Chapter 2 – News

Present day.

18th July 2194 in New Carley City.

Due to the current season of constant rain, the sky and the clouds that hovered above darkened.

The roaring of thunder could be heard from anywhere in the city.

Even as it was still daytime, the sun disappeared behind the clouds, allowing them to take the stage upon the sky.

The clouds showered the city with a downpour.

The rain was so heavy that vehicle drivers, who couldn't afford the flying vehicles, parked their vehicles by the roadside.

The pedestrians took to their heels, running to find the nearest inkling of shelter from the battering rain.

It was mostly those from the slums of this modern day and age that suffered this aggression of nature.

The rich ones didn't care about what happened outside.

They would only, with the push of a button or two, activate a system inside their very homes that cancelled the noise, making them forget that it was raining outside.

"Oh, shit!" a young boy suddenly rose up from the couch he was lying on and dashed towards the windows of the room.

His name, Damon Vance.

Damon hurried to a side of the room to shut the windows on that side.

After much struggle with the forceful wind, he emerged victorious over the incredible force of nature.

He drew the curtains over the windows and moved back to one of the two comfy couches in the room, sitting and taking a thick cloth by his side.

Damon picked up the remote control for the plasma television before him and just a moment later, shrouded himself with the thick cloth that served as a blanket while sniffling through his actions.

He was cold and found warm comfort in his makeshift blanket.

It has always been cold since the rainy season started in April.

The rain showered down and battered the roof of their home but Damon could hear the noise less than usual, now that all the windows to the house closed.

He pressed down on the remote and the television came on.

The bright colourful screen was showing a young attractive lady with long black hair and a cherry red gown who was seated with a table in front of her and a few sheets of paper in her hand.

"She's hot," he muttered under his breath while shoving a large scoop from his bowl of cereal into his mouth.

Of course, she was hot.

When you're dressed like that — cherry red gown on a slender body with a skin as smooth as silk — of course, you will be stunning to look at.

'She should have been a model and not a newscaster,' Damon thought, 'Maybe Stargirl Magazine or the GLAM! would give her the front page.'

The boy watched the news anchor read out the headlines for the news at 7 am.

None of the headlines that were being read out interested him, at least not until she mentioned the launch of NERVE's latest product — the most anticipated game for game lovers like himself.

That was a great delight for him.

Since January of the two previous years, 2192, when the game was first announced, nothing else had been said about it.

No one knew if it was still in production or if the entire project had been cancelled and the funds channelled elsewhere.

Damon was surprised when he saw the headlines moving away slowly at the bottom of the television screen.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, sitting up and putting his bowl of cereal away.

"So they were still making it."

Damon's reaction to the announcement was the same for every gamer, and non-gamers who showed even the slightest interest, all over the world.

It was good news for them and with the new development, they had a chance to even earn and attain fame while doing what they loved best.

NERVE's newest product was like a giveaway to fame and a chance at wealth offered on a platter of gold.

"We are eating good this year, damn! Nate will lose his shit when he hears this."

Damon looked back and in the direction of a room that seemingly belonged to Nate.

"Yo, Nate! Pull up!" he called out. "Come and see what I'm seeing!"

—––

A/N: READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE!