Winter Harvest

by Dawn Chapman

  Then more shouting ensued.

  “Respawns! Are you awake and with us?”

  A few mumbles around me. There were others here. Respawns?

  I forced my brain to think more, shivered again and realised why. I was naked too. Liquid sloshed all around me, and struggling only made me sink further into it. The goop covered my head fully. Was that why I couldn’t see well or hear anything bar their shouting. Why were they shouting? I was also in some kind of pod. I found the bottom of it, pushed myself up, and stood waist high, gulping for air. Around me were several other people, both men and women. I blinked making sure all the liquid was out of my eyes, my ears. But looking down, I could see nothing. Had it been a figment of my imagination?

  The voice at the end of the corridor ramped up again and he walked down towards me. I noticed that all the others stood straight. They weren’t shivering. They showed no emotions. Well trained already? I didn’t understand any of this. What did that mean for me if they found out I was a 0 in everything? Would the Shade Brain work? Crap, just that thought alone made me suck in another breath. Was I really here, like this? I tried my best to stop the shivering, though it wasn’t easy. Fuck, they’d spot I was different for sure. I was done for!

  The man—no, soldier—looked to each of the others as he passed them. It seemed to me like he was accessing their statistics. I knew straight away that if he did the same to me, I was dead. It was pretty obvious that something had gone wrong with my death, my transfer. If I was discovered, would they finish the wipe? Was I destined to end up like the people around me, nothing of their former selves, just minds to train, bodies to kill?

  I didn’t know what I could do to stop him, what protection would I have as a basic?

  The room erupted in red light. Sirens went off.

  The soldier making a move towards me turned quickly and ran for it. “Fall in! Weapons ready!”

  “Thank fuck,” I said.

  I hopped out of the pod on full alert, watching what the others did and copying their every action. I knew this wasn’t going to last, that I’d eventually be found out, but I had to try, right?

  The clothes were labelled =

  BASIC PROTECTION x 1 = QUALITY POOR.

  Statistics for all of them flashed across my view. The other weapons fairly basic, too.

  UNDERWEAR x 1

  SHIRT x 1

  LEATHER OVER COAT x 1

  TROUSERS x 1

  LEATHER BOOTS – 1 PAIR

  LEATHER GLOVES – 1 PAIR

  SMALL ARMS PISTOL = QUALITY – POOR – 10 ROUNDS – THREE MAGS

  DAGGER = QUALITY = POOR

  The other people—no, the other denti. I knew that’s what I was now. Not human per se, but something else.

  Sirens sounded off. Red lights flashed.

  MISSION LOG - DEFENCE

  DEFEND DELTA 81 FROM IMMINENT ATTACK FROM 3 M-WOLF RAIDERS AND THEIR MINIONS

  YOUR JOURNEY TO MECH WARRIOR CONTINUES

  REWARDS – NONE

  ACCEPT ???? YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. GET IN LINE!

  M-Wolf Raiders? Attack? Already? Fuck! Mech warrior? That sounded so cool! But the others were much quicker than me and were filing out already as I struggled to get my shirt on and strap the dagger in its place. I slid the mags in my trouser waistband; there was nowhere else for them.

  Pulling on the boots as I made a run for it, I followed them out of the room. The corridors were plain. Not one of them spoke. Just the pounding of their feet on the floor. There was no banter between them, nothing. Had they been reprogrammed already? I hoped it wasn’t going to be like this forever, because this was some fresh kind of hell I hadn’t thought possible.

  I sucked in ragged breaths. Knowing my stats, weren’t anything to write home about. If this were like any other game out there, I would not only need to start to build up the person that I was, but I’d struggle like fuck to start. The grind in all games was something that some hated, and others like me enjoyed. Hard work to get where you wanted to be was something worth doing. I guessed right then I was some kind of a cheater. Bumped to a special zone, maybe where I could level quicker. I knew I was in a place I shouldn’t be. This wasn’t a noob spawn centre. But the more I watched the people around me, the more I saw their faces were blank. They weren’t reacting. They just seemed distant, more like NPCs of the old-school days when they just did as they were told.

