Cupid’s Match

At first, nothing happens. We’re still in the exercise room. Then I blink and everything changes. Cupid reaches for me as I stagger backward, grabbing my arm to stop me from falling.

“Easy there.”

I swallow, blinking up into his face before taking a cautious look around. The floor is now cobbled stone, the chair Cupid was sitting on is now a bench, and a worn-out diner stands at the other side of the space. We’re in the Forever Falls town square, desolate and painted in twilight. Or we almost are—something’s not quite right. I walk over to bench, suddenly realizing why the square looks slightly different than it should.

“This isn’t in the right place,” I say, running my hand along it.

Cupid nods. “The program creates a kind of blanket. Wherever there are objects in the actual room it covers them with an image of something that won’t look out of place in the hallucination. There’s a chair in the room, so the program shows you the bench in the square.”

“It feels like a bench, though,” I say, “and it’s longer than the chair. Can I sit on it?”

Cupid nods. “Your brain is telling your senses that all of this is real, and your body will act accordingly. Probably worth bearing in mind for when the CuBots get here.”

“CuBots?”

“Someone from the Matchmaking Service very creatively combined the words cupid and robot. They’re basically the programmed enemies in the Sim. They aren’t real but they can still hurt you.”

I look at Cupid, alarmed.

He smiles gently. “Don’t worry, it’s only a sensation. Once you take out the microchip any pain experienced will go away.”

Oh, well, that’s completely fine then . . .

I continue to gaze around the square—it all looks so real. The worn fountain stands in the middle like always, a tired trickle of water dribbling into the stone pool below it. If it wasn’t completely deserted, I could have almost fooled myself into believing I was there.

“This is so weird,” I say, peering up at the orange sky. “What happens if I leave?” I locate the place where I remember the stairs to be, which now looks like the alleyway that leads to the Love Shack.

“The program will re-create this image in the next room you enter,” says Cal. He looks at his brother. “Now, where did you put the weapons? And when will the CuBots arrive?”

“They’re in the diner.” Cupid nods across the square. Romeo’s looks just like it does in real life, complete with paint peeling from the pastel-pink window frame and its name above the door in faded black lettering. “The CuBots should arrive in about five minutes.”

He heads over to Romeo’s and Cal and I follow, our footsteps echoing against the cobbled stones. I peer into the window of the florist’s as we make our way by. Bert and Bradley, the store owners, are usually a permanent fixture behind the flower-packed counter at the far end of the space, but now the place is dark and deserted inside.

“Do you ever feel like loading one of these up and just going nuts inside it?” I ask Cal. “Like really trashing the place? Just for the fun of it?”

Cal looks affronted, chest puffing up beneath his black turtleneck sweater. “No!”

Cupid opens the door to the diner. The inside looks exactly the same as the one in the real square—checkered floor, red booths, scratched tables. I’ve spent so many evenings in here, drinking shakes with Charlie while we waited for James to finish his shift, trying to get a phone signal on my cell. I feel a slight turn in my stomach as I think of my life before Cupid and Cal stormed into it.

“How does it look so realistic?” I ask Cal to distract myself.

“You saw back at the Matchmaking Service that we have extensive amounts of surveillance. The program uses that to re-create the square.”

We follow Cupid until we get to the counter. Cupid swings himself over then ducks behind it, disappearing momentarily from view. Seconds later he throws a bag onto the countertop.

Cal unzips the satchel and empties it; three bows, three quivers, and a number of arrows fall noisily out. There are a couple of Capaxes, an Ardor, and about ten black Cupids’ Arrows.

“Do they work on you guys?” I ask.

Cal nods. “Yes, but differently than they do on humans. The black arrows kill all cupids except for my brother and me. When hit by a Capax, a cupid will find it very difficult to suppress the truth. And the Ardor causes immense pain.”

Cupid looks at me. “Probably worth mentioning that the Sim thinks you’re a cupid. If you get hit by a black arrow you’ll be fine. Die in the Sim and you’ll just come to in my combat room. Get hit by the Ardor and, well . . . just don’t.”

“Okay. Don’t get hit by the Ardor, got it.”

The brothers arm themselves with a bow each and a number of arrows. Cal looks suspiciously at the third bow.

“Selena won’t be using weapons,” he says to Cupid. “Should we really be letting Lila play about with one?”

“Play about? If I’m going to be attacked by some crazy programmed enemies that can cause me immense pain, I’ll be taking a weapon, thanks very much.”

I swipe the bow off the counter. It’s cool to the touch, and heavier than I imagined; when I almost drop it, I try to smoothly pass the movement off to Cal’s critical eyes as me weighing the weapon. Then I scoop up a quiver and fill it with arrows. I sling both over my shoulder.

“They look good on you,” Cupid says, his eyes twinkling.

“I’ve literally no idea how to use this,” I reply under my breath, hoping Cal won’t hear me and take it away.

Cupid waves his hand dismissively. “You’ll be fine.”

Cal, however, looks troubled. “We would never expose a new recruit to danger like this on their first attempt. Even experienced cupids have been traumatized from getting hurt in a Sim. What if she gets hit by an Ardor? What if she forgets to take out the chip?”

Cupid gives him a look. “She’s my Match,” he says simply. “She’ll be fine.”

“Yes, and that’s sound logic,” mutters Cal.

I’m nervous, but surely it’s no different than a virtual reality game . . . one that could hurt you, I guess. I’m just about to reassure Cal when I hear voices coming from outside.

“Remember, whatever happens, it’s not real, Lila,” Cal whispers, pulling me down and out of view.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” a male voice calls from the square.

My palms go clammy.

Cupid grins. “They’re here,” he says, jumping back over the counter to crouch beside Cal and me. He shares a look with his brother then starts moving toward the window, keeping low.

“Come out to plaaaay.” The voice is cold and inhuman.

My breathing quickens. After Cupid makes it to a spot beneath the shop front, he turns and gestures for us to follow.

“Stay low,” whispers Cal.

I nod and we head through the booths, making sure to keep below the window line. When we reach Cupid, we flatten ourselves against the wall beside him. Moments later, a shadow passes over us. One of the CuBots must be just outside the diner. I feel a delicious surge of adrenaline. I think I should be scared, but I’m not; I’m excited. I look at the two brothers.

“This is like paintballing.”

Cal doesn’t look impressed. “This is a serious Matchmaking Training Simulation,” he says as the shadow of the CuBot passes over us again.

“Fine, it’s just like paintballing, except much more serious and creepy.”

“And we use arrows,” says Cupid. He peers up out of the window. “There are six of them.” He pauses and looks at me in an uncharacteristically serious manner. “You’re not trained, so we don’t expect anything of you. Just learn from us, and try not to get hit.” He looks at Cal. “Long time since we’ve done this, eh, Brother?”

Cal narrows his silver eyes and grunts in response.

“Ready, Lila?” Cupid asks.

I take a deep breath and nod, lightly running my fingers along the bow slung over my shoulder.

Cupid grins. “Let’s go!”