Canaan rubbed his hands excitedly. “My son is here. I think you might like seeing him and his friend.”
Wura stared at Canaan for a moment. She didn’t even know he had a family.
“Dad? Where are you?” The boy yelled.
“In the dining room,” Canaan answered.
“Good, I’m starving”, said the boy entering the room. A blonde-haired lady wearing a Metallica t-shirt followed, holding hands with him. “What’s for dinner?”
Suddenly he froze, his cheerful smile replaced with a shocked face. His gaze was fixed on Wura.
Wura’s face mirrored that of Canaan’s son and his friend, as Canaan put a hand over his son’s shoulder.
“Wura, I’d like to introduce you to my son, Anthony.”
*****
The vibrant neon-lit game room pulsed with excitement from teens engrossed in the coolest games around. Wura almost felt discombobulated from the atmosphere tugging at each of her senses. She looked around, struggling to find Anthony in the buzzing room.
“Hey, Wura!” A voice called out. She looked around, and saw Anthony at the laser tag entrance, waving. “Over here!”
Wura quickly reached the entrance, where a guide handed her a laser gun and vest. Anthony’s friends were busy fitting into their gear.
“Ooh-la-la!” Cairo said, a cheeky grin plastered all over his face, “Anthony finally got someone to shag for once!”
Anthony’s face turned beet-red, while Cairo was giggling like an idiotic clown.
“Behave!” The girl next to Cairo jabbed him with her shoulder. She sighed, “Don’t mind him, he’s just a dumbass. I’m Ginger,” she points to the girl in a mini skirt next to her, “the raging madwoman in green is Mandisa.”
Mandisa gave Ginger a bad look. “Raging mad?”
“Oh right, the correct term is ‘extremely competitive’,” Ginger rolls her eyes, before introducing the boy next to Cairo. “the muscular silent guy over there is Hector.”
“Nice to meet you, madame,” Cairo jeers, in an exaggerated Italian accent. “Of course, we’ll show no mercy in there. Can you handle it?”
Wura stares at Cairo, almost stuttering a reply.
Anthony interjected. “Of course, she can! She’s got me, and we’re gonna defeat y’all!”
When all of them finished dressing up, the guide stepped in. “Alright, the rules are simple. You get shot, you’re out. Your vest will vibrate to signify that you’re out. The last one standing wins. Y’all ready?”
“Heck yeah!” Anthony and his friends cheered.
“Awesome!” said the guide enthusiastically. “Now, enter the room. The game starts as soon as you hear the buzzer.”
Each one of them entered the dimly lit room, assuming their positions.
Wura whispered, ‘What’s our strategy?'”
“Stand by me” Anthony assured. “They’re gonna split up to get the upper hand. We’ll take them individually, ambush-style.”
“Welcome, players,” a robotic female-like voice filled the room. “You have 15 minutes to eliminate your opponents. Last one standing will win. The game starts in 3…2…1,”.
The buzzer sounded.
Anthony and Wura kept close to each other, navigating through the maze-like room.
“Look,” Wura whispered, pointing out at a corner. Ginger was darting behind a barricade.
Anthony whispered, “I’ll shoot from the front, you hit her from the back.” Wura nodded, finger resting on the trigger, eyes fixed on Ginger.
Anthony circled Ginger like she was his prey, before diving in front of her. He pulled the trigger twice and barely hit her vest. He rolled out of sight, as Ginger retaliated at her moving target.
Wura firmly squeezed the trigger. A laser beam struck Ginger’s sensor from the back, which vibrated much to Ginger’s shock.
“Ginger, eliminated,” the robotic voice announced.
“Yes!” Anthony cheered “Nice shot, Wura.”
Ginger’s grim look softened into a smirk, “Not bad, newbie,” she said, before swaggering off.
“Mandisa, eliminated,” said the voice again. Mandisa could be heard screaming “Dammit!”
“That’s where Cairo and Hector must be,” Anthony whispered, “We’ll flank them from opposite sides. Ready?”
Wura nodded. Both tiptoed toward the pair, ready to ambush them. Anthony spotted Hector hiding behind a column. Creeping up slowly, he raised his laser gun, and…