text: After a long day at work Patrick finally sat down in front of his computer. He’s been waiting for this moment since he woke up from bed. Finally he will be able to fulfill his daily wish. Everyday, an endless cycle of going to work, eating lunch, going home, sometimes eating dinner, and sitting in front of his computer. Except on Sundays. Sundays are Elly Days. He would pick up Elly and spending the whole day with her. Watching movies at the cinemas, going to the aquarium world, picnicking at the park, you name it. With a press of a button, his computer whirred with computer sounds. He could hear the cooling fan running, he could hear the beeping sounds it makes every time it turns on. His monitor lit up. He entered his password and logged into his instant messaging software. His face lit up with excitement when he saw “David” online. David is his online friend. Although they have never met in real life they traded a few pictures with each other. They met in an MMORPG. A game which players around the world play in several servers under the same name, leveling up their characters, joining guilds, and play as wizards, warriors, knights, and many more. Patrick: busy? David: nahh.. Patrick: Can I call you? David: Sure! He clicked the telephone icon under David’s name. “Testing,” Patrick said. “I can hear you,” David replied. “Nice. what are you doing?” he asked. “I’m grinding at treant right now, loot drop raised to fifty percent till the end of the week,” David answered. His microphone detected his keyboard mashing and mouse clicking. “I could use some help tho.” “Alright, hold on. I’m logging in.” They spent a couple of round grinding at the spot. Patrick is a Wizard, his main role is to deal a high amount of damage to the enemies while being squishy. So he has to rely on someone else tanking the damage. That role is filled by David who is a knight. A knight can switch his roles between offence and defence. While in offence mode, he would wield a two handed long sword. Shield and a short sword while in defence. “Would be nice to have a healer instead of relying on these potions, haha! I’m running low on them,” David laughed. “I can heal you, but it won’t be as good as a bard or a witch’s heal,” Patrick replied. “Your heal is enough.” Patrick alternated between damaging the treants and keeping his tank alive by healing him. “Hey,” David said. “What?” “You’re gonna be there right?” David asked. “Be where?” “This Sunday, at two o’clock, World Boss. Everyone and their grandmother is gonna be there,” he said. “And there’s a chance of getting the dragon’s heart as a reward. They’re worth millions of gold in the central market. Players would buy them to get the slight extra damage in Guild Wars.” “No, I can’t Sundays are for-” “Elly. I know.” David replied with a hint of sorrow in his voice. “Come on, I promised my mother I’d take her out every week,” Patrick tried to console. “Everytime I spent time with her, I’d imagine what if she...” “Didn’t have down syndrome?” David finished. “Yeah. She could have a happy life,” Patrick replied. “You wouldn’t know that,” David said. “What?” Patrick asked. “What if she’s happier now the way she is than being normal like the rest of us,” David replied. “Because she got to go out with her little brother every week! I promise you that being with you is the highlight of her week.” “I never thought of it that way,” Patrick was in awe. “Yeah dude, if my brother comes every-” Patrick heard a door slammed in his headphones followed by a crying child screaming. “Oops, hold on dude,” David said. A muffled woman’s voice can be heard saying “All you do is spend time with your goddamned computer!” David forgot to mute his microphone. “Lisa. Honey. I’m begging you for two hours of alone time, just for me. The rest I spend it with you, the child, and work. This two hours is all I have, Lisa.” David begged. “Then what about crying Jimmy right here?!” she shouted. “I put him to sleep before I- It was you! You chatted loudly with your friends on the phone, laughing like there’s no tomorrow, waking him up!” David snapped. “Even this dude on the other line could f\*cking hear you!” “Ahem,” Patrick coughed. David noticed that he didn’t mute his microphone. “Sorry you had to hear that, Patrick,” he ended the call. Patrick sat silent for a moment. “I wish you were with me here instead of her. You make me happy,” Patrick said to his microphone. No one else on the other line.