The players were the only reality we had access to. It was the most precious thing in this virtual world. There were ten thousand players that started this game and, though I didn't know the exact count, more than two thousand were already dead. With such a small community it was important that we remained civil with each other. I had to bury the hatchet with Karla. It's not worth letting a bad situation degenerate into bitterness and alienation. I got an idea, on how to do that, when I was in the shops.
The shops sold all kinds of things that you wouldn't normally find in simpler MMOs. My first impression was that the items had no value and were there simply to pad out the shops. But when I realized that this world was the only reality that I would have for a while, what the shops sold suddenly made more sense. The range of housewares and tools, decorative items, gifts, and clothing was extensive. And none of the items had anything to do with clearing the game. I imagined the higher floors would also offer an even greater selection.
Some of the players had started to settle in and would start buying these types of items. At first it seemed they were trying to create a home base to operate from. But it was soon apparent that many were looking for a place to call home. Even I would rent a room for at least one week at a time. The room I was currently staying in had been my home for a little over two weeks now. I couldn't afford any of the furniture yet; I just settled for what the inns offered: a bed, a table, and a chair.
Among other things that were available, the gift shops had delivery boxes for sale. They looked like old postal boxes, wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string. They were mostly designed for sending multiple items via messages. The message system in the game was your basic email with the added feature that you could attach an item but only one item could be sent at a time. Usually players traded directly with each other. But messages could be sent even if the player was unavailable. So a box could be loaded with multiple items, sealed up, and messaged without the recipient needing to be present.
The boxes had other features, namely they could be left somewhere in the game. You could make stuff available to other players by leaving a box out on a table in an inn. You could also name the box so that only that player with that name would be able to open it. These were the two features I needed. I bought a box and put the spider silk gloves inside. I wrote a note as follows:
The spider encounter permitted me to complete a quest.
You deserve them more than me.
I hope you make good use of them.
Wolf
I inserted the note in the box and sealed it with Karla's name on it. A name tag appeared on the box with her name on it. I then sat down and wrote the following message to Karla.
Karla,
I'm ashamed of how I acted. You're right; no one needs this.
I was really scared which is why I acted that way.
No one has the right to prevent you from trying to become better.
Please have the courage to forget what I said and make your own decisions.
During our first meeting you dropped your dagger.
I wasn't sure if I would get to return it to you in person, so I've attached it to the message.
Please don't hate me.
Wolf
P.S. You may want to go to the town square and look at the small monument.
I rushed to the town square to placed the box at the foot of the monument. I hoped to myself that it wouldn't seem weird. I wanted this to be a gesture of peace and I hoped the message and the gift would come across as such. Heading back to the inn I was staying at, I felt both giddy and nervous, and hoped that she would accept my gift of good will. I would have to wait and see.
I spent the rest of the day hiding in my room. Unsure if I had done the right thing, in the right way. I started to fret, wondering if she got the message. I must have checked my friend list thirty times to see that she was still there. So when I got the notification that I'd received a message my heart was pounding hard in my chest and I nervously opened it:
Wolf,
Thank you for returning my dagger. It means a lot.
I don't think I should accept the gloves.
Though I appreciate the gesture, I feel you gave them to me out of guilt.
You can have them back if you wish.
I've been thinking about what you said and about what I said.
I'm sorry; it's not fair to hold a grudge.
I owe you my life and I know that I can never pay you back.
I'm still a little upset, but I don't hate you.
Please don't hate me, but I'll understand if you un-friend me.
I hope we all make it out.
Stay safe.
Karla
I felt a tingle in my neck, as a goofy smile formed on my face.