The storm shook the walls. The wind screamed as it crashed against my home with every gust.
The storm provided an excuse for an escape within the world I'd created. I was designing Maela, a character I'd spent more time working on than any other. She was beautiful; hair and soft skin the same shade of snow. A scar ran through her right eye, rendering her half blind. Her wavy hair cascaded down her back. She had a diamond shaped face. Her lips were small but plump and curved. She had a button nose and thin eyebrows. She was short but built, with an hourglass body that was soft and chubby. Her skin was synthetic and most of her body mechanical. She was immortal.
My fingers froze on the keyboard as the window shattered and out of nowhere a burst of light blinded me and I felt like I was hit by a truck. I heard my computer sputter as it fried my skin, the sent of burning flesh searing my brain.
I blinked and the pain was gone, the smells and sounds were replaced with the scent of cleaner and the sound of a male voice talking to no one. I breathed deeply as I tried to process the whiplash. I couldn't wrap my head around what had happened. I figured I was knocked out but if I was dreaming why could I feel his gloved hands? Why did my body still throb?
"That's what we'll do!"
I recognized the voice. It was from the game I was working on just a second ago. He was a doctor.
I opened my eyes and squinted against the blinding lights. I tried to sit up but his hand pressed against my chest to stop me.
"None of that."
"Who are you?"
"You know who I am."
I was dreaming or hallucinating my video game. I needed to get out more.
I spent a few years working on it. It was a passion project. A cyberpunk, lawless dystopia. Each sector of the country was dictated by it's own gang with their own rules. A civil war had overthrown the government decades ago and the civilians had to rely on the gangs to rebuild.
"Do you know me?"
"You're Miles, our creator."
My chest deflated, "I've lost my mind."
"No, no, no, no. You were electrocuted and the stream merged with your computer. It sent you here."
"How do you know all this?"
He tapped his eye. He was a slim man with wild white hair. The right side of his face had melted away due to an explosion and was replaced with cybernetics. His eye could connect with someone's mind to download their memories, but the viewer could see them much more clearly than the one that had experienced them.
"Right," I rubbed my face, my hand freezing when I felt warm metal.
I sat up and darted to the mirror. I stared at my reflection. My skin had been replaced with iron. I bared my teeth, seeing jagged fangs lining my gums.
"What did you do?"
"Finding your identity won't be impossible but you won't want everyone to know that it's you that's responsible for their problems."
I straightened. I looked down at my hands. At the base of my fingers were slits. Straining my hands brought forth blades that reached past my fingers. I drew them back.
I was a handsome guy; big green eyes, messy black hair, average height. I was often described as boyish. The new face I'd been given didn't hide my angular jaw and high cheekbones. It had the appearance of scales, but the lips were smooth.
"What do I owe you?"
"Nothing. You're going to want to get home; it's getting late."
"Thanks, doc."
I walked outside to the elevator. Once I was in the street I was hit with blinding sun that burned my eyes.
I spent a long time wandering the streets. This close the world was beautiful. The tall brick buildings, many with demolished walls and windows, held glowing billboards and graffiti.
I made my way to the starter player home. I lifted a manhole cover and slipped into the entryway. Scanning my eye was all that had to be done to claim the space. Once I did I stepped inside.
To the right was the kitchen and dining room. The kitchen was divided from the dining room by a bar where metal stools sat. In the middle of the dining room was a white metal table.
To the left was a curved bed with walls of glass allowing a view of the fish tanks.
I grabbed the laptop and sat on the bed. After connecting to the internet I tried everything I could think of to get myself out of here and nothing worked. I worked my fingers to the bone until one in the morning when I gave up.
Roughly I rubbed my eyes. I'd spent years crafting this world. It meant everything to me. I didn't have much time outside of work and college so creativity gave me an outlet. Even being lost here I couldn't curse it.
I let myself sleep. In the morning I dressed and walked outside. I made my way to the leader of this sector.
Knocking on the door I said the password and was permitted inside. I requested a meeting with Mrs. Blood. After waiting a moment I was allowed into her office. She was an older woman with gray hair. She wore a suit and leaned back as she smoked a cigar. She watched me with narrowed eyes and a bored expression.
"I'm here to pay off my bounty."
"No, you're not. The doctor, he reports everything suspicious to me."
"Of course," I bowed my head.
"You're trying to get out of here."
"I am."
"I'll help you, you've given me a great deal. Having said that; in the meantime I need you to do some work for me."
"But you said-"
"-I know. You may be our maker but while you're here you're just another civilian. You will not argue, you will not cross me, and most of all you will do as I say and I will help you."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now," She slid a file toward me and leaned forward, "I need you to capture Maela."