What Lies Beyond the Eyes

ts smooth sailing from here. I don have to worry about losing now. Ive unknowingly grown progressively more competitive since we entered the arcade. Maybe its Sandys competitive energy rubbing off on me.

Before the respawn counter hit zero, the left side of the screen shifted from greyscale back to the lush colors of the jungle. Still concentrating on the game, I commented, ”Hey ref. I thought you said only one life for each of us? ”

To my surprise, Sandys voice came from beside me rather than behind me saying, ”I did. Its my turn now. ”

Sandy breezed through the leeches like they weren even there, and she was smiling gleefully while doing it too. I managed to outlast the leeches, but right after that was the first boss fight. A giant anaconda slithered its way through the muddy water and wrapped its way around the boat.

The difference in experience became abundantly clear during this fight. My shots were frantic and wild, whereas Sandys were precise and controlled. It wasn long before I was on low health while Sandy was in cruise control. The snake just had so much goddamn health!

When I was inevitably killed near the beginning of the boss battle, I was initially peeved off from the overflowing competitive energy inside of me. Even though I had no expectations for myself, I couldn help but feel a little disappointed at losing, but when I looked over to see Sandy, my feelings of annoyance washed away.

I smiled as a sense of accomplishment filled me as I saw her smiling and enjoying the game. That positive light has come back into her eyes. ”Aww you couldn last for one boss fight haha. I thought you were good at these things. ”

”I decided to take it easy on you for the first round. ” I responded while admiring her performance on the game. ”How long did she spend playing at arcades when she was little? ” I thought to myself, amazed at her skill level.

Rom and I sat back and watched in awe as Sandy mowed through the enemies in the jungle. She seemed so natural playing the game that it was hard to take your eyes off of the display in front of you.

”Hey Rom! Wanna go on the bumper cars with Danny and me? It only takes 3 tokens! ” Gia asked while she ran up on us, breaking our trance on Sandys performance. Shaking her head away from the screen, Rom looked at Gia and back at Sandy and me. ”I…umm…I don know… ”

Gia looked at her confusedly, and she told her, ”Come onnn. We need more people to make it fun! ” Gia started to drag Rom to the bumper cars in the middle of the arcade with all the varying games around it.

Rom looked back at Sandy and I as she was being drug, almost to say that she was sorry she had to leave. I gave her a reassuring smile as I waved at her. Behind me, I could hear Sandy taking damage in the game. I turned around to see Sandy had died. How did that happen when she was doing so well?

I shifted my way to her side and joined her looking at the greyscaled screen of the once lush green jungle. ”Almost beat it. ” I commented.

Kneeling down to pick up the tickets spewing out of the bottom of the machine, I heard Sandy say in a depressed tone, ”Yeah, almost. ”

I looked up to see the fire in her eyes gone again. ”What exactly happened at the house when Rom and I was gone? ” I asked myself again.

Well, its just us two now, ”Cmon! ” I told myself. ”You got this! Just don be lame! Can be that hard right? ”

I got up, and it was my turn to nudge her arm as she put the dark green gun back in the slot on the machine. ”Cmon, we
e supposed to be worry free today right? What game you want me to win next? ”