I don’t play games.

Copycat

1 Week Later - Brett (the Racist) - Supreme Bar

“Whisky.” I say. For the fourteenth time. Maybe this one will cheer me up. Or kill me. Fuck my life.

The bartender grunts, and slides me a whisky. He’s a bitch because I don’t tip. Fuck him. He’s got a job. I need my money for more whiskey.

How the fuck did I end up here? When I first downloaded Supreme, it was awesome. He taught me people’s weaknesses. Connected me to other strong people. I got money, pussy, respect.

Then I got a black aura and a racist badge. It fucked my life. Boss fired me. Pussy ghosted me. Whole fucking city hates me. Supreme found me a place down country. Everyone’s black aura here, but I fucking hate it. There’s no jobs and the pussy situation is grim.

“We’re strong here.” insists Supreme. “This is where we rebuild.”

Fuck you. I hate it here. It’s unfair. Who stuck me with this fucking badge? I’m not even racist. Not my fault I’m smarter than thugs.

The bar door bangs open. A goblin strides in. Tits, tac vest, gas mask. Blue aura. Huh. “What’s a blue aura mean?”

“If it’s not black, it’s meat.” growls Supreme.

The bar laughs. A big fat fucker stands. He’s aura is black as can be, but he’s got the Wannabe Badge. He rushes the goblin, swings wild. I guess he’s wanting a badge upgrade.

The goblin sidesteps his haymaker, kicks out his kneecap. He falls squealing.

It gets quiet. The bar stands, surrounds the goblin. “Join your brothers.” urges Supreme.

I don’t know. Why is she wearing a gas mask? I stand, but ease my way towards the door.

“Hi guys!” chirps the goblin. “Have you heard of the Reformed Badge? It’s a badge you earn by turning your aura from black to any other color. Then you go back to your old lives. Which is a lot safer than hanging out here.”

“Destroy her.” commands Supreme. The bar surges at the goblin. I run to the door. Fuck this. Something’s not right.

I hear a crack, then wet screaming. Oh god. It sounds like they're having a panic attack while gargling yogurt.

I’m almost out when the smell hits me. Puke. Fall. Scrabble for the door. Too late. The stench goes straight to my nervous system. A laser of rat guts and rotten potatoes. Every muscle clenches. I empty like a tube of toothpaste hit by a sledgehammer. Crawl out the door, leaking and hacking.

I crawl across the street, and the stench clears enough for me to stop retching. It's still overpoweringly vile. I can’t think of anything else. I hear gagging from nearby buildings, lights come on.

I look back to the bar. The other patrons are beginning to crawl out, white and shaky.

“The goblin is leaving the bar.” snarls Supreme. “Slow her down. I have gunmen on the way.”

I paw my phone out of my pocket, and fire it away. Fuck you Supreme.

I hustle away from the bar, walk to my hotel. The smell lessens but never goes away. It still reeks like shit a mile away. The whole town is awake now, trying to figure out what the fuck is happening. I take shallow breaths. They need to burn that bar down. I’d do it, but I gotta leave town.

I strip, toss my clothes out the window, shower and scrub. The smell is still oppressive, but I can’t tell if it’s from me or the bar down the street. Shake my head. It doesn’t matter.

I pack up. Take a minute to google ‘reform badge’. The first step is to throw your phone away and download a new symbiont from the Overmind store.

Well, check one. I didn’t even know there was an Overmind Store. I got my copy of Supreme from a guy at work. He never told me I could get my own symbiont. I wonder what else I haven’t been told.

I sigh. Retch. Grab my keys. Time to go back to the city.