Visionless Reality

Six

      Having trained by a professional in VR is a great feeling. Jason was a nice guy who resembles to Arnold Schwarzenegger. His hoarse voice however made him sound dull and angry but he was a person of real patience. Although I was new to this world and the weapons, he made me adapt to the environment. I gradually started having a good hand at holding a pistol but the aiming was still to be fine-tuned. By the way, Beretta was the pistol I used in my first encounter. Now I too can flaunt my knowledge about weapons.

‘That’s a good one pal. I think you are getting used to it. Well done! None of my students were this much talented.’-Jason

‘Thank you sir. I appreciate your help.’

‘Oh please don’t call me sir. You are my friend dude. So tell me what you’ve got?’-Jason.

‘What do you mean Jason?’

‘The exchange deal. Did my brother not tell you?’-Jason.

‘Oh! I thought he was joking. But if he was not, I have nothing to give you instead of the experience points. That too I am not sure about it.’

‘Chill pal. I do not sell knowledge. It is free in the world. You just have to know the right way to earn it. Well anyways, you are a good guy. Do not give away your experience points like this to anyone. Those will help you get higher ranking in the league.’

‘Sure I will keep it in mind. What about the method of p*****t in this world? Do people trade for free?’

‘We have our own currency. We call them tokens of respect. You can earn them by doing good like helping people to learn something, helping people find something they lost and anything you can discover.’-Jason.

‘This is a pretty forward matter here. I think the creator of this game must be a very generous person. He has made this place very pure and lovely. Everyone would love to live in such a healthy place of rights and justice.’

‘You said it well on some points... God created this game, of life and death… where you are behind the things that lure you, and death is behind you always… Isn’t it interesting how one can never get rid of his fate?’-Jason.

        It was wise use of words… to hide the creators and throw the light on the fact of presence of God. He was clever.

‘Err… Well, thanks Jason for your assistance. You will be remembered for centuries.’

‘Sure Recruit-5 but I will not spare you until you get perfect in aiming.’-Jason.

        And we continued the practice for longer durations and shorter rest times. To my sudden, I touched my arm for no reason. I felt something that was not visible. That was my watch. I forgot about it, immersed in the game but my reflexes were sensing it all the time. This reminded me of the real world.

‘I think I have spent much more time than expected here. I may leave now. Once again Jason, I owe you.’

‘Anytime buddy, this is your place now, you can come and go!’-Jason.

‘Sure Jason, I’ll be back soon.’

        The way to access the main menu was through the tablet in my backpack. It was a great tool that the creators introduced, which is also a helpful tool in the VR world. That is how creativity works. You bring perfection in those little things that most people ignore…

        Leaving the practice match was like leaving for school without having breakfast. I was craving for more but the need to rest was a major issue. Taking off those VR headsets and the gloves, I was feeling different. It was like from one world, to the other. One thing that changed in my life, and that is the art of living it. I used to be introvert for many people. I preferred staying in my room for the whole day. Days would pass without even talking to my parents and they too didn’t care. But after having this experience, I was feeling more responsible for everything I do. I started looking at the world from a different perspective. I don’t know who gifted me this, but he did a great job of bringing a ray of hope in my life.

        19:21… After my first match playing, I was extremely tired and slept for hours without any sense of time. I woke up to the same dream in which I was surrounded by the mirrors all around. It was 7:09… and I was still confused between the VR world and the reality. I tried to focus with my blurry, just-awake eyes, at the wrist watch and it was there. Being curious to learn more about the game, I went to the kitchen to have some breakfast. Poured the orange juice, fried some beacons and bread and sat for breakfast.

‘Oh dear! You are awake. That is more of a miracle. Glad to see you after a whole day of self-quarantine.’-Mom.

‘Sorry mom, I was busy figuring out the new console that came into the package that was delivered recently. That is what the real miracle is. It packs a whole new world inside. You should try it too someday.’

‘Sure honey. I am happy that you are not feeling bored like the time when you were 7. I remember you roaming around in the house with a gloomy face, trying to find something interesting to do. That was the time I introduced you with the books I and your father collected over the course of time. Those were pretty good days, weren’t they?’-Mom.

‘Yes mom. They were. Hope we could get them back.’

        I could feel my mom’s words this time. She was not feeling the way I used to make her feel. She was missing the younger me. I was changed. Thanks to the changing world… With its boon of ever improving technology, it was a curse of enjoying loneliness without a second thought of anything else. People have already started feeling empty and depressed while being in the crowd. They feel sick while being surrounded by the people and feel happy in their tech world. Although it was a great achievement of our generation for being so creative and innovative, it was a shame that people are forgetting all those with whom they live and thrive.

