Chapter 11.5 - Days Gone and Days to Come

I woke up with a familiar ceiling above me. The pain in my hands was also nostalgic. I, for a few moments, thought I was still in the game. That was, until my stomach rumbled like crazy. I checked the clock to the left of me to notice that I had actually stayed in the game for 8 straight hours.

Peeling myself off my somewhat crusty bedsheets, I wondered why my hands were hurting so much. After thinking about it, it came back to me. My escapades in the forest and injuring my hands repeatedly. I found that my hands could at least still function and I lifted my shirt to check out my chest. I only found a massive bruise spot where my stomach should have been, not a single trace of pale skin to be seen.

I got onto my feet after getting on the bed. My legs seemingly still haven't recovered from all the running because after I took one step, I fell to my knees. To try and stop myself I used my hands, to my complete dismay.

I held back a scream of pain, and forced myself back onto my feet. Apparently, jumping and running around in the forest was really tiring. Who would've thought?

After getting myself all the way down the hall to the kitchen and getting myself something to eat, I assessed my body’s condition.

In short, I was a mess. I concluded that I actually should get to a doctor's office but I didn't have a car to get me there. Caught between two painful choices, I deliberated.

While the war in my head was underway, my gaze fell upon the shoeboxes and I realized I could probably just call on a taxi. I facepalmed at that realization, only to remember that my hands were injured once more.

After being discharged from the doctor's office, it was a miracle that I managed to persuade that doctor to let me leave. I don't want to spend unnecessary funds since I literally just got this money.

The doctor sighed when I left and just prescribed me some serious painkillers and some sorta healing salve. I took the painkillers the moment the doc gave me them since the whole time I was chatting with him, I was restraining my face from showing the grimace that naturally wanted to come out.

With the painkiller running through my system, I walked back home.

30 minutes later and exhaustion abound, I made it back home. I managed to shuffle my way to the bed whereupon I collapsed stomach-first on it. I immediately regretted it as the painkillers weren't enough to stop the pain from my bruised stomach. I flipped to my back and stared at the ceiling, just wondering how far I've actually gotten in my life.

I got Aeon, I've actually got some money for myself (though not that much), and I've gotten stronger in many ways. Still some things were missing. I missed my few friends that I had back at my old job. I haven't seen them since I stormed out of there.

“Not that I can actually go out and meet them like I am right now…” I mumbled.

I stared at the ceiling of my shoddy house, empty minded. I realized that with the food budget I have, the money I have left won't last me too long. Therefore I needed to continue playing and getting stronger. And the first step in that is to get past level 5.

With my determination reset, I grasped the helmet and put it on my head.

“Aeon start!”

END