As far as I understand programs if you kill the computer the program dies with it... unless it’s linked to another power source. Then the logical order of thinking would be to kill that power source to force the program to shut down. But if that power source is actual people, what do you do then? I don’t want to see any more violence, let alone death, and what would that mean for the head counselor and I? He tells me we’re in control of the virtual reality program and it’s just drawing the power needed from everyone else until it can be linked to a new computer. Does that mean if the head counselor and I are eliminated the program with be destroyed and cease to exist?
I looked up as I realised I was still standing there staring at my feet with the head counselor and Leila watching me think it all through.
“So if I do what you said no one else will get hurt?” I said with an anxious waver in my voice. I know the head counselor is dangerous and I can’t underestimate him, but in this situation I guess I have to work with him. If everyone is out to get rid of the head counselor because of his link to the program then they’ll be coming after me next.
“Of course, with the power of the virtual reality we can create a better world; you just have to show it to them.” The head counselor explained. It kinda made sense. Now that I know how to use the virtual reality system I can stop the violence. It’s not just about my independence any more, it’s about world peace. I heard a rattling at the door. The head counselor had locked it well but I know that the Labrescian’s are fairly smart. A few locks won’t keep them away for long. “Stick to the plan and everything will work out fine. No more people getting hurt.” The head counselor said quickly and cloaked Leila and himself with the VR. It was a neat trick. I could see him there; now I understood the program I couldn’t be fooled by it. By using the virtual reality the head counselor and I can make ourselves disappear to the viewers and if we want we can create another image of ourselves somewhere else. It’s a good defence if someone wants to shoot at us I guess. I felt anxiety and adrenaline rushing through my body as I turned to face the door across the room. After a couple of deep breaths to calm myself the door slowly swung open. On seeing their faces I was so glad to see friends again, even if I didn’t really know them for long.
“Hi guys.” I smiled and then noticed the group was a lot more banged up than last I saw them. Chloe had blood over her face and cradled her wrist more carefully. “Chloe, what happened to you?”
“You’re okay.” Chloe gasped with relief. It made me laugh.
“Of course I’m okay.” I span around and created a field of pink daisies with my mind. I created my hair long again and made Chloe look like her clothes were all back to normal. The group facing me just stood frozen for moment. Their thoughts were thoughts of confusion and fear of me. I didn’t understand. I thought they’d be happy.
“What are you doing Maria?” Chloe started to move towards me slowly. There was concern in her eyes and confusion in her mind. I stood still.
“What do you mean? Don’t you like it?” I glanced to the side as I noticed the head counselor move away and looked back at the group. No one knew he was there. It seemed the head counselor had managed to work past the implants the Labrescian’s had created. They were all under the manipulation of the virtual reality system now.
“We don’t have time for this.” Sean started moving towards me quicker than Chloe. I could hear the debate in his mind over whether he should draw his gun on me. I stepped back anxiously. He was sick of the tricks, I could hear in his mind he wanted everything to be back to normal, but I couldn’t reveal the head counselor. Quickly I recreated the scenery to being at the campsite as if it were just another normal night at Camp Woodlands. Sean stopped, looking around with his hand on his gun. I hoped a familiar and normal landscape would settle him but he only grew tense. Alice pulled Dylan and Tyler close to her as she looked around. Tyler was handcuffed and didn’t have much choice about what to do.
“Chloe, stay close.” Alice called.
“Why are you all so afraid?” I thought they trusted me, I thought they knew I wouldn’t hurt anyone intentionally. Why were they acting like this? Isn’t the reason they want to destroy the virtual reality so they can see a peaceful reality? It’s easier to show them a peaceful reality with VR.
“Stop this Maria.” Sean said seriously. “We don’t want to hurt you.” His actions contradicted his words as he started to lift his gun in my direction. I knew he wasn’t going to try and kill me; he was only thinking of doing minimal damage to stop me temporarily. Even that would hurt though. I cloaked myself at the same time as creating an image of myself where the others thought I was still standing. I moved so the gun wasn’t pointing at me, but at the image of me that they were all now looking at. “Where’s the head counselor?” Sean questioned.
