The drama behind the season’s most anticipated release
Waiting for Halo 3 was agony. Pure, unadulterated agony with no sign of release in sight. Not until Sept. 24 at midnight when I could touch it, feel it, breathe Halo for the next week, would I be content. The waiting felt surreal, a bit like a movie.
[Fade in to black and white. Shot from outside the window, looking in at the desk of the technophile. The technophile sits at his desk, headphones on, cigarette in one hand, mouse in the other. Two screens sit close together: One Mac, one PC, both with Halo 3 backgrounds]Narrator/Technophile (In a Brooklyn accent): The night was cold, rainy and no sign of it stopping either. I sat there, at my Mac, playing with Final Cut Pro. I was editing a new video for the Campus Press. I had my headphones on, but that was just to occupy myself. It was 8:30 p.m., and soon I would have my hands on the new Halo 3. All the time I’ve waited. [Pause for breath.] All the time I cursed Microsoft for not ending it with Halo 2, making me wait another year. Making me buy another Xbox. Who do they think they are?
[Roommate walks in, looking grim. He has his jacket on, ready to pursue the night’s adventure]Roommate: You ready?
Technophile/Narrator: Already? I thought it doesn’t come out until midnight. What are we going to do? Stand in line? I don’t do lines.
Roommate: Always with the jokes. Nah. [He pauses, looks to the door] I want a grab a bite, get some fuel for the long night ahead.
[Technophile looks at the Mac for a moment, as if contemplating unfinished work, but instead hits the power button.]Technophile: Good idea. I need some game fuel.
[Next Scene: In the car. Rain drifts down the windows as the two roommates munch on tasty sandwiches. Clock reads 9:45 p.m.]Roommate (With a satisfied smile): This just hits the spot. Nothing like a hot panini to warm me up in this damn cold rain.
[Technophile looks at roommate then goes back to his sandwich]Roommate: Eh? Don’t you think this was a good idea?
Technophile: Of course. It’s just that, something doesn’t feel right. I feel like we’re missing something. Something important.
Roommate: Well we can’t drink in the car.
Technophile: Not that you idiot. I feel like this night. (Pauses, looks around) I feel like this night isn’t going to turn out for the better.
Roommate: Man I think you’re just paranoid. What do you mean? It’s just you and me, chilling, snacking on some delectable sandwiches. This isn’t a movie. There isn’t a bad guy. It’s just you, me, these sandwiches and some Halo 3.
Narrator: It was that rhyme that didn’t feel right. You, me, the sandwiches and Halo 3. It was as if (pause) he had something up his sleeve.
Technophile: Who’s going to play first when we get back?
Roommate: That’s a stupid question. The game is co-op, we’re going to do it together. [Roommate smiles.]
Narrator: But then I saw it, that smile, that smile he had when something was amiss. Wait. I let him go into Half Fast Subs and grab my sandwich for me. My mistake. I look down at my sandwich and I don’t see anything right off. But you can’t see poison. Death stared me in the face.
Technophile: Who the hell do you think I am? Do you think I would fall for your tricks. Having the game all to yourself tonight. What’d you do? Put sleeping powder in my sandwich? Put arsenic in my cola? What the hell is the matter with you?
[Roommate looks confused, then his expression turns sinister.]Roommate: You could have been happy. I would have taken you home. Set you on the couch. Read you a bedtime story while I played Halo 3. You would have woken up and been able to play. Everything was going to be okay, but you had to go and ruin it, and now I’m going have to do something drastic.
[Roommate quickly grabs a piece of paper from his pocket and puts it under the car light. He puts his hands in a position to rip it in two.]Technophile: The pre-order ticket? What the hell do you think you’re doing! You rip that up and we’re both screwed. You rip that up and we aren’t going to have a chance to play Halo 3 at all.
[Roommate looks between Technophile and the ticket in obvious conflict. After a moment’s breath he sets down the ticket.]Technophile: It’s going to be okay. We’re going to play Halo 3 (pauses) together. You and I. We’ve got a couple of hours to kill. Why don’t we relax with some music?
[Roommate nods, but reluctantly bends down to turn on the radio. Technophile slips something into roommate’s drink]Narrator: Don’t you tell me how to play the game. Tonight, it’s just going to be me. You’re going to be sleeping like a baby.
[Technophile smiles. Fade to black.]