He's My Tank

Game Vocab for non Gamers:

Aggro - when the bad guys start hitting you

P.U.G. - Pick Up Group. When you play with random people in a party

Guildies - a permanent group of people you chat with

Noob - a new or inexperienced player

Raid - a big group of people to take on a big quest/monster/etc.

Lawful Good alignment - Basically means she is a goody two shoes

Tank -  is a person in a group that protects everyone especially the healer from aggro

**************

It was Friday afternoon, while most college students prepared for a night of clubbing, parties, dates, and so on Maggie Kent prepared for something else entirely. As she ran on the treadmill she ran through all the strategies she would need to make tonight a success. There was no room for defeat, she vowed with determination. Her only hope was that everyone would be there, the mission was far too important for P.U.G.

            "Knock, knock" the happy voice of Hannah Hall called out as she entered into Maggie's house and Maggie bit back a sigh of aggravation. She was Maggie's next door neighbor and nosey as nosey came. She was always butting into Maggie's business and giving her opinion over everything...unasked for.

            "Why do you say knock, knock when you neither knock nor wait for me to answer the door," Maggie demanded getting off the treadmill and grabbing a towel to clean off the sweat.

            "Knocking is bad for my nails," Hannah told her teasingly. "And I don't wait for you to answer because we both know that if I did, you'd simply not answer the door," Hannah added and Maggie nodded not bothering to deny that would be exactly what she would have done. "So any plans for tonight Maggie," Hannah asked examining her nails then to Maggie expectantly.

            "Yes I have some plans, which you're taking away from my important routine of preparation," Maggie replied back tartly. Her friend scrunched up her perfect face into an expression of disgust.

            "That isn't a plan Maggie...that is for losers and kids," Hannah replied and Maggie felt a flare of irritation.

            "No it's not! Almost all my guildies are over the age of seventeen," Maggie argued despite the fact they had this argument several times already.

            "I will never understand you Maggie," Hannah demanded as she started alking over to the mirror Maggie had on the wall for decoration. She inspected her perfect golden blonde hair before continuing. "You have great potential for hotness yet you hole yourself up here," Hannah began and Maggie sighed loudly knowing exactly what her nosey neighbor was going to say. Hannah turned from the mirror. "You dress like a bum and spend your time playing silly games," Hannah went on.

            Maggie nodded mindlessly tuning out the other woman, and going back over her raid strategies and amassing a list of things she would need for tonight. "You're not even listening to me are you," Hannah demanded loudly grabbing Maggie's attention again.

            "Because you've said it so much Hannah I have it memorized," Maggie told her with a shrug and a sheepish smile.

            "And yet your still not listening to me," Hannah huffed in complaint. "Why don't you just once try to have real fun for once! Come with me to the club with me and Chase," she offered.

            "There is no way I am going anywhere with that guy," Maggie stated with a matter of fact tone. Chase was Hannah's latest boyfriend and there was something about him that sent chills down Maggie's spine. Hannah always went for the bad boys but this guy seemed to be on a whole other level of bad and scared the crap out of Maggie. She'd only met him once briefly. His mere presence made her usual social awkwardness into a stuttering mess which didn't allow her to even say a single word. Chase thought that was real funny, and was rather mean to her.

            "You are so dull Maggie," Hannah pouted then got a playful expression on her face. "How about a friendly hug between friends and we'll call it even," she demanded opening her arms taking a step towards Maggie who backed away quickly. Hannah giggled as Maggie got a slight look of panic on her face then shook her head side to side so quickly her red pony tail hit her in the face.

            "No Hannah! Remember the bubble! Do not penetrate the bubble," Maggie insisted waving her arms around her in demonstration. Ever since she could remember, Maggie didn't like to be touched, she would do handshakes but that was about it. Her parents were really the only ones she ever let get close physically but they died when she was thirteen.

            "One day I am going to pop that bubble of yours Maggie. That I promise you," Hannah told her laughing and once again Maggie shook her head violently. Like hell, she thought as she watched her neighbor leave. Finally, Maggie declared silently and looked at her watch. Cursing silently she dashed towards the bathroom, she had only an hour to get ready.

            Dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants two sizes too big for her, Maggie pushed up her glasses up on her nose and turned on the computer. She dashed into the kitchen grabbing two Red Bulls, some chocolate, and a little tub of cut fruits and veggies and walked back into the room she dedicated solely for her computer. She laid out the previsions according to necessity as she logged into the game, and mentally prepared for the night's raid.

            "Damn there you are Styrene," Bravura said as soon as she entered the game.

            "There is my baby with the magic touch," TooKool added and Maggie smiled shaking her head slightly.

            "Sorry guys got a little delayed by real life but I am good to go now, Where are we going" Maggie asked.

            "The Caves of Miras Duradam," Bravura told her. "Hurry up and slot up for shadow and poison defense," he explained.

            "Let's hurry up, I need to get the Helm of Lumestre tonight," LadyLove demanded and Maggie rolled her eyes.

            "Lovely as always LL," Maggie shot back.

            "I think you should change your name to LadyBitch," TooKool replied.

            "Oh so clever! You such a kid TK," LadyLove shot back.

            "Should I go pro for fire magic or ice magic" MageDude asked and Maggie internally groaned.

