"Life is just too unfair." That was what a young man kept telling himself as he sat hunched in a tiny, pitch-black room. He had just lost everything—his wife, his daughter, and his dignity. Holding his head in his hands, he wondered how it had all been possible. Just two years earlier, he had been living the happiest moment of his life. He was in love, happy, and had just become a father.
Life had been cruel, taking away everything he held most dear in a fraction of a second. Losing his wife to a terrible illness hadn't been enough; the social services had also taken his daughter away because of the debts he had accumulated. It was truly devastating for Aaron, who couldn't recover from it.
He had been sitting in the dark for hours, motionless. In his mind, there was chaos—he couldn't understand how it had all been possible. He kept replaying the same thoughts again and again, trapped in a never-ending loop of despair.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
"Hey buddy! It's dinner time!" said a cheerful young man. "I'm fine with you staying at my place, but only if you keep yourself alive—so come eat!"
"O… okay, I'm coming, sorry..." Aaron replied, as if slowly surfacing into the real world.
The person who had just pulled him out of that melancholic abyss was none other than Paul, his childhood friend. He had just come home from work and had made it a habit to try to distract his friend from the depths of depression.
Aaron rose like a lost soul and dragged himself to the living room, where Paul and his young wife were waiting for him. This young couple lived modestly, yet they hadn't hesitated for a second to take Aaron in when his creditors had thrown him out onto the street.
Aaron and Paul had been friends for as long as they could remember, growing up like brothers. Paul felt somewhat responsible for his childhood friend, knowing that he no longer had any family left. Lisa, Paul's wife, had been exceptionally kind and understanding, doing everything she could to make Aaron feel at home. But it wasn't easy, given his emotional state.
"How are you feeling today?" Lisa asked, clearly worried.
"I still can't think straight," Aaron replied. "It feels like I'm stuck in a long tunnel I can't get out of. I'm really sorry for putting you through this..."
"Don't worry about that!" Paul said firmly. "You're like family to me, and the two of us are in this for life. It's normal to suffer after what you've been through, and we'll do everything we can to help you back on your feet."
"Th… thank you so much," Aaron answered weakly. "You're truly amazing friends..."
"By the way, I have some huge news," Paul continued. "I hope your gamer's heart is still beating somewhere deep down. The first fully immersive MMORPG is coming out in three months."
"Ah… that's nice," the young man replied passively. "But I don't feel like playing that kind of thing anymore."
"Yeah, I get that you're not in the mood for it yet, but imagine—for the first time in our lives, we could be living our adventures almost for real."
… Aaron said nothing.
"This game is a pure technological revolution!" Paul went on enthusiastically. "You might not know this, but the technology they used to make the connection headset surpasses anything we've ever seen, and some developers even say they're over ten years ahead of our time. Even I, just a casual gamer compared to you, want to play it. The hype around this game is insane—everyone's talking about it outside, it's crazy!"
Aaron was already only half-listening to what his friend was saying. His mind was clouded with thousands of intrusive thoughts. Yet, he had played obsessively all through his childhood and had stood out many times in major online games thanks to his skill and relentless drive. But since losing his wife, those things had become meaningless. He simply let his friend talk, nodding occasionally.
Paul, on the other hand, was totally into it. He loved new technology and took great pleasure in keeping up with all the latest releases. This time, he was ecstatic—this new game was going to revolutionize the video game industry and offer players an unprecedented, extraordinary experience.
"The craziest part is they're going to have an Online Market," Paul went on excitedly. "Players will be able to sell the items they find in the game for real money. It's a brand new system—a real revolution! I think hardcore gamers will be able to make a ton of cash from it!"
Even though he'd only half-heard what his friend had said, that piece of news hit Aaron's mind like a bomb. He dropped his fork, which clattered loudly against the table. Paul and Lisa looked at him, startled. Aaron stood up, visibly shaken. It was as if the dark storm clouds clouding his vision had finally let a small ray of sunlight through.
He raised his clenched fist and stared at it. His friends looked at him, not really understanding. Paul started to get worried and asked him what was wrong, but Aaron didn't answer—he just kept staring at his fist. Several long, awkward seconds passed before Aaron, who seemed to be thinking intensely, suddenly shouted:
"Yes, it's possible! With this, it's possible! That's it! I've finally found a solution!"
"A solution? What are you talking about?" Paul asked, completely baffled.
"I've figured out how to pay off my debts and get my daughter back!" Aaron said, his eyes filled with a mix of despair and determination.
"Oh? So you're going to play this new game after all?" his friend asked curiously.
"No! I'm not just going to play it," Aaron replied, suddenly fired up. "I'm going to grind like never before to get rare items, then sell them for the highest possible price. If I do nothing but that all day, maybe I can stand out and make the maximum amount of money."
"Ha! Ha! Ha! There's my old friend!" Paul said with a broad smile. "Knowing you, it's entirely possible you'll succeed—you're the biggest geek I know. Whenever you started a game, no one saw you outside for weeks."
And now it's finally going to be useful! All those years I thought I'd wasted playing so much—this time, all that experience can work in my favor!
"If you don't mind, let's talk about all this after dinner, buddy," Paul said, glancing at Lisa, who hadn't really followed what had just happened and clearly wanted to keep eating.
"Ah, yes, sorry—I got carried away by the news. Excuse me! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Aaron replied, embarrassed, rubbing his head.
"Oh, you don't have to apologize," Paul added cheerfully. "I'd much rather see you alive like this, buddy. It's been so long since I last saw you smile, and I can tell you—it feels good. I think you have a new goal now, and that's great!"
"Yeah, you're right," Aaron said, slowly coming back to life. "I've been desperately missing a purpose in my life, and I couldn't find any viable solution to get my daughter back. I feel so pumped right now I can barely contain myself."
"That's normal, Aaron," Lisa said with a smile. "You've been stagnating for six months. I think this news has given you a huge adrenaline boost. By the way, when is this game coming out?"
"Ah yes, that's a very important question! Thanks, Lisa!" Aaron said, knowing how crucial it was to have the best possible start when a game launched if he wanted to stand out.
"It's coming out on April 21st," Paul replied. "In just under three months."
"Perfect, that's more than enough for everything I need to do," Aaron said, looking up as if mapping out his plans.
The young couple watched their friend with smiles on their faces. Paul had never imagined this news would have such an impact on him, and he was delighted by the surprise. On top of that, he'd just found himself a perfect excuse to try this marvel for himself, which made him all the happier.
They ate their meal in a strange sort of euphoria. It was by far the best moment they had shared since Aaron had arrived. The gloomy atmosphere had vanished, replaced by something electric, stimulating, and positive.
After dinner, Aaron and Paul searched the Net for every scrap of information they could find about the game.
Your Second Life was a true revolution, not only in the field of video games but also from a technological standpoint. It would connect directly to the brain via a complex headset that stimulated nerve endings. It would be the first time a player could actually feel pain in a game. Of course, the sensations would be reduced to 1/20th, but dying or being pierced would still be far from pleasant. The headset would offer an incredible visual experience, and calling it a genuine technological innovation was no exaggeration.
The game would be a full-fledged MMORPG with everything true purists would love—class systems, level progression, and all kinds of weapons, from the most basic to legendary. In short, playing this game would be pure joy. But for Aaron, that wasn't the kind of information he was after—he wanted every detail he could get to ensure a lightning-fast start. In games, early players always had an advantage, so he needed to study it thoroughly and know every little quirk of the game by heart.