A Joke by Olga Bolozhuk

"I can improve the armour for twenty dollars.
Okay, I will wait a bit to do it for free. Or no, let's think about the pros. I won't need to distract from studying every time, thinking that my enemy is levelling while I'm doing other things".
Hesitating a bit, Joe pushed the button. Anyway, he can economize some money later. Joe continued dreaming, holding the telephone under the table so that the teacher couldn't notice him playing.
The bell rang, meaning that Joe could return home.
-See you, - he headed to his friend.
-You were playing all the day. If you bail on studying, you will fail examination. Good luck, - said the other boy with sarcasm.
-You are not my mother, Steve, - Joe responded in the same manner and smiled.
Coming home, he was thinking how cool it would be if he lived in a game. Won a monster - obtained a level - became stronger. In reality, we can only dream about that.
"What if your dream will come true?", - he heard a voice asking.
Joe shook his head but saw nobody around. The voice asked again.
"Of course this is a joke but what if I respond", - he thought, laughing. "I will play", - he yelled and turned around again. The joke went far and it would be not so funny to wind up in a mental hospital.
"Then listen to me, kid, - the voice continued louder. You've played the game pretty well. Don't take it as a compliment but you surprised me. Are you surprised too? Didn't know we were playing?
You've been playing since the day you were born. Everything that happened, each accident was a part of my game. Do you think you have won? I'm afraid that no. But it's all a matter of your luck.
Happy levelling."
"Maria, housewife, 8 level", Joe could see a table above heads of every person who walked by.
"I hope there are stats in the game", - Joe grinned.
"Life teaches him nothing, - a creature said. "But that is more interesting than watching this... How human call it. The Internet.