        Letting go of such thoughts, with the excuse of I can’t do anything to change it, I paired all the peripherals to the rig and was ready for another learning session. I was liking the way Jason taught. This would definitely be a great thing if introduced in the market for people to learn from the luxury of their homes. Any ways, getting back to the game, I captured all the pamphlets this time so that it would be convenient for me to travel across the most famous places.

‘Hey buddy, ready for another lesson today?’-Jason.

‘Aye aye Captain J.’

‘So do you have any weapon with you?’-Jason.

‘I have this butterfly knife’

‘Oh… a balisong. A HOM design, Basilisk. With titanium lining. Very interesting. I’ve seen this after a long time. You know when I was a kid, I had the wish of buying a HOM design balisong, but never got a chance. I love this one’-Jason.

‘You really are very interesting person Jason. I admire your knowledge about the weapons. Where can I buy more weapons, like for my safety and practice purposes?’

‘This is the safest place in the world you can ever live in. Nobody here is a criminal. We all are people of justice. But if you want a colt, then try to help some people out there. They will surely give you token of respect: tR. I will deal with them.’-Jason.

‘Actually I want a pistol that I can handle. For that, I am on my way commander. Will be right back.’

        I was on my way for a journey to help some people. There was this advertisement of finding a lost container in the mines which looked easy. I checked its location and it was nearby. Around 2 miles away. Tracing its path, I ended up confronting a weak, slender person. His face was sunken and eyes were hollow.

‘Hello sir, is this the ad you pinned on the bulletin board?’

‘Yes young fellow! My brother was a miner and he died in that mine. He left a briefcase inside that mine, in which he kept all of his precious stones. Being sick right now, I am unable to go inside. Can you please find and bring that suitcase to me?’-old man.

‘Sure sir. I’ll bring it up as soon as I find it.’

‘Wait! Take this mask with you. It will protect you from the poisonous gases inside.’-old man.

        I took the mask and ignored wearing it. Entering the mine, it was all dark. I turned the flash lights on and some of its parts were visible. Going deep into the mine, I started feeling suffocated. It was like I was choking myself with the pungent smells. I put on the mask, realizing that the game actually controls how you perceive thing in reality. This was the most terrifying thing, that a game could ever have. I found a leather bag lying in the dark on a stone. Picking that up, someone was holding it tight. It was the hand of a skeleton who was clutching the handle of the suitcase. I trembled beside the suitcase, just near the skeleton. It was all real. I somehow managed to pick up the heavy suit case and brought it back to the old man.

‘Here it is… sir. This is damn heavy. I thought it will just have the weight of the suitcase.’

‘Yes. It contains all the precious jewels you have ever seen. Thank you for helping me. Take it... A reward for your assistance.’-old man.

        He handed me a pouch, filled with metals of different kinds. It was the currency used there the tR. He also rewarded me with a piece of jewel, that looked like a mirror, but was actually different. It was reflecting my image and was shining with multiple colors. The most interesting fact was that my image in the mirror was exactly how I looked. Was the game playing with me, or was it messing with my head? It was still to figure out.

‘Total of 2500 tRs with you and a jewel of ruddy mirror. You will succeed in the journey of yours with such bravery and wealth. Keep up your good work.’-old man.

        Standing on his foot, the old man dragged the suitcase alongside the road. I was feeling pity for that old man for his loss and also his health. But I had lots of other works to do, rather than watching him drag his stuff. Back to the toy store, I realised that I am much more familiar to the environment than I was earlier. This game has played a fairly good role in bringing a perspective change in my life.

‘Look Jason what I got. Some 2500 tRs and a ruddy mirror.’

‘Whoa! Are you serious? Did you really earn this much on this land? Or did you steal? Look if you steal on this land, I have no option left instead of calling the saviors for justice. This is not the place for criminals.’-Jason.

‘Relax Jason. I earned those from an old man, mourning for his brother’s death in the mines. That person gave me all this as a reward for helping him in him job.’

‘Oh that old b****y man. I thought he was a drunkard and nobody would help him. But he rewarded with this much stuff. Hope I would have known about it earlier. You know this much tRs can buy you a handgun, a rifle and some explosives with loads of ammunition. This is insane man.’-Jason.

‘I just want a Beretta for now! That would be enough.’

‘As you wish. That ruddy mirror will make you no money. It is a piece of mirror with some mercuric coat on it. You can throw it away.’-Jason.

‘No. I will keep it. It reminds me of who I am.’