Our guide explained the rules and prepared us for total annihilation. Since we were all adults and he liked us so much (because we were locals), we were going to play "to the pain." What is "to the pain" you ask? It is a way of playing paintball that was thought up by some ridiculous masochist. (Either that or a smart salesman who realized you waste alot more paintballs by shooting wildly at other people) Instead of being out when you get shot, you just keep playing... until it hurts too much and you don't want to be shot anymore. Sound fun? It is if you like being riddled with bruises like me. Well, I don't like being riddled with bruises, but I can endure the punishment if it allows me to cover my dear friends with the same. All that being said... OUCH!!!!
I am used to playing the regular way. You get shot, you are out. Simple. Easy to determine. Oh, you have paint on you so you are out. "To the pain" = I shot you, you're out. Wait, why are you running at me and PELTING MY ENTIRE BODY?
So the first game we start out and I dash to a bunker a bit downhill. I spot an opponent ducking behind a barrier about 20 yards away. We trade a few shots and keep missing. I take careful aim and wait for his head to pop back up. Target in sight... FIRE! BLAHHHMMMM. Right in the goggles. You out boy! But he's still shooting at me? Fine I'll shoot him again, the cheating jerk. A few more shots traded, a few more dallops of paint on his head. I think to myself "Whoever that is really sucks. I know I hit him." And then I take a glancing blow off the arm. Damn, I'm out. The ref tells us to tag our back boundary and stay in. Good, I wasn't ready to quit. The round finally ends and we all come out smiling and attempt to figure out who shot whom. This is when I remember that we are playing "to the pain." That's why the guy I shot was staying in. Stupid me, I could have stayed in alot longer.
By the third game it got nasty. We started old-west-style. Back to back in the middle of the playing field. I quickly dove for a bunker to my left. An opponent jumps right on the other side. Here comes a true shooting match. In my adrenaline induced attempt to make sure I shoot him ALOT before he shoots me once, I block out the stinging sensation all over my back. Another player was laying in to my back like a red-headed step child in Wal-Mart. Once I realize I'm getting a free chiropractic adjustment, I raise my gun and walk to the back boundary. Here's what my jacket and back looked like by the time we were done. If you want to play a fun game, match up the paint on my jacket with the welts on my back.
Here's a better shot of my back at the end of the day.
Surprisingly my back didn't hurt. It was my leg that got the best shot. Justin went kamikaze and rushed me when I was hiding behind a bunker. We traded shots from about 3 feet apart and this was the result.
It broke the skin and still hurts 2 days later. After a few more games I really didn't care about getting shot anymore and adopted the kamikaze style. On a few different occasions I rushed those who had shot me the most. That seemed much more fun than just trying to shoot them from 10-30 yards away.
When all was said and done we had a great time. We drove home covered in paint and bruises, but the memories are well worth the pain.
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