Phantasmagoria
You Know You're Back In Reality When...

I lookat the newspaper and it's the same old news. It's very unlike me toread the newspaper any way but I only do it so that I can focus onreality. Which is quite boring.

''Ifeel...strange,'' I tell Hannah as I sit at the kitchen table andwait for her to serve me lunch. She's cooking an amazing spaghettibolognese that I can't wait to tuck in to.

Man, Iam glad to be home.

''Whyis that?'' Hannah asks me.

''Well,coming from that game. It just feels weird seeing everything again.Hannah, I'm telling you, that game is nuts. It's quite difficult todo things. Everything is...spontaneous. Nothing is planned or rigid.It's so...busy. Do you understand what I mean?'' I explain mythoughts to Hannah but I'm not sure if she gets it.

''My,my, you've got a lot going on in your head, honey. You should take alittle nap before you go back,'' Hannah suggests as she comes over tome and rests her hands on my head to soothe me.

''No,I don't think I will have enough time. I've only got an hour left.After I eat I need to make my way back to the Game Emporium,'' I sayto Hannah.

''Well,I'm just about finished now. I'm just gonna strain off the pasta anddish up,'' Hannah says with a smile and she skips back to the stove.

''OK.I'm just going to the wash my hands,'' I say to her as I exit thekitchen and use the toilet. As I wash my hands and face, I thinkabout the game and what I have done so far. A guy could go crazythinking about it too much. I also think about the otherparticipants, and how they have fared. I wonder who they could be?

I drymy hands, come out of the toilet and go back into the kitchen. Ismile to myself when I see that Hannah has served my food and placedit on the table.

''Mmm,that sure smells delicious,'' I say to her as I grab her and give hera warm embrace.

''Iknow it does! I cooked it,'' Hannah says boastfully.

''Haha,confident much?'' I muse.

''Hurryup and eat, you haven't got much time,'' she says as she shoos meaway. I go to sit at the table and proceed eating my meal. Oh, Imissed the taste of food. It tastes so good.

''Yummyyum,'' I say aloud. Hannah laughs as she comes to join me at thetable.

''Whendo you get another break?'' she asks as she tucks into her food.

''Notsure. Might get it before the last level,'' I say as a guess. I thinkabout the Game Emporium and then I remember something I forgot totell Hannah.

''Ohyeah, I forgot to mention who I saw at the Game Emporium today. Myold army major, Travis Crispin,'' I say to her.

''Ohreally? What was he doing there?'' Hannah asks me.

''Saidhis company invests in the game and he was there to see how hisinvestment is panning out,'' I reply before I take a mouthful offood.

''Oh,what's his job now?'' Hannah queries further.

''Youknow that big global technology company TechWare? He's the C.E.O ofthe company,'' I respond to her before we carry on eating.

''Ohwow! He's done well for himself. How is his daughter?'' Hannah asksanother question.

''She'sdoing well. Did you hear she has a son?'' I tell Hannah.

''No,I didn't! Aww, that's nice. How old is he?'' Hannah asks.

''Sameage as Jay,'' I reply.

''Mygoodness, I remember seeing Rachel at that party we held for you guyswhen you came back from your third tour of duty,'' Hannah says as shereminisces.

''Iknow. And now she's married,'' I say.

Timesure does fly.

''Can'tbelieve how fast time flies,'' Hannah begins to say as I join in.

''Iwas just thinking the same thing,'' I say.

''Yeah,and so was the clock,'' Hannah says as she gets up from her seat andnods to the clock. I turn to see that half an hour has gone by.

''Wow,I need to go soon,'' I say as I finish up eating and get up from thekitchen table. I take my plate over to the sink and kiss Hannah onthe cheek as she washes the dishes.

''Thankyou a lot, honey. It was amazing,'' I complement her.

''Noproblem. Hope you have fun,'' she says as I begin to put on my jacketto leave. Have fun. I've been hearing that all the time in the game.'Fun' has now got a new definition according to Phantasmagoria.

''I'lltry,'' I say to her as I open the door to leave.

''Loveyou!'' I hear Hannah shout from the kitchen.

''Loveyou too!'' I shout back before I leave the house. As I close thedoor, I look around as I see the world going about its dailyactivities. People walking up and down the street. Bees pollinatingflowers. Old folks playing chess in the park across the street.

Andme, going off to play in a new world.

And acreate better life for Hannah, me and Jayden.

Hopefully.