  Shit! Would they spot I wasn’t a normal respawn right away?

  As their jog set a steady pace, my breathing settled, and so did the ragged thoughts that flew around my head. I needed to think logically about all of this, to learn about my role and what I was expected to do.

  I had to lie like the best.

  Chapter Three

  The front of the line turned into another corridor, and ahead of us I could hear the sounds of battle. A rush of air, smoke, and smells assaulted everything that I was. I choked and covered my nose, looking around me to try and observe as much as possible.

  As I neared the corridor where the others had vanished, I saw it open up. A shield wall lay ahead of us now, and hundreds of people filed out into the vast open space.

  “To the line!” a voice bellowed at us. “Find a space and fill it.” The few I’d been with spread out rushing towards the shield wall, where they joined the ranks of those firing. I saw a gap and was just about to run for it when Anna ran across my path and took the spot.

  “Get to the fucking line, denti!” someone yelled at me.

  I shook myself out of wondering. Guess I had to be much quicker here than I imagined. I spotted another space in the line and ran for it instead, sliding on the sodden ground into place. I took up position and drew my pistol, lining up some shots. I stared out to what was coming at us. Ahead of the shield was an opposing line of creatures like I’d never seen before. From here they looked part metallic and part biological, maybe a cross between a wolf and a bear. The creatures on the front line seemed to be foot soldiers, but the ones behind commanding them bore weapons. Huge, big assed guns. Shit.

  M-WOLF – LEVEL 9

  HEALTH – 99%

  I raised the gun, and although I had no real-life experience, it couldn’t be much worse than using a gun in a game. Pretty easy to line up a shot, pull the trigger. With the first pull, though, I cursed. I missed. They weren’t easy targets. Either that or it was just because this was my first time. I noted the others weren’t having difficulty, so that confirmed my theory that I wasn’t as good as I had hoped.

  The guys to my left and right were good shots, and I copied their actions as best I could. I missed the first several M-Wolves I aimed for, but by the second magazine I started to get the hang of it, the weapon’s weight feeling more comfortable in my hand. Watching the guy to my right’s technique more, I copied him again. My first hit. In the shoulder. The M-Wolf didn’t go down, so the man to my left took its head off for me. I lined up the next one, hoping for a kill. Pulling the trigger once more. I watched it strike true.

  SCORE!

  YOU HAVE KILLED YOUR FIRST ENEMY THERE’S HOPE FOR DELTA 81 AFTER ALL!

  FANTASTIC– SKILL ACQUIRED – SNIPER – RANK 1

  JUST BE CAREFUL THOUGH, NO WAY YOU ARE HITTING EVERYTHING YET, SON!

  I felt a shove from my right. “What are you waiting for grunt? Fire!” I looked at them, left and right.

  “Don’t overcompensate,” Lefty shouted. “There’s no wind factors here, nothing but their movement. Just watch how fluid they are, how repetitive. Learn their patterns.”

  I was shocked that he’d spoken to me, but his words sank in, and I stopped thinking of the planet being the same as Earth.

  I took out the next M-Wolf that broke the line as it made a run for us.

  One shot and it was down.

  FOOT SOLDIER - RANK 1 ACCOMPLISHED KEEP FIRING!

  M-WOLF ATTACK SPEED – DOUBLED

  “Fuck!” Lefty shouted. He took out one of the M-Wolf and then another to its left. “Shoot faster!”
<
br />   I realised as more M-Wolves broke the line I needed to be a lot faster.

  A lot frigging faster or we’d be overwhelmed.

  Both guys beside me were quick. So damned quick. I felt like a child compared to them. But I was sure I was doing something.

  For each M-Wolf I hit, though, there were just several more. They weren’t stopping their push forward. As they got closer, they were easier targets, and my speed started to pick up.

  AWESOME JOB!

  SNIPER – RANK 3 ACHIEVED!

  FOOT SOLDIER – RANK 3 ACHIEVED!

