Nullform #1: RealRPG Series полностью

The ceiling was unmoved. I slid out of the chair, went out into the hallway, and sat back on the bench. What else could I do? My legs and arms were failing me and I couldn’t stop yawning. The other benches were all filled with bums like me, stretched out and sleeping. I lay down on my right side, closed my eyes and fell asleep immediately despite myself. My mind shut down at some inaudible but firm command from my fatigued body.

THIRST WOKE ME UP four hours later. What the hell? I had drunk two liters of water, and the day wasn’t even over yet — it couldn’t be later than five in the evening. I hadn’t taken a piss, I wasn’t sweating all that much, so why was I so damn thirsty? I felt like a dusty old sponge abandoned on a shelf for forty years, then sewn to a couple scraps and used without even soaking it first.

My head felt heavy, and I could sense my headache coming back. I ran my right hand over my face and looked at my fingers. Held my hand in front of my eyes for a minute and twisted it this way and that. My fingers were definitely getting thicker and pinker. I was coming back to life. I sat up straight and did a quick evaluation of my physical condition — I rolled my neck and shoulders, clicked my jaw, moved my eyes, and stretched each limb one by one.

That was the good news. The water, vitamins, and three hours of sleep had helped a lot. The deep-set pain in my muscles and bones was gone, along with the itchiness in the scars where my body met my limbs. My jaw wasn’t popping anymore, and I no longer felt like a human nutcracker. My body was finally functioning quietly. Nothing creaked. Good news, for sure! Every time I had heard those strange sounds coming from inside me, it gave me the impression my organs were made of styrofoam and rotten wood.

What else did I need?

That was obvious. More water, more food, a huge dose of vitamins, a couple workouts, and some sleep.

Water!

I looked to my left, where a rail-thin man sat on the same bench as me. Long hair, eyes blinking out from behind from a bushy beard that covered his entire face. He gripped a plastic bottle with a rag wrapped around the neck tightly between his yellowish thighs. He carefully covered the bottle with both hands — one dark, one light. The lighter arm was wiry and seemed fairly strong. The black one left a lot to be desired. But his back... I could clearly see he had serious problems with his spine. It was so crooked it practically zigzagged.

How’s my lower back doing? Ow. Still hurts. I had almost forgotten about it, but the pain viciously made itself known when I tried to bend over.

“Hey, man.” I greeted my neighbor. “Did you sleep well?”

“You’re not getting my water! Not a single drop!” He replied abruptly, shielding the precious bottle with his entire body. He looked like a samurai committing hara-kiri.

What’s a samurai? A warrior from ancient Japan. What’s Japan? Why do I get an image of the sun rising over the ocean?

“I need just a sip!”

“You’re not getting one. Don’t do anything stupid — I’m stronger than you!”

You may be strong, but you’re a coward, I thought.

“One big gulp,” I said evenly. “I really need it. I woke up here just this morning. Dehydration is killing me. Your water might save my life.”

“I told you I’m not sharing! What don’t you understand?” He started to get up and I saw his number: 444. Memorable.

“Freeze!” I ordered.

I was surprised at the harshness of my own voice. A passing trio of workers started, stopped for a second, glanced at each other in shock, then walked on. But triple fours just froze in place like a pinned bug. Still alive, but completely helpless.

“Listen, man. I need it. I’m barely hanging on to ORL. I’m saving sol everywhere I can. I almost never buy water. I take tiny sips to make it last,” 444 mumbled. “Whenever I share it they take most of it, if not all of it. Does that sound fair to you? No, man, you can’t have it. No offense.”

“Calm down,” I said softly. “Look at me. Hey! Look at me!”

He turned his head reluctantly, glanced briefly into my eyes, then turned away again. Like a deer in a hunter’s crosshair.

“Hey! Are you listening to me?”

“I’m listening…”

“Let me have one big sip,” I said calmly. “I’ll pay you back with a whole liter. If you let me have a mouthful, I’ll pay you back two liters. I’m not robbing you, I’m offering you a deal.”

“All right,” triple-fours agreed.