Choicifery

Should I make my reality tycoon power a combination of virtual warping, reality playing, and choicifery

“It’s extreme but I’ll take that chance too.”

”Girl, yes. Be in there posted up all day.”

I stepped into the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab a water. I could hear my twin and her best friend gab about something over the music in my headphones. If today is like any other day, they’re probably just talking about the guys at school. Comparing them, laughing at them, sharing their crushes, that sort of thing. Not my cup of tea. I’ve gotta hurry back anyway, after all. It’s Friday and the boys want to game-

“Zeke!”

“Of course.” I mutter to myself as I pivot back to the living room. “Mm?”

“C’mere, fool.” Zoya waved me forward and I sighed, moving closer.

“What? Hey, Van.”

Vanessa smiled at me. “Heyy.”

”Van has a question she wants to ask you.” Zoya relayed. A weird smile crept into her face as she spoke and I can’t lie: I started to get a little worried. If every pair of twins has one, Zoya was born the mischievous one and a lot of that mischief involved getting reactions out of me. So naturally my guard was up.

”Ookay… What is it?” I glanced over at Van again, who had sat up and wore the same funny smile on her face. She was normally pretty quiet and a voice of reason…which is why it’s always easy to forget that her humor matched my sister’s perfectly.

”Alright so, would you rather drink vodka for an hour a day or poop quarters every thirty minutes?”

“Bruh.” How could something so vulgar come from someone who looks so innocent? “Well… I don’t wanna drink gas but shitting out that many quarters sounds exhausting and would probably get in the way of a lot so I’m gonna have to go with the first.” I rationalized. Seemed like an easy enough choice.

“Wack!” Van giggled.

“Yeah, you’re grossss. Zekey. I’d be in the bathroom all day making money, but I’m not drinking no gasoline. Mm-mmm.” Zoya stated, shaking her head. I wanted to ask her about that but shook my head at it instead.

I’d begun backing up to the hallway again.”Is that all? I’ve answered you guys’ question so I’ma just-“

”Lame.” Zoya remarked.

”Bye!” Van waved.

“Enjoy your dirty coins.” A few short steps and I was finally back in my room. Lock the door, turn off the lights aaaaand back to action. “Sorry bout that, yo, my sister- never mind. What’re we doing? Dominion? Which part? No, I don’t think I’ve beat the quest yet but- Go on.”

F3arM0nger, a good buddy of mine, started to give me status of our current mission and I got comfortable. Leaning eaned back in my gaming chair, I folded my legs up under me and reached for the water bottle I’d retrieved a moment ago.

“Ahh, it was a Lagos mission. I’m not that far yet. Let me see the gear?”

Watching the screen I uncapped the bottle again and took a sip…then spat that shit the fuck out and leapt out my seat.

”Major?” F3ar’s voice came through the headphones on the floor, but I was already bolting to the living room.

”GAS, ZOYA? REALLY? HOW FUCKING LOW CAN YOU GET?!”

She turned to me, confused. “Wha- It was just a joke.”

”A joke?!”

Zoya flinched at my hollered voice, which I hardly ever raised. A part of me didn’t like to see that, but her pranks had gone way too far now. I wasn’t too pressed when she painted tats on my face in my sleep or filled the juice cartons with milk or my shampoo with honey, but this?!!!

”What are you talking about? Zeke, I-“

”Don’t play dumb with me! Y’all ask me that dumb ass question then I taste pure petrol in my water. That shit’s not funny nor is it cool and I-“

”First of all, slow down, Z. I’ve been with your sister all day and she never did anything like that.” Van interrupted my rant.

”Then you-“

”Boy, don’t put that on me. We play, but we don’t play like that. Lemme see?” Van reached for the water bottle, smelled it, then looked at me. “You said you tasted pee, right?”

“Yeah. I took a sip while playing the game and it was like drinking from a urinal or something. Fucking disgusting.”

She looked at Zoya. “Smell this.”

Zoya, who’d been silent, took the bottle and sniffed.

“Smell anything?”

Zoya shook her head. Then she sipped from the bottle.

”What are you doing?!” I called to her. I watched as she swallowed and looked at the bottle, wondering how she could just drink it like it’s nothing. “Zoya?”

”It tastes like water.”

“What?”

Van grabbed it and smelled again, then also drank.

“Hey!” I yelled but she too looked unfazed. “Am I tripping?” Confused, I brushed my hair with my palm.

”Maybe the question tricked your mind into tasting something that wasn’t there? It happens.” Van tried to rationalize, but no.

”I know what I tasted. God, it was so foul. Let me see? You guys really tasted nothing?” I asked. The two shook their heads as I took the bottle and rose it to my nostrils.

“Ugh!” I retracted my nose.

”What?” Zoya questioned, not understanding what’s happening.

“It- it stinks. You guys drank that stuff? What the hell is wrong with you?”

The girls looked at each other for a moment and then at me. “Zeke,” Van started. “I don’t know what you’re reacting to, but the liquid in that bottle is just water. Both of us checked. I think we should be asking if you’re okay.”