            "Neither Mage," She nearly whined. "This is shadow remember, go pro for light then second as fire. You want to use the Light of Lumestria as your main attack spell and your fire spells as secondary," She explained to him for like the twentieth time.

            "Mage your such a noob," TooKool shot taking the words right from Maggie's mouth.

            "I am not! I just have a life unlike you TK," MageDude snapped back.

            "Okay enough, we going to raid or do you have to get your diapers change," Bravura demanded cutting off another sarcastic reply from TooKool and everyone mumbled meekly "raid."

            Five hours later Maggie logged off the game and yawned loudly. The raid was a success despite MageDude's total noobish ways. God they had to get a better mage, she thought as she got up from her chair and stretched. She smiled with victory as she thought about her new epic armor which only had some of the best stats in the game. She turned her computer off and did a little victory dance. Maggie cleaned up the empty cans, chocolate wrappers, and empty containers. "I got my armor, I got my armor," she chanted as she danced her way to the kitchen to throw away the trash and leave the dishes in the sink.

            Just as she started to head to her bedroom, her cell phone started to ring. She eyed it confused; it was one o'clock in the morning! Who would be calling her at this hour? She picked it up and saw it was none other than Hannah calling her. "You better have a good reason for calling at this hour," Maggie told her with a frown but the call had already ended.

            Maggie stared at the cell wondering whether she should call her back or not when she heard a loud crash come from Hannah's house. Maggie moved the curtain and peered towards her neighbor's house but saw nothing. She's probably drunk; Maggie thought glumly turning from the window and walking to her bedroom. She heard a shout and a quick loud popping noise that made Maggie freeze.

            Maggie stood there debating whether she should go over and see if Hannah was alright. Knowing my luck she fell over and hit her head and now has a serious concussion, Maggie complained silently as she opened her door and walked over to her neighbor's house determined to give Hannah an earful when all was said and done. The front door was slightly ajar and Maggie felt a little nervous. "Hannah everything okay in there," Maggie called out but only silence greeted her. She turned to run back to her house but knew if Hannah was hurt she might need Maggie's help. "Damn lawful good alignment," she cursed turning back around.

            Pushing the door open slowly Maggie entered the living room cautiously. She saw Hannah lying on the floor. She was half on her side and half on her back with her hair tossed in her face so that Maggie couldn't see if she was conscious or not. "Hannah," Maggie called but there wasn't any reply. She slowly walked over to her friend and turned her over. Hannah groaned and Maggie gasped in horror. She placed her hands over her neighbor's midriff that was drenched in her blood trying to remember what she had read once in a book on how to stop the bleeding. Hannah eyes opened and she grabbed Maggie's hands. She seemed to be trying to say something.

            "Don't speak Hannah. I'll call 911 okay," She told her friend.

            "I wouldn't do that if I were you little mouse," a strong male voice suddenly demanded and Maggie looked up to see Chase, Hannah's boyfriend in the kitchen door way. She stared at the man in horror but made a squeak of pure terror when she saw his gun. "You chose the wrong time to come out of your little hole mouse," he told her lifting the gun. Maggie screamed as the gun went off and fresh blood splattered over her. She opened her clenched eyes to see that he had shot Hanna again. Maggie's jaw dropped as she gawked at her now dead neighbor.

            "Damn nosey bitch, should have stayed out of my business," he cursed with anger then sighed as if he was really bored. "Like I said you picked a wrong day to come out of your hole," he said now to Maggie then raised the gun pointing it at her.

            The time seemed to slow down as she stared at the dark barrel of the gun. He was going to kill her like he did Hannah, she realized at that moment. Maggie wasn't ready to die; she was only twenty-three and had yet to obtain all of the epic armor set and the level cap was going to be raised in two months! Acting more on instinct and less on logical thought she grabbed the vase on the table next to her and tossed it at Chase and a gun shot rang out. Maggie got up from her knees and ran out of the door. Instead of going to her own home she ran around the corner of the house and she heard Chase swear at her. She jumped the wooden fence of their neighbor into his yard as another gun shot rang out into the night.

            The part of the wooden fence where she had just been shattered into a million splintered pieces and she squeaked in fear running across the yard to jump the fence again into yet another yard. She kept running, jumping fences, and avoiding chained dogs making her way towards the center of town. But she became disoriented as she left the residential area and into the commercial area. Her head whipped around from one direction to the other looking frantically for a police officer or to see if Chase had followed her this far. People moved away from her, whispering and looking at her horrified.

            "Ma'am, are you alright," someone asked her and she turned to see two patrol officers looking at her with concern. She shook her head and tried to tell them what had happened but only a mass of stuttered syllables left her mouth. "Calm down Miss, just take deep breaths." The older one suggested. He tried to place a comforting hand on her shoulder but Maggie jumped back with a shriek. "Alright, alright, take it easy," he told her holding up his hands. "Miss are you hurt," he asked

            Maggie shook her head no. She didn't think she was hurt, she didn't feel shot. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself but a crowd had started to gather. Looking around frantically at the people surrounding her she started to panic again, anyone one of them could be Chase. Her heartbeat kicked up into high gear and her breathing quickened to short pants. The older officer was still talking to her but she couldn't seem to hear anything as a strange buzzing sound rang in her ears and she felt very light headed. The people seemed to close in on her and Maggie's world started to tilt till she didn't know what was up and what was down till everything suddenly went black.