WARNING: This story includes sexually explicit material.

 Please note any unfamiliar spellings and phrases may be due to the
 fact I am English, not American.

 I would like to thank the proof-readers for all their help

 Any comments, including constructive criticisms, would be
 most appreciated.  Please send to artemis55@hotmail.com

 This work is copyrighted by the author.  You may download and keep
 one copy for your personal use as long as my by-line and e-mail
 address and this paragraph remain on the copy.  Any posting or
 reposting on a website, other than the archive or Dejanews, or
 to a newsgroup requires my permission first (but I'll probably say
 yes). This story should not, under any circumstances be used to make a
 profit by anyone other than the author

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REPOST NOTE: This was my entry to Celeste's Virtual Reality Contest. I 
won!!! More importantly my husband and I finally agreed on this one. 
It's probably one of the best things I've written so far. Even people 
who hate sci-fi liked it.

=======================================================================

Back To Reality (MF, rom)[1/4]
by Vickie Morgan


Ellen had awakened in pain again.  She checked the time, then 
thankfully swallowed two painkillers.  The throbbing ache from her hip
gradually diminished until she could once more successfully ignore it.
If she had known what the result would have been she would never have 
run to the rescue.  Well that wasn't really true.  You would have to 
be a totally selfish person to stand by and watch someone die because 
you were worried you might hurt yourself.  She hadn't even 
rationalized the situation at the time.  Instinct and adrenaline had 
her racing over to the wrecked car without conscious thought.  The 
smell of petrol had been heavy in the air and she had been frantic to 
drag the driver a safe distance away before the inevitable explosion.
She had almost made it but the blast had thrown out a twisted chunk 
of metal that had landed on her back.  Burning fragments were falling 
on and around them as the ambulance had arrived and she slipped into 
merciful unconsciousness.

The doctors had performed miracles and she should have been grateful 
that there was a good chance she would walk again.  She would probably
always drag one leg but the experts were confident that with plenty 
of physiotherapy she would make it.  It had helped that the woman she 
had rescued was Adrienne Peters, a well-known financier who had made 
sure she had been given the best and latest of everything.  Well aware
that she owed her life to Ellen, Adrienne had gone out of her way to 
show her gratitude in any way she could think of.  Her latest idea had
arrived yesterday.  It used the latest advances in virtual reality to 
create a completely believable experience without ever having to leave
the house.  Since Ellen was housebound for a while it seemed the 
ideal thing to entertain her.  A technician was coming to show Ellen 
exactly how to use it but she wasn't that excited.  Few of the virtual
reality machines she had seen before really delivered what they 
promised.

When the technician arrived he turned out to be an intense mix of 
engineer and salesman.  He introduced himself as 'Baz' and launched 
straightaway into an enthusiastic spiel about the machine.  Phrases 
such as 'total immersion technology', 'central processing unit' and 
'VR3000 Graphics Chip' flew over her head until eventually his 
ebullience wound down.

"Okay, Baz.  I didn't understand any of that.  Can you just tell me as 
simply as possible how it works?"  He grinned at her.

"Sorry I get carried away.  Basically in the past virtual reality was 
created by producing images that your eyes found believable.  The 
YR3000 is unique because we bypass the eyes and plug straight into 
your brain.  We don't have to worry about co-ordinating movement and 
vision because you don't actually move.  Tiny electrical signals fool 
your brain into thinking you are moving.  So you get a completely 
believable experience."

"Couldn't that be a bit dangerous, though?"

"We have safeguards built into the programmes.  For instance say you 
fall off a building in the programme.  Your fall would gradually slow 
until you were floating.  Then you would get a menu telling you what 
went wrong and offering you options to return to a previous point in 
the programme or to quit."

"How do I stop a programme when it's running?"

"You just say 'programme exit' and the programme will freeze and a 
menu will appear asking if you want to quit or continue."

"What about power surges or cuts?"

"The VR3000 is protected by several fuses and trip switches so it's 
impossible for a power surge to affect it.  There is also a back-up 
battery which can run the VR3000 for sixty hours and automatically 
recharges itself when the power comes back on."

"Sixty hours?  Isn't that a bit of overkill?"

"Not really.  Most programmes last about a fortnight."

"What!  A fortnight hooked up to some computer game.  You've got to be
kidding me."

"Wait until you've tried it.  That's why it has intravenous drips to 
make sure you get necessary nutrients and liquids and tubes to deal 
with waste.  The bed has to be specially fitted to the player to make 
sure you don't get bedsores or abrasions.  Your body will be 
automatically turned and stretched without you being aware of it.  
I'll have to come every month to restock everything and check there's 
no adjustments needed.  Now how about giving it a whirl."

Baz helped her into the bed, which resembled a sun-bed in design.  He 
showed her how to hook up the various tubes and electrical wires.  
Finally he helped her fit the headset.  Now all she had to do was 
choose a program.  He had brought a selection with him and she decided
to start with 'Romeo and Juliet'.

Although her eyes were open Baz's face faded as everything turned 
black.  In front of her words floated as a sonorous voice read them.

