Somnium Online

Reality.

Eric snapped back to reality and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and he was in his room. Back in the real world.

He felt lighter. He wondered when the last time he had slept this well was. He slowly roused himself and got to his feet. It was a Tuesday, he had school.

He got up reluctantly and walked to the bathroom like a half dead zombie. He looked in the mirror. His dark hair was all messed up. He straightened it, and combed it to the side. He studied his face for a minute.

With English ancestry from his mother, and German from his dad. He had dark hair and brown eyes that stared back at him impassively. He wished his hair was black. It was really just extremely dark brown.

He splashed a bit of water at the mirror before getting on with his day.

The time passed in a blur. After having experienced the wonders of Somnium, real life was... boring.

In seventh period he received a slip of paper telling him to show up behind the bleachers at the track after school but he wasn't even worried.

After facing down death multiple times in the same night a few school bullies didn't even worry him.

He calmly walked to the designated area for the latest beatdown, and waited patiently. They arrived after a few minutes. Three on one. All of them at least juniors. All of them larger and probably stronger than him.

Eric wasn't worried. It had only been a week since he had begun winning fights like this one and people didn't seem to believe it until they had bitten the dust for themselves.

It was unfortunate really. School had only started a few weeks ago and he was already getting in trouble. But it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter.

His school had a time honored tradition of older boys beating on anyone weaker or younger than them. Eric appeared to fit into both categories at first glance.

But over the year between freshman and sophomore years he had undergone some changes. He was done losing fights.

The three older guys started the usual banter. Insults, jokes, anything they could think of to rile him up. He ignored it. Then, the largest of the three came at him.

Eric ducked a wild swing and brought his knee into the older boy's solar plexus, knocking his breath away. He followed by sweeping the guy's legs out from under him and stomping his nose.

There was blood on the pavement. Eric looked up at the other two. And grinned. There was something wild in his eyes that said "mess with me at your own risk." Eric's grin widened and he started to step forward.

"Who's next?" The remaining thugs rushed him. Eric crouched, and then launched himself at their legs sending he older boys sprawling. He was up first stomping twisting and kicking them into submission. There was more blood. None of it was his.

Eric surveyed the damage. He had downed three older jocks. Maybe some of their younger friends would take a hint and leave him alone for a change.

He wiped the blood from his bruised knuckles and started the walk home.

Eric entered his house quietly so as not to disturb his mother who was probably working in her office.

His parents did some sort of boring corporate work and it was never entirely clear why they were constantly busy and stressed.

Eric went straight up to his room where he quickly caught up on his homework, most of which he did in class while the teacher was talking, and then inserted his earpiece.

It was strange how sometimes he felt like the magical world in his dreams was more real than the one he always woke up to.

Eric laid down in his bed and logged in. "Somnium Ludum."

************************************Sorry for the short chapter. This was written in advance and it just is what it is. I promise the next one will be full sized.