Virtually mirrored

The reality

Consciousness brought a headache. Too much sleep out of order. Half the day already passed as the clock showed half past two in the afternoon. Another third of the open can was consumed with care. Eventually Nathan would have to leave this refuge and bring all of his stashes of food home. If nothing else then to search for more. But not soon, they weren't going anywhere. The grey wastes always waited. Was this place now... home? Felt like that.

Candles found in lockers would help with the remaining search. Nathan lowered himself down the narrow ladder into the first hidden room, via the bedroom. Very warm inside. Ladder went down at least two levels if not more. Only slightly humming machinery and darkness waited below. Walls were solid rock and surprisingly dry. Closer inspection revealed cables coming out of the machinery, hidden within a pipe half rusted over and chipped in places. These were thicker than others seen in the refuge. Terminated in a large box at the top of the ladder, smaller cables came out of the box and into the bunker proper. This must be the source of electricity and heat. The bunker was far warmer than the wastes outside. Father had spoken of such things. If it ever broke there would be no repairing it. Nathan didn't have the knowledge. Best left alone.

The other room was only accessible through the trap door leading from the living room. The ladder was short, only one level down like the pantry. No lights other than the candle, but Nathan located a switch on a nearby rock wall. The room glowed brighter than the others. Entire rows of lights on the ceiling illuminated a large space. This room was slightly larger than any of the pantry levels, full of metal lockers and several tables with drawers. There were some cupboards with glass doors. Even a short glance revealed it as some sort of medical room. Stocked with everything. Various drugs and medicines, thread for sewing flesh, casts for broken bones. Four shelves with books, instructions on the basics of medicine. A large unknown machine in the corner. Truly a find of the century.

Nathan felt more safe than ever. Medicines such as these were gone since his childhood. Antibiotics! Many times he had fallen ill, suspecting death to be close by. Chancing everything on staying still, marginally fed and letting the body fight off whatever ailed. This however would ensure survival.

After a quick inspection of the lockers and drawers Nathan moved to the machine in the corner. It was larger than a person, oval in shape with a glossy metallic surface. Whatever writing was on the sides faded long ago, only white smudges left. A small book was slid into a space on the side facing the wall. Hard plastic, very strong and not flimsy. An instruction manual or some advertisement, or a combination of both.

It read: "Welcome to your Full Immersion Virtual Reality pod. For your tantalizing experience, we at PRC (Programmed Reality Center) do everything in our power to bring you entertainment out of this world. A wide range of simulations await you! With PRC you can experience whatever fantasies are of interest from our selection. For use please read the detailed instructions that follow. Servicing available upon request, see back of leaflet for contact information"

Father had spoken of this. No, not spoken, glorified! Memories recalled from fathers own childhood. These machines were not but legend in Nathans life. Better than life itself, or a different version of life. Even memories were suppressed father said, everything for the experience. "If ever you get a chance son, experience such a thing. If you ever find one or the world recovers. It will be unforgettable" father said once with eyes full of dreams. Nathan was only four or five years old at the time. Yet it was spoken with such wanton desire, leaving a strong impression. Dare he?

Nathan found another such book in a drawer nearby. Took both upstairs to the living room and started reading the instructions. The experience was meant to last for many days. Up to two months even, longer if there was someone on the outside monitoring and adjusting. There was a list of everything required. The small clinic had everything. Two different solution were required to keep the occupant healthy and alive. One a normal saline solution for hydration, the other a nutritional supplement for the body. Several medications needed to be set in case of an emergency. Memory chits were required for the simulation, not in the machine itself.

A furious search of the bunker produced an entire box. Burned out. The Chits were obviously destroyed and half melted in some accident. Only three remained intact. The labels read "An ordinary life", "The rings of Venus" and "Loss of control". No other information was provided with. Didn't matter if they were simulations of a dogs life, anything was good when you never tried. An ordinary life had to be a thousand times better in that world from before. Better than what was now. Better than the grey. Dare he?

There was time. The bunker was a refuge. No reason to go out, at least for a while. His food stashes were meant to last for months. A... vacation of sorts? Nathan had never had one. It was just a word his father used sometimes. "A break from every day life, to avoid monotony. To experience something new." Father had described. This would definitely be something new. It would be another guilty pleasure. Dare he?

Everything was available. Time was not a problem. No point in hesitating, it was waste. Mixing the solutions was not an issue. Powder and water in required amounts, filling storage tanks within the machine. Medicine cartridges inserted into proper slots. They were only used during the starting stage of immersion. Nathan finished the open can for a meal. No waste. The pod had a semi sitting position for the occupant. Lightly holding the body on some unrecognizable material. It moved on touch, receding and advancing on the smallest pressure. A full body suit was hooked to wires, very elastic and tight. Would fit even on Nathans skeletal frame. 

Lights turned off, no reason to waste electricity or the lights themselves. Pod set for two weeks. Father said that was a good period for a vacation. The inside of the pod was illuminated by small status lights. When closed there was complete silence. The needles attached to the suit inserted themselves into his arms automatically when the pod was sealed. The slight hiss of an air seal distracted from the pain. A small visor sent light into his eyes. It would function through eyelids, reaching the optic nerve directly. Memory chit was easy to chose. "An ordinary life". Whatever was ordinary back then must be extraordinary now! If anything was wrong the pod would wake him automatically, or at least that's what the instructions said.

Only one thing left to do. Activation was done by voice inside the pod. The only other way was from a panel on the outside by a technician monitoring. Nathan cleared his throat then opened his mouth. A hoarse sound came out. Voice unused for so long, was it even still there? Try again. Cleared throat again, swallowed. "Activate immersion" came out in a voice only faintly familiar. His own, yet changed. Sounded much older to himself. Years had passed. Tears filled his eyes.

The suit tightened around his body. A gentle embrace. Light intensified in his eyes. Bright and mesmerizing even through closed eyelids. Felt himself drifting away as if hypnotized. Heart was pumping in excitement. Then the grey world fell away, not to sleep but some other reality.

Then it returned. More light in his eyes. Mind a jumble, impossible to concentrate on anything but sensation. The brightness stopped abruptly, only status lights left. Still very blank. Arms and legs felt different, heavy and tired. The pod opened letting in more bright light. Eyes stung from the sensation. Someone started taking the suit off him. Removed the visor and head piece on his own. Memories started flooding his mind, unfamiliar ones. Started getting up and fumbled.

A hand reached out and steadied him. Turned over and with eyes still closed tried to vomit. Nothing came out, just a silent retching. A few drops of spit drizzled to the white tiled floor.

- C'mon Westmore. Steady now! - a voice came from close to his ear. - C'mon vacation's over.

A friendly voice. Familiar in passing. A name attached in memory, Roger something. Patting on the shoulder, another semi familiar sensation. The desire to hurl stopped and he caught breath. "Westmore", yes that was his name. Nathan Westmore. He was... where was he? Vacation? Didn't he just start one from the grey? A hand came into view. Bulky and thick, unrecognizable. Chubby fingers reaching for the floor. His own! Westmore opened his mouth expecting a hoarse voice, what came out was smooth and gentle:

- Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Give me a minute!