Arcade In the Dark

Si-fi story from 2083

Ever felt broken and betrayed? Are things and people you trust really trusted?

“Turn off the TV Ivy!”

“Mommm 5 minutes, please?”
“Ivy, did you complete your homework, oh wait for homeworks?"
“Oh my god Daisy please, you know how much this program means to me!”
“Ivy enough! your grounded!”

That's my sister Daisy, she's 16 and 2 years older than me. Always seeking
attention. she’s adopted, don’t go “ aww poor girl!” She’s a total witch! Life with
her is like a living hell.

Soon my friend Lina Suzukii’s birthday, was coming, it was a slumber party as
well, but I had to deal with my older sister and mom to go to the party, more of my
friends would be there Christina Brown and Mariana Jones.

Daisy entered my room and smirked saying! “Hey, do me favor?”

I ignored her.
“please?” She said acting out.
“Ugh, what?”
“Just new shoes for Jack's party I finished my allowance, soo”
“Seriously? Your allowance is so much, $1000 a month!”
“Uhm yeah I just need $50 and-“ and before she could finish I said, "No way! I need
$100 for a gift for Lina's birthday!”
“Ah, Make it a hundred I see how important this is for you! Besides I could impress
more people with expensive shoes.”
I knew she would turn into a psycho, I don’t understand why my parents felt bad for
her lies. So I agreed.
“Thanks! bye!” She said, making my blood boil. But she did persuade mom to let me
go.

Then one day, Daisy was pale, maybe she was sick? Mom took her to the hospital, and
when my parents arrived, they said Daisy had RAD, reactive annexation disorder, and
she has extreme issues due to past abusive backstory, I understood Daisy more, I
tried to bond with her, but she was impossible, but I had to give us a chance. I
felt like she was changing, she even bought a gift for Lina

My mom dropped me off at the party, I had a good time. But then Lina said, “I made
something for tomorrow, I’ll tell you in the morning, we all are staying 3 days in
my house right?” All of us replied with a yes. I noticed that I had forgotten the
gift I had got for Lina, so I gave her the one Daisy gave. And she opened it
first, “Omg! These charm bracelets are soo kawaii !” it’s fun when she adds
Japanese words while talking. she isn’t American, unlike most of my friends and
family, she’s Japanese! How cool!

Next

I went downstairs, when I arrived I saw traditional mouth-watering Japanese meals

all over the table.

“Alright so here is the plan, we all are aware of HIA, right? They announced they
would be opening their HArcade years ago, but why did they cancel it at the last
minute, I’m sure there are things there! what if we explore it?”
“OMG ARE YOU INSANE LINA?”
“Come one don’t be a coward Mariana, I’m sure Ivy is coming right, Ivy?” I felt
disappointed they treated Mariana like this, I had to agree to come, and besides
what could go wrong? I took back those words instantly, and after a while of
convincing, Mariana decided to come.

"We need an electric teleporter, and someone throws the teleporter to a safe place,
hm... Christina! You are a good climber?"
"Oh yeah! I took multiple lessons from Mr.J. In the virtual world. "
"great, Ivy, you're the portal closer and opener so you go in first."
"Oh Sure"
"as for Mariana you sure that everyone is safe."
"Isn't that too hard for me?" Lina ignored her.
"Get some good rest and prepare for tomorrow, you will need it."
said Lina, which gave me chills,

Next day

we got to the main entrance of HArcade, and as planned Christina climbed up and
threw the portalizer, ready to launch it I set it up. We heard a loud noise, a
very disturbing one, behind us about 10 meters away there was a scary-looking robot
ready to hunt us down, it was probably the security robot. But I had to launch the
portal, having pressured my Lina.
"HURRY, OMG!! IT'S GETTING CLOSER!"
"OH PLEASE, YOU'RE DOING NOTHING!"
soon I managed to activate the portal, and we teleported, but Lina accidentally
closed the portal while Mariana was trying to come in! I knew she would have been
hurt or even killed, I saw Mariana screaming while getting beaten up by the bot...
I was disgusted and scared at the same time, we got into an argument with each
other, I and Christina seemed to blame it all on Lina... I felt bad but was too mad
to take it back, Lina seemed to not talk after that... while I and Christina tried
to find an exit we came across another robot...

