Darkness could shroud and distort the most vibrant of colours and obscure the busy life’s of a packed city. A dark cloud hovered over my head, drenching me with every negative splash of rain, as I moved quickly to get to a place of shelter, out of the rain that made my clothes heavy like the burden I carried everyday, my eyes adjusted as it seemed I had lost my way. These streets had been around since I was a boy, I use to play up by those block of flats back when the only room was a hazardous block of wood barely attached to a tree- those were all cut down, along with the blissful joy of youth.

I hadn’t been out for a long time, everything seemed more dehumanised than when I was last in these streets. Living as a hermit for 2 decades I’d expected change, not an overhaul that rendered my memories useless in my mind, the landscapes I remembered were reshaped and not at all to my taste. I bitterly scoff at all the fancy technological advanced shops that now littered my walk home, as I remember a humble pet store that stood where this obscene virtual land danced on it’s grave. The mind correlated change with the negative emotions that had been festering for over half a life time. Finally I reached my hide away, the safe space from the horrors of the outside world, only to be trapped within a prison of my own making. The festering continued as I idly sat in the uncomfortable leather brown chair the colour of which only added to the dull greys of the walls and the plain old shabby installed flooring, only to remind me how shallow my life really was.

I arched towards the patch I held in my hands, I put this on and joy would suddenly return to my life- you could actually buy emotions now. I contemplated the option to place the blasted thing on my forearm, I’d grown so accustomed to this mental state that it felt like cheating to just plaster my wounds as if the trauma never happened. I glance to my right and notice the picture from long ago when I was truly happy by my own accord- a beautiful wife by my side and a new born baby cradled in her arms. I wanted to smile but all those joyful memories were just squashed. The playful image of my daughter laughing that should have filled my soul with relief was brought to a screeching halt. Now all I can see is the lifeless body amidst a car crash-

I made the decision to put on the patch as the memories flashed vividly in my minds eye, driving me into a panic that only ceased it’s impending barrage of pain once the plaster was firmly gripped to my forearm. I felt calm. Just as I hoped, I could think beyond the negatives- beyond pain and suffering. I remembered that change wasn’t bad, no longer caring for the hatred I had towards the world. My daughter- I forget why I never thought of it before, I could see her again. A version of her at least- that virtual reality world could give me anything I ever wanted. I began to see the bright sides of a corporate entity claiming my soul to regain my family, my life. For once in my life I was happy. Somewhere deep down though, I knew this was just a short fix. I hadn’t solved anything, all I had done was taken a short cut to fulfilment.