Chapter 1 : I... Remember ?

As I sank into the cushions of my couch, the weight of the week's toil lifted slightly. It was Friday, February 2nd, 7:38 PM, and Duncan Mason, at 24 years old, had just returned from another grueling day at work. The fatigue was palpable, but the promise of the weekend beckoned like a distant oasis in the desert of routine.

 After a brisk shower and a hasty meal, I allotted myself a precious 15 minutes of solitude—no TV, no phone, no music.

 Just the sound of my own breathing, a feeble attempt to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind.Eventually, I found myself in my bedroom, standing before my pride and joy—the PC that had cost me a hefty €850 just a month prior. It was a beast of a machine, capable of running any game with ease. But what truly fueled my excitement was the prospect of modding. From Cyberpunk 2077 to Skyrim, and of course, the beloved Fallout series, I had meticulously curated a collection of mods to enhance my gaming experience. Weapons, armors, environmental overhauls—I spared no expense in transforming the virtual worlds into my personal playgrounds. Yet, it was the gameplay and immersion mods that truly piqued my interest—the promise of enhanced skill trees, realistic damage, and the tantalizing prospect of an alternate start.

With a can of Monster at hand, I settled into my chair, eager to lose myself in the virtual expanse of Fallout 4. The game launched without a hitch, and a grin spread across my face as I clicked on "new game," bypassing the familiar opening cutscene with practiced efficiency. Character customization followed, as I sculpted a digital avatar that mirrored the rugged ideal I aspired to—tough yet unassuming, with a hint of rugged charm. Leaving Nora untouched, I clicked start, eager to begin my journey anew.

But fate had other plans. As I approached the virtual door in-game, the dreaded crash occurred—the game froze, the screen flickered, and then darkness. "Oh, come on! Not now!" I cursed under my breath, frustration bubbling to the surface.With a defeated sigh, I powered down the PC and collapsed onto my bed, the tiredness of the evening weighing heavily on me. "I'll tweak it tomorrow".

As I closed my eyes, I found myself immersed in the game, living the protagonist's life. From the innocent days of chasing Mister Handy as a child to the whirlwind of adulthood—school, train rides, meeting Nora, and eventually joining the army and the resource war, stopping as a sergeant. It was like watching a movie reel of someone else's life, except that someone was me.

And then, there she was—Nora. I remembered asking her out, our marriage, the blue house at Sanctuary, "-an" and even buying our own Mister Handy. But it wasn't until the mention of a baby that the memories hit me like a ton of bricks."-ncan!" "What... are those memories?" I muttered to myself, feeling a sense of disorientation creeping in. "I... I was a husband? A father?" "DUNCAN!" Nora's voice jolted me back to reality, her concern evident in her eyes. "Are you alright? You were talking, and then you just... zoned out."I blinked, trying to process the flood of memories. "I... I'm fine," I managed, still grappling with the revelation. "Just... lost in thought."But internally, I couldn't shake the realization: "I AM the fucking protagonist!"