Writetober 2024, Horror Haven: Day 11: Love of The Son

Simon had never been one to question reality. He referred to it as “entertaining the absurd.” But lately, a doubt of reality had been gnawing at him. It started with the recurring glitches in his virtual reality headset. Then, there was the synchronicity of events, and foreshadowing that seemed to predict the future.

At first, he dismissed these as mere quirks of technology, random fluctuations in a complex system. But as the anomalies piled up, a chilling suspicion began to take root. What if they weren't just glitches? What if they were signs of something deeper, something more sinister?

One day, one of his friends mentioned simulation theory, the concept that suggests our reality might be a computer-generated simulation. He delved into the work of philosophers, scientists, and futurists who had pondered the possibility of a simulated universe. The more he learned, the more convinced he became that he was trapped in one. 

The paranoia crept into every aspect of his life. He scrutinized his surroundings for inconsistencies, searching for evidence that his world was artificial. He questioned the nature of his own existence, wondering if he was a Truman or a mere program, a digital construct devoid of free will.

His family grew increasingly concerned as he became more obsessed with this theory. They tried to reassure him, to convince him that he was wrong. For him, that just served to prove the theory even more. 

As his descent into the theory deepened, Simon began to act out. He sabotaged his technology, hoping to disrupt the simulation. He abandoned every family membeR, because they didn’t believe the theory. Meanwhile, his friends just.. disappeared. As if they had been eliminated by the simulation. He was trying to escape, to break free from the confines of his artificial existence. But his efforts were futile. The simulation seemed to be designed to contain him, to keep him trapped within its confines.

Simon was left alone, no friends and no family, convinced that he was living a lie. And as he struggled to maintain his sanity, he wondered if there was any hope of escape, or if he was destined to spend eternity trapped within the confines of a simulated reality.

written by Zoe