“Mary, stop this, it isn’t right. Just tell us where the head counselor is.” Chloe joined in the questioning. I watched as the head counselor walked right past her and she didn’t even notice. He was moving towards Sean.
“What makes you think I know where he is? He could be anywhere.” I replied. I didn’t want to give away this trick while Sean had a gun at the ready.
“Who else would know? You’re the one he’s recruited as his second hand man... figuratively speaking.” Sean started moving slowly toward the image of me while, unknown to him, the head counselor closed in on him. The head counselor grabbed Sean from behind, tripped him and knocked the gun out of his hand.
“Sean!” Alice threw the two nerds behind her and pulled out her own gun. “Chloe, keep close, there’s someone here we can’t see.” Chloe quickly ran beside Alice watching as Sean struggled on the ground. She looked up at the image of me.
“Mary! What’s happening? You have to help us. You know the head counselor is dangerous!” Chloe yelled at me.
“It’s the VR. We can’t believe anything we see...” Dylan finally spoke up. “That probably isn’t even the real Maria and who knows who else is in this room.” Dylan was smart, he’d caught on. I watched as the head counselor pushed Sean aside picked up the gun and immediately shot him in the right shoulder and the leg.
“What are you doing!?!” I screamed at the head counselor. “You said no one would get hurt.” I used my mind and uncloaked the real head counselor. Alice was quick to aim and shoot, but so was he. Alice was hit critically in the arm. Her arm went limp in pain, unable to hold the gun up anymore. Her other hand was quick to apply pressure, slowing the spurts of blood. The head counselor was grazed by Alice’s bullet on his side; not enough damage to affect him at all.
“What are you doing, Mary? He was going to shoot you. I was just protecting you.” As the head counselor argued with me he cloaked himself again.
“He doesn’t even know where I am! You know that!” I was starting to question the head counselor’s character again. I can never work him out. Can I trust him or is he just manipulating me? I want to believe that he’s just misunderstood and is really trying to create a better reality with this program.
“Don’t ever betray me like that again, Mary.” The head counselor was serious. I was afraid of what he might do if I were to pull another trick like that again. “If I wanted them dead they’d be dead by now. Can’t you see I’m just doing what’s necessary?” That was true. I’m sure he could have killed them by now if that was his intention. He just disarmed them.
“I’m sorry, you just shocked me.”
“Mary, don’t listen to him. He’s lying through his teeth.” Chloe called out looking around aimlessly, as if trying to discover where I might be hiding.
“Lying about what? He could have killed you by now. He hasn’t killed anyone. It’s those Labrescian’s that want to kill out of jealously of the head counselor’s superior technology.” I debated. The head counselor came and stood next to me. He still had Sean’s gun in one hand as he placed his other hand on my shoulder encouraging my stand against Chloe.
“That’s a lie!” Alice grimaced. She handed the gun to Chloe. Dylan looked like he was in shock from the sudden shooting. He knew it was real bullets.
“But I thought I wasn’t authorised to hold a firearm.” Chloe said as she received the gun slowly.
“This is an exception. He’s deadly and she’s deluded. Both are as dangerous as each other. Don’t be afraid to use it.” She explained to Chloe. I watched as Chloe tightened her grip on the gun. Was she actually prepared to shoot me? In her mind she was asking herself the same question. Alice turned around and talked to Tyler for a moment before taking the hand cuffs off him. Tyler carefully made his way to Sean and helped him up. Sean limped back over to Alice with Tyler’s help. I turned my head to look for guidance from the head counselor, I didn’t know what to do next, but he was gone. I didn’t notice him leave my side. I looked around the room. He was starting to head to a door at the back of the room with Leila. He stopped and gestured for me to follow. I started to walk in his direction. Dylan, Tyler, Sean, Alice and Chloe had no idea what was going on. I had tried to make them reason with me, they just didn’t want to understand. The head counselor told me it would be a long shot, but I was able to try at least. I followed the head counselor through the small door and it was shut behind me. I looked around to see a large room hosting a super computer. There were lots of wires and blinking lights.
