Chapter 64: Pixels and Phaetons

Friday, July 14th, 2006

Josh stepped out of work, rolling his shoulders as he made his way to the parking lot. The summer heat pressed down, making the asphalt shimmer as he approached his silver Mazda RX-7. He slid into the driver’s seat, letting out a breath as the cool air from the vents hit his skin.

Just as he pulled onto the road, his phone rang. He flipped it open, already knowing who it would be.

“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted.

“Hey, yourself,” Katie replied. “So, change of plans for the weekend. Mom’s taking me dress shopping. Looks like you’ll have to entertain yourself for a couple of days. Think you can survive without me?”

Josh smirked as he shifted gears. “It’ll be tough, but I think Rosé and her five sisters will take care of me.”

Katie let out an exaggerated gasp. “Joshua, did you just admit to replacing me with a bottle of wine and a questionable fantasy?”

Josh chuckled. “What? No! I was talking about my hand and five fingers.”

Katie groaned. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet, you still love me.”

“Debatable.” She laughed, then softened. “I’ll miss you, though.”

“Same here,” Josh said as he pulled into his garage. “But have fun with your mom. Find something you love.”

“That’s the plan. Alright, I’ll let you go. Love you.”

“Love you too, beautiful.”

Josh ended the call and stepped out of the car, the quiet settling around him as he entered the house. Without Katie, the place felt bigger, emptier. He set his keys on the counter, contemplating how to pass the time. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. EverQuest.

He made his way to what he liked to call his “computer lab”—a spare bedroom converted into his office, while Leonard’s study remained untouched, a silent monument to the man who had helped him so much. Sometimes, he’d sit in Leonard’s chair, staring at the medals displayed on the walls, remembering the lessons and quiet wisdom the old man had imparted. But tonight, he was in the mood for something different.

He booted up his system and waited as the operating system loaded. Clicking on the EverQuest icon, he watched as the familiar patcher checked for updates. Once the process was complete, he hit play, feeling the familiar wave of nostalgia wash over him as the game launched.

Josh had started his first life on the Veeshan server, which eventually merged into Luclin as EverQuest’s population dwindled due to the rise of World of Warcraft. This time, he had chosen Firiona Vie—the roleplaying server—knowing it would still be around even in 2024.

After selecting his server, he reached the character selection screen, greeted by his digital alter egos. There was Eureka, his stalwart Ogre Shadow Knight; Ligma, his cunning Iksar Necromancer; and Klaus, his sneaky trickster of a Halfling Rogue. He had more characters, but these were his mains—the ones he had poured countless hours into. After a brief moment of deliberation, he chose Klaus, eager to dive into the world of Norrath once more.

The night unfolded in a blur of dungeon crawls, guild chatter, and the ceaseless grind for experience points. EverQuest, despite its age, had a depth and charm that modern games lacked. The camaraderie, the challenge, the intricate mechanics—it all kept him coming back, just as it had the first time.

Josh ventured into Qinimi, Court of Nihilia, a treacherous zone filled with remnants of a fallen civilization. Hulking Noc Darklurches patrolled the narrow pathways, while Turepta channelers wove dark magic among the crumbling ruins. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, interrupted only by the guttural growls of lurking enemies.

As Klaus, Josh reveled in the thrill of navigating the high-risk environment. He expertly employed Hide and Sneak to scout ahead for his party, identifying ambush points and charting the safest routes. Combat was intense, requiring careful coordination—if their tank lost control, their healer would be overwhelmed in seconds. Josh’s rogue excelled at weaving in and out of battle, landing precise Backstabs before slipping back into the shadows.

The group eventually encountered Pixtt Xictic Krvne, a formidable elite warrior who commanded the lesser Pixtt soldiers in the region. The fight was brutal—waves of reinforcements surged as the boss unleashed devastating area-of-effect attacks. Josh darted between enemies, striking from behind before vanishing to reposition. The battle pushed the group to their limits, but after a grueling encounter, Pixtt Xictic Krvne finally fell, dropping a rare artifact—the Broken Blade of Brooding. The group quickly agreed that Josh deserved it, and as he equipped the weapon, a sense of satisfaction settled over him. There was nothing quite like the thrill of earning a hard-fought upgrade.

