Civilization

I could feel sweat dripping down the side of my cheeks and a shiver running down my spine.

What was that?

Was it my imagination?

I blink several times, checking myself from different angles but… I look normal. Was it really just my imagination?

Ignore it?

Maybe…

I shakily walk away from my mirror and exit the house. I feel afraid of being alone at this moment, the thought of something happening to me while I was home alone scared me. I unconsciously touch my throat and headed towards my workplace. Even if I had no work today at least there would be someone there. On my way to my workplace, I text the group chat to see if anyone was available to meet up.

"Who is free today?" - Ian

"ME!" - Evan

"Sorry, have something to do." - Sabrina

"Can't fly over at the moment." - Sam

"What's up?" - Evan

"Need some help and advice." - Ian

"OKAY! Meet up where?" - Evan

"City?" - Ian

"Done. Cafe near the station?" - Evan

"Yea, I don't mind." - Ian

"OK! Meet you there at 12." - Evan

"Okay." - Ian

12… It is only 0630 so there was still a long time before the meet-up. I needed some help with the visions Melody had as well as what I experienced this morning. My throat feels dry every single second since then and even if I had a large glass of water, that feeling doesn't go away.

I got to my workplace at 0645. A quiet morning with one of my co-workers playing on her phone while sitting on a stool behind the counter. Dressed in the store uniform with her long blonde hair reaching her waist was Rebecca and with her long fake fingernails constantly tapping on her phone she looks up with an uninterested face, noticing that someone had come in the sore. Her large blue eyes peer through her blonde hair as her bangs drape over the left side of her face.

"What are you doing here? You don't work today."

"Hungry. How is work so far?"

"It's fine."

With the short awkward conversation over she goes back to tapping on her phone. I sigh to myself. Rebecca had never even tried to talk to me, even when I had to train her for work. I walk around the store trying to see what I would like to eat for breakfast. A sandwich? A pie? Maybe just instant noodles?

As I crouch down to pick up a packet of instant noodles, someone grabs my right shoulder. Reacting instantly, I push my feet off the ground and lunge to the left, flinging my arm up and around, forcing whoever was touching me to release their grip.

"What the- IAN! THAT HURT!"

"Rebecca? What? What are you doing?"

"You. WHATEVER! I was just going to ask you about something."

"Sorry, I. I didn't mean to hurt."

"Whatever."

I watch as Rebecca walks around rubbing her wrist softly with an angered expression. I pick up the packet of instant noodles and follow behind her.

"I'm sorry, I thought it was something else that touched me. I got scared and reacted poorly."

"It's fine."

"Well, what do you want to ask me about? Maybe I can help?"

"It's about… No wait, get your breakfast sorted first and then we can talk. I boiled some water and left it in the kettle so just turn it on and it should be done in a minute or two."

"Sure."

I leave Rebecca at the counter and walk into the breakroom. Seeing the kettle placed on the table next to an instant noodle's wrapping, I pick it up and pressed the button to open the lid. Seeing that there was sufficient water left, I placed I turn on the power and left it until it boiled.

I took out a small bowl from the cupboard and placed the contents of the instant noodle packet into the bowl. Once I heard the whistling from the kettle, I knew it was finished so I poured the water into the bowl. Placing a plate over the bowl to cover it was the last step and now, I just need to wait a couple more minutes before I could eat.

I took the bowl outside to the store and went behind the counter. There was a small desk and chair that the manager uses when he wants to sit down and watch something on his phone while still being in the front of the store. I place my bowl of instant noodles on the desk making sure to not tip the plate over. Rebecca watches me with uninterested eyes, waiting for me to finish setting up before talking.

"So, I just started playing Settlement."

"Oh. That's good."

"Yea, well I need help."

"Umm, Rebecca. You know there is no way for me to help you unless I am close to you in the game."

"Right. So tell me where you are and I will see if I am close."

"What? Why do you need help anyways?"

"Umm… Don't worry about why just help me."

"What? That doesn't make sense."

I take off the plate on top of my bowl and mixed the contents with some disposable chopsticks.

"What's the problem, Rebecca? Just tell me."

