A Chance Encounter

"Hey Hey Hey,

What's going on everybody S.I Rene here with the latest info on the new game Life Slayer Online!

For those of you who have been off planet, because lets be real if you didn't know about this game you've been in a fucking coma! It's the first Full Dive VR game. It's been too long, right guys! Gamers have been waiting for this for far too long. A game where you can be inside the game. And finally the visionaries at elethara gaming figured it out! The release is tomorrow. I am sooooo excited.

There's no pre order function so yall will have to camp out!

Now let's get onto the game mechan..."

'Click'

The monitor went dead. Sitting in my chair the PC started wiring as it powered down. The clumsy fan cluttering and spluttering.

I let out a shaky breath.

What should I do today?

Its a dumb question but I ask myself every day like i'm going to go outside? Like I'm going to become this normal functioning human being? Or like I'm going to revise for tests? Become hella successful? I don't think that's my fate. I think my fate is to sit in this cold dark room and play games. Because let's be real. That's all I can do.

Every day I turn on my pc and watch her. It's sad, I know. To think she's somehow watching me back.

I clicked on my phone while scrolling through the apps. I have no direction anymore.

I signed onto my bank and checked the account scrolling through the blinding white background and confusingly formatted app.

There's just enough to buy 'LSO'

I should get a job. Maybe for a day. I need some extra cash for food and stuff.

Fine I guess I'll log off for today.

It's a necessary sacrifice. I opened my job app and searched for the easiest with decent pay. I found a moving job. Fifty quid for a day's work: No commitments, limited interactions.

Perfect !

I walked out of the house and towards the address. The scenery was surprisingly beautiful, everytime I go out it surprises me that I don't do it more often. The sun is quite pretty, up there in the sky. The waters rippled from the ducks, small pieces of bread drifting along. The animals look so carefree. So unchained.

Why am I jealous of a duck!

Now I remember, this is why I don't go outside. It's not like a game. I'm not special. I'm just an idiot walking through a park.

"Are you the moving man?" in front of me was an old woman, she was small and hunched the wrinkles like valleys and gorgeous across her face.

"Yeah,"

"I don't really know how all this works. My granddaughter is the one who set it up but we have a few boxes of books that neither of us can move. Can you do it young man?"

"Sure." Should I say more? I never know how to speak in these times. Ahhh never mind. I reached around the boxes pulling them up and bending my back, I used my chest as a platform and lifted them into the apartment. I did this six times lugging the cardboard boxes into a bedroom, the study and even the kitchen . until all the boxes were gone from the truck and then I started on the rest of the items. lamps and draws hoisting them into the apartment. It was tiring and difficult.

I shouldn't have gone for manual labour. I'm a shut in what made me think I could lift boxes.

Dumbass!

I walked back to the old woman and asked for the money.

"Sorry my Granddaughter has just gone out with my card but I think she'll be back soon."

Ahh I should've known It'd be too good to be true.

I sat down inside and pulled up my phone and opened a book.

Why not? I just spent three hours lugging them around and putting them on shelves. Why not read one?

I got bored quickly, I just want to get back home and inside my dark room, back to safety.

I should get some food on my way home too.

Ahhh

Dammit

Why is survival predicated on going outside?

"Hey Grandma I'm back, sorry that took a while the store was out of the coffee you like so i had to go across town."

She walked inside and turned the corner.

My heart stopped dead in its tracks.

It's her.

Ah fuck

What am I going to do?

It's S.I Rene. I can;'t handle this. I need to get out of here.

"Who's this?"

"He's the young man you hired. But I couldn't pay him."

"Aw grandma, you can use your phone." she turned her head and looked at me, she was smiling. Ah damn she's so cute. I think I might die. "Sorry about that, let me pay you…. here."

She clicked the card onto my phone and I hurried out, I couldn't speak.

"Hey you, what's your name?"

"Charlie,"

I walked out of the house, I can't see, I can't hear. Everything is ringing and my head is pounding. I started to breathe heavily, my body is shutting down.

Then a solid ping broke through my shock.

'Mom:

Can you pick Ellie up I have a long shift today

Mom:

Sorry xx'

Ah, the whole world is out to stop me from gaming. It's only four. If I pick Ellie up and feed her I can maybe log on for about six.

I dropped by a fast food restaurant and walked to her school. I was only five minutes late.'

Score!

Good job Charlie!

I walked into the school yard, the children were swarming around like insects.

