventory. There were still two days left in the main event, but he could wander around till then. He tapped the bar and enlarged it, pausing to the side of the main path and ducking under the shadow of an abandoned shop stall. 

"I have a handheld computer...my pistol which I don't need to upgrade...basic tools, code scrambler--wait, I have that?" He paused and pulled it out, examining the tool. "That would've been useful earlier." He frowned a bit and just shrugged. "Oh well." Putting the scrambler back into his inventory, Kenneth continued to take stock. He came up with about ten electronics, all of them still basic level.

No wonder I'm still stuck at intermediate, I need to level up my gear if I'm gonna advance in skills. He closed out the tab and looked around, shading his eyes. "Gear shop...gear shop..." He compressed his lips and conceded to finding the map. 

Finger tracing over the paths and locating his current spot, he traced out a quick route to the nearest gear shop. It appeared down to the left so he closed the map and headed down that way. The eyes followed him. Kenneth hunched his shoulders forward and pulled his coat down with his hands as he walked. 

Where are you? Hello? Are you ignoring me? 

Byrd had messaged him several times that morning, and the night before. He hadn't replied, but he could hear her pleas in their haunted eyes. Begging for an answer. He stared at the ground and picked up the pace mildly. How do I answer her without telling her what's going on? I can't. She'll stop eventually. Please...just stop.

The artificial wind rustled the trees in the background with a roar like a horde of animals. Kenneth tried to push it out of his mind, but there was nothing else to focus on. He lifted his eyes to peer through his curly hair and counted off the steps in his head.

One...two...three...ten... the shops moved by and he picked up the pace even more. Was this how the map had it? He wasn't sure, but it looked right. There was supposed to be a bar on the corner, then two more blocks of vendors and stalls selling relatively the same items, then the gear shop.

His eyes skipped ahead. Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two...

Not a single player was in sight. His chest clenched some at the idea of what might be lurking in the alley as he passed. Some PKer? A creepy NPC? Or maybe just shadows. He passed without issue and kept going, his chin tucked into his coat as he peered through the slits between his hair for sight.

Forty-five...forty-six...

The bar receeded. The tres resulted and he thought he heard the sound of a Mockingjay calling in the distance. Maybe a bluebird? He didn't even remember the difference that his father tried to teach them when they were little. It was all just noise and sound. Cries into an empty artificial wind. He ducked his head a little lower as he passed a block of shops and peeked ahead to the next one.

The gear shop. Sixty-seven...sixty-eight...sixty-nine... He stopped short just outside the shop and relaxed mildly. They couldn't see him in here. The voices couldn't reach his mind. Kenneth looked up and then pushed open the door, edging his way inside. A short sigh escaped his lips and he closed it firmly behind him.

"Hello! What can I help you locate today?" A tall lanky woman with broad shoulders and equally broad hips made her way around the stacks of junk and gear to where Kenneth was standing. A wide puffy grin spread across his face.

Kenneth hesitated, staring at her for a moment. She wasn't real. She's not Byrd. He swallowed dryly, though, words refusing to form in his throat. 

The woman shifted her head to the otherwise and repeated her pre-programmed line.

Forcing his lips to part, Kenneth tried to muster words. He gestured to his pocket some, then shook his head. "I need gear," he choked out. Then he stepped back, blushing and rubbing at his face with one hand. Why does this have me so flustered? She's not Byrd, and it's not like I get this flustered around her anyway. He peeked out from behind his hand, chin tilting down. For not being Byrd, she seemed an awful lot like her. The brightness to her CGI eyes, the light that seemed perpetually shining off her skin, even her build.

Kenneth averted his eyes and just left his hand over his face. The woman shifted to prop a hand on her elbow and nodded slowly. "Right then. I think I know what ya could use. Upgrades. I've got plenty. What gear you got?"

A box appeared at the bottom of the screen. "Share Inventory?" 

He clicked 'Accept' and waited a moment while it loaded. A moment later the NPC piped up again, wandering off into the rows of shelves. 

"Right then, you just need a few upgrades. Just enough to get you to level two, am I right?"

"Yeah..." Kenneth followed after her as she began to collect items. They miraculously seemed to disappear as soon as they were in her hands, but Kenneth paid no attention. He lowered his hands to his pockets and idly read off the names of various items for sale. I've never even heard of some of this gear. It looks like it's...his brow furrowed then his eyes widened with recognition. They're grafter parts. Like spares and upgrades for grafted limbs. 

He reached out and touched one of the sets of wires that looked like a mental enhancer. It looped down just like Byrd's wiry hair did. I wonder if this is what she has? Would she need an upgrade?

He shook his head and pulled his finger away a moment later. "What am I thinking," he muttered under his breath. She can come get it on her own if she wants. Plus, I can't buy upgrades for things I don't have, and I won't be seeing her again. Forget it.

He lifted his chin and headed after the woman up to the register. 

She rang up each item and Kenneth watched the total tally itself up on the little holographic display over her register. Seemed pretty high tech for the area, but considering the shop, it didn't surprise him much. He shifted from one foot to the other, looking around the room as he waited.

"There ya are, 5,235 coins," the woman stated. 

Kenneth glanced at his money counter and winced a little but approved the amount. He watched the upgrades appear briefly in his inventory before shimmering and disappearing.

'Upgraded Gear Grafted' the games message box informed him. 

"Thank you," he said and waved, turning quickly before the NPC could get in any more dialogue. He walked out and ducked onto the street, exhaling. His heart hammered inside his chest still though, and he walked back quickly to the truck. There's probably not much more to do here anyway, he thought and kept his eyes averted to the ground. The new gear would help, and for now, he could drive around and work on his tech skill, maybe even try out the decoder on the truck itself.

