Perspective Engine One

4 - Phase One

A drizzle of rain began to fall around the site. I looked down at my body, wide and heavy, then at my hands. I had thick round fingers and dense big palms. “I can’t believe I let myself get this way.”

“Alright guys, gather around!” A boy shouted, running to the center of the massive yard. He climbed atop a tall scaffolding ten feet from the ground. “My name is Jax, I work as a foreman in construction. This Virtual A.I. bullshit picked the right one! Let’s get it done!” The heavy gear on him made the boy look like a trick-or-treater.

His words struck me with a strange encouragement. I began to realize the stark difference between my challenges with obesity now versus in the real world. There was no ‘comorbidity’. The word was created to bundle a person’s diagnoses together like a snack variety pack. Although the weight burdened me in the VR system, I felt motivated and energized in ways I never had. I looked up from my hands and walked forward, moving slowly in the direction of the boy who gave instructions.

Jax was a strong-faced child, with tan skin and eyes fiery with determination. If I hadn’t known that he was an adult trapped in a child’s body I would’ve pegged him for an Eagle Scout.

“How do we know we can trust you?!” A boy shouted. This one question became dozens more from the crowd of children circling Jax. “Should you even be up there?” A girl asked. The questions went unanswered.

“You three,” Jax said, pointing to a group of boys, “flatten out those two tarps, then I’ll show you how to hang them. We need a dry construction area for the concrete.” The boys looked at one another, a bit of confusion between them, before nodding and following his directions.

Jax took his goggles off, looking around squinting through the mist. “I need someone to drive over that cement truck and park it nearby!” He shouted.

“Yessir,” A boy replied, he’d already somehow gotten dirt on his face. “Names’ Ralph, I’m a truck driver, I can do it.”

“Good stuff Ralph,” Jax said, “now I need some guys to gather some bricks. Make some piles here.” He pointed to the base of his scaffolding.

“We can do it Jax,” Some boys said. I noticed the boy who first questioned him also began working. This Jax guy was some kind of natural born leader. Why the hell was he here?

I was approaching a pile of loose bricks in my walk toward Jax and had an idea to work. I almost laughed at the thought. Manual labor. I walked past them, then stopped. Why would I go ask Jax what I can do to help when he already said something to do? I could at least carry a few rather than just walking by them. I turned and lifted six and tucked them under my arms.

Nope, too heavy.

I put two back and continued walking, a laborious effort, to the bottom of the scaffolding. There was a bubble that appeared in front of me.

(Minor Strength Sphere progress: 5%)

I stopped to read the text. What is a minor strength sphere? I didn’t remember Paul and the other guys talking about this. The percentage was increasing at a slow rate as I carried the bricks only to disappear when I put them down. Hmm. I began to wonder what would happen when it went to 100%.

I allowed curiosity to get the best of me.

I walked back to the pile of bricks and grabbed four more walking back to the growing pile of bricks. The percentage was now at (30%). I looked around to see that everyone was working together at this point, following the instructions given by our impromptu leader. I glanced up at Jax who had his back turned to everyone following his directions. Ralph and a couple other boys were standing among him talking. Must be making the leadership group or something.

I continued my trek back and forth to the bricks, my heavy weight making the task slow and strenuous. Sixty kids or so just making an effort to build in the rain. I smiled. It felt good to be a part of something. A cog in the machine they say. After a few marches to and from, a new bubble appeared in front of me.

(Minor Strength Sphere progress: Complete!)

(A Minor Strength Sphere has been added to your inventory.)

I pulled the sphere from my inventory, a small green orb was the size of a tennis ball. It felt warm to the touch and there was smoke swirling inside it. I wonder what I’m supposed to do with this?

“Well I’ll be, you got that pretty quickly!” Ralph said, the dirty faced boy walking towards me. “He told us females wouldn’t get strength spheres for a few hours.”

“Who told you that?” I asked, examining the dirtball.

He was covered in so much filth it was as if he had intentionally covered himself in it. Maybe he had. His voice was very American, bragging about his pick up truck at a gas station, American. “Jax of course! Can I see the sphere? He’s collecting those ones from the females.”

I looked at him in confusion. After I carried all those bricks to earn this thing, I was supposed to give it to him? Screw that. I still didn’t even know what it was for. “What do you mean females? Why is he collecting them?”

“He told us he was in a previous experiment,” Ralph said. “Said the men need them more than the females, is all.”

“I’ll go talk with him,” I said and whisked the sphere back into my inventory. Ralph sucked his teeth. I walked past him toward Jax, who now stood under the scaffolding to shield himself from the rain. Jax was standing alone, which made this conversation easier.

“Hello, Jax?” I said. “I’m Madison.” He looked at me with a glance then looked away. He didn’t reply.

“Ralph told me you would like the strength spheres?” I asked, stepping closer to him.

“So,” Jax said, looking at me through the soft rain shower. We locked eyes for a split moment, the boy’s gaze was hard and impatient, before I looked away. “Females don't need strength.” He said, matter-a-factly. “Men are working hard and are superior for this kind of labor. You can climb aboard once we’re done but you’ll have to give up that strength sphere.”

The words struck me like a slap in the face.

“I feel like I earned it though.”

