Odyssey of the City of Lights - Book 1 - Chapter 11

Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter

I blinked, the light and colors still looking dimmed and... nasty... ugly. Aaron's voice came to my ears, muffled and distant. "You okay, buddy?"

My throat felt like it was full of sand, making it difficult to talk. I smacked my lips a bit and managed to croak, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Time to get going," Aaron said. "Tomorrow, I'm not working, but I don't want to sleep all day on my off day and mess up my sleep cycle either." I groaned as the feeling returned to my hands. "Okay."

With a struggle, I pushed the mask off my face. Some of the colors came back, but not all of them. Aaron was looking at me with a goofy smile on his face. "How are you?"

Taking his hand for support, I sat up. "I gotta be honest, I don't know, but that was absolutely amazing..." My voice trailed off as I scanned the industrial-looking room. Glancing at my watch, I realized we'd spent an hour in the VR world. It had felt like five minutes and a lifetime at the same time.

"Careful," Aaron held me upright. "My first time, I faceplanted, and my friends laughed at me."

I chuckled, trying to shake off the lingering disorientation. "You have bad friends."

Navigating the hidden stairs and two secret doors, it took us a strangely long time to get back to the car. As Aaron started the engine, I gazed through the window at the world outside. It was so much bigger than my tiny village, which now felt like a mere speck compared to the vast realm I'd just experienced.

"Still got your head in the clouds?" Aaron asked, chuckling as he pulled onto the road.

"Can you blame me?" I replied, my eyes still roaming the passing scenery. This world of dazzling lights and towering buildings seemed so tiny and insignificant.

"Hey, don't worry," Aaron reassured me. "You'll get used to it."

When we arrived home, Aaron handed me a small glass filled with a nasty, sickly sweet drink. "This will help prevent the VR hangover," he explained as I stared at the viscous liquid.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked skeptically, wrinkling my nose at the pungent aroma.

"Trust me," Aaron said with a grin. "I've been there before."

Taking his word for it, I downed the concoction in one gulp, suppressing a shudder as it slid down my throat. We prepared for bed, and I lay on the couch, the taste of the drink lingering in my mouth as my brain grasped for every memory it made in the virtual world.

Sleep eluded me. My village, once my whole universe, now felt like a mere dot in an endless expanse.

As I tossed and turned, a restlessness stirred within me, an urge to explore, to experience more. Yet, there was a tug of nostalgia, a longing for the simplicity and familiarity of my home. It was accompanied by a much smaller spark of fear of my father's scary stories of the dangers of the world outside the village.

But his stories so far have been false so far, so that spark died down quickly, leaving with 2 longings: for the unknown future and a familiar past.

This conflict brewed inside me, a blend of excitement and apprehension, wonder and worry. How could I reconcile these two worlds – the one I'd always known and this boundless realm of possibilities?

I turned over, staring at the ceiling, which became a blank canvas for my racing thoughts. The experience in VR wasn't just an adventure; it was a revelation, a glimpse into possibilities I never imagined.

The whole night was spent debating my own mind.

The shrill sound of Aaron's alarm pierced the silence, and I bolted upright on the couch. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for him to emerge from his bedroom. I didn't have to wait long.

Aaron turned off his alarm and walked out of his bedroom, met my eyes, and froze.

"What the...Gah...ELI!" Aaron yelled.

I grinned at him. "What?"

He shook his finger at me like my uncle used to do. "What are you doing?"

I shrugged, still smiling, and lied, "I woke up getting ready to get up."

Aaron pressed a hand to his chest, breathing heavily. "I swear, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry," I said, trying to suppress my laughter.

We sat down at the table for breakfast, and I couldn't hold back my thoughts any longer. "Do you mind if I stay longer with you? I want to see more of the world and gain more experience before going home. I've been thinking and wrestling with where I fit in this world. And also see the bigger world. And more worlds. Like the VR worlds."

Aaron's face shifted from confusion to understanding, then finally to amusement as he broke into a wide smile. "Sure, man. The couch is good for you? That will save you money."

I nodded, my face stretching into the widest smile I'd ever felt. "Couch is great, thank you."

As we finished our food, Aaron leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "You know, you'll need some money even if you are sleeping here for free. What were you thinking?" he asked.

I blinked, unsure of what to say. "I mean, I can work farms. That's all I've ever done."

Aaron laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, and you don't have a driver's license, I'm assuming. So that limits you further."

I frowned, feeling a bit disheartened. "Um, do you think it's hopeless?"

He grinned, leaning forward. "Well, you are freakishly strong, and you're crashing here, so it's not like you need a lot of money. I'm thinking we'll find something for you."

With that, Aaron moved my bedding off the couch, and we sat down in front of the big screen. He pulled up a job site and said, "Here's a list of available jobs. Let's filter by your qualifications." As he rattled off questions from a questionnaire, I realized how limited my qualifications were.

"High school equivalent?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied, feeling a bit out of my depth. I admitted to not having a driver's license but quickly added, "But I can handle any farm equipment, tractors, loaders, you name it." My experience was confined to the rural tools and tasks of my village. I had no technical certifications, no knowledge of advanced computer systems, and no experience with complex machinery beyond agricultural implements. In this world, my skills seemed rudimentary. I'd never worked in a modern urban setting, nor had I had any exposure to the corporate or technological environments that seemed so common here.

"Okay, now we have this setup, let's take a look," Aaron said, his fingers flying across the screen as he skimmed through the job listings. My heartbeat quickened, and I felt a knot forming in my stomach. The options seemed bleak at best, but I tried to keep an open mind.

