I'm Rich

Arin never paid attention to advertisements. That evening was no different. After finishing his homework, he stepped outside his apartment building for some fresh air while the city slowly moved toward night. Cars passed by, people waited at the bus stop, and the large digital billboard across the street continued changing advertisements every few seconds. Then one display suddenly caught everyone's attention. A massive fantasy world appeared on the screen. Floating islands drifted across the sky while armored warriors fought monsters beneath glowing magic. Bright letters slowly formed across the display. "A New Reality Awaits." The name of the upcoming full dive virtual reality game appeared beneath it. Eternal Horizon. People around the bus stop began talking excitedly about the game, about the technology behind it, and about rumors that players could even earn money inside its world. Arin only glanced at the screen for a few seconds before scoffing quietly. “Who would waste money on something like that?” To him it was just another expensive game meant for people with money to burn. But during the following days, conversations about the game continued to spread throughout his school. Bit by bit, simply by listening, Arin learned more about the strange new world that millions of players were waiting to enter. And then an unexpected announcement appeared. The company would allow random thousand people to experience the game for free for one month. Without thinking too much about it, Arin submitted his application. He expected nothing from it. After all, it was just a game. But sometimes the smallest decisions quietly open the door to something far bigger. Because that simple application would soon place a thousand dollar device in his hands. And the moment he put on that helmet, the quiet and ordinary life of Arin would begin to change forever.