  It was when they got to the fifty-foot markers that I saw something else come into play. The shielding wasn’t our last defence. We had holes, explosive devices, and, with a sigh I realised that even though the numbers out there were vastly superior to ours, we actually had a chance.

  Each explosion that went off ripped several of them apart. The guys next to me took down anything that it missed.

  The guy to my right suddenly stopped firing, and I risked a glance to his weapon. Jammed.

  “Fuck,” he swore again. He was good at that. Thirty feet.

  He reached behind him, but his break in fire meant that two of the M- Wolves broke the line fully. One made a run straight for two of the guys at his side, and I watched in horror as the other tracked onto us.

  M-WOLF – LEVEL 15

  HEALTH – 92%

  Twenty feet.

  The guy to my left had enough to do, trying his best to stop the others, firing non-stop. And I almost froze. I didn’t have time to line up; when I tried, I just missed. Like something wasn’t computing. I dropped the gun, reaching for my dagger. With it in hand, I broke my line in formation taking a stance against it. More and more M-Wolves broke free of the main grouping.

  Ten feet.

  Staring death in the face, I saw it all happening in slow motion. The M-Wolf’s eyes locked on me, and I readied myself to face it head-on.

  In other games I’d played it might have worked. However, I was sure—here, with nothing but basics as my stats—I was gonna bite the dust.

  Firing started back up again behind me, and I knew the other guy had picked up my weapon to fire on the M-Wolf. Was it too late? I didn’t know.

  M-WOLF – LEVEL 15

  HEALTH – 42%

  Eight feet.

  Slow motion had nothing on this. Two feet.

  I bent my knees and readied myself, anticipating its manoeuvre would be as important as how I would take the hit. I hoped with every fibre of my being that I would have something in the recesses of my mind from all the games I used to play, memories that I could use to my advantage when compared to the others out here.

  One foot.

  It did exactly as I thought it would, weight back on its hind legs, about to take a leap into the air. Probably hoping it would take my head on its landing.

  I wouldn’t let it.

  M-WOLF – LEVEL 15

  HEALTH – 22%

  As it sprung into the air, I pitched my weight to my left leg. Sucking in a breath, I waited.

  The timing had to be perfect. Waited.

  As it reached its highest point, I moved, hearing the words resounding in my head. “Fuck!”

  My left leg pushed upwards, I jumped to my right.

  As the creature’s upwards momentum turned downwards, expecting to find me in its path, its head turned slightly. Landing with a bellow at its failure, I plunged my dagger into its robotic eye.

  CRITICAL HIT - HAND TO HAND COMBAT KILL

  THAT WAS PURE LUCK NOT SKILL – NOT AWARDED RANKS

  That seemed mean, though there wasn’t time for me to hang around and question it. I noticed the tiny reward box flash by its side. I swiped at it quickly. It vanished, and I knew even if I didn’t understand where it went that whatever was in that box was mine. No loot for my ranged kills, only melee. That sucked. But I could deal with it. Maybe the ranged kills added up at the end of the mission? Guess I’d find out. It was pretty interesting, and I wanted to learn quickly what worked so I could make the most of situations.

  I jumped back to the line and grabbed for the jammed weapon of my comrade. Using nothing but my memories and skills, inside many other first-person shooters and tactical games, I struggled, jiggled, and turned just in time to be able to pull the trigger.

  LEVEL ONE ACCOMPLISHED! HELL YEAH!

  FOR LEARNING TO KILL AND FREE UP A BLOCKED WEAPON YOU REAP ALL THE REWARDS. GUN-SMITH - RANK 1!

  HOLD YOUR SHIT TOGETHER OR ALL WILL FAIL!

  SNIPER – LEVEL FOUR ACCOMPLISHED. THERE IS JUST NO STOPPING YOU TODAY!

  I was trying, I promise. But I was exhausted already.

  The line was dissipating. The creatures stopped their push forward.

  In the far distance, I could see the level two—no, fuck, twenty—boss that was in charge of them all. He stood shoulder and head above the rest of his pack, and it was obvious now that he was staring at me.

  None of the weapons here would reach him, and he knew it. He stood and bellowed louder than all of the gunfire.

