It is Just a Virus

Chapter four

We approached the stage. Neon signs and garlands enveloped the entire stage. Inside the scene, holograms of clips specially tuned to the content for each song were played. The clouds continued to fly around, intriguingly calling the guests after the concert to the end of the square for a delicious dinner arranged by the mayor of the city.

The guy was definitely the right skill to squeeze where it is not possible, and pass through the crowd, as if there was no one there. Therefore, we quickly came to the goal. From the stage the popular music group "The Coast Behind the Edge" was playing. They came up with some new style of music V-Technoton.  Music that can be played only in the V-world, as they came up with new tonalities. For some reason, it was difficult for me to perceive these melodies, they, moreover, almost all, resembled the sound of a grating fork on a plate connected to the sounds of nature. In general, nonsense. 

The guy did not say a word all the way, I was silent too. Firstly, the deafening noise interfered with communication. Secondly, I was waiting for an explanation. He said that everything can be explained, so it's worth waiting. And, thirdly, I doubt that in the crowd, he will have something to tell, after all, he is a thief and who knows who else lost tonight cards. I will have to wait either for the end of the concert or when he wants to talk. I hope the next band will play normal music.

I was tired, my legs were barely standing, my back also asked me to sit down somewhere. And the stomach remembered that he was hungry. We've been here more than an hour. Seductive thought to get out of the network loomed on the horizon. I looked at the guy, in the hope that he would already command to leave. But he was keen on the concert, watching the musicians, singing along to some of them. I'm no longer able to wait! I approached the guy as close as possible. Only half a step. The people near the stage were too many, packed like pencils in a package. I pulled him by the sleeve. He looked at me and bent down.

"Let's get out of here!" I screamed in his face.

He straightened and shook his head. I squeezed my lips and crossed my arms over my chest. From my actions, he only grinned. Then he leaned over to my ear.

"We are waiting for the end of the concert."

He was just about to step back, I grabbed his hood and pulled him sharply to me. Too sharp. He bumped his forehead into my nose. Gray spots swam before my eyes. I let go of the hood and covered my face with my hands. The face ached with pain, flooding the nose, forehead, lips and cheeks with heat. He took hold of my hands and removed from my face. I tried to pull my hands away, but he squeezed them tight. He again leaned in to my ear.

"Do you plan to become a cripple today?"

 I shook my head no.  

"You do not want to be here?"

I shook my head again. He stepped back and looked at me. His eyebrows shot up in a questioning waving. I motioned him to bend over to me.

"I want to eat and drink, my back and legs ache. And now my face also aches. If we do not go from here right now, I'll start yelling that you're a thief!"

He pulled away again. I made as serious a face as possible, so that he would understand that I was not joking. He took a deep breath, sadly looked around the scene, grabbed my hand and dragged away from the concert and deafening noise.

When the crowd began to thin, towards the end of the square, I removed my hand from his hand. He walked a step ahead of me. My head was buzzing with hum, my face ached with pain, my legs were barely moving. I'm sick of.

"Where are we going?"

"We'll find a place where we can sit down and talk. As you wanted."

"So now we will return to the same bench where we left a few hours ago? My God, you are an i***t!"

He stopped suddenly. And I crashed into his back. He turned to me, not concealing a malicious smile. He did it on purpose.

"We're going to another bench. We generally leave the square! And yes, I wanted to get to the concert, but then you showed up, which could ruin my evening. Which eventually happened. You ruined my evening!"

"I ruined your evening? Really? You ruined my whole day!" putting all the anger of today into words, but not raising my voice so as not to attract others to us. "You left bruises on my body and face, stole the card, and ruined my clothes and shoes. And I can not buy them, because you stole all my money!"

He just turned around and walked on. Perfect talk!

I followed him like a dog on a leash. To catch up with him did not work, he walked faster than me, and I did not have enough strength to run. We left the square. Bright colors of the holiday were left behind, ahead quiet courtyards and streets. The flying clouds turned into bright sunspots floating in the air - the balls that illuminate the night city. The streets are empty, everyone went to the concert and delicious festive treats. I could not stand it.

"When will we come?"

"Soon," he barked without turning around, and immediately turned right into one of the courtyards.

I hastened my step. We entered a nice, clean yard surrounded by high-rise buildings and protected from the outside world. As neat as everything in the V - world. Several lampposts illuminated the area with warm light, creating comfort and tranquility. Huge trees cast shadows on the ground. Shadows moved to the beat of the wind, as if they had come to life. A shiver ran through my body. The guy sat on a bench not far from the playground and looked at me. I sat on the edge of the bench. Minute, second, third. We both are silent. Did I come here to be silent?

"I'm listening carefully."

The guy also turned to face me. Shadows played on his face, distorting the appearance as if changing masks. The green eyes watched me closely.

"My name is Dion."

"Very happy for you. What about my card?" patience has already ended. I want to go home.

"I don't have it. There is no money on your card anymore."

"How's that? Why the hell did I come here?"

"You wanted to know the truth. I'm telling you the truth."

I leaned against the back of the bench and sighed heavily. He could say all this in the square. Why would he have to drag me here?

"I just wanted to hear the news about a friend today, but I wasted the whole evening looking for a card. In the end, I was left with nothing."

"What’s with the friend?"

"Never mind."

"Was there a lot of money on the card?"

"You've already reset it! And you do not know the amount?"

The guy didn't answer.

"There was not much money on the card, but now I have to work twice as hard to at least buy an oxygen cartridge for the room," on exhalation I said, feeling deep tiredness from a bad day.

"Cartridge is not so necessary, as they tell us," whispered Dion.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I closed my eyes. The conversation did not go well. There is no point in being here further. My room. "Exit". I opened my eyes. My room. I didn't want to talk to him anymore. What else can he tell me? Nothing interesting and nothing that can fix the situation. The bruises remained in the virtual, as well as the torn clothes. But I still have to replace them later. When I make some money.The stomach rumbled. I missed dinner, and breakfast is not coming soon. I just need to sleep and forget everything like a bad dream. I looked at the window, the night covered the city, trying to get into every house. Green curtains closed us from the outside world, hiding our feelings and emotions in concrete boxes. Sleep came imperceptibly quickly. And in the dream, the green curtains turned into green eyes.