"AHH! LOOK OUT! A ROBOT!!"

"OH NO IVY RUN!"
"CHRISTINA WHAT ABOUT YOU!"
"DON'T WORRY I'M ALRIGHT I CAN RUN, I CAN MANAGE YOU GUYS, HURRY!"
on the way, we got lost and Christina was nowhere to, I was so upset, why had I
even come here? my 2 loved friends were gone,

we found a room with a lock and thought it was safe, so we went inside and found
amazing weapons! Thank god! We could at least protect ourselves.

then we needed some rest so we locked ourselves in the room and found some food
somehow, but I was not gonna trust it so easily, so I didn't eat but eventually
gave in because hunger took over me.

Midnight

A LOUD noise of the robot came kicking the door open, I woke up frightened, and We
had to run, on the way we read notes saying we shouldn't have been here.. and how
dangerous this place was, and it was all because HIAs HArcade was hacked by a
powerful gang of hackers who were enemies of HIA...

We were attacked by big amount of robots.. and we knew it was over for us both..
but then CHRISTINA APPEARED!
"Sorry for being late!" She said, she had scars all over her but she had very
advanced weapons, she looked unbeatable. She then threw 2 huge weapons onto the
ground and told us "I need a little help?" It was so fun beating up the robots with
our advanced laser shooters, flame rockets, and other advanced stink bombs.
our happiness was short-lived, as soon as we smelt victory, a huge robot came out
of nowhere..!!

"IVY LOOK OUT!!"

she was killed... Because of me, she pushed me away and died herself, I wanted to
die as I saw the crying Christina, happy that she saved my life.. and she said "win
this... for me!"

I ran crying forgetting Lina, and she had... WIRES ALL OVER HER BODY! she... she
was a ROBOT! MAYBE SHE WANTED TO KILL ME TOO?

but then... I hear something call out, "game over." "Ivy Johnson is the official
winner." I was so surprised, out of everything.. it was all a game?
Then MY PARENTS and DAISY came and said, "congrats, you're the winner, dad is the
CEO of HIA and I'm your biological sister, it has all been set up to see if you are
worthy of taking over the company"

"But.. what about the kills? What about Lina?"

"Well...umm... real... but uh don't worry! Eheh... we erased everyone's memory

about you and their kids! As for Lina, she was programmed to bring you here, right
mom?"
"yes. and your sister isn't adopted." Said, my mother
"Well, Ivy would you like to be the next CEO of the company?" my dad was excited
to know my answer
"you will have everything for yourself, unlimited things, and expensive
experiments, All yours!" Added my mother...
"NO WAY! You killed my friends! They're DEAD! NO WAY I'M JOINING YOU!"
"Well it's your choice but also-" I interrupted, "NO DAD, YOU NEVER UNDERSTOOD ME,
I WAS FOUND WORTHLESS ALL MY LIFE, AND NOW THIS? YOU KILL MY FRIENDS, YOU ALMOST
KILL ME, AND NOW... THIS? NO WAY! WHAT WAS THIS WHOLE TEST?"
"Honey you have to do this your sister is sick, but she never had RAD, she was
never adopted, but she is diagnosed with a serious illness, cancer, and she only
has a few months to live, you have to do this! HIA can't stop like this"
"I'M NOT A DOLL YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH!"
"mom it's alright.. we don't have to force her, let's leave."
I ran away as fast as I could... and I went back to everyone's families and told
them about their daughters. All thought I was crazy, Daisy wasn't joking when she
said we erased them from their memories... I was called nasty names, and no such
people existed...

Not everyone is who you think they are, they could be a backstabber ready to stab
you when the right time arrives