The cup of coffee had gone cold days ago. The first gulp of it had indicated that but the second gulp confirmed that the coffee was not only cold but old, still Gene takes a third sip. How long would it be before she could make fresh coffee again? It would require standing up from the television and letting this little shit win.
Gene whispered into the mic at her mouth as she moves the controller, “I’m going to get you, you little piss ant.”
Nothing comes back for a moment and then, “piss ant? How old are you?”
Gene almost lets her rage take over but that is what the gamer Hanginlow1296 wants and she will not let him beat her. Not this time.
“You want a divorce?” Gene asked, her husband Tom of six years had just said that but Gene couldn’t help but double check. They had been together a while so she thought it was worth double checking.
“We have been unhappy for a long time Gene, don’t make this harder than it has to be.” Gene had known they weren’t happy. Is anyone happy nowadays? She didn’t think they were happy, but unhappy seemed a stretch. Gene watched him leave their two-bedroom walk up, the microwavable mac and cheese still paused halfway to her mouth.
“Shit,” Gene said and then filled her mouth with the mac and cheese, at least she was already eating comfort food.
Gene pushed the controller and released the red turtle shell, “take that butthole.” She laughed and just as it was about to connect with her nemesis another player passed her and took the turtle shell up the keister. “Damn it!” She shouted as the checkered flag came out for the final lap.
“You need to get out more,” Gene’s sister Lily sat across from her at the dinner table. Gene noticed a small yellow blob on the table and wondered if that had been from the night Tom had left. “Are you listening to me?”
Gene looked up, “what?”
“You are only thirty-four Gene, you can see other men, hell, I’m sure Tom is seeing people.” Lily moved the three-month-old that sits in her lap to the other leg. Raising kids looks hard, Gene is glad for three thousand eight-hundred and forty-sixth time she doesn’t have kids.
“Yeah, I am seeing someone.”
“Who?”
“A guy from the internet, we meet up a few times a week, only online but I’m sure we will meet in real life soon.”
Lily rolls her eyes, “well make sure he doesn’t murder you when you do meet up.”
“You watch too much Bravo.”
Lily takes a sip of her coffee and smiles for the first time, “probably.”
Gene takes the mid lap with almost perfect accuracy but fails to get anything to attack the front runner with. On the last turn she finally rolls a green turtle shell. These are just as likely to hit your own go-kart as your opponent’s but Gene has little choice. She lines up the shot and pulls the trigger. The finish line is in sight when she sees Mario go up into the air and she passes for the win.
Gene drops the controller and raises both hands in the air in victory. Then into the mic she says, “in your face!”
It’s a while before gamer Hanginlow1296 replies, “whatever, I gotta go to school.” Then signs off. Gene looks at the reply and runs a finger over her lips. Guess she won’t be meeting up with gamer Hanginlow1296 in real life, not without a felony. Stretching and finishing the old and cold coffee Gene settles in for another battle and a new arch nemesis, who knows maybe this relationship will work out.
literally stories 
Rachel
Great to see your return today. I often wonder if “reality” is an actual experience or merely the winner of a popularity contest. As soon as the “virtual” evolves to a point where it can both feed and kill directly without aid, I’m afraid the so called reality we live in will slide into second place due to a lack of participation.
Well done!
Leila
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Rachel
I forgot to add that I like the double meaning of the title.
Leila
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I love your thoughts on this. I think slipping in and out of reality can sometimes help us heal big hurts as long as we don’t stay checked out. Thank you for the comments!
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My first thoughts reading this are – oh another waste of life but then on deeper reflection I have to think well, it’s her life and who is to judge what we do with our own reality. I suppose if you look back in time, Victorian ladies draped across a couch reading and having fits of the vapours was also not clambering up a mountain but then clambering up a mountain wasn’t brain surgery – I know I’m rambling but what I think I am trying to say is all you really own is your life and it’s up to you how you live. I hope she does manage to hook up with someone better suited – you never know. Ha – thought provoking story this and you are really getting a brilliant catalogue here. Good stuff.
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I agree! Owning your life is up to you and only you get to decide if you lived up to the expectations you set for yourself. Thanks for the comment!
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To me this story resets the word addiction. if you mention addiction, most people think, drugs, alcohol, gambling but there are many more. A common addiction is eating the whole packet of chocolate biscuits at once and craving for more. But as Rachel’s story shows the gaming and cyber world are become problematic for some people, even if they don’t think so.
It annoys me when younger members of the family tell their 90 year old Gran, “why don’t you buy it on-line.” they never seem to consider her age, failing eyesight and mobility issues as well as rambling memory. (She does not own a computer or have an internet connection). They never offer to help!My point is many people have become so engrained in the modern cyber world, commerce and gaming, that they are detached from the real world and people. Watch them panic when they need to charge their iPhone.
Rachel another interesting story, I enjoyed reading.
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I agree, addiction can come in any form. Thanks for reading!
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I agree, addiction can come in any form. Thanks for reading!
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There’s sadness to this one for me. It feels like a story of people giving or given up – which is actually quite a brave topic to take on. I like how this read and the vitriol felt by the narrator was amusing too.
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My goal was to thread the line between depression and joy. I appreciate you picking up on the sad reality.
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I always think of video games being something for teenage boys. Don’t see the charm for “adults”, but different jokes for dissimilar folks.
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Hi Rachel,
It’s always a pleasure to see you on the site.
This is thought-provoking, perceptive and brilliantly put across!!
All the very best.
Hugh
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I forgot to mention Rachel, this is story number ten for you.
Less than 3% of our writers reach double figures so huge congratulations!!
Hugh
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Thank you Hugh! I love LS and I am so proud to be a contributor.
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