Love and pain and war, all things I missed. Since the vats became standard in all low income housing I haven’t needed any of them. We’re all fed, we’re all healthy and we’re all kept separated so there’s no war, at least not like there used to be. I haven’t been punched in almost 15 years and frankly I’ve deserved it. I don’t think I’ve left my vat in almost 7 years.

The deal was an easy one. Get everything provided to you and all you have to do it sublet your government mandated apartment to some foreign wacko wanting to see America for a few years. Of course you have to give up your things, and when you enter your vat is moved to a holding facility until you get out. But I sure didn’t have much stuff and when I couldn't make rent it was a short fucking walk to sign up.

In the vats we have facebook. There’s a VR we’re supposed to live in but if all you’re going to do is sit and look at facebook anyway, what’s the point? It’s normal facebook with all the photos and videos and crap people always post. Except the videos are all faked. It sure looks like you and moves like you but you're in a vat and you don’t want to show that. They have filters that make it look like you’re on a couch. You can even keep the filters for yourself so that’s what you see too. But if you close your eyes, you’re definitely floating in a vat.

When you’re not using your body you don’t sleep like you used to, not even close to like you used to. Your mind can slip into REM without you noticing and the lines between reality and dreams can easily blur. Sometimes it takes a lot of reading the timeline to figure out what’s really happened, and if you’re not careful you’re in deep sleep directly from being awake.

My tenant has 3 years left on his lease. This is my 4th tenant. I spent two weeks out of the vat between number one and two but it was strange. They don’t tell you that not moving for a years can do a number on you. I paid for the rehab, 4 days of drugs, exercises and pain, lots of pain. I was supposed to be “within 90% of my previous strength” but something was off. I couldn’t breathe right and going outside sucked a lot. More then it should have if you ask me, which you did. So I went back in to earn enough money for a real rehab, but then I got my Vat overhaul bill and dammit, that’s my 3rd tenant. I’ve been under so long I don’t even want to leave.

I’m pretty sure they planned it that way but jokes on them, I barely went out before. Suckers.