CHAPTER THREE - THE BUFFET
The buffet was like a dream come true, somehow managing to be both endlessly large and extremely small at the same time. The warp in perspective when I tried to figure out how it worked made my head start to ache, and I stopped trying after the world started to literally spin. It was a simple system to get your food, so long as you didn’t question how it worked. You would walk up to the buffet, think of what you wanted to have, and, after a headache-inducing warp in reality, it would be in front of you. We had all gotten our food from the buffet, having a mix of our favorite foods and ones we always wanted to try on our plates, with each of us holding a miniature food replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
I was overwhelmed with flavor, the food better than anything I’ve ever had. Pure joy and happiness seemed to fill me, and when it left, there was a deep sense of satisfaction and contentment. Groans of happiness escaped everyone, and we all shared a moment of peace. Finally, around a mouthful of food, I spoke.
“What is this?”
Richard swallowed, answering me.
“This, my friend, is pure bliss.”
“Literally,” Markus added. “I’ve coded it in so that the first bite you take floods you with pure serotonin, making it the best food you’ve ever had. After that though, it only makes you mildly happier than it usually would.”
“Still, Richard said, “It’s the best thing you’ll ever have for a while.”
General sounds of agreement sounded from around the table, and we dug into our food. We sat in companionable silence for a time, the only sound the occasional scraping of a utensil on a plate. Too soon, the food was all gone, each of us having eaten our fill. Richard burped, earning a glare from Markus. Erik leaned his chair impossibly far back, ending at a nearly forty degree angle. I raised an eyebrow at the blatant use of admin powers.
“Say, Erik, didn’t you say something about admin abuse earlier?”
“This is different,” he chuckled. “I’m not making an all-you-can-eat buffet that gives you whatever you want, just leaning back into a comfortable position.”
Richard snorted. “Yeah, and casually breaking the laws of physics while doing so.”
“Says the one who came up with the very idea.”
“Says the hypocrite.”
“Touche.”
We all shared a light laugh at the back and forth. Taking a deep breath in, I could still smell the faint scents of the forest, even though we were indoors. I felt the need to get up and go on a hike, to walk, to explore this new world and find out what wonders it might hold.
“So, Mark. You said this was a survival game? It looks more like a replica of earth.”
A slow grin spread across his face. “That, my friend, is because it is. A replica of earth, at least.”
I sat in silence, trying to process what he just said. Looking around, I saw shock on everyone’s faces, and I probably had the same expression. Richard finally spoke up, voicing what we were all thinking.
“You’re pulling our leg, surely.”
Markus’ grin got wider.
“Mark,” Richard sounded cautious, as if Markus was a bomb he needed to diffuse. “Please tell me this is all a joke.”
“I don’t think he’s joking guys.” Erik leaned forward. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he simulated the evolution of dinosaurs as well.”
That seemed to be the cue Markus was waiting for, standing up and grabbing a microphone from nowhere.
“Non-existent ladies and simulated gentlemen,” He stepped to the side, holding out his hand like he was holding something. “I present to you: Project Pangea.”
The entire wall behind him fell away, revealing a view of the earth from space. The small blue and green orb seemed to be in his hand, but it was just a trick of perspective, not admin powers. The single landmass on it looked identical to the supercontinent of Pangea, the whole thing being so realistic that I thought I was floating in space for a moment. When the sun moved around behind it though, I could see small fires burning all across it. Most of them were so tiny that he had to have put the information directly into our brain, as we shouldn’t be able to see them at all. Finally, Richard spoke
“Markus, you made all of Pangea, simulated evolution, and populated it with sapient beings? I knew you were brilliant, but this…”
I tried to find the right words to finish his sentence, but nothing seemed grand enough, inspiring enough, and able to properly articulate the feelings we were having, the sight we were beholding, and the ideas we were having. In the end, it was Erik that spoke up.
“It’s astronomical, that’s what it is. And even that doesn’t feel enough.”
Markus just grinned, giddy with excitement.
“I know, right? And the best part is, it’s all completely realistic.”
“Except,” Erik added. “Inside admin houses.”
“That is true, but everywhere else is indistinguishable from real life.”
I looked around at everyone, and then back at the world. Splinters of wood were already flying back into place, slowly rebuilding the wall.
“I don’t know about all of you, but I want to go out and explore this crazy world.”
