[archived] the ship ii

This is an older version of The Ship, I have since revised the story. You may read the updated version of The Ship: Part 2 here.

Part Two of my short story. If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you to read Part I before reading this as it won’t really make much sense.

********

I guess curiosity got the best of me. I’m on the flight deck by myself most of the time, I think it’s natural for your mind to wander around and ask questions you otherwise wouldn’t consider. I wanted to know what Sam loved about the Simulation.

I went to my pod to wire in. Sam would be notified as soon as I was in but I doubt he would care. I don’t remember when I spoke to him last, either in the Simulation or in reality. I don’t know why the Oracle decided we were the best suited for each other but maybe it’s because we don’t care enough about each other to be bothered by our separate lives.

When you first load up the Simulation, the main screen is just a white canvas. From there, you choose where to go based on what point in human history you want to explore. You can decide any sort of character you want. Sam is such a boring narcissist, he plays himself in Earth during the 21st Century.

I loaded up the house he lives in, although I hesitate to use that word. I knocked on the door and a woman I didn’t know came. I asked if Sam was home and she looked at me curiously and asked who I was.

“I’m Sams union mate.” I replied.

The look on her face told me she thought I was a crazy person. I don’t know if she was a real person or just someone Sam made up to fulfill whatever sort of fantasy he was trying to have here. While its true most children in the Simulation have no idea they’re in a Simulation, the adults should know as it’s required to be informed when you reach maturity. It was weird she seemed to have no idea what I meant.

She became uncomfortable and told me she thinks it would be best if I please leave her home. What am I going to do, argue with a Simulated thing that may or may not be real? I left and shortly after received a message from Sam.

“Where are you?” he asked.

“I went to your house,” I replied. “Is that woman real?”

“Her name is Amy. She thinks I’m cheating on her, thanks to you.” he said.

“Is she real though? She didn’t seem to comprehend when I meant when I said I was your union mate” I asked again.

“She real to me in the life I’ve built for myself.” he replied.

“What life Sam?” I asked.  None of this is real. You just made it all up!”

“Why are you even here?” he asked.

I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t really know why I was there to begin with. What did I expect to find? I didn’t love Sam and I never did. I suppose I wanted some sort of confirmation that this is how it will be between us, strangers.
“Are you ever going to come back to reality?” I asked.

He replied “I don’t see why I should. So I can be bitter like you? Staring at the emptiness all day?”

He had a point, I’ll give him that. The Simulation is enchanting when compared to the hopelessness of reality but at least it’s real.

“I just wanted to be sure,” I said and I logged out of the Simulation.

As soon as I came to, I realized I was crying. I don’t know if I was angry with what Sam represents, a whole group of people who have just decided to give up or if I was angry at myself for not being able to ignore the fact the Simulation, is just that.

I went to the observation deck to stare at the emptiness and the stars. I don’t recall how much time had passed when I heard my name

“Jade…” he said.

I turned to see Ansel coming down the corridor. Ansel is a few years older than me and I met him when I first came to reality. He quickly became a mentor as I learned to cope with the fact my entire life up to that point, had been a lie. He had experienced extreme trauma in his Simulation. His family had been abusive towards him and he spent many nights homeless to avoid the abuse. When he learned it was all just a Simulation and completely unnecessary, he couldn’t fathom going back to a place where humans cognitively create a reality like that.

“I went in, to speak to Sam,” I said to Ansel.

He replied slyly “How was that?”

“I met his wife, I guess. She didn’t even know what I meant when I told her I was his union mate. He got angry with me because she was upset now but she’s not even a real person. She’s just apart of the simulated world he’s created for himself. How can he be angry at me over something that’s not real?” I paused for a moment and then said,

“He told me I was bitter because I spend too much time looking at emptiness. I don’t think he’ll ever come back to reality. He has a point about it being empty though.”

Ansel didn’t say anything. He stood with me and stared out of the window in silence. There wasn’t anything to say anyway. We weren’t ignorant to reality.

********

Want more? Part III. That’s it for today. Until tomorrow, friends!