It is Just a Virus

Chapter eleven

"Hi!" I said, bending down to the ear of one of the girls.

"Dannа, how are you?" shouting over the music, the blonde tried to smile, but the smile looked taut.

"Everything is already normal. Thank you!" 

"Is there news about Pattie?"

The doctor forbade disclosing information about her whereabouts and that the computer virus is now dangerous for people.

In response, I just shook my head. "You saw Ellie?"

She nodded and pointed toward the improvised bar, tables filled with all sorts of drinks and snacks. I hurried to Ellie. I did not want to lose sight of her before I reached her. Ellie, a tall beauty and someone like her is hard to miss in any society. The long golden dress added to her charm and it is safe to give her the title of queen. Of course, a very ordinary meeting and dress code is not needed! 

A guy stood next to her. They talked about something, periodically touching each other gently.

"Hello again," I said to Ellie, taking her attention from the guy to me.

Ellie grimaced, not pleased with my intervention in their private conversation.

"Danna, you've come!"

"I need to talk to you. Let's go away?"

"I'm busy," trying to smile, but she said angrily. "We can not postpone this conversation?"

"No. This applies to Pattie, and the earlier you help me, the better for her."

The face of Ellie has changed, and Miss malice has become Miss kindness. She nodded to me, and walked toward the exit from the gym to the corridor, which leads to the pool. We went out into the corridor, the sounds of music instantly died down. Excellent sound insulation.

"What did you want?" asked Ellie, continuing to walk in the direction of the pool, a little ahead of me. Her golden dress illuminated our way, for the corridor was not illuminated at all.

"I noticed today in your room that someone was lying on the floor and looked exactly like Patricia during his seizures from the virus programs."

The girl braked sharply and turned to me.

"How will this information help Pattie? And in general, where is she and what happened to her?"

"I want to get to those guys who sell these viruses. They hurt everyone. I do not understand why you continue to use these programs," now I went ahead, and Ellie followed me. "Pattie in the hospital, unconscious because of the virus programs."

"It's not a virus."

I stopped and looked at the girl: "How not the virus?"

"Well, how to say, this is a program, and only our chip considers it a virus. It's complicated."

"Explain to me."

"Let's go to the pool. We'll talk quietly there."

Echo from our heels scattered throughout the room. The pool has not been used for a long time, but the water in it has been constantly changed. Just in case, suddenly students will want to really swim, and not in the V-world. The smell of bleach struck the nose. Ellie dress served us light. The golden light touched the water, and the water threw light on the walls. The room became unusually bright. We sat on a bench near the wall.

"About the programs," Ellie began, "it is not viruses. These are the new worlds, like the V-world, but brighter and more fantastic."

"New worlds?"

"In short, every unlicensed program is a world that is not connected to a common network. There are new common worlds, to which several tens or hundreds of people are connected. And there are worlds that you come up with yourself, and the programmer realizes your imagination. And only you have access to it and the people you want to see in your new world. Of course, all for the money. Common networks are cheaper than your personally invented universe."

"Wow!" all that I could tell. It is difficult to imagine how you can come up with a whole personal universe. And even more so common worlds, not in contact with the V - world.

"Yes, I myself recently found out about these programs."

"What about seizures, it's terrible."

"When we go into the V-world, each of us also have seizures. Yes, they look a little different than from unlicensed programs, and our body has adapted to them. We pale, the heart rate slows down, the irises roll up under the eyelids. When a new world connects, and it connects directly to the V-world chip, the chip starts to struggle with the unlicensed program, considering it a virus. At this moment, there is an attack. By the time this so-called "fight of the worlds" lasts about 10-15 minutes and always defeats the V-world by blocking the virus."

"Why didn't Pattie come to her senses, if everything is so simple?"

"I do not know. By the way, she told me about the programs," said Ellie, smiling slightly.

Inside everything shrank. I thought Patricia was my best friend, but she did not trust me about new worlds and universes.

"In the same condition as Pattie, not released into reality, a whole floor in a hospital, if not more. The doctors are in a panic." I said quietly, trying to muffle and hide the resentment.

"Oh..."

"It's hard to imagine these new universes. Maybe it's still a virus?" the question was not addressed to Ellie, rather thoughts aloud.

"I'll show you." Ellie climbed in the décolletage and took out a chip from there. A smile spread over her face, illuminated by the golden glow of her dress, when she saw my expression.

"I have a special pocket for the chip there," Ellie explained, fascinated watching the chip in her hand. "I'll attach it to your neck. At the base of the skull, on the V-world chip. And you'll see everything, my new world."

"Have you been there?"

"Sure! And more than once."

"You say that V - the world blocks it," I said, brushing a lock of hair from my face. Hands began to tremble, as did the heart.

"Blocks, but you can continue to use without problems. He does not destroy the universe, but only pushes it out of consciousness."

Scary to try, but curiosity prevailed. I nodded. Ellie took the chip and lightly touched my neck. I wanted to ask if I need a password to log in, how I ended up on the outskirts of the world. Behind me is a forest drowning in the dawn rays of the sun, and in front, just one step away, open space.