[ WP ] Everybody who turns 25 learns a reality shattering secret about the world . Nobody has ever leaked this secret to somebody under 25 . Today is your 25th birthday .

`` You ready to go Matt?'' asked Justin, as he packed the rest of the van with cans of beer. 
 
 `` Yeah!'' I got in the passenger's seat, wearing nothing but beach shorts. We were going over at our friend Jenny's house for a midnight pool party that they're throwing for me. Last moments of being 24, what better way to celebrate? 
 
 Justin started the car, and put a CD of *Californication* in the player. 
 
 ***Dun*** 
 
 ***Dun*** 
 
 ***Dun*** ***Dun*** ***Dun*** ***Dun*** 
 
 `` OOOOOOOOH!'' we both sang. We did n't even have to wait for each other, we just knew it. Californication has always been our favorite album. No wonder we're best buds. 
 
 ***All around the world*** 
 
 ***We could make time*** 
 
 ***Rompin' and a-stompin'*** 
 
 ***'cause I'm in my prime*** 
 
 The music was on full blast; we did n't care if it woke up the whole block. We did n't care if we sang out of tune. We did n't care about anything... 
 
... no wonder none of us saw that red light. As we passed the intersection, a car came crashing to our side. 
 
 ***I know, I know for sure*** 
 
 ***That life is beautiful around the world... *** 
 
 -- - 
 
 When I woke up, I was submerged in water, breathing through some sort of machine. I tried to get out, but something hit my head. I reached out and felt glass. 
 
 I realized I was inside a pod. 
 
 `` Let me out! LET ME OUT!!!'' I screamed at the top of my lungs, banging on the glass dome, but I do n't think someone heard me. 
 
 I tried looking past the glass, but... it's all a blur. I can make out an image of several middle-aged men in lab coats, but that's all I can see. 
 
 One of them got closer to my capsule. I tried to focus my eyesight on him. He stood up beside me, pressing buttons on a control panel. As he was working on the controls, the water inside my pod slowly drained out. I started to see clearly through the glass. 
 
 I recognize him. 
 
 *It's Dad. * 
 
 The glass cover slowly lifted away from the rest of the pod. I stared straight into my dad's face, bewildered. 
 
 `` Last thing I remembered, Justin and I were in a car accident.'' 
 
 `` Yes, I know,'' he replied. 
 
 `` Dad... am I... dreaming?'' 
 
 `` No. But you were.'' 
 
 I stared at him, trying hard not to laugh. `` You're joking, Dad.'' 
 
 He looked at me, expressionless. `` No, I'm not. You were dreaming for 25 years. And now you're awake. Happy birthday son.'' 
 
 `` What? What's going on?'' 
 
 He sighed, looking at the other machines. `` I knew the day would come where you'll have to know about *The Secret*. I just did n't know how to tell you.'' 
 
 `` Tell me what? What exactly is happening around here?!'' 
 
 `` You see this pod right here, and the others in the room? That is where you were all born. In fact that's were you all grew up. From artificial insemination to auto-sustenance and beyond. All automated. Heh. The only thing your mom and I had to do was give them an egg cell and some sperm. Each person is required to stay inside the pod for 25 years, to ensure complete body development. That was how I was raised, that was how your grandpa was raised, that's how everyone was raised.'' 
 
 `` But... I remember. I have memories.'' 
 
 `` Ah yes. You see son, while you were in that pod, you were in a constant state of REM sleep. You were dreaming all the time. But the only reason that nothing goes awry in your'dream' is that you were all interconnected into a main dream hub. Kind of a virtual reality for everyone. We connect to the hub by attaching ourselves to a device that lets us freely interact with you in our dreams. That's why you're no stranger to me.'' 
 
 `` So... all this time I...'' 
 
 In the distance, I heard a faint hint of melody ringing through the halls. 
 
 ***Deep inside of a parallel universe*** 
 
 ***It's getting harder and harder*** 
 
 ***To tell what came first*** 
 
 ***Under water where thoughts can breathe easily*** 
 
 ***Far away you were made in a sea*** 
 
 ***Just like me... *** 
 
 > Sorry if it's a bit rough, I did n't write for quite some time. Also it's 1 AM here and me brain not feel righty 

