The Arena (Book 1)

The Simulation

I've always had the same dream ever since I was a child. Always in the same room. Always of the same boy, sitting across the room looking at a computer screen. I've memorized every event in this dream by heart, knowing every second forwards and backward. As I shut my eyes and fall into sleep the dream begins. I'm standing in the corner of the room, unable to move as usual. But this feels a bit different. Everything's still going normally but something feels strange.

Suddenly, he gets up out of his chair. He's never done that. My heart starts to beat faster with exhilaration. It's been so long since a new dream. He walks over to me, I can see his face in the light. He has blonde hair and maroon eyes. He's still wearing the same headphones I remember. He reaches behind me and grabs something. Then I feel him plugging a cord or some sort of wire into my neck. Suddenly I can move.

I take a deep breath in and ask, "Where am I? Is this still a dream?"

"It worked...It worked! You can see me right! And hear me?!" He steps back in excitement.

"Yeah...?"

"Yes! It worked! Oh, and by the way, you're in the real world." He says.

"I'm sorry, come again?" I say, double checking what I heard.

"I said you're in the real world." He repeats himself as he starts plugging more things into my back.

"But that can't be right...I have to still be dreaming." I say. There's no way this is the "real" world. The real world is back in my house with my family and my friends.

"I um...my names David Falcon by the way...anyway uh..." He stutters.

"Go on!" I say impatiently.

"You are a, uh, a robot. You are a robot and your life was just a simulation." He says quickly. But I still understand every word, "I guess you can say I created you, sort of." He runs his hands through his hair thoughtfully.

"You mean, I'm not really...living." My voice cracks and he flinches as if feeling bad for me.

"I'm sorry, but no you're not really alive. But I did program you to have human feelings and uh, thoughts and emotions and all that crap." He trails off, "Um, let me explain more in depth."

He tells me about my purpose and why I'm here. He explains the future and what the simulations are. I was living in a simulator that is designed to transfer the consciousness of a programmed character into a robot. He says that all of my dreams were failed trials of him trying to transfer my consciousness. He also starts explaining something called bot fights.

"Basically anyone can enter a robot they made into a yearly tournament." He says.

"What kind of tournament?" I ask as I look down at my hand, fiddling with my thumbs.

"An uh...fighting tournament. Where each robot has 1 on 1 rounds and they fight....to the death." He hesitates as he says it.

"I'm assuming that's why I'm here." I say looking him right in the eyes.

"....yes..." He looks down at his shoes.

"Great. Can't wait to be killed on live tv." I say as I get up and try to walk away. The cords on my back hold me back from leaving. He gets up and unplugs the cords.

"Your room is upstairs...look, I'm sorry, 004." He says.

"What did you call me?" I ask, he called me 004.

"Oh right, 004 is your name." He explains.

"Oh...I don't even have a real name." I flinch as I walk out the door and up the stairs.