Ray took a few steps back and sputtered out a few unintelligible words.

“What, where--?” Ray managed a few real words, blinking twice with eyebrows raised. His mom’s usual brown eyes were now bright violet. He blinked a few more times, in disbelief.

His mom’s eyes were now back to their usual brown.

“Your Uncle Tim called and told me that you joined his video gaming group,” his mom continued, unfazed. “He said that you guys bonded over a late-night session of fun! I think it’s wonderful that you’re reconnecting with Uncle Tim.”

Ray wasn’t sure whether to be on guard or to be curious. Maybe he was both. Something had to give, though. He felt that enough secrets had been kept from him recently.

“Mom, your eyes were purple,” Ray started with a confrontational tone. “What is going on?”

A slight pause. A slight, but very noticeable hesitation added itself into the atmosphere as his mom considered his words.

“Ray, I’m not sure what you mean,” his mom continued on as normal. “My eyes are brown! You know my family is from China, everyone in our family has brown eyes.”

She stated it as if it were a fact. Ray would have believed it, had he not seen her eyes eerily violet just a moment ago.

“Uncle Tim also said that you would be joining his gaming group for a trip to his friend’s house in town later tonight,” his mom said cheerily. Then, her tone became weird again.

“Be careful out there!”

Ray frowned, then studied the room while he thought to himself.

What is going on with people these days? It feels like everyone I’m talking to is hiding something from me.

First, Arnold. Then, Laura. Then Uncle Tim and his gaming group guild. Now, his mom.

Why do I continue banging my head around this wall of secrets? I need answers, not lies.

Something snapped within him as Ray made an executive decision. It seemed obvious at this point, what he should do.

“Tell Uncle Tim that I’m not coming to play tonight,” Ray turned to his mom. “There’s something I need to do.”

His mom’s eyebrows raised a bit, an expression of surprise visibly showing on her face. Another pregnant pause happened, this time as a result of his unexpected move. Ray couldn’t help but feel satisfaction at his toppling of their plans.

“Well, are you sure?” His mom ended up replying in an awkward manner. Unnatural, maybe. “I mean, where are you going?”

“Just out,” Ray already started moving. There was much to prepare. He was thinking fast now, trying to get himself away from the secrets and the deceptions.

Just the essentials. I need to stay light and mobile. Always combat-ready. Maybe a gun?

He weighed his options. There wasn’t much to consider, in all actuality. He knew for sure that people who kept secrets may or may not have his best interests at heart. Ray still trusted his mom, if she was even his mom still. For all he knew, with what happened earlier in mind, she could have been replaced by a monster.

It was time to get out. Ray smiled as he left the room, his face half-turned to keep his ‘mom’ in his peripherals.

Get me out, FF 15, go next. I don’t win these like this. Ray just had to bring up those phrases he usually typed in his ranked games. They were too fitting for moments like these.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Okay! Be careful, Ray,” his mom warned him again cheerfully, happy mood restored. “Best of luck!”

“I will, Mom,” Ray called out as he headed up the stairs. She probably hadn’t noticed the new car in their garage yet. Or maybe she had. It didn’t matter.

He was going to level up.

Ray gathered a few items into his backpack and ran downstairs with it on. First things first, he had to go over to Mrs. Lufrin’s house to ask for her gun. It would be useful as a trump card. Also, so far, she’d been the only person to not hide obvious secrets from him in the past two days.

Well, as far as I know, I guess. Ray thought to himself cynically. Mrs. Lufrin probably had her secrets as well, but Ray had a good feeling she was for sure on his side. There was no way that years of her basically being his adopted grandmother would go out the window with a looming apocalypse, right?

It was worth a shot.

From what Ray knew about games, first movers had the advantage. Ray knew that he had to stay ahead of the curve on this one, maybe pick up a few more levels somehow in the backroads once more. He wasn't even sure what he was doing as he started up the supercar once more. Ray just knew that he looked forward to going back there. For some strange reason, he didn't feel any apprehension at the thought of heading into the unknown once more. It was like he had a voice in the back of his mind telling him to continue forward. Armed with a hint of desperation, a splash of excitement, and a system that begged him to continue on his path, Ray took his backpack and drove out towards Mrs. Lufrin's house once more.

Ray noticed that there were more cars on the road now, as he drove. He kept his eyes peeled for any green monsters or abnormalities as he drove, thoughts of last night flashing through his mind, the possibilities of the new world ever-present in his mind. Ray double, triple-checked every street he passed, his increased dexterity and speed helping his search as he scanned the roads and streets for anything. He felt like he needed something to cover up the fact that everyone around him was either lying to him or obscuring the truth or gaslighting him into believing a false reality. Ray knew what he saw last night, and the goblins weren't the only thing that went wrong last night.

The supercar pulled into Mrs. Lufrin's driveway and Ray got out, taking his backpack. He hadn't called ahead of time, so it was likely that she'd be surprised to see him. But with how wily Mrs. Lufrin was, Ray had a good feeling she would understand the situation immediately. And so, Ray went up to the door and knocked a few times. Then, he rang the doorbell and waited.

There was no immediate response. Then, a full minute passed with no change.

Ray started considering his options and running through the scenarios. What if Mrs. Lufrin was in trouble? Should he break down the door to try and figure it out? Should he loop around back and try to look into the windows? Ray almost scoffed at himself for immediately jumping to conclusions. There was a simple solution to this.

He pushed the doorbell once more, then pulled out his freshly charged phone to call Mrs. Lufrin's landline. He knew the old lady always kept the landline available as a reminder of the old times. Ray heard the landline ring a few times before it went dead again as the phone call wasn't picked up.

What the fuck is going on? Why isn't she picking up? Ray thought to try her cellphone now. It was unlikely that she would pick it up as well but Ray held hope that she would. It was also possible, though not probable, that Mrs. Lufrin just wasn't home. Ray saw her sedan in the other half of the driveway. He knew that she only owned that car, and it was similarly unlikely that she would be out for a walk at this time.

Another long minute passed with no luck on the cell phone line.

Ray made up his mind, he'd exhausted all the possibilities that came to mind at that moment. In his view, it was highly possible that all sorts of unspeakable horrors could have occurred to Mrs. Lufrin, and that every moment he delayed the worse it would get. And so he raised his leg and tried to mimic what he'd seen in a firefighter show one time. He shot his bent leg forward as hard as he could, trying to break down the front door.

The front door didn't give way.

Ray couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise. He'd gotten a lot stronger from hitting level ten, and there was no way that a simple door could withstand his force, right? Ray tried again one more time, only to see the same result.

Should I just loop around back?

With this thought in mind, Ray quickly turned towards the garden door, opening it and running towards where he knew the backyard screen door was. It was more likely that he would be able to break down either a window and a screen rather than a front door. Ray felt that something was off about this new situation he found himself in, but he felt that he didn't have any time to waste. Mrs. Lufrin had always treated him well and he would forever regret it if he let something happen to her now, looming apocalypse or not. He reached the screen door and yanked it open, then tried to look inside the house through the curtains.

Everything looked normal except for one thing.

A very large green bloodstain decorated the sandy oak lines of the living room. Ray heaved a sigh of relief, emotions settling a bit as his prayers were answered. At least it didn’t look like human blood.

At that moment, a very peeved-looking Mrs. Lufrin came down the stairs. She then noticed Ray and gave a slight wave, then motioned for him to come around to the front door.

Maybe he would finally get some answers.