[ WP ] A new drug let 's you live a lifetime in one dream

The first night on which Isaac awoke he was overcome with an insurmountable feeling of anxiety. He had been pressured into trying Nod by a friend, using the term loosely, and was already beginning to regret his decision. He had never abused drugs ( save perhaps for nicotine ), but peer pressure often breaks even the strongest of men. Isaac never stood a chance. In his old life he had been nearly thirty and still a bagboy for the local supermarket; now he was four years old and named Ibis, if the birthday cake ’ s icing was any indication. He tried desperately to think of what kind of name Ibis was… Egyptian? Maybe. As his newfound family circled around him and urged him to blow out the candles he realized that the hype was real. Nod had worked. ‘ An entire life within moments! Leave your old failures behind! ’ The campaigns for Nod had been fierce, the opposition fiercer, but Isaac had always doubted it really worked. How long could it possibly last? 
 
 At five years old, Isaac started school. He could read and write far better than any of the other students and was quickly labeled as gifted. By seven he had proved that he grasped the basic concepts of Algebra and Biology and quickly ascended to the ranks of wunderkind. Days became months and months became years and soon Ibis ’ mind was filled with proofs and theorems. Gone were the memories of playing on the playground, gone were the memories of being ‘ discovered ’ in kindergarten, gone were the memories of his fourth birthday. Soon Ibis met the love of his life. She was young and he was young, as lovers so often are, but they knew that there would be no one else. Ibis worked hard to create a better world for his Jessica and, within six months of their marriage, their daughter. 
 
 The diagnosis came as a surprise for everyone. Ibis didn ’ t want to leave earth, not yet, not with so much left to be done. He needed time to think. He needed time. The treatment was relatively new, as he understood it. Typically prescribed to the critically ill. He agonized over his decision, sleepless nights and tear soaked tissues littering his home. Eventually Ibis and Jessica concluded that it was for the best. He would take Nod. 
 
 The first night on which Ibis awoke, he was overcome with an insurmountable feeling of anxiety. 

