Reunion

Clide stood dumbstruck in the living room. As his sister started eyeing him weirdly he finally started moving again and replied "morning". There was bread and butter on the table. Still not quite believing what he was seeing, he could not stop some tears at the corners of his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, not wanting to weird his sister out. He was curious as to how far he travelled back in time, he was 32 when he died. Not really knowing how to react, Clide sat down on a chair, grabbed some bread and butter and tried to act normal. "Do we have any filling left?" he asked. "No, all of mom's savings were invested into the gaming helmet as you are at the age to join Terra Nova. Tomorrow is your welcoming ceremony after all." As robots took over most jobs the money distribution became vastly concentrated on the very few rich people who owned big companies, while everyone else was suffering. Clide's mother works as an engineer, checking the machines of a large company, thus earning just enough to pay the bills. As the real world was barely livable though Terra Nova became an instant sensation as it hit the market. It gave people a new meaning in life and the rich people immediately started fighting for control inside of it creating very well paid jobs inside the game, therefore almost everyone joined the gane. It feels just like the real world except for the superpowers which make the game surreal and addicting. The moment you join highschool you can join Terra Nova. The schools are ranked by their performance in game. Higher ranked schools get a lot of support from big companies who recruit the best players in said school. Big tournaments, in which the players of opposing schools fight one another often take place, they are part of the ranking system. once you reach the age 14 your brain is developed enough to be able withstand the strain the gaming helmet puts on it. so while in previous clases a lot of theory is discussed, in the 9th grade there is the welcoming ceremony in which you alongside your classmates finally join the game and start playing "Terra Nova". From that moment forward Schools teach the game until you graduate. Grades are determined by your performance in the game. You can gain contracts while in school, earning you big bucks. Being athletic and smart offers a big advantage inside the game, therefore talented people from poor areas are sometimes scouted by high ranked schools. Clide is one of these people, he was in fact scouted by the number one ranked school in the country, Carlton Academy. Scholarships for said school are quite rare and getting accepted there would speak volumes of your ability. however scholarship students were not liked by the other students as they were from poor households. The Uniforms provided to Scholarship students have a white uniform in contrast to the normal black one. Once Clide entered the school he would sleep in the school's dormitory he could occasionally visit his family on the weekends however he should nevertheless say his proper goodbyes. He took a bite of his bread, glanced at his sister and then starred at his bread. he hadn't seen his sister in years. His sister was smiling with her big blue eyes glued on her brother. The awkward silence prevailed until Clide noticed the time, he was running late. He finished eating quick got dressed and ran for the door. As he touched the door handle he turned around, smiled at his sister "bye" he said, "bye and good luck" she replied. He then opened the door and left.