Sham's life

 At 21, Sham was like any other young adult, working an entry-level job, hanging out with friends occasionally, and unwinding after hours with video games. At first, it was just a way to relax. A few rounds of Call of Duty with his online squad, some late night Fortnite battles. Nothing was unusual for a guy of his age until, he upgraded to virtual reality.


It started with a used Oculus headset he bought off a friend. The immersion was exhilarating. Suddenly, he wasn’t just playing a game, he was inside it. The real world began to feel dull in comparison. Why bother to clean around the yard of his mother’s home where he lived, when he could explore neon-lit cyberpunk cities everyday? Why deal with awkward office small talk when his VR friends praised him instantly for his skills?


Slowly, Sham’s offline life withered. He called in sick to work more often, opting instead for marathon sessions in VR chatrooms and fantasy RPGs. His real friendships faded and his friends stopped inviting him out when he’d bail last-minute, muttering about an "important raid." Even meals became an afterthought; he’d scarf down the food in his room with his headset still on, barely even tasting it.


The breaking point came when his older sister, Priya, visited unannounced. She found him in his dim lit room, the VR headset fused to his face like a second skin. When she pulled it off, Sham blinked at her like a sleepwalker startled awake. His eyes took a few seconds to focus.


"What… what day it is today?" he mumbled.

Priya stared at him. "Sham, is Sunday. You missed Daddy’s birthday yesterday. Everyone was asking where you gone. I slept over last night, your nephew is downstairs"


For the first time in months, Sham felt a pang of guilt. He looked around his room, cluttered with dirty dishes, empty energy drink cans, and his work laptop untouched for days. The sunlight through the window felt harsh, unfamiliar.

"Girl hmmm, I just… lost track," he said weakly.

Priya handed him his phone dozens of unread messages, missed calls. "You didn’t just lose track of time," she said. "You lose track of real life."


That night, Sham left his headset on the shelf. He stepped outside, feeling the cool air on his face, the weight of his own body again. The digital world had promised him escape but at what cost? True reality wasn’t as flashy, but at least it was his.


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