The Curtain Falls

The line was still inching forward.

Security personnel held walkie-talkies, maintaining order in the passageways.

Whenever one batch of players finished their demos and left, new people immediately filled the empty spots.

This grand gathering of the video game industry reached a new climax on public day.

The ceiling lights of the Los Angeles Convention Center flickered twice on the dot at six in the afternoon.

A female announcer's crisp, standard English came over the broadcast, reminding everyone that the first Electronic Entertainment Expo was officially closing.

Security personnel pulled up red barrier tape and began guiding the lingering crowds toward the various exits.

The corridors were filled with the rustling of plastic bags.

The high schoolers from Texas walked in the middle of the crowd, carrying large shopping bags printed with the Bandai logo.

"My legs are going to snap." The chubby kid switched the shopping bag to his left hand and rubbed his knee joint with his right. "Three hours in line, and I finally got this electroplated Gundam set."

"You had it easy." His companion beside him pointed at his reddened arm. "I got squeezed into a corner at the Sanrio booth by some fat guy from Florida. To grab that Hello Kitty in a Sega vest, he even ran right out of one of his shoes."

"At least we got them." The boy walking at the front fished two carefully protected stickers from his pocket, printed with the MGS2 design. "And I cleared the infiltration stage, too. Only fifty people in the whole convention center have this sticker."

The players headed outside, carrying their exhaustion and satisfaction with them.

The underground exhibition area of Kentia Hall.

The air here was still foul, mixed with the smell of sweat and cardboard boxes.

Most vendors' booths had already