บท 6: Mistakes Have Been Made
🅿🅰🆁🅺🅴🆁
The setting sun fills the sky with golds and purples, softly shining through my closed window. It's quite a beautiful scene as far as I can tell. If Kira was here right now, she would probably take a picture to upload it to her Instagranny story. Of course not without adding an unnecessary filter.
Kira hasn't tried talking to me since I fled from the buffet and I'm very thankful for the break.
Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Not happening. I don't want to date anyone right now, especially not Kira. She might be a goddess in some ways but more often than not she is a pain in the neck.
I am staring at my KP balance on my phone right now. Nothing has been subtracted yet which is surprising to me. Or maybe the system is waiting for my next move.
Will I apologize to Kira and be honest? Or act like nothing ever happened?
The way I know myself it's going to be the second option. Do I feel bad about it? Kinda. Bad enough to change my behavior? That's a definite no.
The number at the bottom makes me grin.
18.732 KP
I'm so close. If I continue working and behaving the way I have so far, I will reach the 20k by the end of this month. And then I'll be out of here, far away from this f*cking planet, somewhere in heaven.
What does heaven look like? Will I be walking on clouds together with Skillet, my dead dog or will I be surrounded by 72 virgins? Either way, I won't complain.
I open the shop to check if there are any new arrivals. I like scrolling through the gadget section, looking at all the fun tools and potions that are supposed to help me earn more KP. I have been thinking about buying some for quite a while but always rejected that thought. Why spend KP to earn more? It makes little sense.
Although...some of these accessories are very intriguing. The Karma Compass for example would detect people nearby who I could help in exchange for KP. Or the Mortal Mortar that turns any herb into a nice magical paste that if being put into someone's food will make them trust you more.
I chuckle at the tagline: Grinding For Salvation. But 1,500 KP? It's not worth it even though it would be fun to try out..
As I switch to the body tab, a notification pops up.
'Please note: Afterlife Ltd. has been facing technical difficulties lately. For your own safety, we request you to refrain from using newly purchased items. Our IT team is working on resolving this issue quickly. For further information, click >here<.'
I roll my eyes. This happens way too often, every other day there is a bug or crash.
This shop is so unstable, you'd have a better connection playing Call Of Booty while simultaneously watching a Netflex movie somewhere in the Algerian desert.
I bet the only place with a worse Internet connection than Afterlife is North Korea.
The robots start loading. Standard Human Male Jordan 3.0 is the first body in the category, the usually green button is greyed out and reads Equipped. When I bought Jordan for 500 KP he was the cheapest body there is, the starter body as Karen said. I wasn't even able to adjust the skin colour or hair style.
I scroll through the bodies, stopping for some of them. Advanced Human Male Tristan 4.0, Standard Human Female Linda 2.2, Advanced Human Male Cheng with Bilingual Feature and so on. There are hundreds of bodies, all with different features and customization options. But it doesn't surprise me, there are probably thousands of spirits walking around and if we all looked the same, humans would start asking questions.
Is it a virus or just a new beauty trend?
From what I've read on the Afterlife Forum, the customization feature also has its downsides. Some spirits have used it to remodel real dead people like Elvis. This one guy managed to make his body look like the dead king and went to Hawaii to shock the world press and all conspiracy enthusiasts.
'Elvis has recently been spotted in Honolulu, is the king still alive?'
No, he isn't and some may find such jokes unbelievably offensive but honestly, I'm a huge fan of pranks and this guy is my hero.
I scroll back to the top and change it from 'Lowest Price' to 'Newest Arrivals'.
The first body that pops up is called Pro Human Male Jaques with Martial Arts feature. Damn, he does look like a pro.
Jaques has a great build, very athletic, probably hiding a six pack below that shirt and leather jacket. His face is that of a gang boss, small grey eyes, a curved nose and dominant cheekbones. And that beard, wow. Jaques is the kind of man you wouldn't want to pass at night yet you desperately want to be like him.