"Welcome to your VR3000 'Romeo and Juliet' experience.  Please choose 
your character.

"Juliet" Ellen said, reaching out a hand to touch the icon labelled 
Juliet.

'Thank you.  Romeo and Juliet' will begin in five, four, three, two, 
one..."

            *      *       *        *         *  

Ellen was just finishing her meal when she heard a voice calling her 
name.  Walking into the next room she found Nurse bustling towards 
her.

"Did someone call me?"  Ellen asked.

"Your mother," Nurse replied, tweaking her dress straight and 
smoothing her hair.

"Yes mother, did you want something?"

"This is the matter.  Nurse, give leave a while.  We must talk in 
secret.  Nurse, come back again.  I have remembered me, thou's hear 
our counsel.  Thou knowest my daughter's of a pretty age."

"Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour," Nurse replied.

"She's not fourteen."

"I'll lay fourteen of my teeth - and yet, to my teen be it spoken, I 
have but four - she's not fourteen.  How long is it now to 
Lammastide?" Nurse answered.  Ellen listened to her in surprise.  She 
wondered for a moment why her old Nurse was talking so strangely.  
Then she remembered that this was the VR3000.  It was incredibly 
realistic.  She had automatically answered to the name Juliet and she 
had known without question that the patrician woman in front of her 
was her mother and the plump woman was her nurse.  She became aware 
that her mother was asking her a question.

"How stands your disposition to be married?"

"That depends on who you want me to marry," Ellen answered.

"In brief: the valiant Paris seeks you for his love."

"A man, young lady, lady, such a man as all the world - why, he's a 
man of wax."

"Oh I hope not Nurse," Ellen laughed, "He won't be much use to me if 
his hard bits melt when things get hot."

"It is you who will melt from his heat, lady," Nurse cackled.

"Speak briefly: can you like of Paris' love?"  Lady Capulet asked.

"Well I'd have to meet him first," Ellen answered.  Just then a 
servant who Ellen at once knew was called Peter came in.

"Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young 
lady asked for, the Nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in 
extremity.  I must hence to wait.  I beseech you follow straight."

"We follow thee.  Juliet, the County stays."

"Go, girl; seek happy nights to happy days."  Ellen winked at Nurse 
before she obediently followed Lady Capulet.  As she worked her way 
through the various courses Ellen was amazed by the realism of the 
program.  She could taste the food, feel the warm Italian air on her 
skin, hear the musicians play, feel the silk of her dress on her body.
People she spoke to reacted in a realistic manner to her comments 
even though she made no attempt to modify her speech to more 
Shakespearean speech patterns.  Paris was a very handsome young man, 
polite to a fault.  It was obvious he found her attractive and knew 
her parents welcomed his suit but he made no attempt to be intimate 
with her.  Ellen soon found his punctilious speech boring.

She was relieved when at last they moved through to the courtyard 
where the dancing would take place.  Curious Ellen looked around, 
trying to guess which of the masked men milling around was Romeo.  She
had been given a mask to wear by a servant and the restricted view 
through the eye-slits added to the feeling of excitement and 
anticipation.  She almost forgot that she was in a computer program as 
she danced her way from partner to partner.  After months of being 
unable to move without pain it was exhilarating to whirl around to the 
music.  She was taking a rest while her last partner went to get her a 
drink when someone touched her hand.  Turning she saw a masked man 
standing close to her.  His mask covered his nose and eyes and she 
could only see his firm chin and sensuous mouth but she knew this had 
to be Romeo.

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentler 
sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth 
that rough touch with a tender kiss."  Ellen smiled at him.

"Well let's test these pilgrims and see if they have anything to blush
about," she suggested and kissed him.  He was startled at first but 
soon his lips were moulding to hers and the hairs on her neck were 
tingling.  In the recess of her mind she was marvelling at the 
verisimilitude of the program but most of her concentration was on the
feel of Romeo's mouth.  She parted her lips and welcomed his tongue, 
swaying against him.  She was really starting to enjoy herself when 
she felt someone tugging at her skirt.

"Madam, your mother craves a word with you," Nurse hissed urgently. 
Reluctantly Ellen removed her mouth from his.  Still she had better 
go.  It would not do to have the fighting start too soon.  She leaned 
forward and whispered in Romeo's ear. 

 "Come to my balcony after everyone has gone".

Her mother began scolding her as soon as she arrived for not spending 
enough time with Paris but Ellen had no intention of wasting her time 
being reprimanded.  She wanted to see just how good the VR3000 was.

"I promised this dance, mother and I don't want to disappoint my 
partner.  I'll speak to you later."  Ellen hurried away and slid her 
hand around the arm of the first unattached male she came across.  

"Dance this one with me," she invited, smiling as winsomely as she 
could.

"I would be honoured, my lady," he replied and swept her into the 
dance.  She was whirled from one partner to another through the 
dance's movements until she ended spinning breathlessly in her 
partner's arms.

