Life is a game. A zero-sum game. Win or lose. And I always win. 

It’s 2058. I live in the most cutthroat, competitive, and glorious era of civilization.

I tread lightly down the stairs and leisurely amble past bustling students to a large screen, glowing softly with colorful bars that demand attention, oozing with prestige. This is my patch of heaven, the culmination of my success. The Leaderboard showcases the scores of the top twenty students of each grade. My violet bar stands tall and proud in the senior division, its height unrivaled by any other. 

Students pass by me with awe and grudging respect writ on their faces. Some with fear. I wouldn’t blame them. In the game of life, I’m the master.

In psych, the class I have after lunch, Mr. Raymond preaches that humans have within them the innate desire to excel, to surpass their peers, to feel important. Society began the inevitable turn to a more competitive environment when we realized that it was challenges, the game itself, that propelled every single human to be the best they possibly could.

 I’ve heard of those ancient schools from 40 years ago that confined kids to desks, forcing them to sit and pay attention for hours on end to droning teachers. How did kids survive for so long without story-based personalized learning paths or competitive guilds? Without the allure of glory, competition, and cooperation? 

Cooperation. No matter how much ‘cooperation’ people try to stress, there will always be that underlying current of competition. Psh! What’s cooperation if not using others to better your chances of success? To me, it’s like this: In a world where everyone’s wrapped up in winning, in fighting to be on top, there can only be the hunters and the hunted. I simply choose to be the hunter.

I start when my Sercuit vibrates on my arm. I flick my wrist to turn it on, and it projects apps onto my arm with a gentle ping. Swiping my finger across my skin, I open the Ellison Tech app, which houses my EduAccount: a collection of my class sims, saved progress, experience points, grades, and everything school-related. As it turns out, my wonderful civics teacher has uploaded a boss battle, kind of like a pop quiz. I’m already well-versed in the recent lessons, but if I review during lunch break and game theory, then I should--no, will, be able to get the highest score...

I’m ripped from my thoughts when my calculus guild-member, Valerie, walks past me, punching me amicably in the shoulder. “Betcha can’t unlock the Calc chest before lunch ends!” she jests as she swings into the restroom. Oh, she’s on! I change my course and rush towards the student lounge, eager to fulfil the challenge. I’ll have to leave my studying for game theory. Good thing all we’re doing is a lab on the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Interesting, but nothing I don’t already know.

As I walk, my mind wanders. After school, I have to head over to the local internet cafe, where I recently landed a job. It’s one of the few remaining non-automated restaurants left, the only in our city, in fact. The last week has consisted of employee training: VR sims showing how to respond to different scenarios, laced with challenges to solve. I occasionally join the other new recruits in team training, to enforce ‘teamwork’ and ‘friendly cooperation’. That is, when they’re not lazing around and chatting about the eSports World Convention like incompetent fools.

I’m snapped back to reality when I realize I’m about to pass the hallway to the lounge. I gracefully turn and swerve around the corner. Right into a student performing the same maneuver.

She manages to stay upright, only dropping her notebooks. I, however, stumble backwards and unimpressively crumple to the ground.

Embarrassment and indignation color my cheeks bright red. I jump to my feet, eyes darting around. Is anyone looking? Not just looking, staring. The audacity! Is everyone staring? Someone’s laughing! My mortification morphs into righteous anger. I glare down at the girl struggling to pick up her books. Who even uses paper for notes, anyways? 

“You ran into me. I believe an apology is required?” I all but hiss. She glances up, her large, innocent eyes masking the evil intent I was certain she possessed. 

“O- oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there, I’ll get going now-” She rises to walk away. Walk away? After she ran into me? Most kids would already be grasping at a chance to make it up to me.

I tower over her short stature. “Do you even know who I am?”

She blinks and cocks her head. “Sorry? I’m new here. Uh- my name’s Rose! Short for Primrose, but I guess you don’t need to know that...” Her feeble attempt at geniality ends with her holding her hand out for a shake.

That’s it. First, she embarrasses me without apologizing, and now she’s trying to become my friend? Is she trying to challenge me?

“I’m not sure you understand how it works here. Trust me, I won’t forget about this.” I whirl around and walk away, leaving her on that ominous note. If she wants to challenge me, I must win. It’s game on. 

***

After employee training, I rush home and dash up the stairs when I hear the soft sound of someone clearing their throat. I pause, immediately immobilized.

“Forgetting something?”

My brain kicks into hyperactive mode. His voice is soft, maybe even gentle. The worst kind.

“I believe I asked you to do something for me.”

What did I forget? He must have asked me in the morning. What did we say to each other? Agh, think, think, think!

The answer smacks me in the face, a sinkhole of dread opening up in my stomach. I forgot to pick up the pastries.

Father notes the change in my expression. His cold face bears a slow, simmering anger. “Was my request not clear enough in the morning? Or, did you, perhaps, wish to rebel against me again?”

He had ordered me to pick up the delectable tarts my cafe makes to ‘win over’ the hearts of his employees, to mitigate their fear of him. I must have forgotten because the situation with the girl distracted me. Pathetic.

“I-I forgot,” I manage to choke out the excuse. “It won’t happen again.”

Father hummed. “You always say that. Go and get them before 6, and we’ll see.” He leaves the hallway, entering his office. I slowly, without making a single sound, head upstairs.

Entering the safety of my room, I take a series of deep breaths. In. Hold. Out. A ritual I’m quite intimate with. Eventually, the tremble in my hands, my torso, and my throat fade. Then, the thoughts erupt like a geyser.

He can’t leave me alone, can he? 

But it was your fault. You’re the one to blame.

After all these years, how can he have such an effect on you?

Why can’t you be stronger?

Why can’t you-

No! 

When I open my eyes again, they’re red with fury. Forget the tarts! This is all her fault. I open up a holo-chat with the finest hackers our school has to offer. They still have a few favors left to pay. 

“Good noon, 404,” I address the group. “I’ll get straight to the point. I want you to hack into the EduAccount of Zaiden Price. Do the usual. Slash his grades, drop his points, tack on detentions. But,” I pause for dramatic effect, the thrill of the hunt bubbling in my veins. “Leave a trail for them to follow.” The 404 crew looks visibly confused, but knows better than to question my motives. “One last thing. Check in the school registry for a recently transferred Primrose.”
There is nothing like a paper trail left by someone who was never there.

***

The sun peeks over the mountains, gentle rays caressing the mayhem occurring in Ellison Tech. The bioluminescent trees haven’t even started to darken as a student gets called to the office. After all, nobody would dare attempt anything against the formidable Price family, especially not their prodigious son. Investigators determine that the hacker is none other than the diminutive, doe-eyed new transfer, who pleaded her innocence with gusto and tears. 

The administration doesn’t have a clue. But the students aren’t so blind. Once again, the looks of fear and intimidation return. 

Do I feel guilty for ruining her life? No. Why should I? This is a game of predator and prey. The hunter and the hunted. The hunter simply won. After all, life is a game. A zero-sum game. Win or lose. And I always win.