"Alright, let's see... physical labor jobs, maybe?" Aaron mused. "Here's one for a construction helper. Basic lifting and assisting tasks, no specific qualifications needed. Basically, it's working for a guy who doesn't want to buy a power suit." He scrolled further. "Here's another - a janitorial position. Cleaning and maintenance are pretty straightforward. Seems like okay pay."

I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond. "Uh, I guess those could work," I murmured, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

"There's also gardening work available," Aaron continued. "It's basic, but with your farm experience, it might be a good fit. But the pay is shit..."

"Maybe," I said hesitantly. "But what else is there?"

Aaron paused at a customer service job. "This one's in retail. You'd interact with customers and help with product queries. They require tech certification, though. We could look into getting you trained up for that, but it'll take time. Does that sound good?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Is it hard?"

"No more like annoying," Aaron replied, shaking his head. "We've got a few more here - warehouse assistant, delivery driver's helper... all pretty basic, physical jobs..."

After an hour of scrolling through endless job listings, I felt disheartened. The options were limited, and nothing seemed like a perfect fit. Glancing over at Aaron, I sighed. "What about your place?"

Aaron frowned, looking hesitant. "I don't really want to put my reputation on the line. Are you a hard worker? And then again, you don't have your license."

"Please," I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. "I promise I'm going to work hard."

"Okay," Aaron relented after a moment's thought. "Let's talk to my boss tomorrow. In the worst-case scenario, you can work as support. You seriously made my life easier when we worked together on Friday. Maybe I'll transfer to teams so you can be my helper. Those are better pay as well. But longer work days..."

"Thank you, man," I said, grinning with relief. "I'll make it up to you."

"Sure thing," he replied, smiling back. "Let's see how much you enjoy it after a day or two."

I laughed, thinking of my days working on the farm. "It can't be any worse than 10 hours on the farms."

"I guess we will find out," Aaron agreed, leaning back in his chair. He looked deep in thought for a moment before asking, "So what are you going to do today?"

Scratching my arm nervously. "I don't know. What about you?"

"Usually, I work on my art and creative projects on the weekends," Aaron said. "But it would also be nice to do some activities. Maybe go play a game or two at a sport of choice. Anything sparks your interest?"

After a long pause, I finally found the courage to ask Aaron, "When do you think we should go back to the place we went yesterday?"

Aaron laughed, shaking his head. "Yo man, you got hooked. But it's not a daily thing. At least not often. It's also not cheap to go there. So it will have to wait a few weeks...at least." He looked at me earnestly as he continued, "Partially, to make sure we don't burn out our neurotransmitters and hormones. Full dive takes a toll on you in the beginning. The second reason is that an hour there costs 5 hours of work at my hourly. Yesterday, I spent all my spare creds, so I'll need to get some more money together."

I blushed, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was that expensive."

Aaron waved a hand dismissively. "It's absolutely fine! Don't worry. I wanted to show it to you. It was my treat."

He leaned forward and opened something on the big screen. "But you might want to build some artsy stuff, too. You write, if you do a good job, you can sell it to the virtual worlds." I looked at the screen, noting the big logo that read "CreateHub" with interest.

"It's an impressive platform," Aaron explained, "catering to a wide array of creative talents and services." He scrolled through different categories, ranging from traditional arts to cutting-edge VR world development. He showed me the commissioning portal where clients directly request projects. The site had interactive galleries where artists displayed their portfolios, including a unique VR showcase. As he guided me through the features, I couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.

"CreateHub has an AI-driven talent matching system, secure payment methods, and a feature for user reviews and ratings," Aaron continued. "There are also educational resources, a marketplace for pre-made works, and community forums for networking..."

Aaron's fingers tapped at the screen, scrolling through the CreateHub platform as he continued to explain its intricacies.

"Think of it as a bridge connecting creative minds with those seeking their skills," Aaron said, drawing my attention back to the conversation. "You won't make a ton of money, but if you sell some stories and they get popular, you'll get a cash flow. That will make it easier to live."

He gestured toward one of his digital art pieces displayed on the wall. "Yesterday's art was actually something that we are going to convert to a scenario and sell it to a VR world. Ranking gets us noticed on the market. But scenarios are also a way to get cash flow."

I nodded. Maybe there was a place for me in this new world after all. Eager to share my work, I pulled my notebook from my bag, its pages filled with scribbles and doodles chronicling my thoughts and short stories I've worked out over the years.

"Can you take a look at my stories?" I asked tentatively, handing the notebook over to Aaron. "See if anything stands out as a good opportunity to you?"

Aaron smiled warmly and nodded, taking the notebook gently. His eyes scanned the pages, a mixture of curiosity and concentration on his face. As he read, I fiddled with my hands, my heart racing. This was the first time I'd shared my writing with someone outside my village. Actually, it was the second time I'd shared my writing with anyone at all! Would he think it was any good?

"Hey, this one's interesting," Aaron commented, pointing to a story about a young girl discovering her ability to communicate with plants. "It's unique-ish, and I can see it fitting well in a VR world. With some editing and polishing, it could become something people would want to experience."

His words washed over me, a mix of relief and excitement. "Really? You think so?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly.

"Definitely!" Aaron grinned, his enthusiasm contagious. "And this one here," he continued, pointing to another story about a dystopian society built on the ruins of a once-thriving planet, "has a lot of potential, too. For some reason, the dark aesthetic has a resurgence over and over again. I can imagine people getting immersed in this world."

"Thanks, Aaron," I said with genuine gratitude. "I couldn't do this without you."

He chuckled, handing my notebook back to me. "No problem, man. That's what friends are for."

Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter