What? Where am I? As I open my eyes and I'm met with the sight of my plain white ceiling. Then an unimaginable nausea hits me. I lean over the side of my bed, and start retching what little was in my stomach right into my bedroom carpet. I look up, and there was my mother with her hand over the 'force ejection' button.

“Oh honey, are you ok? I knew it was a bad idea for you to get that implant to play this game. Why are you throwing up? Do I need to call an ambulance? I read that some doctors don't know what could happen with the implant .” I'm gasping for air, trying to answer, but it feels like I might dry heave again at any moment.

“Mom, you just pressed the force eject button. It's the little red button right beside the big red one. I have no fucking clue why they make the little one the emergency one. That is for emergency workers to get me out of the system in a fire or something. When you press that button...” I dry heave for a few seconds, “The change in environment shocks my body, and it feels like my mind just got sucked through a straw. Don't worry, I'm not rejecting the implant like that article said."

"Oh, baby, I am so sorry I really didn't know. Although, that's stupid! I can't even tell which label is what. The 'EMERGENCY EJECT' is on top while the 'Ping' is on bottom. The buttons are side by side, who does that shit?"

"Yea, tell me about it." I give her a smile, "How's it going mom?"

“I’m good, I just hadn’t heard from you in a while and wanted to drop in. Can I get you anything?”

“Yes, a glass of water would be nice.”

She leaves to go get a glass, and I take a moment to compose myself. I want to get mad, I really do, but I look over at the buttons… who does that shit indeed mother.

She comes back, handing me a glass of water. She sits at the end of the bed waiting for me to finish my glass.

“Uhm, honey, can you take the uh… cord out of your head? It’s kinda freaky.”

“Oh yeah, sorry.”

I take it out, and put it into its sterilization slot. I pull a black permanent marker out, and draw lines indicating which button is which. I look over and she is visibly fidgeting, but she gives a small giggle as she sees what I did. Oh lord, she only does that when she wants to talk about something uncomfortable.

“So, how’s the game? I haven’t watched any of it, and I don’t think I will. I’ve seen the articles though, you’re pretty famous. Are you doing well financially?”

“Yea, best I’ve done since I got discharged.”

I see her flinch at that, “Dwayne, I know I’ve never asked you, but did you really do what they…”

“No, I didn’t. And I can’t talk about it. I’m still fighting the discharge but there isn’t much I can do. It’s a waiting game.”

“Oh, well… how much are you making now?”

“I’m making a little over a thousand credits a month right.”

“Oh I guess Rio Grande would pay you in their ‘credits’. Although, never really understood how they work. Is that enough to live on?”

“I get credits from Rio Grande that can be spent in like money for as long as they own whatever establishment I use them in. So, they own this apartment, the grocery store I go to, and the doctor's office I go to. I make the equivalent of $2000 a month in credits. Which is nothing compared to some of the other people who play. The number one guy in infamy is making close to $15,000 dollars a month.”

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“So why don't you just cash that in and go back to school?”

“Eh they have it set up so that the exchange rate for US dollars is like 1:10,000, and you can’t buy them with dollars. It’s another way they stay on top.”

“Well, that just seems like a scam to me. I would think that should be illegal. I think Rio Grande should be brought up on monopoly laws anyways.”

“They are way too ingrained in our economy now. I don't think the economy could take it. Anyways all of there businesses were started from scratch, they started from the online store, then the built up a cellphone company, then they built up a health insurance company, then they started a hospital chain and they kept going. Hell, when the auto manufacturers started struggling they started building their own cars. Now it's the best selling car in all of the world. The biggest problem is he is the sole owner of each and every piece of the company.”

“Well, no company should have that much money, and the CEO is the richest man in the world to!”

“Yea, Jeff Gates's net worth might be the most in the world but do you know what his salary is?”

“No, but I bet it's hundreds of millions of dollars.”

“Nope, for the last 5 years he has chosen to forgo a salary. He takes the equivalent of about a million dollars in credits. Everything he buys is within the company. The only reason he is the richest person in the world is he is still the sole owner in his company. So, I don't even know how they would even try to split up his company.”

“That's all?”

“Yep, he is one of the most frugal trillionaires ever. He lets all of the cash go back into the company. So, all of his wealth is based on businesses he owns. If the U.S. tried to hit him with monopoly laws he would just threaten to pull out of the country. He is the main source of revenue for America now.”

“I didn't know, I just hear about all the politicians talking about how bad the company is for the U.S.”

“The government just doesn't like the fact about a third of the tax revenue comes from his companies and employees. So, if he thinks what they are doing isn't in the best interest of the country, he just smears their name. They usually don't stay in office long after that.”

“Yea, I know… baby, just hear me out. I really wish you wouldn’t have limited yourself. You’re stuck in the contract with Rio Grande for five years to pay back the spinal implant surgery. Yes, you’re fine now… but what are you gonna do in five years?”

“I’m not sure… I’ll worry about it when I get there. Im happy right now. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.”

“I know, but are you gonna be stuck in the game for 5 years? Are we just not gonna see you?”

“No, you’ll see me. It’s basically a full time job, like anything else.”

“I just don’t see how it’s gonna work. You’re in there sooo much.”

“I'm tired of arguing Mom, we've been discussing this for over 5 minutes. You pulled me out of the game and if I'm not careful, that could make me earn less money. I really need to get back into the game.”

She stands up, and crosses her arms, “I just think that there is so much you can do with your life! I get that you can make money playing this game, but I really truly believe you are capable of really changing the world for the better.”

“Mom, look I love you. I always will, but please don’t act like my wreck never happened. I’m not the same person I used to be. I’m not capable of the same things I used to be, never will be. When my wreck happened I lost multitudes of life paths. We can’t change that, but I can make something of myself in this game. I can do anything, and I haven't felt like that in a very long time.”

Her eyes start to well up with tears, “I know baby, I just see how much you’re hurting and wish I could fix it. I’m so sorry that all this has happened to you. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Just let me live my life the best way I can. This game is the best chance I have to do that.”

“Ok baby, I understand.” She is on the verge of full blown tears, “I need to run some errands. I’ll let you get back in there.” She gives me a tight hug and a kiss on my forehead before she goes to leave.

“Hey mom.”

She chokes back a sob, “Yea baby?”

“I love you, and it really was good to see you.”

She gives me a forced smile, and she leaves before the tears start to overflow.

I reach over and hit the reinitialize key and lay back. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4....