Day 50. I’ve started a diary since that day at the beach recounting what I’ve done and everything I’ve found out. I’m a married man living in 2032 who currently lives in a “fake” unfinished world. I seem to have at least one kid, or at least I think that kid at the park is mine.

When something major--like exploding the house--happens, the world is reset and a new day begins, with the exception of a few things like the baby in the park or the paper in my living room. Luckily, the BMW also resets, with the keys put in the same exact place on my nightstand and the car in the garage, or I would be dead bored by now.

I have done a few experiments to test my knowledge; at least in this world, the facts that I know are real. For instance, hydrogen gas is flammable.

Anyways, until now, no more memories have resurfaced. In this one I’m smiling through tears at an unbelievably beautiful lady. We kiss and hug, and I’m saying goodbye. She must be my wife. Who else would I kiss so tenderly?

Saying goodbye. I left her? For what? I’m incredibly confused. I left my wife for this...seemingly alternate, unfinished world? I’m absolutely baffled. Why would I do such a thing?

The only conclusion I come to is that it is a job. I’m here for some reason in order to cause something to happen.

Then it hits me. The numbers. The “unfinished” part of the world. The baby from my memory. The elongating of the chain on the swing.

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This world is a virtual reality. It was created by people, and from what’s going on, is most likely being innovated upon.

Then the next question. How did I get here? Virtual reality has only progressed so far as to create a world through goggles. All virtual reality still required a functional body. Yet, when I cut myself, I healed. I don’t have anything on my head, or at least I think I don’t, and when my house explodes--killing me with it--a new day begins and the world is reset. Or maybe this world is being created through my brain? My brain was hooked up to a virtual body.

I start to become frightened. If this space becomes the “new” world, the world will lose its meaning. Every interaction will be virtual, people can become whoever they want to become, people can spur on others to do actions without anyone knowing who they truly are.

Why would I participate in such a massive project probably requiring millions of engineers smoothing over every detail? This project will be extremely dangerous. Anyone who gets connected to VR can easily die. Terrorists no longer have to use real bombs--they can just use virtual bombs that shut off the connection between a person and a body.

If such a thing happens, would a person’s consciousness be immortal? Could a person technically live forever? No. People die if their brains die. Or do they?

I stare outside. 49 days have passed and I still cannot tell time. My eyelids feel heavy and I see a new sight. The dining table is bathed in the glow of a setting sun.

After all this time, the sun finally sets? I walk outside and climb up to the roof. From there I watch the sun setting and a full moon shining. I forgot how beautiful the night sky is. But where are the constellations? Every star seems to have been randomly placed. I sigh. The engineers need to put in more effort. At this rate, I will die before the world is finished.

Can I even die? Is my body preserved or something?