A Starcraft Story

He lost - again. It's the fourth time he quit the game that day, wishing he had never started it. Usually he enjoyed playing the game, but on days like these handling defeats was just too much. Thinking back, the day had already started poorly. He remembers Mr. Millers look as he entered the room, throwing out the usual apology about being late. He sat on his chair beside Christina, a local girl his age.

'Been up late again? You know sleep is important, right?'

'Yes, I just didn't feel like sleeping. It's a waste of time."

Silence. One of the most appreciated feelings Joe ever experienced. Part of the reason he loved his headphones so much was the fact that they blurred out any screaming, roaming stuff around, basically any sound that he encountered at home. He would just dull his senses and be fine. This silence however would only last for a few seconds before Mr. Miller finished the angry glare at Joe and restarted the sentence he made.

"So, if we multiply this and then..." Joe couldn't listen after 4 minutes anymore. His mind went back to his game, then to the thought of sleeping and back to the game. The changing thoughts in his mind from second to second made him feel restless.

The school bell brought him back to consciousness - he fell asleep again. Christina made him know she tried to wake him up but he didn't hear any of it.

Mr. Miller posted up in front of his Joe's table, giving him a mindful look before starting the conversation.

"You know, I really don't want to do this to you all the time. You're not leaving me with any other options though. I'll have to call your father again."

Joe heard Mr. Millers words, judged them to be empty and stopped listening again.

It was tough to get around to Joe since he had a hand full of interests and Mr. Miller didn't know any of them.

Joe went outside. He heard multiple conversations, but as to be expected he only heard the one conversation the could possibly be interested in.

Two boys, just under his age exchanged quick words about Starcraft II.

' I just can't beat Protoss man, that race is way too overpowered!'

'That's because you're not building workers.' Joe's voice was rather serious, intended to make a mark in that boys head.

'How do you mean, I'm not making workers?" The boy seemed baffled and somewhat irritated by Joe's words. He took it as an insult, though he was interested to hear what Joe had to say.

'You need to make workers and supply buildings for anything in that game. If you don't, you lose. And if you're losing to any race in any scenario, it's probably because you didn't make enough workers and therefore not enough units you can waste to beat the Protoss.'

Joe turned around, leaving for the next class he had to attend though only talking to those two boys made him want to go back home and just keep on playing - and Mr. Miller could see why. He watched the conversation standing in the doorframe. He thought about how to gain access to Joe's mind as an idea developed in his head.

The rest of the day rushed by and a few classes and one or two empty talks with people Joe hadn't completely lost contact with later, he made his way home.

He opened the door to the 3-room-apartment. He swiftly moved towards the door of his bedroom, opening and shutting the door in an automatic and very swift way - it seemed like he had brought closing his own bedroom's door to perfection. Quickly, Joe pushed back the chair, turned his computer on and put the headphones on his head - this was the only time he ever heard the machinery to the left of his feet turning its fans before his senses would shut out the world and welcome him into his very own reality.