"Don't want to. t's embarrassing."

I think that was the first time, I saw Rebecca displaying any form of emotion that wasn't anger. Her eyes dart around and her fingers are constantly tapping the side of the counter like she was worried that something would pop out of a corner.

"I have a skill."

"Okay."

"It is a weird skill."

"Okay."

"It's called Danger."

"Okay. Rebecca, you need to speak in a smoother way. You keep pausing after saying something small."

"Yea, I get it, Ian. You don't need to tell me that. I AM SCARED OKAY!"

"Why?"

"This… This… This skill makes me feel all sorts of dangerous things. I can feel when someone has a dangerous thought and then. And then I feel it. I feel who that person is projecting it to and I feel why and I feel how and I feel-"

I see Rebecca start to hyperventilate. Her breathing quickens and her emotions start to go haywire. She grips the side of her head and her eyes bulge out. I quickly get up and shake her shoulders looking into her eyes.

"REBECCA STOP! Calm down. Take some deep breathes."

"I… I… I… Feel it… Even out of the game…"

"What…?"

Her breathing slows but her body shakes uncontrollably. Rebecca was covered in sweat as if she had just run a marathon in the desert.

"Talk to me slowly. What do you mean by you feel dangerous things?"

Her voice cracks and despite opening her mouth a few times, no sound comes out. I let go of Rebecca's shoulders and thought that it might be good if she drank some water. About to got to the fridge to get a bottle, I was stopped by Rebecca holding my shirt from behind. I turn around and look at her trembling body.

"W-wait. I can talk."

"I was going to get you a bottle of water."

"I don't need it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea…"

"So, where do you want to start? Maybe about the skill and what it does?"

"Okay… The skill is called Danger. It allows the user to perceive when someone around them as a dangerous thought, whether it is towards the user or to another individual."

"Okay, so it lets you know when someone whats to attack you or another person."

"Yes, but not just that. It…It…"

Rebecca closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath.

"It also makes me experience that dangerous feeling but from the victim's point of view."

"What the-"

"If someone wants to punch another person, I feel the punch happen. If they want to stab someone in the stomach, I feel it. If someone wants to rape someone, I-"

"Okay, I get it. Does it happen a lot?"

"Can you imagine what it is like for the NPCs around to just be constantly thinking about how it kills even a goblin only to experience it over and over again?"

"You even feel the monster's point of view…?"

"Yea… It's scary… The different ways a human can kill a monster. It… It's scary."

"But if that is a skill in the game how can you feel it in real life?"

"I don't know… today it just happened…"

"Today…?"

"Yea… On the way here, I could feel random people's urge to just…just… They look at me and all other women as just objects."

"Ah… I see."

"I'm so scared… I'm was scared to go back into the game and now I'm scared about just being around people now."

"Rebecca… Is there a reason why you are talking to me about this? We barely talked beforehand."

"Because you didn't have any dangerous thoughts when you saw me."

"Maybe you don't play the game for a while…"

"I guess so…"

"When do you finish work, Rebecca?"

"11 why?"

"Come with me. I'm meeting a friend that also plays Settlement. If you are close to either of us it would be great. We can help you."

"Okay…"

"For now, just relax. I'll just hang around here until you finish okay?"

"Okay…"

I go off to the side towards the fridge picking out a bottle of water for Rebecca and myself. So many thoughts run through my mind. The red handprint on my neck and Rebecca's skill. Her skill is worrying but with her unstable mind, I can't be sure if it is actually happening or if it is her imagination running wild. Although, I do believe her and it worries me that something might happen. I feel my own body shake at the thought.

I walk back to Rebecca to give her the water bottle doing my best to reassure her that it is going to be okay. Replying with a weak smile was the best Rebecca could do and before long she was back to tapping on her phone with an indifferent look.

I sit behind her sipping on water touching my neck every so often. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Rebecca as she had to fight monsters in the game only to experience their deaths over and over again with the pain inflicted on her own body. Even if nothing is really happening, her mind would be taking a beating knowing about it and experiencing it.

I think to myself over and over about what has happened recently until I heard a scream next to me.

"REBECCA!"