• Evan: 9 years ago •

"Data shows no discrepancies, activities are fine too. It's your turn, Mr Harper."

The woman with the large glasses points to the person standing next to me. I still don't know her name, although it's been mentioned a lot.

Mr Harper puts his big hands on my shoulders and the pressure makes me collapse a little. He looks at me. His dark eyes bore into mine.

I shuffle uncomfortably on my platform and cough.

Nicolas Harper was the creator and founder of this game, his will is law and his orders are obeyed without question. People who see him are often a little taken aback when they hear him speak.

He is serious and there is always a stern undertone to his words. But once you get to know him, he is all right.

Sometimes I see him flee to his seat when things get too much for him and pull out a picture. His face lights up, as if his whole world is in it.

His voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"It's up to you, Evan. Today I want you to find the dragon that attacks the village of Perverlin. Fight it, but make sure you don't die, we don't know what the fatal consequences would be, but I think you have an idea."

I nod and look down, my bare feet heating the circle of UV light.

"We're going to find out what kind of brain activity is going on in you and as soon as we have enough results we'll bring you back." Mr Harper removes his hands and steps back.

"Evan, it's very important that this goes well. Please don't mess it up. This is very, very important to me."

"Why?" I cringe at my own squeaky voice.

Never before has he revealed so much information, and even now I expect a different answer. Only this time his face softens, as if he knows what I am thinking, and he pulls out the photograph he is handing me.

It showed a blonde woman with her arms around the neck of a small child. The little girl was small with big eyes hidden behind glasses. Her eyes were shining, as if she was thinking of a joke that only she understood.

Both ladies looked radiantly into the camera and smiled. The woman had white, straight teeth and the child was missing a few.

Mr Harper points at the girl and nods.

"This is all for my girls. I want to give them a world to imagine. Do you know this boy? The one who wants to make the people he loves happy and will do anything to do it?"

I nod and hand him the photo. He takes it and carefully puts it back.

"Of course you know that."

He seems to hesitate for a moment.

"Evan, I spoke to your mother."

O-oh! Mum's not going to like this. She's so against video games and I'm sure she'll have a fit when I get home.

"Feisty lady. She did manage to tell me a thing or two. She told me to put this game where the sun don't shine."

Again I cringe.

"I'm sorry, sir, my mother is rather..."
"But she told me that if it made you happy," he interrupts, "you should carry on like this, because as much as she hates it, she wants you to be happy, Evan. And I want that too."

After a nod from me, he goes to the back where the computers are. I knew what was going to happen next and my heart leapt for joy. I had been looking forward to it all day. My vision became blurred, as if the camera in my eyes could not focus on an object.

Mr Harper puts on the headphones and the last thing I hear is "here we go".

I stand somewhere in the green and draw my sword as I deliberately put on my hood.

"Right Evan, you need to head north to get to the village. The dragon is only circling the town at the moment, so you need to get moving."

I look down at the device on my wrist and nod as if they would see it.

"Understood. I'm on my way."

With great strides I trot through the thicket until the forest ends with a single fallen tree.

I kneel behind it and run my hands over the charred wood.

He was here.

With a roar, my suspicions are confirmed and I stand up straight. In front of me, near the small pair of houses, the scaly monster flies, seemingly baring its teeth at the poor inhabitants. Its black skin glistens in the sun, and with a war cry and adrenaline coursing through my veins, I attack the beast.

I chop, slash and dodge and then do it all again. The cheers of the villagers only encouraged me and I laughed as I scraped him once more with my weapon.

Roaring with rage, we circle each other. For a moment, his nails come dangerously close to my face, but before they can tear the weak flesh there, I jump back, giggling with pure pleasure.
"Evan, remember that your wounds in the game will also appear on your human body. Be careful!"

Careful, there's nothing nice about that. I turn on my axis and slip my sword arm through the scaly armour to get to its weak point. The creature notices this and knocks me down with its wing. The hook that hangs from it rubs against my cheek, sending me flying backwards.

I fall to the ground with a soft 'oef' and quickly scramble back up. Warm liquid trickles down my chin and when I pull back my fingers are red.

Furious, I fly at the mythical creature and hack at it. Just as I have it, there is a hum and then a stutter.

"Evan! Do..."

Confused, I look down and forget about the fight.

Clap!

I slam into a wall and collapse in pain.

"Go... Evan!"

Panicked fear grips me as I hear Mr Harper's voice. He remains silent and I look up. My enemy is coming at me with impossible speed. Paralysed, I stare at the raging animal. Unable to defend myself or even save myself.

"Evan! Get out of there!"

His voice jolts me out of my dazed predicament and I jump to the side, clapping my hands in front of my face. Chunks of wall crash down on the creature and I grab my sword, raising it above my head and dropping it with a whooshing sound.

Right into its heart.

The creature convulses and then lies still. I click my wrist and press the button to sign off.

And push, and push... but nothing happens.

Please, please get me out of here! Frustrated, I let out a scream and tugged at my hair.

"Mr Harper, I can't get out."

There are creaks and murmurs, but no one answers.

"Mr Harper?"

I blink my eyes.

"Sir! Please! Help me!"My voice breaks and I collapse, sobbing. I lie down in a fetal position and close my eyes.

My name, my real name, is Evan Houst Bander O'Neil. And I am the boy who has been stuck in the game for most of his life.