Vesity

[4]

No POV

“Are you trying to kill me?” His eyes widen, as if he was shocked by the question.

“What!? No! Why would I be trying to kill you?” You scoff.

“I saw you asking the bartender about me. He had to have at least told you my name.” Adler nodded.

“Well, he told me your username. (U.N), right?” You nod hesitantly and lower your scythe. “I’m Adler.” You hesitantly shake his hand.

“Adler? That’s an odd username.” He smiled slightly. You had to say he had a nice smile.

“It’s my real name. What’s yours?” For some reason, you weren’t extremely weary of this boy. He seemed, innocent. But the best of killers seemed innocent. You kept your guard up.

“Y.N,” you replied. “My name is Y.N.” Adler smiled a little wider as the two shook hands. A small ringing bell shook around Y.N, causing both her and Adler to jump.

“Woah!” he exclaimed “What’s that?”

“Oh,” Y.N said, turning it off. “That’s just an alarm I set for myself. I have to go.” She began walking away at a fast pace. Adler walked after her.

“Where are you off to?” he asked.

“The nearest sleep station. I have to get out of Vesity to go have dinner with Edwin.” Adler raised an eyebrow.

“Edwin?”

“My neighbor. He’s also my best friend.” He’s her best friend, Adler thought. Who’s a he. Adler paused. What was happening to him? Why was he asking these questions? Why did he care? Why was he still following her?

“Would you mind if I walked you to the station?” Y.N shook her head.

“I guess not.” The two continued walking, mostly in silence. They came to a tall building made of glass looking pods. Some had small, glowing red dots in them, some were glowing a soft green. A platform waited, and Y.N got on it. Adler followed her on.

The platform took the two to the 4th level of the building and to an empty pod glowing green.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Adler asked hopefully. Y.N smiled and nodded. She got in the pod, and as it closed, her avatar disappeared. The platform took Adler back to the main level, but he disappeared before it landed.

He had some research to do.

Y.N’s POV

I took off my headset. I looked around at the room I gamed in. I was standing in my gaming suit, connected on a harness. A 360 moving treadmill was beneath me, moving every which way I went. The room was dark, and heavy curtains covered the only window. There was a knocking on the door.

After unplugging from the harness and such, I opened the door to find a boy waiting for me. He wore casual clothing and had a pair of glasses on the tip of his nose. I smile at him brightly. He smiled back.

“Hey, Y.N,” he said in a southern accent. I held back a laugh, making him roll his eyes. “Shut it.”

“Sorry, Ed,” I replied. “Lemme change first.” He nodded and the door closed. I zipped out of my suit and dressed in casual clothes. I then left the room and followed Ed out of the apartment I lived in with my mother.

She was in her room, in Vesity. As usual.

Ed lead me out of the apartment and down a small hallway to another apartment, the door swinging on its hinges. The place seemed nearly empty. Ed’s parents worked for a company that they lived at. They would send money for him, but he lived alone.

We sat at a folding card table with paper plates set out with sandwiches on them. Two cans of coke sat on the table as well. We sent silent smiles at each other and began to eat in silence.

This was our way of life.

There didn’t seem to be any other way.