Phantasmagoria
The Government Wants 'YOU!'

Gettingregistered for this game is taking forever. There's like a hundredpeople queuing up to 'enlist' in this game. The Game Emporium isflooded with human beings hungry for fame, riches and brilliance. Nomatter how much of those you have in this world, it won't prolongyour life. I look at all the happy, smiling faces of all the men inthe queue, and they have no clue what they are doing. Man, people aredumb. But then again, so am I. I'm entering for the sake of a falsepromise. The government wants me to play so I can have a nicer lifewith Hannah, my wife, and Jayden, my son.

Butwhat could they possibly offer me that would constitute a 'nicerlife'?

Moremoney?

A newhouse?

A newjob? Yeah, right. Like that would guarantee our happiness. But itwould make Hannah feel better, I guess. We've been having a roughcouple of months lately. She wants another baby, but I've been socaught up with this game training we haven't had time to discussthings. She thinks I'm avoiding it. I don't know, maybe I am. We hada miscarriage earlier, and we are just getting back to normal. Iwould love to have a daughter, but I want to focus on having a betterrelationship with Jayden. Most of his life was spent with me notbeing with him, so I want to make up for lost time. He sometimesignores me by giving me the silent treatment, something he learnedfrom his mother. He is so like her, and in many ways, just like me.Stubborn as a mule.

''Hello,sir. Could I have your name, date of birth, nationality and addressplease?'' says a blonde-haired Caucasian woman in front of me,sitting behind a desk. I hadn't realised I had arrived at theregistration desk. Time flies when you're lost in your own thoughts.

''Uh,yeah, hi. My full name is Nathaniel Ashton Williams, born 16thOctober 1985, an American citizen and I currently live at 442 LyreApartment, Crawley Road, Manhattan, Van Buren State,'' I reply tothe woman. All the states of America have been renamed after all thepresidents and notable historical figures. New York, where I live, isnow called Van Buren State, after the 8thPresident of the United States of America, Martin Van Buren. Thegovernment became very patriotic a while back, and wanted tocelebrate what they called the 'New America' by preserving theirheritage. They still keep the Native American names though, as theysay it is a 'protection of an historical constitution'.

''Canyou tell me what your current occupation is? If you do not have one,can you tell me your previous occupation up to the point ofunemployment or retirement please?'' the lady asks me.

''Mycurrent occupation is brick laying, er, construction,'' I tell her.

''Howlong have you been at this job?'' she asks.

''8years,'' I reply.

''Whatwas your occupation before that one, if you had one?'' she inquiressome more.

''Infantrymanin the United States Army,'' I answer.

''Andwhat was your field of position and rank?'' she queries further.

''Myfield division was reconnaissance and I had achieved the final rankof Corporal,'' I reply. She carries on scribbling on her notepadevery time I answer.

''Whatis the reason for you no longer being in the army?'' she asks meanother question.

''Honourabledischarge; I completed my tour of duty,'' I respond.

''Whenwas this?'' she continues.

''31stJuly, 2015,'' I answer. She's asking quite a few questions about myrole in the army. I wonder if she was asked to interrogate me.

''Whendid you begin your phase training for Phantasmagoria?'' she asks aquestion that is no longer about my role in the army.

''Um,2ndApril, 2025; this year,'' I reply.

''Andhow many phases did you successfully complete?'' she inquiresfurther.

''16,''I answer. She is writing extremely quickly. Her background must be inadministration.

''Doyou have any underlying health problems, or injuries received whilston your tours of duty that impede your way of life currently?'' shefurther questions.

''Nope,no history, and I've healed up from all of my injuries incurredwhilst on duty,'' I tell her.

''Anymental health issues that you suffer from or that run in thefamily?'' she goes on.

''Nope,''I reply. This is taking longer than usual. I look up from her to seeif I am being scouted by any government officials, but I can't seeany one in suits and shades.

''Andfinally, can you please tell me if you will be free on the 24thof August of this year?'' she asks. Better be the final question.

''Yeah,I'll be free,'' I respond. I have taken a leave of absence from work,so I haven't got anything better to do. She stamps a document infront of her and snaps her head up to look at me.

''Thankyou very much for your cooperation, Mr Williams. We will be in touchwith information about the game closer to the time of your induction.Have a nice day,'' she ends with a smile. She hands me the documentshe stamped, which happens to be a proof of registration letter. Shehad stamped the word 'APPROVED' in red at the bottom of it.

''Youtoo,'' I answer back as I take the letter and go away from the desk.I look at the letter while I begin to walk away from the GameEmporium. As I read over the details of the letter, I come to asentence which reads: 'Upon completion of the game, the winner(s)will be guaranteed a cash prize of $50,000,000.' I stop as Iscrutinise this figure.

$50,000,000.That's a lot of money. Does the government even have that kind ofmoney? And are they really going to pay the person who ever wins thegame? I look back at the queue, which is getting longer down thestreet. Most of these people don't have a clue of what they are doingat all. They are a lost populace.