The feeling of an endless exertion clung heavy to my bones, exhaustion or passing away weren't an option despite how desperately my body cried out for it. Every couple hours I would drink a few bottles of cheap energy drinks that I got in bulk from a free drug trial. As the hours flew by again and again, the sun rose and set and then rose again. Work nap on the train, school, then Another nap then more work I had optimized my hours, I had to make at least ten thousand this month, which would have been a daunting challenge even if I wasn't a full time college student, I was already over the deadline it was only a matter of time before someone came after me.

  The school bell rang startling me from my daze.

  “There's no time for rest”

  I mumbled as I slapped my cheeks and stood up.

  I need to get going, can't afford to miss the train.

  “Eight hours at the restaurant, then six hours at school, two hours on the train, then another eight hours at work”

  I repeated to myself like a mantra. It was my schedule and I couldn't afford to pass out. I had to get moving, I've already been late three times this week, due to complications out of my control.

  I got up grabbing my bag and running out of the classroom and moving towards the exit. My legs felt like lead, and every breath burned my lungs.

  It had been another exhausting day, just keeping my eyes open had been a challenge. As I went to leave the building I was stopped by the locked sliding doors. I pulled out my D-Vice and pressed it against a scanner clocking out of the school building as soon as the class was over. The price was based on how long I stayed on campus after all. I then carefully put it back into my zippered pocket It was the single most expensive thing I owned the shiny black screen and rectangular shape with a silver D emblem on the back, sleek and purposefully designed to facilitate ease of use in all sorts of electronic activities, It was indeed a necessity in modern life used for everything from school activities to purchasing goods or even riding the train. Without it you couldn't even get a job or buy food. I checked the school app to confirm I had received all of the homework files then quickly glanced at my schedule making sure I wasn't missing any of my appointments or working times.

  I saw two notifications: a pending payment request and an email from my day job. With a sigh I started on my way. I needed to get to the train. I would read them there. However before I had left the campus completely, I spotted my friend, Shiro waiting at the crosswalk, he noticed me and waved me over.

  I felt a bit nervous approaching him, it had been quite awhile since we last hung out and I've been continually avoiding him, to keep from him the fact that I had been working so much.

  Shiro had always been a dependable guy, he was my longtime childhood friend. We had both been members of many different clubs together in the past, I did miss the times we used to have hanging out after school learning new skills or playing games, but I had no time to chat, so I quickly moved past the gate of the school grounds but then he noticed me and stood in my path.

  “What's up Shiro.”

  “Yo, how have you been Ren, I haven't seen you much these days. Have you started a part time job?”

  “Ah well something like that”

  More like two full time jobs.

  “I've got something pretty cool to show you, if you got the time”

  I sighed seeing his excitement.

  “What is it this time, I'm kind of busy unfortunately, I'm in a hurry”

  “I've got to show you, you won't believe me otherwise, oh looks like you've got a call”

  He points to the dim red glow coming from within my pocket.

  “Oh sorry Shiro I've got to take this”

  I pulled out My D-Vice as I pressed privacy mode. It dimmed the screen and an earpiece popped out of it into the palm of my hand which I quickly put on and took the call.

  “Ren Amanai, I understand that you've been in quite the rush clocking in late and leaving earlier than expected this call will serve as your termination notice, simply do not bother showing up today, or any day further, your exhausted looking face is ruining the enjoyment of the patrons and frankly making my restaurant look bad, we received multiple complains about your appearance so your employment is no longer welcome we thank you for your understanding good day.”

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Without giving me a chance to speak, the call ended.

  I had just been fired, and just like that my exhaustion hit me even harder as I nearly collapsed.

  I was already running behind on payments now, and there wasn't enough time to get another job, I would have to plan for the worst.

  I grit my teeth and put the earpiece away along with the D-vice as I looked back up to my estranged friend

  “It takes around an hour or two to get started, after that it depends on how long you want to stay. Oh and I'll pay for your registration so don't worry about that, after all I've gotta pay you back for those snacks you got me The other day.”

  I furrow my brow at Shiro's excited expression, it was just like him trying to ignore the feelings of others and try to sweep them up at his own pace.

  “The last time I bought you snacks was like 2 months ago and registration, what kind of a place are you talking about?”