Stepping out of the town, Kenneth lifted his eyes to the CGI sun sinking on the horizon. His shoulders slumped a little bit and he looked at the game clock. It was getting late. Barely felt like he'd wasted another day of avoiding his mother in here, but it was true. Well, at least that means it's a good escape even without quests, he thought and reached up for the logout button. They'll be bringing dinner by soon, though, and I think I've exhausted what I can do for today. Maybe tomorrow. 

He clicked the logout and the game faded. He slid the headset off and dropped it onto the sheets, sitting up and letting his arms hang forward limply. The energy seemed sapped from his body and bones. He stared down at his bony hands.

"Finally, I thought you'd never come out of there."

Kenneth jumped at his mother's huff and he looked over, freezing. "Y--You're...here," he wheezed thinly, pulling his arms back to hug against his frame.

For once she didn't move out of the chair, only reclined back and crossed her arms over her chest. "I've been waiting for you to finish with that silly game for hours. You're going to fry your brain someday with that device," she said. The old salty judgment was back in her tone.

Kenneth glanced at the headset and pursed his lips. "It keeps me calm," he retorted quietly under his breath. 

She sighed and he could almost hear her rolling her eyes. Whether she did or not, he didn't know but imagined so. Kenneth looked away. Sorry, I should've kept my mouth shut. He cursed himself mentally and his fingers dug into the thin skin of his arm. He rubbed his index finger against some of the old scabs that had formed over marks where his fingernails had gone too deep and left scratches. 

She shifted and he heard the chair groan under her weight but refused to look back. 

"So what do you get out of that silly headset anyway? Escape from the cold dingy walls of this hospital room?" Her tone cut through the cold air. Kenneth hunched his shoulders over his chest. His lips didn't want to part, but he forced a thin answer through the respirator.

"It's a way to pass the time," he mumbled and coughed.

"Of course," she murmured loudly under her breath. Kenneth snuck a look back and saw her glaring at the headset. He shifted his foot under the blankets to edge the headset closer and picked it up, setting it on the far end of the bed from her.

"The hospital offers it to patients who have to stay. It's just so we don't get...bored I guess," he said, spouting off what one of the bots had told him ages ago. The games had some other purpose for mental rehabilitation and something about improving the mental state of longer-term patients, but it had been a while since Kenneth looked at the actual reasons. He simply knew they let him have free access and he didn't have to stay here staring at the walls or dealing with his mother. Not much longer, remember that he told himself. Still, he shivered and clutched his arms a little closer to himself. The air in the room was colder than he remembered.

She shifted again and looked away. "Fine, but I don't like you spending all your time in there. Like I said, it'll fry your brain. Blue light is bad for your mind and eyes and games are useless, you'll just end up hooked, like an addict." She settled one elbow on the arm of the chair and rested her chin on her fist. "Talk to people for once. Wouldn't hurr you to show a little bit of care for the rest of us, real people."

Kenneth bit his lower lip, almost biting back rather choice words. Instead, he swallowed and nodded. His fingers dug back into his skin, though, and he looked away from her and down at the headset. Byrd is real...but, nevermind. Just please, leave already, he thought and screwed his eyes shut, willing her to get up and move. She didn't and silence lapsed in the room again. Kenneth tensed up until his muscles and chest hurt. He coughed to the side and tried to relax again, but could only sink back down into a slumped over hunch, trying not to breathe too loudly or look back at her.

I wish I could vanish, he thought, eyes fixed on the grey of the headset. Someone turn me into an NPC and stick me inside of there. I'd be happy. Please, anyone?

His eyes lifted up some and he stared through his greasy hair to the plain ceiling tiles. If there's a God up there, can you do that? Just take me away from her. 

Waiting until he was sure no response was coming, Kenneth sighed internally. He looked down and let his fingernails dig back into the old scabs. A little blood welled up and he ignored it as his jaw tightened. He bit down on his lip to prevent any of the tears from welling up as his fingers itched to reach for the headset. He glanced back over his shoulder. There wasn't really anything in the game, but maybe Byrd had sent him a message. She seemed persistent enough. He hesitated. I wasn't going to answer her, though...but it would be better than this. I could just duck in and check. Maybe when I come out, my mother will be gone? Maybe a bot will shoo her out. Maybe...

He stretched out his hand and grabbed the headset, slowly pulling it towards him. It's worth a shot. Eyes flickering over his shoulder, Kenneth checked behind him. His mother didn't seem to move. Exhaling slowly, he slid it over his head and ducked it down some, knowing he couldn't hide what he was doing, but trying nonetheless.

The sound of a sort of knowing humph came from outside the headset but he pressed the start button quicky and let the mental connection drown out reality. The home screen appeared just as it had the day before and he shakily reached up to click on his DMs. Byrd had messages all through the day prior and some through the night. He'd turned the notifications off because of it, but his gut twisted to think of how many messages were probably in his inbox after that morning. Still, it was a sign she cared, even if he didn't understand why. 

She seems desperate to talk anyway. I'll just come up with a lie and hope she doesn't flip out. I guess...it would be good to know how she is. His eyes cut to the edge of the screen, and he shook off the feeling of his mother's eyes on him as he clicked the DM icon and waited for it to load. His eyes skimmed over the top bar as soon as it appeared and landed on Byrd's name. He clicked on it and readied himself to construct whatever lie he could muster. 

She might buy that I had errands or lost connection or--

He hesitated, his fingers hovering slightly over where the keyboard would be as he stared down at the message screen. There were her questions from that morning that he'd read, and at the bottom-- 

His stomach rolled into a knot at the words etched in bold. 

'No new messages.'