Gerald woke up in a computer game
and felt his lives increase. He started
living carelessly: eating turkey legs off the street
floor, crossing the road without looking left
and right, texting ex-girlfriends and boyfriends
pictures of his pixelated biceps. Gerald stopped
looking after himself. He wore the same clothes
every day and spent afternoons trying to jump over
things too tall for him to jump over. During his
down time Gerald thought about the person
playing him, the guy holding the controller
dictating his movements. He imagined him
having curly hair, a shrinking confidence.
Gerald started living even more carelessly
and held the hand of the controller.

© Carl Burkitt 2023