[i]A memory arose from the deep recesses of Hazel Hosner's mind. It was the last time she had seen her grandparents, the Christmas of 2044. It looked now that it might very well be her [b]last[/b] time she had seen her grandparents. The lived in Sacramento, California; warm summers, cold, rainy winters. The past few years were taken with drought, but this Christmas the rain came in torrential downpours. It seemed to Hazel that the Heavens merely saved the rain from the last few years, and chose now to pout it down upon them all at once. More specifically she remembered something her grandmother had said: "Hazel, you're a beautiful girl, you're smart, and you're charming, but I'll never understand the obsession with video games. I swear, they'll be the death of you." Back then Hazel merely gave her grandma an exasperated sigh. She'd heard it before, and she didn't care.

Now she could only think that they might have been right.[/i]

Mantam's awakening was gradual. She had faded in and out, hearing bits of conversation. "I don't want any of this..." she muttered, likely going unheard. This time she rose from the couch she now found herself lying upon, and spoke aloud. "We have to be careful... I'm sure you've accidentally wiped before from accidentally aggroing one too many mobs in an MMO. If that happens here, that's it. We can't let it happen." Her head still swam. She was in shock. The words came out slow, but they came out.

Mantam was embarrassed that she passed out, but she pushed it out of mind. She had to call her parents, and quick. They sometimes had a habit of unplugging her suddenly, and if that happened now it would be very bad. She voiced her concerns to the group, "If you live with anyone, contact them right away. I'm sure they'll notice our absence eventually, and getting unplugged now would not be good." This times the words came out quicker, more sure. "I need to make a phone call." She said, making her exit from the Cave so she could have some privacy. She opened the in-game phone application and began dialing. She knew this wasn't going to be an easy conversation.