There is a girl stuck in the simulator. You don’t believe me. Why would you? It sounds absurd, foolish, insane, for such an idea to be plausible. Girls can’t get stuck behind the looking glass of our own entertainment. You can chuckle all you want – laugh at the knowing tone in my voice. You will play the puppeteer simply because being the puppet isn’t as fun as it could be.
Turn on the TV. Play the game. Can’t you hear the happy tune of the dating simulator, the softish pink that greets you like a woman’s touch? The girl is waiting for you. Beckon and call. She will ask all the right questions, avert her eyes nervously when you make quick advances; and, all for what exactly… a chance? You want a chance with the girl, the dream girl, the girl in the simulator, right? Play the game. See how long it lasts for her eyes to finally meet your eyes through the TV screen.
Doesn’t she seem a bit too realistic at times? Why does she flinch? A real girl would flinch, surely, with all the lewd choices you decide to make out of whim. Yet this girl is nothing but code, you would argue – molded by the hands of man to fit the dream expectations of the ideal, the perfect, the girl stuck in the simulator. This game is no longer as fun. The more choices you make, the more she suffers- can’t you see?
The genuineness of her smile falters with the more time spent with you. Words choke out of her throat unwillingly, bile that leaves her face a ghostly white. She flirts back. Of course she does. She has to. She has no choice. She acts shy when all she wants to do is scream back in retaliation until her vocal cords are damaging to the point of no return. Every speech bubble is as insincere as the first time, the first round of the game of her own life; the freedom of choice was ripped away from her the moment she was sucked into a world so flamboyant yet empty. She has to bend to every whim because every choice could mean escape. Playing nice could do so much for her. So she smiles along, guides the player along a whimsical, romantic journey until the screen fades to black. Let the tears fall. Let the world fall into a silence so comforting yet alienating.
From the moment the final scene comes into play, the girl’s eyes light up in hope and sincerity. Play the game. Don’t you want to win? What does winning mean to you, puppeteer? Do you want the girl…
Or do you want your life?
A. Do you want to go on a date sometime?
B. Do you want to be set free?
The foolish mortal, oh so foolish you all can be. Playing the fiddle of the game. Play the game, get the girl, that’s all you want, right? You will choose A, time-and-time again, they choose A; the girl can only watch as the world she has grown so accustomed to crumbles around her once again. This time, the tears are genuine. This time, you couldn’t get the girl.
Oh well. There’s always next time.
Want to play a game?
Dear Cindy,
That was phenomenal. I love your voice in your writing so much! It is witty, purposeful, and beautifully simplistic, but ambiguous enough to drive your reader insane, a sign that you are a writer that knows how to wield imagery, persuasion, and plot like a sword.
In terms of the piece itself, the tone of feminism was very prominent. However, it did not seem like you were screaming at me, telling me that woman’s rights were important – instead, I felt you showed me, through the symbol of the simulator/TV, a choice that was more powerful than a direct attack. The artful cunning in your presentation has inspired me to include that in my writing someday.
My favorite line, however, would have to be, “Yet this girl is nothing but code, you would argue – molded by the hands of man to fit the dream expectations of the ideal, the perfect, the girl stuck in the simulator.” Wow! I love the illusion/reality theme that you are playing with here. I don’t know much about computers, but I do know that code has a puppet and puppeteer relationship. The one writing it is the man, I’m assuming, but the girl does not seem to respond accordingly, showing that ideas do not translate fully in the real world – absolutely brilliant.
In terms of improvement, I felt that the transition from “Do you want the girl” to “Do you want life” was very abrupt. It seemed as though you were talking to the man at first, and then it switched to the girl. If you are talking to the man, then why does he need to be set free? I feel like there should be more clarity here.
All in all, your writing is amazing, and I hope to read more of it soon!
Sincerely,
Nazeefa
Nazeefa,
Wise words, Nazeefa. I do agree about the abruptness of the ending. (I will be honest in the fact that I did not know how to end this piece. I think I managed to tie my thought process together decently enough. I will improve!!!!!! Thank you). Your comments are always so fancy. I wish I was as fancy as you. Seeing you bestow your wisdom down to me is a privilege. I will cherish this comment with my life. Thank you, once again, for commenting. It was a pleasant surprise.
Sincerely,
Cindy 😀