Love, Virtually - Episode 8
by Jonathan Rosen
BRANDON??
I’m here!
Brandon is trapped under the dragon’s fallen body.
Let me help pull you out from under there!
I can do it. No offense, but you’re like two feet tall, and there’s no way that—
Oh, I guess you’re a lot stronger than you look.
Never underestimate a faerie.
Or you.
That was amazing! I can’t believe we killed a dragon!
I told you we worked well together!
What’s that light?
Oh, no. That’s the dissolve!
What are you talking about?
The dissolve of the screen when you win — before you go to the next level.
Wait, so what happens to us?
I don’t know. I think that’s it. We either go to the next level, or maybe we go back?
Or maybe we disappear.
I don’t think so. We won.
Only thing is, I don’t want this to end.
We can’t stay here forever.
But I’m not ready to leave either.
It’s getting brighter. Jessica, just in case, listen quickly.
Brandon, wait!
Thank you for being there for me. You have no idea how much that meant to me.
I’d really like to see you in person.
Everything’s disappearing! Brandon!
Thirty minutes later
Jessica!! I’m back in my own body! Are you there??
JESSICA!
YES! I’m here!!
I have one hell of a headache, but I’m here.
Thank God! It worked!
I can’t believe all of it worked.
Look me up!
Google me now! See if I’m still alive in the future.
Good idea. I’ll check.
I can’t believe how nervous I am. I feel so stupid waiting to hear about something from the future.
I found you.
Well??
You’re alive.
OMG! Thank you!! You did it!
We did it together.
Why do you sound so subdued? Playing it cool?? I’m bouncing off the walls!
Jessica, there’s more to it.
Oh, don’t tell me, let me guess. I’m horribly disfigured.
Or I went psycho-killer and I’m on the run from the law?
Wait! Am I a masked vigilante? A superhero?
Hopefully, I’m using my powers for good.
You’re married.
Oh.
To?
Michael. And it’s in a couple of days.
Yeah. That’s what I never got around to telling you.
I felt weird talking about it, since we’d gotten close.
Also, there was the little matter of preventing my death.
So, we prevented your death, and created mine?
Don’t say that.
I’m joking. Sort of.
Don’t tell me that you’re still going to go through with it?
Well, why wouldn’t I?
I thought things might have changed.
Brandon.
We’ve never even met in person.
I know. And I know how crazy it sounds, but I feel things for you.
We’ve never even met in real life.
We did.
That was in the game. That wasn’t really us.
Yeah, it was.
Jessica, all I know is, I want to meet you for real. And I don’t know if we’ll have feelings for each other in real life.
Actually, that’s not true. I do know. And I think you do too.
We’re living two years apart. How do you expect that to work?
Jessica, these things happened for a reason. I know it. The game brought us together because we belong together.
You don’t know that.
I DO! So do you.
What makes us so special? Why not anyone else?
We don’t know that it didn’t happen to anyone else, and I don’t care if it did. It happened to us. The game picked us. There’s magic in this game and it picked us.
Jessica, please don’t marry him.
At least meet me first.
Brandon, I just told you, you’re two years in the future! I think that might prohibit us from having any sort of meaningful relationship.
So. I’ll wait for you. Don’t do it, and I’ll run out now and look for you!
I’m just supposed to put my life on hold for two years?
Not date? Not do anything?
So, go look for me there!
You don’t know me here!
So what? Try me.
Brandon, I’m getting married this weekend. I can’t just call a guy who has no idea who I am and ask him to meet.
I’ll know. I’ll feel it. There’s a reason for all of this happening.
What if the reason was just to save my life? I think that’s a pretty good reason, I don’t know about you.
Yes, of course it is. But, I think the only reason you were ever in any danger was because it pushed us to meet.
Brandon, I can’t think of paradoxes now. I have people coming into town. The hall is rented. I’ve planned this for a while.
You told me yourself that you’re more comfortable than in love. You don’t love him.
I do love Michael.
Are you in love?
Brandon, please don’t.
Are you?
Brandon, I do have feelings for you. In a short time, we’ve gotten really close. But, it’s impossible. You can’t be upset over a decision I made two years in the past.
I’m sorry. I want us to be friends. In two years, I’ll look you up, okay? But, I can’t just stop everything until then.
Even if I told you I would, it’s not realistic to expect me to. It’s also not fair.
So, you’re going to marry him?
Two minutes later
Hello?
Brandon, I don’t know if this connection will stay open, but in case it doesn’t, I want to thank you for everything. You really mean a lot to me. But, I’m going to stay off the game for a little while, okay?
Jessica, please just think about it.
I wasn’t kidding. You’re a special guy. You deserve someone in your own time. Bye Brandon.
Jessica?
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