Virtual Reality

I removed my helmet and yawned. My body felt rested yet I still had the vivid memory of having been chased and given chase for hours on end.

“Kat?” Sniza! The helmet! I stuffed it beneath my covers and shakily stood up to unlock my bedroom door.

“Tanya! Great to see you!” I forced a smile onto my face whilst blocking her view of my room. “Have you slept well?”

Tanya sighed. “I really tried but just the thought of that game kept me up wondering most of the night.”

A muscle jumped in my neck. “Yup, I wonder what it’s like as well.” She was still obsessed! Damn her geekiness! “I’ve got it in my safe keeping and as soon as you finish your exams, it’s all yours.”

Tanya grinned and I saw that she was fully dressed. Was it that late already? “Well, I’m off; the exam starts in half an hour,” she said. I gave her a smile that clearly conveyed, hang in there.

“Write well!” I shouted at her retreating back. She yelled something but I couldn’t catch it in my haste to close and lock the front door.

My eyes jumped around wildly and sank to the floor and I tore at my hair.

After my brief fit I composed myself, chomped on some cereal and went back to my room to dress in a pair of jeans and a white shirt. I ripped my duvet covers off of my bed and glared at the insufferable gleaming object lying smugly near my pillow. I shook my fist at it. “You’re likely going to cost me a valued friendship.” I bit back my pride and dialled the least called number on my phone, right after the police.

“Hello?” Hans sounded sleepy when he picked up and despite knowing his awful morning mood I plunged right in.

“Hans, I have a problem.”



“You did, what?!” Hans shouted as he scooped up the helmet into his arms.

I bit my lip, and cringed. “I know I know. There was a manual and I was the biggest moron on the planet to have not read it through.”

Hans scowled. “In the galactic system you mean!” Note: Hans was big on the “we’re not alone” thing. He believed in aliens like I believed in hard work.

We were standing in my room and I was so worried I didn’t pay mind to my, ‘no male in bedroom’ policy.

“Can’t you obtain a new one? Just for her?” I asked, breaking the tense silence. “I’ll pay off the other helmet over the next few weeks…or years…” I trailed off, picturing myself as an old woman begging on the street for money.

“You don’t have to go that far.” Hans said, looking at me for the first time since I’d told him about the…little problem. He smiled and thoughtfully stroked his chin with his free hand. “You just have to do something for me in return and this…slight oversight of yours is as good as gone.”

I ground my teeth. “What is it? I’d rather pay you back till I’m in my deathbed than fall into a trap of yours.”

“Pretend to be my girlfriend,” he stated simply, as if telling me the time of the day.

Puzzled I asked, “Erk…For how long exactly and WHY?”

Hans twirled a strand of his long honey blonde hair around with one finger, like a shy schoolgirl. “These guys I told you I’m meeting up with later this week, well they all have girlfriends and…”

“You don’t?” I supplied helpfully itching to cut all his damn golden locks off. Guys with long hair belonged back in Robin Hood’s time or in a…virtual reality game. The whole truth came crashing down on me again.

“Just pretend for a few weeks!” he pleaded his blue eyes big.

I looked at him long and hard, thought carefully about controlling my anger and what it would cost me if I flipped out now and taking a deep breath I muttered, “Fine. Just make sure the helmet’s here in two days’ time, or else I lose my best friend and you lose…err…the wonderful opportunity to have me as your girlfriend." I realised that he didn't hav emuch to lose if the deal didn't do smoothly.

Hans grinned and patted me roughly on the back. “See you on Friday babe.”

“Don’t push your luck!” I yelled and shoved him out of my room.

“By the way,” he asked twisting around to look at me. “What species did you choose?”

I blushed and looked away before saying huffily, “Nightwalker.”

Hans burst out laughing. “Those gender ambiguous life suckers? I heard that, not only do they not level up, but you can’t even open up your stats menu.”

“Don’t rub salt on my wounds,” I muttered sulkily.

“What’s your name? Maybe I can find you with my own character and make fun of you publicly.”

“Get out!” I roared. “I don’t want to see you again without a new Quest Seeker in your grimy little paws!”

Hans chuckled but nevertheless walked towards the front door all by himself. But in the doorway he paused and turned back. “These things are hard to come by…”

I shrugged. “I know. The real ones are expensive and you have to acquire the illegal one’s through dangerous means.” I scowled at him meaningfully.

Hans’ face darkened. “The less I tell you the less danger posed to you and Tanya. Consider this as my favour to you.” And with that he spun around and shut the door on his way out.

I looked down at my arms and realised that they were covered in goose bumps. I had never seen Hans so serious in my life. And it scared me.