11. The Game

Box began tapping his feet. He felt like he had been standing in this line for his entire life. Then the thought occurred to him, that he had actually been waiting here his entire life. He had no memory before this line and these people. Why was that? And worst of all, this was quite possibly the longest line in the history everything! He sighed heavily and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

The pack ahead of him down the long, narrow corridor stepped forward a few feet. He did likewise and resumed his agitated waiting. Another heavy sigh drew the attention of the man behind him in line.

"Relax, my friend. You'll get there when you get there." The man smiled a very large smile down at him. He was very tall, and Box was very short. "Hello. My name is Long." The line inched forward again, and while they shuffled their feet and inched forward slightly, they shook hands.

"The name's Box. Pleasure." He turned back to face front and was about to resume his foot-tapping when a thought occurred to him. "Does anyone even know what we're waiting in line for?"

"The game." The tall man answered. His smile was irritatingly serene to Box.

"The game. Right." Here we go again. Another religious zealot.

"The game is the meaning of life. It is why The Great Designer put us here. It is why we were born." Again, they shuffled their feet and moved forward a hair's breadth.

"Riiiight. And how do you know all this is true?"

"The high-priest, Ell. He preaches from The Book of Pajitnov. It says that we all must wait in The Line and one day, if we are patient, we will Join The Game." They shuffled forward again.

"Yeah, I've heard all this before. But what if I don't feel like waiting? What if I want to go lead my life elsewhere? Run with wild horses and all that good stuff."

"Elsewhere? My son, you must learn to trust in The Great Designer. His ways are not for us to know. There is nothing but the Great Hallway, leading us forever onward towards The Game." Once more they shuffled forward, only this time they continue to shuffle without stopping.

"I don't know. Have you ever thought about breaking a hole through one of these walls and seeing what else there is?" The forward pace began to quicken to a full walk.

Long gasped at the thought. "Never! I live for The Game, and-- Look! The Great Door to The Game approaches. Any moment now we will fulfill our purpose! Look, you are next!"

Before he could say another word, or think another thought, Box was pushed through the door, into the great void beyond. Falling, falling, falling. The wind rushing into his face made it hard to breath. So, this was it! This is what all the fuss and all the waiting was about. This, Box could handle this. This was living. This was The Game. As the ground rushed up to meet him, he saw dozens of his brothers and sisters waiting for him, smiling at him. He could see is place in The Game and sped towards it, tears streaming down his square-shaped cheeks.