Long ago, when Max made started highschool he had been a book worm, a nerd, a dweeb, and a fat kid. If you knew him now you would never know this. And he would never think to mention it, as Max had not picked up a book other than to read to Violet in years.

Back when he read he had not been particular with what he read. The thing that mattered to him was that he could get completely lost in it. It didn’t have to be good (and in fact the good books he was recommended were often started and left unfinished) it just had to be good enough that he didn’t think too much while reading it. That was the purpose for him, though he would not express it as such. To keep his mind occupied and so he didn’t have to think about anything else. Or as he would say it when prompted ‘it was something to do’.

When he was reading the intrusive thoughts stayed away. And that was enough for him.

Conversely, Max never liked TV. It wasn’t distracting enough. He had heard somewhere later on in life that TV shows were meant to be watched while making dinner. And the writers would repeat the important things over and over again so if you missed you would still know what was happening even if you stopped watching for a few minutes. And it was during those moments when he already knew what the people on TV we talking about the thoughts could slip back in. So growing up it was books for Max.

And books got him through the first two year of high school. For as Kenneth Cole used to advertise ‘Everyone needs an outlet’. Late in the second year he discovered that running hard enough would stop you from thinking more than the best book and also had the added benefit of meaning he didn’t have to stay up until the early morning reading to be tired enough to fall asleep.

So he started running. For a few years when he kept reading when he could not run. Then he found the gym. After running everyday with his kid brother Paul and lifting weights he was in good shape. And the rest, as Max liked to think -- Lauren, ABMC, Spruce Street, Violet -- was history.

Anderson Brother Moving Company. ABMC. Started as a way to prove to their Mom that all of the time they spent in the gym wasn’t a waste (after Christine, but before the divorce, Paul would often say that God does not subtract the time spent working out from the total tally of you life). And pay for dates with Lauren. But by the end of highschool they both had a lease on a truck and enough time paying taxes that the bank was willing to give them both mortgages. They worked hard those first few years, and it was a different time back then. Max felt either one of those could be a summary statement, but that they were somehow both true.

Max felt genuinely lucky that he had got into the market early. Max’s friends from high school all lived out in the suburbs or still rented. He liked his house on Spruce Street. If they had to start fresh, even with Lauren’s current income from her business, they would have had a hard time saving up enough for a down payment by now let alone making the payments.

It wasn’t a splashy house. Anywhere else in Canada it would have been a reasonable, if middle-class, family home. Two stories, three bed room, three bathroom, back yard and a garage. But it is in Vancouver and the $450,000 he had bought it for (with $22,500 down) had turned into 2.6 MILLION DOLLARS. Max didn’t like to talk that much about money, but he was proud of that one. In Max’s view the best part of Spruce Street was that Paul owned the house next door.

And there he was at the end of the world trying to call his wife back after the call cut out. When it did not go through, he called back again. He spent the requisite five minutes calling before he calmed himself down and noticed his phone had no bars. He left the kitchen for the back deck where he could often get better signal. The signal was no better there so he hollered for Paul.

“Yeah,” yelled Paul. “What you get?”

“What?” said Max loudly, leaning over the side of his deck to close the space between them.

Paul reciprocated and came over to the barbecue at the edge of his property and picked up the barbecue tongs in his hand.

“I got superpowers. What you get?” said Paul.

“Sorry. What?” said Max.

“I can pack things in a magical storage locker,” said Paul. Max looked even more confused.

“You remember that card trick you used to do with the card. You were going to use it to impress the girls before ABMC,” continued Paul waiving the barbecue tongs around.

Then the barbecue tongs were gone. Max gawked. Paul turned over his arm and showed Max that he wasn’t hiding anything behind it like with the card trick. Then smiling he pulled up the short sleeves on his golf shirt.

“Nothing up my sleaves,” he said. Then he turned around waving his arms in the air. “Nothing anywhere right?”

Max grunted in affirmation.

Then Paul but his hand up to the back of his ear and without warning or flash the BBQ tongs were back in his hand.

“Violet’s going to get a kick out of that one isn’t she?” asked Paul.

“Yeah, they’re on their way back now, we were just talking. And the signal cut off and I was coming out here. Your phone… How’d you do that?”

“You telling me that big bro didn’t check his status already. Who. Little brother for the win. Max Zero, Paul One.”

“Been busy worrying after the girls. And its more like Max three hundred and forty eight, Paul One,” said Max.

“Oh, no problem. If you are giving me the point, you just got to say ‘status’ and Bob’s your uncle.

“Status” said Max. And he experienced a new pop-up.

You figured out how to use your status screen! Neato! This is just the first step of many on the way to understanding the changes to your world. A brief explanation is offered below! -H.G.

That's nice. Thought Max. Max skimmed quickly though the next box.

Due to a wish made to the powerful and benevolent Luna, the Human race is now going to receive an upgrade. You are a member of the second wave. Today many humans will notice changes to their bodies. These changes will also be reflected in the wildlife around you, as well as the world itself.

Due to the influence of video games over the past 20 years, in particular, I have determined that the most efficient way to prepare the humans is to expand the world with a system to allow humans to comprehend their changes, easily understand upgrades to themselves, and prepare for the inevitable and dangerous additions to the world.

Be warned:

The first wave gave select individuals’ new races and powers combined. It also introduced powers and magic to the world at large and established character archetypes.

The second wave changes the races of many humans not selected for the beta test, giving them different growth parameters. It also grants powers but no race change, creating superhumans. These are selected either at random or based on personality archetypes.

The third wave will introduce changes to the environment and will see the addition of monsters. Until then the only way to increase level is through PVP combat.

The fourth wave will add the dungeon system, as well as the class system to the world.

Conversion of 80% of the population complete. Addition of new races and powered people underway.

Additional landmass added to account for new strength of the populace. Earth is now 65% bigger, and bigger is better! Ruins, fortresses, and points of interest added randomly to earth. Happy exploring! Many unique sights and items can be found in such places, but beware of traps and hidden monsters (ruin monsters and bosses coming in 1.3.0)! Risk and reward come in equal measure! (Roaming and pop monsters coming in version 1.3.1)

Further waves will be sent as needed.

Sincerely Yours,

Luna

Name: Maximillian (Max) Anderson

Age: .1 hours

Gender: Male

Race: Superpowered

Class: n/a

Job: Husband.

Level: 0/30, 0%

Affinity: Hand-to-hand, Physicality,

Character Archetype: Cowardly Lion

As he read the last box his mind went back to Ojo in Oz where the Cowardly Lion was turned into a clock. He hoped to avoid the fate of just being a side character without any real progression.