(VIRTUAL) REALITY

Danny stood in the remnants of the castle.

‘Put on your headset,’ the woman instructed him. He did so.

Danny now saw the castle in it’s past glory. He could move around and see the world as it had once been.

A loud blowing horn sounded. Someone yelled ‘We’re under attack.’

Danny felt a swish of air. A cascade of virtual arrows falling from the sky.

He felt a sharp pain in his side. Instinctively he covered it with his hand. It felt damp. He whipped off his headset and stared down at his own blood.

He collapsed among the silent ruins.


Copyright Roger Bulltot

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

75 responses to “(VIRTUAL) REALITY”

  1. Oh no! Who would want to hurt him

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Sometimes this VR thing has a few glitches that need ironing out. 😦

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Sometimes it can be all too real, better to just watch TV or read a book I think 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. There are some technological “advancements” that I’m not that eager to try out.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I can see reality coming … you never know if the enemies are sneaking up behind the cover of virtual walls.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ve never tried one of those virtual reality things and now I’m pretty sure I don’t want to!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I’ve had the odd try and they can be good. I’m still slightly cynical about how widespread they will become. Will every household have them in their living rooms? I’m not so sure – remember a few years ago we were all being sold 3D television as the next big thing…

        Liked by 1 person

    2. It’s only a matter of time before people get lost in virtual reality – and crime will always be one of the first to take advantage in many mysterious ways!

      Like

      1. Can they involve rugged men in kilts from say… the 18th century? 😉

        Liked by 4 people

      2. If you so choose – watch out for their big sharp swords, mind 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      3. LOL! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Oh, the possibilities (says Dale)

        Liked by 1 person

  5. That virtual reality was far too real for my tastes. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Certainly not what he signed up for. Thanks James.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. VR with too much R and not enough V! A well written tale, Iain, though of course I want to know who’s attacking …

    Liked by 1 person

    1. And what he’s done to deserve it. Thanks Lynn.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Ha! Good point. My pleasure

        Liked by 1 person

  7. When I saw the (virtual)… I had a feeling things would not turn out quite as planned. Scary thought.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I thought this would be a really cool thing to do until the blood…yikes!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hopefully VR will be cool and not dangerous in the future!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Living in 1066 country I worry enough about stray arrows causing me a problem as it is! I certainly wouldn’t wander around Hastings with a virtual reality thingamajig on my head! Nice one Iain.
    Click to read my FriFic

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Keith. Would certainly be an interesting place and time to recreate in VR, so long as it stayed virtual 🙂

      Like

  10. Interesting idea, that someone would use the cover of virtual reality to mask an actual attack — at least, that’s one way to interpret this. Either way, he’s in trouble!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s the way I intended it rather than anything more supernatural, but both are interesting ways to go with it.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. I’m definitely declining the headset next time it’s offered! What a horrible shock that would have been!

    Like

  12. It all seemed to be going so well. Thanks for the surprise ending.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You can’t trust this new technology! Thanks Alicia.

      Like

  13. An arrow in the side, could’ve been worse. Could have been a sword in the back! 😬 Guess someone disabled the safety protocols . I wonder who? 🤔

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s the mystery to be continued. Thanks Kelvin.

      Like

  14. i guess it’s the new reality that will become more pronounced as technology advances further.

    Like

  15. Now that’s what I call VR. The full experience! Nice one.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Dear Iain,

    Ah one of those entertainment excursions gone terribly wrong. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Clever take on the prompt, Iain. Geez, what’s next, boiling oil?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That costs extra – the deluxe experience.

      Like

  18. Very dramatic scene-setting and rather scary! A unique take on the prompt, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. When he wakes up he gets charged extra for the ‘feel’ aspect of his virtual adventure. 😀 I love it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Absolutely, you get what you pay for!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Some of the new technology around virtual reality does scare me a bit!

      Like

  20. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    I guess that he will not be able to describe his attacker. Robinhood will be relieved. I have told him no more mead. Yours Little John.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Haha, the culprit has been found! Thanks Michael.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Wow. Gripping story Iain! Too much realism for me…VR!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Best left alone I think. Reality on its own is enough to cope with!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You are so right about that! We can’t make some of this stuff up!

        Liked by 1 person

  22. Excellent piece. Scary. I think I’ll leave virtual reality for someone else to play with 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Oh, now that one is excellently told… had me on the edge of the stone wall looking for the incoming arrows, it did. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Oooo VR and reality colliding. I love this Iain. I do think our minds are powerful enough to reinforce what we see. Well told

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Laurie, certainly think VR the way it is being developed has the potential for both good and bad effects.

      Like

  25. Loved the title of your story , Iain and the suddenness of the end .

    Liked by 1 person

  26. The power of suggestion can be very powerful indeed. Our mind can sometimes not distinguish between reality and fantasy. Great take on the prompt, Iain. Very imaginative!

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Whoosh! Dang headsets!
    I love this idea, so imaginative and you’ve subtly left it to the reader, which I also love.
    Well done!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Eerily reminiscent of the game Blue Whale which has forced young teenagers to commit suicide. Scary and realistic write Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. That’s a little TOO real!

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Ouch! Is that a feature or a bug? Nice one.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. In his case a bug, but could be a feature if you pay extra for it!

      Like

  31. Someone taking advantage of a man in a VR headset to commit a crime… brilliant idea and unique take on the prompt. I really enjoyed this!

    Liked by 1 person

  32. I’ve just been reading a book by a psychologist, where he mentions the dangers of addiction to VR games in the future, but it seems there are some life-threatening dangers, too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think addiction is a more realistic danger, but you never know where it may lead!

      Liked by 1 person

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