Stimuli

Brace yourself, you're about to enter the virtual world of STIMULI.

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❝ Mr. Kim,

Thank you for actively participating in PLE-DICE CORPORATION's gaming event. We would also like to congratulate you for winning at the said event. For your prize, please visit the address provided below and do not forget to bring your ID.

We are truly grateful for your participation. We hope to see you soon.

-Human Resources Management, PLE-DICE CORP. ❞

You frowned after reading the letter that you received at your mailbox. It was odd, of course, you haven't joined any online gaming event. However, your name and address are correctly indicated at the said letter.

It took you the whole day contemplating whether you should go to the said address or just ignore it. And at the end, you chose to ignore the upcoming storm that was knocking on your door. You eventually thought that whatever that company is, it won't bug you anymore since they might not know you personally. Well, not until you received an email on your personal email address.

What terrified you was the fact that it carried the same message from the paper earlier. You, again for the second time, wanted to ignore it that you tried to delete the email.

❝Alert! Deleting this email will result to a severe backlash. Follow the letter.❞

You frowned and at the same time felt scared at the warning message that appeared on your laptop. You pressed cancel, deciding not to delete the email after all. You were still shocked about the letter, the email and the message it holds that you've chosen to sleep the night off, not knowing that another annoying thing will happen tomorrow.

"Mr. Kim, you have to come with us. The CEO wanted to personally meet you. You were, after all, the most favored and epic player from the online game," a man wearing black suit and black-rimmed eye glasses said.

He was at least 2 ft. taller than you and a lot more muscular than you, making you think of no other way to resist if ever you wanted to escape.

And up until today, you were still clueless at the said gaming event that you joined. You just woke up at the 2nd of this month without even having any memory of what you did the day before. But then again, you've decided to come peacefully, not wanting to cause any trouble for your side. And that delighted the messenger man in suit.

At the venue, you saw few familiar faces that you've known way back high school. The place itself was familiar enough and the people who were invited made your stomach churn. Your feet wobbled as your hands felt cold. You didn't know why but you wanted to run away. You wanted to escape the place where you were and hide back in your comfort zone.

But everything that was rattling inside your body slowly calmed down as a vibration of soft and warm waves coursed within your body. It soothed you so much that it felt like you were on drugs. The man with black suit that was with you the whole ride gracefully guided you to your respective table, and there, you saw a bunch of the people that triggered something dark inside you.

"You remember them, right? They're your friends from high school," a low-pitched voice whispered from the back of your mind.

You unconsciously nod your head as your eyes focused at the people in front of you. They were smiling, laughing and talking at each other. As if trying to catch up with everything they left off. They've already noticed you yet you remained silent, as if you were figuring out what was happening. But you were not.

You were trying to gain control of your senses, of your body. You were trying to control yourself as your memories slowly came crashing back in your empty mind.

And before anything else, before you could answer their question. You stood up from your seat, grabbing the fork at the table. Your face looked expressionless, opposite of your friends' horrified reaction.

"Finish the game and we shall give your reward."

You only needed that familiar voice's command then your body moved on their own. Your reflexes were much advanced and evolved than the normal humans that no one was able to escaped the boiling anger that fueled your senses to win.

It only took you thirty minutes before you were able to kill everyone using the fork you took from your table.

The claps and cheers that suddenly surrounded you brought you back to reality. And the only thing you could do was weep as you finally realized the gruesome crime you have committed.

❝Alert! 10 Million Dollars have been transferred to your account. Thank you for joining STIMULI and CONGRATULATIONS!❞