Dry Heat

Luna Beach

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by Nicole Collingwood

 

            Harold opened the door to his apartment, the lights switching on, triggered by his movement. He tossed his keys down, next to the piles of dirty plates building up on his counter. Something in the room smelled musty and sour, like a fancy cheese in a high scale restaurant, only sweeter and more sickening.  Harold was used to it.

            He walked into his bedroom, removing his suit, bare of any stains or wrinkles. Carefully he slid a plastic covering over it, before placing it on the empty rod inside of the closet and shutting the door. He looked around the floor, searching for his brown sweatpants, and spotted them rolled up in a ball at the foot of his unmade bed. As he slid them on, his fingers ran over a crusty spot on the thigh. He sniffed the air, noticing the smell had crept its way into his bedroom.          

            Back in the kitchen, he grabbed an open bag of potato chips from the counter and plopped into his recliner, setting the chips in his lap, and picked up his headset with greasy fingers. The headset covered his eyes completely, a 114-degree view of the virtual world. His headset was not the best model: he could not afford one with noise canceling headphones and full face immersion, but at least his connected to his sensory system, not everyone could feel virtually.

            “Welcome, Harold,” the system said.

            “Take me to Luna Beach,” Harold commanded, and the system transformed into a long sand bar somewhere in the middle of the ocean, with towering palm trees that had bulging coconuts hanging under the umbrella-like leaves. A muscular man in neon swim trunks stood before Harold’s virtual body, his white teeth practically glowing against his skin. His name was Rick.

            “Welcome to Luna Beach,” he started, a line Harold had heard many times, “You’ll love our endless selection of girls, find one you like and you can take her home.” The man gave him a thumbs up before fizzing out like a broken television’s image.

            Harold began walking, the sand burning the soles of his bare feet. His avatar was trimmer than he was, of course. He expected everyone who used the Beach program did the same.

            Helena was standing nearby, under one of the palm trees, wearing a white bikini, her hair wet from an earlier dip in the ocean. As he locked onto her avatar, a tiny heart appeared in the left side of the screen, indicating their relationship within the Luna Beach program.

            “Hello, Harold,” she said, pushing her shoulders back.

            A recommended response flashed on the screen but he ignored it, “I couldn’t wait to get on and see you.” They had been speaking for some time. She worked in a government building down town, but he had never seen her in person.

            “That’s very nice of you Harold,” she said.

            In the real world, Harold dug his hand into his potato chips and shoved them into his mouth.

            “I want to know when we can meet,” he said, unaware that it was dripping with desperation.          

            “In the real world?” she asked.

            He nodded, watching her face carefully.

            “I don’t know about that,” she replied, her response un-automated for the first time in this conversation.

            “I thought we were having a nice time together.”

            “I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” she told him, her voice suddenly resembling a child.

            “Why not? That’s what the Beach is for,” he answered, heat rising in his chest.

            “I didn’t come here for that, this is just for fun. I can’t meet you in real life, I don’t even know you.”

            The heart at the top of his screen moved, resembling a paper being ripped in half. Her avatar disappeared and he was left alone under the palm tree. Rick suddenly appeared, a sad look on his face.

            “We’ve noticed your relationship with Helena was just terminated, bummer,” he tilted his head dramatically to the side, “We hope this doesn’t affect your Luna Beach experience. Update your rating?” He smiled and five empty stars appeared on the screen.  

            Harold took a deep breath and tapped the fourth star.

            “Awesome!” Rick said, two thumbs up appearing once again. “Let us set you up with your next match!”

            A new woman appeared beside Rick, hair long and wet, dripping over a white bikini. She smiled, “I’m Laura.”     

            “Harold.”

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