I am ninety three years old with an empire of real estate behind me, building so high you can never see the top up close, I am known as the Landlord Of Empires all across the world. During my entire life I have amassed enough wealth to buy a small country and still average enough to live luxuriously.
All my friends, family and relatives live luxuriously because of me, and they are grateful for it like they should be. Yet with all my fortune and fame there is this emptiness inside me that I can't fill.
I started writing books at the age of 30 in my free time as I work a 9 to five job struggling to pay my rent and afford my wants, yet, yet I knew I was always meant for something great. And it happened, one of my books gained traction when I was thirty five, which a prominent film studio adopted into a movie.
The money I got from it, I invested it all on building my empire brick by brick, my real estate business grew rapidly and now I stand as the fifth richest person on the Forbes list, and I did this all alone yet even at the pinnacle of wealth and fame I feel unfulfilled like I am missing something, regrets still clings to me.
I still long for my highschool sweetheart, we never had a single conversation yet we still looked at each other like we were in love, her smiles, her eyes, her hairs everything was perfect and her smile was euphoric.
My highschool life wasn't the best, I was not the best looking guy, not the tallest, not the strongest but I was a good kid and a bright kid yet no one saw it, they all underestimated me, but now I hope they realise I was better than them all along.
Anyways I was a shy kid really timid that made me unable to make my move and Amy the girl she was probably afraid of how I would react cause I was so quiet and never deared to smile back. Yet she kept pursuing me, I was confused and thought it was a prank at first cause why would such a beautiful girl find me appealing, our connection remained more so of a situationship and we went our own way without ever exchanging a single word after high school.
I checked her socials a few months after graduation. Apparently she has or got a boyfriend that made me really paranoid. Was she really into me or was I delusional, was she faking it, playing with my feelings? She never really got out of my head.
I still regret not experiencing teenage love, they describe it as the most euphoric raw novel feeling in the world, which no other thing can match and I do believe that, the sheer hormones released at this phase probably make the whole thing magical. Holding the hand of my beloved high school sweetheart watching the sunset together ohhh how lovely would it have been.
Well I learned she died at the age of 24, when I did I was heartbroken though we never really knew each other there was always something euphoric and a feeling of home when I was in the same vicinity with her. Maybe if I was not such a loser we would have been together at least for a moment.
Maybe I could have gotten to know her even if just a little, if I can be with her and have her all for myself even just for 24 hours I would have sacrificed all my wealth.
Which might seem irrational and illogical but humans are social animals we crave connections we are biologically built for it, and all these materialistic things just amplify our position in the social hierarchy, in pursuit of power, respect and love we try to make ourselves more "valuable" in front of the society through amassing wealth, while we waste our life in pursuit of money and fame the very things meant to strengthen our position in society and be a tool of leverage in our relationships, ironically it makes us more distanced from the people we work to impress.
This time I want to feel the full storm of teenage emotions, but as a desirable and valued person, my last wish before it all comes to an end. "Begin the procedure" I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of old age.
I have built empires and amassed so much wealth I can buy lands on Mars, I made sure my loved ones never have to see a day of work again, so what possible flaws could I have that would prevent me from experiencing this one last thing I longed for the most?
The scientist moved swiftly, connecting wires to my entire body leaving no space for my skin to breathe. They hooked me to a large machine that hummed with energy. The needle pierced my arms and as I looked around my luxurious room one last time before I went to sleep I saw no one standing there, no one that I could recognise even though I had told them all about my decisions, I only saw the men in white coats rushing around the room.
This procedure began as my consciousness was fading. I reassured myself and made things clear once again. Why am I risking my life with this procedure that cannot guarantee anything? Well because I am on the verge of dead I will be dead in a few years, so this procedure that supposedly can integrate my consciousness into a virtual reality.
One that is shaped by my subconscious mind, all my deep longing and desires that I am too ashamed to confess will come to light if it works, will make me finally live the life I truly desire. I heard there are multiple individuals who were able to succeed but many others failed and died...hmmmm…..ahhhhh…the anesthesia….it's working... Darkness
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A sharp pain in my head jolted me awake, the light from the window blinded me
Ahhh… my head hurts. My body… It feels unusually light. Energy surges through me in ways I had not felt for a long time. My chest expands with unfamiliar strength, my limbs agile, my spine straight. I rushed towards the mirror. That's… that's… impossible…. It worked … is that me ?
I saw a tall, radiant and sharp boy with bright eyes, healthy skin and hair looking back at me… then I heard a familiar phrase that I have not for a really long time but the voice it was different "Breakfast is ready, come down you are getting late" …. Is that my mom ?
I got dressed in my uniform and rushed down the stairs in excitement and saw a lady in her early forties, beautiful and elegant, serving food to a gentleman, with styled hair, a sharp glass that fit perfectly with a perfectly fitted suit drinking his coffee consumed with his work document.
The food? It was a delight and consistent with all the necessary nutrients. The gentleman said "Good luck, Roy, Make the most of today." As I departed for school, the elegant lady wished me bye with a big smile on her face.
Outside strangers smiled at me like never before, some greeted me warmly, I felt like a movie star. I reached the school gate, and the girls were giggling, one of them shouted her friend's name and that friend seemed to be turning red from embarrassment. I had never experienced such a thing before though I had observed it when the girls were around my attractive friends in my days as a young man.
A group of boys with gelled slick back hairs, tight fitting uniforms, freshly ironed with shining shoes approached me with a proud but friendly face…. I looked down nervously as I have seen such folks as bad news my entire adolescent life…. One of them rushed towards me and wrapped his hand around my neck
"Roy you are coming to the party tonight right?" I was startled and reacted awkwardly "ahhhh… Yeahh…yeah sure" he looked at me confused "you don't seem like your usual self did something happen between you and your girl?" I looked at him with a weird grin "my girl?" He said "yeah your girl"
I faked a laugh "ahahah no I am just feeling a little dizzy today" he said "well then you should go to the medical facility" I nodded and walked away as the other group of boys greeted me with friendly gestures.
Well now who is supposed to be my so -called girl? Ohhh anyways it feels great to be here as this boy, now I have everything the looks, the wealth, the youth and maybe soon the raw form of first love.
I walked inside the school with a grin on my face in excitement, then "I heard a high-pitched voice calling my name, familiar yet I never heard it called my name. My heart raced. I turned, expecting… her, but the figure was blurred. Who could it be? Then I felt a sharp pain in my head….. and a loud thud like the earth itself got hit…. Everything went black and white….