Hazardous Materials by Matthew Quinn Martin

All he needed to do was find a way to end it. End it on his own terms.
    Jarrod took a sharp left, toward the twenty-four-hour bodega. As he crossed the street, he thought he caught another glimpse of Ludwig’s truck behind him, but when he turned, whatever it was, it was already scooting down a side street.
    The bodega’s brightly lit windows loomed into view. They’d let him use their phone; he knew that. Despite their reputation, Jarrod had found New Yorkers to be as friendly to neighborhood folks as those in any small town, maybe more so. He’d call Geoff and see if he could crash at his place, give himself some time to think. If that didn’t work, he’d sleep in the subway station.
    He hit the curb and felt his steps begin to slow. Nausea gripped him. His dopamine receptors howled that he’d better just go back to the apartment, back to the Polybius, and play, already, if he knew what was good for him.
    Jarrod knew what was good for him, and with every nerve ending screaming at him, he commanded his legs to carry him to the bodega. He had to get away, and he knew it. He had to get away, or it would be over. Game over.
    As predicted, the woman working the early shift let him use the counter phone, but only after a moment’s reluctance. He gripped the receiver, fumbling with the buttons and praying he remembered Geoff’s number correctly.
    â€œDude, you’re like totally all over the news,” his friend said. “I think you can get a book deal out of this. Brilliant! Effin’ brilliant! What made you—”
    â€œLook, Geoff, can I crash at your place tonight?” He craned his neck toward the bodega’s front window, swearing that he again spotted Ludwig’s truck circling the block. “Don’t really feel safe here.”
    â€œWhat, like, TV crews buggin’ you and whatnot?”
    â€œSomething like that. So what do you say?”
    â€œSure deal, bro. But next time you go all Evel Knievel, you better let me in on it.”
    â€œYou got it.” Jarrod hung up.
    He thanked the woman, who took the phone from him and backed up as far as she could in the small space behind the counter. He left, rubbing the back of his neck as he headed west toward Geoff’s apartment, unable to shake the sense that someone, or something, was watching him.

Conspiracy International Forum >> Topics >> Ghosts >> Video Games
    Polybius and Times Square Event?
    GrassyNolan posted on Nov 28 @ 8:08 PM EST
    I have started this thread in hopes of providing a space to discuss all relevant info regarding this subject, namely any (alleged) links between the 1981 “arcade shooting,” the recent event in Times Square, and the game Polybius.
    ElHotTubDinero posted on Nov 28 @ 8:24 PM EST
    Polybius is an urban legend. It’s a variation on the standard “haunted video game” trope (with regional variation) . . . do your research before posting here.
    GrassyNolan posted on Nov 28 @ 8:31 PM EST
    â€œThanks,” HotTub . . . the view must be great from your high horse. Any intelligent commentators out there care to weigh in.
    ElHotTubDinero posted on Nov 28 @ 8:33 PM EST
    View’s FANTASTIC, A**hole! You want to really know what’s REALLY going on in the world, stop blaming it on ghosts and look around you! The “arcade shooting” was some MKUltra bullshit if I ever smelled it . . . and I wouldn’t be surprised if what happened in Times Square was more of the same.
    BigPosseComitatus posted on Nov 28 @ 8:44 PM EST
    I’ma eat all y’alls luggages!
    SormenDestroyer posted on Nov 28 @ 8:50 PM EST
    What’s REALLY going on in the world is that there’s a war coming. A war between free-living humans and those who seek to enslave us once more. You can either fight or submit & pray for scraps . . . what you CAN’T do is try to hide.

SEVEN
    D usk settled over the city as Jarrod walked the