But 10.000 KP? Only someone who wants to stay on earth would buy a body like that. What reason could they possibly have? Masochism?
I sigh, studying Jaques one last time before discarding the idea.
But when I see the body next to him, I have already forgotten about the gang boss.
Pro Female Human Isabella with Esprit Feature + Extra Customization.
My eyes almost fall out. This woman is a WOAHman. Luscious curves and long, elegantly curled hair. The full dark lashes are lining almond shaped eyes, giving her the perfect bedroom gaze. In the thumbnail she is wearing a flowy summer dress and it almost upsets me that I can't experience the full scope of her beauty. But lucky for me, extra customization probably means tons of clothing options so without hesitation I click on Isabella and get redirected to the product page.
On the top left are the pictures. I click myself through all the angles, zoom in on her face and other body parts. The most effort always goes into the most expensive items and I have to admit that the graphic designers did a great job with this preview, it's the most impressive one I've ever seen. Beneath the product pictures is a short description.
'Isabella is a worldly-wise woman and part of New York's high society. With her wit, charm and looks she always leaves a lasting impression and makes new friends effortlessly. Isabella's Esprit Feature allows you to enjoy intellectual conversations with any social class. Use her confidence and humor to gain others' trust quickly and captivate them with just one glance.
Your purchase includes:
1 x fully customized body Pro Female Human Isabella
1 x MePhone 12 Pro with extra information
1 x instruction manual (digital download)'
This is nothing new, every body comes with a manual and a new phone that has the entire backstory saved on it - in case you don't want to make up your own. Jordan had a cheap Sumsang but Isabella seems to be more of a MePhone fan.
I used to have one as well when I was still alive but surely not a MePhone 12 Pro.
I never cared about owning expensive things. As long as it worked and didn't make me look like a hobo, the price didn't matter to me. Besides, with what money was I supposed to buy a fancy phone anyway? With the 20 dollars my aunt used to give me each Christmas? Or the few bucks I made working that sucky mini job at McRonald's?
On the top right of the page, next to the pictures and right above the Buy Now button, is the link to the customization page and I don't hesitate clicking on it.
Yet another site opens and several categories pop up, the first being skin color. The default Isabella is white so there aren't any shades beyond that. I simply settle for a slightly more tanned version, giving her a vacation in Saint Tropez kind of vibe.
Next is her age. The slider is quite limited here as well, I can only go from 25 to 35. I am unsure at first. I want to make her as close to my age as possible but something about that 35 year old is just so intriguing.
A true milf with slight wrinkles next to her eyes, probably from too much laughing. Apparently Isabella is too classy for botox.
I bite my lower lip but then the fantasies start flooding my brain. Older women have always been so damn attractive to me, especially when they still look like supermodels.
35 it is.
I can feel myself getting excited. Is this the sensation little girls experience when playing with their barbies? With the slight difference that I'm not creating a best friend or idol but instead the perfect woman to fuck?
For her hair I choose a blonde that is a bit more bleached than the one she currently has and stick to the voluminous curls that make her look like she just came from the hairdresser. If she had a handbag she would probably be carrying a tiny hairspray can her stylist gifted her as a thank you for the 50$ cash tip.
At least those are the kind of women I grew up with when my mom still used to watch Real Housewives of I-Don't-Give-A-Shit.
In the facial features category I don't do much. Her face is already close to perfection, I merely make her lips a bit fuller and the eyebrows darker.
I don't dare touch the makeup options. I've never understood any of the terms except for mascara and lipstick. My ex girlfriends used to wear much more than that but I couldn't be bothered to get involved in the topic. Instead I was annoyed by the endless amount of tubes, sponges and powders that would lie around everywhere, leaving stains and catching dust.
After finishing her face, I find myself lost in clothing options.
I won't lie, fashion doesn't come naturally to me either. I just wear whatever looks cool, most of my closet consists of band tees and shorts. Isabella seems to have a few more pieces.
