All I Want is Ice Cream
I just died. Complete loss. My character continued to make death spasms as the screen asked whether I wanted to respawn at my last save point. Begrudgingly, I pressed the load button. I would have to fight my way through the last hour, yet again. I knew I should have saved a few minutes ago, but my stubbornness and cocky attitude had won over my common sense. Poker, I thought, would be a poor investment. I looked at the clock. Any minute now my mom would call up the stairs and tell me we were leaving. I dreaded the very thought of leaving. They would do unspeakable things to me at our final destination, but mom said we could go out for ice cream afterwards. One by one I slew monsters that charged at me out of the dark. One dropped a sword. I immediately checked the stats to see how they fared against my current weapon. Oh! I thought excitedly. This one had magic damage too. This would help in the next boss battle, and I knew it was right around the corner. After ignoring my better judgment for the last three times through this hell hole, I saved as I entered the boss room. Screaming people fell all around and out of sight of the play field. A giant ogre stepped into view and I adjusted my camera to see it properly. It was chewing on a leg. Gross. I directed my character forward and lunged. I could feel the beads of sweat gathering on my forehead as I slashed over and over again. The ogre struck at me but I blocked in the nick of time reducing the damage significantly. Our exchange went on for a while, but ultimately I was victorious!
“Honey, are you ready?” my mom had come through the door without me noticing. I thought of the terror of the ogre and found it preferable.
“Do we have to?” I moaned.
“Of course, dear. Everyone has to do this. Even your sister did. Don’t you think she was happy with it?”
“No!” I argued, “This has been the talk of the playground. Every recess everyone comes up to me and tells me of the terrible things their brothers and sisters had to go through. I don’t want to do it mom. I’ll stay this way forever.”
“You don’t want your vanilla chocolate swirl for when we come home?” My mom bent down and kissed my forehead. She had a point. I would have to go to get the ice cream. It was the crème de la crème of the playground. Getting some would make me the envy of all my friends.
“Will it hurt like they all say?”
“Maybe a little, but you will be fine little bug.”
“Fine,” I grumbled as I saved my game. No reason to lose twice in one day, or a fifth time if I was accurately keeping count.
We went downstairs and my mom put on my coat and wrapped me up in my scarf. She kissed my forehead one more time and pulled my beanie down so far it almost covered my eyes. I watched her don her own scarf and coat and held my hand up. She wrapped her cold fingers around mine and we walked out to the little blue sedan that was always sitting in the driveway. She scrapped away the slight frost and went to start the engine. She handed me some kitty litter and a place a few handfuls in front of every tire. The snow was getting deeper, but winter had only just arrived, so the snow was no more than five inches.
The evil Molly Jenkins, also known as my sister, walked up dragging her sled behind her. The doors of the car unlatched and my mom waited for me to get in on the passenger side. The cold chill of the door handle made me want to jerk my hand away, but I knew that I had to go. I also did not want to look weak in front of the evil Molly Jenkins. She smiled at me with metal teeth because she knew where I was going. I tried to ignore her and opened the blue car door.
“Benny!” she called, “tell them not to mutilate your face too much!” She had just learned that word and had been using it a lot.
“Molly Eunice Jenkins!” my mom yelled over me through the open car door. The evil Molly Jenkins looked up at mom and lost the wicked grin. I snickered to myself and got into the car pulling the door closed.
“Will it hurt as much as she says,” I pulled off my scarf and shifted in my seat as I pulled the belt over my shoulder. We left the driveway and the car gently swayed as we turned onto the main road.
“Don’t worry, Ben. It’s just braces. You’ll be happy that we did this when you’re older.” I knew my mom would never lead me astray, but every nerve in my body told me she was lying. I just hoped that the ice cream would be worth whatever awaited me at the end of this ride.