“Come here, Mary.” The head counselor directed me to a chair on a small platform amongst the computer system.
“What are we doing about the group out there?” I gestured to the room we just came from. I didn’t think we’d just leave them out there, especially after shooting a couple of them. I was a little worried. I thought we were going to show them a better world.
“They’re harmless now. It’s time to finish this.” The head counselor sat me down. I watched Leila walk up to a computer screen and start tapping away at the keyboard.
“I thought the super computer was destroyed.” I commented as I remembered the fact that because it had be destroyed now the virtual reality was drawing its power from the minds that were connected to it.
“This is different.” He strapped my arms to the arm rests.
“What are you doing?” I squealed and tugged for a moment but the head counselor’s gentle hands rested on my arms to calm me down.
“It’s just a safety precaution, Mary. Trust me.” I stopped struggling but was still tense.
“What are you doing?” I asked again looking around anxiously.
“Reconnecting the program to a computer network and accessing it to the global satellite.” The head counselor explained as he placed a head piece on my head with wires coming from it connected to the computers. It was a tight fit. I was starting to get scared.
“Leila, what’s going to happen to me?” I thought it was strange how distant Leila had been this evening. I thought we’d been almost friends. Now she wouldn’t even look at me. She didn’t answer. “Leila?” I called again desperately. She looked at the head counselor next to her. From my angle I thought she looked a little sad. ‘What’s happening?’ I spoke in Leila’s mind using the virtual reality system.
‘We’re doing just as the head counselor said... it just might hurt a little.’ I heard it in her mind. The head counselor turned around and looked at me.
“You don’t need to chat in secret girls.” He said and placed Sean’s gun on the bench next to the keyboard. “As I told you, Mary; this is a safety precaution.” As he turned and grinned at me I remember the fear I had that night I was going to run away, the night he started manipulating me. “It’s hard to predict how the mind will cope with this process. Reconnecting the program to a new computer network may hurt a little. It’s the accessing the global satellite that is less predictable.” It worried me what he seemed to be insinuating. I was starting to guess why I was the one strapped to the chair and hooked up to the computer and not him. I started twisting and tugging my arms again but the straps were firm in place.
“Leila?” I called to her as if calling for help. She still wouldn’t look at me.
“It’s ready.” She informed the head counselor as she stared at the computer screen.
“Start it.” He ordered while still watching me as I grew more anxious and wriggled in the chair.
“Leila?” I called more desperately.
“Start it.” The head counselor repeated himself. Leila stood motionless.
“I- I can’t do it.” She stuttered. The head counselor pushed her aside and pressed a button. Immediately the machine began to buzz. Lights flashed spastically. Suddenly I felt a strain in my head. It was like an intense sharp migraine pulsing through my head. I clenched my teeth. Tears started to swell in my eyes. Darkness started to creep in on my vision. It was harder and harder to see as the pressure in my head grew. I wanted to rip my arms out of these straps and cling to my head. I closed my eyes tight. As the pressure grew so intense that I thought I was going to pass out it suddenly released. I opened my eyes to see light. I felt like my mind had expanded. I could see that the program was now connected to the computer. I check what the virtual reality was currently running in the camp site. Nothing. It must have restarted during the process. That meant the group in the other room would be able to see the actual room now. That was a small glimmer of hope in the back of my mind. Slowly my vision started to return to normal. I could see the room around me. My body felt weak and I struggled to sit up straight. I could hear the head counselor tapping away at the keyboard excitedly. My head felt heavy as I struggled to hold it up just a little from resting on my shoulders or chest. I had tears involuntarily rolling down my face. Leila looked a little horrified as she stood next to the head counselor watching me.
