A/N:
Say hello to the first and possibly only second person view story I'll ever write. Pretty much a vent story, but it isn't too bad actually.
That's a lie, Mine Tonight is also second POV, written after this one.
Cover TBA.
-x-x-x-x-x-
Lost in Your Own Mind
Entering the Animus is a special experience, to say the least. Only the first few minutes is a thrill, the virtual reality taking hold of your mind; each thought and emotion projected into an action. Scrolling through genetic memories with amusement; excited to see what's next. Each session shows a new skill, a new person derived from your genes and projected into the world. Every day gives a new insight of your ancestors and their lives – interesting or downright dull.
Minutes turn to hours, hours into days and days into months. Every discovery gives enlightenment; curiosity rising with every beat of your heart. It's a disappointment to get pulled back into reality, having to wait to see what the next step might be. "We need be careful not to damage your mind" are the words you're told. The Bleeding Effect is a baffling experience in this outside world. Ghostly figures speaking, walking, touching your shoulder to grab your attention. The usual is they fade within a minute; sometimes remaining until you pass out flat.
-xXx-
A new day dawning bring new excitement. Another session starts, another ancestor shows. New people, new places, new impressions. Each moment a revelation unlike all others. This is your ancestors, your history – your past. You learn about yourself and your origin by following a memory – playing a game, rather than searching through pounds and pounds of books and articles. What should be learned in years take minutes at most. The Animus transforms; each new skill become an imprint in your muscle memory. There's no training, you already know. Next time you slip into the real world, you're not who you used to be, but a person renewed. Evolved – experienced.
Images of the past bleed into the present. There's no way of knowing what is real and what is not. An hour too long – are you already lost? Watching, waiting, hoping – will the memories fade? The longer it take, the deeper you fall. Down, down, down into the deep, dark pit. Madness; insanity. Your mind lost forever. Voices from above, far away – you hear them. "Damaged mind" is an echo of the words you no longer remember. Your name a string of letters – unrecognizable. Tick tock.
Clutch your head, scream out loud, kneecaps kiss the ground. Flashing of images – past and present. Is there a future? Are you stuck in a life between worlds? Grumbling, muttering, twisted laughing. You're a madman. Acceptance. Realization. Remembrance. The past is in the past – your history. You live in the now. You are you. Your ancestor is forever with you – a reminder, a guide. A silent whisper in the depths of your mind.
-xXx-
Beeping. Beeping. Beeping. Hospital white. You pulled through. You're alive and well. Images; suppressed. You're you. A grin on your face; bright smiles flashing back at you. Virtual reality is a blast. Reality is an explosion. Projections, imaginations, fantasies. Fake feelings. You want to feel. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, joy, love. In truth you were already happy. Experience is a rich addition. Smiles, jokes, laughs. It's all real. No more projections – just you, your goals, your life.
It's a blessing to be alive.
End.