This is purely my imagination..nothing else.

The man was walking over the pebbles. After each step there was rumbling of pebbles, interspersed with nearby wave sound. The distant seagull was shrieking. They were his only companions. He walked for some more distance and sat over the pebbles. He could feel the water.

He took his holy book and started to recite holy verses loudly. He constantly told himself not to weep. After some time he checked out his mobile for SMS and kept his phone over the pebbles with a tone of disappointment. He again started to recite holy verses loudly.

He slowly whispered “why me”. “Why did you choose me “. After sometime he again checked his mobile for an SMS and with a frown he put it into his pocket. His hands were shivering now. He switched on his torchlight and beamed it over the waves and then over the pebbles and slowly lifted it up. He closed one of his eyes and was looking at the waves without any aim. “BEEP BEEP”. He could feel the chillness spreading all over his body.

He picked up his mobile and read the message. “Please meet us beneath the pier in another 10 minutes”. He kissed the holy book and kept all his belongings over the pebbles. He read the message for one last time and he threw it into the waves. He slowly started to walk towards the pier. He was coughing due to sudden development of nausea due to fear. He was slowly approaching the pier and it was just 100 meters away from his current position.

He wanted to turn away and run, but he cannot and he should not. A small sodium lamp was glowing dimly inside a small room. This is his destination. He was now few steps away from the room. He walked slowly and wanted this part to be in his dream. He was now just before the door. He raised his hands to knock at the door. Then he saw a calling bell outside. He wanted to postpone the decision making. He pressed the buzzer without any interest. He wanted every one in this world to be engulfed by a nuclear disaster.

Just then a base voice came from inside. The voice was plain and rough. It ordered, “Come In”. He pushed the door and it opened with a creaking noise. Inside the Room were a chair and a table. The chair looked odd and it was definitely not the conventional one. He could not see anyone in the room. The Voice steadily asked him. “Are you ready?”

“Please. I do not want to do this.”

“This is not a request. For the final time we are asking you, are you ready?”

” Yes. Yes. Yes. I am ready.”

“GOOD. “

A light wave surrounded him. His whole body was shivering. He could feel a piercing sensation all over his body. He now had pain all over his head. He slowly adjusted his eyes and he could see that he was now dressed formally. And seated next to him were two similarly clad people.

He could not remember who he was. All he could remember was he was asked to play video games. He was moving a joy stick and the simulations on the screen before were so real. In front of him was a display unit. He could see that he was wearing a seat belt. He could feel and vaguely see that they were approaching two tall structures. He slowly turned his wrist. His watch displayed the date as September Eleventh.

Lora was standing in her balcony. The sun was slowly rising, spreading light. She could see the brightly painted flowers. The dew was spread equally on all the flowers. She went inside the kitchen at the whistle from milk pot. She was back to the balcony, now with hot tea and two biscuits. She started sipping the tea slowly all the while looking at the ambience.

The sky was clear and some birds were chirping nearby. Lora went inside and kept the glass inside the dish washer. She then took her terry towel and went for a bath.

At the end of 30th minute she was out of her apartment. She walked for one and half hour from one end to the other. She got out of the underground way and walked towards the sea shore. The sky was blue and clear. The waves were making gentle sound. The breeze was gentle.

She looked at the sand and started walking along the shore for some time. After 2 hours she made her journey back home. She slept in her home for some time. By the time she woke, it was 8.30.

The house was dimly lit. The Television was connected to a laser disc player.Some old classics were spread over the table.
The house was otherwise empty.

She went to the balcony, carrying a tall glass full of lemon juice.

She did not realize when she went to bed. Around 6 AM she heard a synthetic voice in her room.

She said a hello and looked above.

“Lora do not be afraid. The one week vacation is over, we have to let you go. You can go back to your original world. Hope you enjoyed your stay here?”

“Yes yes. Very much.”

“Wishing you all the best and we hope to meet you soon.”

“Thanks. bye bye.”

Lora opened her eyes and she could see millions of people standing besides her. There was no space for her to move. The space was brown in color and she could not see the sky clearly.

She has to wait for one more year to enjoy the virtual world.

Her neighbor told her that they will get a beta version of the virtual world in the coming days.

Lora asked her what is so special about the beta version.

“People can live in community.”

“Every body will get a time slice of 50 to 60 years to enjoy the virtual world, uninterruptedly.”

“Another feature of the new version is a concept called death. The death will bring back the person out of the virtual world and he may have to wait for few more years before he gets another chance.”

Lora asked “is that all?”

“No. In this world people can enter the virtual world only as a child and with no real world memories.”

“This sounds very interesting” shouted Lora.

Few weeks later, the government announced the Beta version of the virtual world.

From a distance a synthetic voice called two people to start the program.

The voice announced that Steve Adam and Meryl Eve will be the first two to enter the beta version of the virtual world.

——————————-
The year was 3256.

Lora was standing in her balcony. The sun was slowly rising, spreading light. She could see the brightly painted flowers. The dew was spread equally on all the flowers. She went inside the kitchen at the whistle from milk pot. She was back to the balcony , now with hot tea and two biscuits. She started sipping the tea slowly all the while looking at the ambience.

She felt that she has seen it all before, long ago.

She died that day.

A voice announced,

“Lora do not be afraid. Your time slice is over, we have to let you go. You can go back to your original world. Hope you enjoyed your stay here?”

“Yes, I think.”

“Wishing you all the best and we hope to meet you soon.”

“Thanks. bye bye.”

—————————-

Lora opened her eyes and she could see millions of people standing besides her. There was no space for her to move. The space was brown in colour and she could not see the sky clearly.

Her neighbour told her that they will get a gamma version of the virtual world in the coming days.

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