Disconnected

Section 12

        The first time I journeyed into virtual reality was an unforgettable occasion. For months, I had waited for my helmet.

     When it became available as a pre-order, I made sure to purchase it. The only thing left to do was wait. Waiting turned out to be the most painful and troubling part. The waiting was agonizing.

        One day I returned home from school, and a large box was waiting for me on my bed. My heart stop beating for a moment. I ran to the box, and ripped it open. There it was. Shining in the artificial light of my room, was my very own. I picked up the instruction manual, and painfully read through it. This product is dangerous. I followed the instructions in the manual carefully.

     While the system booted up, I stood there staring at it. Admiring its design. When the machine booted, I immediately placed it on my head.

     There was a button on the side of the machine which will begin my journey. My finger hovered over it. Ready to push it. I counted down: 3, 2, 1... I felt something I had never experienced in my entire life. It was like my brain was lifted right out of my head. There was no pain, just a sensation. To my eyes, all I could see was white.

     The white surrounded me. It encompassed my entire reality. It was overwhelming. Suddenly, a piece of color appeared in the distance. As it came closer, I recognized it as a city, as seen from a bird’s eye. It rushed at me until I landed in the middle of one of its streets. I stood up, and looked around. A sudden rush of awe filled my body. I am in the internet.

     My body seemed to feel no pain. It felt light, with the ability to do anything. It responded well, almost as well as my real body. I looked up at the beautiful, fake sky. For the first time in my entire life, I felt alive.