Mute

Rating: E for Everyone!
Warnings: None

    A pattern of consistent clicking sounds were the only interruptions in the complete silence that blanketed a quaint, gamer’s room. The last rays of sun had fallen out of reach of the windows, casting it in almost total darkness. Light poured from the high tech machine perched upon a desk. That light fell upon a man who sat slouched in his chair, staring intently at the screen. Though the outside world seemed peaceful, on the other side of his headphones, the gamer heard a whole other world filled with unnatural sounds of monsters and evil villains.

    Only halfway through with his newest adventure, he swore that he had heard something from the outside world. Quickly, he hit the mute button and searched the room. He found nothing but silence. Once the gamer calmed himself, he returned to his quest. The game’s natural sounds smoothly transferred into his thoughts. It wasn’t long before he recognized another strange sound from the outside world. His mouse clicked on the mute button once again, but nothing happened. One eyebrow raised in confusion at the icon declaring that all sounds were off yet his game’s audio could still be heard. He clicked it off then back on. It still didn’t work. Slightly frustrated he frantically clicked it back and forth between the symbols. Still the sounds played through. Finally he thought he’d just take off the headphones and search for the cause of the noise without them.

    “What the hell?” His hands pulled at the technology he wore on his head but nothing worked. It was as if the headphones were locked onto his ears.

    “Cry.”

    “What?” He had to admit he was a little scared.

    “Come join us.”

    “Define –us-.” Before he could get a response, the gamer began to feel a force pulling him closer to the computer screen. “Oh come on! Not this crap again…”

    “Do not fight it.” The voice became many, echoing and saying other comments of the same value towards the gamer.

    “This isn’t even physically possible! I cannot pass through a computer screen. Stop it!”

    “Cry…”

    “Stop saying my name! That won’t convince me. Go away!!!” He growled through his teeth. All of his body’s force pushed against his desk to keep from getting any closer to the dreaded machine. As his being continued to be forcibly drawn closer and closer to the monitor, his arms flailed. In doing so he mashed a few buttons on his keyboard. Suddenly it was as if all the noise had been cut off. The mysterious force dropped so quickly that he couldn’t regain his balance and fell to the ground. When he hit the ground, his headphones fell from his ears and onto the floor. For a second he confusedly stared at them then he focused on the monitor. The little symbol in the corner that displayed the volume was on mute. He ripped the headphones out of the jack; no sound. Slowly the gamer slid into his swivel chair, sighing of relief as he tossed the headphones into the trash.