QUICKIE #1

Mike Riley plays the game once too often

As Mike continued to immerse himself in VR games–during the day, all through the night, sometimes accidentally falling asleep, sometimes waking up unsure of whether he was in the world of Virtual Reality or the real world—eventually, lack of sleep, malnutrition, and constant gaming dried his brain out.  To the average observer,

 he didn’t look all that different from other boys his age.

But Mike Riley had lost his sanity.

QUICKIE #2

You say po-tay-toe, I say po-tah-toe

How about we refuel at that space station over there?”

“That’s a Burger Castle.”

“No.  That's a space station.”

“I don’t see no space station.”  Juaro looked all around them.  “Hey?  You being picked up by aliens right now?  Even as we speak?”

Riley didn’t say anything.

“Hey,” Juaro said, “did we just go through a time warp, and nobody tell me?”

Riley slowed to turned into the Burger Castle.

When Riley didn't answer immediately, Juaro snapped, “Did we just go through another time warp?”

QUICKIE #3

Inside the Virtual Reality game "Loch Ness"

<eye-click>

You’re inside the game.

The screen goes black.  

<eye-click>

To a quick scrolling of opening credits.  Writing.  Animation.  Technology.  Copywrite dates hidden in roman numerals.  Readme screens and autorun parameters.

<eye-click>

Into a screen of complimentary quotes. 

—“…the most anticipated game of the year.” [VR Gamer]

—“An all-too-real, first-person perspective.” [Far-Flung Weekly]

—“Atmospheric grandeur, RealThing graphics, conspiracies, compelling visual narrative and premise, astounding weaponry, All Degree movement, unlimited SIMS character generation, importable/exportable objects, the perfect marriage of real-time <eye-clicking> and VisualDimension action/adventure—what more could you want?” [Advanced Dreamer]  

QUICKIE #4

Michael Stone meets Juaro

"And that’s why you going to stay right here ‘till I tell you it’s O.K. for you to leave.”

“I don’t see a weapon in your hand,” I said.

“This is true.”

“Then you can’t keep me here.”

“Oh, yes I can,” he laughed.  “Because I know who you are.”

“Michael Stone.”

“Maybe, maybe not.  More important, though, I know what you are.”

QUICKIE #5

The police come for Michael Stone

Juaro looked at his watch.  Then, he raised his head and yelled in the direction of the door.  “Who is it?”

“Open up.”

“Who the hell is it?”

“You Juaro Gonzalez?”

“It’s 3 a.m.  I’m sleeping.  What you want?”

“We need to speak with you, Mr. Gonzalez.  It’s the police.”  

It's Faulkner fiction at it's finest!