Then Dr. Coleman continued to go over more specifics for data storage. “Okay, I’m throwing you all in a common virtual that you guys probably used in middle school. It’s from the early stages of our Continuing Struggle for Human Rights. I want you to pick out at least five discrepancies before pulling out. I’ll be in and out of several of your programs to observe. Go ahead and plug in,” Dr. Coleman said with a smile.
Ari’s heartbeat picked up as she leaned back in her chair like the rest of the students. She moved her braid and cleared the way for the cable. Clicks of cables sounded throughout the room as people plugged in, while Ari still struggled with snapping it in place in the base of her skull. Her fingers shook badly, and the wires clattered to the floor.
Mica appeared beside her, taking the port from her hand. “I’ll help.” Her hands were cold but fast as she inserted the thick metal cord. “It’s okay. A lot of kids get nervous on their first day.”
Ari tried to console herself that at least she wasn’t in the olden days when they had to port into several spots in the brain and blood stream. It had been almost barbaric. Ari lay back in the chair and clamped her eyes shut, forcing herself to go to the one place that scared her the most.
She opened her eyes to the war-torn chaos that surrounded her. Bullets screamed past while explosions flared in the distance. Cries of the injured bombarded her, while camo-covered men rushed the broken city with guns at their sides.
All students in her middle school were required to complete VR military training to select those capable for duty. And while Ari had read about this war, she’d never lived it. She’d never smelt the dust of the desert mixed with the smoke of destruction.
A bomb exploded in a small shop down the block. The ground shook, making her stumble. This wasn’t some old 3D movie. These people could hurt her, as much as one could be hurt in a VR. She took off, running as fast as possible. She wasn’t sure where she was going but standing out in the open was a sure way to get shot. Her logical mind told her that she wouldn’t die. VR programs muted any painful experiences, so it was only a shadow. But even the shadow of a gunshot or bomb would be more than she wanted.
She sprinted around a corner and stopped short, almost running into two men, one severely injured.
“Help,” the soldier begged. It was awkward to hear an English ancient from such a foreign looking man with dark and pointed features. Ari stood dumb for a second before she realized he wanted her to help with the injured man.
She hurried forward and helped lift.
“We need to take him to the hospital. We’re almost there.” The soldier continued forward, sweat dripping down his temple.
As they rushed into a nearby building, bullets and debris rained over their heads. At the entrance to the hospital, Ari froze. There were lines upon lines of beds, with injured people crying out in pain. The smell of blood and dirt overwhelmed her.
“Come on,” the uninjured man urged her forward.
Medical personnel dressed in bloody scrubs took the body from them.
With her arms now empty, her hands began to shake. People always joked about never leaving their VR vacation, but what if she remained stuck in this living hell? None of this is real. It isn’t real. Cold dread seeped into Ari’s bones, despite the heat. Glancing down, she noticed red splattered against her purple shoes. Blood.
She sprinted down the street but didn’t make it to the end of the block before she disappeared. Gasping, she awoke back in the classroom. She lifted her stinging hands. Blood dripped from her palms. Her nails had cut into her hands. At the sight of blood, her stomach turned.
A hand touched her shoulder and Mica appeared above her. “Whoa, girl, what spooked you?”
Ari struggled to speak, her breath coming in short gasps. As soon as Mica removed the cord, Ari jumped out of the chair. Bent over, she stared at the thick wire hanging loosely from the chair. The cable could transport a person to anywhere in the world plus some, but it could also be an eternal prison.
Dr. Coleman appeared next to them. “Mica, what happened?”
“I’m not sure.” Mica turned to Ari for an explanation.
“I was ...” What could she say? How could she explain that she would explode if she didn’t get out of there? “I just ... the bomb, the smell,” Ari stumbled over the words, trying to get out the problem.
“Surely, even in your area, you are familiar with this VR.”
“I’m sorry.” Tears were hot on her face. She grabbed her bag and headed to the door.
“The reading assignment is due tomorrow.” Dr. Coleman shouted, but Ari didn’t stop walking.
If she stopped, she would break down, and she wasn’t going to do that. She took the stairs down at a run. Her lungs burned for air, but she kept going. She pulled out some sunglasses to hide behind and pushed outside. She eyed the manufactured grass and fake trees with distaste. With everything fake, how could she tell what was real?
At first, she didn’t know where she was heading. Once she passed the cafeteria, she thought of her brother. Marco would understand. He was there when she first freaked out in the virtual.
They had been in school. She was eleven and he was thirteen. Her father had recently slipped into another coma, and her teacher planned on taking the children to visit ancient castles for world history. When the vision opened, Ari’s screams had sounded throughout the school. She wouldn’t let anyone close enough to touch her until