“Ready.” The head counselor cheered to himself.
“No! Don’t.” Leila grabbed his arm. He glared at her. “Don’t do this to her. You said it might be possible to connect to the global satellite with just the computer.” She pleaded with her eyes.
“It might be.” He emphasised the ‘might’. “But with her it is a certainty.” He had anger in his voice warning her to back off.
I jumped, startled. It took me a moment to realise it was because I heard a loud bang.
“Stop what you’re doing!” I heard Chloe’s voice. It was an effort to turn my head. Chloe had kicked down the door. She stood in the doorway with Alice’s gun pointed at the head counselor, Dylan stood just behind her. I opened my mouth to speak but just a pathetic squeak came out. I was weaker than I thought. The head counselor was lucky to have a naive substitute to manipulate. I was so stupid. “Don’t move!” Chloe shouted again. I tilted my head back towards the head counselor. He was standing still, staring back at Chloe creepily. It was Leila that was moving, slowly away from the head counselor. She had something in her hand, hidden from the head counselor. “I said don’t move!” Chloe moved into sight, the gun pointed at Leila. The head counselor suddenly disappeared.
“VR must be running again!” Dylan’s voice shouted. The computer started to hum loudly, more lights blinking. The computer screen changed but my eyes hurt too much to focus. I could see the tricks the head counselor was up to but felt too weak to be able to do anything about it. He was playing tricks with Chloe and Dylan. They were seeing images of him appear and disappear around them. Suddenly Leila was by my side. My head hurt, it was harder and harder to see again.
“I can’t shut it off.” She sounded panicked and gingerly touched my head with one hand. She wanted to disconnect me from the computer but hesitated. “Disconnecting you in the middle of the process could cause major brain damage... or worse” She finished quietly. My hands clenched the arm rests so tightly I thought either the chair or fingers would have to break. “It’s going to be okay, Mary.” Leila’s voice was sounding distant. With blurry vision I saw the head counselor coming up behind Leila. He looked evil. It hurt so much; my body buzzing with pain and weakness. This was the final moment. The last chance I had to help, do what was right. This was my chance to make the right decision. With all the little energy I had left, I accessed the virtual reality. I clenched my teeth and squealed in pain as I unveiled the head counselor. I heard gun shots. They were faint. My mind fell blank.
My head felt heavy but my eyes felt rested. Adrenaline shot though my body as I remembered what I last experience. My eyes opened as I jolted upright from a laying position. White curtains. White sheets. My heart was racing; I could hear it throbbing in my ears and an echoing beep from a machine next to me.
“Mary, you’re awake!” Chloe’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked to my left. There was a gap in the curtains with Chloe on the other side. She was sitting up against thick white pillows on a bed similar to mine. Her arm was in a cast and sling, a few bandages and bruises around her face and body.
“Mary?” A quiet voice to my right. I turned my head quickly and it made me dizzy. I realised it was just the adrenaline that was keeping me upright. My whole body ached. I slowly lowered myself back down. As I lay down I could see past the curtain to my right. Forrest lay still on his bed looking at me with joy in his eyes to see me. “You’re okay.” He sighed. He had bandages around his body too. I don’t remember him being injured so badly. I stared up at the ceiling. I must be in a hospital... But where, and what happened? I felt tired and closed my eyes.
I felt like it had been only a second but when I opened my eyes the scenery had changed. The curtains were open. There were people around my bed holding clip boards and wearing white coats.
“Mary, can you hear me?” One of the doctors spoke. I looked at them and tried to reply quietly but just ended up coughing. “Do you think you can sit up?” A couple of the doctors tired to help me sit up and adjusted my bed and pillows so I was rested in an upright position. I looked around. I noticed on the other side of Chloe was Dylan sitting on the edge of a bed talking to her with his laptop next to him. He was in casual clothes unlike Chloe, Forrest and I in hospital pyjamas or something like that. It was a fashion disaster. Chloe glanced at me for a moment with a friendly smile. It seemed strange. I don’t think Chloe ever really genuinely smiled at me like that before. “How do you feel?” The doctor asked so I looked back at him.
