Realms?

I stare into the smart mirror, splashing water on my face. "You've got this, you're Christopher Todds." The crowd outside claps as the announcer calls out his script.

"Now, if you all would please welcome the visionary, the creator, Chris Todds!"

I walk onto the stage and peer at the crowd. My spectacles flash in the light from the cameras.

"Hello all, as the announcer just said, I'm Chris Todds."

A few in the audience chuckle.

"My company has brought you the latest phone technology for the past 2 decades, and I wanted to thank everyone here that has supported us thus far. "Tech You" would be nothing without you.""

The audience claps at my expense, some even cheering.

"Thank you, thank you. But today, I am proud to announce a new product we've been working on for quite some time."

I turn around and usher in a transitioning screen behind me.

"We introduce to you all: Virtual reality."

The crowd goes crazy with thunderous applause as the headset appears on the screen.

"This headset is unlike any other VR on the market. It cognitively indulges the player by emulating the exact memory and imagination of the user. It's like a literal playground within your mind."

The audience continues to clap, along with a few whistles.

"We plan on releasing it in the next few months, so expect this headset to be in stores around late May."

After the speech is over I walk to the back of the stage and I'm greeted by my team.

"Great speech, Mr. Todds."

"I told you to just call me Chris," I say with a cool smile.

"Right, sir, sorry, sir."

"The VR's development is coming along nicely, but before we release it I wanna test it," I say while placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you sure sir, the headset is not exactl-"

"I'm more than confident in our product, and just like every other phone and piece of tech we make, I know this one will be solid."

"Alright sir, we'll get that headset to your home as soon as we can."

I head back home, zooming through the trafficked areas of Inglestone park. I arrive at my high-rise and park in the garage. To my surprise, I see a box with my headset on my doorstep. I pick it up happily and head inside. I turn on the news and see more praise for my big reveal.

"Today, CEO of "Tech You," Christopher Todds, unveiled the company's latest technology. The VR headset seeks to create a playground within your mind. We're all excited for this headset, and hopefully it lives up to the hype."

I turn off the TV instantly. The fools. We bring the finest technology in the market every year, hell, every couple of months and the idiots who claim to be "tech savvy," still question us. I grab the headset from the counter and go into my bedroom. I feel the thick, hefty box as I slam it down on my bed. I pull open the container and see a small, gun metal headset with a yellowish green visor. It looks so smooth and innovative. The headset came with long cords that harbors adhesive that clings to back of your scalp. I take my glasses off and place the equipment on my head. We made it wireless, but this version only plugs straight into the wall since it is a beta copy. I lie on my bed and attach the headset to my face. Slowly, everything goes black. I touch my face and I feel only skin and hair, like nothing was nestled on my skull. I can smell the strong fumes of...pancakes? I walk out of my room and see the house has changed to my old apartment. I see a slim woman at the stove, cooking away while she hums sweet music. Is that...Monica?

"Morning sleepy head, I thought you'd be in bed all day," she says with a giggle.

"M-Monica, how'd you?"

"Have a seat, baby. Do you want extra bacon this time?"

I sit down, with my mouth still wide open. I thought I'd never see her again, but this reality is-

"I guess that means you want it then, huh?"

She brings over two plates, and she sits down, looking into my eyes.

"It's been so long, Chrissy Poo. I missed you so much."

"Monica, how are you here right now, this can't be real."

"It's all because of your big brain, silly. In here, we can be together just like we were before."

She holds onto the words, as if they'd fly from her grip.

I grab and kiss her.

"I've missed you so much, too."

She smiles at me with those big, green eyes that I thought I would never see again.

"Well you should eat up before you head off to work, honey. It's already been a few hours."

"A few hours? What do you mean?"

"In your mind, honey, it's been a few. You should head back to work."

I look at the clock in the kitchen and she was right. It was 12am somehow it seemed like I'd only been here for a little while.

"OK, my love, I will see you soon."

I blow her a kiss and detach the headset from my head. I fall asleep with a grin on my face.
The next day I head to my office feeling groggy and annoyed to be around everyone. In between all the paper work and printing, I couldn't help but want to return home as soon as I could.
I pull into my garage and lock my door behind me, practically sprinting up to my room. I see the headset glaring on my bed, waiting to become a part of me, once more. I lie on my bed, reentering my consciousness.
I smell breakfast, this time it smelled sweeter than before. Upon entering my kitchen, I see Monica sitting at the table, already eating.

