The intense sunlight burned Théo’s skin, a young man with brown skin, chestnut hair, wearing nothing but swim trunks. The ground began to tremble, accompanied by a heavy rumble, waking Théo, who was lethargic; he blinked groggily, feeling the drowsiness clinging to his bones like an invisible weight. With a groan, he stretched his arms. The bright light irritated his eyes; reflexively, he squinted, narrowing his vision.

— Ah, damn it... who turned on that light?

He felt his skin tingling from the fine sand, ran his hand over his body, and noticed some of it peeling off. His body, sore from a terrible night’s sleep and a pounding headache, was suffering from photophobia. With his perception foggy and dazed, he only noticed his lack of clothing and that he was lying on beach sand or perhaps some kind of sandbox.

— Wha... the hell... Did I sleep here? Ah... this migraine’s killing me.

As he ran his hands over his right forearm, he felt something attached to it. It was cold and metallic, spherical in shape, resembling a piercing but about an inch wide. A small object, the size of a coin, embedded in his skin as if it were part of him. Théo froze, his heart skipping a beat. He pinched the object, trying to pull it out, but it was firmly lodged in his forearm.

— What the hell is this?! — he exclaimed, his voice still hoarse and shaky. — And what’s with this light? Who did this?

It was then that he finally noticed the scenery around him. His panic grew as the warm tropical breeze brushed his face. Waves crashed from a pure blue sea, fine white sand almost as soft as snow, lush green palm trees full of coconuts, and low vegetation hiding curious animals that watched poor Théo, growing increasingly catatonic. All of it, beneath a clear blue sky, formed the most perfect paradise beach. Théo, in panic, could only mutter:

— Wha... what... HEEL!?

Rewinding a bit in time. On an autumn afternoon, in front of towering mirrored corporate buildings in the city of Rio de Janeiro, we see Théo in a suit and tie, walking cheerfully and full of joy. His life finally seemed to be getting on track. He had just left a job interview at the company Novo Mundo, a firm dedicated to technology. The newspapers always featured some positive article about this company or its eccentric majority leader. Whatever the field of technology, they had a hand in it—from games and smartphones to rockets. Théo was excited, holding a stack of papers with a smile that barely fit on his face.

— Finally! I finally did it! — he shouted, raising the papers like a trophy. Some pedestrians looked at him, curious, but Théo didn’t care. He was on cloud nine. — I finally did it! I’m officially a developer at ‘Novo Mundo’! Ah... after all that time as an intern, apprentice, and assistant, I’m finally leaving behind that miserable struggle for minimum wage!

He laughed to himself, eyes brimming with tears. It was as if an invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Years of sleepless nights, endless lines of code, and postponed dreams had finally paid off.

— They even gave me three days off — he murmured, walking toward the bus stop. — That’s it! I’m spending this weekend playing that new survival game... what was the name again? Something like Primitivo.

He opened his phone, searching for the game’s synopsis, getting excited by the description and the absurd comments about its realism and immersion. The game was called Suspended Island: Primal Challenge. Théo looked at the graphics and couldn’t help but say:

— Wow... their engine is just... completely unreal. Huh? No way, could it be?

He looked at the logo on the game’s promotional material, comparing it to the branding on his hiring documents, realizing they were from the same company. Théo felt a surge of joy that made him jump, startling the people around him.

— It’s the engine developed by ‘Novo Mundo’. — Realizing he was overreacting, he quickened his pace. — Ahem... I mean, of course I knew that. I’m not playing, I’m studying the work tool, obviously.

Arriving at the bus stop, he got lost in thought, observing the street and nearby vendor stalls. Scanning the area, he noticed someone—a girl standing a few meters away. Loose blonde hair swaying in the wind, tank top, denim shorts. Théo swallowed hard.

“Wow... what a beauty!” he thought, trying not to stare. “Could this be a sign? Is my luck finally turning? First the promotion, now this!?”

The girl noticed his gaze and turned her face, her eyes shining with a mix of amusement and mockery, making young Théo’s face burn even more. He looked away, pretending to study the asphalt.

“Damn it, Théo, get a grip! You’re acting like a dumb teenager.”

A noisy green jeep stopped in front of the bus stop, packed with camping gear and cheerful people. The girl jumped into the vehicle, giving a quick kiss on the driver’s cheek. The driver, looking at Théo at the stop, gave a mocking smile, saluted him, and then drove off, speeding toward the unknown. Théo felt a pang of disappointment but soon shook his head, laughing at himself.

— Camping? Seriously? — he muttered, crossing his arms as he watched the jeep drive away. — Sleeping in the middle of the woods, getting eaten alive by mosquitoes? That’s insane. After centuries of civilization, camping nowadays is just a cheap simulation of survival. My games are way more exciting than that. At least in them, I can die and respawn in the comfort of my home.

Théo’s bus finally arrived. He boarded, sat near the window, and let his head rest against the glass. The day’s exhaustion washed over him like a wave. As the vehicle swayed gently, he closed his eyes, a silly smile still on his face.

— Things are finally going right... — he whispered to himself. — It’s like the programmer of my life glitched and gave me luck for the first time. And then, sleep took over.

A strange dream overtook Théo’s senses. A soft cyan light began to fill his vision, sounds of pistons, gears, and mechanical hums echoed around him; it sounded like drills activating and deactivating. A coupling sound, followed by a sensation of movement, made Théo feel like vomiting. A voice broke the silence.

— Analyzing... specimen selected.

The soft, almost mechanical voice echoed in Théo’s ears and mind. He tried to open his eyes but couldn’t succeed. Everything was blurry; he felt his body strangely light, as if floating. He tried to speak, but no sound came out; he tried to move, but his limbs didn’t respond.

“Who... who’s talking?”

A low hum filled the air, accompanied by the sound of pistons and moving mechanisms. The female voice continued, cold and precise, with a tone that resembled a child of about seven or nine years old.

— Genetic memory completed. Specimen NULL#$?, aspect: Intellectual. Superior ability: MENTAL. Year: 9 9 9 9 9 9 9... Error.

The lights flickered rapidly, signaling a malfunction. Théo tried to move once more, but his muscles felt locked and far heavier than before. He felt submerged in some kind of viscous liquid, surrounding him like a cocoon. His head throbbed, and panic began to crawl up his spine.

“What a headache, man... Who’s talking?”

The voice continued without a trace of emotion.

— Preparing launch for simulation! Conquer the New World! The Ai Stuit System wishes survivor Théo the best evolution.

A burst of static interrupted the voice, followed by silence. Then, the same childlike voice added:

— Théo... please, save everyone... — The voice sounded tired and incredibly melancholic.

“What? Simulation? New World? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!”

Théo tried to struggle, but his body wouldn’t respond. A metallic sound echoed, as if something were locking into place around him. Then, a burst of pressure hit him, as if the entire world were being compressed against his body.

— WOOOAAAAAAH! — he screamed, as his mind felt stretched to the limit. And then, everything went white.