The Neon God

IV

Every robot's solemn bow

To the screens they worship now

Has made them slaves to their devices

And only added to their vices.

Now, they say that death is their release

To endless sleep

And mutes the sound of silence.

Once I got home I set my stuff down and yanked my phone out of my pocket as quickly as I could. After shooting a quick update on what had happened to the Electric Sheep I found Liz's Discord profile to start a direct message. For a time I mulled over what to say, but decided to start with something simple.

And before you ask, no, the conversation didn't look exactly like this. Being the grammar nazi that I am I couldn't bear to copy it exactly as it was. Don't worry, though, it's only edited for grammar, not content. Anyway, here it is.

Senecus: Hey Liz, it's Peter.

Astelline: Hi, Peter!

Astelline: It's so good to be able to talk to you coherently.

Senecus: Big mood.

Astelline: God, you're such an old soul. People were saying that when our parents were our age.

Senecus: What can I say? I'm in touch with our collective past.

Astelline: That's basically exactly what I just said.

Senecus: ...I can't really dispute that, can I?

Astelline: Nope.

Senecus: Damn.

Astelline: So, anyway, how are you?

Senecus: To be honest, I'm still recovering from talking in person.

Astelline: Same here, dingus.

Astelline: Maybe I should ask a different question...

Astelline: How was your day?

How was my day? HOW WAS MY DAY? The only women in my life who had ever asked me how my day was before that were either my mother or my grandmother.

Senecus: It was pretty good, for a Monday. How was yours?

Astelline: It was a lot better once I saw you.

Did she just hit on me? I think she just hit on me. I had never been hit on before either. I wasn't quite sure how to react, so I tried to be careful not to make her think it hadn't also greatly improved my day to see her.

Senecus: Thanks!

I hope she doesn't think that means I didn't enjoy seeing her, too.

Astelline: So what was good about your Monday?

She must want me to actually say it. Alright, I'll bite.

Senecus: I was a little scared to say it at first, but seeing you again was definitely the highlight.

Astelline: Awwww! How sweet!

Senecus: Is that good?

Astelline: Of course it's good!

Astelline: Since when is a girl calling you sweet a bad thing?

Since the probability that that's your way of letting guys like me down easily is definitely a number that isn't zero.

Senecus: Since never, I guess.

When she didn't immediately reply I immediately thought the worst:

I said something to ruin it and I'm going to die sad and alone and childless in some forgotten and dusty old nursing home and all happiness was going to disappear from my world forever so I might as well kill myse-

And then my phone buzzed again.

Astelline: Are you still nervous, too?

Senecus: Yeah, kinda.

Senecus: I haven't really talked to many girls like this before.

Astelline: What do you mean, "like this?"

Senecus: I mean girls who aren't relatives who seem interested in being my friend.

Astelline: Am I your first female friend?

Senecus: Not exactly. I had some when I was in the lower grades in grade school, before I knew what sex and relationship dynamics and judgment were.

Astelline: I guess I could probably say the same thing about me and guys. I've just never gotten the chance to talk to one because I've always been too scared.

Senecus: I know that feel all too well.

Astelline: Doesn't everyone?

Astelline: I don't get why everyone's so self-conscious and nervous around other people all the time.

Astelline: Everyone, and I'm guilty of this too, seems to think that everyone else is silently judging their every move when in reality they're too busy being nervous and self-conscious to be able to focus on anything else.

Astelline: Maybe if you get lucky you're born an extrovert and there's nothing any screen can do to stop you from that.

Astelline: At the same time, it must be so lonely to live like that in this world.

Astelline: Maybe they like to stick together somewhere so they can all be normal together.

Astelline: Sorry. I'm ranting. I'll stop now.

Senecus: Don't apologize. You're 100% right. I know full well how stupid this all is but at the same time there doesn't seem to be much of anything I can do to change it.

Astelline: Maybe we can help each other drum up the willpower to make that change.

Astelline: Let's compare game libraries and see if there's anything for us to play together!

Senecus: Ok!

Senecus: Do you have The Fall of New Orleans?

Astelline: I do! It's one of my favorite games.

Senecus: My dad told me looks almost exactly like he remembers New Orleans from when he went in 2018.

Astelline: It's awesome that they were able to make it so accurate, but it always makes me so sad that I can never see it like this in person.

Senecus: Anyway, do you want to hop on duos in Battle Royale mode?

Astelline: I was hoping you'd suggest that. Call me once you're on your computer.

I got over to my desktop as quickly as I could, fired up Discord and The Fall of New Orleans, and gave Liz a call.

"You ready to drop Bourbon Street and not die within thirty seconds?" I asked.

"Probably not," she admitted, "but it'll be worth dying in thirty seconds if I do it with you."