The Heroic Lines
Part One: Breaking Lines
Chapter One: Changing Game
He was awake, lying there looking up at the ceiling, the light streaming in through a window set high in the wall. He was late, but try as he might he couldn’t spur himself to move, what was the point?
Sliding off the edge of his bed he sat looking up to his computer set upon the table. The screen was on, it shouldn’t have been. It was displaying a single word in golden light; Victory.
That was all he needed, that one word displayed on a black screen, the sign that his effort had paid off in the end. That thrill was why he loved games, because he could see it, how the effort he put in created a result, how his talent or lack thereof didn’t come into play. He dragged himself to his feet, a grin hanging from a sallow face, forty-two hours of strait gaming a new record even for him. he had prepared for it, setting up meals before hand and designating five minute brakes every ten hours to go to answer natures call, it had been magnificent, a brilliant way to end the summer holidays. He might not be able to join any of the successful guilds in the games he playe; due to time constraints from school and his part-time job. Instead he’d played multiple characters in many games, starting and leveling over and over again. He may not have the time, finance or ability to be the best of the best, but his effort always brought him above that borderline of mediocrity and that was all he could ask for. Sleep deprivation was a small price to pay.
He laughed rising to his feet, the first day of school, the first day of his final year.
He moved with the speed and tenacity of turtle but he had begun to get dressed. No one would ever describe his efforts as neat or respectable but at the very least he wasn’t indecent. He just needed to get to school and get the day over with, then he’d have his shift at the corner shop and probably a bonus hour or two as well. Or maybe he should see his grandfather, the old man was laid up in the hospital due to a heart attack, but at least it would keep the old coot out of his hair.
He left his room stepping out into the garden a yawn echoing through the chill air. His joints were stiff, he’d forgotten to put the heater on last night so it made sense, sleeping in the garage was rough even if it had been modified to resemble an actual room, though he was used to it after nine-years of the life.
Well he couldn’t wait around forever, he had to get moving, at least that was what his clock said, he honestly couldn’t feel motivated enough to try.
The city streets were practically empty, though the traffic was still congested, getting worse as he neared London proper, leaving the urban area behind. He lived in an area surrounded by the wealthy, his house being old and small stood out, especially with the repair shop that sat out front. His grandfather ran the shop, and they lived together. Although the old codger usually lost more money gambling than he ever managed to make repairing things in that rundown little shop. It was the whole reason why Sampson had a part-time job in the first place, well that and he needed the funds to buy the magazines, books and figurines from the games he played.
He’d probably arrive at the school soon, then he’d have to suffer through roughly half a day of classes. After that he’d need to go to his part-time job and finally with all of that out of the way he could get back to gaming. That thought lightened his heart, he could power strait through the hardest day of the year and move swiftly onto gaming. With a weird grin on his face he approached the schools side gate to with the main entrances having already been locked.
He was buzzed in without an issue, this happened a lot but the school was lenient with him, neither he nor his grandfather could drive and since he was practically supporting the old man they looked the other way, though in truth most times he was late it was his fault. Eh, as long as he kept his academic scores just above fail he’d be fine. He approached the schools building moving in the direction of the main office where he had to sign in, He had best admit it was his fault. Lying never brought anything good in the long run.
“It’ll be lunch soon that makes things easier, less time I have to spend here.” He muttered beneath his breath; dealing with school was a pain. He didn’t have any real plans for his future, he wasn’t aiming for anything big, like doctor or lawyer, gaming was enough, it would be nice if he could drop out of school. Well at least like a few years ago where he could have around four or five different jobs a day, most only an hour or two but still it had been hell.
He sighed at the thought of having to go through that again, a dull thud registering against his ches, drawing him from the doldrums of his own head, and causing him to step back in surprise. He turned his gaze seeing a young boy, probably having started at the school just that day staring up at him, fear stricken. “Ugh, there something you need?” He questioned looking down at the child. But before another word could slip past his teeth the child stepped back pushing off into the crowd of passersby, vanishing into the masse.
He sighed, well that was depressing.
Was he really that scary?
“Sampson!” A voice cried out approaching him with a speed that defied the congested hallways. Perhaps this was karmic punishment or something.?
“Hey Silvia what do you want?” He questioned turning to face her. She grinned back at him plowing head first into his chest her arms folding around his chest. “Are you scarring the year-sevens again, you’re so cruel!” She called a bout of giggling escaping her, like the idiot she was, “Were you up gaming last night?” He glared back down at her attempting to pry her off his chest. “Of course you were, it’s you” She began to giggle again before gaining a more serious expression. “I worry about you sometimes, try making friends sometimes, ones aside from m. You know you should try to be less scary, just don’t try smiling that’s creepy.” She admonished dragging him along. “What is it you want now? And I never said I was your friend” He huffed following behind, lacking the will to argue with the buffoon. Silvia pouted continuing her march. “I didn’t want anything, I just felt like saying hi... Of course now that you mention it, why don’t you come to our house tonight, my mum’s inviting you over since your gramps is in the hospital, someone needs to take care of you. You know it’ll be like...” Before she could continue on with her babble he stopped her short. “No, and for the record my face isn’t that scary.” He responded trying to shift the topic of the conversation as they went. “Of course your scary, but don’t worry I still love you.” She cooed up to him an idiotic smile spreading ever further across her face, “So will you come over it’ll be just like when we were children right?” She questioned leaning towards him. “Oh looks like I’m here.” She called rushing towards her classroom.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
He didn’t understand why people thought he was frightening in the least, he wasn’t tall and he wasn’t strong, no one had any reason to fear him. He sighed it didn’t really matter anyway
“I’ll see you tonight, oh and why are you wearing sandals?” Silvia called out before zipping into her class room with a snicker
Sampson paused lowering his head to look at his toes exposed in the leather sandals he was wearing. Just perfect, now he was saddled with Silvia for the rest of the day and he’d forgotten to put proper shoes on, well at least it was only half a day.