"Hey there, handsome. How was work?"

"Oh, hon, it was draggy. I was waiting for this part of the day."

I run to embrace her and I sit at the table to talk for awhile.

"Well, honey, I'll see you tomorrow, I say with an elevated tone.

She waves at me, smiling.

Weeks turn into months. Every waking moment without her feels exhaustive. I sit in my office, staring out the window until someone knocks on my office door.

"Come in. The doors open."

In comes the man over my tech team. I haven't seen him since the night I announced the VR.

"Sir, we um, need to talk."

His face wrinkled up, like a wet newspaper.

"What is it?"

"Well sir, we haven't spoken about the VR in quite awhile, and as we arrive closer to its release we'll need to get the version back from you to run some updates."

"Nonsense," I wave my hand in a dismissive way.

"The version I have is perfectly functional and, you see, I am running tests of my own, and I still need more time."

"Sir, I understand, but this needs to be done very soon."

"You can leave my office."

"But sir-"

"Go now," I say as my voice sterns.

"Yes sir."

He leaves my office quickly.

I storm home, pissed.

"How the hell could he tell me to how to do MY job."

Monica darts to me, embracing me. Her touch feels cold and void of how her soft skin used to feel.

"Forget them honey, it's all about you and I now."

She danced about.

"You know what? Don't go back. I want you to stay here with me. Forever."

The idea rings in my head, like old chimes in the wind.

"Honey, I would love to, but I have to live, for the both of us. Staying here wouldn't be sustainable."

"There you go again, talking that tech babble."

"Honey, it's the truth, I cant st-"

"I knew you never loved me."

"Huh? Monica, you know that is not true."

She walks over to the stove and waves her hand above a boiling pot.

"What are you doing," I ask, with a concerning gaze.

"Do you remember why I died?"

The question kicks me in the chest, bursting my ribcage.

"Monica, I love yo-"

"Answer the fucking question, Chris."

I sigh, relinquishing eye-contact.

"I went into our closet, got on my toes, and reached for that box you kept in the back. I reached right behind that dumb baseball cap you won for me at that game, Remember, Chris?"

"Monica, stop, please."

"I pulled out that pistol you bought to "protect me" and placed it on my temple."

"Monica!"

"I gripped the handle, shaking."

"Monica, what do you want from me," I say as I collapse to my knees.

"I want you to stay with me. Am I asking you for a lot," she asks menacingly.

Her face has shifted now to something I wouldn't call pleasant. Monica wasn't in front of me anymore. I guess she never was.

I get off the floor, looking her firmly in the eyes.

"No, you are not in control of me and I want you to stop this, I'm removing the headset now."

"Yeah, go ahead and run away like you always do. You only care about yourself."

"No, Monica, the real you understood me, and knew I gave my all. You're just a stale copy, goodbye."

I disengage the headset and sit up in my bed. I sigh and head into my livingroom. The TV is on and a slim woman stands at my stove, preparing breakfast.

"No, this is not happening," I say as I frantically cup at the back of my head.

"Hey honey, do you want your eggs scrambled, or do you just want extra bacon?"

"How are you fucking here right now?!"

"OK, I guess you just want extra bacon as usual."

"No, Monica, get the fuck out of my head! You can't be here."

"Oh, Chrissy Poo, you can't get rid of me just like that, I'm part of you n-n-now."


Her speech begins to glitch, like my shitty laptop from middle school.

"This is just a dream, you're just in my dream."


She glitches behind me, forcing me to sit at my kitchen table.


"C-c-Chris, just have a s-s-seat, a seat."

I can feel my heart racing. I glance out the window behind her, and see the balcony. I pull away from her and run toward it. She appears at the ledge before the dropoff.

"You can stay with me now, f-f-forever."

I try and punch at her body, but its intangiblitly causes me to slide down the highrise....


"This just in, the CEO of "Tech You," was found outside his home, right below his balcony. Police are still trying to discover the cause of his death."


Michael cuts off the TV and calls his friend.

"Hey dude, I just saw that show on Clickvids that you told me to watch."

"Oh, cool bro, what'd you think?"

"I wish this VR shit was real."