CHRONICLES of a PC Gamer Stuck Inside an RPG (Book One: Duelist)

Chapter 65 - Amelica Kingsbury

I was bewildered by the obscuring mist and started flailing my arms blindly in a vain attempt to disperse the fog. Mentally, I knew that I was inside the Dream Land and Morpheus was not going to attack me while Lady Luck was around. However, I was having a panic attack and I hoped that a quicker removal of the fog would release me from my condition. Thankfully, the fog dispersed shortly thereafter and I found myself sitting on the bench at the bus stop again. This time, though, I was not alone.

"Where are we?" my companion asked.

My ears perked up at the familiar voice and I turned toward the person sitting to my right—it was Amelica! Purely on instinct, I gave her a tight hug.

My girlfriend was startled but reciprocated and patted me gently on my back until she no longer felt me shaking.

"I just had a panic attack," I admitted shamefully.

She hugged me again and then kissed my forehead. "You're okay, now." She smiled.

"Yes, thank you." I smiled back.

Seeking to turn the conversation, Amelica looked around the unfamiliar scene. She was sitting on a bench and to her right was a pole attached to a white, rectangular sign with the words, "Bus Stop," in red letters. "What is a bus stop?" she asked while pointing a finger at the sign.

"Oh!" my eyes stared at it for a moment as I tried to gather my thoughts and simplify the concept for her benefit. "On my world, we built great machines from iron and steel to handle various tasks that improve the daily lives of the commoners. A bus is similar to a wagon except that the box is three or even four times as long, and it is used primarily to carry people along a designated trade route. The bus makes periodic stops along the route to allow passengers to get off and come on, and these are called bus stops."

"Anyone can ride a bus?" she asked.

"If you have the money to pay for the bus fare, then yes you can ride the bus," I answered.

"It must cost a fortune to ride a bus!" Amelica thought aloud.

"Actually, it's quite affordable for most people. This is because the government provides money from taxes to cover part of the operating costs for buses and other forms of public transportation," I said.

"Wait!" My girlfriend suddenly interrupted me. "There are OTHER ways that people travel in your world?"

"Sure! Along with ships, we also fly through the air in something called an 'airplane,'" I answered.

"Wow! Your world must have very powerful magicians!" she exclaimed excitedly.

I laughed out loud. "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you. We don't have magic in our world, at least not in the way that you have magic in your world. Flying is done entirely through man-made machines. No magic is involved, I'm afraid," I shrugged.

Amelica clapped her hands together. "Oh, how I wish I could visit your world someday!" She stared at me dreamily, imagining all the wonders that must await her!

"I wish you could visit, too," I replied with a deep sense of melancholy. My heart ached, not with pain but rather it was weighed down by a reminder that this wonderful woman was a non-player character, and it would be impossible for her to leave this gaming world and come over to my real world. Amelica was like a security blanket; having her in my life made my world feel just right. If I ever found a way to win the game and be granted passage back to my home world, will I be able to part with Amelica permanently? The thought was ever present in the back of my mind as it was a reminder of my issue with making deep, personal commitments to others.