What happened last night?

"Art… Arthur!" Arthur gasped and his eyes shot open at the sudden loud yelling. "You're going to be late for work! Get up!"

His mothers voice faded away and he remained laying in his bed, his heart thundering in his chest as he tried to understand what was happening.

'I died, didn't I?' He thought as he remembered the sound of the trucks horn blaring and the thud of the impact as it struck his body.

Yes, he should definitely be dead right now.

He pulled himself to sit up and took in his surroundings. Game posters were pasted over the walls, clothes and various food packages littered the floor and hung up on the back of the door was his old café apron he used to wear to work.

'Is this my old room?' He thought as he took in the familiar scene. It had been almost ten years since he had been in this room, he had moved out shortly after he began to earn himself decent money.

Perhaps he didn't get as injured as he thought when he was struck by the truck last night. Perhaps his mother picked him up from the hospital and brought him home to her house and he didn't remember because of how drunk he was.

But then he was certain he should at least have a hangover from how much alcohol he consumed at the bar last night.

"Get up!" He heard his mother yell as she thumped on his door again. He frowned in confusion as to what she was yelling at him for. Why did he need to get up?

He pulled himself out of bed, feeling weaker than usual as he made his way to the door.

The sight of himself as he passed the mirror made him come to a complete stop.

"What the fuck?" He whispered aloud as he met the eyes of his eighteen year old self. He scrambled to the mirror and began probing his unusually young face and gasped.

'That confirms it! I really did die yesterday! Either that or I'm in a dream!' Arthur began to panic as he quickly made his way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where his surprisingly young-looking mother was preparing breakfast.

"What happened last night?" Arthur asked warily. "Was I even taken to the hospital after that truck hit me?"

His mother turned to look at him as if he had grown another head.

"What the hell are you talking about? Hurry up and get washed for work! The manager has already given you two warnings about your attendance." His mother scowled and began to shoo him away but he caught one of her hands.

"What are you talking about? I don't start work until later." He said exasperatedly. He had tried to explain his job to his mother again and again but she never really understood what he was talking about. She was just happy that he was finally making a living for himself. "The kingdom is due an upgrade today, so I can get online until later."

His mother stared strangely at him again and he sighed. It was that same look every time.

He had worked desperately in the Virtual Reality Game, Solistia Online. He had purchased it as soon as it was released with his birthday money and had spent day and night to level up his character until finally he was accepted into a large guild. He had become quite high up in the ranks as was able to secure a position in managing a large part of one of the main kingdoms in the game. Through this he was able to earn a decent salary and was fairly happy in how his life was turning out.

That was until last week. The day he was betrayed by his closest friends and colleagues, everything he had worked so hard for was just taken straight from under him.

And there was nothing that he could do about it.

Except for drinking, of course.

"Are you still dreaming?! Go and get ready for the cafè!" She gave him one final push and he finally gave in and went back to his bedroom.

"Crazy woman." He muttered as he slumped down on his bed. He reached over to grab his phone from the bedside table and paused as he looked down at it.

'Isn't this my old phone? Look how out of date it is!' He shook his head at the chunky phone but then flinched when the screen flickered to life.

Messages from his old buddy Lance filled his Home Screen and Arthur felt his mouth drop open.

"Lance?" He choked the name out. These messages were old - they had to be old because there was no way that Lance could be texting him now.

Arthur's mind filled with the memories of the time he had found out that Lance had been murdered in a robbery gone wrong. He had died and it had scarred Arthur, leaving him with a deep sadness and depression that took him years to deal with.

Seeing his name right now, was the same as seeing a ghost.

His phone suddenly vibrated in his hands and his eyes widened at the caller name.

Lance.

He froze for a moment before pressing the accept button and listening intently.

'This had to be a sick joke,' Arthur thought worriedly, 'Either that, or I-'

"Hey, you bastard! I've been messaging you all morning!" Lance's loud voice cut off Arthur's thoughts and his hands began to tremble.

"Lance?" Arthur asked shakily but he definitely remembered this voice. It was without a doubt his best friend.

"Yes, it's me! Are you still asleep?" Lance groaned down the phone. "I'm waiting for you downstairs so hurry up or we're both going to be late!" Lance hung up and Arthur stared down at his phone still in disbelief.

That was until he saw the calendar on the Home Screen.

The date that Solistia Online was released.

Ten years ago.