The Seductress

06- Reality check

Maya ripped off her visual reality headset, gasping for air like a swimmer breaking the surface. She slumped back in her chair, she switched to her chair after cleaning  her bed which she messed up, her chest heaving wildly as she struggled to catch her breath.

She glanced at the clock on her wall, wincing as the bright numbers stabbed at her eyes. 2:00 AM. No wonder she felt exhausted.

"That's enough for today," Maya muttered, rubbing her tired eyes. "I guess I'll complete my mission tomorrow."

She yawned, her jaw cracking with a loud pop. Maya stretched, her limbs feeling heavy and uncoordinated. She had been playing the game for hours, and her body was paying the price.

As she stood up, Maya's legs wobbled beneath her. She stumbled towards her bed, collapsing onto the soft mattress with a grateful sigh.

Tomorrow, she would face the Seductress again. Tomorrow, she would complete her mission.

But for now, Maya just wanted to sleep.

She snuggled under the blankets, her eyelids drooping shut. The game would have to wait.

******

Maya's peaceful slumber was shattered by her mum's loud voice echoing from downstairs. "Maya, wake up! You'll be late for work!"

Maya groggily opened her eyes, only to be shocked by the time on her clock. 8:45 AM! She had overslept.

She jumped out of bed, her heart racing with panic. She couldn't be late for her shift at the gaming casino, "The Lucky Byte". She loved her job, surrounded by games and gamers all day.

Maya rushed to the washroom, quickly brushing her teeth and washing her face. She grabbed her bag and hurried downstairs, where her mum had already packed her breakfast.

"Thanks, Mum!" Maya said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I owe you one!"

Her mum smiled and handed her a coffee. "Be careful, and don't forget to eat your lunch. You know how busy it gets at the casino."

Maya nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. She grabbed her breakfast and dashed out the door, rushing to catch the bus.

As she ran, she couldn't shake off the feeling that her virtual encounter with the Seductress had left her with. It was as if the game had seeped into her reality, leaving her wondering what was real and what wasn't.

Maya pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on her day ahead. She had a long shift at the casino, and she needed to be sharp.

*******

Maya arrived at "The Lucky Byte" just in time for her shift. She clocked in and made her way to the gaming floor, where the sounds of clinking coins and buzzing machines filled the air.

As she began her rounds, checking on the gamers and ensuring everything ran smoothly, Maya's mind wandered back to the game. She couldn't shake off the feeling that the Seductress was still out there, waiting for her.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the high-stakes table. A gamer, known for his aggressive playing style, slammed his fist on the table, causing a scene.

Maya rushed over to calm him down, but as she approached, she noticed something strange. The gamer's eyes seemed... different. Almost as if they were gleaming with an otherworldly intensity.

A shiver ran down Maya's spine. It was the same look she had seen in the Seductress's eyes.

"Sir, please, let's take a break," Maya said, trying to defuse the situation.

But the gamer just laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You don't understand," he hissed. "I'm on a winning streak. And I won't stop until I've won it all."

Maya's instincts screamed at her to get away, but her job required her to stay calm. She called security, and together, they managed to escort the gamer off the floor.

As the situation was diffused, Maya couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The gamer's behavior seemed... programmed.

And then, she saw it. A small, almost imperceptible flicker in the gamer's eyes. Like a glitch in a virtual reality program.

Maya's heart raced. Was it possible? Was the game bleeding into reality?

Maya's mind reeled as she tried to process what she had just seen. She knew she had to investigate further, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched.

As she continued her rounds, Maya noticed more and more gamers exhibiting strange behavior. They seemed... altered, their eyes gleaming with an unnatural intensity. Some were playing with an aggressive fervor, while others sat catatonic, their eyes fixed on some unseen point.

She knew she had to act fast. Maya discreetly made her way to the casino's security room, hoping to find some answers. The dimly lit room was filled with rows of monitors, each displaying a different angle of the gaming floor.

Inside, she found her colleague, Alex, hunched over a bank of monitors. "Hey, Maya, what brings you here?" he asked, not looking up.

Maya hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I've noticed some strange behavior on the floor. Gamers acting... off."

Alex's expression turned serious. "I've seen it too. And I think I know what's causing it."

Maya leaned in, her heart racing. "What is it?"

Alex nodded towards the monitors. "Take a look."

Maya's eyes widened as she saw the footage. Gamers, all wearing VR headsets, their eyes flickering with the same glitch she had seen earlier. Some were playing 'Elysium', the VR game that Maya  played and it had just been installed on the casino's gaming floor just a week ago.

"It's the game," Alex said. "I think it's infecting the players, altering their behavior."

Maya's mind raced. She knew she had to stop the game, but she also knew she couldn't do it alone. She needed evidence, and she needed help.

"Alex, we need to tell someone. This is beyond our pay grade."

Alex nodded. "I'll try to reach the casino's owner. But Maya, be careful. If this is what I think it is... we're in grave danger."

Maya's heart skipped a beat. She knew she had to tread carefully. She couldn't trust anyone, not even her colleagues.

"I'll gather evidence," Maya said.

Alex nodded, his eyes locked on the monitors. "I

As Maya left the security room, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched. She knew she had to move fast, before it was too late. The game was spreading, infecting more and more players.

And Maya was the only one who knew the truth.

What is the creator of the game planning?