"That was wonderful!" she enthused as they took the customary 
post-dance promenade around the courtyard.  Her partner was wearing 
the obligatory mask so all she could see of his features were his 
strong chin and dark curly hair.  "Come and walk with me in the 
garden," she suggested impulsively.

"My lady, you know not who I am.  'Tis not a wise invitation from so 
innocent a maid."

"So tell me your name."

"I am known as Mercutio, kinsman to Paris and close companion of 
Romeo, only son of your great enemy Lord Montague."  He swept off his 
mask with a bow and smiled challengingly at her.  He was older than 
Romeo had seemed, more a man than a boy, with a reckless gleam in his 
eye and, in Ellen's opinion, very attractive.

"Oh these silly squabbles have nothing to do with us.  Come on, walk 
with me."  For a moment he resisted but then he obeyed her and 
followed her out into the gardens.  The Italian night was warm with a 
soft wind gently whispering the leaves on the trees.  Away from the 
candles the purple twilight surrounded and isolated them.  There were 
quiet murmurs and rustlings, which indicated that they were not the 
only ones to investigate the privacy of the gardens.  Ellen led the 
way to a seat surrounded by honeysuckle and roses.  She breathed 
deeply, enjoying the heady scent and marvelling again at the 
verisimilitude of the program.  Mischievously she decided to see how 
adaptable the program was.  It was logical that the main characters 
were well researched but she wondered how much time had been spent on 
minor characters and just what would happen if she decided to change 
the plot.

She moved closer next to Mercutio and slid her arms around his neck.

"Kiss me, Mercutio."

"Fain would I refuse so sweet an invite but my lady, thy kinsman would 
murder me if 'twere discovered I stole a kiss from thy maiden lips."

"Well I guess I'll just have to kiss you," Ellen told him, suiting the 
action to the words.  His lips were firm and warm and she could 
faintly taste the wine he had been drinking.  His resistance didn't 
last long and soon their tongues were entwining and his hands were 
roaming over her body.  It was easy enough for him to slip his hand 
inside the neckline of her dress to find her breasts.  It had been so 
long since a man had touched her and she revelled in the sensations. 
Dimly she was aware that he wasn't real, just a computer-generated 
image in her brain, but at that moment she didn't really care.  His 
fingers were tracing delicate patterns over her breasts sending 
shivers of delight through her.  Eagerly she pushed aside his 
clothing, running her hands through the curly hairs on his chest 
before tackling the tight leggings he wore.  He pulled away from the 
kiss and started to protest but she forestalled him by flicking his 
nipple with her tongue.  He gave a groan of pleasure and returned his 
attention to her breasts.  She finally managed to free his cock, 
thankful that the program designers had remembered to include this 
vital part of the male anatomy.  Without any more ado she hoisted up 
her skirts and knelt astride him.  Slowly she lowered herself onto 
him, feeling his hard shaft slide into her.  His hands cupped her 
bottom to help her move and his mouth was busy between her breasts.  
She arched her back as her orgasm flooded through her, vaguely 
registering that the man below her was climaxing also.

She sprawled on top of Mercutio, unsure what to say.  She had 
basically just used him to see if the VR3000 could simulate sexual 
feelings.  Judging by the orgasm that she had just had the answer was 
a resounding yes.  Yet somehow she felt a little guilty and awkward.  
She couldn't just say, "Thanks a lot.  Now I'm off to flirt with Romeo 
in accordance with the plot."  She was rescued from her dilemma by 
everything around her gradually darkening and some words appeared in 
front of her, a voice reading them aloud.

"We are sorry to interrupt your VR3000 'Romeo and Juliet' experience. 
An outside agency has paused the program temporarily. The programme 
will stop on the count of five.  One, two, three, four, five."  The 
voice gradually faded away and Ellen opened her eyes to see Baz 
peering down at her.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to make a couple of small adjustments. 
Your program will have been automatically saved so you can start from 
the same place if you want to.  If you could just hop out for a 
minute."  Ellen sat up slowly, the stab of pain in her hip a harsh 
reminder of reality.  She disconnected everything, then pulled herself 
upright using the walking frame.  She was slightly embarrassed, 
wondering if Baz could tell what she had been doing in the program. 
He had said her body didn't actually move when she was in the VR3000 
but she could feel faint tremors in her legs still from her orgasm and
she was definitely very wet between her legs.  It was only human 
nature, though.  Whatever new technology came along one of the first 
things humans tried to do with it was to see if it could be used for 
sex; the telephone, TV, the Internet, and now the VR3000.  She was 
sure she wasn't the first and she would not be the last to indulge in 
virtual reality sex.  Still she would prefer it if no one else knew. 
Baz tinkered with bits and pieces for a moment then straightened up.

"That's it.  All done.  You're all set now.  Any problems just give me
a ring.  My number is on the card.  I brought you a selection of 
programmes and I've left you a catalogue of what's available.  
There're new ones coming out all the time.  If you let me know what 
you fancy, I'll bring them with me when I come to service your 
machine.  Have fun."

Copyright Vickie Morgan, 1998
artemis55@hotmail.com