1.45 - Welcome Back
I woke up in a makeshift hospital. Hundreds of people who had been trapped in the game were placed in these warehouses across the world. For the longest time, I didn’t believe I was really alive. I thought I had died and the afterlife was just some fake continuation. I kept looking at myself in the mirror, making sure I could wiggle my toes and purposely hurting myself. Anything I could do to try waking myself up from a dream. I held my hand over the open flame on a stove for a while, and it did nothing for me. The group therapy didn’t help any, most of them had the same problem. Family came to visit but I couldn’t believe they were real either.
I didn’t believe I was still alive until some random teenager came up to me and gave me a fist bump. She thanked me for saving everyone and that was it. Somehow that one interaction was enough. Everyone had been talking about what happened in the game world, but she was the first to acknowledge it was over. I guess the game registered us as winning before we crashed to the ground. I was receiving treatment for nearly three months before I got to go home. In the end, we spent just as much time getting treatment as we spent in the game. Six months of life, gone.
When I got home, mortgage payments had drained my savings I’d been fired from my job. The power was off and grass had reached record levels. Somehow, I didn’t mind. I hated my job anyway, and I can find another. It sucks, but I’ll take some money from my retirement to float me until then. Attacking the grass and actually smelling how bad I smelled after toiling in the sun was refreshing. I didn’t know how much I missed sweating. I choked when I tried to drink water too fast, and I couldn’t help but giggle after I got myself together. Occasionally, I still find it hard to believe I’m alive.
I’ve been reading books since I got home. I’m sure I’ll play video games again one day, but I need a break. My phone rings, and I sit the book down to pick up, “Hello,” the other side doesn’t respond. “Hello,” I say a little louder.
“Dre,” I recognize Kai’s voice instantly.
“Kai, you never call me, what’s up?”
“I had to move in with my cousin, so things were crazy for a while. I finally got my stuff back and settled down. I just wanted to call and see how you’re doing.”
“Having trouble adjusting, but I’m surviving. Looking for a new job.”
“I’m glad you’re doing good Dre.”
“Hey Kai, where do you live?”
He pauses, almost as if he isn’t sure he should answer, “Tó Naneesdizí.”
“I can’t even say that,” I laugh.
“It’s Navajo, I can teach you.”
“I’d like that.”
“For now, just say Tuba City, Arizona. Please don’t ask if it’s named after an instrument.”
“I’m in Indianapolis, but when we get our money right, we should hang out. You can come here, or I can go there.”
“I think Indianapolis would be a lot more exciting to me.”
“We’ll invite Daamin, Kevin and Ashley too. It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
Kai and I haven’t spoken in three months. It isn’t like we’ve been doing anything but sitting in our respective hospitals and trying to recover our lives, but it feels like we’ve got so much to talk about. It’s weird talking to him on the phone, instead of texting or talking in a game.
I patch in Daamin to the call, “woah, you guys really called me,” he seems surprised.
“Yeah, you sound surprised,” I ask.
“I just didn’t expect to hear from you all until we picked a new game,” Daamin says.
“A new game,” Kai asks.
Daamin laughs, “yeah, it’s kind of our thing.”
“We’re The Virtual Vagabonds after all,” I joke. Kai audibly groans before the three of us burst into laughter.
***
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