Description

Someone has mentioned the asking of a further depth of game play for paintball. Now yes it can be viewed a bunch of ways but the best way is that of first person in the midst of all the craziness and action. The loud noises, echoing of thwacks, panting, smell of the grass, and of course the yelling.

Feeling is just the beginning of it all. I mean I become dull in a sense. Roaring crowds become small backgrounds. Their voices don't feel as if they could pierce your mask. They stand no chance against the timer call of the ref. His call for start and checks blare out.

THREE...
TWO...
GO...!!

Instantly all the sounds burst into life. Thwacks and slams against everything in front of you. My gun raised up and my fingers roll across the trigger. It is a split second of pure reaction. I sprint forward towards the "snake" (low ground barrier designed for rapid firing, low movement, and possible game advantage). Sliding forward to the ground. forearms gripping grass as I reach the first section. Paint slams against the barrier. They think they have me bunkerred. That is a lie. I low crawl down the side to the next spot. Someone comes around the corner

Soon it is evident they know my spot. He starts to lean giving me a few shots. Tightening up in the small spot I have I peak over the edge to the field. A guy bunkerring from the "dorito," and another trying to come down the left side. I crack a line towards him as he rushes to the next bunker. One clips into his pod packs. He looks down to see the pink fill coating his pod. Raising his gun he walks out.

Now to deal with that other guy trying to sneak up on me. This time I peak to the right looking up. He was waiting and fires a few. I scream to get a position on the dorito. I need him gone for this all to come out good. This of course got me fired upon. A sharp whistle passes over my head as I hear the paintball go by. Just barely missing me. Curling up lower I lean out slightly to the left to peak. The dorito is bunkerred by my guys. Left field was covered but right was not. Further leaning to the left I roll a line into the bunker of my opponent. He slides right back into the gap trying to avoid his gun getting hit.

Swapping back I quickly turn to the right doing the same coating the bunker. Less he knows the better. He screams for cover and help. But it is just him and his bunkerred buddy. No one left to help. No one left to save them. We could either take these two guys out or rush for the flag. We have 30 seconds left to go. I have half a hopper left after the rolls I had shot to bunker him. I lean to the right again right hand holding my marker as I slide a pod from my waist out. the lid popping as I slap the top onto my hopper. Paintballs falling in and all over as some miss the fins at the top and bounce out towards the ground.

As I am doing this he tries to peak out for a second between my fires. This is where he takes the first draw on me. He shoots towards me as I am halfway done loading. I jump back to the little hole I had been hiding in. Quickly he begins to rush out as I make the split instant decision to jump over the snake into the open. Pod falling to the ground as I roll over the top. I made the right decision as my opponent had chose to rush my position. He low crawling towards where I was as I stand next to him. I slam back into the snake diving over clipping a few rounds into the back of his body. A large slam to the ground I roll again. Diving back to get into the snake again. Finding out the doritio guy had moved and spotted me. He was opening fire upon me. There was nothing I could really do from here.

Ref begins to yell for fifteen seconds left. All my adrenaline throbbing down to my feet and fingers I call a rush to the team. They rush up left side as I swap to my left hand to fire on the dorito. Just emptying all the ammo I have left in the hopper. Ducking back behind from my fire I have a chance. I slide another pod out of my back as I continue to stand up moving and loading. Scarily it was as fluid a motion as dawning my shirt. Just simple and quick. Rushing forward I run to the flag.

Ten feet.
Five feet.
GOT IT!!!

I rush back as fast as I possibly can back to our start. The ref calling for the last five seconds on the clock. Sprinting I hear the balls flying past me. The dorito had nothing left to lose. He leans out shooting all he has as fast as he can. Needing the extra speed I say screw it and drop dive midair at the last two seconds.

TWO...
ONE....
*a loud buzzer sounds*

I slam into the ground face first sliding into our start point wall with my arm outstretched as far as possible. Soon as the buzzer sounded I had touched the wall, By touch I mean I was at max extension hoping that the fabric was touching because I couldn't feel the wall.  Ref standing there yells for a win.

"WINNERS!"

All of a sudden I can hear the crowd again. They roar louder then anything as my buddies rush to me to help me up and cheer. We had made it. Just passed the qualification rounds on our first ever attempt in an actual tournament. Joy swelled up in all of us. Three of us had been left in the game including myself after it was all over. We had eliminated four of theirs before the amazing end.

Still thinking on this first tournament my fingers tingle again. I remember the sensation of sliding into the snake at the start. The fear of being bunkerred with some of those balls flying so close. It all flows deeply in my veins. Oddly enough the same feeling flows in me the start of any game now. Instant dullness and yet fully aware. It is odd to describe without ever having played the game. Such an adrenaline that you crave it again and again.