Well he had better sign in now.
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[Time: 15:19]
Free at last.
He was free from both the drudgeries of school and Silvia’s rampant insanity. She had the mind of a child, most of the time, but the annoying part was she was incredibly intelligent and athletically unparalleled. Still she lacked the slightest hint of commonsense. He had no idea how he’d survived almost ten years in her company. Well he’d have to visit her house later unless he wanted her coming over to break into his (which she had done before). But it’d be fine as long as he didn’t stay the night.
It wouldn’t be a problem they were neighbours after all.
He nodded to himself, he could bring his laptop over as well so it wasn’t like he’d lose that much game time, though there was always the risk she’d attempt to play a game with him and he’d end up having to guide her through everything from basic controls to enemy attack patterns, but there were worst things to do than reviewing a games basics. He smiled to himself as he meandered through the city heading towards his part-time job. It was a half-hour walk from his house to school, and one he made twice most days. Upon reaching the halfway point of his journey, with the help of a little detour towards the main road, he could find corner shop that supplied his part-time job.
The shop was nameless only a neon sign above declaring it was open while a poster for the national lottery was placed on the board stand outside, along with the headline from the day’s news. It seemed people were going on about the recent shift in climate change again. Slow news week.
With a sigh of relief he entered a bell chiming above as he pushed the door aside, the old man at the counter raising an eyebrow as he entered. “Sampson good to see ya.” Mr. Stohess grinned pushing his chair away from the register, rising to his feet, “I’d been meaning to do inventory so needed you to watch tha counter. By the way how’s your’ grandpa, will he be able to make it to this week’s game?” His name was Ferth Stohess, forty-two years old with a portly figure his height around five foot seven, or eight at an estimate. His head possessed a thin ring of hair that seemed to grow sparser with each passing month. He also happened to be a friend of his grandfathers. “The old man’s fine, he already wants to get out of the hospital, you probably won’t be seeing him for the next week or more. But at least like this I can relax a bit.” Mr. Stohess gave a wan smile before wiping his forehead with a small kerchief and turning in the direction of storage yelling back his orders. “We’ll switch out half way. After I’ve done inventory you can start restocking everything. If you don’t put your back into it you’ll never repay the old man’s debts.” He chuckled at that disappearing into the back as Sampson took his position at the counter his attention turning, as per usual, to the small screen TV mounted in the far corner.
Mr. Stohess was an old friend of his grandfather and father, he was also one of the three people in his grandfather’s gambling collective along with a woman named Lucy Enfield; Silvia’s mother. The trio met every Wednesday and gambled some negligible sum, though the fact his grandfather kept losing and even more was added on the side whenever they caught him cheating (which happened every other week or so), resulted in around three-hundred-and-eighty pounds worth of debt. It wasn’t very much but trying to earn that with part time jobs while attempting to support yourself was hell.
But thankfully when the group figured out the old man wasn’t the one paying the debts everything was smoothed out. As long as he kept an eye on Silvia and took a minimum wage job with Mr. Stohess the debt would be slowly whittled away while his grandfather was banned from betting money he didn’t earn himself.
Useless deadbeat.
Sampson sighed preparing himself mentally for running down the clock on the rest of the day. The news was still running some more information on the whole climate change debacle, and how it was incredibly unnatural, most scientists blaming how the earth had moved into a slightly different orbit around the sun. From here on out the year would be increasing in length to nearly five-hundred days and the difference in the seasons were about to become more dramatic. Explained why it was so damn cold. Well at least it would be putting global warming out of commission for a while.
Sampson prepared for the influx of people coming from finishing their jobs, it would likely be within ten or twenty minutes now, but at least it was easier than the tidal wave of customers from when the schools got out. Even now the last dregs of the students were trickling in.
Then the bell rang and everything changed...
Sampson turned, his gaze catching the figure, a silhouette in the early noon light. A body that stood over six-feet tall, even with its shoulders hunched, a head leering forwards turned away towards the freezer aisle. An immense gut distended from its body and short arms that barely reached its waist hung, bulging with muscle, were clutched in close. “Is there something I can help you with?” He questioned rising from his chair to stand. The man turned to face him and in that moment he could feel his heart stop.
The blood in his veins turning cold as ice, fear streaking through his mind
The scent that radiated towards him was like raw meat left out in the sun. Lank hair spilled down its face the colour of ash, wrinkled warped skin twisting as it glared at him with bloodshot eyes that seemed so small within its head, it wasn’t human not in the least. It had a snout like that of a pig but filled with pointed teeth each as thick and long as his thumb, it’s skin the shade of worn paper covered in warts and abrasions. He couldn’t move, not as the beast loomed nearer not until he saw what it clutched in its hand.
A blade, a metre in length, a cleaver as thick as his palm the edge catching in the light, the strokes of the hammer that forged it clearly visible, cuts and notches running along the weapon besides faded shadows of blood. Sampson stepped back his chair clattering to the floor. And then; the creature attacked.
It’s movements were fast, a speed that its form belay, a hand closing around his collar the other raising the killing blade higher overhead, to begin a death parabola. The creature screeched as it swung the blade down, but as it began its arc everything began to shake.
And nothing would ever be the same again.