A Desperate Choice

The automobile factory buzzed with activity as the clanking of machinery filled the air. Alisha stood by a conveyor belt, her focused gaze fixed on her task of assembling intricate parts. The rhythmic sound of metal against metal was disrupted by the approach of a coworker.

"Ali... Ali... ALISHA!-"

"-YES? Ahem! Yes, um, what's the matter Mark?" Alisha's thoughts were disrupted as her co-worker called out for her.

Mark frowned, sensing something amiss. "You seem a bit off. Everything alright?"

Alisha's heart skipped a beat. She forced a smile, her fingers deftly working on the assembly line. "Yeah, just a bit tired. Long night."

"Is it, about your Mum? Is everything alright?" Mark knew Alisha's condition well, conveying his worries he stepped little closer to check if she was genuinely feeling alright.

"Yeah, quite well. Infact, she is recovering!" Alisha reply was short, pushing him away, as she kept herself busy fixing some errors in the pistons.

Her friend knew that she was hiding her true feelings from her but she chose not continue this topic anymore.

"You better be careful fixing those, we don't want the customers to explode while driving" , Mark straightened up while taunting Alisha and then left to finish his remaining work leaving her alone, immersed with her thoughts.

Her mind was far from the factory floor, however. Her mother's frail face loomed in her thoughts, the image accompanied by a sinking feeling in her chest.

As the day drew to a close, Alisha rushed out of the factory and made her way to the hospital. Her steps were hurried, and her mind raced with thoughts of her mother. She reached the hospital room, her heart pounding in her chest, only to find a doctor waiting for her.

"Miss Alisha, we need to talk," the doctor said gently, guiding her to a quiet corner.

Alisha's anxiety deepened as she listened to the doctor's words. Her mother needed an urgent surgery to save her life, a surgery that would cost a staggering 180 million dollars. The weight of the news crashed down on her, and her legs felt weak beneath her.

She entered the ward where her mother was kept under 24 hours surveillance. She carefully pulled a chair close to her mother's bed as she was in a deep slumber. Sitting by her mother's bedside, Alisha's mind raced. She needed 180 million dollars for the surgery, a sum she couldn't possibly amass. Dejection weighed heavily upon her shoulders, her mother's labored breaths a constant reminder of the urgency. Tears started filling her eyes, blurring the vision of her mother in front of her. That moment Alisha felt as if the tears have also been an accomplice of the grim reaper who wishes to take away her Mum from her.

She determiningly wiped her taears off her face and eyes thinking that she would surely find a way out, that her "God" would surely show her the way.

On her way home, Alisha entered an old supermarket to grab some essentials. The flickering glow of the store's television caught her attention, and she paused to watch an advertisement.The flickering light of a television caught her eye, and she turned to see an advertisement playing. It was about an experiment offering 250 million dollars to willing participants.

"Intrigued?" a voice echoed from the television. "Step into a world where you can preserve your body and mind by immersing yourself in a virtual reality game. Call us in +XXXXXXXXXXX to register yourself!"The words blazed across the screen, and Alisha's curiosity stirred.

Could this be the solution? Could I really earn the money my mother needed through an experiment? Her thoughts runned wild as excitement crept in with a glimpse of hope that flashed in front of her eyes. Her desperation pushed her forward, her fingers dialing the number on the screen and saving it as she decided to contact them after she reaches her apartment.

Alisha stood in her dimly lit apartment, her heart racing like a drumbeat in her chest. The weight of her recent purchases hung heavy in her hands, a stark reminder of the reality she faced. Her eyes were desperately scanning the room for something as she catches her breath, and finally when she spots it all her attention was focused on the pen and paper resting on the coffee table by the sofa.

With a frustrated huff, she threw the shopping bags onto the floor, the items scattering with a clatter. It was a futile attempt to distract herself from the relentless swirl of thoughts that threatened to consume her. She had been out shopping, attempting to alleviate her anxiety by indulging in some retail therapy, but every purchase felt like a heavy burden, mocking her inability to provide for her mother.

Her fingers trembled as she crossed the room in quick strides, snatching the pen and paper off the coffee table. She collapsed onto the sofa, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. The cold metal of her smartphone felt heavy against her palm as she unlocked it and scrolled through her contacts. She'd been agonizing over the decision for hours, weighing the risks and the moral implications. But now, the urgency of her mother's situation drowned out all reservations.

Alisha's thumb hovered over the call button, her heart pounding so loudly she could practically hear it in her ears. The stakes were high, but she had to do this for her mother. She pressed the button, and the phone began to ring. Each passing ring felt like an eternity, her mind racing with the uncertainty of the decision she was about to make.

Finally, a voice answered on the other end. "Hello, this is the Experimental Centre of Aero Inc. Gaming firm. How can we assisst you today?"

"Hi, I'm Alisha. I-I've been considering your experiment... the one where you offer money in exchange for participating. I need to do this, for my mother."Alisha's voice trembled as she spoke, her words hurried but determined. The mentioning of her mother made her a bit emotional but she held herself back.

The person on the other end of the line listened attentively, their tone calm and reassuring. "Thank you for reaching out, Alisha. We understand the gravity of such decisions. Could you please provide us with some information about yourself and your situation? We could book your appointment in our centre for tomorrow if that is fine with you."

Alisha's eyes brightened with hope when she heard it. She could manifest her mother recovering after the surgery and that was enough to make her feel happy.

What Alisha didn't know was that, what she was facing is just the tip of the iceberg but the what lied beneath the sea was left unseen by her.