I was at a party last year and they started passing the buddy passes around. I was hesitant to try it at first, because I had heard so many negative things about it, but my friend was like, "Come on man, just try it, you'll like it." So I get home and get everything ready. Once I fired it up, my pupils dilated and I could see colors. Oh man, and the audio! Never had such sweet sounds caressed my ears. I was hooked. I started using it every day, but each day I had to use more and more to get that same level of satisfaction that I had previously. I became a wreck. I started skipping meals and staying up later, just to keep using a little longer. Fast forward to months later, and I see my friend that introduced me to it. I ask him why I haven't seen him around lately and he tells me he's no longer using, he's found something better. Something better? I ask. WoW, I said. What could be better than this? LoL, he said, pretty much anything is better than that. So I go home, bitter, swearing off my friendship with the traitor. I go to use some, just a little to take the edge off, but it has no effect. His words continue to ring in my ears...anything is better than that...better than that. That...that...I stop using. Cold turkey. All day long I'm thinking about ways I could have been a more responsible user, but it's too late - I'm dead.

/fiction