Zombie Mode at 3 AM

My eyes burned like I'd poured hot sauce directly onto my retinas. 3:47 AM and I was still online, gaming shirtless in my boxers, moving through the world like a zombie who'd forgotten what brains were even for. The match was pointless—I'd already died seven times—but quitting meant facing the quiet in my room, and honestly? The quiet was scarier than any pixelated monster.

That's when Marcus's Discord icon pinged orange. He was supposed to be my best friend, but lately he'd been distant, trading me in for the varsity crowd who actually cared about things like "school spirit" and "not being weird." I hesitated, then clicked.

"Yo," Marcus's voice crackled through my headphones. "You still up?"

"Obviously," I said, trying to sound casual instead of desperate. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Just... couldn't sleep. My dad's tripping about grades again."

I stared at my screen, stunned. Marcus's dad was always chill—barely around, definitely not the type to stress about sophomore chemistry. Something was off.

Then I noticed it in his video feed—the tangled blue ethernet cable snaking across his floor, same brand as mine. But Marcus had bragged about getting WiFi installed last month. Why was he wired in like me?

"Dude," I said slowly. "You told me you got WiFi last month."

Silence. Then, "Yeah. About that..."

"Your dad didn't install it, did he?"

"No," Marcus admitted, and something in his voice cracked. "I bought the router. I just... didn't want you guys to think I was trying too hard to fit in."

The zombie haze lifted. Here was Marcus, the guy I thought had leveled up into a social tier beyond mine, still tethered to the same insecurities. Still faking it, still scared that being himself wouldn't be enough.

"You're an idiot," I said, but I was smiling. "Get in the lobby. I'll carry you for once."

We played until dawn, two tired zombies in matching orange hoodies, finally just friends again—no performance, no pretense. The outside world would judge us tomorrow. But tonight? This was real.