A new Breath Online Chapter 1
Stale breath.
*2 years later*
“Thank you for your patronage!” Responded Basilis with a smile towards the person in the other side of the counter.
“Working in a market is really boring.” Thoughts of old days working in the shop gave him a slight melancholic moment. While lost in his thoughts, another customer reached the counter.
“Hello!” Again, with the fake smile Basilis welcomed another customer. And again, and again, and again…
“How much till the end of this day!?” Desperation filled his mind as he looked at the clock while no-one was seeing him. He learned this precious skill in the years that he has been working in this simple market.
“Two more hours…” whispered under his breath as he saw the old mechanical clock on the wall. Unexpectedly, his cellphone rang.
“Eh? Who’s ca-” Basilis mind froze as he saw the caller.
“... Supervisor! I need a quick break!” He shouted towards his supervisor while leaving his counter.
“H-hello?” He said while answering the phone.
“Hello Basilis, it’s been a while since last time we talked.” A melodic voice went through the phone.
“Milenia… it’s, it's been a while.” Savoring the moment, he didn't know what to say.
“Yes… How is your job going?” A distant sound responded.
Dejected by the question, knowing why she said that, he responded “It’s ok… It can pay the bills. Yours?”
“... Interesting. Hey, have you seen the news lately?” Answered Milenia with a tinge of surprise.
“Not much, life is all about my training and my job.” He said with a flat tone. “ … y..r t..i.n..g…” He heard a mumble through the phone. “Eh? Can’t hear you.”
“Nothing, just wanted to make sure of something. Right to the point. Bask wants to talk to you.” Said Milenia.
“Oh! Put the boy on the phone!” Basilis said excited.
“Boy? He is going to become 16 years old this year.” She said rolling her eyes.
“You know, family customs. Tis but a boy if ye can’t swing a hamm’r.” He said with a proud tone.
“He will soooo appreciate that.” Mocked Milenia.
“Well well, put the boy on the phone.” He replied hastily.
“Can’t. He is at his kendo school” She clarified.
“Kendo? Since when does he practice Kendo?”
“... 1 years and a half…”
“...”
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“...”
*cough* “Well, I can make him a really nice katana if that’s what he wants.” He stated.
“I really don't know what he wants. Just make sure to be available at 06:45 pm in your time zone.” Said Milenia with a demanding tone.
“Ok? I will be at home at that moment.” Doubt filled Basilis with such a specific time.
“And don't go on training and forget about this. Bask really wants to talk to you.” She said. “He kept bothering me about calling you.”
“Ok ok… I’ll be home at that moment”. He answered.
“So… Goodbye.” Said Milenia, with an expectant tone.
“Good-”Basilis stopped himself from ending the call, feeling the tone from Milenia’s voice. A voice he had heard lots of times in the past.
Hesitation filled himself, but a spark of bravery made him say what he wanted to “Milenia.”
Surprise filled Milenia’s mind as she answered “What?”
“Can we meet?” He said with a determined tone.
“... No.” Sadness filled the phone call as Milenia rejected Basilis. Time went past as memories filled both talkers without words. Seconds went by and in a moment Basilis said. “... Hey, tell the boy to call me at the time.”
“... Yes, I’ll make sure of it. He really resembles his father with his time management.” Mocked Milenia.
“And resembles his mother with his good brains, I expect?” mocked Basilis.
“Of course, the son of a genius can’t be some random kid!” She answered with a proud voice.
“Ok ok, good bye. Need to keep on working.” He said with a smile on his face.
“Good bye” Said Milenia as she hanged up.
“Wow! She still hangs up fast!” Said Basilis with a melancholic smile looking through a mirror.
“... I love you…”
“Well, time to work. Boyo must really need me if he wants to talk to me” He said as he tried to cheer himself up.
While walking towards the counter, he saw his colleagues watching TV and said “Hey, why are all you guys crowding around the TV?”
“What? How why? Haven't you seen news lately?!” Answered a colleague.
“Ehh… No?” “Why is everyone asking me that now?” Was his thought.
“So that’s why you aren't here! Look at this!” Said the colleague as he pointed at the screen. “You came at the right moment! Just see this… It’s history in the making!”
"If real life is not the challenge that you need, then let’s make another life"
This sentence caught his attention. He saw the Global Government Alliance spokesperson in the TV. “Moral has been at its lowest in 50 years. Productivity is lowering by a 5% and natality has decrease by a 8% in just 10 years. Life has become a cage for most of you, hasn't it?”
“...Yes.” Basilis thought.
“These statistics are part of the global consensus. Most people now just want to live by the UBI, and don’t want to try more. Then there are those with old skills that can’t just find their place in such an advanced world.” continued the GGA spokesperson.
“... Yes.” Basilis said in a whispering tone.
“And with this, we have to remember the words ‘To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.’ With this, and all we have said until now, we are presenting you our solution to your new suffering, to your new place to try to find meaning”
Basilis eyes trembled as he remembered all the sweat and blood he spilled, all the suffering he went through and what all that meant to him.
“Virtual Reality. The new era of mankind.”
“"Virtual Reality is the future. For those who think that this world is not enough, we will give you a new one"
“Eh?” Doubt filled Basilis as he heard such unexpected words while everyone else was cheering in the room, from the spokesperson of the Global Government Alliance.
“Virtual reality? How can this shit help me?” He said as he left the room filled with uncertain anger. “What the hell are they thinking? Playing video games is now the cure?”
As he reached the counter, he did his best to calm down while he attended the remaining customers, and bit by bit time went by.
His work turn finished just as he calmed himself, but doubt still filled his mind.
“How does virtual reality help any of us? Isn't it just moving with something with your brain?” He thought.
“Well, let's see what boy wants me for.” Basilis said.
“It can't be to play with him, right?” Said Basilis trying to ridicule that same idea, but as he knew himself and his son, he just stopped while moving towards his home.
“... Right?”