Future of Cyberworld
by Mannanan

..... The rain was pouring down on the rooftops for the last 2 hours. The nearby soccer field has turned into a huge mad puddle. Although it was only the early afternoon, it was almost fully dark, distant lightning and thunder disturbing the eerie gloominess outside now and again.

..... John sat in his small one bedroom scarcely furnished apartment. He hardly noticed the rain anymore. He concentrated on the state of the art personal computer sitting on the desk in front of him. It took him months of sacrifice to collect enough money to purchase it, but finally he did and it arrived yesterday. Finally! Now he finished setting it up and was about to try the cyberland 3D navigator that he was so eagerly anticipating. For a moment he glanced out the window, wondering if maybe wearing the headpiece would attract ball lightning to him, but his urge was to strong, and despite his concerns he placed the headpiece over his eyes. With hands trembling with desire and anticipation he turned on the navigator.

..... Now John was standing in a brightly lit room. He looked around noting the gleaming white unadorned walls streaming upwards into the ceiling so high up it could barely be seen. About 20 yards away was a white door, and John started moving towards it. Suddenly, he noticed that he wasn't walking at all, but was instead gliding towards the door.

..... "Of course! The avatar," he mumbled aloud.
..... Wondering what personality he should take on he thought back to his childhood, which he spent reading books about knights and heroes. Immediately he asked for an avatar in gothic armour and, upon some deliberation, also requested a mirror. Approaching the mirror he looked at himself, thinking that the armour looked rather ancient. He started issuing verbal commands into the headpiece's microphone, and modifications started appearing on the armour immediately after he issued them, the voice module translating his commands perfectly and the program executing them flawlessly.

..... After a short while he was fully outfitted and made for the door. Behind the door he found a great hall, with green shimmering walls, and a multitude of doors, with an equal multitude of digital displays. Cranking his head up a little he started reading the displays: the role-playing section; the discussion section; the automotive section; the romance section, and so many more. Behind each door, he knew, were other doors leading to subsections of these categories, leading to more and more fun, leading to countless hours of enjoyment. His head almost swam with the possibilities.