“Weak.” I replied with a hoarse voice.
“That’s normal for now. Any pain?” He asked. He was a young doctor with friendly eyes. His smile made me feel relaxed.
“No.” I could only handle one word at a time. Simple answers were all I could give. I could see that I had a drip in my arm and wondered if they were giving me pain killers already.
“Good.” He finished writing on his clipboard and hung it on the end of my bed.
“Astronomers were baffled ten years ago when the second moon stopped over Gothums and now exactly ten years later they’re baffled again as the moon returned to its normal movement.” I heard a reporter and glanced back at Dylan. His computer had a news report running. I noticed the doctors leave the room.
“Mary.” Forrest caught my attention. I looked at him. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He looked like he had more to say but the sound of the door closing distracted us. I looked to the door. A middle aged woman wearing glasses and a stylish suit stood inside the room with a strong stance demanding our attention.
“Hello everyone.” She greeted us. “I hope you’re all recovering well.” She gave a quick smile as she scanned the room. “My name is.. Andy.” She paused before saying her name. It suggested it was an alias. “I am from a special government sector taking care of this unique situation. As far as the world will ever know there was a minor mishap with the firework set up at the ten year reunion of Camp Woodlands causing injuries and a few unfortunate casualties. As far as you know, that is what you should try to remember.” Andy gave a harsh look at all of us and then stared at me. “There is no such thing as wireless virtual reality. There are severe consequences for spreading such rumours. I hope I make myself clear.” Ending her short speech at that, she opened the door and left the room. I looked around at the others as I realised I still didn’t know.
“What happened?” I steadied my eyes on Chloe. I remember she was there at the last moment I can barely remember. Chloe stared at me for a moment as she thought.
“We won.” She smiled.
“The head counselor?” I want to know if I need to look out for him again in the future.
“He’s dead.” Chloe was giving very simple answers.
“Did you shoot him?” I was wondering if she had actually used that gun she had. I know she has this tough persona but it was still hard for me to imagine her actually shooting someone.
“Leila beat her to it.” Dylan replied for her in a teasing manner.
“What happened to me?” I paused to take a breath. “What happened with the virtual reality?”
“Dylan saved you there.” Chloe responded. “He was able to access the computer and stop the program to disconnect you safely. Then he destroyed the virtual reality.” She explained.
“Forrest and Brian contacted the authorities. I got you all transferred to this hospital on the outskirts of Labresci; the doctors here are aware of the truth and are sworn to secrecy.” Dylan explained.
“How long has it been?” I have no idea what day it is. I wonder if daddy knows where I am.
“Two days.” Forrest answered this time. “You woke up briefly last night but you’ve been sleeping most of that time.” He informed me. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. A nurse was standing in the doorway.
“I hope you’re ready for visitors.” She grinned and began to usher a small crowd of people through the doorway. I didn’t recognise most of them, but then I saw my parents.
“Maria!” Mum ran to my side. “What were you doing there?” She didn’t ask how I was, I guess I shouldn’t expect too much from mum.
“Hello darling.” Daddy gave me a gentle hug. “I brought you something to make you feel better.” He handed me a present with a grin. It was a new sparkly pink diary with a bright pink silk bow wrapped around it and a silver pen with my name engraved on it. I couldn’t help cracking a smile in return.
“Thanks daddy.”
“I hope the care package I sent arrived okay.” He said waiting for a response.
“Yes, perfect timing.” I smiled again.
“You knew she was there!?” Mum yelled at him. He gave me an awkward smile and started to reluctantly argue with her. I opened my new diary. No other time would be better to start my new diary than now. I flicked through all the clean new pages before flipping it back to the first page. I prepared my pen and connected it to paper.
Dear Diary,
I just woke up from the worst nightmare. You wouldn’t believe what happened!