“I don’t care how you feel, fat girl. Maybe it’s this misogynist affliction but I think you having any spheres, let alone a strength sphere, would be an utter waste.”

I stepped back, stunned and offended. The world was always a cruel place. As a recluse, I had forgotten some of the bullshit you would deal with simply for being a woman, let alone a plus-sized woman. This short conversation with Jax confirmed my suspicions that nothing had changed. I continued stepping back, as another girl stepped forward and punched Jax right in the mouth. The foreman, dumbfounded by the power of the blow, stumbled and collapsed. The girl spat as he squirmed back, crawling away from her.

“Who the hell do you think you are! Telling women to give their earnings away?” she said, voice piercing.

“Whoa,” I said, looking at the girl. I couldn’t see her face very well under the equipment. The girl had dark brown skin and seemed brimming with confidence.

“We’re all kids here, motherfucker” the girl said furiously, “and I’m not letting a man in a boy’s body or a boy in a man’s body, treat me like s**t ever again.”

“Hey!” Ralph said, running from behind us. “We need him! He’s helping us build the structure!”

“We don’t need no man,” the girl said, “ladies! If you don’t want someone telling you to give away your strength, meet me over there, we can build on our own protection together.”

The girl stamped off and I, as well as the other girls, followed. So that’s how it’s gonna be?

A bunch of the girls stayed with Jax, sitting on the outskirts of where he, Ralph and the other boys gathered. Jax was on his feet again, holding his mouth in the distance, as he glared in our direction. We walked about twenty feet away from the boys before we came to a stop.

“Alright ladies, I’m Victory. Appreciate y’all standing with me on this. Does anyone have any experience with this construction stuff?” We had settled into a group of about a dozen, as the rain continued to fall around them creating soft pattering sounds.

“I do,” A girl said, walking forward. She was short and thin, with glasses under her goggles, and a long blond fishtail braid peeking from the back of her hard hat. She looked intelligent rather than simply smart. “I’m Irene, a structural engineer. We should talk about the things that we got from Perspective first. I think that will help too.”

“Good idea Irene,” Victory said. “Take it away.”

“Yes, so first off, let me explain the spheres. This isn’t my first attempt at the experiment, I was unfortunately knocked out of experiment seven in phase two and am just now returning.”

A wave of fear washed over me. From experiment seven to experiment fifteen. How many years is that? Eight? What is this s**t?

“Spheres can be used in four ways,” Irene continued, “they can be used in full effect by bursting them and breathing in the fumes. They can be combined to make new spheres which can be a way to find spheres you may not be able to get during an activity, the third way to use them is passively, just sitting in the active inventory slot, you’ll pull some of the benefits. The last way, unfortunately I haven’t discovered yet.”

“Why can’t I get more than one strength sphere?” A girl asked, “it’s not gaining any more percentage.”

“Ah, well that’s one way the beginner class is limited. You can only make one of each sphere right now. Grinding isn’t effective.” Irene said. “You’ll get more though. Different actions trigger new sphere growth so you’ll never know how you’ll develop one.” There were more hands raised to ask additional questions but Victory chimed in.

“Thanks Irene,” Victory said. “We need to get to work ladies, hold your questions until we get this sorted out! Any other ideas before we get started?”

“I think we should break up into groups of three,” Irene said. “We have to form a team of three by the end of this anyway. It will also help us divide up the tasks.” She pointed at me since I was closest to them. “How about you join Victory and I?” Irene said.

“Um, okay,” I said, walking toward them. “I’m Madison, nice to meet you.”

Victory seemed to appraise her with a long glance.

“So my Big-Three affliction this phase is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” Irene said, “My first remedy is ‘fear of falling’ so I can hover.”

“You have anything good, Madison?” Victory asked pointedly.

“So, uh, I got a twelve-pack of tea as a birthday gift but my remedy isn’t really helpful. Hopefully, Perspective will give me something better in the future. But I do already have a strength sphere.”

“Okay, before we get too comfortable, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Victory said. “No offense Madison, but,” The girl gave me a look from head to toe. I flushed with embarrassment and clenched my fist.

“Wait, but I can work hard,” I said, looking between Victory and Irene. “This morbid obesity is the affliction that I had placed on me at the start of the phase.”

Victory nodded, placing her hands on her hips. “It’s not about work ethic. I think you should keep delivering bricks. We,” she paused, her hands moving between Irene and herself, “need someone who's a leader...I’m not getting that from you.”

“But I can learn to lead,” I said. “I just need a chance.”

“Sure you do,” Victory said, warily. “Look, it’s up to you, Irene, didn’t mean to offend you none, Madison.” I looked at Irene who examining me like a damn Petri dish.

“You’re right Victory. I’m sorry Madison,” Irene said, “maybe find some other girls who wouldn’t mind taking you on. You can even wait on the side while we build, you’ll always be welcome.” Irene turned to another girl who stepped forward to take my place.

‘‘What the f**k,’’ I whispered, dragging my feet away from the three girls as they began talking strategy. There was a wound, I noticed, as I felt pain return, raw and cutting, deep in my chest. Rain continued to pour, heightening my feelings of sadness. I looked around to see complete trios had formed between the other girls in their group. “We don’t have enough space,” A girl said as I glanced at her standing alongside another.

Planet Earth didn’t have enough space.