The contacts irritated his eyes, but naturally, he couldn't remove them. If he did, the augmented reality phone call he was having with his mom wouldn't be seen anymore.

"So yeah, I decided to not go to university because of that."

"Yes, that sounds quite reasonable to me my son... hahaha. Sorry, that whole conversation was too formal for us, wasn't it! Honestly, it has been so long since I last saw you in person!"

"Yeah, something like 12 to 13 years, right? Well, I had to move out at some point, you know this..."

"But that doesn't mean leaving forever!"

"We're talking right now, aren't we? As long as you ignore all the adverts, this augmented reality is a definite improvement to normal reality!"

"But we can't hug each other, like parent and child..."

"Don't worry Mom, I will be coming up to your place before the year ends! We can hug all you like at that time! I promise!"

My mom looks a little happier, so I decide to disconnect from the call and go get a pie from the local store. Good thing it was a nice and sunny today, with clear blue skies.

After getting outside, and walking to Braunston Street, where all the local cafes are located, I can easily see people sitting at tables eating different snacks. They ate their snacks scrumptiously eating made me even hungrier, so I sped up my pace to get at that pie all the sooner. Most of the mwere eating pies for some reason, but damn did they look good.

Upon entering the store, the normal sights of floating adverts over what could be bought were seen by me. I quickly selected a pie, before seeing a good friend of mine at another table.

"Yo Geurge! What are you up to my dude!"

"Oh, just getting a pie. Quite hungry!"

Chatting as we always do, I go to touch his shoulder, but he moves away as he always does. There are a lot of always with Geurge. He always acts in a pretty predictable manner. For instance: He always buys pies, he never lets anyone touch him, and whenever someone he isn't wearing contacts comes close, he walks to the other side of me, away from them.

Geurge then proceeds to say he wants to go for a walk outside for a bit, but I decide to stay as I am a bit too tired. After he leaves, an old man with greying hair and sharp blue eyes comes up to me and asks; "So, how was your video chat? I haven't used one of those in years, but it looked like it was fun!"

"What video chat?" I reply, confused. I then notice he isn't wearing any contacts, so maybe he just got confused. Yeah, probably that...

"I was just talking with my friend, he left. You can see him over there!" I wave to Geurge. He waves back, then walks out the door.

"Oh... young one, I think you might be seeing things... I can't see anyone over there..."

worryingly says the old man, concerned for my well being.

"Eh? What are you talking about, I can see fine. There are families all about us, all enjoying a different pie, and, oh yeah, that dude over there with the spiky blond hair! Hard to miss him! Damn his pie looks good, I hope mine is ready soon."

"Young one... there are no families in this shop, and the 'dude' over there is an obvious woman with long red hair, and she is eating a burrito... Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes. YES. YES, OF COURSE I AM FINE." I frantically yell, scared I might be going insane.

I begin rubbing my eyes, to try and see straight, and accidentally loosened one of the contacts. Only to discover the most horrifying scene I will ever see.

The old man was right, but also wrong. It wasn't that I was seeing things, no, it was the contacts that were seeing things. The families, the pies, my friend. None of it was real. A disjointed 'friend' walks back in, blurring in and out of existence. My left eye can see him fine, but my right... it sees nothing.

"What... what the hell am I supposed to now...?" I stammer out, confused and scared.

I thank the old man, and begin leaving, of course after taking out both contacts. I then proceed to grab my pie, and begin walking once again. I look up, and see the dark, cloudy skies, that stretch off into the distance.

I break down and cry.

#shortstory

#pie

#dystopia

Raining now.

Summer and it’s raining,

Can you believe this?

Now is the season of my discontent.

I don’t know how it works,

Maybe the humidity or something,

Gives me a lot of pain in the upper back.

Been like this all my life.

Maybe this is why.

I just get hung over, when I drink,

Holed up at Gloucester, up the castle.

Would that we had more entertainment,

But all the jugglers and troubadours,

Are with my elder brothers in The Tower.

And I have only these old ghosts,

moaning around to keep me happy.

So maybe that’s why.

And let’s face it,

It’s not like there’s so much kindness.

Sure, they all needed me when the war was on,

But now? Nothing. Seeya later, dicky-gater.

And the don’t really hope in their hearts ,

To see me. None of them do.

So maybe that’s why.

Being a Plantagenet sucks!

I’m going to die a horrible way,

We all do. That’s the curse.

I’ll get drowned if a ship sinks,

Taking me across some water,

Or I’ll get stabbed,

Or get the pox,

Or dysentery in a cold damp camp.

And you know my kind brothers,

Will probably be the reason for whatever gets me.

So maybe that’s why.

So the hell with it.

If life hands you lemons,

You get a better life.

You don’t bother with making juice.

that's for the losers.