There are about 50 dresses alone and I click myself through those that catch my eye, trying to find a fitting everyday look. Maybe something similar to the default dress, just sexier?
I make her try on different options, from tight to flowy, worryingly short to knee-length until I finally find something I like. 'Grey and white checkered v-neck mini dress with butterfly sleeves' Yeah, whatever that means. It doesn't matter because what I'm looking at is the perfect mix between pretty, elegant and hot. The neckline is low and the dress short, showing most of her thighs. It is tight around the waist but looser at the bottom. Perfect. Luckily the site automatically adds shoes and accessories, I wouldn't trust my own styling choices.
Since I'm already on a roll, I decide to add an evening look as well, just to give into my fantasies.
A black leather dress, shorter than any dress should ever be and so tight that it leaves almost nothing to imagination. One of the tags says Versauce and you know what, why not? Someone who is part of New York's high society probably has an expensive taste and it just feeds into the milf storyline I have created.
I click on 'Finish' and get redirected to the product page, the pictures are replaced with my two final designs. But then I notice something. I should have added lipstick to the second dress.
I go to 'Customization' again but nothing happens. After a few seconds, I click again but still, no reaction.
I let out a groan. Did the site just freeze? Usually I would just refresh it but I can't risk losing all my progress.
At least, let me add her to my wishlist. I would never buy her, of course, 10.000 KP is really not worth it. Just let me have a look at her from time to time when I run out of porn again.
I wait a few seconds but nothing happens and I can feel myself getting frustrated. I start tapping on the screen frantically, trying to trigger a reaction.
Come on you piece of shit!
Suddenly it twitches, the screen goes white and comes back right after. A pop up appears.
'Thank you for your purchase'
Now I'm the one who is frozen. Purchase?
My eyes glide over to the 'Buy Now' button. It is greyed out.
No. No no no no! I leave the page, rush to my KP Balance to check my latest transactions.
(Aug 3 2021, 6:21pm)
-10.000 KP [Body#246]
Total
8.732 KP
F*ck! My face is hot like a toasted cat, sweat runs down my temples and my heart beats way too fast.
Okay Parker, don't panic. I can fix this. All I have to do is call the help center and explain the mistake. They will refund me. With shaky fingers I go to the imprint and copy the number into my phone app. After a few rings, someone picks up.
"Hey hun, you done reached the Help Center of Afterlife Ltd. You talking to Shanice, who dis?"
I raise my brows.
"Uh yeah, this is Parker Jones, Spirit ID PJ24. I just accidentally purchased a body because the site froze."
"Which body?"
Great, now I have to admit that I was being creep and looking at a female.
"Pro Female Human Isabella..."
I cringe. Shanice pops her tongue.
"I see, Isabella. So you want me to nullify the purchase?"
"Yes, please. It really was an accident."
"Alright, hun. I got you. I'll write you a ticket and send it to tech. Dis gonna take a while tho, probs a few days. You may seen the popup that we got some difficulties right now? Please have some patience and don't spend any more KP until this has been resolved. Kay?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks."
"No prob, sweetie. Bye!"
The phone call ends and I stare at my screen. A few days? Great. Hopefully they're going to stick to it. From what I've read on the forum, customer service uses the term "days" very loosely. Some had to wait months for anything to happen.
And I definitely don't have months.
I check my KP balance again, I was so f*cking close. If I don't get refunded it's going to take me ages to get back to where I was.
I sigh. It really has to work out.
My phone makes a short noise, I just got a notification. Next to the small letter icon on the top, a red 1 has appeared. Did someone text me? I open 'Messages' and click on it.
'Hello Parker,
hereby we confirm your purchase of [Pro Female Human Isabella With Esprit Feature + Extra Customization]. We hope you are satisfied and look forward to your review. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact our help center.
Best of luck!
Afterlife Ltd.'
At the bottom of the automated message is a green button.
'Equip Now'
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