Reality overload

Today was the day. The day that I have been waiting for. The release of Divine Law Online.

 I had pre‑ordered the game and full dive pod almost six months ago. It had drained my savings account to nothing but pennies, but it was totally worth it knowing that I would be one of the first players to enter DLO, and it was happening today.

I couldn’t sit still, my excitement over waiting for the delivery truck to arrive making me giddy with anticipation.

“Kris, quit pacing in front of the door. You’re making me nervous.”

My older sister Charlie called from the kitchen. Her voice reaching my ears along with the mouth‑watering smell of Alfredo and garlic bread, making me pause in my ADHD‑induced destruction of our carpet with my feet.

“Yea yea, I hear you,” I complained. “But I can’t help it. The sheer audacity of afternoon deliveries escapes me. Why can’t it just arrive in the morning.”

“Hahaha”

The chuckle I heard from the kitchen making me slightly embarrassed at my antics. I walked to the kitchen, peering around the corner at my sister, her tall figure standing in front of the stove, one hand holding a wooden spoon, the other busy with spices.

She had her long blonde hair in a high messy bun. Her bright blue eyes focused intently on the pasta, a small bead of sweat on her forehead.

I admired my older sister. She had been the one to step up and keep everything afloat after our parents died in a severe car crash two years ago.

It had taken a toll on both of us, especially me, since I had been in the car at the time of the accident but couldn’t remember anything. Charlie had told me that I had been in a coma for almost a year and that it had been touch and go there for a while.

Both legs broken, hip fractured, punctured lung, and many cuts and bruises, as well as a hairline fracture of the spine. I had almost bled to death on the way to the hospital.

She had told me about our parents a week later after waking up. I had wanted to ask multiple times but couldn’t bring myself to do so. After learning what had happened something had broken inside me.

I had cried for hours, my sister the only solid thing in that moment, hugging me close the entire time. Her own tears falling silently. I was sixteen at the time. My sister just turning eighteen.

It was a long and difficult process for my recovery. All the while my sister and the rehabilitation nurses helping me learn how to human again, and behind the scenes my sister struggled with the courts to allow her to keep me and the house unbeknownst to the slowly recovering me.

“Need any help, Char?” I asked already knowing the answer.

“No, Mr. ants in my pants,” Charlie stifled a laugh looking at at me. “I’m almost done anyways,” she quipped. “And I don’t need you muckin’ it up.”

“Riiiiiiight, “ I teased. “like the last time you tried to make Alfredo. I DUB THEE MASTER OF PASTA BRICK, MY LADYY!!!”

In my best upper‑crust accent as I dodged a bottle of parsley launched at my head. Not quite noticing it in time as it thwacked against my forehead.

ʱªʱªʱª (ᕑᗢᓫ∗)˒

“Hey! Careful not to ruin my face, sis,” laughing as she gave me a deadpan look. As we made jokes and laughed the doorbell rang, making my brain go into overdrive.

“IT’S HEEEEREEEE OMGOMGOMGOMG!” I blurted out, sprinting to the door.

Ripping it open and almost off the hinges in my excitement, I greeted the DLO delivery man. The waves of excitement rolling off of me, making him pause for a moment and chuckle.

“Been waiting for me, I see,” saying as he held out a clipboard. “Two full dive DLO pods.”

Pausing as I took the paper from him to sign.

“EH!? Two? But I only ordered one?” I stammered.

“Huh.” Looking over the delivery manifest in confusion. “Says here two pods to be delivered to this address. Is this 101 Bellview Drive?” he asked.

“Y‑yeah, that’s the right address,” I responded full of confusion. “But still I only ordered one.”

“Well, my manifest says two, so I’ll be delivering them both. Where would you like them set up?” he asked.

Exasperated and reeling about the second pod, I led him to the room I had cleared out for my pod. Opening the door, he peered in. After a moment he called for his crew to start the setup.

As they got to work, he told me it would take about an hour to have everything ready for me to use the pod. Giving him a “mhmm” of understanding, I left them to do their work. Walking back to the kitchen, I heard Charlie setting the table. I paused in the doorway, scratching my head in confusion.

Charlie looked up at me; she noticed my demeanor.

“What’s wrong… something wrong with the pod?” she asked, concerned.

“No, it’s not that, well maybe… I don’t know why, but two pods were delivered. But I only remember ordering one. At least I think I did….”

“Well, did you check your order receipt? You should have gotten one in your e‑mail as well as in the mailbox.”

“Oh, right, let me check.”

I pulled out my phone and brought my email up, and to my horror it showed that I had somehow ordered two pods and two copies of DLO.

“WHAT!?!?!? No way, how did I even do that.”

I started to panic. I was sure I had only ordered one. “What the hell!!! My moneeeey noooooooo!!!!”

(ﾉಥ益ಥ）ﾉ ┻━┻

I groaned.

“HEY!! Language, doofus,” as she smacked the back of my head.

“Ouch! Hey, watch it. I’m already depressed about my dwindling bank account, sis. I don’t need brain damage added to my mounting problems!!”

“What brain.” (¬_¬) Carlie asked a little too seriously, as she put plates on the table. Steaming and looking delicious.

“Anyways, dinner is ready, so let’s eat.”

We sat down to eat at our small table. My thoughts on how I had managed to buy two pods and not notice. A feeling of dread about the situation. My thoughts snapped back to reality as I took a bite of the Alfredo.

“Dang, Char, your culinary skills are getting better. This is delicious!” I said around a mouthful. (⌒▽⌒)

We ate and talked about things together, each of us enjoying the other’s company. As we finished, the excitement started to manifest itself in my body as I started to visibly vibrate with it.

“You know, sis, since we have two pods we cooould… play together?” The last bit coming out as a sliver of sound.

“Huh? You want me to play?? You know I’m not into the whole gaming thing.”

“Well, it’d be a shame to not use the other pod, and since it’s already here and set up, why not use it?”

As I said that, Charlie picked her chin in thought.

At the sound of footsteps coming towards the kitchen, we both turned to see the delivery man come in, letting us know that the pods were set up and ready for use.

“Oh yea… here, I signed the delivery manifest for you.” Handing him back the clipboard, he tore off a pink copy of the manifest, handing it back.

“Here, this copy is for your records showing complete delivery,” as well as handing the operations guide to the two pods waiting in the game room.

“Thank you, sir,” I said, walking him back to the door and seeing him off. Walking back into the living room, my sister already slipping into a salted fish pose.

“So… wanna play DLO with me?” I asked hesitantly.

She looked at me as I gave her a pleading look.

“Pleaaasseee,” giving her my best puppy eyes.

(●’ω｀●)

“Fine… let’s go give it a try, but I make no promises, shrimp,” she retorted, ruffling my hair, which was easy for her since I was smaller than her by almost a full head.

“Hey, I may be small, but I’m still growing,” I snapped back, trying to comfort my bruised pride with little effect. As we walked to the game room and the pods.