  I knew he sounded for full-on retreat. When they turned and just ran for it, there were but a few shots hoping to catch the few stragglers.

  “Hold the line!”

  This order came through internally. My AI Chip connected to them somehow?

  We stood and waited. I waited to die!

  Finally, able to catch my breath, I glanced to the guy whose life I’d saved. He didn’t even acknowledge me. I felt my forehead scrunch and looked away. This was going to be tough. Did these guys remember what allies were like? Or friends?

  I looked back. His clothes—no, uniform—I did notice now, though. It had a slight difference in it. There were two dark studded markers on his collar. I had no clue what it meant, but his face, his build said he was very much more than basic. Then I realised watching his face, his eyes, he was accessing his character sheet. Good idea. No better time now, while I waited, right?

  I swallowed. First things first. I was finally able to take in the terrain around me.

  Nothing like my home, nothing at all. The land was stark, greyish. The air had a hint of metallic rustiness. Trying my best to lick my lips with nothing but a dry tongue, I touched the tip of it, tasting salt from my pores. There was moisture there, just not a lot.

  I thought for a brief moment about my health stats, wondered what would go into it and what would weaken me. How long would I last? Did I need to eat, drink?

  A green section flashed before me with the number.

  HEALTH = 75%

  Then it broke down into two sections.

  FOOD – 63/100

  WATER – 33/100

  I knew I was okay for now. But it made it clear that I still needed food and water after the exertion.

  I rubbed my hands together, feeling a little cold. Then remembered the loot box I’d picked up. I thought on it, then watched as it popped up with a little “open” tag.

  With another thought, it opened.

  REWARD

  1 X SILVER COIN

  1 BAG, CONTENTS NOT KNOWN.

  OPEN AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

  Oh, nice. That meant there would be at some point a place I could buy things. But I’d also need somewhere private to open the bag. Though I’d no idea how they’d measure up, chances were at the moment I wouldn’t have enough for much, and I’d need to save. Basic grind. Fun!

  Chapter Four

  The longer we stood there, the more I noted my health decline. I tried to look at the two guys nearest to me to see their stats like I had Anna’s, but nothing came up, not even a name. I could only presume this was because they outranked me. Although I’d seen Anna’s? I was confused for sure.

  Keeping alert now was the task, but I yawned. Tired. We stood here for a few hours, standing, basic watch.

  HEALTH = 25%

  FOOD = 13/100

  WATER = 12/100

  “Break. Return to your barracks.”

  QUEST COMPLETE
/>   M-WOLF ATTACK THWARTED.

  REPUTATION WITHIN DELTA 81 INCREASED RANGED KILLS x 23

  YOUR BANK HAS BEEN CREDITED x 23 COPPERS

  Ah, so ranged did still do something. That was good even if it wasn’t worth as much as melee, probably because that was a much harder kill.

  As the others left the line, I watched. Then they’d almost gone. Shit. I didn’t remember what room I was from. Instant panic set in. They’d know.

  The guy from my left grabbed hold of me. “Don’t even think about it. You head back in there, you are toast.”

  The other man then spoke. “No, you’re with us. We lost Mallik. You’ll fill his boots. Order is from me, your new commander. Got it?”

  I thought we all respawned? I looked at him and blinked in shock before getting my shit under control to answer. “Yes, sir.”

  Quickly, I fell in with the two of them as they turned to leave.

  I managed to keep up despite my legs and arms aching. Once inside the main building, I vaguely remembered the way I’d come and saw Anna as she headed on with my group back to their room.

  My new squad moved in the opposite direction. This time I made a mental note of where we were heading. Another man and woman joined our formation, both much younger than the guys I’d been following. The girl’s hair was tied up, revealing sharp cheekbones and a long neck. Her features were still obvious in the suit she wore. It clung to her in all the right places but gave her optimal protection. I couldn’t stop myself from admiring them.

  Glad there were none of the stupid clothes from some games out here.

  She caught me gawking, then turned to the commander. “Saw what happened. Who’s the grunt?”