  “Ahh it doesn't matter come on just follow me”

  He says cheerfully slapping me on the shoulder

  “Listen Shiro, I guess I have some free time, but I'm not really in the mood for entertainment”

  “Well Ren I know you've got all sorts of things going on, but I think this will be just the perfect thing for you.”

  He says with a knowing more somber expression, hinting he knows more than he has ever let on.

  “Fine I'll bite, I've got nothing better to do for a few hours anyway”

  though I guess I could have used the time to catch up on my sleep.

  We both ride our bikes further into town, and then after just around a thirty minute ride. He stops in front of a little Café.

  “This is the place, you have your D-Vice on you right?”

  “Well yeah, I couldn't go to school without it.”

  “Haha true very true”

  “Alright let's go in”.

  We park our bikes on a bike rack.

  And head inside the café.

  It was a quiet and relaxed environment inside the café. A few people were reading books, and there was a bar to sit at while different drinks were made. An energetic blonde girl was cheerfully talking with a customer while she brewed coffee with a smile.

  “Is this the amazing place you were talking about? I mean it's nice but really not anything special”

  “Heh, this is just the surface”

  He walked up to the blonde girl, who had finished making the coffee and had placed It in front of a customer.

  “Hey Sherra I've got a newbie with me I'm gonna cover his registration, are there any uploads going on today?

  “Of course, the earliest fresh upload Will be In the next hour, will you be paying from your account or from an external source?”

  “My account please, could you pull some strings and get him a good one?”

  “You know that's not how It works silly, so will he be your trainee?”

  “Excuse me, what are you two talking about?”

  I had grown impatient hearing all of their side talk about things I couldn't understand

  “Mhm you haven't told him”

  “I'm trying to have it be a surprise, you know how it is”

  “ok, here is your ticket. And Shiro I've checked you in so go on ahead”

  She handed me a reddish ticket, with a hole punched through, and smiled at me.

  “I hope you have a fun first visit”

  After that Shiro Starts to walk into the back of the place to where I would assume that bathrooms would be, but then he walked into a side room labeled employees and members only, it was covered by a curtain which Shiro pushed past and I hesitantly stepped behind him.

  “Is this really the right place?”

  Then there were two elevators.

  “You've got your ticket right? that makes you a member.”

  He says to me giving an untrustworthy smile

  “Yea I haven't lost it yet, but what's all this about why's there a elevator in this café, it didn't look that big from the outside”

  Then the ding of the elevator rings out and the doors open. Shiro steps inside, and I follow behind.

  There were four levels listed in the elevator.

  With the café being listed as the ground level, 3 floors underground…

  The other buttons were listed below as P1, P2, and P3. He pressed the bottom button platform one and the elevator closed, And began to descend.

  “I sure hope this isn't some sketchy cult meeting, if it is could you at least get me some of that coffee”

  “Sure, sure, though I hope you will earnestly join us”

  He said with another sarcastic grin. Shiro always had done things like this in the past, showing up and bringing me on some sort of wild adventure, and it almost always ended up solving whatever problems I was dealing with. I don't know how or what he gets out of it but he was a mystery I had learned to trust.

  After a wait of almost five minutes I was a bit Anxious but the doors finally opened, and what I saw quickly amazed and blew away my expectations.

  Straight ahead was another bar similar to the one above but this one was a reception desk. Many people were waiting in line, but some were off to the side as several self help stations were with computers.

  Dozens of people were busily walking around chatting and some arguing. But the Thing that caught my eyes the Most was a huge screen. Where I saw a video of various fantastical creatures and people running about as they battled. Down below the screen looked to be a number of Pods where people were laying back unmoving with a helmet covering their faces. On the screen a perfect likeness of them was actively participating in the very realistic game.

  Surrounding the huge screen were stands of people watching cheering and eating. I could see many people with their D-Vices out throughout the place but it didn't look like they were just distracting themselves. Each of them had a look of concentration or consideration.

  “Welcome to the Dragons nest, The first full dive VR game center!”

  Shiro Said proudly as he led me up to one Of the rafters leading me past the receptionist Desks and up some stairs. The place was built like an indoor stadium. But it seemed like most side areas were also facilitating some sort of function involved with the main attraction.