Load last save.

Read it and see.

"How could you say something so preposterous?! The very idea that an artificial representation of reality could be better than the original is borderline insanity, and could possibly be a symptom of underlying mental health issues." The speaker sneered accusingly...

I feel like I've had this argument hundred times. The crowd we gather. The curious eyes, the confused stares. The veiled personal insults. I'm used to it all now though. I don't even have to think about my response anymore.
I let the speaker finish before I prepare to end this argument again.

"Regardless of who you want to credit as it's creator, humanity can never replicate something as perfect and almost tailored to our human lives as nature has. Nothing man-made can beat the perfection of the real world we live in." There is an eruption of cheering and applause signalling the end of his dialogue. The speaker looks up from his professionally written script and catches my eye.
The crowd doesn't know that is wasn't his words they just heard, they don't need to know. The applause falls into silence as the crowd turns to me, one by one. There is a heavy sense of expectation in the air, but I'm confident in my reply.

I stand up straight, and prepare to deliver my counter argument. Just like I'd practiced. Just like I'd done a hundred times before.

"So, the crux of your argument is that the world we live in is perfect, so how can anything man made be better than that. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct." Was the reply. You can see the confidence etched into his face.

"If that is your only argument, allow me to destroy it with only three words."
I pause for a second. Dramatic effect. Enjoy the moment. I can taste the suspense. Taste victory. Success.
"Three words that will mean something different to everyone present, and the strength of these words will only multiply every time you think of them."
"Load. Last. Save."

Stunned silence fills the hall as the realisation of the meaning behind my words hits everyone personally.
The silence falls away to amazement, as if they had just been shown the true meaning of life.
The amazement rolls into a jubilant uproar, as the crowd rushes the space cleared for the discussion. I am swept off of my feet, hoisted into the air by unseen hands and paraded around the hall above a mixture of song and laughter. When I am placed on my feet again, and I'm faced with a beautiful woman. My fiance, everything about her perfect, from her smile, to the way she says my name.
"Congratulations." She says kissing me.
She hands me a trophy too big for me to have deserved it, with my name engraved in elaborate letters across the front. " You deserve this." She says, as if I told her to. I put the trophy down of the nearest table. "I don't deserve you either." I say, kissing her.

I hate this part.
I take her hand and walk towards the open doors to this grand hall...
A brilliant light, yellow like the purest sunshine, is coming from the other side, too bright for me to make out any shapes or figures.
I know that out there is the end, but me feet carry me towards it. I close my eyes as if not seeing it makes it any less real, but I know what's happening all too well.
The world around me seems to burst into infinite cubes of digital Lego, as all the laws created to simulate space and time melt away.

I get up slowly, readjusting my body for real world physics, and walk to the bathroom. The house is empty. The lights are off. Or blown. I can't remember.
There is leftover pizza in the fridge. No idea how long it's been there, but it isn't mouldy yet. Two slices on a plate, microwave for two minutes.
I check the time. Three hours until I have to leave for work. Three hours until I am reminded of how mediocre my life actually is. But that's ok. Three hours is plenty of time.
I pick the headset up, no longer worrying about voiding the warranty. A screwdriver and 20 mins later, and I'm done.
I place it back on my head, and turn it on.
A voice whispers into my thoughts, "Time dilation potentially corrupted. One minute of real time currently equal to one year."

I take a deep breath. A real one. I won't breathe this air again for a lifetime. Good.

"Load last save."

...

"How could you say something so preposterous?!"...

Author's Note

Woke up and typed this out on my phone on the way to work. Woke up with the idea in my head. Not trying to win any awards here, just writing stuff.