After spending an extra day at Lassen's villa, Ethan finally returned home, dragging his suitcase down the narrow hallway of his apartment. The space felt strangely small and ordinary after exploring Mr. X's sleek and minimalist mansion. But it wasn't the lack of space that unsettled him the most. It was what he felt.
The experience with the immersive VR headset haunted him. The sensations, the images, the realism,everything seemed more tangible, more alive than the reality around him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the landscapes he had traversed, felt the wind on his skin, and heard the whispers of virtual leaves. He even caught himself, unconsciously, reaching out for objects he had held in that world.