Taking a break from group play, he ventured to The Overthere, a vast expanse on the continent of Kunark. Here, he slipped into stealth mode, weaving through enemy camps, pickpocketing unsuspecting foes, and scouting for valuable loot. This was one of his favorite aspects of playing a rogue—the ability to operate undetected, striking only when the moment was right.

As the hours passed, he lost himself in the world of Norrath, chatting with guildmates, trading items, and reminiscing about past expansions. The nostalgia was strong, but more than that, the game still felt alive, still held an undeniable sense of adventure. It wasn’t quite the same as having Katie there, but for one night, it was enough.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Josh woke to the rhythmic sound of rain pattering against his windows. The steady drumming made him want to sink deeper into his blankets, letting the gray morning lull him back to sleep. But he quickly reminded himself why he couldn’t afford that kind of indulgence. He had lost too many years to complacency before—wasting time on the couch, avoiding responsibilities, letting opportunities slip through his fingers. That version of himself had no place in this life. Discipline had gotten him this far, and if he let himself slip now, he risked falling back into the lazy habits that had defined his first life. He couldn’t let that happen.

Sighing, he pushed himself out of bed and began his morning stretches, loosening his muscles before diving into his usual routine of pushups, sit-ups, and squats. With no plans for the day, he decided to take advantage of the extra time and work through his Aikido forms. The discipline and focus required helped him clear his mind, allowing him to center himself while reinforcing the control and balance he had worked so hard to achieve. It wasn’t just about physical training—it was about mental resilience, a way to keep himself grounded in both body and mind. The movements were fluid, ingrained into his muscle memory after years of dedicated practice. Two hours passed before he finally stopped, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead. It was a stark contrast to when he had first started training ten years ago—back then, a fraction of this workout would have left him exhausted. Now, it was just part of his day.

Satisfied with his training, Josh headed into the bathroom for a shower, letting the hot water wash away the sweat and fatigue. Once clean, he made his way to the kitchen, opting for a simple but nutritious breakfast of oatmeal with fruit. He had worked hard to develop healthier eating habits, knowing how easy it would be to fall back into the patterns of his past life.

As he ate, his thoughts drifted to Katie. Knowing her, she was probably still curled up in bed, blissfully ignoring the morning. He considered calling her but decided against it—she deserved to enjoy her weekend. Instead, he found himself at a loss for what to do with his day. After spending the previous night immersed in EverQuest, he felt like he should do something different. If he had close friends, he might have called them to hang out, but just like in his first life, he had never put much effort into making friends outside of Katie. He wasn’t sure if he regretted it or not—on one hand, it had always been easier to keep to himself, to focus on his own goals. But on the other, it made him wonder if he was missing out on something meaningful. Maybe it was too late to change that now, or maybe he just didn’t know how. He briefly thought about checking in with his mother or brothers, but Dorothy’s car was already gone, and his brothers were likely busy with their own lives.

Left with nothing to do, Josh decided to clean up the kitchen. After washing the dishes from breakfast, he figured he might as well mop the floors. Once that was done, he noticed the cabinet doors could use a wipe-down. Then the stove. One task led to another, each small job leading him seamlessly into the next. It wasn’t that the house was particularly dirty—he just needed something to do, something productive to keep him from idling in front of the TV or slipping back into the habits he had worked so hard to break.

Josh worked his way through the house, moving from one room to the next with methodical precision. He started in the kitchen, scrubbing the countertops until they gleamed before tackling the fridge, clearing out anything that had been sitting too long. From there, he wiped down the cabinets and meticulously cleaned the stove, making sure no grease or residue remained. He even took the time to polish the sink, something he rarely bothered with.

Next, he moved to the living room, dusting every surface, including the bookshelves and picture frames. He vacuumed the carpets, making sure to get into every corner. Even though he knew no one else would notice, he fluffed the couch cushions and straightened everything to perfection.

The bathrooms were next—he scrubbed the sink, wiped down the mirrors, and disinfected the countertops. He tackled the shower and bathtub, making sure there wasn’t a single spot of soap scum left. The toilet was given a thorough cleaning, and he replaced the hand towels with fresh ones from the linen closet.

In the bedroom, he stripped the bed and replaced the sheets with a clean set, smoothing them out with careful precision. He dusted the nightstands, straightened up his dresser, and made sure everything was exactly where it belonged.