Alex was sitting at his desk, his eyes firmly on the dim glow of his computer screen. The ambient sounds in the room were familiar cold from college but also comforting. His fingers hovered, twitching over the keys, trying to concentrate on his assignments. Across the room, his roommate, Caleb, was still asleep, snoring lightly. It was a Saturday morning—there was not much exciting happening today.
But this one was different. It was his birthday.
He thought this was funny. To him, birthdays had never been a big deal. Friends sent in their best wishes, and while Uncle probably would fix him a meal that tastes like someone given up cooking long ago did it, that was it. There'd never be much to celebrate without their parents around turning birthdays into just another day to keep reminding one of the loss.
Alex's uncle, Evan, had raised him ever since the accident. He wasn't a bad guy, but there was always this invisible wall between them. Evan was good at providing, but not much else. He worked late, barely spoke to Alex unless it was about the bills or household chores. Their relationship felt like it had been reduced to just two people coexisting under the same roof, not father and son.
A sharp knock at the door broke him from his thoughts. He glanced over at the clock on his desk—11:30 AM. He wasn't expecting anyone.
"Alex! You in there?" a familiar voice called out from the hallway.
It was Leo, his best friend from high school. Leo had this energy about him, the kind that always seemed to lift the room no matter what. They had stayed close after graduation, even though they now attended different colleges. He was the one friend Alex could count on, the one person who truly seemed to care.
"Yeah, come in," Alex shouted, without making an effort to stand. He wasn't in a mood to well move.
Leo opened the door, his grin bordering on that of a guy who just hit the lottery. He had something stowed away behind his back.
"Happy birthday, dude!" Leo said, with a playful sparkle in his eyes.
Alex raised an eyebrow. He was mildly curious. "You know that I really don't celebrate it, right?"
"Doesn't matter. Got something for you," Leo said, stepping forward and bringing to light what had been hiding behind his back.
Alex blinked in disbelief with widely open eyes as he gazed at the sleek futuristic-looking headset in Leo's hands.
"What the hell is this?" Alex was leaning forward in his chair.
Leo grinned all the more broadly. "It's a VR headset. A really good one."
"VR?" Alex shook his head. "What is all this nerd-talk? Since when did you take interest in all these gizmos? You know I'm against all that casual gaming crap, right?."
"I know, but this is special," insisted Leo, holding it out to him. "Trust me, man. I've been waiting for the perfect moment to give it to you. Today's that moment."
The temptation to give in to his curiosity won. Very light, he thought as he took the headset from Leo's hands. It was light yet rich; the circular lenses had a rich matte finish and looked so expensive.
"Okay, fine," said Alex, shaking his head with a smile. "But if this is some sort of joke-"
Leo cut him off, hands raised defensively. "No pranks. I swear. This thing is the best right now: Epsilon, a VR platform for playing the most famous game on Earth."
"Famous game?" Alex didn't quite believe it and examined the headset. "I am done with games; college is already killing me and...you know."
"I know," Leo said as he smiled knowingly. "But this isn't your typical game. It is called Vantage. Now, listen: there is some crazy legend behind it; any contestant who passes the final challenge gets all."
Alex looked at him, not knowing what to think about that. "All?"
Almost as if to tell a secret, Leo leaned nearer; he hardly whispered. "We're talking knowledge, rights, power; whoever passes the test gets the creator of the game's net worth, power, everything. And trust me, the game is crazy-it's more than a game; it's a full-blown experience. You will never be the same again."
Alex was unsure if Leo was spoofing him or really believed in Vantage's legend; nevertheless, it was apparent that the guy was not joking. One spoke about it as if it wasn't some new phase in life but a sort of an event that would affect one's entire life course. Somehow, it paused Alex in his mental tracks.
"Bro, I'm not saying you must do it," Leo continued. "But at least that much, you should try. You're always going on about this craving of yours for something different, right? Something huge."
It was certainly true. Things had become pretty boring lately. The college was just the same classes with some study nights. He missed all that excitement, the unpredictability. And the more Leo talked about Vantage, the more that flicker of interest became familiar within him.
"What's that supposed to mean? Like... put this on and play?" Alex asked, still trying to figure out what he was getting into.
"Exactly. It's never the same from one player to the next. The game keeps changing, and you never know what's going to happen next. But believe me Alex, you will be addicted the moment you start."
Alex looked at the headset, his fingers grazing the smooth surface. It wasn't just a gift; it was an invitation to step into another world. A world full of mystery, adventure, and—if the rumors were true—power.
"Alright, I'll give it a shot," Alex said, leaning back in his chair and putting the headset on. "But if this ends up being some dumb simulation—"
"You'll never know until you try," Leo said with a wink before heading toward the door. "Just let me know when you're done. I'm curious to see how fast you can get hooked."
As Leo left, Alex took a deep breath and adjusted the headset. The world around him began to blur, fading away as the virtual world of Vantage began to take shape before his eyes.