That was your first clue.
Slackers Game Store wasn’t on any map app. You found it by missing your bus stop twice and following a flickering neon sign that read “OPEN” even though it was 11 PM on a Tuesday. The windows were barricaded by stacks of PlayStation 2 boxes. A handwritten sign taped to the glass said: “We have Anthem. Please don’t buy it.” slackers game store
The second was the smell: old cardboard, microwave popcorn, and the particular musk of a basement where dreams went to respawn. That was your first clue
You bought a used copy of Shadow of the Colossus for $4. The disc had a coffee ring on it. Gary said that was “emotional damage” and knocked off another dollar. slackers game store
“What tournament?”