[ WP ] It 's the late 2000 's and hashtags are starting to trend on social media . People begin to discover when a hashtag becomes popular enough they activate cheat codes for our reality .

Sweat dripped down his brow, and his eyes kept darting from one screen to another. This room, illuminated only by the light radiating from the dozens of screens covering every wall, this room was where Thomas would finally achieve what was rightfully his. His previous failures notwithstanding, he could *feel* it, this was the one. 
 
 The screens were all displaying a familiar blue. This week's try was Facebook. Thomas wiped the sweat that was threatening to drip into the bag of onion rings, strategically positioned on his belly so that it was as close as possible, for easy access. The aroma's nice too, Thomas mused. 
 
 When the first news of reality-defying hashtags reached him, Thomas was overjoyed. Finally, he would get what he desired most. He would show those bullies that he, Thomas, is *cool* too. 
 
 Right from the start, he knew that he could n't achieve a popular hashtag the normal way. He did n't have a way with words, he was n't charming or popular. His English was n't that good, either. So, being the resourceful mind that he was, he arrived at the conclusion that he would have to do it by utilising something he's good at, something he's better at than others. The answer was obvious. *Computers. * 
 
 Thomas figured that a hashtag being popular did n't necessarily have to mean that a lot of people had to know about it. It simply had to be posted a certain amount of times. And that, Thomas thought with a wide grin on his face, could easily be exploited. 
 
 The preparations took weeks. Buying all the computers, getting used to operating that many keyboards at the same time, making hundreds of email accounts and hundreds of Facebook accounts. Thomas would not be alone. There would be Thomas2. Thomas3. There would be thomasQ and thomasity. This must be what a general leading his army feels like, Thomas thought as he prepared to take the last few steps to his goal. It would work this time. It *had* to. 
 
 According to his calculations, a hashtag had to be posted exactly 100,000 times in one week to be considered'popular'. His fingers were racing on the various keyboards, posting. 
 
... 
 
 99,994th 
 
 99,995th 
 
 99,996th 
 
 99,997th 
 
 99,998th 
 
 *99,999th* 
 
 His fingers trembled for a moment. This was it. The last post. Thomas swallowed the lump in his throat, moved his fingers back to the keyboard and posted. Posted for the 100,000th time. 
 
 ** # iwantagirlfriend**
