The System

Chapter 11 - Virote Montri

The little colour left in Jason's face drains and for a moment I fear him fainting right in front of me. His tense muscles strengthen my fear.

"You don't have to tell me. I could just wait until the next dilation." I say trying to sound uninterested.

"You're going to find out sooner or later so I'm just going to tell you. But if I'm going to tell you everything we need to start at the beginning. We need to start with Viro." he says. Anger and pain radiating off every word.

I push away my plate and relax into the dining room chair. I'm certain this story doesn't have a happy ending.

"Okay... How do I start this? ... Both our fathers worked for a company called RabbCorp. It was started in the late 2000's by a poor, young Thai man named Virote Montri. Viro, as everyone called him, wanted to make it possible for people to be able to live their dreams through computer programmes. While connected to these programmes a person could travel the world, have their dream weddings or spend time with a loved one who lived far away or even those that had passed away."

"Those that had passed away? Is that even possible?" I ask curiously.

"I didn't believe it too but Dylan... I mean your dad told me they used memories of the dead person from close family members and were able to recreate them in the programme." He replies.

"Technology really has its ways. Okay go on!!"

"Okay go on!!" he teases before continuing.

"Viro wanted to make these things possible for people who were too poor to afford the real experience. He started off small but as more people tried it the news spread wildly. It was barely 3 years before the small shop that started as 'Rabb Dreams' spread all over the country. The idea became so popular not soon after that Viro was able to spread his stores all over the world. This is when RabbCorp was born."

He takes a gulp of a hotdog and swallows quickly. He seems calm now which gives me a sense of relief. I tap impatiently with my nail on the table. He laughs at my display of impatience before continuing.

"Viro became a worldwide celebrity. People praised him for the dreams they got to fulfil while governments from around the world praised him for the amount of jobs he had created. His greed for more power and wealth grew and changed him into a cunning, selfish man and soon after that RabbCorp programmes became so expensive it was only accessible to the rich. This was around 2012. In late 2013 Viro vanished. It was rumoured that he was kidnapped but after months had passed and no ransom call came, the police along with many others assumed he was dead.

Your father worked for RabbCorp since 2008. Mine started in 2013 when we moved to Allandale. Both were highly experienced software engineers who were made to work with each other to improve and also create new programmes available at RabbCorp. They became close friends and that's how our families met. But you already know that part so I won't get into it."

Jason gobbles down the rest of his hotdog. We both finish up and I head to the kitchen to wash up.

"So where did Viro go to? Is he dead?" I ask while packing the dishes away.

"Patience AllyCat. Let's finish up here then I'll tell you the rest of the story." Jason replies while putting the mustard back in the fridge.

Jason offered to clear the table and I didn't mind. The faster we finish up, the faster we can get back to the story.

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