[Republished] A World Gone Virtual (8 in Science Fiction 3/8/13)

Chapter Three

For the entire six hours I'm on the clock at Quentin's Bookstore, I am thinking of CyberSphere. Sitting staring at the clock does not make it go faster.

I think I am maybe beginning to go a bit insane.

CyberSphere seems more real to me than real life. So I can understand why people are jacking in as much as they can.

"Art is the lie that makes us see the truth," they say.

CyberSphere is beautiful. It's art.

What if life is the lie?

What is "real"?

What am I doing here?

Experts talk about "gaming addiction." And now they are talking about "CyberSphere addiction." "Hyper-reality," they're calling it. "Better than life."

People going virtual.

Am I addicted?

Who knows? Who cares?

I have to get back in.

So, since I told my boss I have asthma (not true), I fake having an asthma attack. My house being only a block away, he lets me go home to get "my inhaler", and then, given my histrionics, decides to just let me take the rest of the day off. Success. I'll be jacked-in in under half an hour.

As soon as I materialize in virtual Central Park, I call AJ.

"Hey, let me pick you up. I've got something to tell you," I say and then hang up.

AJ is quiet on the ride back to the Park.

We head to one of the many walking trails and start down it, hand in hand.

"AJ, you remember that guy who was arrested?" I say slowly.

"Yeah..."

I start again, my heart hammering in my chest.

"You know when you dream, everything seems real, right? Your brain completely fools you into believing you're awake, capable of believing impossible things."

She squints at me. "What, are you trying to tell me I'm asleep right now, in a pod somewhere, and the world is a virtual reality program? I already watched The Matrix."

"You're only half-right," I say.

She laughs, and then her face grows serious as she reads my expression.

"AJ...I'm breaking the rules by telling you this. I don't care. I consider you a friend."

She steps forward as my voice lowers, trying to hear, her expression confused.

"AJ...you are living in a simulated reality," I say quietly.

Her eyebrows scrunch and her lip quirks to the side.

"Prove it," she says, grinning suddenly, "or I'm taking you to a psychiatrist."

I want to laugh, but I can't. Hands shaking, I pull her into my arms.

"AJ, please don't freak out. If you panic and people notice, the agents will come to see what's going on," I say.

Her body stiffens. "Agents? You mean those people from the GPA?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you," she says softly.

I pull away from her, looking into her eyes.

"Don't freak," I remind her quietly. She nods. Then I pull out my cell phone and glance around. Our area is completely deserted. Good. Then I carefully key in the code for my motorcycle.