My sister is ten but crazy smart. I know that's what everyone says but it's true. She's beaten grandmasters at chess after playing three times. Sadly we can't afford to send her anywhere better for school next year. I walked into the yard feeling like a giant. She was chatting with her friends and swinging her legs under her chair. It made me so happy to see her so carefree. When she saw me her face lit up. It was adorable. I handed her the still steaming hamburger and walked her out of the school.

"Is that, ugh, a hamburger?"

"What reckless parenting."

"Where are the parents anyway?"

"Can't pick their child up?"

"Hahaha"

And here's the second reason I don't go outside. I clenched my fist rage swelling into my hands. I was ready to throw hands with these snobby moms.

Ellie reached her hand up and gripped my hand.

"Thank you LEE!"

I looked down at her and smiled

"Thank you."

Then she pulled my hand down dragging my ear down to her mouth and whispering really quietly.

"I don't think you could take em, there's too many, you need to follow them home and get them then like an assassin."

I almost fell over. Trying to keep a strait face was more torture than meeting S.I Rene. But I did.

"Ok, now you eat up before it gets cold."

We laughed the whole time talking about her day and the multitude of psychological wars within her classes and with the kids she doesn't like. Her mind confuses me everytime. The way she thinks is bizarre and astounding.

We got back home and she ran to her room to revise and study, although I think that's what she's doing, I'm not really sure anymore. I walked back to my room and went into the darkness.

This is my home.

This is where I belong

The world out there is so cruel but here I am great. I am a hero. It's pathetic but to me… its real. The me online is the real me.

I started the game and a high pitched theme blasted through the headphones and my eyes were burnt with the bright white start up screen. Then I pressed the log in button.

'Account: 0903846

Username: L.ee_983

Race: Licht

Path: Mage

Level: 896'

Ugh i've played this game way too much.

I clicked the button on my controller again and I was in, my body seemed like a shell. The real me is inside the game.

"Hey E how's it going?"

My online friend walked up to me, this is the reason I got sucked in.

"Yo banana i'm good I had to work today though."

"Ooooof man I feel you, anyway want to do this new event? The creators and admins are desperate for all the users not to convert to LSO. Its dumb they cant compete with a real life Full Dive game but I hear there are some decent drops so on the last night for all normal MMOs lets go out with a bang!"

"I mean sure. Hey you getting LSO?"

"Of course, in fact I've only got three hours till I have to camp out!"

"Damn"

"Yeah, how about you, you're not sleeping on the sidewalk tonight."

"Nah gaming isn't too popular in my town maybe four people are hardcore and willing to shell out that much cash to buy it so i'm safe."

"Ahhhh Lucky lucky!"

"Hahahaha"

"Anyway, message me when you get it and tell me your username?"

"Of course, hey, so tell me about this new event!"

"Oh this is the best part we gotta liberate a village of, get this…. Maidens."

"Ahhh now I'm psyched."

"Aight E let's hit it!"

I selected the new event, a colourful banar popped up adorned with cute girls all wearing different costumes. It was weird and pathetic but I guess I am too so what the hell.

Nothing seems cute now that I met S.I Rene in real life. I should've talked to her. I'm such an idiot!!!!!!!!!

I teleported to the event zone and sure enough there was a village. It was on fire, surprise surprise.

A woman ran out in a nun outfit and charged at Banana hugging his avatar. It just looked creepy on this low resolution game. But Banana seemed to enjoy it.

"Don't worry milady I will help you!"

"You know they can't hear you, right?"

"Ah shut up man im just having some fun."

I walked towards the village and equipped a book. The boss is apparently level 900.

Boring!

Ahhhh this game isn't challenging anymore so why the hell do I play it???

I unequip my armour and knives leaving one spell time to make things interesting.

An army came out all level five hundred. I used a max leveled SSS class spell and wiped them out.

Then the boss came out and walked towards me, it was a huge ogre. I guess it was orc barbarians. I didn't even check the mobs before.

I equipped my ring of flight, the rarest item in the game and began to hover.

I wonder if Full Dive VR will be more fun than this?

I cast three enhancing spells and started to chant for an SSSSS rank spell

I know these rating systems never work out because there are always players like me who grind for the best spells so they have to release a higher class. This game has been out for two years and became really popular because of its insanely high leveling system. People said it was impossible to get over level one but in reality once you break two hundred you can do quests to get items that make the levels irrelevant. It got boring then but some people were still stuck on level one and formed bands to share items. I joined one in my phase of trying to become more social and I made a bunch of friends. One problem… I was already level eight hundred and so I felt kind of left out. That's why I'm so excited about LSO. I have a fresh start to become one of many, I can be relatable instead of OP.

I one shotted the boss. It was less fulfilling than it used to be but I took the loot and logged off.

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow I can get LSO!!!!